Digital Commons Network^™

Comparison Of Test Performance Of A Conventional Pcr And Two Field-Friendly Tests To Detect Coxiella Burnetii Dna In Ticks Using Bayesian Latent Class Analysis, Maureen W. Kamau, Carmel Witte, Wynand Goosen, Mathew Mutinda, Jandouwe Villinger, Dennis Getange, Rua Khogali, Michael E. Von Fricken, Eric Maurice Fèvre, Dawn Zimmerman, Yvonne Marie Linton, Michele Miller

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Introduction: Coxiella burnetii (C. burnetii)-infected livestock and wildlife have been epidemiologically linked to human Q fever outbreaks. Despite this growing zoonotic threat, knowledge of coxiellosis in wild animals remains limited, and studies to understand their epidemiologic role are needed. In C. burnetii-endemic areas, ticks have been reported to harbor and spread C. burnetii and may serve as indicators of risk of infection in wild animal habitats. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare molecular techniques for detecting C. burnetii DNA in ticks. Methods: In total, 169 ticks from wild animals and cattle in wildlife conservancies in northern Kenya …

Preparation And Characterization Of Silver Nanoparticles And Its Medical Application Against Pathogenic Bacteria, Azhin Zainel Abbas, Rosure Borhanalden Abdulrahman, Thikra A. Mustafa

Baghdad Science Journal

The fabrication of Solid and Hollow silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) has been achieved and their characterization was performed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), zeta potential, UV–VIS spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction (XRD). A TEM image revealed a quasispherical form for both Solid and Hollow Ag NPs. The measurement of surface charge revealed that although Hollow Ag NPs have a zeta potential of -43 mV, Solid Ag NPs have a zeta potential of -33 mV. According to UV-VIS spectroscopy measurement Solid and Hollow Ag NPs both showed absorption peaks at wavelengths of 436 nm and 412 nm, respectively. XRD pattern demonstrates that …

Synthesis, Characterization And Anticancer Activity Of Chitosan Schiff Base / Pvp Gold Nano Composite In Treating Esophageal Cancer Cell Line, Maha A. Younus, Baker F. Abdallaha

Baghdad Science Journal

In the present paper, chitosan Schiff base has been synthesized from chitosan’s reaction with the salicyldehyde. The AuNPs was manufacture by extract of onion peels as a reducing agent. The Au NPs that have been prepared were characterized through the UV-vis spectroscopy, XRD analyses and SEM microscopy. The polymer blends of the chitosan Schiff base / PVP has been prepared through using the approach of solution casting. Chitosan Schiff base / PVP Au nano-composites was prepared. Nano composites and polymer blends have been characterized by FTIR which confirm the formation of Schiff base by revealing a new band of absorption …

Water Treatment Using Zinc Nanoparticles And Apricot Plant Extracts From Organic And Inorganic Pollution, Suzan Muslim Abdullah, Abbas Ali Salih Al-Hamdani, Labeeb Ahmed Al-Zubaidi

Baghdad Science Journal

The apricot plant was washed, dried, and powdered after harvesting to produce a fine powder that was used in water treatment. created an alcoholic extract from the apricot plant using ethanol, which was then analysed using GC-MS, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy to identify the active components. Zinc nanoparticles were created using an alcoholic extract. FTIR, UV-Vis, SEM, EDX, and TEM are used to characterize zinc nanoparticles. Using a continuous processing procedure, zinc nanoparticles with apricot extract and powder were employed to clean polluted water. Firstly, 2 g of zinc nanoparticles were used with 20 ml of polluted …

Semi-Analytical Assessment Of Magneto-Hydrodynamic Nano-Fluid Flow Jeffrey- Hamel Problem, Saja I Abdulridah, Abeer M Jasim

Baghdad Science Journal

In this paper, analyzing the non-dimensional Magnesium-hydrodynamics problem Using nanoparticles in Jeffrey-Hamel flow (JHF) has been studied. The fundamental equations for this issue are reduced to a three-order ordinary differential equation. The current project investigated the effect of the angles between the plates, Reynolds number, nanoparticles volume fraction parameter, and magnetic number on the velocity distribution by using analytical technique known as a perturbation iteration scheme (PIS). The effect of these parameters is similar in the converging and diverging channels except magnetic number that it is different in the divergent channel. Furthermore, the resulting solutions with good convergence and high …

