Measuring the effects of visual demand on lateral deviation: a comparison among driver's performance indicators

In this study we compare the efficacy of three driver's performance indicators based on lateral deviation in detecting significant on-road performance degradations while interacting with a secondary task: the High Frequency Component of steering wheel (HFC), and two indicators described in ISO/DIS 26022 (2007): the Normative and the Adapted Lane Change Test (LCT). Sixteen participants were asked to perform a simulated lane-change task while interacting, when required, with a visual search task with two levels of difficulty. According to predictions, results showed that the Adapted LCT indicator, taking into consideration individual practices in performing the LCT, succeeded in discriminating between single and dual task conditions. Furthermore, this indicator was also able to detect whether the driver was interacting with an easy or a difficult secondary task. Despite predictions, results did not confirm Normative LCT and HFC to be reliable indicators of performance degradation within the simulated LCT.     

Array of hexagonal Fresnel zone plate lens antennas

An array of overlapping single-zone hexagonal Fresnel zone plate lens antennas was designed and tested at 30 GHz. By arraying smaller-diameter lenses, a significantly lower overall profile can be achieved compared to a single lens of equivalent diameter. These arrays can also find use in spatial power combining or in imaging applications.     

The Volga: Management issues in the largest river basin in Europe

The Volga is the longest river in Europe and 16th longest in the world. The riverine landscape of the Volga is of exceptional scientific and economic importance to Russia; the basin contains approximately 40% of the Russian population and relates to 45% of the country's industrial and agricultural produce. The Volga River drains an area of 1.4 million km², covering various biomes from taiga to semidesert. Anthropogenic impacts in the 20th century include pollution as well as hydropower production and navigation purposes, incurring a cost for its historically important migratory fish (e.g., sturgeons) and related fisheries. River basin management in Russia, since 2006, is based on the water code that determines federal competencies in water management. Extensive water quality monitoring programmes provide feedback to regional managers. Monitoring of biological parameters is spatially limited and should be extended in order to provide sufficient data for informed management. Some initiatives have been implemented in recent decades in order to restore the ecological health of the river and manage fisheries resources (e.g., restocking programmes and the definition of total allowable catches). As recreational fishing is popular but presently unregulated in Russia, we suggest additional monitoring. Finally, the headwaters and lower river floodplain of the Volga have remained as free‐flowing and relatively undisturbed systems. Because reference conditions with low levels of anthropogenic disturbance cannot be found in Central European lowland rivers, both the headwaters and lower Volga floodplains below Volgograd are of great importance on European level.     

Protein kinase C and casein kinase 2 phosphorylate in vitro proteins of the annexin family from eggs of loach Misgurnus fossilis

A mixture of proteins of the annexin family was obtained from the cytoplasm of mature eggs of loach Misgurnus fossilis (by reprecipitation with acid phospholipids in the presence of Ca2+). This mixture comprised five proteins with molecular weights of 58, 38, 36, 35, and 31 kD. Polyclonal rabbit antibodies against the major 31-kD protein were obtained. Western blot analysis showed that the obtained antibodies exhibit a high specificity towards the 31-kD protein from eggs and other tissues of loach and zebrafish (Brachydanio rerio). The analysis of cDNA corresponding to the 31-kD protein by screening the zebrafish cDNA library confirmed that this protein belongs to the annexin family. Phosphorylation of the obtained annexins in vitro was studied. It is shown that the 58-kD protein is phosphorylated by casein kinase 2 (CK2), whereas the 38-, 36-, 35-, and 31-kD proteins are phosphorylated by protein kinase C (PKC).     

Disruptive Innovation … in Reverse: Adding a Geographical Dimension to Disruptive Innovation Theory

Based on a literature review on disruptive innovation and innovation from emerging economies, we offer an interpretation of a subset of reverse innovation within the disruptive innovation theory. We argue that the combination of these two theories provides a useful framework to look at emerging economies as sources of new products and technological solutions. Finally, we provide a new categorization of disruptive innovation considering a geographical dimension and future research directions.     

Silica coating of Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles with PMIDA assistance to increase the surface area and enhance peptide immobilization efficiency

The high efficiency of using N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid (PMIDA) as a surfactant for formation of a silica coating on Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) with a large surface area has been demonstrated. The coating of PMIDA-stabilized MNPs with silica and their further APS-functionalization significantly increased the specific area (up to 203 m² g^?1) and the number of amino groups (up to 1.12 mmol/g) grafted on their surface compared to nanomaterials synthesized without preliminary SiO₂-coating. The comparative study of the peptide modification efficiency, using as an example pH-low insertion peptide (pHLIP), of MNPs coated with 3-aminopropylsilane (APS) or SiO₂/APS was carried out. It has been shown that silica coating of PMIDA-stabilized MNPs leads to a significant increase in the degree of immobilization of the peptide (up to 22 μmol per g of MNPs). Comprehensive characterization of the obtained materials at each stage of the synthesis was carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (EDX), BET analysis, ATR Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), termogravimetric analysis (TGA), CHN-elemental analysis, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The proposed approach to applying SiO₂-coating of MNPs can be useful for design of new materials for biomedical and chemical purposes.