bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bringing Practice Into the Classroom
Authors: DePolt Joanna , Crumpton Michael
Published: October 2023

Collaboration between faculty, faculty practitioners, and practitioners enhances teaching and research opportunities, provides more hands-on learning opportunities, and improves the knowledge and experience of all of those involved. Students benefit from learning about real world scenarios to couple with theoretical knowledge. Such experience improves student outcomes and informs their professionalism. Practitioners bring value added to the department with real-time information on new practices, trends, and solutions. Administrations recognize this value added and are striving to foster more inclusivity. Collaboration builds more resiliency into LIS programs and encourages the development of new leaders in our classrooms.

Most LIS programs include a management course that is usually required.  Anecdotally many students react to the course with a disdain or non-preference for supervisory work and self-identify as not expecting to move into management or supervision. Many course designs include an assignment that requires the students to apply learned theory to a real-world scenario.  An emphasis on equity, diversity, and inclusion when applying learned theory to real-world scenarios has proven beneficial for students in our program. 

This panel will encourage participants to think critically about the role of practitioners in LIS education, with a particular emphasis on preparing students for future roles in administration. Practitioners, whether as adjunct faculty, guest speakers, or full-time lecturers, bring greater emphasis to the lived experiences of the field to the classroom. This blend of current research with current experience offers a more holistic program to the student. Both administrators and accrediting agencies recognize the depth this blend brings to departments as evidenced by shifting attitudes and the development of greater support.

This panel will discuss:

Incorporating EDI into your curriculum

Class discussion

Assignments

Case Studies

Using case studies to practice applying learning

Practitioners as educators

Full-time

Adjunct

Guest Speakers
“Impart Information Unsparingly"
Authors: Barbara Alvarez
Published: October 2023

Abortion is not only a reproductive health issue, but an information access concern. With the U.S. Supreme Court's repeal of Roe v. Wade in June 2022, abortion has been banned or heavily restricted in at least 18 states. This includes Wisconsin where an 1849 law has halted clinical abortions in the Badger state. Research conducted by the Society of Family Planning found that in the immediate aftermath of the Supreme Court's decision, clinical abortion in Wisconsin plummeted by 100%. This means that people seeking an abortion must search for abortion care out-of-state or through self-managed options.

The purpose of this poster presentation is to discuss the role of information professionals in sharing abortion information in a post-Dobbs country. This poster will explore several concepts: abortion information as an intellectual freedom issue; the role of public librarians and in sharing abortion information, and legislation that relates to abortion information. This poster will include an overview of previously collected data, as well as explain future research plans. This poster presentation will help information professionals consider how libraries and information organizations can share abortion information.
Bringing Critical Disability Studies to Library & Information Studies Pedagogy and Practice
Authors: Myhill William
Published: October 2023

Few LIS courses apply a critical lens to the understanding of disability and its impact upon library practice. Library staff can have conscious and/or dysconscious ableist understandings of disability that shape their interactions with disabled patrons and staff. Dysconscious ableism is a distorted or impaired understanding of disability that arises from an incomplete analysis of social reality and implicitly accepts and reproduces dominant ableist norms and privileges. Broadly viewed and investigated, much of the field of librarianship is dependent upon pre-social models of disability, that are both uncritical and neutral. While greatly valuing the social model and acknowledging its limitations I have sought a more critical, flexible, and applicable model that can better inform LIS instruction and library practice. At my institution I designed and instruct an LIS course specifically focused on understanding disability and serving the information needs of diversely disabled patrons, while pursuing my doctorate in cultural foundations of education. This WIP poster accompanies the next task in my doctoral program of developing a dissertation proposal addressing the questions: 1) How does dysconscious ableism operate in public librarianship? 2) What are disabled library patron and staff experiences of ableism in public library physical and virtual spaces? 3) What might be done to disrupt dysconscious ableism and to move public library staff toward a more liberatory, anti-ableist praxis of librarianship?
Developing Library Leadership Competencies through Experiential Learning
Authors: Trembach Stan
Published: October 2023

Since the goal of many graduate library and information science (LIS) programs is to educate students as 21st century library leaders, leadership education is one of the core areas LIS curricula have focused on. Despite an abundance of approaches to cultivating leadership skills in traditional educational settings, achieving this goal becomes considerably more problematic in asynchronous online environments. This study explores the effectiveness of instructional scaffolding as a pedagogical tool implemented across five sections of a master’s level Management in Information Organizations course. The content of this asynchronous course revolves around the foundational competencies and skillsets put forth by the Library Leadership & Management Association (LLAMA). The course’s scenario-based common assignment facilitates mastery of several key LLAMA leadership competencies: change management, adaptive leadership practiced through evidence-based decision making, emotional intelligence and conflict resolution, critical thinking, advocacy, and professional ethics. This research highlights the benefits of a multi-modal pedagogical approach, including instructor-led facilitation, eLearning scenarios, and experiential learning, to complement the scenario of the common assignment and thus bridge the gap between theory and practice of teaching various leadership concepts. The author also delineates ways to integrate discussion circles, field experience, and cohort peer support as scaffolding mechanisms to enhance students’ intrinsic motivation and engagement with the material, factors commonly recognized as challenges in asynchronous learning. Based on the results of qualitative thematic analysis of student assignments, recommendations are made for better aligning extant LIS curricula with established learning outcomes pertaining to leadership education and training in library and information professions.
Demystifying Law Librarianship
Authors: Miguel-Stearns Teresa , Rochelle Jennifer
Published: October 2023

