Future Production Research Articles

Diurnal Variation in Surface Incident Solar Radiation Retrieved by CERES and Himawari-8

The diurnal variation of surface incident solar radiation (Rs) has a significant impact on the Earth’s climate. Satellite-retrieved Rs datasets display good spatial and temporal continuity compared with ground-based observations and, more importantly, have higher accuracy than reanalysis datasets. Facilitated by these advantages, many scholars have evaluated satellite-retrieved Rs, especially based on monthly and annual data. However, there is a lack of evaluation on an hourly scale, which has a profound impact on sea–air interactions, climate change, agriculture, and prognostic models. This study evaluates Himawari-8 and Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System Synoptic (CERES)-retrieved hourly Rs data covering 60°S–60°N and 80°E–160°W based on ground-based observations from the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN). Hourly Rs were first standardized to remove the diurnal and seasonal cycles. Furthermore, the sensitivities of satellite-retrieved Rs products to clouds, aerosols, and land cover types were explored. It was found that Himawari-8-retrieved Rs was better than CERES-retrieved Rs at 8:00–16:00 and worse at 7:00 and 17:00. Both satellites performed better at continental sites than at island/coastal sites. The diurnal variations of statistical parameters of Himawari-8 satellite-retrieved Rs were stronger than those of CERES. Relatively larger MABs in the case of stratus and stratocumulus were exhibited for both hourly products. Smaller MAB values were found for CERES covered by deep convection and cumulus clouds and for Himawari-8 covered by deep convection and nimbostratus clouds. Larger MAB values at evergreen broadleaf forest sites and smaller MAB values at open shrubland sites were found for both products. In addition, Rs retrieved by Himawari-8 was more sensitive to AOD at 10:00–16:00, while that retrieved by CERES was more sensitive to COD at 9:00–15:00. The CERES product showed larger sensitivity to COD (at 9:00–15:00) and AOD (at 7:00–10:00) than Himawari-8. This work helps data producers know how to improve their future products and helps data users be aware of the uncertainties that exist in hourly satellite-retrieved Rs data.

A Cross-Sectional Study of Measles-Specific Antibody Levels in Australian Blood Donors-Implications for Measles Post-Elimination Countries.

Passive immunisation with normal human immunoglobulin (NHIG) is recommended as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for higher-risk measles contacts where vaccination is contraindicated. However, the concentration of measles-specific antibodies in NHIG depends on antibody levels within pooled donor plasma. There are concerns that measles immunity in the Australian population may be declining over time and that blood donors' levels will progressively decrease, impacting levels required to produce effective NHIG for measles PEP. A cross-sectional study of Australian plasmapheresis donors was performed using an age-stratified, random sample of recovered serum specimens, collected between October and November 2019 (n = 1199). Measles-specific IgG antibodies were quantified by ELISA (Enzygnost anti-measles virus IgG, Siemens), and negative and equivocal specimens (n = 149) also underwent plaque reduction neutralisation testing (PRNT). Mean antibody levels (optical density values) progressively decreased from older to younger birth cohorts, from 2.09 [±0.09, 95% CI] to 0.58 [±0.04, 95% CI] in donors born in 1940-1959 and 1990-2001, respectively (p < 0.0001). This study shows that mean measles-specific IgG levels are significantly lower in younger Australian donors. While current NHIG selection policies target older donors, as younger birth cohorts become an increasingly larger proportion of contributing donors, measles-specific antibody concentrations of NHIG will progressively reduce. We therefore recommend monitoring measles-specific antibody levels in future donors and NHIG products in Australia and other countries that eliminated measles before the birth of their youngest blood donors.

Development of a Clonal and High-Yield Mammalian Cell Line for the Manufacturing of a Hyperactive Human DNase I with Extended Plasma Half-Life Using PASylation® Technology.

