Transformed System Research Articles

Highly efficient hydrogenation of carbamates catalyzed by pincer ruthenium complexes

The [fac-PNN]RuH(PPh3)(CO) complex (Ru1) has been identified as a highly efficient catalyst for the hydrogenation of a broad spectrum of arylcarbamates and their derivatives (49 examples). The hydrogenation reaction occurs smoothly via CN bond cleavage, affording the desired amines and alcohols or diols at a low catalyst loading of 0.25 mol% in tert-amyl alcohol. Most importantly, this catalytic system offers a promising route for the sustainable depolymerization and recycling of polyurethanes (PUs). Moreover, a detailed mechanism for the hydrogenation of carbamates has been established through combined DFT calculations and control experiments, which suggests that Ru-hydride pathways involve three cycles, with the rate-determining step most likely being the dissociation of the CN bond in the key intermediate H(CO)NHPh. These results have far-reaching implications for the development of more effective and eco-friendly catalytic systems for carbamate transformation and their potential industrial application on a large scale.

Unexpected metabolic rewiring of CO2 fixation in H2-mediated materials–biology hybrids

A hybrid approach combining water-splitting electrochemistry and H2-oxidizing, CO2-fixing microorganisms offers a viable solution for producing value-added chemicals from sunlight, water, and air. The classic wisdom without thorough examination to date assumes that the electrochemistry in such a H2-mediated process is innocent of altering microbial behavior. Here, we report unexpected metabolic rewiring induced by water-splitting electrochemistry in H2-oxidizing acetogenic bacterium Sporomusa ovata that challenges such a classic view. We found that the planktonic S. ovata is more efficient in utilizing reducing equivalent for ATP generation in the materials-biology hybrids than cells grown with H2 supply, supported by our metabolomic and proteomic studies. The efficiency of utilizing reducing equivalents and fixing CO2 into acetate has increased from less than 80% of chemoautotrophy to more than 95% under electroautotrophic conditions. These observations unravel previously underappreciated materials' impact on microbial metabolism in seemingly simply H2-mediated charge transfer between biotic and abiotic components. Such a deeper understanding of the materials-biology interface will foster advanced design of hybrid systems for sustainable chemical transformation.

The Influence of Transformational Leadership and Lecturer Motivation on Lecturer Performance Through Tacit Knowledge Sharing at the Institut Sains dan Teknologi Terpadu Surabaya

The Industrial Revolution 4.0 era created an environment known as VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity) as a result of rapid technological advances. VUCA impacts how people make decisions, plan, manage risk, drive change and solve problems in an increasingly information-hungry society. This change also requires leaders to think faster, process information in a short time, and have a clear vision. Higher education leaders need to provide good control to improve lecturer performance in preparing students for an increasingly complex world of work. Improving soft skills for students is a big challenge for university lecturers. Therefore, higher education leaders, such as at the Institut Sains dan Teknologi Terpadu Surabaya (ISTTS), must develop a transformational leadership management system that supports lecturer motivation, both intrinsic and extrinsic, and encourages the sharing of tacit knowledge. This research uses quantitative methods by collecting data through face-to-face questionnaires. The results of the descriptive analysis show that the role of leadership, lecturer motivation, and tacit knowledge sharing have a significant effect on lecturer performance, which in turn influences the overall performance of the institution. This research also found that the role of transformational leadership does not directly influence lecturer performance but through the mediation of tacit knowledge sharing. Lecturer motivation, on the other hand, has a significant influence both directly and through tacit knowledge sharing. Tacit knowledge sharing also has a positive and significant impact on lecturer performance. These findings confirm that transformational leadership and lecturer motivation have an impact on lecturer performance through sharing tacit knowledge.

