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Abstract In the search of lead-free piezoelectric materials, ceramic processing techniques offer potential tools to increase the piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties in addition to new chemical compositions. Powders of pure BNKT16 (Bi0.5(Na0.84K0.16)0.5TiO3) phase were synthesized by sol-gel method with a low crystallization temperature (750 °C). Ceramic samples were sintered by pressureless sintering (PLS), sinter-forging (SF), and spark plasma sintering (SPS) techniques. Structural, morphological, and chemical characterizations were performed by XRD, Raman, EDS, and SEM. Sintered samples by PLS and SF exhibit rod-like grains associated to bismuth volatility. The highest remanent polarization (11.05 μC/cm2), coercive field (26.2 kV/mm), and piezoelectric coefficient (165 pC/N) were obtained for SF sample. The piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) analysis shows that the crystallites at the nanoscale exhibit piezoelectric phenomenon and the highest piezoelectric response is reported for PLS sample. The presence of the rhombohedral phase, the increase in grain and crystallite size, and the oriented rod-like inclusions favoring the crystallographic texture are facts that enhance the piezoelectric coefficient for BNKT16 piezoceramics.

Introducción: Los pacientes con Enfermedad Renal Crónica (ERC) son tratados con terapias de diálisis. Dentro de este tipo de tratamiento se encuentran la Diálisis Peritoneal (DP) y Hemodiálisis (HD). Los pacientes sometidos a HD tienen una evolución imprevisible por las complicaciones del tratamiento y/o complicaciones propias de la ERC. Estas aumentan el número de hospitalizaciones y deterioran la calidad de vida (CV). Objetivos: Evaluar la calidad de vida de pacientes en hemodiálisis y determinar la asociación entre las complicaciones y la CV. Material y Método: Estudio transversal analítico en 157 pacientes en HD (75 hombres, 82 mujeres), mayores de 18 años y con más de 3 meses en tratamiento. La CV se evaluó con el instrumento KDQOL-36, el cual, mide 5 dimensiones en escala del 0 al 100. Se realizó un análisis bivariado, ANOVA y regresión múltiple para evaluar la relación de cada una de las dimensiones con edad, sexo, ocupación, estado civil, escolaridad, tipo de acceso venoso, tiempo con la ERC, con la HD y complicaciones de la ERC y la HD. Resultados: La edad promedio fue de 50.9 años. El 77% de los participantes presentaron complicaciones, 69.4% por HD, 5% por evolución de la ERC y 25.6% ambas complicaciones. En el análisis multivariado se encontró que la presencia de ambas complicaciones deteriora más la calidad de vida que las ocasionadas únicamente por el tratamiento de HD. Conclusión: Las complicaciones del tratamiento de hemodiálisis aunadas a las de la ERC deterioran la calidad de vida del paciente.

Objectives: To examine legal and social determinants of violence, anxiety/depression among sex workers.Methods: A participatory prospective cohort study among women (inclusive of transgender) ≥18 years, selling sex in the last 3 months in London between 2018 and 2019. We used logistic generalised estimating equation models to measure associations between structural factors on recent (6 months) violence from clients or others (local residents, strangers), depression/anxiety (Patient Health Questionnaire-4).Results: 197 sex workers were recruited (96% cisgender-women; 46% street-based; 54% off-street) and 60% completed a follow-up questionnaire. Street-based sex workers experienced greater inequalities compared with off-street in relation to recent violence from clients (73% vs 36%); police (42% vs 7%); intimate partner violence (IPV) (56% vs 18%) and others (67% vs 17%), as well as homelessness (65% vs 7%) and recent law enforcement (87% vs 9%). Prevalence of any STI was 17.5% (17/97). For street-based sex workers, recent arrest was associated with violence from others (adjusted OR (aOR) 2.77; 95% CI 1.11 to 6.94) and displacement by police was associated with client violence (aOR 4.35; 95% CI 1.36 to 13.90). Financial difficulties were also associated with client violence (aOR 4.66; 95% CI 1.64 to 13.24). Disability (aOR 3.85; 95% CI 1.49 to 9.95) and client violence (aOR 2.55; 95% CI 1.10 to 5.91) were associated with anxiety/depression. For off-street sex workers, financial difficulties (aOR 3.66; 95% CI 1.64 to 8.18), unstable residency (aOR 3.19; 95% CI 1.36 to 7.49), IPV (aOR 3.77; 95% CI 1.30 to 11.00) and alcohol/drug use were associated with client violence (aOR 3.16; 95% CI 1.26 to 7.92), while always screening and refusing clients was protective (aOR 0.36; 95% CI 0.15 to 0.87). Disability (aOR 5.83; 95% CI 2.34 to 14.51), unmet mental health needs (aOR 3.08; 95% CI 1.15 to 8.23) and past eviction (aOR 3.99; 95% CI 1.23 to 12.92) were associated with anxiety/depression.Conclusions: Violence, anxiety/depression are linked to poverty, unstable housing and police enforcement. We need to modify laws to allow sex workers to work safely and increase availability of housing and mental health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]