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Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is an important tool in the assessment of exercise practice. Assuming FMS lacks precise validity for assessing postural deficits, further research is needed to assess whether it is a sufficiently precise tool for analysing joint mobility. Research aims were to evaluate: convergent validity of Deep Squat (DS) – one of FMS tests – regarding joint mobility, using data from a three-dimensional motion analysis as a comparable method; DS's ability to discriminate between subjects with different joint mobility levels. Sixty subjects were selected (23.6 ± 3.8 years). DS was performed according to FMS guidelines. Subjects' performance in frontal and sagittal planes was recorded by two video cameras and subsequently scored by two FMS-certified evaluators. Three-dimensional motion analyses of DS were acquired by a Vicon Motion Capture System (200 Hz). Ten trials were acquired for each subject. Ankle, knee, hip, and shoulder angular positions in sagittal plane were determined from the FullBody PlugInGait model. Spearman's coefficient examined the correlation between angular positions and DS score. Kruskal-Wallis test was used to assess the DS ability to discriminate between subjects with different joint mobility levels by comparing different scores. Negligible to moderate correlations were found between DS score and angular positions (−0.5 < r < 0.5). Only shoulder angular positions showed differences between score "1" and "2" (p < 0.05). Shoulder and hip angular positions showed no differences between score "2" and "3" (p < 0.05). DS yielded low convergent validity regarding joint mobility and did not show the ability to discriminate between subjects with different joint mobility levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract For a long time, tracer techniques based on dyes, salts and more recently heat have been used to estimate shallow flow velocities. Traditionally, flow velocity estimation using tracers would consist of tracking the movement of the leading edge or the centroid of the tracer with the flow. An alternative methodology uses an analytical solution of an advection–dispersion transport equation as the mathematical foundation for measuring shallow water flow velocity from tracer measurements. The main goal of the present study was to ascertain whether this alternative numerical methodology can be used with temperature data from thermal tracer measurements. Salt and thermal tracer techniques were applied simultaneously by injecting a double tracer of salted-heated water into different shallow flows simulated in a laboratory hydraulic flume. Simulated flows combined different bed surfaces (smooth acrylic sheet, rough sand board and synthetic grass carpet), flow discharges (from 47 to 1239 ml s-1) and bed slopes (0.8, 4.4 and 13.2%), resulting in a wide range of hydraulic conditions. Velocities determined with the abovementioned methodology were compared with those estimated by measuring the tracers' leading edge and centroid and with mean flow velocity calculated using discharge/depth measurements. Results from combining this alternative numerical methodology with thermal tracer data were similar to results from the salt tracer. Also, the proposed alternative numerical methodology predicted the mean flow velocity calculated from discharge/depth measurements better than the measurements of the leading edge and centroid of the tracers. Highlights • A thermal tracer and a transport model were combined to estimate flow velocity. • Shallow flows were simulated using a laboratory hydraulic flume. • The movement of the thermal tracer was visualised using infrared thermography. • Thermal tracer velocities were similar to salt tracer velocities. • The proposed numerical methodology accurately predicted mean flow velocity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of transarterial chemoembolization with polyethylene glycol (PEG) drug-eluting embolic agents in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Materials and Methods: A single-center retrospective study of 302 patients (258 men; 85.4%) with HCC treated during a 20-month period was conducted. The mean patient age was 66 years ± 10; 142 (47%) had Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage A disease and 134 had (44.4%) stage B disease; 174 (57.6%) had a single HCC tumor, 65 (21.5%) had 2, and 62 (20.9%) had 3 or more. Mean index tumor size was 36.6 mm ± 24.8. One-month follow-up computed tomography (CT) response per modified Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors and clinical and biochemical safety were analyzed. Progression-free and overall survival were calculated by Kaplan-Meier method.Results: Median follow-up time was 11.9 months (95% confidence interval, 11.0-13.0 mo). One-month follow-up CT revealed complete response in 179 patients (63.2%), partial response in 63 (22.3%), stable disease in 16 (5.7%), and progressive disease in 25 (8.8%). The most frequent complications were postembolization syndrome in 18 patients (6%), liver abscess in 5 (1.7%), and puncture-site hematoma in 3 (1%). Biochemical toxicities occurred in 57 patients (11.6%). Survival analysis at 12 months showed a progression-free survival rate of 65.9% and overall survival rate of 93.5%. Patients who received transplants showed a 57.7% rate of complete pathologic response.Conclusions: Chemoembolization with PEG embolic agents for HCC is safe and effective, achieving an objective response rate of 85.