Eco-innovation: insights from a literature review Díaz-García, Cristina; González-Moreno, Ángela; Sáez-Martínez, Francisco J.
Innovation (North Sydney),
01/2015, Letnik:
17, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Eco-innovation is still a young area of research; however it has been an area of increasing concern for policy makers, academics and practitioners. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of ...the existing body of literature on eco-innovations, and identify the most relevant publications in the field and the topics of interest. We have carried out a review of previous literature based on a Scopus search and selecting the discipline "Social Sciences and Humanities". The search offers us 384 articles. From their analysis, it can be observed that there is a clear increase in the relevance of this issue within academia and several thematic trends arise in eco-innovation research, with drivers of eco-innovation being the most popular. Our main theoretical contribution is the development of a multilevel framework of eco-innovation drivers, with our literature review having a specific focus on systematizing the findings of the studies within this theme.
Several studies have revealed a correlation between chronic inflammation and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) metabolism, but the precise mechanism involved is unknown. Here, we report that ...the genetic and pharmacological inhibition of nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (Nampt), the rate-limiting enzyme in the salvage pathway of NAD+ biosynthesis, reduced oxidative stress, inflammation, and keratinocyte DNA damage, hyperproliferation, and cell death in zebrafish models of chronic skin inflammation, while all these effects were reversed by NAD+ supplementation. Similarly, genetic and pharmacological inhibition of poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) polymerase 1 (Parp1), overexpression of PAR glycohydrolase, inhibition of apoptosis-inducing factor 1, inhibition of NADPH oxidases, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging all phenocopied the effects of Nampt inhibition. Pharmacological inhibition of NADPH oxidases/NAMPT/PARP/AIFM1 axis decreased the expression of pathology-associated genes in human organotypic 3D skin models of psoriasis. Consistently, an aberrant induction of NAMPT and PARP activity, together with AIFM1 nuclear translocation, was observed in lesional skin from psoriasis patients. In conclusion, hyperactivation of PARP1 in response to ROS-induced DNA damage, fueled by NAMPT-derived NAD+, mediates skin inflammation through parthanatos cell death.
Abstract
The deployment of bifacial photovoltaic (PV) modules for utility‐scale PV plants has quickly proliferated in recent years. As they can harness the irradiance received at the rear side of ...bifacial generators—which depends on the albedo of the reflector ground—bifacial modules provide higher productivity than monofacial modules, in exchange for a low increase in manufacturing costs. However, the reduction of PV performance estimations uncertainty still represents a main concern for both PV and financial actors, which seek to reduce financial risks of bifacial PV systems. The aim of this work is to provide a better understanding of the impact that albedo measurements have on PV yield estimations uncertainty. We analysed the albedo sensitivity coefficient relating albedo measurement and subsequent energy yield estimations' uncertainties through a representative yield simulation exercise performed for three different sites (Chile, Spain and Sweden) and two types of PV plants: static and single‐axis tracker. A formula considering the impact of Ground Coverage Ratio and Inverter Loading Ratio is proposed for this coefficient. We performed an experimental campaign to evaluate the uncertainty associated to different albedo measurement conditions. Surface reflectance of five different ground surfaces has been measured using four sensors, which allowed to obtain three useful types of albedos that we defined and described. A series of recommendations for short‐term ground‐based albedo measurements that entail a maximum of 1.5% yield uncertainty contribution in the frame of commercial PV plants are then derived. A representative case of actual albedo measurement practices at the current PV market scene is also presented in the form of a commercial albedo measurement project for a future 50 MW bifacial PV plant. Despite being a local characteristic, the most relevant uncertainty source found is associated to the non‐homogeneity of the future PV plant's surface. An important consideration is that changes in the use of land caused by the construction of a PV plant lead to an albedo uncertainty that predominates over all the uncertainty sources associated to the albedo measurement conditions. This can also be the case for long‐term seasonal variations, which can become the dominant uncertainty source for high latitude locations.
Ecogenomics of the SAR11 clade Haro‐Moreno, Jose M.; Rodriguez‐Valera, Francisco; Rosselli, Riccardo ...
