Search Results (25,310)

This research evaluates the carbon dioxide emission-reduction efficiency of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in China from 2018 to 2023 by applying a three-stage super-SBM data envelopment analysis (DEA) model that incorporates undesirable outputs. This model offers significant advantages over traditional DEA models, as it effectively disentangles the influences of external environmental factors and stochastic noise, thereby providing a more accurate and robust assessment of true efficiency. Its super-efficiency characteristic also allows for effective ranking of all decision-making units (DMUs) on the efficiency frontier. The empirical findings reveal several key insights. (1) The NEV industry’s carbon-reduction efficiency in China between 2018 and 2023 displayed an upward trend accompanied by pronounced fluctuations. Its mean super-efficiency score was 0.353, indicating substantial scope for improvements in scale efficiency. (2) Significant interprovincial disparities in efficiency appear. Unbalanced coordination between production and consumption in provinces such as Shaanxi, Beijing, and Liaoning has produced correspondingly high or low efficiency values. (3) Although accelerated urbanization has reduced the capital and labor inputs required by the NEV industry and has raised energy consumption, the net effect enhances carbon-reduction efficiency. Household consumption levels and technological advancement exerts divergent effects on efficiency. The former negatively relates to efficiency, whereas the latter is positively associated. Full article

As an important part of global carbon neutrality strategies, carbon dioxide (CO₂) capture, utilization, and storage technologies have emerged as critical solutions for reducing carbon emissions. However, conventional CO₂ applications, including food preservation, industrial synthesis, and enhanced oil recovery, face inherent limitations such as suboptimal gas–liquid mass transfer efficiency and inadequate long-term stability. Recent advancements in CO₂ micro-nanobubbles (CO₂ MNBs) have demonstrated remarkable potential across multidisciplinary domains, owing to their distinctive physicochemical characteristics encompassing elevated internal pressure, augmented specific surface area, exceptional stability, etc. In this review, we try to comprehensively explore the unique physicochemical properties of CO₂ MNBs and their emerging applications, including industrial, agricultural, environmental, and energy fields. Furthermore, we provide a prospective analysis of how these minuscule bubbles can emerge as pivotal in future technological innovations. We also offer novel insights and directions for research and applications across related fields. Finally, we engage in predicting their future development trends as a promising technological pathway for advancing carbon neutrality objectives. Full article

The digital creative industries have emerged as a critical driver of regional economic transformation, upgrading, and sustainable development. While previous research has primarily focused on creative industry layout and agglomeration in urban areas, with the integration of digital technology and the creative industry, existing research has an insufficient explanation for the digital creative industry. Specifically, few people have studied the spatial distribution and diffusion of digital creative industries in emerging economies from the macro-regional level. To address this gap, this study analyzes the spatial diffusion mode and regional spatial response law of digital creative industries in the Yangtze River Delta during three critical time windows (2016, 2019, and 2022) in the context of national strategy implementation. A range of spatial analysis technologies is utilized to process the full sample of big data from digital creative industries. This study utilizes OLS and a quantile regression model to determine the dominant factors that affect spatial diffusion and response in the digital creative industries. The results demonstrate that, against the backdrop of regional development strategies, digital creative industries exhibit a variety of diffusion modes, including contagious, hierarchical, corridor, and jump diffusion. The response of industries to regional strategies has different rules in terms of regional space, urban development, and sub-industries. Furthermore, the comprehensive influence of institutional environment, urban economy, development and innovation significantly impacts industrial spatial diffusion and regional response. Among them, government investment in science and technology and the number of universities have consistently been important influencing factors, and policy exhibits nonlinear effects and asymmetric characteristics on industry agglomeration and diffusion. This study enhances the understanding of digital creative industry development in the YRD and offers a theoretical basis for optimizing regional industrial spatial structure and promoting the sustainable development of digital industries. Full article

The electric arc furnace (EAF) is a key technology in the steel production industry, particularly for recycling scrap iron. It plays a crucial role in the shift to low-carbon metallurgy, responding to the growing demand for more sustainable production methods. Alongside its environmental and energy benefits, the EAF process generates significant amounts of solid by-products, including dust (EAFD) and slag (EAFS). These wastes are not only rich in base metals but also contain critical elements, which have attracted increasing scientific and industrial interest. Depending on the waste type, key metals such as zinc (from EAFD) and chromium, vanadium, and titanium (from EAFS) are targeted for recovery. This review examines the chemical and phase compositions of these wastes, various leaching techniques (often combined with pretreatment stages), and methods for final metal recovery, either in their pure form or as compounds. Key challenges in hydrometallurgical routes include chloride contamination, the dissolution of refractory zinc ferrite, and impurity management. Despite current limited industrial adoption, hydrometallurgical approaches show significant promise as efficient and environmentally friendly solutions for resource recycling, offering high-purity metal recovery. Full article