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post-fire forest residue mulching using eucalypt bark strands have been proven effective for reducing hillslope runoff and erosion in field plots of different sizes (0.25–100 m 2 ). Application rates of around 8–10 Mg ha −1 achieved about 80% protective soil surface. Lower application rates, however, would reduce costs and, possibly, allow faster application, which could be especially critical in late summer high-severity fires. Such lower rates could be achieved by applying less mulch per unit area, by applying mulch in specific zones (strips) and by removing the finest fractions, especially since these can be expected to contribute little to reduce erosion risk. The objective of this laboratory study was to identify the threshold, or the minimum application rate, at which a new mulch blend (without the fraction ≤4 cm) would effectively control runoff and erosion. Two levels of ground cover by forest residue mulch (50 and 70%) and three mulch strips (covering the lower 1/3, 2/3 and 3/3 of a flume) were tested against the untreated bare soil by applying simulated rainfall and simulated inflow. The seven treatments were replicated three times using a 2.7 m × 0.3 m flume with a 40% slope, filled with a dry loamy sand soil. Each experiment included: (i) a “Dry” soil run comprising 20 min of simulated rainfall at a rate of 56 mm h −1 ; (ii) a “Wet” soil run with the same rainfall characteristics; (iii) a “Flow” run combining 20 min of rainfall with three inflows at increasing rates (52, 110, 232 mm h −1 ) on nearly saturated soil. The results showed that overall runoff, interrill and rill erosion were strongly reduced and leaching was increased by covering the flume with 2 m and 3 m mulch strips at 70% ground cover (overall mulch application rates of 2.6 and 1.3 Mg ha −1 ). The 1 m mulch strips at 70% mulch cover (1 Mg ha −1 ) also reduced significantly erosion but not runoff. The three mulch strips at 50% ground cover were less effective, and only the application over the whole plot was able to reduce interrill and rill erosion. Apparently, runoff depended most on mulch cover, while soil losses depended most on strip width. Even so, the new mulch blend was poorly effective in reducing runoff but effective in reducing interrill erosion and even highly effective in reducing rill erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selection guidelines are primary criterion for optimization of materials for specific applications in order to meet simultaneous and often conflicting requirements. This is mostly true for technologies and products required to meet the main societal needs, such as energy. In this case, gaps between supply and demand require strategies for energy conversion and storage, including thermal storage mostly based on phase change materials. Latent heat storage is also very versatile for thermal management and thermal control by allowing high storage density within narrow temperature ranges without strict dependence between stored thermal energy and temperature. Thus, this work addressed the main issues of latent heat storage from a materials selection perspective, based on expected requirements of applications in thermal energy storage or thermal regulation. Representative solutions for the kinetics of latent heat charge/discharge were used to derive optimization guidelines for high energy density, high power, response time (from fast response to thermal inertia), etc. The corresponding property relations were presented in graphical forms for a wide variety of prospective phase change materials, and for wide ranges of operating conditions, and accounting for changes in geometry and mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stabilographic analysis allows the quantification of balance by tracking center of pressure (COP) displacements in the horizontal plane during quiet standing. The aim of this study was to use pressure plates to measure descriptive stabilographic variables in Puro Sangue Lusitano horses. Center of pressure data were measured in seven horses during quiet standing using two synchronized pressures plates. For each horse, three sets of five 8-second trials