Maximum Positive Effect Research Articles

Corporate strategic aggression and environmental investment decisions: Evidence from A-share listed firms

Corporate strategy greatly influences corporate investment activities. This study seeks to better understand the relationship between the level of corporate strategic aggression and environmental investment decisions based on 2011–2020 data. We find that increasing the intensity of strategic aggression effectively increases environmental investment. Moreover, this effect is incentivized by good corporate environmental, social, and governance performance, innovation ability, and management tone manipulation. Although financing constraints may hinder the positive effects of corporate aggression on environmental investment, independent directors and corporate risk promote maximum positive effects. These findings enable companies to identify strategically motivating factors for improving environmental protection.

Tree Rings Elucidate Differential Drought Responses in Stands of Three Mexican Pines

Knowledge regarding the growth of trees is essential to understanding their response to predicted warmer and drier climate scenarios. We used the annual rings of three Mexican pines (Pinus montezumae Lamb., Pinus oocarpa Schiede ex Schltdl., and Pinus monophylla Torr. & Frém) to explore their drought responses. Correlation analyses showed that hydroclimatic factors differentially impact tree species in terms of the intensity and temporality. The negative influence of the maximum temperature and positive effect of the precipitation on the growth indices were notable, with P. montezumae being the most responsive species, followed by P. oocarpa and P. monophylla. The climate–growth relationships were specific and driven by the differential hydrothermal conditions across the study areas. SPEI analyses indicated that P. monophylla is better able to tolerate drought than P. montezumae or P. oocarpa, especially in recent years. The lower resilience of P. montezumae and P. oocarpa could predispose them to a higher mortality risk if warming and drying rates increase. Our findings strengthen the understanding of the responses of tree growth to seasonal drought, which is critical considering the biogeographic shifts that will potentially be experienced by these forests in the future. This knowledge improves the understanding of young Mexican stands and could contribute to the design of management strategies in the face of predicted climatic variations.

Prospects for the use of growth regulators in vegetative propagation technology of La-vandula angustifolia

Lavenders include some 28 species of evergreen aromatic shrubs and subshrubs belonging to the mint family, the Lamiaceae. They occur mainly around the Mediterranean and their flowers range from pink to purple and white. It is known that Lavandula angustifolia Mill. is an unpretentious decorative and essential oil crop that is widely used in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries. Therefore, the planting material of this crop is in great demand in Ukraine. Cultivated varieties of lavender are very different for vegetative reproduction. A promising path is the testing for new effective and environmentally friendly rooting stimulants. The experiments were conducted in the Horticulture Laboratory of the Khortytsiа National Academy. The study tested the influence of aqueous solutions of a complex of amino acids, polypeptides, amino sugars, hexuronic acids, and microelements called “Bioglobin”, a complex of inorganic compounds containing (nitrogen – 4.7%, phosphorus – 3.4%, potassium – 4.6%, iron – 1.6%, zinc – 1.6%) and organic compounds (alginate acid, betaine, polysaccharides, vitamin complex of groups B, C, D) called “Ferti Root”, a complex of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids (C14–C28), polysaccharides, 15 amino acids, analogs of cytokinin and auxin nature phytohormones called “Emistim S”, a complex of 2.6-dimethylpyridine-1-oxide with α-phenylacetic acid called “Charkor”, disodium salt of 2-(quinolin-4-ylthio) succinic acid on the rooting and development of varieties "Stepova", "Vdala", "Sineva" one-year woodcuttings. The indicators were evaluated in comparison with the control without processing the cuttings before planting, and with the use of (4-(indol-3-yl) butyric acid) called “Kornevin”. Mother plants are 2–3 years old. The experiment was repeated three times, 30 cuttings each. Woodсuttings were planted in open-door ground at early October. In May, the number of rooted cuttings, as well as the number and length of roots was counted. It was found that two preparations had the maximum positive effect on the cuttings rooting: disodium salt of 2-(quinolin-4-ylthio) succinic acid at a concentration of 5 mg/L and “Ferti Root”. Consequently, the rooting percentage increased by 18–20% in all researched varieties compared to the control. The length and number of new formed roots in these experimental versions exceeded the control indicators by 1.5–2.0 times. Other researched preparations did not show a positive effect on the rooting cuttings indicators.

