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Title III of the Older Americans Act requires congregate nutrition sites (CNSs) to provide nutrition education. In 2015, we assessed 19 CNSs in Appalachian South Carolina for nutrition education readiness. Nutrition education readiness and general education readiness were both low. Overall, the CNSs were not ready to deliver education interventions due to lack of training/education, funds, drivers, and communication technologies. Addressing these problems could improve the likelihood that education would be effective. The readiness concepts described here can be used by Extension educators to determine whether delivery sites are ready to effectively provide education programs.

The use of focus groups to formatively evaluate community-based curricula after development and before pilot testing is not highlighted in the literature. In the study discussed in this article, research with four focus groups, composed of 46 women aged 65 years and older and belonging to eight South Carolina Family and Community Leaders clubs, was conducted to evaluate the Cooking Healthy, Eating Smart (CHES) curriculum. The CHES curriculum was tailored based on suggestions from the older adults. Extension professionals can better prepare a curriculum for pilot testing in the community by conducting a formative evaluation using focus groups with community members at this particular stage of development.

In a densely populated and hazard-prone megalopolis like Metro Manila, the ability to execute a rapid evacuation protocol is crucial in saving lives and minimizing the damage during disastrous events. However, there is no centralized database on the location of evacuation centers (ECs) in Metro Manila and the available lists are not up-to-date. This study geotagged the current list of ECs in Metro Manila obtained from different government agencies to evaluate the spatial distribution using Geographical Information System (GIS). This is important since the immediate evacuation of residents depends on the proximity and safe location of the ECs. A total of 870 ECs were geo-tagged and validated using the street view of Google EarthTM. EC-to-population ratios were calculated for each of the 16 cities and one municipality of Metro Manila. Values range from ~3,000 to 81,000 persons per EC. Distance analysis using Thiessen Polygon shows that the ECs are not evenly distributed with proximity areas ranging from 0.0009 to 9.5 km2. Out of the total number of mapped ECs, 392 (45%) are situated in flood-prone areas while 108 (12%) are within the 1-km buffer hazard zone of an active faultline. Re-evaluation of the locations and the number of ECs per city or municipality is highly recommended to facilitate prompt evacuation when disasters strike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neutrophil recruitment to the lung after lipopolysaccharide (LPS; endotoxin) inhalation is primarily dependent on Toll-like receptor 4 (Tlr4) signaling, because it is virtually absent in mice deficient in Tlr4. However, among strains wild type for Tlr4, the magnitude of neutrophil recruitment to the lung after LPS inhalation is variable, suggesting the involvement of genes other than Tlr4. To identify genes associated with the inflammatory response to inhaled LPS, we evaluated the transcriptional response in lungs of 12 inbred strains of mice, 8 which are wild type for Tlr4 and 4 of which lack functional Tlr4. Using the promoter integration in microarray analysis algorithm, we scanned our gene list for transcription factor-binding sites significantly overrepresented among Tlr4 wild-type strains with high neutrophil influx in the lung after LPS inhalation. This analysis identified the interferon (IFN)-stimulated response element (ISRE) as the most overrepresented transcription factor (present in 24% of the promoters) associated with the neutrophil influx to the lower respiratory tract. To test the validity of this observation, we evaluated IFN-γ-deficient mice and found that the presence of lFN-γ is essential for robust neutrophil recruitment to the lower respiratory tract and modulation of key regulatory cytokines and chemokines after LPS inhalation. In conclusion, using a genomic approach, we identified the ISRE as a transcriptional element associated with the neutrophil response to inhaled LPS and demonstrated for the first time that lFN-γ plays a critical role in LPS-induced neutrophil recruitment to the lower airways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human noroviruses are the leading cause of foodbome disease in the United States, sickening 19 to 21 million Americans each year. Vomit and diarrhea are both highly concentrated sources of norovirus particles. For this reason, establishing appropriate cleanup procedures for these two substances is critical. Food service establishments in states that have adopted the 2009 or 2013 U.S. Food and Drug Administration Food Code are required to have a program detailing specific cleanup procedures. The aim of our study was to determine the