were recorded with 15-minute intervals between data sets. The exported COP coordinates were converted into global coordinates defined in a global reference frame from which stabilographic variables, namely craniocaudal (CC) and mediolateral (ML) COP amplitudes and velocities, resultant COP velocity, and total path length, were calculated. The results showed no significant differences between variables for the left and right limbs. Compared with the forelimbs, the hind limbs have significantly greater values for COP ML amplitude (forelimbs: 3.2 ± 1.1 mm; hind limbs: 2.5 ± 0.5 mm), COP CC velocity (forelimbs: 1.2 ± 0.2 mm/s; hind limbs: 2.1 ± 1.0 mm/s), COP ML velocity (4.3 ± 0.9 mm/s; hind limbs: 6.5 ± 2.3 mm/s), and path length (forelimbs: 49.8 ± 8.5 mm; hind limbs: 80.3 ± 31.4 mm). The greater stability in the forelimbs may be related to their strut-like function in controlling body movements, whereas the hind limbs show a more dynamic postural response. The pressure plates used in this study, which are relatively inexpensive and more portable than force plates, are a promising tool for performing stabilographic analysis in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aqueous suspensions of graphite were shape stabilized by the additions of collagen and characterized as phase change materials for cold storage with enhanced thermal conductivity. Collagen addition stabilized the graphite suspensions in aqueous media without requirements for additional stabilizers or previous functionalization. Gelation at room temperatures prevented sedimentation of graphite particles. SEM of dried samples confirmed nearly random distribution of graphite particles. These gelled suspensions with enhanced thermal conductivity were tested for latent heat cold storage. The thermal response was retained upon repeated phase change cycles, and impedance spectroscopy was used to monitor these cycles. The response time upon phase change was somewhat longer than predicted by taking into account the values of thermal diffusivity and the estimated value of Stefan number, probably due to significant interfacial resistance to heat transfer, combined with discontinuities caused by volume expansion upon phase change. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objectives: To characterize and compare dynamic joint stiffness (DJS) of the ankle in the sagittal plane during natural cadence walking in both genders. Design: Observation, cross-sectional and matched pairs. Participants: Twenty-one males (mean age=27±4.2 years) and 18 females (mean age=22.9±4.1 years). Setting: Laboratory at the University de Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro. The DJS of the ankle was assessed while participants performed barefoot walking at a natural cadence, was measured using a force platform (1000Hz), and synchronized with a high-speed camera (200Hz). Main outcome measures: DJS of the ankle in males and females was calculated in two sub-phases (the second and the fourth sub-phases) of the stance phase. The Wilcoxon non-parametric matched-pairs test and the Mann–Whitney U non-parametric test were used to analyse difference of DJS of the ankle within and between the groups with p⩽0.05 regarded as significant. Results: Male and female participants demonstrated significantly (p<0.005) less DJS during the second sub-phase. DJS was not significantly (p>0.063) different between females (0.0511Nm/kg/°) and males (0.0596Nm/kg/°) during the second sub-phase. DJS was significantly (p<0.001) higher in males (0.0844Nm/kg/°) than females (0.0691Nm/kg/°) during the fourth sub-phase. Conclusions: Gender-specific DJS characteristics demonstrated by females in this study may be used in preventative training programs designed to promote a greater ability to use contractile components to produce mechanical energy through the ankle. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In reducing conditions the resistance of dense strontium titanate ceramic samples decreases markedly with decreasing average grain size. This trend is interpreted on assuming enhanced conductivity along grain contacts in parallel with a RC bulk term. The temperature dependence is consistent with this model and indicates that the bulk may still control the overall behavior at sufficiently high temperatures (typically for T>700 °C). The resistivity of fine grained porous samples is intermediate between the results obtained for fine grained dense samples and dense samples with large average grain size. An extended model is thus proposed to describe the behavior of porous samples by assuming a series association of isolated channels connected by the interior of adjacent grains. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The ceramic industry in the productive hub of Santa Catarina needs some raw materials with specific characteristics such as kaolin to manufacture its products. This clay mineral with a naturally variable chemical composition in relation to its geolocation (in extraction area composed by rock and combined with sediment materials), attributes significant increases in transport costs due to its distance from the main productive areas in southern Brazil. Thus, as a strategic alternative, the improvement of kaolin with a high quartz content (69.9%) from the northern region of the state of Santa Catarina (∼400 km from ceramic hub in the south of the state), more precisely from the municipality of Garuva, was sought. Unit processing operations by classifying this mineral for suitability for use in industry, resulted in an increase in the concentration of kaolinite. The results indicated that the proposed method reduced the amount of quartz and consequently increased the kaolinite content, resulting in an aluminum oxide content of approximately 28.20%, a value higher than the normal natural content of ∼19%. • The beneficiation through segregation was carried out to obtain a purer kaolin. • A significant increase in alumina content (>25%) was achieved in the passing material. • The kaolinite clay mineral content exceeded 50% after the screening process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the first time, controlled hydrothermal functionalization was performed in porous cellular α-Al 2 O 3 ceramics, targeting potential separation and catalytic processes for sustainable chemistry applications. Growth of micro-nano hierarchical structures of boehmite (γ-AlOOH) with high aspect ratio was assessed by SEM/EDS/XRD/FTIR. The pH and precursors concentration determine the growth mechanism and final functionalization level. The obtained results anticipate strategies for promoting formation of boehmite at the pores surfaces and tuning its morphology, including pre-treatments of the cellular matrix to increase the concentration of the surface defects and preliminary saturation of the pores with appropriate precursors to achieve uniform functionalization. Thus grown boehmite structures can be easily converted to γ-Al 2 O 3 by thermal treatment while retaining the former distribution and aspect ratio, opening new possibilities for preparation of γ-Al 2 O 3 supported catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Fucus vesiculosus is a seaweed claimed to be useful for obesity management. Therefore, considering the relationship between obesity and cardiovascular diseases, this work aimed to assess the potential for an herb–drug interaction among a standardized F. vesiculosus extract (GMP certificate) and amiodarone (a narrow therapeutic index drug) in rats. In a first pharmacokinetic study, rats were simultaneously co-administered with a single-dose of F. vesiculosus (575mg/kg, p.o.) and amiodarone (50mg/kg, p.o.); in a second study, rats were pre-treated during 14days with F. vesiculosus (575mg/kg/day, p.o.) and received amiodarone (50mg/kg, p.o.) on the 15th day. Rats of the control groups received the corresponding volume of vehicle. After analysis of the pharmacokinetic data it deserves to be highlighted the significant decrease in the peak plasma concentration of amiodarone (55.4%) as well as the reduction of systemic exposure to the parent drug (∼30%) following the simultaneous co-administration of F. vesiculosus extract and amiodarone. This paper reports, for the first time, the herb–drug interaction between F. vesiculosus and amiodarone, which determined a considerable decrease on amiodarone bioavailability in rats. Therefore, the therapeutic efficacy of amiodarone may be compromised by the concurrent administration of herbal slimming medicines/dietary supplements containing F. vesiculosus. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: Insufficient and excessive stiffness may increase the risk of soft tissue and bone injuries, respectively, while the resonance frequency seems to be related with energy expenditure and stiffness. With aging and menopause muscle weakness, physical fragility and mobility limitations are also expected. Therefore this study addresses the differences of biomechanical properties of the triceps surae muscle–tendon unit between young and postmenopausal women. Methods: 39 young and 37 postmenopausal women participated. The biomechanical properties of the triceps surae muscle–tendon unit were assessed in vivo using a free oscillation technique involving 30% of the maximal voluntary isometric contraction load. Findings: The postmenopausal women in this study show significant higher values in the damped natural frequency of oscillation (young 3.84Hz vs. postmenopausal 4.68Hz, P <0.001), muscle–tendon unit stiffness (young 16,446N/m vs. postmenopausal 23,229N/m, P <0.001), and muscle–tendon unit stiffness normalized by mass (young 286.3N/m vs. postmenopausal 325.1N/m, P <0.05). The postmenopausal study group shows significant lower