Commercial Stage Research Articles

Этапы промышленного освоения минерально-сырьевого комплекса Республики Тыва

The article analyzes the commercial development stages of complex mineral resource in the Tyva Republic. The history of the industrial development of the republic’s mineral resources began in the middle of the 20th century, and it can be divided into two stages. Both stages are separated by historical eras and different management models of the economic complex depending on the economic system. The article presents an influence analysis of the mining sector of the economy on the social and economic situation in the republic. A retrospective analysis of the data showed that at the first stage the social and economic development of the region was largely dependent on the mining sector. Locations, engineering and social infrastructure facilities were associated with mining companies. The collapse of the whole industry had a catastrophic impact on the social standard of living of both the ordinary people and the republic. Today there is already a positive impact of the mining companies on the social and economic processes in the mining areas. It is necessary to universally introduce a diversified approach to the development of all sectors of the region’s economy considering the previous negative experience and preventing the consequences of a possible sudden closure of the mining companies. A diversified approach consists in increasing the share of mining companies that produce high value-added products, agriculture sector to increase the level of food security and etc. The article contains a new approach to the history of industrial development of the Tyva Republic, it points out the past negative experience and suggests options for reducing the social and economic risks and negative consequences for the economy of the republic.

Multidisciplinary Laser Facility Driven by New-Generation High-Repetition Laser

For many years, high-power laser technology has been divided between industrial applications, which prioritize higher average powers and repetition rates, and academic research, which focuses on achieving higher peak powers and ultrashort pulse durations. The introduction of Yb-doped crystals in laser technology has paved the way for a new generation of laser sources that bridge the gap between industrial and academic requirements, combining high average power with ultrashort pulse capabilities. These advancements enable the integration of compact, adaptable front-end stages, making such lasers versatile for scientific applications. In Lisbon, the Laboratory of Intense Lasers leverages this technology with a system that combines commercial and custom-built front-end stages to enhance operational flexibility. In this paper, we present the current status of this facility and outline upcoming upgrades. We also showcase applications enabled by these high-power laser sources, including semiconductor studies, bi-photonics, and time-resolved spectroscopy.

STRATEGI PENGEMBANGAN PRODUK DAN PERHITUNGAN HARGA POKOK PRODUKSI PADA USAHA HOME INDUSTRY KERIPIK PISANG SALAI IBU HERYATI

This research aims to understand how the quality of the Smoked Banana Chips product from Keripik Pisang Salai Ibu Heryati Business can improve and determine the calculation of the production cost of the business. This study is a descriptive research using a qualitative descriptive approach. The research data were obtained from the owner of Keripik Pisang Salai Ibu Heryati Business, Ibu Heryati. Data collection techniques included interviews and document studies. The research results indicate that in product development strategy, the strategies implemented by Keripik Pisang Salai Ibu Heryati include improving existing products, adding new products, and imitating competitor strategies. There are eight systematic stages in the process of developing a new product carried out by Keripik Pisang Salai Ibu Heryati Business, namely idea collection, screening, concept development and testing, marketing strategy development, business analysis, product development, market testing, and commercialization stages. However, the market testing and commercialization stages have not been implemented. The calculation of the production cost of Keripik Pisang Salai Ibu Heryati Business is done using the process costing method with a variable costing approach. The purpose is to provide an accurate comparison in determining effective production decisions in a relatively short time. The determination of the selling price charged to consumers is based on the expected profit estimate of Keripik Pisang Salai Ibu Heryati Business to meet operational needs and achieve more adequate profits.

Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Lettuce Metabolome: A Framework for Targeted Nutritional Quality Improvement.

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is a popular leafy vegetable valued for its dietary fiber, antioxidants, and beneficial vitamins. This study presents a comprehensive spatio-temporal analysis of the lettuce metabolome, revealing complex dynamics in metabolite accumulation influenced by plant age, leaf position, proximodistal distribution within a leaf, and head closure. Samples were collected from plants at five maturity stages (ranging from baby leaf to full commercial maturity and eventually to bolting) and from five leaf positions (from the apex to the base of each plant). A widely targeted metabolomics approach identified 1905 compounds, with flavonoids, phenolic acids, and lipids as the largest classes. Younger plants exhibited higher levels of flavonoids, while older plants accumulated more saccharides and amino acids. Metabolites showed distinct proximodistal distributions, with flavonoids and vitamins concentrated at leaf tips and terpenoids declining from base to tip. Head closure significantly reduced levels of flavonoids, retinol (vitamin A1), and riboflavin (vitamin B2), while it was associated with increased content of other beneficial vitamins, such as thiamine (B1), pantothenate (B5), and pyridoxine (B6). Broad-sense heritability (H2) estimates for metabolites yielded mean H2 values of 0.648 and 0.743 for plants at baby-leaf and commercial maturity stages, respectively. The overall highest heritability was observed in tannins (H2 = 0.909) in younger plants and chalcones (H2 = 0.894) in older plants, suggesting strong genetic control over specific metabolite classes and subclasses. These findings offer a robust framework for optimizing lettuce's nutritional profile by linking metabolite distributions to developmental processes, plant architecture, and genetic regulation. By leveraging these insights, breeders and producers can develop targeted strategies to enhance metabolite content through optimized breeding and harvesting strategies.

