III–V nanowires for ammonia detection

Ammonia is an inorganic agent found both in nature and in the human body, which is of great interest for modern sensory applications. Here we use GaP, GaN and GaAs epitaxial nanowires as sensitive elements of the ammonia sensors fabricated via a simple protocol on the platform with golden interdigital contacts. Impedancemetry is used to study change of the device properties with addition of ammonia to the reference medium (water). GaP and GaN-based devices exhibit sufficient response to the ammonia presence with the detection limit lower than 10ppm. This work is aimed at fabrication and study of precise, technological and relatively cheap ammonia sensors compatible with a liquid medium, and motivated by the possibility of using this type of adsorption sensors in medical, environmental equipment and biological purposes.

Insulin resistance and muscle weakness are synergistic risk factors for silent lacunar infarcts: the Bunkyo Health Study

Insulin resistance and muscle weakness are risk factors for silent lacunar infarcts (SLI), but it is unclear whether they are still independent risk factors when adjusted for each other. In addition, the effect of their combination on SLI is completely unknown. We evaluated SLI, insulin sensitivity, and knee extensor muscle strength by magnetic resonance imaging, PREDIM, and dynamometer, respectively, in 1531 elderly people aged 65–84 years living in an urban area of Tokyo. Among the study subjects, 251 (16.4%) had SLI. Impaired insulin sensitivity (High; 1.00 [reference], Medium; 1.53 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.94–2.48], Low; 1.86 [1.02–3.39], p for trend 0.047) and reduced muscle strength (High; 1.00 [reference], Medium; 1.40 [0.98–2.02], Low; 1.49 [1.04–2.15], p for trend 0.037) were independently associated with increased risk for SLI in the fully adjusted model. In terms of combined, subjects classified as having the lowest insulin sensitivity and lowest strength were 4.33 times (95% CI 1.64–11.45) more likely to have a SLI than those classified as having the highest insulin sensitivity and highest strength. Impaired insulin sensitivity and reduced muscle strength were independently associated with higher risk of SLI in elderly subjects, and their combination synergistically increased this risk.

A new culture medium based on genetic algorithms for Isochrysis galbana production relevant to hatcheries

The nutrient content of a commercial seawater culture medium for growing the microalga Isochrysis galbana was optimized using a stochastic strategy based on genetic algorithms. For this, 210 experiments spread over seven generations were carried out. This strategy reduced the number of assays by more than 90% compared to a factorial design involving the optimization of twelve nutrients simultaneously. The optimized medium outperformed the reference medium in all aspects. The genetic algorithm strategy achieved a polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) productivity of 7.8 mg L−1 day−1 in a continuous culture of I. galbana, corresponding to an increase of 15% compared to the commercial formulation. Carotenoids, on the other hand, increased by 50% d.w. In addition, PUFA yields were significantly improved, which allowed us to reduce the requirement of several nutrients, for instance, N (25%), Mo (20%), Mn (60%), Co (60%), and Cu (60%).

Insulin Resistance and Muscle Weakness Are Synergistic Risk Factors for Silent Lacunar Infarcts: the Bunkyo Health Study: a Cross Sectional Study

Background: Previous studies showed that insulin resistance and reduced muscle strength are risk factors for silent lacunar infarcts, but it is unclear whether they are still independent risk factors when adjusted for each other. In addition, the effect of their combination on silent lacunar infarcts is completely unknown.Methods: We evaluated silent lacunar infarcts, insulin sensitivity, and knee extensor muscle strength by magnetic resonance imaging, PREDIM (an index for insulin sensitivity), and dynamometer, respectively, in 1531 elderly people aged 65–84 years living in an urban area of Tokyo. Results: Among the study subjects, 251 (16.4%) had silent lacunar infarcts. Impaired insulin sensitivity (High; 1.00 [reference], Medium; 1.53 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.94-2.48], Low; 1.86 [95%CI: 1.02-3.39], p for trend 0.047) and reduced muscle strength (High; 1.00 [reference], Medium; 1.40 [95%CI: 0.98-2.02], Low; 1.49 [95%CI: 1.04-2.15], p for trend 0.037) were independently associated with increased risk for silent lacunar infarcts in the fully adjusted model. In terms of combined, subjects classified as having the lowest insulin sensitivity and lowest strength were 4.33 times (95%CI: 1.64-11.45) more likely to have a silent lacunar infarct than those classified as having the highest insulin sensitivity and highest strength.Conclusions: Impaired insulin sensitivity and reduced muscle strength were independently associated with higher risk of silent lacunar infarcts in elderly subjects, and their combination synergistically increased this risk.