values in the damping ratio (young 0.190 vs. postmenopausal 0.150, P <0.01) than young women. Interpretation: The postmenopausal subjects may not be able to take advantage of resonance as the young subjects, or, the relationship between these frequencies is adjusted according to the musculoskeletal characteristics of each group. The decrease in damping properties and the increase in muscle–tendon unit stiffness suggest that postmenopausal women might be at a greater risk of injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Low- or high-arched feet and insufficient or excessive muscle–tendon stiffness have been identified as risk factors for lower extremity injuries. Additionally, increased body mass index and age may be responsible for structural changes of the foot, which might adversely affect the functional capacity of the longitudinal arch. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of body mass, age and triceps-surae musculotendinous stiffness with the foot arch structure of postmenopausal women. Methods: 81 post menopausal women (58.0 (SD 6.0) years) participated. An in vivo free oscillation technique was used to assess musculotendinous stiffness of the ankle. The two-step protocol was used to acquire gait plantar pressure data. Dynamic arch index was calculated as the ratio of the midfoot area to the area of the entire foot excluding the toes. Three groups were formed (cavus, normal and planus). Findings: Significant differences (P <0.05) between the groups cavus and planus were found for age using the ANOVA test. Using Kruskal–Wallis tests significant differences were found for body mass index between the cavus–normal groups and cavus–planus (P <0.001) but no significant differences were found for triceps-surae musculotendinous stiffness between foot-type groups. Interpretation: Since obese subjects present greater downward vertical forces, they might be more prone to overload foot structures leading to the collapse of the medial longitudinal arch affecting adversely the functional capacity of the foot. Deterioration of the musculoskeletal system, due to age, may also affect foot arch structure. No relationship between musculotendinous stiffness and foot arch structure appears to exist. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: There is a lack of research into the relationship between obesity and muscle–tendon unit stiffness in postmenopausal women. Muscle–tendon unit stiffness appears to affect human motion performance and excessive and insufficient stiffness can increase the risk of bone and soft tissue injuries, respectively. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between muscle–tendon unit stiffness and obesity in postmenopausal women. Methods: 105 postmenopausal women (58 [SD 5.5] years) participated. Four groups (normal weight, pre-obese, obesity class I and obesity class II) were defined according World Health Organization classification of body mass index. The ankle muscle–tendon unit stiffness was assessed in vivo with a free oscillation technique using a load of 30% of maximal voluntary isometric contraction. Findings: ANOVA shows significant difference in muscle–tendon unit stiffness among the groups defined (P <0.001). Post hoc analysis reveals significant differences between the following groups: normal weight–pre-obese; normal weight–obesity class I and normal weight–obesity class II. The normal weight group had stiffness of 15789 (SD 2969) N/m, pre-obese of 19971 (SD 3678) N/m, obesity class I of 21435 (SD 4295) N/m, and obesity class II of 23497 (SD 1776) N/m. Interpretation: Obese subjects may have increased muscle–tendon unit stiffness because of fat infiltration in leg skeletal muscles, range of motion restrictions and stability/posture reasons and might be more predisposed to develop musculoskeletal injuries. Normal weight group had identical stiffness values to those reported in studies where subjects were not yet menopausal, suggesting that stiffness might not be influenced by menopause. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Liquid-phase nonpoint source pollution dispersion and removal on sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) is an important issue for urban pollution mitigation which remains a challenge, as current researches mostly focus on pollutants removal by settling. Nevertheless, most of liquid-phase pollutants behave as dissolved substances on overland flow and, therefore, they cannot be trapped, but uptake by biological mechanisms and adsorbed by green infrastructure media. Hence, dispersion of dissolved pollutant is of great importance for liquid-phase pollution removal, as it also increases contact with underlying media in the SUDS. This paper addresses the liquid-phase pollutant dispersion on conveyance structures within different materials, using experimental and modelling analysis. Hydrodynamic dispersion