Search

This "Equity Tool" is meant to help teachers to critically think about their own beliefs, thoughts, feelings, language, and ideas regarding Latinx students with Learning Dis/abilities (LDs), and their students' social and emotional well-being and sense of self.

Droplet-based bioprinting has shown remarkable potential in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. However, it requires bioinks with low viscosities, which makes it challenging to create complex 3D structures and spatially pattern them with different materials. This study introduces a novel approach to bioprinting sophisticated volumetric objects by merging droplet-based bioprinting and cryobioprinting techniques. By leveraging the benefits of cryopreservation, we fabricated, for the first time, intricate, self-supporting cell-free or cell-laden structures with single or multiple materials in a simple droplet-based bioprinting process that is facilitated by depositing the droplets onto a cryoplate followed by crosslinking during revival. The feasibility of this approach is demonstrated by bioprinting several cell types, with cell viability increasing to 80%–90% after up to 2 or 3 weeks of culture. Furthermore, the applicational capabilities of this approach are showcased by bioprinting an endothelialized breast cancer model. The results indicate that merging droplet and cryogenic bioprinting complements current droplet-based bioprinting techniques and opens new avenues for the fabrication of volumetric objects with enhanced complexity and functionality, presenting exciting potential for biomedical applications.

Using agricultural by-products such as dehydrated orange pulp (DOP) in animal feeds is of interest to increase pig sector sustainability. With this aim, an assay was carried out to assess the effects of increasing inclusion levels of DOP in pig diets regarding animal performance, carcass quality, and environmental impact. Four experimental diets were designed, a control diet (T1) and three more diets with increasing levels of DOP with 80, 160, and 240 g/kg of DOP for diets T2, T3, and T4, respectively. One hundred and sixty growing pigs were used in the experiment. Growth performance (average daily gain, ADG; average daily feed intake, ADFI and feed conversion ratio, FCR) and in vivo backfat thickness (BF) and loin depth (LD) gain were recorded during the finishing phase (from 70 to 130 kg BW). Faecal samples were incubated for bacteria enumeration. At slaughter, carcass characteristics and meat quality traits were measured, and subcutaneous fat was sampled to analyse the fatty acid (FA) profile. Additionally, the slurry excreted by the animals was measured, characterised and subjected to a gaseous emission assay during its storage. The final BW and overall ADFI, ADG and FCR were similar among treatments. In vivo final LD and BF gain decreased (P 0.10) as the inclusion level of DOP increased. No differences were observed in carcass characteristics with the inclusion of DOP, except carcass weight that decreased linearly (P = 0.05) with DOP. Regarding the FA profile of the subcutaneous fat, the ratio of total monounsaturated to saturated FA increased with the inclusion level of DOP. Neither slurry excretion and characterisation nor bacterial counts from faeces showed any significant difference among treatments. The inclusion of DOP led to greater CH4 emissions in mg per L of slurry and hour, whereas these differences disappeared when expressed in mg per animal and day. In all, it has been demonstrated that the inclusion of DOP up to 240 mg/kg in pig diets had minor ef

Long-lived particles are predicted in extensions of the Standard Model that involve relatively light but very weakly interacting sectors. In this paper we consider the possibility that some of these particles are produced in atmospheric cosmic ray showers, and their decay intercepted by neutrino detectors such as IceCube or Super-Kamiokande. We present the methodology and evaluate the sensitivity of these searches in various scenarios, including extensions with heavy neutral leptons in models of massive neutrinos, models with an extra U(1) gauge symmetry, and a combination of both in a U(1)B−L model. Our results are shown as a function of the production rate and the lifetime of the corresponding long-lived particles.

We present a characterization of the dust in the Wolf-Rayet (WR) nebula RCW 58 around the WN8h star WR 40 using archival infrared (IR) observations from WISE and Herschel and radio observations from ATCA. We selected two clumps, free from contamination from material along the line of sight and located towards southern regions in RCW 58, as representative of the general properties of this WR nebula. Their optical, IR and radio properties are then modelled using the photoionization code Cloudy, which calculates a self-consistent spatial distribution of dust and gas properties. Two populations of dust grains are required to model the IR SED: a population of small grains with sizes 0.002-0.01 $\mu$m, which is found throughout the clumps, and a population of large grains, with sizes up to 0.9 $\mu$m, located further from the star. Moreover, the clumps have very high dust-to-gas ratios, which present a challenge for their origin. Our model supports the hypothesis that RCW 58 is distributed in a ring-like structure rather than a shell, and we estimate a mass of $\sim$2.5 M$_\odot$. This suggests that the mass of the progenitor of WR 40 was about $\approx40^{+2}_{-3}$ M$_\odot$. The ring morphology, low nebular mass, large dust grain size and high dust-to-gas ratio lead us to propose that RCW 58 has formed through a common envelope channel, similar to what has been proposed for M 1-67., Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures, 7 tables; accepted to MNRAS

[EN] We report a joint experimental and theoretical study of the low-pressure phase of ¿¿-Ga2S3 under compression. Theoretical ab initio calculations have been compared to X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering measurements under high pressure carried out up to 17.5 and 16.1 GPa, respectively. In addition, we report Raman scattering measurements of ¿¿-Ga2S3 at high temperature that have allowed us to study its anharmonic properties. To understand better the compression of this compound, we have evaluated the topological properties of the electron density, the electron localization function, and the electronic properties as a function of pressure. As a result, we shed light on the role of the Ga¿S bonds, the van der Waals interactions inside the channels of the crystalline structure, and the single and double lone electron pairs of the sulphur atoms in the anisotropic compression of ¿¿-Ga2S3. We found that the structural channels are responsible for the anisotropic properties of ¿¿-Ga2S3 and the A¿(6) phonon, known as the breathing mode and associated with these channels, exhibits the highest anharmonic behaviour. Finally, we report calculations of the electronic band structure of ¿¿-Ga2S3 at different pressures and find a nonlinear pressure behaviour of the direct band gap and a pressure-induced direct-to-indirect band gap crossover that is similar to the behaviour previously reported in other ordered-vacancy compounds, including ß-Ga2Se3. The importance of the single and, more specially, the double lone electron pairs of sulphur in the pressure dependence of the topmost valence band of ¿¿-Ga2S3 is stressed.

