Sanitser, an innovative sanitary ware body, formulated with waste glass and recycled materials

Abstract In the present paper, the results of "Sanitser" Life European project are presented. The aim of this study was to reduce the firing temperature for ceramic body (from 1250 to 1170 °C). This was achieved substituting feldspar and quartz with recycled blend materials and a little percentage of flux (less than 3%); in a sanitary ware vitreous china formulation a waste glass, granitic materials and fired broken ceramic pieces were introduced. Tests performed on the Sanitser formulation showed that it has the same final physical-chemical characteristics of the industrial vitreous china (VC) body. Besides, different ceramic pieces (wash basin, bidet and WC pan) were compared with VC production. The results showed that Sanitser body can replace vitreous china in the sanitary ware production. In this project, the firing temperature of the ceramic body is reduced significantly with a supposed decrease of the CO2 emissions. In Sanitser formulation, about 43.6% of recycled materials that would end in dumps were utilized

Mechanism of improvement of TiN-coated tool life by nitrogen implantation

The life of TiN-coated tools can be improved by a post-coating ion implantation treatment, but the mechanism by which this occurs is still not clear. Nitrogen implantation of both physical-vapor-deposited TiN and CVD TiN leads to surface softening as the dose increases, which has been attributed to amorphization. In this study a combination of transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy was used to characterize the microstructure of implanted TiN coatings on cemented carbide for comparison with mechanical property measurements (nanoindentation, residual stress, etc.), made on the same samples. Ion implantation leads to a slight reduction in the grain size of the TiN in the implanted zone, but there is no evidence for amorphization. Surface softening is observed for physical-vapor-deposited TiN, but this is probably due to a combination of changes in surface composition and the presence of a layer of bubbles generated by the very high implantation doses use

Lifetime Alcohol Abuse Prevalence: Role of Childhood and Adult Religion

Findings presented regarding childhood and adult religiosity/spirituality as protective factors against Lifetime Alcohol Abuse

Distal and Proximal Religiosity as Protective Factors for Adolescent and Emerging Adult Alcohol Use

Data from emerging adults (ages 18-29, N = 900) in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication Study was used to examine the influence of childhood and emerging adult religiosity and religious-based decision-making, and childhood adversity, on alcohol use. Childhood religiosity was protective against early alcohol use and progression to later abuse or dependence, but did not significantly offset the influence of childhood adversity on early patterns of heavy drinking in adjusted logistic regression models. Religiosity in emerging adulthood was negatively associated with alcohol use disorders. Protective associations for religiosity varied by gender, ethnicity and childhood adversity histories. Higher religiosity may be protective against early onset alcohol use and later development of alcohol problems, thus, should be considered in prevention programming for youth, particularly in faith-based settings. Mental health providers should allow for integration of clients\u27 religiosity and spirituality beliefs and practices in treatment settings if clients indicate such interest

Effects of mobility in a population of Prisoner's Dilemma players

We address the problem of how the survival of cooperation in a social system depends on the motion of the individuals. Specifically, we study a model in which Prisoner's Dilemma players are allowed to move in a two-dimensional plane. Our results show that cooperation can survive in such a system provided that both the temptation to defect and the velocity at which agents move are not too high. Moreover, we show that when these conditions are fulfilled, the only asymptotic state of the system is that in which all players are cooperators. Our results might have implications for the design of cooperative strategies in motion coordination and other applications including wireless networks.Comment: 4 pages with 4 figures. APS format. Final version to be published in PR

Effects Of A Low Dose Of Fish Oil On Inflammatory Markers Of Brazilian Hiv-infected Adults On Antiretroviral Therapy: A Randomized, Parallel, Placebo-controlled Trial.

The benefits of antiretroviral therapy for HIV-infected subjects have been limited by an increased risk of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of a low dose of marine omega-3 fatty acids on inflammatory marker concentrations in HIV-infected subjects under antiretroviral therapy (ART). This was a randomized, parallel, placebo-controlled trial that investigated the effects of 3 g fish oil/day (540 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid-EPA plus 360 mg of docosahexaenoic acid-DHA) or 3 g soy oil/day (placebo) for 24 weeks in 83 male and non-pregnant female HIV-infected adults on ART. There were no differences between groups for the measures at baseline. Multilevel analyses revealed no statistically significant relationship between the longitudinal changes in high sensitivity-C reactive protein (hs-CRP) (Wald Chi2 = 0.17, p = 0.918), fibrinogen (Wald Chi2 = 3.82, p = 0.148), and factor VIII (Wald Chi2 = 5.25, p = 0.073) with fish oil. No significant changes in interleukin-6 (IL6), interleukin-1 beta (IL1-beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) serum concentrations were observed with fish oil supplements for 12 weeks. Compared to placebo, a low dose of 900 mg omega-3 fatty acids (EPA plus DHA) in fish oil capsules did not change hs-CRP, fibrinogen, factor VIII, IL6, IL1-beta and TNF-alpha serum concentrations in HIV-infected subjects on ART. Further investigations should consider the assessment of more sensitive inflammatory markers or higher doses to evaluate the effects of marine omega-3 fatty acids in this population. Registered at the Nederlands Trial Register, Identifier no. NTR1798.76520-652

Effects of a low dose of fish oil on inflammatory markers of brazilian HIV-infected adults on antiretroviral therapy: a randomized, parallel, placebo-controlled trial

