Category: 3. Business

AMES, Iowa – From the surface of the moon to the fields of Iowa, the Soil Machine Dynamics Laboratory at Iowa State University applies innovative science to solve problems. 

Laboratory Director Mehari Tekeste, associate professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering, works closely with students, industry and government agencies to better understand interactions between machinery and soil resources. Any given day, that can include wear-testing equipment design and research for space excavation missions or researching levels of soil compaction to expect from agricultural tires. 

Harvesting water from the moon

If the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration finalizes plans to harvest water from the moon, they will likely rely on approaches for calculations of ground engaging tools research from the SMDL. The recent NASA-funded study predicted wear rates for a chisel to harvest water trapped in icy regoliths (layers of unconsolidated rocky material covering bedrock). The project was led by Zamir Syed, with the California company Singularity Solutions, one of Tekeste’s first graduate students, in collaboration with Tekeste and Paul Schafbuch, professor of mechanical engineering at Iowa State.  

A bin of unique soil that Tekeste’s team developed helped simulate characteristics of the moon’s surface conditions. Their modeling challenges included that the chisel tool needed to work in a vacuum and under extreme temperature fluctuations. Data from the tests helped validate modeling to predict how the tool would wear, how long it could be expected to operate and how many of the tools would be needed. Their results were highlighted in a recent issue of Earth and Space on Engineering for Extreme Environments. 

“That was a fascinating project,” Tekeste said. “It was also exciting to work on solving a big challenge like this with a former student, whose company landed the grant.” 

Currently, Tekeste is part of a multi-institutional group reviewing specs of mobility studies on extreme deformable surfaces for a new autonomous vehicle that is part of NASA’s Artemis mission for Mars exploration. 

Studying soil compaction in Iowa

Closer to home, projects have focused on precision tillage and soil compaction, two faces of soil-machine systems for Iowa agriculture. These include gauging the benefits of inflation and deflation flexible agricultural tires on soil compaction and crop yield and studying the impacts of soil compaction caused by pipeline-related construction equipment in Iowa fields. A recent SMDL study showed that farm cultivator sweep wear was significantly better for a new edge-hardened sweep, compared to the standard sweeps farmers have been using. The lab’s modeling also predicted using the optimized sweeps would result in yield improvements from precision seed-bed establishment. Tekeste now has three grants from different companies to perform similar farm equipment testing on soft soil conditions. 

“Primarily, we serve as an independent testing center that provides scientific data to develop and validate predictive models for decision-making within the grower-machinery equipment manufacture chain,” Tekeste said. 

“It was a bright new day when Dr. Tekeste arrived on campus in 2015 to revitalize the area of soil dynamics that was once a prominent area of research at Iowa State,” according to alumnus Robert Schafer, now retired from USDA ARS. His remarks came during a symposium Tekeste coordinated in May on terramechanics in agricultural soil-vehicle systems. Schafer credited Tekeste with carrying on a legacy of innovative agricultural engineering faculty who led work in the 1950s to improve machine design by better understanding soil-machine behavior. 

“We now have three soil testing bins designed for different purposes. They are a reason people want our help at Iowa State,” Tekeste said. He has created his own artificial soil that provides a controlled environment to test machinery-soil interactions of tires and tracks. He has also developed other tools, like a special penetrometer for on-the-go measurement of soil compaction.

A 2025 project, conducted with doctoral student John Sheriff, agricultural and biosystems engineering, used the soil bins to investigate soil and crop yield impacts from self-propelled sprayer tires equipped with Very High Flexion (VF) agricultural radial tires, that carry 40% more load at the same inflation pressure than standard radial tires. Their key findings were reported in Applied Engineering in Agriculture: 

• Reduced tire inflation pressures for the VF tires created shallower rut depths and bigger contact area, signaling reduced potential for long-term soil compaction.
• Reduced tire inflation also maximized yield potential, as compared to the conventional higher operating tire inflation pressures on self-propelled standard radial tire inflation pressure settings. 

