Pretreated sugarcane bagasse matches performance of synthetic media for lipid production with Yarrowia lipolytica.

Engineered strains of Yarrowia lipolytica with modified lipid profiles and other desirable properties for microbial oil production are widely reported but are almost exclusively characterized in synthetic laboratory-grade media. Ensuring translatable performance between synthetic media and industrially scalable lignocellulosic feedstocks is a critical challenge. Yarrowia lipolytica growth and lipid production were characterized in media derived from two-step acid-catalyzed glycerol pretreatment of sugarcane bagasse. Fermentation performance was benchmarked against laboratory-grade synthetic growth media, including detailed characterization of media composition, nitrogen utilization, biomass and lipid production, and fatty acid product profile. A Yarrowia lipolytica strain modified to enable xylose consumption consumed all sugars, glycerol, and acetic acid, accumulating lipids to 34-44 % of cell dry weight. Growth and lipid content when grown in sugarcane bagasse-derived media were equivalent to or better than that observed with synthetic media. These sugarcane bagasse-derived media are suitable for transferable development of Yarrowia lipolytica fermentations from synthetic media.

Pilot scale manufacturing of black seed oil-loaded alginate beads; process development, and stability of thymoquinone.

The approach of ionic gelation was employed at the pilot scale of the 50 kg batch size to manufacture black seed oil (BSO)-loaded alginate (ALG) beads as a natural source supplementing the main bioactive compound of BSO, i.e., thymoquinone (TQ). The BSO-ALG emulsion was prepared by initially emulsifying BSO with alginate solution at the pilot scale in two stages. The final emulsion was then dripped through 12 units of 3D-printed multi-nozzles into a curing bath containing Ca2+. The dripping flow rate was scaled up to 288 mL/min through the 3D-printed multi-nozzles (22-gauge). The characteristics of pilot scale BSO-ALG beads were similar to those produced at the lab scale; the beads were spherical with a size of 1.84-1.94 mm. The mechanical strength and loss on drying ranged from 143.6 to 172 g and 77.85-81.96 %, respectively. The production yield and encapsulation efficiency were 77.53-83.65 % and 95.36-97.9 %, respectively. Furthermore, the emulsification process did not affect TQ stability, while the curing process reduced TQ concentration from 1.51 % to 1.03 % w/w. Additionally, a substantial drop in TQ concentration in the encapsulated BSO was observed after the drying process, where it reached 0.23 % w/w. Finally, the stability of BSO-ALG beads in both wet and dried forms under real-time and accelerated conditions for 3 months revealed that beads were stable in terms of their organoleptic characteristics, size and sphericity, and loss on drying. Findings from this study enable the large-scale manufacturing of encapsulated BSO and similar bioactive compounds in ALG beads for the first time. These findings are valuable for advancing microencapsulation through ionic gelation and enhancing food preservation and safety.

A framework for early-stage sustainability assessment of innovation projects enabled by weighted sum multi-criteria decision analysis in the presence of uncertainty.

A two-level hierarchical framework for early-stage sustainability assessment (FESSA) amongst a set of alternatives applicable from the earliest stages of process or product development is introduced, and its use in combination with an improved method weighted-sum method multi-criteria decision analysis (WSM-MCDA) in the presence of uncertainty is presented through application to a case study based upon a real-world decision scenario from speciality polymer manufacture. The approach taken addresses the challenge faced by those responsible for innovation management in the manufacturing process industries to make simultaneously timely and rational decisions early in the innovation cycle when knowledge gaps and uncertainty about the options tend to be at their highest. The Computed Uncertainty Range Evaluations (CURE) WSM-MCDA method provides better discrimination than the existing Multiple Attribute Range Evaluations (MARE) method without the computational burden of generating heuristic outcome distributions via Monte-Carlo simulation.