and flow velocity were analysed separately, or conjoint, using dispersivity, as it is a key factor for porous solute transport and removal. Therefore, the effect of different covers on pavements draining to, or as part of, SUDS with very shallow runoff was investigated. Four scenarios were performed in triplicate to measure the flow velocity and the conservative solute transport across longitudinal section of flume (experimental indoors self-contained setup) using electrolyte tracer under different flow discharges (32–1813 ml s−1) with 0.8, 4.4 and 13.2% slopes. For one scenario, free water flow on a smooth surface was performed and results were used as control. For the three remaining scenarios: sand roughness, stone and synthetic grass covers were investigated. The ratio of the dispersion coefficient and flow velocity (i.e. dispersivity factor) was also determined and compared with control. Finally, data were analysed considering flow regimes, using the dimensionless Reynolds and Froude numbers. Results showed that surface covers caused reduction in the flow velocity, from 1.2 to 7.7 fold. However, dispersivity factor can be increased from 3 to nearly 10 orders of magnitude for the three scenarios, compared to control, due to the dual effect on hydrodynamic dispersion coefficient and flow velocity. Results here presented should be helpful to better understand dissolved non-point source pollution dispersion and how different land covers can effect pollutant removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High quality factor and a temperature stable resonant frequency make BaLa 4 Ti 4 O 15 (BLT) ceramics attractive materials for microwave applications. Aiming to exploit the effects of external stresses on the development of textured and anisotropic microstructures to optimise MW properties, the influence of applied external pressure during sintering of BLT ceramics is analysed. HRTEM and geometric phase analysis (GPA) showed that stresses applied during sintering, trigger the nucleation and growth of faults hypothesised to be due to the errors in the AO 3 layer (basal plane) stacking sequence of the hexagonal perovskite structure. The results reveal a strong correlation between the high concentration of structural defects and the development of anisotropic microstructures, which tune the properties of BLT. Stresses applied during sintering are therefore a promising tool to design material properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to compare rheumatoid arthritis post-menopausal women (RAPW) with pathological involvement of the lower limb joints and age-matched healthy post-menopausal women (AHPW) in regard to the dynamic joint stiffness of the ankle (DJSankle) during the stance phase of gait. Data were collected from 18 RAPW and 18 AHPW. Gait was assessed by a three-dimensional motion analysis system synchronised with a force plate. Subjects walked barefoot at natural and self-selected speed, performing 14 valid trials (comprising 7 left and 7 right foot-steps on a force plate). The stance phase was split into three sub-phases that corresponded to the three angular displacements of the ankle that occurred during this phase, namely, controlled plantar flexion (CPF), controlled dorsiflexion (CDF), and powered plantar flexion (PPF). A linear model represented each sub-phase and computed DJSankle. Model fitting was assessed by the coefficient of determination (R2). The coefficient of variation (CV) was used to assess intra-individual variability. In all sub-phases, R2 values for both groups were higher than 0.85. There were no differences in the R2 values among groups. RAPW showed a higher DJSankle during the CPF (p < 0.05). CDF and PPF yielded no differences among groups. During CPF, RAPW yielded a higher CV for DJSankle (p < 0.01). RAPW also yielded lower ankle angular displacements during CPF and PPF (p < 0.05). Findings suggested that the stance phase of RAPW and AHPW can be studied by a linear ankle 'moment of force -- angle' relationship. During CPF, RAPW exhibited excessive ankle stiffness and presented a higher intra-individual DJSankle variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work focuses on designing highly-porous cellular NiAl 2 O 4 -based spinel ceramics through combined suspension emulsification/reactive sintering and further decoration of the pore surfaces by Ni nanoparticles for potential applications in heterogeneous catalysis. Due to kinetic limitations and specific porous structure, the reduction occurs without affecting the integrity of the cellular monoliths. The reaction mechanism, assessed by XRD and TEM/EDS, includes both partial decomposition and reduction, resulting in the formation of metastable Al-enriched phases, mainly NiAl 32 O 49 , and metallic Ni phase, respectively. The results suggest that the cellular bulk framework can be decorated with Ni