Acquisition Of Material Research Articles

The vulnerability of shifting towards a greener world: The impact of the EU's green transition on material demand

The green transition from fossil fuels to renewables requires acquisition of rare earth minerals and other materials for construction of renewable energy technologies and may lead to new dependencies through imports potentially causing immense pressure on global supply chains. This study investigates the material vulnerability of sectors and countries in the EU. Vulnerability maps are created for the EU's material demands by combining three analyses: input-output analysis, forward linkage analysis and network analysis. The approach reveals the relative importance of individual sectors and their vulnerability given increasing demand. As such, the analyses help to identify which sectors, based on their current implementation of renewable energy sources, could put a country and the EU at risk of not meeting their mitigation targets by 2050. The analysis concludes that Austria, Germany, the Czech Republic, Denmark and Slovakia will experience particularly large material vulnerabilities in several of the materials investigated. Hence, such findings can provide early warnings to sectors and countries about potential implications in their supply chains along with potential mitigation measures such as secondary sourcing, material substitution and material diplomacy.

An experimental study of hydrogen implantation to minerals: Role of the solar wind as a source of water in terrestrial bodies

The solar wind is a possible source for hydrogen and other volatiles on planetary bodies. To better understand the role of the solar wind during the volatile acquisition of planetary materials, we conducted hydrogen implantation experiments on olivine, orthopyroxene, quartz single crystals. Depth profiles of hydrogen concentration after implantation are determined by the Nuclear Resonance Reaction Analysis. We find that energetic hydrogen particles penetrate into the sample and accumulate at a certain depth. The hydrogen concentration increases with the hydrogen fluence until a “saturation level” is attained. Hydrogen saturation level (e.g., ∼10–20 at.% in olivine, equivalent to 0.5–1.2 wt%) far exceeds the equilibrium solubility in the bulk crystal at a similar thermodynamic condition (∼10−22 wt%). The results of olivine show that the hydrogen penetration depth increases whereas the saturation level decreases (weakly) with the beam energy. Hydrogen saturation level also depends on the mineral species in the order: olivine > orthopyroxene > quartz. The experimental results can be applied to explain some observations on the high surface water content of some planetary bodies including Itokawa asteroid and the Moon. We also explore the possibility of hydrogenated dusts by the solar wind implantation as a source for water on terrestrial planets. We conclude that if all dusts were exposed to the solar wind and all implanted hydrogen were converted to water, then >10 ocean masses would have been acquired for Earth by ∼100 years. However, the main part of the proto-planetary disk was not exposed to the solar wind and dusts could have been hydrogenated only when they were far from the equatorial plane of the disk. We discuss a possible mechanism to transport the hydrogenated dusts to the disk interior via turbulent mixing. Also, our experimental results and the mass dependence of the particle energies in the solar wind suggest that the D/H ratio of the dusts exposed to the solar wind will be higher than the solar wind value.

Intein-based thermoregulated meganucleases for containment of genetic material.

Limiting the spread of synthetic genetic information outside of the intended use is essential for applications where biocontainment is critical. In particular, biocontainment of engineered probiotics and plasmids that are excreted from the mammalian gastrointestinal tract is needed to prevent escape and acquisition of genetic material that could confer a selective advantage to microbial communities. Here, we built a simple and lightweight biocontainment system that post-translationally activates a site-specific DNA endonuclease to degrade DNA at 18°C and not at higher temperatures. We constructed an orthogonal set of temperature-sensitive meganucleases (TSMs) by inserting the yeast VMA1 L212P temperature-sensitive intein into the coding regions of LAGLIDADG homing endonucleases. We showed that the TSMs eliminated plasmids carrying the cognate TSM target site from laboratory strains of Escherichia coli at the permissive 18°C but not at higher restrictive temperatures. Plasmid elimination is dependent on both TSM endonuclease activity and intein splicing. TSMs eliminated plasmids from E. coli Nissle 1917 after passage through the mouse gut when fecal resuspensions were incubated at 18°C but not at 37°C. Collectively, our data demonstrates the potential of thermoregulated meganucleases as a means of restricting engineered plasmids and probiotics to the mammalian gut.

