Commercial Interest Research Articles

‘Large Sums of Money are Always Ready’: Annuity Loans and Credit in Late Eighteenth-Century London

Studies of London’s financial market in the later eighteenth century have often focused on the market for public debt and the growth of institutional financial services. Consequently, the extent to which individual private lending continued to provide a means of credit has been overlooked. This article examines the practice of moneylending between 1770 and 1800 by thirty major financiers who were lending by purchasing life annuities from individual borrowers. It considers who they were, where they were based, and how they managed the associated risks. Lenders were drawn from a variety of social and economic backgrounds. They include men and women with private means and also those with commercial interests, attorneys, and financial intermediaries. Moneylending was not a fringe activity. Lenders worked collaboratively to a degree, and lived and worked alongside borrowers. They met a demand for individual financial provision not available from the contemporary banking system.

Cholera vaccines for the rich, cholera for the poor: While the global cholera vaccine stockpile runs dry, a booming market for high-income countries exemplifies the chasm between commercial interests and global health needs.

Cholera vaccines for the rich, cholera for the poor: While the global cholera vaccine stockpile runs dry, a booming market for high-income countries exemplifies the chasm between commercial interests and global health needs.

Feminist Seaweed Cultures: Algae as Tool for Reshaping Aquatic Relationships Between Humans and Oceans

In times of environmental degradation and depletion of land, large scale ocean farming of seaweeds, so-called seaweed culture, has lately been examined as a possible problem solver of the climate crisis. However, to understand the role of seaweed today one needs to get immersed in a complex nexus where various scientific, environmental, commercial, social and cultural interests merge. From the interdisciplinary registers of feminist blue humanities this article investigates the potential of what is here referred to as ‘feminist seaweed cultures’ acknowledging environmental ethics and entanglements between humans and seaweeds in art and science. The analysis of visual artworks by ikkibawiKrrr, Ingela Ihrman and Matthew Bennington & Tom Pope opens a portal into the life and work of female seaweed pioneers active in Korean and British waters; namely the sea women haenyeo and botanists Margaret Gatty and Anna Atkins. Through proposing 'feminist seaweed cultures' as analytical tool the aim is firstly to reconceptualize seaweed as a product in aquaculture, and second to focus on visual ecological art to investigate how such artworks may deepen and make human relations to seaweed more ethical, generative and ambivalent. The findings indicate that the work of both the contemporary artists and the historical collectors can be described as feminist seaweed cultures, however in different ways. The ethical and situated perspectives provided by feminist seaweed cultures can thus foster new and old alignments between humans and seaweeds, art and science, land and sea, to support various ways of living well together in times of environmental disruptions.

Patch Testing for Eyelid Dermatitis: A Report by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Patch Testing for Eyelid Dermatitis: A Report by the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

Power and marginalization in discourse on AI in education (AIEd): social actors’ representation in China Daily (2018–2023)

Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIEd) has the potential to transform educational practice, and its media representation both reflects and reshapes public perceptions of this new technology. While interest in AIEd is growing worldwide, not all social actors are represented equally. Moreover, limited media coverage contributes to a scarcity of studies on AIEd media representations. This study examines how social actors are represented in AIEd discourses in China Daily (2018–2023), using 100 news articles selected through stratified proportional sampling in Nexis Uni to ensure balanced coverage across all years. Employing intertextuality analysis and social actor theory, the results show that government and corporate voices dominate, while public perspectives are marginalized. Discursive strategies, including objectivation, functionalization, and activation, construct a hierarchical collaboration, where government actors are activated to emphasize leadership, and corporate actors are functionalized as enabler to state-defined goals. Intertextuality analysis highlights co-occurrence between corporate and parental discourses, which risks prioritizing commercial interests over educational equity. This alignment weakened after 2021, reflecting a shift in government efforts to regulate educational commercialization. These findings show a hierarchical power dynamic in AIEd discourses, where government actors dominate and corporate actors subordinate, while public voices are marginalized. This framing prioritizes the institutional corporate and state interests, and limits inclusivity and diversity. This study advances the understanding of AIEd media discourses in a context distinct from Western-centric perspectives. By unpacking the imbalanced representations of social actors, this study uncovers the underlying power dynamics and ideologies in AIEd discourse. It encourages policymakers, educators, and media professionals to address equity and inclusion in media representations.