Natural β-Carotene Production by Blakeslea trispora Cultivated in Spanish-Style Green Olive Processing Wastewaters

In the current research, the potential of Spanish-style green olive processing wastewaters (lye and washing waters) exploitation toward natural β-carotene production by Blakeslea trispora was tested for the first time. Mating culture generated by the joint cultivation of the heterothallic fungal strains ATCC 14271 and 14272 in the non-sterile lye and washing waters was able to grow, achieving the phytotoxic hydroxytyrosol degradation by 57.3% and 66.8%, respectively. However, the low sugar and nitrogen content of the streams did not favor carotenogenesis. Alternatively, in the nutrient-enriched effluents, a notable quantity of β-carotene was produced, accounted for 61.2 mg/L (lye) and 64.1 mg/L (washing waters) (82–88% of total carotenoid content). Above all, enriched streams had a noteworthy stimulating effect on the β-carotene synthesis, because both the maximum β-carotene yield per volume of enriched effluents and specific β-carotene production rate were higher when compared with the respective values obtained from trials with synthetic reference medium without added effluents. Hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol showed high stability during the non-sterile process for β-carotene production by B. trispora grown in the enriched effluents. This finding strengthens the potential toward the generation of multiple high-value products, which could lower the natural β-carotene production costs.

Study of the adsorption of anti-wear additives on the surface of butosyl in oil dispersions

The method for evaluating the adsorption capacity of surfactants for plastic lubricants on inorganic thickener, such as silica gel, bentonite, carbon black, colloidal graphite, and others was proposed. The Gibbs adsorption values were calculated based on surface tension curves of samples in oil media, and the adsorption isotherms for each of the media were plotted based on the calculated data. According to the results of the study of the surface tension and refractive index of DF-11 additive solutions in heptane, it was found that 1% of the mass goes to fill the butosil surface, and the rest of its amount remains in the volume. But for the A-22 additive in the reference medium, the filling of the butosil surface occurs at a concentration of 2 % mass. It is shown that the additive A-22 should be used at higher concentrations than DF-11 to improve tribological parameters of silica gel lubricants. It was found that use of butasil based silica-gel grease the mixture of the industrial oil I-40A and PMS-400 as a dispersion medium, allows to reduce concentration of DF-11 and A-22 additives.

The Resistance of New Kind of High-Strength Cement after 5 Years Exposure to Sulfate Solution

This article deals with the determination of technically important properties, the recognition of microstructure and pore structure, and the mortar resistance of a new cement kind NONRIVAL CEM I 52.5 N containing 7.94% wt. of C3A to 5% sodium sulfate solution. Both reference types of cement were industrially manufactured: 1) ordinary Portland cement CEM I 42.5 R and 2) Portland cement CEM I 42.5 R – SR 0, declared as sulfate resistant because of C3A = 0%. The research was carried out at standardized mortars. The used sodium sulfate solution, which contained 33802.8 mg of aggressive SO4 2− per liter, exceeded approximately 5 to 10 times the concentration of the third degree of aggressiveness of the XA chemical environment according to STN EN 206 + A1. The reference medium was drinking water. The 5-year results of non-destructive and destructive physical-mechanical tests as well as the formed microstructure and pore structure in both liquid media were evaluated. The cause of the NONRIVAL CEM I 52.5 N sulfate resistance was explained, despite the manufacturer’s declared C3A content of up to 8% by weight. Sulfate resistance of NONRIVAL CEM I 52.5 N is found comparable to that of sulfate resistant CEM I 42.5 R – SR 0.

