In this study, pure polylactic acid (PLA) and composite polylactic acid/ curcumin (PLA / Cur) were prepared by a suspension of ultrasonically agitated micrometer-sized curcumin powder, which was mixed with chloroform solvent under slow mechanical stirring and incorporated into the PLA. The resulting suspension was used to cast free-standing PLA / Cur composite films. The filler content was chosen to be 2.0 wt % curcumin. Physical properties (glass transition, temperature, mechanical and thermodynamic) were analyzed by Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS), which is a unique tool for analyzing the defects of polymer materials. The free volume and holebility of PLA and PLA / Cur were studied in vacuum and temperature range of 283 to 353 K. Ortho-positronium (o Ps), life , and intensity were measured as more sensitive parameters to determine free volume dimensions. The results of the thermodynamic property of PLA, examined with PALS technique, revealed a phase change of around 58 ºC. Also, an improvement was observed in the PLA / Cur structure with the addition of curcumin, by reducing nano-size defects.
The characteristics of atmospheric-pressure glow discharge (APGD) produced by rod-plate electrodes are experimentally determined. APGD is sustained by applying a high DC voltage between the electrodes. At atmospheric pressure, the shift from corona discharge to glow discharge is investigated. A rod-plate discharges configuration's volt–ampere properties show the existence of three discharge regimes: corona, glow, and spark. The variations in the electrical field distribution in the various regimes are mirrored in the discharge luminosity. The rod-plate patterns are created under a dark region, and are visible mainly due to the effect of electrons heated by the local enhanced electric field at the interface, according to the op
... Show MoreBackground: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease causes permanent morbidity, premature mortality and great burden to the healthcare system. Smoking is it's most common risk factor and Spirometry is for diagnosing COPD and monitoring its progression.
Objectives: Early detection of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in symptomatic smokers’ ≥ 40years by spirometry.
Methods: A cross sectional study on all symptomatic smokers aged ≥ 40 years attending ten PHCCs in Baghdad Alkarkh and Alrisafa. Those whose FEV1/FVC was <70% on spirometry; after giving bronchodilator, were considered COPD +ve.
Results: Overall, airway obstruction was seen in
... Show MoreThe influence of Cr3+ doping on the ground state properties of SrTiO3 perovskite was evaluated using GGA-PBE approximation. Computational modeling results infered an agreement with the previously published literature. The modification of electronic structure and optical properties due to Cr3+ introducing into SrTiO3 were investigated. Structural parameters assumed that Cr3+ doping alters the electronic structures of SrTiO3 by shifting the conduction band through lower energies for the Sr and Ti sites. Besides, results showed that the band gap was reduced by approximately 50% when presenting one Cr3+ atom into the SrTiO3 system and particularly positioned at Sr sites. Interestingly, substituting Ti site by Cr3+ led to eliminating the band ga
... Show MoreThe aim of this study was to study chemical constituents of aerial parts of Cardaria draba since no phytochemical investigation had been studied before in Iraq. Aerial parts of Cardaria draba were defatted by maceration in hexane for 72 h. The defatted plant materials were extracted using Soxhlet apparatus, the aqueous Methanol 90% as a solvent extraction for 18 h, and fractionated with petroleum ether- chloroform (CHCl3)- ethylacetate- and n-butanol respectivly. The ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and n-butanol after hydrolysis fractions were investigated by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and thin-layer chromatography (TLC) for its phenolic acid and flavonoid contents. Flavono
... Show MoreThe free zone or the free economy cities are cities with classification and functional specificity, although the history of the concept of these areas has been It dates back to distant eras, but the intellectual and philosophical construction with the support of intellectual approaches, the most important of which is globalization contributed to its rapid spread globally and taking a variety of forms and models. With the diversity of its formulas and objectives countries have competed in adopting the establishment of these areas, meanwhile The influence of related trends affected the contemporary formation of these sites. Therefore ,the research was directed focus on the importance of adopting a set of common indicators (collection
... Show MoreBackground: There has always been a need for valuable measurements that can be used to measure hearing loss degree in patient who cannot responses to the subjective (behavioral) tests.
Objectives: to examine the accuracy of the click - Auditory Brain stem Response (ABR) test in estimating the hearing loss degree in comparison with the behavioral tests {Free Field (FF) or Pure Tone Audiometry (PTA )}.
Subjects and method: One hundred twenty one children, with suspected hearing loss, their age between 1-9 year, 51 females and 70 males were examined in this work.
Result: The relationship between the hearing loss thresholds using the behavioral
In this present paper, an experimental study of some plasma characteristics in dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) system using several variables, such as different frequencies and using two different electrodes metals(aluminium (Al) and copper (Cu)), is represented. The discharge plasma was produced by an AC power supply source of 6 and 7 kHz frequencies for the nitrogen gas spectrum and for two different electrodes metals(Al and Cu). Optical emission spectrometer was used to study plasma properties (such as electron temperature ( ), electron number density ( ), Debye length ( ), and plasma frequency ( )). In addition, images were analysed for the plasma emission intensity at atmospheric air pressure.