Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Tetragonal tungsten bronzes are normally uniaxial ferroelectrics making crystallographic texture pivotal for optimization of electrical properties. Sr x Ba 1-x Nb 2 O 6 (SBN), x=0.4, 0.5 and 0.6, thin films with out-of-plane (001) or in-plane (310) oriented polarization were deposited by aqueous chemical solution deposition on SrTiO 3 (STO)(100) substrates. A texture degree of >90% was achieved for (001) oriented SBN films on SrO terminated STO, while the (310) oriented films on TiO 2 terminated STO possessed a degree of texture >50%. The films were in compression compared to bulk due to epitaxial strain, thermal strain, and a reduced lattice parameter of the film due to Ti-doping, all related to the substrate used. The Curie temperature of selected (001) oriented films showed the expected decrease with increasing Sr content, and additional decrease attributed to Ti-doping. A piezo response was measured in (001) oriented films by in situ application of an electrical field during X-ray diffraction measurements.

• Dual-fuel experimental study of liquid ammonia injections combusted in a Constant Volume Combustion Chamber (40 bar, 923 K initial conditions). • Three different hydrothermal liquefaction-based biofuels and n-heptane as pilot injection. • Apparent heat release analysis for four relative injection timings, and three different ammonia energy shares (88-96%). • Evaluation of ignition delay times reveals earlier heat release for biofuels than for n-heptane. • Earlier pilot ignition improves ammonia heat release. Fastest and highest heat release observed for the least upgraded biofuel. Ammonia (NH 3 ) has the potential to decarbonize combustion engines for intercontinental long-distance shipping as a non-carbonaceous fuel, but its low reactivity necessitates the use of a combustion-promoting strategy. This study experimentally explores a dual-fuel approach using a pilot injection to enhance the ignition and combustion of liquid injected NH 3 mixtures (main injection) under conditions typical for compression ignition engines. Three grades of diesel-type biofuels produced via hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of food waste are utilized as high-reactivity pilot fuels. The literature shows, that physical interaction between pilot and main fuel injections is critical for controlling NH 3 heat release. To isolate and control this influence, this study utilizes a constant volume combustion chamber with two automotive direct injectors. The work presented here characterizes the relative injector position and analyses the heat release curves. A set of evaluation criteria, including ignition delay time, is used to quantify the combustion quality. Variations of ammonia energy share (AES) from 88 to 96% and relative injection timings for HTL-fuels (−2.5 ms to 7.5 ms after start of NH 3 injection) are compared to baseline experiments with n-heptane pilots under constant ambient conditions (40 bar, 853 K). Results confirm the importance of spatial and temporal interaction between pilot injection and main fuel. All three HTL-fuel samples showed good combustibility and ignition of NH 3 for AES of 90% and higher, regardless of their processing grade, but depending on relative injection timing. The ignition delay was measured to be shorter for HTL-fuels than for n-heptane. Independent of the AES, the highest combustion efficiency was observed when the pilot injection was delayed by 2.5 ms relative to start of NH 3 injection.

There is limited data regarding the rare and aggressive colorectal neuroendocrine carcinoma (CR-NEC). In this large prospective study, molecular-clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes following palliative chemotherapy are reported for 163 metastatic CR-NEC patients, with a comparison to a population-based prospective cohort of 263 metastatic colorectal adenocarcinoma (CR-AC) patients. Eighty-three percent of CR-NEC received first-line platinum-etoposide, while 98% of CR-AC patients received first-line fluorouracil-based chemotherapy. Disease control rate across all first-line regimens in CR-NEC and CR-AC was 43% vs. 74%, immediate progressive disease 46% vs. 15%, progression-free survival 2.4 months (m) (95% CI 2.1-3.3) vs. 7.7 m (95% CI 6.9-8.5), and overall survival 6.7 m (95% CI 5.6-8.8) vs. 16.8 m (95% CI 13.7-20.3), all, p < .001. CR-NEC more often had synchronous metastases, worse performance status, and symptom burden at treatment initiation than CR-AC (all, p < .001). Two-year survival was 9% vs. 37% in CR-NEC and CR-AC (p < .001). BRAF mutations were frequent in CR-NEC and CR-AC (26% vs. 20%, p = .153) and associated with shorter OS in CR-NEC and CR-AC (p = .025 and p = .003). KRAS mutations were less frequent in CR-NEC than CR-AC (34% vs. 45%, p = .041), but only associated with shorter OS in rectal NEC (p = .04). The frequencies of APC and TP53 mutations were similar between the cohorts and did not impact survival. Metastatic CR-NEC and CR-AC are clinically distinct, with NEC demonstrating more aggressive features, limited treatment effect, and worse prognosis. Although they share important driver mutations, the underlying reason for their marked clinical differences remains unclear.

