Satellite images as visual source of ecological information (at example of Russia’s Ecological atlas)

Performing the function of information visualization, satellite images together with legends of landscape type maps, types of anthropogenic load under different economic use of the territory in various natural zones, maps of soil cover structures, seasonal production processes, create a visual image of the Earth’s night lights. The ecological functions of the images are manifested with showing the sources and distribution of pollution in different natural environments, i. e. smoke pollution of air, pollution of snow cover around cities, contamination of river and lake waters. The pictures illustrate the impact on the natural environment under extraction of minerals, oil production, mining coal, mineral raw materials, gold and diamonds. Particular attention is paid to industrial pollution of cities under the influence of ferrous and nonferrous metallurgy, chemical industry and energy. In addition to these negative examples, the opportunities of using satellite imagery to monitor the effectiveness of environmental protective measures to reduce water pollution and the reclamation of quarries are shown.

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Geoplastics of relief as a means of forming the perception of landscape compositions on the example of the Pechersk landscape park in Kyiv

Ukrainian Journal of Forest and Wood Science ◽

10.31548/forest2021.04.004 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

Author(s):

V. L. Matviychuk ◽

O. V. Pikhalo ◽

V. V. Minder ◽

I. O. Sydorenko

Keyword(s):

Detailed Analysis ◽

Software Package ◽

Field Survey ◽

Natural Landscape ◽

Analogy Method ◽

Landscape Type ◽

Natural Zones ◽

Plastic Changes ◽

Difficult Terrain ◽

The Impact

Geoplastics, as a method of vertical planning, is gaining more and more popularity among landscape architects, because this method gives the landscape an aesthetic unity, expressiveness, and a peculiar feature. The paper considers the influence of geo-plastic changes in the relief on a person, the viewer's perception of the environment. These factors are extremely important in the creation and design of the park, they allow the key elements to be presented, while creating harmonious combinations in the space, it is admirable and it is this that encourages you to visit the landscape object. Pechersk Landscape Park is located on the picturesque slopes of the Dnieper in Kiev, has a landscape type of planning, which is characterized by large areas of lawns with groups of shrubs and trees, the lack of symmetry in the placement of alleys and other elements of free planning. The park zone itself covers an area of 32,92 hectares. Location in difficult terrain contributes to the use of geo-plastic tools, which can be used to improve and develop park space. The illuminated research is based on the analogy method, by means of which the analog elements of geoplastics are transferred to the results obtained during the field survey of the park territory on difficult terrain. Graphic materials were developed using the ArchiCad 21 software package based on the original cartographic data. A detailed analysis of the problematic aspects of the Pechersky Landscape Park identified the main tasks: adaptability to the needs of society, increasing the comfort of stay, improving the natural landscape, arranging natural zones of park relief. Techniques and methods for improving the territory were applied, such as terracing slopes, creating eco-chairs, using artificial relief in playgrounds. The impact of these changes on the stay of visitors and on the environment as a whole is summarized and predicted. The use of geoplastics in the context of the perception of landscape compositions will contribute to solving problematic relief and exposition aspects of the Pechersk Landscape Park, which will increase its recreational potential.

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Оrganic Meat Production of Broiler Chickens Hubbard Redbro Cross

International Journal of Veterinary Science ◽

10.37422/ijvs/20.072 ◽

2020 ◽

Keyword(s):

Broiler Chickens ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Animal Health ◽

Meat Products ◽

Poultry Meat ◽

Meat Production ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Environmentally Safe ◽

The Impact

This article presents the results of studying the impact of housing and feeding conditions on broiler chickens of Hubbard RedBro cross, as well as the quality of products obtained when using floor and cage content, in a farm. It established that when receiving a mixed feed of own production using feed raw materials grown on a farm without the use of pesticides, a statistically significant decrease in potentially dangerous substances for animal health is recorded. Compared with factory feed, it has reduced the content of pesticides by 14 times, and mercury and arsenic by 24 times, cadmium by five times, and lead by ten times. The results of the study of economic indicators of growing Hubbard RedBro cross broiler chickens, as well as the chemical composition and quality of carcasses, indicated that there was no significant difference between the floor and cell conditions of keeping. Still, the use of a diet based on eco-feeds contributed to a statistically significant decrease in the concentration of toxic metals in the muscles of the poultry of the experimental groups. As a result, it found that the use of the studied compound feed in the diets of broiler chickens increased the indicators of Biosafety and ensured the production of environmentally safe ("organic") poultry meat products.

