Objectives To tailor composites of polyethylene–hydroxyapatite to function as a new intracanal post for the restoration of endodontically treated teeth (ETT). Methods Silanated hydroxyapatite (HA) and zirconium dioxide (ZrO2) filled low-density polyethylene (LDPE) composites were fabricated by a melt extrusion process and characterised using infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The flexural strength and modulus were determined in dry state and post ageing in simulated body fluid and fractured surfaces analysed by SEM. The water uptake and radiographic appearance of the experimental composites were also measured and compared with a commercially known endodontic fibre post. Data were submitted to one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post hoc Tukey multiple comparison tests at a level of significance P < 0.05. Results The LDPE/HA composites were structurally flexible and the HA content had a significant effect on the flexural strength and modulus. A univariate analysis of variance showed no significant differences in modulus and strength (P < 0.05) post accelerated ageing in simulated body fluid with very low water uptake. The melting point of the LDPE/HA composites ranged between 135 and 136 °C, which would facilitate removal in case of retreatment using conventional dental heating devices. The inclusion of HA reduced the damping thereby enhancing dimensional stability, whilst the addition of zirconia yielded a semi-translucent material that was sufficiently radiopaque, comparable to commercial posts, thus yielding aesthetic materials. Conclusions Innovative materials for restoration of ETT were developed; offering considerable benefits over the currently available material in terms of biomechanical and thermal properties. Clinical significance This study provided a new option for the development of a new intracanal post made up of functional and aesthetic composites.
The effect of adding sand on clayey soil shear strength is investigated in this study. Five different percentage of clay-sand mixtures are used; 100% clay with 0% sand termed 100C, 60% clay with 40% sand termed 60C-40S, 30% clay with 70% sand termed 30C-70S, 15% clay with 85% sand termed 15C-85S, and as well as 100% sand termed 100S. The used clay was obtained from Baghdad city in Iraq and classified as CH soil, while the used sand was taken from Al-Khider area from Iraq and classified as SW soil. The initial dry unit weight for all mixtures is 16 kN/m3. The results show that the variations of the soil shear strength properties with soil components content changes
This research was aimed to study the osmotic efficiency of the draw solutions and the factors affecting the performance of forward osmosis process : The draw solutions used were magnesium sulfate hydrate (MgSO4.7H2O) pojtassium chloride (KCL), calcium chloride (CaCl2) and ammonium bicarbonate (NH4HCO3). It was found that water flux increases with increasing draw solution concentration, and feed solution flow rate and decreases with increasing draw solution flow rate and feed solution concentration. And also found that the efficiency of the draw solutions is in the following order:
CaCl2> KCI > NH4HCO3> MgSO4.7H
ZnO thin films have been prepared by pulse laser deposition technique at room temperatures (RT). These films were deposited on GaAs substrate to form the ZnO/GaAs heterojunction solar cell. The effect of annealing temperatures at ( RT,100, 200)K on structural and optical properties of ZnO thin films has been investigated. The X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that all films have hexagonal polycrystalline structure. AFM shows that the grains uniformly distributed with homogeneous structure. The optical absorption spectra showed that all films have direct energy gap. The band gap energy of these films decreased with increasing annealing temperatures. From the electrical properties, the carriers have n-type conductivity. From
... Show MoreNon-thermal (low-temperature) plasma may act as an alternative approach to control superficial wound and skin infections when the effectiveness of chemical agents is weak due to natural pathogen or biofilm resistance. In this paper an atmospheric pressure plasma needle jet device which generates a cold plasma jet is used to measure the effectiveness of plasma treatment against different pathogenic bacteria and to test the individual susceptibility of pathogenic bacteria to non-thermal argon plasma. It is found that, Gram-negative bacteria were more susceptible to plasma treatment than Gram-positive bacteria. For the Gram-negative bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, there were no survivors among the initial 1x108C.F.U (Co
... Show More:Background: Many studies had stated that there are marked variations in the clinical presentation of depressive states between different cultures.Objectives: The main aim of the study is to identify the symptoms profile of patients with major depressive disorder living in Baghdad.Method: Ninety two patients with major depressive disorder consulting Ibn-Rushd psychiatric teaching hospital were studied thoroughly to identify the frequency of symptoms among them. The fifth edition of the Arabic version of the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I) was used to identify the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual – fourth edition (DSM-IV) symptoms. A list of other symptoms, which were found to present variably in depression acco
... Show MoreThe natural polyphenolic compound that cinnamon contains is well known for its various biological activities, a broad variety of pharmacological and therapeutic properties. Diversified biomedical and pharmacological applications benefit from organic nanoparticles with controlled properties. Bioactive and non-toxic, cinnamon nanoparticles (CNPs) can be effective antibacterial agents. Driven by this idea, we prepared spherical CNPs using liquid (PLAL) pulse laser ablation technique and defined those NPs. Using Q-switched Nd : YAG With a wavelength of 1064 nm pulse laser of constant energy 500 mj , And different laser pulses ( 250 , 500 , 750 , 1000 ) pulse /sec a pure cinnamon target submerged in
... Show MoreSelf-compacting concrete (SCC) is an innovative concrete that does not require vibration for placing and compaction. It is able to flow under its own weight, completely filling formwork and achieving full compaction, even in the presence of congested reinforcement. The effect of external sulfate attack was studied-Es (very sever exposure SO4>10000ppm) according to ACI 318-11. The mix design method of SCC used is according to EFNARC 2002, and then must satisfy the criteria of filling ability, passing ability and segregation resistance. The experimental program focuses to study two different chemical composition of sulfate resistance Portland cement with different percentage of silica fume replacement by weight of cement and W/cm (0.3 and 0.3
... Show MoreEleven yoghurt samples were collected from local markets in Baghdad to isolate Lactobacillus buchneri. Only 3 isolates of L. buchneri were found and the isolate No. 3 was the most producer of bacteriocin. Bacteriocin was adsorbed 100% onto silicic acid at pH 6.0-7.0. Below or above these pH values, adsorption was decreased, ranging between 35 and 90%. Therefore, pH 6.0 was used for the purification procedure. The purification procedure including silicic acid adsorption/desorption and cation-exchange chromatography (CEC) resulted in a 11.11 fold increase in the final specific activity of pure bacteriocin (1176.47 Au/mg) compared to the culture supernatant which was 32.64 Au/mg. The molecular weight was determined to be about 3.4 kDa. The bac
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