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A polymeric blend combines two or more polymers to form a new material with different physical properties. In this work, a base material consisting of a polymeric mixture was manufactured to improve its properties and then strengthened with nanoparticles (ZrO2-ZnO) to develop a hybrid nanocomposite material, which has better properties than its constituent materials. Reinforcement material, i.e., (ZrO2-ZnO) nanoparticles, were prepared using relaxation method. A polymeric resin mixture (lamination and methyl vinyl silicone) was prepared by adding methyl vinyl silicone to the lamination resin in different ratios (4 %, 8 %, 12 %, and 16 %). The mixture properties were studied through tensile, bending, shock, and hardness tests, and the optimal results were achieved for the 12 % ratio. The resulting composite nanoparticles and their properties were studied using EDX, X-Ray, SEM, and PSA techniques. Finally, the nano-hybrid composite material was manufactured by choosing the optimal blend (i.e., 12 %). It had the highest polymeric base material properties, and nanoparticles were added at different dosages (3 %, 6 %, 9 %, and 12 %). The resulting hybrid composite material properties were studied through different tests (tensile, flexural, impact, and hardness). The results showed that the binary composite nanoparticles improved the properties of the mixture for both sizes (30 nm and 89 nm) at all mixing ratios, compared to the control specimens (i.e., without any addition). The optimal results were obtained when 30 nm particles were added and for all tests compared to samples reinforced with 89 nm particles. The optimal ratio of (ZrO2-ZnO) was 9 % wt 30 nm size, representing the best sample in terms of the resulting properties. It is recommended to use the sample with the 9 % addition of (ZrO2 - ZnO) wt with a granular size of (30 nm) in essential applications, including prosthetics (foot).

The impact of vascular access type, specifically transradial versus transfemoral, on the occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) remains uncertain. In this study, we aimed to compare the incidence of AKI between the two access groups. Methods. This prospective observational study involved 164 adult patients undergoing elective PCI. Patients were categorized into transfemoral (n = 100) and transradial (n = 64) groups. Demographic data, including age, sex, body surface area, and preoperative glomerular filtration rate, as well as clinical information such as the presence of baseline ventricular dysfunction, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, postoperative blood loss, and transfusion volume, were recorded. Serum creatinine levels within the first 48-72 hours postoperatively were also documented. Results. Out of 100 patients in the transfemoral group, 12 (12%) developed AKI compared with 2 patients out of 64 (3.13%) in the transradial group. In the logistic multivariate analysis, several independent risk factors for AKI in patients undergoing PCI were identified. These factors included age >55 years (OR 2.88, 95% CI 1.09; 11.97, p = 0.046), diabetes (OR 4.82, 95% CI 1.12; 31.65, p = 0.039), preprocedural creatinine levels > 0.85 mg/dL (OR 3.17, 95% CI 1.54; 17.96, p = 0.019), fluoroscopy time > 10 min (OR 6.55, 95% CI 1.65; 26.03, p = 0.008), Mehran score indicating a risk of contrast-induced nephropathy >8 (OR 4.23, 95% CI 1.25; 14.3, p = 0.020), and transfemoral access (OR 3.22, 95% CI 1.08; 18.54, p = 0.044). Conclusions. Transradial access is associated with a significant independent reduction in the incidence of post-PCI AKI compared with transfemoral access. Age >55 years, diabetes, preprocedural creatinine > 0.85 mg/dL, fluoroscopy time > 10 min, Mehran score >8, and transfemoral access were identified as independent risk factors for AKI in patients undergoing PCI.

Xerosis, characterized by dry skin, is a frequent manifestation in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. Understanding the prevalence of xerosis in this population and exploring its associations with various clinical and laboratory parameters is crucial for comprehensive patient care. The present study aimed to estimate the prevalence of xerosis in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis and to investigate the association between xerosis and various clinical and laboratory parameters, with a specific focus on serum copeptin as a surrogate for antidiuretic hormone. Methods. This cross-sectional observational study was conducted at the Hemodialysis Clinic of the Basrah Nephrology and Transplantation Center from March 1, 2022, to September 1, 2022. The prevalence of xerosis and its correlation with clinical characteristics and serum copeptin status were analyzed. Results. The study findings indicate that among the 48 patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis, with an average age of 59.8 ± 8.8 years, 60.4% presented with xerosis. Serum copeptin levels, measuring 3.8 ± 2 ng/mL, showed a significant association with diuretic usage and serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) (p < 0.001 and p = 0.031, respectively). Notably, no correlations were observed with other demographic or laboratory parameters, despite the tendency of serum copeptin levels to be higher in females and patients with low serum albumin and PTH concentrations. Conclusions. In summary, xerosis was prevalent in 60.4% of patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis and demonstrated a positive correlation with diuretic use and serum PTH levels.

Some documented precipitation changes are associated with the hydrological cycle, including changes in the magnitude of precipitation. Studying the effect of spatial, temporal, wind speed and wind direction on precipitation magnitude at specified points within Melbourne city – Australia could reveal how they affect precipitation magnitudes. To achieve this aim, a long rainy day was adopted to record the measurements at different places and times throughout the day and night. The study method involved measuring wind speed and direction at every measuring point by using a hand-held device, while precipitation values were recorded using the nearest ground weather station. The study revealed precipitation magnitudes at night were higher than during daylight hours. On the other hand, fast winds increase precipitation magnitude, and wind direction has an effect on precipitation either increasing or decreasing depending on upwind and leeward sides, respectively. Respective to temporal parameters, precipitation magnitudes at night showed the highest. Wind speed directly affects precipitation values but the direction has a moderate effect on precipitation. Generally, spatiotemporal, wind speed and direction have a distinct effect on precipitation with a small time scale. HIGHLIGHTS A new methodology was used by selecting continuous storms which extended more than 20 h.; A long rainy day was adopted to study the effect of spatial, temporal parameters and some weather features on precipitation magnitudes at specified points.; Spatiotemporal, wind speed and direction have a distinct effect on precipitation around the greening areas within an urban area with a small time scale.;

This study explores developing and optimizing a nanoemulsion (NE) system loaded with dipyridamole and roflumilast, aiming to improve skin penetration and retention. The NE formulation was further transformed into a nanoemulgel to enhance its application as a topical treatment for psoriasis. Solubility studies were conducted to select the oil, surfactant, and co-surfactant. Phase diagrams were constructed using the aqueous phase titration method. All the formulations were in nanoscale, and Formula (F2) (which contains oleic acid oil as the oil phase, a mixture of Surfactant Tween 80 and co-surfactant (ethanol) at a ratio of 1:2 in addition to distilled water as an aqueous phase in a ratio of 1:5:4, respectively) was the selected formula depending on the particle size, PDI, and zeta potential. Formula (F2) has the best ratio because it gives the smallest nanoemulsion globule size (particle size average of 167.1 nm), the best homogenicity (lowest PDI of 0.195), and the highest stability (higher zeta potential of −32.22). The selected formula was converted into a nanoemulgel by the addition of 0.5% (w/w) xanthan gum (average particle size of 172.7 nm) and the best homogenicity (lowest PDI of 0.121%) and highest stability (higher zeta potential of −28.31). In conclusion, the selected formula has accepted physical and chemical properties, which enhanced skin penetration.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of metabolic abnormalities affecting ~25% of adults and is linked to chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases. Oxidative stress and inflammation are key drivers of MetS. Hesperidin, a citrus bioflavonoid, has demonstrated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties; however, its effects on MetS are not fully established. We aimed to determine the optimal dose of hesperidin required to improve oxidative stress, systemic inflammation, and glycemic control in a novel mouse model of MetS. Male 5-week-old C57BL/6 mice were fed a high-fat, high-salt, high-sugar diet (HFSS; 42% kcal fat content in food and drinking water with 0.9% saline and 10% high fructose corn syrup) for 16 weeks. After 6 weeks of HFSS, mice were randomly allocated to either the placebo group or low- (70 mg/kg/day), mid- (140 mg/kg/day), or high-dose (280 mg/kg/day) hesperidin supplementation for 12 weeks. The HFSS diet induced significant metabolic disturbances. HFSS + placebo mice gained almost twice the weight of control mice (p < 0.0001). Fasting blood glucose (FBG) increased by 40% (p < 0.0001), plasma insulin by 100% (p < 0.05), and HOMA-IR by 150% (p < 0.0004), indicating insulin resistance. Hesperidin supplementation reduced plasma insulin by 40% at 140 mg/kg/day (p < 0.0001) and 50% at 280 mg/kg/day (p < 0.005). HOMA-IR decreased by 45% at both doses (p < 0.0001). Plasma hesperidin levels significantly increased in all hesperidin groups (p < 0.0001). Oxidative stress, measured by 8-OHdG, was increased by 40% in HFSS diet mice (p < 0.001) and reduced by 20% with all hesperidin doses (p < 0.005). In conclusion, hesperidin supplementation reduced insulin resistance and oxidative stress in HFSS-fed mice, demonstrating its dose-dependent therapeutic potential in MetS.

