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The ESS ERIC neutron source design includes a helium cooled tungsten spallation target and a liquid hydrogen moderator, enclosed in a vacuum vessel (the monolith vessel). The neutron source and moderator are shielded by stainless steel and casted iron to block neutron and gamma radiation emitted in directions other than along the neutron beam ports. After the ESS concept design was approved, questions were raised if it was possible to introduce a UCN/VCN (Ultra Cold Neutron/Very Cold Neutron) source into the ESS design. Since the shielding concept of the monolith vessel is to 100% fill the monolith void except for the proton and neutron beam paths, there are no cavities in the monolith vessel left, where one could easily place a UCN/VCN source. An additional challenge is the pipe routing for the UCN/VCN cooling media. However, some of the shielding blocks and monolith components are removable and could possibly be redesigned, enabling implementation of a UCN/VCN source. This article presents a feasibility study how to physically introduce a UCN/VCN source in the present ESS design, focusing on the geometrical possibilities. Four possible locations for the UCN/VCN source were identified, which are considered to be feasible but will require some redesign of the monolith vessel shielding.

Electrocatalysis enables the industrial transition to sustainable production of chemicals using abundant precursors and electricity from renewable sources. De-centralized production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) from water and oxygen of air is highly desirable for daily life and industry. We report an effective electrochemical refinery (e-refinery) for H2O2 by means of electrocatalysis-controlled comproportionation reaction (2(H)O + O -> 2(HO)), feeding pure water and oxygen only. Mesoporous nickel (II) oxide (NiO) was used as electrocatalyst for oxygen evolution reaction (OER), producing oxygen at the anode. Conducting polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) drove the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), forming H2O2 on the cathode. The reactions were evaluated in both half-cell and device configurations. The performance of the H2O2 e-refinery, assembled on anion-exchange solid electrolyte and fed with pure water, was limited by the unbalanced ionic transport. Optimization of the operation conditions allowed a conversion efficiency of 80%. Funding: Swedish Agency for Innovation Systems (Vinnova) [2016-05156]; Swedish Energy Agency [42022-1]; Swedish Research Council [VR 2021-04427, VR 2019-05577, VR 2016-05990]; Centre in Nanoscience and Technology (CeNano, Linkoeping Institute of Technology (LiTH), Linkoeping University, 2020, 2021); Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Advanced Functional Materials at Linkoeping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU) [2009-00971]; Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (H2O2) [KAW 2018.0058]

We investigated the high temperature decomposition behavior of wurtzite phase Ti$_{1-x}$Al$_{x}$N films using experimental methods and first-principles calculations. Single phase metastable wurtzite Ti$_{1-x}$Al$_{x}$N (x = 0.65, 0.75, 085 and 0.95) solid solution films were grown by cathodic arc deposition using low duty cycle pulsed substrate-bias voltage. First-principles calculated elastic constants of the wurtzite Ti$_{1-x}$Al$_{x}$N phase show a strong dependence on alloy composition. The predicted phase diagram shows a miscibility gap with an unstable region. High resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy and chemical mapping demonstrate decomposition of the films after high temperature annealing (950$^{\circ}$C), which resulted in nanoscale chemical compositional modulations containing Ti-rich and Al-rich regions with coherent or semi coherent interfaces. This spinodal decomposition of the wurtzite film causes age hardening of 1-2 GPa.

Titanium tungsten carbide (TiWC) coatings are deposited by a combined high-power impulse and dc magnetron co-sputtering (HiPIMS/DCMS) technique. No external heating is applied during deposition phase, instead, the thermally driven adatom mobility is substituted by heavy ion irradiation. DCMS sources equipped with titanium carbide targets provide constant neutral fluxes to establish the predominant coating structures, whereas tungsten carbide target in HiPIMS mode serves as the source of heavy metal-ions. Substrate bias of −60 V is synchronized to W+ ion-rich time domains of HiPIMS pulses to minimize the contribution from working gas ions. The influence of W+ ion flux intensity, controlled by varying peak target current density (JT), on film properties is investigated. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals the presence of over stoichiometric carbon forming an amorphous phase, the amount of which can be fine-tuned by varying JT. Changes in film composition as a function of JT are explained based on the in-situ ion mass spectroscopy analyses. Dense TiWC coatings by hybrid process exhibit hardness higher than 30 GPa, which are comparable to TiWC films deposited by DCMS with dc substrate bias and external heating. The relative energy consumption in the hybrid process is reduced by 77 % as compared to high-temperature DCMS processing. Funding: VINNOVA (FunMat-II project ) [2016-05156]; Swedish Research Council [2017-03813, 2017-06701]; Swedish government strategic research area grant AFM - SFO MatLiU [2009- 00971]

The defect structures forming during high-temperature decomposition of Ti1-xAlxNy films were investigated through high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy. After annealing to 950 °C, misfit edge dislocations a/6〈112〉{111} partial dislocations permeate the interface between TiN-rich and AlN-rich domains to accommodate lattice misfits during spinodal decomposition. The stacking fault energy associated with the partial dislocations decreases with increasing Al content, which facilitates the coherent cubic to wurtzite structure transition of AlN-rich domains. The wurtzite AlN-rich structure is recovered when every third cubic {111} plane is shifted by along the [211] direction. After annealing to 1100 °C, a temperature where coarsening dominates the microstructure evolution, we observe intersections of stacking faults, which form sessile locks at the interface of the TiN- and AlN-rich domains. These observed defect structures facilitate the formation of semicoherent interfaces and contribute to hardening in Ti1-xAlxNy. Funding: Swedish Research Council (VR) [2017-03813, 2017-06701, 2021-04426, 2021-00357]; ViNNOVA [2016-05156]; Swedish government strategic research area grant AFM - SFO MatLiU [2009-00971]; Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation [KAW-2018.0194]; Swedish Research Council [VR-2015-04630]

The skin is the largest organ of the human body. Wounds disrupt the functions of the skin and can have catastrophic consequences for an individual resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Wound infections are common and can substantially delay healing and can result in non-healing wounds and sepsis. Early diagnosis and treatment of infection reduce risk of complications and support wound healing. Methods for monitoring of wound pH can facilitate early detection of infection. Here we show a novel strategy for integrating pH sensing capabilities in state-of-the-art hydrogel-based wound dressings fabricated from bacterial nanocellulose (BC). A high surface area material was developed by self-assembly of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) in BC. By encapsulating a pH-responsive dye in the MSNs, wound dressings for continuous pH sensing with spatiotemporal resolution were developed. The pH responsive BC-based nanocomposites demonstrated excellent wound dressing properties, with respect to conformability, mechanical properties, and water vapor transmission rate. In addition to facilitating rapid colorimetric assessment of wound pH, this strategy for generating functional BC-MSN nanocomposites can be further be adapted for encapsulation and release of bioactive compounds for treatment of hard-to-heal wounds, enabling development of novel wound care materials. Funding agencies: This work was supported by the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research (SFF) grant no. FFL15-0026 and framework grant RMX18-0039 (HEALiX), the Swedish Government Strategic Research Area in Materials Science on Functional Materials at Linköping University (Faculty Grant SFO-Mat-LiU no. 2009–00971), the competence center FunMat-II that is financially supported by Vinnova (grant no. 2016-05156), the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (grant no. KAW 2016.0231), the Swedish Research Council (VR) (grant no. 2021-04427) and Swedish strategic research program Bio4Energy. Illustrations were created with BioRender.com. We thank S2Medical AB, Linköping, Sweden, for providing BC.

