Baghdad Research Articles

Evaluation The Role Of Some Immunological Markers In Coronavirus-19 Infection In A Sample Of Iraqi Patients

Background: cells produce proinflammatory cytokines like il-8, which activates neutrophils and stimulates immunological responses. Il-6 is produced quickly and transiently in response to infections and stimulates hematopoiesis and acute phase responses, aiding host defense. Dysregulated il-6 production can lead to chronic inflammation and autoimmunity despite its transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation. Objective: the study aims to identify immunological markers that could serve as diagnostic factors for covid-19 infections, using rt-pcr for diagnosis and estimation of interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 levels and evaluating their association with infection progression, given the importance of covid-19 in various medical fields. Methods: blood samples collected from al-zafaraniyah general hospital, fatima-alzahra hospital, and al-yarmook teaching hospital in baghdad city identified 40 patients with coronavirus. The study used the enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (elisa) approach to detect interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 antibodies in the patients ' serum. Results: the study reveals a strong correlation between immunological markers and corona virus-19 infection, with 40 patients showing higher levels of interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 antibodies, indicating a significant association between these markers. Conclusions: the study found a significant association between coronavirus-19 infection patients and immunological markers, with high levels of interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 antibodies in serum highly associated with coronavirus -19 incidence.

Assessment of knowledge regarding prediabetes among a sample of family physicians in (Baghdad city).

To assess the level of knowledge among family physicians regarding prediabetes. The cross-sectional study was conducted from March 1 to June 30, 2020, at primary healthcare centers in Al-Karkh and Al-Rusafa health directorates of Baghdad, Iraq, after approval from the ethics review committee of the College of Medicine, Mustansiriyah University, Baghdad. The sample comprised family physicians of either gender. Data was collected using an pre-designed, structured questionnaire that was disseminated online. Data was collected using SPSS 25. Of the 145 questionnaires distributed, 113(78%) were returned duly filled; 99(87.6%) females and 14(12.4%) males. The overall mean age was 34.21±5.8 years (range: 26-49 years), The knowledge level was good in 60(53.1%) cases, and 59(52.2%) suggested screening programmes as a preventive measure. Good level of knowledge was significantly associated with having diabetes or family member with diabetes 44(51.7%), attending training courses 37(44.1%) and professional experience >10 years 15(25%). More than half the respondents had a good level of knowledge about prediabetes. There is a need to improve the knowledge of physicians further about prediabetes.

Prevalence of cervical dysplastic lesions in cervical smears from Baghdad city: a single centre study.

To assess the association of demographic and clinical features of patients with clinicopathological markers in cases of abnormal Pap smear. The retrospective study was conducted from July 2020 to June 2021 at Al-Elwiya Maternity Teaching Hospital, Baghdad, Iraq, and comprised data from January 2019 to June 2020 of women who underwent Pap-smear. Data was retrieved for patients' age, marital status, smoking status, clinical symptoms at presentation, findings of clinical and cytological examinations, as well as follow-up or human papillomavirus testing data where applicable. Data was analysed using SPSS 26. Of the 560 women with mean age 40.42±10.211 years, 26(4.6%) were attending the hospital for routine check-ups/screening, and 12(2.1%) for follow-up screening with previous abnormal Pap-tests, while the rest had been referred for medical consultation. The most common diagnosis was negative for intraepithelial lesion or malignancy 403(72%) Cervical epithelial abnormalities were seen in 136(24.3%) cases, and, of them, 12(8.8%) returned for follow-up. Epithelial abnormalities had a significant association with age, clinical presentation, and clinical examination results (p<0.05), while it had a non-significant relation with marital and smoking statuses (p>0.05). The majority of subjects were referred cases, with routine cervical screening being <5%. Increasing public awareness about the importance of cervical screening and follow-up is essential.

Visual Pollution of the Banks of the Tigris River in Baghdad City Capital of Iraq

The study titled "Visual Pollution of the Tigris Riverbanks in Baghdad City" consists of two main sections: the first section is dedicated to the theoretical framework, while the second section covers the practical aspect (field study). Specific areas of Baghdad were selected for this study due to the widespread presence of solid waste along the riverbanks. The importance of the study lies in the fact that visual pollution is one of the dangerous types of pollution that affects both human health and the environment. The study concluded that visual pollution along the Tigris River banks results from the impact of human activities spread linearly along the river, and the lack of environmental awareness among residents has negatively affected the river environment through the disposal of household and construction waste and the discharge of untreated wastewater from sewage treatment plants. The research recommends the importance of strict monitoring of human activities near the river, imposing financial penalties on violators of environmental standards, and working on rehabilitating and developing the riverbanks to make them attractive environments for residents, turning them into tourist and recreational areas that serve the city.

