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SS316L possesses comparatively low wear and abrasion resistance properties and thus needs proper surface modification to sustain under severe industrial applications. Cobalt-based Stellite 6, a suitable coating for such applications, contains 4–5 % of tungsten that provides solid solution strengthening to the cobalt-based matrix, due to which it shows good wear resistance in abnormal working conditions. Stellite 6 is dominated by face-centered cubic (FCC) and hexagonal close packed (HCP) cobalt along with different carbide phases such as M7C3, M23C6, MC and M6C where M is Cr, W, Mo, Co and Fe. Weld deposited cobalt-based Stellite 6 coating on SS316L substrate, contains FCC structure as primary phases. Pure cobalt contains a stable HCP phase at temperature below 417 °C and FCC phase at and above 417 °C up to melting point of pure cobalt i.e., 1495 °C. Under the frictional stresses caused during wear test, impact more on FCC cobalt than HCP cobalt due to the high slip system of FCC. Because of this, FCC cobalt underwent through high wear losses compared to HCP cobalt in cobalt-based coating. Present study revealed that, high wear losses are seen in samples where FCC cobalt phases are dominant. The observed mechanism by SEM shows abrasive wear in which material removal takes place by ploughing, micro cutting and indentation. The targeted industrial applications where such wear losses are supposed to happen includes slurry transportation applications such as pipes, sea engineering components, submersible pumps, control valves.

Introduction: Cannabis-based medicinal products (CBMPs) have been identified as a promising novel therapeutic for symptoms and comorbidities related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, there is a paucity of clinical evidence of their efficacy and safety. Objective: This case series aims to assess changes to health-related quality of life and the incidence of adverse events in patients treated with CBMPs for associated symptoms of ASD enrolled on the UK Medical Cannabis Registry (UKMCR). Methods: Patients treated with CBMPs for ASD-related symptoms for a minimum of 1 month were identified from the UKMCR. Primary outcomes were changes in validated patient-reported outcome measures [Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Single-Item Sleep Quality Scale (SQS), 5-level version of the EQ-5D (EQ-5D-5L) index values] at 1, 3 and 6 months compared with baseline. Adverse events were recorded and analysed. Statistical significance was determined by p

Purpose: To evaluate the clinico-radiological outcome of complex tibial plateau fractures treated with Ilizarov external fixation with or without minimal internal fixation. Methods: This retrospective review was conducted on all the cases of Schatzker types V and VI tibial plateau fractures treated by Ilizarov external fixation between July 2006 and December 2015 with the minimum follow-up duration of one year. There were 30 patients: 24 males and 6 females, mean age 43.33 years, and mean follow-up 3.6 years. Three of them were open fractures; 15 cases were Schatzkertype V fractures and the other 15 type VI. According to AO/OTA classification, there were 11 type C1, 12 C2 and 7 type C3 fractures. Outcome assessment was made with American Knee Society Score (AKSS) and Rasmussen's Radiological Score (RRS) at final follow-up. Results: Out of the 30 cases, mini-open reduction was performed in 7, bone graft in 4, minimal internal fixation in 10 and knee temporary immobilisation in 11 patients. Mean duration of external fixation was 11.8 weeks. All fractures united. Pin tract infections in 7 and common peroneal neuropathy in 2 patients were self-limiting. Two patients had axial misalignment of less than 10°. At final follow-up, the mean knee range of motion was 114.7, mean AKSS 81.5 and mean RRS 16.7. On statistical analysis, Schatzker type of fractures, use of minimal internal fixation and knee-spanning did not influence the final outcome. Conclusion: Ilizarov external fixator with or without minimal internal fixation provides acceptable outcome for complex tibial plateau fractures. Care must be taken to look for minor loss of alignment, especially in Type VI Schatzker fractures after removal of the fixator. However small sample size precludes firm conclusions. Keywords: Tibial plateau fractures, Schatzker's classification, Ilizarov techniques, Ring fixator

Purpose: To evaluate the clinico-radiological outcome of complex tibial plateau fractures treated with Ilizarov external fixation with or without minimal internal fixation.Methods: This retrospective review was conducted on all the cases of Schatzker types V and VI tibial plateau fractures treated by Ilizarov external fixation between July 2006 and December 2015 with the minimum follow-up duration of one year. There were 30 patients: 24 males and 6 females, mean age 43.33 years, and mean follow-up 3.6 years. Three of them were open fractures; 15 cases were Schatzkertype V fractures and the other 15 type VI. According to AO/OTA classification, there were 11 type C1, 12 C2 and 7 type C3 fractures. Outcome assessment was made with American Knee Society Score (AKSS) and Rasmussen's Radiological Score (RRS) at final follow-up.Results: Out of the 30 cases, mini-open reduction was performed in 7, bone graft in 4, minimal internal fixation in 10 and knee temporary immobilisation in 11 patients. Mean duration of external fixation was 11.8 weeks. All fractures united. Pin tract infections in 7 and common peroneal neuropathy in 2 patients were self-limiting. Two patients had axial misalignment of less than 10°. At final follow-up, the mean knee range of motion was 114.7, mean AKSS 81.5 and mean RRS 16.7. On statistical analysis, Schatzker type of fractures, use of minimal internal fixation and knee-spanning did not influence the final outcome.Conclusion: Ilizarov external fixator with or without minimal internal fixation provides acceptable outcome for complex tibial plateau fractures. Care must be taken to look for minor loss of alignment, especially in Type VI Schatzker fractures after removal of the fixator. However small sample size precludes firm conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are currently the dominant class of biopharmaceuticals. Due to the high dosage requirements of most mAb therapeutics, high productivity and low aggregation are prevailing criteria during cell line generation and process development. Given that light chains (LCs) play an important role in antibody folding and assembly, and that most mAb producing cell lines also manufacture free LCs, we sought to investigate whether there was a relationship between free LC levels in cell culture media and mAb productivity/quality. To this end, a series of analytical methods were developed in order to quantify free LC content in cell culture media and assess mAb productivity and aggregation levels. Afterwards, conditioned media samples from different cell lines at identical culturing conditions and a single clone under varying culturing conditions were analyzed. Higher LC expression was found to correlate with higher cell viability, higher mAb productivity, and lower aggregation. While LC expression cannot yet be definitively considered the root cause of these phenomena, these results are consistent with the role of LCs in mAb production, suggesting that free LC expression levels may potentially serve as a parameter for cell line generation and cell culture process optimization., (© 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.)