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Mobile devices have acquired an increasingly prominent role within the media arena. The consolidation of smartphones as the preferred platforms to access digital journalistic information has led to a number of changes in how the news is produced, distributed and eventually consumed. This article describes an evolving model of journalistic content for mobile devices to contribute to the theory of mobile media already set in motion by other peer researchers. Framed within the media ecology, the actor-network theory and the study of the society-technology relationship, we start with a bibliographic review to analyse innovations in the mobile digital ecosystem that are related to semantics (new formats and content genres) and social aspects (new forms of appropriation of media and technologies) whilst also identifying the main actors currently operating in this ecosystem. This approach makes it possible to reconstruct the emergent process that affected mobile technologies, devices, uses, platforms, products and services on a multidimensional timeline. A new stage in mobile journalism was defined and characterized from 2015 onwards. The consolidation phase for journalistic content on mobile devices is defined by the rise of social networks and micro-formats, personalization, video, audio, newsletters and news alerts, wearables, smart speakers and automation. At this stage, the production of informative content specifically designed to be distributed through various mobile devices was normalized, which led to the adaptation of old formats and the appearance of new ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The methods for gypsum content determination in soils are summarized and their applicability discussed. Special attention is given to the critical step of sample preparation, stressing the elimination of the oven heating at temperatures surpassing 40°C. Wet methods are unsuitable for soils rich in gypsum or containing other sulfates. Instead, oven‐based methods playing on the mass variations due to the release of constitutional water of gypsum are preferable. Under laboratory settings, we recommend two existing methods: one directly measuring the loss of mass on heating and the other exploiting the gypsum–bassanite phase change under controlled conditions. Both reflectance and X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) provide nondestructive methods for quick gypsum appraisal, and combining both methods increases the accuracy. The results are easily calibrated with gravimetric methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films have been grown onto soda-lime glass substrates by sputtering at room temperature with various oxygen to argon partial pressure ratios. After deposition, the samples have been annealed at temperatures ranging from 100 to 500 °C in nitrogen or in air. The structure, optical, and electrical characteristics of the ITO coatings have been analyzed as a function of the deposition and the annealing parameters by x-ray diffraction, spectrophotometry, and Hall effect measurements. It has been found that the as-grown amorphous layers crystallize in the cubic structure by heating above 200 °C. Simultaneously, the visible optical transmittance increases and the electrical resistance decreases, in proportions that depend mainly on the sputtering conditions. The lowest resistivity values have been obtained by annealing at 400 °C in nitrogen, where the highest carrier concentrations are achieved, related to oxygen vacancy creation. Some relationships between the analyzed properties have been established, showing the dependence of the cubic lattice distortion and the infrared optical characteristics on the carrier concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excitation of a fullerene-cage vibrational mode by inelastic tunneling electrons has been observed on single C[sub 60] molecules adsorbed on Ag(110). The vibration is assigned to the H[sub g](ω[sub 2]) mode. A critical enhancement of the inelastic signal was found on fullerenes oriented along one of their symmetry axis upon adsorption. In strong coincidence, those fullerenes maintain a resonance structure at the Fermi level that resembles the first unoccupied molecular orbital distribution of a free molecule, as determined by comparison with ab initio calculations. The degree of symmetry of the adsorbed fullerene is found to be crucial for resonant mechanism of vibrational excitation. We also propose that mode degeneracy splitting may reduce mode detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SnO 2 thin films are considered cheap transparent electrodes, interesting for scalable electronic applications, with intrinsic n-type conductivity related to donor defects like tin interstitials and oxygen vacancies. Besides, SnO 2 allows n-type extrinsic doping by pentavalent cations such as Ta or Sb. In the present work, SnO 2 and SnO 2 :Sb films were deposited on unheated soda lime glass substrates by reactive DC sputtering from Sn and Sn:Sb(5%) targets. Their structural, optical and electrical properties have been analyzed comparatively for the layers prepared at different oxygen partial pressures in the sputtering atmosphere, as-grown and after heating in air at several temperatures. Sb doping is proven effective to improve the electrical conductivity of sputtered tin dioxide samples. The contribution of oxygen vacancies is found dependent on the reactive deposition environment, in both pure and Sb-doped films, but subsequent heating can change the proportion and nature of the donor defects. For operation at temperatures above 400 °C, SnO 2 :Sb shows the best electrical performance and good thermal behavior is also achieved with pure SnO 2 layers by adjusting the oxygen content in the sputtering atmosphere. Image 1 • SnO 2 and SnO 2 :Sb are prepared by reactive sputtering on unheated substrates. • Conductivity in amorphous SnO 2 is