Soil pH is one of the main factors to consider before undertaking any agricultural operation. Methods for measuring soil pH vary, but all traditional methods require time, effort, and expertise. This study aimed to determine, predict, and map the spatial distribution of soil pH based on data taken from 50 sites using the Kriging geostatistical tool in ArcGIS as a first step. In the second step, the Support Vector Machines (SVM) machine learning algorithm was used to predict the soil pH based on the CIE-L*a*b values taken from the optical fiber sensor. The standard deviation of the soil pH values was 0.42, which indicates a more reliable measurement and the data distribution is normal. The Kriging method gave a prediction accuracy of 65% while the SVM algorithm gave an accuracy of 80%. The root mean square error (RMSE) was 0.36, 0.16 and the mean absolute error (MAE) was 0.37, 0.13, respectively, for the two methods. These two methods allow the prediction of soil pH and thus the assessment of soils, allowing for easier and more efficient management decisions and sustaining productivity.
Zinc Oxide nanoparticles were prepared using pulsed laser ablation process from a pure zinc metal placed inside a liquid environment. The latter is composed of acetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) of 10−3 molarity and distilled water. A Ti:Sapphire laser of 800 nm wavelength, 1 kHz pulse repetition rate, 130 fs pulse duration is used at three values of pulse energies of 0.05 mJ, 1.11 mJ and 1.15 mJ. The evaluation of the optical properties for the obtained suspension was applied through ultraviolet–visible absorption spectroscopy test (UV/VIS). The result showed peak wavelengths at 210 nm, 211 nm and 213 nm for the three used pulse energies 0.05 mJ, 1.11 mJ and 1.15 mJ respectively. This indicates a blue shift,
... Show MoreAdvancements in horizontal drilling technologies are utilized to develop unconventional resources, where reservoir temperatures and pressures are very high. However, the flocculation of bentonite in traditional fluids at high temperature and high pressure (HTHP) environments can lower cuttings transportation efficiency and even result in problems such as stuck pipe, decreased rate of penetration (ROP), accelerated bit wear, high torque, and drag on the drill string, and formation damage. The major purpose of the present research is to investigate the performance of low bentonite content water-based fluids for the hole cleaning operation in horizontal drilling processes. Low bentonite content water-based drilling fluids were formulated by re
... Show MoreBackground: Due to the complicated and time-consuming physiological procedure of bone healing, certain graft materials have been frequently used to enhance the reconstruction of the normal bone architecture. However, owing to the limitations of these graft materials, some pharmaceutical alternatives are considered instead. Chitosan is a biopolymer with many distinguishing characteristics that make it one of the best materials to be used as a drug delivery system for simvastatin. Simvastatin is a cholesterol lowering drug, and an influencer in bone formation process, because it stimulates osteoblasts differentiation, bone morphogenic protein 2, and vascular endothelial growth factor. Objectives: histological, histochemical and histomorp
... Show MoreThis study investigated the bioethanol production from green algae Chlorella vulgaris depending on its carbohydrate-enriched biomass. Four different phosphorous concentrations were employed to stimulate bioethanol production from Chlorella vulgaris. The impact of various phosphorous values on Chlorella vulgaris growth rate as well as primary product (carbohydrate) were evaluated. High performance liquid chromatography was utilized in this work. The stationary phase was identified as day 14, 12, 10 and 6 in treatments 6, 4, 2 and g/L, respectively. The findings suggest that the treatment without phosphorous addition had the highest record of carbohydrate content (22.64% dry weight) as well as the highest bioethanol yield (20.66% dry weight).
... Show MoreBiologically active natural compounds are molecules produced by plants or plant-related microbes, such as endophytes. Many of these metabolites have a wide range of antimicrobial activities and other pharmaceutical properties. This study aimed to evaluate (in vitro) the antifungal activities of the secondary metabolites obtained from Paecilomyces sp. against the pathogenic fungus Rhizoctonia solani. The endophytic fungus Paecilomyces was isolated from Moringa oleifera leaves and cultured on potato dextrose broth for the production of the fungal metabolites. The activity of Paecilomyces filtrate against the radial growth of Rhizoctonia solani was tested by mixing the filtrate with potato dextrose agar medium at concentrations of 15%,
... Show MoreThe aim of this work is to detect the best operating conditions that effect on the removal of Cu2+, Zn2+, and Ni2+ ions from aqueous solution using date pits in the batch adsorption experiments. The results have shown that the Al-zahdi Iraqi date pits demonstrated more efficient at certain values of operating conditions of adsorbent doses of 0.12 g/ml of aqueous solution, adsorption time 72 h, pH solution 5.5 ±0.2, shaking speed 300 rpm, and smallest adsorbent particle size needed for removal of metals. At the same time the particle size of date pits has a little effect on the adsorption at low initial concentration of heavy metals. The adsorption of metals increases with increas
... Show MoreBiologically active natural compounds are molecules produced by plants or plant-related microbes, such as endophytes. Many of these metabolites have a wide range of antimicrobial activities and other pharmaceutical properties. This study aimed to evaluate (in vitro) the antifungal activities of the secondary metabolites obtained from Paecilomyces sp. against the pathogenic fungus Rhizoctonia solani. The endophytic fungus Paecilomyces was isolated from Moringa oleifera leaves and cultured on potato dextrose broth for the production of the fungal metabolites. The activity of Paecilomyces filtrate against the radial growth of Rhizoctonia solani was tested by mixing the filtrate with potato dextrose agar medium at concentrations of 15%,
... Show MoreCyclophosphamide which acts as cytotoxic alkylating agent can induce a renal damage through the toxic metabolites which result from metabolic activation of Cyclophosphamide by cytochrome P-450 inside hepatocyte and develop renal toxicity by direct binding with cellular organelles in the urinary tract cells. Guggulsterone is a sterol derived from plant has ability to bind to farsenoid X receptor, mineral corticosteroid receptor, androgen receptor, glucocorticoid receptor and estrogen receptor.
Exploding wire Technique is a way for production metal and its compound nanoparticle that is capable of production of bulk amount at low cost semiconductor. In this work a copper iodine nanoparticles were fabricate by exploding copper wires with different currents in iodine solution. The produced samples were examined by XRD, FTIR, SEM and TEM to characterize their properties. The XRD proved the Nano-size for producer. The crystalline size increases with increasing current. FTIR measurements show a peaks located at 638.92 for Cu-I stretch bond indicate on formation of copper iodide compound and the peaks intensities increase with increasing current. The SEM and TEM measurements show that the thin films have nanostructures.