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• Different configurations were tested for producing biogas from roadside grass. • Dry digestion succeeded at pilot and large scale, but the latter can be improved. • Digested fibers performed better than undigested fibers for biomaterial production. • Anaerobic digestion might be stopped midway for improved fiber recovery. • Market potential of roadside grass for biomaterials production was significant. Roadside grass clippings hold potential as a sustainable source of bioenergy as they do not compete with crops for land use, and are only partially utilized for low-value applications. In this study, we proposed using roadside grass as a sole feedstock for anaerobic digestion (AD) in three different settings, and assessed the potential of producing biomaterials and fertilizers from grass-based digestate. Wet continuous digestion at pilot scale and dry batch digestion at pilot and large scales resulted in biogas yields up to 700 Nm3.t−1 DOM with a methane content of 49–55 %. Despite promising results, wet AD had operational problems such as clogging and poor mixing; once upscaled, the dry digestion initially also presented an operational problem with acidification, which was overcome by the second trial. Digested grass fibers from the pilot dry AD were processed into biomaterials and performed similarly or better than the undigested fibers, while around 20 % performance reduction was observed when compared to reference wood fibers. A mass balance indicated reduced fiber recovery when higher biogas production was obtained. The liquid fraction from the pilot dry AD was characterized for its nutrient content and used as a biofertilizer in another study. In contrast, the leachate collected from the large-scale dry AD had a low nitrogen content and high chloride content that could hinder its further use. Finally, a regional market analysis was conducted showing that the biocomposites produced with the available grass fibers could substitute at least half of the current European market based on our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a promising candidate for treating metabolic disorder diseases and has been used in phase II clinical trials. Currently, metabolic diseases are prevalent worldwide, underscoring the significant market potential of FGF21. Therefore, the production of FGF21 must be effectively improved to meet market demand. Results: Herein, to investigate the impact of vectors and host cells on FGF21 expression, we successfully engineered strains that exhibit a high yield of FGF21. Surprisingly, the data revealed that vectors with various copy numbers significantly impact the expression of FGF21, and the results showed a 4.35-fold increase in expression levels. Furthermore, the performance of the double promoter and tandem gene expression construction design surpassed that of the conventional construction method, with a maximum difference of 2.67 times. Conclusion: By exploring engineered vectors and host cells, we successfully achieved high-yield production of the FGF21 strain. This breakthrough lays a solid foundation for the future industrialization of FGF21. Additionally, FGF21 can be easily, quickly and efficiently expressed, providing a better tool and platform for the research and application of more recombinant proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high market potential imposed by natural carotenoids has turned the scientific interest in search for new strains, capable of synthesizing a wide spectrum of these pigments. In this study, Rhodosporidium paludigenum NCYC 2663 and 2664 were investigated for carotenoids production and lipid accumulation utilizing different carbon sources (glucose, fructose, sucrose, mixture of glucose: galactose). Strain R. paludigenum 2663 produced the highest total carotenoids titer (2.21 mg/L) when cultivated on sucrose, together with 4 g/L lipids (30% w/w content) and 7 g/L exopolysaccharides. In the case of R. paludigenum 2664, glucose favored the production of 2.93 mg/L total carotenoids and 1.57 g/L lipids (31.8% w/w content). Analysis of the chemical profile during fermentation revealed that β-carotene was the prominent carotenoid. Strain 2663 co-produced γ-carotene, torulene and torularhodin in lower amounts, whereas 2664 synthesized almost exclusively β-carotene. The produced lipids from strain 2663 were rich in oleic acid, while the presence of linoleic acid was also detected in the lipoic fraction from strain 2664. The obtained carotenoid extracts exhibited antioxidant (IC 50 0.14 mg/mL) and high antimicrobial activity, against common bacterial and fungal pathogenic strains. The results of this study are promising for the utilization of biotechnologically produced carotenoids in food applications. • R. paludigenum 2663 produced 2.21 mg/L carotenoids grown on sucrose. • β-carotene was the prevalent carotenoid regardless the culture conditions. • R. paludigenum 2663 produced lipids rich in oleic acid. • The produced carotenoid extract presented an IC 50 equal to 0.14 mg/mL. • The carotenoid extract exhibited strong antibacterial and antifungal activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research presents an analytical analysis of the factors related to the preference for using electric vehicles, aimed at estimating their potential adoption in urban freight transport. We employed choice modeling to assess the trade-offs among various attributes associated with Electric Freight Vehicles (EFVs) and predicted the probabilities of EFV adoption within urban freight fleets. This estimation is based on an industry survey and real delivery data from a retail firm. Our findings indicate that electric vehicles could be utilized in approximately 32% of the deliveries for the case company. This, in turn, corresponds to a notable 26% reduction in CO2 emissions resulting from delivery operations. Furthermore, our model enabled us to expand the scope of our analysis to the city level, using Istanbul as a specific example. Our illustration demonstrates that, under the current circumstances, electric vehicles have the potential to account for roughly 25% of all deliveries in Istanbul. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the potential market for residential hydrogen systems in light of the trends towards digitalisation and environmental awareness. Based on a survey of 350 participants, the results indicate that although energy experts are sceptical about the benefits of residential hydrogen systems due to their high costs, households are highly interested in this technology. The sample shows a willingness to invest in hydrogen applications, with some households willing to pay an average of 24% more. An economic assessment compared the cost of a residential hydrogen system with conventional domestic energy systems, revealing significant additional costs for potential buyers interested in hydrogen applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offshore assembly and disassembly operations represent a multi-billion-dollar market potential. Collaborative lifting by multiple vessels has emerged as a new operating paradigm for integrated offshore facilities assembly and disassembly. Hence, this paper investigates the hydro-dynamic interaction of dual lifting vessels in collaborative lifting operations. The coupled motions during multi-body operations are simulated using the commercial software SESAM. The feasibility of the numerical model for coupled motions in collaborative lifting is verified by comparing the numerical results of topside motions, vessel motions, and vertical lifting arm loads against experimental measurements. The effects of wave heading and period on the hydrodynamic responses of the topside module, dual lifting vessels, and lifting arms during collaborative operations are studied. Their influence patterns and mechanisms are analysed in detail. The results show that transverse waves and head wave induce significant heave and pitch motions of the topside module and vessels, but the maximum vertical loads on the lifting arms occur in oblique waves. The motion