A Financial Behavior Measurement Model to Evaluate the Financial Markets

Purpose: This study examines the relationship between the financial behavior measurement models and evaluate the financial markets all sectors listed on Iraq Stock Exchange. The current study also to develop a quantitative model for measuring the financial behavior of investors in the financial markets, and thus knowing their behavior, therefore, determining the efficiency of the investment sectors that are being traded.   Theoretical framework: Quantitatively measuring the financial behavior of investors is one of the important issues that have occupied specialists in the financial field due to its close relationship with the level of market efficiency, as well its global indexes. Financial behavior among the behavioral concepts related to the general situation of the investor whether with the knowledge, he possesses or the social situation in which he is present.   Design/methodology/approach: The study uses the Quantitative and mathematical analysis. The sample data of this study includes the period from 2004, the date of the establishment of the Iraq Financial Market, until 2020.   Findings: The study reveals consistent results with the model. The results show that the proposed model can be applied in any of the financial markets to know investors' behavior and show efficiency for the sectors in the financial market, as well important findings of the study is the inefficiency of most sectors. In addition to that, some sectors in it with performance and efficiency are almost the same during the study period.   Research, Practical & Social implications: This study helps Investors and companies on determining the efficient sectors and therefore identifying profitable sectors and selecting them for trading.   Originality/value: The findings suggest several Important results for the fields Financial behavior, and efficiency evaluation in financial markets, It has been developed a quantitative model for measuring the financial behavior of investors in the financial markets, and thus knowing their behavior. The model has proven successful in identifying profitable and losing sectors in the Iraq Stock Exchang

EVALUATION OF THE TOXOCELL LATEX AGGLUTINATION TEST AS SCREENING TEST AND DISTRIBUTION OF TOXOPLASMA ANTIBODIES AMONG SEXUALLY ACTIVE PEOPLE IN NAJAF CITY

The present study was intended to reveal the validity of Toxocell (Biokit, Spain) latex agglutination test as screening test. The rate of toxoplasma antibodies distribution in randomly selected subjects was estimated. The sensitivity and specificity of the test were conducted in comparison to the "gold standard" reference test Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA, BioCheck, Inc).Fifty two adult persons (31 females and 21 males) were enrolled in this study. Twenty (38.4%) serum samples out of 52 subjects were positive for toxoplasma antibodies by direct latex agglutination test (DLA). The prevalence of toxoplasma antibodies in females and males were 54.8% and 14.28%, respectively. Among twenty DLA sera positive, only 5(25%) serum samples were positive with toxoplasma IgG ELISA test, three females and two males. However, the results of IgM ELISA assay were positive for only two (10%) female serum samples. None of negative DLA serum samples gave positive results with neither IgG nor IgM ELISA assay.The sensitivity and specificity and positive predictive value (PPV) of DLA test ( in comparison to IgM ELISA assay) were 100%, 64% and 10%, respectively. We concluded that in spite of low specificity of latex agglutination test, it was probably more suitable for laboratories in remote area as screening test where ELISA facility was unavailable

Prevalence of intestinal helminthes in feral cats in Babylon province/ Iraq, urban and rural locations

This study carried on fifty seven feral cats in Babylon province urban and rural locations. The cats euthanized and examined for gastrointestinal helminthes (GI). The results revealed that all examined cats were infected by one or more GI helminthes, which were including Toxocara cati, Toxascaris leonina, Ancylostoma tubaeforme, Pterygodermatites cahirensis, Dipylidium caninum, Dipylidium nölleri, Taenia taeniaeformis and Joyeuxiella pasqualei. The highest prevalence nematode occurred in urban habitant cats was Toxocara cati (43.75%) and the lowest was Pterygodermatites cahirensis (12.5%). However, in rural habitant cat, the highest prevalence rate of nematode was Physaloptera praeputialis and Toxocara cati (24%) followed by Ancylostoma tubaeforme (16%) and Pterygodermatites cahirensis (4 %). Among cestodes helminthes, the most prevalence species in urban habitant cat was Taenia taeniaeformis (31.25%) followed by Diplopylidium nölleri (25%), Dipylidium caninum (21.88%) and Joyeuxiella pasqualei (12.5 %.). In rural habitant cats, the most prevalent cestode was Diplopylidium nölleri (52%), followed by Diplopylidium caninum (36%), Taenia taeniaeformis (32%) and Joyeuxiella pasqualei (20%)

Dirofilaria immitis infestation in imported police (K-9) dogs in Iraq:: clinicopathological and molecular investigations study

