bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Can condensed tannins improve fermentation patterns and the nutritive value of sorghum silage?
Authors: Souza E. J. O. , Rodrigues J. M. C. S. , Silva J. R. C. , Torres T. R. , Santos M. V. F. , Silva D. K. A. , Sobral G. C. , Santos Neto E. L. , Oliveira O. F.
Published: June 2024

Context For an ensiling to succeed, the knowledge about the factors that might influence the fermentation dynamics and nutrient loss is mandatory. One of the strategies is the use of additives such as tannins, as they can decrease proteolysis and increase the total organic acids. Aims The aim was to investigate the effects of tannins on fermentation patterns and nutritional value of sorghum silage. Methods Silages containing 0.0, 7.5, 15.0, 22.5, and 30.0 g/kg of tannin on fresh matter were studied. To produce the silage, the tannin was added to the forage and manually homogenised before ensiling. The study was conducted in three experiments. In the first experiment, five replications of each level of inclusion were produced and assigned in a completely randomised design. The chemical composition and fermentation patterns of all experimental units were evaluated. The second experiment consisted of analysing the aerobic deterioration by using a PET bottles system. This experiment was conducted in a completely randomised split plot, with five replications and five treatments with the inclusion of different levels of tannin (main plots) and the hours of exposure of silage to air (subplot). In the third experiment, five levels of tannin (main plots) and incubation times (subplots) were evaluated as for in situ digestibility (ruminal degradability) in a randomised blocks design with three replications (animals). Key results The inclusion of tannins in sorghum silage caused quadratic effects on pH, acetic acid, lactic acid, total organic acids, ammonia nitrogen, dry matter content, crude protein content and in situ digestibility, when the level varied from 10.5 to 22.7 g tannin/kg fresh matter. There was a decreasing linear effect for aerobic deterioration as increasing levels of tannin in sorghum silage. Conclusions The inclusion of tannin as an additive in sorghum silage is recommended for the production of good quality silage. The use of condensed tannins optimise fermentation patterns (especially increasing lactic acid and decreasing ammoniacal nitrogen), chemical composition, providing less aerobic deterioration and improve digestibility. Implications This study revealed that condensed tannins can improve fermentation patterns and the nutritive value of sorghum silage.
Selection for growth rate at pasture in Angus cattle results in heavier cattle that eat more in the feedlot
Authors: Herd R. M. , Oddy V. H. , Arthur P. F. , McDonagh M. B.
Published: June 2024

Context Selection for growth rate has received considerable attention in beef cattle but the evidence for an improvement in the efficiency of feed conversion is equivocal. Aim To examine whether feed efficiency by beef cattle finished in a feedlot had been changed in response to divergence selection for growth rate. Methods The Angus cattle used came from three lines of cattle selected for over five generations for fast growth rate to yearling age (High-line), slow growth (Low-line), or from an unselected Control-line. Over sequential years, a cohort of steers, then of heifers and then of steers, representative of the lines, were measured for feedlot performance, and carcase- and meat-quality traits. The animals were fed a high-energy feedlot ration and after an adjustment period they underwent a performance test of at least 70 days of duration. After slaughter, muscle samples were taken for subsequent measurement of the components of the endogenous calpain proteolytic enzyme system. Their carcasses underwent a standard chiller assessment and meat samples were taken after 1 day and 14 days (steers) or 17 days (heifers) for objective measurement of tenderness. Key results Cattle from the High-line grew 48% faster (P < 0.05), and ate 48% more feed (P < 0.05) than did those from the Low-line, but had similar (P > 0.05) feed conversion ratio and residual feed intake. There were no differences between the High-line and Low-line in the visual meat-quality attributes of meat colour, fat colour and marbling, and no differences in the objective measurements of tenderness and connective-tissue toughness. There was no evidence of a selection response in the circulating concentrations of the metabolites and hormones measured, nor in the endogenous calpain proteolytic enzyme system in muscle. Conclusions The superior growth demonstrated by the High-line cattle over the feedlot test was accompanied by a higher feed intake, with no evidence for an improvement in feed efficiency. Implications Selection for growth rate is a powerful tool to alter animal performance but the beef industry needs to be cognisant of the proportional increase in feed requirement from breeding bigger animals.
Transfection of entomopathogenicMetarhiziumspecies with a mycovirus confers hypervirulence against two lepidopteran pests
Authors: Guo Jiashu , Zhang Peipei , Wu Nan , Liu Wenwen , Liu Yan , Jin Huaibing , Francis Frederic , Wang Xifeng
Published: June 2024

