Production Resources Research Articles

A COMBINED MANAGEMENT MODEL FOR RESTRUCTURING A REPRODUCTION SYSTEM

This paper considers a management model for a reproduction system with the synchronous change of the technological matrix during its restructuring. Such models can be characterized as models with combined (direct and indirect) control links. In the case of production resource reserves, the processes of changing control parameters and transforming technological links should be simultaneous. Invariants are obtained for the relationship between the volume of inputs and outputs of a multi-sector (diversified) economy. As a result, the formalized representation of the structural management model of a reproduction system is modified, and the linear reproduction model is replaced by a nonlinear one. The results of numerical calculations using this model and the real data of a diversified economy are presented. Based on the results, the obtained model is compared with the original restructuring model of a reproduction system.

Bioethanol production from coconut husk using DES-NADES pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis method

Bioethanol is an alternative fuel produced during biomass fermentation. Among the available biomass resources for bioethanol production, coconut husk is an interesting raw material due to its high cellulose content. This study aims to evaluate the coconut husk conversion into bioethanol using DES (ChCl:MEA) and NADES (Be:La) solvents for the delignification process. The molar ratios of HBA and HBD of the two solvents were varied (1:4, 1:6, 1:8) at 2, 4, 6, and 8 h for each ratio. The delignified samples were hydrolyzed using the 5% (w/w) of cellulase enzymes and fermented for seven days using Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The results showed that DES (ChCl:MEA) and NADES (Be:La) could remove lignin at about 60.53% and 65.81%. The glucose content was obtained at 0.5% (brix) by both solvents and bioethanol content was obtained at 13.9% and 14% (v/v) for DES and NADES, respectively.

Integrating the land–water–climate nexus approach with spatial-based sustainable agriculture production

CONTEXTA policy on agricultural land zoning, based on land suitability maps, has been introduced to optimize the use of resources for crop production in Thailand. However, the impact of activities occurring during cultivation in different land suitability classes has not been considered. A land–water–climate nexus index (LWCNI) has therefore been introduced as a holistic analysis that integrates three indicators––land-use intensity, water-use intensity, and climate change impact in terms of GHG emissions. This can guide resource allocation by highlighting areas that need improvement. OBJECTIVEWe aimed to assess the land–water–climate nexus in different land-suitability classes for sugarcane and cassava in Thailand in order to compare the nexus performances and improve the planning and management of resources for sustainable production. METHODSThe LWCNI was developed and assessed by combining it with geographic information system–based tools for evaluating the nexus performances of sugarcane and cassava cultivation as per the agricultural zoning policies. The scope of the work was “from cradle to farm-gate”, and the final products considered were sugarcane and fresh cassava. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSThe results revealed that sugarcane cultivation in moderate-suitability areas is the most effective, with the best LWCNI score being 0.87, suggesting efficient cultivation practices with a minimal use of land and water resources, and a minimal climate change impact. The three indicators of land-use intensity, water-use intensity, and GHG emissions for sugarcane were estimated at 0.010 ha/t, 108 m3/t, and 6.2 kg carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e)/t, respectively. Cassava cultivation in the high-suitability area was the most efficient, with the best LWCNI score, at 0.95, and using less land, fewer water resources, and having less of a climate change impact. The land-use intensity, water-use intensity, and GHG emissions of cassava were estimated at 0.030 ha/t, 255 m3/t, and 35.7 kgCO2e/t, respectively. Growing crops in marginal and unsuitable areas presented a risk of a high climate change impact as well as competition for water resources due to limited local resources. We found that, even in the same land-suitability class, the amount of fertilizer used by the farmers varied depending on their knowledge, experience, and finances. Excessive fertilizer application increased GHG emissions, which in turn brought about a decrease in the LWCNI score, leading to a poorer nexus performance. SIGNIFICANCEThe findings emphasize the relationship between land and water use and climate change impact across varying spatial contexts. The LWCNI approach offers valuable insights for supporting agricultural zoning policy.

Effect of Gender and Generation on the Adoption of Irrigation and Good Farming Practices in Bontanga and Golinga Irrigation Schemes in Northern Ghana

This study examined the challenges faced by men, women, and different age groups in irrigation water management and farming practices in the Bontanga and Golinga irrigation schemes. The results of the study revealed that there are significant differences in irrigation and farming practices between men and women as well as between older and younger farmers. For men, the main challenges were; limited access to financial resources for investing in modern irrigation technologies and equipment, inadequate knowledge and awareness of sustainable farming practices and water management insufficient government support, and lack of policies tailored to their specific needs. For women, these were gender inequalities and limited access to land, water, and productive resources, lack of control and decision-making power over irrigation water allocation, and limited access to training and extension services to enhance their farming skills. Youth recognized limited interest and involvement in agriculture due to the perception of low profitability and lack of modernization, inadequate access to education and training opportunities in agricultural practices and water management, and insufficient support and mentorship programs to encourage youth participation in farming.

Evaluation of food-water-energy sustainable development in China’s western frontiers during 2010–2021

ABSTRACT Food, water, and energy (FWE) are foundational resources that sustain human well-being and societal advancement. The examination of climate change effects on FWE resources is imperative, particularly in regions abundant in natural resources but ecologically fragile. In this context, we investigated the spatiotemporal changes of FWE resources in China’s western frontiers, where both resource wealth and climate vulnerability are critical. This study proposes an innovative approach to comprehensively analyze the dynamics of food production, surface water, and solar energy from 2010 to 2021 by integrating easily accessible and widely applicable variables, and utilizing remote sensing and statistical data within a sustainable development framework. The results show that: (1) both crop yield and cropland area display an upward trend; (2) the expansion of overall surface water area in Xinjiang is mainly driven by changes in precipitation and temperature, while in Xizang, such a relationship is not evident; (3) Xinjiang and Xizang have advantages in solar photovoltaic (PV) development due to their abundant solar resources. Our results suggest that such spatiotemporal dynamics in food production, surface water and solar energy resources can intuitively reflect the sustainable development status of FWE resources in China’s western frontiers.

Enhanced methane production from waste activated sludge by potassium ferrate combined with thermal hydrolysis pretreatment.

Anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge (WAS) was one of the directions of sludge treatment, but how to effectively improve the production of methane as a resource product of anaerobic digestion of sludge still needs further research. The study examined how the combination of potassium ferrate (PF) and thermal hydrolysis (TH) pretreatment affected methane production from sludge. The results demonstrated a positive synergistic effect on methane production with PF-TH pretreatment. Specifically, by employing a 0.05 g/g TSS (total suspended solids) PF in conjunction with TH at 80 °C for 30 min, the methane yield increased from 170.66 ± 0.92 to 232.73 ± 2.21 mL/g VSS (volatile suspended solids). The co-pretreatment of PF and TH has been substantiated by mechanism studies to effectively enhance the disintegration and biodegradability of sludge. Additionally, the variation of microbial community revealed an enrichment of active microorganisms associated with anaerobic digestion after treated with PF + TH, resulting in a total abundance increase from 11.87 to 20.45% in the PF + TH group.

Clean, competitive, and productive? The impact of environment‐friendly technologies on exporting and productivity of the manufacturing companies in Belarus

AbstractThe impact of trade on the environment is a big concern, with increasing focus on the role of international trade in climate change. This study explores the bidirectional relationships between export intensity, adoption of environmentally friendly measures, and productivity using the firm‐level data from Belarus. It aims to answer whether exporting enterprises are more environmentally oriented and whether the application of cleaner technologies brings productivity improvement and increases the export intensity of an enterprise. We estimate a system of structural equations using three‐stage least squares in which export intensity, adoption of environmentally friendly measures, and productivity are by design treated as endogenous. The findings show that when a company adopts one more environmentally friendly measure, it increases its export intensity by 4.4%–4.6%. Adoption of cleaner technologies improves labor productivity in a company by 20.7%, but it is negatively associated with its resource productivity (a 1.9% decrease), which results in the neutral effect on the total productivity.