Dos and don'ts for scaling up gas fermentations.

Dos and don'ts for scaling up gas fermentations.

Metabolomic insights into the Arabica-like flavour of stenophylla coffee and the chemistry of quality coffee

Stenophylla coffee, an undomesticated species from Upper West Africa, is of commercial interest due to its high heat tolerance and Arabica-like flavour. To investigate the chemical basis of flavour similarity, we analysed unroasted coffee bean samples using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) and applied metabolomics approaches to compare chemical profiles. We report similarities between Arabica and stenophylla in the relative levels of several key compounds linked to coffee flavour, including caffeine, trigonelline, sucrose and citric acid. Differences in their chemical profiles were also observed, especially in their diterpenoid and hydroxycinnamic acid profiles. We report the additional novel finding that theacrine occurs in stenophylla, which is the first record of this alkaloid in coffee beans. For stenophylla, the dissimilarities in chemical compound composition (compared to Arabica) may offer opportunities for a better understanding of the chemical basis of high-quality coffee and sensory diversification.

Reproductive patterns of the kelp Lessonia corrugata vary temporally and between sites with different wave exposure

ABSTRACT Lessonia corrugata is found in moderate to high wave-exposed environments in Tasmania, Australia, and has recently become of commercial interest for aquaculture. However, knowledge about its fundamental biology is lacking. Here, we studied the reproduction of L. corrugata at three sites with different levels of wave exposure for five consecutive seasons. Temporal reproduction was assessed by determining the percentage of fertile blade tissue which was classified into four maturation stages: vegetative tissue, pre-mature sorus, mature sorus, empty sorus. Zoospore viability was evaluated by determining the number of spores released, their size and the length of time that they were able to swim. We found that L. corrugata was reproductive in all seasons except Austral spring. During winter, thalli exhibited a larger area of mature sori and released more zoospores than autumn and summer seasons, a trend that aligns with the seawater’s elevated nutrient concentrations. After 8 h, more than 50% of zoospores stopped swimming, although swimming zoospores were observed up to 52 h after release, and those from the most exposed site swam longer than those from the sheltered sites. In conclusion, L. corrugata was found to be a ‘seasonal anticipator’ for reproduction, and this appears mediated by wave exposure. These findings provide critical insight that will enhance the collection of high-performing brood stock and facilitate the cultivation of this species.

Ethical considerations for advancing research using organoid models derived from the placenta

Abstract BACKGROUND The advent of organoid culture systems has revolutionized our ability to model and study complex tissues in vitro. The placenta is one of the last human organs to have a functional organoid model developed: trophoblast organoids. These 3-dimensional structures, derived from placental tissue, offer researchers a valuable tool for studying previously inaccessible processes that occur within the womb and play a significant role in determining the health of the offspring. While primarily used for research, trophoblast organoids hold promise for clinical applications, including prenatal diagnostics and therapeutic interventions, both of which may have commercial interest. However, to ensure that research with organoid models derived from the placenta is conducted responsibly, the relevant ethics of these models need to be addressed. OBJECTIVE AND RATIONALE Ethical considerations related to organoid models derived from the placenta, such as trophoblast organoids are important but remain unexplored in literature. Therefore, the goal of this review is to explore the ethical considerations related to trophoblast organoids. SEARCH METHODS Since there is no ethical research specifically addressing organoid models of the placenta to date, we have based our findings on discussions related to other organoid models and research involving fetal tissue, placenta, or umbilical cord blood. We employed a scoping review method to search PubMed, Embase, Medline (all), Bioethics Research Library, and Google Scholar for research articles, books, or other correspondence on ethical issues regarding these indicated topics, with no date limits. OUTCOMES Ethical considerations related to trophoblast organoids can be divided into three distinct categories. First, there is a need to assess the moral value of trophoblast organoids, including their potential relational and symbolic dimensions. Second, it is important to understand ethical issues associated with ownership and commercialization of trophoblast organoids. Last, there are considerations related to appropriate informed consent procedures. It is worth noting that these three categories are interconnected, with the second and third being largely dependent on the moral value attributed to trophoblast organoids. Future research should assess the perspectives of various stakeholders, including parents who may donate placental tissue for organoid research. WIDER IMPLICATIONS This review offers valuable insights into the ethical landscape surrounding the derivation of tissues or products from pregnancies, and their further application, highlighting areas that require attention and discussion within both the scientific community and the broader society. REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.

