Dr. Ning Ma

RIKEN, Center for Brain Science

马宁，多年从事人类高级认知功能，特别是经济决策行为的研究。目的是建立定量的数学与计算模型，准确模拟人类价值选择行为的计算过程、分析影响因素的作用机制，为工业应用和政策制定提供直接的支持。目前主要探索社会因素对人类经济决策的影响机制，解释个体在接受社会信息并做出相应经济决策时的行为规律、认知与脑机制。

Title: Computing Social Value Conversion in the Human Brain

Abstract: 

In daily life, we make decisions based on self-interest, but also in consideration for others’ status. These social influences modulate valuation and decision signals in the brain, suggesting a fundamental process called value conversion that translates social information into self-referenced decisions. However, little is known about the conversion process and its underlying brain mechanisms. We investigated value conversion using human fMRI with computational modeling and found three essential stages in a progressive brain circuit from social to empathic and decision areas. Interestingly, the brain mechanism of conversion differed between prosocial and individualistic subjects. These findings reveal how the brain processes and merges social information into the elemental flow of self-interested decision making.

Prof. Aihua Liu

College of Life Sciences, Qingdao University

研究方向：

 微生物表面展示

 酶、多肽、抗体类似物的设计与规模化制备

 生化分析与生物传感

 大健康与食品安全、体外诊断试剂

 生物燃料电池

Title: TBD

Prof. Charalampos Proestos

Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece

Title:

Edible active coatings for extended self-life of foods: A case study of use of Novel Chitosan/poly-vinyl-alcohol/Thymeoil@Na-montmorillonite and ZnO@Na-montmorillonite.

Abstract:

The global turn from the linear to the circular economy imposes changes to common activities such as food packaging techniques. The use of biodegradable materials such as poly-vinyl-alcohol, natural raw materials such as clays, and food byproducts such as chitosan, to develop novel food packaging films attracts the interest of industrial and institutional research centers. In this study novel hybrid nanostructures were synthesized via the growth of zinc oxide nanorods on the surface of two nanoclays. The obtained nanostructures were incorporated with chitosan/poly-vinyl-alcohol composite either as nanoreinforcement or as an active agent to develop packaging films. The developed films were characterized via XRD, FTIR, mechanical, water-vapor diffusion, water sorption, and oxygen permeability measurements. Antimicrobial activity measurements were carried out against four different pathogen microorganisms. XRD indicated the formation of an intercalated nanocomposite structure for both types of nanoclays. Furthermore, improved tensile, water/oxygen barrier, and antimicrobial properties were recorded for all films compared to the pure chitosan/poly-vinyl-alcohol film. Overall, the results indicated that the use of the bio-based developed films led to an extension of foods' shelf life and could be used as novel foods' active packaging materials.