Although most known viruses infecting fungi pathogenic to higher eukaryotes are asymptomatic or reduce the virulence of their host fungi, those that confer hypervirulence to entomopathogenic fungus still need to be explored. Here, we identified and studied a novel mycovirus inMetarhizium flavoviride, isolated from small brown planthopper (Laodelphax striatellus). Based on molecular analysis, we tentatively designated the mycovirus as Metarhizium flavoviride partitivirus 1 (MfPV1), a species in genusGammapartitivirus, familyPartitiviridae. MfPV1 has two double-stranded RNAs as its genome, 1,775 and 1,575 bp in size respectively, encapsidated in isometric particles. When we transfected commercial strains ofMetarhizium anisopliaeandMetarhizium pingshaensewith MfPV1, conidiation was significantly enhanced (ttest;P-value < 0. 01), and the significantly higher mortality rates of the larvae of diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella) and fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), two important lepidopteran pests were found in virus-transfected strains (ANOVA;P-value < 0.05). Transcriptomic analysis showed that transcript levels of pathogenesis-related genes in MfPV1-infectedM. anisopliaewere obviously altered, suggesting increased production of metarhizium adhesin-like protein, hydrolyzed protein, and destruxin synthetase. Further studies are required to elucidate the mechanism whereby MfPV1 enhances the expression of pathogenesis-related genes and virulence ofMetarhiziumto lepidopteran pests. This study presents experimental evidence that the transfection of other entomopathogenic fungal species with a mycovirus can confer significant hypervirulence and provides a good example that mycoviruses could be used as a synergistic agent to enhance the biocontrol activity of entomopathogenic fungi.
The role of thermal and squeezed photons in the entanglement dynamics of the double Jaynes–Cummings model
Authors: Mandal Koushik , Radhakrishnan Chandrashekar , Satyanarayana M V
Published: June 2024

The effects of squeezed photons and thermal photons on the entanglement dynamics of atom-atom, atom-field and field-field subsystems are studied for the double Jaynes–Cummings model. For this purpose, squeezed coherent states and Glauber-Lachs states of radiation are chosen as field states. For the atomic states, we choose one of the Bell state as pure state and a Werner-type state as mixed state. Werner-type state is used to understand the effects of mixedness on entanglement. To measure the entanglement between the two atoms, Wootters’ concurrence is used; whereas for the atom-field and field-field subsystems, negativity is chosen. The squeezed photons and thermal photons create, destroy and transfer entanglement within various subsystems. Also, the addition of squeezed photons and thermal photons either lengthens or shortens the duration of entanglement sudden deaths (ESD) associated with atom-atom, atom-field and field-field entanglement dynamics in a complementary way. The effects of Ising-type interaction, detuning and Kerr-nonlinearity on the entanglement dynamics are studied. Each of these interactions removes the ESDs associated with various subsystems. We show that new entanglements are created in this atom-field system by introducing Ising-type interaction between the two atoms. With proper choice of the parameters corresponding to Ising-type interaction, detuning and Kerr-nonliearity, entanglement can be transferred among various subsystems.
Universal basic mass density inside dark matter halos
Authors: Haddad Nidal , Haddad Fateen
Published: June 2024

In this work we propose a universal basic mass density and a universal basic metric inside dark matter halos in the framework of Einstein equations providing an analytical ground for learning about dark matter. In a previous work the authors have proposed a simplified model for galaxies: a Schwarzschild black hole (that contains all the baryonic matter of the Galaxy) immersed inside a dark matter halo. The solution solved the Einstein equations perturbatively and successfully gave the flat rotation curve and the baryonic Tully-Fisher relation, the two signatures of spiral galaxies. In this work we take the black hole mass (the baryonic mass) of the solution to be zero in order to focus our study on the dark matter halo exclusively. Among the results (1) is the prediction of a universal basic mass density of dark matter, ρ = a
0/2π
Gr, where a
0 ≈ 2.8 × 10−11 m s
−2 is a universal constant whose value was deduced from observations, (2) we show that the mass and velocity curve of the dark halo agree excellently with observational data at intermediate distances where the baryonic matter contribution is negligible, (3) we show that the constant a
0 is the origin of the constant surface density of dark matter and the origin of the scale-radius/scale-density scaling relation of the Navarro-Frenk-White profile (4) we show how the inclusion of baryonic matter in our model solves the core-cusp problem.
Design and experiment of high-performance small magnetic shielding box
Authors: Zhao Xiuqi , Liu Yan , Zhang Lu , Li Xianhong , Zhang Xu , Ye Xiangyang , Zhang Haifeng , Wu Haoting , Sun Jinji
Published: June 2024

Investigating the state of cells in zero magnetic or near-zero magnetic environments is an important scientific issue. However, standard cell culture incubators can only provide general conditions such as constant temperature, constant humidity, sterility, and carbon dioxide, and cannot provide zero magnetic or near-zero magnetic environments for cell culture. To address this issue, an optimization method was proposed in this paper based on the combination of the particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO) and the finite element method (FEM), achieving the optimization design of a magnetic shielding box (MSB) with a small volume, high shielding factor, and low residual field. Firstly, the high-permeability layer and high-conductivity layer were optimized respectively using the PSO and FEM. Then, the effectiveness of this method was analyzed through experiments. The experimental results show that the shielding factors in three directions at the center point of the optimized MSB are 786.8 (east-west), 2182.7 (north-south), and 1389.4 (vertical) respectively at 0.01 Hz. Meanwhile, the maximum residual field in the cubic region with a side length of 10 cm inside the MSB is 11.9 nT. Finally, the MSB designed by this method was placed in a standard cell culture incubator to cultivate cells in a zero-magnetic or near-zero magnetic environment. Then the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) experiments to evaluate the cytotoxicity of chemotherapy drugs on tumor cells in a weak magnetic environment (WMF). The results show that the lethality of paclitaxel (PTX) to Epidermal carcinoma cell (A431) increases by 25.96 times and the lethality of gemcitabine (GE) to Lung carcinoma cell (NCI-H460) increases by 24.23 times in a WMF. At the same time, the maximum proliferation inhibition rate of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on NCI-H460 cells in a WMF environment increased by 15.69%. That is, WMF could significantly improve the therapeutic effect of chemotherapy drugs on tumor cells.
Probing New physics with high-redshift quasars: axions and non-standard cosmology
Authors: Sun Chen , Buen-Abad Manuel A. , Fan JiJi
Published: June 2024