Food Systems Transformation in Scotland—The Journey to, Vision of, and Challenges Facing the New Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act

Building on growing global and local calls for food systems transformation, and years of policy and legislative consultation (2009–2022), the Scottish Parliament unanimously passed transformational food systems legislation in June 2022. Built on a clear vision, clarity of purpose, a common set of outcomes, an agreed direction of travel, strong partnership working, sufficient time, and independent oversight, the Good Food Nation (GFN) (Scotland) Act is an innovative legislative framework designed to foster a healthier, fairer, and more sustainable Scottish food system for all. It places, for the first time, statutory responsibilities on the Scottish Government and relevant authorities (all Scottish local authorities and public health boards) to develop and implement national and local GFN plans, and importantly, makes provision for the establishment of a new independent, statutory Scottish Food Commission to oversee the implementation, with significant powers of oversight and scrutiny and a formal remit to make recommendations to any Scottish ministers and relevant authorities regarding issues/actions relevant to the Good Food Nation Plans. This paper outlines Scotland’s agriculture, food, and drink sector, reviews its food policy and GFN journey since the establishment of the Scottish parliament in 1999, critiques the core principles, stated outcomes, key provisions, and planned timescales of the GFN (Scotland) Act, reflects on its transformational potential, and considers unresolved concerns and remaining tensions.

Transformations that preserve the uniqueness of the differential form for Lorenz-like systems.

Differential equations serve as models for many physical systems. But, are these equations unique? We prove here that when a 3D system of ordinary differential equations for a dynamical system is transformed to the jerk or differential form, the jerk form is preserved in relation to a given variable and, therefore, the transformed system shares the time series of that given variable with the original untransformed system. Multiple algebraically different systems of ordinary differential equations can share the same jerk form. They may also share the same time series of the transformed variable depending on the parameters of the jerk form. Here, we studied 17 algebraically different Lorenz-like systems that share the same functional jerk form. There are groups of these systems that share the jerk parameters and, therefore, also have the same time series of the transformed variable.

Maritime Transformable Area Systems

Transformable area systems (TASs) offer new possibilities for sustainable factory planning and development, notably as regards maritime structures. This is of relevance to factories of the future and could constitute a major influence in future factory planning and operation (i.e., the way in which factories are planned, implemented, transformed, relocated, used, and managed). Floating pontoon islands with solar systems already exist, and so much more is possible with similar but more complex structures. This article explains the basics of the TAS concept, assesses its potential, and discusses the future possibilities. It concludes that lack of knowledge and awareness about TASs and their potential is holding back their application in practice. Omnipresent short-term thinking and short-term profit expectations are further hurdles that are limiting the further development of TASs at present. TASs could nevertheless contribute to the improved functioning, sustainability, and future viability of factories, other structures, and their development.

Beyond recovery: toward rights-based mental health care - A cluster randomized wait-list controlled trial of a recovery and rights training for mental health professionals with or without first person accounts.

Mental health models grounded in Recovery and Rights are driving the advancement of transformative care systems through multifaceted actions, which encompass Continuing Professional Development. The objective of this work is to evaluate a training activity developed through a participatory process that included people with lived experience of psychosocial distress, their relatives, and mental health professionals. The training focused on alternatives to diagnosis, recovery principles, rights-based care, and peer support. The evaluation followed a cluster randomized wait-list controlled design. Four hundred eighty-eight health professionals from eight care centers were randomized to three experimental conditions: a wait list control, which underwent a one-month interval between the baseline assessment and the training activity, and two experimental groups, with or without first-person accounts, which accessed the training immediately after completing the baseline assessment. The dependent variables measured at all follow-ups were beliefs and attitudes toward mental health service users' rights. One hundred ninety-two professionals completed at least one follow-up and were included in the analyses. We observed different evolutions of experimental and control groups with statistically significant differences for tolerance to coercion and total beliefs and attitudes scores. No differences were observed between the groups with or who attended training activities with or without first person accounts. Upon receiving the training activity, the control group had an evolution equivalent to the experimental groups. The results of this evaluation project provide compelling evidence for the need to expand recovery and rights training activities to reach a larger audience of mental health professionals These training activities hold the potential to positively influence the beliefs and attitudes of mental health professionals, ultimately contributing toward a better future for individuals with lived experience of psychosocial distress.