dominated by oxygen vacancies. • Optimal Sb Sn incorporation is achieved by crystallization above 400 °C. • Coexistence with intermediate oxides allows the formation of cation interstitials. • Sb-doping and intermediate oxides reduce the average visible transmittance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The aim of this work was to evaluate the feasibility of treating fruit and vegetable waste from a municipal market in a full-scale anaerobic digester with minimum implementation and operational costs, i.e. without pre-treatment, clean water consumption, active heating or mixing. For this purpose, a 13.9 m3 digester that forces the submersion of solids, gains heat through solar radiation and recirculates effluent was monitored during one year of real operational and weather conditions in Bolivia. The digester was initially loaded with cow rumen (inoculum source), and after eight weeks with only fruit and vegetable waste. The digester operated at an organic loading rate (OLR) of 1 kgVS/(m3d). The normalized specific biogas production averaged 0.26 m3/kgVS and increased to 0.34 m3/kgVS when OLR was halved to 0.57 kgVS/(m3d), while the passive solar design allowed an average digester temperature of 21 °C (4 °C above the average ambient temperature). Graphical abstract Image 1 Highlights • One year monitoring a full scale low cost digester treating fruits and vegetables. • No pre treatment, water adding, mixing of heating devices needed. • Passive solar design increment the slurry temperature 4 °C over ambient one. • Biogas production is comparable with other sophisticated full scale digesters. • These low-cost digesters can be modularly implemented in small and medium-sized populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Argentinean online media have followed international trends in their digital trajectory and they have taken on the constant changes in the media ecosystem by innovating with the production of multimedia and interactive formats designed for the Internet, as well as technological initiatives such as virtual reality. From the organizational point of view, the convergence of newsrooms and the creation of labs are some of the identified features. In this article, a case study of La Nación, La Capital, La Voz del Interior and Clarín is developed, identifying its innovative elements and interviewing digital professionals. At a global level, the media of Argentina show an innovative nature, although unstable. The search for a sustainable model, the provision of economic, technological and human resources for the digital area and a strategic commitment of companies can provide what is necessary to ensure their consolidation in the network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: What is known and objective: No studies have evaluated the use of sorafenib with the direct‐acting antiviral ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir (OBV/PTV/r+DSV). Case summary: Three hepatitis C virus genotype 1b‐infected patients with well‐preserved liver function were included in this prospective case series. The patients were taking sorafenib for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma and received OBV/PTV/r+DSV for 12 weeks. One patient discontinued sorafenib while concomitant treatment due to grade 2 fatigue and muscular pain. The other two patients reported only grade 1 adverse effects. Sustained virologic response at 24 weeks was achieved, and no tumour recurrences were found. What is new and conclusion: The concurrent use of OBV/PTV/r+DSV with sorafenib was considered safe and effective. Metabolic and transporters profile [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research is to identify the operational conditions and performance of low cost tubular digesters producing biogas from the slaughterhouse wastewater treatment. Three full scale sequenced tubular digesters (of more than 8 m 3 each), operating in a slaughterhouse in Cochabamba (Bolivia), have been monitored during one year. The Organic Load Rate (OLR) varied from 0.04 to 1.13 kgSV/m 3 d (0.04–1.07 kgCOD/m 3 d), and the Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) from 3.2 to 87.4 days. The passive solar heating design considered drove the slurry temperature to 27 °C, 8 °C more than mean ambient temperature. The first digester has been filled with soda bottle plastic rings in order to increase the internal effective surface and evaluate, obtaining that an increment in 67% of the internal effective surface, more than doubles the biogas production and enables higher OLRs. A Biogas Production Rate (BPR) peak of 0.2 m 3 /m 3 d was observed for OLR = 0.37 kgSV/m 3 d, HRT = 9.7d and Specific Biogas Production (SBP) = 0.55 m 3 /kgSV. COD removal achieves values above 70% from HRT>19 d. A comparison with other anaerobic digestion technologies demonstrates that low cost tubular digesters with biofilm carriers, are competitive for OLR<0.5 kg COD/m 3 d of biogas production, and for 0.25 kgCOD/m 3 d, when the focus is on COD removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which examined the photovoltaic activity of electrodeposited copper indium diselenide thin films in aqueous acidic solutions. Use of the model of G&aumi;rtner to extract values of effective optoelectronic parameters of the copper indium diselenide films; Experimental details; Discussion.

Presents a study which measured the electrical properties of arsenic grown and heat treated copper indium diselenide thin films. Experimental details; Results and discussion; Conclusions.

Presents information on a study which determined optical absorption coefficients of electrodeposited CuInSe[sub2] thin films from the measured transmittance and reflectance at normal incidence of light. Electrodeposition of the films on titanium-coated glass substrates; Calculation of absorption coefficients for as-grown and heated samples; Changes in the optical characteristics resulting from the heat treatment of the films.

