Resilient polymeric materials such as silicone elastomers are currently used for maxillofacial prostheses construction but the strength of these materials and their clinical performance need to be optimized with the addition of reinforcing fillers. This study investigates the effect of zirconia nanopowder addition on tear strength, tensile strength, elongation at break, Shore A hardness, surface roughness and cytotoxicity of VST-50 maxillofacial silicone. Silicone base was mixed with different amounts (1%, 2% and 3%) of zirconia nanopowder using a vacuum mixer. Silicone without filler was used as control for comparison. Scanning Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy were utilized to assess the efficiency of high-shear vacuum mixing as filler dispersion method and the surface topography, respectively. Both SEM and AFM images showed that the zirconia nanopowder were distributed fairly well within the polymer. Statistically, highly significant increase in tear strength, tensile strength and hardness with non-significant decrease in elongation at break and non-significant increase in surface roughness were seen with 1% and 2% groups. Whereas with 3% group, there was significant improvement in tear strength, tensile strength and hardness but there was significant undesirable decrease in elongation and increase in roughness. Cytotoxicity test revealed that the addition of zirconia nanopowder was nontoxic to Rat Embryonic Fibroblast (REF) cells and there was non-significant change in the cell viability of all study groups after 24- and 72-hours incubation periods. In conclusion, the addition of 2% by weight nano zirconia to VST-50 maxillofacial silicone could be beneficial in enhancing its performance.
This paper presents studying the performance of three types of polyethersulfone (PES) membrane for the simultaneous removal of Co2+ ions, Cd2+ ions, and Pb2+ ions from binary and ternary aqueous solutions. Co2+ ions, Cd2+ ions, and Pb2+ ions with two different initial concentrations (e.g., 10 and 50 ppm) were selected as examples of heavy metals that contaminate the groundwater as a result of geological and human activities. This study investigated the effect of types of PES membrane and metal ions concentration on the separation process. For the binary aqueous solutions, the permeation flux of the PES2 membranes was higher for the separation process of solutions containing 50 ppm of Cd2+ ions and 10 ppm of Co2+ ions (24.7 L
... Show MoreMyelosuppression is a serious disease that is related to the malfunction of blood cells production that leads to cytopenia which is the most serious hematologic toxicity of cancer chemotherapies including cyclophosphamide, which is a strong oxazaphosphorine [a nitrogen mustard alkylating agent] that can be used alone or combined with other chemotherapeutic agents for the treatment of different malignant diseases. It induces severe bone marrow suppression by damaging hematopoietic stem cells through the generation of oxidative stress. Fisetin is a hydrophobic polyphenolic compound with a wide range of pharmacological properties such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, osteoprotective, antidiabetic, and anti-carcinogenic
... Show MoreAt thermal energies near stellar conditions, nuclear reactions are sensitive to resonance strengths of the nuclear reaction cross-section. In this paper, the resonance strengths of nuclear reaction were evaluated numerically by means of nuclear reaction rate calculations using a written Matlab code, at the energies of interest in stellar nuclear reactions. The results were compared with standard reaction before and after application of a statistical analyses, to select the best parameters that made theoretical results as close as possible to the standard values. Fitting was made for different temperature ranges up to 10 GK, 0.6 GK and 0.25 GK. The evaluated results showed that as the temperature range becomes narrower, more error is ad
... Show MoreAn attempt was made to evaluate the PV performance of one-axis daily tracking and fixed system for Baghdad, Iraq. Two experimental simulations were conducted on a PV module for that purpose. Measurements included incident solar radiation, load voltage and load current. The first experiment was carried out for six months of winter half of year to simulate the one-axis daily tracking. The azimuth angle was due south while the tilt angle was being set to optimum according to each day of simulation. The second experiment was done at one day to simulate the PV module of fixed angles. It is found that there is a significant power gain of 29.6% for the tracking system in respect to the fixed one. The one-axis daily tracking was much more effect
... Show MoreA group of amino derivatives [4-aminobenzenesulfonamide,4-amino-N¹ methylbenzenesulfonamide, or N¹-(4-aminophenylsulfonyl)acetamide] bound to carboxyl group of mefenamic acid a well known nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were designed and synthesized for evaluation as a potential anti-inflammatory agent. In vivo acute anti-inflammatory activity of the final compounds (9, 10 and 11) was evaluated in rat using egg-white induced edema model of inflammation in a dose equivalent to (7.5mg/Kg) of mefenamic acid. All tested compounds produced a significant reduction in paw edema with respect to the effect of propylene glycol 50% v/v (control group). Moreover, the 4-amino-N-methylbenzenesulfonamide derivative (c
... Show MoreThis study aims to develop a thermosensitive mucoadhesive periodontal in situ gel of secnidazole for local release of drug for treatment of periodontitis, in order to increase the drug residence time and to increase patient compliance while lowering the side effects of the drug.
Cold method was used to prepare 30 formulas of secnidazole periodontal in situ gel, using different concentrations of thermosensitive polymers (poloxamer407 alone or in combination with poloxamer 188) and methyl cellulose (MC ) or hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC K4M )in different concentrations used as mucoadhesive polymer and the resultant formulations were subjected to several tests such as gelation temperature GT, appearance and pH value. The fo
... Show MoreContracting cancer typically induces a state of terror among the individuals who are affected. Exploring how glucose excess, estrogen excess, and anxiety work together to affect the speed at which breast cancer cells multiply and the immune system’s response model is necessary to conceive of ways to stop the spread of cancer. This paper proposes a mathematical model to investigate the impact of psychological panic, glucose excess, and estrogen excess on the interaction of cancer and immunity. The proposed model is precisely described. The focus of the model’s dynamic analysis is to identify the potential equilibrium locations. According to the analysis, it is possible to establish four equilibrium positions. The stability analys
... Show MoreBackground: In dentistry, dentist takes the advantages of soft lining materials due to the viscoelastic properties. The major problem is the adhesion of the soft liner with the denture base material. Materials and Methods: Heat cured of high impact acrylic resin specimens prepared with dimensions 75x13x13mm for shear bond strength test, soft lining material (Refit and Mollosil) with a 3-mm thickness and used to join each two acrylic blocks. Also four specimens with the same previous dimensions utilized for chemical and physical surface analysis. The specimens grouped as control (without plasma) and experiment (with oxygen plasma) treated high impact acrylic specimens. Results: Plasma treatment increased the shear bond strength for both Refi
... Show MoreSince the end of World War II, the United States of America began to look at the Gulf States and Iraq due to the possession of huge quantities of oil, after taking the American oil depletion in order to tighten control over the oil of these countries, has pursued various means, political and military, in the framework of its strategy So that it could achieve this control, which focused on control of production and prices, for the conviction that those who control oil impose control over the political decision of the countries of the world.
The Nuclear structure of 110-116Cd isotopes was studied theoretically in the framework of the interacting boson model of IBM-l and IBM-2. The properties of the lowest mixed symmetry states such as the 1+, 2+ and 3+ levels produced by the IBM-2 model in the vibrational-limit U(5) of Cd - isotopes are studied in details. This analysis shows that the character of mixed symmetry of 2+ is shared between and states in 110-114Cd – isotopes, the large shar goes to s, while in isotope, the state is declared as a mixed symmetry state without sharing. This identification is confirmed by the percentage of F-spin contribution. The electromagnetic properties of E2 and Ml operators were investigated and the results were analyzed. Various
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