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Metabolite Profiling and Combinatory Antibacterial Potential of Bay Leaf
No full textThe use of herbs in combination with antibiotics to treat diseases is a common practice in Indonesian public, and the abundance of bay leaves as a cooking herb and traditional medicine would mean that some interaction with drugs may unintentionally occur. Some herbs with antibiotic activity may interact with antibiotics; however, such interaction with bay leaf extracts is unknown. Bay leaves were extracted using Ultrasonic Assisted Extraction (UAE) for 5, 10, 15, and 20 minutes in ethanol. Total flavonoid and phenol levels was measured quantitatively, and metabolite profile was obtained using LC-HRMS. To determine interaction, an Ameri-Ziaei Dual Antibiotic Synergy Test (AZDAST) protocol was conducted on chloramphenicol against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Extraction for 5 minutes showed the highest yield for phenols and flavonoids (74.291 mg GAE/g and 93.84 mg QE/g), respectively. Metabolite profiling showed 473 bioactive compounds, with eleven active compounds, including resveratrol and vitexin, having the highest concentrations. On both bacteria, bay leaf extract had weak antibacterial activity and no significant difference was found in bay leaf extract combination with chloramphenicol compared to chloramphenicol alone. It was concluded that while bay leaf ethanolic extract contains many compounds with antibacterial activity, it had no interaction with chloramphenicol
Research on Protection and Renewal Strategies for Residential Historical and Cultural Districts from a Multidimensional Synergistic Perspective: A Case Study of the North Street Area in Pingwang Town, Suzhou
No full textAs the core carriers for the continuation of “liveliness”, residential historical and cultural districts face critical challenges in terms of community cohesion, spatial vitality, and cultural inheritance. From a multidimensional synergistic perspective, this study deconstructs the social, environmental, and cultural dimensions of such districts. It proposes a protection-and-renewal framework of “collaborative social governance—optimized spatial environment—revitalized cultural memory”. Taking the North Street area in Pingwang Town, Suzhou, as an example, we develop targeted strategies in three dimensions: socially, by establishing multi-stakeholder co-governance and property rights coordination mechanisms; environmentally, by repairing street-block morphology, supplementing public spaces, and reshaping district character; and culturally, by perpetuating folk traditions and crafting differentiated cultural-tourism carriers. Our findings indicate that a multidimensional synergistic approach can reconcile conservation with development, reinforce community cohesion, and—through spatial enhancements and cultural activation—inject contemporary vitality, thus ensuring the ongoing “liveliness” of residential historical and cultural districts
Do Independent Commissioners Boost the Effect of Profitability on Sustainability Disclosure? Evidence from Indonesian Palm Oil Companies
No full textAddressing sustainability risks in Indonesian palm oil companies depends on the quality of their governance. This is especially significant in light of increased scrutiny over corporate responsibility in the palm oil sector. The objective of this study is to investigate, under the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) 2021 context, whether the presence of independent commissioners (representing corporate governance) moderates the influence of profitability on sustainability disclosure. We used moderated regression analysis on 47 observations from 13 listed palm oil companies in Indonesia, covering the period 2021 to 2024. The findings reveal that the moderating role of independent commissioners is muted. However, independent commissioners directly influence sustainability disclosure. This study provides further evidence on the direct impact of independence commissioners on the sustainability disclosure of palm oil companies. This result also confirms the agency, legitimacy, and signaling theories. The results highlight that improving corporate governance is critical to mitigating greenwashing risk and ensuring credible sustainability disclosure. Addressing sustainability issues through stronger governance practices will not only help restore public trust but also strengthen companies' global competitiveness. These insights are relevant for regulators and investors seeking accountability in the resource-based sectors
Empowering Women Farmers: The Role of Education in Enhancing Climate Change Adaptation
