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Implementation of a Research Plan Management System for Research Center of TIU University
Get PDFMobile apps are always evolving to make our lives simpler. This research study focuses on developing a cross-platform mobile application for TIU’s research center’s Research Plan Management System (RPMS). TIU currently does not have a mobile application that allows academics to submit their annual research plans and proposals online rather than filling out paper or electronic forms. This study was done at TIU’s research center for an experimental object, and it used Flutter as a development platform, Firebase as a backend database, and Dart as a programming language to create a mobile app that serves as a research management system for the institution. It enables related departments to track the research publication process until it reaches the final stage, and staff may electronically submit their research plans and acquire the appropriate permissions, as well as allowing the Research Center and departments to view real staff progress. According to our study survey, more than 70% of TIU staff believe that using a mobile application to submit and follow-up with the research plan is better than the traditional paper-based system
Reconnaissance Study of Gypsum from the Fatha Formation as Raw Material for Production of Gypsum Powder in Shaqlawa Area, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
Get PDFThe quality of gypsum rock as raw material from the Fatha Formation in Talajar Village in the Shaqlawa area for ground gypsum production was assessed. A total of three samples of gypsum were collected from different locations of the same horizon in the outcrop for comparing the chemical and physical properties according to the Iraqi Standard Specification 26-1988 and American Standard for Testing and Materials C471-16. The analyses of major oxides for the bulk gypsum samples especially the main components for gypsum (SO3, CaO, and combined water) showed good results and good purity. The apparent specific gravity and absorption of water were performed according to Iraqi Standard Specification 27-1988 at room temperature. These obtained data from chemical analyses and physical tests results revealed that the gypsum quality is in conformance with Iraqi Standard Specification requirements. The quality assessments from the study area show that the gypsum in the selected area is suitable as raw material for ground gypsum production
Investigation of Using Human Hair as Fiber Reinforcement in Concrete
Get PDFOvercoming deficiencies like micro-cracks and similar type of problems in concrete by functional and economical way can be done by using fiber reinforcement. Generally, fiber can be used to reduce the permeability in concrete, and to control both dry and plastic shrinkage cracking. It also can be used to decrease the smash resistances and scraping. For construction of light weight seismic resistant structures, it is an active method. Concretes weakness in tension shows the need for more measurement to cover this shortage. The strong ability to withstand tension in human hair was the reason for using it as a fiber reinforced material. Human hair is an accessible material with no cost, and it is a non-degradable material. It also makes environmental issue for its dissolution. It has been a concern in this study the alteration in concrete properties (compressive, flexural strength and cracking control) due to the impact of adding human hair to plain concrete. Adding human hair to concrete is a multi-advantage process because it improves the concrete properties, reduce the cost of producing concrete, and of course serve solving environmental problems. In this study, various percentages of human hair fiber: 0%, 2% and 2.5% by weight of cement were used in six concrete mixes of varying compressive strengths (ranging from 17 to 42 MPa) and tested to investigate the effect of fiber percentage on compressive and flexural strengths. The results show that there are improvements in concrete strength and other properties by using the human hair as fiber reinforcement
Ethnopharmacology, Biological Evaluation, and Chemical Composition of Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Desf.: A Review
Get PDFMedicinal plants are the primary raw materials used in the production of medicinal products all over the world. As a result, more study on plants with therapeutic potential is required. The tropical tree Ziziphus spina belongs to the Rhamnaceae family. Biological reports and traditional applications including management of diabetes and treatment of malaria, digestive issues, typhoid, liver complaints, weakness, skin infections, urinary disorders, obesity, diarrhoea, and sleeplessness have all been treated with different parts of Z. spina all over the globe. The plant is identified as a rich source of diverse chemical compounds. This study is a comprehensive yet detailed review of Z. spina based on major findings from around the world regarding ethnopharmacology, biological evaluation, and chemical composition. Scopus, Web of Science, BioMed Central, ScienceDirect, PubMed, Springer Link, and Google Scholar were searched to find published articles. From the 186 research articles reviewed, we revealed the leaf extract to be significant against free radicals, microbes, parasites, inflammation-related cases, obesity, and cancer. Chemically, polyphenols/flavonoids were the most reported compounds with a composition of 66 compounds out of the total 193 compounds reported from different parts of the plant. However, the safety and efficacy of Z. spina have not been wholly assessed in humans, and further well-designed clinical trials are needed to corroborate preclinical findings. The mechanism of action of the leaf extract should be examined. The standard dose and safety of the leaf should be established
Traditional Methods for Treatment and Management of Measles in Northern Nigeria: Medicinal plants and their molecular docking
Get PDFBackground: Measles is one of the major causes of death among young children worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, measles affects more than 20 million people globally each year, with around 17 millions of them being children. In Nigeria, traditional herbal medicine has long been employed to treat this disease.
