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Glass as an alternative printed circuit board material and interposer has been investigated for use in the micro-electronics industry. Electroless copper plating is used to provide the conductive layer, but there is limited understanding of how the surface topography of the glass substrate affects the copper/glass bonding strength exhibited in the current literature. A laser ablation technique was used to prepare glass surfaces with micro-scale structured features in this study, and these features were characterized quantitatively using areal surface texture parameters. The copper/glass bonding adhesion strength was quantified using a scratch testing technique, and the relationships between the critical loads measured and the areal surface parameters, as well as discussion of the underlying mechanisms, are presented in this report. Statistical analysis was employed to identify the most relevant areal parameters that may be used for prediction of the copper/glass bonding strength and for design of adhesion promoting surface textures. The experimental results suggest that the most significant areal surface texture parameters to consider are Sq, Sdq, Sdr, Sxp, Vv, Vmc, and Vvc, and the recommended value range for each parameter for optimal plating adhesion performance is given.

Shaquir Salduker1, Eugene Allers2, Sudha Bechan3, R Eric Hodgson4, Fanie Meyer5, Helgard Meyer6,7, Johan Smuts8, Eileen Vuong9, David Webb10 1Durban Pain Clinic, St Augustine Hospital, Durban, South Africa; 2Glynview Multiprofessional Practice, Gauteng, South Africa; 3Department of Anaesthesiology, Head Clinical Unit, Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, Durban, South Africa; 4Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, Durban, South Africa; 5Optima Psychiatric Hospital, Bloemfontein, South Africa; 6Department of Family Medicine, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; 7Wilgers MR & Medical Centre, Pretoria, South Africa; 8Faculty of Medicine, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; 9South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI), PTSD Program, Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa; 10Houghton House Group, Gauteng, South AfricaCorrespondence: Shaquir SaldukerDurban Pain Clinic, St Augustines Hospital, Chelmsford 1, Durban, South AfricaEmail shaquir@shrink.co.zaAbstract: Chronic pain of uncertain etiology often presents a challenge to both patients and their health care providers. It is a complex condition influenced by structural and physiological changes in the peripheral and central nervous systems, and it directly influences, and is modulated by, psychological well-being and personality style, mood, sleep, activity level and social circumstances. Consequently, in order to effectively treat the pain, all of these need to be evaluated and addressed. An effective management strategy takes a multidisciplinary biopsychosocial approach, with review of all current medications and identification and careful withdrawal of those that may actually be contributing to ongoing pain. The management approach is primarily nonpharmacological, with carefully considered addition of medication, beginning with pain-modulating treatments, if necessary. In this article, we present a primary care approach to the assessment and management of a patient with chronic pain where the cause cannot be identified.Keywords: etiology, biopsychosocial, central sensitization, chronic, pain

David Webb,1 Poobalan Naidoo2,3 1Pattacus Medical, Randburg, South Africa; 2Medical Affairs, Sanofi House, Midrand, South Africa; 3Department of Health Informatics, School of Health Professions, Rutgers, State University of New Jersey, NJ, USA Abstract: Knee osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative joint disease characterized by destruction of articular cartilage with resultant para-articular bone changes. It is a major cause of disability in older persons and is managed by surgical and nonsurgical interventions. Pharmacotherapy includes acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents, and intra-articular steroids. Another treatment option is viscosupplementation with intra-articular injection of hyaluronan (HA). The full mechanism of action of exogenous HA is uncertain, but studies indicate that it may promote endogenous HA production, reduce inflammation, prevent degeneration of cartilage and promote cartilage regeneration. Clinically, HA may improve symptoms of osteoarthritis and delay time to total knee replacement surgery. However, clinical studies are heterogenous and of varying quality, and thus there is a need for more robust studies to determine the place of viscosupplementation in the management of knee osteoarthritis. Keywords: knee osteoarthritis, viscosupplements, hylan, Hylan G-F 20

Sodium glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors have been shown to have multiple cardiovascular and renal benefits in patients with type 2 diabetes. In large randomised controlled trials they reduced major cardiovascular outcomes, hospitalisation for heart failure and adverse kidney outcomes, independently of their glucose-lowering effects. They are simple to prescribe and do not require dose titration. Compelling indications for this class of medications in patients with type 2 diabetes include those at high or very high risk of cardiovascular events and those with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. They are also indicated for patients with heart failure and chronic kidney disease, regardless of diabetic status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: In a primary care population at high risk of type 2 diabetes, 24‐month weight change trajectories were used to investigate the impact of weight cycling on fat mass (FM) and fat‐free mass (FFM). Materials and Methods: Cohort data from the Walking Away from Type 2 Diabetes trial was used, which recruited adults at‐risk of type 2 diabetes from primary care in 2009/10. Annual weight change trajectories based on weight loss/gain of ≥5% were assessed over two 24‐month periods. Body composition was measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Repeated measures were analysed using generalized estimating equations with participants contributing up to two 24‐month observation periods. Results: In total, 622 participants were included (average age = 63.6 years, body mass index = 32.0 kg/m2, 35.4% women), contributing 1163 observations. Most observations (69.2%) were from those that maintained their body weight, with no change to FM or FFM. A minority (4.6% of observations) lost over 5% of body weight between baseline and 12 months, which was then regained between 12 and 24 months. These individuals regained FM to baseline levels, but lost 1.50 (0.66, 2.35) kg FFM, adjusted for confounders. In contrast, those that gained weight between baseline and 12 months but lost weight between 12 and 24 months (5.5% of observations) had a net gain in FM of 1.70 (0.27, 3.12) kg with no change to FFM. Conclusion: Weight cycling may be associated with a progressive loss in FFM and/or gain in FM in those with overweight and obesity at‐risk of type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate whether arterial stiffness (AS) differs between healthy women and women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) managed by different treatment modalities. Methods: This was a prospective longitudinal cohort study comparing AS in pregnancies complicated by GDM and low‐risk controls. AS was assessed by recording aortic pulse‐wave velocity (AoPWV), brachial augmentation index (BrAIx) and aortic augmentation index (AoAIx) using the Arteriograph® at four gestational‐age windows: 24 + 0 to 27 + 6 weeks (W1); 28 + 0 to 31 + 6 weeks (W2); 32 + 0 to 35 + 6 weeks (W3) and ≥ 36 + 0 weeks (W4). Women with GDM were considered both as a single group and as subgroups stratified by treatment modality. Data were analyzed using a linear mixed model on each AS variable (log‐transformed) with group, gestational‐age window, maternal age, ethnicity, parity, body mass index, mean arterial pressure and heart rate as fixed effects and individual as a random effect. We compared the group means including relevant contrasts and adjusted the P‐values using Bonferroni correction. Results: The study population comprised 155 low‐risk controls and 127 women with GDM, of whom 59 were treated with dietary intervention, 47 were treated with metformin only and 21 were treated with metformin + insulin. The two‐way interaction term of study group and gestational age was significant for BrAIx and AoAIx (P < 0.001), but there was no evidence that mean AoPWV was different between the study groups (P = 0.729). Women in the control group demonstrated significantly lower BrAIx and AoAIx compared with the combined GDM group at W1–W3, but not at W4. The mean difference in log‐transformed BrAIx was –0.37 (95% CI, –0.52 to –0.22), –0.23 (95% CI, –0.35 to –0.12) and –0.29 (95% CI, –0.40 to –0.18) at W1, W2 and W3, respectively. The mean difference in log‐transformed AoAIx was –0.49 (95% CI, –0.69 to –0.30), –0.32 (95% CI, –0.47 to –0.18) and –0.38 (95% CI –0.52 to –0.24) at W1, W2 and W3, respectively. Similarly, women in the control group also demonstrated significantly lower BrAIx and AoAIx compared with each of the GDM treatment subgroups (diet, metformin only and metformin + insulin) at W1–W3. The increase in mean BrAIx and AoAIx seen between W2 and W3 in women with GDM treated with dietary management was attenuated in the metformin‐only and metformin + insulin groups. However, the mean differences in BrAIx and AoAIx between these treatment groups were not statistically significant at any gestational‐age window. Conclusions: Pregnancies complicated by GDM demonstrate significantly higher AS compared with low‐risk pregnancies regardless of treatment modality. Our data provide the basis for further investigation into the association of metformin therapy with changes in AS and risk of placenta‐mediated diseases. © 2023 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]