Background: Oral mucositis is regarded as one of the major complications of radiation therapy especially in patients with head and neck cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of glutamine in preventing or minimizing the development of mucositis of the oral cavity. Subjects and methods: Forty-six participants were randomly selected amongst those who were planned to receive radiation therapy for head and neck region cancers. They were randomly divided into two groups of 23 subjects, one group received glutamine and the second group received a placebo. Results: Glutamine had a statistically significant effect in reducing the occurrence and/or severity of oral mucositis in the treated patients compared to patients in the con

Background: Mitral regurgitation (MR) is the most commonly encountered valve lesion in modern clinical practice. Severe mitral regurgitation may cause systolic dysfunction. Left ventricular ejection fraction may not be an accurate measurement of LV function in patients with mitral insufficiency. Myocardial performance index (MPI) is a simple non invasive measure of myocardial function. Methods: The study involved 50 patients with valvular mitral regurgitation and 50 healthy subjects as a control group. Transthoracic echocardiography was carried out for all patients and control group. The echocardiographic measurements included left ventricular end diastolic and end systolic dimensions, left atrial diameter, ejection fraction (EF), and myoca

This study aimed to identify the effect of resistance training on the biomechanics and accuracy of serve receiving skills in volleyball. The research community was composed of 26 young volleyball players of Baghdad volleyball clubs. A total of 4 players were selected for the preliminary experiment, while 14 participants were recruited as the main sample for the study. In the present study, a set of resistance exercises were designed by the researchers for the volleyball players of the sample. Exercises were performed by the sample participants during the course of study. The biomechanical variables considered in the present study were: Preparation moment (shoulder joint angle, hip angle, knee joint angle), moment of pr

        The elastic transverse electron scattering form factors have been studied for the ¹¹Li   nucleus using the Two- Frequency Shell Model (TFSM) approach. The single-particle wave functions of harmonic-oscillator (HO) potential are used with two different oscillator parameters b_core and b_halo. According to this model, the core nucleons of ⁹Li nucleus are assumed to move in the model space of spsdpf. The outer halo (2-neutron) in ¹¹Li is assumed to move in the pure 1p_1/2, 1d_5/2, 2s_1/2 orbit. The shell model calculations are carried ou

Results of charge, neutron and matter densities and related form factors for one- proton halo nucleus ⁸B are presented using a two- frequency shell model approach. We choose a model space for the core of ⁷Be different from that of the extra one valence proton. One configuration is assumed for the outer proton to be in 1p_1/2 - shell. The results of the matter density distributions are compared with those fitted to the experimental data. The calculated proton and matter density distributions of this exotic nucleus exhibit a long tail behavior, which is considered as a distinctive feature of halo nuclei. Elastic electron scattering form factors of this exotic nucleus are also studied. The effects of

This study aimed to determine the effect of green bismuth oxide (BiO) NPs against multidrug-resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) from wound infections. Among 450 wound samples collected from patients admitted to the hospital, 200 P. aeruginosa isolates were identified. MDR strains of P. aeruginosa were detected by disc diffusion method. BiO NPs were synthesized using wild Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) strain and infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy techniques. The antibacterial effect of the NPs compared to antibiotics against MDR strains was evaluated using a standard disk diffusion method. BiO NPs were synthesized at 0.005 M concentration of solution. According to the SEM im

The dangerous and potentially blinding condition known as Acanthamoeba keratitis is caused by free-living amoebae of the genus Acanthamoeba. The prevalence of AIDS patients and contact lens wearers has increased in recent years, making cannaeba infections more significant. It's interesting to note that, depending on the parasite, host, and environmental conditions, the pathways linked to Acanthamoeba pathogenesis are frequently extremely complex. Notwithstanding our progress in antibiotic therapy and supportive care, the prevalence of Acanthamoeba keratitis has not decreased

The aim of this research is to investigation the optimization of the machining parameters (spindle speed, feed rate, depth of cut, diameter of cutter and number of flutes of cutter) of surface roughness for free-form surface of composite material (Aluminum 6061 reinforced boron carbide) by using HSS uncoated flat end mill cutters which are rare use of the free-form surface. Side milling (profile) is the method used in this study by CNC vertical milling machine. The purpose of using ANFIS to obtain the better prediction of surface roughness values and decreased of the error prediction value and get optimum machining parameters by using Taguchi method for the best surface roughness at spindle speed 4500 r.p.m, 920mm/rev feed rate, 0.6mm de

Diabetic Nephropathy(DN) is a complex disease manifested by persistence microalbuminuria   occurring due to the interaction between hemodynamic and metabolic pathway that activates the local renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system resulting in a decline in renal functions.

This study aimed to quantify the associations between serum aldosterone concentration and fetuin- A as a marker of calcification in type 2 diabetic patients with and without microalbuminuria from one side, and study the possible relationship between aldosterone and fetuin-A with glycemic indices, serum electrolyte, renal function and microalbuminuria and body mass index from the other side.

A case-control study involved eighty-six adult subjects

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a common endocrine disorder affecting 6-10% of women of reproductive age and the most common cause of anovulatory infertility. Objective: The aim of the study was to compare the effectiveness, side effects and outcomes of step-up gonadotrophin protocol versus laparoscopic ovarian diathermy (LOD) in infertile patients with clomiphene citrate resistant polycystic ovary syndrome. Methods:  The sample included women who attended our infertility clinic at Al-Elwiya Maternity Teaching Hospital and Kamal Al-Samarraee for Infertility and IVF Hospital in Baghdad/ Iraq from November 2013 to November 2014.    Eighty cases of infertile women with polycystic ovarian syndrome who failed t