Methods: Purposive sampling was used with the aid of an open-ended interview guide, from March–December 2021. In addition, a literature search was carried out on the reported plants. Molecular docking-based virtual screening was employed to identify possible compounds with higher affinity to the target enzyme.
Results: Twenty-four medicinal plants and three traditional methods were documented for the treatment and management of measles in Northern Nigeria. Cow dung and fermented Sorghum had the highest Fidelity Level at 100 %, respectively. Leaves were the most common plant part used for the treatment of measles, likely due to the presence of secondary metabolites. Decoction and oral application were the most effective methods of preparation and administration, respectively. The binding affinities of the investigated compounds ranged from -1.3 Kcal/mol to -9.3 Kcal/mol, respectively. From the molecular docking, Quinoline and Amyrin were identified to have the highest binding affinity of -9.3 Kcal/mol, respectively.
Conclusion: This study adds to our understanding of the plants utilized by Northern Nigerians in the prevention and treatment of measles. These data may be used to further pharmacological research on these therapeutic plants, with a focus on safety, standardization, and effective dose
Crumbotti and rose petals in a ghost mountain valley: foraging, landscape, and their transformations in the upper Borbera Valley, NW Italy
Get PDFBackground: The abandonment of mountain areas in Europe is a process that started during industrialisation and
whose traces are still present nowadays. Initiatives aimed at stopping this decline and preserving the local biological
and cultural diversities refect the crucial issue of fostering sustainable rural development. This article contributes to
the ongoing debate in assessing and preserving local ecological knowledge (LEK) in a highly marginalised mountain
community in the Piedmontese Apennines to support local development. In so doing, it continues a larger project
assessing how local botanical knowledge and landscapes evolve over time, in order to understand in more depth
which factors afect how LEK is shaped, eroded, and re-created, and how this could be revitalised.
Methods: We compared information about the current gathering and use of local wild plants in the upper Borbera
Valley (Carrega Ligure municipality, NW Italy), elicited via 34 in-depth open and semi-structured interviews, with the
fndings of a feld study conducted in the same location, most likely carried out at the end of the 1970s and published
in 1981.
Results: There were remarkable quantitative and qualitative diferences between the two ethnobotanies. The gather�ing and use of some wild medicinal plants growing in meadows, woodlands, and higher mountain environments
(Achillea, Centaurea, Dianthus, Ostrya, Picea, Polygonum, Potentilla, and Thymus) seems to have disappeared, whereas
the collection of plants growing in more anthropogenic environments, or possibly promoted via contacts with the
“reference” city of Genoa (the largest city close to Carrega and historically the economic and cultural centre to which
the valley was mostly connected), has been introduced (i.e. ramsons, safower, bitter oranges, black trumpets) or rein�vigorated (rose petals). This trend corresponds to the remarkable changes in the local landscape ecology and agro�silvo-pastoral system that took place from the frst half of the twentieth century, dramatically increasing woodland
and secondary vegetation, and decreasing coppices, plantations, grasslands and segregating cultivated land.
