Study of the Interplay Among Melt Morphology, Rheology and 3D Printability of Poly(Lactic Acid)/Poly(3-Hydroxybutyrate-Co-3-Hydroxyvalerate) Blends.

Polymeric materials made from renewable sources that can biodegrade in the environment are attracting considerable attention as substitutes for petroleum-based polymers in many fields, including additive manufacturing and, in particular, Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM). Among the others, poly(hydroxyalkanoates) (PHAs) hold significant potential as candidates for FDM since they meet the sustainability and biodegradability standards mentioned above. However, the most utilised PHA, consisting of the poly(hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) homopolymer, has a high degree of crystallinity and low thermal stability near the melting point.

First evidence of molecular response of the shrimp Hippolyte inermis to biodegradable microplastics.

The increasing demand for sustainable alternatives to conventional plastics has propelled the interest in bioplastics. A few papers reported on the effects of plastics on crustaceans, but no indication about biodegradable polymers is available. Hippolyte inermis Leach, 1816 is a protandric shrimp commonly living on leaves of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica, in the Mediterranean Sea.

Intraoperative Patellofemoral Kinematic Acquisition: The Design, Testing, and Validation of a Setup for Clinical Studies.

: Abnormalities in patellar tracking, often overlooked in surgical planning, have been identified as a contributing factor to total knee arthroplasty (TKA) complications, including anterior knee pain, patellar subluxation, and dislocation. This study aims to evaluate the repeatability of a novel intraoperative setup for assessing patellofemoral kinematics and its interaction with prosthesis design and positioning during surgery. This setup may support personalized alignment techniques in TKA, potentially improving surgical outcomes.

Pathologist assistants in a Pathology Department: perceptions of their changing role.

Objective: This study aimed to understand the dynamics of including Pathologists' Assistants in a surgical pathology department.

Methods: A qualitative ethnographic study employed covert participant observation and semi-structured interviews. Field notes and interview transcripts were descriptively analysed to identify categories.

Long-term results of laparoscopic Heller-Dor for esophageal-gastric junction outflow obstruction: a prospective comparative study.

Background: The aim of this prospective, controlled study was to assess the 5-year follow-up of Laparoscopic Heller-Dor (LHD) in patients with esophago-gastric junction outflow obstruction (EGJOO), compared with achalasia patients (ACH). The management of EGJOO reflects the experience gained with esophageal achalasia, for which LHD has been proven to be an effective long-term treatment. Prospective long-term results of LHD in EGJOO patients are still lacking.