In addition to NASA, support for the lab’s diverse projects has come from private companies, including John Deere, Caterpillar, Vermeer, agricultural tire manufacturers (Micheline, Titan, Firestone, Alliance, CFI), tillage equipment manufacturers (USM Wear Technologies, Yetter, Orthmann, Unverferth, Bourgault Tillage Tools) and from the Iowa State Association of Counties, the USDA Agricultural Research Service and USDA Hatch research funds.

“Farmers in Iowa and beyond can greatly benefit from the SMDL’s research,” said Kapil Arora, field agricultural engineer with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach. “That is especially true related to the work studying soil compaction from heavy equipment and ways to avoid it. Soil compaction can significantly impact crop yields, as it can push soil particles together, reducing soil infiltration capacities and increasing resistance to crop root penetration and development.” 

Attend soil compaction school Nov. 14

For farmers or ag retailers interested in learning more, Arora and Tekeste will lead a soil compaction school Nov. 14, near Boone. Find more details and registration information on the Soil Compaction School website. Sponsors of the event include the Iowa Pork Producers Association, the Iowa Corn Growers Association, CNH Industrial and the Elder Corporation. 

Contacts: 

Mehari Tekeste, Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, 515-294-2464, mtekeste@iastate.edu
Kapil Arora, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, 515-291-0174, pbtiger@iastate.edu
Ann Y. Robinson, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Communications, 515-294-3066, ayr@iastate.edu 

The Port of Aberdeen has announced it is to make job cuts in the face of what it described as a “staggering” fall in North Sea oil and gas activity.

Chief executive Bob Sanguinetti said there would be “a small reduction in roles” after activity dropped by 25% over the summer months.

He said the port was also seeking voluntary redundancies as part of a process to reduce costs and restructure the organisation.

Mr Sanguinetti said the company remained committed to “growing and diversifying” its activity.

“We will continue to support our team through this difficult but necessary process, while maintaining safe and effective operations across the port,” said Mr Sanguinetti

“Oil and gas activity is down 10% year to date, and a staggering 25% over the summer months, with this trend forecast to continue next year.”

He added: “We face challenges as this rate of decline is outpacing the growth and diversification of activity at South Harbour.

“Offshore wind is the major opportunity on the horizon, however, activity at scale remains a distant prospect for the region.”

The input of a pharmacist is crucial to proper therapy selection for the treatment of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), as they can provide patient education to improve treatment adherence and aid oncologists with frontline treatment choices, especially as new agents continue to emerge, according to Jose Tinajero, PharmD, BCOP.

“Pharmacists are uniquely equipped to not only counsel and educate patients on the importance of adherence to therapy, but [we can] also help identify and mitigate toxicities associated with these agents,” Tinajero, a bone marrow transplant and hematology clinical pharmacist at City of Hope in Duarte, California, said in an interview with OncLive®. “Additionally, we provide valuable support and collaboration with advanced practice providers and visiting teams regarding sequencing, selection, and even switching therapies.”

In the interview, Tinajero discussed his approach to frontline TKI selection, strategies to enhance patient treatment adherence, how pharmacists aid in the implementation of new agents and formulations, and the importance of the pharmacist-oncologist relationship in treating patients with CML.

OncLive: Within the CML space, there are several TKIs approved across the spectrum, with other potentially on the way. With all these options, how do you approach selecting the right agent for the right patient?

Tinajero: CML management has evolved since the development of the first-generation TKI, imatinib [Gleevec].¹ Now we have second-generation options such as dasatinib [Sprycel] and nilotinib [Tasigna], third-generation options like ponatinib [Iclusig], and allosteric inhibitors such as asciminib [Scemblix].^2-5

The current treatment landscape focuses on frontline TKI selection, considering factors such as patient risk scores, age, and comorbidities, like cardiovascular risk. We also account for drug-drug and drug-food interactions, as well as [treatment] adherence.

What strategies help to ensure patient adherence, and how do you adjust when patients struggle to stay on treatment?

