High tunnels, or unheated plastic greenhouses, are becoming increasingly popular among organic vegetable growers across the United States. However, the intensive production typical of these systems presents soil health challenges, including salinization due to high fertilizer or compost inputs coupled with lack of rainfall to leach salts. Legume cover crops may improve soil health in high tunnels by reducing the need for external inputs, while adding organic matter. We tested the soil health effects of a winter hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) cover crop used to replace fertilizer N in an organic tomato cropping system in high tunnels. Studies were replicated across three sites differing in climate and soil type (Kansas, Kentucky, and Minne

The trichomes and chemical composition of three species of the genus Salvia wild-grown (Salvia lanigera, Salvia spinosa) and cultured (Salvia officinalis) were studied in the Anbar governate, the chemical components of the stem and leaves were studied by Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry(GC-MS), in addition to studying the trichomes of the epidermis in the stem and leaves (upper and lower epidermis) by Light microscope. Important differences appeared to us in the chemical study, where it was found that some compounds were found in species without others, which gives them taxonomic importance, also, the trichomes were important in distinguishing the studied species, the species S. spinosa was distinguished by the presence of gla

The human intellect and his ability to complex thinking is a characteristic that Allah has given him above all his creatures. Islam came to encourage the utilization of the mind by thought, contemplation and consideration of the kingdom of Allah, His signs and religion, and He gave us a set of legislation that preserves the mind and protects it from falling into error or deviation.

This research deals with one of the most important components of civilizations in general and Islamic civilization in particular, which is thinking and what is related to it. It is an essential and influential component in man's dealing with life around him and the for

In the recent years the research on the activated carbon preparation from agro-waste and byproducts have been increased due to their potency for agro-waste elimination. This paper presents a literature review on the synthesis of activated carbon from agro-waste using microwave irradiation method for heating. The applicable approach is highlighted, as well as the effects of activation conditions including carbonization temperature, retention period, and impregnation ratio. The review reveals that the agricultural wastes heated using a chemical process and microwave energy can produce activated carbon with a surface area that is significantly higher than that using the conventional heating method.

This work focuses on the use of biologically produced activated carbon for improving the physi-co-chemical properties of water samples obtained from the Tigris River. An eco-friendly and low-cost activated carbon was prepared from the Alhagi plant using potassium hydroxide (KOH) as an impregnation agent. The prepared activated carbon was characterised using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy to determine the functional groups that exist on the raw material (Alhagi plant) and Alhagi activated carbon (AAC). Scanning electron microscope–energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscope was also used to investigate the surface shape and the elements that compose the powder. Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area analysis was used to evaluate the spe

The percent work was designed to determine the effect of ginger plant aqueous extract on function and histological structure of kidney in mice treated with carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). Ginger plant caused a protective effect against CCl4 induced kidney damage and improved the kidney weight and biochemical parameters including urea, uric acid and creatinine. The ginger plant has a protective effect against injury in the kidney of mice treated with CCL4, because the ginger plant protects the tissues of kidney from toxic effect of CCL4. The kidney of CCL4 treated mice showed many histological alterations in the kidney included: atrophy, vascular degeneration and hemorrhage, death cell, degeneration of epithelial cells, destruction of basement

A steel-concrete composite structure (1) is described. The steel-concrete composite structure comprises a steel member (2) having an upper surface (5) and a plurality of shear connector elements (6) upstanding from the upper surface and a concrete slab (4) having upper and lower surfaces (7, 8). The slab is supported on its lower surface by the upper surface of the steel member. The slab comprises a plurality of through holes (9) between the upper and lower surfaces, each through hole tapering towards the lower surface so as to form an inverted frustally-shaped seating surface (10). The concrete slab is configured and positioned with respect to the steel member such that at least one shear connector element projects into each through hole.

The Maxwell equations have been formulated for a composite slab waveguide at x-band wave propagation. The eigenvalues of the system equations are obtained by using MATLAB program. These eigenvalues are used to obtain the wave propagation constant and a number of modes inside the slabs. A good correspondence was seen between the number of modes and the cut off thickness. The parameter that affects the performance of waveguide is the slab thickness. The propagation constant is usually adopted to characterize this type of waveguide and show how the cutoff frequency of the mode in the slab is increased dramatically by decreasing the frequency.
Our study focused on lower modes, the results for the transmission coefficient are then used to

The preparation of activated carbon (AC) from date stones by using microwave assisted K2CO3 activation was investigated in this paper. The influence of radiation time, radiation power, and impregnation ratio on the yield and methylene blue (MB) uptake of such carbon were studied. Based on Box-Wilson central composite design, two second order polynomial models were developed to correlate the process variables to the two responses. From the analysis of variance the significant variables on each response were identified. Optimum coditions of 8 min radiation time, 660 W radiation power and 1.5 g/g impregnation ratio gave 460.123 mg/g MB uptake and 19.99 % yield. The characteristics of the AC were examined by pore structure analysis, and scan