Abstract Background: The daily usage of maxillofacial prostheses causes them to mechanically deteriorate with time. This study was aimed to evaluate the reinforcement of VST50F maxillofacial silicone by using yttrium oxide (Y2O3) nanoparticles (NPs) to resist aging and mechanical deterioration. Materials and Method: Y2O3 NPs (30–45nm) were loaded into VST50F maxillofacial silicone in two weight percentages (1 and 1.5 wt%), which were predetermined in a pilot study as the best rates for improving tear strength with minimum increase in hardness values. A total of 120 specimens were prepared and divided into the control and experimental groups (with 1 and 1.5 wt% Y2O3 addition). Each group included 40 specimens, 10 specimens for each parameter tested (i.e., tear strength, surface roughness, hardness, tensile strength and elongation percentage). Specimens were artificially aged in a weathering chamber for 150 h and then tested. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey’s honestly significant difference (HSD). Statistical significance was set to P ≤ 0.05. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were also conducted. Results and Discussion: SEM results showed that Y2O3 NPs were distributed well within the silicon matrix. FTIR results indicated that the NPs were physically dispersed within VST50F silicone without chemical interaction. After 150 h of accelerated artificial aging, adding Y2O3 NPs significantly increased the tear strength, hardness, surface roughness, and elongation percentage. Tensile strength increased non significantly. Conclusion: Adding Y2O3 NPs as fillers improved the mechanical properties of artificially aged maxillofacial silicone elastomer. Keywords: maxillofacial silicone, Y2O3, nanoparticles, fillers, artificial aging.
Some new norms need to be adapted due to COVID-19 pandemic period where people need to wear masks, wash their hands frequently, maintain social distancing, and avoid going out unless necessary. Therefore, educational institutions were closed to minimize the spread of COVID-19. As a result of this, online education was adapted to substitute face-to-face learning. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the Malaysian university students’ adaptation to the new norms, knowledge and practices toward COVID-19, besides, their attitudes toward online learning. A convenient sampling technique was used to recruit 500 Malaysian university students from January to February 2021 through social media. For data collection, all students
... Show MoreAsthma is one of the most common chronic, non-communicable diseases affecting children worldwide. The estimated prevalence of pediatric asthma in Iraq is 15.8%. Physiologic, inflammatory and structural factors contribute to the development of asthma. Assessment and monitoring of asthma control can be done by a validated children asthma control test (CACT). Management of asthma must address three components which are an appropriate management plan, the most appropriate medication if necessary, and the use of safe and effective medication. The management plan should consider patient counseling and education about the definition of asthma, signs, and symptoms, the pathophysiology of asthma, common triggers for asthma and how can avoid them,
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The purpose of our study was to develop Dabigatran Etexilate loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (DE-NLCs) using Glyceryl monostearate and Oleic acid as lipid matrix, and to estimate the potential of the developed delivery system to improve oral absorption of low bioavailability drug, different Oleic acid ratios effect on particle size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency and loading capacity were studied, the optimized DE-NLCs shows a particle size within the nanorange, the zeta potential (ZP) was 33.81±0.73mV with drug entrapment efficiency (EE%) of 92.42±2.31% and a loading capacity (DL%) of 7.69±0.17%. about 92% of drug was released in 24hr in a controlled manner, the ex-vivo intestinal p
... Show MoreA specific, sensitive and new simple method was used for the determination of methyldopa in pure and pharmaceutical formulations by using continuous flow injection analysis. This method is based on formation of ion pair compound between methyldopa and potassium hexacyanoferrate in acidic medium to obtain a yellow precipitate complex using long distance chasing photometer (NAG-ADF-300-2). The linear range for calibration graph was 0.05-35 mmol/L for cell A and 0.05-25 mmol/L for cell B, and LOD 1.4292 µg /200 µL for both cells with correlation coefficient (r) 0.9981 for cell A and 0.9994 for cell B, RSD% was lower than 0.5 % for n=8 for. The results were compared with classical method UV-Spectrophotometric at λ max=280 nm and turbi
... Show MoreThe study was carried out to determine the cytotoxic, antioxidant and gastro-protective effect of ethyl-4-[(3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxybenzylid ene)amino] benzoate (ETHAB) in rats.
During the 1970s, communicative view of language teaching began to be incorporated into syllabus design. The central question for the proponents of this view was: what does the learner want/need to do with the target language? This lead to the emergence of a teaching method (or approach) called communicative language teaching (CLT) during the late 1970s and early 1980s focusing on the functions that must be incorporated into a classroom. According to Brown (2001:43) CLT is a unified but broadly based, theoretically well informed set of tenets about the nature of language and of language learning and teaching. Harmer (2001:84) states that the communicative approach is the name which was given to a set of beliefs which included not only a
... Show MoreAcute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow (spongy tissue in the center of bone). In ALL, too many bone marrow stem cells develop into a type of white blood cell called lymphocytes. These abnormal lymphocytes are not able to fight infection very well. The aim of this study was to investigate possible links between E3 SUMO-Protein Ligase NSE2 [NSMCE2] and increase DNA damage in the childhood patients with Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Laboratory investigations including hemoglobin(Hb) ,white blood cell (WBC) , serum total protein , albumin ,globulin , in addition to serum total antioxidant activity (TAA) , Advanced oxidation protein products(AOPP) and E3 SUMO-Protein Ligase NSE2[NSMCE2]. Blood samples
... Show MoreThe aim of this research is to apply the concept of total value management to improve the process design of producing the toothpaste in Al Mammon factory one of the in the general company of food industry. The concept of total value management is concerning with achieve more than one values which are important for the customers as these values are related to the customers satisfaction. The research problem is that the factory did not measure the effectiveness of process design as this company has weakness in analyzing this effectiveness in synchronies with total value management. On the other side, the company did not give more attention to the cost of products and selling prices within the value cost/ profit which is one of the
... Show MoreThe research deals with the interchange of the sign transformed from the universal to the local in the theatrical show through the direction processing in the production of a communicative artistic discourse and message, thus making the process of reading the speech and recognizing it by taking into account the cultural differences, customs and local rituals of each country, region, or area. The problem of the research was focused on answering the following question: What are the requirements for the sign in terms of its transformation between the universality and locality in the read-out?
The importance of research is to determine the requiremen
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