Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive airflow limitation that is preventable but not curable. It is associated with persistent symptoms that cause a considerable burden on individual productivity at work, and daily activities, and reduced quality of life, also burdening the healthcare system and society. Objectives: The study aims to measure the burden of COPD on patients in terms of daily activities and work productivity. It also seeks to investigate some inflammatory biomarkers' levels and their correlation with selected outcomes. Patients and Methods: A cross-sectional study on 120 stable COPD patients who were diagnosed and treated according to the GOLD guidelines at Kirkuk General Hospital's chest and Internal Medicine consultation clinics, and in private internist clinics in Kirkuk City, Iraq between January and April 2023. The Work Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire (WPAI-COPD) measured the Burden of COPD. The symptom burden was assessed by the COPD assessment test (CAT). The level of IL-6 monoclonal antibodies was measured via a Roche Cobas 6000 analyzer and TNF-α using the ELISA sandwich technique. All these devices and machines were authorized by the Ministry of Health, Iraq. Results: The mean age was (54.1 ± 8.12) years, 62.5% being males and 37.5% being females; 41.7% were public sector employees, and 39.2% were self-employed. Due to COPD, the overall work loss was (45.9±18.91) days, the mean percentage of absenteeism was (10.9% ± 12.31%), activity impairment was (47.5% ±17.79%) among all patients, presenteeism was (40.8 ± 15.05%,) and COPD-related retirees were 14.2% of the study group. The mean CAT score (19.3±5.63) was high and the most troubling symptom among patients was chest tightness. WPAI-COPD scores were higher in older age and longer disease duration. The levels of biomarkers were above the reference ranges, the mean IL-6 level was (69.4 ± 35.29) pg/ml, and the mean TNF-α was (72.3 ± 22.45) pg/ ml. Conclusions: COPD patients exhibit a disease burden in terms of productivity loss at work and activity impairment that increases with aging and disease duration. COPD patients with low BMI are more prone to a decline in lung functions and to worse symptoms.
Seventy five E. coli isolates were collected from urine of patients with urinary tract infections in AL-Kadhimia and AL-Yarmook teaching hospitals in Baghdad for a period between 22/11/2009 to 15/3/2010, from these samples twenty five isolates were selected according to their pattern of the highest resistance as these showing multi-drug resistances and tested to specify their minimum inhibitory concentration for (meropenem, gentamicin and amikacin), meropenem was found having the lowest MIC comparing with others. This study also includes in vitro effects of various combinations of three types of antimicrobials (meropenem, gentamicin and amikacin) against twenty five E. c
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Water pollution is one of the global challenges that the society must address in the 21st century aiming to improve the water quality, reduce human pollutants and ecosystem health impacts. In phytotoxicity test, the plant of Iresine herbstii was exposed to remove nickel from simulated wastewater using two different ratios (mass of plant to the mass of nickel) (,Rp/Ni) for 21 days with sub-surface batch system. During the exposure period, the removal of Ni concentrations (2, 5 and 10 mg/L) for two mass ratio (2,800 and 34,000) were (83.6%, 77.2%, 78.0%) and (86.8%, 97% and 95.6%), respectively. final result of the rate was found that the highest removal occurred, 97%, at a mass ratio of 34,000 and
... Show Moreم. د. ولاء طارق حميد, Al. Qadisiya journal for the Sciences of Physical Education, 2017
The organizational structure of relations between states is among the main features that distinguished the twentieth century as the era of international organization, especially after the increase in the number of political units after World War II in which regionalism was crystallized as a phenomenon. It is not modern, as there are many blocs such as the European Union that have developed in it, the idea of regional bloc is prominent, especially in Europe, as it emerged after a controversy revolved around what was called globalism in the face of Globalism vs. Regionalism. Regional, as the proponents of the global orientation saw the establishment of a global organization that includes all countries, as the best way to achieve inte
... Show MoreMolecular dynamics (MD) simulations were carried out in order to investigate the binding mode of axillaridine-A at the active site of human acetylcholinesterase (AChE) enzyme. 2.0 nanosecond of MD simulations was made for the protein and the complex to dynamically explore the active site and the behavior of the ligand at the peripheral AChE binding site. These calculations for the enzyme alone showed that the active site of AChE is located at the bottom of a deep and narrow cavity whose surface is lined with rings of aromatic residues and Tyr72 is almost perpendicular to the Trp286 ring and forms a stable - interaction. The size of the active site of the complex decreases with time due to increase the interaction. Axillaridine-A forms
... Show MorePersonalized Medicine represents a recent revolution in healthcare practice, focusing on tailoring different therapies to be precise for a specific individual; this is aided by exploring the number of genetic predispositions and lifestyle choices that fit each individual. In this article, the authors utilize and gather recent literature and opinions to discuss the impact of personalized medicine on chronic disease management and patient quality of life. Additional attention is paid to limits and possible ethical issues. Chronic diseases such as Hypertension, Diabetes, and chronic kidney diseases adversely affect multiple health indicators, including Quality of Life (QoL) and well-being. This will have additional impacts on physical
... Show MoreBackground: Chronic periodontitis is a bacterial infection that result in bone destruction associated with the increasing level of salivary tumor necrosis alpha and interleukin6 that affect Mother-infant bonding status. The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship between the Mother-infant bonding status in mothers with chronic periodontitis in relation to Salivary Tumor necrosis factor alpha and Salivary Interleukin6. Materials and Methods: The selected sample consisted of mothers with chronic periodontitis compared with mothers with healthy periodontium in postpartum period, their age ranged between 30-40 years. Both groups were subjected to postpartum Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ). Periodontal health status was assessed f
... Show MoreThe human perception of science and knowledge is affected by the personal point of view, thus giving it its religious, mental and emotional dimensions to make that perception an effective tool for realizing the truth comprehensively in the delivery of knowledge to the depths of the human soul. The later is composed of multiple factors, which contributes to the human self-development with dimensions beyond the limits of mental logic and the perception of material and emotional situations. That knowledge in the perception of Islamic virtue, which must characterize each Muslim.
Human beings have been striving for knowledge and the understanding of the universe in which they live. For centuries, mankind has acquired knowledge directly an
A low speed open circuit wind tunnel has been designed, manufactured and constructed at the
Mechanical Engineering Department at Baghdad University - College of Engineering. The work is one of
the pioneer projects adapted by the R & D Office at the Iraqi MOHESR. The present paper describes the
first part of the work; that is the design calculations, simulation and construction. It will be followed by a
second part that describes testing and calibration of the tunnel. The proposed wind tunnel has a test
section with cross sectional area of (0.7 x 0.7 m2) and length of (1.5 m). The maximum speed is about (70
m/s) with empty test section. The contraction ratio is (8.16). Three screens are used to minimize flow
distu