Iraqi Universities Research Articles

Effect of Treating Alfalfa Seeds with Gibberellin and Nano-fertilizer on Productive Characteristics and Protein Content in Hydroponic Cultures

This study was carried out in an experiment in an incubator designed for hydroponic seed germination with tight thermal insulation in the laboratories of the Department of Plant Production Technologies at the Technical College of Agriculture in Mosul, which is affiliated with the Northern Technical University in Iraq, where the seeds of the Dutch variety alfalfa (Medicago sativa. L) were germinated commercially and four times between 2022 and 2024. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design (CRD) with two factors and three replicates in perforated dishes with dimensions of 28 cm in length and 19 cm in width (area 532 cm2) at a seed rate of kg / m2, resulting in an average seed weight of 53 g in one dish. The first experimental factor was the germination periods, while the second factor was soaking the seeds in solutions of varying amounts made from gibberellin and nano-compound fertilizer with the comparison treatment, which is soaking in water alone, as follows: Gibberellin 100 ppm and given the symbol GA 100ppm- Gibberellin 200 ppm and given the symbol 200ppm GA- --Nano fertilizer 20:20:20 NPK at a concentration of 2000 ppm and given the symbol NPK2000ppm. -Nano fertilizer 20:20:20 NPK at a concentration of 4000 ppm and given the symbol NPK4000ppm. This study showed that the Gibberellin 200ppm GA treatment was significantly superior to the rest of the other soaking treatments in the characteristics of the height of the incubator (3.66 cm), as well as the wet weight of both seedlings and roots and their dry weight, which were (497.88, 56.97g/dish-1), respectively, The fresh and dried root weights were considerably greater in the same treatment, at (400.86 and 43.86 g/dish-1), respectively. while the comparison treatment was superior. Morally, it was significantly superior to the rest of the other soaking treatments in the characteristic of protein in the medium was (18.29%). As for the times of hydroponic seed germination, there were no significant differences between the times in all the studied characteristics, which enhances the high degree of incubator isolation, the accuracy of implementing the experiment, and the accuracy of taking the results.

An Investigation of Students’ Perspectives on the Application of Chat GPT as an Academic Tool: A Case Study at HIUC

This research dedicates to investigate students' perspectives on the application of ChatGPT as an educational tool. This investigation employs a quantitative methodology using a descriptive study design. The research was conducted on a representative sample of 100 undergraduate students registered at HIUC. This sample included 50 female students and 50 male students. The findings derived from the descriptive statistics analysis suggest a significant degree of favorable disposition towards using ChatGPT as an educational instrument. The present study proposed instructions to promote the adoption of the ChatGPT model among instructors in Iraqi universities.

Empirical Study of E-Learning Impacts on Students' Academic Achievements In Iraqi Universities In Light of The Covid-19 Pandemic

Empirical Study of E-Learning Impacts on Students' Academic Achievements In Iraqi Universities In Light of The Covid-19 Pandemic

Comparative study of hematological parameters among smokers and nonsmokers in Basra city, Iraq

BackgroundHematological parameters are significantly affected by both immediate and prolonged exposure to smoking. The objective of this investigation is to evaluate the influence of cigarette smoking on hematological parameters among male students enrolled at Basrah University in Iraq. MethodsThe study comprised a total of seventy male participants, divided into two groups: smokers (n = 35) and nonsmokers (n = 35). Each participant provided a 5 ml venous blood sample to analyze the complete blood count using a hematology analyzer (Spinreact, Spincell 3). ResultsCigarette smokers exhibit notably elevated levels of Red Blood Cells (RBC) counts, Hemoglobin (HGB), Red Cell Distribution Width-CV (RDW-CV), granulocytes%, and platelets%, whereas Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) and lymphocytes% are notably lower among smokers. On the other hand, Hematocrit percentage (HCT), Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH), Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), and White Blood Cells (WBC) counts show no significant difference between cigarette smokers and nonsmokers. In contrast, Red Cell Distribution Width-SD (RDW-SD), Mid-range cell percentage (MID%), Mean Platelet Volume (MPV), Distribution Width (PDW), Platelet Plateletcrit percentage (PCT), Platelet-Lymphocyte Cell Ratio (P_LCR) and Platelet-Lymphocyte Cell Count (P_LCC) demonstrate no substantial variance between the two groups at the statistical significance threshold. ConclusionThis investigation concludes that tobacco cigarette smoking leads to detrimental alterations in hematological parameters, posing health risks.

