An in situ approach for validation of canopy chlorophyll fluorescence radiative transfer models using the full emission spectrum

The intensity and spectral properties of solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) carry valuable information on plant photosynthesis and productivity, but are also influenced by leaf and canopy structure. Physically based models provide a quantitative means to investigate how SIF intensity and spectra propagate and scale from the photosystem to the leaf and to the canopy levels. However, the validation of canopy SIF models is limited by the lack of methods that combine direct, independent, and complementary measurements of the full fluorescence spectrum at the leaf and canopy levels. Here, we propose a novel validation approach that combines in situ measurements of leaf and canopy fluorescence spectra. The approach is demonstrated with measurements in a rice crop at two contrasting stages of canopy development. We measured leaf reflectance, transmittance, and fluorescence spectra in situ, and subsequently inverted leaf structural and biochemical parameters and determined the leaf fluorescence quantum efficiency (FQE) using the Fluspect-Cx model. Two FQE inversion methods (Inversion-IIA and Inversion-IIB) were tested for the forward simulation of leaf fluorescence spectra. Leaf fluorescence spectra were then scaled up to the canopy level using 1D, 2D, and 3D radiative transfer schemes (SCOPE, mSCOPE, and DART), and compared with the direct canopy fluorescence spectral observations measured under red, green, blue, and white illumination. The validation results demonstrate that accounting for 3D canopy structure, as in the DART model, is critical to successfully scale the fluorescence spectrum from the leaf to the canopy level, whereas 1D SCOPE or even 2D mSCOPE were unable to fully reproduce the canopy fluorescence spectra. The results also demonstrate that the Inversion-IIB method matches relatively well the measurements with mean relative absolute errors (MRAE) of 20 %, 37 %, and 43 % versus Inversion-IIA with mean relative absolute errors (MRAE) of 62 %, 100 %, and 108 % for DART, mSCOPE, and SCOPE, respectively. We suggest that our validation approach is transferable to other plant species and canopy geometries, providing a means to standardize and evaluate the performance of canopy SIF models and improve our understanding of canopy SIF observations.</p

Networked innovation

Networked innovation refers to various types of inter-organisational innovation, ranging from closed contractually agreed arrangements to open, informally described collaboration settings. Here, networked innovation is defined as “intentional collaboration arrangements around inter-organisational innovation process”. The collaboration in these networks enhances knowledge transfer, integration, and co-creation activity between actors. Therefore, these networked innovation arrangements require an understanding of the flows of knowledge, either complementary or integrative, between the participating actors. This understanding should be at the core of the processes and practices of networked innovations. Clearly, networked innovation has many benefits, from cost savings and the shortened time required to commercialise the innovation to broader knowledge creation

Achieving a strategic fit in fintech collaboration – A case study of Nordea Bank

Driven by digitalization, the emergence of startups, and regulatory changes, the banking industry is undergoing a “fintech revolution” where the competitive advantages of incumbents are disrupted. In response, banks collaborate with startups by organizing accelerators and incubators to promote corporate innovation. A critical challenge is achieving a strategic fit with startups. In this research, a longitudinal case study of Nordea, the largest retail bank in the Nordics, was conducted. Three startup programs between 2015 and 2018 during a major fintech boom were investigated, and how the programs implement corporate sponsorship and enable corporate innovation was analyzed. We found that achieving a strategic fit was an iterative process fueled by the accumulation of technological and market knowledge from the startups, where Nordea adjusted its mode of startup collaboration according to the phase of the disruption to meet its evolving learning goals

Improving wood surface wettability through gas-phase ozone treatment of air-dry wood

An increase in wood free surface energy enhances the wettability of wood surfaces, leading to better interaction with water-based coatings. This study investigated the effect of gas-phase ozonation on the wettability of spruce, thermo-modified pine, and birch woods. The effects of the treatment were evaluated by measuring the water contact angle and the Cobb value on the wood sample surfaces, and by determining the surface free energy of the wood surfaces using the Owens, Wendt, Rabel, and Kaelble (OWRK) calculation method. Furthermore, water absorption and evaporation rates were assessed through water immersion and subsequent drying of the wood samples. The results indicated that ozone treatment increased the surface energy, and especially its polar component, thus accelerating water spreading and absorption on the wood surfaces. The most probable cause of the observed effects is the formation of new carbonyl and carboxyl groups resulting from reactions of the ozone with the wood surface. The findings suggest that the ozone treatment technique can enhance spreading, absorption, and adhesion of water-based adhesives and coatings to wood surfaces. This research may facilitate the development and use of new environmentally friendly water-based adhesives and coatings. <br/

