Search

A recent Sclater's Monal survey conducted in the Upper Siang region of Arunachal Pradesh (India) resulted in the sighting of two Red Goral individuals - a young adult and a juvenile. These observations were made within the Mount Eko Dumbing area, which is owned and managed by the indigenous Simong tribal community. The report includes photographic documentation of the observed Red Gorals and provides detailed illustrations of their habitat characteristics, as well as the deep traditional relationships that the Simong people maintain with these species and the surrounding natural environment. Additionally, the study highlights the critical conservation challenges and opportunities relevant to the Red Goral in this ecologically and culturally significant region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EFSA Panel on Food Additive and Flavourings (FAF Panel) evaluated the safety of proposed changes to the currently permitted uses of the food additive steviol glycosides (E 960a–d) and of a proposed modification of the current acceptable daily intake (ADI) from 4 mg/kg body weight (bw) per day to 6 or 16 mg/kg bw per day, expressed as steviol equivalents. Currently, steviol glycosides (E 960a–d) are authorised in the EU in 32 different food categories (FCs). An extension of use was proposed for four new uses within FC 7.2 'Fine bakery wares'. In addition, an increase of the maximum permitted levels (MPLs) for FC 14.1.3 'Fruit nectars' and for three uses within FC 14.1.4 'Flavoured drinks' was requested. Consequently, the Panel updated the exposure estimates using the protocol for assessing exposure to sweeteners, developed to consider the specificities related to consumers' exposure to this functional class of food additives. Considering the proposed extension of use and increase of the MPLs, together with the currently authorised uses (at the MPLs) of E 960a–d, the highest 95th percentiles of exposure are 4.1 and 6.9 mg/kg bw per day for infants and toddlers, respectively. Based on the currently available absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) dataset for steviol glycosides (E 960a–d), the Panel concluded that that there is insufficient justification to increase the current ADI of 4 mg/kg bw per day, expressed as steviol equivalents. With respect to the proposed extension of use and increase of the MPLs, the Panel concluded that the calculated, conservative, dietary exposure would result in an increased exceedance of the ADI for toddlers at the 95th percentile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic colorants (SCs) are a class of pharmaceutical excipients, which could have harmful side effects especially in a vulnerable population like children. This study aimed to develop and validate a simple reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) to quantitate eight SCs e.g. Tartrazine, Indigo carmine, Sunset yellow, Allura red AC, Carmosine, Ponceu 4R, Fast green FCF, and Brilliant blue FCF in pediatric over the counter medications (OTCs) and to assess the daily colorants intake through OTCs administration. After a solid phase extraction (SPE) using ChromabondHR-XAW cartridges, a gradient chromatographic elution was carried out using C18 column, and diode-array detector. Mobile phase composed of 80 mM ammonium acetate (pH 7.0) and methanol:acetonitrile 70:30 (v/v) solutions. Validation was performed according to ICH guidelines. The developed method was applied to quantify SCs in pediatric OTCs (syrups, suspensions, gummies, and chewable tablets) marketed in the Gaza Strip. Separation was completed within 18 minutes. The recovery rates of colorants were in the range of 72.01 - 117.15%. The developed method was linear with a correlation coefficient (R2 = 0.9989). Limits of detection (LOD) and limits of quantitation (LOQ) ranged between 0.007 - 0.12, and 0.02 - 0.36 (µg/mL), respectively. The method showed unique selectivity, accuracy, and precision. Application of the developed HPLC method to assay synthetic colorants in different OTCs was successful. Assessment of daily colorant intake showed that the patients were exposed to 45% of the acceptable daily intake (ADI) of sunset yellow through an OTC. The ratio of SCs should be reduced to a minimum in pediatric formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Home and community-based services (HCBS) enable frail patients to remain at home. We examined whether there were neighborhood-deprivation, racial, or rural disparities in HCBS utilization provided to Veterans by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or Medicare by comparing the adjusted utilization rate of a historically disadvantaged group with the predicted utilization rate had it been treated as the historically dominant group. Among the 2.7 million VA patients over 66 years old in 2019, 11.0% were Black, 39.2% lived in rural settings, 15.3%/29.2%/30.9%/24.7% lived in least/mild/moderate/most-deprived neighborhoods. On average, 11.2% received VA or Medicare HCBS. Veterans residing in more deprived neighborhoods had 0.11–0.95% higher adjusted probability of receiving HCBS than expected had they resided in the least deprived neighborhoods. Veterans residing in rural areas had 0–0.7% lower HCBS rates than expected had they been treated like urban Veterans. Black Veterans were 0.8–1.2% more likely to receive HCBS than expected had they been treated like White Veterans. Findings indicate that VA resources were equitably employed, aligning with probable HCBS needs, suggesting that VA’s substantial and long-standing investment in HCBS for care of frail Veterans could serve as a model for other payers and providers in the U.S. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The machinability of various grades of austempered ductile iron (ADI) has been investigated by using the surface roughness and the resultant chip formation as criteria. Grade 1 ADI, Grade 2 ADI, and Grade 3 ADI were commercially produced, commercially heat treated and machined under controlled conditions using coated carbide inserts with coolant in the laboratory. The milling performance of the various grades was compared to that of AISI 4340, which has a similar hardness to Grade 2 ADI. Grade 100-70-03 ductile iron was used as a reference material in the drilling study. The results of this study show that the surface finish of ADI and the resultant chip formation give quick indications if proper cutting parameters were used during machining of ADI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Ductile iron is typically used in as-cast conditions. However, a typical heat treatment applied to ductile iron is austempering, which allows for increased tensile strength with good levels of elongation and toughness. The traditional means of austempering involves molten salt baths, but these baths have environmental and operational restrictions. Laboratory-level studies have found the feasibility of using heated air for cooling and holding during austempering. Due to the lower cooling severity of heated air, it is necessary to increase the austemperability of ductile iron. Elements that contribute to austemperability are manganese, copper, molybdenum, and nickel. This study used numerical, thermodynamics, and kinetics simulation to develop a suitable ductile iron alloy for obtaining ADI in a standard ASTM test specimen using heated air for cooling. According to the numerical simulation results, the average cooling rate between 900°C and 500°C in the critical region for air velocities of 5 m/s and 10 m/s at a temperature of 280°C ranged from 75°C/min to 82°C/min. Through thermodynamic and kinetic simulation, nickel has the most significant capacity to alter the austemperability of ductile iron. Based on these results, six ductile iron alloys with nickel contents ranging from 0.2 to 2% were developed. The experimental cooling rate is approximately 70°C/min, with the 3.41C, 2.72Si, 1.01Cu, 0.31Mn, 0.18Mo, and 1.13Ni alloy suitable for obtaining ADI.

The world is undergoing profound changes in energy and technology. Countries are vigorously developing new sustainable energy sources and technologies. Renewable energy sources encompass various technologies such as wind turbines, solar energy, nuclear energy, and bioenergy. Additionally, emerging technology fields include new energy vehicles, robots, and artificial intelligence devices, among others. The renewable energy industries and implementation of new technologies necessitate the development and adoption of new equipment and components. Austempered ductile iron (ADI) is renowned for its unique microstructure and superior properties. By utilizing ADI, lightweight and innovative castings can be designed to not only reduce weight but also save energy and decrease emissions. More importantly, these castings enhance the efficiency and reliability of new energy equipment and emerging technology installations. This paper describes the development, applications, and future prospects of lightweight and innovative ADI castings within sectors such as solar photovoltaic (PV), wind power generation, industry robots, and trucks in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an efficient finite difference method for solving the time-fractional Cattaneo equation with spatially variable coefficients in two spatial dimensions. The main idea is that the original equation is first transformed into a lower system, and then the graded mesh-based fast L2- 1 σ formula and second-order spatial difference operator for the Caputo derivative and the spatial differential operator are applied, respectively, to derive the fully discrete finite difference scheme. By adding suitable perturbation terms, we construct an efficient fast second-order ADI finite difference scheme, which significantly improves computational efficiency for solving high-dimensional problems. The corresponding stability and error estimate are proved rigorously. Extensive numerical examples are shown to substantiate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed numerical scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subject of the research is the possibility of using laser surface hardening to modify the tribological properties of ADI castings. ADI cast irons are a very progressive material; these cast irons find their application (due to their characteristic properties) in demanding applications. In these applications, the tribology of their surface is an essential parameter. This research focused on the change in tribological properties due to laser hardening of the surface layers. ADI cast iron samples processed at different isothermal holding temperatures were selected for the experiment. This is because these temperatures have a major influence on the initial structure (before laser exposure), which also affects the laser hardening process. To analyze the structural changes, metallographic examinations were performed. The microhardness was also measured on each sample in relation to the distance from the surface. The samples were also subjected to a tribological test (linear reciprocating tribometer) during which the coefficient of friction was recorded. The surface conditions after the tribological experiment were evaluated using an electron microscope. Tribological experiments revealed very different behavior of laser-hardened ADI cast iron surfaces depending on their isothermal holding temperature. At the same time, a homogeneous martensitic layer on the surface (a consequence of the relatively uniform distribution of carbon in the initial ausferritic structure) was achieved by laser, which contributed to a significant increase in hardness and wear resistance. A trend of decreasing friction coefficient as a function of isothermal holding temperature was observed for non-laser-hardened surfaces. This phenomenon supports the theory of a possible martensitic transformation of the high-carbon austenite contained in the structure of ADI castings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Low socioeconomic status based on neighborhood of residence has been suggested to be associated with poor outcomes after total joint arthroplasty (TJA). The area deprivation index (ADI) is a scale that ranks (zero to 100) neighborhoods by increasing socioeconomic disadvantage and accounts for median income, housing type, and family structure. We sought to examine the potential differences between high (national median ADI = 47) and low ADI among TJA recipients at a single institution. Specifically, we assessed: (1) 30-day emergency department visits/readmissions; (2) 90-day and 1-year revisions; as well as (3) medical and surgical complications. Methods: A consecutive series of primary TJAs from September 21, 2015, through December 29, 2021, at a tertiary healthcare system were reviewed. A total of 3,024 patients who had complete ADI data were included. Patients were divided into groups below the national median ADI of 47 (n = 1,896) and above (n = 1,128). Multivariable regressions to determine independent risk factors accounting for ADI, race, age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists Classification grade, body mass index, diabetes, congestive heart failure (CHF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, alcohol abuse, substance abuse, and tobacco use. The primary outcomes of interest include evaluation of the independent association of ADI with total postoperative complications (at 30 days, 90 days, and 1 year) after adjusting for multiple relevant cofactors. Results: After adjusting for multiple relevant cofactors, at 90 days, ADI > 47 (OR, 1.36, 95% CI 1.00–1.83, P = 0.04), men versus women (OR, 0.73, 95% CI 0.54–0.99, P = 0.039), and CHF (OR, 1.90, 95% CI 1.18–3.06, P = 0.009) were independently associated with increased total complications. The ADI was not associated with increased total complications at 30 days or 1-year (All P > 0.05). Conclusion: Our findings of higher complications of the ADI > 47 cohort at 90 days, reaffirm the complex relationship between ADI, patient demographics, and additional socioeconomic parameters that may influence postoperative outcomes and complications after TJA. This study utilizing ADI demonstrates potential areas of intervention and further investigation for assessing arthroplasty outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper summarizes the investigation of the conversion of an 11-piece steel fabrication to an austempered ductile iron (ADI) casting. It was a collaborative effort involving the component manufacturer, foundry, machinist, local university, and an ADI heat treater. A number of design concepts were developed, with the final, significantly stronger, ADI design being compared to the fabrication using FEA analysis. The resulting conversion, at similar weight and cost, eliminated the failures that were experienced in the fabricated components in addition to reducing the production lead-time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical properties of ausferritic ductile iron are strongly influenced by the ability of the austenite to undergo martensite formation. Strain-induced martensite formation occurring under the right circumstances results in transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) that improves ductility and strength. TRIP has been shown to depend on the austenite's stacking fault energy (SFE), which describes the crystals micromechanical behaviour. In austenitic FeMnAlSi-TRIP steels, TRIP as a reaction to mechanical load only occurs for SFE <20 mJ/m2. For carbon-stabilised austenite as in ADI, the relationship between stacking faults, mechanical properties and martensitic transformation has not yet been established. To investigate the TRIP-effect in ADI, unalloyed ADI with 3.43 wt% C, 2.52 wt% Si and 0.21 wt% Mn was ausferritised and subjected to tensile tests at temperatures between −180 °C and 200 °C. The amount of martensite produced by thermal and mechanical activation, crystalline microstrain and stacking fault density were measured on deformed and undeformed regions of the specimen by XRD and the resulting SFE calculated. Between −70 and 20 °C, the elongation at fracture exceeded 10 % compared to below 2 % in the temperature range of −130 to −180 °C. At temperatures above 80 °C, elongation at fracture gradually decreased to 4.5 % at 200 °C. High sample ductility was associated with lower SFEs as low as 35 mJ/m2, indicating a correlation of stacking fault formation and strain-induced martensite formation in ADI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy section Austempered Ductile Iron (ADI) components may contain pearlitic or a mixed microstructure (mixture of pearlite and ausferrite) in their centres besides ausferrite. As a result, mechanical properties are not homogeneously distributed across the thicknesses of the components. The oversizing of the components therefore leads to unnecessary material expenses in foundries. In order to avoid the complex manufacturing process of heavy section ADI components and subsequent investigations, preliminary tests were performed with smaller test samples. Here, temperature-time curves were detected during heat treatment at different depths. Material samples of the customised composition were heat treated in a dilatometer under the same heat treatment conditions according to different sections of the cast component. A variation of the quenching rates was conducted to investigate the influence on the mixed microstructure formation and ratio of pearlitic and ausferritic microstructures. A comparison of the conventionally heat-treated and dilatometer produced microstructures proved the successful application for heavy section parts and enables microstructure predictions with small samples only. In this way, there is no requirement of expensive tests with high-mass components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The toxicity of food additives is widely studied and concerns many consumers worldwide. Synthetic food colors are often considered an unnecessary risk to consumer health. Since the European Food Safety Authority's (EFSA) re-evaluation between 2009 and 2014, the body of scientific literature on food colors has grown, and new evaluations are being published by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). Therefore, this narrative review aims to review the toxicological data that have become available since 2014. The reviewed colors are Quinoline Yellow, Sunset Yellow, Azorubine, Amaranth, Ponceau 4R, Erythrosine, Allura Red, Patent Blue, Indigo Carmine, Brilliant Blue FCF, Green S, Brilliant Black, Brown HT, and Lithol Rubine BK. Tartrazine was not included in this paper; the overwhelming amount of recent data on Tartrazine toxicity requires more space than this review can provide. The issues regarding the toxicity of synthetic food colors and real population exposures are being regularly examined and reviewed by relevant authorities, such as the EFSA and JECFA. The current ADI limits set by the authorities are mostly in agreement, and they seem safe. However, the EFSA and JECFA assessments of some of the colors are more than a decade old, and new evidence will soon be required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

O presente artigo possui como intenção principal sistematizar o debate acerca do Controle de Constitucionalidade de leis e atos normativos municipais. Pretende-se realizar uma introdução geral do tema abordando aspectos teóricos e doutrinários fundamentais para o tema, orientando-os com a leitura da Constituição Federal e da Jurisprudência afeta ao assunto. Ao fim, procuraremos responder à pergunta: como os cidadãos dos municípios podem questionar, num processo democrático, a constitucionalidade de decretos municipais a luz do Controle de Constitucionalidade? Para tanto apresentaremos uma explicação sistemática acerca dos modelos de jurisdição constitucional adotados pelo Brasil e, em especial, o estudo e aplicação prática do modelo concentrado a luz da atuação constitucional do Supremo Tribunal Federal.

This study aimed to investigate the microstructural characteristics of a pearlitic austempered nodular cast iron (ADI) prepared with different austempering times. In austempering of ductile irons, the material is austenitiezed and rapidly cooled to temperatures typically between 420 and 290°C in a salt bath to allow the formation of a microstructure composed of graphite nodules dispersed in a residual austenitic matrix, stabilized with a high carbon content, and acicular ferrite, known as “ausferrite”. Presently, microstructure characterization by optical and scanning electron microscopy were carried out after different austempering times. Neural network image segmentation using ImageJ® software was employed to perform quantitative phase analysis, and the results were compared with volume fractions obtained by XRD measurements, one of the traditional methods for determining the residual austenite content in ferrous alloys. It was found that both carbon content in austenite and austenite fraction increase with austempering time and that graphite nodule geometry becomes gradually more irregular. The proposed methodology for quantitative analysis allowed classification of microstructure constituents with high accuracy in comparison to the XRD results.

Austempered ductile iron is an innovative material obtained by subjecting it to an austempering heat treatment. The wide application of this material is because its properties are comparable to those of steel, which has a much lower weight. However, the machinability of this material is always a difficult task owing to its high hardness. This problem becomes more complex when a considerable amount of Mn is added. In this study, a novel two-step austempering heat treatment was performed on spheroidal graphite iron containing different amounts of manganese. Although the novel heat treatment method helps to obtain a superior combination of hardness and impact, its effect on machinability must be determined. This study provides the results of machinability tests carried out on austempered ductile iron with various manganese contents produced using the novel method. Scanning electron microscope images of the microstructures revealed a typical ausferrite structure with no segregation of manganese at the grain boundary. This is evident from the good tool life obtained in the machinability tests. Regression equations are fitted to determine the tool life and surface roughness for machining parameters with a range of values considered in this study. The results obtained have shown that till 1 wt% of manganese alloyed austempered ductile iron can be successfully produced using the novel heat treatment method. This helps to obtain the optimum combination of strength and impact properties.

Among the Adi in the Siang districts of Arunachal Pradesh, India, in the far eastern Himalayan foothills, fear of the Epom —a dangerous, tree-dwelling, non-human entity—impacts human navigation of the wilderness. The Epom inhabits the peripheral corners of Adi society and polices his environment, kidnapping or killing those who violate it in continuation of an ancestral feud, functioning as a sinister regulator of the natural order. This article examines the relationships among the Epom, the Adi, and the foreign in contemporary Arunachal Pradesh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the austempering of ductile iron (ADI) and clarifies the influential austempering parameters during the production of ADI. During the austempering process, the heat treatment parameters can be varied, thus influencing the final microstructure and, of course, the mechanical properties of ADI. To appropriately conduct experiments and obtain good results, an experimental plan was developed using the Design Expert 13 software. Along with the heat treatment parameters, the influence of the copper content on the ADI toughness, tensile strength, and elongation was determined. The obtained results from this experiment were used to develop unique mathematical models which describe the influences of heat treatment and copper content on the observed mechanical properties of ADI samples. These mathematical models can be applied to predict the analysed mechanical properties of ADI in the dependence of heat treatment parameters and copper content in base ductile iron. For the multi response optimisation of toughness, tensile strength, and elongation, a hybrid grey-fuzzy technique was presented as a significant contribution to the enhancement of the analysed mechanical properties. Consequently, the copper content and heat treatment parameter levels that resulted in the maximal mechanical properties' functions were defined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing global consumption of processed meat, which often contains nitrite as a preservative, raises health concerns due to potential adverse effects from its metabolites, such as nitric oxide and N-nitroso compounds. The study sought to evaluate the food safety of processed meat products within the Serbian market, specifically in the Belgrade region. Nitrite levels were analysed in cooked sausages, both in their raw state and after undergoing the manufacturer's recommended thermal processing prior to consumption, if applicable. Additionally, thus far, there has been a lack of research exploring the potential influence of residual nitrite levels in the meat products prepared as per manufacturer recommendations prior to the consumption of meat products, as well as their contribution to acceptable daily intake (ADI), which provides crucial insights into the overall dietary safety of processed meats. During a three-year period, the study performed analysis on a total of 77 cooked sausages, following the standard ISO methodology. Boiling the cooked sausages led to a major reduction in this meatproduct additive, whereas frying led to a comparatively smaller decrease in nitrite concentration. Additionally, the greatest exposure to nitrite compounds occurs when consuming meat products without prior preparation, i.e., without thermal treatment by consumers before ingestion. In summary, the assessment of the ADI for nitrites revealed a high level of food safety, with all values noticeably below the maximum permitted levels specified by national legislation (150 mg/kg).

