bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Determination of vitamin B12 in commercial pepsin preparations using immunoaffinity chromatography and LC‐MS/MS
Authors: Lenz Tamara , Maxones Alexander , Pichner Rohtraud , Birringer Marc
Published: December 2022

Vitamin B12 is a critical micronutrient in a vegan diet and thus dietary sources are limited and often low in the vitamin. Analytical determination of vitamin B12 requires laborious sample preparations including the proteolytic breakdown of the (food) matrix with proteases and the enrichment of the vitamin via immunoaffinity methods. Proteases like pepsin have an animal origin and thus might contain significant amounts of vitamin B12. We hypothesize that pepsin preparations potentially transfer residual vitamin B12 into the sample and falsify results. Hence the aim of our study was to determine trace amounts of cyano‐cobalamin by LC‐MS/MS in commercial protease enzyme preparations. The use of a stable 15N‐labeled cyano‐cobalamin as internal standard enabled us to detect vitamin B12 with a LOQ as low as 0.7 µg/l. Significant amounts of the vitamin were found in pepsin whereas the vitamin B12 content of papain preparations was below the detection limit. We conclude that sample preparation with pepsin bears the risk of false positive results, especially for samples with low vitamin B12 content, and we therefore recommend papain as an alternative protease for food sample preparation.
Drivers and barriers for circular business model innovation
Authors: Geissdoerfer Martin , Santa‐Maria Tomas , Kirchherr Julian , Pelzeter Carla
Published: December 2022

The circular economy concept is gaining traction in academia, industry and policymaking as a strategy to reduce resource depletion, waste and emissions. Many authors see business model innovation as a critical lever for the concept's implementation on the organisational level. Despite the importance of the topic, the drivers and barriers to different types of circular business model innovation remain unclear. We address this gap by comparing drivers and barriers for four generic circular business model innovation types: start‐up, diversification, transformation and acquisition. Relying on a structured comparative literature review using cross‐reference searches, we develop a theoretical framework of drivers and barriers that we apply to a multi‐case study of 21 organisations covering three of the four types, with some additional insights on the fourth. We identify 25 barriers and 10 drivers, clustered into seven categories, and outline how they distinctively affect the innovation types. Start‐ups and diversifications are more commonly driven by market and financial factors, while transformations are led by market and organisational factors. These three types are highly affected by legal and financial barriers; however, while start‐ups are more prone to face value chain challenges, incumbents are more susceptible to market and organisational barriers. Our study provides novel empirical data that validate and complement previous research and offers an additional analysis perspective in the transition towards a more sustainable and circular economy.
Chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR‐T) cells: Novel cell therapy for hematological malignancies
Authors: Abbasi Samane , Totmaj Milad Asghari , Abbasi Masoumeh , Hajazimian Saba , Goleij Pouya , Behroozi Javad , Shademan Behrouz , Isazadeh Alireza , Baradaran Behzad
Published: December 2022

Over the last decade, the emergence of several novel therapeutic approaches has changed the therapeutic perspective of human malignancies. Adoptive immunotherapy through chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR‐T), which includes the engineering of T cells to recognize tumor‐specific membrane antigens and, as a result, death of cancer cells, has created various clinical benefits for the treatment of several human malignancies. In particular, CAR‐T‐cell‐based immunotherapy is known as a critical approach for the treatment of patients with hematological malignancies such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), multiple myeloma (MM), chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), and non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). However, CAR‐T‐cell therapy of hematological malignancies is associated with various side effects. There are still extensive challenges in association with further progress of this therapeutic approach, from manufacturing and engineering issues to limitations of applications and serious toxicities. Therefore, further studies are required to enhance efficacy and minimize adverse events. In the current review, we summarize the development of CAR‐T‐cell‐based immunotherapy and current clinical antitumor applications to treat hematological malignancies. Furthermore, we will mention the current advantages, disadvantages, challenges, and therapeutic limitations of CAR‐T‐cell therapy.
LncRNA DNAJC3‐AS1 promotes the biological functions of papillary thyroid carcinoma via regulating the microRNA‐27a‐3p/CCBE1 axis
Authors: Ni Tiangen , Li Yongyong , Guo Dan , Tan Ling , Xiao Zhesi , Shi Yanjie
Published: December 2022

