Effect of sensitization on the stress corrosion cracking of AA5083

Stress corrosion cracking of AA5083 was evaluated using both slow strain rate testing, there was a strong effect of sensitization with aging time. Increasing aging time leads to a sharp decrease in strain to failure, as well as ultimate tensile strength (UTS). In the fully sensitized condition (175°C/240h) there was a significant effect of chloride concentration, with increasing chloride concentration leading to a sharp decrease in strain to failure and UTS. However, in the as received condition there was no significant effect of chloride concentration on the slow strain rate behavior. The difference in behavior is likely associated with continuous precipitation of β phase along the boundaries. Rising displacement tests were performed as a function of sensitization time and the Kth measured decreased sharply with aging time reaching ~4MPaÖm at 240h. The effect of chloride concentration and applied potential in the sensitized condition (175C/240h) was evaluated and the Kth decreased with increasing chloride concentration. At applied potentials below the breakdown potential of β there was an increase in the Kth but the values of Kth were not as those observed in the as received condition. The observations made suggest that the stress corrosion cracking of AA5083 was sensitive to the applied potential and chloride concentration which in turn control the crack tip conditions. The observed data were analyzed in terms of a crack tip strain rate model to quantify the behavior of AA5083

SCC characterization of AL-Li-Cu-x Alloys

In the past several decades many Al-Li-X alloys have been studied to understand the fracture properties due to its superior specific strength and modulus over the currently dominated 2024 & 7075 type aircraft structural alloys. It is also observed that their stress corrosion resistance is also good in the peak aged condition depending on the (Li/Cu) ratio. To understand its behavior with respect to its heat treatment, a systematic collection of data is required from the published literature. We have collected such systematic data for three alloys from the early 1980’s on Al-3Li, Al-2Li-3Cu and Al-1.5Li-4.5Cu, all with 0.12Zr to keep the grain structure predominantly un-recrystalized. Such alloys were tested in the S-T direction in 3.5%NaCl solution to obtain the plateau velocities (da/dt) and threshold KIscc. It is observed that in all the alloys, (da/dt) decreased with aging heat treatment time, the decrease increased with (Li/Cu) ratio. This decrease is interpreted in terms of the degree of anodic dissolution of the grain boundary precipitates. The results are compared with theSCCbehavior of 7050 and 2024 alloys. Additional data where reversion aging treatment was given shows that grain boundary precipitates play an important role in theSCCbehavior. The overall trend in theSCCbehavior is discussed in light of the current understanding of the aluminum alloy behavior in terms of anodic dissolution and the role of hydrogen

Optimization of single halo p-MOSFET implant parameters for improved analog performance and reliability

The effect of Channel Hot Carrier (CHC) stress under typical analog operating conditions is studied for p-MOSFETs. Our detailed characterization results show that Single Halo devices not only show improved performance, but also are immune to CHC degradation under various operating conditions

Scrub Typhus Presenting as Subdural Hemorrhage with Normal Platelet Counts: A Rare Case Presentation

Scrub typhus is a common zoonotic disease with high case fatality rate. The clinical presentation of this disease may vary from acute febrile illness, thrombocytopenia, gastrointestinal manifestations, coagulopathy to neurological manifestations. The common neurological manifestations are meningitis and meningoencephalitis, whereas subdural hemorrhage, cerebrovascular accident, i.e., intracerebral hemorrhage, infarct, subarachnoid hemorrhage, etc. are among rare neurological presentations. Scrub typhus-induced neurological disease should be investigated to provide a timely and appropriate diagnosis and to reduce the mortality in complicated scrub typhus infection. Here we report a case of scrub typhus complicated with subdural hemorrhage admitted in our hospital

Week 48 outcomes from the BRAAVE 2020 study: a randomised switch to bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (B/F/TAF) in African American adults with HIV

