AI shows how field crops develop

Tool developed at the University of Bonn should enable yield forecasts, among other things, in the future

UNIVERSITY OF BONN

 

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OF VARIOUS GROWTH STAGES (LEFT). IT CAN THEN, BASED ON A SINGLE INITIAL PHOTO OF ANOTHER FIELD, MODEL HOW THE CROP WILL DEVELOP (CENTER; THE IMAGES SHOW HOW THE VARIATION OF CERTAIN CROP PARAMETERS AFFECTS GROWTH).

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CREDIT: FIGURE: LUKAS DREES/UNIVERSITY OF BONN

Researchers at the University of Bonn have developed software that can simulate the growth of field crops. To do this, they fed thousands of photos from field experiments into a learning algorithm. This enabled the algorithm to learn how to visualize the future development of cultivated plants based on a single initial image. Using the images created during this process, parameters such as leaf area or yield can be estimated accurately. The results have been published in the journal Plant Methods.

Which plants should I combine in what ratio to achieve the greatest possible yield? And how will my crop develop if I use manure instead of artificial fertilizers? In the future, farmers should increasingly be able to count on computer support when answering such questions.

Researchers from the University of Bonn have now taken a crucial step forward on the path towards this goal: “We have developed software that uses drone photos to visualize the future development of the plants shown,” explains Lukas Drees from the Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformation at the University of Bonn. The early career researcher is an employee in the PhenoRob Cluster of Excellence. The large-scale project based at the University of Bonn intends to drive forward the intelligent digitalization of agriculture to help farming become more environmentally friendly, without causing harvest yields to suffer.

A virtual glimpse into the future to aid decision-making

The computer program now presented by Drees and his colleagues in the journal Plant Methods is an important building block. It should eventually make it possible to simulate certain decisions virtually – for instance, to assess how the use of pesticides or fertilizers will affect crop yield.

For this to work, the program must be fed with drone photos from field experiments. “We took thousands of images over one growth period,” explains the doctoral researcher. “In this way, for example, we documented the development of cauliflower crops under certain conditions.” The researchers then trained a learning algorithm using these images. Afterwards, based on a single aerial image of an early stage of growth, this algorithm was able to generate images showing the future development of the crop in a new, artificially created image. The whole process is very accurate as long as the crop conditions are similar to those present when the training photos were taken. Consequently, the software does not take into account the effect of a sudden cold snap or steady rain lasting several days. However, it should learn in the future how growth is affected by influences such as these – as well as an increased use of fertilizers, for example. This should enable it to predict the outcome of certain interventions by the farmer.

“In addition, we used a second AI software that can estimate various parameters from plant photos, such as crop yield,” says Drees. “This also works with the generated images. It is thus possible to estimate quite precisely the subsequent size of the cauliflower heads at a very early stage in the growth period.”

Focus on polycultures

One area the researchers are focusing on is the use of polycultures. This refers to the sowing of different species in one field – such as beans and wheat. As plants have different requirements, they compete less with each other in a polyculture of this kind compared to a monoculture, where just one species is grown. This boosts yield. In addition, some species – beans are a good example of this – can bind nitrogen from the air and use it as a natural fertilizer. The other species, in this case wheat, also benefits from this.

“Polycultures are also less susceptible to pests and other environmental influences,” explains Drees. “However, how well the whole thing works very much depends on the combined species and their mixing ratio.” When results from many different mixing experiments are fed into learning algorithms, it is possible to derive recommendations as to which plants are particularly compatible and in what ratio.

Plant growth simulations on the basis of learning algorithms are a relatively new development. Process-based models have mostly been used for this purpose up to now. These – metaphorically speaking – have a fundamental understanding of what nutrients and environmental conditions certain plants need during their growth in order to thrive. “Our software, however, makes its statements solely based on the experience they have collected using the training images,” stresses Drees.

Both approaches complement each other. If they were to be combined in an appropriate manner, it could significantly improve the quality of the forecasts. “This is also a point that we are investigating in our study,” says the doctoral researcher: “How can we use process- and image-based methods so they benefit from each other in the best possible way?”

the future growth of the plants using drone photos or other images from an early growth stage. 

CREDIT

Photo: Volker Lannert/University of Bon

Participating institutions and funding:

The University of Bonn and Forschungszentrum Jülich took part in the study. The work was funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) as part of the German Excellence Strategy.

