Sweet snacks: Children have very different preferences

Some focus primarily on price, others on taste, according to a study by the University of Bonn

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF BONN

 

IMAGE: FROM THE MARKET RESEARCH OF THE AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD INDUSTRY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BONN "JUGGLES" SNACKS IN FRONT OF A SCHOOL. view more 

CREDIT: ASSEMBLY: VOLKER LANNERT/UNIVERSITY OF BONN

Would third- and fourth-graders buy fewer unhealthy snacks if they were more expensive? The answer provided by researchers at the University of Bonn is nuanced: Some elementary school students do actually pay attention to the price. Others, however, have such strong preferences that they are willing to pay a little more for them. A third group, in contrast, does not yet seem to have sufficient cognitive skills to be significantly influenced by prices. The study illustrates above all how differently children behave when it comes to their snack purchases - a finding that should also be of interest to policymakers. The results have now been published in the journal Food Quality and Preference.

Should I go for the chocolate cookies or maybe the apple slices? Even elementary school children are faced with this decision: The purchasing power of six- to twelve-year-olds in Germany is estimated at more than two billion euros. Many of them invest much of their pocket money in ice cream and other sweet treats. But frequently reaching for unhealthy snacks can have long-term consequences: One in seven children in Germany is considered overweight. At the same time, the number of those who develop diabetes or suffer from cardiovascular problems at a young age is increasing.

"In countries like Great Britain, a sugar tax is now levied on sweet drinks," explains Stefanie Landwehr, a doctoral student at the Chair for Agricultural and Food Market Research at the University of Bonn. This measure also seems to be successful with teenagers, as studies suggest. But is this also the case with younger children? And in comparison, what influence do certain brands that are popular in the age group have on the purchase decision?

Cookie, fruit pulp or apple slices?

Landwehr investigated these questions together with Prof. Dr. Monika Hartmann, chair of the department, as well as Prof. Sean B. Cash (Tufts University Boston, USA) and Dr. Ching-Hua Yeh (University of Bonn). The researchers were able to recruit around 120 elementary school students between the ages of seven and ten as test subjects. The young participants were first asked to answer a few questions, such as about their favorite snacks and their knowledge of nutrition. They also completed a simple test on their understanding of quantities. Sample question: If there are 50 children at a children's birthday party, is that a lot or a little? "The results allow conclusions to be drawn about how well children can evaluate numbers," Landwehr explains. "Those who have lower skills in this regard are probably less able to assess prices."

After completing this part, the girls and boys received three euros as a reward. They were then able to buy a snack as part of a simple purchase experiment. The assortment included a chocolate chip cookie (the unhealthiest alternative), a squeeze pack with fruit pulp (slightly healthier), and apple slices (the healthiest choice). The products were offered at three different price levels - 60 cents, one euro or 1.40 euros. In addition, each snack came in two varieties: one from McDonald's, a very well-known brand among children, and a second from an unknown manufacturer.

Now the children were shown photos of two different products at different prices, such as a no-name chocolate cookie for one euro and apple slices from McDonald's for 1.40 euros. The girls and boys could state which product they would buy, but also had the option of choosing neither. The choice was noted on a response card. In total, this experiment was repeated ten times with different snack and price combinations. "So we ended up with ten report cards for each child," explains Prof. Monika Hartmann. These were turned over and shuffled, and the respective child was allowed to draw a card. The choice ticked on it was then implemented: For example, if the card was drawn where the child chose a no-name chocolate cookie for the price of one euro, the child paid and received the cookie.

Cookie fans do not look at the price

Analysis of the data shows that elementary school kids varied widely in their purchase decisions. "In general, they could be divided into three groups," Landwehr says. The cookie lovers who could not be dissuaded from buying their favorite snack even if it was more expensive. The price-sensitive shoppers, who made their decision primarily dependent on the purchase price. And those who did not yet have a clear understanding of cheap or expensive - these were mostly the younger ones. They often tended to choose the fruit pulp; the price did not matter much to them.

Somewhat surprising for the researchers was another result: McDonald's snacks were by no means more popular with the children. On the contrary: On average, they were actually less willing to pay for them than for snacks from unknown manufacturers. "It may be because McDonald's is known more for its burgers and fries and less for apple slices or chocolate cookies," Landwehr speculates. It is quite possible that other brands may well have an effect on children's consumption decisions, she says.