On Semigroup Ideals And Right N-Derivation In 3-Prime Near-Rings, Enaam Farhan

Baghdad Science Journal

The current paper studied the concept of right n-derivation satisfying certified conditions on semigroup ideals of near-rings and some related properties. Interesting results have been reached, the most prominent of which are the following: Let M be a 3-prime left near-ring and A_1,A_2,…,A_n are nonzero semigroup ideals of M, if d is a right n-derivation of M satisfies on of the following conditions,d(u_1,u_2,…,(u_j,v_j ),…,u_n )=0 ∀ 〖 u〗_1 〖ϵA〗_1 ,u_2 〖ϵA〗_2,…,u_j,v_j ϵ A_j,…,〖u_n ϵA〗_u;d((u_1,v_1 ),(u_2,v_2 ),…,(u_j,v_j ),…,(u_n,v_n ))=0 ∀u_1,v_1 〖ϵA〗_1,u_2,v_2 〖ϵA〗_2,…,u_j,v_j ϵ A_j,…,〖u_n,v_n ϵA〗_u ;d((u_1,v_1 ),(u_2,v_2 ),…,(u_j,v_j ),…,(u_n,v_n ))=(u_j,v_j ) ∀ u_1,v_1 〖ϵA〗_1 ,u_2,v_2 〖ϵA〗_2,…,u_j,v_j ϵ A_j,…,〖u_n,v_n ϵA〗_u;If d+d is …

Secure Smart Contract Based On Blockchain To Prevent The Non-Repudiation Phenomenon, Noor Sabah Mohammed, Omar A. Dawood, Ali M. Sagheer, Ahmed Adil Nafea

Baghdad Science Journal

Blockchain is an innovative technology that has gained interest in all sectors in the era of digital transformation where it manages transactions and saves them in a database. With the increasing financial transactions and the rapidly developed society with growing businesses many people looking for the dream of a better financially independent life, stray from large corporations and organizations to form startups and small businesses. Recently, the increasing demand for employees or institutes to prepare and manage contracts, papers, and the verifications process, in addition to human mistakes led to the emergence of a smart contract. The smart contract has …

Molecular Characterization Of Fecundity-Related Gene Regions In Some Of Türkiye’S Native Sheep Breeds, Ramazan Aymaz, Fulya Özdi̇l, Yalçın Yaman

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

In this study, the BMP15 and GDF9 gene regions were examined through DNA sequencing in some native sheep breeds of Türkiye (Kıvırcık, Karacabey Merino, Chios, Gökçeada, Çine Çaparı, Awassi, and Karakacan). In the BMP15 exon 2 region, two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified: one synonymous SNP, P248P (proline/proline), and one nonsynonymous SNP, L251P (leucine/proline), resulting in a missense mutation. In the GDF9 exon 1 region, only a nonsynonymous SNP, R87H (histidine/ arginine), was found. In the GDF9 exon 2 region, four SNPs were identified: two nonsynonymous SNPs, E241K (glutamate/lysine) and V332I (valine/isoleucine), and two synonymous SNPs, L159L (leucine/leucine) and …

Behavioral Activity Budget Of Grower Beetal Kids Offered Total Mixed Ration Under Stall-Fed System, Priya Dhattarwal, Mandeep Singla, Sandeep Kaswan, Ravinder Singh Grewal, Neeraj Kashyap, Dalpat Singh Malik

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

This study investigates the behavioral activities of grower Beetal kids fed in a conventional method-control group manner orgiven total mixed ration (TMR) (i.e. hay-based - T1 and green fodder-based - T2). Twenty-four weaned Beetal kids were enrolled andrandomly distributed into 3 groups based on their body weight, sex, and age. Behavioral observations were recorded 30 min after givingexperimental ration to the kids using the scan sampling method for 1 h, which inferred time spent eating normally, eating with forelegson the cage, and eating with forelegs on the feeders; standing idle and urination were significantly higher in the control group than …