Publication: Lukas Drees, Dereje T. Demie, Madhuri R. Paul, Johannes Leonhardt, Sabine J. Seidel, Thomas F. Döring, Ribana Roscher: Data-driven Crop Growth Simulation on Time-varying Generated Images using Multi-conditional Generative Adversarial Networks; Plant Methods; https://doi.org/10.1186/s13007-024-01205-3, URL: https://plantmethods.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13007-024-01205-3

Media contact:

Prof. Dr. Ribana Roscher
Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformation, University of Bonn
Tel. +49 (0)228/7360854
Email: ribana.roscher@uni-bonn.de

Lukas Drees
Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformation, University of Bonn
Tel. +49 (0)228 7360854
Email: ldrees@uni-bonn.de

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JOURNAL

Plant Methods

DOI

10.1186/s13007-024-01205-3 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Computational simulation/modeling

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Data-driven Crop Growth Simulation on Time-varying Generated Images using Multi-conditional Generative Adversarial Networks

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

15-Jun-2024

Ancient remedies for modern woes: TCM in the fight against African swine fever

 Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

HUAZHONG AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY

 

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DIFFERENT PATHWAYS ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF TRADITIONAL CHINESE HERBS AGAINST AFRICAN SWINE FEVER.

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CREDIT: ANIMAL DISEASES

Recent research reveals the potential of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in combating African Swine Fever (ASF), a viral disease with near 100% mortality rate in pigs. The study explores TCM's antiviral properties and its role in enhancing immunity, offering a novel strategy in the face of limited effective treatments.

African Swine Fever (ASF) poses a grave threat to the swine industry, with the virus causing severe economic and agricultural disruptions since its emergence in China in 2018. The disease, transmitted by the African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV), has become endemic with a high mortality rate nearing 100%. Despite extensive efforts, the development of effective vaccines or treatments has been hindered by the virus's complex nature. This urgency calls for innovative approaches to manage and mitigate the impact of ASF on pig farming communities.

Researchers from Huazhong Agricultural University, in collaboration with the Hubei Jiangxia Laboratory, have published a comprehensive review (DOI: 10.1186/s44149-024-00122-1) in the journal Animal Diseases. The study delves into the advancements of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in the prevention and control of ASF, highlighting the antiviral and immunoregulatory capabilities of herbal compounds.

The comprehensive review meticulously details the multifaceted approach of TCM in addressing ASF. It underscores the antiviral potential of various herbal extracts, such as berbamine hydrochloride from Berberis amurensis Rupr., which inhibits ASFV proliferation by interfering with early viral infection stages. Luteolin, found in common vegetables like broccoli, has demonstrated the ability to suppress the virus's replication cycle by modulating key signaling pathways. The study also highlights the role of TCM in immunomodulation, showcasing how certain herbal formulas can enhance the pigs' immune responses and potentially reduce the severity of ASF. The integration of such traditional knowledge with modern scientific methods presents a robust strategy to combat this devastating disease, illustrating the profound impact of TCM in contemporary veterinary medicine.

Dr. Qiang Zhang, a corresponding author and expert in veterinary medicine, emphasizes the importance of this research, stating, "TCM offers a unique perspective in managing diseases like ASF. Its multi-component, multi-target approach can potentially lead to more effective and safer treatments with less risk of resistance development."

The findings suggest that integrating TCM into modern pig farming practices could significantly bolster disease prevention and control measures. The use of herbal additives in feed and the development of TCM-based antiviral drugs present promising avenues. Moreover, this research could pave the way for a deeper understanding of TCM mechanisms, facilitating its integration with Western medicine and contributing to global health strategies against ASF and potentially other infectious diseases.

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References

DOI

10.1186/s44149-024-00122-1

Original Source URL

https://doi.org/10.1186/s44149-024-00122-1

Funding information

This study was funded by the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of CPSF (Grant No. GZB20230245).

About Animal Diseases

Animal Diseases (ISSN 2731-0442, CN 42-1946/S) is a peer-reviewed, free open access academic journal sponsored by Huazhong Agricultural University. The journal promotes the One Health initiative and is committed to publishing high-quality innovated and prospective works in animal disease research/application that are closely related to human health. The founding chief editors are Drs. Huanchun Chen (Huazhong Agricultural University, China) and Zhen F. Fu (University of Georgia, USA). It has been indexed by ESCI in 2024.

