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Valorization of Banana Peel Using Carbonization: Potential Use in the Sustainable Manufacturing of Flexible Supercapacitors
Get PDFSustainable and environmentally friendly activated carbon from biomass materials is proposed to produce supercapacitors from banana peels and has the potential to replace the non-sustainable and hazardous process from either graphite or/and fossil fuels. In order to determine the potential of using banana peel for supercapacitor application, raw banana peel, a bio-waste, was activated both mechanically and chemically to observe the real differences. The sample was activated at 700 °C and chemically activated using KOH. Characterization of activated banana peel was performed using FTIR, DLS, TGA and XRD analytical equipment. FTIR analysis revised the presence of hydroxyl, carbonyl and aromatic compounds on a banana peel cellulose-based carbon. The TGA results proved that 700 °C could be sufficient to totally carbonize banana peel. DLS clearly showed a strong difference between the carbonized and KOH-activated material in particle size distribution. Meanwhile, surface area analysis using BET displayed an increase from 553.862 m²/g to 565.024 m²/g BET in surface area (SBET) when carbon was activated using KOH with a nitrogen isotherm at 77.350K. Specific capacitance was increased from 0.3997 F/g to 0.821 F/g, suggesting more than a 100% increase in the specific capacity due to KOH activation, as proved by the cyclic voltammetry (CV) curve. The X-ray diffraction results revealed the patterns of activated carbon. The findings demonstrated the feasibility of using banana peel waste as a low-cost and sustainable material for the preparation of flexible supercapacitor batteries
GMP-Monitoringsysteme
No full textDer Leitgedanke des Quality Risk Managements findet in Form der neu eingeführten Contamination Control Strategy (CCS) Einzug in den Annex 1. Das Monitoring ist dabei ein wesentlicher Bestandteil der CCS. Durch den neuen Annex 1 ergeben sich regulatorische Neuerungen wie das Trending generierter Monitoring-Daten, das mikrobiologische Monitoring der Reinraumbekleidung sowie die Ermöglichung alternativer Schnelltestmethoden im Bereich “viable particles“
The Role of Emotion Regulation for General Self-Efficacy in Adolescents Assessed Through Both Neurophysiological and Self-Reported Measures
Get PDFBackground: Self-efficacy, the belief in one’s ability and capacity to organize and execute actions required to achieve desired results, is associated with adolescent academic achievement and reduced risk for psychopathology. Adolescent emotion regulation represents an important component in the relationship between self-efficacy and developmental outcomes, but the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms are poorly understood. It is unclear how emotion regulation strategies, which change with experience, and emotion regulation capacity, which is largely determined by genetics, contribute to the development of self-efficacy. Aims: The present study aims to explore the relationship between emotion regulation and self-efficacy in adolescents. We hypothesize that neurophysiological emotion regulation capacity moderates the relationship between emotion regulation strategies and self-efficacy. Methods: The present study applied a cross-sectional design. A sample of high-school students (N = 45, nfemale = 31, age = 17-18) provided answers on the General Self-Efficacy Questionnaire and the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire. Vagal tone was used as an indicator for emotion regulation capacity. Results: In the initial correlational analysis, reappraisal, but not expressive suppression nor vagal tone was associated with self-efficacy. Vagal tone was not associated with any self-report measures of emotion regulation or self-efficacy. Contrary to our hypothesis, vagal tone did not moderate the relationship between emotion regulation and self-efficacy. Conclusion: This is the first study assessing the relationship between neurophysiological indicators of emotion regulation and self-efficacy. Our results do not indicate that vagal tone moderates the relationship between emotion regulation strategies and general self-efficacy. Future studies should also assess the possible influence of metacognition and interoception on relationships
Teaching pentesting to social sciences students using experiential learning techniques to improve attitudes towards possible cybersecurity careers
Get PDFLabor market analysis shows that there is a significant shortage of experienced cybersecurity professionals, and this trend is expected to continue in the future. In addition, young people who are reluctant to choose STEM subjects in school typically do not see cybersecurity as a part of their future because they believe it demands exclusive technical knowledge that is beyond their reach. We aimed to change this perception among students of the social sciences, assuming that by providing social science students with the basics of cybersecurity, it would be possible to raise their awareness and encourage them to consider this field as a potential career option. Our team has designed a concise technical course based on Kolb's model that employs experiential learning to provide students with a basic knowledge of ethical intrusion (penetration testing). During the 32-hour subject, cadet officers with no prior IT education experienced all the steps of hacking both into a remotely accessible and physically accessible computer, including initial reconnaissance, vulnerability scanning, exploitation, and privilege escalation. A hands-on practical task of breaking into a highly vulnerable remote computer allowed for the evaluation of knowledge and skills as well as the reinforcement of learning experiences. In order to assess how the students' perceptions of the cybersecurity profession have changed based on the theory of planned behavior, they were asked to provide feedback immediately after the course and one year later. The results indicate that the short, technically challenging, but practical course based on experiential learning had a significant and positive effect on participants' attitudes: they were substantially more likely to consider cybersecurity as a future career, and some of them began participating in other cybersecurity courses or activities. It is reasonable to assume, therefore, that providing similar technical courses to social science students will encourage them to pursue cybersecurity-related careers in the future
Cognitive flexibility but not cognitive styles influence deepfake detection skills and metacognitive accuracy
Get PDFBackground: Deepfakes are AI-generated synthetic media that is increasingly used by cybercriminals to impersonate other individuals during remote social engineering attacks. Previous studies indicated that political orientation is associated with deepfake detection abilities, while being an IT professional is not. Little is known about the cognitive factors predicting individual differences in deepfake detection abilities. In this study, we assess the role of cognitive styles and cognitive flexibility on deepfake recognition skills and metacognitive accuracy. Methods: Cognitive styles and flexibility were measured using an embedded figures test that included a hidden cognitive flexibility task. 247 participants were tasked with rating a series of short video clips as either deepfake or authentic. Metacognitive accuracy was measured as prospective judgements of deepfake detection abilities controlling for actual performance. Results: Cognitive styles were not associated with deepfake detection performance. Cognitively flexible individuals were better at detecting deepfakes and had higher metacognitive accuracy than individuals who were less cognitively flexible. Conclusion: This is the first study assessing the role of cognitive styles and cognitive flexibility in deepfake detection skills and metacognitive judgements about deepfake detection abilities. Our results indicate that cognitively flexible individuals are better at detecting deepfakes and self-assessing social engineering susceptibility
Neurophysiological and emotional influences on team communication and metacognitive cyber situational awareness during a cyber engineering exercise
Get PDFBackground: Cyber operations unfold at superhuman speeds where cyber defense decisions are based on human-to-human communication aiming to achieve a shared cyber situational awareness. The recently proposed Orient, Locate, Bridge (OLB) model suggests a three-phase metacognitive approach for successful communication of cyber situational awareness for good cyber defense decision-making. Successful OLB execution implies applying cognitive control to coordinate self-referential and externally directed cognitive processes. In the brain, this is dependent on the frontoparietal control network and its connectivity to the default mode network. Emotional reactions may increase default mode network activity and reduce attention allocation to analytical processes resulting in sub-optimal decision-making. Vagal tone is an indicator of activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal node of the frontoparietal control network and is associated with functional connectivity between the frontoparietal control network and the default mode network.Aim: The aim of the present study was to assess whether indicators of neural activity relevant to the processes outlined by the OLB model were related to outcomes hypothesized by the model.Methods: Cyber cadets (N = 36) enrolled in a 3-day cyber engineering exercise organized by the Norwegian Defense Cyber Academy participated in the study. Differences in prospective metacognitive judgments