Not me getting with the times: A new kind of not-fragment in English

In this paper, I describe a relatively new construction in colloquial use by many English speakers: a discourse-initial not-fragment that draws attention to a factual event and conveys some attitude towards it, typically that it is embarrassing, surprising, ironic, ridiculous, or simply bad. A prototypical example of this construction, which I call “spotlight not,” is an utterance like Not me going to Starbucks for the second time today, which is taken to indicate that the speaker is indeed going to Starbucks for the second time that day, and that they find this fact embarrassing or surprising, ironic, etc. Informed by a pilot survey and interviews with speakers who use spotlight not, I discuss the demographics and meaning of this construction, its surface structure and syntactic properties, and some ideas about why it means what it means

Quaternion-Based Robust Attitude Estimation Using an Adaptive Unscented Kalman Filter

This paper presents the Quaternion-based Robust Adaptive Unscented Kalman Filter (QRAUKF) for attitude estimation. The proposed methodology modifies and extends the standard UKF equations to consistently accommodate the non-Euclidean algebra of unit quaternions and to add robustness to fast and slow variations in the measurement uncertainty. To deal with slow time-varying perturbations in the sensors, an adaptive strategy based on covariance matching that tunes the measurement covariance matrix online is used. Additionally, an outlier detector algorithm is adopted to identify abrupt changes in the UKF innovation, thus rejecting fast perturbations. Adaptation and outlier detection make the proposed algorithm robust to fast and slow perturbations such as external magnetic field interference and linear accelerations. Comparative experimental results that use an industrial manipulator robot as ground truth suggest that our method overcomes a trusted commercial solution and other widely used open source algorithms found in the literature

GNSS/LiDAR-Based Navigation of an Aerial Robot in Sparse Forests

Autonomous navigation of unmanned vehicles in forests is a challenging task. In such environments, due to the canopies of the trees, information from Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) can be degraded or even unavailable. Also, because of the large number of obstacles, a previous detailed map of the environment is not practical. In this paper, we solve the complete navigation problem of an aerial robot in a sparse forest, where there is enough space for the flight and the GNSS signals can be sporadically detected. For localization, we propose a state estimator that merges information from GNSS, Attitude and Heading Reference Systems (AHRS), and odometry based on Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sensors. In our LiDAR-based odometry solution, the trunks of the trees are used in a feature-based scan matching algorithm to estimate the relative movement of the vehicle. Our method employs a robust adaptive fusion algorithm based on the unscented Kalman filter. For motion control, we adopt a strategy that integrates a vector field, used to impose the main direction of the movement for the robot, with an optimal probabilistic planner, which is responsible for obstacle avoidance. Experiments with a quadrotor equipped with a planar LiDAR in an actual forest environment is used to illustrate the effectiveness of our approach

Improving the downstream processing of interferon alfa-2b using alternative purification platforms based on ionic liquids

Improvements on human life expectancy and the lack of effective therapies has led to an increment of chronic diseases, being the application of biopharmaceuticals an efficient strategy to mitigate this scenario. Among the current available biopharmaceuticals, the role of interferon α-2b (IFNα-2b) should be highlighted, as it has been marketed over 30 years with a considerable impact on the global therapeutic proteins market (Castro et al, Vaccines, 2021). IFN manufacturing requires the use of the recombinant DNA technology, involving two main stages, the upstream and downstream stages. The first includes recombinant protein production in a suitable host microorganism, such as Escherichia coli (Castro et al, Sep. Purif. Technol., 2020), while the second comprises protein recovery, isolation, purification and polishing. Due to the high demands of the pharmaceutical industry for products with high purity and biological activity, the downstream stage is responsible for the majority of the production costs of biopharmaceuticals (50–90%), often including time-consuming and multi-step processes. Therefore, there is an immediate need to develop more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable protein purification methodologies. In this work, two ionic-liquid-(IL)-based strategies were investigated for the purification of IFNα-2b recombinantly produced from E. coli fermentation broth, namely as adjuvants in aqueous biphasic systems or as chromatographic ligands immobilized in solid materials. Overall, the obtained results demonstrate that by tailoring IL’s chemical structures, improved protein purification processes are obtained and that the secondary structure of proteins is preserved.publishe