We present an infrared (IR) characterization of the born-again planetary nebulae (PNe) A30 and A78 using IR images and spectra. We demonstrate that the carbon-rich dust in A30 and A78 is spatially coincident with the H-poor ejecta and coexists with hot X-ray-emitting gas up to distances of 50$''$ from the central stars (CSPNs). Dust forms immediately after the born-again event and survives for 1000 yr in the harsh environment around the CSPN as it is destroyed and pushed away by radiation pressure and dragged by hydrodynamical effects. Spitzer IRS spectral maps showed that the broad spectral features at 6.4 and 8.0 $\mu$m, attributed to amorphous carbon formed in H-deficient environments, are associated with the disrupted disk around their CSPN, providing an optimal environment for charge exchange reactions with the stellar wind that produces the soft X-ray emission of these sources. Nebular and dust properties are modeled for A30 with Cloudy taking into account different carbonaceous dust species. Our models predict dust temperatures in the 40-230 K range, five times lower than predicted by previous works. Gas and dust masses for the born-again ejecta in A30 are estimated to be $M_\mathrm{gas}=(4.41^{+0.55}_{-0.14})\times10^{-3}$ M$_\odot$ and $M_\mathrm{dust}=(3.20^{+3.21}_{-2.06})\times10^{-3}$ M$_\odot$, which can be used to estimate a total ejected mass and mass-loss rate for the born-again event of $(7.61^{+3.76}_{-2.20})\times10^{-3}$ M$_{\odot}$ and $\dot{M}=[5-60]\times10^{-5}$ M$_{\odot}$ yr$^{-1}$, respectively. Taking into account the carbon trapped into dust grains, we estimate that the C/O mass ratio of the H-poor ejecta of A30 is larger than 1, which favors the very late thermal pulse model over the alternate hypothesis of a nova-like event., Comment: 14 pages, 11 Figures, 1 Table; Accepted to MNRAS

The structural, vibrational and electronic properties of the compressed beta-Sb2O3 polymorph, a.k.a. mineral valentinite, have been investigated in a joint experimental and theoretical study up to 23 GPa. The compressibility of the lattice parameters, unit-cell volume and polyhedral unit volume as well as the behaviour of its Raman- and IR-active modes under compression have been interpreted on the basis of ab initio theoretical simulations. Valentinite shows an unusual compressibility up to 15 GPa with four different pressure ranges, whose critical pressures are 2, 4, and 10 GPa. The pressure dependence of the main structural units, the lack of soft phonons, and the electronic density charge topology address the changes at those critical pressures to isostructural phase transitions of degree higher than 2. In particular, the transitions at 2 and 4 GPa can be ascribed to the changes in the interaction between the stereochemically-active lone electron pairs of Sb atoms under compression. The changes observed above 10 GPa, characterized by a general softening of several Raman- and IR-active modes, point to a structural instability prior to the 1st-order transition occurring above 15 GPa. Above this pressure, a tentative new high-pressure phase (s.g. Pcc2) has been assigned by single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction measurements.

[Introducción/Objetivos]: El envejecimiento se asocia con el deterioro del sistema nervioso e inmunitario y la consecuente pérdida de homeostasis que conduce a una mayor morbilidad y mortalidad. Ratones prematuramente envejecidos (PAM), muestran, siendo adultos, un sistema nervioso e inmunitario típicos de animales cronológicamente viejos, teniendo menor longevidad que los no prematuramente envejecidos (E-NPAM) de igual edad. La suplementación con algunos probióticos ha demostrado mejorar los sistemas homeostáticos y conseguir unadecuado mantenimiento de la salud. Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) presenta algunos de estos efectos, pero su incidencia en la longevidad saludable no ha sido comprobada en mamíferos. El objetivo del trabajo fue estudiar el efecto de tomar LGG durante 2 y 4 semanas en diversos parámetros conductuales y de funcionalidad inmunitaria de leucocitos peritoneales en PAM, así como sobre la longevidad., [Métodos]: Ratones hembra (ICR-CD1), adultas, fueron clasificadas en PAM y E-NPAM, y se dividieron en los siguientes grupos: 1) PAM suplementados con LGG (PAMLGG) (ingirieron durante 4 semanas 109 ufc/ratón/día disuelto en el agua); 2) PAM control (PAMC), y 3) E-NPAM control (E-NPAMC). PAMC y E-NPAMC recibieron cantidad similar de bebida sin LGG. Tras 2 semanas de tratamiento, se realizaron pruebas conductuales, y a las 2 y 4 semanas se extrajeron leucocitos peritoneales para estudiar su funcionalidad., [Resultados]: PAMLGG presentan mayor coordinación, equilibrio, vigor neuromuscular, y exploración, y menor ansiedad que los PAMC. También, mostraron funciones inmunitarias (quimiotaxis, fagocitosis y linfoproliferación) mejores que las de PAMC, tras 4 semanas y tras 2 semanas de ingestión. En los parámetros estudiados los valores de PAMLGG fueron similares a los de E-NPAMC, e igual sucedió con la longevidad., [Conclusiones]: La administración de LGG, durante un período de tiempo corto, podría ser una buena estrategia nutricional para ralentizar el deterioro asociado al envejecimiento en individuos prematuramente envejecidos, consiguiendo así una mayor longevidad saludable.

Long-lived particles are predicted in extensions of the Standard Model that involve relatively light but very weakly interacting sectors. In this paper we consider the possibility that some of these particles are produced in atmospheric cosmic ray showers, and their decay intercepted by neutrino detectors such as IceCube or Super-Kamiokande. We present the methodology and evaluate the sensitivity of these searches in various scenarios, including extensions with heavy neutral leptons in models of massive neutrinos, models with an extra U(1) gauge symmetry, and a combination of both in a U(1)B−L model. Our results are shown as a function of the production rate and the lifetime of the corresponding long-lived particles.

Long-lived particles are predicted in extensions of the Standard Model that involve relatively light but very weakly interacting sectors. In this paper we consider the possibility that some of these particles are produced in atmospheric cosmic ray showers, and their decay intercepted by neutrino detectors such as IceCube or Super-Kamiokande. We present the methodology and evaluate the sensitivity of these searches in various scenarios, including extensions with heavy neutral leptons in models of massive neutrinos, models with an extra U(1) gauge symmetry, and a combination of both in a U(1)B−L model. Our results are shown as a function of the production rate and the lifetime of the corresponding long-lived particles.

