Process-property-microstructure relationships in laser-powder bed fusion of 420 stainless steel.

Laser-powder bed fusion (L-PBF) is an additive manufacturing technique for fabricating metal components with complex design and customized features. However, only a limited number of materials have been widely studied using L-PBF. AISI 420 stainless steel, an alloy with a useful combination of high strength, hardness, and corrosion resistance, is an example of one such material where few L-PBF investigations have emerged to date. In this dissertation, L-PBF experiments were conducted using 420 stainless steel powders to understand the effects of chemical composition, particle size distribution and processing parameters on ensuing physical, mechanical and corrosion properties and microstructure in comparison to wrought and metal injection molding (MIM). The density of the fabricated specimens increased, and their surface roughness decreased as the layer thickness and median particle size was decreased and energy density was increased. Following heat treatment, the ultimate tensile strength and elongation of L-PBF specimens with Nb (1.2 %) and Mo (0.57 %) improved to 1750 ± 30 MPa and 9.0 ± 0.2 %, which were higher than the previously reported values in L-PBF, MIM and wrought 420 stainless steel. Tempering of martensite during heat treatment and nanoscale NbC precipitation were consistent with improvement in properties. L-PBF specimens fabricated with deagglomerated fine powder (D50: 12 µm) exhibited similar spreadability, mechanical properties and microstructure to specimens fabricated with coarse powder (D50: 28 µm). In the presence of Nb (1.2 %) and Mo (0.57 %), corrosion properties improved over wrought 420 stainless steel

A clinical study of minor physical anomalies in patients with schizophrenia

Background: Minor physical anomalies (MPA) are unusual morphological deviations that have no serious medical or cosmetic significance to an individual. But however minor they may be, various studies across the world have revealed their significance as a possible endophenotype of schizophrenia. This study is an attempt towards understanding the various sociodemographic and illness correlates as well as the prevalence of MPA in people with schizophrenia.Methods: 100 admitted patients who fulfilled the criteria for schizophrenia as laid down by international classification of diseases version 10 (ICD-10) and other inclusion and exclusion criteria over one year period with age between 16-60 years were included in the study. A standardized semi structured proforma for various sociodemographic and illness variables and Waldrop minor congenital anomaly scale (weighted version) were applied on the study subjects. Data obtained was analyzed using SPSS and chi-square was applied to find out statistical association.Results: Minor physical anomalies were found to be present in only 15% of subjects and they have a statistically significant association with age (p=0.041) and occupation (p=0.002).Conclusions: The study of MPA in schizophrenia is a novel attempt to unearth any subtle associations between the genetic abnormality and its interactions with the various psychophysiological as well as other environmental factors which ultimately leads to the endophenotype and in some cases to the ultimate illness state. In our study the presence of MPA in 15% of the subjects with various degree of severity probably indicates heterogeneity of the schizophrenia illness and a complex interaction with various factors from genotype to phenotype.

Study of prescription pattern in emergency psychiatry in a tertiary care academic hospital of a developing country: a retrospective study

Background: Prescription pattern study of psychotropic drugs gives a picture of drug preference and rationality of drug use by psychiatrists of a region. The aim of the study was to explore the prescription pattern of psychotropic drugs in emergency settings in a tertiary care centre in a developing country.Methods: A total of 1153 prescriptions were analysed in the study. Data was extracted retrospectively from the psychiatry department emergency register of a tertiary care hospital, in north-eastern India for a period of one year.Results: The most commonly used psychotropic drug in emergency setting was found to be anxiolytic and hypnotics (60.96%) in which clonazepam (48.6%) was commonest. Antipsychotics followed next (14.5%), out of which 69.6% were atypical antipsychotics with olanzapine being the commonest.Conclusions: Use of parenteral typical antipsychotic was found to be much higher, than expected. For the benefit of the mass, supply of cost effective parenteral atypical antipsychotics is the need of the hour in this part of the world

A family of mixed ligand complexes of Ru<SUP>II</SUP>-L [L=N-aryl-pyridine-2-aldimine], their reactions, isolation and characterization. X-ray crystal structure of [Ru(pic)(L<SUP>1</SUP>)<SUB>2</SUB>][ClO<SUB>4</SUB>]. CH<SUB>2</SUB>Cl<SUB>2</SUB> [pic= 2-picolinate ion]

