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Metrology is the science of measurement and its applications, whereas biometrology is the science of biological measurement and its applications. Biometrology aims to achieve accuracy and consistency of biological measurements by focusing on the development of metrological traceability, biological reference measurement procedures, and reference materials. Irreproducibility of biological and multi-omics research results from different laboratories, platforms, and analysis methods is hampering the translation of research into clinical uses and can often be attributed to the lack of biologists’ attention to the general principles of metrology. In this paper, the progresses of biometrology including metrology on nucleic acid, protein, and cell measurements and its impacts on the improvement of reliability and comparability in biological research are reviewed. Challenges in obtaining more reliable biological and multi-omics measurements due to the lack of primary reference measurement procedures and new standards for biological reference materials faced by biometrology are discussed. In the future, in addition to establishing reliable reference measurement procedures, developing reference materials from single or multiple parameters to multi-omics scale should be emphasized. Thinking in way of biometrology is warranted for facilitating the translation of high-throughput omics research into clinical practices.

It is of significant importance to public health that reliable monitoring of nitroimidazoles be conducted, while certified reference materials (CRMs) are essential for accurate and reliable detection. A project has been initiated with the objective of developing nitroimidazole purity CRMs to ensure that results from nationwide monitoring laboratories for nitroimidazoles in antibiotic residues can be compared and traced. The candidates were successively characterized in terms of their structure by means of infrared (IR) spectroscopy and mass spectrometry (MS). The mass balance (MB) method and the quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance (qNMR) method were utilized to determine the purity of nitroimidazoles with remarkable accuracy. Furthermore, a methodical investigation was conducted on homogeneity, stability, and uncertainty. Six nitroimidazole purity CRMs, including tinidazole (GBW09252), secnidazole (GBW09286), ronidazole (GBW09288), metronidazole (GBW(E)090755), dimetridazole (GBW(E)090819), and ornidazole (GBW(E)090820), were finally manufactured following authorization from China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR). By using these CRMs, it is possible to improve the traceability, accuracy, and comparability of nitroimidazole measurements in a range of agricultural products, protecting public health.

Measurements of isotope ratios are predominantly made with reference to standard specimens that have been characterized in the past. In the 1950s, the carbon isotope ratio was referenced to a belemnite sample collected by Heinz Lowenstam and Harold Urey1 in South Carolina’s PeeDee region. Due to exhaustion of the sample since then, reference materials that are traceable to the original artefact are used to define the Vienna PeeDee Belemnite scale for stable carbon isotope analysis2. However, these reference materials have also become exhausted or proven to exhibit unstable composition over time3, mirroring issues with the international prototype of the kilogram that led to a revised International System of Units4. A campaign to elucidate the stable carbon isotope ratio of Vienna PeeDee Belemnite is underway5, but independent measurement techniques are required to support it. Here we report an accurate value for the stable carbon isotope ratio inferred from infrared absorption spectroscopy, fulfilling the promise of this fundamentally accurate approach6. Our results agree with a value recently derived from mass spectrometry5 and therefore advance the prospects of International System of Units–traceable isotope analysis. Further, our calibration-free method could improve mass balance calculations and enhance isotopic tracer studies in carbon dioxide source apportionment.Isotope ratio measurements are complicated by the instabilities of composition in reference samples. Now a calibration-free method relying on infrared spectroscopy provides measurements that are traceable to International System of Units standards.

Conducting reliable measurements with traceability is a basic premise in commercial relations between nations. This role is performed by the national standardization institutes (NMI) and coordinated by the Bureau International des Poids et Mesures (BIPM). The use of Reference Materials (RM) and Certified Reference Materials (CRM) have contributed for decades, mainly to the pharmaceutical and biological products industry, providing high-quality measurements and adding value to the products. This research presents the primary standards and guidelines relevant to the definition of RM and CRM for the area of non-destructive testing (NDT) by ultrasound. The generation process of these materials must occur from short- and long-term stability and homogeneity tests following ISO Guide 35. Following a basic protocol defined for the experiments, the first results generated for the RM and CRM validation process are presented for the first results generated for a production process of a set of 24 carbon steel blocks for property calibration regarding ultrasonic velocity.

For more than 110 years, BAM has been producing reference materials for a wide range of application fields. With the development of new analytical methods and new applications as well as continuously emerging more stringent requirements of laboratory accreditation with regard to quality control and metrological traceability, the demand and requirements for reference materials are increasing. This trend article gives an overview of general developments in the field of reference materials as well as developments in selected fields of application in which BAM is active. This includes inorganic and metal analysis, gas analysis, food and consumer products, and geological samples. In addition to these more traditional fields of application, developments in the areas of optical spectroscopy, particularly fluorescence methods, and nanomaterials are considered.