One of the key factors to improve swine production sustainability is the use of agro-industrial by-products in feeds, such as olive by-products. However, it is necessary to assess its effects on the overall production process, including the animal and the environment. With this aim, an experiment was conducted to determine the effects of including a partially defatted olive cake (PDOC) in pig diets on growth performance, faecal microbiota, carcass quality and gas emission from the slurry. Two finishing diets were formulated, a control (C) diet and a diet with PDOC included at 120 g/kg. Eighty finishing male pigs Duroc-Danbred × (Landrace × Large White) of 60.4 ± 7.00 kg BW were divided between these two treatments. During the finishing period (60 to 110 kg BW, 55 days) average daily gain, average daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio were recorded. Faecal samples from the rectum of 16 animals per treatment were incubated for bacteria enumeration. At the end of finishing period, backfat thickness and loin depth (LD) were measured. Animals were slaughtered to obtain carcass weight and carcass composition parameters, and subcutaneous fat was sampled to analyse the fatty acid (FA) profile. In addition greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions were measured during pig slurry storage using the methodology of dynamic flux chambers. An initial slurry characterisation and biochemical methane potential (B0) were also determined. No significant differences between treatments were found in performance, carcass quality and microbial counts with the exception of LD, which was lower in PDOC compared with C animals (45.5 v. 47.5 mm, SEM: 0.62; P = 0.020). The FA profile of the subcutaneous fat did not differ between treatments, but the monounsaturated FA (MUFA) concentration was higher and the polyunsaturated FA was lower in the animals fed PDOC (50.9 v. 48.3, SEM: 0.48, P < 0.001; 17.6 v. 19.3, SEM: 0.30, P < 0.001 in mg/100 g of Total FA, for PDOC and C animals, respectively). T

This tool reviews raw materials, produce and by-products traditionally used to feed pigs. It explains facts about alternative feed sources and shows a wide range of possibilities, from natural resources like fruits (acorns, chestnuts, olives, carobs, etc.) and weeds to local crops (cabbages, turnips, etc.) and fodders (i.e. lucerne). Silage is shown as an option to conserve and handle raw materials. It includes many references and links for further and complementary information.

Dolphinfish is targeted by small-scale fisheries and is part of the bycatch of drifting surface longline targeting tuna and swordfish in the Mediterranean Sea. The main aim of the present study is to understand the effect of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) on the dolphinfish bycatch of the Spanish longline fisheries in the Western Mediterranean Sea and, likewise on the catch of small-scale fisheries targeting dolphinfish associated to anchored fish aggregating devices (aFADs) in waters of the Balearic Islands. Understanding the impact of climatic effects is crucial to improve the assessment and management of the Mediterranean dolphinfish. In longline fisheries, the negative phases of the NAO with a short time lag increase the dolphinfish bycatch probability, with a CPUE higher than the mean of the study period. However, with a long time lag, the positive phases increase the dolphinfish bycatch probability, with a CPUE higher than the mean of the study period. On the other hand, when examining the Mallorca aFADs fisheries, the negative phases of the NAO with a long time lag increased the probability of catching fish with higher landings than the observed mean of the study period. The results suggest strong connections between the prevailing climate conditions in March and April and dolphinfish catches during the fishing season of this species in September and October

The common dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) is an epipelagic thermophilic species with a worldwide distribution in tropical and subtropical regions that is characterized by its migratory behavior and fast growth rates. This species is targeted by artisanal small-scale and recreational fisheries in most regions where it is found. This paper updates and analyzes the global scientific knowledge on the biology and ecology of this species, which was last revised at a regional level 20 years ago. This review showed an increase in knowledge about the population structure and regional differences in biological traits, in parallel with a notable lack of mechanistic and even empirical knowledge about the ecology of this species, which hampers a good understanding of the population dynamics and the potential impacts of environmental change. This paper also updates the information about the Mediterranean dolphinfish fishery, where the main four countries that exploit this species deploy 30% of fish aggregation devices (FAD) worldwide. The results suggest, among other effects, some temporal synchronicity in landings across countries, potential interannual stock movement affecting inter-country catches, diverging trends in prices and insufficient quality in the estimates of fishing effort. The authors propose a suite of specific measures to ameliorate this lack of knowledge and to better manage this complex living resource.

We present a comprehensive infrared (IR) study of the iconic Wolf-Rayet (WR) wind-blown bubble NGC6888 around WR136. We use Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE), Spitzer IRAC and MIPS and Herschel PACS IR images to produce a sharp view of the distribution of dust around WR136. We complement these IR photometric observations with Spitzer IRS spectra in the 5-38 $\mu$m wavelength range. The unprecedented high-resolution IR images allowed us to produce a clean spectral energy distribution, free of contamination from material along the line of sight, to model the properties of the dust in NGC6888. We use the spectral synthesis code Cloudy to produce a model for NGC6888 that consistently reproduces its optical and IR properties. Our best model requires a double distribution with the inner shell composed only of gas, whilst the outer shell requires a mix of gas and dust. The dust consists of two populations of grain sizes, one with small sized grains $a_\mathrm{small}$=[0.002-0.008] $\mu$m and another one with large sized grains $a_\mathrm{big}$=[0.05-0.5] $\mu$m. The population of big grains is similar to that reported for other red supergiants stars and dominates the total dust mass, which leads us to suggest that the current mass of NGC6888 is purely due to material ejected from WR136, with a negligible contribution of swept up interstellar medium. The total mass of this model is 25.5$^{+4.7}_{-2.8}$ M$_{\odot}$, a dust mass of $M_\mathrm{dust}=$0.14$^{+0.03}_{-0.01}$ M$_{\odot}$, for a dust-to-gas ratio of $5.6\times10^{-3}$. Accordingly, we suggest that the initial stellar mass of WR136 was $\lesssim$50 M$_{\odot}$, consistent with current single stellar evolution models., Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, 6 tables; Accepted to MNRAS

The Wolf-Rayet nebula M1-67 around WR124 is located above the Galactic plane in a region mostly empty of interstellar medium, which makes it the perfect target to study the mass-loss episodes associated with the late stages of massive star evolution. Archive photometric observations from WISE, Spitzer (MIPS) and Herschel (PACS and SPIRE) are used to construct the spectral energy distribution (SED) of the nebula in the wavelength range of 12-500$\mu$m. The infrared (photometric and spectroscopic) data and nebular optical data from the literature are modeled simultaneously using the spectral synthesis code Cloudy, where the free parameters are the gas density distribution and the dust grain size distribution. The infrared SED can be reproduced by dust grains with two size distributions: a MRN power-law distribution with grain sizes between 0.005 and 0.05$\mu$m and a population of large grains with representative size 0.9$ \mu$m. The latter points towards an eruptive origin for the formation of M1-67. The model predicts a nebular ionized gas mass of $M_\mathrm{ion} = 9.2^{+1.6}_{-1.5}~\mathrm{M}_\odot$ and the estimated mass-loss rate during the dust-formation period is $\dot{M} \approx 6 \times 10^{-4} \mathrm{M}_\odot$yr$^{-1}$. We discuss the implications of our results in the context of single and binary stellar evolution and propose that M1-67 represents the best candidate for a post-common envelope scenario in massive stars., Comment: 15 pages, 11 Figures, 7 Tables; accepted for MNRAS

This study is not intended to be an analysis of the Shoahor even an interpretation of what the trauma of the survivors meant ormeans. It aims, however, at contributing to the understanding of the importance of documentary poetry in the transformation of pain or as a catalyst for the transition from traumatic memory to historical memory. The body of work consists of fragments of poems from the book Nosotros los salvados (We the saved), selected because of their resonance. A critical analysis of the texts was carried out and it was revealed how Jaqueline Goldberg articulates lyricism and uses it as a means to exorcise pain, since it rescues historical memory for present and future generations, Cette étude ne se veut pas une analyse de la Shoah, et encore moins de ce que le traumatisme des survivants signifiait et signifie, mais plutôt une contribution à la compréhension de l'importance de la poésie documentaire dans la transformation de la douleur ou comme catalyseur de la transition de la mémoire traumatique à la mémoire historique. Le corpus de l'œuvre est composé de fragments de poèmes du livre Nous les sauvés, choisis en fonction de leur résonance. Une analyse critique de ces poèmes a été effectuée, révélant la manière dont Jaqueline Goldberg articule les paroles et les utilise comme un moyen d'exorciser ladouleur, puisqu'elle sauve la mémoire historique pour les générations présentes et futures, Este estudio no pretende ser un análisis del Shoah y mucho menos de lo que significó y significa el trauma de los sobrevivientes, sino más bien un aporte a la comprensión de la importancia de la poesía documental en la transformación del dolor o como catalizadora del tránsito de la memoria traumática a la memoria histórica. El corpus de trabajo está compuesto por fragmentos de poemas del libro Nosotros los Salvados, seleccionados a partir de su resonancia. Se realizó un análisis crítico de los mismos y se develo la forma en la que Jaqueline Goldberg articula la lírica y la emplea como medio de exorcizar el dolor, toda vez que rescata la memoria histórica para las generaciones presentes y futuras., Questo studio non vuole essere un'analisi della Shoah, tanto meno di cosa significasse e significhi il trauma dei sopravvissuti, ma piuttosto un contributo alla comprensione dell'importanza della poesia documentaria nella trasformazione del dolore o come catalizzatora del transito di memoria traumatica alla memoria storica. Il corpus dell'opera è costituito da frammenti di poesie del libro Nosotros los salvados, selezionati in base alla loro risonanza. Ne è stataeffettuata un'analisi critica ed è stato rivelato il modo in cui Jaqueline Goldberg articola i testi e gli usa come mezzo per esorcizzare il dolore, poiché salva la memoria storica per le generazioni presenti e future, Este estudo, além de não pretenderfazer uma análise da Shoah enem do que significou e significa o trauma dos sobreviventes, traz uma contribuição para a compreensão da importância da poesia documental na transformação da dor ou como catalisador do trânsitoda memória traumática para a memória histórica.O corpusda obra é constituído por fragmentos de poemas do livro Nós os salvos, selecionados a partir de sua ressonância. Foi realizada uma análise crítica desses poemas e revelada a forma como Jaqueline Goldberg articula a lírica e a utiliza como meio de exorcizar a dor, uma vez que resgata a memória histórica para as gerações presentes e futuras

We present a comprehensive infrared (IR) study of the iconicWolf-Rayet (WR) wind-blown bubble NGC6888 around WR136. We use Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Spitzer IRAC, and MIPS and Herschel PACS IR images to produce a sharp view of the distribution of dust around WR136. We complement these IR photometric observations with Spitzer IRS spectra in the 5-38-mu m wavelength range. The unprecedented high-resolution IR images allowed us to produce a clean spectral energy distribution, free of contamination from material along the line of sight, to model the properties of the dust in NGC6888. We use the spectral synthesis code CLOUDY to produce a model for NGC6888 that consistently reproduces its optical and IR properties. Our best model requires a double distribution with the inner shell composed only of gas, whilst the outer shell requires a mix of gas and dust. The dust consists of two populations of grain sizes, one with small-sized grains a(small) = [0.002-0.008] mu m and another one with large-sized grains a(big) = [0.05-0.5] mu m. The population of big grains is similar to that reported for other red supergiants stars and dominates the total dust mass, which leads us to suggest that the current mass of NGC6888 is purely due to material ejected from WR 136, with a negligible contribution of the swept up interstellar medium. The total mass of this model is 25.5(-2.8)+4.7 M-circle dot, a dust mass of M-dust = 0.14(-0.01)(+0.03) M circle dot, for a dust-to-gas ratio of 5.6 x 10(-3). Accordingly, we suggest that the initial stellar mass of WR 136 was less than or similar to 50 M-circle dot, consistent with current single stellar evolution models. © 2020 The Author(s) Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Royal Astronomical Society

We report a joint experimental and theoretical investigation of the high pressure structural and vibrational properties of terbium sesquioxide (Tb2O3). Powder X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering measurements show that cubic Ia3̅ (C-type) Tb2O3 undergoes two phase transitions up to 25 GPa. We observe a first irreversible reconstructive transition to the monoclinic C2/m (B-type) phase at ∼7 GPa and a subsequent reversible displacive transition from the monoclinic to the trigonal P3̅m1 (A-type) phase at ∼12 GPa. Thus, Tb2O3 is found to follow the well-known C → B → A phase transition sequence found in other cubic rare earth sesquioxides with cations of larger atomic mass than Tb. Our ab initio theoretical calculations predict phase transition pressures and bulk moduli for the three phases in rather good agreement with experimental results. Moreover, Raman-active modes of the three phases have been monitored as a function of pressure, while lattice-dynamics calculations have allowed us to confirm the assignment of the experimental phonon modes in the C- and A-type phases as well as to make a tentative assignment of the symmetry of most vibrational modes in the B-type phase. Finally, we extract the bulk moduli and the Raman-active mode frequencies together with their pressure coefficients for the three phases of Tb2O3. These results are thoroughly compared and discussed in relation to those reported for rare earth and other related sesquioxides as well as with new calculations for selected sesquioxides. It is concluded that the evolution of the volume and bulk modulus of all the three phases of these technologically relevant compounds exhibit a nearly linear trend with respect to the third power of the ionic radii of the cations and that the values of the bulk moduli for the three phases depend on the filling of the f orbitals.

[Background]: Inflammation is known to be related to the leading causes of death including cardiovascular disease, several types of cancer, obesity, type 2 diabetes, depression-suicide and other chronic diseases. In the context of whole dietary patterns, the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII®) was developed to appraise the inflammatory potential of the diet. [Objective]: We prospectively assessed the association between DII scores and all-cause mortality in two large Spanish cohorts and valuated the consistency of findings across these two cohorts and results published based on other cohorts., [Design]: We assessed 18,566 participants in the “Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra” (SUN) cohort followed-up during 188,891 person-years and 6790 participants in the “PREvencion con DIeta MEDiterránea” (PREDIMED) randomized trial representing 30,233 person-years of follow-up. DII scores were calculated in both cohorts from validated FFQs. Higher DII scores corresponded to more proinflammatory diets. A total of 230 and 302 deaths occurred in SUN and PREDIMED, respectively. In a random-effect meta-analysis we included 12 prospective studies (SUN, PREDIMED and 10 additional studies) that assessed the association between DII scores and all-cause mortality., [Results]: After adjusting for a wide array of potential confounders, the comparison between extreme quartiles of the DII showed a positive and significant association with all-cause mortality in both the SUN (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.85; 95% CI: 1.15, 2.98; P-trend = 0.004) and the PREDIMED cohort (HR = 1.42; 95% CI: 1.00, 2.02; P-trend = 0.009). In the meta-analysis of 12 cohorts, the DII was significantly associated with an increase of 23% in all-cause mortality (95% CI: 16%–32%, for the highest vs lowest category of DII)., [Conclusion]: Our results provide strong and consistent support for the hypothesis that a pro-inflammatory diet is associated with increased all-cause mortality. The SUN cohort and PREDIMED trial were registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02669602 and at isrctn.com as ISRCTN35739639, respectively.

Metavalent or resonant bonding is a recently proposed new class of bonding that is intermediate between p-type covalent bonding and metallic bonding. It characterizes a new family of materials known as “incipient metals” [1]. Metavalent bonding occurs in materials where there is a deficiency of valence electrons in the unit cell to form a large number of bonds, such as in octahedrally-coordinated rocksalt-related structures occurring in GeTe, SnTe, PbSe, PbTe, Sb2Te3, Bi2Te3, Bi2Se3, Sb, Bi and AgSb2Te4. The main characteristics of metavalent bonding are: i) a much higher cation coordination than that assumed with the 8-N rule; ii) very high Born effective charge and optical dielectric constant as compared to typical covalent materials; iii) high mode Grüneisen parameters of phonons and low wavenumbers of optical phonons as compared to typical covalent materials; and iv) a moderately high electrical conductivity caused by thesmall bandgap which stems from the partial delocalization of electrons between several bonds

[Background and Aims] Ageing is characterized by an impairment of the homeostatic (nervous and immune) systems and by changes in the intestinal microbiota. The objective of the study was to analyse differences in the gut microbiota and in several innate immune functions in old and prematurely ageing mice (PAM) when compared with adults, and the modulatory effects of supplementing with Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG., [Methods] Prematurely aging mice (PAM), old and adult mice (females ICR-CD1) were divided into two groups (N = 8-10), which received LGG (109 CFU/mice/day; lyophilized in skim milk and added to drink water) or skim milk without the probiotic LGG (controls). After 4 weeks of LGG supplementation, mice were analysed for several innate immune parameters (chemotaxis, phagocytosis and natural killer activity). Faecal samples were collected for microbiota analysis at 0, 2 and 4 weeks of LGG supplementation., [Results] Ageing in ICR-CD1 female mice was related with increase of Lactobacillus and Blautia coccoides/Eubacterium rectale and decrease of Akkermansia. LGG supplementation was related with changes in Bifidobacterium, Faecalibacterium and Ruminococcus counts. PAM and old mice showed lower values of the immune functions analysed than adult mice. After 4 weeks of LGG ingestion all these functions improved, achieving values similar to those in adults., [Conclusion] L. rhamnosus GG can be considered a probiotic supplement useful for upgrading the immune system in ageing and, consequently, for reaching a healthy longevity.

Neutrino masses could originate in seesaw models testable at colliders, with light mediators and an approximate lepton number symmetry. The minimal model of this type contains two quasi-degenerate Majorana fermions forming a pseudo-Dirac pair. An important question is to what extent future colliders will have sensitivity to the splitting between the Majorana components, since this quantity signals the breaking of lepton number and is connected to the light neutrino masses. We consider the production of these neutral heavy leptons at the ILC, where their displaced decays provide a golden signal: a forward-backward charge asymmetry, which depends crucially on the mass splitting between the two Majorana components. We show that this observable can constrain the mass splitting to values much lower than current bounds from neutrinoless double beta decay and natural loop corrections., Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures; v2: Minor changes, version accepted for publication in EPJC

The different polymorphs of sesquioxides formed by group XV elements (As, Sb and Bi) have recently attracted an increasing interest with the aim to understand the effect of the lone electron pairs in their molecular character. At high pressures, the different polymorphs formed by these sesquioxides have shown a completely different behavior. As2O3 is one of the most compressible solid inorganic compounds and crystallizes in a cubic structure with strong molecular character that becomes amorphous around 20 GPa. In turn, isostructural Sb2O3 shows two 2nd-order phase transitions driven by dynamical instabilities, below 10 GPa, and a first-order phase transition above 20 GPa. The completely different behavior of both compounds with the same structure points out that the lone electron pair effect could play an important role in the presence of slight changes of compressibility. On the other hand, intermediate symmetric structures such as orthorhombic Sb2O3 and tetragonal Bi2O3 seem to be more prone to undergo different compressibility behaviors. In particular, the anomalous compressibility of Sb2O3 has revealed an electronic change associated to a transition of order higher than 2, which is hidden by the larger compressibility of the structural voids in the crystal lattice. Finally, Bi2O3 that crystallizes in a monoclinic structure, is the least symmetric structure and with the smaller cationic lone electron pair effect. This compound undergoes amorphization around 20 GPa and does not exhibit any anomalous compressibility associated to a first- or second-order phase transition. In summary, this work will show some guidelines in the stability of sesquioxide polymorphs and how the stereochemically active lone electron pair distribution affects the stability of the different structures, paying special attention on the intermediate symmetric structures where the most striking results have been observed.