The CRISPR-Cas system in clinical strains of Acinetobacter baumannii: an in-silico analysis.

Acinetobacter baumannii is a relevant bacterium due to its high-resistance profile. It is well known that antimicrobial resistance is primarily linked to mutations and the acquisition of external genomic material, such as plasmids or phages, to which the Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats associated with Cas proteins, or CRISPR-Cas, system is related. It is known that the system can influence the acquisition of foreign genetic material and play a role in various physiological pathways. In this study, we conducted an in-silico analysis using 91 fully assembled genomes of clinical strains obtained from the NCBI database. Among the analyzed genomes, the I-F1 subtype of the CRISPR-Cas system was detected showcasing variations in architecture and phylogeny. Using bioinformatic tools, we determined the presence, distribution, and specific characteristics of the CRISPR-Cas system. We found a possible association of the system with resistance genes but not with virulence determinants. Analysis of the system's components, including spacer sequences, suggests its potential role in protecting against phage infections, highlighting its protective function.

Increase in antioxidant capacity associated with the successful subclone of hypervirulent carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae ST11-KL64.

The acquisition of exogenous mobile genetic material imposes an adaptive burden on bacteria, whereas the adaptational evolution of virulence plasmids upon entry into carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) and its impact remains unclear. To better understand the virulence in CRKP, we characterize virulence plasmids utilizing a large genomic data containing 1219 K. pneumoniae from our long-term surveillance and publicly accessible databases. Phylogenetic evaluation unveils associations between distinct virulence plasmids and serotypes. The sub-lineage ST11-KL64 CRKP acquires a pK2044-like virulence plasmid from ST23-KL1 hypervirulent K. pneumoniae, with a 2698 bp region deletion in all ST11-KL64. The deletion is observed to regulate methionine metabolism, enhance antioxidant capacity, and further improve survival of hypervirulent CRKP in macrophages. The pK2044-like virulence plasmid discards certain sequences to enhance survival of ST11-KL64, thereby conferring an evolutionary advantage. This work contributes to multifaceted understanding of virulence and provides insight into potential causes behind low fitness costs observed in bacteria.

Not a Special Project Anymore: Creating a Culture of Sustainable Deselection and Gifts-In-Kind with Limited Staffing

ABSTRACT Deselection and removal of materials (a.k.a. weeding) and gift acquisition of materials (a.k.a. gift books) are two essential practices for librarianship, yet may not be as routine as other aspects of collection development. These practices often become special projects that require more effort and time than routine practices. In June of 2022, the Christopher Center Library Technical Services Department opted to transition from special project weeding and sporadic gift acquisition to an alternating schedule of deselection and gift acquisition. Due to personnel changes and a smaller workforce within the library, creating a routine practice for collection management was not only best practice, but also was necessary to prevent burnout and bottlenecks within workflows. This article will reflect the first 12 months of the newly developed and implemented policy and explore the successes, obstacles and best practices for libraries interested in routine collection management.

Remote Sensing Techniques: Hyperspectral Imaging and Data Analysis.

Hyperspectral imaging is a remote sensing technique that enables remote, noninvasive measurement of plant traits. Here, we outline the procedures for camera setup, scanning, and calibration, along with the acquisition of black and white reference materials, which are the key steps in collecting hyperspectral imagery. We also discuss the development of predictive models such as partial least-squares regression, using both large and small datasets, which are used to predict plant traits from hyperspectral data. To ensure practical applicability, we provide code examples that allow readers to immediately implement these techniques in real-world scenarios. We introduce these topics to beginners in an accessible and understandable manner.

