Abstract: Background/Objectives: The subject of this work is the reconstruction of the inner mechanics of Götz von Berlichingen's second "Iron Hand". The complex inner mechanics were unknown until Christian von Mechel published a detailed description in 1815. In this artificial hand, each finger can be engaged individually in its three joints and the thumb in one joint. Methods: Based on this description, the individual components were reconstructed at an enlarged scale of 2:1 using CAD software and a 3D printer for the mechanisms. In addition, an FEM analysis was carried out for the components exposed to the greatest stress in order to identify critical areas. Results: By making some adjustments to the mechanics, it was possible to reproduce the mechanisms on a scale of 2:1 on the basis of the index finger. However, if the model was scaled back to 1:1, the internal plastic components were too fragile. This problem was caused by the properties of the 3D printing materials and could be solved by manufacturing the springs from steel. Conclusions: This work aims to make a valuable contribution to the preservation and understanding of the historical artificial second "Iron Hand" of Götz von Berlichingen. It once again demonstrates the very precise and detailed craftsmanship of goldsmiths of that time.

Abstract: Cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L) also known as southern peas is a yearly grown legume that is native from Africa but now are widely cultivated around the world, particularly in South-east Asia, Latin America, and Southern United States. Moreover, the crop can endure excessive heat but is also susceptible to frost. Cowpea are profitable for the agricultural industry and are often utilized as a supplement nutrition for both human and animals. As a result, it serves as a significant low-cost source of premium plant protein across many poor households. Moreover, the crop is widely used as a green mature and as a cover crop. Furthermore, the cowpea thrives in a wide range of soil types and soil conditions. The crop's capacity to withstand drought is a special trait for coping with the severe environmental challenges caused by global warming. However, due to a prolonged lack of rain during the rainy season, South African agriculture is subject to severe edaphic and climatic challenges, including water stress and insufficient soil nutrients. Consequently, this work focuses on analyzing cowpea's growth phases by proposing novel regression models under the impact of water stress for local farmers to optimally map out cultivation over the period of drought without imperiling their yields. The proposed regression models predict the cowpea's growth at various periods of water stress including vegetative to maturity, flower to maturity and excellent water through the season. At each period of water stress, regression models of the leaf area and shoot dry weight are developed. The various growth phases of the cowpeas were studied under three-pot test conditions. The results suggest that water stress at initial growth phases decreased the shoot dry weight (SDW), and leaf area (LA) of studied cowpeas. Growth analysis of cowpeas species cultivated in pure stands for the distinctive periods showed that the leaf area was the most explanatory variable in the SDW of cowpea at the initial growth phase. The correlation coefficient of the LA and SDW of cowpeas produced by the proposed models at vegetative to maturity, flower to maturity and excellent water through the season are 0.957 and 0.983, 0.963 and 0.980, 0.957 and 0.976

Abstract: Sulphur is an essential nutrient that fulfils various important functions in plants, including the formation of amino acids, proteins, chlorophyll and the support of nitrogen uptake, e.g. in legumes. A lack of sulphur not only impairs plant growth, but also quality and resistance to disease. In addition, the S supply is strongly influenced by soil and hydrological factors. The sulphur content of the atmosphere due to industrial combustion has fallen sharply in recent decades, which has ultimately led to a drop in S levels in the soil and also in certain plant species, initially in conventional farming and later particularly in organic farming. As a result, there has been a great increase in research into the causes and ways and means of improving yield and quality deficiencies on farms. In this summarised study, data from 98 sites in Central Europe (Germany, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Italy, Poland, Great Britain) were recorded from 1998 to 2023. The sulphur fertiliser trials were conducted on farms and experimental stations under organic farming conditions. 1169 treatment variants and 598 standard variants without or with reduced S-fertilisation were analysed. Fertilisation was carried out with various sources of sulphur, including kieserite, gypsum, elemental sulphur, epsom salt and other types, in different quantities and forms, usually directly before or during crop cultivation. Soil analyses were done according to VDLUFA specifications in Germany or comparable standards in Central Europe. The amounts of plant-available S in the soil were determined at depths of 0–30 cm, 30–60 cm and 60–90 cm. Site characteristics such as Smin, Nmin, soil type, pH value, precipitation and the extent of livestock farming were recorded. A sufficient amount of data was available for each experimental aspect to quantitatively describe the influence of increasing S supply to the soil or plant species groups (permanent grassland, lucerne-clover-grass, grain legumes, cereals) from severe deficiency to oversupply. The analyses therefore focused on establishing relationships between yield responses, correlations with the nitrogen uptake of crop species and N2 fixation in legumes and the nutrient supply with plant-available sulphur. The aim of these investigations was to develop assessment methods for the soil supply with available sulphur to achieve optimum DM yields. The results were also used to develop practical methods for determining fertiliser requirements for different crop species in organic farming.