Features of Oral Cavity Treatment for Acute Respiratory Viral Infections

Acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI), particularly coronavirus disease (COVID-19), have become a global health concern. As a result, we examined the pathological processes in the oral cavity associated with ARVI. In acute respiratory viral infections, viral damage to the epithelium, swelling and redness in the soft palate, hypersecretion of glands, looseness and granularity of the oral mucosa are noted. Inadequate treatment of ARVI, as well as deterioration of the general condition of the body, leads to the development of many diseases of the oral cavity. Our task was to find alternative treatment methods that cause a minimum of side effects on the body, have low toxicity, do not cause allergic reactions, are well tolerated by patients of all ages, and also have the maximum positive effect. An undoubted alternative to antibacterial agents is herbal remedies. For this purpose, modern literature included in Scopus, Web of Science, RSCI, Google Scholar was studied.

Analysis of the results of retinal peptides application in different ages of Campbell rats with Retinitis Pigmentosa

The work concerns studying electrophysiological parameters and, based on histological studies, morphological parameters of the retina in different age groups of Campbell rats with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) before and after Retinalamin treatment. 50 Campbell rats, as an experimental model of inherited RP, were used in the study. Rats were divided into two age groups, with 25 rats in each. Group I consisted of newborns up to 3 weeks, and Group II consisted of adults aged 3.5 ± 0.3 months. Retinalamin injections were given parabulbarly to all animals for 10 days. The total bioelectrical activity of the a, b, and c waves and the average value of the b-wave amplitude were studied using the electroretinography (ERG) method. Also, the thickness of the outer nuclear layer of retinal pigment epithelium cells was studied in a histological examination. Studies were conducted before the start of Retinalamin injections and in dynamics after 10 and 30 days. According to the ERG results, a decrease in the total bioelectrical activity of the rat retina and the average b-wave amplitude were already observed in 19-day-old rats. A statistically significant increase in these indicators was observed in both groups after 10 and 30 days of Retinalamin injections. Histological analysis of retinal preparations also revealed positive changes after the peptide administrations. An improvement in morphological structures and thickening of the outer nuclear layer of retinal pigment epithelial cells were noted in both groups. More significant positive dynamics were in Group I of newborn rats. Conclusion. Retinalamin treatment in newborn and adult Campbell rats with retinitis pigmentosa stabilized the processes developing in the retina. At the same time, the maximum positive effect was manifested in newborn rats.

DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECT BETWEEN ANTECEDENT CHARACTERISTICS OF INLAND FISH FARMERS AND THEIR ENTREPRENEURIAL COMPETENCE

The present investigation was carried out in the Anand district of middle Gujarat. Total fifteen variables were subjected to path analysis and the study revealed that annual income had exerted a maximum direct positive effect and substantial effect on entrepreneurial competence, economic motivation had the maximum total indirect effect in the determination of the entrepreneurial competence of inland fish farmers.

Wine quality analysis by the structural causal model (SCM)

Bayes network modelling for structural causal analysis between wine physicochemical data and quantitative human quality blind assessments is applied. The large dataset of white and red "Vinho Verde'' wine samples from Portugal, which was available from an open data repository for machine learning at the University of California at Irving, was analysed. The dataset contains 4898 white and 1599 red samples evaluated by blind tastes by a minimum of 3 sensory assessors and 12 physicochemical properties. The casual effects of wine analytic data on human quality evaluations are evaluated numerically by Bayes neural networks for adjusted sets of the covariates as marginal distributions and presented graphically as partial dependence plots. Structural causal analysis revealed important differences between the most important variables for quality predictions and the individual causal effects. Bayes neural network models of the partial dependencies show more pronounced nonlinear effects for red wines compared to white wine quality. The artificial intelligence models with boosted random decision tree forests for untrained wine samples yield a 5% relative standard error of predictions compared to 12% for the linear models and ordinary least squares estimation. For red wine, the most important direct causal quality effects are caused by alcohol, volatile acidity, and sulphates. Alcohol improves quality with a maximum plateau at 14%, while volatile acidity has a strong proportional negative effect. The effect of sulphates is highly nonlinear with maximum positive effect at a concentration of 1 g/L of K2SO4. For the white wine samples causal effects are linear with positive effects of alcohol and negative effects of volatile and fixed acidity. The developed structural causal model enables evaluation of targeted wine production interventions, named as “doing x, do(x) models”, as restructured adjusted Bayes networks. It leads to potential applications of artificial intelligence in wine production technology and process quality control.

