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Innovative application of Steelmaking slag from ladle furnace as filler for recycled nitrile butadiene rubber industrial scrap
No full textBowman's layer and corneal thickness in health and disease
No full textPurpose To investigate central Bowman's layer thickness (BT) in relation to central corneal thickness (CCT) and curvature, and epithelial thickness in healthy and disease corneas. Methods Patients with keratoconus (KC), corneal dystrophies (CD) and healthy controls (HC) were included. Linnik and Mirau versions of an ultra-high axial resolution line field spectral domain optical coherence tomography device were used to image the cornea, in addition to commercially available devices. A supervised automated segmentation process was used to extract the quasi-point thickness of Bowman's layer. Results 62 participants: 24 with KC, 20 with CD and 18 HC were included. Mean central BT was 15.41 mu m (SD 0.49; min-max: 12.28-19.54) in HC, 14.27 mu m (SD:0.43; min-max: 11.22-18.25) in KC and 15.65 mu m (SD 0.64; min-max: 12.42-20.06) in CD (mainly Fuchs CD). Patients with KC had thinner central BT than those with CD (p=0.03), but not compared with HC (p=0.13). Central BT was significantly associated with CCT (p<0.01), being on average 3% of CCT. The ratio of BT to CCT was independent of diagnosis (CD 0.028, HC 0.030, KC 0.028, p=0.88), age (p=0.23), sex (p=0.67), Kmax (p=0.77) or epithelial thickness (p=0.72). Conclusions Over sample populations of healthy, keratoconic and dystrophic corneas, central BT was consistently associated with corneal thickness and was independent of age, sex, Kmax, and epithelial thickness
Technological refinements in transoral laser exoscopic surgery: the VITOM EAGLE
Get PDFTraditionally, microscopes have been the primary magnification tools in head and neck surgery, offering excellent illumination, augmentation, and three-dimensional (3D) visualisation. More recently, exoscopes such as the VITOM 3D from Karl Storz, have emerged. These devices utilise high-definition cameras to project 3D views onto a screen, enabling the entire surgical team to observe the procedure while the first operator assumes a more ergonomic position during surgery. VITOM 3D enhances surgical accuracy and team collaboration, although it presents challenges including difficulties with focus at high magnification and less stable coupling with adjunctive tools. To address these limitations, the VITOM EAGLE exoscope was recently introduced. Weighing 4 kg, it features a 6X optical and 2X digital zoom, 4K resolution, stepless focus adjustment, and a 90° viewing angle. It offers improved ergonomics even compared to the previous VITOM 3D, better laser coupling stability, and enhanced visualisation capabilities, especially at higher magnification. The VITOM EAGLE’s controls include an IMAGE1 PILOT, footswitch, and head buttons, managing functions like focus, zoom, brightness, and image capture. Despite its advancements, some details, like the smoothness of the robotic arm, still require refinement. In our clinical practice, several cases were managed with the use of the VITOM 3D and, more recently, with VITOM EAGLE, some of which are illustrated herein
Discoid Lupus Erythematosus: A Comparative Evaluation Between Line-Field Confocal Optical Coherence Tomography and Histology in a Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study
No full text: Discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) is the most common variant of cutaneous lupus. Histopathology remains the gold standard for diagnosis, but it carries a risk of scarring in a disease already prone to cicatricial outcomes. Additionally, diagnostic delays may occur due to variable processing times, particularly in challenging cases. Line-field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC-OCT) is a novel non-invasive imaging technique offering high-resolution, histology-like features. This study evaluates its diagnostic accuracy in DLE by assessing concordance with histopathology. A cross-sectional study enrolled histologically confirmed DLE from three tertiary referral hospitals. Eleven histological criteria were assessed using LC-OCT and subsequently compared to histopathology. Concordance was evaluated using Cohen's Kappa coefficient (K), with McNemar's test applied to detect significant differences (α = 0.05). Twenty-eight patients with DLE participated in the study. LC-OCT demonstrated strong agreement with histopathology in key diagnostic features of DLE. Near-perfect concordance (K = 1, 100% agreement) was observed for interface dermatitis, dermal vessel dilation, epidermal atrophy, and incontinentia pigmenti. Substantial agreement was found for epidermal disarray (K = 0.85), spongiosis (K = 0.70), necrotic keratinocytes (K = 0.70), and infundibular dilation (K = 0.79). Overall, LC-OCT achieved a Cohen's Kappa of 0.74 with 87.66% concordance, and no statistically significant differences were observed between the two methods (McNemar p = 0.627). LC-OCT is a rapid, effective, and non-invasive diagnostic tool for DLE, demonstrating strong concordance with histopathology and potential for early diagnosis and clinical implementation
Prescription Patterns in Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK): A European Survey