The blending of biodiesel with petroleum diesel attracts much attention due to its high potential in reducing emissions. In this work, waste sunflower oil was converted to biodiesel by the trans-esterification method, and it was blended with petroleum diesel in three ratios (10, 30, and 50%). The impact of using these blended fuels in a four-stroke engine on engine performance and exhaust emissions at three engine loads (2, 4, and 6 N.m) was investigated and compared with the use of petroleum diesel and biodiesel. The engine performance was evaluated by determining the brake-specific fuel consumption (BSFC), engine effective power (Ne), brake-specific energy consumption (BSEC), brake thermal efficiency (BTE), and noise intensity. The evaluation of emissions from the engine exhaust was carried out by measuring the levels of carbon oxides (CO and CO2), hydrocarbons (HC), nitrogen oxides (NO and NO2), and particulate matter (PM). The results show that blending diesel with up to 30% biodiesel can reduce CO, HC, and PM emissions by 29.6 ± 1%, 26.0 ± 4%, and 31.0 ± 3%, respectively. However, this decrease is associated with increasing CO2 and NOx emissions by 18.5 ± 2.5% and 29.0 ± 6%, respectively. In addition, the engine showed acceptable performance when using up to 30% biodiesel, where the increase in fuel consumption was limited to 5.8 ± 0.3%. In addition, the engine’s effective power increased with the blending ratio of 10% by 2.0 ± 0.6%, but then decreased with the blending ratio of 30% by only 2.0 ± 0.6%. The noise intensity was also decreased by 2.4%, while BSEC and BTE were reduced by only 2.9 ± 0.9% and 3.5 ± 1%, respectively. The results of this work provide deep insights regarding the utilization of waste sunflower oil as biodiesel to be blended with petroleum diesel, which is a considerable novel approach in the energy and environmental sectors.

In the realm of internal combustion engines, there is a growing utilization of alternative renewable fuels as substitutes for traditional diesel and gasoline. This surge in demand is driven by the imperative to diminish fuel consumption and adhere to stringent regulations concerning engine emissions. Sole reliance on experimental analysis is inadequate to effectively address combustion, performance, and emission issues in engines. Consequently, the integration of engine modelling, grounded in machine learning methodologies and statistical data through the response surface method (RSM), has become increasingly significant for enhanced analytical outcomes. This study aims to explore the contemporary applications of RSM in assessing the feasibility of a wide range of renewable alternative fuels for internal combustion engines. Initially, the study outlines the fundamental principles and procedural steps of RSM, offering readers an introduction to this multifaceted statistical technique. Subsequently, the study delves into a comprehensive examination of the recent applications of alternative renewable fuels, focusing on their impact on combustion, performance, and emissions in the domain of internal combustion engines. Furthermore, the study sheds light on the advantages and limitations of employing RSM, and discusses the potential of combining RSM with other modelling techniques to optimise results. The overarching objective is to provide a thorough insight into the role and efficacy of RSM in the evaluation of renewable alternative fuels, thereby contributing to the ongoing discourse in the field of internal combustion engines.

It is essential to review and develop a system of water control structures and canals that can be used to manage high-flow discharges and the flood control plan requirement to modify the system's capacity. Al-Ramadi Project System is considered one of the main flood control projects on the Euphrates River within Anbar Governorate, Western Iraq. This study will focus on Al-Majjarah Canal and Regulator, which is part of Al-Ramadi Project and has the function of a link canal between Al-Habbaniyah and Al-Razazza lakes, and describe the capacity of the canal under typical operating conditions and during floods. The study used HEC-RAS 6.1 software to run a numerical model to simulate this canal. According to previous research studies near the research region on the Euphrates River, for the main canal, the roughness coefficient was taken at 0.026, and for the flood plain, it was taken at 0.03. The same parameter value was applied to Al-Majjarah Canal. Due to the study region's similar geology and nature. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis was made of the roughness coefficient and its influence on the water surface elevation for the canal. The model result indicated in the current situation of Al-Majjarah Canal can pass a flow rate of 1300 m3/s when Al-Razazza Lake is at an average water level that has been approved by the Ministry of Water Resources at 32.02 m.a.m.s.l.. If the water level in Al-Razazza Lake is in the semi-filled position of 40 m.a.m.s.l., it causes floods for the canal because the water level rises above the banks of the canal at the last kilometer from the canal, even when passing a few discharges through the canal. Accordingly, it is not possible to safely pass the flow rate for a flood wave with a 500-year return period predicted by the "Study of Strategy for Water and Land Resources in Iraq (2014)", which is 2000 m3/s for this canal, without making modifications to the expansion of Al-Majjarah Regulator by adding additional gates, expanding the entrance and exit of the Regulator, reshaping and expanding some cross-sections, and raising some of the banks for the canal. The above-mentioned modification were applied for the purpose of passing the expected discharge from the canal, while maintaining a freeboard of 1 m between the water surface and the canal banks.

Solar stills are commonly employed in solar desalination. On the other hand, solar still has low productivity. Many research projects are being carried out to improve the productivity of solar stills. This paper provides an overview of the detailed parameters affecting the performance of pyramid solar stills. These parameters are meteorological, design, and operating factors. The meteorological factors are solar irradiation, relative humidity, air speed, ambient temperature, and dust and cloud weather. In other respects, the operating parameters include the coloring of water, water flow, surfactant additives, salinity and contaminant levels, system maintenance water feeding, position of the solar still, and other effects. While the design Included are the number of basins and slopes, shapes of solar stills, inclination of the cover, thermal energy storage, basin absorption rates, reflectors and mirrors, sun tracking system, insulation thickness, additive materials, and water depth in the basin. From this perspective, in this review, we are attempting to research the current situation of various designs of pyramid solar stills. Based on many studies, the productivity of pyramid stills can be increased up to 35% with the use of PCM and up to 88% when using both v-corrugated absorber plates and PCM due to their increased heat storage capabilities. However, both reflectors and mirrors increase distillate productivity up to 48% and 53%, respectively. Furthermore, due to increased absorption of solar radiation, some types of nanoparticles increased solar productivity yield by up to 72%. Using this body of literature and other studies, it is concluded that climatic, design, and operating factors significantly influence the performance of the pyramid distiller. Furthermore, further work recommendations are proposed.

