University of Al-Hamdaniya

The main concern of this study is deictic words which are defined by different scholars as words or expressions whose reference relies on the context in which they are used. It aims to clarify deictics and their meanings within the context of the situation. It aims also to show how deictics works within context and indicate to the importance of pragmatics to determine the intended meaning. It is hypothesized that the intended meaning of a deictics can only be determined in the light of the context of the situation and understanding the exact meaning of the deictics needs two elements to taking into account; the physical element of the speaker and analysis of the deictics by the listener or the reader. The adopted model used to analyze the data consists of Newmarkʼs Communicative Approach to translation (1981), Aziz's Contrastive Grammar of English and Arabic (1989), and Yule's Pragmatic Equivalence (2006). The first school or model is adopted for translation, that is, it is for translating English texts into Arabic and vice versa. The second school is adopted as the study is a contrastive study. Finally, the third school is adopted due to deixis is within the scope of pragmatics. The study has found that many translators, in addition to learners, could not grasp the intended meaning of a deictic because of the lack of the context of the situation or the cultural background. Thus, it has been concluded that deictics have no meaning at all if they are decontextualized.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of artificial intelligence (AI) applications, particularly Multilayer Perceptron Neural Networks (MLP-NN) and Gridded Precipitation Products (GPPs), in predicting the Drought Deciles Index (DDeI) across Iraq’s diverse climatic zones. Using 47 years of precipitation data from 22 ground stations (GS) and two GPP datasets, APHRODITE (Asian-Precipitation Highly-Resolved Observational Data Integration Towards Evaluation of Water Resources) and TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission), the study developed and validated MLP-NN models for drought monitoring. The novelty lies in integrating multiple datasets and leveraging advanced machine learning techniques for precise drought predictions across arid and semi-arid regions. The MLP-NN models were calibrated using precipitation data from GS and validated using GPP datasets for three climatic zones. APHRODITE demonstrated superior performance with an R² value of 0.922, particularly in arid regions, while TRMM performed well in areas with higher precipitation, achieving an R² of 0.895 and a Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency of 0.96 in Zone 1. However, TRMM showed limitations in Zone 3, characterized by lower precipitation, where its R² dropped to 0.63. Overall, the MLP-NN-DDeI models successfully predicted drought indices, indicating them as reliable tools for monitoring and managing drought conditions. The model can be used for accurate and comprehensive drought predictions in Iraq and similar arid regions, supporting sustainable water resource management and policy planning.

Climate change is one of the natural phenomena affecting the volume of water resources in the world. From this standpoint, the current study came to estimate the components of the Al-Shour Valley Basin water budget under two expected climate change scenarios: RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, and for different periods, including the near future (2021–2050) and the far future (2051–2100). Future climate conditions were obtained by entering climate elements into the statistical downscaling model (SDSM), and then entering the modeling and analysis results into the water evaluation and planning (WEAP) to obtain the components of the basin’s water budget, which included rainfall, evapotranspiration, surface runoff, base flow, Inter flow, increase and decrease in soil moisture. The WEAP simulations show that rainfall will decrease, especially in the far future (2051–2100), where the annual rainfall decreases by 5.92% to reach 139.62 Mm³/year for the RCP4.5 scenario and 128.65 Mm³/year or 13.70% for the RCP8.5 scenario. With decreasing evapotranspiration reaching 65.45 Mm³/year and 64.30 Mm³/year for both scenarios, respectively. The decrease continued with the annual surface runoff by 16.26%, reaching 19.09 Mm³/year for the RCP4.5 scenario, and 16.74 Mm³/year or 27.30%, for the RCP8.5 scenario, also for the far future. In addition to the above, this study demonstrated that climate changes may lead to a decrease in water availability in the basin. Therefore, this indicates the actual need to develop appropriate strategies for sustainable water management in the basin. The study results provide clear insights and important and necessary guidelines towards sustainable water resources management in the future.