Cumulative evidence from several pre-clinical studies suggests that restoration of plasma DNase activity in a thrombo-inflammatory state may improve clinical outcomes. Following injury, hyperactivated immune cells release large amounts of granular proteins together with DNA, which often accumulate in the surrounding environment in so-called neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). Degradation of excess NETs by systemic DNase administration offers a promising therapeutic approach to ameliorate inflammation and dissolve intravascular clots. In order to expand the therapeutic utility of human DNase I, a variant of the enzyme was developed that has both a prolonged systemic half-life and a higher catalytic activity compared to Dornase alfa (Pulmozyme®), the recombinant form of DNase I approved for inhaled therapy of cystic fibrosis. The hyperactive enzyme was "PASylated" by genetic fusion with a strongly hydrophilic and biodegradable PAS-polypeptide to increase its hydrodynamic volume and retard kidney filtration. A stable TurboCell™ CHO-K1-based cell line was generated which is suitable for the future production of PASylated DNase I according to good manufacturing practice (GMP). Furthermore, a robust bioprocess strategy was devised and an effective downstream process was developed. The final protein product is characterized by excellent purity, favorable physicochemical properties, a 14-fold higher DNA-degrading activity than Dornase alfa and a sustained pharmacokinetic profile, with a 22-fold slower clearance in rats.

Elucidating the mechanism of inulin-induced improvement in the structural and functional properties of High-moisture extruded products

High-moisture extrusion (HME) has increasingly garnered attention in the production of plant-based meat analogs. Nevertheless, the disorganized structural properties and poor functional characteristics of HME extrudates pose significant challenges to the advancement of plant-based alternatives in the food industry. The coextrusion of proteins and polysaccharides has emerged as an effective strategy to improve the sensory qualities of HME meat analogs. Herein, we investigated the effects of the type and addition of inulin on the structural and functional properties of HME extrudates comprising soy protein isolate, soy protein concentrate, and wheat protein. The results indicated that inulin facilitated the conversion of 7S to 11S globulin and induced a transformation from a β-turn angle to a β-folded protein structure, promoting lamellar structure formation and enhancing the overall stability of the protein matrix. Optimal results were achieved with the addition of 6% long-chain and short-chain inulin. In terms of functional characteristics, the incorporation of short-chain inulin resulted in a superior fiber structure and protein digestibility, whereas long-chain inulin enhanced the water-holding capacity, rehydration rate, and thermal stability. Additionally, intermolecular interaction analysis revealed that these inulin-induced improvements in the quality of HME extrudates are primarily attributed to the strengthening of disulfide bonds and hydrogen bonds. These findings offer crucial insights for advancing the quality of plant-based meat analogs, providing valuable directions for future product development in the food industry.

The improvement of deformability in AA7075 alloy through cryogenic treatment and its correlation with microstructural evolution and FE modelling

Cryogenic treatment has high potential for improving the deformation behavior through the recrystallization at a low temperature. In this work, true stress–strain curves were obtained via compression tests to understand the deformation behavior of an AA7075 under cryogenic conditions. Results showed a significant improvement in the flow stress of AA7075, increasing from 260 to 560 MPa at the yield point. The strain hardening exponent (n) also increased from 0.25 to 0.35 after deformation at cryogenic temperatures. The presence of Al2CuMg phase influenced the deformation texture of the tested aluminum alloy, resulting in more elongated grains and fine sub-grains after deformation at cryogenic temperatures, due to the hindered recrystallization. Microstructure evolution after deformation at room and cryogenic temperatures was investigated using EBSD technique to characterize texture and recrystallized grains. The results indicated that the spacing of the high-angle grain boundaries (HAGBs) in the sample deformed at room temperature was slightly larger than in the cryogenically treated sample. The alloy deformed at the cryogenic temperature exhibited a higher strain hardening exponent (n = 0.35) compared to room temperature deformation (n = 0.25). Furthermore, finite element analysis supported the experimental findings, showing that the Plastic Equivalent Strain (PEEQ) of the model tested at cryogenic temperature was higher than at room temperature, attributed to grain refinement during low-temperature deformation. The calculated effective stress responses at cryogenic temperatures for the investigated flow stress aligned well with the experimental results. These new aspects and mechanisms of deformation of aluminum alloys at cryogenic temperatures can improve the formability of high-strength alloys in the future production of more complex and integrated lightweight components.

