Background: Mitral regurgitation (MR) is the most commonly encountered valve lesion in modern clinical practice. Severe mitral regurgitation may cause systolic dysfunction. Left ventricular ejection fraction may not be an accurate measurement of LV function in patients with mitral insufficiency. Myocardial performance index (MPI) is a simple non invasive measure of myocardial function. Methods: The study involved 50 patients with valvular mitral regurgitation and 50 healthy subjects as a control group. Transthoracic echocardiography was carried out for all patients and control group. The echocardiographic measurements included left ventricular end diastolic and end systolic dimensions, left atrial diameter, ejection fraction (EF), and myoca

    Soft clays are generally characterized by low shear strength, low permeability and high compressibility. An effective method to accelerate consolidation of such soils is to use vertical drains along with vacuum preloading to encourage radial flow of water.  In this research numerical modeling of prefabricated vertical drains with vacuum pressure was done to investigate the effect of using vertical drains together with vacuum pressure on the degree of saturation of fully and saturated-unsaturated soft soils.  Laboratory experiments were conducted by using a specially-designed large consolidometer cell where a central drain was installed and vacuum pressure was applied. All tests were conducted

The aim of this study to evaluate the effects of die holes diameter and speed of die on the performance of machine and feed pellet quality. Machine productivity (Kg.h-1), consumed power (kW), pellet durability (%) and pellet bulk density (g.cm-3) was studied. The study factors consisted of three diameter of die holes (3, 4, and 5 mm), and three speeds die (280, 300, and 320 rpm). Results showed with increasing of die holes diameter from 3 to 4 and to 5 mm give a significant increase in machine productivity, while consumed power, pellet durability and pellet bulk density a significant decreased. By increasing the die speed, from 280 to 300 then to 320 rpm, the machine productivity increased significantly, while consumed power, pellet durabil

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global concern, especially in low- and middle-income countries, threatening food production, healthcare, and life expectancy. Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs can optimize antibiotic use, improve patient outcomes, lower AMR, and save healthcare costs. This observational-retrospective study in Dhi Qar Governorate aimed to assess antimicrobial prescribing patterns in Al-Nasiriya public hospitals. Dhi Qar Health Directorate comprises ten hospitals, and only one hospital was excluded from the study. The study used data from antibiotic stewardship committees, including antibiogram, antibiotic, and meropenem surveys, hospital pharmacies’ medical files, and the directorate statistics from 1/1/2

The shortage in surface water quantities led to a shift in dependence on the groundwater as an alternative water source in southern parts of Iraq. The groundwater is decreasing in quantity and water quality is degrading due to different factors. Therefore, it is important to assess the groundwater quality of the Missan Governorate of the country by analyzing the physicochemical parameters and distinguishing the probable sources of contaminants in the area. The present study used water quality diagrams and statistical methods such as factor analysis and agglomerative cluster analysis to determine the sources of chemical ions in the forty-four groundwater samples collected from wells in the study area. In addition, the Water Quality Index (WQ

A laboratory experiment was carried out and repeated at field of College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad in 2017. First factor was three cultivars of lupine 'Giza-1', 'Giza-2' and 'Hamburg'. Second factor was three seed weights (lower weight, medium weight and higher weight) which was following the cultivars factor. Nested design was used. Results showed supremacy of 'Giza-1' cultivar significantly and gave higher germination ratio, radical length, seedling dry weight, seedling vigour index, field emergence ratio, plant height and number of leaves per plant. The treatment ('Giza-1'×higher seed weight) was supremacy significantly and gave higher germination ratio, radical length, plumule length, and seedling vigo

Thin films samples of Bismuth sulfide Bi2S3 had deposited on
glass substrate using thermal evaporation method by chemical
method under vacuum of 10-5 Toor. XRD and AFM were used to
check the structure and morphology of the Bi2S3 thin films. The
results showed that the films with law thickness <700 nm were free
from any diffraction peaks refer to amorphous structure while films
with thickness≥700 nm was polycrystalline. The roughness decreases
while average grain size increases with the increase of thickness. The
A.C conductivity as function of frequency had studied in the
frequency range (50 to 5x106 Hz). The dielectric constant,
polarizability showed significant dependence upon the variation of
thic

Background: This in vitro study evaluated the effect of canal dryness and flaring on the accuracy of two electronic apex locators for working length (WL) determination. Materials and methods: Sixty extracted teeth were used, after access opening was done, the occlusal surface was flattened to create stable reference point. The teeth were randomly divided into two equal main groups of flared and unflared group each one of 30 teeth. The flaring was done with Gates Glidden drills. The two main groups were further subdivided into two subgroups: dry canal and wet canal using 5.25% sodium hypochlorite groups, Electronic WL of each sample was determined using both Root ZX and i-Root apex locator. Consequently, histologic WL was determined by shav