bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antioxidant and antibacterial activity test on a crude extract of sand (Holothuria atra) in Lemukutan water, Bengkayang District
Authors: Idiawati N , Indrianti  , Minsas S , Prayitno D I , Irwan I , Siregar S
Published: August 2023

Sea cucumbers are soft-bodied marine invertebrates from the Holothuroidea class whose habitat is in sandy areas. This study aims to determine the content of secondary metabolites in crude extracts of sea cucumber which have the potential as antioxidants and antibacterials. The type of sea cucumber used in this research is the sand sea cucumber (Holothuria atra). The research was carried out from October 2020-February 2021. Samples were taken using the exploratory method, the sea cucumber samples were processed with 5 treatments, namely cleaning and crushing sea cucumber samples, extraction using the maceration method, evaporation with a vacuum rotary evaporator, and drying using freeze-drying. The bioactive components found in sea cucumbers are alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, and phenols. The antioxidant activity found in sea cucumbers has an IC50 1194 ppm which is classified as a weak antioxidant. The antibacterial activity found intraday sand sea cucumbers E. coli gave the highest inhibition zone at a concentration of 20% with an inhibition zone diameter of 20.08 mm while S. aureus gave the highest inhibition zone at a concentration of 30% with an inhibition zone diameter of 22.17 mm.
Meta-Analysis: The effectiveness of artificial diets to increase on survival rate of vannamei shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)
Authors: Akbar S A , Fazli R R
Published: August 2023

The use of artificial diets for shrimp culture has been widely used at this time, but it was not yet known how large the effect of artificial diets on the survival rate of Litopenaeus vannamei. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of artificial diets on on the survival rate of Litopenaeus vannamei by meta-analysis research. The measurement results obtained z-value of 5.336 and p-value of 0.001, this p-value was smaller than the significance value of 5% (0.05). Therefore, at a significant level of 95%Cl the correlation between artificial diets and the survival rate of vannamei shrimp was significant with a minimum confidence limit of 0.192 and a maximum of 0.343. Based on Egger’s test, the z-value which was the magnitude of the regression coefficient is 1.714, while the p-value of 0.086 is greater than 0.05 which indicates that the selection of articles and the results of the study were not indicated by publication bias. In addition, the p-value > 0.05 indicates that the funnel plot was symmetrical. Therefore, the results of this study are very useful theoretically in the development of artificial diets for the survival of vannamei shrimp.
Community structure of periphyton at floating net cages and non-floating net cages in Laut Tawar Lake, Aceh Tengah
Authors: Nurfadillah N , Royanni T , Damayanti A , Desrita
Published: August 2023

Many activities are carried out around the Laut Tawar lake, one of which is the cultivation of floating net cages that can contribute nutrients to the waters. One of the organisms that can take advantage of the abundance of nutrients in the waters is periphyton. This study aims to examine the community structure of periphyton as natural food in Laut Tawar Lake. This research was conducted in January-April 2022. The results showed that there are 9 classes of periphyton at the KJA station, namely Bacillariophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Cyanophyceae, Rhizopoda, Dinophyceae, Euglenophyceae, Trebouxiophyceae, Klebsormidiophyceae and Coscinodiscophyceae. While, at non-KJA stations there are 7 classes where the Klebsormidiophyceae class and the dinophyceae class are not found at non-KJA stations. The highest abundance at the KJA station was on the 7th day with a value of 108,655 cells/cm2 and non-KJA was 24,552 cells/cm2. The lowest abundance occurred on day 14 at both stations. Periphyton diversity index at KJA and non-KJA stations ranged from 1.88-2.76, which was moderate. The evenness index of periphyton species ranging from 0.61-0.75 was classified as high, while the dominance index ranging from 0.09-0.24 was classified as low. Based on the values obtained, the community structure of periphyton on artificial substrates in the KJA and non-KJA areas in Laut Tawar Lake experienced moderate ecological stress with the community in a stable condition. The t-test results obtained that the abundance values at KJA stations and non-KJA stations had the difference that the abundance of periphyton at KJA stations was greater than at non-KJA stations.
Economic loss as the impact of climate change on tuna fishermen in Northern Indonesian waters
Authors: Chan S , Haridhi H A , Damora A , Aprilla R M , Rahmah A , Asni K
Published: August 2023

This study aims to determine how big the impact of climate change is on the economic loss of the catch of Tuna fishermen in the northern waters of Aceh Province, Indonesia. Unfavorable climate change has an impact on decreasing fishing catches due to changes in seawater biophysics such as increasing sea surface temperatures, increasing wave height, and wind. The respondents in this study were 40 Tuna fishermen, located in 6 (six) villages in the waters of North Aceh., from two different WPPs, namely WPP 571 and 572. Data were collected by interview and using questionnaires. The results of this study indicate that there is a decrease in the level of welfare of coastal communities which is marked by a decrease in income levels caused by climate change. The results of the Present Value calculation also show that there is an economic loss for both small boats (<5GT) and large boats (>5GT), and the slope loss for small fishermen is steeper than for large fishermen. This indicates that large fishermen are more resilient to climate change than small fishermen. For an adaptation strategy, it is recommended that Tuna fishermen on the north coast of Aceh waters, both those in WPP 571 and 572, leave small boats and switch to larger boats (>5GT) which are proven to be more resistant to climate change than small boats (<5GT).
Law Enforcement in Plastic Waste Management in Aceh Waters: Transboundary Marine Pollution Concern
Authors: Nellyana R , Listriani S , Mahfud M , Rivaldi A , Chaliluddin M A , Bustami B
Published: August 2023