Multi-criteria Model for Production Plan Management of a Machine-building Enterprise

The concept of developing an intelligent system to manage the planning of a manufacturing enterprise, and a description of the functionality and modules of the information system are given. In general, operational planning is a complex task of optimizing the construction of a production plan, which includes several criteria and faces various limitations. Multi-criteria is associated with the need for order fulfillment priority in accordance with the law, and the non-linearity of the task is due to technological limitations of production. One of the criteria is to maximize the fulfillment of contractual obligations to supply products to customers. Another criterion is to maximize profits from the sale of the entire range of manufactured products. The limitations in this task are the storage capacity, availability of raw materials and components, the time of operations, the workload of equipment and the priority of orders. Two approaches to solve the optimization problem of managing the production plan are considered, and block diagrams of the implementation of the proposed algorithms are provided. In the first approach, the initial problem is reduced to a combination of linear programming problems, for which the simplex method or the Gomori method are used in practice. A more effective approach to solving this extreme problem is the use of a genetic algorithm and its modifications. The scientific novelty of the conducted research lies in the systematic application of mathematical and computer modeling methods to build an optimal operational production plan. The experience of practical implementation of software systems confirms that intelligent production plan management systems are able to increase the efficiency of enterprise business proce sses, allowing organizations to plan production and allocate resources in market conditions optimally.

Simulating Climatic Patterns and Their Impacts on the Food Security Stability System in Jammu, Kashmir and Adjoining Regions, India

This study investigated the historical climate data and future projections under the SSP5-8.5 scenario for Jammu, Kashmir (J&K), and its adjoining regions in India. Agriculture is a critical economic pillar of this region, making it highly vulnerable to climate change. This study focused on temperature and precipitation trends. Statistical analysis and modeling methods, including cloud computing, were employed to predict changes and assess their impact on agricultural productivity and water resources. The results indicated that by 2100, the mean maximum and minimum temperatures are projected to increase by approximately 2.90 °C and 2.86 °C, respectively. Precipitation variability is expected to rise, with a mean increase of 2.64 × 10−6 mm per day. These changes have significant consequences for crop yield, water stress, and ecosystem dynamics. An analysis of Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) as a proxy for agricultural productivity using linear regression revealed a concerning trend. Although the total GPP of the study area remained stable over time, it declined by −570 g yr−1 in 2010, coinciding with a 1 °C temperature rise. Projections based on the expected 3 °C temperature increase by 2100 suggest a total GPP loss of −2500 g yr−1. These findings highlight the urgent need for proactive adaptation measures, including sustainable agricultural practices, improved water management, and enhanced socioeconomic infrastructure, to mitigate the impact of climate change and ensure long-term resilience and food security in the region.

Optimizing Ketchup Manufacturing Process: A Tecnomatix Simulation for Reduced Waiting Time and Improve Operational Efficiency

This research investigates the optimization of a ketchup production factory layout using Tecnomatix Plant Simulation software to enhance resource utilization and production efficiency. Both push and pull system were used to analyzed the entire ketchup production process, from receiving raw tomatoes to the final product storage, incorporating various processing stations with different processing times. In a push environment, driven by predetermined schedules, the simulation results showed an increasing trend in throughput over 4, 7, 11, and 14 days, with significant efficiency gains over time. In a pull environment, driven by actual customer demand, throughput simulations of 50, 100, 200, and 500 units demonstrated increasing productivity with higher workloads. The findings highlight the importance of optimized workstation layouts to reduce idle time and improve workflow, emphasizing that while push environments maintain consistent productivity, pull environments offer greater efficiency through flexibility and responsiveness to demand.

The gendered nature of household decision making and expenditure choices in the context of smallholder agricultural commercialization in Malawi

