bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Impact of CO2 Emissions and Energy Consumption on Economic Growth: A Panel Data Analysis
Authors: Androniceanu Armenia , Georgescu Irina
Published: January 2023

This study aims to examine the dynamic connection among economic growth, CO2 emissions, energy consumption, and foreign direct investments (FDIs). The panel section considers the period of 2000–2020 for 25 EU Member States excluding Malta and Croatia. The annual data are retrieved from the World Bank and Eurostat databases. The empirical analysis used estimation procedures such as first- and second-generation panel unit root tests (CIPS) and panel ARDL based on the three estimators PMG, MG, and DFE. The Hausman test indicated that the PMG estimator is the most efficient. The PMG and DFE estimators suggested that there exist only short-run causalities from CO2 emissions, energy consumption, and FDIs to GDP growth rate, while the MG estimator proved the existence of both short-run and long-run causalities. Three hypotheses on the positive correlation between the three regressors and GDP growth rate were in general confirmed. The identified causalities may represent recommendations for policymakers to stimulate the renewable energy sector to improve sustainable development.
Axial-Flow Pump with Enhanced Cavitation Erosion Resistance
Authors: Zharkovskii Aleksandr , Svoboda Dmitry , Borshchev Igor , Klyuyev Arsentiy , Ivanov Evgeniy , Shutsky Sergey
Published: January 2023

Axial-flow pumps, in addition to providing high anti-cavitation properties, must have high anti-erosion properties to ensure the required lifetime of the pump. Erosion damage of surfaces occurs when the net positive suction head (NPSH) significantly exceeds its critical value. The object of the study in this article is the axial-flow pump with a specific speed of 600 in two alternatives: № 1 and № 2. By analysis of the flow in the impeller blade systems, the ratio value between the NPSH, which ensures the absence of erosion, and the NPSH3, at which pump operational failure occurs, was determined. Impeller variant № 1 did not provide the required ratio. Impeller variant № 2 had higher cavitation qualities, and the required ratio was achieved for it. Energy, cavitation, and erosion characteristics of the axial-flow pump with impeller № 2 in rotational frequency n = 2000 rpm were investigated. Easily breakable paint coatings were used for the accelerated study of cavitation erosion. The experiment was carried out at three different flow rates and confirmed the assumptions made—the pump with impeller № 2 was not affected by cavitation erosion at the optimum flow rate. Patterns of erosion zones were accompanied by calculations of vapor zones in the impeller. At flow rates less than the optimum, cavitation disruptions occurred and appeared behind the vapor region. As a result, the condition of ensuring erosion-free flow in the impeller of an axial pump with a specific speed of 600 was obtained, ensuring the ratio NPSH/NPSH3 > 2.5. Recommendations on designing of erosion-free flow part of the axial pump impeller were also obtained.
Review and Perspectives of Key Decarbonization Drivers to 2030
Authors: Beccarello Massimo , Di Foggia Giacomo
Published: January 2023

Global climate policy commitments are encouraging the development of EU energy policies aimed at paving the way for cleaner energy systems. This article reviews key decarbonization drivers for Italy considering higher environmental targets from recent European Union climate policies. Energy efficiency, the electrification of final consumption, the development of green fuels, increasing the share of renewable energy sources in the electric system, and carbon capture and storage are reviewed. A 2030 scenario is designed to forecast the role of decarbonization drivers in future energy systems and to compare their implementation with that in the current situation. Energy efficiency measures will reduce final energy consumption by 15.6%, as primary energy consumption will decrease by 19.8%. The electrification of final consumption is expected to increase by 6.08%. The use of green fuels is estimated to triple as innovative fuels may go to market at scale to uphold the ambitious decarbonization targets set in the transportation sector. The growing trajectory of renewable sources in the energy mix is confirmed, as while power generation is projected to increase by 10%, the share of renewables in that generation is expected to increase from 39.08% to 78.16%. Capture and storage technologies are also expected to play an increasingly important role. This article has policy implications and serves as a regulatory reference in the promotion of decarbonization investments.
Transesterification and Hydrotreating Reactions of Rice Bran Oil for Bio-Hydrogenated Diesel Production
Authors: Dujjanutat Praepilas , Srihanun Nithinun , Muanruksa Papasanee , Winterburn James , Kaewkannetra Pakawadee
Published: January 2023

Two different methods of production of bio-hydrogenated diesel (BHD), simply called green diesel from rice bran oil (RBO), were performed. In the first route, a direct hydrotreating reaction of RBO to BHD catalysed by Pd/Al2O3 was performed in a high-pressure batch reactor. Operating conditions were investigated as follows: catalyst loading (0.5 to 1.5% wt.), temperature (325 to 400 °C), initial hydrogen (H2) pressure (40 to 60 bar) and reaction time (30 to 90 min). The optimal condition was obtained at 1% wt catalyst loading, 350 °C, 40 bar H2 pressure and 60 min. Yields of crude/refined biofuels and BHD achieved were approximately 98%, 81.71% and 73.71%, respectively. In another route, transesterification together with hydrotreating reactions of rice bran methyl ester (RBME) to BHD was performed using the optimal conditions obtained from the first route. The amount of 98% crude biofuel was obtained and was equivalent to production yields of refined biofuel (85.71%) and BHD (68.51%). Furthermore, physical and chemical properties of both RBO/RBME green diesel were also considered following ASTM standard methods. In summary, both catalytic reactions were achieved in the range of a low-speed industrial diesel and were further recommended for BHD or green diesel production from RBO.
A Deep Learning Approach for Exploring the Design Space for the Decarbonization of the Canadian Electricity System
Authors: Jahangiri Zahra , Judson Mackenzie , Yi Kwang Moo , McPherson Madeleine
Published: January 2023

