Electrotactile stimulation on the tongue: Intensity perception,discrimination, and cross-modality estimation

Due to its high sensitivity and conductivity, electrotactile stimulation (ETS) on the tongue has proven to be a useful and technically convenient tool to substitute and/or augment sensory capabilities. However, most of its applications have only provided spatial attributes and little is known about (a) the ability of the tongue's sensory system to process electrical stimuli of varying magnitudes and (b) how modulation of ETS intensity affects subjects’ ability to decode stimulus intensity. We addressed these questions by quantifying: (1) the magnitude of the dynamic range (DR; maximal comfortable intensity/perception threshold) and its sensitivity to prolonged exposure; (2) subjects’ ability to perceive intensity changes; and (3) subjects’ ability to associate intensity with angular excursions of a protractor's handle. We found that the average DR (17 dB) was generally large in comparison with other tactile loci and of a relatively constant magnitude among subjects, even after prolonged exposure, despite a slight but significant upward drift (p < 0.001). Additionally, our results showed that as stimulus intensity increased, subjects’ ability to discriminate ETS stimuli of different intensities improved (p < 0.05) while estimation accuracy, in general, slightly decreased (increasing underestimation). These results suggest that higher ETS intensity may increase recruitment of rapidly adapting mechanoreceptor fibers, as these are specialized for coding stimulus differences rather than absolute intensities. Furthermore, our study revealed that the tongue's sensory system can effectively convey electrical stimuli despite minimal practice and when information transfer is limited by memory and DR drift.     

A polymetamorphic protein

Arc repressor is a homodimeric protein with a ribbon‐helix–helix fold. A single polar‐to‐hydrophobic substitution (N11L) at a solvent‐exposed position leads to population of an alternate dimeric fold in which 3₁₀ helices replace a β‐sheet. Here we find that the variant Q9V/N11L/R13V (S‐VLV), with two additional polar‐to‐hydrophobic surface mutations in the same β‐sheet, forms a highly stable, reversibly folded octamer with approximately half the?α‐helical content of wild‐type Arc. At low protein concentration and low ionic strength, S‐VLV also populates both dimeric topologies previously observed for N11L, as judged by NMR chemical shift comparisons. Thus, accumulation of simple hydrophobic mutations in Arc progressively reduces fold specificity, leading first to a sequence with two folds and then to a manifold bridge sequence with at least three different topologies. Residues 9–14 of S‐VLV form a highly hydrophobic stretch that is predicted to be amyloidogenic, but we do not observe aggregates of higher order than octamer. Increases in sequence hydrophobicity can promote amyloid aggregation but also exert broader and more complex effects on fold specificity. Altered native folds, changes in fold coupled to oligomerization, toxic pre‐amyloid oligomers, and amyloid fibrils may represent a near continuum of accessible alternatives in protein structure space.     

Determination of endogenous faecal phosphorus loss in goats

Four black Liuyang wether goats were fed with corn stover and concentrate formulated to contain four levels of dietary phosphorus (P), including 0.129, 0.140, 0.162 and 0.180% of P. In a 4 × 4 Latin square experiment the endogenous faecal P loss was determined by the regression technique and the substitution method. Treatment effects on faecal and urinary P output, apparent P digestibility and P retention, and saliva P secretion were not significant. A linear relationship was observed between apparent faecal digestible P (Y, g/kg DMI) and P intake (X, g/kg DMI), which was described by the equation: Y = 0.4799X ?0.9209, r² = 0.9869, (p < 0.05). The true P digestibility determined by the regression technique and the substitution method amounted to 48.0 and 48.9%, respectively; the recorded endogenous faecal P losses were 0.92 and 0.93 g/kg DMI, respectively. The study demonstrated the potential of the regression method as well as the substitution method for estimation of true P digestibility and endogenous faecal P losses in goats.     

