Short Lifespan Research Articles

Estimating the cost-effectiveness of several reservoir evaporation suppression strategies: a case study

Reservoirs often experience significant evaporation, causing a reduction in productive water use and prompting calls to curtail the loss. While efforts to reduce evaporation have predominantly focused on improving efficiencies, there has been a comparatively limited exploration of the associated costs per unit of additional water yield. To address this, a unit reference value (URV) calculation approach was employed in a case study to compare the unit costs of this additional yield through various evaporation suppression methods. The evaluated techniques included chemical monolayers, shade cloth, and both hard and soft floating covers. The URV calculation factored in capital, operating, and maintenance costs over a 20-year term, specified water-saving efficiencies for each technology, and various environmentally driven evaporation and social discount rates. The resulting URVs were compared with those for raising the Clanwilliam Dam, a large-scale groundwater scheme and the URVs for desalination. Notably, monolayers emerged with the lowest URV, but their yield efficiency is severely compromised by their short lifespan and high susceptibility to wind. The URVs of shade cloth proved competitive with those of desalination but are practical only for relatively small areas. In contrast, floating hard and soft covers demonstrated higher per-unit water delivery costs than desalination due to more frequent capital equipment replacements caused by their faster wear and weathering. The findings suggest that current evaporation suppression technologies may be economically unfeasible for agricultural and even domestic water supplies. The URV calculation serves as a valuable tool for comparing the cost-effectiveness of diverse yield-additive strategies.

Unraveling the forage productivity puzzle: Comparing fast and slow-growing grasses.

Functional traits are powerful tools for distinguishing between plants with different resource acquisition strategies. Fast-growing plants normally dominate resource-rich habitats and present trait values associated with high productivity, such as high specific leaf area (SLA), short leaf lifespan, and rapid leaf elongation rate (LER). In contrast, slow-growing species have a higher leaf weight ratio (LWR), leaf lifespan (LLS), and phyllochron, which are useful traits for survival in stressful and unfertile environments, but are normally thought to be incompatible with high productivity, even under fertile conditions. We tested the hypothesis that slow-growing forage grasses have demographic parameters (tiller population density and canopy density) that offset their slow individual traits, making them as productive as fast-growing species when grown in fertile soil. Species with contrasting growth strategies (Arrhenatherum elatius L. and Festuca arundinacea Schreb cv. Quantum II, fast and slow-growing species, respectively) were cultivated in 45 m2 field plots and subjected to the same cutting regime and nitrogen supply level. Functional traits and canopy attributes were continuously measured during 8 growing cycles after the establishment of the swards. A. elatius had higher SLA, LER, leaf senescence, and leaf appearance rates, whereas F. arundinacea had higher LLS and LWR values. Conversely, there were no differences in relative growth rate or forage accumulation. F. arundinacea was able to offset their plant functional traits, typically associated with slow-growing grasses, with some demographic parameter like higher tiller population density, allowing it to be as productive as the fast-growing A. elatius when both were grown in fertile soil. Therefore, we suggest cautionary use of traditional plant functional traits to explain and predict the annual productivity of slow-growing grasses.

Intraparticle Electron Transfer for Long-Lasting Tumor Chemodynamic Therapy.

Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) is a novel tumor treatment method by using hydroxyl radicals (•OH) to kill cancer cells. However, its therapeutic effects are strictly confined by the short lifespan of •OH and reduced •OH generation speed. Herein, an effective CDT is achieved by both improving •OH lifetime and long-lasting generating •OH through intraparticle electron transfer within heterogeneous nanoparticles (NPs). These heterogeneous NPs are composed of evenly distributed Cu and Fe3O4 (CFO NPs) with large interaction interfaces, and electrons tend to transfer from Cu to Fe3O4 for the appearance of ≡Cu2+ and increase in ≡Fe2+. The generated ≡Cu2+ can interact with GSH, which prolongs the lifespan of •OH, produces ≡Cu+ for higher speed •OH generation with H2O2, and induces cell ferroptosis for tumor therapy. The improved ≡Fe2+ can also improve the •OH release under H2O2 until Cu is depleted. As a result, a sustainable •OH generation is achieved to promote cell apoptosis for effective tumor therapy. Since H2O2 and GSH are only overexpressed at tumor, and CFO NPs can degrade in the tumor microenvironment, these NPs are with high biosafety and can be metabolized by urine. This work provides a novel biomaterial for effective cancer CDT through intraparticle electron transfer.

