Pancreatic duct disruption and nonoperative management: the SEALANTS approach

Pancreatic-duct disruption (PDD) can be difficult to manage, with diverse etiologies and sequelae in a heterogeneous population. Common etiologies include pancreatitis, iatrogenic injury, and trauma. Sequelae of PDD include pseudocyst, pancreatic ascites,

Evaluation and Selection of Sealants and Fillers Using Principal Component Analysis for Cracks in Asphalt Concrete Pavements

The objective of this paper was to develop a comprehensive evaluation method and index to evaluate the performance of sealants and fillers for cracks in asphalt concrete pavements using the method of principal component analysis. The performance experiments including cone penetration, softening point, flow, resilience and tension at low temperature respectively were conducted by reference of ASTM D5329 for eight sealants and fillers often used in China. There by a principal component model was developed and weight of every index was calculated. The experimental results show that there are significantly different performances for sealants and fillers often used in China. Principal component analysis is an objective method that evaluates and selects the performance of sealants and fillers for cracks in asphalt concrete pavements.

High-temperature glassy-ceramic sealants SiO_2-Al_2O_3-BaO-MgO and SiO_2-Al_2O_3-ZrO_2-CaO-Na_2O for solid oxide electrochemical devices

Glasses of the SiO_2-Al_2O_3-BaO-MgO and SiO_2-Al_2O_3-ZrO_2-CaO-Na_2O systems were synthesized in the perspective to apply them as sealants in SOFC at operating temperatures of 700-900 °C. Thermal properties of the chosen glass compositions and their compatibility with the SOFC materials(YSZ-electrolyte and alloy-interconnector Crofer22 APU, 15Х25Т) were investigated by means of synchronic thermal analysis and high-temperature dilatometry. The elemental analysis was performed by atomic emission spectroscopy. The average values of the temperature coefficients of the linear extension are 10.0×10^(-6) °С^(-1) for glass 45%SiO_2-15%Al_2O_3-25%BaO-15%MgO and 9.5×10^(-6) °С^(-1) for glass 60%SiO_2-10%Al_2O_3-10%ZrO_2-5%CaO-15%Na_2O. The gluing microstructure in YSZ/glass/Crofer22 APU was studied by scanning electron microscopy. The crystallization process of silicate phases was revealed to occur in the SiO_2-Al_2O_3-BaO-MgO glass. The analysis of the crystallization products was performed by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Glassy ceramics was proved to possess better parameters in comparison with amorphous glass to be used as a sealant in electrochemical sensors and oxygen sensors. The SiO_2-Al_2O_3-ZrO_2-CaO-Na_2O low-temperature amorphous glass can be applied in SOFC.

Synthesis and Application of a Novel Organosilane Modifier for Surface Paintability of Organosiloxane Sealants

A novel organosilane, N-n-butyl-γ-aminopropylmethyldimethoxysilane was synthesized through aminization reaction and the chemical structure of resulting products was characterized by 1HNMR, 13CNMR, FT-IR and elemental analysis. The results of test on probation for this organosilane proved that it was effective to modify surface-paintability of organosiloxane sealants.

Buildings and civil engineering works-Sealants-Determination of changes in cohesion and appearance of elastic weatherproofing sealants after exposure of statically cured specimens to artificial weathering and mechanical cycling

Foreword ISO(the International Organization for Standardization)is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies(ISO member bodies).The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO technical committees.Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee.

Effects of Ultraviolet Radiation,High Temperature and Alkaline Chemicals on Ageing of Silicone Sealants Used in Ballastless Track Expansion Joints

Expansion joints silicone sealants used in high speed railway construction suffer from ultraviolet radiation（UV）, high temperature combined with the alkaline environment. To evaluate the durability and analyse the ageing mechanism, six one-component silicone sealants from different companies were selected and subjected to accelerated ageing tests including UV, thermal and alkali ageing treatments. The ageing effects on the performance of the sealants were evaluated via the appearance and the mechanical property changes. The changes in molecular structure were studied by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy（FTIR）, differential scanning calorimetry（DSC） and thermogravimetry（TG）. This study revealed that different materials displayed different sensibilities to the ageing methods, in which 15 %-20 % decreases of mechanical properties could be observed under UV radiation test, owning the most significant effects. Structure analysis showed that the physical changes of aggregative states were the principal factors to the performance, along with the chemical slight changes. The glossiness dropped significantly in ageing test, which could be used as one of the effective evaluation parameters for ageing conditions in the field.

Compatibility between glass sealants and electrode materials of solid oxide fuel cells

BaO-CaO-Al2O3-SiO2-La2O3-B2O3 system glass materials were investigated as sealants for a solid oxide fuel cell （SOFC）. The transition temperature （Tg and the crystal temperature （Td） values decrease greatly with the increase of BaCO3 content when the other components do not change. For the thermal expansion coefficient （TEC） values, the trend is inverse. The sealant has superior thermal expansion coefficient matching properties with La（Sr）MnO3 （LSM） cathode, La（Sr）FeO3 （LSF） cathode, Ni-LDC （La doped CeO2） anode, and Ni-YSZ （yttria stabilized zirconia） cermet anode. The sealant also has superior stability, compatibility, and good bonding characteristic with these electrode materials at 800-900℃. The results indicate that the aluminosilicate system glass sealant possesses superior compatibility with electrode materials of the solid oxide fuel cell

Evaluation of Ion Release from Four Dental Sealants

The purpose of this study was to determine the ion release from four commercially available pit-and-fissure sealants [3M Clinpro, 3M ConciseTM, BeautiSealant （BS）, and GI FX-Ⅱ）]. With each brand, 18 specimens were prepared. Their fluoride release in de-ionized water was measured by fluoride electrode, while the release of silicate （Si）, aluminum （A1）, sodium （Na）, calcium （Ca）, strontium （Sr）, and phosphorus （P） was measured by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy （ICP-AES） on days 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28. The result showed that fluoride was not released from 3M ConciseTM. GI FX-II displayed the largest fluoride release, which, however, dropped rapidly on day 3.3M Clinpro exhibited less fluoride release than GI FX-II and BS did. At any time during the 28-day experimental period, GI FX-II released more Na than the other sealants （P〈0.001）. BS ranked the second in Na release, and a small amount of Na ions was released from the 3M Clinpro and 3M ConciseTM samples. Al ions were only detected from BS and GI FX-Ⅱ, but not from the 3M Clinpro and 3M ConciseTM. Additionally GI FX-II had the largest Si release among the four brands at any time during the experimental period （P〈0.001）. Ca ions were detected from 3M Clinpro and 3M ConciseTM, but not from GI FX-Ⅱ. BS released more Sr than the other sealants at any time during the experimental period （P〈0.001）. All the samples released similar amounts of P continuously during these 28 days. In conclusion, based on the type and the amount of ion release, BS is the best pit-and-fissure sealant among the four brands.

Bilayered Glass-Ceramics as Sealants for SOFCs

Glass-ceramics are often used as sealants in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). But interfacing components, such as ferritic stainless steel and YSZ electrolyte, may vary in their requirements regarding sealing properties, especially in terms of thermal expansion. A bilayered glass-ceramic system was developed to overcome the mismatch in coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) between ferritic steel and YSZ. Therefore, two different glass-ceramics with slightly different CTEs were developed, one with good bonding characteristics to the ferritic steel and the other to the YSZ electrolyte. Steel and electrolyte components were coated with a layer of their corresponding glass sealant paste and heated up to form a sandwich sample. During the heat treatment of the sealing process, the glasses are crystallized into glass-ceramics. The resulting interface between the two glass-ceramics is of special interest. Cross-sections of the sandwich samples were cut, polished and investigated using SEM. The glass-ceramics show continuous, gap-free layers and excellent bonding to both steel and YSZ. Energy release rates are measured for single and bilayered glass sealants by mechanical testing. The designed bilayered glass-ceramics fulfill the special requirements of ferritic steel and YSZ. They show excellent potential to become a new outstanding sealant for SOFCs.

Study on the cohesion and adhesion of hot-poured crack sealants

Filling crack sealant is a main method to repair cracking of pavement. The cohesion and adhesion of crack sealant directly determine its service performance and durability. However, the competitive mechanism of cohesion and adhesion failure modes is not clear currently. This research proposed two methods to evaluate cohesion and adhesion of crack sealant, and analyzed the influence of temperature on cohesion and adhesion. The effect of moisture on low- temperature performance of crack sealant was also be evaluated by conducting a soaking test. Results show that with the decrease of temperature, the cohesion force of crack sealant increases significantly, while the adhesion force changes little. There is a critical temperature at which the cohesion force equals the adhesion force. When the temperature is higher, the adhesion force will be greater than cohesion force, and the cohesion failure will happen more easily. In contrast, the adhesion failure will happen more easily when the temperature is lower than the critical value. Soaking in 25 ℃ water for 24-48 hours will slightly improve the low-temperature tension performance of crack sealant. However, soaking in 60 ℃ water for 24 hours will decrease the failure energy of low-temperature tension and damage the durability of crack sealant.

Evaluation of the injection and plugging ability of a novel epoxy resin in cement cracks

Sustained casing pressure(SCP)is a crucial issue in the oil and gas production lifecycle.Epoxy resins,exhibiting exceptional compressive strength,ductility,and shear bonding strength,have the potential to form reliable barriers.The injectivity and sealing capacity of the epoxy resin is crucial parameters for the success of shallow remediation operations.This study aimed to develop and assess a novel solid-free resin sealant as an alternative to Portland cement for mitigating fluid leakage.The investigation evaluated the viscosity,compressive strength,and brittleness index of the epoxy resin sealant,as well as its tangential and normal shear strengths in conjunction with casing steel.The flow characteristics and sealing abilities of conventional cement and epoxy resin were comparatively analyzed in cracks.The results showed that the application of a viscosity reducer facilitated control over the curing time of the epoxy resin,ranging from 1.5 to 6 h,and reduced the initial viscosity from 865.53 to 118.71 m Pa,s.The mechanical properties of the epoxy resin initially increased with a rise in curing agent content before experiencing a minor decrease.The epoxy resin containing 30%curing agent exhibited optimal mechanical properties.After a 14-day curing period,the epoxy resin's compressive strength reached81.37 MPa,2.12 times higher than that of cement,whereas the elastic modulus of cement was 2.99 times greater than that of the epoxy resin.The brittleness index of epoxy resin is only 3.42,demonstrating high flexibility and toughness.The tangential and normal shear strengths of the epoxy resin exceeded those of cement by 3.17 and 2.82 times,respectively.In a 0.5 mm-wide crack,the injection pressure of the epoxy resin remained below 0.075 MPa,indicating superior injection and flow capabilities.Conversely,the injection pressure of cement surged dramatically to 2.61 MPa within 5 min.The breakthrough pressure of0.5 PV epoxy resin reached 7.53 MPa,decreasing the crack's permeability to 0.02 D,a mere 9.49%of the permeability observed following cement plugging.Upon sealing a 2 mm-wide crack using epoxy resin,the maximum breakthrough pressure attained 5.47 MPa,3.48 times of cement.These results suggest that epoxy resin sealant can be employed safely and effectively to seal cracks in the cement.

Systematic review of noninvasive treatments to arrest dentin non-cavitated caries lesions

AIM: To systematically review the literature on the efficacy of noninvasive methods of arresting the progression of non-cavitated occlusal carious lesions in dentin.METHODS: The Medline/Pub Med,LILACS,Sci ELO and Scopus databases were searched to identify relevant publications through to November 2013.Only clinical trials evaluating the ability of noninvasive methods to arrest the progression of occlusal non-cavitated carious lesions in dentin were included.Screening,data extraction and quality assessment were conducted independently and in duplicate.RESULTS: Of 167 citations identified,nine full text articles were screened and five were included in the analysis.All papers reported on occlusal fissure sealing using a self-curing glass ionomer(n = 1) or resin-based(n = 4) sealant.Only the use of resin-based sealant to obliterate occlusal fissures arrested the progression of non-cavitated occlusal carious lesions in dentin.CONCLUSION: Occlusal fissure sealing with a resin-based sealant may arrest the progression of non-cavitated occlusal dentinal caries.Further clinical trials with longer follow-up times should be performed to increase scientific evidence.

Disparities in Oral Health among School-Aged Children in Kansas

Background: The effects of age, rural-urban geographic location, and percentage of Free and Reduced Price Meal Program (FRPMP) participation on children’s oral health outcome measures (untreated decay, treated decay, and sealants) have not been fully explored in Kansas. Methods: The current study utilized a surveillance sample of 140,217 children (grades K through 12) attending 200 schools in Kansas, which requested screening assistance from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) from 2012 to 2013. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify significant factors associated with oral health outcome measures. Results: Older children were associated with decreased odds of having untreated decay, and increased odds of having treated decay and sealants. Children attending very rural schools had increased odds of untreated and treated decay and decreased odds of presence of sealants. For every 5% increase in the school-level %FRPMP, the odds of having untreated and treated decay increased by 5% and 3%, respectively. However, %FRPMP was not statistically associated with the presence of sealants. Conclusions: Children attending schools in very rural and rural areas appear to have worse oral health outcomes, as measured by higher proportions of untreated and treated decay, and a smaller proportion of presence of sealants.

Analysis of Spectral Signatures of Silicone-Based Sealant Materials Used in Residential and Commercial Buildings

In the construction industry, silicone is primarily used as sealant material to fill gaps and cracks providing water and air-tightness to vertical construction projects reducing energy usage bills and enhancing the integrity of construction materials. This paper reports the results of spectral analysis of commonly used building sealant materials used in residential and commercial buildings. A dozen commercially available silicone-based sealant materials composed of different ingredients representing three manufacturer brands are characterized using Raman and UV-VIS-NIR spectroscopic techniques. The characteristic vibrational fingerprints of the selected sealant materials are summarized, and the Raman and reflectance spectra of the samples are also presented. It is observed that most of the samples appear to have similar vibrational band assignments and reflectance spectra. However, analysis of the Raman spectral positions and the reflectance spectra reveals that there are distinct differences among the sealant materials.

Silane Terminated Prepolymers: An Alternative to Silicones and Polyurethanes

Silane terminated prepolymers for adhesives, sealants and coatings are of great industrial importance. They are very important because of their low toxicity over polyurethanes, silicones, and solvent-based products. Hence, many pieces of literature which deal with the synthesis, properties and applications of this Silane terminated polymers hybrid system exist. Silylated polyether (MS polymers) and Silylated Polyurethane Polymers (SPUR) are the bases for numerous sealants, adhesives and coatings used worldwide. A hybrid system mixed with organic-polyurethane proportion and inorganic-alkoxysilane proportion combines the benefits of conventional polyurethane and silicone-based products. This article reviews the chemistry of MS polymers and SPUR and their advantages and disadvantages in silyl terminated prepolymer-based adhesives, sealants and coatings as well as provides information on different end applications.

Why do we have so much trouble treating anal fistula?

Anal fistula is among the most common illnesses affecting man.Medical literature dating back to 400 BC has discussed this problem.Various causative factors have been proposed throughout the centuries,but it appears that the majority of fistulas unrelated to specific causes (e.g.Tuberculosis,Crohn’s disease) result from infection (abscess) in anal glands extending from the intersphincteric plane to various anorectal spaces.The tubular structure of an anal fistula easily yields itself to division or unroofing (fistulotomy) or excision (fistulectomy) in most cases.The problem with this single,yet effective,treatment plan is that depending on the thickness of sphincter muscle the fistula transgresses,the patient will have varying degrees of fecal incontinence from minor to total.In an attempt to preserve continence,various procedures have been proposed to deal with the fistulas.These include: (1) simple drainage (Seton);(2) closure of fistula tract using fibrin sealant or anal fistula plug;(3) closure of primary opening using endorectal or dermal flaps,and more recently;and (4) ligation of intersphincteric fistula tract (LIFT).In most complex cases (i.e.Crohn’s disease),a proximal fecal diversion offers a measure of symptom-atic relief.The fact remains that an "ideal" procedure for anal fistula remains elusive.The failure of each sphincter-preserving procedure (30%-50% recurrence) often results in multiple operations.In essence,the price of preservation of continence at all cost is multiple and often different operations,prolonged disability and disappointment for the patient and the surgeon.Nevertheless,the surgeon treating anal fistulas on an occasional basis should never hesitate in referring the patient to a specialist.Conversely,an expert colorectal surgeon must be familiar with many different operations in order to selectively tailor an operation to the individual patient.

Fibrin sealant for closure of mucosal penetration at the cardia during peroral endoscopic myotomy: A retrospective study at a single center

AIM To assess the efficacy and safety of fibrin sealant for closure of mucosal penetration at the cardia during peroral endoscopic myotomy(POEM).METHODS Twenty-four patients who underwent POEM and experienced mucosal injury of the cardia during the procedure were retrospectively identified. Of the 24 patients, 21 had mucosal penetration and 3 had only slight mucosal damage without penetration. The 21 patients with mucosal penetration received fibrin sealant for closure at the site of penetration. Penetration-related characteristics, treatment, and recovery were reviewed for all 21 patients to assess the efficacy and safety of fibrin sealant for closure of mucosal penetration at the cardia. Clinical data, including general characteristics, procedure-related parameters, Eckardt scores, lower esophageal sphincter pressures (LESP), and esophagogastroduodenoscopy(EGD) results, were analyzed to determine their influence on treatment success after mucosal penetration during POEM.RESULTS All 21 patients had a solitary mucosal penetration in the cardia (12 in esophageal region of the cardia, 9 in the stomach region of the cardia, and 1 in both the esophageal and stomach regions). Twelve had ahole-like penetration and 9 had a linear penetration. For those with a hole-like penetration, the mean size was 0.14 cm2 (0.02-0.32 cm2). For those with a linear penetration, the median size was 0.37 cm (0.10-1.00 cm). Closure of the mucosal penetration using fibrin sealant was performed successfully in all 21 patients(two patients required 5 m L fibrin sealant, and the remaining 19 patients required 2.5 mL). Two patients had a nasogastric tube placed for five days after POEM; the remaining 19 patients were kept fasting for 3 d. All 21 patients were discharged after a median of 5 d(range: 5-7 d) postoperatively. During a median 42 mo (range: 9-62 mo) follow-up, all 21 patients with a mucosal penetration successfully healed without the occurrence of infection, ulcer, or esophagitis. Furthermore, the median LESP decreased from 31.9 mm Hg (range: 21.9-67.1 mm Hg) preoperatively to 20.3 mm Hg (range: 6.0-41.0 mm Hg) postoperatively(P < 0.05). The median preoperative and postoperative Eckardt scores were 5.0(range; 4-10) and 1.0(range: 0-4), respectively (P < 0.05). Of the 21 patients with mucosal penetration, symptom remission, which is defined as a postoperative Eckardt score ≤ 3, was achieved in 20 patients(95.2%) indicating that mucosal penetration did not influence the success of POEM treatment if closed successfully using fibrin sealant.CONCLUSION Fibrin sealant is safe and effective for closure of mucosal penetration during POEM. Mucosal penetrations do not appear to influence the treatment success of POEM if closed successfully using fibrin sealant. Additional studies regarding the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of fibrin sealant for closure of larger mucosal penetrations is warranted.

Effect of implanting fibrin sealant with ropivacaine on pain after laparoscopic cholecystectomy

AIM:To investigate the safety and efficacy of implant-ing fibrin sealant with sustained-release ropivacaine in the gallbladder bed for pain after laparoscopic chole-cystectomy(LC).METHODS:Sixty patients(American Society of Anes-thesiologists physical status wasⅠorⅡand underwent LC)were randomly divided into three equal groups:group A(implantation of fibrin sealant in the gallbladder bed),group B(implantation of fibrin sealant carrying ropivacaine in the gallbladder bed),and group C(normal saline in the gallbladder bed).Postoperative pain was evaluated,and pain relief was assessed by visual analog scale(VAS)scoring.RESULTS:The findings showed that 81.7%of patients had visceral pain,50%experienced parietal,and 26.7% reported shoulder pain after LC.Visceral pain was significantly less in group B patients than in the other groups(P<0.05),and only one patient in this group experienced shoulder pain.The mean VAS score in group B patients was lower than that in the other groups.CONCLUSION:Visceral pain is prominent after LC and can be effectively controlled by implanting fibrin sealant combined with ropivacaine in the gallbladder bed.

Reduction of the closure time of postoperative enterocutaneous fistulas with fibrin sealant

AIM: To assess whether the use of fibrin sealantshortens the closure time of postoperative enterocutaneous fistulas (ECFs). METHODS: The prospective case-control study included 70 patients with postoperative ECFs with an output of < 500 mL/d, a fistulous tract of > 2 cm and without any local complication. They were divided into study (n = 23) and control groups (n = 47). Esophageal, gastric and colocutaneous fistulas were monitored under endoscopic visualization, which also allowed fibrin glue application directly through the external hole. Outcome variables included closure time, time to resume oral feeding and morbidity related to nutritional support. RESULTS: There were no differences in mean age, fistula output, and follow-up. Closure-time for all patients of the study group was 12.5 ± 14.2 d and 32.5 ± 17.9 d for the control group (P < 0.001), and morbidity related to nutritional support was 8.6% and 42.5%, respectively (P < 0.01). In patients with colonic fistulas, complete closure occurred 23.5 ± 19.5 d after the first application of fibrin glue, and spontaneous closure was observed after 36.2 ± 22.8 d in the control group (P = 0.36). Recurrences were observed in 2 patients because of residual disease. One patient of each group died during follow-up as a consequence of septic complications related to parenteral nutrition. CONCLUSION: Closure time was significantly reduced with the use of fibrin sealant, and oral feeding was resumed faster. We suggest the use of fibrin sealant for the management of stable enterocutaneous fistulas.

Bioinspired Injectable Self-Healing Hydrogel Sealant with Fault-Tolerant and Repeated Thermo-Responsive Adhesion for Sutureless Post-Wound-Closure and Wound Healing

Hydrogels with multifunctionalities,including sufficient bonding strength,injectability and self-healing capacity,responsive-adhesive ability,fault-tolerant and repeated tissue adhesion,are urgently demanded for invasive wound closure and wound healing.Motivated by the adhesive mechanism of mussel and brown algae,bioinspired dynamic bonds cross-linked multifunctional hydrogel adhesive is designed based on sodium alginate(SA),gelatin(GT)and protocatechualdehyde,with ferric ions added,for sutureless post-wound-closure.The dynamic hydrogel cross-linked through Schiff base bond,catechol-Fe coordinate bond and the strong interaction between GT with temperature-dependent phase transition and SA,endows the resulting hydrogel with sufficient mechanical and adhesive strength for efficient wound closure,injectability and self-healing capacity,and repeated closure of reopened wounds.Moreover,the temperature-dependent adhesive properties endowed mispositioning hydrogel to be removed/repositioned,which is conducive for the fault-tolerant adhesion of the hydrogel adhesives during surgery.Besides,the hydrogels present good biocompatibility,near-infrared-assisted photothermal antibacterial activity,antioxidation and repeated thermo-responsive reversible adhesion and good hemostatic effect.The in vivo incision closure evaluation demonstrated their capability to promote the post-wound-closure and wound healing of the incisions,indicating that the developed reversible adhesive hydrogel dressing could serve as versatile tissue sealant.