What defense doesSchouwia purpurea (Cruciferae) have against the desert locust?

A field study of the food eaten by solitary desert locusts was carried out in a winter breeding area in Mauritania. The food eaten, determined by the plant epidermis found in fecal pellets, was compared to the plant's availability in the habitat.Schouwia purpurea, well represented in the diets, was dominant at the study site. Adults had a preference forTribulus terrester. Growth and feeding on these two plants were compared. The high water content ofS. purpurea leaves limited the dry matter eaten and slowed down growth. Glucosinolates were separated and quantified by gas chromatography. There are 132mol/g dry matter in green leaves. In multiple choice tests, with paper disks, glucosinolate extracts were phagostimulant at a low concentration (21mol/g dry matter) and repulsive at a higher one (214mol/ g dry matter). Biting behavior onS. purpurea was recorded and analyzed on video. The importance ofSchouwia purpurea in desert locust habitats and its defenses is discussed.     

Antioxidant activity of grape extracts in a lecithin liposome system

Extracts of 14 different grapes were tested for their antioxidant activities in a copper-catalyzed lecithin liposome oxidation assay and analyzed for their phenolic components by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The total phenolic contents of the grape extracts varied from 176 to 1236 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/L. Extracts of red wine grape varieties contained higher concentrations of phenolics than other varieties. When compared at the same 20 μM GAE basis, the grape extracts inhibited formation of conjugated diene hydroperoxides by 25.1 to 67.9%, and hexanal formation by 49.3 to 97.8%. Extracts of red table grape varieties Red Globe and Emperor and white wine grape varieties Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc gave the highest antioxidant activities. The relative percentage inhibition of conjugated dienes and hexanal correlated with total phenols (r=0.86 and 0.89). HPLC analyses showed that anthocyanins were the most abundant phenolic compounds in extracts of red grapes, and flavonols were most abundant in extracts of white grapes.     

Comparison of concentrations and size distributions of fungal spores in buildings with and without mould problems

Concentrations and types of airborne fungal spores and their aerodynamic sizes were studied in nine buildings with mould problems and in matched reference buildings in order to characterize the exposure in buildings with mould problems. Samples were taken with Andersen six-stage impactors in the autumn and winter. In winter, total concentrations of fungal spores in buildings with mould problems were twice those in reference buildings, even though all concentrations were quite small. In the autumn, the differences were less obvious due to the masking effect of outdoor air fungi. Also, the compositions of fungal genera differed in buildings with mould problems from that in reference buildings. The difference was most significant in the size range 2.1-4.7 μm. The size distribution of fungal spores in dwellings with mould problems skewed towards larger particles than in reference dwellings. The observed differences in size distribution indicate differences in airborne behaviour of fungal spores and, consequently, in respiratory exposure.     

Saponification kinetic study of mica-acrylonitrile graft copolymers

Kinetics of alkaline hydrolysis of mica-acrylonitrile graft copolymers was studied. The dependence of alkali concentration and the time of hydrolysis on the degree of saponification was determined. Chemical and spectroscopical techniques were used to determine the mechanism of hydrolysis.     

Associations between apolipoprotein E genotype and circulating F<Subscript>2</Subscript>-isoprostane levels in humans

Apolipoprotein E (apoE), an important determinant of plasma lipoprotein metabolism, has three common alleles (ε2, ε3, and ε4). Population studies have shown that the risk of diseases characterized by oxidative damage, such as coronary heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease, is significantly higher in ɛ4 carriers. We evaluated the association between apoE genotypes and plasma F₂-isoprostane levels, an index of lipid peroxidation, in humans. Two hundred seventy-four healthy subjects (104 males, 170 females; 46.9±13.0 yr; 200 whites, 74 blacks; 81 nonsmokers, 64 passive smokers, and 129 active smokers) recruited for a randomized clinical antioxidant intervention trial were included in this analysis. ApoE genotype was determined by PCR and restriction enzyme digestion. Free plasma F₂-isoprostane was measured by GC-MS. Genotype groups were compared using multiple regression analysis with adjustment for sex, age, race, smoking status, body mass index, plasma ascorbic acid, and β-carotene. Subjects with ε3/ε4 and ε4/ε4 genotype (ε4-carriers) and with ε2/ε3 and ε3/ε3 (non-ε4-carriers) were pooled for analysis. In subjects with high cholesterol levels (total cholesterol above 200 mg/dl), plasma F₂-isoprostane levels were 29% higher in ε4 carriers than in non-ε4-carriers (P=0.0056). High-cholesterol subjects that are ε4 carriers have significantly higher levels of lipid peroxidation as assessed by circulating F₂-isoprostane levels.     

