Objective: To study the effect of epidural spinal injection over one year in case of spinal stenosis. Methodology: This prospective study included 566 patients with spinal stenosis seen at Al-Kindy Teaching and Al-Sader, Hospitals who were treated by local epidural steroid injection. They were followed up for at least five subsequent visits after seven days, one month, three months, six months, and one year to assess efficacy. Result: Mean age of patients was 49.5 years, with a predominance of females (65%). L4/L5 was the most involved level in the spinal stenosis (70%). Grade II stenosis accounted for (45.4%) of cases. The pairwise comparison revealed that there was significant decrease in proportions of patients with pain in day

This paper proposes a new approach to model and analyze erect posture, based on a spherical inverted pendulum which is used to mimic the body posture. The pendulum oscillates in two directions, [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], from which the mathematical model was derived and two torque components in oscillation directions were introduced. They are estimated using stabilometric data acquired by a foot pressure mapping system. The model was quantitatively investigated using data from 19 participants, who were first were classified into three groups, according to the foot arch-index. Stabilometric data were then collected and fed into the model to estimate the torque’s components. The components were statistically proce

The increasing availability of computing power in the past two decades has been use to develop new techniques for optimizing solution of estimation problem. Today's computational capacity and the widespread availability of computers have enabled development of new generation of intelligent computing techniques, such as our interest algorithm, this paper presents one of new class of stochastic search algorithm (known as Canonical Genetic' Algorithm ‘CGA’) for optimizing the maximum likelihood function strategy is composed of three main steps: recombination, mutation, and selection. The experimental design is based on simulating the CGA with different values of are compared with those of moment method. Based on MSE value obtained from bot

In this paper, an algorithm is suggested to train a single layer feedforward neural network to function as a heteroassociative memory. This algorithm enhances the ability of the memory to recall the stored patterns when partially described noisy inputs patterns are presented. The algorithm relies on adapting the standard delta rule by introducing new terms, first order term and second order term to it. Results show that the heteroassociative neural network trained with this algorithm perfectly recalls the desired stored pattern when 1.6% and 3.2% special partially described noisy inputs patterns are presented.

This study presents a practical method for solving fractional order delay variational problems. The fractional derivative is given in the Caputo sense. The suggested approach is based on the Laplace transform and the shifted Legendre polynomials by approximating the candidate function by the shifted Legendre series with unknown coefficients yet to be determined. The proposed method converts the fractional order delay variational problem into a set of (n ＋ 1) algebraic equations, where the solution to the resultant equation provides us the unknown coefficients of the terminated series that have been utilized to approximate the solution to the considered variational problem. Illustrative examples are given to show that the recommended appro

Preserving the Past and Building the Future: A Sustainable Urban Plan for Mosul, Iraq

This article conclude a theoretical study for the possibility to produce additional electric power from Iraqi steam power plants by  cutting – off high-pressure feed water heaters .  Three separated steam power plants which Dura , south –Baghdad and Nasria were studied . The investigation showed the possibity of increasing the electric power from 10 to 15% for Dura and Nasria , whereas 6% for south – Baghdad . According to the nowadays of operation to Iraqi steam power plants , the results showed that by cutting–off high  pressure feed water heaters we can generate additional electric power about 250 MW during 3-4 hrs. daily. In addition, the fuel consumption can be reduced in comparison with diesel generat

The energy requirements of corn silage harvesters and the application of precision agricultural techniques are essential for efficient and productive agricultural practices. The article aims to review previous studies on the energy requirements needed for different corn silage harvesting machines, and on the other hand, to present methods for measuring corn silage productivity directly in the field and monitoring it based on microcontrollers and artificial intelligence techniques. The process of making corn silage is done by cutting green fodder plants into small pieces, so special harvesters are used for this, called corn silage harvesters. The purpose of harvesting corn silage is to efficiently collect and store as many digestible nutrien