Overall, the study shows that younger children are a very heterogeneous target group: Measures aimed at steering their consumption behavior in a certain direction do not work equally for everyone. "For instance, age and understanding of 'cheap' or 'expensive' plays a significant role in the impact of price signals," Landwehr explains. "However, there are children who have such an understanding but are still unlikely to be influenced by higher prices. In the fight against obesity, it therefore makes sense to rely on a variety of strategies to reach as many girls and boys as possible."

Participating institutions and funding:

In addition to the University of Bonn, Tufts University Boston (USA) was also involved in the study. The work was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).

Publication: Stefanie C. Landwehr, Monika Hartmann, Sean B. Cash, Ching-Hua Yeh: The kids are not all the same - Heterogeneity in children’s snack purchase behavior. Food Quality and Preference, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2023.104906

DOI

10.1016/j.foodqual.2023.104906 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

The kids are not all the same - Heterogeneity in children’s snack purchase behavior.

Scientists use seaweed to create new material that can store heat for reuse

Peer-Reviewed Publication

SWANSEA UNIVERSITY

 

IMAGE: BEADS WHICH CAN STORE HEAT, WHICH WOULD OTHERWISE BE WASTED, FROM VARIOUS SOURCES, INCLUDING INDUSTRIAL OPERATIONS AND THE SUMMER SUN. THE NEW MATERIAL HAS BEEN MADE USING ALGINATE, AN INEXPENSIVE, ABUNDANT AND NON-TOXIC SEAWEED DERIVATIVE. view more 

CREDIT: SPECIFIC, SWANSEA UNIVERSITY

Researchers from the SPECIFIC Innovation and Knowledge Centre and COATED M2A programme at Swansea University have collaborated with the University of Bath to make a groundbreaking advancement in thermal storage research, developing a new efficient material that is easily scalable and can be sized and shaped to fit multiple applications.                                                                    

Published in the Journal of Materials Science, the material has been made using alginate, an inexpensive, abundant, and non-toxic seaweed derivative.

The process starts with the dissolving of sodium alginate in water. Following this, expanded graphite is added, and a method of gelation is chosen:

The first method is achieved by transferring the solution into a mould for freezing. After being kept at - 20°C for over two hours, beads are formed and transferred to a saturated calcium chloride solution.

The second uses a drop-cast technique, with the mixture being dropped into thermochemical calcium salt, causing gelation on contact.

Once sufficient salt diffusion has occurred, the synthesised beads are filtered and dried at 120°C.

Compared to SPECIFIC's previous carrier material, vermiculite, the alginate-based beads from both methods offer a remarkable improvement in heat storage capacity.

The new spherical beads boast increased salt capacity, achieving up to four times greater energy density than the vermiculite carrier. This is facilitated by their efficient packing in a fixed bed that maintains good airflow. As a result, the new material can achieve the same heat energy storage capacity in just a quarter of the volume.

Jack Reynolds, who led the research as part of his doctorate at Swansea University, explains: 

"The ability to recover and store otherwise-wasted heat from various sources, including industrial operations and the summer sun, presents an exciting opportunity in the quest for sustainable and affordable energy resources. Our new heat storage material marks a significant step forward in realising this potential."

Dr Jonathon Elvins, Senior Technology Transfer Fellow and co-author, added: 

"SPECIFIC remains committed to driving innovation in thermal storage technology and actively collaborating with industry partners and researchers worldwide to accelerate the transition towards a greener and more sustainable future.”

"To explore new applications for this latest technology, we are preparing for a trial at Tata Steel UK’s Trostre steelworks to investigate ways of capturing waste heat from industrial processes for use elsewhere."

The research at SPECIFIC Innovation and Knowledge Centre and COATED M2A was funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government, the European Social Fund via the Welsh Government, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), and Tata Steel UK. It was also supported by the Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre.

