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Industrial and technological advancements have led to an increase in environmental waste. Natural sources of construction materials have depleted over time making access to quality materials difficult. Recurrent deterioration of asphalt pavements, especially those subjected to heavy truck traffic has also become prevalent recently. This paper aims to evaluate the strength properties of Bituminous Macadam Surfacing (BMS) prepared with blends of Portland cement (PC) /Ceramic Waste Powder (CWP) as filler; replacing PC with CWP in 20 % increments (20 %, 40 %, 60 %, 80 % and 100 %). The Marshall properties of the mixes were tested and the results were compared with standard specifications as stipulated in the Nigeria General Specification for Roads and Bridges. The results showed that CWP significantly improved the Marshall properties, especially stability. At 80 % CWP and 5 % bitumen content (optimum bitumen content), stability of 11.2 kN was observed compared to 9.84 kN at 0 % CWP (control sample); representing a 13.82 % increase in stability. Similar improvement was observed in Marshal flow and volumetric properties. An 80 % CWP (by weight of filler) gave optimum values for all Marshall parameters and obtained values fall within the limits adjudged by The Nigerian Federal ministry of works & housing. An 80 % CWP by weight of filler is therefore recommended for the construction of BMS.

IntroductionSurgical-related injuries are frequent, in fact the reported percentage of musculoskeletal disorders in surgeons is between 47% and 87%. These conditions are caused by long periods of standing, incorrect postures, repeated movements, little rest between operations, the lack of integrated operator rooms, the correct number and arrangement of monitors and the use of non-ergonomic instruments. This survey aims to assess the Italian overview both highlighting how prevalent surgical-related injury is in our surgeons and whether there is an operating room ergonomics education program in Italian surgical specialty schools.MethodsAn anonymous questionnaire was designed through SurveyMonkey© web application. This survey was composed of 3 different sections concerning the general characteristics of the participants, their surgical background and any training performed, and any injuries or ailments related to the surgical activity. The survey was carried out in the period 1th of December 2022 and the 6th of February 2023.ResultsAt the close of our survey, 300 responses were collected. Among the participants, the two most represented specialties were Gynecology and Obstetrics (42.3%) and General Surgery (39.7%) and surgeons were mainly employed in the Northern regions of Italy (54.8%). Analyzing the participants’ background, 61.7% of the respondents had laparoscopic training during their training and only 53.1% had a pelvic trainer during their residency. In accordance with 98.7% of the respondents, during surgery we have the feeling of being in an uncomfortable position that causes discomfort or muscle pain, and regarding the frequency of these discomforts, the majority of our study population experiences these problems monthly (46.2%), while in 29.6% it is experienced weekly, 12.1% annually and finally 12.1% daily. The surgical approach that is most correlated with these disorders is laparoscopy (62.7%) while the one that causes the least discomfort is robotic surgery (1.4%). These discomforts cause 43.9% of our population to take a break or do short exercises to reduce pain during surgery, and the body areas most affected are the back (61.6%), neck (40.6%) and shoulders (37.8%).ConclusionDespite this, our survey allows us to highlight some now-known gaps present in the surgical training program of our schools and the lack of protection toward our surgeons during their long career.

Objective: Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is the treatment of choice for thoracic aorta diseases including penetrating aortic ulcer (PAU). The objective of this study was to analyze the results of TEVAR for the treatment of PAU in our population. Methods: From January 1999 to January 2019, 830 patients with type B aortic syndromes were treated with TEVAR in our institution. Of these we selected 73 patients treated for a PAU. Clinical and radiologic follow-up was performed in all patients. Results: Mean age of our population was 72 ± 8 years. Fifteen patients (20.5%) were treated in an emergency setting. The proximal landing zone was in arch zone 2 in 22 patients (30.1%). In-hospital mortality was 6.8% and was associated with acute presentation (P = .005). Distal arch delivery of the endograft was unrelated to mortality (Fisher exact test, P = .157). Survival at 1 and 5 years was 81.7% and 67.3%, respectively. Sixteen patients underwent reintervention of the thoracic aorta. Patients who underwent emergency surgery and older patients had a shorter survival (log rank test, P

