Thermodynamic modeling of the LiF-YF3 phase diagram

A thermodynamic optimization of the LiF-YF3 binary phase diagram was performed by fitting the Gibbs energy functions to experimental data that were taken from the literature, as well as from own thermoanalytic measurements (DTA and DSC) on HF-treated samples. The Gibbs energy functions for the end member compounds were taken from the literature. Excess energy terms, which describe the effect of interaction between the two fluoride compounds in the liquid phase, were expressed by the Redlich-Kister polynomial function. The calculated phase diagram and thermodynamic properties for the unique formed compound, LiYF4, are in reasonable agreement with the experimental data.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

The effects of a controlled worksite environmental intervention on determinants of dietary behavior and self-reported fruit, vegetable and fat intake

BACKGROUND: Eating patterns in Western industrialized countries are characterized by a high energy intake and an overconsumption of (saturated) fat, cholesterol, sugar and salt. Many chronic diseases are associated with unhealthy eating patterns. On the other hand, a healthy diet (low saturated fat intake and high fruit and vegetable intake) has been found important in the prevention of health problems, such as cancer and cardio-vascular disease (CVD). The worksite seems an ideal intervention setting to influence dietary behavior. The purpose of this study is to present the effects of a worksite environmental intervention on fruit, vegetable and fat intake and determinants of behavior. METHODS: A controlled trial that included two different governmental companies (n = 515): one intervention and one control company. Outcome measurements (short-fat list and fruit and vegetable questionnaire) took place at baseline and 3 and 12 months after baseline. The relatively modest environmental intervention consisted of product information to facilitate healthier food choices (i.e., the caloric (kcal) value of foods in groups of products was translated into the number of minutes to perform a certain (occupational) activity to burn these calories). RESULTS: Significant changes in psychosocial determinants of dietary behavior were found; subjects at the intervention worksite perceived more social support from their colleagues in eating less fat. But also counter intuitive effects were found: at 12 months the attitude and self-efficacy towards eating less fat became less positive in the intervention group. No effects were found on self-reported fat, fruit and vegetable intake. CONCLUSION: This environmental intervention was modestly effective in changing behavioral determinant towards eating less fat (social support, self-efficacy and attitude), but ineffective in positively changing actual fat, fruit and vegetable intake of office workers

Realising consilience: How better communication between archaeologists, historians and natural scientists can transform the study of past climate change in the Mediterranean

This paper reviews the methodological and practical issues relevant to the ways in which natural scientists, historians and archaeologists may collaborate in the study of past climatic changes in the Mediterranean basin. We begin by discussing the methodologies of these three disciplines in the context of the consilience debate, that is, attempts to unify different research methodologies that address similar problems. We demonstrate that there are a number of similarities in the fundamental methodology between history, archaeology, and the natural sciences that deal with the past (“palaeoenvironmental sciences”), due to their common interest in studying societal and environmental phenomena that no longer exist. The three research traditions, for instance, employ specific narrative structures as a means of communicating research results. We thus present and compare the narratives characteristic of each discipline; in order to engage in fruitful interdisciplinary exchange, we must first understand how each deals with the societal impacts of climatic change. In the second part of the paper, we focus our discussion on the four major practical issues that hinder communication between the three disciplines. These include terminological misunderstandings, problems relevant to project design, divergences in publication cultures, and differing views on the impact of research. Among other recommendations, we suggest that scholars from the three disciplines should aim to create a joint publication culture, which should also appeal to a wider public, both inside and outside of academia.This paper emerged as a result of a workshop at Costa Navarino and the Navarino Environmental Observatory (NEO), Greece in April 2014, which addressed Mediterranean Holocene climate and human societies. The workshop was co-sponsored by IGBP/PAGES, NEO, the MISTRALS/PaleoMex program, the Labex OT-Med, the Bolin Centre for Climate Research at Stockholm University, and the Institute of Oceanography at the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research. We also acknowledge funding from the National Science Centre, Poland, within the scheme of the Centre's postdoctoral fellowships (DEC-2012/04/S/HS3/00226 (A.I)); the Swedish Research Council (grant numbers 421-2014-1181 (E.W.) and 621-2012-4344 (K.H.)); CSIC-Ramón y Cajal post-doctoral program RYC-2013-14073 and Clare Hall College, Cambridge, Shackleton Fellowship (B.M.); the EU/FP7 Project ‘Sea for Society’ (Science and Society - 2011-1, 289066)

Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs in 13 Belgian hospitals: a survey from the french association of belgian hospital pharmacists

Background: Since 2002, the Belgian Antibiotic Policy Coordibnation Committee (BAPCOC) has supported the development of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) teams in Belgian hospitals with policy guidance and federal funding. A Royal Decree of 12 February 2008 has consolidated the minimum composition, mandate and tasks of AMS teams. However, between 2017 and 2019, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre (KCE) emphasized flaws in our national strategies and policies on antimicrobial resistance. This survey evaluated if the essential and the minimum standards for AMS programs in Belgian hospitals were fulfilled after more than 10 years of activities. Materials/methods: A questionnaire survey was performed based on the international consensus approach developed by Pulcini et al. in 2019. Seven core elements and their related 29 checklist items for global hospital AMS programs were assessed. All the items are weighted identically: 1 point per hospital regardless of the type of hospital or the number of beds. The results are expressed in percentages. Results: Completed questionnaires were provided by 13 hospitals (8 primary, 3 secondary and 2 tertiary hospitals). Figure 1 showed the results of the seven core elements. The core elements number 3 (Available expertise on infection management) and 6 (Monitoring and surveillance) gained good scores. The core elements number 1 (Senior hospital management leadership towards antimicrobial stewardship) and number 7 (Reporting and feedback) have to be improved in the future. The sub-analysis of the 29 items emphasized within the core elements which questions can still be improved. Conclusions: This survey confirmed on the ground what is reflected in the ECDC and KCE reports: the effectiveness of the belgian AMS teams could be improved. This survey could help BAPCOC to easily underline which core elements need improvement

Absence of repellents in Ustilago maydis induces genes encoding small secreted proteins

The rep1 gene of the maize pathogen Ustilago maydis encodes a pre-pro-protein that is processed in the secretory pathway into 11 peptides. These so-called repellents form amphipathic amyloid fibrils at the surface of aerial hyphae. A SG200 strain in which the rep1 gene is inactivated (∆rep1 strain) is affected in aerial hyphae formation. We here assessed changes in global gene expression as a consequence of the inactivation of the rep1 gene. Microarray analysis revealed that only 31 genes in the ∆rep1 SG200 strain had a fold change in expression of ≥2. Twenty-two of these genes were up-regulated and half of them encode small secreted proteins (SSPs) with unknown functions. Seven of the SSP genes and two other genes that are over-expressed in the ∆rep1 SG200 strain encode proteins that can be classified as secreted cysteine-rich proteins (SCRPs). Interestingly, most of the SCRPs are predicted to form amyloids. The SCRP gene um00792 showed the highest up-regulation in the ∆rep1 strain. Using GFP as a reporter, it was shown that this gene is over-expressed in the layer of hyphae at the medium-air interface. Taken together, it is concluded that inactivation of rep1 hardly affects the expression profile of U. maydis, despite the fact that the mutant strain has a strong reduced ability to form aerial hyphae