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates artificial food colors (AFCs) in the United States. Exposure to AFCs has raised concerns about adverse behavioral effects in children. We quantified AFC exposure in women of childbearing age, pregnant women, and children and compared them to FDA and World Health Organization acceptable daily intakes (ADIs). We estimated the “typical” and “high” single-day and two-day average dietary exposure to each AFC (mg/kg/day) based on laboratory measurements and food consumption data from the 2015−2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). We also examined whether AFC intake differed by income, education, and ethnicity. Exposure tended to be higher in children and the highest AFC exposure was found for Red No. 40. Children’s mean and 95th percentile FD&C Red No. 3 estimated intakes exceeded the ADIs in some instances. Juice drinks, soft drinks, icings, and ice cream cones were major foods contributing to children’s (

Exposure to pesticides, at levels above the regulatory limits, is detrimental to health. Rice, being a staple food of Filipinos, is a significant vector of pesticide residues in the diet. The current study aimed to determine the exposure of Filipinos to different pesticide residues in well-milled rice using the National Theoretical Maximum Daily Intake (NTMDI) approach. The NTMDI of 71 permitted pesticide active ingredients (PAIs) was estimated using the 2013 national food consumption data, established maximum residue limits (MRL), and the estimated average weight of the population groups. Estimates were then compared with the acceptable daily intake (ADI) for each PAI. The top six PAIs were then subjected to probabilistic analysis of exceeding the ADI. Results showed that all Filipino population groups were at risk of exposure to thiram, isoprocarb, and carbofuran with a 100% probability of exceeding the ADI. Exposures of Filipinos to these PAIs across all population groups were up to 870, 435, and 348% ADI, respectively. Infants and children were the most at-risk populations due to their low body weight. The NTMDI estimates, therefore, recognize the need to conduct a more refined dietary exposure assessment on the identified PAIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arginine deiminase (ADI) has been widely employed for the biological production of nutraceutical citrulline. However, sub-optimal enzyme properties, operational instability, and difficulty in reuse impede its industrial usage as well as increase the production cost. The present study describes a simple, cost-effective carrier-free immobilization technology that can circumvent these limitations. ADI was precipitated and cross-linked with glutaraldehyde to obtain novel cross-linked arginine deiminase aggregates (ADI-CLEA). A neural network-based multiobjective genetic algorithm (MOGA-NN) was employed to optimize the immobilization of ADI. MOGA-NN optimization yielded ADI-CLEA with 0.30 IU/mL activity and 61 % recovery. Structural characterization using TEM, SEM, FTIR, DLS/ZETA revealed that the developed ADI-CLEA were monodisperse, ultra-porous, and highly stable. ADI-CLEA showed an improved pH /temperature profile and resistivity against denaturants than free enzyme. The efficiency of ADI-CLEA in the industrial production of nutraceutical citrulline was also studied. ADI-CLEA produced 215.4 g/L citrulline in first cycle of usage. Reusability and storage stability analysis further showed that ADI-CLEA could be reused for more than seven consecutive cycles and stable for up to 50 days. In conclusion, this novel formulation increases the stability/robustness of ADI, eases the product separation process and could be reused for economically viable bioproduction of nutraceutical citrulline in industries. [Display omitted] • Novel cross-linked enzyme aggregates of arginine deiminase (ADI-CLEA) were reported. • Immobilization conditions were optimized by network-based multiobjective genetic algorithm. • ADI-CLEA exhibited enhanced catalytic efficiency, stability and robustness. • Improved citrulline yield (215 g/L) was obtained by ADI-CLEA. • ADI-CLEA could be recycled for seven cycles without losing its activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Socioeconomic status (SES) has been associated with differential healthcare outcomes and may be proxied using the area-deprivation index (ADI). Few studies to date have investigated the role of ADI on patient-reported outcomes and clinically meaningful improvement following lumbar spine fusion surgery. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of SES on lumbar fusion outcomes using Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) surveys. Retrospective review of a single institution cohort. About 205 patients who underwent elective one-to-three level posterior lumbar spine fusion. Change in PROMIS scores and achievement of minimum clinically important difference (MCID). Patients 18 years or older undergoing elective one-to-three level lumbar spine fusion secondary to spinal degeneration from January 2015 to September 2021 with minimum one year follow-up were reviewed. ADI was calculated using patient-supplied addresses and patients were grouped into quartiles. Higher ADI values represent worse deprivation. Minimum clinically important difference (MCID) thresholds were calculated using distribution-based methods. Analysis of variance testing was used to assess differences within and between the quartile cohorts. Multivariable regression was used to identify features associated with the achievement of MCID. About 205 patients met inclusion and exclusion criteria. The average age of our cohort was 66±12 years. The average time to final follow-up was 23±8 months (range 12–36 months). No differences were observed between preoperative baseline scores amongst the four quartiles. All ADI cohorts showed significant improvement for pain interference (PI) at final follow-up (p<.05), with patients who had the lowest socioeconomic status having the lowest absolute improvement from preoperative baseline physical function (PF) and PI (p=.01). Only those patients who were in the lowest socioeconomic quartile failed to significantly improve for PF at final follow-up (p=.19). There was a significant negative correlation between socioeconomic level and the absolute proportion of patients reaching MCID for PI (p=.04) and PF (p=.03). However, while ADI was a significant predictor of achieving MCID for PI (p=.02), it was nonsignificant for achieving MCID for PF. Our study investigated the influence of ADI on postoperative PROMIS scores and identified a negative