responses of the topside module and vessels increase with longer wave periods under the oblique sea condition, and roll motions are more sensitive to large periods compared to the gradual rise in heave and pitch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable intensification (SI) responds to the concurrent challenges of increasing food production while reducing the environmental impacts of agriculture. As an early disclosure of innovation, patents are a useful indicator of technology market potential. However, we lack understanding of the extent to which current agricultural technology patents relate to the goals of SI and which kinds of technologies can potentially address SI. Here, we analyzed the diffusion and focus of more than one million patents issued during the period 1970–2022. We explored the degree to which the patents relate to SI through the co-occurrence of efficiency and environmental friendliness targets. Our results reveal that while the rate of patent issuance has dramatically increased over the past five decades, the rate at which patents diffused to different countries had decreased over time. The USA was the biggest net exporter of patents and had produced by far the most high-impact patents (in the top 1% most-cited patents). Since 1970, only 4% of agricultural patents and 6% of high-impact patents were related to SI targets (i.e., promoting both agricultural efficiency and environmental friendliness), but the attention to SI has increased over time. The most highly cited SI-related patents had become more diverse over time, shifting from digital, machine, and energy technologies in 1980s to the current era of agroecology, information, and computer networking. Our results provide an early indication of promising technologies that may play a greater role for SI in the future, subject to the challenges of market transfer and farm adoption and complemented by non-technological innovations in farm management and institutional support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water quality monitoring has become more critical in recent years to ensure the availability of clean and safe water from natural aquifers and to understand the evolution of water contaminants across time and space. The conventional water monitoring techniques comprise of sample collection, preservation, preparation, tailed by laboratory testing and analysis with cumbersome wet chemical routes and expensive instrumentation. Despite the high accuracy of these methods, the high testing costs, laborious procedures, and maintenance associated with them don't make them lucrative for end end-users and field testing. As the participation of ultimate stakeholders, that is, common man for water quality and quantity can play a pivotal role in ensuring the sustainability of our aquifers, thus it is essential to develop and deploy portable and user-friendly technical systems for monitoring water sources in real-time or on-site. The present review emphasizes here on possible approaches including optical (absorbance, fluorescence, colorimetric, X-ray fluorescence, chemiluminescence), electrochemical (ASV, CSV, CV, EIS, and chronoamperometry), electrical, biological, and surface-sensing (SPR and SERS), as candidates for developing such platforms. The existing developments, their success, and bottlenecks are discussed in terms of various attributes of water to escalate the essentiality of water quality devices development meeting ASSURED criterion for societal usage. These platforms are also analyzed in terms of their market potential, advancements required from material science aspects, and possible integration with IoT solutions in alignment with Industry 4.0 for environmental application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar‐driven interfacial evaporation is an environmentally friendly and sustainable freshwater‐production technology with substantial market potential. Nonetheless, it encounters significant challenges related to energy‐conversion efficiency and resistance to salt crystallization. Thus, a towel‐inspired fabric‐based evaporator (TFE) containing various functional layers using carbon and cotton‐polyester‐blended fibers is designed and woven. The surface of the TFE is woven into a towel‐ring structure, which affords a high sunlight‐contact area and a superior sunlight absorption rate of 96.2%. In contrast, the hydrophilic layer at the bottom of the TFE delivers superior water‐molecule storage and conduction due to its multilayer corner‐interlocking fabric structure. Compared to commercial fabric‐based evaporators, the loop structure of the towel fabric enables water molecules to flow rapidly under the influence of wind, which effectively enhances the evaporation rate of the TFE. The optimal TFE can reach a high water‐evaporation rate of 3.72 kg m−2 h−1 under 1 kW m−2 sunlight and a wind speed of 2 m s−1, which is ascribable to sunlight/wind synergy. No precipitated salt is detected on the TFE surface after continuously evaporating a 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution for 8 h. These exceptional attributes position the TFE as a highly suitable candidate for diverse seawater desalination applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in world population has led to an increase in global food demand, which is estimated to grow by 35–56% from 2010 to 2050. As a result, the risk of hunger is also expected to rise. Protein consumption between 2000 and 2018 rose by 40% worldwide and is expected to increase at 9.3% cumulative annual growth rate in the near future. Hence, there is a huge demand and potential market available for human and animal protein. Therefore, newer and more protein sources will be required to meet the longer food value chains. Hence, a microbial protein produced using waste biomass could offer socio‐economic benefits and consumer acceptance owing to its vegetarian nature. Moreover, waste biomass‐based proteins are environmentally benign and very good ingredients in food and feed. Dry microbial protein, described as single‐cell protein, grown on agricultural residue, has been considered as a potent source of protein for both humans and animals. Thus, single‐cell protein will open up new opportunities to meet the growing protein demands for humans and animals. Microbially produced beer, cheese and yogurt are all examples of microbial protein sources for humans and animals. The feedstock, like agriculture residue, is relatively cheap and could be a potential source for large‐scale protein production in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The Environmental Reserve Quota (ERQ) is a mechanism that can reduce the cost of environmental regularization of rural properties that have preservation deficit, and mainly, encourage the conservation of natural vegetation in properties that maintain areas in accordance with, or beyond legal requirements, attributing economic value to them. Objective: To estimate the amount of potential ERQ supply and demand in the municipality of Rondonópolis-MT, in order to identify information about the potential of this market. Methodology: The land area of properties registered in the Mato Grosso Environmental Registry System (SIMCAR) and vegetation data from the MapBiomas project (forest formation and savanna formation) were used to verify the legal reserve classification of properties based on current legislation. Areas with legal reserve surplus and deficit were identified, based on the sizes of properties and their vegetation. Results: A total of 1,212 properties registered in the SIMCAR in Rondonópolis-MT were identified, which corresponds to 70% of the total area of the municipality. Rondonópolis-MT has potential supply of 19,561 hectares to be marketed as ERQ, with potential demand of 13,712 hectares, which s represents a spare supply of 5,849 hectares. Conclusion: There is great potential for the ERQ market; however, the success of this initiative will depend on the inclusion of small properties, mainly of settlements, which will require institutional action to promote land regularization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Market