The Role of Receiving Technology on Employee Performance: Job Satisfaction as Mediation

Introduction/Main Objectives: The development of information technology today has resulted in the acceptance of technology being strongly influenced by transformational leadership, system quality, and facilitating conditions, as well as how it can affect employee performance and job satisfaction. Background Problems: Research on how job satisfaction mediates the relationship between employee performance and acceptance still needs to be improved. This research discusses how transformational leadership, facilitating conditions, and system quality shape technology acceptance and employee performance, primarily determined by job satisfaction, especially the mediating effect of job satisfaction on the relationship between techno­logy acceptance and employee performance. Novelty: Inconsistencies both in theory and empirically making it necessary to re-test transformational leadership, system quality, and conditions that facilitate technology acceptance and analyze the effect of technology acceptance on employee performance through job satisfac­tion, both directly and indirectly, in a study of the Ternate City Government. Research Method: 117 respondents were involved in this study. The respondents were determined through purposive sampling. The data were analyzed using partial least squares (PLS) version 3. Seven hypotheses were proposed in this study. Findings: The research findings indicate that system quality and facilitating conditions can predict technology acceptance and employee performance can predict job satisfaction. The results of this study confirm the indirect mediating function of job satisfaction in the relationship between technology acceptance and employee performance. Conclusion: The Municipal Government of Ternate must improve system information management and offer even better facilitating conditions for implementation to increase the acceptance of the technology.

An integrated discrete-event simulation with functional resonance analysis and work domain analysis methods for industry 4.0 implementation

In the Industry 4.0 era, advanced analytical tools are essential for progressing with digital transformation, especially within complex socio-technical systems. However, the growing complexity of these systems in manufacturing impedes system improvement, and traditional analytical methods focusing solely on the technological aspect often fall short. To overcome this problem, this paper introduces an integrated methodology combining Discrete-Event Simulation, Functional Resonance Analysis Method, and Work Domain Analysis for analysing and enhancing manufacturing systems by considering factors like operator skill levels, demand changes, and production constraints. Implemented in two industrial case studies, this methodology effectively identifies system limitations and aids in structured data analysis, positioning it as a vital decision support system in the digital transformation of Industry 4.0.

Development of efficient embryo-derived regeneration system and optimization of genetic transformation in cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.)

Development of efficient embryo-derived regeneration system and optimization of genetic transformation in cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.)

Alternative systems and strategies to improve future sustainability and resilience of farming systems across Europe: from adaptation to transformation

According to stakeholders, many European farming systems are close to critical thresholds regarding the challenges they face (e.g., droughts, price declines), functions they deliver (e.g., economic viability, biodiversity and habitat) and attributes required for resilience (e.g., social self-organization). To accelerate a transition process towards sustainable and resilient agriculture, this study aimed to identify actor-supported alternative systems across 10 European farming systems, and to identify associated future strategies that contribute to strengthening resilience attributes, using a backcasting approach. This paper synthesizes 1) the participatory identification of desired alternative systems and their expected performance on sustainability and resilience, 2) the participatory identification of strategies to realize those alternative systems, 3) the contribution of identified past and future strategies to 22 resilience attributes, and 4) the compatibility of the status quo and alternative systems with different future scenarios, the Eur-Agri-SSPs. Many identified alternative systems emphasized technology, diversification and organic and/or nature friendly farming, while in some farming systems also a focus on intensification, specialization, better product valorization, collaboration, or creating an attractive countryside could increase sustainability and resilience. Low economic viability limited farming system actors to pay attention to environmental and social functions. Further, most alternative systems were adaptations rather than transformations. Many stakeholders had difficulty to envisage systems without the main products (e.g., starch potato in NL-Arable, sheep in ES-Sheep and hazelnut in IT-Hazelnut), but in few cases transformative systems were designed (e.g. local organic farming in PL-Horticulture and RO-Mixed). Sustainability and resilience can be enhanced when alternative systems and strategies are combined, thereby improving multiple functions and attributes at once. In particular, production and legislation need to be coupled to local and natural capital. Identified alternative systems seem only compatible with Eur-Agri-SSP1 ‘agriculture on sustainable paths’. This requires policies at EU-level that stimulate macro-level social, institutional, economic, and technological developments that strengthen this scenario. We conclude that to get stakeholders along, incremental adaptation rather than radical transformation should be sought. The identification of alternative systems is only a start for the transition process. Their analysis, along with the strategies identified, need to trigger the involvement of farmers and other ‘enabling actors’ inside and outside the farming systems to make a change, and where needed, systems can evolve into more transformative systems.

