Opportunities For Production Research Articles

Exploring the Challenges and Opportunities of Alternative Finance Products with Indigenous Peoples

ABSTRACT Indigenous peoples often invest in cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens (NFTs) despite limited research in this area. We undertook this research to identify the demographics of Indigenous Australians who own cryptocurrencies and/or NFTs and to understand the challenges and opportunities faced. In this paper, we provide an overview of how alternative finance is reportedly used in Indigenous communities globally. Next, we focus on 62 Indigenous Australians who own cryptocurrencies and/or NFTs and participated in our online survey. We found Indigenous Australians who had university degrees, worked full-time, and owned a home had significantly higher levels of NFT ownership. The reported challenges were mostly related to storage, and the opportunities were connected to the potential for cryptocurrencies and/or NFTs as a long-term investment. Implications from this research include a continued need for financial planners to offer advice in this area, as schools were the last place Indigenous Australians learned about these alternative financial products.

Survival Status of Young Plants in Paluwatar Plantation Site of Udayapur District, Nepal

Forests provide multitude of benefits, including carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, timber production, and recreational opportunities. However, these valuable ecosystems are facing severe threats due to deforestation and land degradation. To counter this, plantation has emerged as a key strategy to restore degraded lands and ensure a continuous supply of ecosystem services. Yet, the success of these plantation sites remains uncertain due to a lack of systematic assessment of their survival status. Therefore, this study focuses on evaluating the survival status of young plantations on degraded riverbanks in Udayapur District, Nepal. Through systematic sampling at 0.5% intensity, 30 plots, each spanning 25 m², were established for regeneration inventory. Soil samples were collected using soil augers to a depth of 30cm for nutrient analysis. Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K) levels were determined using soil testing kits, while organic matter (OM) content was assessed using the Loss-on-Ignition (LOI) method. The results revealed an encouraging overall seedling survival rate of 95% at the research site. Notably, Dalbergia sissoo (Sissoo) and Tectona grandis (Teak) exhibited the highest survival rates at 100%, whereas Phyllanthus emblica (Amala) and Delonix regia (Gulmohar) showed lower survival rates at 40%. The site demonstrated low levels of N, P, and K, alongside high organic matter content. Unexpected high survival rate (95%) despite presence of a low level of nutrients raises intriguing questions about the adaptive mechanisms of the planted tree species. Further replication of similar studies as well as investigation of factors playing crucial role in seedling survival and growth beyond soil nutrient status is recommended.

Reading America, Reading Rodriguez: Exploring American Literature at an English Prison Book Group

This article details a cutting-edge Knowledge Exchange initiative which advanced the ongoing partnership between the University of Hull and HMP Hull, and stemmed from the annual BAAS conference, held in Hull in April 2022. The purpose of the article is to explore the value of critiquing US culture in a nonacademic setting and the extent to which a prison reading group presents a productive opportunity for so doing. Our research analyses the reception of a number of texts discussed in an American-themed book club hosted in HMP Hull, with a particular focus upon the responses of prison learners to the literary works of gang-member-turned-best-selling-author Luis J. Rodriguez.

Evaluating the Effects of Climate Change on Tea and Sustainable Livelihood: A Study of Sri Lankan Tea Plantation Labours

The tea industry of Sri Lanka serves as the backbone of its economy. It gives the highest share of GDP from agricultural production and employment opportunities to a large section of the Sri Lankan population. Tea is confined to cultivated in an optimal climate where temperature and rainfall must be equal. Climate change is an inevitable phenomenon triggering a consequential threat to tea growth and its quality. Similarly, it possesses severe implications for farmers' livelihoods. Because tea plantation plays an active role in rural poverty alleviation and ensuring the food security of estate workers. It has become mandatory for tea farmers and workers to adapt appropriately to climate change in order to ensure sustenance, livelihood, and food security. This study investigates the livelihood challenges led by climate change faced by the working communities in the tea estates of Sri Lanka. This study found that climate change has a multidimensional impact on livelihood and has a nexus with migration.

