scholarly journals Metamachines of pluripotent colloids

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Antoine Aubret ◽  
Quentin Martinet ◽  
Jeremie Palacci
Keyword(s):  
Self Assembly ◽  
Technological Progress ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Force Generation ◽  
Local Geometry ◽  
Modular Assembly ◽  
Multiple Functions ◽  
Active Particles ◽  
Anisotropic Force ◽  
Living Organisms

AbstractMachines enabled the Industrial Revolution and are central to modern technological progress: A machine’s parts transmit forces, motion, and energy to one another in a predetermined manner. Today’s engineering frontier, building artificial micromachines that emulate the biological machinery of living organisms, requires faithful assembly and energy consumption at the microscale. Here, we demonstrate the programmable assembly of active particles into autonomous metamachines using optical templates. Metamachines, or machines made of machines, are stable, mobile and autonomous architectures, whose dynamics stems from the geometry. We use the interplay between anisotropic force generation of the active colloids with the control of their orientation by local geometry. This allows autonomous reprogramming of active particles of the metamachines to achieve multiple functions. It permits the modular assembly of metamachines by fusion, reconfiguration of metamachines and, we anticipate, a shift in focus of self-assembly towards active matter and reprogrammable materials.

scholarly journals Self-replication of a quantum artificial organism driven by single-photon pulses

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Valente
Keyword(s):  
Self Assembly ◽  
Artificial Life ◽  
Single Photon ◽  
Self Organization ◽  
Physical Systems ◽  
Self Organized ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
A Chain ◽  
Thermodynamic Mechanism ◽  
Self Replication

AbstractImitating the transition from inanimate to living matter is a longstanding challenge. Artificial life has achieved computer programs that self-replicate, mutate, compete and evolve, but lacks self-organized hardwares akin to the self-assembly of the first living cells. Nonequilibrium thermodynamics has achieved lifelike self-organization in diverse physical systems, but has not yet met the open-ended evolution of living organisms. Here, I look for the emergence of an artificial-life code in a nonequilibrium physical system undergoing self-organization. I devise a toy model where the onset of self-replication of a quantum artificial organism (a chain of lambda systems) is owing to single-photon pulses added to a zero-temperature environment. I find that spontaneous mutations during self-replication are unavoidable in this model, due to rare but finite absorption of off-resonant photons. I also show that the replication probability is proportional to the absorbed work from the photon, thereby fulfilling a dissipative adaptation (a thermodynamic mechanism underlying lifelike self-organization). These results hint at self-replication as the scenario where dissipative adaptation (pointing towards convergence) coexists with open-ended evolution (pointing towards divergence).

scholarly journals Controlling water evaporation through self-assembly

2016 ◽  
Vol 113 (37) ◽  
pp. 10275-10280 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Roger ◽  
Marianne Liebi ◽  
Jimmy Heimdal ◽  
Quoc Dat Pham ◽  
Emma Sparr
Keyword(s):  
Self Assembly ◽  
Feedback Loop ◽  
Ambient Air ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Water Evaporation ◽  
Air Humidity ◽  
X Ray ◽  
X Ray Scattering ◽  
Composition And Structure ◽  
Living Organisms

Water evaporation concerns all land-living organisms, as ambient air is dryer than their corresponding equilibrium humidity. Contrarily to plants, mammals are covered with a skin that not only hinders evaporation but also maintains its rate at a nearly constant value, independently of air humidity. Here, we show that simple amphiphiles/water systems reproduce this behavior, which suggests a common underlying mechanism originating from responding self-assembly structures. The composition and structure gradients arising from the evaporation process were characterized using optical microscopy, infrared microscopy, and small-angle X-ray scattering. We observed a thin and dry outer phase that responds to changes in air humidity by increasing its thickness as the air becomes dryer, which decreases its permeability to water, thus counterbalancing the increase in the evaporation driving force. This thin and dry outer phase therefore shields the systems from humidity variations. Such a feedback loop achieves a homeostatic regulation of water evaporation.

scholarly journals Messianism and UFO Sightings as Counterfactual Strategies of Enchantment of the World

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-109
Author(s):  
Piotr Urbanowicz
Keyword(s):  
Technological Progress ◽  
New World ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
World Order ◽  
Common Denominator ◽  
New World Order ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
The Common

Summary In this text, I argue that there are numerous affinities between 19th century messianism and testimonies of UFO sightings, both of which I regarded as forms of secular millennialism. The common denominator for the comparison was Max Weber’s concept of “disenchantment of the world” in the wake of the Industrial Revolution which initiated the era of the dominance of rational thinking and technological progress. However, the period’s counterfactual narratives of enchantment did not repudiate technology as the source of all social and political evil—on the contrary, they variously redefined its function, imagining a possibility of a new world order. In this context, I analysed the social projects put forward by Polish Romantics in the first half of the 19th century, with emphasis on the role of technology as an agent of social change. Similarly, the imaginary technology described by UFO contactees often has a redemptive function and is supposed to bring solution to humanity’s most dangerous problems.

