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The objective of the work was to obtain materials with aromatherapeutic and antibacterial properties by applying emulsions based on peppermint essential oil (PEO) onto cotton fabric. For this purpose, some emulsions based on PEO incorporated in various matrices (chitosan + gelatin + beeswax; chitosan + beeswax; gelatin + beeswax and gelatin + chitosan) were prepared. Tween 80 was used as a synthetic emulsifier. The influence of the nature of matrices and of the concentration of Tween 80 on the stability of the emulsions was evaluated by the creaming indices. The materials treated with the stable emulsions were analyzed in terms of sensory activity, of the comfort characteristics, and of the gradual release of the PEO in the artificial perspiration solution. The sum of volatile components retained by samples after exposure to air was determined by GC-MS. The results regarding antibacterial activity showed that materials treated with emulsions have a good inhibitory effect on S. aureus (diameters of the inhibition zones between 53.6 and 64.0 mm) and on E. coli (diameters of the inhibition zones between 38.3 and 64.0 mm). Our data suggest that by applying peppermint-oil-based emulsions on a cotton support, aromatherapeutic patches, bandages and dressings with antibacterial properties can be obtained.

Blend films of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and keratoses (KOx) were prepared using water as a common solvent. Aqueous solution of KOx from wool was extracted via oxidation using peracetic acid, and different amounts of PVA were added and blended to obtain films by solution casting method. Blend films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and tensile measurement. The scanning electron microscopy investigation showed that with decreasing PVA amount, film surface becomes rough and uneven. Thermal behavior and Fourier transform infrared analysis pointed that the two polymers have no covalent interaction each other. Also, it is to be noted that increasing the amount of PVA in the blend from 70 to 100% improved the tensile strength of blend films, and the elongation at break increases dramatically in films containing 70–100% of PVA. Moreover, blends containing 90 and 100% of KOx were too brittle for films production.

A large amount of wool produced in the EU region is coarse and of low quality. The limited or nonutilization of such coarse wool leads to landfilling causing environmental pollution. In this paper, we studied the properties of keratin hydrolyzate, produced by a sustainable hydrolysis process, to be used as a foaming agent in foam dyeing of cotton and wool fabrics. This is a preliminary step on the way to find possible applications which overcome the environmental problem of wool waste and byproducts. We report for the first time the use of keratin hydrolyzate as a foaming auxiliary in the textile dyeing process. The surface tension, molecular weight, foam stability, blow ratio, and bubble size of keratin hydrolyzate in aqueous solutions with and without dyeing auxiliaries were determined. The dyeing influential parameter such as wet pickup was studied to identify their effect on dye fixation and color strength. The foam dyeing was compared with conventional cold-pad batch and pad-steam processes for cotton and wool, respectively. In the investigated variant, keratin hydrolyzate shows a reduction in surface tension, good foam stability along with dyeing auxiliaries, a blow ratio of about 10:1, and 0.02-0.1 mm diameter bubble sizes. These results make possible its application as a foaming agent. Cotton and wool fabrics were dyed using reactive and acid dyes respectively, on a horizontal padding mangle. In both cases, hydrolyzed keratin acts as a carrier for dye molecules and the mechanism of dyeing depends on the respective pH of the dye solution, keratin, and fiber. Foam dyeing of cotton resulted in comparable color strength, while wool shows higher color strength when compared with conventional dyeing processes. Washing and rubbing fastness of cotton and wool foam dyed fabrics are similar to the respective conventional dyed fabrics. The combinations of sustainable keratin hydrolyzate production and its use as an eco-friendly, biodegradable foaming agent in less add on foam dyeing technology resulted not only in saving of large amounts of water and energy but also will be helpful in minimizing a load on effluent and the environment.

In this article we show that poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fibers obtained from the recycling process of PET bottles can be chemically modified and used to create materials destined to become clothing articles. The modifications of the characteristics of PET fibers through saponification and aminolysis reactions have been studied. The work represents a comparative study of the behavior of PET virgin (of synthesis) fibers versus recycled PET fibers (from PET bottles). Comparisons have been made between the modifications which appear in physical and chemical structures, thermal stability, mechanical properties, and dyeability under the action of some reactions with NaOH, with ethylene diamine, or with their mixture at 20 °C. The FTIR, SEM, EDAX, XRD, DSC, and TGA analyses made evident the differences/similarities between the two types of studied polyester fibers. The recycled PET fibers are much less crystalline, more stable at high temperature, and easier to dye with nonspecific (anionic and cationic)...