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Impact of Raw Materials and Processing Techniques on The Microbiological Quality of Egyptian Domiati Cheese

International Journal of Veterinary Science ◽

10.37422/ijvs/20.060 ◽

2020 ◽

Keyword(s):

Raw Materials ◽

Microbiological Quality ◽

Raw Milk ◽

Plate Count ◽

E Coli ◽

Fresh Cheese ◽

Processing Techniques ◽

The Impact ◽

Total Yeast

Domiati cheese is the most popular brand of cheese ripened in brine in the Middle East in terms of consumed quantities. This study was performed to investigate the impact of the microbiological quality of the used raw materials, the applied traditional processing techniques and ripening period on the quality and safety of the produced cheese. Three hundred random composite samples were collected from three factories at Fayoum Governorate, Egypt. Collected samples represent twenty-five each of: raw milk, table salt, calf rennet, microbial rennet, water, environmental air, whey, fresh cheese, ripened cheese & swabs from: worker hands; cheese molds and utensils; tanks. All samples were examined microbiologically for Standard Plate Count (SPC), coliforms count, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) count, total yeast & mould count, presence of E. coli, Salmonellae and Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes). The mean value of SPC, coliforms, S. aureus and total yeast & mould counts ranged from (79×102 CFU/m3 for air to 13×108 CFU/g for fresh cheese), (7×102 MPN/ cm2 for tank swabs to 80×106 MPN/ml for raw milk), (9×102 CFU/g for salt to 69×106 CFU/g for fresh cheese) and (2×102 CFU/cm2 for hand swabs to 60×104 CFU/g for fresh cheese), respectively. Whereas, E. coli, Salmonella and L. monocytogenes failed to be detected in all examined samples. There were significant differences in all determined microbiological parameters (p ≤0.05) between fresh and ripened cheese which may be attributed to different adverse conditions such as water activity, pH, salt content and temperature carried out to improve the quality of the product.

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2-Piece Cork Stoppers as Alternative for Valorization of Thin Cork Planks: Analysis by LCA Methodology

Foods ◽

10.3390/foods10040873 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 873

Author(s):

Francisco Javier Flor-Montalvo ◽

Agustín Sánchez-Toledo Ledesma ◽

Eduardo Martínez Cámara ◽

Emilio Jiménez-Macías ◽

Jorge Luis García-Alcaraz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle Assessment ◽

Life Cycle ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Lca Methodology ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Different Dimensions ◽

The Impact ◽

Different Thickness ◽

Cork Stoppers ◽

Wine Bottle

Natural stoppers are a magnificent closure for the production of aging wines and unique wines, whose application is limited by the availability of raw materials and more specifically of cork sheets of different thickness and quality. The growing demand for quality wine bottle closures leads to the search for alternative stopper production. The two-piece stopper is an alternative since it uses non-usable plates in a conventional way for the production of quality caps. The present study has analyzed the impact of the manufacture of these two-piece stoppers using different methodologies and for different dimensions by developing an LCA (Life Cycle Assessment), concluding that the process phases of the plate, its boiling, and its stabilization, are the phases with the greatest impact. Likewise, it is detected that the impacts in all phases are relatively similar (for one kg of net cork produced), although the volumetric difference between these stoppers represents a significant difference in impacts for each unit produced.

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Process Modeling and Simulation of Tableting—An Agent-Based Simulation Methodology for Direct Compression

Pharmaceutics ◽

10.3390/pharmaceutics13070996 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 996

Author(s):