END

Pictures:

• Researcher Jack Reynolds putting the seaweed-based alginate solution into moulds for freezing into beads
• Close-up of the newly formed alginate beads.
• Jack Reynolds (left) with the alginate solution and Dr Jonathon Elvins (right) with the finished beads

Credit:  SPECIFIC, Swansea University

Jack Reynolds (l) with alginate, which derives from seaweed, with Dr Jonathon Elvins (r) with beads that are produced from the alginate and that can store heat for reuse. Pictured at Swansea University, where they conducted their research.

CREDIT

SPECIFIC, Swansea University

How seaweed can be used to sto [VIDEO] |

Researchers Jack Reynolds and Dr Jonathon Elvins of Swansea University explain the new material they created, based on seaweed, which can store heat that would otherwise be wasted.

Read the paper in full: Development and characterisation of an alginate and expanded graphite based composite for thermochemical heat storage.

 

When reporting this story, please use Swansea University hyperlinks.

Founded in 1920, Swansea University is a research-led, dual campus university located along Swansea Bay in south Wales, UK. Its stunning beachfront campuses and friendly welcome make Swansea University a desirable destination for more than 22,000 students from across the globe. There are three academic faculties, delivering around 450 undergraduate and 350 postgraduate degree programmes.

 

Swansea is a UK top 30 institution, ranked 26th in the 2023 Guardian University Guide. In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework, 86% of Swansea University’s overall research and 91% of its research environment were classed as world-leading and internationally excellent, with 86% of its research impact rated outstanding and very considerable.

 

Swansea University is a registered charity. No. 1138342.  

 

For more information:

Kevin Sullivan, senior press officer, Swansea University k.g.sullivan@swansea.ac.uk;

01792 295050

 

   Follow us on Twitter:  www.twitter.com/SwanseaUni

   Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/swanseauniversity

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JOURNAL

Journal of Materials Science

DOI

10.1007/s10853-023-08370-1 

Worm genetics reveal important pathways for sleep regulation

Using an unbiased genetic approach in worms, researchers from the University of Tsukuba find that tissues in the body regulate sleep via pathways that are important for making and disposing of proteins

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF TSUKUBA

Tsukuba, Japan—Although the regulation of sleep—how much, when, and how sleep occurs—is mainly considered to be controlled by the brain, sleep deprivation also affects the body, and signals from the body can affect sleep. However, the ways in which the body regulates sleep are largely unknown. In a recent study published in Cell Reports, Japanese researchers have revealed that sleep in worms is regulated by the body via cellular pathways that maintain proper protein function, from synthesis to degradation.

When exploring the body's regulation of sleep, it can be difficult to know where to start. The researchers from the University of Tsukuba chose to use an unbiased investigative technique known as forward genetic screening. To do this, they first applied a chemical to cause random mutations in about 500 worms, and then used a video-based monitoring system to identify the worms that slept much more or less than average. When they identified such worms, they looked at what mutations they had, how the mutations affected the sleep.

"Using this method, we were able to identify that mutations in the sel-1 and sel-11 genes were associated with longer sleep duration," says senior author of the study Professor Yu Hayashi. "Both genes code for proteins that are part of the endoplasmic-reticulum-associated protein degradation pathway, which helps cells to get rid of proteins that are misfolded."

The researchers also found that mutations in mars-1, which is important for protein synthesis, were associated with prolonged sleep in the worms. Moreover, although sel-1, sel-11, and mars-1 were expressed in a wide range of tissues, when the researchers made the worms express normal versions of some of these genes in skin cells led to normal sleep patterns. These results indicated that protein-regulating pathways in the body are indeed important for controlling sleep.

"We were also able to identify some downstream pathways that are involved in sleep regulation by modifying the expression of proteins in the worms," says Professor Hayashi. "Furthermore, when we tested our results from worms in mice, we found that these pathways also seem to regulate sleep in mammals."

Sleep disturbances are widely considered to influence inflammation and immunity, and may contribute to diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and arthritis. A better understanding of how sleep is regulated is thus key to disease prevention. The results of this study add to a growing body of literature on sleep regulation and are hoped to improve sleep disturbance therapies in the near future that may prevent inflammatory diseases such as arthritis.

