Neutral Strategy Research Articles

Towards the Neutralization of the Carbon Footprint at the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico

The primary objective of the research was to calculate the carbon footprint resulting from the substantive activities of the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico between the years 2021 and 2022, to propose strategies for carbon footprint neutralization. The scientific and methodological contribution of this research can serve as a model for Mexican universities that wish to measure their carbon footprint. The research encompasses several sections. The first section delineates the issues pertinent to this study, along with the primary objective and specific goals. The subsequent section defines the conceptual framework employed. Regarding the state of the art of this research, it was necessary to identify that it is doing in this regard in other latitudes, which is why an analysis is presented of some of the universities in Europe and Latin America that have added work and effort to carry out studies on their greenhouse gases emissions generated and, in some cases, have achieved quantify their ecological or carbon footprint. The proposed methodology takes up the guidelines of the ISO 14064-1:2019 standard and presents eleven steps. The results of the carbon footprint of the UAEMéx in 2021 were 14,077,136.90 kg of CO2e, and considering that the total of the university community at that time was 105,249 members, the amount per capita was 133.75 kg of CO2e/person/year. On the other hand, for the year 2022, the carbon footprint was 28,019,621.33 kg of CO2e, and the per capita of 261.30 kg of CO2e/person/year, considering that the university community was cemented to 107,231 members. Based on the results obtained, neutralization strategies were developed, consisting of a list of activities aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Finally, the conclusions of this research are presented.

Research Advances of Cellular Nanoparticles as Multiplex Countermeasures.

Cellular nanoparticles (CNPs), fabricated by coating natural cell membranes onto nanoparticle cores, have been widely used to replicate cellular functions for various therapeutic applications. Specifically, CNPs act as cell decoys, binding harmful molecules or infectious pathogens and neutralizing their bioactivity. This neutralization strategy leverages the target's functional properties rather than its structure, resulting in broad-spectrum efficacy. Since their inception, CNP platforms have undergone significant advancements to enhance their neutralizing capabilities and efficiency. This review traces the research advances of CNP technology as multiplex countermeasures across four categories with progressive functions: neutralization through cell membrane binding, simultaneous neutralization using both cell membrane and nanoparticle core, continuous neutralization via enzymatic degradation, and enhanced neutralization through membrane modification. The review highlights the structure-property relationship in CNP designs, showing the functional advances of each category of CNP. By providing an overview of CNPs in multiplex neutralization of a wide range of chemical and biological threat agents, this article aims to inspire the development of more advanced CNP nanoformulations and uncover innovative applications to address unresolved medical challenges.

Possible strategies for red mud neutralization and dealkalization from the alumina production industry: a review for Indonesia

Possible strategies for red mud neutralization and dealkalization from the alumina production industry: a review for Indonesia

A study on the path planning and optimization of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality in the highway service area

The transportation sector is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing emissions of the Highway Service Area (HSA) can help decrease the sector's carbon footprint and serve as a model for green transformation. Consequently, this study firstly employs the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to calculate the carbon emissions during the operational phase of a certain HSA in 2022, and then analyses the emission structure. Subsequently, four emission reduction pathways are identified, including Photovoltaic (PV) power generation, electrification retrofitting, forestry carbon sinks, and green roofs, in terms of both Three 100 Initiatives and carbon neutrality measures. On this basis, the planning of carbon peak and carbon neutral strategies for this service area under different scenarios are carried out, taking into account the dual carbon targets and relevant policies. The findings indicate that: (1) the HSA emitted approximately 766.84 tons of carbon emissions in 2022, with 96.53 % from purchased electricity. (2) PV power generation offers the optimal emission reduction benefits among four emission reduction pathways. (3) In carbon peaking scenarios, initiating PV construction is the optimal emission reduction strategy. (4) In most carbon neutrality scenarios, the simultaneous implementation of PV construction and bamboo planting can meet the neutrality requirements by 2060. However, if the HSA continues to develop economically after 2030, the economy could grow until 2035 to meet neutrality requirements. These findings can guide emission reduction strategies for other HSAs, accelerating the sector's transition to low-carbon emissions while supporting the development of policies for zero-carbon HSAs.

