Background: Removing dental plaque is important to maintain a good oral hygiene and prevent periodontal disease; this could not be accomplished by the use of toothbrush alone, it needs the help of interdental aids or intra-oral irrigator devices. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of using Waterpik flosser as adjunct to tooth brushing than using the dental floss with the brushing. Materials and methods: A single blind, six weeks study included 45 subjects divided into three groups of 15 subjects at each group. Group B (brushing) was instructed to use the toothbrush only, group BF (brushing & flossing) was instructed to use dental floss and tooth brushing while group BW (brushing and Waterpik flosser) was instructed to use Waterpik flosser in addition to the toothbrush. Plaque index, gingival index and bleeding on probing were measured at the 1st visit, after 3 weeks (2nd visit) and finally after 6 weeks (3rd visit). Results: The plaque index was significantly reduced in group BF and BW at the 3rd visit, while it showed no significant differences in group B. The mean percentage reduction of gingival index at the 3rd visit was higher in group BW than group B and group BF. Using the chi-square test, bleeding on probing showed no significant difference in group B, while there was significant reduction in group BF and highly significant reduction (p<0.001) in group BW between the visits. Conclusion: Waterpik flosser was more effective in reducing dental plaque and bleeding than dental floss.
Systemic lupus Erythematosus is an autoimmune disease of unknown aetiology affecting multiple organ system. Reactive nitrogen and oxygen species are claimed to play a role in this disease. However, the potential of Nitrosative/Oxidative Stress to elicit an autoimmune, response remain till now largely unexplored in humans. This study was done to investigate the status and contribution of nitrosative/oxidative stress in Iraqi patients for systemic lupus erythematosus. Blood samples from 19 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and 19 age-and sex- matched apparently healthy controls were evaluated for serum levels of nitrosative/oxidative stress markers including nitric oxide, peroxynitrite and malondialdehyde. Nitric oxide levels were
... Show MoreThis research aims to create lightweight concrete mixtures containing waste from local sources, such as expanded polystyrene (EPS) beads and waste plastic fibers (WPFs), all are cheap or free in the Republic of Iraq and without charge. The modern, rigid, and mechanical properties of LWC were investigated, and the results were evaluated. Three mixtures were made, each with different proportions of plastic fibers (0.4%, 0.8%, 1.2%), in addition to a lightweight concrete mixture containing steak fibers (0.4%, 0.8%, 1.2%), in addition to a lightweight concrete mixture. It contains 20% EPS. The study found that the LWC caused by the addition of WPFs reduced the density (lightweight) of the concrete mixtures because EPS tends
... Show MoreAzo ligand 11-(4-methoxyphenyl azo)-6-oxo-5,6-dihydro-benzo[4,5] imidazo[1,2-c] quinazoline-9-carboixylic acid was derived from 4-methoxyaniline and 6-oxo-5,6-dihydro-benzo[4,5]imidazo[1,2-c]quinazoline-9-carboxylic acid. The presence of azo dye was identified by elemental analysis and spectroscopic methods (FT-IR and UV-Vis). The compounds formed have been identified by using atomic absorption in flame, FT.IR, UV-Vis spectrometry magnetic susceptibility and conductivity. In order to evaluate the antibacterial efficiency of ligand and its complexes used in this study three species of bacteria were also examined. Ligand and its complexes showed good bacterial efficiencies. From the obtained data, an octahedral geometry was proposed for all p
... Show MoreIn recent years, literary studies have witnessed a remarkable shift towards employing digital technologies, particularly artificial intelligence tools, in analyzing literary texts and exploring their linguistic and semantic structures. This trend has provided researchers with new possibilities for understanding texts in quantitative and qualitative ways that transcend traditional methods based solely on critical reading. The current research aims to introduce professors and students of Arabic to artificial intelligence tools that contribute to the analysis of literary texts, focusing on exploring their mechanisms for studying style, meaning, structure, and emotion. It also seeks to highlight the most prominent challenges facing researchers
... Show MoreThe dramatic series on television have a great impact on people’sattitudes towards dialects of language varieties, by relating theconceptual pictures or prototypes presented by series’ characters tothose dialects. This study aims to show the influence of TV series onIraqi university learners’ gender and age in relating positive ornegative semantic qualities to their dialects. To this end, 150 Iraqi EFLlearners have participated in this study to examine their attitudestowards Baghdadi, Mousli and Nasiriya dialects. The data arecollected by Lambert, Hodgson, Gardner, Fillenbaum's (1960)matched guise technique and then labeled by Willmorth’s (1988)subjective reaction test. A structured interview is conducted to supportthe data
... Show Moreأن إحدى اكبر مشاكل الصحة العالمية هي ظهور مقاومة الميكروبية للأدوية الشائعة لذلك هناك حاجة ملحة لمضادات جرثومية جديدة ذات نشاط أحيائي معزز .في هذا الدراسة, تم تحضير خمسة مشتقات جديدة من الكينولين A,B,C,D وEكمضادات جرثومية. تم فحص بنية المركبات المحضرة باستخدام UV light , FTIR NMR . تم استخدام طريقة الانتشار بالحفر في الطبق لاختبار الخصائص المضادة للبكتريا للمركبات المحضرة في المختبر ضد نوعين من البكتريا الموجبة
... Show MoreThe current study was concerned to address these gaps in literature by identifying: first level and type of future visions among the next graduation student, second level and type of future visions among the sample according to gender (Male- Female), third level of the illegal immigration among the sample, fourth level of the illegal immigration according to gender (Male, Female), and finally the relationship between future visions and illegal immigration. To achieve the aims of the current study, the researchers created a questionnaire for the future visions. The psychometric properties (e.g. face validity, structure validity, and reliability) were tested. Base on the current sample, results showed that the questionnaire had sound psych
... Show MoreThe term ‘photometry’ refers to the accurate determination of the apparent brightness of an astronomical object. Until roughly 1980, nearly all astronomical photometry was done by means of analog measurements of photographic plates, or by analog or digital (photon-counting) techniques with photomultipliers. These photometers produced brightness readings which were typically displayed on dials, plotted on strip charts or printed on strips of paper, and it was often quite practical to analyse these raw data with pencil, paper and a slide rule or table of logarithms. However, during the late 1970s electronic area detectors for astronomy became more advanced: first, for a brief period, television-type cameras were employed, but these were s
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