© 2016 IOP Publishing Ltd. In this work, we focused on the potential of bioceramics from different marine sponges - namely Petrosia ficiformis, Agelas oroides and Chondrosia reniformis - for novel biomedical/industrial applications. The bioceramics from these sponges were obtained after calcination at 750 °C for 6 h in a furnace. The morphological characteristics were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The in vitro bioactivity of the bioceramics was evaluated in simulated body fluid (SBF) after 14 and 21 d. Observation of the bioceramics by SEM after immersion in SBF solution, coupled with spectroscopic elemental analysis (EDS), showed that the surface morphology was consistent with a calcium-phosphate (Ca/P) coating, similar to hydroxyapatite crystals (HA). Evaluation of the characteristic peaks of Ca/P crystals by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction further confirmed the existence of HA. Cytotoxicity studies were carried out with the different ceramics and these were compared with a commercially available Bioglass ® . In vitro tests demonstrated that marine bioceramics from these sponges are non-cytotoxic and have the potential to be used as substitutes for synthetic Bioglass ® .

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The experimental research carried out to study the punching behavior of high strength concrete (HSC) flat slabs is reported in the present work. Three flat slab specimens were cast using HSC and another one with normal strength concrete (NSC), to be used as a reference slab. The HSC mix presented a compressive strength of about 130MPa, with a basalt coarse aggregate. The tested specimens were square with 1650mm side and 125mm thickness. The longitudinal reinforcement ratio varied between 0.94{%} and 1.48{%}. The experimental results show that the use of HSC led to a significant load capacity increase when compared with the reference model made with NSC. Furthermore, the experimental results also indicated that as the longitudinal reinforcement ratio increased, the punching capacity also increased. The results obtained in this set of experimental tests and others collected from the literature were compared with the code provisions by EC2, MC2010 and ACI 318-11.

Here we present for the first time a TiO2/Cu2O all-oxide heterojunction solar cell entirely produced by spray pyrolysis onto fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) covered glass substrates, using silver as a back contact. A combinatorial approach was chosen to investigate the impact of the TiO2 window layer and the Cu2O light absorber thicknesses. We observe an open circuit voltage up to 350 mV and a short circuit current density which is strongly dependent of the Cu2O thickness, reaching a maximum of {\~{}}0.4 mA/cm2. Optical investigation reveals that a thickness of 300 nm spray pyrolysis deposited Cu2O is sufficient to absorb most photons with an energy above the symmetry allowed optical transition of 2.5 eV, indicating that the low current densities are caused by strong recombination in the absorber that consists of small Cu2O grains.

Adult large-bodied theropods are often found with numerous pathologies. A large, almost complete, probably adult \\textitAllosaurus specimen from the Howe Stephens Quarry, Morrison Formation (Late Kimmeridgian–Early Tithonian), Wyoming, exhibits multiple pathologies. Pathologic bones include the left dentary, two cervical vertebrae, one cervical and several dorsal ribs, the left scapula, the left humerus, the right ischium, and two left pedal phalanges. These pathologies can be classified as follows: the fifth cervical vertebra, the scapula, several ribs and the ischium are probably traumatic, and a callus on the shaft of the left pedal phalanx II-2 is probably traumatic-infectious. Traumatically fractured elements exposed to frequent movement (e.g., the scapula and the ribs) show a tendency to develop pseudarthroses instead of a callus. The pathologies in the lower jaw and a reduced extensor tubercle of the left pedal phalanx II-2 are most likely traumatic or developmental in origin. The pathologies on the fourth cervical are most likely developmental in origin or idiopathic, that on the left humerus could be traumatic, developmental, infectious or idiopathic, whereas the left pedal phalanx IV-1 is classified as idiopathic. With exception of the ischium, all as traumatic/traumatic-infectious classified pathologic elements show unambiguous evidences of healing, indicating that the respective pathologies did not cause the death of this individual. Alignment of the scapula and rib pathologies from the left side suggests that all may have been caused by a single traumatic event. The ischial fracture may have been fatal. The occurrence of multiple lesions interpreted as traumatic pathologies again underlines that large-bodied theropods experienced frequent injuries during life, indicating an active predatory lifestyle, and their survival perhaps supports a gregarious behavior for \\textitAllosaurus. Alternatively, the frequent survival of traumatic events could be also related to the presence of non-endothermic metabolic rates that allow survival based on sporadic food consumption or scavenging behavior. Signs of pathologies consistent with infections are scarce and locally restricted, indicating a successful prevention of the spread of pathogens, as it is the case in extant reptiles (including birds).

The number of floods in the city of Venice has increased substantially in the last decades and can be explained bythe sea level rise and land subsidence. Using Statistics of Extremes we shall model the extreme behaviour of the sea level inVenice and quantify risk through the estimation of important parameters such as return periods of high levels.The number of floods in the city of Venice has increased substantially in the last decades and can be explained bythe sea level rise and land subsidence. Using Statistics of Extremes we shall model the extreme behaviour of the sea level inVenice and quantify risk through the estimation of important parameters such as return periods of high levels.