In the “crossing lattices” domain of cuprate superconductors with extreme anisotropies, scanning Hall probe microscopy (SHPM) has shown how Josephson vortex lattice (JV) interacts with pancake vortices (PV) in single Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ (2212) crystals under enormous in-plane fields. Using SHPM, researchers have examined vortex formations in the regime of interacting crossing lattices subjected to in- and out-the-plane magnetic fields. We establish a rich vortex phase diagram that depends on both in- and out-the-plane magnetic fields and is dominated by a field-driven change in the underlying Josephson vortex lattice structure, while the evolution of vortex chain structures at small in-plane fields as the out-of-plane field increases, and find especially stable composite structures made up of chains divided by one or more rows of free pancake vortex stacks. We are also able to follow the interchain distance is inversely proportional to the in-plane field. Our results are these chains provide light on the superconducting regime of crossing vortex lattices in very anisotropic cuprates.

Cadmium oxide films (CdO) have been deposited on substrate made from glass of various substrate temperature (150, 250 & 300 °C) using spray pyrolysis technique. Structural properties have been investigated by electron microscope (SEM), X-ray spectroscopy, while optical properties (linear & nonlinear) using UV-Vis spectrometer and z-scan technique. SEM image shows clear effects of temperature increasing on the thin film layer structure. Energy gap from 2.2 to 2.05 with substrate temperature. According to third order nonlinearity of CdO optical properties (which are very valuable for laser control device application and optical limiting), open and closed aperture Z-scan technique with (632.8 nm) He-Ne laser wavelength were used to measure the nonlinearity of optical parameters, which included refractive index variation and extinction coefficient.

The present study was conducted to detect Candida tropicalis as a cause of camel mastitis (CM) using routine diagnostic tests including Sabouraud's dextrose agar (SDA) and API (analytical profile index) test strips, which were confirmed through amplification of the 18S rRNA gene of C. tropicalis using conventional polymerase chain reaction (c-PCR) technique and to investigate of the virulence genes of C. tropicalis including secreted aspartyl proteinase (SAPT4) and agglutinin-like sequence (ALST1) genes using c-PCR. Between January 2023 and May 2023, seventy mastitis milk samples were obtained from camels in Wasit province, Iraq. Results indicated that C. tropicalis was identified in 15/70 (21.4%) and 10/15 (66.6%) of mastitis milk samples based on milk cultured in SDA and API 20C AUX, respectively. The positive samples for C. tropicalis were 15/15 (100%) via the c-PCR technique. The results also showed that C. tropicalis positive for virulence genes SAPT4 and ALST1 in camel mastitis samples were 12/15 (80%) and 10/15 (66.6%), respectively. This study concluded that C. tropicalis in camels is the most common cause of mycotic mastitis in Wasit province, Iraq. The presence of virulence factors ALST1 and SAPT genes of C. tropicalis in camel milk samples could be considered as transmission vehicle of these pathogens.

Eating various meals exposes humans to a certain degree of radiation because natural radioactivity is always present in diet. Measuring the uranium activity and radon in a selected foods manufactured in the Bashiqa Region is the focus of this investigation using CR-39 detector. The findings demonstrated that the uranium activity concentration ranged from 0.9 to 2.56 Bq kg−1. The radon concentration ranges from 54.8 to 99.3 Bq m−3. The results indicated that all radon concentrations were significantly lower than of 400 Bq m−3 the worldwide standard radon recommended concentration by the (ICRP) international commission on radiological protection. According to this research, food items are safe from uranium and radon pollution.

In this paper, we investigate a class of Volterra integral equations for existence of global classical solutions. We give conditions under which the considered equations have at least one and at least two classical solutions. To prove our main results, we propose a new approach based upon recent theoretical results. More precisely, we give a suitable integral representation of the solutions of the considered Volterra integral equation. Then, we construct two operators for which any fixed point of their sum is a solution of the considered Volterra integral equation.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) crucial for regulating gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Recent evidence has shown that miRNAs are also found in mitochondria, organelles that produce energy in the cell. These mitochondrial miRNAs, also known as mitomiRs, are essential for regulating mitochondrial function and metabolism. MitomiRs can originate from the nucleus, following traditional miRNA biogenesis pathways, or potentially from mitochondrial DNA, allowing them to directly affect gene expression and cellular energy dynamics within the mitochondrion. While miRNAs have been extensively investigated, the function and involvement of mitomiRs in the development of neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis remain to be elucidated. This review aims to discuss findings on the role of mitomiRs in such diseases and their potential as therapeutic targets, as well as to highlight future research directions.