alignment of existing vomit and diarrhea cleanup procedures with the 11 elements recommended in Annex 3 of the 2011 Supplement to the 2009 Food Code and to determine their readability and clarity of presentation. In July 2015, we located vomit and diarrhea cleanup procedures by asking Norovirus Collaborative for Outreach, Research, and Education stakeholders for procedures used by their constituency groups and by conducting a Google Advanced Search of the World Wide Web. We performed content analysis to determine alignment with the recommendations in Annex 3. Readability and clarity of presentation were also assessed. A total of 38 artifacts were analyzed. The mean alignment score was 7.0 ± 1.7 of 11 points; the mean clarity score was 6.7 ± 2.5 of 17 points. Only nine artifacts were classified as high clarity, high alignment. Vomit and diarrhea cleanup procedures should align with Annex 3 in the Food Code and should, as well, be clearly presented; yet, none of the artifacts completely met both conditions. To reduce the spread of norovirus infections in food service establishments, editable guidelines are needed that are aligned with Annex 3 and are clearly written, into which authors could insert their facility-specific information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human noroviruses (HuNoV) cause an estimated 58% of foodborne disease in the U.S. One widely used approach to preventing foodborne disease is education and training of food handlers from farm to table. Our aim was to determine the accuracy and readability of food safety education materials targeting consumers with information about HuNoV. Our search of the USDA Food Safety Education and Training database yielded 144 artifacts that met our inclusion criteria. Only 9 specifically mentioned HuNoV. Information regarding length of handwashing, type of drying device, and avoidance of bare-hand contact with ready-to-eat foods was missing from 93, 117, and 140 artifacts, respectively. Only two recommended minimizing contact with sick persons, while eight discouraged sick individuals from preparing food for others. None had recommendations for vomit and fecal matter clean-up, nor did any mention a concentration of sodium hypochlorite (bleach) solution to disinfect surfaces contaminated with HuNoV. The mean Flesch Reading Ease score, a measure of readability, was 39.4, indicating that a university degree is needed to read the materials included in our sample. If we are to reduce the burden of illness associated with HuNoV, consumers need easy-toread written materials on known prevention and control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dependence of ultimate tensile strength (UTS) on the parameters of low voltage and high voltage electron beam welding (LV- and HVEBW) has been analyed by changing one factor at a time (COFAAT) and by Taguchi's method for AZ series magnesium alloys. COFAAT is a conventional method for trend analysis of each parameter. However, its cost is high and a long time is needed, and interactions between parameters are ignored. On the other hand, Taguchi's method cannot only reduce the number of experiments, but also provide precise optimum parameters and predicted UTS even when a few data points are lost. According to the results of analysis of variance, the strength of a weldment is affected by oscillation of the beam, the focal position, the welding speed, the accelerating voltage, the beam current and stress relief, in order of impact. The general trend is for the optimum parameters to include a non-oscillating beam, focus at the bottom and no stress relief. With regard to welding speed, accelerating voltage and beam current, there are no specific trends. Finally, the differences in welds between LV- and HVEBW for AZ series forged alloys have been examined to study the mechanism of pore formation, which results from the dissolution of precipitates to reform molecular oxygen. It is also emphasised that the area and shape of the weld cross-section are related to the input power and welding speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the origin of blue photoluminescence (PL) in porous alumina membrane, we have prepared an anodic aluminum oxide film with a pore diameter of 40 nm in oxalic acid solution by a two-step anodization process. Our results show that the as-prepared alumina membrane is amorphous and exhibits a broad emission band peaking at around 452 nm with two sub-peaks located at 443 nm and 470 nm. As indicated by the PL excitation spectra, there are two excitation peaks which can account for the sub-peaks observed in the PL emission band. We have proposed that the broad emission band with two sub-peaks can be attributed to two luminescence centers in porous alumina membranes, namely, oxygen defects and oxalic impurities. Furthermore, we have rationalized that the two emission centers show similar influence on the PL band in the blue region based on a simple model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorylation of mouse p53 at Ser[sup 18] occurs after DNA damage. To