Standard Production Research Articles

Entropy Production and Filling Time in Hydrogen Refueling Stations: An Economic Assessment.

A multi-objective optimization is performed to obtain fueling conditions in hydrogen stations leading to improved filling times and thermodynamic efficiency (entropy production) of the de facto standard of operation, which is defined by the protocol SAE J2601. After finding the Pareto frontier between filling time and total entropy production, it was found that SAE J2601 is suboptimal in terms of these process variables. Specifically, reductions of filling time from 47 to 77% are possible in the analyzed range of ambient temperatures (from 10 to 40 °C) with higher saving potential the hotter the weather conditions. Maximum entropy production savings with respect to SAE J2601 (7% for 10 °C, 1% for 40 °C) demand a longer filling time that increases with ambient temperature (264% for 10 °C, 350% for 40 °C). Considering average electricity prices in California, USA, the operating cost of the filling process can be reduced between 8 and 28% without increasing the expected filling time.

How does a superior quality sign guarantee the quality of lamb meat? The Label Rouge case

Owing to the social, environmental and health changes in Europe, meat quality is becoming a critical issue for the long-term future of livestock farming. Label Rouge (LR) is a quality label owned by the French government that identifies food products produced inside or outside the European Union. This label guarantees the superior quality of a product compared with a standard product. This superior quality is guaranteed throughout the production process by specifications negotiated between the Institut National de l’Origine et de la Qualité (INAO) and operators in the sector. These specifications comprise two documents: first, common production conditions that apply to all specifications in a sector, and second, a book of specifications (BoSs). These two documents, which form the qualification mechanism, are divided into several parts: product name, product description, traceability, production method, labelling and the main control points. This study aims to understand how the LR defines lamb meat quality in the 11 existing BoSs using the seven dimensions of quality of animal-source foods (nutritional, sensory, commercial, technological, safety, convenience and image). We performed a computerised qualitative transversal analysis of the commitments associated with the production method and description of the product. This analysis was enriched by five semi-structured interviews with INAO members. We show that although LR is committed to all aspects of lamb meat quality, the sensory, image and carcass commercial quality attributes are predominant. However, the image attribute of quality is so ubiquitous that it required refinement to provide a better understanding of the construction of quality in terms of its environmental, ethical and cultural components.

Egg Drop Syndrome 76 in a U.S. Broiler Breeder Flock.

A four-house broiler breeder farm of approximately 35-wk-old hens was diagnosed with egg drop syndrome (EDS'76) utilizing PCR and hemagglutination inhibition (HI) testing. Based on communication with local practitioners, the geographic area near where this flock was located had numerous EDS'76 cases in table egg layers at the time of diagnosis. An egg production drop was seen in the broiler breeder flock over a 7-day period, which prompted an investigation. During this investigation, a significant number of shell-less, wrinkled, and pale eggs were noted, but no increases in mortality or respiratory signs were observed. The disease and subsequent production drops spread horizontally across the farm over a 5-wk period. Production returned to approximately the breed standard egg production 4 wk after initial egg production drop. However, hatching egg utilization continued to be reduced for another 2 wk because of the number of thin-shelled eggs. A similar pattern of drop in egg production and subsequent return was observed in the other houses. No significant lesions were noted in the tissues submitted for histopathology. Differential diagnoses that could cause shell abnormalities and egg production drops were ruled out by submitting appropriate samples for diagnostic investigation. Egg drop syndrome 76 PCR was performed on shell-less eggs and EDS'76 was detected by PCR at two separate laboratories. Subsequently, serum was submitted for HI and positive results were found in each house as they showed egg production drop concurrent with shell abnormalities. At the time the flocks returned to breed standard production, EDS'76 titers were consistent with a uniformly exposed and seroconverted flock. The authors suspect that immunosuppression as pullets played a role in this flock being impacted by EDS. No other farms in the company's system were observed with production drops or shell abnormalities similar to this case.

