This research aims to examine how deprivation in education, health, and essential services—such as electricity and access to clean drinking water—affect people's perceptions of poverty in Colombia. Utilizing a logit model, the study reveals that lack of educational attainment and absence of electricity are the most significant factors influencing the perception of poverty. Additionally, the research explores potential interactions between these variables and their impact on poverty perception. A regional analysis indicates that, for the majority of regions, the relationship is not statistically significant; however, the national average demonstrates significance, highlighting broader trends across Colombia. These findings underscore the necessity for public policies that focus on improving conditions in communities with high levels of educational deprivation and limited access to electricity in order to mitigate the perception of poverty.

Comprehensive energy and techno-economic analysis of ductless and ducted split air-conditioning systems for a healthcare facility in an arid climate

Deep eutectic solvent-assisted extraction of cinnamaldehyde-rich cinnamon (Cinnamomum cassia) essential oil: enabled by molecular simulation and microwave-ultrasound pretreatment.

Worldwide rapid industrialization has led to substantial low-temperature waste heat generation, posing both environmental challenges and opportunities for energy recovery. Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) systems have emerged as a promising technology for converting such low-grade waste heat into useful power due to their ability to operate with organic working fluids at relatively low temperatures. This study presents a comprehensive energetic and exergetic analysis of three ORC configurations: Basic, Reheat, and Regenerative ORC using environmentally sustainable refrigerants with a low Global Warming Potential (GWP < 10). A numerical simulation is performed by Python programming to solve the mass, energy, entropy, and exergy balance equations of the ORC configurations to evaluate the performance of six low-GWP refrigerants: R-1243zf, R-1234yf, R-1234ze(E), R-1224yd(Z), R-1233zd(E), and R-1336mzz(Z). The investigation specifically assessed the impact of turbine inlet pressure (1.0 – 2.5 MPa) and pump inlet pressure (0.8 – 2.0 MPa) on key performance parameters: net power output, thermal efficiency, exergy efficiency, and total exergy destruction. The analysis reveals that R-1243zf consistently outperforms among other refrigerants across all configurations followed by R-1234yf, R-1234ze(E), R-1224yd(Z), R-1233zd(E), and R-1336mzz(Z). For all refrigerants, the optimal performance was achieved at the higher turbine inlet pressure of 2.5 MPa and the lower pump inlet pressure of 0.8 MPa. At the optimum pressures, R-1243zf exhibited strong performance across configurations: the Reheat ORC maximized net power output (33.8 kW), the Regenerative ORC maximized thermal efficiency (10.6%), and the Basic ORC achieved the highest exergy efficiency (36.0%). Under these optimal pressure conditions, R-1243zf demonstrated superior performance in the Basic ORC configuration, yielding the highest exergy (36.0%) efficiency and an effective balance of thermal efficiency (10.0%) and net power output (32.6 kW). The novelty of this study lies in the quantitative screening of low-GWP refrigerants (GWP < 10) across three ORC configurations, establishing a clear performance hierarchy and identifying the optimal fluid-architecture pairing (R-1243zf in a Basic ORC) for practical implementation under specified pressure conditions. • Energy and exergy analysis of Basic, Reheat, and Regenerative ORCs • R-1243zf shows highest power output and efficiency among six low-GWP fluids • Optimal performance achieved at 2.5 MPa turbine and 0.8 MPa pump inlet pressure • Reheat ORC maximizes power, while Regenerative ORC improves efficiency

Energy and exergy analysis of complex gas-steam systems powered by a mixture of biogas and hydrogen

The growing environmental concerns regarding petroleum-based plastics have accelerated research into sustainable, alternative materials such as bioplastics or biopolymers. Gelatin-starch blend bioplastics (SPBBs) have gained momentum in research as a possible solution due to their biodegradability, biobased resource and potential for many applications. However, the structural and functional properties of SPBBs, such as barrier performance and rigidity properties, depend on the starch source and the formulation method. This study focuses on characterising SPBBs from potato, tapioca, sago and swamp taro. The aim was to assess the influence of starch composition, evaluated by amylose and amylopectin % ratio, with a specific interest in the relationship between chemical composition and functional properties of the materials. Methods including Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), goniometry, water vapour permeability (WVP), oxygen permeability, and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMTA) were used to evaluate the biopolymer’s structural integrity, composition and barrier properties. The results revealed no significant variation in amylose to amylopectin ratios and subtle differences in starch profiles; however, once incorporated with the other materials, homogenised profiles were seen. XRD analysis showed distinct polymorphic structures in the raw starches. However, the incorporation of gelatine disrupted the starch structures and inhibited the gelatine’s triple helix reconstitution. Surface Free Energy (SFE) analysis showed that potato SPBB demonstrated wettable potential; in contrast, lower SFE and critical surface tension (CST) values of sago SPBB indicated more hydrophobic surfaces, which is ideal for food packaging. The assessed barrier properties showed that SPBBs have good water barrier properties but poor oxygen permeabilities. DMTA results indicated that tapioca SPBB had the highest rigidity, while sago SPBB had properties more suitable for shock-absorbing material applications. Further research is needed to enhance the specific properties of these polymers for particular applications. • XRD identifed starch polymorphism and demonstrate starch alteration in starch-protein bioplastics. • FTIR confirmed homogenous blending of starch, gelatine, glycerol and water. • Sago SPBBs were most hydrophobic, impacting potential uses. • Tapioca SPBB showed the best relative performance among tested starches for oxygen-sensitive packaging. • Surface behaviour varied by starch types, possibly affecting the potential food contact.

