Hard-grade asphalt binders like AC20-30 typically exhibit excessive stiffness, reduced penetration, and compromised workability, necessitating modification before use in paving applications. This study evaluates the efficacy of regular polyalphaolefin (PAO), a synthetic olefin-based lubricant, as a performance-enhancing modifying agent for such binders. AC20-30 was blended with PAO at dosages ranging from 2 wt.% to 10 wt.%, and the modified binders were characterized via penetration, ductility, softening point, and rotational viscosity measurements, alongside advanced rheological and chemical-morphological analyses. Incorporating PAO in AC20-30 asphalt progressively reduced the binder stiffness and enhanced its flexibility, with all modifie

Background: Worldwide gastric cancer is the fifth most common cancer with poor prognosis. In early stages, it is hard to distinguish gastric cancer from benign gastric diseases, resulting in delayed diagnosis. There is a need to develop a biomarker for differentiating between gastric cancer and benign gastric diseases. Serum cholinesterase is synthesized in liver and released into plasma, and it has an important role in oncogenesis.

Objectives: To determine the correlation between serum cholinesterase activity and gastric cancer, in comparison to benign gastric diseases.

Subjects and Methods: A case control study carried out at Medical City Direct

Mesoporous silica (MPS) nanoparticle was prepared as carriers for drug delivery systems by sol–gel method from sodium silicate as inexpensive precursor of silica and Cocamidopropyl betaine (CABP) as template. The silica particles were characterized by SEM, TEM, AFM, XRD, and N2adsorption–desorption isotherms. The results show that the MPS particle in the nanorange (40-80 nm ) with average diameter equal to 62.15 nm has  rods particle morphology, specific surface area is 1096.122 m²/g, pore volume 0.900 cm³/g, with average pore diameter 2.902 nm, which can serve as efficient carriers for drugs. The adsorption kinetic of Ciprofloxacin (CIP) drug was studied and the data were analyzed and found to match well with

This study was conducted to estimate the extent of damage to the population in Basra, southern Iraq, specifically the areas adjacent to the Shatt al-Arab and the Arabian Gulf, which are the Al-Fao district and the Al-Siba region. They are affected by the progression of saline water resulting from the lack of water imports and the Karun River interruption, which led to high concentrations of salts in the Shatt Al-Arabs. Consequently, its effect on lands and all life types in these areas requires correcting a map of the study area to drop the groundwater sites as well as calculate the total dissolved salts, electrical conductivity and pH. This study concluded that the groundwater contains very high percentages of total dissolved solid

Due to increased consumption of resources, especially energy it was necessary to find alternatives characterized by the same quality as well as being of less expensive, and most important of these alternatives are characterized by waste and the fact that humancannot stop consumption. So we  have consideredwaste as an  alternative and cheap economic resources and by using environmental index the MIP (input materials per unit ,unit / service) is based on the grounds that the product is not the end of itselfit is a product to meet the need  of a product or service, awarded a resource input and output within the five basic elements are the raw materials is ecological, Raw materials ecological, water, air and soil erosion for a

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in research demonstrating the new and diverse uses of non-thermal food processing technologies, including more efficient mixing and blending processes, faster energy and mass transfer, lower temperature and selective extraction, reduced thermal and concentration gradients, reduced equipment size, faster response to extraction control, faster start-up, increased production, and a reduction in the number of steps in preparation and processing. Applications of ultrasound technology have indicated that this technology has a promising and significant future in the food industry and preservation, and there is a wide scope for its use due to the higher purity of final products and the

As cultures are mainly divided into collectivistic and individualistic, members tend to emphasize, through communication, either their position as part of their group or their independence from the group. This emphasis is manifested in using the pragmatic concepts of positive politeness and negative politeness. The present study looks into the reflection of these two cultures in Rockstar’s renowned video game, Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018). It aims at identifying the two cultures as present in the game and showing their significance to its narrative. It fills the gap in the studies of language used within video games as well as its cultural reflections. The study addresses the following question: What are the positive and negative

Manipulation is a discursive concept which plays a key role in political discourse by which politicians can impose some impact on their recipients through using linguistic features, most prominent of which are personal pronouns (Van Dijk, 1995). The aim of this study is to investigate how politicians utilize the personal pronouns, namely; We and I and their possessive forms as a tool of manipulating the audience's mind based on Van Dijk's  "ideological square" which shows positive-self representation and negative-other representation (Van Dijk,1998:p.69). To this end, American President Donald Trump's 2020 State of the Union speech was chosen to be the data of analysis. Only (8)

This contribution investigates the impact of adding transition metal of Ti to CeOy samples at various concentrations referring to 0, 15.84, 24.46, 34.46, 36.23, 38.46, 45.38% and pure TiOy, correspondingly. The samples were fabricated by the magnetron sputtering technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD) configurations demonstrate the presence of α-Ce2O3 and Ce2O3 phases with increased Ti contents in the systems. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) experimentation confirms the purity of the S1-sample (CeO2) and the purity of the S8-sample (TiO2). Further XPS analysis reveals that Ti incorporation in the doped systems functions as a reducing agent because of the existence of α-Ce2O3 and Ce2O3 phases. Moreover, based on UV–vis spectroscopy res

Background: Coated archwires have been introduced to improve esthetics during orthodontic treatment. Theaim of the present study was to evaluate and compare the load–deflection characteristics and force levels of six brands of coated nickel titanium orthodontic archwires using palatal and gingival deflection. Materials and methods: Ten round wires (0.016 inch) and ten rectangular wires (0.019x0.025 inch) were obtained from each of six brands (G&H, Opal, Ortho Technology, Dany, Hubit and Astar Companies). The load-deflection properties of these archwires were evaluated by the modified bending test usinga readymade dental arch model in both palatal and gingival directions at 37°C temperature using a universal material testing machi