The threat of climate change, which is categorized as an environmental issue, is no longer a problem for one or two countries but has become a worldwide issue affecting nearly all nations. Plastic bags are one of the leading drivers of climate change since, from production through disposal and management, plastic garbage emits a lot of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Aceh is a province bordered by the Malacca Strait and the Indian Ocean, both of which are international seas and border other nations. These two bodies of water are the entry and exit points for plastic debris from Aceh’s mainland and elsewhere. This is empirical legal research, a combination of library research on several related legal documents and interviewing some informants and respondents. It found that there is no specific regulation in Aceh as a province that is concerned about Marine debris as it’s not included as a priority for the government of Aceh. It has a significant impact on the ineffectiveness of plastic waste law enforcement in Aceh.
Determination of heavy metals and rare earth elements in sediment and river water of the Citarum Watershed
Authors: Yustiawati  , Mulyaningsih T R , Yusuf S , Subehi L , Nugraha M F I , Julzarika A , Imroatushshoolikhah  , Sofiyuddin H A , Akhdiana I
Published: August 2023

Citarum River and its tributary rivers flows through Bandung Regency, with the watershed area about 6080 km2. These rivers play important role for local people in various field. Unfortunately, the anthropogenic activities in Citarum watershed have caused some environmental problems such as erosion, sedimentation, and water quality deterioration. Many various elements and heavy metals enter into the river from industrial waste, domestic waste, and some lithogenic materials where they will be distributed to aquatic ecosystem components such as sediment and aquatic biota. The aim of this research is to determine the distribution of heavy metals and rare earth elements in water and sediment river in Citarum River and its tributary river. The heavy metals and rare earth elements were measured using neutron activation analysis technique that can determine many elements simultaneously. The samples were collected from 10 sampling stations, from Situ Cisanti (upper segment) to Saguling Reservoir inlet, in March 2022. The result indicated that there were 13 elements detected in river water that consist of Na, K, Ca, Al, Mg, Ti, Co, Zn, Rb, Rb, Sb, Cs, La, V. In river sediment, 25 elements were detected that consist of 9 major elements (Na, K, Ca, Fe, Al, Mg, Ti, V, Mn), 10 minor elements (Co, Zn, Rb, Sb, Cs, Ba, Ta, Cs, Th, U, Hf) and 6 rare earth elements (La, Sc, Ce, Sm, Eu, Yb).
Analysis of the Socio-Economic vulnerability of coastal area of Leupung District, Aceh Besar
Authors: Imstiyaz A , Deli A , Irham M , Mariana  , Idami Z , Miswar E , Ichwana  , Gani A , Sopian S
Published: August 2023

The purpose of this study is to assess the status of socio-economic vulnerability in the coastal area of Leupung sub-district, Aceh Besar district. The assessment was carried out by applying six indicators of vulnerability, namely income per capital, asset ownership, green belt area, population density, education level, and local wisdom using the SEVI (Social Economic Vulnerability Index) method. These indicators were then analyzed and described in the form of vulnerability maps using GIS applications to get a clear picture of the socio-economic conditions of communities in the form of thematic maps. The results of the study indicate that the green belt in several villages in the Leupung area has a high vulnerability status, then asset ownership, population density, and income per capita are included in the vulnerable category. Meanwhile, the local wisdom and education level of the community is generally in low to moderate vulnerability status. The results also indicate that the status of vulnerability in the sub-district of Leupung tends to lead to high vulnerability if coastal management does not anticipate these possibilities.
Nebrius ferrugineus (Chondrichthyes: Orectolobiformes: Ginglymostomatidae) record and the role of citizen science for conservation in Morotai North Maluku Indonesia
Authors: Ichsan M , Bimantara H A , Pridina N , Wardhanie A N
Published: August 2023

Nebrius ferrugineus, or tawny nurse shark, is a species of carpet shark distributed across the tropical Indo-Pacific region. This species has little species-specific information on biology and fisheries. The tawny nurse shark is listed as “Vulnerable” on IUCN Redlist and is rarely seen, recorded, and studied in Indonesia. We recorded this species during SCUBA diving in Morotai waters in April 2022. Recorded live encounters by SCUBA diving activities in Indonesia are even more scarce. In Morotai, North Maluku, this species anecdotally exists by reports from SCUBA divers, however, have not been documented very well. Scientific record of this species is highly important for conservation and habitat management. The government of Indonesia also recognised the significance of biodiversity and potential marine tourism in Morotai by declaring 65,520.75 hectares of Marine Protected Area (MPA) named Taman Wisata Perairan (TWP) Pulau Rao - Tanjung Dehegila. This MPA focuses on protecting marine biodiversity, historical object preservation (World War II underwater relics) and sustainable small-scale fisheries. However, species-specific protection for tawny nurse sharks does not exist in Indonesia. In Morotai, where this species is recorded, marine protected areas are only effective in conserving shark if it is sufficiently large, well-enforced, and monitored.
Annealing effects on Al/polyimide adhesion in flexible optical solar reflectors
Authors: Cordill MJ , Kreiml P , Lassnig A , Gebhart DD , Zak S , Mitterer C , Griesser T , Milassin G
Published: August 2023