This paper introduces a framework that teams can use to think systematically about the wide range of criteria which go into deciding whether a proposed innovation enhances sustainability or not and shows how an improved method for multiple-criteria decision analysis can be used to put it into practice with an example drawn from the speciality chemicals industry. Innovation in the manufacturing process industries requires decisions to be made. In individual projects, scientists and technical managers must decide which technology, materials, and equipment to use. Equally, those responsible for directing a portfolio of projects must choose which projects to prioritise. In either case, early decision making is desirable to avoid sinking time and money into dead-end projects, and to identify what further work is needed for projects with a future. The earlier you decide however, the harder it can be to obtain firm evidence (e.g. conclusive experimental data, fully validated costings, or life cycle impacts) upon which to base your decision. The growing societal expectation that sustainability criteria are factored into such decisions merely adds to the challenges faced by the decision maker. Decisions must be made upon the evidence that is available combined with the informed judgement of those with knowledge of the system under consideration. This is best approached as a facilitated, team-based activity where assertions, assumptions and interpolations or extrapolations from the limited data can be tested and challenged. A sound decision-making process needs a suitable computational method for turning this complex qualitative and semi-quantitative assessment into a clear output indicator of potential success or failure for the options under consideration. The method described in this paper addresses this need but, just as importantly, the methodology ensures that the thought process behind whatever decision is indicated is clearly and transparently documented for future reference.

NaOH-Assisted Multicomponent Reaction and Polymerizations of Elemental Sulfur, Diisocyanides, and Diols to Access Functional Poly(O-thiocarbamate)s.

Sulfur-containing polymers with unique structures and fascinating properties have attracted much attention recently, the efficient and economic synthetic approaches for various sulfur-containing polymers have rapidly developed. Herein, the multicomponent reaction of elemental sulfur, isocyanide, and alcohol was designed at mild condition with the assistance of NaOH, and the corresponding NaOH-assisted multicomponent polymerization of elemental sulfur, diisocyanides, and diols were developed at room temperature or 40 oC in air, to produce poly(O-thiocarbamate)s with well-defined structures, high molecular weights (Mws up to 32 500 g/mol) and high yields (up to 99%). The facilely available monomers, mild condition, and high efficiency of this MCP enabled scale-up synthesis of poly(O-thiocarbamate)s, and 7.34 g polymer was obtained in 98% yield. These functional poly(O-thiocarbamate)s could enrich Au3+ from aqueous solution with high enrichment capacity (983 mg·Au3+/g) and high efficiency (>99.99%) in 1 min, demonstrating superior gold enrichment performance and their potential industrial and economic values.

Acoustic resonance technology and quality by design approach facilitate the development of the robust tetrandrine nano-delivery system.

The aim of this study was to develop a sufficiently robust tetrandrine (Tet) nano-delivery system using acoustic resonance (AR) technology and freeze-drying technology. This system can effectively improve the solubility and dissolution properties of Tet, along with high stability and scale-up adaptability. Firstly, 54 stabilizers were screened simultaneously in a high-throughput manner with the help of AR technology to fully explore the optimal prescription space of tetrandrine nanosuspension (Tet-NS). The Plackett-Burman design was used to screen for critical variables severely affecting the quality of Tet-NS. The Box-Behnken design was used to investigate and optimize critical variables to obtain optimal nanosuspensions. The optimal prescription was successfully scaled up by 100 times, which was the initial exploration of its commercial scale production. Solidification studies have shown that formulations with 2.44% fructose as the cryoprotectant have excellent redispersibility. Compared with pure Tet, Tet in Tet-NS showed a significant increase in solubility and dissolution rate in water. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) demonstrated that no significant interactions occurred between the drug and excipients in Tet-NS. Powder x-ray diffraction analysis (PXRD) indicated that some of the Tet transformed into amorphous state during the preparation process. In short-term stability study, Tet-NS successfully maintained its physical stability. In summary, under the guidance of the QbD concept, this study rapidly developed Tet-NS using acoustic resonance technology, which can effectively improve the solubility and dissolution properties of Tet. During the development of Tet-NS, AR technology has demonstrated high particle size reduction capability, the ability to process multiple sets of formulations in parallel, and excellent scale-up capability. Meanwhile, the method and concept of this study are not limited to Tet, but also applicable to other poorly water-soluble drugs.

From agricultural biomass to D form lactic acid in ton scale via strain engineering of Lactiplantibacillus pentosus.

