Recent Articles

The objective of this work is to investigate the influence of sodium on the characteristics of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) thin films prepared by a three-stage deposition process with a MoNa back contact, in comparison to Mo/SLG. The XRD results show that all the CIGS thin films deposited onto Mo/SLG substrates have the (112) preferred orientation, rather than the (220/204) orientation of CIGS deposited onto Na-free substrates.

Infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients is a strong contributor to respiratory failure and associated mortality. Bacteria colonizing a cystic fibrosis lung commonly form biofilms that greatly contribute to increased antibiotic resistance and hypermutability. Antimicrobial treatment in these cases can be either through the use of a single agent (monotherapy) or through a combination of agents (combination therapy).

The clinical outcomes of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) have been improved by tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). However, there is no established consensus for TKI selection in de novo CML. We investigated TKI treatment patterns in a real-world setting. Among 95 chronic-phase CML patients, 44% were initiated treatment with imatinib, 26% with dasatinib, and 30% with nilotinib. Our data suggest that imatinib remains applicable and that dasatinib has a favorable therapeutic effect, although pleural effusion can arise. Nilotinib was the most prevalent TKI as the treatment-associated adverse events were deemed more manageable than those associated with imatinib and dasatinib.

Paracoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a systemic disease caused by thermo- dimorphic fungi of Paracoccidioides genus that is endemic in several Latin American countries. The treatment for this disease can be performed with different drugs. In general, it is a long duration treatment that aims the control of the clinical manifestations. Even after treatment, the patient usually shows relapse and incapacitating sequelae, such as fibrosis and pulmonary emphysema.

Toxoplasmosis is a cosmopolitan disease with acute and chronic infections, caused by the obligate intracellular protozoan parasite. Toxoplasma gondii that can infect a variety of cells in almost all warm blooded animals including humans. The study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection among males in Duhok city using ELISA (IgG and IgM).The relationship between toxoplasmosis and reproductive hormones including testosterone, free testosterone, and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels and its association with male sterility were also investigated.

Prevention of infectious bursal disease (IBD) remains of paramount importance, given the dramatic losses it can induce in commercial chicken flocks. In the Netherlands, maternal immunity is regarded as low, because the parent stock flocks do not receive an inactivated vaccination prior to the onset of production. Therefore, the aim of this field study was to assess the consequences of hatchery vaccination against IBD using an immune-complex vaccine in broiler chicks that were provided with a limited amount of passive immunity. Three grow out cycles in two houses each (six flocks) were monitored after vaccination. The recorded parameters included (i) body and bursa weight, (ii) IBD antibody response, and (iii) histopathology and PCR from the bursa of Fabricius.

Despite hypertension is a major cardiovascular risk factor; only a few patients are adherent to therapy. Therefore, it is essential the acknowledgment of factors affecting adherence. The development and validation of a scale assessing factors affecting patients’ adherence to the therapeutic regimen.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the cases of Isolated Third, Fourth and Sixth Cranial Nerve (CN) palsies of microvascular etiology in patients with Diabetes mellitus(Type2) and analyze their Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. A retrospective study of patients diagnosed with third, fourth or sixth nerve palsy over three years, 2014- 2017 was done. 61 patients with the nerve palsy of microvascular ischaemic etiology due to diabetes mellitus(Type2) were selected for the study. The latest laboratory investigations that the patient had were recorded. The fasting, postprandial blood sugars and HbA1c levels were analyzed. Analysis was done using Microsoft excel 2010.

This study explores the patterns of twelve male OIF-OEF combat veterans with the Tactual Performance Test (TPT) in cases of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and blast-related mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) or with PTSD only. 6 were dual diagnosed with PTSD+mTBI and 6 with PTSD-o. Last deployment ranged from 10 to 3.5 years.

A 62-years-old female patient with a diagnosis of conversion disorder and somatization disorder and a 20-years-old female patient with a diagnosis of conversion disorder were treated on electroconvulsive therapy. Electroconvulsive therapy was performed in 8 sessions with anaesthesia. 62-years-old patient began to recover after the sixth session of electroconvulsive therapy once every two days. Complete remission in catatonic symptoms also sustained during follow-up. The catatonic symptoms of the 20-years-old patient were completely terminated after the second session of the ECT once every two days. The treatments were completed in 8 sessions.