The Catalytic Valorization of Lignin from Biomass for the Production of Liquid Fuels

With the overuse of fossil fuels, people are looking for alternatives. This is an area where biofuels have received a lot of attention. Studies have also shown that a large variety of liquid fuels of commercial interest can be obtained via lignin valorization. Lignin is rich in aromatic ring structures and can be used as a sustainable raw material to produce high-value energy. Therefore, progress in the preparation of liquid fuels from lignin by pyrolysis, hydro-processing, and oxidation is analyzed in this review. Nevertheless, due to the three-dimension network structure of lignin, there are many barriers that need to be surmounted before utilizing it, such as its complex connection with cellulose and hemicellulose, which makes its separation difficult. In this paper, different pretreatment methods are summarized for separating lignin from other two components. Finally, the challenges in future trends of lignin valorization are summarized and outlined. It is clear that the construction of efficient separation and catalytic systems will be the focus of future research in this field.

That's Not Fair! Navigating the Duality of Fairness in Insurance.

Insurance serves as a social good, providing financial protection against disasters whilst operating within a profit-driven market. This dual role highlights the complex intersection of social and commercial interests, raising a fairness puzzle often portrayed as a trade-off between solidarity and actuarial fairness. Insurance organisations adhere to actuarial fairness by setting insurance premiums proportional to each individual's risk. As extreme weather drives greater losses in high-risk areas, actuarial fairness often results in unaffordable premiums for many. To address this, societies may adopt principles of solidarity fairness to subsidise their premiums. However, this approach threats diminishing personal responsibility to contain risk, as individuals may rely on subsidised protection rather than taking proactive measures. This study draws on a longitudinal qualitative study of a government-legislated insurance organisation to develop a process framework that reconceptualises fairness in insurance as a duality of solidarity and actuarial fairness. It offers insights into designing insurance systems that are socially equitable and financially sustainable.

Optimized production of ligninolytic enzymes by immobilized Phanerochaete chrysosporium in a lab-scale bioreactor

Effluents are a challenge for the textile industries, as they cannot be released into the environment without proper treatment. Biodegradation has been increasingly explored as an alternative for the treatment of this type of effluent, allowing the co-production of molecules of commercial interest. The purpose of this work is to evaluate the production of enzymes lignin peroxidase and manganese peroxidase from textile effluent by Phanerochaete chrysosporium. A response surface experimental design was developed to optimize the production of biomass, in which the independent variables were pH, carbon/nitrogen and phosphorus ratio, and the dependent variable was the production of biomass. The present work showed an activity of manganese peroxidase of 15.32 U L−1 and lignin peroxidase of 70 U L−1, demonstrating that the studied process is promising for the production of ligninolytic enzymes. This work demonstrates that the fungus P. chrysosporium can tolerate the adverse conditions of real textile effluent and use it as a source of nutrients for the production of biomass. Two enzymes were produced with applications in the textile industry associated with the production of biomass. The use of wastewater from textile production for the production of peroxidases results in an unprecedented circular process.

The Role of Social Media in Maternal Health: Balancing Awareness, Misinformation, and Commercial Interests

The Role of Social Media in Maternal Health: Balancing Awareness, Misinformation, and Commercial Interests

Drivers of metaverse adoption among children and youths: a UTATU2 perspective

Introduction. Despite increasing commercial and research interest in the metaverse, its adoption has been limited due to challenges such as technological complexities, usability issues, cost, and privacy concerns. This study investigates factors influencing metaverse adoption from the perspectives of children and youths in Asian countries. Method. Using the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 (UTAUT2), we conducted semi-structured interviews with 40 individuals aged 13 to 24 to understand their metaverse usage habits and the perceived drivers of adoption. Analysis. Audio recordings of all interviews were transcribed. The transcripts were manually content analysed through an iterative process. Themes were based on the UTAUT2. Results. Entertainment, socialization, and education were primary activities conducted within the metaverse. Adoption was mainly driven by performance expectancy, facilitating conditions, and social factors.

