Exchanges,Mutual Learning and Looking Forward to the Future The Exhibition of Oil Paintings of China and Five Central Asian Countries

Exchanges and mutual learning between the Chinese and foreign civilizations are an important part of human cultural development.The Chinese civilization adopts an all-embracing,open and inclusive attitude to understand the different views of different civilizations on the connotation of values.The ancient Silk Road has opened a new window of friendship between countries and written a new chapter in the development of mankind.

“生命建筑挑战”评价标准及其实践应用——以Center for Sustainable Landscapes为例

人们对可持续发展的日益重视使绿色建筑认证成为关注焦点。当今“双碳”目标对建筑的可持续性提出了更高的要求,建筑评价体系也应与时俱进,适应时代发展的要求。“生命建筑挑战”评价标准综合了目前环境研究领域的核心问题,意在推动绿色建筑评价体系向前发展,是当前最为严格的认证体系,以减少环境影响、实现生态修复为目的,以再生性设计原则为指导,并利用当前最先进的可持续技术和策略为实现手段。通过对“生命建筑挑战”评价标准的评价对象、评价内容、认证流程和认证等级进行总结,分析其变化历程及特点,并结合实际认证项目对其实际应用进行分析,为我国绿色建筑评价发展提供启示与借鉴。

Uphold the Original Intention and Work together for Future Development——Speech at the 35th Anniversary Symposium of BES

Time flies,in the blink of an eye,it is already 2023.The journal Biomedical and Environmental Sciences(BES)has been established for thirty-five years.Today,I am honored to participate in the BES’s 35th anniversary symposium,organized by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention(China CDC).Seeing Director Hongbing Shen,Deputy Director Xiaoming Shi,along colleagues from the center’s affiliated units and departments,as well as fellow researchers,we have come together for this symposium under the theme of“Looking back and looking forward”,I am not only deeply appreciative and thankful,but also envisioning a bright future for BES in the next 35 years.I would like to share my thoughts and hopes under the theme of“Review and Development”.

Influence mechanism of government subsidy on the green transformation of coal company in China

The optimization of government subsidies to enhance the efficiency of coal companies’green transformation constitutes a critical component in the pursuit of global sustainability.We investigate the influence mechanism of government subsidies on the green transformation using data from the listed coal companies in China from 2007 to 2022.According to our findings and hypothesis testing,previous government subsidies did not have a significant direct impact on coal companies’green transformation.Nevertheless,government subsidies can help coal companies transition to greener practices by promoting innovative green initiatives.Furthermore,we confirmed an indirect route:that government subsidies enable the adoption of low-carbon initiatives,which in turn could facilitate the transition of coal companies towards green practices.In addition,we discovered that the coal company’s digitization will improve this indirect route.Thus,we propose increasing the effectiveness of government subsidies in facilitating coal companies’transition to green practices by focusing on technological advancements and enhancing company digitalization.

A green cross-linking method for the preparation of renewable threedimensional graphene sponges for efficient adsorption of Congo red dye

Graphene-based materials possess significant potential for the treatment of dye wastewater due to their exceptional adsorption properties toward stubborn pollutants.However,their utilization is hindered by high preparation costs,low yields,environmental pollution during synthesis,and challenges in regenerating the adsorbent.This study proposes a novel approach to address these limitations by developing nitrogen-doped three-dimensional(3D)polyvinyl alcohol(PVA)crosslinked graphene sponges(N-PGA)using a cross-linking method with ammonium carbonate.This method offers a relatively mild,environmentally friendly approach.Ammonium carbonate serves as both a reducing and modifying agent,facilitating the formation of the intrinsic structure of N-PGA and acting as a nitrogen source.Meanwhile,PVA is utilized as the cross-linking agent.The results demonstrate that N-PGA exhibits a favorable internal 3D hierarchical porous structure and possesses robust mechanical properties.The measured specific surface area(BET)of N-PGA was as high as406.538 m^(2)·g^(-1),which was favorable for its efficient adsorption of Congo red(CR)dye molecules.At an initial concentration of 50 mg·L^(-1),N-PGA achieved an impressive removal rate of 89.6%and an adsorption capacity of 112 mg·g^(-1)for CR dye.Furthermore,it retained 79%of its initial adsorption capacity after 10 cycles,demonstrating excellent regeneration performance.In summary,the synthesized N-PGA displays remarkable efficacy in the adsorption of CR dye in wastewater,opening up new possibilities for utilizing 3D porous graphene nanomaterials as efficient adsorbents in wastewater treatment.

