Influence of the Compaction Pressure and Sintering Temperature on the Mechanical Properties of Porous Titanium for Biomedical Applications

In the present work, the use of porous titanium is proposed as a solution to the difference in stiffness between the implant and bone tissue, avoiding the bone resorption. Conventional powder metallurgical technique is an industrially established route for fabrication of this type of material. The results are discussed in terms of the influence of compaction pressure and sintering temperature on the porosity (volumetric fraction, size, and morphology) and the quality of the sintering necks. A very good agreement between the predicted values obtained using a simple 2D finite element model, the experimental uniaxial compression behavior, and the analytical model proposed by Nielsen, has been found for both the Young’s modulus and the yield strength. The porous samples obtained by the loose sintering technique and using temperatures between 1000 °C −1100 °C (about 40% of total porosity) are recommended for achieving a suitable biomechanical behavior for cortical bone partial replacement.Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of the State General Administration of Spain grant MAT2015-71284-

SN 2018bsz: A Type I superluminous supernova with aspherical circumstellar material

We present a spectroscopic analysis of the most nearby Type I superluminous supernova (SLSN-I), SN 2018bsz. The photometric evolution of SN 2018bsz has several surprising features, including an unusual pre-peak plateau and evidence for rapid formation of dust greater than or similar to 200 d post-peak. We show here that the spectroscopic and polarimetric properties of SN 2018bsz are also unique. While its spectroscopic evolution closely resembles SLSNe-I, with early O II absorption and C II P Cygni profiles followed by Ca, Mg, Fe, and other O features, a multi-component H alpha profile appearing at similar to 30 d post-maximum is the most atypical. The H alpha is at first characterised by two emission components, one at similar to+3000 km s(-1) and a second at similar to - 7500 km s(-1), with a third, near-zero-velocity component appearing after a delay. The blue and central components can be described by Gaussian profiles of intermediate width (FWHM similar to 2000-6000 km s(-1)), but the red component is significantly broader (FWHM greater than or similar to 10000 km s(-1)) and Lorentzian. The blue H alpha component evolves towards a lower-velocity offset before abruptly fading at similar to + 100 d post-maximum brightness, concurrently with a light curve break. Multi-component profiles are observed in other hydrogen lines, including Pa beta, and in lines of Ca II and He I. Spectropolarimetry obtained before (10.2 d) and after (38.4 d) the appearance of the H lines shows a large shift on the Stokes Q - U plane consistent with SN 2018bsz undergoing radical changes in its projected geometry. Assuming the supernova is almost unpolarised at 10.2 d, the continuum polarisation at 38.4 d reaches P similar to 1.8%, implying an aspherical configuration. We propose that the observed evolution of SN 2018bsz can be explained by highly aspherical, possibly disk-like, circumstellar material (CSM) with several emitting regions. After the supernova explosion, the CSM is quickly overtaken by the ejecta, but as the photosphere starts to recede, the different CSM regions re-emerge, producing the peculiar line profiles. Based on the first appearance of H alpha, we can constrain the distance of the CSM to be less than similar to 6.5 x 10(15) cm (430 AU), or even lower (less than or similar to 87 AU) if the pre-peak plateau is related to an eruption that created the CSM. The presence of CSM has been inferred previously for other SLSNe-I, both directly and indirectly. However, it is not clear whether the rare properties of SN 2018bsz can be generalised for SLSNe-I, for example in the context of pulsational pair instability, or whether they are the result of an uncommon evolutionary path, possibly involving a binary companion.European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere under ESO programme 2101.D-5023Villum Fonden 19054Science Foundation IrelandEuropean CommissionRoyal Society of LondonEuropean Commission RS-EA/3471Swedish Research CouncilEuropean Commission 2020-03330National Agency for Research and Development (ANID)/Scholarship Program/Doctorado Nacional 2021 - 21211203European Commission H2020-MSCA-IF-2018-842471Science Foundation IrelandMinistry of Science and Innovation, Spain (MICINN)Agencia Estatal de Investigacion (AEI)European Social Fund (ESF) "Investing in your future" under the 2019 Ramon y Cajal program RYC2019-027683-ICentro Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC) 20215AT016program Unidad de Excelencia Maria de Maeztu CEX2020-001058-MEU Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme 101004719European Research Council (ERC)European Commission 948381Alan Turing InstituteGRAWITA/PRIN-MIUR project: "The new frontier of the Multi-Messenger Astrophysics: follow-up of electromagnetic transient counterparts of gravitational wave sources"HORIZON2020: AHEAD2020 871158 1103.D-0328 PID2020-115253GA-I00 HOSTFLOWS Swedish Research CouncilEuropean Commission 2020-03330National Agency for Research and Development (ANID)/Scholarship Program/Doctorado Nacional 2021 - 21211203European Commission H2020-MSCA-IF-2018-842471Science Foundation IrelandMinistry of Science and Innovation, Spain (MICINN)Agencia Estatal de Investigacion (AEI)European Social Fund (ESF) "Investing in your future" under the 2019 Ramon y Cajal program RYC2019-027683-ICentro Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC) 20215AT016program Unidad de Excelencia Maria de Maeztu CEX2020-001058-MEU Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme 101004719European Research Council (ERC) European Commission 948381Alan Turing InstituteGRAWITA/PRIN-MIUR project: "The new frontier of the Multi-Messenger Astrophysics: follow-up of electromagnetic transient counterparts of gravitational wave sources"HORIZON2020: AHEAD2020 871158 1103.D-0328 PID2020-115253GA-I00 HOSTFLOW

