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High electrical conductivity, along with high piezoresistive sensitivity and stretchability, are crucial for designing and developing nanocomposite strain sensors for damage sensing and on-line structural health monitoring of smart carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites. In this study, the influence of the geometric features and loadings of carbon-based nanomaterials, including reduced graphene oxide (rGO) or carbon nanofibers (CNFs), on the tunable strain-sensing capabilities of epoxy-based nanocomposites was investigated. This work revealed distinct strain-sensing behavior and sensitivities (gauge factor, GF) depending on both factors. The highest GF values were attained with 0.13 wt.% of rGO at various strains. The stability and reproducibility of the most promising self-sensing nanocomposites were also evaluated through ten stretching/relaxing cycles, and a distinct behavior was observed. While the deformation of the conductive network formed by rGO proved to be predominantly elastic and reversible, nanocomposite sensors containing 0.714 wt.% of CNFs showed that new conductive pathways were established between neighboring CNFs. Based on the best results, formulations were selected for the manufacturing of pre-impregnated materials and related smart CFRP composites. Digital image correlation was synchronized with electrical resistance variation to study the strain-sensing capabilities of modified CFRP composites (at 90° orientation). Promising results were achieved through the incorporation of CNFs since they are able to form new conductive pathways and penetrate between micrometer-sized fibers.

Background: Dupilumab has been shown to be a safe and effective drug for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD) in children from 6 months to 11 years in randomized clinical trials. Aim: The aim of this real-life study was to determine the effectiveness in disease control and safety of dupilumab at W52 in moderate-to-severe AD children aged 6-11 years. Methods: All data were collected from 36 Italian dermatological or paediatric referral centres. Dupilumab was administered at label dosage with an induction dose of 300 mg on day 1 (D1), followed by 300 mg on D15 and 300 mg every 4 weeks (Q4W). Treatment effect was determined as overall disease severity, using EASI, P-NRS, S-NRS and c-DLQI at baseline, W16, W24, and W52. Ninety-six AD children diagnosed with moderate-to-severe AD and treated with dupilumab were enrolled. Results: Ninety-one (94.8%) patients completed the 52-week treatment period and were included in the study. A significant improvement in EASI score, P-NRS, S-NRS and c-DLQI was observed from baseline to weeks 16, 24 and 52. Conclusions: Our real-life data seem to confirm dupilumab effectiveness and safety in paediatric patients. Moreover, our experience highlighted that patients achieving clinical improvement at W16 preserved this condition over time.

During Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymers (CFRPs) manufacturing, large quantities of scrap are being produced and usually disposed to landfill or incinerated, resulting in a high environmental impact. Furthermore, CFRP parts that have been damaged or reached their end-of-life, follow the same disposal route and because of this, not only the environment is affected, but also high added-value materials, such as carbon fibres (CFs) are lost without further valorisation. Several recycling technologies have been suggested, such as pyrolysis, to retrieve the CF reinforcement from the CFRPs. However, pyrolysis produces CFs that have residual resin and pyrolytic carbon at their surface. In order to retrieve clean long fibres, oxidation treatment in high temperatures is required. The oxidation treatment, however, has a high impact on the mechanical properties of the reclaimed CFs; therefore, an optimised pyrolysis procedure of CFRPs and post-pyrolysis treatment of reclaimed fibres (rCFs) is required. In this study, CFRPs have been subjected to pyrolysis to investigate the reclamation of CF fabrics in their primal form. The temperature of 550 °C was selected as the optimum processing temperature for the investigated composites. A parametric study on the post-pyrolysis treatment was performed in order to remove the residues from the fabrics and at the same time to investigate the CFs reusability, in terms of their mechanical and surface properties.