Worsening environmental conditions make lactic acid a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based plastics. This study created a genetically-engineered strain Lactiplantibacillus pentosus PeL containing a disrupted L-lactate dehydrogenase gene to produce high yield and optically pure D-lactic acid. Cellobiose was identified as the optimal sugar in the single carbon source test, yielding the highest lactic acid. In 5-L fermentation tests, pretreated wood chips hydrolysate was the best lignocellulosic substrate for PeL, resulting in a D-lactic acid yield of 900.7 ±â€¯141.4 mg/g of consumed sugars with an optical purity of 99.8 ±â€¯0.0 %. Gradually scaled-up fermentations using this substrate were achieved in 100-, and 9,000-L fermenters; PeL produced remarkably high D-lactic acid yields of 836.3 ±â€¯11.9 and 915.9 ±â€¯4.4 mg/g of consumed sugars, with optical purities of 95.0 ±â€¯0.0 % and 93.8 ±â€¯0.2 %, respectively. This study is the pioneer in demonstrating economical and sustainable ton-scale production of D-lactic acid.

Scalable Multistep Imprinting of Multiplexed Optical Anti-counterfeiting Patterns with Hierarchical Structures.

Multiplexed optical techniques with multichannel patterns provide powerful strategies for high-capacity anti-counterfeiting. However, it is still a big challenge to meet the demands of achieving high encryption levels, excellent readability, and simple preparation simultaneously. Herein, we use a multistep imprinting technique, leveraging surface work-hardening to massively produce multiplexed encrypted patterns with hierarchical structures. These patterns with coupled nano- and microstructures can be instantaneously decoded into different pieces of information at different view angles under white light illumination. By incorporating perpendicular nano- and microgratings, we achieve four-channel encoded patterns, enhancing anti-counterfeiting capacity. This versatile method works on various metal/polymer materials, offering high-density information storage, direct visibility, broad material compatibility, and low-cost mass production. Our high-performance anti-counterfeiting patterns show significant potential in real-world applications.

A new strategy in bioreactor scale-up and process transfer using a dynamic initial vvm according to different aeration pore size.

Monoclonal antibody drugs have grown into a drug category with a market size of over $100 billion since the first product was launched on the market, which naturally creates a large demand for production. At the same time, the $100 billion market is distributed among more than 200 listed drugs, which indicates that the production demand for monoclonal antibody drugs is diverse. To meet this demand, major suppliers offer single-use bioreactors of all sizes. These single-use bioreactors with different specifications, especially the inconsistency of aeration pore sizes, pose great challenges for technology transfer and scale-up production, and the conventional scale-up strategies of constant Power input/volume ratio (P/V) and constant vessel volume per minute (vvm) can no longer meet the needs. This study simplified the selection of technical parameters in bioreactors based on the differences in aeration pore size. Innovatively combined the aeration pore sizes with initial aeration vvm, and comprehensively investigated the relationship between P/V, vvm and aeration pore size by designing experiments (DoE) using the orthogonal test method. The results showed a quantitative relationship between the aeration pore size and the initial aeration vvm in the P/V range of 20 ± 5 W/m3. The appropriate initial aeration was between 0.01 and 0.005 m3/min for aeration pore size ranging from 1 to 0.3 mm, which was the optimal incubation condition in the bioreactors. The choice of initial ventilation was most related to the final expression. Follow-up studies validated these findings in a 15 L glass bioreactor and a 500 L single-use bioreactor, and the results were consistent with expectations.

Challenges and opportunities for large-scale applications of the electro-Fenton process.

As an electrochemical advanced oxidation process, the electro-Fenton (EF) process has gained significant importance in the treatment of wastewater and persistent organic pollutants in recent years. As recently reported in a bibliometric analysis, the number of scientific publications on EF have increased exponentially since 2002, reaching nearly 500 articles published in 2022 (Deng et al., 2022). The influence of the main operating parameters has been thoroughly investigated for optimization purposes, such as type of electrode materials, reactor design, current density, and type and concentration of catalyst. Even though most of the studies have been conducted at a laboratory scale, focusing on fundamental aspects and their applications to degrade specific pollutants and treat real wastewater, important large-scale attempts have also been made. This review presents and discusses the most recent advances of the EF process with special emphasis on the aspects more closely related to future implementations at the large scale, such as applications to treat real effluents (industrial and municipal wastewaters) and soil remediation, development of large-scale reactors, costs and effectiveness evaluation, and life cycle assessment. Opportunities and perspectives related to the heterogeneous EF process for real applications are also discussed. This review article aims to be a critical and exhaustive overview of the most recent developments for large-scale applications, which seeks to arouse the interest of a large scientific community and boost the development of EF systems in real environments.

