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This paper examines the importance of, and variations in, political alignment within African regimes. Political alignment is how leaders establish sufficient political support across elites: we posit that formal appointments are the primary way that leaders manipulate political coalitions in order to secure their collective authority and tenure. Appointments, individually and collectively, can take on multiple characteristics: they can create inclusive or exclusive coalitions, transactional or loyal support, volatile or stable elite networks. Appointment powers have greater salience since governments institutionalized and formalized in governance systems across democratic and autocratic states. Manipulating who holds and secures power at the subnational and national levels, rather than repressive control or state capacity, underpins the stability, security, and survival of modern African regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work focuses on the synthesis of non-redundant planar kinematic chains applied to parallel manipulators, where the mobility of the kinematic chains is constrained by the planar workspace, allowing for kinematic chains with up to three degrees-of-freedom. The synthesis process consists of two stages. First, a graph generator enumerates non-isomorphic biconnected graphs representing planar kinematic chains with up to three degrees-of-freedom and seven loops. Subsequently, graphs associated to chains with rigid subchains are removed using a degeneracy identification method based on matroid theory. Concise results are presented for chains with up to five loops. For chains with six and seven loops, results are categorized based on link partitions for a direct comparison with previous results. These findings align with prior research, with minor variations in the reported chain numbers. These variations can be attributed to several factors, including graph generation, isomorphism testing, fractionation, and subchain identification. These factors are comprehensively discussed and examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractSun coral, identified as Tubastraea coccinea and Tubastraea tagusensis, are invasive marine species originally from the Pacific Ocean that have become a significant threat to native biodiversity and ecosystems in Brazil. The rapid growth and unique reproduction strategies of Tubastraea species have facilitated their success as invasive species. In the past two decades, Brazil has experienced a notable loss of biodiversity, partially attributed to invasive species, as reported by the Brazilian Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Current management efforts primarily involve manual removal, often employing sledgehammers and chisels, carried out by environmental government agencies, in partnership with NGOs and volunteers. However, the need for more efficient management strategies emphasizes the important role of engineering and technology in improving environmental management. To address this issue, our work focuses on the development and prototyping of two underwater tools: an impact hammer and a rotating brush. These tools are designed with ergonomic features, operating time, and size considerations suitable for use by SCUBA divers. Our prototypes have successfully met the required specifications and offer potential for large-scale manufacturing, promising more effective measures for controlling invasive sun coral in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is an emerging anticancer treatment. The success of BNCT relies on the delivery of adequate quantities of 10B to tumor cells. Carboranes, polyhedral clusters containing boron, carbon and hydrogen atoms, are promising candidates as boron agents in BNCT. In this review, we provide an overview and state-of-the-art description of applications of carboranes for in vivo BNCT studies. We comprehensively report: (i) the different molecules used, (ii) their formulation and administration strategies, (iii) the tumor models investigated and (iv) qualitative and quantitative methodologies for carborane detection in in vivo experiments. Carboranes have emerged as one of the most promising boron agents in boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). In this context, in vivo studies are particularly relevant, since they provide qualitative and quantitative information about the biodistribution of these molecules, which is of the utmost importance to determine the efficacy of BNCT, defining their localization and (bio)accumulation, as well as their pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. First, we gathered a detailed list of the carboranes used for in vivo studies, considering the synthesis of carborane derivatives or the use of delivery system such as liposomes, micelles and nanoparticles. Then, the formulation employed and the cancer model used in each of these studies were identified. Finally, we examined the analytical aspects concerning carborane detection, identifying the main methodologies applied in the literature for ex vivo and in vivo analysis. The present work aims to identify the current strengths and weakness