Search

High-nitrogen (high-N) austenitic stainless steels (ASS) are used in orthopedic implants due to their mechanical properties, human biocompatibility, and affordable cost. However, the high content of (Ni–Nb–N)-rich precipitates can cause allergic reactions and significant challenges in the manufacturing of prostheses. This study investigates the competition between work hardening (WH), dynamic recovery (DRV), and dynamic recrystallization (DRX) during the physical simulation of an ASTM F-1586 steel by thermomechanical processing, using the Kocks-Mecking and Avrami constitutive models. The parameters were obtained through continuous isothermal torsion tests at the temperature range of 900–1200 °C, strain rates between 0.01 and 10 s−1 and a total deformation of 4.0. Determined by compositional-analytical methods, the stacking fault energy (γsfe) was correlated with the stress level (σi) according to the Uesugi and Dai models. Results indicated a high activation energy for hot deformation (Qdef = 587 kJ/mol), affecting the shape of the curves. The γsfe value varied along the curves, delaying the onset of the DRX (σc = 0.928σp). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses revealed a direct competition between work-hardened and recrystallized grains in the early part of the curves, due to WH-DRV synergy. After the peak stress (σp), the progress of DRX was slow, with the Avrami exponent (n) between 1.1 and 1.9, completing only after large deformations (σss = 0.714σp). The moderate γsfe value (69 mJ/m2) and fine precipitates of the Z-phase (CrNbN) (

Abstract Background Labor pain is uniquely experienced and described by the woman giving birth, and it is often considered one of the most excruciating experiences for many women. This study aimed to evaluate factors associated with the willingness to receive labor analgesia among women attending the antenatal clinic at Dr. Bogalech Gebre Memorial General Hospital Central Ethiopia in 2022. Methods An institution-based, cross-sectional study was conducted from January to March 2022. Data were collected using semi-structured questionnaires by a convenience sampling technique. Data was entered in EpiData 4.2 and exported to SPSS version 20 for analysis. Both Bivariable and multivariable logistic regressions were conducted to determine factors associated with pregnant women’s willingness to choose labor analgesia. Crude odds ratio (COR) and adjusted odds ratio (AOR) were computed to assess the association between variables. Results A total of 398 pregnant women have participated in the study with a response rate of 94%. Nearly 30%, (29.4%) of the pregnant women had a willingness to practice labor pain management. Being a housewife (AOR: 8.35, 95% CI: 2.07, 33.63). Women who live in urban (AOR: 2.60, 95% CI: 1.29, 5.29). Having had awareness about labor analgesia (AOR: 1.70, 95% CI: 1.00, 2.60) and the short duration of labor time (AOR: 1.84, 95% CI: 1.15, 2.96) were statistically significant with a willingness to practice labor analgesia. Conclusion We conclude that the willingness of pregnant mothers’ toward obstetric analgesia practice was low in the study area. Being a housewife, urban residence, awareness about labor analgesia, and short duration of labor were statistically significant with the willingness of the mothers to practice labor analgesia. To increase willingness to use labor analgesia, authorities should prioritize delivering health education on pain management choices to address concerns and promote effective methods and practices.

Abstract Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), mainly caused by thrombosis complications, are the leading cause of mortality worldwide, making the development of alternative treatments highly desirable. In this study, the thrombolytic potential of green kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa cultivar Hayward) was assessed using in-vitro and in-silico approaches. The crude green kiwifruit extract demonstrated the ability to reduce blood clots significantly by 73.0 ± 1.12% (P

Summary: Autoimmune diseases such as lupus are characterized by polyclonal B cell activation, leading to the production of autoantibodies. The mechanism leading to B cell dysregulation is unclear; however, the defect may lie in selection within germinal centers (GCs). GC B cells cycle between proliferation and mutation in the dark zone and selection in the light zone (LZ). Temporal assessment of GCs from mice with either persistent infection or lupus showed an accumulation of LZ B cells. Yet, only in lupus, GC B cells exhibited reduced proliferation and progressive loss of MYC and FOXO1, which regulate zonal recycling and differentiation. As lupus progressed, decreased mutational frequency and repertoire diversity were associated with reduced responsiveness to CD40 signaling, despite accumulation of plasma cells. Collectively, these findings suggest that lupus disease progression coincides with an intrinsic defect in LZ B cell signaling, altering the zonal recycling, selection, and differentiation of autoreactive B cells.

Introduction: The development of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has immensely improved the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS. Despite such a change, concerns continue to persist regarding the safety of the latest drugs added to the regimens. This study aims to evaluate the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and weight gain in individuals receiving antiretroviral therapy containing dolutegravir at a general hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at RDDMH from 1 February to 30 March 2022. The study included PLHIV who had dolutegravir substituted into their combined regimen in November 2019. Collected data underwent cleaning, entry, and analysis using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) v. 26.0 and R programing. Descriptive statistics were employed for univariate and bivariate analysis. The Kaplan–Meier model in R was used to illustrate the hazard function. A significance level of p < 0.05 and a 95% confidence interval were employed for statistical reporting. Results: The study followed 185 PLHIV who were on ART who either substituted their previous regimens or initiated a new dolutegravir-based regimen for 12 months. Most were females (59.5%), aged over 38 years (57.5%), married (50.8%), and had lived with HIV for 7 or more years (51.9%). The incidence proportion of T2DM in this sample was 7.0% (95% CI: 3.8–10.3). The age category (X2(1, N = 185) = 12.29, p < 0.001) exhibited a statistically significant relationship with the incidence of T2DM. The cumulative rate of T2DM in the age group over 38 years was approximately 15.4%. The pairwise Wilcoxon signed rank test revealed statistically significant differences in BMI scores between time points. Conclusion: This study observed a noteworthy incidence of T2DM among PLHIV receiving a dolutegravir-based first-line ART. Healthcare providers should prioritize early follow-up and management options for PLHIV who are on dolutegravir-based ART regimens.