No full textPurpose:To assess current prescription patterns in Descemet Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK) in Europe.Setting:Countries affiliated with the European Cornea and Cell Transplantation Registry (ECCTR) and the European Vision Institute Clinical Research Network (EVICR.net).Design:Cross-sectional study (European survey).Methods:An electronic survey was distributed to 16 national societies to gather data on prescription patterns for DMEK. Responses were categorized by three clinical goals: prevention of postoperative endophthalmitis, graft rejection, and pupillary block and glaucoma.Results:Responses from 136 surgeons revealed that medication protocols mainly came from departmental protocols (54%) or personal experiences (48%) rather than national guidelines (22%) (multiple answers were allowed). Infection prevention primarily relied on intraoperative (72%) and postoperative (92%) antibiotics, with preoperative use less common (18%). Steroids were the mainstay for rejection prevention, used intraoperatively (59%), postoperatively (100%), and occasionally preoperatively (13%). Steroids were typically tapered to once daily after six months (46%) and discontinued after varying durations (65%). Dexamethasone was the preferred steroid. For high-risk DMEK, the most common approach was adding another topical (30%) or systemic immunosuppressive drug (24%), such as cyclosporine or mycophenolate. For graft rejection, most respondents increased topical steroid frequency (85%) or added (peri)bulbar steroid injections (42%). Pupillary block and glaucoma prophylaxis mainly involved intraoperative mydriatics (34%); intraocular pressure-lowering agents were rarely used (0.7-2.2%). For steroid-induced ocular hypertension, the common approach was switching to a lower-potency steroid (40%) or reducing steroid frequency (43%).Conclusions:Current prescription patterns in routine and high-risk DMEK vary significantly, reflecting the lack of standardized guidelines
Real-life Experience of Bimekizumab in 27 Obese Patients With Plaque-type Psoriasis: a 24-week Multicenter Retrospective Study
No full textPenile vascular status in young men living with HIV experiencing erectile dysfunction: A comparative cross‐sectional pilot study
No full textBackground: Erectile dysfunction in people living with HIV is a multifactorial disease, but the role of penile vascular status assessed by dynamic penile color Doppler echography is underexplored. Objectives: This study assessed penile vascular status in young males living with HIV experiencing erectile dysfunction, comparing them to HIV-negative controls stratified into young (12 months and HIV-negative individuals presenting with erectile dysfunction. We used dynamic penile color Doppler echography to evaluate penile vascular parameters such as peak systolic velocity, intima-media thickness, and end-diastolic velocity. Statistical analyses, including k-means clustering and stepwise multivariate logistic regression, assessed associations between clinical variables and vascular parameters. Results: Of 310 young males living with HIV screened, 50 (16.1%) reported erectile dysfunction and were enrolled, with 97 HIV-negative individuals included as controls. Pathological intima-media thickness was significantly higher (p = 0.004) in young males living with HIV (76%) than in young controls (49%) but comparable to middle-aged controls (76.1%). Stepwise multivariate logistic regression identified belonging to the young control group, compared to young males living with HIV, as a protective factor against pathological intima-media thickness (OR 0.353, 95% CI 0.138–0.902, p = 0.0295), while increasing age was a significant risk factor (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.01–1.18, p = 0.0247). Relative inhomogeneity of clusters was tested demonstrating that membership in either the people living with HIV or HIV-negative group was a significant predictor of cluster assignment based on dynamic penile color Doppler echography parameters, independent of age (p = 0.0025). Discussion and conclusions: This study is the first to utilize dynamic penile color Doppler echography to evaluate erectile dysfunction in young males living with HIV, highlighting the association between HIV and early vascular alterations. Clinicians should incorporate routine sexual health evaluations into routinary out-patients visits, using erectile dysfunction as a potential indicator for further vascular screening and early intervention
Organic amendments influence soil properties, soil microbial diversity, and winter barley traits in a five-year field trial with contaminated soils at a former wood preservation site