News media and journalists must adapt to emerging platforms in order to respond to changing news consumption habits. This article addresses the trend of Social Media Live Streaming on Twitch, a platform that has experienced significant growth since 2020. The research pursues the main objective of finding out how Spanish media and journalists are adapting to this platform and what possibilities it offers to the journalistic profession, in terms of business model as well as in communicative style, formats and relationship with the audience. An exploratory analysis made it possible to identify 55 channels and to establish, in the first phase of the research, two categories of study: channels driven by journalists --with a background in digital or legacy media-- or by news media --digital natives or legacy ones--. In a second phase, seven representative cases were studied through content analysis of their profiles and streams, as well as interviews with the promoters. The results reflect an initial stage in the development of news initiatives on Twitch, characterized by experimentation and diversity of projects. In general, there is no great innovation in content and formats, which are based on conversation. There is a hybridization of information and entertainment in live broadcasts which, although providing rigorous information and featuring experts, maintain a relaxed tone and make use of humor. The relationship with the audience is built through the chat, a central element during broadcasts, and subscriptions from viewers, which are the main source of income for the channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting from evaporated Cu layers, oxidation and sulfurization processes were developed by reaction at 250 °C with O 2 or elemental sulfur to obtain Cu 2 O and CuS thin films, respectively, with p-type conductivity and visible transparency. With the aim of achieving mixed compounds that combine the best properties of oxides (transparency) and sulfides (metal-like conductivity), different methods were tested, including Cu 2 O sulfurization, CuS oxidation and direct Cu sulfoxidation. The crystalline structure, morphology and optical and electrical characteristics of the various samples were studied comparatively. CuSO 4 crystals with a mean size above 40 nm were obtained by sulfoxidation, showing higher transmittance and lower resistance than the Cu 2 O film shaped by crystallites of ∼13 nm. Moreover, a superior electrode quality was achieved after CuS oxidation, which produces a mixture of small Cu 2 O and larger Cu 2 S nanocrystals with visible transmittance as high as the pure oxide and a hole density close to the sulfide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optical and electrical characteristics of copper oxide thin films are greatly dependent on the preparation procedure, which determines the crystallite size and the density of native defects. Minimization of the synthesis temperature is in general desirable to reduce the thermal budget and extend the deposition on sensitive substrates. Here, copper oxide layers have been prepared by heating evaporated copper in air at low temperatures (≤350 °C). The crystalline structure, optical and electrical properties of the oxidized films have been analyzed as a function of the evaporated copper thickness and the heating temperature. Single-phase Cu 2 O and CuO layers have been obtained by adjusting the preparation parameters, which allow to change the visible transmittance and gap energy of the films according to the specific application. Both copper oxide phases exhibit p-type conduction and photosensitivity. The analysis of photoconductivity transients and the optical absorption coefficients made possible to identify the sub-gap defect levels present in these compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper chalcogenide materials are interesting for multiple applications due to the feasibility of suiting their optical absorption and electrical conduction by the creation of copper vacancies. Here, CuS and CuSe nanocrystalline films with p-type conductivity have been obtained by heating evaporated copper layers of various thicknesses with elemental sulfur or selenium, at temperatures ranging from 250 to 400 °C. These preparation parameters determine the composition and the crystalline structure of the samples, which in turn control their morphology, optical and electrical properties. Thus, the surface roughness increases with the mean crystallite size, whereas the hole concentration increases as the copper atomic proportion (or x value) decreases. Owing to the high carrier densities achieved, around 10 cm, the samples show a metallic behavior with plasmonic absorption in the near infrared and electrical transport dominated by phonon scattering. Apart from such common behavior, some differences have been established between the sulfide and selenide films. One is the superior thermal stability of hexagonal CuS, present in all the temperature range, with respect to hexagonal CuSe, which evolves to cubic CuSe above 300 °C. Other is about the bandgap, wider for the sulfide than selenide samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiO 2 layers with crystalline anatase structure have been attained on unheated glass substrates, by reactive sputtering from a metallic target, using the sputtering pressure to change the energy of the particles arriving to the film surface. Such energy and the time of plasma exposure also influence the morphology and other physical properties of the sputtered films. The deposition time has been ranged to obtain TiO 2 coatings with different thicknesses from 0.24 to 1.08 μm and at various total pressures from 0.2 to 1.0 Pa. Overall characterization of the samples has been performed by X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy and spectrophotometry. The effects of the sputtering pressure and the film thickness on the crystalline structure (interplanar distance and mean crystallite size), the morphology (roughness and surface area) as well as the optical properties (refractive index, extinction coefficient) have been established. A direct relation between optical and morphological characteristics, and the calculated film porosity has been proven. Such porosity is well controlled by the deposition parameters; these allow tuning the optical and morphological properties of the sputtered TiO 2 coatings as required for different applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long-term studies of the changes in soil salinity are scarce and most overlook individual ions. Here, we assess changes in soil ionic contents using 42 soils repeatedly sampled during three campaigns over 24 years in a semi-arid irrigated district. Multivariate analysis (MVA) was used to evaluate the spatial distribution of ions and the temporal changes at comparable soil depths in relation to environmental and management factors. In general, the position of the soil in the landscape governed the spatial distribution of the salinity, while the temporal variations were related to irrigation, with incidences depending on the location in the district. Many soils on the slopes and foothills became salinated during the first years due to land leveling, but salination eventually tapered off after sprinkler utilization. At high