The present study is to formulate and evaluate Acyclovir (ACV) microspheres using natural polymers like chitosan and sodium alginate. ACV is a DNA polymerase inhibitor used in treating herpes simplex virus infection and zoster varicella infections. Acyclovir is a suitable candidate for sustained-release (SR) administration as a result of its dosage regimen twice or thrice a day and relatively short plasma half-life (approximately 2 to 4 hours). Microspheres of ACV were prepared by an ionic dilution method using chitosan and sodium alginate as polymers. The prepared ACV microspheres were then subjected to FTIR, SEM, particle size, % yield, entrapment efficiency, in vitro dissolution studies and release kinetics mechanism. The FTI

Experiments were conducted to study axial liquid dispersion coefficient in slurry bubble column of 0.15 m inside diameter and 1.6 m height using perforated plate gas distributor of 54 holes of a size equal to 1 mm diameter and with a 0.24 free area of holes to the cross sectional area of the column. The three phase system consists of air, water and PVC used as the solid phase. The effect of solid loading (0, 30 and 60 kg/m³) and solid diameter (0.7, 1.5 and 3 mm) on the axial liquid dispersion coefficient at different axial location (25, 50 and 75 cm) and superficial gas velocity covered homogeneous-heterogeneous flow regime (1-10 cm/s) were studied in the present work. The results show that the axial liquid dispersion coeffic

For the time being, the cold-formed sections are widely used due to their simple manufacturing and construction processes. To be feasible, the strength of cold-formed columns should be determined based on their post-buckling behavior. Post-buckling relations are cumbersome and need design aids similar to those of American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) to be applicable. These design aids have been developed to sections and materials other than those available in the local market. Therefore, this paper tries to develop a general finite element model to simulate the postbuckling behavior of cold-formed steel columns. Shell element has been used to discretize the web, flanges, and lips of the column. A linear bucking analy

A lab-scale packed Bio film reactor was used for ethanol production by fermentation of sugar solution using a local
isolated yeast saccharomyces cerevisia and glutaraldelryde on gelating as a covalent bounding agent. In this study four
types of packing in the reactor were used. They are; polypropylene mesh, glass rashig rings, ceramic rashig rings and
glass beads. Glucose solutions were used as substrate with four concentrations; (5, I 0, I 5, 20 g/l). Results show that the
ethanol productivity was increase with increasing sugar concentration. Also it was found that polypropylene mesh
packing give the highest productivity while glass beads gives the lowest productivity. The experiments were conducted at
three temperatur

Iraqi kaolin was used for the preparation and characterization of NaY zeolite for biodiesel production via esterification reaction. Oleic acid was used usually as a typical simulated feedstock of high acid number for the esterification reaction.

   The chemical composition for the prepared Nay zeolite is as following:  (Ca₂.6Na₁.K_0.1)(Al₆.3Si₁₇.₇)O₄₈.16H₂O, the silica to alumina ratio in the prepared catalyst was found equal to 2.6 and Na₂O content was 12.26 wt. %, with relative crystallinity equal to 147.4 % obtained by the X-ray diffraction. The surface area result shows that the prepared catalyst has 330 m²

Thermal conductivity of compacted bentonite is one of the most important properties where this type of clay is proposed for use as a buffer material. In this study, Lee's disc method was used to measure the thermal conductivity of compacted bentonite specimens. The experimental results have been analyzed to observe the three major factors affecting the thermal conductivity of bentonite buffer material. While the clay density reaches to a target value, the measurement is taken to evaluate the thermal conductivity. By repeating this procedure, a relationship between clay dry density and thermal conductivity has been established in specimens after adjusting the water contents of the bentonite by placing its specimens in a drying oven for diffe

In wide range of chemical, petrochemical and energy processes, it is not possible to manage without slurry bubble column reactors. In this investigation, time average local gas holdup was recorded for three different height to diameter (H/D) ratios 3, 4 and 5 in 18" diameter slurry bubble column. Air-water-glass beads system was used with superficial velocity up to 0.24 m/s. the gas holdup was measured using 4-tips optical fiber probe technique. The results show that the axial gas holdup increases almost linearly with the superficial gas velocity in 0.08 m/s and levels off with a further increase of velocity. A comparison of the present data with those reported for other slurry bubble column having diameters larger than

Experimental research was carried out to investigate the performance of CFRP wrapping jackets used for retrofitting twelve square reinforced concrete (CR) column specimens damaged by exposure to fire flame, at different temperatures of  300, 500 and 700ºC, except for two specimens that were not burned. The specimens were then loaded axially till failure after gradual or sudden cooling. The specimens were divided into two groups containing two main reinforcement ratios, ρ= 0.0314 and ρ= 0.0542. This was followed by the retrofitting procedure that included wrapping all the specimens with two layers of CFRP fabric sheets. The test results of the retrofitted specimens showed that the fire damaged RC

The present study utilised date palm fibre (DPF) waste residues to adsorb Congo red (CR) dye from aqueous solutions. The features of the adsorbent, such as its surface shape, pore size, and chemical properties, were assessed with X-ray diffraction (XRD), BET, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). The current study employed the batch system to investigate the ideal pH to adsorb the CR dye and found that acidic pH decolourised the dye best. Extending the dye-DPF waste mixing period at 25°C reportedly removed more dye. Consequently, the influence of the starting dye and DPF waste quantity on dye removal was explored in this study. At 5 g/L dye concentration, 48% d

Background: Leishmaniasis is important public
health problem owing to its impact on morbidity
and mortality and difficulties in application of
effective control measures.
Objective: The aim of the study is to evaluate the
using of impregnate bed nets in the control of
leishmaniasis.
Methods: The study was conducted throughout
the years 2004 and 2005, in Diala Governorate
(about 60km north-east Baghdad). This is the first
study in Iraq for evaluation of the impregnated bed
net in control of leishmaniasis. Two villages were
selected to achieve this aim. The nets were
distributed for the first village to be used by their
population. The second village was served as
control.

Results: The