Review Article
Recent Submissions
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Using stable isotopes to inform water resource management in forested and agricultural ecosystems
(2024)Journal of Environmental ManagementPresent and future climatic trends are expected to markedly alter water fluxes and stores in the hydrologic cycle. In addition, water demand continues to grow due to increased human use and a growing population. Sustainably managing water resources requires a thorough understanding of water storage and flow in natural, agricultural, and urban ecosystems. Measurements of stable isotopes of water (hydrogen and oxygen) in the water cycle ...Review Article -
Swimming towards each other: the role of chemotaxis in bacterial interactions
(2024)Trends in MicrobiologyChemotaxis allows microorganisms to direct movement in response to chemical stimuli. Bacteria use this behaviour to develop spatial associations with animals and plants, and even larger microbes. However, current theory suggests that constraints imposed by the limits of chemotactic sensory systems will prevent sensing of chemical gradients emanating from cells smaller than a few micrometres, precluding the utility of chemotaxis in ...Review Article -
Cytokine Biopharmaceuticals with "Activity-on-Demand" for Cancer Therapy
(2024)Bioconjugate ChemistryCytokines are small proteins that modulate the activity of the immune system. Because of their potent immunomodulatory properties, some recombinant cytokines have undergone clinical development and have gained marketing authorization for the therapy of certain forms of cancer. Recombinant cytokines are typically administered at ultralow doses, as many of them can cause substantial toxicity even at submilligram quantities. In an attempt ...Review Article -
Opinion: Optimizing climate models with process knowledge, resolution, and artificial intelligence
(2024)Atmospheric Chemistry and PhysicsAccelerated progress in climate modeling is urgently needed for proactive and effective climate change adaptation. The central challenge lies in accurately representing processes that are small in scale yet climatically important, such as turbulence and cloud formation. These processes will not be explicitly resolvable for the foreseeable future, necessitating the use of parameterizations. We propose a balanced approach that leverages the ...Review Article -
Contribution of production processes in environmental impact of low carbon materials made by additive manufacturing
(2024)Automation in ConstructionThis paper compares conventional earth construction with innovative additive techniques. The goal is to assess the sustainability of employing digital fabrication in earth construction, with a particular emphasis on analyzing the Global Warming Potential. The research also investigates how printing speed and resolution impact environmental outcomes. Using a Cradle-to-Gate Life Cycle Assessment model, the analysis reveals that integrating ...Review Article -
Gastrointestinal Permeation Enhancers Beyond Sodium Caprate and SNAC - What is Coming Next?
(2024)Advanced ScienceOral peptide delivery is trending again. Among the possible reasons are the recent approvals of two oral peptide formulations, which represent a huge stride in the field. For the first time, gastrointestinal (GI) permeation enhancers (PEs) are leveraged to overcome the main limitation of oral peptide delivery-low permeability through the intestinal epithelium. Despite some success, the application of current PEs, such as salcaprozate ...Review Article -
Increasing uptake of ecosystem service assessments: best practice check-lists for practitioners in Europe
(2024)One EcosystemAiming at understanding the role of plural values in decision-making, the IPBES Values Assessment defined nature valuation broadly as including biophysical, economic and socio-cultural assessments, including ecosystem service assessment. IPBES reviews of scientific literature revealed a lack of documentation of uptake by stakeholders across method types. The EU project SELINA aims to contribute to increasing uptake of ES assessments at ...Review Article -
Exploring Outputs of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Panel on Chemicals, Waste, and Pollution Prevention
(2024)Environmental Science & Technology LettersThe Science-Policy Panel (SPP) on Chemicals, Waste, and Pollution Prevention, now being established under a mandate of the United Nations Environment Assembly, will address chemical pollution, one element of the triple planetary crises along with climate change and biodiversity loss. The SPP should provide governments with consensual, authoritative, and holistic solution-oriented assessments, particularly relevant to low- and middle-income ...Review Article -
Enhancing cell-based therapies with synthetic gene circuits responsive to molecular stimuli
(2024)Biotechnology and BioengineeringSynthetic biology aims to contribute to the development of next-generation patient-specific cell-based therapies for chronic diseases especially through the construction of sophisticated synthetic gene switches to enhance the safety and spatiotemporal controllability of engineered cells. Indeed, switches that sense and process specific cues, which may be either externally administered triggers or endogenous disease-associated molecules, ...Review Article -
A review of starch/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) blend film: A potential replacement for traditional plastic-based food packaging film
(2024)International Journal of Biological MacromoleculesIn recent years, the development of environmentally friendly packaging materials using biodegradable polymers has emerged as a key challenge for scientists and consumers in response to resource depletion and environmental issues caused by plastic packaging materials. Starch and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) are being recognized as excellent candidates for producing biodegradable food packaging films. Polymer blending has emerged as a practical ...Review Article -