No Drone’s Sky: Full Spectrum Drone Surveillance and Neutralisation Concept for Enhanced Counter-UAS Framework

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), commonly known as drones, have witnessed substantial global proliferation in the past decade. Their constructive applications hold the promise of being a useful, yet critical component in creating a more efficient society with the enhancement of safety, efficiency, and facilitating advancements in various domains, ultimately contributing to our modern daily lives. However, the escalating dependence on computer and communication technologies renders, especially small, UAS susceptible to various threats, posing risks to public safety, national security, and individual privacy. Addressing these concerns necessitates the development of innovative technologies designed to detect, track, identify, and eliminate UAS in a manner that upholds safety, security, and privacy. A Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (C-UAS) is defined as a system or apparatus capable of legally and securely incapacitating, disrupting, or assuming control over an UAS. Recent years have witnessed significant research endeavours aimed at detecting and eliminate drone threats. Detection methodologies encompass acoustic, visual, passive radio frequency, radar, and data fusion techniques, while neutralisation strategies encompass physical capture and jamming approaches. This paper, delving into the realm of small drone surveillance, is the opening segment of a three-part series aims to envision a C-UAS framework; it provides an exhaustive review of existing literature in the domain of UAS surveillance, delineating the challenges associated with countering unauthorised or unsafe drone operations, and evaluating the trajectory of detection to prepare against UAS-induced threats. Therefore, the fundamental objective of this paper is to offer a comprehensive surveillance baseline for a structured vision to a C-UAS framework, thus fostering a research community dedicated to the secure integration of drones into the airspace system.

Enhanced Phase Stability and Reduced Bandgap for CsPbI3 Perovskite through Bi3+ and Cl– Co-Doping

All-inorganic perovskite CsPbI3 is emerging as a thermally more stable alternative to organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites. However, CsPbI3 perovskite suffers from poor phase stability at ambient temperature, and its bandgap is a bit too large as light-harvesting materials in both single-junction and perovskite-on-silicon tandem solar cells. In this study, we propose an electrically neutral co-doping strategy that equimolar Bi3+ (occupying the Pb site) and Cl– (occupying the interstitial site) are incorporated into CsPbI3. Unlike the individual Bi3+ or Cl– doping, the neutral co-doping can avoid stimulating the formation of the detrimental native defects. Our first-principles calculations suggest that the co-doped systems are stable at ambient temperature and possess narrower bandgaps compared with the undoped CsPbI3. Moreover, the electron and hole states are spatially separated in these multiple-ion compounds.

Examining Psychological Conflict-Handling Strategies for Highly Automated Vehicles to Resolve Legal User-Vehicle Conflicts

As vehicle automation progresses, with SAE levels 3 to 5 introducing varying degrees of control transfer from driver to vehicle, a key challenge emerges: aligning driver interests with the automated vehicle's (AV) operational goals. Despite technical feasibility, drivers' tendencies to intervene due to distrust in or dissatisfaction with AVs necessitate consideration of control mechanisms in future AV designs. This study investigates the potential of persuasion strategies inspired by Human-Robot Interaction research to harmonize driver actions with AV goals in legal conflict situations. We conducted a Virtual Reality driving simulator study with 36 participants, comparing 11 persuasive conflict-handling strategies and a baseline of no persuasion. Our research helps understand the effects of persuasion on users' compliance with law-abiding AV goals, trust, and acceptance towards the AV and evaluates the effectiveness of these strategies based on their working mechanism (cognitive, emotional, social, politeness) and valence (negative, neutral, positive). Results show that none of the strategies could substantially increase compliance with the AV, but neutral and positive persuasion strategies did not decrease acceptance and trust towards the AV compared to no persuasion. These findings contribute to the discourse on cooperation design and control allocation in AVs, particularly in scenarios involving legal conflicts.

A DC Offset Reduction of Neutral Point Voltage Strategy Based on Vector Phase Angle Difference Optimization for Vienna Rectifier With Bipolar DC Bus

A DC Offset Reduction of Neutral Point Voltage Strategy Based on Vector Phase Angle Difference Optimization for Vienna Rectifier With Bipolar DC Bus

Acid-base neutralization strategy for immobilization amino acid ionic liquid within sulfonic acid-based COF as a switch for selective conversion of epoxides

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and ionic liquids (ILs) as raw materials exhibit effective catalytic performance and adsorption capabilities in the reaction of epoxides and atmospheric CO2, respectively. Nonetheless, bonding modes between ILs and COFs have restricted their utility, thereby constraining the in-depth study of synergistic catalytic mechanisms over these composite catalysts. Herein, a heterogeneous composite ([DBUH]2Cys@COF-X) were successfully prepared by the facile acid-base neutralization method, incorporating varying amounts of amino acid ILs ([DBUH]2Cys) into the pore channels of sulfonic acid-based COF (TpPa-SO3H). [DBUH]2Cys@COF-3 efficiently catalyzed epichlorohydrin with a yield of 96.38 % without any solvent or co-catalyst under atmospheric CO2. Notably, larger sterically hindered epoxides were selectively blocked on the surface of [DBUH]2Cys@COF-3, enabling [DBUH]2Cys@COF-3 to act as a gatekeeper for selectively catalyzing small sterically hindered epoxides due to [DBUH]2Cys was distributed within the pore channels of [DBUH]2Cys@COF-3. Through DFT calculations, comprehensive understanding of the synergistic activation conferred of -COO- and [DBUH]+ towards CO2 and epoxides in [DBUH]2Cys@COF-3 and the ring-opening mechanism was clarified. This work presents a fresh outlook on the catalyst design by the facile acid-base neutralization method for efficiently catalyzing small-hindered epoxides under atmospheric CO2.