The Stereological And Morphometrical Investigation Of Pars Lumbalis Of The Spinal Cord Innew Zealand Rabbit, Berna Duman, İftar Gürbüz

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

In the study, 12 (6 females, 6 males) healthy adult New Zealand rabbits were used to examine the morphometrical andstereological values. White matter, gray matter and total segment volume of the segments in the pars lumbalis were calculated byCavalieri’s principle. The findings were grouped according to sexand statistically evaluated. As a result, 38% of the length of the spinalcord in rabbits belonged to the pars lumbalis. The morphometric parameters were not statistically different between male and femalerabbits (p > 0.05). The segment with the biggest volume was L5. White matter’s greatest volume was the L4 segment. The volume of graymatter was …

Predictors On Mental Health Of Owning Cats And Dogs, Çağri Çağlar Si̇nmez, Ahmet Meti̇n, Emre Tüfekçi̇, Ali̇ İlteri̇ş Aykun, Vehbi̇ Güneş

Turkish Journal of Veterinary & Animal Sciences

The common consensus is that owning pets affects human health positively. However, the effects of owning pets on mental health are still controversial. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the possible associated with depression, anxiety, stress, and owning cats and dogs in Türkiye. Additionally, the potential impact of personality traits on this relationship was examined. This study included 636 participants, of whom 52% were female (Mage = 33.02, SD = 15.78). Data was obtained by using a DASS-21 and the Big Five Personality Inventory. The findings revealed that owning cats and dogs was a promotive factor against depression (DE) …

Integrating Body Dysmorphic Disorder Screening Into Aesthetic Medicine Clinics, Michelle Andrus

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

As rates of elective cosmetic and dermatological procedures increase, it remains imperative for

aesthetic medicine providers to adequately screen potential patients for body dysmorphic

disorder (BDD). A psychiatric disorder, BDD presents when persons perceive flaws that are not

apparent to others, perform repetitive actions to examine and groom themselves which hinders

daily living activities, and require constant reassurance regarding their appearance. Literature

notes those with BDD seek elective cosmetic surgery at higher rates than the general population

resulting in poor satisfaction and outcomes. Cosmetic Procedure Screening (COPS) is a validated

screening tool for BDD and this quality improvement project sought …

Photoexcited Charge Carrier Dynamics And Electronic Properties Of Two-Dimensional Mxene, Nb2ctx, Andrew M. Fitzgerald, Emily Sutherland, Tarek A. Elmelegy, Mary Qin Hassig, Julia Martin, Erika Colin-Ulloa, Ken Ngo, Ronald L. Grimm, Joshua R. Uzarski, Michel W. Barsoum, N. Aaron Deskins, Lyubov V. Titova, Kateryna Kushnir Friedman

Mechanical Engineering

Two-dimensional, 2D, niobium carbide MXene, Nb2CTx, has attracted attention due to its extraordinarily high photothermal conversion efficiency that has applications ranging from medicine, for tumor ablation, to solar energy conversion. Here, we characterize its electronic properties and investigate the ultrafast dynamics of its photoexcitations with a goal of shedding light onto the origins of its unique properties. Through density functional theory, DFT, calculations, we find that Nb2CTx is metallic, with a small but finite density of states at the Fermi level for all experimentally relevant terminations of Nb2CTx that can be achieved using HF or molten salt etching of the …

Corrosion Characteristics Of Ti And Al2o3/Ti Thin Films Sputtered On 316lss, Iman El-Mahallawi, Hanan ِ Abd El-Fattah Dr., Lamiaa Mohamed Dr., Aliaa Abdelfattah

Mechanical Engineering

In this work, two thin films (Ti and Al2O3/Ti) were deposited on 316LSS substrates by the physical vapor deposition (PVD) sputtering technique. Heat treatment was applied for thin films at 400 °C for 2 h. Thin films were divided into two groups, The First group cooled in the air (normalized), and the second cooled in the furnace (annealed). The electrochemical characteristics were investigated by potentiodynamic polarization (POT) and impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests. The corrosion resistance (CRST) for all thin films before and after heat treatment was determined in 3.5% NaCl at room temperature (RT). Scanning electron microscope (SEM), and surface …

