Economic appraisal of Power-to-Liquid Fischer-Tropsch plants exploiting renewable electricity, green hydrogen, and CO2 from biogas in Europe

The present work analyses the techno-economic potential of Power-to-Liquid routes to synthesize Fischer-Tropsch paraffin waxes for the chemical sector. The Fischer-Tropsch production unit is supplied with hydrogen produced by electrolysis and CO2 from biogas upgrading. In the analysis, 17 preferential locations were identified in Germany and Italy, where a flow of 1 t/h of carbon dioxide was ensured. For each location, the available flow of CO2 and the capacity factors for both wind and solar PV were estimated. A metaheuristic-based approach was used to identify the cost-optimal process design of the proposed system. Accordingly, the sizes of the hydrogen storage, electrolyzer, PV field, and wind park were evaluated. The analysis studied the possibility of having different percentage of electricity coming from the electric grid, going from full-grid to full-RES configurations. Results show that the lowest cost of Fischer-Tropsch wax production is 6.00 €/kg at full-grid operation and 25.1 €/kg for the full-RES solution. Wind availability has a key role in lowering the wax cost.

Project-Based Learning on the Topic of Aromatic Wax Production

Project-based learning is one of the most effective and successful teaching methods for STEM topics. Project-based teaching is an open-ended teaching method that helps teachers stimulate students’ initiative and teamwork skills and promote creativity. Of the interdisciplinary STEM topics, teaching students how to produce aromatic wax proved an interesting topic, causing excitement to students. Through collaborative teaching, this research has shown that students are very interested in learning to produce aromatic wax. The research results also show that there are five factors that greatly affect project-based teaching: (1) Teachers must split the class into groups to implement projects effectively; (2) Topics must be attractive and motivate students to appreciate, explore and produce STEM products; (3) Students must have a positive attitude, unafraid of encountering difficulties and challenges in completing STEM tasks; (4) Students must be competent to implement STEM products; (5) Students must be facilitated by their school and their parents to complete the STEM tasks. The research findings have important implications for proposing a specific project-based learning curriculum on the STEM topic of aromatic wax production.

Krüppel-homologue 1 Mediates Hormonally Regulated Dominance Rank in a Social Bee

Dominance hierarchies are ubiquitous in invertebrates and vertebrates, but little is known on how genes influence dominance rank. Our gaps in knowledge are specifically significant concerning female hierarchies, particularly in insects. To start filling these gaps, we studied the social bumble bee Bombus terrestris, in which social hierarchies among females are common and functionally significant. Dominance rank in this bee is influenced by multiple factors, including juvenile hormone (JH) that is a major gonadotropin in this species. We tested the hypothesis that the JH responsive transcription factor Krüppel homologue 1 (Kr-h1) mediates hormonal influences on dominance behavior. We first developed and validated a perfluorocarbon nanoparticles-based RNA interference protocol for knocking down Kr-h1 expression. We then used this procedure to show that Kr-h1 mediates the influence of JH, not only on oogenesis and wax production, but also on aggression and dominance rank. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study causally linking a gene to dominance rank in social insects, and one of only a few such studies on insects or on female hierarchies. These findings are important for determining whether there are general molecular principles governing dominance rank across gender and taxa.

Increasing efficiency of honey extracting through innovative technology as exemplified by a small agricultural producer

Honey and wax production in Russia is considered a traditional branch of agriculture, which enables to produce valuable biologically active food for the population and raw materials for the industry. Many sources speak for a rapid annual decrease in the number of bees. One of the factors in reducing the number of bees is a somewhat tough way of collecting honey, in which a small percentage of the hive dies. The paper discusses the possibility of using innovative Australian FlowHive technology designed to allow honey to flow down freely. With this technology, honey is extracted without disturbing the bees as in normal extraction. The pivotal technological secret of a FlowHive beehive is durable plastic mobile honeycombs. By turning a special knob, the vertical gaps are offset by one half of a cell, allowing the honey to flow down through the cells into a channel at the base of each frame and out into a collection vessel. The paper presents a set of data for calculating the effectiveness of innovative beehives in small agricultural production. It establishes that, once applied, innovative hives not only increase profits, but also decrease costs for basic production.