Background: The management of paediatric atopic dermatitis (AD) is challenging, mostly relying on emollients and topical corticosteroids. Dupilumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody, has been recently approved for the treatment of children aged 6-11 years with moderate-to-severe AD not adequately controlled with topical therapies or when those therapies are not advisable., Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate in real life the effectiveness and safety of dupilumab in the treatment of children aged from 6 to 11 years., Methods: Demographic and clinical data of children aged 6-11 years, affected by moderate-to-severe AD and treated with dupilumab, were retrospectively collected from 24 dermatological and paediatric referral centres. Dupilumab was administered subcutaneously at an induction dose of 300 mg on day (D) 1, followed by 300 mg on D15 and 300 mg every 4 weeks. Disease severity was assessed at baseline and after week 2 (W2), W4 and W16 of dupilumab therapy using Eczema Area Severity Index (EASI), Pruritus Numerical Rating Scale (P-NRS) and Sleep NRS (S-NRS) and Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index (c-DLQI) score., Results: A total of 55 AD children (24 males [43.64%], 31 females [56.36%]; mean age 9.35 ± 1.75 years) were included. A significant improvement in EASI score, P-NRS, S-NRS and c-DLQI was observed from baseline to W16 of treatment with dupilumab. In particular, at W16 the proportion of patients achieving EASI75 was 74.54%. Moreover, at the same timepoint a significant mean percentage reduction for P-NRS, S-NRS and c-DLQI was also observed (68.39%, 70.22% and 79.03%, respectively)., Conclusions: Our real-life data seem to confirm the effectiveness of dupilumab in paediatric patients on all disease aspects, including extent and severity of signs, intensity of symptoms, sleep and QoL, with a good safety profile., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

In this work, different amounts of CNFs were added into a complex formulation to coat the CFs surfaces via sizing in order to enhance the bonding between the fibre and the resin in the CF-reinforced polymer composites. The sized CFs bundles were characterised by SEM and Raman. The nanomechanical properties of the composite materials produced were assessed by the nanoindentation test. The interfacial properties of the fibre and resin were evaluated by a push-out method developed on nanoindentation. The average interfacial shear strength of the fibre/matrix interface could be calculated by the critical load, sheet thickness and fibre diameter. The contact angle measurements and resin spreadability were performed prior to nanoindentation to investigate the wetting properties of the fibre. After the push-out tests, the characterisation via optical microscopy/SEM was carried out to ratify the results. It was found the CFs sizing with CNFs (1 to 10 wt%) could generally increase the interfacial shear strength but it was more cost-effective with a small amount of evenly distributed CNFs on CFs.

High energy trauma is often responsible for acute bleeding. Long bone and pelvis fractures are correlated with increased blood loss. Hypovolaemia could become a life threatening complication especially in elderly patients because of the reduced physiological response. Furthermore it could compromise the course of associated morbidities. Haemorrage is also associated in both comminuted fractures and osteoporosis. An increased intraoperative bleeding often occurs when a prolonged surgical time is required to obtain an appropriate ostheosynthesis. The final consequence of a mayor bleeding is hypovolaemic shock. The reduced oxygen tension of the tissue may be responsible for heart attack, arrhythmia, stroke, multi organ deficiency. For these reasons, it is important to immediately recognize and correct all potential bleeding in order to avoid complications.

Background and Aim: Data on maximum resting pressure (MRP) and maximum squeeze pressure (MSP) changes after hemorrhoidectomy are not univocal and follow-up of patients undergoing surgery is mostly short-lived. The aim of this study was to prospectively examine during 1-year follow-up the long-term manometric results of MRP, MSP, and ultra slow wave activity (USWA) within a set of patients undergoing Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy as compared to healthy controls., Materials and Methods: Twenty patients with hemorrhoids of third and fourth degree were enrolled and anorectal manometry was performed preoperatively, on the 5th day, and after 1, 6, and 12 months after surgery., Results: On the 5th and 30th day after hemorrhoidectomy, USWA was slightly increased as compared to preoperative status. Six and 12 months after surgery, patients with USWA were significantly less in comparison to preoperative assessment without differences with healthy subjects. After surgery, MSP values were not significantly different to baseline values. On the 5th postoperative day after hemorrhoidectomy, MRP was significantly greater than baseline preoperative values. Thirty days after surgery, MRP values were similar to those detected preoperatively, but still significantly increased as compared to healthy subjects. After 6 and 12 months, MRP values were significantly lower than those detected during preoperative phase and comparable to healthy subjects., Conclusions: Our data support that Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy induces a complete resolution of typical manometric alterations of disease and that the excision of anal cushions is responsible only for mild and transient alteration of anal continence.

