Earthquake engineering research needs in light of lessons learned from the 2011 Tohoku earthquake

Earthquake engineering research and development have received much attention since the first half of the twentieth century. This valuable research presented a huge step forward in understanding earthquake hazard mitigation,which resulted in appreciable reduction of the effects of past earthquakes. Nevertheless,the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and the subsequent tsunami resulted in major damage. This paper presents the timeline of earthquake mitigation and recovery,as seen by the authors. Possible research directions where the authors think that many open questions still remain are identified. These are primarily based on the important lessons learned from the 2011 Tohoku earthquake.

Maize-rice cropping systems in Bangladesh： Status and research needs

Maize-rice cropping systems are expanding in Bangladesh. Hybrid maize has increasing demand and value, particularly for poultry feed, while rice remains the traditional dominant starch staple food. Bangladesh maize yields （with average farm yields around 5.7 t·ha^-1） are among the highest found in Asia. Cool winter （Rabi） season maize followed by T. Aman （monsoon） rice is the major cropping system; however it is now becoming diversified with many other crops including potato. Financially, hybrid maize is far more profitable than boro （irrigated） rice, wheat, or most other competing winter season Rabi crops. Although maize is relatively problem-free in Bangladesh, some constraints are intensifying with increased concern over input supply and soil-related environmental sustainability. An array of new technologies for sustainable intensive maize production systems is emerging in Bangladesh and some are being promoted and adopted. Continued sustainability of hybrid maize production in Bangladesh depends on optimization of planting time, quality seed of appropriate hybrids, balanced use of nutrient inputs along with soil fertility conservation and other management, for which further research would be high priority.

Future research needs for environmental science in China

Environmental science is an interdisciplinary science developed in the process of understanding and solving ecolog-ical and environmental problems.In order to tackle these problems,environmental science research is expected to reveal the source,behavior,fate,exposure,and risks of pollutants in the environment and develop potential solutions to control pollution.It provides the scientific basis for decision-makers to establish environmental and economic poli-cies,and promote concerted efforts for the sustainable development of society.Here,we articulate the development patterns,challenges,and future research needs of environmental science in China based on literature review and expert panel discussion.Environmental science research has evolved significantly in the past decade with an increas-ing diversity of environmental pollutants and health impacts,new technologies and methods,deepening fusion of multiple disciplines,and emerging solutions for pollution control.Its future development relies on the advances in our knowledge on the fate and transport of pollutants,regional environmental processes,ecotoxicological effects,environmental exposure and health effects,environmental analysis and monitoring,source control and reduction,environmental remediation,as well as environmental risk management.For each of these fields,we summarize the significant challenges and highlight the research demands for China.Based on the status quo of China’s environmen-tal science research and future needs,we provide recommendations to promote its future development,including encouraging innovation and interdisciplinary research,providing decision support for national needs,encouraging international collaboration,and improving collaboration mechanisms.

TECHNICAL RESEARCH NEEDS FOR SUSTAINABLE BUILDINGS: Results from a Multidisciplinary NSF Workshop

This article describes research needs for sustainable buildings as defi ned in a July 2009 National Science Foundationsponsored workshop.This workshop brought together building researchers with researchers in the areas of distributed renewable energy and multifunctional materials to engage their expertise and identify overlapping research needs and opportunities.An overview of sustainable building design provided the broad context for discussion.This overview was followed by focused presentations in building control systems,advanced building envelopes,and systems and process integration.In addition,presentations on distributed renewable energy and multi-functional materials supported the participants in outlining and generating research needs that connect the topic areas.The primary outcome from this part of the workshop was the identifi cation of key sustainable building research needs in:transformative measurements;passive strategies;regional solutions and living labs;systems integration;storage and cascades;adoption of international advances;and implementation and market transformation.These needs,along with associated technical challenges and potential impacts,are described in this paper to guide sustainable building research.

Protection of Allergic Asthma in Mice by Black Rice Bran Bioprocessed with Shiitake Mushroom Mycelia

We evaluated the potential of orally fed new food formulations to inhibit biomarkers reported to be involved in the causes of allergic asthma in mice. Asthma, a serious non-communicable disease, affects both adults and children and can be undertreated. New functional foods could provide therapeutic approaches. Here, the anti-asthma mechanism of a new functional food and three isolated fractions produced by bioprocessing black rice bran with shiitake mushroom mycelia was evaluated in mast cells, B cells, and orally fed mice and compared with non-bioprocessed black rice bran. In vitro, the treatments inhibited RBL-2H3 cell degranulation and immunoglobulin E (IgE) production. The in vitro anti-asthma effects were confirmed in orally fed mice following asthma induction by alumina and chicken egg ovalbumin (OVA). The suppression of asthma resulted from the inhibition of inflammation- and immune-related substances, including OVA-specific IgE, thymic stromal lymphopoietin, eotaxin, leukotriene C4, prostaglandin D2, and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and serum. The treatment also reversed the thickening of the lung airway wall. The inflammation and asthma inhibition seems to be regulated by the balance of the T-helper cells’ Th1/Th2 immune response and the inhibition of multiple biomarkers associated with the cause of asthma. Future human clinical studies with adults and children should determine the potential therapeutic value of the anti-asthma effects of the new functional foods.

Bioprocessed Black Rice Bran Potentiates the Growth Inhibitory Activity of an Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor against Murine Colon Carcinoma

This study determined the effect of orally fed polysaccharide-rich bioprocessed (fermented) black rice bran produced by culturing with shiitake (Lentinus edodes) mushroom mycelium on CT-26 colon cancer cells in vivo in an intracutaneously transplanted mouse tumor alone and in combination with intraperitoneally administered anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor. Analysis of the isolated tumor weights at the end of the study shows that the average tumor size in control mice is 3.78 grams, and the average tumor size in mice treated with anti-PD-1 antibody is 2.16 grams. The average tumor size in mice treated with BRB-F alone is 2.25 grams, and the average tumor size in mice treated with anti-PD-1 antibody BRB-F combination is 1.38 grams. Thus, BRB-F or anti-PD-1 antibody alone each reduce tumor size by 40.5% or 42.9%, whereas the combination of BRB-F and anti-PD-1 antibody reduces tumor size by 63.5%, with their cooperative effect being statistically significant. The observed anti-tumor effects were accompanied by a series of biomarkers associated with cancer formation and inhibition. These results indicate that the reported potentiation of cancer therapy using drug-based medical chemotherapies with added checkpoint inhibitors in human patients are mechanistically similar with the functional food evaluated in the present study. These beneficial effects in mice challenge clinicians to investigate if the black rice bran food product can also protect against human cancer.