Long noncoding RNA DNAJC3‐AS1 (lncRNA DNAJC3‐AS1) has been probed in many studies, while the regulatory mechanism of DNAJC3‐AS1 on papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) via regulating microRNA (miR)‐27a‐3p remains inadequate. This research aims to depict the role of DNAJC3‐AS1, miR‐27a‐3p, collagen, and calcium‐binding EGF domain‐containing protein 1 (CCBE1) on PTC development. DNAJC3‐AS1, miR‐27a‐3p, and CCBE1 expression levels in PTC tissues and adjacent normal tissues were tested. The relation of DNAJC3‐AS1, miR‐27a‐3p, and CCBE1 was analyzed. DNAJC3‐AS1 and miR‐27a‐3p and CCBE1‐related oligonucleotides were transfected into IHH‐4 cells to investigate their role in PTC development. Cell tumorigenicity was detected by in vivo assay. DNAJC3‐AS1 and CCBE1 expressed highly and miR‐27a‐3p expressed lowly in PTC. Downregulation of DNAJC3‐AS1, upregulating miR‐27a‐3p or downregulating CCBE1 impaired the malignant behaviors of IHH‐4 cells. Depletion of miR‐27a‐3p reversed the DNAJC3‐AS1 suppression‐induced phenotypic inhibition of IHH‐4 cells. DNAJC3‐AS1 bound to miR‐27a‐3p and CCBE1 as a target of miR‐27a‐3p. Our study highlights that DNAJC3‐AS1 inhibits miR‐27a‐3p to promote CCBE1 expression, thereby facilitating PTC development. This study affords distinguished therapeutic strategies and novel research directions for PTC treatment.
Construction of Aluminum‐Porphyrin‐Based Hypercrosslinked Ionic Polymers (HIPs) by Direct Knitting Approach for CO2 Capture and In‐Situ Conversion to Cyclic Carbonates
Authors: Xu Wei , Chen Min , Yang Yiying , Chen Kechi , Li Yingyin , Zhang Zixuan , Luo Rongchang
Published: December 2022

Hypercrosslinked polymers (HCPs) constructed by Friedel‐Crafts reaction have drawn increasing attention in recent decades, but their multifunctionalization remains a huge challenge. Herein, a series of aluminum‐porphyrin‐based hypercrosslinked ionic polymers have been successfully synthesized by direct knitting approach without additional electrophilic comonomers, which involves the copolymerization of neutral porphyrin monomers and ionic building. By increasing the connected nodes numbers of ionic monomers, the introduction of abundant tetraphenylmethane fragements into the porphyrin backbones endows them with high‐density ionic active sites. Accordingly, the well‐matched molar ratios of aluminum sites to nucleophilic chloride anions that work synergistically for CO2/epoxide coupling can be achieved. Al‐HIP‐2 with flexible ionic pendants and a high Al/Cl ratio allows CO2 cycloaddition to be performed at ambient conditions or with diluted CO2; while Al‐HIP‐3 with rigid ionic moieties and a relatively low Al/Cl ratio exhibits higher specific surface area and stronger CO2 capture ability. Therefore, this co‐condensation strategy provides a simple and feasible pathway for adjusting the reactivity ratios of comonomers via simple structural changes in the knitting process, thus achieving the rational construction of multifunctionalized HCPs for CO2 capture and in‐situ conversion to cyclic carbonates.
ETNK1 mutation occurs in a wide spectrum of myeloid neoplasms and is not specific for atypical chronic myeloid leukemia
Authors: Shuai Wen , Zuo Zhuang , Li Nianyi , Garces Sofia , Jelloul Fatima Zahra , Ok Chi Young , Li Shaoying , Xu Jie , You M. James , Wang Wei , Rehder Catherine , Jabbour Elias J. , Patel Keyur P. , Medeiros L. Jeffrey , Yin C. Cameron
Published: December 2022

Background

ETNK1 mutation has been suggested as a useful tool to support the diagnosis of atypical chronic myeloid leukemia. ETNK1 mutations, however, occur in other myeloid neoplasms.

Methods

The authors assessed the clinicopathologic and molecular genetic features of 80 ETNK1‐mutated myeloid neoplasms.

Results

Thirty‐seven neoplasms (46%) were classified as myelodysplastic syndrome, 17 (21%) were classified as myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative neoplasm, 14 (18%) were classified as acute myeloid leukemia, and 12 (15%) were classified as myeloproliferative neoplasm. ETNK1 mutations were detected at the first test in 96% of patients, suggesting that ETNK1 mutation is an early event in pathogenesis. ETNK1 mutations represented the dominant clone in 63% of patients and was persistently dominant in 93%. The variant allele frequencies were usually higher in acute myeloid leukemia and increased upon leukemic transformation. ETNK1 mutation was accompanied by coexisting mutations in all patients, with ASXL1 (50%), TET2 (25%), EZH2 (24%), RUNX1 (24%), and SRSF2 (24%) mutations being the most common. Neoplasms with ETNK1 mutations were associated with morphologic dysplasia, increased blasts, myelofibrosis, and noncomplex karyotypes. With a median follow‐up of 16.5 months, 30 patients died, 44 had persistent disease, and four achieved complete remission after stem cell transplantation.

Conclusions

ETNK1 mutation is present in various myeloid neoplasms, often as an early event and a dominant clone and always with concurrent mutations. It may play an important role in the pathogenesis and progression of myeloid neoplasms by causing DNA damage and inducing other mutations and genomic instability, and it may serve as a potential therapeutic target. ETNK1 mutation is not disease‐specific and should be interpreted with caution to classify myeloid neoplasms.
Silicon‐Based Composite Anodes for All‐Solid‐State Lithium‐Ion Batteries Conceived by a Mixture Design Approach
Authors: Branchi Mario , Maresca Giovanna , Tsurumaki Akiko , Suzuki Naoki , Croce Fausto , Panero Stefania , Voje Jorunn , Aihara Yuichi , Navarra Maria Assunta
Published: December 2022