Flexible optical solar reflectors are made of single and multi-layered metal thin films on polymer substrates and will encounter around 6000 thermal cycles exceeding +/-100°C during one year of operation in low earth orbit. The candidate thin film system of Inconel/silver (Ag)/Teflon (FEP) recently demonstrated early damage formation (cracks and voids) after only a few thermal cycles, most likely due to the poor interfacial properties between Ag and FEP. An alternative material system that could be used is colourless polyimide, Tormed, instead of FEP. Additionally, aluminium (Al) has demonstrated very good interfacial properties with polyimide even after thermal cycling and has suitable optical properties. The adhesion of the Al/Tormed and Ag/Tormed interfaces were evaluated with tensile induced delamination. Generally, Al/Tormed has a much higher interface adhesion energy compared to Ag/Tormed, and there is no significant degradation after bake-out in vacuum (200°C, 10-6 mbar) for 10 and 24 hrs. Thus, the Al/Tormed system could be a more robust coating system for future flexible solar reflectors.
Space Silicone Adhesive Monitoring Via Minimally Intrusive Optical Fibre Sensing During Vacuum UV/VUV Radiation Exposure
Authors: Fazzi L , Dias N , Holynska M , Rampini R , Groves R M
Published: August 2023

In this work a technique to monitor the health state of space adhesives during environmental testing is presented. Specifically, minimally intrusive Tilted Fibre Bragg Grating (TFBG) sensor was embedded in silicone adhesive Nusil CV16-2500 used to bond two thin cover glasses. The resulting solar cell assembly was then exposed to the UV/VUV radiation in a high vacuum chamber (less than 10-5 mbar). The sensor is demonstrated that it was able to measure simultaneously the strain, temperature and refractive index of the adhesive. The three parameters measured with the TFBG, can be used to detect the thermomechanical and refractometric state of the silicone adhesive.
Solar Absorptivity Degradation of Spacecraft Materials Due to UV and Charged Particles in the Gateway Environment
Authors: Zinecker A , Spivey B , Jayne G , Hasegawa M
Published: August 2023

Gateway will be an outpost in cislunar space designed to survive a 15-year mission to support human Moon landings and future deep space exploration. The Gateway Passive Thermal Control System (PTCS) Group has identified charged particle and UV degradation of potential Gateway materials as a knowledge gap for the Near Rectilinear Halo Orbit (NRHO) and transit environment, especially the slow spiral transit planned for the first two modules. Solar absorptivity degradation is important to quantify because the end-of-life absorptivity impacts thermal performance of the system. To address this, ground testing has been completed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in which potential Gateway materials, including radiators, multi-layer insulation (MLI), and structural materials are subjected to the expected transit plus 15-year on-orbit charged particle fluence (9.86x1015 protons/cm2 at 2.5 keV and 3.1x1016 electrons/cm2 at 10 keV) and 5093 Equivalent Solar Hours (ESH). Reflectivity of a single sample of each material was measured in atmosphere and in vacuum inside the chamber after exposure to incremental levels of ESH and charged particle fluence. Increase in absorptivity of most samples were seen throughout the test including large differences in absorptivity of materials of the same category. Future planned testing will validate these results and include additional materials of interest.
Design of Innovative High-Performance Polymer for Passive Lunar Dust Mitigation
Authors: Saccone Guido , Favaloro Nunzia , Rosa Claudio De , Girolamo Rocco Di , Stefano Giuseppina Di , Cipriani Fabrice
Published: August 2023

Dust in space environments is now recognized as a major concern for successful manned and robotic exploration and colonization missions. Indeed, a thin layer of dust covers the lunar surface made of loose granular material, consisting of a broad range of shapes, sizes, and types of sediments, which mainly consists of silicate minerals in the form of micrometric, sharp, abrasive, porous, chemically reactive dust particles. The aim of this paper is to present preliminary results related to the design and development of an innovative, lightweight, high-performance polymer with an elevated strength-to-weight ratio able to mitigate particle contamination. In detail, dust mitigation or the minimization of the surface energy and consequently the adhesion forces among the external layers and the granular dust micrometric particles can be achieved through modifications of the surface properties by means of both chemical and physical methodologies. The proposed approach, to realize an innovative material and not a hydrophobic coating, is potentially applicable to a wide range of technological conditions and it relies on reproducible and controllable chemical modifications of the material’s surface properties through the design and synthesis of suitable base materials i.e., aromatic polyimides and copolyimides and incorporation of special low molecular weight additives, i.e., surface migrating agents, loaded directly within the reacting mixture during the intermediate phases of the copolymerization. The materials investigated in this work exhibit mechanical properties able to withstand the extreme space environment conditions and an elevated non-sticking behaviour of its surface layers in contact with granular, micrometric dust particles of lunar regolith i.e., abhesion capacity.
Measurement of Mass Gain Behavior due to Hydration and Reduction of Uncertainty Induced by Time Lag of Weighing on Pristine Kapton Film after Heating in Vacuum
Authors: Fujiwara Eijo , Iwata Minoru , Tagawa Masahito , Tachikawa Sumitaka
Published: August 2023