Effect of water stress and foliar application of chitosan and glycine betaine on lettuce

The present study investigated the effect of foliar application of chitosan at 150 ppm and glycine betaine at 700 ppm on lettuce plants cv. Balady grown under well-watered and water deficit conditions in terms of growth, yield, quality, and water usage efficiency. The study was conducted in Qalubia Governorate, Egypt, during the two seasons of 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 on clay soil. Results indicated that water-stressed plants had a reduction in plant fresh weight, plant height, leaf area, and total yield, chlorophyll content and relative water content, while they exhibited an increase in total soluble solids, nitrate, and proline contents as well as water-use efficiency in both seasons. The foliar application of chitosan or glycine betaine to lettuce significantly improved plant performance under limited and normal irrigation conditions in comparison with untreated plants. The maximum positive effect was for chitosan foliar application. Overall, the results of this study indicated that foliar application of chitosan or glycine betaine was a substitute technology for improving the lettuce yield and quality as well as increasing water use efficiency under both irrigation regimes, but may be more efficient in lettuce plants subjected to a water deficit.

Combination of EEG-Guided Adaptive Neurostimulation with Resonance Scanning in Correction of Stress-Induced States and Cognitive Rehabilitation of University Students.

The correction of stress-induced states and cognitive rehabilitation were carried out during the examination session in three university student groups comparable in the number, sex, and age. In the experimental group, a combination of EEG-guided adaptive neurostimulation with preliminary resonance scanning was used. In control group 1, only EEG-guided adaptive neurostimulation was used. In control group 2, musical-acoustic stimuli were presented without feedback from the subject's EEG. Experiments with preliminary resonance scanning revealed the maximum positive effects compared to the two control types of stimulation. A significant increase in the power of EEG rhythms, especially in the alpha range, was accompanied by a significant increase in subjective indicators of the functional state and cognitive activity. These results can be explained from the standpoint of the progressive involvement of the resonant, integrative, and neuroplasticity mechanisms of the brain into the processes of normalization the functional state of the body under the influence of combined stimulation procedures.

Low-cost agroforestry technologies for climate change mitigation and adaptation in Sub-Saharan Africa: A review

Agroforestry encompasses a large set of techniques and practices that have the potential to improve farm productivity with minimum environmental impacts in the context of climate change mitigation and adaptation (CCMA). In this paper, we discuss the relevance of agroforestry technologies and practices for CCMA in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We recorded 173 scholarly works and and reviewed 62. Our findings indicate that comprehensive and well-developed technologies are used in agroforestry systems in SSA. They can be classified into four main groups (intercropping, improved fallows, mulching and parkland) and seven sub-groups (relay cropping, hedgerow intercropping, rotational woodlots, coppicing fallows, farmer-managed regeneration, on-farm tree domestication through poly-propagation and mulching) based on factors including the origins and uses of the trees and the types of tree-crop association. Our review showed that the maximum positive effect of parkland agroforestry is obtained when tree density ranges from 20 to 40 tree/ha, indicating an increase in crop production of 915.9 kg/ha. Furthermore, overall, the returns to labour of techniques involving fertilizer trees outperform those for natural fallows by 17%. Agroforestry techniques contribute substantially to the REDD+ program, but the best techniques with the highest cost-benefit- ratio and a substantial CCMA effect appear to be the intercropping and improved fallow systems. However, we observed a lack of detailed context-specific economic, social and environmental costs for the different techniques. For effective and rational decision-making by farmers in their adoption of agroforestry, further research should focus on filling in the detailed economic, social and environmental costs of each technology in each specific context.

