In 2010, the tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta (Meyrick, 1917) was reported for the first time in Iraq. The larvae can feed on all parts of tomato plants and can damage all the growth stages. The main host plant is tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum, but it can also attack other plants in Solanaceae family. In this study it was found attacking alfalfa plants, Medicago sativa in Baghdad Province. This finding reveals that alfalfa also serves as a host plant for T. absoluta in Iraq.

    Fuzzy numbers are used in various fields such as fuzzy process methods, decision control theory, problems involving decision making, and systematic reasoning. Fuzzy systems, including fuzzy set theory. In this paper, pentagonal fuzzy variables (PFV) are used to formulate linear programming problems (LPP). Here, we will concentrate on an approach to addressing these issues that uses the simplex technique (SM). Linear programming problems (LPP) and linear programming problems (LPP) with pentagonal fuzzy numbers (PFN) are the two basic categories into which we divide these issues. The focus of this paper is to find the optimal solution (OS) for LPP with PFN on the objective function (OF) and right-hand side. New ranking f

The objective of an Optimal Power Flow (OPF) algorithm is to find steady state operation point which minimizes generation cost, loss etc. while maintaining an acceptable system performance in terms of limits on generators real and reactive powers, line flow limits etc. The OPF solution includes an objective function. A common objective function concerns the active power generation cost. A Linear programming method is proposed to solve the OPF problem. The Linear Programming (LP) approach transforms the nonlinear optimization problem into an iterative algorithm that in each iteration solves a linear optimization problem resulting from linearization both the objective function and constrains. A computer program, written in MATLAB environme

Background: The main objective was to compare the outcome of single layer interrupted extra-mucosal sutures with that of double layer suturing in the closure of colostomies.

Subjects and Methods: Sixty-seven patients with closure colostomy were assigned in a prospective randomized fashion into either single layer extra-mucosal anastomosis (Group A) or double layer anastomosis (Group B). Primary outcome measures included mean time taken for anastomosis, immediate postoperative complications, and mean duration of hospital stay. Secondary outcome measures assessed the postoperative return of bowel function, and the overall mean cost. Chi-square test and student t-test did the statistical analysis..

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Wireless sensor applications are susceptible to energy constraints. Most of the energy is consumed in communication between wireless nodes. Clustering and data aggregation are the two widely used strategies for reducing energy usage and increasing the lifetime of wireless sensor networks. In target tracking applications, large amount of redundant data is produced regularly. Hence, deployment of effective data aggregation schemes is vital to eliminate data redundancy. This work aims to conduct a comparative study of various research approaches that employ clustering techniques for efficiently aggregating data in target tracking applications as selection of an appropriate clustering algorithm may reflect positive results in the data aggregati

Objective: The goal of this research is to load Doxorubicin (DOX) on silver nanoparticles coupled with folic acid and test their anticancer properties against breast cancer. Methods: Chitosan-Capped silver nanoparticles (CS-AgNPs) were manufactured and loaded with folic acid as well as an anticancer drug, Doxorubicin, to form CS-AgNPs-DOX-FA conjugate. AFM, FTIR, and SEM techniques were used to characterize the samples. The produced multifunctional nano-formulation served as an intrinsic drug delivery system, allowing for effective loading and targeting of chemotherapeutics on the Breast cancer (AMJ 13) cell line. Flowcytometry was used to assess therapy efficacy by measuring apoptotic induction.  Results: DOX and CS-Ag

     The hiding of information has become of great importance in recent times. With dissemination through the internet, and communication through satellites, information needs to be secure. Therefore, a new algorithm is proposed that enables secret messages to be embedded inside satellite images, wherein images of any size or format can be hidden, using a system’s image compression techniques. This operation is executed in three main steps: first phase – the original image is converted into a raster image; second phase– steganography, in which a binary secret message is hidden inside a raster image, using a 4×4 array as the secret key; and third phase– compre

This paper introduces a non-conventional approach with multi-dimensional random sampling to solve a cocaine abuse model with statistical probability. The mean Latin hypercube finite difference (MLHFD) method is proposed for the first time via hybrid integration of the classical numerical finite difference (FD) formula with Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) technique to create a random distribution for the model parameters which are dependent on time [Formula: see text]. The LHS technique gives advantage to MLHFD method to produce fast variation of the parameters’ values via number of multidimensional simulations (100, 1000 and 5000). The generated Latin hypercube sample which is random or non-deterministic in nature is further integ