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.
This research focuses on improvement of the corrosion behaviour of commercial pure titanium (Ti) grade II when exposed to Hank’s solution through different surface treatments. The disc shape of titanium samples were constructed to be divided according to their surface treatment. The first experimental group the Ti sample was exposed to computer numerical control (CNC) fiber laser machine. Whereas, the other experimental group the Ti sample was only coated with Polyetherketon keton (PEKK) by using carbon dioxide (CO2) laser technique while the last experimental group the Ti sample was treated with CNC fiber laser followed by PEKK coating by using CO2 laser technique. All were compared with the untreated control group. The electrochemical a
... Show MoreBackground: Pregnancy is a natural physiological state that involves several biochemical modifications. Saliva is consisted of many types of proteins such as salivary alpha amylase and salivary peroxidase that might be affected by pregnancy. The former enzyme is considered one of the most prevalent proteins that is released by highly differentiated epithelial acinar cells and has been shown to have enzymatic activities while the latter has been approved that it has a significant role in oral health. The purpose of this study was to the evaluate the salivary levels of alpha-amylase and peroxidase in pregnant and non-pregnant women. Materials and Methods: Sixty pregnant women were grouped according to the pregnancy trimesters. The first
... Show MoreBackground: Because of the demands for aesthetic orthodontic appliances have increased, aesthetic archwires have been widely used to meet patient's aesthetic needs. The color stability of aesthetic archwires is clinically important, any staining or discoloration will affect patient’s acceptance and satisfaction. This study was designed to evaluate the color stability of different types of aesthetic archwires after immersion into different types of mouth washes. Materials and methods: Four brands of nickel titanium coated aesthetic arch wires: Epoxy coated (Orthotechnology and G&H) and Teflon coated (Dany and Hubit) were evaluated after 1 week, 3 weeks and 6 weeks of immersion into two types of mouthwashes (Listerine with alcohol and
... Show MoreCerebellum (cb) is the most important and sensitive part of the central nervous system (CNS) after cerebrum. The exposure to any infection during embryogenesis produces abnormalities in the cerebellum function and morphology that effect on behavioral of offspring later. In the present study we used 30 mature female pregnant albino rats divided in to three groups, each group contain 10 females: G1 was considered the control group received D.W only, while G2 group treated orally with (2mg/kg /day) suspension of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and G3 group treated orally with (20mg/kg/day) AgNPs. The embryos retrieved in different embryonic days from ED12 to ED21. In this study morphometric analysis was measured in the developing albino rats cere
... Show MoreThe aim of present work is to study the removal of phenol present in aqueous feed solution by the emulsion liquid membrane technique using kerosene as a diluent, sodium hydroxide as a stripping agent, and sorbitan monooleate (Span 80) as a surfactant. The parameters studied were: surfactant concentration, volume ratio of membrane phase to internal phase, and stirring speed. It was found that more than 98% of phenol can be removed at the conditions were surfactant concentration 2% (v/v), volume ratio of membrane phase to internal phase 5:1 and stirring speed 400 rpm. Maximum phenol extraction efficiency at 7 minutes of process time was observed. It was found that there was a good agreement between the standard kerosene an
... Show MoreThe research aims to know The Effect Of Flexible Grouping Strategy and Three Step Interview strategy on achievement of the history material among student of the first literary class, The Researcher used the experimental design of the two experimental groups and the control group and with post test, researcher group (a) represent the experimental group taught according the Flexible Grouping Strategy , and Division (c) to represent the second experimental group which studied according Three Step Interview strategy and Division (b ) to represent the control group taught in the traditional method, the number of students (99) students of (33) female students in each division. T
... Show Moreby in situ polymerization of aniline monomer, conducting polyaniline (PANI) nanocomposites containing various concentrations of carboxylic acid functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (f-MWCNT) were synthesized. The morphological and electrical properties of pure PANI and PANI /MWCNT nanocomposites were examined by using Fourier transform- infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) respectively. FTIR spectra shows that the carboxylic acid groups formed at the both ends of the sidewalls of the MWCNTs. The aniline monomers were polymerized on the surface of MWCNTs, depending on the -* electron interaction between aniline monomers and MWCNTs and hydrogen bonding into interaction between t
... Show MoreCowpea is a very important legume in Nigeria that is being utilized to Substitute high-cost animal protein for low-income people. The knowledge of some physical properties of various moisture contents is of utmost importance in the design of its handling and processing equipment and machinery, which is the aim of this work, which studied the physical properties of IT99K-573-1-1 (SAMPEA14) variety of Cowpea within 8.77 to 21.58 % db moisture content. The properties studied include Major, Intermediate, and Minor diameters, Sphericity, Surface area, Specific gravity, Volume, Bulk density, 50-tap density, 100-tap density, 1250-tap density, seed mass, Angle of repose, Geometric mean diameter, and Arithmetic mean diameter. The
... Show MoreThe researcher highlighted the general budget in Iraq for the period (2003-2018) facing the challenges of administrative and financial corruption, in addition to the fluctuations in oil prices, the repercussions and many problems suffered and will suffer the Iraqi government in the process of preparing the general budget of the state and weak contribution of the agricultural and industrial sectors and other economic sectors and neglect altogether, oil has become the main supplier in funding Iraq's budget after 2003, and the impact on the unemployment rates in Iraq, which recorded fluctuating rates and then increased during the period (2012-2018) to achieve this, an inductive method was adopted, using theoretical and descriptive a
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