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.
Background: Acute appendicitis is a common surgical
problem that is associated with an acute-phase reaction.
Previous studies have shown that cytokines and acutephase proteins are activated and may serve as indicators for
appendicitis.
Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate of serum
levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in correlation to the severity
to acute appendicitis.
Methods: This is a prospective study from December 2008
to March 2009 of patients who had appendectomy in
Department of Surgery, Al-Kindy Teaching Hospital -
Baghdad/Iraq. Serum for estimating levels of interleukin-6
(IL-6) was taken pre-operatively. Depending on the
macroscopic evidence during the operation and the
histopathol
Education is a process of learning and education at the same time. As the conditions of modern life necessitate every person to keep learning, education has become a necessity to meet life needs. The society today is concerned with the educational process and aims to live up the expectations. Since education is an integral part of education and its means, it has become as a mean to achieve its purposes. The educational environment was a traditional environment limited to specific inputs, possibilities and stimulus of both teacher and student. Due to the latest advancement, the educational environment has been expanded to become a rich, with strong connections. It has expanded to encompass the entire global environment. The current
... Show MoreThe research aims to analyze and evaluate the urban land use according to the needs of the current and future population by adopting the planning criteria for the holy city of Karbala. In the theoretical side, we discussed the most important concepts of urban land use planning. In the practical aspect of the study, field surveys were conducted to obtain the required information. Using the GIS program, the land uses were planned and executed, Analysis By comparing the per capita use of urban land with criteria and the production of maps.
The main findings of the study are that there is a large deficit in meeting some of the needs of the urban land uses and the basic services of the city. The research recommended that the needs of
... Show Moreناقش البحث في طياته عدداً من القضايا الرئيسة المتعلقة بالتقييم الاستراتيجي والإطار العام للخطة الاستراتيجية المقترحة لشركة نفط ميسان للسنوات الخمس المقبلة (2020_2024)، وهدف هذا البحث يتمحور في تقييم عملية صياغة استراتيجية شركة نفط ميسان لتحديد نقاط القوة وتعضيدها ومواطن الضعف ومحاولة معالجتها لتجنب الوقوع بها عند وضع استراتيجية للسنوات القادمة، وعلى هذا الاساس فان مشكلة البحث تكمن في مدى نجاح الاستراتي
... Show MoreBackground: Acute appendicitis is the most common surgical abdominal emergency with a life time prevalence of 1 to 7 individuals. Because the clinical diagnosis of acute appendicitis remains a challenge to surgeons, so different aids were introduced like different scoring systems, computer aided programs, ultrasonography, computerized tomography, Magnetic resonance imaging, Gastrointestinal tract contrast studies and laparoscopy to improve the diagnostic accuracy.
Objective: To evaluate ultrasound in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis in those patients clinically diagnosed with histopathology as gold standard.
Methods: A cross sectional study carried in Al-kindy Teaching
... Show MoreXXXX
An evaluation the performance of the irrigation system for the Al-Ishaqi irrigation project for the Eastern Canal was conducted to identify management strategies that can be used to improve the operation and performance of the irrigation system. The study area is located in Salah al-Din G.0overnorate, Iraq. The field work included determining the moisture content of the soil before and after irrigation, measuring the inflow of the field to find the depth of the applied water, field monitoring, and measuring the depth of the root zone for each irrigation process. Field measurements showed that the average efficiency of water application for the two fields (A, and B) are 59.81% and 38.6%, respectively. The results of the efficiency of
... Show MoreBackground: Hyperthyroidism is a serious public concern, due the continuous increase in its prevalence and its impact on the mortality rates. Autoimmune hyperthyroidism is seen as a thyroid gland problem. Pro-inflammatory cytokines are crucial for the growth and development of hyperthyroidism, it was shown that the level of several pro-inflammatory cytokines were higher in the hyperthyroidism patients. Objective: This work was aimed to assessment the concentration of certain cytokine in hyperthyroid patients. Materials and Methods: Sixty hyperthyroidism patients and 30 healthy individuals with age range from (30-65) years old were enrolled in this study through their presence at the National Center for Diabetes Treatment and Research in Bag
... Show MoreBiscuits are a global snack due to their convenience, variety, and durability. Biscuits with nutritious ingredients are in demand as customers become more health conscious. This change led to interest about utilizing agricultural by-products to enhance the nutritional value of widely consumed foods. Mango (Mangifera indica L.), a frequently cultivated tropical fruit, produces vital by-products during its processing, mainly comprising peels and kernels. The by-products, comprising around 35–60% of the mango fruit's weight, are high in bioactive compounds including dietary fiber, polyphenols, carotenoids, and essential fatty acids. Mango peels and kernels, even with their nutritional potential, frequently neglected, resulting in ris
... Show MoreBiscuits are a global snack due to their convenience, variety, and durability. Biscuits with nutritious ingredients are in demand as customers become more health conscious. This change led to interest about utilizing agricultural by-products to enhance the nutritional value of widely consumed foods. Mango (Mangifera indica L.), a frequently cultivated tropical fruit, produces vital by-products during its processing, mainly comprising peels and kernels. The by-products, comprising around 35–60% of the mango fruit's weight, are high in bioactive compounds including dietary fiber, polyphenols, carotenoids, and essential fatty acids. Mango peels and kernels, even with their nutritional potential, frequently neglected, resulting in ris
... Show More