Essential Omega‐3 Fatty Acids Are Depleted In Sea Ice And Pelagic Algae Of The Central Arctic Ocean, Katrin Schmidt, Martin Graeve, Clara J.M. Hoppe, S Torres‐Valdes, Nahid Welteke, Laura M. Whitmore, Philipp Anhaus, Angus Atkinson, Simon T. Belt, Tina Brenneis, Robert G. Campbell, Giulia Castellani, Louise A. Copeman, Hauke Flores, Allison A. Fong, Nicole Hildebrandt, Doreen Kohlbach, Jens M. Nielsen, Christopher C. Parrish, C Rad‐Menéndez, Sebastian D. Rokitta, Sandra Tippenhauer, Yanpei Zhuang

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

Microalgae are the main source of the omega‐3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), essential for the healthy development of most marine and terrestrial fauna including humans. Inverse correlations of algal EPA and DHA proportions (% of total fatty acids) with temperature have led to suggestions of a warming‐induced decline in the global production of these biomolecules and an enhanced importance of high latitude organisms for their provision. The cold Arctic Ocean is a potential hotspot of EPA and DHA production, but consequences of global warming are unknown. Here, we combine a full‐seasonal EPA and DHA dataset …

Aquatic Connectivity: Challenges And Solutions In A Changing Climate, Paul A. Franklin, Tea Bašić, Phil I. Davison, Katie Dunkley, Jonathan Ellis, Mayuresh Gangal, Alexia M. González-Ferreras, Catherine Gutmann Roberts, Georgina Hunt, Domino Joyce, C. Antonia Klöcker, Rachel Mawer, Timo Rittweg, Velizara Stoilova, Lee Frank Gordon Gutowsky

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

The challenge of managing aquatic connectivity in a changing climate is exacerbated in the presence of additional anthropogenic stressors, social factors, and economic drivers. Here we discuss these issues in the context of structural and functional connectivity for aquatic biodiversity, specifically fish, in both the freshwater and marine realms. We posit that adaptive management strategies that consider shifting baselines and the socio-ecological implications of climate change will be required to achieve management objectives. The role of renewable energy expansion, particularly hydropower, is critically examined for its impact on connectivity. We advocate for strategic spatial planning that incorporates nature-positive solutions, ensuring …

Co-Production Of Health And Social Science Research With Vulnerable Children And Young People: A Rapid Review, Jo Erwin, Lorna Burns, Urshla Devalia, Robert Witton, Jill Shawe, Hannah Wheat, Nick Axford, Janine Doughty, Sarah Kaddour, Abigail Nelder, Paul Brocklehurst, Skye Boswell, Martha Paisi

Peninsula Dental School

BACKGROUND: The term 'care-experienced' refers to anyone who is currently in care or has been in care at any stage in their life. A complex interplay of factors leads to care-experienced children and young people (CECYP) experiencing poorer oral health and access to dental care than their peers. A rapid review of the co-production of health and social care research with vulnerable children and young people (CYP) was carried out to inform the development of a co-produced research project exploring the oral health behaviours and access to dental services of CECYP. Here, 'co-production' refers to the involvement of CYP in …

Use Of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation-Facilitated Large-Bore Catheter Embolectomy In The Treatment Of Acute Pulmonary Embolism Complicated By Shock, Hugh A Glazier, Amir Kaki

The Texas Heart Institute Journal

This article reports the case of a 42-year-old man who presented with a saddle pulmonary embolus complicated by normotensive cardiogenic shock. The patient was first stabilized with venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Then, while the patient was still on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, thrombectomy with a large-bore catheter device was performed that resulted in a large decrease in pulmonary artery pressures and a clinically significant increase in cardiac index, with rapid clinical improvement. Complete recovery of the patient's cardiopulmonary status has been maintained at intermediate-term follow-up. This treatment strategy should be considered favorably in the treatment of patients presenting with pulmonary embolism …

Development Of Latitude/Longitude (And Route/Milepost) Model For Positioning Traffic Management Cameras, Jijo K. Mathew, Haydn Malackowski, Yerassyl Koshan, Christopher Gartner, Jairaj Desai, Howell Li, Edward Cox, Ayman Habib, Darcy M. Bullock