Net climate impacts of forest biomass production and utilization in managed boreal forests

In this work, we studied the potentials offered by managed boreal forests and forestry to mitigate the climate change using forest‐based materials and energy in substituting fossil‐based materials (concrete and plastic) and energy (coal and oil). For this purpose, we calculated the net climate impacts (radiative forcing) of forest biomass production and utilization in the managed Finnish boreal forests (60°–70°N) over a 90‐year period based on integrated use forest ecosystem model simulations (on carbon sequestration and biomass production of forests) and life‐cycle assessment (LCA) tool. When studying the effects of management on the radiative forcing in a system integrating the carbon sink/sources dynamics in both biosystem and technosystem, the current forest management (baseline management) was used a reference management. Our results showed that the use of forest‐based materials and energy in substituting fossil‐based materials and energy would provide an effective option for mitigating climate change. The negative climate impacts could be further decreased by maintaining forest stocking higher over the rotation compared to the baseline management and by harvesting stumps and coarse roots in addition to logging residues in the final felling. However, the climate impacts varied substantially over time depending on the prevailing forest structure and biomass assortment (timber, energy biomass) used in substitution.     

Compositionally Graded Cathode Material with Long‐Term Cycling Stability for Electric Vehicles Application

Al is introduced into a compositionally graded cathode with average composition of Li[Ni_0.61Co_0.12Mn_0.27]O₂ (FCG61) whose Ni and Mn concentrations are designed to vary continuously within the cathode particle. The Al‐substituted full concentration gradient (Al‐FCG61) cathode is tested for 3000 cycles in a full‐cell, mainly to gauge its viability for daily charge/discharge cycles during the service life of electric vehicles (≈10 years). The Al‐substitution enables the Al‐FCG61 cathode to maintain 84% of its initial capacity even after 3000 cycles. It is demonstrated that the Al‐substitution strengthens the grain boundaries, substantiated by the mechanical strength data, thereby delaying the nucleation of microcracks at the phase boundaries which is shown to be the main reason for the cathode failure during long‐term cycling. It also shows that the Al‐substitution decreases the cation mixing and suppresses the deleterious formation of the secondary phase that likely initiates the microcracks. Unlike an NCA cathode, whose depth of discharge (DOD) must be limited to 60% for long‐term cycling, the proposed Al‐FCG61 cathode is cycled at 100% DOD for 3000 cycles to fully utilize its available capacity for maximum energy density and subsequent reduction in cost of the battery.     

Evaluating ecosystem effects of climate change on tropical island streams using high spatial and temporal resolution sampling regimes

Climate change is expected to alter precipitation patterns worldwide, which will affect streamflow in riverine ecosystems. It is vital to understand the impacts of projected flow variations, especially in tropical regions where the effects of climate change are expected to be one of the earliest to emerge. Space‐for‐time substitutions have been successful at predicting effects of climate change in terrestrial systems by using a spatial gradient to mimic the projected temporal change. However, concerns have been raised that the spatial variability in these models might not reflect the temporal variability. We utilized a well‐constrained rainfall gradient on Hawaii Island to determine (a) how predicted decreases in flow and increases in flow variability affect stream food resources and consumers and (b) if using a high temporal (monthly, four streams) or a high spatial (annual, eight streams) resolution sampling scheme would alter the results of a space‐for‐time substitution. Declines in benthic and suspended resource quantity (10‐ to 40‐fold) and quality (shift from macrophyte to leaf litter dominated) contributed to 35‐fold decreases in macroinvertebrate biomass with predicted changes in the magnitude and variability in the flow. Invertebrate composition switched from caddisflies and damselflies to taxa with faster turnover rates (mosquitoes, copepods). Changes in resource and consumer composition patterns were stronger with high temporal resolution sampling. However, trends and ranges of results did not differ between the two sampling regimes, indicating that a suitable, well‐constrained spatial gradient is an appropriate tool for examining temporal change. Our study is the first to investigate resource to community wide effects of climate change on tropical streams on a spatial and temporal scale. We determined that predicted flow alterations would decrease stream resource and consumer quantity and quality, which can alter stream function, as well as biomass and habitat for freshwater, marine, and terrestrial consumers dependent on these resources.     

