scholarly journals Feasibility of Manufacturing Tobacco with Very Low Nicotine Levels

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 405-415
Author(s):  
Anne Havermans ◽  
Elke Pieper ◽  
Frank Henkler-Stephani ◽  
Reinskje Talhout
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Modification ◽  
Enzymatic Degradation ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Extraction Techniques ◽  
Nicotine Content ◽  
Manufacturing Techniques ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Structured Approach ◽  
Breeding Techniques ◽  
Traditional Breeding

Objective: In this paper, we evaluate the effectiveness of agricultural approaches and manufacturing techniques that can be applied to reduce nicotine content of tobacco to minimally addictive levels (< 0.4 mg/g). Methods: Using a semi-structured approach, we searched scientific and grey literature including patents and internal industry documents, using keywords like tobacco, nicotine, alkaloids, denic(otinized) tobacco, reduced nicotine content, very low nicotine tobacco. Results: Nicotine can be reduced via genetic modification or traditional breeding techniques. Contents and emissions are similar to regular cigarettes, but consumers rated them as less satisfactory. Extraction techniques yield less palatable tobacco too, due to co-extraction of favor components in tobacco. Microbial and enzymatic degradation lead to other, mostly undesirable, changes to tobacco. Supercritical extraction resulted in a taste most similar to regular cigarettes, but still failed in the marketplace. Conclusions: Most of the available techniques are successful in reducing nicotine levels, sometimes to levels lower than 0.4 mg/g. However, in almost all cases, the resulting tobacco leads to a less satisfactory smoking experience. Although reduction of nicotine to a non-addictive level is feasible from a technical perspective, it is not clear whether such measures could be successfully implemented.

Potential of existing online 24-hour dietary recall tools for national dietary surveys

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-62
Author(s):  
Rozenn Gazan ◽  
Florent Vieux ◽  
Ségolène Mora ◽  
Sabrina Havard ◽  
Carine Dubuisson
Keyword(s):  
Grey Literature ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
High Quality Data ◽  
Require Time ◽  
Dietary Recall ◽  
Dietary Surveys ◽  
Almost All ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Web Platform ◽  
Country Specific

Abstract Objective: To describe existing online 24-hour dietary recall (24hDR) tools in terms of functionalities and ability to tackle challenges encountered during national dietary surveys, such as maximizing response rates and collecting high-quality data from a representative sample of the population, while minimizing the cost and response burden. Design: A search (from 2000 to 2019) was conducted in peer-reviewed and grey literature. For each tool, information on functionalities, validation and user usability studies, and potential adaptability for integration into a new context was collected. Setting: Not country-specific Participants: General population Results: Eighteen online 24hDR tools were identified. Most were developed in Europe, for children ≥10 years old and/or for adults. Eight followed the five multiple-pass steps, but used various methodologies and features. Almost all tools (except three) validated their nutrient intake estimates, but with high heterogeneity in methodologies. User usability was not always assessed, and rarely by applying real-time methods. For researchers, eight tools developed a web platform to manage the survey and five appeared to be easily adaptable to a new context. Conclusions: Among the eighteen online 24hDR tools identified, the best candidates to be used in national dietary surveys should be those that were validated for their intake estimates, had confirmed user and researcher usability, and seemed sufficiently flexible to be adapted to new contexts. Regardless of the tool, adaptation to another context will still require time and funding, and this is probably the most challenging step.

scholarly journals Coastal Climate Adaptation Literatures of the Southeast and Northeast U.S.: Regional Comparisons among States and Document Sources

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 152
Author(s):  
Kenyon Lindeman ◽  
Christos Giannoulis ◽  
Bryce Beard
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
New England ◽  
Climate Adaptation ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Science And Engineering ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Almost All