Our role is to educate and empower patients about the importance of consistent medication use. If patients struggle due to interactions, toxicities, or adverse effects, we counsel them and work to mitigate these issues. When toxicities become burdensome, we may switch patients to more tolerable options. Ongoing follow-up and communication between patients and the care team are key to maintaining adherence.

In terms of dose optimization and adjustments—keeping patients on effective therapy while minimizing toxicity—how do you approach this, and how do you work with oncologists and patients to achieve the right balance?

Pharmacists in CML Treatment Planning and Management: Key Takeaways

• Pharmacists play a vital role in CML management—supporting oncologists with frontline TKI selection based on patient-specific factors such as comorbidities, drug interactions, and adherence considerations.

• Education and adherence monitoring are central to pharmacist involvement, as they counsel patients on proper medication use, manage toxicities, and coordinate therapy adjustments to maintain treatment continuity and tolerability.

• Collaboration across the multidisciplinary team enhances outcomes, with pharmacists contributing to dose optimization, new agent implementation, and ongoing education for providers in both academic and community settings.

Dose optimization is critical. We aim to minimize therapy interruptions and manage interactions. Some TKIs have meal-related requirements—for example, some are best taken on an empty stomach, while others should be taken with food for proper absorption.

Drug-drug interactions are also important, particularly since many patients with CML are older and often on multiple medications. Pharmacists help screen for interactions to prevent overdosing or underdosing. Many factors contribute to maintaining optimal dosing.

How important is the multidisciplinary team in ensuring effective treatment planning and patient management from diagnosis through treatment completion?

This is a long journey. We assess milestones at [approximately] 3, 6, and 12 months. Having a multidisciplinary team is essential—pharmacists counsel patients and provide expertise on drug therapies, and advanced practice providers, physicians, nurses, and other health care [team] members reinforce these concepts. An all-hands-on-deck approach ensures optimal outcomes, as shown across various studies.

Although the role of TKIs has been established in CML, new approvals continue to emerge and shake up the treatment paradigm. When new agents become available, what role do you play in education and implementation?

When new agents reach the market, we’re involved in onboarding and ensuring their safe and appropriate use. This includes educating nursing staff, specialty pharmacists, physicians, and advanced practice providers through in-services and training sessions. We also participate in pharmacy and therapeutics committees to evaluate new agents and place them appropriately in treatment pathways based on clinical trial data.

I encourage my colleagues to stay equally involved in these efforts, as education and collaboration are key.

For community oncologists who may not have the same level of daily interaction with pharmacists as those in academic centers, what is the importance of that relationship?

Community oncologists can greatly benefit from pharmacy support. Many centers are now incorporating clinical pharmacists into decision-making, counseling, and education. Pharmacists can assist with prior authorizations for newer agents, identify and manage drug interactions, and help address toxicities.

Having a strong pharmacist-oncologist relationship enhances patient safety and outcomes, and there’s significant opportunity for growth in this area within community settings.

References

1. Cohen MH, Williams G, Johnson JR, et al. Approval summary for imatinib mesylate capsules in the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukemia. Clin Cancer Res. 2002;8(5):935-942
2. Sprycel. Prescribing information. Bristol Myers Squibb. 2024. Accessed November 7, 2025. https://packageinserts.bms.com/pi/pi_sprycel.pdf
3. Tasigna. Prescribing information. Novartis. 2024. Accessed November 7, 2025. https://www.novartis.com/us-en/sites/novartis_us/files/tasigna.pdf
4. Iclusig. Prescribing information. Takeda. 2024. Accessed November 7, 2025. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2024/203469s037lbl.pdf
5. Scemblix. Prescribing information. Novartis. 2024. Accessed November 7, 2025. https://www.novartis.com/us-en/sites/novartis_us/files/scemblix.pdf

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Rachel Reeves risks hurting small business owners and damaging investor confidence in the UK if she goes ahead with proposals to increase taxes on dividends in this month’s Budget, wealth managers and bankers have warned.

