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Is ‘waste’ an appropriate concept in a sustainable bioeconomy?
Get PDFValorisation of agri-food waste is an essential aspect of creating sustainable circular food systems. The European Research Area Network Cofund Food Systems and Climate (FOSC) and the SUSFOOD2 ERA-Net Cofund supported eight projects focusing on the valorisation of waste generated during primary production or food processing. The projects identified barriers related to the technological, socio-economic, legislative, and institutional
challenges of developing a circular food system, and concluded that overcoming these barriers and promoting a circular bioeconomy requires a comprehensive approach involving multiple stakeholders, including fostering supportive policies, and addressing regulatory concerns. The collective experience of the eight projects demonstrates that it is essential to rethink the limitations imposed by the term ‘waste’, and instead to consider all agri-food residues as side streams which have the potential to be valorised as resources for food and feed production if they can be proven as safe to return to the food chain
Prevalence, antimicrobial susceptibility pattern, and associated health risks of foodborne pathogens in street foods sold in elementary schools, Yaounde, Cameroon
Get PDFObjectives: Street foods are an affordable source of nutrition in Cameroon; however, their association with microbial pathogens poses significant risk to public health. Methods: We investigated 160 street food samples sold within elementary schools for the presence of foodborne pathogens and also the antimicrobial resistance of cultured-confirmed bacteria isolates using the agar disk diffusion method. Results: The total viable count of seven (bread, spaghetti, fish, peanuts, eggs, beef, pepper) of the eight street foods examined (except beans sauce) were >105 cfu/g and indicated unsatisfactory levels for human consumption. In addition, 16 bacteria pathogens with at least one in each street food were identified: E. coli was the most prevalent 47.50% (76/160), followed by Staphylococcus aureus 39.37% (63/160) in foods such as beef 80% (16/20) and bread 85% (17/20). Salmonella spp. 32.50% (52/160), Campylobacter spp. 14.37% (23/160) and Shigella spp. 23.75% (38/160) were largely isolated in eggs 60% (12/20), 35% (7/10), and pepper 40% (8/20) sauces, respectively. Furthermore, except E. coli, all bacteria isolates were highly susceptible to ciprofloxacin. Yersinia enterocolitica was the most susceptible to ciprofloxacin 90.90% (10/11), tetracycline 81.81% (9/11), gentamicin 81.81% (5/11), and chloramphenicol 90.09% (10/11). Staphylococcus aureus, Campylobacter spp., and E. coli were highly resistant to chloramphenicol 90.47% (57/63), tetracycline 82.60% (19/23), gentamicin 81.57% (62/76), and vancomycin 64.47% (49/76), respectively. Conclusion: The findings strongly indicated that preventable foodborne diseases of resistance to a wide range of antibiotics could be occurring among food handlers and young children in street food vending settings. In particular, the presence of coliforms in all street food samples indicated poor hygiene and sanitary practices in street food activities. It thus recommends effective implementation strategies to improve food safety and hygiene practices in street food vending within elementary schools in Cameroon
Plumage changes of Malaysian male sunbirds transitioning from juvenile to adult
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An international investigation of variability in teacher perceptions of bias-based bullying and their likelihood of intervening
Get PDFBias-based bullying (i.e., bullying due to marginalized identities) is a significant and ongoing challenge within contemporary educational settings. Teachers are crucial in mitigating such harmful behaviors and cultivating positive peer relationships. The present study explores teachers’ perceptions of and intervention intentions in bias-based bullying situations across diverse cultural and educational settings. Using a between-subjects experimental design, primary and secondary teachers from 13 international sites located in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America (n = 4990) were randomly assigned to read a hypothetical vignette depicting student victimization based on their ethnicity, learning difficulties, physical appearance, gender expression, or sexual orientation. Multilevel linear models revealed that teachers’ perceptions varied depending on the type of bias-based bullying, such that when teachers were presented with a situation of bullying based on gender expression or sexual orientation, they reported lower levels of perceived responsibility, self-efficacy, and importance of responding when compared to other types of bullying. At the same time, teachers were less likely to blame the victim of bullying and expressed greater empathy towards involved students when being presented with a situation of weight-based bullying. However, there were no significant differences in rated intervention intentions across conditions. Results have important implications for teacher education and development, as well as for existing anti-bullying intervention programs
The impact of bundling index insurance with credit and input vouchers: experimental evidence from Ethiopia
No full textThis study assesses the uptake and impact of bundling index insurance with credit and input vouchers through a randomized control trial experiment. Smallholder farmers in Ethiopia are randomly assigned to a control group and three treatment arms, namely: (1) stand-alone index insurance with upfront premium payment, (2) stand-alone index insurance with delayed premium payment, (3) bundled index insurance with credit and delayed premium payment, or (4) bundled index insurance with credit and input vouchers with delayed premium payment. Distinguishing itself from previous studies, our research specifically isolates the impact of bundling from that of delayed premiums. The results highlight the crucial role of the bundled aspect (i.e., credit and inputs), not only in increasing uptake but also in fostering farming investments and productivity
Written Evidence on Addressing Climate-Induced Migration: creating safe and legal routes while supporting lower income countries to adapt to climate emergencies