To simulate material degradations in space environments, materials are exposed to various space environment factors in vacuum. In vacuum, low-molecular-weight component, moisture, and etc. desorb from the materials, and it follows the mass loss. The vacuum-desorbed materials, however, adsorb the moisture due to retrieval from vacuum chamber into the atmosphere condition. The mass gain due to hydration disturb the accuracy of an atomic oxygen fluence measurement and an outgassing test. In this study, we have evaluated the mass gain behaviour of vacuum-desorbed material due to hydration. To desorb the moisture, the test specimens were heated in vacuum. After dehydration in vacuum, the mass of test specimen was measured by using an ultra-micro balance inside the low-humidity controlled globe box to evaluate the mass equivalent to that in vacuum condition and then the mass was measured under controlled condition of 50% relative humidity to evaluate the mass gain in atmosphere. From the experimental results, we have evaluated the uncertainties due to hydration occurring during the time lag between sample retrieval from a vacuum chamber to sample weighing, quantitatively. The back extrapolation using the regression curve based on the solution of diffusion equation is effective on the reduction of uncertainties.
Thermal absorptivity of a metallic surface contaminated by EAC-1A regolith simulant
Authors: Kralik T , Frolec J , Bras B , Portaluppi M
Published: August 2023

The aim of this study is to estimate the impact of EAC-1A lunar regolith simulant contamination on the thermal absorption properties of a metallic surface. Masses ranging from 1.0 mg to 1016 mg of the European Astronaut Centre lunar regolith simulant 1 (EAC-1A) were placed on a chemically polished aluminium disc and the total hemispherical absorptivity (αTH) was measured at temperatures TA
of the disc itself between 5 K and 100 K. Temperature TR
of the thermal radiation source ranged from 20 to 280 K. Even a small amount of EAC-1A (several μg/mm2) increased the original αTH of the bare surface up to thirty times and with increasing volumes the effect was even more prominent. However, αTH significantly decreased at higher T
R in case of higher simulant volumes. The results suggest that grains of EAC-1A acted as a thermal shield, preventing the incident thermal radiation to reach the substrate surface. Our findings may have a practical relevance for the thermal management of spacecrafts for exploration missions on Moon and Mars surface.
Commercial optical coatings in space
Authors: Wessing Johanna J. , Bras Bruno , Dias Nuno , Tighe Adrian , Rampini Riccardo
Published: August 2023

The use of commercial optical coatings for space applications for the aptly named “New Space” missions is a state-of-the-art trend. These products are generally less costly and time-consuming in their production and therefore, there is a much wider range of optical coatings available compared to custom-made products. However, the reliability of commercial manufacturing processes is a key concern. Additionally, the resistance of commercial products against space environmental degradation mechanism at operating temperatures needs to be evaluated. In this study, seven commercial products with multi-layer thin film optical coatings consisting of filters, mirrors and windows have been selected from various manufacturers and the results with regards to process verification and space environmental exposure testing are presented. The impact of space environmental effects on the optical performance of the coatings is evaluated, with particular emphasis on the performance at cryogenic temperature. Finally, guidelines and precautions for use of commercial optical coatings for space applications.
Analysis of micron size space debris impacts on materials: comparison of ground-based testing and in-flight results
Authors: Peeters Kristien , Martins Ricardo , Tighe Adrian , Rampini Riccardo
Published: August 2023

A new experimental facility has been built in ESA-ESTEC to simulate orbital debris impacts. The facility uses a laser driven flyer plate technique to accelerate small aluminium particles to high velocities. The area of interest is the population of small sized debris objects (<700 μm) with impact velocities up to 10 kms-1. Impact damage has been observed on different types of thin foils, but fragmentation is very noticeable, both at impact and at the creation of the flyer. The size distribution seems random and velocities between 1 and 6 kms-1 have been established. Results from different types of targets are presented, including a new type of flyer plate target. The flyer plate method appears to be promising and the new targets show a limited fragmentation on each laser beam shot compared to the others.
Molecular contamination control for Exomars 2022 Mission
Authors: Pandi A. , Locantore I. , Giuliani M. , Saverino A.
Published: August 2023

The ExoMars 2022 integration facility has been built at the Thales Alenia Space Italy in Turin. The facility includes a GBT (Glove Box Train), that is an ISO3 class facility, totally aseptic and characterized by controlled airborne molecular organic contamination. This new facility provides an environment strictly controlled for what concerns cleanliness and contamination, specifically conceived to perform AIT of The Ultra Clean Zone (UCZ) of the ExoMars Rover Analytical Laboratory Drawer.

Indeed, standard methods as per ECSS-Q-ST-70-05C and ECSS-Q-ST-70-50C are not suitable for the monitoring of integration facility and Flight H/W. The environment of GBT has been required to be monitored in terms of airborne molecular contamination (AMC) on the basis of ISO 14644-8. The maximum contamination levels allowable on flight H/W after accelerated CO2 snow cleaning and at the end of integration activities are one order of magnitude less than the detection limit of standard FT-IR techniques for molecular contamination.