Unraveling the complexity of amorphous solid as direct ingredient for conventional oral solid dosage form: The story of Elagolix Sodium.

Conventional solid oral dosage form development is not typically challenged by reliance on an amorphous drug substance as a direct ingredient in the drug product, as this may result in product development hurdles arising from process design and scale-up, control of physical quality attributes, drug product processability and stability. Here, we present the Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls development journey behind the successful commercialization of an amorphous drug substance, Elagolix Sodium, a first-in-class, orally active gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist. The reason behind the lack of crystalline state was assessed via Molecular Dynamics (MD) at the molecular and inter-molecular level, revealing barriers for nucleation due to prevalence of intra-molecular hydrogen bond, repulsive interactions between active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) molecules and strong solvation effects. To provide a foundational basis for the design of the API manufacturing process, we modeled the solvent-induced plasticization behavior experimentally and computationally via MD for insights into molecular mobility. In addition, we applied material science tetrahedron concepts to link API porosity to drug product tablet compressibility. Finally, we designed the API isolation process, incorporating computational fluid dynamics modeling in the design of an impinging jet mixer for precipitation and solvent-dependent glass transition relationships in the cake wash, blow-down and drying process, to enable the consistent manufacture of a porous, non-sintered amorphous API powder that is suitable for robust drug product manufacturing.

Real-world public health interventions demonstrate how research evidence informs program scale-up.

Evidence-based population interventions rely on intervention testing (efficacy and effectiveness trials) to determine what works to improve public health. We investigated the characteristics of real-world public health interventions to address obesity and explored the extent to which research testing was undertaken prior to scale-up. We identified 90 population health interventions targeting physical activity, nutrition or obesity-related health behaviours and collected publicly available information on their key characteristics and outcomes. We then assessed the differences between interventions that followed a research pathway and those that did not. Two-thirds (n = 60) of the interventions were reported as having followed a research pathway. Univariate logistic regression analysis revealed that these interventions were more likely to be health education interventions [odds ratio (OR): 5.56; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.38-22.38], developed by research institutes (OR: 12.81; 95% CI: 3.47-47.34), delivered in North America (OR: 4.13; 95% CI: 1.61-10.62), and less likely to be owned (OR: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.14-0.88) or funded by government organizations (OR: 0.37; 95% CI: 0.14-0.95). Interventions that followed a research pathway were nearly three times more likely to have a positive impact on population health (OR: 2.72; 95% CI: 1.04-7.14). Interventions that followed a research pathway to scale-up were no more likely to be sustained longer than those that did not. Differences exist across real-world interventions between those that follow a research pathway to population-scale delivery and those that do not, regarding organizational and environmental context. A key benefit of research pathway to scale-up is the impact it has on health outcomes.

Upgrading hazelnut skins: Green extraction of polyphenols from lab to semi-industrial scale.

Hazelnut skins (HS) are usually managed as waste; however, this by-product is a source of bioactive compounds, with potential applications in feed and food sectors. Phenolic compounds can be extracted using green protocols combining enabling technologies and green solvents. This work investigates subcritical water extraction (SWE) of bioactive compounds from HS. A laboratory-scale study was performed on four different batches, with significant batch-to-batch heterogeneity. The evaluation of polyphenolic profiles and antioxidant activities afforded promising results compared to the benchmark of reflux maceration. To evaluate process effectiveness, the extraction protocol was replicated on a semi-industrial plant that processed 8 kg of matrix. Downstream processes have been optimized for scale-up, demonstrating the effectiveness of SWE in retaining product concentration and bioactivity avoiding excipients in spray-drying phase. Hazelnut extracts exhibited antibacterial properties against animal- and food-borne pathogens, supporting their potential use as sustainable feed ingredients for improved hazelnut production and animal farming practices.

Innovations in one-step point-of-care testing within microfluidics and lateral flow assays for shaping the future of healthcare.

