Summary The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare, for the first time, white and black mulberry species in terms of their main physicochemical characteristics in eight Spanish clones. The results showed significantly different characteristics between the black and white mulberry species. Fruit weight of mulberry species ranged from 2.10 to 4.15 g, and fruit juice yield, from 41% to 62%. Fructose (~61%) and glucose (~39%) were the predominant sugars in all mulberries. The MN1 clone displayed the highest total acidity (>2.6 g L−1), and malic acid was the most abundant organic acid (6.65 g kg−1). Cluster analysis has allowed grouping of the clones into three groups (i) MN1 and MN2; (ii) MN3 and MN4; and (iii) MA1, MA2, MA3 and MA4. Experimental results proved that Spanish mulberries have high potential for fresh consumption (attractive dark colour in Morus nigra clones, high sugars content and intense sweetness) and industrialisation (~50% juice yield, attractive juice colour, high content of crude fibre and intense sweetness). This study is also a step towards identification of this fruit as a potential healthy food, which may also be used in food industry and also have pharmaceutical interest.

The use of waste materials as lightweight aggregates in concrete is highly recommended in seismic risk areas and environmentally recommended. However, reaching the strength needed for the concrete to be used structurally may be challenging. In this study four dosages were assayed: the first two-specimen had high cement content (550 and 700 kg/m3 respectively), Nanosilica, fly ash and superplasticizer. These samples were high performance, reaching a strength of 100MPa at 90 days. The other two mixtures were identical but replaced 48% of the aggregates with recycled lightweight aggregates (30% polypropylene, 18.5% cork). To estimate its strength and durability the mixtures were subjected to several tests. Compression strength, elasticity modulus, mercury intrusion porosimetry, carbonation, attack by chlorides, and penetration of water under pressure were analyzed. The compression strength and density of the lightweight mixtures were reduced 68% and 19% respectively; nonetheless, both retained valid levels for structural use (over 30MPa at 90 days). Results, such as the total porosity between 9.83% and 17.75% or the chloride ion penetration between 8.6 and 5.9mm, suggest that the durability of these concretes, including the lightweight ones, is bound to be very high thanks to a very low porosity and high resistance to chemical attacks.

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The rules and regulations on academic internships require all trainees to be "competent" and "qualified", but there is little direction on how institutions can prove that their workers and internship personal are knowledgeable and qualified. Competencies necessity to be correctly assessed, tested and verify, to fulfill the regulations of academic internship experiences, so that competencies continue to be assessed by a "competency standard", which specifies all the skills, talents, knowledge, abilities and experience required for each competency. This paper provides a competency assessments procedure used for academic internship practices.