Transforming scholarly communications: The part played by the pandemic and the contribution of early career researchers

AbstractInvestigates whether junior researchers believe that the scholarly communication system is changing in a significant way, whether they have contributed to the changes they envisaged, whether the pandemic has fast‐forwarded change and what they thought a transformed system might look like. The data are drawn from the Harbingers‐2 project, which investigated the impact of the pandemic on the scholarly communications attitudes and behaviours of early career researchers (ECRs), employing repeat interviewing with around 170 science and social science junior researchers from eight countries. The article focuses on the findings of the last of three rounds of interviews, with comparisons made with the first round, held 18 months earlier, when the pandemic was most active. A majority of ECRs thought that there had been significant changes in the scholarly system, and a large minority thought that the pandemic was responsible. Most of them wanted a system that was more open in terms of open access and open data, with a third taking personal action to bring about change.

Adipocyte-derived kynurenine stimulates malignant transformation of mammary epithelial cells through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor

Anti-hormone therapies are not efficacious for reducing the incidence of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), which lacks both estrogen and progesterone receptors. While the etiology of this aggressive breast cancer subtype is unclear, visceral obesity is a strong risk factor for both pre- and post-menopausal cases. The mechanism by which excessive deposition of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) promotes the malignant transformation of hormone receptor-negative mammary epithelial cells is currently unknown. We developed a novel in vitro system of malignant transformation in which non-tumorigenic human breast epithelial cells (MCF-10A) grow in soft agar when cultured with factors released from VAT. These cells, which acquire the capacity for 3D growth, show elevated aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) protein and AhR target genes, suggesting that AhR activity may drive malignant transformation by VAT. AhR is a ligand-dependent transcription factor that generates biological responses to exogenous carcinogens and to the endogenous tryptophan pathway metabolite, kynurenine. The serum kynurenine to tryptophan ratio has been shown to be elevated in patients with obesity. Herein, we demonstrate that AhR inhibitors or knockdown of AhR in MCF-10A cells prevents VAT-induced malignant transformation. Specifically, VAT-induced transformation is inhibited by Kyn-101, an inhibitor for the endogenous ligand binding site of AhR. Mass spectrometry analysis demonstrates that adipocytes metabolize tryptophan and release kynurenine, which is taken up by MCF-10A cells and activates the AhR to induce CYP1B1 and promote malignant transformation. This novel hormone receptor-independent mechanism of malignant transformation suggests targeting AhR for TNBC prevention in the context of visceral adiposity.

Computational analysis of nonsimilar electromagnetohydrodynamic radiative nanofluid flow across Darcy–Forchheimer–Brinkman porous media

This study develops nonsimilar analysis for the electrically conducting nanofluid flow over a vertically placed stretching surface adjacent to porous medium with transverse magnetic field assumption. The features of thermal radiations, viscous dissipation, and heat source factors are also incorporated to scrutinize the thermal prospective. The Brinkman–Forchheimer who extended Darcy model is considered for the porous medium and a Rosseland approximation is employed for thermal radiations. Titanium oxide and silica are considered nanoparticles, while kerosine oil and silicon ceramic serving as the base fluids in porous medium, respectively. Tiwari–Dass approach is used to derive the governing system. Appropriate transformations are deployed to render the governing partial differential equations into a dimensionless system. To address the transformed system, the local nonsimilarity technique in conjunction with the bvp4c (fourth-order method boundary value problem) is used. Variations in velocity and thermal distributions of nanofluids have been investigated in relation to developing dimensionless parameters such as nanoparticle concentration, Darcy porosity parameter, Darcy number, electric parameter, Hartmann number, radiation parameter, Richardson number, heat source/sink parameter, and Eckert number. Numerical findings are found to interpret the role of the emerging parameters on physical quantities. The obtained findings reveals that the surge in the estimations of Richardson number enhances the nanofluid velocity while it diminishes the temperature profile. The concentration of nanoparticles improves the thermal profile of both nanofluids under consideration, whereas the enhancement in Darcy porosity parameter reduces velocity and improves temperature distributions. Results found to be in excellent agreement with published results on a special case of the considered problem.

