Mixed Strategy Research Articles

Amino-Functionalized NDI-Based MOFs as Unusual "Turn On" and "Turn Off" Fluorescent Sensors for Phenolic Pollutants with Double Solvent Channel Response and Iodine Adsorbents.

Regulating mixed ligands to change the functional properties of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has been an important topic; especially, the structural changes have significant implications for the transformation of sensing response in different solvent channels. Herein, two [Cd (DPNDI) (NH2-BDC)0.5(NO3)]·2.25DMF (1) and [Cd(DPNDI)(NH2-AIPA)]·0.5DMF (2) (DPNDI = N,N-di(4-pyridyl)-1,4,5,8-naphthalenetetracarboxydiimide, NH2-BDC = 2-amino terephthalic acid, NH2-AIPA = 5-aminoisophthalic acid) were synthesized by the solvothermal method. Structural analysis shows that complex 1 has a two-dimensional planar network structure and complex 2 exhibits a three-dimensional network structure, endowing its potential as an efficient fluorescence sensor for phenolic compound detection under different solvent environments. Both complexes showed high fluorescence quenching sensitivity to phenolics in a water medium. Conversely, complex 1 showed a fluorescence enhancement response to phenolic pollutants in an ethanol system with significantly low detection limits and recyclability. The detection limits were 0.58 μM for TNP, 1.3 μM for DNP, and 2.43 μM for PCP. In addition, the uncoordinated amino groups in the complexes promote them to exhibit excellent iodine adsorption performance. Especially, complex 2 can serve as an adsorbent for iodine in cyclohexane solution with better adsorption efficiency than that of complex 1, and its adsorption capacity can reach 505 mg/g. The mixed ligands regulation strategy of NDI-based MOFs will open up an effective avenue for the conversion of fluorescence signals in dual-solvent channels and play simultaneously important roles in multiple applications.

When unethical practices harm relationship outcomes: testing the influence of consumer-perceived unethical behaviour on trust and satisfaction in the banking sector

PurposeThe study has two objectives: (1) expand our knowledge of the relationship between unethical behaviour and both trust and satisfaction and (2) demonstrate that unethical behaviour research should be examined multi-dimensionally.Design/methodology/approachData were collected by resorting to a mixed methods approach. First, individual interviews were performed with 31 bank consumers from six main commercial banks in Bukavu city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Interview notes were submitted for content analysis to identify items and components that underpin the unethical practices construct. Second, a quantitative survey was conducted with 410 consumers from the same six banks. An aggregated-disaggregated structural equations modelling approach was used to test the impact of unethical practices on relationship outcomes through two studies. Study 1 tested a model that links unethical behaviour as a one-dimensional construct to trust and satisfaction. Study 2 tested a model that directly connects the four specific unethical behaviour components to both trust and satisfaction.FindingsResults from study 1 reveal that perceived unethical behaviour negatively influences consumer trust. Results also confirm that trust positively influences customer satisfaction. Results from study 2 confirm that unresponsive, disrespect and lying behaviours negatively influence both trust and satisfaction. Banks which are involving in those specific unethical behaviours can neither satisfy their consumers, nor maintain a sustainable and profitable relationship with them. Therefore, unethical behaviours harm the relationships outcomes in the banking sector.Research limitations/implicationsThe perceived unethical behaviour scale derives from a single data set and its reliability and validity need to be improved. Relationships between constructs are tested in a more direct way and ignore moderating variables. Perceived unethical behaviour is connected to relationship outcome variables while its impact on firms’ metrics have been ignored.Practical implicationsBanks have to understand customers’ perception of unethical behaviours and find a way to overcome them. Banks should recruit, motivate and retain employees who demonstrate an ethical inclination in the service encounter and create structures and mechanisms in order to monitor and manage unethical practices.Social implicationsBanks employees' unethical behaviour and practices not only damage the trust and reputation of banks but also can lead to frustration on the part of customers and damage their relationship with the institution. Our paper is a warning of this danger and might improve the social interactions between organisations (in general) and customers.Originality/valueUnethical behaviour is measured with a four-component scale in contrast to previous studies that have used bi-dimensional or one-dimensional scales. The study tests a disaggregated model that links four components of perceived unethical behaviour to relationship outcome variables. Perceived unethical behaviours are analysed from the customers’ perspective by resorting to mixed methods strategy.