The Role of Soundscape on Urban Attractiveness in Traditional Cities

The soundscape is an immanent part of the open spaces in historical cities. This study aims to investigate the role of soundscape in enhancing urban attraction and its effect on intentional behavior. This is based on a questionnaire survey, which is conducted in compliance with ISO/TS 12913-2:2018, of 31 visitors in the Almutanabi and Almurad (alkadhmya) streets in historical blocks in Baghdad city. SPSS software is used to analyze the data. The results indicate that soundscape has a positive significance on urban attraction and the overall response to the sound source identification shows that the sound of human beings is dominant strongly while the sound of technology comes in second place and the sounds of nature are limited. In general, positive soundscape perception may contribute to the urban attraction of open spaces in historical cities.

Relationship Between Short and Long Wave Radiation with Cloud Cover in Baghdad City

Short waves are waves that have a short wavelength and are characterised by high frequencies. Therefore, they propagate over short distances from the source and are used for wireless communications and radio broadcasting. As for long waves, they have a long wavelength characterised by low frequencies and usually extend far from the source easily. When the clouds prevent sunlight from reaching Earth, it reflects a large part of it and absorbs part of the radiation that passes through it, so that less radiation reaches the Earth’s surface as a result of the clouds. The daily data of the high, medium, and low cloud cover, as well as the daily and annual data of solar radiation (long and short-wave radiation) were extracted from satellite data collected by the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) over the Baghdad station at 00:00 am and 12:00 pm for the period (2015-2019). The study aims to find the effect of cloud cover on long and short waves and to find the type of relationship between them. The results showed that. The High and medium clouds are more visible in winter and less in summer. The clouds of all kinds decrease at 00:00 am and can be observed at noon. The relationship between solar radiation and cloud cover is inverse. In 2015 different types of clouds appeared, including low-lying cumulus and cumulus-medium. The radiation of long waves increases in the spring and summer when the amount of solar radiation entering the atmosphere is greater, and therefore the atmosphere derives its heat from these long waves emanating from the surface of the earth, at a time when the air could not absorb the short waves that make up the sun’s rays when it penetrated it. Through the Pearson coefficient test, several results were obtained, including that the relationship between high, medium, and low cloud cover, as well as total solar radiation, showed an inverse association; the more clouds there are, the less solar radiation reaches the earth’s surface.

Study and evaluation of wind power density for the use of small wind turbine under Baghdad conditions

The main aim of this research is to analyze the characteristics of the wind speed and wind power density in Baghdad City within micro-scale meteorological conditions at Mustansiriyah University Meteorological Station (MUMS). Temperature, atmospheric pressure and wind speed data were taken for one year (2016) measured at a height of 18 m above the earth's surface. Hourly, monthly, and seasonal changes in wind speed at an altitude of 30 m were estimated using a power law. The mean diurnal and monthly air density was calculated. Different statistical distributions were used, including the Rayleigh, Gamma and Weibull distributions, and the best distribution function was selected to evaluate the wind power density in the study area. The results showed the highest monthly mean of wind speed recorded in June and July. Therefore, these months have the highest wind power density. The lowest monthly mean of wind speed and wind power density was observed in December. The maximum and minimum values of air density were recorded in December, January and July, August, respectively. The monthly variation of the shape parameter (k) ranges between 0.99 - 1.81, while the monthly variation of the scale parameter(c) ranges between 1.07 - 2.3 m s-1. It was also found that the Weibull distribution was more accurate than the Rayleigh and Gamma distributions. The prevailing wind direction is northeast (NE) and east-northeast (ENE) most of the time. The research results showed that the study area is not suitable for using wind energy to generate energy.

