Research in the field of English language as a foreign language (EFL) has been consistently highlighted the need for communicative competence skills among students. Accompanied by the validated positive impact of technologies on students’ skills’, this study aims to explore the strategies used by EFL students in enhancing their communicative competence using digital platforms and identify the factors of developing communicative competence using digital platforms (linguistic factors, environmental factors, psychological factors, and university-related factors). The mixed-method research design was utilized to obtain data from Iraqi undergraduate EFL students. The study was conducted in the Iraqi University in Baghdad Iraq. EFL undergraduate students from the English department from the second-year grade constituted the population of the study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 EFL students to explore students’ usage of digital platforms to enhance communicative competence. A convenient sampling technique was used to select the students. The data from the interviews were analysed thematically using QSR NVivo software. Also, a survey questionnaire was demonstrated to the sample of the study to identify the challenges of development. 150 EFL students participated in the study sampled using the proportional sampling method. SPSS software was also used to analyse the data. The findings showed that students used digital platforms to develop grammar accuracy, pronunciation, vocabulary, cohesion and coherence, punctuation, and spelling. On the other hand, the challenging factors identified are grouped in four categories which are linguistic factors, environmental factors, psychological factors, an university-related factors. The findings of the study offer new insight for future directions research and recommendations to the university management as these findings could be the cornerstones of the planning for successful implementation of digital platforms in teaching and learning English in general and communicative competence in specific.
Background: Different diagnostic definition and criteria have been recommended by different expert groups for the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome, however, it’s prevalence in the same population could differ depending on the definition used yielding different results. In Iraq, there is a lack of research comparing these different diagnostic definitions. Objective: To find out the most suitable metabolic syndrome definition to be used for Iraqi people. Methods: 320 participants were recruited for this study, 53.4% men and 46.6% women, aged between 25-85 years, visiting Baghdad Teaching Hospital, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome according to different definitions were compared and the agreement was assessed by the Kappa st
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This study was established to investigate the correlation between the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-1) and the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). Blood samples were collected from 55 female patients with inflammatory OA and controls for estimation of serum (MMP-1) levels. In the current study, there is significant increase (p<0.001) in the mean of serum MMP-1 levels in osteoarthritis females (4027.73 ± 1345.28 pg/ml) than that in control females (798.76 ± 136.79 pg/ml). It was concluded that MMP-1 may be associated with the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis.
Objectives: Osteoporosis (OP) is a systemic skeletal disorder characterized with bone mass loss and microstructure, resulting in fragility fractures. Continued secretion of Osteopontin (OPN), osteonectin (ON), osteocalcin (OCN), Parathyroid hormone (PTH) and Ca+2 lead to bone remodeling disorders, followed by bone loss and osteoporosis (OP). The current study aims to investigate the biochemical proteins OPN, OCN, and ON in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and determine whether we could use them as good indicators for OP diagnostics. Materials and Methods: Case- control study carried out between December 2022 and July 2023. OP disease was confirmed among 108 Iraqi postmenopausal women randomly selected from different Iraqi hospitals, B
... Show MoreIn the present study, 1-ethyl -3-methyllimidazolium acetate ionic liquid is introduced for extractive desulfurization of Iraqi kerosene (1622ppm) and compared with 1-ethyl -3- methyllimidazolium tetrafloroborate. The effect of ionic liquid/ fuel ratio (1/9, 1/4, 1/2), temperature (25, 30,40oC), stirring speed (300,450rpm) and time (10, 30, 90, 180, 360 min) were studied. Sulfur compound analysis was performed using X-Ray fluorescence. The ionic liquid with acetate anion (OAc) showed better performance than tetrafloborate (BF4). The maximum extraction efficiency was 32% achieved at 1/2 IL/Fuel and 40oC after 90min. The oxidation step using hydrogen peroxide (8ml/200ml), catalyzed by acetic acid (2ml) and followed by ionic liquid extraction h
... Show MoreThe amine group (NH2) and the carboxyl group (COOH-) are the fundamental components of amino acids. They regulate several essential physiological functions of organisms and are found in all forms of life, including humans, plants, and microorganisms. Furthermore, they serve as vital energy sources and also act as neurotransmitters. An analysis of the kidneys of Pterocles alchata, an Iraqi Pin-tailed sandgrouse, revealed the presence of 18 specific amino acids. The data indicate that there were no significant differences in the total amounts of amino acids among the three renal lobes. The concentrations in the anterior, middle, and posterior lobes were measured to be 14.154 ą97. 273, 12.437 ą87. 255, and 11.882 ą88. 157 correspondingly, w
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