Laboratory studies were conducted at the biological control unit, college of Agriculture, University of Baghdad to evaluate some biological aspects of the predator Chilocorus bipustulatus (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), which is considered one of the most important predators on many insect pests, especially the scale insect, Parlatoria blanchardi, (Homoptera: Diaspididae) on date palms. The results showed that biological parameters of the predator were varied according to different degree of temperature. Egg incubation period was significantly different and reached to 7.5 and 5.44 day at 25 and 30°C respectively, Fertility was the same 100% at both temperature degrees. Larval growth periods were 17.41 and 16.12 day as well as the mortality during this stage was also the same 0.0%. Duration rate of pupal stage was 9.62 day at 25°C and reduced significantly to 7.13 day at 30°C. No morality was found, in pupal stage at both temperatures. The adult longevity rates for both males and females were also significantly different that the adult longevity of the male was 80.87 and 66.75 day and less than that of female longevity rate which reached to 90.89 and 67.0 days at both temperature degrees of 25 and 30°C, respectively. Fecundity affected significantly and reached to 254.3 and 316.0 egg female at 25°C and 30°C, respectively. The predator has very high consumption efficiency of scale insect nymphs, this predation was increased as the larva developed from one instar to the following. As average the 1ˢͭ, 2ⁿᵈ, 3ͬ ͩ and 4ᵗͪ instars were consumed 95.12, 171.4, 328.06 and 710.0 scale insect nymphs, and the average of daily consumption of each instar reached to 23.78, 34.28, 65.61 and 140.2 nymph, respectively. The average rate for the whole larval stage consumption was 263.87 and 1295.58. The female of predator consumed more nymphs (127.5 nymph/ day) than that of male (106 nymphs/ day).
Nutlets of 22 taxa of Stachys (13 species and seven subspecies and two varieties), representing seven of the currently recognized sections distributed in northern Iraq were examined by light microscope. The basic shape of nutlets in most taxa studied is Obovoid, but Oblong also found in S.megalodanta Hausskn.& Bornm. ex P.H.Davis, S.setirefa C.A.Mey. subsp daenensis (Gandog.) Rech.f.and S. kurdica Boiss.& Hohen. var.kurdica, while the Subgloboid shape found in S. iberica M.Bieb. and S. inflata Benth., more over the Broad triangular shape was found in S. nephrophylla Rech.f. and S.lanigera (Bornm.) Rech.f.., the biggest size of nutlets was found in S.inflata L. and the smallest was in S.melampyroides Hand.-Mzt. Regarding sculpturing pa
... Show MoreEverywhere carriers incur a measure of liability for the safety of the goods. Carriers are liable for any damage or for the loss of the goods that are in their possession as carriers unless they prove that the damage or loss is attributable to certain excepted causes. Damaged and lost items can unfortunately be a common problem when shipping freight. Legal responsibilities arise due to loss or damage during transit while cargo is in their care. This study intends to investigate the nature of the liability of the maritime carrier when this liability is realized, and the extent to which it can be paid or disposed of given the risks realized from the transportation process, which may result in damage or loss of the goods, and the damag
... Show MoreIn this paper, fire resistance and residual capacity tests were carried out on encased pultruded glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) I-beams with high-strength concrete beams. The specimens were loaded concurrently under 25% of the ultimate load and fire exposure (an increase in temperature of 700 °C) for 70 min. Subsequently, the fire-damaged specimens were allowed to cool and then were loaded statically until failure to explore the residual behaviors. The effects of using shear connectors and web stiffeners on the residual behavior were investigated. Finite Element (FE) analysis was developed to simulate the encased pultruded GFRP I-beams under the effect of fire loading. The thermal analyses were performed using the general-pu
... Show MoreShear lag is the phenomenon that occurs when a supported slender member undergoes deformation from lateral loading, causing in-plane non-uniform distribution of stresses that results in reducing the member’s minimum strength capacity. This paper investigates the behaviour of shear distribution in steel I-section and box girders when subjected to both static and impact loadings. Three-dimensional finite element analysis models were prepared in Strand7 and validated against experimental results providing a basis for further comparison research into shear lagging effects. A parametric study was conducted comparing the effects of impact loading through certain specified velocities at the midspan of restrained ends. It provided new ins
... Show MoreColorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with tumor angiogenesis playing a pivotal role in its progression and metastasis. CD144 (VE-cadherin), a calcium-dependent adhesion molecule, is critical for endothelial cell integrity and has been linked to tumor angiogenesis and cancer stem cell phenotypes. This study aimed to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of CD144 in benign colorectal lesions, normal adjacent tumor tissue (NRAT), and tumor tissues to elucidate its role in colorectal cancer progression. Multiple techniques, including immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, Western blot, and qPCR, were used to assess CD144 expression and its association with the VEGF/VEGFR2 signaling pat
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Multipoint forming process is an engineering concept which means that the working surface of the punch and die is produced as hemispherical ends of individual active elements (called pins), where each pin can be independently, vertically displaced using a geometrically reconfigurable die. Several different products can be made without changing tools saved precious production time. Also, the manufacturing of very expensive rigid dies is reduced, and a lot of expenses are saved. But the most important aspects of using such types of equipment are the flexibility of the tooling. This paper presents an experimental investigation of the effect of three main parameters which are blank holder, rubber thickness and forming speed th
... Show MorePhotonic Crystal Fiber Interferometers (PCFIs) are widely used for sensing applications. This work presents the fabrication and the characterization of a relative humidity sensor based on a polymer-coated photonic crystal fiber that operates in a Mach- Zehnder Interferometer (MZI) transmission mode. The fabrication of the sensor involved splicing a short (1 cm) length of Photonic Crystal Fiber (PCF) between two single-mode fibers (SMF). It was then coated with a layer of agarose solution. Experimental results showed that a high humidity sensitivity of 29.37 pm/%RH was achieved within a measurement range of 27–95%RH. The sensor also showed good repeatability, small size, measurement accuracy and wide humidity range. The RH sensitivity o
... Show MoreA particle swarm optimization algorithm and neural network like self-tuning PID controller for CSTR system is presented. The scheme of the discrete-time PID control structure is based on neural network and tuned the parameters of the PID controller by using a particle swarm optimization PSO technique as a simple and fast training algorithm. The proposed method has advantage that it is not necessary to use a combined structure of identification and decision because it used PSO. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed adaptive PID neural control algorithm in terms of minimum tracking error and smoothness control signal obtained for non-linear dynamical CSTR system.
Thirty local fungal isolates according to Aspergillus niger were screened for Inulinase production on synthetic solid medium depending on inulin hydrolysis appear as clear zone around fungal colony. Semi-quantitative screening was performed to select the most efficient isolate for inulinase production. the most efficient isolate was AN20. The optimum condition for enzyme production from A. niger isolate was determined by busing a medium composed of sugar cane moisten with corn steep liquor 5;5 (v/w) at initial pH 5.0 for 96 hours at 30 0C . Enzyme productivity was tested for each of the yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus, the fungus A. niger AN20 and for a mixed culture of A. niger and K. marxianus. The productivity of A. niger gave the highest
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