Q fever is an infectious disease of animals and humans, caused by globally distributed C. burnetii. In Iraq, there are no previous studies associated with the detection of the organism in cattle. An overall of 130 lactating cows were submitted to direct collection of milk samples. Initially, the samples of milk were tested using the molecular polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting three genes (16S rRNA, IS1111a transposase, and htpB). However, positive results (18.46%; 24/130) were detected only with the 16s rRNA gene. Concerning risk factors, the highest prevalence of C. burnetii was showed in the district of Badra (42.86%), whereas the lowest - in Al-Numaniyah and Al-Suwaira districts (P=0.025). There was no significant variation in positivity between the months of sampling period (P=0.082) and between age groups (P=0.076). Crossbred cows (20.69%) showed a higher positivity than local and pure breeds (P=0.043). Milk of positive samples (n=24) was used for cultivation of C. burnetii into specific pathogen free-embryonated chicken eggs (SPF-ECEs). After three passages into SPF-ECEs, contents of yolk sac were collected, subjected for DNA extraction, and re-tested by PCR assay using the primer of 16s rRNA gene only. Of 24 cultivated milk samples, 12.5% (3/24) were positive for C. burnetii. Finally, the positive local isolates were analysed phylogenetically and reported in NCBI-Genbank under the accession numbers of MN121700.1, MN121701.1, and MN121702.1. In conclusion, this is a unique study as it detected C. burnetii in Iraqi lactating cows, and confirmed that organism was shed actively through milk, suggesting that these animals can play a role as a reservoir for organism with potential risk for transmission of infection from these animals to humans as well as to other animal species.
Solid‐waste management, particularly of aluminum (Al), is a challenge that is being confronted around the world. Therefore, it is valuable to explore methods that can minimize the exploitation of natural assets, such as recycling. In this study, using hazardous Al waste as the main electrodes in the electrocoagulation (EC) process for dye removal from wastewater was discussed. The EC process is considered to be one of the most efficient, promising, and cost‐effective ways of handling various toxic effluents. The effect of current density (10, 20, and 30 mA/cm2), electrolyte concentration (1 and 2 g/L), and initial concentration of Brilliant Blue dye (15 and 30 mg/L) on
This study aimed at evaluating the torsional capacity of reinforced concrete (RC) beams externally wrapped with fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) materials. An analytical model was described and used as a new computational procedure based on the softened truss model (STM) to predict the torsional behavior of RC beams strengthened with FRP. The proposed analytical model was validated with the existing experimental data for rectangular sections strengthened with FRP materials and considering torque-twist relationship and crack pattern at failure. The confined concrete behavior, in the case of FRP wrapping, was considered in the constitutive laws of concrete in the model. Then, an efficient algorithm was developed in MATLAB environment t
... Show MoreThis paper presents ABAQUS simulations of fully encased composite columns, aiming to examine the behavior of a composite column system under different load conditions, namely concentric, eccentric with 25 mm eccentricity, and flexural loading. The numerical results are validated with the experimental results obtained for columns subjected to static loads. A new loading condition with a 50 mm eccentricity is simulated to obtain additional data points for constructing the interaction diagram of load-moment curves, in an attempt to investigate the load-moment behavior for a reference column with a steel I-section and a column with a GFRP I-section. The result comparison shows that the experimental data align closely with the simulation
... Show MoreThis study presents an adaptive control scheme based on synergetic control theory for suppressing the vibration of building structures due to earthquake. The control key for the proposed controller is based on a magneto-rheological (MR) damper, which supports the building. According to Lyapunov-based stability analysis, an adaptive synergetic control (ASC) strategy was established under variation of the stiffness and viscosity coefficients in the vibrated building. The control and adaptive laws of the ASC were developed to ensure the stability of the controlled structure. The proposed controller addresses the suppression problem of a single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) building model, and an earthquake control scenario was conducted and simulat
... Show MoreAddition of bioactive materials such as Titanium oxide (TiO2), and incorporation of bio inert ceramic such as alumina (Al2O3), into polyetheretherketone (PEEK) has been adopted as an effective approach to improve bone-implant interfaces. In this paper, hot pressing technique has been adopted as a production method. This technique gave a homogenous distribution of the additive materials in the proposed composite biomaterial. Different compositions and compounding temperatures have been applied to all samples. Mechanical properties and animal model have been studied in all different production conditions. The results of these new TiO2/Al2O3/PEEK biocomposites with different
... Show MoreWe studied the effect of certain environmental conditions for removing heavy metal elements from contaminated aqueous solutions (Cd, Cu, Pb, Fe, Zn, Ni, Cr) using the bacterium Bacillus subtilis to appoint the optimal conditions for removal ,The best optimum temperature range for two isolate was 30-35○C while the hydrogen number for the maximum mineral removal range was 6-7. The best primary mineral removal was 100 mg/L, while the maximum removal for all minerals was obtained after 6 hrs of Cu element time and the maximum removal efficiency was obtained after 24 hrs of Cu element. The results have proved that the best aeration for maximum removal was obtained at rotation speed of 150 rpm/minute. Inoculums of 5ml/100ml which contained 1
... Show MoreElectrochemical oxidation in the presence of sodium chloride used for removal of phenol and any other organic by products formed during the electrolysis by using MnO2/graphite electrode. The performance of the electrode was evaluated in terms fraction of phenol and the formed organic by products removed during the electrolysis process. The results showed that the electrochemical oxidation process was very effective in the removal of phenol and the other organics, where the removal percentage of phenol was 97.33%, and the final value of TOC was 6.985 ppm after 4 hours and by using a speed of rotation of the MnO2 electrode equal to 200 rpm.
This investigation aims to explore the potential of waterworks sludge (WS), low-cost byproduct of water treatment processes, as a sorbent for removing Congo Red (CR) dyes. This will be achieved by precipitating nano-sized (MgAl-LDH)-layered double hydroxide onto the surface of the sludge. The efficiency of utilizing MgAl-LDH to modify waterworks sludge (MWS) for use in permeable reactive barrier technology was confirmed through analysis with Fourier transform infrared and X-ray diffraction. The isotherm model was employed to elucidate the adsorption mechanisms involved in the process. Furthermore, the COMSOL model was utilized to establish a continuous testing model for the analysis of contaminant transport under diverse conditions.
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Abstract:
We can notice cluster data in social, health and behavioral sciences, so this type of data have a link between its observations and we can express these clusters through the relationship between measurements on units within the same group.
In this research, I estimate the reliability function of cluster function by using the seemingly unrelate
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