This study examined the influence of partial sand replacement with iron filings on the mechanical and physical characteristics of concrete, as well as conducted experimental tests of the shear behaviour of reinforced-concrete beams. Four replacement rates were used in this study, i.e., 5 %, 10 %, 20 %, and 30 % with a reference mixture containing no iron filings. At ages 7, 14, and 28 days, mechanical property tests (slump, density, ultrasonic pulse velocity, compressive strength, and splitting strength tests) were conducted. In addition, the shear behaviour of five reinforced-concrete beams with the same replacement rates (0 %, 5 %, 10 %, 20 %, and 30 %) were experimentally tested. Tests were conducted to determine the ultimate load failure, final deflection, energy absorption, stiffness, ductility index, compressive stress, and crack formations. According to the results, the correlation between the slump test and iron filings is positive; however, that for absorption is negative. With a higher percentage of iron-filing replacement, the density and ultrasonic pulse velocity increased. For specimens with 30,00 % iron filings, the densities, pulse velocities, and slumps were raised by 6,27 %, 2,44 %, and 58,33 %, respectively, compared to the reference specimens, whereas the absorption rate decreased by 20,00 %. Having 20,00 % iron filings produced the maximum compressive and splitting strengths of 28,00 %, which was 4,60 % higher than the reference mixture, whereas 30,00 % iron filings produced the highest flexural strength, which was 9,50 % higher than the reference mix. The findings of beam testing revealed that increasing the iron-filing content in concrete beams increased the final failure load, final deflection, ductility index, and energy absorption by 6,70 %, 10,29 %, 11,30 %, and 35,00 %, respectively. The initial and secant stiffnesses decreased at rates of 12,60 % and 3,10 %, respectively.

Electrical energy from offshore wind turbines is an important source of clean, renewable energy production. One of the reasons for the low efficiency of wind turbines is the change in the flow angle of attack, denoted by the symbol (α), as a result of the deflection of the structure. The study aims to know the values of the maximum deflection of the proposed structure under the environmental conditions of the Arabian Gulf water area. Our research adopted a novel approach to extracting results; the characteristics of sea waves were extracted from the experimental work after fixing five sea waves, knowing the displacement of the top of the structure, and using the numerical approach in the ANSYS-Fluent program to know the average wind and wave forces. Two simulations were performed. The first included the five cases of sea wave characteristics without rotating wind turbine blades. The second was for the fifth case only with the wind turbine blades rotating at a speed of (20.5 rpm), assuming that the structure was exposed to a constant wind speed (12 m/s) for the two simulations. The study also included obtaining the maximum deflection value of the structure. Then, the equations of the theoretical approach were developed based on the Euler-Bernoulli bending moment equation, and the forces extracted from the simulations were entered into the theoretical equations to extract the maximum deflection values of the structure. Reading the experimental work resulted in the highest displacement of the top of the structure in the fifth case (0.178 m). The result of the second simulation had the highest value of the structure deflection (0.201 m). In comparison, its value came in the theoretical approach (0.160 m), which adopted the forces of the second simulation.

Background: Gastrointestinal (GIT) tumors refer to collection of tumor including colorectal, gastric, liver, and pancreatic tumors and other. Objective: The current study aims to measure the serum level of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-17 (IL-17), and vitamin D3 among GIT tumor patients comparing with irritable bowel disease (IBD) patients and healthy control. Materials and Methods: Serum samples were taken from 88 participants (42 from malignant GIT tumor, 29 from benign GIT tumor, 10 from IBD (as positive control), and 7 from health individual (as negative control)). All patients admitted in GIT center of Babylon in Merjan Medical city at April up to December 2020. The TNF-α, IL-17, and vitamin D3 level were measured by Enzyme-Linked Immunoassay (ELISA. Results: The result showed younger men are more prevalent with malignant GIT tumor with mean age (53.39 years) than benign GIT tumor as well as IBD. There is an significant increase in TNF-α (Least Significant Difference (LSD = 1.79) levels of malignant GIT tumor when compared with other groups (mean ± Standard Deviation (SD) = 23.7 ± 8.1, 20.4 ± 2.8, 18.9 ± 2.66, and 18.1 ± 2.78 pg/mL for malignant GIT, benign GIT, IBD, and healthy persons respectively). Results of IL-17 level also reveal a significant increase (LSD = 13.2) of malignant GIT tumor when compared with other groups (mean ± SD = 222.2 ± 73.5, 128.2 ± 35.5, 201.5 ± 39.4, and 164.2 ± 44.1 pg/mL for malignant GIT, benign GIT, IBD, and healthy persons, respectively). Inverse results were documented for vitamin D3 level, in which a significant decrease (LSD = 23.45) in the levels of malignant GIT tumor was observed when compared with other groups (mean ± SD = 204.2 ± 24.3, 306.1 ± 97.2, 453.2 ± 78.2, 368 ± 78.0 pg/mL for malignant GIT, benign GIT, IBD, and healthy persons, respectively). Conclusion: The current study concluded that early age men get affected with malignant GIT tumor in Iraqi population giving a hint to that the population at high risk to involved with such tumor as well as other tumor types with elevated level of TNF-α and IL-17 and decreased level of vitamin D3. More and more studies with large number of patients should be recommended to exclude the factors in which that may lead to such conditions.

Background: In developing countries, ocular infections are a significant public health concern, particularly bacterial infections, which are common. This research aimed to estimate how often Gram-positive and negative bacteria are present in individuals who have external ocular infections in Wasit province. Materials and Methods: One hundred twenty-one eye swabs were gathered from patients with various eye infections in the consulting clinics of AL-Zahra Hospital between October 1, 2021, and March 1, 2022. Various bacterial colonies with different morphological and biochemical characteristics were detected through growth testing. Results: Of all the external ocular samples collected, 56 (46.2%) had a positive culture for bacterial pathogens. Most of the isolated bacteria were Gram-positive, accounting for 73.2% (41 cases) of the total. Coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CoNS) were the most commonly identified Gram-positive bacteria, followed by Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus hominis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus lentus, Staphylococcus hominis spp. Novobiosepticus, Staphylococcus pseudintermedius, Staphylococcus lugdunesis, Staphylococcus gallinarum, Staphylococcus vitulinus, Staphylococcus cohnii, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Kocuria rosea, Micrococcus luteus, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, and, among which, Gram-negative bacteria accounted for 26.8% such as Klebsiella pneumonia, Proteus mirabilis, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pantoea spp., Yersinia enterocolitica, Citrobacter sedlakii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas oryzihabitans, and Sphingomonas paucimobilis. DNA extraction and their purity and concentration were confirmed using Nanodrop. A monoplex pattern of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed to detect Gram-positive specific 16S rRNA. Conclusion: A majority of the bacterial strains identified in patients with ocular infections, particularly Gram-positive bacteria, also concluded that the largest percentage of eye infections was for patients who lived in rural areas, this explains the reason for the isolation of some bacterial species that inhabit animals such as S. lentus, S. gallinarum, S. pseudintermedius, S. vitulinus, S. cohnii, and L. mesenteroides. In addition, most of the bacterial species found in patients with eye infections were resistant to multiple drugs, indicating the development of multidrug-resistant bacteria in the study population, also concluded that the most prevalent forms of external ocular infections were blepharitis, followed by conjunctiva.

Objective: This research assesses whether probiotics could enhance growth performance and improve nutrient digestibility in birds fed with low-protein diets. Materials and Methods: A total of 250 1-day-old ROSS chicks were used in a completely randomized design consisting of 5 treatments with 5 replicates and 10 birds for each replicate. The experimental diets were as follows: basal diet containing 100% crude protein (CP) according to Nutrition Research Council recommendation (control diet); basal diet containing CP 10% less than the control diet low protein (LP); LP with addition of probiotic by 50 mg/kg diet (LP + P1); LP with addition of probiotics by 100 mg/kg diet (LP + P2); LP with an addition of probiotics by 150 mg/kg diet (LP + P3). Results: Broilers fed with the control, LP + P2, and LP + P3 diets had greater body weight and weight gain than broilers fed with the LP during starter, finisher, and total periods (p < 0.01). The feed conversion ratio was the best (p < 0.01) in the control and LP + P3 treatments compared with the LP and LP + P1 treatments throughout the experiment. The European production efficiency factor was the lowest in the LP treatment compared with other treatments from 1 to 42 days. Protein efficiency ratio and protein retention were both higher in birds fed with the LP + P2 and LP + P3 diets compared to birds given the control and LP diets (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Adding probiotics to the diet remarkably improved the productive performance and nutrient digestibility of broiler-fed low-protein diets.

