Objectives This work presents laser coating of grade 1 pure titanium (Ti) dental implant surface with sintered biological apatite beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP), which has a chemical composition close to bone. Materials and methods Pulsed Nd:YAG laser of single pulse capability up to 70 J/10 ms and pulse peak power of 8 kW was used to implement the task. Laser pulse peak power, pulse duration, repetition rate and scanning speed were modulated to achieve the most homogenous, cohesive and highly adherent coat layer. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray microscopy (EDX), optical microscopy and nanoindentation analyses were conducted to characterise and evaluate the microstructure, phases, modulus of elasticity

Several toxigenic cyanobacteria produce the cyanotoxin (microcystin). Being a health and environmental hazard, screening of water sources for the presence of microcystin is increasingly becoming a recommended environmental procedure in many countries of the world. This study was conducted to assess the ability of freshwater cyanobacterial species Westiellopsis prolifica to produce microcystins in Iraqi freshwaters via using molecular and immunological tools. The toxigenicity of W. prolifica was compared via laboratory experiments with other dominant bloom-forming cyanobacteria isolated from the Tigris River: Microcystis aeruginosa, Chroococcus turigidus, Nostoc carneum, and Lyngbya sp. signifi

The hydrological process has a dynamic nature characterised by randomness and complex phenomena. The application of machine learning (ML) models in forecasting river flow has grown rapidly. This is owing to their capacity to simulate the complex phenomena associated with hydrological and environmental processes. Four different ML models were developed for river flow forecasting located in semiarid region, Iraq. The effectiveness of data division influence on the ML models process was investigated. Three data division modeling scenarios were inspected including 70%–30%, 80%–20, and 90%–10%. Several statistical indicators are computed to verify the performance of the models. The results revealed the potential of the hybridized s

Background. Dental implantation has become a standard procedure with high success rates, relying on achieving osseointegration between the implant surface and surrounding bone tissue. Polyether ether ketone (PEEK) is a promising alternative to traditional dental implant materials like titanium, but its osseointegration capabilities are limited due to its hydrophobic nature and reduced surface roughness. Objective. The aim of the study is to increase the surface roughness and hydrophilicity of PEEK by treating the surface with piranha solution and then coating the surface with epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) by electrospraying technique. Materials and Methods. The study includes four groups intended to investigate the effect of pir

In this study, the flexural performance of a new composite beam–slab system filled with concrete material was investigated, where this system was mainly prepared from lightweight cold-formed steel sections of a beam and a deck slab for carrying heavy floor loads as another concept of a conventional composite system with a lower cost impact. For this purpose, seven samples of a profile steel sheet–dry board deck slab (PSSDB/PDS) carried by a steel cold-formed C-purlins beam (CB) were prepared and named “composite CBPDS specimen”, which were tested under a static bending load. Specifically, the effects of the profile steel sheet (PSS) direction (parallel or perpendicular to the span of the specimen) using different C-purlins c

Copper (1) oxide nanoparticles together with matrix polymers of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyaniline (PANI) composite films were synthesized, as these materials are of importance in optoelectronic applications. ‎Nanoparticles of Cu₂O were produced by chemical precipitation. Polymerization of aniline was carried out through polymerization in an acidic medium. Structural, thermal, and optical properties of PVA+PANI/Cu₂O nanocomposite were inspected by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis spectroscopy). X-ray diffraction peaks at 29.53°, 36.34°, and 42.22° indicated the

Vast percentage of the Hor Al-Dalmaj area is covered with sand dunes fields due to desertification. Therefore, it is vital to research these dunes to limit their bad action on the natural environment by defining the mineralogical composition of these sand dunes deposited around Hor Al-Dalmaj lake between Wast and Al-Qasisiyah Governorates to determine the provenance or the source of these dunes. Barchan and Nabkha dunes represent the main types that are recognized. The dimensions of barchan dunes are recognizing by a height range of about 0.5 to 3m, with lateral extension ranging from 2 to 15m and longitudinal extinction ranging from 3 to 15m. While the dimensions of nabkha dunes range from 10 cm to 2m in length and 15cm to 2m high. Acco

The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused a pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) which represents a global public health crisis. Based on recent published studies, this review discusses current evidence related to the transmission, clinical characteristics, diagnosis, management and prevention of COVID-19. It is hoped that this review article will provide a benefit for the public to well understand and deal with this new virus, and give a reference for future researches.