Zanco Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences

Study of the phytochemical diversity of segregated Rhus coriaria pericarp and seeds oil and their antifungal and antibacterial activity

Dotsha Jaleel Raheem — 2025-02-28

Sumac fruits are used in food and as a remedy, but their seeds are often discarded as waste despite making up a large proportion of the fruit’s weight. This research therefore examines the chemical composition and biological activities of oils from sumac pericarp and seeds in an attempt to find potential uses for the seeds in comparison to the long-used pericarp. Both oils were found to contain alkanes and fatty acids. The pericarp oil also contained caryophyllenes. Fatty acid methyl ester analysis revealed oleic, linoleic, palmitic, and stearic acids as major components in both parts. Pericarp oil contained more saturated fatty acids, while seed oil showed higher content of unsaturated fatty acids. The pericarp oil also contained greater amounts of total phenols, β-carotene and exhibited higher radical scavenging activity. Elemental analysis found K, P, Si, Cl, S, and Ca as major elements in both pericarp and seeds oil. Both oils showed moderate inhibition against Candida albicans. The pericarp oil strongly inhibited Escherichia coli and seed oil inhibited Acinetobacter baumannii. Moderate activity was observed against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus by both pericarp and seeds oil. The findings suggest both oils have potential as nutritional and antimicrobial agents.

Mathematical Model of Hearing Loss caused by Noise Hazard

Karmand Khdr Ahmad — 2025-02-28

Hearing loss is a growing public health concern with serious implications for individual’s quality of life. One major cause of hearing loss is exposure to loud noise. This study proposes a mathematical model of hearing loss caused by noise exposure using ordinary differential equations with the aim of providing a framework for understanding the dynamics of the impact of noise hazard. The model is analyzed using local and global stability to determine conditions under which the level of noise pollution remains constant or changes over time and the threshold level beyond which the effect of noise becomes uncontrollable. Sensitivity analysis is performed to determine parameters with greater influence and the ones to control in order to reduce impact of noise exposure. The findings highlight the importance of various parameters in the dynamics of hearing loss by noise exposure and in developing effective strategies for preventing and managing hearing loss.

The Effect of the Density of Square-Free ωp-numbers on the Bounds of Beurling Counting Function

Sarah Al-Ebrahimy — 2025-02-28

Primitive weird numbers are weird numbers which are not a multiple of any smaller weird numbers. The goal of this work is to use a square-free primitive weird number x=ab where b be an increasing sequence of prime numbers such that q₁ is greater than ∏_(j=1)^r▒〖(q ̅_j+1)〗 and a=∏_(j=1)^r▒q ̅_j and a is deficient number with n greater than 1, to enhancing the classic bounds of Beurling counting function on Riemann Hypothesis.

Gas-Sensing Performance of TiO2 Nanorod Arrays Synthesized by Solvothermal Method

Hersh Ahmed Khizir — 2025-02-28

In this study, titanium dioxide (TiO₂) nanorods formed through by solvothermal growth on a glass substrate coated with FTO (fluorine-doped tin oxide) are synthesized in order to fabricate an Al/TiO₂-based gas sensor. This is valuable due to the morphology and nanostructure of the sensing film have an important effect on gas sensors' abilities for operation. Investigation using XRD and FESEM demonstrated the synthesized TiO₂ nanorods' crystal nanostructure. Perfectly ordered and uniform TiO₂ nanorods synthesized in an aqueous solution by varying the volumetric ratio of HCl to Ethanol and the acidity. At room temperature, the current–voltage (I–V) characteristic and the sensor's sensitivity to various reducing (ethanol and methanol) and oxidizing (oxygen, and carbon monoxide) gases were studied. For O₂, CO, methanol, and ethanol gases, the corresponding relative sensitivity (Response) to a bias voltage (V) of 0.5 V is 53.758, 91.248, 108.298 and 144.689 %. While the gas sensor was in the dark and at room temperature, it was more sensitive to ethanol than other gases with good response and stability by the relative deviation of the gas response sensitivity was less than 2%. As a result, when compared to oxygen, carbon monoxide, and methanol gases, which have strong response sensitivity and stability, the study shows that TiO₂ nanorods are a suitable method of enhancing ethanol sensing abilities.

Effect of Bio fertilizer and Chemical Fertilizer on Vegetative Growth and Yield of Chick pea (Cicer arietinum L.) in Calcareous Soil

Sarkawt Zorab Mohammed — 2025-02-28

This research was conducted in the field of Bakrajo Technical Institute 2024, in the pot experiment, application of bio fertilizer and chemical fertilizer NPK 20:20:20, the randomized complete design CRD used, the studied of (0.5,1 and 1.5 gL-1) of bio fertilizer, chemical fertilizer NPK 20:20:20 and interactions between them. Results indicated that Significant result was obtained with plant height ,number of pods per plant, weight of pods per plant, 1000 weight seeds(g), harvest index, biological yield, dry matter, also, fresh and dry root weights and no significant with branch number and number of seeds per pods, otherwise, most positive correlation between growth parameters and yield, negative correlation between branch number and number of seeds per pod with other characteristics, low concentration bio fertilizer and active interaction between both fertilizers for yield and vegetative growth increased.