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JOURNAL

Animal Diseases

DOI

10.1186/s44149-024-00122-1 

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Advances in research on the efficacy of traditional Chinese herbal medicine in combating African swine fever

 

Novel method for measuring nano/microplastic concentrations in soil using spectroscopy

Researchers have devised a novel and simple method to measure nano/microplastic concentrations in soil using spectroscopy at two wavelengths

WASEDA UNIVERSITY

 

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A TEAM OF RESEARCHERS HAS DEVELOPED A NOVEL AND SIMPLE METHOD TO MEASURE THE CONCENTRATION OF NANO/MICROPLASTICS IN SOILS USING SPECTROSCOPY AT TWO WAVELENGTHS. THE NOVELTY OF THIS METHOD IS THAT IT DOES NOT REQUIRE THE SOIL TO BE SEPARATED IN ORDER TO DETECT THE N/MPS AND CAN MEASURE N/MPS AT SIZES AS SMALL AS ≤1 ΜM. MOREOVER, USING A COMBINATION OF TWO WAVELENGTHS HELPS NEGATE THE INFLUENCE OF SOIL PARTICLES AND OTHER LEACHING COMPONENTS INSIDE THE SOIL SUSPENSION.

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CREDIT: KYOUHEI TSUCHIDA FROM WASEDA UNIVERSITY, JAPAN

Nano and microplastics are a well-known menace, found practically everywhere in nature, including soil, oceans, drinking water, air, and even the human body. Studies show that soils in particular hold a significant portion of N/MPs. The problem with these N/MPs is their microscopic size, which allows them to easily migrate through soil into the ground or freshwater bodies due to rainwater leaching. From there, they enter the human body. Hence, it is imperative to understand the distribution and movement of the soil’s N/MPs to gauge their threat and mitigate it.

Current techniques for measuring N/MP concentrations in soil require separating the soil organic matter content through chemical and physical processes. Subsequently, the isolated N/MPs are analyzed using a microscope, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Pyrolysis–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, or Raman spectrometry. However, these techniques require advanced skills and have limited resolution for analyzing N/MPs smaller than 1 µm. Moreover, often some of the N/MPs in the soil are lost during the separation process, leading to inaccurate measurements. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a simple yet accurate method to detect and measure N/MPs ≤1 µm in soil.

To this end, a team of researchers led by Mr. Kyouhei Tsuchida from Waseda University and National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, along with Dr. Yukari Imoto, Dr. Takeshi Saito, and Dr. Junko Hara from the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology and Dr. Yoshishige Kawabe, also from Waseda University, devised a novel and simple method to measure N/MP concentrations in soil using spectroscopy without separating the soil organic matter. Spectroscopy can determine the concentration of N/MPs in soils based on how much light of a particular wavelength passes through the sample and how much gets absorbed. In this way, spectroscopy can potentially detect N/MPs regardless of size, provided the correct wavelengths are used to distinguish between the N/MPs and soil. Accordingly, the researchers developed a method to use the difference between the absorbance spectra of N/MPs and soil particles to quantify the N/MPs. Their findings were published in Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety journal on 28 May 2024.

Six soil suspensions were created from soil samples with different characteristics, such as particle size distribution and organic content, and were mixed with polystyrene nanoparticles sized 203 nm. This created six different simulated N/MP-contaminated soil suspensions, with the N/MP concentration maintained at 5 mg/L. “We measured the absorbance of these soil suspensions at various wavelengths ranging from 200 to 500 nm using a spectrophotometer and based on this, determined the N/MP concentrations in the soil. Then the best combination of two wavelengths was identified for measuring N/MPs, which helped negate the interference from soil particles and leached components in the suspension,” explains Tsuchida.

The researchers found that a wavelength combination of 220–260 nm and 280–340 nm had the lowest error level for the six samples and was thus found to be suitable for measuring N/MP concentrations in different soil types. They also created a calibration curve between the concentration of N/MPs in the soil suspensions and N/MP content added to the dry soil samples. The calibration curve showed a linear relationship between the two variables and took into account the adsorption of N/MPs on soil particles. This enabled accurate estimation of the concentration of N/MPs in the soil.