Adult large-bodied theropods are often found with numerous pathologies. A large, almost complete, probably adult Allosaurus specimen from the Howe Stephens Quarry, Morrison Formation (Late Kimmeridgian–Early Tithonian), Wyoming, shows multiple pathologies. Pathologic bones include the left dentary, two cervical vertebrae, one cervical and several dorsal ribs, the left scapula, the left humerus, right ischium, and two left pedal phalanges. These pathologies can be classified as follows: the fifth cervical vertebra, the scapula, several ribs and the ischium are traumatic, and a callus on the shaft of the left pedal phalanx II-2 is traumatic-infectious. Traumatically fractured elements exposed to frequent movement (e.g. the scapula and the ribs) show a tendency to develop pseudarthroses instead of callus healing. The pathologies in the lower jaw and a reduced flexor tubercle of the left pedal phalanx II-2 are most likely traumatic or developmental in origin. The pathologies on the fourth cervical are most likely developmental in origin or idiopathic, that on the left humerus is infectious or idiopathic, whereas left pedal phalanx IV-1 is classified as idiopathic. With exception of the ischium, all traumatic / traumatic-infectious pathologic elements show unambiguous evidences of healing, indicating that the respective pathologies did not cause the death of this individual. Alignment of the scapula and rib pathologies from the left side suggests that all may have been caused by a single traumatic event. The ischial fracture may have been fatal. The occurrence of multiple traumatic pathologies again underlines that large-bodied theropods experienced frequent injuries during life, indicating an active predatory lifestyle, and their survival perhaps supports a gregarious behavior for Allosaurus. Signs of infections are scarce and locally restricted, indicating a successful prevention of the spread of pathogens, as it is the case in extant reptiles (including birds).

The historically-famous Lotus Fortress site, a deep 1.5–3.0-meter-high, 200-meter-long horizonal notch high up in near-vertical sandstone cliffs comprising the Cretaceous Jiaguan Formation, has been known since the 13th Century as an impregnable defensive position. The site is also extraordinary for having multiple tetrapod track-bearing levels, of which the lower two form the floor of part of the notch, and yield very well preserved asseamblages of ornithopod, bird (avian theropod) and pterosaur tracks. Trackway counts indicate that ornithopods dominate (69%) accounting for at least 165 trackmakers, followed by bird (18%), sauropod (10%), and pterosaur (3%). Previous studies designated Lotus Fortress as the type locality of Caririchnium lotus and Wupus agilis both of which are recognized here as valid ichnotaxa. On the basis of multiple parallel trackways both are interpreted as representing the trackways of gregarious species. C. lotus is redescribed here in detail and interpreted to indicate two age cohorts representing subadults that were sometimes bipedal and larger quadrupedal adults. Two other previously described dinosaurian ichnospecies, are here reinterpreted as underprints and considered nomina dubia. Like a growing number of significant tetrapod tracksites in China the Lotus Fortress site reveals new information about the composition of tetrapod faunas from formations in which the skeletal record is sparse. In particular, the site shows the relatively high abundance of Caririchium in a region where saurischian ichnofaunas are often dominant. It is also the only site known to have yielded Wupus agilis. In combination with information from other tracksites from the Jiaguan formation and other Cretaceous formations in the region, the track record is proving increasingly impotant as a major source of information on the vertebrate faunas of the region. The Lotus Fortress site has been developed as a spectacular, geologically-, paleontologically- and a culturally-significant destination within Qijiang National Geological Park.

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The influence of mathematical communication over the students’ learning led to this research, whose main goal is to understand the impact on problem solving of the students’ communication difficulties. The study adopts a qualitative and interpretative methodology, undertaking two case studies of 10th grade students. The reached conclusions point to the students’ difficulties at the interpretation of the problem, namely at the interpretation of figures, and at the interpretation of the available data, especially when part of them is irrelevant to the problem. Some difficulties were also identified at the communication level, in relation to the arguments used by the students to support their ideas, where a clear preference to restrict them to mathematic calculations was identified.

Resumo
A importância da comunicação matemática sobre a aprendizagem dos alunos, levou à realização desta investigação que pretendeu compreender o impacto sobre a resolução de problemas das dificuldades de comunicação evidenciadas pelos alunos. Optou-se por uma metodologia de natureza qualitativa e interpretativa e pela realização de estudos de caso envolvendo dois alunos do 10.º ano. As conclusões alcançadas apontam para dificuldades na interpretação do enunciado, nomeadamente relativamente às figuras e a dados em quantidade superior ao necessário. Também ao nível da comunicação da resolução foram identificadas dificuldades em fundamentar ideias, evidenciando uma preferência pelo recurso ao cálculo.