Productive Research Articles

A comparative study of mono ethylene glycol economic production via different techniques

AbstractMono-ethylene glycol (MEG) is a high-volume chemical intermediate used as a raw material for a variety of chemical products. It could also be used as a hydrate inhibitor in natural gas. Recently, the importance of MEG has been increased due to its usage as a supporting emulsifier in diesel engines to reduce NOx and soot emissions, in addition to its usage as an additive to dual fuel diesel engines. The increase consumption of MEG in wide range of applications leads to the search for the most efficient, environmental friendly and cost effective technique to produce more quantities of it. MEG is most commonly manufactured via the hydration of ethylene oxide (EO). In this work, two different technologies of EO hydration to produce MEG are compared; the direct hydration of EO with water and the indirect hydration through the usage of ethylene carbonate (EC) as an intermediate. Comparative economic and environmental impact assessments were performed based on plant-scale simulations (per 600,000 tons per year of MEG produced) of the two hydration technologies using Aspen HYSYS version 11 simulation software. Economic analysis showed that the utilities’ energy consumption for direct hydration process is significantly higher than for indirect hydration by 279 megawatts. On the other hand, the environmental impact assessments showed that GHG emissions from natural gas power generation from utilities from direct hydration are three times greater than GHG emissions from indirect hydration. This leads to indirect hydration of ethylene oxide through ethylene carbonate formation being considered economically and environmentally preferable compared to the direct hydration process of ethylene oxide.

Designing postcapitalist finance in Protocols for Postcapitalist Expression

Abstract Protocols for Postcapitalist Expression, the Economic Space Agency’s latest experiment in radical economic design, explores the possibility of designing a digitally native economy that is geared towards care, the arts, and the environment, and which not only refuses to give up on the financial frontiers of contemporary capitalism, but actively seeks to marshal them towards innovative ends. The architecture of a novel economic space comes into view through a set of protocols, which integrate economic information within a social value framework. This ‘Economic Space Protocol’ involves crafting a new grammar for economic information production processes that have traditionally been tied to competitive market behavior. This essay interrogates the place of finance in the book, emphasizing price discovery’s generativity with regards to information. What is necessary in the imagination of any postcapitalist future are radical design initiatives that contend with both the necessity and the limits of the price discovery process.

Interfacially Assembled Anion Exchange Membranes for Water Electrolysis.

High-performance and durable anion exchange membranes (AEMs) are critical for realizing economical green hydrogen production through alkaline water electrolysis (AWE) or AEM water electrosysis (AEMWE). However, existing AEMs require sophisticated fabrication protocols and exhibit unsatisfactory electrochemical performance and long-term durability. Here we report an AEM fabricated via a one-pot, in situ interfacial Menshutkin reaction, which assembles a highly cross-linked polymer containing high-density quaternary ammoniums and nanovoids inside a reinforcing porous support. This structure endows the membrane with high anion-conducting ability, water uptake (but low swelling), and mechanical and thermochemical robustness. Consequently, the assembled membrane achieves excellent AWE (0.97 A cm-2 at 1.8 V) and AEMWE (5.23 A cm-2 at 1.8 V) performance at 5 wt % KOH and 80 °C, significantly exceeding that of commercial and previously developed membranes, and excellent long-term durability. Our approach provides an effective method for fabricating AEMs for various energy and environmental applications.

Functional expression of recombinant insulins in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Since 1982, recombinant insulin has been used as a substitute for pancreatic insulin from animals. However, increasing demand in medical and food industries warrants the development of more efficient production methods. In this study, we aimed to develop a novel and efficient method for insulin production using a yeast secretion system. Here, insulin C-peptide was replaced with a hydrophilic fusion partner (HL18) containing an affinity tag for the hypersecretion and easy purification of proinsulin. The HL18 fusion partner was then removed by in vitro processing with the Kex2 endoprotease (Kex2p), and authentic insulin was recovered via affinity chromatography. To improve the insulin functions, molecular chaperones of the host strain were reinforced via the constitutive expression of HAC1. The developed method was successfully applied for the expression of cow, pig, and chicken insulins in yeast. Moreover, biological activity of recombinant insulins was confirmed by growth stimulation of cell line. Therefore, replacement of the C-peptide of insulin with the HL18 fusion partner and use of Kex2p for in vitro processing of proinsulin guarantees the economic production of animal insulins in yeast.