determine the physiological roles of this phosphorylation event in p53-dependent DNA damage responses, a Ser[sup 18] to Ala missense mutation was introduced into the germline of mice. Thymocytes and fibroblasts from the knock-in mice show reduced transactivation of many p53 target genes following DNA damage. p53 protein stabilization and DNA binding are similar in knock-in and wild type mice, but C-terminal acetylation was defective, consistent with a role for Ser[sup 18] in the recruitment of transcriptional co-activators. The apoptotic response of knock-in thymocytes to ionizing radiation is intermediate between that of wild type and p53 null thymocytes. Despite impaired transcriptional and apoptotic responses, the knock-in mice are not prone to spontaneous tumorigenesis. This indicates that neither phosphorylation of p53 on Ser[sup 18] by ATM nor a full transcriptional response is essential to prevent spontaneous tumor formation in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In biological systems, nitrite reductase enzymes (NIRs) are responsible for reduction of nitrite (NO2−) to nitric oxide (NO). These NIRs have mostly Cu- or Fe-containing active sites, surrounded by amine-containing ligands. Therefore, mononuclear Cu complexes with N-donor ligands are highly relevant in the development of NIR model systems and in the mechanistic investigation of the nitrite reduction reaction. Herein, we report on a terpyridine-based CuII complex with square planar geometry for H+-assisted electrochemical reduction of NO2−. Through electrochemical measurements, spectroscopic characterization and isotope-labelling experiments we propose a mechanistic reaction pathway involving an unstable HNO2 state. The CuI intermediate, formed electrochemically, was isolated and its molecular structure was deduced, showing linkage isomerism of the nitrite ligand. Moreover, qualitative and quantitative product analysis by GC-MS shows N2O formed as a side product along with the main product NO. Furthermore, by obtaining single crystals and conducting structural analysis we were able to determine the structural arrangement and redox state of the complex after electrochemical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Nonferrous Metals (Extractive Metallurgy) is the property of Beijing Research Institute of Mining & Metallurgy Technology Group and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Suffusion of soils is one of the common hazards in geotechnical and ocean engineering. The influence of the stress condition of soils on suffusion, however, remains unexplored in previous studies. In this study, systematical numerical simulations are performed to investigate the suffusion of soils subjected to triaxial compression using the coupled discrete-element method (DEM) and the dynamic fluid mesh (DFM) approach. By imposing a downward fluid flow, the suffusion in seven gap-graded soil samples with a wide range of fines contents was generated. Conventional triaxial (without suffusion) and suffusion (without triaxial compression) tests were also conducted as comparisons. By taking full advantage of the dynamic mesh technique, this coupled method was able to capture not only the deformation of the soil sample but also the evolutions of pores and microstructures. Simulation results indicate that both the eroded mass and the fluid velocity are significantly increased under the condition of triaxial compression, which can be attributed to the deformation of the pores, the downward movement of the loading wall, and the increased hydraulic gradient during the suffusion. In addition, sensitivity analysis indicates that the percentage of eroded mass increases with the increase of hydraulic head, loading rate, and fines content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activating photosensitizers with long-wavelength excitation is an important parameter for effective photodynamic therapy due to the minimal toxicity of this light, its superior tissue penetration, and excellent spatial resolution. Unfortunately, most Ir(III) complexes suffer from limited absorption within the phototherapeutic window, rendering them ineffective against deep-seated and/or large tumors, which poses a significant barrier to their clinical application. To address this issue, several efforts have been recently made to shift the absorption of Ir(III) photosensitizers to the deep-red/near-infrared region by using different strategies: functionalization with organic fluorophores, including porphyrinoid compounds, and ligand design via π-extension and donor–acceptor interactions. In this Frontier, we highlight such new developments and the ongoing challenges in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intervertebral disc degeneration is a degenerative disease where inflammation and immune responses play significant roles. Macrophages, as key immune cells, critically regulate inflammation through polarization into different phenotypes. In recent years, the role of macrophages in inflammation-related degenerative diseases, such as intervertebral