Environmental microbiology,
20/May , Letnik:
22, Številka:
5
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Summary
Members of the SAR11 clade, despite their high abundance, are often poorly represented by metagenome‐assembled genomes. This fact has hampered our knowledge about their ecology and genetic ...diversity. Here we examined 175 SAR11 genomes, including 47 new single‐amplified genomes. The presence of the first genomes associated with subclade IV suggests that, in the same way as subclade V, they might be outside the proposed Pelagibacterales order. An expanded phylogenomic classification together with patterns of metagenomic recruitment at a global scale have allowed us to define new ecogenomic units of classification (genomospecies), appearing at different, and sometimes restricted, metagenomic data sets. We detected greater microdiversity across the water column at a single location than in samples collected from similar depth across the global ocean, suggesting little influence of biogeography. In addition, pangenome analysis revealed that the flexible genome was essential to shape genomospecies distribution. In one genomospecies preferentially found within the Mediterranean, a set of genes involved in phosphonate utilization was detected. While another, with a more cosmopolitan distribution, was unique in having an aerobic purine degradation pathway. Together, these results provide a glimpse of the enormous genomic diversity within this clade at a finer resolution than the currently defined clades.
Chronic inflammatory diseases are associated with altered hematopoiesis that could result in neutrophilia and anemia. Here we report that genetic or chemical manipulation of different inflammasome ...components altered the differentiation of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC) in zebrafish. Although the inflammasome was dispensable for the emergence of HSPC, it was intrinsically required for their myeloid differentiation. In addition, Gata1 transcript and protein amounts increased in inflammasome-deficient larvae, enforcing erythropoiesis and inhibiting myelopoiesis. This mechanism is evolutionarily conserved, since pharmacological inhibition of the inflammasome altered erythroid differentiation of human erythroleukemic K562 cells. In addition, caspase-1 inhibition rapidly upregulated GATA1 protein in mouse HSPC promoting their erythroid differentiation. Importantly, pharmacological inhibition of the inflammasome rescued zebrafish disease models of neutrophilic inflammation and anemia. These results indicate that the inflammasome plays a major role in the pathogenesis of neutrophilia and anemia of chronic diseases and reveal druggable targets for therapeutic interventions.
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•The inflammasome regulates the erythroid-myeloid decision in HSC•Caspase-1 inhibition rapidly upregulates GATA1 protein in HSC•Caspase-1 regulates terminal erythroid differentiation•Caspase-1 inhibition rescues neutrophilic inflammation and anemia
Chronic inflammatory diseases are associated to altered hematopoiesis that could result in neutrophilia and anemia. In this issue of Immunity, Tyrkalska et al. (2019) provide evidence of an evolutionarily conserved mechanism by which inflammasome regulates the erythroid/myeloid decision in HSC, which might contribute to the hematopoietic bias of these diseases.
Mismatch losses (
MML) in PV arrays have been experimentally investigated by observing the dispersion in the operating voltage of the individual modules under normal operating conditions, that is, ...with the inverter delivering energy to the grid, and by assuming that in the absence of mismatch, all the modules will have the same operating voltage which are equal to the observed average. For that, a quadratic relationship between relative power and relative voltage deviations derived from the power‐voltage curve of the modules is required. This has been carried out in two different PV generators: a 5.1 kWp with monofacial multicrystalline BSF modules installed in March 2013 and a 6.6 kWp with bifacial monocrystalline PERC modules, installed in May 2019. The respective coefficient of variation of the STC power is 1.6% and 0.3%. This decrease reflects the improvement between these two PV technologies and translates into a reduction in the
MML component derived from intrinsic differences in the constitution of the module, from 0.09% to 0.01%, following theoretical considerations. The
MML component due to the non‐uniformity of rear irradiance in the bifacial PV array is deduced by comparing its functioning with and without the rear side of the modules covered by opaque canvas and results in about 0.2–0.4%, which represents half of the total observed
MML. The difference between these components and the total
MML observed is attributed to differences in the module operating temperature. The aging of the monofacial PV array translates into an increase in
MML at a ratio of 0.04% per year.
(Mismatch losses) MML have been experimentally investigated by observing the dispersion in the operating voltage in both monofacial and bifacial PV generators. Intrinsic differences in module constitution are 0.09% and 0.01%, respectively. MML at the monofacial PV generator vary from 0.1% to 0.2% (increasing at a ratio of 0.04% per year) and at the bifacial from 0.2% to 0.4%, in which differences in rear illumination correspond to approximately half of the MML. Temperature differences correspond to 0.1% in both PV generators.
