Moderate operation scales of agricultural land under the greenhouse and open-field production modes based on DEA model in mountainous areas of southwest China.

The identification of the moderate scale of agricultural land was recognized as one of the key measures promoting sustainable agriculture development. However, due to the research gap in mountainous areas, new agricultural business entities (NABE) in these areas usually either refer to the plain area or simply pursue large scale, resulting in low production efficiency and even posing a threat to their sustainable survival. In this study, the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model and Tobit regression model tools were employed to quantitatively reveal the moderate scale and key driving factors of agricultural land under the scale operation modes of greenhouse and open-field types.

Tracing and utilizing nitrogen loss in wastewater treatment: The trade-off between performance improvement, energy saving, and carbon footprint reduction.

Biological nitrogen removal is widely applied to reduce the discharge of inorganic nitrogen and mitigate the eutrophication of receiving water. However, nitrogen loss is frequently observed in wastewater treatment systems, yet the underlying principle and potential enlightenment is still lacking a comprehensive discussion. With the development and application of novel biological technologies, there are increasing achievement in the deep understanding and mechanisms of nitrogen loss processes.

Impacts of substrate properties and aquatic nutrient concentrations on the relative abundance of nitrifying/denitrifying genes and the associated microbes in epilithic biofilms.

Substrates like sand or gravels and aquatic nutrient concentrations of rivers are highly heterogeneous, influencing the abundance of functional genes in epilithic biofilms where nitrification-denitrification processes take place. To analyze how the relative abundance of nitrifying/denitrifying genes and the associated microbes changes with the physical properties of substrates and aquatic concentrations of nutrients, this paper utilized metagenomics to comprehensively characterize these functional genes (i.e.

Quantifying the impacts of posture changes on office worker productivity: an exploratory study using effective computer interactions as a real-time indicator.

Background: Working in a standing posture is considered to improve musculoskeletal comfort and can help enhance office workers' performance in the long term. However, there is a lack of a quantitative, real-time measure that reflects on whether office workers can immediately become more concentrated and work more efficiently when they switch to a standing posture.

Methods: To tackle this problem, this study proposed that the number of effective computer interactions could be used as a real-time indicator to measure the productivity of office workers whose work is primarily computer-based.

Novel calcium hypochlorite/ferrous iron as an ultrafiltration membrane pretreatment process for purifying algae-laden water.

Algal fouling has become one of the most critical factors hindering the large-scale development of membrane processes in algae-laden water treatment. Herein, novel calcium hypochlorite (Ca(ClO))/ferrous iron (Fe(II)) process was proposed as an ultrafiltration (UF) membrane pretreatment technology, and its effects on membrane fouling and water properties were systematically studied. Results showed that the terminal specific fluxes were significantly elevated to 0.

Assessing and optimizing the effectiveness of protected areas along China's coastal region: A social-ecological protected area network study.

Effectiveness of protected areas (EPA) evaluation has been used to measure the effectiveness of existing protected areas (PAs) and to identify prioritized and inefficient PAs. However, the current EPA evaluation remains incomplete, primarily due either to the scale of evaluation focusing on only isolated PAs without considering network connectivity or to the difficulty of balancing social and ecological synergy in practice. To address this issue, we proposed a social-ecological connectivity pathway to maximize the evaluation and optimization of EPA in a coastal region: first, we selected social and ecological indicators for habitat suitability evaluation and simulated the protected area network (PAN); second, we evaluated the rationality of network connectivity; and ultimately, we identified conservation gaps to the post-2020 global biodiversity target.

Mechanism of synergistic removal of NO and SO by sodium bicarbonate.

Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO) is considered to be an effective alkaline adsorbent for SO removal and surprisingly, the concentration of NO is significantly reduced along with the generation of NO during its desulfurization. Unfortunately, the mechanism of NO interaction with NaHCO, SO and O is ambiguous. In this work, the effects of absorption gas and absorber composition on SO/NO absorption performance were explored, the absorption products were characterized using XPS and SEM, and the Gibbs free energy of the inferred reaction path was calculated based on density functional theory (DFT).

