Background: Prophylaxis methods are used to mechanically remove plaque and stain from tooth surfaces; such methods give rise to loss of superficial structure and roughen the surface of composites as a result of their abrasive action. This study was done to assess the effect of three polishing systems on surface texture of new anterior composites after storage in artificial saliva. Materials and methods: A total of 40 Giomer and Tetric®N-Ceram composite discs of 12 mm internal diameter and 3mm height were prepared using a specially designed cylindrical mold and were stored in artificial saliva for one month and then samples were divided into four groups according to surface treatment: Group A (control group):10 specimens received no surface polish and were subdivided into A1 (Giomer) and A2 (Tetric®N-Ceram). Group B: 10 specimens received polishing with Air polishing devise (APD) and were subdivided into B1 (Giomer) and B2 (Tetric®N-Ceram). Group C: 10 specimens received polishing with pumice and brush and were subdivided into C1 (Giomer) and C2 (Tetric®N-Ceram). Group D: 10 specimens were polished with pumice and rubber cup and were subdivided into D1 (Giomer) and D2 (Tetric®N-Ceram). Testing was done by means of profilometer and statistically analyzed using analysis of variance test (ANOVA), LSD and student t-test. Also samples were photographed by special orthoplane camera using light polarizing microscope. Results: The results showed a highly statistical significant difference in surface roughness among Giomer subgroups P<0.05. Also there was a highly significant difference P<0.05 when comparing Tetric subgroups according to type of surface treatment. Furthermore there was non-significant difference P>0.05 between groups according to the type of restorative material used. Conclusion: The use of prophylactic surface treatment significantly increased Giomer and Tetric ceram surface roughness and the use of rotating brush has shown the roughest surface among all other types of prophylactic protocols also Giomer had shown more surface roughness than Tetric ceram although the difference was not significant.
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The current study investigated the stability and the extraction efficiency of emulsion liquid membrane (ELM) for Abamectin pesticide removal from aqueous solution. The stability was investigated in terms of droplet emulsion size distribution and emulsion breakage percent. The proposed ELM included a mixture of corn oil and kerosene (1:1) as a diluent, Span 80 (sorbitan monooleate) as a surfactant and hydrochloric acid (HCl) as a stripping agent without utilizing a carrier agent. Parameters such as homogenizer speed, surfactant concentration, emulsification time and internal to organic volume ratio (I/O) were evaluated. Results show that the lower droplet size of 0.9 µm and higher stable emulsion in terms of breakage percent of 1.12 % we
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Wearable sensors are a revolutionary tool in agriculture because they collect accurate data on plant environmental conditions that affect plant growth in real-time. Moreover, this technology is crucial in increasing agricultural sustainability and productivity by improving irrigation strategies and water resource management. This review examines the role of wearable sensors in measuring plant water content, leaf and air humidity, stem flow, plant and air temperature, light, and soil moisture sensors. Wearable sensors are designed to monitor various plant physiological parameters in real-time. These data, obtained through wearable sensors, provide information on plant water use and physiology, making our agricultural choices more informed an
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Nigella sativa has various pharmacological properties and has been used throughout history for a variety of reasons. However, there is limited data about the effects of N. sativa (NS) on human cancer cells. This study aimed at observing the roles of methanolic extract of N. sativa on apoptosis and autophagy pathway in the Human PC3 (prostate cancer) cell line. The cell viability was checked by MTT assay. Clonogenic assay was performed to demonstrate clonogenicity and Western blot was used to check caspase-3, TIGAR, p53, and LC3 protein expression. The results demonstrated that PC3 cell proliferation was inhibited, caspase-3 and p53 protein expression was induced, and LC3 protein expression was modulated. The clonogenic assay showed that PC3
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This research aims to examine the role of global green finance as a critical driver of both economic and environmental sustainability within small and medium-sized agricultural enterprises (SMEs) in Iraq. Utilizing a convergent mixed-methods framework, the study integrates qualitative interviews with key stakeholders and a quantitative survey of 300 agricultural SMEs to assess the barriers, enablers, and institutional conditions influencing the adoption of green finance. The findings indicate that, despite growing awareness and substantial latent demand for sustainability-linked investments, adoption is significantly constrained by institutional fragmentation, regulatory ambiguity, and resource limitations at the firm level. Grounded in Ins
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