Abstract: A Late blight is a devastating plant disease affecting solanaceous crops, and fungicides play a crucial role in its management. Nevertheless, the extensive use of fungicides has alowed to the development of fungicide-resistant strains of the causal agent, Phytophthora infestans. Phosphites, a group of innocuous products, have been shown to have direct and indirect results on the development of oomycetes, including P. infestans. This study evaluated the efficacy of different methods, including fungicide rotation and the fungicide mixture with potassium phosphite, in controlling late blight in tomato. Tomato plants were transplanted in the field and subjected to nine different treatments, including various combinations of fungicide rotation, potassium phosphite application, chlorine dioxide, and ozonized water. The results showed that the use of fungicide rotation combined with potassium phosphite applications, at both 7-day and 14-day intervals, significantly reduced the intensity of late blight and increased tomato productivity. The application of phosphites and fungicides with different modes of action, such as Benalaxyl-M, Dimethomorph, Fluazinam, and Propamocarb, was found to be an effective alternative for late blight control in Solanaceae crops. These findings suggest that the integration of fungicide rotation and phosphite application can be a valuable strategy for managing late blight in tomato and other solanaceous crops, potentially reducing the selection pressure for fungicide-resistant P. infestans strains. To enhance the efficacy and sustainability of these treatments, further research should focus on determining the optimal timing and application rates.

Abstract: Petroleum-based plastics are recalcitrant world-wide used materials that severely pollute the environment, thus biodegradable bioplastics are emerging as a viable alternative. From this group, the study of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) has stood out for their potential in diverse applications including medicine, packaging and agriculture. The enzyme responsible for PHAs synthesis inside the microbial cell is the PHA synthase (PhaC). PhaCs are present in a wide variety of microorganisms and are classified according to their substrate specificity and subunit composition into 4 classes. Class I, class III and class IV use the acyl-CoA as a precursor to synthesize short-chain-length PHAs while Class II enzymes use an intermediate of the β-oxidation pathways to synthesize medium-chain-length PHAs. Enzymes from this pathway that have been upregulated and downregulated to optimize PHAs production are described in this review. Another important enzyme is the PHA depolymerase (PhaZ) which is responsible for all PHA degradation inside and outside the cell. This review describes both enzymes in detail, including classification, structure, substrate specificity and proven protein engineering techniques for enzymatic rate enhancement and modified substrate specificity of the proteins. It also includes a mutation map for the class II PhaC sequence of Pseudomonas putida that suggest point mutations for future protein engineering work.

Abstract: Wheat germ is a by-product of the cereal industry with interesting nutritional properties, including its high protein content. However, so far few applications have been found in the meat industry despite the growing interest in the use of vegetable proteins to reduce meat consumption. Therefore, the use of whet germ for the production of low-fat frankfurters was considered. A control sausage and four formulations with progressive substitution of lean pork (25%, 50%, 75% and 100%) were elaborated. Proximal composition, color, texture, emulsion characterization, fatty acid profile, fat oxidation and consumer acceptance were then analyzed. The results showed that the incorporation of wheat germ improved emulsion stability although the batters were more cohesive. In terms of the final product, the progressive substitution of meat by germ resulted in significant increases in fiber as well as significant decreases in moisture, fat, protein and ash. Sausages made with germ were darker and yellower and less reddish, as well as harder, chewier and gummier, but less cohesive and elastic. Similarly, wheat germ substitution improved the quality of the lipid profile, but decreased acceptability. Substitution of meat was only feasible up to 25%, a formulation for which there was hardly any significant difference with the control.

Abstract: Applying nitrogen fertilizers in agriculture can cause uncontrolled gas emissions such as N2O and CO2, leading to global warming and serious climate changes. In this study, we evaluated the greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) that are concomitant with applying different rates of N ferti-lization, i.e., 50, 75, 100, and 125% of the recommended dose for two cultivars (Balady and Sids-40) of Allium sativum L. grown under three planting dates (15 September, 1 October, and 15 October). For this purpose, two field experiments were carried out during the two growing seasons of 2020/2021 and 2021/2022. Treatments were arranged in a split–split plot design with three replicates; planting dates were set up in the main plots; nitrogen levels were conducted in the submain plots, and garlic varieties were in the sub-subplots. The obtained results can be summa-rized as follows: Planting on 15 September significantly increased vegetative growth parameters (i.e., plant height, number of leaves plant−1, plant fresh and dry weights) and total bulb yield, in both seasons. Application of the highest rate of N (125%) gave significantly higher records for vegetative growth parameters, while the 75% nitrogen treatment appeared to give the highest total bulb yield in both seasons. Means of plant growth characteristics and total bulb yield were significantly increased by the cultivation of the Balady cultivar. In addition, results show that GHGs were positively correlated with increasing the rate of N fertilization. It could be recom-mended that planting on 15 September and fertilizing with 75% N fertilizer from the recom-mended dose for Balady cultivar achieve maximum yield and its components.