Conventional energy system models have limitations in evaluating complex choices for transitioning to low-carbon energy systems and preventing catastrophic climate change. To address this challenge, we propose a model that allows for the exploration of a broader design space. We develop a supervised machine learning surrogate of a capacity expansion model, based on residual neural networks, that accurately approximates the model’s outputs while reducing the computation cost by five orders of magnitude. This increased efficiency enables the evaluation of the sensitivity of the outputs to the inputs, providing valuable insights into system development factors for the Canadian electricity system between 2030 and 2050. To facilitate the interpretation and communication of a large number of surrogate model results, we propose an easy-to-interpret method using an unsupervised machine learning technique. Our analysis identified key factors and quantified their relationships, showing that the carbon tax and wind energy capital cost are the most impactful factors on emissions in most provinces, and are 2 to 4 times more impactful than other factors on the development of wind and natural gas generations nationally. Our model generates insights that deepen our understanding of the most impactful decarbonization policy interventions.
Biomass Origin Waste as Activators of the Polyurethane Foaming Process
Authors: Zakrzewska Patrycja , Zygmunt-Kowalska Beata , Kuźnia Monika , Szajding Artur , Telejko Tadeusz , Wilk Małgorzata
Published: January 2023

Rigid polyurethane foams (RPUFs) are characterized by their excellent viable properties; thus, these materials can be successfully used as thermal insulation materials. The main problem, the solution of which is partly indicated in this paper, is that the products for the synthesis of RPUFs are produced from petrochemicals. Due to this, the use of natural fillers in the form of waste biomass is introduced for the synthesis of RPUFs. The biodegradable biomass waste used in the RPUF production process plays multiple roles: it becomes an activator of the RPUF foaming process, improves selected properties of RPUF materials and reduces the production costs of insulating materials. The paper presents the results of the foaming process with the use of six different fillers: sunflower husk (SH), rice husk (RH), buckwheat husk (BH), sunflower husk ash (SHA), rice husk ash (RHA) and buckwheat husk ash (BHA). In all cases, composites of rigid polyurethane foam with 10 wt.% of filler were produced. New foams were compared with polyurethane materials without the addition of a modifier. Moreover, the paper presents the results of the fillers’ analysis used in the tests and the effects of the fillers’ addition as activators of the RPUF foaming process. Promising results were obtained for two of the fillers, BHA and SHA, as activators of the foaming process and confirmed by the volumetric results, where the named samples reached their maximum value in half the time compared to the remaining samples. In addition, the expansion rate for PU_10BHA was a maximum of approximately 11 cm3/s and PU_10SHA was a maximum of approximately 9 cm3/s, whereas the remaining samples showed this parameter at about 3 cm3/s. During the research, the scanning electron microscopy method and infrared camera technique were used.
Multi-Timescale Optimal Dispatching Strategy for Coordinated Source-Grid-Load-Storage Interaction in Active Distribution Networks Based on Second-Order Cone Planning
Authors: Mi Yang , Chen Yuyang , Yuan Minghan , Li Zichen , Tao Biao , Han Yunhao
Published: January 2023

In order to cope with the efficient consumption and flexible regulation of resource scarcity due to grid integration of renewable energy sources, a scheduling strategy that takes into account the coordinated interaction of source, grid, load, and storage is proposed. In order to improve the accuracy of the dispatch, a BP neural network approach modified by a genetic algorithm is used to predict renewable energy sources and loads. The non-convex, non-linear optimal dispatch model of the distribution grid is transformed into a mixed integer programming model with optimal tides based on the second-order cone relaxation, variable substitution, and segmental linearization of the Big M method. In addition, the uncertainty of distributed renewable energy output and the flexibility of load demand re-response limit optimal dispatch on a single time scale, so the frequency of renewable energy and load forecasting is increased, and an optimal dispatch model with complementary time scales is developed. Finally, the IEEE 33-node distribution system was tested to verify the effectiveness of the proposed optimal dispatching strategy. The simulation results show an 18.28% improvement in the economy of the system and a 24.39% increase in the capacity to consume renewable energy.
The Relationship between the Low-Carbon Industrial Model and Human Well-Being: A Case Study of the Electric Power Industry
Authors: Zhang Ying , Dong Xiaobin , Wang Xuechao , Zhang Peng , Liu Mengxue , Zhang Yufang , Xiao Ruiming
Published: January 2023