ANALISIS SUBJEKTIFITAS MEDIA DARING JEPANG MENGENAI ISU LARANGAN KELUAR MASUK JEPANG PADA MASA PANDEMI VIRUS COVID-19: SEBUAH PENELITIAN SEMIOTIK

The polarization between conservative and progressive media created a middle ground for the print media to maintain sufficient readerships which are decreasing due to the declining Japanese birth rate. But why it relates to ‘security’, what is the reason? This research aims to examine news articles from the Yomiuri Shimbun and Asahi Shimbun mass media in English, namely, The Japan News and The Asahi Shimbun, as a reference medium to understand the framing between conservative and progressive Japanese mass media regarding the issue of prohibiting entry and exit of Japan for the international community during the pandemic. Researchers used qualitative methods, content analysis, with a semiotics approach in which researcher used the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) software to filter out low-frequency nouns with a number> 5 which became the key vocabulary to understand the debate on the prohibition of entry an­d leaving Japan during January- August 2020. No less than 19 news articles were collected from The Japan News and 21 news articles were collected from The Asahi Shimbun by searching for the terms Ban/ Re-entry/ Travel/ Entry. After being filtered, 22 nouns >5 were found which were used by The Japan News and The Asahi Shimbun. In addition, there are 5 nouns found only in one medium with a total of >5. The result shows that The Japan News is a pro-government media that rarely criticizes the government. Criticism will be made if government policies disrupt the economy and are related to the Keidanren (Japan Business Association). On the other hand, The Asahi Shimbun is a counter-government media that criticize the government but has close ties to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. To understand the Japanese mass media information data strategically, both mass media have an important role in the international community.

El papel de la radio en situaciones de crisis iniciativas en la pandemia del coronavirus

Radio has always proven to be a medium that easily adapts to crises. Throughout history, in major natural disasters and health emergencies, radio has played a leading role because it is the most universal, simple, and accessible medium. Also, in the coronavirus pandemic, radio has proved to be a reference medium. Therefore, this article aims to show the radio’s influence in crises and describe the main initiatives that the medium is carrying out about COVID-19. The radio stations have had to adapt to the new situation with professionals working remotely and programs that have been modified with content about the coronavirus. As in other crises, consumption has increased, and the medium is helping to alleviate the psychological effects of the pandemic. This central role of radio is also shown in the number of initiatives that different radio stations worldwide have organized, such as contests and solidarity actions to help all those affected. Once again, as it has happened at other emergency times in history, radio plays a substantial role.

Effect of Ascophyllum nodosum extracts on the growth, yield and antioxidant capacity of Haematococcus pluvialis carotenoids

Recent research has shown that the use of biological extracts, which contain a wide variety of nutrients and phytohormones are potentially useful in the production of plants of agricultural importance. Seaweed extracts are particularly rich in minerals and micronutrients necessary for the growth of microalgae. The effect of three commercial extracts of Ascophyllum nodosum as plant growth inducers (Stimplex®, Acadian Soils® and Liquid Seaweed Concentrate®), provided by Acadian Sea Plants Ltd., were evaluated in relation to the growth and production of biomass and carotenoids in Haematococcus pluvialis. The results were evaluated by one-way ANOVA and post-hoc analysis utilizing Tukey's test with a significance level of 95% (α= 0.05). The reference medium used was the Bold basal medium, to which 250 ppm of each extract was added. The Stimplex® extract had an increase of 22.79% in cell density and 17% in dry matter, higher than the control culture. The content of carotenoids and antioxidant capacity, respectively, with Stimplex® was 30.05% and 141.76% higher than the control culture.