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Purpose Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) can help to identify subclinical features of diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). There is, however, significant heterogeneity in the reported strain values in literature. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare cardiac systolic strain values assessed by 2D-STE in asymptomatic adults with diabetes mellitus (DM) and healthy controls. Methods Five databases were searched, and a total of 41 valid studies (6668 individuals with DM and 7218 controls) were included for analysis. Pooled mean in each group and mean difference (MD) for left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LVGLS), LV global circumferential strain (LVGCS), LV global radial strain (LVGRS), LV longitudinal systolic strain rate (LVSR), left atrial reservoir strain (LARS) and right ventricular GLS (RVGLS) were assessed. Results Patients with DM had overall 2 units lower LVGLS than healthy subjects 17.5% [16.8, 18.3], vs 19.5 [18.7, 20.4], MD = − 1.96 [− 2.27, − 1.64]. Other strain values were also lower in patients with DM: LVGCS (MD = − 0.89 [− 1.26, − 0.51]); LVGRS (MD = − 5.03 [− 7.18, − 2.87]); LVSR (MD = − 0.06 [− 0.10, − 0.03]); LARS (MD = − 8.41 [− 11.5, − 5.33]); and RVGLS (MD = − 2.41 [− 3.60, − 1.22]). Meta-regression identified higher body mass index (BMI) as the single contributor to worse LVGLS, LVGCS and LVSR. Those with higher Hemoglobulin A1c had worse RVGLS. Conclusion Myocardial strains were reduced in whole heart in patients with DM. The largest reduction was observed in LA reservoir strain, followed by RVGLS and LVGLS. Higher BMI in patients with DM is associated with worse LV strain values.

Two-phase heat transfer is one of the most efficient methods for heat dissipation for heated surfaces. However, there is an operational limit called film boiling for any heated surface whereby high surface temperature generates sufficient vapor to form a steady vapor film that both covers the heated surface and drastically reduces the heat dissipation rate. In this study, we introduce a novel approach using the dielectrophoretic effect to suppress the film boiling behavior and enhance the heat transfer rate. We experimentally characterize the transition from film boiling to nucleate boiling caused by the dielectrophoretic effect. We also experimentally determine the dependence of heat transfer enhancement and the associated surface temperature decrease on the applied voltage used to induce the dielectrophoretic effect. We demonstrate that for a smooth surface, activating the dielectrophoretic effect leads to an enhancement in critical heat flux up to 200% within our explored range of applied voltage. Ministry of Education (MOE) This work was supported by Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and the Ministry of Education (MOE, grant number MOE2018-T2- 2-113), Singapore.

Objectives The aim of this study was to couple fused deposition modelling 3D printing with melt extrusion technology to produce core–shell-structured controlled-release tablets with dual-mechanism drug-release performance in a simulated intestinal fluid medium. Coupling abovementioned technologies for personalized drug delivery can improve access to complex dosage formulations at a reasonable cost. Compared with traditional pharmaceutical manufacturing, this should facilitate the following: (1) the ability to manipulate drug release by adjusting structures, (2) enhanced solubility and bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs and (3) on-demand production of more complex structured dosages for personalized treatment. Methods Acetaminophen was the model drug and the extrusion process was evaluated by a series of physicochemical characterizations. The geometries, morphologies, and in vitro drug-release performances were compared between directly compressed and 3D-printed tablets. Key findings Initially, 3D-printed tablets released acetaminophen more rapidly than directly compressed tablets. Drug release became constant and steady after a pre-determined time. Thus, rapid effectiveness was ensured by an initially fast acetaminophen release and an extended therapeutic effect was achieved by stabilizing drug release. Conclusions The favourable drug-release profiles of 3D-printed tablets demonstrated the advantage of coupling HME with 3D printing technology to produce personalized dosage formulations.

Delayed-release dosage forms are mainly manufactured as batch processes and include coated tablets, pellets, or particles with gastric resistant polymers. Authors propose a novel approach using the hot-melt extrusion technique to prepare delayed release dosage forms via a continuous manufacturing process, a new trend in the pharmaceutical industry. A full factorial design was employed to correlate input variables, including stearic acid (SA) content, drug content, and pellet size with drug release properties of the pellets. PLS fit method suitably elaborated the relationship between input and output variables with reasonably good fit and goodness of prediction. All three input factors influenced drug release in enzyme-free simulated gastric fluid (SGF) after 120 min; however, SA content did not significantly affect drug dissolution in the enzyme-free simulated intestinal fluid (SIF). An optimized formulation and design space were determined by overlaying multiple contours established from regression equations. The continuous manufacturing process was successfully monitored using inline near-infrared (NIR) and inline particle size analysis, with drug load and pellet size being well-controlled within the design space. The obtained pellets released less than 5% after 120 min in SGF and more than 85% and 95% after 30 min and 45 min, respectively, after switching to SIF.