These results demonstrate the efficacy of this simple spectroscopy-based method to correctly measure the concentration of N/MPs in soil, without any cumbersome separation process. “Our novel measurement approach can quantify different N/MPs, including polyethylene and polyethylene terephthalate, in a variety of soils and can easily be used as an initial assessment tool. Moreover, it can help further our understanding of the distribution and migration behavior of N/MPs in the geosphere environment,” concludes Tsuchida.

 

***

 

Reference

Authors: Kyouhei Tsuchida1,2, Yukari Imoto1, Takeshi Saito1, Junko Hara1, and Yoshishige Kawabe2

Title of original paper: A novel and simple method for measuring nano/microplastic concentrations in soil using UV-Vis spectroscopy with optimal wavelength selection

Journal: Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety                                                          

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116366

Affiliations:

1National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Japan

2Department of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Waseda University, Japan

 

About Waseda University

Located in the heart of Tokyo, Waseda University is a leading private research university that has long been dedicated to academic excellence, innovative research, and civic engagement at both the local and global levels since 1882. The University has produced many changemakers in its history, including nine prime ministers and many leaders in business, science and technology, literature, sports, and film. Waseda has strong collaborations with overseas research institutions and is committed to advancing cutting-edge research and developing leaders who can contribute to the resolution of complex, global social issues. The University has set a target of achieving a zero-carbon campus by 2032, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the United Nations in 2015. 

To learn more about Waseda University, visit https://www.waseda.jp/top/en  

About Kyouhei Tsuchida

Mr. Kyouhei Tsuchida is a researcher at the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) and is a doctoral student at the Department of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Waseda University. At AIST he is part of the Geo-Environmental Risk Research Group, where his specialization is studying environmental risk and transport phenomena of pollutants. He recently presented his work on the “Impact of Soil Properties on Microplastics Aggregation to Soil Particle Surfaces” at AGU23—the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union, which was held in San Francisco in December 2023.

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JOURNAL

Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety

DOI

10.1016/j.ecoenv.2024.116366 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

A novel and simple method for measuring nano/microplastic concentrations in soil using UV-Vis spectroscopy with optimal wavelength selection

 

Polarization and risk perception could play important roles in climate-policy outcomes

When people's perception of risk is low and society is polarized, strong policy measures can backfire in the long run.

SANTA FE INSTITUTE

Times of crises often call for strong and rapid action, but in polarized societies, strong top-down policies can backfire. 

In a paper published on June 17, 2024, in Environmental Research Letters, SFI Applied Complexity Fellow Saverio Perri, SFI Science Board Fellow Simon Levin (Princeton University), and colleagues present a conceptual model of how these dynamics could play out in efforts to decarbonize our energy supply. The model illustrates the complex interplay between strong policies, people’s perception of risk, and the amount of polarization in a society. They show that in situations where the perception of risk is low — where the threat does not feel immediate or particularly dangerous — and opinion polarization is high, strong policy mandates can potentially worsen the long-term outcomes.

It’s a dynamic we saw play out in real-time throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. As policymakers took measures to slow transmission of the disease, the global perception of risk was very high. But as masks and lockdowns worked to curb the spread of the virus, our perceived risk declined; mandates lifted, individuals opted out, and case numbers rose again, often surpassing earlier surges.

Perri et. al’s new model suggests that a similar rebound could happen with policies to encourage a transition to low-carbon energy. Say the global community invested heavily in renewable-energy infrastructure in response to the damaging effects of climate change. If those investments were strong enough to reduce the damages, our human tendency would be to lower our guard. Perri and Levin’s model suggests that, in more polarized societies, this could trigger moves to reinvest in fossil fuels. “In this scenario, you have a very strong, effective policy, and that’s good,” says Perri. “But at the same time, in the long term, it’s ineffective.”

The model shows that, in highly polarized situations, social interactions — behaviors that reinforce dominant norms — can lead to a phase shift where an initial state-change can happen quickly, but subsequent transitions become harder. “It’s a double-edged sword. In one sense, it can accelerate a transition. But at the same time, it can make the threshold for that transition harder to meet,” says Perri. “It's beneficial if public opinion tends to favor a transition toward a sustainable state, but it’s clearly detrimental if there is a general consensus to maintain the unsustainable status quo or move toward a degraded state.” 