For these reasons a dedicated method has been set up for molecular contamination monitoring. This paper shows the development of Thermal Desoprtion-Gas Cromatography/Mass Spectrometer (TD-GC/MS) method for the monitoring of extremely low organic contamination levels both on air samples and on witnesses representative of the Flight H/W, providing also the most recent results obtained in the frame of ExoMars 2022 UCZ QM and FM AIT Campaign.
Comparison between purged and vacuum bake-out efficiency
Authors: Szmolka S , Bras B , Rampini R
Published: August 2023

Purged bake-outs can be an appealing alternative to vacuum bake-outs to mitigate molecular outgassing of space hardware. However, their suitability is still debated since there is a lack of knowledge regarding their efficiency. This publication presents a method to assess the efficiency of purged bake-outs, comparing them to vacuum bake-outs, and provides first results of a parametric study on a few materials, with particular emphasis in the effects that pressure, nitrogen flow, and gas inlet temperature have on the efficiency of the process. The study was done without a specific mission in mind, pre-determined temperature and duration profiles were applied. It is however stressed that the actual bake-out conditions will have to be related to the particular mission of interest.
Characterisation of lunar and Martian dust simulants and impacts on thermo-optical properties of space materials
Authors: Suarez Kahan A , Delacourt B , Dias N , Holyńska M , Tighe A
Published: August 2023

Characterisation analyses were carried out on several available lunar and Martian simulants in order to provide standardised comparative data to guide testing. Thermal conductivity measurements were performed on regolith powder under ambient conditions Reflectance spectra were obtained for several simulants including separated size-fractions in order to calculate solar absorptance (αS
) values. The change in thermo-optical properties of optical solar reflectors (OSRs) due to lunar simulant EAC-1A <100 μm fraction dust deposition was investigated, showing a linear increase in αS
and infrared emittance (εIR
) values. Facilities are in development for future work involving dusty testing under simulated lunar environments.
Modelling of particulate contamination redistribution inside purged cavities
Authors: Faye D , Dall’armi F , Bombardier P
Published: August 2023

Sophisticated instruments on-board most of satellite payloads, especially scientific ones, are sensitive to particulate contamination since their performance can be affected in terms of straylight or surface obscuration. The surface cleanliness levels have to be minimized on ground. However, even if the deposition rate is controlled in cleanroom, the hardware is continuously exposed to particles and fibers, moving in the airflow and settling according to their various sizes and matter compositions. Thus, depending on the initial surface cleanliness level, the redistribution of particulate contamination can be a concern during integration and tests activities until launch, when venting and/or vibrations occur which results in more or less random fallout of particles. Previous studies identified different steps for the transfer mechanism such as detachment, transport and interaction with the surface (with or without bounce). Therefore, it is paramount to understand the physical phenomena of particle resuspension that happens either inside purged cavities of spacecraft or under fairing in order to be able to model them as for molecular contamination. After performing a state of the art of the existing detachment models, a Computational Fluid Dynamics software, scSTREAM, has been chosen among the most relevant ones for a feasibility study to simulate particles redistribution. This tool was particularly interesting due to the possibility to add specific functions for computation. For the purpose, the Rock’n’Roll (R’n’R) model has been implemented to consider particle resuspension. In parallel, some simple test configurations have been defined and a mock-up with several adjacent cavities has been used to compare theory and experiment when a purging under dry nitrogen was applied in the vicinity of a pre-contaminated surface. The relocation of FluoDust particles, as the source of contamination, deposited on a specific substrate has been evaluated thanks to many collector plates disseminated in one or two cavities and the levels quantified. The impact of different test conditions (flow rate, material of the substrate, presence of leakage, initial contamination level…) has been investigated. This paper presents the comparative results that confirmed the redistribution of the particulate contamination with similar trajectories but also some discrepancies due to the limitations of the R’n’R model and depending on experimental parameters such as initial distribution of particles, adherence force to the substrate…
Regolith adherence characterization (RAC) experiment on the Moon and it’s ground-based simulation: Materials Issues
Authors: Kleiman Jacob , Iskanderova Zelina , Krishtein Leon , Ng Richard , Sodhi Rana
Published: August 2023

The interaction of Lunar dust and other environmental factors, like vacuum, temperatures, solar radiation, ultraviolet irradiation, and electron (e-) and proton (p+) irradiation with structures on the Moon and the outside of the future Gateway Lunar station may lead to permanent change or complete loss of thermal, optical, and other functionalities that could potentially lead to catastrophic failures. Among these factors, Lunar regolith dust is the most aggressive, causing the main problems.

ITL recently initiated a program to evaluate, further develop, and enhance its unique cornerstone Lunar Dust Mitigation Technology (DMT) for sensitive materials on external space structures. In the framework of this program, ITL prepared a set of DMT-treated samples for inclusion in the “Regolith Adherence Characterization (RAC) Payload” funded by NASA and developed and built by Aegis.