Cadmium oxide films (CdO) have been deposited on glasse’s substrate at various temperature (150, 250 & 300 °C) using spray pyrolysis technique. Structural properties have been investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray spectroscopy, while optical properties were characterized (linear & nonlinear) using UV-Vis spectrometer and z-scan technique. SEM image shows clear effects of temperature increasing on thin film layer structure. Energy gap was changed from 2.2-2.05eV with substrate temperature. According to third order nonlinearity of CdO optical properties (which are very valuable for laser control device application and optical limiting), open and closed aperture Z-scan technique with (632.8 nm) He-Ne laser wavelength was used to measure the nonlinearity of optical parameters, which included refractive index variation and extinction coefficient.

Providing accurate and reliable rainfall data that can be used and applied in various climate and hydrological studies is essential. This paper aims to assess the accuracy of monthly rainfall data for satellites (climate engine, NASA-POWER) and corresponding data for ground stations, and through spatial mapping and linear measurement of rainfall indicators in Duhok Governorate in northern Iraq. The data evaluation process included the use of some statistical and cartographic methods available within the Jeffrey Amazing Statistics Program (JASP) and Origin Pro software, the evaluation and statistical analysis were conducted during the period from 2003 to 2022. The analysis results indicate that the relationship of ground stations with the climate engine recorded good values (Pbias = 1.24, NSE = 0.93, R = 0.97, Slope = 0.99, KGE = 0.72). However, these values are lower when compared with NASA-POWER (Pbias = 14.09, NSE = 0.55, R = 0.94, Slope = 0.34, KGE = -12.9). Both results indicate a positive relationship between the satellite and the ground data, and in general, all climate stations recorded a high correlation factor in monthly rainfall forecasting. Furthermore, the climate engine’s data were characterized by high rainfall accuracy and quality and were relatively consistent with the observed scale data (ground stations). This study provides new ideas about the methods for selecting rainfall products for climatic and hydrological studies.

Normally, 3D scenes can be reconstructed with the help of several photo-imaging techniques that are used for 3D geo-visualization and scene analysis. However, the methods involved in the reconstruction of scenes are not accurate and time-consuming. Thus, the given paper proposes a 3D reconstruction framework from multi-view stereo (MVS) images based on deep learning. The proposed multi-view aggregation matching network (MVAMN) comprises pre-processing of the dataset, multi-scale feature extraction using convolutional neural network (CNN), cost volume regularization, and refinement of depth map inference to handle more challenging situations, including mutual occlusions, big-depth variations in oblique photos, and substantial viewpoint changes. The refinement phase involves the computation of probability distributions from the initial depth map as well as the refined depth map. After the refinement is done, the loss function is calculated to quantify the errors between the initial and refined depth maps, thereby optimizing and enhancing the performance of the proposed framework. Lastly, the performance of the model is validated and compared with existing deep learning MVS methods by taking open-source image dataset into consideration. The findings demonstrate that lower memory utilization and higher efficiency make the proposed model highly suitable for aerial images in large-scale and high-resolution 3D surface reconstruction tasks.

The feasibility of calculating the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) at different meteorological ground stations (GS) using monthly precipitation data from Satellite-based Precipitation Products (SbPP) was investigated in this study. Iraq was divided into three Köppen climate zones for spatial comparisons. Monthly precipitation time series data from the Asian Precipitation Highly Resolved Observational Data Integration towards Evaluation (APHRODITE) 1983–2007 and Climate Hazards Group of Infra-Red Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) 1983–2017 were statistically compared against GS data from the three zones to estimate potential droughts at the timescales of SPI-3, SPI-6, and SPI-12. SbPPs not only had reasonable correlations with GS data, but also effectively represented the spatial distribution of rainfall. There was satisfactory consistency between APHRODITE and GS values in high-rainfall zones in the SPI estimation. This current work also found that APHRODITE was more dependable than CHIRPS when spatially and temporally determining drought over Iraq. These results are particularly significant as Iraq faces the twin difficulties of high drought risk and a lack of accurate meteorological data, making an improvement in monthly precipitation data of vital importance.