The reaction of carboxamides with phosphorus trichloride under heating at 75–80°C for 1 h in the presence of a 4-dimethylaminopyridine catalyst was used to synthesize imidoyl chlorides in yields of 63–99%.

Shear-assisted processing and extrusion (ShAPE) is used to consolidate Al-4.2Mg-1.6Zr-0.25Si-0.1Fe (wt.%) powders. The extruded alloy exhibits: (i) near-zero porosity; (ii) an attractive combination of tensile yield strength (~220 MPa), ultimate strength (330 MPa) and elongation (>20%); and (iii) excellent thermal stability at 400 °C. The ultra-fine grain size in the gas-atomized powders – created and stabilized by primary L12-Al3Zr submicron precipitates - is maintained after consolidation and subsequent exposure at 400 °C, contributing twice as much to strength as Mg in solid-solution. Electron microscopy reveals the microstructure of the L12-Al3Zr precipitates, and other precipitates (Mg2Si and Al3Fe) and dispersoids (oxides).

The coarsening behavior of Al3Zr precipitates during aging was investigated for two Al–Mg–Zr alloys (Al–3.6Mg–1.2Zr and Al–2.9Mg–2.1Zr, wt%) processed by selective laser melting (SLM). Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) investigations of peak-aged (400 °C, 8 h) samples reveal both continuous (~2 nm in diameter) and discontinuous (~5 nm wide and hundreds of nanometers in length) coherent, secondary L12-Al3Zr precipitates. In-situ STEM experiments showed that aging at 400 °C results in the appearance and growth of both grain-boundary Al3Zr precipitates, and intragranular nanometer-sized spherical Al3Zr precipitates in Zr-rich dendritic arms. Heating to 500 °C resulted in the disappearance of most Al3Zr precipitates and oxide particles. This microstructural evolution sheds light on the evolution of the alloy strength at elevated temperature. For short-term yield tests, as-fabricated samples displayed higher yield strengths than peak-aged samples at temperatures above 150 °C (e.g., 87 vs 24 MPa at 260 °C). This is attributed to coarsening of grain-boundary precipitates during aging, decreasing their ability to inhibit grain-boundary sliding (GBS) of the fine equiaxed grains (~1 µm). For longer term creep tests at 260 °C, both as-fabricated and peak-aged samples displayed near-identical creep behavior during a long-duration (168 h) creep test; by contrast, during a shorter duration creep test (8 h), as-fabricated samples are more creep-resistant than samples previously aged at 260 °C (threshold stresses of ~40 vs. ~14 MPa, respectively). Again, the creep behavior is consistent with coarsening of grain-boundary precipitates, occurring now during long-duration creep tests at 260 °C. An exact creep mechanism could not be isolated due to microstructural changes during testing but is believed to be a combination of GBS and dislocation motion.

Prior research has demonstrated that trust in robots and performance of robots are two important factors that influence human-autonomy teaming. However, other factors may influence users' perceptions and use of autonomous systems, such as perceived intent of robots and decision authority of the robots. The current study experimentally examined participants' trust in an autonomous security robot (ASR), perceived trustworthiness of the ASR, and desire to use an ASR that varied in levels of decision authority and benevolence. Participants (N = 340) were recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk. Results revealed the participants had increased trust in the ASR when the robot was described as having benevolent intent compared to self-protective intent. There were several interactions between decision authority and intent when predicting the trust process, showing that intent may matter the most when the robot has discretion on executing that intent. Participants stated a desire to use the ASR in a military context compared to a public context. Implications for this research demonstrate that as robots become more prevalent in jobs paired with humans, factors such as transparency provided for the robot's intent and its decision authority will influence users' trust and trustworthiness.