Assessing the Environmental Impact of Plastic Waste using Life Cycle Assessment

This research use a life cycle assessment (LCA) paradigm to investigate the environmental effects of plastic waste management practices. The environmental impacts of these processes are measured using experimental data. The acquisition of raw materials, particularly in plastic manufacturing, results in considerable environmental consequences, including an energy expenditure of 1200 MJ and the release of 300 kg of CO2. Likewise, waste processing activities, such as plastic shredding and molding, need 1500 MJ of energy and produce 400 kg of CO2 emissions. The operational lifespan of the product is underscored in its usage phase, wherein Plastic Product A and Plastic Component B exhibit cumulative energy consumption of 100 MJ/year and 120 MJ/year, alongside emissions of 20 kg CO2/year and 25 kg CO2/year, respectively, thereby accentuating the significance of a product’s lifecycle. The end-of-life phase underscores the variety in recycling rates, emphasizing the need for more effective recycling techniques. This comprehensive LCA methodology delineates critical areas for improvement, directing sustainable plastic waste management methods and fostering environmentally responsible decision-making within the sector. The results provide a more sustainable method for handling plastic garbage and diminishing its ecological impact.

FROST-BRDF: A Fast and Robust Optimal Sampling Technique for BRDF Acquisition.

Efficient and accurate BRDF acquisition of real world materials is a challenging research problem that requires sampling millions of incident light and viewing directions. To accelerate the acquisition process, one needs to find a minimal set of sampling directions such that the recovery of the full BRDF is accurate and robust given such samples. In this article, we formulate BRDF acquisition as a compressed sensing problem, where the sensing operator is one that performs sub-sampling of the BRDF signal according to a set of optimal sample directions. To solve this problem, we propose the Fast and Robust Optimal Sampling Technique (FROST) for designing a provably optimal sub-sampling operator that places light-view samples such that the recovery error is minimized. FROST casts the problem of designing an optimal sub-sampling operator for compressed sensing into a sparse representation formulation under the Multiple Measurement Vector (MMV) signal model. The proposed reformulation is exact, i.e. without any approximations, hence it converts an intractable combinatorial problem into one that can be solved with standard optimization techniques. As a result, FROST is accompanied by strong theoretical guarantees from the field of compressed sensing. We perform a thorough analysis of FROST-BRDF using a 10-fold cross-validation with publicly available BRDF datasets and show significant advantages compared to the state-of-the-art with respect to reconstruction quality. Finally, FROST is simple, both conceptually and in terms of implementation, it produces consistent results at each run, and it is at least two orders of magnitude faster than the prior art.

Review of physics program at J-PET

The Jagiellonian - Positron Emission Tomograph (J-PET) is a multi purpose detector for tests of discrete symmetries and quantum entanglement of photons originating from the decay of positronium atoms. The research is per formed by measurement of angular correlations between photons from the an nihilations of the lightest leptonic bound system. The J-PET detector is the only device which enables determination of polarisation of photons from positronium annihilation together with estimation of positronium spin axis on the event-by-event basis. The novelty of the system is based on a usage of plastic scintil-lators as active detection material and trigger-less data acquisition system. The aim of two independent detection setups currently in use together with different annihilation chambers is to improve limits on C, CP and CPT symmetries and to search for the entanglement of photons originating from electron-positron annihilation. Additionally a precise measurement of ortho-positronium life time would allow to test of non-relativistic quantum electrodynamics and search for Mirror Matter.

Evaluating LCA product families in an approach to determine baseline emissions within aerospace manufacturing.

This paper investigates a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) based methodology to determine baseline emissions for an aerospace manufacturer. Aerospace manufacturing entails high complexity and low throughput of a vast array of components. Rather than establishing the environmental footprint through waste, electric, and gas data alone; an LCA cradle-to-gate approach extends to a product's raw material acquisition and shipment to provide a comprehensive set of environmental performance indicators. The approach combines several products that follow a similar manufacturing process and can be denoted as a product family. This paper discusses the ability that LCA product families must develop baseline emissions for products validated with a case study of an aerospace component. The methodology can be extended to other product families manufactured within the facility which when combined will accumulate to a site-wide environmental footprint. The paper further evaluates how this methodology can identify environmental hotspots at a process and product level. The aerospace component case study incorporates several manual and automated stages. This work aims to demonstrate the ease of determining baseline emissions using an LCA product family and enable aerospace manufacturing companies to adopt a similar approach to establishing environmental hotspots. This can drive strategic internal change for sustainable manufacturing aligning with company environmental, social, and financial frameworks.

