Water supply projects (WSP) requires high plan information, specialized capabilities, capable human resources, and high administrative capacity. However, in the developing countries, particularly in Iraq, these projects experience a lack of a large number of these necessities, which shows the need to identify the critical success factors (CSFs). Accordingly, the objectives of this research are to investigate the CSFs for WSP and their significance among the construction (public and private) and education sectors. To achieve this, first we have carried out a comprehensive literature review of the CSFs for WSP. Second, we administrated a questionnaire survey to 260 construction experts working in the construction and education sectors. It was found that the top five important success factors for water supply projects in Iraq were a stable political environment; sustainable construction legislation and regulation; effective risk management practices; well-organized and committed project teams; and government decisions through the project life cycle. The survey results did not indicate major differences in the perception of the experts. The findings are focused to assist construction practitioners’ gain better understanding on the important areas to achieve project set objectives.
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive disorder that affects cognitive brain functions and starts many years before its clinical manifestations. A biomarker that provides a quantitative measure of changes in the brain due to AD in the early stages would be useful for early diagnosis of AD, but this would involve dealing with large numbers of people because up to 50% of dementia sufferers do not receive formal diagnosis. Thus, there is a need for accurate, low-cost, and easy to use biomarkers that could be used to detect AD in its early stages. Potentially, electroencephalogram (EEG) based biomarkers can play a vital role in early diagnosis of AD as they can fulfill these needs. This is a cross-sectional study that aims to demon
... Show MoreAs technology advances and develops, the need for strong and simple authentication mechanisms that can help protect data intensifies. The contemporary approach to giving access control is through graphical passwords comprising images, patterns, or graphical items. The objective of this review was to determine the documented security risks that are related to the use of graphical passwords, together with the measures that have been taken to prevent them. The review was intended to present an extensive literature review of the subject matter on graphical password protection and to point toward potential future research directions. Many attacks, such as shoulder surfing attacks, SQL injection attacks, and spyware attacks, can easily ex
... Show MoreBased on a finite element analysis using Matlab coding, eigenvalue problem has been formulated and solved for the buckling analysis of non-prismatic columns. Different numbers of elements per column length have been used to assess the rate of convergence for the model. Then the proposed model has been used to determine the critical buckling load factor () for the idealized supported columns based on the comparison of their buckling loads with the corresponding hinge supported columns . Finally in this study the critical buckling factor () under end force (P) increases by about 3.71% with the tapered ratio increment of 10% for different end supported columns and the relationship between normalized critical load and slenderness ratio was g
... Show MoreThe convolutional neural networks (CNN) are among the most utilized neural networks in various applications, including deep learning. In recent years, the continuing extension of CNN into increasingly complicated domains has made its training process more difficult. Thus, researchers adopted optimized hybrid algorithms to address this problem. In this work, a novel chaotic black hole algorithm-based approach was created for the training of CNN to optimize its performance via avoidance of entrapment in the local minima. The logistic chaotic map was used to initialize the population instead of using the uniform distribution. The proposed training algorithm was developed based on a specific benchmark problem for optical character recog
... Show MoreInduced EF is among the most important of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) It was employed to treat different kinds of wastewater. In the present review, the types and mechanism of induced EF were outlined. Parameters affecting this process have been mentioned with details. These are current density, pH, H2O2 concentration, and time. The application of induced electro Fenton in various sectors of industries like textile, petroleum refineries, and pharmaceutical were outlined. The outcomes of this review demonstrate the vital role of induced EF in treatment of wastewater at high efficiency and low cost in contrast with conventional technique
This work explores the advancement and potential of solar‐powered humidification–dehumidification (HDH) desalination systems, addressing the critical challenge of global water scarcity. Emphasizing solar‐powered humidifiers in HDH systems presents an innovative solution per the urgent demand for sustainable freshwater sources utilizing abundant energy resources. This work reviews various humidifier designs, pointing out their crucial role in the efficiency and yield of HDH desalination units and their operational, maintenance, and scaling issues. Key factors, such as design effectiveness, water‐vapor capacity, and material selection, are assessed to understand their impact on the system's ove
The article approaches the characteristics of Russian literature in the time of Khrushchev or the "thaw" period a very short period of Soviet history, characterized by the easing of the dictatorship of power and relaxation in various areas of people's lives. The interest in the research is focused on the importance of interpreting the family portrait in a short but distinct period in the development of Russian/Soviet literature. The research material is the story of Sholokhov's “The Fate of Man” 1956, the story of Panova “Serioga” 1955, and Abramov’s story “Fatherless” 1961. В статье рассматриваются особенности художественной литературы периода хруще
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