Personalized 3D-printed cranial implants for complex cranioplasty using open-source software.

Background: Cranioplasty is a routine neurosurgery treatment used to correct cranial vault abnormalities. Utilization of 3D printing technology in the field of cranioplasty involving the reconstruction of cranial defects emerged as an advanced possibility of anatomical reshaping. The transformative impact of patient-specific 3D printed implants, focuses on their remarkable accuracy, customization capabilities, and enhanced biocompatibility. Methods: The precise adaptation of implants to patient-specific anatomies, even in complex cases we presented, result in improved aesthetic outcomes and reduced surgical complications. The ability to create highly customized implants addresses the functional aspects of cranial defects and considers the psychological impact on patients. Results: By combining technological innovation with personalized patient care, 3D printed cranioplasty emerges as a transformative avenue in cranial reconstruction, ultimately redefining the standards of success in neurosurgery. Conclusion: 3D printing allows an excellent cranioplasty cosmesis achieved at a reasonable price without sacrificing patient outcomes. Wider implementation of this strategy can lead to significant healthcare cost savings.

The effect of Artemisia annua L. extract on microbiologically influenced corrosion of A36 steel caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The protective effect of A. annua against microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) of A36 steel caused by P. aeruginosa (PA) in a simulated marine environment was investigated using electrochemical, spectroscopic, and surface techniques. PA was found to accelerate the local dissolution of A36 which led to the formation of a porous α-FeOOH and γ-FeOOH surface layer. 2D and 3D profiles of treated coupons, obtained by optical profilometer, revealed the formation of crevices in the presence of PA. On the contrary, adding A. annua to the biotic medium led to the formation of a thinner, more uniform surface without significant damage. Electrochemical data showed that the addition of A. annua prevented the MIC of A36 steel with an inhibition efficiency of 60%. The protective effect was attributed to the formation of a more compact Fe3O4 surface layer, as well as the adsorption of phenolics, such as caffeic acid and its derivatives on the A36 steel surfaces, as detected by FTIR and SEM-EDS analysis. ICP-OES confirmed that Fe and Cr species more readily diffuse from A36 steel surfaces incubated in biotic media (Fe; 1516.35 ± 7.94 µg L-1 cm-2, Cr; 11.77 ± 0.40 µg L-1 cm-2) compared to the inhibited media (Fe; 35.01 ± 0.28 µg L-1 cm-2, Cr; 1.58 ± 0.01 µg L-1 cm-2).

Green Inhibition of Corrosion of Aluminium Alloy 5083 by Artemisia annua L. Extract in Artificial Seawater.

Plant extracts are increasingly being examined in the corrosion inhibition of metal and alloys in various environments due to their potent antioxidant properties. The use of Artemisia annua L. aqueous extract (AAE) as an aluminium alloy 5083 (ALA) corrosion inhibitor in artificial seawater (ASW) was investigated using electrochemical tests and spectroscopy tools, while the active biocompounds found in AAE were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Electrochemical results showed that AAE acts as an anodic inhibitor through the physisorption (ΔG ≈ -16.33 kJ mol-1) of extract molecules on the ALA surface, thus reducing the active sites for the dissolution of the alloy in ASW. Fourier-transform infrared spectra confirmed that phenolic acids found in AAE formed the surface layer that protects ALA against the corrosive marine environment, while HPLC analysis confirmed that the main phytoconstituents of AAE were chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid. The inhibition action of phenolic acids and their derivatives found in the AAE was based on the physisorption of caffeic acid on the ALA surface, which improved physicochemical properties of the barrier film and/or conversion of Al3+ to elemental aluminium by phenolic acids as reducens, which slowed down the diffusion rate of Al3+ to or from the ALA surfaces. The protective effect of the surface layer formed in the presence of AAE against ASW was also confirmed by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) whereby the measured concentration of Al ions after 1 h of immersion of ALA in the pure ASW was 15.30 µg L-1 cm-2, while after the addition of 1 g L-1 AAE, the concentration was 3.09 µg L-1 cm-2.

Study of health information needs among adolescents in Croatia shows distinct gender differences in information seeking behaviour.

BACKGROUND: Understanding the health information needs of adolescents is the first step towards providing them with relevant information to aid them in their decision making regarding health issues. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study is to assess adolescents' needs, perceptions and sources of health information. METHODS: Four hundred sixty-nine high school students in Osijek, Croatia, participated in this study by answering a questionnaire. The collected data were analysed using basic frequency and non-parametric statistical methods. RESULTS: The most popular health topics identified by adolescents in our study were nutrition, diseases, depression, relationships, sexual intercourse and alcohol. Adolescents consider their parents the most reliable personal source of health information (72.0%), while they perceive the Internet as the main non-personal source of health information (29.8%). Adolescents wish to get more education about health issues at school (54.4%). Significant gender differences were found in adolescents' needs, perceptions and sources of health information. CONCLUSIONS: It is important to provide adolescents with systematic institutional health education and improve health advisory services and library/information services to assist adolescents in locating health information and resolving their health related questions.

Antioxidant Capacity of Herzegovinian Wildflowers Evaluated by UV-VIS and Cyclic Voltammetry Analysis.

Considering the vast cultural and traditional heritage of the use of aromatic herbs and wildflowers for the treatment of light medical conditions in the Balkans, a comparison of the antioxidant capacity of wildflowers extracts from Herzegovina was studied using both cyclic voltammetry and spectrophotometry. The cyclic voltammograms taken in the potential range between 0 V and 800 mV and scan rate of 100 mV s-1 were used for the quantification of the electrochemical properties of polyphenols present in four aqueous plant extracts. Antioxidant capacity expressed as mmoL of gallic acid equivalents per gram of dried weight of the sample (mmoL GAE g-1 dw) was deduced from the area below the major anodic peaks (Q400 pH 6.0, Q500 pH 4.7, Q600 pH 3.6). The results of electrochemical measurements suggest that the major contributors of antioxidant properties of examined plants are polyphenolic compounds that contain ortho-dihydroxy-phenol or gallate groups. Using Ferric reducing-antioxidant power (FRAP) and 2,2'-azino-bis spectrophotometric methods (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) radical cation-scavenging activity (ABTS) additionally determined antioxidant capacity. The FRAP results ranged from 2.9702-9.9418 mmoL Fe/g dw, while the results for ABTS assays expressed as Trolox equivalents (TE) ranged from 14.1842-42.6217 mmoL TE/g dw. The Folin-Ciocalteu procedure was applied to determine the total phenolics content (TP). The TP content expressed as Gallic acid equivalents (GAE) ranged from 6.0343-9.472 mmoL GAE/g dw. The measurements of total flavonoid (TF) and total condensed tannin (TT) contents were also performed to obtain a broader polyphenolic profile of tested plant materials. Origanum vulgare L. scored the highest on each test, with the exception of TT content, followed by the Mentha × piperita L., Artemisia annua L., and Artemisia absinthium L., respectively. The highest TT content, expressed as mg of (-)catechin equivalents per gram of dried weight of sample (mg CE/g dw), was achieved with A. absinthium extract (119.230 mg CE/g dw) followed by O. vulgare (90.384 mg CE/g dw), A. annua (86.538 mg CE/g dw) and M. piperita (69.231 mg CE/g dw), respectively. In addition, a very good correlation between electrochemical and spectroscopic methods was achieved.