The Low Survivability of Transplanted Gonadal Grafts: The Impact of Cryopreservation and Transplantation Conditions on Mitochondrial Function.

Advances in tissue preservation techniques have allowed reproductive medicine and assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) to flourish in recent years. Because radio- and chemotherapy procedures are often gonadotoxic, irreversible damage can preclude future gamete production and endocrine support. Accordingly, in recent years, the freezing and storage of gonadal tissue fragments prior to the first oncological treatment appointment and autologous transplantation post-recovery have been considered improved solutions for fertility recovery in cancer survivors. Nevertheless, the cryopreservation and transplantation of thawed tissues is still very limited, and positive outcomes are relatively low. This review aims to discuss the limitations of oncofertility protocols with a focus on the impacts of mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and the loss of antioxidant defense in graft integrity.

Exportaciones del café mexicano a los mercados estadounidense y alemán

Among the agricultural export chains, the coffee chain represents one of the oldest in Mexico compared to those of berries, avocados, floriculture and horticulture. In recent decades, this chain has gone through a series of problems in different links, for example pests, climate changes or volatile prices. Competitiveness in foreign markets is key to guide the future production and commercialization of Mexican coffee, which is why it is necessary to know the target markets, their trends and the position that the product currently has compared to its competitors. Through the indicators of revealed comparative advantage and constant market participation, the hypothesis that Mexican coffee needs to change its market strategy, focus on quality and reorient itself towards new markets is tested. It is detected that the competitiveness in the main market, wich is the United States, is low, in addition the characteristics of consumption do not benefit Mexican coffee. In contrast, the German market represents a good opportunity, especially for quality coffees of Arabica species (Coffea arabica) such as: Typica, Bourbón, Garnica, Geisha and Caturra. In addition, these coffees are characterized by generating a greater economic benefit for the producers.

Techno-economic analysis of the production of synthetic fuels using CO2 generated by the cement industry and green hydrogen

Cement industry, due to the decomposition of CaCO3 and the production of clinker, emits large amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere. This anthropogenic gas can be captured and through its synthesis with green hydrogen, methanol and finally synthetic fuels are achieved. By using e-fuel, Europe's climate neutrality objectives could be achieved. However, the energy transition still lacks a clear roadmap, and decisions are strongly affected by the geopolitical situation, the energy demand and the economy. Therefore, different scenarios are analysed to assess the influence of key factors on the overall economic viability of the process: 1) A business-as-usual scenario, EU perspectives 2) allowing e-fuels and 3) improving H2 production processes. The technical feasibility of the production of synthetic fuels is verified. The most optimistic projections indicate future production costs of synthetic fuels will be lower than those of fossil fuels. This is directly related to the cost of green hydrogen production.

Mapping Corporate Sustainability and Firm Performance Research: A Scientometric and Bibliometric Examination

Corporate sustainability has garnered increasing attention within the business community as corporations communicate to influence their stakeholders to build sustainable relationships. There has been a surge in research exploring its connection to firm performance, but existing studies lack a cohesive and concentrated approach. The aim of this study is to explore the trends of growth of publications; gauge the annual growth rate, annual ratio of growth, relative growth rate, doubling time, and scientific production index; predict future production levels; and look at the relationship between corporate sustainability and firm performance by analysing the literature as well as identifying clusters and links with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The top countries contributing to the research were China, India, and the United States, accounting for over 45% of the global publications. The study analysed a focused corpus of 65 documents from the Scopus database on specific subfields of corporate sustainability and firm performance, identifying five main thematic clusters related to environmental performance, financial performance, corporate sustainability reporting, corporate social performance, and green supply chain management, with significant citations related to 17 SDGs. The annual growth rate (AGR) of publications was found to be −2.88%, with an average of 4.06 publications per year. The relative growth rate (RGR) decreased from 0.69 in 2010 to 0.36 in 2023, and the doubling time (Dt.) increased from 1.00 in 2010 to 1.93 in 2023. Employing structured methods and the PRISMA protocol, this scientifically rigorous study points towards identification of research themes linking sustainability practices to firm performance. Exponential smoothing (Holt’s linear trend model) is employed to project future research output within the field. The significant trends include an increase in publication frequency since 2017, indicating a growth phase in the research field. The findings highlight the need for greater investigation from developing countries and the importance of integrating sustainability considerations into business strategies.

