University of Tikrit

The Notch/Lin-12/Glp-1 receptor family participates in cell-cell signaling events that influence cell fate decisions. Although several Notch homologs and receptor ligands have been identified, the nuclear events involved in this pathway remain incompletely understood. A truncated form of Notch, consisting only of the intracellular domain (NotchIC), localizes to the nucleus and functions as an activated receptor. Using both an in vitro binding assay and a cotransfection assay based on the two-hybrid principle, we show that mammalian NotchIC interacts with the transcriptional repressor CBF1, which is the human homolog of Drosophila Suppressor of Hairless. Cotransfection assays using segments of mouse NotchIC and CBF1 demonstrated that the N-terminal 114-amino-acid region of mouse NotchIC contains the CBF1 interactive domain and that the cdc10/ankyrin repeats are not essential for this interaction. This result was confirmed in immunoprecipation assays in which the N-terminal 114-amino-acid segment of NotchIC, but not the ankyrin repeat region, coprecipitated with CBF1. Mouse NotchIC itself is targeted to the transcriptional repression domain (aa179 to 361) of CBF1. Furthermore, transfection assays in which mouse NotchIC was targeted through Gal4-CBF1 or through endogenous cellular CBF1 indicated that NotchIC transactivates gene expression via CBF1 tethering to DNA. Transactivation by NotchIC occurs partially through abolition of CBF1-mediated repession. This same mechanism is used by Epstein-Barr virus EBNA2. Thus, mimicry of Notch signal transduction is involved in Epstein-Barr virus-driven immortalization.

We have developed a methodology we call ROMA (representational oligonucleotide microarray analysis), for the detection of the genomic aberrations in cancer and normal humans. By arraying oligonucleotide probes designed from the human genome sequence, and hybridizing with "representations" from cancer and normal cells, we detect regions of the genome with altered "copy number." We achieve an average resolution of 30 kb throughout the genome, and resolutions as high as a probe every 15 kb are practical. We illustrate the characteristics of probes on the array and accuracy of measurements obtained using ROMA. Using this methodology, we identify variation between cancer and normal genomes, as well as between normal human genomes. In cancer genomes, we readily detect amplifications and large and small homozygous and hemizygous deletions. Between normal human genomes, we frequently detect large (100 kb to 1 Mb) deletions or duplications. Many of these changes encompass known genes. ROMA will assist in the discovery of genes and markers important in cancer, and the discovery of loci that may be important in inherited predispositions to disease.

This study presents a systematic review of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques used in the detection and classification of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) medical images in terms of evaluation and benchmarking. Five reliable databases, namely, IEEE Xplore, Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect and Scopus were used to obtain relevant studies of the given topic. Several filtering and scanning stages were performed according to the inclusion/exclusion criteria to screen the 36 studies obtained; however, only 11 studies met the criteria. Taxonomy was performed, and the 11 studies were classified on the basis of two categories, namely, review and research studies. Then, a deep analysis and critical review were performed to highlight the challenges and critical gaps outlined in the academic literature of the given subject. Results showed that no relevant study evaluated and benchmarked AI techniques utilised in classification tasks (i.e. binary, multi-class, multi-labelled and hierarchical classifications) of COVID-19 medical images. In case evaluation and benchmarking will be conducted, three future challenges will be encountered, namely, multiple evaluation criteria within each classification task, trade-off amongst criteria and importance of these criteria. According to the discussed future challenges, the process of evaluation and benchmarking AI techniques used in the classification of COVID-19 medical images considered multi-complex attribute problems. Thus, adopting multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) is an essential and effective approach to tackle the problem complexity. Moreover, this study proposes a detailed methodology for the evaluation and benchmarking of AI techniques used in all classification tasks of COVID-19 medical images as future directions; such methodology is presented on the basis of three sequential phases. Firstly, the identification procedure for the construction of four decision matrices, namely, binary, multi-class, multi-labelled and hierarchical, is presented on the basis of the intersection of evaluation criteria of each classification task and AI classification techniques. Secondly, the development of the MCDA approach for benchmarking AI classification techniques is provided on the basis of the integrated analytic hierarchy process and VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje methods. Lastly, objective and subjective validation procedures are described to validate the proposed benchmarking solutions.

