Small Size Range Research Articles

Agri-Environment Atmospheric Real-Time Monitoring Technology Based on Drone and Light Scattering

The emission of particulate matter (PM) from agricultural activities, such as concentrated animal feeding, straw combustion, and mechanized harvest, is a hot issue in the sustainable development of agriculture, which has attracted more and more attention from government departments and researchers. However, the research on the transport of particulate matter in the agri-environment still lacks flexible and efficient measurement methods to obtain real-time and accurate spatial distribution data. The objective of our study is to produce a new intelligent platform for agri-environment atmospheric monitoring with high mobility, temporal and spatial resolution, and remote data transmission function to overcome the shortcomings of traditional atmospheric particulate matter monitoring stations, such as small particle size range, immovability, and high cost. Through the light scattering sensor, microcontroller, and wireless data transmission device assembled on the high-mobility drone, the platform could measure the mass concentration of PM2.5, PM10, and TSP at different spatial points in the agri-environment and transmit the measurement data to the receiving device on the ground through three modes: CLOUD, TCP, and UDP. We also developed monitoring software based on the Android platform, which could complete the connection of device and real-time monitoring of measurement data on the ground. Compared with stationary measurement devices, the biggest advantage of our mobile monitoring system is that it has the ability to measure the concentration of TSP and the vertical distribution of PM, which is very important for the research of agricultural environmental particulate matter emission characteristics. After the sensor and communication performance experiments, the sensors had high consistency in the overall change trend, and the communication accuracy rate was high. We carried out a flight measurement comparison experiment at the Wenhua Road Campus of Henan Agricultural University, and the measurement data were highly consistent with the data from the national monitoring stations. We also conducted an agri-environmental atmospheric measurement experiment in Muzhai Village and obtained the vertical distribution data of PM concentration at the nearby measuring point when the harvester was working. The results showed that after the harvester worked for a period of time, the PM2.5, PM10, and TSP concentrations reached the maximum at the altitude of 20 m at the measurement point, which were 80, 198, and 384 μg/m3, respectively, 2.64~3.10 times the particle concentration in the environment before the harvester began to work. Our new platform had high mobility, sensitive reading, and stable communication during the experiment, and had high application value in agricultural environmental monitoring.

Modeling the extinction risk of European butterflies and odonates.

Insect populations have become increasingly threatened during the last decades due to climate change and landuse intensification. Species characteristics driving these threats remain poorly understood. Trait-based analyses provide a straight-forward approach to gain a mechanistic understanding of species' extinction risk, guiding the development of conservation strategies. We combined morphological traits and phylogenetic relationship for 332 European species of butterflies and 115 species of odonates (dragon and damselflies) to model their red list status via phylogenetically controlled ordered logistic regression. We hypothesized that extinction risk increases with increasing body volume and wing area, decreasing range size, and is larger for brighter species. All investigated traits exhibited a strong phylogenetic signal. When controlling for phylogenetic relationship, we found that extinction risk of butterflies increased with decreasing range size. The extinction risk of odonates showed no relationship with the selected traits. Our results show that there is no universal trait defining the extinction risk of our investigated insect taxa. Furthermore, evolutionary history, measured as the phylogenetically predicted part of our analyzed traits, poorly predicted extinction risk. Our study confirms the focus of conservation measures on European butterfly species with small range sizes.

Application of Size and Shape Dependent Model for Shear Modulus of Nanomaterials

A simple theory based on bond energy model is developed. The model is used to predict the size and shape dependenceof shear modulus of different nanomaterials. The results obtained are compared with the our theoretical predictions as wellas experimental data. In small size range (<10nm) there is a very good agreement between earlier predictions as well asexperimental observations. It is discussed that present model is very simple as compared with the earlier model. In additionto this, our model includes the effect of shape also, which has not been considered in earlier theory. Due to the simplicityand applicability of the model, it can be used to understand the size and shape dependence of shear modulus ofnanomaterials. To the best of our knowledge, such simple model is not yet available in the literature to predict the size andshape dependence of shear modulus

Glycated Hemoglobin Electrochemical Immunosensor Based on Screen-Printed Electrode.