Synthesis of the tris-chelated complexes [Ru(L)n(L3)3-n]2+ (L=N-aryl-pyridine-2-aldimine, L3=2-(m-tolylazo)pyridine) based on silver(I) assisted trans-metallation is described. The complexes, [Ru(L)3]2+ and [Ru(L)(L3)2]2+ afford [Ru(pic)(L)2]+ and [Ru(pic)(L3)2]+ (pic= 2-picolinate ion) respectively, on hydrolysis and subsequent oxidation. When RuCl2(L)2 was reacted with two moles of [Ag(L3)2]+, a pink complex of composition [Ru(L)(L3)(L4)]+ [L4=N-aryl-2-picolinamide] was isolated along with the expected brown complex, [Ru(L3)(L)2]2+. Initial oxidation of the metal ion favours L&#8594;L4 conversion. The complexes have been characterized using spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The X-ray structure of [Ru(pic) (L1)2]ClO4.CH2Cl2 is reported. The metal oxidation as well as ligand reductions for the complexes have been studied voltammetrically in acetonitrile using platinum as the working electrode. It has been observed that the oxidation of the transformed complexes, viz. [Ru(pic) (L)2]+, [Ru(pic)(L3)2]+ and [Ru(L)(L3)(L4)]+ occur at lower potentials as compared to their parent [Ru(L)n(L3)3-n]2+ complexes. All the complexes show metal-to-ligand charge transfer transitions in the visible range and absorption energies linearly correlate with the differences between the metal oxidation and the first ligand reduction potentials

Waist Circumference and BMI in Relation to Serum High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP) in Cuban Americans With and Without Type 2 Diabetes

Relationship between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and adiposity by diabetes status and gender in Cuban-Americans with and without type 2 diabetes (T2D) was studied. Adult subjects, 226 females, 129 males participated in a case control, single time point study. Subjects with T2D were older, had higher waist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI). WC and BMI were associated with ln hs-CRP (P < 0.001). An interaction with diabetes status was found for BMI (P = 0.037). Gender showed a strong relationship with ln hs-CRP (P < 0.001), which was moderated by diabetes status. Only males without diabetes exhibited a significant relationship for both WC and BMI with ln hs-CRP. In this sample of Cuban-Americans, WC and BMI had stronger associations with ln hs-CRP but not with diabetes status. Obesity prevention and controlling for CRP levels may be necessary to eliminate its contributions to develop diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD)

Hypertension, poor glycemic control, and microalbuminuria in Cuban Americans with type 2 diabetes

Gustavo G Zarini1, Joel C Exebio1, Deva Gundupalli1, Subrata Nath2, Fatma G Huffman11Florida International University, Robert R Stempel School of Public Health, Department of Dietetics and Nutrition, Miami, Florida, USA; 2Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USAPurpose: To investigate to what degree the presence of hypertension (HTN) and poor glycemic control (GC) influences the likelihood of having microalbuminuria (MAU) among Cuban Americans with type 2 diabetes (T2D).Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted in Cuban Americans (n = 179) with T2D. Participants were recruited from a randomly generated mailing list purchased from KnowledgeBase Marketing, Inc. Blood pressure (BP) was measured twice and averaged using an adult size cuff. Glycosylated hemoglobin (A1c) levels were measured from whole blood samples with the Roche Tina-quant method. First morning urine samples were collected from each participant to determine MAU by a semiquantitative assay (ImmunoDip).Results: MAU was present in 26% of Cuban Americans with T2D. A significantly higher percentage of subjects with MA had HTN (P = 0.038) and elevated A1C (P = 0.002) than those with normoalbuminuria. Logistic regression analysis showed that after controlling for covariates, subjects with poor GC were 6.76 times more likely to have MAU if they had hypertension compared with those without hypertension (P = 0.004; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.83, 23.05). Conclusion: The clinical significance of these findings emphasizes the early detection of MAU in this Hispanic subgroup combined with BP and good GC, which are fundamentals in preventing and treating diabetes complications and improving individuals&amp;rsquo; renal and cardiovascular outcomes.Keywords: blood pressure, A1c, kidney function, cardiovascular disease, Hispanic

ANTIOXIDATIVE AND FREE RADICAL SCAVENGING POTENTIALS OF CYCLOSORUS INTERRUPTUS (WILLD.) H. ITÔ AND PRONEPHRIUM NUDATUM (ROXB. EX GRIFF.) HOLTTUM

Objectives: The work aims to screen the antioxidative potentials of different crude extracts of the fronds of two medicinally important pteridophytes of Southern Assam, India, namely, Cyclosorus interruptus (Willd.) H. Itô and Pronephrium nudatum (Roxb. ex Griff.) Holttum. Methods: Frond extracts of the pteridophytes were prepared by Soxhlet hot extraction method. Total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) of the hexane, ethyl acetate, acetone, and methanol extracts of the fronds of the plants were done by following standard protocol. In vitro assessment of the antioxidative behavior of the extracts was performed using standard 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl scavenging assay, reducing power assay, metal chelating assay, hydroxyl, superoxide, and 2,2’- azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline - 6 – sulfonic acid) radical scavenging methods in different in vitro systems. Results: Preliminary phytochemical analysis implicated the presence of phenolic and flavonoid compounds in all the frond extracts. The methanol extract of the fronds of both the plants showed maximum phenolic and flavonoid contents in comparison to the other extracts, however, that of C. interruptus was found to be higher than P. nudatum. Antioxidative potentials of the said extracts were also found to be impressive and noteworthy. The decreasing order of the antioxidative efficacies of the extracts was found to be same as that of TPC and TFC of the extracts. Conclusion: It is pertinent to comment that the methanol extract of the fronds of both the plants may be treated as a potential source of natural antioxidants