Snack foods (e.g., extruded flour-based products) are widely favored by consumers because of their convenience, affordability, and time-saving attributes. However, with the growing demand for high-quality snacks, several challenges have emerged that hinder industry development, such as relatively underdeveloped industrial standards, limited raw material diversity (primarily starch and soy protein), and, consequently, insufficient nutritional value. In this study, a novel type of puffed snack was developed using Alaskan pollock surimi and wheat flour using extrusion puffing technology. The effects of varying ratios of surimi to wheat flour (0:10, 1:9, 2:8, 3:7, and 4:6, which served as SFBC, SFB1, SFB2, SFB3, and SFB4, respectively), on the physicochemical properties, apparent morphology, microstructure, thermal stability, and protein structure of spicy strips were systematically investigated, and the interaction between extruded protein and flour mixtures was analyzed. The results indicated that increasing the proportion of surimi led to decreases in hardness, elasticity, and chewiness, whereas the moisture content and water solubility index increased. The maximum expansion rate (202.2%) was observed in the SFB1 sample. Morphological and microstructural observations further revealed that a higher surimi content resulted in a denser internal structure and a reduced degree of puffing. The protein distribution was relatively uniform, with large pores. Moreover, increased surimi content increased the proportion of immobilized water and improved the thermal stability. These findings provide valuable insights into starch–protein-complex-based extrusion puffing technologies and contribute to the development of innovative surimi-based puffed food products. Full article

Additive Manufacturing is a rapidly developing technology that enables the fabrication of objects with complex geometries and high levels of customization while keeping the prototyping costs relatively low. In recent years, its application has grown to include the fabrication of end-use parts, creating new opportunities in industries such as the automotive, aerospace, mechanical, and hydraulic engineering industries. The present research paper focuses on the fabrication and evaluation of 3D-printed operational end-use parts of a water pump, which were originally made from cast iron. This approach aims to determine whether AM can be an alternative for metal parts in operational systems such as water pumps. In particular, the impeller of a centrifugal pump is remanufactured using material extrusion AM technology with PPS-CF composite polymer as a fabrication material. Subsequently, the surface roughness of the two parts is measured, and the performance of each part is predicted by creating a CFD model. Additionally, the printed part is compared to the original part by conducting a centrifugal pump performance test for each impeller. The results show that the 3D-printed impeller achieves an approximate 15% increase in overall efficiency compared to the original impeller. Full article

Sustainable energy entrepreneurs promote sustainable development by focusing more on energy efficiency. This study examines the interdependence and driving–dependent relationships among the socioeconomic factors (SEFs) influencing sustainable energy enterprises (SEEs). A mixed-methods approach is used, beginning with a literature review and expert consensus, followed by total interpretive structural modeling (TISM) and cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification (MICMAC) analysis. Seven key SEFs are finalized through interviews with 12 experts. Data are then collected from 11 SEEs. The study reveals that the regulatory and institutional framework emerges as the primary driving factor influencing other SEFs, including financial accessibility, market demand, technological innovation, and infrastructure readiness. Social and cultural acceptance is identified as the most dependent factor. The study proposes future research directions by identifying the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs) related to the antecedents, decisions, and outcomes with theoretical linkages through the Antecedents–Decisions–Outcomes (ADO) framework. The major SDGs identified are SDG 4 (education), SDG 7 (energy), SDG 9 (industry), SDG 11 (communities), and SDG 13 (climate). The study highlights that regulatory support, funding access, skill development, and technology transfer are required areas for strategic focus. Understanding the hierarchy of SEs supports business model innovation, investment planning, and risk management. Full article

The integration of 5G technology with cloud and edge computing is redefining the digital landscape by enabling ultra-fast connectivity, low-latency communication, and scalable solutions across diverse application domains. This paper investigates the synergistic impact of 5G on cloud-to-edge architectures, emphasizing its transformative role in revolutionizing sectors such as healthcare, smart cities, industrial automation, and autonomous systems. Key advancements in 5G—including Enhanced Mobile Broadband (eMBB), Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communication (URLLC), and Massive Machine-Type Communications (mMTC)—are examined for their role in enabling real-time data processing, edge intelligence, and IoT scalability. In addition to conceptual analysis, the paper presents simulation-based evaluations comparing 5G cloud-to-edge systems with traditional 4G cloud models. Quantitative results demonstrate significant improvements in latency, energy efficiency, reliability, and AI prediction accuracy. The study also explores challenges in infrastructure deployment, cybersecurity, and latency management while highlighting the growing opportunities for innovation in AI-driven automation and immersive consumer technologies. Future research directions are outlined, focusing on energy-efficient designs, advanced security mechanisms, and equitable access to 5G infrastructure. Overall, this study offers comprehensive insights and performance benchmarks that will serve as a valuable resource for researchers and practitioners working to advance next-generation digital ecosystems. Full article