Energy and exergy analysis of a hybrid active-passive PV cooling system with MgO-enhanced PCM, metallic microchannels, and TEGs

Impact of microalgae-integrated windows on building performance: Energy, daylight, and carbon analysis using an innovative simulation method

Combined energy and TOF analyses of low-energy elastic recoil detection for analyzing the topmost surface of atomic deuterium-irradiated rutile TiO <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" altimg="si19.svg" display="inline" id="d1e569"> <mml:msub> <mml:mrow/> <mml:mrow> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msub> </mml:math> (001) crystals

Multi-scale social metabolism of China: An extended MuSIASEM analysis of energy, economy, and human activity

• NaOH-modulated g-C 3 N 4 electronic structure with minimal structural disorder • Na-induced shallow traps suppress recombination and enhance charge-carrier dynamics. • Small Urbach energy shift supports controlled NaOH tuning of shallow tail states. • Complete removal of 20 ppm parent antibiotics within 8 min under 10 W LED. • Pt-Na(0.01)–CN shows an initial H 2 evolution rate of 8.8 mmol g −1 h −1. Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 ) is a promising metal-free photocatalyst, but its efficiency is often limited by rapid charge carrier recombination. We report a scalable, one-step sodium-assisted thermal polycondensation of urea that achieves precise electronic modulation while preserving the structural integrity of the g-C 3 N 4 framework. Urbach energy analysis was employed to quantify band-tail disorder, showing a modest increase of 11.3 meV (71.4 to 82.7 meV). Together with time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, this indicates mild band-tail broadening and predominantly shallow electron trapping rather than the formation of a large population of detrimental deep traps. Time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy confirms enhanced charge carrier separation, as sodium-induced shallow traps suppress radiative recombination and facilitate electron transfer to the surface. Consequently, optimized Na(0.01)–CN nanosheets exhibit exceptional dual-functionality. Under single low-energy 416 nm LED irradiation (3.4 W m −2 ), the material achieves complete degradation of parent Ofloxacin and Tetracycline (20 ppm) within just 8 min with an apparent quantum yield of 5.83 %. Furthermore, the catalyst demonstrates a remarkable initial hydrogen evolution rate of 8.8 mmol g −1 h −1 under simulated solar light. These findings highlight that maintaining low Urbach energy through controlled doping is a superior strategy for developing stable, high-performance photocatalysts for environmental remediation and solar fuel production.

Recent developments and innovations in solar chimney power technologies: A focus on the last two decades

Ginsenoside Rb1 as a multi-target modulator in heart failure: Mechanistic insights into extracellular remodeling and transcriptional pathways from network pharmacology, molecular dynamics, and binding free energy analyses.

Energy analysis of geomembrane wrinkling caused by temperature rise

• Novel prototype district building energy system models were developed • Prototype district models support district-scale energy analysis and planning • Electricity load growth can significantly raise peak demand, e.g., 43% rise in CZ 5B • Demand flexibility measures reduced peak loads by 8.3%–16.5% • Optimal backup power solutions depend on location, utility rates, and climate zones Projected increases in electricity demand in the U.S. highlight the urgent need for effective loads management to ensure grid reliability. As the building sector accounts for approximately 75% of electricity usage, enhancing energy efficiency and flexibility in this sector is crucial. Adopting district-level approaches offers significant advantages over traditional individual building analyses by enabling shared infrastructure and economies of scale. To navigate the data and computational challenges associated with modeling energy at the district level, prototype district models have been proposed as holistic, system-level solutions that capture complex interactions within typical configurations. This study presents these models as a reference tool for analyzing district-scale energy systems across various climate zones in the U.S. Developed with input from stakeholders, these models integrate varied building characteristics, inter-building connections, and energy system interactions. A case study utilizing the Urban Edge prototype district model, implemented on the URBANopt™ platform, evaluates multiple demand scenarios and the impact of distributed energy resources such as fuel-fired backup generators, photovoltaic systems, and batteries. Findings suggest that while new electric systems can significantly reduce annual energy use, they may also elevate peak electricity loads, with a notable 43% increase in heating-dominant climate zone 5B. The optimal backup power solutions vary based on location, influenced by factors such as utility rates and incentives. For example, PV and batteries perform well in high-cost regions like New York City, while diesel backup generators are more suitable for backup needs in climate zone 3A, such as Atlanta. Thus, this research highlights the importance of prototype district models for future district-scale energy planning.

Mechanism of grinding effects on coal hydrophobicity during ultra-low ash coal preparation: Raman spectroscopy-based evaluation.

Structure-guided discovery of neutralizing epitopes enables rational design of a multi-epitope nanoparticle vaccine against SVCV.

Technical optimization and energy analysis of an advanced ammonia-based CO2 capture process for coal-fired power plants

Surface energy analysis of sustainable sesame oil-MoS₂ nanolubricants and its effectiveness on machining Al-TiC in-situ metal matrix composites

Thermodynamic analysis of power generation and waste heat recovery in CO2-plume geothermal systems in aquifers of varying heterogeneity