Single cell autofluorescence imaging reveals immediate metabolic shifts of neutrophils with activation across biological systems.

Neutrophils, the most abundant leukocytes in human peripheral circulation, are crucial for the innate immune response. They are typically quiescent but rapidly activate in response to infection and inflammation, performing diverse functions such as oxidative burst, phagocytosis, and NETosis, which require significant metabolic adaptation. Deeper insights into such metabolic changes will help identify regulation of neutrophil functions in health and diseases. Due to their short lifespan and associated technical challenges, the metabolic processes of neutrophils are not completely understood. This study uses optical metabolic imaging (OMI), which entails optical redox ratio and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy of intrinsic metabolic coenzymes NAD(P)H and FAD to assess the metabolic state of single neutrophils. Primary human neutrophils were imaged in vitro under a variety of activation conditions and metabolic pathway inhibitors, while metabolic and functional changes were confirmed with mass spectrometry, oxidative burst, and NETosis measurements. Our findings show that neutrophils undergo rapid metabolic remodeling to a reduced redox state, followed by a shift to an oxidized redox state during activation. Additionally, single cell analysis reveals a heterogeneous metabolic response across neutrophils and donors to live pathogen infection ( Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Toxoplasma gondii ). Finally, consistent metabolic changes were validated with neutrophils in vivo using zebrafish larvae. This study demonstrates the potential of OMI as a versatile tool for studying neutrophil metabolism and underscores its use across different biological systems, offering insights into neutrophil metabolic activity and function at a single cell level.

Long-term prediction of Iranian blood product supply using LSTM: a 5-year forecast

BackgroundThis study aims to predict the trend of procurement and storage of various blood products, as well as planning and monitoring the consumption of blood products in different centers across Iran based on artificial intelligence until the year 2027.MethodsThis research constitutes a time-series investigation within the realm of longitudinal studies. In this study, information on the number of packed red blood cells (RBC), leukoreduced red blood cells (LR-RBC), and platelets (PLT), PLT-Apheresis, and fresh frozen plasma (FFP) was requested from all blood transfusion centers in the country and extracted using a unified protocol. After the initial examination of the information and addressing data issues and inconsistencies, the corrected data were analyzed. Both conventional and artificial intelligence approaches were used to predict each product in this study. The best model was selected based on goodness-of-fit indicators RMSE and MAPE.ResultsBased on the obtained results, the FFP product will follow a relatively consistent process similar to previous years in the next five years. The PLT product is predicted to have a growing trend over the next 5 years, which applies to both the demand and supply of the product. The PLT-Apheresis product also shows a similar upward trend, albeit with a lower growth rate. The RBC product will have a constant trend over a 5-year period (long-term) according to both models, taking into account short-term changes. Similarly, there is a similar trend in LR-RBC, with the expectation that short-term pattern repetition will continue over a 5-year period (long-term). Comparing the goodness-of-fit results, the LSTM model proved to be better for predicting the dominant blood products.ConclusionsThe growth of the elderly population and diseases related to old age, and on the other hand, the trend of increasing the consumption of the product with a short lifespan (PLT) requires the activation of the management of the patient’s blood, especially in relation to this product in medical centers. The trend for other products in the next five years is similar to previous years, and no growth in demand is observed. The LSTM method, considering periodic and cyclical events, has performed the prediction.

Phosphonic Acids as Corrosion Inhibitors and Adhesion Promoters for Organic Coatings and Bronze.

Currently used organic coatings for the protection of bronze sculptures have a relatively short lifespan as a consequence of strict requirements of conservation ethics, which limit the selection of coatings. For that reason, enhancement of the corrosion protection level and durability of appropriate coatings is needed. The aim of this work was to examine if corrosion protection of bronze by selected acrylic and polyurethane coatings could be improved by using two phosphonic acids, 16-phosphonohexadecanoic acid (COOH-PA) and 12-aminododecylphosphonic acid (NH2-PA). Electrochemical measurements (linear polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, EIS) were performed to gain an insight into the influence of these phosphonic acids on the performance of the coatings during a two-week exposure to artificial acid rain and a three-month outdoor exposure. Besides the influence on the corrosion protection level, the influence on the coating adhesion was examined as well. A pull-off test clearly confirmed that the studied phosphonic acids act as adhesion promoters of both polyurethane and acrylic coatings, while electrochemical studies revealed improvements in corrosion protection levels, especially in the case of the acrylic coating Paraloid B72.