We report a joint experimental and theoretical study of the lattice dynamics of cubic Tb2O3. Up to 16 optical Raman‐active modes have been observed with polarized and unpolarized Raman scattering measurements on a high‐quality Tb2O3 single crystal. The measured wavenumbers have been compared with those of other rare‐earth (RE) and related sesquioxides with cubic (C‐type or bixbyite) structure. First‐principles calculations have allowed us to assign the symmetry of the experimentally observed Raman‐active modes. Additional lattice‐dynamical calculations on the related cubic RE sesquioxides Dy2O3, Gd2O3, Eu2O3, and Sm2O3 indicate that the phonon wavenumbers of the Raman‐active modes in these compounds are monotonically reduced with increasing the lattice parameter along the Dy2O3‐Tb2O3‐Gd2O3‐Eu2O3‐Sm2O3 series, thus prompting for a revision of the experimental Raman spectra of some of these compounds (mainly Eu2O3 but also Gd2O3).

The focus of this chapter lies on the possible experimental tests of leptogenesis scenarios. We consider both leptogenesis generated from oscillations, as well as leptogenesis from out-of-equilibrium decays. As the Akhmedov-Rubakov-Smirnov (ARS) mechanism allows for heavy neutrinos in the GeV range, this opens up a plethora of possible experimental tests, e.g. at neutrino oscillation experiments, neutrinoless double beta decay, and direct searches for neutral heavy leptons at future facilities. In contrast, testing leptogenesis from out-of-equilibrium decays is a quite difficult task. We comment on the necessary conditions for having successful leptogenesis at the TeV-scale. We further discuss possible realizations and their model specific testability in extended seesaw models, models with extended gauge sectors, and supersymmetric leptogenesis. Not being able to test high-scale leptogenesis directly, we present a way to falsify such scenarios by focusing on their washout processes. This is discussed specifically for the left-right symmetric model and the observation of a heavy $W_R$, as well as model independently when measuring $\Delta L = 2$ washout processes at the LHC or neutrinoless double beta decay., Comment: 99 pages, 29 figures. Chapter 5 of the review volume "Leptogenesis: Current Challenges for Model Building, Phenomenology and Non-Equilibrium Field Theory."

High-pressure Raman-scattering measurements and ab initio calculations on NdVO4 have been carried out up to 30 GPa. Our combined experimental and theoretical study confirms that beyond 5.9 GPa NdVO4 undergoes an irreversible zircon to monazite transition. The coexistence of zircon and monazite phases is experimentally observed up to ~8 GPa (which agrees with the theoretical transition pressure), stabilizing the monazite phase as a single phase around 10 GPa. Calculations additionally predict the existence of a second high-pressure phase transition at 12.4 GPa. This reversible phase transition has been experimentally observed beyond 18.1 GPa and remains stable up to 30 GPa. The post-monazite phase is predicted to have a monoclinic structure isomorphic to the BaWO4-II type structure. The calculated structure for the three polymorphs of NdVO4 is reported and the pressure dependence of their Raman modes is discussed.

This guide presents the egg and larval descriptions of 100 species of fishes belonging to 55 families, which are most likely to be present in plankton samples collected in the continental shelf and oceanic waters of the Western Mediterranean Sea. The guide is structured in two parts. The first introductory part describes the different applications of ichthyoplankton studies in fisheries research, the main sampling strategies, methods and gears, the early life history of fishes and how to identify them. A brief historical account of ichthyoplankton identification studies in the Mediterranean Sea is also provided. The second part of the guide contains the identification sheets of the species. Each species sheet includes the following information: illustration of the adult fish and information on its habitat and spawning season; description of the main features useful towards identifying the egg, yolk sac and larval stage of each fish species; illustrations and (when available) photos of the different life stages.

The aim of this study was to (1) optimize a method for the measurement of parabens and phenols in adipose tissue, (2) evaluate the stability of chemical residues in adipose tissue samples, and (3) study correlations of these compounds in urine, serum, and adipose tissue. Samples were obtained from adults undergoing trauma surgery. Nine phenols and seven parabens were determined by isotope diluted TurboFlow-LC-MS/MS. The analytical method showed good accuracy and precision. Limits of detection (LOD) for parabens and phenols ranged from 0.05 to 1.83ng/g tissue. Good recovery rates were found, even when biological samples remained defrosted up to 24h. Benzophenone-3 (BP-3; range of values: 70% of adipose tissue samples, while bisphenol-A (BPA; 40% of adipose tissue samples. In general, levels were similar between adipose tissue and serum, while a correlation between adipose tissue and urine was only found for BP-3. In conclusion, adipose tissue samples in this study were found to contain environmental chemicals considered to be non-persistent, whose levels were weakly or not at all correlated with the urine burden. Therefore, adipose tissue may potentially provide additional information to that obtained from other biological matrices. Further investigations are warranted to explore whether adipose tissue might be a suitable matrix for assessment of the consequences for human health of mid/long-term exposure to these chemicals.