Advancing Circular Economy in Olive Oil Production: Comparing Maturation Systems for Vermicompost Creation from Olive Pomace

The production of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) creates by-products like olive pomace, which brings environmental issues due to its strong odors and the challenges involved in storage. To address this within a circular economy framework, this study explores the potential of olive pomace as a nutrient source for earthworms, aiming to transform it into a beneficial soil amendment. Key nutrients in the pomace, such as polyphenols, sugars, and organic matter, were examined for their effectiveness in nourishing earthworms. Four distinct treatments were applied to the pomace: mechanical mixing, aeration, a combination of both, and no treatment. For a period of 30 days, chemical parameters including pH, polyphenol levels, and moisture content were monitored, while earthworm preferences were assessed at Centro Lombricoltura Toscano (CLT). The study revealed significant differences in the chemical composition of the pomace depending on the treatment, especially regarding polyphenol and total sugar content. These changes influenced the palatability for earthworms, with the combined treatment producing the most appealing pomace, likely due to the increased nutrient availability. Ultimately, olive pomace has promising potential to be repurposed into a nutrient-dense soil amendment, alleviating environmental concerns and contributing to more sustainable waste management within the olive oil industry.

Coordinated planning for offshore wind and electricity–hydrogen system based on SDDP: A case study of coastal provinces in China

The coordinated development of offshore wind and electricity–hydrogen systems (OW-EHS) has the potential to enhance the utilization of renewable energy sources and achieve carbon neutrality. This article presents a case study of nine coastal provinces in China and designs four scenarios to analyze the economic benefits and potential hydrogen production capacity of OW-EHS. A multi-stage stochastic dual dynamic programming based approach is proposed for integrating OW-EHS, exploring offshore wind energy as both a primary electricity source for coastal regions and a clean, sustainable energy source for electrolyzers. It accounts for variations in hydrogen demand, wind uncertainty, load profiles, and electricity price dynamics, offering a holistic perspective on the feasibility and benefits of collaborative offshore wind and electricity–hydrogen systems. A comparative analysis highlights the effectiveness of the proposed planning approach, demonstrating its capacity to maximize the overall system benefits, encompassing both the optimal levelized cost of energy and hydrogen production. The new discoveries elucidate the unique attributes and advantages of each coastal province in OW-EHS. This research provides a tailored blueprint for coastal provinces in China to harness their offshore wind potential and accelerate progress towards carbon neutrality.

Genomic signal selection analysis reveals genes related to the lambing trait of Hotan sheep.

Lambing in ewes is a complex and crucial aspect of sheep production that directly influences economic viability and production efficiency. In the present study, we analyzed the genomes of single lamb (SLE) and twin lamb (TLE) Hotan sheep to elucidate the genetic mechanisms underlying lamb production in Hotan sheep. In this study, we used genome-wide resequencing to analyze the genomes of Hotan sheep exhibiting SLE and TLE traits. To identify the population genetic structure and linkage disequilibrium associated with SLE and TLE traits, we employed two complementary genome selection signals: the interpopulation genetic differentiation index (FST) and nucleotide diversity (Pi). Subsequently, we performed gene annotation and enrichment analyses of the selected regions of the obtained genome. Our analysis generated 801 Gb of sequence data, from which 31,864,651 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphic loci were identified. We identified 290 selected regions and 332 genes across the Hotan sheep genome by using two widely adopted selective scanning detection methods (FST statistics and Piratio). Functional annotation and enrichment analysis of these genes identified 13 genes associated with the lambing rate, which were enriched in pathways such as the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling pathway (BMPR2, ID2, SMAD7, THBS1, and RBX1), renal cell carcinoma (PAK1, ELOC), inositol phosphate metabolism (PLCZ), non-homologous terminal junction (RAD50), ABC transporters (ABCC4), and the NET pathway (H2B, H4, and H2A). This study employed selective elimination analysis to identify candidate genes involved in the regulation of lambing trait in Hotan sheep. By investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying lambing rate in Hotan sheep, we developed molecular markers for twin lambing to enhance reproductive performance and promote the conservation and development of outstanding genetic resources in local Xinjiang sheep.