The paper presents different physical-chemical treatment applications for textile effluents (i.e. one-single or mixed treatment stages as coagulation-flocculation, homogenous advanced oxidation with hydrogen peroxide as Fenton-like processes, sorption applied for different textile wastewaters followed by sedimentation and/or filtration). The efficiencies of textile wastewater treatments in terms of effluent quality, treatment degree, and optimal operating parameters (i.e. pH, concentration of chemical reagents and materials used, temperature, operating regime, and time) are discussed, together with some restrictions and recommendations. These data concerning different effluent treatments are useful to the environmental management staff but also to all employees that adopted an environmental attitude (EA) in all them behaviour. The concern of solving inside environmental problems (mainly focused on quality of final effluent discharge in aquatic receptor and/or treated effluent recycling), and acting into an ethical, legal and viable manner is necessary and obligatory in the present condition of fresh water deficit, pollution increasing of natural surface water resources, and its variety and/or complexity.

The paper presents some data from our laboratory-setup experiments of homogenous oxidative processes with hydrogen peroxide (i.e. advanced Fenton oxidation processes) applied for Remazol Rosso RB dye-containing aqueous systems, especially textile effluents. Therefore, some different operating parameters (including pH, concentration of dye, H2O2 and ferrous ions, oxidation time, temperature, stirring regime, among its) were tested for determination of the best performance in effluent decoloration and dye removal, meaning the optimal values of each studied parameters for highest decoloration or dye removal.

The paper discusses a method to functionalize cotton fabrics using biologically active natural compounds to achieve the antibacterial characteristics required for medical application. The biologically active natural compounds include propolis, beeswax, and chitosan. Three 100 % cotton knitted fabrics with different degrees of compactness were impregnated in the emulsions containing the active ingredients and fabric variant G3 with the highest degree of impregnation was considered for the evaluation of the antibacterial properties and comfort characteristics. The results show that the treated cotton fabric had high antibacterial activity against both gram positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus β haemolytic, and gram negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The presence of the biologically active natural compounds on the cotton substrates modified the surface of the textile fibers as seen in the SEM images. The treatment also improved fabric comfort properties, the cotton substrates became less air permissive and more hygroscopic after the treatment. The experimental results indicated that propolis, beeswax and chitosan can be applied as an emulsion to functionalize cotton textile materials. The antibacterial performance of the functionalized fabrics suggested that the cotton fabrics treated with those biologically active natural compounds have the potentials to be used in medical fields.

Sorption is one of the several methods that have been successfully utilized for dyes removal. A large number of materials have been used as suitable sorbents for decolourization of industrial effluents: activated carbon (the most common but expensive adsorbent), polymeric resins, various low-cost adsorbents (agricultural and industrial by-products, peat, chitin, silica, bentonite, other clays, fly ash). Our paper is a review about our researches regarding different types of industrial and agricultural waste materials with sorptive properties (ashes, textile fibres, sawdust, lignin, sun flower shells, corn cob, etc.) that were utilized into textile wastewater treatment. Batch sorption experiments were carried out in order to establish the favourable conditions to uptake of dyes. The studied operating variables were: pH, sorbent dose, dyes concentration, temperature and sorption time. The sorption systems were described using Freundlich, Langmuir and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm models.

Three ethyl chitosans (ECSs) have been prepared using the ethyl chloride (AA) that was obtained in situ. Each ECS was applied on a 100% cotton fabric through a pad-dry-cure technology. Using the ANOVA as statistic method, the wrinkle-proofing effects have been determined varying the concentrations of AA (0.1-2.1mmol) and chitosan (CS) (0.1-2.1mmol). Alkylation and grafting mechanisms have been confirmed by the results of FTIR, (1)H NMR, XPS, SEM, DSC and termogravimetric analyses. The performances of each ECS as wrinkle-proofing agent have been revealed through quantitative methods (taking-up degree, wrinkle-recovering angle, tensile strength and effect's durability). The ECSs confer wrinkle-recovering angle and tensile strength higher than those of the witness sample. Durability of ECSs grafted on cotton have been demonstrated by a good capacity of dyeing with non-specific (acid/anionic and cationic) dyes under severe working conditions (100°C, 60min) and a good antimicrobial capacity.