Recent advances in photocatalytic hydrogen peroxide production

AbstractHydrogen peroxide (H2O2), an environmental‐friendly oxidant and renewable liquid fuel, has received wide attention in various research and industrial fields. Current industrial production of H2O2 relies on the anthraquinone method, which is hardly viewed as a sustainable and green process. Photocatalysis, harnessing solar energy as the driving force for redox reactions, provides a green and promising approach for H2O2 production. However, due to the poor ability of light absorption, fast recombination of carriers, and poor intrinsic activity of active sites of pristine photocatalysts, photocatalytic H2O2 production cannot provide great yield. Thus, great efforts have been dedicated to design efficient photocatalysts for photosynthesis of H2O2 in the past decades. In this review, we summarize significant progress in the development of advanced photocatalytic materials for light‐driven H2O2 production. Starting with a brief introduction on basic principles and advantages of photosynthesis of H2O2, the representative materials are classified and discussed in detail; finally, a brief outlook on addressing future challenges and opportunities of photocatalytic H2O2 production is proposed. This review aims to confirm current challenges and research developments in the photosynthesis of H2O2 and provide inspiration for the development of high‐efficiency photocatalysts for photocatalytic H2O2 production in the future.

Recent Advancements in Electrochemical Hydrogen Production via Hybrid Water Splitting.

As one of the most promising approaches to producing high-purity hydrogen (H2 ), electrochemical water splitting powered by the renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power has attracted considerable interest over the past decade. However, the water electrolysis process is seriously hampered by the sluggish electrode reaction kinetics, especially the four-electron oxygen evolution reaction at the anode side, which induces a high reaction overpotential. Currently, the emerging hybrid electrochemical water splitting strategy is proposed by integrating thermodynamically favorable electro-oxidation reactions with hydrogen evolution reaction at the cathode, providing a new opportunity for energy-efficient H2 production. To achieve highly efficient and cost-effective hybrid water splitting toward large-scale practical H2 production, much work has been continuously done to exploit the alternative anodic oxidation reactions and cutting-edge electrocatalysts. This review will focus on recent developments on electrochemical H2 production coupled with alternative oxidation reactions, including the choice of anodic substrates, the investigation on electrocatalytic materials, and the deep understanding of the underlying reaction mechanisms. Finally, some insights into the scientific challenges now standing in the way of future advancement of the hybrid water electrolysis technique are shared, in the hope of inspiring further innovative efforts in this rapidly growing field.

Knowledge and skill needs and challenges of innovation ecosystems in the Central-Eastern and South-Eastern European space sector

Background The European space sector is on the rise, introducing a rapidly growing market with a lot of expanding opportunities for innovative space products, applications and services, even in non-space sectors. In this article, we investigate the skill levels of innovation intermediaries that provide support to innovators (i.e., start-ups, scale-ups and SMEs) in the Central-Eastern (CE) and South-Eastern (SE) European space sector. Our objective is to identify: (i) the available competences and (ii) the missing skills (potential areas for improvement) of innovation intermediaries in the EU space sector. Methods Our methodological approach consists of (i) desk research complemented by semi-structured interviews to introduce a baseline framework of innovation intermediaries’ desired knowledge and skill levels, as well as (ii) an online survey, addressing the case of innovation intermediaries and innovators, respectively. We first solidify the baseline framework with the expert feedback from the semi-structured interviews and then proceed to the analysis of the online survey responses, to capture and discuss the perceived needs of both innovation intermediaries and innovators. Results By analysing of 15 semi-structured interviews and 104 survey responses, several interesting insights for the future of European space innovation have been identified and are highlighted in the present manuscript. Conclusion We conclude that innovation intermediaries in the space sector have the adequate capacity to effectively train and support innovators in improving, primarily, their organisational skills and soft skills. Trainers are also competent at assessing the investment readiness levels of innovators, their pitching skills, and they can provide tailored business support services to innovators. In parallel, space innovators need to receive better training to improve their business modelling skills, better support the management of Intellectual Property, and understand key technologies and market characteristics of the space market.