Background: Self-reported data on educational level have been collected for decades in the Tromsø Study, but their validity has yet to be established. Aim: To investigate the completeness and correctness of self-reported educational level in the Tromsø Study, using data from Statistics Norway. In addition, we explored the consequence of using these two data sources on educational trends in cardiometabolic diseases. Methods: We compared self-reported and Statistics Norway-recorded educational level (primary, upper secondary, college/university Results: Sensitivity of self-reported educational level was highest among those with a college/university education of 4 years or more (⩾97% in all age groups and both sexes). Sensitivity for primary educational level ranged from 67% to 92% (all age groups and both sexes). The lowest positive predictive value was observed among women with a college/university education of 4 years or more (29–46%). Weighted kappa was substantial (0.52–0.59) among men and moderate to substantial (0.41–0.51) among women. Educational trends in the risk of cardiometabolic diseases were less pronounced when self-reported educational level was used. Conclusions: Self-reported educational level in Tromsø7 is adequately complete and correct. Self-reported data may produce weaker associations between educational level and cardiometabolic diseases than registry-based data.

Due to its importance in Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), traffic flow prediction has been the focus of many studies in the last few decades. Existing traffic flow prediction models mainly extract static spatial-temporal correlations, although these correlations are known to be dynamic in traffic networks. Attention-based models have emerged in recent years, mostly in the field of natural language processing, and have resulted in major progresses in terms of both accuracy and interpretability. This inspires us to introduce the application of attentions for traffic flow prediction. In this study, a deep learning based traffic flow predictor with spatial and temporal attentions (STANN) is proposed. The spatial and temporal attentions are used to exploit the spatial dependencies between road segments and temporal dependencies between time steps respectively. Experiment results with a real-world traffic dataset demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed model. The results also show that the utilization of multiple data resolutions could help improve prediction accuracy. Furthermore, the proposed model is demonstrated to have potential for improving the understanding of spatial-temporal correlations in a traffic network.

Background Recent studies have demonstrated left ventricular myocardial work (MW) is incremental in diagnosis and prognostication when compared to left ventricular ejection fraction and myocardial strain. We performed a meta-analysis of normal ranges of non-invasive MW indices including global work index (GWI), global constructive work (GCW), global wasted work (GWW), and global work efficiency (GWE) and to determine confounder that may contribute to variance in reported values. Methods Four databases including Pubmed, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched through January 2021 using the key terms “myocardial work", "global constructive work", "global wasted work", “global work index", "global work efficiency”. Studies were included if the articles reported LV myocardial work using 2D transthoracic echocardiography in healthy normal subjects, either in control group or comprising of the entire study cohort. The weighted mean was estimated by using the random effect model with a 95% confidence interval. Heterogeneity across included studies was assessed using the I2 test. Funnel plot and Egger’s regression test were used to assess potential publication bias Results The search yielded 476 articles. After abstract and full-text screening, we included 13 datasets with 1665 patients for the meta-analysis. The reported normal mean values of GWI and GCW among the studies were 2010 mmHg% (95% CI, 1907 to 2113), and 2278 mmHg% (95% CI, 2186 to 2369) respectively. The mean GWW was 80 mmHg% (95% CI, 73 to 87), and the mean GWE was 96.0% (95% CI, 96% to 96%). Furthermore, gender significantly contributed to variations in normal values of GWI, GWW, and GWE. No evidence of significant publication bias was observed. Conclusion In this meta-analysis, we provide echocardiographic reference ranges for non-invasive indices of MW. These normal values could be served as a reference for clinical and research use.