The electric power industry is one of the major industries in terms of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, and it is necessary to explore low-carbon green power generation models. In recent years, more research has focused on the difference in carbon emissions in fossil energy versus renewable energy but ignored the impact of energy on human well-being. The life cycle assessment (LCA) method is a better method for assessing the impact of the low-carbon model on human well-being. In this paper, the carbon footprints of coal power plants and photovoltaic power (PV) plants generating 1 Kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity are compared to analyze the degree of carbon emissions at different stages of the two models, and the environmental impact potential of the two models is analyzed using the LCA method. The differences between the two models in terms of human well-being were analyzed through questionnaires and quantified using the hierarchical analysis method. The impact of the different models on human well-being was compared using LCA method. The results of the study were as follows: the total CO2 emissions from coal-fired power generation at the 1 kWh standard were 973.38 g, while the total CO2 emissions from PV power generation were 91.95 g, and the carbon emission intensity of coal-fired power plants was higher than that of PV power plants. The global warming potential and eutrophication potential of coal-fired power plants were higher than those of PV power plants, and the rest of the indicators were lower than those of PV power plants. The composite human well-being index of PV power plants was 0.613 higher than that of coal-fired power plants at 0.561. The per capita income–global warming potential of PV power plants was higher than that of coal-fired power plants, indicating that PV power plants were a low carbon-emission and high well-being model. In conclusion, the PV power plant model is a low-carbon and high human well-being industrial model that is worthy of application in the Qilian Mountains region. The low-carbon industrial model proposed in this study can have a positive effect on regional ecological environmental protection and human well-being enhancement.
A Small-Sample Borehole Fluvial Facies Identification Method Using Generative Adversarial Networks in the Context of Gas-Fired Power Generation, with the Hangjinqi Gas Field in the Ordos Basin as an Example
Authors: Liu Yong , Xu Qingjie , Li Xingrui , Zhan Weiwen , Guo Jingkai , Xiao Jun
Published: January 2023

Natural gas power generation has the advantages of flexible operation, short start–stop times, and fast ramp rates. It has a strong peaking capacity and speed compared to coal power generation, and can greatly reduce emissions of harmful substances such as sulphur dioxide. However, in practice, the accurate identification of borehole fluvial facies in the exploration area is one of the most important conditions affecting the success of gas field exploration. An insufficient number of drilling points in the exploration area and the accurate identification of lithological data features are key to the correct identification of borehole fluvial facies, and understanding how to achieve accurate identification of borehole fluvial facies when there are insufficient training data is the focus and challenge of research within the field of natural gas energy exploration. This paper proposes a borehole fluvial facies identification method applicable to the sparse sample size of drilling points, using the Sulige gas field in the Ordos Basin of China as the research object, with the drilling lithology data in the field as the sample data and the data augmentation and classification of the images through generative adversarial networks. The trained model was then validated on the Hangjinqi gas field with the same geological properties. Finally, this paper compares the recognition accuracy of borehole fluvial facies with that of other deep learning algorithms. It was verified that this research method can be applied to oil and gas exploration areas where the number of wells drilled is small and there are limited data, and that this method achieves accurate identification of borehole fluvial facies in the exploration area, which can help to improve the efficiency of oil and gas resources drilling identification to ensure the healthy development of the power and energy industry.
Challenges of Phasing out Emergency Diesel Generators: The Case Study of Lacor Hospital’s Energy Community
Authors: Felice Alex , Barbieri Jacopo , Martinez Alonso Ander , Messagie Maarten , Coosemans Thierry
Published: January 2023

Power outages of the electricity grid threaten the proper operation of critical infrastructure such as hospitals. To cope with this problem, emergency diesel generators (DGs) are often used to guarantee continuous and resilient electricity supply, resulting in increased costs and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Thus, this study aims to investigate the economic feasibility of both reducing and replacing emergency diesel generators with solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, battery energy storage systems (BESS) and demand-side management. A mixed-integer quadratically constrained program is used to find the optimal configuration in terms of capacities of new assets, as well as the optimal scheduling of both BESS and flexible loads, that minimises the levelised cost of energy (LCOE). The model is applied to an existing hospital and its surrounding community located in Gulu, Uganda. The results show that full replacement of the DGs will require an additional 500 kWp of PV and 1591 kWh of BESS. This new configuration will decrease LCOE by 26% compared to the actual situation, with a simple payback time of 6.2 years and a reduction of 74% in GHG emissions.
Improved Electrical and Thermal Conductivities of Graphene–Carbon Nanotube Composite Film as an Advanced Thermal Interface Material
Authors: Jiang Youcheng , Song Shangzhi , Mi Mengjuan , Yu Lixuan , Xu Lisha , Jiang Puqing , Wang Yilin
Published: January 2023

