Green synthesis of graphene using leaf extracts as sustainable reducing and capping agents is a thrust area of research owing to its simplicity, eco-friendly nature and the ease of access to graphene. Moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam) plant is widely cultivated in India owing to its important medicinal and nutritional values. Inspired by these reports, herein we report a simple, green and economic synthesis of graphene, Moringa leaf extract employed reduced graphene oxide (MRGO) with excellent dye removal efficiencies. The MRGO is prepared by refluxing a mixture of aqueous dispersion of graphene oxide and Moringa leaf extract for 10 h. Further, we elucidated the role of synthesized MRGO in the removal of methylene blue (MB) and rhodamine B (RB) dyes through the sonochemical method. This as-synthesized material exhibited excellent dye removal efficiencies of about 93% and 87% against MB and RB dyes, respectively. Graphene with huge surface area expedited the better adsorption of dye molecules, thus, facilitated the better removal of the latter. Therefore, the superior dye removal efficiencies of MRGO were attributed to its adsorption capacity. This cost-effective synthetic approach of MRGO nanomaterial has a great potential for the innovative applications in water purification technology and find its place in further industrialization.

In view of the growing need for clean energy, supercapacitors (SC), especially those based on activated carbon (AC) and organic electrolyte are attracting great attention for their theoretically infinite life span. However, they still age much faster than expected due to certain mechanisms. Several researches is being conducted to understand these mechanisms, but so far, the chemical reactions at the phase boundary of the activated carbon electrodes and organic electrolyte have been very unclear. Some pathways have not yet been investigated; there is no research on the reactions that can take place between acetonitrile in the vapor phase and the oxides presented on the surface of activated carbons. For this reason, in this study, divided into two parts, the first based on a thermal simulation and the second based on an experimental study, we have systematically described the ageing mechanisms by determining the gas-phase reactions that can occur at the electrode–electrolyte interface. On the one hand, a thermal model of a supercapacitor cell using activated carbon and organic electrolyte technology has been developed. This model allowed us to study the temperature distribution of supercapacitors, and thus to determine the thermodynamic parameters related to the phenomena produced at the electrode–electrolyte interface. On the other hand, a thermo-gravimetric analysis coupled with gas phase infrared spectroscopy on the activated carbons of an aged supercapacitor of the same technology as that used in the simulation was carried out. The results obtained made it possible to identify the chemical groups produced by ageing.

Recently, activated carbon derived from different agricultural by-products or bio-waste is receiving a great deal of attention due to its low or zero cost and environmental friendliness. In this work, flowers obtained from Borassus flabellifer (BFL) is used as a carbon source and potassium hydroxide (KOH) as activation precursor to produce activated carbon with high specific surface area and predominant micropore. The obtained carbon material was activated at 650 °C. The as-prepared sample had a specific surface area of 930.3 m2/ g and pore size distribution of 1.96 nm. The carbon material exhibited high electrochemical performance with a specific capacitance of 247 F/g at 0.5 A/g in 1 M H2SO4 electrolyte and an excellent cycling stability of 94% after 2500 cycles. A specific energy of 101.1 Wh/kg and a specific power of 4500 kW/kg were obtained. Based on the electrochemical properties exhibited by BFL, it could be used as an excellent electrode material for supercapacitor applications.

Cost-effective and sustainable high-performance supercapacitor material was successfully prepared from cellulosic waste (Sapindus trifoliatus nut shells) biomass-derived activated carbon (CBAC) by physical activation method. The CBAC displays nanofiber morphology, high specific surface area (786 m2/ g), large pore volume (0.212 cm3 g− 1) which are evaluated using FESEM, BET and possessed excellent electrochemical behavior analyzed through various electrochemical methods. Moreover, the assembled symmetric CBAC//CBAC device exhibits high specific capacitance of 240.8 F g− 1 with current density of 0.2 A g− 1 and it is maintained to 65.6 F g− 1 at high current density of 2.0 A g− 1. In addition, the symmetric device delivers an excellent specific energy maximum of over 30 Wh kg− 1 at 400 W kg− 1 of specific power and excellent cycling stability in long term over 5000 cycles. The operation of the device was tested by light-emitting diode. Hence, CBAC-based materials pave way for developing large-scale, low-cost materials for energy storage device applications.