Evaluation of Carbon Footprint of Automotive Instrument Panel Skin Based on LCA

This study primarily conducted a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis on six types of automotive interior instrument panel skins: Slush-molded PVC skin, PU-coated skin, Genuine leather-coated skin, Injection-molded TPV skin, Injection-molded TPEE skin, and Injection-molded TPES skin. The findings revealed that the leather coated skin had the highest carbon footprint. In contrast, the carbon footprints of the Injection-molded TPV skin, PU-coated skin, and Injection-molded TPES skin were relatively low. Among the six types of automotive instrument panel skins, the carbon emissions from the raw material acquisition stage constituted a significant portion of the total life cycle emissions, marking it as a critical phase in the product’s carbon footprint. Additionally, the study examined the impact of the electric factor on the carbon footprint, finding that the electric factor had the greatest effect on the carbon footprint of the Injection-molded TPEE skin.

ACADEMIC LIBRARY MANAGEMENT ISSUES AND PRACTICES IN GHANA: INSIGHTS FROM THE SD DOMBO UNIVERSITY OF BUSINESS AND INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT STUDIES

This study examines the academic library management issues and practices at the University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS) in Ghana. The aim is to provide insights into the current state of library resources, technology infrastructure, and user satisfaction, and identify challenges. The study utilizes a mixed-methods approach, including surveys and interviews, to gather data from library staff, students, and faculty members. The findings reveal that UBIDS has a substantial collection of physical and digital resources, indicating a commitment to providing diverse materials for academic pursuits. The implementation of technology infrastructure, such as computer workstations and internet connectivity, highlights the university's recognition of the importance of digital resources in the academic landscape. However, limited funding emerges as a significant challenge, hindering the acquisition of new materials and investment in advanced technologies. The policy implications include the need for increased funding and support for academic libraries in Ghana. Policymakers should acknowledge the crucial role of libraries in supporting teaching, learning, and research activities and allocate adequate resources. Staff training and development should also be emphasized to enhance library services, including information literacy programs and user support. Collaboration among academic libraries and other stakeholders is recommended to leverage collective resources and improve access to information. This study contributes to the understanding of academic library management in Ghana and offers practical implications for policymakers and library administrators to enhance library services and resources. Addressing the identified challenges and implementing the suggested policy recommendations can promote the development and effectiveness of academic libraries, benefiting the entire academic community in Ghana.

Carbon Footprint Assessment Based on Life Cycle Assessment of Biomass Power Plant

This research aims to study the carbon footprint based on the life cycle assessment of biomass power plants. Covering the acquisition of raw materials to the end of the production process in biomass power plants (cradle to grave: C2G). The study proposes constructive ways to reduce the carbon footprint of biomass power plants. Conducted research consisting of 3 phases: phase 1, the rubber plantation process; phase 2, the rubber wood processing plant; and phase 3, the biomass power plant. Assessment of carbon footprint: following the principle of life cycle assessment, the results of the carbon footprint assessment found that in Phase 1, the process of growing rubber trees throughout the life cycle calculated the carbon footprint of the sample group as average greenhouse gas emissions from fresh rubber wood and combined with the average greenhouse gas emissions from rubber wood timbers of 1.1186 kgCO2eq per day. In phase 2, rubber wood processing plants throughout the life cycle have average greenhouse gas emissions of 15,319.11 kgCO2eq per day. In phase 3, biomass power plants electricity capacity is 9.9 MW per day, and their greenhouse gas emissions are 44,753.60 kg CO2eq per day. The result found that greenhouse gas emissions from biomass power plants per 1 kWh accounted for a carbon dioxide equivalent of 4.52 kgCO2eq. Calculate the predictor factors affecting the amount of greenhouse gases in biomass power plants in raw score form as Y = 373.516 +.082 (raw material quantity), where Y is the greenhouse gas emission (kgCO2eq), using the forecast equation in standard score form. With Z =.983raw material quantity3, It was found that the quantity of raw materials had a positive correlation with the quantity of greenhouse gases at a statistical significance of .01 with a correlation coefficient of .983, which could explain the variability of the variables of the quantity of greenhouse gases with 96.70 percent accuracy.

