A Critical Review of Renewable Hydrogen Production Methods: Factors Affecting Their Scale-Up and Its Role in Future Energy Generation

An increase in human activities and population growth have significantly increased the world’s energy demands. The major source of energy for the world today is from fossil fuels, which are polluting and degrading the environment due to the emission of greenhouse gases. Hydrogen is an identified efficient energy carrier and can be obtained through renewable and non-renewable sources. An overview of renewable sources of hydrogen production which focuses on water splitting (electrolysis, thermolysis, and photolysis) and biomass (biological and thermochemical) mechanisms is presented in this study. The limitations associated with these mechanisms are discussed. The study also looks at some critical factors that hinders the scaling up of the hydrogen economy globally. Key among these factors are issues relating to the absence of a value chain for clean hydrogen, storage and transportation of hydrogen, high cost of production, lack of international standards, and risks in investment. The study ends with some future research recommendations for researchers to help enhance the technical efficiencies of some production mechanisms, and policy direction to governments to reduce investment risks in the sector to scale the hydrogen economy up. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Acknowledgments: The authors extend their appreciation to the Deputyship for Research & Innovation, Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia for funding this research work through the project number “IF_2020_NBU_403”

Ginger Beer: An Overview of Health Benefits and Recent Developments

Since time immemorial, ginger has been widely used as a food spice, providing aromatic odor and pungent taste, and as a medicinal plant, with various therapeutic effects such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic, among others. It has long been an integral constituent of most herbal medicines in Africa, China and India. Its medicinal properties are largely attributed to its outstanding amount of phenolics which include gingerols, paradols, zingerones, and many others. With consumer preference gradually and remarkably shifting from high-calorie towards low-calorie and functional beverages, the demand for ginger beer is flourishing at a faster rate. Currently, the ginger beer market is dominated by the United States. The demand for ginger beer is, however, debilitated by using artificial ingredients. Nonetheless, the use of natural ginger extract enriches beer with putative bioactive phytoconstituents such as shagaol, gingerone, zingerone, ginger flavonoids and essential oils, as well as essential nutritional components including proteins, vitamins and minerals, to promote general wellbeing of consumer. This paper presents an overview of the phytoconstituents of ginger as well as the overall biological activities they confer to the consumer. In addition, the market trend as well as the production technology of ginger beer using natural ginger extract is described here. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

OPTIMIZING TEMPERATURE AND ILLUMINATION FOR ENHANCED ASTAXANTHIN PRODUCTION BY STRAINS OF P. RHODOZYMA

Astaxanthin (AST) is an industrially valuable carotenoid renowned for its exceptional antioxidant activity as well as effective pigmentation [1]. It has long been of value in the food and feed industries as a colorant, with a recent upsurge of usage and demand in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and cosmetic as accumulating evidence bestow on it an array of biological activities including antidiabetic, cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory as well as immune modulation [2]. Though widely distributed in nature (found in algae, bacteria, yeast, marine organisms and plants), the chemically synthesized variant predominates on the global market due to higher cost and relatively lower productivity associated with natural production [3]. It is in this regard we evaluate temperature and light in an attempt of optimize these factors for higher production of astaxanthin by the red yeast P. rhodozyma strain Y1654 and Y1655.This work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, project # 20-66-47017

Pooled sputum to optimise the efficiency and utility of rapid, point-of-care molecular SARS-CoV-2 testing

Background As SARS-CoV-2 testing expands, particularly to widespread asymptomatic testing, high sensitivity point-of-care PCR platforms may optimise potential benefits from pooling multiple patients’ samples. Method We tested patients and asymptomatic citizens for SARS-CoV-2, exploring the efficiency and utility of CovidNudge (i) for detection in individuals’ sputum (compared to nasopharyngeal swabs), (ii) for detection in pooled sputum samples, and (iii) by modelling roll out scenarios for pooled sputum testing. Results Across 295 paired samples, we find no difference (p = 0.1236) in signal strength for sputum (mean amplified replicates (MAR) 25.2, standard deviation (SD) 14.2, range 0–60) compared to nasopharyngeal swabs (MAR 27.8, SD 12.4, range 6–56). At 10-sample pool size we find some drop in absolute strength of signal (individual sputum MAR 42.1, SD 11.8, range 13–60 vs. pooled sputum MAR 25.3, SD 14.6, range 1–54; p < 0.0001), but only marginal drop in sensitivity (51/53,96%). We determine a limit of detection of 250 copies/ml for an individual test, rising only four-fold to 1000copies/ml for a 10-sample pool. We find optimal pooled testing efficiency to be a 12–3-1-sample model, yet as prevalence increases, pool size should decrease; at 5% prevalence to maintain a 75% probability of negative first test, 5-sample pools are optimal. Conclusion We describe for the first time the use of sequentially dipped sputum samples for rapid pooled point of care SARS-CoV-2 PCR testing. The potential to screen asymptomatic cohorts rapidly, at the point-of-care, with PCR, offers the potential to quickly identify and isolate positive individuals within a population “bubble”

