Laboratory studies were conducted at the biological control unit, college of Agriculture, University of Baghdad to evaluate some biological aspects of the predator Chilocorus bipustulatus (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), which is considered one of the most important predators on many insect pests, especially the scale insect, Parlatoria blanchardi, (Homoptera: Diaspididae) on date palms. The results showed that biological parameters of the predator were varied according to different degree of temperature. Egg incubation period was significantly different and reached to 7.5 and 5.44 day at 25 and 30°C respectively, Fertility was the same 100% at both temperature degrees. Larval growth periods were 17.41 and 16.12 day as well as the mortality du

Background: Enterococcus faecalis is emerging as an important endodontic pathogen, which can persist in the environment for extended periods after treatment and may cause endodontic failure. It is known to produce biofilms, a community of bacteria enclosed within a protective polymeric matrix. This study aimed to establish whether the biofilm formation by Enterococcus faecalis can be inhibited with steralium, co+steralium, and 5% sodium hypochlorite in the root surface environment. Materials and Methods: Extracted human teeth were biomechanically prepared, vertically sectioned, placed in the tissue culture wells exposing the root canal surface to E. faecalis to form a biofilm. At the end of the 3rd and 6th weeks, all groups were treated fo

Background: Eucalyptus extracts and derivatives are natural substances with potent antimicrobial properties. This study investigated the in- vitro effects of non-nutritive sweeteners on the antifungal activity of alcoholic and aqueous Eucalyptus extracts against Candida albicans, a common oral pathogen. Materials and Method: Ten isolates of Candida albicans were isolated from dental students’ salivary samples. The alcoholic and aqueous extracts were prepared from fresh Eucalyptus leaves using maceration. The sensitivity of Candida albicans isolates to various concentrations of Eucalyptus extracts ranging from 50 to 250 (mg/mL) was evaluated via agar well diffusion method, while the agar streaking method  was used to assess the minimum

To obtain the approximate solution to Riccati matrix differential equations, a new variational iteration approach was ‎proposed, which is suggested to improve the accuracy and increase the convergence rate of the approximate solutons to the ‎exact solution. This technique was found to give very accurate results in a few number of iterations. In this paper, the ‎modified approaches were derived to give modified solutions of proposed and used and the convergence analysis to the exact ‎solution of the derived sequence of approximate solutions is also stated and proved. Two examples were also solved, which ‎shows the reliability and applicability of the proposed approach. ‎

Corrosion rate tests were carried out on carbon steel under concentration cells conditions of oxygen and sodium chloride. The effect of aeration in one compartment on the corrosion rate of both coupled metals was determined. In addition, the effects of time and temperatures on the corrosion rate of both coupled metals and galvanic currents between them were investigated. Corrosion potentials for the whole range of operating conditions under concentration cell conditions were also studied.   The results showed that under aeration condition, the formation of concentration cell caused a considerable corrosion rate of the Carbon steel specimens coupled in different concentrations of O₂ and NaCl due to the galvanic effect

Background: The PMMA polymer denture base materials are low mechanical properties, adaptation of the denture base to underlying tissue is important for retention and stability of denture. The aim of the study was toevaluate the effect of mixtureZrO2-Al2O3 nanoparticles on impact strength, transverse strength, hardness, roughness, denture base adaptation of heat cured acrylic resin denture base material. Materials and methods: One hundred (100) specimens were prepared, the specimens were divided into five groups (20 specimens to each) according to the test type, each group was subdivided in to two subgroups (control and experimental) each subgroup consist of 10 specimens, the experimental group included mixture of 2% (ZrO2-Al2O3ratio2:1) b

Sludge from stone-cutting (SSC) factories and stone mines cannot be used as decorative stones, stone powder, etc. These substances are left in the environment and cause environmental problems. This study aim is to produce artificial stone composite (ASC) using sludge from stone cutting factories, cement, unsaturated resin, water, silicon carbide nanoparticles (SiC-NPs), and nano-graphene oxide (NGO) as fillers. Nano graphene oxide has a hydrophobic plate structure that water is not absorbed due to the lack of surface tension on these plates. NGO has a significant effect on the properties of artificial stone due to its high specific surface area and low density in the composite. Its uniform distribution in ASC is very low due to its hydropho

Thirty one  samples of gum swabs were collected from patients with tooth caries (5-30 years old)  from the College of Science (Biology department )- University of Baghdad- Iraq for the period from October 2018 to December 2018. , The samples were transported, after inoculation in a transport media (nutrient broth), to the laboratory of the College of Science and then cultured on mannitol salt agar and  blood agar). The isolates belonging to Staphylococcus spp. were identified by biochemical tests and Vitek 2 compact system, while the more antibiotic resistant isolates were identified by using Polymerase Chain Reaction(ï´¾PCR)  and sequencing of 16SrRNA . The results showed sharp UV absorption peaks at 330 - 340nm and AFM at 5