The chancellor is considering raising dividend taxes on November 26, in a move that the Resolution Foundation think-tank has said would raise £1.5bn, according to people familiar with the situation.

The deliberations come as the Treasury looks to fill a fiscal hole estimated at between £20bn and £30bn in the Budget, with a wide range of tax rises under consideration.

Individuals who earn dividends from a wide range of stocks and shares pay a tax on those earnings according to income bands. At present, basic rate taxpayers are charged 8.75 per cent, with higher rate taxpayers paying 33.75 per cent and additional rate payers charged 39.35 per cent.

In a report in September, the Resolution Foundation said the basic rate of dividend tax was “too low” compared with other UK taxes such as capital gains — at 18 per cent for basic rate — and rates set by international peers.

The influential think-tank called for the basic rate of dividend tax to rise to 16.5 per cent, which would generate an extra £1.5bn for the Treasury.

The Treasury declined to comment. People familiar with the matter said Reeves was considering an increase smaller than the rise to 16.5 per cent urged by the think-tank.

But Jason Hollands, managing director at wealth manager Evelyn Partners, said increasing dividend tax rates would “clobber small business owners” because many took a large portion of their pay through dividends.

“This will be seen as a kick in the teeth to people who take a risk by running their own businesses,” he added.

In addition to business owners, the potential changes would hit investors holding stocks outside of tax-free wrappers such as Isas and pensions.

Emma Wall, chief investment strategist at Hargreaves Lansdown, said the prospect of higher dividend taxes “seems counter to the government’s great initiatives to encourage retail flows, and in turn, domestic investment to spur economic growth”.

Any move to increase dividend taxes would be another blow to investors after the previous Conservative government cut the annual tax-free dividend allowance to £500 from April 2024, down from £1,000 the year before and from £5,000 in 2017-18.

Steven Fine, chief executive of investment bank and broker Peel Hunt, said higher dividend taxes would “be a sure fire way of raising less tax”, with companies able to pare back dividend payouts and instead use excess capital to buy back their own shares.

Ministers have sought to encourage pension funds and retail investors to back British companies in a bid to revive the UK’s moribund capital markets, with Reeves exploring in recent months a cut in the cash Isa allowance in order to funnel more money into stocks.

But Sanjiv Tumkur, head of equities at wealth manager Rathbones, said higher dividend taxes “could discourage investment in income stocks” that were “well represented in the UK market”.

“If investors begin shifting away from income stocks, they may turn to growth stocks instead . . . This could result in capital flowing out of the UK market in search of better growth opportunities abroad,” he added.

TAMPA, Fla. — Spain’s Sateliot announced plans Nov. 10 to develop upgraded satellites from newly expanded facilities in Barcelona, aiming to move beyond connecting sensors and machines to provide voice, video and data links directly to smartphones.

The first 16 150-kilogram satellites are slated to launch in 2027 to demonstrate the capability in certain areas for a few minutes at a time, a spokesperson told SpaceNews, before scaling to provide real-time coverage by 2030.

Sateliot aims to first deploy five more 15-kilogram spacecraft in 2026, bolstering a connectivity service for Internet of Things (IoT) devices using global 5G standards known as 3GPP.

The startup said last month it had achieved a narrowband connection for the first time between one of its four operational low Earth orbit satellites, provided by Bulgaria’s EnduroSat, and a commercial IoT device operating under Release 17 of this standard.

“The ultimate goal is to build a global network of hundreds of satellites to deliver 5G IoT and New Radio (NR) connectivity for real time, low latency dual-use (civil and defense) applications,” the spokesperson said via email.

Sateliot has lodged plans with international regulators to deploy up to 500 satellites.

The upgraded satellites, called Tritó, would be built at the venture’s newly opened European 5G Satellite Development Center at its Barcelona headquarters, which includes a 100-square-meter clean room.

