SGI2 wild type isolate of Sinorhizobium meliloti was isolated from Medicago sativa (alfalfa) plant which was obtained from Al-Tarmiaa region / Baghdad. Nine auxotrophic mutants were obtained from the SGI2 wild type isolate by mutagenesis with Nitrous acid (HNO2). The SGI2 wild type and the all auxotrophic mutant isolates had two Megaplasmids; pSymA and pSymB. No genetic variations in plasmid number and size were detected when gel electrophoresis was done for plasmid profile detection. Genetic variations by using RAPD-PCR technique were obtained between wild type and auxotrophic mutant isolates. One band was detected in SGI6 gel profile with 1.5 Kb size when OPY-04 primer was used. Using OPB7 primer by using RAPD-PCR technique showed larg

A total of 258 voluntary blood donors (males 101; females 157) in the age range of 18-52 yr among males and 18-55 yr among females were examined for Toxoplasma gondii antibodies (IgG), and (IgM) by immunological technique (Enzyme linked Immunosorbant Assay) during the period from March 2009 to April 2010. This study covered a wide range of factors including immunological, age ,sex , place of residence and symptoms that may have a possible relationship with toxoplasmosis. Results presented in this study showed clearly that 38 (14.7%) of individuals participated in this study having IgG Toxoplasma Ab, among those 10 samples (9.9%) were males and 28 samples (17.8%) were females. Moreover, we found the prevalence of IgM seropositivity in th

Moisture damage is described as a reduction in stiffness and strength durability in asphalt mixtures due to moisture. This study investigated the influence of adding nano silica (NS) to the Asphalt on the moisture susceptibility of hot-mix-asphalt (HMA) mixtures under different aging conditions. NS was mixed with asphalt binder at concentrations of 2%, 4%, and 6% by weight of the binder. To detect the microstructure changes of modified Asphalt and estimate the dispersion of NS within the Asphalt, the field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) was used. To examine the performance of Asphalt mixed with NS at different aging stages (short-term and long-term aging), asphalt mixture tests such as Marshall stability,

   Bacteria form complex and highly elaborate surface adherent communities known as biofilms.Biofilm have been shown to be associated with several human diseases ,and to colonize a wide variety of medical devices . The current study focuses on contribution of extracted genomic   DNA in  biofilm formation by   P. aeruginosa and  K. pneumoniae isolates   .The percentages of Pseudomonas aeruginosa recovery from drinking water  in this study were  10%(20 positive P. aeruginosa  samples ) and K. pneumonia.,  7%(14 positive K. pneumonia samples).The results showed that all P.aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae isolates (100%) were slime producer but in different degrees by forming  of black

This work describes the enhancement of phenol red decolorization through immobilizing of laccase in chitosan and enzyme recycling. Commercial laccase from white rot fungus, Trametesversicolor (Tvlac), was immobilizedin to freshly prepared chitosan beads by using glutaraldehyde as a cross linker. Characterization of prepared chitosan was confirmed by FTIR and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Tvlac (46.2 U/mL) immobilized into chitosan beads at 0.8 % glutaraldehyde (v/v) within 24 hrs. Synthetic (HBT) and natural (vanillin) mediators were used to enhance dye decolorizoation. It was found that 89 % of phenol red was decolorized by chitosan beads within 180 min. in the absence of enzyme and mediator, while decolorization percenta

      In this study, simple, low cost, precise and speed spectrophotometric methods development for evaluation of sulfacetamide sodium are described. The primary approach contains conversion of sulfacetamide sodium to diazonium salt followed by a reaction with p-cresol as a reagent in the alkaline media.  The colored product has an orange colour with absorbance at λmax 450 nm. At the concentration range of (5.0-100 µg.mL^-1), the Beer̆ s Low is obeyed with correlation coefficient (R²= 0.9996), limit of detection as 0.2142 µg.mL^-1, limit of quantification as 0.707 µg.mL^-1 and molar absorptivity as 1488.249 L.mol^-1.cm^-1. The other approach, cloud point extraction w

High-volume traffic with ultra-heavy axle loads combined with extremely hot weather conditions increases the propagation of rutting in flexible pavement road networks. Several studies suggested using nanomaterials in asphalt modification to delay the deterioration of asphalt pavement. The current work aims to improve the resistance of hot mix asphalt (HMA) to rutting by incorporating Nano Silica (NS) in specific concentrations. NS was blended into asphalt mixtures in concentrations of 2, 4, and 6% by weight of the binder. The behavior of asphalt mixtures subjected to aging was investigated at different stages (short-term and long-term aging). The performance characteristics of the asphalt mixtures were evaluated using the Marshall s

Undoped and Co-doped zinc oxide (CZO) thin films have been prepared by spray pyrolysis technique using solution of zinc acetate and cobalt chloride. The effect of Co dopants on structural and optical properties has been investigated. The films were found to exhibit maximum transmittance (~90%) and low absorbance. The structural properties of the deposited films were examined by x-ray diffraction (XRD). These films, deposited on glass substrates at (400? C), have a polycrystalline texture with a wurtzite hexagonal structure, and the grain size was decreased with increasing Co concentration, and no change was observed in lattice constants while the optical band gap decreased from (3.18-3.02) eV for direct allowed transition. Other parameters