Flexible pavements are considered an essential element of transportation infrastructure. So, evaluations of flexible pavement performance are necessary for the proper management of transportation infrastructure. Pavement condition index (PCI) and international roughness index (IRI) are common indices applied to evaluate pavement surface conditions. However, the pavement condition surveys to calculate PCI are costly and time-consuming as compared to IRI. This article focuses on developing regression models that predict PCI from IRI. Eighty-three flexible pavement sections, with section length equal to 250 m, were selected in Al-Diwaniyah, Iraq, to develop PCI-IRI relationships. In terms of the quantity and severity of each observed distress, the pavement condition surveys were conducted by actually walking through all the sections. Using these data, PCI was calculated utilizing Micro PAVER software. Dynatest Road Surface Profiler (RSP) was used to collect IRI data of all the sections. Using the SPSS software, linear and nonlinear regressions have been used for developing two models between PCI and IRI based on the collected data. These models have the coefficients of determination (R2) equal to 0.715 and 0.722 for linear and quadratic models. Finally, the results indicate the linear and quadratic models are acceptable to predict PCI from IRI directly.
In the present paper, chitosan Schiff base has been synthesized from chitosan’s reaction with the salicyldehyde. The AuNPs was manufacture by extract of onion peels as a reducing agent. The Au NPs that have been prepared were characterized through the UV-vis spectroscopy, XRD analyses and SEM microscopy. The polymer blends of the chitosan Schiff base / PVP has been prepared through using the approach of solution casting. Chitosan Schiff base / PVP Au nano-composites was prepared. Nano composites and polymer blends have been characterized by FTIR which confirm the formation of Schiff base by revealing a new band of absorption at 1651cm-1 as a result of the (C=N) imine group. SEM, DSC and TGA confirms the thermal stability of the pr
... Show MoreThe incidence of disease and damage will increase, if environmental control and acceptable management practices are not provided during the rearing period. Ascites affect young broilers with rapid growth, and the most critical factor in causing ascites syndrome is the lack of oxygen in body tissues (hypoxia). This research aimed to investigate the effect of olive leaves hydroalcoholic extract and probiotics (LactoFeed) on experimental ascites caused by levothyroxine in male broiler chickens. The present study was an interventional type, and for its implementation, a single-factor design was used in eight groups with 3 replicates. Data were analyzed based on a one-way analysis of variance. Blood parameters of male chick
... Show MoreBackground In recent years, there has been a notable increase in the level of attention devoted to exploring capabilities of nanoparticles, specifically gold nanoparticles AuNPs, within context of modern times. AuNPs possess distinct biophysical properties, as a novel avenue as an antibacterial agent targeting Streptococcus Mutans and Candida Albicans. The aim of this study to create a nano-platform that has the potential to be environmentally sustainable, in addition to exhibiting exceptional antimicrobial properties against Streptococcus Mutans as well as Candida Albicans. Methods this study involved utilization of
A simple, environmental friendly and selective sample preparation technique employing porous membrane protected micro-solid phase extraction (μ-SPE) loaded with molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) for the determination of ochratoxin A (OTA) is described. After the extraction, the analyte was desorbed using ultrasonication and was analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography. Under the optimized conditions, the detection limits of OTA for coffee, grape juice and urine were 0.06 ng g−1, 0.02 and 0.02 ng mL−1, respectively while the quantification limits were 0.19 ng g−1, 0.06 and 0.08 ng mL−1, respectively. The recoveries of OTA from coffee spiked at 1, 25 and 50 ng g−1, grape juice and urine samples at 1, 25 and 50 ng mL
... Show MoreA chemometric method, partial least squares regression (PLS) was applied for the simultaneous determination of piroxicam (PIR), naproxen (NAP), diclofenac sodium (DIC), and mefenamic acid (MEF) in synthetic mixtures and commercial formulations. The proposed method is based on the use of spectrophotometric data coupled with PLS multivariate calibration. The Spectra of drugs were recorded at concentrations in the linear range of 1.0 - 10 μg mL-1 for NAP and from 1.0 - 20 μg mL-1 for PIR, DIC, and MEF. 34 sets of mixtures were used for calibration and 10 sets of mixtures were used for validation in the wavelength range of 200 to 400 nm with the wavelength interval λ = 1 nm in methanol. This method has been used successfully to quant
... Show MoreSoftware-defined networks (SDN) have a centralized control architecture that makes them a tempting target for cyber attackers. One of the major threats is distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. It aims to exhaust network resources to make its services unavailable to legitimate users. DDoS attack detection based on machine learning algorithms is considered one of the most used techniques in SDN security. In this paper, four machine learning techniques (Random Forest, K-nearest neighbors, Naive Bayes, and Logistic Regression) have been tested to detect DDoS attacks. Also, a mitigation technique has been used to eliminate the attack effect on SDN. RF and KNN were selected because of their high accuracy results. Three types of ne
... Show MoreBackground The appropriate disposal of medication is a well-recognized issue that has convened growing recognition in several contexts. Insufficient awareness relating to appropriate methods for the disposal of unneeded medicine may result in notable consequences. The current research was conducted among the public in Iraq with the aim of examining their knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding the proper disposal of unused and expired medicines. Methods The present study used an observational cross-sectional design that was community-based. The data were obtained from using an online questionnaire. The study sample included people of diverse genders, regardless of their race or occupational status. The study mandated that all pa
... Show MoreThe present study aimed to investigate the possible production of Thioflavin T and the effect of NaCl concentrations and growth phases on the growth rate, doubling time and proline of C. saipanensis N. Hanagata (Scenedesmaceae, Shaerophleales). The alga was cultured in BG 11 medium and six NaCl concentrations were used in the experiments during different growth phases. The results have unveiled the presence of Triflavin T in the alga. The study results showed a growth rate decrease at all NaCl concentrations except in control treatment, while the doubling time, was recorded highest value (14 days) at the NaCl concentration of 0.08 M. The highest value of Proline (0.509 mg. Lˉ¹) was recorded at the treatment of 0.08 M of NaCl and recorded
... Show MoreAbstract: Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) are the most common bacterial infection in humans and a major cause of morbidity and they are the most common cause of hospital visits worldwide. Proper knowledge in identifying factors associated with urinary tract infection may allow the intervention to easily control of the disease in a timely manner. Therefore, the purpose of the study is determining the prevalence of UTI, diagnosis of causative bacterial agents and identifying the factors associated to the urinary tract infection among patients attending Medical City Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq. A total of 237, morning mid-stream urine samples were collected aseptically and the samples were diagnosed according to the standard methods. I
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