Nanocrystalline/Amorphous Tuning of Al-Fe-Nb (Mn) Alloy Powders Produced via High-Energy Ball Milling.

The demand for advanced Al-based alloys with tailored structural and magnetic properties has intensified for applications requiring a high thermal stability and performance under challenging conditions. This study investigated the phase evolution, magnetic properties, thermal stability, and microstructural changes in the Al-based alloys AlFeNb and AlFeNbMn, synthesized via mechanical alloying (MA), using stearic acid as a process control agent. The X-ray diffraction results indicated that AlFeNb achieved a β-phase solid solution with 13-14 nm crystallite sizes after 5 h of milling, reaching an amorphous state after 10 h.

The Repeated Administration of Resveratrol Has Measurable Effects on Circulating T-Cell Subsets in Humans.

Preclinical studies have shown that resveratrol exerts immunomodulatory effects with potential clinical value in the amelioration of autoimmune disorders and cancer prevention; however, little is known about the in vivo effects of this naturally occurring polyphenol on human immune cells. We assessed the effects of repeated doses of resveratrol (1000 mg/day for 28 days) on circulating immune cells in healthy Japanese individuals. Resveratrol was safe and well tolerated and was associated with significant increases in the numbers of circulating T cells and regulatory T cells and resulted in small, yet significant, decreases in the plasma levels of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF- and MCP-1 and a significant increase in the plasma antioxidant activity compared with the corresponding antioxidant baseline activity and with that in four control individuals.

Resveratrol selectively induces apoptosis in malignant cells with the JAK2V617F mutation by inhibiting the JAK2 pathway.

Scope: Resveratrol is a natural occurring polyphenol with several health promoting activities, including anticancer potential. Here, we analyzed the cytotoxic effects of resveratrol against malignant cells characterized by aberrant activation of the Janus kinase 2 (JAK2).

Methods And Results: Cell-cycle analysis, proliferation, apoptosis, and Western blotting assays were performed to study the effect of resveratrol on malignant cells exhibiting an excessive activation of the JAK2 pathway secondary to the JAK2(V617F) mutation.

Paraptosis cell death induction by the thiamine analog benfotiamine in leukemia cells.

Benfotiamine is a synthetic thiamine analogue that stimulates transketolase, a cellular enzyme essential for glucose metabolism. Currently, benfotiamine is used to treat diabetic neuropathy. We recently reported that oral benfotiamine induced a temporary but remarkable recovery from acute myeloid leukemia in an elderly patient who was ineligible for standard chemotherapy due to dementia and renal failure.

Establishing smoke-free hospitals in Vietnam: a pilot project.

In Vietnam, a pilot 'smoke-free hospital' model was implemented in nine hospitals in 2009-2010 to supply lessons learned that would facilitate a replication of this model elsewhere. This study aimed to assess smoking patterns among health professionals and to detect levels of second-hand smoke (SHS) exposure within hospital premises before and after the 'smoke-free hospital' model implementation. A pre- and post-intervention cross-sectional study was conducted in nine purposively selected hospitals.