disc degeneration, has been increasingly recognized. Macrophages construct the inflammatory microenvironment of the intervertebral disc and are involved in regulating intervertebral disc cell activities, extracellular matrix metabolism, intervertebral disc vascularization, and innervation, profoundly influencing the progression of disc degeneration. To gain a deeper understanding of the inflammatory microenvironment of intervertebral disc degeneration, this review will summarize the role of macrophages in the pathological process of intervertebral disc degeneration, analyze the regulatory mechanisms involving macrophages, and review therapeutic strategies targeting macrophage modulation for the treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration. These insights will be valuable for the treatment and research directions of intervertebral disc degeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The salinization of coastal soils is a primary cause of global land degradation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of organic amendment on the soil microbial community within a saline gradient. Methods: The study was designed with five levels of electrical conductivity (EC): 0.33, 0.62, 1.13, 1.45 and 2.04 ds m−1. By conducting indoor potted plant experiments, determine the effects of applying microbial organic fertilizer on the physicochemical properties of soil and the structure of soil microbial communities under different salinity concentrations. Results: Compared with the control, higher OM content, total N, and higher crop biomass were observed in samples with organic amendment at the same salinity level. At the same salinity levels, the mean bacterial activity (AUC) and the mean number of substrates were higher than in the soil without organic amendment according to analyses by means of Biolog ECO MicroPlate. The results of canonical correspondence analysis indicate that after the application of organic amendments, the composition of loam and clay replaces soil pH, and aboveground biomass replaces root biomass as key indicators closely monitoring Community level physiological profiling (CLPP). In soil with the same salinity level, the application of microbial organic fertilizer led to an increase in the proportion of Actinobacteriota and a decrease in the proportion of Chloroflexi. In 0.3dS m-1 soil, the abundance of actinomycetes increased from 23% to 27% after application of microbial organic fertilizer, while the abundance of basidiomycetes decreased from 20% to 6%. In addition, after the application of microbial organic fertilizer, RB41, blastococcus and solirubrobacter significantly increased, while Melothermus and Herpetosiphon significantly decreased. Discussion: This study provides a strong theoretical basis for using microbial organic fertilizers to improve saline-alkali soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Localized cancer therapies such as radiotherapy, phototherapy, and chemotherapy are precise cancer treatment strategies aimed at minimizing systemic side effects. However, cancer metastasis remains the primary cause of mortality among cancer patients in clinical settings, and localized cancer treatments have limited efficacy against metastatic cancer. Therefore, researchers are exploring strategies that combine localized therapy with immunotherapy to activate robust anti-tumor immune responses, thereby eradicating metastatic cancer. Biomaterials, as novel materials, exhibit great potential in biomedical applications and have achieved great progress in clinic translation. This review introduces biomaterials and their applications in research focused on enhancing localized cancer treatment activated anti-tumor immunity. Additionally, the current challenges and future directions of biomaterials are also discussed, providing insights and references for related research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Low-Carbon Chemistry & Chemical Engineering is the property of Low-Carbon Chemistry & Chemical Engineering Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Intimate partner or marital/spousal rape is a phenomenon with unique characteristics and dynamics. Furthermore, it is an under-explored, under-defined, under-reported, and widely tolerated phenomenon. Gender-based violence and intimate partner violence are the main topics of the present study. The study aimed at exploring the trends in reported intimate partner and marital/spousal rape, within the wider context of reported domestic violence during the years 2020 and 2021 in Greece. Statistical analysis has not indicated positive correlation between the rate of reported domestic violence per year and the rate of reported domestic rape per year, with the former following an upward trend and the latter maintaining an almost steady course. Similarly, the rate of reported victims of intimate partner rape per year remained almost stable within in the 2 years. Importantly however, in 2021, the rate of reported victims of marital rape per year increased remarkably compared to 2020. In 2021, the rates of reported domestic violence per month and reported domestic rape per month indicated remarkable increase over the period May to December 2021. Notwithstanding, the rates mentioned above remained almost stable over the year 2020, showing an upward trend during the summer months. In August 2020 and 2021 the abovementioned rates reached their peak. In both years, the vast majority of victims of domestic rape were females, mostly between 30 and 45 years of age. The present study indicated an increase in rates of reported domestic violence and reported domestic rape per month after the lockdowns, especially after the second long-lasting lockdown that ended in May 2021. This increase, however, might be only apparent. Further research is needed to study the epidemiology of intimate partner and marital rape over a much longer timespan to provide further insight into the dynamics surrounding a public health concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Xihua University (Natural Science Edition) is the property of Xihua University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Simple Summary: Cancer signatures are very popular and support inference when reproducible and generalizable. However, every approach derives them differently, often in a context-specific way. Depending on the available experiments and data, computational methods used to obtain the signatures may vary. A few relevant questions motivated this research, one being the significance of collating signatures in terms of the outcomes, another being the synergistic meaning of a meta or super signature, and finally, whether some effective operational strategy exists to reduce the complexity of a signature set. There are numerous ways of portraying cancer complexity based on combining multiple types of data. A common approach involves developing signatures from gene expression profiles to highlight a few key reproducible features that provide insight into cancer risk, progression, or recurrence. Normally, a selection of such features is made through relevance or significance, given a reference context. In the case of highly metastatic cancers, numerous gene signatures have been published with varying levels of validation. Then, integrating the signatures could potentially lead to a more comprehensive view of the connection between cancer and its phenotypes by covering annotations not fully explored in individual studies. This broader understanding of disease phenotypes would improve the predictive accuracy of statistical models used to identify meaningful associations. We present an example of this approach by reconciling a great number of published signatures into meta-signatures relevant to Osteosarcoma (OS) metastasis. We generate a well-annotated and interpretable interactome network from integrated OS gene expression signatures and identify key nodes that regulate essential aspects of metastasis. While the connected signatures link diverse prognostic measurements for OS, the proposed approach is applicable to any type of cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low back pain caused by intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) has emerged as a significant global public health concern, with far-reaching consequences for patients' quality of life and healthcare systems. Although previous research have revealed that the mechanisms of intervertebral disc cell apoptosis, pyroptosis and necroptosis can aggravate IDD damage by mediating inflammation and promoting extracellular matrix degradation, but they cannot explain the connection between different cell death mechanisms and ion metabolism disorders. The latest study shows that cell death mechanisms such as cellular senescence, ferroptosis, and cuproptosis, and PANopotosis have similar roles in the progression of intervertebral disc degeneration, but not exactly the same damage mechanism. This paper summarizes the effects of various cell death patterns on the disease progression of IDD, related molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways, providing new perspectives and potential clinical intervention strategies for the prevention and treatment of IDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present investigation aims to develop the aluminium composite to replace the conventional materials used in the vehicle wheels. The aluminium composite is developed with Aluminium 7079 alloy reinforced with 8% carbon fibers (Al 7079 + 8% CF). The structural performance of the developed aluminum composite was evaluated using a finite element analysis approach. The Finite element model of vehicle wheel made up of Al7079 + 8% CF and other commonly used conventional materials were developed. The developed models are then subjected to different load conditions and natural frequencies to analyse the displacements and Von Mises stress in the wheel. The analysis results show that the wheel made up of Al 7079 + 8% CF composites exhibits better strength than the wheel made up of conventional materials. Hence Al 7079 + 8% CF composites can be used in car wheels instead of traditional materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic properties of the traditional Chinese medicine Xuesanqi (XSQ, from the rhizome of Polygonum amplexicaule D. Don) in treating ulcerative colitis. We hypothesized that its many active components can alleviate symptoms of colitis by regulating the gut microbiota, its metabolites, and various signaling pathways. To test our hypotheses, we designed a DSS- induced colitis model in C57BL/6 male mice. Apparent metrics were evaluated in each group of mice and performed histological analysis of relevant tissues. The gut microbial composition was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing of bacteria. Simultaneously, the SCFAs content was detected by gas chromatography, inflammatory factor secretion was evaluated by ELISA or western-blot, the expression of tight junction protein and key proteins of the MAPK signaling pathway were analyzed by western-blot. Our result showed that the treatment with XSQ alleviated significant various symptoms such as weight loss, blood in stool, and shortening of colon. In addition, XSQ treatment restored the dysregulated gut microbiota in colitis mice, increased short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and normalized the MAPK/ERK/JNK signaling pathways, promoted expression of tight junction protein Occludin, Claudin-1, and E-cadherin proteins. Furthermore, we also observed a dose-dependent pattern in these treatment responses. These findings demonstrated the active components of XSQ is a promising new treatment platform for ulcerative colitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intervertebral discs (IVDs) are rhythmic tissues that experience daily low‐load recovery. Notably, aging and abnormal mechanical stress predispose IVDs to degeneration due to dysrhythmia‐induced disordered metabolism. Meanwhile, Rev‐erbα acts as a transcriptional repressor in maintaining biorhythms and homeostasis; however, its function in IVD homeostasis and degeneration remains unclear. This study assessed the relationship between low Rev‐erbα expression levels and IVD degeneration. Rev‐erbα deficiency accelerated needle puncture or aging‐induced IVD degeneration, characterized by increased extracellular matrix (ECM) catabolism and nucleus pulposus (NP) cell apoptosis. Mechanistically, Rev‐erbα knockdown in NP cells aggravated rhIL1β‐induced NOD‐like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation, exacerbating the imbalanced ECM and NP cell apoptosis. Meanwhile, blocking NLRP3 inflammasome activation mitigated Rev‐erbα deficiency and needle puncture‐induced IVD degeneration. Particularly, Rev‐erbα mediated the transcriptional repression of the NLRP3 inflammasome via the ligand heme‐binding of nuclear receptor co‐repressor (NCoR) and histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) complex. Thus, the increased expression of Rev‐erbα in NP cells following short‐term rhIL1β treatment failed to inhibit NLRP3 transcription in vitro owing to heme depletion. Pharmacological activation of Rev‐erbα in vivo and in vitro alleviated IVD degeneration by altering the NLRP3 inflammasome. Taken together, targeting Rev‐erbα may be a potential therapeutic strategy for alleviating IVD degeneration and its related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel lightweight Fe-Mn-Al-C steel composition and thermomechanical processing route was developed to produce a fully austenitic microstructure with a uniform intragranular dispersion of B2-NiAl precipitation in order to overcome the significant challenge of strengthening hot-rolled Fe-Mn-Al-C steels while retaining toughness. The new composition and processing methods allow for the processing of ultrahigh-strength Fe-Mn-Al-C steel containing nickel as thicker gauge plate for a multitude of new automotive and structural applications where lightweighting is critical. The composition investigated in this study was a fully austenitic Fe-21Mn-9Al-1C-8Ni wt% steel. Two hot rolling methods were investigated: the first procedure involved lower temperature rolling cycles to precipitate B2-NiAl during hot rolling and reheating. The second method involved higher temperature rolling to precipitate B2-NiAl after thermomechanical processing during a short isothermal treatment. The lower temperature rolling produced plate with an ultimate tensile strength of 1120 MPa and a Charpy V-Notch (CVN) toughness of 24 J at −40 °C. After the high temperature rolling procedure, precipitation of B2-NiAl through a subsequent precipitation hardening step resulted in reduced B2-NiAl size and improved the ultimate tensile strength above 1300 MPa. The two novel processing routes of a single composition can be performed with current manufacturing capabilities to produce hot rolled plate strengthened by B2-NiAl precipitation to various hardness (ranging from 33 to 41 HRC) and strength levels (ranging from 1100 to 1320 MPa ultimate tensile strength) while retaining 22–27% elongation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]