Tricalcium silicate phase is one of the main components of modern Portland cements. One of the major industrial challenges in the field of cement production is mapping the influence of individual clinker minerals and their polymorphs on the properties of industrially produced clinkers. The primary goal of this work is to improve the fundamental knowledge of understanding the process of alite formation and development from a crystallographic point of view. This study focuses on the observation of the crystallization process of triclinic alite during the firing process, which to date has not been thoroughly described. The effects of a wide range of temperatures and sintering periods on crystallinity were assessed on samples fired in platinum crucibles in a laboratory furnace. X-ray analysis—together with calculation of crystallinity using Scherrer’s equation—was used for observing the crystallite size changes of T1 alite polymorph. According to the acquired results, among the most technologically and economically advantageous regimes of production of a high-quality triclinic alite is the temperature of 1450 °C and sintering time of two hours. The most significant changes in the crystallite size occurred within the first hour of sintering for the whole investigated temperature range. By this reason, refined fuels are being gradually substituted by alternative fuels, which introduces economic and environmental benefits, but brings about many technological issues, too. These issues originate from increasing the contents of certain elements; the effects of the changes on the properties of the produced clinkers are subject to continuous investigations and monitoring [2 emissions is to adjust the raw-meal composition or decrease the clinker firing temperature. Manufacturing of cements with reduced environmental impacts would result in decreasing the overall environmental footprint of concrete as a construction material.The modern trends in industry and commerce are towards environmental sustainability and economic savings. This approach has led to the development of numerous enhancements throughout various industrial branches—from medicine and bioengineering , metallunitoring ,9,10,11.3S, alite), dicalcium silicate , tricalcium aluminate (C3A) and tetra calcium aluminate ferrite (C4AF). These four clinker minerals are the primary ones determining the properties of the cements . Given by their characteristic properties, each of these minerals affects the properties of the individual cement specifically. Except for tetra calcium aluminate ferrite, all the major clinker minerals exhibit strong polymorphism [The main contemporary issue of industrial production of cements is the variability of their mineralogical composition, which depends on the presence of impurities  and the firing process. Therefore, the process of synthesis of clinker minerals is crucial for determination of their subsequent behavior in industrially produced cements. In order to characterize and possibly influence the variability of mineralogical composition of clinkers, the effects of individual polymorphs of clinker minerals on the properties of industrially produced clinkers, especially from the viewpoints of acting chemistry and their internal structures, need to be studied ,13,14. Gmorphism .2S formation during the solid-state reaction and consequently facilitate the process of C3S formation from the melt. By using suitable activation grinding technology and by optimizing the milling process, it should be possible to avoid disc pressing, reduce the firing temperature and sintering time and promote the formation of the desired polymorphs [Most of the standard methods used to prepare clinker minerals are rather time-consuming; the solid-state reaction and sol–gel method are the most widely used procedures. The main limiting and time-consuming processing steps/factors during preparation of clinker minerals are disc pressing, demanding sintering time and limited capacity of the used platinum crucibles and furnaces. The composition of the raw material and the setting of the firing parameters are the primary affecting factors determining the final phase composition of the clinker ,17. Howelymorphs ,19.3S), which is characterized by extensive polymorphism; seven structural modifications of C3S have been identified so far: three triclinic , three monoclinic  and one trigonal (R) [The most important clinker mineral is tricalcium silicate  ,17. The onal (R) :3S dates back to the early 1950s. Jeffery documented that pure C3S consists of triclinic (T1) and monoclinic (M3) modifications of alite and further developed a hypothesis for the high-temperature polymorphic form with trigonal structure [The first mention of polymorphism of the Ctructure . The firtructure ,22,23. Rtructure . The advtructure , Mumme [tructure  and Noirtructure . The mostructure ,29, who tructure .3SiO5 compound.The process of formation and stability of the individual alite polymorphs are the main factors influencing the technological properties of clinkers. By this reason, study of these factors is an important issue. This study presents fundamental research of the basic processes occurring during the processes of formation and development of triclinic alite from a microscopic point of view. The presented study focuses on monitoring of the development of crystallite size during the firing process of a T1 polymorph of alite; T1–alite was chosen because it can be relatively easily prepared by cooling pure Ca3, p.a. purity, Lach-Ner, Neratovice, Czech Republic) and silica  were dosed in the amounts corresponding to the molar ratio of tricalcium silicate components (73.6% CaO and 26.3% SiO2), see the The process of mechanical activation with high-temperature solid-state reaction was used to synthesize the triclinic alite. The basic compounds of calcium carbonate  at 105 °C for 24 h. During drying, nodules of 10 mm in diameter formed naturally from the powder mixture. The nodules were dosed directly into 30-mL platinum crucibles prepared for the subsequent firing process.To prepare the raw meal, the semi-wet approach was applied . CalciumFor the solid-state reaction procedure, a ventricular high-temperature kiln  with Kanthal super heating elements was used. The solid-state reaction was carried out at six different temperatures of 1350, 1400, 1450, 1500, 1550 and 1600 °C and six different sintering periods of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 h. The heating rate was 10 °C/min. At the end of each firing mode, the crucibles were removed from the furnace and immediately cooled by a stream of cold air. The product of this production step in the form a block was subsequently milled to a powder in a vibratory disc mill  at 900 rpm for 20 s.C is crystallinity in %, I is area of crystalline peaks, totI is total area and const.bgr.I is area of constant background. The constant background intensity is subtracted from the total intensity [The XRD analysis was performed with a multifunctional diffractometer  with Cu anode; Kα was used as the radiation source with the parameters of: λ = 1.540598 Å, accelerating voltage 45 kV, beam current 40 mA, diffraction angle 2θ in the range from 5° to 90° with a scan-step of 0.01°. The ICSD database (released 2012) was used to qualitatively analyze the diffraction patterns. HighScore plus software  was used to identify the individual phases, perform their quantification and determine the amount of the amorphous phase, which was estimated using the “constant background intensity” method, the crystallinity of a sample in which is defined as the intensity ratio of the diffraction peaks and of the sum of all the measured intensities ):ntensity .2S), defined by the “hkl” Miller index of L = crystallite size, K = Scherrer constant , λ = Kα1 (wavelength of X-ray radiation), θ = diffraction angle, B = FWHM , b = FWHM of the size/strain standard used (lanthanum hexaboride).The size of the crystallites was evaluated on a selected diffraction line at an appropriately selected crystallographic plane positioned in a major crystallographic direction. We selected a high-intensity diffraction line which covered the selected plane and, at the same time, did not overlap with other diffraction lines . LaB6 is considered to be a fully crystalline material, the size of the crystallites in which is theoretically equal to infinity. Peaks of LaB6 were determined in the positions identical to the selected diffraction lines in the same way in the HighScore plus software. The FWHM values of LaB6 were calculated from the equation depicted in The instrument extension was set to the LaB2S) (ICSD 98-007-9552), free lime (f-CaO) (ICSD 98-006-0704) and portlandite (Ca(OH)2) (ICSD 98-005-3989) were identified on the X-ray scans. The amount of Ca(OH)2 was converted to free CaO by the loss on ignition method; subsequent recalculation of the contents of individual minerals followed. The dependence of the contents of minerals on the temperature and sintering period is shown in Qualitative monitoring of the mineralogical composition was performed by X-ray analysis. Beside T1–tricalcium silicate, residual dicalcium silicate , respectively: 1450 °C (2 h), 1500 °C (4 h) and 1600 °C (5 h). The belite contents were equal to 0%, and the amounts of free lime were negligible (<1%). Therefore, the temperature of 1450 °C and 2 h of sintering seems to be the ideal firing regime from the viewpoint of reasonable sintering time and economic complexity.Due to the complexity of the crystal lattice of triclinic alite, a crystallographic plane characterized with a dominant crystallographic direction, and, at the same time, manifesting in the diffraction record with a significant isolated peak (without overlapping with the belite line) was chosen. The crystallographic plane Scherrer’s equation was used to monitor the dependence of crystallite size on the temperature and sintering time period on the As can be seen in As regards the growth rate of the crystallites, the highest rate of crystallite formation was observed within just 1 h. In addition, the higher was the temperature, the faster was the crystallite growth rate. After 1 or 2 h of sintering, the growth rate decreased, and the crystallite size was more or less constant.The present study deals with monitoring of the crystallization process of triclinic alite during the firing process. The parameters of preparation of the raw material were optimized to maximize the amount of alite in the sample while maintaining reasonable processing time. Triclinic alite was produced by mechanical activation of a mixture of the raw material in a high-energy mill in a water environment. During drying of the material ground in the water environment, the slurry had a tendency to agglomerate to solid nodules . This simplifies the technological process of preparation without disc pressing, which is the most common way of preparing the material for the solid-state reaction procedure. Selecting a suitable composition of the mixture of the raw material subjected to high-energy milling enabled preparation of a high-quality triclinic alite in the entire range of selected temperatures and sintering periods, as demonstrated in With increasing firing temperature and sintering period, the amount of alite increased—relative to other minerals—as demonstrated in 3S, 0.9% CaO) was acquired at 1450 °C and two hours of sintering, see High-quality T1 alite .The fact that the fundamental nature of this research belongs to the Basic Research needs to be emphasized. The goal of the project is to provide new knowledge, information and connections related to understanding the formation and development of individual clinker minerals from a microscopic point of view. The study of the origin, stability, and properties of various calcium silicate polymorphs is important to better understand the processes involved in the production of Portland clinker. Newly available technologies can contribute to reduction in the energy consumption of firing and reduce CO


To the Editor—After the first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, the total number of confirmed cases had risen to 1,800,000, globally, and the total number of deaths had exceeded 120,000 by April 15, 2020.1 During this period, vast epidemiological data were collected globally that can provide clues about how to address this pandemic.1Here, we focus on the regional differences in the rate of spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Asia, Europe, and North America, and we discuss how these differences arose. All of the data we analyzed were obtained from the World Health Organization.To assess the regional differences in the rate of spread, we prepared growth curves of the cumulative cases per 100,000 population in 16 countries by calculating the ratio between the total number of confirmed cases and the country’s population. The target countries were chosen using 2 criteria: countries (1) with >10 million population and (2) with >3,000 confirmed cases by April 6, 2020. Overall, 6 Asian countries met these criteria ; 8 European countries met these criteria ; and 2 North American countries met these criteria (United States and Canada). The growth curves for the subsequent 30 days were plotted, starting once the cumulative incidence exceeded 1 case per 100,000 population. India was not included, despite meeting the first 2 criteria because it had not reached the cumulative incidence threshold of 1 case per 100,000 population by April 6, 2020. This analysis revealed that the cumulative incidence of European and North American countries rose exponentially in a similar manner , suggesting that some underlying factors may be affecting the rate of spread.A Student 2 Although the low cumulative incidence per 100,000 population in Japan is striking, the incidence rates of the other Asian countries are also much lower than those of European and North American countries.We questioned why the rate of spread of SARS-CoV-2 has been much slower in Asian countries than in European and North American countries. The reason for the small number of confirmed cases and total deaths due to SARS-COV-2 in Japan has been a subject of debate. Some have attributed it to the high level of discipline exhibited by Japanese people, such as full-time wearing of face masks and frequent handwashing. However, we propose that the limited number of PCR tests conducted is the main reason for the small number of confirmed cases and that the underdeveloped private practice system and strict government policy have prevented people from undergoing PCR testing in Japan.3 BCG vaccination is routine in most Asian countries; however, scientific evidence supporting that BCG protects against coronavirus is currently lacking. Habitual physical contact  or hesitation in wearing face masks in public have been proposed as reasons for the faster spread in Europe and North America.The small number of cases reported by China and South Korea since the incidence peaked in these countries has also been a subject of debate. Despite the large size of the susceptible population in China and South Korea, the number of new cases per day has been 100 or less since the middle of March 2020. One hypothesis is that Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccination protects against respiratory viruses.4; Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus led to 858 deaths due to severe respiratory illness in Saudi Arabia in 20125 and in South Korea in 2015.6These hypotheses may account for some of the differences in the of spread among regions; however, we present a new hypothesis that Asians have resistance to coronaviruses. There have been several coronavirus outbreaks in Asia in the past. SARS coronavirus caused an outbreak in China in 2002 Considering the multiple opportunities for exposure to coronavirus in Asia, Asian people may have acquired some degree of immunological or genetic resistance to coronaviruses through repeated exposure over a long period, and this might have reduced the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Asia. We acknowledge the need for further research to determine the reasons for the variable rate of spread; however, the COVID-19 pandemic could provide clues that could help prevent future pandemics.


Objectives and Design. Epiphyseal separation of the coracoid process (CP) rarely occurs in adolescents. In this retrospective case series, we reviewed the data of nine patients treated at our center and those of 28 patients reported in the literature. This injury can be classified into three types according to the injured area: Type I, base including the area above the glenoid; Type II, center including the coracoclavicular ligament (CCL); and Type III, tip with the short head of the biceps and coracobrachialis, as well as the pectoralis minor. Patients/Participants. A total of 37 patients were included in the analysis. Data on sex, age, cause and mechanism of injury, separation type, concomitant injury around the shoulder girdle, treatment, and functional outcomes were obtained. Main Outcome Measurements and Results. Type I is the most common type. The cause of injury and associated injury around the shoulder girdle were significantly different between Type I, II, and III fractures. The associated acromioclavicular (AC) dislocation and treatment were significantly different between Type I and III fractures. Our new classification system reflects the clinical features, imaging findings, and surgical management of epiphyseal separation of the CP. Type I and II fractures are mostly associated with AC dislocation and have an associated injury around the shoulder girdle. Type III fractures are typically caused by forceful resisted flexion of the arm and elbow. Although the latter are best managed surgically, whether conservative or surgical management is optimal for Type I and II fractures remains controversial. Conclusions. We noted some differences in the clinical characteristics depending on the location of injury; therefore, we aimed to examine these differences to develop a new system for classifying epiphyseal separation of the CP. This would increase the clinicians' awareness regarding this injury and lead to the development of an appropriate treatment. Fractures of the coracoid process (CP) do not commonly occur, accounting for only 2%–13% of all scapular fractures and approximately 1% of all fractures . The epiThe aim of this study was to examine the clinical characteristics associated with epiphyseal separation of the CP and propose a new classification system for this condition.The epiphyses of the coracoid close as the child reaches the age of 17–25 , 27. TheThe medical records from our center and previously published studies were retrospectively reviewed to extract the data regarding sex, age, cause and mechanism of injury, separation type, concomitant injury around the shoulder girdle, treatment, and functional outcomes.In these 37 patients, separation occurred at the base of the CP. The separation occurred above the glenoid in 28 (76%) patients, at the center with CCL in 6 (16%), and at the tip of the short head of the biceps and coracobrachialis or the pectoralis minor in 3 (8%). The differences identified in the epiphyseal separation of the CP lesions were classified depending on the location of the injury : Type I,The three types of fractures were compared statistically in terms of sex, age, cause and mechanism of injury, concomitant injury around the shoulder girdle, concomitant AC dislocation, and treatment (surgery or conservative therapy) and functional outcome .In this study, the method used for evaluating functional outcome was not standardized. Therefore, with regard to the clinical results at the time of final observation described in the article, the absence of (1) pain, (2) limited range of motion, and (3) inability to return to sports were considered as excellent. If one of the abovementioned items were reported by the patient, the results were considered to be good/fair. If two or more of the abovementioned items were reported by the patient, the results were considered to be poor.Statistical analysis was performed using the StatMate IV software for Windows . The Kruskal–Wallis test with Bonferroni/Dunn correction was used to compare sex, age, cause and mechanism of injury, concomitant injury around the shoulder girdle, concomitant AC dislocation, treatment, and functional outcomes; the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used to compare sex, cause and mechanism of injury, concomitant injury around the shoulder girdle, concomitant AC dislocation, treatment, and functional outcomes.The average age at the time of injury was 14.4 years . Among the total population, except for one example that was not described, 33 (91.7%) were men and three (8.3%) were women. In cases of Type I injury, 21 (75%) patients had associated injuries around the shoulder girdle with the following breakdown: 19 (90.4%), AC dislocation; 1 (4.8%), clavicle distal end fracture; and 1 (4.8%), a combination of lateral clavicular epiphyseal separation and rupture of the CCL. In Type II, five patients had associated injuries around the shoulder girdle, of whom four (80%) had AC dislocation and one (20%) had double fracture of the clavicle. All Type III cases were isolated injuries.In the Type I group, the mechanism of injury in three patients was unknown. Among the patients whose mechanism of injury was identified, 14 (56%) experienced falling on the shoulder, 8 (32%) had a direct trauma to the shoulder, and 3 (12%) had forceful resisted flexion of the arm and elbow. In Type II, the mechanism of injury was unknown in one patient; among the patients with known mechanism of injury, falling on the shoulder was reported in four (80%) and direct trauma to the shoulder in one (20%). All cases of Type III injury were caused by forceful resisted flexion of the arm and elbow. Conservative treatment was carried out in 21 (75%) patients with Type I injury, and surgical therapy was administered in 7 (25%) patients. All surgical cases of Type I injury associated with AC dislocation were repaired by screw fixation of the coracoid and AC joint using a Kirschner wire (K-wire). The functional outcomes were good or excellent for both methods. For Type II injuries, conservative treatment was used in four (66.7%) patients, and surgery was performed in two (33.3%). In the Type II group, one of the four (25%) patients treated conservatively had a poor functional outcome and two (100%) patients who underwent surgery showed an excellent functional outcome. Surgical therapy was used in all patients with Type III injury, with excellent clinical results. The cause of injury and associated injury around the shoulder girdler were significantly different between Type I, II, and III cases. The associated AC injury and treatment were significantly different between Type I and Type III cases .Due to the rarity of epiphyseal separation of the CP, clinicians' understanding and knowledge regarding clinical management of this condition is limited , 6. AlthA number of several classification systems for coracoid fractures in adults have been reported. In 1995, Eyres et al. classified these fractures into five types based on the location of fracture  . To dateEpiphyseal separation of the CP is usually diagnosed by obtaining plain shoulder radiographs consisting of three views. Special radiograms are required in order to make a definitive diagnosis: 30° cephalad roentgenogram , 45° to There have been three mechanisms of injury reported for coracoid fractures in adults : direct In our center, only Type I and Type II cases were reported. In cases with AC joint dislocation, surgical treatment is recommended because the presence of AC joint dislocation will cause a dysfunction in the future, and conservative treatment is recommended for patients who refused to undergo surgery. Hence, surgery was performed in 3 of 7 patients with AC joint dislocation. The type of surgical procedure performed was the same as that conducted in previous studies, with screw fixation of the coracoid process and percutaneous fixation of the AC joint using a Kirschner wire. All operative cases had excellent outcomes. All Type I and II patients who have undergone surgery underwent surgical treatment to cure AC joint dislocation in previous studies. However, the review of the literature revealed no clear advantage of surgery over conservative treatment because most patients with Type I and II were treated conservatively with good/excellent outcomes , 26. MorThis study has some limitations. The sample size was small, particularly for Type II and III fractures. We were unable to clearly determine the difference between Type I and Type II cases for each item. If the number of Type II cases increases, a difference may be found. The study is retrospective in nature; hence, it was difficult to confirm all images of cases in the literature. In the future, data on the characteristics of this injury according to type must be obtained by conducting a prospective study.We propose a classification system for epiphyseal separation of the CP based on the location of ossification. Our new system includes consideration of clinical features, imaging findings, and surgical management. The application of the system revealed that Type I injuries occur predominantly in younger patients compared with Type II and III. Type I and II injuries are most commonly associated with AC joint dislocation and associated injury of the shoulder girdle. Type III injuries are most commonly caused by forceful resisted flexion of the arm and elbow, and surgical therapy offers the best outcomes. However, the management for Type I and II injuries remains controversial because both approaches appear to be effective. Further investigations are required to ascertain the optimal method.


Fe–Al intermetallic compounds have been considered excellent candidates as alternative alloys for various applications in corrosive environments compared to other Fe-based alloys. Their excellent corrosion resistance is due to the development of an Al-based passive layer. The performance of the passive layer can be improved by adding a third alloy element. Therefore, in this study the electrochemical performance of the Fe40Al intermetallic alloy modified by the addition of a third alloy element  is evaluated. The corrosion resistance of intermetallic alloys has been evaluated by electrochemical tests  in artificial saliva. The performance of intermetallic alloys was compared with that of Ti. The results obtained showed that the addition of Ni and Ti substantially improves the corrosion resistance of the base intermetallic. The corrosion resistance shown is comparable or greater than that shown by Ti. However, the addition of Co reduces the corrosion resistance of the base intermetallic. A biomaterial is developed in order to be utilized in physical contact with live tissue; for that reason, it is important that the implanted material will not produce dangerous effects in the human body. Thus, non-toxic metallic implants must be fabricated in such way that they will not induce allergic reactions or inflammation in the human body. Biocompatibility is the capability of a biomaterial to co-exist with human body tissues without inducing significant damage to the body system. This property is associated not only to toxicity but also to all the possible effects of a material in the biological system ,2,3.The choice of biocompatible metals is a relevant issue in corrosion resistance as the chemical degradation of metallic implants when exposed to biological fluids cannot be avoided . ImplantCorrosion of dental implants of metallic nature can induce adverse effects in the biological human system by affecting its functionality and also can modify the esthetic of natural or prosthetic dental pieces. The metallic ions and by-products generated during electrochemical corrosion process can induce detrimental effects on tissues and cell in the surrounding biological media. In the same way, these corrosion products can be transported by biological fluids to different parts of the human body. In this sense, the biomedical use of dental alloys in the oral cavity requires an extensive study of its corrosion performance ,6.It is well known that iron aluminides possess excellent oxidation and corrosion performance, and they are considered as light compounds compared to other Fe-based alloys ,8. The ADuring the last decades, iron aluminide compounds have been the subject of considerable interest focused on their aqueous corrosion properties. Their corrosion performance has been investigated in a wide range of electrolytes such as acidic, basic, chloride and sulfur compound solutions ,14,15,163Al-base intermetallic compound which presented different crystal structures in a Hank solution. The results of this research showed that the crystal structure of intermetallics did not affect significantly the corrosion rate expressed in terms of the corrosion current density, besides; these materials exhibited a stable passive state during the whole test. These corrosion rates of the Fe3Al-base intermetallics were of the same order of magnitude as for 316L stainless steel.Garcia-Alonso et al  studied Castañeda et al  studied 3Al-type intermetallic alloys when they were exposed in Hank´s solution. Different concentrations of Ni were added to the Fe3Al intermetallic alloy and they were tested in the as-cast and thermal-treated conditions. For comparison, the corrosion performance of Ti and 316L stainless steel was also assessed. The results derived from this research have shown that the 316-L stainless steel and Ti are the materials with greater corrosion resistance in chloride-rich environments. Compared to 316-L SS and Titanium, intermetallic Fe3Al alloys had greater susceptibility to pitting corrosion. Ni addition and thermal treatment induced a beneficial effect on the corrosion resistance of Fe3Al-base alloy owing to an improved stability of the passive layer.Arrieta-Gonzalez et al  evaluateSarmiento Bustos et al.  studied Due to the excellent corrosion resistance properties that Fe-Al intermetallic alloys have shown, it is of interest to explore their performance in simulated biological fluids in order to determine their behavior as a possible biomaterial. In addition, it is important to determine whether the addition of a third alloy element such as Ti, Cr, Co and Ni contributes to an improvement in the electrochemical behavior of the base alloy against the corrosive action of the electrolyte used. Therefore, the objective of this research work is to carry out an evaluation of the electrochemical behavior of the Fe40Al intermetallic alloy modified with the addition of Ti, Ni, Co, and Cr. The electrochemical techniques used were polarization curves and measurements of open circuit potential, polarization resistance, and electrochemical impedance in synthetic saliva.Cast ingots of ternary Fe40Al-3X  (weight %) alloys were elaborated by utilizing an induction furnace at about 1600 °C in air. Fe, Al, Cr, Ti, Co, and Ni of high purity (99.9%) were collocated inside a SiC crucible in order to be melted. The casting process of the Fe40Al based alloys were carried out by pouring the molten metal into a rectangular steel mold, then the alloys underwent the solidification process during cooling until room temperature was reached. The ingots fabricated in this way showed a coarse-grain microstructure. X-ray diffractometry  was used to characterize the alloys.Fe40Al based alloys were immersed in the biomimetic solution. In this case, the artificial saliva electrolyte was utilized as the corrosion environment, and the concentration of the constituents of the artificial saliva is shown in Electrochemical corrosion experiments were performed by utilizing an ACM Instruments zero-resistance ammeter (ZRA) (potentiodynamic polarization measurements) and an Interface 1000 Gamry Potentiostat/Galvanostat/ZRA , both coupled to a personal computer.The electrochemical cell used was a typical three-electrode one, whereas the reference electrode (RE) was a saturated calomel electrode (SCE), and the counter electrode (CE) a Pt wire. Fe40Al and ternary alloys were the working electrodes (WE).The work electrodes were manufactured by encapsulating the alloys  in epoxy resin in acrylic molds. Previously a copper conductor wire was welded to the metal samples by the spot-welding technique. For corrosion tests, the encapsulated samples were abraded with sandpaper grade 120 to 600, subsequently washed with distilled water and ethanol and immediately immersed into corrosive electrolyte.Corrosion resistance of the alloys was determined by potentiodynamic polarization from −400 mV to 1000 mV with respect to corrosion potential (Ecorr). The polarization scans were carried out at a rate of 1 mV/s. Prior to the electrochemical evaluation, the prepared specimens were left to stabilize for 20 min. Electrochemical corrosion parameters (corrosion current density (icorr), icorr, Tafel slopes, Ecorr) were determined by utilizing the extrapolation Tafel method from ± 250 mV around the corrosion potential (Ecorr).The electrochemical behavior of the alloy-electrolyte interface will be characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy . The analysis of the Nyquist and Bode diagrams will determine the presence of both the Faradaic and non-Faradaic processes that influence the degradation-protection process of the alloys evaluated. The impedance spectra obtained by the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy technique were recorded at the open circuit potential (OCP), which was executed in the frequency range of 0.01 Hz to 100,000 Hz with a perturbation of ±10 mV.Even though the corrosion properties of the Fe40Al alloy were enhanced significantly after the addition of Cr, Ni, Ti and Co, all these ternary alloys remain susceptible to pitting corrosion, see 2. Since it is well known than the protective film on titanium dental implants is constituted predominantly of titanium oxide (TiO2), with a rutile-type tetragonal structure [The corrosion rate (mm/yr) of the alloys evaluated was calculated . From thtructure ,31.2. In this sense, the best corrosion rate of Fe40Al-3X alloys as compared with that of ternary alloys is certainly due to the major Al content contained in the former alloys, which promoted the formation of a more uniform and ticker Al-oxide scale on the surface of aluminides. In a similar research, Arrieta-Gonzalez et al. [3Al and ternary Fe3Al-X . The authors reported corrosion current densities of 0.00095, 0.0065, 0.002 and 0.0028 for Fe3Al, Fe3Al-1Ni, Fe3Al-3Ni, and Fe3Al-5Ni respectively. In this case, the Fe40Al-3Cr, Fe40Al-3Ti, Fe40Al-3Co, and Fe40Al-3Ni studied in present research presented lower corrosion rates than those of ternary Fe3Al-based alloys. Similarly, this behavior can be ascribed to the higher Al concentration contained in the Fe40Al based intermetallic alloys, which in turn give place to the formation of a more uniform and ticker layer onto the surface of aluminides.Since recent decades, intermetallic compounds based on aluminides have been considered as candidate materials to be used as biomaterials; in this sense, is important to compare the corrosion rate of alloys studied in present work with other intermetallic compounds when they were exposed to artificial biomimetic media. For example, Castañeda et al.  studied z et al.  evaluate2 oxide formed onto the surface of the ternary Fe40Al-3Ti aluminide.3Al alloy caused a shift in its OCP values towards more noble values; in addition, the addition of this element improved its corrosion resistance due to an increase in the passive layer’s stability. Also, the intermetallic alloy modified with the addition of Ti showed a similar behavior: it showed nobler OCP values. These behaviors could be associated with the improvement of the protective nature of the oxide scale formed on surface of these ternary intermetallics and this in turn could have been related to the modification of the aluminum oxide layer. Addition of Cr induced a shift of the OCP values towards the noble side during the first 15 h of immersion; however, after that, the OCP values became more active than the binary alloy. A similar behavior was observed with the addition of Co. In both cases, after 20 h of immersion, their OCP values were similar to those of the binary alloy.2O3 and TiO2 compounds on the surface of iron aluminide, as reported previously [2O3 and TiO2 are approximately close each other.The fluctuation of Rp as a function of immersion period for the evaluated alloys is showed in eviously . Also, tf-log |Z|). In general, it is observed that this relationship extends to the low frequency region, thereby indicating that the impedance module is greater than the last