Yttrium Orthoferrite Powder Obtained by the Mechanochemical Synthesis

Yttrium orthoferrite (YFeO3) powder was prepared by a mechanochemical synthesis from a mixture of Y2O3 and alpha-Fe2O3 powders in a planetary ball mill for 2.5 h. The obtained YFeO3 powder sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman and infrared spectroscopy. The average crystallite size calculated by the Scherrer equation was 12 nm. The Mossbauer spectroscopy at room temperature confirms the superparamagnetic character of YFeO3 orthoferrite sample

AIMSurv: First pan-European harmonized surveillance of Aedes invasive mosquito species of relevance for human vector-borne diseases

Human and animal vector-borne diseases, particularly mosquito-borne diseases, are emerging or re-emerging worldwide. Six Aedes invasive mosquito (AIM) species were introduced to Europe since the 1970s: Aedes aegypti, Ae. albopictus, Ae. japonicus, Ae. koreicus, Ae. atropalpus and Ae. triseriatus. Here, we report the results of AIMSurv2020, the first pan-European surveillance effort for AIMs. Implemented by 42 volunteer teams from 24 countries. And presented in the form of a dataset named “AIMSurv Aedes Invasive Mosquito species harmonized surveillance in Europe. AIM-COST Action. Project ID: CA17108”. AIMSurv2020 harmonizes field surveillance methodologies for sampling different AIMs life stages, frequency and minimum length of sampling period, and data reporting. Data include minimum requirements for sample types and recommended requirements for those teams with more resources. Data are published as a Darwin Core archive in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility- Spain, comprising a core file with 19,130 records (EventID) and an occurrences file with 19,743 records (OccurrenceID). AIM species recorded in AIMSurv2020 were Ae. albopictus, Ae. japonicus and Ae. koreicus, as well as native mosquito species

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

A biophysical model of how alpha-tubulin carboxy-terminal tails tune kinesin-1 processivity along microtubule

It appears that so called post translational modifications of tubulin heterodimers are mostly focussed at positions of amino acid sequences of carboxy terminal tails. These changes have very profound effects on microtubule functions especially in connection with cellular traffic in terms of motor proteins. In this study, we elaborated the biophysical model aimed to explain the strategy governing these subtle interplays between structural and functional properties of microtubules. We relied onto Langevin equations including fluctuation dissipation processes. In that context we found out that small interaction between a charged motor neck domain and oppositely charged carboxy terminal tail of the a tubulin plays the decisive role in tuning kinesin-1 motor processivity along microtubules

Impedance spectroscopy of nanocrystalline MgFe2O4 and MnFe2O4 ferrite ceramics: Effect of grain boundaries on the electrical properties

Two ferrite ceramic materials, MgFe2O4 and MnFe2O4, were successfully fabricated by a conventional sintering of nanosized powders (at 1373 K for 2 h) synthesized by soft mechanochemical route. The particle size and morphology of powders were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). XRD analysis was carried out for the determination of phase purity, crystal structure and average crystallite size of sintered ferrites. Both mechanosynthesized ferrite samples show mean crystallite sizes in the nm-range. Over the frequency range of 100 Hz to 1 MHz, impedance spectra of prepared ferrite ceramics are investigated at and above room temperature. Changes in the impedance plane plots with temperature have been discussed and correlated to the microstructure of materials. An equivalent circuit model is applied to explore the electrical parameters (resistance and capacitance) associated with grains and grain boundaries. Complex impedance analysis indicates the dominance of grain boundary effects which control the overall electrical behaviour of studied ferrites. The decrease in grain boundary resistance with temperature suggests a thermally activated conduction mechanism. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III43008 i br. III45003

Yttrium orthoferrite powder obtained by the mechanochemical synthesis

Yttrium orthoferrite (YFeO3) powder was prepared by a mechanochemical synthesis from a mixture of Y2O3 and α-Fe2O3 powders in a planetary ball mill for 2.5 h. The obtained YFeO3 powder sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman and infrared spectroscopy. The average crystallite size calculated by the Scherrer equation was 12 nm. The Mössbauer spectroscopy at room temperature confirms the superparamagnetic character of YFeO3 orthoferrite sample. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. III 45003, Grant no. III 45015, Grant no. III 45018