Promotion of Aceh MSMes Products in Malaysia: Looking for Export Opportunities

The Promotion of Aceh MSME Products in Malaysia initiative by the Faculty of Economics and Business, Syiah Kuala University, aims to explore export opportunities for products of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) students fostered by lecturers. The community service method for increasing MSME product exports is carried out by providing training and promotion of student MSME actors and the products produced. That is following various other community service activities, namely conducting training on human resource management, especially actors and employees, and promoting MSMEs products. Post-training results on MSME products and student actors showed significant improvement in MSME management and product quality. The results of this service focused on the introduction and exhibition of MSME products at international events at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

Food Security and Biofuels in Latin America and the Caribbean Region: A Data Panel Analysis on Eight Countries

In the short, medium, and long term, a sustainable bioeconomy can help address one of the main concerns of most countries concerning the food crisis, particularly in the Latin American and Caribbean contexts, where food security and the bioeconomy are crucial for the region’s development and sustainability. However, to avoid negative impacts on the environment and food production, all sectors of the bioeconomy, especially those related to biofuel production, must be sustainable and environmentally conscious. This study analyses historical correlations between three dependent variables related to basic concepts of food security and independent variables framed by biofuel production through a panel data study in eight Latin American and Caribbean countries between 2007 and 2021. Of the three econometric models analyzed, two are statistically significant. The first shows a positive correlation between biofuel production and the food production index. The third shows a negative correlation between the percentage of undernourished people and biofuel production. In conclusion, according to the historical data evaluated in the countries studied, the impact of biofuel production on the food security variables analyzed is positive. This positive relationship can be interpreted as an opportunity for the region’s countries to generate additional bio-economic income, taking advantage of the region’s potential and providing new opportunities for producers, especially in rural areas.

The dual built-in electric fields across CoS/MoS2 heterojunctions for energy-saving hydrogen production coupled with sulfion degradation

Substituting the sluggish oxygen evolution reaction with the sulfur oxidation reaction can significantly reduce energy consumption and eliminate environmental pollutants during hydrogen generation. However, the progress of this technology has been hindered due to the lack of cost-effective, efficient, and durable electrocatalysts. In this study, we present the design and construction of a hierarchical metal sulfide catalyst with a gradient structure comprising nanoparticles, nanosheets, and microparticles. This was achieved through a structure-breaking sulfuration strategy, resulting in a “ball of yarn”-like core/shell CoS/MoS2 microflower with CoS/MoS2/CoS dual-heterojunctions. The difference in work functions between CoS and MoS2 induces an electron polarization effect, creating dual built-in electric fields at the hierarchical interfaces. This effectively modulates the adsorption behavior of catalytic intermediates, thereby reducing the energy barrier for catalytic reactions. The optimized catalyst exhibits outstanding electrocatalytic performance for both the hydrogen evolution reaction and the sulfur oxidation reaction. Remarkably, in the assembled electrocatalytic coupling system, it only requires a cell voltage of 0.528 V at 10 mA cm−2 and maintains long-term durability for over 168 h. This work presents new opportunities for low-cost hydrogen production and environmentally friendly sulfion recycling.

Analisis Kontribusi PT Intidaya Agrolestari (Inagro) terhadap Lapangan Pekerjaan Penduduk Sekitar sebagai Mekanisme Pertumbuhan Ekonomi dalam Pencapaian Sustainable Development Goals

This study aims to analyze the contribution of PT Intidaya Agrowisata (INAGRO) to employment opportunities for residents around PT Intidaya Agroconservali as a mechanism for economic growth in Bogor Regency in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. This research was conducted by interviewing six workers at INAGRO. The data used includes previous research, current data from relevant sources, books, and various reports related to the topic studied. The interpretive-phenomenological method is the data analysis used in this research. The results of the research state that PT Intidaya Agrowisata (INAGRO) contributes effectively to creating employment opportunities for the villagers around INAGRO which can be useful as a mechanism for economic growth in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. INAGRO provides productive work opportunities for village communities. Every village from the 4 sub-districts around INAGRO, is invited to work at INAGRO in accordance with INAGRO's needs, INAGRO can contribute as a mechanism for economic growth in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (Goal 8), that INAGRO with its context as a tourist spot and place of work for residents is supported by opportunities very productive work.

