Search Results (202)

The development of algal bioplastics offers a promising pathway toward sustainable materials that can mitigate reliance on fossil fuel-derived plastics. This article reviews recent advances in algal cultivation, strain optimization, biopolymer extraction, and processing technologies, alongside techno-economic and life cycle assessments. Special emphasis is placed on integrated biorefinery models, innovative processing techniques, and the role of government–industry–academia partnerships in accelerating commercialization. The analysis incorporates both demonstrated algal systems and theoretical applications derived from established microbial processes, reflecting the emerging nature of this field. The environmental advantages, market readiness, and scalability challenges of algal bioplastics are critically evaluated, with reference to peer-reviewed studies and industrial pilot projects. The analysis underscores that while technical feasibility has been demonstrated, economic viability and large-scale adoption depend on optimizing yield, reducing production costs, and fostering collaborative frameworks. Future research priorities include enhancing strain performance via AI-enabled screening, expanding product valorization streams, and aligning regulatory standards to support global market integration. Full article

The article evaluates the relationships between the individual actors of the Quintuple Helix model and sustainability across EU countries. The model is based on the idea that innovation arises from the collaboration of five key subsystems: government, industry (economy), academia, civil society, and natural capital. Various studies have been conducted to assess the development of the EU’s sustainability goals based on the Triple Helix approach from different perspectives and from the view of the Quintuple Helix. However, we see a gap in the research in that key aspects of the success of these models in the EU have not been examined in terms of their mutual relationships. Therefore, this paper focuses on examining Quintuple Helix systems in the EU, eco-innovation, and sustainability using cluster and correlation analysis. Based on the results, we can infer that Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Austria, and Luxembourg are among the leading EU countries in applying the Quintuple Helix model and promoting sustainability through collaborative innovation processes. The most significant contributions to sustainability within this model come primarily from ecological innovations, intellectual capital, and governance. Full article

Additive manufacturing (AM), or 3D printing, is increasingly recognised as a disruptive production technology with the capacity to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across manufacturing and transportation sectors. By enabling material efficiency, lightweighting, part consolidation, and decentralised, on-demand production, AM offers pathways to lower embodied energy, minimise waste, and shorten supply chains. This review critically evaluates AM’s role in decarbonisation, with a focus on clean transportation applications, including electric vehicles, fuel cells, and hydrogen storage systems. Case studies quantify energy savings, operational efficiency gains, and life-cycle GHG reductions compared to conventional manufacturing routes. The analysis also addresses technical and economic limitations—such as material availability, scalability, certification, and cost competitiveness—and explores synergies with circular economy principles, digital design optimisation, and artificial intelligence. Policy recommendations and industry–academia collaboration models are proposed to accelerate AM adoption, integrate renewable energy sources, and strengthen recycling infrastructure. By synthesising technical, economic, and policy perspectives, the study positions AM as a critical enabler of net-zero manufacturing and a catalyst for sustainable industrial transformation. Full article

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is reshaping higher education by enabling personalized learning (PL) and enhancing teaching and learning practices. To examine global research trends, pedagogical paradigms, equity and sustainability considerations, instructional strategies, learning outcomes, and interdisciplinary collaboration, this study systematically reviewed 29 articles indexed in the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) Q1, representing the top 25% of cited articles, published between January 2020 and December 2024 in the Web of Science database. Results indicate that AI-PL research is concentrated in Asia, particularly China, and predominantly situated within education and computer science. Quantitative designs prevail, often complemented by qualitative insights, with supervised machine learning as the most common algorithm. While constructivist principles implicitly guide most studies, explicit theoretical grounding improves AI-pedagogy alignment and educational outcomes. AI demonstrates potential to enhance instructional approaches such as PBL, STEAM, gamification, and UDL, and to foster higher-order skills, yet uncritical use may undermine learner autonomy. Systematic attention to equity and SDG-related objectives remains limited. Emerging interdisciplinary collaborations show promise but are not yet fully institutionalized, constraining integrative system design. These findings underscore the need for stronger theoretical framing, alignment of AI with pedagogical and societal imperatives, and professional development to enhance educators’ AI literacy. Coordinated efforts among academia, industry, and policymakers are essential to develop scalable, context-sensitive AI solutions that advance inclusive, adaptive, and transformative higher education. Full article