Sustainable ionic-liquid-based strategies for the downstream processing of interferon α-2b from Echerichia coli

Over the last decades, society has been facing an increment of chronic diseases due to the higher human life expectancy and the lack of efficient treatments for several pathologies. In this regard, biopharmaceuticals have become one of the most effective clinical treatments for a broad range of diseases, including cancer, metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders [1]. Among biopharmaceuticals, the role of interferons, particularly interferon α-2b (IFNα-2b), should be underlined, as they have been marketed for over 30 years with a considerable impact on the global therapeutic proteins market [2]. Usually based on the recombinant DNA technology, the manufacturing process of biopharmaceuticals encompasses two main stages: the upstream and downstream stages. Typically, the upstream phase includes recombinant protein production processes in a suitable host microorganism, such as Escherichia coli [3], while the general downstream processing of biopharmaceuticals comprises four stages - recovery, isolation, purification and polishing -, which are responsible for the majority of the production costs of biopharmaceuticals (50–90%) [3]. The downstream processing is a time-consuming and multi-step process, for which the development of cost-effective purification processes is mandatory to decrease their costs and environmental impact. In this context, two ionic-liquid-(IL)-based strategies were investigated in this work for the purification of IFNα-2b recombinantly produced from E. coli fermentation broth. ILs have been used as adjuvants in aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) and applied in supported materials as alternative ligands. The obtained results demonstrate that ILs have a tailoring ability and contribute to the development of more effective and sustainable downstream processes of biopharmaceuticals.publishe

Distribuição de aranhas de teia de sub-bosque ao longo de uma área de contato entre floresta de Araucaria e plantação de Pinus no sul do Brasil

In southern Brazil, the native Araucaria forest has been tremendously cut down, which created a mosaic landscape with patches of original forest and other land uses. The Floresta Nacional de São Francisco de Paula encompasses a mosaic landscape comprised of the Araucaria forest, Araucaria plantations, Pinus and Eucalyptus plantations. This study’s intention was to assess the richness and abundance of understorey web building spiders along an interface zone between an Araucaria and a Pinus patch. Spiders and other arthropods were collected by beating the vegetation inside five random plots, along five long transects parallels to the edge: one at the edge, two others 10 m and 30 m inside each patch. A randomization test was done to analyze differences in richness and abundance among distances between patches. Linear regressions were done to assess influence of the abundance of potential prey on spider richness and abundance. A total of 161 web building spiders were collected, divided in 35 morphospecies and 7 families. Four morphospecies represented around 42% of abundance. The higher abundance was of Theridiidae (17 species), followed by Araneidae (11). Richness and abundance of understorey spiders did not differ among the distances, showing presence of connectivity across the understorey vegetation of patches. Arthropod numbers positively influenced the abundance and richness of spiders. Management practices applied in this Reserve, which are selective cutting and long periods of rotations, seem to provide the growth of dense understorey vegetation along the ecotone resulting in adequate resources to support spider diversity. Key words: edge effect, ecotone, Atlantic Forest, forest management.A floresta de Araucaria tem sido intensivamente impactada, o que possibilitou a criação de mosaicos da paisagem com manchas da floresta original e outros usos da terra. A Floresta Nacional de São Francisco de Paula, RS, abriga um mosaico composto da floresta de Araucaria e plantações de Araucaria, Pinus e Eucalyptus. Este estudo visou avaliar a riqueza e abundância das assembléias de aranhas de teia de sub-bosque ao longo de uma área de contato entre uma mancha de Araucaria e outra de Pinus. Aranhas e outros artrópodes foram coletados com guarda-chuva entomológico em cinco parcelas ao longo de cinco transectos paralelos à borda das manchas: uma na borda, duas outras a 10 m e a 30 m em cada mancha. Diferenças na riqueza e na abundância ao longo das distâncias foram analisadas por um teste de aleatorização. Foram realizadas regressões lineares para avaliar a influência da abundância de presas potenciais sobre a abundância e riqueza de aranhas de teia. Um total de 161 aranhas foi coletado (35 morfoespécies e 7 famílias). Quatro morfoespécies representaram em torno de 42% da abundância. A família mais rica foi Theridiidae (17 espécies), seguida de Araneidae (11). A riqueza e a abundância de aranhas não variaram entre as distâncias, mostrando que há conectividade entre as vegetações dos sub-bosques. A abundância de presas potenciais influenciou positivamente a abundância e a riqueza de aranhas de teia. Presume-se que o manejo executado na reserva, com corte seletivo e longo tempo de rotação, possibilite o crescimento do sub-bosque de Pinus, proporcionando recursos adequados para a manutenção da diversidade de aranhas. Palavras-chave: efeito de borda, ecótono, Mata Atlântica, manejo de florestas