Background Three‐dimensional (3D) speckle tracking echocardiography can identify subclinical diabetic cardiomyopathy without geometric assumption and loss of speckle from out‐of‐plane motions. There is, however, significant heterogeneity among the previous reports. We performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis to compare 3D strain values between adults with asymptomatic, subclinical diabetes mellitus (ie, patients with diabetes mellitus without known clinical manifestations of cardiac disease) and healthy controls. Methods and Results After systematic review of 5 databases, 12 valid studies (544 patients with diabetes mellitus and 489 controls) were eligible for meta‐analysis. Pooled means and mean difference (MD) using a random‐effects model for 3D global longitudinal, circumferential, radial, and area strain were calculated. Patients with diabetes mellitus had an overall 2.31 percentage points lower 3D global longitudinal strain than healthy subjects (16.6%, 95% CI, 15.7–17.6 versus 19.0; 95% CI, 18.2–19.7; MD, −2.31, 95% CI, −2.72 to −2.03). Similarly, 3D global circumferential strain (18.9%; 95% CI, 17.5–20.3 versus 20.5; 95% CI, 18.9–22.1; MD, −1.50; 95% CI, −2.09 to −0.91); 3D global radial strain (44.6%; 95% CI, 40.2–49.1 versus 48.2; 95% CI, 44.7–51.8; MD, −3.47; 95% CI, −4.98 to −1.97), and 3D global area strain (30.5%; 95% CI, 29.2–31.8 versus 32.4; 95% CI, 30.5–34.3; MD, −1.76; 95% CI, −2.74 to −0.78) were also lower in patients with diabetes mellitus. Significant heterogeneity was noted between studies for all strain directions (inconsistency factor [I 2 ], 37%–78%). Meta‐regression in subgroup analysis of studies using the most popular vendor found higher prevalence of hypertension as a significant contributor to worse 3D global longitudinal strain. Higher hemoglobulin A 1c was the most significant contributor to worse 3D global circumferential strain in patients with diabetes mellitus. Conclusions Three‐dimensional myocardial strain was reduced in all directions in asymptomatic diabetic patients. Hypertension and hemoglobin A 1c were associated with worse 3D global longitudinal strain and 3D global circumferential strain, respectively. Registration URL: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero ; unique identifier: CRD42020197825.

N-Aryl(benzyl)adamantane-1-carboxamides were synthesized in 54–87% yields by reaction of adamantane-1-carboxylic acid with aromatic amines in the presence of phosphorus trichloride, 4-dimethylaminopyridine, and triethylamine on heating at 80°C for 8 h.

Accurate breast lesion risk estimation can significantly reduce unnecessary biopsies and help doctors decide optimal treatment plans. Most existing computer-aided systems rely solely on mammogram features to classify breast lesions. While this approach is convenient, it does not fully exploit useful information in clinical reports to achieve the optimal performance. Would clinical features significantly improve breast lesion classification compared to using mammograms alone? How to handle missing clinical information caused by variation in medical practice? What is the best way to combine mammograms and clinical features? There is a compelling need for a systematic study to address these fundamental questions. This paper investigates several multimodal deep networks based on feature concatenation, cross-attention, and co-attention to combine mammograms and categorical clinical variables. We show that the proposed architectures significantly increase the lesion classification performance (average area under ROC curves from 0.89 to 0.94). We also evaluate the model when clinical variables are missing.

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Mangrove forests are useful in protecting coastal lines, reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), and providing shelters and foods for ecosystems, but they are among the top threatened habitats worldwide caused by human activities, climate change, and coastal-related natural disasters such as tsunami, flood, storm, etc. Understanding quantitative and spatial information of mangrove associations is essential for managing mangrove forests effectively. The main aim of this research is to investigate the changes of mangrove forest associations in tropical regions and possible reasons of changes via the case study of the Can Gio biosphere reserve in Viet Nam by using remote sensing datasets (SPOT 4 and 5 imagery), object-based image analysis and Support Vector Machine classifier. The classification results showed that the highest overall accuracy of this combination was 81.6%, given 420 reference objects, confirming the applicability of using remote sensing on assessing the development of mangrove forests. For the case study, we found that there was a decrease of the Avicennia alba – Sonneratia alba (Association I) area by 20.1% caused by the development of aquaculture and other human activities, but there was an increase of the Rhizophora apiculata (Association II) area by 34.8%. These trends may result in the exacerbated risk of soil erosion and make the region become more vulnerable to climate change and tropical storm events. Management policies should be revised to harmonise the benefits of economic development, environmental protection, and species diversity.

A dilute Al-0.02Yb-0.01Er-0.03Sc-0.03Zr (at.%) alloy was aged to create a high number density of Al3(Sc0.56Yb0.14Er0.10Zr0.20) nanoprecipitates, with 3.5 nm radius, an Yb- and Er-enriched core and Sc- and Zr-enriched shells, as measured via atom-probe tomography. At 400 °C, the alloy exhibits a 17 MPa threshold stress, 2–3 times higher than previously-studied, Sc-richer Al-0.06Sc-0.06Zr and Al-0.01Er-0.05Sc-0.06Zr (at.%) alloys with Al3(Sc,Zr) and Al3(Sc,Zr,Er) nanoprecipitates. This improvement is consistent with Yb/Er enrichment within the nanoprecipitates, increasing their lattice mismatch with the matrix.