The influence of fine recycled asphalt pavement aggregates on the properties of self-compacting mortar in fresh and hardened state

Sustainable development is a contemporary concern in the field of asphalt pavements, as road construction consumes a significant amount of new aggregates. Furthermore, road maintenance necessitates the milling of old pavement layers, which generates a substantial quantity of bituminous material waste. This study explores the use of recycled sand from asphalt waste as a substitute for 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% of natural sand in self-compacting mortar, aiming to achieve both sustainable and economical asphalt production. The differences in physical properties between natural sand (NS) and fine recycled asphalt pavement (FRAP) aggregates are analyzed and compared. The characteristics of the various self-compacting mortars are measured, including spread, flow time, as well as compressive and tensile strength, shrinkage and sorptivity. Compared to the control mortar, the mortars containing RPAS exhibit a rougher surface, additional pores, and more complex pore structures. The need for superplasticizers increases with the substitution rate, as do the rheological parameters. The results indicate that recycled mortar can be an alternative to natural sand, although this comes with negative impacts on the mechanical properties of the mortar. Nonetheless, these effects can be mitigated when considering their economic and environmental implications.

Biovalorization of whey waste as economic nutriment for mycogenic production of single cell oils with promising antibiofilm and anticancer potentiality

The production of value-added bio-compounds from rejuvenated sources and their recruitment for healthcare services are paramount objectives in the agenda of white biotechnology. Hereupon, the current study focused on economic production of single cell oils (SCOs) from oleaginous fungi Alternaria sp. (A-OS) and Drechslera sp. (D-OS) using cheese whey waste stream, followed by their evaluation as antibiofilm and anticancer agents, for the first time. As a sole substrate for growth, the whey aided in lipid accumulation by 3.22 and 4.33 g/L, which representing 45.3 and 48.2% lipid content in Drechslera sp. (D-OS) and Alternaria sp. (A-OS), respectively. Meanwhile, a higher unsaturation degree was detected in A-OS by 62.18% comparing to 53.15% of D-OS, with advantageous presence of omega-6 poly unsaturated fatty acid by 22.67% and 15.04% for A-OS and D-OD, respectively, as revealed by GC-MS and FTIR characterization analysis. Interestingly, an eminent and significant (P ≤ 0.05) antibiofilm potency was observed in a dose-dependent modality upon employing both SCOs as antibiofilm agents. Whereas, 100 µg/mL of A-OS recorded superior inhibition of P. aeruginosa, S. aureus and C. albicans biofilms development by 84.10 ± 0.445, 90.37 ± 0.065 and 94.96 ± 0.21%, respectively. Whereas, D-OS (100 µg/mL) thwarted the biofilms of P. aeruginosa, S. aureus and C. albicans by 47.41 ± 2.83, 62.63 ± 5.82 and 78.67 ± 0.23%, correspondingly. Besides, the metabolic performance of cells within biofilm matrix, protein, carbohydrate contents and hydrophobicity of examined biofilms were also curtailed in a significant correlation with biofilm biomass (r ≥ 0.9). Further, as anticancer agents, D-OS recorded higher potency against A549 and CaCo-2 cell lines with IC50 values of 2.55 and 3.425% and SI values of 10.1 and 7.5, respectively. However, A-OS recorded 8.275% and 2.88 for IC50 and SI of Caco-2 cells, respectively. Additionally, A-OS activated caspase 3 by 64.23 ± 1.18% and 53.77 ± 0.995% more than D-OS (52.09 ± 0.222% and 49.72 ± 0.952%) in A549 and Caco-2 cells, respectively. Furthermore, the enzymes, which associated with cancer invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis (i.e., MMP2 and MMP9) were strongly inhibited by A-OS with 18.58% and 8.295%, respectively as IC50 values; while D-OS results recorded 23.61% and 13.16%, respectively, which could be ascribed to the higher ω-6/ω-3 contents of A-OS. The promising results of the current study opens up the vision to employ SCOs as anti-infective nutraceuticals and in complementary/alternative therapy and prophylactic programs as well.