Conclusion: The fndings show a very difcult rearrangement of the LEK, as most of the areas the local actors still
know are within their villages, and they no longer have daily experience in the rest of the abandoned woodland
landscape (except for mushrooming and gathering chestnuts). This situation can be interpreted in two ways: as the start of the complete abandonment of the valley, or as a starting residual resilience lynchpin, which could possibly
inspire new residents if the larger political-economic framework would promote measures for making the survival of
the mountain settlements of this municipality possible, and not just a chimera
Food Behavior in Emergency Time: Wild Plant Use for Human Nutrition during the Conflict in Syria
Get PDFWild food plants (WFPs) have been an important source of human nutrition since ancient times, and it particularly revives when conventional food is not available due to emergency situations, such as natural disasters and conflicts. The war in Syria has entered 10 years since it started in 2011, and it has caused the largest war-related crises since World War II. Nearly 60% of the Syrian population (12.4 million people) are food-insecure. WFPs are already culturally important in the region, and may be supplementing local diets during this conflict. Our study aimed to uncover the conflict’s effect on the use of WFPs and to know what species are consumed by local people during the current crisis. The fieldwork was carried out between March 2020 and March 2021 in the Tartus governorate located in the coastal region of Syria. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 50 participants (26 women and 24 men) distributed in 26 villages along the study area. We recorded the vernacular names, uses, plant parts used, modes of preparation and consumption, change in WFP use before and during the conflict, and informants’ perceptions towards WFPs. We documented 75 wild food plant species used for food and drink. Almost two-thirds (64%) of informants reported an increase in their reliance on wild plants as a food source during the conflict. The species of Origanum syriacum, Rhus coriaria, Eryngium creticum, and Cichorium intybus were among the most quoted species by informants. Sleeq (steamed leafy vegetables), Zaatar (breakfast/dinner food), and Louf (soup) were the most popular wild plant-based dishes
Application of natural and modified exosomes a drug delivery system
Get PDFExtracellular vesicles (EVs) are small molecules produced by most cells that may aid in cell communication. They can transfer functional biomolecules from one cell to the next, and even across the body. Exosomes are some of the most studied extracellular vesicle components. Many medications may be incorporated into exosomes and then disseminated to specific organs, tissues, and cells to provide tailored medication administration. According to a new study, exosomes, which are produced by cells, have a variety of functions and aims. Several studies have proven that a broad variety of cargo may be effectively transported to the precisely specified cells. For this reason, EVs are often used to carry medicinal substances as treatment. The researchers used exosomes that had been treated with additional chemicals to boost their transportability. Exosomes offer a number of advantages over other drug delivery technologies such as nanoparticle-based systems, liposomes, and even polymeric nanoparticles. Due to their similar nature to the body’s own cells, exosomes have no immunogenicity. Because of their nanoscale size, exosomes are the most promising strategy for medicine delivery to specific tissues and organs, and they have gotten the greatest attention in recent years. The ability of natural and manufactured exosomes to convey a variety of cargo to the target cell is investigated in this article
hemical composition of Bryophyllum pinnatum (Lam.) Oken
Get PDFNatural chemicals with medicinal qualities are an endless source of chemical molecules, making them a valuable source of pharmacologically active molecules. Humans have always looked for these plants, not only for food but also for medicinal purposes. Bryophyllum pinnatum is a succulent perennial herb native to Africa and Asia. The plants is traditionally used in northern Nigeria for the treatment and management of various ailments. To date, no studies have been carried out on the chemical composition of B. pinnatum in Northern, Nigeria. The study examine the chemical composition of B. pinnatum leaves in Northern, Nigeria. Hydrodistillation was used to extract the essential oil using three different solvents (dichloromethane, hexane and hexane-acetone). The chemical composition of the essential was identified with Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Thirty five compounds were identified from the essential oil extracted with dichloromethane, twenty five compounds from the essential oil extracted with hexane and twenty three compounds from essential oil extracted hexane-acetone. But the three solvents were found to be dominant by Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate. The study provides the first chemical composition of B. Pinnatum which can be fully utilised industry and pharmaceutical companies. Further studies is needed to ascertain the pharmacological and industrial usage of each identified compound
Adsorption of anionic dyes from textile wastewater utilizing raw corncob
Get PDFToxic dyes are irrefutable effluent components of textile wastewater, so they have become a major economic and health concern. With the purpose of efficient removal of textile dyes, multiple nature-inspired adsorbents have been applied. Herein, raw corncob is proposed as a novel highly efficient, low-price, and abundantly attainable adsorbent with the potential for uptake of methyl red and methyl orange. Multiple experiments were carried out to optimize parameters including pH, primary concentration, adsorbent dosage, temperature, and contact time. The adsorption was raised with the mounting of the contact time and it was alleviated with the addition of initial concentration. The foremost uptake of dye was apperceived at an acidic medium pH 4 for methyl red and pH 1 for methyl orange. Scanning Electron Microscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy were employed to characterize the surfaces of corncobs. The well-fitted Langmuir and Freundlich models (methyl red: R2 = 0.9956 and methyl orange: R2 = 0.9883) confirmed the homogeneous monolayer adsorption process on the raw corncob surface. The obtained results disclose that corncob is an effectual biosorbent for eliminating anionic dyes without the necessity for any prior modifications