Background: Irrigation has a central role in endodontic treatment. Several irrigating solutions have the antimicrobial activity and actively kill bacteria and yeasts when introduced in direct contact with the microorganisms. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial effectiveness of Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) root and leaf extracts as possible irrigant solutions, used during endodontic treatments, and both were compared to Sodium hypochlorite, Propolis and Ethyl alcohol. Materials and Method: Forty seven human extracted single rooted teeth were selected. The teeth were decoronated using a diamond disk to have a length of 15 mm ±1 mm and they were instrumented using the hybrid technique. All roots were sterilized by an autoclave, five roots without bacterial inoculation served as the negative controls, the rest were inoculated with Enterococcus faecalis, then five roots were selected randomly as the positive controls, then the remaining 37 roots were divided into five groups of 8 samples each except group V with 5 roots. Group I: irrigated with Propolis extract. Group II: irrigated with Dandelion leaf extract. Group III: irrigated with Dandelion root extract. Group IV: irrigated with Sodium hypochlorite. Group V: irrigated with Ethyl alcohol. Bacterial swabs were taken from each root and cultured. Bacterial growths were calculated by counting the number of colonies appeared on the cultures. Results: the results were statistically analyzed; within the limitation of this in vitro study, the Dandelion leaves extract and Dandelion root extract proved to have some antimicrobial properties. Sodium hypochlorite has the best antimicrobial effect, followed by Propolis, Dandelion root, Ethyl alcohol then Dandelion leaf. Conclusion: Dandelion root and leaf extracts are possible irrigant solutions that can be used successfully during endodontic treatments, to aid disinfection of the root canal system.
Silver/polyvinyl alcohol (Ag/PVA) nanocomposite films were synthesized via solution casting with varying concentrations of Ag nanoparticles (1–5 wt%). A comprehensive investigation was conducted to understand the influence of Ag content on the structural, optical, mechanical, thermal, electrical, and antibacterial properties of the composites. UV-Vis spectroscopy revealed a red shift in absorption peaks and a reduction in the optical band gap, which decreased from 3.78 eV for pure PVA to 3.37 eV for the 5 wt% Ag composite. FTIR and SEM analyses confirmed successful nanoparticle incorporation and morphological changes. The nanocomposites exhibited enhanced tensile strength, elongation at break, Young’s modulus, and hardness due t
... Show MoreAbstract—Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent hormonal disorder affecting reproductive- age women, often linked to metabolic issues like insulin resistance. Objective: this study aimed to evaluate ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and ferric reducing capacity (FRC) levels in women with PCOS, with assess the effects of metformin and Primolut N treatment on their levels. Subjects and Methods: A case− control study was conducted with 150 married Iraqi women, categorized into three groups: 50 healthy controls, 50 untreated PCOS, 50 treated PCOS. Blood samples were analyzed for ODC, FRC levels and hormonal profiles. Statistical analysis applied independent t-test, Pearson’s correlation, ROC curve. Results: The ODC level
... Show MoreCoconut milk is considered as a natural drink that enhances the immunity and it is enriched by calcium, iron, magnesium and vitamin (C) and it is also safe drink for kids and bacterial anti-oxdant, and it may be used in the natural juices instead of the whole milk (cow milk) which is added to some juices. This study aimed to determine the nutritrnal value and the sensory evaluation properties of the natural orange juice enriched by canned coconut milk &nb
... Show Moreالعقم هو أحد المشاكل التي تواجه النساء والرجال. تعد السمنة واضطرابات مستوى الدهون، وكذلك مقاومة الأنسولين، من عوامل الخطر التي تسبب العقم، بالإضافة إلى العوامل الأخرى ذات الصلة. تهدف هذه الدراسة إلى معرفة تأثير السمنة واختلال توازن الدهون مع دراسة علاقة كل من ثنائي الببتيديل ببتيديز-4 وعامل نخر الورم-الفا لدى النساء المصابات بالعقم مقارنة بالنساء غير المصابات به، لتحديد مدى إمكانية اعتمادها كعوامل تشخي