and middle elevations, most soils were slightly saline in the first campaign but underwent desalination during the study period. At lower elevations, an initial desalination was followed by a pronounced salination, which was attributed to a water table rise with generalized irrigation in the basin. Whereas univariate salinity assessment might lead to conclusions that are over-simplistic at the landscape scale, MVA detects singular behaviors of groups of soils or single cases and has enormous potential coupled with GIS assessment of soil salinity data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaerobic digestion (AD) technology has become increasingly important due to its contribution to sustainability and a circular bioeconomy. While AD technologies are widespread in developing countries, developed countries have mainly driven research. The aim of this research is to analyze the biogas sector development from the point of view of a developing country like Colombia. AD research ranges from laboratory mesophilic AD to psychrophilic full-scale digesters, which are intergrated with household farms as a thermal energy source for cooking, nutrient recycling for agriculture, and waste management. Research on agricultural waste substrates, inocula, and co-digestion has dominated the Colombian publications, while full-scale digesters performance research is incipient. A survey of installed digesters collected information about 996 systems and found that 79% were psychrophilic low-cost tubular digesters. Regulations for biogas were reviewed, and it was found that they are not adequate for low-cost digesters and are inherited from developed countries, ignoring the national context. Five case studies are presented on the characterization of AD technology experiences, analyzing barriers and opportunities for the technology. National networks that include farmers, NGOs, and academia are driven slowly by Colombia's widespread AD technology, mainly on small-to medium-scale farms. • Half of the Colombian AD publications are from the last three years. • 79% of the digesters are low-cost and run under psychrophilic conditions. • Mesophilic AD research on substrates, co-digestion, and inoculum dominates. • There is a lack of regulation, support, and psychrophilic AD research. • Multidisciplinary networks drive the spread and research of low-cost digesters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavily doped metal oxide semiconductors are being developed as thin film transparent electrodes for many applications and their deposition at low substrate temperature can extend the use on heat sensitive devices. The structural and electro-optical characteristics of such metal oxide coatings are tightly related and depend on the specific deposition parameters apart from the material composition. In this work, SnO:Sb (ATO) and ZnO:Al (AZO) thin films have been prepared by sputtering at room temperature on glass substrates, changing the deposition time to obtain various layer thicknesses from 0.2 to 0.9 μm; and they have been analyzed by X-ray diffraction, spectrophotometry, and Hall-effect measurements. ATO samples crystallize in the tetragonal structure with mean crystallite size increasing from 8 to 20 nm when the film thickness grows. The comparison of Hall mobility and optical mobility values indicates a significant contribution of grain boundary scattering for these ATO layers. Otherwise, AZO films show larger crystallites (21-27 nm) and a strong preferential orientation for analogous thickness increment, resulting in a lower contribution of the grain boundary scattering to the overall Hall mobility. The in-grain mobility for each sample is also related to the respective crystallite size and carrier concentration values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transparent and conductive ZnO:Al and In 2 O 3 :Sn thin films with 0.3 μm thickness have been prepared by sputtering and subsequently annealed at temperatures ranging from 250 to 450°C in N 2 , 5% H 2 /N 2 and air atmospheres. These samples combine high transparency (> 85%) in the visible range with high electrical conductivity (> 10 3 Ω − 1 cm − 1 ) and plasmonic absorption in the near-infrared region, which is found sensitive to the heating temperature and environment. Such sensitivity has been related to oxidation state changes observed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy in the respective Zn–O and In–O bonds, since this modifies intrinsic doping by annihilation or creation of donor oxygen vacancies. The infrared plasmonic characteristics (plasma and damping energies) along with the ultraviolet absorption onset (band-gap energy) have been analyzed as a function of the carrier concentration and mobility determined by Hall-effect measurements. Assuming analogous non-parabolicity factors for the conduction band of both materials, the experimental results are consistent with lower permittivity values for ZnO:Al than for In 2 O 3 :Sn samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper a new approach to design sound phase diffusers is presented. The acoustic properties of such diffusers are usually increased by using single objective optimization methods. Here we propose the use of a multiobjective (MO) approach to design them in order to take into account several conflicting characteristic simultaneously. Three different MO problems are posed to consider various scenarios where fundamentally the objective is to maximize the normalized diffusion coefficient (following the corresponding Audio Engineering Society standard) for the so-called medium frequencies. This single objective could be divided into other several objectives to adjust performances to designer preferences. A multi-objective evolutionary algorithm (called ev-MOGA) is used to characterize the Pareto front in a smart way. ev-MOGA is modified, by using integer codification and tuning some of its genetic operators, to adapt it to the new requirements. Special interest is posed in selecting the diffusers codification properly to eliminate duplicities that would produce a multimodal problem. Precision in the manufacturing process is taking into account in the diffuser codification causing, that the number of different diffusers are quantified. Robust considerations related with the precision manufacturing process are considered in the decision making process. Finally, an optimal diffuser is selected considering designer preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research was to evaluate the error originated when biogas production from field monitoring digesters, influenced by the diurnal temperature cycle, was normalized to standard conditions for pressure and temperature (273.15 K and 100 kPa) from local conditions. The biogas production data is often reported without indicating if done under local conditions, whether these conditions have been standardized and, if they have actually been standardized, the standard temperature and pressure is not indicated. In this research ambient and biogas temperature, as well as biogas production were monitored with a 30 min frequency during three consecutive days, in three different tubular digesters. Normalization was realized using the high frequency data collected as reference values, and also using daily biogas production with