Middle- and high-income classifications were used to categorize these nations. The panel data model was utilized to assess the effect of education on economic growth across different countries, while the DEA technique was applied to measure their aggregate efficiency (E3). The research demonstrates that education plays a crucial part in fostering economic growth. Norway displayed an efficiency that was remarkable across the board in relation to indicators e1, e2, e3, and E3. E1 saw the weakest showing from Canada (045) and Saudi Arabia (045). Subsequently, in e2, Algeria (067) and Saudi Arabia (073) had the poorest performances. In e3, the USA (004) and Canada (008) achieved the lowest scores. Lastly, Canada (046), Saudi Arabia (048), and the USA (064) presented the lowest results in E3. Bromopyruvic price For the chosen nations, the average total-factor efficiency across all indicators was notably low. The countries examined revealed a decline in average alterations of total-factor productivity and technological progress within e1 and e3, exhibiting an opposite trend of improvement in e2 and E3 throughout the studied duration. A reduction in technical efficiency was observed throughout the period. Enhancing E3 efficiency in countries, particularly those with economies heavily reliant on a single product, such as OPEC nations, requires a multifaceted approach involving the shift towards a low-carbon economy, the development of inventive and environmentally friendly technologies, substantial investment in clean and renewable energy sources, and the creation of diverse production methods.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) emission increases are, according to the vast majority of scholars, a leading cause of the growing global climate change phenomenon. Accordingly, a reduction in CO2 emissions from the leading nations, with Iran prominently featured as the sixth highest emitter, is essential in countering the damaging effects of global climate change. To understand the drivers of CO2 emissions in Iran, this paper sought to analyze the intertwined social, economic, and technical factors. Studies examining the various factors affecting emissions have, unfortunately, proven less than accurate and dependable due to their omission of indirect impacts. A structural equation model (SEM) was applied in this study to determine the direct and indirect impacts of influencing factors on emissions across 28 Iranian provinces, drawing on panel data from 2003 to 2019. From a geographical perspective, Iran was segmented into three key areas—the north, the heartland, and the south. Observations reveal that a one percent augmentation in social factors directly resulted in a 223% escalation of CO2 emissions in the northern area and a 158% enhancement in the central area, whereas indirectly it caused a 0.41% decrease in the north and a 0.92% reduction in the center. Henceforth, the comprehensive effect of social elements on CO2 emissions was assessed as 182% in the north and 66% in the center. On top of that, the total influence of the economic elements on CO2 emissions was estimated as 152% and 73% within those regions. The study's findings indicated that a technical factor's direct impact on CO2 emissions was detrimental in the northern and central regions. In contrast to other regions, the south of Iran saw positivity among them. Based on the empirical findings of this investigation, three policy implications for controlling CO2 emissions across distinct Iranian regions are presented below. Firstly, policymakers should prioritize the social factor, specifically human capital development in the southern region, to foster sustainable growth. Furthermore, Iranian policymakers must inhibit a unilateral augmentation of gross domestic product (GDP) and financial advancement in the north and central areas. A third key concern for policymakers involves the technical aspect, which entails improving energy efficiency and upgrading information and communications technology (ICT) in the northern and central regions, while regulating the technical component in the southern region.

The food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries are significantly impacted by the extensive use of natural ceramide, a biologically active compound from plants. Due to the abundant ceramide content found in sewage sludge, the idea of its recycling has been considered. Subsequently, a critical analysis of plant ceramide extraction, purification, and detection methods was conducted to devise strategies for the concentration of ceramides from sludge. Beyond traditional ceramide extraction methods – maceration, reflux, and Soxhlet extraction – newer green technologies, including ultrasound-assisted, microwave-assisted, and supercritical fluid extraction, are gaining traction. Over the past two decades, a significant portion, exceeding 70%, of published articles have relied on conventional techniques. However, there is a gradual enhancement in green extraction methods, leading to higher extraction yields with less solvent utilization. The preferred method of purifying ceramides involves chromatographic separation. Genetic-algorithm (GA) The common solvent systems are comprised of chloroform-methanol, n-hexane-ethyl acetate, petroleum ether-ethyl acetate, and petroleum ether-acetone. A comprehensive strategy for identifying the structure of ceramide involves the integration of infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. In the realm of quantitative ceramide analysis, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry emerged as the most precise method. The review of our preliminary experimental results suggests that applying the ceramide plant extraction and purification process to sludge is a viable approach; however, further refinement of the procedure is essential to achieve more satisfactory results.