of the use of carboranes in BNCT, establishing the bottlenecks and the best strategies for future applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-party ministers and technocrats have emerged as leading political actors in post-revolutionary Tunisia. Five heads of government out of eight appointed between 2011 and 2020 were not affiliated to any political party. Technocrat-led governments were appointed amidst acute political crises due to their ostensible technical expertise and non-partisan profile. Despite their prominent role in government, existing studies on post-revolutionary Tunisia have largely neglected the role of non-party ministers and technocrats, treating them as relatively marginal actors. The article situates their emergence along a decades-long technocratic turn started under Ben Ali, which opted to replace the professional politicians of the Bourguiba era with technocrats hailing from the public administration. After 2011, a combination of demand- and supply-side factors have contributed to their increased participation in government. In particular, the article argues that the institutional autonomy of the technocratic apparatus, weakness of political parties, a preference for technical expertise and consensual politics, and pressures from international financial institutions were key to the rise of non-party ministers and technocrats in post-revolutionary Tunisia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article applies a regime cycle framework to understand patterns of change and continuity in African competitive autocracies. We observe that regime change in African autocracies is rarely the result of actions carried out by rebels, opposition leaders or popular masses substantially altering the structure of power. Instead, they are more frequently carried out by senior regime cadres, resulting in controlled reshuffles of power. We argue that such regime shifts are best explained through a cyclical logic of elite collective action consisting of accommodation and consolidation, and ultimately leading to fragmentation and crisis. These dynamics indicate the stage of leader-elite relationships at a given time, and suggest when regimes may likely expand, contract, purge and fracture. We argue that, by acknowledging in which stage of the cycle a regime and its senior elites are dominant, we can gauge the likelihood as well as the potential success of a regime change. Our framework is finally applied to understand recent regime shifts in competitive autocracies across Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of Baranov chains is associated with the rigid subchain identification problem, which is a crucial step in several methods of structural synthesis of kinematic chains. In this article, a systematic approach for the detection of rigid subchains, based on matroid theory, is presented and proved. Based on this approach, a novel method for the enumeration of Baranov chains is proposed. A novel algorithm is applied to a database of nonisomorphic graphs of nonfractionated zero-mobility kinematic chains. By means of the proposed algorithm, the previous results for Baranov chains presented in the literature with up to 11 links are compared and validated. Furthermore, discrepancies in the number of Baranov chains with up to 13 links, presented in the literature, are pointed out, discussed, and the proven results are presented. Finally, the complete family of Baranov chains with up to 15 links is obtained. Examples of application of the proposed method are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to present a systematic approach for the structural synthesis of Assur groups from Baranov chains, based on group theory. An Assur group can be represented as a vertex-colored graph of a Baranov chain, in which a detached vertex of the graph is colored with a distinct color. To obtain the results presented herein, the synthesis of Baranov chains has been extended to planar rigid chains with up to 17 links. Thus, an algorithm based on group theory and graph theory is applied to obtain all Assur groups with up to 16 links. The detached vertices are selected by determining the orbits of the automorphism group of the graph, such that no isomorphic Assur groups are generated in the process. The results are compared with the values found in the literature, in order to verify possible inconsistencies and reconcile existing values. • Application of group theory to the symmetry analysis of Baranov chains. • Reconciliation of synthesis results for Assur groups with up to 12 links. • Presentation of a new result for the synthesis of Baranov chains with up to 17 links. • Presentation of a new result for the synthesis of Assur groups with up to 16 links. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon-based nanomaterials, such as C 60 fullerenes, are expected to accumulate in soil due to direct release and deposition from the atmosphere. However, little is known about the environmental fate of these nanoparticles which may be susceptible to photochemical and microbial degradation. In the present work, C 60 was incubated for a period of 28 days and irradiated with UVA light. Three experiments were carried out where the fullerenes were either spiked onto a glass surface or added to quartz sand or sandy soil samples. At specific time intervals the samples were extracted and analysed by liquid chromatography coupled to UV or high resolution mass spectrometric (HRMS) detection. The fullerenes were degraded in all the treatments and the decay followed a pseudo-first-order rate law. In absence of a solid matrix, the half-life (t 1⁄2 ) of the C 60 was 13.1 days, with an overall degradation of 45.1% that was accompanied by the formation of functionalized C 60 -like structures. Furthermore, mass spectrometric analysis highlighted the presence of a large number of transformation products that were not directly related to the irradiation and presented opened cage and oxidized structures. When C 60 was spiked into solid matrices the degradation occurred at a faster rate (t 1⁄2 of 4.5 and 0.8 days for quartz sand and sandy soil, respectively). Minor but consistent losses were found in the non-irradiated samples, presumably due to biotic or chemical processes occurring in these samples. The results of this study suggest that light-mediated transformation of the fullerenes will occur in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing production of fullerenes likely means a release of these chemicals in the environment. Since soils and sediments are expected to act as a sink, analytical tools are needed to assess the presence of fullerenes in these matrices. In the present work, a method was developed for the determination of fullerenes at environmental relevant levels employing Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatograph coupled with High Resolution Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS). Chromatographic separation was achieved with a core–shell biphenyl stationary phase that provided fast analysis with complete baseline separation. Ion Booster Electro Spray Ionization (IB-ESI) resulted in higher ionization efficiency and was much less susceptible to adduct formation in comparison with standard ESI, whereas Quadrupole Time of Flight (QTOF) MS granted high resolution mass spectra used for accurate identification. The Instrumental method limits of detection (ILoD) and quantification (ILoQ) were 6 and 20 fg, respectively, for C60 and 12 and 39 fg, respectively, for C70. Matrix effects related to co-extractants were systematically investigated in soil and sediments extracts through standard addition method (SAM) and monitoring the signal response during the chromatographic run of these samples. Consequently, minor chromatographic modifications were necessary for the analysis of matrices with high organic carbon content. The method limit of detection (MLoD)ranged from 84 pg/kg to 335 pg/kg, whereas limit of quantification (MLoQ) ranged from 279 pg/kg to 1.1 ng/kg. Furthermore, the method was successfully applied for the analysis of functionalized fullerenes (i.e. methanofullerenes). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first analytical method for the analysis of fullerenes in soils and sediments that employ core–shell biphenyl stationary phase as well as IB-ESI-QTOF MS hyphenated with UHPLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A total of eight fullerenes can be analyzed in a single run with HPLC-UV. [•] The method allows the analysis of fullerenes in soil at relatively low concentrations. [•] The method developed is robust, highly reproducible and relatively efficient. [•] The method can be applied to the study of the environmental fate and toxicology of fullerenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Porous polyethylene is considered the ideal material for the reconstruction or augmentation of the craniomaxillofacial region. Methods: A multicenter retrospective clinical review on the use of porous polyethylene (PP) implants in plastic surgery was carried out. Patients were evaluated in terms of indication, location of the implants and complications. In order to highlight aesthetic outcomes and eventual complications a long-term follow-up of 1 year was also conducted. Results: From 1994 to 2009, a total of 239 patients were treated with 347 PP implants. Infection or exposure was detected in just 6 % of patients. The postoperative course was uneventful for the remainig 94 % of patients included in this study. Conclusions: In our 15 years of experience porous polyethylene implants have performed very well. Our results confirm the notion that the PP implants can be easily managed and that good results can be easily achieved with little operative time and shorter hospitalization. Its use is associated with very good, predictable, and stable aesthetic results. Level of Evidence: Level III, therapeutic study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a new method of enumeration of parallel manipulators with one end-effector. The method consists of enumerating all the manipulators possible with one end-effector that a single kinematic chain can originate. A very useful simplification for kinematic chain, mechanism and manipulator enumeration is their representation through graphs. The method is based on group theory where abstract structures are used to