Search Results (4,691)

In this paper, we analyze the impacts of financial innovation and financial deepening on the economic growth of 14 sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries from 1995 to 2023. The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach and error correction model (ECM) were used to assess short- and long-run effects. The findings indicate that mobile cellular subscriptions and government spending are the main contributors to national economic growth and that money supply has a positive impact. However, the strong negative effect of capital formation on economic growth is contrary to expectations. Conversely, the findings confirm that gross capital formation has a strong positive effect on gross domestic product (GDP) growth in the long run. Bounds testing reveals varying degrees of cointegration across countries. Long-run relationships were confirmed in Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, and Zimbabwe, all of which showed evidence of strong cointegration. These findings support policy recommendations aimed at promoting sustainable economic growth in SSA economies through targeted policies that increase domestic credit in the private sector and attract foreign direct investment (FDI). Full article

The V/G criterion is a critical indicator for monitoring dynamic changes during Czochralski silicon single crystal (Cz-SSC) growth. However, the inability to measure it in real time forces reliance on offline feedback for process regulation, leading to imprecise control and compromised crystal quality. To overcome this limitation, this paper proposes a novel soft sensor modeling framework that integrates both mechanism-based knowledge and data-driven learning for the real-time prediction of the crystal quality parameter, specifically the V/G value (the ratio of growth rate to axial temperature gradient). The proposed approach constructs a hybrid prediction model by combining a data-driven sub-model with a physics-informed mechanism sub-model. The data-driven component is developed using an attention-based dynamic stacked enhanced autoencoder (AD-SEAE) network, where the SEAE structure introduces layer-wise reconstruction operations to mitigate information loss during hierarchical feature extraction. Furthermore, an attention mechanism is incorporated to dynamically weigh historical and current samples, thereby enhancing the temporal representation of process dynamics. In addition, a robust ensemble approach is achieved by fusing the outputs of two subsidiary models using an adaptive weighting strategy based on prediction accuracy, thereby enabling more reliable V/G predictions under varying operational conditions. Experimental validation using actual industrial Cz-SSC production data demonstrates that the proposed method achieves high-prediction accuracy and effectively supports real-time process optimization and quality monitoring. Full article

Numerous studies have suggested controversial findings regarding the impact of microalgae on dairy cows’ production parameters. This meta-analysis aimed to investigate the overall effects of microalgae on dairy cows’ performance and milk fatty acids and to highlight variation factors inducing opposite findings in the impact of microalgae on dairy cow nutrition. Following the PRISMA guidelines, articles examining the influence of microalgae on dairy cows’ performance and milk fatty acids were searched through Google Scholar, Web of Science, Science Direct, and Scopus. As a result, 10 articles were selected and categorized into 18 experiments for inclusion in our meta-analysis. The results suggested significant increasing effects (p < 0.05) of microalgae on milk yield and rumenic acid, while decreasing effects (p < 0.05) were observed in caproic acid, caprylic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, pentadecanoic acid, and myristic acid. The sub-group analysis suggested that the Aurantiochytrium limacinum microalgae strain showed more consistent effects compared with other evaluated strains. Thus, the present meta-analysis makes a valuable contribution to comprehending the beneficial effect of microalgae in dairy cow nutrition and the factors that may influence the impact of this sustainable feed additive on milk production and quality. Full article

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of milk’s rennet coagulation properties (RCPs) on cheese yield and cheese-making losses in the production of Parmigiano Reggiano PDO cheese. Higher contents of citric acid (181.10 vs. 172.13 vs. 166.47 mg/100 g) and phosphorus (95.02 vs. 91.14 vs. 88.78 mg/100 g) in milk with optimal and sub-optimal RCPs, compared to milk with poor RCPs, respectively, positively affect the acidity of the milk, lowering the pH values (6.68 vs. 6.70 vs. 6.72, respectively), which results in a faster reaction between chymosin and casein and consequently a reduced time of milk coagulation. The lower values of curd firming time and the higher values of curd firmness, strength to cut (68.97 vs. 64.43 vs. 44.38 g), and strength to compression (31.48 vs. 30.49 vs. 25.70 g) for milk with optimal and sub-optimal coagulation, compared to milk with poor coagulation, result in a higher stress resistance across the technological steps of the cheese-making process, leading to lower fat losses (14.23 vs. 15.48 vs. 16.72%) in the whey and a higher cheese yield (8.79 vs. 8.56 vs. 8.08 kg/100 kg). Full article