of cyber situational awareness, communication demands, and mood were compared between cyber cadets with high and low vagal tone. Vagal tone was measured at rest prior to the exercise. Affective states, communication demands, cyber situational awareness, and metacognitive accuracy were measured on each day of the exercise.Results: We found that cyber cadets with higher vagal tone had better metacognitive judgments of cyber situational awareness, imposed fewer communication demands on their teams, and had more neutral moods compared to cyber cadets with lower vagal tone.Conclusion: These findings provide neuroergonomic support for the OLB model and suggest that it may be useful in education and training. Future studies should assess the effect of OLB-ing as an intervention on communication and performance
Robust Protocol for the Synthesis of BSA Nanohydrogels by Inverse Nanoemulsion for Drug Delivery
No full textIn a highly efficient and reproducible process, bovine serum albumin (BSA) nanogels are prepared from inverse nanoemulsions. The concept of independent nanoreactors of the individual droplets in the nanoemulsions allows high protein concentrations of up to 0.6% in the inverse total system. The BSA gel networks are generated by the 1-ethyl-3-[3-dimethylaminopropyl]carbodiimide hydrochloride coupling strategy widely used in protein chemistry. In a robust work-up protocol, the hydrophobic continuous phase of the inverse emulsion is stepwise replaced by water without compromising the colloidal stability and non-toxicity of the nanogel particles. Further, the simple process allows the loading of the nanogels with various cargos like a dye (Dy-495), a drug (ibuprofen), another protein [FMN-binding fluorescent protein (EcFbFP)], and oligonucleotides [plasmid DNA for enhanced GFP expression in mammalian cells (pEGFP c3) and a synthetic anti-Pseudomonas aeruginosa aptamer library]. These charged nanoobjects work efficiently as carriers for staining and transfection of cells. This is exemplarily shown for a phalloidin dye and a plasmid DNA as cargo with adenocarcinomic human alveolar basal epithelial cells (A549), a cell revertant of the SV-40 cancer rat cell line SV-52 (Rev2), and human breast carcinoma cells (MDA-MB-231), respectively
Can I benefit from laboratory automation? A decision aid for the successful introduction of laboratory automation
Get PDFAbstractThe large volumes of samples to be analysed every day would be impossible to manage without laboratory automation. As laboratory procedures have progressed, so have the tasks of laboratory personnel. With this feature article, we would like to provide (bio)chemical practitioners with little or no knowledge of laboratory automation with a guide to help them decide whether to implement laboratory automation and find a suitable system. Especially in small- and medium-sized laboratories, operating a laboratory system means having bioanalytical knowledge, but also being familiar with the technical aspects. However, time, budget and personnel limitations allow little opportunity for personnel to get into the depths of laboratory automation. This includes not only the operation, but also the decision to purchase an automation system. Hasty investments do not only result in slow or non-existent cost recovery, but also occupy valuable laboratory space. We have structured the article as a decision tree, so readers can selectively read chapters that apply to their individual situation. This flexible approach allows each reader to create a personal reading flow tailored to their specific needs. We tried to address a variety of perspectives on the topic, including people who are either supportive or sceptical of laboratory automation, personnel who want or need to automate specific processes, those who are unsure whether to automate and those who are interested in automation but do not know which areas to prioritize. We also help to make a decision whether to reactivate or discard already existing and unused laboratory equipment
Indoor-Farming-Geräte für den privaten Haushalt: Analyse verbraucherrelevanter Nutzungs- und Performanceparameter.
Get PDFIndoor-Farming-Geräte, in denen Nutzpflanzen wie Kräuter oder Gemüse unter kontrollierten Bedingungen meist ohne Erde kultiviert werden, stellen eine neue Hausgerätekategorie dar. Eine Analyse der Nutzungs- und Performanceaspekte, die seitens des Marktes an Verbraucher herangetragen werden, zeigt, dass diese v. a. die Kategorien Kosten, Installation, Nutzungsaufwand, Saatgutmatten, Kun-dendienst und Nutzungserlebnis umfassen. Der Abgleich zur Verbraucherperspek-tive mittels Netnographie zeigt eine große Deckungsgleichheit der relevanten The-mencluster, wobei der gesundheitliche Nutzen und die Ressourceneffizienz im Nut-zungsalltag eine untergeordnete Rolle spielen. Im Fokus stehen Lifestyle-Aspekte, insbesondere die Einpassung der Geräte in das Wohnumfeld
