Production Technology Research Articles

Visualization and Simulation of Foam-Assisted Gas Drive Mechanism in Surface Karst Slit-Hole Type Reservoirs

Nitrogen injection technology has become an important production technology after water injection development in the karst fracture-vuggy reservoir in Tahe Oilfield. However, due to the influence of reservoir heterogeneity and the high mobility of gas fluid, nitrogen easily forms a dominant channel and gas channeling occurs, and the recovery effect time is short. Based on this, a visual surface karst model is designed and created to study nitrogen foam-assisted gas drive. The results show that after gas channeling occurs in the dominant channel of nitrogen flooding, foam injection-assisted gas flooding can improve oil recovery. In the longitudinal direction, foam-assisted gas drive mainly displaces the remaining oil because of gravity differentiation and the reduction of oil–water interfacial tension. In the horizontal direction, foam-assisted gas drive is mainly used to block the large pore cracks and dominant channels, promote the gas to turn into large tortuous and small cracks, and expand the swept efficiency of the gas. After forming the dominant channel, injecting 0.3 pv salt-sensitive foam with a gas–liquid ratio of 2:1 in the middle of the gas channel can improve the recovery rate of the model from 4% to about 25%, and the recovery rate can be increased by about 20%, which improves the effect of gas flushing and improves the development efficiency of the oil field at the same time.

Rapid Scalable One‐step Production of Catalysts for Low‐Iridium Content Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolyzers

AbstractProton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) is a promising technology for green hydrogen production, although its widespread development with state‐of‐the‐art loadings is threatened by the scarcity of iridium (Ir). Homogeneous dispersion of Ir in an immiscible electro‐ceramic matrix can enhance catalytic mass activity and structural stability. The study presents IrySn0.9(1−y)Sb0.1(1−y)Ox solid solutions produced by highly scalable flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) process as efficient anode electrocatalysts for PEMWE, containing only 0.2 mg cm−2 of Ir in the catalyst layer (CL). Intense mixing of metal vapor and large thermal gradients in the precursor‐derived high‐temperature flame aids stabilizing sub‐nanoscale entropic mixing within self‐preserved 4–6 nm particles. Detailed investigations confirm that the one‐step prepared solid solution electrocatalysts exhibit up to fourfold higher activity toward the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) compared to Ir black. The anode of a PEMWE utilizing this catalyst exhibits high performance and stability over 2000 h but with tenfold lower Ir loading than the state‐of‐art.

The Effect of Simulating Virtual Scenes using Artificial Intelligence Techniques in Producing Various Media Materials

