Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Basalt Fibre Reinforced Polymer Lamellas for Renovation of Concrete Structures.

The level of energy consumption in renovation activities of buildings has huge advantages over the demolition of old buildings and the construction of new structures. Such renovation activities are usually associated with the simultaneous strengthening of their elements, such as externally bonded carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) lamellas or sheets on vertical and horizontal surfaces as structural reinforcements. This means the process of refurbishing a building, as well as the raw materials themselves have a significant impact on CO2 emissions and energy consumption. This research paper demonstrates possibilities of replacing state of the art, highly energy-intensive CFRP lamellas with basalt fibre reinforced plastics as energy-efficient structural reinforcements for building constructions. The mechanical and thermal properties of basalt fibre reinforced polymer (BFRP) composites with variable matrix formulations are investigated. The article considers macro- and microstructures of innovative BFRP. The investigations focus on fibre-matrix interactions with different sizing formulations and their effect on the tensile strength, strain as well as modulus of elasticity.

Thermal, structural and acetylation behavior of snail and periwinkle shells chitin.

This article reports a successful removal of CaCO3 from snail and periwinkle shells for the purpose of producing high quality chitin for possible application as bio-fillers in bone fixation materials. Experiment was designed with varying concentrations of acid and alkali for demineralization, deproteinization and deacetylation of the samples. Thermal characteristics, morphology, degree of de-acetylation, crystalline structure and hydrogen bonding characteristics of the extracted chitin were examined. Infra-red spectra, thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray diffraction patterns show that demineralization with 1.7 M HCl led to a successful removal of CaCO3. Subsequent deproteinization and deacetylation with 1.2 M NaOH led to a development of chitosan having a degree of deacetylation of 77 and 60% for periwinkle and snail shells, respectively. Generally, all results show that different treatments led to different chitin structure and consequently different properties.

Use of insecticide quantification kits to investigate the quality of spraying and decay rate of bendiocarb on different wall surfaces in Kagera region, Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Bendiocarb was introduced for the first time for Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) in Tanzania in 2012 as part of the interim national insecticide resistance management plan. This move followed reports of increasingly alarming levels of pyrethroid resistance across the country. This study used the insecticide quantification kit (IQK) to investigate the intra-operational IRS coverage and quality of spraying, and decay rate of bendiocarb on different wall surfaces in Kagera region. METHODS: To assess intra-operational IRS coverage and quality of spraying, 104 houses were randomly selected out of 161,414 sprayed houses. A total of 509 samples (218 in Muleba and 291 in Karagwe) were obtained by scraping the insecticide samples from wall surfaces. To investigate decay rate, 66 houses (36 in Muleba and 30 in Karagwe) were selected and samples were collected monthly for a period of five months. Laboratory testing of insecticide concentration was done using IQK(TM) [Innovative Vector Control Consortium]. RESULTS: Of the 509 samples, 89.5% met the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended concentration (between 100-400 mg/m(2)) for IRS target dosage. The proportion of samples meeting WHO standards varied between Karagwe (84.3%) and Muleba (96.3%) (p < 0.001). Assessment of quality of spraying at house level revealed that Muleba (84.8%) had a significantly higher proportion of households that met the expected target dosage (100-400 mg/m(2)) compared to Karagwe (68.9%) (p < 0.001). The quality of spraying varied across different wall substrates in both districts. Evaluation of bendiocarb decay showed that the proportion of houses with recommended concentration declined from 96.9%, 93.5% and 76.2% at months one, two, and three post IRS, respectively (p-trend = 0.03). The rate of decay increased in the fourth and fifth month post spraying with only 55.9% and 26.3% houses meeting the WHO recommendations, respectively. CONCLUSION: IQK is an important tool for assessing IRS coverage and quality of spraying. The study found adequate coverage of IRS; however, residual life of bendiocarb was observed to be three months. Results suggest that in order to maintain the recommended concentrations with bendiocarb, a second spray cycle should be carried out after three months.

Swallowing a safety pin: Report of a case.

Ingestion of a foreign body is a frequent and well-known medical problem with several diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Usually, ingested foreign bodies pass through the alimentary tract without incident. In some cases, they can be lodged in the appendix and may cause appendicitis. We report a case of a 29-year old woman, suffering from mental illness, with a safety pin lodged in the appendix. Initially, the patient consulted for abdominal pain. After a period of waiting, during which time the foreign body did not move, a colonoscopy was performed but failed to see the safety pin. Then, the patient underwent a laparoscopic appendectomy. Pathological examination showed an ulcerative appendicitis.

Comparison between monofilament and multifilament polypropylene tapes in urinary incontinence.

OBJECTIVE: We compare the efficacy and late complications between a polypropylene monofilament tape (TVT) and a polypropylene multifilament tape (IVS) in the surgical implant of sub-urethral, tension free tape for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI). METHODS: It is a non-randomised, monocentric retrospective study. Two questionnaires were sent to the patients. The first questionnaire determined the efficacy of the tape and the tolerance of the urinary process. The second questionnaire evaluated discomfort and consequences linked to urinary incontinence and associated urinary troubles. RESULTS: The study included 313 female patients and 256 (82%) responded to the questionnaire (137 TVT, 119 IVS). Patient satisfaction was 88.3% for the TVT tape and 73.5% for the IVS tape (p < 0.005). The improvement of the quality of life was also higher for the polypropylene monofilament tapes. "De novo" urge incontinence was more common in the TVT group. However, the rates of dysuria and infection of tapes were more common in the IVS group. CONCLUSION: The type of tape appears to influence efficacy and the emergence of late complications. Our results point at the greater efficacy of the polypropylene monofilament tape.

[Hemobilia due to pseudoaneurysm of the right hepatic artery following laparoscopic cholecystectomy]. / Hémobilie par pseudoanévrysme de la branche droite de l'artère hépatique après cholécystectomie coelioscopique.

Although laparoscopic cholecystectomy is considered to be the gold standard for treatment for symptomatic cholelithiasis, it is associated with an increased risk of biliary and vascular injury compared to the traditional technique. We report the case of a 36-year-old woman with haemobilia secondary to a pseudoaneurysm of the right branch of the hepatic artery, that occurred two months after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The patient was successfully treated with embolisation of the right hepatic artery. Hemobilia is a rare complication that should considered when managing patients with bleeding or jaundice even several months after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Secretion of beta-1,3-glucanases by the yeast Pichia membranifaciens and its possible role in the biocontrol of Botrytis cinerea causing grey mold disease of the grapevine.

Pichia membranifaciens strain FY-101, isolated from grape skin, was found to be antagonistic to Botrytis cinerea, the causal organism of the grey mold disease of the grapevine. When grown together on solid as well as in liquid media, the yeast brings about the inhibition of Botrytis cinerea, which in turn loses its ability to produce the grey mold symptoms on the grapevine plantlets. The secretion of beta-1,3-glucanases by P. membranifaciens is one of the possible mechanisms related to this antagonism. In vitro experiments confirm that this yeast can be used as a biological control organism against B. cinerea. An account of this antagonism and the production of beta-1,3-glucanases by P. membranifaciens is given here.