Given the paucity and toxicity of available drugs for leishmaniasis, coupled with the advent of drug resistance, the discovery of new therapies for this neglected tropical disease is recognised as being of the utmost urgency. As such antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been proposed as promising compounds against the causative Leishmania species, insect vector-borne protozoan parasites. Here the AMP temporins A, B and 1Sa have been synthesised and screened for activity against Leishmania mexicana insect stage promastigotes and mammalian stage amastigotes, a significant cause of human cutaneous disease. In contrast to previous studies with other species the activity of these AMPs against L. mexicana amastigotes was low. This suggests that ama
... Show MoreThe importance of specifying proper aggregate grading for achieving satisfactory performance in pavement applications has long been recognized. To improve the specifications for superior performance, there is a need to understand how differences in aggregate gradations within the acceptable limits may affect unbound aggregate base behavior. The effects of gradation on strength, modulus, and deformation characteristics of high-quality crushed rock base materials are described here. Two crushed rock types commonly used in constructing heavy-duty granular base layers in the State of Victoria, Australia, with three different gradations each were used in this study. The gradations used represent the lower, medium, and upper gradation li
... Show MoreRare earth elements (Cerium, Lanthanum and Neodymium) doped CdS thin films are prepared using the chemical Spray Pyrolysis Method with temperature 200 oC. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis refers that pure CdS and CdS:Ce, CdS:La and CdS:Nd thin films showed the hexagonal crystalline phase. The crystallite size determined by the Debye-Scherrer equation and the range was (35.8– 23.76 nm), and it was confirmed by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The pure and doped CdS shows a direct band gap (2.57 to 2.72 eV), which was obtained by transmittance. The room-temperature photoluminescence of pure and doped CdS shows large peak at 431 nm, and two small peaks at (530 and 610 nm). The Current – voltage measurement in da
... Show MoreThis work reports the study of heat treatment effect on the structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of poly [3-hexylthiophene] and its blend with [6,6]-phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester ( P3HT:PC61BM). X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements show that the crystallinity of the films increased with annealing. The evaluation of surface roughness and morphology was investigated using atomic force microscope (AFM), and field emission scanning microscope(FESEM). The optical properties were emphasized a strong optical absorption of P3HT compared with the blend. Hall effect measurement was used to study the electrical properties which revealed there is an increase in the electrical conductivity and Hall mobility of th
... Show MoreThis work examines numerically the effects of particle size, particle thermal conductivity and inlet velocity of forced convection heat transfer in uniformly heated packed duct. Four packing material (Aluminum, Alumina, Glass and Nylon) with range of thermal conductivity (from200 W/m.K for Aluminum to 0.23 W/m.K for Nylon), four particle diameters (1, 3, 5 and 7 cm), inlet velocity ( 0.07, 0.19 and 0.32 m/s) and constant heat flux ( 1000, 2000 and 3000 W/ m 2) were investigated. Results showed that heat transfer (average Nusselt number Nuav) increased with increasing packing conductivity; inlet velocity and heat flux, but decreased with increasing particle size.Also, Aluminum average Nusselt number is about (0.85,2.
... Show MoreMauddud formation is one of the most prominent formations in Northeastern Iraq due to its significant hydrocarbon reserves, making accurate geomechanical characterization essential for safe drilling operations and informed development planning. This study constructs a calibrated post-drill one dimensional mechanical earth model (1D-MEM) for selected wells, levering Techlog software to integrate rock mechanical data, image logs, multi-arm caliper measurements, conventional well logs, drilling reports, and core analyses. The methodology provides a detailed workflow for estimating geomechanical properties from log and image analysis to model calibration. Validation of the 1-D MEM performed through cross-comparison with direct me
... Show MoreThe study aims to identify the effect of training with weight added to different parts of the body in improving the biomechanical variables of the last step and upgrading the high jump for young people, the research was applied to one of the elite high jumpers for young people, and video imaging and kinetic analysis were conducted to extract the variables under study, and then the jumper underwent For the proposed exercises by 3 training units per week for a period of (8) weeks, in which emphasis was placed on improving the rotational forces (moments) of these parts, and then the post-tests were conducted, and the researcher concluded that the exercises applied and the added weights for all parts of the body (leg, thigh, trunk, and arms) le
... Show MoreBackground: For decades, the use of naturally accessible materials in treating human disease has been widespread. The goal of this study was to determine the anti-fungal effectiveness /of the lemongrass essential oil (LGEO) versus Candida albicans (C. albicans) adhesion to polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) materials. Material and methods: LGEO's anti-fungal activity was tested against C. albicans adhesion using the following concentration of LGEO in PMMA monomer (2.5 vol. %, 5 vol. % LGEO) selected from the pilot study as the best two effective concentrations. A total of 40 specimens were fabricated for the candida adherence test and were subdivided into four equal groups: negative control 0 vol. % addition, experimental with 2.5 vol. % and
... Show MoreThe performance of a vapor compression refrigeration system (VCRS)-based residential air conditioner operating in a high-ambient temperature (HAT) country was investigated using six zero-ODP (ozone depletion potential) refrigerants as replacements to R22. The non-flammable alternative refrigerants considered in the present research were R134a, R404A, R407C, R410A, R448A, and R507A. Using the basic conservation laws, the VCRS was modeled during steady-state operation and solved using engineering equation solver (EES) software. Coefficient of performance (COP), pressures and temperatures at compressor suction and discharge, Global Warming Potential (GWP), critical pressure and temperature, compressor
An experiment was conducted to study the effect of the sprayer type according to the source of power and the size of the spray nozzle concerning the quality of the spray produced and fuel consumption.Two types of sprayers were used: a conventional boom sprayer (S1) and a modified (electrified) boom sprayer (S2), along with three sizes of the XR TeeJet 110 spray nozzle (N). The following technical performance indicators were examined: Density of coverage (drops/cm2) using ImageJ software, a 600dpi business card scanner, specifically the ScanShell 800N by CSSN, Inc, and water-sensitive paper (WSP), rate of spray nozzles discharge (ml/min), and fuel consumption (liters/hectare) using a c