Our current era is witnessing continuous change and rapid development in various aspects of life, including technical development and scientific progress. Modern technologies like simulation and artificial intelligence (AI) significantly enhance media content creation and distribution in various ways: Content Creation: AI tools can generate scripts, edit videos, create animations, and produce music, allowing creators to streamline the production process and reduce costs. Personalization: AI algorithms analyze user preferences and behavior to deliver personalized content recommendations, improving user engagement and satisfaction. Simulations: Simulation technologies can create realistic virtual environments for training, gaming, and storytelling, providing immersive experiences for users. Quality Enhancement: AI can automatically enhance audio and video quality, detect errors or inconsistencies, and improve overall production value. Data Analysis: AI helps analyze audience data to inform content strategies, predict trends, and optimize marketing efforts. Simulation and AI are transforming media content by making it more efficient, engaging, and tailored to audiences. The study aims to identify the impact of using these modern technologies in the field of media, which includes the latest technological developments, by utilizing virtual viewer simulations through artificial intelligence techniques, and achieving the highest levels of awareness for producing various media materials. The research also addresses the key stages that a designer goes through and how we can benefit from the study to develop these stages in order to enhance the role of visual communication and interaction between the recipient and the sender through the use of digital media designed within the media content via artificial intelligence to convey the advertising message, and its role in influencing consumer motivations to attract and guide them in making decisions through artificial intelligence techniques that provide a clear vision of the design environment. The research highlights the importance of graphic design as an essential element in improving viewers’ experience of modern digital media and achieving a more realistic simulation, pointing to the development of the concept of simulation used in modern digital media and Computer-Generated Image (CGI) techniques. This research also aims to explore the vital role that graphic design plays at every stage of the production of digital technologies to achieve a more realistic simulation of virtual scenes in digital media. Hence, the research problem the extent to which media content, in terms of form and substance, benefits from these modern technologies (simulation - Artificial intelligence) and the impact of these technologies in making media content more credible through their use. The research hypotheses: Has the media content become more attractive with the use of these technologies (simulation Artificial intelligence)? Has the media content become more shareable across different platforms in form and substance with the use of these technologies (simulation - Artificial intelligence)? Has the media content become more appealing with the use of these technologies (simulation - Artificial intelligence)? Has the media content become more effective in the visual communication process with the use of these technologies (simulation - Artificial intelligence)? Has the use of these technologies (simulation - Artificial intelligence) provided competitive advantages for various media outlets? Has the use of these technologies (simulation - Artificial intelligence) offered marketing and promotional advantages for various media outlets? What are the positives and negatives of these technologies (simulation - Artificial intelligence) in the media? The main aim of the research the extent to which media content, in terms of form and substance, benefits from modern technologies (simulation – Artificial intelligence) and the impact of these technologies on enriching, supporting, and developing media content to make it more competitive and credible through their use. The importance of research in studying the role and impact of modern technologies, such as virtual scene simulation, using artificial intelligence techniques to produce various types of media content. It emphasizes the role of these technologies in influencing different media outlets regarding competitive advantages, marketing, and promotion, as well as highlighting the positives and negatives of these technologies. The research methodology is based on the analytical description approach.

Assessing Best Practices in Natural Gas Production and Emerging CO2 Capture Techniques to Minimize the Carbon Footprint of Electricity Generation.

Natural gas (NG) is expected to provide a substantial portion of electricity generation in many jurisdictions for the foreseeable future. Postcombustion carbon capture and storage (CCS) effectively abates direct CO2 emissions; however, indirect NG supply chain emissions in most jurisdictions are incompatible with climate change mitigation goals. This life cycle assessment evaluates specific opportunities to reduce the carbon footprint of combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) generation with CCS using existing low-emission NG production practices, technologies, and processes combined with emerging CCS techniques to achieve high CO2 capture rates and mitigate startup emissions. We find baseload life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emission intensity ranges from 22 to 62 kgCO2e/MWh for 95-98.5% CO2 capture, within the range of published estimates for wind and photovoltaic power and considerably below prior estimates of CCGT with CCS. Low-emission NG production practices reduce other environmental impacts, which are dominated by combustion-related air pollution. We also show how interim solvent storage can effectively mitigate emissions from CCGT start/stop cycles. This work highlights the importance of mitigating both CO2 and methane emissions from NG supply chains and proposes a more nuanced discussion regarding the potential contribution of NG to the future energy supply. A surrogate model is provided to estimate life cycle GHG emissions for CCGT with CCS and user-input parameters.

Analyzing Healthcare Production Under Uncertainty in a State‐Contingent Framework

ABSTRACTIn health care, decision‐makers grapple with uncertainty, influencing production choices. This paper introduces a model exploring healthcare production under uncertainty using a state‐contingent framework. Employing a parametric model and a general utility function, it calculates decision‐makers' subjective probabilities for potential future states. Through numerical examples, it illustrates how optimal production choices are made. The model defines production technologies as state‐allocable, facilitating resource allocation among various states and allowing for substitution of state‐specific outputs. This approach offers more flexibility compared to traditional production analyses, empowering healthcare producers to better adapt and respond to uncertainties.

