In this study, pure polylactic acid (PLA) and composite polylactic acid/ curcumin (PLA / Cur) were prepared by a suspension of ultrasonically agitated micrometer-sized curcumin powder, which was mixed with chloroform solvent under slow mechanical stirring and incorporated into the PLA. The resulting suspension was used to cast free-standing PLA / Cur composite films. The filler content was chosen to be 2.0 wt % curcumin. Physical properties (glass transition, temperature, mechanical and thermodynamic) were analyzed by Positron Annihilation Lifetime Spectroscopy (PALS), which is a unique tool for analyzing the defects of polymer materials. The free volume and holebility of PLA and PLA / Cur were studied in vacuum and temperature range of 283 to 353 K. Ortho-positronium (o Ps), life , and intensity were measured as more sensitive parameters to determine free volume dimensions. The results of the thermodynamic property of PLA, examined with PALS technique, revealed a phase change of around 58 ºC. Also, an improvement was observed in the PLA / Cur structure with the addition of curcumin, by reducing nano-size defects.
Nosocomial infection is acquired contamination of hospitals and health care units caused by multidrug resistant bacteria. Currently, bacterial resistance to antimicrobial medication represents a complicated public health problem. Recent studies on the antimicrobial activity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) attracted researchers worldwide to focus on the safe synthesis of AgNPs as antimicrobial agents against multidrug resistant bacteria. The antimicrobial efficacy of AgNPs on pathogenic bacteria isolated from clinical cases of acquired hospital infection was targeted in this project. Fifty specimens of stool were collected through private laboratories in Baghdad from patients who suffered diarrheal symptoms. Bacterial isolation, identific
... Show MoreBackground: Premature infant born with immature body system, their organs are not ready for extra uterine life, and they are unable to deal with external stress, which could alter body functions such as cardio-respiratory function. In addition, poor muscle tone increases the chance of developing an abnormal posture. To reduce this instability, applying developmental care such as nesting is vital to promote cardio-respiratory stability, maintain position, and reduce stress in preterm. Objectives: The study aims to assess the impact of the nesting technique on preterm cardio-respiratory parameters in various positions (supine, prone, and right lateral). Methodology: The research used randomized controlled trial des
... Show MoreFive species of Trogoderma Berthold are reported from Iraq. These are: I inclus,n LeCont. T.
granarium Everts, T. variable Ballion. I. bactrianum Zantiev and T. irroraturn Reitter. A key
to the species is presented, with redeseriptions and illustrations of all species.
Background: Endometriosis is defined as the presence or growth of ectopic endometrial tissue outside their usual site ( the uterus). It is a common condition in women. It may occur in the ovaries, fallopian tubes, vagina and rarely, endometriosis may occur in the abdomen and lungs. Endometriosis is common among women of reproductive age. It is either primary or secondary. The triad of diagnosis is a pain with menstruation, cesarean scar and a mass in the scar.
... Show More<span lang="EN-US">In the last years, the self-balancing platform has become one of the most common candidates to use in many applications such as flight, biomedical fields, and industry. In this paper, the physical prototype of a proposed self-balancing platform that described the self-balancing attitude in the (X-axis, Y-axis, or biaxial) under the influence of road disturbance has been introduced. In the physical prototype, the inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor will sense the disturbance in (X-axis, Y-axis, and biaxial). With the determined error, the corresponding electronic circuit, DC servo motors, and the Arduino software, the platform overcame the tilt angle(disturbance). Optimization of the proportional-integral-
... Show MoreHuman action recognition has gained popularity because of its wide applicability, such as in patient monitoring systems, surveillance systems, and a wide diversity of systems that contain interactions between people and electrical devices, including human computer interfaces. The proposed method includes sequential stages of object segmentation, feature extraction, action detection and then action recognition. Effective results of human actions using different features of unconstrained videos was a challenging task due to camera motion, cluttered background, occlusions, complexity of human movements, and variety of same actions performed by distinct subjects. Thus, the proposed method overcomes such problems by using the fusion of featur
... Show MoreIntroduction and Aim: Klebsiella pneumoniae is a Gram-negative bacterium responsible for a wide range of infections, including respiratory tract infections (RTIs). This research was aimed to study the antibacterial and anti-biofilm effect of AgNPs produced by Gram positive and negative bacteria on RTIs associated with K. pneumoniae. Materials and Methods: The biofilm formation of K. pneumoniae was determined by tube method qualitatively from select bacterial species characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy. The antibacterial susceptibility of the bacteria AgNPs was tested for their antibacterial and antibiofilm activity on a clinical isolate of K. pneumoniae. Results: K. pneumoniae isolated from RTIs were strong biofilm prod
... Show MoreIn this study, poly4-(nicotinamido)-4-oxo-2-butenoic acid (PNOE) was prepared by the electro polymerization of 4-(nicotinamido)-4-oxo-2-butenoic acid (NOE) monomer on a 316 stainless steel (St.St) which acts as an anticorrosion coating. Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and cyclic voltammetry were used to diagnose the structure and the properties of the prepared polymer layer. The corrosion behavior of the uncoated and coated 316 St.St were evaluated by using an electro chemical polarization technique in 0.2 M hydrochloric acid solution as a corrosive medium at a temperature range of 293 to 323 K. Nano materials, such as nano ZnO and graphene were adde
... Show MoreBackground: Dental implants provide a unique treatment modality for the replacement of lost dentition .This is accomplished by the insertion of relatively inert material (a biomaterial) into the soft and hard tissue of the jaws, there by providing support and retention for dental prostheses. Low level laser therapy (LLLT) is an effective tool used to prompt bone repair and modeling post surgery; this has referred to the biostimulation effect of LLLT. The aims of this study were to evaluate the immmunohistochemical expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and transforming growth factor -beta (TGF-β) in experimental and control groups with mechanical test. Materials and Methods: Thirty two adult New Zealand white rabbits use
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