Complexity biomechanics: a case study of dragonfly wing design from constituting composite material to higher structural levels.

Presenting a novel framework for sustainable and regenerative design and development is a fundamental future need. Here we argue that a new framework, referred to as complexity biomechanics, which can be used for holistic analysis and understanding of natural mechanical systems, is key to fulfilling this need. We also present a roadmap for the design and development of intelligent and complex engineering materials, mechanisms, structures, systems, and processes capable of automatic adaptation and self-organization in response to ever-changing environments. We apply complexity biomechanics to elucidate how the different structural components of a complex biological system as dragonfly wings, from ultrastructure of the cuticle, the constituting bio-composite material of the wing, to higher structural levels, collaboratively contribute to the functionality of the entire wing system. This framework not only proposes a paradigm shift in understanding and drawing inspiration from natural systems but also holds potential applications in various domains, including materials science and engineering, biomechanics, biomimetics, bionics, and engineering biology. [Abstract copyright: © 2024 The Author(s).

Effect of Zataria multiflora Boiss essential oil on the growth of Staphylococcus aureus in the light salted fillets of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix)

The effects of different concentrations of Zataria multiflora essential oils at concentrations of 0, 0.005, 0.015, 0.045, 0.135, 0.405 and 0.810% on the growth of Staphylococcus aureus were studied in a food model system, light salted fillets of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) at storage temperature of 10ºC for 21 days. The results showed that there was no significant difference in bacterial growth between samples treated with different concentrations of Z. multiflora essential oil and control group immediately post-inoculation. However, there was significant difference in growth of S. aureus between samples treated with concentration of 0.135 of Z. multiflora essential oil and control samples (P0.05) except of 1-day post-storage. The most inhibitorial effects were observed in the samples treated with 0.405% and 0.8 10% of Z. multiflora essential oil up to 9 and 12 days post- storage, respectively

Evaluation of the chemical composition and in vitro antimicrobial activity of Rosmarinus officinalis, Zataria multiflora, Anethum graveolens and Eucalyptus globulus against Streptococcus iniae; the cause of zoonotic disease in farmed fish

There is a growing interest of industry to replace synthetic chemicals by natural products with bioactive properties from plant origin. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the factors affecting antimicrobial effectiveness of essential oils Rosmarinus officinalis, Zataria multiflora, Anethum graveolens and Eucalyptus globulus against food spoilage and pathogenic bacteria, Streptococcus iniae; the cause of zoonotic streptococcosis in fish. Food conservation is based on an intermittent search for foods with a high nutritional quality and microbial stability and it has been reached by the control of the growth/survival of spoiling and pathogen foodborne microorganisms. Based on several reports, fish streptococcosis is currently considered as one of the main limiting factors in the aquaculture industry, due to the significant economic losses (annually more than $150 million) that these infections cause in different cultured fresh and seawater fish species worldwide. The sensitivity of S. iniae to antibacterial activity of the essential oils was determined using well diffusion assays and paper disc diffusion method. The ranges of minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the oils and extracts were 3.9-250 and 7.8-500 µg/ml and the ranges of minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values for the oils and extracts were found to be in the range of 7.8-250 and 15.6-500 µg/ml, respectively. The essential oils exhibited antibacterial activity against S. iniae. The essential oil of rosemary showed the strongest antimicrobial activity

Semi-basements used as dwellings: hygienic considerations and analysis of the regulations.