discipline, which concerns aspects of monitoring and the ability of market participants to play a role in influencing management behavior, is an aspect of the financial industry that has not yet clearly existed in the life insurance industry in Indonesia. This condition is the background of a study that aims to determine the possibility of market discipline in the life insurance industry in Indonesia through observation of the relationship between the acquisition of investment returns of life insurance companies with the acquisition of new business and termination of contracts or lapse policies. Testing based on sample data from 27 life insurance companies (Financial Statements published by OJK) resulted that: can accept the hypothesis of a positive correlation (unidirectional) trend between investment returns and new businesses, but cannot accept the hypothesis that there is a negative tendency (not in the same direction) between investment returns and policy lapse. The market (life insurance consumers) has not been able to express disapproval of the company's performance that is not in accordance with the wishes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the concept and methodology for assessing the market potential of local convenience shops in spatial terms. The methods concerned are based on spatial analyses using information derived from open data concerning local population density and competing establishments. The study focused on four main stages, including the estimation of shop density, population density, the compilation of a market potential map, and data reclassification to identify the potential for the location of new shops. The area under study comprised three cities: Łódź, Poznań, and Wrocław. The results of the study suggest that a high market potential does not concern the most populated areas but less populated ones, which is mainly due to much less competition. It was also indicated that the study may serve an important role in terms of sustainable urban development and an improvement in the inhabitants' quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weed control is a basic agricultural practice, typically achieved through herbicides and mechanical weeders. Because of the negative environmental impacts of these tools, alternative solutions are being developed and adopted worldwide. Following recent technical developments, an autonomous laser-based weeding system (ALWS) now offers a possible solution for sustainable weed control. However, beyond recent proof of performance, little is known about the adoption potential of such a system. This study assesses the adoption potential of ALWS, using a mixed-method approach. First, six macro-environmental factors regarding the adoption of ALWS were determined. This assessment is referred to as a Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal, Environmental (PESTLE) analysis and is conducted in a form of a literature review initiated by expert consultations. Second, a range of European stakeholders' perceptions of ALWS was evaluated in four focus-group discussions (n = 55), using a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats (SWOT) analysis. The factors identified in the PESTLE and SWOT analyses were subsequently merged to provide a comprehensive overview of the adoption potential of ALWS. Labour reduction, precision treatment and environmental sustainability were found to be the most important advantages of ALWS. High costs and performance uncertainty were identified as the main weaknesses. To promote the adoption of ALWS, this study recommends the following: (1) Concrete performance results, both technical and economic, should be communicated to farmers. (2) Farmers' knowledge of precision agriculture should be improved. (3) Advantage should be taken of policies that are favourable towards non-chemical methods and the high demand for organic products. This article also extensively discusses regulatory barriers, the risks posed to the safety of both humans and the machines involved, technological challenges and requirements, and policy recommendations related to ALWS adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the emergence of new legal forms allowing for-profit firms to incorporate with a formal commitment to both profit and social purpose has disrupted the traditional American business-charity dichotomy. The arrival of these hybrid firms can be expected to affect the functioning of markets and poses a potential challenge to the role played by large nonprofits that provide quasi-public services such as education and health care. We construct duopoly models of competition between a nonprofit firm and either a traditional for-profit firm or a hybrid firm, simultaneously choosing output levels of a homogeneous good. We show that when the nonprofit competes with a hybrid firm it becomes less competitive in the sense that its output level contracts, it raises less net revenue with which to fund charity care, and it is more easily driven out of the market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) a widespread aromatic herb, holds an important place in Indian traditional medicine system. A fenugreek or methi seed commonly used to flavour food contains various alkaloids, different saponins and fixed oil content. The steroidal nature of natural saponins has high market potential as alternative to Dioscore species, the current declining resource of commercial saponins. The current experiment designed to induce and identify somaclone variants of fenugreek resistant to powdery mildew, rich in saponins and fixed oil content with acceptable yield. Methods: Seeds of fenugreek var. Gujarat Methi-2 (GM-2) were used for in vitro regeneration during 2019 laboratory experiment. Explants cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) media supplemented with different concentrations of 2,4-D and NAA. The induced calluses were further transferred in to the regenerated semi solid MS medium with various levels of BAP for the development of calliclones. For root induction, shoots were transferred in White's rooting media with different concentrations of Indole Acetic Acid. Result: Our experimental findings shows induction and detection of somaclonal variants, as a possible source of genetic improvement in fenugreek with limited information on genetic diversity. This approach could generate new genotypes useful to pharmaceutical industries with competitive yield and resistance to powdery mildew. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most common approach to student housing has been articulated by studentification literature. Furthermore, authors have highlighted how student demand attracts institutional investors to develop Purpose‐Built Student Accommodation (PBSA). In this paper, we complement these approaches with a conceptualization of how digital platforms have restructured the supply of student rooms in houses of multiple occupation. Relying on business and software understandings of platforms, we first explore the case of Uniplaces in Lisbon, a platform that has imitated the Airbnb model and today is present in more than 130 cities in various countries. Second, we depict Uniplaces within a landscape of mid‐term rental platforms that cater for different profiles of mobile populations, who stay in destinations for a short‐ or mid‐term period of time. We conclude with a discussion about the potential of this market to further advance processes of transnational gentrification and weaken the position of tenants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio-based chemicals synthesized by lignin offer a promising pathway of bioenergy utilization to achieve the target of the Paris Agreement with <2 °C of climate warming temperature. Recently, numerous efforts have been made in lignin biorefinery, including lignin extraction, separation, depolymerization and product separation, among which each subprocess has a profound effect on the overall process. The right configuration and integration implementation of biorefinery subprocesses determine the ultimate efficiency and