Background: The desire for an attractive appearing fixed orthodontic appliance fueled the use of ceramic brackets and clear accessories. Elastics are one of the most versatile materials available to orthodontists so studying their effect on the esthetic appearance is important. This an in vivo study, conducted to evaluate the effect of exposing stretched clear elastomeric ligatures to the oral environment from four different companies (OrthoTechnology, Morelli, Ortho Organizer, and Ormco). Materials and Methods: A total of 240 elastomeric modules were examined, 60 modules from each brand. Each of the 60 patients enrolled in the study, received 4 elastomeric modules on the 4 lower incisors, one from each brand. The specimens were placed on the teeth for 1, 2 and 4 weeks. After removal each module was kept in a sealed plastic bag and prepared for imaging and color measurement. Color measurements were made before and after use of the specimens. Images were taken by a cellular attachable microscope connected to a mobile phone with special J-cam program and the color change was calculated according to CIE Labcolor spaces system by the Adobe Photoshop program. The resulting data were statistically analyzed using ANOVA, LSD and Chi square tests. Results: The results showed that, all the elastomeric ligatures discolored after use. The discoloration increased with an increased incubation period in the mouth reaching the peak at 4 weeks interval and the yellowness index was the mostly effected color component. Elastomeric ligatures from Morelli brand were the most prone to discoloration, while Ortho Organizers and Ormco ligatures were the least prone to discoloration with the presence of large individual variation. Conclusion: It is necessary to alert the patient about the color changes that the clear ligatures experienced and the staining effect of certain foods. The orthodontist should select brands that are more resistant to color changes.
Research aims to develop a novel technique for segmental beam fabrication using plain concrete blocks and externally bonded Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers Laminates (CFRP) as a main flexural reinforcement. Six beams designed an experimentally tested under two-point loadings. Several parameters included in the fabrication of segmental beam studied such as; bonding length of carbon fiber reinforced polymers, the surface-to-surface condition of concrete segments, interface condition of the bonding surface, and thickness of epoxy resin layers. Test results of the segmental beams specimens compared with that gained from testing reinforced concrete beam have similar dimensions for validations. The results show the effectiven
... Show MoreIn regression testing, Test case prioritization (TCP) is a technique to arrange all the available test cases. TCP techniques can improve fault detection performance which is measured by the average percentage of fault detection (APFD). History-based TCP is one of the TCP techniques that consider the history of past data to prioritize test cases. The issue of equal priority allocation to test cases is a common problem for most TCP techniques. However, this problem has not been explored in history-based TCP techniques. To solve this problem in regression testing, most of the researchers resort to random sorting of test cases. This study aims to investigate equal priority in history-based TCP techniques. The first objective is to implement
... Show MoreThis research deals with the role of quantitative (indirect) tools of monetary policy that used by the Central Bank of Iraq in order to control and manage the size of the money supply that intermediate goal through which monetary policy is able to achieve its final goals, foremost among which is to reduce inflation and raise the value of the local currency in front of foreign currency rates. The research is based on a major hypothesis stating that quantitative tools have a direct and strong influence on the money supply, especially under the circumstances of the shift towards a market economy. There has been a branching relationship with this statistically significant relationship between the money supply and the quantitative tools used
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The research stems from the problem that focuses on a number of questions. They are as follows: What is the extent of interest in the topic of efficiency by the banks and their role in raising the efficiency of the banking business and its development? Is the banking efficiency used in Iraqi banks clear and specific for the Iraqi banking sector? How the banking sector efficiency is measured and what are the approaches adopted in determining the banking inputs and outputs? What is the level of efficiency in the research sample of the banks and what are the causes of its decline or rise in private banks individually and in the Iraqi banking sector in general?
The re
... Show MoreThe current research aims to evaluate the level of inclusive leadership within the General Secretariat for the Council of Ministers, and its role in achieving integration in work through the need to improve relationships between different administrative levels, facilitate participation, expression of opinions, and belonging to the organization. In order to achieve the research objective, the descriptive analytical statistical method was chosen using the SPSS V.25 programs, with various statistical methods and measures, including mean, standard deviation, variance coefficient, relative importance, and simple regression, through a questionnaire tool for data collection. The research community included the leadership in the sample of resear
... Show MoreBackground: Dyslipidemia is defined as an abnormally high level of various lipids in the blood. It is considered a major risk for atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease. Genetic susceptibility can have a significant influence on the development and progression of dyslipidemia. ApoB-100 R3500Q mutation and ApoE variants are among those genetic risks for dyslipidemia. This study aims to assess the possible contribution of ApoB and ApoE variants on lipid profile among a group of early-onset ischemic heart disease (IHD) patients in comparison to a group of controls. Methods: Forty patients with dyslipidemia and early-onset IHD without chronic conditions likely to cause derangement of lipid levels were recruited to this case-control study
... Show MoreBackground The appropriate disposal of medication is a well-recognized issue that has convened growing recognition in several contexts. Insufficient awareness relating to appropriate methods for the disposal of unneeded medicine may result in notable consequences. The current research was conducted among the public in Iraq with the aim of examining their knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding the proper disposal of unused and expired medicines. Methods The present study used an observational cross-sectional design that was community-based. The data were obtained from using an online questionnaire. The study sample included people of diverse genders, regardless of their race or occupational status. The study mandated that all pa
... Show MoreBackground: Cigarette smoking is an important risk factor that has a clear strong association with the prevalence and severity of chronic periodontitis (CP). Salivary biochemical parameters may be affected by both smoking and CP together. Materials and methods: Eighty systematically healthy male patients were included in this study. They were grouped based on their periodontal and smoking status. Unstimulated whole saliva (UWS) was collected from all subject. Salivary flow rate (FR) was measured during sample collection. Parameters such as salivary pH, total protein (TP), albumin (Alb), total fucose (TF), protein bound fucose (PBF) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were estimated. Results: Salivary flow rate was not altered regarding to smoking
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