Forcing biological sciences into architectural design: On conceptual confusions in the field of biomimetic architecture

Certain confusion may be observed in the field of biomimetic architecture, as it emerges at the crossroad of two disciplinary domains: architectural design and biological sciences. If biomimetics is defined as a science, once it is applied to architecture, biomimetic architecture should logically be defined as a science too. This assertion collides with the nature of architectural design, which may rather be defined as a technology: its aim is to transform the world, not to explain it. On the one hand, there is no obvious relationship between architecture and life sciences. On the other hand, the biomimetic approach tends to redefine the concept of science itself by seeking to avoid the excesses of scientism. Moreover, existing applications of biomimetic design show that it is difficult to observe a genuine biomimetic architecture; most cases are closer to engineering component or urban planning and sometimes they involve little or no life sciences. The aim of this paper is to describe this conceptual confusion through two movements called “forcings”, occurring between design and science. These forcings are conceptualised as shifts between constructed scientific objects and given empirical objects. Models, used in biology as in architecture, allow these shifts by virtue of their double function. They are both tools for knowledge and for design, thus they may be conceptually forced into what they are not supposed to be, particularly in the field of biomimetic architecture where design process and scientific knowledge are said to meet.     

Nanotechnology for Neuroscience: Promising Approaches for Diagnostics,Therapeutics and Brain Activity Mapping

Unlocking the secrets of the brain is a task fraught with complexity and challenge – not least due to the intricacy of the circuits involved. With advancements in the scale and precision of scientific technologies, we are increasingly equipped to explore how these components interact to produce a vast range of outputs that constitute function and disease. Here, an insight is offered into key areas in which the marriage of neuroscience and nanotechnology has revolutionized the industry. The evolution of ever more sophisticated nanomaterials culminates in network‐operant functionalized agents. In turn, these materials contribute to novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, including drug delivery, neuroprotection, neural regeneration, neuroimaging and neurosurgery. Further, the entrance of nanotechnology into future research arenas including optogenetics, molecular/ion sensing and monitoring, and piezoelectric effects is discussed. Finally, considerations in nanoneurotoxicity, the main barrier to clinical translation, are reviewed, and direction for future perspectives is provided.     

‘Hotel Middle East’: social shocks and adaptation in Jordan’s domestic water sector

While socio-ecological systems are susceptible to social shocks, a theoretical and empirical understanding of social-shock adaptation remains absent from the literature. This article investigates the Syrian refugee crisis in water-scarce Jordan, where historical waves of migration have shaped water governance. Findings suggest that water sector adaptation to social shocks fits within broader adaptation theory, and that frequent refugee crises in Jordan have perpetuated reactive water governance, shaping the sector’s resiliencies, vulnerabilities, and adaptation processes. Through examining adaptation processes in the acute water and refugee contexts of Jordan, we suggest that through planning and preparedness, socio-ecological systems could build resilience to social shocks.     

Archival Practices and the Making of “Memories”

Following Derrida (1995), our article explores the relationship between archival practices and archival documents on the assumption that “archivization produces as much as it records the event” (Derrida 1995, 17). On this approach, archival practices are understood as non-innocent practices that, in the act of “preservation,” help make specific “memories” at the expense of others (Barad 2007; Derrida 1995; Foucault 1972). We take up this issue in relation to the curation of social science quantitative research data and argue that the ontological identity of data is constituted through historically- and culturally-specific data curation practices including data cleaning, data anonymization, and metadata preparation.     

Material interface effects on the topology optimizationof multi-phase structures using a level set method

A level set method is used as a framework to study the effects of including material interface properties in the optimization of multi-phase elastic and thermoelastic structures. In contrast to previous approaches, the material properties do not have a discontinuous change across the interface that is often represented by a sharp geometric boundary between material regions. Instead, finite material interfaces with monotonic and non-monotonic property variations over a physically motivated interface zone are investigated. Numerical results are provided for several 2D problems including compliance and displacement minimization of structures composed of two and three materials. The results highlight the design performance changes attributed to the presence of the continuously graded material interface properties.     

Guilt and effortful control: Two mechanisms that prevent disruptive developmental trajectories.