Challenges remain in optimizing the use of increasingly large inflows of climate adaptation articles and guidance documents to improve coastal science and engineering practices. In addition to four major academic databases, the large grey literature was quantified by analyzing web sources of hundreds of government, nonprofit and university reports not previously included in reviews. Three spatial scales were examined for differences in amount and timing of adaptation documents: (a) between region (southeast and northeast U.S.); (b) among sub-region (Florida and Carolinas; New York/New Jersey and New England); and (c) among states (ten states total). Comparisons were also made across spatial scales for document sources (academic journals, government, non-governmental organizations (NGO), university, mixed sources), including four governance subcategories (federal, state, regional and local). Differences were identified among some spatial scales in academic vs. grey literature and among categories of grey literature. 53% of the literature was from grey sources (21% government, 10% university, 8% nonprofit and 14% mixed sources). This literature can be large and is grounded in applied, experiential knowledge, yet is unavailable in almost all academic databases. These relatively hidden documents provide insight into on-the-ground science and engineering case-histories, policy innovations, and power relationships across scales of geography and governance.

A Structured Approach towards Robust Database Collection for Speaker Recognition

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pardeep Sangwan ◽  
Saurabh Bhardwaj
Keyword(s):  
Feature Extraction ◽  
Speaker Recognition ◽  
Recognition System ◽  
Classification Methods ◽  
Extraction Techniques ◽  
Recognition Phase ◽  
Speech Database ◽  
Biometric Systems ◽  
Recognition Systems ◽  
Structured Approach

<p>Speaker recognition systems are classified according to their database, feature extraction techniques and classification methods. It is analyzed that there is a much need to work upon all the dimensions of forensic speaker recognition systems from the very beginning phase of database collection to recognition phase. The present work provides a structured approach towards developing a robust speech database collection for efficient speaker recognition system. The database required for both systems is entirely different. The databases for biometric systems are readily available while databases for forensic speaker recognition system are scarce. The paper also presents several databases available for speaker recognition systems.</p><p> </p>

Are All Rational Moralities Equivalent?

2011 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 238-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
DARRYL GUNSON
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Modification ◽  
Normal State ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Genetically Modify ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
State Of Affairs ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Ways Of Being

Matti Häyry’s new book Rationality and the Genetic Challenge discusses the ethics of human genetic modification and the bioethical rationalities that inform the different ethical conclusions authors have advanced. It is aimed at correcting the belief that “only one rationality exists or one morality exists; that those that disagree [with them] are unreasonable or evil.” Häyry argues that there are multiple rationalities, and that even though ethical issues may have solutions within individual rationalities, disagreements that have their root in separate rational approaches cannot be universally solved by intellectual arguments. In debates about the ethics of using new biotechnologies to genetically modify human beings, the normal state is one of fundamental disagreement over almost all of the anticipated uses to which the technology could be put. Häyry’s point is that such a state of affairs is not necessarily due to a lack of reason because there are many, equally valid, ways of being reasonable.

scholarly journals Towards progressive regulatory approaches for agricultural applications of animal biotechnology

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric M. Hallerman ◽  
Justin P. Bredlau ◽  
Luiz Sergio A. Camargo ◽  
Maria Lucia Zaidan Dagli ◽  
Margaret Karembu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Coming Out ◽  
Environmental Safety ◽  
Regulatory Oversight ◽  
Animal Biotechnology ◽  
Agricultural Applications ◽  
Supranational Institutions ◽  
Breeding Techniques ◽  
Traditional Breeding ◽  
Impacts Of Climate Change

