Publications by authors named "Romeo C Ciobanu"

This study investigated the creation of nano-composites using recycled LDPE and added 7.5 wt% nanofillers of Al and Fe in two varying particle sizes to be used as hot-melt adhesives for reversible bonding processes with the use of microwave technology. Reversible bonding relates to circular economy enhancement practices, like repair, refurbishment, replacement, or renovation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a significant global health burden, necessitating a thorough understanding of prognostic and predictive factors to enhance patient outcomes. This systematic review aims to comprehensively evaluate prognostic and predictive determinants in CRC, encompassing both traditional and emerging biomarkers. A systematic search of major electronic databases was conducted to identify relevant studies published from 1995 up to 2024.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The paper explains how nano exposure is assessed in the construction field and focuses on the production of fire-resistant insulation panels with nanoclay. Utilizing the commercial ANSYS CFX software, a preliminary theoretical simulation was conducted on nano exposure in the workplace, which revealed that particle dispersion is primarily driven by diffusion. Panel post-processing through drilling results in the highest inhalation exposure, followed by mixing and grinding activities.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Ovarian cancer, including tubal and peritoneal cancer, is the third most common gynecological cancer and the leading cause of death from gynecological malignancies in developed countries. This study explores the prognostic value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in determining the optimal duration of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for advanced ovarian cancer. It also investigates the correlation between NLR dynamics and the KELIM score, a chemosensitivity marker, to enhance individualized therapeutic strategies.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The behavior of two polymeric protective paint coatings (epoxy and polyurethane) applied over an epoxy primer coating on steel plates was investigated in this study, focusing on their role in providing anticorrosive protection against various climatic stress factors. Among the numerous climatic factors that can affect the lifetime of anticorrosive coatings, the following were selected for this work: dry heat, UV radiation, humidity, and extreme conditions such as salt fog, marine atmosphere, and alpine atmosphere. The objective was to determine the remaining lifetime of these protective coatings before replacement is needed to prevent damage to the equipment they protect.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This research investigates novel polymeric composite materials for automotive interior trim applications. The composites utilize recycled polypropylene (PPr) matrix and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) as filler (PPr/CMC: 100/0, 95/5, and 90/10 wt.%).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The paper describes the statistical analysis of the response of gastric cancer cells and normal cells to broadband terahertz radiation up to 4 THz, both with and without the use of nanostructured contrast agents. The THz spectroscopy analysis was comparatively performed under the ATR procedure and transmission measurement procedure. The statistical analysis was conducted towards multiple pairwise comparisons, including a support medium (without cells) versus a support medium with nanoparticles, normal cells versus normal cells with nanoparticles, and, respectively, tumor cells versus tumor cells with nanoparticles.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Spinal cord injury is a complicated medical condition both from the clinician's point of view in terms of management and from the patient's perspective in terms of unsatisfactory recovery. Depending on the severity, this disorder can be devastating despite the rapid and appropriate use of modern imaging techniques and convenient surgical spinal cord decompression and stabilization. In this context, there is a mandatory need for novel adjunctive therapeutic approaches to classical treatments to improve rehabilitation chances and clinical outcomes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This paper describes the process of producing chemiresistors based on hybrid nanostructures obtained from graphene and conducting polymers. The technology of graphene presumed the following: dispersion and support stabilization based on the chemical vapor deposition technique; transfer of the graphene to the substrate by spin-coating of polymethyl methacrylate; and thermal treatment and electrochemical delamination. For the process at T = 950 °C, a better settlement of the grains was noticed, with the formation of layers predominantly characterized by peaks and not by depressions.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This paper presents the obtaining and characterization of recycled polypropylene/strontium ferrite (PP/SrFeO) polymer composite materials with applications in the electromagnetic shielding of vehicle interiors (mainly automotive electronics-carcasses) from the electromagnetic radiation emitted mainly by exterior sources-electrical lines and supply sources-in terms of the development of the new electrical vehicles. With this aim, suitable polymer composite materials were developed using SrFeO filler in two forms (powder and concentrate). The recycled PP polymer and composite materials with a PP/SrFeO weight ratio of 75/25 and 70/30 were obtained in two stages, i.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD), along with other neurodegenerative disorders, remains a challenge for clinicians, mainly because of the incomplete knowledge surrounding its etiology and inefficient therapeutic options. Considering the central role of amyloid beta (Aβ) in the onset and evolution of AD, Aβ-targeted therapies are among the most promising research directions. In the context of decreased Aβ elimination from the central nervous system in the AD patient, the authors propose a novel therapeutic approach based on the "Cerebrospinal Fluid Sink Therapeutic Strategy" presented in previous works.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The European Green Deal's goals are anticipated to be fulfilled in large part thanks to the New Circular Economy Action Plan. It is believed that recycling materials will have a significant positive impact on the environment, particularly in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the impacts this will have on preventing climate change. Due to the complexity of the issue and its significant practical ramifications, the activity of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) collection networks is a subject of interest for researchers and managers, in accordance with the principles that recent laws have addressed in a large number of industrialized countries.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The European methodology for plastics, as a feature of the EU's circular economy activity plan, ought to support the decrease in plastic waste. The improvement of recycled plastics' economics and quality is one important part of this action plan. Additionally, achieving the requirement that all plastic packaging sold in the EU by 2030 be recyclable or reusable is an important objective.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The purpose of this work was to obtain an elastic composite material from polymer powders (polyurethane and polypropylene) with the addition of BaTiO until 35% with tailored dielectric and piezoelectric features. The filament extruded from the composite material was very elastic but had good features to be used for 3D printing applications. It was technically demonstrated that the 3D thermal deposition of composite filament with 35% BaTiO was a convenient process for achieving tailored architectures to be used as devices with functionality as piezoelectric sensors.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • This paper discusses the development of five new polymer composite materials that incorporate ferrite nano-powder through mechanical mixing and hot pressing methods.
  • The ferrite powders were synthesized using a cost-effective co-precipitation technique, and the resulting composites were thoroughly characterized for their physical, thermal, and electromagnetic properties.
  • The research aims to create flexible, lightweight materials suitable for the electrical and automotive industries, showing effective protection against electromagnetic interference across various frequencies, with promising thermal stability and enhanced lifespan.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Dielectric properties for nanocomposites with metallic fillers inside a polymer matrix were determined using CST STUDIO SUITE-Electromagnetic field simulation software followed by the free-space Nicolson-Ross-Weir procedure. The structure is randomly generated to simulate the intrinsic non-uniformity of real nanomaterials. Cubic insertions were equated to corresponding spherical particles in order to provide either the same volume index or the same exterior surface index.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