The Hubble diagram of quasars, as candidates to “standardizable” candles, has been used to measure the expansion history of the Universe at late times, up to very high redshifts (z ∼ 7). It has been shown that this history, as inferred from the quasar dataset, deviates at ≳ 3σ level from the concordance (ΛCDM) cosmology model preferred by the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and other datasets. In this article, we investigate whether new physics beyond ΛCDM (BΛCDM) or beyond the Standard Model (BSM) could make the quasar data consistent with the concordance model. We first show that an effective redshift-dependent relation between the quasar UV and X-ray luminosities, complementing previous phenomenological work in the literature, can potentially remedy the discrepancy. Such a redshift dependence can be realized in a BSM model with axion-photon conversion in the intergalactic medium (IGM), although the preferred parameter space is in tension with various other astrophysical constraints on axions, at a level depending on the specific assumptions made regarding the IGM magnetic field. We briefly discuss a variation of the axion model that could evade these astrophysical constraints. On the other hand, we show that models beyond ΛCDM such as one with a varying dark energy equation of state (wCDM) or the phenomenological cosmographic model with a polynomial expansion of the luminosity distance, cannot alleviate the tension. The code for our analysis, based on emcee [1] and corner.py [2], is publicly available at github.com/ChenSun-Phys/high_z_candles.
Anisotropic extensions of isotropic Finch–Skea metric in the charged modified gravity
Authors: Naseer Tayyab , Sharif M
Published: June 2024

In this study, we explore the Finch–Skea perfect fluid solution and extend its domain to three distinct anisotropic interior models within the framework of the

f
(
R
,
T
)

theory, incorporating the influence of an electromagnetic field. We assume a static spherical spacetime initially coupled with an isotropic matter distribution. We then introduce a Lagrangian corresponding to an additional gravitating source, taking into account its role in inducing pressure anisotropy within the original fluid source. By deriving the field equations for the combined matter setup, we applied a radial component transformation, which yielded two distinct systems of equations. In addition, we consider a charged exterior spacetime to determine the three constants associated with the Finch–Skea solution at the boundary. Our findings suggest that under certain parametric choices, all three resulting models exhibited physical relevance within this modified theory.
Preparation and magnetic hardening of low Ti content (Sm,Zr)(Fe,Co,Ti)12 magnets by rapid solidification non-equilibrium method
Authors: Zhang 张 Xing-Feng 兴凤 , Liu 刘 Li-Bin 立斌 , Li 李 Yu-Qing 玉卿 , Zhang 张 Dong-Tao 东涛 , Liu 刘 Wei-Qiang 卫强 , Yue 岳 Ming 明
Published: June 2024

The Sm–Zr–Fe–Co–Ti quinary-alloys with ThMn12 structure has attracted wide attention for ultra-high intrinsic magnetic properties, showing potentiality to be developed into rare-earth permanent magnets. The Ti element in alloys is crucial for phase stability and magnetic properties, and lower Ti content can increase intrinsic magnetic properties but reduce phase stability. In this study, the 1:12 single-phase melt-spun ribbons with low Ti content was successfully prepared using a rapid solidification non-equilibrium method for the Sm1.1Zr0.2Fe9.2Co2.3Ti0.5 quinary-alloy. However, this non-equilibrium ribbon did not achieve good magnetic hardening due to the uneven microstructure and microstrain. Then, annealing was carried out to eliminate micro-strain and homogenize microstructure, therefore, remanence and coercivity were significantly improved even the precipitation of a small amount of α-Fe phase which were not conducive to coercivity. The remanence of 86.1 emu/g and coercivity of 151 kA/m was achieved when annealing at 850 °C for 45 min. After hot pressing, under the action of high temperature and pressure, a small portion of ThMn12 phases in the magnet decompose into Sm-rich phases and α-Fe, while remanence of 4.02 kGs (1 Gs = 10−4 T), and coercivity of 1.12 kOe (1 Oe = 79.5775 A⋅m−1) were still acquired. Our findings can provide reference for exploring practical permanent magnets made of 1:12 type quinary-alloys.
Temperature Profile of a Biomass Gasification Power System
Authors: Espina R U , Barroca R B , Simpao F T , Zamora R M
Published: June 2024

Biomass has been used as a renewable energy resource for years. The coconut tree, considered woody biomass, grows in the tropics and is abundant in the Philippines. To determine the performance of the biomass gasification power system (BGPS) using torrefied coconut shells (TCS), a 1.8-kVA BGPS was designed, fabricated, and tested. The TCS with a calorific value of 34.37 MJ/kg was used as feedstock to profile the temperature of BGPS. The temperature increased from the feeder at 79 °C to a maximum of 904 °C at the combustion zone and goes down to 779 °C at the reduction zone, which causes the breaking of the chemical structure of the torrefied coconut shells to release carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen (H2) and other contaminants that form part the producer gas. The temperature at the inlet of the internal combustion engine (ICE) generating set had reduced to 37 °C. To improve the performance of the BGPS, it is recommended to review and enhance the cooler’s design to lessen the temperature of the producer gas to at least 25 °C.
Exploring the Potential of High-Fatty Acid Content Oils for Biodiesel Production: A Catalyst-Free Approach
Authors: Solikhah MD , Wirawan SS , Sugiarto AT , Wulandani D , Nabetani H , Hagiwara S , Araki T , Purwanto YA
Published: June 2024