RESEARCH ON VARIOUS MODELS OF THE BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF COMPONENTS OF A COMPLEX EFFECT (PHOTOIRRADIATION; EXOSOMES OF MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS AND NANOPARTICLES) FOR THE CORRECTION OF THE INFLAMMATORY PROCESS

RESEARCH ON VARIOUS MODELS OF THE BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF COMPONENTS OF A COMPLEX EFFECT (PHOTOIRRADIATION; EXOSOMES OF MESENCHYMAL STEM CELLS AND NANOPARTICLES) FOR THE CORRECTION OF THE INFLAMMATORY PROCESS

OR-1896 increases force of contraction in the isolated human atrium

OR-1896 ((R)-N-(4-(4-methyl-6-oxo-1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridazin-3-yl)phenyl)acetamide) is the main active metabolite of levosimendan. However, nobody has reported a positive inotropic effect of OR-1896 in isolated human cardiac preparations. The mechanism of action of OR-1896 remains controversial. Hence, we wanted to know whether OR-1896 exerts a positive inotropic effect in humans and what might be the underlying mechanism. Therefore, we measured the contractile effects of OR-1896 (0.01–10 µM cumulatively applied) in isolated electrically stimulated (1 Hz) human right atrial preparations (HAP) obtained during cardiac surgery. OR-1896, given alone, exerted time- and concentration-dependent positive inotropic effects; 1-µM OR-1896 increased force by 72 ± 14.7% (p < 0.05, n = 6) and shortened the time of relaxation by 10.6 ± 3.6% (p < 0.05, n = 11) in HAP started at 0.1 µM, plateaued at 1-µM OR-1896, and was antagonized by 1-µM propranolol. The maximum positive inotropic effect of OR-1896 in human right atrial preparations was less than that of 10-µM isoprenaline. EMD 57033 (10 µM), a calcium sensitizer, enhanced the force of contraction further in the additional presence of 1-µM OR-1896 by 109 ± 19% (p < 0.05, n = 4). Cilostamide (10 µM), an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase III given before OR-1896 (1 µM), blocked the positive inotropic effect of OR-1896 in HAP. Our data suggest that OR-1896 is, indeed, a positive inotropic agent in the human heart. OR-1896 acts as a PDE III inhibitor. OR-1896 is unlikely to act as a calcium sensitizer in the human heart.

Photosynthetic activity of sunflower hybrids under growth regulators in the Steppe of Ukraine

The climate of the southern steppe zone of Ukraine in recent years has been characterized by substantial warming, with a low, uneven amount of precipitation during the growing season of plants, which leads to a decrease in the reserves of productive moisture in the soil, and hydrothermal stress occurs in plants. Opportunities to increase the adaptation of plants to adverse factors are the use of plant growth regulators and the use of various methods of tillage aimed at preserving moisture. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of the plant growth regulator AKM+Ca on the operation of the photosynthetic apparatus of sunflower hybrids against the background of various methods of basic tillage in the conditions of the Southern Steppe of Ukraine. The following methods were used during the study: field, chemical (to determine qualitative indicators), and statistical (to assess the reliability of data). Field studies were conducted during 2017-2019 on southern heavy loamy chernozems. In the experiment, modified plant growth regulator AKM+Са was used for pre-sowing seed treatment and foliar spraying of sunflower plants (beginning budding phase) of Talento and Colombi hybrids against the background of deep loosening or ploughing. It was found that the use of deep loosening, in contrast to ploughing, helps increase the dry matter content in sunflower plants and the net productivity of photosynthesis due to better preservation of moisture in the soil. The use of plant growth regulator AKM+Са, regardless of the method of soil cultivation, contributes to the increase in the leaf surface area up to 31.2%, increases the photosynthetic potential of plants to 21.6% and the net productivity of photosynthesis to 15.9% during the growing season, and also increases the content of dry matter, compared to the control. The proportion of influence of the plant growth regulator AKM+Ca on the formation of the leaf surface area is 54.2%. The maximum positive effect was obtained with the combined use of AKM+Ca for pre-sowing treatment and spraying of sunflower plants during the growing season against the background of deep loosening of the soil. The research results can be used to adjust elements of agricultural technologies for growing sunflower seeds, increase crop productivity and conduct profitable agribusiness

