Spatial data observed on a group of areal units is common in scientific applications. The usual hierarchical approach for modeling this kind of dataset is to introduce a spatial random effect with an autoregressive prior. However, the usual Markov chain Monte Carlo scheme for this hierarchical framework requires the spatial effects to be sampled from their full conditional posteriors one-by-one resulting in poor mixing. More importantly, it makes the model computationally inefficient for datasets with large number of units. In this article, we propose a Bayesian approach that uses the spectral structure of the adjacency to construct a low-rank expansion for modeling spatial dependence. We propose a pair of computationally efficient estimati

The aim of this research is to assess the validity of Detailed Micro-Modeling (DMM) as a numerical model for masonry analysis. To achieve this aim, a set of load-displacement curves obtained based on both numerical simulation and experimental results of clay masonry prisms loaded by a vertical load. The finite element method was implemented in DMM for analysis of the experimental clay masonry prism. The finite element software ABAQUS with implicit solver was used to model and analyze the clay masonry prism subjected to a vertical load. The load-displacement relationship of numerical model was found in good agreement with those drawn from experimental results. Evidence shows that load-displacement curvefound from the finite element m

Background: It is well-known that silicon oil (SO) injection into the vitreous cavity after pars plana vitrectomy is usually associated with high intraocular pressure.

Objectives: To determine the influence of silicon oil (SO) removal on IOP level after pars plana vitrectomy for spontaneous rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD)

Subjects and Methods: A prospective study was conducted at Ibn Al-Haitham eye teaching hospital, Baghdad- Iraq. Intraocular pressure (IOP) was measured pre and post SO removal in patients who have underwent retinal detachment surgery with SO injection of 1000 centistokes (cSt) viscosity. Baseline IOP was measured for all the patient before the SO

In this study, the preparation and characterization of hyacinth plant /chitosan composite, as a heavy metal removal, were done. Water hyacinth plant (Eichhorniacrasspes) was collected from Tigris river in Baghdad. The root and shoot parts of plant were ground to powder. Composite materials were prepared at different ratios of plant part (from 2.9% to 30.3%, wt /wt) which corresponds to (30-500mg) of hyacinth plant (root and shoot) and chitosan. The results showed that all examined ratios of plant parts have an excellent absorption to copper (Cu (II)). Moreover, it was observed that 2.9% corresponds (30mg) of plant root revealed highest removal (82.7%) of Pb (II), while 20.23% of shoot removed 61% of Cd (II) within 24 hr

Abstract: Facial defects resulting from neoplasms, congenital, acquired malformations or trauma can be restored with facial prosthesis using different materials and retention methods to achieve life-like look and function. A nasal prosthesis can re-establish aesthetic form and anatomic contours for mid-facial defects, often more effectively than by surgical reconstruction as the nose is relatively immobile structure. For successful results, lot of factors such as harmony, texture, color matching and blending of tissue interface with the prosthesis are important. The aim of this study is to describe the non-surgical rehabilitation with nasal prosthesis for an Iraqi patient who received rhinectomy as a result of squamous cell carcinoma of the

Future wireless systems aim to provide higher transmission data rates, improved spectral efficiency and greater capacity. In this paper a spectral efficient two dimensional (2-D) parallel code division multiple access (CDMA) system is proposed for generating and transmitting (2-D CDMA) symbols through 2-D Inter-Symbol Interference (ISI) channel to increase the transmission speed. The 3D-Hadamard matrix is used to generate the 2-D spreading codes required to spread the two-dimensional data for each user row wise and column wise. The quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) is used as a data mapping technique due to the increased spectral efficiency offered. The new structure simulated using MATLAB and a comparison of performance for ser

In this study, biodiesel was prepared from chicken fat via a transesterification reaction using Mussel shells as a catalyst. Pretreatment of chicken fat was carried out using non‐catalytic esterification to reduce the free fatty acid content from 36.28 to 0.96 mg KOH/g oil using an ethanol/ fat mole ratio equal to 115:1. In the transesterification reaction, the studied variables were methanol: oil mole ratio in the range of (6:1 ‐ 30:1), catalyst loading in the range of (9‐15) wt%, reaction temperature (55‐75 °C), and reaction time (1‐7) h. The heterogeneous alkaline catalyst was greenly synthesized from waste mussel shells throughout a calcin