Nanoparticles have gained considerable interest in recent times for oil recovery purposes owing to significant capabilities in wettability alteration of reservoir rocks. Wettability is a key factor controlling displacement efficiency and ultimate recovery of oil. The present study investigates the influence of zirconium (IV) oxide (ZrO2) and nickel (II) oxide (NiO) nanoparticles on the wetting preference of fractured (oil-wet) limestone formations. Wettability was assessed through SEM, AFM and contact angle. The potentials of the nanoparticles to alter oil-wet calcite substrates water wet, was experimentally tested at low nanoparticle concentrations (0.004–0.05 wt%). Quite similar behaviour was observed for both nanoparticles at the same particle concentration; while ZrO2 demonstrated a better efficiency by altering strongly oil-wet (water contact angle θ=152°) calcite substrates into a strongly water-wet (θ=44°) state, NiO changed wettability to an intermediate-wet condition (θ=86°) at 0.05 wt% nanoparticle concentration. We conclude that ZrO2 is very efficient in terms of inducing strong water-wettability; and ZrO2 based nanofluids have a high potential as EOR agents.
Objective(s): Ramadan is the Holy month of the Muslims, where they are required to abstain from food and drinks
from dawn till the beginning of night. This study was conducted in Ramadan to investigate the effect of fasting on
hematological incidences, lipid profile, renal and liver function tests among healthy adult males.
Methodology: The present study was carried out in Ramadan – 1431 of Higira (August-September 2010). The study
sample was 56 healthy adult males. Five samples of blood were taken at five intervals (Before, at day 1, 15, 28 and
after Ramadan). Estimation was done for hematological markers, (hemoglobin, white blood cells count, platelet
count); renal function tests (blood urea, serum uric acid, serum
MRSA is one of the major pathogens in hospitals and the community, which have the ability to produce biofilm as a virulence factor, the impact of chalcone on biofilm formation, the synergism effect of chalcone and antibiotic in both in vitro and in vivo experiments, the gene expression of virulence genes (srtA, fnbA, fnbB) before and after treatment of it on MRSA biofilm cells in vitro, all these were the prime aims of this study. Chalcone at MBIC (20 μg/ml), significantly reduced the biofilm formation to 21.45% and at sub MBIC (15 μg/ml) to 36.58 %. While, Chalcone at MIC(5 μg/ml) reduced MRSA planktonic cells to 49.61%. Susceptibility of MRSA isolates against eight antibiotics showed that all isolates were sensitive to vancomycin and n
... Show MoreThese days, the world is facing a global environmental and sustainability problem due to the increasing generation of large amounts of waste through construction and demolition work, which causes a serious problem for the environment. Therefore, this research was conducted to get rid of the waste disposal problems, including old glass and concrete, which were used as recycled fine aggregates. Seven different mixtures were prepared. The first mixture was with the used sand, which is glass sand, and it was adopted as a reference mixture (ORPC), and three mixtures were prepared for each of the recycled materials (waste concrete and glass) and partially replaced by glass sand in different proportions (25, 50, and 75) %. Some
... Show MoreAbstract- Plasma parameters in a planar dc-sputtering discharge in argon were measured by cylindrical electrostatic probe (Langmuir probe).Electron density, electron temperature, floating potential, and space potential were monitored as a function of working discharge pressure. Electrostatic probe and supporting circuit were described and used to plot the current – voltage characteristics. Plasma properties were inferred from the current-voltage characteristics of a single probe positioned at the inter-cathode space. Typical values are in the range of (10-16 -10-17) m-3 and (2.93 – 5.3) eV for the electron density and the electron temperature respectively.
Giardia lamblia is the worldwide most common intestinal protozoan parasite. It was indicated that Giardia is the most important agent that causes acute and chronic diarrhea in infants, young children and travelers. The aim was to detect the influence of host HLA alleles on the susceptibility to infection with G. lamblia in a sample of Iraqi patients. A total of (40) patients with giardiasis aged (14-39) years were registered. All of them were symptomatic and (40) healthy individuals matched age and sexes were included as controls. All patients were prepared to stool examination to detect G. lamblia and eliminated other pathogens, as well as human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II alleles (DRB1) typing. The most common detected alleles in pat
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In this investigation, Al2O3 nano material of 50nm particles size were added to the 6061 Al aluminium alloy by using the stir casting technique to fabricate the nanocomposite of 10wt% Al2O3. The experimental results observed that the addition of 10wt% Al2O3 improved the fatigue life and strength of constant and cumulative fatigue. Comparison between the S-N curves behaviour of metal matrix (AA6061) and the nanocomposite 10wt% Al2O3 has been made. The comparison revealed that 12.8% enhancement in fatigue strength at 107cycles due to 10wt% nano reinforcement. Also cumulative fatigue l
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