On fraud and certification of green production

AbstractWe present a novel model of fraud and certification in green production. We focus on settings where firms decide between a green or a standard version of a product together with an advertising strategy that can include fraud. In addition, green firms can choose to certify their production to guarantee the truthfulness of their claims. This results in four production‐advertising possibilities (standard, genuine green, fraudulent green, and certified green), by which we provide new insights about the prevalence of fraud and certification. We characterize the perfect Bayesian equilibrium of the resulting game for given green production costs, certification costs, and consumers' willingness to pay for standard production, and we perform comparative statics for the main parameters of the resulting game. We find that changes in certification and green production costs affect consumers' beliefs differently, whereby increases in certification and decreases in green production costs can broaden the likelihood of fraud. These novel results are robust to different market structures and question the general desirability of public subsidies for promoting green production without accompanying certification.

Multidisciplinary advances in kombucha fermentation, health efficacy, and market evolution.

Kombucha, a fermented tea beverage, has seen a significant rise in global popularity. This increase is attributed to its reported health benefits and extensive cultural heritage. The comprehensive review examines kombucha through microbiology, biochemistry, and health sciences, highlighting its therapeutic potential and commercial viability. Central to kombucha production is the symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeasts (SCOBY), which regulates a complex fermentation process, resulting in a bioactive-rich elixir. The study examines the microbial dynamics of SCOBY, emphasizing the roles of various microorganisms. It focuses the contributions of acetic acid bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, and osmophilic yeasts, including genera such as Saccharomyces, Schizosaccharomyces, Zygosaccharomyces, Brettanomyces/Dekkera, and Pichia. These microorganisms play crucial roles in producing bioactive compounds, including organic acids, polyphenols, and vitamins. These bioactive compounds confer therapeutic properties to kombucha. These properties include antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, cancer prevention, hepatoprotective, and detoxifying effects. The review also explores the growing market for kombucha, driven by consumer demand for functional beverages and opportunities for innovative product development. It emphasizes the necessity of standardized production to ensure safety and validate health claims. Identifying research gaps, the review highlights the importance of clinical trials to verify therapeutic benefits. Ultimately, this study integrates traditional knowledge with scientific research, providing directions for future studies and commercial expansion, emphasizing the role of kombucha in health and wellness.

Orbit design for a future geodetic satellite and gravity field recovery

Spherical geodetic satellites tracked by satellite laser ranging (SLR) stations provide indispensable scientific products that cannot be replaced by other sources. For studying the time-variable gravity field, two low-degree coefficients C20 and C30 derived from GRACE and GRACE Follow-On missions are replaced by the values derived from SLR tracking of geodetic satellites, such as LAGEOS-1/2, LARES-1/2, Starlette, Stella, and Ajisai. The subset of these satellites is used to derive the geocenter motion which is fundamental in the realization of the origin of the terrestrial reference frames. LAGEOS satellites provide the most accurate standard gravitational product GM of the Earth. In this study, we use the Kaula theorem of gravitational perturbations to find the best possible satellite height, inclination, and eccentricity for a future geodetic satellite to maximize orbit sensitivity in terms of the recovery of low-degree gravity field coefficients, geocenter, and GM. We also derive the common station-satellite visibility-coverability coefficient as a function of the inclination angle and satellite height. We found that the best inclination for a future geodetic satellite is 35°–45° or 135°–145° with a height of about 1500–1700 km to support future GRACE/MAGIC missions with C20 and C30. For a better geocenter recovery and derivation of the standard gravitational product, the preferable height is 2300–3500 km. Unfortunately, none of the existing geodetic satellites has the optimum height and inclination angle for deriving GM, geocenter, and C20 because there are no spherical geodetic satellites at the heights between 1500 (Ajisai and LARES-1) and 5800 km (LAGEOS-1/2, LARES-2).

Standardized Production of Anti-Desmoglein 3 Antibody AK23 for Translational Pemphigus Vulgaris Research.