Although titanium nitride (TiN) is among the most extensively studied and thoroughly characterized thin-film ceramic materials, detailed knowledge of relevant dislocation core structures is lacking. By high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) of epitaxial single crystal (001)-oriented TiN films, we identify different dislocation types and their core structures. These include, besides the expected primary full a/2{110} dislocation, Shockley partial dislocations a/6{111} and sessile Lomer edge dislocations a/2{100}. Density-functional theory and classical interatomic potential simulations complement STEM observations by recovering the atomic structure of the different dislocation types, estimating Peierls stresses, and providing insights on the chemical bonding nature at the core. The generated models of the dislocation cores suggest locally enhanced metal-metal bonding, weakened Ti-N bonds, and N vacancy-pinning that effectively reduces the mobilities of {110} and {111} dislocations. Our findings underscore that the presence of different dislocation types and their effects on chemical bonding should be considered in the design and interpretations of nanoscale and macroscopic properties of TiN.

Bifunctional electrocatalysts with both accelerated oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) enable high-power density electricity storage and decentralized extraction of pure oxygen from air for usage in health care. Herein, a hydrothermal synthesis employing the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate as structure-directing agent is developed to fabricate a family of crystalline mesoporous metal oxides (meso-MO X , M = Cr, Fe, Co, Ni, Ce). The pore size and specific surface area depend on the metal used and they range from 3 to 6 nm and 60 to 200 m(2) g(-1), respectively. NiO and Co3O4 show a higher catalytic efficiency in alkaline media in comparison with the other oxides studied, and their activities are comparable with the values reported for platinum group metal (PGM)-based electrocatalysts. This stems from lower voltage losses and by the presence of specific hydroxide adsorbates on the surface. Both ORR and OER driven on Co3O4 show the unified rate-determining chemical step (|OO-|(center dot) (ads) + H2O |OOH|(center dot) (ads) + OH-, where | X | ads are the species adsorbed on active sites). The bifunctional ORR/OER electrocatalysis obtained on mesoporous NiO is utilized for the first symmetrical PGM-free oxygen pump fed by air and water only. Funding Agencies|competence center FunMat-II - Swedish Agency for Innovation Systems (Vinnova) [2016-05156]; Swedish Energy Agency [42022-1]; Swedish Research Council [VR 2019-05577]

Extensive areas around the world have soils polluted with heavy metals due to anthropogenic activities and are in need of restoration. Natural regeneration or active restoration of vegetation on mine wastelands, such as tailings dams, is difficult due to the harsh environment resulting from poor nutrient availability, low pH and elevated levels of heavy metals. Thus, selection of native trees that thrive in in such a harsh environment and can stabilize or remove heavy metals from the soil is a key step in phytoremediation of these areas. In this study, we examined the floristic composition and biological traits of species that colonized copper mine tailings dams in Zambia, an environment with elevated copper concentrations, low nutrient content and low pH, with the aim of identifying species suitable for phytoremediation. We found relatively little overlap (16%–26%) between species pools occurring on tailings dams and nearby native forests although the overall species richness was similar (10–12 species per 15 stems). The species colonizing the tailings dams were disproportionately light-demanding (93%), moderately tolerant to elevated copper concentration (87%), suitable for erosion control (75%) and had endomycorrhizal symbiosis (47%). Nitrogen-fixing species tended to be more abundant on tailings dams (29%) than in natural forest stands (23%). None of the species were copper accumulators, but rather facultative metalophytes, or possibly even excluders as evidenced by their bioaccumulation factors below one. Restoration of degraded lands would be aided by field trials targeting species with these beneficial traits to identify other suitable plants to accelerate the revegetation process.

Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb) Hook) is a promising timber species for planting in the sub-tropical ecosystem. However, the germination rate of Chinese fir seed lots is low, and viability determination by conventional methods (germination test and tetrazolium test) is time-consuming and destructive. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the potential of Near Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy for rapidly and non-destructively determining viability of Chinese fir seeds. A total of 450 seeds was first identified as viable, empty, or dead (n = 150 seeds per seed lot fraction) by digital X-ray and their viability was further confirmed by germination test. NIR reflectance spectra were collected from single seeds using XDS Rapid Content Analyzer from 780 to 2500 nm. Classification models were developed on calibration set (n = 300 seeds) by Orthogonal Projection to Latent Structures-Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA) using the entire or selected NIR regions, and the fitted models were validated using external test set (n = 150 seeds). The model’s ability to recognize members (sensitivity) while rejecting non-members (specificity) of a given class was 100% for viable and dead seeds and 98% for empty seeds, attesting to the model’s robustness. When the model was fitted in the shorter NIR region (780–1100 nm), the sensitivity and specificity reached 100% for all seed lot fractions. The mean classification accuracy was 99% in the full and longer NIR regions and 100% in the shorter NIR region. The spectral differences among seed lot fractions could be attributed to differences in seed coat chemical composition in empty and dead seeds, presumably tannin content, and major storage reserves in viable seeds, notably fatty acids, proteins, and carbohydrate. It can be concluded that NIR spectroscopy has a great potential to evaluate Chinese fir seed quality, which could be applied in the development of an on-line sorting system.

A hybrid catalyst consisting of Zr-doped mesoporous silica (Zr-SBA-15) supports with intergrown Cu nanoparticles was used to study the effects of a catalysts chemical states on CO2 hydrogenation. T ...