The Geography of Invention in High- and Low-Technology Industries: Evidence from the Second Industrial Revolution

2006 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 492-496 ◽  
Author(s):  
DHANOOS SUTTHIPHISAL
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Technological Progress ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Technological Knowledge ◽  
Geographic Disparities ◽  
Geographic Space ◽  
Diffusion Of Technology ◽  
Rapid Generation ◽  
Technology Industries ◽  
And Diffusion

Technological progress has long been widely recognized as a crucial source of economic growth. Many countries have, accordingly, devoted considerable resources to promote more rapid generation and diffusion of technology in their economies. Yet recent studies reveal a persistence of stark contrasts across countries and geographic space more generally, not only in productivity, but also in the generation of new technological knowledge. What accounts for these geographic disparities is not well understood.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of governance towards digitalisation at eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nirmala Govender ◽  
Purshottama S. Reddy
Keyword(s):  
Technological Progress ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
National Government ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Public Governance ◽  
Governance Framework ◽  
Fourth Industrial Revolution ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Governance Processes

Background: South African cities have been facing challenges since democratisation to meet the expectations of the citizens. The challenges have included fraud and corruption, financial constraints, lack of service delivery and technological progress, amongst others, which were underpinned by weak leadership and governance processes. This article explored eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality’s technological progress and identified that inefficiencies in good governance and the lack of a governance framework have limited digitalisation.Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the progress towards digitalisation and review the effectiveness of the governance processes within the eThekwini Municipality in contributing towards the fourth industrial revolution.Setting: The study was based on the processes at the eThekwini Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa.Methods: A qualitative research approach was used, and the study is exploratory in nature.Results: The study identified that there was limited digitalisation at eThekwini Municipality. Furthermore, governance processes and an overall governance framework were lacking within the municipality. There was also limited support from the national government to address the fourth industrial revolution at local government level.Conclusion: The implications of a lack of a strong public governance framework, and not being supported sufficiently by the national government, mean that the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality cannot compete internationally within the digital economy. The national government must co-ordinate a collaborated effort towards digitalisation, especially at municipal level. A multilevel governance framework, identifying collaboration between the various levels of government and the public, has been identified as the key response in embracing and enhancing the fourth industrial revolution within municipalities.

scholarly journals The Role of Counter-Ions in Peptides—An Overview

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 442
Author(s):  
Karol Sikora ◽  
Maciej Jaśkiewicz ◽  
Damian Neubauer ◽  
Dorian Migoń ◽  
Wojciech Kamysz
Keyword(s):  
Mobile Phase ◽  
Analytical Techniques ◽  
Drug Formulation ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Multiple Functions ◽  
Mobile Phase Additives ◽  
Counter Ions ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
The Impact

Peptides and proteins constitute a large group of molecules that play multiple functions in living organisms. In conjunction with their important role in biological processes and advances in chemical approaches of synthesis, the interest in peptide-based drugs is still growing. As the side chains of amino acids can be basic, acidic, or neutral, the peptide drugs often occur in the form of salts with different counter-ions. This review focuses on the role of counter-ions in peptides. To date, over 60 peptide-based drugs have been approved by the FDA. Based on their area of application, biological activity, and results of preliminary tests they are characterized by different counter-ions. Moreover, the impact of counter-ions on structure, physicochemical properties, and drug formulation is analyzed. Additionally, the application of salts as mobile phase additives in chromatographic analyses and analytical techniques is highlighted.

Active particles under confinement and effective force generation among surfaces

Soft Matter ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (44) ◽  
pp. 9044-9054 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Caprini ◽  
Umberto Marini Bettolo Marconi
Keyword(s):  
Steady State ◽  
Thermal Noise ◽  
Active Suspension ◽  
Force Generation ◽  
One Dimensional ◽  
Effective Force ◽  
Active Particles ◽  
Geometric Confinement

We consider the effect of geometric confinement on the steady-state properties of a one-dimensional active suspension subject to thermal noise.

scholarly journals Biomonitoring of Heavy Metal Pollution Using Acanthocephalans Parasite in Ecosystem: An Updated Overview

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 811 ◽  
Author(s):  
El-Sayed E. Mehana ◽  
Asmaa F. Khafaga ◽  
Samar S. Elblehi ◽  
Mohamed E. Abd El-Hack ◽  
Mohammed A.E. Naiel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Heavy Metal ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Heavy Metal Contamination ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Heavy Metal Accumulation ◽  
Natural Ecosystem ◽  
Parasitic Infestation ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
Life On Earth

As a result of the global industrial revolution, contamination of the ecosystem by heavy metals has given rise to one of the most important ecological and organismic problems, particularly human, early developmental stages of fish and animal life. The bioaccumulation of heavy metals in fish tissues can be influenced by several factors, including metal concentration, exposure time, method of metal ingestion and environmental conditions, such as water temperature. Upon recognizing the danger of contamination from heavy metals and the effects on the ecosystem that support life on earth, new ways of monitoring and controlling this pollution, besides the practical ones, had to be found. Diverse living organisms, such as insects, fish, planktons, livestock and bacteria can be used as bioindicators for monitoring the health of the natural ecosystem of the environment. Parasites have attracted intense interest from parasitic ecologists, because of the variety of different ways in which they respond to human activity contamination as prospective indices of environmental quality. Previous studies showed that fish intestinal helminths might consider potential bioindicators for heavy metal contamination in aquatic creatures. In particular, cestodes and acanthocephalans have an increased capacity to accumulate heavy metals, where, for example, metal concentrations in acanthocephalans were several thousand times higher than in host tissues. On the other hand, parasitic infestation in fish could induce significant damage to the physiologic and biochemical processes inside the fish body. It may encourage serious impairment to the physiologic and general health status of fish. Thus, this review aimed to highlight the role of heavy metal accumulation, fish histopathological signs and parasitic infestation in monitoring the ecosystem pollutions and their relationship with each other.

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