Seawater Desalination System Driven by Sustainable Energy: A Comprehensive Review

Seawater desalination is one of the most widely used technologies for freshwater production; however, its high energy consumption remains a pressing global challenge. Both the development and utilization of sustainable energy sources are anticipated to mitigate the energy shortages associated with seawater desalination while also effectively addressing the environmental issues linked to fossil fuel usage. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the classification and evolution of traditional desalination technologies, emphasizing the advancements, progress, and challenges associated with integrating various sustainable energy sources into the desalination process. Then, the cost, efficiency, and energy consumption of desalination systems driven by sustainable energy are discussed, and it is found that even the most widely used reverse osmosis (RO) technology driven by fossil fuels has CO2 emissions of 0.3–1.7 kgCO2/m3 and the lowest cost of desalinated water as high as 0.01 USD/m3, suggesting the necessity and urgency of applying sustainable energy. A comparison of different seawater desalination systems driven by different sustainable energy sources is also carried out. The results reveal that although the seawater desalination system driven by sustainable energy has a lower efficiency and a higher cost than the traditional system, it has more potential from the perspective of environmental protection and sustainable development. Furthermore, the efficiency and cost of desalination technology driven by a single sustainable energy source is lower than that driven by multi-sustainable energy sources, while the efficiency of desalination systems driven by multi-sustainable energy is lower than that driven by hybrid energy, and its cost is higher than that of desalination systems driven by hybrid energy. Considering factors such as cost, efficiency, consumption, economic scale, and environmental impact, the integration of various seawater desalination technologies and various energy sources is still the most effective strategy to solve water shortage, the energy crisis, and environmental pollution at present and in the future.

Wybrane aspekty przeciwwirusowej aktywności flawonoidów względem SARS-CoV-2

Coronaviruses cause diseases of the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system, which threaten human health and contribute to economic losses. Innovative production technologies make it possible to use bioactive compounds as antiviral agents. Most fruits, vegetables and plant products contain flavonoids. Numerous studies have demonstrated the health-promoting effect of this group of compounds resulting from their antioxidant potential. The activity of an antioxidant in the body is the result of many factors that modulate the reactivity and physicochemical properties, among which the chemical structure is the most important. Bioinformatics tools using molecular modeling often precede research using in vitro and in vivo methods. The aim of this review is to present the mechanism of antiviral action of flavonoids against SARS-CoV-2, responsible for COVID-19. Studies using virtual molecular docking models were collected to test the affinity of flavonoids for key proteins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus replication cycle. Among the flavonoids with antiviral activity, the most active were apigenin, luteolin, isorhamnetin, kaempferol, myricetin, quercetin, hesperetin, naringenin and genistein. Food products with a high content of these compounds are indicated.

Self-sacrificing and self-supporting biomass carbon anode–assisted water electrolysis for low-cost hydrogen production

Electrooxidation of renewable and CO2-neutral biomass for low-cost hydrogen production is a promising and green technology. Various biomass platform molecules (BPMs) oxidation assisted hydrogen production technologies have obtained noticeable progress. However, BPMs anodic oxidation is highly dependent on electrocatalysts, and the oxidation mechanism is ambiguous. Meanwhile, the complexity and insolubility of natural biomass severely constrain the efficient utilization of biomass resources. Here, we develop a self-sacrificing and self-supporting carbon anode (SSCA) using waste corncobs. The combined results from multiple characterizations reveal that the structure-property-activity relationship of SSCA in carbon oxidation reaction (COR). Theoretical calculations demonstrate that carbon atoms with a high spin density play a pivotal role in reducing the adsorption energy of the reactive oxygen intermediate (*OH) during the transition from OH- to *OH, thereby promoting COR. Additionally, the HER||COR system allows driving a current density of 400 [Formula: see text] at 1.24 V at 80 °C, with a hydrogen production electric consumption of 2.96 kWh Nm-3 (H2). The strategy provides a ground-breaking perspective on the large-scale utilization of biomass and low-energy water electrolysis for hydrogen production.