Antifungal Activity of Selected Medicinal Plants Against Grey Mold Disease and Extension of Strawberry Shelf Life

Tavga Sulaiman Rashid — 2025-02-28

Botrytis cinerea is the causal agent of grey mold disease in many plant species and presents serious losses cost problems globally; hence, it has to be controlled. This research work was aimed at ascertaining how aqueous extracts of selected medicinal plants work against B. cinerea and extend the shelf life of strawberry fruits. For this study, the following plant materials were selected: amethyst garlic, cinnamon, cloves, sumac, ginger and pelargonium plants with the potential to inhibit the growth of the newly isolated and identified B. cinerea (accession number PQ590382) using the well diffusion method. Two concentrations were utilized: 10 and 15 mg/mL. Subsequently, Strawberry fruits were immersed in these extracts for five minutes to assess their effects on shelf life and pathogen protection. Pelargonium and amethyst garlic manifested huge antifungal effects against the growth of B. cinerea. The plant extracts have considerably extended the shelf life of fungal-inhibited strawberries, reduced their spoilage, and maintained quality compared to controls. In another application, 15 mg/mL concentration of effective extracts was sprayed on seedlings of strawberry plants to determine their effect on the incidence and severity of the disease and biocontrol efficacy. Amethyst garlic and pelargonium exhibited a considerable reduction in grey mold incidence and disease severity. The biocontrol efficacy increased to about 85% when both plants were combined. These results indicate that the extracts of medicinal plants could act as natural and efficient substitutes of synthetic fungicides for grey mold management and the extension of strawberry postharvest life.

Isolation and Identification of some Fungal Species from Common carp (Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus, 1758) in Taqtaq District in Erbil Province, Kurdistan Region, Iraq.

Hussein H. Mala — 2025-02-28

In this study, a sample of 220 common carp (Cyprinus carpio Linnaeus 1758) was obtained from two distinct ponds in the Taqtaq District, situated in the northeastern region of Erbil Province, Kurdistan Region, Iraq. Specifically, 98 specimens were sourced from Pond A, while 122 were collected from Pond B., between September 2021 and April 2022. The fish underwent examination to determine the presence of fungal infections. The study identified eight species of fungi through morphological analysis of colony characteristics, specific growth media, and the VITEK II compact system (Biomerieux-USA). This research marks the initial documentation of five fungal species (Aspergillus flavus, Naganishia albidus, Penicillium vermiculatus, Cystobasidium minutum, and Sporothrix schenckii) infecting common carp in Iraq. Additionally, three fungal species (Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, and Saprolegnia parasitica) were reported for the first time in common carp within the Kurdistan Region.

Genetic Association Between A Parents And Its Grandparents In Performance Traits Of Broiler Chickens

Hurea Saber Abdulrazaq — 2025-02-28

This study aims to estimate the heredity and genetic correlations of some productive performance traits that geneticists are interested in, well as to investigate the genetic relationship between parents and grandparents of broiler chickens. Blood samples were collected from in tubes containing EDTA anticoagulant. From 240 Ross-308 birds, which were transferred directly laboratory to conduct the process of extracting DNA from blood samples. As for polymorphism, it was highest in OPA-9, where it was recorded as 13, and the percentage of polymorphism was 39.39 for the same primer. Coefficient of genetic similarity was between 0.81 - 1.00. , these characteristics were taken to compare between parents and grandparents at the age of 30 weeks in order to identify the characteristics studied when they are at the best productive age for comparison between them. It was found that there were significant differences between parents and grandparents in Egg/bird/week, Hatching, egg production, hatching all eggs (%), Chicks/Hen, where the parents recorded the highest significant difference in all of these characteristics, which was (5.90 , 5.70, 87.1 , 87.1 , 5.10 ). respectively. Grandparents recorded a significant superiority in body weight and egg weight, which were (4064.33 and 58.5), respectively.

A Molecular Technique for Detecting Cow’s Dried and Liquid Packaged Milk products Adulteration

Noor M Naji — 2025-02-28

The authenticity of animal-based products is a significant concern when it comes to protecting consumer rights and ensuring accurate product labeling. Molecular techniques, such as DNA barcoding using the cytochrome b gene (Cyt b), are powerful tools for species identification. Our research addresses knowledge gaps in the authentication of cow's dried powder and liquid packaged milk. By analyzing genetic sequences, we have been able to detect genetic variations and construct phylogenetic trees to differentiate cow's milk from other species. DNA was extracted, and a specific region of the cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene, a 359 base pair was amplified. The amplified DNA fragments were then sequenced. The obtained Cyt b sequences were aligned with a reference sequence using Clustal Omega software and further refined using Jalview software. Our analysis did not reveal any significant differences in the ratio of transitions to transversions (Ts:Tv) among the sequences. Consequently, the milk samples from the Kurdistan region formed a distinct, single-origin group (monophyletic clade) in the phylogenetic tree with reference sequence (OQ535548.1) with high identic values (100%). The Cyt b sequences of the samples were submitted to GenBank with accession numbers PP957613 to PP957618. The base composition of the Cyt b gene sequence had a higher AT content (59%) than GC content (41%). These results positively dispelling the concern regarding the authenticity of dried milk powder and liquid packaged milk.