BackgroundThe push towards commercialization is driven by the modernization paradigm which argues that traditional subsistence farming is backward and primitive. Despite commercialization having the potential to enhance people’s livelihoods, it can also bring unfathomable social differentiation and widen inequalities in communities. This paper investigates the gendered decision-making and expenditure choices of smallholder households in the context of agricultural commercialization in Central Malawi.MethodsThe analysis is performed by employing sequential mixed methods of quantitative and qualitative data collection, consisting of 28 focus group discussions, 100 life histories, and 519 surveys. Qualitative data were analysed using thematic content analysis while quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and various regression estimations.ResultsThe results show that many men heads make decisions on cultivated plots and control realized income. The results further show that there are no differences between households headed by women and those headed by men in pursuit of markets. Women’s participation in markets is limited by lack of means of production. Men are getting more involved in crops that were dominated by women such as groundnuts. Women plot managers engaged more with markets, but their control of realized income was less associated with reinvesting in crop commercialization which is also reflected in their expenditure choices. When they control income, women spend relatively less than men on both productive and households assets. In households headed by men, the men dominate selling of produce, decisions on the control over resources, income, and expenditure choices, which results in deepening gender inequalities.ConclusionsDifferences exist in expenditure choices between women and men which points to differing priorities and disparities in access to productive resources. Men dominate decision-making which is preferred by some women to maintain intrahousehold harmony. There is need to create targeted programs for diverse groups of women through participatory approaches to address strategic needs. Women unable to farm due to lack of means of production need social protection programs. Women without decision-making power require empowerment initiatives and gender dialogue sessions to foster joint household activities. Commercial based interventions should go beyond mere targeting of women and men but embed equality interventions to avoid deepening social inequalities.

A comprehensive review of current progress in biofuel production using marine algae biomass

The world's fossil fuel resources are rapidly depleting as the global population grows and energy demands rise. Current fossil fuel supplies are insufficient to meet rising demand and are nearing depletion. Careless exploitation of fossil fuels increases greenhouse gas emissions, environmental pollution, and global warming, resulting in ecological imbalances and health risks. Consequently, contamination, rising temperatures, and high oil costs have fueled the search for renewable and alternative energy sources. This study seeks to explore renewable energy alternatives that are critical to meeting future global energy demands. Marine algae such as red algae, green algae, and brown algae are gaining popularity as economically viable and environmentally friendly sources of renewable biofuel. Several studies are currently underway to assess the ability of marine algae to produce a variety of bioproducts, including biofuels. Macroalgae, in particular, emerges as an ideal resource for biofuel production due to their lipid and carbohydrate content, coupled with low or absent lignin content. The article investigates the potential of marine algal species to promote biofuel production and discusses novel methods for improving biofuel yields. It also emphasizes the economic factors and challenges associated with sustainable biofuel production.

Call of duty: rethinking the relationship between economics and ethics in teaching – walking in the footsteps of Albion Small

This paper argues that economics education needs to be underpinned by a new ‘system of ethics’ whose goal is to help students achieve a better understanding of today’s global challenges. Given the absence of a single universal truth in ethical matters, this ‘system of ethics’ combines Weber’s ‘ethics of conviction’ and ‘ethics of responsibility’ in a way that aims to instill in students ‘attitudes’ in reference to global ends and social values as advocated by Albion W. Small. An ethical approach to economics education forces us to consider relations of power in economic activities and, for that reason, to recognise that the production and distribution of economic resources is a matter of justice. It forces us to consider the question of what kind of society we want and how we can improve the common good. This new ‘system of ethics’ to be promoted in economics curricula requires economics professors to answer a ‘call of duty’ which should be reflected by their teaching methodology and course contents. I use courses dealing with money and finance as an example to showcase this new ‘system of ethics’.

Wetland Distribution Prediction Based on CA–Markov Model under Current Land Use and Protection Policy in Sanjiang Plain

The conflict between grain production and wetland resource protection in plain wetland is prominent. Understanding the future impacts of current land use policies on wetlands is the key to rationally evaluating and adjusting these policies. Therefore, the objective of the research was to predict the potential distribution of Sanjiang plain wetland under the current land use and protection policy using remote sensing images and CA Markov models. Methodologically, Landsat TM remote sensing images of the Sanjiang Plain (2010–2020) were used to extract wetland distribution based on object-oriented methods, and the characteristics and patterns of wetland change caused by the land use and protection policies during this period were analyzed. A CA–Markov model was used to predict the potential distribution of Sanjiang Plain wetland in 2030, 2040, 2050, and 2060. Then, we summarized the advantages and disadvantages of current land use policies and put forward adjustment measures. The results indicate that during 2010 and 2020, the wetland area of Sanjiang Plain decreased by 22.34%. The conversion ratio of wetland to non-wetland type (mainly farmland) in the first half and the second half of the decade was 46.41% and 15.31%, respectively, and the decrease in wetland showed an obvious slowing trend. The spatial distribution prediction in future showed that the wetland area will continue to decline in 2030, and the decline will basically stop in 2040. Finally, the proportion of wetland area will remain at 8.68% of the total area of Sanjiang Plain, with that of some counties and cities less than 5%. It is concluded that, although the current land use policies in Sanjiang Plain can effectively slow down the wetland area shrinking and stabilize the spatial pattern, a very low proportion of wetland area in some areas will make it difficult for the wetland ecosystem to exert ecological functions and ensure regional ecological security. The wetland conservation managers should adjust the current land use policies according to relevant requirements of farmland protection policies and restore the areal proportion and spatial pattern of wetland in order to help with regional sustainable development.