###
This work was supported by AMED under grant numbers JP19gm1110008, JP21wm0425018, and JP21zf0175005; CREST, JST under grant number JPMJCR1655, JSPS KAKENHI under grant numbers JP21H00414 and JP2121H04961; the Astellas Foundation for Research on Metabolic Disorders; the Asahi Glass Foundation (to Y.H.)
 

Original Paper

Title of original paper:
ER proteostasis regulators cell-non-autonomously control sleep

Journal:
Cell Reports

DOI:
10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112267

Correspondence

Visiting Professor HAYASHI, Yu
International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba
Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo

Related Link

International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS)

---

JOURNAL

Cell Reports

DOI

10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112267 

ARTICLE TITLE

ER proteostasis regulators cell-non-autonomously control sleep

Intentional defects make for better reactions, researchers report

Peer-Reviewed Publication

TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY PRESS

 

IMAGE: RESEARCHERS AFFILIATED WITH THE BEIJING INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY RATIONALLY DESIGNED AN ELECTROCATALYST WITH BOTH AMORPHOUS AND CRYSTALLINE PHASES, AS WELL AS ABUNDANT DEFECTS, TO MORE EFFICIENTLY SPLIT WATER AND PRODUCE CLEAN-BURNING HYDROGEN GAS. view more 

CREDIT: NANO RESEARCH ENERGY, TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY PRESS

A defect is not always a bad thing. In fact, when it comes to improving the electrocatalysis process that produces clean-burning hydrogen gas, it may be a very good thing. Researchers based in China engineered an electrocatalyst — which speeds up a desired reaction — with both amorphous and crystalline architectures that contains defects in the atomic structure. The defects enable the electrocatalyst to trigger “superior” reaction activity, the team reported.

 

They published their results on May 15th in Nano Research Energy.

 

“Hydrogen generation from water electrolysis — or using electric current to split water to separate hydrogen from oxygen — driven by renewable energy is a promising technology in mitigating and solving the crisis of energy and environment,” said Cuiling Li, a professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry who is also affiliated with the Beijing Institute of Technology and the Binzhou Institute of Technology.

 

Oxygen evolution reaction is the anodic reaction of water electrolysis, in which direct current causes a chemical reaction that splits the oxygen molecules from the water molecules. However, Li called this reaction “a sluggish process,” and it limits water electrolysis as a sustainable mechanism to produce hydrogen gas. According to Li, the oxygen evolution reaction is slow because it requires a lot of power to trigger how the molecules transfer their constituents, but it could be sped up with less power if integrated with more efficient catalysts.

 

“Exploiting efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction is paramount to the development of electrochemical devices for clean energy conversion,” Li said.

 

The researchers turned to ruthenium oxide, a lower cost catalyst that adheres less to reactants and intermediates than other catalysts.

 

“Ruthenium oxide-based nanomaterials with better oxygen evolution reaction performance in comparison to commercial products have been reported, while more sophisticated electrocatalyst design strategies to evoke more efficient catalytic performance are urgently required and largely unexplored,” Li said.  

 

To fill this gap, the researchers synthesized ruthenium oxide porous particles. They then treated the particles to produce rationally regulated heterophases, meaning the particles contain different architectures integrated together. The porous and heterophase structure provides the defects — essentially nicks in the atomic structure — which enable more active sites for the oxygen evolution reaction to proceed with more efficiency, according to Li.

 

“Benefitting from the abundant defects, crystal boundaries and active site accessibility of the resultant samples, superior oxygen evolution reaction performance was demonstrated,” Li said, explaining that the engineered electrocatalysts not only produces a better oxygen evolution reaction, but it also does with less electricity powering the process. “This study demonstrates the importance of phase engineering and provides a new pathway for the design and synthesis of strategies-combined catalysts.”

 

Other contributors are Chengming Wang, Qinghong Geng, Longlong Fan, Jun-Xuan Li and Lian Ma, all with the Key Laboratory of Cluster Science, Ministry of Education, Beijing Key Laboratory of Photoelectronic/Electrophonic Conversion Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology.

 

The Beijing Institute of Technology’s Analysis and Testing Center provided technical support for this research.