The adoption of biofuels has been recognized as one of the key approaches to strive towards achieving net zero emissions, particularly through the utilization of biodiesel derived from oils or fatty acids. To further optimize the utilization of biodiesel, it becomes crucial to explore alternative non-food resources, such as oils with a high content of fatty acids, to serve as biodiesel feedstock. This paper examines the potential use of oil with high fatty acid content, specifically palm fatty acid distillate (PFAD), as a biodiesel feedstock. Typically, the biodiesel production process from PFAD involves a two-step catalytic process that requires a strong acid catalyst, known for its corrosiveness, that needs costly equipment materials. This research explores a catalyst-free production process ensuring a non-corrosive process with reduced capital expenses and fewer chemicals, thereby lowering operational costs. The results demonstrate that biodiesel from PFAD can be obtained in concentration of 83.9% using a one-step non-catalytic process with superheated methanol vapor at a temperature of 210°C under atmospheric pressure. This highlights the significant potential of catalyst-free technology in the production of biodiesel from PFAD.
Extraction yield and properties of biogenic silica from palm oil fuel ash: effect of re-ashing pretreatment and solvent concentration
Authors: Hoerudin  , Hidayat T , Yuliani S , Wahyuningsih K
Published: June 2024

Pretreatments and extraction conditions can affect the yield and characteristics of biogenic silica (biosilica) from palm oil fuel ash (POFA). This study aimed to examine how reashing pretreatment and varying NaOH concentrations influence the yield and properties of biosilica extracted from POFA by a simple sol-gel method. Re-ashing pretreatment was conducted using a furnace at a temperature of 600°C for 2h. All samples were leached using a citric acid solution. Extraction process was carried out using NaOH solutions with concentrations of 6%, 8%, and 10%). The results showed that re-ashing pretreatment and concentrations of NaOH significantly influenced (p<0.05) the extraction yield, color, crystallinity, and specific surface area of POFA-derived biosilica. Re-ashing pretreatment in combination with a 10% NaOH solution produced the highest extraction yield of biosilica (17.25% w/w) with a bright white color (L=91.83; WI=91.32), SiO2 concentration of 94.68%, crystallinity of 50.10%, and specific BET surface area of 390.80m2/g. XRD patterns confirmed the amorphous nature of POFA-derived biosilica. FTIR spectra revealed the presence of silica functional groups in all samples. This study demonstrated the important roles of re-ashing pretreatment and NaOH concentration in producing POFA-derived biosilica with better yield and properties that could broaden its potential applications.
Evaluation of Various Commercial Enzymes for Paper Sludge Saccharification
Authors: Rabemanolontsoa Harifara , Thing Phang Siew , Kawamoto Haruo
Published: June 2024

Converting paper sludge (PS) into valuable products has multiple benefits including waste reduction, resource efficiency, economic opportunities, environmental advantages, product diversification, and regulatory compliance. This study evaluated the purity and efficiency of different commercial enzymes for saccharifying PS. The hemicellulase enzymes Sigma H2125, Sucrase X, Amano 90, and Amano G were assessed for their purity and performance on model compounds. It was found that all the studied commercial enzymes had contaminating residual saccharides varying from 3.3 to 60.0wt%. The most effective enzymes for model compound hydrolysis were Sigma H2125 and Sucrase X. They were, then, used with Sigma cellulase for PS saccharification. Sucrase X showed the highest efficiency in converting xylan in PS to xylose. Using Sigma cellulase and Sucrase X at 37 °C, a 71.6% conversion efficiency was achieved in PS saccharification. The study concluded that combining Sigma cellulase and Sucrase X was the preferred enzymatic approach to obtain monosaccharides from PS, enabling the manufacture of useful products such as biofuels and biochemicals from the paper-derived monosaccharides.
Biodegradable Foam from Cassava Starch Blended with Water Hyacinth Fiber: Effects of Polyvinyl Alcohol Content
Authors: Nugroho Agung , Bagus Permadi Satria , Cahyo Legowo Agung , Dwi Wibowo Alan
Published: June 2024

Our previous investigation revealed that the addition of water hyacinth fiber (WHF) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) enhanced the mechanical properties of cassava starch-based foam. However, the effect of PVA concentration on the mechanical properties of starch foam is still unclear. Therefore, this study examined the effects of various concentrations of PVA on the foam’s quality and production process. Four levels of PVA (0, 1, 2, and 3% w/w) were tested on the mixed dough of cassava starch and 15% of WHF. The foam was made by baking the dough on a thermopressing machine at a temperature of 190 °C for 3 min. The quality level of foams was determined by their physical and mechanical (compressibility, water adsorption, density, color appearance, and biodegradability) properties as well as the practicality of the dough preparation and baking processes. As a result, the addition of PVA significantly affects the mechanical properties and ease of making dough. A higher concentration of PVA contributed to a better mixture of the dough, resulting in a smoother mixing process that led to foams with stronger mechanical properties. Nevertheless, the application of 2% and 3% PVA did not make a significant difference in the mechanical and physical properties. Foam with 2% PVA showed 32 N/mm2 of compressibility, 10% water absorptivity, 12% water content, and good biodegradability, with 87% of the material lost during 30 days of burial in the soil.
Process Optimization of Meat Analogue Composed by Soy Protein Isolate and Palm Oil Based Fat Replacer
Authors: Setyaningsih Dwi , Fahrur Ro’uf Maulidin Yusuf , Muna Neli
Published: June 2024

