Existing research on the security of the supply of critical materials for clean energy generally aggregates information at the country level, a practice that obscures the extensive role of foreign... Show moreExisting research on the security of the supply of critical materials for clean energy generally aggregates information at the country level, a practice that obscures the extensive role of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the production of critical materials. FDI refers to an ownership stake in a company or project by an overseas investor. Here we establish a database for global mining of lithium, cobalt, nickel and platinum at company level, covering 240 countries and regions. We show that 47% of lithium, 71% of cobalt, 41% of nickel and 34% of platinum mined in 2019 were under FDI. We then explore how FDI may affect supply risks by proposing a supply risk index that allocates production of the critical materials to the country of origin of investors instead of the country where production is located. We present upper and lower bounds of the supply risk index that reflect scenarios where either all investors or only state investors prioritize the home-country demand, respectively. This study presents an approach for assessing the national supply risks of critical materials, considering the geographical allocation of FDI. Show less
Zhao, Z.; Ding, X.; Behren, P.A.; Li, J.; He, M.; Gao, Y.; ... ; Chen, D. 2023
Established theories have acknowledged that intergroup threat is one of the key determinants of intergroup attitudes and behaviours, but how intergroup threat can affect consumer behaviour remains... Show moreEstablished theories have acknowledged that intergroup threat is one of the key determinants of intergroup attitudes and behaviours, but how intergroup threat can affect consumer behaviour remains unclear. Here, four preregistered studies (total N = 988) examined the effect of intergroup threat (manipulated in terms of realistic and symbolic threats) on consumers’ willingness to purchase ingroup and outgroup products. In the context of China–West relations, we measured Chinese consumers’ willingness to purchase Chinese (ingroup) and Western (outgroup) products. These studies together revealed that realistic and symbolic threats (versus control) increased willingness to purchase ingroup products and decreased willingness to purchase outgroup products, regardless of the product category. Studies 3a and 3b also measured knowledge of the outgroup as a potential moderator, revealing that realistic threat (versus control) reduced willingness to purchase outgroup products only among individuals who had less knowledge of the outgroup. Furthermore, Study 3b showed that the intergroup threat manipulation indirectly influenced consumers’ willingness to purchase ingroup/outgroup products through increased anger and decreased hope. We discussed the contributions to the intergroup relations and consumer behaviour literature and the implications for transnational marketing practices, as well as the limitations of this research. Show less
Zhao, Z.; Ding, X.; Behrens, P.A.; Li, J.; He, M.; Gao, Y.; ... ; Chen, D. 2023
Artificial intelligence (AI) applications and digital technologies (DTs) are increasingly present in the daily lives of citizens, in cities and in industries. These developments generate large... Show moreArtificial intelligence (AI) applications and digital technologies (DTs) are increasingly present in the daily lives of citizens, in cities and in industries. These developments generate large amounts of data and enhance analytical capabilities that could benefit the industrial ecology (IE) community and sustainability research in general. With this communication, we would like to address some of the opportunities, challenges, and next steps that could be undertaken by the industrial ecology community in this realm. This article is an adapted summary of the discussion held by experts in industrial ecology, AI, and sustainability during the 2021 Industrial Ecology Day conference session titled “The Future of Artificial Intelligence in the Context of Industrial Ecology.” In brief, building on previous studies and communications, we advise the industrial ecology community to: (1) create internal committees and working groups to monitor and coordinate AI applications within and outside the community; (2) promote and ensure transdisciplinary efforts; (3) determine optimal infrastructure and governance of AI for IE to minimize undesired effects; and (4) act on effective representation and on reduction of digital divides. Show less
The ecological safety problems caused by nitrogen pollution in water have attracted much attention. An organic carbon source is the key factor that restricts nitrogen removal in low COD/total... Show moreThe ecological safety problems caused by nitrogen pollution in water have attracted much attention. An organic carbon source is the key factor that restricts nitrogen removal in low COD/total nitrogen (C/N) sewage. In this study, iron‑carbon micro-electrolysis carrier was used for micro-electrolysis combined with biological denitrification (MEBD) of samples under low C/N conditions (C/N = 1.33). The nitrogen removal performance, the factors influencing nitrogen removal, and the underlying mechanisms of the removal system are studied using the response surface curve method and high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that when pH was 7, the dosage of denitrifying bacteria was 5%, and the dosage of iron‑carbon was 10%, the optimal denitrification effect for low C/N wastewater was 97.86% and 97.72% for total nitrogen and COD removal in 20 days, respectively. The addition of an iron‑carbon filler changed the community abundance and species diversity in MEBD system, and the structure of the dominant denitrifying bacteria changed. Moreover, hydrogen autotrophic denitrifying bacteria had been identified in the system. The synergistic effect of MEBD coupled denitrification system was due to the combined action of autotrophic denitrification, heterotrophic denitrification, micro–electrolysis, and electrochemical reduction. These findings provide a theoretical basis and technical support for nitrogen remediation of low C/N sewage. Show less