An electrochemical HbA1c sensor with high sensitivity and good specificity is proposed based on the electrochemical immune principle. The reproducibility and conductivity of the electrode are improved by depositing gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on the surface of the screen-printed electrode (SPE). The HbA1c antibodies are immobilized on the surface of the modified electrode by adsorption to capture the HbA1c in the sample. The hindering effect of HbA1c on the electrode transfer reaction was exploited as the HbA1c detection mechanism. The electrode’s properties were characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and the measurement properties of the electrode were analyzed using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The experimental results show that the peak current signal of the electrochemical immunosensor produced a linear response to HbA1c in the concentration range of 20–200 μg/mL, a linear relationship coefficient of 0.9812, a detection limit of 15.5 µg/mL, and a sensitivity of 0.0938 µA/µg·mL−1. The sensor delivered satisfactory repeatability, stability, and anti-interference performance. Due to its small size, high sensitivity, and wide linear detection range, it is expected to play a significant role in managing diabetes at home.

Emission Characterization of Particulate Matters from the Combustion of Pulverized Coals in a Simulated Fluidized Bed Boiler.

Coal-fired power generation is one of the main causes of air pollution, and the fluidized bed technology is currently a commercially used coal-fired technology. Therefore, it is of great significance to investigate the characteristics of particulate matter released from the fluidized bed boiler. In this study, lignite, bituminous coal and anthracite with particle sizes of <75 μm and 180–830 μm were selected and burned completely at 700, 800, and 900 °C for the purpose of simulating the process of pulverized coal combustion in a small sized simulated fluidized bed boiler and exploring the effects of coal rank, particle size, and burning temperature on the characteristics of the released particulate matter. The results show that, under the same mass, bituminous coal combustion releases the most PM1, PM2.5, and PM10, followed by lignite and anthracite. For all combusted coals the released PM1 accounts for half and one-third of the PM2.5 and PM10, respectively, and the released PM2.5 accounts for half of the PM10. A smaller particle size of pulverized coal and a higher burning temperature correspond to the release of more submicron to micron particulate matter. The mass concentration of released particulate matter for lignite and bituminous coal shows a bimodal distribution, with the two peak values in the ranges of 0.1–0.18 and 3.2–10 μm, respectively. As the burning temperature increases and the particle size of pulverized coal decreases, the first peak value falls and the second peak shifts to a small particle size range. This study can serve as reference for diminishing the emission of submicron to micron particulate matter by coal-fired power plants and preventing air pollution.

A high-sensitivity biosensor based on a metal–insulator–metal diamond resonator and application for biochemical and environment detections

In this paper, a novel Refractive Index (RI) sensor on tunable plasmonic nanostructures in the near-infrared (NIR) and mid-infrared (MIR) range has been investigated, using metal-insulator-metal (MIM) and a couple of hexagonal, trapezoid, and diamond cavity (HTD) shapes. The proposed biosensor has a potential biochemical application such as glucose in water and temperature, the numerical results were obtained from the Finite-Difference-Time-Domain (FDTD) method. By optimizing the parameters of the proposed structure, we achieved maximum sensitivity reaching 5155 nm per refractive index unit (RIU), and an extensive range of refractive index from 1 to 1.7 makes the sensor suitable for biochemical as well as medical diagnostic applications, with wavelength resolution reaching as high as 3.5 × 106 RIU−1. Due to its high sensitivity, this structure could pave the way for the development of a feature plasmonic biosensor, sharp spectral response, small size, and wide detection range.