AbstractTraditional breeding techniques, applied incrementally over thousands of years, have yielded huge benefits in the characteristics of agricultural animals. This is a result of significant, measurable changes to the genomes of those animal species and breeds. Genome editing techniques may now be applied to achieve targeted DNA sequence alterations, with the potential to affect traits of interest to production of agricultural animals in just one generation. New opportunities arise to improve characteristics difficult to achieve or not amenable to traditional breeding, including disease resistance, and traits that can improve animal welfare, reduce environmental impact, or mitigate impacts of climate change. Countries and supranational institutions are in the process of defining regulatory approaches for genome edited animals and can benefit from sharing approaches and experiences to institute progressive policies in which regulatory oversight is scaled to the particular level of risk involved. To facilitate information sharing and discussion on animal biotechnology, an international community of researchers, developers, breeders, regulators, and communicators recently held a series of seven virtual workshop sessions on applications of biotechnology for animal agriculture, food and environmental safety assessment, regulatory approaches, and market and consumer acceptance. In this report, we summarize the topics presented in the workshop sessions, as well as discussions coming out of the breakout sessions. This is framed within the context of past and recent scientific and regulatory developments. This is a pivotal moment for determination of regulatory approaches and establishment of trust across the innovation through-chain, from researchers, developers, regulators, breeders, farmers through to consumers.

Development of a Taqman real-time PCR method to quantify nptII in apple lines obtained with ‘established’ or ‘new breeding’ techniques of genetic modification

2018 ◽  
Vol 245 (3) ◽  
pp. 643-652 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorenza Dalla Costa ◽  
Matteo Bozzoli ◽  
Valerio Pompili ◽  
Stefano Piazza ◽  
Giovanni A. L. Broggini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Genetic Modification ◽  
Real Time Pcr ◽  
Pcr Method ◽  
New Breeding Techniques ◽  
Breeding Techniques

scholarly journals A plant regeneration platform to apply new breeding techniques for improving disease resistance in grapevine rootstocks and cultivars

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 01019 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Sabbadini ◽  
L. Capriotti ◽  
C. Limera ◽  
O. Navacchi ◽  
G. Tempesta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Marker Gene ◽  
Marker Genes ◽  
Wine Grape ◽  
Thompson Seedless ◽  
Multiple Virus ◽  
Almost All ◽  
New Breeding Techniques ◽  
Breeding Techniques ◽  
Selection Of

Worldwide grapevine cultivation is based on the use of elite cultivars, in many cases strictly linked to local important wine brands. Most of Vitis viniferacultivars have high susceptibility to fungal and viral diseases therefore, new breeding techniques (e.g. Cisgenesis, RNAi and gene editing) offer the possibility to introduce new clones of the main cultivars with increased diseases resistance, in order to reduce environmental impact and improve quality in the intensive wine grape industry. This study is finalized to develop efficient in vitro regeneration and transformation protocols to extend the application of these technologies in wine grape cultivars and rootstocks. With this aim, in vitro regeneration protocols based on the production of meristematic bulks (Mezzetti et al., 2002) were optimized for different grapevine cultivars (Glera, Vermentino, Sangiovese, Thompson Seedless) and rootstocks (1103 Paulsen, and 110 Richter). The meristematic bulks were then used as explants for Agrobacteriummediated genetic transformation protocols, by comparing the use of NPTII and e-GFP as marker genes. Results confirmed the efficiency of meristematic bulks as the regenerating tissue to produce new modified plants in almost all the above genotypes. The highest regeneration efficiency in some genotypes allowed the selection of stable modified lines/calli with only the use of e-GFP marker gene. This protocol can be applied in the use of MYB marker gene for the production of cisgenic lines. Genotypes having the highest regeneration and transformation efficiency were also used for transformation experiments using a hairpin gene construct designed to silence the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RpRd) of the GFLV and GLRaV3, which would induce multiple virus resistances, and the Dicer-like protein 1 (Bc-DCL1) and Bc-DCL2 to control B. cinerea infection.