 

##

 

About Nano Research Energy 

 

Nano Research Energy is launched by Tsinghua University Press, aiming at being an international, open-access and interdisciplinary journal. We will publish research on cutting-edge advanced nanomaterials and nanotechnology for energy. It is dedicated to exploring various aspects of energy-related research that utilizes nanomaterials and nanotechnology, including but not limited to energy generation, conversion, storage, conservation, clean energy, etc. Nano Research Energy will publish four types of manuscripts, that is, Communications, Research Articles, Reviews, and Perspectives in an open-access form.

 

About SciOpen 

 

SciOpen is a professional open access resource for discovery of scientific and technical content published by the Tsinghua University Press and its publishing partners, providing the scholarly publishing community with innovative technology and market-leading capabilities. SciOpen provides end-to-end services across manuscript submission, peer review, content hosting, analytics, and identity management and expert advice to ensure each journal’s development by offering a range of options across all functions as Journal Layout, Production Services, Editorial Services, Marketing and Promotions, Online Functionality, etc. By digitalizing the publishing process, SciOpen widens the reach, deepens the impact, and accelerates the exchange of ideas.

 

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JOURNAL

Nano Research Energy

DOI

10.26599/NRE.2023.9120070 

ARTICLE TITLE

Phase engineering oriented defect-rich amorphous/crystalline RuO2 nanoporous particles for boosting oxygen evolution reaction in acid media

More complex than expected: Catalysis under the microscope

At TU Wien (Vienna, scientists use microscopy techniques to observe chemical reactions on catalysts more precisely than before yielding a wealth of detail. This made clear why some effects cannot be predicted.

Peer-Reviewed Publication

VIENNA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

 

IMAGE: CATALYSIS UNDER THE MICROSCOPE view more 

CREDIT: TU WIEN

Catalysts composed from tiny metal particles play an important role in many areas of technology – from fuel cells to production of synthetic fuels for energy storage. The exact behavior of catalysts depends, however, on many fine details and their interplay is often difficult to understand. Even when preparing exactly the same catalyst twice, it often occurs that these two will differ in minute aspects and therefore behave very different chemically.

At TU Wien, scientists try to identify reasons for such effects by imaging the catalytic reactions taking place on various locations on these catalysts, applying several different microscopy techniques. Such an approach yields a reliable, microscopically correct understanding of the catalytic processes.

In doing so, it appeared that even relatively “simple” catalytic systems were more complex than expected. For example, it is not only the size of the employed metal particles or the chemical nature of the support material that define the catalytic properties. Even within a single metal particle, different scenarios can prevail on the micrometer scale. In combination with numeric simulations, the behavior of different catalysts could then be explained and correctly predicted.

Not all particles are the same

“We investigate the combustion of the possible future energy carrier hydrogen with oxygen, forming pure water, by using rhodium particles as catalysts”, explains Prof. Günther Rupprechter from the Institute of Materials Chemistry at TU Wien. Various parameters play an important role in this process: How big are the individual rhodium particles? Which support material do they bind to? At which temperature and which reactant pressures does the reaction take place?

“The catalyst is made from supported rhodium particles, but it does not behave like a uniform object which can be described by a few simple parameters, as often tried in the past”, highlights Günther Rupprechter. “It soon became clear, that the catalytic behavior strongly varies at different catalyst locations. A given area on a given rhodium particle may be catalytically active, whereas another one, just micrometers away, maybe catalytically inactive. And a few minutes later, the situation may even have reversed.”

Nine catalysts at one sweep

For the experiments, the first author of the study, which was published in the prestigious journal ACS Catalysis, Dr. Philipp Winkler, prepared a stunning catalyst sample, comprising nine different catalysts with differently sized metal particles and varying support materials. In a dedicated apparatus, all catalysts could therefore be observed and compared simultaneously in a single experiment.

“With our microscopes, we can determine if the catalyst is catalytically active, it´s chemical composition and electronic properties – and this for each and every individual spot on the sample”, says Philipp Winkler. “In contrast, traditional methods usually just measure an average value for the entire sample. However, as we have demonstrated, this is often by far not sufficient.”

Even more complex than anticipated

Chemical analysis on the microscopic scale has shown that the catalyst composition can vary locally even more than expected: Even within the individual metal particles strong differences were observed. “Atoms of the support material can migrate onto or in the particles, or even form surface alloys”, states Günther Rupprechter. “At some point, there is even no clear boundary anymore, but rather a continuous transition between catalyst particle and support material. It is crucial to consider this fact – because it also affects the chemical activity.”