Garden fruit chafer (Pachnoda sinuata L.) accelerates recycling and bioremediation of animal waste

Bioconversion of livestock wastes using insect larvae represents an emerging and effective strategy for waste management. However, knowledge on the role of the garden fruit chafer (Pachnoda sinuataL.) in waste recycling and influence on the diversity ofmicrobial community infrass fertilizeris limited. Here, we determined whether and to what extent the conversion of cattle dung into insect frass fertilizer byP. sinuatainfluences the frass’ microbial community and its associated antibiotic resistance genes abundance. Pachnoda sinuata larvae were used to valorise cattle dung into frass fertilizer; samples were collected weekly to determine the composition of bacteria and fungi, and antibiotic resistant genes using molecular tools. Results revealed that bioconversion of cattle dung byP. sinuatalarvae significantly increased the richness of beneficial bacteria in the frass fertilizer by 2.5-folds within 28 days, but fungal richness did not vary during the study. Treatment of cattle dung withP. sinuatalarvae caused 2 – 3-folds decrease in the genes conferring resistance to commonly used antibiotics such as aminoglycoside, diaminopyrimidine, multidrug, sulfonamide and tetracycline within 14 days. Furthermore, the recycling cattle dung using considerably reduced the abundance of mobile genetic elements known to play critical roles in the horizontal transfer of antibiotic resistance genes between organisms. This studyhighlights the efficiency ofsaprohytic insects in recycling animal manure and suppressing manure-borne pathogens in the organic fertilizer products, opening new market opportunities for innovative and safe bio-based products and achieving efficient resource utilization in a circular and green economy.

Scope, Opportunity and challenges of Polyester Staple Fiber (PSF) Production in Bangladesh

Polyester Staple Fiber (PSF) is an important synthetic textile fiber used in various industries, including apparel, home furnishings, and industrial textiles. Bangladesh, a developing country with a growing textile industry, has the potential to become a major producer of PSF. This journal manuscript presents an in-depth analysis of the scope, opportunities, and challenges of PSF production in Bangladesh. The scope of PSF production in Bangladesh is vast due to the country's low labor costs and availability of raw materials. Additionally, the government's support for the textile industry through incentives and infrastructure development provides further opportunities for PSF production. However, there are several challenges that need to be addressed, including the high cost of importing machinery and technology, the lack of skilled labor and technical expertise, and the need for investment in research and development. Moreover, environmental concerns related to the production process, such as waste management and energy efficiency, need to be addressed for sustainable development of the PSF industry in Bangladesh. The manuscript presents an overview of the current state of the PSF industry in Bangladesh, including production processes, raw materials, and export markets, as well as an analysis of the industry's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Overall, the manuscript highlights the potential of the PSF industry in Bangladesh for growth and development, provided the challenges are addressed and a strategic approach to the industry's development is taken. The manuscript concludes with recommendations for policymakers, investors, and industry players to promote sustainable and inclusive growth of the PSF industry in Bangladesh.

Pelatihan Teknik Ecoprint Sebagai Alternatif Peluang Usaha

Currently, MSME products continue to grow and develop, in fact some types of products are developing very rapidly in line with market demand trends. The textile industry is one of the contributors to the highest amount of waste or rubbish in the world. One of the wastes produced by the textile industry is liquid waste in the form of residual dyes/synthetic dye liquid from the fabric dyeing process which contains several dangerous chemical substances. As time goes by and technology continues to develop, synthetic dyes for textiles have been discovered. Synthetic dyes produce dangerous waste which can cause environmental pollution, such as contaminating the surrounding soil, sediment and surface water. Ecoprint products do have their own uniqueness and appeal. The application of the eco friendly concept, aka environmentally friendly products and their sustainable nature, is attractive to those who support a sustainable and environmentally friendly lifestyle. If many years ago an environmentally friendly lifestyle was popular abroad, now in Indonesia there are also many similar campaigns. This creates very open business opportunities for ecoprint products, both at home and abroad. Entrepreneurial training, especially in the field of ecoprint business management in the RW 08 area, Krapyak Subdistrict, West Semarang District, is a consideration for the Semarang College of Economics Community Service Team to carry out ecoprint product business management training activities so that it can help entrepreneurs, especially mothers and teenagers who have developed businesses. which he has initiated. Activities are expected to be carried out in a sustainable manner so as to have a positive impact on economic development.