Blood Groups and their Correlation with Physical Traits Affecting 100-Meter Performance

Background. Sport training has an impact on other sciences. Among these sciences is physiology, in which emerged to form what is called sports physiology. The recent development in the science of physical education is one of the important factors in measuring and determining the nature of athletes' physical, physiological and biochemical adaptations and responses. The blood circulatory system is important as manifested in finding the relationship between some blood groups and the basic physical characteristics and the completion of the 100-meter race. Objectives. The aim of this study is to identify the types of blood groups and their relationship to some physical traits, and the completion of the 100-meter race for some student athletes. Methods. the descriptive approach was used for its suitability to the research problem. The sample consisted of the students of second stage in the Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences at Al-Mustaqbal University in Iraq. It was 143 students (35%) of the original research sample. With the a 143 sample size , the calculated confidence is 34.95 with standard deviation of ±3.87. Results. The study finds out a positive correlation between blood groups and some physical traits. There is also a positive correlation between blood groups and 100-meter sprint achievement as indicated from the statically data analysis and supported by the mean values 5.6 for O blood grouping. Conclusion. the blood group of athletes can take a role and impact on the speed and muscular strength tests. according to the results of this study the athletes who have AB and O blood group are more likely to win in 100 sprint races.

Awareness to Orthodontics among a Sample of Final Year Dental Students

Abstract Objective Because of esthetic demand, awareness about orthodontic treatment has increased nowadays, especially among young people and adolescents, in addition to the fact that knowledge of orthodontics and various details of it is more significant among dental students according to what they learned in their curricula and their examination and observation of many cases of malocclusion. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the awareness of the final year of undergraduate dental students toward orthodontics. Materials and Methods About 532 (320 females and 212 males) students in the fifth year of six Iraqi universities were invited to participate in this questionnaire distributed via the Google classroom. This questionnaire included 20 questions about orthodontics. Pearson's chi-square test evaluated the gender and universities differences. Results In general, the awareness responses were very high in most of the questions answered except in three questions in which the percentage of positive answers varies from 49 to 76%. Also, there were no significant gender differences in 17 question answers, and only 3 showed significant gender differences. Females expressed a high level of awareness than males. Conclusion The high and close level of awareness expressed by students' responses in this study revealed the integrated education in orthodontic sciences in Iraqi dental colleges in different universities, except in some questions that deal with topics about the acceleration of tooth movement and the relation between vitamin D3 and teeth movement.

Machine Learning Approaches for Short-Term Photovoltaic Power Forecasting

A photovoltaic (PV) power forecasting prediction is a crucial stage to utilize the stability, quality, and management of a hybrid power grid due to its dependency on weather conditions. In this paper, a short-term PV forecasting prediction model based on actual operational data collected from the PV experimental prototype installed at the engineering college of Misan University in Iraq is designed using various machine learning techniques. The collected data are initially classified into three diverse groups of atmosphere conditions—sunny, cloudy, and rainy meteorological cases—for various seasons. The data are taken for 3 min intervals to monitor the swift variations in PV power generation caused by atmospheric changes such as cloud movement or sudden changes in sunlight intensity. Then, an artificial neural network (ANN) technique is used based on the gray wolf optimization (GWO) and genetic algorithm (GA) as learning methods to enhance the prediction of PV energy by optimizing the number of hidden layers and neurons of the ANN model. The Python approach is used to design the forecasting prediction models based on four fitness functions: R2, MAE, RMSE, and MSE. The results suggest that the ANN model based on the GA algorithm accommodates the most accurate PV generation pattern in three different climatic condition tests, outperforming the conventional ANN and GWO-ANN forecasting models, as evidenced by the highest Pearson correlation coefficient values of 0.9574, 0.9347, and 0.8965 under sunny, cloudy, and rainy conditions, respectively.

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Accounting and Auditing An Analytical Study on a Sample of Academics in Iraqi Universities

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Accounting and Auditing An Analytical Study on a Sample of Academics in Iraqi Universities

Prevalence of Low Back Pain and Its Associated Factors Among Medical Students at Nineveh University in Iraq: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background Low back pain (LBP) is a common problem encountered in medical practice, leading to limitations in daily activities and causing social and economic hardships. Objectives This study aimed to assess the prevalence of LBP and its associated factors among medical students at Nineveh University in Iraq. Methods Between December 2022 and January 2023, a cross-sectional study was conducted among medical students at Nineveh University. A modified version of the Standard Nordic Questionnaire was used for data collection. Results Out of 308 students, 229 (74.4%) experienced LBP at some point in their lives. In addition, 209 (67.9%) reported having LBP during the last 12 months, 148 (48.1%) during the previous seven days, and 126 (40.9%) at the time of answering the survey. Factors significantly associated with LBP during the last 12 months were being in the fifth-stage academic year (p=0.047), family history of LBP (p=0.003), and history of trauma (p=0.006). On the multivariable logistic regression analysis, factors significantly associated with LBP during the last 12 months were family history of LBP (p=0.02) and history of trauma (p=0.01). Conclusions The prevalence of LBP among medical students at Nineveh University was comparatively high. A family history of LBP and a history of trauma were factors significantly associated with LBP during the last 12 months. Managing this health concern should be a priority for the administration of medical schools.