No full textClimate change has become a challenge in agriculture. The global effort to empower women has been and continues to be an ongoing challenge, particularly in the workplace. Some research focusing on women farmers in developed countries, providing a strong foundation on the relationship between gender and environmental issues in the agricultural sector. Specifically, this study will explore how formal education, women farmers' experience, and knowledge of natural symptoms determine their capability to cope with climate change. The analysis was conducted through the application of A binary logistic regression model was employed, based on data from 100 women farmers from the Sleman District, Indonesia. The results of this study indicate that formal education has a significant positive effect, while knowledge of natural symptoms hinders the capacity of women farmers to respond effectively to the challenges posed by climate change. Women farmers with higher levels of education have a better understanding and response to climate change adaptation. Education strengthens their ability to make informed decisions and raises their awareness of environmental stewardship. Empowering women farmers with the necessary skills and knowledge can be achieved by providing scholarships, implementing targeted training programs, and establishing educational centers in rural areas
Simulation-based analysis of load and stress in 42CrMo4 gear blank and H13 die for improved forging performance
No full text42CrMo4 is a versatile alloy steel finds it’s applications in forged automotive components. This paper investigates the effective load analysis of the 42CrMo4 alloy steel during forging. The final component is prepared via hot forging. Mechanical properties are evaluated using tensile testing machine and impact properties are evaluated using Impact testing machine. Hardness of the material is measured by using Rockwell Hardness tester. The microstructure is observed using Scanning Electron Microscope. The load prediction, effective strain, effective strain rate, effective stress was calculated by using deform software. The novelty of this paper presents the effective load the material 42CrMo4 can hold safely without failure or damage. Deform software simulations for 42CrMo4 steel identified safe limits of 6.52 × 10⁷ N load, 4.46 strain, 2680 (mm/mm)/s strain rate, and 1810 MPa stress, ensuring reduced risk of failure
Optimal Sizing and Techno-Economic Feasibility of A Hybrid Energy System for Rural Electrification in Nakwamoru Village, Kenya
No full textIntegration of renewable energy sources has been found to be the best alternative for rural electrification. Kenya has made significant efforts in the energy sector, having electricity access at 75 % electricity via the grid or off-grid sources. However, it is still evident that citizens mostly depend upon biomass for energy use, especially those living in rural areas that are not grid-connected. With the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation (REREC), Kenya's ambition is to increase the rural electrification rate to 40 % by 2024, through rapid deployment of solar PV mini-grid systems. This study optimally sizes and analyses the techno-economic feasibility of various configurations of hybrid systems for Nakwamoru Village comprising 522 households. An energy optimization tool (HOMER Pro) was adopted for the sizing, simulation, optimization, and techno-economic evaluation. The analysis indicates that the most optimal hybrid system configuration consists of 174 kW of PV panels, 314 batteries, and 65 kW of converter, to meet the daily electric load. The solar PV-battery power system will generate annual electricity of 276,142 kWh/yr, and the community AC loads will consume 190,520 kWh/yr of electricity. The optimal hybrid power system has a COE of 474,456. The COE obtained is 17% lower than the current LCOE ($ 0.20/kWh) for residential tariffs in Kenya. Sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the possible solar radiation and inflation rates on the optimal system configurations. The results indicate that an increase in solar radiation will reduce both the COE and NPC, whereas an increase in inflation will increase the NPV while reducing the COE
Eco-efficient high-performance diesel operation with biodiesel–butanol blends optimized by soapnut-based bio-nano additives
No full textThis study looks at how well a diesel-fueled compression ignition engine works and how much pollution it produces. It uses a 20% Chlorella vulgaris biodiesel blend (B20), a 5% butanol (B20+D75BU5) blend, and soapnut bio-nano particles (SNPs) at 30, 60, and 90 ppm. Adding butanol made the fuel more volatile and increased the amount of oxygen in it. SNPs, which are biodegradable catalytic agents, increased micro- turbulence and full oxidation. The Efficiency which is in brake-thermal has recorded maximum peak (B20+D75BU5+60 ppm SNP) i.e.33.6 percentage. At the maximum load the least BSFC i.e.0.137 kg/kWh has recorded. The reduction of CO and HC emissions by about 33 plus 58%, was accompanied by a small increase in CO₂, which is a clear indication of a more complete combustion. It has been observed that, there is a significant improvement in the NOx, since high temparatures in cylinder, whereas FSN was reduced by up to 23%, which means that the particles were being effectively suppressed. SNPs are advantageous over metal oxide nanoparticles in that they decompose naturally, are less toxic, and have better dispersion characteristics. Thus, there is less wear on engines and less damage to the environment. B20+D75BU5+60 ppm SNP blend was identified as the optimal blend as it enhanced efficiency, reduced fuel consumption, and controlled emissions without the need for engine modification. This is a clear indication that bio-nano additives can be utilized in the development of sustainable high-performance biodiesel-diesel applications