This paper compares the flexural performance of reinforced concrete (RC) beams strengthened with textile-reinforced mortar (TRM) and fibre-reinforced polymers (FRP). The investigated parameters included the strengthening material, namely TRM or FRP; the number of TRM/FRP layers; the textile surface condition (coated and uncoated); the textile fibre material (carbon, coated basalt or glass fibres); and the end-anchorage system of the external reinforcement. Thirteen RC beams were fabricated, strengthened and tested in four-point bending. One beam served as control specimen, seven beams strengthened with TRM, and five with FRP. It was mainly found that: (a) TRM was generally inferior to FRP in enhancing the flexural capacity of RC beams, with the effectiveness ratio between the two systems varying from 0.46 to 0.80, depending on the parameters examined, (b) by tripling the number of TRM layers (from one to three), the TRM versus FRP effectiveness ratio was almost doubled, (c) providing coating to the dry textile enhanced the TRM effectiveness and altered the failure mode; (d) different textile materials, having approximately same axial stiffness, resulted in different flexural capacity increases; and (e) providing end-anchorage had a limited effect on the performance of TRM-retrofitted beams. Finally, a simple formula proposed by fib Model Code 2010 for FRP reinforcement was used to predict the mean debonding stress developed in the TRM reinforcement. It was found that this formula is in a good agreement with the average stress calculated based on the experimental results when failure was similar to FRP-strengthened beams.

The application of the spray drying technique in the food industry for the production of a broad range of ingredients has become highly desirable compared to other drying techniques. Recently, the spray drying technique has been applied extensively for the production of functional foods, pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals. Encapsulation using spray drying is highly preferred due to economic advantages compared to other encapsulation methods. Encapsulation of oils using the spray drying technique is carried out in order to enhance the handling properties of the products and to improve oxidation stability by protecting the bioactive compounds. Encapsulation of oils involves several parameters-including inlet and outlet temperatures, total solids, and the type of wall materials-that significantly affect the quality of final product. Therefore, this review highlights the application and optimization of the spray drying process for the encapsulation of oils used as food ingredients.

Loss of the ability to speak or hear exerts psychological and social impacts on the affected persons due to the lack of proper communication. Multiple and systematic scholarly interventions that vary according to context have been implemented to overcome disability-related difficulties. Sign language recognition (SLR) systems based on sensory gloves are significant innovations that aim to procure data on the shape or movement of the human hand. Innovative technology for this matter is mainly restricted and dispersed. The available trends and gaps should be explored in this research approach to provide valuable insights into technological environments. Thus, a review is conducted to create a coherent taxonomy to describe the latest research divided into four main categories: development, framework, other hand gesture recognition, and reviews and surveys. Then, we conduct analyses of the glove systems for SLR device characteristics, develop a roadmap for technology evolution, discuss its limitations, and provide valuable insights into technological environments. This will help researchers to understand the current options and gaps in this area, thus contributing to this line of research.

We have defined the optimal binding sites for Stat5a and Stat5b homodimers and found that they share similar core TTC(T/C)N(G/A)GAA interferon gamma-activated sequence (GAS) motifs. Stat5a tetramers can bind to tandemly linked GAS motifs, but the binding site selection revealed that tetrameric binding also can be seen with a wide range of nonconsensus motifs, which in many cases did not allow Stat5a binding as a dimer. This indicates a greater degree of flexibility in the DNA sequences that allow binding of Stat5a tetramers than dimers. Indeed, in an oligonucleotide that could bind both dimers and tetramers, it was possible to design mutants that affected dimer binding without affecting tetramer binding. A spacing of 6 bp between the GAS sites was most frequently selected, demonstrating that this distance is favorable for Stat5a tetramer binding. These data provide insights into tetramer formation by Stat5a and indicate that the repertoire of potential binding sites for this transcription factor is broader than expected.