Providing an Ethical Marketing Model for Non-Profit Universities in Iraq

The purpose of this study is to develop an ethical marketing model for non-profit universities in Iraq. A qualitative approach, specifically the strategy of grounded theory, is used. The research began with in-depth interviews with 15 nonprofit university administrators, staff, and marketing experts to develop the initial model. Then, using the grounded theory research strategy, the steps of open, central and selective coding were completed and the initial model of the research was obtained. Based on this model, the research findings were categorized into groups of causal conditions, central phenomena, contextual factors, intervening conditions, strategies and consequences of ethical marketing. The central phenomenon in this mixed study is ethical marketing, which is influenced by several causal conditions such as: increased awareness and social demand, competition in the educational market, and legal and regulatory pressures. The findings of this study contribute to the development of an ethical marketing framework suited to the unique context of non-profit universities in Iraq. The purpose of this framework is to enhance their marketing strategies and promote their social and educational missions.

Critical Pedagogy in Curriculum Decision Making

Critical pedagogy has recently started to have an impact on the field of TESOL—teaching English to speakers of other languages—by introducing some new socio-political views of language teaching and linguistics. In this research, two main aims are set forward. The first aim is to explain the new concept of critical pedagogy and make suggestions for how it can be incorporated into the TESOL profession. The second is to investigate students’ and teachers’ perceptions of the concept and fundamental tenets of critical pedagogy, as well as the extent to which these tenets are utilised in formulating curricula in the context of Kurdistan. This study adopted a mixed-methods research design to employ instruments for gathering and analysing data from numerous sources. The sample for the study was 120 students who completed a questionnaire. Fourteen students from the same sample participated in focus groups and, seven teachers took part in semi-structured interviews. All participants voluntarily agreed to participate in the research and were affiliated with Soran University in Iraq's Kurdistan region. The findings of this empirical study demonstrate that the stakeholders make the curricular decisions using a monologic approach rather than a dialogic one and that students and lecturers are not engaged in the decision-making process. The results also show that both teachers and learners are not very satisfied with the banking model of education and would like to be allowed to actively participate in the design and development of teaching curricula from a critical perspective.

Impact of Audit Committee Quality on the Financial Performance of the Iraqi Banking Sector

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of Audit Committee Quality on Financial Performance in the Iraqi Banking Sector to improve Financial Performance. The agency theory serves as the study’s theoretical underpinning. Design/methodology/approach: The major research design was a quantitative method employing Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). SmartPLS3 was utilized to examine data from a set of respondents who were chosen using a purpose random sampling technique which included the CEO, CFO, accountants, and auditors. The survey questionnaire was disseminated to 386 people, and the collected data were evaluated using a measurement model. Findings: According to the findings, the Audit Committee Components have a considerable impact on financial performance. The relationships were found to be positive and significant whereby Expertise (β =7.422, p0.05), Independence (β =4.549, p 0.05), Size (β=3.736, p0.05), and Meetings (β=3.064, p0.05). The Audit Committee component of Expertise was found to have the most significant impact on financial performance. Research, Practical & Social implications: Implications-wise, this study indicates the need for Iraqi banks to improve the quality of their audit committees towards enhancing their financial performance, also Central Bank should work side by side with Iraqi universities to continue research on the role of Audit Committees. Originality/value: This study provides an overview of the impact of the quality of the audit committee on financial performance and the extent of its importance in the Iraqi banking sector to reduce cases of manipulation and errors in the financial statements of banks. The study recommends the use of independent audit committees to improve financial performance in the Iraqi liquidation sector.

Scientific chairs of Iraqi universities and their role in achieving sustainable development goals

تهدف الدراسة إلى استعراض ظهور كراسي اليونسكو في الجامعات العراقية والأنشطة التي تم تنفيذها لتحقيق أهداف التنمية المستدامة، حيث تم إنشاء كل كرسي لتحقيق أحد هذه الأهداف التي تركت أثرها على بعض القطاعات التعليمية والاجتماعية ، وبالتالي تنبع أهمية الدراسة من الحاجة إلى الإشارة إلى إنشاء كراسي اليونسكو في الجامعات العراقية والأنشطة التي عززت إنشائها ونشاطها ومبادراتها المحلية والدولية, وكذلك تحديد ما حققته هذه الكراسي من أهداف التنمية المستدامة.