Soil characterization is a vital activity to develop appropriate and effective restoration protocols for mine wastelands while insights into the total content of heavy metals in the soil is an important step in estimating the hazards that the metals may pose to the vital roles of soil in the ecosystem. This study addressed the following research questions: (1) To what extent do the physico-chemical characteristics vary between mine waste sediments and the nearby forest soil? (2) Are the concentrations of heavy metals high enough to be considered as toxic? and (3) Are heavy metals present in mine waste sediments potential sources of pollution? We hypothesized that the physico-chemical characteristics of mine waste sediments are less favorably for plant establishment and growth while the concentrations of heavy metals are very high, thus restricting the success of revegetation of mine waste lands. Mine waste sediments were sampled following a diagonal transect across tailings dams, overburden dump sites and the local forest soil from the top layer (0-20 cm) using a closed auger. Samples were analyzed for arsenic, barium, lead, cadmium, cobalt, copper, chromium, nickel, vanadium, and zinc as well as for soil physico-chemical properties. The mine waste sediments were dominated by silt whilst the forest soil by sand particles, with significantly high bulk density in the former. Both the forest soil and overburden sediments were acidic than the alkaline tailings dam sediment. Total organic carbon and nitrogen contents were significantly low in mine wasteland substrates but the concentration of Ca and Mg were significantly higher in tailings dam substrate than the forest soil. The concentrations of available P, K and Na were similar across sites. The mean concentrations of heavy metals were significantly (p < 0.01) higher in mine waste sediments than the forest soil; except for cadmium (p = 0.213). The order of contamination by heavy metals on the tailings was Cu > Co > Ba > Ni > As > Zn > Pb > Cr > V > Cd, and that on the overburdens was Cu > Co > Ba > Ni > Zn > Cr > Pb > V > As > Cd. The pollution load index (PLI) was nearly twice higher for the tailings dam (8.97) than the overburden (5.84). The findings show that the copper mine wastes (the tailings dams and overburden waste rock sites) are highly contaminated by heavy metals; which, in turn, might pose serious hazards to human health and agricultural productivity. In addition, poor macro-nutrient availability, substrate compaction and soil acidity (particularly on overburden sites) coupled with toxic level of heavy metals would be the main challenges for successful phytostabilization of copper mine wastelands.

Phase, microstructure, and strain evolution during annealing of arc deposited TiZrAlN coatings are studied using in situ x-ray scattering and ex situ transmission electron microscopy. We find that the decomposition route changes from nucleation and growth of wurtzite AlN to spinodal decomposition when the Zr-content is decreased and the Al-content increases. Decomposition of Ti0.31Zr0.24Al0.45N results in homogeneously distributed wurtzite AlN grains in a cubic, dislocation-dense matrix of TiZrN consisting of domains of different chemical composition. The combination of high dislocation density, variation of chemical composition within the cubic grains, and evenly distributed wurtzite AlN grains results in high compressive strains, -1.1%, which are retained after 3 h at 1100 degrees C. In coatings with higher Zr-content, the strains relax during annealing above 900 degrees C due to grain growth and defect annihilation. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Funding Agencies|VINNOVA (Swedish Governmental Agency for Innovation Systems) [2016-05156]; Swedish Government Strategic Research Area (SFO Mat LiU) [2009 00971]; Swedish Research Council [2017-03813]; Rontgen-Angstrom Cluster frame grants [VR 2011-6505, VR 2017-06701]

We present how the conventional focused ion beam (FIB) lift-out method can be modified to obtain phase selective specimens for atom probe tomography (APT). The modified method combines selective deep etching with site-specific lift-out using a micromanipulator in a FIB/SEM workstation. This method is used for phase-selective sample preparation in alloys with complex microstructures such as the coral- and plate-like silicon structures in the eutectic phase of Al-Si castings. The method proves to be both, practical and robust, with a high success rate of high-quality phase-specific APT specimens.

Nitrogen deficient c-(Ti0.52Al0.48)Ny, y = 0.92, y = 0.87, and y = 0.75 coatings were prepared in different N2/Ar discharges on WC-Co inserts by reactive cathodic arc deposition. The microstructure of the y = 0.92 coating show that spinodal decomposition has occurred resulting in the formation of coherent c-TiN- and c-AlN rich domains during cutting. The y = 0.87 and y = 0.75 coatings have exhibited a delay in decomposition due to the presence of nitrogen vacancies that lowers the free energy of the system. In the decomposed structure, grain boundaries and misfit dislocations enhance the diffusion of elements from the workpiece and the substrate (e.g. Fe, Cr, and Co) into the coatings and it becomes more susceptible to crater wear. The y = 0.87 sample displays the highest crater wear resistance because of its dense grain boundaries that prevent chemical wear. The y = 0.92 sample has the best flank wear resistance because the decomposition results in age hardening. The y = 0.75 sample contains the MAX-phase Ti2AlN after cutting. The chemical alteration within the y = 0.75 sample and its high amount of macroparticles cause its low wear resistance. The different microstructure evolution caused by different amount of N-vacancies result in distinctive interactions between chip and coating, which also causes difference in the initial wear mechanism of the (Ti,Al)Ny coatings.

Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is critical for producing high purity hydrogen and oxygen via electrocatalytic water splitting. In this work, single crystalline, nanoporous nickel oxide (NiO) was prepared using a hydro thermal, soft-templated synthesis route followed by calcination at different temperatures. It is shown that the NiO crystals have a cubic lattice, and the pore size can be tuned from similar to 1 to similar to 70 nm by varying the calcination temperature, i.e. variation from micro to macroporosity. The NiOs catalytic performance as electrocatalysts was evaluated in OER, both thermodynamically and kinetically. Mesoporous NiO with calcination temperature of 400 degrees C had the lowest overpotential (335 mV) required @ 10 mA/cm(2) accompanied with the highest turnover frequency value and mass activity among of the obtained NiO electrocatalysts. The study shows that the electrocatalytic activity of nanoporous NiO outperforms that of commercial catalyst Ir/C (similar to 360 mV @ 10 mA/cm(2)). Microporous NiO possess the highest specific surface area and electrical double layer capacitance, while the nonporous NiO particles have the highest specific activity and BET activity of the catalysts. It is concluded that the minimization of voltage losses by the nanoscale enlargement of the electrocatalyst surface area shows the coherence between gas adsorption and electrocapacitive measurements. Conversely, the OER kinetics showed deterioration with surface area maximization due to the impediment of ionic transport inside the micropores. This work demonstrates the importance of morphology optimization to obtain an efficient OER electrocatalyst with low required overpotential and kinetic loss. Funding Agencies|competence center FunMat-II - Swedish Agency for Innovation Systems (Vinnova)Vinnova [2016-05156]; Swedish Energy AgencySwedish Energy AgencyMaterials & Energy Research Center (MERC) [42022-1]; Swedish Research CouncilSwedish Research CouncilEuropean Commission [VR 2019-05577]