Thermal management has become a crucial issue for the rapid development of electronic devices, and thermal interface materials (TIMs) play an important role in improving heat dissipation. Recently, carbon−based TIMs, including graphene, reduced graphene oxide, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with high thermal conductivity, have attracted great attention. In this work, we provide graphene−carbon nanotube composite films with improved electrical and thermal conductivities. The composite films were prepared from mixed graphene oxide (GO) and CNT solutions and then were thermally reduced at a temperature greater than 2000 K to form a reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/CNT composite film. The added CNTs connect adjacent graphene layers, increase the interlayer interaction, and block the interlayer slipping of graphene layers, thereby improving the electrical conductivity, through−plane thermal conductivity, and mechanical properties of the rGO/CNT composite film at an appropriate CNT concentration. The rGO/CNT(4:1) composite film has the most desired properties with an electrical conductivity of ~2827 S/cm and an in−plane thermal conductivity of ~627 W/(m·K). The produced rGO/CNT composite film as a TIM will significantly improve the heat dissipation capability and has potential applications in thermal management of electronics.
Advanced Method of Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) Systems Designing to Forecast On-Site Operation—Part 1: General Approaches and Criteria
Authors: Radchenko Mykola , Radchenko Andrii , Trushliakov Eugeniy , Pavlenko Anatoliy , Radchenko Roman
Published: January 2023

All the energetic management and controlling strategies in ambient air conditioning systems (ACS) are aimed to match design load to current needs. This might be achieved by determining a rational value of design thermal load without overestimation that can minimize its deviation from the actual values. The application of variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems with speed-regulated compressors (SRC) is considered as the most advanced trend in building air conditioning due to the ability of SRCs to cover changeable heat loads without lowering their efficiency. The level of load regulation by SRC is evaluated as the ratio of the load range, regulated by SCR, to the overall design load range. With this, the range of actual changeable loads is usually supposed to be covered by SRC entirely while keeping the rest, unregulated, and load range unchangeable. However, to confirm this, the rest load range behind the regulated one should be investigated to estimate the efficiency of SRC operation. Therefore, the approach to dividing the overall thermal load range of ambient air conditioning into the ranges of changeable and unchangeable loads to compare with those covered by SRC is used. From this approach, the method of rational designing and shearing a design refrigeration capacity in response to current loading, based on the principle of two-stage ambient air conditioning, has been widened on the VRF systems to estimate the efficiency of SCR application. This was realized by imposing the load ranges regulated by SRC onto the ranges of changeable and unchangeable loads within the overall range of actual loading. The proposed innovative criteria and indicators for rational shearing the load ranges to match current duties and load level evaluation can reveal the reserves for improving the efficiency of SRC compressor operation and the ACS of VRF type as a whole.
Synthesis of (Cu,Mn,Co)3O4 Spinel: Effects of Citrate-to-Nitrate Ratio on Its Homogeneity and Electrical Properties
Authors: Mah Joelle C. W. , Aznam Isyraf , Muchtar Andanastuti , Somalu Mahendra Rao , Raharjo Jarot
Published: January 2023

The (Cu,Mn,Co)3O4 (CMC) spinel layer is useful in inhibiting Cr vaporization that deteriorates the solid oxide fuel cell performance. The effectiveness of the spinel layer in suppressing volatile Cr species from the metallic interconnects is strongly dependent on layer density, which is influenced by particle size distributions and agglomerations of the spinel powders. Considering that the material properties were influenced by the synthesizing conditions, this study elucidated the influences of citric acid (fuel) on the structure, morphology, and electrical properties of sol–gel derived CMC spinel powders. Dual-phase CMC spinel powders, consisting of cubic CuMnCoO and tetragonal Mn2CoO4, were successfully synthesized at citrate-to-nitrate (CA/MN) ratios of 0.8, 1.0, and 1.2. An undesired CuCo2O4 phase was observed in spinel powders synthesized at a low CA/MN ratio of 0.5. The CA/MN ratio has influenced not only the phase formation of CMC spinel, but also the particle size distributions. The CA/MN ratio of 1.0 yielded the finest CMC spinel with the least agglomerates, which then produced the highest electrical conductivity of 116 Scm−1. Therefore, the CA/MN ratio of 1.0 was recommended for the synthesis of CMC spinel, which can be used in fabricating the protective coating of solid oxide fuel cell interconnects.
Frequency Range of UHF PD Measurements in Power Transformers
Authors: Tenbohlen Stefan , Beura Chandra , Sikorski Wojciech , Albarracín Sánchez Ricardo , de Castro Bruno , Beltle Michael , Fehlmann Pascal , Judd Martin , Werner Falk , Siegel Martin
Published: January 2023

Although partial discharge (PD) measurement is a well-accepted technology to assess the quality of the insulation system of power transformers, there are still uncertainties about which frequency range PDs radiate and which frequency range should be evaluated in a measurement. This paper discusses both a UHF PD frequency range obtained from studies investigating laboratory experiments and a frequency range from numerous practical use cases with online and on-site measurements. The literature review reveals a frequency spectrum of ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) PD measurements in the range of 200 MHz to 1 GHz for most publications. Newer publications extend this range from 3 to 6 GHz. The use cases present UHF PD measurements at transformers with power ratings up to 1000 MVA to determine frequency ranges which are considered effective for practical applications. The “common” frequency range, where measurements from all use cases provide signal power, is from approximately 400 MHz to 900 MHz, but it is noted that the individual frequency range, as well as the peak UHF signal power, strongly varies from case to case. We conclude from the discussed laboratory experiments and practical observations that UHF PD measurements in power transformers using either valve or window antennas, according to Cigré, are feasible methods to detect PD.
Acknowledgment to the Reviewers of Eng in 2022
Authors:   Eng Editorial Office
Published: January 2023