Feasibility study on heterotrophic utilization of galactose by Chlorella sorokiniana and promotion of galactose utilization through mixed carbon sources culture

BackgroundThe development of alternative carbon sources is important for reducing the cost of heterotrophic microalgae cultivation. Among cheap feedstocks, galactose is one of the most abundant sugars and can be easily obtained from many natural biomasses. However, it is generally difficult to be utilized by microalgae. In addition, the mechanism of its low utilization efficiency in heterotrophic cultivation is still unknown.ResultsAmong seven tested carbon sources, only glucose and acetate could be efficiently utilized by C. sorokiniana in heterotrophic cultivation while there were no apparent signs of utilization of other carbohydrates, including galactose, in regular heterotrophic cultivation. However, galactose could be utilized in cultures with high inoculation sizes. This confirmed that C. sorokiniana has a complete pathway for transporting and assimilating galactose under dark conditions, but the rate of galactose utilization is quite low. In addition, the galactose utilization was greatly enhanced in mixotrophic cultures, which indicated that galactose utilization could be enhanced by additional pathways that can enhance cell growth. Based on above results, a mixed carbon source culture strategy was proposed to improve the utilization rate of galactose, and a significant synergistic effect on cell growth was achieved in cultures using a mixture of galactose and acetate.ConclusionsThis study indicated that the galactose metabolism pathway may not be inherently deficient in Chlorophyta. However, its utilization rate was too low to be detected in regular heterotrophic cultivation. Mixed carbon source culture strategy was confirmed effective to improve the utilization rate of galactose. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the utilization ability of difficultly utilized substrates in the heterotrophic cultivation of microalgae, which is of great significance for reducing the cost of heterotrophic cultivation of microalgae.

Pengaruh Strategi Marketing Mix 7P terhadap Tingkat Penjualan di Mini Kopi Green Ville

Business people today face great pressure to increase creativity in product marketing strategies to remain competitive in a dynamic market. The company's main goal is to achieve maximum profits, so understanding and implementing marketing strategies is very important. One business that is currently trending is a café. In Jakarta, many entrepreneurs are developing culinary businesses, especially cafes. However, with so many cafes, entrepreneurs face various conflicts such as declining sales and lack of visitor interest. Quantitative research is the method of choice. Utilizing a purposive testing technique and a non-likelihood examining methodology, 100 respondents were chosen for the example. This study utilizes numerous straight relapse examination. The consequences of the t test show that the factors item (X1), advancement (X3), and actual proof (X7) meaningfully affect the degree of deals (Y). This is known. However, deals level (Y) is significantly influenced by the factors value (X2), location (X4), individuals (X5), and process (X6). The consequences of the F test showed that the promoting blend factors (7P) at the same time affected where to go. As needs be, the goal of this study is to conclude the 7P publicizing mix strategy (X1) for More modest than ordinary Kopi, Green Ville's arrangements level (Y). This study's methodology is based on quantitative research techniques. The study's primary objective is to learn more about how Green Ville's Mini Kopi marketing strategy affects sales. The use of contextual analysis strategies is the essential focal point of this quantitative review. Meeting, noticing, and recording are a portion of the techniques utilized in this review to gather information.

Geophysics elucidate long-term socio-ecological dynamics of foraging, pastoralism, and mixed subsistence strategies on SW Madagascar

The environmental impacts of human societies are generally assumed to correlate with factors such as population size, whether they are industrialized, and the intensity of their landscape modifications (e.g., agriculture, urban development). As a result, small-scale communities with subsistence economies are often not the focus of long-term studies of environmental impact. However, comparing human-environment dynamics and their lasting ecological legacies across societies of different scales and forms of organization and production is important for understanding landscape change at regional to global scales. On Madagascar, ecological and cultural diversity, coupled with climatic variability, provide an important case study to examine the role of smaller-scale socioeconomic practices (e.g., fishing, foraging, and herding) on long-term ecological stability. Here, we use multispectral satellite imagery to compare long-term ecological impacts of different human livelihood strategies in SW Madagascar. Our results indicate that the nature of human-environmental dynamics between different socioeconomic communities are similar. Although some activities leave more subtle traces than others, geophysics highlight similar signatures across a landscape inhabited by communities practicing a range of subsistence strategies. Our results further demonstrate how Indigenous land stewardship is integrated into the very fabric of ecological systems in SW Madagascar with implications for conservation and sustainability.

