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.
يعتقد البعض ان مفهوم العلم يعني الآلات والاجهزة العلمية (تقنيات التعليم) وهي لا تختلف عن مفهوم تكنولوجيا المعلومات , ويعد هذا الاعتقاد خاطئ , لان العلم هو بناء المعرفة العلمية المنظمة والتي يتم التوصل اليها عن طريق البحث العلمي , اما تكنولوجيا المعلومات فهي "التطبيقات العملية للمعرفة العلمية في مختلف المجالات ذات الفائدة المباشرة بحياة الانسان, او هي النواحي التطبيقية للعلم وما يرتبط بها من آلات واجهزة".
Erbil city is located in the northern Iraq with a population of over one million people. Due to water crises farmers usually use wastewater and well water for the agricultural production. In this study six stations were designed to sample waste water and three from well water to define waste water and ground water characteristics. In this study, Residual Na+ Carbonate, Mg++ hazard, salinity hazard, Kelley index, %sodium, total hardness, permeability index, potential salinity, sodium adsorption ratio, and Irrigation Water Quality Index (IWQI) were determined. The order of average cation concentrations in water was Mg2+> Ca2+ > Na+ > K+. While the proportion of main
... Show MoreDiabetes mellitus is a set of metabolic diseases, the most prevalent of which is chronic hyperglycemia. The culprits include insulin synthesis, insulin action, or both. Osteoporosis is a progressive systemic skeletal disorder defined by decreased bone mass and micro architectural degeneration of bone tissue, resulting in increased bone fragility and fracture risk, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The degree of Nervosa damage determines how much a diabetic patient's body has been compromised. The current study's goal is an estimation: Age, BMI, FBS, HbA1C, D3, ALP, Ca, P, and Osteocalcin in Iraqi T2DM Women's patients with and without Osteoporosis. Three vitamins are required for Osteocalcin biosynthesis: vitamin K for Gla f
... Show MoreBackground: low back pain is one of the most common public health problems and of the most common musculoskeletal complaint. Many risk factors have been considered for developing low back pain include smoking, obesity and sedentary lifestyle.
Aim of study: To evaluate smoking, obesity, and sedentary lifestyle associations with low back pain in young adults aged (18 – 39 years).
Methods: a comparative cross sectional study for young adults aged 18 – 39 years, participants with low back pain as a symptom constitutes the first group, others free of this symptom considered as the control group. Age and gender matched in both groups. Smoking, obesity and sedentary life sty
... Show MorePolymeric microsphere devices occupy a wide range in the field of controlled drug delivery. Subcutaneous injectable preparations of Poly(Lactide-co-Glycolide) (PLGA) microsphere of Daptomycine were prepared by solvent extraction/evaporation technique using different copolymers ratio and molecular weights. Four formulations were prepared (F1-F4) and characterized in term of particle size, surface morphology, bulk density and porosity in addition to the drug content. The effects of the above parameters on the in-vitro release study were evaluated. These formulas were evaluated also for their in-vivo release profile using rat (as an animal model) and
... Show MoreCeliac disease (CD) is an immune-mediated disorder caused by gluten in genetically susceptible individuals characterized by chronic inflammation that essentially affects the small intestine. Objective: this study was designed to measure the potential role of some serological biomarkers including vitamin B12 and homocysteine (HCY) in the progression of CD as well as their relations to global DNA methylation (5mC). Materials and methods. Forty CD patients were enrolled in the study with an average age of (36.60 ± 2.03) years (range between 15 and 60). The diagnosis of the disease was confirmed by serological examinations and intestinal endoscopy in Gastroenterology and Liver Teaching Hospital in the Medical City Hospital in Baghdad
... Show MoreFine aggregates used for concrete works in Sulaymaniyah city frequently fail to meet the standard requirements for gradation and fineness modulus in cement concrete. This paper aims to critically evaluate gradation, fineness modulus, and clay contents of various natural sands produced and used for concrete work in the region. Sixteen field sand samples were collected from various sites in Darbandikhan (5 samples), Qalat Dizah (5 samples), Koysinjaq (5 samples), and Piramagroon (1 sample) confirming to ASTM D75. The field samples were parted into test specimens based on ASTM C702. Then, sieve analysis was carried out on the oven-dry test specimens in compliance with ASTM C136. The test results of fine aggregates wer
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