The Effects of Hearing Aid Digital Noise Reduction and Directionality on Acceptable Noise Level.

Objectives: Two main digital signal processing technologies inside the modern hearing aid to provide the best conditions for hearing aid users are directionality (DIR) and digital noise reduction (DNR) algorithms. There are various possible settings for these algorithms. The present study evaluates the effects of various DIR and DNR conditions (both separately and in combination) on listening comfort among hearing aid users.

Ionically crosslinked magnetic chitosan/κ-carrageenan bioadsorbents for removal of anionic eriochrome black-T.

Magnetic bioadsorbents based on chitosan with different molecular weights were prepared. To stabilize under acidic condition the synthesized magnetic chitosan was crosslinked with κ-carrageenan. The characterization of magnetic bioadsorbents revealed that the size of magnetic nanoparticles is affected by the chitosan molecular weight.

Covalently bonded pancreatic lipase onto the dithiocarbamate/chitosan-based magnetite: Stepwise fabrication of FeO@CS/NHCS-Lip as a novel and promising nanobiocatalyst.

In the present paper, porcine pancreas lipase (PPL) was immobilized to a new version of magnetite via a novel stepwise dithiocarbamate/chitosan-based method in alternation to glutaraldehyde. Magnetic chitosan nanocomposite was post-modified to produce dithiocarbamate moieties on the surface through amine functions. Then, immobilization of lipase was successfully achieved on the surface of magnetically separable FeO@CS/NHCSH via a post-modification.

Synthesis and Evaluation of a Triblock Copolymer/ZnO Nanoparticles from Poly(ε-caprolactone) and Poly(Acrylic Acid) as a Potential Drug Delivery Carrier.

Through the present paper, a triblock copolymer containing pH-responsive (polyacrylic acid-b-polycaprolactone -b-polyacrylic acid) (PAA-b-PCL-b-PAA) was synthesized by using the ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of ε-caprolactone (ε-CL) and the reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization of the acrylic acid methods, as the drug carrier. Blends of the nanocrystalline zinc oxide nanoparticles (n-ZnO) and triblock copolymer treated from the solution have been used to make the hybrid polymer-metal oxide for the preparation of the drug loaded nanocomposite. The drug-release behavior of the nanocomposite was studied by using the Doxorubicin as a model drug.

Comparison of clinical bracket point registration with 3D laser scanner and coordinate measuring machine.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to assess the diagnostic value of a laser scanner developed to determine the coordinates of clinical bracket points and to compare with the results of a coordinate measuring machine (CMM).

Methods: This diagnostic experimental study was conducted on maxillary and mandibular orthodontic study casts of 18 adults with normal Class I occlusion. First, the coordinates of the bracket points were measured on all casts by a CMM.