Biodegradable polymers have garnered increasing attention as eco-friendly alternatives to conventional petroleum-derived plastics, which pose a global environmental challenge due to their difficult recycling and slow degradation. This study focuses on the preliminary evaluation of surface functional properties of chitosan films reinforced with TiO₂ or ZnO nanoparticles (NPs). These films were prepared at different loading ratios using the solution-casting method. Structural and morphological properties were characterized using FTIR and FESEM, while functional properties were evaluated by surface wettability, UV–Vis spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and antibacterial activity testing. FTIR results showed significant changes in abs

Due to the availability of technology stemming from in-depth research in this sector and the drawbacks of other identifying methods, biometrics has drawn maximum attention and established itself as the most reliable alternative for recognition in recent years. Efforts are still being made to develop a user-friendly system that is up to par with security-system requirements and yields more reliable outcomes while safeguarding assets and ensuring privacy. Human age estimation and Gender identification are both challenging endeavours. Biomarkers and methods for determining biological age and gender have been extensively researched, and each has advantages and disadvantages. Facial-image-based positioning is crucial for many application

In this study, the effects of blending the un-branched acrylate polymer known as Poly (n-decyl acrylate), and the branched acrylate polymer known as Poly (iso-octyl acrylate), on the viscosity index (VI), and the pour point of the Iraqi base stocks 40, and 60 respectively, were investigated. Toluene was used as a carrier solvent for both polymer types. The improvement level of oils (VI, & pour point) gained by blending the oil with the acrylate derived polymers was compared with the values of (VI, and pour point) gained by blending the oil with a commercial viscosity index, and pour point improver. The commercial lubricant additive was purchased and used by Al-Daura Refineries. It consisted of an un-known olefin copolymer dissolved i

mixtures of cyclohexane + n-decane and cyclohexane + 1-pentanol have been measured at 298.15, 308.15, 318.15, and 328.15 K over the whole mole fraction range. From these results, excess molar volumes, VE , have been calculated and fitted to the Flory equations. The VE values are negative and positive over the whole mole fraction range and at all temperatures. The excess refractive indices nE and excess viscosities ?E have been calculated from experimental refractive indices and viscosity measurements at different temperature and fitted to the mixing rules equations and Heric – Coursey equation respectively to predict theoretical refractive indices, we found good agreement between them for binary mixtures in this study. The variation of th

In the present study, the growth and total lipid contents of two oleaginous fungal isolates Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus fumigatus were compared in different nitrogen and organic carbon sources.  Artificially the fungi were cultured on media consisting of various mono- or di- or polysaccharides and  peptone or yeast extract as elementary sources for carbon and nitrogen, respectively. Media containing sucrose /yeast extract or glucose/ yeast extract were the most effective for lipid production from fungal, during  two weeks  incubation period, the highest biomass of dry weight was (19.6 , 18.8) g / L , (25.8 , 30.5) g /L  and  lipid yield (1, 0.97 )g/L, (0.65, 0.65) g/ L for two isolates Aspergillus terreus

Background: Cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14) is a serum/cell surface glycoprotein; and it is a pattern recognition receptor. CD14 expressed on the surface of various cells, or it found soluble in saliva and other body fluids. It has been proposed that soluble CD14 (sCD14) may play a protective role by controlling Gram negative bacterial infections through its capacity to bind lipopolysaccharide. This study was conducted to assess the level of soluble CD14 in saliva of patients with different periodontal diseases and healthy subjects and determine its correlation with clinical periodontal parameters. Materials & Methods: A total of 80 subjects, age ranged (25-50) years old, divided into three main groups, group ? consisted of 45 chronic

The current study was conducted with an aim to know the effect of adding different concentrations of pomegranate peels alcoholic extract (PPAE) on the traits of Awassi ram semen stored at 5°C. Eight ejaculations from three Awassi rams were collected, mixed and diluted with TRIS extender. The semen samples were divided into four equal parts, and then the alcoholic extract of pomegranate peels was added at concentrations of 0, 100, 200 and 300 mg/ 1 ml of extender, which represented each of the treatments C, T1, T2 and T3, respectively. The samples were stored at 5 ° C and semen examinations were performed during periods 0, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours after collection. Semen traits included calculation percentage of individual motility, viabili

Water sorption (WS) and solubility (S) of the experimental flowable composites (EFCs), made from silica filler of rice husk are important to explore the reaction of EFCs against different oral environments. To investigate the effects of different camphorquinone concentrations on the WS and S of the EFCs. EFCs were fabricated from nanohybrid silica and involved different weights of camphorquinone (CQ) (0.03 g, 0.05 g and 0.075 g) and other materials. 3 groups of 7 disk-like samples of each of the three EFCs and Revolution Formula 2 (RF2) were tested. Before immersion, the volumes were recorded and the mass of each sample was recorded, as m1. During the immersion phase in three different media for 7 days, the weight was recorded as m2. During