Printed cellular structure enhancing re-passivation of stress corrosion cracking in high-temperature water

Cellular structure with high-density dislocations and elemental segregation is a unique characteristic for laser powder bed-fusion (L-PBF) 316 L stainless steels (SSs), but the role of such structure to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) remains pending. Herein we adopt multiple verification methods, including transmission electron microscope, atomic force microscopy and density-functional theory calculations to unveil its advantageous contribution to SCC resistance in high-temperature oxygenated water. Convincing evidence verify that the intrinsic Cr/Mo segregation across cellular boundaries (CBs) initiates a diffusion-induced stress and a nano-scale galvanic cell to provide a robust and stable Cr/Mo source towards near-surface grain boundaries (GBs). Consequently, there exists a Cr/Mo-rich enrichment zone at the crack tip, improving the re-passivation capacity of the SCC tip

Global progress towards the Coal: Tracking coal Reserves, coal Prices, electricity from Coal, carbon emissions and coal Phase-Out

Coal remains a significant energy source globally, with the United States holding a substantial portion of the world’s coal reserves but it creates the dangerous effects of global warming. Despite its abundance, questions arise regarding the accessibility and environmental impact of coal reserves. Therefore, this research forecasted the future of coal reserves, coal prices, electricity from coal, carbon emissions and coal phase-out targets globally using the SARIMAX Python® model for the study period 2023 to 2050 by using the economic data from the year 1980 to 2022. It is found that, the global coal reserve capacity is 1.07 trillion tons with an average coal prices vary with region to region, ranging from US $130 per tone to US$206 per tone until 2050. The global production of electricity from coal will also increase from 10415.49 TWh in 2023 to 13316.57 TWh until 2040 and 15243.36 TWh until 2050 which ultimately enhances the production of carbon emissions, increases from 157,768 billion metric tons in 2023 to 188,535 billion metric tons until 2040 and 215,077 billion metric tons until 2050. Furthermore, this study undertakes and presented the country wise examination of coal phase out and it is found that in many countries 75% of coal will phase out by 2030 and 100% by 2040 for meeting the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 1.5 0C targets. Therefore there is a dire need to shift towards cleaner energy sources, leading to a decline in coal-fired power generation and a trend towards coal phase-out

Assessing digital capabilities for digital transformation—The MIND framework

With the rise in the advances and adoption of digital technologies and evolving business dynamics, we live in an era where many organisations are embarking on digital transformation. To stay relevant, however, organisations struggle to comprehensively outline the digital capabilities they have or need in relation to the digital transformation objectives they aim for. This struggle stems from the paucity of knowledge and practical guidance on how to assess the digital capabilities of organisations relative to their desired digital transformation goals. This paper presents a framework (MIND Framework) for assessing digital capabilities in four critical areas – Management (M), Infrastructure (I), Networking/Sourcing (N), and Development (D) – abstracted from prior literature. The framework assesses digital capability status in each area in relation to the organisation's stated digital transformation goals. MIND, which is an outcome of a multi-year design science research project, helps organisations assess their current capability status and create a pathway for navigating from their current status to the desired transformation state. In this article, we describe an in-depth application of the MIND framework in assessing the digital capabilities of an incumbent company in the digital transformation process. Based on this, we illustrate how the framework can provide valuable insights and attitudinal shifts in an organisation's digital transformation efforts. We further abstract from the case to demonstrate how the assessment of an organisation's digital capabilities can provide valuable insights and critical input for any organisation embarking on a digital transformation journey. We conclude with a detailed guideline on how organisations can apply the MIND framework in their transformation journey.</p