Wood modification using biopolymers has emerged as a sustainable alternative to conventional chemical treatments, enhancing wood’s durability, moisture resistance, and mechanical properties while reducing environmental impact. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in biopolymer-based wood modification, focusing on commonly used biopolymers such as furfuryl alcohol, polylactic acid, caprolactone, polybutylene adipate terephthalate, polybutylene succinate, zein, lignin, tannin, chitosan, alginate, gums, fatty acids, rosin, and sorbitol + citric acid. Future perspectives highlight the need for interdisciplinary collaboration between academia, research institutions, and industry to accelerate innovation and commercialization. This review aims to provide valuable insights for researchers and industry professionals working toward the development of high-performance, eco-friendly modified wood products. Full article

Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems play a critical role in industrial processes by providing real-time monitoring and control of equipment across large-scale, distributed operations. In the context of cyber security, Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs) help protect SCADA systems by monitoring for unauthorized access, malicious activity, and policy violations, providing a layer of defense against potential intrusions. Given the critical role of SCADA systems and the increasing cyber risks, this paper highlights the importance of transitioning from traditional signature-based IDS to advanced AI-driven methods. Particularly, this study tackles the issue of intrusion detection in SCADA systems, which are critical yet vulnerable parts of industrial control systems. Traditional Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs) often fall short in SCADA environments due to data scarcity, class imbalance, and the need for specialized anomaly detection suited to industrial protocols like DNP3. By integrating GANs, this study mitigates these limitations by generating synthetic data, enhancing classification accuracy and robustness in detecting cyber threats targeting SCADA systems. Remarkably, the proposed GAN-based IDS achieves an outstanding accuracy of 99.136%, paired with impressive detection speed, meeting the crucial need for real-time threat identification in industrial contexts. Beyond these empirical advancements, this paper suggests future exploration of explainable AI techniques to improve the interpretability of IDS models tailored to SCADA environments. Additionally, it encourages collaboration between academia and industry to develop extensive datasets that accurately reflect SCADA network traffic. Full article

Feeding a growing population under the pressures of climate change requires solutions that safeguard yields while strengthening agricultural resilience. Integrated Crop Management (ICM)—which combines precise fertilization, efficient water use, and targeted pest control—offers a promising framework. Hydrogels, with their water retention and controlled release properties, can enhance ICM by improving fertilizer efficiency, reducing water loss, and supporting soil health. Despite extensive research, their optimal use in agriculture remains unclear, and limitations continue to restrict large-scale adoption. To address this gap, this study applies the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology alongside bibliometric analysis to examine hydrogel applications in ICM from 2000 to 2024. Ninety Scopus-indexed publications were analyzed across four domains: pesticides, nutritional growth inputs, soil conditioners, and bioactive substances. The results reveal a marked increase in hydrogel structural complexity, greater diversity in characterization methods, ongoing reliance on high-impact pesticides despite advances in bio-based hydrogels, and persistent gaps in assessing environmental impacts and regulatory compliance. These findings underscore the need for stronger collaboration between academia and industry to translate hydrogel research into effective, sustainable agricultural practices under changing climatic conditions. Full article

Objectives: Despite the importance of food environments in shaping dietary behaviors and diet-related noncommunicable diseases, no standardized and validated method has been used to assess this policy domain in China. This study aimed to benchmark China’s food retail policies against international benchmarking to identify implementation gaps and propose evidence-based strategies for improving food environments. Methods: Using the standardized and validated Healthy Food Environment Policy Index (Food-EPI), we assessed four food retail indicators: restrictive zoning for fast-food outlets (RETAIL 1), healthy food accessibility (RETAIL 2), institutional support systems (RETAIL 3), and food service promotion (RETAIL 4). A multidisciplinary expert panel (n = 13) from academia, public health, and industry conducted structured assessments using a standardized scoring tool (1–5). Scores were converted to implementation percentages and categorized into four levels. Descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, and mean ± SD) were summarized. Results: Sixteen food retail policies were analyzed, with 62.5% (n = 10) of provincial policies focusing on fast-food zoning and healthy food access, and 37.5% (n = 6) of national policies targeting government support and healthy food promotion. Regulations comprised 55% (n = 11), mainly addressing zoning and access, while guidelines accounted for 45% (n = 9), primarily promotional. Overall, the food retail domain was rated as low level (2.3 ± 1.1, 45.8% implementation). Among the four indicators, healthy food access in outlets (2.6 ± 1.3, 52.4%) and promotion of healthy food in services (2.5 ± 1.0, 50.8%) were at medium implementation levels. In contrast, local fast-food zoning restrictions (1.7 ± 0.6, 33.8%) and government support for healthy food (2.3 ± 1.1, 46.2%) remained at low levels. Conclusions: China’s food retail policies showed inconsistent implementation levels, with strong provincial execution in accessibility and promotion but weak national coordination in zoning and support systems. To align with the WHO and China’s goals, priorities are unified national frameworks, enforceable standards, equity-focused monitoring, and strengthened multi-sector collaboration. Full article