Silicon‐based anodes composed of micrometric Si, graphite (MAG), LiI−Li3PS4solid electrolyte (LPSI), and carbon nanofiber (CNF), which can be prepared by straightforward manual grinding, are proposed in this study. The relation between composition and performance of the anodes is investigated through the mixture design approach, which allows discrimination of the effect of each component and also the combined effect of the components on the end performance. By increasing the fraction of LPSI in the anode, the capacity of the electrode is improved, and the best performance is obtained when the Si/MAG/LPSI ratio is 15 : 15 : 70. This composite integrated with 5 wt % CNF exhibits a capacity above 1200 mAh g−1throughout 50 cycles in a bulk‐type all‐solid‐state battery with LPSI as the electrolyte. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirms that the presence of LPSI suppresses the aggregation of Si and improves the ratio of Si available for lithiation/delithiation.
Energy, exergy and exergoeconomic (3E's) analysis of simmering type cooking using evacuated tube collector
Authors: Chaudhary Ranjan , Mehla Neeraj , Kumar Amit , Yadav Avadhesh
Published: December 2022

A solar cooking system is investigated for the simmering type of cooking using slow heating cooking pot (SHCP) and evacuated tube collector (EVTC). The thermic oil used as heat transfer fluid (HTF) is utilized to convey heat from the solar collector to SHCP. Indian cuisine items like Khoa and Kheer are cooked by using simmering method of cooking. The cooking load is varied from 1 to 2.5 L for khoa preparation and 2 to 2.8 L load is varied for kheer preparation. The cooking is done by utilizing the thermal energy of thermic oil flowing inside the SHCP and its average energy and exergy efficiency is evaluated which varies from ~0.20 to around 0.30 and 0.15 to 0.20, respectively. The payback period of the presented solar cooking system is 3.45 years.
1st European Symposium on Phytochemicals in Medicine and Food—Insight into the conference
Authors: Popović‐Djordjević Jelena B.
Published: December 2022

The University of Belgrade was chosen to host an international conference “1st European Symposium on Phytochemicals in Medicine and Food”, that was successfully held on 7–9. September 2022 in Belgrade, the capital city of Serbia. The main goals of the conference were to promote the scientific achievements of researchers in the field of natural products and their implementation in food and medicine, as well as to bring together well recognized scientists from all around the world and young researchers that are starting their careers in the research fields covered by the conference topics. In that respect 1‐EuSPMF fulfilled the expectations of the participants and the organizers.
Programmed death‐ligand 1 expression in Epstein‐Barr virus positive nasopharyngeal cancer
Authors: Alfagih Abdulhameed , Rahman Muhammad Amin Ur , Al‐Dandan Sadeq , Alrehaili Salem , Wani Tariq , Malki Abdulrahim Al , Zahrani Ali Al , Bakhribah Hatoon
Published: December 2022

Nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is common in Saudi Arabia; Most cases are related to the Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV), which is associated with treatment failure and a high recurrence rate. Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD‐1) and Programmed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1) inhibitors emerged as breakthroughs in cancer treatment, including head and neck cancers. The benefit of these therapies was seen in patients with high expression of PD‐L1, which is unknown in our population.  We aim to assess PD‐L1 expression in EBV‐related NPC patients presented to King Fahd Medical City (KFMC). We identified 41 cases of EBV‐related NPC diagnosed between 2016 and 2019. PD‐L1 expression was assessed using the Tumor Proportion Score (TPS) and Combined Positive Scores (CPS). Results showed that PD‐L1 expression was negative in 51% and 29% using TPS and CPS scores, respectively. High expression of PD‐L1, more than 50%, was seen in 17% using TPS and 22% using CPS. There was no statistically significant correlation between the degree of PD‐L1 expression by TPS or CPS and many variables, including gender, comorbidities, BMI, TNM staging, and smoking status. Over a median follow‐up of 29.7 months, Kaplan‐Meier survival curves did not show a statistically significant difference between all groups of PD‐L1 expression for O.S. or PFS; However, there were shorter O.S noted with CPS 1%–9%, log‐rank p‐value = 0.031. These findings support investigating the role of Immunotherapy, especially in the high expression subgroup. Data for these patients' outcomes and further studies to explore the role of PD‐L1 in NPC are needed.
Nucleic acid nanostructure for delivery of CRISPR/Cas9‐based gene editing system
Authors: Tang Wantao , Liu Jianbing , Ding Baoquan
Published: December 2022

CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR‐associated protein 9)‐based gene editing system has aroused great interest in many research fields. However, the efficient and safe delivery of this gene editing system into the target tissues and cells remain a major challenge. During the past decades, nucleic acid nanostructures have been widely developed for drug delivery. In this perspective, we will introduce and discuss the recent progress in the design of multifunctional nucleic acid nanostructures, including RCA‐derived DNA, branched DNA, and hybrid DNA, for delivery of the CRISPR/Cas9‐based gene editing system. Furthermore, we prospect the challenges and future opportunities of nucleic acid nanotechnology in the delivery of gene editing systems.
The salivary and nasopharyngeal microbiomes are associated with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and disease severity
Authors: Kim Josh G. , Zhang Ai , Rauseo Adriana M. , Goss Charles W. , Mudd Philip A. , O'Halloran Jane A. , Wang Leyao
Published: December 2022