Quality Assessment and Circularity Potential of Recovery Systems for Household Plastic Waste

Plastic recycling is promoted in the transition toward a circular economy and a closed plastic loop, typically using mass‐based recycling targets. Plastic from household waste (HHW) is contaminated and heterogeneous, and recycled plastic from HHW often has a limited application range, due to reduced quality. To correctly assess the ability to close plastic loops via recycling, both plastic quantities and qualities need to be evaluated. This study defines a circularity potential representing the ability of a recovery system to close material loops assuming steady‐state market conditions. Based on an average plastic waste composition including impurities, 84 recovery scenarios representing a wide range of sorting schemes, source‐separation efficiencies, and material recovery facility (MRF) configurations and performances were assessed. The qualities of the recovered fractions were assessed based on contamination and the circularity potential calculated for each scenario in a European context. Across all scenarios, 17% to 100% of the generated plastic mass could be recovered, with higher source‐separation and MRF efficiencies leading to higher recovery. Including quality, however, at best 55% of the generated plastic was suitable for recycling due to contamination. Source‐separation, a high number of target fractions, and efficient MRF recovery were found to be critical. The circularity potential illustrated that less than 42% of the plastic loop can be closed with current technology and raw material demands. Hence, Europe is still far from able to close the plastic loop. When transitioning toward a circular economy, the focus should be on limiting impurities and losses through product design, technology improvement, and more targeted plastic waste management.     

农业化学投入强度替代效率及其影响因素

采用SE-DEA和空间基尼系数,研究了2000—2016年我国农业化学投入强度替代效率,并运用Tobit模型分析了我国及各地区替代效率的驱动因素.结果表明: 我国农业化学投入强度替代的综合效率和规模效率呈现出“N”字型趋势,纯技术效率则波动上升,替代效率的地区差异明显,东部地区更倚重替代要素的投入规模;各年份全国省域差异最高的是综合效率,其次为纯技术效率,规模效率的区域差异性最小,地区内部省域差异逐渐减小,东部地区省域差异最大;农业化学投入替代效率受农业技术水平、农户收入水平、农业生产结构、农业发展程度和工业化水平的显著影响,各地区受各因素影响差异明显.推动农业化学投入替代效率,要从提高农业化学投入强度替代要素的投入效率、调整农用工业发展结构、关注农民收入水平和修订农业化学投入强度替代的补贴政策等方面入手.     

Carbanilation of cereal beta-glucans for molecular weight determination and conformational studies

Cereal beta-glucans can form aggregates in aqueous solution. The presence of aggregates in cereal beta-glucan solutions led to inaccurate determination of molecular weights and it was believed that intermolecular hydrogen bonding caused the aggregation. To eliminate aggregates, a carbanilation method for molecular weight determination of cereal beta-glucans was developed. Wheat beta-glucan samples were selected for investigation. The carbanilation method can prevent intermolecular hydrogen bonding by blocking hydroxyl groups with phenyl carbamate groups. The carbanilates of cereal beta-glucans were prepared by the reaction of cereal beta-glucans with phenylisocyanate catalyzed by DMSO and pyridine. To avoid degradation during the carbanilation reaction, relatively mild conditions were used, which led to incomplete substitution (DS: approximately 2). However, after the carbanilation reaction, the carbanilates dissolved completely in 1,4-dioxane solution without any detectable aggregates, which allowed accurate molecular weight determination. The degree of substitution (DS) of carbanilates was determined by both a nitrogen content method and an FT-IR method. The FT-IR method proved to be the more effective for DS estimation. Using this method, the converted molecular weights of cereal beta-glucans were in good agreement with the results measured in 0.5M NaOH solution, which previously was shown to be a good solvent for cereal beta-glucans. After the carbanilation reaction, conformational changes of carbanilates were studied by static and dynamic light scattering techniques. The fractal dimension (d(f)=2.27) and the structure sensitive parameters (rho >2) suggested a porous globular structure for partially carbanilated beta-glucans.