Towards sustainable biofuel development: Assessing the local impacts of large-scale foreign land acquisitions in Ghana

This paper reviews oil palm biofuel development and analyzes social and environmental impacts of oil palm plantations in Indonesia. Three plantation study sites were selected in West Papua (Manokwari), West Kalimantan (Kubu Raya) and Papua (Boven Digoel) and used as case studies to illustrate likely impacts of biofuel plantations. These plantations are being developed or expanded in the aftermath of the 2006 National Energy Policy and managed by companies with supply connections to biodiesel industry. Household surveys, focus group discussions, and key informant interviews were employed to gauge respondent perceptions about social, economic and environmental impacts. Concurrently, spatial analysis was used to assess the changes in forest cover. The development of oil palm in all three sites has caused deforestation and is likely to lead to further loss of forest as expansion continue to take place. Some communities did enjoy economic and social benefits from oil palm plantations such as more stable and reliable income, road access, better healthcare services. In Kubu Raya, some communities benefited both from employment opportunities and from sales of smallholder oil palm harvests. In Kubu Raya and Boven Digoel sites, some indigenous communities and migrants developed good inter-ethnic relations, although this was not the case in Manokwari. Other communities experienced increasing restrictions on traditional land use rights and outright land losses. Conflicts over land between indigenous communities and oil palm companies were observed in all three sites. Communities in all three sites experienced additional adverse environmental effects such as water pollution and flooding. The findings call for plantation policy makers to revisit the principles governing largescale land allocation for plantations. They need to pay particular attention to whether and to what extent the free, prior, and informed consent principle is being applied during the land acquisition process. The smallholder and nucleus oil palm schemes need improvements in efficiency and profitability. Finally, stringent sanctions are needed against companies failing to implement legally binding environmental monitoring and management plans

Land-based Investments for rural development?: A grounded analysis of the local Impacts of biofuel feedstock plantations in Ghana

The rapidly growing biofuel sector in Africa has, in recent years, been received with divided interest. As part of a contemporary wave of agricultural modernization efforts, it could make invaluable contributions to rural poverty. Conversely, it could also engender socioeconomically and environmentally detrimental land use changes as valuable land resources are converted to plantation agriculture. This research analyzes the impacts and impact pathways of biofuel feedstock development in Ghana. It finds that companies are accessing large contiguous areas of customary land through opaque negotiations with traditional authorities, often outside the purview of government and customary land users. Despite lack of participation, most customary land users were highly supportive of plantation development, with high expectations of ‘development’ and ‘modernization.’ With little opposition and resistance, large areas of agricultural and forested land are at threat of being converted to plantation monoculture. A case study analysis shows that this can significantly exacerbate rural poverty as communities lose access to vital livelihood resources. Vulnerable groups, such as women and migrants, are found to be most profoundly affected because of their relative inability in recovering lost livelihood resources. Findings suggest that greater circumspection by government is warranted on these types of large-scale land deals

BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS (BIOPLASTICS): PROSPECTS AND APPLICATION

Scientists all over the world are researching in this area to help solve the problems of environmental pollution caused by traditional plastics. Numerous studies on microorganisms and some plant materials used in producing biodegradable plastics will be very useful to the environment in future

CovidNudge: diagnostic accuracy of a novel lab-free point-of-care diagnostic for SARS-CoV-2