Prediction of Water Quality Parameters of Tigris River in Baghdad City by Using Artificial Intelligence Methods

Prediction of Water Quality Parameters of Tigris River in Baghdad City by Using Artificial Intelligence Methods

Measuring Changes in Temperature Rates due to Urban Expansion in Selected Municipalities of Baghdad using GIS Technology

The expansion of building blocks at the expense of agricultural land is one of the main problems causing climate change within the urban area of a city. The research came to determine these indicators, as a study was conducted on the expansion of the building blocks in three municipalities in the city of Baghdad for a period of four decades extended in the form of time cycles for the period (1981-2021) and using ArcMap GIS 10.7 technology. Then, the impact of this expansion on temperature rates was evaluated, as they are the most important climatic elements due to their significant effect on the rest of the elements. The results showed a clear, direct relationship between the increase in urban expansion rates and the corresponding rise in temperature rates, which results in urban heat islands. The results for the last time cycle showed high expansion rates for the municipalities of Al-Kadhimiya, Al-Shaala, and New Baghdad (62.2, 82.4, and 92.1), respectively, and were offset by high-temperature rates (25.2, 25.49, and 25.67) for the same municipalities, respectively, as the highest rates were recorded in the New Baghdad municipality, followed by the municipality of Al-Shaala, in second place, then the municipality of Al-Kadhimiya, with the lowest rates due to its location on the Tigris River.

Iraqi Meteoric Water Line and its Application in Groundwater-Surface Water Connection

The LMWL was re-plotted from the isotopic analysis data (δ2H and δ18O) for rainwater samples collected from three stations in Baghdad city in the current study and data from previous studies. Four samples of shallow groundwater and five samples from the Tigris River were isotopically analyzed for 2H and 18O using a Liquid-Water Stable Isotope Analyzer (LWSIA). The samples were collected from the Al-Jaderia area within the University of Baghdad. The analysis was done against Vienna Standard Main Oceanic Water (VSMOW). The isotopic composition of groundwater ranges between -43.91‰ and -37.57 ‰ for 2H with an average of -40.06±2.7 ‰, while it ranges between -6.28‰ and -6.01‰ for 18O with an average of -6.14±0.1‰. These values are slightly more depleted compared to the isotopic composition of the Tigris River water (-38.79 ‰ to -37.87 ‰) for 2H with an average of -38.05±0.9‰ and between -6.23‰ to -5.11 ‰ for 18O with an average of -5.74±0.4 ‰. This is a logical result since the river is usually fed with fresh new rainwater, which isotopically is relatively more enriched. The current study confirms that the Local Meteoric Water Line (LMWL) has a formula of δ 2H‰ = 7.5 δ 18O‰ + 13. The LMWL is located above the Global MWL by +13.9‰ toward the Eastern Mediterranean (EMMWL δ2H‰ = 8 δ 18O‰ + 22), indicating the origin rainwater from the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The groundwater and surface water isotopic compositions were below the LMWL due to the evaporation of shallow groundwater. There is interconnection between river water and groundwater, directly or by recharge from irrigation water. Iraq may have two different MWLs, one for the northeastern region and the other for the middle, western and southern Iraq. The MWL for the northern eastern region of Iraq is close to that of the EMMWL, indicating Mediterranean climate and vapor source, while the rest of the areas of Iraq have MWL with various isotopic compositions affected by more hot climate in these regions and by the continental tropical air masses.

Unlocking the Symbolic Tapestry: Exploring Symbolism in Ahmed Ardalan's The Gardener of Baghdad

Using Roland Barthes' semiotic theory, this study article explores the symbolic aspects of Ahmed Ardalan's 2014 novel, The Gardener of Baghdad. The research seeks to reveal the several layers of meaning inside the text by examining the book using the ideas of signifier and signified, as well as denotative and connotative meanings. This analysis demonstrates how Ardalan's use of symbols enriches the storyline, mirroring profound cultural, historical, and emotional settings. The results demonstrate the intricate interaction of symbols in the book, providing a more profound comprehension of its themes and emotional intensity. This study examines how carefully Ahmed Ardalan uses symbolism in The Gardener of Baghdad, paying particular attention to the garden, the red rose, and the glorious city of Baghdad. Ardalan explores deep issues of love, grief, and culture via these symbols, weaving a story with a wealth of nuance and complexity. The garden is a haven and a symbol of optimism because it demonstrates that love can flourish even in the face of adversity. The red rose symbolizes the beauty and fragility of love, as well as the unescapable suffering that comes with losing someone. The portrayal of Baghdad as a historically and culturally significant city embodies the people's tenacity and enduring spirit. This study reveals how these symbols are more than just literary devices—rather, they are crucial components that raise the novel's thematic depth. By unraveling this symbolic tapestry, the research provides a better understanding of Ardalan's reflection on the human condition, demonstrating the enduring significance of his writing.

