A Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscopy Study of Cubic and Orthorhombic C₃A and Their Hydration Products in the Presence of Gypsum.

This paper shows the microstructural differences and phase characterization of pure phases and hydrated products of the cubic and orthorhombic (Na-doped) polymorphs of tricalcium aluminate (C₃A), which are commonly found in traditional Portland cements. Pure, anhydrous samples were characterized using scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (STXM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) and demonstrated differences in the chemical and mineralogical composition as well as the morphology on a micro/nano-scale. C₃A/gypsum blends with mass ratios of 0.2 and 1.9 were hydrated using a water/C₃A ratio of 1.2, and the products obtained after three days were assessed using STXM. The hydration process and subsequent formation of calcium sulfate in the C₃A/gypsum systems were identified through the changes in the LIII edge fine structure for Calcium. The results also show greater Ca LII binding energies between hydrated samples with different gypsum contents. Conversely, the hydrated samples from the cubic and orthorhombic C₃A at the same amount of gypsum exhibited strong morphological differences but similar chemical environments

Seasonal and depth-driven changes in rhodolith bed structure and associated macroalgae off Arvoredo island (southeastern Brazil)

Rhodoliths are formed by coralline red algae and can form heterogeneous substrata with high biodiversity. Here we describe a rhodolith bed at the southern limit of the known distribution of this habitat in the western Atlantic. We characterized rhodolith and macroalgal assemblages at 5, 10 and 15. m depth during summer and winter. Lithothamnion crispatum was dominant amongst the six rhodolith-forming species present. Most rhodoliths were spheroidal in shape indicating high mobility due to water movement. Rhodolith density decreased with increasing depth and during winter. Turf-forming seaweeds accounted for 60% of the biomass growing on rhodoliths. Macroalgae increased abundance and richness in the summer, but was similar between 5 and 15. m depth. They were less abundant and diverse than that recorded in rhodolith beds further north in Brazil. Both, season and depth, affected the structure of the macroalgae assemblages. We conclude that Lithothamniom is the most representative genus of Brazilian rhodolith beds. Summer is responsible for increasing the diversity and richness of macroalgae, as well as increasing rhodolith density. © 2013 Elsevier B.V

The effect of plant age on the chemical composition of fresh and ensiled Agave salmiana leaves

In the first study dry matter (DM), organic matter, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and soluble carbohydrate (SC) concentrations were determined in whole leaves and the upper and lower sections of whole leaves of the Agave salmiana (Otto ex. Salm-Dyck) plant. The pH and saponin concentration were measured in aqueous extracts from these leaves. The leaves were collected from plants at the young (ca. 12 years old), bud (ca. 14 years old) and mature (ca. 16 years old) stages of growth. The CP level of young Agave (48 g/kg DM) leaves was higher than in leaves from the bud (38 g/kg DM) and mature (43 g/kg DM) stages, and higher in the upper (51 g/kg DM) than in the lower (35 g/kg DM) leaf sections. The leaves at the bud stage contained lower NDF (189 g/kg DM) but higher SC (358 g/kg DM) levels than those of mature (272 g NDF, 247 g SC/kg DM) and young (273 g NDF, 189 g SC) plants. The saponin content of leaves was higher in the mature (11.1 g/kg DM) than in the bud stage (7.5 g/kg DM). In the second study the chemical composition of whole leaves from young, bud and mature micro-ensilaged (3.5 kg as fed) Agave was determined over a 36 weeks fermentation period. Agave silage had acceptable chemical characteristics. As time of fermentation increased, a linear decrease in DM and saponin concentration, a linear increase in NDF and lactic acid levels and a quadratic increase of pH values and ammonia-N concentrations were recorded. Both fresh and ensilaged leaves of the mature and the bud stages were the most desirable maturity stages of Agave to be utilised as feed for ruminants. Keywords: Agave salmiana, chemical composition, magueySouth African Journal of Animal Science Vol. 38 (1) 2008: pp. 43-5

Influence of coach encouragement on technical demand of an small-sided games in football-7.

