Search results for: SOP for reporting and treatment of monitored abnormal events

Authors: S. B. Bhandare, K. S. Laddha

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Podphyllum hexandrum belonging to family berberidaceae has gained attention in phytochemical and pharmacological research as it shows excellent anticancer activity and has been used in treatment of skin diseases, sunburns and radioprotection. Chemically it contains lignans and flavonoids such as kaempferol, quercetin and their glycosides. Objective: To isolate and identify Kaempferol and Quercetin from Podophyllum rhizome. Method: The powdered rhizome of Podophyllum hexandrum was subjected to soxhlet extraction with methanol. This methanolic extract is used to obtain podophyllin. Podohyllin was extracted with ethyl acetate and this extract was then concentrated and subjected to column chromatography to obtain purified kaempferol and quercetin. Result: Isolated kaempferol, quercetin were light yellow and dark yellow in colour respectively. TLC of the isolated compounds was performed using chloroform: methanol (9:1) which showed single band on silica plate at Rf 0.6 and 0.4 for kaempferol and quercetin. UV spectrometric studies showed UV maxima (methanol) at 259, 360 nm and 260, 370 nm which are identical with standard kaempferol and quercetin respectively. Both IR spectra exhibited prominent absorption bands for free phenolic OH at 3277 and 3296.2 cm-1 and for conjugated C=O at 1597 and 1659.7 cm-1 respectively. The mass spectrum of kaempferol and quercetin showed (M+1) peak at m/z 287 and 303.09 respectively. 1H NMR analysis of both isolated compounds exhibited typical four-peak pattern of two doublets at δ 6.86 and δ 8.01 which was assigned to H-3’,5’ and H-2’,6’ respectively. Absence of signals less than δ 6.81 in the 1H NMR spectrum supported the aromatic nature of compound. Kaempferol and Quercetin showed 98.1% and 97% purity by HPLC at UV 370 nm. Conclusion: Easy and simple method for isolation of Kaempferol and Quercetin was developed and their structures were confirmed by UV, IR, NMR and mass studies. Method has shown good reproducibility, yield and purity.

Keywords: flavonoids, kaempferol, podophyllum rhizome, quercetin

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Authors: Saimir Heta, Rialda Xhizdari, Kers Kapaj, Ilma Robo

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Background: The interests of both individuals involved, both the dentist with his professionalism, and the patient who claims and expects the proper professional dental service, are determined in cases of dental malpractice. The latter is a phenomenon that is also wearing the "cloak" of bilateral manipulations, which in themselves require strong legal control to regulate the relations between the involved parties. The two individuals are involved both individually and even professionally and emotionally, with support in the "ultimate" interests of the two people, which in the case of conflicts or grievances, which as a result are transported to the family or society of the affected individual. Main text: The reason for malpractice is the most difficult part to find and then to interpret. It can be professional in the view of "so much I know how to do, so much done", or in the view of the impossibility of individual health conditions to achieve high professional expectations. But, the reason can also be individual with the intention of doing bad without reason or with the source of an unhealthy mind and the source of malicious thinking. The professional himself is a human being and as such may be under the effect of individual treatments or vices, therefore causing misuse, a case that must be distinguished from intentional misuse and which must be judged for the results or damages caused by the professional based on criminal law. Conclusions: Malpractice in some cases may be unavoidable, beyond the good intention of the dental intervention, which should be well understood by both parties involved in this relationship. Malpractice is not necessarily related only to difficult clinical cases, but sometimes also appears as a random deviation of a dental treatment with a welldefined professional protocol. The legal support in the interpretation of malpractice cases should be much more specific according to previous cases, this practice specifically, perhaps also according to different religious states.

Keywords: dental ethics, malpractice, professional dental service, legal support

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Authors: Oksana Mykytyuk

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Chronic desynchronosis is an important factor of progression of osteoarthritis in shift workers. 80 patients with primary osteoarthritis (female:male ratio = 3:1, average age: 57.6 years, average disease duration: 6.4 years, radiological stage: II-III) were examined, 42% reported systematic night shift-work for more than two years. Full clinical examination was performed, all patients filled in SF-36, WOMAC questonnaries, marked visual analog scales for estimation of pain intensity and general well-being. Patients who had been exposed to night work had significantly worse clinical course of osteoarthritis marked by more (27.5%, p < 0.05) extensive pain syndrome, especially at night hours, (10.00 pm-2.00 am period) and estimated life quality as poorer comparing those working at day time. Osteoarthritis initiation occurred at earlier age in them comparing those who worked in non-shifted regimen. They showed a trend to generalized affliction of bigger quantity of joint groups, higher frequency of synovitis as well. Shift-workers administered higher doses of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and estimated their effect as lower (39.6% average daily relief vs 62.5% in non-shift workers after 10 days of regular application of therapy). Frequency of chronic NSAID-induced gastropathy was 25% higher among night-workers. Shift-workers are predisposed to worse course of osteoarthritis with marked clinical symptoms, requiring higher doses on NSAIDs and with inclination towards bigger frequency of complication. That should be kept in mind while developing individual treatment and secondary prophylaxis strategy.

Keywords: desynchronosis, osteoarthritis, questionnaries, shift-work

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Authors: Umme Hani, Mohammed Rahmatulla, Mohammed Ghazwani, Ali Alqahtani, Yahya Alhamhoom

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Background and introduction: Neratinib is a potent anticancer drug used for the treatment of breast cancer. It is poorly soluble at higher pH, which tends to minimize the therapeutic effects in the lower gastrointestinal tract (GIT) leading to poor bioavailability. An attempt has been made to prepare and develop a gastro-retentive system of Neratinib to improve the drug bioavailability in the GIT by enhancing the gastric retention time. Materials and methods: In the present study a three-factor at two-level (23) factorial design based optimization was used to inspect the effects of three independent variables (factors) such as sodium alginate (A), sodium bicarbonate (B) and sodium citrate (C) on the dependent variables like in vitro gelation, in vitro floating, water uptake and percentage drug release. Results: All the formulations showed pH in the range 6.7 ±0.25 to 7.4 ±0.24, percentage drug content was observed to be 96.3±0.27 to 99.5 ±0.28%, in vitro gelation observed as gelation immediate remains for an extended period. Percentage of water uptake was in the range between 9.01±0.15 to 31.01±0.25%, floating lag time was estimated form 7±0.39 to 57±0.36 sec. F4 and F5 showed floating even after 12hrs. All formulations showed a release of around 90% drug release within 12hr. It was observed that the selected independent variables affect the dependent variables. Conclusion: The developed system may be a promising and alternative approach to augment gastric retention of drugs and enhances the therapeutic efficacy of the drug.