Regolith Adherence Characterization (RAC) Payload mission will determine how lunar regolith dust sticks to a range of space materials and coatings (collected from NASA, academia, and industry) exposed to the Moon’s environment at different phases of flight caused by 1) landing, and 2) during routine lander operations.

To understand the results of the Lunar exposure experiment, an extensive program was initiated at ITL where a set of experiments on interaction of Lunar dust simulants with samples, similar to the RAC Payload experiments on the Moon, will be conducted in ITL’s Vacuum Lunar Dusty Environment Simulator that will be upgraded for this project.

This paper will discuss mainly the material problems and their preparation for experiments. The detailed description of the Vacuum Lunar Dusty Environment Simulator and the results obtained in it will be published elsewhere in upcoming publications.
New horizons in cognitive and functional impairment as a consequence of cerebral small vessel disease
Authors: Tap Lisanne , Vernooij Meike W , Wolters Frank , van den Berg Esther , Mattace-Raso Francesco U S
Published: August 2023

Cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) is a frequent finding in imaging of the brain in older adults, especially in the concomitance of cardiovascular disease risk factors. Despite the well-established link between cSVD and (vascular) cognitive impairment (VCI), it remains uncertain how and when these vascular alterations lead to cognitive decline. The extent of acknowledged markers of cSVD is at best modestly associated with the severity of clinical symptoms, but technological advances increasingly allow to identify and quantify the extent and perhaps also the functional impact of cSVD more accurately. This will facilitate a more accurate diagnosis of VCI, against the backdrop of concomitant other neurodegenerative pathology, and help to identify persons with the greatest risk of cognitive and functional deterioration. In this study, we discuss how better assessment of cSVD using refined neuropsychological and comprehensive geriatric assessment as well as modern image analysis techniques may improve diagnosis and possibly the prognosis of VCI. Finally, we discuss new avenues in the treatment of cSVD and outline how these contemporary insights into cSVD can contribute to optimise screening and treatment strategies in older adults with cognitive impairment and multimorbidity.
How (and How Not) to Study Porn
Authors: Lubey Kathleen
Published: August 2023

Over the past several decades, porn studies has cohered as an interdisciplinary field built by scholars of feminism, race, media studies, history, literature, sociology, gender studies, and queer theory. The most compelling recent work in the field, like Heather Berg’s Porn Work (2021) and Steven Ruszczycky’s Vulgar Genres (2021), approaches pornography as a broad textual and cultural field rich with information about how we imagine, consume, and construct sex. They show that the category of pornography expands and deepens as texts are written, excerpted, and republished; as sex workers invent new outlets and conditions for their labor; and as new technologies increase access for user interaction. Such work shows us not simply how pornography indexes pleasure, but how it creates politics, community, and labor theory. Some scholarship, meanwhile, remains wearily sedimented in polarizing arguments for or against pornography’s value, like Bernadette Barton’s The Pornification of America (2021). Locked into an assumption that pornography is harmful and irredeemable, such work avoids engaging with pornographic texts themselves and ignores recent work in the very field to which it claims to make urgent contributions.[T]he best work [in porn studies] defines pornography not as identifiable texts, videos, or films, but as a field that connects sex to the myriad social relations that shape it: gender, labor, pop culture, and consumption.
Diagnostic Logic and Forensic Reading: The Case ofWieland
Authors: Grubbs Lindsey
Published: August 2023

At the end of the eighteenth century, professional and lay audiences alike negotiated the lines between mental health and disorder, questioning whether criminal behavior, for example, laid within medicine’s jurisdiction. This essay examines the role of literature in developing a “diagnostic logic” that trained readers in evolving forms of mental surveillance. First, it shows how physicians like Benjamin Rush relied on popular and literary sources to create new diagnostic categories, citing newspaper crime reports and Shakespearean plays as medical evidence and encouraging readers to interpret familiar behavior through the lens of pathology. Next, I turn to Charles Brockden Brown’s Wieland (1798) to demonstrate how the novel’s suspicion of empiricism could paradoxically heighten readers’ desire to sort and predict behavior. Soliciting readers’ interest through scenes of gothic horror, the novel concludes by urging readers to apply their diagnostic skills in more mundane social settings. Moreover, unlike Rush’s straightforward assessment of pathology’s mitigating impact on accountability, Brown’s novel invites readers to reach their own conclusions on the ethical implications of diagnosis. Ultimately, I argue, texts like Wieland did not simply work alongside medical tracts to authorize the surveillance of an increasing number of pathologized behaviors, but deepened readers’ engagement in doing so.
Madness, and What Passes for Civilization: The Way We Diagnose Now
Authors: Sadowsky Jonathan
Published: August 2023

Two new books, one by a journalist and one by a historian, reveal enduring and novel paradoxes of mental illness and its treatment. The mentally ill are, perhaps by definition, people whose perception of reality departs from the consensual. Yet they often have uncanny insights that elude the healthy. Sometimes the mentally ill value aspects of their illness experience but also welcome the relief from symptoms that treatments can bring. The advent of psychopharmacology may have led to an over-reliance on drugs for some populations, while, at the same time, leaving people with less access to health care under-medicated. Mental illness is sometimes imagined as an affliction of the affluent, yet decades of social research has shown that it is more likely to impair the poor. Substantial evidence suggests reducing poverty would also reduce the incidence of many mental illnesses, yet this step is rarely a part of the relevant policy discussions.