Strengthened solid solution and homogenized eutectic structure of Al-based multi-component alloy via electromagnetic stirring

Macro-segregation and coarse intermetallic compounds (IMCs) are common problems in lightweight multi-component alloys (MCAs), in this work, electromagnetic stirring treatment (EST) and mixed eutectic strategy were proposed to tune the solidified microstructure of Al-based MCA. For the studied MCA, the positive and negative segregation of solute elements (except for Si) were found both lower than 5 % in the ingot, and the macro-segregation was reduced by approximately 50 % after the EST utilized. Also, the dispersion of the fine eutectic β-Mg2Si phase was significantly promoted by applying EST, specifically, its size at the edge of the ingot was ranged in 2–4 μm. Consequently, the alloy prepared by EST present superior strength-plasticity synergy at room temperature (RT), with the ultimate compressive strength reaching 724 MPa at the edge of the ingot and the strain reaching 15.1 % at the center of the ingot. Moreover, EST was determined enhance the content of solid-solutioned Al atoms in the eutectic β-phase, thus varied its crystal structure and reduced its hardness and Young's modulus, and futher enhanced the deformation coordination between the IMCs and the matrix, thereby improving the mechanical properties of the alloy. This study elaborated the underlying mechanism of microstructural homogeneity regulation, the obtained results could offer guidance for fabricating large-sized Al-based MCAs with excellent mechanical properties.

Analysis of Marketing Mix Strategy in Increasing Sales Volume at Bu Nurhayati's Rengginang Outlet in Pahang Village, Batu Bara Regency

This research was conducted on the Rengginang Bu Nurhayati outlet business with the aim of analyzing the marketing mix strategy in increasing sales volume in the business activities carried out. The type of research used is qualitative descriptive, the type of data used is secondary data. Data collection techniques were used, namely literature studies, interviews, observations and documentation. The data analysis technique uses qualitative descriptive. The results of the research obtained show that the marketing mix strategy at the Rengginang Bu Nurhayati business outlet is still not fully running optimally. This can be seen from the policy carried out by Bu Nurhayati who does not promote using trendy social media, so that rengginang products cannot be known and accessed by people outside the rural areas of Pahang, Batu Bara Regency and are only known by the surrounding community and people who pass through the area. In addition, business owners do not carry out distribution channels to other parties so that there is no cooperation in the distribution of Bu Nurhayati rengginang products so that consumers who want to sell the product must come directly to the business location. The suggestion that can be conveyed is that in the future, Bu Nurhayati should be able to use one of the online promotional media such as Facebook or IG to introduce his product to people outside the region so that the product can be interested and purchased by the community according to their needs. The existence of online promotional media , consumers or people from outside the region can access information about the types and variants of products sold so that it can be an alternative for people to buy these products as souvenirs to replace other goods that have added value and can be consumed for family and relatives.

Bauran Pemasaran Komoditi Pakcoy Hijau Organik Di PT. Orgo Organic Farm Indonesia

PT Orgo Organic Farm Indonesia, located in Malang City, is a company specializing in organic vegetable production. To cope with increasing competition in the market, PT Orgo Organic Farm Indonesia needs to establish the right marketing mix strategy to boost sales. The aim of this journal article is to identify the company's internal and external conditions and analyze the marketing mix strategy implemented. The method used to describe internal and external conditions and analyze the marketing mix is descriptive method. Based on the analysis, it can be concluded that: (1) The external and internal conditions of PT Orgo Organic Farm Indonesia highlight the advantages of organic vegetable products with various benefits, but also indicate shortcomings such as incomplete product packaging, less intensive promotion, and suboptimal transportation infrastructure. (2) The marketing mix strategy implemented to increase product sales includes focusing on production development with emphasis on quantity, quality, and continuity (3K), developing the "GOGRIN" brand, pricing according to Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), distribution through direct distribution channels and retailers, and promotion through word of mouth, participation in bazaars, and utilization of social media

Strategi Pemasaran Sayuran Hidroponik Pada Mdc Hydrofarm Di Kecamatan Malalayang Kota Manado

This study aims to determine the 7P marketing mix strategy of hydroponic vegetables implemented by MDC HydroFarm which is located on Jl. Saint Joseph 5, Kleak Village, Malalayang District, Manado City. This research was conducted for three months, from August to October 2022. The type of data used in this study was primary data, namely data obtained through interviews with MDC HydroFarm owners and 13 respondents or consumers. This research uses descriptive data analysis method. The results of the study show that there are 7 aspects of the marketing mix that have been implemented by MDC HydroFarm, namely aspects of Product, Price, Promotion, Place, Process, People & Physical Evidence. Consumer evaluation of the 7 aspects of the marketing mix strategy implemented by MDC HydroFarm, there are 5 aspects that are considered good, namely aspects of Product, Price, Promotion, Process & Physical Evidence and there are 2 aspects that are considered very good, namely aspects of Place & People. The consumer's assessment of all aspects is good, but the price discounts/discounts are considered not good, because the price discounts are not distributed evenly to all consumers.

