A simple, rapid and environmentally friendly dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction method-based spectrophotometric method for the trace determination of folic acid has been developed. The proposed method is based on the formation of a deep yellow product via reaction of folic acid and 1,2-naphthoquine-4-sulfonate at pH = 9. The formed complex was extracted using a mixture of chloroform and ethanol. Then, the tiny organic droplets were measured at λ = 520 nm. At the optimum conditions, linearity was ranged from 0.05 to 1.5 μg/mL for the standard and samples, with a linear correlation coefficient of 0.9996. The detection limits were 0.02, 0.027, 0.03, 0.02 and 0.04 μg/mL for standard, tablet (5 mg), tablet (1 mg), syrup and fl

Luffa aegyptiaca is a plant of multi-purpose importance whose usefulness cuts across virtually all areas of life. This study has characterized L. aegyptiaca in Lagos state and determined the mineral, proximate, phytochemical as well as the heavy metal accumulation potential. Samples were collected from the 20 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Lagos state at 2 samples per location.   Genetic similarity and intra-specific variation in 40 samples of L. aegyptiaca were determined using 3 Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) primers which yielded a total of 42 markers of which 25 was polymorphic. The maximum number of bands (14) was produced by OPC4 while the minimum (7) were produced by OPAF20. Percenta

 Researchers used different methods such as image processing and machine learning techniques in addition to medical instruments such as Placido disc, Keratoscopy, Pentacam;to help diagnosing variety of diseases that affect the eye. Our paper aims to detect one of these diseases that affect the cornea, which is Keratoconus. This is done by using image processing techniques and pattern classification methods. Pentacam is the device that is used to detect the cornea’s health; it provides four maps that can distinguish the changes on the surface of the cornea which can be used for Keratoconus detection. In this study, sixteen features were extracted from the four refractive maps along with five readings from the Pentacam software. The

Background: The microhardness of a composite resin is a vital parameter that is used to determine its clinical behavior. Measuring the microhardness of a composite resin has been used as an indirect method to assess its degree of conversion and extent of polymerization. The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of three curing distances (0, 2, and 4 mm) on the microhardness of the top and bottom surfaces of three types of flowable bulk-fill composite resins (smart dentin replacement, Opus bulk fill flow, and Tetric N). Material and method: Sixty-three specimens from the three types of composite resins (n=21) were fabricated using Teflon mold with a 4mm depth and a 5 mm internal diameter and cured for 20 seconds. For e

Background and objectives: This study aimed at testing the effect of plastic sleeve or barrier, used to cover the guide of the light cure unit to prevent cross-infection, on the shear bond strength and site of bond failure of stainless steel and ceramic orthodontic brackets. Materials and methods: Forty orthodontic brackets; twenty stainless steel and twenty ceramic brackets bonded to forty extracted human maxillary first premolars using light cure adhesive cured with and without the use of a protective plastic barrier on the guide. Comparing the effect of this barrier on the shear bond strength and adhesive remnant index was performed using an independent t-test and Chi-square test. Results: The protective barrier had decreased the shear b

Electronic properties such as density of state, energy gap, HOMO (the highest occupied molecular orbital) level, LUMO (the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital) level and density of bonds, as well as spectroscopic properties like infrared (IR), Raman scattering, force constant, and reduced masses for coronene C₂₄, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) C₂₄O₅and interaction between C₂₄O₅and NO₂gas molecules were investigated. Density functional theory (DFT) with the exchange hybrid function B3LYP with 6-311G** basis sets through the Gaussian 09 W software program was used to do these calculations. Gaussian view 05 was em