Point-of-care testing (POCT) technology, using lateral flow assays and microfluidic systems, facilitates cost-effective diagnosis, timely treatment, ongoing monitoring, and prevention of life-threatening outcomes. Aside from significant advancements demonstrated in academic research, implementation in real-world applications remains frustratingly limited. The divergence between academic developments and practical utility is often due to factors such as operational complexity, low sensitivity and the need for trained personnel. Taking this into consideration, our objective is to present a critical and objective overview of the latest advancements in fully integrated one-step POCT assays for home-testing which would be commercially viable. In particular, aspects of signal amplification, assay design modification, and sample preparation are critically evaluated and their features and medical applications along with future perspective and challenges with respect to minimal user intervention are summarized. Associated with and very important for the one-step POCT realization are also readout devices and fabrication processes. Critical analysis of available and useful technologies are presented in the SI section.

The pathway to delivering injectable CAB for HIV prevention: strategies from global PrEP leaders leveraging an adapted version of the Intervention Scalability Assessment Tool (ISAT).

BACKGROUND: Longer-acting cabotegravir (CAB) is a novel, safe, and efficacious pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention. As we near a time for CAB scale-up, the experience of global leaders in PrEP research and implementation can be leveraged to identify optimal strategies for scaling and integrating CAB into existing PrEP infrastructure worldwide. METHODS: We recruited leaders of HIV prevention clinical trials and large PrEP programs through a combination of purposive and snowball sampling for participation in individual interviews. We conducted interviews using a semi-structured guide that compared CAB to oral PrEP and sought perspectives on barriers and strategies for CAB scale-up. Interviews were conducted virtually, audio recorded, and transcribed. We used thematic analysis, grounded in an adapted version of the Intervention Scalability Assessment Tool (ISAT), to identify critical elements for optimizing delivery of CAB. RESULTS: From October 2021 to April 2022, we interviewed 30 participants with extensive experience in PrEP research, care, and programming. Participants worked in all seven WHO regions and reported a median of 20 years working in HIV and 10 years in PrEP. Participants agreed that CAB was efficacious and discrete, therefore having the potential to address current concerns about oral PrEP adherence and stigma. Participants indicated direct and indirect costs for provider training, expansion of existing medical infrastructure, and the current medication cost of CAB as major concerns for roll out. The true cost to the end-user and health system were unknown. There were some conflicting strategies on how to best address product targeting, presentation of efficacy, and timing of product availability with scale-up. Some thought that targeting CAB for the general population could normalize PrEP and decrease stigma, while others thought that prioritizing key populations could optimize impact by targeting those with highest risk. Overall, participants emphasized that to ensure successful CAB scale-up, communities and stakeholders must be involved at every stage of planning and implementation. CONCLUSIONS: Our evaluation found that although there is a clear and urgent need for additional HIV PrEP options beyond daily oral PrEP, CAB scale-up must be thoughtful, flexible, and based in lessons learned from oral PrEP rollout.

Scaling up healthy eating in early childhood education and care: evaluation of the Appetite to Play capacity-building intervention.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to examine the dissemination of the healthy eating component of Appetite to Play at scale using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework. DESIGN: The Appetite to Play capacity-building intervention is a set of evidence-informed implementation strategies aimed at enhancing the adoption of recommended practices for promoting healthy eating and active play in early years settings. The evaluation was pragmatic, employing both quantitative (surveys) and qualitative (interviews) data collection. SETTING: The Appetite to Play intervention was delivered through in-person community-based workshops, virtual workshops, asynchronous e-learning and online resources. PARTICIPANTS: We received completed surveys from 1670 in-person workshop participants (96 % female), and twenty-three (all female) survey respondents also participated in a telephone interview. Approximately two-thirds of all participant groups were certified early childhood educators. RESULTS: Results indicated that Appetite to Play had high reach (25 867 individual website visits, 195 workshops delivered), effectiveness (significant increases in care provider's knowledge, confidence (P < 0·05) and high post-intervention intention to implement), adoption (11 % of educators in BC trained) and implementation (good alignment with implementation strategies and current practices), with a significant maintenance plan to support the intervention's future success. CONCLUSIONS: An evidence-based capacity-building intervention with an emphasis on training and provision of practical online resources can improve early years providers' knowledge, confidence and intention to implement recommended practices that promote healthy eating. Further research is needed to determine the impact on child-level outcomes and how parents can be supported in contributing to positive food environments.