It is known that dynamic transformation can occur in the austenite field above the Ae3 temperature in a rapidly displacive way and after diffusionally under stress. This phenomenon influences industrial thermomechanical processes by changing the expected applied loads during forging or rolling. In this investigation, laboratory-scale physical simulation of tensile test in a customized Gleeble thermomechanical simulator system equipped with a synchrotron light X-ray beam (12 keV) was carried out on a linepipe steel at 50 °C above the Ae3. The obtained stress-strain curves indicate that dynamic transformation took place during deformation. The X-ray diffraction patterns confirmed the formation of ferrite inside the austenite field during strain. The results confirm the direct evidence of the onset of ferrite formation due to the applied strain and its increase in volume fraction as the deformation continues. The main ferrite-phase peaks detected by the in-situ X-ray diffraction were the ones related to the (110) and (221) planes. Both peaks increased their intensity with the increasing strain, leading to a decrease in the gamma-phase peak intensities of the (111) and (220) planes. The total volume fraction of all ferrite peaks increased to approximately 50% when the strain reached a maximum value, while the fraction of all austenite peaks decreased proportionally. Microscopic measurements of the presented phases have shown excellent agreement with the results obtained from direct X-ray diffraction results. A comprehensive understanding of the dynamic transformation phenomenon mechanism is important to the industry sector in designing improved manufacturing parameters for products with good quality.

Medication adherence is a vexing challenge, with over 50% of US adults not adhering to their prescribed medication regimen. Most medications are self-administered by patients at home, requiring them to independently develop and manage their own medication routines. By understanding these home-based practices, such as where patients store their medications and how different storage locations impact adherence, we can develop targeted interventions to improve adherence rates. Our goal was to identify and categorize self-reported home medication management practices and determine which practices are associated with self-reported medication adherence. From the 1673 total survey respondents we learned that the most common places people store their medications at home are nightstand drawers (28%), on top of nightstands (27%), kitchen cabinets (22%), and bathroom medicine cabinets (20%). Kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities were significantly associated with increased odds of having ever forgotten to take a medication. On the other hand, desks, dining room tables, and the inside of nightstand drawers were associated with the greatest statistically significant decrease in odds of having ever forgotten to take a medication. Almost all (96%) respondents were receptive to receiving guidance from healthcare providers on how to store medications. Patients are largely responsible for creating their own home medication management practices, including deciding where to store their medication at home. Understanding which home storage locations are associated with medication adherence can lead to innovative approaches to improve adherence, including personalized guidance to patients from their healthcare providers for patients.

Flexible pipelines are widely used offshore for oil and gas transportation and are subjected to several complex stress modes during service. Stress tensors cause different alterations in the macro and microstructure of the material. Therefore, studies involving the relationship between mechanical behavior and the crystallographic orientation of tensile armor wires need deep investigation. This work investigated the role of complex plastic deformation during the spiraling tensile armor on the microstructure and crystallographic texture of pearlitic steel with 0.74 wt%C. A heat-treated sample was prepared as a starting point. Further specimens were subjected to cold bending to investigate the strain accumulation during spiraling and armoring processing and then compared to an industrial twisted tensile armor sample. The microstructural and texture evolution was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and backscattered electron diffraction. Specimens were submitted to the Vickers microhardness and tensile tests to evaluate the mechanical properties. Results revealed that the bending deformation causes a reduction of (001)//ND fiber and increases the mechanical resistance of the material, which may prevent the onset and crack propagation. (111)//ND fiber increased while (110)//ND decreased, leading to stability in the slip systems. The formation of shear band structural changes resulted from the increase of (110)//ND with armoring and a decrease of (111)//ND fibers. Bending strains enhance the desirable texture components while diminishing the undesirable ones. Deformations to which the materials were subjected provide less mobility of dislocations, which causes an increase in mechanical strength. Little change in texture and microstructure was also observed.

Abstract The concept of “one target, one drug, one disease” is not always true, as compounds with previously described therapeutic applications can be useful to treat other maladies. For example, acridine derivatives have several potential therapeutic applications. In this way, identifying new potential targets for available drugs is crucial for the rational management of diseases. Computational methodologies are interesting tools in this field, as they use rational and direct methods. Thus, this study focused on identifying other rational targets for acridine derivatives by employing inverse virtual screening (IVS). This analysis revealed that chitinase enzymes can be potential targets for these compounds. Subsequently, we coupled molecular docking consensus analysis to screen the best chitinase inhibitor among acridine derivatives. We observed that 3 compounds displayed potential enhanced activity as fungal chitinase inhibitors, showing that compound 5 is the most active molecule, with an IC50 of 0.6 ng/µL. In addition, this compound demonstrated a good interaction with the active site of chitinases from Aspergillus fumigatus and Trichoderma harzianum. Additionally, molecular dynamics and free energy demonstrated complex stability for compound 5. Therefore, this study recommends IVS as a powerful tool for drug development. The potential applications are highlighted as this is the first report of spiro-acridine derivatives acting as chitinase inhibitors that can be potentially used as antifungal and antibacterial candidates.