Large language models (LLMs) have demonstrated impressive capabilities, yet they face significant limitations in real-world applications. To overcome these boundaries, research areas such as tool learning, model collaboration, agents, and multi-agent systems have increasingly drawn attention. However, current studies are often conducted in isolation, lacking a unified framework for systematic integration, which hinders the synergy among closely related research efforts. To address this gap, this study, for the first time, brings together tool learning, model collaboration, and agent-related fields under a unified framework based on the concepts of the “Big Loop” and “Atomization”. In this framework, atomic components refer to fundamental units such as models, tools, and agents. The Big Loop is formed through interactions among these atomic components to achieve end-to-end task completion—for example, tool calling requires the integration of agent modules, tool retrieval models, and tools themselves; multi-agent systems require coordination among multiple agent units. This review first clarifies the foundational concepts of the Big Loop and Atomization and elaborates on the advantages of the Big Loop compared to a single LLM. It then systematically introduces the construction of atomic components, the scheduling of these components within the Big Loop, and the optimization of the overall system. The paper also discusses existing challenges and outlines future research directions. This work aims to offer a systematic perspective for both academia and industry, and to chart a course for exploration in this emerging and highly promising field of Big Loop and Atomization. Full article

Against the background of the unprecedented advancements related to Industry 4.0 and beyond, transitioning from classical mathematical models to fully embodied digital twins represents a critical change in the planning, monitoring, and optimization of complex industrial systems. This work outlines the subject within the broader field of applied mathematics and computational simulation while highlighting the critical role of sound mathematical foundations, numerical methodologies, and advanced computational tools in creating data-informed virtual models of physical infrastructures and processes in real time. The discussion includes examples related to smart manufacturing, additive manufacturing technologies, and cyber–physical systems with a focus on the potential for collaboration between physics-informed simulations, data unification, and hybrid machine learning approaches. Central issues including a lack of scalability, measuring uncertainties, interoperability challenges, and ethical concerns are discussed along with rising opportunities for multi/macrodisciplinary research and innovation. This work argues in favor of the continued integration of advanced mathematical approaches with state-of-the-art technologies including artificial intelligence, edge computing, and fifth-generation communication networks with a focus on deploying self-regulating autonomous digital twins. Finally, defeating these challenges via effective collaboration between academia and industry will provide unprecedented society- and economy-wide benefits leading to resilient, optimized, and intelligent systems that mark the future of critical industries and services. Full article

The North American Thermal Analysis Society (NATAS) is pleased to announce its 51st Annual Conference, held jointly with the IX International Baekeland Symposium. This premier event unites scientists, practitioners, and students from academia, industry, and government to explore the forefront of materials science. The NATAS conference provides a dynamic forum for attendees to delve into the latest advancements in thermal analysis, rheology, and materials characterization. The technical program will highlight new developments in instrumentation and software, alongside practical applications across a wide range of industries. Concurrently, the Baekeland Symposium will showcase cutting-edge scientific, technical, and industrial innovations in the field of high-performance thermosetting polymers. The synergy of this joint meeting creates a unique platform for cross-disciplinary collaboration, fostering the exchange of novel ideas and sparking new research opportunities. Featuring technical presentations, poster sessions, and plenary lectures from renowned experts and emerging graduate students, the conference offers an ideal environment for networking and professional development. We invite you to join us to discover state-of-the-art techniques, discuss groundbreaking research, and connect with peers and leaders in the thermal and materials community. Full article

