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.
The equation of Kepler is used to solve different problems associated with celestial mechanics and the dynamics of the orbit. It is an exact explanation for the movement of any two bodies in space under the effect of gravity. This equation represents the body in space in terms of polar coordinates; thus, it can also specify the time required for the body to complete its period along the orbit around another body. This paper is a review for previously published papers related to solve Kepler’s equation and eccentric anomaly. It aims to collect and assess changed iterative initial values for eccentric anomaly for forty previous years. Those initial values are tested to select the finest one based on the number of iterations, as well as the
... Show MoreIn this work, the effects of size, and temperature on the linear and nonlinear optical properties in InGaN/GaN inverse parabolic and triangular quantum wells (IPQW and ITQW) for different concentrations at the well center were theoretically investigated. The indium concentrations at the barriers were fixed to be always xmax = 0.2. The energy levels and their associated wave functions are computed within the effective mass approximation. The expressions of optical properties are obtained analytically by using the compact density-matrix approach. The linear, nonlinear, and total absorption coefficients depending on the In concentrations at the well center are investigated as a function of the incident photon energy for different
... Show MoreThis study was undertaken to prepare Nano zinc oxide (ZnO) by precipitation and microemulsion methods. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), FTIR spectrometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET) surface area were the techniques employed for the preparation. The particle size of prepared nano ZnO was 69.15nm and 88.49nm for precipitation and microemulsion methods, respectively, which corresponded to the BET surface area 20.028 and 16.369m2/g respectively. The activity of prepared nano ZnO as a photocatalyst was estimated by the removal of ampicillin (Amp) under visible light. This study, therefore, examined the effect of pH in the range of 5-11, initial concen
... Show MoreMost of drinking water consuming all over the world has been treated at the water treatment plant (WTP) where raw water is abstracted from reservoirs and rivers. The turbidity removal efficiency is very important to supply safe drinking water. This study is focusing on the use of multiple linear regression (MLR) and artificial neural network (ANN) models to predict the turbidity removal efficiency of Al-Wahda WTP in Baghdad city. The measured physico-chemical parameters were used to determine their effect on turbidity removal efficiency in various processes. The suitable formulation of the ANN model is examined throughout many preparations, trials, and steps of evaluation. The predict
The implementation of technology in the provision of public services and communication to citizens, which is commonly referred to as e-government, has brought multitude of benefits, including enhanced efficiency, accessibility, and transparency. Nevertheless, this approach also presents particular security concerns, such as cyber threats, data breaches, and access control. One technology that can aid in mitigating the effects of security vulnerabilities within e-government is permissioned blockchain. This work examines the performance of the hyperledger fabric private blockchain under high transaction loads by analyzing two scenarios that involve six organizations as case studies. Several parameters, such as transaction send ra
... Show More