Performance recovery of uncertain nonaffine systems by active disturbance rejection control

This paper studies performance recovery problem of a class of uncertain nonaffine strict-feedback systems with mismatched uncertainties. First, the strict-feedback nonaffine system with mismatched system dynamics is transformed into an integrator-chain nonaffine system by a diffeomorphism. Second, the transformed system is converted to an affine one by constructing an auxiliary control input term, and dynamical uncertainties and external disturbances are viewed as total disturbance of the affine system. Then, a two-time-scale active disturbance rejection controller (ADRC) is designed for the transformed affine system. Under some mild assumptions, it can be proved that the proposed ADRC-based closed-loop system can achieve performance recovery and weak performance recovery in different cases of mismatched system dynamics, respectively. Experimental results on a magnetic levitation ball system demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.

Conformal Transformations on General (α,β)-Spaces

In this paper, we study conformal transformations between two almost regular general (α,β)-metrics. By using the method of special coordinate system, the necessary and sufficient conditions for conformal transformations preserving the mean Landsberg curvature are obtained. Further, a rigidity theorem for regular general (α,β)-metrics is proved.

Major challenges in widespread adaptation of aerobic rice system and potential opportunities for future sustainability

Climate change and diminishing resources are the major challenges in sustainable rice production. The aerobic rice system can be a transformational approach to replace conventional rice in the face of climate change and scarcity of resources due to its high input-use efficiency. However, it could not be adapted widely yet due to several challenges like higher weed infestation and low nitrogen (N) use efficiencies. This transformed system can only be adapted at a wider scale through investigation of associated constraints and risks and provision of potential adjustive measures. Aerobic rice crop failure can be reduced if the availability of suitable and stress-resistant cultivars with early improved vigour, and short-duration characteristics are ensured for maintaining the reproductive capability under resource stressed environment. This transformed rice system exhibits limited response to applied N because of increased losses due to higher volatilization and rapid coupled nitrification-denitrification processes under alternate wetting and drying systems. Shifting from the flooded to aerobic rice system bringing changes in crop water demand, organic matter (OM) turnover, N dynamics, weed flora, and greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions. Along with N-losses, continuous monocropping, higher weed infestation, weedy rice emergence, nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions, nutrient disorders, higher prevalence of pathogens and diseases, increased panicle sterility, and an increase in soilborne pathogens lodging are other major constraints negatively impacting the widespread adaptation of aerobic rice. This article reviews the climate change status, its associated impacts on the sustainability of traditional rice systems, and the rationale for transforming from traditional to aerobic rice systems. Furthermore, it describes the major challenges associated with the aerobic rice system, thereby presenting management strategies ensuring its wider adaptation for sustainable rice production in the face of projected climate change and scarcity of resources.

Digital transformation and post-Covid-19 education in South Africa: a review of literature

Little thought or speculation was given to the possibilities of digital transformation for basic education until the global Covid-19 pandemic acted as a catalyst for digital transformation in education. Given the global trends toward digital transformation of teaching and learning, the South African basic education system has not been spared. While South African education policy was put in place to drive digital transformation, challenges persist in its implementation. The aim of this study was to examine the challenges facing the South African basic education system in digital transformation and assess the strategies that can be used to mitigate these challenges. Although South Africa is attempting to address existing inequalities and the digital divide stemming from apartheid policies, the inequalities of the post-apartheid era have continued and worsened during the pandemic, resulting in a multi-layered digital divide that hinders quality and inclusive education. We adopted a narrative literature review in this study, focusing on previous studies that focused on ICT adoption, digital transformation, and inequality challenges in the South African education system. The findings make apparent the impact of the digital divide and former policies in perpetuating educational inequality. From the literature, strategies to mitigate the challenges are highlighted, including consultations.