Vitrification methods are commonly used for mammalian reproduction through the long-term storage of blastocyst produced in vitro. However, the survival and quality of embryos following vitrification are significantly low compared with blastocyst from in vitro production (IVP). This study evaluates that the survival of frozen-thawed bovine embryos was relevant to mitochondrial superoxide derived mitochondrial activity. Here we present supplementation of the cryopreservation medium with Mito- TEMPO (0.1 μM) induced a significant (p < 0.001; non-treated group: 56.8 ± 8.7%, reexpanded at 24 h vs Mito-TEMPO treated group: 77.5 ± 8.9%, re-expanded at 24 h) improvement in survival rate of cryopreserved-thawed bovine blastocyst. To confirm the quality of vitrified blastocyst after thawing, DNA fragmentation of survived embryos was examined by TUNEL assay. As a result, TUNEL positive cells rates of frozenthawed embryos were lower in the Mito-TEMPO treated group (4.2 ± 1.4%) than the non-treated group (7.1 ± 3.5%). In addition, we investigated the intracellular ROS and mitochondrial specific superoxide production using DCF-DA and Mito-SOX staining in survived bovine embryos following vitrification depending on Mito-TEMPO treatment. As expected, intracellular ROS levels and superoxide production of vitrified blastocysts after cryopreservation were significantly reduced (p < 0.05) according to Mito-TEMPO supplement in freezing medium. Also, mitochondrial activity measured by MitoTracker Orange staining increased in the frozen-thawed embryos with Mito-TEMPO compared with non-treated group. These results indicate that the treatment of Mito-TEMPO during cryopreservation might induce reduction in DNA fragmentation and apoptosis-related ROS production, consequently increasing mitochondrial activation for developmental capacity of frozen-thawed embryos.

Because sows are industrially vital for swine production, monitoring for their health or disorder status is important to ensure high reproductive performance. Especially, ambient temperature changes in different season, especially during summer, are directly influenced to the reproductive performance of sows. Although the serum biochemical parameters are widely applied in the veterinary medicine with wide ranges for the physiological process, the values are also influenced by several factors such as age, breed, gender, and stress. In addition, domestic sows in Koreaspecific reference interval (RI) for serum biochemistry has not been established yet. Therefore, the present study was aimed to evaluate seasonal variation of RIs in the serum biochemistry in domestic sows in Korea at different seasons and to establish normal RIs using a RI finding program (Reference Value Advisor). Significant difference (p < 0.05) on the different seasons were identified in several serum biochemical parameters including BUN, CRE, GGT, GLU, ALB, TP, LDH and Na in sows. Therefore, we further established RIs, specific in domestic sows in Korea regardless of season. The established RIs based on the serum biochemical values provide a baseline for interpreting biochemical results in the domestic sows in Korea, regardless of seasonal effect. It may contribute to develop a strategy for better reproductive performance by improving breeding management practice and evaluating health of pig herds, which facilitate to avert the economic loss in summer infertility in sows.

In this study the effect of vitamin C administration on pregnancy rates during summer heat stress in dairy cows was examined. A total of 80 Holstein-Friesian cows were divided into control and treatment groups (n = 40 each). Control group animals were given 10 mL isotonic normal saline, and treatment group, Vitamin C (4 mg/kg) on artificial insemination day (day 0) and 4th, 8th and 12th day post insemination. Pregnancy diagnosis was performed on 30th day post insemination by ultrasonography. Blood samples were randomly taken from 11 animals from each group. Serum P4, GSH, MDA and plasma 8-OHdG levels were determined by using ELISA method. Results showed that 8-OHdG levels were lower in treatment group on day 4, 8 and 12 (p < 0.05) compared with the control group. Similarly, pregnancy rate was higher in treatment group (32.5%) than control (22.5%), respectively. However, MDA, P4 and GSH levels were similar in both groups at 4th, 8th and 12th day. A gradual increase in P4, and MDA levels, and a strong positive correlation between 0, 4th (r = 0.54), 4, 8th (r = 0.59) and 8, 12th (r = 0.51) day was found. Similarly, GSH levels also showed positive correlation at days 0, 4th (r = 0.47) and 4, 8th (r = 0.56). However, a strong negative correlation (r = -0.56) between MDA day 0, and GSH day 8 was found. In conclusion, vitamin C application during insemination period in postpartum cows increases pregnancy rate, and reduces oxidative stress metabolite 8-OHdG levels.