Impact of edge/SOL density fluctuations on ion cyclotron wave propagation and absorption in tokamaks: A stochastic 1D model in a DTT plasma scenario
No full textThis work introduces a novel 1D hybrid modeling approach to investigate how density fluctuations localized in the edge and Scrape-Off Layer (SOL) regions of tokamaks affect ion-cyclotron wave propagation and absorption in a relevant Divertor Tokamak Test (DTT) plasma scenario. The wave-power transmission through the edge is obtained using the Invariant Imbedding Method in the fluctuating layer, while the absorbed power fractions in the smooth core are evaluated with finite-element and Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin based approaches. Time-independent and spatially correlated density fluctuations are generated analytically via a correlation-matrix method with prescribed root-mean-square amplitude and correlation length, and are superposed on an analytical equilibrium profile. A Monte Carlo approach is then used to sample many realizations and perform statistical analysis. The resulting edge power-transmission distribution exhibits a clearly multimodal structure, with peaks at high, low, and intermediate transmission levels. The model is fully implemented in Python and is computationally lightweight, making it suitable for fast exploratory studies without the need for high-performance computing resources, which are typical of high-fidelity modeling
Effect of alkali treatment on the mechanical and interfacial properties of woven jute and kenaf fiber reinforced epoxy composites
No full textThe natural fibers like jute and kenaf have been taken as sustainable reinforcement of polymer composites as they are low density, renewable and possess good specific strength. They, however, have minimal ability to bond to hydrophobic polymer matrices due to their hydrophilic character. This paper has used the woven jute and kenaf fibers as a subject to the alkali treatment by using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution to enhance interfacial bonding between fibers and a matrix in the epoxy-based composites. A hand lay-up procedure was used with compression molding to make composite. The mechanical properties, tensile, flexural and impact strength were checked according to the ASTM standards. The fracture surfaces were scanned using the Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) which was used to assess the fiber- matrix interfacial characteristics. The alkali-treated fiber composites were found to have immense enhancement on mechanical strength, as well as decreased void content, in comparison to the untreated samples. The data show that the alkali treatment is an effective method used to eliminate surface impurities, hemicellulose, and lignin, which increases the interfacial bonding and effectiveness of load transfer in woven natural fiber composites
Application of Eco-Aesthetics in Field Sketching for Environmental Design Practice
No full textEco-aesthetics emphasizes the harmonious coexistence, dynamic balance, and sustainable development between humans and nature, providing an important philosophical foundation for environmental design. Against the backdrop of the intensifying ecological crisis in modern society, field sketching—as an artistic practice—can effectively enhance designers’ ecological awareness and creativity. This study explores, under the guidance of eco-aesthetic principles, the specific applications of field sketching in unifying regional culture and ecological characteristics, natural painting practice, the design of ecological soft furnishings, the integration of traditional architectural forms, and the ecological expression of landscape painting. The results show that environmental design sketching is not only a design tool but also a practical carrier of eco-aesthetics. It helps integrate inspiration from nature into the design process and promotes green and sustainable design practices. At the same time, sketching courses cultivate designers’ interdisciplinary thinking ability, enriching environmental design with cultural connotation and ecological inspiration. This research provides theoretical support and practical direction for the future application of eco-aesthetic concepts in environmental design