mean daily biogas, ambient and nearby meteorological station temperatures. The outcome of this research shows that normalization of biogas production can be obtained using daily biogas production and the daily mean ambient temperature with an overestimation by no more than 1.5%, in comparison to the normalization achieved by using high frequency data from biogas temperature and production. Using mean daily ambient temperature or mean daily biogas temperature results in the same overestimation, while using mean daily ambient temperature from a nearby airport weather station pushes the overestimation up to 2.7%. So, if ambient temperature and altitude is identified, biogas production reported in local conditions can be normalized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Many gypsiferous soils occur in arid lands, where the water retention capacity of the soil is vital to plant life and crop production. This study investigated the effect of gypsum content on the gravimetric soil water retention curve (WRC). We analyzed calcium carbonate equivalent (CCE), equivalent gypsum content (EG), soil organic carbon content (SOC), and electrical conductivity of 43 samples collected from various horizons in soils in the Ebro Valley, NE Spain. The WRC of the fine earth was determined using the pressure-plate method (pressure heads = 0, −33, −100, −200, −500, and −1500 kPa), and the gravimetric water retention curves were fitted to the unimodal van Genuchten function. Soil gypsum content had a significant effect on water retention. Soils that had high gypsum content made WRC with higher water retention at near saturation conditions, and steeper WRC slopes. The EG threshold at which gypsum content had an effect on WRC was about 40%, and EG was positively and negatively correlated with the α and n parameters of the WRC, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a steroid-free regimen with tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil (modified therapy) vs. a standard regimen of tacrolimus and steroids on the cardiovascular risk score of liver transplant recipients. Patients who received a liver transplant were randomized to a modified therapy (n = 58) or a standard regimen (n = 59). Both groups were balanced at baseline, except for a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus ( DM) (p < 0.01) and a higher serum creatinine concentration (p < 0.05) in the modified therapy group. After 12 months, the prevalence of new-onset DM, arterial hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and changes in cardiovascular risk factors was similar in both groups. The increase in serum creatinine (mg/dL) compared to baseline at one yr post-transplantation was numerically lower in the modified therapy group (0.22 ± 0.42) than in the standard regimen group (0.41 ± 0.67) (p = 0.068). Although estimated cardiovascular risk score did not vary significantly compared to baseline in either group, there was a slight reduction in the modified regimen (−0.27 ± 2.87) vs. a mild increase (0.17 ± 2.94) in the standard regimen (p = 0.566). In conclusion, a steroid-free regimen with tacrolimus and mycophenolate mofetil was associated with a trend toward better preservation of kidney function and reduction of cardiovascular risk score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention affects neuronal processing and improves behavioural performance. In extrastriate visual cortex these effects have been explained by normalization models, which assume that attention influences the circuit that mediates surround suppression. While normalization models have been able to explain attentional effects, their validity has rarely been tested against alternative models. Here we investigate how attention and surround/mask stimuli affect neuronal firing rates and orientation tuning in macaque V1. Surround/mask stimuli provide an estimate to what extent V1 neurons are affected by normalization, which was compared against effects of spatial top down attention. For some attention/surround effect comparisons, the strength of attentional modulation was correlated with the strength of surround modulation, suggesting that attention and surround/mask stimulation (i.e. normalization) might use a common mechanism. To explore this in detail, we fitted multiplicative and additive models of attention to our data. In one class of models, attention contributed to normalization mechanisms, whereas in a different class of models it did not. Model selection based on Akaike's and on Bayesian information criteria demonstrated that in most cells the effects of attention were best described by models where attention did not contribute to normalization mechanisms. This demonstrates that attentional influences on neuronal responses in primary visual cortex often bypass normalization mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal layers with high roughness and electrical conductivity are required as back-reflector electrodes in several optoelectronic devices. The metal layer thickness and the process temperature should be adjusted to reduce the material and energetic costs for the electrode preparation. Here, Ag thin films with thickness ranging from 30 to 200 nm have been deposited by sputtering at room temperature on glass substrates. The structure, morphology, optical and electrical properties of the films have been analyzed in the as-grown conditions and after thermal treatment in flowing nitrogen at various temperatures in the 150–550 °C range. The surface texture has been characterized by the root-mean-square roughness and the correlation length coefficients, which are directly related to the electrical resistivity and the light-scattering parameter (reflectance haze) for the various samples. The increment in the reflectance haze has been used to detect surface agglomeration processes that are found dependent on both the film thickness and the annealing temperature. A good compromise between light-scattering and electrical conductivity has been achieved with 70 nm-thick Ag films after 350 °C heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research is to evaluate the increase of biogas production with low cost tubular digesters in cold climates using PET rings inside the reactor. Two similar digesters have been operated and monitored in cold weather conditions and have been fed with cow manure. Digester 1 was filled with PET – rings as a biofilm carrier, Digester 2 was kept as a reference. Through the PET – rings the functional surface could be increased by a factor 4.2. The results show that 44% more biogas per KgSV has been produced with the biofilm carrier in use (0.33 m³/kgSV) (reference digester -0.23 m³/kgSV), at an organic load rate of 0.26 kgSV/m³/d. The thermal performance shows that with an adaptation of the low cost tubular digester the slurry temperature can be raised up to 16.6 °C (average) by surrounding temperature of 6.1 °C (average) without using any active heating system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obtaining multi-objective optimization solutions with a small number of points smartly distributed along the Pareto front is a challenge. Optimization methods, such as the normalized normal constraint (NNC), propose the use of a filter to achieve a smart Pareto front distribution. The NCC optimization