These dynamic elements of human behavior aren’t included in climate models, but they should be, says Perri. “Our model is not predictive. But we can use it to understand how the dynamics of the system work,” he says. “What we find is that the perception of risk and the impact of opinions on climate mitigation actions are extremely important.” The authors hope that more climate models — and the policy decisions they might inspire — will consider these human–social feedbacks in the future.  

Read the paper “Socio-political dynamics in clean energy transition” in Environmental Research Letters (June 17, 2024). DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ad5031

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JOURNAL

Environmental Research Letters

DOI

10.1088/1748-9326/ad5031 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Computational simulation/modeling

ARTICLE TITLE

Socio-political dynamics in clean energy transition

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

17-Jun-2024

 

Nile perch invasion triggered genetic bottlenecks in Lake Victoria's endemic cichlids

The introduction of the Nile perch to Africa’s largest lake impacted the genomic structure of multiple local species.

CICHLIDS ARE A POPULAR AQUARIST SPECIES

TOKYO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

 

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PICTURED ON THE LEFT IS THE NILE PERCH, A VORACIOUS PREDATOR INTRODUCED INTO LAKE VICTORIA BY HUMANS TO SATISFY MEAT DEMANDS IN THE 1950S. ON THE RIGHT, SEVERAL SPECIES OF ENDEMIC CICHLIDS THAT WERE MARKEDLY AFFECTED ARE SHOWN. THE POPULATIONS OF SOME OF THESE SPECIES DECLINED SO MUCH THAT THEIR GENOMIC STRUCTURE REMAINED SIGNIFICANTLY ALTERED EVEN AFTER　THEIR NUMBERS CLIMBED BACK UP.

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CREDIT: MINAMI IMAMOTO, MASATO NIKAIDO

Newfound evidence reveals that the upsurge of the exotic Nile perch in Lake Victoria had long-lasting effects on the genetic diversity of various local cichlid species, report scientists from Tokyo Tech. Through large-scale comparative genomic analyses, the researchers found concrete proof in the collective genome of multiple species that this artificially introduced perch decimated many local fish populations, causing a 'bottleneck effect.'

The careless introduction of exotic species by humans into ecosystems can lead to truly catastrophic results, as has been proven time and time again. One tragic example is the introduction of the Nile perch, a large freshwater fish found in waterbodies in Africa, into Africa’s largest lake—Lake Victoria.

Brought to Lake Victoria in the 1950s to meet commercial demand for its meat, the Nile perch devastated native populations of fish known as haplochromine cichlids. By the 1990s, experts estimated that more than 200 species of endemic cichlids had been driven to extinction by this fierce predator. Interestingly, the remaining species could also have been deeply affected by the severe population loss caused by the Nile perch, since such events tend to reduce the genetic diversity of surviving groups. However, how much the genetic structure of cichlids was affected by the introduction of the Nile perch remains unclear.

Against this backdrop, a research team from Tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech), The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, SOKENDAI in Japan and Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute in Tanzania decided to shed some light on the issue. In their latest study, which was published in Molecular Biology and Evolution, the researchers conducted large-scale comparative genomics analyses on multiple species of cichlids endemic to Lake Victoria, which provided detailed insights into the effects of the invasive Nile perch since its introduction to this environment. The team included Associate Professor Masato Nikaido and doctoral student Minami Imamoto from Tokyo Tech.

Through a genomic analysis that included 137 haplochromine species, the researchers discovered that four species from the Mwanza Gulf (located in the southern part of the lake) experienced what is known as a ‘bottleneck event.’ In simple terms, the population of these species was reduced so much that the genetic diversity within the population had significantly decreased.

Further investigation by the researchers painted the Nile perch as the culprit for the observed changes in the genetic structure of these four species. “The timing of the bottleneck, which began during the 1970s–1980s and ended by the 1990s-2000s, corresponded to the historical records of these endemic haplochromines’ disappearance and later resurgence,” explains Nikaido. “This is likely associated with the introduction of Nile perch by commercial demand to Lake Victoria in the 1950s” he further adds.