Industry 5.0 introduces a new paradigm where digital technologies support sustainable and human-centric industrial development. Within this context, resilience-based maintenance (RBM) emerges as a forward-looking maintenance strategy focused on system adaptability, fault tolerance, and recovery capacity under uncertainty. This article presents a systematic literature review (SLR) on RBM in the context of Maintenance 5.0. The review follows the PRISMA methodology and incorporates bibliometric and content-based analyses of selected publications. Key findings highlight the integration of AI methods, such as machine learning and digital twins, in enhancing system resilience. The results demonstrate how RBM aligns with the pillars of Industry 5.0, sustainability, and human-centricity, by reducing resource consumption and improving human–machine interaction. Research gaps are identified in AI explainability, sector-specific implementation, and ergonomic integration. The article concludes by outlining directions for developing Maintenance 5.0 as a strategic concept for resilient, intelligent, and inclusive industrial systems. Full article

Benzene, a well-established human carcinogen and major industrial pollutant, poses significant health risks through occupational exposure due to its no-threshold effect, leading to multi-system damage involving the hematopoietic, nervous, and immune systems. This makes the investigation of its toxic mechanisms crucial for precise prevention and control of its health impacts. Programmed cell death (PCD), an orderly and regulated form of cellular demise controlled by specific intracellular genes in response to various stimuli, has emerged as a key pathway where dysfunction may underlie benzene-induced toxicity. This review systematically integrates evidence linking benzene toxicity to PCD dysregulation, revealing that benzene and its metabolites induce abnormal subtypes of PCD (apoptosis, autophagy, ferroptosis) in hematopoietic cells. This occurs through mechanisms including activation of Caspase pathways, regulation of long non-coding RNAs, and epigenetic modifications, with recent research highlighting the IRP1-DHODH-ALOX12 ferroptosis axis and oxidative stress–epigenetic interactions as pivotal. Additionally, this review describes a comprehensive monitoring system for early toxic effects comprising benzene exposure biomarkers (urinary t,t-muconic acid (t,t-MA), S-phenylmercapturic acid (S-PMA)), PCD-related molecules (Caspase-3, let-7e-5p, ACSL1), oxidative stress indicators (8-OHdG), and genetic damage markers (micronuclei, p14ARF methylation), with correlative analyses between PCD mechanisms and benzene toxicity elaborated to underscore their integrative roles in risk assessment. Furthermore, the review details analytical techniques for these biomarkers, including direct benzene detection methods—direct headspace gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (DHGC-FID), liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and portable headspace sampling (Portable HS)—alongside molecular imprinting and fluorescence probe technologies, as well as methodologies for toxic effect markers such as live-cell imaging, electrochemical techniques, methylation-specific PCR (MSP), and Western blotting, providing technical frameworks for mechanistic studies and translational applications. By synthesizing current evidence and mechanistic insights, this work offers novel perspectives on benzene toxicity through the PCD lens, identifies potential therapeutic targets associated with PCD dysregulation, and ultimately establishes a theoretical foundation for developing interventional strategies against benzene-induced toxicity while emphasizing the translational value of mechanistic research in occupational and environmental health. Full article

In the digital economy era, artificial intelligence, big data, and 5G are widely applied across various industries. The deep integration of digitalization and traditional sectors has been facilitated by this trend, which has injected new momentum into industrial development. In this context, this paper employs panel data from 29 Chinese provinces that span the years 2017 to 2023. This paper transcends the constraints of current research by integrating the digital economy with the export of new energy vehicles. Furthermore, this paper provides a regional analysis of this impact, thereby contributing to the existing literature. The following are the conclusions: (1) The export of new energy vehicles is substantially stimulated by the development of the digital economy. (2) Exports are indirectly facilitated by the digital economy, which promotes technological innovation and financial services. (3) The digital economy shows a significantly greater impact on the export of new energy vehicles in the eastern and inland areas than in other regions. Based on these discoveries, the paper suggests four critical policy recommendations: expanded openness, technological innovation, intelligent digital marketing, and government support. The objective is to foster the sustainable growth of China’s new energy vehicle export trade. This paper offers theoretical support for the sustainability of Chinese enterprises’ competitiveness in the international market. It also provides policymakers and industry stakeholders with practical advice. Full article

The upper reaches of the Yangtze River face the challenge of balancing livestock development and ecological protection. As a significant livestock production region in China, optimizing the livestock ecological efficiency (LEE) of Sichuan Province (SP) is of strategic importance for regional sustainable development. Livestock carbon emissions and related pollution indices were utilized as undesirable output indicators within the super-efficiency SBM model to measure SP’s LEE over the 2010–2022 period. Kernel density estimation was combined with the Theil index to analyze spatiotemporal variation characteristics. A STIRPAT model was constructed to explore the influencing factors of SP’s LEE, and a grey forecasting GM (1,1) model was employed for prediction. Key findings reveal the following: (1) LEE increased by 25.9%, with high-efficiency regions expanding from 19.0% to 57.1%; (2) regional disparities persist, driven by labor redundancy and environmental governance gaps; (3) per capita GDP, industrial agglomeration, and technology advancement significantly promoted efficiency, while government subsidies and carbon intensity suppressed it. Projections show LEE reaching 0.923 by 2035. Key recommendations include the following: (1) implementing region-specific strategies for resource optimization, (2) restructuring agricultural subsidies to incentivize emission reduction, and (3) promoting cross-regional technology diffusion. These provide actionable pathways for sustainable livestock management in ecologically fragile zones. Full article

This study presents a novel environmentally-friendly process for the selective extraction and enrichment of DHA/EPA-containing phospholipids (PL-DHA/EPA) from krill oil. The methodology leverages differential crystallization behavior between phospholipids and triacylglycerols in ethanolic solutions, exploiting their distinct freezing point thresholds to achieve precise fractionation. Response surface methodology optimization identified optimal extraction parameters: liquid-to-material ratio of 6:1 (v/w), freezing temperature of −20 °C, freezing duration of 25 h, and rotary evaporation temperature of 45 °C, yielding a final product with 39.40% PL-DHA/EPA content. Principal component analysis revealed substantial overlap in confidence ellipses among extraction methodologies, indicating effective preservation of core phospholipid signatures from the parent krill oil while maintaining critical structural characteristics and molecular species distribution. Comprehensive analysis of phospholipid fractions and heatmap analysis revealed distinctive molecular profiles compared to conventional organic solvent extraction, with selective enrichment of EPA-containing phospholipids, particularly PC-EPA and PI-EPA species. The green extraction method demonstrated comparable oxidative stability to conventional approaches, with superior protection against secondary oxidation as evidenced by significantly lower anisidine values. This sustainable approach achieves effective phospholipid enrichment while substantially reducing environmental impact through elimination of halogenated solvents, addressing the critical need for environmentally conscious technologies in marine lipid processing with potential applications in nutraceutical and functional food industries. Full article

Cryogenic upgrading represents a promising route for the production of high-purity biomethane, aligning with current decarbonization goals and the increasing demand for renewable gases. This review provides a critical assessment of cryogenic technologies applied to biogas purification, focusing on process fundamentals, technological configurations, energy and separation performance, and their industrial integration potential. The analysis covers standalone cryogenic systems as well as hybrid configurations combining cryogenic separation with membrane or chemical pretreatment to enhance efficiency and reduce operating costs. A comparative evaluation of key performance indicators—including methane recovery, specific energy demand, product purity, and technology readiness level—is presented, along with a discussion of representative industrial applications. In addition, recent techno-economic studies are examined to contextualize cryogenic upgrading within the broader landscape of CO₂ separation technologies. Environmental trade-offs, investment thresholds, and sensitivity to gas prices and CO₂ taxation are also discussed. The review identifies existing technical and economic barriers, outlines research and innovation priorities, and highlights the relevance of process integration with natural gas networks. Overall, cryogenic upgrading is confirmed as a technically viable and environmentally competitive solution for biomethane production, particularly in contexts requiring liquefied biomethane or CO₂ recovery. Strategic deployment and regulatory support will be key to accelerating its industrial adoption. The objectives of this review have been met by consolidating the current state of knowledge and identifying specific gaps that warrant further investigation. Future work is expected to address these gaps through targeted experimental studies and technology demonstrations. Full article

Three-dimensional concrete printing (3DCP) is an emerging additive manufacturing technology with increasing application potential in the construction industry, offering advantages such as reduced labor requirements, shortened construction time, and material efficiency. However, structural integrity remains a challenge, particularly due to weak interlayer bonding resulting from the layered manufacturing process. This study investigates the mechanical performance and anisotropy of 3D-printed mineral-based composites with respect to the time interval between successive layers. Specimens were printed with varying interlayer intervals (0, 25, and 50 min) and tested in different loading directions. Flexural, compressive, and tensile strengths (direct and splitting methods) were measured both parallel and perpendicular to the layer orientation. Results showed a clear degradation in mechanical properties with increasing interlayer time, particularly in the direction perpendicular to the layers. Flexural strength decreased by over 25% and direct tensile strength by up to 40% with a 25 min interval. Compressive strength also declined, though less dramatically. Compared to cast specimens, printed elements showed 3–4 times lower compressive strength, highlighting the significant impact of interlayer cohesion. This study confirms that both the time between layers and the loading direction strongly influence mechanical behavior, underlining the anisotropic nature of 3DCP elements and the need for process optimization to ensure structural reliability. Full article