This paper proposes a transmitter system based on direct antenna amplitude-shift keying modulation for point-to-point microwave link. The proposed system is formed from a conventional microstrip antenna and a novel reconfigurable metasurface layer (RMSL). The proposed RMSL has two states: OFF (or Logic-0) and ON (or Logic-1) where each switching scenario provides a certain gain level. This is achieved through controlling the proposed RMSL switching configuration to control the amplitude of the transmitted signal. Results show that such a system can modulate electromagnetic signals directly by varying the antenna’s gain from about 2 dBi for Logic-0 to 13.8 dBi for Logic-1. An analytical model-based ray-tracing technique is invoked to explain the operation of the proposed antenna system. To demonstrate the operation of the proposed system, both the antenna and the RMSL structures were fabricated, assembled and tested. Measurements show good agreement with the theoretical model and numerical simulations obtained using CST Microwave Studio software package. The overall system has dimensions of $25\times 25 \times 7.3$ cm3.

In this paper, the influence of aggregate size and volume fraction on the permeability properties of meso-scale concrete is investigated. Three volume fractions of aggregates are investigated, varying from 10, 20 and 30 %. Furthermore, three aggregate sizes are examined, 10, 14, and 16 mm. In this work, numerical results provide some indications: increasing volume fraction leads to increased fracture energy, tensile stress, and crack opening. The results show that increasing crack width and decreasing volume fraction lead to an increase in gas permeability.

Background: Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is the most common glomerular disease seen in the pediatric age group. Objective: To study demographic, socioeconomic, disease related characteristics and the physical examination including height, weight and blood pressure correlation with frequency of relapses in children with steroid sensitive NS (SSNS). Methods: This is a cross sectional study that was conducted at Nephrology Consultation Clinic, in Al-Imamein Al-kadhimein (peace on them) Medical City, Baghdad, Iraq starting from 1st of January, 2020 to 31 July, 2021. Results: Total number of patients was 60 children with SSNS, 24 (40%) patients were frequent relapsers and 36 patients (60%) were infrequent relapsers. Most of the children at onset of the disease were less than 5 yr (76.7%) and males were more than females (78.3%). Fifty-three patients were responder to steroid in less than 2 weeks (88.3%). Ten patients with low body weight (16.7%) and 6 patients with low body height (10%), 25 patients presented with elevated blood pressure (41.7%). A significant correlation was found between future relapses and following characteristics; response to steroid in less than 2 weeks, urinary tract infection (UTI) and gross hematuria, low body weight, short stature and elevated blood pressure. Conclusion: Comparing frequent with infrequent relapsers, the following factors found to be statically significant: response to steroid less than 2 weeks, UTI, gross hematuria, low body weight, short stature and elevated blood pressure. Keywords: Relapse, steroid, nephrotic syndrome, frequency Citation: Ali SH, Ali HA, Neamah AM. Risk factors for relapses in children with steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome. Iraqi JMS. 2022; 20(2): 226-232. doi: 10.22578/IJMS.20.2.9

The experiment was carried out in the Abu Al-Fadl Forest Nursery, the Plant Production Department, Al-Diwaniyah Agriculture Directorate (3 km north-east of Al-Diwaniyah city) during the winter season 2021-2022, to determine the effect of four levels of phosphate fertilizer (0, 30, 60 and 90 kg P ha-1) and two concentrations of kalotamik acid spray (0 and 200 mg kalotamik L-1), on the growth and yield of oats Avena sativa L. Shifa cultivar. The experiment was applied according to a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) by a split plot, with three replicates. The levels of phosphate fertilizer were distributed in the main plots, while the concentrations of amino acids occupied the sub-plots. The results showed the following: the superiority of plants fertilized at the fertilizer level of 90 kg P ha-1 significantly on the number of tillers, the number of dahlias, the weight of a thousand grains g, the biological yield and grain yield, were given 532 tillers m-2, 468.58 dalia m-2, 46.76 g, 56.39 mcg ha-1, and 8.92 mcg ha-1, respectively, the results also showed that the plants treated with kalotamik acid (concentration 200 mg L-1) were significantly superior to the number of tillers and the number of dahlias, it gave 493.42 tillers m-2 and 414.67 Dalia m-2. The interaction between the two experimental factors (fertilization at a level of 90 kg P ha-1 and spraying with kalotamik acid at a concentration of 200 mg L-1) had a significant effect on the biological yield and grain yield.

In this study, it was aimed to determine some physiological effects of CuO nanoparticle on C. demersum. The plants were collected from an uncontaminated pond in Gaziantep province. Different concentrations of CuO (0, 25, 50, 100 and 200 mg/L) were applied to the macrophytes after being acclimatized in controlled conditions. Some analyses were made on macrophytes harvested at the end of the application. The contents of protein, total carbohydrate, photosynthetic pigment, total phenolic compound, non-protein sulfhydryl groups of tissues increased with increasing CuO concentration under the influence of applied CuO concentrations. In addition, increases in hydrogen peroxide and MDA contents were also detected. As a result, it was determined that the applied CuO concentrations caused some physiological changes in C. demersum tissues.

We report results from serologic surveillance for exposure to SARS-CoV-2 among 1,237 wild rodents and small mammals across Europe. All samples were negative, with the possible exception of 1. Despite suspected potential for human-to-rodent spillover, no evidence of widespread SARS-CoV-2 circulation in rodent populations has been reported to date. Esitämme tulokset serologisesta tutkimuksesta, jossa seulottiin SARS-CoV-2 tartuntojen varalta 1,237 luonnonvaraista jyrsijää ja piennisäkästä eri puolilta Eurooppaa. Kaikki näytteet olivat negatiivisia, yhtä näytettä lukuun ottamatta. SARS-CoV-2:n läikkymisen ihmisistä jyrsijöihin on arveltu olevan mahdollista, mutta todisteet viruksen laajamittaisesta leviämisestä jyrsijäpopulaatioissa puuttuvat.

Recently, most of the researchers focused on provide lower greenhouse gas emissions that emitted from diesel engines by using renewable fuels to be good alternative to the conventional diesel fuel. Ethanol can be derived from renewable sources such as sugar cane, corn, timber and dates. In the current study, the ethanol fuel used in the tests was derived from the dates. The effects of using exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) diesel-ethanol blend (E10) with on engine performance and emissions characteristics have been studied in diesel engine under various engine loads. This study focused the use of oxygen in the bio-ethanol composition to compensate for the decrease occurred by the addition of EGR, which improves the engine performance and reduces its emissions. In this experiment, the ratios of EGR were 10%, 20% and 30% as well as 10% ratio of ethanol was blended into the diesel fuel blend under fixed engine speed. A traditional (without additional systems to reduce emissions) four cylinders direct injection (DI) diesel engine was used for all tests. The brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) increased with increasing the EGR ratio by 10%, 20% and 30% by 18.7%, 22.4% and 37.4%, respectively. The thermal efficiency decreased under variable conditions of engine load for different ethanol blends. Furthermore, the emissions of NOX decreased when fuelled B10 into the engine in comparison with diesel under low engine load. Significant reduction in the NOx emissions were found when applied EGR in the tests than to the absence EGR for E10 blend and diesel. The NOx reduction rate was 12.3%, 30.6% and 43.4% when EGR rate was 10%, 20% and 30%, respectively. In addition, the concentrations of HC and CO emissions decreased more by 8.23% and 6.4%, respectively, when using E10 in comparison with the diesel for various engine loads. It is indicated that the oxygen reduction by EGR effect was compensated from ethanol blend combustion. The results showed that the combination use of E10 and EGR leads to significant reduction in engine emissions accompanied with partial reduction in the engine performance.

The fuel combustion in diesel engines can be improved by adding nanomaterials to the fuel which result in an reduction in pollutant emissions and enhance the quality of fuel combustion. The engine performance and soot nanoparticles characteristics were evaluated in this study with adding nanoparticles of copper oxide (CuO2) to the rapeseed methyl ester (RME) and diesel under variable engine speeds. The addition of CuO2 to the RME significantly improve brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and decline the brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) by 23.6% and 7.6%, respectively, compared to the neat RME and diesel fuel. The inclusion CuO2 nanoparticles into the RME and diesel led to decrease the concentration and number of particulate matter (PM)by 33% and 17% in comparison with neat RME and diesel without nano additives, respectively. Moreover, PM is significantly decreased by 31.5% during the RME combustion in comparison with neat RME and diesel under various engine speeds. It was also obtained that the number of emitted particles (npo) reduced by 23.5% with adding nanoparticles to the RME in comparison with diesel, while the diameter of soot nanoparticles (dpo) increased by 8.6% in comparison with diesel. Furthermore, the addition CuO2 to the RME decreased the size and number of particles more than to the diesel fuel.