Ab initio-calculated ideal strength and toughness describe the upper limits for mechanical properties attainable in real systems and can, therefore, be used in selection criteria for materials design. We employ density-functional ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) to investigate the mechanical properties of defect-free rocksalt-structure (B1) TiN and $\text{B}1\mathrm{T}{\mathrm{i}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}\mathrm{A}{\mathrm{l}}_{x}\mathrm{N}\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}(x=0.25$, 0.5, 0.75) solid solutions subject to [001], [110], and [111] tensile deformation at room temperature. We determine the alloys' ideal strength and toughness, elastic responses, and ability to plastically deform up to fracture as a function of the Al content. Overall, TiN exhibits greater ideal moduli of resilience and tensile strengths than (Ti,Al)N solid solutions. Nevertheless, AIMD modeling shows that, irrespective of the strain direction, the binary compound systematically fractures by brittle cleavage at its yield point. The simulations also indicate that $\mathrm{T}{\mathrm{i}}_{0.5}\mathrm{A}{\mathrm{l}}_{0.5}\mathrm{N}$ and $\mathrm{T}{\mathrm{i}}_{0.25}\mathrm{A}{\mathrm{l}}_{0.75}\mathrm{N}$ solid solutions are inherently more resistant to fracture and possess much greater toughness than TiN due to the activation of local structural transformations (primarily of B1 \ensuremath{\rightarrow} wurtzite type) beyond the elastic-response regime. In sharp contrast, (Ti,Al)N alloys with 25% Al exhibit similar brittleness as TiN. The results of this work are examples of the limitations of elasticity-based criteria for prediction of strength, brittleness, ductility, and toughness in materials able to undergo phase transitions with loading. Comparing present and previous findings, we suggest a general principle for design of hard ceramic solid solutions that are thermodynamically inclined to dissipate extreme mechanical stresses via transformation toughening mechanisms.

The electronic structure, chemical bonding, and interface component in ZrN-AlN nanocomposites formed byphase separation during thin film deposition of metastable Zr1−xAlxN (x = 0.0, 0.12, 0.26, 0.4 ...

Single-crystal rocksalt-structure (B1) (V,Mo)N alloys are inherently hard and tough ceramics [Kindlund et al., APL Mater. 1, 042104 (2013)]. However, the mechanical properties and thermal stability of (V,Mo)N solid solutions at temperatures (≈1000 K) of relevance for practical applications have not been previously investigated. In this work, we synthesize single-phase B1 polycrystalline V 0.57 Mo 0.43 N 0.95 coatings to investigate the effects induced by temperature on the nanostructural evolution and hardness (H) of the material. Nanoindentation measurements show that the as-deposited film (H = 23±3 GPa) becomes ≈30% harder (up to 31±2 GPa) upon annealing at 730 oC. Experimental characterization and analyses, based on dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), reveal that the age-hardening effect originates from decomposition of the solid solution into coherent strained cubic VN-rich / MoN-rich domains. The experimental results are complemented by the composition/temperature (V,Mo)N phase diagram – constructed upon ab initio molecular dynamics free-energies – which indicates that the separation observed in V 0.57 Mo 0.43 N solid solutions is of spinodal nature. Films annealed at temperatures exceeding 850 oC undergo structural coarsening, with formation of hexagonal Mo x N y and cubic VN phases, which cause a decrease in hardness to ≈22 GPa. Our present findings, corroborated by the fact that V and Mo are known to enhance the resistance to corrosion and the lubricant properties of hard refractory nitrides, indicate that (V,Mo)N coatings may offer outstanding mechanical and tribological performances during operation at elevated temperatures.

WC-Co cemented carbides (hardmetals) represent the backbone materials for the tooling industry. In order to achieve particular tool geometries, diamond wheel grinding is a well-established method for machining hardmetals. Grinding-induced damage has been proven to strongly affect the performance and reliability of the machined tools. Assessment of grinding-mechanisms and induced surface integrity changes has usually been limited to monolithic ceramics, and it is particularly done on the basis of post-failure fractographic examination. In this work, characterization of grinding-induced damage of a WC-Co grade has been conducted by means of focused ion beam (FIB) tomography. The study includes a 3D description of the damage scenario, based on a reconstruction from successive parallel slices. Our results show that grinding induces a 200-400 nm thick surface layer containing fragmented WC grains and smeared Co phase morphology. A highly anisotropic subsurface microcrack network is generated. The discerned microcracks follow different microstructural paths: running through the binder, close to WC/Co interfaces or transgranular within the carbide phase. Very interesting, completely or near- lateral cracks (parallel to the ground surface) are found to be the predominant damage feature, whereas only few completely or near- orthogonal (perpendicular to the ground surface) cracks are discerned. Results are discussed in terms of material removal mechanisms during grinding of cemented carbides and surface integrity effects on the mechanical performance of hardmetal tools under service conditions.

Measures of muscle mass, strength, and function predict risk of incident fractures, but it is not known whether this risk information is additive to that from FRAX (fracture risk assessment tool) probability. In the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Study cohorts (Sweden, Hong Kong, United States), we investigated whether measures of physical performance/appendicular lean mass (ALM) by DXA predicted incident fractures in older men, independently of FRAX probability. Baseline information included falls history, clinical risk factors for falls and fractures, femoral neck aBMD, and calculated FRAX probabilities. An extension of Poisson regression was used to investigate the relationship between time for five chair stands, walking speed over a 6 m distance, grip strength, ALM adjusted for body size (ALM/height2 ), FRAX probability (major osteoporotic fracture [MOF]) with or without femoral neck aBMD, available in a subset of n = 7531), and incident MOF (hip, clinical vertebral, wrist, or proximal humerus). Associations were adjusted for age and time since baseline, and are reported as hazard ratios (HRs) for first incident fracture per SD increment in predictor using meta-analysis. 5660 men in the United States (mean age 73.5 years), 2764 men in Sweden (75.4 years), and 1987 men in Hong Kong (72.4 years) were studied. Mean follow-up time was 8.7 to 10.9 years. Greater time for five chair stands was associated with greater risk of MOF (HR 1.26; 95% CI, 1.19 to 1.34), whereas greater walking speed (HR 0.85; 95% CI, 0.79 to 0.90), grip strength (HR 0.77; 95% CI, 0.72 to 0.82), and ALM/height2 (HR 0.85; 95% CI, 0.80 to 0.90) were associated with lower risk of incident MOF. Associations remained largely similar after adjustment for FRAX, but associations between ALM/height2 and MOF were weakened (HR 0.92; 95% CI, 0.85 to 0.99). Inclusion of femoral neck aBMD markedly attenuated the association between ALM/height2 and MOF (HR 1.02; 95% CI, 0.96 to 1.10). Measures of physical performance predicted incident fractures independently of FRAX probability. Whilst the predictive value of ALM/height2 was substantially reduced by inclusion of aBMD requires further study, these findings support the consideration of physical performance in fracture risk assessment. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research Published by Wiley Periodicals Inc.