Biochemical parameters of blood and tissue of the gastrocnemius muscle in chronically alcoholized rats under oral administration of C(60) fullerene aqueous solution

Biochemical indices of blood and tissue of the gastrocnemius muscle chronically alcoholized (for 3, 6 and 9 months) rats were studied. С60 fullerene aqueous solution (C60FAS) was administered orally as a pharmacological agent at a dose of 1 mg/kg daily throughout the experiment in a three routes: 1 h before alcohol intake (preventive regimen), together with alcohol (therapeutic regimen I) and 1 h after alcohol intake (therapeutic regimen II). Creatine phosphokinase (CPK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity and the level of creatinine, lactate, hydrogen peroxide, reduced glutathione were estimated with clinical diagnostic kits. A pronounced upward trend in creatinine and lactate content, CPK and LDH activity with increasing degree of alcoholic myopathy during experiment was detected. Administration of C60FAS was shown to reduce the biochemical indices of muscle injury and to reduce oxidative processes by maintaining the balance between pro-oxidant and antioxidant systems. The maximum positive effect was observed when C60FAS was administered together with alcohol (therapeutic regimen I). The results indicate on C60 fullerene ability to correct the pathological condition of the muscular system arising from alcohol intoxication. Keywords: alcohol intoxication, antioxidant system, C60 fullerene, creatine phosphokinase, gastrocnemius muscle, lactate dehydrogenase

Studies on Correlation and Path Coefficient for Yield and Its Contributing Traits in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

The current study was conducted at the agriculture research farm of the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, School of Agriculture, Lovely Professional University, Punjab during the kharif season 2022. A Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications were used to study correlation and path including 27 rice germplasm for the thirteen traits studied viz. Days to 50% flowering, Plant height (cm), Panicle length (cm), Number of tillers per plant, Number of spikelets per panicle, Flag leaf length (cm), Flag leaf width (cm), Number of filled grains per panicle, Days to maturity, Single plant yield (g), Test weight (g), Biological yield (g) and Harvest Index. Finding reveled that genotypic correlation coefficients were higher than phenotypic correlation coefficients for most of the characters studied indicating slight environmental effects over the traits. Single plant yield had significant positive correlation with harvest index (0.873, 0.976), Test weight (0.686, 0.738), panicle length (0.497, 0.603), number of tillers per plant (0.459, 0.505), days to maturity (0.398, 0.677), number of filled grains per panicle (0.395, 0.461) and days to 50 %flowering (0.253, 0.607) at phenotypic and genotypic level that were found to be helpful in encouraging rapid improvement of yield. Path coefficient analysis indicates that the harvest index (0.735, 0.999) had the highest direct and positive effect on single plant yield followed by biological yield (0.135, 0.459), days to maturity (0.088, 0.317), flag leaf width (0.087, 0.155) at both phenotypic and genotypic level respectively. These results revealed that single plant yield had maximum positive indirect effect through harvest index, biological yield, plant height, number of total tillers and number of filled grains per panicle. Hence, selection for these characters could bring improvement in yield and yield components.

Development of the ability to differentiate spatial and ace characteristics of movements in children 8-10 years old

With the changes that have taken place in the education system, there is a need for a more in-depth study of the child's personality, his inner world, than it was before. Physical education is no exception. The search for new interesting methods of presenting educational material in children interests in classes and makes them more productive. An important role in this process is played by the psychophysiological characteristics of children of a certain age. For the maximum positive effect from the lesson, it is worth taking into account the psychophysiological features of children of the selected age.&#x0D; The article describes methodical approaches to the formation of a program for the development of the ability to differentiate spatial and temporal characteristics of movements for children 8-10 years old. The main psychophysiological features of children of primary school age are determined. The results of pedagogical observation, which was carried out with the aim of identifying actual tools and methodical recommendations for their use, were analyzed. The study was conducted with the aim of increasing the effectiveness of the experimental program and adapting it to the modern educational process.

