Search Results (10)

Material stocks (MS) serve as essential physical foundations for socio–economic systems, reflecting the accumulation, transformation, and consumption of resources over time and space. Positioned at the intersection of environmental and socio–economic systems, MS are increasingly recognized as leverage points for advancing sustainability. However, there is currently a lack of comprehensive overview, making it difficult to fully capture the latest developments and cutting–edge research. We adopt a systems perspective to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric and thematic review of 602 scholarly publications on MS research. The results showed that MS research encompasses has three development periods: preliminary exploration (before 2007), rapid development (2007–2016), and expansion and deepening (after 2016). MS research continues to deepen, gathering multiple teams and differentiating into diverse topics. MS research has evolved from simple accounting to intersection with socio–economic, resources, and environmental systems, and shifted from relying on statistical data to integrating high–spatio–temporal–resolution geographic big data. MS research is shifting from problem revelation to problem solving, constantly achieving new developments and improvements. In the future, it is still necessary to refine MS spatio–temporal distribution, reveal MS’s evolution mechanism, establish standardized databases, strengthen interaction with other systems, enhance problem–solving abilities, and provide powerful guidance for the formulation of dematerialization and decarbonization policies to achieve sustainable development. Full article

Island infrastructure material stock (MS) analysis reveals resource flow and accumulation, providing policymakers with insights for managing resources and planning. This study comprehensively analyzed the MS of infrastructure on Miao Island using a bottom-up approach and multi-source data. Key findings include the following: In 2020, the total in-use MS was 249.8 kt, with stone, gravel, and sand accounting for 80%. Transportation infrastructure held the largest share (40.8%). Over the past 40 years, Miao Island’s infrastructure MS increased by 256%, with a net addition of 179.6 kt. The three distinct development periods were closely linked to China’s reform and local stimulus plans. Miao Island has a lower construction intensity than urban areas, with a per capita MS growth rate of 10.12 t/yr. Despite this, future waste remains a challenge to the island’s capacity. Given the constraints of limited investment due to population decline and the aging of in-use stock, island infrastructure should conform to local resource availability and long-term plans. Priority should be given to environmental compatibility, resilience to resource disruptions, and establishing a circular system to support sustainable island development. Full article

Rifaximin and rifampicin are good broad-spectrum antimicrobials. The irrational use of antimicrobial drugs in veterinary clinics could threaten public health and food safety. It is necessary to develop a reliable detection method of the residue for enhancing the rational supervision of the use of such drugs, reducing and slowing down the generation of bacterial resistance, and promoting animal food safety and human health. So, this study developed an LC-MS/MS method for the detection of rifaximin and rifampicin residues in animal-origin foods. The residual rifaximin and rifampicin of homogenized test materials were extracted with acetonitrile-dichloromethane solution or acetonitrile in the presence of anhydrous sodium sulfate and vitamin C, purified by dispersible solid phase extraction, determined by LC-MS/MS, and quantified by the internal standard method. The specificity, sensitivity, matrix effect, accuracy, and precision of the method were investigated in the edible tissues of cattle, swine, or chicken. In addition, the stability of the standard stock solution and the standard working solution was also investigated. The method was suitable for the muscle, liver, kidney, fat, milk, and eggs of cattle, swine, or chicken, as well as fish and shrimp. The specificity of the method was good, and the detection of the analytes was not affected by different matrices. Both the LOD and LOQ of the two analytes were 5 μg/kg and 10 μg/kg, respectively. The results of matrix effects in each tissue were in the range of 80–120%; there were no significant matrix effects. The average accuracy of rifaximin and rifampicin in different foodstuffs of animal origin was between 80% and 120%, and the method precision was below 20% (RSD). The proposed method showed good performance for determination, which could be employed for the extraction, purification, and detection of residual rifaximin and rifampicin in edible animal tissues. The pretreatment procedure of tissue samples was simple and feasible. The method was highly specific, stable, reliable, and with high sensitivity, accuracy, and precision, which met the requirements of quantitative detection of veterinary drug residues. Full article

Long-distance transfer of genetic material and metabolites between rootstock and scions is well documented in homo-grafted hybrids but has rarely been reported in genetically-distant grafts where the rootstock and scion belong to different families. In this study, we grafted Vitis vinifera scions onto Schisandra chinensis stocks and obtained 20 vegetative hybrids, Vitis vinifera/Schisandra chinensis (Vs). After 25 years of growth, we found that the phenotypes of the leaves, internodes, and fruits of the Vs hybrids above the graft union resembled an intermediate phenotype between V. vinifera and S. chinensis, and the new traits were stable when propagated vegetatively. We further analyzed genetic differences between Vv plants and Vs hybrids using high-throughput sequencing, while metabolomes were analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). We found a total of 2113 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). GO annotation and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that these DEGs enriched mainly in oxidation-reduction and metabolic processes. Seventy-nine differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) containing 27 known miRNAs and 52 novel miRNAs were identified. A degradation analysis detected 840 target genes corresponding to 252 miRNAs, of which 12 DEMs and their corresponding target gene expression levels were mostly negatively correlated. Furthermore, 1188 differential metabolic compounds were identified. In particular, in Vs hybrids, the abundance of the metabolites schizandrin and gomisin as the main medicinal ingredients in S. chinensis were down-regulated and up-regulated, respectively. Our data demonstrated the effects of interfamily grafts on the phenotype, transcript profile and metabolites of the scion, and also provided new insight into the genetic, phenotypic, and metabolic plasticity associated with genetically distant grafted hybrids. Full article

The aim of this study was to investigate the uptake of exogenously added indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) as an adventitious root (AR) inducer. The concentration of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) in leafy cuttings of Prunus subhirtella ‘Autumnalis’ from stock material of different physiological ages was analyzed at three evaluation time points (1, 4, 24 h). We examined three stock plants: a physiologically mature stock plant (approximately 60 years old); physiologically rejuvenated plants (16 years old) that were previously propagated by cuttings from semi-mature stock material; and in vitro juvenile stock material. For IBA to effectively induce AR formation, it must first be converted into the active hormone indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). The total concentration of IAA in the first 24 h after cutting was evaluated according to the physiological age of the stock material and the IAA concentration in the cuttings according to the evaluation time points was assessed. We also examined rooting success and the quality of the adventitious root system depending on the physiological age of the stock material. High performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) was used to identify and quantify the phytohormones. The difference in rooting and quality of the developed AR was observed between semi-mature stock and mature stock material. Cuttings from semi-mature plants rooted in 95.00 ± 5.00% of cases, while cuttings from mature stock plants only rooted in 68.33 ± 4.09%. Successfully rooted cuttings from mature stock material were accompanied by callus formation, which was significantly lower in cuttings from semi-mature stock material. Our results show that the interaction between physiological age and time after severance had no effect on IBA concentration in the cuttings (p = 0.907). Duration of time elapsed since severing (evaluation time points) had a significant effect on the uptake of IBA (p = 0.002 **) and IAA (p = 0.0009 ***) in the cuttings. Physiological age had a significant effect on IAA concentration in the early stages of AR formation in the cuttings (p = 0.038 *). Our results suggest that the dynamics of other endogenous phytohormones and the physiological state of the stock plant are also important for AR formation, as the proportion of successfully rooted cuttings from semi-mature stock material was significantly higher than the proportion of successfully rooted cuttings from mature stock material, irrespective of IBA uptake in stock material of different ages. Full article

Biodiesel is gaining acceptance as an alternative fuel in a scenario where fossil fuel reserves are being depleted rapidly. Therefore, it is considered as the fuel of the future due to its sustainability, renewable nature and environment friendly attributes. The optimal yield of biodiesel from cheap feed stock oils is a challenge to add cost effectiveness without compromising the fuel quality. In the current experiment, waste chicken fat oil was taken as the feedstock oil to produce biodiesel through the chemical and enzymatic route of transesterification. The process of chemical transesterification was performed using KOH and sodium methoxide, while enzymatic transesterification was done by using free Aspergillus terreus lipase and Aspergillus terreus lipase immobilized on functionalized Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄_PDA_Lipase) as biocatalysts. The physico-chemical properties of the understudy feedstock oil were analyzed to check the feasibility as a feedstock for the biodiesel synthesis. The feedstock oil was found suitable for biodiesel production based upon quality assessment. Optimization of various reaction parameters (the temperature and time of reaction, catalyst concentration and methanol-to-oil mole ratio) was performed based on the response surface methodology (RSM). The maximum yield of biodiesel (90.6%) was obtained from waste chicken fat oil by using Fe₃O₄_PDA_Lipase as an immobilized nano-biocatalyst. Moreover, the above said optimum yield was obtained when transesterification was done using 6% Fe₃O₄_PDA_Lipase with a methanol-to-oil ratio of 6:1 at 42 °C for 36 h. Biodiesel production was monitored by FTIR spectroscopic analysis, whereas compositional profiling was done by GC–MS. The measured fuel properties—cloud point, pour point, flash point, fire point and kinematic viscosity—met the biodiesel specifications by American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Full article

Selaginella martensii, an evergreen perennial fern that is native to South America and New Zealand, is named “frosty fern” because of its beautiful white-colored leaves and it is used as an ornamental plant. Efficient propagation methods for this species have not been developed. We aimed to develop an efficient propagation method for S. martensii through in vitro culture. We investigated culture conditions that are suitable for shoot-tip proliferation and growth. The optimum shoot-tip culture conditions were determined while using Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium (quarter, half, full, or double strength) and macronutrients (sucrose and two nitrogen sources) at various concentrations. In MS medium, the shoot tips formed a maximum of 6.77 nodes per explant, and each node formed two new shoot tips (i.e., 2⁶ or 64 shoot tips). When using branching segments containing an angle meristem, the shoot-to-rhizophore formation ratio could be controlled by medium supplementation with plant-growth regulators. Sporophytes that were grown from shoot tips in vitro were acclimated in ex vitro soil conditions and successfully survived in the greenhouse. Numerous shoot tips could be obtained from in vitro-grown sporophytes and be proliferated ex vitro to produce a large number of plants. This method provides a way of shortening the time that is required for producing a large stock of S. martensii planting material. Full article

The Jiangjiatun Mo deposit is a recently discovered molybdenum deposit in the easternmost area of the Yan-Liao metallogenic belt, North China Craton. Quartz vein-type Mo mineralization at Jiangjiatun is associated with the granitic porphyry stock. In this study, we performed a combined zircon U–Pb and molybdenite Re-Os dating study on the Jiangjiatun Mo deposit to constrain its mineralization age and metallogenic setting. Laser ablation inductively coupled mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) zircon U–Pb analyses suggest that the granitic porphyry was formed during the Late Jurassic, with a weighted mean ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of 154 ± 1 Ma (2σ). Seven molybdenite samples from the Jiangjiatun deposit yield a ¹⁸⁷Re–¹⁸⁷Os isochron age of 157.5 ± 0.5 Ma (2σ). The discrepancy between the U–Pb and Re–Os ages may be explained (1) by the “2 sigma” measurement uncertainty, or (2) by the different closure temperature of the Re–Os isotopic system of molybdenite and the U–Pb isotopic system of zircon. Even though there is a small difference between the zircon U–Pb and molybdenite Re–Os ages, we can clearly identify a Late Jurassic Mo mineralization event at Jiangjiatun in the easternmost area of the Yan-Liao metallogenic belt. The moderate Re concentrations (13 to 73 ppm) in molybdenite from the Jiangjiatun Mo deposit are indicative of the involvement of the mantle materials into the Mo mineralization. The Jiangjiatun Mo deposit is likely the result of the subduction of the paleo-Pacific plate beneath the North China Craton during the Late Jurassic. Combined with the available published regional robust geochronological data, we proposed that the Mo mineralization in the Yan-Liao belt is in good agreement with the tectonic transition from Late Triassic post-collision extensional setting due to the closure of the paleo-Asian ocean to the Yanshanian (J–K₁) continental arc setting in response to the subduction of the paleo-Pacific Plate. The study highlights that regional mineralization may provide an excellent constraint on tectonic change. Full article

Apart from being used as an oil stock for bio-fuels production, an annual crop plant Brassica napus, thought to be an agro-waste, and used either as an animal feed, soil fertilizer or biomass for combustion and thermal energy production. Alternatively, as a bio-based and locally bio-sourced cellulosic material, it could be used as a thermal insulation in sustainable building fabrication, likewise woodchips, a bio-waste from the wood industry. In this study, the above-mentioned bio-waste materials’ thermal properties were identified using a sandwich panel from medium density fibreboard (MDF) and wood studs. Premanufactured panels have been filled in with randomly oriented short-cut rapeseed and with short-cut woodchips. A modified guarded hot box method was used to designate steady and un-steady state thermo-physical parameters of such insulation panels. The examined bio-waste materials absorbed thermal fluctuations of the exterior environment and kept the indoor building environment at constant temperature regardless of such fluctuations. The ability of bio-based sandwich panels to store heat energy was found to be similar to mineral wool. Additionally, VOC (volatile organic compound) emissions of tested materials were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) combined with headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) to declare materials’ harmlessness to indoor environmental quality and human wellbeing. In conclusion, bio-based short-cut materials proved to be a viable environmentally friendly and energy efficient alternative to conventionally used thermal insulations. Full article

The reuse of effluent waters and sediments from African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) recirculation aquaculture systems requires a deeper understanding of the nutrient and energy flows and material pathways. Three semi-commercial systems, differing in stocking density, were sampled for nutritive and pollutant elements of the input- (tap water, feed) and output pathways (fillet, carcass, process water, sediments) by ICP-OES/MS and calorimetry. Highly water-soluble elements, e.g., potassium, accumulated in the water, whereas iron, copper, chromium and uranium where found in the solids. Feed derived phosphorous was accounted for, 58.3–64.2% inside the fish, 9.7–19.3% in sediments, and small amounts 9.6–15.5% in the process waters. A total of 7.1–9.9% of the feed accumulated as dry matter in the sediments, comprising 5.5–8.7% total organic carbon and 3.7–5.2% nitrogen. A total of 44.5–47.1% of the feed energy was found in the fish and 5.7–7.7% in the sediments. For reuse of water and nutrients in hydroponics, the macro-nutrients potassium, nitrate, phosphorus and the micro-nutrient iron were deficient when compared with generalized recommendations for plant nutrition. Low energy contents and C/N-ratio restrict the solely use of African catfish solids for biogas production or vermiculture. Using the outputs both for biogas supplement and general fertilizer in aquaponics farming (s.l.) (combined with additional nutrients) appears possible. Full article