Antibody-mediated receptor activation is successfully used to develop medical treatments. If the activation induces a pathological response, such antibodies are also excellent tools for defining molecular mechanisms of target receptor malfunction and designing rescue therapies. Prominent examples are naturally occurring autoantibodies inducing the severe blistering disease pemphigus vulgaris (PV). In the great majority of patients, the antibodies bind to the adhesion receptor desmoglein 3 (Dsg3) and interfere with cell signaling to provoke severe blistering in the mucous membranes and/or skin. The identification of a comprehensive causative signaling network downstream of antibody-targeted Dsg3 receptors (e.g., shown by pharmacological activators or inhibitors) is currently being discussed as a basis to develop urgently needed first-line treatments for PV patients. Although polyclonal PV IgG antibodies have been used as proof of principle for pathological signal activation, monospecific anti-Dsg3 antibodies are necessary and have been developed to identify pathological Dsg3 receptor-mediated signal transduction. The experimental monospecific PV antibody AK23, produced from hybridoma cells, was extensively tested in our laboratory in both in vitro and in vivo models for PV and proved to recapitulate the clinicopathological features of PV when generated using the standardized production and purification protocols described herein. © 2024 The Author(s). Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Bovine IgG stripping from FBS and quality control Basic Protocol 2: AK23 hybridoma expansion and IgG production Basic Protocol 3: AK23 IgG purification Basic Protocol 4: AK23 IgG quality control Support Protocol 1: Detection of endotoxin levels Support Protocol 2: Detection and removal of mycoplasma.

Application of ion chromatographic fingerprint analysis for quality evaluation of tobacco flavors

Tobacco flavor, an important tobacco additive, is an essential raw material in cigarette production that can effectively improve the quality of tobacco products, add aroma and taste, and increase the suction flavor. The quality consistency of tobacco flavors affects the quality stability of branded cigarettes. Therefore, the quality control of tobacco flavors is a major concern for cigarette and flavor manufacturers. Physical and chemical indices, odor similarity, and sensory efficacy are employed to evaluate the quality of tobacco flavors, and the analysis of chemical components in tobacco flavors is usually conducted using gas chromatography (GC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). However, because the composition of tobacco flavors is complex, their quality cannot be fully reflected using a single component or combination of components. Therefore, establishing an objective analytical method for the quality control of tobacco flavors is of extreme importance. Chromatographic fingerprint analysis is routinely used for the discriminative analysis of tobacco flavors. Chromatographic fingerprints refer to the general characteristics of the concentration profiles of different chemical compounds. In the daily procurement process, fingerprints established by GC and HPLC are effective for the evaluation and identification of tobacco flavors. However, given continuous improvements in aroma-imitation technology, some flavors with high similarity cannot be directly distinguished using existing methods. In this study, a method for the determination of organic acids and inorganic anions in tobacco flavors based on ion chromatography (IC) was developed to ensure the quality consistency of tobacco flavors. A 1.0 g sample of tobacco flavors and 10 mL of deionized water were mixed and vibrated for 30 min. The aqueous sample solution was passed through a 0.45 μm membrane filter and RP pretreatment column in succession to eliminate interferences and then subjected to IC. Standard solutions containing nine organic acids and seven inorganic anions were used to identify the anions in the tobacco flavors, and satisfactory reproducibility was obtained. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) for retention times and peak areas were <0.71% and <6.02%, respectively. The chromatographic fingerprints of four types of tobacco flavors (samples A-D) from five different batches were obtained. Nine tobacco flavor samples from different manufacturers (samples AY1-AY3, BY1-BY2, CY1-CY2, DY1-DY2) were also analyzed to obtain their chromatographic fingerprints. Hierarchical cluster and similarity analyses were used to evaluate the quality of tobacco flavors from different manufacturers. Hierarchical clustering refers to the process of subdividing a group of samples into clusters that exhibit a high degree of intracluster similarity and intercluster dissimilarity. The dendrograms obtained using SPSS 12.0 indicated good quality consistency among the samples in different batches. Samples AY3, BY2, CY2, and DY1 clustered with the batches of standard tobacco flavors. Therefore, hierarchical cluster analysis can effectively distinguish the quality of products from different manufacturers. The Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of Traditional Chinese Medicine (version 2.0) was used to evaluate the similarity between the standard tobacco flavors and products from different manufacturers. Among the samples analyzed, samples AY3, BY2, CY2, and DY1 showed the highest similarity values (>97.7%), which was consistent with the results of the hierarchical cluster analysis. This finding indicates that IC combined with chromatographic fingerprint analysis could accurately determine the quality of tobacco flavors. GC combined with ultrasonic-assisted liquid-liquid extraction was also used to analyze the tobacco flavors and verify the accuracy of the proposed method. Compared with GC coupled with ultrasonic-assisted liquid-liquid extraction, IC demonstrated more significant quality differences among certain tobacco flavors.