Using first principles calculations and experimental methods we show that B1 structured solid solution TixNbyAlzN can be grown. The mixing free energy surface indicates that the alloys should decompose. Theoretical analysis of the thermodynamic driving force towards the spinodal decomposition shows that the force can be different in alloys with equally low thermodynamic stability but different Nb content, indicating that the detailed picture of the decomposition should also be different. Electron microscopy and nanoindentation underlines different age hardening of the samples. We demonstrate that an alloy with the optimized composition, Ti0.42Nb0.17Al0.41N combines high thermal stability and age hardening behavior. Keywords: Hard coating films, NbN, Cathodic arc deposition, Thermodynamic stability, Hardness

Plant-available nutrients in soils are usually distributed in a heterogeneous or patchy manner. Plant responses to low levels of phosphorous (P) are not uniform across and within species. In this study, we examined the adaptive role of physiological plasticity (increased rate of nutrient uptake in localized zones) to the heterogeneous distribution of P in the soil, and whether low P stress transcends to the shoot and triggers similar biochemical changes that enhance tolerance. Two Chinese fir clones with high P efficiency (M1, which is tolerant to low P, and M4 which is able to decouple fixed P) were chosen as the research materials and their physiological responses to low P stress were examined using a sand culture experiment. For both clones, there was no significant difference in nutrient concentration between P-replete and P-deficient patches. Heterogeneous P supply did not affect the allocation of nutrients to the above-ground parts of the plants. The activity of acid phosphatase (APase) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content increased initially but declined with increasing duration of stress, while the content of soluble protein and total chlorophyll contents remained unaffected by the heterogeneous P supply. We conclude that physiological plasticity plays no role in adaptation to low P stress in these clones, while the changes in APase activity and MDA content in needles suggest functional metabolic processes are involved in enhancing P-efficiency in these clones.

Physical Performance Or Function, But Not Appendicular Lean Mass, Predict Incident Fractures Independently Of FRAX Probability And BMD : Results From The Osteoporotic Fractures In Men (MROS) Cohort

Mining alters the natural landscape and discharges large volumes of wastes that pose serious pollution hazards to the environment, to human health and to agriculture. As a result, the recent 2 decades have witnessed a global surge in research on post-mining landscape restoration, yielding a suite of techniques including physical, chemical, biological (also known as phytoremediation) and combinations. Despite the long history of mining in Africa, no systematic review has summarized advances in restoration research and practices after mining disturbance. Thus, the aim of this review was to document the state-of-knowledge and identify gaps in restoration of post-mining landscape in Africa through literature review. We found that: (1) there has been substantial progress in identifying species suitable for phytoremediation; (2) few studies evaluated the feasibility of organic amendments to promote autochthonous colonization of mine wastelands or growth of planted species; and (3) restoration of limestone quarries in Kenya, sand mining tailings in South Africa, and gold mine wasteland in Ghana are successful cases of large-scale post-mining restoration practices in Africa. However, the pace of post-mining landscape restoration research and practice in Africa is sluggish compared to other parts of the global south. We recommend: (1) mainstreaming the restoration of mine wastelands in national research strategies and increased development planning to make the mining sector “Green”; (2) inventory of the number, area, and current status of abandoned mine lands; (3) expanding the pool of candidate species for phytostabilization; (4) further evaluating the phytostabilization potential of organic amendments, e.g., biochar; (5) assessing the impacts of mining on regional biodiversity.

SummaryWe aimed to study the risk of hip fracture and risk of hip arthroplasty among farmers in Sweden. Our results indicate that farming, representing an occupation with high physical activity, in men is associated with a lower risk of hip fracture but an increased risk of hip arthroplasty.IntroductionThe risks of hip fracture and hip arthroplasty are influenced by factors including socioeconomic status, education, urbanization, latitude of residence, and physical activity. Farming is an occupation encompassing rural living and high level of physical activity. Therefore, we aimed to study the risk of hip fracture and risk of hip arthroplasty among farmers in Sweden.MethodsWe studied the risk of hip fracture, and hip arthroplasty due to primary osteoarthritis, in all men and women aged 35 years or more in Sweden between 1987 and 2002. Documented occupations were available in 3.5 million individuals, of whom 97,136 were farmers. The effects of age, sex, income, education, location of residence, and occupation on risk of hip fracture or hip arthroplasty were examined using a modification of Poisson regression.ResultsA total of 4027 farmers and 93,109 individuals with other occupations sustained a hip fracture, while 5349 farmers and 63,473 others underwent a hip arthroplasty. Risk of hip fracture was higher with greater age, lower income, lower education, higher latitude, and urban area for all men and women. Compared to all other occupations, male farmers had a 20% lower age-adjusted risk of hip fracture (hazard ratio (HR) 0.80, 95%CI 0.77–0.84), an effect that was not seen in female farmers (HR 0.96, 95% CI 0.91–1.01). Both male and female farmers had a higher age-adjusted risk for hip arthroplasty.ConclusionsOur results indicate that farming, representing an occupation with high physical activity, in men is associated with a lower risk of hip fracture but an increased risk of hip arthroplasty.

Although prior falls are a well-established predictor of future fracture, there is currently limited evidence regarding the specific value of falls history in fracture risk assessment relative to that of other clinical risk factors and bone mineral density (BMD) measurement. We therefore investigated, across the three Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Study cohorts, whether past falls predicted future fracture independently of FRAX and whether these associations varied with age and follow-up time. Elderly men were recruited from MrOS Sweden, Hong Kong, and USA. Baseline data included falls history (over the preceding 12 months), clinical risk factors, BMD at femoral neck, and calculated FRAX probabilities. An extension of Poisson regression was used to investigate the associations between falls, FRAX probability, and incident fracture, adjusting for age, time since baseline, and cohort in base models; further models were used to investigate interactions with age and follow-up time. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to synthesize the individual country associations. Information on falls and FRAX probability was available for 4365 men in USA (mean age 73.5 years; mean follow-up 10.8 years), 1823 men in Sweden (mean age 75.4 years; mean follow-up 8.7 years), and 1669 men in Hong Kong (mean age 72.4 years; mean follow-up 9.8 years). Rates of past falls were similar at 20%, 16%, and 15%, respectively. Across all cohorts, past falls predicted incident fracture at any site (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.69; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.49, 1.90), major osteoporotic fracture (MOF) (HR = 1.56; 95% CI 1.33, 1.83), and hip fracture (HR = 1.61; 95% CI 1.27, 2.05). Relationships between past falls and incident fracture remained robust after adjustment for FRAX probability: adjusted HR (95% CI) any fracture: 1.63 (1.45, 1.83); MOF: 1.51 (1.32, 1.73); and hip: 1.54 (1.21, 1.95). In conclusion, past falls predicted incident fracture independently of FRAX probability, confirming the potential value of falls history in fracture risk assessment. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research Published by Wiley Periodicals Inc.

