Spin state dependence of electrical conductivity of spin crossover materials

We studied the spin state dependence of the electrical conductivity of the spin crossover compound [Fe(Htrz)2(trz)](BF4) (Htrz = 1H-1,2,4-triazole) by means of dc electrical measurements. The low spin state is characterized by higher conductance and lower thermal activation energy of the conductivity, when compared to the high spin state

Costs of compliance with EU regulations and competitiveness of the EU dairy sector

The introduction of cross-compliance mechanism in the European Union with its 2003 CAPreform might affect the costs of production and thus competitiveness of the EU. Little evidence is available to asses the costs of compliance with regulations and it implication for trade. In this study a farm level competitiveness analysis of the impacts of the Nitrate Directive and the Identification & registration Directive focuses on the dairy sector in Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands and UK (within EU), and the US and New Zealand (outside EU). The findings from this study are integrated into a trade analysis which assesses the impact of compliance costs on competitiveness of the various trading nations in global trade. Representative farm studies were used as a basis for the cost increase calculations. Best-estimates of compliance are used from the existing literature and expert judgements. The negative impact of these measures (for nitrates, and animal identification and registration) on EU imports and exports are less than 3 percent. If a smaller increase in compliance takes place, these already relatively small trade impacts will be further diminished. When the standards for nitrate pollution taken by the US and New Zealand are taken into account along with full compliance assumption in all countries analysed, this would only slightly improve the EU exports. The trade impacts obtained when no changes are assumed to happen in key competitor countries can thus be argued as providing the upper bound of the likely trade impacts

Ac conductivity and dielectric properties of CuFe1−xCrxO2 : Mg delafossite

The electrical and dielectric properties of CuFe(1−x)Cr(x)O(2) (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) powders, doped with 3% of Mg and prepared by solid-state reaction, were studied by broadband dielectric spectroscopy in the temperature range from −100 to 150 °C. The frequency-dependent electrical and dielectric data have been discussed in the framework of a power law conductivity and complex impedance and dielectric modulus. At room temperature, the ac conductivity behaviour is characteristic of the charge transport in CuFe1−xCrxO2 powders. The substitution of Fe3+ by Cr3+ results in an increase in dc conductivity and a decrease in the Cu+–Cu+ distance. Dc conductivity, characteristic onset frequency and Havriliak–Negami characteristics relaxation times are thermally activated above −40 °C for x = 0.835. The associated activation energies obtained from dc and ac conductivity and from impedance and modulus losses are similar and show that CuFe1−xCrxO2 delafossite powders satisfy the BNN relation. Dc and ac conductivities have the same transport mechanism, namely thermally activated nearest neighbour hopping and tunnelling hopping above and below −40 °C, respectively

Understanding Filipino rice farmer preference heterogeneity for varietal trait improvements: A latent class analysis

Using an experimental methodology based on investment games, we examine whether smallholder rice farmers from Nueva Ecija, Philippines have heterogeneous preferences for improvements in 10 rice varietal traits. We use a latent class cluster approach to identify different segments of rice producing households and their distinct preferences for trait improvements. These clusters were characterised post hoc using household, farm, and marketing characteristics. On average, farmers invested the most in rice varietal trait improvements that offered opportunities to reduce losses caused by lodging, insects and diseases. We found four classes of farmers with distinct preferences for improvements in variety traits. The clusters were significantly different in terms of household and farm characteristics. These findings can guide breeding research in the development of varieties that have the traits farmers identified for improvement, and that will address the unique needs of distinct farmer segments.Rio Maligalig, Matty Demont, Wendy J. Umberger and Alexandra Peralt

Global and regional burden of hospital admissions for pneumonia in older adults::A systematic review and meta-analysis

Pneumonia constitutes a substantial disease burden among adults overall and those who are elderly. We aimed to identify all studies investigating the disease burden among older adults (age, ≥65 years) admitted to the hospital with pneumonia. We estimated the hospital admission rate and in-hospital case-fatality ratio (CFR) of pneumonia in older adults, stratified by age and economic status (industrialized vs developing), with data from a systematic review of studies published from 1996 through 2017 and from 8 unpublished population-based studies. We applied these rate estimates to population estimates for 2015 to calculate the global and regional burden in older adults who would have been admitted to the hospital with pneumonia that year. We estimated the number of in-hospital pneumonia deaths by combining in-hospital CFRs with hospital admission estimates from hospital-based studies. We identified 109 eligible studies; 73 used clinical pneumonia as the case definition, and 36 used radiologically confirmed pneumonia as the case definition. We estimated that, in 2015, 6.8 million episodes (uncertainty range [UR], 5.8-8.0 episodes) of clinical pneumonia resulted in hospital admissions of older adults worldwide. The hospital admission rate increased with advancing age and was higher in men. The total disease burden was likely underestimated when using the definition of radiologically confirmed pneumonia. Based on data from 52 hospital studies reporting data on pneumonia mortality, we estimated that about 1.1 million in-hospital deaths (UR, 0.9-1.4 in-hospital deaths) occurred among older adults. The burden of pneumonia requiring hospitalization among older adults is substantial. Appropriate prevention and management strategies should be developed to reduce its impact

Computationally Assisted Identification of Functional Inorganic Materials

Modules of Desire Using computational methods to design materials with specific properties has found some limited success. Dyer et al. (p. 847 , published online 11 April) have devised a method, based on extended module materials assembly, that combines chemical intuition and ab initio calculations starting from fragments or modules of structure types that show the desired functionality. The method was tested by identifying materials suitable for a solid oxide fuel cell cathode. </jats:p

Scallop swimming kinematics and muscle performance: modelling the effects of "within-animal" variation in temperature sensitivity

Escape behaviour was investigated in Queen scallops (Aequipecten opercularis) acclimated to 5, 10 or 15 degrees C and tested at their acclimation temperature. Scallops are active molluscs, able to escape from predators by jet-propelled swimming using a striated muscle working in opposition to an elastic hinge ligament. The first cycle of the escape response was recorded using high-speed video ( 250 Hz) and whole-animal velocity and acceleration determined. Muscle shortening velocity, force and power output were calculated using measurements of valve movement and jet area, and a simple biomechanical model. The average shortening speed of the adductor muscle had a Q(10) of 2.04, significantly reducing the duration of the jetting phase of the cycle with increased temperature. Muscle lengthening velocity and the overall duration of the clap cycle were changed little over the range 5 - 15 degrees C, as these parameters were controlled by the relatively temperature-insensitive, hinge ligament. Improvements in the average power output of the adductor muscle over the first clap cycle ( 222 vs. 139 W kg(-1) wet mass at 15 and 5 degrees C respectively) were not translated into proportional increases in overall swimming velocity, which was only 32% higher at 15 degrees C ( 0.37m s(-1)) than 5 degrees C (0.28 m s(-1))