Si Characterization on Thinning and Singulation Processes for 2.5/3D HBM Package Integration

As stacking technologies, such as 2.5D and 3D packages, continue to accelerate in advanced semiconductor components, the singulation and thinning of Si wafers are becoming increasingly critical. Despite their importance in producing thinner and more reliable Si chips, achieving high reliability remains a challenge, and comprehensive research on the effects of these processing techniques on Si chip integrity is lacking. In this study, the impacts of wafer thinning and singulation on the fracture strength of Si wafers were systematically compared. Three different grinding processes, namely fine grinding, poly-grinding, and polishing, were used for thinning, and the resulting surface morphology and roughness were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy and an interferometer. In addition, the residual mechanical stress on the wafer surface was measured using Raman spectroscopy. The fracture strength of Si wafers and chips was assessed through three-point bending tests. Singulation, including blade dicing, laser dicing, and stealth dicing, was evaluated for its impact on fracture strength. Among these processes, polishing for wafer thinning exhibited the lowest full-width half maximum and intensity ratio of Raman shifts (I480/I520), indicating minimal residual stress and surface defects. Consequently, Si wafers and chips processed through polishing demonstrated the highest fracture strength. Moreover, the 60 µm thick Si wafers and chips showed the highest fracture strength compared with those with thicknesses of 90 and 120 µm, possibly because of the increased flexibility, which mitigates stress. Among the singulation methods, stealth dicing yielded the highest fracture strength, outperforming blade and laser dicing. The combination of wafer thinning via polishing and singulation via stealth dicing presents an optimal solution for producing highly reliable Si chips for 2.5D and 3D packaging. These findings may be valuable in selecting optimal processing technologies for high-reliability Si chip production in industrial settings.

Tracing metallurgical links and silver provenance in Balkan coinage (5th -1st centuries BCE)

AbstractLocal types of coinage testify to the emerging use of silver in the Balkan interior, possibly related to abundant ore deposits in the region. Here, we present Pb isotope data for silver coins minted by local tribes and settlements (anepigraphic coins attributed to the Derrones/Laeaei, Damastion, Pelagia, Kings of Paeonia) between the 5th and 3rd centuries BCE. For comparison, we analysed coinage of the potential Greek emporia Dyrrhachium and Apollonia for their main element and Pb-Ag isotope compositions. Statistical data evaluation demonstrates close material connections between coins from the Balkan interior and identify a predominantly local raw material provenance. The majority of Damastion’s issues defines a tight cluster fitting Strabo’s (VII.7.8) account that the settlement possessed nearby silver mines in the Balkan interior. Novobërdë/Novo Brdo (Kosovo) can be plausibly hypothesised among the available reference data to have been one of the main ore districts supplying the mint. Mixing is evident for coins from the Kings of Paeonia and coinage attributed to the Derrones/Laeaei. Virtually identical end-members suggest that Paeonian regal coinage recycled tribal issues with contribution of metal obtained from Damastion’s hypothesised mines. Contemporaneous coinage struck by Dyrrhachium as well as end-members calculated for Thasos and the Macedon kingdom (Albarede et al. in Bullion mixtures in silver coinage from ancient Greece and Egypt, J Archaeol Sci 162:105918, 2024a) signal metal sourced from the Balkans, presumably the Macedonian/Paeonian border area. Comparison of data from Greek city-states and coinage issued by Apollonia and Dyrrhachium for the Romans demonstrates a change in the type and origin of raw materials and bullion composition, indicating a shift in monetary customs and possibly metal production technology.

The effectiveness of implementing the HACCP system to ensure the quality of food products in regions with ecological problems

This study developed and implemented a specific HACCP plan for the meat pate “Phirmennyi” at the small meat processing enterprise “Alteev” in Semey, Kazakhstan. The research, conducted in collaboration with the Department of Food Production Technology and Biotechnology at Shakarim University, was carried out in an area affected by the ecological consequences of the former Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site. The study aimed to identify critical control points (CCPs) and assess potential risks following the Technical Regulations of the Customs Union. Additionally, it evaluated the effectiveness of the HACCP plan in reducing contaminants, such as heavy metals, radionuclides, and pesticides, while considering the region’s environmental impact on food safety and quality. Standard procedures were followed for hazard analysis, CCP identification, setting critical limits, monitoring, corrective actions, verification, and record-keeping. Heavy metals were measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, while Cs-137 radionuclides were analyzed with scintillation and semiconductor gamma spectrometers. Statistical analysis was conducted in Microsoft Excel to compute mean values, standard deviations, and correlations, with significance defined at p ≤ 0.05. Five CCPs were identified during the production of an experimental batch of meat pâté, including raw material acceptance, blanching, cooking, cooling, and packaging/storage. Implementing this plan resulted in a reduction in contaminants, including a decrease in lead from 0.55 to 0.51 mg/kg, arsenic from 0.12 to 0.07 mg/kg, and Cs-137 from 7.2 to 6.8 Bq/kg. By addressing both the contaminants and the specific environmental context of the region, this research demonstrates the critical role of a well-structured food safety plan. The HACCP system not only improved food quality but also ensured compliance with safety standards, providing reassurance to consumers. This case study advocates for broader adoption of food safety management in regions with similar ecological challenges, promoting a more sustainable and secure food supply chain.