In a next step, the team at TU Wien will apply the gained insights and the successful methods to tackle even more complex catalytic processes, in their continuing mission to explain processes on a microscopic scale, to contribute to the development of improved catalysts, and to search for new catalysts.

 

---

JOURNAL

ACS Catalysis

DOI

10.1021/acscatal.3c00060 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Imaging Interface and Particle Size Effects by In Situ Correlative Microscopy of a Catalytic Reaction

Leading plant science journal publishes a special issue on key discoveries in plant pathology

Peer-Reviewed Publication

AMERICAN PHYTOPATHOLOGICAL SOCIETY

 

IMAGE: JOURNAL COVER OF THE KEY DISCOVERIES ISSUE OF PHYTOPATHOLOGY, FEATURING HAIRY ROOT FORMATION FROM WOUND SITES ON THE STEM OF A KALANCHOE DAIGREMONTIANA PLANT AFTER INFECTION BY AGROBACTERIUM RHIZOGENES STRAIN LBA9402 (HOOYKAAS). PHOTO CREDIT: PAUL AND MARJOLEIN HOOYKAAS view more 

CREDIT: THE AMERICAN PHYTOPATHOLOGICAL SOCIETY; PAUL AND MARJOLEIN HOOYKAAS

In just 7 years, the Irish Potato Famine caused approximately one million people to starve to death and forced another estimated million to flee Ireland as refugees. A mold called Phytophthora infestans infected Ireland’s potato crop, a staple food, and spread rapidly throughout the island. The seemingly tiny fungus destroyed roughly 75% of potato crops over the duration of the great hunger. This catastrophic famine, along with several others in various parts of the world throughout history, highlighted the critical need for the study of plant diseases.

Decades of groundbreaking discoveries about plant diseases ensued in the following century. Building from these discoveries, plant pathology continues to play a vital role in safeguarding plant health, food security, and food safety worldwide. The flagship journal of the American Phytopathological Society, Phytopathology, recently published a special issue—the first of a new series—examining how several key discoveries in plant pathology during the past 50 years have impacted the life sciences and plant disease management. This issue contains articles by top experts in various scientific fields, who review the discovery process, recent progress, and impact of these discoveries, while pointing out future directions for new discoveries in fundamental and applied plant pathology.

The key discoveries discussed in the first installment of this journal series include the Agrobacterium Ti plasmid and its mechanism in T-DNA transfer; bacterial ice nucleation; cloning of resistance genes; discovery of viroids; effectors and their mechanisms; pattern-triggered immunity and effector-triggered immunity; RNA interference and gene silencing; structure and function of R genes; transcription activator-like effectors; type-III secretion system and hrp/hrc; the deployment and management of host resistance genes; the application of disease models and forecasting systems; the introduction of modern systemic fungicides and host resistance inducers, along with a better understanding of fungicide resistance mechanisms and management; and the utilization of biological controls and suppressive soils, including the implementation of methyl-bromide alternatives.

These articles, both retrospective and forward-thinking, can significantly benefit researchers and students in plant pathology (plus related fields) and applied plant disease managers. Additionally, the Key Discoveries in Plant Pathology series will continue to benefit these individuals as new issues addressing other topics are published. Phytopathology Editor-in-Chief Nian Wang and past Editor-in-Chief Harald Scherm remark, “The special issue includes many key discoveries in plant pathology with tremendous importance. To allow coverage of important discoveries that were not reviewed due to space and time limitations in the present issue, the Key Discoveries series will continue as special issues or as individual articles. Colleagues are encouraged to submit review articles on key discoveries in plant pathology in the past 50 years.” In addition, the journal series will feature articles on the impact of advances in fields such as climate science, remote sensing, artificial intelligence, imaging technology, and synthetic biology on the discipline of plant pathology.

The aim of this issue and further issues is to explore how plant pathology has helped, and continues to help, protect plant and environmental health in the face of population growth and climate change.

 

For additional information, read “Key Discoveries in Plant Pathology”—Vol. 113, No. 4 / April 2023 of Phytopathology.
 

