Microbiological contamination by fungi impacts the quality and safety of wheat grain storage. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of cold plasma in restricting the growth of the fungus, Aspergillus niger, which was isolated from wheat grains. A dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) operating at atmospheric pressure generated cold plasma that was used to treat the fungus, and the impact of this treatment was investigated at various periods 1, 2, 4, 6, and 15 minutes. The results revealed a highly significant decrease in the growth and number of spores of Aspergillus niger compared to the controls. This study revealed an efficient technique for enhancing wheat grain storage that could be a foundation for further large-scale studies.
Normal concrete is weak against tensile strength, has low ductility, and also insignificant resistance to cracking. The addition of diverse types of fibers at specific proportions can enhance the mechanical properties as well as the durability of concrete. Discrete fiber commonly used, has many disadvantages such as balling the fiber, randomly distribution, and limitation of the Vf ratio used. Based on this vision, a new technic was discovered enhancing concrete by textile-fiber to avoid all the problems mentioned above. The main idea of this paper is the investigation of the mechanical properties of SCC, and SCM that cast with 3D AR-glass fabric having two different thicknesses (6, 10 mm), and different layers (1,2 laye
... Show MoreGeotechnical engineers have always been concerned with the stabilization of slopes. For this purpose,
various methods such as retaining walls, piles, and geosynthetics may be used to increase the safety factor of slopes prone to failure. The application of stone columns may also be another potential alternative for slope stabilization. Such columns have normally been used for cohesive soil improvement. Most slope analysis and design is based on deterministic approach i.e a set of single valued design parameter are adopted and a set of single valued factor of safety (FOS) is determined. Usually the FOS is selected in view of the understanding and knowledge of the material parameters, the problem geometry, the method of analysis and the
The Makhoul Dam project proposed to be established is considered one of the strategic projects in Iraq as it works to insurance large quantity of water spare in flood seasons, increase the storage capacity of the dams in Iraq, as well as increase food security. The Makhool Dam is located on Tigris River in Salah al-Din Governorate, and 8 km south of the meeting point of the Tigris River with the Lower Zab River. The lake area is about 256 km2. In this research, a mathematical model was prepared by using HEC-RAS Two Dimension Software to analyze the velocity patterns and water depths inside makhool dam reservoir at the highest operational water elevation, based on the designs prepared
The management of anger is problematic for many people and it is a particularly important issue for persons with substance use disorders (SUD). The paper reviews the research studies dating back to 2005 on how to help persons with SUD manage anger. The literature reveals that various pharmaceutical and non-pharmacological approaches have been studied to help persons with SUD manage their anger. In chronic and lower risk situations non-pharmacological are the first line approaches, they include anger management training, cognitive-behavioral based treatments, exercising and relaxing, music therapy and empathy. Atypical antipsychotic and medications for opioid use disorders (MOUD) are also widely used. In acute and high risk of violen
... Show MoreEffective management of advanced cancer requires systemic treatment including small molecules that target unique features of aggressive tumor cells. At the same time, tumors are heterogeneous and current evidence suggests that a subpopulation of tumor cells, called tumor initiating or cancer stem cells, are responsible for metastatic dissemination, tumor relapse and possibly drug resistance. Classical apoptotic drugs are less effective against this critical subpopulation. In the course of generating a library of open-chain epothilones, we discovered a new class of small molecule anticancer agents that has no effect on tubulin but instead kills selected cancer cell lines by harnessing reactive oxygen
The limitations of conventional cement mortar as a widely used construction material include low tensile capacity, high permeability, and susceptibility to chemical degradation. The increasing demand for durable and sustainable construction materials has led to increased attention in modifying cementitious materials through nanotechnology. This study investigates the influence of nano-silica (NS) and nano-alumina (NA) on the physical, strength-related, and durability characteristics of cement mortar to determine the optimum nanomaterial type and dosage for performance enhancement. Six mortar mixes, in addition to a reference mix, were designed and prepared by adding 1%, 1.5%, and 2% of the cement weight with NS and NA separately, an
... Show MoreBackground: Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most prevalent non-cutaneous malignancy and the second-leading cause of cancer-relatedmortality among males. Cancer is just one of the several disorders that may be linked to variations in trace element concentrations.Objective: To evaluate serum arrestin β-2 as a prostate cancer tumor marker and its association with trace elements.Methods: This case- control study was carried out at the Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Baghdad and at the Urology department, Ghazi Al-Hariri Hospital for Surgical Specialities during the period from March 2022 to May 2023. In this case-control study 120 males were enrolled: Sixty men with newly diagnosed primary prostate cancer (P
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