The artificial silk (Rayon) was produced from the fronds of date palms which was taken from date palm trees (type Al-Zahdi) from the Iraqi gardens. Two main parts of the frond, namely leaves and stalks were used in this study to produce rayon. The palm fronds were converted into a powder of 90-180 micrometers. Major steps were used to produce rayon; delignification, bleaching and finally dissolution. Modified organosolv method which uses organic solvent method was applied to remove high lignin content. Three variables were studied in the delignification process: temperature, the ratio of ethanol to water and digestion time. The results showed that the best percent of lignin removal was (97%) which occured at; digestion time (80 minutes), temperature (185oC) and the ratio of ethanol: water of 50: 50 wt/wt. Statistical experimental design type Central Composite Design (CCD) has been used to find a mathematical relationship between the variables and the remaining lignin percent as a dependent variable. The effect of using different catalysts in delignification process have been studied and found that the best catalyst is sodium hydroxide at the concentration (0.025) mole/L which gave the same percent removal of lignin (97%) but with low digestion time about 30 min. In the next step, the cellulose was dissolved using. NaOH with different concentrations (4%-12%) and the results showed that the optimum concentration of sodium hydroxide was 8% at temperature - 20oC. In order to improve cellulose dissolution, urea was added with proportion (6% NaOH + 4% urea). Finally, the cellulose was spinning with 10% H2SO4 to prepare rayon.
Fluconazole was used to test the susceptibility of Candida albicans isolated from different clinical samples, and to detect mutations in ERG11 gene, and their relationship to fluconazole resistance. Forty-eight isolates of Candida albicans were tested for susceptibility using the disc diffusion method (M-44). ERG11 genes of six isolates were amplified (four resistant, two susceptible) and sequenced. The sequenced genes were analyzed to detect the mutations. Out of 48 isolates of Candida albicans, 4 (8%) were resistant to fluconazole. Sixteen-point mutations were detected included 13 silent mutations, and three missense mutations. The mutations of A945C (E266D) and G1609A (V488I) were found only in susceptible Candida albicans isolates, whil
... Show MoreThis study investigated athletic Affiliation among male and female racket sports players (tennis, table tennis, and badminton). Athletic Affiliation Scale designed by (El-Shahat, 2021). The problem of the study comes from the extent to which players are affiliated with these sports. The researchers identified the scientific foundations of the scale. After verifying its validity, a random sample was selected from the Baghdad Governorate, including (49) players for the main experiment and (10) players for the pilot sample, distributed among the three sports from the original community 140 players (male and female) registered in the official federations of the games. The researchers adopted a descriptive approach using the survey metho
... Show MoreA total of 96 stool samples were collected from children with bloody diarrhea from two hospitals in Baghdad. All samples were surveyed and examined for the presence of the Escherichia coli O157:H7 and differentiate it from other Non -Sorbitol Fermenting Escherichia coli (NSF E. coli). The Bacterial isolates were identifed by using morphological diagnostic methods, Samples were cultured on liquid enrichment medium, incubated at 37C? for 24 hrs, and then cultured on Cefixime Tellurite -Sorbitol MacConkey Agar (CT- SMAC). 32 non-sorbitol fermenting bacterial isolates were obtained of which 11 were identified as Escherichia coli by using traditional biochemical tests and API20E diagnostic system without differentiation between
... Show MoreThis 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 isol
... Show MoreThe meteorite with a single total mass of 630 gm as a visible meteorite has fallen on 22 March 2021, at 10:00 a.m. in Al-Sherqat subdistrict within Salah Al-Din, northern Iraq; and therefore, was named Al-Sherqat meteorite by the authors. It is characterized by a uniform structure of coherent and medium degree of malleability. It is of a well-crystalline structure and not homogeneous in composition. The Al-Sherqat meteorite is composed of metallic phases of 7.6 gm/cm3 density exhibiting an oriented intergrowth of kamacite (α-FeNi) with taenite showing a Widmanstätten pattern on an etched polished section with the finest octahedrite kamacite bandwidth of less than 0.2 mm. It is composed of Fe (86.9 wt%), Ni (9.63 wt%), P (1.31 wt%)
... Show MoreThe present work introduces, external morphological study of the leafhopper Neoalitarus
fenestratus Herrich-Schäeffer (Deltocephalinae:Oposiini), particularly the male genitalia
which were dissected and illustrated.