With a significant number of features (namely being multipurpose, inexpensive and durable), thermoplastic polymers, most often named plastics, are part of our daily routine, with an increasing production over the last decade. Among them, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) are distinguished as the five most commonly used plastics in various fields, mainly in the packaging industry. Even if it is difficult to imagine the world without plastics, the boosted plastic assembly comes with huge plastic waste, creating a number of challenges, as the most important threat for our environment, but also opportunities for recycling.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Composite materials are materials with anisotropic properties that are created by combining several different components in a way that allows the best qualities of each component to be used. In this paper, raw materials were used to obtain composite materials of the type TPU/PP/BaTiO powder. The thermogravimetric analysis, dynamic differential calorimetry, and scanning electron microscopy were carried out.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

To improve the performance of composite membranes, their morphology can be tailored by precise control of the fabrication methods and processing conditions. To this end, the aim of this study was to develop novel high-performance composite membranes based on polyurethane matrix and magnetic nanoparticles with the desired morphology and stability, by selecting the proper method and fabrication systems. These well-prepared composite membranes were investigated from the point of view of their morphological, physico-chemical, mechanical, dielectric, and magnetic properties.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Alzheimer's disease has a significant epidemiological and socioeconomic impact, and, unfortunately, the extensive research focused on potential curative therapies has not yet proven to be successful. However, in recent years, important steps have been made in the development and functionalization of nanoporous alumina membranes, which might be of great interest for medical use, including the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. In this context, the aim of this article is to present the synthesis and biocompatibility testing of a special filtrating nano-membrane, which is planned to be used in an experimental device for Alzheimer's disease treatment.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The majority of recent studies have focused on obtaining MRI materials for internal use. However, this study focuses on a straightforward method for preparing gelatin-based materials with iron oxide nanoparticles (G-FeO and G-FeO) for external use. The newly obtained materials must be precisely tuned to match the requirements and usage situation because they will be in close touch with human/animal skin.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • New research reveals important insights into how ampicillin degrades when exposed to UV light, measured using techniques like photoluminescence (PL), Raman scattering, and FTIR spectroscopy.
  • The presence of excipients and an alkaline environment enhances the photodegradation process, indicating changes in the compound's structure and the formation of new chemical entities.
  • Key indicators of these changes include a new infrared band at 3450 cm, variations in UV-VIS spectra, and shifts in Raman line intensities, leading to a proposed chemical mechanism for the degradation process.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In this work, improved fracture toughness of tetra-functional epoxy polymer was obtained using two-dimensional (2H polytype) molybdenum disulfide (MoS) nano-platelets as a filler. Simultaneous in-situ exfoliation and functionalization of MoS were achieved in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) via sonication. The aim was to improve the dispersion of MoS nanoplatelets in epoxy and enhance the interfacial interaction between nanoplatelets and epoxy matrix.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Polyether urethane (PU)-based magnetic composite materials, containing different types and concentrations of iron oxide nanostructures (FeO and FeO), were prepared and investigated as a novel composite platform that could be explored in different applications, especially for the improvement of the image quality of MRI investigations. Firstly, the PU structure was synthetized by means of a polyaddition reaction and then hematite (FeO) and magnetite (FeO) nanoparticles were added to the PU matrices to prepare magnetic nanocomposites. The type and amount of iron oxide nanoparticles influenced its structural, morphological, mechanical, dielectric, and magnetic properties.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

This paper prepared composites under the free membranes form that are based on thermoplastic polymers of the type of polyurethane (TPU) and polyolefin (TPO), which are blended in the weight ratio of 2:1, and ceramic nanoparticles (CNs) such as BaSrTiO and SrTiO. The structural, optical, and conductive properties of these new composite materials are reported. The X-ray diffraction studies highlight a cubic crystalline structure of these CNs.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF