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In the last few years, inventory modeling with reverse logistics has received more attention from both the academic world and industries. Most of the existing works in the literature believed that newly produced products and remanufactured products have the same quality. However, in many industries, customers do not consider remanufactured products as good as new ones. Therefore, this study develops a reverse logistics inventory model with multiple production and remanufacturing batches (cycles) under the fuzzy environment where the remanufactured products are of subordinate quality as compared to the newly produced products. As the precise estimation of inventory cost parameters such as holding cost, setup cost, etc. becomes often difficult; so these cost parameters are represented as triangular fuzzy numbers. Used products are purchased, screened and then suitable products are remanufactured. The production and remanufacturing rates are demand dependent. The main goal of this study is to obtain the optimal production and remanufacturing policy that minimizes the total cost per unit time of the proposed inventory system. The signed distance method is employed to defuzzify the total cost function. A numerical example is presented to demonstrate the developed model. Finally, sensitivity analysis is executed to study the impact of key parameters on the optimal solution.

ObjectivesNon-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can persist in the stage of simple hepatic steatosis or progress to steatohepatitis (NASH) with an increased risk for cirrhosis and cancer. We examined the mechanisms controlling the progression to severe NASH in order to develop future treatment strategies for this disease.DesignNFATc1 activation and regulation was examined in livers from patients with NAFLD, cultured and primary hepatocytes and in transgenic mice with differential hepatocyte-specific expression of the transcription factor (Alb-cre, NFATc1c.a. and NFATc1Δ/Δ). Animals were fed with high-fat western diet (WD) alone or in combination with tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA), a candidate drug for NAFLD treatment. NFATc1-dependent ER stress-responses, NLRP3 inflammasome activation and disease progression were assessed both in vitro and in vivo.ResultsNFATc1 expression was weak in healthy livers but strongly induced in advanced NAFLD stages, where it correlates with liver enzyme values as well as hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. Moreover, high-fat WD increased NFATc1 expression, nuclear localisation and activation to promote NAFLD progression, whereas hepatocyte-specific depletion of the transcription factor can prevent mice from disease acceleration. Mechanistically, NFATc1 drives liver cell damage and inflammation through ER stress sensing and activation of the PERK-CHOP unfolded protein response (UPR). Finally, NFATc1-induced disease progression towards NASH can be blocked by TUDCA administration.ConclusionNFATc1 stimulates NAFLD progression through chronic ER stress sensing and subsequent activation of terminal UPR signalling in hepatocytes. Interfering with ER stress-responses, for example, by TUDCA, protects fatty livers from progression towards manifest NASH.

Shaping transparent ceramics through slip casting on plaster of Paris (PoP) moulds offers improved transparency compared to compacted samples due to better homogeneity in colloidal processing. However, the contamination due to CaSO4originated from the PoP contact is a primary concern. Therefore, it demands the machining of several layers from the cast surface that results in post-green machining defects. To address this concern, a magnesium aluminate (MgAl2O4) spinel mould was fabricated with indigenously synthesized spinel powder with optimum porosity of 45-50% and flexural strength of ∼16 MPa. The fabricated spinel mould was used to demonstrate the casting using water-based spinel slurry. The cast spinel blanks were found contamination free as confirmed by Fourier transform infrared studies. Microstructures of spinel moulds revealed the interconnectivity of the pores obtained by field emission scanning electron microscopy. Specimens cast on spinel and on PoP moulds, after post machining, were sintered (1650°C) and hot isostatically pressed (at 1800°C and 1950 bar) under identical conditions. Casting on spinel moulds demonstrated a contamination free surface of the samples. Its properties are at par with the samples cast on PoP moulds, however, with improved casting rate and minimum rejection.

In the present work, 304LN austenitic stainless steel has been considered for the texture evolution study after the hot-deformation process. The axi-symmetric compression tests, with post-deformation isothermal holding at the same temperature, were performed at 900°C, 1000°C and 1100°C with a strain rate of 0.1 s−1. Texture evolution during the post-hot-deformation was studied through electron back scattered diffraction. Effect of temperature and holding time on texture evolution were studied. At low deformation temperature and lesser holding time 〈100〉 and 〈110〉 fibre textures were observed. At high deformation temperature and/or high holding time the texture becomes random. Texture intensity along α fibre, for all the temperatures, is chaotic whereas along β and τ fibres it is uniform at low temperature and becomes chaotic with the increase in deformation temperature. Goss component was found to be a major texture component with significant amount of ND and RD rotated cube components.

It was observed that the laser welding at low speed or medium speed did not deteriorate the fatigue property significantly, with a drop of about 9–12% in fatigue limit, compared to the parent material. Further, at a high stress amplitude, all samples survived almost similar numbers of fatigue cycles because of similar type of cyclic hardening–softening effect. However, at low stress amplitude, the cyclic softening of martensite was dependent on the magnitude of residual stress. For the joints fabricated at higher welding speed of 0.1 m/s, a decline of 28% in fatigue limit was observed in comparison with that of the parent material. Additionally, faster crack propagation was visible for high speed laser welded sample at both high and low stress amplitudes. It was proposed that the presence of detrimental {001} cleavage plane and high residual stress might have restricted the cyclic softening phenomena for any stress amplitude.

This study focuses on the usage of fly-ash and Al-12%Si as diffusive coating materials over AISI 304 steel welded with AA 6061 in friction stir welding process to improve the joint quality. Various mechanical and metallurgical studies have been carried out to evaluate the characteristics of the weld, and investigate and compare the effect of the two coating materials. Formation of intermetallic reaction layer has been found to be an influential parameter affecting the joint quality. Aluminium-rich intermetallic reaction layer has been observed in the bare welds, whereas the coated samples have been found to have ferrous-rich intermetallic reaction layer.

Tool pin geometry plays an important role in the weld strength of friction stir welding process. In the current work, a thermo-mechanical model is developed to study the effect of three different pin shapes, namely, cylindrical, square and triflat, during friction stir welding process. The developed model is validated with the temperature, force and spindle torque at different welding conditions. Among the three geometries, triflat pin produced higher temperature, and strain rate. Material deposition for the square pin is stretched toward the advancing side while it is uniformly distributed for the triflat pin. Material rotates multiple times with the flat surfaced pin as compared with cylindrical pin.

ABSTRACTA novel method has been presented to estimate the volume fraction of the phases along with their linear thermal expansion coefficients and carbon concentration of austenite directly from the experimental dilatation data of a low alloy (LA) steel. The unusual expansion associated with austenite formation in the LA steel has been investigated. It has been shown that the relative contribution of (i) the variation of the amount and composition of phases with temperatures and (ii) thermal expansion coefficient of the phases have significant effect on the dilatation behaviour. It is also shown that the present method, rather than the ‘lever rule’ approach, is more appropriate for estimating the amount of austenite from the dilatation curve when it shows unusual expansion.

Asthma remains a major public health problem despite recent advances in management. Sizeable minorities of asthma patients prefer complementary therapies, including homeopathy, for treatment. This trial examines whether usual care plus individualized homoeopathy (UC + IH) can produce significantly different treatment effects compared to usual care plus placebo (UC + P) in adults suffering from bronchial asthma.

Microfluidics explores the fluid behavior at micron scale and is therefore suited to applications that need precise manipulation of fluids at small length or volume scales. In a span of over two decades, microfluidics has become an essential tool for modern genome sequencing platforms, single-cell analysis and common diagnostic tests. Despite many successful applications, the field has various challenges: Fabrication processes are yet to transition to commercial materials, microfluidic systems are reliant on skilled operators, and supporting equipment. Technological innovations in automation are needed to enable easy to use, completely on-chip microfluidic systems. Sensors are a critical component of any automated system. Fluid and flow properties such as flow rate, pressure, temperature, viscosity are critical to applications in drug development, and material/chemical synthesis. The flow rate (μL/min or nL/min) predictions based on external (off-chip) flow measurements can lead to erroneous calculations. The present work explores a technique based on chronoamperometry to measure flow rates inside a microchannel. Chronoamperometry based redox cycling of aqueous NaCl was performed by using interdigitated electrodes (IDE). The sensor measures current transients (which are modulated by the flow rate of the solution) effected by redox reactions on surface of the electrodes. The sensor demonstrated a sensitivity of 0.016 (μL/min)−1change in charge transfer per unit change in flow rate and 3σresolution of 9.3 μL/min. The calibration curve is linear in the range 0 – 200 μL/min, with a limit of detection (LoD) of 5 μL/min, making it suitable for various microfluidics applications.

Background: Thienopyrimidines are the bioisoster of quinazoline and unlike quinazoline exist in three isomeric forms corresponding to the three possible types annulation of thiophene to the pyrimidine ring viz thieno[2,3-d] pyrimidine, thieno[3,2-d] pyrimidine and thieno[3,4-d]pyrimidine. Heterocyclic containing the thienopyrimidinone moiety exhibits various pronounced activities such as anti-hypertensive, analgesic and anti-inflammatory, antiviral, platelet aggregation inhibitory, antiprotozoal bronchodilatory, phosphodiesterase inhibitory, antihistaminic, antipsychotic and antimicrobial activity. Objective: Synthesis of novel 3(N,N-dialkylamino)alkyl/phenyl substituted thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidinones as H1-anti-histaminic and antimicrobial agents. Methods: A series of 3-[(N,N-dialkylamino)alkyl/phenyl]-2-(1H)thioxo-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobenzo(b) thieno(2,3-d)pyrimidine-4(3H)-ones[4a-d], their oxo analogous [5a-d] and 3-[(N,N-dialkylamino)alkyl]- 2-chlorophenyl-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobenzo(b)thieno(2,3-d)pyrimidine- 4 (3H)-ones[6a-d]derivative were synthesized from 2-amino-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo(b)thiophene-3-carboxylic acid by nucleophilic substitution of different N,N-dialkyl alkylene/phenylene diamines on activated 3-acylchloride moiety followed by cyclocondensation with carbon disulfide and ethanolic potassium hydroxide to get [4a-d] and in second reaction by condensation with 4-chlorobenzoyl chloride to get [6a-d] by single pot novel innovative route. The oxo analogous [5a-d] were prepared by treating derivatives [4a-d] with potassium permagnate in ethanolic KOH. The synthesized compound were evaluated for H1-antihistaminic and antimicrobial activities. Results: All synthesized compounds exhibited significant H1-antihistaminic activity by in vitro and in vivo screening methods and data were verified analytically and statistically. The compound 4a, 4b, 5a and 5b showed significant H1-antihistaminiic activity than the reference standard chlorpheniramine maleate. The compound 6d, 6c, 5c and 4c exhibited significant antimicrobial activity.

This paper reports label free sub-femtomolar detection of cardiac biomarker troponin T using ZnSnO3perovskite nanomaterial based electrochemical biosensors. Herein, we have demonstrated two separate synthesis schemes for the perovskite material, one being a hydrothermal synthesis method, and the other being electrochemical deposition. In this work, for the electrochemical detection of troponin T with the hydrothermally synthesized ZnSnO3, we have used a glassy carbon electrode (GCE), on to which the nanomaterials are dropcasted so as to create a heterogeneous working electrode. In a separate scheme, we have used indium tin oxide coated polyethylene terephthalate (ITO/PET) substrates as the working electrodes, on to which a thin film of ZnSnO3nanomaterial has been deposited electrochemically. Subsequently, the capture antibodies corresponding to the targeted cardiac troponin T are immobilized on to the surface functionalized working electrodes using NHS/EDC chemistry. The electrochemical detection of the target analyte has been performed in the concentration range of 1 fg mL−1to 1 μg mL−1, using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. For the GCE and ITO/PET based bioelectrodes, the approximated limits of detection are found to be 0.187 fg mL−1and 0.571 fg mL−1respectively, whereas the respective values of sensitivity of the same are 35.25 kΩ (μg mL−1)−1cm−2and 8.813 kΩ (μg mL−1)−1cm−2.

Background: Treatments of patients with amlodipine (a calcium channel blocker, CCB) overdose/poisoning remain challenging and death is certain if not intervened timely. Furthermore, for the society, the availability and common use of this drug can drive more vulnerable groups, especially children, towards an accidental/suicidal poisoning. Case Report: Herein, we describe the case of an 18 year-old-adolescent girl who took 150 mg of amlodipine with the suicidal intentions and was admitted in our hospital approximately 4-hours after the ingestion. She developed circulatory failure and tachypnea. Decontamination, calcium, glucagon, and dual vasopressors were started, however, persistent hypotension led to the initiation of hyperinsulinemiceuglycemia therapy. She recovered fully and discharged without any complications in few days. This case educates not only about the successful use of variant drugs in the management of CCB overdose/poisoning, but also calls for the attention of the society for a safe storage of often used drugs, especially away from the children/adolescents.