A socio-hydrology model for Water-Urban-Land-Population-Production Nexus

The competition between urbanization patterns, agricultural practices, population dynamics, and economic production intensifies under limited water resources. To tackle this pressing issue, the Chinese government has issued a strategy of "Basing four aspects on water resources." The strategy aims to guide the scopes and scales of urban extension, land cultivation, population capacity, and economic production based on the constraints imposed by water availability, referred to as the Water-Urban-Land-Population-Production (WULPP) Nexus. While there is literature dealing with various water-related Nexus, few studies focus on WULPP Nexus. To understand the co-evolution and conflicts of WULPP Nexus between social development and water management, the study proposed a comprehensive framework and corresponding socio-hydrology model to address the WULPP Nexus. The model integrates the WULPP Nexus with the macro-economic Input-Output model and a multi-objective optimization (MO) solution to comprehensively explore the dynamic interactions between water and social development from the perspective of water, land, labor, products, and capital. The proposed model was fully applied in Yinchuan (YC), a pilot city for Ecological Protection and High-quality Development in the Yellow River Basin, to examine its effectiveness and sensitiveness as a case study. The results reveal a strong positive correlation between population growth and socio-economic development, with urban expansion offering both benefits and trade-offs, while land cultivation presents the most significant trade-off with other objectives. Water availability, especially under consumption constraints, is crucial to improve outcomes in wet years and intensify trade-offs in dry ones. These findings underscore the importance of a balanced approach to social development and water management, offering valuable insights for sustainable development in water-scarce regions globally.

Utilization of liquid multi-microbe probiotics supplemented urea red palm sugar block as a potential improving balance of microorganisms in digestive tract for cattle economical production

Probiotics are live microbial feed supplements, providing beneficial effects on the host animal by improving balance of microorganisms in digestive tract. This study aims to examine the benefits of liquid multi-microbe probiotic supplementation on nutrient digestibility and economical production of beef cattle. The treatments were including ration control using fresh forage of King grass (Pennisetum purpureum) + 350 g of URPS-Block without liquid probiotic supplement (T0), fresh forage of King grass (Pennisetum purpureum) + 350 g of URPS-Block + liquid probiotic supplement of 2.0 cc/liter fresh water (T1), fresh forage of King grass (Pennisetum purpureum) + 350 g of URPS-Block + liquid probiotic supplement of 4.0 cc/liter fresh water (T2) and fresh forage of King grass (Pennisetum purpureum) + 350 g of URPS-Block + liquid probiotic supplement of 6.0 cc/liter fresh water (T3). Experimental design applied the Randomized Block Design involving 24 male cattle, divided into six groups of animal ages and four liquid multi-microbe probiotic doses. Parameters were feed dried matter consumption (DMC), average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion and income over feed costs (IOFC). The data were analyzed by variance analysis continued by Duncan test. Results showed that liquid multi-microbe probiotics supplementation of 2.0 to 6.0 cc/liter fresh water and URPS-Block of 350 g/day added into forages increased significantly (P<0.05) production of cattle indicated by significant higher ADG of 510 to 570 g (P<0.05) compared with those of control ration producing ADG of 380 g. The increase of animal production was supported linearly by the increasing drinking water consumption supplemented with liquid probiotic levels of 2.0 to 6.0 cc/liter fresh water of animals. Cattle supplemented with liquid probiotic of 2.0 to 6.0 cc/liter fresh water/animal/day also produced higher IOFC, equivalent with increases of 55.67 to 80.87 percents IOFC compared with the animals fed the control ration without liquid probiotics.

Jurisdiction and Afro-Brazilian Legal Politics from Colonialism to Early Independence

Abstract Every empire in the Americas developed a law of slavery that connected the forced transoceanic migration of enslaved people with land-based economic production and social life. Competing conceptions of jurisdiction over land and sea emerged from legal processes regarding slavery in the transition from colonial Portuguese rule to early independence in Brazil. Both the Portuguese monarch and post-independence Brazilian ministers sought to assert jurisdiction over residents inside the territory, including enslaved people. Their attempts to do so created social conflicts in which enslaved people put forth their own visions of jurisdiction and justice. Afro-Brazilian people developed a legal politics that drew upon diasporic maritime connections to overturn enslavement. The legal politics of cases regarding uprisings and contraband slave-trading animated concerns among judges and imperial administrators about effective legal order. A revolutionary movement in 1798 contested Portuguese colonial sovereignty with a vision of free-trade popular sovereignty. The monarch’s transfer from Portugal to Brazil in 1808 opened a small route for enslaved people to petition the crown for freedom based on innovative readings of free soil. A major case of capture in 1851 illuminated how the naval court judge adjudicated the case as the capture of an enemy. Captive African people testified in court to gain collective freedom in a liminal space. These claims to freedom raised important questions about legal equality and freedom from illegal trafficking for all people held in slavery in Brazil.