Educational efficiency across Spanish regions: a comparative analysis over time

AbstractThe present study aims to assess the performance of Spanish regional education systems using data from the last waves of the Programme for International Student Assessment dataset (2018 and 2022) to explore how productivity gaps across regions change over time. To do this, we apply a robust version of the base‐group base‐period Luenberger index, which allows us to estimate and compare the performance of schools from different groups (regions in our case), assuming they use different technology of production. Consequently, we can compare the technical and efficiency gaps between regions, to identify the best performers (benchmark) and explain the gaps in terms of efficiency change (catching‐up effect) and technological change. The results show that all Spanish regions have experienced a deterioration in their performance over time, thus confirming the expected negative effect of the school closures caused by the COVID‐19 pandemic. However, there are notable differences in the evolution experienced by the different regions, which allow us to draw several relevant conclusions for the design of educational policies.

Financial Statement Analysis of BYD Company Limited

This paper takes BYD as an example to analyze its financial indicators and conduct a comprehensive DuPont analysis for the period from 2019 to 2023. The analysis reveals that the company achieved significant financial growth during this period. Both operating revenue and net profit showed an upward trend, with particularly strong growth momentum in 2022 and 2023, as net profit increased substantially. The gross profit margin and net profit margin also improved, indicating enhanced operational efficiency and effective cost control. At the same time, BYD's continuous increase in R&D investment has driven technological innovation and product upgrades. The total assets have continued to grow, reflecting the company's business expansion and strengthened capabilities. The cash flow position remains healthy, with net operating cash flow steadily increasing, providing stable financial support for the company. However, BYD faces challenges such as intensified market competition and fluctuations in raw material prices, which necessitate ongoing optimization of business strategies and operational models to maintain its leading position and competitiveness. Overall, BYD has performed outstandingly in the new energy vehicle sector, with promising prospects for future development.

Cooperation and Production Strategy of Power Battery for New Energy Vehicles Under Carbon Cap-and-Trade Policy

Considering the supply chain composed of a power battery supplier and a new energy vehicle manufacturer, under the carbon cap-and-trade policy, this paper studies the different cooperation modes between the manufacturer and the supplier as well as their strategies for green technology and power battery production. Three game models are constructed and solved, respectively, under the collaboration mode of wholesale purchasing, patent-licensed manufacturing, and own R&D + Wholesale purchasing. The equilibrium analysis is carried out. Finally, the influence of relevant parameters is explored through numerical simulation. It is found that (1) the manufacturer’s choice of optimal battery production strategy is influenced by the input cost of green technology, the production cost of power battery, the carbon trading price, and the free carbon quota allocated by the government; (2) the cost coefficient of technological innovation affects negatively the optimal decision-making of the supply chain members, the market demand, and the optimal profit, and it has no impact when the cost coefficient reaches a certain value; (3) carbon cap-and-trade policy can, to a certain extent, incentivize suppliers and manufacturers to carry out technological innovation to reduce carbon emissions in the production process, but we cannot ignore the negative impacts of excessively high carbon trading price on the level of emission reduction and the market demand; and (4) the government should reasonably control the carbon price and carbon quota. The above conclusion will provide reference suggestions for new energy vehicle manufacturers and related suppliers.