Emerging evidence suggests the oral and upper respiratory microbiota may play important roles in modulating host immune responses to viral infection. As the host microbiome may be involved in the pathophysiology of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), we investigated associations between the oral and nasopharyngeal microbiome and COVID‐19 severity. We collected saliva (n = 78) and nasopharyngeal swab (n = 66) samples from a COVID‐19 cohort and characterized the microbiomes using 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. We also examined associations between the salivary and nasopharyngeal microbiome and age, COVID‐19 symptoms, and blood cytokines. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection status, but not COVID‐19 severity, was associated with community‐level differences in the oral and nasopharyngeal microbiomes. Salivary and nasopharyngeal microbiome alpha diversity negatively correlated with age and were associated with fever and diarrhea. Oral Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Solobacterium were depleted in patients with severe COVID‐19. Nasopharyngeal Paracoccus was depleted while nasopharyngeal Proteus, Cupravidus, and Lactobacillus were increased in patients with severe COVID‐19. Further analysis revealed that the abundance of oral Bifidobacterium was negatively associated with plasma concentrations of known COVID‐19 biomarkers interleukin 17F and monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1. Our results suggest COVID‐19 disease severity is associated with the relative abundance of certain bacterial taxa.
West Africa's moist convective environment as observed by the Atmospheric InfraRed Sounder (AIRS)
Authors: Osei Marian Amoakowaah , Ferguson Craig R. , Quansah Emmanuel , Padi Michael , Amekudzi Leonard K. , Danuor Sylvester
Published: December 2022

Knowledge of the seasonal positioning of the Intertropical Discontinuity (ITD) is critical to understanding seasonal moist convective processes and associated rainfall over West Africa. This study constitutes a new analysis of the seasonality of moist convection over West Africa, relative to the ITD, based on NASA's Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) measurements from 2003 to 2018. Results show that AIRS resolves the seasonal march of the ITD, including its inherent diurnal‐scale variations. AIRS captures the north–south daytime skin temperature dipole around the ITD, with greater relative temperatures to the north, especially during March–August. In the vicinity of the nighttime ITD, AIRS profiles indicate increased instability that is characteristic of nocturnal thunderstorm propagation. For seven Ghana weather stations, we show that AIRS positive moisture and equivalent potential temperature anomalies coincide with observed thunderstorm days. On these thunderstorm days, the mean latitude of the AIRS‐derived ITD is displaced 3°, 0.2°, and 2° north of its DJF, MAM, and SON climatological positions, respectively, and 1.2° south in JJA. Among four common thunderstorm initiation indices considered, the K‐index is determined to be most skillful. The findings of this study contribute to the Global Challenges Research Fund, African Science for Weather Information and Forecasting Techniques project's mission to build local tropical weather forecasting capacity and capabilities in West Africa.
Strong versus weak consumer‐brand relationships: Matching psychological sense of brand community and type of advertising appeal
Authors: Bauer Brittney C.
Published: December 2022

Consumer‐brand relationships vary with regard to their degree of psychological connection to the brand. Some individuals may have a weak connection to the brand (e.g., general consumers), while others may possess a strong connection to the brand (e.g., brand community members). Marketers have yet to distinguish between the types of advertising appeals that are most effective for these different individuals. Hence, this research utilizes construal level theory to posit that consumers with a stronger [weaker] psychological sense of brand community will think about the brand more concretely [abstractly] and be more persuaded by utilitarian [symbolic] advertising appeals. Three original experiments reveal that a match between the degree of psychological sense of brand community and the type of advertising appeal directly influences favorable consumer attitudes, and subsequently consumer cognitions and behaviors. Furthermore, message elaboration is the process mechanism driving the effect of the match on favorable consumer attitudes, while relationship‐oriented cultural values attenuate this effect. This research contributes to both theory and practice by providing new knowledge regarding which advertising appeals are the most effective for consumers with strong versus weak consumer‐brand relationships.
Consolidation calculation of a foundation partially penetrated by concrete‐cored gravel (CCG) columns
Authors: Zhang Qingwen , Ye Guanbao , Zhang Zhen
Published: December 2022

A concrete‐cored gravel (CCG) column is composed of a precast concrete pile inserted at the center of sand or gravel materials. This technique has been experimentally adopted to support the soft soils in China. However, there has been limited investigation on the consolidation characteristics of a CCG column improved foundation under embankment loading. This study develops analytical solutions for the consolidation of a composite foundation partially penetrated by the CCG columns. The rigid pile's upward and downward piercing effects were considered to improve CCG column‐soil equal strain relationship. The partially penetrated consolidation problem was addressed by assuming the seepages in the unpenetrated layers to be vertical or horizontal and vertical combined. A simplified approximate method was also provided, enabling the users to quickly evaluate the consolidation process of a foundation partially penetrated by the CCG columns. The proposed solution was applied to a case history of an anti‐flood embankment on soft soil with partially‐penetrated CCG columns, and a good agreement was found between predictions and the field measurements.
Mechanical properties and damage failure of 3D‐printed continuous carbon fiber‐reinforced composite honeycomb sandwich structures with fiber‐interleaved core
Authors: Feng Jiafan , Yao Liaojun , Lyu Zhangming , Wu Zihao , Zhang Guobin , Zhao Hefei
Published: December 2022