Abstract: Background: Every year 9 million diabetics develop foot ulcers (DFU) and 1 million of these will result in an amputation every year resulting in a significant disability burden. Footwear design has been implicated as a major cause of these ulcers resulting in international guidelines recommending specialized protective footwear for diabetics. Unfortunately, in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), where 80% of diabetics reside, sandals or flip-flops are primary footwear as they are affordable. Studies on flip-flops have focused on plantar pressure and ulcers even though evidence supports that 50% of ulcers are caused by straps on the dorsum of the foot particularly at the toehold. Strap redesign, as evidenced by rolled inner seam (RIS) vs standard straight edge straps, has been shown to reduce pressure on the dorsum of the foot.Objective: This study aims to understand the relationship between toe spread and toehold pressure as toe spread is a modifiable factor in flip-flops by adjusting the thickness of toe posts in the strap. Further, it aims to validate findings from a smaller sample size prior study that RIS design resulted in lesser pressure at the toehold when compared to standard straight edge design.Methods: This cross-over study recruited sixteen patients with 64 measures recorded for toehold pressure during a 5-step walking trial. Toes spread was measured by uploading still images to a convolutional neural network keypoint implementation algorithm which marked the midpoints of the great and second toes and measured the distance between them. Pearson correlation and linear regression models were used to assess the relationship between toe spread and toe hold pressure across and within each flip-flop design. Additionally, a t-test was conducted to compare toehold pressures between the two designs to validate prior study findings.Results: Overall, there was a very weak correlation (r=-0.322) between toe spread and toehold pressure. Regression analysis showed toe spread accounted for a modest variance (R² = 0.104) in toehold pressure overall, with straight edge design showing a slightly stronger association (R² = 0.121) compared to RIS design (R² = 0.022). The t-test validated prior study findings of a statistically significant difference in toehold pressure between RIS and standard straight edge designs, with RIS resulting in lower pressures at the toehold.Conclusion: Toe spread has minimal impact on toehold pressure. RIS strap design results in lower toehold pressure compared to straight edge strap design.

Abstract: Most of the invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) in Europe are caused by isolates of Neisseria meningitidis serogroups B, C, W and Y. We aimed to explore cases caused by other, unusual serogroups. We retrospectively screened IMD cases in the databases of the National Reference Center for Meningococci and Haemophilus influnezae in France between 2014-2023. Age, sex, serogroups, and genetic lineages distributions were analyzed. We also measured complement deposition on the bacterial surface and tested coverage by vaccines against serogroup B. Cases due to isolates of serogroups other than B, C, W, and Y represented 1.6% of all 3610 IMD cases during the study period, with 59 cases and a median age of 21.5 years of age. The corresponding isolates were non-groupable (26 cases), serogroup X (21 cases) serogroup E (11 cases) and one isolate belonged to serogroup Z. Only a low proportion (7.4%) belonged to the hyperinvasive genetic lineages. Isolates of serogroup E bound a significantly higher amount of complement on their surface and were mainly detected in patients with terminal complement pathway deficiencies. Isolates of these unusual serogroups were shown to be covered by vaccines licensed against meningococci B. Surveillance of these isolates needs to be enhanced.

Abstract: The expression of genes and engineered circuits can deeply vary when inserted into different genomic loci. This unpredictable performance of expression, termed context sensitivity, complicates strain development. Although the causes and mechanisms of context sensitivity are emerging, it is poorly known how to engineer circuits and synthetic pathways isolated from it. Using tools of synthetic biology for designing and inserting various reporter cassettes in the Escherichia coli genome and RT-qPCR for directly measuring gene expression, we first surveyed the genomic landscape for context sensitivity at 209 positions in cells grown in glucose or glycerol. Results showed deep variations in cassette expression with respect to position (up to 150-fold) and growth condition (up to a 1400-fold). We then demonstrated that this position-dependent expression variability is strongly reduced when the reporter cassette is insulated in an artificial protein-bound DNA loop. Finally, we measured expression of two loop-insulated genes at different genomic positions. Results showed that expression strongly depends on the relative orientation of the genes, promoter strength and positive supercoiling. We present a model suggesting that DNA looping is an important cause of context sensitivity and can be used for better controlling expression of engineered circuits.