Dirofilaria immitis, the cause of heartworm infestation (HWI) or dirofilariasis, affects members of the Canidae and remains a worldwide clinical problem. In Iraq, dirofilariasis was believed absent until 2009, when the Karbala Governorate was reported as an endemic area for canine dirofilariasis. Consequently, this study intended to investigate the occurrence of Dirofilaria immitis in police dogs in one police academy in Iraq and to study the gross and histopathological changes in 5 dead dogs, as well as to identify the species of the causative parasite using PCR technique. Thirty-nine police dogs, aged between 6 months and 12 years were included in this study. For the microfilariae investigation, 5 ml blood samples were collected from all dogs in EDTA tubes and examined by Knott’s method. The systemic necropsy performed in five dead dogs showed severe clinical signs of dirofilariasis and tissue specimens were sent for routine histopathological processing. For the molecular analysis, adult worms of the detected Dirofilaria spp. were used for DNA extraction andamplification of the cox1 gene. Fifteen of 39 (38.46%) dogs were diagnosed with moderate to severe microfilariasis. The dead dogs revealed typical severe clinical signs of dirofilariasis. Moreover, typical gross and histopathological changes were also seen, accompanied by generalized thromboembolic lesions, suggesting the occurrence of the caval syndrome. The PCR investigation confirmed that D. immitis was the species present in Iraq. In conclusion, this study establishes that Iraq is a newly reported endemic area for dirofilariasis. Moreover, the infestation occurring in these cases most probably happened inside Iraq. The authors recommend doing further epidemiological studies concerning the occurrence of D. immitis in local dogs as well as in the imported dogs in all Iraqi governorates to better understand the epidemiological map of this disease and to introduce an active treatment and preventive program. Awareness and education regarding this disease should be provided to the veterinarians, dog guiders and people in direct contact with dogs, as this disease is one of the important zoonotic diseases.A Dirofilaria immitis, causadora da infestação pelo verme do coração (IVC) ou dirofilariose afeta os membros da família Canidae e ainda é um problema clínico mundial. Até o ano de 2009, acreditava-se que o Iraque fosse livre da dirofilariose, porém nessa ocasião a governadoria de Kerbala foi relatada como uma área endêmica de dirofilariose. Assim, o presente trabalho foi realizado para investigar a ocorrência da Dirofilaria immitis em cães policiais em uma academia de polícia do Iraque, estudar as alterações macroscópicas e histopatológicas em cinco cães mortos, bem como, identificar as espécies do parasita causador com o emprego da técnida de PCR. Trinta e nove cães policiais com 6 meses a 12 anos de idade foram incluídos no estudo. Amostras de sangue de cinco mililitros foram colhidas por animal, em tubos com EDTA e foram examinadas pelo método de Knott. A necropsia sistêmica foi realizada em cinco cães que haviamapresentado sinais clínicos severos de dirofilariose e espécimens dos seus tecidos foram enviados para o processamento histopatológico de rotina. Para a análise molecular dos vermes adultos de Dirofilaria spp, foi empregada a extração do DNA e a amplificação do gene cox1. Quinze de 39(38,46%) cães foram diagnosticados com uma microfilariase variável de moderada para severa. As alterações macroscópicas e histopatológicas foram acompanhadas por lesões generalizadas tromboembólicas sugestivas da ocorrência da síndrome da veia cava. A investigação de PCR confirmou que a D.immitis era a espécie presente no Iraque. A conclusão do estudo estabeleceu que o Iraque deve passar a ser considerado como uma nova área endêmica da dirofilariose. Além da infestação registrada nos casos descritos é provável que ela também esteja presente em outras regiões do Iraque. Os autores recomendam a realização de estudos epidemiológicos para investigar a ocorrência de D.immitis tanto nos cães locais bem como em cães importados em todas as governadorias do Iraque, para ser construído o mapa epidemiológico da distribuição da doença e implantadas as ações de tratamento e de um progrma preventivo. Ações de educação em saúde sobre a doença deverão ser dirigidas para os veterinários, tratadores de cães e para pessoas em geral que tenham contato com os cães, pois esta doença é uma importante zoonose

Burnout among surgeons before and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: an international survey

Background: SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has had many significant impacts within the surgical realm, and surgeons have been obligated to reconsider almost every aspect of daily clinical practice. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study reported in compliance with the CHERRIES guidelines and conducted through an online platform from June 14th to July 15th, 2020. The primary outcome was the burden of burnout during the pandemic indicated by the validated Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure. Results: Nine hundred fifty-four surgeons completed the survey. The median length of practice was 10 years; 78.2% included were male with a median age of 37 years old, 39.5% were consultants, 68.9% were general surgeons, and 55.7% were affiliated with an academic institution. Overall, there was a significant increase in the mean burnout score during the pandemic; longer years of practice and older age were significantly associated with less burnout. There were significant reductions in the median number of outpatient visits, operated cases, on-call hours, emergency visits, and research work, so, 48.2% of respondents felt that the training resources were insufficient. The majority (81.3%) of respondents reported that their hospitals were included in the management of COVID-19, 66.5% felt their roles had been minimized; 41% were asked to assist in non-surgical medical practices, and 37.6% of respondents were included in COVID-19 management. Conclusions: There was a significant burnout among trainees. Almost all aspects of clinical and research activities were affected with a significant reduction in the volume of research, outpatient clinic visits, surgical procedures, on-call hours, and emergency cases hindering the training. Trial registration: The study was registered on clicaltrials.gov "NCT04433286" on 16/06/2020