Valorisation of anaerobic digestate to nutrients and humic substances

Nutrient-rich product fractions were produced from abundant, yet currently chemically under-utilized nutrients-containing feedstock, residual digestate formed during anaerobic digestion (AD). The objective of this research was to experiment individually three sub-processes, i.e., precipitation of organic humic substances and phosphorus from the digestate reject water, liberation of reject water nitrogen as ammonia gas during the lime treatment and recovering it with membrane contactor (MC), and finally novel utilization of ammonia for leaching nitrogen-enriched organic substances from the digestate residue. With calcium precipitation, the main part of the phosphorus and significant part of organic material could be precipitated, and simultaneously ammonium could be liberated with good yield as ammonia gas, so that it could be recovered by MC. On the other hand, ammonia could be used with promising results as an extraction media, by which the solubility of the organic matter and the content of nitrogen attached to the soluble organic fraction could be significantly increased. Hence, all sub-processes were found to achieve their goals and digestate could be successfully utilized as a feedstock for manufacture of varying nutrient-rich products. Combining these three subprocesses together enables the development of novel cascading process concept, in which treated product stream can be used in the next process step and in which each subprocess step benefits the next

Microbial production of food lipids using the oleaginous yeast Apiotrichum brassicae

Oleaginous yeasts offer a promising sustainable alternative for producing edible lipids, potentially replacing animal and unsustainable plant fats and oils. In this study, we screened 11 oleaginous yeast species for their lipid profiles and identified Apiotrichum brassicae as the most promising candidate due to its versatility across different growth media. A. brassicae grown in a dairy side stream produced lipids with a composition most similar to cocoa butter, but the stearic acid and linoleic acid content varied greatly when grown on different substrates. We visualised the formation of lipid droplets by digital holotomography. Pilot-scale production was followed by enzymatic and ultrasonic treatment of biomass and heptane/ethanol extraction. The fatty acid (FA) and triacylglycerol (TAG) composition, thermal behaviour, and solid fat content of A. brassicae lipids was compared to benchmarks such as beef fat, cocoa butter, palm oil and milk fat. The FA profile of the A. brassicae lipids shares the same types of fatty acids with cocoa butter, beef fat and palm oil, however concentrations differ resulting in a lower content of saturated FAs. This increased the proportion of unsaturated TAGs, reducing the melting and crystallisation temperatures and the solid fat content. The microbial lipids contained the major TAGs of cocoa butter at similar ratios, resulting in a comparable melting peak and crystallisation peaks similar to the low-melting groups of beef fat and palm oil. Fractionation has the potential to produce beef fat, cocoa butter or palm oil equivalents with desired techno-functional properties. This study demonstrates the potential of A. brassicae to produce tailored lipid profiles for various food applications through strain and process engineering or downstream processing

Effect of late diesel injection on close-coupled SCR + ASC during DPF regeneration period

Future emission limits (Stage 6) for off-road engines will require more efficient removal of nitrogen oxides. The dual-SCR system has in addition of conventional main SCR catalyst after diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) and particulate filter (DPF), a second SCR catalyst near to engine to enhance catalyst activity at low temperature periods. However, DPF regeneration requires periodic diesel fuel injection to DOC + DPF to oxidize carbonaceous particles at elevated temperatures. Late post-injection of diesel fuel was used during the regeneration period of a DPF. The study investigated how this strategy affects the performance of a close-coupled vanadium-based SCR with an ammonia slip catalyst. The exhaust aftertreatment system (SCR, DOC, DPF) was incorporated into the exhaust line of a high-speed, common-rail, diesel engine, designed for off-road applications fulfilling the latest emission legislation (Stage 5). Extensive bench experiments determined how late diesel injection through the close-coupled vanadium-SCR and ammonia slip catalyst affected the exhaust gas temperature, and whether high hydrocarbon concentrations from late diesel injection changed the catalyst performance. The SCR inlet temperatures ranged from 250 to 400 °C. Accumulation of hydrocarbons on the close-coupled vanadium-SCR catalyst at low exhaust temperatures was also examined. The studýs overall conclusion is that the strategy of late diesel injection is feasible to adopt during the regeneration period of a particulate filter only at sufficiently high SCR-inlet temperatures (≥ 320 °C). At lower temperatures, hydrocarbons might be stored in the catalyst. When the temperature increases again, exothermic reactions generated in the SCR may lead to notable catalyst deactivation.</p