Impact behaviour of safety shoe high strength steel parts

This study presents results on the dynamic response of safety toe cap models made of high-strength steel. The structural response to impact loading conditions under normative requirements was properly related to tap the potential of lightweight design for significant reduction of thickness. A fully martensitic steel grade was selected, and numerical models were used to study extensive plastic deformation and strain-rate dependence. Material properties were modelled using the Cowper-Symonds models. The numerical simulation was developed using ANSYS explicit dynamics software and was compared to an experimental standard testing of final prototypes. The numerical modelling approach analysed different friction models seeking to better describe collapsing behaviour. A local stiffening toe cap model with high energy absorption efficiency was validated.The support from the Project S3 – Safety Slim Shoe, FCOMP-01-0202- FEDER-018458 and ICC – Lavoro is acknowledged

The newcastle 85+ study

Background: Low vitamin D status is common in very old adults which may have adverse consequences for muscle function, a major predictor of disability. Aims: To explore the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations and disability trajectories in very old adults and to determine whether there is an ‘adequate’ 25(OH)D concentration which might protect against a faster disability trajectory. Methodology: A total of 775 participants from the Newcastle 85+ Study for who 25(OH)D concentration at baseline was available. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations of 50 nmol/L were used as cut-offs to define low, moderate and high vitamin D status, respectively. Disability was defined as difficulty in performing 17 activities of daily living, at baseline, after 18, 36 and 60 months. Results: A three-trajectory model was derived (low-to-mild, mild-to-moderate and moderate-to-severe). In partially adjusted models, participants with 25(OH)D concentrations <25 nmol/L were more likely to have moderate and severe disability trajectories, even after adjusting for sex, living in an institution, season, cognitive status, BMI and vitamin D supplement use. However, this association disappeared after further adjustment for physical activity. Conclusions: Vitamin D status does not appear to influence the trajectories of disability in very old adults.publishersversionpublishe

Diving into the vertical dimension of elasmobranch movement ecology

Knowledge of the three-dimensional movement patterns of elasmobranchs is vital to understand their ecological roles and exposure to anthropogenic pressures. To date, comparative studies among species at global scales have mostly focused on horizontal movements. Our study addresses the knowledge gap of vertical movements by compiling the first global synthesis of vertical habitat use by elasmobranchs from data obtained by deployment of 989 biotelemetry tags on 38 elasmobranch species. Elasmobranchs displayed high intra- and interspecific variability in vertical movement patterns. Substantial vertical overlap was observed for many epipelagic elasmobranchs, indicating an increased likelihood to display spatial overlap, biologically interact, and share similar risk to anthropogenic threats that vary on a vertical gradient. We highlight the critical next steps toward incorporating vertical movement into global management and monitoring strategies for elasmobranchs, emphasizing the need to address geographic and taxonomic biases in deployments and to concurrently consider both horizontal and vertical movements

Diving into the vertical dimension of elasmobranch movement ecology

Knowledge of the three-dimensional movement patterns of elasmobranchs is vital to understand their ecological roles and exposure to anthropogenic pressures. To date, comparative studies among species at global scales have mostly focused on horizontal movements. Our study addresses the knowledge gap of vertical movements by compiling the first global synthesis of vertical habitat use by elasmobranchs from data obtained by deployment of 989 biotelemetry tags on 38 elasmobranch species. Elasmobranchs displayed high intra- and interspecific variability in vertical movement patterns. Substantial vertical overlap was observed for many epipelagic elasmobranchs, indicating an increased likelihood to display spatial overlap, biologically interact, and share similar risk to anthropogenic threats that vary on a vertical gradient. We highlight the critical next steps toward incorporating vertical movement into global management and monitoring strategies for elasmobranchs, emphasizing the need to address geographic and taxonomic biases in deployments and to concurrently consider both horizontal and vertical movements

Development of new nuclear markers and characterization of single nucleotide polymorphisms in kelp gull (Larus dominicanus)

