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 present study was designed to synthesize a number of new Ceftriaxone derivatives by its involvement with a series of different amines, through the chemical derivatization of its 2-aminothiazolyl- group into an amide with chloroacetyl chloride, which on further conjugation with these selected amines will produce compounds with pharmacological effects that may extend the antimicrobial activity of the parent compound depending on the nature of these moieties.
Ceftriaxone was first equipped with a spacer arm (linker) by the action of chloroacetyl chloride in aqueous medium and then further reacted with seven different aliphatic and aromatic amines which resulted in the production of the aimed final target products. The syntheses
... Show MoreThe research aims to identify the effect of applying administrative decentralization to an educational performance by assessing educational performance before and after the process of transferring powers from the federal government (the Iraqi Ministry of Education) to local governments (governorates) as well as identifying the appropriate central or decentralized administrative system to advance the educational reality and performance. To achieve the goal of the research, educational data was collected and analyzed, as well as the measurement of educational performance indicators and analysis during two phases, the first represents the stage of applying the central system and spanned between the academic year (2011-2012) and the
... Show MoreShatt Al-Hilla branches from the left of Euphrates River, U/S Hindiyah Barrage, Iraq, and extends about 100 km. It branches at the end into Shatt Al-Diwaniya 112 km and Shatt Al-Daghara 64 km. The study aims to evaluate and develop (Hilla-Daghara) rivers system, which is included Shatt Al-Hilla and Shatt Al-Daghara. Fieldwork began from (26 October until December) 2020. M9, S5 devices, and the installed staff gauges were used to measure discharges and water levels, respectively. A one-dimensional model was developed for the study area by HEC-RAS, after calibration and verification by field measurements; the Manning's n of Shatt Al-Daghara is found to be 0.022. Five Scenarios were simulated to study the reach under the cu
... Show MoreCoumarin derivatives have shown different biological activities, such as antifungal, antibacterial antiinflammatory, and antioxidant activities, besides antibiotic resistance modulating effects, and anti-HIV, hepatoprotective, and antitumor effect. So, new coumarin derivatives (hydrazones and an amide) were synthesized through multisteps reactions. All the synthesized target compounds were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, 1HNMR analysis. The compounds then evaluated for their anti-bacterial activity by means of well-diffusion method against two gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae) and two gram-negative bacteria (E.coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The highest activity was demonstr
... Show MoreAnimal fats are a good, promising and ethical alternative source for biodiesel production, but they need more complex treatments than vegetable oils. Iraqi butchery plants waste fats (sheep fat) which are suggested as feedstock to produce biodiesel. This type of fat contains a large quantity of free fatty acids (FFAs) (acid number 49.13 mg KOH/g of fat). The direct transesterification of such fats produce high amount of soap instead of desired biodiesel, so a pre-treatment step (to reduce FFAs) is necessary before transesterification. This step was done by esterification of the free fatty acids in the fat by adding ethanol and using 1% acid catalyst (H2SO4) for 30 minutes. The results showed that the acid number of sheep fat after pre-tr
... Show MoreSelexipag is an orally selective long-acting prostacyclin receptor agonist, which indicated for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. It is practically insoluble in water ( class II, according to BCS). This work aims to prepare and optimized Selexipag nanosuspensions to achieve an enhancement in the in vitro dissolution rate. The solvent antisolvent precipitation method was used for the production of nanosuspension, and the effect of formulation parameters (stabilizer type, drug: stabilizer ratio, and use of co-stabilizer) and process parameter (stirring speed) on the particle size and polydispersity index were studied. SLPNS prepared with Soluplus® as amain stabilizer (F15) showed the smallest particle size 47nm wi
... Show MoreThe objective of the study was to develop microneedle (MN) patch, with suitable properties to ensure the delivery of a therapeutic level of lornoxicam (LXM) in a period suitable to replace parenteral administration in patients, especially those who fear needles. The used polymers were cold water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) of low molecular weight with PEG 400 as plasticizer and Tween 80 (to enhance the release) using micro molding technique. Patches were studied for needle morphology, drug content, axial fracture force measurement and drug release while the optimized formulas were further subjected to pH measurement, folding endurance, ex vivo permeation study, histopathology study, stability study and
... Show Morein this paper sufficient conditions of oscillation of all of nonlinear second order neutral differential eqiation and sifficient conditions for nonoscillatory soloitions to onverage to zero are obtained
The paper reports the influence of annealing temperature under vacuum for one hour on the some structural and electrical properties of p-type CdTe thin films were grown at room temperature under high vacuum by using thermal evaporation technique with a mean thickness about 600nm. X-ray diffraction analysis confirms the formation of CdTe cubic phase at all annealing temperature. From investigated the electrical properties of CdTe thin films, the electrical conductivity, the majority carrier concentration, and the Hall mobility were found increase with increasing annealing temperatures.