Telmisartan (TEL, an antihypertensive drug) belongs to Class II of the Biopharmaceutical Classification System (BCS) because of its poor aqueous solubility. In this study, we enhanced the solubility, bioavailability, and stability of TEL through the fabrication of TEL-loaded pH-modulated solid dispersion (TEL pHM-SD) using hot-melt extrusion (HME) technology. We prepared different TEL pHM-SD formulations by varying the ratio of the drug (TEL, 10&ndash, 60% w/w), the hydrophilic polymer (Soluplus&reg, 30&ndash, 90% w/w), and pH-modifier (sodium carbonate, 0&ndash, 10% w/w). More so, the tablets prepared from an optimized formulation (F8) showed a strikingly improved in vitro dissolution profile (~30-fold) compared to the free drug tablets. The conversion of crystalline TEL to its amorphous state is observed through solid-state characterizations. During the stability study, F8 tablets had a better stability profile compared to the commercial product with F8, showing higher drug content, low moisture content, and negligible physical changes. Moreover, compared to the TEL powder, in vivo pharmacokinetic studies in rats showed superior pharmacokinetic parameters, with maximum serum concentration (Cmax) and area under the drug concentration&ndash, time curve (AUC0&ndash, &infin, ) of the TEL pHM-SD formulation increasing by 6.61- and 5.37-fold, respectively. Collectively, the results from the current study showed that the inclusion of a hydrophilic polymer, pH modulator, and the amorphization of crystalline drugs in solid dispersion prepared by HME can be an effective strategy to improve the solubility and bioavailability of hydrophobic drugs without compromising the drug&rsquo, s physical stability.

This paper considers the load shedding in islanded Micro grid by solving two problems. The first problem is the optimal generation dispatching problem with interval right hand side of equality constraint due to the fact that wind and solar energy output power are given in the form of intervals. By linearization, the problem becomes a linear parametric optimization. The issue is then considered as a two-goal issue and solved by applying the Bellman-Zadeh approach. The second problem is with load shedding dispatching according to voltage optimal objective. The paper proposed an approach to handle the voltage deviation interval caused by the result of the first problem. The both problems are resolved by the Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm. The proof is carried out with ETAP software.

The quality of an ophthalmic suspension is crucial for its in vivo performance, and often impact product's effectiveness. An in-depth understanding of critical quality attributes (CQAs) of ophthalmic suspensions such as particle size distribution (PSD) and rheology, as well as the impact of these CQAs on product performance are important for successful product development, quality control, and regulatory approval. This study employed brinzolamide ophthalmic suspension, 1%, as a model ophthalmic product, and six batches were manufactured using an innovative planetary centrifugal milling (PCM) process. Three batches were manufactured to have distinctly different PSD. These three batches had qualitatively (Q1) and quantitatively (Q2) the same composition as the model drug product (i.e., Azopt), while the differences in PSD were introduced by changing only the manufacturing process parameters. On the other hand, changes in rheology were introduced by altering the input level of the viscosity enhancing polymer in the formulation. A systematic approach was employed to understand the relation between manufacturing process parameters, CQAs, and in vitro product performance. Among the evaluated CQAs, PSD, rheology, surface tension, and drug dissolution were found more sensitive to the changes in the manufacturing processes. Most notably, we developed a rapid dissolution method (completed within minutes) employing in-situ fiber optic UV dissolution system. This novel dissolution method mimics the environmental conditions of the eye such as dissolution under "non-sink" condition and under high shear (from blinking). The method was highly discriminatory to differences in the PSD in the suspension. This study also revealed an important relation between the PSD of the suspension and its rheology which originated as a result of an interaction at the molecular level between the solid drug particles and the viscosity enhancing polymers. These findings underscore the need to evaluate CQAs of the ophthalmic suspensions in concert rather than separately when comparing ophthalmic drug products and product performance.