The present study seeks to develop nuclear markers for the kelp gull (Larus dominicanus). We hereby report the characterization of 12 independent nuclear introns, where 104 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 8138 sequenced base pairs were observed. These SNP markers are the first to be designed for genotyping a gull species. The markers will provide useful tools for understanding which processes act or acted upon kelp gulls to cause their low genetic variability in mitochondrial DNA. In addition, these markers open a new opportunity for population genetic and evolutionary studies in the Laridae group.CIBIO-UPCIBIO-UPCapes (Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento do Ensino Superior, PDEE programme)Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)FAPESP (Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa de Sao Paulo)[SFRH/BPD/12723/e2003][SFRH/BPD/36021/e2007

Perturbed angular correlations investigations on YMnO3_3 multiferroic manganite

The Perturbed Angular Correlation (PAC) technique was applied to study the yttrium local environment in YMnO$_3$ multiferroic manganite. The electric field gradients (EFG) at the Y site have been measured as function of temperature, covering both ferroelectric and magnetic transitions. The results were compared with point charge model (PCM) calculations. The experimental results show two different EFG distributions for all temperatures. Only one can be directly attributed to the yttrium crystalline site in the hexagonal structure

Malnutrition among older adults living in Portuguese nursing homes: The PEN-3S study

Objective: To characterise the nutritional status and to identify malnutritionassociated variables of older adults living in Portuguese nursing homes. Design: Cross-sectional study. Data on demographic and socio-economic characteristics, self-reported morbidity, eating-related problems, nutritional status, cognitive function, depression symptoms, loneliness feelings and functional status were collected by trained nutritionists through a computer-assisted face-to-face structured interview followed by standardised anthropometric measurements. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with being at risk of malnutrition/malnourished. Setting: Portuguese nursing homes. Subjects: Nationally representative sample of the Portuguese population aged 65 years or over living in nursing homes. Results: A total of 1186 individuals (mean age 83·4 years; 72·8% women) accepted to participate. According to the Mini Nutritional Assessment, 4·8 (95% CI 3·2, 7·3)% were identified as malnourished and 38·7 (95% CI 33·5, 44·2)% were at risk of malnutrition. These percentages increased with age and were significantly higher for women. Logistic regression showed (OR; 95% CI) that older adults reporting no or little appetite (6·5; 2·7, 15·3), those revealing symptoms of depression (2·6; 1·6, 4·2) and those who were more dependent in their daily living activities (4·7; 2·0, 11·1) were also at higher odds of being malnourished or at risk of malnutrition. Conclusions: Malnutrition and risk of malnutrition are prevalent among nursing home residents in Portugal. It is crucial to routinely screen for nutritional disorders, as well as risk factors such as symptoms of depression and lower functional status, to prevent and treat malnutrition

Magnetic hyperfine field at Cr site in AgCrO2_2 given by perturbed angular correlations

This work presents an electric field gradient and magnetic hyperfine field study, in the AgCrO$_2$ multiferroic with triangular spin lattice. The temperature dependence of the electric field gradient (EFG) and magnetic hyperfine field (MHF) at Cr site was studied at ISOLDE via perturbed angular correlation measurements with the $^{111}$In probe, at room temperature and below the Neel temperature (T=21 K) down to presence of two distinct local environments. One axial symmetric EFG with a very low MHF, and a non-axially symmetric EFG with a much higher one. The temperature dependences of MHF magnitude and of the angle between the MHF and the principle component of the EFG are investigated

Oxygen ordering in the high-Tc_c superconductor HgBa2_2CaCu2_2O6+δ_{6+\delta} as revealed by perturbed angular correlation

Lattice sites and collective ordering of oxygen atoms in HgBa$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{6+\delta}$ were studied using the perturbed angular correlation (PAC) technique at ISOLDE/CERN. The electric field gradients (EFG) at $^{199m}$Hg nuclei have been measured as functions of oxygen doping on the Hg planes, above and below T$_c$. In comparison with the results obtained for oxygen and fluorine doping in Hg-1201, the analysis shows a different oxygen ordering exhibited by Hg-1212. Moreover, for all studied cases, the experimental results show that at a local scale there is non-uniform oxygen distribution. A series of ab initio EFG calculations allowed to infer that at low concentrations, regions without oxygen coexist with regions where O$_{2\delta}$ dumbbell molecules are located at the center of the Hg mesh. On the other side, at high concentrations, O$_{2\delta}$ dumbbell molecules coexist with single O$_\delta$ atoms occupying the center of the Hg mesh. The present results suggest that oxygen sits on the Hg planes in the form of a molecule and not as a single atom