In this third decade of the 21st century, the legal information profession is engaged in dialogue about the perpetually shrinking pools of qualified candidates for law librarian positions. COVID retirements and the Great Resignation have resulted in a nationwide labor shortage and private sector hiring spree that is outpacing and outspending higher education, government, and many small businesses. This combination of factors is resulting in smaller and less qualified candidate pools, and, at times, unfilled law librarian positions. There are simply not enough new librarians coming into the field of law librarianship. While the circumstances of the last few years may be an anomaly, the demographic cliff that is upon us in higher education will only serve to worsen the situation for the foreseeable future. 

Of even greater urgency, law librarians have been lamenting for decades that the legal information profession does not accurately reflect the diversity of the communities it serves. The literature shows that diversity conversations began in earnest in the 1970s and continue today. Despite efforts from a variety of entities within law librarianship, the data show the profession has not meaningfully diversified.

 The panelists recognize that as a profession, we have not done enough to promote, recruit, and grow law librarianship, or to educate and diversify the next generation of law librarians. We believe that collective action and innovation are needed now. We also believe there is an opportunity at hand to collaborate amongst law libraries, law librarians, and LIS programs to leverage this shortage of law librarians to creatively recruit previously-untapped LIS students with or without a legal background.

Law libraries take many forms: academic, law firm, government, and public. Academic public services and law library director positions are the only positions that traditionally require dual-degreed (Juris Doctor (JD)/Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS)) law librarians. Technical services positions in academic law libraries generally require only the MLIS, as do nearly all law firm, government, and public law library positions. Nonetheless, librarians without law degrees rarely seem to consider a career in law librarianship, and LIS programs rarely seem to promote careers in law libraries, even though fewer than 20% of law librarian positions require a JD. Nonetheless, the myth that a JD is required for a career in law librarianship permeates librarianship and LIS programs. We aim to dismantle that myth.
Adopting the 2019 ALA/AASL/CAEP School Librarian Preparation Standards
Authors: Gerrity Caitlin , Carlin Maralee , Buehler Tammy
Published: October 2023

In 2020, The Utah State Board of Education announced their plan to redesign all educator endorsements to a competency-based model, which would provide certified teachers additional pathways to earning an endorsement in areas such as educational technology and school librarianship. This was a pivotal shift in the landscape of endorsing school librarians in the State. As one of two higher education institutions serving pre-service school librarians through State-approved university coursework, the program director and teaching faculty at Southern Utah University were closely involved in the two-year process of redesigning the endorsement requirements. This work ranged from the State-level committee to the eventual curriculum overhaul and program approval. Our team advocated for the state-adopted competencies to be derived from the 2019 ALA/AASL/CAEP School Librarian Preparation Standards. This paper provides an overview of the collaboration and pedagogical decision-making that took place in order to proactively respond and adapt to this shift.
There's No L in Management, But There Should Be
Authors: Crumpton Michael , DePolt Joanna
Published: October 2023

Anecdotally, library science management classes focus on basic supervisory and management concepts to prepare graduates for management responsibilities in the future.  What could be missing is the leadership aspects of future roles, especially in today’s environment of change and political infusion.

This poster shows the gap, between skills related to management and supervision and those needed to demonstrate leadership and vision. Gleamed from professional associations ongoing development programs, that usually occur post-graduation, this process will show the impact of incorporating skill sets more defined as leadership versus traditional supervisory theory and skill development.  Examples include emotional intelligence, project management, presentation skills as well as advanced level hard skills such as grant writing and business writing.

This poster will “Bridge the Gap” on skills traditionally included in the core management curriculum with those determined by assessment to be more useful for those students who aspire to leadership positions.

