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The incidence of postoperative pain in patients operated for inguinal hernia can reach up to 40% of cases, depending on different authors, and depending on the approach used in the surgical treatment of these patients. Currently, there are two commonly accepted ways of surgical treatment of inguinal hernias, the classic approach with polypropylene mesh (Liechtenstein technique) and the laparoscopic approach. The purpose of this study was to conduct a comparative analysis on the need for analgesic medication in patients treated for inguinal hernia either by classic (group A) or by laparoscopic (group B) approach. Surgical meshes were used in all patients enrolled in our trial. The average age of the patients included in this study was 53.79 years, ranging from 20 to 88 years. Regarding the distribution of cases by gender, we observed in the studied lots that 12 cases were women (11.53%) and 92 cases were males (88.46%). In female patients, the classic inguinal hernia approach was performed in 3 cases (25% of cases), and in 9 cases the laparoscopic approach was performed in the surgical treatment of the inguinal hernia (75% of the cases). In male patients, laparoscopic approach was performed in 33 cases (35.86% of cases), and in 59 cases the surgical approach was performed in a classical manner using the Liechtenstein technique (64.13% of the cases). From the statistical analysis of the data we noticed a statistically significant difference in the need for analgesic medication administered to these patients (p = 0.0001). Although surgical correction of inguinal hernia, both classic and laparoscopic approaches, provide adequate treatment for these patients, in case of the laparoscopic technique, immediately after the operation, the need for analgesic medication is lower compared to the classical technique.

The phytotherapy is based on the consume of fruits, vegetables and medicinal plants; they contain mixtures of bioactive chemical substances (carotenoids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, coumarins, tannins, organosulfur compounds) with synergic effects on the treatment of diseases. Nano- and micro-carriers are very useful drug delivery systems which can improve the transmembrane transfer of natural extracts. In the present study, betulin and two birch bark extracts were encapsulated inside polyurethane microstructures. Structures’ size, homogeneity and surface charge were studied using a Zetasizer, while DSC analysis was involved to assay structures’ thermal behavior. Irritation effects were monitored by non-invasive techniques on human skin. The results indicate the obtaining of structures with size around 200-250 nm, with a positive surface charge and a very good thermal stability. The non-irritation potential recommends these structures as a safe delivery system used for natural extracts.

The paper presents the laboratory experiments and the results obtained regarding the production and characterization of composite materials with coconut fiber for the manufacture of brake pads for small vehicles and medium performances. The experimental research of composite material with organic components determined the influence of some material factors and parameters of the sintering regime on the physico-mechanical characteristics of the tested samples. Knowledge of these characteristics offers the possibility of pertinent appraisals regarding the behaviour of the composite materials intended for used in brake pads applications. Materials with the best features will be selected to determine the functional characteristics of friction and wear.

In most patients with complete or partially stretched edentations requiring a dental implant, there is insufficient alveolar bone for a proper morpho- functional prosthetic restoration. Therefore, in many cases a bone addition is required for the implant treatment. The aim of this study is to evaluate ex-vivo, with numerical simulations, a large mandibular bone defect that is restored by using a three-dimensional (3D) printed ceramic scaffold. In order to obtain a proper morphological and functional prosthetic restoration, a thick mandibular bone is utilized for the implant treatment. The polymeric scaffold is attached to the mandibular bone with one, two, or three implants. By scanning the mandible with MicroScribe 3G and then employing a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) with Pro/Engineer and ANSYS 15, the study performs a numerical simulation and thus assesses the effects of the force applied to the scaffold.