cost. This review provides an in-depth mechanism of understanding subprocesses aiming to provide insight into the right configurations and integration implementation of subprocesses and early commercialization of lignin biorefinery. This review includes (1) elucidation of the lignin biosynthesis pathway, (2) dissection of the mechanism of biorefinery subprocesses with intelligible graphical overviews and summary, (3) analysis of tech-economic viability from the view of market potential and each biorefinery subprocess, and (4) discussion of challenge and perspective with the emphasis on gene engineering and start-up time of lignin-based bioenergy popularization. The current results indicate that more efforts should be made toward the gene engineering regulation and integration implementation of subprocesses to promote the early commercialization of lignin biorefinery considering that the delayed use of bioenergy may reduce carbon emission mitigation capacity and increase global food risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioactive compounds obtained from Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi extracts are traditionally employed in folk medicine for the treatment of diseases. The fruits and leaves of this plant are rich in terpenes and phenolic compounds, which gives it antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Even though the pink pepper shares some sensory aspects of the traditional peppers, it does not belong to the same family, which is why it can be considered as a fake pepper. Recent advances in the food area showed that pink pepper extracts are an interesting alternative for applications such as natural preservatives and flavoring. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of pink pepper extraction properties and possible applications. Moreover, we wish to demonstrate an effective bioactive activity of pink pepper when applied in different areas. Overall, multifunctional extracts can be produced from pink pepper tree, showing great market potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is low commercial availability of goat meat in retail outlets such as supermarkets and butcheries due to the limited supply and cultural beliefs in many nations of the world, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to find potential customers for goat meat if it were made readily available in retail outlets. Two hundred respondents from cities and towns (Port Elizabeth, East London, Mthatha, King's Williams town, Grahamstown, Alice, Butherwotth, Fort Beaufort, Queenstown, Craddock, Adelaide, Port Alfred, Stutterheim, and Peddie) in the Eastern Cape, South Africa, were randomly selected and interviewed using structured Google form questionnaires. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. Participants answered questions about goat meat consumption in relation to other meats. Factors limiting the consumption of goat meat were also investigated. About 66% of respondents had positive views of goat meat, while 23.5% were neutral. Only 10.5 % had unfavourable views concerning goat meat. The availability of goat meat in the market was the most limiting factor for 60% of the respondents, while 15% said price was their limiting factor. Other factors limiting goat meat consumption were personal preferences, religion, aversion to testing, price of goat meat, aversion to smell, and fattiness, with 15%, 9%, 6.5%, 5%, 4%, and 0.5% of respondents, respectively. About 46% of the total respondents preferred goat meat from a supermarket or butchery, and only 6.5% preferred vendors. Only 26% preferred live goats, while 61.5% preferred a portion of meat from slaughtered goats. The chi-square test also revealed a significant association (P<0.05) between attitude/view of goat meat consumption with gender (0.00), age (0.001), nationality (0.027) and ethnicity (0.041). However, the association between attitudes/views towards goat meat consumption and small households (0.262) or religion (0.142) was not significant (P>0.05). Although demand for goat meat is expected to rise as people receive more information on nutritional benefits and cooking methods, it could be concluded that consumers are willing to consume it and that there is market potential for it as a major store product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the decision process of own-brand intrusion by contract manufacturers and their selection of invasion sales modes under the consideration of service quality disparities between brand manufacturers and contract manufacturers. Specifically, the study constructs a three-tier supply chain system comprising a brand manufacturer, a contract manufacturer, and an e-commerce platform. The equilibrium profits under different sales mode combinations are determined by using reverse induction methodology, and the optimal sales mode combinations are analyzed and compared. The study reveals that the decision process of contract manufacturers' own-brand invasion depends on the potential market demand. Furthermore, when brand manufacturers adopt the reselling mode, the service quality level does not affect the decision process of invasion sales modes. However, when brand manufacturers adopt the agency mode, contract manufacturers with low service quality levels are more suitable for invasion through the agency mode, whereas contract manufacturers with high service quality levels are better suited for invasion through the reselling mode. Additionally, for the equilibrium sales mode combination among members of the supply chain, it is observed that with lower commission rates, both brand manufacturers and contract manufacturers choose the agency mode, while with higher commission rates, both choose the reselling mode. When commission rates are moderate, brand manufacturers prefer the agency mode, whereas contract manufacturers prefer the reselling mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local and organic food purchase is frequently associated with consumer motivation to protect environmental, animal, and human health and support local communities and cultural traditions. Crop genetic resources, particularly traditional varieties, have been significantly eroded by the introduction of modern, high-yielding varieties in the last half of the 20th century. This was particularly relevant for staple crops, which include wheat. Omitting the understanding of why the genetic erosion of agricultural crops occurred, through this study we gave an insight into consumer preferences for traditional products and local wheat varieties. The random survey examined 1178 different profiles and their consuming habits with the aim of assessing their preferences and the possibility of reintroduction of wheat landraces in Montenegro. Public opinion polls confirmed the negative perception on genetically modified organisms (GMOs), pesticides, and intensive production, as 90.2% of the consumers would prefer to have their own production, consider as safer alternative compared to conventional production. It is promising that 94.5% of the respondents would rather buy bread produced from a local wheat variety than from a modern, imported variety, while 88.8% of the respondents would pay a higher price for flour, bread, and other products from local varieties. If engaged in agricultural production, respondents rated production using traditional plant varieties very positively, aiming to produce authentic, local products (78.5%). Such attitudes open the possibility of reintroduction of traditional wheat varieties on the market and encourage policy revision in order to pay more attention to traditional wheat varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Andean Blackberry fruits (Rubus glaucus Benth) have promising market potential with notable nutritional and antioxidant properties; however, their limited 3-6day shelf-life presents considerable challenges. A flash vacuum expansion (FVE) process coupled with vacuum de-pulping was used to obtain puree from blackberry fruits. Different steam heating holding times (53, 75, 85, and 95 s) were tested at a pressure of 130 kPa. After FVE and