A dilute Al-0.06Sc-0.02Zr-0.005Er (at%) alloy, to which 0.09 at% Si was added, was peak-aged to create a high number density of (Al,Si)3(Sc,Er,Zr) precipitates, 3.6 nm in radius. The alloy shows a high resistance to dislocation creep, with a threshold stress of 18 MPa at 400 °C. After further aging under applied stress for ~ 1000 h at 400 °C, the threshold stress increases to 22 MPa, with the precipitates growing to a radius of 4–8 nm. This represents a very substantial improvement in creep resistance as compared to a similar alloy with one-third the Si content, 0.03 at%, whose threshold stress at 400 °C is 9–14 MPa. Atom probe tomography reveals that, for the new higher-Si alloy, the precipitates have an average Si concentration of 3.3 at% and show a broad core with uniform Sc-, Si- and Er concentrations and a thin Zr-enriched shell. By contrast, the low-Si alloy exhibits precipitates with half the average Si content, showing an Er-enriched core, a Sc-enriched inner-shell and a Zr-enriched outer-shell. A possible explanation for the higher creep resistance of the high-Si alloy is that the enhanced chemical homogeneity of Sc and Er in the core, as compared to the highly segregated core/shell/shell structure of the low-Si alloy, modifies the elastic strain field around precipitates so as to increase the repulsive force from the precipitate on the matrix dislocations climbing over them, thus enhancing the threshold creep stresses.

The microstructures of alloys created via Additive Manufacturing (AM) can vary substantially from those present in cast or wrought products, due to the very rapid solidification associated with AM. While numerous studies have investigated the process-microstructure relationship of alloys created by Selective Laser Melting (SLM), few have investigated the effects of laser rescanning to alter the microstructure or take advantage of the rapid solidification conditions the process provides. This study investigates the effect of single- or multiple pass laser scanning upon the grain structure of Addalloy™, a new Al-Mg-Zr alloy strengthened via L12 Al3Zr precipitates. The bottom of the melt pools consisted of fine equiaxed grains (1.3 μm) that nucleated from primary Al3Zr (100–400 nm) precipitates. The top of the melt pool consists of columnar grains (up to 40 μm long), consistent with lack of Al3Zr nucleants due to Zr solute trapping from increased solidification velocities. Additional laser scanning (a second or third scan) reduces the amounts of columnar grains and increased the number equiaxed grains. The change is attributed to a shallower melt pool remelting the columnar grain region upon rescanning, due to reduced laser energy absorption and increased heat losses in the solid.

Background: Over recent decades, adverse effects of ambient air pollution on the cardiovascular system have been clearly demonstrated. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully elucidated. Air pollution may accelerates biological aging and thereby the susceptibility to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Telomeres are tandem repetitive DNA complexes that play a critical role in maintaining chromosome stability. There are, however, heterogeneities among the reported effects of air pollution on telomere. This study sought to evaluate the existing literature on the association between air pollution and telomere length (TL). Methods: Two reviewers independently searched on electronic databases including PUBMED, EMBASE, SCOPUS, WEB OF SCIENCE and Ovid. The key terms were “air pollution” and “telomere” without language restriction. Articles relating to tobacco smoke were excluded. Results: A total of 12,058 subjects from 25 articles remained for final review. All were observational studies: 14 cross-sectional, 6 cohort and 5 case-control studies. Nineteen (76%) assessed leukocyte telomere length (LTL) of which 15 found associations between air pollution and shorter TL, 2 with longer TL, 1 had mixed results, and a study of patients with type 2 diabetes found non-significant associations with TL. One found longer TL from saliva. The remaining studies were of placental cells, buccal cells or sperm and all reported shorter TL associated with air pollution. Particulate matter (PM) was investigated in 8 articles, and the remainder assessed black carbon (BC), benzene, lead, cadmium and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH). Geographically, 11 studies were conducted in Europe, with 10 in Asia and 4 in North America. While all followed Cawthon’s protocol for TL assessment, discordance in the reporting formats did not allow us to perform a quantitative meta-analysis. Conclusions: Most of the studies support the association of shorter TL with air pollution. Uniform reporting format would be warranted for future studies to estimate true effect size of air pollution on TL.