Food security and income generation remain a critical issue for small-scale farming households in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) due to population growth, climate change, and market instability. Indigenous leafy vegetables (ILVs) offer high nutritional value and have the capability to mitigate food insecurity but are underutilized due to social stigma. This review aims to systematically analyze the food and income contribution of cultivation and utilization of ILVs by small-scale farming households in Sub-Saharan Africa. This review analyses the literature on the role of ILV cultivation in enhancing food security and household income over the past two decades. A systematic search across five databases was conducted and identified 53 relevant studies. Findings indicate that ILVs contribute significantly to household nutrition and income through consumption and surplus sales. However, ILV cultivation faces barriers such as climate change, pest infestations, land degradation, water scarcity, insecure land tenure, limited agricultural training, poor communication networks, and restricted market access. Policy interventions are necessary to support small-scale farmers in ILV cultivation by providing agricultural extension services, promoting sustainable farming practices, and integrating ILVs into food security strategies. Further research should examine policy frameworks and supply chain mechanisms to enhance farmer participation and economic benefits from ILV production. Full article

Achieving food and nutrition security remains a significant challenge for small-scale farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). However, indigenous vegetables offer a promising solution to this challenge. This systematic review used four databases and retrieved 38 studies published over the past 20 years for synthesis. These studies highlight the growing importance of indigenous vegetables grown in home gardens as a sustainable solution to improve livelihoods and dietary diversity. Indigenous vegetables are well-suited to local conditions, nutritionally rich, and were associated with improved household food availability and income. However, farmers face various risks, including environmental, technological, economic, institutional, and social risks, which threaten their production. To overcome risks, farmers adopt strategies such as training, cooperatives, improved storage, and better seed varieties. Indigenous vegetable cultivation also empowers women and marginalised groups who play key roles in home gardening. Despite their benefits, indigenous vegetables remain overlooked in mainstream markets and policies. The review recommends that policymakers and stakeholders must provide support to promote indigenous vegetables through training and market integration, helping farmers commercialise their produce, while simultaneously enhancing food and nutrition security. Further research is needed to explore the profitability of indigenous vegetable production, analyse supply value chains, and investigate processing and manufacturing opportunities to support their market potential and sustainability. Full article

A comprehensive study on the distribution characteristics and exploitation strategies of remaining oil was carried out in the Ordovician ultra-deep fault-controlled fractured–vuggy carbonate reservoir within the Shunbei No. 1 strike–slip fault zone. This research addresses challenges such as severe watered-out and gas channeling encountered during multi-stage development, marking a shift toward a development phase focused on residual oil recovery. By integrating seismic attributes, drilling, logging, and production performance data—and building upon previous methodologies of “hierarchical constraint and genetic modeling”—a three-dimensional geological model was constructed with a five-tiered architecture: strike–slip fault affected zone, fault-controlled unit, cave-like structure, cluster fillings, and fracture zone. Numerical simulations were subsequently performed based on this model. The results demonstrate that the distribution of remaining oil is dominantly controlled by the coupling between key geological factors—including fault kinematics, reservoir architecture formed by karst evolution, and fracture–vug connectivity—and the injection–production well pattern. Three major categories with five sub-types of residual oil distribution patterns were identified: (1) local low permeability, weak hydrodynamics; (2) shielded connectivity pathways; and (3) Well Pattern-Dependent. Accordingly, two types of potential-tapping measures are proposed: improve well control through optimized well placement and sidetrack drilling and reservoir flow field modification via adjusted injection–production parameters and sealing of high-permeability channels. Techniques such as gas (nitrogen) huff-and-puff, gravity-assisted segregation, and injection–production pattern restructuring are recommended to improve reserve control and sweep efficiency, thereby increasing ultimate recovery. This study provides valuable guidance for the efficient development of similar ultra-deep fractured–vuggy carbonate reservoirs. Full article

Sustainable development is crucial worldwide. Under the Paris Agreement, countries commit to Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) assessed every five years. China, a major contributor to global warming, has made significant efforts to reduce carbon emissions and achieve carbon neutrality, a key strategy for sustainable development. However, there is a lack of adequate attention to embodied emission reduction in rural residential construction, despite a surge in building to improve living standards. This paper evaluated the feasibility of applying a multi-ribbed composite wall structure (MRCWS) in rural China through a village service project. A full-scale shaking table test was conducted to study its seismic performance. Carbon emissions were analyzed using process-based life cycle assessment (P-LCA) and the emission-factor approach (EFA), while costs were estimated using life cycle costing (LCC) and the direct cost method (DCM). These analyses focused on sub-projects and specific structural members to validate the superiority of this prefabricated structure over common brick masonry. MRCWS blocks were prefabricated by mixing wheat straw with aerocrete, utilizing agricultural by-products from local farmlands, thus reducing both construction-related carbon emissions and agricultural waste treatment costs. Results show that this novel precast masonry structure exhibits strong seismic resistance, complying with fortification limitations. Its application can reduce embodied carbon emissions and costs by approximately 6% and 10%, respectively, during materialization phases compared to common brick masonry. This new prefabricated building product has significant potential for reducing carbon emissions and costs in rural housing construction while meeting seismic requirements. The recycling of agricultural waste highlights its adaptability, especially in rural areas. Full article

