Background: With the increasing demand on esthetic orthodontic appliances, discoloration of clear elastomeric chains and modules remains an issue which concerns both orthodontics and patients. This in vitro study was conducted to evaluate the effect of exposing stretched clear elastomeric chains from six different companies (Ortho Technology, Ormco, Ortho Organizer, American Orthodontics, Opal and G&H companies) to three types of dietary media (tea, coffee and turmeric). Materials and methods: A total of 960 lengths of six modules were cut from short type elastomeric chain; 160 pieces from each brand. The specimens were stretched 50%, placed on plastic boards, and incubated in water at 37°C for 1 day, 7 days, 14 days and 28 days. Once a day, the specimens were immersed for ten minutes in the testing dietary media, washed and then returned back to the water container. Color measurements were made before and after incubation of the specimens. Digital image were taken by an SLR digital camera and the color changes were calculated according to CIE L*a*b* color space system by Adobe Photoshop program. The resulting data were statistically analyzed using ANOVA and LSD tests. Result: Elastomeric chains from AO, Opal and G&H companies were the most brands prone to discoloration. Ortho Organizers and Ortho Technology chains were the least prone to discoloration. Tea, coffee and turmeric solutions discolored elastomeric chains from all companies in a variable degree, however turmeric caused significantly more discoloration, followed by tea and least by coffee. The amount of discoloration caused by tea and coffee increases gradually to peak at 28 days, while most of the discoloration caused by turmeric was in the first day and reached a plateau in a week. Conclusion: To decrease the discoloration of clear elastomeric chains the consumption of colored dietary media especially spices like turmeric are to be discouraged.
Expectation in poetry is the ability of the poet to exceed the existence of the universe . It is the revealing of the hidden and the familiar. This feature of expecting is not related to the modern poetry only . It is a well - known feature that has long been assigned to old poetry like Al-Mutannabi an Al-Mu`arri who had their own unique ways of expecting and going beyond the current time and touching the future and making it a reality. Based on their awareness ,mature thinking and talent , they had the ability of reading what is to come ,even if they were mere suppositions and tentative readings. As for the modern poetry , we have poets like Amal Dunqil , Adonis ,and Al-Sayyab whose poems became expectati
... Show MoreThis paper aimed at specifying the leading obstacles which faced by Iraqi EFL secondary school teachers in teaching English language. According to studies and observations, lack of adequate materials, overcrowding classrooms, lack of infrastructures, and low job satisfaction are the main barriers to English language teaching in Iraq. Data were collected from 130 EFL teachers from Iraqi schools through a standard questionnaire. The data were analyzed using a descriptive statistic to summarize and present it in a meaningful way. The findings supported previous studies regarding the classroom overcrowding, lack of teaching aids and materials, and dilapidated facilities. Furthermore, regarding job dissatisfaction and salary, interesting and eye
... Show MoreCanonical correlation analysis is one of the common methods for analyzing data and know the relationship between two sets of variables under study, as it depends on the process of analyzing the variance matrix or the correlation matrix. Researchers resort to the use of many methods to estimate canonical correlation (CC); some are biased for outliers, and others are resistant to those values; in addition, there are standards that check the efficiency of estimation methods.
In our research, we dealt with robust estimation methods that depend on the correlation matrix in the analysis process to obtain a robust canonical correlation coefficient, which is the method of Biwe
... Show MoreModeling the microclimate of a greenhouse located in Baghdad under its weather conditions to calculate the heating and cooling loads by computer simulation. Solar collectors with a V-corrugated absorber plate and an auxiliary heat source were used as a heating system. A rotary silica gel desiccant dehumidifier, a sensible heat exchanger, and an evaporative cooler were added to the collectors to form an open-cycle solar assisted desiccant cooling system. A dynamic model was adopted to predict the inside air and the soil surface temperatures of the greenhouse. These temperatures are used to predict the greenhouse heating and cooling loads through an energy balance method which takes into account the soil heat gain. This is not included in
... Show MoreThe main objective of this work was to adopt an environmentally friendly technology with enhanced results. The technology of magnetic water (MW) treatment system can be used in concrete mixture production instead of potable water (PW) to improve both workability and strength. Two types of concrete were adopted: normal concreter production with two grades 25 and 35 MPa and the self-compacted concrete (SCC) with 35 MPa grade. The concrete mixes containing MW instead of PW results showed that, for 25 MPa grade, an improvement in a compressive strength of 15.1, 14.8, and 10.2% was achieved for 7, 28, and 90 days, respectively. For 35 MPa grade, an improvement of 13.6, 11.5, and
Shatt Al-Arab River in Al Basrah, Iraq, has recently recorded massive levels of TDS values (Total Dissolved Solids) in the water as a result of reduced fresh water discharge from sources, causing the river to become salinized due to salt wedge intrusion. Therefore, a block dam in the south reach is required to salt intrusion prevention. The main objective of this research is to simulate the hydraulic impact of a suggested barrage in Ras Al Besha on the Shatt Al-Arab River. The HEC-RAS (5.0.7) model was used to develop a one-dimensional unsteady model to gaining an understanding of the proposed barrage's influence on river behaviour. The daily discharges of the Tigris River provided as the upstream boundary conditions, wh
... Show MoreThis study investigates the challenges encountered by first-grade intermediate students in learning the Arabic language. It aims to identify specific obstacles that hinder language acquisition and proficiency among this demographic. Through qualitative and quantitative methods, including surveys and interviews with students, teachers, and parents, the research highlights key issues such as limited vocabulary, difficulties in grammar, lack of engagement with the material, and inadequate teaching resources. The findings reveal a complex interplay between cognitive, social, and educational factors that contribute to these challenges. The study underscores the need for targeted interventions, such as enhanced pedagogical strategies and improved
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