Follow us on Twitter @PhytopathologyJ and visit https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/journal/phyto to learn more.

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JOURNAL

Phytopathology

DOI

10.1094/PHYTO-02-23-0070-KD 

Taylor & Francis marks 1,500 Open Access Books milestone with essential read on technology and sustainable development

Business Announcement

TAYLOR & FRANCIS GROUP

Marking a milestone in its role as a leading open access (OA) book publisher, Taylor & Francis has announced Technology and Sustainable Development: The Promise and Pitfalls of Techno-Solutionism as its 1,500th OA book.

Reflecting the crucial role for open access in making relevant research available to readers outside of academia, Technology and Sustainable Development focuses on many of the practical challenges facing our governments and societies today.

The potential of technology to both solve and exacerbate pressing global issues, including gender inequality, the climate crisis, mistreatment of minorities, and the unequal distribution of power, is addressed by a range of experts in the book edited by Henrik Skaug Sætra.

The book explores the implications of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence, social media and big data, as well as considering the need for greater social and political control of such developments.

James Watson, Open Access Books Lead at Taylor & Francis, said: “Our 1,500th OA book, which has human-centered science at its heart, demonstrates why open access publishing is so important. At a time of unprecedented technological change, Technology and Sustainable Development is a vital resource not just for researchers with access to university libraries but also for policymakers, politicians and all those tackling the social, economic and environmental challenges faced by our societies”.

Taylor & Francis marks 10 years of open access book publishing in 2023. With over 1,500 fully OA titles in its portfolio, combined with thousands of individual open chapters, Taylor & Francis is one of the leading open access book publishers. Its OA books program enables authors and their funders to publish open access single- or co-authored books, edited collections and individual chapters. Upon publication, OA content is made available in digital format to read and download freely under a Creative Commons license.

Technology and Sustainable Development is available for everyone to read and download for free from Taylor & Francis eBooks. Open access funding support for the book was provided by Østfold University College.

Explore the full range of Taylor & Francis open access books and chapters.

Introducing Environmental Research: Food Systems – IOP Publishing’s new OA journal dedicated to achieving sustainable global food solutions

Business Announcement

IOP PUBLISHING

 

IMAGE: ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH: FOOD SYSTEMS LOGO view more 

CREDIT: IOP PUBLISHING

IOP Publishing (IOPP) is expanding its open access (OA) Environmental Research portfolio to address the urgent need for sustainable food solutions globally. Environmental Research: Food Systems, which supports the United Nation’s Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs), is an interdisciplinary forum for researchers working to achieve sustainable global food security.

Scientific innovations are key to transforming the global food system. Efficient and effective food supply enables the world to achieve progress on all 17 of the SDGs, from eliminating poverty and hunger through to lowering emissions of climate-warming gases. According to recent stats from market insights provider, The Lens, research outputs related to food systems have increased by more than 200% and citations have more than doubled in the last 10 years.  

Nathan Mueller, newly appointed Editor in Chief of Environmental Research: Food Systems and Assistant Professor at Colorado State University, says: “The health and well-being of people and the planet requires environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable food systems. As the world faces a changing climate, a growing population, and widespread food insecurity, the need for innovative transdisciplinary food systems research is greater than ever. From production to consumption and local to global, Environmental Research: Food Systems is a home for rigorous, open access science that can promote innovation, inform policy and practice, and foster transformative change for a sustainable and secure future.”   

Dr Tim Smith, Head of Portfolio Development at IOP Publishing says: “Science plays a crucial role in addressing the cracks in the global food system. Environmental Research: Food Systems has been launched to meet the need for an open access research platform that addresses the future risks, security and adaption of our food systems worldwide at a time when the need for sustainable food solutions has never been more pressing.”  

IOP Publishing will waive all OA article publication charges for articles submitted to the journal before 2025. In the spirit of transparency and reproducibility, authors publishing in the journal are encouraged to share data and code where appropriate for the benefit of the research community. Authors also have the option to submit their papers for double anonymous and transparent peer review. 

Environmental Research: Food Systems is the latest addition to IOPP’s expanding Environmental Research Series which is now made up of eight OA journals.