correlation between ADI quartile and the proportion of patients reaching MCID. Patients in the worse ADI quartile had lower chances of reaching clinically meaningful improvement in PI. Policies focused on alleviating geographical deprivation may augment clinical outcomes following lumbar surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a two-stage image segmentation model based on structure tensor and fractional-order regularization. In the first stage, we use the fractional-order regularization to approximate the Hausdorff measure of the Mumford-Shah (MS) model. The existence and uniqueness of the solution is proved and the alternating direction implicit (ADI) scheme is used to find the solution of the modified MS model. In the second stage, a thresholding is used to induce the segmentation of the target. The superior performances of the proposed model are demonstrated by some comparative experimental results with several state-of-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Austempered ductile iron is an innovative material obtained by subjecting it to an austempering heat treatment. The wide application of this material is because its properties are comparable to those of steel, which has a much lower weight. However, the machinability of this material is always a difficult task owing to its high hardness. This problem becomes more complex when a considerable amount of Mn is added. In this study, a novel two-step austempering heat treatment was performed on spheroidal graphite iron containing different amounts of manganese. Although the novel heat treatment method helps to obtain a superior combination of hardness and impact, its effect on machinability must be determined. This study provides the results of machinability tests carried out on austempered ductile iron with various manganese contents produced using the novel method. Scanning electron microscope images of the microstructures revealed a typical ausferrite structure with no segregation of manganese at the grain boundary. This is evident from the good tool life obtained in the machinability tests. Regression equations are fitted to determine the tool life and surface roughness for machining parameters with a range of values considered in this study. The results obtained have shown that till 1 wt% of manganese alloyed austempered ductile iron can be successfully produced using the novel heat treatment method. This helps to obtain the optimum combination of strength and impact properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of present paper is to highlight the influence of type of hard phase at different volume fraction onto the cutting force of dual matrix structure ductile iron (DMS-DI) in order to achieve the DMS-DI articles having the suitable machining performance for the DMS-DI market development. DMS-DI specimens were prepared by casting, followed by partially austenitising at temperatures of 870 °C for various times and then quenching into water or molten salt with the temperature 350 °C. The machinability of the workpieces was investigated by adopting, cutting index (relative cutting force with respect to AISI 1110 steel) as a general criterion. Fitting the data to the Johnson-Avrami model revealed the ferrite-to-austenite phase transformation kinetics with two consecutive distinguishable stages with Avrami exponents of 3.5 and 2. In both series of DMS-MDI (martensitic DMS) and DMS-ADI (ausferritic DMS) samples, with increasing percentage of hard phase (Vf), the hardness value was increased, while, surprisingly the cutting index was improved by enhancing of Vf to ≈37%, and then worsened. The dependence of the cutting force on the cutting depth was linear for steel AISI 1110, DMS-MDI and DMS-ADI. The slope of the line and its y-intercept depend on the base materials, type of hard phase, the feeding rate and the spindle turning speed. The hardness value of the DMS-MDI was higher than the DMS-ADI, despite this, for Vf≈37%, the cutting index of the former was up to 20% and 60% better than the DMS-ADI and regular austempered ductile iron, respectively.

Abstract Introduction Research suggests neighbourhood socioeconomic vulnerability is negatively associated with women's likelihood of receiving adequate prenatal care and achieving desired postpartum permanent contraception. Receiving adequate prenatal care is linked to a greater likelihood of achieving desired permanent contraception, and access to such care may be critical for women with Medicaid insurance given that the federally mandated Medicaid sterilization consent form must be signed at least 30 days before the procedure. We examined whether adequacy of prenatal care mediates the relationship between neighbourhood socioeconomic position and postpartum permanent contraception fulfilment, and examined moderation of relationships by insurance type. Methods This secondary analysis of a retrospective cohort study examined 3012 Medicaid or privately insured individuals whose contraceptive plan at postpartum discharge was permanent contraception. Path analysis estimated relationships between neighbourhood socioeconomic position (economic hardship and inequality, financial strength and educational attainment) and permanent contraception fulfilment by hospital discharge, directly and indirectly through adequacy of prenatal care. Multigroup testing examined moderation by insurance type. Results After adjusting for age, parity, weeks of gestation at delivery, mode of delivery, race, ethnicity, marital status and body mass index, having adequate prenatal care predicted achieving desired sterilization at discharge (β = 0.065, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.011, 0.117). Living in neighbourhoods with less economic hardship (indirect effect −0.007, 95% CI: −0.015, −0.001), less financial strength (indirect effect −0.016, 95% CI: −0.030, −0.002) and greater educational attainment (indirect effect 0.012, 95% CI: 0.002, 0.023) predicted adequate prenatal care, in turn predicting achievement of permanent contraception by discharge. Insurance status conditioned some of these relationships. Conclusion Contact with the healthcare system via prenatal care may be a mechanism by which neighbourhood socioeconomic disadvantage affects permanent contraception fulfilment, particularly for patients with Medicaid. To promote reproductive autonomy and healthcare equity, future inquiry and policy might closely examine how neighbourhood social and economic characteristics interact with Medicaid mandates.