Flexible pavements are considered an essential element of transportation infrastructure. So, evaluations of flexible pavement performance are necessary for the proper management of transportation infrastructure. Pavement condition index (PCI) and international roughness index (IRI) are common indices applied to evaluate pavement surface conditions. However, the pavement condition surveys to calculate PCI are costly and time-consuming as compared to IRI. This article focuses on developing regression models that predict PCI from IRI. Eighty-three flexible pavement sections, with section length equal to 250 m, were selected in Al-Diwaniyah, Iraq, to develop PCI-IRI relationships. In terms of the quantity and severity of eac

This study was designed to monitor the ambient air pollution in several sites within Baghdad City of Iraq. The readings started from May 2016 to April 2017. The highest concentration of sulfur dioxide (SO2) was 2.28 ppmm-3 while nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was 3.68 ppmm-3 and suspended particulate matter was 585.1 ?gm-3. This study also included estimating the value of the air pollution tolerance index (APTI) for four plant's species Olea europaea L., Ziziphus spina-Christi (L.) Desf, Albizia lebbeck(L.) Benth. and Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. Were cultivated on the road sides. The study includes four biochemical parameters, total chlorophyll content, ascorbic acid content, pH and relative water content of plant leaves. The results show that

With the increase in industry and industrial products, quantities of waste have increased worldwide, especially plastic waste, as plastic pollution is considered one of the wastes of the modern era that threatens the environment and living organisms. On this basis, a solution must be found to use this waste and recycle it safely so that it does not threaten the environment. Therefore, this research used plastic waste as an improvement material for clay soil. In this research, two types of tests were conducted, the first of which was a laboratory test, where the undrained shear strength (cohesion), compression index (Cc), and swelling index (Cr) of the improved and unimproved soils were calculated (plastic was added in pr

In this study, the effects of blending the un-branched acrylate polymer known as Poly (n-decyl acrylate), and the branched acrylate polymer known as Poly (iso-octyl acrylate), on the viscosity index (VI), and the pour point of the Iraqi base stocks 40, and 60 respectively, were investigated. Toluene was used as a carrier solvent for both polymer types. The improvement level of oils (VI, & pour point) gained by blending the oil with the acrylate derived polymers was compared with the values of (VI, and pour point) gained by blending the oil with a commercial viscosity index, and pour point improver. The commercial lubricant additive was purchased and used by Al-Daura Refineries. It consisted of an un-known olefin copolymer dissolved i

Diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM) is a chronic and progressive condition, which affects people all around the world. The risk of complications increases with age if the disease is not managed properly. Diabetic neuropathy is caused by excessive blood glucose and lipid levels, resulting in nerve damage. Apelin is a peptide hormone that is found in different human organs, including the central nervous system and adipose tissue. The aim of this study is to estimate Apelin levels in diabetes type 2 and Diabetic peripheral Neuropathy (DPN) Iraqi patients and show the extent of peripheral nerve damage. The current study included 120 participants: 40 patients with Diabetes Mellitus, 40 patients with Diabetic peripheral Neuropathy, and 40 healthy

The genetic toxicity of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of seeds of Peganum harmala L. was evaluated on the onion roots ,using  concentrations 10,25,50,100 and 200 % w/v of extracts and periods of exposure 24,48 and 74 hours. The results indicated that the Peganum harmala significantly decreased root growth rate of onion root at all concentrations and treatment periods in comparison to the control ,  the growth of the root decreased when increasing the extract concentration.The EC50value  of aqueous extracts was 50% and for alcohol extract was 25% ,thus the alcohol extract was most effective in the growth rate of the roots from the aqueous extract. The results also indicated that the mitotic index of Allium cepa was signifi

The rising prevalence of obesity-related glomerulopathy (ORG) occurs in accordance with the rising prevalence of obesity worldwide. Clinically ORG is manifested by slowly progressing microalbuminuria that may develop to clinically evident proteinuria. Pathological characteristics of ORG include glomerular hypertrophy in the presence or absence of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). ORG can develop into clinically overt chronic renal insufficiency or even end-stage kidney disease. This article reviews the most important mechanisms for the development of ORG; that are abnormal renal hemodynamics, stimulation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), impairment of insulin sensetivity, ectopic lipid deposition, adipose tissue cy

Background :Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was a widely used marker for skeletal and hepatobiliary disorders, but its activity was also increased in atherosclerosis and peripheral vascular disease. Several study has showed that ALP activity was increased in the sera of diabetic patients. The current study was conducted to evaluate ALP activity in type 2 diabetic patients and optimum conditions for enzyme activity in their sera.Methods: This study was carried out at in AL-Yarmok hospital(diabetic center) between February /2009 and April /2009. Fifty two patients with type 2 diabetes have been enrolled. Besides BMI, WHR, serum fasting blood glucose, ALP, HbA1C,uric acid and lipid profile levels have been performed .The relationship bet

This study aimed to see how allicin (45mg/kg BW) affected diabetic Mellitus in male rats (DM). Forty male rats were utilized, and they were split into four groups at random for 42 days. T2 was treated with 45 mg/kg B.W of allicin dissolved in 1 ml of D.W daily and injected with a single dose of sodium citrate buffer (0.5ml Intra-Peritoneal IP), DM was induced in T1 and T2 by injection of a single dose of streptozotocin 50 mg/kg B.W IP, T1 was assigned as a positive control, T3 received 45 mg/kg B.W. of allicin dissolved in 1 ml D.W. every day, and a single dose of sodium citrate buffer was injected (0.5ml IP). When diabetic rats treated with allicin in T2 were compared to diabetic rats in T1, the findings indicated a significant increase (P

Background: Ejection fraction have been used frequently
for assessment of the left ventricular function, but can be
associated with errors in which myocardial performance
index have been used as another parameter to measure the
left ventricular function.
Objective: selecting another echocardiography parameter
for the assessment of myocardial in function instead of the
ejection fraction.
Methods: 160 patients referred to the echocardiogram unit
from the period december 2007 to august 2008 requesting
assessment of left ventricular function. After clinical
examination, routine blood tests; chest x-ray and
electrocardiographic recording have been completed. All
patients informed to come for this unit af