Announcing the center’s inauguration Nov. 10, Sateliot, which counts the Spanish government among its investors, said the start of its industrial phase reinforces Europe’s leadership and technological sovereignty in 5G IoT connectivity from space.

The venture also reaffirmed a goal to reach one billion euros ($1.16 billion) in annual revenue by 2030, following the start of commercial services next year, after signing recurring contracts worth 250 million euros with more than 450 customers across 50 countries.

Last week, U.S.-based direct-to-device rival AST SpaceMobile said it had registered plans for a European sovereign network in partnership with U.K.-based telecoms giant Vodafone.

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Vietnam’s gross domestic product (GDP) surged by a remarkable 8.23 percent in Q3 2025, the fastest growth rate in Southeast Asia, prompting major financial institutions to revise their forecasts upward.

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In Q3 2025, Vietnam’s economy grew by 8.23 percent, lifting the nine-month year-on-year expansion to 7.85 percent. Following this performance, several international research institutions have upgraded their economic forecasts for Vietnam.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has raised its 2025 GDP projection for Vietnam from 6.6 percent to 6.7 percent, while forecasting a possible moderation to six percent in 2026. Likewise, United Overseas Bank (UOB) has upgraded its 2025 estimate for Vietnam to 7.7 percent, citing sustained recovery in manufacturing and exports as key growth drivers.

Despite global uncertainties and recent natural disasters, Vietnam’s economy continued to demonstrate resilient and broad-based growth through the third quarter of 2025.

Vietnam’s GDP growth performance

According to the Ministry of Finance, Vietnam’s GDP grew by 8.23 percent in Q3 2025, bringing nine-month growth to 7.85 percent year-on-year, closely tracking the government’s full-year target of around 8 percent. Positive growth across all three main sectors contributed to the robust GDP growth of Vietnam in both Q3 and the first nine months of 2025

Among them, industrial output, particularly manufacturing and processing, remained the primary growth driver, expanding 10 percent in Q3 and nearly 9.9 percent over the nine-month period, in line with growth targets.

Vietnam’s GDP Growth by Sector, Q3 2025
Sector	Growth in Q3 2025 (%)	Growth in first 9 months 2025 (%)
Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries	3.7	3.8
Industry and construction	9.4	8.6
Services	8.5	8.4
Overall	8.23	7.85

Inflation

Inflation remained under control. Vietnam’s consumer price index (CPI) increased by 3.27 percent over the first 10 months of 2025 compared to the previous year, according to data from the National Statistics Office (NSO) released on Thursday.

In October, the CPI grew by 0.2 percent from September and was up 2.82 percent from December 2024, with a year-on-year increase of 3.25 percent. The NSO also noted that core inflation rose by 3.2 percent during this period.

CPI Movements of Key Goods and Services, October 2025
Category	Monthly change (%)	Notes/Drivers
Food and catering services	+0.59	Contributed +0.20 ppts to total CPI
Education	+0.51	Higher tuition fees at some private schools and universities (2025–26 year)
Household equipment and appliances	+0.20	General price increases
Clothing, hats, and footwear	+0.18	Higher seasonal demand as weather cooled
Beverages and tobacco	+0.12	–
Culture, entertainment, and tourism	+0.06	Higher hotel, venue, and entertainment costs
Housing, utilities, and construction materials	+0.01	Slight uptick
Transport	–0.81	Lower domestic fuel prices; dragged CPI by –0.08 ppts

Credit growth

Bank credit in Vietnam has kept climbing this year, rising faster than the same period in 2024 and maintaining a steady upward trend. According to the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV), as of September 29, the country’s bank credit increased by 13.37 percent compared to the end of 2024, the majority directed toward the production and business sectors.

Approximately 78 percent of Vietnam’s outstanding loans during this period supported production and business activities, aligning with the broader economic structure as follows:

Vietnam’s Bank Credit Distribution by Priority Sector
Priority sector	Share (%)
Agriculture (priority classification)	22.76
Small & medium enterprises (SMEs)	19.04
Supporting industries (growth rate)	23.14
High-tech application enterprises (growth rate)	25.02
Source: SBV

Foreign direct investment

Vietnam attracted US$31.52 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) during the first 10 months of 2025, marking a 15.6 percent year-on-year increase. FDI disbursements reached US$21.3 billion in the first 10 months, an 8.8 percent increase year-on-year.