Critical analysis of the impact of artificial intelligence integration with cutting-edge technologies for production systems

AbstractScientific research on emerging technologies underscored the advantages of their implementation within production systems, with a particular focus on artificial intelligence (AI). In particular, the integration of AI with other cutting-edge technologies is a relevant topic which can potentially lead to huge impacts in terms of business performance. Yet, literature on the subject, although rich, is still fragmented, limited to specific cases and applications, but lacking in a comprehensive classification framework. Therefore, using a systematic literature review, this study provides an overview of how the combination of AI and other cutting-edge technologies could potentially improve market and organisational performance in business functions and processes. By classifying the literature of case studies and real-world applications into specific taxonomies, the research considers an indicator, the co-occurrence ratio, highlighting the most significant and emerging combinations between AI and other cutting-edge technologies, also specifying the contexts in which they are used. The study shows that AI is strongly interconnected with other cutting-edge technologies, suggesting a research agenda in which the integration of AI with other emerging technologies is promising within specific production systems contexts, providing benefits and opportunities for companies.

Harnessing the full potential of a global forest-based bioeconomy through non-timber products: Beyond logs, biotechnology, and high-income countries

An increasing number of countries are developing and implementing novel approaches to transition to a forest-based bioeconomy. These innovations present opportunities for rethinking and repositioning the forest sector in many countries, making them more relevant to key contemporary global challenges, including sustainably managing forests for biodiversity conservation, poverty alleviation, and climate change mitigation. This requires expanded scholarship and refocused interventions and policies, moving beyond current associations of bioeconomies with timber, biotechnology, and high-income countries. Harnessing the economic potentials of widely harvested, sustainably sourced, and appropriately processed non-timber products is key to full realization of a forest-based bioeconomy. In this commentary, we draw on recent scholarship to illustrate this potential across a range of countries, products, and experiences. We present evidence that forest products other than wood contribute significantly to local and national economies and contend that obstacles impeding the transition to inclusive forest-based bioeconomies can be overcome. To support development and implementation of a globally oriented functional forest-based bioeconomy, that can be pursued in different ways at the national level, research is needed to support: non-timber product integration into nominal and functional forest law and bioeconomic policies; implementation pathways that vary with priorities, e.g. integrating indigenous knowledge or focused on poverty alleviation; national-level short-listing of priority species; realizing opportunities for non-timber product, process, and functional upgrading; and implementation of standardized data collection procedures at subnational, national, and international levels.

Timber Production Opportunities from Private Native Forests in Southern Queensland

Historically, Queensland’s private native forests have supplied between 40 and 70% of the hardwood resource to the state’s primary processors. Hardwood timber production from state-owned native forests and plantations in Queensland has decreased substantially in recent decades, increasing the hardwood timber industry’s reliance on private native forests. However, timber production opportunities from these forests are poorly understood. This study assessed the future wood supply capacity from private native forests in southern Queensland assuming alternative levels of landowner interest in management for timber production and willingness to invest in silvicultural treatment. Commercial and harvestable private native forests in southern Queensland were classified into six forest types and their spatial distributions were assessed. Potential growth rates for each forest type were estimated based on available literature and expert opinion, and their ability to supply logs to industry with and without silvicultural treatments was projected. Commercial and harvestable private native forests were found to cover an area of approximately 1.9 M ha in southern Queensland, of which spotted gum (693,000 ha) and ironbark (641,500 ha) forest types are most common. The private native forest estate is distributed over 17,665 landholdings (LotPlans), with 17% of these accounting for 66% of the commercial and harvestable resource. Most private native forests have not been actively managed for timber production and are in poor condition. Nevertheless, they presently have the potential to supply between about 150,000 and 250,000 m3 of logs to industry per annum. Silvicultural treatments were found to have the potential to increase the mean annual increment of these forests by a factor of between two and four, indicating substantial opportunities to increase harvestable log volumes in the medium and long-term. Private native forests in southern Queensland could potentially more than compensate for the supply gap left by the declining area of state-owned native forests that are available for timber harvesting. Actual forest management performed and log volumes supplied to market will depend on the forest management decisions of thousands of individual landholders, which are influenced by their heterogeneous management objectives, the policy environment, perceptions of sovereign risk, timber markets and the long payback periods in forestry. An accommodating forest policy environment and landholder willingness to invest in forest management could maintain and potentially increase private hardwood log supply to industry, which would support farm income diversification and regional employment opportunities.