Krüppel-Homologue 1 Mediates Hormonally-Regulated Dominance Rank in a Social Insect

Dominance hierarchies are ubiquitous in invertebrates and vertebrates, but little is known on how genes influence dominance rank. Our gaps in knowledge are specifically significant concerning female hierarchies and in insects. To start filling these gaps we studied the social bumble bee Bombus terrestris, in which social hierarchies among females are common and functionally significant. Dominance rank in this bee is influenced by multiple factors, including juvenile hormone (JH) that is a major gonadotropin in this species. We tested the hypothesis that the JH responsive transcription factor Krüppel homologue 1 (Kr-h1) mediates hormonal influence on dominance behavior in the bumble bee. We first developed and validated a perfluorocarbon nanoparticles-based RNA interference protocol for knocking down Kr-h1 expression. We then used this procedure to show that Kr-h1 mediates the influence of JH not only on oogenesis and wax production, but also on aggression and dominance rank. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study causally linking a gene to dominance rank in social insects, and one of only a few such studies in insects or in female hierarchies. These findings are important for determining whether there are general molecular principles governing dominance rank across gender and taxa.

Automated system for monitoring and control of the liquid wax production process

This article describes the design of an automated system for the automatic monitoring and control of the liquid wax production process, in order to quantify its effect on productivity indicators. For which initially the procedure for obtaining the automation will be described; then the results obtained will be presented, the same ones that will be identified through a comparative analysis. During the investigation it was determined that, through the use of a programmable logic controller, it was possible to improve the precision of the dosage of components in the liquid wax production process; By achieving acorrect dosage, it is achieved that the physical-chemical factors that intervene in the quality of the final product, which are the pH and specific density, are within the limits established by the company, this is reflected in the decrease 38.77% of the amount of monthly loss of raw material, thus achieving the optimization of the productivity of the production of liquid wax by 83.69% per month, compared to the non-automated process.<br /><div> </div>

INFLUENCE OF BIOLOGICAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL FACTORS ON WAX PRODUCTION

Воск в природе вырабатывают только пчелы, а используется он в 50 отраслях. Качество воска влияет на свойства вощины и, в дальнейшем, на эффективность отрасли. Обоснованы различные факторы влияния на биологию восковыделения, технологии переработки воскосырья и получения воска для производства качественной вощины. Освещены изменения физико-химических свойств воска под влиянием фальсифицирующих добавок.

Fitossociologia de Dois Bosques de Caatinga Utilizados para Extração Foliar da Copernicia prunifera (Mill.) H.E.Moore e Infestados por Cryptostegia madagascariensis Bojer