Industry's Perspective on Challenges Assessing the in Vivo Impact of Removing Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) from Drug Products.

The European Commission (EC) has tasked the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to provide a recommendation towards the acceptability of titanium dioxide (TiO2) in pharmaceutical products by early 2024 to inform on final decision in early 2025[1]. Unlike the already implemented ban of TiO2 in foods, removing this excipient from pharmaceutical products will likely have significant impact on the pharmaceutical industry, regulatory agencies, and patients. This commentary explores the challenges facing the pharmaceutical industry tasked with supporting the development and registration of TiO2 free (TF) drug products. Specifically, justification of formulation changes and potential impact to in vitro and in vivo performance, as well as differences in global regulatory comparative dissolution requirements to justify changing to TF drug product are discussed. Particularly, the uncertainties around how a formulation change such as removal of TiO2 from immediate release solid oral dosage forms will be viewed in Europe compared to other regions is discussed. To respond to these challenges and avoid disruption to the medicines supply chain in case in vitro data such as dissolution is either too challenging or insufficient to justify changing to TF product, pharmaceutical companies may have to decide if the level of risk is worth the effort needed to reformulate, develop, and register a new TF product.

Progress on hydrogen sulfide removal: From catalytic oxidation to plasma-assisted treatment.

Air pollution is a long-standing environmental challenge as well an important economic subject. Hydrogen sulfide is one the major pollutants in the industrial releases. This review focuses on the thermochemical treatment of hydrogen sulfide based on the most recent works to date regarding its removal. By analyzing fundamental steps in chemical reaction engineering, some useful factors are emphasized since they are often neglected in scientific studies, catalysts design and process scale-up. From processing side, the fluid flow conditions including velocity, H2S concentration, relative humidity, temperature and pressure strongly influence the kinetic behavior and so the catalytic performance of the H2S removal reactor. From material side, the catalyst properties including nature, porosity, pore types, size, sites distribution and layer structuration largely influence the removal performance via among others the accessibility to catalytic sites, pores connection and mass transfer resistance. Plasma-assisted catalytic removal of H2S combines many novelties in comparison with a classical thermo-catalytic process. From patents review, we can see that main concerns are about electrodes mounting, reactor lifetime and modular design to solve the problems in the industrial practice. We attempt to provide for scientists, engineers and industrialists a guidance on the design of catalysts and processes for H2S removal which could be applied in laboratorial studies and industrial processes as well.

Optimizing intervention dissemination at scale: A qualitative study of multi-sector partner organization experiences.

For population-wide impact of interventions, evidence-based programs must be successfully disseminated and adopted at scale. Research-practice partnerships can legitimize programs and support organizational adoption, however, ways of leveraging the contributions of partners during dissemination processes are less clear. TransformUs is a school-based physical activity and sedentary behaviour program, and since 2018, has been disseminated at scale to all primary schools in Victoria, Australia, in partnership with 16 state and national organizations. The study objective was to investigate the experiences of partner organizations disseminating TransformUs within their networks, and factors associated with awareness and adoption of the program in schools, from the perspective of partner organizations. Semi-structured interviews with representatives from 15 (out of 16) partner organizations in 2019 involved in disseminating TransformUs state-wide. An interview guide was informed by the RE-AIM framework. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded anonymously. Data were analysed thematically. Four themes (and 13 sub-themes) were identified: (i) organizational barriers and facilitators to dissemination; (ii) implementation support for partners; (iii) overall research experience; and (iv) dissemination strategy. Partners used multiple dissemination channels to increase adoption, and strong alignment between TransformUs and the partner organization's goals appeared to enable dissemination. Partners outlined several local, regional, and state organizations to partner with, and offered suggestions regarding preferred content and timing of dissemination activities for their networks. Researchers planning research-practice partnerships should proactively consider organizational barriers partners may face during dissemination. Regular communication and feedback on dissemination outcomes may contribute to positive research-practice experiences and allow for tailored dissemination strategies.

