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
An experimental study was conducted on pressure drop of water flow through vertical cylindrical packed beds in turbulent region and the influence of the operating parameters on its behavior. The bed packing was made of spherical and non-spherical particles (spheres, Rasching rings and intalox saddle) with aspect ratio range 3.46 D/dp 8.486 obtaining bed porosities 0.396 0.84 and Reynolds number 1217 21758. The system is consisted of 5 cm inside diameter Perspex column, 50 cm long; distilled water was pumped through the bed with flow rate 875, 1000, 1125, 1250,1375 and 1500 l/h and inlet water temperature 20, 30, 40 and 50 ˚C. The packed bed system was monitored by using LabVIEW program, were the result
... Show MoreWellbore stability is considered as one of the most challenges during drilling wells due to the
reactivity of shale with drilling fluids. During drilling wells in North Rumaila, Tanuma shale is
represented as one of the most abnormal formations. Sloughing, caving, and cementing problems
as a result of the drilling fluid interaction with the formation are considered as the most important
problem during drilling wells. In this study, an attempt to solve this problem was done, by
improving the shale stability by adding additives to the drilling fluid. Water-based mud (WBM)
and polymer mud were used with different additives. Three concentrations 0.5, 1, 5 and 10 wt. %
for five types of additives (CaCl2, NaCl, Na2S
Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) of iron oxide (Fe3O4) represent the most promising materials in many applications. MNPs have been synthesized by co-precipitation of ferric and ferrous ions in alkaline solution. Two methods of synthesis were conducted with different parameters, such as temperature (25 and 80 ̊C), adding a base to the reactants and the opposite process, and using nitrogen as an inert gas. The product of the first method (MNPs-1) and the second method (MNPs-2) were characterized by x-ray diffractometer (XRD), Zeta Potential, atomic force microscope (AFM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). AFM results showed convergent particle size of (MNPs-1) and (MNPs-2) with (86.01) and (74.14)
... Show MoreIt is very difficult to obtain the value of a rock strength along the wellbore. The value of Rock strength utilizing to perform different analysis, for example, preventing failure of the wellbore, deciding a completion design and, control the production of sand. In this study, utilizing sonic log data from (Bu-50) and (BU-47) wells at Buzurgan oil field. Five formations have been studied (Mishrif, Sadia, Middle lower Kirkuk, Upper Kirkuk, and Jaddala) Firstly, calculated unconfined compressive strength (UCS) for each formation, using a sonic log method. Then, the derived confined compressive rock strengthens from (UCS) by entering the effect of bore and hydrostatic pressure for each formation. Evaluations th
... Show MoreThe technology of reducing dimensions and choosing variables are very important topics in statistical analysis to multivariate. When two or more of the predictor variables are linked in the complete or incomplete regression relationships, a problem of multicollinearity are occurred which consist of the breach of one basic assumptions of the ordinary least squares method with incorrect estimates results.
There are several methods proposed to address this problem, including the partial least squares (PLS), used to reduce dimensional regression analysis. By using linear transformations that convert a set of variables associated with a high link to a set of new independent variables and unr
... Show MoreIn this research, the semiparametric Bayesian method is compared with the classical method to estimate reliability function of three systems : k-out of-n system, series system, and parallel system. Each system consists of three components, the first one represents the composite parametric in which failure times distributed as exponential, whereas the second and the third components are nonparametric ones in which reliability estimations depend on Kernel method using two methods to estimate bandwidth parameter h method and Kaplan-Meier method. To indicate a better method for system reliability function estimation, it has be
... Show MoreThe world of Contemplations is a controversial concept among scholars, writers, thinkers and the public. The theory of the dialogue of souls indicates that souls communicate and think with each other despite the distances. Islamic studies have researched this concept, and this research paper aims to explain the concept of the world of Contemplations and what is the dialogue between God Almighty and the souls that God brought forth from the back of Adam and took from them the covenant and pledge to unify Him, and its effects on human life in this world. The researcher found that scholars and writers differ in proving the existence of the world of Contemplations despite the existence of examples of it in verses of the Holy Quran, and that the
... Show MoreBackground: The high reactivity of hydrogen peroxide used in bleaching agents have raised important questions on their potential adverse effects on physical properties of restorative materials. The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of in-office bleaching agents on the microhardness of a new Silorane-based restorative material in comparison to methacrylate-based restorative material. Materials and method: Forty specimens of Filtek™ P90 (3M ESPE,USA) and Filtek™ Supreme XT (3M ESPE, USA) of (8mm diameter and 3m height) were prepared. All specimens were polished with Sof-Lex disks (3M ESPE, USA). All samples were rinsed and stored in incubator 37˚C for 24 hours in DDW. Ten sample of each material were subjected to
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