The study aims to predict Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) as a water quality indicator parameter at spatial and temporal distribution of the Tigris River, Iraq by using Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model. This study was conducted on this river between Mosul and Amarah in Iraq on five positions stretching along the river for the period from 2001to 2011. In the ANNs model calibration, a computer program of multiple linear regressions is used to obtain a set of coefficient for a linear model. The input parameters of the ANNs model were the discharge of the Tigris River, the year, the month and the distance of the sampling stations from upstream of the river. The sensitivity analysis indicated that the distance and discharge have the most significant affect on the predicted TDS concentrations. The results showed that a network with (8) hidden neurons was highly accurate in predicting TDS concentration. The correlation coefficient (r), root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) between measured data and model outputs were calculated as 0.975, 113.9 and 11.51%, respectively for testing data sets. Comparisons between final results of ANNs and multiple linear regressions (MLR) showed that the ANNs model could be successfully applied and provides high accuracy to predict TDS concentrations as a water quality parameter.
Routine vaccination activities, such as detection, reporting, and management of adverse events following immunization (AEFIs), are generally handled by healthcare providers (HCPs). Safe vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) were introduced to control the Coronavirus Disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. The study aimed to assess the knowledge, perceptions, and practice of HCPs in Iraq about reporting adverse events following COVID-19 vaccination, and their association with sociodemographic variables. The study was a cross-sectional study that was carried out between August and September 2021 at the COVID-19 vaccination centers in Iraq. This study used an online and paper-based questionnaire, which
... Show MoreBackground: Antimicrobial prescribing patterns have an important role in the emergence of resistance, and community pharmacists have a substantial influence on this issue. Objective: To assess community pharmacists' behaviors and attitudes toward antimicrobial dispensing, determine their proportions and categories, and examine the underlying rationales for this practice. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey of community pharmacists in Iraq was conducted from June to August 2023, using a self-administered validated questionnaire. The attitudes, practices, and motivations driving the distribution of antimicrobials without a prescription (AWP) were explored in three areas. Results: A sizable proportion (61.6%) of respondents rejected
... Show MoreThis cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study evaluated the knowledge, attitude and practice towards breast cancer and breast self-examination [BSE] among 387 [302 females and 85 males] educated Iraqis affiliated to 2 Iraqi universities. The participants were categorized into 3 occupations: student [71.3%], teaching staff [10.3%] and administrative staff [18.3%]. About half of the participants had a low knowledge score [< 50%]; only 14.3% were graded as [Good] and above. Almost 75% of the participants believed that the best way to control breast cancer was through early detection and other possible preventive measures. Most participants [90.9%] had heard of BSE, the main source of informatio
... Show MoreDate palm (Phoenix dactylifera) is one of the world’s oldest cultivated fruit crops and belongs to the Arecaceae family. It originated in Mesopotamia (Iraq) in 4000 BC. Large areas of palm groves in Iraq produce various types of dates for internal consumption and export. Their cultivation has spread and has become a significant crop in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, and the Middle East. Date fruits are widely consumed in Iraq, and radiological monitoring of this crop is necessary as activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs were measured in 12 soil samples and 12 date samples from
Background: One of the significant public health problems is the traumatic dental injury to the anterior teeth, it has a great impact on children’s daily. Physical and psychological disturbance, pain and other negative impacts, such as tendency to avoid laughing or smiling may be associated with traumatic dental injuries, that may affect the social relationships. To determine the occurrence of traumatic dental injuries in relation to quality of life, this study was established among children of primary schools. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among private (574) and governmental (1026) primary school children in Baghdad city. Dental trauma was assessed according to Ellis and Davey classification in1970
... Show MoreThis paper assesses the impact of changes and fluctuations in bank deposits on the money supply in Iraq. Employing the research constructs an Error Correction Model (ECM) using monthly time series data from 2010 to 2015. The analysis begins with the Phillips-Perron unit root test to ascertain the stationarity of the time series and the Engle and Granger cointegration test to examine the existence of a long-term relationship. Nonparametric regression functions are estimated using two methods: Smoothing Spline and M-smoothing. The results indicate that the M-smoothing approach is the most effective, achieving the shortest adjustment period and the highest adjustment ratio for short-term disturbances, thereby facilitating a return
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