Existing investors added US$12.11 billion to 1,206 projects, up 45 percent in capital injections. Combining new and adjusted capital, manufacturing and processing accounted for US$16.37 billion, or 62.5 percent of total FDI. Real estate attracted US$5.32 billion (20.3 percent).

Meanwhile, capital contributions and share purchases surged 45.1 percent to US$5.34 billion through 2,918 transactions.

Strong momentum in new projects

Vietnam attracted US$14.07 billion in newly registered capital across 3,321 projects, marking a 21.1 percent increase in project count, though total capital value fell 7.6 percent year-on-year.

Notably, manufacturing and processing dominated, accounting for 55.9 percent of new capital at US$5.61 billion, followed by real estate at US$2.75 billion (19.5 percent).

Top Sources of Newly Registered Capital, Jan–Oct 2025
Country/Territory	Newly registered capital (US$ million)
Singapore	3,760
Mainland China	3,210
Hong Kong (China)	1,380
Japan	1,170
Sweden	1,000
Chinese Taipei	901.2
South Korea	627

Trade

Vietnam posted US$762.44 billion in total trade turnover during January–October 2025. The country recorded a US$19.56 billion trade surplus, compared with US$23.18 billion in the same period last year. The domestic sector registered a US$22.83 billion deficit, while the foreign-invested sector (including crude oil) maintained a robust US$42.39 billion surplus.

Export

Vietnam’s exports in October were estimated at US$42.05 billion, down 1.5 percent month-on-month but up 17.5 percent year-on-year. Over the first 10 months of 2025, exports rose 16.2 percent to US$391 billion, including:

• Domestic sector: US$94.17 billion (24.1 percent of total); and
• Foreign-invested sector (including crude oil): US$296.83 billion (75.9 percent), up 22.5 percent.

A total of 36 export commodities exceeded US$1 billion, accounting for 94.1 percent of export turnover. Of these, seven items exceeded US$10 billion, accounting for 67.9 percent of total exports.

Vietnam’s Export Structure by Goods Category, Jan–Oct 2025
Category	Export value (US$ billion)	Share (%)
Processed & manufactured goods	346.73	88.7
Agricultural & forestry products	32.62	8.3
Aquatic products	9.33	2.4
Fuels & minerals	2.32	0.6

Import

Imports reached US$39.45 billion in October, down one percent month-on-month but up 16.8 percent compared to last year. For the January–October period, imports climbed 18.6 percent to US$371.44 billion, which includes:

• Domestic sector: US$117 billion, up 2.8 percent; and
• Foreign-invested sector: US$254.44 billion, up 27.6 percent

Vietnam imported 47 product categories valued at over US$1 billion each, accounting for 93.9 percent of the total import value. Among these, four categories exceeded US$10 billion, representing 52.7 percent of the total.

Vietnam’s import structure in the first 10 months of 2025 is as follows:

• Capital goods: US$348.23 billion (93.8 percent)
  • Machinery, equipment, tools, spare parts: 52.6 percent
  • Raw materials & fuels: 41.2 percent
• Consumer goods: US$23.21 billion (6.2 percent)

Additionally, China remained Vietnam’s largest supplier, providing goods worth US$150.9 billion.

Takeaway

Vietnam’s economic performance in 2025 has been robust, with a notable GDP growth of 8.23 percent in Q3, primarily driven by strong industrial output and manufacturing. Business sentiment in the country appears positive, as its FDI grew significantly to $31.52 billion in the first 10 months.

Overall, despite global challenges, Vietnam continues to demonstrate resilience and promising growth prospects across various sectors.

See also: Reshaping Vietnam’s Socio-Economic Zones: A Post-Merger Outlook