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Found 6341 publications
The Effect of Ascorbic Acid on Salt Tolerance and Seedling Performance in Triticum durum Defs. ‘Douma 3’ Under Salinity Stress in Syria
Publication Name: Agronomy
Publication Date: 2024-12-01
Volume: 14
Issue: 12
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
This study was conducted to evaluate the laboratory tolerance of the durum wheat cultivar (Douma 3) when treated with two levels of ascorbic acid (5 ppm and 10 ppm, in addition to a control treatment soaked in water) under two levels of salt stress (50 mM and 100 mM NaCl, in addition to a control). The experiment took place at the Field Crops Department labs, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, University of Damascus, during the 2022–2023 agricultural season. The aim was to study the effect of ascorbic acid on seed reserve utilization efficiency, peroxidase enzyme activity, and its role in salt stress tolerance. The experiment followed a randomized complete block design (RCBD) using factorial ANOVA with two replicates. The results showed significant differences between the treatments, with the priming of seeds soaked in a 5 ppm ascorbic acid solution (A1) significantly outperforming in terms of seedling dry weight (22.67 mg/seedling), remaining seed dry weight (7.5 mg/seed), seed reserve utilization efficiency (0.47 mg/mg), and salt tolerance index (89.80%). Simple correlation analysis showed a significant positive correlation between seedling dry weight (SDW), seed reserve utilization efficiency (SRUE) (0.881), and salt tolerance index (STI) (0.746 *). However, a negative and non-significant relationship was observed between the remaining seed dry weight (RSDW) and other traits. Moreover, SRUE had a significant positive correlation with STI (0.814). Both total soluble protein concentrations and peroxidase enzyme activity increased under salt stress conditions following pre-treatment with ascorbic acid compared to the control. The highest protein concentration and peroxidase enzyme activity were observed with the 5 ppm ascorbic acid treatment (A1).
Open Access: Yes
Influence of environmental humidity during filament storage on the structural and mechanical properties of material extrusion 3D-printed poly(lactic acid) parts
Publication Name: Results in Engineering
Publication Date: 2024-12-01
Volume: 24
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Material extrusion (MEX) is one of the most widely used additive manufacturing techniques these days. This study investigates how the properties of MEX 3D-printed objects depend on the relative humidity (RH) conditions in which filaments are stored before and during the manufacturing process. Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) filament was drawn directly from a humidity-controlled chamber into the MEX 3D printer's nozzle. For each set of samples, the filaments were conditioned under different RH conditions, ranging from 10 % to 90 %. The macrostructure of the fabricated products was characterized using computed tomography, revealing increased porosity at higher RH values (from 0.84 % to 4.42 %). The increased porosity at higher storage RH is attributed to under-extrusion and volatile entrapment due to excess moisture. With growing storage RH, the melt flow rate of PLA also gradually increased, indicating a plasticizing effect of humidity on the biopolymer. Gel permeation chromatography and differential scanning calorimetry analyses were conducted to determine whether hydrolytic chain scission took place when PLA was processed in the presence of excessive moisture. Neither measurement indicated any considerable alteration in molecular integrity and crystalline structure as a function of storage RH. Mechanical tests, however, revealed a reduced load-bearing capacity of the manufactured PLA specimens. Flexural strength decreased from 103.0 to 99.6 MPa, and the impact strength dropped from 18.2 to 16.2 kJ/m2, which is ascribed to the increasing size of pores inside the specimens with increasing storage RH. These findings should be taken into account when designing and processing PLA products by MEX-based additive manufacturing.
Open Access: Yes
Trophic evolution in ornithopod dinosaurs revealed by dental wear
Publication Name: Nature Communications
Publication Date: 2024-12-01
Volume: 15
Issue: 1
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Ornithopod dinosaurs evolved numerous craniodental innovations related to herbivory. Nonetheless, the relationship between occlusion, tooth wear rate, and tooth replacement rate has been neglected. Here, we reconstruct tooth wear rates by measuring tooth replacement rates and tooth wear volumes, and document their dental microwear. We demonstrate that total tooth volume and rates of tooth wear increased steadily during ornithopod evolution, with deeply-nested taxa wearing up to 3360 mm3 of tooth volume/day. Increased wear resulted in asymmetric tooth crown formation with uneven von Ebner line increment width by the Late Jurassic, and in faster tooth replacement rates in multiple lineages by the mid-Cretaceous. Microwear displays a contrasting pattern, with decreasing complexity and pit percentages in deeply-nested and later-occurring taxa. We hypothesize that early ornithopods were browsers and/or frugivores but deeply nested iguanodontians were bulk-feeders, eating tougher, less nutritious plants; these trends correlate with increasing body mass and longer gut passage times.