capture the internal symmetry of a structure in the form of automorphisms of a group. The concept used is orbits of the group of automorphisms of a colored vertex graph. The theory and some examples are presented to illustrate the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The enumeration of kinematic chains, also known as number synthesis, has been used for at least the past four decades as a means of finding better mechanisms for some predefined purpose. In practice, however, enumeration can be difficult to implement since the number of kinematic chains generated is often too large to manually consider the individual merits of each chain. For this reason, the concepts of variety and connectivity can be used to classify kinematic chains according to the constraints required as described in the literature. In this regard, this paper presents three new results. First, a redefinition of the concepts of variety and connectivity in an algorithmic form is introduced. Second, a set of important relations between connectivity and variety, introduced by Tischler et al. in [C.R. Tischler, A.E. Samuel, K.H. Hunt, Kinematic chains for robot hands: Part 2 kinematic constraints, classification, connectivity, and actuation, Mechanism and Machine Theory 30 (8) (1995) 1217–1239] as conjectures lacking formal proofs, are stated as theorems in this paper and formally proved. Finally, a new algorithm is proposed for the computation of the variety of a kinematic chain; this algorithm includes other parameters such as connectivity and redundancy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Examines the genetic structure and degree of variability of hemp varieties. Use of random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis; Complexity of the cultivars; Determination of the number of fixed and polymorphic loci; Calculation of the heterozygosity.

This paper presents a novel method for enumerating feasible actuation schemes for parallel mechanisms. Based on screw theory representation of mechanisms, degrees of freedom and constraints in mechanisms can be described applying the Kirchhoff's laws formulation for mechanical systems. Thus, the linear dependence and independence of degrees of freedom and constraints in a given mechanism can be successfully investigated by the application of matroid theory. A brief introduction to the concept of matroid is first presented. Then, a novel approach, based on matroid theory, is proposed for solving two different problems of mechanism: the enumeration of all valid actuation schemes and the selection of an optimal actuation scheme for a given mechanism. Two novel algorithms are therefore introduced. Examples of applications are also presented, and the results obtained validated with literature cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conservation, characterization and exploitation of agrobiodiversity are key factors to guarantee food security and face future challenges such as climate changes. These issues are the subject of a series of international agreements, such as the Convention of Biological Diversity, with its Nagoya Protocol, and the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA) adopted in 2001 and entered into force in 2004. Italy ratified the Treaty in 2004 and instituted a long-lasting program, RGV-FAO, to implement it. CREA is one of the three organizations involved in the RGV-FAO Program, together with the National Research Council (CNR) and Reti Semi Rurali. CREA maintains a total of 40,186 accessions including cereals, vegetables, fruits, forages, industrial crops, forest and woody crops, medicinal and aromatic plants, and their wild relatives. Accessions are conserved using different ex situ conservation systems (seeds, in vivo plants, vegetative organs and in vitro plantlets), and characterized using genetic, morpho-phenological and/or biochemical methods. Herein, we will present the CREA long-lasting program RGV-FAO with some examples of the use of plant genetic resources in breeding programs, including molecular approaches. Some critical issues related to access and benefit sharing in PGRFA, such as the Nagoya Protocol and the Digital Sequence Information, will be discussed, highlighting their potential impact on food security and on the advancement of knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most problematic steps in planning and management of vulnerable coastal systems under high level of uncertainties is anticipating potential design scenarios where multiple spatial scales interact. The mutual interference between beach morphodynamics and infrastructural needs of the wide territory poses several questions to urban planners and architects. In this study we assess the ability of the proposed coupled approach of MIKE 21 Spectral Wave and XBeach to significantly improve our understanding of vulnerable barrier beaches in urbanized areas, and hence to contribute to improved system design and management. Specifically, to improve the result accuracy and the time-computational efficiency of the proposed coupled approach, an additional module was developed. Located in the West Metropolitan Area of Cagliari city (Sardinia, IT), the barrier