Influence on Cr and Ni doping on PbTe local structural properties

Structural aspects of Cr and Ni incorporation into the PbTe lattice are studied by means of Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS). EXAFS measurements enabled to get exact information on Pb and Te local structural features and their thermal evolution. The obtained results also revealed that by distorting their local environment, impurity atoms (Cr, Ni) add to high inherent disorder already present in the host PbTe. Larger anharmonicity of the Pb-Te bond and larger atomic thermal parameters observed in PbTe(Cr, Ni) could be of interest for thermoelectronics applications since they are both expected to reduce the thermal conductivity

Influence on Cr and Ni doping on PbTe local structural properties

Structural aspects of Cr and Ni incorporation into the PbTe lattice are studied by means of Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (EXAFS). EXAFS measurements enabled to get exact information on Pb and Te local structural features and their thermal evolution. The obtained results also revealed that by distorting their local environment, impurity atoms (Cr, Ni) add to high inherent disorder already present in the host PbTe. Larger anharmonicity of the Pb-Te bond and larger atomic thermal parameters observed in PbTe(Cr, Ni) could be of interest for thermoelectronics applications since they are both expected to reduce the thermal conductivity

Nanodimensional spinel NiFe2O4 and ZnFe2O4 ferrites prepared by soft mechanochemical synthesis

NiFe2O4 and ZnFe2O4 ferrites have been prepared by soft mechanochemical synthesis. The formation of spinel phase and crystal structure of sintered powders were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and transmission microscopy. In order to confirm phase formation and cation arrangement, Mossbauer measurements were done. Investigation of the magnetization as a function of magnetic field confirms an expected change of the degree of inversion in the spinel structure with the sintering. The electrical DC/resistivity/conductivity was measured in the temperature range of 298-423 K. Impedance spectroscopy was performed in the wide frequency range (100 Hz-10 MHz) at different temperatures. (C) 2 013 AIP Publishing LLC21st IEEE International Symposium on Applications of Ferroelectrics held jointly with 11th European Conference on the Applications of Polar Dielectrics and 4th Conference on Piezoresponse Force Microscopy and Nanoscale Phenomena in Polar Materials, Jul 09-13, 2012, Univ Aveiro, Aveiro, Portuga

Development of a “Green” Emulsion with a Milk Protein Hydrolysate: An Evaluation of Rheology, Texture, In Vitro Bioactivity, and Safety

Bioactive peptides are promising cosmetic active ingredients that can improve skin health and appearance. They exhibit a broad spectrum of activity, including anti-aging, antioxidant, an- timicrobial, and anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of this study was to develop a safe, stable, and efficacious environmentally friendly (“green”) emulsion using a milk protein hydrolysate as a model active ingredient. Potential emulsions were formulated with biodegradable emollients, stabilized with naturally derived mixed emulsifier, and prepared by cold process. They were evaluated for rheological behavior (continuous rotation and oscillation tests), physical stability (dynamic me- chanical thermal analysis—DMTA test), and texture profiles, as well as cytotoxic, antioxidant, and antimicrobial effects. Rheological characterization revealed shear-thinning flow behavior with yield point from continuous rotation tests and predominantly elastic character from oscillation (amplitude and frequency sweep) tests, with small structural change detected in the DMTA test. These results implied satisfactory rheological properties and good stability. Texture analysis revealed acceptable spreadability and substantivity of the emulsions. The protein hydrolysate showed antioxidant activity. The developed emulsions showed low antibacterial activity against selected microorganisms, but this was due to the action of preservatives, not peptides. All potential emulsions showed a desirable safety profile. The results obtained provide the basis for the next stage of formulation development, i.e., in vivo efficacy tests