This research aims at investigating pupils’ ability in using discourse markers which are identified in the English textbooks of secondary schools. Four texts are chosen from third intermediate class. The four texts are short stories of different topics.                                                  

        This research hypothesizes that there are no statistical significant differences among Iraqi intermediate pupils’ ability in using textual

The objective of the present paper is to examine the effect of Recycled Asphalt Pavement (RAP) on marshall properties and indirect tensile strength of HMA through experimental investigation. A mixture with 0% RAP was used as a control mix to evaluate the properties of mixes with 5%, 10%, and 15% RAP. One type of RAP was brought from Bab Al-moadam’s road in Baghdad for this purpose. The experimental testing program included Marshall and Indirect Tensile Strength tests. The results indicated that the bulk density, flow and VFA increase with the increasing of the percentage of RAP, while increasing in RAP results decreases in VTM and VMA values. Furthermore, the stability is changed from 10.1 kN for the control mix to12, 13.6 and 11.7 kN

Value Engineering is an analytical study on projects or services using a specific procedure and a multidisciplinary working group, works for the identification and classification of the project functions; either for a better perfuming of these functions or to lessen the total project cost or the two together. Value Engineering main aim is on finding innovative alternatives, without effecting the basic requirements of the project, its methodology based on the functional balancing between the three elements of production "performance, quality and cost". This methodology based on the "functional analysis", had shown high possibilities in solving any problem facing the production procedure , achieve better investment for available re

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an emerging zoonotic disease caused by the new respiratory virus SARS-CoV2. It has a tropism in the lung tissues where excess target receptors exist. Periostin plays a role in subepithelial fibrosis associated with bronchial asthma. Since the Coronavirus's target is the human respiratory system, Periostin has been recently described as a valuable new biomarker in the diagnosis and evaluation of disease in patients with COVID-19 lung involvement. Objectives: To assess the level of Periostin in the serum of COVID-19 patients and to correlate its role in disease severity and prognosis. Subjects and Methods: Periostin serum levels were measured for 63 patients attending three main COVID

The mean age of AS patients was (35.0 ± 9.8) years.When the patients and control subjects were divided into different age groups (>40, 30-40, <30 years), the differences were not significantin terms of disease prevalence. The results also showed that the percentage of male patients is higher than that of females. There was no significant difference (P?0.05) between patients and controls in the distribution of males and females.Most of the patients had the disease for a period of 5 years or higher, with a disease severity of ? 2.1 and functional disability degree of I, II. The resultsshoweddifferent patterns of distribution for the three tested cytokines. A significant increase in the level of TNF-?, anon-significantincrease i

Background: Psoriasis is a common inflammatory condition worldwide, with an average prevalence ranging from 2% to 3%. However, the incidence of psoriasis varies among different ethnic groups and regions. Elevated leptin levels have been associated with increased cellular proliferation, including T-cells. Additionally, high leptin levels may stimulate the synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines such as ILـ6 and TNFـα. Objectives: To evaluate the effect of Apremilast on Leptin in obese psoriatic patients. Subjects and Methods: Thirty patients with psoriasis were included in This prospective cohort study to measure the levels of serum Leptin by using the ELISA technique, before and after receiving Apremilast. Result: The present work