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Anemia is a common cause of morbidity and disease and reduces the quality of life. This study examined the effect of a combination treatment (AAC) using Astragali radix (AMW) and Angelicae radix (AGW) in cyclophosphamide (CYP)-induced anemic rats on erythropoietin (EPO) expression and hematological parameters. Male 4-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into five groups with or without CYP-induced anemia and individual or the combined herbal treatments according to the experimental protocol. After treatment, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to evaluate the effects of AAC on erythropoietin expression, and blood and serological parameters were measured. The EPO mRNA levels were lower in the CYP-treated group, compared to the normal group, and higher in the AAC-treated group. In the CYP-treated group, the serum iron concentration, total iron-binding capacity, and vitamin B(12) level were lower, but these were normal or almost normal in the AAC-treated group. The CYP-treated group gained less weight than the normal group, but weight gain was partially normalized in the AAC group. The feed efficiency ratio was lowest in the CYP group, but the differences were not significant. The numbers of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, the hematocrit, and the hemoglobin level were measured. The results revealed a reduced number of blood cells in the CYP-treated group, whereas the AAC-, AMW-, and AGW-treated groups showed significantly enhanced blood cell numbers compared to the CYP-treated control group and the AAC-treated group. AAC enhanced EPO mRNA expression in the CYP-induced anemic rat and improved the hematological parameters and vitamin B(12) status.

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The aim of this study is to clarify the metal-mold reaction for the economic net-shape forming of titanium and titanium alloys. The metal-mold reactions between pure titanium, TiAl alloys and Al2O3 mold were examined in a plasma arc melting furnace. The alpha-case generation between pure titanium and Al2O3 mold could not be explained by the conventional α-case formation mechanism, which is known to be formed by the interstitials, especially oxygen dissolved from mold materials. However, based on the interstitial and substitutional α-case formation mechanism, the α-case formation between pure titanium and Al2O3 mold, and α-case free casting of TiAl alloys against Al2O3 mold can be explained. On the basis of the interstitial and substitutional α-case formation mechanism, α-case controlled net-shape forming of titanium and TiAl alloys can be possible for the structural materials.

The aim of this study is to fabricate an α-case free (TiB+TiC) hybrid titanium matrix composites (TMCs) shot sleeve for aluminum alloy diecasting by in-situ synthesis and investment casting. Granular 1.88 wt% B4C was added to a titanium matrix in a vacuum induction melting furnace. The synthesized (TiB+TiC) TMCs were examined using electron probe micro-analysis and transmission electron microscopy. The results of the in-situ synthesis and investment casting of the TMCs show that our casting route constitutes an effective approach to the economic net-shape forming of TMC sleeves.

TiAl alloys Al composition range between 45 and 49 at%, includes γ-TiAl and α2-Ti3Al, are an emerging high temperature materials which has higher specific strength, oxidation ratio and specific modulus than Ni base superalloy. In this study, TiAl alloys were manufactured by plasma arc melting (PAM) and then TiAl and granular boron carbide were in-situ synthesized in PAM method again. The in-situ synthesized TiAl matrix composites were investigated by using X-ray diffractometer, optical microscope, and electron probe micro-analyzer.

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