Comparison of new microemulsion prepared "Pt-in-Ceria" catalyst with conventional "Pt-on-Ceria" catalyst for water-gas shift reaction

New "Pt-in-CeO2" catalyst prepared by microemulsion method is shown to give higher activity for a water-gas shift reaction but with no formation of CH4, the side product from hydrogenation of carbon oxides using a hydrogen-rich reformate as compared to conventional "Pt-on-CeO2" catalysts. Detailed characterization by DRIFT analysis and temperature programmed reduction presented in this work clearly suggest the ceria coverage on Pt inhibits the metal from forming a strong CO adsorption.

Professionalism in digitally-mediated project work

Fieldwork in a major construction programme is used to examine what is meant by professionalism where large integrated digital systems are used to design, deliver, and maintain buildings and infrastructure. The increasing ‘professionalization’ of the client is found to change other professional roles and interactions in project delivery. New technologies for approvals and workflow monitoring are associated with new occupational groups; new kinds of professional accountability; and a greater integration across professional roles. Further conflicts also arise, where occupational groups have different understandings of project deliverables and how they are competently achieved. The preliminary findings are important for an increasing policy focus on shareable data, in order for building owners and operators to improve the cost, value, handover and operation of complex buildings. However, it will also have an impact on wider public decision-making processes, professional autonomy, expertise and interdependence. These findings are considered in relation to extant literatures, which problematize the idea of professionalism; and the shift from drawings to shareable data as deliverables. The implications for ethics in established professions and other occupational groups are discussed; directions are suggested for further scholarship on professionalism in digitally mediated project work to improve practices which will better serve society.

Geographical range margins of many taxonomic groups continue to shift polewards

Many species are extending their leading-edge (cool) range margins polewards in response to recent climate change. In the present study, we investigated range margin changes at the northern (cool) range margins of 1573 southerly-distributed species from 21 animal groups in Great Britain over the past four decades of climate change, updating previous work. Depending on data availability, range margin changes were examined over two time intervals during the past four decades. For four groups (birds, butterflies, macromoths, and dragonflies and damselflies), there were sufficient data available to examine range margin changes over both time intervals. We found that most taxa shifted their northern range margins polewards and this finding was not greatly influenced by changes in recorder effort. The mean northwards range margin change in the first time interval was 23 km per decade (N = 13 taxonomic groups) and, in the second interval, was 18 km per decade (N = 16 taxonomic groups) during periods when the British climate warmed by 0.21 and 0.28 °C per decade, respectively. For the four taxa examined over both intervals, there was evidence for higher rate of range margin change in the more recent time interval in the two Lepidoptera groups. Our analyses confirm a continued range margin shift polewards in a wide range of taxonomic groups.

Work and the adolescent in medieval England (AD 900-1550). The osteological evidence

What was it like to be a teenager in medieval England? Despite the fact that medieval society often singled young apprentices and workers out for comment, their study has been largely neglected in medieval archaeology. The skeletal remains of 4940 adolescents (6.6-25 years) from 151 sites in medieval England was compiled from a combination of primary data collection and secondary data from published and unpublished skeletal reports and on-line databases. The aim was to explore whether apprentices could be identified in the archaeological record and if so, at what age they started work and what impact occupation had on their health. The data were divided into urban and rural groups, dating from before and after the Black Death of AD 1348-9, and before the Industrial Revolution. A shift in the demographic pattern of urban and rural adolescents was identified after the Black Death, with a greater number of young females residing in the urban contexts after 14 years. The average age of males increased from 12 years to 14 years after the plague years, contrary to what we might expect from the documentary sources. There were higher rates of spinal and joint disease in the urban adolescents and their injuries were more widespread than their rural counterparts. Domestic service was the potential cause of the greater strain on the knees and backs of the urban females, with interpersonal violence evident in the young urban males. Overall, it was the urban females that carried the burden of respiratory and infectious diseases suggesting they may have been the most vulnerable group. This study has demonstrated the value of adolescent skeletal remains in revealing information about their health and working life, before and after the Black Death.