Characterization of Fe-containing particles in Chengdu, southwest China, using single-particle aerosol mass spectrometry

Single-particle aerosol mass spectrometry was used to study the characteristics of Fe-containing particles during winter in Chengdu, southwest China. The mass concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 during the study period were 64 ± 38 and 89 ± 49 µg/m3, respectively, and NO2 and particulate matter were high compared with most other regions of China. The Fe-containing particles were divided into seven categories with different mass spectra, sources and aging characteristics. The highest contribution was from Fe mixed with carbonaceous components (Fe-C, 23.1%) particles. Fe was more mixed with sulfate than nitrate and therefore the contribution of Fe mixed with sulfate (Fe-S, 20.7%) particles was higher than that of Fe mixed with nitrate (Fe-N, 12.5%) particles. The contributions from Fe-containing particles related to primary combustion were high in the small particle size range, whereas aged Fe-containing particles and dust-related particles were mostly found in the coarse particle size range. The air masses mainly originated from the west and east of Chengdu, and the corresponding PM2.5 concentrations were 79 ± 36 and 55 ± 36 µg/m3, respectively. The west and east air masses showed stronger contributions of Fe-containing particles related to biomass burning (Fe-B) and fossil fuel combustion (Fe-C and Fe-S) particles, respectively. The southwest area contributed the most Fe-containing particles. Future assessments of the effects of Fe-containing particles during heavy pollution period should pay more attention to Fe-C and Fe-S particles. Emission-reduction of Fe-containing particles should consider both local emissions and short-distance transmission from the surrounding areas.

Stronger niche than dispersal effects on α‐ and β‐diversity of stream algae, insects, and fish across latitudes in the United States

AbstractAimNiche and dispersal processes influence biodiversity, but their relative importance along latitude is unclear. We predicted that: (a) niche processes would dominate at high latitudes due to increased climatic stress, consistent with the physiological tolerance hypothesis and the Dobzhansky–MacArthur hypothesis and (b) dispersal limitation would prevail at low latitudes due to narrower niches and smaller range sizes, as postulated by the dispersal–ecological specialization trade‐off hypothesis, the latitude–niche breadth hypothesis, and Rapoport's rule.LocationCentral United States.Time period1993–2019.Major taxa studiedStream algae, insects, and fish.MethodsWe examined the relative effects of environment (climate and physicochemistry) versus space on stream biodiversity in seven latitudinal zones, spanning 19 latitudinal degrees. In each zone, species richness (α‐diversity) was analysed with multiple regression and variance partitioning. Compositional dissimilarity (β‐diversity) within zones was assessed with distance‐based redundancy analysis (dbRDA) and variance partitioning.ResultsFor α‐diversity, latitudinal variability of niche and dispersal processes conformed to our predictions in all three groups, except for dispersal processes in insects. However, the drivers of β‐diversity did not follow our predictions. The latitude–niche breadth hypothesis and Rapoport's rule were weakly supported only in fish.Main conclusionsThe importance of niche and dispersal processes varied predictably along the latitudinal gradient only for α‐diversity. However, the niche effects were driven mostly by physicochemistry, and the dispersal effects were not always linked with ecological specialization and range size. This suggests that climate‐based biodiversity theories do not have particular relevance for the streams in our study. Niche processes had a greater impact than dispersal processes across species groups and diversity metrics, emphasizing the primary role of the environment.

The Survival Rate from Splitting Clutch Design Method for Green Turtle's Relocated Nest in Penang Island, Malaysia.

Ten nests were collected from Kerachut and Teluk Kampi, Penang Island between 2 August 2009 and 9 December 2009, and each one nest was split into three small clutch sizes for incubation at three nesting depths (45 cm, 55 cm and 65 cm), with a total of 30 modified nests for this experiment. Three important objectives were formulated; to observe on the survival hatchings among the three nesting depths, to study on the effects of sand temperature on incubation period among the three nesting depths, and to investigate the influence of sand temperature on hatchling's morphology. Main result shows that the mean survival of the hatchlings was 25.40% at 45 cm nesting depth, followed by mean 17.60% at 55 cm nesting depth, and lastly, the mean was 21.50% at 65 cm nesting depth. Overall, there are 56.63% survival hatchlings, 10.97% dead hatchlings and 32.40% unhatched eggs were produced. The incubation period was also found to be significantly correlated with sand temperature, p > 0.001, and nesting depth, p < 0.001. The hatchling's length and weight varies is sizes across the nesting depths, p < 0.001. However, the small difference in hatchling sizes per nesting depths are not strong enough to prove the significant correlation with sand temperature, p > 0.05. This article provides a basic knowledge from the splitting clutch design method. A sum of 50%-60% survivals hatchlings produced were incubating under small range of clutch sizes, 29 to 49 eggs. This article provides basic result on the survival hatchlings, eggs survivorship, incubation period, temperature, hatchling's morphology and discussion on implication of this method on conservation in Malaysia.

