COMPARISON OF TWO STAINING METHODS FOR ANODIZING IN ALLOY 6063 ALUMINUM PROFILES

Aluminum stands out for being a light, corrosion-resistant, and recyclable metal, achieving wide coverage in the market. When incorporated into alloying elements, it is possible to acquire other desirable characteristics. Alloy 6063, intended for architectural purposes, has aesthetic, structural, and strength functions. This study aims to compare two different staining methods on the surface of anodized profiles of aluminum alloy 6063. Anodized finishing is performed through an electrolytic process using sulfuric acid as an electrolyte to change the surface layer of the material, ensuring a more resistant aluminum oxide film than that formed naturally. For decorative purposes, the anodic film coloration can be performed by several methodologies, including, in this case, the coloration by organic adsorption, with the use of aniline, and the electrolytic coloration, composed of tin sulfate salts, both for obtaining the black color. To compare, neutral saline mist tests, scanning electron microscopy analysis, determination of the anodic layer thickness, and immersion tests with 3.5 percent sodium chloride for 1000 hours. The results obtained highlight that both were shown to be resistant to corrosion due to the fact that they do not present corrosion points when exposed to the neutral saline mist test for 600 hours. In the immersion tests, both remained resistant to sodium chloride. Because both methodologies present satisfactory results in all tests, the quality of the applied stains is ensured, and it is found that they are equivalent when the parameters discussed are used.

Sclerotherapy of Symptomatic Nonparasitic Splenic Cysts: Excellent Long-Term Treatment Response'

Background Splenic cysts are rare and occur in 0.5 to 2% of the population. They are usually asymptomatic and do not require therapy. In case of symptomatic nonparasitic splenic cysts, potential therapy includes partial splenectomy or laparoscopic cyst de-roofing as well as ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy with 1% polidocanol or 10% sodium chloride (NaCl) as an interventional alternative. So far, single-session sclerotherapy of symptomatic nonparasitic cysts is recommended only if clear-transparent cyst fluid is aspirated. Materials and Methods We report a case series of 17 patients with symptomatic macroscopically turbid nonparasitic splenic cyst fluid who underwent ultrasound-guided fine needle sclerotherapy with either polidocanol ± 10% NaCl (n = 12) or 10% NaCl alone (n = 5) and a follow-up of a maximum of 12 years after first intervention. Clinical, sonographic, and laboratory chemistry data were recorded at baseline and during the follow-up. Results The mean follow-up time was 43.65 ± 40.18 months. At the end of the follow-up, a 79% reduction of cyst size was achieved. The maximum size reduction in the polidocanol group was 76 ± 18% and 84 ± 21% in the sodium chloride group (p >0.05). At the end of follow-up, 15 out of the 17 patients did not have any further symptoms. Despite the cystic fluid being turbid, it was hardly possible to detect a microbiological superinfection. Conclusion Sclerotherapy of splenic cysts leads to a significant size regression in all patients, independent of the sclerotherapy agent used with fewer systemic toxic side effects of polidocanol treatment. It was shown that in a tertiary care center with significant experience, sclerotherapy of splenic cysts is also safe and successful and can lead to a drastic regression of cyst size and symptoms. This shows that interventional therapy is a good alternative to surgical procedures.

Evaluation of the antitumour activity of local intraperitoneal hyperthermia in a model of advanced high-grade ovarian carcinoma in rats

In our study we carried out an exploratory assessment of the antitumor activity of hyperthermic intraperitoneal perfusion (Hipep) with 0.9 % sodium chloride solution and compared it with the effect of a single normothermic intraperitoneal (i.p.) Administration of cisplatin in the maximum tolerated dose (mtd). Thirty-six mature female Wistar rats with transplanted i.p. Syngeneic ovarian carcinoma were randomized into three groups: control group (2 ml of 0.9 % sodium chloride i.p. At room temperature, n=12); cisplatin group (cisplatin 4 mg/kg i.p. At room temperature, n=12); Hipep group (open i.p. Perfusion with 0.9 % sodium chloride solution at a temperature of 40,5–41,5 °c for 45 minutes, n=12). The primary endpoint was the overall survival (os) of the animals in each of the three groups. The total peritoneal cancer index (pci), weight and degree of ascites haemorrhagia were assessed at autopsy. The median os in the control group, Hipep, and cisplatin was 19, 39, and 40 days, respectively (log-rank test р<0.0001). In comparison to the control group, the differences were statistically significant for both cisplatin (HR=0.22; 95 % ci: 0.08–0.62; log-rank test р<0.0001) and Hipep (HR=0.32; 95 % ci 0.13–0.82; log-rank test р=0.0013). There were no differences in os between the cisplatin and Hipep groups (log-rank test р=0.4853). The Hipep procedure was associated with a significant decrease in total pci, a tendency towards a decrease in the ascites weight and a higher severity of haemorrhagia. In terms of os, local hyperthermia, provided by Hipep without a cytostatic drug, was comparable with single normothermic i.p. Administration of cisplatin in mtd and exceeded the effects of the latter in relation to the development of peritoneal carcinomatosis.

Enteral Sodium Chloride Supplementation and Fluid Balance in Children Receiving Diuretics

The use of sodium chloride (NaCl) supplementation in children being prescribed diuretics is controversial due to concerns that supplementation could lead to fluid retention. This is a single-center retrospective study in which fluid balance and diuretic dosing was examined in children prescribed enteral NaCl supplements for hyponatremia while receiving loop diuretics. The aim of this study was to determine whether significant fluid retention occurred with the addition of NaCl. Fifty-five patients with 68 events were studied. The median age was 5.2 months, and 82% were hospitalized for cardiac disease. Daily fluid balance the seven days prior to NaCl supplementation was lower than the seven days after, with measurement of: median 17 mL/kg/day (7–26) vs. 22 mL/kg/day (13–35) (p = 0.0003). There was no change in patient weight after supplementation (p = 0.63). There was no difference in the median loop diuretic dose before and after supplementation, with the diuretic dose in furosemide equivalents of 3.2 mL/kg/day (2.3–4.4) vs. 3.2 mL/kg/day (2.2–4.7) (p = 0.50). There was no difference in the proportion of patients receiving thiazide diuretics after supplementation (56% before vs. 50% after (p = 0.10)). NaCl supplementation in children receiving loop diuretics increased calculated fluid balance, but weight was unchanged, and this was not associated with an increase in diuretic needs, suggesting clinicians did not consider the increase in fluid balance to be clinically significant.