Analysis of Fractures and Microstructures on Different Injection Speeds in High-Pressure Die-Casting Magnesium Alloy

In this study, to clarify the unknown physical properties of the Mg-Al-Th-RE alloy, the relationship between the injection conditions and the internal porosities, and the mechanical properties exerted by the solidification microstructure was investigated. The obtained cast samples were investigated using X-ray CT internal measurements, tensile tests, Vickers hardness tests, and solidification microstructure observations. The tensile strength and the elongation at the injection speed of 5.0 m/s were higher than at 2.0 m/s. The number of porosities affected the tensile strength and the elongation even at the same fracture position. In addition, it was confirmed that segregation affected the destruction smaller the porosity size and the greater the variability of porosity. As the injection speed increased, the amount of heat transferred between the molten metal and the wall surface also increased, resulting in quick freezing and solidification. The tensile strength increased at the injection speed of 5.0 m/s because the interface between the scattered primary crystals and eutectic systems was narrow. On the other hand, at the injection speed of 2.0 m/s, the tensile strength decreased because the molten metal was delayed in solidification and dendrite growth became remarkable

Analysis of Fractures and Microstructures on Different Injection Speeds in High-Pressure Die-Casting Magnesium Alloy

In this study, to clarify the unknown physical properties of the Mg-Al-Th-RE alloy, the relationship between the injection conditions and the internal porosities, and the mechanical properties exerted by the solidification microstructure was investigated. The obtained cast samples were investigated using X-ray CT internal measurements, tensile tests, Vickers hardness tests, and solidification microstructure observations. The tensile strength and the elongation at the injection speed of 5.0 m/s were higher than at 2.0 m/s. The number of porosities affected the tensile strength and the elongation even at the same fracture position. In addition, it was confirmed that segregation affected the destruction smaller the porosity size and the greater the variability of porosity. As the injection speed increased, the amount of heat transferred between the molten metal and the wall surface also increased, resulting in quick freezing and solidification. The tensile strength increased at the injection speed of 5.0 m/s because the interface between the scattered primary crystals and eutectic systems was narrow. On the other hand, at the injection speed of 2.0 m/s, the tensile strength decreased because the molten metal was delayed in solidification and dendrite growth became remarkable

Is FLT3 internal tandem duplication an unfavorable risk factor for high risk children with acute myeloid leukemia? : Polish experience

According to the AML-BFM 2004 Interim, a treatment protocol used in Poland since 2005, presence of FLT3 internal tandem duplication (FLT3/ITD) qualifies a patient with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) to a high-risk group (HRG). The present study was aimed to identify the prevalence of FLT3/ITD in children with AML in Poland and to evaluate its prognostic significance in the HRG patients. Out of 291 children with de novo AML treated in 14 Polish centers between January 2006 and December 2012, samples from 174 patients were available for FLT3/ITD analysis. Among study patients 108 children (61.7%) were qualified to HRG. Genomic DNA samples from bone marrow were tested for identification of FLT3/ITD mutation by PCR amplification of exon 14 and 15 of FLT3 gene. Clinical features and treatment outcome in patients with and without FLT3/ITD were analyzed in the study. The FLT3/ITD was found in 14 (12.9%) of 108 HRG children. There were no significant differences between children with and without FLT3/ITD in age and FAB distribution. The white blood cells count in peripheral blood at diagnosis was significantly higher (p <0.01) in the children with FLT3/ITD. Over 5-year overall survival rate for FLT3/ITD positive children was worse (42.4%) comparing to FLT3/ITD negative children (58.9%), but the statistical difference was not significant. However, over 5-year survivals free from treatment failures were similar. The FLT3/ITD rate (12.9%) observed in the study corresponded to the published data. There was no significant impact of FLT3/ITD mutation on survival rates, although further studies are needed on this subject

Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC): effects on light quality, microclimate, and growth of Orthosiphon stamineus in tropical climatic condition

The main challenge facing greenhouse designers is to achieve environment-appropriate greenhouses, especially in tropical regions. The excess radiant energy transmitted into the greenhouse predisposes plants to photo-inhibition and consequently reduces crop production. Lately, photovoltaic (PV) modules are equipped as a greenhouse rooftop to minimize the level of irradiation and air temperature in the greenhouse, simultaneously improving its energy consumption. Nevertheless, due to the low level of irradiation, denser conventional PV internal shading would influence the cultivated crops’ growth. Thus, Dye Sensitized Solar Cell (DSSC) possesses several attractive features such as transparent, sensitive to low light levels, and various color options that render DSSC a perfect choice able to serve substantially in energy buildings. This study assessed the microclimate conditions inside the greenhouse with semi-transparent DSSC mounted on top of it, describing the Photosynthetic Photon Flux Density (PPFD) (µmol m−2 s−1), Vapor Pressure Deficit VPD (kPa), relative humidity (%), and also temperature (°C). The Overall Thermal Transfer Value (OTTV), which indicates the average thermal energy transmission rate across the external layer of a structure envelope, is also presented. The effects of colored DSSC in altering the spectral of sunlight in reference to the Orthosiphon stamineus growth responses were determined. The information of the condition of DSSC greenhouse microclimate helps to identify the information for designing PV greenhouses and to produce income from both electric power and agronomic activity