Keywords: neratinib, 2³ factorial design, sodium alginate, floating, in situ gelling system

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Authors: Seyed Davar Siadat, Samira Tarashi, Abolfazl Fateh, Arfa Moshiri

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Background: The global health issue of tuberculosis (TB) still affects patients in every country. TB control may not be as effective as it should be, especially when resistant strains are involved. In this regard, mycobacterial MTases play a major role in tuberculosis, but the mechanisms underlying their function have yet to be fully deciphered. Methods: Five resistant isolates of M.tb were accumulated. As a reference strain, M.tb H37Rv (ATCC 27249) was used. For this analysis, seven putative mycobacterial MTase genes (Rv0645c, Rv1694, Rv2966c, Rv3919c, Rv2756c, Rv1988, and Rv3263), as well as Rv1392 as SAM synthase, were selected. Comparing mutations and expression levels of MTases in different strains was accomplished by PCR-sequencing and qRT-PCR. The relative expression levels of these genes were calculated using the 2 -ΔΔCt method. Results: The Rv3919c gene (T to G in codon 341) and Rv1392 gene (G to A in codon 97) were the only mutations found in the INHR strain. In all sensitive and resistant isolates, Rv0645c, Rv3263, Rv2756c, and Rv2966c were overexpressed. However, the expression of Rv1988 and Rv3919c decreased in the sensitive strains, whereas the expression of Rv1694 increased. There was also a decreased expression of Rv1392 in the INHR isolate. Conclusion: The presence of mycobacterial MTases as well as resistance to antibiotics were found to be correlated in M.tb strains. Undoubtedly, there are some MTases that are associated with the virulence process. It is necessary to conduct additional studies to fully explore the impact of mycobacterial MTases within specific strains of M.tb to develop novel diagnostic and treatment strategies.

Keywords: mycobacterium tuberculosis, drug resistance, methyltransferases, s-adenosylmethionine

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Authors: Lebogang L. R. Mphahlele, Bruce B. Sithole

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Chicken meat is the highest consumed meat in south Africa, with a per capita consumption of >33 kg yearly. Hence, South Africa produces over 250 million kg of waste chicken feathers each year, the majority of which is landfilled or incinerated. The discarded feathers have caused environmental pollution and natural protein resource waste. Therefore, the valorisation of waste chicken feathers is measured as a more environmentally friendly and cost-effective treatment. Feather contains 91% protein, the main component being beta-keratin, a fibrous and insoluble structural protein extensively cross linked by disulfide bonds. Keratin is usually converted it into nanofibers via electrospinning for a variety of applications. keratin nanofiber composites have many potential biomedical applications for their attractive features, such as high surface-to-volume ratio and very high porosity. The application of nanofibers in the biomedical wound dressing requires antimicrobial properties for materials. One approach is incorporating inorganic nanoparticles, among which silver nanoparticles played an important alternative antibacterial agent and have been studied against many types of microbes. The objective of this study is to combine synthetic polymer, chicken feather keratin, and antibacterial nanoparticles to develop novel electrospun antibacterial nanofibrous composites for possible wound dressing application. Furthermore, this study will converting a two-dimensional electrospun nanofiber membrane to three-dimensional fiber networks that resemble the structure of the extracellular matrix (ECM)

Keywords: chicken feather keratin, nanofibers, nanoparticles, nanocomposites, wound dressing

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Authors: S. Naderizadeh, A. Athanassiou, I. S. Bayer

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This work describes a layer-by-layer spraying method to produce a non-wetting coating, based on thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and silica nanoparticles (Si-NPs). The main purpose of this work was to transform a hydrophilic polymer to superhydrophobic coating. The contact angle of pure TPU was measured about 77˚ ± 2, and water droplets did not roll away upon tilting even at 90°. But after applying a layer of Si-NPs on top of this, not only the contact angle increased to 165˚ ± 2, but also water droplets can roll away even below 5˚ tilting. The most important restriction in this study was the weak interfacial adhesion between polymer and nanoparticles, which had a bad effect on durability of the coatings. To overcome this problem, we used a very thin layer of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) as an interlayer between TPU and Si-NPs layers, followed by thermal treatment at 150˚C. The sample’s morphology and topography were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), EDX analysis and atomic force microscopy (AFM). It was observed that Si-NPs embedded into the polymer phase in the presence of GNPs layer. It is probably because of the high surface area and considerable thermal conductivity of the graphene platelets. The contact angle value for the sample containing graphene decreased a little bit respected to the coating without graphene and reached to 156.4˚ ± 2, due to the depletion of the surface roughness. The durability of the coatings against abrasion was evaluated by Taber® abrasion test, and it was observed that superhydrophobicity of the coatings remains for a longer time, in the presence of GNPs layer. Due to the simple fabrication method and good durability of the coating, this coating can be used as a durable superhydrophobic coating for metals and can be produced in large scale.

Keywords: graphene, silica nanoparticles, superhydrophobicity, thermoplastic polyurethane

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Authors: Raana Babadi Fathipour

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Hydrogels are three-dimensional structures formed by the interweaving of polymeric materials, possessing the remarkable ability to imbibe copious amounts of water. Numerous methodologies have been devised for examining and understanding the properties of these synthesized gels. Amongst them, spectroscopic techniques such as ultraviolet/visible (UV/Vis) and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy offer a glimpse into molecular and atomic aspects. Additionally, diffraction methods like X-ray diffraction (XRD) enable one to measure crystallinity within the gel's structure, while microscopy tools encompassing scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) provide insights into surface texture and morphology. Furthermore, rheology serves as an invaluable tool for unraveling the viscoelastic behavior inherent in hydrogels—a parameter crucial not only to numerous industries, including pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food processing, agriculture and water treatment, but also pivotal to related fields of research. Likewise, the ultimate configuration of the product is contingent upon its characterization at a microscopic scale in order to comprehend the intricacies of the hydrogel network's structure and interaction dynamics in response to external forces. Within this present scrutiny, our attention has been devoted to unraveling the intricate rheological tendencies exhibited by materials founded on synthetic, natural, and semi-synthetic hydrogels. We also explore their practical utilization within various facets of everyday life from an industrial perspective.