Critical Discourse Analysis is a research approach which examines how language use reflects and maintains societal power dynamics. It seeks to reveal hidden meanings and ideologies in speech by investigating how language establishes social reality, reinforces power hierarchies, and shapes social practices. In the current study, Fairclough's (2001) model is adopted to analyze a speech delivered by the UK's Prime Minister Boris Johnson, on April 12, 2020, during Easter Sunday to the nation. In this speech, Boris Johnson thanked The National Health Service for saving his life from Covid-19 after leaving the hospital. The problem of the study is of three-folds:(1) understanding the speech's context and backdrop, particularly the COVID-19 epidemic and its effects on the UK (2) Recognizing the possible impact of political objectives and biases on the speech's linguistic construction (3) overcoming the difficulty of locating and examining hidden meanings and presumptions in the speech. It is hypothesized that the speaker uses language reflecting a strong national unity. It is hypothesized that the speaker uses language reflecting a strong national unity. The study concludes that the speech involves using different discoursal and ideological features and structures (such as nationalism, calling for action, increasing solidarity, etc.) that directly reflect the power of the language used to make the speaker influence his audience positively. Also, the analysis confirms the hypothesis raised.

Al2O3 nanoparticles were created using laser ablation of an aluminum (Al) target in deionized water. The ablation process was carried out using three different laser fluences (12.7, 15.9, and 19.1 J/cm²). In this method, a 1064-nm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser with a 7-ns pulse width, 1-Hz repetition rate, and 100 pulses was used. The UV-visible absorption spectrum of the as-synthesized Al2O3 colloidal solution of nanoparticles showed an absorption maximum lying at 210 nm, which verified the presence of Al2O3 nanoparticles in deionized water. The bandgap of Al2O3 NPs decreased from 4.6 to 4.2 eV with the increased laser fluences. The fingerprint identification of Al2O3 colloidal nanoparticles was performed through FTIR spectroscopy analysis. The spectrum recorded several important stretch modes, including carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and Al2O3 bands. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to examine the morphology of Al2O3 nanoparticles produced at various laser fluences. It exposed the highly aggregated particles, which ranged in size from 91 nm to sub-micrometers. TEM images and size distribution of Al2O3 NPs showed that the partials size depended on laser fluence intensity. It showed that the majority of the nanoparticles produced by all of the ablated laser fluences have spherical shapes, with average particle sizes of 57, 70, and 117 nm at 12.7-, 15.9-, and 19.1-J/cm² laser fluences, respectively. The effect of laser fluence on the photosensitivity of the Si detector based on the nanostructured Al2O3 film was studied. The photodetector showed strong responsiveness peaks at 350 and 800 nm, with values of about 1.2 AW⁻¹ and 1.08 AW⁻¹ corresponding to the responsiveness of the Al2O3 film and the Si substrate, respectively. It also displayed a high photo-detective value in the UV-Vis region. Therefore, nanosecond laser ablation in liquid is an efficient and adaptable approach for producing nanoparticles with customized size, shape, and properties. It is also a wonderful way to manufacture a variety of nanostructured materials that have applications in a variety of industries.

The management of surface water in basins has become of the utmost importance, especially given the expected changes in climate and land use. Therefore, the current work aimed to aid the management of the Khazir River basin by estimating sediment yield and surface runoff using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) at the hydrological response unit (HRU) spatial level. The SWAT model was used to simulate hydrological processes and sediment transport at different spatial and temporal scales in the basins. The study of sub-basins allowed more precise targeting of the best management practices through analysis and evaluation. The accuracy of, uncertainty in, and sensitivity of the parameters were evaluated by comparing observed and simulated daily data for average surface runoff and sediment yield. The semi-automated sequential uncertainty fitting (SUFI-2) algorithm within the SWAT CUP model was employed to calibrate the model parameters using the time series for the period 2003–2008, and its validity was verified for the period 2009–2012. The surface runoff performance was good during calibration (Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) = 0.77) and very good during verification (NSE = 0.82), while it was good for sediment yield during the calibration and validation periods (NSE = 0.71 and NSE = 0.75, respectively). The parameters related to the characteristics of sediment yield and surface runoff showed high sensitivity during calibration and validation, as they are affected by the length and degree of slope, vegetation cover, and the resulting soil exposure to water erosion. The obtained results were compared with the results of previous scientific studies conducted for North African basins, and this comparison indicated the need for continuous study of the spatial and temporal changes in the natural characteristics of the basins. The results could help basin managers to determine baseline rates of hydrological processes in light of expected future shifts in hydrological systems as a result of climate and land-use changes.