The Role of Creative Economic Growth, Production Value, and Investment in Labor Absorption in East Lombok Regency

The growth of the creative economy in East Lombok Regency offers great potential to create jobs and increase local competitiveness. The production value in this sector is an important indicator to measure the contribution of the creative economy to the economy, while investment plays a crucial role in driving innovation and production capacity. This study aims to analyze the effect of creative economic growth, production value, and investment on labor absorption in East Lombok Regency. This type of research is quantitative descriptive using secondary data. The results of the analysis of this study indicate that the growth of the creative economy has a fairly large role in labor absorption in East Lombok Regency. This is indicated by the results of the regression calculation which gives the result that the growth of the creative economy has a significant effect on labor absorption. However, the production value and investment do not show a significant effect on the welfare of workers in the area. However, the increase in production value is expected to support the growth of the creative economy sector. Overall, the results of simultaneous calculations show that the growth of the creative economy has a significant role in labor absorption in East Lombok Regency. On the other hand, although the production value and investment do not show a significant direct effect, they are still important supporting factors in the development of the creative economy.

Whole-chain intensification of pig and chicken farming could lower emissions with economic and food production benefits.

Intensified monogastric livestock management could conserve feed inputs and mitigate some of the environmental and climate challenges associated with animal production. In this study, we used data from 166 countries to model the environmental, climate and economic impacts of pig and chicken intensification. We found that whole-chain intensification could reduce annual nitrogen and greenhouse gas emissions by 49% (4.6 Tg) and 68% (554 Tg CO2-equivalent), respectively. These changes translate to 5.0 Tg lower nitrogen fertilizer input for feed production, resulting in an overall benefit of US$93 billion. Integrated crop-livestock optimization under intensive management could release 27 Mha of cropland and provide additional food for 310 million people. A judicious promotion of intensification could alleviate global pressures related to food security, environment and climate change.

Engineering Halomonas bluephagenesis for synthesis of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) in the presence of high nitrogen containing media

The trade-offs exist between microbial growth and bioproduct synthesis including intracellular polyester polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). Under nitrogen limitation, more carbon flux is directed to PHB synthesis while growth is inhibited with diminishing overall carbon utilization, similar to the suboptimal carbon utilization during glycolysis-derived pyruvate decarboxylation. This study reconfigured the central carbon network of Halomonas bluephagenesis to improve PHB yield theoretically and practically. It was found that the downregulation of glutamine synthetase (GS) activity led to a synchronous improvement on PHB accumulation and cell growth under nitrogen non-limitation condition, increasing the PHB yield from glucose (g/g) to 85% of theoretical yield, PHB titer from 7.6 g/L to 12.9 g/L, and from 51 g/L to 65 g/L when grown in shake flasks containing a rich N-source, and grown in a fed-batch cultivation conducted in a 7-L bioreactor also containing a rich N-source, respectively. Results offer better metabolic balance between glucose conversion efficiency and microbial growth for economic PHB production.

A sustainable fuzzy economic production quantity model (SFEPQM) with sporadic machine failures, inspection and prepayments under carbon tax and cap policy

Goals for sustainability have caused an upcoming change in the emphasis of Economic Production Quantity models, which was previously limited mainly to financial considerations to include aspects of the environment as well. The primary tools used in many nations to reduce emissions are carbon cap and price legislation. However, companies in the production industry may have difficulties with their planning and oversight procedures as they frequently have to cope with faulty products and machinery failures. Previous research has not addressed the comprehensiveness of green investment in machine breakdowns. Considering this problem, we have developed a sustainable economic production quantity model with sporadic malfunctions of machinery and prepayments under carbon tax and cap regulations. Our aim is to minimise the overall cost of faulty items with the investment in green technologies. An approach that combines with the outstanding effectiveness of green strategies to minimise emissions will culminate in a greener production that generates more profit than the traditional system. This study considers two cases i.e. with and without green technology investment (GTI). It also has many predictions, including the execution of inspections afterwards as well as during manufacturing, faulty goods are scrapped while others are sold at discounted price.