method presents several disadvantages related with the procedure itself, initial condition dependency, and computational burden. In this article, the epsilon-variable multi-objective genetic algorithm (ev-MOGA) is presented. This algorithm characterizes the Pareto front in a smart way and removes the disadvantages of the NNC method. Finally, examples of a three-bar truss design and controller tuning optimizations are presented for comparison purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Transparent ZnO:Al thin films were deposited by sputtering at room temperature. [•] Their conductivity and texture were enhanced by thermal and chemical treatments. [•] The haze spectra were according to the roughness and autocorrelation length values. [•] The highest optical scattering was achieved with HF etching and subsequent heating. [•] Lower haze values were achieved when HF or HCl etching were applied after heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ag and ITO/Ag ultrathin films have been prepared by magnetron sputtering on unheated glass substrates. The Ag mass thickness was varied from 6 to 30 nm by increasing the deposition time, whereas the ITO film thickness was fixed at 30 nm. The optical, structural and morphological properties of the samples were analysed as-grown at room temperature and after heating at 300 °C in flowing nitrogen. The optical characteristics of the Ag samples have been modelled according to a system which has different contributions from bulk-like features to surface-plasmon characteristics arising from spheroidal particles with reduced carrier mobilities. The as-grown Ag morphological data are consistent with particle clusters that are loosely connected at the lowest deposition times and become wetted in a smooth film only when the deposition time increases. For the uncoated Ag samples, the heating at 300 °C produced surface migrations and reorganizations that resulted in films with a higher crystallite size in preferential Ag (1 1 1) orientation, together with significant changes in the surface roughness and the optical absorption. The ITO coating deposition process induced also some morphological changes, but the optical characteristics of the ITO/Ag stacks remained practically unchanged with respect to the analogous uncoated silver samples. Besides, the ITO coating has avoided that the underlying silver could migrate and agglomerate during the thermal treatment, although it has allowed the Ag (1 1 1) recrystallization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the framework of the OECD/NEA project on Benchmark for Uncertainty Analysis in Modeling (UAM) for Design, Operation, and Safety Analysis of LWRs, several approaches and codes are being used to deal with the exercises proposed in Phase I, "Specifications and Support Data for Neutronics Cases." At UPM, our research group treats these exercises with sensitivity calculations and the "sandwich formula" to propagate cross-section uncertainties. Two different codes are employed to calculate the sensitivity coefficients of keff to cross sections in criticality calculations: MCNPX-2.7e and SCALE-6.1. The former uses the Differential Operator Technique and the latter uses the Adjoint-Weighted Technique. In this paper, the main results for exercise I-2 "Lattice Physics" are presented for the criticality calculations of PWR. These criticality calculations are done for a 15 x 15 TMI fuel assembly at four different states: HZP-Unrodded, HZP-Rodded, HFP-Unrodded, and HFP-Rodded. The results of the two different codes above are presented and compared. The comparison proves a good agreement between SCALE-6.1 and MCNPX-2.7e in keff uncertainty that comes from the sensitivity coefficients calculated by both codes. Differences are found when the sensitivity profiles are analysed, but they do not lead to differences in the keff uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The current work is focused on the numerical study of mass transport inside a cubical reactor agitated by natural convection. The inner face of the bottom wall is covered with a catalytic layer, where a first order chemical reaction takes place with negligible internal resistance to mass transfer. The reactor operates discontinuously and its time evolution is simulated until a 90% reactant conversion is reached. A Galerkin spectral method is used for the spatial discretization of the differential conservation equations of momentum, internal energy and concentration of the reactant species. The solute concentration is advanced in time by means of a 7–8th order Runge–Kutta–Fehlberg method with automatic adjustment of the time-step. The bifurcation diagram of the natural convection flow is established for Rayleigh numbers up to Ra =1.5×105 and a Prandtl number of Pr =6. Amongst the several branches of steady solutions that coexist within this range of Ra, the flow pattern that has the widest stability domain and maximizes the heat transfer rate is selected. The spatial structure and the mixing capabilities of the selected flow pattern are analyzed. The competitiveness of the present reactor is assessed for Pr =6 and different values of the Rayleigh and Schmidt numbers (in the respective ranges 7.5×104 ⩽ Ra ⩽1.5×105 and 6⩽ Sc ⩽2000) and the Damkohler number (1⩽ ϕ ⩽100). It is found that, after a short transient, the values of the reactor efficiency, η, become time-independent. The external mass transfer rates can be therefore characterized in terms of η and thickness of the concentration boundary layer, δ c . The dependence of both η and δ c on the problem parameters (Ra, Sc and ϕ) is analysed. The effectiveness of the natural convection-driven catalytic reactor is at least as high as that typically found in previous studies, where mass transfer was promoted by forced convection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

De novo malignancies are frequent complications after liver transplantation. They are one of the leading causes of late death. Some authors have reported promising results following implementation of extensive cancer surveillance programs. Screening protocols might benefit patients by providing a diagnosis at an earlier stage when tumors may be cured. These protocols should be based on the specific risk factors of every patient. Unfortunately, the scientific evidence supporting screening protocols is still very weak both in the general population and in the transplant patients. On this basis, there is not enough evidence to recommend routine screening for all liver transplant recipients, apart from the recommendations accepted for the general population. Multicenter studies in selected groups of patients at high risk for malignancy may be the only way of defining the potential benefit of screening programs post-transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