Coordination engineering for iron-based hexacyanoferrate as a high-stability cathode for sodium-ion batteries

Iron-based hexacyanoferrate (Fe-HCF) are promising cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to their unique open-channel structure that facilitates fast ion transport and framework stability. However, practical implementation of SIBs has been hindered by low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE), poor rate performance, and short lifespan. Herein, we report a coordination engineering to synthesize sodium-rich Fe-HCF as cathodes for SIBs through a uniquely designed 10-kg-scale chemical reactor. Our study systematically investigated the relationship between coordination surroundings and the electrochemical behavior. Building on this understanding, the cathode delivered a reversible capacity of 99.3 mAh g-1 at 5 C (1 C = 100 mA g-1), exceptional rate capability (51 mAh g-1 even at 100 C), long lifespan (over 15,000 times at 50 C), and a high ICE of 92.7%. A full cell comprising the Fe-HCF cathode and hard carbon (HC) anode exhibited an impressive cyclic stability with a high-capacity retention rate of 98.3% over 1,000 cycles. Meanwhile, this material can be readily scaled to the practical levels of yield. The findings underscore the potential of Fe-HCF as cathodes for SIBs and highlight the significance of controlling nucleation and morphology through coordination engineering for a sustainable energy storage system.

Engineering the nanozyme hydrogel beads by polyvinyl alcohol/chitosan encapsulation with recyclable and sustainable catalytic activity for visual analysis of hydrogen peroxide

BackgroundHydrogen peroxide (H2O2) plays a vital role in human health and have been regarded as a crucial analyte in metabolic processes, redox transformations, foods research and medical fields. Especially, the long-time and excessive digestion of H2O2 may even cause severe diseases. Although conventional instrumental methods and nanozymes-based colorimetric methods have been developed to accomplish the quantitative analysis of H2O2, the drawbacks of instrument dependence, cost-effectiveness, short lifespan, non-portable and unsustainable detection efficacies will limit their applications in different detection scenarios. ResultsHerein, to address these challenges, we have proposed a novel strategy for nanozyme (RuO2) hydrogel preparation by the solid support from cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and chitosan (CS) to both inherit the dominant peroxidase-like (POD) activity and protect the RuO2 from losing efficacies. Taking advantages from the hydrogel, the encapsulated RuO2 were further prepared as the regularly spherical beads (PCRO) to exhibit the sustainable, recyclable, and robust catalysis. Moreover, the intrinsic color interferences which originated from RuO2 can be avoided by the encapsulation strategy to promote the detection accuracy. Meanwhile, the high mechanical strength of PCRO shows the high stability, reproducibility, and cyclic catalysis to achieve the recyclable detection performance and long lifetime storage (40 days), which enables the sensitively detection of H2O2 with the detection limit as lower to 15 μM and the wide detection linear range from 0.025 to 1.0 mM. SignificanceOn the basis of the unique properties, PCRO has been further adopted to construct a smartphone detection platform to realize the instrument-free and visual analysis of H2O2 in multi-types of milk and real water samples through capturing, processing, and analyzing the RGB values from the colorimetric photographs. Therefore, PCRO with the advanced detection efficacies holds the great potential in achieving the portable and on-site analysis of targets-of-interest.

Jurassic fossil juvenile reveals prolonged life history in early mammals.