Background Access to rapid diagnosis is key to the control and management of SARS-CoV-2. Reverse Transcriptase-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing usually requires a centralised laboratory and significant infrastructure. We describe the development and diagnostic accuracy assessment of a novel, rapid point-of-care RT-PCR test, the DnaNudge® platform CovidNudge test, which requires no laboratory handling or sample pre-processing. Methods Nasopharyngeal swabs are inserted directly into a cartridge which contains all reagents and components required for RT-PCR reactions, including multiple technical replicates of seven SARS-CoV-2 gene targets (rdrp1, rdrp2, e-gene, n-gene, n1, n2 and n3) and human ribonuclease P (RNaseP) as positive control. Between April and May 2020, swab samples were tested in parallel using the CovidNudge direct-to-cartridge platform and standard laboratory RT-PCR using swabs in viral transport medium. Samples were collected from three groups: self-referred healthcare workers with suspected COVID-19 (Group 1, n=280/386; 73%); patients attending the emergency department with suspected COVID-19 (Group 2, n=15/386; 4%) and hospital inpatient admissions with or without suspected COVID-19 (Group 3, n=91/386; 23%). Results Of 386 paired samples tested across all groups, 67 tested positive on the CovidNudge platform and 71 with standard laboratory RT-PCR. The sensitivity of the test varied by group (Group 1 93% [84-98%], Group 2 100% [48-100%] and Group 3 100% [29-100%], giving an average sensitivity of 94.4% (95% confidence interval 86-98%) and an overall specificity of 100% (95%CI 99-100%; Group 1 100% [98-100%]; Group 2 100% [69-100%] and Group 3 100% [96-100%]). Point of care testing performance was comparable during a period of high (25%) and low (3%) background prevalence. Amplification of the viral nucleocapsid (n1, n2, n3) targets were most sensitive for detection of SARS-CoV2, with the assay able to detect 1×104 viral particles in a single swab. Conclusions The CovidNudge platform offers a sensitive, specific and rapid point of care test for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 without laboratory handling or sample pre-processing. The implementation of such a device could be used to enable rapid decisions for clinical care and testing programs. Evidence before this study The WHO has highlighted the development of rapid, point-of-care diagnostics for detection of SARS-CoV-2 as a key priority to tackle COVID-19. The Foundation for Innovative Diagnostics (FIND) has identified over 90 point-of-care, near patient or mobile tests for viral detection of SARS-CoV-2. However, the most widely available rapid tests to date require some sample handling which limits their use at point-of-care. In addition, pressure on supply chains is restricting access to current diagnostics and alternatives are needed urgently. Added value of this study We describe the development and clinical validation of COVID nudge, a novel point-of-care RT-PCR diagnostic, evaluated during the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic. The platform is able to achieve high analytic sensitivity and specificity from dry swabs within a self-contained cartridge. The lack of downstream sample handling makes it suitable for use in a range of clinical settings, without need for a laboratory or specialized operator. Multiplexed assays within the cartridge allow inclusion of a positive human control, which reduces the false negative testing rate due to insufficient sampling. Implication of the available evidence Point-of-care testing can relieve pressure on centralized laboratories and increase overall testing capacity, complementing existing approaches. These findings support a role for COVID Nudge as part of strategies to improve access to rapid diagnostics to SARS-CoV-2. Since May 2020, the system has been implemented in UK hospitals and is being rolled out nationwide. Competing Interest Statement CT, RS, MS, CI, MK, TH, SDM, FL, JB and AO are employees of DnaNudge. CT is named on the patent for method and apparatus for analyzing biological specimens on the DnaNudge platform (US Patent No: US 10,093,965 B216. LSPM has consulted for bioMerieux (2013 to 2020), DNAelectronics (2015), Dairy Crest (2017 to 2018), Pfizer (2018-2020), and Umovis Lab (2020), received speaker fees from Profile Pharma (2018), received research grants from the National Institute for Health Research (2013 to 2019), Leo Pharma (2016), and CW+ Charity (2018 to 2019), and received educational support from Eumedica (2016 to 2017). NM has received speaker fees from Beyer (2016) and Pfizer (2019) and received educational support from Eumedica (2016) and Baxter (2017). All other authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. Funding Statement The work was supported by the Biomedical Research Centre of Imperial College NHS Trust. M.M.G. is supported in part by the NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre. GC is an NIHR Research Professor and Investigator within the NIHR London In-vitro Diagnostic Collaborative. Part of this work was supported by the National Institute for Health Research Health Protection Research Unit (NIHR HPRU) in Healthcare Associated Infections and Antimicrobial Resistance at Oxford University in partnership with Public Health England (PHE) [grant HPRU-2012-10041] and the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Oxford. The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS, the National Institute for Health Research, the Department of Health or Public Health England

The factors affecting the quality of learning process and outcome in virtual reality environment for safety training in the context of mining industry

The ultimate aim of training is to improve task performance towards expert level. Novices and experts differ in their capability to understand and make sense of sensory information (for example, perception on environmental hazard). Computer-aided training, from online course to immersive simulation such as Virtual Reality (VR) [1]. van Wyk and de Villiers [2] define VR-based training environments as real-time computer simulations of the real world, in which visual realism, object behavior and user interaction are essential elements . The use of VR-based training environments assumes that Human-Machine interaction stimulates learning processes through better experiencing and improved memorization, leading to a more effective transfer of the learning outcomes into workplace environments. However, there are many human factors (internally and externally), which have impact on the quality of the training and learning process which need to be identified and investigated. The present study was conducted with Coal Services Pty Ltd, a pioneering training provider for the coal mining industry in NSW, Australia. The research focussed on 288 rescuers and the specific training programs developed for them. In this article, initially factors affecting the quality of the training and learning process for underground mine rescuers have been identified and then measured by using pre- and post-training questionnaires. We attempted to determine how much of the trainees\u27 perceived learning could be explained by pre-training (9 in total) and post-training (16 in total) factors. The relatively small size of the sample (288 observations for 17 predictors) and the high level of correlation between variables led us to Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Principle Component Analysis (PCA) has been used to investigate the underlying relationship among different variables. This technique results in factor reduction based on hidden relationships. Based on the nature of the pre-training factors mostly contributing to each component we have used the first 3 Components to create 3 new aggregated variables: Positive State of Mind (Component 1), Negative State of Mind (Component 2) and Technology Experience (Component 3). Similarly, based on the nature of the post-training factors mostly contributing to each component we have used the first 3 Components to create 3 new aggregated variables: Positive Learning Experience (Component 1), Negative Learning Experience (Component 2) and Learning Context (Component 3)