Lexical Knowledge and Its Effects on Language Proficiency: A Synonymous Study

Previous studies have proved that there is a strong connection between a language learner's vocabulary knowledge and their linguistic ability. It is believed that knowing one sense of a word is not sufficient, especially for academic learners and it is considered to be some sort of lacking lexical knowledge since learners cannot express their ideas/ thoughts using different style. Thus, investigating the size and depth of known words that learners obtained during their study period in Iraqi universities is a significant issue to predict their abilities in using the target language. The aim is to investigate the “vocabulary knowledge” and its use of a group of EFL fourth-stage learners in the “Department of English language and Literature/ College of Arts/ Mustansiriyah University”. The used test that fulfills the study aims is based on Read’s (2000, p.2) Assessing Vocabulary. The type of the test that Read (ibid) stated is commonly used in the field of EFL teaching and learning, and learners have acquainted with it many times through their period of study. The main purpose of the test is to look into the recognition and production levels of learners' lexical knowledge (ibid). A total number of 30 learners went through the two-parted test since a higher number of participants makes findings more accurate. The results obtained were not as expected, in general. Participants suffer from deficiency in the knowledge of vocabularies in connection with its breadth and depth.

The role of cultural background in enhancing communicative competence among academic leaders

Academic leaders in the field of English language teaching (ELT) have come to recognise the vital role of culture in ELT. However, to date, the influence of academic leaders' cultural backgrounds on their communicative competence has not been well researched. This research aims to investigate the cultural factors affecting communicative competence among academic leaders. Semi-structured online interviews were conducted with nine university leaders from different Iraqi universities, with the criteria being: academic leaders who have been in service for more than three years. Four theories serve as its framework and direction: the theories of planned behaviour, communicative competence, leadership competence, and communication competence Interviews were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis, following key factors such as the impact of each academic leader's cultural background on his/her communicative competence. Communicating competently has been identified as helpful in problem-solving and developing critical skills. The recommendation is to organise training for academic leaders to use English correctly and appropriately to accomplish communication goals.

The Possibility of Establishing an Iraqi University Business Incubator and Its Expected Impact on Entrepreneurship: An Analytical Study in a Sample of Iraqi Universities

Aims: This research aims to determine the extent to which Iraqi universities can establish university business incubators that affect the orientation of university students in a sample of Iraqi universities towards entrepreneurship. Study Design: The research adopted the descriptive analytical method to describe the research variables and interpret the results. Place of Study: This research was applied to a sample of 11 Iraqi government engineering and agricultural universities in northern, central and southern Iraq, which were selected due to their importance in providing the industrial and agricultural sector in Iraq with skilled human resources and project ideas that promote economic growth, as well as having university incubator units that seek to activate them. Methodology: A sample representing the indigenous community was selected. Its size reached (160) individuals from the administrative leaders, heads of departments and teaching staff in the researched universities. The researcher relied on an electronic questionnaire designed with (kobotoolbox) as the main tool, and a set of statistics was used, represented by (mean, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, simple regression), and the research data was analyzed using (SPSS V.28). Results: The research results showed a positive moral relationship to between all dimensions of university business incubators on entrepreneurship at the level of Iraqi public universities, and all research hypotheses were acceptable. Conclusion: The findings indicate that there are possibilities for the Iraqi universities discussed to activate the work of university business incubators at an average rate that can be worked on and developed through the adoption of models of work mechanisms to benefit from international experiences in this field.

Unveiling the Challenges and Processes of Implementing Program and Performance Budget for Government Universities in Iraq

This study aims to identify the challenges facing the implementation process and necessary processes for the successful implementation of Program and Performance Budget (PPB) in Iraqi universities. Employing a qualitative approach, data was gathered through in-depth, semi-structured focus group discussions involving top management and financial department representatives from the University of Baghdad, the University of Al-Qadisiyah, and the University of Muthanna, totaling 30 participants. Utilizing Nvivo software, the data was analyzed to generate a word cloud, where larger-sized words indicated greater repetitions and higher impact rates. Thematic analysis techniques were subsequently applied for a more detailed understanding. The findings underscore numerous challenges in PBB implementation, including issues related to management competence, organizational commitment, financial constraints, and the unique features of PPB. Key thematic areas for necessary processes are the measurement system and the approach to implementation. The contribution of the theoretical study is to supplement previous literature that is concerned with trying to find an alternative to the traditional method of preparing the budget. The current study showed the challenges associated with implementing the PPB in the Iraqi context and the necessary procedures for that. The study focuses on Iraqi government universities. This empirical evidence contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and processes associated with PBB implementation, serving as a valuable guide for university management.