No full textBackgroundSoil contamination with metal(loid)s and organic pollutants creates environmental and health concerns, driving the need for sustainable remediation strategies. Organic amendments can mitigate contamination effects, enhancing soil quality, and potentially increasing biomass production; however, their long-term influence remains an open question. In a five-year field experiment at a former wood-preservation site, this study evaluates the effects of five organic amendments-fresh pig manure (PM), biodigested pig manure (PD), compost (C), compost pellets (Pt), and green waste compost (G)-on Cu-contaminated soils. Here, we evaluated their impacts on physico-chemical soil properties, metal bioavailability, microbial community structure, plant growth and soil fertility. ResultsAll amendments led to an overall soil improvement, including enhanced physico-chemical properties, increased enzyme activities. The amendments promoted the concentration of soil 16S bacterial genes and improved the yield of winter barley cultivated in the plots. The most abundant phyla detected across soil samples were Actinobacteriota, Proteobacteria, and Firmicutes, with Bacillus, Streptomyces, and Bradyrhizobium among the dominant genera. Compost-based amendments at 5% w/w addition rate (C5 and Pt5) showed the most promising results, significantly increasing soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus contents, while reducing bioavailability of Cd, Ni, Pb, and Zn compared with untreated control plots (p < 0.01). A decrease in Cu availability was observed but it was not significant. The Pt5 soils exhibited the highest 16S rRNA gene copy number (p < 0.01). Both compost and compost pellets amendments enriched microbial communities associated with soil quality and plant yield, leading to significant improvements in soil fertility and barley yield (+ 200% on average). ConclusionThis integrative approach identified organic amendments, notably compost and pelleted compost, that effectively contribute to soil remediation from multiple perspectives: chemical properties (pH, organic content, nutrients), reduction of bioavailable soil Cd and Zn, enzyme activities, microbial abundance and diversity (16S rRNA), and winter barley yield. The study evidenced signature biomarkers characteristic of healthy soils (Paenibacillus, Lysinibacillus, and Agromyces) and polluted soils (Candidatus Solibacter and Mycobacterium). Our findings support the use of compost (raw and pelleted) as a balanced approach for phyto-managing metal-contaminated soils, reducing 1 M NH4NO3-extractable soil Cd and Zn while enhancing microbial activity and soil fertility
Effect of Tightening Torque on Bearing Performance of Kevlar Fiber Composite Bolted Joints Produced by Additive Manufacturing
No full textComposite materials are common in industries like aerospace, automotive, construction, and wind energy. Understanding the behavior of composite bolted joints is crucial but challenging due to fiber anisotropy and stress concentration. Factors influencing joint efficiency include washer size, bolt torque, and hole-to-edge distance. Studies suggest that higher clamping pressure improves bearing strength and affects failure mechanisms in composites. Additive Manufacturing (AM), particularly using continuous fibers, has enabled new customized composites with enhanced mechanical properties. Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) is a key method, but there is limited research on the bearing behavior of FFF composites and the role of geometric parameters. While joint failure modes are well studied, data on the effect of torque on bolted joints in additively manufactured composites is scarce. This study investigates the mechanical behavior of these joints under various torques, focusing on bearing behavior, strain fields, and deformation
Carbon Transition in the Automotive Industry: what are stakeholders’ expectations?
No full textFrame of the research. The automotive sector is undergoing an unprecedented transformation. The success of their transition depends on identifying viable alternatives and understanding stakeholder expectations toward the industry’s future.
Purpose of the paper. The aim of this study is to shed light on the stakeholders’ public discourse on the low-carbon transition of the European automotive sector.
Methodology. We carried out a qualitative analysis using data from European and international newspapers from 2020 to 2024, in particular: Financial Times (London), the Guardian (London), the Time (London), New York Times (International Edition).
Results. We found that electric vehicles dominate discussions, with strong support from the automotive industry despite concerns over charging infrastructure and affordability. Academic institutions focus more on hydrogen solutions, though skepticism remains about scalability. While automakers prioritize production and sales, cities and mobility
providers emphasize shared mobility and public transport.
Research limitations. This study relies on media sentiment analysis, which captures prevailing discourse but may not fully represent all stakeholder perspectives, and it is limited to European context.
Managerial implications. The findings suggest that policymakers and industry leaders must address critical barriers such as infrastructure expansion, policy coherence, and affordability. Strengthening incentives for consumers, improving public charging networks, and fostering cross-sector collaboration will be essential to accelerate the transition.
Originality of the paper. By integrating Stakeholder Theory and the Multi-Level Perspective on socio-technical transitions, this paper offers a comprehensive framework for identifying viable alternatives and analyzing stakeholder expectations for a sustainable and equitable automotive future