Nitrifying biofilters are essential components of recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) for nitrification. Beyond this primary function, their role in shaping the microbial environment for fish remains underappreciated. We previously hypothesized that mature biofilters would resist bacterial invasions and suppress the proliferation of rapid-growing heterotrophic bacteria. We performed two experiments to test this hypothesis: first, in small-scale RAS with Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ) fry, and second, in laboratory-scale moving-bed bioreactors (MBBRs). Two treatment groups were compared: systems with a mature biofilter (control) or with a perturbed biofilter induced by hydrogen peroxide disinfection. The systems were then challenged by introducing four strains representing rapid-growing heterotrophic bacteria genera: Flavobacterium , Proteus , Pseudomonas , and Psychrobacter . Microbial communities of biomedia-biofilm and water were analyzed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing (Illumina). In both experiments, microbial communities in the biofilm and water of perturbed systems had substantially higher relative abundances of these strains eight days post-addition, indicating significantly greater invasion success ( p < 0.01). Furthermore, the perturbed systems showed significantly higher relative abundances of Gammaproteobacteria and Flavobacteriia ( p < 0.01), classes of which encompass many genera associated with opportunistic bacteria and fish pathogens. Our findings emphasize that the biofilter is crucial for optimizing the microbial environment in RAS by counteracting invasion and suppressing unfavorable bacterial growth. Understanding the negative consequences of biofilter perturbation, for example, by disinfection, on the microbial environment in the system, beyond impaired nitrification, is crucial for developing effective management strategies in RAS. • Mature biofilters reduced invasion success of rapid-growing bacteria in RAS. • Perturbed biofilter increased invasion success and promoted rapid-growing bacteria. • Biofilter perturbation may compromise microbial environments in RAS. • Beside nitrification, biofilters contribute to stable microbial conditions in RAS.

The last couple of decades have seen a steady increase in the uptake of voluntary health insurance (VHI) across Europe. So far, very little is known about the impact of VHI on the health of the population and the possible inequalities in health. We examined the relationship between VHI in European countries and the subjective health of its citizens in the period 2002-22, and whether this is contingent upon a person's social background METHODS: We combined the most recent data available on VHI with individual data on subjective health and socio-economic background from the European Social Survey RESULTS: Within-country increases in VHI was associated with poorer health in the population in the long term. Furthermore, individuals with low education had a higher probability of reporting poor health if they live in a country where VHI increased during the period. Our results thus lend no support to the so-called 'substitution argument', which hypothesises that VHI may redistribute resources from the better-off and ease the burden of the public healthcare system. Instead, the results indicate a 'crowding out'-effect, whereby VHI crowd out resources from the public system, resulting in poorer quality of public health services and thereby negative health effects for those remaining in the public sector. European health policy makers should develop strategies to minimize the potential adjacent side effects of VHI.

