Food values and heterogeneous consumer responses to nanotechnology

Agricultural applications of nanotechnology are at a relatively early stage and little is known about consumer responses to the technology. Canadian consumer responses to food nanotechnology are examined through the lens of the Food Value Scale. Data from a survey of Canadian consumers are used to evaluate the relative importance of eleven food values to food purchase decisions. We find that taste, safety, nutrition, and price are among the most important food values to Canadians, however, consumers exhibit considerable heterogeneity with respect to the priority placed on these values. A discrete choice experiment (DCE) explores the effect of food values on choice behavior. The DCE is positioned as a sliced apple product with non-browning and antioxidant-enhanced features introduced through the use of nanocoating or a conventional coating method. Random parameters logit (RPL) and latent class models (LCM) confirm the existence of significant preference heterogeneity. The LCM identifies three classes of consumers: “supporters,” “doubters,” and “opponents” who differ in their reaction to nanotechnology and in the relative importance placed on food values such as naturalness, novelty, and convenience. The analysis shows that food values provide additional insights into consumers’ food choices and their attitudes toward novel food technologies.     

美国纳米计划管理预算及发展战略

布什政府把国家纳米计划（NNI）指定为多联邦机构参与研发的计划，旨在通过各机构间的经费、研发以及基础设施等方面的协调，使联邦政府对纳米的研发投入回报最大化。自布什2001年进驻白宫以来，美国联邦政府给国家纳米计划的投入从2001财年的4．534G美元增至2008财年11．674G美元（以2001年美元值计算），增长了158％。     

Which research in converging technologies should taxpayers fund? Exploring societal aspects

Contributions of social sciences and humanities to the debate on converging technologies at the nanoscale are mostly seen as conservative and pessimistic about the potential of science and technology to bring anything good to society. In this paper, it is argued that our global society cannot do without the contributions of nano-scientists and engineers to ensure the long-term sustainable development to the benefit of humanity. However, the community of traditional stakeholders in research policy (researchers, research policy-makers and industry) should take further steps outside its 'ivory tower' or 'old boys' 'network' and focus on a research agenda set by all stakeholders in public. The argument will be developed in a case study of converging technologies used in combating infectious diseases, comparing the priorities in current research programmes in Europe to the priorities identified by the World Health Organization.     

凝聚态物理学大师海因里希·罗雷尔博士

瑞士物理学家和发明家海因里希·罗雷尔与德国物理学家和发明家格尔德·宾尼希合作发明扫描隧道显微镜(STM),STM的发明被国际科技界公认为20世纪80年代世界十大科技成就之一,它开启了纳米科技的新纪元,催生了介观物理学。罗雷尔博士对中国人民十分友好,1997年退休后曾多次访华(包括2011年对内蒙古科技大学的访问)并进行多场学术演讲和交流,为发展中瑞两国人民之间的传统友谊和推动两国科学家之间的学术交流作出积极贡献。     

Nanobiomedical science in China: a research field on the rise

Medical and health care applications of nanotechnology have increasingly attracted research and innovation attention. Nano-biomedical science (NBMS) is a term we use to define this emerging domain. As China is one of the leading countries in nanotechnology, but lacks a long history as a biosciences leader, this paper explores the competitive positioning of China in the development of NBMS. Specifically, this paper profiles the research patterns of Chinese NBMS in comparison with the four other largest countries in NBMS, using bibliometric techniques. The results indicate that China is a leader in NBMS, leveraging its strengths in chemistry and physics in the broader nanotechnology domain. However, China's relative weakness in traditional biomedical disciplines, and its lack of presence in highly influential global journals, could prove to be limiting factors.     

Emerging search regimes: measuring co-evolutions among research,science, and society

Scientometric data is used to investigate empirically the emergence of search regimes in biotechnology, genomics and nanotechnology. Complex regimes can emerge when three independent sources of variance interact. In our model, researchers can be considered as the nodes that carry the science system. Research is geographically situated with site-specific skills, tacit knowledge and infrastructures. Second, the emergent science level refers to the formal communication of codified knowledge published in journals. Third, the socio-economic dynamics indicate the ways in which knowledge production relates to society. Although biotechnology, genomics and nanotechnology can all be characterised by rapid growth and divergent dynamics, the regimes differ in terms of self-organisation among these three sources of variance. The scope of opportunities for researchers to contribute within the constraints of the existing body of knowledge are different in each field. Furthermore, the relevance of the context of application contributes to the knowledge dynamics to various degrees.     

Pathways from discovery to commercialisation: using web sources to track small and medium-sized enterprise strategies in emerging nanotechnologies

This paper presents results from a pilot study of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) based on a web-scraping and content analysis of current and archived nanotechnology enterprise websites. We use this approach to explore nanotechnology SMEs transitions from discovery to commercialisation and understand how transitions vary by SME characteristics, technology and market sectors. Our findings suggest that although the idealised linear innovation model is present, important instances of divergence exist. Cluster analysis uncovered sectoral differences but even more distinctions based on the age, funding source, and research intensity.     

Four scenarios for nanotechnologies in the UK, 2011–2020

The future social value of nanoscale science and technology (NST) has been repeatedly represented as revolutionary. However, government and industry support for the commercialisation of NST has to confront four key areas of uncertainty: concerning potential hazards associated with applications, commercial viability, public acceptance and evolving regulation. Academic and policy responses have to date largely emphasised the need for adaptive and anticipatory regulation, yet research which evaluates the prospects of success in implementing such measures has so far been lacking. This paper contributes to remedying this lack by examining difficulties and opportunities which may arise around this regulatory agenda in the UK, with the aid of a ‘policy Delphi’ exercise undertaken with a multi-stakeholder panel. It summarises four scenarios to aid policy-makers and technology strategists in the UK and internationally in thinking through how the future of NST innovation may be affected by factors associated with the aforementioned areas of uncertainty.     

日本政府的纳米科技发展战略与重大举措

日本政府自1980年初即开始对纳米技术进行战略性支持,抢占纳米技术制高点.2000年以来更将纳米技术与材料作为重点领域纳入其国家科技发展基本计划,推行一系列促进纳米技术研究开发与产业化的重大举措,使日本在此领域保持世界领先水平: (1)建立最高决策、项层设计与综合协调的体制; (2)加大投入; (3)实施各类计划与项目;(4)产学官合作创造新产业等.