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.
To enhance the structural performance of concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) columns, various strengthening techniques have been proposed, including the use of internal steel stiffeners, external wrapping with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) sheets, and embedded steel elements. However, the behavior of concrete-filled stainless-steel tube (CFSST) columns remains insufficiently explored. This study numerically investigates the axial performance of square CFSST columns internally strengthened with embedded I-section steel profiles under biaxial eccentric loading. Finite element (FE) simulations were conducted using ABAQUS v. 6.2, and the developed models were validated against experimental results from the literature. A comprehen
... Show MoreThe construction project is a very complicated work by its nature and requires specialized knowledge to lead it to success. The construction project is complicated socially, technically and economically in its planning, management and implementation aspects due to the fact that it has many variables and multiple stakeholders in addition to being affected by the surrounding environment. Successful projects depend on three fundamental points which are cost-time, performance and specifications. The project stakeholder's objective to achieve best specifications and the cost-time frame stipulated in the contract.
The question is, was the optimum implementation accomplished? The provision for the success of the project
... Show MoreThe impacts of numerous important factors on the Energy Absorption (EA) of torsional Reinforced Concrete (RC) beams strengthened with external FRP is the main purpose and innovation of the current research. A total of 81 datasets were collected from previous studies, focused on the investigation of EA behaviour. The impact of nine different parameters on the Torsional EA of RC-beams was examined and evaluated, namely the concrete compressive strength (f’c), steel yield strength (fy), FRP thickness (tFRP), width-to-depth of the beam section (b/h), horizontal (ρh) and vertical (ρv) steel ratio, angle of twist (θu), ultimate torque (Tu), and FRP ultimate strength (fy-FRP). For the evaluation of the energy absorption capacity at di
... Show MoreThe industrial production sector has an important role in the national economy of the advanced countries as well as the developing ones to get higher levels for their economy . We in Iraq , just like most of the develpoing countries , our economy still suffers of great shortage in this active sector in spite of the repeated statements about the desire of activating the contribution of this sector in the national economy . The industrial sector in Iraq suffers in general of many problems , especially the public industrial sector (manufacturing) . These problems have been existed because of the unnatural conditions that Iraq has passed during the previous decades especially in the political and security sides . which reflecte
... Show MoreIndustrial dyes are major pollutants in wastewater and river water with an initial visible concentration of 1 mg/L. Recent studies have shown the possibility of using polyphenol oxidase in catalytic biological treatment due to its ability to oxidize a large number of dyes and pollutants in wastewater and the flexibility to work in wide ranges of temperature, pH and salinity. It is easy availability as well as the low economic cost resulting from its use in biological treatments, this enzyme polyphenol oxidase was used. The findings in this study showed that the extraction of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) from potato peel was homogenized with potassium phosphate buffer (0.1 M, pH 7) at a ratio of 1:10 (weight: volume) for two min. The res
... Show MoreObjective: To identify the role and importance of the clinical pharmacist in the Emergency Department on prevent
or reduced the medication error.
Methodology: We collected the medical file of 3400 patients, 1400 patient's file in (A) hospital, and 1000 patient's
file in each of (B and C) hospital, who admitted to the ED, at primary weekdays between 8 am to 2 pm, and
recorded all the intervention made by clinical pharmacist through an active search in clinical charts, with analysis
of the daily medical prescription. The potential severity of harm of the medication error judged by two reviewers,
a permanent emergency physician, and clinical pharmacist based on the National Coordinating Council (NCC) of
Medication Error
Objective: evaluation of Acute Flaccid Paralysis Surveillance (AFP) System's Structure at Al-Russafa Health directorate in Baghdad City. Methodology: descriptive study using evaluation approach conducted to measure the efficiency of AFP Surveillance System structure for period from November 27th 2014 to June 30th 2015. The study adopted the non-probability multi-stage sampling approach. As nineteen health facilities under surveillance are chosen and interview is conducted with a total of 50 health worker how are involved in the AFP Surveillance System. The data are gathered from sample by using question
The Dynamic Load Factor (DLF) is defined as the ratio between the maximum dynamic and static responses in terms of stress, strain, deflection, reaction, etc. DLF adopted by different design codes is based on parameters such as bridge span length, traffic load models, and bridge natural frequency. During the last decades, a lot of researches have been made to study the DLF of simply supported bridges due to vehicle loading. On the other hand, fewer works have been reported on continuous bridges especially with skew supports. This paper focuses on the investigation of the DLF for a highly skewed steel I-girder bridge, namely the US13 Bridge in Delaware State, USA. Field testing under various load passes of a weighed load vehicle was u
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