Green buildings are considered more efficient than traditional buildings due to the incorporated techniques and the multidisciplinary specializations required to comply with their specifications, in addition to the advanced commissioning, which undergoes before handing over the buildings to the owners to ensure requirements conformance. As a result, the appropriate selection of a project delivery system acts as the essential factor that affects the performance of the project. This research aims at building a system that helps to select the best method to implement green buildings. Through studying the recent research approaches in project delivery systems, the factors that affect the selection of the optimal implementation method for green buildings have been identified; expert interviews have been done to study and analyze the main influential factors that affect the selection of the best method for implementing green buildings. The results of interviews indicate that the main influential factors are as follows: The occurrence of economic crises in the country, availability of financial capacity for the contractor and the owner, the lack of previous experience in similar projects, hiring an incompetent contractor, differences between design drawings among all disciplines, and providing qualified contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and craftsmen with sufficient qualifications early in the project. Depending on these main factors, a software system is built to choose the best delivery system for green building projects. This research encourages future works to focus on the quality and performance of green buildings and lays out the foundation for academic researchers to explore new techniques for evaluating the project delivery systems as well as supporting the decision-makers to choose the best.
Metal enhanced fluorescence (MEF) is an unequaled phenomenon of metal nanoparticle surface plasmons, when light interacts with the metal nanostructures (silver nanoparticles) which result electromagnetic fields to promote the sensitivity of fluorescence. This work endeavor to study the influence of silver nanoparticles on fluorescence intensity of Fluoreseina dye by employment mixture solution with different mixing ratio. Silver nanoparticles had been manufactured by the chemical reduction method so that Ag NP layer coating had been done by hot rotation liquid method. The optical properties of the prepared samples (mixture solution of Fluoreseina dye solutions and colloidal solution with 5 minutes prepared of Ag NPs) tested by using UV-V
... Show MoreThe leaf miners Pegoinya terbrans (Rondani) and P. bicolor (Wiedemann) (Diptera; Anthomyiidae) were newly recorded in Iraq. Host plants of these leaf miners and P. cunicularia (Rondani) were identified: P. bicolor was found to be monophagous, whereas P. terbrans and P. cunicularia were oligophagous . It was found that Cirsixim syriaca and Silybum marianum were more susceptible to P. terbrans than the other ones. Infectivity and severity of infestation were estimated for most susceptible weeds against P. terbrans and P.bicolor. These leaf miners. Have two generations a year.
The anatomical features of leaves and stems of seven species belonging to five genera of the Papaveraceae family were studied, including: Fumaria bracteosa Pomel, 1875; Glaucium grandiflorum Boissier & A. Huet,1856; Hypecoum pendulum Linnaeus, 1753; Papaver fugax Poiret,1804; Papaver macrostomum Boissier & A. Huet, 1867; Papaver rhoeas Linnaeus, 1753 and Roemeria refracta de Candolle,1821. The results showed that the anticlinal cell walls of the adaxial surface were more thickened in P. fugax, H. pendulum, P. macrostomum and R.refracta, while it was thin in P. rhoeas. The cur
... Show MoreThis study deals with the conceptual rooting of the practical relationship between the practice of international public relations and popular diplomacy, as the latter sought - as a legitimate extension of traditional diplomacy - to involve foreign residents in international public relations capable of drawing a positive image of the state among people of other countries, by employing modern communication technology. Especially social media, which led to a shift from old diplomacy to digital public diplomacy. The research paper seeks to analyze the communicative content of the Facebook page (Israel in the Iraqi dialect), which a page is belonging to the "Israeli" Ministry of Foreign Affairs that aims, according to its messages, to encoura
... Show Morehis study aimed to investigate the usability of Recycled Concrete Aggregate (RCA) in warm mix asphalt (WMA) as the implementation of sustainable construction technology. Five replacement rates (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%) were tested for the coarse fraction of virgin aggregate (VA) with 3 types of RCA: untreated RCA, HL-treated RCA, and HCL-treated RCA. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses were performed to investigate the surface morphology for both treated and untreated RCA. The optimum asphalt cement content for every substitution rate was determined using Marshall mix design method. Thereafter, asphalt concrete specimens were prepared using the optimum asphalt cement content, followed by the evaluation of their performance prope
... Show MoreSamples of Bi1.6Pb0.4Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+δ superconductor were prepared by solid-state reaction method to study the effects of gold nanoparticles addition to the superconducting system, Nano-Au was introduced by small weight percentages (0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.0, and 1.25 weight %). Phase identification and microstructural
characterization of the samples were investigated using XRD and SEM. Moreover, DC electrical resistivity as a function of the temperature, critical current density Jc, AC magnetic susceptibility, and DC magnetization measurements were carried to evaluate the relative performance of samples. x-ray diffraction analysis showed that both (Bi,Pb)-2223 and Bi-2212 phases coexist in the samples having an orthorhombic crystal struct
Background: Infection with Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) leads to activation of T-helper cells (Th-1 and Th-2) which are involved in the synthesis and release of different cytokines which may lead to endothelial dysfunction. Objectives: To evaluate the endothelial function in patients with acute toxoplasmosis. Methods: This case-control study involved 31 patients with toxoplasmosis aged 19 - 47 years matched with 20 healthy subjects. Anti-T. gondii antibody (IgG, IgM, IgA) was determined by direct antigen-antibody reaction. Interleukin-6(IL-6), endothelin-1 (ET-1) and human malondialdehyde (MDA) serum levels were measured. Results: IgM, IgG and IgA levels were high in the infected patients compared with controls (P < 0.01). Furthermore, IL-
... Show MoreThe In this experimental study, natural stone powder was utilized to improve a cohesive soil’s compaction and strength properties. According to the significant availability of limestone in the globe, it has been chosen for the purpose of the study, in addition to considering the existing rock industry massive waste. Stone powder was used in percentages of 4, 8, 12, 16% replaced from the soil weight in dry state. Some of cohesive soil’s consistency, shear, and compaction properties were depicted after improvement. The outcomes yielded in significant amendments in the experimented geotechnical properties after stone powder addition considering 60 days curing period. Cohesion and friction angle were notably increased by
... Show MoreThe variation of compression index Cc and swelling index Cs with the degree of saturation S was studied on unsaturated and fully saturated soils for different degrees of saturation (100%, 91%, 85%, 75%, 60%), several mathematical equations were found to describe these relationships, these equations can be used to predict settlement during the consolidation process in unsaturated and fully saturated soils.