Mutagenized human 293 cells containing an interleukin-1 (IL-1)-regulated herpes thymidine kinase gene, selected in IL-1 and gancyclovir, have yielded many independent clones that are unresponsive to IL-1. The four clones analyzed here carry recessive mutations and represent three complementation groups. Mutant A in complementation group I1 lacks IL-1 receptor-associated kinase (IRAK), while the mutants in the other two groups are defective in unknown components that function upstream of IRAK. Expression of exogenous IRAK in I1A cells (I1A-IRAK) restores their responsiveness to IL-1. Neither NFkappaB nor Jun kinase is activated in IL-1-treated I1A cells, but these responses are restored in I1A-IRAK cells, indicating that IRAK is required for both. To address the role of the kinase activity of IRAK in IL-1 signaling, its ATP binding site was mutated (K239A), completely abolishing kinase activity. In transfected I1A cells, IRAK-K239A was still phosphorylated upon IL-1 stimulation and, surprisingly, still complemented all the defects in the mutant cells. Therefore, IRAK must be phosphorylated by a different kinase, and phospho-IRAK must play a role in IL-1-mediated signaling that does not require its kinase activity.

Artificial intelligence (AI) holds significant promise for advancing natural disaster management through the use of predictive models that analyze extensive datasets, identify patterns, and forecast potential disasters. These models facilitate proactive measures such as early warning systems (EWSs), evacuation planning, and resource allocation, addressing the substantial challenges associated with natural disasters. This study offers a comprehensive exploration of trustworthy AI applications in natural disasters, encompassing disaster management, risk assessment, and disaster prediction. This research is underpinned by an extensive review of reputable sources, including Science Direct (SD), Scopus, IEEE Xplore (IEEE), and Web of Science (WoS). Three queries were formulated to retrieve 981 papers from the earliest documented scientific production until February 2024. After meticulous screening, deduplication, and application of the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 108 studies were included in the quantitative synthesis. This study provides a specific taxonomy of AI applications in natural disasters and explores the motivations, challenges, recommendations, and limitations of recent advancements. It also offers an overview of recent techniques and developments in disaster management using explainable artificial intelligence (XAI), data fusion, data mining, machine learning (ML), deep learning (DL), fuzzy logic, and multicriteria decision-making (MCDM). This systematic contribution addresses seven open issues and provides critical solutions through essential insights, laying the groundwork for various future works in trustworthiness AI-based natural disaster management. Despite the potential benefits, challenges persist in the application of AI to natural disaster management. In these contexts, this study identifies several unused and used areas in natural disaster-based AI theory, collects the disaster datasets, ML, and DL techniques, and offers a valuable XAI approach to unravel the complex relationships and dynamics involved and the utilization of data fusion techniques in decision-making processes related to natural disasters. Finally, the study extensively analyzed ethical considerations, bias, and consequences in natural disaster-based AI.

This paper presents an adaptive fuzzy sliding-mode controller (AFSMC) based on the boundary layer approach for speed control of an indirect field-oriented control (IFOC) of an induction motor (IM) drive. In general, the boundary layer approach leads to a tradeoff between control performances and chattering elimination. To improve the control performances, a fuzzy system is assigned as reaching control part of the fuzzy sliding-mode so that it eliminates the chattering completely in spite of the large uncertainties in the system. The applied fuzzy controller acts like a saturation function with a nonlinear slope inside thin boundary layer near the sliding surface to guarantee the stability of the system. Moreover, an adaptive law is implemented to estimate the unknown bound of uncertainty, which is obtained in the sense of Lyapunov stability theorem to minimize the control effort. The proposed AFSMC-based IM drive is implemented in real-time using DSP board TI TMS320F28335. The experimental and simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed AFSMC-based IM drive at different operating conditions.

Inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) c-IAP1 and c-IAP2 were identified as part of the tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2) signaling complex and have been implicated as intermediaries in tumor necrosis factor alpha signaling. Like all RING domain-containing IAPs, c-IAP1 and c-IAP2 have ubiquitin protein ligase (E3) activity. To explore the function of c-IAP1 in a physiologic setting, c-IAP1-deficient mice were generated by homologous gene recombination. These animals are viable and have no obvious sensitization to proapoptotic stimuli. Cells from c-IAP1(-/-) mice do, however, express markedly elevated levels of c-IAP2 protein in the absence of increased c-IAP2 mRNA. In contrast to reports implicating c-IAPs in the activation of NF-kappaB, resting and cytokine-induced NF-kappaB activation was not impaired in c-IAP1-deficient cells. Transient transfection studies with wild-type and E3-defective c-IAP1 revealed that c-IAP2 is a direct target for c-IAP1-mediated ubiquitination and subsequent degradation, which are potentiated by the adaptor function of TRAF2. Thus, the c-IAPs represent a pair of TNFR-associated ubiquitin protein ligases in which one regulates the expression of the other by a posttranscriptional and E3-dependent mechanism.

The flexural behaviour of RC beams strengthened with TRM and FRP composites was experimentally investigated and compared both at ambient and high temperatures. The investigated parameters were: (a) the strengthening material, namely TRM versus FRP, (b) the number of strengthening layers, (c) the textile surface condition (dry and coated), (d) the textile material (carbon, basalt or glass fibres) and (e) the end-anchorage of the flexural reinforcement. A total of 23 half-scale beams were constructed, strengthened in flexure and tested to assess these parameters and the effectiveness of the TRM versus FRP at high temperatures. TRM exhibited excellent performance as strengthening material in increasing the flexural capacity at high temperature; in fact, TRM maintained an average effectiveness of 55%, compared to its effectiveness at ambient temperature, contrary to FRP which totally lost its effectiveness when subjected to high temperature. In specific, from the high temperature test it was found that by increasing the number of layers, the TRM effectiveness was considerably enhanced and the failure mode was altered; coating enhanced the TRM effectiveness; and the end-anchorage at high temperature improved significantly the FRP and marginally the TRM effectiveness. Finally, the formula proposed by the fib Model Code 2010 was used to predict the mean debonding stress in the TRM reinforcement, and using the experimental results obtained in this study, a reduction factor to account for the effect of high temperature on the flexural strengthening with TRM was proposed.

This paper presents an extended experimental study on the bond behaviour between textile-reinforced mortar (TRM) and concrete substrates. The parameters examined include: (a) the bond length (from 50 mm to 450 mm); (b) the number of TRM layers (from one to four); (c) the concrete surface preparation (grinding versus sandblasting); (d) the concrete compressive strength (15 MPa or 30 MPa); (e) the textile coating; and (f) the anchorage through wrapping with TRM jackets. For this purpose, a total of 80 specimens were fabricated and tested under double-lap direct shear. It is mainly concluded that: (a) after a certain bond length (between 200 mm and 300 mm for any number of layers) the bond strength marginally increases; (b) by increasing the number of layers the bond capacity increases in a non-proportional way, whereas the failure mode is altered; (c) concrete sandblasting is equivalent to grinding in terms of bond capacity and failure mode; (d) concrete compressive strength has a marginal effect on the bond capacity; (e) the use of coated textiles alters the failure mode and significantly increases the bond strength; and (f) anchorage of TRM through wrapping with TRM jackets substantially increases the ultimate load capacity.