Graphite Isotope Ratio Method (GIRM) can be used to estimate plutonium production in a graphite-moderated reactor. This study presents verification results for the GIRM combined with a 3-D polynomial regression function to estimate cumulative plutonium production in a graphite-moderated reactor. Using the 3-D Monte-Carlo method, verification was done by comparing the cumulative plutonium production with the GIRM. The GIRM can estimate plutonium production for specific sampling points using a function that is based on an isotope ratio of impurity elements. In this study, the 10B/11B isotope ratio was chosen and calculated for sampling points. Then, 3-D polynomial regression was used to derive a function that represents a whole core cumulative plutonium production map. To verify the accuracy of the GIRM with polynomial regression, the reference value of plutonium production was calculated using a Monte-Carlo code, MCS, up to 4250 days of depletion. Moreover, the amount of plutonium produced in certain axial layers and fuel pins at 1250, 2250, and 3250 days of depletion was obtained and used for additional verification. As a result, the difference in the total cumulative plutonium production based on the MCS and GIRM results was found below 3.1% with regard to the root mean square (RMS) error.

It is getting more intensified with the competition among participating companies for global market share in major industrial fields. The situation is accelerating especially within the top 5 market share, and these include electric vehicles, semiconductors, chemicals, and shipbuilding industries. The key to the advantage over the competition within a strategic group is which company leads the innovation in the field. On-the-ground innovation refers to job-based innovation. This paper aims to analyze job unit innovation in the structure of empowerment, LMX, and job crafting. Existing studies on job crafting have suggested a causal structure based on job design in the traditional sense, and there are not many scholars who study the causal structure using a job situational model. Therefore, this paper takes an approach from the perspective of the job situation. As a result of the study, LMX showed a moderating effect on the relationship between autonomy provision and job crafting. While, in the relationship between meaing-giving and cognitive crafting, there is no significant moderating effect shown on the relationship between autonomy provision and cognitive crafting. Therefore, the results of the analysis in this study suggest that the meaning of jobs and participation in decision-making should be managed in an integrated way in structural and design areas, not just qualitative factors such as empowerment and leadership.

Post-slaughtering storage of pork meat is important to improve the flavor and texture profile. Although irradiation of meat improves the keeping qualities of red meat, less work was done on the effect of quality in irradiated pork leg meat during post-slaughtering storage. Therefore, this study was done to compare low dosages of single beam irradiation treated pork leg meat on eating quality parameters over the nontreated meat stored at different storage temperatures. Freshly slaughter pig carcasses were brought to the irradiation unit for treatment. Pork leg meat was treated at 2 kGy with single beam. Treated (2 kGy) and non-treated pork leg meat were kept in three different temperatures as 2, 10 and 25°C for 1, 3 and 5 days and analyzed for cooking loss, shear force, color and nitrogenous flavor compounds. Cooking loss in day 5 in irradiated pork leg (30.29) was significantly lower than the control (33.27) (p<0.05). Shear force of treated (1.93) and non-treated (1.29) pork leg meat after day 5 had significant difference (p<0.05). “L*” and “b*” values of pork leg meat had significant difference at day 5 compared non treated leg meat (p<0.05) whereas the “a*” value was increased with storage time and temperature. Hypoxanthine level was significantly lower in pork leg meat at day 5 in treated (16.07) and non-treated (24.59) meats at 25°C (p<0.05) whereas the changes in AMP, IMP and Inosine was not significantly difference (p>0.05). As conclusion, post-slaughtering storage and irradiation with single beam of 2 kGy could ensure the meat quality of leg pork at even higher storage temperatures, with cooking loss, tenderness, flavor and the color which will be benefited in the processing industry.