Survival or mortality rate is a reasonable choice of an outcome measure for critically ill patients in intensive care unit (ICU). But it is also important to assess the impact of critical illness and peri-operative complications on health status and quality of life (QoL) after hospital discharge. The QLQ-C30 is a 30-item cancer-specific questionnaire that incorporates five functioning scales (physical, role, cognitive, emotional, and social), eight symptoms scales, perceived financial impact of the disease and a global scale [1-5].

Benign metastasizing leiomyoma (BML) is a rare event that occurs in middle aged women with a history of uterine myomas. It is characterized by multiple leiomyomatous lesions in many tissues and organs, especially in the lungs. We report the case of 56 years old woman presenting chronic cough, hemoptysis and having a history of myomectomy for a uterine leiomyoma 6 years ago. Chest CT showed a right pulmonary process. The histological diagnosis was defined by bronchoscopy and biopsies. The surgery was not an option because of the bronchovascular extension of the tumor, so hormonal therapy was administrated to the patient. One year later, Chest CT showed that the tumor doesn’t increase.

Cloud computing is a new and evolving technology. Important feature of cloud computing is using storing, multi-users space and distributed and parallel environment. The cloud offers some services which reduce the cost and time, offering various types of services is possible through internet. One of important services of cloud is the possibility of storing data by users in cloud.

Body mass index is calculated as weight in kilograms divided by square height in meters (kg/m2 ). Its formula was developed by Belgium Statistician, and was known as the Quetelet Index [1]. It provides a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people and is used to screen weight categories that may lead to health problems.

The present investigation is carried out to study the correlation and path analysis in twenty five medium duration (120-125 days) varieties of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Character association of the yield attributing traits reveled significant positive association of grain yield per hectare with plant height, 1000 seed weight and panicle length. Hence selection in these traits can improve yield.

Postnasal drip is one of the main causes of Upper Airway Cough Syndrome (UACS). Whether antibiotic targeted on rhinosinusitis accompanying UACS and chronic cough led to an improvement in a cough is controversy. Fifty-five schoolchildren, aged 4 to 14 years, were randomized into two groups: (1) Rhinosinusitis with allergic rhinitis, n = 20 (2) Rhinosinusitis alone, n = 35. The Spirometry, Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV1), Forced Expiratory Flow (FEF) 25-75%, and Fractional Exhaled Nitric Oxide (FENO) were performed in all participants to rule out asthma or airway hypersensitivity. A pediatric allergist examined and recorded the clinical features, including stuffy nose, nasal discharge, postnasal drip, cough, facial, and halitosis. In addition, one senior radiologist examined and reported the results of water’s view and chest plain film for all schoolchildren. Both groups were given Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid twice a day for two weeks.

Eating related hormones may be strongly involved in the control of food intake under stressful conditions. The development and maintenance of eating disorders such as obesity, binge eating disorder, and bulimia nervosa might be in part explained by the altered release of insulin, ghrelin or leptin in particular in vulnerable subjects such as restrained eaters. The present investigation describes the secretion of these hormones before and after stress in a sample of 44 young women, who were selected according to a high degree of dietary restraint. Hormones were analysed from blood samples which were drawn 30 and 60 minutes after a validated stressor. Ghrelin levels significantly rise after stress induction. Insulin and Leptin both significantly fall after stress. The results are discussed with regard to biological as well as psychological causes and consequences of stress related hormone release in restrained eaters.

Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) is a primary etiologic agent of generalized aggressive and chronic forms of periodontitis. It releases toxins called ‘gingipains’.Gingipains, (Arginine-and Lysine-specific cysteine proteinases) are proteases that are critical virulence factors in progression of periodontitis and degradation of cytokines expressed during inflammation. HRgpA and RgpB (products of two distinct but related genes) induce vascular permeability by activation of the kallikrein/kinin pathway and activating the blood coagulation system which in turn induces gingival crevicular fluid production and progression of inflammation leading to alveolar bone loss.

Mango (Mangifera indica Linn.) trees have been cultivated and grown in Southern and Eastern India for thousands of years and have slowly spread all over the world. For over 4,000 years various parts of mango trees including leaf and fruit pulp have been extensively used in Ayurvedic and Unani medicines.

Spiritual health care requires teamwork and collaboration between the doctor, nurse, psychologist, clergyman, and social worker who have completed required inter-professional spiritual health training, during and after their academic education. This study was conducted to “design inter professional spiritual health care education program for Students of Health Sciences.