Optimization of Process Parameters in Stir Casting of Hybrid Metal Matrix (LM25/SiC/B4C) Composite Using Taguchi Method

Aluminium based composites exhibit many attractive material properties such as increased stiffness, wear resistance, specific strength and vibration damping and decreased co-efficient of thermal expansion compared with the conventional aluminium alloys. Aluminium Matrix Composites consist of non-metallic reinforcement which offers advantageous properties over base material. Reinforcements like SiC, B4C and Al2O3 are normally preferred to improve the mechanical properties. Here Aluminum LM25 is selected as matrix material while Silicon carbide and Boron carbide are selected as reinforcement material. The fabrication of aluminium matrix was done by stir casting method. In the present study an attempt has been made to investigate the effect of three major stir casting parameters (stir speed, stir duration and preheated temperature of reinforcement material) on stir casting of Aluminium LM25 - SiC - B4C composite. Experiments were conducted based on Taguchi methodology. Taguchi quality design concepts of L9 orthogonal array has been used to determine S/N ratio and through S/N ratio a set of optimum stir casting parameters were obtained. The experimental results confirmed the validity of Taguchi method for enhancing tensile strength of castings

Optimization of Process Parameters in Stir Casting of Hybrid Metal Matrix (LM25/SiC/B4C) Composite Using Taguchi Method

Aluminium based composites exhibit many attractive material properties such as increased stiffness, wear resistance, specific strength and vibration damping and decreased co-efficient of thermal expansion compared with the conventional aluminium alloys. Aluminium Matrix Composites consist of non-metallic reinforcement which offers advantageous properties over base material. Reinforcements like SiC, B4C and Al2O3 are normally preferred to improve the mechanical properties. Here Aluminum LM25 is selected as matrix material while Silicon carbide and Boron carbide are selected as reinforcement material. The fabrication of aluminium matrix was done by stir casting method. In the present study an attempt has been made to investigate the effect of three major stir casting parameters (stir speed, stir duration and preheated temperature of reinforcement material) on stir casting of Aluminium LM25 - SiC - B4C composite. Experiments were conducted based on Taguchi methodology. Taguchi quality design concepts of L9 orthogonal array has been used to determine S/N ratio and through S/N ratio a set of optimum stir casting parameters were obtained. The experimental results confirmed the validity of Taguchi method for enhancing tensile strength of castings.&nbsp

Formulation and Characterization of Patient-Friendly Dosage Form of Ondansetron Hydrochloride

Ondansetron hydrochloride is an intensely bitter antiemetic drug used to treat nausea and vomiting following chemotherapy. The purpose of the present work was to mask the taste of ondansetron hydrochloride and to formulate its patient-friendly dosage form. Complexation technique using indion 234 (polycyclic potassium with carboxylic functionality) and an ion-exchange resin was used to mask the bitter taste and then the taste-masked drug was formulated into an orodispersible tablet (ODT). The drug loading onto the ion-exchange resin was optimized for mixing time, activation, effect of pH, mode of mixing, ratio of drug to resin and temperature. The resinate was evaluated for taste masking and characterized by X-ray diffraction study and infrared spectroscopy. ODTs were formulated using the drug–resin complex. The developed tablets were evaluated for hardness, friability, drug content, weight variation, content uniformity, friability, water absorption ratio, in vitro and in vivo disintegration time and in vitro drug release. The tablets disintegrated in vitro and in vivo within 24 and 27 s, respectively. Drug release from the tablet was completed within 2 min. The obtained results revealed that ondansetron HCl has been successfully taste masked and formulated into an ODT as a suitable alternative to the conventional tablets

The burden of unintentional drowning: Global, regional and national estimates of mortality from the Global Burden of Disease 2017 Study

__Background:__ Drowning is a leading cause of injury-related mortality globally. Unintentional drowning (International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 10 codes W65-74 and ICD9 E910) is one of the 30 mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive causes of injury-related mortality in the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study. This study's objective is to describe unintentional drowning using GBD estimates from 1990 to 2017. __Methods:__ Unintentional drowning from GBD 2017 was estimated for cause-specific mortality and years of life lost (YLLs), age, sex, country, region, Socio-demographic Index (SDI) quintile, and trends from 1990 to 2017. GBD 2017 used standard GBD methods for estimating mortality from drowning. __Results:__ Globally, unintentional drowning mortality decreased by 44.5% between 1990 and 2017, from 531 956 (uncertainty interval (UI): 484 107 to 572 854) to 295 210 (284 493 to 306 187) deaths. Global age-standardised mortality rates decreased 57.4%, from 9.3 (8.5 to 10.0) in 1990 to 4.0 (3.8 to 4.1) per 100 000 per annum in 2017. Unintentional drowning-associated mortality was generally higher in children, males and in low-SDI to middle-SDI countries. China, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh accounted for 51.2% of all drowning deaths in 2017. Oceania was the region with the highest rate of age-standardised YLLs in 2017, with 45 434 (40 850 to 50 539) YLLs per 100 000 across both sexes. __Conclusions:__ There has been a decline in global drowning rates. This study shows that the decline was not consistent across countries. The results reinforce the need for continued and improved policy, prevention and research efforts, with a focus on low-and middle-income countries

Mapping local patterns of childhood overweight and wasting in low- and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2017

A double burden of malnutrition occurs when individuals, household members or communities experience both undernutrition and overweight. Here, we show geospatial estimates of overweight and wasting prevalence among children under 5 years of age in 105 low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) from 2000 to 2017 and aggregate these to policy-relevant administrative units. Wasting decreased overall across LMICs between 2000 and 2017, from 8.4 (62.3 (55.1�70.8) million) to 6.4 (58.3 (47.6�70.7) million), but is predicted to remain above the World Health Organization�s Global Nutrition Target of <5 in over half of LMICs by 2025. Prevalence of overweight increased from 5.2 (30 (22.8�38.5) million) in 2000 to 6.0 (55.5 (44.8�67.9) million) children aged under 5 years in 2017. Areas most affected by double burden of malnutrition were located in Indonesia, Thailand, southeastern China, Botswana, Cameroon and central Nigeria. Our estimates provide a new perspective to researchers, policy makers and public health agencies in their efforts to address this global childhood syndemic. © 2020, The Author(s)

Author Correction: Mapping local patterns of childhood overweight and wasting in low- and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2017 (Nature Medicine, (2020), 26, 5, (750-759), 10.1038/s41591-020-0807-6)

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper. © 2020, The Author(s)

Author Correction: Mapping local patterns of childhood overweight and wasting in low- and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2017 (Nature Medicine, (2020), 26, 5, (750-759), 10.1038/s41591-020-0807-6)

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper. © 2020, The Author(s)

Spontaneous inferior epigastric artery pseudoaneurysm

Journal of Clinical Ultrasound385259-262JCUL