JTRP Technical Reports

Traffic Incident Management (TIM) is a FHWA Every Day Counts initiative with the objective of reducing secondary crashes, improving travel reliability, and ensuring the safety of responders. Agency roadside cameras play a critical role in TIM by helping dispatchers quickly identify the precise location of incidents when receiving reports from motorists with varying levels of spatial accuracy. Reconciling position reports that are often mile-marker based with cameras that operate in a Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) coordinate system relies on dispatchers having detailed knowledge of hundreds of cameras and perhaps some presets. During real-time incident dispatching, reducing the time it takes to identify …

Geometric Constraints And Visual Field Related To Speed Management, Jiachen Jiang, Jiabei Wu, Jue Zhou, Yaobin Chen, Vincent G. Duffy, Renran Tian

JTRP Technical Reports

This study investigates the challenges inherent in rural arterial roads and highways connecting small towns and cities in Indiana. Despite their pivotal role in transportation and development, these roads often experience a high frequency of traffic accidents attributed to speeding, particularly at transition areas from high-speed to low-speed roads. To address this issue, this study investigated cost-efficient and effective speed management countermeasures. This study emphasized the importance of considering cost-efficient and effective speed management strategies, with a focus on roadside vegetation and lane widths near small-town entrances on arterial roads and highway ramps. Proposing four countermeasures for each scenario—such as …

Developing Ai-Assisted In-Situ Ndt Method For Air-Void Distribution Testing In Fresh And Hardened Concrete, Zhihao Kong, Aritro Roy Mitra, Luna Lu

JTRP Technical Reports

Understanding the air void content in concrete is crucial since it significantly influences the durability and strength of the material, especially in environments susceptible to freeze-thaw cycles. This report introduces an advanced nondestructive testing (NDT) method for the in-situ detection of air voids in concrete by employing diffusive ultrasound. Focusing on the ultrasound attenuation coefficient, this research established a strong correlation with key air void metrics, including the volumetric ratio and spacing factor, as outlined in ASTM C457. The study also undertook a comparative analysis of ASTM C457 methods B and C, revealing the instrument-dependent variability in measuring air voids. …

Fatigue Strength And Ductility Of Steel Plates With Holes Made From Plasma Cutting Methods, Aurora Ebert, Robert J. Connor, Charles Kieffer Iii

JTRP Technical Reports

A literature review was conducted to evaluate current standards and existing research around the use of plasma arc cutting for holes (PACH) in the context of steel bridge applications. Additionally, an investigation into the state of the practice was conducted to determine if the latest technological advancements and equipment capabilities for plasma cutting could prove PACH to be an acceptable hole making process for bridge applications. Much of the existing research focuses on drilling and punching to make holes, but very limited experimental studies and data exists specifically evaluating plasma arc cutting. The most comprehensive study, including PACH, is discussed …

Business Processes To Prioritize Traffic Signal Retiming And Assess The Impact Of Retiming Activities, Enrique D. Saldivar-Carranza, Tom Platte, Terri Wills, James Sturdevant, Darcy M. Bullock

JTRP Technical Reports

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) manages over 2,000 traffic signals in the State. It is unfeasible to identify systemwide improvement opportunities by evaluating the performance of thousands of traffic signals on monitoring dashboards. This report describes how a scalable technique based on connected vehicle (CV) trajectory data systematically evaluates performance at the movement level to prioritize retiming and maintenance activities. In total, eleven timing changes were implemented at nine traffic signals over various time-of-day (TOD) periods using the proposed approach. The method achieved average control delay and split failure reductions of up to 53 sec/veh and 30%, respectively. A …

Evaluating The Robustness Of Mdss Forecast And Compliance With Recommendations, Gregory L. Brinster, Jairaj Desai, Myles W. Overall, Christopher Gartner, Rahul Suryakant Sakhare, Jijo K. Mathew, Nick Evans, Darcy M. Bullock