Purpose: After haemorrhoidectomy the maximum resting pressure (MRP) of the anal canal is significantly increased. This increase play an important role in the making of postoperative pain. Recently, both the topical application of glyceryl trinitrate (GT) and the intrasphincter injection of botulinum toxin (Tox), resulted effective, in reducing temporary the MRP although with different mechanism of action. In this study the effectiveness and safe of contemporary injection of Tox and topical application of 300 mg/die of GT after Milligan-Morgan haemorrhoidectomy, were evaluated., Materials and Methods: Ten patients, undergoing Milligan-Morgan haemorrhoidectomy for 3rd and 4th degree haemorrhoids are included in this study. In all subjects, preoperatively and after 5 and 40 day following surgery, an ano-rectal manometry was performed. At the end of surgery, in all patients, 0.4 ml of solution containing 20UI of Tox was injected and 100 mg of 0.2% of GT was applied in the anal canal and in the perianal wounds. Afterwards the patients has been instructed to apply 100 mg of GT three times daily, for seven days. Time of perianal wounds healing, of first defecation, to return to work, of duration of surgery, of hospital stay, the complications, postoperative pain either on resting or during defecation, the analgesic consumption and side effects were recordered., Results: On the 5th and 40th postoperative day, the MRP resulted significantly reduced as compared to preoperative values. Postoperative pain either on resting or during defecation was higher on the 1st assessment, afterwards it progressively decreased. Anal incontinence was observed only in two patients, whereas headache only in one case., Conclusions: The contemporary intrasphincter injection of Tox and perianal application of 300 mg/die of GT is safe and effective, with an incidence of complications similar to those detected when this drugs are given alone.

Background: Pilonidal sinus (PS) disease of the sacrococcigeal region is an acquired condition resulting from penetration of shed hair shafts through the skin. Different types of operations have been described in the letterature. More recently fibrin glue has been used with succesfull. Aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of fibrin glue for the treatment of pilonidal sinus., Patients and Methods: Eight patients age ranged 21,8 +/- 6,5 affected by PS disease of sacrococcigeal region were included in this study. All patients undergoing surgical operation under local anaesthesia. Following administration of 1% methylene blue through the main opening, a small vertical elliptical incision is maked including the entire sinus opening and an excision of PS was performed without entering the sinus cavity, removing a minimal amount of subcutaneous tissue. Afterwards the highly concentrated fibrin glue, containing 1,000 U/ml of thrombin was applied to cover the wound. Post-operative pain, analgesic consumption, duration of hospital stay, failure healing, the rate and time of recurrence, time to healing, time to return to work and post-operative complications were recordered., Results: All patients expressed satisfaction with the procedure. Mean hospital stay was 5.4 +/- 2.1 hours. Healing was achieved after 25.8 +/- 13.2 days. The post-operative pain mean score was 3.8 +/- 2.1 in first day, 2,9 +/- 1,8 in third day and 1,3 +/- 0,8 in the seventh day. The mean analgesic consumption per week was 5,6 +/- 3,2 medications. Mean time to return to work was 5,3 +/- 2,1 days., Conclusion: The minimal excision of PS and application of fibrin glue is a non-invasive effective treatment, easy and simple to performe and not associated to recurrences. For these reasons this procedure in our opinion as the first line treatment for pilonidal sinus disease.

Two cellular type, A and B cells, are evident in the intimal layer of the human synovial membrane. The Authors studied the B-cells that show in their cytoplasm some secretory granules that are still unknown. In the normal synovial membrane of human knee, with transmission electron microscopic techniques, the relationship between the B-cells and the blood capillary vessels and some morphological features of the secretory granules, are studied. The blood capillary vessels have a continuous cellular wall, surrounded by a basal membrane. Typical features of the B-cells are the marked development of the rough endoplasmic reticulum, the Golgi apparatus and dense secretory vesicles. The B-cells appear to constitute some specific secretory cells, but its function has yet to be determined.