Eutrophication of Jiangsu Coastal Water and Its Role in the Formation of Green Tide

Since 2007,the large-scale green tide caused by Ulva prolifera(U.prolifera)have occurred as a recurrent phenomenon in the southern Yellow Sea of China.Field surveys and satellite remote sensing showed that the small scattered patches of green tide algae were first observed along the Porphyra agriculture area of the Subei Shoal in late April.In this study,we attempted to identify the role of eutrophication in the origin of the green tide in the Subei Shoal and its adjacent area.Subei Shoal and its adjacent area are characterized by rich nutrients,especially NO_(3)^(-)-N,NH_(4)^(+)-N,PO_(4)^(3-)-P,and other bioavailable components(such as urea-N and amino acids).In the spring of 2017,the average concentrations of NO_(3)^(-)-N were 19.01±11.01μmolL^(-1),accounting for 86.68%of the dis-solved inorganic nitrogen(DIN).In addition,the average concentration of NH4^(+)-N was 2.51±1.60μmolL^(-1).PO_(4)^(3-)-P had an average concentration of 0.14±0.13μmolL-1.The average concentrations of urea-N and total hydrolyzed amino acids(THAA)were 1.73±1.36μmolL^(-1)and 1.33±0.80μmolL^(-1),respectively.Rich nutritive substances play a key role in the rapid production of U.prolifera and make the Jiangsu coastal water an incubator for green tide.

Benchmarking YOLOv5 models for improved human detection in search and rescue missions

Drone or unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)technology has undergone significant changes.The technology allows UAV to carry out a wide range of tasks with an increasing level of sophistication,since drones can cover a large area with cameras.Meanwhile,the increasing number of computer vision applications utilizing deep learning provides a unique insight into such applications.The primary target in UAV-based detection applications is humans,yet aerial recordings are not included in the massive datasets used to train object detectors,which makes it necessary to gather the model data from such platforms.You only look once(YOLO)version 4,RetinaNet,faster region-based convolutional neural network(R-CNN),and cascade R-CNN are several well-known detectors that have been studied in the past using a variety of datasets to replicate rescue scenes.Here,we used the search and rescue(SAR)dataset to train the you only look once version 5(YOLOv5)algorithm to validate its speed,accuracy,and low false detection rate.In comparison to YOLOv4 and R-CNN,the highest mean average accuracy of 96.9%is obtained by YOLOv5.For comparison,experimental findings utilizing the SAR and the human rescue imaging database on land(HERIDAL)datasets are presented.The results show that the YOLOv5-based approach is the most successful human detection model for SAR missions.

Cost Control Strategies for Hubei General Highway Greening Project

In order to respond to the national policy of focusing on the service of building a new development pattern and promoting high-quality development,and to reduce the cost of greening projects while ensuring the effect of highway landscape,a process and cost control points of highway greening design,construction,and maintenance are summarized through a review of the literature.Additionally,this paper examines the attributes of highway greening and proposes cost control strategies that are aligned with these attributes.It is proposed that the implementation of cost control strategies for highway greening should commence at the project establishment phase,with the objective of establishing a comprehensive and effective cost management control system.While guaranteeing the greening landscape effect and the duration of the project,it is essential to regulate the crucial nodes in each phase of the design,construction,and maintenance process.Furthermore,it is vital to facilitate close collaboration between all parties involved,thereby reducing costs,conserving resources,and lowering energy consumption.This approach can also lead to enhanced economic and social benefits for highway greening projects.

Deep eutectic solvents:Green multi-task agents for sustainable super green hydrogen technologies