beach of La Playa is an important evacuation route that has experienced a coastal squeeze process under the increase in magnitude and frequency of sea storms. From an extensive beach survey, the "whole model composition" supports the selection of the territorial scale as the reference for defining a potential design scenario at the local scale in La Playa beach. While ordinary (10-year return time) storms create a nearshore sand berm with a protective function for the barrier beach and evacuation route against future storms, extreme (140-year return time) storms significantly erode the beach with a shoreline moving approximately 15 m landward and an overwash of Q crest >20 l/m/s. Acting as a rigid impermeable obstacle against landward barrier migration, the evacuation route is destroyed. Urban planners and architects should consider the downgrade of the evacuation route as a part of a design potential scenario capable of minimizing the territorial vulnerability and reducing the local vulnerability. Rebuilt with environment-friendly functional road materials, this design scenario can also define a new flexible landward limit of the barrier beach and restore an eventual migration. • Barrier beach migration can be blocked by landward rigid obstacle and a squeeze process can affect the beach. • We develop a coupled approach of MIKE 21 Spectral Wave and XBeach for supporting an improved system design and management in vulnerable barrier beaches. • The coupled approach improves the result accuracy and the time-computational efficiency, and supports the selection of the spatial and time scales in the evaluation of the vulnerabilities. • Approach application to La Playa barrier beach (Sardinia, Western Mediterranean Sea) can outline the selection of the territorial scale as the reference for defining a potential design scenario at the local scale. • The potential design scenario seems to be capable of reducing the vulnerabilities from ordinary (10-year return time) and extreme (140-year return time) storms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four crosses were made between inbred Cannabis sativa plants with pure cannabidiol (CBD) and pure Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) chemotypes. All the plants belonging to the F[sub 1]'s were analyzed by gas chromatography for cannabinoid composition and constantly found to have a mixed CBD-THC chemotype. Ten individual F[sub 1] plants were self-fertilized, and 10 inbred F[sub 2] offspring were collected and analyzed. In all cases, a segregation of the three chemotypes (pure CBD, mixed CBD-THC, and pure THC) fitting a l:2:l proportion was observed. The CBD/THC ratio was found to be significantly progeny specific and transmitted from each F[sub 1] to the F[sub 2]'s derived from it. A model involving one locus, B, with two alleles, β[sub D] and B[sub T], is proposed, with the two alleles being codominant. The mixed chemotypes are interpreted as due to the genotype B[sub D]/B[sub T] at the B locus, while the pure-chemotype plants are due to homozygosity at the B locus (either B[sub D]/B[sub D], or B[sub T]/B[sub T]). It is suggested that such codominance is due to the codification by the two alleles for different isoforms of the same synthase, having different specificity for the conversion of the common precursor cannabigerol into CBD or THC, respectively. The F[sub 2] segregating groups were used in a bulk segregant analysis of the pooled DNAs for screening RAPD primers; three chemotypeassociated markers are described, one of which has been transformed in a sequence-characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker and shows tight linkage to the chemotype and codominance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nuclear facilities continue to be developed to help meet global energy demands while reducing fossil fuel use. However, an incident during the dismantling of these facilities could accidentally release tritiated particles (e.g. stainless steel) into the environment. Herein, we investigated the environmental dosimetry, fate, and impact of tritiated stainless steel (nano)particles (1 mg.L−1 particles and 1 MBq.L−1 tritium) using indoor freshwater aquatic mesocosms to mimic a pond ecosystem. The tritium (bio)distribution and particle fate and (bio)transformation were monitored in the different environmental compartments over 4 weeks using beta counting and chemical analysis. Impacts on picoplanktonic and picobenthic communities, and the benthic freshwater snail, Anisus vortex, were assessed as indicators of environmental health. Following contamination, some tritium (∼16%) desorbed into the water column while the particles rapidly settled onto the sediment. After 4 weeks, the particles and the majority of the tritium (>80%) had accumulated in the sediment, indicating a high exposure of the benthic ecological niche. Indeed, the benthic grazers presented significant behavioral changes despite low steel uptake (<0.01%). These results provide knowledge on the potential environmental impacts of incidental tritiated (nano)particles, which will allow for improved hazard and risk management. [Display omitted] • Tritiated (nano)particles may release