Nitrogen reduction by 20 % with green manure retention reduces soil evaporation, promotes maize transpiration and improves water productivity in arid areas

ContextThe contradiction between high agricultural yields and water resource shortages is becoming increasingly serious. Reducing nitrogen appropriately with green manure retention can ensure high agricultural yields, but it remains unclear whether it can optimize crop water consumption characteristics and improve water productivity (WPc). ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the effect of green manure retention combined with nitrogen reduction on water use characteristics of maize and its potential mechanisms. MethodsA field experiment was conducted at Wuwei Oasis Agricultural Experimental Station in China from 2020 to 2022, with five treatments: (i) traditional nitrogen application with green manure retention (N100), (ii) nitrogen reduction by 10 % with green manure retention (N90), (iii) nitrogen reduction by 20 % with green manure retention (N80), (iv) nitrogen reduction by 30 % with green manure retention (N70), and (v) nitrogen reduction by 40 % with green manure retention (N60). ResultsThe results showed that compared with the N100 treatment, 0−50 cm maize root biomass (RB), biomass accumulation (BA), and canopy cover (CC) were not significantly reduced in the N80 treatment. This model ensured a stable grain yield (GY) and improved 0−50 cm soil water storage (SWS) by 7.1−13.1 %. It effectively suppressed soil evaporation (E), promoted maize transpiration (T), reduced maize evapotranspiration (ET) by 4.8 %, and increased WPc by 1.8−26.6 %. Structural equation modeling (SEM) suggests that RB was the most important factor for improving WPc. In addition, this system ensures that economic benefits did not decrease. ConclusionIt can be seen that nitrogen reduction by 20 % with green manure retention is a reasonable nitrogen fertilizer management system to alleviate the contradiction between high maize yield and water resource shortages in the region. ImplicationsThe results of this study provide valuable insights into alleviating the contradiction between agricultural production and regional water resource scarcity.

Identification and functional characterization of candidate genes involved in biosynthesis of ginsenoside Rg_1

Panax ginseng is a perennial herb with the main active compounds of ginsenosides. Among the reported ginsenosides, ginsenoside Rg_1 not only has a wide range of medicinal functions and abundant content but also is one of the major ginsenoside for the quality evaluation of this herb in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. The main biosynthesis pathway of ginsenoside Rg_1 in P. ginseng has been clarified, which lays a foundation for the comprehensive and in-depth analysis of the biosynthesis and regulatory mechanism of ginseno-side Rg_1. However, the biosynthesis of ginsenoside Rg_1 is associated with other complex processes involving a variety of regulatory genes and catalyzing enzyme genes, which remain to be studied comprehensively. With the transcriptome data of 344 root samples from 4-year-old P. ginseng plants and their corresponding ginsenoside Rg_1 content obtained in the previous study, this study screened out 217 differentially expressed genes(DEGs) with Rg_1 content changes by DEseq2 analysis in R language. Furthermore, the weighted gene co-expression network analysis(WGCNA) revealed 40 hub genes among the DEGs.Pearsoncorrelation analysis was further perforned to yield 20 candidate genes significantly correlated with ginsenoside Rg_1 content, and these genes were annotated to multiple metabolic processes including primary metabolism and secondary metabolism. Finally, the treatment of P. ginseng adventitious roots with methyl jasmonate indicated that 16 of these genes promoted the biosynthesis of ginsenoside Rg_1 in response to methyl jasmonate induction. Finally, one of the 16 genes was randomly selected to verify the function of the gene by genetic transformation and qRT-PCR and to confirm the rationality of the methodology of this study. The above results lay a foundation for studying the mechanism for regulation on the synthesis of ginsenoside Rg_1 and provide genetic resources for the industrial production of ginsenoside Rg_1.