Kinetics of Thermal Dehydroxylation and Carbonation of Magnesium Hydroxide

The kinetics of simultaneous dehydroxylation and carbonation of precipitated Mg(OH)₂ were studied using isothermal and nonisothermal thermogravimetric analyses. Specimens were analyzed using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and through measurements of the volume of carbon dioxide evolved in a subsequent reaction with hydrochloric acid. From 275° to 475°C, the kinetics of isothermal dehydroxylation in helium were best fit to a contracting-sphere model, yielding an activation energy of 146 kJ/mol, which was greater than values reported in the literature for isothermal dehydroxylation under vacuum (53–126 kJ/mol). The carbonation kinetics were complicated by the fact that dehydroxylation occurred simultaneously. The overall kinetics also could be fit to a contracting-sphere model, yielding a net activation energy of 304 kJ/mol. The most rapid carbonation kinetics occurred near 375°C. At this temperature, Mg(OH)₂ underwent rapid dehydroxylation and subsequent phase transformation, whereas thermodynamics favored the formation of carbonate. During carbonation, MgCO₃ precipitated on the surface of disrupted Mg(OH)₂ crystals acting as a kinetic barrier to both the outward diffusion of H₂O and the inward diffusion of CO₂.     

Mobilising information systems scholarship for a circular economy: Review,synthesis, and directions for future research

One of today's grand societal challenges is to replace the current ‘take‐make‐waste’ economic model with a circular economic model that allows a gradual decoupling of economic activities from the consumption of finite virgin resources. While circular economy (CE) scholars have long lauded digital technologies such as sensors, distributed ledgers, or platforms as key enablers, our own community has not fully explored the potentials of information systems (IS) for a CE. Considering recent technological advances in software and hardware and our history of helping address wicked challenges, we believe the time is ripe to mobilise IS scholarship for a CE. Our findings from an interdisciplinary literature review show that research has primarily examined IS potentials for increasing efficiency of isolated intra‐organisational processes while neglecting the larger sustainability potential of IS to establish circular material flows—that is, slow down and close material loops across entire product lifecycles. In response, we propose directions for IS research that develop our knowledge of how IS can help understand and enact circular material flows to intensify and extend use of products and components and recycle waste materials. Our directions offer pathways to building and evaluating the problem‐solution pairing that could characterise a prolific CE‐IS relationship.     

CO2 process intensification of algae oil extraction to biodiesel

Algae-to-biodiesel processes are hindered by high costs and low energy return on investment.^1,2. Herein, three foci in research improve algae-to-biodiesel processes by: (1) reducing high installation and energy costs in the CO₂ sequestration, cultivation, and harvesting stages; (2) improving oil extraction and biodiesel generation; and (3) increasing utilization of the proteins in lipid-extracted biomass (e.g., for animal feed), as well as the omega-3 fatty acids for nutraceuticals and food supplements. A process is introduced that uses carbon dioxide to aid in all three of these foci. CO₂ is used first in the form of microbubbles to lyse algae cell walls, releasing triglyceride oils. CO₂ also aids with transesterification of these triglycerides using methanol. At low temperatures (353.15–368.15 K) and intermediate pressures (5–10 MMPa), carbon dioxide causes methanol to dissolve partially in the triglyceride phase and triglyceride to dissolve partially in the methanol phase, increasing the transesterification reaction rate. Due to the nondestructive nature of these processes, other metabolites can also be harvested providing improvements in both mass and economic efficiency with an overall sharp reduction in the modeled price of biodiesel.     

Importance of Mullins effect in commercial silicone elastomer formulations for soft robotics

Silicone elastomers are used in a wide range of applications, including artificial muscles, biomedical devices, and soft robotics, for which chemical, thermal, and mechanical stability are important requirements that these elastomers must fulfill. However, to ensure that silicone elastomers' properties and performance remain constant under long-term deployment, it is necessary to examine and account for the Mullins effect, which has the potential to significantly alter certain elastomer properties of interest. In this article, the mechanical properties of soft and hard commercial silicone elastomers and two blends of commercial silicone elastomers are investigated—specifically their softening behavior due to the Mullins effect. Ultimate stresses, ultimate strains, and Young's moduli are obtained from uniaxial tensile tests. Results show that the point of softening greatly depends on both the elastomer type and its strain history. Furthermore, a significant permanent set is observed in the softest commercial formulations.     

Characterization of PA-12 specimens fabricated by projection sintering at various sintering parameters

Large area projection sintering (LAPS) promises to be a new method in the field of additive manufacturing. Developed in the Mechanical Engineering Department, University of South Florida, LAPS uses long exposure times over a broad area of powder to fuse into dense, reproducible materials. In contrast, LS, a common powder-based additive manufacturing, uses a focused beam of light scanned quickly over the material. Local regions of concentrated high-energy bursts of light lead to higher peak temperatures and differing cooling dynamics and overall crystallinity. The mechanical properties of laser sintered specimens suffer because of uneven particle fusion. LAPS offers the capacity to fine-tune fusion properties through enhanced thermodynamic control of the heating and cooling profiles for sintering. Further research is required to identify the relationship between LAPS build settings and part properties to enable the fabrication of custom parts with desired properties. This study examines the influence of LAPS sintering parameters on chemical structures, crystallinity, mechanical, and thermal properties of polyamide-12 specimens using powder X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, small-angle X-ray scattering, scanning electron microscopy, and microhardness testing. It was observed that higher crystallinity was imparted to specimens that were sintered for a shorter time and vice versa.