Improving the building's thermal performance by using untraditional building blocks

AbstractIraqi buildings consume high-level electrical energy for air conditioning purposes to provide the standard human comfort condition. This paper adopted an experimental study by using Styrofoam adhesive or white cement as an alternative to ordinary Portland cement to manufacture building blocks with dimensions of 200 × 200 × 200 mm containing an internal core with dimensions of 90 × 130 × 130 mm, which were filled by using corrugated scratch-up or closed air gap. The samples were divided into two sets: the first had an aluminium foil layer applied to the external surface of the samples (reflective surface), while the second was without any layer (ordinary surface). The samples were tested under the climatic conditions of Baghdad city during the summer months (May to September) of 2021. These blocks were also evaluated by different structural tests. It can be seen from the test results that the use of Styrofoam adhesive with a reflective surface with panels of corrugated scratch-up increased the thermal insulation of the wall. It leads to reduce thermal leakage and the electrical energy consumed to provide comfortable thermal conditions by 52.7%, in addition to decreasing the mass density by 14.1% while compressive strength decreased by 21%.

Land use mapping from sentinel satellite imagery using remote sensing and GIS techniques

Abstract The need to classify sentinel-2 satellite images to extract land use /land cover (LULC) are essential to analysis the processes of environment problems and to improve living conditions. Hence, this research aims to create LULC maps from sentinel-2 satellite images through Maximum likelihood (ML) algorithm using remote sensing and GIS. The selected study area for this research is Baghdad city because of it has a unique political stability and due to rapid urbanization, that lead to rise additional request for natural resources and affected on LULC in Baghdad city. After preprocessing and processing of satellite images, thematic maps were created and classified into five main classes based on visual interpretation and visit the field of the study area that containing: urban, vegetation, soil, asphalt roads, and water bodies. The results showed that classification accuracy assessment of ML algorithm is acceptable because of overall accuracy and Kappa index equal (86%, 0.82) respectively.

Occurrence of Micro-Plastics in Tigris River Water in Middle of Iraq

Abstract Microplastics, which are emerging pollutants in the environmental world, have become a source of concern for researchers and the public by virtue of the increasing use of plastic and mismanagement of plastic waste. Currently, research focuses on marine environments, with less attention to freshwater environments, especially urban rivers. In this study, 11 samples were taken from surface water along the Tigris River in the city of Baghdad and from the Kut Dam. The process of chemical digestion using H2O2 (30%) was used to digest natural organic materials, separation by density to get rid of unwanted materials, and then examination under an optical microscope and FTIR. The abundance of plastic materials ranged from 27to74 particles/sample size. Polypropylene, polyethylene and polystyrene were common types of microplastics as they represented (66.92%) of the samples. Fibers and fragments were the dominant microplastic forms in all samples. White color is the dominant characteristic of all samples. It has been shown that hydrodynamic conditions and the locations of urban cities and industrial facilities affect the concentrations of microplastics. The study’s results at S9, S10, and S11 show that microplastics are accumulating in the dam, indicating that the dam might act as a sink for microplastics.

Production of maps for bearing capacity of the shallow foundation in Baghdad city using SPTs and MATLAB software

Abstract The standard penetration tests are considered one of the most important tests to determine the bearing capacity of the soil. In this research, a set of objective maps and equations were produced to estimate the bearing capacity of shallow foundations based on the results of SPTs conducted in Baghdad Governorate. The work includes drilling 213 wells 10 meters deep below the surface of the earth, and conducting three standard penetration tests (SPT) on each well at depths of 1.5, 6 and 9 m. The bearing capacity of the shallow foundations in the city of Baghdad was determined using the MATLAB program after the SPT values were corrected. Then several polynomial equations with multi-order interpolation are proposed to estimate the bearing capacity of the foundation, but the first-order polynomial equation is considered simpler and straightforward. Moreover, the root mean square error (RMSE) of all the proposed polynomial equations is almost the same. Thematic maps show the difference in the carrying capacity of shallow foundations across the total ground of Baghdad Governorate with respect to different depths. Then, a comparison was made between the calculated and estimated values of the foundation’s bearing capacity, where the results showed a discrepancy of 30% at a confidence level of 95%.

