corrosion resistance of uns s31803 stainless steel welded joints

The corrosion resistance of duplex stainless steel welded joints is affected by different parameters such as filler metal chemical composition, heat input, shielding gas composition and post welding heat treatment temperature. In most cases such parameters interact with each other so that it is very difficult to foresee their effect on corrosion resistance of welded joints without specific experimental tests. In this work the best combination of shielding gas composition and post welding heat treatment temperature that guarantees the corrosion resistance of the joint according to ASTM A932, method C, was found. Two shielding gases were tested during welding, Ar (100%) and a mixture of Ar (87%), He (10%) and N (3%), while the solution temperatures were 1050 °C and 1070 °C. It was found that only the samples welded with the mixture of Ar (87%), He (10%), N (3%) as shielding gas and solution heat treated at 1070 °C passed the corrosion test completely.</p

Kravnivåer för energihushållning - Konsekvenser av skärpning av krav för energihushållning i revidering av byggregler

Miljö- och samhällsbyggnadsdepartementet har uppdragit åt Chalmers EnergiCentrum (CEC) att analysera konsekvenserna av en eventuell skärpning av kravnivåerna avseende energihushållning i avsnitt 9 om Energihushållning i Boverkets förslag till reviderade byggregler. Uppdraget skall belysa dessa frågor: • Hur energieffektivt byggs det idag uppdelat i småhus, flerbostadshus och lokaler? • Vad är tekniskt möjligt och vilka tekniska lösningar krävs det för att komma ner till en viss nivå i kWh/m2? • Hur påverkar en skärpning av kravnivåerna elbehovet? • Vilka samhällsekonomiska konsekvenser för en eventuell skärpning av kravnivåerna med sig? En sammanvägd analys skall göras av vilka krav på energihushållning som är rimliga att ställa vid nybyggnad utifrån tekniska och samhällsekonomiska aspekter, och om kraven bör formuleras olika för olika byggnadskategorier. I uppdraget ingår också en analys av i Ds 2005:51 föreslaget mål om energieffektivisering i bebyggelsen utifrån potentialbedömningen i Chalmers rapport Åtgärder för ökad energieffektivisering i bebyggelsen. Uppdraget har utförts under tiden från mitten av december 2005 till 2006-01-10. Uppdragets begränsade tid och omfattning innebär att de aktuella frågorna inte kunnat belysas i detalj, utan de behandlas mer översiktligt och baserat på den kunskap som finns tillgänglig

Oestradiol levels and superoxide dismutase activity in age-related cataract: a case-control study.

Background: It has been suggested that the higher prevalence of cataract in women is caused by a withdrawal effect of oestrogen at menopause. In vitro studies have demonstrated protection of serum oestradiol (E2) against oxidative stress through upregulation of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD). The purpose of the present study was to investigate E2 levels and SOD erythrocyte activity in patients with age-related cataract. Methods: The studied subjects consisted of 103 patients with age-related cataract and 22 controls. Cataracts were classified as nuclear, cortical, or posterior subcapsular. Blood samples were collected and data on smoking, hormonal use, diabetes and age at menarche/menopause was obtained for all individuals. Serum oestradiol analyses were performed with radioimmunoassay (RIA) and SOD activity was measured in erythrocyte lysates. Results: A negative correlation between age and E2 concentration was seen in a linear regression analysis. No correlation was seen between SOD activity and age or gender and no correlation between E2 levels and SOD activity was found using multiple linear regression. The mean level of E2 for all male subjects was 50.1 +/- 16.3 pmol/L, significantly higher compared to 13.8 +/- 11.8 pmol/L for postmenopausal women. Conclusion: The present study does not support a role for E2-induced effects on SOD in cataract formation. The findings of higher E2 levels in men than in postmenopausal women may suggest that decreased oestrogen at menopause is partially responsible for the gender-related difference in cataract prevalence. However, the latter can only be verified through prospective randomized trials using hormonal replacement therapy

Critical parameters and performance tests for the evaluation of digital data acquisition hardware

Recent developments of digital data acquisition systems allow real-time pre-processing of detector signals at a high count rate. These so-called pulse processing digitizers are powerful and versatile instruments offering techniques which are important for nuclear security, critical infrastructure protection, nuclear physics and radiation metrology. Certain aspects of digital data acquisition affect the performance of the total system in a critical way and therefore require special attention. This report presents a short introduction to digital data acquisition, followed by a discussion of the critical parameters which affect the performance in the lab and in the field. For some of the parameters, tests are proposed to assess the performance of digital data acquisition systems. Good practices are offered to guide the selection and evaluation of digital data acquisition systems. More general performance criteria which are not specifically related to digital data acquisition systems are discussed separately.JRC.D.4-Standards for Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguard

Effect of a spacer on total systemic and lung bioavailability in healthy volunteers and in vitro performance of the Symbicort\uae (budesonide/formoterol) pressurized metered dose inhaler