Purification of interferon alpha 2b-based biopharmaceuticals using ionic liquid-based technologies

Protein biopharmaceuticals, among which interferon alpha-2b (IFNα-2b) that can be used in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C, have become an indispensable product of current medicine. Aiming at finding new cost-effective, efficient and sustainable technologies for recombinant IFNα-2b purification, ionic liquids were investigated as adjuvants in polymer-polymer aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) or as chromatographic ligands covalently attached in silica (Supported ionic liquids, SILs). The application of ionic liquids as adjuvants in ATPS composed of polyethylene glycol (PEG 600 g/mol) and polypropylene glycol (PPG 400 g/mol) enhanced the purity of IFNα-2b recovered in the PEG-rich phase. On the other hand, SILs exhibited promising results toward IFNα-2b purification both in conditions favouring ionic or hydrophobic interactions, reinforcing the multimodal character of these novel stationary phases. Also, the secondary structure of IFNα-2b is preserved with both purification processes, as appraised by circular dichroism and western-blot studies. Overall, our results demonstrate the high potential exhibited by ionic liquids toward the preparative purification of the recombinant IFNα-2b biopharmaceuticals.publishe

The use of waste oils and fats to produce high value products : formulation of printing inks involving used frying oils

Óleo residual de fritura foi aquecido a 315 ºC na presença de acetato de níquel (II), sendo obtido um polímero viscoso e uma mistura de hidrocarbonetos e compostos orgânicos oxigenados. Obtiveram-se polímeros com viscosidades diversas, dependendo da agitação, fluxo de N2 e do tempo de reação. Os materiais poliméricos foram utilizados como veículo na formulação de tintas de impressão tipo offset, juntamente com carbonato de cálcio e diversos pigmentos. Foram testadas as formulações obtidas para a impressão de gravuras pela técnica de xilogravura, as quais apresentam desempenho semelhante ao de tintas comerciais. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTUsed frying oil was heated at 315 ºC in the presence of nickel (II) acetate, leading to a viscous polymer and a mixture of hydrocarbons and oxygenated compounds. Polymers were obtained with different viscosities, depending on the stirring, nitrogen flux and reaction time. The polymeric materials were used as binders in printing ink formulations, together with calcium carbonate and adequate pigments. The prepared formulations were tested to produce gravures by xylograph process, with performance similar to commercial printing inks

The use of crumb rubber in asphalt mixtures using the dry process

The modification process of hot mix asphalts in which crumb rubber is initially mixed with the mineral aggregates before the addition of the binder is known as dry process. This process has as main advantages the use of conventional mixing plants and, at least in principle, has no limitation of the incorporated rubber content. The aim of this paper is to study the influence of the incorporated crumb rubber content in the mechanical behavior of dense graded mixes ( grade envelope C of Brazilian specification DNER-ES 313/97). For this purpose, laboratory tests were carried out to determine the main properties to be used in numerical analyses of a structure of flexible pavement executed with that type of asphalt mixture. The mechanical properties of asphalt hot mixes used in the numerical analysis were determined by laboratory tests (stiffness modulus and fatigue life). The studied asphalt hot mixes were produced with a crumb rubber obtained by the milling process at ambient temperature and a straight binder AC 50/70 (classification by penetration). The incorporated rubber content varied from 2% up to 3,6% in relation to the mineral aggregate mixture. For the sake of comparison, a conventional asphalt mixture produced with straight binder AC 50/70 and an asphalt-rubber hot mix produced by wet process were also studied. The results showed that the asphalt hot mixes modified with crumb rubber by dry process presented a significant improvement in terms of mechanical behavior in relation to conventional asphalt hot mixes, especially in terms of increase of fatigue life, as can be observed in the numerical analysis performed.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES).Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPQ).Cepsa.Biosafe.Bezerras Ltda