Education and the spatial division of labour: further education and prospects for ‘Levelling Up’

ABSTRACT The educational solutions put forward in the 2019 Conservative Government's Levelling Up programme privileged higher-level skills training delivered through further education, sidelining traditional university degrees, reflective of broader critiques levelled at the higher education sector in terms of the value for money of some degrees. It goes without saying that further education provides crucial opportunities for many people and our analyses of Linked Educational Outcomes Data (LEO) presented here support previous research on the returns to further education study. However, it also underlines the way returns are contingent upon race, gender, socio-economic status, subject of study and, most importantly, geographic location of employment. This is reflective of the broader spatial division of labour that is the characteristic of the UK economy, which the educational components of Levelling Up did little to disrupt. We argue that the Levelling Up programme maintained the status quo with economically less prosperous localities seen as ‘places of labour’ – serving the controllers of capital in existing prosperous places, where the degree educated must continue to flock to take up the strategic control functions of economic production.

Pumpkin Pomace Powder as a Bioactive Powder Ingredient for Whey Cheese Production

Pumpkin, a nutritious and economical product with health benefits, is harvested worldwide. This study investigates the feasibility of incorporating fiber-, carotenoid-, and mineral-rich pumpkin pomace powder (PPP), a by-product of pumpkin processing, into whey cheese to enhance its nutritional profile without affecting consumer acceptability. The cheese was enhanced with varying concentrations of PPP (3% and 6%), and each variant was analyzed for its nutritional content, minerals, phytochemicals, color, and sensory properties. The results demonstrate that PPP addition increased the phytochemicals (45.44–82.83 mg GAE/100 g dw) and antioxidant activity (470.25–977.41 µmol TE/g dw) of the enriched cheese. The findings show that the addition of PPP improved the nutritional, color, and minerals of the enhanced whey cheese. The sensory evaluation indicates that with up to a 3% addition of PPP, the obtained cheese was well-received by consumers, who appreciated the subtle changes in flavor and the enhanced color of the product. The structural analysis reveals that including PPP improved the moisture retention of the cheese, contributing to a creamier texture, which is a desirable attribute in cheese. The study concludes that PPP can be effectively used to enrich cheese, offering a phytochemical-enriched cheese that caters to health-conscious consumers while also addressing the issue of food waste in the pumpkin processing industry.

Implementing sustainability taxonomies to redirect capital flows: the case of South Africa

ABSTRACT Sustainability taxonomies are comprehensive classification systems that define what constitutes a sustainable economic activity. They aim to increase transparency in financial markets and redirect capital flows to sustainable investments. Such sustainable finance policies can be important levers for the transformation of the economy towards climate neutrality, as today’s investments will shape economic production processes for decades to come. While sustainability taxonomies have been developed in recent years in many countries, existing research on taxonomies has so far often focused on the European Union and has hardly addressed questions of policy implementation. This case study focuses on South Africa’s Green Finance Taxonomy (GFT) and addresses the question of what factors influence the adoption of sustainability taxonomies by potential users. Based on 44 semi-structured expert interviews with taxonomy stakeholders from the private sector, government, civil society and academia, it finds that one year after its publication, the GFT has hardly been used in practice. Important factors hindering an effective implementation are a lack of regulatory embedding, the absence of a legal recognition of the GFT by the European Union (EU), hesitance among financial market participants to build capacity to collect the necessary data, and fossil-fuel path dependencies in South Africa’s economy. Given the difficulties many jurisdictions currently face in implementing their newly developed sustainability taxonomies, these findings have important policy implications not only for South Africa but also for other countries.

Retraction Note: The role of economic production, energy consumption, and trade openness in urbanization-environment nexus: a heterogeneous analysis on developing economies along the Belt and Road route.

Retraction Note: The role of economic production, energy consumption, and trade openness in urbanization-environment nexus: a heterogeneous analysis on developing economies along the Belt and Road route.