during nuclear decommissioning incident. • No stainless steel particle dissolution, 100% accumulation in aqueous sediments. • Majority of tritium (>80%) remains associated to stainless steel (nano)particles. • A. vortex exhibit burrowing behavioral change despite no acute particle toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silymarin is the phytochemical with medicinal properties extracted from Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn. fruits. Yet, little information is available about silymarin biosynthesis. Moreover, the generally accepted pathway, formulated thus far, is not in agreement with actual experimental measurements on flavonolignan contents. The present work analyses flavonolignan and taxifolin content in 201 S. marianum samples taking into consideration a wide phenotypic variability. Two stable chemotypes were identified: one characterized by both high silychristin and silybin content (chemotype A) and another by a high silydianin content (chemotype B). Through the correlation analysis of samples divided according to chemotype, it was possible to construct a simplified silymarin biosynthetic pathway that is sufficiently versatile in explaining experimental results responding to the actually unresolved questions about this process. The proposed pathway highlights that three separate and equally sized metabolite pools exist, namely: diastereoisomers A (silybin A plus isosilybin A), diastereoisomers B (silybin B plus isosilybin B) and silychristin. In both A and B diastereoisomers pools, isosilybin A and isosilybin B always represent a given amount of the metabolite flux through the specific metabolite pool suggesting the possible involvement of dirigent protein-like enzymes. We suggest that chemotype B possesses a complete silymarin biosynthetic pathway in which silydianin biosynthesis is enzymatically controlled. On the contrary, chemotype A is probably a natural mutant unable to biosynthesize silydianin. The present simplified pathway for silymarin biosynthesis will constitute an important tool for the further understanding of the reactions that drive flavonolignan biosynthesis in S. marianum . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Only very limited information is available on measured environmental concentrations of nanoparticles. In this study, several environmental compartments in The Netherlands were probed for the presence of nanoparticles. Different types of water were screened for the presence of inorganic (Ag, Au, TiO 2 ) and organic nanoparticles (C 60 , C 70 , [6,6]-phenyl-C 61 -butyric acid octyl ester, [6,6]-phenyl-C 61 -butyric acid butyl ester, [6,6]-phenyl-C 61 -butyric acid methyl ester, [6,6]-bis-phenyl-C 61 -butyric acid methyl ester, [6,6]-phenyl-C 71 -butyric acid methyl ester, [6,6]-thienyl-C 61 -butyric acid methyl ester). Air samples were analysed for the presence of nanoparticulate Mo, Ag, Ce, W, Pd, Pt, Rh, Zn, Ti, Si, B as well as Fe and Cu. ICP-MS, Orbitrap-HRMS, SEM and EDX were used for this survey. Water samples included dune and bank filtrates, surface waters and ground waters as well as influents, effluents and sludge of sewage treatment plants (STPs), and surface waters collected near airports and harbours. Air samples included both urban and rural samples. C 60 was detected in air, sewage treatment plants, influents, effluents and sludge, but in no other aqueous samples despite the low detection limit of 0.1 ng/L. C 70 and functionalised fullerenes were not detected at all. In STP sludge and influent the occurrence of Ag and Au nanoparticles was verified by SEM/EDX and ICP-MS. In air up to about 25 m% of certain metals was found in the nanosize fraction. Overall, between 1 and 6% of the total mass from metals in the air samples was found in the size fraction < 100 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we studied the organization of genetic variation of the common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris) in its centres of domestication., We used 131 single nucleotide polymorphisms to investigate 417 wild common bean accessions and a representative sample of 160 domesticated genotypes, including Mesoamerican and Andean genotypes, for a total of 577 accessions., By analysing the genetic spatial patterns of the wild common bean, we documented the existence of several genetic groups and the occurrence of variable degrees of diversity in Mesoamerica and the Andes. Moreover, using a landscape genetics approach, we demonstrated that both demographic processes and selection for adaptation were responsible for the observed genetic structure., We showed that the study of correlations between markers and ecological variables at a continental scale can help in identifying local adaptation genes. We also located putative areas of common bean domestication in Mesoamerica, in the Oaxaca Valley, and the Andes, in southern Bolivia-northern Argentina. These observations are of paramount importance for the conservation and exploitation of the genetic diversity preserved within this species and other plant genetic resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main challenges in environmental risk assessment of fullerenes is