A putative antiviral role of plant cytidine deaminases

[EN] Background: A mechanism of innate antiviral immunity operating against viruses infecting mammalian cells has been described during the last decade. Host cytidine deaminases (e.g., APOBEC3 proteins) edit viral genomes, giving rise to hypermutated nonfunctional viruses; consequently, viral fitness is reduced through lethal mutagenesis. By contrast, sub-lethal hypermutagenesis may contribute to virus evolvability by increasing population diversity. To prevent genome editing, some viruses have evolved proteins that mediate APOBEC3 degradation. The model plant Arabidopsis thaliana genome encodes nine cytidine deaminases (AtCDAs), raising the question of whether deamination is an antiviral mechanism in plants as well. Methods: Here we tested the effects of expression of AtCDAs on the pararetrovirus Cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV). Two different experiments were carried out. First, we transiently overexpressed each one of the nine A. thaliana AtCDA genes in Nicotiana bigelovii plants infected with CaMV, and characterized the resulting mutational spectra, comparing them with those generated under normal conditions. Secondly, we created A. thaliana transgenic plants expressing an artificial microRNA designed to knock-out the expression of up to six AtCDA genes. This and control plants were then infected with CaMV. Virus accumulation and mutational spectra where characterized in both types of plants. Results: We have shown that the A. thaliana AtCDA1 gene product exerts a mutagenic activity, significantly increasing the number of G to A mutations in vivo, with a concomitant reduction in the amount of CaMV genomes accumulated. Furthermore, the magnitude of this mutagenic effect on CaMV accumulation is positively correlated with the level of AtCDA1 mRNA expression in the plant. Conclusions: Our results suggest that deamination of viral genomes may also work as an antiviral mechanism in plants.This work was supported by the former Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación-FEDER grant BFU2009-06993 to SFE. JMC was supported by the CSIC JAE-doc program/Fondo Social Europeo. AG-P was supported by a grant for Scientific and Technical Activities and by grant P10-CVI-65651, both from Junta de Andalucía.Martín, S.; Cuevas, J.; Grande-Perez, A.; Elena Fito, SF. (2017). A putative antiviral role of plant cytidine deaminases. F1000Research. 1-14. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.11111.2S11

Fasting and surgery timing (FaST) audit

Background & aimsInternational guidance advocates the avoidance of prolonged preoperative fasting due to its negative impact on perioperative hydration. This study aimed to assess the adherence to these guidelines for fasting in patients undergoing elective and emergency surgery in the East Midlands region of the UK.MethodsThis prospective audit was performed over a two-month period at five National Health Service (NHS) Trusts across the East Midlands region of the UK. Demographic data, admission and operative details, and length of preoperative fasting were collected on adult patients listed for emergency and elective surgery.ResultsOf the 343 surgical patients included within the study, 50% (n = 172) were male, 78% (n = 266) had elective surgery and 22% (n = 77) underwent emergency surgery. Overall median fasting times (Q1, Q3) were 16.1 (13.0, 19.4) hours for food and 5.8 (3.5, 10.7) hours for clear fluids. Prolonged fasting >12 h was documented in 73% (n = 250) for food, and 21% (n = 71) for clear fluids. Median fasting times from clear fluids and food were longer in the those undergoing emergency surgery when compared with those undergoing elective surgery: 13.0 (6.4, 22.6) vs. 4.9 (3.3, 7.8) hours, and 22.0 (14.0, 37.4) vs. 15.6 (12.9, 17.8) hours respectively, p < 0.0001.ConclusionsDespite international consensus on the duration of preoperative fasting, patients continue to fast from clear fluids and food for prolonged lengths of time. Patients admitted for emergency surgery were more likely to fast for longer than those having elective surgery

Identification of surgeon burnout via a single-item measure

Background Burnout is endemic in surgeons in the UK and linked with poor patient safety and quality of care, mental health problems, and workforce sustainability. Mechanisms are required to facilitate the efficient identification of burnout in this population. Multi-item measures of burnout may be unsuitable for this purpose owing to assessment burden, expertise required for analysis, and cost. Aims To determine whether surgeons in the UK reporting burnout on the 22-item Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) can be reliably identified by a single-item measure of burnout. Methods Consultant (n = 333) and trainee (n = 217) surgeons completed the MBI and a single-item measure of burnout. We applied tests of discriminatory power to assess whether a report of high burnout on the single-item measure correctly classified MBI cases and non-cases. Results The single-item measure demonstrated high discriminatory power on the emotional exhaustion burnout domain: the area under the curve was excellent for consultants and trainees (0.86 and 0.80), indicating high sensitivity and specificity. On the depersonalisation domain, discrimination was acceptable for consultants (0.76) and poor for trainees (0.69). In contrast, discrimination was acceptable for trainees (0.71) and poor for consultants (0.62) on the personal accomplishment domain. Conclusions A single-item measure of burnout is suitable for the efficient assessment of emotional exhaustion in consultant and trainee surgeons in the UK. Administered regularly, such a measure would facilitate the early identification of at-risk surgeons and swift intervention, as well as the monitoring of group-level temporal trends to inform resource allocation to coincide with peak periods