This research is carried out to investigate the behavior of self-compacting concrete (SCC) two-way slabs with central square opening under uniformly distributed loads. The experimental part of this research is based on casting and testing six SCC simply supported square slabs having the same dimentions and reinforcement. One of these slabs was cast without opening as a control slab. While, the other five slabs having opening ratios (O_R) of 2.78%, 6.25%, 11.11%, 17.36% and 25.00%. From the experimental results it is found that the maximum percentage decrease in cracking and ultimate uniform loads were 31.82% and 12.17% compared to control slab for opening ratios (O_R

The study included selection six species of the fungi related to Pleurotus genus were evaluated for their ability to production of Pleurotin, one of them, Pleurotus ostreatus (P.11) was isolated and identified in the present study. Pleurotin was extracted with screening by Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) and quantification High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Cytotoxicity of Pleurotin extracted from P. ostreatus (P.11) grown in different sugar sources (galactose, mannitol, sucrose, dextrose and lactose) liquid media was test against three selected cancer cell lines, CaSki, MCF-7 and A549 addition to Human Non Cancer Fibroblast Cell Line (MRC-5). Pleurotin of P. ostreatus (P.11) grown in galactose induced the significant highest

The effects of temperature on an exotic aquatic snail Pomacea canaliculata  (Lamarck, 1819) collected from the Shatt Al-Arab intertidal zone were investigated. A series of laboratory experiments were conducted during the summer period of 2017. Individuals of new born snails hatched in the laboratory from adult snails were collected from Shatt Al-Arab intertidal zone, and subjected to five fixed temperatures: 15, 25, 35, 40 and 45 Cº, after short term thermal acclimation. The heartbeats (HB) were counted at each temperature level. The results showed significant  direct increase of HB from 15 Cº (19.8 HB/min) up to 25 Cº (76 HB/min) (P<0.05)  as well as from 25 Cº to 35 Cº (93 HB/min). At 40 Cº the snail HB

The aim of this study to determine the genetic distance and relationship among some Iraqi date palm cultivars by using the Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique. Molecular analysis was performed by using 10 random primers. These primers produced 176 fragment lines across 14 cultivars, Of these, 166 or 94.3% were polymorphic. The size of the amplified bands ranged between 200-2250 bp. The genetic polymorphism value of each primer was determined and ranged between 7.5-16.9%. In terms of unique banding patterns, the most characteristic banding pattern was for the Barhee cultivar with primer OP-M06 and for the Khadhrawy Mandily cultivar with primer OP-C02. Genetic distance values ranged from 0.868 to 0.125 among studied date palm

The paper presents the design of a system consisting of a solar panel with Single Input/Multiple Outputs (DC-DC) Buck Converter by using Simulink dialogue box tools in MATLAB software package for simulation the system. Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) technique depending on Perturb and Observe (P&O) algorithm is used to control the output power of the converter and increase the efficiency of the system. The characteristics of the MSX-60 PV module is chosen in design of the system, whereas the electrical characteristics (P-V, I-V and P-I curves) for the module are achieved, that is affected by the solar radiation and temperature variations. The proposed design module has been found to be stable for any change in atmospheric tempera

      Entomopathogenic fungi can be ideal for the biocontrol of cockroaches since it is environment-friendly microbial pesticide. Susceptibility of second and fourth instar of nymphs and adults of the brown banded cockroach, Supella longipalpa (F.) (Blattodea: Blattellidae) to the entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill. at two concentrations 1x 107 and 1x 108 spore/ml was evaluated. Fungus was tested by using two different methods: bait and direct contact. Mortality was monitored after 3, 5 and 7 days’ post exposure. Direct contact of B. bassiana at concentration 1x 107 spore/ml produced mortality on adults 82.76% and for fourth and second instar of nymphs 82.76 and 93.10% after 7 daysâ