A Spherical Hybrid Triboelectric Nanogenerator for Enhanced Water Wave Energy Harvesting

Water waves are a continuously generated renewable source of energy. However, their random motion and low frequency pose significant challenges for harvesting their energy. Herein, we propose a spherical hybrid triboelectric nanogenerator (SH-TENG) that efficiently harvests the energy of low frequency, random water waves. The SH-TENG converts the kinetic energy of the water wave into solid-solid and solid-liquid triboelectric energy simultaneously using a single electrode. The electrical output of the SH-TENG for six degrees of freedom of motion in water was investigated. Further, in order to demonstrate hybrid energy harvesting from multiple energy sources using a single electrode on the SH-TENG, the charging performance of a capacitor was evaluated. The experimental results indicate that SH-TENGs have great potential for use in self-powered environmental monitoring systems that monitor factors such as water temperature, water wave height, and pollution levels in oceans.11Ysciescopu

Effect of Flow Blockage on the Coolability during Reflood in a 2 ×

During the reflood phase of a large-break loss-of-coolant accident (LBLOCA) in a pressurized-water reactor (PWR), the fuel rods can be ballooned or rearranged owing to an increase in the temperature and internal pressure of the fuel rods. In this study, an experimental study was performed to understand the thermal behavior and effect of the ballooned region on the coolability using a 2 × 2 rod bundle test facility. The electrically heated rod bundle was used and the ballooning shape of the rods was simulated by superimposing hollow sleeves, which have a 90% blockage ratio. Forced reflood tests were performed to examine the transient two-phase heat transfer behavior for different reflood rates and rod powers. The droplet behaviors were also investigated by measuring the velocity and size of droplets near the blockage region. The results showed that the heat transfer was enhanced in the downstream of the blockage region, owing to the reduced flow area of the subchannel, intensification of turbulence, and deposition of the droplet

Nature-Based Restoration Simulation for Disaster-Prone Coastal Area Using Green Infrastructure Effect

Floods in coastal areas are caused by a range of complex factors such as typhoons and heavy rainfall, and this issue has become increasingly serious as interference has occurred in the social-ecological system in recent years. Given the structural limitations and high maintenance costs of the existing gray infrastructure, the need for a nature-based restoration plan utilizing green infrastructure has been raised. The purpose of this study is to simulate the restoration process through the quantification of green infrastructure effects along with resilience in disaster-prone coastal areas, and to present it as nature-based restoration planning. For this purpose, first, a disaster-prone area was derived from Haeundae-gu, Busan, Republic of Korea, which was affected by typhoons. In order to simulate the runoff from typhoon “Chaba” in the target area and the effects of reducing the runoff of green infrastructure, relevant data was collected and a model constructed. Finally, the effects of the green infrastructure as applied to the disaster-prone area were quantified by means of resilience and a nature-based restoration plan was presented. As a result of this study, first, the runoff reduction effect was greatest when the maximum biotope area ratio of 30% was applied to the artificial ground. In the case of the green roof, the effect was the greatest 6 h following the typhoon passing through, and the effects of the infiltration storage facility was greater 9 h following the same. Porous pavement exhibited the lowest runoff reduction effect. In terms of resilience, it was found that the system was restored to its original state after the biotope area ratio of 20% was applied. This study is significant in that it analyzes the effects of green infrastructure based upon the concept of resilience and connects them to nature-based restoration planning. Based on this, it will be provided as an important tool for planning policy management to effectively respond to future coastal disasters

Transformation Planning for Resilient Wildlife Habitats in Ecotourism Systems

An ecotourism system that is based on wildlife habitats in ecological systems is considered a social-ecological system that has a feedback relationship with social systems. Increases in socioeconomic activities and tourism infrastructure construction are not conducive to the resilience of wildlife habitats, thereby stressing the ecological system and threatening sustainable ecotourism. Managing resilient wildlife habitats by developing transformation plans that can be used to construct new systems through self-organization and the absorption of stress is paramount to perpetuating sustainable ecotourism systems. This study aims to establish transformation plans to enhance the resilience of systems thinking regarding wildlife habitats. Such thinking involves the sequential application of dynamic thinking, causal thinking, closed-loop thinking, and the discovery of strategies. This study examines the case study of Eulsukdo Island in South Korea, and the following transformation plans are derived: (1) high-quality eco-education programs to help tourists become hard ecotourists; (2) subsidies for foraging area restoration; (3) ecosystem services of wildlife habitats; and (4) governance organization led by multiple actors. The results of this study can provide guidelines for the effective use of natural resources at ecotourism destinations and for the ecotourism development of damaged wildlife habitats

Analysis of Lipophilic Antioxidants in the Leaves of Kaempferia parviflora Wall. Ex Baker Using LC–MRM–MS and GC–FID/MS

Lipophilic metabolites such as carotenoids, fatty acids, vitamin K1, phytosterols, and tocopherols are important antioxidants that are used in the cosmetics, foods, and nutraceutical industries. Recently, there has been a growing demand for the use of byproducts (wastes) as a potential source of industrially important compounds. The leaves of Kaempferia parviflora (black ginger) (KP-BG) are major byproducts of KP-BG cultivation and have been reported to contain several bioactive metabolites; however, the composition of lipophilic metabolites in KP-BG leaves has not been examined. In this study, the lipophilic antioxidant profile was analyzed in the leaves of KP-BG plants grown in vitro and ex vitro. Lipophilic compounds, namely carotenoids (80.40–93.84 µg/g fresh weight (FW)), tocopherols (42.23–46.22 µg/g FW), phytosterols (37.69–44.40 µg/g FW), and vitamin K1 (7.25–7.31 µg/g FW), were quantified using LC–MRM–MS. The fatty acid profile of the KP-BG leaves was identified using GC–FID/MS. The content of individual lipophilic compounds varied among the KP-BG leaves. Ex vitro KP-BG leaves had high levels of lutein (44.38 µg/g FW), α-carotene (14.79 µg/g FW), neoxanthin (12.30 µg/g FW), β-carotene (11.33 µg/g FW), violaxanthin (11.03 µg/g FW), α-tocopherol (39.70 µg/g FW), α-linolenic acid (43.12%), palmitic acid (23.78%), oleic acid (12.28%), palmitoleic acid (3.64%), total carotenoids (93.84 µg/g FW), and tocopherols (46.22 µg/g FW) compared with in vitro KP-BG leaves. These results indicate that ex-vitro-grown KP-BG leaves could be used as a valuable natural source for extracting important lipophilic antioxidants

Salt and drought stress responses in cultivated beets (Beta vulgaris L.) and wild beet (Beta maritima L.)

Cultivated beets, including leaf beets, garden beets, fodder beets, and sugar beets, which belong to the species Beta vulgaris L., are economically important edible crops that have been originated from a halophytic wild ancestor, Beta maritima L. (sea beet or wild beet). Salt and drought are major abiotic stresses, which limit crop growth and production and have been most studied in beets compared to other environmental stresses. Characteristically, beets are salt- and drought-tolerant crops; however, prolonged and persistent exposure to salt and drought stress results in a significant drop in beet productivity and yield. Hence, to harness the best benefits of beet cultivation, knowledge of stress-coping strategies, and stress-tolerant beet varieties, are prerequisites. In the current review, we have summarized morpho-physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses of sugar beet, fodder beet, red beet, chard (B. vulgaris L.), and their ancestor, wild beet (B. maritima L.) under salt and drought stresses. We have also described the beet genes and noncoding RNAs previously reported for their roles in salt and drought response/tolerance. The plant biologists and breeders can potentiate the utilization of these resources as prospective targets for developing crops with abiotic stress tolerance

Assessment of the Genetic Diversity of the Breeding Lines and a Genome Wide Association Study of Three Horticultural Traits Using Worldwide Cucumber (Cucumis spp.) Germplasm Collection

