Atom probe characterisation of segregation driven Cu and Mn-Ni-Si co-precipitation in neutron irradiated T91 tempered-martensitic steel

The T91 grade and similar 9Cr tempered-martensitic steels (also known as ferritic-martensitic) are leading candidate structural alloys for fast fission nuclear and fusion power reactors. At low temperatures (300 to 400 $^\circ$C) neutron irradiation hardens and embrittles these steels, therefore it is important to investigate the origin of this mode of life limiting property degradation. T91 steel specimens were separately neutron irradiated to 2.14 dpa at 327 $^\circ$C and 8.82 dpa at 377 $^\circ$C in the Idaho National Laboratory Advanced Test Reactor. Atom probe tomography was used to investigate the segregation driven formation of Mn-Ni-Si-rich (MNSPs) and Cu-rich (CRP) co-precipitates. The precipitates increase in size and, slightly, in volume fraction at the higher irradiation temperature and dose, while their corresponding compositions were very similar, falling near the Si(Mn,Ni) phase field in the Mn-Ni-Si projection of the Fe-based quaternary phase diagram. While the structure of the precipitates has not been characterized, this composition range is distinctly different than that of the typically cited G-phase. The precipitates are composed of CRP with MNSP appendages. Such features are often observed in neutron irradiated reactor pressure vessel (RPV) steels. However, the Si, Ni, Mn, P and Cu solutes concentrations are lower in the T91 than in typical RPV steels. Thus, in T91 precipitation primarily takes place in solute segregated regions of line and loop dislocations. These results are consistent with the model for radiation induced segregation driven precipitation of MNSPs proposed by Ke et al. Cr-rich alpha prime ($\alpha$') phase formation was not observed.Comment: Pre-print (not peer reviewed

Care burden, loneliness, and social isolation in caregivers of people with physical and brain health conditions in English-speaking regions: Before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Public health restrictions due to the COVID-19 (SARS CoV-2) pandemic have disproportionately affected informal caregivers of people living with long term health conditions. We aimed to explore levels of care burden, loneliness, and social isolation among caregivers of people with enduring physical and brain health conditions in English-speaking regions worldwide, by investigating outcomes before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional anonymous online survey data from 2287 English-speaking caregivers of people with long term health conditions from four English-speaking regions (UK, Ireland, USA, New Zealand) included measures of care burden, loneliness, and social isolation, reported before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyses were descriptive, followed by an ordinal regression model for predictors of burden. RESULTS: Compared to pre-pandemic levels, all caregivers experienced a significant increase in burden, loneliness, and isolation. Caregivers of people with both brain health and physical conditions were the most burdened and had the highest levels of loneliness and isolation compared to caregivers of people with either a brain health or physical condition only. The increase in care burden among caregivers of people with brain health challenges was associated with caregiver's gender, moderate and severe emotional loneliness, magnitude and frequency of isolation during the pandemic, and care circumstances (cohabitation with the care recipient, restrictions on the ability to provide care). CONCLUSIONS: Health and social care interventions should target caregivers' care circumstances and psychological outcomes, particularly in women, accounting for the significant additional burden of care, loneliness, and isolation resulting from pandemic-related restrictions

Sacroiliac joint radiographic progression - speed and determinants

Non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) and radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (r-axSpA) are considered to be different spectra of the same disease. Accumulating data suggest a low transition rate from nr-axSpA to r-axSpA in patients with early disease and identify inflammation, smoking and HLA-B27 positivity as factors associated with transition

Incidence of community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections and pneumonia among older adults in the United Kingdom: a population-based study.

Community-acquired lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) and pneumonia (CAP) are common causes of morbidity and mortality among those aged ≥65 years; a growing population in many countries. Detailed incidence estimates for these infections among older adults in the United Kingdom (UK) are lacking. We used electronic general practice records from the Clinical Practice Research Data link, linked to Hospital Episode Statistics inpatient data, to estimate incidence of community-acquired LRTI and CAP among UK older adults between April 1997-March 2011, by age, sex, region and deprivation quintile. Levels of antibiotic prescribing were also assessed. LRTI incidence increased with fluctuations over time, was higher in men than women aged ≥70 and increased with age from 92.21 episodes/1000 person-years (65-69 years) to 187.91/1000 (85-89 years). CAP incidence increased more markedly with age, from 2.81 to 21.81 episodes/1000 person-years respectively, and was higher among men. For both infection groups, increases over time were attenuated after age-standardisation, indicating that these rises were largely due to population aging. Rates among those in the most deprived quintile were around 70% higher than the least deprived and were generally higher in the North of England. GP antibiotic prescribing rates were high for LRTI but lower for CAP (mostly due to immediate hospitalisation). This is the first study to provide long-term detailed incidence estimates of community-acquired LRTI and CAP in UK older individuals, taking person-time at risk into account. The summary incidence commonly presented for the ≥65 age group considerably underestimates LRTI/CAP rates, particularly among older individuals within this group. Our methodology and findings are likely to be highly relevant to health planners and researchers in other countries with aging populations

Memòria Digital de Catalunya

Localització: Barcelona, Biblioteca de Catalunya, ms. 1110/1 (f. 1-46)Núm. 1097, a la coberta ms.Fuente de ingreso: Compra a Elisa Castells, Vda. de Joan Almirall i Forast

Application of unsupervised chemometric analysis and self-organising feature map (SOFM) for the classification of lighter fuels

A variety of lighter fuel samples from different manufacturers (both unevaporated and evaporated) were analysed using conventional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. In total 51 characteristic peaks were selected as variables and subjected to data pre-processing prior to subsequent analysis using unsupervised chemometric analysis (PCA and HCA) and a SOFM artificial neural network. The results obtained revealed that SOFM acted as a powerful means of evaluating and linking degraded ignitable liquid sample data to their parent unevaporated liquids

Patterns of medication use and factors associated with antibiotic use among adult fever patients at Singapore primary care clinics.