The metallic binder phase dictates the toughening behavior of WC-Co cemented carbides (hardmetals), even though it occupies a relative small fraction of the composite. Studies on deformation and phase transformation of the binder constituent are scarce. Grinding represents a key manufacturing step in machining of hardmetal tools, and is well-recognized to induce surface integrity alterations. In this work, metallurgical alterations of the binder phase in ground WC-Co cemented carbides have been assessed by a combination of electron back scattered diffraction and transmission electron microscopy techniques. The Co-base binder experiences a martensitic phase transformation from fcc to hcp crystal structure, predominantly in the first 5 µm below the surface. The hcp fraction decreases gradually along a depth of 10 µm. Surface Co displays severe plastic deformation under the highest strain, resulting in formation of nanocrystalline grains in the first micrometer below the surface. Microstructural refinement within the binder phase is observed even at greater depth. Stacking faults were detected in most of the refined grains. The metallurgical alterations of the binder phase modify the local stress distribution during grinding, which affects the discerned subsurface microcracking. The resulting residual stress profile is the sum of multiple subsurface changes, such as phase transformation, severe plastic deformation and grain refinement, where it is discerned that the depth profile of the transformed hcp-Co fraction coincides with the grinding-induced residual stress profile.

Nitrogen sub-stoichiometric (Ti0.52Al0.48)Ny (0.92 ≥ y ≥ 0.46) coatings were grown in a mixed Ar/N2 atmosphere by cathodic arc deposition on cemented carbide (WC/Co-based) substrates. The coatings ...

Cathedral roofs are commonly used when constructing small houses in Sweden. In contrast to roof constructions with a cold attic, where frequent moisture damage has been noted, the cathedral roof is difficult to access for inspection. Furthermore, Swedish building regulations sets high demands regarding moisture safety, although there are no clear guidelines for their compliance. Hence, designing a cathedral roof must be done with great care. Previous studies investigating moisture safety in cathedral roofs, applies a constant air exchange in the ventilated air cavity. In this study a cathedral roof, ventilated from eave to eave, was analysed by examining the relevance of considering the variation in cavity air flow when conducting coupled heat and moisture calculations. The varied cavity air flow was calculated in an air flow model, considering wind and thermal buoyancy as driving forces. The accuracy of moisture safety assessments using the MRD model via hygrothermal calculations in WUFI Pro were also studied. Comparing moisture calculations with measurements showed high similarity when using a model with constant cavity air flow, and even higher resemblance when using a model with varied air flow. When actual conditions are sought, the study indicated that pinpointing important parameters, such as initial moisture content and moisture related material properties, would further increase precision in moisture calculations.

In this research, a fundamental study was conducted on damage behavior of cathodic arc evaporated TiN and Ti0.44Al0.56N coatings, in terms of oxidation and cracking/spallation, when they were exposed to single-pulse laser treatment in a temperature range of 1200–2100 °C. Moreover, a multiple-pulse laser treatment was designed to apply thermo-mechanical loads on the coatings in order to evaluate their thermal degradation during rapid heating/cooling cycles between 200 and 1200 °C. Single-pulse treatment of TiN up to 1500 °C led to the intercolumnar cracking and formation of ultrafine TiO grains. An increase in temperature up to 2100 °C resulted in a notable bulging of the surface, and formation of TiO2 of various morphologies such as grainy structure, dense molten and re-solidified structure, droplets from melt expulsion and, more interestingly, nanofibers. Multiple-pulse treatment of TiN was accompanied by a severe cracking and spallation, which divided the surface into two layers: a heavily cracked top layer composed of dense TiO2 grains, and a bottom layer having porous TiO2 grains indicating incomplete oxidation. Conversely, Ti0.44Al0.56N did not show any visible cracking and oxidation after single-pulse treatment. Multiple-pulse treatment did not also yield cracking and spallation for Ti0.44Al0.56N, and its ablated region consisted of TiO2 grains combined with thin Al2O3 platelets. An excellent combination of properties including higher oxidation resistance and greater fracture toughness at high temperatures led to a higher thermal damage resistance for Ti0.44Al0.56N coating compared to TiN when undergoing single- and multiple-pulse laser treatments.

Context Areal bone mineral density (BMD) measurements are confounded by skeletal size. Hip BMD is an input to the FRAX® tool (Centre for Metabolic Bone Diseases, University of Sheffield, United Kingdom), but it is unknown whether performance is affected by hip area. Objective To examine whether fracture prediction by FRAX® is affected by hip area. Design and Setting Cohort study using a population-based BMD registry. Patients A total of 58,108 white women aged ≥40 years. Main Outcome Measures Incident major osteoporotic fracture (MOF; n = 4913) and hip fracture (n = 1369), stratified by total hip area quintile, before and after adjustment for hip axis length (HAL). Results Smaller hip area was associated with younger age and lower FRAX® scores, whereas incident fractures were greater in those with larger hip area (P for trend < 0.001). Larger hip area quintile increased risk for MOF and hip fracture when adjusted for FRAX® score with BMD (P for trend < 0.001). Each standard deviation increase in hip area was associated with greater risk for incident MOF [adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 1.08; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.05 to 1.11] and hip fracture (HR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.11 to 1.21), but not after adjustment for HAL. FRAX® with BMD underestimated MOF risk in the largest hip area quintile and underestimated hip fracture risk in the three largest hip area quintiles. Conclusions In Canadian white women, skeletal size based on hip area affects fracture risk assessment based on FRAX® score with BMD, with risk underestimated in those with larger hip areas. Including HAL in the risk assessment compensates for this confounding by skeletal size and provides for more accurate assessment of fracture risk.

We have explored the high entropy alloy (HEA) concept in the AlTiVNbCr-nitride material system. (AlTiVNbCr)N coatings synthesized by reactive cathodic arc deposition are close to an ideal cubic solid solution with a positive mean-field enthalpy of mixing of 0.06 eV/atom. First principle calculations show a higher thermodynamic stability for the solid solution relative to their binaries thereby indicating a possible entropy stabilization at a temperature above 727 °C. However, the elevated temperature annealing experiments show that the solid solution decomposes to w-AlN and c-(TiVNbCr)N. The limited thermal stability of the solid solution is investigated in relation to several thermodynamic parameters. We suggest that the HEA designed multiprincipal element (AlTiVNbCr)N solid solutions are in a metastable state.

The influence of deposition temperature in the range of 100 °C to 400 °C on the microstructure and mechanical properties of CrB2 coatings by DC magnetron sputtering was studied. The coating texture changed from random mixed orientation with (101) and (001) planes to the preferred (001) orientation when increasing the deposition temperature. Moreover, the microstructure coating evolved from an underdense structure to a bulky columnar structure (~ 50 nm), and finally to a dense nanoscale columnar structure (~ 7 nm). This structural densification was mainly attributed to the enhanced atomic surface diffusion with increasing deposition temperature. It resulted in promotion of the (001) preferred orientation and greatly enhanced the mechanical properties. Specifically, when the deposition temperature was 300 °C, the CrB2 coatings exhibited the highest toughness while superhardness (51 ± 2 GPa) was achieved for coating grown at 400 °C.