Literature on diversity in organisations is limited and even fewer studies investigate its impact on innovation. Therefore, the aim of this research is to study how gender diversity within R&D teams, ...among other factors, impacts innovation, drawing on data from an innovation survey in Spain. Our findings support the assertion that gender diversity within R&D teams generates certain dynamics that foster novel solutions leading to radical innovation. The results indicate that gender diversity is positively related to radical innovation. However it does not promote incremental innovation in the same way. The positive relation occurs under particular conditions of the task (a higher degree of novelty), as the two types of innovation might require different skills for their effective performance. These results have several implications for academics, politicians and practitioners.
Few studies have focused on green innovation in young small and medium-sized enterprises. Instead, research tends to focus on large companies with formal research and development departments, ...studying the influence of the firm's current technological strategy as well as the regulatory framework as a key driver of eco-innovation. This paper proposes that the combination of a firm's technological trajectory and its current research and development strategy are key determinants of eco-innovation. The authors investigate these relationships with panel data on 212 young firms in Spain, analysing their innovation strategy and behaviour during their first 10 years of activity. The results show that the firms cluster into four technological trajectories, but only “market-oriented innovators” engage significantly more in eco-innovation. These firms are characterized by a high use of formal appropriability mechanisms, market opportunity recognition arising from cooperation and high knowledge cumulativeness. This paper sheds light on whether and the extent to which a firm's technological trajectory is a driver of eco-innovation. It confirms that firms that search for opportunities and have a continuous collaboration with market players are more prone to develop eco-innovations. Additionally, it shows that path dependence occurs in the development of eco-innovations, in that a highly developed innovation capacity leads to additional green-innovation in the future. The findings indicate that young small firms need to develop innovation capabilities that also enable them to adopt advanced technology before striving to become greener. The paper concludes that policies designed to stimulate cooperative networking with other market players, an upgrading of technological capabilities, and the adoption of new technologies are all desirable because they contribute to improving the environmental impact of firms' innovations.
•Firm's technological trajectory is a driver for eco-innovation in young SMEs.•Market oriented innovators are more prone to engage in eco-innovation.•Path dependency and innovation persistence drives eco-innovation.
There is increasing social and political awareness of the importance of developing environmental responsibility at a corporate level. When focusing on issues of responsibility, large companies are ...frequently perceived to be more responsible for driving climate change and resource depletion. However, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) contribute significantly to the use of resources such as material and energy and produce approximately 64% of the pollution in Europe. Drawing on evidence from "The Eurobarometer 381 Survey on SMEs, Resource Efficiency and Green Markets", we analyze the environmental responsibility of European SMEs, studying their compliance with environmental legislation and how several factors drive environmental orientation among SMEs. Our sample consists of 3647 SMEs operating in 38 countries. Only around a fifth of the firms go beyond environmental regulations, showing the highest levels of environmental responsibility. We conduct OLS regressions to analyze the factors that affect a positive environmental attitude among European SMEs (internal drivers being more significant than external ones) and then, to observe the positive effect of environmental responsibility and firm's experience in offering green services/products on performance, although a conjoint effect was not found. Implications for practitioners, academics, and policy-makers are outlined.
STC power control of PV module supply requires testing large samples of modules with low uncertainty. This paper analyses the feasibility of outdoor measurements with the modules kept at their ...operating positions. The classical procedure of recording I‐V curves and translating them to STC in accordance with IEC‐60891:2021 using the cell temperature directly observed at a few points of the rear of the module entails expanded uncertainties larger than 3% (k = 2), which is too much for this procedure being accepted in quality controls with contractual consequences. A convenient procedure for overcoming this barrier consists in comparing the I‐V curves of a tested and a reference module of the same type, both working under the same operating conditions. The latter is mostly secured if they are in adjacent positions. However, when the procedure is applied to large samples of PV modules kept in their operating positions, the distance between both modules can reach tens of meters and significant inter‐module temperature differences can arise. A method for counterbalancing these differences consists of correcting the measured power values by considering the temperature difference observed at the back‐sheet centres of the tested and the reference modules. That also provides clues to estimating the uncertainty of the results. This procedure has been applied in seven testing campaigns, carried out at commercial PV plants. Dedicated instrumentation, based on two radio linked I‐V tracers, allowing the simultaneous measurement of the I‐V curves and of the temperature at the centres of the reference and the tested modules, has been developed for that. The resulting uncertainties are similar to those corresponding to high‐quality solar simulators and low enough for dealing, in practice, with strict quality control requirements.
This paper proposes how to accomplish low uncertainty outdoor STC power measurements of PV modules by comparing the I‐V curves of a tested and a reference module and counterbalancing their temperature differences. This procedure was applied in seven projects, with uncertainties low enough for dealing with strict quality control requirements.
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