Cucumbers are an important economic vegetable crop that is used for fresh or processing purposes worldwide. In this study, we used 264 accessions that consisted of world-wide wild germplasms and advanced breeding lines in order to understand the genetic diversity and the genetic correlation among the germplasm collection. A genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) approach was applied to obtain dense genome-wide markers coverage (>12,082 SNPs) to construct a high-density haplotype map. Various population stratification methods were performed, and three subgroups were divided based on the genetic diversity, which reflected their geographic regions. According to the phylogenetic analysis, the breeding lines were separated from wild germplasms, and the two distinct groups were divided within the breeding lines. One of the groups mainly consisted of East-Asian varieties, which showed the unique homogenous genotype patterns. Using this germplasm collection, three important horticultural traits of cucumbers—powdery mildew resistance, spine color, and fruit stalk-end color—were evaluated and used to conduct the genome-wide association study (GWAS). All of the significant SNPs and two novel candidate genes (Csa5G453160 and Csa5G471070) for the powdery mildew were identified in chromosome 5 from the natural population, which is where reported major QTLs from various bi-parental population are located. Furthermore, two candidate genes, Csa1G006300 and Csa3G824850, and four candidate genes, Csa2G368270, Csa3G236570, Csa5G175680, and Csa6G448170, were identified for the spine color and the fruit stalk-end color, respectively. These results are expected to be helpful to develop molecular markers of the horticultural traits in cucumbers

An insight into the abiotic stress responses of cultivated beets (Beta vulgaris L.)

Cultivated beets (sugar beets, fodder beets, leaf beets, and garden beets) belonging to the species Beta vulgaris L. are important sources for many products such as sugar, bioethanol, animal feed, human nutrition, pulp residue, pectin extract, and molasses. Beta maritima L. (sea beet or wild beet) is a halophytic wild ancestor of all cultivated beets. With a requirement of less water and having shorter growth period than sugarcane, cultivated beets are preferentially spreading from temperate regions to subtropical countries. The beet cultivars display tolerance to several abiotic stresses such as salt, drought, cold, heat, and heavy metals. However, many environmental factors adversely influence growth, yield, and quality of beets. Hence, selection of stress-tolerant beet varieties and knowledge on the response mechanisms of beet cultivars to different abiotic stress factors are most required. The present review discusses morpho-physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses of cultivated beets (B. vulgaris L.) to different abiotic stresses including alkaline, cold, heat, heavy metals, and UV radiation. Additionally, we describe the beet genes reported for their involvement in response to these stress conditions

Development of SNP Markers for White Immature Fruit Skin Color in Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) Using QTL-seq and Marker Analyses

Despite various efforts in identifying the genes governing the white immature fruit skin color in cucumber, the genetic basis of the white immature fruit skin color is not well known. In the present study, genetic analysis showed that a recessive gene confers the white immature fruit skin-color phenotype over the light-green color of a Korean slicer cucumber. High-throughput QTL-seq combined with bulked segregation analysis of two pools with the extreme phenotypes (white and light-green fruit skin color) in an F2 population identified two significant genomic regions harboring QTLs for white fruit skin color within the genomic region between 34.1 and 41.67 Mb on chromosome 3, and the genomic region between 12.2 and 12.7 Mb on chromosome 5. Further, nonsynonymous SNPs were identified with a significance of p < 0.05 within the QTL regions, resulting in eight homozygous variants within the QTL region on chromosome 3. SNP marker analysis uncovered the novel missense mutations in Chr3CG52930 and Chr3CG53640 genes and showed consistent results with the phenotype of light-green and white fruit skin-colored F2 plants. These two genes were located 0.5 Mb apart on chromosome 3, which are considered strong candidate genes. Altogether, this study laid a solid foundation for understanding the genetic basis and marker-assisted breeding of immature fruit skin color in cucumber