... Show MoreA novel series of liquid crystalline compounds containing 2,4-thiazolidinedione units with varying terminal alkyl chain lengths was successfully synthesized and characterized. The chemical structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed by FT-IR, ¹H-NMR, and mass spectrometry. The mesomorphic behavior was investigated using polarized optical microscopy (POM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Compounds [V]₄, [V]₅, and [V]₆ exhibited enantiotropic nematic phases, while compound [V]₈ displayed a smectic A (SmA) phase. No liquid crystalline behavior was observed for compound [V]₃. The liquid crystalline properties were found to depend on the terminal-to-lateral chain length ratio, molecular geometry, and the nature
... Show MoreBackground: Periodontal diseases are inflammatory diseases affecting the supporting tissues of the teeth. One of the leading environmental factors that are closely related not only to the risk but also to the prognosis of periodontitis is smoking. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of smoking on periodontal health status and to measure the levels of matrix metalloproteinase-9 in smokers and nonsmokers chronic periodontitis patients, also it aimed to test the correlation between the levels of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and the clinical periodontal parameters. Materials and Methods: Five milliliters samples of un-stimulated whole saliva and full-mouth clinical periodontal recordings (plaque index, gingival index, bleeding on probing,
... Show MoreIntroduction: Nowadays, the prevalence of Musculoskeletal Discomforts (MSD) is increasing in the world. As treatment, usually surgery or physiotherapyare recommended, but they are expensive and may cause side effects. Apracticalcourse of treatment without negative side effects and with permanent positive effects is lacking. Objective: To suggest a practical course of treatment, introduced by a licensed Yoga coach who is experienced in this field, and through thatto shed a light on yoga as treatment for MSD. The hypothesis is that yoga may decrease the pain among individuals with MSD. Methods: This hypothesis is presented based on the practical techniques used in Yoga including body relaxation and breathing awareness (2 minutes & 3 minutes r
... Show MoreDeception is an inseparable facet of political discourse in attaining strategic political gains though compromising public opinion. However, the employment of discursive deception strategies by the policy-making institutions of think tanks has not received due attention in the literature. The current study aims at exploring how the ideologizing deception strategies are utilized by the conservative American think tank of the Washington Institute to reproduce socio-political realities and re-shape public opinion. To fulfill this task, van Dijk’s (2000) notion of ideological polarization which shows positive self-representation and negative other representation is adopted to conduct a critical discourse analysis of four Arabic texts relea
... Show MoreCombining different treatment strategies successively or simultaneously has become recommended to achieve high purification standards for the treated discharged water. The current work focused on combining electrocoagulation, ion-exchange, and ultrasonication treatment approaches for the simultaneous removal of copper, nickel, and zinc ions from water. The removal of the three studied ions was significantly enhanced by increasing the power density (4–10 mA/cm2) and NaCl salt concentration (0.5–1.5 g/L) at a natural solution pH. The simultaneous removal of these metal ions at 4 mA/cm2 and 1 g NaCl/L was highly improved by introducing 1 g/L of mordenite zeolite as an ion-exchanger. A remarkable removal of heavy metals was reported
... Show MoreCombining different treatment strategies successively or simultaneously has become recommended to achieve high purification standards for the treated discharged water. The current work focused on combining electrocoagulation, ion-exchange, and ultrasonication treatment approaches for the simultaneous removal of copper, nickel, and zinc ions from water. The removal of the three studied ions was significantly enhanced by increasing the power density (4–10 mA/cm2) and NaCl salt concentration (0.5–1.5 g/L) at a natural solution pH. The simultaneous removal of these metal ions at 4 mA/cm2 and 1 g NaCl/L was highly improved by introducing 1 g/L of mordenite zeolite as an ion-exchanger. A remarkable removal of heavy metals was reported
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