Niels Lasse Martin ◽

Ann Kathrin Schomberg ◽

Jan Henrik Finke ◽

Tim Gyung-min Abraham ◽

Arno Kwade ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Raw Materials ◽

Pilot Scale ◽

Physical Models ◽

Agent Based Simulation ◽

Validation Data ◽

Agent Based ◽

Industrial Processing ◽

Digital Twins ◽

Product And Process ◽

The Impact

In pharmaceutical manufacturing, the utmost aim is reliably producing high quality products. Simulation approaches allow virtual experiments of processes in the planning phase and the implementation of digital twins in operation. The industrial processing of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) into tablets requires the combination of discrete and continuous sub-processes with complex interdependencies regarding the material structures and characteristics. The API and excipients are mixed, granulated if required, and subsequently tableted. Thereby, the structure as well as the properties of the intermediate and final product are influenced by the raw materials, the parametrized processes and environmental conditions, which are subject to certain fluctuations. In this study, for the first time, an agent-based simulation model is presented, which enables the prediction, tracking, and tracing of resulting structures and properties of the intermediates of an industrial tableting process. Therefore, the methodology for the identification and development of product and process agents in an agent-based simulation is shown. Implemented physical models describe the impact of process parameters on material structures. The tablet production with a pilot scale rotary press is experimentally characterized to provide calibration and validation data. Finally, the simulation results, predicting the final structures, are compared to the experimental data.

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Modified Nanoclays/Straw Fillers as Functional Additives of Natural Rubber Biocomposites

Polymers ◽

10.3390/polym13050799 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 799

Author(s):

Justyna Miedzianowska ◽

Marcin Masłowski ◽

Przemysław Rybiński ◽

Krzysztof Strzelec

Keyword(s):

Natural Rubber ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Research Work ◽

Damping Properties ◽

Main Research ◽

Functional Additives ◽

Different Types ◽

Elastomeric Materials ◽

Research Goal ◽

The Impact

Increasingly, raw materials of natural origin are used as fillers in polymer composites. Such biocomposites have satisfactory properties. To ensure above-average functional properties, modifications of biofillers with other materials are also used. The presented research work aimed to produce and characterize elastomeric materials with a straw-based filler and four different types of montmorillonite. The main research goal was to obtain improved functional parameters of vulcanizates based on natural rubber. A series of composites filled with straw and certain types of modified and unmodified nano-clays in various ratios and amounts were prepared. Then, they were subjected to a series of tests to assess the impact of the hybrids used on the final product. It has been shown that the addition of optimal amounts of biofillers can, inter alia, increase the tensile strength of the composite, improve damping properties, extend the burning time of the material and affect the course of vulcanization or cross-linking density.

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Sustainability of Extraction of Raw Material by a Combination of Mobile and Stationary Mining Machines and Optimization of Machine Life Cycle

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su122410454 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (24) ◽

pp. 10454

Author(s):

Katarína Teplická ◽

Martin Straka

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Simulation Method ◽

Raw Material ◽

Optimal Distribution ◽

Transport Costs ◽

Scientific Discussion ◽

Mining Companies ◽

Conveyor Belts ◽

The Impact

This article summarizes the arguments within the scientific discussion on the issue of using mining machines and their life cycle. The main goal of the article is to investigate the impact of a combination of mobile and stationary mining machines and their optimal distribution in the mining process to increase the efficiency of mining and processing of raw materials. The following methods of research were focused on the use of technical indicators for the valuation efficiency of the mining process: a simulation method was used for the distribution of mining machines, comparison analysis was used for the real and past state of mining machines, and a decision tree was used as managerial instrument for optimal alternatives of mining machines. The research empirically confirms and theoretically proves that optimal distribution of mining machines and machine parks is very important for mining companies. The benefit of this research for the mining company was the new location of the machines and the combination of stationary production lines and mobile equipment. The optimal layout of the machines reduced the number of conveyor belts and improved the transfer of limestone processing to mobile devices, saving time, which was reflected in transport costs. The results can be useful for other mining companies seeking to create an optimal machine park.

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The Dynamic Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Log Prices in China: An Analysis Based on the TVP-VAR Model

Forests ◽

10.3390/f12040449 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (4) ◽

pp. 449

Author(s):

Chenlu Tao ◽

Gang Diao ◽

Baodong Cheng

Keyword(s):

Exchange Rate ◽

Structural Changes ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Supply And Demand ◽

Oil Prices ◽

Control Measures ◽

Var Model ◽

Time Varying ◽

Wood Industry ◽

The Impact

China’s wood industry is vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic since wood raw materials and sales of products are dependent on the international market. This study seeks to explore the speed of log price recovery under different control measures, and to perhaps find a better way to respond to the pandemic. With the daily data, we utilized the time-varying parameter autoregressive (TVP-VAR) model, which can incorporate structural changes in emergencies into the model through time-varying parameters, to estimate the dynamic impact of the pandemic on log prices at different time points. We found that the impact of the pandemic on oil prices and Renminbi exchange rate is synchronized with the severity of the pandemic, and the ascending in the exchange rate would lead to an increase in log prices, while oil prices would not. Moreover, the impulse response in June converged faster than in February 2020. Thus, partial quarantine is effective. However, the pandemic’s impact on log prices is not consistent with changes of the pandemic. After the pandemic eased in June 2020, the impact of the pandemic on log prices remained increasing. This means that the COVID-19 pandemic has long-term influences on the wood industry, and the work resumption was not smooth, thus the imbalance between supply and demand should be resolved as soon as possible. Therefore, it is necessary to promote the development of the domestic wood market and realize a “dual circulation” strategy as the pandemic becomes a “new normal”.

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Green Packaging from Consumer and Business Perspectives

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13031356 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 1356

Author(s):

Gonzalo Wandosell ◽

María C. Parra-Meroño ◽

Alfredo Alcayde ◽

Raúl Baños

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Research Activity ◽

Word Clouds ◽

Climate Action ◽

Green Packaging ◽

Materials Used ◽

Societal Challenge ◽

Corporate Social ◽

The Impact

Sustainable development is a global objective that aims to address the societal challenge of climate action, the environment, resource efficiency, and raw materials. In this sense, an important strategy is the promotion of green packaging, that is, the use of sustainable materials and designs for the packaging of goods. In recent years, many research works have been published in the specialised area covering the different perspectives and dimensions of green packaging. However, to our knowledge, no previous investigations have analysed the research activity on green packaging from business and consumer perspectives. The present study intends to fill this gap by analysing all of the publications found in the Scopus database with the help of visual analytic tools, including word clouds and Gephi network visualization software. More specifically, our study analyses the impact of green packaging from business and consumer viewpoints, including some specific issues such as the design and materials used in green packaging, green packaging costs, marketing strategies and corporate social responsibility related to green packaging, and the impact of green packaging in waste management, the circular economy, logistics, and supply chain management. The results obtained reveal the growing interest of scholars and researchers in all of these dimensions, as is made patently clear by the increasing number of journal publications in recent years. The practical implications of this study are significant, given the growing awareness among companies and consumers about the importance of the promotion of sustainable development through green packaging alternatives. More specifically, the results of this research could be very useful for all of those agents who are interested in learning about the main lines of research being developed in the field of green packaging.

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Photovoltaic Power Forecasting: Assessment of the Impact of Multiple Sources of Spatio-Temporal Data on Forecast Accuracy

Energies ◽

10.3390/en14051432 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (5) ◽

pp. 1432

Author(s):

Xwégnon Ghislain Agoua ◽

Robin Girard ◽

Georges Kariniotakis

Keyword(s):

Satellite Images ◽

Forecast Accuracy ◽

Absolute Error ◽

Data Sources ◽

Test Case ◽

Temporal Data ◽

Multiple Sources ◽

Forecasting Error ◽

Spatio Temporal ◽

The Impact

The efficient integration of photovoltaic (PV) production in energy systems is conditioned by the capacity to anticipate its variability, that is, the capacity to provide accurate forecasts. From the classical forecasting methods in the state of the art dealing with a single power plant, the focus has moved in recent years to spatio-temporal approaches, where geographically dispersed data are used as input to improve forecasts of a site for the horizons up to 6 h ahead. These spatio-temporal approaches provide different performances according to the data sources available but the question of the impact of each source on the actual forecasting performance is still not evaluated. In this paper, we propose a flexible spatio-temporal model to generate PV production forecasts for horizons up to 6 h ahead and we use this model to evaluate the effect of different spatial and temporal data sources on the accuracy of the forecasts. The sources considered are measurements from neighboring PV plants, local meteorological stations, Numerical Weather Predictions, and satellite images. The evaluation of the performance is carried out using a real-world test case featuring a high number of 136 PV plants. The forecasting error has been evaluated for each data source using the Mean Absolute Error and Root Mean Square Error. The results show that neighboring PV plants help to achieve around 10% reduction in forecasting error for the first three hours, followed by satellite images which help to gain an additional 3% all over the horizons up to 6 h ahead. The NWP data show no improvement for horizons up to 6 h but is essential for greater horizons.

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