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

Vanadoallanite-(La): A new epidote-supergroup mineral from Ise, Mie Prefecture, Japan

AbstractThe new mineral, vanadoallanite-(La), found in the stratiform ferromanganese deposit from the Shobu area, Ise City, Mie Prefecture, Japan, was studied using electron microprobe analysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. Vanadoallanite-(La) is a rare-earth element-rich monoclinic epidote-supergroup mineral with simplified formula CaLaV3+AlFe2+(SiO4)(Si2O7)O(OH) (Z= 2, space group P21/m) characterized by predominantly V3+at one of three octahedral sites,M1. The crystal studied shows large V (∼8.4 V2O3wt.%), Fe (∼13.8 Fe2O3wt.%; Fe2+/total Fe = 0.58) and Mn (∼8.8 MnO wt.%) contents. A small amount of Ti is also present (∼1.3 TiO2wt.%). Structural refinement converged toR1= 2.96%. The unit-cell parameters area= 8.8985(2),b= 5.7650(1),c= 10.1185(2) Å, β = 114.120(1)° andV= 473.76(2) Å3. The cation distributions determined atA1,A2andM3are Ca0.61Mn0.39, (La0.46Ce0.14Pr0.07Nd0.18)Σ0.85Ca0.15and Fe2+0.56Mn2+0.30Mg0.06V3+0.05Fe3+0.03, respectively. On the other hand, depending on Ti assignment, two different schemes of the cation distribution atM1andM2can be considered: (1)M1(V3+0.58Fe3+0.34Ti4+0.08)M2(Al0.92Fe3+0.08), and (2)M1(V3+0.58Fe3+0.42)M2(Al0.92Ti4+0.08). In both cases, the dominant cations atA1, A2, M1, M2andM3are Ca, La, V3+, Al and Fe2+, respectively. According to ionic radius, Ti4+possibly prefersM2rather than Fe3+. A large Mn2+content at A1 also characterizes our vanadoallanite-(La). The structural change of Mn2+-rich allanite-group minerals is considered to be controlled by two main factors. One is the large Mn2+content at A1 in vanadoallanite-(La), which modifies the topology of theA1O9polyhedron. The other is the expansion ofM3O6andM1O6octahedra caused by large octahedral cations, such as Fe2+and Mn2+, atM3and the trivalent transition elements, V3+and Fe3+, atM1.</jats:p

Light and SEM observation of opal phytoliths in the mulberry leaf

AbstractBiogenic mineral deposits 25–100μm in diameter were observed by microscopic examination of the leaf of mulberry (Morus alba) ‘Ichinose’. Using chemical mapping with scanning electron microscope, the deposits were determined to be opal phytoliths, composed largely of biogenic silica. Phytoliths varied in diameter and were distributed heterogeneously within a leaf. Many phytoliths were observed in close proximity to small veins. Phytolith growth in the mulberry leaf proceeds by deposition of silicon compounds transferred via the network of cell walls