Icebergs drifting within sea ice represent a serious hazard to Arctic maritime activities, yet predicting their drift remains highly uncertain. We show that sea ice governs the drift of five icebergs in the Greenland Sea (IB-I to III) and Barents Sea (IB-IV, V) between 2012 and 2025. Those icebergs were either locked in the sea ice drift or were dragged by a combination of sea ice, water and wind. We investigate the simulation error by ocean and sea ice input data and the model formulation of the used Lagrangian iceberg drift model. The error is quantified as the difference between simulated and observed drift distance and direction, and it varies across cases and environmental conditions, with low errors for IB-I and IB-IV and high errors for IB-II and IB-III. A new sea ice drag formulation substantially reduces these large errors, particularly for trajectories in regions with high sea ice concentration. This formulation enables the small Arctic icebergs to follow the sea ice motion more realistically, either through a lowered lock-in concentration threshold of 0.7 or by applying a sea ice concentration dependent drag coefficient. Contributing to the overall simulation error, differences in the ocean and sea ice input led to substantial simulation spread of 0 . 2 to 1 . 5 × the observed drift distance and 13 to 8 5 ∘ drift direction. Parts of this error originate from the input sea ice concentration fields, which, though consistent with operational sea ice charts, show a slight positive bias from local observations. • Sea ice drags or locks in iceberg and is thus essential in iceberg drift simulations. • The drag by sea ice accounts for large parts of the iceberg drift distance. • Uncertain ocean and sea ice input cause large spread in the iceberg simulations. • The simulation error is decreased by a modified sea-ice-drag-equation.

Whether the post-peak behaviour of rock is a characteristic is currently a matter of debate. One of the debatable issues is whether specimen length affects post-peak behaviour. To investigate the effect of specimen length on post-peak behaviour, a series of laboratory tests were conducted in parallel at three laboratories. Each laboratory tested at least two rock types: a soft and weak rock (Class I) and a hard and strong rock (Class II). The length-to-diameter (L/D) ratios of the specimens were 1, 2.5, and 4. The radial strain was measured using a Linear Variable Differential Transducer (LVDT) placed around the specimen at mid-height. The axial strain was measured over a fixed gauge length in one laboratory, whereas it was measured over the entire specimen length in the other two laboratories. The test results showed that when the L/D ratio increased from 2.5 to 4, the post-peak stress–strain curve of the specimens remained unchanged when the gauge length was fixed on the specimen; however, it became dependent on specimen length when the measurement was taken over the entire specimen length. A computational algorithm was developed to explore the relationship between the post-peak behaviour of rock and energy conversion. The results indicate that the post-peak stress–strain curve reflects the characteristic behaviour of rock when the specimen L/D ratio is equal to or greater than 2.5 and the strains are measured within the fracture zone. • The post-peak stress–strain curve is a characteristic behaviour when the axial strain is measured in the fracture zone. • The PPB is influenced by the L/D ratio when the axial strain is measured over the entire specimen length. • An algorithm was developed to calculate the PPB by accounting for energy conversion.

• Parameter estimation was successfully applied to an SMB mathematical model. • Local estimability analysis enhances data validation before estimation. • A thorough uncertainty quantification method was used to better characterize the results. • PSO demonstrated high effectiveness in solving optimization problems. • The methodology proved to be efficient in using data from multiple experiments. This study aims to enhance the modelling of myoglobin (Mb) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) separation in size-exclusion gel systems by leveraging experimental data and computational methods. The objective is to estimate the parameters of a mathematical model that accurately represents this separation process. To achieve this, optimization problems with adequate objective functions are solved via Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), which has been shown to be more efficient than comparable deterministic methods Comprehensive estimability and uncertainty analyses were also conducted to thoroughly assess the model’s reliability and accuracy. The initial phase of the study involved estimating parameters for a fixed bed system. During this phase, it was discerned through estimability analysis that the mass transfer coefficient parameters, denoted as k h , had minimal impact on the model’s outputs, leading to their exclusion from subsequent estimations. The focus then shifted to refining the model parameters to simultaneously fit both the fixed bed and Simulated Moving Bed (SMB) experimental data. The comparative analysis between these parameters and the fixed bed parameters highlighted notable differences, particularly in the axial dispersion parameter ( D ax ) and the BSA size exclusion constant ( K SEC , B S A ). An uncertainty evaluation was successfully executed after completing this study, providing confidence intervals for each parameter, and propagating the uncertainty to the prediction of the developed model. This comprehensive approach ensures a more accurate and reliable understanding of the separation dynamics in size-exclusion gel processes for Mb and BSA.