Optimisation of the Zr:Ti ratio in bulk lead zirconate titanate for templated grain growth using BaTiO3 seeds

Presented here is a proof of concept demonstration of the templated grain growth (TGG) process for the development of [001]c fibre-textured Pb(ZrxTi1-x)O3 (PZT) ceramics. BaTiO3 platelets (5 and 10 vol.%) were selected to seed growth of highly oriented PZT grains resulting in texture fractions as high as 94%. The TGG process in PZT was observed to be critically dependent upon the addition of excess PbO liquid phase and may be driven by BaTiO3 dissolution into the matrix. Solid solution incorporation of BaTiO3 during sintering resulted in a structural shift away from the PZT morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) and a decrease in Curie temperature (TC) by ~ 40 °C which still exceeded > 300 °C. Modification of the Zr:Ti ratio in untextured ceramic analogues was explored as a strategy to tailor dielectric, ferroelectric, and electromechanical properties. An initial PZT matrix composition of Pb(Zr0.56Ti0.44)O3 resulted in a final bulk Pb0.947Ba0.053(Zr0.531Ti0.469)O3 ceramic having MPB-like properties of d33 = 453 pC/N, tan δ = 0.017, TC = 340 °C, and Ec = 9.3 kV/cm, which was observed to be similar to commercial ‘soft’ PZT-5A1

Ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptide natural products: Overview and recommendations for a universal nomenclature

Covering: 1988 to 2012 This review presents recommended nomenclature for the biosynthesis of ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs), a rapidly growing class of natural products. The current knowledge regarding the biosynthesis of the >20 distinct compound classes is also reviewed, and commonalities are discussed

Introducing PIONEER: a project to harness big data in prostate cancer research

Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Enhancement Through the Power of Big Data in Europe (PIONEER) is a European network of excellence for big data in prostate cancer, consisting of 32 private and public stakeholders from 9 countries across Europe. Launched by the Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 and part of the Big Data for Better Outcomes Programme (BD4BO), the overarching goal of PIONEER is to provide high-quality evidence on prostate cancer management by unlocking the potential of big data. The project has identified critical evidence gaps in prostate cancer care, via a detailed prioritization exercise including all key stakeholders. By standardizing and integrating existing high-quality and multidisciplinary data sources from patients with prostate cancer across different stages of the disease, the resulting big data will be assembled into a single innovative data platform for research. Based on a unique set of methodologies, PIONEER aims to advance the field of prostate cancer care with a particular focus on improving prostate-cancer-related outcomes, health system efficiency by streamlining patient management, and the quality of health and social care delivered to all men with prostate cancer and their families worldwide.Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment Enhancement Through the Power of Big Data in Europe (PIONEER) is a European network of excellence for big data in prostate cancer, consisting of 32 private and public stakeholders from 9 countries across Europe. In this Perspectives article, the authors introduce the PIONEER project and describe its aims and plans for ultimately improving prostate cancer care through the use of big data

Use of the connectivity of runoff model (CRUM) to investigate the influence of storm characteristics on runoff generation and connectivity in semi-arid areas

Much attention has been given to the surface controls on the generation and transmission of runoff in semi-arid areas. However, the surface controls form only one part of the system; hence, it is important to consider the effect that the characteristics of the storm event have on the generation of runoff and the transmission of flow across the slope. The impact of storm characteristics has been investigated using the Connectivity of Runoff Model (CRUM). This is a distributed, dynamic hydrology model that considers the hydrological processes relevant to semi-arid environments at the temporal scale of a single storm event. The key storm characteristics that have been investigated are the storm duration, rainfall intensity, rainfall variability and temporal structure. This has been achieved through the use of a series of defined storm hydrographs and stochastic rainfall. Results show that the temporal fragmentation of high-intensity rainfall is important for determining the travel distances of overland flow and, hence, the amount of runoff that leaves the slope as discharge. If the high-intensity rainfall is fragmented, then the runoff infiltrates a short distance downslope. Longer periods of high-intensity rainfall allow the runoff to travel further and, hence, become discharge. Therefore, storms with similar amounts of high-intensity rainfall can produce very different amounts of discharge depending on the storm characteristics. The response of the hydrological system to changes in the rainfall characteristics can be explained using a four-stage model of the runoff generation process. These stages are: (1) all water infiltrating, (2) the surface depression store filling or emptying without runoff occurring, (3) the generation and transmission of runoff and (4) the transmission of runoff without new runoff being generated. The storm event will move the system between the four stages and the nature of the rainfall required to move between the stages is determined by the surface characteristics. This research shows the importance of the variable-intensity rainfall when modelling semi-arid runoff generation. The amount of discharge may be greater or less than the amount that would have been produced if constant rainfall intensity is used in the model

Synthesis and characterisation of Ga-doped hexagonal BaTiO3

The hexagonal polymorph of BaTiO3 (P6(3)/mmc) has been stablished at room temperature by partial replacement of Ti by Ga, where BaTi1-yGayO3-y/2 and 0.06less than or equal toyless than or equal to0.125 for samples prepared at 1300degreesC. The unit cell expands with increasing y and Rietveld Refinement of Neutron diffraction data shows that oxygen vacancies occur only in the hexagonal close packed layers between the face-sharing Ti2O9 dimers. Exaggerated grain growth (> 100 mum) Occurs for ceramics processed at greater than or equal to1400degreesC and/or for sintering periods 2 hours. Electrical measurements show the materials to be electrically insulating with room temperature permittivity values of similar to70-80. Dense ceramics (94-97% of the theoretical X-ray density) resonate at microwave frequencies with Q.f values of similar to4000-8000 at similar to5.5 GHz

Changing climate and nutrient transfers: Evidence from high temporal resolution concentration-flow dynamics in headwater catchments

We hypothesise that climate change, together with intensive agricultural systems, will increase the transfer of pollutants from land to water and impact on stream health. This study builds, for the first time, an integrated assessment of nutrient transfers, bringing together a) high-frequency data from the outlets of two surface water-dominated, headwater (~ 10 km2) agricultural catchments, b) event-by-event analysis of nutrient transfers, c) concentration duration curves for comparison with EU Water Framework Directive water quality targets, d) event analysis of location-specific, sub-daily rainfall projections (UKCP, 2009), and e) a linear model relating storm rainfall to phosphorus load. These components, in combination, bring innovation and new insight into the estimation of future phosphorus transfers, which was not available from individual components. The data demonstrated two features of particular concern for climate change impacts. Firstly, the bulk of the suspended sediment and total phosphorus (TP) load (greater than 90% and 80% respectively) was transferred during the highest discharge events. The linear model of rainfall-driven TP transfers estimated that, with the projected increase in winter rainfall (+ 8% to + 17% in the catchments by 2050s), annual event loads might increase by around 9% on average, if agricultural practices remain unchanged. Secondly, events following dry periods of several weeks, particularly in summer, were responsible for high concentrations of phosphorus, but relatively low loads. The high concentrations, associated with low flow, could become more frequent or last longer in the future, with a corresponding increase in the length of time that threshold concentrations (e.g. for water quality status) are exceeded. The results suggest that in order to build resilience in stream health and help mitigate potential increases in diffuse agricultural water pollution due to climate change, land management practices should target controllable risk factors, such as soil nutrient status, soil condition and crop cover