[Aviv suggests] that stories of mental illness follow a standard plot. . . . with an idyllic setting. . . . broken by the intrusion of illness. . . . [but] the poor are most likely to experience mental illnesses. . . . studies. . . . [show] that less poverty would mean less mental illness. . . . Yet little was ever done.
Polypharma Fiction
Authors: Blum Beth
Published: August 2023

This article examines how the rise of polypharmacy changes the novel genre’s response to the pain of anxiety and its narrative interest. Necessarily focusing its scope while also registering the fluidity, complexity, and exigency of contemporary psychopharmacological experience, it focuses specifically on how anti-anxiety and anti-depressant medications are activating an ongoing reassessment among contemporary novelists of ingrained assumptions regarding the centrality of mental suffering to aesthetics. The books I discuss as “polypharma fictions”—by Sheila Heti, Ottessa Moshfegh, and Anelise Chen—each challenge the idea of psychic pain as a precondition of narrative development—whether the pain of existential anxiety (Heti), capitalist aspiration (Moshfegh), or willful determination (Chen). Moving beyond the extremes of alarmism and advocacy that have largely structured scholarly responses to the rise of psychotropics, I attend to the formal significance of psychotropics for narrative temporality, tension, and plot.

In this more recent fiction, the question is not whether psychotropics presage the end of the novel genre but, rather, what kind of novel it is that incorporates psychopharmaceuticals and, yet . . . goes on.
Integrative serum proteomics analysis reveals distinct immune and cardiovascular profile dysregulation in erythrodermic psoriasis
Authors: Song Biao , Wu Chao , Liu Weida , Wang Yanan , Ning Xin , Guo Lan , Liu Xiaohan , Gao Yimeng , Jin Hongzhong
Published: August 2023

In-depth analysis of circulating proteome alterations identified that erythrodermic psoriasis (EP) presented a dysregulated serum proteome with distinct inflammation elevation, immune activation and metabolic disturbance. We found that EP harboured a blended immune milieu with distinct T helper (Th)17/Th1 skewing and mild Th2 activation. Additionally, atherosclerosis signalling were substantially increased in EP.
Association of perioperative allogeneic blood transfusions and long-term outcomes following radical surgery for gastric and colorectal cancers: systematic review and meta-analysis of propensity-adjusted observational studies
Authors: Zhang Weilan , Xu Huimian , Huang Baojun , Xu Yan , Huang Jinyu
Published: August 2023

Background

Previous meta-analyses reporting significant associations between perioperative allogeneic blood transfusions and poor prognosis in gastric cancer or colorectal cancer had a high risk of confounding bias. This meta-analysis explored this issue using observational studies that applied propensity score analysis.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for manuscripts published between 2013 and 2022. Studies applying propensity score analysis were included to investigate the association between perioperative allogeneic blood transfusions and prognosis in gastric cancer or colorectal cancer after radical surgery. Pooled HRs for overall survival and disease-free survival were calculated using a fixed-effect model or random-effect model according to heterogeneity.

Results

Twelve retrospective cohort studies with 17 607 patients reported were included. Ten studies applied propensity score matching and two applied inverse probability of treatment weighting using propensity score. A total of 5962 patients were analysed after propensity score adjustment. After propensity score adjustment, perioperative allogeneic blood transfusions did not correlate with disease-free survival in gastric cancer (HR 1.16; 95 per cent c.i. 0.96–1.39; heterogeneity was assessed by the chi-squared test and inconsistency index (I2) = 57 per cent) or colorectal cancer (HR 1.12; 95 per cent c.i. 0.84–1.49; I2 = 54 per cent). However, after propensity score adjustment, perioperative allogeneic blood transfusions were significantly associated with worse overall survival in gastric cancer (HR 1.20; 95 per cent c.i. 1.08–1.32; I2 = 25 per cent) and colorectal cancer (HR 1.40; 95 per cent c.i. 1.06–1.85; I2 = 52 per cent). Subgroup analyses showed that perioperative allogeneic blood transfusions did not correlate with overall survival in colorectal cancer when major postoperative complications were balanced after propensity score.

Conclusion

Perioperative allogeneic blood transfusion is not correlated with recurrence of gastric cancer and colorectal cancer. Perioperative allogeneic blood transfusions are significantly associated with worse overall survival in gastric cancer and colorectal cancer, which may be attributable to unbalanced major postoperative complications after propensity score adjustment.
On the road to colorectal cancer development: crosstalk between the gut microbiota, metabolic reprogramming, and epigenetic modifications
Authors: Chen Anqi , Jiang Zhengting , Cai Lingli , Tang Dong
Published: August 2023

