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INTRODUCTION@#Polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG), the material used to fabricate prosthetic check sockets is expensive and not locally available. This study aimed to develop an alternative material for fabricating prosthetic check sockets. Specifically, it aimed to determine the material properties of the alternative and to compare it against the standard check socket, PETG.@*METHODS@#Alternative materials were made from recycled plastic bottles (PETR), sando bags (PER) and a plasticizer. A two-roll mill and a compression molder were used to fabricate the alternative materials. All samples were prepared and tested according to the American Society for Testing and Materials for each property test. Kruskal-Wallis test with post-hoc analysis of Mann-Whitney-U test was used for impact resistance test results while descriptive analysis was used for Vicat softening point and tensile strength test results.@*RESULTS@#PER performed well against PETR in all tests and exhibited acceptable Vicat softening point (126 vs 75ºC) and impact resistance (235 vs 71 J/m) compared to the standard PETG. On the other hand, PETR performed poorly in all three tests: tensile strength (0 vs 56 MPa), Vicat softening point (0 vs 75ºC) and impact resistance (20.3 vs 71 J/m).@*CONCLUSION@#PER was shown to have acceptable properties as an alternative to the standard material. However, further testing must be implemented to improve its tensile strength.
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Background: Museum specimens for anatomical and pathological studies are commonly mounted for display inKaiserling’s solution-filled jar. The present study was designed to demonstrate and compare a new method ofsupporting museum specimens in a jar known as Plastic pole method (PPM) with previous methods [Nylon tread(NTM) and Plastic bottle methods (PBM)].Materials and Methods: Two specimens for mounting were obtained from the Teaching Laboratory of theDepartment of Anatomy, UNEC. The specimens were bisected and each half was supported using either of 3mounting methods (PPM, NTM, and PBM) in museum jars using the standard Kaiserling’s technique. The mountedspecimens were exhibited to fifty (50) participants (10 staff and 40 students) of the Department of MedicalLaboratory Sciences, University of Nigeria. Questionnaires were administered for evaluation of the exhibitsunder the following criteria: clarity, multi-viewing points, stability of the specimen on its support materials,transparency of the museum mounts, and aesthetic outlook. The quality index of each method was determinedfrom the scores of the participants. Data obtained were statistically analysed and p values <0.05 were consideredsignificant.Results: Quality index scores of 86.82%, 69.76%, and 77.76%, for PPM, NTM, and PBM respectively. On claritybasis, PBM had the highest score of 212, while NTM had the lowest score of 172. PPM had the best scores for allother criteria.Conclusion: The novel method demonstrated in the present study (Plastic pole method) is readily available, easyand effective for learning. Thus, it appears to be a promising technique for the mounting of anatomic pathologicalspecimens in a medical museum
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OBJECTIVE: To study the stability of iodoglycerin in different containers.METHODS: A classic iodometry was used to study the content change of iodoglycerin stored in plastic bottle or brown glass bottle in 120 d.RESULTS: The iodine content that stored in the plastic bottle and in brown glass bottle reduced to 95% and 99.6% of the labeled amount at 90 d respectively.CONCLUSION: Iodoglycerin is more stable in brown glass bottle than in plastic bottle.