Distribution, Relative Abundance, and Length of Sculpins in the Elwha River Watershed Following the Removal of Two Hydroelectric Dams

Dam removal often shows positive effects for many fish species, especially migratory species. In contrast, information regarding the effects on less migratory species is lacking. The Elwha River, Washington had two hydroelectric dams removed from 2011 to 2014, which resulted in the loss of two reservoirs. Because of glacial history, the Elwha River system has a depauperate freshwater fish fauna, including just two sculpin species (coastrange sculpin [Cottus aleuticus] and prickly sculpin [C. asper]). Both species exhibit a similar migratory life history strategy, which includes a planktonic larval stage that drifts downstream to a nursery area (e.g., lake, large river, or estuary), followed by an upriver movement pattern. Due to these characteristics, Elwha River dam removal and loss of the reservoirs may have had important effects on these two sculpin species. We sampled sculpins with longitudinal electrofishing surveys in 2018 and 2019 to evaluate their current distribution, relative abundance, and body size. These metrics were generally similar to other river systems in the Pacific Northwest, with fewer and larger migratory sculpins upstream. Additionally, we compared our findings to pre-dam surveys. After dam removal, sculpins in upstream reaches were less abundant and had a smaller range of sizes. This suggests the population characteristics of sculpins in the Elwha River has changed, but it is unclear how indirect effects, such as anadromous salmonid (Salmonidae) increases, may influence their overall abundance. This study also provides a baseline to monitor sculpin population changes in the future.

Niche Breadth Predicts Geographical Range Size and Northern Range Shift in European Dragonfly Species (Odonata)

We studied how range sizes and shifts in species ranges depend on niche breadth in European dragonflies. We measured range sizes and shifts over a 22-year period (1988–2010) and grouped species into those reproducing in permanent running (perennial lotic) water, permanent standing (perennial lentic) water, and temporary (running or standing) water. Running water species are more specialized and have narrower niches with a more fixed niche position than standing water species. Temporary water species are more generalist and have broader niches without a fixed niche position as clear as permanent water species because they may utilize both temporary and permanent habitats. Running water species have smaller ranges, and some of them have contracted their ranges more than species reproducing in standing or temporary waters; that is, they are especially at risk of habitat loss and climate change because of the joint effects of their narrow niches and small range sizes. Temporary water species track climate changes better than permanent water species. This suggests that ecological specialization may cause contemporary range shifts to lag behind changes in climate and resources. Furthermore, it indicates that recent changes in climate and human land use cause biotic homogenization, where specialists are outperformed and replaced by generalists.

Collaborative behaviour and coalitions in male jaguars (Panthera onca)—evidence and comparison with other felids