Zurich II Statement on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs): Scientific and Regulatory Needs
(2024)Environmental Science & Technology LettersPer- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a class of synthetic organic chemicals of global concern. A group of 36 scientists and regulators from 18 countries held a hybrid workshop in 2022 in Zurich, Switzerland. The workshop, a sequel to a previous Zurich workshop held in 2017, deliberated on progress in the last five years and discussed further needs for cooperative scientific research and regulatory action on PFASs. This review ...Review Article -
Comprehensive Overview of Bottom-Up Proteomics Using Mass Spectrometry
(2024)ACS Measurement Science AuProteomics is the large scale study of protein structure and function from biological systems through protein identification and quantification. "Shotgun proteomics" or "bottom-up proteomics" is the prevailing strategy, in which proteins are hydrolyzed into peptides that are analyzed by mass spectrometry. Proteomics studies can be applied to diverse studies ranging from simple protein identification to studies of proteoforms, protein-protein ...Review Article -
Structural dynamics in atomic indium wires on silicon: From ultrafast probing to coherent vibrational control
(2024)Progress in surface scienceLight-control of structural dynamics at surfaces promises switching of chemical and physical functionality at rates limited only by the velocity of directed atomic motion. Following optical stimulus by femtosecond light pulses (1 fs = 10-15 s), transient electronic and lattice excitations can drive phase transitions in solids. Coherent control schemes facilitate a selective transfer of optical energy to specific electronic or vibrational ...Review Article -
A state-of-the-art analysis of virtual reality applications in construction health and safety
(2024)Results in EngineeringThe construction industry contends with high injury rates, emphasizing the need for innovative preventive measures in construction health and safety (CHS). While previous studies have investigated the potential applications of virtual reality (VR) in the construction industry for different purposes, an in-depth study on VR in the CHS context is lacking. Hence, this study provides a state-of-the-art analysis of VR applications in CHS, ...Review Article -
A Review on Sensor-Integrating Machine Elements
(2024)Advanced Sensor ResearchThis contribution summarizes the current state of research regarding so-called sensor-integrating machine elements as an enabler of digitalization in mechanical engineering and--if available-their application in industry. The focus is on the methodical aspects of the development of these machine elements in general as well as specific sensor-integrating machine elements that are either already in use or currently under development. ...Review Article -
Refecting on the Science of Climate Tipping Points to Inform and Assist Policy Making and Address the Risks they Pose to Society
(2024)Surveys in GeophysicsThere is a diverging perception of climate tipping points, abrupt changes and surprises in the scientific community and the public. While such dynamics have been observed in the past, e.g., frequent reductions of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation during the last ice age, or ice sheet collapses, tipping points might also be a possibility in an anthropogenically perturbed climate. In this context, high impact-low likelihood ...Review Article -
The shift from meat to plant-based proteins: consumers and public policy
(2024)Current Opinion in Food ScienceA reduction in meat consumption would be desirable to promote sustainable diets. Globally, meat consumption is still increasing, and the various meat alternatives introduced in recent years occupy only a small share of the meat market. Since technological solutions alone are not sufficient to reduce meat consumption, policy measures and interventions are discussed. We describe various measures that have been proposed to reduce meat ...Review Article -
Fifteen Years of Integrated Terrestrial Environmental Observatories (TERENO) in Germany: Functions, Services, and Lessons Learned
(2024)EARTHS FUTUREThe need to develop and provide integrated observation systems to better understand and manage global and regional environmental change is one of the major challenges facing Earth system science today. In 2008, the German Helmholtz Association took up this challenge and launched the German research infrastructure TERrestrial ENvironmental Observatories (TERENO). The aim of TERENO is the establishment and maintenance of a network of ...Review Article -
A perspective on the next generation of Earth system model scenarios: towards representative emission pathways (REPs)
(2024)Geoscientific Model DevelopmentIn every Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Assessment cycle, a multitude of scenarios are assessed, with different scope and emphasis throughout the various Working Group reports and special reports, as well as their respective chapters. Within the reports, the ambition is to integrate knowledge on possible climate futures across the Working Groups and scientific research domains based on a small set of "framing pathways" ...Review Article -
The role of omics in improving the orphan crop tef
(2024)Trends in GeneticsTef or teff [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter] is a cereal crop indigenous to the Horn of Africa, where it is a staple food for a large population. The popularity of tef arises from its resilience to environmental stresses and its nutritional value. For many years, tef has been considered an orphan crop, but recent research initiatives from across the globe are helping to unravel its undisclosed potential. Advanced omics tools and techniques ...Review Article