Background: Between 2014 and 2024, Poland underwent a significant digital transformation in its healthcare sector, evolving from isolated initiatives to a cohesive national eHealth ecosystem. This review examines the development, clinical significance, and research trends in telemedicine in Poland, providing comparative insights from 1995 to 2015 and assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A narrative review was conducted using the PubMed, Scopus, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases to identify peer-reviewed articles published between January 2014 and December 2024. A total of 1012 records were identified, and 212 articles were included after applying predefined inclusion criteria. These articles were categorized by medical specialty, study type, COVID-19 relevance, and clinical versus nonclinical focus. Gray literature and policy reports were examined only to provide a context for the findings. Results: Ninety-six publications were included in the clinical studies. The most common specialties are cardiology, psychiatry, geriatrics, general practice, and rehabilitation. In earlier years, survey-based and observational designs were predominant, whereas later years saw an increase in interventional trials and studies enabled by Artificial Intelligence (AI). The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on research activity, accelerating the adoption of digital technologies in previously underrepresented fields, such as pulmonology and palliative care, as well as in the routine use of modern Internet communication technologies for daily patient–doctor interactions. Discussion: Advancements in digital health (including eHealth and telemedicine) in Poland have been driven by policy reforms, technological advancements, and epidemiological events, such as COVID-19. Various fields have evolved from feasibility studies to clinical trials, and emerging specialties have focused on user experience and implementation. However, the adoption of AI and its interoperability remains underdeveloped, primarily because of regulatory and reimbursement challenges. Conclusions: Poland has made significant strides in institutionalizing digital health; however, ongoing innovation necessitates regulatory alignment, strategic funding, and enhanced collaboration between academia and industry. As the country aligns with the European Union (EU) initiatives, such as the European Health Data Space, it has the potential to lead to regional integration in digital health. Full article

The increasing interest shared by academia and industry in the development of RISC-V cores, extensions and accelerators becomes fructified by collaborative efforts, like the EU’s ChipsJU, which leverages the design of building blocks, IPs and cores based on RISC-V architecture. A domain capable of benefiting from the RISC-V extensibility is the control of external DACs and ADCs. The proposed solution is an open-source RISC-V extension for optimized control of external DACs and ADCs called RiscADA. The extension supports a parametrizable number of DACs and ADCs, is integrated as a coprocessor beside CVA6 in a SoC by using the CV-X-IF interface, deployed on a Kintex UltraScale+ FPGA and implements ISA extension instructions. After benchmarks with commercial solutions, the results show that CVA6 using RiscADA extension configures external DACs 38.6× and 10.9× times faster than MicroBlaze V and simple CVA6, both using AXI SPI peripherals. The proposed extension achieves 5.35× and 3.05× times higher sample rates of external ADCs than the two configurations mentioned above. RiscADA extension performs digital signal conditioning 4.52× and 3.1× times faster than the MicroBlaze V and CVA6, both using AXI SPI peripherals. It computes statistics for external ADC readings (minimum, maximum, simple-moving average and over-threshold duration). Full article

Maintaining well integrity is essential in the oil and gas industry to prevent environmental hazards, operational risks, and economic losses. Cement bond log (CBL) tools are essential in evaluating cement bonding and ensuring wellbore stability. This study presents a patent landscape review of CBL technologies, based on 3473 patent documents from the Lens.org database. After eliminating duplicates and irrelevant entries, 167 granted patents were selected for in-depth analysis. These were categorized by technology type (wave, electrical, radiation, neutron, and other tools) and by material focus (formation, casing, cement, and borehole fluid). The findings reveal a dominant focus on formation evaluation (59.9%) and a growing reliance on wave-based (22.2%) and other advanced tools (25.1%), indicating a shift toward high-precision diagnostics. Geographically, 75% of granted patents were filed through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and 97.6% were held by companies, underscoring the dominance of corporate innovation and the minimal presence of academia and individuals. The review also identifies notable patents that reflect significant technical innovations and discusses their role in advancing diagnostic capabilities. These insights emphasize the need for broader collaboration and targeted research to advance well integrity technologies in line with industry goals for operational performance and safety. Full article

This study, based on engineering education accreditation standards, addresses the supply–demand imbalance in China’s cybersecurity talent cultivation by constructing a sustainable “education-industry-society” collaborative model. Through case studies at Huaihua University and other institutions, employing methods such as literature analysis, field research, and empirical investigation, we systematically explore reform pathways for an innovative cybersecurity talent development system. The research proposes a “three-platform, four-module” practical teaching framework, where the coordinated operation of the basic skills training platform, comprehensive ability development platform, and innovation enhancement platform significantly improves students’ engineering competencies (practical courses account for 41.6% of the curriculum). Findings demonstrate that eight industry-academia practice bases established through deep collaboration effectively align teaching content with industry needs, substantially enhancing students’ innovative and practical abilities (172 national awards, 649 provincial awards). Additionally, the multi-dimensional evaluation mechanism developed in this study enables a comprehensive assessment of students’ professional skills, practical capabilities, and innovative thinking. These reforms have increased the employment rate of cybersecurity graduates to over 90%, providing a replicable solution to China’s talent shortage. The research outcomes offer valuable insights for discipline development under engineering education accreditation and contribute to implementing sustainable development concepts in higher education. Full article