The benefits of antiretroviral therapy for HIV-infected subjects have been limited by an increased risk of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of a low dose of marine omega-3 fatty acids on inflammatory marker concentrations in HIV-infected subjects under antiretroviral therapy (ART). Methods: This was a randomized, parallel, placebo-controlled trial that investigated the effects of 3 g fish oil/day (540 mg of eicosapentaenoic acid-EPA plus 360 mg of docosahexaenoic acid-DHA) or 3 g soy oil/day (placebo) for 24 weeks in 83 male and non-pregnant female HIV-infected adults on ART. Results: There were no differences between groups for the measures at baseline. Multilevel analyses revealed no statistically significant relationship between the longitudinal changes in high sensitivity-C reactive protein (hs-CRP) (Wald Chi2 = 0.17, p = 0.918), fibrinogen (Wald Chi2 = 3.82, p = 0.148), and factor VIII (Wald Chi2 = 5.25, p = 0.073) with fish oil. No significant changes in interleukin-6 (IL6), interleukin-1 beta (IL1-beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) serum concentrations were observed with fish oil supplements for 12 weeks. Conclusions: Compared to placebo, a low dose of 900 mg omega-3 fatty acids (EPA plus DHA) in fish oil capsules did not change hs-CRP, fibrinogen, factor VIII, IL6, IL1-beta and TNF-alpha serum concentrations in HIV-infected subjects on ART. Further investigations should consider the assessment of more sensitive inflammatory markers or higher doses to evaluate the effects of marine omega-3 fatty acids in this population. Registered at the Nederlands Trial Register, Identifier no. NTR17987865206528FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESP2008/50970-8; 2009/55532-

Phase Composition and Microstructure of Cast Al-6%Mg-2%Ca-2%Zn Alloy with Fe and Si Additions

Data Availability Statement: Not applicable.Investigating the effect of Fe and Si is essential for any new Al-based composition, as these impurities can be easily found both after primary production and recycling. This study is dedicated to filling the gap in revealing the phase composition of an Al-6%Mg-2%Ca-2%Zn alloy after the combined and separate addition of Fe and Si. This was addressed by permanent mold casting and solid solution heat treatment. The investigation of slowly solidified samples also contributed to understanding potential phase transitions. It was found that the alloy containing 0.5%Fe can have nearly spherical intermetallics after heat treatment, whereas a higher Fe content brought the formation of a needle-shaped Al3Fe intermetallic. We explain this by the formation of a ternary α-Al + Al10CaFe2 + Al4Ca eutectic, which is more compact in as-cast condition compared to divorced binary α-Al + Al4Ca and α-Al + Al3Fe eutectics. Similarly, 0.5%Si readily incurred the formation of a needle-shaped Al2CaSi2 intermetallic, probably also by a binary reaction L → α-Al + Al2CaSi2. In the solidified samples, no Mg2Si phase was found, even in slowly solidified samples. This is contrary to the thermodynamic calculation, which suggests a peritectic reaction L + Al2CaSi2 Mg2Si. Interestingly, the addition of 0.5%Si caused an even coarser microstructure compared to the addition of 1%Fe, which caused the appearance of a primary Al3Fe phase. We conclude that the new alloy is more tolerable to Fe rather than Si. Specifically, the addition of 0.5%Fe can be added while maintaining a fine morphology of the eutectic network. It was suggested that the morphology of eutectic and solid solution hardening governed the mechanical properties. The strength of the alloys containing separate 0.5%Fe (UTS = 215 ± 8 MPa and YS 146 ± 4 = MPa) and the combined 0.5%Fe and 0.5%Si additions (UTS = 195 ± 14 MPa and YS ± 1 = 139 MPa) was not compromised compared to the alloy containing 0.5%Si (UTS 201 ± 24 = MPa and YS = 131 ± 1 MPa).Russian Science Foundation (Project No. 23-79-01055 https://rscf.ru/project/23-79-01055/) (SEM, XRD analysis, hardness, tensile tests); Moscow Polytechnic University within the framework of the grant named after Pyotr Kapitsa (Conceptualization, SEM, TEM, Thermo-Calc calculations, discussion); the results were obtained by using the equipment of the Center for Collective Use, “Materials Science and Metallurgy”, with the financial support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (#075-15-2021-696)

A minimal model for congestion phenomena on complex networks

We study a minimal model of traffic flows in complex networks, simple enough to get analytical results, but with a very rich phenomenology, presenting continuous, discontinuous as well as hybrid phase transitions between a free-flow phase and a congested phase, critical points and different scaling behaviors in the system size. It consists of random walkers on a queueing network with one-range repulsion, where particles can be destroyed only if they can move. We focus on the dependence on the topology as well as on the level of traffic control. We are able to obtain transition curves and phase diagrams at analytical level for the ensemble of uncorrelated networks and numerically for single instances. We find that traffic control improves global performance, enlarging the free-flow region in parameter space only in heterogeneous networks. Traffic control introduces non-linear effects and, beyond a critical strength, may trigger the appearance of a congested phase in a discontinuous manner. The model also reproduces the cross-over in the scaling of traffic fluctuations empirically observed in the Internet, and moreover, a conserved version can reproduce qualitatively some stylized facts of traffic in transportation networks

Long-lived Andreev states as evidence for protected hinge modes in a bismuth nanoring Josephson junction

Second-order topological insulators are characterized by helical, non-spin-degenerate one-dimensional states running along opposite crystal hinges with no backscattering. Injecting superconducting pairs therefore entails splitting Cooper pairs into two families of helical Andreev states of opposite helicity, one at each hinge. Here we provide evidence for such separation via the measurement and analysis of the switching supercurrent statistics of a crystalline nanoring of bismuth. Using a phenomenological model of two helical Andreev hinge modes, we find that pairs relax at a rate comparable to individual quasiparticles, in contrast to the much faster pair relaxation of non-topological systems. This constitutes a unique telltale sign of the spatial separation of topological helical hinges