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.
ABSTRACT This study developed two adsorbents for extracting salbutamol sulphate (SAS) from water and urine samples after derivatisation with 2-aminobenzothiazole as a colour reagent. These adsorbents include cetylpyridinium chloride surfactant (CPC) modified silica and alumina-coated magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4/SiO2/CPC and Fe3O4/Al2O3/CPC). The derivatisation of SAS with the colour reagent resulted in an orange azo dye with maximum adsorption wavelengths of 443.0 nm. UV–Vis spectroscopy was used to identify the target analyte following the magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) method. Under optimal conditions, the concentration ranges of 0.03–5.00 µg/mL and 0.05–6.00 µg/mL with good linearity (˃ 0.99), the detection limi
... Show MoreAbstract: This article is a comparative analysis of the concept and types of homonyms in Russian and Arabic. Homonyms are lexical units that have the same sound but different meanings. The study of homonymy in different languages can help reveal the features of the semantic structure and syntactic rules of each language. The article discusses the main aspects of homonymy in Russian and Arabic, as well as a comparative analysis of the types of homonyms that exist in both languages. The study includes an analysis of the semantic meanings of homonyms, their use in context, and possible differences in syntactic features that may affect their interpretation and perception by native speakers of these languages. The purpose of the article is to id
... Show MoreThe study aimed to identify the importance of time in the Faculties of Physical Education and Sports Sciences atthe University of Baghdad, as well as to identify the relationship between time management and the level of staff functionalperformance. The research population consisted of the staff members who work in the Faculties of Physical Education andSports Sciences for Girls in Al-Jadriya for the academic year 2017-2018. A random sample of 50 staff members from eachfaculty were selected, that is the total number was (100) staff members. The researchers identified the concept of timemanagement and functional performance, after that a questionnaire consisting of (39) statements and (6) parts presented to aspecialized group of experts. The
... Show MoreBeta-lactam medications are among the commonly used antibiotics that share the presence of a beta-lactam ring in their chemical formation. A modern, rapid, highperformance liquid chromatography technique was advanced and validated according to FDA and EMA rules for the concurrent determination of medications in their pharmaceutical and pure forms This study deals with the determination of beta-lactam drugs )Amoxicillin, Ampicillin Cephalexin, Cefotaxime, Cefoxitin, Cefamandole, Cephalothin, Piperacillin, Penicillin, Oxacillin, Cloxacillin Nafcillin, Carbenicillin, Mezlocillin and Dicloxacillin) which is a RP-HPLC technique with an UV detector using a column NEUCLEODUR C-18 (4.0 mm × 100 mm, 5µm particle size), The heat of the chr
... Show MoreThe present investigation was conducted to evaluate the effect of the crude extracts mixture of three plants (Tribulus terrestris, Phoenix dactylifera and Nasturtium officinale) on semen quality,sex hormones and reproductive performance of mature male mice. A group of 25 male mice given 150mg/kg/day of the powder of the plants mixture with the food for four weeks and another three groups of 25 animals each given intraperitoneal injection from each of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts with a doses 75, 150, and 300mg/kg/day for two weeks. A remarkable increase in sperm concentration and motility with a decreased abnormal morphology was obtained in the experimental groups. A significant increase in hormones level were recognized in most grou
... Show MoreClimate change in recent years has greatly affected the distribution of ground covers. Monitoring these changes has become very easy due to the development of remote sensitivity science and the use of satellites to monitor these changes. The aim of this research is to monitor changes in the spectral reflectivity of the Baghdad governorate center for the month (March, June, September, December) of the year 2021 using remote sensing and satellite images Sentinel 2 and knowing the climate imact on them. Fifty-one samples were selected for four types of ground cover (agricultural land, water, buildings and open space) and their spectral reflectivity was calculated using satellite images.
Short Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes functionalized with OH group (MWCNTs-OH) were used to synthesize flexible MWCNTs networks. The MWCNTs suspension was synthesized using Benzoquinone (BQ) and N, N Dimethylformamide alcohol (DMF) in specific values and then deposited on filter paper by filtration from suspension (FFS) method. Polypyrrole (PPy) conductive polymer doped with metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) prepared using in-situ chemical polymerization method. To improve the properties of the MWCNTs networks, a coating layer of (PPy) conductive polymer, PPy:Ag nanoparticles, and PPy: Cu nanoparticles were applied to the network. The fabricated networks were characterized using an X-ray diffractometer (XRD), UV-Vis. spectrometer, and Ato
... Show MoreBackground: Thymus vulgaris is a plant rich in essential oils acclaimed for the management of oxidative stress and inflammation in the organs. Meanwhile, the heavy metal lead is widely distributed in nature and continued exposure to lead acetate causes reduced fertility.Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the effects of T. vulgaris on ovarian and uterine structural and functional characteristics in female rats exposed to lead acetate. Methods: Three groups of 18 mature Wistar albino female rats (Rattus norvegicus), 15 weeks old and weighing between 200 and 210 g, were established and handled for 60 days as follows: Group A (control group) received 0.5 mL of distilled water (DW) daily; group B received 5 mg/kg body weight (BW
... Show MorePolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent condition in women of reproductive age. It is characterized by androgen excess and chronic anovulation. Some trace elements, macroelements, and heavy metals have been linked to pathophysiological mechanisms of PCOS .
To study the alterations in the serum levels of the trace element manganese (Mn), some macroelements, magnesium(Mg) and calcium (Ca), and the heavy metals cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb), in obese and non-obese PCOS patients; and the association of these alterations with some of the hormonal changes occurring in PCOS.
The study was carried out at Kamal Al-Samarrai Hospital (Center for Infertility treatment and in vitro Fertilization "IVF") Baghdad- Iraq. Eig
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