The use of fibre reinforced polymers (FRP) as a means of external reinforcement for strengthening the existing reinforced concrete (RC) structures nowadays is the most common technique. However, the use of epoxy resins limits the effectiveness of FRP technique, and therefore, unless protective (thermal insulation) systems are provided, the bond capacity at the FRP-concrete interface will be extremely low above the glass transition temperature (Tg). To address problems associated with epoxies and to provide cost-effectiveness and durability of the strengthening intervention, a new composite cement- based material, namely textile-reinforced mortar (TRM) has been developed the last decade. This paper for the first time examines the bond performance between the TRM and concrete interfaces at high temperatures and, also compares for the first time the bond of both FRP and TRM systems to concrete at ambient and high temperatures. The key parameters investigated include: (a) the matrix used to impregnate the fibres, namely resin or mortar, resulting in two strengthening systems (TRM or FRP), (b) the level of high temperature to which the specimens are exposed (20, 50, 75, 100, and 150 °C) for FRP-reinforced specimens, and (20, 50, 75, 100, 150, 200, 300, 400, and 500 °C) for TRM-strengthened specimens, (c) the number of FRP/TRM layers (3 and 4), and (d) the loading conditions (steady state and transient conditions). A total of 68 specimens (56 specimens tested in steady state condition, and 12 specimens tested in transient condition) were constructed, strengthened and tested under double- lap direct shear. The result showed that overall TRM exhibited excellent performance at high temperature. In steady state tests, TRM specimens maintained an average of 85% of their ambient bond strength up to 400 °C, whereas the corresponding value for FRP specimens was only 17% at 150 °C. In transient test condition, TRM also outperformed over FRP in terms of both the time they maintained the applied load and the temperature reached before failure.

The constant discharge of large quantities of toxic substances due to human activities has led to a global environmental issue. Numerous industrial sectors’ effluents, which include coal-based power plants, mineral extraction activities, electroplating processes, as well as battery manufacturing, release metallic ions towards different ecosystems, such as Cadmium (Cd), Mercury (Hg), and Chromium (Cr). Heavy metals pose a significant danger to living organisms, humans, and environments because of their properties, mainly severe toxicity, and strong accumulation ability. Metallic ions are not subject to breakdown towards final components when contrasted with organic contaminants, which are significantly impacted by biochemical and chemical decomposition. Consequently, eliminating these elements has been regarded as a significant task within the water treatment sector. The purpose of this article is to analyze the literature related to heavy metals in terms of different issues. The heavy metals expression is explained. The natural sources and human activities responsible for releasing metallic ions into the environment are comprehensively discussed. In addition, heavy metals toxicity and potential risks to humans and different ecosystems are included. Various approaches for removing heavy metals from industrial wastewater, along with their associated advantages and drawbacks, are further evaluated.

STUDY DESIGN: Nonexperimental, retrospective design. OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to compare clinical diagnostic accuracy (CDA) between physical therapists (PTs), orthopaedic surgeons (OSs), and nonorthopaedic providers (NOPs) at Keller Army Community Hospital on patients with musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) referred for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). BACKGROUND: US Army PTs are frequently the first credentialed providers privileged to examine and diagnose patients with musculoskeletal injuries. Physical therapists assigned at Keller Army Community Hospital have also been credentialed with privileges to order MRI studies for several years. METHODS AND MEASURES: To reduce provider bias, a retrospective analysis was performed on 560 patients referred for MRI over an 18-month period. An electronic review of each patient's radiological profile was performed to assess agreement between clinical diagnosis and MRI findings. Data analyses were performed through descriptive statistics and contingency tables. RESULTS: Analysis on agreement between clinical diagnosis and MRI findings produced a CDA of 74.5% (108/145) for PTs, 80.8% (139/172) for OSs, and 35.4% (86/243) for NOPs. There was a significant difference in CDA between PTs and NOPs (P<.001), and between OSs and NOPs (P<.001). There was no difference in CDA between PTs and OSs (P>.05). CONCLUSIONS: Clinical diagnostic accuracy by PTs and OSs on patients with musculoskeletal injuries was significantly greater than for NOPs, with no difference noted between PTs and OSs.

Abstract Organic-inorganic metal halide perovskite single-junction solar cells have attracted great attention in the past few years due to a high record power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 23.7% and low-cost fabrication processes. Beyond single-junction devices, low-temperature solution processability, and bandgap tunability make the metal halide perovskites ideal candidates for fabricating tandem solar cells. Tandem solar cells combining a wide-bandgap perovskite top cell and a low-bandgap bottom cell based on mixed tin (Sn)-lead (Pb) perovskite or a dissimilar material such as silicon (Si) or copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) offer an extraordinary opportunity to achieve PCEs higher than Shockley-Queisser (SQ) radiative efficiency limits (∼33%) for single-junction cells. In this review, we will summarize recent research progress on the fabrication of wide- (1.7 to 1.9 eV) and low-bandgap (1.1 to 1.3 eV) perovskite single-junction cells and their applications in tandem cells. Key challenges and issues in wide- and low-bandgap single-junction cells will be discussed. We will survey current state-of-the-art perovskite tandem cells and discuss the limitations and challenges for perovskite tandem cells. Lastly, we conclude with an outlook for the future development of perovskite tandem solar cells.