Differential impacts of microplastics on carbon and nitrogen cycling in plant-soil systems: A meta-analysis

Microplastics (MPs) are widely present in terrestrial ecosystems. However, how MPs impact carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling within plant-soil system is still poorly understood. Here, we conducted a meta-analysis utilizing 3338 paired observations from 180 publications to estimate the effects of MPs on plant growth (biomass, nitrogen content, nitrogen uptake and nitrogen use efficiency), change in soil C content (total carbon (TC), soil organic carbon (SOC), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC)), C losses (carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane), soil N content (total nitrogen, dissolved organic nitrogen, microbial biomass nitrogen, total dissolve nitrogen, ammonium, nitrate (NO3−-N) and nitrite) and nitrogen losses (nitrous oxide, ammonia (NH3) volatilization and N leaching) comprehensively. Results showed that although MPs significantly increased CO2 emissions by 25.7 %, they also increased TC, SOC, MBC, DOC and CO2 by 53.3 %, 25.4 %, 19.6 % and 24.7 %, respectively, and thus increased soil carbon sink capacity. However, MPs significantly decreased NO3−-N and NH3 volatilization by 14.7 % and 43.3 %, respectively. Meanwhile, MPs significantly decreased plant aboveground biomass, whereas no significant changes were detected in plant belowground biomass and plant N content. The impacts of MPs on soil C, N and plant growth varied depending on MP types, sizes, concentrations, and experimental durations, in part influenced by initial soil properties. Overall, although MPs enhanced soil carbon sink capacity, they may pose a significant threat to future agricultural productivity.

Impact of translator mass and buoy choice on a power absorption of point absorbing wave energy converter linear generator with linear generator power take off

AbstractOcean waves have the potential to contribute to future renewable electricity production. A wave energy converter (WEC) is a technology developed to absorb the energy of the wave and convert it to another form of energy. The Uppsala University WEC (UU WEC) is a point absorber with a direct drive permanent magnet synchronous linear generator power take off. Among other parameters affecting the value of absorbed power for UU WEC are the buoy size, mass of the system consisting of the buoy and translator, and available wave energy at the site of interest. This study reviews the earlier static model that considered only static forces as the buoyancy and gravity forces and neglected all dynamic forces. The static model was proposed to simplify the early‐stage design decision. Although the static model was applied to two UU WECs of different dimensions, the present study shows that the static model is not held for certain buoy and translator dimensions. As an alternative, the dynamic model which accounts for the impact of hydrodynamic forces and various translator masses is proposed. The dynamic model is based on Cummins' equation and the linear potential flow theory, and the damping force is approximated as a viscous damper with the constant damping coefficient optimizing the absorbed mechanical power under a particular sea condition. The dynamic model is applied to four fixed buoy geometries of two shapes (cylinder and cylinder with a moonpool), each of two different dimensions, but the method can be extended to other buoy shapes and dimensions. In addition, the impact of translator mass was assessed for two sites located on the west coast of Sweden and near Gran Canaria, Spain. A translator of 10–11 t promotes 16.8% higher annual average power absorption for a cylindrical buoy compared to a translator of 6 t for the same buoy. However, heavier translators up to 15 t provide only 1.1% increase in average annual absorbed power.