Meat analog is processed food made from vegetable protein, has similar structure to animal meat but differ in composition. The most widely used vegetable protein in the meat analogues production is soy protein isolate due to its gelation, functional and nutritional properties. This study aims to determine the effect of palm oil concentration on fat replacer emulsion system and the effect of resting time of meat analog on its physico-chemical properties. The study was carried out in three stages, namely (1) preparation of fat replacer emulsions, (2) preparation of meat analogs, (3) optimization of the meat analog process using Response Surface Method (RSM) and characterization of their physico-chemical properties. The concentration of palm oil (olein and stearin fraction) in the fat replacer emulsion was varied in the range of 16-18%. While the resting time of meat analogue for 30 to 60 minutes. Based on the optimization results using Design Expert v.13 software, the optimum treatment for meat analogue processing was resting time of 35,759 minutes and the concentration of fat replacer of 16.124%, which has a desirability value of 0.567. Meat analog from this treatment had 52.920% moisture content, 21.831% fat content, 13.712% protein content, 3.080% ash content, 2.439% carbohydrate content, 5.937 N hardness, 0.975 mm elasticity, and 3.968 N chewiness.
Oleochemical Synthesis of Sucrose Esters from Methyl Esters of Palm Stearic and Oleic Fatty Acids
Authors: Syarifah Ali Gita , Fitria Rista , Rivai Mira , Hambali Erliza , Purnawati Rini , Imam Sutanto Ari
Published: June 2024

Palm oil contains fatty acids such as stearic ranges from 3.40 – 5.47% and oleic ranges from 34.85 – 40.78% which can be used as materials for the synthesis of sucrose ester. This study aimed to increase and optimize the potential of palm oil raw materials through the oleochemical synthesis of sucrose ester. The process of sucrose ester synthesis consisted of two stages, i.e., the esterification process of fatty acids into methyl esters and the transesterification process of fatty acid methyl esters with sucrose to become sucrose esters. Esterification of stearic and oleic fatty acids was performed using H2SO4 catalyst and methanol as a solvent. Transesterification of sucrose with stearic and oleic methyl esters was performed using two types of catalysts K2CO3 6% and Na2CO3 6%, without solvents. The results showed that sucrose ester made from stearic acid methyl ester with K2CO3 catalyst tended to achieve better performance and physicochemical properties as follows: pH ranged from 10.29 – 10.45, foam stability ranged from 55.497 – 88.082%, emulsion stability ranged from 40.211 – 78.435%, surface tension ranged from 25.4 – 27.60 dyne/cm, and interfacial tension ranged from 9.69 – 10.91dynes/cm.
Formulation of Body Lotion with Sucrose Ester Emulsifier
Authors: Suha Aditha Mutiah , Hambali Erliza , Purnawati Rini , Fitria Rista , Rivai Mira
Published: June 2024

Sucrose ester is synthesized from palm fatty acid methyl ester and sucrose using a base catalyst. Emulsifiers that replace palm oil with sucrose esters are biodegradable and potentially non-toxic to the skin. The efficiency of sucrose ester production was obtained by using water as a solvent for sucrose, with a mass ratio of 3:5 for water and sucrose. Dilution of sucrose with water reduces caramelization during reaction. Based on laboratory research, sucrose ester has good emulsion stability from sucrose myristate ester, sucrose palmitate ester, and sucrose laurate ester. The design used a random block design with three levels of variation in sucrose ester concentration, namely 2%, 6%, and 10%. Based on ANOVA, there is a very significant effect between variations in concentration on specific gravity, pH, viscosity and surface tension. Verification tests were carried out on consumer references in the form of organoleptic tests on 35 respondents. Then, microbial tests are carried out based on Indonesian National Standards, namely the maximum number of total plates (10−2 colonies), negative tests for fungi, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Coliform (maximum 3). Determining the best combination uses the Composite Performance Index (CPI) and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). Based on organoleptic tests, the best sample is 10% myristate. The analysis of organoleptic results is consistent with the analysis of laboratory results which states that the lotion sample made from 10% sucrose myristate ester is the best sample. The best lotion samples have good emulsion stability and are not contaminated by microbes.
Catalytic Graphitization by Nickel Nitrate and Characterization on Palm Oil Solid Waste Graphite
Authors: Visca Rinette , Veronika Cynthia , Utami Tania , Handaya Saputra Asep
Published: June 2024