Electrochemically Engineered Layer of γ–NiOOH with Fe Oxides on Nickel Foam for Durable Oxygen Evolution Reaction Catalyst for Alkaline Water Electrolysis

Anion Exchange membrane water electrolyzers are reached the stage of commercialization by the advancement of durable anion exchange membranes. Highly active and stable electrocatalyst for both oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are essential to achieve energy efficient and cost-effective hydrogen production. Among the two electrochemical reactions, OER is more sluggish as it involves four electron transfers for the generation of an oxygen molecule.[ 1 ] Many non-noble metal oxides-based catalysts are displayed OER activity in alkaline medium, but among them Ni, Fe, and Co based mono/bi/tri metallic oxides/hydroxide/oxyhydroxides exhibit high OER activity.[ 2–4 ] Even though the actual catalytic mechanism is still debated, Ni-Fe oxides have received much attention over all other catalysts because of the synergism between the oxides and oxyhydroxides of Fe and Ni to bring down the OER overpotential.Several methods were adopted for the synthesis of Ni-Fe oxides. However, most of them lead to the formation of mixed oxides and it affects the overall conductivity of the catalyst. The controlled electrochemical method of preparation possesses, the selective synthesis of conducting Ni-Fe oxides. In this work, we adapted a two-step electrochemical synthesis method to produce free-standing Ni-Fe oxide electrode with high OER activity. At first, a layer of γ–NiOOH was constructed over a cleaned nickel foam by applying a high voltage in 1M KOH. Raman spectra of oxidized Ni foam, represented in Figure 1A show two major peaks at 481 cm–1 and 560 cm–1 corresponding to the bending and stretching vibration of γ–NiOOH. Further, the broad peak band between 850 cm–1 and 1200 cm–1 is ascribed to the active oxygen species (NiOO–) in oxyhydroxide.[5,6] In the second step, a thin Fe layer was electrochemically deposited over the γ–NiOOH. The Raman spectra after Fe deposition also confirmed the existence of γ–NiOOH along with the peak corresponding to FeOOH at around 684 cm–1.[7] Cross-sectional SEM images with EDX of Fe deposited γ–NiOOH (γ–NiOOH-Fe) presented in Figure 1B show an oxide layer of ≈250 nm thickness with a uniform distribution of Fe. For a comparison, Fe deposited directly on a cleaned Ni foam (Ni-Fe) was also prepared thorough electrochemical deposition. The OER activity and stability of both catalysts were tested in 1 M KOH. γ–NiOOH-Fe catalyst attained 10 mA cm–2 at 1.47 V whereas to reach the same current density Ni-Fe took 1.49 V. No degradation in catalytic activity was observed in the case of γ–NiOOH-Fe compared to Ni-Fe catalyst after the accelerated durability test and constant current electrolysis at 10 and 50 mA cm–2 in 1 M KOH (Figure 1C and D). The above results demonstrate that the γ–NiOOH-Fe catalyst exhibits excellent activity and stability as an anode catalyst for anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer. Acknowledgement This presentation is based on results obtained from a project, JPNP14021, commissioned by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO). References J. Song, C. Wei, Z. Huang, C. Liu, L. Zeng, X. Wang and Z. J. Xu, Chem Soc Rev, 49, 2196–2214 (2020).M. I. Jamesh and X. Sun, J Power Sources, 400, 31–68 (2018)P. M. Bodhankar, P. B. Sarawade, P. Kumar, A. Vinu, A. P. Kulkarni, C. D. Lokhande, and D. S. Dhawale, Small, 18, 2107572–2107597 (2022).M. Asnavandi, Y. Yin, Y. Li, C. Sun, and C. Zhao, ACS Energy Lett, 3, 1515–1520 (2018)O. Diaz-Morales, D. Ferrus-Suspedra, and M. T. M. Koper, Chem Sci, 7, 2639–2645 (2016).B. S. Yeo and A. T. Bell, The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 116, 8394–8400 (2012)J. Xu, B. X. Wang, D. Lyu, T. Wang, and Z. Wang, Int J Hydrogen Energy, 48, 10724–10736 (2023). Figure 1. (A) The Raman spectra of γ-NiOOH, and γ-NiOOH-Fe (B) Cross sectional SEM- EDX images of γ-NiOOH-Fe, and (C) Linear sweep voltammograms of γ-NiOOH-Fe and Ni-Fe measured before and after the durability test in 1 M KOH at 25 °C. Figure 1