The learning outcome is to expand the awareness of course design to talent needs for successful employment of graduating students in a changing and dynamic employment market.
Investigating Community Engagement
Authors: Crooks Shannon
Published: October 2023

Libraries engage with their surrounding community members on a daily basis.  These interactions are formally known as community engagement activities.  OCLC defines community engagement as “interacting, connecting and communicating” with library patrons (OCLC, 2023).  This poster demonstrates ethnographic approaches studying the impetus for social work in libraries.  Data collection will occur through observations of reference desk interactions between librarian staff and patrons inside the library. Ethnography will be used as a research method to evaluate these interactions from a staff perspective to investigate the lived experiences of library staff to assess their preparedness to interact with members of their community appropriately. Interviewing staff and observing them interacting with patrons in the public library environment will be tools for collecting data. Field notes will inform the need for staffing  social workers in libraries to deal with socio-economic issues and socioemotional needs of patrons.  Lastly, the research addresses whether having social workers or auxiliary staff equivalent to social workers is effective from the perspective of frontline library staff. The poster presents a research path for implementing ethnographic approaches in making known the possibilities for social workers in public libraries.   The literature review provides information about how librarians feel the need to have social workers on staff, due to the high volume of unusual incidents that occur in the public library. These incidents typically involve patrons with psychosocial issues.
Reducing Uncertainty Caused by Social Noise on Social Media Platform
Authors: Alsaid Manar
Published: October 2023

Social noise and social entropy are two concepts that have been the subject of studies in the last two decades (Bruno, 2010; Matei et al.,2010; Alsaid et al., 2020; Alsaid & Pampapura, 2022; Pampapura et al., 2022). Studies that discussed misinformation, fake news, conspiracy theories, controversies, and disinformation also focused on certain aspects of social noise (Romer & Jamieson, 2020; Van Prooijen & Douglas, 2018). In this study, social noise refers to users intentionally or unintentionally participating in creating, disseminating, or spreading misinformation on social media. Recent studies have identified six characteristics or constructs of social noise. The six constructs identified by the recent studies include image curation, relationship management, cultural agency, conflict engagement, affiliation & politics, and norms & beliefs. In this study, we use the constructs to quantify and measure social noise using entropy and uncertainty reduction theory. The study focuses on two questions. How do we measure entropy as a degree of uncertainty caused by social noise? How does reducing uncertainty and social noise contribute to reducing the spread of misinformation? The primary analysis indicated that entropy as a measure of disorders of a tweet 1.5. This result is in line with the results produced by Son et al. (2019). Sentiment analysis results show that 66.6% of the tweets are subjective, while 33.4 % of the tweets are objective (facts). Topic modeling results also indicated the presence of keywords that is characteristics of social noise constructs in the dataset.
LIS Core Curriculum, Technology Agility, and Instructional Design
Authors: Miller Michael
Published: October 2023

Cloud-based library management systems, the Spring Share® suite of library service applications, open resources and publishing, Press Books®, learning management systems integration, and instructional design librarians have all become commonplace in the library services industry over the past decade. Agility for information and communication technologies is thus a core objective posed for the students in pre-professional training for graduate library and information sciences degrees. Over 15 years ago, this author proposed a template for a graduate library science course that incorporated key aspects drawn from an analysis of the field of educational technology.1 That course template was addressing the gap in library science curricula whereby the research had revealed that only a single course amongst all ALA accredited library science programs incorporated concepts from educational technology and instructional design. The current research project endeavors to see if the pre-professional graduate core requirements have expanded to address these important changes within the library sector. Preliminary results on the updated inventory of library and information science core curricula will be shared. Indications for further investigations and considerations will be presented.
Beading Librarianship
Authors: Harris Mandi
Published: October 2023

Beading Librarianship weaves together the stories of Indigenous librarians through conversational method interviews and shares those stories online. The Beading Librarianship website serves as a place of connection for Indigenous librarians who have come before and those who will come after. Indigenous peoples are underrepresented in librarianship, with percentages often described as "too small to count."

In addition to serving as an oral history project designed to increase the number of Indigenous librarians, this project also seeks to model collaborative research practices. Research and educational institutions have a long history of harm toward Indigenous Peoples. Indigenous Research Methods that incorporate Indigenous Ways of Knowing need to be the standard when working with Indigenous Peoples to prevent continued extraction and harm. This includes reciprocity, relationship-based research, and Indigenous Knowledge Organization.

To model collaborative research practices, each Beading Librarianship interview participant has full control over the webpage where their interview lives. They can choose to remove their interview at any point for any reason. Participants are included in every step of the process, including editing their interview and transcripts. In addition to receiving monetary compensation, each participant receives a hand-beaded QR code made by the PI that links to their respective interview, a physical reminder of kinship, connectedness, and mindfulness.

