Lebanese French University

Reliability-based design (RBD) of tunnel concrete linings in weak rocks is challenging due to the uncertainty of geomechanical parameters and the ground-support interaction. This study introduces a transparent and efficient framework that integrates three key components: (1) implicit ground-support equilibrium analysis based on the Convergence-Confinement Method (CCM), (2) probabilistic evaluation of the safety factor ([Formula: see text]), reliability index ([Formula: see text]), and failure probability ([Formula: see text]) and (3) a data-driven surrogate model based on artificial intelligence for rapid parametric analysis. The uncertainties of the rock mass and concrete linings are treated through Monte Carlo sampling, and the outcomes are benchmarked against the First-Order Reliability Method (FORM) to verify accuracy and potential bias. The results are transformed into decision-making charts linking the thickness and compressive strength of concrete linings to target [Formula: see text] levels, thus providing risk-consistent objectives instead of a fixed safety factor criterion. Two types of linings are considered: conventional concrete (with an average uniaxial compressive strength of 20MPa) and fiber-reinforced reactive powder concrete (FRPC, with an average uniaxial compressive strength of 65MPa, developed by the research team). The findings demonstrate that increasing thickness and material quality significantly reduce [Formula: see text], achieving the reliability thresholds required for final tunnel support (2E-5). This effect is more critical at smaller thicknesses and with lower-quality materials. The use of FRPC also leads to a considerable reduction in [Formula: see text] at intermediate thicknesses, making it an efficient option when construction constraints limit thickness increase. The surrogate model successfully reproduces probabilistic trends with high consistency and slight conservatism. Ultimately, the integrated CCM-reliability-artificial intelligence framework bridges the gap between deterministic design and risk management, delivering economical and resilient tunnel lining designs in weak rocks.

Sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] is considered a multipurpose plant with numerous applications and health benefits due to its high nutritional antioxidant, rich in fiber, and vitamins A and C. This study was conducted to determine the optimal harvesting time for sweet potato (Jewel Yams variety) cultivated for the first time in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI). The study was conducted in a RCBD (randomized block design), with five treatments which were harvested in different interval times (70, 90, 110, 130, and 150 days), 7 plants per plot, and 3 replications. After each interval of harvesting, the total yield, individual weight, size, and number of sweet potatoes per plot, as well as sweet potato quality attributes such as sugar content, were assessed using a digital refractometer (ATAGO 3810 PAL-1). The results showed that harvesting time significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected the yield performance of the sweet potatoes. The highest values of tuber weight (265.81 g/plant), average length (36.55 cm), width (36.35 mm), sugar content (6.34%), and total weight per plot (2.79 kg) were recorded in plots harvested 150 days (150 HD). While number of fruits per plant reached a maximum (4.86) in samples harvested after 130 days. In addition, the trends of increasing the total yield per plot compared to the earliest harvest (70 days) are as follows: 349%, 843%, 871%, and 2495% for 90, 110, 130, and 150 days, respectively. It can be concluded that harvesting times have considerable potential for enhancing sweet potato traits in terms of yield and quality. Consequently, this study suggest that farmers may base decisions upon the ultimate tuber size, degree of sweetness, and overall yield per unit area, harvesting at 130–150 days after planting, depending on the tuber maximum or quantity of interest. It is, therefore, concluded that the practice of sweet potato harvest for marketing purposes must be prolonged to 150 days for the KRI to achieve high market quality and profitability.

This review focuses specifically on metal salt–doped PNCs, analyzing how dopant type and concentration influence key parameters such as electronic conductivity, optical bandgap, refractive index, and dielectric permittivity. Reported findings consistently show that higher dopant concentrations narrow the optical bandgap, thereby facilitating electronic transitions, while also enhancing the refractive index through increased polarization of the polymer chains. Electrical measurements reveal that DC conductivity rises with temperature in a thermally activated manner, attributed to phonon-assisted hopping of charge carriers within low-dimensional transport pathways. Dielectric studies indicate that the dielectric constant (ε_r) decreases with increasing frequency, stabilizes at high frequencies, and increases with temperature. Conducting polymers such as polyaniline (PANI) exemplify these structure–property relationships, underscoring the suitability of doped PNCs for sensors, energy storage, microbial detection, displays, and photovoltaic devices. By consolidating and comparing these results, the review provides a framework for understanding how metal salt doping governs the interplay between optical and electrical characteristics in polymer nanocomposites, thereby guiding the rational design of advanced functional materials.

This 2024comprehensive review examines the crucial functions of lipids in neurological health, highlighting their vital contributions to brain structure, function, and pathology. The intricate lipid composition of the brain, comprising phospholipids, sphingolipids, cholesterol, glycolipids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, supports membrane integrity, synaptic transmission, and myelination. Lipid production, metabolism, and transport in the central nervous system are meticulously controlled, necessitating specialised interactions among neurones, glial cells, and the blood-brain barrier. Lipid homeostasis dysregulation is widely acknowledged as playing a critical role in the aetiology of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis, and neuropsychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and depression. These disruptions result in compromised synapse function, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and neuronal injury. The review emphasises bioactive lipids, particularly specialised pro-resolving mediators originating from polyunsaturated fatty acids, which regulate neuroinflammation and enhance neuroprotection. Progress in lipidomics has enabled the discovery of new lipid biomarkers and therapeutic targets, presenting intriguing opportunities for disease diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy. This paper highlights the significance of lipid biology in maintaining brain health and the therapeutic potential of targeting lipid pathways to mitigate the progression of neurological diseases, integrating contemporary lipidomic discoveries and mechanistic knowledge.