PurposeThis paper aims to present an emergent framework that proposes the strategic importance of supply chain (SC) traceability beyond the traditional role in supporting product safety, recalls and sustainability initiatives.Design/methodology/approachA grounded theory (GT) approach with 22 in-depth interviews with managers from 10 countries/territories and 3 different echelons of the food SC is employed to arrive at the strategic traceability framework and framework's propositions.FindingsThe framework suggests that traceability can sometimes help expose and modify firms' core and non-core SC capabilities and provide an opportunity to align them better with SC strategies. This alignment may require a complementary execution of human coordination and the adoption of technological traceability components.Practical implicationsThe research suggests that firms may be able to extract greater value from the firms' traceability investments. While traceability continues to serve the key purposes of preventing and mitigating the risks of recalls, this can sometimes illuminate sustained business growth opportunities.Originality/valueThe study extends traceability beyond a means to meet the requirements of product safety, recalls and sustainability. Rather, this study establishes traceability's role in exposing and aligning firms' capabilities for business gain and not merely recall risk mitigation. This reframing of the premise for traceability can invigorate both research and practice on the subject of traceability.

The integration of Digital Product Passports (DPPs) with Building Information Modeling (BIM) presents a promising pathway to enable circular construction and improve material traceability across building lifecycles. This review investigates the potential of DPP-BIM frameworks to enhance sustainability assessments and material reuse strategies. A systematic literature review was conducted across key databases, focusing on publications related to DPPs, Material Passports, and Digital Building Passports. The study identifies significant technological, organizational, and regulatory barriers, including data interoperability challenges, lack of automated workflows, and insufficient sector-specific standards. Additionally, emerging gaps such as fragmented supply chains, unclear data governance, and limited integration with procurement systems were highlighted. The findings emphasize the need for unified digital frameworks, policy development, and technological innovation to support effective DPP-BIM integration for circular economy practices in the construction industry.

Additive manufacturing (AM) is rapidly evolving from “rapid prototyping” to “industrial production”. AM enables the fabrication of bespoke components with complicated geometries in the high-performance areas of aerospace, defence and biomedicine. Providing AM parts with a tagging feature that allows them to be identified like a fingerprint can be crucial for logistics, certification and anti-counterfeiting purposes. Whereas the implementation of an overarching strategy for the complete traceability of AM components downstream from designer to end user is, by nature, a cross-disciplinary task that involves legal, digital and technological issues, materials engineers are on the front line of research to understand what kind of tag is preferred for each kind of object and how existing materials and 3D printing hardware should be synergistically modified to create such tag. This review provides a critical analysis of the main requirements and properties of tagging features for authentication and identification of AM parts, of the strategies that have been put in place so far, and of the future challenges that are emerging to make these systems efficient and suitable for digitalisation. It is envisaged that this literature survey will help scientists and developers answer the challenging question: “How can we embed a tagging feature in an AM part?”.

As an emerging neurodegenerative disease, Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has become a leading cause of dementia in older adults. Visinin-like protein-1 (VILIP-1) is an increasingly used biomarker for AD besides the widely accepted Aβ 1-40 , Aβ 1-42 , and tau. However, significant variations exist in the commercial immuno-based assays for VILIP-1 quantification, underlining the necessity to establish a traceability chain. Certified reference materials (CRMs) located at the top of the traceability chain are traceability sources for relevant matrix standard materials. In this work, VILIP-1 solution CRM with a certified value and uncertainty of 39.82±1.52 μg·g −1 was developed and certified using amino acid-based isotope dilution mass spectrometry (AA-ID-MS) and sulfur-based isotope dilution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ID-ICP-MS). Certified values from both strategies showed great consistency, with traceability to SI units. Moreover, the candidate VILIP-1 CRM shows excellent homogeneity and can be stable for at least 7 days at −20°C and 12 months at −70°C. The VILIP-1 CRM developed can be used in value assignment to secondary calibrators and clinical matrix CRMs, showing prospects in early diagnosis and disease monitoring for AD. Graphical abstract

The fashion industry is highly responsible for critical environmental problems and the sector is increasingly aware of the urgent need to embark on a sustainable transition. Materials, primarily textiles, are particularly problematic for the sector's unsustainability, despite the intensive research into alternative solutions that is currently underway. This article presents a comprehensive analysis of these socio-environmental challenges and describes how governments, industry, and designers are seeking to address the situation. Furthermore, it identifies a panorama of alternative bio-based and bio-fabricated materials that could facilitate the transition toward more sustainable fashion. We present a selection of 24 case studies of newly developed bio-based and bio-fabricated materials and group them by their origin. Analysis of the cases led to the delineation of five \"materials biography categories\" to help understand the prominent narratives and to communicate their characteristics and fundamental attributes. This taxonomy also serves to support concepts for a circular economy by helping to build a sort of \"material passport\" or \"product biography,\" two concepts underpinning the outcome of this study, and emphasizes the need for tools to further the communication and traceability of these emergent materials. We propose \"materials biography,\" an overarching idea that catalogues essential dimensions and offer it to designers, companies, and final users to enhance their perception and awareness of such novel materials.