Utilising highly conductive TPU “sticks” for facile and low-cost electroanalysis

Rapid, on-site analysis of environmental contaminants necessitates the use of cost-effective and straightforward apparatus to encourage widespread adoption and align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6: Clean Water and Sanitation. In this work, we report the development of highly conductive thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) filaments that can be easily cut and assembled into “sticks”, functioning as standalone rod-like working electrodes for electrochemical and electroanalytical applications. Using TPU as the base polymer, filaments filled with 35, 40, and 45 wt% carbon black (CB) were fabricated and characterised both physicochemically and electrochemically at different lengths (2.5, 5 and 10 mm). Among these, the 45 wt% CB filaments demonstrated the best electrode performance. Interestingly, due to morphological differences between the cross-section and the outer surface of the filament, extending the length of the filament sticks to 10 mm resulted in significant splitting of electrochemical peaks. Consequently, 5 mm sticks were optimised and employed for the electroanalytical detection of acetaminophen, achieving a linear detection range of 5–800 μM, a detection limit of 1.74 μM, and a quantification limit of 5.70 μM. These sticks were further validated by successfully detecting acetaminophen in tap and river water samples. This work introduces an innovative approach to reducing costs and simplifying on-site electrochemical analysis by using predefined lengths of conductive plastic filaments, which can be conveniently transported and stored on a spool until needed. The simplicity and affordability of this method enhance the commercial viability of electroanalytical sensing technologies

TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits-the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants-determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait-based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits-almost complete coverage for 'plant growth form'. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait-environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives

Influences on gum feeding in primates

This chapter reviews the factors that may affect patterns of gum feeding by primates. These are then examined for mixed-species troops of saddleback (S. fuscicollis) and mustached (S. mystax) tamarins. An important distinction is made between gums produced by tree trunks and branches as a result of damage and those produced by seed pods as part of a dispersal strategy as these may be expected to differ in their biochemistry. Feeding on fruit and Parkia seed pod exudates was more prevalent in the morning whereas other exudates were eaten in the afternoon. This itinerary may represent a deliberate strategy to retain trunk gums in the gut overnight, thus maximising the potential for microbial fermentation of their β-linked oligosaccharides. Both types of exudates were eaten more in the dry than the wet season. Consumption was linked to seasonal changes in resource availability and not the tamarins’ reproductive status pro-viding no support for the suggestion that gums are eaten as a pri-mary calcium source in the later stages of gestation and lactation. The role of availability in determining patterns of consumption is further supported by the finding that dietary overlap for the trunk gums eaten was greater between species within mixed-species troops within years than it was within species between years. These data and those for pygmy marmosets (Cebuella pygmaea) suggest that patterns of primate gummivory may reflect the interaction of prefer-ence and availability for both those able to stimulate gum production and those not

Advances in additive manufacturing for flexible sensors: bespoke conductive TPU for multianalyte detection in biomedical applications

Additive manufacturing electrochemistry has the potential to revolutionise the wearable sensors industry through the rapid and customisable production of sensors; however, the currently available conductive filaments are not fit for purpose due to issues with their base polymers and filler loadings. In this work, we present the development of a highly flexible and conductive filament for additive manufacturing made with 40 wt% carbon black (CB) in thermoplastic poly(urethane) (TPU). This optimised loading of CB achieved an ideal balance between flexibility, printability, conductivity, and electrochemical performance, as demonstrated by bulk resistance measurements, TGA, SEM, XPS, Raman and through electrochemical scan rate studies, where a heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (k0) of 2.69 (± 0.10) x 10–3 cm s-1 was obtained. Importantly, the electrodes exhibited great stability over 100 scans and excellent reproducibility after cleaning and re-use. Moreover, the additively manufactured electrodes were tested with the connection stem bent at five different angles, showing no deterioration of their electrochemical performance. Furthermore, we show that within the use of additive manufacturing technology, the choice of printer is key to avoid print failure; using a distance from extruder gears to nozzle, namely the filament path, as short as possible results in more reproducible additive manufacturing. Finally, the electrodes bent to the highest angle were applied to the simultaneous multianalyte detection of dopamine, uric acid and nitrite within urine demonstrating an excellent electroanalytical performance with a clear separation of the three peaks. This highly flexible and conductive material holds the potential to elevate additive manufacturing within the fields of flexible electronics and wearable electrochemical sensors