scholarly journals Information management in the smart city

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 234-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Merlin Stone ◽  
Jonathan Knapper ◽  
Geraint Evans ◽  
Eleni Aravopoulou
Keyword(s):  
Information Management ◽  
Smart City ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Smart Cities ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
City Managers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
And Control ◽  
Structured Approach ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate information management in a smart city. It identifies the main trends in progress and how innovation in information technology is helping all those in the smart city ecosystem in terms of generating new sources of data and connecting them. It investigates how information management in the smart city may go through several phases, but contests the notion that the co-ordinated information management that is the dream of many city managers is an appropriate vision, given the tendency in the private sector for competing information platforms to develop, giving value in different ways. Design/methodology/approach This paper has been written by using a combination of academic insight and literature, extensive research of relevant grey literature (e.g. blogs and industry press) and interviews and interaction with some of the organisations involved in developing and implementing the smart city concept, including public transport organisations, other data providers, analysts and systems and sensor suppliers. Findings Smart city concepts are evolving in different ways, with divergence of views which involves centralisation and control of information by city authorities and a more democratic view in which the information is managed on different platforms between which smart city stakeholders can choose. Research limitations/implications The research method is exploratory. Validating the findings would require a more structured approach in which stakeholders of all kinds are consulted. Practical implications All organisational stakeholders in the idea and delivery of smart cities need to consider how their interests in smart city information and those of other stakeholders are evolving and to what extent they should be in partnership with other members of the ecosystem in generating and using the information. Social implications Individuals, whether workers, commuters, shoppers, tourists or others, will be greatly affected by the evolution of smart city information, and their choices about whether to be smart themselves will have an important effect on the benefits they receive from city smartening and on the viability of the smart cities. Originality/value Little research has been carried out into the different choices organisations and individuals have in terms of how they will relate to smart city information and how they can manage it. This research makes a start on this task.

scholarly journals The Archaeotools project: faceted classification and natural language processing in an archaeological context

2009 ◽  
Vol 367 (1897) ◽  
pp. 2507-2519 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Jeffrey ◽  
J. Richards ◽  
F. Ciravegna ◽  
S. Waller ◽  
S. Chapman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Language Processing ◽  
Natural Language ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Extraction Techniques ◽  
Variable Level ◽  
Faceted Classification ◽  
The Uk ◽  
High Level

This paper describes ‘Archaeotools’, a major e-Science project in archaeology. The aim of the project is to use faceted classification and natural language processing to create an advanced infrastructure for archaeological research. The project aims to integrate over 1×10 6 structured database records referring to archaeological sites and monuments in the UK, with information extracted from semi-structured grey literature reports, and unstructured antiquarian journal accounts, in a single faceted browser interface. The project has illuminated the variable level of vocabulary control and standardization that currently exists within national and local monument inventories. Nonetheless, it has demonstrated that the relatively well-defined ontologies and thesauri that exist in archaeology mean that a high level of success can be achieved using information extraction techniques. This has great potential for unlocking and making accessible the information held in grey literature and antiquarian accounts, and has lessons for allied disciplines.

Algorithms and Principles for Intelligent Design of Flapping Wing Micro Aerial Vehicles

2013 ◽  
pp. 521-555
Author(s):  
Ajay Bangalore Harish ◽  
Dineshkumar Harursampath
Keyword(s):  
Modular Design ◽  
Flapping Wing ◽  
Smart Material ◽  
Design Tool ◽  
Micro Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Aerial Vehicles ◽  
Manufacturing Techniques ◽  
Additional Level ◽  
Reliable Design ◽  
Almost All

Almost all Micro Aerial Vehicles (MAVs) designed so far facilitate the flapping motion of their wings by means of a mounted actuating mechanism, driven, for example, by a piezoelectric crystal. The developments over the past decade or so in smart material technologies like the invention of Piezoelectric Fiber Reinforced Composite (PFRC) materials and innovative manufacturing techniques to reduce cost have resulted in favorable materials for dynamic actuating applications. Thus, the concept of actively deformable wings to produce combined flapping and feathering actions is evolving as an attractive enabler for design of future MAVs. A smart material like PFRC can both sense and actuate in a collocated fashion, thus building an additional level of computational intelligence into the MAV itself. Such a promising opportunity indicates an urgent need for reliable design tools to accelerate development of MAVs. In this work, the authors propose a modular design tool specifically for design of self-actuating flapping wing MAVs.

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