Efficiency of Nanoparticles (Micromage-B) in the Complex Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a serious neurological problem because of its high prevalence, chronic course, frequent disability, and propensity to affect young people. The immunopathogenesis hypothesis underlies the origin of MS. Selective sorption activity of biocompatible magnetite nanoparticles against surface proteins of cell membranes, circulating immune complexes, lymphocytotoxic antibodies, complement system, the effect of increasing phagocytic activity and leukocyte phagocytosis completion index allows the effective use of these nanodevices for immunocorrection. The main goal of the study is to slow down the progression of MS, improve the neurological status and general condition of the patient, and reduce the dynamics of the spread of demyelinating foci in the brain. Materials and methods: a patient diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, secondary progressive type of course, cerebro-spinal form, clinical aggravation stage; EDSS neurological status and disability assessment scales; contrast-enhanced MRI of the brain. An oral form of the nanodevice Micromage-B was used as an immunosorbent and immunomodulator. The choice of the regimen and dosage of Micromage-B was personalized. Assessment of the general condition and neurological status was performed every 7 days for 6 months. Contrast-enhanced MRI of the brain was performed at the 5th month of the study. As a result of using Micromage-B in MS treatment, objective improvement of neurological status, reduction of stiffness and rapid fatigability of the lower extremities were observed. Gait and coordination improved, hand tremors decreased, depression and signs of concentration disorders disappeared, appetite restored, and speech improved. During the entire period of Micromage-B application, positive dynamics in the normalization of the neurological status was observed. After 6 months of treatment, the total score dropped by 165 to 35. It was found that the maximum positive effect was observed in the evaluation of the pyramidal system and coordination. The EDSS Disability Scale score decreased from 6.0 to 5.0. Contrast-enhanced MRI brain examination for the first time showed a decrease in the number of new foci of demyelination in the brain by the 4th month of Micromage-B administration. The positive dynamics of normalization of the neurological status correlated with the results of brain MRI. The process of recovery of central nervous system activity in MS is not only due to the immunosuppressive properties of magnetite nanoparticles, but is probably caused by the activation of remyelination mechanisms and oligodendrocyte differentiation through enzymatic methylation. Considering the above, the use of biocompatible nanodevices in the complex treatment of MS is a promising direction. The scheme and method of using biocompatible magnetite nanoparticles to improve the effectiveness of MS treatment require further improvement and study.

Genetic parameters and association analysis for grain yield and yield attributing traits in rice (Oryza sativa L.) germplasm lines

The intensity of trait association and genetic variability of yield attributing variables in 217 rice genotypes was investigated during kharif 2018. The existence of genetic variability among the genotypes was demonstrated by analysis of variance, which recorded significant differences for all the seven studied parameters. The estimation of variability indicated that The full grain number per panicle (37.2 % and 34.1 %) &amp; single plant yield (24.7 % and 20.55 %) had the highest intensity of phenotypic coefficients of variation (PCV) and genotypic coefficients of variation ( GCV), and High heritability along with high genetic advance as a per cent of mean (GAM) was found in Plant height (98.9 % and 20.8 %), panicle number per plant (95.4 % and 36 %), panicle length(96.8 % and 35.9 %), full grain number per panicle(99.5 % and 61.6 %), thousand seed weight (98.1 % and 40.25 %) and single plant yield (69.2 % and 35.2 %) , depicting additive gene action in inheritance of these parameters. A simple selection procedure can help to enhance these characteristics even further. Correlation and regression coefficient findings indicated that plant height (0.193**) and the full grain number per panicle (0.177**) had a significant impact on single plant yield. The full grain number per panicle (0.265**), followed by thousand seed weight (0.194**) and plant height (0.110**), had the maximum direct positive effect on single plant yield, as per path coefficient analysis. As a result, accessions with a higher full grain number per panicle, thousand seed weight and plant height would be suitable for yield enhancement programme.

