This study aimed to isolate and identify Cryptococcus species from three distinct sources: sputum samples of pigeon fanciers, dried pigeon droppings, and eucalyptus tree leaves. A total of 150 specimens were collected over a two-month period, comprising 50 samples each from human sputum, pigeon droppings collected across various areas of Baghdad, and eucalyptus leaves obtained from the Baghdad College of Veterinary Medicine. All samples were cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar supplemented with chloramphenicol and incubated at 25°C for 2–3 days. From the initial cultures, 20 isolates presumptively identified as Cryptococcus spp. were obtained: 6 isolates (12%) from human sputum, 9 isolates (18%) from pigeon droppings, and 5 isolates (10%) from eucalyptus leaves, giving an overall recovery rate of 13.3%. Molecular identification using PCR was employed to detect two key virulence genes: CAP64 (associated with capsule formation) and LAC1 (involved in melanin production). These genes were detected in 13 out of 14 confirmed Cryptococcus isolates (92.85%). Specifically, 75% of C. neoformans isolates from human samples carried these genes, while the C. albidus isolate lacked them. All Cryptococcus isolates from pigeon droppings and eucalyptus leaves tested positive for both virulence genes (100%).
Several stress-strain models were used to predict the strengths of steel fiber reinforced concrete, which are distinctive of the material. However, insufficient research has been done on the influence of hybrid fiber combinations (comprising two or more distinct fibers) on the characteristics of concrete. For this reason, the researchers conducted an experimental program to determine the stress-strain relationship of 30 concrete samples reinforced with two distinct fibers (a hybrid of polyvinyl alcohol and steel fibers), with compressive strengths ranging from 40 to 120 MPa. A total of 80% of the experimental results were used to develop a new empirical stress-strain model, which was accomplished through the application of the parti
... Show MoreGundelia, a genus of flowering plants native to the Mediterranean region, particularly in Iraq, holds promise as a sustainable adsorbent for the treatment of dye-polluted water. This study explores the potential of Gundelia seeds (GS) waste as a biobased adsorbent for removing methylene blue dye from synthesized wastewater. Utilizing various analytical techniques, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), we assessed GS as an active adsorbent with performance comparable to fabricated and expensive composites. Key parameters such as pH (3-11), pH at the point of zero charge, temperature (298-328 K), dose (0.02-0.1 g), dye concentration (10-50 ppm), and
... Show MoreCircular thin walled structures have wide range of applications. This type of structure is generally exposed to different types of loads, but one of the most important types is a buckling. In this work, the phenomena of buckling was studied by using finite element analysis. The circular thin walled structure in this study is constructed from; cylindrical thin shell strengthen by longitudinal stringers, subjected to pure bending in one plane. In addition, Taguchi method was used to identify the optimum combination set of parameters for enhancement of the critical buckling load value, as well as to investigate the most effective parameter. The parameters that have been analyzed were; cylinder shell thickness, shape of stiffeners section an
... Show MoreMr. Talib Al-Rifai embarked on his political journey at an early stage, engaging in Islamic activism at the age of twenty-two in 1953. During this period, he established strong connections with numerous figures and members affiliated with Sunni Islamic parties, which expanded his sphere of influence and social network. Despite his close interaction with these organizations, he was careful to maintain his independence and avoided formal affiliation with any specific party or organized movement. Al-Rifai distinguished himself by his ability to engage with diverse Islamic currents while maintaining his intellectual independence, which provided him with significant flexibility and enabled him to cultivate a broad network of relationshi
... Show MoreReal Time Extended (RTX) technology works to take advantage of real-time data comes from the global network of tracking stations together with inventor locating and compression algorithms to calculate and relaying the orbit of satellite, satellite atomic clock, and any other systems corrections to the receivers, which lead to real-time correction with high accuracy. These corrections will be transferred to the receiver antenna by satellite (where coverage is available) and by IP (Internet Protocol) for the rest of world to provide the accurate location on the screen of smartphone or tablet by using specific software. The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of Global Navig