Resilient polymeric materials such as silicone elastomers are currently used for maxillofacial prostheses construction but the strength of these materials and their clinical performance need to be optimized with the addition of reinforcing fillers. This study investigates the effect of zirconia nanopowder addition on tear strength, tensile strength, elongation at break, Shore A hardness, surface roughness and cytotoxicity of VST-50 maxillofacial silicone. Silicone base was mixed with different amounts (1%, 2% and 3%) of zirconia nanopowder using a vacuum mixer. Silicone without filler was used as control for comparison. Scanning Electron Microscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy were utilized to assess the efficiency of high-shear vacuum mixin

(1) Background: Plant flavonoids are efficient in preventing and treating various diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the ability of hesperidin, a flavonoid found in citrus fruits, in inhibiting lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced inflammation, which induced lethal toxicity in vivo, and to evaluate its importance as an antitumor agent in breast cancer. The in vivo experiments revealed the protective effects of hesperidin against the negative LPS effects on the liver and spleen of male mice. (2) Methods: In the liver, the antioxidant activity was measured by estimating the concentration of glutathione (GSH) and catalase (CAT), whereas in spleen, the concentration of cytokines including IL-33 and TNF-α was measured. The in vitro expe

Chlopheniramine maleate ( CPM ) , is  one  of   the  H- receptor antagonist  ,  widely used  in allergic  diseases ,like skin rash  and  pruritis .CPM 3%w/w was successfully  loaded in  2%w/w  sodium alginate (SA)    as a gel    base ,  and  to be considered   as  a  selected  formula .It was found  that  the diffusion   of  CPM    through   the  skin  of  albino  rat   was     increased   as  the concentration  of  CPM  increased from 2 %w/w sodium alginate  ,  More

     Radio protective effects of metformin and its ability to alter the spontaneous and induced genotoxic and cytotoxic levels effects on human peripheral blood lymphocytes were investigated in this study. Metformin, a hypoglycemic oral drug,  is a biguanide derived from Galega officinalis that is widely utilized in controlling type 2 diabetes mellitus. Whole blood samples from 10 healthy donors (5 males and 5 females) were exposed to two doses of gamma-rays (1 and 2 Gray). Lymphocytes in cultures were treated with metformin (10 and 50µM) before gamma-irradiation. Cytokinesis-block micronucleus test was used to evaluate the protective effects of metformin on radiation induced genomic damage, cytostasis and

Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) is one of the most economically important species of the family Lamiaceae. Rosemary extract was examined by applying 2.2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging assays. The result proved that rosemary extract had a higher antioxidant activity by absorption at a wavelength of 517a nm by using three different concentrations (0.5, 1.0 and 3) mg/ml which performed the absorbance at (2. 314, 0. 211 and 0.296) nm in comparison with control (21.8, 92.2 and 90) nm respectively. Results obtained using chemical detection of the phytochemicals indicated the presence of flavonoids, phenols, saponins, Steroids and cardiac in rosemary water extract. Water extracts of R. officinalis leaves were inves

Seventy-six urine specimens were collected from of patients suffering from recurrent
urinary tract infections (UTIs). Specimens were bacteriologically analyzed, fifty
(65.8%) of isolated bacterial strains were belonged to E.coli. 100% of isolated
uropathogenic E.coli (UPEC)strains displayed a biofilm positive phenotype under
optimized condition using microtiter plate assay. 21 of E.coli strains classified as highly
positive biofilm producers (42%), and 29 (58%) as weakly positive biofilm producers.

Invasomes are newly developed types of nanovesicles. A vesicular drug delivery system is considered one of the approaches for transdermal delivery to enhance permeation and improve drug bioavailability. Ondansetron is a serotonin receptor antagonist used for treating vomiting associated with different clinical cases. The study aimed to prepare invasomal dispersions for improving permeation of ondansetron across the skin with a controlled release pattern. Twenty-seven formulas of ondansetron-loaded invasomes were prepared by a modified mechanical dispersion method. These formulas were optimized by studying the effect of variables on entrapment efficiency. Vesicle size, polydispersity, zeta potential, in-vitro release and ex-vivo perm

Osteoblast and osteoclast activity is disrupted in post-menopausal osteoporosis. Thus, to fully address this imbalance, therapies should reduce bone resorption and promote bone formation. Dietary factors such as phyto-oestrogens and Zn have beneficial effects on osteoblast and osteoclast activity. However, the effect of combinations of these factors has not been widely studied. We therefore examined the effect of coumestrol, daidzein and genistein in the presence or absence of zinc sulphate (Zn) on osteoclast and osteoblast activity. Osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption were significantly reduced by coumestrol (10- 7 m), daidzein (10- 5 m) and genistein (10- 7 m); and this direct anti-osteoclastic action was unaffected by Zn (10-

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is the most form of leishmaniasis disease prevalent in Iraq. CL remains a public health problem in numerous endemic countries because of the absence of safe, effective, and high-cost drugs for treatment. Macrophages are the main inhabitant cell for Leishmania; they phagocyte and allow parasite multiplying. Phagocytosis and anti-leishmanial activity of macrophage are the main factors in the elimination of Leishmania parasites. Phagosome-resident amastigotes also evade innate host defense mechanisms. Silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) have an important effect in stimulating the production of oxygen species. The objective of this study was to examine macrophages cytotoxicity upon exposure to L. tropica and Ag NPs. Se

Background: 37% phosphoric acid (PA) is the traditional enamel etching technique prior to bracket ‎adhesion, yet it has been implicated in numerous enamel injuries. The purpose of the current study was to create a calcium phosphate (CaP) etching paste in a ‎‎simplified capsule ‎formula that can underpin clinically ‎adequate bracket bond strength ‎without jeopardizing the ‎integrity of enamel upon ‎the debracketing procedure. Materials and Methods: micro-sized hydroxyapatite (HA) powder was mixed with 40% PA solution to prepare ‎experimental acidic CaP paste. Sixty human premolars were ‎assigned into two groups of 30 each. ‎Enamel conditioning was accomplished using 37% PA-gel‎ for control group and CaP paste for e