While reliance on renewable energy resources has become a reality, there is still a need to deploy greener and more sustainable methods in order to achieve sustainable development goals. Indeed, green hydrogen is currently believed to be a reliable solution for global warming and the pollution challenges arising from fossil fuels, making it the resilient fuel of the future. However, the sustainability of green hydrogen technologies is yet to be achieved. In this context, generation of green hydrogen with the aid of deep eutectic solvents(DESs) as green mixtures has been demonstrated as a promising research area. This systematic review article covers green hydrogen generation through water splitting and biomass fermentation when DESs are utilized within the generation process. It also discusses the incorporation of DESs in fuel cell technologies. DESs can play a variety of roles such as solvent, electrolyte, or precursor;colloidal suspension and reaction medium;galvanic replacement, shape-controlling, decoration, or extractive agent;finally oxidant. These roles are relevant to several methods of green hydrogen generation, including electrocatalysis, photocatalysis, and fermentation. As such, it is of utmost importance to screen potential DES formulations and determine how they can function in and contribute throughout the green hydrogen mobility stages. The realization of super green hydrogen generation stands out as a pivotal milestone in our journey towards achieving a more sustainable form of development;DESs have great potential in making this milestone achievable. Overall, incorporating DESs in hydrogen generation constitutes a promising research area and offers potential scalability for green hydrogen production, storage,transport, and utilization.

Redefining biofuels:Investigating oil palm biomass as a promising cellulose feedstock for nitrocellulose-based propellant production

This review paper explores the potential of oil palm biomass as a valuable cellulose source for the production of nitrocellulose-based propellants,contributing to the green revolution and sustainable energy solutions.It highlights the availability of the corresponding biomass in Malaysia and in line with global studies,the chemical compositions,as well as a brief description of current technologies for converting biomass of oil palm into value added products specifically cellulose.Steps to achieve maximum utilization of biomass from oil palm industry for cellulose production and prospective source for nitrocellulose-based propellant are also proposed.The methodology section outlines the pretreatment of lignocellulosic fibres,cellulose extraction,and nitrocellulose production processes.Overall,the review underscores the prospective of palm oil biomass as a sustainable cellulose source for propellant manufacturing,while acknowledging the need for further research and advancements in the field.

Green transformation paths of resource-based cities in China from the configuration perspective

Green transformation is an unavoidable choice for resource-based cities(RBCs)that face resource depletion and environmental pollution.Existing research has focused primarily on specific RBCs,making it challenging to apply green transformation strategies universally across cities.The fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis(fsQCA)is a combination of qualitative and quantitative analyses that can handle multiple concurrent causality problems and determine how different conditions combine into configurations and generate an outcome.Thus,to address this gap,in this study,we established a research framework for green transformation and utilized the fsQCA to examine the configurations of 113 RBCs in China.By incorporating the element of time,this study explored the dynamic evolution of solutions in 2013,2016,and 2019.The main findings indicate that individual elements do not constitute the necessary conditions for improving the green transformation efficiency(GTE),and the systematic combination of multiple conditions is an effective path for realizing the improvement of the GTE in RBCs.Green transformation paths of RBCs exhibit the same destination through different paths.Additionally,the combination of system environment elements and system structure elements is both complementary and alternative.Differences in RBCs have led to various factor combinations and development paths,but there are some similarities in the key elements of the factor combinations at different stages.Economic environment,government support,and technological innovation are key factors that universally enhance the GTE in RBCs.These insights can assist city managers in formulating policies to drive green transformation and contribute to a better theoretical understanding of green transformation paths in RBCs.

Enhancing sustainability in phosphate ore processing:Performance of frying oil as alternative flotation collector for carbonate removal

Recycling waste frying oils for the synthesis of flotation reagents presents a promising avenue for sustainable waste management.Moreover,it offers a cost-effective solution for crafting a specialized collector designed to efficiently remove carbonates and enhance phosphate enrichment in froth flotation processes.This study focuses on the synthesis of an anionic collector using the saponification reaction of a frying oil sample,subsequently applied to the flotation of calcite and dolomite.To elucidate the adsorption mechanisms of the frying oil collector(FrOC)and sodium oleate,a reference collector,on fluorapatite,calcite,dolomite,and quartz surfaces,comprehensive experiments were conducted,including zeta potential measurements and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.Results revealed diverse adsorption affinities of the molecules towards these minerals.To assess the practical performance of the collector,flotation tests were conducted using a natural phosphate ore mixture,employing a BoxBehnken experimental design.Notably,under optimized conditions(pH 9,1000 g/t of FrOC,3.5 min of conditioning,and 6 min of flotation),FrOC exhibited excellent performance,with calcite and dolomite recoveries exceeding 80%,while apatite recovery in the concentrate fraction remained below 10%.This work exemplifies both circular economy practices and the distinctive approach to sustainable mineral processing.

Controlling Reactivity of Palladium Amides for Selective Carbonylation towards Urea and Oxamide Derivatives

Carbonylation reactions,crucial for carbonyl group incorporation,struggle with the inherent complexity of achieving selective mono-or double-carbonylation on single substrates,often due to competing reaction pathways.Herein,our study introduces a strategy employing palladium amides,harnessing their unique reactivity control,to direct the selective carbonylation of amines for the targeted synthesis of urea and oxamide derivatives.The palladium amide structure was elucidated using single-crystal X-ray diffraction.Controlled experiments and cyclic voltammetry studies further elucidate that the oxidation of palladium amide or its insertion into a carbonyl group diverges into distinct pathways.By employing sodium percarbonate as an eco-friendly oxidant and base,we have successfully constructed a switchable carbonylation system co-catalyzed by palladium and iodide under room temperature.The utilizing strategy in this study not only facilitates effective control over reaction selectivity but also mitigates the risk of explosions,a critical safety concern in traditional carbonylation methods.

Implementation of the Integrated Green’s Function Method for 3D Poisson’s Equation in a Large Aspect Ratio Computational Domain

The solution of Poisson’s Equation plays an important role in many areas, including modeling high-intensity and high-brightness beams in particle accelerators. For the computational domain with a large aspect ratio, the integrated Green’s function method has been adopted to solve the 3D Poisson equation subject to open boundary conditions. In this paper, we report on the efficient implementation of this method, which can save more than a factor of 50 computing time compared with the direct brute force implementation and its improvement under certain extreme conditions.

Reviewing electrochemical stability of ionic liquids-/deep eutectic solvents-based electrolytes in lithium-ion,lithium-metal and post-lithium-ion batteries for green and safe energy

Sustainable energy is the key issue for the environment protection,human activity and economic development.Ionic liquids(ILs)and deep eutectic solvents(DESs)are dogmatically regarded as green and sustainable electrolytes in lithium-ion,lithium-metal(e.g.,lithium-sulphur,lithium-oxygen)and post-lithium-ion(e.g.,sodium-ion,magnesium-ion,and aluminum-ion)batteries.High electrochemical stability of ILs/DESs is one of the prerequisites for green,sustainable and safe energy;while easy electrochemical decomposition of ILs/DESs would be contradictory to the concept of green chemistry by adding the cost,releasing volatile/hazardous by-products and hindering the recyclability.However,(1)are ILs/DESs-based electrolytes really electrochemically stable when they are not used in batteries?(2)are ILs/DESs-based electrolytes really electrochemically stable in real batteries?(3)how to design ILs/DESs-based electrolytes with high electrochemical stability for batteries to achieve sustainability and green development?Up to now,there is no summary on this topic,to the best of our knowledge.Here,we review the effect of chemical structure and non-structural factors on the electrochemical stability of ILs/DESs in simulated conditions.More importantly,electrochemical stability of ILs/DESs in real lithium-ion,lithium-metal and post-lithium-ion batteries is concluded and compared.Finally,the strategies to improve the electrochemical stability of ILs/DESs in lithium-ion,lithium-metal and post-lithium-ion batteries are proposed.This review would provide a guide to design ILs/DESs with high electrochemical stability for lithium-ion,lithium-metal and postlithium-ion batteries to achieve sustainable and green energy.

Utilisation of green urban space for food sufficiency and the realisation of the sustainable development goals-UK stakeholders perspective

The exponential growth of food demand due to the increasing global population has the potential to seriously threaten the quality and quantity of food supplies due to climate change.This study explores the utilisation of green urban spaces for achieving food self-sufficiency by investigating the extent to which sustainable urban farms could be used to reduce the consumption of imported produce in the UK.It also examines urban farming stakeholders'perspective on how food self-sufficiency can help realise the SDGs especially SDG 2(Zero hunger)and SDG 13(Climate action).The study adopts a mixed method approach through a survey with 115 respondents and semi-structured interviews conducted with 12 respondents from 4 different urban farming stakeholder groups.The findings of this study presented a strong correlation between stakeholders who had concerns about where their food came from and the carbon footprint of imported produce.The research shows that,urban farms will no doubt play a vital role in the future of food security in our cities/communities and that the SDGs could be realised through sustainable urban farms implemented within the relevant planning regulations/policies.