In the present work, polymer and surfactant solutions (Xanthan Gum- Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide) were formulated and tested in a micro-flow system (microchannel) carrying octanoic acid as the hydrocarbon phase to determine the droplets formation capabilities of the two different additives. The purpose is to compare the droplet-generated size, shape, and distance between the droplets forming from the individual additives solutions. The jetting phenomenon that happens during droplet generation was also investigated. The solution of the polymer (XG) and surfactant (CTAB) was prepared in 5 different concentrations (50, 100, 150, 200, and 250) ppm and (500, 1000, 1500, 2000, and 2500) ppm, respectively. The continuous and dispersed phases' flow was controlled by controlling the inlet pressure of both phases. Direct-writing lithography was used to fabricate the microchannels using polydimethylsiloxane polymer. The microfluidic chip was connected to an open-loop fluid circulation system, and the produced by polymer and surfactant solutions droplets size was recorded using a high-resolution microscope. The droplet generated using the XG solution was larger, and the distance between droplets was shorter as concentration increased. In contrast, the CTAB solutions showed smaller droplets, and the distance between droplets increased as the concentration increased. The possibility of coalescence of the droplet was also higher as the distance between droplets was shorter. In terms of jetting regime, as the pressure ratio increases, the jet breakup length increases before forming the droplet until, at some limit, the dispersed phase was failed to generate droplets.

تعدّ جرائم الفساد المالي والاداري من أخطر أنواع الجرائم التي تهدد المجتمع في أي دولة من العالم فهذا النوع من الجرائم ينال من قيم العدالة والتنمية الاجتماعية، ويمنع الدول من تحقيق أهدافها التنموية حيث تؤدي إلى تقليل الموارد المخصصة لتمويل برامج التنمية وتقوض ثقة المواطنين بالدولة ويعيق المنافسة العادلة ويساعد في تفاقم الفقر والبطالة. لما كانت الجريمة بالمعنى التقليدي يرتكبها في الغالب أفراد أو جماعات خارج القانون، غير ان جرائم الفساد أصبحت تمثل فعلًا إجراميًا يرتكب من موقع السلطة باستخدام أجهزة الدولة لخدمة أغراض الجريمة، تحقيقاً لمنافع خاصة عن طريق استغلال الوظيفة العامة وانحرافها عن الغرض الاساسي الا وهو خدمة المصلحة العامة، ما يسمى (الفساد الكبير) كان العراق ولبنان من الدول التي انتشرت بها جرائم الفساد الاداري والمالي، أدت إلى تبديد ثرواته وأصبحت مظهر من مظاهر التخلف الاجتماعي والاقتصادي والعلمي في كل مجالات الحياة، ولكون الفساد ظاهرة متشعبة ومعقدة، وللحد منه ومحاربته والسيطرة عليه، برزت الحاجة إلى وضع سياسات وإجراءات فقالة بمكافحة الفساد والوقاية منه، ورفع الوعي المجتمعي، وملاحقة مرتكبي جرائم الفساد ومعاقبتهم. لذلك انشأت بعض الأجهزة المتخصصة التي لها نظامها الداخلي و قوانينها التي تعبر عن تلك الخصوصية، وتسعى لبلوغ الهدف المنشود وهو دفع الفساد ومكافحته.

In this study, sulfur was removed from imitation oil using oxidative desulfurization process. Silicoaluminophosphate (SAPO-11) was prepared using the hydrothermal method with a concentration of carbon nanotubes (CNT) of 0% and 7.5% at 190 °C crystallization temperature. The final molar composition of the as-prepared SAPO-11 was Al2O3: 0.93P2O5: 0.414SiO2. 4% MO/SAPO-11 was prepared using impregnation methods. The produced SAPO-11 was described using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (N2 adsorption–desorption isotherms). It was found that the addition of CNT increased the crystallinity of SAPO-11. The results showed that the surface area of SAPO-11 containing 7.5% CNT was 179.54 m2/g, and the pore volume was 0.317 cm3/g. However, the surface area of SAPO-11 containing 0% CNT was 125.311 m2/g, and pore volume was 0.275 cm3/g, while nanoparticles with an average particle diameter of 24.8 nm were obtained. Then, the prepared SAPO-11 was used in the oxidative desulfurization process. The oxidative desulfurization was studied using several factors affecting desulfurization efficiency, such as time (40, 60, 80, 100, and 120) min, amount of MO/SAPO-11 (0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, and 0.7) g/100 ml of simulated oil (100 ppm of dibenzothiophene), the amount of hydrogen peroxide (4ml) oxidizer/100 ml of simulated oil, and the temperature ranges from (40, 50, 60, 70, and 80 °C). The results showed that an increase in MO/SAPO-11 led to an increase in desulfurization. The best removal percentage for sulfur content was 92.79%, obtained at 70 °C and 0.6 g of MO/SAPO-11 containing 7.5% CNT, and the removal was 82.34% at 0% CNT and the same other conditions. While the equilibrium was achieved after 100 min. The results revealed that Freundlich's model described the adsorption of sulfur compounds better than Langmuir's, where the R2 of the Freundlich model was 0.9979 and the R2 of the Langmuir model was 0.9554.

يتمحور موضوع البحث حول المؤرخ الفرنسي جوانفيل وكتابه حياة القديس لويس والذي تناول فيه احداث ووقائع الحملة الصليبية السابعة على مصر من سنة 647هـ/ 1249م الى سنة 648هـ/ 1250م في عهد الملك الفرنسي لويس التاسع ودراسة مؤلفه هذا كمصدر لاتيني عن هذه الحملة بالمقارنة مع المصادر التاريخية الإسلامية. وقد تبين لنا من خلال هذه الدراسة ان المؤرخ جوانفيل قد تميز بموهبته في الوصف الدقيق لأحداث وتفاصيل الحملة الصليبية السابعة على مصر، لأنه كان أحد فرسان هذه الحملة وشاهد عيان لوقائعها وملابساتها، وبحكم كونه مقرباً جداً من الملك الفرنسي، وهو يمثل نموذجاً للفارس الفرنجي الصليبي وليد المجتمع الاقطاعي الأوربي خلال العصور الوسطى بأفكاره وبنزعته الاقطاعية ورؤيته عن المسلمين وعن الحروب الصليبية، لاسيما وانه كان ينتمي الى طبقة البارونات الفرنسية وهي طبقة لها ثقلها ووزنها في المجتمع الفرنسي آنذاك، لذلك فهو يمثل وجهة النظر اللاتينية المخالفة لوجهة النظر التي تقدمها المصادر العربية الإسلامية عن وقائع وظروف هذه الحملة على مصر، وبالتالي فأن مؤلفه "حياة القديس لويس" يعّد سجل عظيم القيمة لتاريخ الملك لويس التاسع وفرنسا الاقطاعية والحملة الصليبية السابعة على مصر.

This paper deals with prediction the effect of soil remoulding (smear) on the ultimate bearing capacity of driven piles. The proposed method based on detecting the decrease in ultimate bearing capacity of the pile shaft (excluding the share of pile tip) after sliding downward. This was done via conducting an experimental study on three installed R.C piles in a sandy clayey silt soil. The piles were installed so that a gap space is left between its tip and the base of borehole. The piles were tested for ultimate bearing capacity according to ASTM D1143 in three stages. Between each two stages the pile was jacked inside the borehole until a sliding of about 200mm is achieved to simulate the soil remoulding due to actual pile driving. The results of the tests exhibited that the pile might loss 14% of its ultimate capacity when it is loaded immediately after installation. Also, it was concluded that the pile may regain of about 9% of its original capacity after 30days of its installation.