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Financial Technology and its Role in Achieving Sustainable Development

هدفت هذه الدراسة بشكل أساسي الى ايضاح دور التكنولوجيا المالية كتجربة مالية حديثة في القطاع المصرفي ودورها في تمكين هذا القطاع من تحقيق تنمية اقتصادية واجتماعية&nbsp;من خلال تمكين مختلف الفئات الاجتماعية من اقتناء الخدمات الالكترونية والاستفادة منها في تلبية حاجاتهم، اذ اعتمدت الدراسة على المنهج الوصفي التحليلي في دراسة الجوانب&nbsp;المجتلفة للتكنولوجيا المالية والتنمية المستدامة واختبار فرضية البحث من خلال عمل استبانة من 22 فقرة وقد تم تحليلها على وفق البرنامج الاحصائي spss&nbsp; فضلا عن قياس&nbsp;صدق وثبات الاستبانة من خلال اختبار درجة المصداقية بمعامل الفا كرومباخ وذلك لغرض اختبار وقياس درجة المصداقية في الاستجابات الواردة عن أ أسئلة&nbsp;الاستبانه، اذ تكمن مشكلة البحث في بيان دور التكنولوجيا المالية في تحقيق عمليات التنمية المستدامة، والتي على أساسها تم قبول الفرضية البديلة وقد توصل البحث الى ان&nbsp;هناك دور كبير للتكنولوجيا المالية في تحقيق جوانب تنموية اقتصادية واجتماعية مختلفة، كما توصل البحث الى جملة من التوصيات أهمها ان استخدام ابتكارات ومميزات التكنولوجيا&nbsp;المالية في تقديم الخدمات المصرفية يساهم بشكل كبير في تحقيق التنمية الاقتصاديةThis study aimed mainly to clarify the role of financial technology as a modern financial experience in th banking sector and its role in enabling this sector to achieve economic and social development by enabling various social groups to acquire electronic services and benefit from them in meeting their needs, as the study relied on the descriptive analytical approach in Study the various aspects of financial technology and sustainable development and test the research&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; hypothesis by doing a questionnaire of 29 items, It was analyzed according to the statistical program (spss) as well as measuring the validity and consistency of the questionnaire by testing the degree of reliability in the alpha Krumbach factor, for the purpose of testing and measuring the degree of credibility (reliability) in the responses to the questionnaire, as the research problem lies in explaining the role of financial technology in achieving sustainable development operations, on the basis of which the alternative hypothesis was accepted and the research has concluded that there is a large role for financial technology in Achieving various aspects of economic and social development. The research also reached a number of recommendations, the most important of which is that the use of innovations and features of financial technology in providing banking services contributes significantly to achieving economic developmen

THE INCIDENCE OF ULTRASOUND DIAGNOSED UTERINE ABNORMALITIES RELATED TO MISCARRIAGE RATES – A LOCAL AUDIT

Introduction. Uterine abnormalities are traditionally presented as the cause of pregnancy loss at specific time of pregnancy, mostly at the first or second trimester. The aim of the current study is to use ultrasound to identify the relationship between the incidence of uterine abnormalities and miscarriage at different stages of pregnancy. Patient and method. 174 cases of women with miscarriage have been examined by transabdominal and transvaginal ultrasound. The patient age was from (18 to 45) years and the data collected over eight month from five different hospitals. Results. The age group of (26-35 years) has the largest percentage of miscarriage among other tested age groups with 40.8% in (71cases). Also it was found that single miscarriage was presented in most of the cases. Miscarriage in women with uterine abnormalities was found in 46.6% of the cases. The major uterine anomalies were bicornuate, septate, arcuate and unicornuate uterus which present in (24.69%, 19.75%, 9.88% and, 7.41%) respectively. Other ultrasound findings were fibroid, cervical incompetence and endometriosis which occur in (14.81%, 13, 58 % and, 9.88%) correspondingly. Conclusions. Pregnancy loss is likely to occur in women with bicornuate and septate uterus more than any other uterine anomalies, while the incidences are fewer in women with unicornuate uterus. Furthermore, uterine fibroid is present to be one of the major uterine diseases which can have negative impact on pregnant women, also cervical incompetence and endometriosis are considered as important factors, which can cause pregnancy loss that required further evidence

The Financial Technology (Fintech) and cybersecurity: Evidence from Iraqi banks

In this paper, we investigate the definition of Fintech and measure the extent of the impact of Fintech variables on the Cybersecurity as the dependent variable. The hypotheses developed by the authors which are based on research through the statistical results of the research variables and as all correlation coefficients were a positive relationship and at the level of significance 0.01 which made the authors accept the correlation hypotheses, and for the results of the influence factor between the research variables it also had a positive effect when the level of 0.05 for all sections of the independent variable, as we have also noticed that the influence of the independent variable of financial technology when linked to all of its sections with Cybersecurity. We find the influence of the influence coefficient significantly increased to 0.908, which explains that there is a complementarity between the sections of the independent variable