Evaluation of Sensory Attributes of Soft Candy Using Taro Leaf Extract as Influenced by Variations of Gelatin and Glucose Syrup

Although taro is widely grown in Indonesia, it is one of the underutilized crops which is a good source of nutrition. one part of taro that is rarely utilized is the leaves. The objective of this research is to determine the effect of glucose syrup and gelatin concentrations on the organoleptic properties (preference for color, taste, and texture) of soft candy made from taro leaf extract. The method used in this research is experimental which is arranged in a Completely Randomized Factorial Design (CRD) with two factors, which are The concentrations of are (25%, 35%, 45%) and the concentrations of gelatin are (20%, 25%, 30%). Each treatment being repeated three times. The obtained data were analyzed using ANOVA (analysis of variance), and Duncan’s test was conducted if significant differences were obtained. The results shows that soft candy with 35% glucose syrup and 25% gelatin had the highest preference for color. The formulation with 35% glucose syrup and 30% gelatin was most preferred for aroma. The formulation with 45% glucose syrup and 30% gelatin received the highest scores for texture (3.90±0.308) and flavor (3.95±0.63). This research demonstrates that optimizing glucose syrup and gelatin concentrations in soft candies made from underutilized taro leaf extract can significantly enhance specific sensory attributes like texture and flavor. This study can contribute in providing valuable insights for future product development and highlighting the potential of taro leaves as a valuable food ingredient.

Enhancing the pure water splitting using carbon-iron oxide–carbon nitride (Fe2O3-C/CN) heterostructure

Highly efficient pure photocatalysts for water-splitting applications have long been plagued by structure imperfectness, narrowband light absorption, rapid charge recombination, and sluggish surface reaction kinetics. Herein we report a Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst made of Fe2O3, CN, and a conductive carbon layer (C) at the interface of the two materials (Fe2O3-C/CN). The structure has been characterized using a range of physicochemical and photo-electrochemical techniques. Compared to pristine Fe2O3, the Fe2O3-C/CN photocatalyst revealed superior photogenerated charge carriers, transport efficiency, and suppressed recombination process along with the conductive carbon layer acting as a mediator. The optimum composite of (5 wt% Fe2O3-C/CN) shows excellent activity towards pure water splitting, which reached 408 and 199 μmol/g.h for H2 and O2 evolution respectively, and a solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of approximately 0.29 % when used for the pure water splitting process. Such a superior efficiency and production rate offer great potential for pure water splitting, and provide an alternative solution to future green energy production processes.

Social life cycle assessment in current and future Norwegian livestock production

Abstract Purpose This study is a social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) of per capita consumption of animal protein in Norway in 2019. The animal protein consisted of milk, beef, pork, poultry and egg. Based on the 2019 results, two scenarios, TrendProd and ChangeProd, were qualitatively assessed. The TrendProd scenario is a continuation of the current trend towards highly efficient livestock production, whilst ChangeProd focuses on using livestock feed based on bioresources that are unsuitable for human consumption. Methods The assessment of current livestock production followed the updated version of the social LCA guidelines by UNEP (2020). A survey amongst stakeholders was conducted for the selection of subcategories. The product system was divided into the following steps: imported feed, domestic off-farm feed, livestock production, manufacturing, distribution and use. A total of 25 subcategories across six stakeholder groups (i.e. workers, local community, society, value chain actors, consumers and children) were included in the assessment. A reference scale approach was used with a scale from 1 to 4. The assessment included quantitative and qualitative data from statistics, indices, surveys, etc. The social performance of the scenarios was assessed by the authors’ expert evaluation using the Delphi approach, comparing performance of indicators relative to the current production. Results and discussion The life cycle for the current Norwegian livestock production had an acceptable or high social performance for 17 of the selected subcategories. Five subcategories had a low performance (fair salary, equal opportunities, animal welfare, food security, promoting social responsibility) and three had a very low performance (health and safety, cultural heritage, fair competition). The assessment of the scenarios indicated that anticipated improvements in skills and technology were key drivers for maintaining or enhancing social performance in certain subcategories. The use of activity variables for measuring the relative importance of each unit process is recommended as it reflects actual distribution and is consistent with the method of environmental LCA. Conclusions Overall, the social life cycle assessment of current livestock production demonstrated high social performance. A stakeholders’ survey resulted in a new subcategory, ‘food security’, which served to include societal concern for self-sufficiency and food security in social LCA. Limitations and uncertainties of the study have also been identified, some relating to data and choice of indicators and others to the application of method, e.g. activity variables, development of reference scale and aggregation of results.

