Objective Advantageous properties of silicone elastomer made it one of the favorable materials in maxillofacial prosthesis construction, but these properties may change after months of usage or after pigments addition. This study aimed to define the optimum concentration for a mixture of two types of intrinsic pigments that added to VST-50 maxillofacial silicone material and study their effects on mechanical properties before and after artificial aging. Methods After the pilot study was conducted, 0.1% by weight of rayon flocking and 0. 2% by weight of burnt sienna intrinsic pigment concentration was selected because of improvement in tested mechanical properties of VST-50 maxillofacial silicone. A total of one hundred and eighty samples were prepared and divided into three equal test groups (tear strength, hardness and surface roughness), 60 samples were made for each test. Each test group includes 6 subgroups with 10 samples made for each one of them to test before and after (75 hours and 150 hours) of artificial aging. FTIR and XRD tests also were used in the study. Results The results show for pigmented samples before artificial aging that some mechanical properties had improved. After artificial aging, both periods resulted in non- significant decrease in tear strength while hardness and surface roughness had highly significantly increased. FTIR test and XRD test shows no chemical reaction between pigments and silicone. Conclusion The addition of intrinsic pigments had improved hardness and tear strength of maxillofacial silicone but after subjecting it to artificial aging, all of the tested properties had adversely affected.
In this paper a prey - predator model with harvesting on predator species with infectious disease in prey population only has been proposed and analyzed. Further, in this model, Holling type-IV functional response for the predation of susceptible prey and Lotka-Volterra functional response for the predation of infected prey as well as linear incidence rate for describing the transition of disease are used. Our aim is to study the effect of harvesting and disease on the dynamics of this model.
Utilizing phase change materials in thermal energy storage systems is commonly considered as an alternative solution for the effective use of energy. This study presents numerical simulations of the charging process for a multitube latent heat thermal energy storage system. A thermal energy storage model, consisting of five tubes of heat transfer fluids, was investigated using Rubitherm phase change material (RT35) as the. The locations of the tubes were optimized by applying the Taguchi method. The thermal behavior of the unit was evaluated by considering the liquid fraction graphs, streamlines, and isotherm contours. The numerical model was first verified compared with existed experimental data from the literature. The outcomes re
... Show MoreThe rapid increase in the number of older people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other forms of dementia represents one of the major challenges to the health and social care systems. Early detection of AD makes it possible for patients to access appropriate services and to benefit from new treatments and therapies, as and when they become available. The onset of AD starts many years before the clinical symptoms become clear. A biomarker that can measure the brain changes in this period would be useful for early diagnosis of AD. Potentially, the electroencephalogram (EEG) can play a valuable role in early detection of AD. Damage in the brain due to AD leads to changes in the information processing activity of the brain and the EEG which ca
... Show MoreHypothesis CO2 geological storage (CGS) involves different mechanisms which can store millions of tonnes of CO2 per year in depleted hydrocarbon reservoirs and deep saline aquifers. But their storage capacity is influenced by the presence of different carboxylic compounds in the reservoir. These molecules strongly affect the water wetness of the rock, which has a dramatic impact on storage capacities and containment security. However, precise understanding of how these carboxylic acids influence the rock’s CO2-wettability is lacking. Experiments We thus systematically analysed these relationships as a function of pressure, temperature, storage depth and organic acid concentrations. A particular focus was on identifying organic acid conce
... Show MoreHydrogels are hydrophilic biocompatible polymers that can be used as a drug delivery material in different medical branches, including vital pulp therapy. The aim of this study is to characterize the physical and biological properties of the newly developed formula as a candidate direct pulp-capping material. The hydrogel composite was prepared from natural and synthetic origins (polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), hyaluronic acid (HA), and sodium alginate (SA)) with the incorporation of bioactive Moringa. Different formulas of hydrogel containing different concentrations were evaluated for physicochemical (FTIR, XRD, SEM, degradation, and swelling), mechanical (viscosity, folding endurance, film thickness), and biological (antioxidant, antibacterial,
... Show MoreBackground: The collagen triple helix repeat containing 1 (CTHRC1) protein has been connected to decreased levels of vitamin D and calcium, as well as obesity. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between CTHRC1 and osteoporosis in post-menopausal women and compare with healthy subjects. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study consisted of 86 women were enrolled in this study and divided into three groups based on the results of dual-energy densitometry (DXA): 30 women with osteoporosis, 30 women with osteopenia, and 26 healthy women. Data on demographic and clinical features and laboratory values of Calcium (Ca) and Vitamin D3 (V.D3) were recorded. Results: Women with osteoporosis had significantly increased level
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