Novel Dynamic Defense Strategies in Networked Control Systems under Stochastic Jamming Attacks

In contemporary networked control systems (NCSs), ensuring robust and adaptive security measures against dynamic threats like jamming attacks is crucial. These attacks can disrupt the control signals, leading to degraded performance or even catastrophic failures. This paper introduces a novel approach to enhance NCS security by applying stochastic game theory to model and resolve interactions between a defender and a jammer. We develop a two-player zero-sum game where the defender employs mixed strategies to minimize the expected cost of maintaining system stability and control effectiveness in the face of potential jamming. Our model discretizes the state space and employs backward induction to dynamically update the value functions associated with various system states, reflecting the ongoing adjustment of strategies in response to the adversary’s actions. Utilizing linear programming in MATLAB, we optimize the defender’s mixed strategies to systematically mitigate the impact of jamming. The results from extensive simulations demonstrate the efficacy of our proposed strategies in attack scenarios, indicating a substantial enhancement in the resilience and performance of NCSs against jamming attacks. Specifically, the proposed method improved network state stability by 75%, reducing the fluctuation range by over 50% compared with systems without defense mechanisms. This study not only advances the theoretical framework for security in NCSs but also provides practical insights for the design of resilient control systems under uncertainty.

Marketing Strategy of Mixue Franchise in Bengkalis

This study aims to determine how the mixue franchise marketing strategy in Bengkalis. This research uses a qualitative descriptive method. The data collection techniques used are interviews and documentation. The object of this research is Mixue Bengkalis. The results of this study are the marketing strategy used by Mixue to market its products, namely market segmentation and marketing mix. The market segmentation used by Mixue Bengkalis is demographic segmentation because this segmentation describes consumer groupings based on generalizations, such as age, gender, religion, income and occupation. In the marketing mix strategy, mixue bengkalis determines the strategy in several ways, including the following: Product strategy mixue bengkalis adds the latest menu to meet market needs and innovates its menu, price strategy mixue bengkalis applies a national price strategy. The place strategy or mixue distribution channel can be reached offline, namely at the store's operational location and online through gobeng. The promotional strategy carried out by mixue bengkalis is to provide promos at certain events which are announced through mixue bengkalis social media accounts.

Improved mechanical properties and fiber dispersion of limestone calcined clay cement (LC³) mortars by adjusting the mixing methods

An emerging cement, limestone calcined clay cement (LC³), reduces CO2 emissions by using less clinker in manufacture, promoting sustainability. Compared with OPC, LC³ binders (with the same water-to-binder ratio) show reduced flowability, leading to poor fibre dispersion in the matrix. This paper attempts to improve the flowability by adding different amounts of superplasticizer and using an innovative two-phase water addition (TPWA) mixing approach. This method focuses on adjusting the amount of water addition in the first phase to improve the fibre distribution while maintaining the total water addition for all mixtures. Results show that modified mixing strategies improve the fresh and hardened characteristics of LC³ mortars. As the amount of water addition (in the first phase) decreases, the yield strength increases while the plastic viscosity of mortars decreases. The high yield stress is associated with high fibre segregation resistance during the compaction. The low plastic viscosity is related to high fibre mobilizability during mixing, preventing fibres from clustering. As a result, the humongous mixture and the best mechanical performance was achieved when 83 % of the total water was added in the first phase, with a w/b ratio of 0.35. For the mixture with a w/b ratio of 0.38, the best mechanical properties were obtained when 68 % of the total water was added in the first stage. The relationships between rheological properties, fibre dispersion and mechanical properties of LC³ systems are also established.

An analysis of the equilibrium strategies for route-choosing customers in a two-station queueing system

We investigate a two-station queueing system where strategic customers must be sequentially serviced at both stations. We prove that an established property — that the distribution of the total time spent in a two-station system is independent of the chosen route when services times are exponentially distributed — is not a general one by providing a counterexample with deterministic service times. In doing so, we also prove a concomitant property — that any routing strategy is an equilibrium — is peculiar to a system with a particular assumption of an exponential service time distribution. Using simulations, we show that — depending on the distribution of service times — there can be (1) cases with three equilibria, (2) cases with one pure strategy equilibrium, and (3) cases with one mixed strategy equilibrium.