Living mammal groups exhibit rapid juvenile growth with a cessation of growth in adulthood1. Understanding the emergence of this pattern in the earliest mammaliaforms (mammals and their closest extinct relatives) is hindered by a paucity of fossils representing juvenile individuals. We report exceptionally complete juvenile and adult specimens of the Middle Jurassic docodontan Krusatodon, providing anatomical data and insights into the life history of early diverging mammaliaforms. We used synchrotron X-ray micro-computed tomography imaging of cementum growth increments in the teeth2-4 to provide evidence of pace of life in a Mesozoic mammaliaform. The adult was about 7 years and the juvenile 7 to 24 months of age at death and in the process of replacing its deciduous dentition with its final, adult generation. When analysed against a dataset of life history parameters for extant mammals5, the relative sequence of adult tooth eruption was already established in Krusatodon and in the range observed in extant mammals but this development was prolonged, taking place during a longer period as part of a significantly longer maximum lifespan than extant mammals of comparable adult body mass (156 g or less). Our findings suggest that early diverging mammaliaforms did not experience the same life histories as extant small-bodied mammals and the fundamental shift to faster growth over a shorter lifespan may not have taken place in mammaliaforms until during or after the Middle Jurassic.

Parallel patterns of cognitive aging in marmosets and macaques.

As humans age, some experience cognitive impairment while others do not. When impairment does occur, it is not expressed uniformly across cognitive domains and varies in severity across individuals. Translationally relevant model systems are critical for understanding the neurobiological drivers of this variability, which is essential to uncovering the mechanisms underlying the brain's susceptibility to the effects of aging. As such, non-human primates are particularly important due to shared behavioral, neuroanatomical, and age-related neuropathological features with humans. For many decades, macaque monkeys have served as the primary non-human primate model for studying the neurobiology of cognitive aging. More recently, the common marmoset has emerged as an advantageous model for this work due to its short lifespan that facilitates longitudinal studies. Despite their growing popularity as a model, whether marmosets exhibit patterns of age-related cognitive impairment comparable to those observed in macaques and humans remains unexplored. To address this major limitation for the development and evaluation of the marmoset as a model of cognitive aging, we directly compared working memory ability as a function of age in macaques and marmosets on the identical working memory task. Our results demonstrate that marmosets and macaques exhibit remarkably similar age-related working memory deficits, highlighting the value of the marmoset as a model for cognitive aging research within the neuroscience community.

Improving Microcystis aeruginosa removal efficiency through enhanced sonosensitivity of nitrogen-doped nanodiamonds

Traditional methods for algae removal in drinking water treatment, such as coagulation and sedimentation, face challenges due to the negative charge on algae cells’ surfaces, resulting in ineffective removal. Ultrasonic cavitation has shown promise in enhancing coagulation performance by disrupting extracellular polymer structures and improving cyanobacteria removal through various mechanisms like shear force and free radical reactions. However, the short lifespan and limited mass transfer distance of free radicals in conventional ultrasonic treatment lead to high energy consumption, limiting widespread application. To overcome these limitations and enhance energy efficiency, advanced carbon-based materials were developed and tested. Nitrogen-doped functional groups on nanodiamond surfaces were found to boost sonosensitivity by increasing the production of reactive oxygen species at the sonosensitizer-water interface. Utilizing low-power ultrasound (0.12 W/mL) in combination with N-ND treatment for 5 min, removal rates of Microcystis aeruginosa cells in water exceeded 90 %, with enhanced removal of algal organic matters and microcystins in water. Visualization through confocal microscopy highlighted the role of positively charged nitrogen-doped nanodiamonds in aggregating algae cells. The synergy between cell capturing and catalysis of N-ND indicates that efficient mass transfer of free radicals from the sonosensitizer’s surface to the microalgae’s surface is critical for promoting cyanobacteria floc formation. This study underscores the potential of employing a low-intensity ultrasound and N-ND system in effectively improving algae removal in water treatment processes.

Synthesis of a stable crystalline nitrene.

Nitrenes are a highly reactive, yet fundamental, compound class. They possess a monovalent nitrogen atom and usually a short life span, typically in the nanosecond range. Here, we report on the synthesis of a stable nitrene by photolysis of the arylazide MSFluindN3 (1), which gave rise to the quantitative formation of the arylnitrene MSFluindN (2) (MSFluind is dispiro[fluorene-9,3'-(1',1',7',7'-tetramethyl-s-hydrindacen-4'-yl)-5',9''-fluorene]) that remains unchanged for at least 3 days when stored under argon atmosphere at room temperature. The extraordinary life span permitted the full characterization of 2 by single-crystal x-ray crystallography, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, and superconducting quantum interference device magnetometry, which supported a triplet ground state. Theoretical simulations suggest that in addition to the kinetic stabilization conferred by the bulky MSFluind aryl substituent, electron delocalization across the central aromatic ring contributes to the electron stabilization of 2.