Evidence-based programs need to be accessible and delivered appropriately in the community for population-wide benefits to occur. To achieve this at a state or national level, effective partnerships are often required between academic organizations that develop such programs and the community organizations that support and promote them. In 2018, TransformUs­a school-based program targeting improvements in children's physical activity and sitting time­was offered to all primary schools in Victoria, Australia. This paper describes the experiences of 16 government and non-government health and education organizations that supported the promotion and delivery of TransformUs across the state. Telephone interviews were conducted with 15 representatives from the 16 organizations to understand individuals' experiences of promoting TransformUs within their professional networks and ways to improve the promotion of TransformUs in the future. Key findings included: (i) barriers and enablers within organizations impacted the promotion of TransformUs (i.e. juggling competing priorities and ensuring that all programs they supported were promoted equally); (ii) additional support from academic partners for promoting the program would be beneficial (i.e. receiving results data from the academic organization); and (iii) that relevant government departments had a unified message regarding the program.

Addition of Coffee Waste-Derived Plasticizer Improves Processability and Barrier Properties of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)-Natural Rubber Bioplastic.

This study aimed to develop a value-added bio-based polymer product for food packaging. Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) is a promising bioplastic with limitations in processability and brittleness, which our group previously addressed by incorporating high-molecular-weight natural rubber (NR) compatibilized with peroxide and coagent. Yet, processability in an industrial setting proved difficult. Coffee oil epoxide (COE), a waste-derived plasticizer, was incorporated into the PHBV/NR/peroxide/coagent matrix via extrusion, and properties of resulting sheets were evaluated. COE incorporation significantly decreased the oxygen and water permeability of the PHBV/NR sheets. Maximum degradation temperature Tpeak (°C) increased by ~4.6 °C, and degree of crystallinity decreased by ~15.5% relative to pristine PHBV, indicating good thermal stability. Melting (Tm) and glass transition temperatures (Tg) of the PHBV/NR blend remained unchanged with COE incorporation. X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed ~10.36% decrease in crystal size for the plasticized blend. Energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed good dispersion with no phase separation. The water uptake capacity of the plasticized blend was reduced by 61.02%, while surface contact angle measurements showed improved water resistance. The plasticized PHBV sheet shows promise for environmentally friendly packaging films due to its high thermal stability, effective barrier properties, and industrial scalability.

Community Control of Hypertension and Diabetes (CoCo-HD) program in the Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu: a study protocol for a type 3 hybrid trial.

INTRODUCTION: India grapples with a formidable health challenge, with an estimated 315 million adults afflicted with hypertension and 100 million living with diabetes mellitus. Alarming statistics reveal rates for poor treatment and control of hypertension and diabetes. In response to these pressing needs, the Community Control of Hypertension and Diabetes (CoCo-HD) program aims to implement structured lifestyle interventions at scale in the southern Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. AIMS: This research is designed to evaluate the implementation outcomes of peer support programs and community mobilisation strategies in overcoming barriers and maximising enablers for effective diabetes and hypertension prevention and control. Furthermore, it will identify contextual factors that influence intervention scalability and it will also evaluate the program's value and return on investment through economic evaluation. METHODS: The CoCo-HD program is underpinned by a longstanding collaborative effort, engaging stakeholders to co-design comprehensive solutions that will be scalable in the two states. This entails equipping community health workers with tailored training and fostering community engagement, with a primary focus on leveraging peer supportat scale in these communities. The evaluation will undertake a hybrid type III trial in, Kerala and Tamil Nadu states, guided by the Institute for Health Improvement framework. The evaluation framework is underpinned by the application of three frameworks, RE-AIM, Normalisation Process Theory, and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Evaluation metrics include clinical outcomes: diabetes and hypertension control rates, as well as behavioural, physical, and biochemical measurements and treatment adherence. DISCUSSION: The anticipated outcomes of this study hold immense promise, offering important learnings into effective scaling up of lifestyle interventions for hypertension and diabetes control in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). By identifying effective implementation strategies and contextual determinants, this research has the potential to lead to important changes in healthcare delivery systems. CONCLUSIONS: The project will provide valuable evidence for the scaling-up of structured lifestyle interventions within the healthcare systems of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, thus facilitating their future adaptation to diverse settings in India and other LMICs.