Catalytic graphitization of biomass has been extensively studied. The conventional graphitization method uses high temperatures and non-renewable carbon sources. Temperatures below 1000°C was used in biomass graphitization. The aim of this study is to how these variables affect the structural and morphological properties of the graphite materials produced. In graphite production process, catalyst impregnation is followed by heat treatment. The graphitization process starting with amorphous carbon nanospheres, is investigated by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) studies. XRD was used to examine the graphitization behavior of palm oil solid waste. Based on the result, the position of the 2 theta peak intensity on the XRD graph of the Ni graphitized sample is extremely near to that on the XRD graph of the raw material and carbon sample. The morphological changes that occur in the SEM images for materials graphitized with nickel nitrate are characterized by structures comparable to those that occur in carbon samples. The circular structures in the graphitized sample are anisotropic and structured without orientation bias.
Enhancement of PLA-based Biopolymer Composite Physical Properties with Addition of Sucrose
Authors: Massijaya S Y , Laksana R P B , Nissa R C , Nurhamiyah Y , Hidayat  , Irmayanti M , Ningrum R S , Kusumah S S , Karlinasari L
Published: June 2024

Polylactic acid (PLA) is a biodegradable polymer that has poor barrier properties. Blending PLA with thermoplastic starch (TPS) is an alternative to improve the barrier properties of PLA. The purpose of this study is to improve the barrier properties and mechanical of PLA-based biopolymer composite by blending it with TPS and 5%wt of sucrose. Tensile strength, water vapour transmission rate, morphology, and degradability of biopolymer composite were examined. The morphology of PLA-TPSS bioplastic showing no pores and more homogenous which lead to best WVTR and mechanical result; however, the tensile strength by PLA-TPSS is reduced than pure PLA.
Hydrothermal Pyrolysis of Sargassum Marine Macroalgae: "Synthesis and Characterization of Products"
Authors: Bazrafshan Hamed , Menze Karoline , Kokaliaris Irene , Satrio Justinus
Published: June 2024

In recent years, there has been an explosive growth and overabundance of pelagic Sargassum macroalgae in the North Atlantic Ocean, which wash up on the beaches in the United States, Mexico and the Caribbeans, causing both environmental and health issues in those coastal regions. Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) process was investigated as a potential solution by converting this wet algae biomass into solid and liquid products, namely hydrochar and organic process water, respectively. In this study, the effects of HTC reaction temperatures on the yields and physicochemical properties of hydrochar and organic process water derived from Sargassum algae sample obtained from a coastal region in South Florida were evaluated by using various analytical techniques, including SEM, TGA, BET, FTIR and GC-MS. As a result of the increase in temperature, hydrochar yield decreased, while the yield of bio-oil increased. During the heating process, the volatile matter in hydrochar decreases, whereas the fixed carbon increases. Ash content in hydrochar increases as temperature increases. There were some interconnected pores on the surfaces of all three temperatures. It has been shown that a change in temperature has a significant effect on the chemical composition of bio-oils. In some cases, certain compounds increased as the temperature increased, but in others, it was temperature dependent. This study demonstrated that HTC technology could be a potential solution for mitigating Sargassum pollution issue by converting it into value-added bio-based products.
Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis of Selecting Biomass Feedstocks for Sustainable Energy Production
Authors: Espina R U
Published: June 2024

Five well-known biomass resources are used as feedstocks for biomass thermal power plants in the Philippines: rice husks (RH), sugarcane bagasse (SB), Napier grass (NG), coconut shells (CS), and Paraserianthes falcataria (PF). Given the complexity of socio-economic and biophysical systems and the multi-dimensionality of the sustainability goal, the best biomass feedstock was determined using TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution), a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) that has gained popularity in the decision-making for sustainable energy. Sugarcane bagasse (SB), with a TOPSIS score of 0.5416, was found to be the best biomass feedstock for maximizing the benefits to people and the environment. It has a relatively high calorific value of 19.30 MJ/kg, an annual volume of 7.32 million tons, and can solely be used for energy production. The second-best option is Paraserianthes falcataria (PF), but it is not widely grown because it is only used in the construction and furniture industries, and its demand is very limited. However, because it grows so quickly, it has the greatest potential for energy generation. Coconut shells are the third best option. It is the biomass feedstock with the highest energy content at 20.88 MJ/kg, with a TOPSIS score of 0.4090. Coconut shells are waste materials from coconut fruits used to make activated carbon and are primarily used for cooking, heating, and industrial use. Because coconut shells are widely available, particularly in remote communities, it may be able to meet its electricity needs using a micro-scale biomass power technology that requires only a small amount of coconut shells.
The infiltration variability under oil palm plantation related to moss and understory vegetation covers in terrestrial and riparian sites in Jambi, Indonesia
Authors: Agusta H , Bintoro HMH , Febrianto RE , Zaman S
Published: June 2024