Fuzzy Logic Controller-based Intelligent Irrigation System Using Solar Radiation Data

Solar radiation is a critical factor influencing agricultural productivity and water resource management. Irrigation systems play a pivotal role in maintaining crop health and yield, and optimizing their operation requires accurate solar radiation data. This abstract explores the significance of solar radiation data in enhancing the efficiency of irrigation systems. Irrigating agricultural fields using an intelligent information system plays a crucial role. This study introduces an irrigation control system employing closed-loop control to use the available water resources efficiently. Continuous data collection from field sensors was done and transmitted to a central station in wireless mode. The data was then retrieved and processed in a computer-based or microcontroller-based solution model, enhancing system autonomy, reliability, and cost-effectiveness. Weather conditions are translated into fuzzy set values. The pump, water outlet valves, and sprinklers are set into motion according to control commands. This research simplifies the need for manual labor and reduces water wastage.

Extension Mechanism of Water-Conducting Cracks in the Thick and Hard Overlying Strata of Coal Mining Face

It is of great significance for coal safety production and water resource protection in the Yuheng mining area to master the evolution law of water-conducting fractures under the condition of thick and hard overburden. This research focuses on the 2102 fully mechanized mining face in the Balasu Coal Mine as the research background. The fracture evolution and strata movement characteristics in thick and hard overlying strata are simulated and analyzed by combining numerical simulation with physical simulation, and the formation mechanism of a water-conducting fracture in the overlying strata is revealed and verified by field measurements of the development height of “two zones”. The results show that the anisotropy of fracture propagation in low-position overlying strata is high, and the fracture propagation in high-position overlying strata is mainly vertical, which indicates characteristics of leapfrog development. The number and development height of fractures undergo the change–growth process of “slow–rapid–uniform”. Multiple rock strata together form a complex force chain network with multiple strong chain arches. The local stress concentration leads to the initiation of micro-cracks in contact fractures, and the cracks gradually penetrate from bottom to top and then the strong chain arches are broken. The water-conducting cracks in overlying strata show a dynamic expansion process of “local micro-cracks–jumping cracks–through cracks–water-conducting cracks”. The fracture between the caving zone and fracture zone presents obvious layered characteristics, the overall shape of the water-conducting fracture zone is “saddle-shaped”, and the maximum development height lags behind the coal mining face by about 180 m. Through the observation of water injection leakage and borehole TV observation of three boreholes under underground construction, combined with the results of water pressure tests, it is comprehensively determined that the height of the water-conducting fracture zone is 103.68~107.58, and the fracture–production ratio is 31.42~32.60, which is basically consistent with the results of numerical simulation and physical simulation. This research provides theoretical guidance and a scientific basis for coal mine water disaster prevention under similar geological conditions.

An efficient two-stage optimization algorithm for a flexible job shop scheduling problem with worker shift arrangement

Due to the involvement of workers, scheduling production jobs necessitates consideration of worker shifts in most production activities. In this study, we address a flexible job shop scheduling problem with worker shift arrangement, considering constraints such as job priority, limited resources, and resource unavailability. To minimize the overdue days of low-priority jobs and ensure the timely delivery of high-priority jobs, we establish a mixed-integer programming model to allocate production resources, process sequencing, and schedule worker shifts. An improved differential evolution algorithm is proposed and designed such that overdue days and worker overtime of all jobs are calculated. Furthermore, we develop a two-stage intelligent optimization algorithm. First, we design a two-segment chromosome encoding and decoding method. Then, we propose generation strategies that follow the urgency of the priority rule to generate high-quality initial chromosomes. In adaptive worker shift adjustment, we prioritize high-priority jobs to align with delivery times. We conducted experiments to validate our model and algorithm by comparing them against four well-known intelligent optimization algorithms. Our improved algorithm proves to be highly beneficial in job and worker scheduling as it effectively minimizes overdue days and arranges worker overtime.

A Survey on Human Resource Productivity from the Perspective of Healthcare Employees in Gorgan City Based on the Achieve Model

A Survey on Human Resource Productivity from the Perspective of Healthcare Employees in Gorgan City Based on the Achieve Model