Study on the Biological Drug Enterocol’s Effect on the Nile Tilapia Breeding

Background Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is a promising fish species for fish farming development in the Republic of Kazakhstan. It exemplifies a balanced and fast-growing source of flesh for future food production. In this context, optimising breeding methods is crucial for a high flesh yield and a safe product. The study delves into the potential of the Enterocol drug in enhancing Nile tilapia breeding, focusing on assessing muscle state and blood parameters. Objects Two groups of fish were utilized, with 20 specimens in each group. One set was the control group, and the other was the experimental group. The single difference between the fish groups was the Enterocol consumption by the experimental specimens, which were given an E. coli 64G strain concentration of 108 CFU in mL and a 5% daily dose of fish body weight three times daily for two months. Methods Blood parameters were analysed to assess the health of the fish groups. Subsequently, classical pathological methods were employed, such as macroscopic and microscopic assessments of each group's fish material. A histological analysis was also performed to assess the condition of the muscles. Results Examining the experimental group's muscles revealed a significant average increase in fish mass and 6.74% total body weight growth. Moreover, the total thickness of the muscle layer decreased as villi height increased, indicating a clear fibre structure. Haematological analysis unveiled elevated levels of haemoglobin, erythrocytes, leucocytes, and total protein in the experimental fish group, indicating improved health. These findings underscore the potential of the Enterocol drug in enhancing fish health and productivity. Conclusion Based on the results, it can be concluded that using Enterocol in fish breeding plants can effectively enhance flesh quality and safety, providing a secure and reliable solution for the aquaculture industry.

Mining Chinese Animation Movie Audience Concern Themes Based on BERTopic and UGC

[Objective] To explore how Chinese animated movies can effectively utilize hot topics to feed the box office and improve the competitiveness of the movies by mining hot topics of users' concern through User-Generated Content (UGC). [Methods] Based on the UGC text of Douban reviews of the Chinese animated movie "30,000 Leagues in Chang'an", we adopt the BERTopic algorithm to cluster topics based on the category-based TF-IDF (Word Frequency-Inverse Text Frequency)-weighted clustering, and introduce the semantic fine-tuning of the topics by the ChatGLM2-6B model to excavate the hot topics of users' attention. [Results] Users of the Chinese animated movie "30,000 Leagues in Chang'an" pay attention to five major topic clusters, including Chinese culture, word-of-mouth communication, poetic narrative, production technology, and the controversy of new historical facts. [Limitations] The country differences in the topic concerns of Chinese animated films were not analyzed in comparison with foreign UGC texts. [Conclusion] This study focuses on UGC text analysis to discover the social attention and evolution law of related topics. These findings provide some reference value for future Chinese animated movie production and production, box office prediction and marketing.

Exploring the expectations of the product manager role: the case of the Hungarian software industry

Stakeholder-driven development has become significant in the software industry. As a result, product managers have taken on a crucial role in IT projects by considering the demands of stakeholders, business objectives and knowing available technological solutions. The theoretical section of this article provides an overview of the evolution and characteristics of the product manager role. This paper empirically explored the various expectations towards product managers through the example of the Hungarian software industry by the content analysis of job advertisements (n=212) from LinkedIn. The identified patterns show that the product manager role differs depending on the size of the company. The results show that as the size of a company increases, leadership and active listening skills become increasingly important. On the other hand, micro- and small enterprises demonstrate the highest level of responsibility regarding cooperation. The findings of this article can offer valuable guidance for future product managers.