Background: Potatoes have a high glycemic load but also antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. It is unclear what mechanisms are involved in relation to their effect on blood pressure (BP) and hypertension. Objectives: This study aimed to assess the association between potato consumption, BP changes, and the risk of hypertension in 2 Spanish populations. Methods: Separate analyses were performed in PREDIMED (PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea), a multicenter nutrition intervention trial of adults aged 55-80 y, and the SUN (Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra) project, a prospective cohort made up of university graduates and educated adults with ages (means±SDs) of 42.7±13.3 y for men and 35.1± 10.7 y for women. In PREDIMED, generalized estimating equations adjusted for lifestyle and dietary characteristics were used to assess changes in BP across quintiles of total potato consumption during a 4-y follow-up. Controlled BP values (systolic BP < 140 mm Hg and diastolic BP < 90 mm Hg) during follow-up were also assessed. For SUN, multivariateadjusted HRs for incident hypertension during a mean 6.7-y follow-up were calculated. Results: In PREDIMED, the total potato intake was 81.9 ± 40.6 g/d. No overall differences in systolic or diastolic BP changes were detected based on consumption of potatoes. For total potatoes, the mean difference in change between quintile 5 (highest intake) and quintile 1 (lowest intake) in systolic BP after multivariate adjustment was 20.90 mm Hg (95% CI: -2.56, 0.76 mm Hg; P-trend = 0.1) and for diastolic BP was 20.02 mm Hg (95% CI: -0.93, 0.89 mm Hg; P-trend = 0.8). In SUN, the total potato consumption was 52.7 ± 33.6 g/d, and no significant association between potato consumption and hypertension incidence was observed in the fully adjusted HR for total potato consumption (quintile 5 compared with quintile 1: 0.98; 95% CI: 0.80, 1.19; P-trend = 0.8). Conclusions: Potato consumption is not associated with changes over 4 y in blood pressure among o

In this work we study the pressure behaviour of the orpiment (monoclinic) and anorpiment (triclinic) layered structures of As2S3 by means of ab initio calculations performed within the density functional theory, as part of an ongoing theoretical and experimental joint effort to provide a comprehensive picture of the bonding of this interesting material and the evolution of its structural, electronic, and vibrational properties under pressure. © Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltd.

This is an author-created, un-copyedited versíon of an article published in [insert name of journal]. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsíble for any errors or omissíons in this versíon of the manuscript or any versíon derived from it. The Versíon of Record is available online at http://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6528/aa6a3f., [EN] This work reports the structural and vibrational properties of nanocrystals of corundum-type In2O3 (rh-In2O3) at high pressures by using angle-dispersive x-ray diffraction and Raman scattering measurements up to 30 GPa. The equation of state and the pressure dependence of the Raman-active modes of the corundum phase in nanocrystals are in good agreement with previous studies on bulk material and theoretical simulations on bulk rh-In2O3. Nanocrystalline rh-In2O3 showed stability under compression at least up to 20 GPa, unlike bulk rh-In2O3 which gradually transforms to the orthorhombic Pbca (Rh2O3-III-type) structure above 12 14 GPa. The different stability range found in nanocrystalline and bulk corundum-type In2O3 is discussed.

We revisit the production of baryon asymmetries in the minimal type I seesaw model with heavy Majorana singlets in the GeV range. We include "washout" effects from scattering processes with gauge bosons, higgs decays and inverse decays, besides the dominant top scatterings. We show that in the minimal model with two singlets, and for an inverted light neutrino ordering, future measurements from SHiP and neutrinoless double beta decay could in principle provide sufficient information to predict the matter-antimatter asymmetry in the universe., Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, Proceedings

We study the scaling with the number of colours, $N_c$, of the weak amplitudes mediating kaon mixing and decay. We evaluate the amplitudes of the two relevant current-current operators on the lattice for $N_c=3-7$. We conclude that the subleading $1/N_c$ corrections in $\hat{B}_K$ are small, but those in the $K \rightarrow \pi\pi$ amplitudes are large and fully anti-correlated in the $I=0, 2$ isospin channels. We briefly comment on the implications for the $\Delta I=1/2$ rule., Comment: Expanded discussion. Conclusions unchanged. Published version

We revisit the production of baryon asymmetries in the minimal type I seesaw model with heavy Majorana singlets in the GeV range. In particular we include "washout" effects from scattering processes with gauge bosons, Higgs decays and inverse decays, besides the dominant top scatterings. We show that in the minimal model with two singlets, and for an inverted light neutrino ordering, future measurements from SHiP and neutrinoless double beta decay could in principle provide sufficient information to predict the matter-antimatter asymmetry in the universe. We also show that SHiP measurements could provide very valuable information on the PMNS CP phases., Comment: Minor changes to match JHEP version

[EN] The catalytic performance of cucurbit[7]uril-protected gold nanoparticles is reported for the first time for the reductive degradation of the banned but still used antibacterial compound nitrofurantoin. The cucurbit[7]uril-protected gold nanoparticles were produced by Au(III) reduction by sodium borohydride and subsequent addition of cucurbit[7]uril as a ligand. Working in this way, 5.7 nm gold nanoparticles were obtained and characterised by spectrophotometric and high-resolution transmission electron microscopic techniques. For a 1 : 100 nitro compound : sodium borohydride molar ratio, a normalised pseudo-first order apparent constant of 0.27 L s(-1) m(-2) at 25 degrees C and an activation energy of 34 kJ mol(-1) were obtained. For comparative purposes, the reduction reaction of the pollutant 4-nitrophenol was also studied and an apparent kinetic constant of 0.12 L s(-1) m(-2) at 25 degrees C and an activation energy of 68 kJ mol-1 were obtained, data that, when compared with recently reported work, demonstrates that these nanoparticles are an efficient catalyst.

This study reports the experimental characterization of the hydrostatic properties of arsenolite (As4O6), a molecular solid which is one of the softest minerals in the absence of hydrogen bonding. The high compressibility of arsenolite and its stability up to 15GPa have been proved by x-ray diffraction measurements, and the progressive loss of hydrostaticity with increasing pressure up to 20GPa has been monitored by ruby photoluminescence. Arsenolite has been found to exhibit hydrostatic behavior up to 2.5GPa and a quasi-hydrostatic behavior up to 10GPa at room temperature. This result opens the way to explore other molecular solids as possible quasi-hydrostatic pressure-transmitting media. The validity of arsenolite as an insulating, stable, non-penetrating and quasi-hydrostatic medium is explored by the study of the x-ray diffraction of zeolite ITQ-29 at high pressure.