Hemodialysis patients have signs of a chronic thrombotic burden

BackgroundCardiovascular diseases are the dominant cause of morbidity in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Unless sufficient anticoagulation is used during HD, clotting may appear. The objective was to investigate if levels of fibrin degradation products (D-dimer) were increased before and during HD.MethodsThe combined observational study included 20 patients performing a total of 60 hemodialysis divided into three sessions of low-flux dialysis. None of the patients suffered from any clinically evident thromboembolic event before or during the study. Median bolus anticoagulation (mainly tinzaparin) doses were 84 Units/kg bow. Blood samples were drawn before HD (predialysis), and at 30min and 180min during HD with focus on analyzing D-dimer levels and its relation to interdialytic weight gain (IDWG) and speed of fluid elimination by HD (UF-rate).ResultsPredialysis, D-dimer levels (mean 0.767 ±0.821, min 0.136mg/L) were above the upper reference value in 95% of the sessions. D-dimer levels were lowered at 30min (p<0.001) and returned to predialysis levels at 180min. Predialysis D-dimer correlated with NT-pro-BNP, Troponin T, IDWG and UF-rate. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the D-dimer levels were significantly related to IDWG and the UF-rate.ConclusionsD-dimer levels were elevated in a high proportion predialysis and during HD and related to the IDWG and the UF-rate. Awareness of D-dimer levels and future studies will help clarify if optimization of those variables, besides anticoagulation and biocompatibility measures, will eradicate the repeated subclinical thromboembolic events related to each HD; one reason that may explain organ damage and shortened life span of these patients.

Integrating Renewable Energy Produced by a Library Building on a University Campus in a Scenario of Collective Self-Consumption

Rising fossil fuel costs and environmental concerns are driving the search for new energy sources, particularly renewable energy. Among these sources, solar photovoltaic (PV) is the most promising in southern European countries, mainly through the use of decentralised PV systems designed to produce electricity close to the point of demand and primarily to meet local energy needs. In an urban scenario, a decentralised energy system usually operates in parallel with the grid, allowing excess power generated to be injected into the grid. Solar carports and rooftop systems are excellent examples of distributed photovoltaic systems, which are far more sustainable than large centralised systems because they do not compete for land use. Despite their operational advantages, these decentralised photovoltaic production plants, which are in most cases financed by specific energy efficiency programs, present challenges in a regulated market where the injection of energy into the electricity grid is restricted by law and support programs. The aim of this work is to integrate two different photovoltaic systems within an academic campus where the only PV source currently available is a solar car park, a solution designed both to provide shaded space for vehicles and to produce energy to be consumed within the facilities. Due to legal restrictions, surplus electricity cannot be sold to the national grid, and solar batteries to store the generated energy are expensive and have a short lifespan. Therefore, since the campus has two different grid connections and a 102.37 kWp PV system, the newly designed system to be installed on the library roof must be calculated to support the installed electricity system during the most critical working hours, determining the specific angle and orientation of the solar panels. On this basis, the energy management of a school campus is fundamental to creating a collective self-consumption system, the basis of a local energy community that can meet energy, environmental, and social objectives.

MoS2/Mayenite Electride Hybrid as a Cathode Host for Suppressing Polysulfide Shuttling and Promoting Kinetics in Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