El objetivo del presente estudio ha sido analizar el efecto de la motivación del entrenador sobre la demanda técnica de un juego reducido (JR) 3 contra 3, realizado por futbolistas de categoría alevín, observando el nivel de aprendizaje técnico adquirido a través de estas tareas. Se han cuantificado el número de acciones técnicas que se producen en un JR de 3 contra 3 sin intervención del entrenador (JRSIE) y las que se producen en el mismo JR con la intervención del entrenador (JRCME). Se ha realizado en cada una de las 4 sesiones del programa de entrenamiento con JR dos test de valoración del dominio técnico en situaciones pre y post sesión. Los resultados confirman que aparecen diferencias en el número de acciones técnicas que el jugador realiza durante el JR, siendo significativamente mayor en el JRCME, generándose además mayor nivel de aprendizaje

Aplicación de la termografía en el diagnóstico y valoración de la pododermatitis plantar en rapaces

La pododermatitis plantar es una patología de gran importancia en la clínica aviar. Su diagnóstico precoz es vital para un buen pronóstico. Por ello, se ha estudiado la posibilidad de detectarla mediante termografía, técnica que no necesita contacto con el paciente, reduciendo así el estrés que el manejo supone para la mayoría de animales, especialmente los salvajes. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que la termografía permite detectar la pododermatitis plantar antes de la aparición de lesiones, por la mayor diferencia entre las temperaturas máxima y mínima de la planta y por el patrón térmico.Plantar pododermatitis is great important pathology in avian medicine. Its early diagnosis allows a good prognosis. Therefore, the application of thermography to detect bumblefoot has been studied. This technique requires no contact with the patient, reducing the stress, very important in wildlife. Results show thermography is a useful tool for detecting plantar pododermatitis, even before the appearance of lesions, for the major difference between the maximum and minimum temperature of the plant and its thermal pattern

Spatial and temporal occurrence of pharmaceuticals in UK estuaries

There is a lack of data on the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in estuaries worldwide, with little understanding of their temporal and spatial variations globally. Ibuprofen, paracetamol, diclofenac, trimethoprim and citalopram were measured in twelve estuaries in the UK. Initially, these compounds were monitored in the Humber Estuary, where samples were taken every two months over a twelve month period in order to assess their spatial and temporal variations. Ibuprofen was found at some of the highest concentrations ever measured in an estuary globally (18–6297 ng l−1), with paracetamol also measured at relatively high concentrations (4–917 ng l−1) in comparison to the other compounds. In terms of spatial distribution, a pattern was observed where the highest concentrations were found at a site at which wastewater is discharged, whilst compound concentrations were often lower upstream and downstream of this site. The downstream profile of pharmaceuticals differed temporally with concentrations highest downstream when input from wastewater effluent was highest. Eleven further estuaries were sampled around the UK in order to put the occurrence of pharmaceuticals in the Humber Estuary into a wider context. Pharmaceutical concentrations in the other estuaries sampled were <210 ng l−1 but, again, ibuprofen and paracetamol were found at concentrations higher than other compounds, whereas diclofenac and citalopram were absent in many estuaries. The Humber, which is the receiving environment for the sewage effluent of approximately 20% (13.6 million people) of the population of England, was observed to have the highest overall concentration of pharmaceuticals in contrast to the other estuaries sampled, thereby representing a worst case scenario for pharmaceutical pollution

Real-life burden of hospitalisations due to COPD exacerbations in Spain

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) often suffer episodes of exacerbation of symptoms (ECOPD) that may eventually require hospitalisation due to several, often overlapping, causes. We aimed to analyse the characteristics of patients hospitalised because of ECOPD in a real-life setting using a "big data" approach.The study population included all patients over 40 years old with a diagnosis of COPD (n=69 359; prevalence 3.72%) registered from 1 January 2011 to 1 March 2020 in the database of the public healthcare service (SESCAM) of Castilla-La Mancha (Spain) (n=1 863 759 subjects). We used natural language processing (Savana Manager version 3.0) to identify those who were hospitalised during this period for any cause, including ECOPD.During the study 26 453 COPD patients (38.1%) were hospitalised (at least once). Main diagnoses at discharge were respiratory infection (51%), heart failure (38%) or pneumonia (19%). ECOPD was the main diagnosis at discharge (or hospital death) in 8331 patients (12.0% of the entire COPD population and 31.5% of those hospitalised). In-hospital ECOPD-related mortality rate was 3.11%. These patients were hospitalised 2.36 times per patient, with a mean hospital stay of 6.1 days. Heart failure was the most frequent comorbidity in patients hospitalised because of ECOPD (52.6%).This analysis shows that, in a real-life setting, ECOPD hospitalisations are prevalent, complex (particularly in relation to heart failure), repetitive and associated with significant in-hospital mortality.Copyright ©The authors 2022