Evolution of microstructure, texture and grain boundary character distribution of potassium doped tungsten fibers annealed at variable temperatures

The effect of the annealing temperature on the microstructure and grain boundary character distribution of potassium doped tungsten fibers made of drawn wire was investigated by Electron Backscatter Diffraction. Samples, with a diameter of 148.7 μm, in the as-received condition and annealed at 1300, 1600, 1900, 2100 and 2300 °C were analyzed at the center of the transversal sections. Up to 1900 °C, a uniform microstructural coarsening and primary recrystallization followed by normal grain growth was observed. Between 1900 and 2100 °C abnormal grain growth took place. The strong texture (<110> parallel to the drawing axis) remained present in all conditions. With increasing the annealing temperature, the low angle grain boundary fraction increased at the expense of high angle grain boundaries while the amount of coincidence site lattice boundaries reached its maximum at 1600 °C. At this temperature, the most resistant configuration of triple junctions against intergranular crack propagation was obtained

Six simple guidelines for introducing new genera of fungi

We formulate five guidelines for introducing new genera, plus one recommendation how to publish the results of scientific research. We recommend that reviewers and editors adhere to these guidelines. We propose that the underlying research is solid, and that the results and the final solutions are properly discussed. The six criteria are: (1) all genera that are recognized should be monophyletic; (2) the coverage of the phylogenetic tree should be wide in number of species, geographic coverage, and type species of the genera under study; (3) the branching of the phylogenetic trees has to have sufficient statistical support; (4) different options for the translation of the phylogenetic tree into a formal classification should be discussed and the final decision justified; (5) the phylogenetic evidence should be based on more than one gene; and (6) all supporting evidence and background information should be included in the publication in which the new taxa are proposed, and this publication should be peer-reviewed

A multi-gene phylogeny of Lactifluus (Basidiomycota, Russulales) translated into a new infrageneric classification of the genus

Infrageneric relations of the genetically diverse milkcap genus Lactifluus (Russulales, Basidiomycota) are poorly known. Currently used classification systems still largely reflect the traditional, mainly morphological, characters used for infrageneric delimitations of milkcaps. Increased sampling, combined with small-scale molecular studies, show that this genus is underexplored and in need of revision. For this study, we assembled an extensive dataset of the genus Lactifluus, comprising 80 % of all known species and 30 % of the type collections. To unravel the infrageneric relationships within this genus, we combined a multi-gene molecular phylogeny, based on nuclear ITS, LSU, RPB2 and RPB1, with a morphological study, focussing on five important characteristics (fruit body type, presence of a secondary velum, colour reaction of the latex/context, pileipellis type and presence of true cystidia). Lactifluus comprises four supported subgenera, each containing several supported clades. With extensive sampling, ten new clades and at least 17 new species were discovered, which highlight the high diversity in this genus. The traditional infrageneric classification is only partly maintained and nomenclatural changes are proposed. Our morphological study shows that the five featured characteristics are important at different evolutionary levels, but further characteristics need to be studied to find morphological support for each clade. This study paves the way for a more detailed investigation of biogeographical history and character evolution within Lactifluus

Enhancing Developing Country Access to Eco-Innovation: The Case of Technology Transfer and Climate Change in a Post-2012 Policy Framework

The deployment of eco-innovations in developing countries is a key driver of their contribution to efficiently addressing global environmental challenges. It is also a key driver of markets for eco-innovation and sustainable economic development. This report explores the barriers developing countries face in accessing markets for eco-innovation. It outlines the key considerations policy needs to address to overcome these barriers and discusses the extent to which selected existing policy mechanisms and organisation have achieved this. The key finding of the report is that the majority of existing policy mechanisms fails to recognise the critical importance of developing indigenous eco-innovation capabilities amongst developing country firms. Indigenous eco-innovation capabilities are essential to facilitating both the diffusion of existing ecoinnovations within developing countries and sustainable economic development based on the adoption, adaption and development of environmentally sound technologies that fit with the bespoke conditions faced by developing countries. Building up eco-innovation capabilities in developing countries requires a shift away from the current focus on large project based approaches which emphasise the transfer of the hardware aspects of clean technologies, towards approaches that emphasise flows of codified knowledge (know-how and know-why) and tacit knowledge. Policy also needs to be improved to better respond to the context-specific technological and cultural requirements which vary inter- and intra-nationally

Sheep can be used as animal model of regional myocardial remodeling and controllable work

Background: Pacing the right heart has been shown to induce reversible conduction delay and subse­quent asymmetric remodeling of the left ventricle (LV) in dogs and pigs. Both species have disadvantages in animal experiments. Therefore the aim of this study was to develop a more feasible and easy-to-use animal model in sheep. Methods: Dual-chamber (DDD) pacemakers with epicardial leads on the right atrium and right ven­tricular free wall were implanted in 13 sheep. All animals underwent 8 weeks of chronic rapid pacing at 180 bpm. Reported observations were made at 110 bpm. Results: DDD pacing acutely induced a left bundle branch block (LBBB) — like pattern with almost doubling in QRS width and the appearance of a septal flash, indicating mechanical dyssynchrony. Atrial pacing (AAI) resulted in normal ventricular conduction and function. During 8 weeks of rapid DDD pacing, animals developed LV remodeling (confirmed with histology) with septal wall thinning (–30%, p &lt; 0.05), lateral wall thickening (+22%, p &lt; 0.05), LV volume increase (+32%, p &lt; 0.05), decrease of LV ejection fraction (–31%, p &lt; 0.05), and functional mitral regurgitation. After 8 weeks, segmental pressure-strain-loops, representing regional myocardial work, were recorded. Switching from AAI to DDD pacing decreased immediately work in the septum and increased it in the lateral wall (–69 and +41%, respectively, p &lt; 0.05). Global LV stroke work and dP/dtmax decreased (–27% and -25%, respectively, p &lt; 0.05). Conclusions: This study presents the development a new sheep model with an asymmetrically remod­eled LV. Simple pacemaker programing allows direct modulation of regional myocardial function and work. This animal model provides a new and valuable alternative for canine or porcine models and has the potential to become instrumental for investigating regional function and loading conditions on regional LV remodeling

Three mechanisms of hydrogen-induced dislocation pinning in tungsten

The high-flux deuterium plasma impinging on a divertor degrades the long-termthermo-mechanical performance of its tungsten plasma-facing components. A prime actor inthis is hydrogen embrittlement, a degradation phenomenon that involves the interactions between hydrogen and dislocations, the primary carriers of plasticity. Measuring such nanoscaleinteractions is still very challenging, which limits our understanding. Here, we demonstrate anexperimental approach that combines thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) andnanoindentation, allowing to investigate the effect of hydrogen on the dislocation mobility in tungsten. Dislocation mobility was found to be reduced after deuterium injection, which ismanifested as a ‘pop-in’ in the indentation stress-strain curve, with an average activation stressfor dislocation mobility that was more than doubled. All experimental results can be confidentlyexplained, in conjunction with experimental and numerical literature findings, by the simultaneous activation of three mechanisms responsible for dislocation pinning: (i) hydrogentrapping at pre-existing dislocations, (ii) hydrogen-induced vacancies, and (iii) stabilization ofvacancies by hydrogen, contributing respectively 38%, 52%, and 34% to the extra activationstress. These mechanisms are considered to be essential for the proper understanding and modeling of hydrogen embrittlement in tungsten