catalyst in a controlled way, by proper selection of the initial cation stoichiometry of the NiAl 2 O 4 spinel and appropriate reduction conditions. In selected conditions the reduction results in Ni nanoparticles of various dimension scales, finely dispersed at the pore surfaces, with a significant fraction below 50 nm, as confirmed by TEM/EDS. The results of thermodynamic analysis emphasize that the redox tolerance of the spinel phase is dependent on the Ni:Al activity ratio, suggesting the prospects for tuning the catalytic activity and stability by designing the initial composition and resulting content of metallic Ni and Ni- and Al-containing metastable phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alumina-based open cellular microstructures with highly interconnected porosity attract much interest as supports for catalytic applications, with emphasis on petroleum and automotive sector. This work reports a novel route for in-situ functionalization of the sintered porous α-Al 2 O 3 ceramics by micro/nano structures of boehmite (γ-AlOOH), promoted by hydrothermal treatment in alkaline conditions. The mechanism of the process includes slow dissolution of the matrix, which acts as an aluminum precursor, and transport of Al-containing species inside the pores, resulting in growth of boehmite fibers and clusters of various morphologies, as confirmed by combined SEM/EDS/XRD/FTIR. These results suggest that deliberate variation of the pH and ionic strength of the hydrothermal medium may represent a promising strategy for controlling the spatial distribution, morphology and dimension scale of the grown boehmite. A complementary approach implies pre-treatment of cellular monoliths in highly-reducing conditions to increase the concentration of surface defects and dangling bonds, facilitating the matrix dissolution and probably acting as nucleation centers, and thus to boost the functionalization level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Members of the solid-solution series Ce1−x Sr x PO4−δ (x =0, 0.01, 0.02) with mixed protonic and electronic transport have been synthesized by a nitrate-decomposition method followed by sintering at 1450°C. Impedance spectroscopy is employed to estimate the bulk electrical conductivity in wet (∼0.03atm) and dry atmospheres of O2 and 10%H2:90%N2. Conductivity increases with dopant concentration (x), oxygen partial pressure (pO2) and water vapour partial pressure (pH2O) reaching ∼3.5×10−3 Scm−1 at 600°C for x =0.02 in wet O2. Activation energies (E a) for the bulk conductivity of Ce0.98Sr0.02PO4−δ below 650°C are 0.44 and 0.78eV for wet oxidising and wet reducing conditions, respectively. A moderate but positive pO2 +n power-law dependence (n <1/10) of conductivity is exhibited in the pO2 range 10−2.5 to 10−1 atm, consistent with mixed ionic and p-type electronic transport. Thermogravimetric analysis indicates that the Sr-doped materials are stable in a CO2 atmosphere in the temperature range 25–1200°C. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Following the challenges of the European Union (EU), member states have adopted circular economy (CE) plans and strategies, with objectives and measures to foster circularity. Although the concept of CE refers to various natural resources such as water and land, little is known on how current CE policies are integrating these environmental resources. This article assesses how water and land concerns are embedded in the EU CE action plans issued in 2015 and 2020 and a set of nine member states' subsequent national plans. The assessment used a content analysis based on two variables, the frequency of water and land' related terms and the consistency of their inclusion within the plans. The findings reveal that neither water nor land emerge as major concerns in the CE plans, in comparison to materials or waste. Also, they are not consistently associated with the typical components of the plans namely problem-showcase, objectives, strategies and measures, stakeholders, and CE performance indicators. Nevertheless, the embeddedness of water is more evident in the plans of southern countries, whereas land concerns are much more erratic. If water and land concerns, are to be at the forefront of the transition to circularity, as the literature recommends, and if these plans are expected to offer an integrated approach of the CE concept, further efforts should be made to ensure their embeddedness. Image 1 • Circular Economy is as complex and integrative concept. • The narrative of circular economy action plans is screened by content analysis. • Water and spatial concerns are peripheral concerns in CE action plans. • Are not consistently associated with the typical components of an action plan. • The transition into circularity requires stronger embeddedness of water and land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]