Viruses have not previously been reported to act as chemotactic/chemoattractive agents. Rather, viruses as extracellular entities are generally viewed as non-metabolically active spore-like agents that await further infection events upon collision with appropriate host cells. That a virus might actively contribute to its fate via chemotaxis and change the behavior of an organism independent of infection is unprecedented.
Lignin has emerged as a promising asphalt binder modifier due to its sustainable and renewable nature, with the potential to improve flexible pavement performance. This study investigates the use of Soda Lignin Powder (SLP), derived from Pinus wood sawdust via alkaline treatment, as an asphalt modifier to enhance mixture durability. SLP was characterized using Fourier Transformation Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray Analysis (SEM/EDX), revealing significant changes in its chemical structure post-extraction. These analyses showed the presence of phenolic units, including hydroxyphenyl propane, syringyl, and guaiacyl units. The morphology of SLP was identified
... Show MoreEfficient cuttings transport and hole cleaning are very important factors for obtaining an effective drilling operation. In an inclined and horizontal drilling, hole cleaning issue is a common and complex problem.
The scope of this research is to study the drilling parameters which affect hole cleaning in Iraqi directional wells through studying and analyzing some drilled wells ( vertical , directional (30 degree) , directional (60 degree) and horizontal ).An excel sheet is prepared to calculate carrying capacity index which represents an indicator for good hole cleaning in different sections. The study indicated through the field investigations, practical experiences and theoretical calculations tha
... Show MoreThe objective of the study is developing a procedure for production and characterization of rice husk ash (RHA). The effects of rice husk (RH) amount, burning/cooling conditions combined with stirring on producing of RHA with amorphous silica, highest SiO2, lowest loss on ignition (LOI), uniform particle shape distribution and nano structured size have been studied. It is concluded that the best amount is 20 g RH in 125 ml evaporating dish Porcelain with burning for 2 h at temperature 700 °C combined with cooling three times during burning to produce RHA with amorphous silica, SiO2 90.78% and LOI 1.73%. On the other hand, cooling and stirring times affect the variation of nano structured size and particle shape dis
... Show MoreConstruction contractors usually undertake multiple construction projects simultaneously. Such a situation involves sharing different types of resources, including monetary, equipment, and manpower, which may become a major challenge in many cases. In this study, the financial aspects of working on multiple projects at a time are addressed and investigated. The study considers dealing with financial shortages by proposing a multi-project scheduling optimization model for profit maximization, while minimizing the total project duration. Optimization genetic algorithm and finance-based scheduling are used to produce feasible schedules that balance the finance of activities at any time w
The unpredictable and huge data generation nowadays by smart computing devices like (Sensors, Actuators, Wi-Fi routers), to handle and maintain their computational processing power in real time environment by centralized cloud platform is difficult because of its limitations, issues and challenges, to overcome these, Cisco introduced the Fog computing paradigm as an alternative for cloud-based computing. This recent IT trend is taking the computing experience to the next level. It is an extended and advantageous extension of the centralized cloud computing technology. In this article, we tried to highlight the various issues that currently cloud computing is facing. Here
... Show MoreOne of the most important problems of Iraqi construction projects is the cost variances, so it is important to identify the problems and shortcomings that cause poor cost control. Through the utilization of questionnaires, the study evaluated how project costs were managed and reported. The questionnaire was distributed to 180 professionals working in the Iraqi construction sector, with a response rate of 91%. The results showed that a high percentage of projects are implemented with a difference between real and estimated costs, and the process of documenting cost data needs to be more secure. On the other hand, there is a weakness in providing the necessary work structure information to monitor costs and a lack of proc
... Show More