Economic Impact of Periphyton-Based Stunted Fingerling Production in Arunachal Pradesh, India

Non availability of right type quality seed at right time in required quantity is major bottleneck for the growth of aquaculture in Arunachal and major portion of seed are being import from other nearby state especially Assam in particular. To make availability of good quality seed at right time having a regional acclimation for a longer duration in far flung areas of the state, the present investigation was conducted on low cost Periphyton (grown on paddy straw) based stunted yearling production technology to improve the survival and health of stocked material and their economic impact on the fish farmers of district West Kameng during 2018-2021. The average values of pond water quality parameters were observed to vary between both the culture ponds with a significant seasonal differences at all the sites and there were found a greater difference in average survival rate of both the commodities i.e. table size fish as well as stunted yearling during whole culture period. The involved cost of cultivation was recorded higher Rs. 4,70,000 / ha in stunted yearling culture in comparison to Rs.424,940/ha in thetable size carp culture while average gross benefit was just opposite, recorded higher Rs. 6,90,000/ ha in stunted yearling culture in comparison to Rs.199,960/ ha in table size carp culture with the same trend in BCR i.e. 2.46 for stunted fingerling production and 1.47 in the production of table size fishes respectively.

Research Progress and Teaching Exploration of Physical Processing Technology for Reduced-Salt Gel Meat Products

Salt assumes a significant role in the production of meat gels. Excessive intake of salt adversely affects human health, and consumers’ demand for reduced-salt meat products is escalating. This review primarily introduces the characteristics of the physical processing technology of reduced-salt gel meat products, such as the technology of ultrasonic, high-pressure processing, beating, plasma, and magnetic field, and its role in reduced-salt gel meat processing, and explores means to improve the teaching effect of the physical processing technology of reduced-salt gel meat products in the major of Food Science and Engineering. It was found that physical processing techniques, such as ultrasound, high-pressure processing, and beating, could enhance the solubility and processing performance of myofibrillar protein by improving the meat structure and protein conformation, increasing the interaction between proteins, water, and fat molecules, and enhancing the texture, water-holding capacity, and sensory quality of reduced-salt gel meat products. In the promotion and teaching of physical processing technology, it is necessary to strengthen interdisciplinary integration and scientific research activities according to the customs, laws and regulations of different countries and regions, combined with the development frontier of the technology, and develop reduced-salt gel meat products that meet local needs according to local conditions.

Diachronic evolution in subsistence strategies of ancient humans from the Neolithic Age to the Bronze Age in the Western Liaohe River Basin and its influencing factors

The Western Liaohe River Basin, rich in prehistoric cultures, is one of the significant origins of Chinese civilization. However, what is the subsistence basis that supports the development of prehistoric cultures in this region? More importantly, which role did agriculture play in the development of various prehistoric cultures? Which factors drive the diachronic evolution in subsistence strategies? These issues are worthy of study. Based on this, we systematically collected zooarchaeological, archaeobotanical, and stable isotope data from various prehistoric archeological cultural sites spanning from the Neolithic Age to the Bronze Age in the Western Liaohe River Basin, attempting to explore their economic characteristics, evolution process as well as driving factor. The study found that in the Western Liaohe River Basin, the cultivation of millet crops may have begun as early as the Xiaohexi cultural period, and domestic pigs and dogs may have occurred in the Xinglongwa cultural period (Xionglongwa and Xionglonggou site respectively). However, during Hongshan cultural period, collection and hunting (cervids) remained the main subsistence strategy. In the Lower Xiajiadian cultural period, millet agriculture and domestic pig breeding replaced gathering and hunting, as the predominant subsistence strategy. This subsistence pattern was also adopted by subsequent Upper Xiajiadian cultural populations, and in some areas, animal husbandry developed during this period. We analyze that the evolution of the subsistence strategies of the prehistoric humans in this region may be related with Holocene climate change. Meanwhile, other factors such as improvements in production technology, population pressure and the environmental impacts they brought may also play a role. This study reveals the evolution process of subsistence strategies of prehistoric cultures in the Western Liaohe River Basin, and is of great significance in understanding the relationship between subsistence evolution of ancient populations and environmental changes in northern China.