This article is a review of the principals techniques used in the treatment of cholangiocarcinoma, aims at identifying the most frecquent and valuable methods of therapy. Moreover, its purpose is to emphasize the role of high technology in the cholangiocarcinoma treatment. The multimodal approach in cholangiocarcinoma treatment, involving hepatobiliary surgery, endoscopic biliary or percutaneous drainage as well as other controversial therapies (for example, the photodynamic therapy) represent a progress in biliary tract tumors but at the same time requires an highly developed technology being an essential circumstance for obtaining good results. Thus, it can be said that top technology associated with highly qualified human resources opens a new horizon in cholangiocarcinoma treatment.

Nanomedicine is a top developing domain. However, there are neither sound rules, nor a proper legislation that might regulate the ethics in this domain. Here we discuss the main topics pertaining to the ethics in nanomedicine at this time. From issues such as equity and discrimination, to profound modifications of the human body, far beyond the limit of human and non-human, there are many ethical aspects that can give rise to conflicting opinions.

Robotic surgery and telemedicine become wide spread in medical world and these techniques are used more and more in a large number of surgical interventions. The limits of all these modern technologies are pushed by surgeons, required by patients and stimulated by industry. There is a concern regarding the accelerating evolution of technology which may lead to some fantastic scenarios such as autonomous surgeon, criminal interference during a telesurgical intervention and other aspects. In this article the ethical issues of the robotic surgery and telemedicine are debated in order to initiate the development of a set of ethical rules in this field.

Minimally invasive surgery was developed as a necessity to improve the quality of life after surgical interventions, to decrease the costs of hospitalization and to shorten recovery of the patient. Rapid development and the growing complexity of minimally invasive surgery are arguments for implementing a comprehensive training method to acquire special technical skills. The paper presents the development of an training platform for hepatic minimally invasive surgery using parallel robots, which focuses on two important aspects: the training of surgeons in laparoscopic liver surgery and the possibility of interactive pre-planning of the surgical procedure in a virtual environment.

Three-dimensional reconstructions of the liver will be used to develop a new laparoscopic liver surgery simulator. The first step on this way is to develop a realistic virtual model from CT-scans, and then, using finite element analysis, consistency will be associated with different structures and tumors within the liver. This study aims to find the best way to obtain a 3D liver reconstruction with inner structures which will be used later for a finite element analysis. The protocols for slices acquisition from CT-scanner are presented. Also a comparison between reconstructions with dedicated software from CT-scanner providers (method 1) and image reconstruction software (method 2) are performed. The first method obtains 3D reconstructions faster than the second method, but these images cannot be used for a finite element analysis. On the other hand the second method obtains 3D reconstructions harder, but these images can be used for finite element analysis and utilized later to develop a virtual environment for integration in laparoscopic simulator.

A case of mucormycosis localized in the brain is reported in a subject aged 18 years who was not suffering from diabetes. As the patient displayed symptoms of cerebral compression he was operated upon and a cystic formation was excised. Microscopic examination disclosed the presence of hyphae, displaying the characteristics of mucor, in chronic granulation tissue. The mycelia had a tendency to develop in the vessels and to invade them, and a structure very similar to a sporangium could be observed. Some of the mycelia had undergone dystrophic calcification. The patient has been kept under medical supervision for two and a half years since the operation and appears to have completely recovered.

The textile wastewaters have a diverse composition depending both on the used raw materials and applied manufacturing technologies. These wastewaters may contain various pollutants such as organic compounds (e.g. residual dyes), suspended solids, metal ions etc. Most of dyes are synthetic compounds with aromatic molecular structures and non-biodegradable. The oxidative destruction via homogenous oxidation processes with hydrogen peroxide (simple chemical oxidation with H2O2 or advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) as Fenton oxidation, ozonation, photo-oxidation and photo-Fenton oxidation etc.) are attractive alternatives to conventional treatments, easy to be applied and not so expensive. The use of H2O2 in AOPs has the advantage that the decomposition products of organic pollutants are common harmless compounds. Moreover, H2O2 decomposes itself in water and oxygen. This paper is a review of authors’ researches regarding homogenous oxidation with hydrogen peroxide applied for different types of textile dyes in order to perform high textile dye removals considering some relevant factors: pH, agitation regime, temperature, H2O2 concentration, textile dye concentration, oxidation time, ferrous or metallic ions concentration, etc.