. Congenital haemophilia A is a chromosome-linked recessive disorder caused by the deficiency or reduction of factor VIII (FVIII) pro-coagulant activity. During treatment, some patients develop alloantibodies (FVIII inhibitors) that neutralize the action of exogenously administered FVIII. Currently, the presence of these inhibitors is the most serious adverse event found in replacement therapy. Some studies have suggested that genetic factors influence the development of the FVIII coagulation inhibitors. To identify the class I and II alleles that may be influencing the formation of inhibitors in severe haemophilic patients. Genotyping of the class I (HLA-A, -B and -C) and class II (HLA-DRB1, -DQA1 and -DQB1) alleles of 122 patients with severe haemophilia A, including 36 who had developed antibodies to factor VIII, was performed. After the comparison of the group without inhibitors and the group with inhibitors, HLA-C*16 [Odds ratio (OR) = 7.73; P = 0.0092] and HLA-DRB1*14 (OR = 4.52; P = 0.0174) were found to be positively associated with the formation of the inhibitors. These results confirm that HLA alleles are involved in inhibitor production and could be used as a tool for recognition of groups at high risk of possible inhibitor development in Southern Brazilian haemophilic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to present a novel, universal, methodology for the design of low cost tubular digesters. This method improves on the established methodology by avoiding assumptions that tend to reduce the final hydraulic retention time (HRT) of digesters once installed. This work recommends designing the digester using trench cross-sectional area and proposes an optimization of the trench dimensions with respect to the angle of the walls and the relationship between the length of the biogas bell and the top width of the trench. The influence of the biogas pressure is considered. A simple geometrical analysis is presented that, by parameterization, can be applied in a wide range of situations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Cu(In,Ga)Se thin films have been prepared by selenization of the evaporated metallic precursors on transparent and conductive ITO-coated as well as uncoated glass substrates, by starting from slightly Cu-rich or Cu-poor overall metallic proportions. The objective is to determine the influence of the Cu availability on the constituents distribution achieved after selenization, by means of data obtained at several film depths by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy that have been related to the overall optical and structural characteristics of the material. This study points out the possibility of achieving homogeneous or graded absorber layers, showing for homogeneous samples an ITO/Cu(In,Ga)Se interface with ohmic electrical characteristics suitable to act as back contact for semitransparent photovoltaic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: CuInSe2 thin films with typical 1.0eV gap energy and tetragonal chalcopyrite structure have been obtained on soda–lime glass substrates by the reaction of sequentially evaporated Cu and In layers with elemental selenium vapor, at 500°C in flowing Ar. When analogous deposition and reaction processes were performed on Al:ZnO coated glasses, some increment in the band gap energy and diminution in the crystalline interplanar spacings have been detected for the resulting films with an extent that depends on the Cu/In atomic ratio of the evaporated precursor layers. This fact has been related to Zn incorporation into the selenized film, with quaternary (CuIn)1−x Zn2x Se2 compound formation that is influenced by the presence of copper selenide phases during the reaction process. Such deductions are supported by the optical, structural and compositional characterizations that have been performed comparatively on samples prepared by selenization of evaporated metallic precursors with two different Cu/In ratios (0.9 and 1.1) on bare and Al:ZnO coated glass substrates. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: There is increasing attention paid to improving transparent conductive electrodes for applications in large area photovoltaic devices and displays that are being developed for energy and electronics. To date, transparent and conductive oxides (TCO) based on In2O3, ZnO, or SnO2 are commonly used, but advanced devices require new electrodes with lower resistivities than previously achieved and with optical properties superior to those of the present generation. TCO/metal/TCO multilayer structures have emerged as an interesting alternative because they provide optical and electrical characteristics globally superior to those attainable with a single-layer TCO or metal electrode and can be deposited at low temperatures onto inexpensive plastic substrates. Indeed, the fabrication of thin film devices on flexible substrates has substantial interest for application to lightweight products and implementation of roll-to-roll deposition processes that can significantly reduce production costs. In this sense, organic electronics that require low deposition temperatures have the best chance to be the first transferred from conventional glass to inexpensive plastic substrates. The present critical review summarizes current TCO/metal/TCO research results, first analyzed for materials and thickness selection as a function of the optical transmittance and electrical resistance parameters, and then analyzed according to other important properties such as mechanical reliability and thermal and humidity stability. The review concludes with a brief discussion of the results obtained for TCO/metal/TCO structures applied as electrodes in several organic electronic devices. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Low-cost tubular digesters have been implemented in several developing countries. One of the problems reported from field surveys is that biogas generation that does not meet the user’s expectations. This report provides two reasons for the discrepancy between the biogas generation rate estimated in the design phase and the actual rate measured after construction, due to a lower final hydraulic retention time (HRT). The hydraulic retention time is normally determined from the liquid volume calculated from the cylindrical shape of the bag and not from the trench dimensions. The result is a reduction in HRT of 6%–51%, depending on the dimensions of the trench recommended by various authors. Another factor that is not normally considered is the influence of the biogas pressure on the liquid level inside the digester which negatively affects the liquid volume of the digester, reducing HRT by as much as 15%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: The oral route is the most convenient way of administering medication, although it may not be safe. Dysphagia is one of the factors rendering difficult a proper feeding and administration of medication. Objectives: To improve the administration of oral medication in patients with dysphagia by changing the pharmaceutical formulation of the principles prescribed to tolerable textures. Methods: Pilot project for the application of a dysphagia protocol that included the patients admitted to the Internal Medicine Unit at Los Montalvos Center for 4 months. After detecting the suspicion of dysphagia. A phagia-viscosity test was applied to know the tolerated textures. Then, the pharmaceutical formulations were adapted and the manipulation instructions for the drugs were indicated for their proper administration. Results: 23 out of 627 admitted patients were included, with a mean age of 85 years (σ ± 7.4). The pathologies implicated in dysphagla were: dementia (65.2%); cerebrovascular disease (30.4%). and Parkinson's disease 