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance is a public health problem of global importance. In Singapore, much focus has been given to antibiotic usage patterns in hospital settings. Data on antibiotic use in primary care is lacking. We describe antibiotic usage patterns and assess factors contributing to antibiotic usage among adults presenting with acute febrile illness (AFI) in primary care settings in Singapore. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Early Dengue infection and outcome study. Adults with AFI presenting at 5 Singapore polyclinics were included. We used multivariable logistic regression to assess demographic, clinical and laboratory factors associated with antibiotic usage among adults with AFI. RESULTS: Between December 2007 and February 2013, 1884 adult AFI patients were enrolled. Overall, 16% of adult AFI patients reported antibiotic use. We observed a rise in the use of over-the-counter medications in late 2009 and a decrease in antibiotic use during 2010, possibly related to the outbreak of pandemic influenza A H1N1 virus. After adjusting for age, gender, polyclinic and year of enrolment, the following factors were associated with higher odds of antibiotic use: living in landed property (compared to public housing) (OR = 1.73; 95% CI: 1.06-2.80); body mass index (BMI) <18.5 (OR = 1.87; 95% CI: 1.19-2.93); elevated white blood cell (WBC) count (OR = 1.98; 95% CI: 1.42-2.78); and persistence of initial symptoms at 2-3 days follow-up with OR (95% CI) for categories of 1, 2, 3, and ≥4 persisting symptoms being 2.00 (1.38-2.92), 2.67 (1.80-3.97), 4.26 (2.73-6.64), and 2.79 (1.84-4.24) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides insights on antibiotic usage among adult patients presenting to primary care clinics with febrile illness, and suggests that high socio-economic status, and risk factors of a severe illness, that is, low BMI and persistence of initial symptoms, are associated with higher antibiotic use. Further work to understand trends of antibiotic usage in both private and public primary care clinics, and factors that influence patient expectation and physician prescribing of antibiotics is important

Pilot study to introduce a notification card for partner notification of sexually transmitted infections in Catalonia, Spain, June 2010 to June 2011

We conducted a cross-sectional study in 10 primary care centres in Catalonia, to determine applicability, acceptability and effectiveness of partner notification cards used by patients diagnosed of a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and to characterise these and their sexual partners. Statutorily notifiable STIs included Chlamydia infection, gonorrhoea, syphilis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or other STIs as deemed necessary by the treating physician. Between June 2010 and June 2011, 219 index cases were enrolled, of whom 130 were men (59.4%), 71 of them men who have sex with men (54.6%). Chlamydia infection (41.1%), gonorrhoea (17.8%) and syphilis (16.0%) were the STIs most frequently diagnosed. HIV infection accounted for 4% of cases. A total of 687 sexual partners were reported, and 300 of these were traceable through the notification card (45.7%). Those who did not report traceable contacts were older (mean age: 34 years versus 31 years, p=0.03). The main reason for not distributing the card was anonymous sexual intercourse (38%). Patient referral notification cards can reach a high percentage of sexual partners at risk. However, only few notified sexual partners attended participating health centres. Internet-based partner notification may be considered in order to reach those partners not otherwise traceable

The Impact of HAART on the Respiratory Complications of HIV Infection: Longitudinal Trends in the MACS and WIHS Cohorts

Objective: To review the incidence of respiratory conditions and their effect on mortality in HIV-infected and uninfected individuals prior to and during the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Design: Two large observational cohorts of HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected men (Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study [MACS]) and women (Women's Interagency HIV Study [WIHS]), followed since 1984 and 1994, respectively. Methods: Adjusted odds or hazards ratios for incident respiratory infections or non-infectious respiratory diagnoses, respectively, in HIV-infected compared to HIV-uninfected individuals in both the pre-HAART (MACS only) and HAART eras; and adjusted Cox proportional hazard ratios for mortality in HIV-infected persons with lung disease during the HAART era. Results: Compared to HIV-uninfected participants, HIV-infected individuals had more incident respiratory infections both pre-HAART (MACS, odds ratio [adjusted-OR], 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.2-2.7; p<0.001) and after HAART availability (MACS, adjusted-OR, 1.5; 95%CI 1.3-1.7; p<0.001; WIHS adjusted-OR, 2.2; 95%CI 1.8-2.7; p<0.001). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was more common in MACS HIV-infected vs. HIV-uninfected participants pre-HAART (hazard ratio [adjusted-HR] 2.9; 95%CI, 1.02-8.4; p = 0.046). After HAART availability, non-infectious lung diseases were not significantly more common in HIV-infected participants in either MACS or WIHS participants. HIV-infected participants in the HAART era with respiratory infections had an increased risk of death compared to those without infections (MACS adjusted-HR, 1.5; 95%CI, 1.3-1.7; p<0.001; WIHS adjusted-HR, 1.9; 95%CI, 1.5-2.4; p<0.001). Conclusion: HIV infection remained a significant risk for infectious respiratory diseases after the introduction of HAART, and infectious respiratory diseases were associated with an increased risk of mortality. © 2013 Gingo et al