Open Access: Yes
Mechanism of directed technological investment on energy productivity and energy structure: A unified theoretical framework
Publication Name: Energy Economics
Publication Date: 2024-12-01
Volume: 140
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The mechanisms and effects of technological investment on energy productivity and energy structure in the petrochemical industry remain unclear due to the directional nature of technological progress. This study proposes a unified theoretical framework for the impact of directed technological investment on energy productivity and energy structure by incorporating energy factors into the theory of technological progress bias. The aim is to elucidate the impact of technological progress on energy productivity and energy structure, and to unravel the underlying effect mechanisms. A fixed effects model that includes moderating effects is also developed to support the assessment. The study found that the petrochemical industry's technological investment in China was initially biased towards enhancing labour-augmenting technological progress. The mechanism analysis revealed that technological investment, under the moderating effects of price and environmental governance, preferred a capital-energy bias, leading to insignificant improvements in energy productivity but a substantial increase in labour productivity. In addition, the technological investment, influenced by the moderating effect of environmental governance, led to some improvement in the energy structure during the sample period. This study integrates the mechanisms of directed technological investment on energy productivity and energy structure into a unified analytical framework, systematically investigating the reasons, effect mechanisms, and consequences of bias, while providing empirical evidence that supports low-carbon development in the petrochemical industry.
Open Access: Yes
Do climate change policies, and environmental regulations affect the financial performance: policy-based analysis in context of green innovation
Publication Name: Environment Development and Sustainability
Publication Date: 2024-12-01
Volume: 26
Issue: 12
Page Range: 32137-32161
Description:
In these modern times, developed and developing economies use different means and strategies to attain economic growth and financial development. Still, environmental recovery instruments are not yet empirically explored in developed regions. The prime objective of this study is to unveil the nexus between electricity use, environmental policies, and financial development to report novel approaches through the lens of sustainable development. The present research examines the heterogeneous impacts of climate policies and ecological taxes on financial development. In doing so, the study has considered greener energy and institutional quality variables as policy factors for financial development. The authors employ the 29 OECD economies data from 1994 to 2020. This research gathered the data from authentic sources such as the OECD, the World Bank, and ICRG. The pre-estimation diagnostic (residual cross-section dependence, unit root, and cointegration) tests asserted cross-section dependence between countries, variables’ stationarity, and cointegration between the variables. Due to the asymmetrical behaviour of data shown by the Jarque and Bera (Int Stat Rev 55:163–172, 1987) test, this study uses non-parametric panel quantile regression. It asserts environmental policies and green electricity use have a substantial yet mixed influence on financial development. In contrast, trade openness and GDP are the significant factors of economic development in the region. Overall, Environmental taxes adversely affect financial development in developed countries across quantiles. This study suggests promoting and improving green investment, trade, and efficient environmental policies to encourage financial development in developed countries without affecting ecological quality.
Open Access: Yes
Recurrent evolution of breathing microtunnel system in terrestrial operculate snails (Gastropoda: Caenogastropoda: Cyclophoroidea)
Publication Name: Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
Publication Date: 2024-12-01
Volume: 202
Issue: 4
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The Cyclophoroidea are a group of land snails possessing an operculum that seals the aperture when the snail withdraws its body into the shell. Several groups have developed snorkel-like tubes, which are open at their outer ends, for gas exchange when the operculum closes the aperture. The tube of the cyclophorid subfamily Alycaeinae is, however, closed at its outer end. Recent investigations revealed that the tube of Alycaeinae, which starts to develop in subadults, is connected to several long microtunnels that run perpendicular to the tube and open near the umbilicus. We examined snails similar to Alycaeinae and discovered three types of gas-exchange systems that differ from the system in Alycaeinae. In Laotia, the microtunnels run to separate chambers, whereas in Platyrhaphe the microtunnels run to an internal tube. In both genera, the breathing device is already present in juveniles. Lastly, in Boucardicus there is no tube, but the microtunnels reach the common opening individually. Our molecular phylogeny, based on sequence data from the 28S, H3 and COI genes indicates that the microtunnel systems of these four groups have evolved independently. Based on these findings, three new subfamilies are proposed: Boucardicinae Páll-Gergely subfam. nov. (Hainesiidae), Laotiinae Páll-Gergely subfam. nov. (Diplommatinidae), and Platyrhaphidinae Páll-Gergely subfam. nov. (Cyclophoridae).