The concentration of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the peripheral blood of COVID-19 patients is increased. Nevertheless, their potential role in the transmission of infection remains unclear. This study was performed to determine whether EVs produced by the sub-genomic replicon system developed in Baby Hamster Kidney (BHK-21) cells could transfer SARS-CoV-2 replicon RNA, leading to the establishment of a viral replication system in human cells. Purified EVs from the SARS-CoV-2 sub-genomic replicon cell line BHK-21 were cultured with a naive human cell line. The success of EV-mediated transfer of SARS-CoV-2 replicon RNA and its productive replication was assessed using G-418 selection, a luciferase assay, immunostaining, and Western blot. We found that the A549 cell line cultured with EVs isolated from SARS-CoV-2 BHK-21 replicon cells developed G-418-resistant cell colonies. SARS-COV-2 RNA replication in A549 cells was confirmed by nano luciferase, Nsp1 protein. SARS-CoV-2 RNA replication causes massive morphological changes. Treatment of cells with the FDA-approved Paxlovid demonstrated a dose-dependent inhibition of viral replication. We isolated two human epithelial cell lines (gastrointestinal and neuroblastoma) and one vascular endothelial cell line that stably support high-level replication of SARS-CoV-2 sub-genomic RNA. Viral elimination did not revert the abnormal cellular shape, vesicle accumulation, syncytia formation, or EV release. Our study’s findings highlight the potential implications of EV-mediated transfer of replicon RNA to permissive cells. The replicon model is a valuable tool for studying virus-induced reversible and irreversible cellular reprogramming, as well as for testing novel therapeutic strategies for SARS-CoV-2. Full article

Nitric acid production is a cornerstone of the chemical industry, yet it presents considerable environmental challenges, primarily due to greenhouse gas emissions such as nitrous oxide (N₂O) and nitrogen oxides (NO_x). This manuscript critically examines the key performance indicators (KPIs) that define the gate-to-gate environmental sustainability of nitric acid plants. Quantitative metrics and related benchmarks achieved in modern plants, e.g., energy efficiency (ca. 2 GJ exported per ton of HNO₃) and NO_x/N₂O reduction (95–99%), are presented. Strategies to enhance these KPIs are discussed, including process integration, intensification, advanced emission control technologies, and operational optimization. Special attention is given to the chemical conversion processes of NO_x and N₂O, highlighting their roles in minimizing overall emissions. The review also synthesizes recent literature to showcase emerging trends, regulatory developments, and technological innovations that facilitate the transition toward more sustainable nitric acid production. Finally, the article identifies current research gaps and outlines future directions for the field. Full article

Greenhouse gas emissions are a primary contributor to climate change and the observed rise in global temperatures. To reduce these emissions, renewable energy sources (RESs) must replace fossil fuels in power generation. Because of the mismatch between production and demand, the increase in RES is limited. To address this phenomenon, the addition of renewable energy generation should be accompanied by storage systems. In this paper, the island of Crete is examined for various renewable energy generations and storage capacities using the PowerWorld Simulator software. Four main scenarios are studied in which the installed renewable energy generation is increased to reach substation limits. For every scenario, different renewable energy generation mixes are considered between wind farms and photovoltaics. Furthermore, for all sub-scenarios, different storage capacities are considered, ranging from 1.6 GWh to 12.8 GWh. This study proves that storage systems are mandatory to increase renewable energy penetration. In certain scenarios, a battery energy storage system can further increase renewable energy penetration from 6.15% to 28.07%. Although the battery energy storage system enhanced renewable penetration, increasing transmission line capacities should also be considered regarding the scenario. Full article

Faced with the contradiction between the increasingly growing demand and labor-intensive manufacturing modes, in the current era of rapid development of informatization and artificial intelligence, improving manufacturing efficiency by means of automated manufacturing equipment has become a recognized development direction for most shipyards. This trend is particularly evident in the manufacturing of sub-assemblies, which are the smallest composite units of the hull. Taking an automated sub-assembly welding line in a shipyard as the research object, this paper constructs a mathematical model aimed at optimizing production efficiency based on the analysis of its operational processes and characteristics and proposes an improved two-layer fruit fly optimization algorithm (ITLFOA) for solving the automated sub-assembly welding line scheduling problem (ASWLSP). The proposed ITLFOA features a two-layer nested algorithm structure, with several key improvements proposed for both optimization layers, such as heuristic rules for spatial layout, improved neighborhood operators, an added disturbance mechanism, and an added population diversity restoration mechanism. Finally, the performance of ITLFOA is validated through a comparative analysis against the initial two-layer fruit fly optimization algorithm (initial TLFOA), the well-established Variable Neighborhood Search (VNS) algorithm and the actual manual operation results on a specific case of a shipyard. Full article

Achieving sustainable growth in the global economy and promoting low-carbon development can be achieved by concluding trade agreements that advance trade liberalisation progressively. The study looks at how far environmental rulers go in trade deals between different countries, by examining what these agreements actually say. Combining this analysis with trade-embedded carbon data from 35 sub-sectors across 60 countries from 2009 to 2023, the effect of the depth of environmental rulers in trade deals on trade-embedded carbon is the focus of this empirical study and its underlying mechanisms. Research findings indicate that strengthening environmental clauses significantly reduces carbon emissions embedded in trade. This result remained consistent after undergoing a series of robustness tests and employing instrumental variable methods to address endogeneity issues. Mechanism tests reveal that the carbon reduction effect of environmental clauses can be achieved through two channels: green technology cooperation between countries and increased carbon productivity. Heterogeneity tests indicate that provisions in trade agreements that are more environmentally focused can have a greater effect on reducing embedded carbon in non-technology-intensive areas and pollution-intensive sectors, particularly for developing countries. Provisions relating to the environment in bilateral trade agreements demonstrate greater effectiveness in curbing trade-embedded carbon. This paper concludes that a more in-depth knowledge of the way environmental provisions are created in trade agreements, an accurate assessment of the impact, effectiveness and applicable scenarios of these provisions, and the promotion of targeted policy measures for future provisions relating to the environment and trade agreements and the global transition to green, low-carbon trade, will provide policy references and development guidance. Full article

Background/Objectives: The development of specific inhibitors for cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is a challenge for public health. A series of 17 N-phthalimide hybrids was evaluated using a functional M06 meta-GGA hybrid in combination with a polarized 6-311G (d, p) basis set. The top three candidates (6, 10, and 17) were synthesized and evaluated as selective COX-2 inhibitors of PGE-2 using an integrated in silico–in vitro approach. Methods: Molecular docking against COX-2 (PDB 5KIR) and COX-1 (PDB 6Y3C), supported by homology modeling and DFT geometry optimization (B3LYP/6-31G*), revealed that the phthalimide carbonyl groups and the 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl or geranyl-derived moieties establish key hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic contacts with Arg120, Tyr355, Tyr385, and Ser530 in the COX-2 active site, conferring predicted selectivity ΔGCOX−2 vs. COX−1 = −1.4 to −2.8 kcal/mol. Results: The compounds complied with Lipinski’s and Veber’s rules and displayed favorable ADMET profiles. In vitro assessment in LPS-stimulated J774A.1 murine macrophages confirmed potent inhibition of PGE₂ production, 3.05 µg/mL, with compound 17 exhibiting the highest efficacy, 97.79 ± 5.02% inhibition at 50 µg/mL, and 10 showing 95.22 ± 6.03% inhibition at 50 µg/mL. Notably, all derivatives maintained >90% cell viability up to 250 µg/mL by resazurin assay and showed no evidence of cytotoxicity or mitosis potential in the tests at 24 h. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that strategic hybridization of phthalimide with natural and synthetic product-derived fragments yields highly potential PGE2 inhibitors. Therefore, compounds 6, 10, and 17 are promising lead candidates for the development of safer anti-inflammatory agents. Full article

Hydrogen has emerged as a cornerstone of global decarbonisation strategies, offering a flexible pathway to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and accelerate progress towards net-zero targets. However, the development of a globally integrated hydrogen economy remains uneven, reflecting disparities in renewable energy potential, infrastructure readiness, investment capacity, and policy commitment. To better understand these differences and the barriers they create, this study undertakes a comprehensive comparative assessment of the global hydrogen supply chain encompassing resources, production, storage, transport, and end-use applications. Further, a structured analytical framework comprising ten principles and twenty-nine sub-factors was developed to evaluate national hydrogen policies, technological readiness, and enabling conditions across twenty-six countries. The results show that the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, and Germany lead global progress, while many countries remain at an early stage of engagement. These findings further inform persistent regional asymmetries and emphasise the need for stronger international coordination. Drawing on these findings, the paper advances targeted policy and research recommendations to lower production costs, expand storage and transport capacity, and harmonise regulatory frameworks, thereby defining a coherent pathway towards a secure, cost-competitive, and equitable global hydrogen economy by 2050. Full article