44.4%). The best texture for drug intake was a "pudding" in 48.0 %.43 active ingredients were reviewed and 134 interventions were performed: in 41% of the cases, swallowing was made easier by mixing the drug with the food and in 59% water and a thickener were used. 94% of the recommendations were considered to he appropriate. Conclusion: The adaptation of the pharmaceutical formulations to the degree of dysphagia impacts on time improvement of healthcare quality by implementing safety in drug prescription and administration processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Soil salinity encroachment is an increasing concern in many irrigated lands, because of the undesirable effects of soluble salts on agricultural production and on water quality. From this point of view, the design and management of irrigation districts can be evaluated by monitoring the soil salinity. There are few cases in the world where comparisons can be undertaken from ‘historic’ data sets for extents other than individual plots. We demonstrate a monitoring procedure using electromagnetic induction (EMI) survey in an irrigated district in Spain. This district is the only one having an established soil salinity baseline. The EMI data acquired at the same plots were converted to soil electrical conductivity by calibrating with augered soil samples. The presented calibrations improve the baseline for future comparisons and for the treatment and understanding of new acquisitions of field data in next surveys. A shortcoming inherent to destructive soil sampling is its potential for biasing effects on long-term monitoring of soil salinity by means of GPS or other means of accurate localization and relocalization of soil sampling, the herein called “localization paradox”, rarely treated in scientific papers. The localization paradox is relevant for any variable soil property requiring repeated sampling. This issue is discussed, and a way for its overcoming by using EMI readings displaced from the augering is presented. EMI needs calibration with a reduced number of soil samples analyzed in the lab. The adoption of our data treatment procedures will facilitate soil salinity monitoring. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The dynamics of a Rayleigh–Bénard convection problem in a cubical cavity at moderate values of the Rayleigh number () and a Prandtl number of (with extensions to and 0.80) was investigated. The cubical cavity was heated from below and had perfectly conducting sidewalls and uniform temperature distributions on the two horizontal walls. A system of ordinary differential equations with a dimension of typically was obtained when the conservation equations were discretized by means of a Galerkin method. Previous knowledge of the bifurcation diagram of steady solutions, reported in the literature, was used to identify the origin of several branches of periodic orbits that were continued with Ra. Half a dozen of such periodic orbits were found to be stable within narrow ranges of Ra (at most, some 5000 units wide). An attracting two-torus, restricted to a very narrow region of Ra, was also identified. It was found that the instabilization of periodic orbits quite often resulted into the development of complex dynamics such as the creation of homoclinic and heteroclinic orbits. Instances of both types of global bifurcations were analyzed in some detail. One particular instance of chaotic dynamics (a strange attractor) was also identified. Chaotic dynamics has been found at in a flow invariant subspace, which can be interpreted as a fixed-point subspace in terms of equivariant theory; this subspace is not attracting. However, some regions of attracting chaotic dynamics for moderate Rayleigh numbers () were found at values of slightly above 0.71. The role of a particular homoclinic solution found at in the generation of these chaotic regions was analyzed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Remote sensing is a powerful tool for thematic mapping, but its use for the discrimination of different kinds of soils has been scarce and the results variable. We demonstrate the usefulness of Landsat ETM+ images to discriminate gypseous lands in two contrasting regions, Cedral, Mexico, and Bujaraloz, Spain. We also discuss the contribution of the infra-red bands, and found the bands of mid and thermal infra-red to be the more useful. A supervised classification of Landsat ETM+ images enabled us to discriminate land covers related to gypseous lands in Cedral, and to locate gypsum lithologies in Bujaraloz. The thermal infra-red band does not substantially improve the classification in Bujaraloz, but it does in Cedral, being best in the wet season, when the differences of temperatures among classes are relevant. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Transparent and conductive Al-doped ZnO (AZO) films have been grown with various thicknesses between 0.3 and 1.1 μm by magnetron sputtering at room temperature onto soda lime glass substrates. After deposition, the samples have been annealed at temperatures ranging from 150 to 450 °C in air or vacuum. The optical, electrical, and structural characteristics of the AZO coatings have been analyzed as a function of the film thickness and the annealing parameters by spectrophotometry, Hall effect measurements, and X-ray diffraction. As-grown layers are found polycrystalline, with hexagonal structure that shows some elongation of the unit cells along the c-axis, having visible transmittance ∼85–90% and resistivity ∼1.6–2.0 mΩ cm, both parameters slightly decreasing when the film thickness increases. Heating in air or vacuum produces further elongation of the crystalline lattice together with some increase of the visible transmittance and a decrease of the electrical resistance that depends on the heating temperature and atmosphere. The best characteristics have been obtained after treatment in vacuum at 350 °C, where the highest carrier concentrations are achieved, giving visible transmittance ∼90–95% and resistivity ∼0.8–0.9 mΩ cm for the AZO layers with various thicknesses. Some relationships between the analyzed properties have been established, showing the dependence of the lattice distortion, the band gap energy and the mobility on the carrier concentration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) have a wide range of applications in several optoelectronic devices but beyond the conventional characteristics of transparency and conductivity different characteristics are required by each different technology. This constitutes a promising stimulation of the present research of TCO films. In order to investigate the possible application of antimony doped tin oxide (ATO) thin films as a TCO electrode for new concepts in solar cells and other optoelectronic devices, ATO thin films with adequate properties in terms of light transparency and conductivity were obtained using room temperature processes by oxygen-reactive DC magnetron sputtering, then the films were annealed in nitrogen atmosphere at a temperature of 350°C. The effect of O2/(Ar+O2) ratio in the sputter flow gas mixture has been studied. Results regarding to optical and electrical properties, microstructure and composition measurements are reported. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]