Daily subcutaneous (SC) injections of the investigational drug abaloparatide-SC (80 mcg) for 18 months significantly decrease the risk of vertebral and nonvertebral fracture compared with placebo in postmenopausal women. We examined the efficacy of abaloparatide-SC as a function of baseline fracture risk, assessed using the FRAX tool. Baseline clinical risk factors (age, body mass index [BMI], prior fracture, glucocorticoid use, rheumatoid arthritis, and smoking) were entered into country-specific FRAX models to calculate the 10-year probability of major osteoporotic fractures, with or without femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD). The interaction between probability of a major osteoporotic fracture and treatment efficacy was examined by a Poisson regression. A total of 821 women randomized to placebo and 824 women to abaloparatide-SC, mean age 69 years in both groups, were followed for up to 2 years. At baseline, the 10-year probability of major osteoporotic fractures (with BMD) ranged from 2.3% to 57.5% (mean 13.2%). Treatment with abaloparatide-SC was associated with a 69% (95% confidence interval [CI] 38–85%) decrease in major osteoporotic fracture (MOF) and a 43% (95% CI 9–64%) decrease in any clinical fracture compared with placebo. For all outcomes, hazard ratios tended to decrease (ie, greater efficacy) with increasing fracture probability. Whereas the interaction approached significance for the outcome of any fracture (p = 0.11), there was no statistically significant interaction for any of the fracture outcomes. Similar results were noted when FRAX probability was computed without BMD. Efficacy of abaloparatide-SC to decrease the risk of major osteoporotic fracture or any clinical fracture in postmenopausal women with low BMD and/or prior fracture appears independent of baseline fracture probability. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Introduction The aim of this study was to compare the intra-observer repeatability when using two different methods for estimating the volume of foetal urinary bladders. Method The urinary bladders of 20 foetuses were documented by three-dimensional ultrasound. Standard deviation was compared when the volumes of identical bladder images were repeatedly estimated using the Virtual Organ Computer-aided AnaLysis and the experimental SUM-OF-CYLINDERS methods. Results No systematic deviation was found between the estimated volumes when using these two methods. Standard deviation was smaller for the SUM-OF-CYLINDERS compared to the Virtual Organ Computer-aided AnaLysis method (p Conclusions Using three-dimensional ultrasound images adapted for the Virtual Organ Computer-aided AnaLysis method, foetal urinary bladder volumes can also be estimated using the SUM-OF-CYLINDERS method. The SUM-OF-CYLINDERS method employs technical advances which may result in a lower standard deviation and therefore higher intra-observer repeatability.

Authentication of seed provenance is an importance issue to avoid the negative impact of poor adaptation of progenies when planted outside their natural environmental conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy as rapid and non-destructive method for authentication of Picea abies L. Karst seed provenances. For this purpose, five seed lots from Sweden, Finland, Poland and Lithuania each were used. NIR reflectance spectra were recorded on individual seeds (n = 150 seeds × 5 seed lots × 4 provenances = 3000 seeds) using XDS Rapid Content Analyzer from 780 to 2500 nm with a resolution of 0.5 nm. Classification model was developed by orthogonal projection to latent structures-discriminant analysis. The performance of the computed classification model was validated using two test sets—internal (the same seed lots as the model but excluded during model development; n = 600 seeds) and external (seed lots not included in the model; n = 1158 seeds). For the internal test, the model correctly recognized 99% of Swedish, Finnish and Polish samples and 97% of Lithuanian seeds. For the external test samples, the model correctly assigned 81% of Swedish, 96% of Finnish, 98% of Lithuanian and 93% of Polish seeds to their respective classes. The mean classification accuracy was 99 and 95% for internal and external test set, respectively. The spectral differences among seed lots were attributed to differences in chemical composition of seeds, presumably fatty acids and proteins, which are the dominant storage reserves in P. abies seeds. In conclusion, the results demonstrate that NIR spectroscopy is a very promising method for monitoring putative seed provenances and in seed certification.

Decreased lumbar spine trabecular bone score (TBS), a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-derived image texture measurement, is a risk factor for major osteoporotic fracture (MOF) and hip fracture (HF) independent of 10-year fracture probability estimated using FRAX. We determined how often applying the TBS adjustment to fracture probability altered treatment qualification. Using a population-based registry containing all clinical DXA results for Manitoba, Canada, we identified 34,316 women with baseline spine and hip DXA, FRAX-based fracture probability measurements (computed with femoral neck bone mineral density), lumbar spine TBS, and minimum 5 years of observation (mean 8.7 years). Population-based health services data were used to identify incident non-traumatic MOF and HF in 3503 and 945 women, respectively. Baseline MOF and HF probabilities were estimated using FRAX before and after applying the TBS adjustment. Risk recategorization was assessed using net reclassification improvement (NRI) for individual FRAX-based intervention criteria and three national clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) (US National Osteoporosis Foundation, Osteoporosis Canada, and UK National Osteoporosis Guideline Group). Overall, proportions of women reclassified with the TBS adjustment to FRAX were small (less than 5%) with more than 90% of the reclassification occurring close to the intervention threshold. For women close to an intervention cut-off reclassification, rates ranged from 9.0% to 17.9% and were

We give a comprehensive overview of the elastic properties of cubic quaternary transition metal nitride alloys and coherent nitride multilayers for design of wear resistant hard coatings. The elast ...

Previous research shows how powerful interests outside the media have the upper hand in the relationship between journalists and sources. This conclusion is sometimes challenged by the fact that journalists might control framing, follow-ups, and the packaging of stories. This article seeks to contribute to the field of journalist–source studies by focusing on aspects of the digital media environment, with a focus on the breakthrough of online media and social media. The purpose of the article is to analyze how external sources, such as public authorities, perceive the power relation to the news media in crisis communication. The empirical data used is semi-structured interviews conducted with 26 communication managers, communication staff, and crisis managers at authorities and nationally owned companies during four societal crises in Sweden in 2012–2014. The public authorities perceive that the digital media environment gives them control of the information flow in relation to journalists. Even if there ...

A catalytically active nanoassembly comprising Cu-nanoparticles grown on integrated and active supports (large pore Zr-doped mesoporous SBA-15 silica) has been synthesized and used to promote CO2hydrogenation.

