Government Consortium Research Articles

High-throughput screening for identifying acetylcholinesterase inhibitors: Insights on novel inhibitors and the use of liver microsomes.

Rapid, higher throughput, and predictive toxicological methods are needed to assess vast numbers of chemicals with unknown safety profiles. A current effort towards this goal is Toxicology in the 21st Century (Tox21), a United States government consortium using a battery of in vitro assays to screen a library of 10,000 compounds relevant to food, drug, and environmental safety. Recently, we implemented in vitro assays for measuring acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition, a mechanism of toxicity, into Tox21's high-throughput screening campaign (Li S., etal. Environ Health Persp 2021;129:047008, doi:10.1289/EHP6993). In this Commentary, we provide detailed insights on two topics related to our article: (1) prioritizing recently discovered AChE inhibitors from our screening based upon physiological relevance and (2) incorporating human liver microsomes into the AChE inhibition assay to identify metabolically active AChE inhibitors.

The critically endangered flapper skate (Dipturus intermedius): Recommendations from the first flapper skate working group meeting

The flapper skate, Dipturus intermedius (Parnell, 1837), is the largest of all European skate and rays (Superorder: Batoidea). It is found in coastal waters of the European continental shelf and slopes in the North-East (NE) Atlantic. With the 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species classification of ‘common skate’ as Critically Endangered, and the recognition in 2010 that this name masked two species (flapper skate and blue skate D. batis (Linnaeus, 1758)), and to better support conservation on this regional scale, the Flapper Skate Working Group (SWG) was formed. The SWG is a consortium of government, NGOs, sport-fishing associates and academics, including participants from the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands. The purpose of the SWG is to consolidate relevant research, advocacy and policy expertize for the purpose of flapper skate conservation. The first SWG workshop took place in Belfast, November 2019, with discussions focussed on conservation in the NE Atlantic. Following two days of talks, workshops and discussions, we present the SWG’s key recommendations for future collaborative conservation.

WorldForestID: Addressing the need for standardized wood reference collections to support authentication analysis technologies; a way forward for checking the origin and identity of traded timber

Societal Impact StatementForest products are the most used inedible renewable resource, but supplies are finite. It is difficult to know which tree species are in wood products or where they come from. Scientific evidence is needed to support or refute origin and species claims in traded products. We describe the building of a geo‐referenced wood reference collection (xylarium) supported by herbarium voucher specimens. The WorldForest ID program, hereinafter referred to as WFID (www.worldforestid.org), is embarking on large‐scale field collections of wood samples suitable for science‐based authentication technologies. By coordinating with regulatory and enforcement authorities in both producer and consumer countries the WFID xylarium is legally robust and commercially relevant.SummaryWe describe a program called WorldForestID which is being developed to monitor and support authentication and compliance in international trade of timber products. The program is being run by a consortium of government and non‐government organizations: US Forest Service International Programs (USFS IP), Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Agroisolab, and World Resources Institute (WRI). Initial funding has come from the US Department of State, USFS IP, US Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Forest Stewardship Council, and the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). The aim is to build a comprehensive collection of internationally traded timber species. The collection is used as reference material to validate forest products. Although there are a large number of xylaria (wood collections, Index Xylariorum IV) around the world, many of the specimens do not provide geo‐locations suitable as reference material for pinpointing provenance, many lack‐associated herbarium vouchers and some are misidentified. The samples being collected in this program address these issues and include bark, sapwood, and heartwood, ensuring that the material collected is suitable for current and future scientific analysis. We describe the process of collection and validation from field to laboratory and the advantages and disadvantages of the main techniques used to ascertain/verify identity and provenance. Ultimately, we envisage the day that scientific methods will be used routinely and successfully by timber traders, manufacturers, retailers, and law enforcement to accept or reject identity and provenance claims on internationally traded timber and forest products and, where necessary, to support prosecutions when laws such as EU Timber Regulations, Lacey Act and CITES are infringed.

Environment Induced Resettlement and Profit-Sharing Model: A case study from Sundarban, West Bengal, India

In the backdrop of climate change and overexploitation of resources, ecologically sensitive regions like Sundarban deserve special attention. This study investigates the current situation of Sundarban, both in terms of physical and sociocultural aspects. The study traverses through the harsh conditions of the region and the societal preparedness to face them. In order to save Sundarban, there is a need to change the ongoing model of development and conservation in the area. Environment Induced Resettlement and Profit-Sharing Model (ERPSM) proposes a sustainable approach to give nature the required space to recover from the ongoing degradation. A consortium of government, cooperative and corporate can bring necessary change through a participatory approach. It may be proposed, that successful implementation of ERPSM can significantly improve indicators of several Sustainable Development Goals. The suggested model will generate economic incentive for the government and the affected population to encourage measures to save the islands which are rapidly getting eroded and also draw public and private investment in the process.