Keywords: rheology, hydrogels characterization, viscoelastic behavior, application

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Authors: Monika Verma, Renuka Sharma, B. R. Gulati, Namita Singh

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In combination therapy, two chemotherapeutic agents work together in a collaborative action. It has appeared as one of the promising approaches to improve anti-cancer treatment efficacy. In the present investigation, piperine (P-NPS), paclitaxel (PTX NPS), and a combination of both, piperine-paclitaxel nanoparticle (Pip-PTX NPS), were made by the nanoprecipitation method and later characterized by PSA, DSC, SEM, TEM, and FTIR. All nanoparticles exhibited a monodispersed size distribution with a size of below 200 nm, zeta potential ranges from (-30-40mV) and a narrow polydispersity index (>0.3) of the drugs. The average encapsulation efficiency was found to be between 80 and 90%. In vitro release of drugs for nanoparticles was done spectrophotometrically. FTIR and DSC results confirmed the presence of the drug. The Pip-PTX NPS significantly inhibit cell proliferation as compared to the native drugs nanoparticles in the breast cancer cell line MCF-7. In addition, Pip-PTX NPS suppresses cells in colony formation and soft gel agar assay. Scratch migration and Transwell chamber invasion assays revealed that combined nanoparticles reduce the migration and invasion of breast cancer cells. Morphological studies showed that Pip-PTX NPS penetrates the cells and induces apoptosis, which was further confirmed by DNA fragmentation, SEM, and western blot analysis. Taken together, Pip-PTX NPS inhibits cell proliferation, anchorage dependent and anchorage independent cell growth, reduces migration and invasion, and induces apoptosis in cells. These findings support that combination therapy using Pip-PTX NPS represents a potential approach and could be helpful in the future for breast cancer therapy.

Keywords: piperine, paclitaxel, breast cancer, apoptosis

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Authors: A. Jéglot, F. Plauborg, M. K. Schnorr, R. S. Sørensen, L. Elsgaard

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Artificial wetlands such as woodchip bioreactors are efficient tools to remove nitrate from agricultural wastewater with a minimized environmental impact. However, the temperature dependence of the microbiological nitrate removal prevents the woodchip bioreactors from being an efficient system when the water temperature drops below 8℃. To quantify and describe the temperature effects on nitrate removal efficiency, we studied nitrate-reducing enrichments from a woodchip bioreactor in Denmark based on samples collected in Spring and Fall. Growth was quantified as optical density, and nitrate and nitrous oxide concentrations were measured in time-course experiments to compare the growth of the microbial population and the nitrate conversion efficiencies at different temperatures. Ammonia was measured to indicate the importance of dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonia (DNRA) in nitrate conversion for the given denitrifying community. The temperature responses observed followed the increasing trend proposed by the Arrhenius equation, indicating higher nitrate removal efficiencies at higher temperatures. However, the growth and the nitrous oxide production observed at low temperature provided evidence of the psychrotolerance of the microbial community under study. The assays conducted showed higher nitrate removal from the microbial community extracted from the woodchip bioreactor at the cold season compared to the ones extracted during the warmer season. This indicated the ability of the bacterial populations in the bioreactor to evolve and adapt to different seasonal temperatures.

Keywords: agricultural waste water treatment, artificial wetland, denitrification, psychrophilic conditions

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Authors: A. A. M. A. S. S. Perera, L. A. Ranasinghe, T. K. H. Nimeshika, D. M. Dhanushka Dissanayake, Namalie Walgampaya

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Nowadays, skin fungal diseases are mostly found in people of tropical countries like Sri Lanka. A skin fungal disease is a particular kind of illness caused by fungus. These diseases have various dangerous effects on the skin and keep on spreading over time. It becomes important to identify these diseases at their initial stage to control it from spreading. This paper presents an automated skin fungal disease identification system implemented to speed up the diagnosis process by identifying skin fungal infections in digital images. An image of the diseased skin lesion is acquired and a comprehensive computer vision and image processing scheme is used to process the image for the disease identification. This includes colour analysis using RGB and HSV colour models, texture classification using Grey Level Run Length Matrix, Grey Level Co-Occurrence Matrix and Local Binary Pattern, Object detection, Shape Identification and many more. This paper presents the approach and its outcome for identification of four most common skin fungal infections, namely, Tinea Corporis, Sporotrichosis, Malassezia and Onychomycosis. The main intention of this research is to provide an automated skin fungal disease identification system that increase the diagnostic quality, shorten the time-to-diagnosis and improve the efficiency of detection and successful treatment for skin fungal diseases.

Keywords: Circularity Index, Grey Level Run Length Matrix, Grey Level Co-Occurrence Matrix, Local Binary Pattern, Object detection, Ring Detection, Shape Identification

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Authors: Teresa Wanjiru Mbatia

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On 7th June 2011, the government Minister of Roads in Kenya announced the proposed construction of a major highway known as a southern bypass to run on the northern border of the Nairobi National Park. The following day on 8th June 2011, the chairperson of the Friends of Nairobi National Park (FONNAP) posted a protest statement on their website, with the heading, ‘Nairobi Park is Not a cake’ alerting its members and conservation groups, with the aim of getting support to the campaign against the government’s intention to hive off a section of the park for road construction. This was the first and earliest statement that led to a series of other events that culminated in conservationists and some other members of the public campaign against the government’s plan to hive off sections of the park to build road and railway infrastructure in or around the park. Together with other non-state actors, mostly non-governmental organisations in conservation/environment and tourism businesses, FoNNAP issued a series of other statements on social, print and electronic media to battle against road and railway construction. This paper examined the strategies, outcomes and interests of actors involved in opposing/proposing the development of transport infrastructure in and around the Nairobi National Park. Specifically, the objectives were to analyse the: (1) Arguments put forward by the eco-warriors to protest infrastructure development; (2) Background and interests of the eco-warriors; (3) Needs/interests and opinions of ordinary common citizens on transport infrastructural development, particularly in and around the urban nature reserve and (4) Final outcomes of the eco-politics surrounding infrastructure development in and around Nairobi National Park. The methodological approach used was environmental history and the social construction of nature. The study collected combined qualitative data using four main approaches, the grounded theory approach, narratives, case studies and a phenomenological approach. The information collected was analysed using critical discourse analysis. The major findings of the study were that under the guise of “public participation,” influential non-state actors have the capacity to perpetuate social-spatial inequalities in the form of curtailing the majority from accessing common public goods. A case in point in this study is how the efforts of powerful conservationists, environmentalists, and tourism businesspersons managed to stall the construction of much-needed road and railway infrastructure severally through litigations in lengthy environmental court processes involving injunctions and stop orders to the government bodies in charge. Moreover, powerful non-state actors were found to have formed informal and sometimes formal coalitions with politicians with selfish interests, which serves to deepen the exclusionary practices and the common good. The study concludes that mostly composed of certain types of elites (NGOs, business communities, politicians and privileged social-cultural groups), non-state actors have used participatory policies to advance their own interests at the expense of the majority whom they claim to represent. These practices are traced to the historically unjust social, political, and economic forces involved in the production of space in Nairobi.