vacuum de-pulping (5kPa), various parameters, including alcohol insoluble residues (AIR), residual activity of polyphenol oxidase (RAPPO), anthocyanins, ascorbic acid and ellagitannin retention, rheological properties, and microbial reduction, were evaluated in the purees. Optimal steam heating time of 85 seconds was selected for the FVE process, showing outstanding retention rates of 98% for cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and 88% for ascorbic acid, along with enhanced ellagitannins extraction from torus and seed blackberries into the puree. The purees displayed a gradual shear-thinning flow behavior, positively correlated with the increase in %AIR. A reduction greater than 5 Log10 CFU / mL was achieved for molds, yeasts, aerobic mesophilic, and coliforms counts for all the treatments. Nectar and sweetened puree products developed from the optimal FVE processed puree, received favorable acceptance from consumers, with a high intention to purchase. The findings demonstrated that this innovative process has great potential for developing of high-quality products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A magnetorheological (MR) damper is effective and economical for miscellaneous applications in automotive, mechanical, civil, and relative fields. A parameter tuning methodology independent of manual trial-and-error has received much technical interest for controlling vibrations. The present work contributes mathematical and Simulink modeling followed by MR damper design and development for vibration optimization of the single degree of freedom system. A Simulink model of an MR damper is performed on the mathematical model for vibration control, and the MR damper's tuning parameters are experimentally investigated to control the resonance frequency. Theoretical simulated results and its experimental verification show that increasing current raises the force to control the resonance frequency in an MR damper. The present approach provides a concise and improved platform for dynamic vibration absorber in the current potential market and the highly interested control community for the development of the distinctive attributes of the MR Damper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The need to increase the volume of domestic agricultural production and overcome the import dependence of hightech intermediate products actualizes the task of creating mechanisms to support and stimulate demand for innovative products of the agro-industrial complex. The purpose of the article is to develop theoretical and methodological foundations for the formation of scientific and technological policy to stimulate demand for innovative products in the agro-industrial complex. The theoretical foundations of the institutional interaction between the state, universities, academic institutions, agribusiness based on marketing and co-creation of values have been developed. taking into account the needs for innovation in the context of industries and regions. The study analyzes the innovative activity of some European countries, reveals disproportions between the costs of innovation and the volume of shipped products in various countries. The calculation of the index of marketing potential on the basis of a database for 83 regions was carried out and a comparison was made of the index of the country as a whole and a typical region in order to develop targeted strategies for state support. The practical significance of the research results lies in the possibility of their use in the development of mechanisms for state support of demand for innovations and digital technologies in the agro-industrial complex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The aim of this research was to produce a lyophilised water and ethanol extract from Fuscoporia torulosa mushroom, to determine the antimicrobial and antioxidant potential of the extracts and in industrial conditions to produce a new, functional product – Bio Soups, enriched with lyophilised extracts derived from fruiting body of F. torulosa mushroom, at the same time without use of synthetic additives. The application of the lyophilised extracts in the industrial production of dehydrated soups showed positive results. Such soups are characterised with higher (P < 0.05) antimicrobial and antioxidant activity, compared to conventional soups, while it has been proven constant biological potential and stability up to the 90th day of production. This is the first dehydrated soup enriched with lyophilised extract of medicinal mushroom, since its production does not require special conditions, and it possesses exceptional functional properties, this product could have a many times greater market potential compared to conventional soups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economics and ecology both present us with a key challenge: scaling up from individual behaviour to community‐level effects. As a result, biologists have frequently utilized theories and frameworks from economics in their attempt to better understand animal behaviour. In the study of predator–prey interactions, we face a particularly difficult task—understanding how predator choices and strategies will impact the ecology and evolution not just of individual prey species, but whole communities. However, a similar challenge has been encountered, and largely solved, in Marketing, which has created frameworks that successfully predict human consumer behaviour at the community level. We argue that by applying these frameworks to non‐human consumers, we can leverage this predictive power to understand the behaviour of these key ecological actors in shaping the communities they act upon. We here use predator–prey interactions, as a case study, to demonstrate and discuss the potential of marketing and human‐consumer theory in helping us bridge the gap from laboratory experiments to complex community dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Khaya grandifoliola (african mahogany) is a species with great market potential due to the high added value of its wood, fast growth and resistance to pests. The objective of the study was to map dendrometric, phytotechnical and sanitary variables of different stands of african mahogany and indicate the characteristics and potential of production in these areas. The study was carried out in municipality of Curionópolis, Pará (areas with african mahogany monoculture, african mahogany consortia with corn and papaya). The evaluations consisted of the analysis of correlation between the diameter and height of the plants and geostatistical analyzes of the health, crown quality, ramifications, canopy quality and survival. The correlation between height and diameter showed higher values for intercropping with maize, indicating adaptability of african mahogany. The study areas showed a strong spatial dependence of the analyzed variables. The plantations had a lower incidence of pests and branches when intercropped. Therefore, african mahogany plantations showed favorable results after their implementation in the Eastern Amazon region, essentially when intercropped. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geo-social networks offer opportunities for the marketing and promotion of geo-located services. In this setting, we explore a new problem, called Maximizing the Influence of Bichromatic Reverse kNearest Neighbors (MaxInfBRkNN). The objective is to find a set of points of interest (POIs), which are geo-textually and socially relevant to social influencers who are expected to largely promote the POIs online. In other words, the problem aims to detect an optimal set of POIs with the largest word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing potential. This functionality is useful in various real-life applications, including social advertising, location-based viral marketing, and personalized POI recommendation. However, solving MaxInfBRkNN with theoretical guarantees is challenging because of the prohibitive overheads on BRkNN retrieval in geo-social networks, and the NP and #P-hardness of finding the optimal POI set. To achieve practical solutions, we present a framework with carefully designed indexes, efficient batch BRkNN processing algorithms, and alternative POI selection policies that support both approximate and heuristic solutions. Extensive experiments on real and synthetic datasets demonstrate the good performance of our proposed methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ectoine has gained considerable attention as a high-value chemical with significant application potential and market demand. This study aimed to increase ectoine yields by blocking the metabolic shunt pathway of l-aspartate-4-semialdehyde, the precursor substrate in ectoine synthesis. The homoserine dehydrogenase encoded by hom in H. campaniensis strain XH26 is responsible for the metabolic shunt of l-aspartate-4-semialdehyde to glycine. CRISPR/Cas9 technology was used to seamlessly knockout hom, blocking the metabolic shunt pathway to increase ectoine yields. The ectoine yield of XH26/Δhom was 351.13 mg (g CDW)−1 after 48 h of incubation in 500 mL shake flasks using optimal medium with 1.5 mol L−1 NaCl, which was significantly higher than the 239.18 mg (g CDW)−1 of the wild-type strain. Additionally, the absence of the ectoine metabolic shunt pathway affects betaine synthesis, and thus the betaine yields of XH26/Δhom was 19.98 mg (g CDW)−1, considerably lower than the 69.58 mg (g CDW)−1 of the wild-type strain. Batch fermentation parameters were optimized, and the wild-type strain and XH26/Δhom were fermented in 3 L fermenters, resulting in a high ectoine yield of 587.09 mg (g CDW)−1 for the defective strain, which was significantly greater than the ectoine yield of 385.03 mg (g CDW)−1 of the wild-type strain. This study showed that blocking the metabolic shunt of synthetic substrates effectively increases ectoine production, and a reduction in the competitively compatible solute betaine appears to promote increased ectoine synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent developments aim to extend the cytotoxic effect and therapeutic window of mAbs by constructing antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs), in which the targeting moiety is the mAb that is linked to a highly toxic drug. According to a report from mid of last year, the global ADCs market accounted for USD 1387 million in 2016 and was worth USD 7.82 billion in 2022. It is estimated to increase in value to USD 13.15 billion by 2030. One of the critical points is the linkage of any substituent to the functional group of the mAb. Increasing the efficacy against cancer cells' highly cytotoxic molecules (warheads) are connected biologically. The connections are completed by different types of linkers, or there are efforts to add biopolymer-based nanoparticles, including chemotherapeutic agents. Recently, a combination of ADC technology and nanomedicine opened a new pathway. To fulfill the scientific knowledge for this complex development, our aim is to write an overview article that provides a basic introduction to ADC which describes the current and future opportunities in therapeutic areas and markets. Through this approach, we show which development directions are relevant both in terms of therapeutic area and market potential. Opportunities to reduce business risks are presented as new development principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Polymers incorporated in different layers of perovskite solar cells are reviewed. • Impact of polymers on physio-chemical, optical, and electronic properties of active layer are addressed. • Structure – property relation on perovskite – polymer synergy is addressed. • Polymeric influence on photovoltaic properties and device stability are addressed. • Polymer incorporation is shown to be the way forward for perovskite solar cells. Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are intensively studied over the past decade to enhance the renewable contribution to the total energy mix; however, their market potential is hampered mostly by their poor operational stability. Polymers as encapsulants, UV-filters, charge transport layers, and interfacial layers are shown to be a potential remedy not only to improve stability but also to positively contribute to other figures of merits of solar cells. Highly efficient PSCs (>15 %) with prolonged operational stability (>3000 h) in various device architectures including fibres, yarns, and woven and knitted cloths are reported using perovskite embedded polymers. This article critically and comprehensively reviews the synergistic interactions between various polymers and the organic–inorganic lead halide perovskite material to establish a structure–property correlation and to examine the viability of the PSCs technology for practical deployment. Mechanistic details of polymers in the photoactive, charge transport and interfacial layers on the morphology, optical and photovoltaic properties, and stability are analysed and discussed. Particularly on stability, the role of polymers on defect tolerance, phase and structure evolution, and external stimuli (heat, moisture, light, electric field, and oxygen) are elaborated. The dielectric properties of polymers enable them to be superior encapsulants over their corresponding monomers or other organic molecules. Based on these broad considerations, adopting the polymeric approach is shown to be a more efficient and greener leap towards the sustainable commercialization of perovskites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investment in the renewable energy industry has huge market potential and economic benefits. In order to technologically upgrade, industrialize, and marketize renewable energy projects, it is necessary to build a good green policy environment and a reasonable green policy support system. This paper studies the effects of the green policy environment on renewable energy investment and conducts effect evaluation on the green policies. First, a coordinated energy planning and investment strategy was proposed against the green and low-carbon background, and the influence mechanism of the green policy environment on renewable energy investment was elaborated. Then, a multistage optimization model was constructed for renewable energy investment in the green policy environment, and the model reconstruction and solution were also given. After that, the steps to evaluate the effects of green policies for renewable energy power generation were also explained in detail. The experimental results verified the effectiveness of the constructed model. The relevant research results can enrich and improve the theoretical research framework of the green policy environment system, and fully promote the strategy transformation of energy and high-quality economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous research proposed alternative selection methods to compensate for the drawbacks of the lowest qualified bidder (LQB) approach, including the below-average-bidder (BAB) method. While previous work has been carried out to simulate contractors' behavior when altering the bid selection method, the literature lacks a tool that investigates how long it will take for both public and private owners to adopt the newly proposed alternative bid selection approach. To this end, this paper presents an agent-based model (ABM) that simulates the different bidding processes and tracks the impact on the owners' utilities of switching from LQB to BAB. The ABM simulates the contractors' learning behaviors to optimize their bidding strategies and markups throughout transitioning from LQB to BAB. Meanwhile, the ABM accounts for the owners' utilities from using both selection methods and their preferences in utilizing one over the other using social learning. The findings of this research are validated by experts' insights through a questionnaire survey. The model is tested against the ratio of public to private projects to provide insights into the owners' decision-making processes and the potential market dynamics due to the proposed changes. One of the main findings of this research is that the ratio of public to private projects