Positive Results of an Early Intervention Strategy to Suppress a Spruce Budworm Outbreak after Five Years of Trials

Spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana Clem.; SBW) outbreaks are one of the dominant natural disturbances in North America, having killed balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) and spruce (Picea sp.) trees over tens of millions of hectares. Responses to past SBW outbreaks have included the aerial application of insecticides to limit defoliation and keep trees alive, salvage harvesting of dead and dying trees, or doing nothing and accepting the resulting timber losses. We tested a new ‘early intervention strategy’ (EIS) focused on suppressing rising SBW populations before major defoliation occurs, from 2014 to 2018 in New Brunswick, Canada. The EIS approach included: (1) intensive monitoring of overwintering SBW to detect ‘hot spots’ of low but rising populations; (2) targeted insecticide treatment to prevent spread; and (3) proactive public communications and engagement on project activities and results. This is the first attempt of area-wide (all areas within the jurisdiction of the province of New Brunswick) management of a native forest insect population. The project was conducted by a consortium of government, forest industry, researchers, and other partners. We developed a treatment priority and blocking model to optimize planning and efficacy of EIS SBW insecticide treatment programs. Following 5 years of over 420,000 ha of EIS treatments of low but increasing SBW populations, second instar larvae (L2) SBW levels across northern New Brunswick were found to be considerably lower than populations in adjacent Québec. Treatments increased from 4500 ha in 2014, to 56,600 ha in 2016, and to 199,000 ha in 2018. SBW populations in blocks treated with Bacillus thuringiensis or tebufenozide insecticide were consistently reduced, and generally did not require treatment in the subsequent year. Areas requiring treatment increased up to 2018, but SBW L2 populations showed over 90% reductions in that year. Although this may be a temporary annual decline in SBW population increases, it is counter to continued increases in Québec. Following 5 years of tests, the EIS appears to be effective in reducing the SBW outbreak.

The Effect of Participation in Government Consortia on the R&D Productivity of Firms: A Case Study of Robot Technology in Japan

This paper examines the effect of participation in government-sponsored R&D consortia on the R&D productivity of firms in the case of robot technology in Japan. We attempt to provide a new empirical analysis and discussions on the issue of government project evaluation by using indicators of the quality of patents, by investigating the impact of the evolution of government programs, and comparing government sponsored R&D consortia with collaborative R&D among firms. Using indicators of the quality of patents which enables us to provide an estimation of quality-adjusted research productivity, we find that participation in government programs has a positive impact on the research productivity of participating firms, but the impact of participation became much higher after the design of government programs in this field changed in the late 1990s. Also, we find that participation in government sponsored consortia has a greater impact on research productivity than participation in collaborative R&D among firms. This may support government involvement in R&D as a coordinator of R&D collaboration.

A Comparison of Avionics Open System Architectures

Building high-integrity, safety-critical systems is one of the primary activities of the projects within the United States (US) Department of Defense (DoD). Recognizing the need for affordable and effective solutions, the DoD calls for the use of Open System Architecture (OSA) solutions in Better Buying Power (BBP) 3.0 [1], Department of Defense Instruction 5000.02 [2], and the Defense Acquisition Guidebook section 4.3.18.15 [3]. The objectives of these documents are to avoid vendor lock, enable affordable capability evolution, and promote innovation. There are several activities underway to define standards that support the development of these systems. In the Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), the Unmanned Aerospace Systems (UAS) Command and Control (C2) Standard Initiative (UCI) standard has been defined to address the needs of providing an open architecture specification for unmanned aerial vehicles [4]. The Open Mission Systems (OMS) standard [5] developed by the US Air Force utilizes commercially developed Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) concepts and middleware in its definition along with the UCI standard. The Air Force is looking to extend the capabilities of the OMS standard to facilitate the rapid evolution of avionics systems. The Open Group has constructed a consortium of government, industry, and academia experts to develop the Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE™) [6]. FACE is an open architecture effort that is intended to standardize the development of aviation components. The paper will present the basic definition of open systems architecture followed by a description of three of the OSA standard activities that are being conducted to address the direction from the DoD. The paper will then examine the similarities and differences between each of these initiatives. Finally, the paper will discuss the usability of OSA.

Teaching Policy Analysis in Cross-National Settings. A System Approach

This paper discusses the design and delivery of a master’s-level course in policy analysis for senior public servants studying for a Masters of Public Administration Executive (EMPA) degree with the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG). ANZSOG is a consortium of government and university partners that was established in 2002 to enhance the management and policy capability of public sector leaders. The course sets out to develop sophisticated, creative policy design skills in its students, using a highly practical pedagogical approach that offers practice in negotiating the complexities and subtleties of policy option design in the real world.