Keywords: eco-politics, exclusion, infrastructure, Nairobi national park, non-state actors, protests

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Authors: Hamil Uribe, Cristian Arancibia

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In Chile, the water for irrigation and hydropower generation is delivery essentially through unlined channels on earth, which have high seepage losses. Traditional seepage-abatement technologies are very expensive. The goals of this work were to quantify water loss in unlined channels and select reaches to evaluate the use of linear anionic polyacrylamide (LA-PAM) to reduce seepage losses. The study was carried out in Maule Region, central area of Chile. Water users indicated reaches with potential seepage losses, 45 km of channels in total, whose flow varied between 1.07 and 23.6 m³ s⁻¹. According to seepage measurements, 4 reaches of channels, 4.5 km in total, were selected for LA-PAM application. One to 4 LA-PAM applications were performed at rates of 11 kg ha⁻¹, considering wet perimeter area as basis of calculation. Large channels were used to allow motorboat moving against the current to carry-out LA-PAM application. For applications, a seeder machine was used to evenly distribute granulated polymer on water surface. Water flow was measured (StreamPro ADCP) upstream and downstream in selected reaches, to estimate seepage losses before and after LA-PAM application. Weekly measurements were made to quantify treatment effect and duration. In each case, water turbidity and temperature were measured. Channels showed variable losses up to 13.5%. Channels showing water gains were not treated with PAM. In all cases, LA-PAM effect was positive, achieving average loss reductions of 8% to 3.1%. Water loss was confirmed and it was possible to reduce seepage through LA-PAM applications provided that losses were known and correctly determined when applying the polymer. This could allow increasing irrigation security in critical periods, especially under drought conditions.

Keywords: canal seepage, irrigation, polyacrylamide, water management

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Authors: Sarina Sahmeddini, Fahimeh Safarpour, Forough Pazhuheian

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With the concepts of minimally invasive treatment and preventive dentistry gaining more and more recognition by dentists, there are many published clinical trials comparing the use of the erbium laser with traditional drilling for caries removal. However, the efficacy of the erbium laser is still controversial. The aim of this review study is to compare the effects of tooth preparation by laser irradiation and conventional preparation by bur to identify the best means for cavity preparation and reduction of recurrent caries. Randomized controlled trials, controlled clinical trials, and prospective, and retrospective cohort studies were included in this review. The eligibility criteria included studies in humans’ permanent teeth in which cavities were conducted in their cervical third and proximal surfaces. PubMed, Google scholar, and Scopus about Er:YAG laser and bur prepared cavities were carried out. The studies’ details were organized in four tables according to the groups: (1) Microleakage; (2) Morphological changes; (3) Microhardness; and (4) Bond strength. The initial search resulted in 134 articles, 12 studies published from 2012 up to March 2020 were included in this review. According to the risk of bias evaluation, all studies were classified as high quality. Clinical implications: Er:YAG lasers with the energy levels between 250 to 300 mJ can be proper alternatives to conventional burs, as minimal invasive instruments with no significant differences or better results in microleakage, microhardness, and bond strength compared with conventional burs. In conclusion, Er:YAG laser irradiations accompanied by phosphoric acid etching can reduce the chance of recurrent carries.

Keywords: lasers, drilling, caries, micro leakage

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Authors: Navodit Goel, Prabir K. Paul

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Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is attacked by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato causing speck lesions on the leaves leading to severe economic casualty. In the present study, aqueous fruit extracts of Azadirachta indica (neem) were sprayed on a single node of tomato plants grown under controlled contamination-free conditions. The treatment of plants was performed with neem fruit extract either alone or along with the pathogen. The parameters of observation were activities of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and lysozyme, and isoform analysis of PPO; both at the treated leaves as well as untreated leaves away from the site of extract application. Polyphenol oxidase initiates phenylpropanoid pathway resulting in the synthesis of quinines from cytoplasmic phenols and production of reactive oxygen species toxic to broad spectrum microbes. Lysozyme is responsible for the breakdown of bacterial cell wall. The results indicate the upregulation of PPO and lysozyme activities in both the treated and untreated leaves along with de novo expression of newer PPO isoenzymes (which were absent in control samples). The appearance of additional PPO isoenzymes in bioelicitor-treated plants indicates that either the isoenzymes were expressed after bioelicitor application or the already expressed but inactive isoenzymes were activated by it. Lysozyme activity was significantly increased in the plants when treated with the bioelicitor or the pathogen alone. However, no new isoenzymes of lysozyme were expressed upon application of the extract. Induction of resistance by neem fruit extract could be a potent weapon in eco-friendly plant protection strategies.