JTRP Technical Reports

The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) adopted the Maintenance Decision Support System (MDSS) for user-defined plowing segments in the winter of 2008–2009. Since then, many new data sources, including connected vehicle data, enhanced weather data, and fleet telematics have been integrated into INDOT winter operations activities. The objective of this study was to use these new data sources to conduct a systematic evaluation of the robustness of the MDSS forecasts. During the 2023–2024 winter season, 26 unique MDSS forecast data attributes were collected at 0-, 1-, 3-, 6-, 12-, and 23-hour intervals from the observed storm time for 6 roadway …

Detection And Assessment Of Sulfates In The Pavement Subgrade, Kanika Gupta, Marika Santagata, Antonio Bobet

JTRP Technical Reports

The ability to accurately detect sulfates in an existing subgrade has been a major challenge for INDOT’s pavement maintenance and rehabilitation projects. Although naturally occurring sulfates in soil pose a significant construction challenge, detecting sulfates in an existing subgrade may be problematic and costly, given that the presence of sulfates could result in expensive treatments or even removal of the subgrade. The project evaluated the performance of the ITM-510 test, a colorimetric test method utilized by INDOT to detect sulfates in soils. Soils collected from different Indiana road construction projects and two ASTM reference soils were treated with lime and …

Leveraging Lidar Intensity To Evaluate Roadway Pavement Marking Retroreflectivity, Gregory L. Brinster, Mona Hodaei, Aser M. Eissa, Zechariah Deloach, Joseph E. Bruno, Ayman Habib, Darcy M. Bullock

JTRP Technical Reports

Clearly visible lane markings are important for all road users, particularly autonomous vehicles. In general, nighttime retroreflectivity is one of the most challenging marking visibility characteristics for agencies to monitor and maintain, particularly in cold weather climates when agency snowplows remove retroreflective material during winter operations. Traditional surface-applied paint and glass beads typically only last one season in climates with routine snowplow activity. Recently, transportation agencies in cold weather climates have begun deploying improved recessed, durable pavement markings that can last several years and have very high retroreflective properties. These recessed durable markings are typically either epoxy, thermoplastic or preformed …

A New Approach To Accelerated Fabrication Of Steel Bridges: Design, Optimization, And Demonstration, Ashley P. Thrall, Sherryen C. Mutoka, Mirela D. Tumbeva

JTRP Technical Reports

This research developed and demonstrated a new approach to the accelerated fabrication of resilient steel bridges—built-up press-brake formed tub girders (PBTGs). Built-up PBTGs are comprised of webs that are cold bent via a press brake and bolted to separate, flat bottom and top flanges. This investigation included (1) designing and building two demonstration bridges, (2) measuring the behavior of the demonstration bridges as experimental evidence demonstrating behavior, and (3) developing a kit-of-parts system to facilitate future adoption of this system. Research culminated in two completed vehicular bridges that are in use, validated numerical modeling approaches for design, a kit-of-parts system, …

Rrh Library Newsletter, Winter 2024, Libraries At Rochester Regional Health

Rochester Regional Health authored publications and proceedings

Newsletter sections include: New Year's Resolution: Effectively Search Databases and Access the Electronic Collection; Popular Library Resources from 2023; 2023 Update to ACC/AHA/ACCP/HRS Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Atrial Fibrillation

Determination Of Process Parameters For Removing Impurities From Motor Oils For Their Use As The Basis Of Working And Preservation Fluids, D A.Y Al Saadi, V V. Ostrikov

Babylonian Journal of Mechanical Engineering

Motor oil that has spent a certain period of time in combined engines has a reserve of operational properties and can be considered as a basis for the preparation of working and conservation oil when storing equipment for a long period of storage [1].

Assessment Of Changes In The Characteristics Of Motor Oils In Grain Harvest Engines, D A.Y Al Saadi, V V. Ostrikov

Babylonian Journal of Mechanical Engineering

The period of use of grain harvesters is short and amounts to 1.5 – 3 months a year. The operating time of the internal combustion engine most often does not exceed 200 hours. At the same time, engines operate in harsh conditions of high temperatures, significant loads, and high dust levels in the air. As has been established, the engines of domestic combines and combines of the Republic of Belarus use M-10G2 and M-10DM motor oils.