Equilibrium Yield Curves with Imperfect Information

I study the dynamics of default-free bond yields and term premia using a novel equilibrium term structure model with a New-Keynesian core and imperfect information about productivity. Imperfect information can justify a shock to signals about productivity that does not lead to actual changes in productivity, which can be interpreted as a demand shock. When incorporated in a DSGE term structure model with a standard productivity shock, this demand shock generates term premia that are on average higher, with sizable countercyclical variation that arises endogenously. The model helps reconcile the empirical evidence that term premia have been on average positive and countercyclical, with numerous studies pointing to demand shocks as a key driver of business cycles over the last few decades.

On Inner Products Derived from the Standard n-Inner Product on an Inner Product Space

In this paper, we study relations between inner products derived from the standard n-inner product defined on an inner product space. In particular, we are interested in knowing when orthogonality with respect to the original inner product is preserved by the derived inner product.

A global comparative analysis of guidelines for herbal medicines Pharmacopoeia and Good Manufacturing Practice, with a case study of Panax ginseng C.A Meyer

IntroductionThe use of herbal medicines is widespread, and ensuring their quality control, as guaranteed by pharmacopoeia and Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) guidelines, has garnered significant attention. Discrepancies in quality standards across different regulatory agencies challenge the global marketing of herbal medicines and hinder public access to these products. Therefore, this research aims to compare pharmacopeia on Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer (P. ginseng) and GMP guidelines for herbal medicines to provide an evidence-based understanding of quality control standards. MethodsDefinitions of herbal medicines across regulatory authorities, including the World Health Organization (WHO), Pharmaceutical Inspection Co-operation Scheme (PIC/S), European Union (EU), China, Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam, were collected. Additionally, pharmacopeial standards on Panax ginseng case study were analysed, focusing on aspects such as origin, identification, testing methods, extractives, assay, purity, and drug information. The study also compared GMP requirements for herbal medicines, which included personnel, premises and equipment, documentation, production, quality control, contract manufacturing and analysis, complaints and product recall, and self-inspection. ResultsDefinitions of herbal medicines are similar among the WHO, PIC/S, and the EU, while distinct definitions based on scientific evidence and traditional practices were presented in China, Japan, South Korea, and Vietnam. Pharmacopeia standards varied across regulatory agencies, as evidenced by the P. ginseng case study. However, testing methods closely resembled each other between China and Vietnam, as well as between Japan and South Korea. Among pharmacopoeias, the WHO monographs offered the most comprehensive drug information on P. ginseng. In contrast, the European Pharmacopoeia lists such details separately in a P. ginseng assessment report. Regarding GMP requirements, although examined components varied among regulatory agencies, significant resemblances exist between the GMP guidelines of PIC/S, the EU, and South Korea, and between those of the WHO and Vietnam. ConclusionsDisparities in quality standards across jurisdictions highlight the necessity for international collaboration to achieve harmonization. Harmonizing these standards aims to promote the global availability of standardized herbal medicinal products, benefiting public health.

Innovative demountable steel-timber composite (STC) beams: Experimental full-scale bending tests

This study introduces an innovative demountable steel-timber composite (STC) flooring system with potential for reuse. The flooring system consists of downstanding hot-rolled I-shaped steel profiles and laminated veneer lumber (LVL) slabs connected to the steel beams with novel shear connectors. This STC flooring system aimed at reducing embodied carbon and optimizing the use of resources, offer an alternative to traditional, carbon-intensive flooring systems. The novel shear connections implemented in the STC beams facilitate demountability, adaptability, reconfiguration, and relocation of structural components, aligning with circular economy principles. Moreover, this flooring system exhibits significant promise for modularization, standardization, and off-site serial production, making it ideal for prefabrication in standard sizes and modules. Two full-scale STC beams, each with a span of 10 m, an LVL slab width of 2.51 m and thickness of 144 mm connected to a steel profile IPE 400, were simply supported and tested in six-point bending to assess their flexural response. The two tested beams were identical in terms of geometry, materials, and shear connection distribution, but differed in the type of shear connection implemented. This contribution outlines the details of the innovative flooring system and the novel connections that enable demountability and reusability of the components. Specifics of the two STC beam specimens, their assembly, the test setup, the instrumentation, and the testing procedure are presented. The results of the two full-scale bending tests demonstrate their significant load-bearing and deformation capabilities as well as potential for reuse. Additionally, the results indicate the efficacy of the novel shear connections and the beams' overall structural integrity. Despite the extensive deformation of the STC beams, the shear connections remained undamaged and slip values of less than 7 mm were recorded in the last loading stages. Within the elastic range, maximum slip values of less than 1 mm were recorded, highlighting the structural components' potential for reuse. Midspan deflections exceeding l/20 demonstrate good ductility. Strain measurements on the timber slabs revealed that the slabs' width was not fully utilized, leading to the determination of an effective width of l/5.5.

Full mission evaluation of EnMAP water leaving reflectance products using three atmospheric correction processors.

This study presents what we believe is the first extensive assessment of the water reflectance products from the German hyperspectral Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program (EnMAP). We evaluate EnMAP's standard normalized water leaving reflectance [ρW]N over 17 water sites in the first two years of the mission. The EnMAP [ρW]N standard product is generated by a dedicated water atmospheric correction (AC) called the Modular Inversion Program (MIP). The quality of the [ρW]N retrievals was assessed using in situ hyperspectral measurements and Aerosol Robotic Network - Ocean Colour (AERONET-OC) multispectral measurements. The results showed very good agreement between in situ hyperspectral match-ups and EnMAP [ρW]N, with an underestimation of EnMAP of -17.37% (bias, β) and an error (ϵ) of 23.75% at 418 - 797 nm. Two other AC processors were also investigated: the polynomial based algorithm applied to MERIS (Polymer) and the atmospheric correction for OLI lite (Acolite). The intercomparison exercise between the three AC methods applied to EnMAP data using the hyperspectral match-up dataset showed better statistical metrics for MIP (ϵ=23%,β=-17.37%) compared to Polymer (ϵ=42.20%,β=-2.43%) and Acolite (ϵ=97%,β=97%). The superior performance of MIP was further confirmed by the validation results obtained with the multispectral match-up dataset; MIP retrievals show good agreement with in situ measurements at the majority of study sites. Conversely, Polymer and Acolite retrievals tended to overestimate, especially in clearer waters as the Lampedusa study site.

Product line strategy and supply chain structures for mass customized production using 3D printing

We develop game-theoretical models to capture unique features: design freedom, natural flexibility, and quality distinction of 3D printing, and propose the customization degree and unique labour division for 3D-printed products. We investigate a manufacturer’s product line strategy with 3D printing. The manufacturer can offer single standardized products (strategy S), single 3D-printed products (strategy T), or both products (strategy L) to consumers through its retailer. We further explore how supply chain structures influence the manufacturer’s product line strategy. We find (i) the optimal customization degree of 3D-printed products is lower under strategy L than strategy T. (ii) When the development cost of 3D-printed products is low/relatively low/moderate/high and the utility from product fit is high/moderate/relatively low/low, the manufacturer adopts strategy L/T/L/S. (iii) The retailer expects the manufacturer to adopt strategy T or L. (iv) In the centralised supply chain, the manufacturer prefers strategy L to T when the development cost of 3D-printed products is low. Moreover, the centralised supply chain is inferior to the manufacturer when the utility from product fit is low under strategy T and when the marginal development cost is intermediate under strategy L. We provide managerial insights for designing mass-customized products and product lines using 3D printing.

Pendampingan Penerapan Teknologi Self Watering System Untuk Budidaya Tanaman Hias Indoor Bagi Petani Tanaman Hias di Kota Medan

The purpose of this Community Partnership Program (PKM) activity is to help partners, namely start-ups engaged in the downstream of biotechnology products, namely PT. G10 Agrotech in solving the problems it faces, namely the problem of stagnant marketing of ornamental plants produced by the G10 laboratory. To develop this business, partners want to be assisted in technology that can overcome the stagnant marketing of ornamental plants, and product standardization to expand the market that has been built so far, so that they can gain more trust from consumers and be further developed into superior products from this start-up. Self-watering system technology is believed to be the solution to the problems partners face. This technology allows ornamental plants to be grown indoors, where people no longer have adequate land and yard. This technology is a solution to increase sales turnover so that this business develops and creates jobs. The method used to achieve the objectives of this PKM activity is the method of education and training in the transfer of self-watering system technology and assistance in the production of tools and materials for developing self-watering systems. PKM activity carried out include; Providing direct education and training from related parties, and providing assistance in the production of tools and materials for the development of self-watering systems. It is hoped that this PKM program will produce superior standardized products that can compete globally.

Predicting pharmaceutical prices. Advances based on purchase-level data and machine learning

BackgroundIncreased costs in the health sector have put considerable strain on the public budgets allocated to pharmaceutical purchases. Faced with such pressures amplified by financial crises and pandemics, national purchasing authorities are presented with a puzzle: how to procure pharmaceuticals of the highest quality for the lowest price. The literature explored a range of impactful factors using data on producer and reference prices, but largely foregone the use of data on individual purchases by diverse public buyers.MethodsLeveraging the availability of open data in public procurement from official government portals, the article examines the relationship between unit prices and a host of predictors that account for policies that can be amended nationally or locally. The study uses traditional linear regression (OLS) and a machine learning model, random forest, to identify the best models for predicting pharmaceutical unit prices. To explore the association between a wide variety of predictors and unit prices, the study relies on more than 200,000 purchases in more than 800 standardized pharmaceutical product categories from 10 countries and territories.ResultsThe results show significant price variation of standardized products between and within countries. Although both models present substantial potential for predicting unit prices, the random forest model, which can incorporate non-linear relationships, leads to higher explained variance (R2 = 0.85) and lower prediction error (RMSE = 0.81).ConclusionsThe results demonstrate the potential of i) tapping into large quantities of purchase-level data in the health care sector and ii) using machine learning models for explaining and predicting pharmaceutical prices. The explanatory models identify data-driven policy interventions for decision-makers seeking to improve value for money.

Rozwiązania instytucjonalne na rzecz rozwoju konkurencyjności sektora gazu ziemnego w UE

The study explores the subject of sectoral competitiveness on the example of gas sectors in different European countries. Literature review on sectoral competitiveness suggests that the concept has evolved considerably over time and that contemporary definitions of competitiveness span beyond traditional economic factors. Studies on gas sector in this context to date, however, have largely focused on export competitiveness of upstream activities. To address the research gap, a targeted approach is suggested to study and compare competitiveness of the entire national gas sectors, spanning beyond standard productivity measures. A dedicated synthetic indicator is designed to perform a comparative analysis of contemporary gas sectors, taking account of the gas price offered to the industry, institutional performance, infrastructure readiness and job creation potential. Then, the case study is presented and it examines four countries that have liberalized their gas sectors and are reliant on gas imports to a different degree. Results confirm that the application of a synthetic indicator factoring in different aspects of sectoral competitiveness is appropriate to arrive at a holistic view of gas sector’s relative performance. The significance of the institutional setup is also confirmed from the perspective of inducing investment, enhancing market liquidity, as well as creating sustainable jobs in the gas sector.

Metallic nanomaterials - targeted drug delivery approaches for improved bioavailability, reduced side toxicity, and enhanced patient outcomes.

This paper explores the integral role of metallic nanomaterials in drug delivery, specifically focusing on their unique characteristics and applications. Exhibiting unique size, shape, and surface features, metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) (e.g., gold, iron oxide, and silver NPs) present possibilities for improving medication efficacy while minimizing side effects. Their demonstrated success in improving drug solubility, bioavailability, and targeted release makes them promising carriers for treating a variety of diseases, including inflammation and cancer, which has one of the highest rates of mortality in the world. Furthermore, it is crucial to acknowledge some limitations of MNPs in drug delivery before successfully incorporating them into standard medical procedures. Thus, challenges such as potential toxicity, issues related to long-term safety, and the need for standardized production methods will also be addressed.

Advanced, high‐performance thermo‐insulating plaster

AbstractThe main purpose of many current studies regarding energy efficiency is the improvement of the thermal resistance of buildings. To fulfill this goal, the development of advanced insulating materials, to be incorporated in the building envelopes, is imperative. Aerogels are ultralight porous materials typically produced via the sol‐gel process followed by supercritical drying of the wet gel. They exhibit very high porosities and a mesoporous‐macroporous structure which endows aerogels with extremely low thermal conductivity. This makes them ideal candidates for ambient thermal insulation applications. However, the cost for aerogel insulation is considerably higher than the one of standard insulation products. In the present work, highly porous aerogel‐like materials based on silica and commercial novolac resin were developed and added to common mortars. The prepared materials were dried under ambient pressure to minimize the manufacturing cost. The bulk density of silica quasi‐aerogels was 0.03 g/cm3–0.09 g/cm3 and that of the novolac resin samples 0.09 g/cm3–0.21 g/cm3. The aerogels were incorporated in mortars and cured for 28 days before measurement of thermal conductivity. The values of the thermal conductivity coefficient of the measured samples were 0.047 W/m K–0.058 W/m K for the silica reinforced mortars and 0.036 W/m K–0.044 W/m K for the novolac reinforced ones.

Market Participation and Farmers’ Adoption of Green Control Techniques: Evidence from China

As a standard clean production technology, the wide use of green control techniques (GCT) helps improve the quality of agricultural products and protect the environment. However, the level of application of GCT by Chinese farmers is not high. The market, as the ultimate place to realize the value of grain and the returns of grain farmers, plays an essential part in promoting GCT. Based on survey data from grain farmers in Sichuan Province, China, this study used a conditional mixed process (CMP) model to examine the effect of farmers’ market participation on their GCT adoption behavior and a mediated effects model to test the impact mechanism. The study further explored the effect of farmers’ market participation capability on their GCT adoption behavior. The results showed that (1) farmers’ market participation could significantly increase the likelihood of adopting GCT. (2) Market participation could influence farmers’ adoption behavior through agricultural income, market information, and green cognition. (3) Further research found that farmers were more likely to adopt GCT if their market participation capability was strong. These findings highlight the fact that developing countries have increased their efforts to encourage farmers to participate in markets and to enhance their market participation capability, thereby facilitating the adoption of GCT by farmers.