재난 공동 대응을 위한 지자체 컨소시엄 구성 방안

최근 자연재해의 발생빈도가 높아지고 그 규모가 점차 대형화되고 있어, 방재에 대한 관심이 높아지고 있다. 우리나라의 대표적인 자연재해는 태풍과 호우로, 강도가 증가하는 추세에 있으며 이에 따라 매년 발생하는 피해의 규모도 커지고 있다. 자연재해 피해발생시 지자체가 상시적으로 보유하고 있는 방재자원으로는 그 피해 규모를 감당하기 어려운 실정이다. 따라서 대규모 재난발생시 피해 특성에 맞는 장비와 인력을 신속하게 동원, 배분할 수 있도록 지역 특성에 맞는 방재자원 공동 활용체계를 구축할 필요가 있다. 본 논문에서는 전국 각 지역의 특성을 분석하고 이에 따라 ‘재난 공동 대응을 위한 지자체 컨소시엄 구성 방안’을 제안하였다. 먼저, GIS를 이용하여 2002년에서 2011년까지의 재해연보에 수록된 지자체별 피해액을 나타낸 재해지도를 제작하였다. 다음, 전국을 행정구역에 따라 크게 5개 권역으로 구분하고, 각 권역의 지형적, 인문적 특성 및 태풍과 호우에 의한 피해 규모를 분석하여 다시 12개의 클러스터로 세분하였다. 마지막으로 각 권역의 재난대책거점을 선정하였다. 본 연구의 피해 분석 자료는 방재대책 수립시 참고자료로 활용될 수 있을 것이다.

Development of High Performance Structural Timver Systems for Non Residential Buildings in New Zealand and Australia

Design of structural systems for commercial and multi-residential buildings throughout most parts of the world, is currently dominated by the use of reinforced and / or prestressed concrete construction, usually supported by steel or concrete beams and frames. However, recent developments throughout the world have demonstrated the potential for timber based structural systems to be used in these types of buildings for beams and columns, roof structures and floors. The advent of engineered wood products (EWP's) such as LVL and glulam has made it possible to fabricate large section, long spanning structural members that have excellent structural properties and reliability equivalent to that of steel or concrete used in the same applications. Since 2007, significant (and related) research initiatives have been undertaken in Australia and New Zealand, investigating the performance of timber and timber hybrid systems for use in large span / medium rise commercial and industrial buildings. In 2009 a research consortium of government, industry and three Universities known as the Structural Timber Innovation Company (STIC) commenced an extensive R&D 5 year program with a total budget of $10m NZD.This paper presents an overview of each area of research, describing the focus of work to date, discussion of issues that have been identified and addressed, as well as details of expected outcomes.

Tracking seasonal signs of climate change

On 2 March, the USA National Phenology Network (USA‐NPN), a consortium of government, academic, and citizen scientists, launched a national program for volunteers to help observe the seasonal cycles of plants, including flowering, fruiting, and other seasonal events. The program will begin monitoring animals in 2010. Scientists and resource managers will use these observations to track effects of climate change on Earth's life‐support systems.

The effect of participation in government consortia on the R&D productivity of firms: a case study of robot technology in Japan

This paper examines the effect of participation in government-sponsored R&D consortia on the R&D productivity of firms in the case of robot technology in Japan. We attempt to provide a new empirical analysis and discussions on the issue of government project evaluation by investigating the impact of the evolution of government programs, and to compare government-sponsored R&D consortia with collaborative R&D among firms. Using indicators of the quality of patents, which enables us to provide an estimation of quality-adjusted research productivity, we find that participation in government programs has a positive impact on the research productivity of participating firms. Moreover, the impact of participation became much higher after the design of government programs in this field changed in the late 1990s. Also, we find that participation in government-sponsored consortia has a greater impact on research productivity than participation in collaborative R&D among firms. This may support government involvement in R&D as a coordinator of R&D collaboration.

Communicating Green Innovation Technology: Transfer in a University–Business–Government Consortium

This essay presents a case study of 18 researchers and subject-matter experts in a university–business–government consortium that describes their unique research activities, the environmental impact of their work within a personal and temporal context, and the archetypal technology-transfer process contextualized within a framework for sustainable green manufacturing. Findings of this research both validate and refute the widely known issues in successful technology transfer. This essay attempts to dispel an archetypal barrier model for technology transfer and demonstrate a localized model in which meaning among consortium members is negotiated, reconstructed, and shared.