Analysis of Student Mastery of Concept on Static Fluid Through the Guided Inquiry Flipped Classroom Model

This study aimed to analyze students' concept acquisition of static fluid material in the pressure sub-chapter through the Guided Inquiry Flipped Classroom (GIFC) model. This type of research is quantitative, using a one-group pretest-posttest research design. The research subjects consisted of 31 students of XI MIPA 4. The measurement instrument in this study was a concept acquisition test, which consisted of 3 essay questions. Two supervisors have guided the instruments used, and they are valid. The data analysis technique uses paired t-test analysis and effect size analysis. The results of this study indicate significant differences between the pretest and posttest by the results of the paired t-test analysis and that guided inquiry affects concept acquisition. This study implies that this guided inquiry flipped classroom effectively improves students' concept acquisition. The results of this study can be used as input for educators to use the GIFC model to improve students' concept acquisition.

Analysis of Plasmids of the Klebsiella pneumoniae Complex Carrying a Cluster of Aerobactin Synthesis Genes as Presented in International Databases

Background. Currently, it is customary to distinguish two pathotypes of Klebsiella pneumoniae — classical and hypervirulent, which have the ability to cause community-acquired infections in healthy people. It has been shown that an increase in virulence is associated with the acquisition of additional genetic material — a plasmid carrying a cluster of aerobactin genes. Aim. To assess the prevalence of the aforementioned virulent plasmids around the globe and in Russia in particular, as well as to identify their key genetic features. Materials and methods. Plasmid sequences were downloaded from PLSDB and BV-BRC databases, annotated with the Abricate and Kleborate programs; cluster analysis was performed using the mge-cluster program, and phylogenetic analysis was performed using the Parsnp program. Results. 296 plasmid sequences isolated from 23 countries from clinical isolates of K.pneumoniae between 2006 and 2021 with a peak in 2019 were analyzed, with more than half of the plasmids coming from China. More than 30 sequence types were identified, among which ST11 and ST23 were predominant. Replicon genes of the IncFIB group were identified in almost all plasmids studied. The pre dominant type of aerobactin in the studied sequences was the first type (iuc1); sequences with iuc3 and iuc5 were also identified. Salmochelin synthesis genes were identified in only 37.1% of sequences; the yersiniabactin cluster was identified in two plasmids from China. 32.1% of plasmids carried resistance genes, of which 7.4% carried extended-spectrum beta-lactase genes and 5% contained carbapenemase genes. Nine clusters of sequences were obtained; almost all plasmids from Russia were assigned to one cluster and were NDM-positive. Together with plasmids from other European countries (Great Britain, Norway, Czech Republic), they formed a separate branch on the phylogenetic tree. Conclusion. Virulent plasmids carrying the aerobactin synthesis gene cluster are distributed globaly, and almost a third of them also carry antibiotic resistance genes.

Two mononuclear chromophore coumarin-based Dy(III) complexes with magnetic relaxation and luminescent properties

Lanthanide luminescent single-molecule magnets (SMMs) serve as a kind of multifunctional molecular materials that have attracted extensive attention. Herein, a novel chromophore coumarin ligand 7-(diethylamino)-(2‑hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)-2-oxo-2-chromene-3-carbohydrazide (Hvalcoumarin) is designed to construct the luminescent Dy(III) complexes. Two Dy complexes 1 ([Dy(valcoumarin)(DMF)2Cl2]·(CHCl3)) and 2 [Dy(valcoumarin)(DMF)2(NO3)2] were synthesized based on the luminescent chromophore coumarin ligand (Hvalcoumarin). X-ray crystallography reveals that the Dy(III) center in complex 1 adopts a hepta-coordinated arrangement by a distorted pentagonal bipyramidal geometry. In contrast, complex 2 exhibits a nine-coordinate arrangement by a spherical capped square antiprism geometry. Magnetic investigations reveal that 1 and 2 exhibit a slow magnetic relaxation phenomenon. Furthermore, the luminescent spectra of 1 and 2 display the characteristic emission profiles associated with Dy(III) spectra. Moreover, theoretical calculations also demonstrated the relaxation dynamics of 1 and 2. The results furnish a potent avenue for the acquisition of multifunctional molecular materials with magnetic and luminescent properties.