recorded value. The variation in the slope of the linear relationship is directly related to the variation of the maximum phase angle  composed of a bilayer oxide where the outer layer is porous and the inner layer is a barrier.The observed behavior is consistent with that reported in other studies ,42,43,44f-log |Z| relationship. However, at lower frequencies the impedance module shows the same behavior observed in the Nyquist diagram, that is, a tendency to decrease at times less than nine hours, and a subsequent increase until the end of the test. The initial behavior observed may be associated with a greater dissolution of Fe and a subsequent enrichment of the protective film with NiO, which improved its corrosion resistance. From the Bode diagram . The second time constant associated with the double electrochemical layer is represented by RCT and ZCPEdl, where RCT is the charge transfer resistance and ZCPEdl is the impedance of the CPE and Rs is the resistance of the electrolyte. In this model the capacitances (C) have been replaced by the CPE, which is commonly used to compensate the irregularities in the surface of the working electrode [0 = magnitude of the CPE (Ω−1 cm−2 sn), ω = angular frequency (rad s−1), j2 = −1 is the imaginary number and n = surface heterogeneity. The values of n vary from 0 < n <1. In general, if n = 1, CPE = C; if n = 0.5, CPE = ZW (Warburg impedance); if n = 0, CPE = R. Based on the above, the capacitance can be calculated according to [The first time constant associated with the capacitive response of the work electrode surface is represented by R and Zlectrode :(1)ZCPE=rding to :(2)CCPE=n value. The above may be associated with the development of a thin oxide with excellent capacitive properties and lower surface heterogeneity. On the other hand, the oxide developed onto intermetallic alloys showed slightly higher resistance values and similar capacitance values. The similarity in the capacitance values is congruent because the main component of the protective oxide is Al2O3 and the presence of the third alloy element contributed to the formation of an oxide with different thickness and/or different surface defects. On the other hand, according to the RCT and Cdl values, it is observed that the RCT values coincide in magnitude with those polarization resistance values shown in dl values are also very similar. This suggests that Al2O3-based oxides show capacitive properties similar to TiO2, and the differences observed may be associated with the surface defects of the oxides developed on the surface of the alloys.From the analysis of the different electrochemical parameters, it is observed that the properties of the oxide developed on all the alloys  are within the same order of magnitude. The differences observed may be due to the thickness and heterogeneity of each oxide. In general, it is observed that the oxide developed onto Ti showed the lowest resistance and capacitance value and the highest As an example, F−, Cl−, Br−, I−, SCN−). The chemical composition of artificial saliva used in this study reflects the presence of both types of anions; however, only chaotropic anions are capable of initiating a pitting corrosion process, and the cosmotropic anions break the passive film only at high values of potential.The degradation of the materials depends largely on the chemical composition of the electrolyte in which it is immersed. It has been recognized that the ions present can be categorized into two classes according to the properties of their surrounding hydration shield , namely,Notwithstanding the foregoing, the commonly accepted degradation mechanisms are based on the formation and dissolution reactions of the metal oxides considering a uniform corrosion process that generally occurs in conditions close to the rest potential.2O3 [It is known that in conditions close to those of resting potential, iron aluminides show a rapid tendency to passivation due to the establishment of a film of Al (III) oxide/hydroxide onto surface. However, its corrosion resistance can be affected by the presence of iron oxides, therefore, the addition of a third element improves the corrosion resistance due to the co-existence of their respective oxides together with Al2O3 ,27,28,29The electrochemical reactions associated with the metal solution of the base intermetallic (Fe40Al) are ,27:(3)Fe2O3:The anodic reaction causes a superficial film of Al-Fe oxy-hydroxides which quickly becomes Al2O3 film will cause the presence of porosity affecting its corrosion resistance [In this case, the iron cations remain in solution and the Al-rich layer will provide protection to the intermetallic. However, the possible reduction of iron ions into the Alsistance ,27:(6)2FDespite the high values of polarization resistance  and char2+) according to the following reaction:According to reported studies ,48,49, i2O3 with fewer internal defects, which in turn reduced the continuous dissolution of the Fe. This improvement in corrosion resistance was greater with the addition of Ni and Ti.Therefore, except for the behavior exhibited with the addition of Co, the other ternary alloys showed an improvement in the corrosion resistance of the base intermetallic (Fe40Al). The above is due to the simultaneous formation of the oxide of the third element added, which possibly favored the formation of a layer of AlBased on the different studies carried out on the intermetallic alloys evaluated, the following conclusions can be established.The addition of a third alloy element  does not alter the crystal structure of the binary intermetallic alloy.2. All the ternary Fe40Al-3X alloys presented minor corrosion rates than other ternary intermetallic alloys.In short-term corrosion tests (polarization curves) the results obtained showed that all Fe40Al-3X alloys exhibited a dual active-passive behavior. The addition of a third alloy element caused a decrease in the corrosion rate of the base intermetallic. With the addition of Ti the best performance was obtained, its icorr values were similar to those of Ti. This behavior could be associated to the modification of the Al-oxide by TiO2O3 layer with fewer internal defects, which in turn reduced the continuous dissolution of Fe. The addition of cobalt does not improve the corrosion resistance of the intermetallic base due to its preferential dissolution.In longer corrosion tests , the Fe40Al-3Ni alloy showed the best performance of all the materials evaluated, followed by the Fe40Al-3Ti alloy. In particular, the LPR measurements showed very similar results to those observed with the polarization curve tests, that is, the modification of the intermetallic Fe40Al with the addition of Ni or Ti, substantially improved its corrosion resistance. In addition, according to the EIS measurements, it was observed that all the materials evaluated show similar electrochemical impedance spectra; the above suggests that the corrosion and protection mechanisms are similar. The results obtained suggest that the addition of a third alloy element causes the formation of an Al2O3 show capacitive properties similar to TiO2.The modeling of the impedance spectra suggests that, under the experimental conditions evaluated here, the oxides based on Al


The primary measurement was the subjective estimation of quality of the visibility of the operating field provided by the 3D exoscope—VITOM-3D  in comparison to the operating microscope. Results: All procedures, except for two (3.3%) converted to the microscope, were successfully completed using a 3D exoscope. In both stapedotomy and tympanoplasty, the exoscope was superior to the microscope during more superficial portions of the procedures. By contrast, in deeper areas of the middle ear, the exoscope provided significantly worse visibility, but usually not suboptimal. Both intraoperative bleeding and the narrow surgical field substantially reduced the visibility with the 3D exoscope in comparison to the microscope. Conclusions: Overall, our study shows that the 3D exoscope offers excellent, highly magnified, and well-illuminated high-definition images of the surgical field. However, our experience revealed several important limitations of this system, including decreased depth perception in deep areas of the tympanic cavity and reduced visibility in a difficult surgical field, with subsequent need to switch to an operating microscope in select cases. Background: The aim of the study was to describe our initial experience with the high-definition three-dimensional (3D) exoscope for middle ear surgery versus the operating microscope. Methods: The study included 60 randomly chosen patients diagnosed with otosclerosis ( Advances in intraoperative optics and new surgical visualization systems such as the three-dimensional 3D) exoscope system have recently been reported as a viable alternative to surgical microscopes and endoscopes . The 3D D exoscopIn this context, we carried a cross-sectional analysis to assess the feasibility of using the 3D exoscope to perform stapedotomy in otosclerosis and tympanoplasty in chronic suppurative otitis media. In this observational study, we evaluated the quality of subjective visibility with the 3D exoscope perceived by an operating surgeon and compared it to the operating microscope at all the stages of both surgical procedures.n = 30) or chronic suppurative otitis media with cholesteatoma or granulation (n = 30) with a clinical indication for surgery. All the patients underwent video-assisted surgery with the 3D exoscope, which was performed between January 2018 and December 2018. All stapedotomy procedures were performed by a single surgeon . The tympanoplasty procedures were performed by two surgeons . Both surgeons are right-handed, and they have more than 20 years of experience in otosurgery. An endaural approach (with an incision of skin between tragus and helix and with use of retractors) was used in all the patients undergoing stapedotomy. In all the tympanoplasty cases, an incision was made behind the auricle. All stapedotomies were performed under local anesthesia and neuroleptoanalgesia. All tympanoplasties were performed under general anesthesia.This was a prospective cross-sectional analysis conducted in an academic, tertiary referral center. The regional ethics committee deemed this study to be exempt. The study included 60 randomly chosen patients diagnosed with otosclerosis  and 7 men (23.3%), with a mean age of 37.3 years . Of these, 22 patients (73.3%) underwent an initial stapedotomy while the remaining eight underwent stapedotomy in a second ear (26.7%). The tympanoplasty group included 18 women (60.0%) and 12 men (40.0%), with a mean age of 42.8 years (range from 23 to 59). In 24 patients, tympanoplasty was performed for the first time (80.0%), and in 6 (20.0%) it was a second-look procedure. Among the 30 patients with chronic suppurative otitis media, 26 were with cholesteatoma and 4 with granulation tissue. According to the European Academy of Otology and Neurotology (EAONO)/Japanese Otological Society (JOS) Joint Consensus Statements on the Definitions, Classification, and Staging of Middle Ear Cholesteatoma , we had All the analyzed patients underwent video-assisted surgery with the VITOM 3D, a high-definition exoscope  . The imaThe operating surgeons compared the quality of visibility with the exoscope to their prior recollection of visibility through the microscope from thousands of other middle ear surgeries. In order to make their subjective assessment, the surgeons filled in a form at each stage (stages 1–10) intraoperatively, and the subjective comparison was based on the following scale: (0) both instruments are considered comparable; (−1), the microscope is considered superior, and (+1) the exoscope is considered superior. During all the surgeries, the microscope was also prepared to be used at any single moment in case a surgeon needed to confirm his/her subjective assessment or to convert from the 3D exoscope to the operating microscope.In stapedotomy, the various surgical stages are relatively consistent across most cases. For the purposes of this study, we defined and assessed the following stages: the initial image of the operating field (stage S1); ease of tympanomeatal flap formation (S2); ease of opening the tympanic cavity (S3); ease of widening the external auditory canal (S4); visualization of the incudostapedial joint (S5); assessment of the oval window area (S6); ease of removal of the stapes superstructure (S7); facial nerve assessment (S8); footplate assessment and perforation (S9); and prosthesis placement maneuver (S10).The surgical stages for tympanoplasty, by contrast, can vary from patient to patient. Therefore, we assessed only the main stages of tympanoplasty, which had to be assessable for all operations. All cases included cholesteatoma or granulation tissue removal. The following stages were assessed: initial view of the operating field—planum mastoideum (stage T1); posterior meatal wall skin incision + tympanic membrane assessment (T2); antromastoidectomy (T3); cholesteatoma or granulation removal form mastoid process (T4); lateral semicircular canal visualization (T5); cholesteatoma or granulation removal form tympanic cavity (T6); cholesteatoma or granulation removal form hidden areas (protympanum and/or sinus tympani) (T7); temporal fascia harvesting (T8); ossiculoplasty (T9); and myringoplasty (T10).The primary measurement was the comparison of the surgeons’ subjective assessments of the quality of the visibility of the operating field provided by the 3D exoscope and the operating microscope at each stage and for the whole procedure in both types of surgery. Furthermore, we evaluated the impact of intraoperative conditions on the visibility with the exoscope. What is more, we analyzed the necessity for the conversion from the 3D exoscope to the microscope. The conversion was defined as the moment when the visibility with the exoscope was suboptimal due to bleeding, difficult anatomy, or a narrow operating field, and an experienced surgeon did not have an operational sense of surgical confidence and decided to switch to the microscope, which he/she had known for decades. Additionally, we assessed the duration of the procedure (minutes).p < 0.05.Statistica software  was used to perform the statistical analysis. The test of proportion was used to compare the visibility provided by the exoscope with the one provided by the microscope throughout the procedure and in the particular steps of the surgery. Due to the lack of a normal distribution for the total visibility variable, the Mann–Whitney test was used for comparison of normal and difficult operating conditions (intraoperative bleeding and narrow operating field). The level of statistical significance was set at The mean duration of the procedure was 41.3 min , and it did not differ significantly from the average time it took for this procedure to be performed with the microscope in our department by the same surgeon (40 min). In all the cases, surgery and healing were uneventful. All 30 procedures were completed with the 3D exoscope without requiring a switch to the operating microscope. As shown in p = 0.4884). The sum of the obtained points for all the stages of all the surgeries was 47, with a mean of 1.57 and a median 3.00 for one complete procedure. Furthermore, there were some evident differences concerning the influence of intraoperative conditions. Both intraoperative bleeding (observed in four cases) and the narrow surgical field (found in another four cases) significantly reduced the visibility with the 3D exoscope in comparison to the microscope. The details are presented in In comparison to the microscope, the 3D exoscope was evaluated as better in 48%, as comparable in 19.7%, and as worse in 32.3% for the whole procedure . The differences were not statistically significant  and it did not differ significantly from the average time it took for this procedure to be performed with the microscope in our department by the same surgeons (76 min for cholesteatoma stage 2). In all the cases, surgery and healing were uneventful. Most  of the tympanoplasty procedures were completed with the 3D exoscope. However, the conversion to the operating microscope was necessary in two cases, both due to bleeding during cholesteatoma and granulation removal from the tympanic cavity and hidden areas of the middle ear (protympanum and/or sinus tympani) (stages T6/T7). As shown in p = 0.0283). The sum of the obtained points for all the stages of all the surgeries was 116 with a mean of 3.87 and a median 5.00 for one complete procedure. There were no significant differences in the surgical field visibility for the first and second cholesteatoma surgeries. However, we found some evident differences concerning the influence of intraoperative conditions. Both intraoperative bleeding (observed in six cases) and the narrow surgical field (found in another four cases) significantly reduced the visibility with the 3D exoscope in comparison to the microscope. The details are presented in In comparison to the microscope, the 3D exoscope was evaluated as better in 56.3%, as comparable in 26.0%, and as worse in 17.7% for the whole procedure. Differences were statistically significant  using the 3D exoscope, which provided sufficient visualization of crucial anatomical structures. Conversion to the operating microscope was necessary in only two cases (3.3%), both during cholesteatoma or granulation removal from tympanic cavity and hidden areas of the middle ear (protympanum and/or sinus tympani). These findings support the use of the 3D exoscope for middle ear surgery. Based on our findings, the 3D exoscope appears to represent a valid 3D stereoscopic visualization tool for use in middle ear surgery. Our study showed that exoscope is an excellent tool for the more lateral part of the middle ear but has some disadvantages for surgery medial to the tympanic membrane.The main advantages of the exoscope include high-resolution 3D images, a greater degree of freedom for the exoscope adjustment, and a comfortable surgical posture ,13. WhatHowever, based on our subjective observations, the 3D exoscope has some important limitations, both during stapedotomy and tympanoplasty. In both procedures, the superiority of the exoscope over the microscope was only observed during more superficial stages. By contrast, in deeper areas of the middle ear, as the surgical field narrows and bigger magnification is required, the exoscope provided statistically significantly worse visibility. During stapedotomy, all the steps in the oval window region (S7–S10) were visible better with the microscope. Similarly, during tympanoplasty, we found that the microscope was more comfortable when removing the cholesteatoma or granulation tissue from the tympanic cavity and hidden areas of the middle ear (stages T6 and T7). Similar observations in microvascular bypass procedures have been reported . As thosAnother limitation of visualizing the surgical field with the 3D exoscope is the narrow operating field and bleeding during the surgery, cases in which a microscope is preferable. The presence of these unfavorable factors in the operative field had a significant and negative impact on the quality of the visibility provided by the 3D exoscope in comparison to the microscope. Thus, in such cases, we strongly advise that a microscope be chosen rather than the 3D exoscope.This study has several limitations. Firstly, the operating surgeons compared the quality of visibility with the exoscope to their prior recollection of visibility from other surgeries with the microscope. Study design relies heavily on a subjective assessment of a surgeon in real time. Undoubtedly, achieving an unbiased fashion is very difficult in such a comparison. However, from a technical point of view, conducting surgery on the same patient by means of two instruments simultaneously (an exoscope and a microscope) was not possible. That is why a surgeon’s recollection, knowledge, and experience seemed to be an invaluable reference point. Secondly, we were unable to unify all steps of tympanoplasty. For this reason, to facilitate the comparison, we selected main surgical milestones for tympanoplasty. A third limitation is that we did not include data concerning body habitus , even though such data are important for the 3D exoscope application. One of the challenges of using a microscope is that visualization may be limited, and a surgeon’s operative comfort decreases when the patient’s body habitus or anatomy is unfavorable. The next limitation of our research is the lack of postoperative hearing test results. This is due to the initial boundary assumption that the results must be as good as in cases of the classical method. Therefore, in cases of difficulties in visualization with the exoscope and suboptimal insight, we were immediately ready to convert the operation to the microscope to avoid complications or a worse audiological result. Finally, the last limitation is our inability to include 3D photographs in this manuscript, as one of the major aspects of the comparison between the use of the 3D exoscope and a microscope involved the comparison of the quality of 3D images. By contrast, the main strength of this study is the fact that, to our knowledge, it was the first study to assess the value of the 3D exoscope in stapedotomy and tympanoplasty. In addition, the analysis was carried out by a reference center with a 40-year tradition in otosurgery that performs approximately 900 procedures per year.Overall, our study shows that the 3D exoscope offers excellent, highly magnified, and well-illuminated high-definition images of the surgical field. However, our experience revealed several important limitations of this system, including decreased depth perception in deep areas of the tympanic cavity and reduced visibility in a difficult surgical field, with the subsequent need to switch to an operating microscope in select cases.