(Invited) Towards Outdoor Operation of Perovskite Solar Cells

Organic-inorganic hybrid halide perovskites represent a new class of light absorbers that have demonstrated multiple ideal characteristics and a rapid performance progress for solar conversion applications. Perovskite-based photovoltaic (PV) technologies have attracted significant R&D attention in the PV community as a promising next-generation approach for future PV applications. The certified efficiency of single-junction perovskite solar cells (PSCs) has reached greater than 26%. In order to reach the commercialization stage for perovskite PV, significant efforts are still needed to demonstrate the robust operation under real-world condition for multiple decades. To speed up this process, it is important to develop accelerated aging test protocols and understand their correlation to device operation under outdoor conditions. Here, I will first present our recent studies on perovskite surface engineering to improve device stability under indoor operational conditions. Using molecules/structures based on bulky organic cations (e.g., phenethylammonium) to improve the surface or interface properties is promising for improving PSC performance. A few strategies on suppressing defect formation, improving bulk and surface morphology, and reducing transport barriers for better extraction will be highlighted. In the second part of presentation, I will discuss our recent progress toward understanding the correlation between indoor and outdoor PSC degradation behaviours. Understanding device reliability under real-world outdoor conditions where multiple stress factors (e.g., light, heat, humidity) coexist is critical to moving perovskite PV toward commercialization. It is important to understand the link between indoor and outdoor behaviors in order to help identify accelerated indoor testing protocols to quickly guide PSC development.

Study on the Criminal Regulation of Foreign Commercial Bribery by Chinese MNEs

Abstract: In the process of global economic integration, Chinese multinational enterprises (MNEs) have continued to expand their overseas operations, becoming significant players on the international commercial stage. However, the acceleration of their internationalization process has been accompanied by escalating issues of foreign-related commercial bribery, which erodes MNEs' reputation and interests and poses challenges to China's international image. This paper commences by delving into the recent status of China's criminal legal framework regulating foreign-related commercial bribery committed by MNEs, highlighting specific provisions in the Criminal Law of China as well as other pertinent regulations. Subsequently, the paper proceeds to pinpoint the shortcomings and deficiencies within the existing legal regulatory system, notably including issues such as jurisdictional evasion and ambiguous definitions of specific concepts like the scope of bribe recipients. Drawing extensively from international legislative experiences, including the United States' Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, the UK's Bribery Act, and the United Nations Convention against Corruption, this paper finally distills successful practices and offers valuable recommendations for enhancing China's legal system. The proposed measures encompass clarifying the definition of bribery acts, refining the scope of bribe recipients, and enriching sentencing factors. Moreover, the paper highlights the necessity of motivating corporate compliance through legal means, thereby curbing bribery at its source. This study provides research support for refining China's anti-overseas bribery legal framework, which in turn can bolster the credibility of Chinese MNEs in the international market, foster the growth of China's transnational commerce, and elevate China's international competitiveness.

Spiro‐Based Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Emitters for Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes

AbstractSpiro structures, possessing unique π‐electron systems, large steric hindrance, high glass transition temperature, and chemical stability, serve as critical structural building blocks in constructing thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) emitters. The incorporation of various heteroatoms such as oxygen, sulfur, and nitrogen in 9,9′‐spirobifluorene generates diverse spiro structures like spiro[fluorene‐9,9′‐xanthene], spiro[fluorene‐9,9′‐thioxanthene], and spiro[acridine‐9,9′‐fluorene]. Based on the charge transfer characteristics, TADF emitters built upon spiro structures can be classified into various types, including twisted intramolecular charge transfer, through‐space charge transfer, multiresonance, and exciplex‐type TADF emitters. This review systematically highlights the recent progress in the research on TADF emitters comprised of spiro‐structured aromatics. It intricately explores the molecular design strategies, material synthesis methods, understanding of photophysical attributes, and analysis of organic light‐emitting diode performance. Concurrently, it sketches out the challenges faced in the commercial application stage while providing an outlook for potential research trajectories.