Frontier ocean thermal/power and solar PV systems for transformation towards net-zero communities

Ocean thermal and power energy systems are promising driving forces for seashore coastal communities to achieve net-zero energy/emission target, whereas energy planning and management on ocean thermal/power and distributed building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems are critical, in terms of serving scale sizing and planning on geographical locations of district building community, and cycling aging of battery storages. However, the current literature provides insufficient studies on this topic. This study aims to address this research gap by transforming towards zero-energy coastal communities from the district level in subtropical regions, including centralised seawater-based chiller systems, distributed BIPVs and coastal oscillating water column technologies, as well as multi-directional Vehicle-to-Building energy interaction paradigms. Advanced energy management strategies were explored to enhance renewable penetration, import cost-saving, and deceleration of battery cycling aging, in response to relative renewable-to-demand difference, off-peak grid information with low price, and real-time battery cycling aging. Furthermore, in accordance with the power generation characteristic of two wave stations (i.e., Kau Yi Chau (KYC) and West Lamma Channel (WLC)) in Hong Kong, energy system planning and structural configurations of the coastal community were proposed and comparatively studied for the multi-criteria performance improvement. Research results showed that, compared to an air-cooled chiller, the water-cooled chiller with a much higher Coefficient of Performance (COP) will reduce the energy consumption of cooling systems, leading to a decrease in total electric demand from 134 to 126.5 kWh/m2·a. The scale for the net-zero energy district community with distributed BIPVs and oscillating water column was identified as 5 high-rise office buildings, 5 high-rise hotel buildings, 150 private cars and 120 public shuttle buses. Furthermore, the geographical location planning scheme on the Case 1 (office buildings close to KYC, and hotel buildings close to WLC) was identified as the most economically and environmentally feasible scheme, whereas the Case 3 (only office buildings are planned close to all power supply with oscillating water column) showed the highest flexibility in grid electricity shifting, together with the highest value of equivalent battery relative capacity. This study demonstrates techno-economic performances and energy flexibility of frontier ocean energy technologies in a coastal community under advanced energy management strategies, together with technical guidance for serving scale sizing and planning on geographical locations. The research results highlight the prospects and promote frontier ocean energy techniques in subtropical coastal regions.

Performance evaluation of ecological transformation of mineral resource-based cities: From the perspective of stage division

Ecological transformation is important for the sustainable development of China's Mineral Resource-based Cities (MRCs). The ecological transformation performance evaluation will help improve the accuracy and pertinence of transformation policy formulation. Based on the innovative division of ecological transformation stages of MRCs (transformation restoration, transformation adjustment, and transformation innovation periods), this empirical study takes 109 MRCs in China as the object and 2013–2019 as the time window and constructs the corresponding evaluation index system of China's MRC ecological transformation and the evaluation model of Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) and Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis methods (ESDA) based on the Rough Set-Entropy Weight method. First, our results show that the ecological transformation performance of China's MRCs was poor. By 2019, 98% of the cities were in the adjustment stage. The transformation performance of cities with different resource types differed; from high to low, they were oil cities, ferrous metal cities, coal cities, and non-ferrous metal cities. Second, in terms of time, from 2013 to 2019, China's MRC ecological transformation performance showed a trend of first rising and then slightly fluctuating (from 0.3339 to 0.4158), of which the largest and smallest increases were the oil city (0.09) and black metal city (0.0803), respectively; Third, in terms of space, the ecological transformation of MRC in China had obvious spatial heterogeneity, spatial autocorrelation, and aggregation effect. On this basis, relevant policies such as dynamic monitoring, identification of transformation stage and regional cooperation are put forward. This study effectively expands the research on the ecological transformation of China's MRC and provided evidence for the precise formulation of relevant policies. It also provides a new perspective for the ecological transformation research of MRCs in other developing countries.