Drawing on Diné scholar Amanda Tachine’s (2018) weaving framework, this project implements a beading framework for interviews with Indigenous librarians that allows for reflexivity, responsibility, epistemic sovereignty, technological mindfulness, and reciprocity.
Advancing Anti-Racism in Public Libraries for Black Youth in Canada
Authors: Matthews Amber
Published: October 2023

A critical community-based study exploring Black youth experiences in Canadian public libraries and community-based youth programs. Participants were youth, aged 13 to 24, in London that do not often use public libraries and parents of Black youth. Data were drawn from semi-structured interviews with youth and caregivers. An arts-based qualitative tool was also used with youth as an age-appropriate method of expression and verification. The study sought to: understand why some youth use community-based programs instead of libraries and if this relates to experiences or perceptions of anti-Black racism; identify programs that help youth navigate structural challenges and opportunities for libraries to support them; and understand what motivates youth and caregivers to seek library and/or community-based programs. Public libraries were identified as a safe community space and youth feel comfortable visiting and using library services. However, they identify structural concerns (e.g., lack of belonging, performative inclusion, etc.) as barriers to participation. Black representation, identity-affirming programs, and motivational staff are key recommendations for public libraries that arise from this study.
Toward an Understanding of University Students’ Information Behavior and Challenges When Experiencing Mental Health Symptoms
Authors: Oh Chi Young , Kornfield Rachel , Lattie Emily , Mohr David , Reddy Madhu
Published: October 2023

This poster reports the findings from an analysis of an online survey of 224 university students (undergraduate or graduate) who experienced common mental health symptoms such as stress, anxiety, or depression. The survey questions addressed respondents’ basic demographics and mental health conditions (using the PHQ-4 questionnaire) and explored their information needs, help-seeking behavior, information-seeking behavior, and information-seeking satisfaction when experiencing stress, anxiety, or depression symptoms. While “Information on the Internet” was the most commonly used source of information for their mental health-related information seeking, “Information on the Internet” was not the most satisfactory source of information in terms of helping them meet their information needs. Further analysis of the relationships between respondents’ mental health conditions, demographics, and mental health-related information behavior (MHIB) indicates what factors shape university students’ MHIB and what challenges they may face in their MHIB. Based on the findings and analyses, we aim to provide insights for researchers and practitioners into designing technology, programs, and services to help with university students’ mental health-related information seeking and well-being.
Building Data Literacy Training in College Education
Authors: Hu Zhan , Jiang Jie
Published: October 2023

Data literacy (DL) is increasingly viewed as one of the most important foundational skills in today’s professional market (Reinitz et al., 2022). Although DL definitions differ for different settings and disciplines, the core idea centers around an individual’s ability to locate, understand and use data (ALA, n.d). Despite the variety of online professional development programs and resources, college students could benefit significantly from DL instructions in school before entering the workforce. Instructions and resources from academic libraries are critical in building up students’ knowledge of data concepts and basic data skills. The study thus aims to explore the current landscape of academic libraries’ DL instruction and resources, and to gain a better understanding of how librarians perceive their service provisions in supporting the DL initiatives. We examine the following research questions: 1). What DL instructions and resources are provided in academic libraries, and how is DL defined and approached in them? 2). What do academic librarians gauge of students’ current DL levels and the effectiveness of existing programs and resources in addressing the needs? We adopted a mixed-method research design to integrate data from a content analysis of academic libraries’ DL LibGuides from a random sample of R1, R2, and D/PU universities across 50 states, and quantitative data from an online survey with academic librarians across the US. Insights gained are helpful in identifying gaps in training contents, and may imply effective instructional approaches, creative and cost-effective approaches/strategies for DL training implementation.
21st Century Accreditation
Authors: Salaba Athena , Dickinson Gail
Published: October 2023

The ALA Standards for Accreditation of Master’s Programs in Library and Information Studies has undergone a significant proposed revision to foreground: program learning outcomes; place more emphasis on equity, diversity, and inclusion; eliminate redundancy; and reflect the current institutional context of LIS education and/or the needs of the profession.
 
The revision maintains focus on: systematic planning; program level learning outcomes and curriculum; faculty; students; and infrastructure, through the maturing lens and experiences of 21st century students, educators, employers, and schools.
 
The revised Standards are designed to be flexible enough to support a range of program modalities (primarily in-person, hybrid, primarily online), pedagogies, concentrations, and sizes, while maintaining a professional standard and expectation of program learning outcomes relevant to an evolving and expanding range of career options and opportunities.
 
Whether library and information studies programs exist as faculties, schools, or departments, the Standards were revised to be expansive enough to support the development, implementation, and growth of robust teaching, learning, and research environments tailored to institutional strategic directions and local realities but focused on producing quality education experiences for students through common accreditation expectations. This panel brings together program and Committee on Accreditation representatives to review the aims of the revision, the process and results of the revision consultation process focused mainly within the United States, Canada, and the UK where ALA-accreditation is recognized by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation as the accreditor for the field of library and information studies, the experiences and expectations of external review panels during site visits, and the accreditation experiences of two representative schools.
 