Adoption and continued usage of mobile learning of virtual platforms in Iraqi higher education an unstable environment

This study investigates the implementation and continued utilization of mobile learning (M-learning) in Iraqi universities, considering the challenging circumstances of an unstable environment. The research expands upon the UTAUT2 and ECM models. The main objective is to tackle the difficulties and possibilities in Iraq's higher education institutions (HEIs) caused by geopolitical instability and comprehend their influence on student acceptance, satisfaction, and ongoing M-learning usage. The study expands on the increasing significance of mobile learning, particularly in higher education institutions (HEIs). It acknowledges the distinct difficulties encountered by institutions in Iraq due to the region's instability. The study identifies deficiencies in current models and suggests expansions by introducing the variable "Civil Conflicts" to consider the unstable environment. The study seeks to enhance comprehension of M-learning acceptance in conflict-affected regions and offer insights for enhancing M-learning initiatives in Iraqi higher education institutions. To accomplish its goals, this study utilizes a quantitative survey to gather data from 399 students in five universities in Iraq. PLS-SEM is employed to analyze quantitative data and assess the extended UTAUT2 and ECM models. The study's results are anticipated to enhance the understanding of M-learning adoption and ongoing usage in conflict-affected regions, specifically in the context of Iraqi higher education institutions. The study's results can guide improving the efficiency of M-learning programs in Iraqi higher education institutions and provide valuable knowledge on supporting education in regions marked by instability. Researchers' findings can assist educators and policymakers in making well-informed choices to promote the continuity and excellence of education, especially in regions affected by conflict. Researchers can expand upon this study by conducting further investigations into the implementation and utilization of M-learning in volatile environments and assessing the efficacy of the suggested model enhancements.

Investigating the Educational Challenges Related to Cultural Competence Faced by Iraqi Nursing College Students

English for specific purpose is becoming increasingly considerable in various sectors, including medical sectors. Although numerous studies have investigated the effectiveness of such programs o n cultural competence behaviors and client outcomes, limited research has explored professionals' perceptions of cross-cultural educational representations (such as cultural consciousness and cultural competence) and the magnitude to which they and their administrations implement these values in preparation. In light of this gap, this study is directed to investigate the perceptions of healthcare professionals regarding customarily competent care, their involvements with multicultural patients, their own levels of cultural competence, and the degree to which they believe their cultural competencies discourse multicultural encounters. Data for this study are collected from a sample of 56 healthcare professionals affiliated with a Baghdad university in Iraq, representing various healthcare systems. A 19-item questionnaire, consisting of open-ended inquiries and multiple-choice items, is used to gather participants' perspectives and experiences. The majority of participants seem to perceive cross-cultural education primarily from a "cultural awareness" perspective. They emphasize on the importance of possessing practical cultural knowledge, such as understanding norms and customs, and facilitating communication through the use of interpreters. The study participants pay little attention to the principles of systemic cross-cultural approaches, such as cultural competence, cultural safety, and addressing issues like racism, power imbalances, and biases ingrained in the majority culture. Additionally, the need for self-reflection and awareness of personal prejudices was rarely acknowledged.

Sun Exposure and Usage of Sun Protection: Knowledge, Perception and Practice among University Students.

Exposure to the sun is vital for the body but is associated with problem ranging from pigmentation to cancer. Therefore, knowledge about protective measures is critical. This study aims to assess undergraduate students' knowledge, perception and practices towards the adverse effects of sun exposure and the usage of sun-protective measures. A cross-sectional study was conducted between 1 September 2022 and 20 September 2022 using a web-based questionnaire. Undergraduate students from medical and non-medical colleges in Iraqi universities participated in this study. Descriptive and inferential statistics and logistic regression were performed to analyse the data. A total of 655 students participated in this study. The knowledge level of more than one-half of the students (53%) was inadequate. Approximately three-quarters of the study sample used sunscreens products. Skin type was the main factor in choosing the appropriate sunscreen product. Media and advice from specialists were the main factors affecting participants' usage of sunscreens. Gender (females), college (medical), year(s) of study (sixth), residence (urban), daily sun exposure (1 h-3 h) and less-than-normal vitamin D levels were found to be significantly associated with better knowledge (P-value < 0.05). Age, gender, being a student in medical colleges and not knowing vitamin D levels were found to be significant predictors of participants' knowledge. The low level of knowledge reported among the participants' calls for more attention from health authorities in educating the public about the harmful effects of sun exposure and the importance of adopting protective measures.