Purpose: To evaluate the effect of different surface treatments on shear bond strength between dentin and IPS e.max lithium disilicate glass-ceramic. Materials and Methods: Eighteen extracted third molars were embeded in epoxy resin. The tooth was sectioned vertically in mesiodistal direction using a low speed hard tissue microtome. The buccal and lingual surfaces of each section were ground flat using 600 grit Silicone carbide paper. Eighteen ceramic discs consisted of lithium disilicate glass-ceramic were prepared with a diameter of 4.7mm and height of 2.2mm. The discs were divided in two groups (n=10): (1) IPS e.max treated with hydrofluoric acid and Monobond Plus (MBP) and (2) IPS e.max treated with Monobond Etch &Prime (MBEP). The toot

Nutrient enrichment of Sawa lake water was made using different nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations during autumn and spring at three stations. Different concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus and N: P ratios were used to test variations in phytoplankton population dynamics. Nitrogen at a concentration of 25 µmole.l-1 and N: P ratio of 10:1 gave highest phytoplankton cell number at all stations and seasons. A total of 64 algal taxa dominated by Bacillariophyceae followed by Cyanophyceae and Chlorophyceae were identified. The values of Shannon index of diversity were more than one in the studied stations.

BACKGROUND: CRC is one of the most common cancers in the world. K-ras is proto-oncogene with GTPase activity that is lost when the gene is mutated. Analysis of K-ras mutational status is very important for CRC treatment, being the most important predictors of resistance to targeted therapy. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine the frequency and spectrum of K-ras mutation among Iraqi patients with sporadic CRC. PATIENTS, MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study enrolled 35 cases with sporadic CRC; their clinicopathological parameters were analyzed. The FFPE blocks were used for DNA extraction; PCR amplification of K-ras gene and hybridization of allele-specific oligoprobes were performed. The assay covers 29 mutations in the K-ras gene (codons 1

The electro-optic coefficient r63 and r41 are determined in congruent KDP crystals, using an experimental method based upon the direct measurement of material. Sénarmont system for electro-optic coefficient measurement and characterization of crystals was modified. This modification allowed us to obtain on the frequency dispersion dependence of the electro-optic coefficients within a frequency range up to 20 MHz and on a new version of modulation depth method. To the best of our knowledge, by using this system, the electro-optic coefficients r63 and r41 in different configurations (transverse and longitudinal) have been measured for the first time within a frequency range up to 20 MHz. The measurements have been investigated as a functi

Sphingolipids are key components of eukaryotic membranes, particularly the plasma membrane. The biosynthetic pathway for the formation of these lipid species is largely conserved. However, in contrast to mammals, which produce sphingomyelin, organisms such as the pathogenic fungi and protozoa synthesize inositol phosphorylceramide (IPC) as the primary phosphosphingolipid. The key step involves the reaction of ceramide and phosphatidylinositol catalysed by IPC synthase, an essential enzyme with no mammalian equivalent encoded by the AUR1 gene in yeast and recently identified functional orthologues in the pathogenic kinetoplastid protozoa. As such this enzyme represents a promising target for novel anti-fungal and anti-protozoal drugs. Given

This study aims to improve the quality of satellites signals in addition to increase accuracy level delivered from handheld GPS data by building up a program to read and decode data of handheld GPS. Where, the NMEA protocol file, which stands for the National Marine Electronics Association, was generated from handheld GPS receivers in real time using in-house design program. The NMEA protocol file provides ability to choose points positions with best status level of satellites such as number of visible satellite, satellite geometry, and GPS mode, which are defined as accuracy factors. In addition to fix signal quality, least squares technique was adopted in this study to minimize the residuals of GPS observations and enh

Acute appendicitis is the most common surgical abdominal emergency. Its clinical diagnosis remains a challenge to surgeons, so different imaging options were introduced to improve diagnostic accuracy. Among these imaging modality choices, diagnostic medical sonography (DMS) is a simple, easily available, and cost effective clinical tool. The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of DMS, in the diagnosis of acute appendicitis compared to the histopathology report, as a gold standard. Between May 2015 and May 2016, 215 patients with suspected appendicitis were examined with DMS. The DMS findings were recorded as positive and negative for acute appendicitis and compared with the histopathological results, as a gold standard