Current housing shortage in Italy is forcing a growing number of individuals to use as living environment spaces that were originally devoted to other purposes. Among such spaces, semi-basements hold a particular relevance because of their specific characteristics and their effects on human health. The authors analyse the relatively scarce legislation about this topic at both national and regional level. The local Building Codes of the ten most populous cities of Italy are reviewed, assessing whether the use of semi-basements as living spaces is allowed and, if so, which restrictions and requirements are imposed. The authors conclude that, on one hand, further research is strongly needed to estimate the amount of exposed population and their health risk, on the other the existing legislation on the topic is often discretionary and deeply unhomogeneous across the country

Preparation of Liposomal Nanoparticles Containing Ziziphora tenuir Essential Oil and Evaluation of its Antimicrobial Effects

Background and Objectives  Natural preservatives extracted from herbs are important sources for bioactive compounds that can be used in protection of food products. Essential oils are aromatic oily liquids, obtained from plant material like flowers, buds, seeds, leaves, and roots. Unfortunately, most natural compounds are biologically instable, poorly soluble in water and they distribute poorly to target sites. Currently, some novel methods have been introduced in order to improve their stability and their bioavailability, among which is the use of liposomal encapsulation. Microencapsulation reduces reactivity with the environment (water, oxygen, light), decreases the evaporation or the transfer rate to the outside environment, promotes handling ability, masks taste and enhances dilution to achieve a uniform distribution in the final product when used in very small amounts. Essential oils, as natural extracted compounds extracted from plants, are unstable compounds with low water solubility and unable to achieve target cells. Essential oils encapsulation by nanoliposomes is a novel method for increasing their biological activity and protecting them from destructive factors. The aim of this study was production and optimization of nanoliposomes containing Z. teniur essential oil and investigating their antibacterial effects against pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli).   Materials and Methods  Lipid film hydration method was used to produce nanoliposomes containing Z. teniur essential oil. Soy phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol were the main wall materials and chloroform was used as the mixing solvent . The particle size of nanoliposomes and their zeta-potential were investigated using laser diffraction method. In order to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration and the minimum bactericidal concentration of Z. teniur essential oil against examined bacteria, serial dilution method was used. Also, antioxidant activity of free and nano-encapsulated essential oil of Z. teniur was determined by DPPH method.   Results  According to the results, highest encapsulation efficiency achieved by using 80:20 ratio of soy phosphatidylcholine to cholesterol in nanoliposomes’ wall structures. In general, by increasing the ratio of phosphatidylcholine to cholesterol, encapsulation efficiency was improved. Zeta-potential of nanoliposomes was equal to -5.3 mv and mean particle sizes were in the range of 94.7-119.9 nm. Results indicated that essential oil ejection from nanoliposomes has direct relation to the time of storage and after 30 hours, ejection rate will increase considerably. Ejection rate was higher in phosphate buffer pH=7.4 in comparison with phosphate buffer pH=5.4. Minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration of free essential oil against Escherichia coli was 100 and 175 (µl/ml) respectively. Although, Minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration of nanoliposomes containing Z. teniur essential oil were equal to 75 and 150 (µl/ml) respectively. Also, results shown that , minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration of encapsulated Z. teniur essential oil against Staphylococcus aureus were lower in comparison with free form of Z. teniur essential oil. Staphylococcus aureus (as Gram-positive bacteria) was more susceptible than Escherichia coli (as Gram-negative bacteria).   Conclusion  Encapsulation of Z. teniur essential oil by nanoliposomes led to improve antibacterial effects of essential oil against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Also, investigating of antioxidant activity showed that encapsulated Z. teniur essential oil in nanoliposomes was more effective than free form of Z. teniur essential oil in scavenging of DPPH free radicals. Using nanoliposome encapsulation technology can be an effective way for increasing the efficiency of natural antibacterial compounds and essential oils encapsulated in nanoliposomes are suitable alternatives for synthetic preservatives used in food industry nowadays. The use of liposomes containing Z. teniur essential oil can provide the necessary protection against growth of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms such as Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in food products

Beam test calibration of the balloon-borne imaging calorimeter for the CREAM experiment

CREAM (Cosmic Ray Energetics And Mass) is a multi-flight balloon mission designed to collect direct data on the elemental composition and individual energy spectra of cosmic rays. Two instrument suites have been built to be flown alternately on a yearly base. The tungsten/Sci-Fi imaging calorimeter for the second flight, scheduled for December 2005, was calibrated with electron and proton beams at CERN. A calibration procedure based on the study of the longitudinal shower profile is described and preliminary results of the beam test are presented.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures. To be published in the Proceedings of 29th International Cosmic Ray Conference (ICRC 2005), Pune, India, August 3-10, 200