Introduction: Many patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma experience difficulties in coordinating inhalation with pressurized metered-dose inhaler (pMDI) actuation. The use of a spacer device can improve drug delivery in these patients. The aim of this study was to establish the relative bioavailability of single doses of Symbicort\uae (budesonide/formoterol) pMDI 160/4.5 μg/actuation (2 actuations) used with and without a spacer device. In addition, an in vitro study was conducted to characterize performance of the inhaler when used in conjunction with a spacer device. Methods: A Phase I, randomized, open-label, single-dose, single-center, crossover study in 50 healthy volunteers (NCT02934607) assessed the relative bioavailability of single-dose Symbicort\uae pMDI 160/4.5 μg/actuation (2 actuations) with and without a spacer (AeroChamber Plus\uae Flow-Vu\uae). Inhaled doses were administered without or with activated charcoal (taken orally) to estimate total systemic exposure and exposure through the lung, respectively. The in vitro study characterized the effect of the spacer with respect to delivered dose, fine particle dose, and dose during simulated breathing of budesonide and formoterol. Results: In terms of total systemic exposure, use of the spacer increased the relative bioavailability determined by AUC(0-last) and Cmax by 68% (spacer:no spacer treatment ratio, 167.9%; 90% CI, 144.1 to 195.6) and 99% (ratio, 198.7%; 90% CI, 164.4 to 240.2) for budesonide, and 77% (ratio, 176.6%; 90% CI, 145.1 to 215.0) and 124% (ratio, 223.6%; 90% CI, 189.9 to 263.3) for formoterol, respectively, compared with pMDI alone. Similarly, the lung exposure of budesonide and formoterol increased (AUC(0-last) and Cmax by 146% [ratio, 246.0%; 90% CI, 200.7 to 301.6] and 127% [ratio, 226.5%; 90% CI, 186.4 to 275.4] for budesonide, and 173% [ratio, 272.8%; 90% CI, 202.5 to 367.4] and 136% [ratio, 236.2%; 90% CI, 192.6 to 289.6] for formoterol, respectively) when the pMDI was administered through the spacer. When assessed by AUC(0-last) quartile without spacer, subjects in the lowest exposure quartile (indicating poor inhalation technique) with Symbicort\uae pMDI 160/4.5 μg/actuation (2 actuations) had markedly increased total systemic and lung exposure when the same dose was administered with the spacer. In contrast, for subjects in the highest exposure quartile with pMDI alone, total systemic and lung exposure of formoterol and budesonide was similar with and without the spacer. In the in vitro study, the fine particle dose (&lt;5 μm) of both budesonide and formoterol from the spacer at delay time (i.e. pause period after actuation) = 0 s (instantaneous) after actuation was similar to the fine particle dose when not using the spacer. The delivered doses of budesonide and formoterol from the spacer were both lower compared with the doses administered without the spacer. There was also a decrease in delivered dose with increasing delay time. Conclusions: The clinical study demonstrated that in subjects with poor inhalation technique the use of the AeroChamber Plus\uae Flow-Vu\uae spacer increased the bioavailability of Symbicort\uae pMDI to a level observed in subjects with good inhalation technique without a spacer. The findings from the in vitro study support the fine particle dose characteristics of Symbicort\uae pMDI with the AeroChamber Plus\uae Flow-Vu\uae spacer

Immediate Risk for Cardiovascular Events and Suicide Following a Prostate Cancer Diagnosis: Prospective Cohort Study

Katja Fall and Fang Fang and colleagues find that men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer are at increased risk of cardiovascular events and suicide

A trial to evaluate the effect of the sodium–glucose co‐transporter 2 inhibitor dapagliflozin on morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (DAPA‐HF)

Background: Sodium–glucose co‐transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have been shown to reduce the risk of incident heart failure hospitalization in individuals with type 2 diabetes who have, or are at high risk of, cardiovascular disease. Most patients in these trials did not have heart failure at baseline and the effect of SGLT2 inhibitors on outcomes in individuals with established heart failure (with or without diabetes) is unknown. Design and methods: The Dapagliflozin And Prevention of Adverse‐outcomes in Heart Failure trial (DAPA‐HF) is an international, multicentre, parallel group, randomized, double‐blind, study in patients with chronic heart failure, evaluating the effect of dapagliflozin 10 mg, compared with placebo, given once daily, in addition to standard care, on the primary composite outcome of a worsening heart failure event (hospitalization or equivalent event, i.e. an urgent heart failure visit) or cardiovascular death. Patients with and without diabetes are eligible and must have a left ventricular ejection fraction ≤ 40%, a moderately elevated N‐terminal pro B‐type natriuretic peptide level, and an estimated glomerular filtration rate ≥ 30 mL/min/1.73 m2. The trial is event‐driven, with a target of 844 primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes include the composite of total heart failure hospitalizations (including repeat episodes), and cardiovascular death and patient‐reported outcomes. A total of 4744 patients have been randomized. Conclusions: DAPA‐HF will determine the efficacy and safety of the SGLT2 inhibitor dapagliflozin, added to conventional therapy, in a broad spectrum of patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction

Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Modulates Immune Responses and Its Curli Fimbriae Interact with the Antimicrobial Peptide LL-37

Bacterial growth in multicellular communities, or biofilms, offers many potential advantages over single-cell growth, including resistance to antimicrobial factors. Here we describe the interaction between the biofilm-promoting components curli fimbriae and cellulose of uropathogenic E. coli and the endogenous antimicrobial defense in the urinary tract. We also demonstrate the impact of this interplay on the pathogenesis of urinary tract infections. Our results suggest that curli and cellulose exhibit differential and complementary functions. Both of these biofilm components were expressed by a high proportion of clinical E. coli isolates. Curli promoted adherence to epithelial cells and resistance against the human antimicrobial peptide LL-37, but also increased the induction of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-8. Cellulose production, on the other hand, reduced immune induction and hence delayed bacterial elimination from the kidneys. Interestingly, LL-37 inhibited curli formation by preventing the polymerization of the major curli subunit, CsgA. Thus, even relatively low concentrations of LL-37 inhibited curli-mediated biofilm formation in vitro. Taken together, our data demonstrate that biofilm components are involved in the pathogenesis of urinary tract infections by E. coli and can be a target of local immune defense mechanisms