Novel Sustainable Cellulose Acetate Based Biosensor for Glucose Detection

In this study,green zinc oxide(ZnO)/polypyrrole(Ppy)/cellulose acetate(CA)film has been synthesized via solvent casting.This film was used as supporting material for glucose oxidase(GOx)to sensitize a glucose biosensor.ZnO nanoparticles have been prepared via the green route using olive leaves extract as a reductant.ZnO/Ppy nanocomposite has been synthesized by a simple in-situ chemical oxidative polymerization of pyrrole(Py)monomer using ferric chloride(FeCl3)as an oxidizing agent.The produced materials and the composite films were characterized using X-ray diffraction analysis(XRD),scanning electron microscope(SEM),Fourier transform infrared(FTIR)and thermogravimetric analysis(TGA).Glucose oxidase was successfully immobilized on the surface of the prepared film and then ZnO/Ppy/CA/GOx composite was sputtered with platinum electrode for the current determination at different initial concentrations of glucose.Current measurements proved the suitability and the high sensitivity of the constructed biosensor for the detection of glucose levels in different samples.The performance of the prepared biosensor has been assessed by measuring and comparing glucose concentrations up to 800 ppm.The results affirmed the reliability of the developed biosensor towards real samples which suggests the wide-scale application of the proposed biosensor.

100 W-class green hydrogen production from ammonia at a dual-layer electrode containing a Pt-Ir catalyst for an alkaline electrolytic process

Ammonia allows storage and transport of hydrogen over long distances and is an attractive potential hydrogen carrier.Electrochemical decomposition has recently been used for the conversion of ammonia to hydrogen and is regarded as a future technology for production of CO_(2)-free pure hydrogen.Herein,a heterostructural Pt-Ir dual-layer electrode is developed and shown to achieve successful long-term operation in an ammonia electrolyzer with an anion exchange membrane(AEM).This electrolyzer consisted of eight membra ne electrode assemblies(MEAs)with a total geometric area of 200 cm~2 on the anode side,which resulted in a hydrogen production rate of 25 L h~(-1).We observed the degradation in MEA performance attributed to changes in the anode catalyst layer during hydrogen production via ammonia electrolysis.Furthermore,we demonstrated the relationship between the ammonia oxidation reaction(AOR)and the oxygen evolution reaction(OER).

The Mediating Effect of Digital Transformation on the Link Between Executive Overconfidence and Corporate Green Innovation

Green technological innovation is crucial for the manufacturing industry’s green transformation and sustainable development.This study examines the impact of executive overconfidence on corporate green innovation,focusing on the internal drivers of corporate innovation and using a sample of Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share listed manufacturing companies from 2013 to 2020.We further examine the mediating role of digital transformation and the moderating role of external attention.The findings indicate that executive overconfidence promotes corporate green technological innovation.Overconfident executives enhance green innovation by accelerating digital transformation.Moreover,external attention from analysts and media positively moderates the relationship between executive overconfidence and corporate green innovation.Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the positive impact of executive overconfidence on green innovation is more significant in non-state-owned enterprises,high-tech firms,and enterprises with lower pollution levels.

Advanced Thermochemical Conversion Approaches for Green Hydrogen Production from Crop Residues

The huge volumes of crop residues generated during the production,processing,and consumption of farm products constitute an ecological nuisance when ineffectively managed.The conversion of crop residues to green hydrogen is one of the sustainable management strategies for ubiquitous crop residues.Production of green hydrogen from crop residue sources will contribute to deepening access to clean and affordable energy,mitigating climate change,and ensuring environmental sustainability.However,the deployment of conventional thermochemical technologies for the conversion of crop residues to green hydrogen is costly,requires long residence time,produces low-quality products,and therefore needs to be upgraded.The current review examines the conventional,advanced,and integrated thermochemical conversion technologies for crop residues for green hydrogen production.After a brief overview of the conventional thermochemical techniques,the review delves into the broad narration of advanced thermochemical technologies including catalytic pyrolysis,microwave pyrolysis,co-pyrolysis,hyropyrolysis,and autothermal pyrolysis.The study advocates the deployment of integrated pyrolysis,anaerobic digestion,pyrolysis,and gasification technologies will ensure scalability,decomposition of recalcitrant feedstocks,and generation of high grade green hydrogen.The outlook provides suggestions for future research into cost-saving and sustainable integrated technologies for green hydrogen production towards achieving carbon neutrality and a circular bio-economy.