Drought, a serious natural hazard, significantly impacts agriculture, especially in dry regions. Iraq faces a high drought risk yet suffers from a scarcity of rainfall gauges for effective monitoring. Therefore, adequate and accurate datasets are crucial for the country's spatiotemporal classification and monitoring of droughts. This study investigates the feasibility of calculating the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) at various meteorological ground stations (GS) using monthly precipitation data from satellite-based precipitation products (SbPP). For spatial comparisons, Iraq was divided into three Köppen climate zones. Monthly time series from the Asian Precipitation Highly Resolved Observational Data Integration Towards Evaluation (APHRODITE) (1983–2007) and Climate Hazards Group of Infra-Red Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) (1983–2017) were statistically compared against GS data in these zones for estimating droughts at 3-, 6-, and 12-month timescales. The SbPPs exhibited reasonable correlations with GS data and effectively represented the spatial distribution of rainfall. A good level of consistency was observed between APHRODITE and GS values in estimating SPI in high-rainfall zones. The study concludes that APHRODITE outperforms CHIRPS in determining the spatial and temporal distribution of droughts in Iraq.

The climate changes affect the hydrological cycle and the flow systems of waterways, which in turn alter the volume of water available resources locally, regionally, and globally at various levels. This study aims to evaluate the impact of the climatic changes on the availability of surface water resources in the basins of the Tigris, Great Zab, and Khazir Rivers in Iraq by applying the general circulation model HadCM3 under two climate change scenarios (SRES-A2 and SRES-B2). According to the analysis findings, the annual rainfall will be reduced in the future under scenario (A2, B2-2030) by 2.67% and continue reducing under scenario (A2, B2-2060) by 5.35%. The decrease in rainfall will reduce surface water runoff within the drainage basin by 2.64% under scenario (A2, B2-2030) and 5.45% under scenario (A2, B2-2060). The obtained results reveal that the decrease in rainfall was countered by an increase in temperature, as well as by an increase in evapotranspiration. The average correlation coefficient of rainfall with temperature and evapotranspiration is − 0.93, whereas the rate of correlation coefficient with relative humidity and surface water runoff is 0.96. All scenarios and predictions indicate that the study area will be on the verge of a drought period in the not-too-distant future, so the study recommends urgently the ministry of water resources in Iraq to manage properly the waters of the three rivers by building dams on their channels and storing water in the wet seasons for the benefit of the dry seasons.

The current study deals with how floods affect the social and economic lives of villagers in the lower basin of the Khazir River (northern Iraq), where the villages Kazkan, Tal al-Laban, and Wardak are located within active floodplains close to the riverbed. The aim of this paper is to perform both spatial and temporal analysis of floods affecting society and economic activities in the river basin and to assess ways of preventing them. In this study, qualitative and quantitative methods were used to analyze the results, and we relied on hydrological data and field studies that included oral interviews and personal observations on the phenomenon of floods. The first main study findings indicate through a statistical analysis of a sample of 100 people that floods in the study area are an expected and recurring phenomenon; they occur every year, with damage and losses varying from year to year and from one region to another. The second main study findings indicate that frequent flooding in the study area has a negative impact on growth in all economic and social sectors. These floods affect the agricultural sector more than other sectors as a result of agricultural land being located within flat plain areas with little slope. Based on the effects of floods, improved engineering solutions have been suggested to better control floods and handle emergencies. This is done using GIS models (HEC-GeoRAS) and HEC-RAS models to build a number of hydraulic designs on the riverbed according to different scenarios. The findings of this study should serve as an inspiration for water policy makers to make every effort to implement all feasible and effective preventive measures before floods occur as well as to allow rapid reaction, recovery, and reconstruction after a flood.