The panel will further explore the implementation of the revised standards, Committee on Accreditation expectations, supports available to programs from the Office of Accreditation, and initial and developing experiences in applying the revised standards. The panel will also invite comments, questions, and observations from attendees.
Detection of Torque Teno virus in IRAQI hemodialysispatients by ELISA
technique
Authors: Thamer Al-Bayti Ali , Ghaeb Alsaadi Luma
Published: October 2023

Background: Much evidence points to the presence of new factors that affect the
liver in addition to the well-known hepatitis A-E viruses, and of these viruses is
the Torque Teno virus, which was found to be more prevalent in the liver.
0bjecte: Detection of Torque Teno virus infection in patients undergoing dialysis
with hepatitis C virus(HCV) patients and non-infected patients, comparing them
with healthy people by ELISA technique to determine the extent of the virus
spread in patients undergoing dialysis for the first time in the Iraqi community
and how to affect the severity of infection. Methods: The study was conducted
from 2021 until the end of 2022. Blood samples were collected from 35 patients
infected with HCV undergoing hemodialysis, 35 patients not infected with HCV
undergoing hemodialysis, and 20 healthy people. Clinical information and tests
for hepatitis were obtained from the patients' registry. Chemical and hematological tests were done, and the results were recorded. A test for the detection of the
Torque Teno virus was done by ELISA technology. Results: Torque Teno virus
was detected in serum samples of patients using the ELISA technique. The infection rate was 0.0% in healthy people, (14.29%) in patients undergoing dialysis
without HCV infection (5 out of 35) and (22.86%) in patients undergoing dialysis
with HCV infection (8 out of 35), the novel result of this study showed that there
is a higher prevalence of Torque Teno virus in HCV patients than in patients undergoing dialysis without HCV infection in Iraq. Also, this study found nonsignificant differences between Torque Teno virus infectionand liver function enzymes, neither with WBCs nor HB concentrations. Conclusion: Hepatitis may be
caused by TTV, which was shown to be connected with biochemicalindicators of
liver damage and persistent HBV or HCV infection.
Keywords: Torque Teno virus, hemodialysis, ELISA technique
Purification And Characterization of Mannanase Enzyme from Lentinula edodes Isolate and Evaluation of Its Activity in Removing Blood Stains from Cotton Fabrics.
Authors: Alaubid Noor , Abed Mula Abed Faten Noori
Published: October 2023

Shiitake mushroom is the Japanese common name for the genus Lentinula edodes, and Shiitake is a fungus of medicinal and industrial importance. The enzyme Mannanase was purified from the fungal culture filtrate. It included a series of steps, including precipitation with ammonium sulfate and a saturation rate of 80%, in which the specific activity reached 2 units/mg, and the enzymatic accumulation was 80%. It was followed by enzyme dialysis for a whole day, which caused an increase in the specific activity to 3 units/mg, the number of purification times reached 3 times, and the enzymatic accumulation reached 71%. It is noticed from the ion exchange step using DEAE-cellulose that the specific activity increased to 10 units/mg, the number of purification times reached 10 times, and the enzymatic accumulation reached 53%. Subsequently, the last purification step was carried out using gel filtration chromatography Sephadex G-150, in which the specific activity of the enzyme reached 24 units/mg and the number of purification times reached 24 times, with an enzymatic accumulation of 48%. The molecular weight was determined using electrophoresis in a polyacrylamide gel, and its molecular weight was 58 kilodaltons. The optimum pH for its activity was 6.5, while the pH ranged between (5.5-7) to prove its activity. The optimum temperature for enzyme activity was 60°C, while the thermal stability was between (20-80) °C. Keywords: Lentinula edodes, β-mannanase activity, purifi-cation, DEAE-Sephadex A-150, Characterization, removing and ability of detergents to clean clothes.
Effect of some antiseptics on elastase production from Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Authors: Raheem Saleh Mohammed , Jebur Khalaf Khawlah
Published: October 2023

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of clinically used antiseptics on elastase production from Pseudomonas aeruginosa. 39 clinical isolates
were collected from wounds 10 (25.64%) and burns 29 (74.35%) from hospitalized
patients in Baghdad city. Elastin preparation by the autoclaving method yielded
10.5 gm of elastin powder from (250 gm) of sheep's lungs, 3.6 gm from (50 gm) of
sheep's bladder, and sheep's ligamentum nuchae (65 gm) yielded 15 gm. All P.
aeruginosa isolates were tested for their ability to produce elastase by being cultivated on elastin nutrient agar and observed for the enzyme's activity. The bacteria
that make elastase grew, and a clear border emerged surrounding the growth after
24 hours. 32 (82.05%) of P. aeruginosa isolates produced the enzyme on the
elastin nutrient agar. Elastase-producing P. aeruginosa was tested quantitatively
using the ELISA reader and spectrophotometer at (A495) to detect the released
amount of Congo red dye from the degradation of the elastin Congo red. P. aeruginosa (P41) showed the highest elastolytic activity; thus, it was selected to determine the effect of the sub-MIC of the antiseptics on elastase production. The
results showed that acetic acid was the best agent to inhibit elastase production,
followed by silver nitrate, hydrogen peroxide and ethanol in descending order.
Keywords: Elastase; Elastin; Pseudolysin; Antiseptics; Acetic acid; Pseudomonas
aeroginosa
Characterization of purified dextran from Lactobacillus fermentum
Authors: Hameed AL-dabbagh Aya Ali , Sattar Salman Jehan Abdul , Ali Ajah Hamzia
Published: October 2023