to develop analytical methods that detect and quantify fullerenes at low concentrations. In this paper we report on the development and optimization of a highly specific, robust, and relatively simple method for the quantitative determination of C60, C70, and six functionalized fullerenes, namely, [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester, [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid butyl ester, [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid octyl ester, [6,6]-bis(phenyl)-C61-butyric acid methyl ester, [6,6]-thienyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester, and [6,6]-phenyl-C71-butyric acid methyl ester ([70PCBM], in different aqueous matrixes. For this method fullerenes were extracted from the aqueous phase using solid-phase extraction (SPE), with subsequent analysis on a liquid chromatography-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (LC-Orbitrap MS) system. SPE was optimized by varying different conditions to improve recovery of all fullerenes. Different SPE column materials (C18, C18e, C8, CN) were tested, and recoveries appeared to be the highest for the C18-material. Recoveries were improved by adding NaCl to the water during extraction. Very low limit of detection (LOD) values were obtained for all compounds with this method, ranging from 0.17 ng/L for [70]PCBM to 0.28 ng/L for C60, and subsequent limit of quantitation (LOQ) values of 0.57-0.91 ng/L. Recoveries for the fullerenes were on average 120% in ultrapure and drinking water. Recoveries appeared to be lower, but still acceptable (e.g., >78%), in surface water. The developed approach is promising and will be applied, for example, in (1) environmental monitoring, (2) a more in-depth study of environmental fate and transformation products, and (3) studying water treatment efficiency of C60, C70, and the various functionalized fullerenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interest is increasing in biological scaffolds for tissue regeneration such as extracellular matrix membranes, developed through soft tissue decellularization. Extracellular matrix membranes were developed to heal different tendon and soft tissue lesions that are very frequent in the general population with high health-care costs and patient morbidity. The aim of this research was to evaluate a human dermal matrix (HDM) decellularized by a chemico-physical method. A primary culture of rat tenocytes was performed: tenocytes were seeded on HDM samples and on polystyrene wells as controls (CTR). Cell viability and synthetic activity were evaluated at 3 and 7 days. An in vitro microwound model was used to evaluate HDM bioactivity: after tenocyte expansion, artificial wounds were created, HDM extracts were added, and closure time and decorin synthesis were monitored histomorphometrically at 1, 4, 24, and 72 hr. A significant higher amount of collagen I was observed when cells were cultured on HDM in comparison with that on CTR (3 days: p < 0.0001; 7 days: p < 0.05). In HDM group, fibronectin synthesis was significantly higher at both experimental times ( p < 0.0001). At 3 days, proteoglycans and transforming growth factor-β1 releases were significantly higher on HDM ( p < 0.0001 and p < 0.005, respectively). The artificial microwound closure time and decorin expression were significantly enhanced by the addition of 50% HDM extract ( p < 0.05). In vitro data showed that the decellularization technique enabled the development of a matrix with adequate biological and biomechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yanghai Tombs near Turpan, Xinjiang-Uighur Autonomous Region, China have recently been excavated to reveal the 2700-year-old grave of a Caucasoid shaman whose accoutrements included a large cache of cannabis, superbly preserved by climatic and burial conditions. A multidisciplinary international team demonstrated through botanical examination, phytochemical investigation, and genetic deoxyribonucleic acid analysis by polymerase chain reaction that this material contained tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive component of cannabis, its oxidative degradation product, cannabinol, other metabolites, and its synthetic enzyme, tetrahydrocannabinolic acid synthase, as well as a novel genetic variant with two single nucleotide polymorphisms. The cannabis was presumably employed by this culture as a medicinal or psychoactive agent, or an aid to divination. To our knowledge, these investigations provide the oldest documentation of cannabis as a pharmacologically active agent, and contribute to the medical and archaeological record of this pre-Silk Road culture. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Data Acquisition System of the Compact Muon Solenoid experiment at the Large Hadron Collider reads out event fragments of an average size of 2 kB from around 650 detector front- ends at a rate of up to 100 kHz. The first stage of event-building is performed by the Super-Fragment Builder employing custom-built electronics and a Myrinet optical network. It reduces the number of fragments by one order of magnitude, thereby greatly decreasing the requirements for the subsequent event-assembly stage. Back-pres- sure from the down-stream event-processing or variations in the size and rate of events may give rise to buffer overflows in the subdetector's front-end electronics, which would result in data corruption and would require a time-consuming re-sync procedure to recover. The Trigger-Throttling System protects against these buffer overflows. It provides fast feedback from any of the subdetector front-ends to the trigger so that the trigger can be throttled be- fore buffers overflow. This paper reports on new performance measurements and on the recent successful integration of a scaled-down setup of the described system with the trigger and with front-ends of all major subdetectors. The ongoing commissioning of the full-scale system is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The data acquisition system of the CMS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider features a two-stage event builder, which combines data from about 500 sources into full events at an aggregate throughput of 100 GB/s. To meet the requirements, several architectures and interconnect technologies have been quantitatively evaluated. Myrinet will be used for the communication from the underground frontend devices to the surface event building system. Gigabit Ethernet is deployed in the surface event building system. Nearly full hi-section throughput can be obtained using a custom software driver for Myrinet based on barrel shifter traffic shaping. This paper discusses the use of Myrinet dual-port network interface cards supporting channel bonding to achieve virtual 5 GBit/s links with adaptive routing to alleviate the throughput limitations associated with wormhole routing. Adaptive routing is not expected to be suitable for high-throughput event builder applications in high-energy physics. To corroborate this claim, results from the CMS event builder preseries installation at CERN are presented and the problems of wormhole routing networks are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The CMS Data Acquisition (DAQ) System relies on a purely software driven High Level Trigger (HLT) to reduce the full Level 1 accept rate of 100 kHz to approximately 100 Hz for archiving and later offline analysis. The HLT operates on the full information of events assembled by an event builder collecting detector data from the CMS front-end systems. The HLT software consists of a sequence of reconstruction and filtering modules executed on a farm of 0(1000) CPUs built from commodity hardware. This paper presents the architecture of the CMS HLT, which integrates the CMS reconstruction framework in the online environment. The mechanisms to configure, control, and monitor the Filter Farm and the procedures to validate the filtering code within the DAQ environment are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannabis sativa is an interesting crop for several industrial uses, but the legislations in Europe and USA require a tight control of cannabinoid type and content for cultivation and subsidies release. Therefore, cannabinoid survey by gas chromatography of materials under selection is an important step in hemp breeding. In this paper, a number of Cannabis accessions were examined for their cannabinoid composition. Their absolute and relative content was examined, and results are discussed in the light of both the current genetic model for cannabinoid’s inheritance, and the legislation’s requirements. In addition, the effectiveness of two different types of markers associated to the locus determining the chemotype in Cannabis was evaluated and discussed, as possible tools in marker-assisted selection in hemp, but also for possible applications in the forensic and pharmaceutical fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Introduction of the novel class of Multiloop Origami Inspired Spherical Mechanisms. • Comparison between proposed class and classical origami inspired mechanisms. • Atlas of novel mechanisms belonging to the new class. • Novel spherical wrist mechanism proposed as example. In this paper we present a new class of mechanisms called Multiloop Origami Inspired Spherical Mechanisms (MOISM). When new origami-inspired mechanisms are created, usually the designers employ well known origami structures. This method has limitations on the existing origami structures. By enumerating spherical mechanisms using graph and group theories, we can find other structures that comply with the flat-foldable origami theorems. Therefore, we can create new origami-inspired mechanisms that have fewer limitations than their counterparts. First, we compare origami mechanisms to spherical mechanisms, discussing mobility and the order of the screw system to which all joints belong. We then list some mathematical theorems in the design of flat-foldable origamis, which we then use to enumerate origami-inspired spherical mechanisms. Next, we present an atlas of kinematic chains that comply with the flat-foldable origami theorems, comparing them to the origami theorems discussed. Finally, an application of an origami inspired mechanism as a spherical wrist is presented at the end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]