COVID-19 pandemic disease continues to spread over all countries. There is increasing evidence that the SARA-COV-2 virus can cause damage to both the peripheral and central nervous systems through either direct or indirect mechanisms, potentially leading to long-term neurological effects. Рrolonged COVID can cause clinical symptoms such as anxiety, depression, fatigue, brain fog with cognitive dysfunction and memory problems. Brain fog, a colloquial term for cognitive Impairment (CI) , has emerged as a significant long-term neurological complication following COVID-19 infection. Recently, several studies have indicated that these cognitive symptoms can persist for months to over a year post-infection, affecting the quality of life of survivors. This article reviews the mechanisms of coronavirus invasion of the brain and how brain fog occurs after long-term Covid disease.

In recent years, there has been increased interest in natural ventilation solutions as a means to achieve sustainable and energy-efficient building design. Windcatchers, ancient Middle Eastern architectural elements, have surfaced as viable passive cooling devices in modern architecture, thereby enhancing interior air quality and reducing the reliance on mechanical ventilation systems. Integrating upper wing walls (UWWs) is hypothesized to augment a windcatcher’s effectiveness by optimizing wind capture, air circulation, and thermal regulation. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the influence of incorporating a two-sided windcatcher with UWWs, with a particular emphasis on the effect of the UWW angle on ventilation performance within building spaces. To achieve this aim, a series of numerical simulations were conducted to assess the synergy between the windcatcher and the wing wall configuration with varying UWW angles and under varying wind speed conditions. As the first step of the research methodology, the CFD model was validated through a comparison between the numerical results and the experimental data. The findings showed good agreement between these methods. In the next phase, windcatchers with different UWW angles spanning the range of 0° to 90° were subjected to rigorous evaluation. The results revealed that the configuration with a 30° angle exhibited the optimal performance concerning critical ventilation parameters encompassing the airflow rate, air change rate, and mean age of air. Finally, the selected configuration underwent an evaluation under diverse wind speed conditions, which affirmed that even under low-wind-speed conditions, the windcatcher provides ventilation levels that align with the standard requirements.

Introduction: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the impact of ultraconservative and traditional endodontic access cavities on the total percentage increase in the surface area of root canals. Methods: Endodontic instrumentation was performed on 30 simulated maxillary first premolars with two roots using traditional and ultraconservative access cavities via ProTaper Next rotary files. The pre- and postinstrumentation photographs of the root canals were analyzed blindly using Fiji software to determine the percentage increase in surface area. Results: A significant increase in the surface area of the root canal was observed with an ultraconservative endodontic access cavity compared to a traditional access cavity. The difference between the palatal and buccal roots was not significant, but there was a significant difference among the coronal, middle, and apical thirds of the root canal. Conclusion: Ultraconservative access cavities have a significant impact on the increase in surface area of the root canal after instrumentation.

Language and culture are inextricably linked. Consequently, the teaching of cultural awareness as part of additional language instruction is crucial to increasing language proficiency. This paper examines how literature circles are utilized and actively modelled in the teaching and learning of the Arabic language and its culture in an adult Arabic as an Additional Language classroom in Iraq with beginner, intermediate and advanced learners. The impact of the literature circles pedagogy is explored through the analysis of audio transcripts of the interactions during the class, student journals reflections on their experiences participating in the study, and the researcher’s field notes recording their observations during the literature circle activities. Eight participants from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds were divided into two multi-level groups. The data revealed that the literature circle methodology increased student-to-student interaction and collaborative learning and understanding of Arabic culture. These outcomes resulted in enhanced confidence in using the language and, consequently language proficiency in the Arabic language.

Abstract The aim of this study is to acquire a deeper understanding of the response mechanism that is associated with the formation of CdS thin films. We presented an effective and new hybrid sensitisation technique, which involved the 1-step linker between the related chemical bath deposition (CBD) process and the traditional doping method during CBD for synthesising high-quality, CdS thin films. The mechanism for the combined synthesis of the films is also describes. CdS films were electrostatically bonded to soda-lime glass, causing the formation of the intermediate complexes [Cd(NH3)4]2+, which aided in the collision of these complexes with a soda-lime glass slide. In the one-step fabrication technique, 3-Mercaptopropionic Acid (MPA) was employed as a second source of sulphur ions and a linker molecule. Optical studies showed that the bandgap ranged between (2.26–2.52) eV. CdS + MPA films exhibited a uniform distribution of spherical molecules based on their morphological properties. After annealing, this approach significantly altered the electrical characteristics of CdS films. The CdS + MPA films displayed the highest carrier concentration whereas the CdS + Ag + MPA films exhibited the lowest resistivity, with a jump of 3 orders of magnitude.

The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) has become an attractive encryption method for its high security and fast implementation. The encryption algorithm is approved as a standard to be used in widely used communication and data processing units However, the advance in technology and the introduction of quantum computers made the encryption scheme vulnerable to attack. Different attack procedures are continuously being developed for attacking end decrypted important and sensitive data. This paper evaluated an enhanced Advanced Encryption System operating in Cipher Block Chaining mode that suggests a promising solution for resisting future attacks. The approach depends on a time-dependent initialization vector that produces the initialization vector block depending on the epoch time without sharing any encryption key. The evaluation process includes correlation analysis, global and local Shannon entropy analysis, chi-square analysis, histogram analysis, and differential analysis. The results showed that the enhanced encryption scheme is reliable and can resist most cyber-attacks without exposing any encrypted data to the public. The results were compared with previously published and tested algorithms and found that it satisfies and exceeds the minimum requirement. So, the encryption method can be implemented safely in future communication channels or used in the file encryption process. . .

Abstract Background The X-chromosome short tandem repeat (STR) polymorphisms are a particular tool in the fields of human population genetics and personal identification. It was necessary in investigating complex kinship or deficiency cases in conditions where information on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) or Y chromosome polymorphisms have been used to explore their direct paternal line. This study aimed to investigate the allele frequency of (12X-STR) of 200 unrelated males from different region of Baghdad City to serve as a reference data base for individual identification in Iraqi population. Results Twelve X-STR loci (DXS7424, HPRTB, DXS8377, GATA31E08, DXS7423, DXS8378, DXS9895, DXS10074, DXS6809, DXS7133, DXS101, DXS6807) were successfully amplified by multiplex PCR and divided into four groups. According to measures of allele frequency, the higher alleles frequency were 16, 11, 46, 11, 14, 10, 15, 15.2, 35, 11, 25, and 11 while the lowest alleles frequency were 11, 9, 52,53, 7, 17, 14, 13, 12.2,17, 36, 15, 16, 22, 29, and 17 that observed at the 12 loci respectively. Forensic efficiency parameter for DXS8377 locus in the first group showed highest polymorphic allele in the Iraqi Arab population with the frequencies ranging from 0.005 to 0.16%. The power of discrimination (PD) value ranged from 0.663 for DXS7423 locus and 0.9066 for DXS8377 locus. In addition, the polymorphism information content (PIC) value ranged from 0.602974 for DXS7423 locus to 0.899206 for DXS8377 locus. Conclusions Overall the X-STR markers become used as an important source of information beside the autosomal and Y-STR markers, especially for kinship testing and haplotype analysis.

أعلن رئيس الوزراء الإيراني محمد علي فروغي في مساء يوم الاربعاء 17 أيلول 1941 ، قرار تنازل رضا شاه بهلوي عن العرش لصالح ابنه محمد رضا شاه وقد أقيمت حفلة تنصيب محمد رضا شاهاً لإيران أمام بناية المجلس الوطني وبحضور أعضاء مجلس النواب والمسؤولون في الدولة ، وقام محمد رضا شاه بتلاوة القسم الدستوري أمام المجلس الوطني ، وقد نشرت صحيفة الحوادث العراقية نص القسم الذي اقسمه الشاه ، والذي بدوره وعد بالإصلاحات الداخلية في إيران عن طريق سن قوانين جديدة من أجل التخفيف على أبناء البلد وتحسين معيشتهم، فضلاً عن قيامه بالتفاوض مع الدول الاخرى والتعاون معها لحل مشاكل ايران والوصول لحالة الاستقرار .

