Background: The excess mortality associated with
rheumatoid arthritis is largely due to
cardiovascular disease. Rheumatoid arthritis is of
primary importance in atherogenesis. The intimamedia thickness of extracranial carotid arteries is a
measurable index of the presence of
atherosclerosis.
Objective: To assess carotid intima-media
thickness in rheumatoid arthritis by Doppler
ultrasound.
Methods: Fifty two Iraqi patients with rheumatoid
arthritis were studied and compared with another
fifty two, healthy individuals matched for age and
sex as a control group. Full history was taken and
complete clinical examination was done for all
individuals in both groups. Rheumatoid arthritis
diagnosis was based on The American
Rheumatism Association 1987 revised criteria for
the classification of rheumatoid arthritis. Carotid
intima-media thickness was measured by Doppler
ultrasound.
Results: There was a significant increase in the
frequency of increased carotid intima-media
thickness among individuals with rheumatoid
arthritis (44.2%) compared to healthy control
group (3.8%) (P=0.000001).
Conclusion: Increased carotid intima-media
thickness occurs in high frequency in rheumatoid
arthritis
This work aimed PVA nanofibers in a range of concentrations were successfully manufactured via electrospinning. PVA NFs/Si was effectively prepared using the electrospinning process. The structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of the prepared PVA were studied using XRD, FE-SEM, UV-Vis spectrophotometer and I-V characteristics, respectively. The amorphous structure of PVA nanofibers was observed. The optical energy gap from ultraviolet to visible was between (2.75 and 2.41) eV, making this compound highly sensitive to visible orange light at 610 nm, with a photosensitivity of 66%. The optical energy gap of PVA/Si heterojunction was utilized to modify this film from the UV to the visible spectrum. As show in the results,
... Show MoreThe presence of dyes in wastewater has become a major issue all over the world. The discharge of dyes in the environment is concerned for both toxicological and esthetical reasons. In this study, the removal of dyes from aqueous solution by electrocoagulation using aluminum electrodes as cathode and anode were investigated with the electrocoagulation cell of 1litter. The study included: the impact of various operating parameters on the dyes removal efficiency like pH, NaCl concentration, distance between electrodes, voltage, initial dyes concentration and type of electrodes. The dye (congo red) concentrations were (50, 100, 150, and 200 ppm), stirring speed was 120 rpm at room temperature. pH used was maintained constant
... Show MoreCorrosion Resistance Enhancement for low carbon steel is very important to extend its life service, the coating process is one of the methods which can using to achieve this, and it's the most important in surface treatments to improve the properties of metals and alloys surfaces such as corrosion resistance. In this work, low carbon steel was nitrided and coated with nano zinc using gas phase coating technical, to enhance the resistance of corrosion. The process included adding two layers. The first, a nitride layer, was added by precipitating nitrogen (N) gas, and the second, a zinc (Zn) layer, was added by precipitating Zn. The process of precipitating was carried out at different periods (5, 10, and 15 minutes). Scan electron mi
... Show MoreAbstract
Paraffin wax is utilized for the heat storage applications taking advantage from the high stored latent heat during the phase change (from solid to fluid) period. What isn't right with this procedure is that the wax has a little heat transfer rate because of its low thermal conductivity. The thermal conductivity improvement of the paraffin wax has been examined utilizing nano-material with high thermal conductivity. In the recent study, (Al2O3) nanoparticles with weights of 1, 2, and 3% of the paraffin wax were added to the paraffin wax. The Iraqi paraffin wax accessible at the local markets was utilized as a phase change material (PCM).
Many properties of the
... Show MoreOne of the most severe problems with flexible asphalt pavements is permanent deformation in the form of rutting. Accordingly, the practice of adding fiber elements to asphalt mix to improve performance under dynamic loading has grown significantly in order to prevent rutting distress and ensure a safe and long-lasting road surface. This paper explores the effects of a combination of ceramic fiber (CF), a low-cost, easily available mineral fiber, and thermal insulator fiber reinforced to enhance the Marshall properties and increase the rutting resistance of asphalt mixes at high temperatures. Asphalt mixtures with 0%, 0.75%, 1.5%, and 2.25% CF content were prepared, and Marshall stability and wheel tracking tests were employed to stu
... Show MoreThe removal of COD from wastewater generated by petroleum refinery has been investigated by adopting electrocoagulation (EC) combined with adsorption using activated carbon (AC) derived from avocado seeds. The process variables influencing COD removal were studied: current density (2–10 mA/cm2), pH (4–9), and AC dosage (0.2–1 g/L). Response surface methodology (RSM) based on Box–Behnken design (BBD) was used to construct a mathematical model of the EC/AC process. Results showed that current density has the major effect on the COD removal with a percent of contribution 32.78% followed by pH while AC dosage has not a remarkable effect due to the good characteristics of AC derived from avocado seeds. Increasing current density gives be
... Show MoreSoil pH is one of the main factors to consider before undertaking any agricultural operation. Methods for measuring soil pH vary, but all traditional methods require time, effort, and expertise. This study aimed to determine, predict, and map the spatial distribution of soil pH based on data taken from 50 sites using the Kriging geostatistical tool in ArcGIS as a first step. In the second step, the Support Vector Machines (SVM) machine learning algorithm was used to predict the soil pH based on the CIE-L*a*b values taken from the optical fiber sensor. The standard deviation of the soil pH values was 0.42, which indicates a more reliable measurement and the data distribution is normal.