The capacity and contribution of each understory vegetation group to infiltrate transmitted precipitation and moisten the soil are to be revealed. Recently, common findings on infiltration rate under oil palm are well reported, however, it does not include the role of each vegetation group to support water availability to the oil palm plantation. The specific objective of this study is to identify the role of each understory vegetation group consisting of moss and weeds on cumulative infiltration rate and infiltration capacity in the terrestrial area and riparian zone of oil palm plantations consisting of smallholder and corporate farmers in dry and rainy seasons. The total covering rate of both vegetation types amounted to 61.7%. In the active path of terrestrial area weed growth dominated the surface cover of oil palm plantations in both seasons, where the cover of weeds reached 67.8% and moss covers at the level of averagely 11.3%. The total covering rate by the vegetation was 79.1%, and 20.9% of the surface area was without any vegetative protection. In the riparian area, there was no evidence of the difference of infiltration rate measured in Ks both in the circle area and active path area, which reached very low at the value of 1.74-4.02 cm h−1 in the dry season and 3.29-3.88 cm h−1 in the rainy season. However, in the terrestrial area at the active path area, the Ks value reached an average of 12.13 cm h−1 in the dry season and 5.86 cm h−1 in the rainy season. The Ks-value in the oil palm circle in the terrestrial area showed no difference value, which was a very low category value ranging from 3.37-3.80 cm h−1. The cumulative value of infiltrated water during the first four hours in the riparian zone in the active path ranged from 10.35 to 18.52 cm. This value is lower than cumulative infiltrated water in the terrestrial area, ranging from 25.83-110.55 cm in the first 4 hours of infiltration time.
Environmental system analysis on formic acid synthesis from captured CO2 and green H2 using life cycle assessment methodology
Authors: Suzuki K , Suzuki Y , Miao S , Dowaki K
Published: June 2024

Hydrogen (H2) is highly promising as an alternative energy source because it does not emit CO2 when used; thus, H2 utilization is a potential solution to fossil fuel depletion and global warming. In our previous studies, green H2 was developed through biomass pyrolysis. Meanwhile, the development of carbon dioxide capture utilization technologies to recycle CO2 gas from fossil fuel is being considered. Moreover, formic acid (FA) synthesis is among the candidate procedures for utilizing captured CO2. FA is a vital chemical substance with numerous industrial applications. As the simplest carboxylic acid, FA produces various chemical products. The demand for FA will continue to increase, mainly due to recent technological advancements in fuel cells and renewable energy. The primary pathway for FA synthesis involves the hydrolysis of fossil fuel–derived formic acid methyl. In this study, we investigated FA synthesis using CO2 from fossil fuel and green H2 from biomass as raw materials. Subsequently, we evaluated the environmental impact of the synthesized FA compared with the conventional fossil fuel–derived FA by applying the life cycle assessment methodology. The evaluation focuses on Japan, aiming to reduce environmental impact as an evaluation metric while considering the constraints on CO2 emissions and H2 production scale. Furthermore, we sought to identify the conditions that would reduce the environmental impact of FA synthesis.
Seismic performance analysis and control method of composite coupled shear wall with steel plate-fiber reinforced concrete coupling beams
Authors: Xia Yangyang , Shen Chenming , Xia Yuanyuan , Yang Haizeng , Wang Youchun , Tian Jianbo
Published: June 2024

This paper based on the study of steel plate-fiber reinforced concrete coupling beam components, designs a basic model of composite coupled shear walls with steel plate-fiber reinforced concrete coupling beams. The seismic performance of this model was numerically simulated using the ABAQUS finite element software, analyzing the stress distribution of various parts and the development pattern of plastic hinges in the structure. It also examines how factors such as axial compression ratio, coupling beam cross-sectional dimensions, single-sided wall limb aspect ratio, and total floor height affect the seismic performance of this type of coupled shear wall, providing a reasonable range for axial compression ratios and coupling ratios for composite coupled shear walls with steel plate-fiber reinforced concrete coupling beams. Based on the obtained reasonable axial compression ratio and coupling ratio, and using the analytical solution of the continuum method, a method for controlling the seismic performance of coupled shear wall structures was proposed. Results show that the composite coupled shear walls with steel plate-fiber reinforced concrete coupling beams exhibit high load-bearing capacity and lateral stiffness under inverted triangular horizontal loads, with good displacement ductility and strong energy dissipation capability, making it an excellent seismic performance coupled shear wall system. As the axial compression ratio increases, the displacement corresponding to the yield point and peak point of the structure gradually decreases, and the displacement ductility coefficient shows a trend of first increasing and then decreasing; it is recommended that when designing steel plate-fiber reinforced concrete coupling beam-coupled shear walls, the axial compression ratio should not exceed 0.3. Numerical analysis of coupling ratio-related parameters indicates that in high-intensity seismic design areas, the range of coupling ratios should be between 45% and 60%.
Towards interpretable quantum machine learning via single-photon quantum walks
Authors: Flamini Fulvio , Krumm Marius , Fiderer Lukas J , Müller Thomas , Briegel Hans J
Published: June 2024

Variational quantum algorithms represent a promising approach to quantum machine learning where classical neural networks are replaced by parametrized quantum circuits. However, both approaches suffer from a clear limitation, that is a lack of interpretability. Here, we present a variational method to quantize projective simulation (PS), a reinforcement learning model aimed at interpretable artificial intelligence. Decision making in PS is modeled as a random walk on a graph describing the agent’s memory. To implement the quantized model, we consider quantum walks of single photons in a lattice of tunable Mach–Zehnder interferometers trained via variational algorithms. Using an example from transfer learning, we show that the quantized PS model can exploit quantum interference to acquire capabilities beyond those of its classical counterpart. Finally, we discuss the role of quantum interference for training and tracing the decision making process, paving the way for realizations of interpretable quantum learning agents.
Effect of molecular rotation and concentration on the adsorption of pentacene molecules on two-dimensional monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides
Authors: Black E , Morbec J M
Published: June 2024