ما طبيعة العلاقة الارتباطيــــة بين الإدراكات المحددة للدافعية واستراتيجية إعادة التركيز الإيجابي لدى طلبة الإعدادية ؟ وهل تختلف هذه العلاقة باختلاف الجنس (الذكور- الاناث)، والتخصص (العلمي - الانساني)؟ لذا يستهدف البحث الحالي التعرف إلى : الإدراكات المحددة للدافعية لدى طلبة الإعدادية. استراتيجية إعادة التركيز الإيجابي لدى طلبة الإعدادية. العلاقـــة الارتباطيـــة بين الإدراكات المحددة للدافعية واستراتيجية إعادة التركيز الإيجابي لدى طلبة الإعدادية. الفرق في العلاقة الارتباطية بين الإدراكات المحددة للدافعية واستراتيجية إعادة التركيز الإيجابي لدى الإعدادية تبعاً للمتغير الجنس (الذكور - الاناث (والتخصص ) العلمي - الانساني (.

AshShinnafiyah and AsSamawa cities suffer from significant increase in salinity of Euphrates River water compared with their counterpart's north AshShinnafiyah city which is reflected adversely on the quality of water within the study area. The study aims to find possible solutions to avoid the deterioration of Euphrates River northern AshShinnafiyah city until AsSamawa city that were presented by total dissolved solid TDS. Twelve main hydrological and fifteen salinity measurement stations were selected to cover 117 km of the river reach within the study area during July-2011. Additional twenty three hydrological and salinity stations were adopted during March-2012, winter season to the river within the study area. After conducting the field and laboratory measurements, mathematical model using HEC-RAS v.4.1 software were implemented, using the available geometric and recorded and measured hydrological data. Eleven scenarios were adopted, by canceled one or more of the drains that cause the deterioration in the river, to find the best scenario using various discharges of Al Ya’uo Regulator (Upstream of study area), where the criteria are the water level at AsSamawa city (downstream boundary) is not less than 6 m.a.m.s.l. and the maximum acceptable salinity for agricultural purposes is 1500 mg/l according to Specification of Iraq No. 417 for maintenance of river pollution, 1967. It was concluded from both models that the problem of salinity in the study area cannot be avoided without diverting one or more of the drains that outfall in the river. The minimum instream flow MIF was found for each scenario. Euphrates River without Eastern Al-Jarah, Al-Khassf, AnNagara, and Al-Haffar Drains, and outfalls Between AshShinnafiyah and Garrb Villages, Scenario 9, is the best one, where it gave the minimum required discharge from Al-Ya’uo Regulator of 82m 3 /s and 165m 3 /s during summer and winter seasons respectively.

Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) have reached enormous levels of interest all over the world; The attraction was huge besides buying or creating an NFT. However, the actual use requires consideration of many aspects and sources to make decisions and engage in the NFT market. Moving forward and selecting what to create or where to buy, it is necessary to assess the NFT and whether it is worth investing in or not. On the other hand, Metaverse has become a trending topic and market interest has increased dramatically. However, NFT is crucial to enable the Metaverse; NFT approved its essential to the success of Metaverse adoption. In conclusion, this choice is complicated, especially when it involves extensive knowledge and information from different sources and perspectives (Engineering and Social Science). Some aspects are related to the customer experience and trust, and others are more likely to be asset-related. As we look at the blockchain market, we distinguish a variety of platforms and applications that can be used conveniently, presenting numerous options and possibilities. That brings to mind some ideas and asks some questions to assist the engagement in the NFT metaverse; When is the best moment to engage in the NFT metaverse? Is trading or engaging in the NFT metaverse trustworthy? Is it legal to use and trade NFTs, is there any need for governments to get involved? What NFT piece should create or what price to buy? What is the best and most secure platform to use? Assessing the NFTs requires deep research into different sources of controversial information and data. However, no such reference or study covers these considerations in detail; the lack of trusted resources and knowledge impacts the user experience and engagement. This paper contributes to social science studies by performing a multi-factor (comprehensive) analysis that includes the NFT Metaverse engagement decision and user behavior. We are using an extended model of the theory of planned behavior (TPB), proposing a model which includes external factors to help identify the variables that influence the engagement with NFTs in the metaverse. This comprehensive study has a multi-perspective approach; customer perspective, social perspective, technology perspective, legal perspective, and market perspective. We present extensive knowledge and information to be a helpful piece of awareness for everyone who intends to buy, invest, or create an NFT. This study uses a quantitative analysis method and provides meaningful results explaining this dilemma and the reasons behind the massive adoption of NFT and its fluctuation worldwide. This work helps the decision-makers, creators, and investors consider new development perspectives in the NFT metaverse. The methodology used primary survey data and analyzed with Smart-PLS 4 to determine variance-based structural equation modeling (SEM) using the partial least squares path modeling (PLS) method.

The rapid growth in the world–population urges the need for potable water in various regions, especially in hot and dry regions. The main challenge in the productivity of potable water is the cost and availability of water sources. Thus, it is crucial to develop effective methods to overcome this global need. Utilizing solar power is proven to be a promising path to implementing thermal solar radiation in solar distillation applications. This work investigates the effectiveness of using concentrated solar power to irradiate heat exchange to evaporate water in a receiver, which will be collected as pure water in a condenser later. The thermal performance of the proposed model and its productivity are tested experimentally by using tap water only, and the test was repeated twice using two nanofluids namely, (aluminium oxide (Al2O3) and zinc oxide (ZnO)). The results showed that using (Al2O3) has a superior influence on the productivity of the solar unit, where the productivity is increased by 43.53% and 21.89% when compared to tap water and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanofluid respectively. The thermal efficiency of the solar unit was also increased by 9.91% (maximum) when using (aluminium oxide (Al2O3) as a working fluid compared to tap water. The model has simple components and is easy to install with a compact size, which can be developed be utilized in urban and desert areas.

The most interesting themes worldwide are those relating to sustainable water and energy supplies. They have a significant impact on any society's economic wellbeing. Desalination of brackish water has proven to be a good solution to the freshwater issue that many regions of the world face. Solar stills (SSs) are a simple distillation technique for freshwater purification. From the conventional SSs to the modified SSs, several studies have been carried out to improve the effectiveness of this technique. Pyramid solar stills are effective and efficient, according to researches that have been done to develop several types of solar stills for increased distillate production. In this review, we aim to provide an extensive review of recent advancements in pyramid solar distillation techniques, including new technologies, methods, and best practices. Consequently, this paper helps researchers choose the optimal technique to get the best-optimized productivity from a pyramid solar still. This review highlights the efforts of researchers to improve the efficiency of solar distillation systems by exploring recent techniques and innovations in pyramid solar distillers up to 2023. Various results have demonstrated the significance of modifications or improvements to pyramid SSs, such as utilizing storage materials, which can significantly increase productivity by approximately 35%. Additionally, a v-corrugated absorber with PCM can enhance the yield by about 87.4%. Furthermore, the use of wick materials can increase freshwater production by up to 122%, with jute wick outperforming cotton wick. Integrating evacuated tubes and carbon black nanofluid into a pyramid solar still can also improve freshwater production by approximately 57.1%. Combining nano and wick materials can further boost pyramid distiller productivity by up to 176% and increase thermal efficiency to 60.44%. Moreover, using pyramid distillers with revolving cylinders and electrical heaters can result in a daily output increase of 214%, producing up to 9100 ml/m2/day.

When the depth of stressed soil is rather small, Plate Load Test (PLT) becomes the most efficient test to estimate the soil properties for design purposes. Among these properties, modulus of subgrade reaction is the most important one that usually employed in roads and concrete pavement design. Two methods are available to perform PLT: static and dynamic methods. Static PLT is usually adopted due to its simplicity and time saving to be performs in comparison with cyclic (dynamic) method. The two methods are described in ASTM standard. In this paper the effect of the test method used in PLT in estimation of some mechanical soil properties was distinguished via a series of both test methods applied in a same site. The comparison of the test results between both methods showed that the dynamic (cyclic) method gives lower values of soil properties than the static one does.