Enhancing Competitive Advantage in Kosovo's Hospitality Sector: The Impact of Marketing Mix Strategies

Enhancing Competitive Advantage in Kosovo's Hospitality Sector: The Impact of Marketing Mix Strategies

MERCI: Mixed curvature-based elements for computing equilibria of thin elastic ribbons

Thin elastic ribbons represent a class of intermediary objects lying in-between thin elastic plates and thin elastic rods. Although the two latter families of thin structures have received much interest from the Computer Graphics community over the last decades, ribbons have seldom been considered and modelled numerically so far, in spite of a growing number of applications in Computer Design. In this paper, starting from the reduced developable ribbon models [Sadowsky 1929; Wunderlich 1962] recently popularised in Soft Matter Physics, we propose a both accurate and efficient algorithm for computing the statics of thin elastic ribbons. Inspired by the super-clothoid model for thin elastic rods, our method relies on compact ribbon elements whose normal curvature varies linearly with respect to arc length s , while their geodesic torsion is quadratic in s . In contrast however, for the sake of efficiency, our algorithm avoids building a fully reduced kinematic chain and instead treats each element independently, gluing them only at the final solving stage through well-chosen bilateral constraints. Thanks to this mixed variational strategy, which yields a banded Hessian, our algorithm recovers the linear complexity of low-order models while preserving the quadratic convergence of curvature-based models. As a result, our approach is scalable to a large number of elements, and suitable for various boundary conditions and unilateral contact constraints, making it possible to handle challenging scenarios such as confined buckling experiments or Möbius bands with contact. Remarkably, our mixed algorithm proves an order of magnitude faster compared to Discrete Elastic Ribbon models of the literature while achieving, in a few seconds only, high accuracy levels that remain out of reach for such low-order models. Additionally, our numerical model can incorporate various ribbon energies, including the RibExt model for quasi-developable ribbons recently introduced in Physics [Audoly and Neukirch 2021], which allows to transition smoothly between a rectangular Kirchhoff rod and a (developable) Sadowsky ribbon. Our numerical scheme is carefully validated against demanding experiments of the Physics literature, which demonstrates its accuracy, efficiency, robustness, and versatility. Our Merci code is publicly available at https://gitlab.inria.fr/elan-public-code/merci for the sake of reproducibility and future benchmarking.

Implementasi Marketing Mix Di Showroom Desata Used Car Dalam Menyusun Strategi Pemasaran

This research aims to understand the marketing strategy implemented by Desata Used Car Showroom in Gresik, East Java, which uses qualitative methods. The focus of the research is on the meaning and in-depth interpretation of human behavior and social phenomena. The research location is at Showroom Desata Used Car with two main informants: RDC (owner) and AF (inspector and marketing). Primary data was collected through observation and discussion forums, while secondary data was obtained from previous studies. Data analysis was conducted using the Miles and Huberman model which includes data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The results showed that Desata Used Car has implemented a Marketing Mix strategy consisting of product, price, location, and promotion. The product strategy focuses on diversity to meet changing market interests, while the price strategy is adjusted to the condition of the car units being sold. Although the location of the showroom is not considered important by the owner, marketplace platforms such as OLX play an important role in reaching consumers. Promotion strategies are carried out through social media and marketplaces to increase sales. The conclusion of the study indicates that product and promotion strategies have a significant influence on increasing sales. The recommendation for Desata Used Car is to try a more detailed Marketing Mix strategy, such as 7P or 11P, to optimize their marketing efforts.

Disciplinary behaviour management strategies in schools and their impact on student psychosocial outcomes: A systematic review.

Disciplinary behaviour management strategies are implemented in schools to manage pupil behaviour. There is limited evidence of their intended impact on behaviour but there is growing concern around the potential negative impacts on pupil wellbeing. We carried out a systematic review to examine the impact of these strategies on psychosocial outcomes in pupils (PROSPERO Registration: CRD42021285427). We searched multiple sources and double-screened titles, abstracts, and full texts. Data extraction and risk of bias assessment were done by one reviewer and checked by another. Results were narratively synthesised. We included 14 studies, from 5375 citations, assessing temporary suspension (n=10), verbal reprimand (n=2), and mixed strategies (n=2). Depression was the most common outcome (n=7), followed by academic grades (n=4) and behaviour in class (n=4). All except one study were at high risk of bias. We found a recurring pattern in the evidence of disciplinary strategies associated with poor mental wellbeing and behaviour in pupils. The effect on academic attainment was unclear. Disciplinary behaviour management strategies may have negative impact on pupil mental wellbeing and class behaviour. These important consequences should be assessed in better designed studies before these strategies are implemented.