The objective of the current study is to characterize dextran purified from Lactobacillus fermentum (Lb4) Isolates of Lactobacillus spp. were tested for dextran
production using mucoidy, ethanol precipitation and spectrophotometric method.
Results of the Spectrophotometric method showed that all isolates gave concentrations of dextran ranging from (0.1 to 0.2 mg/ml). Precipitation, purification and
characterization of dextran from L. fermentum (Lb4) were done. Thin-layer
chromatography (TLC), 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (HNMR) Spectroscopy,
Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), Gas Chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS),
Melting Point (MP), Water Solubility index (WSI), and Water Holding Capacity
(WHC) had been used for dextran characterization. Characterization proved that
pure dextran. Nanosphere structure with a nano-diameter range of about (56.00)
nm with molecular weight (73) kDa. According to the melting point test, the purified dextran from L. fermentum had been completely melted at 228°C. The water
solubility index (WSI) had been determined (93.35%) and the water holding
capacity (WHC) (300%).
Keywords: Lactobacillus spp. ; Dextran ; Lactobacillus fermentum
Relationships Between Serotype B and The Virulent Type cagE in Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans in Mosul City
Authors: Mahmood khudhur Iman , Younis shareef Adeeba
Published: October 2023

The study aimed to determine the frequency of isolates containing the gene cagE
within serotype b strains. The study showed the isolation of 35 strains belonging
to the species Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans based on biochemical and
phenotypical characteristics. 60% of isolates belonged to serotype b, and 68.5%
showed a positive result for cagE. The remaining 8.5% of strains carrying the
gene cagE were not serotype b, so these isolates most likely may be diagnosed as
belonging to JP2 genotype strains.
Keywords: Serotype b, cagE, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans
Study of some biochemical changes of some cultivars of cucumber when infected with the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne sp in southern Iraq.
Authors: Zuhair Abed Ali , Amer Fayyad Mohammad , Heidari Ramin
Published: October 2023

The study aimed to study some biochemical changes such as peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, total phenols and proline that occur in cucumber plants when infected
with root-knot nematodes. The cultivar Astra showed significant differences in
these biochemical indicators compared to the rest of the cultivars, where the peroxidase enzyme increased to 4.423 units/gm fresh weight after 2 days of nematode
inoculation and the polyphenol oxidase enzyme increased to 1.418 units/ml in the
cultivar Astra after 6 days of nematode inoculation. The total phenols reached
12.12 mg g-1 after 8 days of nematode inoculation, while in proline, it reached
1.55 mg g-1 after 8 days of inoculation.
Keyword: Rheumatoid arthritis, Tripartite motif-containing protein 72, Disease
activity score 28.
Effect of adding different levels of Ganoderma lucidum to broiler diets on
physiological traits and meat oxidation indicators.
Authors: Jabbar Reda Media , Bandr Luma K.
Published: October 2023

This study was conducted in the poultry field of the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences / University of Baghdad for the period from 10/15/2021 to
11/25/2021 in order to show the effect of adding different levels of Ganoderma
lucidum to broiler diets on physiological traits and indicators of fat oxidation in
meat. In it, 200 unsexed (Ross 308) chicks of one-day-old breed were used, with a
starting weight of (40) g. The chicks were distributed and randomly divided into
four treatments, with 50 birds for each treatment. One treatment included five
replicates (10 birds/repeat) and the experiment treatments were T1, T2, T3, and T4.
The percentages of adding reishi mushrooms were 0, 0.5, 1, and 1.5 g/kg of feed,
respectively. The birds were fed for the duration of the experiment on three rations: the starter ration, the growth diet and the final diet. The results showed a
significant increase (P<0.05) in the total protein concentration and globulin concentration for T4 treatment containing reishi mushroom by 1.5 g/kg compared
with the control treatment. At the same time, the results indicated a significant
decrease (P<0.05) in cholesterol and HDL in the serum of T4-treated birds compared to the control treatment. In addition, the results showed that the addition of
reishi mushrooms to the diets in the proportions (1 and 1.5) g/kg led to a significant
decrease (P<0.05)) in the concentration of malonaldehyde (MDA) and the value of
peroxide in the meat compared with the control treatment after the storage period
of 30 days.
Keywords: average body weight, weight gain, feed consumed, food conversion
ratio, reishi mushrooms, major cuts.
Effect of Bio-fertilizer, Humic Acid and Sea Algae Extract on Growth and
yield of Sudan grass (Sorghum sudanese L.)
Authors: Younis Al-Ghazal Salim Abdullah , Shahatha AL-juheiehy Waleed Khalid , Mohammed Aziz Moyassar
Published: October 2023