Keywords: Azadirachta indica, lysozyme, polyphenol oxidase, Solanum lycopersicum

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Authors: Sally A. El Awdan, Gehad A. Abdel Jaleel, Dalia O Saleh, Manal Badawi

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Background: Diabetes is a metabolic disease that affects a wide range of people worldwide and results in serious complications. Streptozotocin (STZ) causes selective cytotoxicity in the pancreatic β-cell, and it has been extensively used to induce diabetes mellitus in rats. The present study investigated the effects of diosmin and chrysin alone or in combination with each other on glucose level and on liver in STZ diabetic rats. Methods: In this study, rats were divided into six experimental groups (normal, untreated STZ-diabetic (60 mg/kg B.W., IP), treated STZ-diabetic with glycazide (10 mg/kg B.W, oral), treated STZ-diabetic with diosmin (100 mg/kg B. W., oral), treated STZ-diabetic with chrysin (80 mg/kg B.W., oral), treated STZ-diabetic with diosmin (50 mg/kg B.W, oral) + chrysin (40 mg/kg B.W., oral). After 2 weeks blood samples were withdrawn and glucose was measured. Animals were anaesthetized with an intraperitoneal injection of sodium pentobarbital (60 mg/kg), and sacrificed for dissecting liver. Results: Throughout the experimental period, all treatments significantly (P<0.05) lowered serum glucose, AST, ALT, triglyceride, cholesterol, IL-6, TNF-α and IL-1β. Moreover, the treated diabetic rats showed higher levels of reduced glutathione (P<0.05) in the liver compared to the diabetic control rats and inhibited diabetes-induced elevation in the levels of malondialdehyde in liver. The results of this study clearly demonstrated that diosmin and chrysin possess several treatment-oriented properties, including the control of hyperglycemia, antioxidant effects and anti-inflammatory effects. Conclusion: Considering these observations, it appears that diosmin and chrysin may be a useful supplement to delay the developmentof diabetes and its complications.

Keywords: diabetes, streptozocin, chrysin, rat, diosmin, cytokines

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Authors: Gabi N. Nehme, Saeed Ghalambor

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The use of titanium fluoride and iron fluoride (TiF3/FeF3) catalysts in combination with polutetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) in plain zinc dialkyldithiophosphate (ZDDP) oil is important for the study of engine tribocomponents and is increasingly a strategy to improve the formation of tribofilm and to provide low friction and excellent wear protection in reduced phosphorus plain ZDDP oil. The influence of surface roughness and the concentration of TiF3/FeF3/PTFE were investigated using bearing steel samples dipped in lubricant solution @100°C for two different heating time durations. This paper addresses the effects of water drop contact angle using different surface finishes after treating them with different lubricant combination. The calculated water drop contact angles were analyzed using Design of Experiment software (DOE) and it was determined that a 0.05 μm Ra surface roughness would provide an excellent TiF3/FeF3/PTFE coating for antiwear resistance as reflected in the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and the tribological testing under extreme pressure conditions. Both friction and wear performance depend greatly on the PTFE/and catalysts in plain ZDDP oil with 0.05% phosphorous and on the surface finish of bearing steel. The friction and wear reducing effects, which was observed in the tribological tests, indicated a better micro lubrication effect of the 0.05 μm Ra surface roughness treated at 100°C for 24 hours when compared to the 0.1 μm Ra surface roughness with the same treatment.

Keywords: scanning electron microscopy, ZDDP, catalysts, PTFE, friction, wear

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Authors: Issam Lakdhar, Akram Alhussein, Juan Creus

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With the huge increase in world energy consumption, researchers are working to find other alternative sources of energy instead of fossil fuel one causing many environmental problems as the production of greenhouse effect gases. Hydrogen is considered a green energy source, which its combustion does not cause environmental pollution. The transport and the storage of the gas molecules or the other products containing this smallest chemical element in metallic structures (pipelines, tanks) are crucial issues. The dissolve and the permeation of hydrogen into the metal lattice lead to the formation of hydride phases and the embrittlement of structures. To protect the metallic structures, a surface treatment could be a good solution. Among the different techniques, magnetron sputtering is used to elaborate micrometric coatings capable of slowing down or stop hydrogen permeation. In the plasma environment, the deposition parameters of new thin-film metallic glasses Al-Ti-W were optimized and controlled in order to obtain, hydrogen barrier. Many characterizations were carried out (SEM, XRD and Nano-indentation…) to control the composition and understand the influence of film microstructure and chemical composition on the hydrogen permeation through the coatings. The coating performance was evaluated under two hydrogen production methods: chemical and electrochemical (cathodic protection) techniques. The hydrogen quantity absorbed was experimentally determined using the Thermal-Desorption Spectroscopy method (TDS)). An ideal ATW thin film was developed and showed excellent behavior against the diffusion of hydrogen.

Keywords: thin films, hydrogen, PVD, plasma technology, electrochemical properties

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Authors: Michael Josef Schwerer, Oliver Peschel

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Background: The sense and purpose of forensic postmortem examinations are undoubtedly the same in Institutes of Legal Medicine all over the world. Cause and manner of death must be determined, persons responsible for unnatural death must be brought to justice, and accidents demand changes in the respective scenarios to avoid future mishaps. The latter particularly concerns aircraft accidents, not only regarding consequences from criminal or civil law but also in pursuance of the International Civil Aviation Authority’s regulations, which demand lessons from mishap investigations to improve flight safety. Irrespective of the distinct circumstances of a given casualty or the respective questions in subsequent death investigations, a forensic autopsy is the basis for all further casework, the clue to otherwise hidden solutions, and the crucial limitation for final success when not all possible findings have been properly collected. This also implies that the targeted work of police forces and expert witnesses strongly depends on the quality of forensic pathology practice. Deadly events in foreign countries, which lead to investigations not only abroad but also in Germany, can be challenging in this context. Frequently, second-look autopsies after the repatriation of the deceased to Germany are requested by the legal authorities to ensure proper and profound documentation of all relevant findings. Aims and Methods: To validate forensic postmortem practice abroad, a retrospective study using the findings in the corresponding second-look autopsies in the Institute of Legal Medicine Munich over the last 20 years was carried out. New findings unreported in the previous autopsy were recorded and judged for their relevance to solving the respective case. Further, the condition of the corpse at the time of the second autopsy was rated to discuss artifacts mimicking evidence or the possibility of lost findings resulting from, e.g., decomposition. Recommendations for future handling of death cases abroad and efficient autopsy practice were pursued. Results and Discussion: Our re-evaluation confirmed a high quality of autopsy practice abroad in the vast majority of cases. However, in some casework, incomplete documentation of pathology findings was revealed along with either insufficient or misconducted dissection of organs. Further, some of the bodies showed missing parts of some organs, most probably resulting from sampling for histology studies during the first postmortem. For the aeromedical evaluation of a decedent’s health status prior to an aviation mishap, particularly lost or obscured findings in the heart, lungs, and brain impeded expert testimony. Moreover, incomplete fixation of the body or body parts for repatriation was seen in several cases. This particularly involved previously dissected organs deposited back into the body cavities at the end of the first autopsy. Conclusions and Recommendations: Detailed preparation in the first forensic autopsy avoids the necessity of a second-look postmortem in the majority of cases. To limit decomposition changes during repatriation from abroad, special care must be taken to include pre-dissected organs in the chemical fixation process, particularly when they are separated from the blood vessels and just deposited back into the body cavities.