Oxidative stress occurs due to an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and the body’s antioxidant defenses, resulting in molecular and cellular damage associated with many diseases. This review systematically examines oxidative stress biomarkers, their molecular foundations, detection techniques, and novel advances that enhance the clinical and research applications of redox biology evaluations, thereby advancing precision medicine in oxidative stress disorders. The biochemical foundation and clinical significance of critical markers are investigated, including malondialdehyde, 4-hydroxynonenal, protein carbonyls, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine, and antioxidant enzymes, as well as advancements in detection methodologies such as chromatography, mass spectrometry, immunoassays, electron spin resonance, and novel biosensor technologies. Moreover, omics-based multi-marker panels and integrated analytical methods provide improved sensitivity, specificity, and mechanistic understanding, facilitating the advancement of precision medicine applications. Challenges such as biomarker specificity, stability, and standardization are examined, with future outlooks emphasizing the potential of modern technologies to enhance oxidative stress evaluation for disease diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy monitoring.

Globalization and technological innovations have led to the widespread usefulness of foreign languages in business. English is perceived as the main language of business across the globe and is being increasingly adopted for various business aspects. This study seeks to determine the effect of English language proficiency on entrepreneurial success. The study employs a qualitative approach in the form of literature in order to identify the recent trends and developments regarding usage of English in entrepreneurship. The study highlights the growing importance of English as the lingua franca of the business landscape. It highlights that English proficiency allows entrepreneurs to grow, expand, command multi-lingual employs and attain competitive advantages in their businesses. The study has implications particularly for entrepreneurs, policy makers as well as other stakeholders. The study revealed that in as much as English is a critical tool in entrepreneurial success, there is a growing opportunity for other languages, and mainly Mandarin as China is becoming a global force to be reckoned with. This opens doors for studies regarding multilingualism for future studies.  

This study provides the first comprehensive characterization and classification of organic microfacies within the globally significant Jurassic hydrocarbon source rocks of Iraqi Kurdistan. This study aims to resolve the knowledge gap in the Jurassic source rocks of northern Iraq by establishing the first organic microfacies classification scheme, utilizing an integrated petrographic and geochemical approach to reconstruct the regional paleoenvironmental evolution and confirm the source rock’s petroleum potential. The Middle–Late Jurassic Sargelu, Naokelekan, and Barsarin formations were investigated using samples from the Mangesh-1 and Sheikhan-8 wells. Using cluster analysis, we identified five distinct organic microfacies (A–E). Microfacies A (highly laminated bituminite), B (laminated/groundmass bituminite), C (laminated rock/lamalginite), and D (massive organic-matter-rich) show the highest hydrocarbon generation potential. The findings reveal a clear paleoenvironmental evolution: the Sargelu Formation was deposited in anoxic open marine conditions (microfacies C, D); the Naokelekan Formation represents a progressively restricted silled basin with intense anoxia leading to condensed sections dominated by microfacies A, which shows the highest source rock potential; and the Barsarin Formation reflects increasing restriction and hypersalinity, showing diverse microfacies (B, C, D, E) that captured variations in marine productivity and terrigenous influx. Principal component analysis (PCA) quantitatively modeled these paleoenvironmental gradients, aligning the distinct organic microfacies and their transitions with conceptual basin models. Geochemical analysis confirms that the organic matter is rich, predominantly Type II kerogen, and thermally mature, falling within the oil window. The presence of solid bitumen, both in situ and as evidence of migration (microfacies E), confirms effective hydrocarbon generation and movement. This integrated approach confirms the significant hydrocarbon potential of these Jurassic successions and highlights the critical role of specific organic microfacies in the region’s petroleum system, providing crucial guidance for future hydrocarbon exploration in northern Iraq.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in Iraq, and chemotherapy often leads to sleep disturbances and emotional strain. Emotional resilience may help patients cope with these challenges. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the relationship between sleep quality and emotional resilience among breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy in Iraq. This cross-sectional study was conducted from August 1st, 2024, to February 13th, 2025, in five major public hospitals across Iraq, using purposive sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire consisting of sociodemographic information, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Adult Resilience Measure-Revised (ARM-R). Statistical analysis was performed using Stata version 12 (StataCorp LLC, College Station, TX). In the study, 433 breast cancer patients were involved. The findings indicated that, on average, participants stated poor sleep quality. They exhibited a high degree of emotional resilience. The analysis showed a significant negative correlation between sleep quality and resilience, suggesting that higher resilience correlates with improved sleep quality. Further multiple linear regression analysis indicated that higher resilience was associated with better sleep quality. Furthermore, age was negatively associated with sleep quality, suggesting that older patients slept slightly better, while physical complications were positively associated with poor sleep quality. The study revealed a significant negative correlation between sleep quality and emotional resilience among breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy in Iraq. Policymakers and healthcare providers are recommended to integrate psychosocial support and resilience-building interventions into oncology care to improve sleep quality and overall wellbeing in this vulnerable population.