Owing to the energy crisis and pollution problems of today, investigations have concentrated on
decreasing fuel consumption and on lowering the concentration of toxic components in combustion
products by using non-petroleum, renewable, sustainable and non-polluting fuels. While conventional energy sources such as natural gas, oil and coal are non-renewable, alcohol can be coupled to renewable and sustainable energy sources.
In this study, the combustion characteristics of diesel fuel and methanol blends were compared.
The tests were performed at steady state conditions in a four-cylinder DI diesel engine at full load at
1500-rpm engine speed. The experimental results showed that diesel methanol blends provided
12.7% increase in brake-specific fuel consumption due to its lower heating value. The results indicated that methanol may be blended with diesel fuel to be used without any modification on the engine.
Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic rheumatic inflammatory disease affecting mainly the spine and sacroiliac joints. Since the copper-to-zinc ratio (Cu/Zn) indicates an inflammatory response, the change in ratio is expected to correlate with axSpA. This study compared levels of Cu/Zn in the serum of axSpA patients. Serum samples were obtained from 53 patients with axSpA divided according to biological treatment into cohorts A and B, and 28 healthy control as cohort C. Serum levels of Cu and Zn were determined first by a fully automated chemistry analyzer TC-Matrix Plus, then the ratio was obtained. The elevated serum Cu concentration means of cohort B (189.32 ± 13.808 µg/dL) compared to cohort A (168.85 ± 7.244 µg/dL) a
... Show MoreThyroid hormones (TH) regulate the metabolic processes required for normal development and growth; also, to organizemetabolism in adults, any defect in thyroid function leads to abnormality in thyroid hormones level. The current study hasbeen designed to find the relationship between retinol-binding protein-4 and progranulin in the serum of Iraqi women withhypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, also, to study whether these patients are exposed to a risk of developing diabetes mellitus,and PGRN may be a biomarker in detection early stage of diabetes mellitus.Materials and Methods: in this study, serum samples were obtained from 50 Iraqis women patients, [25 patients withhypothyroidism (G2) and 25 patients with hyperthyroidism (G3)] in addition
... Show MoreAeromonas salmonicida is a fish pathogen and recognized to cause a variety of diseases in humans. There are a few information about A.salmonicida in Iraq and there is no any previous molecular study on it. During the period of December 2017 to May 2018; Sixteen isolates of the A. salmonicida were isolated and identified from 300 common carp (Cyprinus carpio) fishes stomach in aquarium of Erbil city/ Iraq by using manual, automated Vitek 2 compact system, and confirmed by PCR using gene TonB-dependent siderophore (364bp). Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by disk diffusion method and the results found that all isolates 100% susceptible to imipenem, 100% resistant to nalidixic acid and variable resistan
... Show MoreIn vitro tests have been carried out to find out the efficacy of watery extracts of garlic Allium sativum and hot pepper Capsicum spp. against the trophozoites of Entamoeba histolytica cultivated in liver infusion agar media at 37 c . The doses of ( 0.01, 0.05 ,0.1, 0.5, 1 ml )of garlic and hot pepper watery extracts were added to certain number of E. histolotica trophozoits for exposure time of 24 hrs., the mortality percentage of trophozoites treated with garlic extract were ( 14.82 %, 31.05% ,46.16% , 64.29% , 92.7%) respectively , these percentages were very close to that obtained from the treatment with the hot peper extract which were (17.86%, 32% , 44% ,66.67% ,100%) respectively . Generally these results showed that the ga
... Show MoreDesert truffle is considered as a type of Syrian wild fungi that spreads heavily, and it occupies important rank in folk medicine, where its aqueous extract is used for the treatment of some eye and skin illnesses, and people prefer the use of black truffle. This work interested in studying of the most available species; Terfezia claveryi (black) and Tirmania pinoyi (white). The extracts of the two species of truffle were prepared by maceration with water, methanol, and ethanol 70%. Their total phenolic contents (TPC) and total flavonoid contents (TFC) were analyzed using Folin-ciocalteu and Aluminum chloride methods respectively, and their antioxidant activities was tested using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and
... Show MoreSea level rise (SLR) due to climate change is affecting the coastline, causing shoreline changes, the degradation of mangrove forests, and the destruction of coastal resources. This is the cause of a huge amount of mangrove degradation in many parts of the Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna delta. A total of 90% of people have been forced to migrate from the island due to extreme weather conditions. In this study, remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS) techniques were used for LULC change and shoreline shift analyses of Ghoramara Island. LULC classification was carried out using thirty years of Landsat datasets with intervals of ten years (1990 and 2000) and intervals of five years (2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020). The classific
... Show MoreTo enhance the structural performance of concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) columns, various strengthening techniques have been proposed, including the use of internal steel stiffeners, external wrapping with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets, and embedded steel elements. However, the behavior of concrete-filled stainless-steel tube (CFSST) columns remains insufficiently explored. This study numerically investigates the axial performance of square CFSST columns internally strengthened with embedded I-section steel profiles under biaxial eccentric loading. Finite element (FE) simulations were conducted using ABAQUS v. 6.2, and the developed models were validated against experimental results from the literature. A comprehen
... Show MoreThis research investigated the importance and priorities of the project overhead costs in Iraq via a questionnaire using the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process technique (FAHP). Using this technique is very important in the uncertain circumstances as in our country. The researcher reached to frame an equation through the results of the priorities of weights include the percentages of each of the main items of the project overhead costs. The researcher tested this equation by applying it to one of the completed projects and the results showed suitability for the application. The percentages of the (salaries, grants, and incentives) and (fieldwork requirements) in equation represent approximately two-thirds of project overhe
... Show MoreJatropha L. is an exotic genus to Iraq and it has been cultivated in gardens for ornamental purposes because of the shiny red color of the flowers. The plant adapted to environmental conditions and succeeded in growing and blooming, which is why the species was interested to study. The species Jatropha integerrima Jacq. was examined and diagnosed for the first time in Iraq. Morphological and anatomical characteristics for leaves (considering that the variations are the most reliable and taxonomically important) were provided. The Phytochemical screening showed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenes, tannins and saponins. The qualitative analysis by TLC indicated the presence of alkaloids and flavonoid that was detected by specia
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