Effect of Oat β- glucan as a Fat Replacer on Physicochemical, Rheological and Sensory Properties of low-fat Sheep Milk Yoghurt

Shno S. Mohammed — 2025-02-28

The notion of yoghurt's positive impact on human health and nutrition has been widely held throughout several civilizations for a considerable duration. The aim of this study is to examine the benefits of adding oat beta glucan to skim milk in order to enhance the production of yogurt. An investigation was conducted on yogurt samples to analyze their physicochemical properties (pH, titratable acidity, syneresis, water-holding capacity (WHC), and hardness) as well as their sensory qualities. The samples were stored at a temperature of 4±1 °C for 1, 7, 14, and 21 days. The analysis revealed that the average pH value of both types of sheep milk samples was within the range of 6.6 to 6.5, indicating that the acidity level was within the usual range for all milk compositions. The yoghurt samples had the maximum acidity at beta glucan concentrations of 0.75% and 1%. The study is shown that the addition of oat β-glucan, particularly at a concentration of 0.25%, enhances the qualitative characteristics of low-fat yogurt and increases sensory evaluation ratings when compared to control treatments.

On-Site Investigation and Diagnosis of Hazardous Street Section in Erbil Street Network

Abdulhakim Othman Salih kozapanky — 2025-02-28

Accidents place a significant burden on the national economy due to their potential to cause disability, death, health issues, property damage, social distress, and environmental harm. The current study seeks to investigate an accident prone location in Erbil Street Network "in Kurdistan region- Iraq" and implement the procedures outlined in the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP). The process involves characterizing the accidents, diagnosing the issues, and assessing field conditions to identify the contributing factors. Based on this, countermeasures are suggested to significantly improve safety. Factor analysis was employed to determine and rank the most influential factors contributing to the accidents. By addressing these significant factors with targeted measures, future accidents can be reduced. Data analysis was conducted focusing on micro-level factors such as traffic characteristics, road user behavior, collision types, road and geometric features, street furniture, and environmental conditions. The study involved characterizing accidents, diagnosing field conditions, identifying contributory factors, and recommending countermeasures to substantially enhance safety. Through the analysis of the collected accident data, it is shown that run over (pedestrian accidents) is the dominant type and happened at morning and afternoon peak hours. It contribute to vehicles speed which generally exceeded the average speed for the link. The output of the diagnosis phase is a set of applicable countermeasures for the accident prone location and the degree of confidence in each countermeasure.This research will assist transportation designers in understanding accident causes and implementing appropriate measures during road construction planning and for existing conditions. It provides a framework for reducing accidents both in the short term and over the long term.

Flash Flood Hazard Mapping Using Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and GIS Application: In the Barzan Area of Iraqi Kurdistan Region

Basil Younus Mustafa — 2025-02-28

Addressing the combined hazards of flooding and water scarcity in the same region requires a large-scale, evidence-based approach to disaster risk reduction. This investigation presents the evaluation of flood hazard area on a large scale for flood-prone Barzan region as a multi-criteria index, located 80 km northeast of Erbil City- Iraqi Kurdistan Region. The Flood Hazard Index (FHI) is delimited, and GIS spatial analysis is utilized to predict its value. The methodology, integrates information from ten parameters: Topographic of Wetness Index (TWI), Elevation (E), Slope (S), Precipitation (P), Land Use Land Cover (LULC), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Distance from River (D₁), Distance from Road (D₂), Density of Drainage (D₃), with type of Soil (S). The importance of each characterizes in flood amount and severity is reflected through weight values calculated utilizing the Analyzing Hierarchy Process (AHP). Flood hazard mapping is generated by superimposing information from the parameters based on their weight values. The generated flood hazard map for the area under study, classifying flood vulnerability into five categories: very low, low, moderate, high, and very high. The generated flood hazard map for the study area indicates that regions with very high and high flood susceptibility are predominantly located in the central, southeastern, and southwestern parts, with a smaller area in the northwest. The distribution of the area across different flood susceptibility levels is as follows: 14% falls into the very high category, 24% into the high category, 23% into the moderate category, 25% into the low category, and 14% into the very low category. Areas with very high flood vulnerability are primarily situated near rivers, particularly the Greater Zab and Rezan Rivers. The method's accuracy is validated through sensitivity analysis, exploring various weight values and alternative scenarios. The sensitivity analysis leads to a revised index FHIS and flood mapping, reaffirming the methodology's robustness. Comparison with historical flood actions confirms the validity of the proposed approach. The methodology therefore suggests itself as a basis for large-scale predictive flood hazard mapping. The parameters of this approach also suggest it as a potential basis for planning Nature-based Solutions (NABs) on a large geographic scale.