Waste Not Want Not? The Environmental Implications of Quick Response and Upcycling

Problem definition: Overproduction is often cited as the fashion industry’s biggest environmental issue, as textile production is notoriously resource intensive and pollutive, and much of the textile produced may end up as “deadstock” fabric or finished goods that do not sell. In this paper, we study two major approaches to address this issue: quick response, whereby finished goods inventory is replenished on demand, and upcycling, whereby deadstock fabric is reused to make new clothes. Proponents of these strategies typically focus on their positive environmental impact in downstream supply chain stages (e.g., finished goods production and waste disposal). Less is known, however, about their impact on upstream activities such as raw material acquisition, which we investigate in this work. Methodology/results: We analyze the effect of quick response and upcycling options on firms’ fabric acquisition and production decisions, as well as firms’ incentives to adopt these strategies. We then assess these strategies’ environmental impact in a life cycle framework. Our results show that quick response—when implemented in isolation—reduces deadstock of finished goods, but could increase the amount of fabric acquired. This not only results in more total deadstock (in both finished goods and fabric form), but also aggravates the environmental burden associated with fabric production in the upstream of the fashion supply chain, and could lead to a worse overall environmental impact for the industry. Upcycling together with quick response could alleviate total deadstock generation, but further increases the firm’s demand for fabric. We analyze the effectiveness of two types of policies—subsidizing quick response/upcycling and banning deadstock destruction—in reducing deadstock and curbing firms’ need for fabric. Managerial implications: Our work highlights a tradeoff between downstream deadstock reduction and upstream fabric acquisition, and suggests that regional policies that aim to reduce local deadstock could often have adverse global impacts. Supplemental Material: The online appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2022.0040 .

Mobility and raw material procurement by Fishtail people in Uruguay: Evaluation of silcrete long distance transport between campsites and outcrops during the late Pleistocene (ca. 12,900–12,250 cal BP)

Lithic artifacts from late Pleistocene manufactured in silcrete are used to understand Fishtail behaviors linked to mobility, land use and raw material acquisition during early prehistory in Uruguay. The data analyzed here include three categories of silcrete evidence: (1) a database of Fishtail points, (2) regional outcrops of these lithic resource, (3) debitage and unifacial tools from campsites. We calculated the cumulative cost of movement between campsites and the nearest lithic resources in space, located within the silcrete area, the distances involved in such movements, and the possible connection routes between campsites and silcrete resources. We analyzed the raw materials, density and spatial distribution of Fishtail points, and generated a Predictive Model of Transit Pathways. The results obtained indicate that silcretes were transported over long distances in mobility networks by an extensive Paleoamerican social landscape from outcrops located in the western and southwestern to campsites in northwestern Uruguay at distances ranging between ∼ 179 and 482 km. This new data confirms long distance displacements, the high social value, and the preference of this lithic resource for the production of tool assemblages by the Fishtail peoples of Uruguay.

Impact of Federal Government of Nigeria Economic Policies on the Teaching and Learning Process in Ilorin Metropolis, Nigeria

This study examined the impact of Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) economic policies on the teaching and learning process in Ilorin Metropolis, Nigeria. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 335 upper basic religious studies teachers as sample size of the study. The researchers’ design questionnaire was used to gather data from the respondents. The data collected were analysed using the simple percentage. The reliability of the instrument was carried out using test retest method and the reliability index was 0.87. The findings of this study revealed that the Federal Government of Nigeria economic policies of cashless and naira redesign negatively impacted the teaching and learning process among upper basic schools in Ilorin metropolis. Also, the study revealed that the Federal Government of Nigeria economic policies of cashless and naira redesign negatively affected the acquisition and utilization of instructional materials for teaching and learning process among upper basic schools in Ilorin metropolis. The study recommended that the federal government should strongly consider teaching and learning process in any economic policies designed for the populace.