Most large felids are classified as solitary species, with only lions (Panthera leo) and cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) exhibiting social, collaborative behaviours. Herein, we present evidence of the formation of male coalitions by jaguars (Panthera onca), based on data from five studies conducted with camera trapping, GPS telemetry, and direct observations in the Venezuelan Llanos and Brazilian Pantanal. Out of 7062 male records obtained with camera traps or visual observations, we detected 105 cases of male-male interactions, of which we classified 18 as aggression, nine as tolerance, 70 as cooperation/coalition, and eight as unidentified. In two studies, two male jaguars formed stable coalitions lasting over 7 years each. In the Llanos, each coalition male paired and mated with several females. For male jaguar coalitions, we documented similar behaviours as recorded earlier in lions or cheetahs, which included patrolling and marking territory together, invading territories of other males, collaborative chasing and killing other jaguars, and sharing prey. However, different from lions or cheetahs, associated male jaguars spent less time together, did not cooperate with females, and did not hunt cooperatively together. Our analysis of literature suggested that male jaguar coalitions were more likely to form when females had small home range size, a proxy of females’ concentration, while in lions, the male group size was directly correlated with the female group size. Similarly, locally concentrated access to females may drive formation of male coalitions in cheetahs. We conclude that high biomass and aggregation of prey are likely drivers of sociality in felids.Significance statementThe division into social and solitary species in large felids has so far seemed unambiguous, with only lions and cheetahs classified as social species, in which male coalitions also occurred. Our data show that, under certain conditions, male coalitions may also form in jaguar populations. Factors that drive formation of male coalitions in lions and cheetahs, but not in other species of large cats, have not been clear until now. Our analyses indicate that in jaguars, lions, and cheetahs, the concentration of females likely plays the most important role. In jaguars, the probability of male coalition occurrence is highest in populations with the smallest mean female home range size (and thus likely high local density of females), while in lions, male group size is most strongly correlated with female group size.

Normative reference values and regression equations to predict the 6-minute walk distance in the Asian adult population aged 21-80 years.

The 6-min walk test (6MWT) is a widely used field walking test. This study reports the normative reference values (NRV) of distance walked during 6MWT (6MWD) in healthy Singaporeans (aged 21-80) and updates the 6MWD reference equations. This information may facilitate the interpretation of the 6MWD in clinical populations. The Singapore Institute of Technology-Institutional Review Board (SIT-IRB Project Number: 2019099) approved this study to be carried out from June 2019 to January 2021. All participants gave written informed consent before data collection began. The six-minute walk test (6MWT) is a widely adopted submaximal field-walking test to evaluate functional exercise capacity. This validated test is a reliable, safe, inexpensive, and straightforward assessment tool commonly used as an outcome measure, using the distance walked (6MWD) as the primary outcome. An earlier study has established the normative reference values (NRV) and equation in healthy Singaporeans - however, the small sample size and narrow age range curb adequate representation of the adult population profile. This study aims to update the NRV and reference equations to predict the distance walked during 6MWT (6MWD) for healthy Singaporeans aged 21-80. This cross-sectional study recruited community-dwelling healthy subjects aged 21-80 via convenience sampling. Each subject completed two trials of 6MWT according to the standard protocol. Primary outcome measures included 6MWD, pre-and post-test heart rate (HR), oxygen saturation, and blood pressure (BP). 172 healthy Singaporeans (, ) participated. The overall mean 6MWD was metres. The age-stratified mean 6MWD ranged from metres (aged 21-39) to metres (aged 60-80). Age, gender, and percentage maximum HR predicted (%PredHRmax) were the most significant variables (). 6MWD reference (HR reserve, bpm) (weight, kg), . Applying equations from other studies to the Singaporean population resulted in an overestimation of the 6MWD. This study updated the NRV and reference equations of 6MWD for healthy Singaporeans aged between 21-80 years. This update revises the local benchmarks of 6MWD in Singapore, a widely adopted outcome measure.

Diet, activity patterns, and home range use in forest and cultivated areas for one wild group of endangered crested capuchin monkeys (Sapajus robustus) in Reserva Natural Vale, Espírito Santo, Brazil.