Development status, challenges, and perspectives of key components and systems of all-vanadium redox flow batteries

All-vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) have experienced rapid development and entered the commercialization stage in recent years due to the characteristics of intrinsically safe, ultralong cycling life, and long-duration energy storage. However, VRFBs still face cost challenges, making it necessary to comprehensively optimize the performance and reduce the manufacturing costs of each component. The review first introduces the development history of VRFBs and emphasizes their huge market demand. Second, the bottlenecks existing in key components (electrodes, bipolar plates, membranes, and electrolytes) and battery management systems of VRFBs are summarized, and the corresponding latest improvement examples are proposed. Last, the review points out the future development direction of key components and systems of VRFBs. The review discusses the latest technology routes for reducing the cost and optimizing the performance of VRFBs, which are needed for accelerating applications and penetrations in large-scale and long-duration energy storage.

A chronicle of titanium niobium oxide materials for high‐performance lithium‐ion batteries: From laboratory to industry

AbstractTitanium niobium oxide (TiNbxO2 + 2.5x) is emerging as a promising electrode material for rechargeable lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) due to its exceptional safety characteristics, high electrochemical properties (e.g., cycling stability and rate performance), and eco‐friendliness. However, several intrinsic critical drawbacks, such as relatively low electrical conductivity, significantly hinder its practical applications. Developing reliable strategies is crucial to accelerating the practical use of TiNbxO2 + 2.5x‐based materials in LIBs, especially high‐power LIBs. Here, we provide a chronicle review of the research progress on TiNbxO2 + 2.5x‐based anodes from the early 1950s to the present, which is classified into early stage (before 2008), emerging stage (2008–2012), explosive stage (2013–2017), commercialization (2018), steady development (2018–2022), and new breakthrough stage (since 2022). In each stage, the advancements in the fundamental science and application of the TiNbxO2 + 2.5x‐based anodes are reviewed, and the corresponding developing trends of TiNbxO2 + 2.5x‐based anodes are summarized. Moreover, several future research directions to propel the practical use of TiNbxO2 + 2.5x anodes are suggested based on reviewing the history. This review is expected to pave the way for developing the fabrication and application of high‐performance TiNbxO2 + 2.5x‐based anodes for LIBs.

Enhancing new service development effectiveness: the role of customer participation and the moderating effects of empowerment and satisfaction

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the role of Customer Participation (CP) in the effectiveness of New Service Development (NSD) by examining the moderating roles of Customer Empowerment (CE) and Customer Satisfaction (CS). The research reduces the risk of failure of the NSD process and/or improves the NSD processes used by companies through the consideration of the results in the practical dimension.Design/methodology/approachThis study investigates the effects of CP at different stages of NSD using a quantitative approach. Data were collected through an online survey questionnaire. Smart PLS was used to analyse the data collected from 509 newsreaders and users of the news agency’s application.FindingsThe model confirmed that CE has an impact on the effectiveness of NSD in the idea generation and commercialization stages, but not in the development stage. Empowerment and customer satisfaction did not influence the three stages of NSD indirectly but directly. The results show that CP, CS and CE do not always have a direct or indirect effect on the development of new services. Therefore, in order to design new service development projects, media news companies need to determine the level of user cooperation.Research limitations/implicationsThe lack of objective data, especially on company performance, forces researchers to use questionnaires to analyse NSD effectiveness. Another limitation is that newspaper users answered the questionnaires, which creates “common method variance.”Practical implicationsResearchers on NSD effectiveness must use questionnaires due to a lack of objective data, especially on company performance. Another limitation is “common method variance” from newspaper users answering questionnaires.Originality/valueThis paper is a response to a perceived need for an examination of how new service development can be successful and effective.

Would edible insects become part of our gastronomic quest?