High-quality academic publishing is built on rigorous peer review [...]
Urban Wastewater as a Source of Reclaimed Water for Irrigation: Barriers and Future Possibilities
Authors: Santos Andreia F. , Alvarenga Paula , Gando-Ferreira Licínio M. , Quina Margarida J.
Published: January 2023

Water resources are under pressure worldwide, resulting in scarcity and deterioration of freshwater quality. According to European directives, we could reduce the pressure on water resources in urban areas by increasing the reuse of treated wastewater, reducing the impact on water bodies, and promoting water recycling through multiple uses of urban wastewater. Besides the need to address water supply challenges, wastewater treatment systems show environmental stewardship and innovative practices. Using reclaimed water for agricultural irrigation is gaining interest because of the drought conditions experienced in Europe over the past few years. Furthermore, using treated wastewater for agricultural irrigation may help to restore nutrients (N and P) to natural biogeochemical cycles. This review highlights the importance of water reuse, current legislation, and existing technologies to implement in wastewater treatment systems to meet the minimum requirements to produce reclaimed water to reuse in agricultural irrigation.
The Soil Seed Bank Role in Mountainous Heathland Ecosystems after Fire and Inorganic Nitrogen Fertilization
Authors: Alday Josu G. , Calvo Leonor , Rodríguez José Luis Fernández , Valbuena Luz
Published: January 2023

Calluna vulgaris-dominated heathlands are a priority habitat type in Annex I of the Habitats Directive (92/43/ECC, habitat code 4060). In the Iberian Peninsula, the landscape of the Cantabrian Mountain range has great heterogeneity due to human management during the last 10,000 years. Another factor that can affect these communities is the increase in human-induced atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition. During the last century, there has been a dramatic increase in N deposition rates. For all these reasons, it is important to know the regeneration dynamics of the heathlands in the context of the disturbances that these communities currently face (i.e., N deposition, fire, and decrease in sheep grazing) in the Cantabrian Mountain range. In this study, we characterized the plant species composition and soil seed bank after prescribed burning in three heathlands on their southern distribution limit in Spain, to gain insights into regenerative capacity and conservation of these communities. The results obtained suggest that the post-burn soil seed bank could restore Calluna-dominated vegetation in these habitats, indicating that the restoration potential from the soil seed bank after wildfires of these habitats is high. Our results also suggest that, in the short term after burning, the main characteristic species such as Calluna and Erica are recovered, which is fundamental to maintain the heathland community structure.
Prescribed Fire Causes Wounding and Minor Tree Quality Degradation in Oak Forests
Authors: Saunders Mike R. , Mann David P. , Stanis Shannon , Wiedenbeck Jan K. , Dey Daniel C. , Schuler Thomas M.
Published: January 2023

Despite the adaptation of many oak (Quercus) species to repeated surface fire, many public land managers in eastern North America resist using prescribed fire as a regeneration tool because of fire’s perceived negative impacts on timber values through the wounding of overstory trees. We retrospectively quantified fire-associated wounds in 139 oak-dominated stands across four national forests, each with a history of zero to six prescribed fires within the last 30 years. For trees > 25.4 cm dbh (n = 8093), fire-associated wounds within the first 3.67 m of height were categorized by type, measured for defect size and graded both accounting for and then ignoring the fire-associated wounds. Most fire-associated wounds (n = 3403) were catfaces (32.5%), seams (30.5%) or bark slough (30.1%), although catfaces had 2.1–6.4 times the average volume loss of any other wound type (9.90 ± 0.72 bd ft). Among the 2160 wounded trees sampled, 741 had multiple (≥2) wounds. Although 29.1% of all trees had at least one wound associated with prescribed fire, only 7.0% of those trees exhibited a reduction in tree grade. The likelihood of wounding was greater in stands receiving more prescribed burns, but unaffected by tree diameter for either thin- or thick-barked species. Considering both the likelihoods of wounding and grade reduction, white oak (Q. alba), chestnut oak (Q. montana), hickory (Carya sp.), shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata) and yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) trees were more resistant to prescribed fire damage than other species. While our findings cannot be related directly to individual fire parameters, such as fireline intensity or fire duration, these results do provide estimates of the cumulative effects of multiple management-based prescribed fires that can be incorporated into fire effects models.
Exogenous Application of Salicylic Acid Improves Physiological and Biochemical Attributes of Morus alba Saplings under Soil Water Deficit
Authors: Zafar Zikria , Rasheed Fahad , Mushtaq Naveed , Khan Muhammad Usman , Mohsin Muhammad , Irshad Muhammad Atif , Summer Muhammad , Raza Zohaib , Gailing Oliver
Published: January 2023

