Clinical and molecular identification of Newcastle disease virus in naturally infected chicks in Thi-Qar province of Iraq.

Background: In poultry, despite intense vaccination programs for prevention of Newcastle disease (ND), the ND infection still affects, causing high mortality in most vaccinated flocks.

Aim: This study aimed to determine whether the genetic material of the ND virus has changed and has become incompatible with the vaccines used in Iraq.

Methods: Real-time PCR was used to analyze genetic variation in the fusion (F) and haemaggluatination neuraminidase (HN) genes, as well as mRNA expression changes in inflammatory biomarkers, including C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6, interleukin-1 beta (IL-6, IL-1β), and gamma interferon (IFN-γ).

Transient numerical simulation to investigate pressure fluctuation spectrum and deficit in the near wake of a horizontal axis wind turbine.

Wind energy becomes one of the promised solutions as alternatives of using fossil power energy in the upcoming decades. As pressure fluctuation and flow deficit in the near wake play a crucial role in predicting the turbine performance, the novelty in the current study focuses on a three dimensional (3 D) transient numerical simulation to investigate near wake characteristics of NREL phase IV wind turbine. Pressure fluctuation spectrum and wake deficit at four sections downstream the turbine are the main parameters studied as well as the flow streams and iso-surface characteristics.

Machine Learning-Based Prediction Models for Punching Shear Strength of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Reinforced Concrete Slabs Using a Gradient-Boosted Regression Tree.

Fiber-reinforced polymers (FRPs) are increasingly being used as a composite material in concrete slabs due to their high strength-to-weight ratio and resistance to corrosion. However, FRP-reinforced concrete slabs, similar to traditional systems, are susceptible to punching shear failure, a critical design concern. Existing empirical models and design provisions for predicting the punching shear strength of FRP-reinforced concrete slabs often exhibit significant bias and dispersion.