Discursive strategies within sustainability trade-offs: A case on the controversy over transition minerals

Within sustainability controversies, actors face trade-offs where they prioritize either economic, social or environmental concerns. However, there is little research engaging with how actors mobilize discourses in sustainability controversies. This research seeks to extend this body of literature by adopting a discursive lens in which we examine how different actors mobilize different discourses to argue for their respective conceptions of sustainable development and their trade-offs. By adopting a longitudinal instrumental single-case study design, this research examines the ongoing controversy in Quebec over the development of new mining projects for the extraction of transition minerals. This study offers several contributions to the sustainability trade-offs literature. First, it sheds light on the dynamic nature of discursive strategies within sustainability controversies. Second, the paper broadens understanding of the use of moralization discursive strategies in sustainability trade-offs. Third, it identifies the new neutralization strategy in sustainability controversies. The paper also suggests several practical implications for the actors involved in sustainability controversies.

China's future forest carbon sequestration potential under different management scenarios

Enhancing forest carbon storage and carbon sequestration capacity is crucial for achieving carbon neutrality. Scientific forest management can maintain a high level of carbon sequestration capacity in forests, and considering the carbon pool of wood products can extend the time of carbon fixation. However, current predictions of large-scale forest carbon storage and carbon sequestration capacity have overlooked changes in forest carbon absorption with forest age and the buffering effect of wood product carbon pools in the carbon release process. In this paper, we used the Forest Simulation and Optimization System model (FSOS) to analyze the wood supply and carbon sequestration capacities of different management scenarios based on data from the Forest Resources Inventory (2014–2018). The results showed that China's forests could export significant amounts of timber in the future; According to the 9th forest survey report, China's forests produce only 88 million m3 yr-1. Among them, the harvested objects were mainly planted forests, and if all forests (planted forests and natural forests) are involved in forest management planning, the maximum sustainable annual wood supply will reach 286 million m3 yr-1. Moreover, due to the current large proportion of younger forests in China, 358 million m3 of annual wood supply will be achievable in the future (as of the year 2039). Forest management can increase the carbon sequestration capacities in forest ecosystems as well as the wood supply compared to the no management options. In summary, the carbon sequestration potential of unmanaged forests is limited. Appropriate forest management can increase the carbon sequestration potential of forests. The substitution of carbon emission reduction of wood products and bioenergy can also greatly reduce the pressure to achieve carbon neutral strategies.

Consumer Excuse Mechanisms, Neutralization Techniques in Stolen Goods Markets

ABSTRACT The act of wittingly or suspiciously buying stolen goods is ethically questionable, legally punishable consumer behavior. Hence, purchasing stolen goods can lead to various cognitive and emotional sufferings, such as cognitive dissonance, ethical conflict, and feelings of guilt. In the context of buying stolen goods, consumer dissonance is a very significant predictor of consumer guilt. However, our findings did not confirm an expected positive relationship between ethical conflict and guilt. While buying stolen goods, consumer excuse and neutralization strategies are used to cope with both cognitive and emotional sufferings resulting from wrongdoings. The findings of this study are based on survey research conducted among the consumers of the stolen goods market, locally named Chor Bazaar (Theif Market) in India, focusing on Delhi and Mumbai. The findings confirmed that consumer’s use of excuse and neutralization strategies moderates the relationship between consumer guilt and the purchase of stolen goods. However, there is no direct relationship between neutralization and the purchase of stolen goods.