Core-clock genes regulate proliferation and invasion via a reciprocal interplay with MACC1 in colorectal cancer cells

The circadian clock coordinates the timing of several cellular processes including transcription, the cell cycle, and metabolism. Disruptions in the clock machinery trigger the abnormal regulation of cancer hallmarks, impair cellular homeostasis, and stimulate tumourigenesis. Here we investigated the role of a disrupted clock by knocking out or knocking down the core-clock (CC) genes ARNTL, PER2 or NR1D1 in cancer progression (e.g., cell proliferation and invasion) using colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines HCT116, SW480 and SW620, from different progression stages with distinct clock phenotypes, and identified mechanistic links from the clock to altered cancer-promoting cellular properties. We identified MACC1 (metastasis-associated in colon cancer 1), a known driver for metastasis and an EMT (epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition)-related gene, to be significantly differentially expressed in CC manipulated cells and analysed the effect of MACC1 manipulation (knockout or overexpression) in terms of circadian clock phenotype as well as cancer progression. Our data points to a bi-directional MACC1-circadian clock interplay in CRC, via CC genes. In particular, knocking out MACC1 reduced the period of oscillations, while its overexpression increased it. Interestingly, we found the MACC1 protein to be circadian expressed in HCT116 WT cells, which was disrupted after the knockout of CC genes, and identified a MACC1-NR1D1 protein-protein interaction. In addition, MACC1 manipulation and CC knockout altered cell invasion properties of HCT116 cells, pointing to a regulation of clock and cancer progression in CRC, possibly via the interaction of MACC1 with core-clock genes

CaloCube: a novel calorimeter for high-energy cosmic rays in space

In order to extend the direct observation of high-energy cosmic rays up to the PeV region, highly performing calorimeters with large geometrical acceptance and high energy resolution are required. Within the constraint of the total mass of the apparatus, crucial for a space mission, the calorimeters must be optimized with respect to their geometrical acceptance, granularity and absorption depth. CaloCube is a homogeneous calorimeter with cubic geometry, to maximise the acceptance being sensitive to particles from every direction in space; granularity is obtained by relying on small cubic scintillating crystals as active elements. Different scintillating materials have been studied. The crystal sizes and spacing among them have been optimized with respect to the energy resolution. A prototype, based on CsI(Tl) cubic crystals, has been constructed and tested with particle beams. Some results of tests with different beams at CERN are presented.Comment: Seven pages, seven pictures. Proceedings of INSTR17 Novosibirs

Are Alexandrium catenella Blooms Spreading Offshore in Southern Chile? An In-Depth Analysis of the First PSP Outbreak in the Oceanic Coast

The blooms of Alexandrium catenella, the main producer of paralytic shellfish toxins worldwide, have become the main threat to coastal activities in Southern Chile, such as artisanal fisheries, aquaculture and public health. Here, we explore retrospective data from an intense Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning outbreak in Southern Chile in Summer–Autumn 2016, identifying environmental drivers, spatiotemporal dynamics, and detoxification rates of the main filter-feeder shellfish resources during an intense A. catenella bloom, which led to the greatest socio-economic impacts in that area. Exponential detoxification models evidenced large differences in detoxification dynamics between the three filter-feeder species surf clam (Ensis macha), giant barnacle (Austromegabalanus psittacus), and red sea squirt (Pyura chilensis). Surf clam showed an initial toxicity (9054 µg STX-eq·100 g−1) around 10-fold higher than the other two species. It exhibited a relatively fast detoxification rate and approached the human safety limit of 80 µg STX-eq·100 g−1 towards the end of the 150 days. Ecological implications and future trends are also discussed. Based on the cell density evolution, data previously gathered on the area, and the biology of this species, we propose that the bloom originated in the coastal area, spreading offshore thanks to the resting cysts formed and transported in the water column