Global food security status has been contested in recent times with claims of efficient food production by the proponents and severe to moderate food insecurity by the opponents. The current population growth prediction of 9.7 billion by 2050 requires additional food production due to the impact of climate change leading to diminished yield rates. Novel food sources such as cellular agriculture utilizing modern biotechnology are at various trial and commercialization stages. Old traditions of insects as a reliable food (entomophagy) source are gaining momentum in recent times. This article explores various aspects of entomophagy. The ecological footprint of entomophagy on its animal counterparts is presented. Since religious factors have a major impact on eating habits that privileges certain elements, perspectives from major religions on entomophagy have been discussed. The regulatory standpoint of Anglo-Saxon, Western and Eastern societies are given. Consumer knowledge and commercialization challenges are also discussed with concluding remarks.

Advancements in genetically modified insect pest-resistant crops in India.

The review offers insights into the current state of research on insect pest-resistant GM crops and the regulations governing the cultivation of GM crops in India. India has a rich crop diversity of more than 160 major and minor crops through its diverse agroclimatic conditions. Insect pests alone cause around USD 36 billion in crop loss annually in India. The last two decades witnessed considerable progress in managing insect pests by adopting innovative techniques including transgenics. In research, significant advancement has been brought in insect pest-resistant transgenics in India since its inception in 2002. However, any events have not been endorsed owing to biosafety impediments, except Bt cotton reaching the commercial release stage. A landmark decision to exempt certain types of gene-edited plants from genetically modified organism (GMO) regulations offers great promise for developing novel insect-resistant crops in India. The article reviews the current research on insect pest-resistant transgenics and its regulations in India.

A Multi-scale Framework for Advancing Battery Safety Through Early Calorimetric Analysis of Materials and Components

Batteries are the cornerstone of the global shift toward electrification, powering applications from passenger transportation, like electric vehicles (EVs), to load shifting of renewable energy generation at the grid level. The demand for batteries is accelerating, and is projected to nearly quadruple by 2030. In response to increasing battery demands, in particular demand for longer range EVs, higher energy density and specific energy alternatives to conventional Li-ion battery technologies are being researched. However, higher energy density directly correlates with an increased potential for higher peak temperatures on failure. In addition, safety evaluation of conventional and new battery technologies generally occurs late in development, often at the commercialization stage when mandated by stakeholders or industry standards. This approach can be costly and challenging as it may require a change to manufacturing processes, a re-design of the battery, and even a change in chemistry to meet safety requirements. This is critical; scale-up efforts alone can take tens to hundreds of millions of dollars and >5 years to achieve. Safety risks discovered after commercialization can significantly exacerbate those figures. Furthermore, safety is still a major risk with already commercialized Li-ion batteries. These risks hinder adoption, slow commercialization, and when they become issues, the outcome may result in recalls, fires, injuries, and even fatalities. Providing additional levers to proactively mitigate safety risk at the materials and components scale (e.g., composite cathode) will lead to considerable time and money savings in the long run.

Somatic Gene Therapy: Ethics and Access.

Manipulation of a patient's genome for therapeutic ends is being attempted through numerous methods, some of which have resulted in disease-modifying interventions. The much anticipated promise of somatic gene therapy is starting to pay off; however, there remain many scientific unknowns, including concerns about safety and durability. A significant ethical concern is that of access to these novel interventions, an issue that is normally framed in terms of the high costs of approved products. I describe how access issues permeate gene therapy long before there is any commercial product and how even upstream decisions-such as choices of indication to pursue, viral vector, and where to site a trial-have significant implications for access to resultant products in both the developmental and commercial stages.

Optimizing Sweet Cherry Attributes through Magnesium and Potassium Fertilization

Plant nutrition through fertilizer application plays a crucial role in enhancing crop quality and yield, necessitating a balanced fertilization approach. Sweet cherry, esteemed as one of the most prized crops worldwide, was the focus of this three-year study spanning from 2019 to 2021, involving the sweet cherry cultivar Burlat. This study investigated the foliar application of magnesium (Mg) and potassium (K) to enhance fruit quality parameters. Different doses of Mg (250 g hL−1 and 125 g hL−1) and K (100 g hL−1 and 50 g hL−1) and a control treatment were administered to sweet cherry trees to assess their impact on fruit quality. At the commercial ripening stage, fruits from each treatment were harvested for comprehensive evaluation, including biometric and chromatic parameters, fruit firmness, routine parameters, sensory profile, and nutrient content analysis. Results from the study revealed notable enhancements in fruit weight and dimensions, particularly in the control treatment in 2020. Furthermore, Mg125 and Mg250 treatments exhibited improved color development and accelerated maturity by increasing the total soluble solids content while decreasing titratable acidity. Sensorial profiling indicated that Mg125 and Mg250 treatments intensified color intensity and sweet taste while mitigating sour taste perceptions. Conversely, potassium fertilization, especially the K50 treatment, led to increased fruit firmness and nutrient content. These findings offer valuable insights into optimizing sweet cherry production practices globally.