In this study, we present a computational technique to investigate non-equilibrium vacancies in metastable alloys. In contrast to equilibrium materials, calculation of the energy of removing an alloying atom requires a finite size configurational correction. We explain that in metastable alloys the vacancy formation energy is defined up to an arbitrary constant. We argue that in non-equilibrium alloys no statistical considerations are required and there is a distribution of the vacancy formation energy with large variation. We show for the example of Ti0.5Al0.5N that the configuration correction is significant. Using cluster expansion, we demonstrate the major importance of the first two metallic coordination shells in Ti0.5Al0.5N. We introduce a three-dimensional representation of the energies of removing Ti and Al atoms as a function of number of Al atoms in the neighboring shells and we predict the metal atom vacancy formation energy in arbitrary local chemical environments. Neglecting the interactions between the vacant sites and assuming their simultaneous occurrence, we show how to extract information about the energy cost of a vacancy concentration in metastable alloys. We conclude that in metastable disordered alloys vacancies should occur in local environments that correspond to the lowest formation energies rather than distributed statistically. JEL classification: 61.72.Bb, 61.72.jd, 61.66.Dk, Keywords: Metastable materials, Non-equilibrium, Vacancy formation energy, Hard coatings, Supercell approach

Summary\ud The risk of major osteoporotic fracture (MOF) after a first MOF is increased over the whole duration of follow-up, but the imminent risk is even higher. If the acute increment in risk in the few years following MOF is amenable to therapeutic intervention, then immediate short-term treatments may provide worthwhile clinical dividends in a very cost-effective manner.\ud \ud Introduction\ud A history of fracture is a strong risk factor for future fractures. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the predictive value of a past MOF for future MOF changed with time.\ud \ud Methods\ud The study was based on a population-based cohort of 18,872 men and women born between 1907 and 1935. Fractures were documented over 510,265 person-years. An extension of Poisson regression was used to investigate the relationship between the first MOF and the second. All associations were adjusted for age and time since baseline.\ud \ud Results\ud Five thousand thirty-nine individuals sustained one or more MOFs, of whom 1919 experienced a second MOF. The risk of a second MOF after a first increased by 4% for each year of age (95% CI 1.02–1.06) and was 41% higher for women than men (95% CI 1.25–1.59). The risk of a second MOF was highest immediately after the first fracture and thereafter decreased with time though remained higher than the population risk throughout follow-up. For example, 1 year after the first MOF, the risk of a second fracture was 2.7 (2.4–3.0) fold higher than the population risk. After 10 years, this risk ratio was 1.4 (1.2–1.6). The effect was more marked with increasing age.\ud \ud Conclusions\ud The risk of MOF after a first MOF is increased over the whole follow-up, but the imminent risk is even higher. If the acute increment in risk in the few years following MOF is amenable to therapeutic intervention, then immediate short-term treatments may provide worthwhile clinical dividends in a very cost-effective manner, particularly in the elderly.

Background/Objectives: Pregnancy is accompanied by fat gain and insulin resistance. Changes in adipose tissue morphology and function during pregnancy and factors contributing to gestational insulin resistance are incompletely known. We sought to characterize adipose tissue in trimesters 1 and 3 (T1/T3) in normal weight (NW) and obese pregnant women, and identify adipose tissue-related factors associated with gestational insulin resistance. Subjects/Methods: Twenty-two NW and 11 obese women were recruited early in pregnancy for the Pregnancy Obesity Nutrition and Child Health study. Examinations and sampling of blood and abdominal adipose tissue were performed longitudinally in T1/T3 to determine fat mass (air-displacement plethysmography); insulin resistance (homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, HOMA-IR); size, number and lipolytic activity of adipocytes; and adipokine release and density of immune cells and blood vessels in adipose tissue. Results: Fat mass and HOMA-IR increased similarly between T1 and T3 in the groups; all remained normoglycemic. Adipocyte size increased in NW women. Adipocyte number was not influenced, but proportions of small and large adipocytes changed oppositely in the groups. Lipolytic activity and circulating adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein increased in both groups. Adiponectin release was reduced in NW women. Fat mass and the proportion of very large adipocytes were most strongly associated with T3 HOMA-IR by multivariable linear regression (R2=0.751, P

Drawing on rhetorical arena theory, this study investigates the variations of content across communication channels (subarenas), guided by different media logics, during the 2014–2015 Ebola outbreak. Restricting the study to one country, Sweden, a content analysis was conducted of two national newspapers (in total 848 articles), their posts on branded Facebook pages (47) and user comments on these Facebook posts (1,661). Some conclusions to be made are, that content differed between subarenas, with Facebook news being more sensational and focused on human interest stories, and Facebook comments to a greater extent related to other current socio‐political issues. Also, news media were more alarmist than Facebook comments, although alarmism declined on all subarenas as the danger became more tangible.

Rocksalt-structure (B1) (V,Mo)N alloys are inherently hard and tough ceramics. However, the mechanical properties and thermal stability of (V,Mo)N solid solutions at temperatures ⪆ 700 °C of relevance for practical applications have not been previously investigated. In this work, we synthesize single-phase B1 polycrystalline V0.57Mo0.43N0.95 coatings to investigate the effects induced by temperature on the nanostructural evolution and hardness (H) of the material. Nanoindentation measurements show that the as-deposited film (H = 23 ± 3 GPa) becomes ≈30% harder (up to 31 ± 2 GPa) upon annealing at 730 °C. Experimental characterization and analyses, based on dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), reveal that the age-hardening effect originates from decomposition of the solid solution into coherent strained cubic VN-rich/MoN-rich domains. The experimental results are complemented by the composition/temperature (V,Mo)N phase diagram – constructed upon ab initio molecular dynamics free-energies – which indicates that the separation observed in the solid solutions is of spinodal nature. Films annealed at temperatures exceeding 850 °C undergo structural coarsening, with formation of hexagonal MoxNy and cubic VN phases, which cause a decrease in hardness to ≈22 GPa. Our present findings indicate that (V,Mo)N coatings may offer outstanding mechanical performances during operation at elevated temperatures.

Emerging evidence suggests a role of receptor activator of nuclear factor κB (RANK)/RANK ligand (RANKL) signaling in breast cancer development. Lower osteoprotegerin (OPG) levels, the endogenous decoy receptor for RANKL which competes with RANK for binding of RANKL, has been reported among BRCA mutation carriers. Whether low OPG levels contribute to the high breast cancer risk in this population is unknown. OPG concentrations were measured in plasma of 206 cancer-free BRCA mutation carriers using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Subjects were categorized as high vs. low based on the median of the entire cohort (95 ng/mL) and followed for a new diagnosis of breast cancer. Cumulative incidence by baseline plasma OPG concentration was estimated using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the adjusted hazard ratios for the association between plasma OPG and breast cancer risk. Over a mean follow-up period of 6.5 years (range 0.1–18.8 years), 18 incident breast cancer cases were observed. After ten years of follow-up, the cumulative incidence of breast cancer among women with low OPG was 21%, compared to 9% among women with high OPG (P-log rank = 0.046). After multivariate adjustment, women with high plasma OPG had a significantly decreased risk of developing breast cancer, compared to women with low OPG (HR = 0.25; 95%CI 0.08–0.78; P = 0.02). These data suggest that low OPG levels are associated with an increased risk of BRCA-associated breast cancer. Targeting RANK signalling may represent a plausible, non-surgical prevention option for BRCA mutation carriers.