Keywords: autopsy practice, second-look autopsy, retrospective study, quality standards, decomposition changes, repatriation

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Authors: Ioannis Boutas, Vasilios Pergialiotis, Nicolaos Salakos, George Agrogiannis, Panagiotis Konstantopoulos, Laskarina-Maria Korou, Theodoros Kalampokas, Odysseas Gregoriou, George Creatsas, Despina Perrea

Abstract:

Introduction: The effect of third generation aromatase inhibitors in the lipid profile among women with breast cancer, present diversities. It has been also shown that low levels of estrogens affect liver metabolism in mice in numerous ways, such as lipid accumulation and hepatic steatosis. Materials and Methods: Forty-five female Wistar rats underwent surgical ovariectomy. The animals were anesthetized with a combination of ketamine (75 mg/kg) and xylazine (10 mg/kg) which were administered intraperitoneally. After the ovariectomy, the operated animals were randomized in three groups. The first group did not receive any drug regimen (ovariectomized control group). The second group received Anastrazole and the third group received Letrozole. Four months after the initiation of the study, the animals were euthanized and livers were dissected immediately for further histopathological analysis. The histological features were grouped into 4 broad categories: steatosis, ballooning, portal inflammation and lobular activity. A score from 0 (absence) to 3 (severe) was assigned to each parameter. Results: The liver pathology analysis revealed significant differences among groups with favored mild steatosis and ballooning among animals that received Anastrazole or Letrozole. Conclusion: The effect of Anastrazole and Letrozole on liver function have not yet been clarified. In our study mild histological liver alterations seem also to occur and these alterations should be taken in mind in future clinical studies

Keywords: anastrazole, letrozole, liver, rats

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Authors: Tami Peterson

Abstract:

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has been hypothesized as an effective treatment for increasing verbal language skills in individuals on the autism spectrum. A child’s ability to effectively communicate with peers, parents, and caregivers impacts their level of independence and quality of personal relationships. This retrospective study will compare the speech development of participants aged 2-17 years that received 40 sessions of HBOT at 2.0 ATA to those who had not. Both groups will have a verbal assessment every six months. There were 31 subjects in the HBO group and 32 subjects in the non-HBO group. The statistical analysis will focus on whether hyperbaric oxygen therapy made a significant difference in Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP) or Assessment of Basic Language and Learning Skills (ABLLS) results. The evidence demonstrates a strong correlation between HBOT and an increased change from baseline verbal scores compared to the control group, even in difficult to grasp areas such as spontaneous vocalization. We suggest this is due to the anti-inflammatory effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Neuroinflammation causes hypoperfusion of critical central nervous system areas responsible for the symptoms described within the autism spectrum, such as problems with thought processing, memory, and speech. Decreasing the inflammation allows the brain to function properly, which results in improved verbal scores for the participants that underwent HBOT.

Keywords: assessment of basic language and learning skills, autism spectrum disorder, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, verbal behavior milestones assessment and placement program

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Authors: A. Driouiche, S. Mohareb, A. Hadfi

Abstract:

In Morocco’s Agadir region, the reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation of green spaces has faced the problem of scaling of the pipes of these waters. This research paper aims at studying the phenomenon of scaling caused by the treated wastewater from the Mzar sewage treatment plant. These waters are used in the irrigation of golf turf for the Ocean Golf Resort. Ocean Golf, located about 10 km from the center of the city of Agadir, is one of the most important recreation centers in Morocco. The course is a Belt Collins design with 27 holes, and is quite open with deep challenging bunkers. The formation of solid deposits in the irrigation systems has led to a decrease in their lifetime and, consequently, a loss of load and performance. Thus, the sprinklers used in golf turf irrigation are plugged in the first weeks of operation. To study this phenomenon, the wastewater used for the irrigation of the golf turf was taken and analyzed at various points, and also samples of scale formed in the circuits of the passage of these waters were characterized. This characterization of the scale was performed by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results of the physicochemical analysis of the waters show that they are full of bicarbonates (653 mg/L), chloride (478 mg/L), nitrate (412 mg/L), sodium (425 mg/L) and calcium (199mg/L). Their pH is slightly alkaline. The analysis of the scale reveals that it is rich in calcium and phosphorus. It is formed of calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), silica (SiO₂), calcium silicate (Ca₂SiO₄), hydroxylapatite (Ca₁₀P₆O₂₆), calcium carbonate and phosphate (Ca₁₀(PO₄) 6CO₃) and silicate calcium and magnesium (Ca₅MgSi₃O₁₂).

Keywords: Agadir, irrigation, scaling water, wastewater

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Authors: Mohammed A. Al-Yafrsi, Fahed A. Al-Mana

Abstract:

A study was conducted to evaluate the compaction-tolerance ability of some warm season turfgrasses under shade and sunlight conditions in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Hybrid bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon): 'Tifway' and 'Tifsport', seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum) and its cultivar 'Sea Isle 2000' were used. The study area was divided into two sections where one was exposed to sunlight and the other one was maintained under shade using green plastic grille (shade 70%). Turfgrasses were planted by sods in beds containing a mixture of sand, silt, and peat moss (4: 1: 1, v/v). The soil compaction was applied using a locally-made cylindrical roll (weighing 250 kg), passing four times over the growing turfgrasses for 3 days/week. The results revealed that compaction treatment led to a decrease in grass height, and it was the lowest (4.0 cm) for paspalum 'Sea Isle 2000' in February. At the shaded area, paspalum turfgrasses retained its high quality degree (4.0) in April, May, and June. In the sunlight area, the grass quality degree was the greatest (4.0) in 'Sea Isle 2000' and the lowest (3.0) in 'Tifsport'. Paspalum turfgrasses gave higher color degree (4) than bermuda grasses (2.5) in April, May, and June. The compaction also led to a decline in leaf area, fresh and dry weights of all grown turfgrasses. The grass density was high for paspalum turfgrasses indicating that their resistance to compaction was greater than bermudagrasses. It can be concluded that the best compaction and shade tolerant turfgrasses are 'Sea Isle 2000' and seashore paspalum.