Heterostructures composed of pentacene (PEN) molecules and transition metal dichalchogenides (TMDs) are promising materials for small, flexible and lightweight photovoltaic devices and various other optoelectronic applications. The effects of changing concentration and orientation of adsorbed PEN molecules on two-dimensional monolayer substrates of TMDs, namely MoS2, MoSe2, WS2 and WSe2, were investigated using first-principles calculations based on density functional theory. We examined the structural and electronic properties of the corresponding PEN/TMD heterostructures and compared these between differing PEN concentrations and the orientations of PEN with respect to the underlying substrate crystal structure. We analyze the band alignment of the heterostructures and demonstrate a concentration-dependent staggered-to-straddling (typeII-I) band gap transition in PEN/MoSe2.
Sandwich probe temperature sensor based on In2O3-IZO thin film for ultra-high temperatures
Authors: Fan Xu , Tian Bian , Shi Meng , Zhang Zhongkai , Liu Zhaojun , Zhou Guoliang , Liu Jiangjiang , Li Le , Lin Qijing , Jiang Zhuangde
Published: June 2024

High-temperature thin-film thermocouples (TFTCs) have attracted significant attention in the aerospace and steel metallurgy industry. However, previous studies on TFTCs have primarily focused on the two-dimensional planar-type, whose thermal sensitive area has to be perpendicular to the test environment, and therefore affects the thermal fluids pattern or loses accuracy. In order to address this problem, recent studies have developed three-dimensional probe-type TFTCs, which can be set parallel to the test environment. Nevertheless, the probe-type TFTCs are limited by their measurement threshold and poor stability at high temperatures. To address these issues, in this study, we propose a novel probe-type TFTC with a sandwich structure. The sensitive layer is compounded with indium oxide doped zinc oxide and fabricated using screen-printing technology. With the protection of sandwich structure on electrode film, the sensor demonstrates robust high-temperature stability, enabling continuous working at 1200 °C above 5 h with a low drift rate of 2.3 °C·h−1. This sensor exhibits a high repeatability of 99.3% when measuring a wide range of temperatures, which is beyond the most existing probe-type TFTCs reported in the literature. With its excellent high-temperature performance, this temperature sensor holds immense potentials for enhancing equipment safety in the aerospace engineering and ensuring product quality in the steel metallurgy industry.
Phosphorene nanoribbon field effect transistor with a dual material gate
Authors: Owlia Hadi , Nasrollahnejad Mohammad Bagher , Fazli Roohallah
Published: June 2024

In this paper, we present a dual-material gate phosphorene nanoribbon field-effect transistor (DMG-PNRFET) that combines the advantages of a PNRFET with a DMG configuration. In this structure, the difference in the work function creates an extra barrier for band-to-band tunneling from the valence band (VB) to the conduction band (CB) inside the channel leading to lower off-currents. An illustration for transmission coefficients with relevant band diagrams is included to demonstrate energy-resolved current spectrum and tunneling emissions within the transport window for both on and off-states. Results also show that DMG-PNRFET possesses a higher ION/IOFF ratio, delay, and power delay product (PDP) compared to a conventional PNRFET. Hence, the DMG-PNRFET is better suited for digital applications. Our simulations rely on combining the density functional-based tight binding method with the non-equilibrium Green’s function.
A country-level primary-final-useful (CL-PFU) energy and exergy database: overview of its construction and 1971–2020 world-level efficiency results
Authors: E Brockway Paul , Kuperus Heun Matthew , Marshall Zeke , Aramendia Emmanuel , Steenwyk Paul , Relph Thomas , Widjanarko Michelle , (James) Kim Jeonghoo , Sainju Anjana , Irtube Julian
Published: June 2024

Societal exergy analysis examines the flows of energy and exergy through societies, from primary (e.g. oil) to final (e.g. gasoline) to useful (e.g. propulsion) energy stages. By extending the study of energy to the useful stage, new insights into the under-represented role of energy in economic growth have been made. However, currently (a) country coverage is patchy and incomplete, (b) available data are based on varying methods and assumptions including efficiencies based on economic rather than engineering data, and (c) datasets are constructed using piecemeal computational approaches. To address these gaps, we construct a country-level primary-final-useful (CL-PFU) energy and exergy database for the period 1960–2020, containing country-level data created by a consistent physical approach, covering 152 individual countries and 3 rest of world regions, 7 aggregate and 46 detailed sub-sectors, 68 final energy products, and 85 final-to-useful (FU) energy conversion devices. This paper (a) provides details of CL-PFU database construction and its input datasets and (b) gives world-level primary-final-useful energy, exergy, and efficiency results for 1971–2020. We find that whilst world efficiency (including animal and human muscle work) has decreased over primary-to-final stages from 79% to 72% for energy and from 79% to 70% for exergy, there has been a much larger increase in world FU efficiency, which has grown from 37% to 65% in energy terms and from 15% to 23% in exergy terms. This large rise in FU efficiency leads to much larger gains in useful energy (3.71 × 1971 value) and useful exergy (3.20 × 1971 value) than at primary (2.33 × 1971 value) or final (2.10 × 1971 value) stages. Muscle work contributes only a small (less than 10%, and declining) share at primary, final, and useful energy stages.