Rating the Raters: Evaluating how ESG Rating Agencies Integrate Sustainability Principles

Environmental, social, and governance (ESG) rating agencies, acting as relevant financial market actors, should take a stand on working towards achieving a more sustainable development. In this context, the objective of this paper is, on the one hand, to understand how criteria used by ESG rating agencies in their assessment processes have evolved over the last ten years and, on the other hand, to analyze whether ESG rating agencies are contributing to fostering sustainable development by the inclusion of sustainability principles into their assessment processes and practices according to the ESG criteria. This research is based on a comparative descriptive analysis of the public information provided by the most representative ESG rating and information provider agencies in the financial market in two periods: 2008 and 2018. The findings show that ESG rating agencies have integrated new criteria into their assessment models to measure corporate performance more accurately and robustly in order to respond to new global challenges. However, a deep analysis of the criteria also shows that ESG rating agencies do not fully integrate sustainability principles into the corporate sustainability assessment process

Astronomical site selection: On the use of satellite data for aerosol content monitoring

The main goal of this work is the analysis of new approaches to the study of the properties of astronomical sites. In particular, satellite data measuring aerosols have recently been proposed as a useful technique for site characterization and searching for new sites to host future very large telescopes. Nevertheless, these data need to be critically considered and interpreted in accordance with the spatial resolution and spectroscopic channels used. In this paper we have explored and retrieved measurements from satellites with high spatial and temporal resolutions and concentrated on channels of astronomical interest. The selected datasets are OMI on board the NASA Aura satellite and MODIS on board the NASA Terra and Aqua satellites. A comparison of remote sensing and in situ techniques is discussed. As a result, we find that aerosol data provided by satellites up to now are not reliable enough for aerosol site characterization, and in situ data are required.Comment: LaTeX2e MN v2.2, 16 pages with 13 figures. Accepted for Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc.(2008

From subsistence farming to agribusiness and nonfarm entrepreneurship: Does it improve economic conditions and well-being?

To eradicate poverty, governments across developing countries have adopted programs to promote business ownership, with varying levels of success. The mixed success of such programs underscores the importance of local business and economic conditions. Yet, empirical evidence on how local context shapes outcomes of entrepreneurship-focused poverty initiatives is sparse. In this paper, we use data from the 2015 Smallholder Survey to examine the impact of farming as a business (agribusiness) and nonfarm entrepreneurship (NFE) on household income and economic well-being in Uganda. We find that, in comparison to subsistence farming, engaging in agribusiness and NFE boosts household income and economic well-being, especially in rural areas with high poverty rates. Our research contributes to the literature by offering new evidence on the efficacy of entrepreneurial initiatives in the specific context of a developing country with a large rural and agricultural economy. In terms of policy, our analysis provides support for the promotion of agribusiness and NFE initiatives to reduce poverty and overcome disparities between urban and rural settings

Luminescence and fine structure correlation in ZnO permeated porous silicon nanocomposites

Nanocomposites formed by porous silicon (PS) and zinc oxide (ZnO) have potential for applications in optoelectronic devices. However, understanding the distribution of both materials in the nanocomposite, and especially the fine structure of the synthesized ZnO crystals, is key for future device fabrication. This study focuses on the advanced characterization of a range of PS-ZnO nanocomposites by using photon- and ion-based techniques, such as X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and elastic backscattering spectroscopy (EBS), respectively. PS substrates formed by the electrochemical etching of p+-type Si are used as host material for the sol-gel nucleation of ZnO nanoparticles. Different properties are induced by annealing in air at temperatures ranging from 200°C to 800°C. Results show that wurtzite ZnO nanoparticles form only at temperatures above 200°C, coexisting with Si quantum dots (QDs) inside a PS matrix. Increasing the annealing temperature leads to structural and distribution changes that affect the electronic and local structure of the samples changing their luminescence. Temperatures around 800°C activate the formation of a new zinc silicate phase and transform PS into an amorphous silicon oxide (SiOx, x ≈ 2) matrix with a noticeably reduced presence of Si QDs. Thus, these changes affect dramatically the emission from these nanocomposites and their potential applicationsFunding through grant MAT2013-46572-C2-1-R from Ministerio de Economía y Competitivida