A Copernicia prunifera (Mill.) H.E.Moore é uma palmeira nativa do Brasil que é alvo do extrativismo anual da sua folha para retirada do pó e produção da cera, um produto muito comercializado nacional e internacionalmente. Essa palmeira vem sofrendo com a ameaça da Cryptostegia madagascariensis Bojer, espécie nativa da ilha de Madagascar, África. Essa planta, é considerada invasora no semiárido brasileiro, principalmente no bioma Caatinga, devido a sua facilidade de formar densas populações. O objetivo desse trabalho é comparar a estrutura fitossociológica de duas áreas de Caatinga com atividade extrativista da folha da Copernicia prunifera (Mill.) H.E.Moore e com a presença de Cryptostegia madagascariensis Bojer. Assim, foram selecionadas duas áreas, Área I – atividade extrativista intensiva das folhas da Copernicia prunifera (Mill.) H.E.Moore, Área II – não possui atividade extrativista intensiva. Para análise fitossociológica utilizou-se o método de parcelas, e catalogados os indivíduos com circunferência a altura do peito maior ou igual a 5 cm e altura maior ou igual a 1 m. Para a avaliação das comunidades vegetais, foram analisados os parâmetros fitossociológicos convencionais, e os índices de Similaridade, Diversidade, Equabilidade e Impacto Ambiental de Exóticas. Como resultado, foram inventariados 2.567 indivíduos pertencentes a 21 famílias, 28 gêneros e 39 espécies, das quais 21 são nativas, 17 endêmicas, 1 cultivada e 1 naturalizada, percebeu-se também que a diversidade na Área I foi menor quando comparada ao Área II. Assim, conclui-se que a presença da Cryptostegia madagascariensis Bojer associada à atividade extrativista intensiva reduz número de gêneros, espécies e famílias na Caatinga.Palavras-chave: Extrativismo, Semiárido, Fitodiversidade, Impacto Ambiental de Exóticas. Phytosociology of Two Caatinga Woods Used for Leaf Extraction of Copernicia prunifera (Mill.) H.E.Moore and Infested by Cryptostegia madagascariensis Bojer A B S T R A C TThe Copernicia prunifera (Mill.) H.E.Moore is a palm tree native to Brazil that is the target of the annual extractivism of its leaf for dust removal and wax production, a product very commercialized nationally and internationally. This palm has been suffering from the threat of Cryptostegia madagascariensis Bojer, a species native to the island of Madagascar, Africa. This plant is considered invasive in the Brazilian semiarid, mainly in the Caatinga biome, due to its ease of forming dense populations. The objective of this work is to compare the phytosociological structure of two areas of Caatinga with different degrees of extractive activity, leaves of Copernicia prunifera (Mill.) H.E.Moore and infestation by Cryptostegia madagascariensis Bojer in the municipality of Pacatuba - Ceará, Brazil. Thus, two areas were selected, Area I - intensive extractive activity of the leaves of Copernicia prunifera (Mill.) H.E.Moore, Area II - does not have intensive extractive activity. For phytosociological analysis, the plots method was used, and individuals with circumference greater than or equal to 5 cm and height greater than or equal to 1 m were cataloged. For the evaluation of plant communities, conventional phytosociological parameters were analyzed, along with the Similarity, Diversity, Equability and Environmental Impact of Exotics. As a result, 2,567 individuals belonging to 21 families, 28 genera and 39 species were inventoried, of which 21 are native, 17 endemic, 1 cultivated and 1 naturalized, it was also noticed that the diversity in Area I was lower when compared to Area II. Thus, it is concluded that the presence of Cryptostegia madagascariensis Bojer associated with intensive extractive activity reduces the number of genera, species and families in the Caatinga.Keywords: Extractivism, Semiarid, Phytodiversity, Environmental Impact of Exotics.

Costs and Benefits of Wax Production in the Larvae of the Ladybeetle Scymnus nubilus

BACKGROUND: Larvae of the minute aphidophagous Scymnus nubilus Mulsant (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) are common predators in apple orchards, covered by a wax layer that might act as a defense mechanism against natural enemies. However, the costs and benefits of protection conferred by wax remain to be assessed. We tested the following hypothesis: there is a trade-off in wax producing ladybeetles between the protection conferred by wax cover and the physiological or behavioral costs associated with its production. We predict that: (1) wax production is an efficient defensive mechanism (against intraguild predation), (2) wax production is associated with detrimental physiological (growth, reproduction) or behavioral effects (behavioral compensation: increased biomass consumption). RESULTS: Tests were carried out in the laboratory with wax and waxless larvae of S. nubilus, with and without lacewing larvae of Chrysoperla agilis (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) being used as a potential intraguild predator of the coccinellid. Waxless individuals were more susceptible to intraguild predation by lacewing larvae. Adults originating from waxless larvae were lighter than the ones originating from wax larvae, suggesting a metabolic cost resulting from a constant need of wax production. Body-weight gain and conversion efficiency were lower in waxless larvae. Biomass consumption was similar, showing that waxless larvae did not compensate for the physiological cost by eating more aphid biomass. CONCLUSION: The results indicate the potential existence of a trade-off between growth and protection associated with wax production.