Gas-atomized powders of two ternary alloys, Al-3.60Mg-1.18Zr and Al-3.66Mg-1.57Zr (wt.%), were densified via laser powder bed fusion. At energy densities ranging from 123 to 247 J/mm3, as-fabricated components are near-fully densified (relative density 99.2–99.9%) as verified by X-ray tomography. While Mg acts a solid-solution strengthener, Zr creates two types of metastable L12 Al3Zr precipitates, each playing dual roles: (a) sub-micrometer Al3Zr particles form in the melt upon solidification and act as grain refining agents, nucleating fine aluminum grains, which (i) prevent hot-tearing during the rapid solidification inherent to laser melting and (ii) enhance tensile strength (Hall-Petch strengthening) and ductility (influence a heterogenous grain structure) after fabrication; (b) Al3Zr nano-precipitates form in the solid alloy during subsequent aging, which (i) precipitation-strengthen the alloy leading to an increase of >40% in strength over the as-fabricated value, and (ii) promote thermal stability of the fine grain size (and the associated Hall-Petch strengthening) after exposure to high temperature due to the slow kinetics of Al3Zr coarsening (from the sluggish diffusivity of Zr in solid Al-Mg). While the Zr-richer alloy shows higher yield and ultimate tensile strength in the as-fabricated state, both alloys have identical mechanical properties after peak aging. Interconnected bands of fine (∼0.8 μm), equiaxed, isotropic grains and coarser (∼1 × 10 μm), columnar, textured grains – both containing oxide particles and Al3Zr precipitates - provide a combination of high yield strength and high ductility (e.g., ∼354 MPa, and ∼20%, respectively) with isotropic values in both as-fabricated and peak-aged samples, unlike Al-Si alloys processed via laser fusion of commercial Al-Si-based powders. The pre-alloyed, gas-atomized Al-Mg-Zr powders do not contain expensive alloying elements such as Sc, nor do they require blending with a second powder to nucleate fine grains, making them excellent candidates for economical, large-scale additive manufacturing applications.

Over the last few decades, hot melt extrusion (HME) has emerged as a successful technology for a broad spectrum of applications in the pharmaceutical industry. As indicated by multiple publications and patents, HME is mainly used for the enhancement of solubility and bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs. This review is focused on the recent reports on the solubility enhancement via HME and provides an update for the manufacturing/scaling up aspects of melt extrusion. In addition, drug characterization methods and dissolution studies are discussed. The application of process analytical technology (PAT) tools and use of HME as a continuous manufacturing process may shorten the drug development process; as a result, the latter is becoming the most widely utilized technique in the pharmaceutical industry. The advantages, disadvantages, and practical applications of various PAT tools such as near and mid-infrared, ultraviolet/visible, fluorescence, and Raman spectroscopies are summarized, and the characteristics of other techniques are briefly discussed. Overall, this review also provides an outline for the currently marketed products and analyzes the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of HME application in the pharmaceutical industry.

When a car is cornering, its wheels usually lean away from the centre of rotation. This phenomenon decreases lateral force, limits tyre performance and eventually reduces the vehicle lateral grip capacity. This paper proposes a strategy for varying caster in the front suspension, thereby altering the wheel camber to counteract this outward inclination. The homogeneous transformation was utilised to develop the road steering wheel kinematics which includes the wheel camber with respect to the ground during a cornering manoeuvre. A variable caster scheme was proposed based on the kinematic analysis of the camber. A rollable vehicle model, along with a camber-included tyre force model, was constructed. MATLAB/Simulink was used to simulate the dynamic behaviour of the vehicle with and without the variable caster scheme. The results from step steer, ramp steer, and sinusoidal steer inputs simulations show that the outward leaning phenomenon of the steering wheels equipped with the variable caster, is reduced significantly. The corresponding lateral acceleration and yaw rate increase without compromising other handling characteristics. The actively controlled car, therefore, provides better lateral stability compared to the passive car. The tyre kinematic model and the vehicle dynamic model were validated using multibody and experimental data.

The main objective of this novel study was to develop chlorpheniramine maleate orally disintegrating films (ODF) using hot-melt extrusion technology and evaluate the characteristics of the formulation using in vitro and in vivo methods. Modified starch with glycerol was used as a polymer matrix for melt extrusion. Sweetening and saliva-simulating agents were incorporated to improve palatability and lower the disintegration time of film formulations. A standard screw configuration was applied, and the last zone of the barrel was opened to discharge water vapors, which helped to manufacture non-sticky, clear, and uniform films. The film formulations demonstrated rapid disintegration times (6–11 s) and more than 95% dissolution in 5 min. In addition, the films had characteristic mechanical properties that were helpful in handling and storage. An animal model was employed to determine the taste masking of melt-extruded films. The lead film formulation was subjected to a human panel for evaluation of extent of taste masking and disintegration.