Objective. Glass-ionomer and resin-modified glass-ionomer cements are versatile materials with the ability to form a direct bond with tooth tissues. The aim of this study was to formulate a novel class of dental bio-interactive restorative material (pRMGIC) based on resin-modified glass-ionomer cements via the inclusion of an organophosphorus monomer, ethylene glycol methacrylate phosphate, with a potential to improve the mechanical properties and also function as a reparative restorative material. Methods. pRMGIC was formulated with modification of the resin phase by forming mixes of ethylene glycol methacrylate phosphate (EGMP; 0–40%wt) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate monomer into the liquid phase of a RMGIC (Fuji II LC, GC Corp.). The physical properties of the cements were determined including setting characteristics, compressive strength and modulus (CS &CM), microhardness (MH) and biaxialflexural strength (BFS). Fluid uptake and fluoride release were assessed up to 60 days storage. Adhesion to sound dentine was measured using micro-tensile bond strength and surface integrity was analysed using SEM coupled with EDX. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA and Bonferroni post-hoc tests. Results. The pRMGIC cements exhibited an increase in working time with increasing EGMP concentration however were within the limits of standard clinical requirements. Although the compressive strength of pRMGIC cements were comparable to control cements in the early stages of maturation, the higher EGMP-containing cements (EGMP30 and 40) exhibited significantly greater values (p < 0.05) after 4 weeks storage (141.0 ± 9 and 140.4 ± 8 MPa, respectively), in comparison to EGMP0 (128.8 ± 7 MPa). A dramatic two fold increase in biaxial flexural strength (p < 0.001) was observed for the pRMGIC’s. Furthermore, the ability to decalcify tooth apatite resulted in enhanced interfacial adhesion due to chelation with calcium ions of tooth apatite. The inclusion of EGMP encouraged formation of reinforcing complexes within the RMGIC, thus improving physical properties, decreasing solubility and lower fluoride release. A dense microstructure was observed with increasing EGMP content. Significance. A novel universal bio-interactive adhesive repair material will enable clinicians to offer more effective repair of the tooth-restoration complex, thus future treatments will benefit both patient and a severely constrained healthcare budget.
Contours extraction from two dimensional echocardiographic images has been a challenge in digital image processing. This is essentially due to the heavy noise, poor quality of these images and some artifacts like papillary muscles, intra-cavity structures as chordate, and valves that can interfere with the endocardial border tracking. In this paper, we will present a technique to extract the contours of heart boundaries from a sequence of echocardiographic images, where it started with pre-processing to reduce noise and produce better image quality. By pre-processing the images, the unclear edges are avoided, and we can get an accurate detection of both heart boundary and movement of heart valves.
Objective: To review and identify the major drivers for COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Methods: A scoping review of studies of COVID-19 vaccine perceptions and barriers to using the COVID-19 vaccines. Two search engines, including PubMed and Google Scholar, were purposefully searched. Results: Eight studies from different countries were reviewed to categorize factors influencing people's acceptance of COVID-19 according to the Health Belief Model (HBM). Perceived susceptibility, and severity of the disease (COVID-19), in addition to perceived benefits of COVID-19 vaccination and "cues to action", can enhance vaccination acceptance. In contrast, perceived barriers to the COVID-19 vaccine can increase people's hesitancy to be vaccinated
... Show MoreBased on the diazotization reaction of 4-aminoacetophenone with sodium nitrite in acid medium to form diazonium salt, which was coupled with Methyldopa to form a violet reddish soluble azo dye with maximum absorbance at 560 nm,a batch procedure had been developed for the estamination of Methyldopa. Under optimum experimental parameters affecting on the development and stability of the colored product, Beer´s law obeyed in the range (0.5-45) ?g.ml-1 with a correlation coefficient (0.9979).The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of Methyldopa in either pure form and in commercial brands of pharmaceuticals, no interference was observed from common excipients in the formulations. The analytical results obtained by app
... Show MoreThis paper proposes a novel method for generating True Random Numbers (TRNs) using electromechanical switches. The proposed generator is implemented using an FPGA board. The system utilizes the phenomenon of electromechanical switch bounce to produce a randomly fluctuated signal that is used to trigger a counter to generate a binary random number. Compared to other true random number generation methods, the proposed approach features a high degree of randomness using a simple circuit that can be easily built using off-the-shelf components. The proposed system is implemented using a commercial relay circuit connected to an FPGA board that is used to process and record the generated random sequences. Applying statistical testing on th
... Show MoreBackground: Piezosurgery improved the split approach by making it safer, easier, and less prone to complications when treating extremely atrophic crests. Densah drills, with their unique design, expand the ridge by densifying bone in a reverse, non-cutting mode. Objective: To assess the effectiveness of sagittal piezosurgery, which involves cutting bone to the full implant depth and then expanding it using osseodensification drills. We use this technique to expand narrow alveolar bones and simultaneously place dental implants in the maxillary and mandibular arches. Methods: Fourteen patients received 31 dental implants. The maxillary arch received 19, and the mandible received 12 dental implants. This study will include patients who
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