Background: The discriminative power of the classical WHO parameters in relation to male fertility is quite low, because they only address few aspects of sperm quality and function. This has led investigators to focus their attention on the male gamete and in particular its genome.Objective: To explore which of the sperm DNA damage parameters measured by comet assay are more reliable, and their relations with the standard semen parameters.Methods: Study was done on 40 infertile men selected from couples attending the Institute of Embryo Reasearch and Infertility Treatment at Al-Kadhimiya City/ Baghdad in the period between February 2009 and May 2009, with a history of infertility of ≥1 years; and 15 healthy volunteers of proven fertility serving as control. Samples were allowed to liquefy for at least 30 minutes at 37°C and then evaluated according to the guidelines of the World Health Organization, 1999. The single cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay was studied in the ejaculated spermatozoa. The exclusion criteria were the presence of azoospermia and severe oligospermia. Results were compared with the standard semen characteristics (concentration, motility and morphology).Results: Compared to healthy volunteers, infertile patients had highly significantly higher values of comet parameters (P = 0.00001). In all infertile patients, comet extent did not correlate with any of the classical semen parameters; whereas, tail length (μm), % DNA in tail, tail moment and olive moment had all significant negative correlations with the standard parameters. Significant positive correlations were observed between the studied comet parameters, except for the comet extent which was not significantly correlated with tail length and % DNA in tail (P = 0.06, P = 0.7; respectively).Conclusion: Comet assay is a very useful technique in assessing sperm DNA damage. Comet tail parameters and comet extent, may clarify different aspects of DNA damage, and together give a better insight to the integrity of the male genome.Keywards: sperm, comet extent, % DNA in tail, tail moment and olive moment
This paper presents thermal characteristics analysis of a modified Closed Wet Cooling Tower (CWCT) based on heat and mass transfer principles to improve the performance of this tower in Iraq. A prototype of CWCT optimized by added packing was designed, manufactured and tested for cooling capacity of 9 kW. Experiments are conducted to explore the effects of various operational and conformational parameters on the thermal performance. In the test section, spray water temperature and both dry bulb temperature and relative humidity of the air measured at intermediate points of the heat exchanger and packing. Heat exchangers consist of four rows and eight columns for an inline tubes arrangement and six rows and five columns f
... Show MoreThis study aims to determine the prevalence of Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoeba dispar and
Entamoeba moshkovskii by three methods of diagnosis (microscopic examination, cultivation and PCR) that
were compared to obtain an accurate diagnosis of Entamoeba spp. during amoebiasis. Total (n=150) stool
samples related to patients were (n = 100) and healthy controls (n= 50). Clinically diagnosed stool samples
(n=100) were collected from patients attending the consultant clinics of different hospitals in Basrah during
the period from January 2018 to January 2019. The results showed that 60% of collected samples were
positive in a direct microscopic examination. All samples were cultivated on different media; the Bra
This work presents experimental research using draped prestressed steel strands to improve the load-carrying capacity of prestressed concrete non-prismatic beams with multiple openings of various designs. The short-term deflection of non-prismatic prestressed concrete beams (NPCBs) flexural members under static loading were used to evaluate this improvement. Six simply supported (NPCBs) beams, five beams with openings, and one solid specimen used as a reference beam were all tested as part of the experiment. All of the beams were subjected to a monotonic midpoint load test. The configuration of the opening (quadrilateral or circular), as well as the depth of the chords, were the varia
Background: Complete analysis of facial profile should also include an evaluation of soft tissue morphology. Materials and Method:The sample consisted of 90 Iraqi adults (45 males and 45 females) aged 18-25 years from Baghdad city divided into 3 groups according to the ANB angle with 30 subjects in each group (15 males and 15 females) for class I, II and III. Lateral cephalometric radiograph was taken for each subject and 8 angular and 5 linear measurements were identified and determined, t-test, ANOVA and LSD test were used to compare between both genders and between different classes. Results:Showed that females had greater angular measurements and smaller linear measurements with more lip prominence than males in all classes, there was m
... Show MoreThe interactions of drug amoxicillin with maltose or galactose solutions with a variation of temperature have been discussed by taking in the volumetric and viscometric procedures. Physical properties [densities (ρ) and viscosities (η)] of amoxicillin (AMOX) aqueous solutions and aqueous solutions of two type saccharides (maltose and galactose 0.05m) have been measured at T = (298.15, 303.15 and 308.15) K under atmospheric pressure. The apparent molar volume (ϕv cm3mole-1) has been evaluated from density data and fitted to a Redlich-Mayer equation. The empirical parameters of the Mayer-Redlich equation and apparent molar volume at infinite dilution ذv were explicated in terms of interactions from type solute-solvent and solute
... Show MoreThe present work aimed to examine the nature and degree of the cross-correlations among three different ionospheric indices: these are Optimum Working Frequency (OWF), Highest Probable Frequency (HPF), and Best Usable Frequency (BUF). VOCAP and ASASPS models were adopted to determine the datasets of the selected ionospheric indices. The determination was made for different transceiver stations that provide certain HF connection links during the minimum and maximum years of solar cycle 24, 2009 and 2014, respectively. Matlab program was implemented to produce the geodesic parameters for the selected transceiver stations. The determination was made for different path lengths (500, 1000, 1500, and 2000) Km and bearings (0o, 45
... Show MoreSoil water retention curves (SWRCs) are crucial for characterizing soil moisture dynamics and are particularly relevant in the context of irrigation management. A study was carried out to obtain the SWRC, inflection point, S index, pore size distribution curve, macro porosity, and air capacity from samples submitted to saturation and re-saturation processes. Five different-texture disturbed soil samples Sandy Loam, Loam, Sandy Clay Loam, Silt Loam, and Clay were collected. After obtaining SWRC, each air-dried soil samples were submitted to particle size distribution and clay dispersed in water analyses to verify the soil lost clay. The experimental design was completely randomized with three replications using two processes of SWRC (saturat
... Show MoreIn this work an experimental simulation is made to predict the performance of steady-state natural heat convection along heated finned vertical base plate to ambient air with different inclination angles and configurations of fin array. Two types of fin arrays namely vertical fins array and V-fins array on heated vertical base plate are used with different heights and spaces. The influence of inclination angle of the plate , configuration of fins array and fin geometrical parameters such as fin height and fin spacing on the temperature distribution, base convection heat transfer coefficient and average Nusselt number have been plotted and discussed. The experimental data are correlated to a formula between average Nusselt number versus R
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