Background COPD is characterised by progressive lung function decline. Leveraging prior work demonstrating bronchial airway COPD-associated gene expression alterations, we sought to determine if... Show moreBackground COPD is characterised by progressive lung function decline. Leveraging prior work demonstrating bronchial airway COPD-associated gene expression alterations, we sought to determine if there are alterations associated with differences in the rate of FEV1 decline. Methods We examined gene expression among ever smokers with and without COPD who at baseline had bronchial brushings profiled by Affymetrix microarrays and had longitudinal lung function measurements (n=134; mean follow-up=6.38 +/- 2.48 years). Gene expression profiles associated with the rate of FEV1 decline were identified by linear modelling. Results Expression differences in 171 genes were associated with rate of FEV1 decline (false discovery rate <0.05). The FEV1 decline signature was replicated in an independent dataset of bronchial biopsies from patients with COPD (n=46; p=0.018; mean follow-up=6.76 +/- 1.32 years). Genes elevated in individuals with more rapid FEV1 decline are significantly enriched among the genes altered by modulation of XBP1 in two independent datasets (Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) p<0.05) and are enriched in mucin-related genes (GSEA p<0.05). Conclusion We have identified and replicated an airway gene expression signature associated with the rate of FEV1 decline. Aspects of this signature are related to increased expression of XBP1-regulated genes, a transcription factor involved in the unfolded protein response, and genes related to mucin production. Collectively, these data suggest that molecular processes related to the rate of FEV1 decline can be detected in airway epithelium, identify a possible indicator of FEV1 decline and make it possible to detect, in an early phase, ever smokers with and without COPD most at risk of rapid FEV1 decline. Show less
In this paper, which is of programmatic rather than quantitative nature, we aim to further delineate and sharpen the future potential of the LISA mission in the area of fundamental physics. Given... Show moreIn this paper, which is of programmatic rather than quantitative nature, we aim to further delineate and sharpen the future potential of the LISA mission in the area of fundamental physics. Given the very broad range of topics that might be relevant to LISA,we present here a sample of what we view as particularly promising fundamental physics directions. We organize these directions through a "science-first" approach that allows us to classify how LISA data can inform theoretical physics in a variety of areas. For each of these theoretical physics classes, we identify the sources that are currently expected to provide the principal contribution to our knowledge, and the areas that need further development. The classification presented here should not be thought of as cast in stone, but rather as a fluid framework that is amenable to change with the flow of new insights in theoretical physics. Show less
Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NP) are often released into the soil through repeated discharge of wastewater and repetitive applications as fertilizers. Adverse effects of a single pulse on... Show moreTitanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NP) are often released into the soil through repeated discharge of wastewater and repetitive applications as fertilizers. Adverse effects of a single pulse on soil bacterial communities have been widely studied, while the impact of repeated exposure is poorly understood. This study compared the impacts of single and repeated exposure scenarios on the soil bacterial community. The repeated exposure promoted the total bacterial biomass but reduced the community diversity and induced larger alterations in community composition compared to the single exposure. Regarding the dosing frequencies of repeated exposure, community divergence increased in initial dosing cycles, and community stability was re-established and remained in subsequent dosing cycles. According to the different tolerance to dosing frequencies, the dynamic response patterns of the featured OTUs and functional genes could be classified into four types: 1) promotion, 2) suppression-recovery-promotion, 3) promotion-suppression-stable, and 4) suppression. These results suggest that chronic exposure with repetitive low-dosing of nanoparticles induced a tendency towards larger alteration of both community composition and functioning than in case of application of a single pulse of the same dosage. This study brings new insight into understanding the compositional and predicted functional dynamics of the soil bacterial community in response to nanoparticles and identifies a data gap in realistic time-variable exposure testing. Show less
The aim was to investigate whether microRNA (miRNA) expression is modulated by inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) treatmentWe performed genome-wide miRNA analysis on bronchial biopsies of 69 moderate... Show moreThe aim was to investigate whether microRNA (miRNA) expression is modulated by inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) treatmentWe performed genome-wide miRNA analysis on bronchial biopsies of 69 moderate/severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients at baseline and after 6- and 30-month treatment with the ICS fluticasone propionate or placebo. The effect of ICS on miRNA expression was validated in differentiated primary bronchial epithelial cultures, and functional studies were conducted in BEAS-2B cells. MiRNAs affected by ICS and their predicted targets were compared to an independent miRNA dataset of bronchial brushings from COPD patients and healthy controls.Treatment with ICS for both 6 and 30 months significantly altered the expression of four miRNAs, including miR-320d, which was increased during ICS treatment compared with placebo. The ICS-induced increase of miR-320d was confirmed in primary airway epithelial cells. MiR-320d negatively correlated targets were enriched for pro-inflammatory genes and were increased in the bronchial brushes of patients with lower lung function in the independent dataset. Overexpression of miR-320d in BEAS-2B cells dampened cigarette smoke extract-induced pro-inflammatory activity via inhibition of nuclear factor-kappa B.Collectively, we identified miR-320d as a novel mediator of ICS, regulating the pro-inflammatory response of the airway epithelium. Show less
Quantifying the genetic correlation between cancers can provide important insights into themechanisms driving cancer etiology. Using genome-wide association study summary sta-tistics across six... Show moreQuantifying the genetic correlation between cancers can provide important insights into themechanisms driving cancer etiology. Using genome-wide association study summary sta-tistics across six cancer types based on a total of 296,215 cases and 301,319 controls ofEuropean ancestry, here we estimate the pair-wise genetic correlations between breast,colorectal, head/neck, lung, ovary and prostate cancer, and between cancers and 38 otherdiseases. We observed statistically significant genetic correlations between lung and head/neck cancer (rg = 0.57, p = 4.6 × 10−8), breast and ovarian cancer (rg = 0.24, p = 7 × 10−5 ),breast and lung cancer (rg = 0.18, p =1.5 × 10−6) and breast and colorectal cancer (rg = 0.15,p = 1.1 × 10−4 ). We also found that multiple cancers are genetically correlated with non-cancer traits including smoking, psychiatric diseases and metabolic characteristics. Functionalenrichment analysis revealed a significant excess contribution of conserved and regulatoryregions to cancer heritability. Our comprehensive analysis of cross-cancer heritability sug-gests that solid tumors arising across tissues share in part a common germline genetic basis. Show less
Faiz, A.; Postma, D.S.; Steiling, K.; Spira, A.; Lenburg, M.; Koppelman, G.H.; ... ; Berge, M. van den 2015