Morus alba L. is a multipurpose and fast-growing tree species. However, its growth and productivity are susceptible to water stress. Therefore, a study was conducted to check the effectiveness of foliar application of salicylic acid (SA) in improving the water stress tolerance of M. alba. A pot experiment was conducted and the morphological, physiological and biochemical attributes of young M. alba saplings were assessed under control (CK, 90% of field capacity (FC)), moderate (MS, 60% of FC) and high soil water deficits (HS, 30% of FC), along with MS and HS + foliar application of SA 0.5 and 1.0 mM (MS + 0.5; HS + 0.5; MS + 1.0, and HS+1.0, respectively). Results demonstrated that the highest decrease in plant growth, leaf, stems and roots’ dry biomass, chlorophyll a, b, carotenoid contents and leaf gas exchange parameters was observed under HS, whereas the lowest decrease was evidenced for HS + 1.0 mM SA. Electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde contents, hydrogen peroxide and superoxide radicals significantly increased under HS, while the lowest increase was evidenced for HS + 1.0 mM SA. The highest increase in proline content, total soluble sugar, total phenolic content, soluble protein and superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase was also found under HS + 1.0 mM SA. Based on the results, it can be concluded that foliar application of SA can help improve the water deficit tolerance of Morus alba saplings, especially under high soil water deficit.
Climate-Adapted Potential Vegetation—A European Multiclass Model Estimating the Future Potential of Natural Vegetation
Authors: Hinze Jonas , Albrecht Axel , Michiels Hans-Gerhard
Published: January 2023

Climate change will alter the site conditions for European vegetation. This is likely to shift the potential distribution of species and habitats outside its current boundaries. To enable future projections on shifts in vegetation potentials, we fitted a multiclass model to the current potential natural vegetation (PNV) of Europe using climatic predictors. The model was then applied to climate data of the time slice 2061–2080 with the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) 4.5 and RCP 8.5. With an accuracy of 0.78, simulations well represented the site-equivalent vegetation types of the current PNV across Europe. Projections show drastic shifts in vegetation potentials in all parts of Europe. Boreal forests could lose up to 75% of their current potential, while Mediterranean Quercus forests and steppes would double their potential area. Deserts are projected to be on the rice, and the potential of currently widespread vegetation such as Fagus forests would be translocated. These estimated alterations of European vegetation potentials could have great effects on the stability of current forests, affecting nature conservation strategies and forest management.
Seed Distribution and Phenotypic Variation in Different Layers of a Cunninghamia Lanceolata Seed Orchard
Authors: Duan Yu , Ye Tengyun , Ye Daiquan , Zhou Jian
Published: January 2023

The phenotypic characteristics of forest seeds are the basis of germplasm innovation, genetic improvement, and biological research, and they also are the reference for the development of seed orchards. In this study, we analyzed seed quantity characteristics, phenotypic differentiation, and variation patterns in three seed-bearing clones from different crown layers of the Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb.) Hook) orchard located in Fujian Province, China. We divided the clones into six layers according to crown height and the sunny and shady sides, 14 phenotypic characteristics, and five quality indexes, and we measured the germination rate of seeds. The rate of seeds filled with tannin-like substance in the upper sunny layer was low, but it was high in the lower shady layer. The germination rate was highest in the upper sunny layer and lower in the middle and lower shady sides. Values of most of the 14 phenotypic traits tested differed significantly among clones and layers. The average value of the phenotypic differentiation coefficient was 81.16%, indicating that variation among clones explained most of the total phenotypic variation. The repeatability of the 14 phenotypic traits was high (R > 0.80), indicating that these traits are highly heritable. The phenotypic characteristics of cones and seeds varied from 6.86% to 129.51%. The 14 phenotypic traits exhibited different degrees of correlation, and seed weight, seed circumference, seed width, and seed area can be used to predict other seed traits. However, the correlations between cone traits were not strong. Our results show that when establishing a dwarfing Chinese fir seed orchard, the distribution and variation of seeds in different crown layers of clones should be considered, and clones with more cones in the lower crown layer should be selected as parents.
Evaluation of Ecosystem Services Radiation Assessment of the National Ecological Sheltering Zone in China
Authors: Su Kai , Jiang Xuebing
Published: January 2023

Ecosystem services (ES) have been shrinking due to unreasonable development and utilization for a long time. There are many studies on ES, but the ecological information for policymakers is still complex and obscure. To address this critical omission, based on remote sensing data, combined with meteorological data, land use data, and administrative division data, using GIS spatial analysis technology and some ecological process models, we develop an ecosystem services radiation assessment framework (ESRAF) that can provide policymakers with concise and reliable ecological information. We illustrate the measurement of ESRAF through an application to specific regions of China’s national ecological sheltering zone (NESZ), showing that the approach can effectively identify the beneficiary areas (SBA) for sand-stabilization service, soil conservation service, and water conservation service, and the degree of sharing of ES of SBA. ES produced by ecosystems in a specific region not only generates huge benefits locally but also a large number of ES benefit surrounding regions through cross-regional transmission. Specifically, in 2015, the area benefiting from sand-stabilization service provided by the Ordos’s ecosystem is about 1.66×106 km2, the amount of dust reduction in SBA would reduce by 28,738.67×104 tons. The Loess Plateau Ecological Screen (LPES) provides critical soil conservation service, the SBA of LPES includes two parts: LPES and the Yellow River. The Northeast Forest Belt (NFB) provides vital water conservation services. The water conservation service beneficiary area is mainly located near the NFB, with 266 hydrological response units, covering an area of 8.982×104 km2. This study also showed that the transmission distance is inversely proportional to the radiation effect, that is, the benefit level decreases with the distance from SPA. According to the degree of sharing of ES of SBA, the proposed cross-regional differentiated ecological compensation scheme is helpful to promote regional sustainable development. At the same time, this study also shows that NESZ is of great significance for ensuring China’s ecological security.
Desferrioxamine B: Investigating the Efficacy of Hydrogels and Ethanol Gels for Removing Akaganeite and Maghemite from Dry Wooden Substrates
Authors: Rapti Stavroula , Boyatzis Stamatis , Rivers Shayne , Velios Athanasios , Pournou Anastasia
Published: January 2023

Cultural heritage (CH) wooden artifacts are often stained by iron oxides/hydroxy-oxides, which may have detrimental effects on wood. Their removal is a common conservation practice, and it is usually achieved with non-eco-friendly chelators, such as ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) and diethylene triamine penta acetic acid (DTPA). Siderophores are green materials that have been recently explored as chelators, given the currently growing environmental concerns. This work investigated desferrioxamine B (DFO-B), a promising siderophore that has not been adequately studied for its potential in removing ferric oxides/hydroxy-oxides from dry CH wooden substrates. Mock-ups of maple (Acer platanoides L.) were artificially stained with akaganeite and maghemite, and DFO-B was employed via hydrogels (pH: 6.5 and 8.6) and ethanol gels. The chelator efficacy was assessed using Energy-Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), Attenuated Total Reflection–Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and colorimetry. The hydrogels’ impact on the wood was also assessed using ATR-FTIR and colorimetry. The obtained results demonstrate that the most effective DFO-B formulation was the alkaline hydrogel (pH 8.6), followed by the acidic (pH 6.5) hydrogel and the DFO-B ethanol gel. No differences in wood chemistry or color were recorded when using pH 6.5 or 8.6. The DFO-B ethanol gels were also proven to be potential alternatives to hydrogels for use with water-sensitive CH substrates.
Pest Risk Assessment of Aeolesthes sarta (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in Pakistan under Climate Change Scenario
Authors: Hayat Umer , Akram Muhammad , Kour Sumeet , Arif Tahreem , Shi Juan
Published: January 2023

Aeolesthes sarta (Solsky 1871) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is a polyphagous longhorned beetle species that primarily damages broadleaved tree species. This pest is distributed in the western and northern regions of Pakistan, where it caused serious damage to Populus spp. plantations. However, the growth and dispersal patterns of insects and pests are changing due to climate change. Modeling the range expansion or contraction of A. sarta development regions in Pakistan was the goal of the current study, assuming climate change might influence the geographical distribution of A. sarta in Pakistan. Under historical and future climatic conditions, A. sarta distribution areas were estimated using the CLIMEX model. Three time periods, 2030 (early century), 2070 (late century), and 2100 (end century), were forecasted for habitat suitability using the two climate change scenarios (CCSs) A1B and A2. Under the historic climatic condition (HCC), A. sarta was distributed in most areas of Pakistan, and its optimum habitat accounted for 71.67% of its total potential distribution. In the early-century period, optimum habitat dropped to 50.60% and 52.22% under A1B and A2 scenarios in the suitable condition. In the late-century period, optimum habitat further reduced to 31.76% and 30.60% under A1B and A2 scenarios. Moreover, at the end-century period, severe range shrinkage was predicted in the optimum habitat (19.99% under both CSSs). The model predicted a shift in the suitable habitat areas for A. sarta to the west and north. Furthermore, most climatically suitable areas under historic conditions became unsuitable during the end-century period. These projected results will assist in identifying the impacts of global warming on the possible distribution of A. sarta, thereby offering vital information for developing early forecasting and pest-prevention techniques to prevent further loss of forest and woodland trees.
Spatio-Temporal Diversity in the Link between Tree Radial Growth and Remote Sensing Vegetation Index of Qinghai Spruce on the Northeastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Wei Mengyuan , Jiao Liang , Zhang Peng , Wu Xuan , Xue Ruhong , Du Dashi
Published: January 2023