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin resulting from poor storage conditions while glyphosate is an herbicide used in agricultural production. Exposure to foods contaminated with these substances may result in unfavorable health problems. This study, therefore, aimed to estimate the exposure and characterize the risk of the Philippine general population, children, and women of childbearing age (WCBA) to OTA and glyphosate using the Theoretical Maximum Daily Intake (TMDI) approach based on WHO guidelines. The dietary exposure was estimated using individual food consumption data from the National Nutrition Survey 2008 combined with maximum levels set by relevant authorities. The risk was characterized by evaluating the exposure estimates against the set acceptable daily intake (ADI) for glyphosate, and permissible tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) for OTA. Results revealed that the population groups had low exposure to glyphosate at 16 to 59% of its ADI. Cereal grains and flour (98%) were found to be the major contributor to dietary intake. However, consumers among children and WCBA were highly exposed to OTA at 163 and 314% PTWI, respectively. Bread and rolls (57%) and maize (31%) were the major contributors of OTA among children and WCBA, respectively. Based on the findings, it is recommended to conduct a refined exposure assessment by analyzing actual OTA values of the identified food contributors to validate the results of this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed the association between neighborhood area deprivation index (ADI) and community-onset (co) and hospital-onset (ho) Staphylococcus aureus infection. Demographic and clinical characteristics of patients admitted to 5 adult hospitals in the mid-Atlantic between 2016 and 2018 were obtained. The association of ADI with methicillin-resistant (MRSA) and methicillin-sensitive (MSSA) S aureus infections was assessed using logistic regression models adjusting for severity of illness and days of admission. Overall, increasing ADI was associated with higher odds of co- and ho-MRSA and MSSA infection. In univariate analysis, Black race was associated with 44% greater odds of ho-MRSA infection (odds ratio [OR] 1.44; 95% CI 1.18-1.76) and Asian race (co-MRSA OR 0.355; Confidence Interval (CI) 0.240-0.525; co-MSSA OR 0.718; CI 0.557-0.928) and unknown race (co-MRSA OR 0.470; CI 0.365-0.606; co-MSSA OR 0.699; CI 0.577-0.848) was associated with lower odds of co-MSSA and co-MRSA infections. When both race and ADI were included in the model, Black race was no longer associated with ho-MRSA infections whereas Asian and unknown race remained associated with lower odds of co-MRSA and co-MSSA infection. In the multivariable logistic regression, ADI was consistently associated with increased odds of S aureus infection (co-MRSA OR 1.132; CI 1.064-1.205; co-MSSA OR 1.089; CI 1.030-1.15; ho-MRSA OR 1.29; CI 1.16-1.43: ho-MSSA OR 1.215; CI 1.096-1.346). The area deprivation index is associated with community and hospital-onset MRSA and MSSA infections. • Neighborhood area deprivation index correlates with community-onset and hospital-onset MRSA infection after adjusting for age and comorbid conditions using the Premier CareScience Mortality Risk Score. • Black race was association with hospital-onset MRSA infection in univariate analysis and was no longer associated with ho-MRSA infection when ADI was included in the model. • Asian race and unknown race was associated with lower odds of community-onset MRSA and MSSA infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tribological behaviour and wear mechanism of austempered ductile iron (ADI) with different hardness values were investigated. Results showed that the wear resistance of ADI was sensitive to hardness and service conditions. Under mild wear conditions, the low-hardness ADI sample exhibited high wear resistance because graphite was easy to transfer to the tribosurface and acted as a lubricant to reduce the friction coefficient. However, the high-hardness ADI sample was hard to deform plastically, which restricted the transfer of graphite from the matrix to the tribosurface. Under severe wear conditions, the plastic deformation of the low-hardness ADI sample gave rise to abrasive wear, which resulted in poor wear resistance. With the deterioration of wear conditions, the wear mechanism of ADI was transformed from micro-cutting wear to oxidative wear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When all inputs are included, energy is over half the cost of manufactured goods. All metal components start as a casting. Metalcasting is the lowest energy, most direct manufacturing line from metallic ores to metal products. The metalcasting industry is the largest recycling body on the planet. However, the metalcasting industry is slow to develop and deploy new products and methods. With Industry 4.0 upon us, we must either "innovate or die." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure of Austempered Ductile Iron (ADI) is depend of many factors at individual stages of casting production. There is a rich literature documenting research on the relationship between heat treatment and the resulting microstructure of cast alloy. A significant amount of research is conducted towards the use of IT tools for indications production parameters for thin-walled castings, allowing for the selection of selected process parameters in order to obtain the expected properties. At the same time, the selection of these parameters should make it possible to obtain as few defects as possible. The input parameters of the solver is chemical composition Determined by the previous system module. Target wall thickness and HB of the product determined by the user. The method used to implement the solver is the method of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). The developed IT tool was used to determine the parameters of heat treatment, which will ensure obtaining the expected value for hardness. In the first stage, the ADI cast iron heat treatment parameters proposed by the expert were used, in the next part of the experiment, the settings proposed by the system were used. Used of the proposed IT tool, it was possible to reduce the number of deficiencies by 3%. The use of the solver in the case of castings with a wall thickness of 25 mm and 41 mm allowed to indication of process parameters allowing to obtain minimum mechanical properties in accordance with the PN-EN 1564:2012 standard. The results obtained by the solver for the selected parameters were verified. The indicated parameters were used to conduct experimental research. The tests obtained as a result of the physical experiment are convergent with the data from the solver.