Sandwich structures with good mechanical performance can be manufactured by continuous carbon‐fiber‐reinforced composites (CCFRC) via the fused filament fabrication (FFF) technology. Poor inter‐thread bonding is a major reason for the failure of these sandwich structures. In the present study, a novel fiber‐interleaved printing pattern has been proposed to improve the bonding property between printing threads. And panel/core integrated sandwich structures were fabricated via the FFF technology. The manufacturing quality was examined by microscopic examination and non‐destructive computed tomography (CT) scanning. The results indicated that manufacturing voids are mainly concentrated in the printed carbon fiber bundles, resulting from inadequate infiltration between the reinforcement and the matrix. Flatwise compression tests were conducted to compare the mechanical performance of sandwich structures with the fiber‐adjacent and fiber‐interleaved core. The results clearly demonstrated that the fiber‐interleaved design can significantly improve the mechanical performance of the sandwich structures (i.e., 44% higher in elastic modulus and 119% higher in strength). Furthermore, three‐point bending tests were conducted to investigate the flexural behavior. Fractographic analysis demonstrated that the main failure modes under these loading conditions include fiber pull‐out and breakage, delamination, local core crushing, fiber/matrix and panel/core debonding.
Mapping class learning outcomes of the core curriculum to university learning goals at Michigan State University's School of Packaging
Authors: Auras Rafael , Bix Laura , Xu Dian , Weir Cimberly , Daum Matthew , Almenar Eva , Brann Angela , Iwaszkiewicz Ronald , Kamdem Donatien Pascal , Mahmoudi Monirehalsadat , Marshall John , Mohiuddin Mohammad , Rabnawaz Muhammad , Joodaky Amin , Lee Euihark
Published: December 2022

Class learning outcomes (CLOs) supporting the interdisciplinary curriculum of the School of Packaging (SoP) at Michigan State University (MSU) were mapped to competency‐based, programmatic learning outcomes (CPLOs) undergirded by broad learning goals of the University (MSU‐LGs). Six CPLOs related to the core curriculum, including the ability to design and evaluate packaging systems, as well as students' professionalism and teamwork skills, were developed using consensus building with all teaching faculty. Relationships, from specific to broad (i.e., CLOs to CPLOs to MSU‐LGs), were mapped with the SoP faculty. This mapping scheme (class‐specific CLOs supporting broader program CPLOs and, ultimately, MSU‐LGs) was developed to guarantee alignment of expectations for learning from the course to the packaging program to the MSU‐LGs. From Fall 2018 until Fall 2019, assessment tools, including rubrics and assignments intended to evaluate learning, were developed to assess core and elective courses offered by the SoP. Data collection of each student's performance was conducted utilizing Watermark's VIA software from Fall 2018 until Fall 2021 and continuous. Assessment of student performance provided evidence of learning across the SoP curriculum as well as how CLOs, delivered and assessed at the individual student level, translate into competence achieved at the programmatic and university levels.
Intimate partner violence in the shadow of COVID‐19 and its associations with stress, function and support among the Israeli general population
Authors: Shechory Bitton Mally
Published: December 2022

The current study aimed to explore the associations between intimate partner violence (IPV), psychological distress, health and financial concerns, function and support during the COVID‐19 outbreak in Israel. Data were collected from 333 Israeli adults (50.8% men and 49.2% women) via an online survey during the third lockdown in Israel. Existing scales were adapted to measure psychological distress, function, and support. Chi‐square tests, t‐tests, Chi‐square tests Z ratios, multiple regressions and a series of process models were employed to examine the research hypotheses. The main findings show that IPV, especially verbal violence, was directly associated with higher levels of distress and lower levels of functioning, a link that could be indirectly mitigated by health and financial concerns as well as lack of family and community support. In addition, low rates of physical violence, with no gender differences and with higher levels of verbal violence reported by women, were found. Finally, women reported higher levels of concerns and psychological distress and lower levels of functioning than men. The results might help identify the needs of families and couples in order to design counselling or training programs for stress and conflict reduction. In addition, the response to the pandemic cannot be a homogeneous response. Different assistive measures must be applied to various segments of the population and groups that are already at risk and, therefore, remain more vulnerable, with targeted assistance given to all of these different groups.
Biosynthesis of Melanin Nanoparticles for Photoacoustic Imaging Guided Photothermal Therapy
Authors: Fu Meijun , Yang Yuping , Zhang Zhaomeng , He Yaling , Wang Yuanyuan , Liu Chenxing , Xu Xiaohong , Lin Jing , Yan Fei
Published: December 2022

