Electrochemical Impedance Analysis for Corrosion Rate Monitoring of Sol-Gel Protective Coatings in Contact with Nitrate Molten Salts for CSP Applications.

The protective behaviour of ZrO2-3%molY2O3 sol-gel coatings, deposited with an immersion coating technique on 9Cr-1Mo P91 steel, was evaluated with corrosion monitoring sensors using the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy technique. The tests were carried out in contact with solar salt at 500 °C for a maximum of 2000 h. The results showed the highly protective behaviour of the coating, with the corrosion process in the coated system being controlled by the diffusion of charged particles through the protective layer. The coating acts by limiting the transport of ions and slowing down the corrosive process. The system allowed a reduction in the corrosion rate of uncoated P91 steel. The estimated corrosion rate of 22.62 µm·year-1 is lower than that accepted for in-service operations. The proposed ZrO2-3%molY2O3 sol-gel coatings are an option to mitigate the corrosion processes caused by the molten salts in concentrated solar power plants.

[Aneurysmal bone cyst of the sphenoid sinus]. / Quiste óseo aneurismático del seno esfenoidal. A propósito de un caso

Aneurysmal bone cyst is an uncommon lesion that occurs mainly in long bones and vertebrae, being the location in the sphenoid sinus extremely rare. Its origin is unknown, but it can be considered as a vascular phenomenon secondary to a primary lesion. Other primary diseases that may be associated to aneurysmal bone cyst are polyostotic fibrous dysplasia and giant-cell tumors. We report the case of a patient with an aneurysmal bone cyst in the sphenoid sinus causing vision dysfunction.

In vitro toxicity of stimulant soft drinks.

Some drinks containing natural products with stimulant properties are highly consumed among young adults. The market for these drinks has increased in past years around the globe, and, although they might be harmless, overdoses or combination of these with other drinks could be harmful to the health of some consumers in certain circumstances. Samples were obtained at food shops and different popular brands were chosen. Cytotoxicity tests used were neutral red uptake, total protein content, and tetrazolium assay on Chinese hamster ovary cells. Results revealed that tested samples were not cytotoxic; however, studies have demonstrated the toxicity of high concentrations of some of these products. For this reason, the authors considered it to be of critical importance to carryout an in vitro toxicity screening of stimulant soft drinks that are highly consumed.