The deep-sea mining commodity frontier: blue economy agenda in the Pacific Ocean

Amid the rising demand for “transition minerals” required for clean energy technologies, the deep-sea mining (DSM) commodity frontier is emerging in the Pacific Ocean. Promoted under the “blue economy” as a means to stimulate “blue growth” and generate equitable economic and environmental benefits for Pacific Small Island Developing States, there has been growing commercial and state interest in extracting minerals from the deep sea. We elucidate the current strategies of capital accumulation through the case of the NORI-D project, sponsored by the Republic of Nauru and operated by The Metals Company (TMC), which is set to become the first commercial DSM project in the Pacific. Drawing from a world ecology approach, we argue that the blue economy agenda has facilitated the expansion of the DSM commodity frontier by creating conditions for profitability in the oceans through a permissive regulatory environment favoring corporate interests. Based on semi-structured interviews with stakeholders, we examine how the production strategies of TMC have centered around the green transition, geopolitics, and development over the past decade, when it has been attempted to expand the DSM commodity frontier. In doing so, broader socio-ecological injustices are revealed, which continue to evolve through neo-colonial relationships.

Transcriptome analysis of wild olive (Olea Europaea L. subsp. europaea var. sylvestris) clone AC18 provides insight into the role of lignin as a constitutive defense mechanism underlying resistance to Verticillium wilt

Host resistance is the most effective and practical control method for the management of Verticillium wilt in olive caused by Verticillium dahliae, which remains as one of the major current threats to this crop. Regrettably, most olive cultivars of agronomic and commercial interest are susceptible to V. dahliae. We previously demonstrated that wild olive (Olea europaea L. subsp. europaea var. sylvestris) clone AC18 harbours resistance to the highly virulent defoliating (D) V. dahliae pathotype, which may be valuable as rootstock and for breeding new, resistant olive cultivars. Mechanisms underlying disease resistance may be of constitutive or induced nature. In this work we aim to unravel constitutive defences that may be involved in AC18 resistance, by comparing the transcriptome from uninfected stems, of AC18 with that of the highly susceptible wild olive clone AC15, GO-term enrichment analysis revealed terms related to systemic acquired resistance, plant cell wall biogenesis and assembly, and phenylpropanoid and lignin metabolism. qRT-PCR analysis of phenylpropanoid and lignin metabolism-related genes showed differences in their expression between the two wild olive clones. Phenolic content of stem cell walls was higher in the resistant AC18. The total lignin content was similar in resistant and susceptible clones, but they differed in monolignol composition. Results from this work identifies putative key genes in wild olive that could aid in breeding olive cultivars resistant, to D. V. dahliae. The research highlights the constitutive defence mechanisms that are effective in protecting against pathogens and our findings may contribute to the deciphering the molecular basis of VW resistance in olive and the conservation and utilization of wild olive genetic resources to tackle future agricultural challenges towards.

Visualization and Bibliometric Analysis of Research Evolution on Metaverse

This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of metaverse research, examining trends, academic output, and collaborations. A total of 1,200 papers were retrieved from web of science and analyzed using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and Biblioshiny. Research on the metaverse has surged since 2022, driven by commercial interest. Leading institutions include the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Nanyang Technological University, with China and the USA dominating country collaborations. Keyword analysis highlights “virtual reality” and “augmented reality,” while “virtual worlds” and “Second Life” show notable bursts. Author networks reveal strong collaborations, though male researchers predominate, with Paola Paoloni standing out among female contributors. High-impact journals like IEEE Access and Sustainability frequently publish in this field, which is largely interdisciplinary, spanning computer science and engineering. This study, among the first of its kind, provides insights into the evolving landscape of metaverse research, guiding future studies and identifying unexplored areas for further exploration.