Photothermal therapy (PTT) has attracted considerable attention in recent years due to their unique advantages in minimal invasiveness and spatiotemporal selectivity. However, the fabrication procedures of PTT agents frequently require complex chemical and/or physical methods that involves harsh and environmentally hazardous conditions. Here, a genetically engineered bacterium is developed to synthesize melanin nanoparticles under mild and environmentally friendly conditions. The biosynthetic melanin nanoparticles exhibit excellent biocompatibility, good stability, and negligible toxicity. In addition, the biosynthetic melanin nanoparticles have strong absorption at near‐infrared (NIR) region and higher photothermal conversion efficiency (48.9%) than chemically synthesized melanin‐like polydopamine nanoparticles under an 808 nm laser irradiation. Moreover, the results show that the biosynthetic melanin nanoparticles have excellent photoacoustic imaging (PAI) performance and can be used for PAI guided PTT in vivo. In conclusion, the study provides an alternative approach to synthesize PTT agents with broad application potential in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.
Thermodynamics and Nucleation Kinetics Model of Nonalloyed Carbon Deoxidation of Bearing Steel
Authors: Cao Lei , Zhu Liguang , Guo Zhihong , Qiu Guoxing
Published: December 2022

Non alloyed carbon deoxidation can fundamentally solve the technical difficulty of fatigue failure of high‐quality bearing steel caused by inclusions. Herein, nonalloyed carbon deoxidation is presented with CO as a product, which can avoid the problem of residual inclusions. The thermodynamic and kinetic nucleation models of [C] deoxidation are constructed. The results suggest that a decrease in strengthens the deoxidation ability of [C], and the [%O] balanced with [%C] shows multiple decreases. When  = 0.1 atm and [%C] = 0.5%, [%O] can be reduced to less than 10 ppm. However, from the results of the nucleation kinetic model, as decreases, the critical radius increases, and the resistance of CO nucleation also increases. This results in difficulty of nucleation. Based on the nucleation kinetic model, the following C–O reaction mechanism is proposed: 1) [C] and [O] move to the reaction interface, 2) [C] + [O] = CO, forming a critical bubble nucleus, and 3) the newly formed CO diffuses continuously into the critical bubble, causing the bubble to grow and float away. Alternatively, the CO separates from the gas–liquid interface and enters the bubble, which floats away.
Novel analytical approach to modified fractal gas dynamics model with the variable coefficients
Authors: Wang Kang‐Le
Published: December 2022

In this study, the modified fractal gas dynamics model (GDM) with variable coefficients is successfully represented using the fractal derivative. We obtain the fractal variational principle of the modified fractal GDM by employing the fractal semi‐inverse method. Based on the established fractal variational principle, a new and fascinating algorithm is presented to solve the fractal model, which is called fractal two‐scale variational method (FTSVM). Finally, two numerical examples are given to indicate the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed algorithm. The FTSVM sheds a new light on the fractal differential equations.
AI Policy as a Response to AI Ethics? Addressing Ethical Issues in the Development of AI Policies in North Africa
Authors: Stahl Bernd Carsten , Leach Tonii , Oyeniji Oluyinka , Ogoh George
Published: January 2023

The recent exponential rate of AI development has led to a proliferation of AI national policies and strategies as global power blocs have sought to consolidate positions of strategic dominance. These policies have sought to promote the benefits and mitigate the risks of AI—and address ever more serious ethical concerns about these technologies. This raises the question of how countries less influential in the sphere of AI might seek to address such ethical issues themselves, and whether lessons can be learned from existing policies in addressing issues of ethics and human rights. From a consideration of the current AI ethics discourse and existing AI policies, the chapter goes on to explore how ethical concerns are addressed in the North African AI strategies and which gaps and opportunities in terms of coverage of ethical issues arise from the current state of these policies. We suggest that ethical issues should be addressed clearly in policy at the earliest possible stage to ensure that ethical standards are internally produced in line with social and cultural values, rather than being de facto applied by external actors.
3D Print with Salt
Authors: Pungercar Vesna , Hutz Martino , Musso Florian
Published: January 2023

Sustainable materials and additive manufacturing have the potential to increase material efficiency and minimize waste in the building process. One of the most promising materials is salt (sodium chloride). It is highly available as a residue of desalination and potash production processes and attracts attention due to its material properties (storage of humidity and heat). This research presents an investigation and evaluation of using salt as an alternative material in additive manufacturing. Thus, the focus of the study was on small-scale 3D printing with paste extrusion. Experimental studies of different salt mixtures with different binders, printing properties and other parameters were analyzed in three stages. In the first phase (P1) the mixing ratio of salt and potential binders (clay, gypsum, cement and starch) was defined; in the phase two (P2) the most promising mixture was selected, modified by additives and investigated by 3D image scan measurements; and in the last third phase (P3) the potential applications of salt in additive manufacturing were presented. As the research shows, the salt in material extrusion processes can substitute the main material by up to 70%, is successfully manipulated with different additives (to improve the workability of the printing mortar) and is highly dependent on the printer`s settings. For future full-scale 3D printing with salt many steps still have to be taken. However, incorporating salt in additive manufacturing showed a potential of saving material resources, addressing environmental issues and initiating new construction processes.
Everyday Life and How It Changes: Studying ‘Sustainable Wellbeing’ with Students During a Pandemic
Authors: Sahakian Marlyne
Published: January 2023

