Among the undesirable effects of soil compaction is a measurable reduction in plant growth and crop yield. The prevailing belief is that compacted tillage pans are caused by repetitive farming practices, heavy tractors, tillage tools, and field traffic. This experiment was conducted to determine and map the hardpan layers across an agricultural field through advanced technologies of precision agriculture. These valuable techniques such as data logger, yield map, and data analysis of performance indicators were linked with accurate global positioning systems (GPS) datasets. These important technologies provided the farmers and helped them to identify and manage areas of the fields with higher compacted layers. Three ground speeds 4.3
... Show MoreMetallic nanoparticles are increasingly studied for their biomedical applications due to their unique physicochemical and catalytic properties. Here, a broccoli-mediated gold/platinum nanohybrid (Au@Pt NH) was synthesized using an ultrasound-assisted green method with an aqueous extract of Brassica oleracea var. italica for multifunctional biomedical evaluation. XRD and TEM confirmed a crystalline nanohybrid with an average crystallite size of 7.56 nm and a mean particle diameter of 13.08 ± 7.58 nm. The broccoli extract produced no inhibition zones, whereas Au@Pt NH inhibited Staphylococcus aureus (18 mm), Staphylococcus epidermidis (21 mm), Escherichia coli (18 mm), Klebsiella pneumoniae (20 mm), and Candida albicans (21 mm). In vivo,
... Show MoreObjectives: This study aimed to assess patterns of coffee consumption among medical students at Al-Kindy College of Medicine, evaluate awareness of its benefits and adverse effects, and explore possible associations between caffeine intake and menstrual characteristics among female students.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2023 and February 2024 among 297 undergraduate medical students selected by convenience sampling. Data were collected through a validated, self-administered online questionnaire covering sociodemographic characteristics, coffee-drinking habits, perceived effects, and menstrual patterns. Descriptive and inferential analyses were performed using SPSS version 25. Association
... Show MoreSilver/polyvinyl alcohol (Ag/PVA) nanocomposite films were synthesized via solution casting with varying concentrations of Ag nanoparticles (1–5 wt%). A comprehensive investigation was conducted to understand the influence of Ag content on the structural, optical, mechanical, thermal, electrical, and antibacterial properties of the composites. UV-Vis spectroscopy revealed a red shift in absorption peaks and a reduction in the optical band gap, which decreased from 3.78 eV for pure PVA to 3.37 eV for the 5 wt% Ag composite. FTIR and SEM analyses confirmed successful nanoparticle incorporation and morphological changes. The nanocomposites exhibited enhanced tensile strength, elongation at break, Young’s modulus, and hardness due t
... Show MoreMethicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the principal nosocomial causative agents. This bacterium has the capability to resist wide range of antibiotics and it is responsible for many diseases like skin, nose and wounds infection. In this study, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR was applied with ten random primers to examine the molecular diversity among methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates in the hospitals and to investigate the genetic distance between them. 90 Isolates were collected from clinical specimens from Iraqi hospitals for a total of 90 isolates. Only 10 strains (11.11%) were found to be MRSA. From these 10 primers, only 9 gave clear amplification products. 91 fragment l
... Show MoreNH3 gas sensor was fabricated based on deposited of Functionalized Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs-OH) suspension on filter paper substrates using suspension filtration method. The structural, morphological and optical properties of the MWCNTs film were characterized by XRD, AFM and FTIR techniques. XRD measurement confirmed that the structure of MWCNTs is not affected by the preparation method. The AFM images reflected highly ordered network in the form of a mat. The functional groups and types of bonding have appeared in the FTIR spectra. The fingerprint (C-C stretch) of MWCNTs appears in 1365 cm-1, and the backbone of CNTs observed at 1645 cm-1. A homemade sensi
... Show MoreThe ability of beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) to uptake three pharmaceuticals (diclofenac, mefenamic acid and metronidazole) from two types of soil (clay and sandy soil) was investigated in this study to explore the human exposure to these pharmaceuticals via the consumption of beans. A pot experiment was conducted with beans plants which were grown in two types of soil for six weeks under controlled conditions. During the experiment period, the soil pore water was collected weekly and the concentrations of the test compounds in soil pore water as well as in plant organs (roots, stems and leaves) were weekly determined.
The results showed that the studied pharmaceuticals were detected in all plant tissues; their concentration
A study of non-diatom algal species composition in twelve sites from Greater Zab River path within
Erbil Province, was carried out from April 2021 to January 2022 with monthly sample collection in twelve studied sites. Among them site 4,5,6,7 and 9 are the first for algal study in this area. The 112 different species of algae belong to 33 genera, 25 families, 13 orders and 4 divisions have been identified. The predominant genera included Spirogyra and Cosmarium 17, 8 taxa respectively. 13 taxa were new recorded to Iraqi
Kurdistan algal flora and 9 of them were new recorded to Iraqi algal flora: Botryosphaerella sudetica, Muriella magna, Gloeotaenium loitlesbergianum, Apiocystis brauniana, Anabaena oscillarioides, C. distentum