Utilization of GIS to Generate a Digital Geotechnical Map of Baghdad City

Utilization of GIS to Generate a Digital Geotechnical Map of Baghdad City

Pollution Assessment of the Tigris River Sediments Resulting from Wastewater Discharge in Baghdad, Iraq

This study aimed to study the concentrations of some trace elements, such as Pb, Ni, Cd, Cu, Cr, Zn, Mn, and Fe and evaluate the level of pollution resulting from sewage on the Tigris River sediment by selecting eight stations distributed along the River (Central bank of Iraq, Jadriya Bridge, Al-Dora (Al-Dora silo), Sinak Bridge, Ahrar bridge, River street, Medical city, Al-Kadhimiya) in Baghdad City. The study was conducted during two seasons, winter and summer. Geochemical pollution indices such as geoaccumulation factor and contamination factor were used to evaluate the degree of acidity of river sediment. The results showed that the summer season of the Tigris River recorded relatively higher concentrations than the winter season. This may be because of the decrease in the dilution factor of these elements in the sediment due to the low water levels during the summer. According to the I-geo results, the sixth site's sediment is unpolluted with Fe, Mn, Cr, Ni, Zn, Pb, and Cd in both seasons and mildly polluted with Cu in the summer. The Cu contamination factor, classified as class 3, indicates significant contamination to severely pollute in summer, while Fe, Pb, Cu, and Zn conbankred unpolluted in both seasons. Fe, Mn, Cr, Ni, Pb, Cd, and Zn are not polluted in any season. However, Cu's contamination factor is classified as class 3, meaning significant contamination occurs during summer.

Antibiotic Resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Burns and Wounds in Baghdad and Al-Samawah City

Antibiotic Resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Burns and Wounds in Baghdad and Al-Samawah City

الشفافية التسويقية وتأثيرها في الاحتفاظ في السائح: دراسة تطبيقية لعينة من شركات السفر والسياحة في مدينة بغداد

يشتمل البحث دراسة تأثير الشفافية التسويقية في الاحتفاظ بالسائح لعدد من شركات السفر والسياحة في بغداد وقد استعرض عدد من الانشطة التسويقية التي تقوم بها شركات السفر والسياحة في تطبيق الشفافية التسويقية فضلاً عن عدد من الروابط الفعالة والتي تستخدم في الاحتفاظ بالسائح وعلى هذا الاساس تم استخدام استمارة استبانة كاداة لجمع البيانات ذات العلاقة بالبحث ولاستخراج النتائج استخدمت عدة اساليب احصائية اظهرت مستوى تحقق متغيرات البحث فضلاً عن التحقق من صحة فرضياته واخيراً توصل البحث الى نتيجة مفادها ان الاحتفاظ يالسائح واستدامة العلاقة معه لاتتحقق مالم تنتهج شركة السفر والسياحة مبدأ الشفافية التسويقية في تعاملاتها الموجهة نحو السائح.

A Comparative Study of Biomarker Levels for Iraqi Individuals’ Smokers and Non-Smokers Depending on the Duration of Smoking

Smoking is a widespread public health challenge globally, impacting societal health and economy while elevating the risk of cardiovascular and peripheral vascular diseases. This study aims to examine hematological parameters (HB, PCV%, WBC, RBC, PLT, ESR), liver and kidney function, lipid profile, and electrolytes (K+, Na+, Ca++) in male smokers aged 20-55 from Baghdad City, subdivided by smoking duration (≥5 years and &lt;5 years), compared to non-smoking controls. A total of sixty participants were recruited across three areas (Diyala Bridge, Mada'in, Talbieh), with each group comprising thirty individuals. Venipuncture was performed for blood sample collection. Results revealed statistically significant elevations in total WBC and RBC counts, hematocrit, hemoglobin, total cholesterol, and liver enzymes (GOT, GPT, ALP) among smokers compared to non-smokers (p&lt;0.05 or p&lt;0.001). Serum uric acid, urea, and creatinine levels were significantly higher in smokers (p&lt;0.001), while triglyceride levels showed no significant difference (p&gt;0.05) between groups. Smokers with longer duration (&gt;5 years) exhibited higher HB, triglyceride, and Na+ levels compared to shorter-term smokers. Sensitivity analysis indicated Na+ as a potentially effective biomarker for smoking-related health impacts, complementing PCV% and urea sensitivity. The study underscores the association between smoking and oxidative stress, notably reflected in elevated GOT and GPT levels, suggesting implications for antioxidant therapies in managing smoking-induced oxidative damage. These findings contribute novel insights into biomarker responses influenced by smoking duration and advocate for targeted public health strategies and further research into antioxidant interventions to mitigate smoking-associated health risks effectively.