A field experiment was conducted during the spring agricultural season of 2021 in
two locations, the first in Al-Tilga (10 km northwest of Mosul) and the second in
Al-Shuhada (35 km west of Mosul). The experiment was applied according to a
randomized complete block design (R.C.B.D.) with a split-plot system. The levels
of bio-fertilizer occupied the main plots, and the levels of humic acid and seaweed
extract (Alggren-Twin) were secondary plots in three replications. The two factors
of the study were as follows: The first factor was biofertilizer (Bactofed) at two
levels of zero and 750 ml / 1000 L of water/ha. The second factor is four levels of
two levels of seaweed extract with the trade name (Algaren Twin): 3 and 6 ml /L
of water. The third and fourth levels are 8 and 16 kg/ha of humic acid. The results
of the study were as follows: The addition of bio-fertilizer caused a significant
increase in plant height, the yield of fresh and dry forage, the number of dahlias
per plant, the weight of panicles grains, and grain yield of individual and total
plants in both locations. Also, the addition of seaweed extract and humic acid increased in most of the studied traits to achieve the highest average for most traits
and in both locations at the level of humic acid 16 kg/ha.
Keywords: Boi-fertilizer; Humic acid; Sea Algae; Sudn agrass; Sorghum sudanense L.
Chlorella vulgaris has been used in the biological treatment of some pollutants
and heavy metals in municipal wastewater
Authors: Raheef Al-Shammari Ali Hammoud , Hussein Al-Janabi Amira Imran
Published: October 2023

This study aims to prove the ability of Chlorella vulgaris to treat some pollutants
such as nitrates, nitrites, phosphates, ammonia, the chemical oxygen requirement
and some heavy metals such as cadmium and copper present in the water of municipal wastewater treatment plants. Water samples were taken from Al-Rumaitha
Central Water Treatment Plant, Al-Muthanna Governorate, Iraq. Contaminated
water was added to the algal culture after the algae reached the Stationary phase
after 10 days of growth. The tests were performed on the water after two periods,
the first after 4 days of the algae reaching the Stationary phase and the second after
8 days before the arrival of the algae to the Death phase.
The results showed a high efficiency of Chlorella vulgaris in treating polluted
water. The removal percentage after 4 days of exposure period was as follows:
BOD5 86.6%, nitrate 62.9%, nitrite 14.7%, ammonia 94.2%, and phosphate
86.2%. As for the heavy elements, they were as follows: copper 98.9%, cadmium
94.75%. After 8 days of the treatment process, the efficiency of the algae was
better than the previous days, where the results showed the following removal
percentages, BOD5 88.4%, nitrate 63.7%, nitrite 23%, ammonia 97.9%, phosphate
87.3%. As for heavy metals, the percentages were as follows: copper 99.2%,
cadmium 97.9%. The results of this study showed the efficiency of Chlorella
vulgaris in the treatment process and its high ability to remove pollutants from
water, especially nutrients and heavy metals, and green algae is a promising,
highly efficient and environmentally friendly biological treatment technology.
Keywords: heavy metals, Chlorella vulgaris, wastewater
Study the effectiveness of essential oils (anise, clove) and Bacillus thuringienesis in controlling Varroa mites (Varroa destructor) on honey bees Apis mellifera.
Authors: Majeed Kadhim Hussam , Hamzah Hadi Marzah , Abaed Hassoni Adil
Published: October 2023