Achieving optimum energy conversion in thermodynamic systems, such as in the thermal power plants (TPPs), is a complex task due to the involvement of several factors. One of the effective ways of determining the quantity & quality of energy systems is via energy and exergy analysis. This study is a comparative evaluation of the energy & exergy analyses of coal and gas-fired TPPs. Details of different studies on TPPs over the years were critically reviewed, followed by independent thermodynamics analysis of each component of the TPPs system. Improvements in the performance of power plants were also highlighted. From the outcome of the comparative analysis, combustion chambers were identified as the main contributors to exergy destruction owing to their associated high irreversibility. The results show that the exergy efficiency of the entire system is about 20%. The main exergy loss were occurred in the boiler and the steam turbine in the system. For further improvements, this review highlighted some of the areas for further research and made recommendations for improvement in some aspects of the existing TPPs.

It is known, that the polluted air influences straightforwardly on human wellbeing. Along these lines, the air quality checking surveys the nature of air and recognize defiled territories. Geographic information systems (GIS) provides appropriate tools for the purpose of creating models and describing spatial relationships. This study aims to develop an AQI prediction algorithm based on some meteorological parameters collected using an inverse distance weighted geostatistical technique analysis results, from measurements of three meteorological stations adjacent to the study area Kuala Lumpur of the period June to August 2018. A GIS spatial statistical analysis approach was used. An ordinary least squares (OLS) process was adopted for the 3 months data separately and three models have been obtained. An accuracy value of model performance has been computed were set as (97, 99, and 97%) respectively, specified thru the analysis. So as to test the model, validation applied again using predicted AQI and compared them with observed AQI data, the accuracy was set as (96, 99, and 93%), respectively. The result indicated a very good fit of the OLS model to the observed points, verified that the consequences of these analyses are able to monitor and predict AQI with high accuracy.

BACKGROUND: During the last two decades, the Iraqi human resources for health was exposed to an unprecedented turnover of trained and experienced medical professionals. This study aimed to explore prominent factors affecting turnover intentions among Iraqi doctors. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional multicentre study was carried out among 576 doctors across 20 hospitals in Iraq using multistage sampling technique. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire, which included socio-demographic information, work characteristics, the 10-item Warr-Cook-Wall job satisfaction scale, and one question on turnover intention. Descriptive and bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify significant factors affecting turnover intentions. RESULTS: More than one half of Iraqi doctors (55.2%) were actively seeking alternative employment. Factors associated with turnover intentions among doctors were low job satisfaction score (odds ratio (OR) = 0.97; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.95, 0.99), aged 40 years old or less (OR = 2.9; 95% CI: 1.74, 4.75), being male (OR = 4.2; 95% CI: 2.54, 7.03), being single (OR = 5.0; 95% CI: 2.61, 9.75), being threatened (OR = 3.5; 95% CI: 1.80, 6.69), internally displaced (OR = 3.1; 95% CI: 1.43, 6.57), having a perception of unsafe medical practice (OR = 4.1; 95% CI: 1.86, 9.21), working more than 40 h per week, (OR = 2.3; 95% CI: 1.27, 4.03), disagreement with the way manager handles staff (OR = 2.2; 95% CI: 1.19, 4.03), being non-specialist, (OR = 3.9, 95% CI: 2.08, 7.13), and being employed in the government sector only (OR = 2.0; 95% CI: 1.09, 3.82). CONCLUSION: The high-turnover intention among Iraqi doctors is significantly associated with working and security conditions. An urgent and effective strategy is required to prevent doctors' exodus.