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The majority of the studied artworks were altarpieces, sculptures and/or wood-based works from different periods. Non-traditional gilding techniques have been first described in this paper, such as those that employ materials as oil in the gilding on bole, glue and bole with lead white in mordant gilding, vermilion in the preparation layers; and brass gilding or those with aluminium, lead chromate, mica or corla trying to imitate the golden hue in restoration or repaint processes. For the determination of the composition of the different gilded layers, spectroscopic techniques, such as FTIR and micro-Raman, and SEM-EDX elemental chemical analyses were successfully used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron oxides, Pb 3 O 4 (red lead) with PbO, azurite and calcite were used as pigments in the Seville City hall façade. A gold gild was present in some areas. A black crust caused by environmental contamination was responsible for the black colour. Acrylic resin and other added materials are also responsible for some of the colour changes. The stone was cleaned, reinforced and innovatively consolidated and protected using suitable materials for restoration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study of the superimposition of the colours on the Royal Ordnance Factory of Seville provides information about the history of this monument. The façades, lanterns and domes are painted with a combination of pure white, reds and yellows. This palette is characteristic of the city of Seville. This study revealed the presence of lime and iron oxide pigments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sintered Cu interconnection suffers from an oxidation issue in high temperature applications so that understanding the oxidation mechanism is vital for joint design. This study systematically investigates the effect of oxidation on the microstructure and strength of sintered Cu during high temperature aging. The oxides tend to fill into the interspace of Cu nanoparticles and initially increase both the density and strength of sintered Cu overall. However, particle coarsening behavior occurs later and turns the deformable sintered Cu matrix into a brittle structure. Meanwhile, a novel mechanism of oxidation mediated nano-void formation along the grain boundary (GB) was revealed. [Display omitted] • The multiple oxidation effects on the microstructure of sintered Cu are unraveled. • Oxidation enhancement of sintered Cu joint property occurs at the early stage of aging. • Particle coarsening behavior turns the deformable sintered Cu matrix into a brittle structure. • Nanoscale Kirkendall voids form in the bulk sintered Cu after a prolonged aging. • A robust Cu joint with good thermal reliability is achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We studied the 1-year complication rate of patients diagnosed as having a pulmonary embolism (PE) after elective total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery and the distribution of emboli in the pulmonary circulation, and determined if a relationship exists between the location of the PE and age, gender, body mass index, preoperative predisposing factors, American Society of Anesthesiology classification, type of surgery, prophylaxis, hospital stay, transfer to a higher level of care, and mortality.Methods: Two hundred sixty-nine patients who developed an in-hospital PE proved by computed tomography pulmonary angiography after elective THA or TKA between 2005 and 2012 were studied.Results: The most proximal location of the emboli was central in 62, segmental in 139, and subsegmental in 68. Nineteen patients (7%) developed a bleeding complication during PE treatment. Twenty-nine patients (11%) were readmitted during the first year. Two patients (0.74%) died: one had a segmental PE after TKA. He died 11 months after surgery due to an autopsy-proven sepsis. The second patient developed a segmental PE after THA. She was anticoagulated, developed an intracranial bleed, and died 8 months after surgery. Multivariate analysis showed that demographic variables, American Society of Anesthesiology class, preoperative comorbidities (with the exception of arrhythmia), and the presence of preoperative predisposing factors had no effect in the location of the PE.Conclusion: The 1-year mortality rate of these patients is low. Death can be caused by bleeding complications secondary to anticoagulation or by unrelated conditions. This information may aid clinicians while counseling patients who developed a PE after surgery, particularly those with small subsegmental emboli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the purpose of chemical characterization, a selection of 29 ceramic fragments from the 11th to 15th century has been made from materials excavated in the Seville Alcazar Palace. The PIXE elemental analysis results indicated that the ceramic bodies can be divided into four groups. The XRD identification of the phases present in the bodies revealed differences in the firing temperatures. The PIXE analysis of the glazes revealed variable PbO and SnO 2 contents. The latter component was not detected in all the glazes. Cu, Co, Mn, Fe and Sb elements were associated with green, blue, black and yellow colours, respectively. Some glazes were covered by iridescent layers constituted by lead carbonate and phosphates due to alteration of the glazes. It was also possible to detail the microstructure and composition of the ultimate surface layers responsible for the lustre effect observed in two of the ceramic samples using PIXE and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The publisher regrets that this article has been temporarily removed. A replacement will appear as soon as possible in which the reason for the removal of the article will be specified, or the article will be reinstated. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Polyethylene liner fracture is a risk associated with the use of highly cross-linked UHMWPE. We performed a review of the voluntary reports of fractured liners to the US Food and Drug Administration to determine if any risk factors could be identified. There have been 74 reports of fractured Trilogy, Longevity liners to the US Food and Drug Administration since 1999. Most cases utilized small acetabular shells (≤54mm) combined with large diameter heads (≥36mm). Liners less than 7mm thick at the weight bearing or 4.8mm thick at the rim should be used with caution. At revision surgery, malpositioned shells should be revised and the use of a thin liner should be avoided. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The study of the stone surface was helpful before the restoration of the Sevilla City Hall façade. This study supplied information of the environmental factors affecting the stone and the restoration treatments used in previous interventions. The stone was thin grained carbonate constituted essentially by fragments of bioclasts and fine sand. The stone was covered by an acrylic resin. Black crust was found. Gypsum and mortars has been added to cover losses of pieces or to fix fragments of stones. A layer of lime on the surface was also detected. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Extracellular enzymatic hydrolysis of high-molecular weight organic matter is the initial step in sedimentary organic carbon degradation and is often regarded as the rate-limiting step. Temperature effects on enzyme activities may therefore exert an indirect control on carbon mineralization. We explored the temperature sensitivity of enzymatic hydrolysis and its connection to subsequent steps in anoxic organic carbon degradation in long-term incubations of sediments from the Arctic and the North Sea. These sediments were incubated under anaerobic conditions for 24months at temperatures of 0, 10, and 20°C. The short-term temperature response of the active microbial community was tested in temperature gradient block incubations. The temperature optimum of extracellular enzymatic hydrolysis, as measured with a polysaccharide (chondroitin sulfate), differed between Arctic and temperate habitats by about 8–13°C in fresh sediments and in sediments incubated for 24months. In both Arctic and temperate sediments, the temperature response of chondroitin sulfate hydrolysis was initially similar to that of sulfate reduction. After 24months, however, hydrolysis outpaced sulfate reduction rates, as demonstrated by increased concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and total dissolved carbohydrates. This effect was stronger at higher incubation temperatures, particularly in the Arctic sediments. In all experiments, concentrations of volatile fatty acids (VFA) were low, indicating tight coupling between VFA production and consumption. Together, these data indicate that long-term incubation at elevated temperatures led to increased decoupling of hydrolytic DOC production relative to fermentation. Temperature increases in marine sedimentary environments may thus significantly affect the downstream carbon mineralization and lead to the increased formation of refractory DOC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We have analyzed the dissolved organic carbon, OC, in ocean basement fluids using Fourier Transform-Ion Cyclotron Resonance-Mass Spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS). The compounds identified at the two sites, near the Juan de Fuca and Mid-Atlantic Ridges (North Pond), differ substantially from each other and from seawater. Compared to Juan de Fuca, North Pond organics had a lower average molecular weight (349 vs. 372 g/mol), 50% more identifiable compounds (2181 vs. 1482), and demonstrably lower average nominal oxidation state of carbon (−0.70 vs. −0.56). The North Pond fluids were also found to have many more N- and S-bearing compounds. Based on our data, the marine subsurface can alter the types of dissolved OC, DOC, compounds in seawater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study attempts to establish the advantages and limitations of the combined use of portable UV–Vis-FORS and XRF-XRD portable equipment for the non-invasive characterisation of pigments from Roman wall paintings from Seville, Spain, dated to the first and second century AD. XRD revealed the presence of calcite, dolomite and aragonite, indicating the colour white. Egyptian blue was identified using FORS and XRF, and additional information was obtained with XRD. For the colour green, FORS and mainly FTIR and colorimetry enabled the distinction between glauconite and celadonite, although other techniques were necessary to classify all components of the green areas by determining the presence of cuprorivaite, chlorite and chromium. For the colours yellow and red, the presence of goethite, yellow ochre, cinnabar and haematite was confirmed using FORS and XRF in some cases; the results were corroborated by XRD. Chromatic characterisation and the values of inflection points of FORS spectra enabled a better differentiation between reddish colours (orange, brown, purple and pink). The XRD and XRF techniques revealed that violet was created by mixing red haematite and Egyptian blue and slight variations in FORS spectra confirmed this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sintered Cu interconnection for power electronics has attracted considerable interest recently. Investigation of grain growth during Cu nanoparticle sintering provides insight into the strengthening mechanism of the sintered structure. Currently, the literature on Cu nanoparticle sintering mechanism is limited and mainly focuses on the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation of a limited number of nanoparticles with an ultrathin region. This study employs a quasi-in-situ method to investigate the mechanism of grain growth and twin formation in the bulk sintered Cu nanoparticle structure. The grains were found to continuously grow accompanied by orientation unification which is attributed to grain boundary (GB) migration or dislocation motion at elevated temperature. Two mechanisms governing twin formation have been observed and detailed. The grain and pore size and porosity in the sintered Cu structure under different sintering conditions were measured and correlated to the joint strength. Porosity was found to be the dominant factor affecting joint strength rather than grain or pore size. The original bonding interface between the sintered structure and the Cu substrate has high porosity. However, subsequent GB movement during heating causes this interface to shift into the sintered structure, eliminating the high porosity interface. Meanwhile, a model predicting porosity evolution was used to identify the dominant diffusion mechanism. This study constitutes the first detailed experimental observation of nanoscale grain growth, twin formation and GB movement at the interface and in the bulk sintered Cu structure. This novel mechanism of GB shifting could provide new guidance for strengthening the sintered Cu interconnections for power electronics. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulin stimulates superoxide (O2˙-) production in monocytes and macrophages. However, the mechanisms through which insulin induces O2˙- production are not completely understood. In this study, we (a) characterized the enzyme and the pathways involved in insulin-stimulated O2˙- production in human monocytes and murine macrophages, and (b) analyzed the consequences of insulin-stimulated O2˙- production on the cellular phenotype in these cells. We showed that insulin stimulated O2˙- production, and promoted p47phox translocation to the plasma membrane. Insulin-induced O2˙- production and p47phox translocation were prevented in the presence of specific inhibitors of PI3K and PKC. Insulin-mediated NADPH oxidase activation stimulated MMP-9 activation in monocytes and cell proliferation in macrophages. The effect of insulin on these phenotypic responses was mediated through NFκB, p38MAPK, and ERK 1/2 activation. Small-interfering RNA-specific gene silencing targeted specifically against Nox2 reduced the cognate protein expression, decreased insulin-induced O2˙- production, inhibited the turn on of NFκB, p38MAPK, and ERK 1/2, and reduced cell proliferation in macrophages. These findings suggest a pivotal role for NADPH oxidase in insulin-induced proliferation and proteolytic activation in monocytes and macrophages, respectively, and identify a pathway that may play a pathological role in hyperinsulinemic states. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]