Analysis of fuel cell hybrid locomotives

Led by Vehicle Projects LLC, an international industry–government consortium is developing a 109 t, 1.2 MW road-switcher locomotive for commercial and military railway applications. As part of the feasibility and conceptual-design analysis, a study has been made of the potential benefits of a hybrid power plant in which fuel cells comprise the prime mover and a battery or flywheel provides auxiliary power. The potential benefits of a hybrid power plant are: (i) enhancement of transient power and hence tractive effort; (ii) regenerative braking; (iii) reduction of capital cost. Generally, the tractive effort of a locomotive at low speed is limited by wheel adhesion and not by available power. Enhanced transient power is therefore unlikely to benefit a switcher locomotive, but could assist applications that require high acceleration, e.g. subway trains with all axles powered. In most cases, the value of regeneration in locomotives is minimal. For low-speed applications such as switchers, the available kinetic energy and the effectiveness of traction motors as generators are both minimal. For high-speed heavy applications such as freight, the ability of the auxiliary power device to absorb a significant portion of the available kinetic energy is low. Moreover, the hybrid power plant suffers a double efficiency penalty, namely, losses occur in both absorbing and then releasing energy from the auxiliary device, which result in a net storage efficiency of no more than 50% for present battery technology. Capital cost in some applications may be reduced. Based on an observed locomotive duty cycle, a cost model shows that a hybrid power plant for a switcher may indeed reduce capital cost. Offsetting this potential benefit are the increased complexity, weight and volume of the power plant, as well as 20–40% increased fuel consumption that results from lower efficiency. Based on this analysis, the consortium has decided to develop a pure fuel cell road-switcher locomotive, that is, not a hybrid.

Measuring Social Capital in a Networked Housing Estate

This paper describes the construction of 'Reach for the Clouds', an inventive scheme to build a resident-maintained 'networked community' in Atherton Gardens, an ethnically-diverse, low-income, high rise public housing estate in Melbourne, Australia. The project was developed by the InfoXchange, a not-for-profit Internet service provider with a 'social entrepreneurial' orientation. It involves a consortium of government and community groups and draws on a combination of voluntary labour, commercial enterprise, government funding and donations of equipment by local businesses. The long term goal of the project is for it to become self-funding, and owned and operated by Atherton Gardens' residents. This requires both training and skills development as well as the creation of an enterprise base to fund the operating and capital costs of the network.

Advanced design of valve-regulated lead–acid battery for hybrid electric vehicles

A novel design of lead–acid battery has been developed for use in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). The battery has current take-offs at both ends of each of the positive and negative plates. This feature markedly reduces battery operating temperatures, improves battery capacity, and extends cycle-life under HEV duty. The battery also performs well under partial-state-of-charge (PSoC)/fast-charge, electric-vehicle operation. The improvements in performance are attributed to more uniform utilization of the plate active-materials. The battery, combined with an internal-combustion engine and a new type of supercapacitor, will be used to power an HEV, which is being designed and constructed by an Australian industry–government consortium.

Developing a framework for worldwide image communication.

The increasing mobility of the population and frequent changes in healthcare coverage, in both the government and private sectors, require integration of medical records not only longitudinally, but also across a variety of healthcare providers. Early in 1998, the federal government decided to solve this problem by constructing a framework for access to medical records by all of the government's health care facilities, called the Government Computer-Based Patient Record (GCPR). The government consortium chose a proposal by Litton PRC, a partnership of 11 companies with complementary areas of expertise. The framework is based on open systems, which use publicly available standards, and includes a Master Patient Information Locator that allows access to medical information from remote facilities, based on creating a unique identifier for each and every individual patient. PRC will use the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) imaging standard for radiology, supplemented by Health Level Seven (HL7).

Building a Topographic Model Submarine Mountains A Model of Sea Floor Spreading

The Activities that follow are from The Best of BAESI, a collection of 19 hand-on lessons modeled by teacher-participants in the Bay Area Earth Science Institute. BAESI was founded in 1990 at San Jose University. A non-profit organization supported by the National Science Foundation, San Jose State University, and a consortium of government, corporate, and academic partners, BAESI is built on the following observations:

FIRST EXPERIENCES WITH THE MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY OIL SPILL MODEL

ABSTRACT A research group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has completed the first phase of development of a computer-assisted model for analyzing complex decisions and policies regarding oil spill cleanup. The model is the product of an ongoing MIT Sea Grant project sponsored by a consortium of government and industry organizations. The model can be used, among other things, in “strategic” planning for the long-term oil spill response needs of a region, in assisting on-scene coordinators in responding to a specific spill (“tactical/operational” setting), in evaluating the environmental and economic damages of a spill versus the cost of cleanup, in simulation and training, and in the analysis of various policy and regulatory issues such as delays, use of dispersants, and liability and compensation. The model is described in detail, with a focus on its potential uses. Some illustrative applications in the New England region are presented and applications of the model for the solution of Petro-Canada's dispersant logistics problem are discussed briefly.