Robust capuchin monkeys (Sapajus spp.) are distributed widely in the Neotropics and may be able to survive in modified landscapes because of their omnivorous, opportunistic diet. The poorly known and endangered crested capuchin monkey (Sapajus robustus) is endemic to the Atlantic Forest in Bahia, Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo states, Brazil. We collected data on diet and home range for a crested capuchin group with access to forest and cultivated areas. We hypothesized that with access to cultivated exotic fruit, capuchins would use cultivated areas more for feeding during the season of fruit scarcity in the surrounding forest and have a small home range size because of higher fruit availability. Both the forest and the cultivated areas peaked in fruit availability in the wet season, with a low proportion of trees producing fruit in the dry season; cultivated areas had a higher proportion of trees in fruit compared to the forest throughout the study. While monkeys consumed exotic fruits like jackfruit and oil palm, we recorded more samples of them eating forest fruits than exotic fruits in all but 1 month, and they consumed a more diverse array of forest fruits (56 species) but only six exotic species. Home range size was relatively small compared with other studies: 120.5 ha across the year (wet season 102 ha, dry season 111.5 ha). Natural and human-intensified fruit sources in a protected area without hunting may have allowed monkeys to maintain a smaller home range size. The group composition changed during the study; this also likely influenced home range use. Studies focused on robust capuchin groups that utilize agricultural or cultivated foods may underestimate home range needs for groups without access to human-intensified food sources. Studying crested capuchin ecology in additional locations will be important for establishing a sound species conservation program.

Dose area product primary standards established by graphite calorimetry at the LNE-LNHB for small radiation fields in radiotherapy

PurposeTo present primary standards establishment in terms of Dose Area Product (DAP) for small field sizes. MethodsA large section graphite calorimeter and two plane-parallel ionization chambers were designed and built in-house. These chambers were calibrated in a 6MV FFF beam at the maximum dose rate of 1400 UM/min for fields defined by specifically designed circular collimators of 5, 7.5, 10, 13 and 15 mm diameter and jaws of 5, 7, 10, 13 and 15 mm side length on a Varian TrueBeam linac. ResultsThe two chambers show the same behaviour regardless of field shape and size. From 5 to 15 mm, calibration coefficients slightly increase with the field size with a magnitude of 1.8% and 1.1% respectively for the two chambers, and are independent of the field shape. This tendency was confirmed by Monte Carlo calculations. The average associated uncertainty of the calibration coefficients is around 0.6% at k=1. ConclusionsFor the first time, primary standards in terms of DAP were established by graphite calorimetry for an extended range of small field sizes. These promising results open the door for an alternative approach in small fields dosimetry.

Comparison of the capillary-channeled polymer (C-CP) fiber spin-down tip approach to traditional methods for the isolation of extracellular vesicles from human urine.

Capillary-channeled polymer fiber (C-CP) solid-phase extraction tips have demonstrated the ability to produce clean and concentrated extracellular vesicle (EV) recoveries from human urine samples in the small EV size range (< 200nm). An organic modifier-assisted hydrophobic interaction chromatography (HIC) approach is applied in the spin-tip method under non-denaturing conditions-preserving the structure and bioactivity of the recovered vesicles. The C-CP tip method can employ either acetonitrile or glycerol as an elution modifier. The EV recoveries from the C-CP tip method (using both of these solvents) were compared to those obtained using the ultracentrifugation (UC) and polymer precipitation (exoEasy and ExoQuick) EV isolation methods for the same human urine specimen. The biophysical and quantitative characteristics of the recovered EVs using the five isolation methods were assessed based on concentration, size distribution, shape, tetraspanin surface marker protein content, and purity. In comparison to the traditionally used UC method and commercially available polymeric precipitation-based isolation kits, the C-CP tip introduces significant benefits with efficient (< 15min processing of 12 samples here) and low-cost (< $1 per tip) EV isolations, employing sample volumes (10 µL-1mL) and concentration (up to 4 × 1012 EVs mL-1) scales relevant for fundamental and clinical analyses. Recoveries of the target vesicles versus matrix proteins were far superior for the tip method versus the other approaches.

First nesting records of Wilson's Plover (Charadrius wilsonia) in Guatemala

The Wilson's Plover (Charadrius wilsonia) occurs along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts from the United States to Brazil, and occasionally in Chile. It is known to breed in the United States, Mexico, Belize, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, Jamaica, the West Indies, and Peru. Outside the United States, we know little about its reproduction and nesting site habitats. On 12 May 2019, we observed a female at a nest with 3 eggs and a separate pair of adults with 2 chicks around the ponds of the Mayasal shrimp farm in Jutiapa, Guatemala. These 2 reports are the first records of Wilson's Plover nesting in Guatemala. Conservation concerns on both breeding and wintering areas include habitat loss, climate change, and human disturbance, as well as a small population size and restricted reproductive range.

