Background: The occurrence of seizures in bacterial meningitis is important, as it has been reported to increase the risk of complications; however, its frequency and predictors are not well studied yet. Objective: To assess the frequency, clinical, and biochemical predictors of seizures in children with acute bacterial meningitis. Method: A cross-sectional study recruited confirmed acute bacterial meningitis cases based on positive CSF culture and sensitivity among children aged 2 months to 15 years admitted to the Central Child Teaching Hospital emergency department in Iraq. Patients were divided into two groups based on seizure at presentation time. Demographic characteristics [age, gender, residence, duration of fever and disease, presenting complaints and antibiotic intake]; hematological [WBC, neutrophils] Lymphocyte, N/L ratio, packed cell volume, platelets, blood sugar, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) indices were compared between groups. Results: Seizures had a frequency of 18% among the 122 children and were significantly higher in younger cases with female predominance. By multivariate analysis and odds ratio (OR), predictors for seizure were as follows: CSF lymphocytes (OR=0.25, 95%CI=0.08–0.26), lethargy (OR=8.15, 95%CI=1.03-68.65), headache (OR=0.09, 95%CI=0.02-0.45), neck stiffness (OR=0.07, 95% CI=0.01-0.61) and poor feeding (OR=4.8, 95%CI=1.21–18.97). Conclusions: CSF lymphocytes reliably predicted seizure with good sensitivity and specificity of 75% and 73%. Lethargy and poor feeding had the highest odds as clinical predictors of seizures. Together, those results can help with risk stratification and allocate resources for high-risk cases to improve patient outcomes
Background: Pulpotomy is an accepted treatment for the management of cariously exposed pulps in symptom free primary molars to achieve one of the most important goals for Pedodontists, which is the retention of the pulpally involved deciduous teeth healthy until the time of normal exfoliation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relative success of pulpotec, formocresol and Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA) in cariously exposed primary molar teeth, using clinical and radiographical examinations. Materials and methods: Thirty nine children with 45 primary molars requiring pulpotomy were selected in this study, 15 teeth treated by each type of pulpotomy medicament. Clinical and radiographical follow up for the patients was performed
... Show MoreBacterial contamination of AL-Habania and AL-Tharthar reservoirs were studied during the period from February 2001 to January 2002, samples were collected from four stations in AL-Habania reservoir (AL-Warrar, AL-Theban regulator, middle of the reservoir and the fourth was towards AL-Razzaza reservoir) and from two stations at AL-Tharthar reservoir (Ein AL-Hilwa and the middle of the reservoir). Coliform bacteria, faecal Coliforms, Streptococci, faecal Streptococci and total count of bacteria were used as parameters of bacterial contamination in waters of both reservoirs through calculating the most probable number. Highest count of Coliform bacteria (15000 cell/100ml) was recorded at Ein AL-Hilwa and lowest count at AL-Theban regulator
... Show MoreBackground and aim: Pomegranate is a medicinal herb that can promote healing of periodontal tissue through differentiation of mesenchymal cells both in vivo and in vitro. Therefore, this study is to investigate the effect of oral supplementation of Punicagranatum L. peel extract on bone defect in rabbit. Methods: Forty five male rabbits were divided into 3 groups; group 1; baseline group(5 rabbits) left without bone defect. Group 2; study group (20 rabbits) with bone defect model that received daily 1ml of oral supplementation of pomegranate peel extract (PoPx). Group 3; control group (20 rabbits) with bone defect model that received distilled water. Bone defect was done into facial plate of lower right central incisor. Blood biopsies by
... Show MoreThe open hole well log data (Resistivity, Sonic, and Gamma Ray) of well X in Euphrates subzone within the Mesopotamian basin are applied to detect the total organic carbon (TOC) of Zubair Formation in the south part of Iraq. The mathematical interpretation of the logs parameters helped in detecting the TOC and source rock productivity. As well, the quantitative interpretation of the logs data leads to assigning to the organic content and source rock intervals identification. The reactions of logs in relation to the increasing of TOC can be detected through logs parameters. By this way, the TOC can be predicted with an increase in gamma-ray, sonic, neutron, and resistivity, as well as a decrease in the density log
... Show MoreElevated Interleukin-13 (IL-13) may play an important role in the pathophysiology of COVID-19, yet, the attenuated response did not notice across all severe cases. Susceptibility to asthma in specific populations is associated with several SNPs of multifunctional cytokines, such as IL-13, IL-31 and IL-33. This prospective case-control study is designed to investigate the extent of genetic susceptibility in subsets of Iraqi patients with COVID-19 by targeting the variants of interleukin IL-13rs20541 polymorphism in relation to disease susceptibility and severity of clinical presentation. One hundred samples were obtained from the throat, nasopharyngeal and nasal swabs enrolled in this study. Eighty samples of the throat, nasopharyngeal and
... Show MoreBACKGROUND: Keratoconus is a progressive non inflammatory bilateral (usually asymmetric) ectatic corneal disease characterized by paraxial stromal thinning ,weakening that lead to corneal surface distortion ,vision loss primarily from irregular astigmatism and myopia and secondly from corneal scar. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate visual and refractive outcomes after intracorneal continuous ring (ICCR) implantation combined with intrapocket corneal collagen cross linking in patient with keratoconus. Setting: Eye Specialty Private Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq. METHODS: This study assessed the results of implantation of Myoring ICCR combined with CXL in 40 eyes with KC. Outcome measures include UDVA,CDVA(spectacle correction),refraction, complications and s
... Show MoreBackground: L. sativum, are traditionally used for the treatment of various diseases and thought to have medicinal value. Isolates from many part of the world is now multidrug resistant. Therefore, there is an urgent need to look for and test an alternative herbal drug.
Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial activity of L. Sativum seed extract against multi drug resistant (MDR) and sensitive Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates.
Subjects and Methods: An ethanolic and aqueous stock extracts were prepared from L. sativum seed plant then serial dilutions were prepared and the obtained concentrations (50, 25, 12.5 and 6.2 mg/ml) were tested against 30 multidrug-resistan
... Show MoreAim: The reduction in the amount of marginal bone is the most important demand for the long term success of dental implants. This prospective clinical study was aimed to investigate the marginal bone loss of early loaded SLActive implants with different dimensions and surgical approaches. Materials and methods Fifteen patients aged from 18 to 60 years were divided into 2 groups (flapped and flapless approach) that underwent delayed implant placement protocol with SLActive implants. The marginal bone level was estimated by cone-beam computed tomography during three different periods: preoperatively, 8 weeks after surgery and 24 weeks after loading of the prosthesis. Results: The mean value of marginal bone level was not significantly chan
... Show MoreAn experimental investigation of natural convection heat transfer from an isothermal horizontal,vertical and inclined heated square flat plates with and without circular hole, were carried out in two cases, perforated plates without an impermeable adiabatic hole "open core" and perforated plates with an impermeable adiabatic hole "closed core" by adiabatic plug. The experiments covered the laminar region with a range of Rayleih number of (1.11x106 ≤RaLo≤4.39x106 ), at Prandtle number (Pr=0.7). Practical experiments have been done with variable inclination angles from horizon (Ф=0o ,45o,90o,135oand 180o),facing upward (0o≤Ф<90o), and downward (90o
≤Ф<180o). The results showed that the temperature gradient increases whi