Semi-confinement measures around the COVID-19 pandemic led to disruptions in everyday lives, in particular when it comes to reconfiguring habitual and routinized ways of doing things—a central theme in a social practice approach to understanding consumption. This contribution considers the weekly journal entries of 95 students in an undergraduate class at the University of Geneva, documenting how their consumption-related practices were changing, and how such changes relate to ‘sustainable wellbeing’. Students describe thrift and frugality measures in relation to resource consumption, reconsider existing practices such as ‘being fashionable’, but also explore new practices, such as preparing elaborate meals. In terms of wellbeing, consuming resources was clearly less relevant to students than social relations, whether facilitated through information-communication technologies or at a physical distance, as well as experiencing some form of contact with nature. We found that it is possible to engage students in reflecting on the normative goal of need satisfaction, and for students to distinguish between needs and desires, and between needs and their means of satisfaction. The societal context of the pandemic also led to reflections around how wellbeing must be understood at both an individual and societal level, and how ‘sustainable wellbeing’ as a normative aim might be planned for in the future.
Crop Diversity, Its Conservation and Use for Better Food Systems
Authors: Schmitz Stefan , Barrios Rodrigo , Dempewolf Hannes , Guarino Luigi , Lusty Charlotte , Muir Janet
Published: January 2023

The genetic diversity contained in crops and their wild relatives is the foundation of tomorrow’s agriculture, allowing farmers and professional breeders to develop the new crop varieties that agriculture needs to adapt to changing conditions. The loss of this diversity poses a considerable risk to global food security. The conservation of agrobiodiversity in situ (in nature and in agricultural practice), as well as ex situ (in genebanks), is indispensable. However, many genebanks are unable to guarantee the safe conservation of the material in their care, let alone to create opportunities for its use in plant breeding and for more sustainable agriculture. Much remains to be done, first and foremost strengthening the global system of ex-situ conservation, making this system fit for the purpose of caring for hard-to-conserve materials, and innovative funding of this system.
Reduction of Food Loss and Waste: The Challenges and Conclusions for Actions
Authors: von Braun Joachim , Sorondo M. Sanchéz , Steiner Roy
Published: January 2023

The simultaneous coexistence of food loss and waste and prevalence of hunger, undernourishment and malnutrition represents a failure of contemporary food systems. While the reduction in food loss and waste is a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target, this reduction can also help in the achievement of other SDGs, including achieving zero hunger and reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This chapter documents scientific evidence on ways to reduce food loss and waste and provides recommendations for action at the global and national levels. Our recommendations encompass civil society actions, public and private investments and initiatives by citizens, corporations, governments, and international organizations. The chapter also highlights the gaps in action areas that require urgent attention from all stakeholders.
Trade and Sustainable Food Systems
Authors: Zimmermann Andrea , Rapsomanikis George
Published: January 2023

Trade is an integral part of our food systems. It connects people at all stages of agricultural and food value chains, linking farmers with consumers across the world. It also links nations to each other, and thus scales up from the domestic to the global perspective. By moving food from surplus to deficit regions, trade promotes food security, the diversity of foods available, and can affect preferences and diets. Trade impacts food prices and the allocation of resources, and thus is inherent to economic growth and interacts with the environment. At the same time, trade can create both winners and losers, resulting in inequality, and can generate negative social and environmental outcomes. This chapter provides an overview of the current debate around trade in food and agriculture and illustrates the role that trade can play within food systems in balancing different dimensions of sustainability. While trade openness is generally conducive to food security and promotes economic growth, formulating trade policies to achieve multiple targets, including environmental, nutritional and social objectives, requires careful analysis. Trade policies may not be the best and most efficient instruments for achieving multiple objectives, and they should be framed by complementary policies targeting specific aspects of sustainability. For example, in addressing climate change, one of today’s most pressing challenges, a combination of food trade and domestic policy instruments can sharpen the adaptation and mitigation roles of trade and significantly contribute to promoting the adoption of climate-smart technologies. In order to effectively design such policies, a better understanding of both the complex linkages between trade and sustainability outcomes and the simultaneous impacts of policy approaches on all parts of the food system will be necessary.
The Role of Science, Technology, and Innovation for Transforming Food Systems in Asia
Authors: Moughan Paul J. , Chamovitz Daniel A. , Ayyappan S. , Tanticharoen Morakot , Lal Krishan , Kim Yoo Hang
Published: January 2023

This chapter focusses on the role of science, technology and innovation (STI) in transforming the food systems of Asia and the Pacific to achieve long-term environmentally sustainable food and nutritional security (FNS). A “whole of systems” approach is required to address the issues, and that work is urgently needed to define ‘healthy’ diets for different regions, societies and cultures. Emphasis should shift from the provision of calories to the supply of balanced patterns of all essential nutrients, and the ‘holistic’ properties of foods should be recognised. The chapter identifies countries and regions, within Asia, considered to be at particularly high risk for future food insecurity. Systems analysis should be applied across the agricultural and food sectors of these countries to identify the actual technical and other impediments to FNS. It is envisaged that the results from such an analysis would be used to formulate a ‘blueprint’ for agricultural and food STI in Asia. Overarching recommendations are the establishment of a trans-national funding mechanism for the entire region, focussing on targeted interdisciplinary STI, and the establishment of regional centres of excellence for research, education and extension, focussing on the identified key areas of opportunity. It was concluded that there is an urgent need for investment and action.
Modeling Actions for Transforming Agrifood Systems
Authors: Laborde David , Torero Maximo
Published: January 2023

