A
bstract
The production of non-prompt D
0
mesons from beauty-hadron decays was measured at midrapidity (|
y
|
<
0
.
5) in Pb-Pb collisions at a nucleon-nucleon center-of-mass energy of
$$ ...\sqrt{{\textrm{s}}_{\textrm{NN}}} $$
s
NN
= 5
.
02 TeV with the ALICE experiment at the LHC. Their nuclear modification factor (
R
AA
), measured for the first time down to
p
T
= 1 GeV
/c
in the 0–10% and 30–50% centrality classes, indicates a significant suppression, up to a factor of about three, for
p
T
>
5 GeV
/c
in the 0–10% central Pb-Pb collisions. The data are described by models that include both collisional and radiative processes in the calculation of beauty-quark energy loss in the quark-gluon plasma, and quark recombination in addition to fragmentation as a hadronisation mechanism. The ratio of the non-prompt to prompt D
0
-meson
R
AA
is larger than unity for
p
T
>
4 GeV
/c
in the 0–10% central Pb-Pb collisions, as predicted by models in which beauty quarks lose less energy than charm quarks in the quark-gluon plasma because of their larger mass.
Valves with conventional gland packing seals are not suitable in high-temperature sodium systems. Bellow-sealed valves are used in sodium systems in which bellows are used as primary leak tight ...barrier. Bellows are made up of very thin gauge material, and hence, most of the failures in the bellow-sealed valves are due to failure of the bellows. The cost of the bellows is typically < 20% of overall cost of the valve. This paper discusses the failure analysis of the bellows in a failed bellow-sealed sodium valve and reconditioning of the same by replacing the failed bellow with new and improved bellows. Initially, sticking sodium from the internal surfaces of the valve was cleaned using alcohol. Subsequently, the failed bellows were disassembled from the valve and a detailed failure analysis was carried out. New and improved bellows were designed initially as per Expansion Joint Manufacturer’s Association (EJMA). The geometry arrived as per EJMA was further analyzed using visco-plastic constitutive model to obtain the creep–fatigue life of the bellows. The inputs from the failure analysis were considered while evolving the new and improved design of the bellows. The bellows were tested and qualified at high temperature and installed in the bellow-sealed valve. Integral testing of the valve was carried out using pressure hold testing and helium leak testing. The valve was reconditioned for further use in sodium services.
This study examines the distribution of selected sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in older people (aged >/=45 years) attending genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics in the West Midlands, UK.
...Analysis of data from the regional enhanced STI surveillance system for the period 1996-2003. Selected STIs were chlamydia, genital herpes, genital warts, gonorrhoea and syphilis.
Altogether, 4445 STI episodes were reported among older people during the study period. Between 1996 and 2003 older people accounted for 3.7% and 4.3%, respectively, of all GUM clinic attendances. The rate of STIs in older people more than doubled in 2003 compared with 1996 (p<0.0001). Rates for all five selected diagnoses were significantly higher in 2003 compared to 1996. A significantly increasing trend over time was seen overall (p<0.0001) and for each of the selected diagnoses. Overall, males and those aged 55-59 years of age were significantly more likely to be affected.
This study provides evidence of significant increases in attendance at GUM clinics by older people. Although it is recognised that young people should remain the focus of sexual health programmes, the results indicate that sexual risk-taking behaviour is not confined to young people but also occurs among older people. There is therefore a need to develop and implement evidence-based multifaceted sexual health programmes that while aiming to reduce STI transmission among all age groups should include interventions aimed specifically at older people and address societal and healthcare attitudes, myths and assumptions about sexual activity among older people.
•Role of interneurons in MPTP-susceptibility was studied in C57BL/6J and CD-1 mice.•CD-1 had high basal parvalbumin in nigra and striatum and higher striatal calretinin.•No notable variance in GAD-67 ...levels in both striatum and nigra of C57BL/6J or CD-1.•Variation in Ca2+ buffering proteins reflect interneuronal role in PD-vulnerability.•Normal comparison of cellular features can reveal vital minutiae of PD pathogenesis.
Epidemiological studies reveal an ethnicity-based bias in prevalence of Parkinson’s disease (PD), deriving from the differences that exist between Caucasians and African or Asian populations. Experimental mice models provide a scope to analyse the cellular mechanisms of differential susceptibility to PD. C57BL/6J mice, for instance, are more susceptible to MPTP-induced Parkinsonism whereas CD-1 mice are resistant. In PD-pathogenesis, interneuronal contribution is also likely, although they comprise only 5–10% of the striatal cells. The interneurons harbour calcium binding proteins, like calretinin (Cal-R) and parvalbumin (PV), which are crucial in Ca2+ homeostasis for preventing calcium-induced excitotoxicity. GAD-67-immunoreactive interneurons are the other prominent set of GABAergic interneurons. In PD, dopamine loss up-regulates GAD-67 expression in striatal projection neurons and other basal ganglia circuit. We studied the possible contribution of interneurons in determining variable susceptibility by assessing the expression of calretinin, PV and GAD-67 in both striatum and substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc) in two distinct mice strains, i.e. C57BL/6J and CD-1 under normal conditions, using unbiased stereology for quantification of immunoreactive cells and immunoblotting. The vulnerable C57BL/6J had lesser basal parvalbumin expression in both nigra and striatum whereas the calretinin levels were low only in the striatum. GAD-67 expression showed no perceptible differences in the striatum or SNpc of either of the strains. Differential expression of calcium buffering/binding proteins under normal physiological condition proffers a role for interneurons in the differential susceptibility to PD. Thus, even the baseline susceptibility indices i.e. without using the neurotoxin; can provide vital mechanistic insights into PD pathogenesis.
The performance of fast reactor (FR) working under high temperature, moderate pressure and intense neutron irradiation depends on its structural materials. Type 316 LN austenitic stainless steel with ...0.02–0.03 wt.% carbon and 0.06–0.08 wt.% nitrogen is generally used for structural components of FR along with modified 9Cr–1Mo ferritic steel for steam generator. With an aim of enhancing the life of FR, efforts towards the enhancement of strength of the materials are been described. Nitrogen content in the 316 LN steel has been increased for optimizing the tensile, creep, fatigue and creep–fatigue interaction strengths. Both the tensile and creep strength were found to increase with nitrogen content; whereas the fatigue and creep–fatigue interaction strength have optimum values at around 0.12 wt.% of nitrogen. Based on the study, nitrogen content in 316 LN steel has been optimized at 0.11–0.13 wt.% for optimum combination of strengths. Weldability study has been performed and matching welding consumable has been developed.
Creep strength enhancement of modified 9Cr–1Mo steel and its fusion welded joint has been addressed through microalloying the steel with boron along with the restriction on nitrogen content. The microalloying not only improves the creep strength of the steel also reduces the type IV cracking susceptibility of the fusion welded joint of the steel. The optimum contents of boron and nitrogen in the steel have been identified as around 60 ppm boron and 100 ppm nitrogen for better creep strength and type IV cracking resistance. The paper describes the challenges in developing the materials.
Background
The incidence of acute kidney injury in pregnancy (P-AKI) is rising and is associated with detrimental maternal and foetal outcomes. Ethnic disparities in pregnancy outcomes are well ...recognized, with females who identify as Black or Asian being more likely to die during pregnancy compared to females who identify as White ethnicity.
Methods
This study reports rates of P-AKI and associated risk factors in pregnant females of different ethnicities. All pregnancies were recorded between 2016 and 2020. AKI episodes were identified using electronic alerts. Ethnicity, AKI stage (1–3), obstetric outcomes and risk factors for P-AKI (chronic hypertension, pregnancy-induced hypertension and pre-eclampsia, and haemorrhage) were assessed.
Results
There were 649 P-AKI episodes from 16,943 deliveries (3.8%). Black females were more likely to have P-AKI (5.72%) compared to those who were White (3.12%), Asian (3.74%), mixed ethnicity (2.89%) and Other/Not Stated (3.10%). Black females, compared to White females, were at greater risk of developing P-AKI if they had haemorrhage requiring blood transfusion (OR 2.44, 95% CI 1.31,4.54;
p
< 0.001) or pregnancy-induced hypertension (OR 1.79, 95% CI 1.12, 2.86;
p
< 0.001). After adjusting for risk factors, Black females had increased risk of developing P-AKI (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.22, 1.80;
p
< 0.001) compared to White females. Black females were at increased risk of developing P-AKI compared to White females. Mode of delivery, pregnancy-induced hypertension and haemorrhage are likely to have contributed. The increased risk persists despite accounting for these variables, suggesting that other factors such as socioeconomic disparities need to be considered.
Conclusions
The incidence of P-AKI is likely higher than previously stated in the literature. However, caution must be exercised, particularly with AKI stage 1, as the KDIGO system is not validated in pregnancy and gestational changes in renal physiology need to be considered. Pregnancy-specific AKI definitions are needed.
Graphical abstract
Fracture resistance of 316LN SS base and welded straight pipes with circumferential through-wall cracks has been evaluated. The pipe J-R curves have been determined using existing experimental ...methods and analytical expressions available in literature. The J-R curves of 88.9 mm OD pipe and pipe welds have been compared with the J-R curves obtained from C(T) specimen tests. The results indicate that the C(T) specimen data is not suitable for fracture assessment of pipes due to difference in constraint level and the fracture resistance of the base pipe is inferior to welded pipe. Further, the limit load analyses based on expressions available in literature reveals that the initiation and crack propagation are observed prior to the maximum bending moment.
•The J-R curves of 316LN SS base and weld pipes are compared with C(T) specimens.•The effect of initial crack angle on weld pipe J-R curve is negligible.•In weld pipes, the crack has deviated into interface/base material due to extensive plastic deformation in the interface.•Crack initiation occurs much earlier than maximum bending moment.
Cis‐Pt (TEEDA)Cl2; 1 (where TEEDA = N,N,N′‐triethylethylenediamine) was synthesised, and its SCXRD structure was determined. Complex 1 crystallises in the monoclinic space group I2/a; (z = 8) and ...unit cell parameters are a = 15.1919(4) Å; b = 9.6049(3) Å; c = 16.7825 Å; α = 90.00°; β = 94.784(3)° and γ = 90.00°. Complex 1 was hydrolysed to diaqua species cis‐Pt (TEEDA)(H2O)22+; 2 L‐cysteine (L‐cys) and N‐acetyl‐L‐cysteine (N‐ac‐L‐cys) chelated complex cis‐Pt (TEEDA)(L‐cys)+ 3 and cis‐Pt (TEEDA)(N‐ac‐L‐cys) 4 were synthesised and characterised by spectroscopic methods. Kinetic study of substitution reactions of Complex 2 to Complexes 3 and 4 have been explored with the thiols L‐cys and N‐ac‐L‐cys, respectively. The theoretical study with density functional theory (DFT) has been considered to optimise the structures of Complexes 1–4 for HOMO–LUMO energy calculation, TD‐DFT simulation and natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis to support structural characterisation of the complexes. Various electronic properties, known as DFT‐based descriptors, have been calculated from frontier molecular orbital energies to correlate with the adduct formation aptitude of the complexes with DNA and BSA. The binding aptitude and binding mode of the complexes with DNA and BSA have been performed by UV‐Vis and spectrofluorometric titration methods. To observe the interaction of the complexes with CT‐DNA, gel electrophoresis experiment has been carried out. A molecular docking study of the complexes was performed with DNA and BSA. The anticancer activity and ROS generation of the complexes were investigated on different cancer cell lines and fibroblast cells with DCF‐DA using FITC filter.
We design less toxic and more effective Pt(II) complexes using N,N,N′‐triethylethylenediamine as a carrier ligand and studied the kinetics and biomolecular interactions, cytotoxicity and ROS generation assay and theoretical study.
A disadvantage of selective laser melting (SLM) processes for the manufacture of large parts is their slow build time per unit volume. A hybrid route is to generate core simple shapes traditionally, ...for example by machining, followed by adding final features by SLM. Here the mechanical integrity of such hybrid parts is studied, choosing the building of AlSi10Mg by SLM on a machined AA6082 base, in the shape of a tensile test piece, as a simple example. These materials are chosen for their relevance to lightweight parts. As-built parts fail at the SLM/machined interface but standard heat treatments transfer failures to the machined material. Optimised SLM processing conditions and microstructures of the SLM and interfacial regions are reported.
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