Growth Configuration of Invention-based Entrepreneurial Start-up

This research studies an important question of configurational change of entrepreneurial growth. More precisely, it explores the question of post-start-up configurations in invention-based ventures and aims to improve our understanding of how and why aspects of start-ups transition from one stage to another. A case study method enables us to see what happens when a start-up tries to move from product invention to its commercialization stage, why specific actions occur, and how they impact the venture. Our findings show the importance of enabling the organizational emergence process through two complementary mechanisms, changes in entrepreneurs’ sense- and decision-making logic and using temporal or similar pressure as a motivational tool.

Artificial intelligence and innovation management: Charting the evolving landscape

The excitement surrounding Artificial Intelligence (AI) is palpable. It is rapidly gaining prevalence in academia, business, and personal use. In particular, the emergence of generative AI, exemplified by large language models such as ChatGPT, has been marked by substantial media attention, discourse, and hype. Like most, if not all, aspects of business, innovation processes have been impacted. However, little is known about the degree of impact or the benefits that might be gained. To cut through the hype and understand the use of AI in innovation processes in businesses today, a large-scale survey amongst innovation managers in the USA was conducted, followed by interviews. The findings indicate that the use of AI in innovation processes is high and widespread, with AI being used for more than half of the surveyed firms' innovation projects. Furthermore, AI is used more in the development stage of the innovation process than in the idea or commercialization stages, which counters much of the existing discourse, which focuses on the idea stage. We uncover interesting differences by comparing the use and impact of generative AI with that of more traditional AI. Among these is a significant difference in expected benefits in making employees’ jobs more fulfilling — managers believe generative AI is more likely to confer this benefit than traditional AI. This paper offers two valuable contributions. First, it enriches the evolving dialogue at the intersection of AI and innovation management by offering much-needed empirical evidence about practical applications. Second, it provides timely managerial implications by examining relationships between the use of AI and innovation performance and understanding the benefits that AI can confer in the innovation process.

Seizing the Hidden Assassin: Current Detection Strategies for Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin-Resistant S. aureus.

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) is a kind of pathogenic bacteria which can lead to food poisoning, hospital, and community infections. S. aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) have become headaches for public health worldwide. Therefore, strengthening the detection of S. aureus and MRSA is a critical step to prevent and control its spread and infection. This review summarized multiple detection methods (electrochemical, optical, and other biosensors) for sensitive and efficient detection of nonresistant and resistant S. aureus. First, we have introduced the principle and methods of detection platform for S. aureus and MRSA. We also contrasted various detection strategies. Finally, the current situation and prospect of S. aureus and MRSA detection in the future are explored in depth, and its development direction of detection methods is also predicted. In this review, we found that although biosensors have shown tremendous brilliance in the field of monitoring, they are currently in the experimental stage. It can be certain that we are very close to entering the commercialization stage. The point-of care testing available to nonprofessionals will become a new direction. We firmly believe that the monitoring system will be more perfect and stable and public life will be healthier and safer.

‘Imitate the Motions of Those that are Infected’: Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost in Margaret Cavendish’s The Convent of Pleasure

Abstract Despite a Restoration vogue for adapted—or ‘improved’—productions of Shakespeare’s plays, Love’s Labour’s Lost (c.1594) fell out of the theatrical repertoire after 1660. The play’s immediate afterlife exists solely in Margaret Cavendish’s inversion of the play in her closet drama The Convent of Pleasure (1668). This essay argues that both plays respond to the virulent plague outbreaks which immediately preceded them in their depiction of single-sex cloistering, and engage with contemporaneous debates around the efficacy of household quarantine as a public health response. Love’s Labour’s Lost offers a complicated defence of public theatre in the face of quarantine restrictions which saw the playhouses forcibly closed for 11 months. Convent repurposes Shakespeare’s portrayal of infection risk in a public theatre for the closet environment. But transferring a play predicated upon the fear of contagious bodies from the commercial stage to the ‘Stage of Imagination’ has potentially dangerous consequences for its readers. Cavendish’s vitalist materialism renders the recreation of the public stage within the mind an act of potential self-harm. Yet Cavendish’s adaptation of a Shakespearean play preoccupied with plague allows her to think through her own theory of imitation as the driving force behind both contagion and sympathetic inclination.