First-principles study on the mechanical properties of cement mortar modified with functionalized graphene oxide.

Context: In this paper, first-principle calculations reveal that the shear strength of the graphene-cementitious interface (G/C-S-H) (12 MPa) is lower than that of the epoxy, hydroxyl and carboxyl graphene-cementitious interfaces (G-O/C-S-H, G-OH/C-S-H and G-COOH/C-S-H) (21 MPa, 29 MPa and 14 MPa). This indicates that the introduction of functional groups helps to improve the mechanical properties of the graphene-cementitious contact interface. Electrical analysis of the interface reveals that functional groups adsorbed on graphene change the electron distribution on the graphene surface.

Mineral scaling induced membrane wetting in membrane distillation for water treatment: Fundamental mechanism and mitigation strategies.

The scaling-induced wetting phenomenon seriously affects the application of membrane distillation (MD) technology in hypersaline wastewater treatment. Unlike the large amount of researches on membrane scaling and membrane wetting, scaling-induced wetting is not sufficiently studied. In this work, the current research evolvement of scaling-induced wetting in MD was systematically summarized.

A comparative life cycle assessment on recycled concrete aggregates modified by accelerated carbonation treatment and traditional methods.

Recycling of construction and demolition wastes contributes to achieve carbon summit and carbon neutrality early in the construction industry. Accelerated carbonation is a promising new technology for enhancing the properties of recycled concrete aggregates (RCAs) as well as mitigating global warming. This study performed a comparative life cycle assessment on RCAs modified by accelerated carbonation treatment and traditional methods.

Torsional deformation modulation of the electronic structure and optical properties of molybdenum ditelluride systems doped with halogen atoms X (X = F, Cl, Br, I): a first-principles study.

Context: Using a first-principles plane-wave pseudopotential technique within the context of density-functional theory, the electronic structure and optical properties of the molybdenum ditelluride system doped with halogen atoms X (X = F, Cl, Br, I) were investigated. The electronic structure, density of states, charge transfer, and optical properties of halogen atom X doped on MoTe monolayer are systematically calculated and analyzed. It shows that the Fermi energy level is shifted upward after doping with halogen atoms.

Distribution, fate and removal efficiency of anthelmintic drugs in wastewater treatment plants.

The distribution and fate of 19 anthelmintic drugs (ADs) were investigated in two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) using different wastewater treatment technologies, including anaerobic-anoxic-aerobic (A/O) biological process and cyclic activated sludge system (CASS) process. All the 19 ADs were found in the two WWTPs, with concentrations ranging from N.D.

Biophilic classroom environments on stress and cognitive performance: A randomized crossover study in virtual reality (VR).

The emerging Metaverse will likely increase time expenditure in indoor virtual environments, which could impact human health and well-being. The biophilia hypothesis suggests that humans have an innate tendency to seek connections with the natural world and there is increasing evidence that biophilic design such as the incorporation of green plants can yield health benefits. Recently, virtual reality (VR) has been used to regulate stress and improve overall wellness, particularly by incorporating natural settings.

Nitrogen removal performance of aerobic denitrifying bacteria enhanced by an iron-anode pulsed electric field.

Pulsed electric field (PEF) technology has attracted considerable attention because it can efficiently treat pollutants that are difficult to degrade. In this study, a PEF system using iron as the electrode was constructed to investigate the effect of PEF-Fe on the growth and metabolism of aerobic denitrifying bacteria and the effectiveness of wastewater nitrogen removal. The chemical oxygen demand, NO-N and nitrate removal rates were 98.

High-throughput Sequencing Analysis of the Effects of Vanadium on Bacterial Community Structure in Purple Soil.

Vanadium (V) contamination in soil has received extensive attention due to its high toxicity. The change of mobility and bioavailability of soil V and the effects of V on the soil microbial community were studied under conditions of different V(V) spiking concentrations (0, 100, 250, and 500 mg kg) and aging time (1, 7, 14, 30, 45, and 60 d). The results showed that soil V mainly presented as V(IV) of all treatments throughout the aging process.

Features of architectural landscape fragmentation in traditional villages in Western Hunan, China.

With rapid industrialization and urbanization in China, inadequate preservation of traditional architecture coupled with natural deterioration have led to the fragmentation of architectural landscapes. Drawing from ecological fragmentation research in landscape ecology, we consider the cultural landscape as our research object, viewing buildings as landscape patches, and determine a system for measuring architectural landscape fragmentation in traditional villages. The study shows the degree of landscape fragmentation can reveal the characteristics of traditional villages and the process of regional modernization.

Dual function of HO on interfacial intermediate conversion and surface poisoning regulation in simultaneous photodegradation of NO and toluene.

Co-existing air pollutants, especially NO and VOCs, will generate secondary photochemical pollution under light irradiation. However, simultaneous elimination of multi-pollutants has long been a challenge. Photocatalysis could turn the reaction pathway between pollutants to convert them into harmless products, which is a promising technology for multi-pollutant control.

[Identification of key points and differentiation planning strategies of Shantou, Guangdong, China].

Territorial ecological restoration planning is a carrier process for carrying out territorial space regulation and ecological restoration. However, current urban planning efforts only focus on ecological processes, and fail to coordinate the development of both ecology and society. Taking Shantou, a city in Guangdong Province, as an example, we focused on the identification of ecological restoration nodes and the development of differentiated planning strategies from a comprehensive ecological-social perspective.

Fracture Toughness Testing of Brittle Laminated Geomaterials Using Hollow Double-Wing Slotted Specimens.

The fracture toughness of shale is a key parameter guiding hydraulic fracturing design and optimization. The hollow double-wing slotted (HDWS) specimen is a typical specimen configuration for measuring the mode I fracture toughness of rock. The calibration of the shape factor () is the basis for accurately obtaining the fracture toughness of rocks.

Effect of Wet-Dry Cycling on Properties of Natural-Cellulose-Fiber-Reinforced Geopolymers: A Short Review.

To study the long-term properties of cement-based and geopolymer materials exposed to outdoor environments, wet-dry cycles are usually used to accelerate their aging. The wet-dry cycling can simulate the effects of environmental factors on the long-term properties of the composites under natural conditions. Nowadays, the long-term properties of geopolymer materials are studied increasingly deeply.

Explaining the Green Development Behavior of Local Governments for Sustainable Development: Evidence from China.

Although researchers have examined organizational sustainability practices, a specific interpretation of local government green development practices remains for supplemental analysis. This study conducted an empirical survey of 53 local officials from departments related to green development to understand the key processes and practices of green development behavior of local governments in China. The key findings indicate that the main stakeholders involved in the green development practices of Chinese local governments consist of enterprises and residents.

Field investigation combined with modeling uncovers the ecological heterogeneity of Aedes albopictus habitats for strategically improving systematic management during urbanization.

Background: Aedes albopictus is an invasive vector of serious Aedes-borne diseases of global concern. Habitat management remains a critical factor for establishing a cost-effective systematic strategy for sustainable vector control. However, the community-based characteristics of Ae.

Efficacy and feasibility of a forehead flap surgical guide for nasal reconstruction.

For successful nasal reconstruction using a forehead flap, three-dimensional (3D) nasal defects need to be translated into a two-dimensional (2D) forehead surface. For this study, a patient-specific 3D-printed forehead flap guide that could precisely translate a virtually simulated nasal shape into a 2D flap template was developed. The study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of a 3D-printed forehead flap guide for nasal reconstructions.

Research on the location decision-making method of emergency medical facilities based on WSR.

The need for emergency medical services increased drastically during disaster relief. Poor location selection of emergency medical facilities may harm the interests of healthcare workers and patients, leading to unnecessary waste of costs. It involves multiple stakeholders' interests, a typical multi-criteria decision-making problem.