We modeled six interventions to study the scenarios’ impact on agrifood systems, undernutrition, access to healthy diets, and the environment. We also assessed the interventions as a group to consider the impact of synergies and complementarities. Our baseline showed that 690 million people were undernourished, and 3 billion people could not afford healthy diets in 2019. The first finding confirmed that ending chronic hunger at a 5% level by 2030 is possible, with key structural interventions to ramp up agrifood systems’ efficiency. Through increased farm productivity and reduction of food loss and waste, the number of chronically hungry people could be cut by 314 million. In addition, 568 million people would be able to afford healthy diets by 2030. The cost of ending hunger represents 8% of the size of global food markets, a sum that can be mobilized and invested to generate impact through food value chains, national economies, and social safety nets. Furthermore, the use of well-targeted social safety nets could provide an additional 2.4 billion people with access to healthy diets. The second critical finding was that various interventions could create synergies. This would become apparent through addressing different causes of hunger. Moreover, aiming to minimize the total cost of interventions and seeking, at the same time, the highest return interventions in terms of reduction of undernourishment and an increase in access to healthy diets could create significant trade-offs in regard to sustainability. Countries would have to redistribute $1.4 trillion annually to fill the income gap of the 3 billion people who cannot afford healthy diets. However, by investing in various interventions, countries can drive down the cost of their safety nets by about two thirds or $428 billion globally, in 2030. Combined interventions can also address environmental trade-offs that are bound to occur.
A Novel In Situ Machine Learning Framework for Intelligent Data Capture and Event Detection
Authors: Shead T. M. , Tezaur I. K. , Davis IV W. L. , Carlson M. L. , Dunlavy D. M. , Parish E. J. , Blonigan P. J. , Tencer J. , Rizzi F. , Kolla H.
Published: January 2023

We present a novel framework for automatically detecting spatial and temporal events of interest in situ while running high performance computing (HPC) simulations. The new framework – composed from signature, measure, and decision building blocks with well-defined semantics – is tailored for parallel and distributed computing, has bounded communication and storage requirements, is generalizable to a variety of applications, and operates in an unsupervised fashion. We demonstrate the efficacy of our framework on several cases spanning scientific domains and applications of event detection: optimized input/output (I/O) in computational fluid dynamics simulations, detecting events that can lead to irreversible climate changes in simulations of polar ice sheets, and identifying optimal space-time subregions for projection-based model reduction. Additionally, we demonstrate the scalability of our framework using a HPC combustion application on the Cori supercomputer at the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC).
Machine-Learning for Stress Tensor Modelling in Large Eddy Simulation
Authors: Nikolaou Z. M. , Minamoto Y. , Chrysostomou C. , Vervisch L.
Published: January 2023

The accurate modelling of the unresolved stress tensor is particularly important for Large Eddy Simulations (LES) of turbulent flows. This term affects the transfer of energy from the largest to the smallest scales and vice versa, thus controlling the evolution of the flow field-in reacting flows, the flow field transports scalar fields such as mass fractions and temperature both of which control the species production and destruction rates. A large number of models have been developed in past years for the stress tensor in incompressible and non-reacting flows. A common characteristic of the majority of the classical models is that simplifying assumptions are typically involved in their derivation which limits their predictive ability. At the same time, various tunable parameters appear in the relevant closures whose value depends on the flow geometry/configuration/spatial location, and which require careful regularisation. Data-driven methods for the stress tensor is an emerging alternative modelling approach which may help to circumvent the above issues, and in recent studies several such models were developed and evaluated. This chapter discusses the modelling problem, presents some of the most popular algebraic models, and reviews some recent advances on data-driven methods.
On the Use of Machine Learning for Subgrid Scale Filtered Density Function Modelling in Large Eddy Simulations of Combustion Systems
Authors: Iavarone S. , Yang H. , Li Z. , Chen Z. X. , Swaminathan N.
Published: January 2023

The application of machine learning algorithms to model subgrid-scale filtered density functions (FDFs), required to estimate filtered reaction rates for Large Eddy Simulation (LES) of chemically reacting flows, is discussed in this chapter. Three test cases, i.e., a low-swirl premixed methane-air flame, a MILD combustion of methane-air mixtures, and a kerosene spray turbulent flame, are presented. The scalar statistics in these test cases may not be easily represented using the commonly used presumed shapes for modeling FDFs of mixture fraction and progress variable. Hence, the use of ML methods is explored. Particularly, deep neural network (DNN) to infer joint FDFs of mixture fraction and progress variable is reviewed here. The Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) datasets employed to train the DNNs in each test case are described. The DNN performances are shown and compared to typical presumed probability density function (PDF) models. Finally, this chapter examines the advantages and caveats of the DNN-based approach.