An increasing number of studies have reported the role of gut microbes in colorectal cancer (CRC) development, as they can be influenced by dietary metabolism and mediate alterations in host epigenetics, ultimately affecting CRC. Intake of specific dietary components can affect gut microbial composition and function, and their metabolism regulates important epigenetic functions that may influence CRC risk. Gut microbes can regulate epigenetic modifications through nutrient metabolism, including histone modification, DNA methylation, and noncoding RNAs. Epigenetics, in turn, determines the gut microbial composition and thus influences the risk of developing CRC. This review discusses the complex crosstalk between metabolic reprogramming, gut microbiota, and epigenetics in CRC and highlights the potential applications of the gut microbiota as a biomarker for the prevention, diagnosis, and therapy of CRC.
Longitudinal developmental trajectories of functional connectivity reveal regional distribution of distinct age effects in infancy
Authors: Liu Janelle , Chen Haitao , Cornea Emil , Gilmore John H , Gao Wei
Published: August 2023

Prior work has shown that different functional brain networks exhibit different maturation rates, but little is known about whether and how different brain areas may differ in the exact shape of longitudinal functional connectivity growth trajectories during infancy. We used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during natural sleep to characterize developmental trajectories of different regions using a longitudinal cohort of infants at 3 weeks (neonate), 1 year, and 2 years of age (n = 90; all with usable data at three time points). A novel whole brain heatmap analysis was performed with four mixed-effect models to determine the best fit of age-related changes for each functional connection: (i) growth effects: positive-linear-age, (ii) emergent effects: positive-log-age, (iii) pruning effects: negative-quadratic-age, and (iv) transient effects: positive-quadratic-age. Our results revealed that emergent (logarithmic) effects dominated developmental trajectory patterns, but significant pruning and transient effects were also observed, particularly in connections centered on inferior frontal and anterior cingulate areas that support social learning and conflict monitoring. Overall, unique global distribution patterns were observed for each growth model indicating that developmental trajectories for different connections are heterogeneous. All models showed significant effects concentrated in association areas, highlighting the dominance of higher-order social/cognitive development during the first 2 years of life.
Ablation of AQP5 gene in mice leads to olfactory dysfunction caused by hyposecretion of Bowman’s gland
Authors: Zhao Xinnan , Liu Gang , Yu Xin , Yang Xiaohan , Gao Wenting , Zhao Zinan , Ma Tonghui , Ma Jianmei
Published: August 2023

Smell detection depends on nasal airflow, which can make absorption of odors to the olfactory epithelium by diffusion through the mucus layer. The odors then act on the chemo-sensitive epithelium of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). Therefore, any pathological changes in the olfactory area, for instance, dry nose caused by Sjögren’s Syndrome (SS) may interfere with olfactory function. SS is an autoimmune disease in which aquaporin (AQP) 5 autoantibodies have been detected in the serum. However, the expression of AQP5 in olfactory mucosa and its function in olfaction is still unknown. Based on the study of the expression characteristics of AQP5 protein in the nasal mucosa, the olfaction dysfunction in AQP5 knockout (KO) mice was found by olfactory behavior analysis, which was accompanied by reduced secretion volume of Bowman’s gland by using in vitro secretion measure system, and the change of acid mucin in nasal mucus layer was identified. By excluding the possibility that olfactory disturbance was caused by changes in OSNs, the result indicated that AQP5 contributes to olfactory functions by regulating the volume and composition of OE mucus layer, which is the medium for the dissolution of odor molecules. Our results indicate that AQP5 can affect the olfactory functions by regulating the water supply of BGs and the mucus layer upper the OE that can explain the olfactory loss in the patients of SS, and AQP5 KO mice might be used as an ideal model to study the olfactory dysfunction.
A quick test to objectify smell and taste dysfunction at home: a proof of concept for the validation of the chemosensory perception test
Authors: Levesque-Boissonneault Cindy , Bussière Nicholas , Roy-Côté Frédérique , Cloutier Frank , Caty Marie-Ève , Frasnelli Johannes
Published: August 2023

Recent studies have shown the efficacy of a home test for the self-evaluation of olfactory and gustatory functions in quarantined coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) patients. However, testing was often limited to COVID-19 participants, and the accuracy of home test kits was rarely compared to standardized testing. This study aims at providing proof of concept for the validation of the new Chemosensory Perception Test (CPT) developed to remotely assess orthonasal olfactory, retronasal olfactory, and gustatory functions in various populations using common North American household items. In the 2 experiments, a total of 121 participants irrespective of having olfactory and/or gustatory complaints from various causes (COVID-19, sinunasal, post-viral, idiopathic) were tested first, with one or many of the following tests: (i) a brief chemosensory questionnaire, (ii) an olfactory test—Sniffin’ Sticks Test (SST) or University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT), and/or (iii) a gustatory test—Brief Waterless Empirical Taste Test (B-WETT). We then applied the CPT which yielded 3 different subscores, namely orthonasal, retronasal, and gustatory CPT scores. The orthonasal CPT score was significantly correlated with SST (ρ = 0.837, P < 0.001) and UPSIT (ρ = 0.364, P < 0.001) scores, and exhibited an excellent accuracy to identify olfactory dysfunction (OD) as compared to SST (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.923 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 0.822–1.000], P < 0.001). The retronasal CPT score but not the gustatory CPT score allowed to distinguish between participants with or without subjective gustatory complaint (AUC: 0.818 [95% CI, 0.726–0.909], P < 0.001). The CPT has the ability to identify OD and to quantify subjective gustatory complaints.