No full textHow can the UK government address climate-induced migration by creating safe and legal routes while supporting lower-income countries to adapt to and mitigate climate emergencies
Chapter 3. Escaping the whirlpool: a contextualized research agenda for teacher assistants in inclusion-oriented schools
No full textBook chapter - No Abstract Available
Energy consumption of robotic arm with the local reduction method
Get PDFEnergy consumption in robotic arms is a significant concern in industrial automation due to rising operational costs and environmental impact. This study investigates the use of a local reduction method to optimize energy efficiency in robotic systems without compromising performance. The approach refines movement parameters, minimizing energy use while maintaining precision and operational reliability. A three-joint robotic arm model was tested using simulation over a 30-second period for various tasks, including pick-and-place and trajectory-following operations. The results revealed that the local reduction method reduced energy consumption by up to 25% compared to traditional techniques such as Model Predictive Control (MPC) and Genetic Algorithms (GA). Unlike MPC, which requires significant computational resources, and GA, which has slow convergence rates, the local reduction method demonstrated superior adaptability and computational efficiency in real-time applications. The study highlights the scalability and simplicity of the local reduction approach, making it an attractive option for industries seeking sustainable and cost-effective solutions. Additionally, this method can integrate seamlessly with emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), further enhancing its application in dynamic and complex environments. This research underscores the potential of the local reduction method as a practical tool for optimizing robotic arm operations, reducing energy demands, and contributing to sustainability in industrial automation. Future work will focus on extending the approach to real-world scenarios and incorporating AI-driven adjustments for more dynamic adaptability
Farmer selection of drought‐tolerant enset landraces reduces trait diversity in drier environments
Get PDFDrought stress poses a growing threat to food security worldwide. In this study, we investigated the putative drought tolerance traits of enset, a multipurpose staple crop endemic to Ethiopia that sustains over 20 million people. Our findings reveal that enset's domestication has reduced landrace diversity and trait variability, particularly in drier environments, potentially limiting the crop's adaptive potential. Farmers in arid areas preferentially selected landraces with drought tolerance traits, highlighting the vital role of indigenous knowledge in climate adaptation. By emphasizing the importance of preserving phenotypic and genetic diversity to enhance crop resilience, our study provides globally relevant insights for food security and sustainable agricultural systems under climate change.
Summary
Increasing drought stress driven by climate change presents a significant challenge to global food security, requiring crop adaptations. Indigenous knowledge and sustainable practices in drought-prone agricultural systems may offer effective climate adaptation strategies. This study investigates the functional traits associated with the reported drought tolerance of enset (Ensete ventricosum), a multipurpose Ethiopian staple crop providing food security to more than 20 million people.
Through field surveys and farmer interviews along three aridity gradients in southwest Ethiopia, we determined how domestication and farmer cultivation choices have shaped enset trait and landrace diversity. We measured 12 morphological and physiological traits of 430 cultivated enset plants on farms and a subset of traits of 30 wild enset plants. We also conducted interviews on farmers' knowledge of drought and enset, and how it influenced their choice of landraces.
We showed that domestication reduced trait variance in cultivated enset and lowered landrace diversity in drier environments. Farmers in drier areas chose landraces with drought tolerance traits, resulting in trait differentiation between wetter and drier farms. Cultivated enset exhibited lower stomatal density and a narrower aridity niche compared to wild enset, suggesting adaptation to reduce water loss. We also found increased leaf wax coverage, leaf number, leaf temperature differential and plant height growth rate and reduced stomatal conductance on drier farms.
Our findings are globally relevant, highlighting that climate adaptation and farmer selection may reduce trait and genetic diversity in drier environments, potentially resulting in less adaptative capacity under climate change
International initiatives to enhance awareness and uptake of Open Research in psychology: a systematic narrative review
Get PDFConcerns about the replicability, reproducibility, and transparency of research have ushered in a set of practices and behaviours under the umbrella of ‘open research’. To this end, many new initiatives have been developed that represent procedural (i.e., behaviours and sets of commonly used practices in the research process), structural (new norms, rules, infrastructure, and incentives), and community-based change (working groups, networks). Objectives: To outline international initiatives that enhance awareness and uptake of open research practices in the discipline of psychology. Methods: A systematic, narrative review was conducted in three stages: (1) a web search to identify open research initiatives in psychology; (2) a literature search to identify supporting publications; and (3) a hand search of grey literature. Eligible initiatives were coded into a narrative theme of procedural, structural, or community-based change. Results: A total of 187 initiatives were identified; 30 were procedural (e.g., toolkits, resources, software), 70 structural (e.g., policies, strategies, frameworks), and 87 community-based (e.g., working groups, networks). Discussion: Open research is progressing at pace through various initiatives that share a common goal to reform research culture. We hope that this review promotes their further adoption and facilitates coordinated efforts between individuals, organisations, institutions, publishers, and funders
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