Aim To develop a low-density polyethylene–hydroxyapatite (HA-PE) composite with properties tailored to function as a potential root canal filling material. Methodology Hydroxyapatite and polyethylene mixed with strontium oxide as a radiopacifier were extruded from a single screw extruder fitted with an appropriate die to form fibres. The composition of the composite was optimized with clinical handling and placement in the canal being the prime consideration. The fibres were characterized using infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and their thermal properties determined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The tensile strength and elastic modulus of the composite fibres and gutta-percha were compared, dry and after 1 month storage in simulated body fluid (SBF), using a universal testing machine. The radiopacity of the fibres was determined using digital radiography. The interaction of the composites with eugenol was evaluated and compared with gutta-percha. Data of the tensile test were submitted to two-way anova and Bonferroni tests (P < 0.05). Results The endothermic peaks obtained from the DSC studies showed that the melting point of the HA/PE composites ranged between 110.5 and 111.2 °C, whereas gutta-percha exhibited a melting point at 52 °C. The tensile strength and elastic modulus of the silanated HA/PE composites were significantly higher than those of gutta-percha (P < 0.0001) under dry conditions and 1 month storage in SBF. The gutta-percha in eugenol showed a significant increase in the polymer molar mass, whereas the silanated HA/PE composites were unchanged. Radiological evaluations demonstrated that silanated HA/PE fibres were sufficiently radiopaque. Conclusion Promising materials for endodontic applications have been developed, offering relevant benefits over the traditional materials in terms of mechanical and chemical properties
Increasing demands on producing environmentally friendly products are becoming a driving force for designing highly active catalysts. Thus, surfaces that efficiently catalyse the nitrogen reduction reactions are greatly sought in moderating air-pollutant emissions. This contribution aims to computationally investigate the hydrodenitrogenation (HDN) networks of pyridine over the γ-Mo2N(111) surface using a density functional theory (DFT) approach. Various adsorption configurations have been considered for the molecularly adsorbed pyridine. Findings indicate that pyridine can be adsorbed via side-on and end-on modes in six geometries in which one adsorption site is revealed to have the lowest adsorption energy (–45.3 kcal/mol). Over a nitr
... Show MorePlacenta previa refers to placenta which is totally or partly implanted in lower segment of the uterus. Mortality and morbidity of mother increase with placenta previa due to the increase in the incidence of bleeding during pregnancy. This study aims to define placenta previa prevalence among pregnant women at AL-Fallujah teaching hospital and to determine the risk factors and their association with placenta previa incidence in al-Fallujah city population. This retrospective cohort study investigated medical registry of 6339 gravid women in al-Fallujah teaching Hospital in Iraq. We find 13 cases of placenta previa (0.21%) amongst the 6339 cases registered. The risk factors that strongly appeared to affect the complication of pregnancy with
... Show MoreThe skull is one of the largest bones in the body. It is classified into flat bones that maintain the important organic structures; which are the brain, eyes, and tongue. The skull is a strong support for preserving these organs but they are various according to the type of animals and the environments in which they live and the nature of their nutrition. There are many differences among living organisms in terms of the bones in the skull, their difference or disappearance and their length in the shape of the head. The samples were taken from the scientific storage in the Iraq Natural History Research Center and Museum; Cape hare Lepus capensis (Linnaeus, 1758) and Red fox Vulpes vulpes (Linnaeus, 1758) and the study was conducted o
... Show MoreThe electronic properties and Hall effect of thin amorphous Si1-xGex:H films of thickness (350 nm) have been studied such as dc conductivity, activation energy, Hall coefficient under magnetic field (0.257 Tesla) for measuring carrier density of electrons and holes and Hall mobility as a function of germanium content (x = 0–1), deposition temperature (303-503) K and dopant concentration for Al and As in the range (0-3.5)%. The composition of the alloys and films were determined by using energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).
This study showed that dc conductivity of a-Si1-xGex:H thin films is found to increase with increasing Ge content and dopant concentration, whereas conductivity activati
The study was aimed to determine the coordinates of the points were measured by different ways and different instruments, the most precise way using the differential global positioning system (DGPS) that will be the reference measurements in comparison, less precise way using navigator GPS. Google earth (pro.), and the other applications of GPS mobile ( Samsung and I-phone). In this research (8 points) were chosen that are occasional in location. The comparison of the different observations can give us an idea of the extent to which the accuracy of the observations differs from the different devices used in the observing, as well as through the knowledge of the best device and the best way to measure coordinates accurately t
... Show MoreThe Inhbititory effect of cocentrated and non-cocentrated supernatant of the probiotic Lactobacillus salivarius against growth of some potential pathogenic microorganisms which included Pseudomonas eruginosa, Klebsiella spp, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. The results were diffusion assay revealed that concentrated and non-concentrated supernatant had inhitory effect against pathogenic bacteria with inhibition zone renged between 13-17mm while inhibition effect of concentrated supernatant against C.albicans was inhibition zone 8mm. On the other hand, the effect of these suprnatant against biofilm formation of the tested microorganisms was studied. The result showed that the concentrated supernatant had inhibitory effect on biofil
... Show MoreTo know the effect of bio-enhancer (zeolite), biohealth, mineral fertilizers and their interactions, the possibility of replacing mineral fertilizers with bio-enhancers and bio-enhancers, and their effect on some potato yield measurements. A field experiment was conducted at one of the field stations of the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences, University of Baghdad, near the electronic calculator center, research station (F) in Al-Jadriya region in the loam mixture soil during autumn season 2021-2022 AD, It was designed using a completely randomized block design (RCBD) with three replicates. The factors of the study experiment included three levels of zeolite (0, 6 tons ha-1, and 12 tons ha-1), which were symbolized by (Z0)
... Show MoreThis study aimed to investigate the prevalence of intestinal helminth infections in humans and detect Toxocara spp. in cats, with a focus on assessing the impact of age and gender on infection rates. Traditional diagnostic methods have historically limited the accurate identification of helminth infections in humans. Analysis of 450 human stool samples revealed an overall helminth infection rate of 5.7% using conventional techniques. The specific infection rates were 0.4% for Strongyloides stercoralis, 0.6% for Schistosoma mansoni, 1.7% for Hymenolepis nana, and 2.8% for Ascaris lumbricoides. Notably, no infections were recorded in the 30–39 and ≥40-year age groups, while the highest infection rate (16.3%, P≤0.01) was observed in indi
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