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.
Visualization of water flow around different bluff bodies at different Reynolds number ranging (1505 - 2492) was realized by designing and building a test rig which contains an open channel capable to ensure water velocity range (4-8cm/s) in this channel. Hydrogen bubbles generated from the ionized water using DC power supply are visualized by a light source and photographed by a digital camera. Flow pattern around a circular disk of (3.6cm) diameter and (3mm) thickness, a sphere of (3.8cm) diameter and a cylinder of
(3.2cm) diameter and (10cm) length are studied qualitatively. Parameters of the vortex ring generated in the wake region of the disk and the separation angle of water stream lines from the surface of the sphere are plott
The objective of this research paper is two-fold. The first is a precise reading of the theoretical underpinnings of each of the strategic approaches: "Market approach" for (M. Porter), and the alternative resource-based approach (R B V), advocates for the idea that the two approaches are complementary. Secondly, we will discuss the possibility of combining the two competitive strategies: cost leadership and differentiation. Finally, we propose a consensual approach that we call "dual domination".
This research aims to explain the effect of the imported inflation (which moves through the raise of global prices to Iraqi economy) over local prices, besides, the recognition the most important channels of imported inflation moving, its causes, effects, ways and policies that reduce the negative effects. To achieve the research aim, the deductive approach was adopted through using descriptive method to describe and determine phenomenon. The most important conclusion is that the research found out that there are two channels to transmission imported inflation in world. The first channel is the direct channel (prices) and the second channel is the indirect (income). The most important recommendation is to create sovereign fund (O
... Show MoreIn this paper, the restricted least squares method is employed to estimate the parameters of the Cobb-Douglas production function and then analyze and interprete the results obtained. A practical application is performed on the state company for leather industries in Iraq for the period (1990-2010). The statistical program SPSS is used to perform the required calculations.
In this research, Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) technique was applied in an attempt to predict the water levels and some of the water quality parameters at Tigris River in Wasit Government for five different sites. These predictions are useful in the planning, management, evaluation of the water resources in the area. Spatial data along a river system or area at different locations in a catchment area usually have missing measurements, hence an accurate prediction. model to fill these missing values is essential.
The selected sites for water quality data prediction were Sewera, Numania , Kut u/s, Kut d/s, Garaf observation sites. In these five sites models were built for prediction of the water level and water quality parameters.
Congenital distal vaginal obstruction is usually asymptomatic in a newborn female. On rare occasions, it may present as an acute emergency with life threatening complications.This paper is reporting the rare condition of two newborn females presenting urgently with abdominal distension and acute urinary retention as a result of congenital distal vaginal Obstruction. The case history and urgent management shall be presented and both conditions shall be discussed.
Progression in Computer networks and emerging of new technologies in this field helps to find out new protocols and frameworks that provides new computer network-based services. E-government services, a modernized version of conventional government, are created through the steady evolution of technology in addition to the growing need of societies for numerous services. Government services are deeply related to citizens’ daily lives; therefore, it is important to evolve with technological developments—it is necessary to move from the traditional methods of managing government work to cutting-edge technical approaches that improve the effectiveness of government systems for providing services to citizens. Blockchain technology is amon
... Show MoreThe present study was set to investigate the potential association between the level of Interleukin-6 (IL-6), as a key component of the pro-inflammatory response, with different thalassemia’s biological and clinical features. For this purpose, one hundred fifty blood samples were collected from 100 beta-thalassemia patients, who attended the Genetic Hematology Centre at Ibn Al- Baladi Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq, and 50 healthy subjects who were employed as a control group. IL-6 levels were estimated using an ELISA Kit, whereas other thalassemia-related clinical features (such as HbA, HbF, ferritin, blood transfusions, splenectomy status, and the history of frequent infection) were additionally assessed. The results of the present s
... Show MoreBackground: Acute appendicitis is regarded as one of the most common inflammation that needs surgical intervention. Different scoring systems have been used for diagnosing of acute appendicitis. ALVARADO score is one of the most widely used score in diagnosing of acute appendicitis, but the accuracy of the latter is insufficiently low in Middle-East patients. Thus a new scoring system called RIPASA score has been designed for diagnosing of acute appendicitis in those patients. The aim of this study is to use RIPASA score and compare its result with ALVARADO score in diagnosing of acute appendicitis.
Subjects and Methods: The study includes 200 patients with symptoms and signs of
... Show MoreIn this research the results of applying Artificial Neural Networks with modified activation function to perform the online and offline identification of four Degrees of Freedom (4-DOF) Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arm (SCARA) manipulator robot will be described. The proposed model of identification strategy consists of a feed-forward neural network with a modified activation function that operates in parallel with the SCARA robot model. Feed-Forward Neural Networks (FFNN) which have been trained online and offline have been used, without requiring any previous knowledge about the system to be identified. The activation function that is used in the hidden layer in FFNN is a modified version of the wavelet function. This approach ha
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