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.
This study aimed to determine the effect of varicocelectomy on sperm parameters, oxidant- antioxidant status and chromatin maturity percent. The current study has been conducted on 154 infertile patients complaining from varicocele and varicocelomized men in addition to 25 fertile men as control. The results revealed significant decrease (P<0.05) in sperm concentration, progressive motile sperm percent, normal sperm morphology percent, GSH, SOD1, CAT levels and chromatin maturity percent and significant increase (P<0.05) in MDA and ROS concentrations in infertile patients with varicocele when compared to fertile men. The results revealed improvement (P<0.05) of sperm parameters quality, GSH, SOD1, CAT, MDA, ROS concentration and chromatin m
... Show MoreDialogue is one of the pillars of character building in the television series, through which it is possible to identify the most important characteristics and traits of the personality, in addition to its ability to reveal the most important problems at all levels. The following: (How does dialogue contribute to enhancing the traits of the alienated personality?). It therefore aims to identify the effectiveness of the dramatic dialogue in enhancing the traits of the alienated personality represented by (powerlessness, isolation, meaninglessness, objectification, non-standardization and rebellion). (The traits of the alienated character, and the second is the psychological function of the dramatic dialogue), to extract from them the main
... Show MoreThis paper was conducted to identifying the body growth averages for the infants of the age (3-6) months and their relation with brest (natural ) or artificial feeding The results showed that the higher percentage was for the infants with the natural feeding in comparison with those of the artificial or mixed feeding. Also there was a clear increase in the average of the body growth for those with the natural feeding and such results were closer to the standard criterion. While the averages of body growth for those with the artificial or mixed feeding were low. In addition, it was clear that the averages of body growth of the i
... Show MoreEuropean Chemical Bulletin (ISSN 2063-5346) is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes original research papers, short communications, and review articles in all areas of chemistry. European Chemical Bulletin has eight sections, namely
The effect of chronic exposure to two different levels of cadmium chloride (CdCl2) 30 ppb and 40 ppb in drinking water for 12 weeks on thyroid function of mature male rabbits was studied. Eighteen mature male rabbits were randomly divided into three groups (each of six ) , control group (group I ): were offered ordinary tap water , and treated groups (II and III ) were offered tap water containing 30ppb and 40 ppb respectively for 12 weeks .Serum concentration of thyroxin (T4 ) and triiodothyronine (T3) were measured every six weeks ,as an index of thyroid function , further more , section of thyroid gland were prepared for histological studies. The results showed that chronic exposure of male rabbits
... Show MoreThe provision of electric power is necessary for the advancement of the country's economy. It is the main engine of the economy and its various activities. It is an indicator of social welfare and it is considered as the basic pillars for achieving sustainable development (economic, social, environmental and institutional) by raising the levels of performance and meeting local needs. The problem of research was the absence of a program to audit the performance of the electricity sector contributes to ensure the application of sustainable development. The research was based on the hypothesis that the preparation of a proposed program to audit the performance of the electricity sector contributes to the achievement of The researchers sough
... Show MoreThe search aims to clarify pollution to negative effects on environment and to an increasing in the dangerous polluted materials that discharged out these factories. To make active procedures in order to limit the environmental pollution.
The search problem came from an assumption which has the researched factory is suffering from the lack of applying the international specification ( ISO 14004 ). The research problem assimilated by these questions:
- What is the level or organization in thinking of environmental system according to ISO 14004 .
- What are the requirements used in researched factor
This research paper looks to put its hands on sufi symbols which are applied by the algerian poet د abdallah hammadi د in his poetical works . the symbols it relies on are : ( symbolisme of wine . symbolisme of light . symbolisme of night . sufisme and nature , femal symbols ) .
From these symbols we try to show its range of ability to apply it , with trying to determine its meaningful , dimensions .