has a significant impact on the adoption of an alternative bid selection method. This paper contributes to the body of knowledge by proposing an approach to quantify market perturbations, the expected equilibrium, and how long the market might need to restabilize using BAB as the main selection method. Ultimately, the proposed approach would aid policymakers in understanding the impact of alternating the bid selection method, and adequately plan for the transition. In addition, the utilized methodology can be used in other managerial domains that require simulating different what-if scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The health effects of playing golf on the athlete's body is an interesting topic. The effect of golf on increasing blood saturation has low presence in the literature. This paper demonstrates the correlation of playing golf on improving health status after COVID-19 while this positive information has a potential to be used by the marketing management of various organisations to improve economics of golf activities. We analyse the change in saturation and heart rate after playing an 18-hole course, measured by pulse oximetry (% SpO2). Then we investigate the different aspects that have the greatest health benefit in golf. By following the effect of playing golf on blood oxygen saturation and heart rate in athletes we build a linear regression model explaining the impact 14 factors have on blood oxygen saturation. An 18-hole golf course caused a 1 ± 1.49% (p<0.001) increase in venous blood O2 concentration and a 6 ± 8.09% (p<0.001) increase in resting heart rate. Golf has the positive effect on the health status of athletes after recovery or vaccination for COVID-19 disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Could North Korea (officially the Democratic People's Republic of Korea) actually become Northeast Asia's next big free market economy? At first blush, economic optimism about the "Hermit Kingdom" seems incredibly misplaced. North Korea is one of the most repressive countries in the world; with an overwhelming adherence to the state ideology of juche (national self-reliance), the North Korean government continues to systematically deny citizens almost all basic liberties. As if that were not enough, North Korea threatens to attack nearby nations and the United States with nuclear missiles, in spite of international sanctions that are meant to compel North Korean denuclearization. On the other hand, North Korea has expanded its efforts to enhance its international profile, including talks of potentially reuniting with South Korea and unprecedented meetings with the heads of state of both the United States and China. A post-sanctions North Korea could present an opportunity for franchisors, franchisees, and foreign capital to enter the country, exponentially expand its market potential, and mutually benefit from the positive spillovers of economic liberalization (e.g., cross-cultural communication and technology transfers). There are, indeed, tremendous challenges--risks and potential rewards--to bringing foreign capital and investment, including franchising, to North Korea. Economic liberalization and enhanced foreign capital, investment, and franchising can be achieved through the multilateral efforts of major trading nations and significant, but certainly attainable, changes in North Korean norms and laws. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thus, despite policy prohibiting free tobacco product samples, findings highlight how the cigar industry circumvents these marketing restrictions through cigar festivals and similar events. Although prohibitions on tobacco company sponsorship of events exist, it is clear that premium cigar manufacturers will continue to sponsor and promote their products at cigar festivals and events in the absence of product-specific enforcement under the TCA. For instance, how often does cigar festival marketing on social media circumvent social media tobacco marketing restrictions given that it is marketing an event and not a commercial tobacco product?. [Extracted from the article]

The study was to calculate feed market development potential. Based on panel data from 2010 to 2020, the paper empirically examines the main factors affecting the development of feed market in China. On the basis, it calculates the development potential of feed market with the help of the expanded gravity model. The results showed that the level of financial input had the greatest impact on development potential of feed market in China, followed by the level of infrastructure, urbanization and human capital. The development potential of feed market in China has great room for improvement. At the regional level, southwest, central and south China are regions with huge potential for feed market development, east China and northeast China are regions with pioneering potential for feed market development, and north China and northwest China are regions with re-shaping potential for feed market development. The research conclusion can provide a useful reference for tapping the development potential of feed market and boosting the high-quality development of feed industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing number of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs) engenders a genuine concern for achieving sustainable development. Properly recycling ELV is paramount to checking pollution, reducing landfills, and conserving natural resources. The present study evaluates the sustainability of India's ELV recycling system from techno-socio-economic and environmental aspects as an instrumental step for assessing performance and progress. This investigation has performed the Strength-Weakness-Opportunity-Threat (SWOT) analysis to evaluate ELV recycling in the long-term viability and examine the critical factors and potential. This research makes practical recommendations for effectively encountering persistent challenges in the ELV recycling system based on Indian values. This research adopts an explorative and Integrated bottom-up mixed approach; it interfaces qualitative and quantitative data and secondary research. This study reveals that the social, economic, technological, and environmental aspects of the sustainability of India's ELV recycling system are comparatively limited. The SWOT analysis demonstrates that potential market size and resource recovery are more significant strengths, whereas lack of an appropriate framework and limited technology are major challenges in the recycling of ELVs in India. Sustainable development and economic viability have emerged as great opportunities, while informality and environmental impact have surfaced as primary potential threats to ELV recycling in India. This paper offers insights and yields critical real-world data that may assist in rational decision-making and developing and implementing any subsequent framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has adopted a gradualism principle in establishing its carbon emission trading system from the regional pilot markets to a national one. In view of the huge market potential and large differences across China, this paper applies the cointegration test and VECM (Vector Error Correction Model) to investigate the long-run trends and the price dynamics of regional pilot markets. The results show that the prices of the regional pilot markets form three long-run trends exhibit mean-reversion patterns. The launch of the national market marks the different performance of regional pilot markets. After the launch of the national market, the number of long-run trends reduces from three to one and the severity of the mean-reversion patterns is eased, indicating the efficiency improvement in China's carbon market from a fragmented toward a unified market. The policy implication is that China should further develop its national market by incorporating the regional markets into the national one and encouraging more market participants for market transaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review paper examines the applicability of biogas and