A total of 400 hard tick specimens (250 ♂♂, 150 ♀♀) were collected from 160 sheep Ovis aries Linnaeus, 1758 out of 200 samples examined in the different localities of Iraq, representing an infestation rate of 80% of the sheep. The results of the current research identified eight species of hard ticks belonging to two genera, Hyalomma C. L. Koch, 1844 and Rhipicephalus Koch,1844 and belonging to the Ixodidae family, as follows: Hyalomma anatolicum Koch, 1844, H. excavatum Koch, 1844, H. impeltatum Schulze & Schlottke, 1930, H. scupense Schulze, 1919, Rhipicephalus bursa Canastrini & Fanzago, 1878, R. camicasi Morel, Mouchet & Rodhain, 1976, R. sanguineus Latreille, 1806, and R. turanicus Pomerantsev, 1936. Molec

Objectives: Maxillofacial silicone is used to restore abnormalities due to congenital or acquired causes. However, the quality of silicone is far from ideal. This study was aimed at assessing the influence of the addition of cellulose nanofibers (CNFs; several nanometers wide and 2-5 micro m long) on the physical and mechanical characteristics of maxillofacial silicone elastomers. Methods: Two CNF weight percentages (0.5% and 1%) were tested, and 180 specimens were divided into one control and two experimental groups. Each group was subdivided into six subgroups. In each subgroup, ten specimens subjected to each of the following tests: tearing strength, Shore-A hardness, tensile strength, elongation percentage, surface roughness, and color

Background: In recent years, the prevalence of obesity has climbed sharply. Still, only a few safe and effective medications are approved as weight-loss drugs. Objective: This study aims to assess the knowledge and practice of community pharmacists in Iraq regarding the use of Liraglutide and Semaglutide as weight-loss medications. Method: A cross-sectional survey was implemented using a validated questionnaire and a convenient sample of Iraqi community pharmacists from different governorates. The questionnaire was created after conducting a literature review of the most important articles about liraglutide and semaglutide. The questionnaire consists of three sections. The first part was used to collect demographic information. The

Acidizing is one of the most used stimulation techniques in the petroleum industry. Several reports have been issued on the difficulties encountered during the stimulation operation of the Ahdeb oil field, particularly in the development of the Mishrif reservoir, including the following: (1) high injection pressures make it difficult to inject acid into the reservoir formation, and (2) only a few acid jobs have been effective in Ahdeb oil wells, while the bulk of the others has been unsuccessful. The significant failure rate of oil well stimulation in this deposit necessitates more investigations. Thus, we carried out this experimental study to systematically investigate the influence of acid treatment on the geomechanical properties of Mi4

This study investigates the role of identity as a critical factor in mediating the relationship between local and regional politics within the broader context of international relations (IR). While identity is frequently acknowledged as a catalyst for political instability and conflict, its function in fostering interdependence across political levels remains underexplored, particularly through empirical research. To address this gap, the study adopts a quantitative methodology, drawing on theories of identity politics and interdependence. A structured survey was administered to assess public perceptions of identity's influence on international engagement and its bridging role between domestic and regional political dynamics. The fi

The influence of the reaction gas composition during the DC magnetron sputtering process on the structural, chemical and optical properties of Ce-oxide thin films was investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies confirmed that all thin films exhibited a polycrystalline character with cubic fluorite structure for cerium dioxide. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses revealed that cerium is present in two oxidation states, namely as CeO2 and Ce2O3, at the surface of the films prepared at oxygen/argon flow ratios between 0% and 7%, whereas the films are completely oxidized into CeO2 as the aforementioned ratio increases beyond 14%. Various optical parameters for the thin films (including an optical band gap in the range of 2.25–3.