Global warming is causing some regions to experience frequent and severe drought, with important impacts on montane forest vegetation. In this study, the Qilian Mountains is on the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau which was divided into three study areas, the eastern (HaXi), middle (XiShui) and western (QiFeng) parts. This work focused on interannual trend comparison of tree-ring width (TRW) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI), their relationship characterization from 2000 to 2020, and spatial and temporal pattern portrayal of response to climate factors. The results showed that: (1) the overall interannual variation of TRW and EVI showed a stable increasing trend, and the trend of TRW and EVI gradually became consistent with the increase in drought stress (from the eastern region to the western region and from high elevation to low elevation) (p < 0.01); (2) a significant positive relation was observed between TRW and EVI at the same sampling sites, and the synchrony of the positive correlation gradually increased with the increase of drought stress (p < 0.01); and (3) compared to TRW, EVI is significantly more sensitive with climatic variations, and the dominant climate factors affecting both TRW and EVI dynamics are gradually identical with the increase of drought stress.
Metabolic Engineering of Zymomonas mobilis for Acetoin Production by Carbon Redistribution and Cofactor Balance
Authors: Bao Weiwei , Shen Wei , Peng Qiqun , Du Jun , Yang Shihui
Published: January 2023

Biorefinery to produce value-added biochemicals offers a promising alternative to meet our sustainable energy and environmental goals. Acetoin is widely used in the food and cosmetic industries as taste and fragrance enhancer. The generally regarded as safe (GRAS) bacterium Zymomonas mobilis produces acetoin as an extracellular product under aerobic conditions. In this study, metabolic engineering strategies were applied including redistributing the carbon flux to acetoin and manipulating the NADH levels. To improve the acetoin level, a heterologous acetoin pathway was first introduced into Z. mobilis, which contained genes encoding acetolactate synthase (Als) and acetolactate decarboxylase (AldC) driven by a strong native promoter Pgap. Then a gene encoding water-forming NADH oxidase (NoxE) was introduced for NADH cofactor balance. The recombinant Z. mobilis strain containing both an artificial acetoin operon and the noxE greatly enhanced acetoin production with maximum titer reaching 8.8 g/L and the productivity of 0.34 g∙L−1∙h−1. In addition, the strategies to delete ndh gene for redox balance by native I-F CRISPR-Cas system and to redirect carbon from ethanol production to acetoin biosynthesis through a dcas12a-based CRISPRi system targeting pdc gene laid a foundation to help construct an acetoin producer in the future. This study thus provides an informative strategy and method to harness the NADH levels for biorefinery and synthetic biology studies in Z. mobilis.
A Digital Twin Framework Embedded with POD and Neural Network for Flow Field Monitoring of Push-Plate Kiln
Authors: Wu Pin , Ji Lulu , Yuan Wenyan , Liu Zhitao , Tang Tiantian
Published: January 2023

The push-plate kiln is a kind of kiln equipment widely used in the oxygen-free sintering of high-temperature alloy materials. Its flow field monitoring has an important application value for the manufacturing industry. However, traditional simulation methods cannot meet the requirements of real-time applications due to the high computational cost and being time-consuming. The rapid development of artificial intelligence technology will empower the traditional manufacturing industry. In this paper, we propose a data-driven digital twin framework for real-time flow field prediction by combining the CFD modeling simulation, IoT, and deep learning technologies. The framework integrates geometric, rule, physical, and neural network models to achieve the real-time simulation of physical and twin objects. The proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) and multiscale convolutional neural network (MCNN) are innovatively embedded into the framework. The POD is used to map high-dimensional data to low-dimensional features, and the MCNN is used to construct models predicting low-dimensional features for fast flow field prediction. The effectiveness of the proposed model is verified by the push-plate kiln case. The results show that the digital twin can quickly predict multi-physics fields based on the perceptual data to achieve the real-time evaluation of the operating state of the push-plate kiln.
Envisioning Architecture of Metaverse Intensive Learning Experience (MiLEx): Career Readiness in the 21st Century and Collective Intelligence Development Scenario
Authors: AbuKhousa Eman , El-Tahawy Mohamed Sami , Atif Yacine
Published: January 2023

Th metaverse presents a new opportunity to construct personalized learning paths and to promote practices that scale the development of future skills and collective intelligence. The attitudes, knowledge and skills that are necessary to face the challenges of the 21st century should be developed through iterative cycles of continuous learning, where learners are enabled to experience, reflect, and produce new ideas while participating in a collective creativity process. In this paper, we propose an architecture to develop a metaverse-intensive learning experience (MiLEx) platform with an illustrative scenario that reinforces the development of 21st century career practices and collective intelligence. The learning ecosystem of MiLEx integrates four key elements: (1) key players that define the main actors and their roles in the learning process; (2) a learning context that defines the learning space and the networks of expected interactions among human and non-human objects; (3) experiential learning instances that deliver education via a real-life–virtual merge; and (4) technology support for building practice communities online, developing experiential cycles and transforming knowledge between human and non-human objects within the community. The proposed MiLEx architecture incorporates sets of technological and data components to (1) discover/profile learners and design learner-centric, theoretically grounded and immersive learning experiences; (2) create elements and experiential learning scenarios; (3) analyze learner’s interactive and behavioral patterns; (4) support the emergence of collective intelligence; (5) assess learning outcomes and monitor the learner’s maturity process; and (6) evaluate experienced learning and recommend future experiences. We also present the MiLEx continuum as a cyclic flow of information to promote immersive learning. Finally, we discuss some open issues to increase the learning value and propose some future work suggestions to further shape the transformative potential of metaverse-based learning environments.