Open Access: Yes
CRRT Is More Than Just Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy
Publication Name: Pharmaceuticals
Publication Date: 2024-12-01
Volume: 17
Issue: 12
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The physiology of the kidney has long been understood, and its mechanisms are well described. The pathology of renal failure is also a deeply researched area. It seems logical, therefore, to create devices that can replace the lost normal function of the kidney. Using the physical processes that take place in the kidney, such as diffusion or convection across a membrane, various renal replacement therapies (RRT) have been created. There are those that are used intermittently and those that are used for longer periods. What they have in common is that all RRTs have the same purpose; to replace the excretory function of the kidney that has been lost. CRRT is an extracorporeal renal replacement therapy that effectively replicates the excretory function of the kidneys in cases of acute renal failure. However, it has become increasingly evident that this rapidly advancing treatment modality offers benefits beyond merely substituting kidney function, with its applications continuing to expand significantly with non-renal and other indications. The use of these devices has raised new questions, many of which are still not clearly answered. When should this start? Who should receive it? How long should it last? What indication should it be for? What modality should it be with? How does it change the pharmacokinetics of the medicines? To answer these questions, it is first worth understanding the mechanisms behind the processes and the factors that influence them. This should not only focus on the procedures used in RRT therapies, but also consider the patient’s condition and the physicochemical properties of the drugs. In this review, we aim to provide a literature summary to highlight the factors that may influence the success of RRT therapies.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.3390/ph17121571
Toward sustainable development: Revealing the dynamic impacts of the belt and road initiative on energy transition
Publication Name: Sustainable Development
Publication Date: 2024-12-01
Volume: 32
Issue: 6
Page Range: 7069-7095
Description:
This article investigates the influence of the belt and road initiative (BRI) on energy transition within the context of sustainable development goal (SDG) 7. The study utilizes daily data from May 3, 2017, to June 30, 2023, and deploys advanced econometric methods like heatmap-based QVAR, cross-quantilogram, and recursive time-varying methods. The findings determine that BRI can significantly foster the global energy transition process. Further, the Paris Agreement (PA) and green finance (GF) support the energy transition system by showing positive effects. In contrast, geopolitical risk (GPR) introduces disruptive elements that impede green energy production. Notably, the amalgamation of GF, PA, and BRI showcases the potential to not only facilitate SDG 7 but also contribute substantially to SDGs 8 and 13. Based on the above findings, the study suggests fostering synergies and collaboration between GF, PA, and BRI to maximize their combined impact on the energy transition, which may decrease the influence of GPR.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.1002/sd.3069
Using natural deep eutectic solvents for the extraction of antioxidant compounds from cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) fruits
Publication Name: Green Analytical Chemistry
Publication Date: 2024-12-01
Volume: 11
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Traditionally used extraction methods are usually based on toxic and/or flammable solvents. Therefore, currently, increased attention has been focused on environmentally friendly green extraction techniques. We aimed to develop a green extraction procedure by using natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) to recover antioxidant compounds from cornelian cherry fruits (Cornus mas L.). Natural deep eutectic systems combined with maceration with shaking extraction were tested to recover of antioxidant compounds from cornelian cherry fruits. In this study, four different independent variables, namely solvent type (Glu-CA; Glu-Gly; LA-Glu), water concentration (30, 50, and 70 %; v/v), extraction time (30, 60, 90, and 120 min), and extraction temperature (25, 40, and 50 °C) were investigated. Glucose-glycerin (Glu-Gly; 1:1 M ratio) based solvent provided the best results. In addition, one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) optimization showed that a temperature of 25 °C, 120 min of extraction time, and water concentration of 50 % (v/v) to be the best extraction parameters for Glu-Gly based NADES extraction. The developed method has been successfully applied for the extraction of antioxidant compounds from 13 different cornelian cherry cultivars. NADES can be used safely to extract phenolic compounds from cornelian cherry fruits compared to conventional extraction solvents (water and 80 % (v/v) ethanol).
Open Access: Yes