The capsaicin receptor TRPV1 has been widely characterized in the sensory system as a key component of pain and inflammation. A large amount of evidence shows that TRPV1 is also functional in the brain although its role is still debated. Here we report that TRPV1 is highly expressed in microglial cells rather than neurons of the anterior cingulate cortex and other brain areas. We found that stimulation of microglial TRPV1 controls cortical microglia activation per se and indirectly enhances glutamatergic transmission in neurons by promoting extracellular microglial microvesicles shedding. Conversely, in the cortex of mice suffering from neuropathic pain, TRPV1 is also present in neurons affecting their intrinsic electrical properties and synaptic strength. Altogether, these findings identify brain TRPV1 as potential detector of harmful stimuli and a key player of microglia to neuron communication.

ObjectiveWe have encountered broken or damaged polypropylene sutures (Prolene®) at the anastomotic sites during aortic reoperations. Because a surgical sealant, bovine serum albumin-glutaraldehyde (BioGlue®), was used in previous aortic surgery in some of these cases, we undertook this in vitro study to evaluate whether the use of BioGlue® was associated with breakage of polypropylene sutures at the aortic anastomosis.Materials and methodsThe broken polypropylene sutures, anastomotic sites and aortic tissue at the location of suture breakage were visually inspected and evaluated intraoperatively. Six human cadaveric aortic samples were incised circumferentially and anastomosed proximally to a valved conduit with running 4–0 polypropylene sutures (Prolene®). In the test group (n = 3), BioGlue® was applied directly to the Prolene® sutures at the anastomotic sites, while in the control group (n = 3) the anastomoses were not sealed with any surgical adhesive. The six samples were immersed in Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline solution and mounted on a M-6 Six Position Heart Valve Durability Testing System and tested up to 120 million cycles for a 2-year period. During and upon completion of the testing, the integrity of Prolene® sutures, the anastomosis and aortic tissues was regularly assessed by visual inspection.ResultsIntraoperative findings included a stretched and thin aortic wall (some with thrombus), a small cleft between the aortic tissue and the Dacron vascular graft. An excessive amount of BioGlue® was often found around the anastomosis, with cracking material, but no signs of mechanical damage were observed in these cases. Upon visual inspection during and after in vitro testing, there was no apparent damage to the polypropylene sutures on the interior or exterior of the aortic anastomoses in any of the samples. No difference was observed in the physical integrity of the polypropylene sutures at anastomotic lines, the anastomoses and aortic tissues between the test and control samples.ConclusionsThe results of this study suggest that the use of BioGlue® was not associated with breakage of the polypropylene sutures at the anastomotic sites after aortic dissection repair.

This paper evaluates the strength performance of hot mix asphalt produced with High Density Polyethylene (HDPE)-modified bitumen and Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) which is partially replacing virgin aggregates. Asphalt Institute blending chart was used to determine the quantity of Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) incorporated into the mixture. Thermo-gravimetric Analysis and Differential Thermal Analysis (TGA/DTA) were used to determine thermal stability of the High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) was used for characterization of the HDPE, bitumen and modified bitumen. Physical test conducted on the RAP and virgin aggregates in accordance with American Society of Testing Materials (ASTM) standards revealed that the aggregates are adequate for use in asphalt production. Marshall method of mix design was adopted for the hot mix asphalt production and testing. With respect to the threshold, the results of Marshall stability showed a 6% increase in the strength of the asphaltic mixture modified with 10% High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). Other Marshall properties tested also showed improvements. Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry (SEM/EDS) were used for micro-structural examination and composing elements analysis of the asphaltic mixture, respectively. Fibermetric analysis was used to explore the fiber content and pores within the mixture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]