Reading is an interactive process that goes on between the reader and the text, resulting in comprehension. The text presents letters, words, sentences, and paragraphs that encode meaning. The reader uses knowledge, skills, and strategies to determine what that meaning is. Reading comprehension is much more than decoding; it results when the reader knows which skills and strategies are appropriate for the type oftext, and understands how to apply them to accomplish the reading purpose.Reading comprehension is important because without it reading is nothing more than tracking symbols on a page with your eyes and sounding them out leaving the reader with no information. Instead of promoting traditional approaches, reading should be taught in a more interactive and communicative manner. In this light, this study investigates the difficulties faced by engineering students in reading comprehension in a university setting where the medium of instruction and communication is not English, but where students are required to read textbooks in English. The participants are selected from College of Engineering/ University of Al-Mustansiriya to take the test. However, a standardized test is used to show the students‟ difficulties in reading comprehension. Two passages are used in the test, the first one is concerned with their specialization in engineering while the second is concerned with general topics. Data analysis is conducted through using one sample T. test and percentages statistical methods. Results of this study reveal that engineering students have great difficulties in reading comprehension since most of them have not succeeded in the test. Reasons behind such results have been illustrated and certain suggestions have been given to be useful for both teachers and students of scientific fields especially engineering.
In the last few years, the literature conferred a great interest in studying the feasibility of using memristive devices for computing. Memristive devices are important in structure, dynamics, as well as functionalities of artificial neural networks (ANNs) because of their resemblance to biological learning in synapses and neurons regarding switching characteristics of their resistance. Memristive architecture consists of a number of metastable switches (MSSs). Although the literature covered a variety of memristive applications for general purpose computations, the effect of low or high conductance of each MSS was unclear. This paper focuses on finding a potential criterion to calculate the conductance of each MMS rather t
... Show MoreTungsten inert gas arc welding–based shaped metal deposition is a novel additive manufacturing technology which can be used for fabricating solid dense parts by melting a cold wire on a substrate in a layer-by-layer manner via continuous DC arc heat. The shaped metal deposition method would be an alternative way to traditional manufacturing methods, especially for complex featured and large-scale solid parts manufacturing, and it is particularly used for aerospace structural components, manufacturing, and repairing of die/molds and middle-sized dense parts. This article presents the designing, constructing, and controlling of an additive manufacturing system using tungsten inert gas plus wire–based shaped metal deposition metho
... Show MoreBackground: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative aging disease, with idiopathic PD being most common. Gastrointestinal tract disorders (GITD) and microbiota changes may trigger idiopathic PD. Neurotoxins from microbiota can travel from the gut to the brain via the brain-gut axis (BGA), leading to α-syn protein misfolding and dopaminergic neuron death. Methods: The aim of the current study was to investigate the link between PD and GITD by measuring several biochemical and immunological markers in 142 patients. The biochemical markers measured were vitamins B6, B12, and D, calcium, serotonin, ghrelin, dopamine, and α-syn protein. The immunological markers included transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), tu
... Show MoreBackground: Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) is a chemokine expressed by inflammatory and endothelial cells. It has a crucial role in initiating, regulating, and mobilizing monocytes to active sites of periodontal inflammation. Its expression is also elevated in response to pro-inflammatory stimuli and tissue injury, both of which are linked to atherosclerotic lesions. Aim of the study: To determine the serum level of MCP-1 in patients with periodontitis and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in comparison to healthy control and evaluate the biomarker's correlations with periodontal parameters. methods: This study enrolled 88 subjects, both males and females, ranging in age from 36-66 years old, and divided into four groups: 1<
... Show MorePrevious studies indicated that supplementation with antioxidants has a protective effects against oxidative stress–induced damage in type 2 diabetes. In this study we evaluated the antioxidant effects of melatonin on the oxidative stress parameters and microalbuminuria in type 2 DM patients. 30 patients with type 2 DM were treated with 3mg/day melatonin for 90 days. Erythrocytes and plasma MDA and glutathione, fasting plasma glucose, %HbAIC, microalbuminuria, total plasma protein and lipid profile were measured each 30 days and compared with those obtained from 20 healthy controls.
A decrease in MDA levels associated with the elevation in GSH levels were observed, compared with the pre–treatment levels.
... Show MoreThe therapeutic value of the phenolic component and pure thymol was well known; this study comprised the extraction of crude phenol from two plants (Thymus vulgaris and Artemisia annua) which contain thymol with pure thymol and evaluate their effect on hematological and histological by using three different concentrations of each plant extract and pure thymol to tested them on lab mice. All the mice were allowed free access to water and feed for 21 days in laboratory conditions; orally, pure water was administered to the control mice (group I), while groups II, III, and IV were given orally with T. vulgaris, A. annua, combination of last two crude phenol plant extract 50:50 and pure thymol respectively. The levels of CHO, TRI, and HDL were
... Show MoreObjective(s): To assess women’s knowledge about health promotion after a cesarean delivery and to determine the association between women’s knowledge and their demographic data of age, level of education, and monthly income. Methodology: A descriptive design is carried out to assess women’s knowledge about health promotion after cesarean delivery at Maternity and Pediatric Hospital in Al-Samawa City. This study starts from 26th of September 2020 up to 16th March 2021. Sample of (100) woman who are at reproductive age, pregnant (prime or multipara) who have planned to have birth by elective cesarean section or had previous elective caesarian section without medical indication or women who had cesarean section with medical indication or
... Show MoreBackground: Poly (methyl methacrylate) has been widely utilized for fabrication of dentures for many years as it has good advantages but not achieved all demands of the mechanical properties such as low transverse strength, low impact strength, low surface hardness, high water solubility and high water sorption. Material and method: To provide bonding between ZrO2 nanoparticles and PMMA matrix, the ZrO2 Nano-fillers were surface-treated with a saline coupling agent. Plasma surface treatment of polyethylene (PE) fiber was done to change surface fiber by using DC- glow discharge system. For characterization of interring any functional groups, the (FTIR) spectrum were done .then the mechanical properties studied to choose the appropriate perc
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