Background : Knee flexors tightness has been documented in apparently healthy adults and in those with musculoskeletal problems, but the influence of age on the tightness has not been studied in Iraq. This study was therefore designed to determine the influence of age on knee flexors tightness in apparently healthy subjects.Methods: Knee flexors tightness was measured using the active knee extension test (AKET) in 200 apparently healthy male and female subjects, aged 13 to 59 years. The subjects were recruited into 5 age groups using the purposive sampling technique.Knee flexors tightness was compared across the age groups using one-way analysis ofvariance (ANOVA). The independent t-test was used to compare knee flexors tightness on both lower limbs in male and female subjects.Results: Subjects' mean age was 29.63 ± 16.72 years. All subjects had knee flexors tightness (absolute extension lag) and this increased with age up to age group 40-49 years. The male subjects had significantly higher knee flexors tightness than the females in all the age groups.Conclusion: This study suggests that knee flexors tightness increases in apparently healthy persons from adolescent up to age 40-49 years and it is higher in males than females.Key words: knee flexors tightness, age, active knee extension test
In this paper, a dynamic investigation is done for strip, rectangular and square machine foundation at the top surface of two-layer dry sand with various states (i.e., loose on medium sand and dense on medium sand). The dynamic investigation is performed numerically using finite element programming, PLAXIS 3D. The soil is expected as a versatile totally plastic material that complies with the Mohr-Coulomb yield criterion. A harmonic load is applied at the base with an amplitude of 6 kPa at a frequency of (2 and 6) Hz, and seismic is applied with acceleration – time input of earthquake hit Halabjah city north of Iraq. A parametric study is done to evaluate the influence of changing L/B ratio (Length=12,6,3 m and width=3 m), type of sand
... Show MoreWater provision is sensitive to climate change, and agricultural production and food supply are sensitive to water availability. Water scarcity affects food security and agricultural economic development through changes in agricultural production and changes in the composition of produced goods. Recent droughts also led to a decrease in the volume of water allocated to agriculture, which led to a decrease in total agricultural production and exports, and this has subsequent impacts on food security and economic development. The research aimed to measure the impact of water scarcity on agricultural economic development for the period 1990-2022. The research included three behavioral equations with three endogenous variables: the cult
... Show MoreOne of the most important features of the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud is that the program can be run and accessed from any location. You can access and monitor the result of the program from any location, saving many images and allowing for faster computation. This work proposes a face detection classification model based on AWS cloud aiming to classify the faces into two classes: a non-permission class, and a permission class, by training the real data set collected from our cameras. The proposed Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) cloud-based system was used to share computational resources for Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) to reduce redundant computation. The test system uses Internet of Things (IoT) services through our ca
... Show MoreIn this research, (MOORA) approach based– Taguchi design was used to convert the multi-performance problem into a single-performance problem for nine experiments which built (Taguchi (L9) orthogonal array) for carburization operation. The main variables that had a great effect on carburizing operation are carburization temperature (oC), carburization time (hrs.) and tempering temperature (oC). This study was also focused on calculating the amount of carbon penetration, the value of hardness and optimal values obtained during the optimization by Taguchi approach and MOORA method for multiple parameters. In this study, the carburization process was done in temperature between (850 to 950 ᵒC) for 2 to 6
... Show MoreThis study explores the role of nanomaterials in the performance of asphalt binders and mixtures. Two commonly available nanomaterials, i.e., nanosilica (NS) and nanoalumina (NA), were used at contents of 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% by weight of asphalt binder. A set of experiments was carried out at the binder level to investigate properties such as penetration, softening point, aging-related mass loss, nanomaterial dispersion (storage stability), and workability (rotational viscosity). In addition, the suitability of NS and NS was also assessed through the testing of nanomodified asphalt mixtures, which focused on Marshall properties, the resilient modulus, moisture susceptibility, permanent deformation, and fatigue resistance. The findings in
... Show MoreThis review delves deep into the intricate relationship between urban planning and flood risk management, tracing its historical trajectory and the evolution of methodologies over time. Traditionally, urban centers prioritized defensive measures, like dikes and levees, with an emphasis on immediate solutions over long-term resilience. These practices, though effective in the short term, often overlooked broader environmental implications and the necessity for holistic planning. However, as urban areas burgeoned and climate change introduced new challenges, there has been a marked shift in approach. Modern urban planning now emphasizes integrated blue-green infrastructure, aiming to harmonize human habitation with water cycles. Resil
... Show MoreCalculating the Inverse Kinematic (IK) equations is a complex problem due to the nonlinearity of these equations. Choosing the end effector orientation affects the reach of the target location. The Forward Kinematics (FK) of Humanoid Robotic Legs (HRL) is determined by using DenavitHartenberg (DH) method. The HRL has two legs with five Degrees of Freedom (DoF) each. The paper proposes using a Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm to optimize the best orientation angle of the end effector of HRL. The selected orientation angle is used to solve the IK equations to reach the target location with minimum error. The performance of the proposed method is measured by six scenarios with different simulated positions of the legs. The proposed
... Show MoreBackground: This research describes the methodology used for the preparation of selenium nanoparticles from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and their administration to lambs for lipid profile checking, administration of selenium nanoparticles as a medication in lambs results in hypolipidemia. Aim: The study aimed to investigate the potential of selenium nanoparticles in improving lipid profiles in lambs. Methods: Healthy lambs (n=10) of similar age and weight were selected for the study. The animals were housed in individual pens with free access to water and a standard diet. The lambs were randomly divided into two groups: the control group (n=5) and the treatment group (n=5). The control group received a standard diet, while the treatme
... Show MoreScams remain among top cybercrime incidents happening around the world. Individuals with high susceptibility to persuasion are considered as risk-takers and prone to be scam victims. Unfortunately, limited number of research is done to investigate the relationship between appeal techniques and individuals' personality thus hindering a proper and effective campaigns that could help to raise awareness against scam. In this study, the impact of fear and rational appeal were examined as well as to identify suitable approach for individuals with high susceptibility to persuasion. To evaluate the approach, pretest and posttest surveys with 3 separate controlled laboratory experiments were conducted. This study found that rational appeal treatm
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