A Case Study on the Operational Performance Evaluation of a Manufacturing Process and System (MaPS) Sustainability Analysis Tool for Engineering Education

As the future product and process design decision-makers, students in engineering should have knowledge of sustainability and its application in industry. However, educators are challenged in training students in these concepts. Existing analysis tools are deficient in supporting sustainability assessment by nonexperts. To address this gap, the Manufacturing Process and System (MaPS) Sustainability Analysis tool was developed under the Constructionism in Learning: Sustainable Life Cycle Engineering (CooL:SLiCE) project. The technical aspects of developing a framework and its associated proof-of-concept MaPS Sustainability Analysis tool are reported in a separate study. Herein, the educational aspects of the MaPS Sustainability Analysis tool and its operational performance in terms of ease of use and usefulness to assess its suitability for the classroom are investigated. Undergraduate and graduate engineering students at Tampere University and Oregon State University were recruited to use and evaluate the tool. Through application of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), it was determined that the 24 study participants found the tool easy to use and useful in analyzing product design, manufacturing process, and supply chain sustainability performance. To move this proof of concept toward general use, key software operational characteristics and a GUI should be investigated to improve efficiency, effectiveness, satisfaction, and learnability of the MaPS Sustainability Analysis tool.

Climate Change Impacts on Future Wheat (Triticum aestivum) Yield, Growth Periods and Irrigation Requirements: A SALTMED Model Simulations Analysis

Climate change poses emerging threats to wheat growth in coming future. These threats need to be explored to ensure sustainable wheat production. To do this, the SALTMED model was calibrated using data from experiments conducted on different levels of irrigation and nitrogen doses. The performance of the SALTMED model was assessed based on values of the root mean square error (RMSE), normalized root mean square error (NRMSE), coefficient of determination (R2) and coefficient of residual mass (CRM) that ranged from 0.23–1.82, 0.09–0.17, 0.91–0.93 and −0.01–0.02, respectively for calibration and 0.31–1.89, 0.11–0.31, 0.87–0.90 and −0.02–0.01, respectively for validation. Projections for future climate scenarios for wheat growth indicated that by the end of the century, sowing dates advanced by nine days under the RCP4.5 scenario and eleven days under the RCP8.5 scenario, while harvesting dates shifted earlier by twenty-four days under RCP4.5 and twenty-eight days under RCP8.5. Consequently, the overall crop duration was shortened by fifteen days under RCP4.5 and eighteen days under RCP8.5. Further simulations revealed that the wheat yield was reduced by 14.2% under RCP4.5 and 21.0% under RCP8.5; the dry matter was reduced by 14.9% under RCP4.5 and 23.3% under RCP8.5; the irrigation amount was expected to increase by 14.9% under RCP4.5 and 18.0% under RCP8.5; and water productivity was expected to be reduced by 25.3% under RCP4.5 and 33.0% under RCP8.5 until the end of century. The hypothetical scenarios showed that adding an extra 20–40% more nitrogen can enhance wheat yield and dry matter by 10.2–23.0% and 11.5–24.6%, respectively, under RCP4.5, and by 12.0–23.4% and 12.9–29.6%, respectively, under RCP8.5. This study offers valuable insights into the effects of climate change on future wheat production so that effective contingency plans could be made by policymakers and adopted by stakeholders for higher wheat productivity.

Pioneering solutions for sustainable protein production in future

Pioneering solutions for sustainable protein production in future InnoProtein consortium, explain why sustainable protein production is urgently needed and how, with its circular, zero-waste approach, InnoProtein supports this goal. By 2050, population growth will play a major role in the state of the environmental, social and economic system. (1) Traditional protein products, with their vast amounts of animal derivates, are being presented as sustainably obsolete due to the high consumption of natural resources employed for their production. (2) Current protein production has a high environmental impact, and a general transition towards greener and sustainable consumption is required. Agriculture is responsible for 70-85% of the world’s water footprint and 30% of global GHG emissions. Meat production is the most impactful activity in food production.