According to the 2006 American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology guidelines, positive CIN2 p16 in women over the age of 25 should be managed with excisional treatment. However, excisional treatment is associated with physical, psychological and obstetric morbidity and can have a negative impact on sexual function. In our study we sought to identify a clear management strategy, addressing the impact of routine use of p16 immunohistochemistry in this population and identify appropriate criteria for patient selection with the aim of reducing over-treatment.We studied the medical records of 130 patients who had undergone laser therapy for CIN2. Each patient underwent colposcopy, biopsy and HPV test and were tested for p16 protein,. Patients were divided based on HPV infection into: single infections, multiple infections. All patients underwent ZTA laser therapy with follow-up (2-year follow-up).p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.Contingency tables were created to evaluate the correlation between single, multiple and CIN2+ infections. Values with Single infections had a histological regression of 61.8% (21/34) and a histological persistence rate of 35.3% (12/34), which was greater than the multiple infection rate. The common characteristic that the women with persistence and progression had was the dimension of the lesion and the genotype 16. Ten cases of histological persistence and the only case of progression had one lesion greater than three quarters of the cervix.With the progress of our understanding of the natural history of infection from human papillomavirus and the increasing use of colposcopy, thanks to the addition of HPV genotyping and the technique of immunohistochemistry, conservative management of these lesions is now possible. Cervical cancer is still a major cause of cancer death in women around the world , 2, partIn March 2012, the College of American Pathologists and the American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology in collaboration with 35 stakeholder organizations, held a consensus conference called the LAST Project . The recommendations of this project include the use of a uniform two-level terminology, in parallel with the terminology of the cytological relationship of the Bethesda System, to describe the histology of the squamous disease associated with human papillomavirus in all the tissues of the anogenital tract. The two levels reflect the biology of the viral infection: one infective or productive phase, low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL), and a true preneoplastic lesion, high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL). The recommendations of the LAST Project offer a solution for the equivocal category of CIN2, which cannot be differentiated in a reliable way only from histopathological data.The LAST Project   shows th2laser by means of the evaluation of relapse at the 2-year follow-up.The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of conservative treatment of high-grade intraepithelial cervical neoplasia (CIN2 p16 positive) by means of COWomen between the ages of 25 and 45;Patients with histological diagnosis of CIN2;Protein p16 positive;Patients who had undergone HPV test;Patients with visible squamo-columnar junction;Women without cervical pathology previously;Patients without immune system pathologies;Patients who had completed at least two years of follow-up;Patients who were not pregnant.We studied the medical records of 130 patients who, from April 2015 to April 2017, had undergone laser therapy for CIN2 at the outpatients’ clinic of Colposcopy of the Gynecology Unit of the University Hospital of Catania  and we selected the women who met the following inclusion criteria:Only 64 patients met the inclusion criteria, from whom we obtained the following clinical data: patient’s age, type of pathology, HPV sample, lesion dimensions, method of treatment, data of follow-ups, pretreatment viral genotype, post-treatment HPV genotype and cases of relapse. Each patient underwent colposcopy, specific biopsy and an HPV test. Patients were divided based on HPV infection into: single infections (34 cases), multiple infections (30 cases). All patients were tested for histologic p16 protein, and then underwent ZTA laser therapy with follow-up. The follow-up was carried out every six months for the first year after treatment then once a year.At each follow-up the patients were examined by Pap test and colposcopy, moreover, cytological ecto-endocervical samples were taken and placed in a ThinPrep solution. The samples were then sent to the laboratory for total DNA and RNA extraction and for viral DNA genotyping by means of genetic amplification followed by hybridization with specific probes for genotypes able to identify most HPV genotypes of the genital region . The commercial method used was the MAG NucliSenseasy system .Colposcopy was carried out using a Zeiss OPM1F colposcope  and applying acetic acid and a solution of Lugol’s iodine.2 laser  with a maximum power of 30 W, used continuously. The diameter of the beam varied from 0.5 to 1 mm, guided by a micromanipulator, to an average depth of vaporization of 6 mm. Power varied from 600 to 1200 W/cm 2. The CO2 laser was connected to a Zeiss OPMI colposcope . The distal limits of the lesion were delineated by 3% acetic acid. The final state after two years of follow-up was classified as progression if the histologic showed a CIN3, persistence if the lesion was CIN2, regression if the histologic was negative or LSIL/CIN1, viral persistence if the HPV test was positive for the same genotype as after treatment.The HPV genotype was classified as follows: 1) negative; 2) HPV 16; and 3) hr. HPV . The laser procedure was carried out in out-patient day-surgery by expert personnel. Vaporization was carried out using a Sharplan COp value) of the difference between groups. Contingency tables were created to evaluate the correlation between single, multiple and CIN2+ infections. Values with p < 0.05 were considered statistically significant.The statistical analysis of the data was carried out with the software package SPSS 15.0 . The analysis of the data was made using the χ2 test and, if necessary, Fisher’s exact test was used to calculate the statistical significance  53.3%.The common characteristic that the women with persistence and progression had was the dimension of the lesion on the cervix and genotype 16. Ten cases of histological persistence and the only case of progression had one lesion greater than three quarters of the cervix. Women with a colposcopic lesion greater than 3 quarters of the cervix had an OR of 16.67 (CI 95% = 2.27–122.22). The case of progression was treated with LEEP. All cases with viral persistence were invited to undergo HPV vaccine (data not available). There were no intra- or post-operatory complications with the laser treatment to an average depth of vaporization of 6 mm.Spontaneous regression rates of CIN2 of women over the age of 25 vary between 40 and 74%. It is important to note that CIN2 is the least reproducible of all cervical diagnoses and it is possible that the “regression” of CIN2 is due to a subjective interpretation of the pathologist who made the diagnosis. Thus “equivocal” CIN2 lesions increase the overall regression rate and, as a consequence, the regression may have been reported in excess . The diaNot all preneoplastic lesions will progress to cancer, therefore regardless of the positivity of p16 we cannot yet accurately predict which lesions would become malignant if left untreated. According to the 2006 American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology guidelines  and obstIn our study we sought to identify a clear management strategy, address the impact of routine use of p16 immunohistochemistry in this population and identify appropriate criteria for patient selection with the aim of reducing over-treatment.LEEP , as an excisional procedure of the cervix, is the most used surgical treatment for programs of cervical screening in developed countries . Some adIn the laser treated women in this study, we found only one case of progression to CIN3 and no relapse at 2 years of follow-up. Multiple infections showed a greater regression rate, unlike single infections with a greater rate of histological persistence. Undoubtedly, single infection, the presence of genotype 16 and one lesion greater than three quarters of the cervix are positively associated with persistence and progression, Castle , 18, 19 Therefore, in patients correctly selected such as non-immunocompromised women and young women (younger than 25 years) with infections from HPV16 (CIN2 in the presence of HPV 16 has less probability of regression), cases in which the squamo-columnar junction is completely visible, the lesion is not very extended, and with multiple infections, a more conservative management of CIN2 p16 positive lesions is possible. Not with standing the limits of the retrospective analysis of the data, our results indicate that laser therapy is efficacious in the conservative treatment of CIN2 p16 positive lesions in carefully selected women. The persistence of the infection from high-risk HPV at follow-up is a significative predictive factor of residual or recurrent CIN after surgery , 25. VacWith the progress in our understanding of the natural history of infection from human papillomavirus and the increasing use of colposcopy, thanks to the addition of HPV genotyping and the technique of immunohistochemistry, conservative management of these lesions is now possible. As cervical treatment has been associated with obstetric morbidity in a successive pregnancy it is possible to stratify the risk of women with CIN2 p16 and guide the clinical management towards conservative management or cervical treatment.Therapeutic options have evolved in the procedure of local ablation for intraepithelial lesions of the cervix.


In this article, the effect of hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose (HEMC), which is a polymeric viscosity modifying admixture on the mineral based composites setting processes, was studied. Previous studies available in the literature included the evaluation of the influence of this admixture on the hydration processes of cement or lime pastes. In this paper, the analysis of this issue was extended to include cement-lime composites. The composition of the pastes and mortars differed in the type of binder , as well as the amount and viscosity of the admixture. The study of mortars setting processes and hardening processes using the ultrasonic method was supplemented in the work with calorimetric measurements and phases analysis by the X-ray diffraction method. Finally, it was found that the HEMC reduces the rate of a hydration reaction in cement and cement-lime pastes. The amount of admixture used has a greater influence on the changes taking place during the setting process than the admixture viscosity or the type of binder. The use of chemical admixtures in modern mortar technology is a prerequisite for obtaining materials of high quality and durability that meet the standard requirement. The aim is to ensure that the mortars are characterized by good workability, ease of application, adequate adhesion to the masonry, and lowest possible shrinkage deformation. 2 crystals was reported to reduce its entanglement between chains and, hence, the viscosity of the pastes as well as its water retention ability. Similar results of the influence on the delay of setting time were observed in ceramic tile adhesive mortars by Petit and Wirquin [3A and C3A-sulphate systems. It was observed that this admixture leads to a gradual slowing down of the C3A hydration depending on cellulose ether chemistry. Two types of cellulose ethers were used in their research: hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) and hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC). They observed that HECs include a higher delay than HPMCs. In their opinion, the substitutions group seems to be more important for controlling factors on C3A hydration rather than molecular mass. Betioli et al. [Cellulose ethers (CE) are a group of polymer admixtures used in dry pre-mix mineral-based binder materials ,2,3. Hyd Wirquin . Initial Wirquin  studied i et al.  observedi et al.  concludei et al.  observedThe correct selection of the admixture, especially its quantity and viscosity, affects the parameters of the finished product. Knowledge of the processes taking place during the setting and hardening of mortars modified with this admixture allows for a correct and comprehensive assessment of its effectiveness and applicability. Based on the publications available in the literature, it can be concluded that the research results presented so far focus mainly on determining the influence of cellulose ethers on the rheological, physical-mechanical properties of cement ,5,6,24 oIn the studies, Portland cement CEM I 42.5 R , hydrated lime deeply separated , two fractions of quartz sand 0.1–0.5 mm and 0.2–0.8 mm , and polymer admixture in the form of HEMC  were used. Cellulose ether used in tests is a hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose with viscosity of 25,000 mPa·s and 45,000 mPa·s (for measurements using a Brookfield rheometer at 20 °C) with low chemical modification. This admixture has the form of white powder with a grain size below 0.063 mm. The pH of its 1% solution in water (at 20 °C) is 7.0. The characteristics of cement and hydrated lime are given in Mortars and pastes differing in their composition with the type of binder, amount, and viscosity of HEMC admixture were prepared for the tests. As a reference material, a cement mortar without admixture, designated as C-0, was used. In addition, cement composites modified with admixture in various amounts and viscosity  and composites modified with cellulose ether, in which cement was replaced with 50% hydrated lime . The MV symbol stands for Medium Viscosity , whereas the HV symbol stands for High Viscosity . The admixture was added in the amount of 0.05%, 0.175%, and 0.3% in the relation to the dry ingredients of the mortar (binder and fine aggregate). The detailed composition of mortars is given in Cement, hydrated lime, and fine aggregate were weighed with an accuracy of 0.1 g, and the chemical admixture was weighed with an accuracy of 0.0001 g. The ingredient mixing procedure was as follows: 90 seconds of mechanical mixing at 45 rpm, 30 s of rest, and 90 s of mechanical mixing at 57 rpm. The time and method of mixing were constant (the same in each case).All mortars were performed, maintaining a constant weight ratio of the binder to the fine aggregate of 1:10. The amount of water was chosen so as to obtain a constant consistency of 165 mm, measured using a flow table, according to the PN-EN 1015-3:2000 standard . All samTesting of setting processes by the ultrasonic method,Calorimetric measurements,Phases analysis by the XRD method.Determination of the effect of hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose on the setting processes of cement and cement-lime composites was carried out using three methods, which included:Using the first method, mortar samples were tested, whereas, using the second method, paste samples were tested. In each case, the experiments were carried out for the first 48 h of material maturation. Additionally, using X-ray diffraction analysis, measurements after 40 days of maturation were made to verify whether there are differences in the leaven hydration products compared to the results obtained after two days.The setting process was determined using the ultrasonic wave velocity method by an IP-8 Ultrasonic Measuring System . The essence of the study consisted in passing the ultrasonic wave through the material from one end to the other and recording its velocity over time. Ultrasonic heads and a temperature sensor were mounted on both sides for all forms. Each time, a sample of fresh mortar was taken , which was placed for the entire duration of the test in the sampler . The uppThe BT2.15CS low-temperature differential scanning microcalorimeter by SETARAM  was used for micro-calorimetric measurements. Binder samples (with admixture or without it) were mixed with distilled water and put into small PE zip-bags and, immediately after mixing, placed in the calorimeter. Calorimetric curves were recorded with an electronic measuring unit, connected to a personal computer.XRD images were obtained in an X-ray diffractometer Empyrean , equipped with a copper lamp. FT scanning was carried out at a 2θ range of 5–65° and the step length was 0.0167°. The PANalytical XRD analysis software HighScore 4.6  with the International Center for Difration Data (ICDD) database PDF-2 was used for phase identification. X-ray diffractometric studies were carried out on powdered samples of pastes after the time of 2 and 40 days of setting.The ultrasonic technique used in the research is based on the registration of the speed of the ultrasonic wave, which is related to the change in the viscosity and elasticity of the medium. The publications ,34,35,36The setting process varies in intensity depending on the binder used and the amount and viscosity of the cellulose ether. It is clearly visible that the use of an admixture in the amount of 0.3% delays the setting process of both cement and cement-lime mortars (C-0.3-MV and CL-0.3-MV mortars). This is especially true when comparing the induction period of individual materials. This parameter is defined as the time counted from the setting of the measurement to the moment of a sudden change in the velocity of the ultrasonic wave. It should also be noted that, in the case of all modified mortars, the maximum velocity of the ultrasonic wave has been significantly reduced, from 2180.1 m/s, even to 423.3 m/s (more than 5 times), which may be related to the different microstructure (among other porosities) of these materials, resulting from the replacement of cement binder on lime and the use of admixtures. Mortar CL-0.3-MV modified with cellulose ether, in which 50% cement was replaced with hydrated lime, was characterized not only by the lowest ultrasonic wave velocity after 48 h of maturation, but also the ultrasonic wave velocity recorded during all setting processes was the lowest. The smallest differences in the setting process, in relation to the reference sample (C-0), are visible for the cement mortar with the admixture of 0.05% (sample C-0.05-MV) and viscosity of 25,000 mPa·s. In other cases, it is clearly visible that both the lime and the admixture significantly reduce the velocity of the ultrasonic wave during every period of time for measurements. The induction period of 10 h 54 min and 7 h 18 min indicates that the setting processes of C-0.3-MV and CL-0.3-MV mortars were delayed due to the use of an admixture in the amount of 0.3% and an admixture viscosity of 25,000 mPa·s. The induction time is visible only in the case of mortars modified with a cellulose ether of 0.175% and 0.3%. Despite the fact that the induction time is clearly visible only in the case of four mortars , a slow The changes in the rate of heat release and the amount of heat released during the hydration of pastes as a function of time are shown in The curve of cumulative heat of hydration  shows thIn Comparing the results obtained on the basis of measurements using the ultrasonic technique with the results of calorimetric tests, there can be a similarity of the course of the curves showing the change in the velocity of the ultrasonic wave in time , Table 4The hydration of the reference paste (cement paste without admixture of cellulose ether) is model-like, which means that, in this case, significant amounts of Portlandite are formed . The larFor cement-lime pastes, the increase of calcite peaks is also characteristic, which may indicate of the partial lime binder carbonation. Due to a binder composition, alite and belite have less intense peaks in these pastes.The diffractograms of the pastes after 40 days of maturation were shown in 3 and the progressive carbonation process. In 2 and CaCO3 were seen in TG analysis. Percent content H20, Ca(OH)2, and CaCO3 after 28 and 91 days was bigger than after 7 days maturation (compared to a reference sample), which confirm the ongoing carbonation processes. On the other hand, percent content of Ca(OH)2 and CaCO3 after 7 days was smaller in the case of the sample with cellulose ether than the reference sample, which may indicate a delay of reaction of carbonation processes caused by the admixture.However, comparing the diffraction patterns after two days and after 40 days, it is possible to notice the different intensity of Portlandite and calcite. A greater amount of Portlandite after 40 days may be caused by the hydration process, and an increased amount of calcite is associated with the formation of calcium carbonate CaCOThe following conclusions could be drawn from the research.The addition of hydroxyethyl methyl cellulose influences the setting processes of cement and cement-lime mortars. The addition of HEMC with a viscosity of 25,000 mPa·s in the amount of 0.3% significantly delays the setting process regardless of the type of binder , which is not so visible in the case of the admixture in the amount of 0.05%.HEMC reduces the rate of the hydration reaction in cement and cement-lime pastes, which has been confirmed in calorimetric tests. The induction time on the heat evolution curve becomes significantly longer (by a maximum of 10 h 10 min). The changes are the most visible with an increasing dosage of the admixture.In the XRD analysis, significant effects of the presence of HEMC were found on the resulting Portlandite peaks. Limiting their intensity during the period of the first two days shows that the hydration process is lower.The differences in the hydration of pastes after 40 days of maturation are much smaller than the hydration of the same samples after two days of maturation. This shows that significant phase changes take place at a later stage of hydration (after 48 h). The addition of HEMC has a greater effect on the hydration of cement and cement-lime pastes in the initial hours of maturation. After a longer time, this effect practically disappears. Therefore, control of hydration kinetics of cement and cement-lime pastes on early stages is important.The effect of HEMC admixture on the inhibition of setting processes is more visible in pastes and mortars containing only cement binder, especially by analyzing the differences in the induction time from the ultrasonic technique and calorimetric measurements.The amount of the admixture used is the most important in the process of setting pastes and mortars. A much-reduced impact is visible when taking into account the viscosity of the admixture or the type of binder used.The ultrasonic technique in combination with calorimetric measurements and XRD method gives the possibility of a more complete and broader assessment of the setting mortars. It also enables the assessment of the influence of a chemical admixture on the hydration and setting processes of pastes and mortars. It can be useful in monitoring and controlling for application plastering mortars.


The dispersity, morphology, chemical composition, and phase composition of the obtained powder materials were investigated. Certain thermodynamic properties of high-energy materials containing the Al-Mg powder after mechanical activation of various durations were investigated. The addition of the Al-Mg powders to the high-energy composition (synthetic rubber SKDM-80 + ammonium perchlorate AP + boron B) can significantly increase the burning rate by approximately 47% and the combustion heat by approximately 23% compared with the high-energy compositions without the Al-Mg powder. The addition of the Al12Mg17 powder obtained after 6 h of mechanical activation provides an increase in the burning rate by 8%  and an increase in the combustion heat by 3% . The possibility of using the Al-Mg intermetallic powders as the main component of pyrotechnic and special compositions is shown.In this work, Al–Mg intermetallic powders were characterized and obtained by melting, casting into a steel chill and subsequent mechanical activation in a planetary mill. The method for producing Al Improving the energy characteristics of high-energy materials (HEMs), improving traditional components, and searching for new components is a relevant objective for many fields of science and technology. High-energy metal powders began to be intensively studied as fuels for burning systems when Russian scientists Kondratyuk and Tsander suggested using high-energy metals  as energy additives for propellants . Metal pAluminum powder is the most affordable, widely studied, and effective additive in various high-energy compositions ,6,7. DesOne of the promising, simple, and inexpensive methods of obtaining metal powders with increased reactivity is mechanical activation in a planetary mill. The first studies in this field began in the 19th century . Using tDespite the considerable interest in investigating the effect of the mechanical activation of eutectic alloys on the combustion parameters of high-energy materials, quantitative data on their combustion temperature, burning rate, oxidation degree, and other important properties remain limited. In particular, there are no studies on the effect of the duration and mode of mechanical activation on the combustion parameters of the Al-Mg system as a part of high-energy additives.Thus, the purpose of this work is to experimentally study the structure, dispersity, oxidation degree, burning rate, and combustion heat of the Al-Mg powder materials in the high-energy compositions, depending on the duration of mechanical activation in a planetary mill.First, 99% pure Al-Mg alloy was obtained from commercial-purity aluminum ingot  and commercial-purity magnesium ingot . The alloy was fabricated by casting in a clay-graphite crucible. The fusion of aluminum and magnesium was carried out in argon. Aluminum ingot was loaded into the crucible and placed in a furnace. When the temperature reached 730 °C, Al melt was removed from the furnace, and magnesium ingot was added into the aluminum melt in small parts in a mass ratio of Al:Mg—1:1. The magnesium ingots were shaped cubes and parallelepipeds, and the approximate mass of individual fragments was 100–150 g. For homogeneous distribution of the components in the melt, mixing was carried out using the device with a rotation speed of 1500 rpm . MechaniThe obtain alloy was crushed using a jaw crusher. The obtain Al-Mg flakes were mechanically milled in a planetary mill , the maiThe average particle size of the mechanically activated powder mixtures was measured using an ANALYSETTE 22 MicroTec plus apparatus  based on the laser diffraction method in the range 0.08–2000 µm and the Fraunhofer theory. The dispersion was carried out in a liquid medium (distilled water). The chemical analysis of the intermetallic Al-Mg powders was performed using an XRF-1800 wavelength-dispersive spectrometer. When calibrating the XRF-1800, a curve was constructed showing the relationship between the element content in the standard sample and its measured intensity ; then, the element content in the studied sample was found. The microstructure of the powders was determined using a Vega3 Tescan . To determine the amount of oxygen in the powder, a LECO ONH  analyzer was used. X-ray diffraction analysis of the powders was performed using a Shimadzu XRD 6000 diffractometer with CuKα radiation. The phase composition was determined using the POWDER CELL 2.4 program and PDF 4+ (Powder Diffraction File) database.2O3 crucible in the temperature range of 25–1200 °C (heat rate 10 K/min) in an O2/Ar atmosphere.Calorimetric studies of the mechanically activated powder mixtures were performed using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) on a Mettler Toledo thermal analyzer with a TGA/SDTA 851 module  in Alboron = 58 KJ/g). In traditional high-energy materials, aluminum powder is used as an energy additive with a lower combustion heat (QAl = 31 KJ/g). The Al12Mg17 powder additive was selected to increase the combustion completeness of boron. Aluminum powder has a high combustion temperature, and magnesium is a highly flammable component. The content of components in the studied samples (The basic composition of the samples contained the following: bidispersed ammonium perchlorate (AP) with a dispersion of 160–315 µm and less than 50 µm in a ratio of 60/40 as an oxidizing agent; divinyl rubber based on butadiene rubber, which was plasticized with transformer oil in a ratio of 20/80 (SKDM-80) as a combustible binder; and amorphous black boron powder (B-99) as an energy additive. The amorphous boron was selected due to its high combustion heat  with a polymer combustible binder. To obtain high-quality samples, the oxidizer charge was divided into several parts. For homogeneous distribution of the components, each charge was mixed for 10–15 min.In this work, the Al-Mg powder, because of its high exothermicity, was used as a catalytic additive that is capable of increasing the energy parameters of boron in the high-energy compositions and also significantly increasing their burning rate. Experimental studies to determine the combustion heat and burning rate, as well as the calculation of the combustion heat, were carried out according to the approved methods presented in ,31.The combustion heat was measured using a calorimetric apparatus, the main part of which is a bomb calorimeter. To obtain results with high accuracy, important requirements are imposed on the bomb calorimeter described in . CriticaThe burning rate of the studied samples was measured in the air atmosphere under a pressure of 0.1 MPa. The initial temperature of the samples is the ambient temperature (22 °C). The samples with a diameter of 10 mm and a height of 30 mm were armored with a linoleum solution in acetone. The samples were ignited by the local heating of the upper surface with a molybdenum spiral. Burning time was fixed by a stopwatch. The process was observed visually and also with a NIKON D600 camera and a Yukon thermal imager, UX 70P .m,1 and Dm,2—modal particle diameter.The particle size distribution for the Al-Mg powder after mechanical activation in the planetary mill is shown in The dependence of the average particle size <d> of the Al-Mg powder on the duration of mechanical activation in the planetary mill is shown in m,1 and Dm,2 are observed in 43) for the unimodal distribution function of the commercially available powder and the bimodal distribution function of the mechanically activated powder are approximately the same (the difference is approximately 1 μm). However, the bimodal distribution function (the presence of two fractions) can significantly affect the characteristics of the studied processes.Al-Mg powders  have a bimodal particle size distribution ) [Aluminum powder is known to have a dense oxide film on the surface. The oxide film of the intermetallic Alt (PBC)) .(1)PBCmAccording to the condition of continuity, the molecular volume of the oxide formed from the metal and oxygen should be greater than the molecular volume of the metal used to form the oxide molecule. Otherwise, the oxide film is not enough to cover the entire metal with a continuous layer. As a result, the oxide film is loose and porous. If PBC > 1, the film forms under compression conditions; therefore, the film is continuous and may have protective properties. If PBC < 1, the film in the process of its growth sustains tension, which contributes to its destruction and cracking. In this case, the film is not continuous . The effect of magnesium on the oxide film is enhanced, since the magnesium content in the film is always many times higher than the magnesium content in the particle . If the The SEM images of the Al-Mg powder after 6 h of mechanical activation are shown in 12Mg17 phase. According to the Al-Mg state diagram, the Al12Mg17 phase is formed at the same percentage (Al 50%/Mg 50%) of each component in the alloy, which is confirmed by the results of chemical analysis  and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) of the Al-Mg powder after 2, 4, and 6 h of mechanical activation are shown in 2O3 and MgO [The oxidation degree of the powder obtained after 2 h of mechanical activation is 70.65% at two exothermic peaks at temperatures around 600 °C and 820 °C. The oxidation degree of the powder obtained after 4 h of mechanical activation is 77.31% at four exothermic peaks at temperatures around 520 °C and 710 °C. The oxidation degree of the powder obtained after 6 h of mechanical activation is 74.4% at exothermic peaks at temperatures around 520 °C and 690 °C. The oxidation degree of the powders obtained after 4 and 6 h of mechanical activation is close to the theoretical value for the case of complete oxidation (77.4%), which indicates the formation of Al and MgO . AccordiThe summarized results of the obtained experimental data of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) are presented in The combustion heat was determined for the samples whose compositions are shown in The results of the burning rate of the prepared compositions of HEMs  in the a12Mg17 phase. The mechanically activated Al12Mg17 powder has increased reactivity and is easier to react due to structural yielding and the formation linear crystal defects: dislocations and point defects  [The difference in the combustion modes is probably explained the difference in the structure of the Al-Mg powder particles and the formation of bimodal particle size distribution. The difference in the structure as well as formation of bimodal distribution are explained by the difference in the method for obtaining the Al-Mg powders. The commercially available Al-Mg powder was obtained by spraying inert gas in a sealed chamber. The studied Al-Mg powder was obtained by mechanical activation in the planetary mill, and the phase composition of the studied Al-Mg powder is dominated by the Alal ions) .The summary results of the obtained experimental data are presented in The Al-Mg powder, in view of its high exothermicity, was used as the catalytic additive that is capable of increasing the energy parameters of boron in the high-energy compositions and also significantly increasing their burning rate.12Mg17 powder to the composition (SKDM-80 + ammonium perchlorate + amorphous boron) leads to an increase in the burning rate and the combustion heat by approximately 47% and 24%, respectively. The greatest increase in the burning rate is achieved when using Al12Mg17 powder obtained after 6 h of mechanical activation in the planetary mill.The addition of the mechanically activated Al12Mg17 powder obtained after 6 h of mechanical activation provides an increase in the burning rate by 8%  and the combustion heat by 3% .Comparison of the burning rate and the combustion heat of the Al-Mg powders obtained by various methods showed that the addition of the studied AlIt was found that the addition of the Al-Mg powder in the compositions of HEMs, regardless of the method of obtaining and dispersion of the powders, does not affect a significant change in heat release.12Mg17 phase, which according to the state diagram of the Al-Mg system corresponds to the eutectic region.The phase composition of the commercially available Al-Mg powder and intermetallic powder obtained by the alloying and subsequent mechanical activation in the planetary mill are represented by the fragile intermetallic Al43) for the unimodal distribution function of the commercially available powder and the bimodal distribution function of the mechanically activated powder are approximately the same (the difference is 1 μm).It was found that the increase in the duration of mechanical activation of the Al-Mg powder from 2 to 3 h leads to a significant decrease in particle size from 196 to 64 μm, and the morphology of the Al-Mg powder consists of individual particles of irregular shape, which is typical for powders after mechanical milling. It should be noted that Al-Mg powders  have a bimodal particle size distribution. The mass median diameter (d12Mg17 powder on the DSC curve shifts to the zone of lower temperatures, and mechanical activation for more than 4 h does not significantly affect the position of peaks on the TG/DSC curves of the studied materials.It was found that with an increase in the duration of mechanical activation in the planetary mill, the exothermic peak of the Al