Gender Construction in Original Netflix Film: A Representation Study

Although the movement for gender equality has been present in many communities, gender is still a vulnerable issue due to the many phenomena of inequality in a global society. This study aims to explain the construction of gender represented in global films produced by Netflix in 2021-2022. The films are Kingdom: Ashin of The North (South Korea), Don’t Look Up (USA), I am All Girls (South Africa), A World Without (Indonesia), Santinelle (French), and The Weekend Away (USA). By using Stuart Hall’s representation theory, all these films are investigated to reveal the global gender construction. The representation theory utilizes language as the main medium in interpreting the meaning contained in films. There are three steps of representation in analyzing data, namely decoding, encoding, and myth analysis. Decoding and encoding are the steps for finding meaning through denotation and connotation as represented in the film, while myth is the broad meaning related to the cultural meaning. The results show that from the decoding and encoding steps, Original Netflix films have almost the same pattern. It depicts a narrative of women’s resilience in the face of oppression and injustice, highlighting the intersections of racial and social class discrimination. The film challenges traditional gender roles, affirms the fluidity of gender performativity, and works to dismantle entrenched patriarchal structures within society. The finding indicates that certain films may inadvertently reinforce stereotypes or offer superficial representations, particularly concerning traditional masculinity and male characters. The myth of patriarchy is still perpetuated even though there are many problems of injustice and oppression, especially for women. This myth is also reinforced and practiced by the female characters in the film. This is due to the tug-of-war relationship between voicing equality and commercial interests.

Virtual Reality Portable Perimetry and Home Monitoring of Glaucoma: Retention and Compliance Over a 2-year Period

To evaluate long-term retention, compliance, and performance of glaucoma patients using a virtual reality portable perimeter to monitor visual fields (VFs) at home. Prospective, longitudinal, cohort study. Twenty-five glaucoma patients with stable and reliable VFs (average age 67.4 years) were recruited at Toronto Western Hospital, Ontario, Canada. Participants were instructed to perform bilateral home VF tests fortnightly for 2years using the Toronto Portable Perimeter (TPP). Based on empirical home monitoring data, simulation analyses were conducted to evaluate the progression detection performance of high-frequency TPP testing. Retention rates were calculated as the percentage of participants who performed ≥1 home VF test. Compliance rates measured the percentage of participants adhering to the recommended test frequency of every 2-month period. Visual field indices, test reliability, intertest variability, and the precision of estimating progression rate with TPP were compared to those with the Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA). After 6months, participants completed a questionnaire to evaluate their experiences and preferences. The years required to detect progression were also compared between HFA and TPP tests. Eighteen of the 25 participants (72%) completed ≥1 unsupervised VF test at home, with an average test frequency of 1.6 tests/month. Compliance decreased as the monitoring duration progressed, dropping from 83% (initial 2 months) to 11% (final 2 months). Unfamiliarity with technology and time constraints were identified as the main barriers to regular testing. Visual field indices of TPP home tests were strongly correlated with clinical results (r>0.900). Home testing significantly reduced intertest variability (P<0.001) and improved the precision of progression rate estimates (P<0.010). Participants overwhelmingly preferred home testing over clinic VF follow-ups (P<0.001). Simulations showed that TPP tests can significantly shorten the time to detect progression for different progression rates compared with clinical VF follow-up, even with compromised compliance. Despite the small sample size, our study demonstrated that glaucoma patients could reliably perform VF tests at home over a 2-year period. However, issues with retention rate and compliance with long-term VF monitoring were observed in some participants. Nevertheless, high-quality VF data from home tests can provide supplementary information to improve the timely detection of VF progression. The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.

Understanding Legitimate Interest under the GDPR: A Study of the CJEU Case C-621/22 and the EDPB Guidelines

p class="MsoNormal"The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruling in Case C-621/22 provides certainty regarding the possibility to qualifying commercial interests as legitimate interests under Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The CJEU enumerates the criteria that must be fulfilled and confirms that direct marketing falls under the notion of legitimate interest. The decision was published simultaneously with the new guidelines of the European Data Protection Board (EDPB), which aim to provide further guidance to data controllers on how to assess in practice if a data controller’s interests constitute legitimate interests under the GDPR and can therefore justify the processing of personal data.o:p/o:p