Human cooperation in groups: variation begets variation

Many experiments on human cooperation have revealed that individuals differ systematically in their tendency to cooperate with others. It has also been shown that individuals condition their behaviour on the overall cooperation level of their peers. Yet, little is known about how individuals respond to heterogeneity in cooperativeness in their neighbourhood. Here, we present an experimental study investigating whether and how people respond to heterogeneous behaviour in a public goods game. We find that a large majority of subjects does respond to heterogeneity in their group, but they respond in quite different ways. Most subjects contribute less to the public good when the contributions of their peers are more heterogeneous, but a substantial fraction of individuals consistently contributes more in this case. In addition, we find that individuals that respond positively to heterogeneity have a higher general cooperation tendency. The finding that social responsiveness occurs in different forms and is correlated with cooperativeness may have important implications for the outcome of cooperative interactions

Novel colorimetric-electrochemical methods for selective identification and quantification of Scopolamine in forensic analysis using screen-printed graphite electrodes and Dragendorff reagent

In forensic investigations, the detection of Scopolamine, popularly known as Burundanga or Devil's Breath, is of significant interest due to its potential involvement in cases of attempted murder or suicide. Currently, no efficient screening methods exist for Scopolamine detection in such forensic contexts. This study presents a novel method combining screen-printed graphite electrodes (SPGE) with square-wave voltammetry (electrochemical step) and Dragendorff reagent (colorimetric step) to detect Scopolamine in drinks (gin, tonic water, whisky, and energy drinks) and biological samples (urine, saliva, and vitreous humor). The method provides two distinct analytical responses: a visible color change (from orange to yellow) via the colorimetric reaction, and the electrochemical behavior of Scopolamine in both anodic and cathodic scans, ensuring robust and accurate identification. For the first time, the electrochemical behavior of both redox processes of Scopolamine is investigated. The proposed method demonstrated a wide linear range (0.025-0.225 mg mL−1 for the oxidation and 0.025–0.175 mg mL⁻¹ for the reduction process) with a low limit of detection of 5.0 μg mL−1, making it suitable for forensic applications. Stability of the electrochemical response was studied with SPGE showing relative standard deviations (RSD) of less than 3 % for Ep and Ip across multiple electrodes (N = 3). Interference studies confirmed the method's high selectivity for Scopolamine detection. Additionally, Scopolamine was successfully identified in both beverage and biological samples with recoveries near 100 %, indicating the absence of matrix effects. The methodology using both electrochemical with a colorimetric approach presents a promising, rapid, and selective screening method for Scopolamine detection in forensic scenarios

O processo de internacionalização do grupo Casais: sequencial ou irregular?

O fenómeno da globalização, a liberalização dos mercados e a eliminação de “fronteiras” entre países colocaram novos desafios às empresas portuguesas, com muitas delas a encarar esses desafios como oportunidades. Desta forma, estas acabam por ponderar a exploração de mercados externos, iniciando a internacionalização. À medida que o número de empresas que se internacionalizaram aumenta, a relevância dos estudos referentes aos processos de internacionalização também aumenta. Utilizando a metodologia de estudo de caso, procedemos à análise do processo de internacionalização do Grupo Casais, uma empresa portuguesa do setor da Construção e Engenharia. Após estudar o processo, chegamos à conclusão de que o processo de internacionalização do Grupo Casais é sequencial, estando intimamente ligado à Teoria das Redes devido à presença da organização em redes que facilitam o acesso à informação sobre os mercados externos e a entrada nos mesmos.The phenomenon of globalization, the liberalization of markets and the elimination of “borders” between countries have set new challenges for Portuguese companies, with many of them seeing these challenges as opportunities. So they end up considering the exploration of foreign markets, starting the internationalization process. As the number of companies that have internationalized increases, the relevance of studies regarding internationalization processes also increases. Using the case study methodology, we proceeded to analyze the internationalization process of the Grupo Casais, a Portuguese company in the Construction and Engineering sector. After studying the process, we have concluded that the internationalization process of the Grupo Casais Casais is gradual, being closely linked to the Networks Theory due to the presence of the company in networks that facilitate access to and information about foreign markets

Cultural singularities: indigenous elderly access to Public Health Service

OBJECTIVEDescribing how Kaingang seniors and their primary caregivers experience access to public health services.METHODA qualitative study guided by ethnography, conducted with 28 elderly and 19 caregivers. Data were collected between November 2010 and February 2013 through interviews and participative observation analyzed by ethnography.RESULTSThe study revealed the benefits and difficulties of the elderly access to health services, the facility to obtain health care resources such as appointments, medications and routine procedures, and the difficulties such as special assistance service problems and delays in the dispatching process between reference services.CONCLUSIONThe importance of knowing and understanding the cultural specificities of the group in order to offer greater opportunities for the elderly access to health services was reinforced