Background: Race and ethnicity, socioeconomic class, and geographic location are well-known social determinants of health in the US. Studies of population mortality often consider two, but not all three of these risk factors. Objectives: To disarticulate the associations of race (whiteness), class (socioeconomic status), and place (county) with risk of cause-specific death in the US. Design: We conducted a retrospective analysis of death certificate data. Bayesian regression models, adjusted for age and race/ethnicity from the American Community Survey and the county Area Deprivation Index, were used for inference. Main Measures: County-level mortality for 11 leading causes of death (1999–2019) and COVID-19 (2020–2021). Key Results: County "whiteness" and socioeconomic status modified death rates; geospatial effects differed by cause of death. Other factors equal, a 20% increase in county whiteness was associated with 5–8% increase in death from three causes and 4–15% reduction in death from others, including COVID-19. Other factors equal, advantaged counties had significantly lower death rates, even when juxtaposed with disadvantaged ones. Patterns of residual risk, measured by spatial county effects, varied by cause of death; for example: cancer and heart disease death rates were better explained by age, socioeconomic status, and county whiteness than were COVID-19 and suicide deaths. Conclusions: There are important independent contributions from race, class, and geography to risk of death in the US. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish are good bio-indicators of the health status of the aquatic environment and can be used as biomarkers to assess the aquatic behavior of environmental pollutants, the exposure of aquatic organisms, and the health risk for consumers. Goldfish are a significant bioindicator in the Lake Trasimeno aquatic system (Umbria, Italy). This study aimed to characterize the health status and the chemical and biotic contamination of Lake Trasimeno to define its anthropogenic and natural pressures and the risk associated with consuming its fishery products. 114 determinations were performed on Carassius auratus samples from 2018 to 2020, and the occurrence of brominated flame retardants, non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls, heavy metals, and microplastics was analytically investigated. Dietary exposure assessment, risk characterization, and benefit-risk evaluation were performed for schoolchildren from 3 to 10 years old. Flame-retardants registered high levels of non-detects (99% for polybrominated diphenyl ether and 76% for hexabromocyclododecanes), while polychlorinated biphenyls were found in all samples with a maximum level of 56.3 ng/g. Traces of at least one heavy metal were found in all samples, though always below the regulatory limit. Microplastics were found with a 75% frequency of fish ingesting at least one particle. Dietary exposure and risk characterization reveal negligible contributions to the reference values of all contaminants, except for mercury, which reached up to 25% of admissible daily intake. The benefit-risk assessment highlighted that the benefits of freshwater fish intake outweigh the associated risks. The examination of goldfish as indicator fish reveals the quality of Lake Trasimeno's aquatic environment and the safety of its products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burns represent a leading cause of morbidity and mortality for children. This study explores the intersecting effects of social deprivation and race in pediatric burn patients. We performed a retrospective review of all pediatric patients (<18 years old) admitted to a tertiary burn center in North Carolina from 2009 to 2019. We used bivariate analysis to compare patients based on reported race, comparing African Americans (AA) to all others. Modified Poisson regression was used to model the probability of undergoing autologous skin grafting based on AA race. Of 4227 children admitted, AA children were disproportionally represented, comprising 33.7% of patients versus a state population of 22.3%. AA patients had larger %TBSA with a median of 3% (IQR 1–6) compared to 2% (IQR 1–5, p < 0.001) and longer median length of stay at 5.8 days (SD 13.6) versus 4.9 days (SD 13.8). AA patients were more likely to have autologous skin grafting compared to other races, with an adjusted RR of 1.49 (95% CI 1.22–1.83) when controlling for Area Deprivation Index (ADI) national rank, age, %TBSA, and burn type. AA children were disproportionately represented and had larger burns, even when controlling for ADI. They had longer hospital stays and were more likely to have autologous skin grafting, even accounting for burn size and type. The intersection between social deprivation and race creates a unique risk for AA patients. Further investigation into this phenomenon and factors underlying surgical intervention selection are indicated to inform best treatment practices and future preventative strategies. • African American (AA) children were disproportionately represented among pediatric burn patients. • AA children had longer hospital stays and were more likely to have autologous skin grafting. • AA children had larger burns, even when controlling for ADI. • Further investigation is indicated to assess the intersection between SES and race in pediatric burn injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the austempering of ductile iron (ADI) and clarifies the influential austempering parameters during the production of ADI. During the austempering process, the heat treatment parameters can be varied, thus influencing the final microstructure and, of course, the mechanical properties of ADI. To appropriately conduct experiments and obtain good results, an experimental plan was developed using the Design Expert 13 software. Along with the heat treatment parameters, the influence of the copper content on the ADI toughness, tensile strength, and elongation was determined. The obtained results from this experiment were used to develop unique mathematical models which describe the influences of heat treatment and copper content on the observed mechanical properties of ADI samples. These mathematical models can be applied to predict the analysed mechanical properties of ADI in the dependence of heat treatment parameters and copper content in base ductile iron. For the multi response optimisation of toughness, tensile strength, and elongation, a hybrid grey-fuzzy technique was presented as a significant contribution to the enhancement of the analysed mechanical properties. Consequently, the copper content and heat treatment parameter levels that resulted in the maximal mechanical properties’ functions were defined.

The toxicity of food additives is widely studied and concerns many consumers worldwide. Synthetic food colors are often considered an unnecessary risk to consumer health. Since the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) re-evaluation between 2009 and 2014, the body of scientific literature on food colors has grown, and new evaluations are being published by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). Therefore, this narrative review aims to review the toxicological data that have become available since 2014. The reviewed colors are Quinoline Yellow, Sunset Yellow, Azorubine, Amaranth, Ponceau 4R, Erythrosine, Allura Red, Patent Blue, Indigo Carmine, Brilliant Blue FCF, Green S, Brilliant Black, Brown HT, and Lithol Rubine BK. Tartrazine was not included in this paper; the overwhelming amount of recent data on Tartrazine toxicity requires more space than this review can provide. The issues regarding the toxicity of synthetic food colors and real population exposures are being regularly examined and reviewed by relevant authorities, such as the EFSA and JECFA. The current ADI limits set by the authorities are mostly in agreement, and they seem safe. However, the EFSA and JECFA assessments of some of the colors are more than a decade old, and new evidence will soon be required.