Through a comprehensive multi-tracing study, the recharge and salinization mechanisms of the Shekastian saline spring were examined, which appears through thin limestone layers on the Shekastian stream bed in southern Iran. The salinity of Shekastian spring is primarily attributable to the dissolution of halite, as demonstrated by hydrochemical tracing. Spring salinity, akin to surface water salinity, experiences a surge due to evaporation during the dry season, suggesting that groundwater recharge originates from surface water sources. The hourly temperature changes in the spring water are indicative of the spring's recharge by surface waters. The Shekastian saline spring's primary recharge source, as demonstrated by the discharge tracing method applied at two low-discharge periods in two successive years and precise longitudinal discharge monitoring of the Shekastian stream above and below the spring site, is water escaping through thin limestone layers on the stream bed immediately above the spring. Isotope tracing confirms that the Shekastian saline spring's water is sourced from evaporated surface water that picks up CO2 during its subsurface flow. Evidence from hydrochemical tracing, combined with geomorphological and geological observations, indicates that halite dissolution in the Gachsaran evaporite formation by recharging spring water is the chief contributor to salinity in the Shekastian saline spring. C difficile infection An underground interceptor drainage system, designed to divert the recharging water of the Shekastian saline spring away from the Shekastian stream's downstream vicinity, is suggested as a measure to stop the spring's flow and prevent salinization of the stream.

By analyzing the relationship between monohydroxyl polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (OH-PAHs) urinary concentration and occupational stress, this study endeavors to advance our understanding of the issue. From Datong, China, 671 underground coal miners were selected and assessed for occupational stress using the revised Occupational Stress Inventory (OSI-R). The outcome of this assessment enabled the categorization of miners into high-stress and control groups. Ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was employed to determine urinary OH-PAH concentrations, which were then analyzed in relation to occupational stress using multiple linear regression, along with covariate balancing generalized propensity scores (CBGPS) and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR). A positive and significant correlation was observed between Occupational Role Questionnaire (ORQ) and Personal Strain Questionnaire (PSQ) scores, and the presence of low molecular weight (LMW) OH-PAHs in quartiles or homologues; no such correlation was found with Personal Resources Questionnaire (PRQ) scores. ORQ and PSQ scores in coal miners were positively correlated with the OH-PAHs concentration, with the low-molecular-weight OH-PAHs showing a stronger association. OH-PAHs were found to be independent of PRQ scores.

Suaeda biochar (SBC) samples were generated through the controlled heating of Suaeda salsa in a muffle furnace at 600, 700, 800, and 900 degrees Celsius. Variations in pyrolysis temperatures of biochar and their impact on the physical and chemical properties, alongside the sulfanilamide (SM) adsorption mechanism, were evaluated using SEM-EDS, BET, FTIR, XRD, and XPS. Adsorption kinetics and isotherms were modeled using curve-fitting approaches. The kinetics of the process, according to the results, mirrored the predictions of the quasi-second-order adsorption model and implied chemisorption. Adsorption isotherm data aligned with the Langmuir model, demonstrating monolayer adsorption. Spontaneous and exothermic SM adsorption was observed on SBC. Pore filling, hydrogen bonding, and electron donor-acceptor (EDA) interactions likely account for the adsorption mechanism.

Concerns over the harmfulness of widely used atrazine, an herbicide, have risen dramatically. Through a ball milling process involving ferric oxide, algae residue, a byproduct of aquaculture, was transformed into magnetic algal residue biochar (MARB) for studying the adsorption and removal of the triazine herbicide atrazine in a soil medium. The adsorption isotherm and kinetic data showed atrazine removal by MARB at 955% effectiveness within 8 hours at 10 mg/L concentration; this effectiveness diminished to 784% when the experiment was conducted in a soil medium.