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
The study discussed here deals with the isolation of Aspergillus niger from palm dates, the formal and the most famous fruit in Iraq, to test and qualify this fungus isolate for its ability to produce citric acid. Submerged fermentation technique was used in the fermentation process. A.niger isolated from “Zahdi” Palme dates was used in the study of the fermentation kinetics to get the production efficiency of citric acid. Kinetics of CA production via fermentation by A. niger S11 was evaluated within 432 h fermentation time and under submerged conditions of 11% (w/v) sucrose, 5% (v/v) inoculum size, pH 4, 30 °C and 150 rpm. The maximum citric acid produced was (37.116 g/l). Kine
In this study, Al2O3 thin films were prepared by dc reactive sputtering technique using different gas mixtures of argon and oxygen gases (90:10, 70:30, 50:50, 30:70, and 10:90). These films were characterized to introduce their surface morphology and elemental composition as functions of the oxygen content in the gas mixture. The gas mixing ratio plays a crucial role in controlling the nanoscale morphology of the prepared thin films. The [Al]/[O] ratio varies non-linearly with the Ar:O2 mixing ratio. Increasing the oxygen content leads to a progressive decrease in surface roughness, resulting in smoother and more uniform films with finer granular features. These results presented herein are useful to optimize the sputtering process to ac
... Show MoreComposite materials are widely used in the engineered assets as aerospace structures, marine and air navigation owing to their high strength/weight ratios. Detection and identification of damage in the composite structures are considered as an important part of monitoring and repairing of structural systems during the service to avoid instantaneous failure. Effective cost and reliability are essential during the process of detecting. The Lamb wave method is an effective and sensitive technique to tiny damage and can be applied for structural health monitoring using low energy sensors; it can provide good information about the condition of the structure during its operation by analyzing the propagation of the wave in the
... Show MoreSpecialized banks provide their banking activities to their customers at interest rates that are determined according to the approved bank policy, which is almost similar to most or most banks. To satisfy the financial desires of customers and at the same time it is a source of the bank's profits, However, these banks have been introduced to new services that they provide with the funds of the Central Bank initiative launched at the beginning of (2016) to address the economic stagnation that befell the country due to the (financial security) crisis that the country faced in 2014. To put forward initiatives amounting to nearly (15) trillion dinars, which were put forward through private commercial and Islamic banks and specialized
... Show MoreExperiments research is done to determine how saturated stiff clayey soil responds to a single impulsive load. Models made of saturated, stiff clay were investigated. To supply the single pulse energy, various falling weights from various heights were tested using the falling weight deflectometer (FWD). Dynamic effects can range from the major failure of a sensitive sensor or system to the apparent destruction of structures. This study examines the response of saturated stiff clay soil to a single impulsive load (vertical displacement at the soil surface below and beside the bearing plates). Such reactions consist of displacements, velocities, and accelerations caused by the impact occurring at the surface depth induced by the impact loads
... Show MoreTitanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V or Gr.23) was widely used as a dental alloy. In the current study, polymerization of eugenol (PE) on Gr.23 titanium alloys was conducted by an electrochemical process before and after being treated by Micro Arc Oxidation (MAO). The formed films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The corrosion behavior of Gr.23 alloy in an artificial saliva environment at a temperature range of 293–323 K has been studied and assessed by means of electrochemical polarization and impedance spectroscopy techniques. Three cases are taken into consideration; bare Gr.23, Gr.23 coated by PE, and Gr.23 coated by PE after MAO treatment. The maxi
... Show MoreThe 3-parameter Weibull distribution is used as a model for failure since this distribution is proper when the failure rate somewhat high in starting operation and these rates will be decreased with increasing time .
In practical side a comparison was made between (Shrinkage and Maximum likelihood) Estimators for parameter and reliability function using simulation , we conclude that the Shrinkage estimators for parameters are better than maximum likelihood estimators but the maximum likelihood estimator for reliability function is the better using statistical measures (MAPE)and (MSE) and for different sample sizes.
Note:- ns : small sample ; nm=median sample
... Show MorePolarization manipulation elements operating at visible wavelengths represent a critical component of quantum communication sub-systems, equivalent to their telecom wavelength counterparts. The method proposed involves rotating the optic axis of the polarized input light by an angle of 45 degree, thereby converting the fundamental transverse electric (TE0) mode to the fundamental transverse magnetic (TM0) mode. This paper outlines an integrated gallium phosphide-waveguide polarization rotator, which relies on the rotation of a horizontal slot by 45 degree at a wavelength of 700 nm. This will ultimately lead to the conception of a mode hybridization phenomeno