Children’s guilt associated with transgressions and their capacity for effortful control are both powerful forces that inhibit disruptive conduct. The authors examined how guilt and effortful control, repeatedly observed from toddlerhood to preschool age, jointly predicted children’s disruptive outcomes in 2 multimethod, multitrait longitudinal studies (Ns = 57 and 99). Disruptive outcomes were rated by mothers at 73 months (Study 1) and mothers, fathers, and teachers at 52 and 67 months (Study 2). In both studies, guilt moderated effects of effortful control: For highly guilt-prone children, variations in effortful control were unrelated to future disruptive outcomes, but for children who were less guilt prone, effortful control predicted such outcomes. Guilt may inhibit transgressions through an automatic response due to negative arousal triggered by memories of past wrongdoing, regardless of child capacity for deliberate inhibition. Effortful control that engages a deliberate restraint may offset risk for disruptive conduct conferred by low guilt. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Production and in vitro evaluation of xylooligosaccharides generated from corn cobs

Corn cobs are major byproduct of maize processing industries. For value addition of maize byproducts, the present paper aims at extracting xylan from corn cobs and subsequent production of xylooligosaccharides (XOS). Compositional determination of corn cobs revealed 38.78% hemicellulose, 27.71% cellulose and 9.4% lignin. Recovery of xylan increased with increasing concentration of alkali during extraction. The extracted xylan was subjected to acidic hydrolysis to yield XOS. HPLC analysis of hydrolysate revealed increased production of XOS with time, but prolonged incubation resulted in higher amount of xylose. Four probiotic strains were used for undertaking in vitro evaluation of the prebiotic efficacy of XOS. XOS ensured higher growth rate for Enterococcus faecium as compared to other probionts, while fructooligosaccharides (FOS) supported higher proliferation of Lactobacillus viridiscens. This method of xylan extraction and production of XOS offers scope for value addition to the corn byproducts.     

Traditional Rosa damascena flower harvesting practices evaluated through GC/MS metabolite profiling of flower volatiles

Industrial cultivation of Rosa damascena and rose oil production is a centuries-old industry based on well-established traditional hand-picking of rose flowers. Here the traditional rose harvesting practices were evaluated through GC/MS analysis of the volatile compounds accumulation in R. damascena flowers at eight different developmental stages, flower buds with arrested development and flowers collected at six daytime points related to flower picking. The accumulation of 80 out of 100 volatile compounds was significantly influenced by the stage of flower development while 62 out of 103 compounds were significantly influenced by the daytime period of flower collection. Principal component analysis showed close clustering of the flower developmental stages and daytime periods preferable for flower harvesting and production of high quality and quantity of rose oil. Taken together the obtained results provide further support to the currently applied traditional rose flower harvesting practices. The possible applications of more precise flower harvesting for fine modulation of rose oil composition and reduction levels of the unwanted compound methyl eugenol are discussed.     

Alternatives to dichromate sealer in anodizing operations

Ogden Air Logistics Center (OO-ALC) is the primary facility within the United States Air Force for maintaining and overhauling aircraft landing gear. Aluminum landing gear components are anodized at OO-ALC to provide enhanced corrosion resistance, paint adhesion, and wear resistance; a sodium dichromate sealing operation usually completes the anodizing process. During sealing, the pores of the anodized (oxide) layer are hydrated, which fills the pores and provides improved corrosion resistance. However, this sealer contains hexavalent chromium, which is listed on the Environmental Protection Agency's list of industrial toxic chemicals that are targeted for voluntary reduction or elimination. The specification that outlines the sodium dichromate sealing process delineates three alternative processes that are approved for use: 1) boiling de-ionized water, 2) cobalt acetate, and 3) nickel acetate. While some research to support the use of these and other sealing processes has been gathered under past efforts, additional work must be conducted to fully integrate non-chromate sealers into OO-ALC's anodizing operations. To meet this need, the Air Force Research Laboratory tasked Concurrent Technologies Corporation to identify viable alternatives to the sodium dichromate sealer, conduct testing on these alternatives, and recommend the most promising sealer(s) for implementation based on the test results. This paper will describe the requirements for anodizing and sealing operations within OO-ALC, as well as the sealing technologies that are available and a path forward to demonstrate/validate the most promising alternatives for the specific needs and applications of OO-ALC.