Comprehensive evaluation and screening of phytochemical compounds and their hypolipidemic activities of lotus leaf based on HPLC-Q-TOF-MS and spectral-effect analysis

This study aimed to identify and quantify the primary components in lotus leaf and to explore the hypolipidemic components through spectral-effect relationships and chemometric methods. Utilizing a data-dependent acquisition-diagnostic fragment ion/characteristic neutral loss screening strategy (DFI-NLS), a reliable HPLC-Q-TOF-MS analysis was conducted, identifying 77 compounds, including 36 flavonoids, 21 alkaloids, 3 terpenoids, 11 organic acids, 4 phenols, 1 lignin and 1 unsaturated hydrocarbon. A straightforward HPLC-DAD method was developed for the simultaneous determination of seven major components in lotus leaf, and quercetin-3-O-glucuronide (Q3GA) was identified as the most abundant component. The HPLC fingerprints of 36 lotus leaf sample batches were assessed using chemometric approaches such as principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis. The hypolipidemic effect of these samples was analyzed by measuring total cholesterol (TC) and total triglycerides (TG) levels in palmitic acid (PA) and oleic acid (OA)-induced lipid modeling in HepG-2 cells, employing partial least squares regression and grey relation analysis to investigate the spectral-effect relationship of the lotus leaf. The in vivo hypolipidemic effect of these compounds was assessed using an egg yolk powder-induced high-fat zebrafish model. The findings indicated that peak No.11 (Q3GA) in the chemical fingerprint was significantly associated with hypolipidemic activity, suggesting it as a potential hypolipidemic compound in lotus leaf. In summary, this study facilitates the exploration of the phytochemical compounds and their bioactive properties in the lotus leaf.

Reinforced robotic bean optimization algorithm for cooperative target search of unmanned aerial vehicle swarm

Increasing attention has been given to the utilization of swarm intelligent optimization algorithms to facilitate cooperative target search of unmanned aerial vehicle swarm (UAVs). However, there exist common issues associated with swarm intelligent optimization algorithms, which are low search efficiency and easy to trap in local optima. Simultaneously, the concentrated initial positioning of UAVs increase the probability of collisions between UAVs. To address these issues, this paper proposes a reinforced robotic bean optimization algorithm (RRBOA) aimed at enhancing the efficiency of UAVs for cooperative target search in unknown environments. Firstly, the algorithm employs a region segmentation exploration strategy to enhance the initialization of UAVs, ensuring a uniform distribution of UAVs to avoid collisions and the coverage capability of UAVs search. Subsequently, a neutral evolution strategy is incorporated based on the spatial distribution pattern of population, which aims to enhance cooperative search by enabling UAVs to freely explore the search space, thus improving the global exploration capability of UAVs. Finally, an adaptive Levy flight strategy is introduced to expand the search range of UAVs, enhancing the diversity of UAVs search and then preventing the UAVs search from converging to local optima. Experimental results demonstrate that RRBOA has significant advantages over other methods on nine benchmark simulations. Furthermore, the extension testing, which focuses on simulating pollution source search, confirms the effectiveness and applicability of RRBOA

ACE2-Decorated Virus-Like Particles Effectively Block SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Over the past three years, extensive research has been dedicated to understanding and combating COVID-19. Targeting the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein and the ACE2 receptor has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy against SARS-CoV-2. This study aimed to develop ACE2-coated virus-like particles (ACE2-VLPs), which can be utilized to prevent viral entry into host cells and efficiently neutralize the virus. Virus-like particles were generated through the utilization of a packaging plasmid in conjunction with a plasmid containing the ACE2 envelope sequence. Subsequently, ACE2-VLPs and ACE2-EVs were purified via ultracentrifugation. The quantification of VLPs was validated through multiple methods, including Nanosight 3000, TEM imaging, and Western blot analysis. Various packaging systems were explored to optimize the ACE2-VLP configuration for enhanced neutralization capabilities. The evaluation of neutralization effectiveness was conducted using pseudoviruses bearing different spike protein variants. Furthermore, the study assessed the neutralization potential against the Omicron BA.1 variant in Vero E6 cells. ACE2-VLPs showed a high neutralization capacity even at low doses and demonstrated superior efficacy in in vitro pseudoviral assays compared to extracellular vesicles carrying ACE2. ACE2-VLPs remained stable under various environmental temperatures and effectively blocked all tested variants of concern in vitro. Notably, they exhibited significant neutralization against Omicron BA.1 variant in Vero E6 cells. Given their superior efficacy compared to extracellular vesicles and proven success against live virus, ACE2-VLPs stand out as crucial candidates for treating SARS-CoV-2 infections. This novel therapeutic approach of coating VLPs with receptor particles provides a proof-of-concept for designing effective neutralization strategies for other viral diseases in the future.

