Mixture of Graphene Oxide/Phosphoric Acid/Melamine as Coating for Improved Fire Protective Performance and Enhancement of Surface Electrical Properties on Wood Chipboard

Looking for multifunctional materials, an assessment of the performances both as fire retardant and generator of electrically conductive surfaces for a three component mixture of graphene oxide, phosphoric acid and melamine applied on wood chipboard was performed. A simple approach was used to investigate the intumescent char formation and quantify the loss mass during vertical burning tests, in which the prepared samples were exposed for a certain time interval to a flame generated by an ethanol lamp in ambient conditions. Moreover, mass loss evolution and structural changes that occur during the burning process were more comprehensive investigated by differential thermal and thermogravimetric (DTA/TGA) techniques. By comparing the performances between the wood chipboard samples without any coverage and those covered with one or multiple component mixture, an increase of protection against the fire action was noticed when the three component mixture was used. Also, an improvement of the electrical properties was observed, after flame exposure of the samples covered with multiple layers (i.e., two and three), when the three component mixture was used. Morphological and structural investigations by microscopy (optical and electronic-SEMEDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and spectral (Raman, FTIR) methods are described. An assessment of market potential is also discussed.

Does cryostripping add anything to the treatment of the ascending thrombophlebitis of the great saphenous vein?

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the differences of outcome between cryostripping and conservative therapy in the treatment of superficial vein thrombosis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed between the October of 2001 and the October of 2014. In all, 246 cases were eligible for the study. High ligation, cryostripping and local thrombectomy was carried out on 94 patients with thrombophlebitis of the proximal part of the great saphenous vein. Thromboembolic events, the presence of residual varices and time for recovery were compared to 152 cases treated conservatively because of superficial vein thrombosis.

RESULTS

Thromboembolic events were found without significant difference (mean ± SD for surgery: 1.11 ± 0.60 and conservative therapy: 1.11 ± 0.55; p = 0.988) in each group. The presence of residual varices (mean ± SD for surgery: 1.03 ± 0.52 and conservative therapy: 1.42 ± 0.99; p = 0.001) and the time for recovery (mean ± SD for surgery: 15 ± 10.50 and conservative therapy: 26 ± 12.32; p < 0.001) were more favourable in the cryostripping group.

CONCLUSION

Our analysis confirmed that cryostripping does not result in a lower risk for thromboembolic complications due to superficial vein thrombosis but can be an alternative method to treat the ascending thrombophlebitis of the great saphenous vein because it has some advantages over conservative treatment on the short term.

Efficacy of nizatidine, clarithromycin and bismuth subcitrate therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication in duodenal ulcer patients--a preliminary report

The triple combination of nizatidine, clarithromycin, and bismuth subcitrate resulted in an ulcer healing rate of 98% and an H. pylori eradication rate of 90%. Corresponding 'intention-to-treat' figures were 92% and 84%, respectively. These results suggest that further studies, shorter in duration, using lower dosages, and possibly testing other combinations with a double-blind methodology, are required.