The nanostructured Manganese dioxide/Carbon fiber (CF) composite electrode was prepared galvanostatically using a facile method of anodic electrodeposition by varying the reaction time and MnSO4 concentration of the electrochemical solution. The effects of these parameters on the structures and properties of the prepared electrode were evaluated. For determining the crystal characteristics, morphologies, and topographies of the deposited MnO2 films onto the surfaces of carbon fibers, the X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques were used, respectively. It found that the carbon fibers were coated with γ-MnO2 with a density that increased with increasing the de

High tunnels, or unheated plastic greenhouses, are becoming increasingly popular among organic vegetable growers across the United States. However, the intensive production typical of these systems presents soil health challenges, including salinization due to high fertilizer or compost inputs coupled with lack of rainfall to leach salts. Legume cover crops may improve soil health in high tunnels by reducing the need for external inputs, while adding organic matter. We tested the soil health effects of a winter hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) cover crop used to replace fertilizer N in an organic tomato cropping system in high tunnels. Studies were replicated across three sites differing in climate and soil type (Kansas, Kentucky, and Minne

The clayey soils have the capability to swell and shrink with the variation in moisture content. Soil stabilization is a well-known technique, which is implemented to improve the geotechnical properties of soils. The massive quantities of waste materials are resulting from modern industry methods create disposal hazards in addition to environmental problems. The steel industry has a waste that can be used with low strength and weak engineering properties soils. This study is carried out to evaluate the effect of steel slag (SS) as a by-product of the geotechnical properties of clayey soil. A series of laboratory tests were conducted on natural and stabilized soils. SS was added by 0, 2.5, 5, 10, 15, and 20% to the soil.

Geotechnical engineering like any other engineering field has to develop and cope with new technologies. This article intends to investigate the spatial relationships between soil’s liquid limit (LL), plasticity index (PI) and Liquidity index (LI) for particular zones of Sulaymaniyah City. The main objective is to study the ability to produce digital soil maps for the study area and determine regions of high expansive soil. Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) interpolation tool within the GIS (Geographic Information System) program was used to produce the maps. Data from 592 boreholes for LL and PI and 245 boreholes for LI were used for this study. Layers were allocated into three depth ranges (1 to 2, 2 to 4 and 4 to 6)

Research summarized in applying the model  of fuzzy goal programming for aggregate production planning , in General Company for hydraulic industries / plastic factory to get an optimal production plan  trying to cope with the impact that fluctuations in demand and  employs all available resources using two strategies where they are available   inventories  strategy and  the strategy of  change in the level of the workforce, these   strategies  costs are usually imprecise/fuzzy. The plant administration trying to minimize total production costs, minimize carrying costs and minimize changes in labour levels. depending on the gained data from th

The complexation between folic acid and a typical polyaromatic hydrocarbon, fluorene, was investigated using FTIR and UV spectra. Appearance of a new IR band at 2401cm−1 demonstrates that NH2–C=N moiety on pterin ring in folic acid is protonated when fluorene is introduced. The emergence of two charge transfer bands at 217 nm and 278 nm in UV difference spectra shows the presence of π-π complexation between folic acid and fluorene. These experiments confirm that fluorene could combine with the pterin ring of folic acid through π-π donor–acceptor interaction and induce the protonation process in folic acid upon strengthening electron accepting ability of pterin ring. The results suggest that complexatio

The herbal remedy individually or in combination with standard medicines has been used in diverse medical treatises for the cure of different diseases. Pumpkin seed oil is one of the recognized edible oil and has substantial medicinal properties due to the presence of unique natural edible substances. Inflammation is an adaptive response that is triggered by noxious stimuli and conditions, which involves interactions amongst many cell types and mediators, and underlies many pathological processes. Unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) can influence inflammation through a variety of mechanisms, and have been indicated as alternative anti-inflammatory agents to treat several inflammatory skin disorders. Pumpkin seed oil is rich in (UFAs), that its t

To investigate the role of IL-6 and IL-8 in the immune-regulatory mechanisms involved in the recurrent spontaneous abortion of the first trimester of pregnancy. Serum level of IL-6 and IL-8 were determined in 25 women of age (20-35) years who had a spontaneous abortion of unknown aetiology during the first trimester of pregnancy .They were compared with the corresponding levels of 20 pregnant and non-pregnant women as control groups .cytokine levels were measured by (ELISA) technique .The women with spontaneous abortion had highly significant (P < 0.01) increased serum level of IL-8 and highly significant (P < 0.01 ) decreased level of IL-6 compared to those with normal pregnant and non-pregnant women. The results of this study ma