The water scarcity that Iraq suffers from and the low irrigation efficiency in irrigation projects, therefore, it was necessary to evaluate the performance of the irrigation system of the western canal for the Ishaqi irrigation project in Salah al-Din Governorate to determine the water management strategies that can be used to improve the irrigation efficiency in the project. The performance of the field irrigation system was evaluated on two fields of different crops and irrigation methods according to the agricultural reality of the study area in the Western canal for the Al-Ishaqi Irrigation Project in Salah Al-Din Governorate. The fieldwork included measurements of the moisture content before and after irrigation, field capacity, and measuring the inflow of each field using a venturi flume to find the discharge inside the field and measuring the depth of the root during the growing season. The field measurements showed that the actual average water application efficiency for field W1, which is irrigated with the Border irrigation system is 36.1%, and in field W2, which is irrigated with the furrow irrigation system is 26.8%. As for the water distribution efficiency, the average distribution efficiency for fields W1 and W2 was about 98.8% and 98.4%, respectively. Field measurements showed that the actual conveyance efficiency of the western canal is 93.1%. The overall project efficiency for the western canal was 28.3%. The results of this evaluation conducted in the western canal t revealed that farmers are using more water than required, resulting in a large amount of water loss in the fields by deep permeation observed in this study due to inefficient use, poor irrigation schedule, and lack of knowledge and skills sufficient farmers have in managing water.

In this study, the impact of butanol-diesel blends and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) on engine performance, NOX emissions, smoke, and particulate matter (PM) characteristics were experimentally investigated under fuel post-injection condition. The maximum peak of cylinder pressure is achieved under without EGR compared with applied different rates of EGR. Furthermore, the brake thermal efficiency (BTE) increased during the combustion of B20 and B10 by 4.25% and 2.61%, respectively, compared with diesel fuel combustion. Considerable reductions in carbonaceous gas emissions (CO and THC) and nitrogen oxides (NOX) were achieved from combustion of B20 and B10 compared to the diesel fuel for with and without EGR. The NOX emissions decreased with 30% of EGR compared with 15% of EGR for all fuels studied. The results indicated that the addition butanol to the diesel fuel significantly reduced smoke opacity and soot emissions by 31.3% and 35.26%, respectively, compared with diesel. It is observed that an effective reduction of the NOX emissions to be higher during the combustion of B20 compared to the combustion of B10 and diesel for different EGR rates. The results of PM emission showed increase by 16% under 15% of EGR and 28% under 30% of EGR compared to the without EGR for all fuels tested. The number, concentration and size of PM decreased from combustion of B20 and B10 compared with diesel fuel combustion for with and without EGR.

Fifteenth of Cronobacter sakazakii were obtained from previous studies isolates were (infant formula, spinal fluid and bloods). The newborn mice and number was 15 obtaining healthy newborn mice from the Iraqi Center for Cancer and Medical Genetics whose ages ranged between 10-17 days and their weights 8.5 ± 1.25 gm, were divided into 3 groups. The samples were cut and placed in formalin, then placed in stabilizer and concentrations of alcohol (70%, 80%, 90%,100%) to complete dehydration after they were leached with xylene, embedded the samples paraffin wax (58°C) and sectioning the with thickness (5) micrometer and stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin stain. The results of an increase in the weight of the brain organ for the mice compared to the control treatment and this increase was significant at the probability level p≤0.05 and the results showed the inflammatory response of the brain of large number of polymorphnuclear cells and mononuclear cells as well as congested blood vessels with an increase in the size of endothelial cells. The presence of bleeding congestion and shrinking of nerve cells in the area of the cerebral cortex, gliosis (neuroma), was more prominent in the molecular layer in the brain of the newborn mice fed at a concentration of 105 cells and the occurrence of oedema ,the presence of haemorrhage in both concentrations of dosed newborn mice and necrosis of the choroid plexus concentration103 and 105 cells.

This work compares for the first time the efficiency of peroxi-coagulation (PC) and peroxi-electrocoagulation (PEC) methods for the removal of methyl green (MG) stains from aqueous solutions. Lab-scale, batch electrochemical cells made of an iron anode and porous graphite cathode were used in both processes. In addition, this work aims to identify the optimum operating conditions that resulted in the highest possible removal of MG. Several parameters were investigated such as effect of pH (1–9), temperature (15–60 °C), current density (5–35 mA/cm2), reaction time (10–90 min), electrode gap (1–3 cm), H2O2 concentration (750–900 mg/L, for PEC only), and air aeration (1–3 L/min, for PC only). The results show that both pH and current density have a great influence on MG eliminating efficiency, which implies that the removal processes are controlled by the reaction conditions in the bulk of the solution. The optimum conditions were found to be an initial value of pH equal to four, current density of 10–15 mA/cm2, air aeration equal to two L/min, and reaction time duration of 40–50 min. Maximum MG removal of 98.65% and 99.89% were achieved by PC and PEC, respectively, at the optimum operation values. Experimental data were fitted to 1st-order, 2nd-order, and power law models. This work shows the superior of PEC in the removing of MG from aqueous solutions.

Abstract Background Viscoelastic soluble polymeric additives have been used successfully for a long time as drag reducers in pipelines carrying commercial liquids like crude oil. Most of these polymers suffer from irreversible degradation when exposed to high shearing zones as in valves, elbows, and pumps which reduces, or eliminates, its flow enhancement effect. Insoluble additives were proven to be an effective drag reducer that overcomes the degradation drawback of soluble additives. On the other hand, insoluble additives suffer from the lack of viscoelasticity which limits their use as flow enhancers. The creation of complexes from soluble and insoluble additives is a field of research that is rarely explored despite its importance in introducing new flow enhancement methods for a higher drag reduction performance. The present work introduces a new surfactant–solid complex as a drag-reducing agent for turbulent flow in pipelines. Results The surfactant, solid, and their complexes’ drag reduction performance was tested in a closed-loop turbulent flow liquid circulation system, while rheological characteristics of the soluble additives were tested using a standard rheometer. All the surfactant solutions showed non-Newtonian shear thinning behavior in all the investigated concentrations that ranged between 500 and 1300 wppm. The initial experimental result indicated that the surfactant solution's drag reduction performance was higher than that of the solid suspensions. On the other hand, the drag reduction performance was enhanced by 52% when creating a 1300 wppm surfactant–2000 wppm solid complex. This improvement in the drag reduction performance is due to the formation of surfactant–solid-enforced aggregates with high resistance to shear forces and high turbulence suppression efficiency. Conclusions The present work introduces a new drag reduction solid–surfactant complex by creating aggregates combining the viscoelastic properties of surfactants with the resistance to high shear forces exerted by the solid particles. The polar nature of the surfactant micelles that form in single-phase flow systems contributed significantly to trapping the solid's micro-particles as enforcement to resist the shearing forces applied by the turbulent flow system.

Background: Medical-surgical nurses are responsible of providing competent care to clients with a wide-array of acute and chronic health problems. This challenging task requires arming nurses with advanced competencies of health literacy to effectively educate their clients. However, evidence about medical-surgical nurse’s health literacy-related knowledge and experience is limited. Purposes: This study aimed to determine the level of the health literacy-related knowledge and experience among medical-surgical nurses. Design: A descriptive-cross-sectional study was conducted among a total sample of 177 nurses who were practicing in medical-surgical wards in teaching hospitals in Iraq. A convenience sampling method was used to select the participants. Data were collected using the Health Literacy Knowledge and Experiences Survey-2 (HLKES-2). Descriptive statistics and Chi-square test were used for data analysis. Results: The majority of nurses (92.3%) had a low level of knowledge regarding health literacy and more than half of the participants (58.7%) had an acceptable level of experience. Conclusion: Nurses’ information about health literacy needs to be updated via continuous education to enhance their knowledge and practice regarding this aspect.