Microwave pyrolysis of agricultural waste: Influence of catalysts, absorbers, particle size and blending components

The paper presents the results of experimental study of thermochemical conversion, phase transformations and chemical reactions during microwave pyrolysis of biomass (sawdust, straw, nutshells, rice husk, etc.). For the first time, the characteristics of the microwave co-pyrolysis of agricultural waste have been analyzed. The experiments aimed to register the yield of the main pyrolysis products (gas, char and bio-oil) by varying the following factors: type of biomass, particle size, type of absorber/catalyst, and composition of mixtures. The biomass particle size of 800 µm was optimal in terms of pyrolysis gas yield and quality. Pyrolysis of sawdust and straw had the maximum yield of combustible gas components in relation to CO2. The volumetric concentrations of CO, CH4, and H2 for these types of biomass were 20–70% higher than those for wheat bran, rice husk, and nut shell. Among the low-grade catalysts studied, carbon residue and charcoal were the most efficient in terms of maximizing combustible gas yield and reducing CO2. These catalysts reduced the bio-oil yield by a factor of 1.2 and increased the yield of combustible gases by a factor of 1.3. Pyrolysis of mixtures showed significant synergy, both positive and negative. The minimum yield of gas with the worst quality was typical for the mixture “rice husk 50%, sawdust 50%”. The maximum positive synergistic effects were recorded for the composition “rice husk 33%, sawdust 33%, and bran 33%”. The combination of these components increased the yield of CO, CH4 and H2 by 5–24%, 8–53% and 2–45%, respectively, compared to other mixtures. Thus, microwave co-pyrolysis creates great scope for the conversion of those components that do not provide the required gas characteristics during individual pyrolysis. Pyrolysis of mixtures contributes to the utilization of a large amount of plant waste while maintaining the quality of the end products.

Photocatalytic Decolorization of Direct Red16 from an Aqueous Solution Using B-ZnO/TiO2 Nano Photocatalyst: Synthesis, Characterization, Process Modeling, and Optimization

The aim of this study was to modify the TiO2 photocatalyst with different amounts of ZnO (0.25, 0.5, and 1 wt. %) and B (1, 5, and 10 wt. %), as B-ZnO/TiO2, for mineralization and photodegradation of direct red 16 (DR16). B-ZnO/TiO2 was synthesized by the sol-gel method and the composite with 5 wt. % of B and 0.5 wt. % of ZnO was selected as the optimal composition, based on DR16 removal experiments. Th results showed that the removal efficiencies for optimum amounts of B and ZnO were 47 and 87 % in B-TiO2 and B-ZnO/TiO2 composition, respectively. The structural and chemical characteristics, modeling and optimization of the operating variables, adsorptive behavior, and reusability of the synthesized photocatalyst were evaluated. The acquired findings confirmed the generation of an amorphous phase with a low recombination rate and an improvement of photodegradation efficiency under visible light irradiation. The effects of (NH4)2S2O8, H2O2, KCl, and KHCO3 salts on dye photocatalytic removal were evaluated, and the maximum positive effect was observed using (NH4)2S2O8. The results of optimization of the operational variables and their optimum values proved that an increase in B-ZnO/TiO2 loading, reaction time, LED intensity, and a decrease in DR16 concentration and initial pH, improved the removal efficiency. The maximum DR16 degradation (100%) was obtained in the presence of 10 ppm DR16 and 1 g/L B5%-ZnO0.5%/TiO2, at pH 3, under visible light irradiation, after 200 min. The DR16 adsorption process by the B-ZnO/TiO2 followed a pseudo-second-order model. The mechanism of the photodegradation of DR16 dye was ascribed to the absorbed h+ and OH− active species. According to the results, the B-ZnO/TiO2 photocatalyst can be considered as a promising candidate for actual dye removal under visible light irradiation.