biomethane as potential maritime fuels and examines issues of these fuels from a supply chain perspective (from production to end use). The objectives are to identify: (1) the latest research, development, and innovation activities; (2) issues and key barriers related to the technology readiness to bring biogas/biomethane to market; and (3) commercialisation issues, including cost parity with natural gas (the main competitor). A survey of the literature was carried out based on research articles and grey literature. The PESTEL and SWOT analyses identified opportunities for these fuels due to the relevant regulations (e.g., Fit for 55; the recent inclusion of the Mediterranean Sea as a SECA and PM control area; MPEC 79), market-based measures, and environmental, social, and governance strategies. The potential of biomass feedstock is estimated to have a substantial value that can satisfy the energy needs of the maritime industry. However, production costs of biomethane are high; estimated to be 2–4 times higher compared to natural gas. The market is moving in the direction of alternative drop-in fuels, including liquefied and compressed biomethane (LBM and CBM) and biogas. In terms of potential market penetration, LBM can be used as a marine drop-in fuel for the existing fleet that already combust LNG and LPG due to similar handling. Currently, these vessels are LNG and LPG tankers. However, in newly built vessels, LBM can be also supplied to container ships, vehicle carriers, and bulk carriers (about 20% of newly built vessels). Provided that compressed natural gas infrastructure exists, CBM can be exploited in vessels with low energy needs and low space requirements and shore-side electrification, because investments in retrofits are lower compared to constructing new infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper studies the frequency and the average size of export shipments at the firm–product–destination level. Design/methodology/approach: This paper sets up a theoretical model about the shipping frequency and the shipment size of exports to a given market from individual exporters. Then it confronts the predictions of the model with trade data. Findings: This paper shows that patterns of export shipments are determined by (1) a product's export potential in a market, which is the exports revenue when the firm delivers the exports of the product to the market in a single shipment in each period; and (2) factors related to the firm's efficiency of managing shipments of the product exported to the market. Originality/value: This paper reveals some important patterns of export shipments. It provides a theoretical model that explains the patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reassesses a body of research that has been somewhat neglected: Eastern European market socialism of the 1960s-1980s. It does so with the objective of recovering key issues and also identifying problems that need to be addressed. Thus, the study begins with an overview of the practices of market socialism, which was pursued to varying degrees from the 1960s. While some (USSR, East Germany and Czechoslovakia) turned back to centrally planned economies in the 1970s, others (especially Yugoslavia and Hungary) pursued further reforms. This material provides the basis for analysis of three theoretical points and their attendant problems: the market as a neutral 'economic mechanism', as an effort to detach a market economy from its assumed integral connection with a capitalist socio-economic system; the tensions between planning and market; and the ownership of the means of production, which risked ignoring the liberation of productive forces. The conclusion discusses potential assessments of the market socialist experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel cold‐hardy berries and small fruits represent an opportunity for growers in the Intermountain West, USA, as the harsh environment is not suited for other common berries and small fruits. This study analyzed the fresh market and value‐added potential of haskap berries (Lonicera caerulea), saskatoon berries (Amelenchier alnifolia), and dwarf sour cherry (DSC) fruit (Prunus x kerrasis) by instrumental and consumer studies. Fresh and 2‐week stored haskap (cv. Aurora), saskatoon (Lee 3), and DSC (Romeo) were measured for fruit weight, flesh firmness, bulk titratable acidity, pH, and soluble solid content. Participants (n = 115) in at‐home sensory tests scored these fruits for overall liking (OL, 9‐point hedonic scale), purchase intent (PI, 5‐point scale), and willingness‐to‐pay (WTP, 5‐point scale). Ten participants further shared insight on these fruits in focus groups. Instrumental testing found a significant decrease in flesh firmness for 2‐week stored haskap, but the consumers' OL was still comparable to fresh haskap. The fresh and 2‐week stored haskap received significantly higher OL, PI, and WTP scores (7.7 ± 1.0, 3.8 ± 1.0, and $3.7 ± 1.0; 7.7 ± 1.2, 3.8 ± 1.1, and $3.7 ± 1.0, respectively) compared to saskatoon (6.1 ± 1.8, 2.8 ± 1.1, and $3.0 ± 0.9, respectively) and DSC (5.6 ± 2.2, 2.5 ± 1.2, and $3.1 ± 1.0, respectively) (α = 0.05). The focus groups indicated that participants want to support local produce. The participants expressed interest in fresh unprocessed haskap berries, but preferred saskatoon and DSC in different value‐added formats. Hence, this study concluded that there is an untapped fresh‐market potential for haskap berries and there are value‐added opportunities to extend the sale season and improve the palatability of saskatoon and DSC. Practical Application: This research has examined consumer perception of three species of novel small fruits by determining fresh‐market potential and linking this to the opportunity for value‐added product development. For haskap berries, the study not only indicated fresh market potential, but for the cultivar Aurora, consumer liking was not meaningfully altered by 2 weeks of cold storage. These results are meaningful because they will assist growers in the Intermountain West with market planning, including the possibility of formulating products that utilize these novel crops. This study provides growers the opportunity to diversify their income stream by utilizing local produce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Assessment of paracetamol overdose in children and teenagers in the emergency department (ED) requires blood, taken 4 hours post ingestion. A commercial partner developed transdermal paracetamol measuring technology. This work aims to understand the acceptability of such a device, and potential market size. Methods: A questionnaire study was undertaken with children and parents attending Alder Hey Children's Hospital, and healthcare professionals (HCP) involved in their care. A retrospective audit of paracetamol ingestion presenting to a paediatric ED was undertaken. Results: One hundred forty-three questionnaires were distributed, and 139 returned (response rate 97.2%), comprising 55 children, 52 parents and 32 HCP (recruited between August-October 2019). Overall device acceptability, assessed by favourability of appearance and willingness to wear was high, at 60.0% and 81.5% respectively. Concerns raised included bulky size and weight, and concern regarding the duration younger children would tolerate wearing the device. All groups, including children, ranked accuracy of results as the most important device feature and device comfort the least important. Parents prioritised avoidance of blood tests more than children. One hundred twenty-seven children presented to ED with paracetamol ingestion (September 2017-August 2018), with 57 (44.9%) categorised as accidental overdose. Overall, 106 (83.4%) required paracetamol concentration measuring, and 25 (19.7%) of these required treatment with N-acetylcysteine. Extrapolating nationally, over 7000 children will present with accidental overdose per annum in the UK. Conclusion: Acceptability of a non-invasive paracetamol sensor was high in all groups, provided accuracy could be assured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]