Keywords: hybrid bermudagrass, seashore paspalum, soil compaction, shade area, sunlight condition

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Authors: Negar Vkilbashi, Hassan Kabiri

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Modern diplomacy, in its general form, refers to the people and not the governments, and diplomacy tactics are more addressed to the people than to the governments. Media diplomacy and cyber diplomacy are also one of the sub-branches of public diplomacy and, in fact, the role of media in the process of influencing public opinion and directing foreign policy. Mass media, including written, radio and television, theater, satellite, internet, and news agencies, transmit information and demands. What the Qatari government tried to implement in the countries of the region during the Arab Spring and after was through its important media, Al Jazeera. The embargo on Qatar began in 2017, when Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt imposed a land, sea, and air blockade against the country. The media tool constitutes the cornerstone of soft power in the field of foreign policy, which Qatari leaders have consistently resorted to over the past two decades. Undoubtedly, the role it played in covering the events of the Arab Spring has created geopolitical tensions. The United Arab Emirates and other neighboring countries sometimes criticize Al Jazeera for providing a platform for the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, and other Islamists to promote their ideology. In 2011, at the same time as the Arab Spring, Al Jazeera reached the peak of its popularity. Al Jazeera's live coverage of protests in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Libya, and Syria helped create a unified narrative of the Arab Spring, with audiences tuning in every Friday to watch simultaneous protests across the Middle East. Al Jazeera operates in three groups: First, it is a powerful base in the hands of the government so that it can direct and influence Arab public opinion. Therefore, this network has been able to benefit from the unlimited financial support of the Qatar government to promote its desired policies and culture. Second, it has provided an attractive platform for politicians and scientific and intellectual elites, thus attracting their support and defense from the government and its rulers. Third, during the last years of Prince Hamad's reign, the Al Jazeera network formed a deterrent weapon to counter the media and political struggle campaigns. The importance of the research is that this network covers a wide range of people in the Middle East and, therefore, has a high influence on the decision-making of countries. On the other hand, Al Jazeera is influential as a tool of public diplomacy and soft power in Qatar's foreign policy, and by studying it, the results of its effectiveness in the past years can be examined. Using a qualitative method, this research analyzes the impact of the media on the implementation of Qatar's foreign policy on the public opinion of the people of the Middle East. Data collection has been done by the secondary method, that is, reading related books, magazine articles, newspaper reports and articles, and analytical reports of think tanks. The most important findings of the research are that Al Jazeera plays an important role in Qatar's foreign policy in Qatar's public diplomacy. So that, in 2011, 2017 and 2023, it played an important role in Qatar's foreign policy in various crises. Also, the people of Arab countries use Al-Jazeera as their first reference.

Keywords: Al Jazeera, Qatar, media, diplomacy

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Authors: Vidhula Ahire, Amit Kumar, K. P. Mishra, Gauri Kulkarni

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Herbal polyphenols have gained significance because of their increasing promise in prevention and treatment of cancer. Therefore, development of a dietary compound as an effective radiosensitizer and a radioprotector is highly warranted for cervical cancer patients undergoing therapy. This study describes the cytotoxic effects of the flavonoid, ellagic acid (EA) when administered either alone or in combination with gamma radiation on cervical cancer HeLa cells in vitro. Apoptotic index and proliferation were measured by using trypan blue assay. Reproductive cell death was analyzed by clonogenic assay. Propidium iodide staining for flowcytometry was performed to analyze cell cycle modulation. Nuclear and mitochondrial changes were studied with specific dyes. DNA repair kinetics was analyzed by immunofluorescence assay. Evaluation and comparison of EA effects were performed with other clinically used breast cancer drugs. When tumor cells were exposed to 2 and 4 Gy of irradiation in presence of EA (10 μM), it yielded a synergistic cytotoxic effect on cervical cancer cells whereas in NIH3T3 cells it reversed the injury caused by irradiation and abetted in the regaining of normal healthy cells. At 24h ~25foci/cell was observed and 2.6 fold decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential. Up to 40% cell were arrested in the G1 phase and 20-36% cells exhibited apoptosis. Our results demonstrate the role of increased apoptosis and cell cycle modulation in the mechanism of EA mediated radiosensitization of cervical cancer cells and thus advocating EA as an adjuvant for preclinical trials in cancer chemo- radiotherapy.

Keywords: cervical cancer, ellagic acid, sensitization, radiation therapy

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Authors: Rafeza Begum, Mohammad Mokhlesur Rahman, Safikul Moula, Rafiqul Islam

Abstract:

Potassium (K) is crucial for healthy soil and plant growth. However, K fertilization is either disregarded or poorly underutilized in Bangladesh agriculture, despite the great demand for crops. This could eventually result in a significant depletion of the soil's potassium reserves, irreversible alteration of the minerals that contain potassium, and detrimental effects on crop productivity. Soil K mining in Bangladesh is a worrying problem, and we need to evaluate it thoroughly and find remedies. A pot culture experiment was conducted in the greenhouse of Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture (BINA) using eleven soil series of Bangladesh in order to see the depletion behaviour of potassium (K) by continuous cropping using rice (var. Iratom-24) as the test crop. The soil series were Ranishankhail, Kaonia. Sonatala, Silmondi, Gopalpur, Ishurdi, Sara, Kongsha, Nunni, Lauta and Amnura on which four successive rice plants (45 days duration) were raised with (100 ppm K) or without addition of potassium. Nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur and zinc were applied as basal to all pots. Potassium application resulted in higher dry matter yield, increased K concentration and uptake in all the soils compared with no K treatment; which gradually decreased in the subsequent harvests. Furthermore, plant takes up K not only from exchangeable pool but also from non-exchangeable sites and a minimum replenishment of K from the soil reserve was observed. Continuous cropping has resulted in the depletion of available K of the soil. The result indicated that in order to sustain higher crop yield under intensive cultivation, the addition of potash fertilizer is necessary.

