Thermogravimetric study on thermal degradation kinetics and polymer interactions in mixed thermoplastics

Potential interactions during thermal degradation of polymer blends significantly influence product yields and their composition. Therefore, chemical recycling of plastic waste requires fundamental understanding of feedstock dependency for effective process design. This study investigates the pyrolysis of polymer blends (HDPE, LDPE, PP, PS, ABS, PET, PA6, PVC) through thermogravimetric experiments at different heating rates. Sample homogeneity’s impact on interactions is analyzed using particles, powder, coextruded blends, and samples in crucibles with separated compartments. A kinetic model is presented to support the experimental findings, assuming linear superposition of individual polymer kinetics. A proposed grouping of thermoplastics, reflecting their degradation behavior and potential interactions, correlates with the polymer structure. Observed interactions, particularly in blends of heteroatom-containing polymers (N, O, Cl), are accelerated reactions and coke formation. Hence, the model accurately predicts the degradation of heteroatom-free polymer mixtures but encounters challenges with more complex blends. This comprehensive study emphasizes the importance of feedstock composition for future pyrolytic polymer recycling

Different patterns of pelvic ureteral endometriosis. What is the best treatment? Results of a retrospective analysis

Objective. Endometriosis is an estrogendependent disease. The incidence of urinary tract endometriosis (UE) increased during the last few years and, nowadays, it ranges from 0.3 to 12% of all women affected by the disease. The ureter is the second most common site affected. The ureteral endometriosis is classified in extrinsic and intrinsic. The aim of this study is to individuate the best treatments for each subset of ureteral endometriosis. Materials and Methods. 32 patients diagnosed with surgically treated UE were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into 3 subsets (intrinsic UE, extrinsic UE with and without obstruction). The patients with intrinsic UE (n = 10) were treated with laser endoureterotomy. The patients with extrinsic UE (n = 22) were divided in two subsets with (n = 16) and without (n = 6) hydronephrosis. All the patients underwent ureteral stenting, and resection and reimplantation was performed in the first group, and when the mass was > 2.5 cm (n = 3) Boari flap was performed. Laparoscopic ureterolysis (shaving) was performed in the second group. Results. In the extrinsic subset of UE, we obtained an high therapeutic success (84%). Conversely, in the intrinsic subset there was a recurrence rate of the disease in 6/10 of the patients (60%). Conclusions. Ureterolysis seems to be a good treatment in extrinsic UE without obstruction. Resection and reimplantation allows excellent results in the extrinsic UE with obstruction. In the intrinsic subset, the endoureterotomy approach is inadequate

Cryotherapy for low risk prostate cancer, oncological and functional medium term outcomes : A three center prospective study

Objectives: Analyze the oncologic and functional outcomes in patients affected by low risk prostate cancer underwent prostate cryotherapy. Materiasl and methods: It's a prospective tricentric study of 434 patients treated with prostate cryoablation for low risk prostate cancer. By low risk we refer to the D'Amico's risk classification. Two cycles of freezing/thawing are run for each patient following the technique described by Onik. Results: For the 434 patients, the median age was 66 years with a standard deviation of \uc2\ub1 6.68, the average PSA was 6.17 ng/d/L, the median 5.55 with a standard deviation of \uc2\ub1 2.13, the mean prostate volume was 35.59 cc, the median 34.00 cc, with a standard deviation of \uc2\ub1 7.89. Biochemical failure occurred in 67 patients (15.4%). Pre-operative erectile function in men was distributed as follows: severe in 95 patients (19.2%), moderate in 95 (19.2%), medium-moderate in 180 (36.4%), mild in 92 (18.6%), with no dysfunction in 32 (6.5%) patients. Post-operative erectile function, measured 1 month after cryotherapy, was distributed as follows: severe in 321 (65%) patients, moderate in 69 (14%), medium-moderate in 79 (16%), mild in 23 (4.7%), and no dysfunction in only 2 patients (0.4%). Post-operative erectile function after 3 months was distributed as follows: severe in 233 (47.2%) patients, moderate in 66 (13.4%), medium-moderate in 122 (24.7%), mild in 65 (13.2%), and no dysfunction in 8 patients (1.6%). Urinary incontinence was present in 21 patients (4.8%) after 3 months while it dropped to 13 patients (2.9%) after 6 months. Conclusions: Cryotherapy in the treatment of prostate cancer remains a viable alternative. The availability of new cryoprobes and the use of new diagnostic means such as fusion magnetic resonance will make this more precise and more effective method

Basal ganglia correlates of fatigue in young adults

Although the prevalence of chronic fatigue is approximately 20% in healthy individuals, there are no studies of brain structure that elucidate the neural correlates of fatigue outside of clinical subjects. We hypothesized that fatigue without evidence of disease might be related to changes in the basal ganglia and prefrontal cortex and be implicated in fatigue with disease. We aimed to identify the white matter structures of fatigue in young subjects without disease using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Healthy young adults (n = 883; 489 males and 394 females) were recruited. As expected, the degrees of fatigue and motivation were associated with larger mean diffusivity (MD) in the right putamen, pallidus and caudate. Furthermore, the degree of physical activity was associated with a larger MD only in the right putamen. Accordingly, motivation was the best candidate for widespread basal ganglia, whereas physical activity might be the best candidate for the putamen. A plausible mechanism of fatigue may involve abnormal function of the motor system, as well as areas of the dopaminergic system in the basal ganglia that are associated with motivation and reward