The commercial viability of emerging lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) remains greatly hindered by short lifespans caused by electrically insulating sulfur, lithium polysulfides (Li2Sn; 1 ≤ n ≤ 8) shuttling, and sluggish sulfur reduction reactions (SRRs). This work proposes the utilization of a hybrid composed of sulfiphilic MoS2 and mayenite electride (C12A7:e-) as a cathode host to address these challenges. Specifically, abundant cement-based C12A7:e- is the most stable inorganic electride, possessing the ultimate electrical conductivity and low work function. Through density functional theory simulations, the key aspects of the MoS2/C12A7:e- hybrid including electronic properties, interfacial binding with Li2Sn, Li+ diffusion, and SRR have been unraveled. Our findings reveal the rational rules for MoS2 as an efficient cathode host by enhancing its mutual electrical conductivity and surface polarity via MoS2/C12A7:e-. The improved electrical conductivity of MoS2 is attributed to the electron donation from C12A7:e- to MoS2, yielding a semiconductor-to-metal transition. The resultant band positions of MoS2/C12A7:e- are well matched with those of conventional current-collecting materials (i.e., Cu and Ni), electrochemically enhancing the electronic transport. The accepted charge also intensifies MoS2 surface polarity for attracting polar Li2Sn by forming stronger bonds with Li2Sn via ionic Li-S bonds than electrolytes with Li2Sn, thereby preventing polysulfide shuttling. Importantly, MoS2/C12A7:e- not only promotes rapid reaction kinetics by reducing ionic diffusion barriers but also lowers the Gibbs free energies of the SRR for effective S8-to-Li2S conversion. Beyond the reported applications of C12A7:e-, this work highlights its functionality as an electrode material to boost the efficiency of LSBs.

Sulfur-doped g-C3N4/GaN n-n heterojunction for high performance low-power blue-ultraviolet photodetector with ultra-high on/off ratio and detectivity

Polymeric graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) shares a structural similarity to graphene, yet it possesses a distinctive electronic band structure, rendering it promising for photoelectric applications. However, g-C3N4 faces inherent limitations such as inadequate crystalline quality, limited conductivity, and a short lifespan of photogenerated charge carriers, all of which impede the photoelectric conversion efficiency. In this work, we introduce a two-step thermal vapor condensation method for depositing compact, crack-free sulfur-doped g-C3N4 thin films. The doped thin films exhibit reduced interlayer spacing, which leads to improved conductivity and charge transfer capabilities. These processes culminate in the creation of sulfur-doped g-C3N4/GaN thin film heterojunction blue-ultraviolet photodetectors with remarkable photodetection performance, including an ultrahigh on/off ratio of 7.3 × 107 and specific detectivity of 2.06 × 1014 Jones under a low bias of −0.4 V. Moreover, it is found that the n-n heterojunction undergoes a transition from photodiode to photoconduction behavior, attributed to the photoinduced electron trapping effects by sulfur-doped sites, which outcomes a notable gain with the responsivity as high as 581 mA/W. These findings underscore the vast potential of high-quality sulfur-doped g-C3N4 thin films for photoelectric applications.

Golgi apparatus-targeted BODIPY-based photosensitizer synergized with glutaminase inhibition for enhanced photodynamic therapy

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a precise and less toxic side effect treatment strategy. However, the inherently short lifespan and constrained diffusion range of reactive oxygen species within the cellular milieu can attenuate the therapeutic efficacy of cytoplasmic photosensitizers. Organelle-targeted PDT is thus proposed. Although the essence of PDT is the photosensitization reaction accompanied by biological effects involving aerobic molecules, mitochondria-targeted PDT may lead to the emergence of drug resistance in tumor cells triggered by mitochondrial damage. Thus, developing more types of organelle-targeted PDT strategies is the key to avoiding this problem. Herein, a fluoroboron dipyrrole-based photosensitizer, OFBDP, with Golgi apparatus-targeted and PDT ability is designed and synthesized. Furthermore, considering the effect of high concentrations of reduced glutathione in tumor cells, the addition of glutaminase inhibitor, compound 968 (C968), synergistically enhanced the PDT efficacy of OFBDP by indirectly inhibiting intracellular glutathione synthesis through its effect on glutamine metabolism. The OFBDP/C968 combination has demonstrated an enhanced tumor ablation capability. This work generally provides a strategy for the potential of organelle-targeted PDT to improve treatment outcomes, but also contribute to the burgeoning field of subcellular photosensitizer research.