Chaotic RIME optimization algorithm with adaptive mutualism for feature selection problems

The RIME optimization algorithm is a newly developed physics-based optimization algorithm used for solving optimization problems. The RIME algorithm proved high-performing in various fields and domains, providing a high-performance solution. Nevertheless, like many swarm-based optimization algorithms, RIME suffers from many limitations, including the exploration-exploitation balance not being well balanced. In addition, the likelihood of falling into local optimal solutions is high, and the convergence speed still needs some work. Hence, there is room for enhancement in the search mechanism so that various search agents can discover new solutions. The authors suggest an adaptive chaotic version of the RIME algorithm named ACRIME, which incorporates four main improvements, including an intelligent population initialization using chaotic maps, a novel adaptive modified Symbiotic Organism Search (SOS) mutualism phase, a novel mixed mutation strategy, and the utilization of restart strategy. The main goal of these improvements is to improve the variety of the population, achieve a better balance between exploration and exploitation, and improve RIME's local and global search abilities. The study assesses the effectiveness of ACRIME by using the standard benchmark functions of the CEC2005 and CEC2019 benchmarks. The proposed ACRIME is also applied as a feature selection to fourteen various datasets to test its applicability to real-world problems. Besides, the ACRIME algorithm is applied to the COVID-19 classification real problem to test its applicability and performance further. The suggested algorithm is compared to other sophisticated classical and advanced metaheuristics, and its performance is assessed using statistical tests such as Wilcoxon rank-sum and Friedman rank tests. The study demonstrates that ACRIME exhibits a high level of competitiveness and often outperforms competing algorithms. It discovers the optimal subset of features, enhancing the accuracy of classification and minimizing the number of features employed. This study primarily focuses on enhancing the equilibrium between exploration and exploitation, extending the scope of local search.

Dimethyl sulfoxide mediated high-fidelity 3D printing of hydrogels

Owing to flexible structural design and rapid prototyping manufacturing, 3D printable hydrogels with solid-like and fluid-like characters have emerged as a promising candidate for biomedical engineering, soft robotics, and flexible electronics. However, existing 3D printing of hydrogel place substantial constraints on hydrogel high-fidelity of the printed hydrogel complex structures due to the shape deformation and collapse caused by water evaporation. Herein, we propose a mixed solvent printing strategy followed with water dialysis to achieve vat photopolymerization 3D printing of high-fidelity hydrogel structure by restraining water evaporation. Concretely, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is introduced into the hydrogel ink as co-solvent to improve the anti-dehydration performance during 3D printing. The as-prepared gels are then transformed into hydrogels with good fidelity and excellent performance through solvent exchange and water dialysis. Enabled by these characteristics, various functional devices with complex structures are demonstrated with the present high-fidelity 3D printing of diverse hydrogels. The solvent assisted high-fidelity hydrogel 3D printing protocol combining with the compatibility to various high-performance hydrogels is believed to be promising for wearable devices, wound dressings, electronic skin, and intelligent robots.

Ruellia blechum: A new case of cleistogamy in Acanthaceae

AbstractCleistogamy is characterized by the presence of flowers that are permanently closed, yet they still produce fruits and seeds through autonomous self‐pollination. Populations with cleistogamous flowers can also have flowers that open, called chasmogamous, which promote cross‐pollination and genetic variability. Acanthaceae is among the families with the highest frequency of cleistogamy, observed mainly in Ruellia. This study aimed to assess cleistogamy in Ruellia blechum for the first time. In a population in Central Brazil, we analysed the production of cleistogamous and chasmogamous flowers, their fruiting, differences in flower bud size, self‐pollination in cleistogamous flowers and visitors in chasmogamous flowers. Of the flower buds observed, 35.29% remained closed (cleistogamous flowers), with 31.25% of them forming fruit. In contrast, 60.24% of the flowers that opened (chasmogamous) developed fruit. The length of cleistogamous flowers was shorter than that of chasmogamous floral buds in pre‐anthesis. On average, 24.45 pollen grains were self‐deposited on the stigma of a cleistogamous flower. The chasmogamous flowers were visited mainly by small bees. This study is the first to confirm the presence of cleistogamous flowers in R. blechum. However, their co‐occurrence with chasmogamous flowers suggests a fitness advantage for maintaining a mixed mating strategy.