Background: Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a promising implant material due to its superior biomechanical strength. However, due to its hydrophobic nature and lack of cellular adhesion properties, it has poor integration with bone tissue. Methods: A fractional CO2 laser was used with various parameters for surface texturing of PEEK substrate to enhance its surface properties. An optical microscope and field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) were used to examine the surface morphology of untextured and laser-textured samples. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) was performed to determine the effect of the laser on the microstructure of PEEK. Surface microroughness, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and wettability were investigated. Results: There were significant increases in microroughness, nanoroughness, surface area ratio, and wettability after laser texturing with no change in the elemental composition. The best results were obtained by using 400 µs laser pulse duration with a dot separation distance of 0.2 mm and a 60° staggered dots pattern. Conclusions: Laser surface texturing of PEEK implant material by fractional CO2 laser is an easy and fast method of introducing patterned topographical features with no need for additional devices. With further investigations, this method of PEEK modification might have the potential to be used in the implant field.
Background: Hemorrhoids are one of the most
common surgical conditions .Conventional
haemorrhoidectomy was the traditional operation for
the treatment of hemorrhoids. Other modalities of
treatment had been used as an alternative operations
including CO2 laser haemorrhoidectomy.
Objectives: To determine the outcome of treatment
of hemorrhoids by using CO2 laser
haemorrhoidectomy and its advantages over
conventional surgery
Methods: This is a retrospective comparative
interventional study of 1024 case of third degree
haemorhoids selected out of 1300 case of
hemorrhoids of different degrees, admitted to
ALKINDY, ALYERMOUK teaching hospitals and
ABD ALMAGEED private hospital, from May 1998
to J
Aim of the research is the study of improving the performance of the thermal station south Baghdad and the main reasons for reduced its efficiency. South Baghdad power planet comprises (6) steam turbine units and (18) gas turbine units .The gas turbine units are composed of two groups: the first group is made up of gas units (1,2), each of capacity (123) MW. The design efficiency of gas turbine units is 32%. The actual efficiency data of steam units is 18.3% instead of 45% which is the design efficiency. The main reason for efficiency reduction of gas units is the rejected thermal energy with the exhaust gases to atmosphere, that are (450-510) ℃.The bad type of fuel used (heavy) fuel. Another reason for the low efficiency and has a neg
... Show MoreIn this study some generic commercial products of Atorvastatin tablets were evaluated by dissolution test in acid medium by comparing with that of parent drug Lipitor of Pfizer Company. Some of solubilizing agents were studied in formulation of Atorvastatin tablet including; surface active agent and PEG 6000 .The most effective factor was the use of PEG6000 in formulation of Atorvastatin tablet which improved the dissolution and the results of dissolution profile of formulated tablet in this work was bioequivalent to that of Lipitor .The quantitative analysis of this work was performed by using reversed phase liquid chromatography and a proper mixture of  
... Show MoreThe world is moving towards greening business in general and production systems in particular. At the same time, economic units seek to enhance their productivity and find any variables that can contribute to improving their elements. Economic units should not ignore the green dimension of cost management techniques because of its role in containing the green dimension of the production system and the product. However the few researches dealt with the subject of the green kaizen showed its role in reducing costs and improving the environment. Those researches did not address its contribution to raising the level of productivity. Productivity is an important indicator of economic units that expresses their level of success and progre
... Show MoreThis paper presents the application of nonlinear finite element models in the analysis of dappedends pre-stressed reinforced concrete girders under static loading by using ANSYS software. The girder dimensions are (4.90 m span, 0.40 m depth, 0.20 m width, 0.20 m nib depth, and 0.10 m nib length) and the parameters considered in this research are the pre-stress effect, and strand profile (straight and draped). The numerical results are compared with the experimental results of the same girders. The comparisons are carried out in terms of initial prestress effect, load- deflection curve, and failure load. Good agreement was obtained between the analytical and experimental results. Even that, the numerical model was stiffer than the experiment
... Show MoreThis paper presents the application of nonlinear finite element models in the analysis of dapped-ends pre-stressed reinforced concrete girders under static loading by using ANSYS software. The girder dimensions are (4.90 m span, 0.40 m depth, 0.20 m width, 0.20 m nib depth, and 0.10 m nib length) and the parameters considered in this research are the pre-stress effect, and strand profile (straight and draped).
The numerical results are compared with the experimental results of the same girders. The comparisons are carried out in terms of initial prestress effect, load- deflection curve, and failure load. Good agreement was obtained between the analytical and experimental results. Even that, the
... Show MoreMaterial Requirements Planning System (MRP) is considered as one of the planning and controlling of production and inventory systems which is used to prepare plan of the final production requirements and its parts of subcomponents raw materials and the time at which it was needed for the purpose of preparing orders of production and purchase.
The problem of the present work is represented in the general company of electrical industrialization adoption of traditional methods and personal experience of the process of the products and\or purchase quantity and inventory quantities and limiting the required time for acquiring the required quantities of the materials and parts used in the finish product of the
... Show MoreAlthough its wide utilization in microbial cultures, the one factor-at-a-time method, failed to find the true optimum, this is due to the interaction between optimized parameters which is not taken into account. Therefore, in order to find the true optimum conditions, it is necessary to repeat the one factor-at-a-time method in many sequential experimental runs, which is extremely time-consuming and expensive for many variables. This work is an attempt to enhance bioactive yellow pigment production by Streptomyces thinghirensis based on a statistical design. The yellow pigment demonstrated inhibitory effects against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus and was characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy which showed lambda maximum of
... Show MorePorous silicon was prepared by using electrochemical etching process. The structure, electrical, and photoelectrical properties had been performed. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) observations of porous silicon layers were obtained before and after rapid thermal oxidation process. The rapid thermal oxidation process did not modify the morphology of porous layers. The unique observation was the pore size decreased after oxidation; pore number and shape were conserved. The wall size which separated between pore was increased after oxidation and that effected on charge transport mechanism of PS