This study was conducted at the A.L.- Musayyib Technical College / Department of Biological-Control Techniques from 1/10 /2021 to 1/4 /2022. The study aimed to determine the effectiveness of essential oils (anise, clove) and Bacillus thuringienesis in controlling Varroa mites (Varroa destructor) on honey bees Apis mellifera. The results revealed that the efficiency of the bacterial suspension with different concentrations was less effective in the average destruction of the adult Varroa mite in the field compared with the Epistan pesticide and the control treatment in which only distilled water was used and the natural fall of the Varroa mite. The highest mean of Varroa mites killed using the bacterial suspension spray at a concentration of (33 x 106) CFU/ml after 48 hours of treatment was (6.63), which indicates a significant difference with the control treatment, which amounted to (4.54), while the lowest mean of Varroa death was at a concentration of (33). × 104) CFU / ml after 24 hours of treatment, as it reached (4.25). As for the Epistan pesticide treatment, it was used to compare it with the rest of the results of the study, where the pesticide treatments were significantly superior in all periods on the concentrations of the bacterial suspension and the control treatment and the natural fall with a significant difference, the average of death was (34.25, 34.00, 31.46, 27.4, 42.25) after ( 24, 48, 72, 96, 142) hours, respectively. The results showed that treating bee hives with cotton soaked in essential oil (for cloves, anise) significantly affected the average mortality of Varroa mites. It was shown that clove essential oil was significantly superior to the essential oil of anise with two concentrations (1, 2) ml/cell in the periods (24,48) hours after treatment. Whereas, the average mortality of Varroa at a concentration of (1) ml/cell of clove oil (was 19.12, 23.17), while at a concentration of (2) ml/cell, it reached (27.17, 32.12) after (24, 48) hours, respectively. While the average mortality of Varroa mites was at a concentration of (1) ml/cell of anise oil (17.4, 21.00), while at a concentration (2) ml/cell, it reached (24.96, 28.83) after (24, 48) hours, respectively compared with the control treatment and the natural fall. Keywords: Bacillus thuringienesis, Pimpinella anisum, Varroa destructor, Apis mellifera.
Effect of drying methods and soaking of Ascorbic acid on the chemical content and specific qualities of oil in lemongrass leaves
Cymbopogon citratus L.
Authors: Abdulsattar Abduljabbar Inas , Saad Ahmed Khalid
Published: October 2023

Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) is an herb that belongs to the genus
Cymbopogon of aromatic grasses and contains volatile oil with a fine lemon flavor.
There needs to be more information on how drying affects the chemical content
and specific qualities promoting the properties of the leaves. Hence, this study
sought to investigate the effect of different drying methods and soaking with ascorbic acid on the chemical content and specific qualities of oil in the leaves of the
lemongrass plant. An experiment was applied according to the CRD design. The
experiment included two factors. The first factor was soaking with ascorbic acid at
a (0.5) g / L concentration for 15 minutes. In addition to a non-soaking treatment
and the second factor, the drying methods (solar drying, shadow drying, electric
oven drying at a temperature of 40 °C for 8 hours) and the comparison by soft
weight. The following characteristics were measured (percentage of nitrogen,
phosphorus, potassium, volatile oil, oil density and oil refractive index), and the
results were statistically analyzed using the SAS statistical analysis program. The
mean of the coefficients was compared according to the Duncan polynomial test.
The results showed significantly superior drying in the oven over other treatments,
as well as superior soaking of ascorbic over non-soaking treatment and gave the
interference (drying in the oven + soaking with ascorbic) the highest averages of
the studied traits amounted to (2.3806)% for nitrogen and (2.691)% for potassium
and (1.092)% for volatile oil and (0.879) mg/microliter of volatile oil density. The
differences between these drying methods selection were significant variations in
the oil content of lemongrass leaves and election in obtaining high-quality products. Essential oil compositions have also been observed to depend on the drying
conditions. However, the order of preference of the drying methods that ensure
adequate retention of chemical content and volatile oil of the leaves, as observed
in this study, is oven drying > shadow drying > sun drying >, in the order of decreasing magnitude.
Keywords: lemongrass, drying methods, ascorbic, chemical composition.
Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity of Pleurotus ostreatus on Selected Multi-Drug Resistant Bacteria and Fungus
Authors: Aljassim Zainab G. , M. Kadhim Haitham , Al-mizraqchi Abbas S.
Published: October 2023

Pleurotus ostreatus, or oyster mushroom, is a common edible wild mushroom characterized by its high nutritional values and promising diverse biological activities.
It contains many bioactive components which have been found to possess several
therapeutic functions. Because of the rising threat of treating serious and resistant
infections, there is a developing need to discover new treatment strategies and compounds that can effectively eradicate infections. This study aims to evaluate and
measure the antimicrobial activity and the minimum bactericidal concentration
(MBC) and Minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of Pleurotus ostreatus
methanol and aqueous crude extracts on Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Mutans Streptococci,
Lactobacillus, and Candida albicans. The antimicrobial activity of mushroom extracts was evaluated against ten purified microbial isolates using agar disc diffusion assay and minimum bactericidal and fungicidal concentration assay. The results show that P. ostreatus methanol and aqueous crude extracts revealed antibacterial activity against the tested microorganisms and formed growth inhibition
zones. Methanol crude extract shows more potent growth inhibition than the aqueous extract and in lower concentrations. This study shows that the tested oyster
mushroom extracts have antimicrobial effects on different pathogens. Methanol
crude extract of P. ostreatus revealed more powerful antibacterial and antifungal
activity than the aqueous crude extract.
Keywords: Oyster mushroom, Antimicrobial activity, Methanol crude extract.