Sustainable Multi-Objective Models for Waste-to-Energy and Waste Separation Site Selection

In the past, the Iranian government has excessively relied on fossil fuels, gas, and oil resources, leading to energy-related issues and increasing power outages in the provinces during peak seasons. One of the best opportunities for energy production in Iran is through the establishment of bio-methane and waste-based energy parks. This research aims to determine the optimal locations for waste sorting centers and the establishment of waste-to-energy plants. The coexistence and interaction of these two facilities will enhance system efficiency. To achieve this goal, two mathematical models, with three objectives, have been designed. The static allocation model assigns each industrial park to a waste sorting center, while the dynamic allocation model selects the shortest route from the industrial park to the waste-to-energy center. The first objective is to minimize establishment costs, while the second and third objectives aim to reduce the system’s waiting costs. Waiting for waste shipments leads to pollution, and the desirability and route length can increase the likelihood of organic pollution. Therefore, this research seeks to minimize these factors. The model results indicate that the sorting and energy production centers have been selected to incur the lowest establishment, transportation, and waiting costs. Additionally, the sensitivity analysis section of the model reveals the impact of coefficient changes on the model’s results.

434 Creating Market Opportunities with Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices

Abstract Supporting producer implementation of climate-smart animal and land-management practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, monitoring and verifying effects of these practices, and developing market opportunities for beef and bison products raised with these practices are essential to addressing climate change. Learn about partnerships among universities, underrepresented and tribal beef and buffalo producers, and other organizations working towards a common goal of sustainability of agriculture for future generations.

PSIII-3 Effects of Milk Replacer Composition on Beef X Dairy Calf Growth and Muscle Fiber Cross-Sectional Area

Abstract Increased availability of female-sexed semen for the generation of replacement heifers within the dairy industry has expanded the opportunity for production of crossbred beef x dairy (BxD) calves. However, data evaluating feeding strategies for BxD calves are limited. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of two different milk replacers on muscle growth of BxD calves compared with dam-reared Angus calves. We hypothesized that both male and female BxD calves fed added fat and protein through milk replacer would have muscle fiber cross-sectional area (CSA) similar to that of purebred Angus calves. SimAngus x Holstein calves (n = 40) were assigned to one of two treatments: a) additional 32.0% crude protein (CP), 30% crude fat (CF) milk replacer (ADD, n = 10 males, 10 females), or b) control 22% CP, 20% CF milk replacer (CON, n = 10 males, 10 females). BxD calves were fed milk replacer 3 times daily from 0 to week 8 of age. BxD calves received starter grain and hay ad libitum at ±3 days of age. Twenty Angus calves (n=10 males, 10 females) were group housed in cow-calf pairs with ad libitum access to maternal milk. Calves were weighed within 24 h of birth. Longissimus muscle biopsies were performed on week 2 and 8. Samples were cryosectioned, stained with wheat germ agglutinin, and analyzed for muscle fiber CSA. Body weight and CSA were analyzed with PROC MIXED of SAS with animal as the subject and fixed effects of treatment, breed, age, sex, and their interactions. Repeated measures analysis was used for CSA. At birth, Angus calves were 24% lighter than BxD (P < 0.0001). Females were 8% lighter than males for both breeds (P ≤ 0.02). At week 2 of age, CSA of ADD BxD calves was 16% smaller than Angus or CON BxD calves (P ≤ 0.07). At week 8 of age, relative to CON, Angus calves had 22% larger CSA (P = 0.02) and ADD BxD calves had 17 % larger CSA (P = 0.07). There was no difference detected in CSA between Angus and ADD calves (P = 0.54). In conclusion, feeding milk replacer with additional CF and CP may increase muscle growth in BxD calves.