Background: Black Americans are disproportionately impacted by HIV. The BRAAVE 2020 study, evaluated the safety and efficacy of switching to the guidelines- recommended single- tablet regimen bictegravir, emtricitabine, tenofovir alafenamide (B/F/TAF) in Black adults through week (W) 48. Method: Adults with HIV self- identifying as Black or African American and virologically suppressed on 2 NRTIs plus a 3rd agent were randomised (2:1) to switch to open- label B/F/TAF once daily or stay on their baseline regimen (SBR). Prior virologic failure was allowed except failure on an INSTI. Prior resistance to NNRTIs, PIs and/or NRTIs was permitted except K65R/E/N, ≥3 thymidine analog mutations or T69- insertions. Primary INSTI- resistance was excluded. SBR participants switched to B/F/TAF at W24. Efficacy was assessed at W24 (Primary endpoint, noninferiority margin 6%) and at W48 as the proportion with HIV- 1 RNA ≥50 c/mL by FDA Snapshot and by changes in CD4 count. Safety was assessed by adverse events (AE) and lab results. Results: 495 were randomised and treated (B/F/TAF n = 330, SBR n = 165): 32% cis women, 2% transgender women, median age 49 years (range 18– 79) and 10% had pre- existing M184V/I mutation. At W24, 1% (2/328) on B/F/TAF vs 2% (3/165) on SBR had HIV- 1 RNA ≥50 c/mL (difference - 1.2%; 95% CI - 4.8% to 0.9%) demonstrating non-inferiority of B/F/TAF; 2 with pre- existing primary INSTI resistance were excluded from analysis. 163 assigned to SBR completed W24 and switched to B/F/TAF (SBR to B/F/TAF). At W48 1% (3/328) originally randomised to B/F/TAF and 0 SBR to B/F/TAF had HIV- 1 RNA ≥50 c/mL. Baseline NRTI resistance did not affect the efficacy of B/F/TAF. No treatment emergent resistance was detected. Median (IQR) weight increased 0.9 kg (- 1.5, 4.1) and 0.6 kg (- 1.0, 3.1) for B/F/TAF and SBR to B/F/TAF groups, respectively. Study drug- related AEs occurred in 10% of participants while on B/F/TAF; most were grade 1. Conclusion: Switching to B/F/TAF was highly effective for Black adults regardless of baseline regimen or pre- existing NRTI resistance and was associated with few treatment re-lated AEs or discontinuations

Introgression of Botrytis grey mould resistance genes from Cicer reticulatum (bgmr1cr) and C. echinospermum (bgmr1ce) to chickpea (C. arietinum)

Botrytis grey mould (BGM), caused by the fungus Botrytis cinerea Pers. ex Fr., is an important disease of chickpea causing economic losses across the world in chickpea-growing regions. There are no available resistance sources in cultivated chickpea against this disease. Cicer echinospermum and C. reticulatum, the only two compatible annual wild species, have been reported to have resistance to BGM. Hence, interspecific populations were developed with susceptible cultivars as female parents and C. echinospermum accession IG 73 074 and C. reticulatum accession IG 72 937 as the pollen donors to transfer and assess the nature of genetic control for BGM. Screening the progeny indicated that resistance to BGM was controlled by a single additive gene/allele (bgmr1cr and bgmr1ce), which can be introgressed through a backcross breeding programme

Switching to Tenofovir Alafenamide, Coformulated With Elvitegravir, Cobicistat, and Emtricitabine, in HIV-Infected Patients With Renal Impairment: 48-Week Results From a Single-Arm, Multicenter, Open-Label Phase 3 Study

BACKGROUND: Tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) is a novel tenofovir prodrug with improved renal and bone safety compared with TDF-containing regimens. We report the 48 week safety and efficacy of a once-daily single tablet regimen of elvitegravir 150 mg (E), cobicistat 150 mg (C), emtricitabine 200 mg (F), and TAF 10 mg (E/C/F/TAF) in HIV-1-infected patients with mild to moderate renal impairment. METHODS: We enrolled virologically suppressed HIV-1-infected subjects with estimated creatinine clearance (CrCl) 30-69 mL/min in a single-arm, open-label study to switch regimens to E/C/F/TAF. The primary endpoint was the change from baseline in glomerular filtration rate estimated using various formulae. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01818596. FINDINGS: We enrolled and treated 242 patients with mean age 58 years, 18% Black, 39% hypertension, 14% diabetes. Through week 48, no significant change in estimated CrCl was observed. Two patients (0.8%) discontinued study drug for decreased creatinine clearance, neither had evidence of renal tubulopathy and both had uncontrolled hypertension. Subjects had significant improvements in proteinuria, albuminuria, and tubular proteinuria (P < 0.001 for all). Hip and spine bone mineral density significantly increased from baseline to week 48 (mean percent change +1.47 and +2.29, respectively, P < 0.05). Ninety-two percent (222 patients) maintained HIV-1 RNA <50 copies per milliliter at week 48. INTERPRETATION: Switch to E/C/F/TAF was associated with minimal change in GFR. Proteinuria, albuminuria and bone mineral density significantly improved. These data support the efficacy and safety of once daily E/C/F/TAF in HIV+ patients with mild or moderate renal impairment without dose adjustment

Seizure prediction : ready for a new era

Acknowledgements: The authors acknowledge colleagues in the international seizure prediction group for valuable discussions. L.K. acknowledges funding support from the National Health and Medical Research Council (APP1130468) and the James S. McDonnell Foundation (220020419) and acknowledges the contribution of Dean R. Freestone at the University of Melbourne, Australia, to the creation of Fig. 3.Peer reviewedPostprin