Inter- and intra-rater reliability of the modified modified ashworth scale in the assessment of muscle spasticity in cerebral palsy: A preliminary study.

The aim of the study was to investigate the inter- and intra-rater reliability of the Modified Modified Ashworth Scale (MMAS) in the assessment of lower extremity spasticity in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP). Fifteen children (10 boys) with a mean age of 8.7±3.4 years participated. Two physiotherapists rated the spasticity of the hip adductors, knee extensors, and ankle plantar flexors for inter-rater reliability. Each child was examined again by one of the physiotherapists (same physiotherapist for all of the children) for intra-rater reliability (mean interval = 7 days). A random sequence of raters and muscles tested was applied. The reliability of the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) for individual muscle groups ranged between good to excellent (ICCagreement of 0.60-0.83). The ICC values for overall inter-rater (ICCagreement = 0.82) and intra-rater reliability (ICCagreement = 0.85) were excellent. The MMAS showed excellent reliability for the assessment of lower extremity muscle spasticity in children with cerebral palsy. However, an interpretation should be made with caution due to the small sample size and wide range of confidence interval values.

Assessing Nummulites geochemistry as a proxy for early Eocene palaeotemperature evolution in the North Sea Basin

The early Eocene climate is characterized by gradual warming towards the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (EECO). Environmental changes related to this global long-term warming trend are recorded in Ypresian marine sediments in Belgium. The test geochemistry of Nummulites enables the reconstruction of palaeotemperature changes based on the incorporation of Mg into the calcite test without complications connected to other proxies. Early Eocene Nummulites occur in high abundances in the inner shelf deposits of the southern edge of the North Sea Basin, providing multiple sample locations. Because this palaeotemperature proxy has only recently been developed, we investigated a methodological approach. We assessed the relationship between test geochemistry and (1) preservation state, (2) test size and (3) a cleaning procedure to evaluate the use of this new proxy. We propose a simplified cleaning procedure (ethanol–methanol–peroxide) for well-preserved specimens within the smaller size range (radius &lt;3 mm). Using this methodology, a long-term palaeotemperature increase of 7°C is reconstructed from the pre-EECO (±54 Ma) to the EECO (±51 Ma), with a mean EECO palaeotemperature of 28°C. This corresponds with previous studies, strengthening the use of Nummulites geochemistry as a proxy for reconstructing long-term climate change in the Southern North Sea Basin. Supplementary material: All geochemical data are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5811457

Nanonization of Magnoflorine-Encapsulated Novel Chitosan-Collagen Nanocapsules for Neurodegenerative Diseases: In Vitro Evaluation.

Neurodegeneration is one of the most common diseases in the aged population, characterized by the loss in the function of neuronal cells and their ultimate death. One of the common features in the progression of this type of diseases is the oxidative stress. Drugs which are currently being used have been found to show lateral side effects, which is partly due to their inefficiency to cross blood–brain barrier. Nanoencapsulation of bioactive compounds is a profound approach in this direction and has become a method of choice nowadays. This study involved the evaluation of the anti-oxidative properties of magnoflorine (MF), which is an aporphine quaternary alkaloid, and synthesis of MF-loaded chitosan–collagen nanocapsules (MF-CCNc) for its better efficacy as a potent anti-oxidant. Physiochemical characterization of the synthesized nanocapsules was done by using dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy. It revealed that the synthesized nanocapsules are of small size range, as small as 12 ± 2 nm, and are more or less of spherical shape. Sustained release was shown by MF in the in vitro drug release studies. Both MF and MF-CCNc were found to have good anti-oxidant potential with IC50 < 25 μg/mL. No major cytotoxicity was shown by the synthesized nanocapsules on SH-SY5Y cells. In silico anti-acetylcholinesterase (AChE) studies were also done, and they revealed that MF can be a potent inhibitor of AChE.