Mud and burnt Roman bricks from Romula.

Sesquipedalian mud and burnt bricks (second to third century AD) were excavated from the Roman city of Romula located in the Lower Danube Region (Olt county, Romania). Along with local soils, bricks are investigated by petrographic analysis, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), electron microscopy (SEM/EDX), X-ray microtomography (XRT), thermal analysis (DTA-TG), MÓ§ssbauer spectroscopy, magnetometry, colorimetry, and mechanical properties assessment. The results correlate well with each other, being useful for conservation/restoration purposes and as reference data for other ceramic materials. Remarkably, our analysis and comparison with literature data indicate possible control and wise optimization by the ancient brickmakers through the recipe, design (size, shape, and micro/macrostructure), and technology of the desired physical-chemical-mechanical properties. We discuss the Roman bricks as materials that can adapt to external factors, similar, to some extent, to modern "smart" or "intelligent" materials. These features can explain their outstanding durability to changes of weather/climate and mechanical load.

Numerical simulations of the 3D virtual model of the human hip joint, using finite element method.

In this paper, we present a three-dimensional mathematical model for a normal hip joint. The three-dimensional finite element model has been constructed based on Computer Tomograph scans of the bones. The obtained 3D model is studied using the finite element method, taking into consideration the real structure of the bone and the mechanical characteristics of cortical and spongy. The FE model of hip joint, the material properties used to simulate the behavior of the cortical and trabecular bone (of femur and coxal bone) and the cartilage, as well as the boundary conditions are presented. The distribution map of the axial and global movements on the global model and the distribution map of the axial and von Misses strain in the cartilaginous surface of the femur are presented.

Hypothesis of microfractures by buckling theory of bone's trabeculas from vertebral bodies affected by osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis has become in recent years a public health problem considered a true "silent epidemic", by increasing the number of osteoporosis fractures in the world as a result of increased number of persons 3rd group of age by increasing life expectancy and reducing physical effort and the emergence of sedentary occupations, increasing incidence of obesity, diabetes, liver disease and kidney by applying widely corticosteroid therapy. Starting from the macroscopic and microscopic aspects of the bone spongy tissue affected by osteoporosis, from vertebral bodies, we try to explain the modality of damaging the bone micro-structure by buckling phenomenon, knowing that the bone tissue has at trabecular level, an elasticity degree and supports high levels of mechanical forces.

Whole-body diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in the staging of oncological patients: comparison with positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET-CT) in a pilot study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this pilot study was to compare positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET-CT) and whole-body DWIBS in staging oncological patients to determine the staging accuracy of whole-body DWIBS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We initiated a prospective, blinded investigation on 29 patients affected by oncological diseases (n=14) or lymphoma (n=15), who underwent fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-based PET-CT and whole-body DWIBS for restaging purposes. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was conducted with a multistack (n=4) DWIBS pulse sequence. Images were read independently by two experienced radiologists and one nuclear physician. Statistical analysis assessed interobserver agreement and diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS: Whole-body DWIBS had a room occupation time of 20 min. Mean postprocessing time was 15 min (range 10-17 min). Mean reading time was 20 min for reader 1 (range 15-25 min) and 18 min for reader 2 (range 13-22 min). Interobserver agreement was almost perfect (=0.93). Reader 1 had a sensitivity of 89.07%, a specificity of 98.5%, and an accuracy of 97.65%, with a positive predictive value (PPV) of 85.48% and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 98.91%. Reader 2 had a sensitivity of 87.39%, a specificity of 98.39% and a diagnostic accuracy of 97.8%, with a PPV of 88.13% and a NPV of 98.75%. CONCLUSIONS: The whole-body DWIBS protocol provided a fast whole-body examination with high specificity and NPV. One major bias of the study was the inclusion of patients with diffuse disease and advanced disease stage and the heterogeneity of the neoplastic diseases included.

[Small bowel perforation caused by compound pelvic fracture found in diagnostic laparoscopy]. / Perforatie intestinala prin fractura complexa de bazin diagnosticata laparoscopic.

Small bowel perforations in blunt abdominal trauma (BAT), especially in multiply injured patients, are difficult to diagnose in the first hours after the accident, either clinically or by imagistic studies. A less encountered diagnostic modality is diagnostic laparoscopy (DL), selectively indicated. We present the case of a patient with BAT and complex pelvic fracture, hemodynamically stable, with TS= 15, who clinically had abdominal tenderness and on ultrasound (US) and CT scan, had free intra-abdominal fluid (FIAF), without any injuries of a solid viscus, which led us to suspect a hollow viscus injury. We proceeded with a DL, imposed by the equivocal diagnosis, taking advantage of the general anesthesia needed for the femoral and pelvic fracture immobilization. We identified an ileal perforation and decided to convert to open surgery, and we found a second perforation. Segmentary ileal resection was performed. Orthopedically, in emergency, the femoral fracture and the posterior arch of the pelvis were immobilized, but due to the septic risk, the anterior arch was immobilized 10 days later. DL is a valuable tool in BAT with FIAF on US and CT scan with suspicion of hollow viscus perforation in the hemodynamically stable patients, in order to decide between laparotomy and observation. In equivocal diagnosis cases, DL avoids unnecessary or delayed laparotomy. Whenever possible and indicated, orthopedic lesions will be dealt with in emergency ("early total care"), in order to reduce the recovery and hospitalization period.

The virtual model of the prosthetic tibial components.

The paper presents a method of study and the steps to obtain the virtual tibial component of the human knee joint prosthesis. For that purpose CAD parametric software was used which allows the construction of a high definition model. The obtained 3D model was studied using the finite element method and the stress and displacements distribution was obtained for different solicitations of the prosthetic and non-prosthetic tibial component of the virtual knee joint.

[The Oradea study regarding the epidemiology factors in ischemic cardiopathy]. / Studiul Oradea privind depistarea si epidemiologia factorilor de risc în cardiopatia ischemia. I) Hipercolesterolemia.

Cholesterolemia in a population of 100482 inhabitants of the Bihor district, subjected to screening for the risk factors in ischemic cardiopathy were studied. Together with hyperlipidemias other risk factors were detected: arterial hypertension, obesity, diabetes mellitus, smoking, ischemic alterations of the electrocardiogram, the influence of the noxious agents present at the working place, of the blood groups and disturbances of the menstrual cycle. The mean cholesteremia is of 205 ± 43.7 mgr% (M = 207 ± 43.7 mgr%; F = 204 ± 43.5 mgr%). The prevalence of cholesterolemia, in comparison with the higher normal limits in each age group over 15 years of age, is in the entire studied series, of 13.5%. The population in whom cholesterolemia exceeds 250 mgr% represents 13.92%.