Problemas de durabilidad de los materiales de construcción arqueológicos en ambientes acuosos y subaéreos, con aplicaciones a la restauración y conservación en Egipto y Sudán.

The main objective of the study was to identify and assess the conservation problems of the building materials of each case study and compare the aggressive impacts of each environment on the sustainability of the construction materials. Carefully, the construction materials (limestone, sandy limestone, sandstone, lime mortars, gypsum, hydraulic lime mortar/roman mortar) were selected from different archaeological sites with different environmental conditions in Egypt and Sudan (desert: Sahure?s pyramid and pyramids of Meroe; urban/agricultural: Nero/Ramses II Temple; coastal: Anfushi?s Necropolis; and fluvial: Abaton/Osiris Temple). To achieve this goal, field observations, analytical (X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, Raman spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectrometry), microscopic (binocular microscope, polarizing microscope and scanning electron microscope), mapping (AutoCAD, ArcMap 10.8, SeaDAS, QGIS), and physical and mechanical testing investigations were carried out. Furthermore, open-access satellite lenses were used for the detection and assessment of the archaeological sites and their risks, and, the deterioration patterns of each case study were recorded through decay mappings. Finally, to preserve the lime mortar surfaces, a newly synthesized nanomaterial of SiO2-TiO2 NPs/TEOS was applied and tested. The results showed the severity of each factor on the construction materials. In this sense, Sahure?s pyramid was affected mainly by climatic and environmental factors, earthquakes and the inner composition of the building materials. Nero/Ramses II Temple showed its susceptivity mainly from the salt attack which came from the contaminated sources of water around the temple. Water intrusion, earthquakes, storms, and heavy rains factors attacked Anfushi?s Necropolis severely. Abaton/Osiris Temple was decayed because of Nile water fluctuations impact and the inner weakness of the temple sandstones. In Sudan, the pyramids of Meroe were damaged because of the sand dunes and wind forces, in addition to the flooding risks. Finally, and concerning to the heritage conservation, the research exhibited the efficacy of the multifunctional 3% and 5% SiO2-TiO2 NPs/TEOS in the consolidation and improvement of the physical and mechanical ancient lime mortars

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially

Global economic burden of unmet surgical need for appendicitis

Background There is a substantial gap in provision of adequate surgical care in many low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to identify the economic burden of unmet surgical need for the common condition of appendicitis. Methods Data on the incidence of appendicitis from 170 countries and two different approaches were used to estimate numbers of patients who do not receive surgery: as a fixed proportion of the total unmet surgical need per country (approach 1); and based on country income status (approach 2). Indirect costs with current levels of access and local quality, and those if quality were at the standards of high-income countries, were estimated. A human capital approach was applied, focusing on the economic burden resulting from premature death and absenteeism. Results Excess mortality was 4185 per 100 000 cases of appendicitis using approach 1 and 3448 per 100 000 using approach 2. The economic burden of continuing current levels of access and local quality was US $92 492 million using approach 1 and$73 141 million using approach 2. The economic burden of not providing surgical care to the standards of high-income countries was $95 004 million using approach 1 and$75 666 million using approach 2. The largest share of these costs resulted from premature death (97.7 per cent) and lack of access (97.0 per cent) in contrast to lack of quality. Conclusion For a comparatively non-complex emergency condition such as appendicitis, increasing access to care should be prioritized. Although improving quality of care should not be neglected, increasing provision of care at current standards could reduce societal costs substantially