Effect of Total Chlorophyll Content and Relative Water Content of Mini Tuber Potato under Aeroponic Condition in Jammu Region, India

The present study determine the effect of Total Chlorophyll Content and Relative Water Content of Mini Tuber Potato under Aeroponic Condition in Jammu Region, India. The adoption of new production technologies, usage of better varieties, quality seed material, good storage facilities, and transportation in recent years have helped to expand area, production, and productivity in India. The present study was conducted in the Division of Plant Physiology, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Jammu. The experiment was conducted during winter and spring seasons in 2022-23. Two varieties Kufri Badshah and Kufri Jyoti were taken as experimental material. Potato tubers were sown in net pots containing growing media and seedlings were transplanted at five leaves stage in the aeroponics system. The experiment was laid out in Completely Randomized Design with two treatments viz, T1 (cocopeat 100%) and T2 (cocopeat +vermiculite+ perlite+ vermicompost) in ratio (2:1:1:2) and after two weeks of transplanting data was recorded at three different stages of crop growth (20 DAT, 45 DAT and 80 DAT). The results clearly indicated that treatment T2 coco peat + perlite + vermiculite + vermicompost in the ratio of 2:1:1:2 was the most promising treatment for improving the, biochemical parameters, physical parameters and quality of both potato varieties when compared to other treatments.

Spatio-Temporal Differentiation and Driving Factors of County-Level Food Security in the Yellow River Basin: A Case Study of Ningxia, China

Food security is the primary condition for the development of human society. The Great River Basin is very important to ensure the accessibility and availability of agricultural irrigation, which is vital for food security. The Yellow River Basin plays a significant role in China’s food security, with counties serving as key administrative units for guaranteeing this security. This study uses the Yellow River Basin in China as a case study to construct an evaluation index system for county-level food security. It assesses the food security of 22 counties (districts) in Ningxia from 2013 to 2022, applying spatial correlation theories and driving factor analysis methods to explore the factors influencing county-level food security. The results reveal the following: (1) Overall, the food security index in Ningxia has been on the rise, but there is significant internal variation among counties. (2) Spatially, the food security index is relatively low in administrative centers, while the irrigation areas along the Yellow River play a crucial role in maintaining food security, and the overall food security index in the central arid areas is improving. (3) Food security is driven by multiple factors including economic, social, and climatic influences. To enhance food security in the Yellow River Basin, it is necessary to manage land resources systematically, improve grain production technology, and balance ecological protection with food security.

Effect of Microwave–Vacuum Drying and Pea Protein Fortification on Pasta Characteristics

The widespread popularity of pasta has driven innovations in formulations and production technologies to enhance its versatility. Techniques such as alternative drying methods and fortification of wheat pasta seek to improve the nutritional value and functional properties of pasta products, thereby increasing their attractiveness to consumers. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of microwave–vacuum drying versus conventional drying on the characteristics of durum wheat semolina pasta, including moisture content, water activity, microstructure, colour, texture, weight gain factor, and cooking loss. Three types of pea protein concentrates (80, 84, and 88% dry matter) were used at levels of 3, 6, and 9% (g/100 g flour). Results indicated that microwave–vacuum drying had a significant impact on the physical properties and cooking quality of pasta. Microwave–vacuum drying caused material puffing, resulting in microstructure with high open porosity (64.1%) and minimal closed porosity (0.1%). This has likely contributed to the short rehydration time (2 min in boiling water) of produced pasta, effectively transforming it into an instant food product. All pasta samples had low water content (<9%) and water activity (<0.4), which ensure food safety. The microwave–vacuum-dried pasta weight gain factor (2.2) was lower than in the conventionally dried pasta (2.8). The firmness of microwave–vacuum-dried pasta was significantly higher (135 g) than that of conventional pasta (16 g). Fortification with pea protein enhanced porosity but did not affect pasta’s culinary parameters, such as weight gain or cooking loss, although it resulted in darker pasta (p = 0.001), especially notable with a 9% pea protein addition.