Out of the four species, the researchers noted that the egg-eating cichlids Haplochromis sp. ‘matumbi hunter’ and Haplochromis microdon had experienced particularly severe bottleneck effects. For matumbi hunter, this effect was so pronounced that its genome had diverged significantly even from those of closely related species. “Our findings support the previously existing hypothesis that carnivorous fishes, including egg-eaters, should have experienced a stronger bottleneck,” remarks Nikaido, “This study presents, for the first time, the impacts of the Nile perch upsurge on the genetic structure of Lake Victoria haplochromines” he further adds.

Worth noting, the loss of genetic diversity due to short-term bottleneck effects can seriously hamper a species’ fitness and adaptability in the long-term. Thus, taken together, these newfound insights tell a cautionary tale of just how bad the introduction of exotic species can be, even for species that survive extinction.

Researchers identified species that suffered severe damage due to the introduction of Nile perch, providing new insights into conservational biology. Genetic evaluations can offer practical solutions for protecting local fauna, such as discovering species needing urgent protection and establishing no-fishing zones. Notably, some cichlid species, previously thought extinct, are gradually being rediscovered. Furthermore, developing conservational strategies based on comparative genomics may facilitate the resurgence of the ecosystem.

Fishing for Answers: The Genetic Impact of the Nile Perch Invasion in Lake Victoria (IMAGE)

TOKYO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

clarifies the impact of the invasive Nile perch on the genetic structure of haplochromines in Lake Victoria.

CREDIT

Tokyo Institute of Techonology

About Tokyo Institute of Technology

Tokyo Tech stands at the forefront of research and higher education as the leading university for science and technology in Japan. Tokyo Tech researchers excel in fields ranging from materials science to biology, computer science, and physics. Founded in 1881, Tokyo Tech hosts over 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students per year, who develop into scientific leaders and some of the most sought-after engineers in industry. Embodying the Japanese philosophy of “monotsukuri,” meaning “technical ingenuity and innovation,” the Tokyo Tech community strives to contribute to society through high-impact research.

https://www.titech.ac.jp/english/

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JOURNAL

Molecular Biology and Evolution

DOI

10.1093/molbev/msae093 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Severe Bottleneck Impacted the Genomic Structure of Egg-Eating Cichlids in Lake Victoria

 

Golden ball mills as green catalysts

RUHR-UNIVERSITY BOCHUM

 

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GOLD-LINED GRINDING BOWLS CAN CATALYSE REACTIONS WITHOUT SOLVENTS.

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CREDIT: RUB, MARQUARD

Aldehydes are essential compounds in the chemical industry and are used in the manufacture of medications, vitamins, and fragrances. The selective oxidation of alcohols into aldehydes without secondary reactions is thus of great importance. Overoxidation often occurs with many conventional methods, causing unwanted byproducts such as carboxylic acid and esters to be formed. Traditional alcohol oxidation methods also often require the use of solvents and environmentally harmful chemicals. They not only produce harmful waste but also pose significant health risks for users. In addition, high temperatures and pressures are often used that can cause temperature-sensitive substrates to break down.

Reusable vessels

The Bochum team instead uses mechanochemistry: Ball mills, usually used to grind up materials, are used to conduct chemical reactions. The crucial breakthrough lies in the use of grinding vessels coated with a thin layer of gold just a few nanometers thick. “As we discovered that the reaction exclusively takes place at the gold surface, we were able to limit ourselves to the smallest quantities of the precious metal by simply coating the grinding vessel,” says lead author Maximilian Wohlgemuth. “The vessels can also be reused over several reactions.”

The catalytic reaction takes place directly in the ball mill, without the use of harmful solvents and in mild conditions, which retains the integrity of the substrates and increases energy efficiency. “Our method produces significantly less waste and dispenses with the costly production of molecular gold compounds or gold nanoparticles,” summarizes Wohlgemuth. This makes the process not just more sustainable but also more cost-effective.

Transferable to many areas of chemistry

The introduction of gold as a catalyst in mechanochemical processes has the potential for use in many areas of chemistry. “Our results could pave the way for further research and developments based on the use of precious metals in environmentally friendly processes,” says Lars Borchardt. “The combination of high efficiency, low environmental impact, and cost-effectiveness makes our method a promising approach for the future of chemistry.”

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JOURNAL

Angewandte Chemie

DOI

10.1002/anie.202405342 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Solid-State Oxidation of Alcohols in Gold-Coated Milling Vessels via Direct Mechanocatalysis