We report a joint experimental and theoretical study of the optical properties of tetragonal bismuth oxide (beta-Bi2O3) at high pressure by means of optical absorption measurements combined with ab initio electronic band structure calculations. Our results are consistent with previous results that show the presence of a second-order isostructural phase transition in Bi2O3 (from beta to beta') around 2 GPa and a phase transition above 15 GPa combined with a pressure-induced amorphization above 17-20 GPa. In order to further understand the pressure-induced phase transitions and amorphization occurring in beta-Bi2O3, we theoretically studied the mechanical and dynamical stability of the tetragonal structures of beta- and beta'-Bi2O3 at high pressure through calculations of their elastic constants, elastic stiffness coefficients, and phonon dispersion curves. The pressure dependence of the elastic stiffness coefficients and phonon dispersion curves confirms that the isostructural phase transition near 2 GPa is of ferroelastic nature. Furthermore, a topological study of the electron density shows that the ferroelastic transition is not caused by a change in number of critical points (cusp catastrophe), but by the equalization of the electron densities of both independent O atoms in the unit cell due to a local rise in symmetry. Finally, from theoretical simulations, beta'-Bi2O3 is found to be mechanically and dynamically stable at least up to 26.7 GPa under hydrostatic conditions; thus, the pressure-induced amorphization reported above 17-20 GPa in powder beta'-Bi2O3 using methanol-ethanol-water as pressure-transmitting medium could be related to the frustration of a reconstructive phase transition at room temperature and the presence of mechanical or dynamical instabilities under nonhydrostatic conditions.

Graft compatibility of Jatropha curcas on Jatropha cinerea was confirmed by obtaining a high survival (95%) of the total grafted plants. Their regeneration and development was accomplished by histological assays observing compatibility of the vessel tissues. At anatomical level, both species had the same cell types (parenchyma in the external cortex, specific cells forming phloem tissues, vascular and xylem cambium) completely differentiated at the moment of grafting. When comparing different tissues, the parenchyma cells of J. curcas had fewer amounts of starch grains than those of J. cinerea. Another anatomical difference was vascular cambium amplitude, which was greater in J. cinerea than in J. curcas. The results of the histological cuts in the grafted stems showed integration of J. curcas tissue with J. cinerea stock when they developed as one plant only., Se evaluó la compatibilidad de injertos de Jatropha curcas sobre portainjertos de Jatropha cinerea comprobando la compatibilidad de los injertos entre ambas especies con un 95% de supervivencia del total de plantas injertadas y observando la compatibilidad de los tejidos vasculares, su regeneración y desarrollo mediante pruebas histológicas. A nivel anatómico, ambas especies tuvieron los mismos tipos celulares (parénquima en la corteza externa los tipos celulares específicos que forman los tejidos en el floema, cambium vascular y xilema) completamente diferenciados al momento de ser injertadas. Al comparar los diferentes tejidos, las células de parénquima de J. curcas tuvieron menor cantidad de granos de almidón que las de J. cinerea. Otra diferencia anatómica fue la amplitud del cambium vascular en la que J. cinerea presentó mayor área que J. curcas. Los resultados en los cortes histológicos realizados a los tallos injertados mostraron la integración del tejido de J. curcas con el portainjertos de J. cinerea al desarrollarse como una sola planta.

Graft compatibility of Jatropha curcas on Jatropha cinerea was confirmed by obtaining a high survival (95%) of the total grafted plants. Their regeneration and development was accomplished by histological assays observing compatibility of the vessel tissues. At anatomical level, both species had the same cell types (parenchyma in the external cortex, specific cells forming phloem tissues, vascular and xylem cambium) completely differentiated at the moment of grafting. When comparing different tissues, the parenchyma cells of J. curcas had fewer amounts of starch grains than those of J. cinerea. Another anatomical difference was vascular cambium amplitude, which was greater in J. cinerea than in J. curcas. The results of the histological cuts in the grafted stems showed integration of J. curcas tissue with J. cinerea stock when they developed as one plant only., Se evaluó la compatibilidad de injertos de Jatropha curcas sobre portainjertos de Jatropha cinerea comprobando la compatibilidad de los injertos entre ambas especies con un 95% de supervivencia del total de plantas injertadas y observando la compatibilidad de los tejidos vasculares, su regeneración y desarrollo mediante pruebas histológicas. A nivel anatómico, ambas especies tuvieron los mismos tipos celulares (parénquima en la corteza externa los tipos celulares específicos que forman los tejidos en el floema, cambium vascular y xilema) completamente diferenciados al momento de ser injertadas. Al comparar los diferentes tejidos, las células de parénquima de J. curcas tuvieron menor cantidad de granos de almidón que las de J. cinerea. Otra diferencia anatómica fue la amplitud del cambium vascular en la que J. cinerea presentó mayor área que J. curcas. Los resultados en los cortes histológicos realizados a los tallos injertados mostraron la integración del tejido de J. curcas con el portainjertos de J. cinerea al desarrollarse como una sola planta.

The formation of a new compound with stoichiometry As4O62He at relatively low pressure (3 GPa) has been recently reported when arsenolite (As4O6) powder is compressed with helium as a pressure-transmitting medium. In this work, we study the lattice dynamics of As4O6 and As4O62He at high pressures from an experimental and theoretical perspective by means of Raman scattering measurements and ab initio calculations and report the theoretical elastic properties of both compounds at high pressure. Raman scattering measurements show a completely different behaviour of As4O6 and As4O62He at high pressures. Furthermore, the theoretical calculation of phonon dispersion curves and elastic stiffness coefficients at high pressure in both compounds allow us to discuss their dynamical and mechanical stability under hydrostatic compression. Both compounds are dynamically stable even above 35 GPa, but As4O6 becomes mechanically unstable at pressures beyond 19.7 GPa. These results allow explaining the pressure-induced amorphization of As4O6 found experimentally above 15–20 GPa and the lack of observation of any instability in As4O62He up to the highest studied pressure (30 GPa).

We have theoretically investigated the elastic properties of calcite-type orthoborates ABO(3) (A= Sc and In) at high pressure by means of ab initio total-energy calculations. From the elastic stiffness coefficients, we have obtained the elastic moduli (B, G and E), Poisson's ratio (nu), B/G ratio, universal elastic anisotropy index (A(U)), Vickers hardness, and sound wave velocities for both orthoborates. Our simulations show that both borates are more resistive to volume compression than to shear deformation (B > G). Both compounds are ductile and become more ductile, with an increasing elastic anisotropy, as pressure increases. We have also calculated some thermodynamic properties, like Debye temperature and minimum thermal conductivity. Finally, we have evaluated the theoretical mechanical stability of both borates at high hydrostatic pressures. It has been found that the calcite-type structure of InBO3 and ScBO3 becomes mechanically unstable at pressures beyond 56.2 and 57.7 GPa, respectively. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.