Iron protoporphyrin IX-hyaluronan hydrogel-supported luminol chemiluminescence for the detection of nitric oxide in physiological solutions

Due to its role as a free radical signal-transducing agent with a short lifespan, precise measurement of nitric oxide (●NO) levels presents significant challenges. Various analytical techniques offer distinct advantages and disadvantages for ●NO detection. This research aims to simplify the detection process by developing a hydrogel system using iron(III)-protoporphyrin IX (hemin)-loaded hyaluronan for the detection of ●NO in solution. Various hydrogel formulations were created, and the effects of their components on hydrogel-supported luminol chemiluminescence (CL) kinetics, radical scavenging, and physicochemical properties were analysed through factorial analysis. The candidate formulations were then evaluated using two ●NO donors. An increase in the degree of crosslinking in unloaded formulations enhanced interactions with the CL reaction components, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and luminol, thereby affecting light generation. However, hemin loading negated these effects, resulting in more prominent luminescence kinetics in formulations with lower crosslinking degrees. Similarly, ●NO influenced the kinetics differently, interacting with both the CL reaction and hydrogel components. Hemin-loaded formulations exhibited enhanced signal propagation when exposed to ●NO, followed by H2O2 and luminol, whereas reversing the order of addition inhibited this propagation. The magnitude of these luminescence changes depended on the type and concentration of the ●NO donor, demonstrating greater sensitivity to ●NO levels compared to amperometric sensing. These findings suggest that the studied hydrogel platform has potential for the facile and accurate detection of ●NO in solution, requiring minimal sample sizes.

Longevity of hymenopteran parasitoids in natural versus agricultural habitats and implications for biological control.

Agricultural habitats are frequently disturbed, and disturbances could have major effects on species in upper trophic levels such as hymenopteran parasitoids that are important for biological control. A strategy for conservation biological control is to provide a diversified agricultural landscape which increases the availability of resources such as sugar required by parasitoid biological control agents. Here, we ask whether parasitoids occurring in agriculture benefit from sugar resources more or less than parasitoids occurring in natural habitats surrounding agricultural fields. We collected parasitoids from agricultural alfalfa fields, field margins, and natural prairies, and in the lab we randomly divided them into two treatments: half were given a constant supply of a sugar source to test their residual lifespan, and half were given neither sugar nor water to test their hardiness. Collected individuals were monitored daily and their day of death recorded. Parasitoids receiving a sugar source lived substantially longer than those without. Parasitoids collected in prairies lived longer than those from alfalfa fields in both the residual lifespan and hardiness treatments, with parasitoids from field margins being intermediate between them. Furthermore, the benefits of a sugar source to increase longevity was lower for parasitoids collected in agriculture than in natural habitats. This suggests that, even though parasitoid biological control agents benefit from sugar resources, their short lifespans make the benefit of sugar resources small compared to parasitoids that occur in natural habitats and have longer lifespans, and are adapted to consistent sugar sources.

Measurement of stress characteristics in flexible multi-thin-film substrates using tomography common optical path interferometry

Flexible displays are lightweight, thin, flexible, and impact-resistant, making them a major trend in the display industry. However, their short lifespan is a significant challenge. Thus, improving process parameters and extending product life through advanced measurement technology is crucial. Therefore, this study proposes using tomography common optical path interferometry (TCOPI) to measure and analyze the tomography stress characteristics of multi-thin-film flexible substrates in the folding direction. For polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyimide (PI), three thicknesses of indium tin oxide (ITO) were coated on the PET, graphene/PET, and graphene/PI flexible film substrates, and an automatic sliding-folding test platform was used to fold each flexible film substrate. Moreover, this study used TCOPI to measure and analyze the change in residual stress and the sheet resistance of the samples before and after folding. Additionally, this study conducted inward and outward folding tests on graphene/PET/graphene and graphene/PI/graphene substrates to analyze tomographic stress and sheet resistance in the folding direction. After 11,000 folding tests, the graphene/PET/graphene sample exhibited smaller stress and sheet resistance change rates compared to the graphene/PI/graphene sample, as measured by TCOPI. Consequently, the graphene/PET/graphene sample demonstrated better resistance to folding stress in this batch manufacturing process. Specifically, for the graphene layer of the graphene/PET/graphene sample, the minimum absolute value of the stress change rate before and after folding reached 5%. At the same time, the minimum sheet resistance value change rate was 8%. Based on the tomography stress measurements, suggestions for fine-tuning process parameters are provided to improve the flexible film substrate’s folding endurance.