Racial hydrologies

AbstractIn the South Carolina Lowcountry, near‐annual hurricanes and record‐breaking sea levels have led to disastrous flooding, overwhelming the region's historical tidal infrastructures and entrenched racial geographies. In response, Lowcountry governments, institutions, and residents have undertaken efforts at “perimeter protection,” raising dikes and seawalls to safeguard selected urban and rural plantation spaces from tidal flooding. Although perimeter protection is presented as a neutral resilience strategy, its practices and material forms reveal a close relationship between coastal protection and efforts to preserve landscapes of white supremacy. Such logics of perimeter protection contrast with everyday affective encounters with eroding coastlines and with the futures outside of bounded edges imagined by Black Charlestonians. By situating the region's hydrological history within the legacy of slavery and plantation extraction, and by following the effects of current sea level rise, we can see how historical hydrologies—which in this case are also racial hydrologies—are entangled with landscapes of contemporary environmental injustice.

Application of research on carbon neutral strategy of physical education teaching based on attention mechanism in digital energy transformation

Application of research on carbon neutral strategy of physical education teaching based on attention mechanism in digital energy transformation

Electrochemically Dealloying Engineering toward Integrated Monolithic Electrodes with Superior Electrochemical Li-Storage Properties.

Integrated monolithic electrodes (IMEs) free of inactive components demonstrate great potential in boosting energy-power densities and cycling life of lithium-ion batteries. However, their practical applications are significantly limited by low active substance loading (< 4.0mgcm-2 and 1.0gcm-3), complicated manufacturing process, and high fabrication cost. Herein, employing industrial Cu-Mn alloy foil as a precursor, a simple neutral salt solution-mediated electrochemical dealloying strategy is proposed to address such problems. The resultant Cu-Mn IMEs achieve not only a significantly larger active material loading due to the in situ generated Cu2O and MnOx (ca. 16.0mgcm-2 and 1.78gcm-3), simultaneously fast transport of ions and electrons due to the well-formed nanoporous structure and built-in Cu current collector, but also high structural stability due to the interconnected ligaments and suitable free space to relieve the volume expansion upon lithiation. As a result, they demonstrate remarkable performances including large specific capacities (> 5.7mAhcm-2), remarkable pseudocapacitive effect despite the battery-type constitutes, long cycling life, and good working condition in a lithium-ion full cell. This study sheds new light on the further development of IMEs, enriches the existing dealloying techniques, and builds a bridge between the two.

A lava-inspired design strategy based on combustion characteristics of PFRP for excellent flame retardancy via dual action mechanism at wide temperature range

Although plant fiber reinforced composite (PFRP) with environmental-friendly and biodegradable matches with society development requirements and carbon neutral strategy, the inherent flammability limits application in the engineering field, especially in rail transit and aerospace with strict fire standards. In this work, based on combustion behaviors of PFRP, the flame-retardant strategy inspired by the characteristics of volcanic lava in nature which could flow along rock crevices or valleys and form dense ceramic protective layer with outstanding heat insulation on the surface after cooling is designed. Compared with neat PFRP, the LOI of the PFRP/APP@PTNi20-GP10 (7.7 wt% FR contents) reaches 35.8 %, and UL-94 achieves V-0, showing excellent self-extinguishing performance. Meanwhile, the peak heat release rate (PHRR), total heat release (THR), total smoke release (TSR) and CO production (COP) decrease by 70.1 % and 51.7 %, 60.3 % and 65.5 % respectively. More importantly, the char layer formed after the combustion process retains excellent strength and compactness, which provides better protection for the undecomposed composite. Furthermore, the release of toxic volatiles including aromatic compounds, esters and carbonyl compounds in gas-phase pyrolysis products decrease significantly. The mechanism of lava-inspired flame-retardant system can be attributed to the dual action mechanism where different components play corresponding flame-retardant role under wide temperature range. And it is noted that the designed strategy endows PFRP with excellent fire resistance without deteriorating mechanical properties. This work provides a novel design idea for realizing the flame retardancy of PFRP and broadens the application field of PFRP.

County-level intensity of carbon emissions from crop farming in China during 2000–2019

Agriculture is an important contributor to global carbon emissions. With the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations and China’s carbon neutral strategy, accurate estimation of carbon emissions from crop farming is essential to reduce agricultural carbon emissions and promote sustainable food production systems in China. However, previous long-term time series estimates in China have mainly focused on the national and provincial levels, which are insufficient to characterize regional heterogeneity. Here, we selected the county-level administrative district as the basic geographical unit and then generated a county-level dataset on the intensity of carbon emissions from crop farming in China during 2000–2019, using random forest regression with multi-source data. This dataset can be used to delineate spatio-temporal changes in carbon emissions from crop farming in China, providing an important basis for decision makers and researchers to design agricultural carbon reduction strategies in China.