This paper discusses a comparative study to relate parametric and non-parametric mode decomposition algorithms for response-only data. Three popular mode decomposition algorithms are included in this study: the Eigensystem Realization Algorithm with the Natural Excitation Technique (NExT-ERA) for the parametric algorithm, as well as the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and the Independent Component Analysis (ICA) for the non-parametric algorithms. A comprehensive parametric study is provided for (i) different response types, (ii) excitation types, (iii) system damping, and (iv) sensor spatial resolution to compare the mode shapes and modal coordinates of using a 10-DOF building model. The mode decomposition results are also compared using

The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference in mandibular trauma caused by two mechanisms for the delivery of missile injuries: firearms and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). The data investigated included sex, age, mechanism of injury, and other clinical and radiographic manifestations. Seventy consecutive patients, predominantly male, with a mean age of 28.6 ± 14 years (range 2–60 years) were enrolled: 38 patients (54.3%) sustained mandibular fractures caused by bullet injuries and 32 patients (45.7%) had mandibular fractures caused by IED explosion injuries. The study revealed that the differences in most of the investigated variables were not statistically significant; the only significant differences were the inci

Groundwater quality investigation has been carried out in the western part of Iraq (west longitude '40°40). The physicochemical analyses of 64 groundwater samples collected from seven aquifers were used in the determination of groundwater characterization and assessment. The concept of spatial hydrochemical bi-model was prepared for quantitative and qualitative interpretation. Hydrogeochemical data referred that the groundwater is of meteoric origin and has processes responsible for observed brackishness. The geochemical facies of the groundwater reveal that none of the anions and cations pairs exceed 50% and there are practically mixtures of multi-water types (such as Ca–Mg–Cl–HCO₃ and Na+K–SO4–Cl water type) as do

Background: The clinical examination is one of the best suitable methods for diagnosis of low backache. Backache is one disease that the signs, clinical examination finding, and the results on imaging modalities not always related. The straight leg raising (SLR) and slump tests, can be used for diagnosis of lumber disc herniation.

Objectives: To compare the result of the slump test and SLR test in the diagnosis of lumber disc herniation.

Subjects and Methods: A prospective comparative study conducts on 280 patients in Al-Kindy teaching and private clinics complaints of backache, aging between 18-70 years old with acute or recurrent backache, sciatica pai

Background: The clinical examination is one of the best suitable methods for diagnosis of low backache. Backache is one disease that the signs, clinical examination finding, and the results on imaging modalities not always related. The straight leg raising (SLR) and slump tests, can be used for diagnosis of lumber disc herniation. Objectives: To compare the result of the slump test and SLR test in the diagnosis of lumber disc herniation. Subjects and Methods: A prospective comparative study conducts on 280 patients in Al-Kindy teaching and private clinics complaints of backache, aging between 18-70 years old with acute or recurrent backache, sciatica pain, or low back and sciatica pain for last 12 weeks, while patients

The study aims to build a model that enhances trust-building for public and private banks to compare and determine the significant differences between public and private banks, by testing the impact of governance mechanisms (transparency, accountability, justice, independence, and social responsibility) (Agere, 2000) on trust-building strategies (trust and trust building, people management, work relations, training and development, leadership practices, and communications) (Ngalo, 2011; Stone et al., 2005), to indicate the level of employees’ awareness of the theoretical contents of the two variables and their importance to banking work, with the aim of improving performance. The main question is the role of governance mechanisms

The work in this paper involves the planning, design and implementation of a mobile learning system called Nahrain Mobile Learning System (NMLS). This system provides complete teaching resources, which can be accessed by the students, instructors and administrators through the mobile phones. It presents a viable alternative to Electronic learning. It focuses on the mobility and flexibility of the learning practice, and emphasizes the interaction between the learner and learning content. System users are categorized into three categories: administrators, instructors and students. Different learning activities can be carried out throughout the system, offering necessary communication tools to allow the users to communicate with each other

A reduced-order extended state observer (RESO) based a continuous sliding mode control (SMC) is proposed in this paper for the tracking problem of high order Brunovsky systems with the existence of external perturbations and system uncertainties. For this purpose, a composite control is constituted by two consecutive steps. First, the reduced-order ESO (RESO) technique is designed to estimate unknown system states and total disturbance without estimating an available state. Second, the continuous SMC law is designed based on the estimations supplied by the RESO estimator in order to govern the nominal system part. More importantly, the robustness performance is well achieved by compensating not only the lumped disturbance, but also its esti

Background: The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate and compare the effect of preheating microleakage among three different filler size composites which include Filtek^tm Z250 micro hybrid, Z250^xt Nano hybrid and nanocomposite Z350^xt.  in Class II cavity preparation .

Materials and methods: sixty maxillary first premolars were prepared with class II cavities. Samples were divided into three groups according to material used    group A (FiltekZ250 micro hybrid). Group B(Z250^xt Nano hybrid). Group C (nanocomposite Z350^xt)and each group divided into two subgroups of ten teeth according to temperature of  composite: