Influence of core flow inlet swirl angle on aerodynamic performances of an exhaust nozzle with scarfed lobed mixer was studied by the validated computational approach. The computational simulation was conducted by resolving the steady form of discretized three-dimensional Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes equations with the shear stress transport k-Ω turbulence model. Simulation results depict that swirling motions have ignorable influence on the flow field of the top part in the cross sections slightly downstream of the lobed trailing edge. Besides, for the flow field downstream of the L/D=0.1 cross section, the swirling motions are suggested to cause the clockwise stream-wise vortex to stretch into several smaller-scale vortexes. When the case with a bigger swirling angle is investigated, the induced smaller-scale vortexes are more strengthened by the swirling motions. Concerning the 15° swirling case, the loss caused by the destroyed vortex pattern and the benefit induced by the improved smaller-scale vortexes almost counteract with each other with respect to the thermal mixing efficiency. In the last studied cross section as compared with the baseline case, the case with a maximum swirling angle of 30° has increased 6.94% for the thermal mixing efficiency and decreased 0.42% for the total pressure recovery coefficient.

The allocation of funding for higher education typically focuses on competition in neoliberal mechanisms. Surprisingly, much less attention has been paid to considering the effect of fund locations for sustainable development through public goods purposes in neoliberal contexts. This study aims to examine specific funding schemes and determine the influential factors impacting funding for teaching, research, and public goods transformation. Taking Taiwan's Higher Education Sprout Project (HESP) as an example, we explored the effect of policy initiatives on public goods transformation towards sustainable development. The data were collected from the Ministry of Education and Scopus databases. First, a regression analysis was conducted to determine which factors influence the effect of funding allocations in academic institutes. Second, we used logistic regression to detect the effects of the system and the sector. Third, we used partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to explore the causal effects among the selected impact variables on expected outcomes. Finally, we used the bootstrap method to demonstrate the model’s robustness. Our study found that only diversity was shown in private technology groups receiving less HESP funding. At the same time, it did not widen the differences in the sector and system in the transformation process. Our findings suggest that funding allocations will not affect teaching and research based on sectors and systems. In contrast, this study demonstrates that transforming public goods through special funding can play a critical role in leading sustainable development in higher education.

The paper describes and analyzes the performance of a new thermoelectric generation system based on the use of Peltier cells inserted in the ducts of the air conditioning equipment. The hot and cold air streams that flow in the two separated sections of an air conditioning system are used to create a thermal gradient between the two faces of the Peltier cells. Hot and cold air flow inside the A/C unit are driven to a built in thermal chamber where the Peltier cells are placed. Peltier cells are incrusted into an insulation wall that separates the two sections of the chamber through which hot and cold air streams are flowing. The so designed configuration allows the Peltier cells to generate electric current. The study has been run for constant cold air temperature and variable hot air temperature, resulting in a variable performance of the thermoelectric generator. Theoretical study has been completed with experimental tests to determine real performance of the thermoelectric unit. Efficiency of the thermoelectric generator has been found to be linearly dependent on the temperature difference between hot and cold air subsections of the chamber. Maximum efficiency, however, is limited by the hot air stream temperature, since in real conditions ambient temperature cannot overpasses a specific value. For standard operational conditions, 5º C and 45º C for the cold and hot air streams, the thermoelectric generator operates at 44% of the maximum efficiency attainable.

It is proposed that both human creativity and human consciousness are (unintended) consequences of the human brain’s extraordinary energy efficiency. The topics of creativity and consciousness are treated separately, though have a common sub-structure. It is argued that creativity arises from a synergy between two cognitive modes of the human brain (which broadly coincide with Kahneman’s Systems 1 and 2). In the first, available energy is spread across a relatively large network of neurons. As such, the amount of energy per active neuron is so small that the operation of such neurons is susceptible to thermal (ultimately quantum decoherent) noise. In the second, available energy is focussed on a small enough subset of neurons to guarantee a deterministic operation. An illustration of how this synergy can lead to creativity with implications for computing in silicon are discussed. Starting with a discussion of the concept of free will, the notion of consciousness is defined in terms of an awareness of what are perceived to be nearby counterfactual worlds in state space. It is argued that such awareness arises from an interplay between our memories on the one hand, and quantum physical mechanisms (where, unlike in classical physics, nearby counterfactual worlds play an indispensable dynamical role) in the ion channels of neural networks. As with the brain’s susceptibility to noise, it is argued that in situations where quantum physics plays a role in the brain, it does so for reasons of energy efficiency. As an illustration of this definition of consciousness, a novel proposal is outlined as to why quantum entanglement appears so counter-intuitive.

Rice is the most important food crop in Cambodia and its production is the most organized food production system in the country. The main objective of this study is to measure technical efficiency (TE) of Cambodian rice production and also trying to identify core influencing factors of rice TE at both national and household level, for explaining the possibilities of increasing productivity and profitability of rice, by using translog production function through Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) model. Four-years dataset (2012-2015) generated from the government documents was utilized for the national analysis, while at household-level, the primary three-years data (2013-2015) collected from 301 rice farmers in three selected districts of Battambang province by structured questionnaires was applied. The results indicate that level of rice output varied according to the different level of capital investment in agricultural machineries, total actual harvested area, and technically fertilizers application within provinces, while level of household rice output varied according to the differences in efficiency of production processes, techniques, total annual harvested land, and technically application of fertilizers and pesticides of farmers. The overall mean TE was estimated at 78.4% (national-level) and 34% (household-level), indicates that rice output has the potential of being increased further by 21.6% (national production) and 66% (household) at the same level of inputs and technology if farmers had been technically efficient. The TE also recorded -7% decreasing rate at the national-level and -14.3% at household-level due to highly affected of natural disasters and various environmental and social factors during the study periods.

To reduce the carbon emissions during heating in the manufacturing process, microwaves have attracted significant attention. Microwave has a lot of advantages rather than traditional heating method such as rapid heating, lower thermal damage and eco-friendly process. In order to apply microwaves to manufacturing process, uniform and efficient heating is required. We have analyzed the effect of various design parameters such as cavity heights, the application of the reflector, and the number and positions of waveguides for uniform and efficient heating by numerical simulation and verified that by experiment. The results showed that a slight change in the cavity height altered the electromagnetic field distribution and heating parameters, such as the coefficient of variance and power absorption efficiency. With reflectors installed, uniform heating was achieved and power absorption was improved, with the spherical reflector showing the maximum efficiency. The use of double waveguides heated the target material in a uniform manner. An increase in the power supply also led to uniform heating. This large-scale analysis will be helpful in applying microwaves to actual industrial sites.

Though inland ships share a small portion of the total global CO₂ emission from shipping, from the individual country’s economic and environmental perspective, this is very important. In order to reduce CO₂ emission from the sea going ships by increasing energy efficiency, International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted a generalized Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) in 2011. However, due to the variation in the environmental, geographic and economic conditions, a generalized EEDI cannot be established in a similar fashion as established by IMO. Shallow and restricted water effects, different fuel qualities (to reduce operational cost), increase in engine power requirement, reduction in carrying capacity, cargo availability, etc. forbid the use of existing EEDI formulation for inland waterways. So, an EEDI formulation based on revised parameters has been proposed for the inland ships of Bangladesh. This paper focuses on the implementation of the revised EEDI formulation by performing a sensitivity analysis of different ship design parameters. Based on the analysis, suggestions were made on how to design inland oil tankers of Bangladesh using the revised EEDI formulation for reducing CO₂ from the current level. Keeping the same speed and capacity, those vessels were redesigned based on those suggestions. The CFD analysis of those redesigned vessels using ‘Shipflow’ has shown a total resistance reduction of 10-13%.

Face routing has been adopted in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) where topological changes occur frequently or maintaining full network information is difficult. For message forwarding in networks, a planar graph is used to prevent looping, and because long edges are removed by planarization and the resulting planar graph is composed of short edges, messages are forwarded along multiple nodes connected by them even though they can be forwarded directly. To solve this, face routing using information on all nodes within 2-hop range was adopted to forward messages directly to the farthest node within radio range. However, as the density of the nodes increases, network performance plunges because message transfer nodes receive and process increased node information. To deal with this problem, we propose a new face routing using the planar graphs of neighboring nodes to improve transfer efficiency. It forwards a message directly to the farthest neighbor and reduces loads and processing time by distributing network graph construction and planarization to the neighbors. It also decreases the amount of location information to be transmitted by sending information on the planar graph nodes rather than on all neighboring nodes. Simulation results show that it significantly improves transfer efficiency.

Purpose: This research aims to model a police agency ordering problem based on criteria that measure the performance of operational and logistical variables, using a multicriteria method. Design/methodology/approach: The multicriteria method PROMETHEE II was used, which with the aid of the Visual PROMETHEE software, emulated the systematized data in the impact matrix and produced the final ordering of the most efficient police agencies in equalizing the operational, logistical, financial, and human resources applied in the combating crime and reducing criminal indices. Findings: The results confirmed that the resources made available to police agencies located in different municipalities in the metropolitan region of the state of Rio de Janeiro are better applied by managers compared to police units in the capital of Rio de Janeiro. Research limitations/implications: As implications of the research, it can be inferred that the use of multicriteria methods in modelling problems in ​​public security can contribute to the rationalization of the use of available resources to fight crime in large cities. Research has shown that it is possible to use the multicriteria methodology in ordering police agencies that best equalize the available resources. Practical implications: The practical impact of this research lies in optimizing the resources available to law enforcement agencies in the fight against crime in general. Social implications: The results can influence the decision making of the local government in the allocation of resources, as well as offering sectors of the economy information relevant to local development. Originality/value: The results of the MCDA analysis can be used to help police agencies in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to be more efficient. In addition, the application of MCDA can be a new approach to measuring the efficiency of police services.

A computational simulation of a PT6A gas turbine engine operating at off-design conditions is described in the present article. The model consists of a 0-dimensional thermo-fluidic description of the engine by applying the mass, linear momentum, angular momentum, and energy balances in each engine's component. The transient behavior of the engine is simulated for different blends of the original JET-A1 fuel with bio-diesel. Simulated thermodynamic variables of the air at each engine's component, as well as some performance parameters correspond to the reported experimental measurements. The numerical results also demonstrate the ability of the computational simulation to predict acceptable fuel blends, such that the efficiency of the engine is maximized and its structural integrity is maintained.

Information and communication technologies (ICT) are increasingly permeating our daily life and we ever more commit our data to the cloud. Events like the COVID-19 pandemic put an exceptional burden upon ICT infrastructures. This involves increasing implementation and use of data centers, which increased energy use and environmental impact. The scope of this work is to take stock on data center impact, opportunities, and assessment. First, we estimate impact entity. Then, we review strategies for efficiency and energy conservation in data centers. Energy use pertain to power distribution, IT-equipment, and non-IT equipment (e.g. cooling): Existing and prospected strategies and initiatives in these sectors are identified. Among key elements are innovative cooling techniques, natural resources, automation, low-power electronics, and equipment with extended thermal limits. Research perspectives are identified and estimates of improvement opportunities are presented. Finally, we present an overview on existing metrics, regulatory framework, and bodies concerned.

This paper delves into the comprehensive analysis and investigation of thermodynamic enhancement and exergy optimization of turbofan engines through the integration of fuzzy logic and newest meta-heuristic optimizers, like the Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). In contemporary engineering practices, exergy analysis stands out as a crucial and indispensable tool utilized by numerous engineers and researchers in the design, operation, and performance evaluation of energy systems. Its multifaceted advantages include the precise determination of location, types, and quantification of exergy losses and production. By augmenting exergy efficiency while concurrently curbing exergy destruction, substantial enhancements in engine performance and cost reduction can be achieved. The study focuses on the CF6-80A and CFM56 turbofan engines, scrutinizing individual components such as the fan, low-pressure compressor, high-pressure compressor, combustion chamber, high-pressure turbine, and low-pressure turbine. Key parameters for engine evaluation encompass exergy efficiency, recovery potential, relative exergy destruction, fuel depletion rate, and inefficiency. To conduct a rigorous exergy analysis, engine modeling is imperative, particularly during the cruise phase, which predominantly characterizes engine operation. Subsequently, exergy analysis is executed in accordance with established thermodynamic principles, leveraging equations governing mass conservation, energy conservation, and exergy conservation for each engine component. Further optimization of exergy destruction is achieved through the application of meta-heuristic optimizers and fuzzy logic, facilitating informed decision-making processes.

Manufacturing firms need to streamline their initiatives in line with 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) 2030 as a means for improving performance. This research adapts SDG’s goals 8 decent job and economic growth’ as a measure of performance, in examine the effect of corporate sustainability strategies on performance of manufacturing firms. Census sampling technique was used in cross sectional survey of 900 multi-industry managers from one hundred and fifty (150) manufacturing firms in Kano, Nigeria. A five Likert scale, well-structured questionnaire was used in collecting data, analysed by Structural Equation Modelling SEM PLS Package. The study shows positive and significant effect of eco-efficiency, and positive and insignificant effect of both legitimation and risk mitigation strategies on performance respectively. The study concluded that the positive and significant effects of eco efficiency initiatives could be due to benefits derived from total quality management system, energy monitoring, and process safety management reflected in sustainability oriented visionary leadership of the managers. The positive and insignificant effects of legitimation initiatives could be as a result of huge spending on sustainability reporting, and corruption. The positive and insignificant effect of risk mitigation could be due to pro-activeness of the firms’ managers in tackling risk through sustainability oriented visionary leadership. The study recommended firms should adopt conservative eco-efficiency initiatives for improving performance and stop adopting extroverted legitimation and introverted risk mitigation strategies as both have no significant effect on performance. Future researchers should use longitudinal research design using financial metrics adopting the same independent variables in other economic sectors.

The power utility, Tanzania Electric Supply Company Limited (TANESCO) is faced with challenges of supplying adequate power to the ever-increasing demand. To this end, this paper explores the installed Ubungo Gas Power Plant (UGP II) located in Dar es Salaam to find means of utilizing it in co-generation method. The study embarked on detailed modelling of the system and run simulations which indicated that the co-generation can result to power generation efficiency increase between 10.42 to 50.92%. It is recommended to change the UGP II to exploit this co-generation method. Further, the study could be improved by including more parameters of the gas and steam plant and verify them experimentally.

Economic burden due to premature mortality has a negative impact not only in health system even though in the society. The aim of this study was to estimate the potential years of work tenure lost (PYWL) due to Chagas disease in Colombia from 2010-2017. National data on mortality by sex and ages between 15 and 62 dues to Chagas from 2010 to 2017. The PYWL methodology was applied to assess the impact of Chagas disease in workers who suffer from them. In total, 1,261 deaths were analyzed in the study, of which 60% corresponded to males. The loss of labor productivity caused by Chagas disease was estimated at $29 million. Overall, 48,621 PYWL were lost, and there was an average of 21 years for all subjects with Chagas. Throughout the analyzed period, PYWL increased substantially, and it is necessary to continue with early detection programs to avoid premature death in working age population.

The optimization of the production process of metal mines has been traditionally driven only by economic benefits while ignoring resource efficiency. However, it has become increasingly aware of the importance of resource efficiency since mineral resource reserves continue to decrease while the demand continues to grow. To better utilize the mineral resources for sustainable development, this paper proposes a multi-objective optimization model of the production process of metal mines considering both economic benefits and resource efficiency. Specifically, the goals of the proposed model are to maximize the profit and resource utilization rate. Then, the fast and elitist Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-II) is used to optimize the multi-objective optimization model. The proposed model has been applied to the optimization of the production process of a stage in the Huogeqi Copper Mine. The optimization results provide a set of Pareto-optimal solutions that can meet varying needs of decision makers. Moreover, compared with those of the current production indicators, the profit and resource utilization rate of some points in the optimization results can increase respectively by 2.99% and 2.64%. Additionally, the effects of the decision variables (geological cut-off grade, minimum industrial grade and loss ratio) on objective functions (profit and resource utilization rate) were discussed using variance analysis. The sensitivities of the Pareto-optimal solutions to the unit copper concentrate price were studied. The results show that the Pareto-optimal solutions at higher profits (with lower resource utilization rates) are more sensitive to the unit copper concentrate prices than those obtained in regions with lower profits.

Hydrological modeling allows us to make a comprehensive assessment of the interaction between dynamics of the hydrological cycle, climate conditions, and land use. These modeling results are relevant in water resources management field. We use TopModel (TOPography based hydrological MODEL for the hydrological modeling of an area of 17 000 km² in the Middle Magdalena Valley (MMV), a tropical basin located in Colombia. This study is located in the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) which is characterized by special meteorological conditions and fast water fluxes over the year. This area has been subjected to significant land use changes, as a result of intense economic activities, e.g., agriculture, hydropower energy and oil & gas production (Avellaneda, 2003). The proposed model is based on a record of 12 years of: i.) daily precipitation data from observed gauges, ii.) daily evapotranspiration data from temperature data and iii.) daily streamflow data as observed data. A calibration process was performed using data from 2000 to 2008, and a validation was performed with data from 2009 to 2012. The Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient was used as an objective function to assess the quality of these processes (values of this metric are between 0.74 and 0.73 respectively, for model calibration and validation). The results show us an adequate performance of the model in areas of the tropical region and allow us to analyze the relationship between water storage capacity in the soils of the area with subsurface runoff. This conclusion is consistent with the characteristics of the region. The calibrated model provides an idea about the hydrological functioning of the basin and estimates an approximation of the groundwater recharge in the region. The estimation of the recharge is important to quantify the interaction of surface water and groundwater, especially during the dry season, due to its importance in the analysis of scenarios with climate variability.

Herein, the mechanical properties and carbonation durability of engineered cementitious composites (ECC) were studied. For cost-efficient utilization of ECC materials, polypropylene (PP) and hydrophilic polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers were employed to cast different types of specimens. The compressive strength, Poisson’s ratio, strength-deflection curves, cracking/post-cracking strength, impact index, and tensile strain-stress curves of the two types of ECC materials, with different fiber contents of 0 vol%, 1 vol%, 1.5 vol% and 2 vol%, were investigated by conducting compressive tests, four-point bending tests, drop weight tests, and uniaxial tensile tests. In addition, the matrix microstructure and failure morphology of the fiber in the ECC materials were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. Furthermore, carbonation test and steel corrosion after carbonization were employed to study durability resistance. The results indicated that for both PP fiber- and hydrophilic PVA fiber-reinforced ECCs, the compressive strength first increases and then decreases as fiber content increases from 0 vol% to 2 vol% and reaches the maximum at 1 vol% fiber content. The bending strength, deformation capacity, and impact resistance show significant improvement with increasing fiber contents. The ECC material reinforced with 2 vol% PP fiber shows superior carbonized durability with maximum carbonation depth of only 0.8 mm.

In this paper, we present a three-step sixth-order iterative schemes to estimate the solutions of a nonlinear systems of equations, for predicting the shear strength of a reinforced concrete beam. This procedure is designed by means of a weight function technique. The values for the parameters of this system were randomly selected inside the prescribed ranges by technical standards for structural concrete; moreover, some of this parameters were fixed taking into consideration the solvability region of the adopted steel constitutive model. The efficiency of the new class is compared with other current schemes, with very good results.

Many buildings built before the energy performance regulations are in a situation of thermal discomfort and energy inefficiency. The creation of intelligent environments advances towards new opportunities, based on real-time monitoring and on the development of sensors and technologies. Furthermore, the standards for building automation and electronic systems enable interoperability and interconnection between control devices and systems. The application of soft computing has significantly improved the energy efficiency, however, requires prior assessment to design the automation functions. Temperature, humidity, air quality, occupancy and energy consumption are the most common measured parameters, but the relationship with other operational variables such as occupancy or some building states remains as a research challenge. This article presents a methodology to develop the automatization of an existing large public building. The methodology consists of three stages: 1. Assessment and diagnosis to set appropriate actions using EN ISO 52120-1. 2. EN 50090 for open communication networks, and EN ISO 52120-1 to assign the technical building management. 3. System control deploying of low-cost and low-consumption input and output devices. It has been proved that it is possible to effectively automate an obsolete building with a low cost, open source system that can be easily applied in other buildings.

This paper presents a detailed description of three methodologies to electrify the rural households of small loads with reliable and economical method using solar energy as input source of power. It is observed that high DC voltage is better and economical solution rather than AC based solar systems and low voltage DC systems. In this paper, three methodologies were analysed to select the right combination of portable converters with low prices, which may further enhance the energy access and affordability to common people. The proposed three methodologies were tested through action research in collaboration with a team of scientists and technical experts of National Institute of Solar Energy. The comparative analysis is carried out on three different converters, various kind of house loads and types of power supply i.e. AC/DC. The performance, quality and economic evaluation has been carried out with the help of MATLAB SIMULINK and other measuring instruments specific for solar photovoltaic systems. The derived results were analysed and inferences made for use in village household loads and their income groups. Further, a three-step analytical framework on village-level power energy efficient power at affordable power preposition was presented. This study will help in the designing as well as in the performance and economic evaluation of converters based on solar photovoltaic systems of different technologies.

The research experimentally examines the viability of biodiesel obtained from pork fat (BP) as a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) when mixed with kerosene (Ke) - Jet-A aviation fuel + 5% Aeroshell 500 oil. Various blends of biodiesel and kerosene (10, 20 and 30% vol. of BP added in Ke) were subjected to testing in an aviation micro turbo-engine under different operational states: idle, cruise, and maximum power. During the tests, monitoring of engine parameters such as burning temperature, fuel consumption, and thrust force was conducted. The study also encompassed the calculation of crucial performance indicators like burning efficiency, thermal efficiency, and specific consumption for all fuel blends under maximum power conditions. Physical-chemical properties of the blends, encompassing density, viscosity, flash point, and calorific power, were determined. Furthermore, elemental analysis and FTIR were used for chemical composition determination. The research delved into analyzing the air requirements for stoichiometric combustion and computed resulting emissions of CO2 and H2O. Experimental assessments were performed on the Jet Cat P80® micro-turbo-engine, covering aspects such as starting procedures, sudden acceleration, sudden deceleration, and emissions of pollutants (NOx, CO and SO2) during several engine operational phases. The outcomes reveal that the examined fuel blends exhibited stable engine performance across all tested conditions. This indicates that these blends hold promise as sustainable aviation fuels for micro turbo-engines, presenting benefits in terms of diminished pollution and a more ecologically sound raw material base for fuel production.

The construction field uses up over one-third of the global energy consumption and contribute to 40% of CO2 emissions according to the International Energy Agency (IEA) and the 2020 annual reporter of United Nation, Goal 11 (Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable) which discusses sustainable, safe and efficient buildings. Therefore, Morocco has a commitment to this program by publishing the law 47-09 of energy efficiency. This work aims to study the energy efficiency of two types of building, a conventional and a natural building. Conventional building is constructed using concrete, while the natural one uses sand clay and straws. As for the technique of making the natural building, it perpetually follows the same approach accustomed in rural zones of Atlas Mountains in Morocco. In this research we also simulate, temperature and humidity variation inside these buildings using TRNSYS software. Sketch Up software was employed to design these houses. The weather database is used for a typical meteorological year (TMY). In the case of natural building, many building configurations were simulated: roof insulation, floor insulation, different types of glazing and sun protection. What's more, the thermal comfort is revealed to be more conspicuous in the case of natural building.

Using a wide range of organic substrates in the methane fermentation process enables efficient biogas production. Nonetheless, in many cases, the efficiency of electricity generation in biogas plant cogeneration systems is much lower than expected, close to the calorific value of the applied feedstock. This paper analyses energy conversion efficiency in a 1 MWel agricultural biogas plant fed with corn silage or vegetable waste and pig slurry as a feedstock dilution agent, depending on the season and availability. Biomass conversion studies were carried out for 12 months, during which substrate samples were taken once a month. The total primary energy in substrates was estimated in laboratory conditions by measuring the heat of combustion in a ballistic bomb calorimeter (17,760 MWh·year-1), and in the case of pig slurry, biochemical methane potential (BMP, (201.88±3.21 m3·Mg VS-1). Further, the substrates were analysed in terms of their chemical composition — from protein, sugar and fat content to mineral matter determination, among other things. The results obtained during the study were averaged. Based on such things as the amount of biogas produced at the plant, the amount of chemical (secondary) energy contained in methane as a product of biomass conversion (10,633 MWh·year-1) was calculated. Considering the results obtained from the analyses, as well as the calculated values of the relevant parameters, biomass conversion efficiency was determined as a ratio of chemical energy in methane to (primary) energy in substrates, which was 59.87%, as well as electricity production efficiency, as a ratio of electricity produced (4,913 MWh·year-1) to primary energy, with a 35% cogeneration system efficiency. Full energy conversion efficiency, related to electricity production, reached a low value of 27.66%. This article provides an insightful, unique analysis of energy conversion in an active biogas plant as an open thermodynamic system.

Currently the integration of Kazakhstan into the world community requires the training of highly qualified specialists fluently speaking and having a good command of foreign language. The study is devoted to the problem of development of foreign language professional skills of students of non-linguistic specialty. The aim of the research is to identify the efficiency of integrated approach use for shaping foreign language communicative skills of non-linguistic specialty students. The methodological basis of the research was communicative approach to foreign language teaching. In the framework of the research scientific and theoretical literary sources on the problem of the development of foreign language professional skills of non-linguistic specialty students were studied and summarized; the analysis of the empirical material obtained in the questioning and testing of students. To determine the level of formation of foreign language professional competence of international relations specialty students we have developed the following components: linguistic, cognitive, pragmatic. In the course of the experimental study, the authors revealed that the use of problem-based methods such as discussion, project and case technologies, debates in the framework of integrated approach to professional foreign language teaching promote students’ motivation increase and contribute to the improvement of their foreign language professional skills. The results of the study can be used in application of CLIL technology for the formation of foreign language professional competence of non-linguistic specialty students at the university.

In Electrified Vehicles, the cost, efficiency, and durability of electrified vehicles are dependent on the energy storage system (ESS) components, configuration and its performance. This paper, pursuing a minimal size tactic, describes a methodology for quantitatively and qualitatively investigating the impacts of a full bandwidth load on the ESS in the HEV. However, the methodology can be extended to other electrified vehicles. The full bandwidth load, up to the operating frequency of the electric motor drive (20 kHz), is empirically measured which includes a frequency range beyond the usually covered frequency range by published standard drive cycles (up to 0.5 Hz). The higher frequency band is shown to be more efficiently covered by a Hybrid Energy Storage System (HESS) which in this paper is defined as combination of a high energy density battery, an Ultra-Capacitor (UC), an electrolytic capacitor, and a film capacitor. In this paper, the harmonic and dc currents and voltages are measured through two precision methods and then the results are used to discuss about overall HEV efficiency and durability. More importantly, the impact of the addition of high-band energy storage devices in reduction of power loss during transient events is disclosed through precision measurement based methodology.

Three-temperature heating systems consist of a heat engine and a heat pump, enabling thus maximum usage of the primary thermal source for the heating of buildings. This analysis has revealed obvious advantages and disadvantages that the combining of thermodynamic systems has in future development, also with respect to environmental and economic issues. It appears that the combination of a Stirling engine or a similar heat drive with a heat pump is especially suitable. In order to analyze the effectiveness of such a system, a comprehensive calculation procedure is used: its basis lies in accounting for all types of energy and their relationship to the original natural resource. The present paper aims to point out that the combination of Stirling engine and a heat pump is a useful solution thanks to the most favorable resultant economic impact if compared to the usage of a diesel, four-stroke gas, or, most commonly used, electric drive.

This study looks at the application of delayed action Passive InfraRed (PIR) sensors in the control of water use for urinal flushing. In this we briefly review the literature on urinal controls before reviewing four different approaches to PIR urinal controls. Existing literature discusses some of the pros and cons of different types of urinal control. However, the literature doesn’t consider the marked differences that can occur within individual approaches, based on the way controls operate. This study was initiated at the University of Surrey during 2019 following a water saving audit, in an attempt to bring down what had been identified as one of the largest users of water. This paper therefore aims to identify the most effective way to reduce water consumption of urinal systems, through retro-fitting PIR control systems within the variety of settings found across university campuses. This paper also reviews the different reductions achieved over periods of different levels of use, linked to term time, holidays, Covid-19 related lockdowns, and the ‘new normal’. It found that grouped delayed action flushing was the most effective form of urinal control for reducing water use. The delayed action, grouped PIR sensors, achieved between, a 59-64% adjusted reduction against the control group during non-Covid19 periods, and a 35% reduction against the control group during lockdowns.

Cultivated land plays an important role in water and soil loss in the earth-rocky mountainous region, northern China, however, its responses to soil control measures and rainfall characteristics are still not fully understood. In this study, 85 erosive rainfall events in 2011-2019 were grouped into three types, and the responses of runoff and soil loss on five cultivated plots with different slopes in the upstream catchment of the Miyun Reservoir to soil conservation measures and rainfall regimes were evaluated. Results found that event-averaged runoff depths and soil loss rates on the five plots ranged from 7.05 mm to 0.03 mm and from 300.51 t km-2 to 0.37 t km-2 respectively, depending on rainfall regimes, soil conservation measures, and slope gradients. The high occurring frequency (i.e., 72.94%) rainfall regime A with short rainfall duration (RD), low rainfall amount (P), and high mean rainfall intensity (Im) yielded lower runoff depth and higher soil loss rate. Rainfall regime B with longer RD, and higher P and Im, however, produced higher rainfall depth and lower soil loss rate. Terraced plot had the highest runoff and soil loss reduction efficiencies of over 96.03%. Contour tillage had comparable sediment reduction efficiency to that of the terraced plot on gentle slopes (gradient less than 11.0%), while its runoff reduction efficiency was less than 13.11%. This study implies that in the Miyun Reservoir catchment and similar regions in the world, contour tillage should be promoted on gentle slopes, and terrace construction should be given enough attention since it can greatly reduce water quantity and cause water shortage in downstream catchments.

Coal permeability data are critical in the prevention and control of coal and gas outbursts in mines and are an important reservoir parameter for the development of coalbed methane. The mechanism by which permeability is affected by gas pressure is complex. We used a self-developed true triaxial seepage experimental device that collects lignite and anthracite coal samples, sets fixed axial pressure and confining pressure, and changes gas pressure by changing the orientation of the coal seam to study the influence of the gas pressure on the permeability of the coal seam under the conditions of different coal types and different bedding orientations. Coal permeability decreased rapidly and then decreased slowly and tended to be stable with the increase in gas pressure. This conforms to the power exponential fitting relationship, and the fitting degree reaches more than 99%. The permeabilities of lignite and anthracite were basically the same under various pressure conditions, indicating that the influence of coal type on coal permeability was not significant. The comparison of the two anthracite coal samples showed that the sample's permeability with a bedding plane vertical to the seepage direction was significantly lower than that of the bedding plane parallel to the seepage direction, indicating that gas seeped more easily along the bedding. The sensitivity coefficient of permeability with the change in gas pressure was calculated. The analysis showed that coal permeability was sensitive to changes in gas pressure during the low-pressure stage. When the gas pressure was greater than 0.8 MPa, the sensitivity coefficient was significantly reduced, which may be related to the slow increase in the amount of gas absorbed by the coal seam in the high-pressure stage. A theoretical calculation model of coal seam permeability considering adsorption/desorption and seepage effects was proposed and then verified with experimental results showing that the theoretical model better reflected the permeability characteristics of coal and predicted its permeability. Using the finite element simulation software COMSOL, the extraction efficiency of the coal seam gas under different gas pressure conditions was simulated. The results showed that with an increase in gas pressure, coal permeability and extraction efficiency decreased. In the low-pressure stage, the reduction in the extraction efficiency was more obvious than that in the high-pressure stage.

Buildings consume 30% of the total energy consumption around the globe and 29% of the energy consumption in Egypt which in 2022 had a total population of 102 million, out of which 43 % live in urban areas . The operation of buildings contributes to around 30% of global CO2 emissions due to their high energy consumption (IEA, 2022a). Among the efforts made towards improving the energy efficiency of buildings are Advanced Energy Design Guides (AEDGs), building rating systems, codes, and standards. Furthermore, numerous research studies that are either literature review studies, experimental studies, or computational studies addressed the topic of energy efficiency in buildings. These are all examined in this literature review with the purpose of identifying the research gap in available research with a focus on Egypt. The identified gap is the development of a prescriptive path for the GPRS energy efficiency category based on whole building energy simulations.

In agriculture, the intricate relationship between innovation, productivity, and entrepreneurship is underexplored. Despite the widely recognised role of innovation in driving productivity, concrete indicators and comprehensive farm-level studies are lacking. This research aims to unravel this complexity by exploring the impact of innovation, specifically in agricultural entrepreneurship, on transformative changes in farm productivity. Using a two-stage analysis with the Malmquist Index (MI) of total factor productivity (TFP) on cereal farms from the Farm Business Survey (FBS) over 11 years, the study identifies innovators and, it assesses changes in productivity, technical efficiency, and economic efficiency. The second stage decomposes the MI to understand factors enabling innovation, including changes in technology scale. Objectives include a literature review to map innovation variables, integrating FBS data for validation and assessing productivity impacts from asset enhancements and changes in farming scale. Results reveal significant productivity variation and a moderate overall improvement. Future research directions emphasize expanded data collection on managerial behaviours and technology investments' role in efficiency frontier shifts. The study concludes by emphasising nuanced agricultural policies that leverage farmers' knowledge for innovation through enhanced management efficiency. It advocates for a departure from the 'bigger is better' mentality, proposing educational programs and support services to encourage informed decision-making. This forward-looking approach aims to inform future policies and enhance understanding of the intricate dynamics between agricultural innovation, productivity, and entrepreneurship.

Low efficiency and excessive application of nitrogen (N) fertilizers is a frequent problem in agriculture that impacts the environment. Omeprazole (OMP) has been reported to promote N uptake and assimilation in tomato, basil, and corn. However, information about the effect of omeprazole on N assimilation, recovery and N use efficiency parameters for bean plants is limited. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to determine the effect of foliar application of OMP at 0, 1, 10 and 100 µM on nitrogen assimilation, growth, yield, nitrogen use efficiency parameters and recovery percentage in green bean plants. Green bean plants cv. Strike grown in pots were used. Biomass, yield, nitrate reductase activity, photosynthetic pigments concentration, soluble amino acids and protein concentration, total nitrogen concentration, nitrogen use efficiency parameters and nitrogen recovery were analyzed. The results obtained indicate that the application of OMP at 1 µM increased yield, biomass and promoted N assimilation through higher NR enzyme activity, higher amino acid concentration, higher N use efficiency coefficient and allowed a more efficient nitrogen recovery percentage.

Industry 4.0 brings advanced technologies and automation, enabling greater productivity and efficiency. However, it also increases energy consumption and carbon emissions. Sustainable manufacturing in the era of Industry 4.0 is vital for addressing the environmental impact by minimizing resource consumption, optimizing energy efficiency, and adopting eco-friendly practices. CNC (Computer Numeric Control) 5-axis milling plays a significant role in the machining of precision molds and dies, aerospace, consumer electronics, etc. This research aims to explore the potential of the artificial intelligence (AI) technique in improving energy efficiency on CNC 5-axis milling process for sustainable manufacturing. The experiments were carried out using a CNC 5-axis milling machine with various machining parameters, toolpath planning, and dry cutting condition. Data on energy consumption of CNC 5-axis milling machine were collected, then the relationship between the machining parameters, toolpath planning, and energy consumption was analyzed and built. Furthermore, an AI-based optimization algorithm was developed that uses machine learning and optimization techniques to identify energy-efficient machining strategies. The developed algorithm was implemented within a simulation framework, the algorithm was rigorously assessed using machine learning analysis to effectively reduce energy consumption, all while ensuring the accuracy of machining result. Finally, verification experiments were carried out to evaluate the applicability and performance of the AI-based energy optimization approach on a CNC 5-axis milling machine. By integrating AI into the CNC machining process, manufacturers can achieve significant energy savings, leading to reduced carbon emissions and improved sustainability.

Bambara groundnut (BG) (Vigna subterranean L. verdc) is a highly nutritious and economically important leguminous crop of African origin that forms symbiotic relationships nitrogen fixing rhizobia, but it has a low yield. Currently, there is paucity of information on effective rhizobium inoculant, (to improve the yield), for BG which are cheaper and safer alternatives to chemical fertilizers. Indigenous rhizobia strains were trapped from 54 farm soils collected at three Nigerian states (Niger, Kaduna and Kano). Six selected rhizobium strains (Bradhyrhizobium spp) were identified using 16S rDNA sequencing, applied as inoculant in field experiment using completely randomized block design and compared with USDA110 strain (Bradhyrhizobim japonicum), urea fertilizer and un-inoculated plants on 2 selected BG varieties (TVSU1248 and TVSU 631). Nutrient utilization and nitrogen fixation in plants were determined at 6 weeks while leaf chlorophyll was determined forth-nightly. Seed yield was determined at maturity. The strains increased the %nitrogen (1.33±0.10 - ≥1.37±0.05), and %phosphorous (0.48±0.02 - ≥0.51±0.02), %nitrogen fixed (21.07±2.38 - ≥61.30±6.13), nodulation (72.50±21.075 - 154.00±23.79) and leaf chlorophyll were ≥49.74±1.47mg/L, ≥51.82±1.86mg/L and ≥49.65±1.56mg/L at 2nd, 4th and 6th week after planting respectively and the yield of BG (from average of 398.6 Kgha-1 to 1454.725 Kgha-1). Seed yield was highest (1869.85±273.68 Kgha-1) in BG variety TVSU1248 using BN5 strain. Indigenous Bambara-symbiotic strains significantly increased the seed yields, and plant nutrient, showing their potential as use for inoculant to improve the yield of Bambara groundnut.

Internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles contribute significantly to the global warming through their immense quantity of CO2 emissions and are on the way to be replaced by zero emission alternative solutions. Several replacement techniques with scientifically sound performances are proposed for the propulsion equipment including the related supply chains from renewable sources, but they often cannot fulfill the huge demand quantitatively. The paper discusses the quantitative aspects of the real demand with the example of the actual automotive park in Switzerland and analyses different alternatives like conventional EV’s, fuel-cell vehicles or energetic chains based on sustainable fuels like e-methanol or synthetic solar fuels. The analysis comprises energy efficiency considerations.

In recent years, the application of Indoor Positioning Systems (IPS) has experienced a significant increase in demand, with the aging of the world’s population and their changing lifestyles. While outdoor positioning systems, such as the Global Positioning System (GPS), have significantly advanced over the years, indoor positioning has been restrained by the limitations of the employed technologies. This paper presents a hybrid wireless positioning system able to locate wearables indoor accurately. It is based on the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies, by using trilateration to determine the position of Bluetooth low energy (BLE) wearable devices with an accuracy of up to 1.8 meters. A graphical user interface (GUI) was used to illustrate the performance of the proposed systems, by allowing users to visualize the captured data in two dimensions and three- dimensions in real-time.

Objectives This article focuses on exploring the evolution of Palliative Care in Portugal. Ten years after the approval of its Basic Law, the aim was to investigate the quality of the path followed and the guidelines that could promote its development. Thus, this study sought to identify a) the goals of the current members of parliament concerning Palliative Care, b) the major priorities that should guide the development of Palliative Care in the coming decade, c) the facilitating or hindering factors to accelerating the process, and d) to propose consensually agreed measures for an integral development of Palliative Care within the health system. Methods Qualitative data analysis was performed from the reading of literature and interviews conducted via Zoom with several intentionally chosen participants, leading to the creation of a Focus Group. The NVivo® 10 was used for data processing and categorisation. Results Three key themes emerged concerning the current status of palliative care: the policymakers, the technicians, and the society. This first line of structuring is explained by a second set of categories, namely, a) knowledge about palliative care; b) Palliative care organisation from the policymakers’ perspective. In the technicians' domain: a) knowledge about palliative care, b) clinical training, and c) medical specialty. Finally, in society: a) knowledge about palliative care. Significance of the Results Advancing general education, increasing qualitative training for the different health professionals, reformulating laws supporting them, promoting flexibility of the implementation methodologies, and establishing medical specialty, are crucial to achieving the proposed goal.

Thermal comfort is extremely important in architecture, especially in environments with more people spending longer on studies or intellectual activities. This research describes a case study to investigate university buildings' energy and thermal performance as a part of the ANEEL program. Due to this importance, and the need to save energy in Brazilian public buildings, the ANEEL-the Brazilian Energy Electricity Regulatory Agency, launched 2016 a national program focusing on energy efficiency in public universities around the country. University offices and classrooms require high intellectual effort; thus, environmental comfort is critical for maintaining its users' physical and mental health. This study included a pre-diagnosis of the performance of the envelope, lighting, and air conditioning systems and a survey about the quality of the environments from the users' point of view. The Prescriptive Method of the Brazilian Labeling Program (PBE) for Commercial, Service, and Public Buildings (RTQ-C) assessed the building performance. Statistical analysis was applied to correlate the quality and thermal preference of the users from the PMV/PPD. The results showed a high rate of thermal discomfort in both environments of the studies, even when using air conditioning.

The objective was to evaluate the metabolic and performance differences in primiparous Nellore cows, which became pregnant at 14 or 24 months. Thirty-eight primiparous Nellore cows, which were bred for first pregnancy at 14 or 24-mo of age, with 202 ± 5 days of gestation were divided into two treatments according to breeding age: 14 or 24 months in the breeding season. Cows were evaluated for weight, body condition score (BCS), carcass characteristics, milk yield and blood parameters: glucose, total proteins, albumin, urea, beta-hydroxybutyrate (β-OHB), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), progesterone, and for insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). There was an in-teraction (p < 0.01) between age at first pregnancy and time for body weight, where 24-mo cows were heavier, but both categories loss weight at parturition which concomitant decrease in the BCS (p < 0,01). However, BW of 24-mo remained stable (p > 0.05) after parturition. Milk yield was higher in 24-mo cows (p < 0.01). Interaction between sampling time and breading age was observed for Longissimus muscle area (p < 0.01) and tended for Longissimus muscle depth, where 24-mo cows had greater values in prepartum. Calves born from the cows bred at 24-mo, where was higher (p < 0.01) from 160 days of age until weaning at 240 days. Glucose, urea, total proteins, albumin and NEFA were affected (p < 0.01) by the parturition data-point. There was an interaction (p < 0.01) between breading age and sampling period for β-OHB. Progesterone concentration was greater in 24-mo cows (p < 0.01). It was concluded that primiparous cows that became pregnant at 14 or 24 months of age have different nutritional and metabolic responses.

In recent years, intensive work has been carried out to achieve maximum energy production in photovoltaic power plants. Today, this challenge has to be solved for arrays of solar panels that move with the object on which they are installed (vehicles, trucks, ships, etc.). The present work tries to find the best solution for both constant voltage systems and for cases of maximum intensity. Once found, these solutions will be applied in real time for the dynamic recharging of battery packs, trying to achieve energetically autonomous vehicles.To solve these situations, a new computational method of voltage and amperage calculation has been developed in this paper, based on Dijkstra’s minimum path finding algorithm on graph theory, adapted to electrical circuits. For this purpose, panel performance analysis sensors, developed at the University of Malaga, have been combined with different electronic solutions (wifi relay devices using esp8266 or similar chips) achieving an accurate and sufficiently fast solution at very low cost. With this, series or parallel configurations can be carried out depending on the type of energy generation sought. The theoretical solutions using Minkowski paths, achieved in the past, have been simulated and subsequently constructed in this article, indicating the diagrams necessary for their realisation.

This study investigates the applications of reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RIS) in heterogeneous downlink networks (HetNet). Due to the network densification, the small cell base station (SBS) interferes with the macrocell users (MUE). In this paper, we utilize RIS to mitigate cross-tier interference in an HetNet via directional beamforming by adjusting the phase shift of the RIS. We consider an RIS-assisted HetNet consisting of multiple SBS nodes and MUEs that utilize both direct paths and reflected paths. Therefore, the aim of this study is to maximize the sum rate of all MUEs by jointly optimizing the transmit beamforming of the macrocell base station (MBS) and the phase shift of the RIS. An efficient RIS reflecting coefficients-based optimization (RCO) is proposed based on a successive convex approximation approach. Simulation results are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed scheme in terms of its sum rate in comparison with the scheme HetNet without RIS and the scheme HetNet with RIS but with random phase shifts.

Currently, a large part of the wells for agricultural use located in the state of Sonora are overexploited, which generates a high degree of saline intrusion and abandonment by nearby communities. In this paper the temperature effect on the final concentration of permeate water was evaluated through voltage and intel concentration variations in a batch electrodialysis reversal process (EDR), in order to identify optimal operating conditions with emphasis on the reduction of energy consumption and cost of desalinated water. Thirty-six samples were prepared: eighteen 2,000 mg/L total dissolved solids (TDS) samples and eighteen 5,000 mg/L TDS samples; brackish well water of 639 mg/L TDS and synthetic salt were mixed to obtain those concentrations. 3 different temperatures (25, 30, 35 °C) and 2 different voltages (10 and 20 V) were tested for each sample. The best salt removal occurred in the 20 V arrays, with 18.34% higher removal for 2,000 mg/L TDS experiments and 25.05% for 5,000 mg/L experiments (average between the 25 to 35 °C tests). Temperature positively affected EDR, especially in the experiments at 10 V voltage, where increasing 10 °C increased its efficiency by 10.83% and 24.69% for 2,000 and 5,000 mg/L TDS, respectively. Energy consumption was lower with increasing temperature (35 °C), as it decreased by 1.405% and 1.613% for 2,000 and 5,000 mg/L TDS concentrations, respectively (average between 10 and 20 V tests), decreasing the cost per m3 of water.

The tandem Solar cell has high power conversion efficiency (PCE), so they are taken as the next step in photovoltaic evolution. The tandem solar cell also overcome the limitations of Single-junction solar cells by reducing thermalization losses and also reduce the fabrication cost. The fabrication of tandem solar cells is highly efficient after the origination of halide perovskite absorber material, this material will shape the future of tandem solar cells. Researchers have already shown that this material can convert light more efficiently than standalone sub cell. Today, researchers around the world are keeping the configuration of a tandem solar cell as their agenda. A Tandem solar cell is a stacking of multiple layers having different bandgaps with specific maximum absorption and width. We reviewed perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells with different sub-module configurations. Move forward, we discuss the tandem module technology, sub cell of a tandem can be wired in several ways two terminals 2T monolithic and mechanically stacked, a four-terminal 4T mechanically stacked, and three-terminal 3T monolithic stack devices. This review paper provides a side-by-side comparison of theoretical efficiencies of multijunction solar cells. The highest efficiency has been evaluated at 39.4% for a three-level structure.

High intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEi), the ratio of leaf photosynthesis to stomatal conductance, may be a useful trait in adapting crops to water-limited environments. Carbon isotope ratios can be a useful indicator of WUEi, but might not be well correlated with it if the plants compared differ substantially in mesophyll conductance. In this study, six cultivars of soybeans previously shown to differ in WUEi in indoor experiments were grown in the field in Beltsville, Maryland, and mid-day WUEi was measured on nine clear days during mid-seasons of two years. Measurement dates were chosen for diverse temperatures, and air temperatures ranged from 21 to 34 oC on the different dates. Corrected carbon isotope delta values for 13C (CID) were determined on mature, upper canopy leaves harvested during early pod filling each year. WUEi differed among cultivars both years and the differences were consistent across measurement dates. Correlations between mean WUEi and CID were not significant in either year. It is concluded that consistent cultivar differences in WUEi exist in these soybean cultivars under field conditions, but that carbon isotope ratios may not be useful in identifying them.

Alterations in root morphology and physiology are important strategies in plants to adapt to low-phosphorus (P) environments. Maize genotypes differed in nitrogen (N) efficiency may also respond differently to low P stress. This study aimed to investigate the responses of root morphological and physiological traits of these two maize cultivars to P deficit and how these traits were linked with the acquisition of soil P. Two maize cultivars, XY335 (N efficient) and ZD958 (N inefficient), were cultivated for 40 days in a calcareous loamy soil amended with (high P) or without (low P) P. Functional root traits were used to evaluate the morphological and physiological responses to low P supply. Two separate short-term experiments determined the correlation between P uptake rate and P supply intensity (hydroponic) or root hair length under two P treatments (rhizobox). Low P status significantly simulated biomass allocation to roots, specific root length and exudations of carboxylates, while decreased root diameter and rhizosphere pH in both maize cultivars. Two cultivars had different total root length and root surface area under low P stress: increased in ZD958 and decreased in XY335. Both genotypes developed longer root hair under P deficit. ZD958 (greater biomass and shoot P content) has a greater capability at accessing soil P than XY335. Rhizosphere exudation of citric acid was significantly higher in ZD958 than in XY335, while there was not significant genotypic difference in rhizosphere pH and exudation of malic acid and acid phosphatase activity. ZD958 had higher P uptake rate than XY335 when solution P was between 12.5 and 250 µM. This study identified ZD958 as a P-efficient genotype, which better adapted to low P stress by altering root physiological traits (exudation of citric acid and P uptake rate), rather than root morphological traits (total root length, root surface area, root hair length). Our results highlight the importance of analyzing root morphological and physiological traits to enhance our understanding of the physiological mechanisms of P acquisition.

Due to the fact that irrigation networks are water and energy-hungry and that both resources are scarce, many strategies have been developed to reduce this consumption. Otherwise, solar energy sources have become a green alternative with lower energy costs and, as a consequence, lower environmental impacts. In this work, it is proposed a new methodology to select the scheduled program for irrigation which minimizes the number of photovoltaic solar panels to be installed and which better fits energy consumption (calculated for discrete potential combinations; using a programming software to assist) to available energy obtained by panels without any power conditioning unit. So, the irrigation hours available to satisfy the water demands are limited by sunlight, the schedule type of irrigation has to be rigid (rotation predetermined) and the pressure at any node has to be above the minimum pressure required by standards. A real case study has been performed.

The aerodynamic efficiency of a NACA 0012 AR 4 wing was affected through periodic contours aligned in the flow direction resembling a “wrinkled” texture. Streamwise and cross-stream Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) were conducted at the University of Dayton Low Speed Wind Tunnel (UD-LSWT) around Reynolds number of 135,000 on the NACA 0012 AR 4 wing with and without surface contours. Wings with 6 contour sections was designed by spline fitting two NACA 0012 airfoil profiles in the spanwise direction. Both 2D (wall-to-wall model) configuration and 3D configuration of the wings were tested to determine the effects of surface contours on the parasite and induced drag of the wing. Streamwise PIV results indicated an increase in momentum deficit in the wake of the mid-contour region due to enhanced boundary layer separation from the upper surface of the mid-contour region. The cross-stream PIV results indicated a decrease in the magnitude of azimuthal velocity, circulation and RMS quantities in the wingtip vortex with the surface contours. The reduction in the wingtip vortex properties indicates that the contours were effective in blocking the spanwise flow feeding into the wingtip vortex on the surface of the wing

This paper presents the results of aerodynamical performance research focused on maintaining the thermal comfort and increasing the energy efficiency of a typical social housing unit located in a high-density urban area. Bioclimatic design strategies are used to develop a sustainable and economic technology in existing housing clusters in Mexico City. A full-scale prototype, built on campus facilities, was used to study the flow conditions around the design. All scaled prototypes implement similar criterion. Furthermore, a scaled prototype is evaluated within a low speed wind tunnel installation. Additionally, numerical simulations were performed at transient state based on previous physical measurements and historical local climatic conditions to determine preferable modifications.

The microwave field is used for drying and disinfection of grain, during pre-sowing seed treat-ment. The use of a microwave field in these installations leads to an increase in their productivity and a decrease in the energy consumed by them. One of the principal problems of microwave field use for treatment of dense grain layers is to insure sufficient distribution uniformity of the field. In this article, waveguide design options have been discussed that serve to introduce microwave radiation into the grain layer. Mathematical simulation of the electromagnetic field distribution was performed with the use of CST Microwave Studio software in order to evaluate and compare horn-type, rectangular and semicircular waveguides. The data on the standing wave ratio and radiation efficiency for these types of waveguides have been reported. Specific features of the microwave electromagnetic field distribution and radiation power in the output of those wave-guides have been described. Results of mathematical simulations enabled to make out that sem-icircular waveguides with slot-type radiators are preferable for processing dense grain layers.

The objective of this research was to study the dynamics of moisture and nutrition at the root zone and to quantify the variables linked to efficient water management in avocado orchards of mid and high-lands of Michoacán, México, in typical Andisols of low fertility with (A)C(w2) and C(w2) climates, respectively. Using the FDR (Frequency Domain Reflectometry) technology, the dynamics of soil moisture and salinity were recorded daily at four depths: 0-15, 15-30, 30-45, and 45-60 cm. The soil moisture balance model was used to determine actual evapotranspiration (ETr), crop coefficient (Kc), and water use efficiency (WUE). Results indicated that ETr is 66-73% of the total water at 0-30 cm depth; the fertilizer absorption is limited to 0-30 cm, being negligible at deeper layers. The water use efficiency is 4.4 to 5.6 kg of fruit m-3 of applied water, and the ratio of the water use index (ETr/irrigation sheet applied, ISA) is 0.65-0.70; while the annual avocado Kc is 0.72 in Cutzato and 0.78 in Tiamba. We concluded that avocado has a low water requirement, it does not cause leaching of nutrients and/or water, the absorption of water and nutrients mostly occurs at 30 cm depth, and from a hydrological point of view, the crop is environmentally friendly.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative brain disorder. One of the important therapeutic approaches of AD is the inhibition of β‐site APP cleaving enzyme‐1 (BACE1). This enzyme plays a central role in the synthesis of the pathogenic β-amyloid peptides (Aβ) in Alzheimer's disease. A group of potent BACE1 inhibitors with known x-ray structures (PDB ID 5i3X, 5i3Y, 5iE1, 5i3V, 5i3W, 4LC7, 3TPP) were studied by molecular dynamics simulation and binding energy calculation employing MM_GB(PB)SA. The calculated binding energies gave Kd values 0.139 µM, 1.39 nM, 4.39 mM, 24.3 nM, 1.39 mM, 29.13 mM and 193.07 nM, respectively. These inhibitors showed potent inhibitory activities in enzymatic and cell assays. The Kd values were compared with experimental values, the structures were discussed in view of the energy contributions to binding. Drug likeness of these inhibitors is also discussed. Accommodation of ligands in the catalytic site of BACE1 is discussed depending on the type of fragment involved in each structure. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and energy studies were used to explore the recognition of the selected BACE1 inhibitors by Asp 32, Asp228 and the hydrophobic flap. The results show that selective BACE1 inhibition may be due to the formation of strong electrostatic interactions with Asp32 and Asp228 and a large number of hydrogen bonds, π-π and Van der Waals interactions with the amino acid residues located inside the catalytic cavity. Interactions with the ligands show a similar binding mode with BACE1. These results help to rationalize the design of selective BACE1 inhibitors.

To investigate the effect of acidic nanoparticles on proton conductivity, permeability and fuel cell performance, a commercial Nafion® 117 membrane was impregnated with zirconium phosphates (ZrP) and sulfated zirconium (S-ZrO2) nanoparticles. The tensile test, water uptake, methanol crossover, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used to assess the ca-pacity of nanocomposite membrane to function in a fuel cell. The modified Nafion® membrane obtained the higher water uptake and a lower water content angle than the commercial Nafion® 117 membrane, indicating that it has a greater impact on conductivity. Under strain rates of 40, 30 and 20 mm/min, the nanocomposite membranes demonstrate more stable thermal deterioration and higher mechanical strength, which offers tremendous promise for fuel cell applications. When compared to 0.113 S/cm and 0.013 S/cm, respectively, of commercial Nafion® 117 and Nafion® ZrP membranes, the modified Nafion® membrane with ammonia sulphate acid had the highest proton conductivity of 7.891 S/cm. When tested using a direct single cell methanol fuel cell, it had the highest power density of 183 m. cm-2 which is better than commercial Nafion® 117 and Nafion® ZrP membranes.

Due to an increase of the monocrystalline PV systems installations, for a drive towards the sustainable smart cities in the hot arid developing country such as Pakistan, pose challenges of the performance and degradation issues. Monocrystalline PV module efficiencies are declining and damaging under the continuous exposure to higher surface day-time temperatures in the different parts of the country. A MATLAB simulations were performed based on the validated mathematical approach. This paper investigates the hot arid surface temperature impacts on the performance of PV modules during the summer and winter seasons in Pakistan. The investigations are performed examining the power generating efficiency of the PV system. This paper also investigates the influence of installations of PV-system in the North, South, East and West regions of Pakistan. It was examined that the northern areas of Pakistan are more suitable for maintaining the long-term durability of the PV system. Investigations are performed for the peak summer and peak winter days. During summer months, cooling strategies have to be implemented to overcome the heating effects whilst reducing degradation effect on installed PV-system.

This paper presents the design and implementation of a versatile IoT testbed utilizing the openHab platform along with various wireless interfaces, including Z-Wave, ZigBee, WiFi, 4G-LTE, and IR, and an array of sensors for motion, temperature, luminance, humidity, vibration, UV, and energy consumption. First, the testbed architecture, setup, basic testing, and collected data results are described. Then, by showcasing a typical day in the laboratory, we illustrate the testbed's potential through the collection and analysis of data from multiple sensors. The study also explores the capabilities of the openHab platform, including its robust persistence layer, event management, real-time monitoring, and customization. The significance of the testbed in enhancing data-collection methodologies for energy assets and unlocking new possibilities in the realm of IoT technologies is particularly highlighted.

Aero-fuel centrifugal pumps are important power plants in aero-engines. Unlike most of the existing centrifugal pumps, a combination impeller is integrated with the pump to improve its performance. First, the critical geometrical parameters of combination impeller and volute are given. Then, the effects of combination impeller on flow characteristics inside the impeller and volute are clarified by comparing simulation results with that of the conventional impeller, where the effectiveness of selected numerical method is validated by an acceptable agreement between simulation and experiment. Finally, the experiment is performed to test the external performance of studied pump. A significant feature of this study is that the flow characteristics are significantly ameliorated by reducing the flow losses emerged in impeller inlet, impeller outlet and volute tongue. Correspondingly, the head and efficiency of combination impeller are higher with comparison to conventional impeller. Consequently, it is a promising approach in ameliorating flow field and improving external performance by applying a combination impeller to an aero-fuel centrifugal pump.

In the context of the French tertiary decree, it is crucial to reduce the energy consumption of buildings by first addressing the design of the electrical architecture. Implementing Direct Current (DC) nanogrids in buildings could offers a promising advantage for energy efficiency, significantly impacting overall energy consumption and sustainability goals. For an insulated area with a subtropical climate, such as La Réunion island, DC nanogrids could also facilitate the insertion of local renewable energy sources, especially solar energy. This article presents the deployment and efficiency evaluation of an end-to-end Low Voltage Direct Current (LVDC) nanogrid, from conception to real-world installation within a company. The nanogrid consists of a photovoltaic power plant, a Lithium-Iron-Phosphate (LFP) battery, and DC end-use equipment such as LED lighting and DC fans for two individual offices. An innovation is provided for the power supply and energy management of terminal equipment using the Power Over Ethernet (PoE) standard IEEE 802.3bt. The efficiency of the nanogrid is measured to be 40% higher than the efficiency of an installation powered by PV and distributed at 230 VAC. These results are obtained under certain deployment conditions, which are discussed in this article, in order to enhance the energy efficiency of buildings by using 48VDC. The nanogrid hardware and software infrastructure, the methodology employed for efficiency quantification and the measurement results are described in the paper.

This study used a two-stage network data envelopment analysis model to measure the water use efficiency of 108 cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt in the initial water use and wastewater treatment phases from 2009 to 2019. We used the Dagum Gini coefficient to decompose the urban water use efficiency of six major urban clusters in the Yangtze River Economic Belt. We also used σ convergence and β convergence types to test the convergence characteristics of urban water use efficiency of six major urban clusters in the Yangtze River Economic Belt. This study found that the overall low level of water use efficiency in cities in the Yangtze River Economic Zone mainly stems from the low level of water use efficiency in the wastewater treatment stage. The 108 cities in the Yangtze River Economic Zone are divided into four types based on the average values of water use efficiency in the initial use and wastewater treatment phases; the highest number of cities are in the double-low category, with low average values of water use efficiency in the initial use and wastewater treatment phases. During the study period, spatial differences in urban water use efficiency in the Yangtze River Economic Zone narrowed, with the differences stemming mainly from hyperdensity, followed by intra- and inter-regional differences. Meanwhile, there is convergence in urban water use efficiency in the Yangtze River Economic Belt; significant β convergence in the urban agglomerations of the Yangtze River Delta, Jianghuai, middle reaches of the Yangtze River, Chengdu–Chongqing, and Central Yunnan; and insignificant β convergence in the Central Qian urban agglomeration. After considering control factors, such as industrial structure, financial development level, environmental regulation, economic development level, and science and education development level, the water use efficiency of the six major urban clusters in the Yangtze River Economic Belt converges faster, but the influence of these control factors on the water use efficiency of each urban cluster is heterogeneous. Research results have reference value for the development of improvement strategies on differentiated urban water use efficiency in the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

Efficient and uninterrupted energy supply plays crucial role in the quality of the modern daily life, while it is obvious that the efficiency and performance of energy supply companies has significant impact on energy supply itself, and on determining and finetuning the future roadmap of the sector. In this study, the performance and efficiency of energy supply companies with respect to productivity is investigated over a case study of an electricity distribution company in Turkey. The factors affecting the company’s performance and their corresponding weights have been determined and elicited using analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and the Fuzzy AHP methods, as two well-known multi-criteria decision-making methods, which are two well-known prominent methods widely used in the literature. The results help demonstrate that the criteria elicited to evaluate the company’s energy supply performance plan a crucial role in developing strategies, policies and action plans to achieve continuous improvement and consistent development.

The problem of real-time estimation of occupancy of buildings (number of people in various zones at every time instant) is relevant to a number of emerging applications that achieve high energy efficiency through feedback control. The measurement of CO2 concentration can be considered an important indicator that allows to define the occupation of closed and crowded spaces. Interesting cases can be school buildings and other buildings used in civil and residential (shopping centres, hospitals, etc.). This paper, starting from an experimental analysis in different classrooms of a University campus in real operating conditions, in different period of the year, proposes a possible correlation between CO2 concentration and the occupancy profile of the spaces. The acquired data are used to present some graphical correlations and to understand the most important variables or combination of them. Starting from an accurate analysis of the data, attempts are made to define a preliminary estimation method through the development of a mathematical models of occupancy dynamics in a building, which show interesting results.

We consider the restrictions on photovoltaic (PV) capacity that are caused by limitations on where panels can be sited, and find quantitative evidence for the need for high efficiencies. We define 15% of the UK’s energy consumption as a “significant” contribution and, with London as an exemplar, we perform an idealised calculation that makes the most optimistic possible assumptions about the capabilities of future PV technologies, and use published surveys of energy usage, dwelling type and insolation. We find that covering every UK domestic roof with the highest power-conversion efficiency (PCE) solar panels currently commercially available, could produce up to 9% of the UK's energy. A 15% contribution would require PV technologies with &gt;37% PCE, more than the theoretical Shockley-Queisser limit. Replacing the idealising assumptions with more realistic estimates increases this by 2-3 times. Alternatively, a solar farm using the currently available PCEs would require a politically challenging ~1200km2 of new land, roughly the area of Greater London, for this 15% contribution. We conclude that PCEs must be driven higher even than the Shockley-Queisser limit for PV to play a significant part in carbon mitigation.

Dye sensitized solar cell technology is having an important role in renewable energy research due to its features and low cost manufacturing processes. Devices based on this technology appear very well suited for integration into glazing systems due to their characteristics of transparency, color tuning and manufacturing directly on glass substrates. Field data of thermal and electrical characteristics of dye sensitized solar modules (DSM) are important since they can be used as input of building simulation models for the evaluation of their energy saving potential when integrated into buildings. However still few works in the literature provide this information. The study here presented wants to contribute to fill this gap providing a thermal and electrical characterization of a DSM in real operating conditions using a method developed in house. This method uses experimental data coming from test boxes exposed outdoor and dynamic simulation to provide thermal transmittance and solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) of a DSM prototype. The device exhibits an U-value of 3.6 W/m²K, confirmed by an additional measurement carried on in the lab using a heat flux meter, and a SHGC of 0.2, value compliant with literature results. Electrical characterization evidences an increase of module power with respect to temperature causing DSM suitable for integration in building facades.

This paper delves into the multifaceted domain of the aerospace industry, examining its evolution, current challenges, and imperative focus on quality management and process integration. The aerospace sector, driven by technological advancements and a burgeoning global demand for air travel and freight transport, necessitates a thorough analysis of its industrial fabric and operational intricacies. This research endeavors to analyze the dynamics of the aerospace industry, pinpoint its challenges, and propose an integrated approach to enhance efficiency, quality, and sustainability. The primary goals encompass understanding the evolving industry landscape, identifying critical challenges, and offering innovative solutions by amalgamating principles of Industry 4.0 into quality management and processes within the aerospace sector. Through an in-depth exploration of various facets, this research underscores the pivotal role of efficient processes and integrated quality management in achieving sustainable growth and competitiveness in the aerospace industry. By aligning with the paradigm of Industry 4.0, organizations can optimize their operations and contribute to the industry's advancement, delivering safer and more cost-effective aerospace products. The study adopts a multifaceted approach, incorporating extensive literature review, critical analysis of industry trends, examination of quality management frameworks, and a thorough evaluation of the integration potential of Industry 4.0 technologies. The research also involves case studies and expert insights to validate the proposed approach. The investigation reveals that by leveraging Industry 4.0 technologies and embracing an integrated approach to quality management, the aerospace industry can significantly enhance operational efficiency, product quality, and overall sustainability. The seamless integration of processes and the implementation of advanced quality frameworks pave the way for a more competitive and future-ready aerospace industry, meeting the evolving demands of a globalized world.

In the pursuit of China’s dual carbon goals, identifying spatio-temporal changes in industrial carbon emission efficiency and their influencing factors in cities at different stages of development is the key to effective formulation of countermeasures to promote the low-carbon transformation of Chinese national industry and achieve high-quality economic development. In this study, we used balanced panel data of 270 Chinese cities from 2005 to 2020 as a research object: (1) to show spatio-temporal evolution patterns in urban industrial carbon emission efficiency; (2) to analyze the aggregation characteristics of industrial carbon emission efficiency in Chinese cities using Global Moran's I statistics; and (3) to use the hierarchical regression model for panel data to assess the non-linear impact of the digital economy on the industrial carbon emission efficiency of cities. The results show the following: (1) the industrial carbon emission efficiency of Chinese cities exhibited an upward trend from 2005 to 2020, with a spatial distribution pattern of high in the south and low in the north; (2) China's urban industrial carbon emission efficiency is characterized by significant spatial autocorrelation, with increasing and stabilizing correlation, and a relatively fixed pattern of spatial agglomeration; (3) there is a significant inverted-U-shaped relationship between the digital economy and the industrial carbon emission efficiency of cities. The digital economy increases carbon emissions and inhibits industrial carbon-emission efficiency in the early stages of development, but inhibits carbon emissions and promotes industrial carbon emission efficiency in mature developmental stages. Therefore, cities at all levels should reduce pollution and carbon emissions from high-energy-consuming and high-polluting enterprises, gradually reduce carbon-intensive industries, and accelerate the digital transformation and upgrading of enterprises. Western, central and eastern regions especially should seek to promote the sharing of innovation resources, strengthen exchanges and interactions relating to scientific and technological innovation, and jointly explore coordinated development routes for the digital economy.

Nitrogen (N) applications can play a key role in achieving profitable wheat production in the low-fertility soils prevalent under rainfed conditions. The model-predicted N partitioning revealed that ammonia-nitrogen (NH4-N) contributed little to the plant N nutrition, and its concentration in the soil remained below 2 ppm throughout the crop season except immediately after the NH4-N based fertilizer application. Nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N) gradually increased (maximum 144 ppm) with time, especially in the 0-40 cm horizons, and contributed to most N uptake during both seasons at both locations. The N losses from the soil at the medium rainfall site (3.5-20.5 kg ha-1) were mainly attributed to NH4-N volatilization (Nv) and NO3-N leaching (NL) below the crop root zone. Water productivity (8-40 kg ha-1 mm-1) and N use efficiency (31-41 kg kg-1) showed immense variability induced by climate, water availability, and N dynamics in the soil. These results suggest that combining water balance and N modeling can help manage N applications to optimize wheat production and minimize N losses in rainfed agriculture.

Purpose- Betel nut (Areca catechu) is one of the major plantation crops grown in Assam. However, due to inefficiency in production, the productivity of betel nuts in the state is very low. Therefore, this study attempted to measure the level of technical efficiency and the factors affecting the technical inefficiency of betel nut growers in the Nagaon district of Assam.Design/methodology/approach – Primary data were collected from 240 households in the Nagaon district of Assam. Based on the Cobb-Douglas Production function for betel nut growers, the present study uses stochastic frontier analysis to estimate the production frontier and examine the effects of exogenous variables on farm-level technical inefficiency. Findings - The findings of the study reveal that, on average, 85 per cent of betel nut growers are technically efficient in the study area. Moreover, experience in betel nut plantations and gender have a significantly negative effect on technical inefficiency. In contrast, the age of the grower had a positive and significant effect on the technical inefficiency of betel nut cultivation. The findings suggest the availability of space for an increase in the productivity of betel nut plantations in the study area and scope for increasing the level of output through technical efficiency without raising inputs.Originality/Value: This study contribute to the estimation of the technical efficiency of betel nut growers and examines the factors responsible for technical inefficiency.The dataset is original and was especially collected for the present study.

Semidiurnal tidal currents can exceed 5 ms−1 in Minas Passage, Bay of Fundy, where a tidal energy demonstration area has been designated to generate electricity using marine hydrokinetic turbines. The risk of harmful fish-turbine interaction cannot be dismissed for either migratory or local fish populations. Individuals belonging to several fish populations have been acoustically-tagged and monitored by using acoustic receivers moored within Minas Passage. Detection efficiency ρ is required as the first step to estimate probability of fish-turbine encounter. Moored Innovasea HR2 receivers and high residency (HR) tags were used to obtain detection efficiency ρ as a function of range and current speed, for near-seafloor signal paths within the tidal energy development area. Strong tidal currents moved moorings so HR tag signals, and their reflections from the sea surface, were used to measure ranges from tags to receivers. HR2 self-signals that reflected off the sea surface showed which moorings were displaced to lower and higher levels on the seafloor. Some of the range testing paths had anomalously low ρ which might be attributed to variable bathymetry blocking the line of sight signal path. Clear and blocked signal paths accord with mooring levels. Application of ρ is demonstrated for calculation of abundance, effective detection range, and detection-positive intervals. High residency signals were better detected than pulse position modulation (PPM) signals. Providing the presently obtained ρ applies to tagged fish that swim higher in the water column, there is a reasonable prospect that probability of fish-turbine encounter can be estimated by monitoring fish that carry HR tags.

This paper proposes how to reduce the consumption of active electrical energy (kwh) by 90.3% while maintaining the same mechanical work speed (RPM) at variable torque loads (fans or air-fluid blowers, centrifugal pumps are not included). of water and similar fluids), by using the “Fan Law” in an innovative way in PMSM-type synchronous motors (a comparative study never before carried out on the Fan Law). The work is carried out comparatively between brushless a-synchronous motors with starting loop (or motor with a short-circuited loop) versus brushed a-synchronous motors and PMSM-type synchronous motors without the need to use VDF (variable frequency drives), simplifying technology (electronics) and saving costs in an innovative way (R+D+i). The case study was developed on a design applied to a centrifugal air extractor/blower with PMSM/IPM type synchronous motor. Applying one of the fan affinity laws –with the impeller diameter 10.5 (mm) constant- the electrical power absorbed by the blower motor is proportional to the cube of the shaft speed: . Being “P” power (Watts) and “N” speed (RPM). Carrying out a comparative study between power (watts), active energy consumption (kwh) and rotational speed (RPM). This has a direct impact on the costs of residential and commercial single-phase active electrical energy consumption, measured in kilowatt-hours (kwh). Carrying out a comparative study between three (3) types of alternating current (AC) electrical machines, according to the NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association); AC motors fall into three (3) categories. One (1), synchronous motors (Syncrhonous Motor) of three types: (1a) excitation by DC (DC Excited Motor), (1b) permanent magnet (Permanent Magnet Motor) and (1c) reluctance motor (Reluctance Motor) or motor Step by Step. Two (2), asynchronous induction motors of two types: (2a) Squirrel-Cage Induction Motor and (2b) Wound-Rotor Induction Motor. Three (3) series-wound motor (Series-Wound Motor) also called universal motor (they have carbons).

Arterial hypertension is a health problem that affects millions of people around the world. Particularly in Chile, according to the last health survey in 2019, 28.7% of the population had this condition, and arterial hypertension complications cause one in three deaths per year. In this work, we have used molecular simulation tools to evaluate new compounds designed in silico by our group as possible anti-hypertensive agents, taking Neutral Endopeptidase (NEP) as a target, a key enzyme in the arterial hypertension regulation at the level kidney. We use docking experiments, molecular dynamics simulation, free energy decomposition calculations (by MM-PBSA method), and ligand efficiency analysis to identify the best anti-hypertensive agent pharmacokinetic and toxicological predictions (ADME-Tox). The energetic components that contribute to the complexes stability are the electrostatic and Van der Waals components; however, when the ADME-Tox properties were analyzed, we conclude that the best anti-hypertensive candidate agents are Lig783 and Lig3444, taking Neutra Endopeptidase as a target.

Industrial green technology innovation has become an important content in achieving high-quality economic growth and comprehensively practicing the new development concept in the new era. This paper measures the efficiency of industrial green technology innovation and regional differences based on Chinese provincial panel data from 2005 to 2018, using a combination of the super-efficient SBM model for considering undesirable outputs and the Dagum Gini coefficient method, and discusses and analyses the factors influencing of the industrial green technology innovation efficiency by constructing a spatial econometric model. The results show that: firstly, the industrial green technology innovation efficiency in China shows a relatively stable development trend, going through three stages: " stationary period", " recession period " and "growth period ". However, the efficiency gap between different regions is obvious, specifically in the eastern > central > western regions of China, and the industrial green technology efficiency innovation in the central and western regions is lower than the national average. Secondly, regional differences in the efficiency of industrial green technology innovation in China are evident but tend to narrow overall, with the main reason for the overall difference being regional differences. In terms of intra-regional variation, variation within the eastern region is relatively stable, variation within the central region is relatively low and shows an inverted 'U' shaped trend, and variation within the western region is high and shows a fluctuating downward trend. Thirdly, the firm size, government support, openness to the outside world, environmental regulations and education levels contribute to the efficiency of industrial green technology innovation. In addition, the industrial structure hinders the efficiency of industrial green technology innovation, and each influencing factor has different degrees of spatial spillover effects.

Inherent low soil fertility status limits productivity of rice in the lowland ecologies in Northern Ghana. Combining organic and inorganic N fertilizers could help to maintain the fertility of lowland soils for rice production. A screen house pot experiment was carried out to investigate the combined effect of biochar-compost and inorganic N fertilizer on the nitrogen uptake and agronomic performance of rice plants grown on Eutric Gleysol lowland soil. Inorganic N fertilizer alone and its combinations with different types of biochar-compost (based on the proportions of biochar and compost) were used as treatment. A control (unamended soil) was also included. The incorporation of biochar-compost and inorganic N fertilizer improved the growth parameters and yield components of rice plants. The combination of biochar-compost and inorganic nitrogen fertilizer was also found to improve nitrogen uptake and nutrient use efficiency (NUE) in rice plants. This practice could be the most likely viable option for alleviating lowlands soil fertility issues and increasing rice productivity in Northern Ghana.

This paper focuses on leveraging a cutting-edge 3D state-space model for a holistic eco-friendly assessment in petrochemical operations. - By applying the ecological carrying capacity theory and the three-dimensional state-space model, this research aims to unleash the next frontier of sustainability in the petrochemical industry. - The proposed methodology will enable advanced and comprehensive eco efficiency evaluation in petrochemical operations. - Through the integration of the ecological carrying capacity theory and advanced modeling techniques, this research seeks to revolutionize sustainability assessments in the petrochemical sector. - The utilization of the cutting-edge 3D state-space model will provide a more advanced and accurate understanding of eco-friendly practices in petrochemical operations. This research presents a unique approach distinct from existing literature, which primarily examines business eco efficiency from behavioral motivation and strategic perspectives. In contrast, this paper introduces a novel three-dimensional state-space model to evaluate the ecological efficiency of petrochemical operations. By combining the ecological carrying index and state space, this model represents the ecological impact of petrochemical operations in a three-dimensional geometric space. It considers petrochemical operations as a significant factor exerting pressure on natural resources and the natural environment. In this three-dimensional state-space model, the three axes represent different dimensions of petrochemical operations. The first axis represents the economic status, which quantitatively describes the financial aspects of the operation. The second axis represents the utilization of resources, capturing the extent to which resources are consumed in the operation. The third axis focuses on the impact of the operation on the environment, allowing for a quantitative assessment of its ecological footprint. By incorporating these dimensions, the model aims to provide a comprehensive and quantitative description of the economic activities of petrochemical operations and their interactions with resources and the environment.The primary focus of this research is to apply the three-dimensional state-space model to calculate the ecological carrying capacity of petrochemical operations. By doing so, it aims to verify the feasibility and applicability of the model in determining the ecological efficiency of these operations. The research also aims to provide theoretical tools that can assist operations in making more informed ecological efficiency judgments. By utilizing this model, petrochemical operations will have a quantitative framework to assess and improve their environmental impact, thus fostering more sustainable practices. The findings of this research demonstrate that the implementation of this method can effectively identify issues related to resources, economy, and environment throughout the development of petrochemical operations. By identifying these problems, it provides managers with a solid foundation for making strategic decisions that promote sustainable development. With this valuable information at their disposal, managers can proactively address challenges, optimize resource utilization, and minimize environmental impacts, thus steering the petrochemical operations towards a more sustainable and responsible path.

Inclusive and sustainable development has become an important part of China's sustainable development agenda, the self-recovery and stability of China's economy cannot be achieved without the macro-governance of the government. Figuring out the internal logic of digital finance and economic resilience is an important part of effective government governance. Based on the panel data of 193 counties in five provinces in northwest China from 2014 to 2021, the paper tested digital finance and county-level economic resilience by using two-way fixed-effect model, intermediary-effect model and threshold-effect model, to test whether financial development promotes government governance in underdeveloped regions. The results prove that digital inclusive finance significantly enhances the resilience of county economies by improving capital allocation efficiency, stimulating entrepreneurship and employment, and reducing pollution emissions. In addition, there are dual threshold effects between capital allocation efficiency and employment vitality, in which capital allocation efficiency has a gradually increasing threshold effect, and entrepreneurship and employment vitality have a fluctuating increasing threshold effect. Therefore, "Digital inclusive finance" in underdeveloped regions is an indispensable part of financial globalization；promoting the healthy development of digital finance is the basis and premise for providing a good financial environment for government management; deepening the reform in the financial field and promoting the green and sustainable development of finance are the future trend and direction of efforts.

Perovskite solar cells are an evolving technology owing to self-assembling and highly tunable bandgap properties of materials. In this context, thin films of perovskites have attracted immense attention and witnessed great advancement because of their low manufacturing cost. The key development in these devices is the conversion efficiency, which rose from 3.8% to 28%. The formulation of innovative materials with the proper replacement of lead in perovskites is imperative to mitigate lead toxicity. Here, we analyzed the challenges like material and structural stability, device stability under high temperature and humidity conditions, lifetime, manufacturing cost, etc. faced in the commercialization of perovskite devices. This review shows that challenges such as device engineering, performance stability against the harsh environment, cost-effectiveness, and environmental concern should be taken into consideration for the widespread acceptance of perovskite-based solar devices. In conclusion, we suggested that an enormous scope exists for exploring high-performance and long-lasting perovskites for energy applications.

Efficient commencement of clinical trials is pivotal for their successful execution. The purpose of this study was to determine and examine the factors that contribute to trial start-up delays. The study assessed 20 clinical trials' start-up stages in order to identify relevant variables. Results showed that trials with an emphasis on devices, trials that did not outsource, trials that utilized less auxiliary services, and trials that employed interventional designs had quicker start-up times than observational studies. Furthermore, approval times were substantially shortened by using a centralized Institutional Review Board (IRB) rather than a local IRB. Furthermore, compared to studies that successfully enrolled subjects, those who failed to do so required more time to complete contracts and budgets and secure IRB clearance. This study underscores the diverse impact of clinical trial features on start-up timelines. Understanding these factors is crucial for optimizing the initiation process of clinical trials.

The building sector of most tropical countries still use predominantly primary biomass as the principal fuel. This has adverse effects like CO2 emission and deforestation and is associated with issues like poverty, ill-health, and low standard of living. Therefore, energy policies try to improve on the efficiency of firewood and charcoal end-use technologies, to palliate the negative effects. In this research, the global change assessment model (GCAM) is used, to investigate the impact of efficiency improvement on the energy consumption pattern of the building sector of developing countries. The aim of the study is to provide empirical data that would better inform policymakers on the effects of modernizing these primary fuels. The study developed three scenarios with different levels of efficiency improvements. The results show that efficiency improvement rather increases primary biomass consumption and CO2 emission. However, there is a fall in the consumption of traditional biomass in the second half of the modelling period. The increase in biomass-based fuels consumption was seen to be linked to their affordability. Therefore, policymakers need not only elaborate policies that improve biomass efficiency, but also introduce and motivate other clean cooking fuels like butane, biogas, and electricity.

This study identified, analysed, and prioritised significant factors for standardising the Korean smart city project evaluation system. We analysed the efficiency and productivity of companies currently providing smart city services to consider both policy and practical aspects. The prioritisation of smart city planning reflects the latest trends in South Korea, where urban planning is moving towards smart city planning. Furthermore, the capacity building of public-private/private-private partnerships indicate the importance of business scalability. This indicates that smart city services are only stabilised when the private sector is involved and leads the project, rather than focusing on public development. The feasibility of building intelligent facilities indicates that smart city projects should be implemented after securing cost-benefit feasibility. The results were used as the basis for building an evaluation system, showing that in smart city convergence alliances, small- and medium-sized enterprises achieved the highest efficiency by reducing inputs to 81% and 86%, under the assumptions of constant and variable returns to scales, respectively. As the operational aspect is more problematic than the technical aspect, policy alternatives are necessary for smooth business progress, including increased flexibility of laws and institutions and the activation of policies that temporarily relieve regulations to demonstrate smart city projects.

The global focus on geopolymer binder production has increased due to the adoption of waste materials and industrial byproducts. Given the gradual decline of the availability of fly ash and ground granular blast furnace slag (GGBFS) resulting from the decarbonization process in electricity and steel productions, waste clay brick powder (WCBP), could be a viable substitute of these pozzolanic by-products. This research is dedicated to thoroughly investigate the techno-eco-efficiency performance of WCBP when utilized as a geopolymer precursor. The favorable mechanical characteristics exhibited by fly ash-GGBFS-WCBP-based geopolymer binder emphasize the importance of assessing its sustainability alongside its technical viability. The study employed life cycle analysis (LCA), following ISO 14040-44 standards, and using the Simapro software, to evaluate the environmental implications of the use of WCBP-based geopolymer mixtures. Human toxicity emerged as the primary impact. Moreover, the analysis of life cycle costs highlighted key financial factors, with around 65-70% attributed to alkaline activators of the total cost. The production of alkaline activators was identified as a critical point for both environmental impact and economic considerations due to energy consumption. While WCBP-rich samples exhibit a 1.7-0.7% higher environmental impact compared to the control mix (CM), their high mechanical strength and cost-effectiveness make them technologically and economically efficient geopolymer mixes. In conclusion, the portfolio analysis for techno-eco-efficiency affirms that mixes containing 40%, 30%, and 20% WCBP are more efficient than those using 10% and 0% WCBP, respectively.

This paper reports modelling outcomes for improvements to building energy performance in Indonesia. Long-term climate effects due to building energy demands including carbon emissions are also considered. The global change assessment model (GCAM) was used to generate the related end-user building energy data, including socioeconomics for urban areas of Indonesia. As a comprehensive study, the total life cycle of carbon in the building sector and the concept of zero-carbon buildings, including energy efficiency, zero-emissions electricity and fuel switching options were considered. Building shell conductance (u-value) of building envelope, floor area ratio (FAR), air conditioner (AC) efficiency, electrical appliances (APLs) efficiency, rooftop photovoltaic (PV) performance and ground source heat pump (GSHP) systems were considered as parameters to mitigate carbon emissions under the operational energy category in GCAM. Carbon mitigation associated with the cement production process was considered in the raw material category. Urban population and labour productivity in Indonesia were used as base inputs with projected growth rates to 2050 determined from available literature. Low growth rate ‘LowRate’ and high growth rate ‘HighRate’ were considered as variable inputs for u-value, FAR, AC efficiency, APLs efficiency, and PV capacity factor to model emissions mitigation. The energy consumption of the GSHP was compared to the conventional reverse cycle ACs to identify the potential of the GSHP as a fuel-switching option. Only base input data were used for cement production process parameters without applying any variable inputs. GCAM base scenarios based on input data only (without modifying variable data) for the residential building sector in Indonesia were considered the benchmark for this study. Total potential carbon emissions mitigation was found to be 432 Mt CO2-e for the residential building sector in Indonesia over 2020-2050. It was found that an average of 24% carbon emissions mitigation could be achieved by 2020-30 and 76% in 2031-2050.

The unprecedented demand for services and applications, coupled with large network architecture calls for a radical melioration in evolving wireless networks. Massive multiple-input and multiple-out (massive MIMO) systems, small cell networks (SCN) and Heterogeneous networks (HetNet) are envisioned to meet the new quality of service (QoS) objectives of evolving networks. In this paper, we investigate massive MIMO with HetNet, where the intended macro BS signal follows Ricean fading and interfering Femto BS signals follow Rayleigh fading. Subject to the Ricean assumption, strong line-of-sight (LOS) channel exists in the coverage area, when the high power macro BS is mounted at a high altitude. Then, by exploiting matrix and stochastic geometric tools, we evaluate the signal-to-interference (SIR). And obtain QOS objectives: coverage and outage probabilities, and area spectral efficiency (ASE). Further, we investigate the role of multiple antenna system in improving the SIR. This involves massive MIMO beamforming coordination of the macro BSs through power control with max-min optimization for users at the cell-edge. Numerical results show that the coverage and outage performance converge for different user locations, pathloss and Ricean factor. Also, the monotonic increase in Ricean factor improves the SIR of a user located within coverage region. That is, a user is in an outage at a distance where the Ricean factor is very small. And, optimal macro BS antennas and Ricean factor that achieve the ASE performance guarantee a rate-fairness between the cooperating macrocells, and avoid strong Ricean channel correlation. The performance gain is dependent on Ricean factor and user location, but independent of cell size.

Based on stochastic frontier analysis and translog input distance function, this paper examines the total factor energy efficiency of China’s industry using input-output data of 30 sub-industries from 2002 to 2014, and decomposes the changes in estimated total factor energy efficiency into the effects of technical change, technical efficiency change, scale efficiency change and input-mix effect. The results show that during this period the total factor energy efficiency in China’s industry grows annually at a rate of 3.63%, technical change, technical efficiency change and input-mix effect contribute positively to the change in total factor energy efficiency, while scale efficiency change contributes negatively to it.

In many ports, the ship's speed is limited for the safety of navigation. At the same time, ship captains and port pilots choose the speed of the ship, but not higher than the permitted speed of the ship in the port, therefore the speed of the ship also depends on the experience of the ship captains and port pilots and the sailing conditions of the ship in specific conditions. Choosing the optimal speed of ships in port, including the effect of shallow depth, can reduce fuel consumption and ship emissions in ports, which is important for the development of green and sustainable ports. In all cases, shipping safety is the highest priority. The main objectives of the article are determining the optimal speed of ships in ports with low clearance, ensuring navigational safety, reducing fuel consumption and emissions, and at the same time creating a sustainable port. The article presents the methodology of optimal ship speed calculation, minimum ship controllable speed maintenance, fuel consumption and emission reduction methodology and their impact on sustainable and green maritime transport and port development. The developed methodology was tested on real ships and with the help of a calibrated simulator, sailing through harbor channels and harbor waters in low clearance conditions.

Water scarcity, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, poses a significant challenge to crop production, with drought being a prevalent factor limiting grain production globally. Enhancing agricultural water use efficiency is crucial for managing water resources effectively in these areas. Water resource management involves planning, developing, distributing, and optimizing the use of water resources. Water use efficiency management is also essential for crop growth in arid regions. Various agronomic and irrigation strategies can improve crop water use efficiency and drought tolerance. The primary goal of these strategies is to maximize irrigation efficiencies by applying the precise amount of water needed to restore soil moisture to the desired level. These sustainable practices not only reduce the cost of water and labor for farmers through reduced irrigation but also optimize the use of soil moisture storage. This review paper explores practical techniques to improve water use efficiency, highlighting the role of nutrients in enhancing water use efficiency in crop plants.

In this study, we present a federated learning approach that combines a multi-branch network and the Oort client selection algorithm to improve the performance of federated learning systems. This method successfully addresses the significant issue of non-iid data, a challenge not adequately tackled by the commonly used MFedAvg method. Additionally, one of the key innovations of this research is the introduction of uniformity, a metric that quantifies the disparity in training time amongst participants in a federated learning setup. This novel concept not only aids in identifying stragglers but also provides valuable insights into assessing the fairness and efficiency of the system. Experimental results underscore the merits of the integrated multi-branch network with the Oort client selection algorithm and highlight the crucial role of uniformity in designing and evaluating federated learning systems.

High-performance insulation and airtight building envelopes are the two most important factors to optimize the building energy efficiency and thermal performance. However, thermal performance of building envelopes can be significantly affected by thermal bridging. Thermal bridges can take place at different locations of the building envelope, causing added transmission losses, increasing heat flow, lower inner surface temperatures. Thermal bridges are regarded in all national regulations for new buildings of all states of European Union (EU) but there are no specifications assessing balconies to wall junctions and the impact on the building thermal performance is not well regulated. In this paper, balcony to wall thermal bridge assessment using infrared thermography is highlighted. The originality is that, infrared thermography, has been applied to a real living latest building in the north east of France showing that there is noncompliance in the national regulations as some exigencies are not met. Thermography of thermal break windows and window doors has also revealed air leakage. The goal, is to illustrate that thermal imaging is a means of quality assurance to new building specifications and should include a clause specifying quality assurance procedure for balconies junction in national building regulations for all states if the EU.

The ozonation reaction in a bubble column reactor (BCR) has been widely used in the removal of phenol from wastewater, but the phenol removal efficiency in this type of reactor is limited because of low ozone solubility and reactivity in the system. In the present study, the phenol degradation was enhanced using α-Al2O3 as a packing material and a ZnO nanocatalyst in the BCR. The reactor diameter and height were 8 cm and 180 cm, respectively. The gas distributor was designed to include 52 holes of 0.5-mm diameter. Also, the gas holdup, pressure drop, and bubble size were measured as a function of the superficial gas velocity (i.e., 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3 cm/s). The evaluation of the hydrodynamic parameters provided a deep understanding of the ozonation process to select the optimal operating parameters in the reactor. It was found that the best superficial gas velocity was 2.5 cm/s. A complete (100%) phenol removal was achieved for phenol concentrations of 15, 20, and 25 ppm at reaction times of 80, 90, and 100 min, respectively, using α-Al2O3 packing material and a ZnO nanocatalyst in the BCR. Additionally, the results provided a clear reaction mechanism describing the ozonized BCR. Finally, the applied treatment method can be used efficiently to remove phenol from wastewater at a low cost, with little consumed energy, and a simple operation.

To address the challenges of climate change and food security, the establishment of smart farm complexes is necessary. While there have been numerous studies on the productivity and environmental control of individual greenhouses, research on greenhouse complexes is considerably limited. Conducting environmental studies during the design phase of these complexes poses financial constraints and practical limitations in terms of on-site experiments. To identify potential issues that may arise when developing large-scale greenhouse complexes, it is possible to utilize modeling techniques using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to assess environmental concerns and location issues before constructing the facilities. Consequently, simulating large-scale CFD models that incorporate multiple greenhouses and atmospheric conditions simultaneously presents significant numerical challenges. The objective of this study was to develop a guideline for verifying CFD models for a large-scale Venlo greenhouse, where acquiring field data before construction is not feasible for designing a greenhouse complex. The verification processes of the CFD models were conducted using 2D and 3D iterative simulations of a 2-hectare greenhouse model, using the improved Grid Independence Test (GIT) and wall Y+ approaches. Subsequently, the aerodynamic characteristics were analyzed in a 3D greenhouse model to access its performance when the wind direction was 90° in summer season. The findings revealed that a grid resolution of 0.8 meters and a first layer height of 0.04 meters were suitable for developing large-scale greenhouse models, resulting in a low Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 3.9% and a high coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.968. This process led to a significant reduction of 38% in the number of grid cells. These results will serve as design standards for large-scale greenhouses.

In this work, we compiled our research on lanthanide-based luminescent materials, prepared down-shifter layers, and studied their effect on photovoltaic (PV) mini-modules. The compounds we have prepared (C1-C17), with formulas [Eu2(phen)2(bz)6] (C1), [Eu2(bphen)2(bz)6] (C2), [Eu(tta)3bphen] (C3), [Eu(bta)3pyz-phen] (C4), [Eu(tta)3pyz-phen] (C5), [Eu(bta)3me-phen] (C6), [Er(bta)3me-phen] (C7), [Yb(bta)3me-phen] (C8), [Gd(bta)3me-phen] (C9), [Yb(bta)3pyz-phen] (C10), [Er(tta)3pyz-phen] (C11), [Eu2(bz)4(tta)2(phen)2] (C12), [Gd2(bz)4(tta)2(phen)2] (C13), [EuTb(bz)4(tta)2(phen)2] (C14), [EuGd(bz)4(tta)2(phen)2] (C15), [Eu1.2Gd0.8(bz)4(tta)2(phen)2] (C16) and [Eu1.6Gd0.4(bz)4(tta)2(phen)2] (C17), can be grouped into three families based on their composition: Series C1–6 were synthesized using Eu3+ ions and phenanthroline derivatives as the neutral ligands, and fluorinated β-diketonates as the anionic ligands. Complexes C7–11 were prepared with ligands similar to those of compounds C1–6 but were synthesized with Er3+, Yb3+, or Gd3+ ions. Series C12–17 exhibit the general formula [M1M2(bz)4(tta)2(phen)2], where M1 and M2 can be Eu3+, Gd3+, or Tb3+ ions, and the ligands are benzoate (bz–), 2-thenoyltrifluoroacetone (tta–) and 1,10–phenanthroline (phen). All compounds were characterized using X-ray techniques, and their photoluminescent properties were studied. We then examined their impact on the EQE (External Quantum Efficiency) of PV mini-modules and their durability in a climate chamber when embedded in PMMA and EVA films. This review emphasizes the methodology employed and the key findings, including enhanced mini-module efficiency. Additionally, we present promising results on the application of compound C6 in a bifacial solar cell.

Ca2+ is a crucial second messenger in plant cells, playing a vital role in various physiological and biochemical processes, including plant growth and development, photosynthesis, and enzyme regulation. Exogenous calcium concentration can have different effects on plant growth. This study aimed to investigate the optimal calcium concentration for the growth of four tree species, namely Pinus tabuliformis, Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica, Populus, and Morus alba seedlings, and whether the optimal calcium concentration varies among different tree species. The study utilized five calcium concentration gradients (0, 100, 200, 400, 800 mg·kg-1) for each species with three repeated treatments. Various growth indexes, photosynthetic parameters, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, water use efficiency, and antioxidant enzyme activities were assessed to determine each species' calcium concentration requirements. The results showed that exogenous calcium significantly affected the growth and development of each seedling. The growth, biomass, photosynthetic parameters, photosynthetic products, photosynthetic pigments, water use efficiency, and antioxidant enzyme activity all increased initially and then decreased with increasing calcium concentration. Leaf calcium concentration also increased with the exogenous calcium content. Thus, there is an optimal calcium concentration for plant growth, and high or low calcium concentration is not conducive to plant growth. Furthermore, the study found that different tree species have varying optimal calcium concentrations. The optimal calcium concentration for Pinus tabuliformis, Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica, Populus, and Morus alba seedlings was 100, 100, 200, and 400 mg·kg-1, respectively. Finally, the study revealed that broadleaf species require higher calcium concentrations than coniferous species.

The reliability of Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks (UWSNs) is measured in terms of energy consumption (EC), end-to-end delay(E2E) and packet delivery ratio (PDR). The adverse effects of channel may cause data loss. Reducing delay up to possible extend improves the reliability of the network, also increasing the number of nodes in a particular network increase reliability. Besides, increasing the number of nodes improve reliability but also increase power consumption. In order to overcome these shortcomings, the two routing protocols are proposed in this paper, namely Delay and Reliability Aware Routing (DRAR) protocol and Cooperative Delay and Reliability Aware Routing (Co-DRAR) protocol for UWSNs. In DRAR protocol, network is divided into two equal regions where two sink nodes(SNs) are positioned at upper region of the network and two SNs are placed at the mid region of the network. The protocol choose the relay node based on residual energy (RE), distance and Bit Error Rate (BER). These parameters protect the data packets from corruption and also provide stable path (where nodes remain active for longer period and do not die quickly). The protocol uses single link and may get worse sometimes while changing channel circumstances. To address this problem, cooperative routing scheme is added to DRAR protocol in order to developed its enhanced version known as Co-DRAR protocol. The protocol works by allowing the destination to receive multiple copies of data packets in order to decide the quality of packets. The proposed protocols DRAR and Co-DRAR perform routing irrespective to geographical position of sensors nodes conversely to the some of conventional routing protocols that's way our propose protocol better perform than the well-known protocol i.e. Depth base routing (DBR) in terms of EC, E2E, PDR, dead nodes, packet drop ratio and number of alive nodes (ANs).

Nature provides plenty of good examples for simple and very efficient joint assemblies. One example is the enormously flexible cervical spine of American barn owls, which consists of 14 cervical vertebrae. Each pair of vertebrae produces a comparatively small individual movement in order to provide a large overall movement of the entire cervical spine. The biomimetic replication of such joints is difficult due to the delicate and geometric unrestricted joint shapes as well as the muscles that have to be mimicked. Using X-ray as well as micro computed tomography images and with the utilisation of additive manufacturing, it is possible to produce the owl neck vertebrae in scaled-up form, to analyse them and then to transfer them into technically usable joint assemblies. The muscle substitution of these joints is realised by smart materials actuators in the form of shape memory alloy wire actuators. This actuator technology is outstanding for its muscle-like movement and for its enormous energy density [1,2]. The disadvantage of this wire actuator technology is the low rate of contraction, which means that a large length of wire has to be installed to generate adequate movement. For this reason, the actuator wires are integrated into additively manufactured carrier components to mimic the biological joints. This results in joint designs that compensate for the disadvantages of the small contraction of the actuators by intelligently installing large wire lengths on comparatively small installation spaces, while also providing a sufficient force output. With the help of a test rig, the developed technical joint variants are examined and evaluated. This demonstrates the technical applicability of this bionic joints.

AAs the global energy market undergoes a wholesale transformation accelerated by the need to decarbonise, a rapid transition to renewable energy and the mass deployment of distributed energy resources, autonomous energy networks or microgrids are emerging as an attractive mechanism for the delivery of electricity to end users. Yet in Australia, at least, relatively little is known about key aspects of microgrids that are fundamental to their successful deployment, not least the more commercial and economic elements rather than the purely technical. Drawing on the extant global literature on microgrids, this paper explores the most important of these aspects including business models, ownership and investment. Identifying the ambiguity, inconsistency and uncertainty evident in many of the feasibility studies currently in train across Australia, this paper highlights specific areas for future research that need to be addressed if the full potential of microgrids is to be realised in the context of a global energy transition both domestically and internationally.

U-turns and left turns are sometimes forbidden even though it increases travel distances. The greater travel distances are sometimes outweighed by the improved movement through intersections due to there being fewer conflicting lanes of traffic. One can, further, forbid straight-throughs. Restricting a sufficient number of turns can make intersections free from crossing lanes of traffic (``zero traffic conflict,'' ``ZTC"), though there may still be merging lanes of traffic. It's possible to make \begin{it}all\end{it} intersections in a road \begin{it}network\end{it} ZTC. However, keeping all destinations accessible and travel distances moderate requires careful selection of allowed driving directions and turning directions. We demonstrate through numerical microscopic and macroscopic simulations that there are road networks and ranges of traffic loads for which, in comparison with conventional schemes, ZTC road network can carry approximately $50$\% more vehicular traffic without incurring gridlock.

Geopolymers are ecologically-friendly inorganic materials which can be produced at low temperatures from industrial wastes such as fly ash, blast furnace slags or mining residues. Although to date their principal applications have been as alternatives to Portland cement building materials, their properties make them suitable for a number of more advanced applications, including as photocatalytic nanocomposites for removal of hazardous pollutants from waste water or the atmosphere. For this purpose, they can be combined with photocatalytic moieties such as metal oxides with suitable bandgaps to couple with UV or visible radiation, or with carbon nanotubes or graphene. In these composites the geopolymers act as supports for the photoactive components, but geopolymers formed from wastes containing oxides such as Fe2O3 show intrinsic photoactive behaviour. This review discusses the structure and formation chemistry of geopolymers and the principles required for their utilisation as photocatalysts. The literature on existing photocatalytic geopolymers is reviewed, suggesting that these materials have a promising potential as inexpensive, efficient and ecologically-friendly candidates for the remediation of toxic environmental pollutants and would repay further development.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the supply chain for personal protective equipment (PPE) for medical professionals, including N95-type respiratory protective masks. To address this shortage, many have looked to the agility and accessibility of additive manufacturing (AM) systems to provide a democratized, decentralized solution to producing respirators with equivalent protection for last-resort measures. However, there are concerns about the viability and safety in deploying this localized download, print, and wear strategy. Several polymer-based AM processes produce porous parts, and inherent process variation between printers and materials also threaten the integrity of tolerances and seals within the printed respirator assembly. The goal of this paper is to quantitatively measure particle transmission through printed respirators of different designs, materials, and AM processes, and assess the viability of printed respirators as N95 equivalents. Results from this study show that respirators printed using desktop/industrial-scale fused filament fabrication processes and industrial-scale powder bed fusion processes have insufficient filtration efficiency at the size of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, even while assuming a perfect seal between the respirator and the user’s face. Almost all printed respirators provided <60% filtration efficiency at the 100-300 nm particle range. Only one respirator, printed on an industrial-scale fused filament fabrication system provided >90% efficiency as-printed. Post-processing procedures including cleaning, sealing surfaces, and reinforcing the filter cap seal generally improved performance, but no respirator sustained the filtration efficiency of an N95 respirator, which filters 95% of SARS-CoV-2 virus particles. Instead, the printed respirators showed similar performance to various cloth masks. While continued optimization of printing process parameters and design tolerances could be implemented to directly print respirators that provide the requisite 95% filtration efficiency, AM processes are not sufficiently reliable for widespread distribution and local production of N95-type respiratory protection without commensurate quality assurance processes in place. Certain design/printer/material combinations may provide sufficient protection for specific users, but the respirators should not be trusted without quantitative filtration efficiency testing. It is currently not advised to expect printed respirators originating from distributed designs to replicate performance across different printers and materials.

In most studies reported in literature, a flat, constant coefficient is used to convert the amount of optical power required at the input of an optical link into the effective power consumption. This constant coefficient approach is very simple to apply but not accurate, since laser efficiencies are dependent on the optical output power in addition to the operating temperature. In this paper the relationship between laser wall plug efficiency and optical power output is investigated and the effect of this variance on optical links and on-chip laser source electric power consumption is presented

This study evaluates the input efficiency of greenhouse tomato and pepper farms in Kosovo. Using data collected from farm surveys, we conduct an input-oriented data envelopment analysis (DEA) to empirically assess input efficiency. Secondly, linear regression analysis is used to investigate which farm variables predict greenhouse tomato and pepper technical efficiency (TE). The DEA results indicated that among the seven regions in Kosovo, Prizren emerged as the most efficient greenhouse tomato producing region with a mean efficiency of 0.83 (on a scale of 0 to 1). Prishtina followed with a mean efficiency of 0.80. In the production of greenhouse peppers, Prishtina was the most efficient region with a mean efficiency of 0.99. Ferizaj followed with a mean efficiency of 0.93. Conclusions about farm characteristics that explain differences in efficiency were sensitive to model specification. Nevertheless, depending on the structural and operational characteristics of the greenhouse tomato and pepper farms, there is an opportunity for the technically inefficient farms and regions to improve their use of inputs.

Terrestrial LiDAR becomes more and more popular to estimate leaf and plant area density. Voxel-based approaches account for this vegetation heterogeneity and significant work has been done in this recent research field, but no general theoretical analysis is available. Although estimators have been proposed and several causes of biases have been identified, their consistency and efficiency have not been evaluated. Also, confidence intervals are almost never provided. In the present paper, we solve the transmittance equation and use the Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE), to derive unbiased estimators and confidence intervals for the attenuation coefficient, which is proportional to leaf area density. The new estimators and confidence intervals are defined at voxel scale, and account for the number of beams crossing the voxel, the inequality of path lengths in voxel, the size of vegetation elements, as well as for the variability of element positions between vegetation samples. They are completed by numerous numerical simulations for the evaluation of estimator consistency and efficiency, as well as the assessment of the coverage probabilities of confidence intervals. • Although commonly used when the beam number is low, the usual estimators are strongly biased and the 95% confidence intervals can be ≈±100% of the estimate. • Our unbiased estimators are consistent in a wider range of validity than the usual ones, especially for the unbiased MLE, which is consistent when the beam number is as low as 5. The unbiased MLE is efficient, meaning it reaches the lowest residual errors that can be expected (for an unbiased estimator). Also the unbiased MLE does not require any bias correction when path lengths are unequal. • When elements are small (or voxel is large), 103 beams entering the voxel leads to some confidence intervals ≈±10%, but when elements are larger (or voxel smaller), it can remain wider than ±50%, even for a large beam number. This is explained by the variability of element positions between vegetation samples. Such a result shows that a significant part of residual error can be explained by random effects. • Confidence intervals are much smaller (±5 to 10%) when LAD estimates are averaged over several small voxels, typically within a horizontal layer or in the crown of individual plants. In this context, our unbiased estimators show a reduction of 50% of the radius of confidence intervals, in comparison to usual estimators. Our study provides some new ready-to-use estimators and confidence intervals for attenuation coefficients, which are consistent and efficient within a fairly large range of parameter values. The consistency is achieved for a low beam number, which is promising for application to airborne LiDAR data. They entail to raise the level of understanding and confidence on LAD estimation. Among other applications, their usage should help determine the most suitable voxel size, for given vegetation types and scanning density, whereas existing guidelines are highly variable among studies, probably because of differences in vegetation, scanning design and estimators.

This study refers to the optimization of a Selective Solar Absorber to improve the Sun-to-thermal conversion efficiency at mid temperatures in high vacuum flat thermal collectors. Efficiency has been evaluated by using analytical formula and a numerical thermal model. Both results have been experimentally validated using a commercial absorber in a custom experimental set-up. The optimization procedure aimed at obtaining Selective Solar Absorber is presented and discussed in the case of a metal dielectric multilayer based on Cr2O3 and Ti. The importance of adopting a real spectral emissivity curve to estimate high thermal efficiency at high temperatures in selective solar absorber is outlined. Optimized absorber multilayers can be 8% more efficient than the commercial alternative at 250 °C operating temperatures and up to 27% more efficient at 300 °C. Once the multilayer has been optimized the choice of a very low emissivity substrate such as copper allows to further improve efficiency and to reach stagnation temperature higher than 400 °C without Sun concentration.

In the field of embedded systems, energy efficiency is a critical requirement, particularly for battery-powered devices. RISC-V processors have gained popularity due to their flexibility and open-source nature, making them an attractive choice for embedded applications. However, not all RISC-V processors are equally energy-efficient, and it is important to evaluate their performance in specific use cases. This paper evaluates the energy consumption and resource utilization of a new RISC-V processor, RisCO2, and four existing processors - Zero-riscy, Micro-riscy, Ri5cy, and CV32E40P - in a signal demodulation application for NDIR CO2 sensors. The processors were implemented in the PULPino SoC and synthesized using Vivado IDE. The processor named RisCO2 is based on the RV32E_Zfinx instruction set and was designed from scratch by the authors specifically for low-power signal processing applications such as signal demodulation in CO2 NDIR sensors. The other processors are Ri5cy, Micro-riscy, and Zero-riscy, developed by the PULP Platform team, and CV32E40P (derived from Ri5cy) from the OpenHW Group, all of them widely used in the RISC-V community. Our experiments showed that RisCO2 had the lowest energy consumption among the five processors, with a 53.5% reduction in energy consumption compared to CV32E40P and a 94.8% reduction compared to Micro-riscy. Additionally, RisCO2 had the lowest FPGA resource utilization compared to the best-performing processors, CV32E40P and Ri5cy, with a 46.1% and a 59% reduction in LUTs, respectively. Our findings suggest that RisCO2 is a highly energy-efficient RISC-V processor for NDIR CO2 sensors that require signal demodulation. The results also highlight the importance of evaluating processors in specific use cases to identify the most energy-efficient option. This paper provides valuable insights for designers of energy-efficient embedded systems using RISC-V processors.