Keywords: potassium, exchangeable pool, depletion behavior., Soil series

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Authors: Wassim Guermazi, Saoussan Boukhris, Neila Annabi Trabelsi, Tarek Rebai, Alya Sellami-Kamoun, Habib Ayadi

Abstract:

This work investigates the protective effects of the microalga Halamphora sp. extract (H. Ext) as a natural product on lead-intoxicated liver and kidney human cells in vitro and in vivo on rats wistar. HepG2 cells line derived from human hepatocellular carcinoma and HEK293 cells line derived from human embryonic kidney were used for the in vitro study. The analysis of the fatty acids methyl esters of the extract was performed by a GC/MS. Four groups of rats, each of which was composed of six animals, were used for the in vivo experiment. The pretreatment of HepG2 and HEK293 cells line with the extract (100 µg mL-1) significantly (p < 0.05) protected against cytotoxicity induced by lead exposure. In vivo, the biochemical parameters in serum, namely malondialdehyde level (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities, were measured in supernatants of organ homogenates. H. Ext was found to be rich in fatty acids, essentially palmitic and palmitoleic accounting respectively 29.46% and 42.07% of total fatty acids. Both in vitro and in vivo, the co-treatment with H. Ext allowed the protection of the liver and kidney cells structure, as well as the significant preservation of normal antioxidant and biochemical parameters in rats. Halamphora extract rich in fatty acids has been proven to be effective in protection against Pb-induced toxicity.

Keywords: microalga extract, human cells line, fatty acid, lead exposure, oxidative stress, rats

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Authors: Ching-Ling Lin, Li-Chi Huang, Yao-Tsung Chang, Ruey-Yu Chen, Shwu-Huey Yang

Abstract:

Introduction & Purpose: Diabetes and its related complications always been a major part of medical cost in Taiwan. To patient with diabetes, self-management blood sugar, improving a healthy lifestyle are the most important thing to avoid getting worse. The aim of this study was to explore the trend of the changing in blood glucose within intervention and followed-up periods of patients who participated in the health coaching program between 2017 and 2020. Design & Methods: The data was combined from two diabetes health coaching program. The intervention group had health coaching and usual care for 6 months, whereas the control had usual care only. The main outcome variables were HbA1c level at baseline, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. Results: In total, the data were available for 99 patients in the coaching intervention group and for 88 patients in the control group, the dropout rate during the follow-up period is about 18%. Of 187 participants, 54% were female, mean age was 61.5 years (SD=10.19), only 32.1% had a bachelor’s degree or higher, and the mean duration of diabetes treatment at Cathay General Hospital was 9.9 years. Within 12 months, the intervention group had a significant decrease of 0.65% (SD=1.05) in HbA1c level, and a non-significant decrease of 0.13%(SD=0.96) was observed in the control group. The figure showed the effect was the most significant in the first three months of the intervention and can be maintained for up to six months after the intervention was over. The HbA1c values of the two groups at each follow-up point are significantly different. In addition, there were non-significant correlation between HbA1c and gender, age, and educational level. Conclusion: Health coaching might be an effective way to enhance self-management for patients with diabetes and improving their blood sugar control in Taiwan.

Keywords: diabetes, health coaching, HbA1c, self-management

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Authors: M. Al Zallouha, Y. Landkocz, J. Brunet, R. Cousin, J. M. Halket, E. Genty, P. J. Martin, A. Verdin, D. Courcot, S. Siffert, P. Shirali, S. Billet

Abstract:

Toluene is one of the most used Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in the industry. Amongst VOCs, Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene and Xylenes (BTEX) emitted into the atmosphere have a major and direct impact on human health. It is, therefore, necessary to minimize emissions directly at source. Catalytic oxidation is an industrial technique which provides remediation efficiency in the treatment of these organic compounds. However, during operation, the catalysts can release some compounds, called byproducts, more toxic than the original VOCs. The catalytic oxidation of a gas stream containing 1000ppm of toluene on Pd/α-Al2O3 can release a few ppm of benzene, according to the operating temperature of the catalyst. The development of new catalysts must, therefore, include chemical and toxicological validation phases. In this project, A549 human lung cells were exposed in air/liquid interface (Vitrocell®) to gas mixtures derived from the oxidation of toluene with a catalyst of Pd/α-Al2O3. Both exposure concentrations (i.e. 10 and 100% of catalytic emission) resulted in increased gene expression of Xenobiotics Metabolising Enzymes (XME) (CYP2E1 CYP2S1, CYP1A1, CYP1B1, EPHX1, and NQO1). Some of these XMEs are known to be induced by polycyclic organic compounds conventionally not searched during the development of catalysts for VOCs degradation. The increase in gene expression suggests the presence of undetected compounds whose toxicity must be assessed before the adoption of new catalyst. This enhances the relevance of toxicological validation of such systems before scaling-up and marketing.

Keywords: BTEX toxicity, air/liquid interface cell exposure, Vitrocell®, catalytic oxidation

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Authors: Talal S. Abdullah, Shahin Mehraban, Geraint Lodwig, Nicholas P. Lavery

Abstract:

The defining property of Interstitial Free (IF) steels is formability, comprehensively measured using the Lankford coefficient (r-value) on uniaxial tensile test data. The contributing factors supporting this feature are grain size, orientation, and elemental additions. The processes that effectively modulate these factors are the casting procedure, hot rolling, and heat treatment. An existing methodology is well-practised in the steel Industry; however, large-scale production and experimentation consume significant proportions of time, money, and material. Introducing small-scale rapid alloy prototyping (RAP) as an alternative process would considerably reduce the drawbacks relative to standard practices. The aim is to finetune the existing fundamental procedures implemented in the industrial plant to adapt to the RAP route. IF material is remelted in the 80-gram coil induction melting (CIM) glovebox. To birth small grains, maximum deformation must be induced onto the cast material during the hot rolling process. The rolled strip must then satisfy the polycrystalline behaviour of the bulk material by displaying a resemblance in microstructure, hardness, and formability to that of the literature and actual plant steel. A successful outcome of this work is that small-scale RAP can achieve target compositions with similar microstructures and statistically consistent mechanical properties which complements and accelerates the development of novel steel grades.

Keywords: rapid alloy prototyping, plastic anisotropy, interstitial free, miniaturised tensile testing, formability

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