Effect of surfactant/water ratio and reagents’ concentration on sizedistribution of manganese carbonate nanoparticles synthesized bymicroemulsion mediated route

tIn this work nanoparticles of manganese carbonate were produced by microemulsion-mediated routeat room temperature, without any post-thermal treatment. All produced samples were characterizedby XRD and by TEM and obtained images were analyzed in order to evaluate particle size distribution,mean size and polydispersity (variance). The influence of water–surfactant molar ratio and concentrationof reagents were investigated in the range 5–7.5 and 0.25–1.0 M, respectively, according to factorialdesign. Significant effects on particle mean size and polydispersity were assessed by statistical analysis.Results showed that by increasing the water–surfactant molar ratio from 5 to 7.5, the average particlesize increased from less than 10 nm to around 100 nm, and the standard deviation increased from lessthan 5 nm to 35 nm. Statistical analysis put in evidence that water–surfactant molar ratio has significantpositive effect on both mean and variance of particle size. Concentration of reactants, in the investigatedrange, did not influence mean size of particles, while significant changes of variance were observed:passing from 0.25 to 1 M concentration, variances of particle size increased for w = 5 and for w = 6.25,while decreased for w = 7.5

No Reactions observed in Xe-Fe System even at Earth Core Pressures

BACKGROUND: More attention is being paid to the wellbeing of staff working in stressful situations. However, little is known about staff experience of providing end-of-life care to children within a hospice setting. This study aims to explore the experiences of care team staff who provide end-of-life care within a children's hospice. METHODS: Qualitative research incorporating interviews and a focus group. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Purposeful sampling led to a total of 15 care team staff recruited from a children's hospice offering palliative and specialist care to life-limited children and young people. RESULTS: The hospice setting provides a model of excellence in supporting staff and mitigating challenging aspects of their role, which includes peer/organisational support, and regular ongoing training in key aspects of children's palliative care. Key recommendations for improving their experience included advanced communication training and knowledge sharing with other children's palliative care specialists within the acute setting. CONCLUSIONS: Service and policy initiatives should encourage open, informal peer/organisational support among the wider children's palliative care sector. Further research should focus on paediatric palliative care education, particularly in relation to symptom management and communication at end-of-life, harnessing the expertise and breadth of knowledge that could be shared between children's hospices and hospital settings