A class of intensively studied materials with application in areas where complex structures with precise geometry are needed (i.e. electronics), are the self-organized nanomaterials. Polymer, metallic and composite self-organized nanomaterials have been in researchers’ attention the last decades. They are not only appealing scientifically, by revealing the intrinsic atomic and molecular interactions that might be difficult to detect otherwise but may also hold the key for the development of novel functional structures and devices. The different mechanisms and forces involved in the self-formation of organized nanostructures are discussed in the present manuscript. Further on, key formation fundamentals involved in the fabrication of self-organized nanostructures are described. Between the known manufacturing methods, the electrochemical synthesis is considered extremely simple and cost effective. On the other hand, it involves a wide range of synthesis parameters (e.g. voltage, electrolyte type, temperature, experiment duration, pH etc.) that may lead to the formation of ingenious structures with complex geometries at different length scales. Finally, some representative scientific investigations are mentioned together with applications of self-organized nanomaterials in different engineering and life areas.

The experimental results obtained by studying the influence of different types of fibers on the mechanical properties of fly ash polymer concrete are presented in the paper. The general demand of using wastes found applicability in building material industry because some of them are beneficial in improving concrete properties. The waste additions type fly ash and fibers were incorporated in polymer concrete. The study focused on fibers type glass, polyester, metallic and cellulose. The mechanical properties such as compressive strength, flexural strength and split tensile strength were investigated having in view the type, dosage and length of fibers. The results show that fibers improved mechanical properties in comparison with that of polymer concrete without fibers, the test results being differently influenced by the factors which were considered.

Composites made from metallic fillers embedded in polymer matrix have good shielding properties as electrical point of view and tribology properties from mechanical point of view. These properties depend on amounts, shapes, sizes, and combinations of fillers and matrix. This paper proposes an electromagnetic method for determination of metallic fillers concentration in composite materials from metallic fillers embedded in polyester matrix. The bulk resistivity and dielectric permittivity were measured but these measurements are less influenced by the fillers concentration. The amplitude measurement of e.m.f induced in the reception coil of the focalized electromagnetic transducer and their averaging for the scanning of a relative large zone of the composite has proven to be an efficient method. The average amplitude linearly decreases with the increasing of fillers concentration, and has different values for Cu and AISI 316 fillers.

The classical method of teaching human anatomy to students is based on the dissection of human cadavers. Nowadays, there are many ethical controversy regarding the use of human cadavers during anatomy courses. In our study we tried to get undergraduate students’ opinion about some different techniques of teaching human anatomy, including the utility of plastic models. We introduced in this study 163 students in the first year of their study at the Faculty of General Medicine from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Tirgu Mures. The respondents were asked to fill in a 12-item anonymous questionnaire. Based on the answers provided in the questionnaires we divided the 163 respondents into 2 groups: group A comprising 113 (69.32%) respondents who found that the best method of teaching anatomy is cadaver dissection and group B comprising 50 (30.67%) respondents who found that the best method of teaching is not cadaver dissection. Thus, 20 (12.26%) respondents considered that the best method of teaching anatomy is the use of previously dissected and preserved preparations, 4 (2.45%) indicated the use of plastic models as the best method, 24 (14.72%) would prefer 3D techniques of image reconstruction and 2 (1.22%) respondents found that the best method of teaching anatomy is by Microsoft Office PowerPoint presentations. Even though there are still controversial opinions regarding the use of cadaver dissection in teaching and learning human anatomy, especially ethical and psychological ones, cadaver dissection remains the best method of teaching anatomy to undergraduate students in medical schools.

The acoustic comfort includes the protection against noise and it is closely related to the sound absorption concept. This paper presents an experimental study on sound absorption coefficients, for some composite materials: waste materials (rubber crumbs, textile, flax fibers) mixed with rigid polyurethane foam as binder. The composite materials were characterized both acoustically (sound absorption coefficient) and also in terms of heat transfer (thermal conductivity). The acoustic absorption coefficient was determined using the impedance tube and the influence of structure of these materials on the sound absorbing properties was analyzed. The experimental results show the sound absorption performances of some composites based on recycled waste materials, thus promoting environmentally friendly solutions.

Because cyancobalamin deficiency is commonly treated with parenteral adminstration, the present study aims to make a comparison between the effectiveness of parenteral vitamin B12 treatment and the effectiveness of local treatment achieved by complete dentures improved by crosslinked polymerization using as template vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin).