Within the framework of a project entitled “Development of Advanced Sweet Potato Cultivation Technology for Smallholder Farmers in Paraguay” implemented by KOPIA Paraguay Center (Korea Partnership for Innovation of Agriculture) in collaboration with Paraguayan Institute of Agricultural T echnology (I PTA) d uring the period 2021-2024, r esults o f four m ain e xperiments are described in this research: selection of suitable varieties, optimal planting and harvesting times, the use of ridges, and optimal chemical fertilization doses. In the selection of suitable varieties for Paraguay, 11 sweet potato varieties were evaluated in departments of San Pedro and Misiones. As a result, varieties Andaí, Jety Paraguay, and Chaco I showed the highest productivity in San Pedro, while varieties Jety Uruguayo, Chaco I, and Taiwanés showed higher productivity in Misiones. The other three experiments were carried out in San Pedro only. Optimal planting and harvesting times were determined with three varieties: Andaí, Pyta Guasu, and Jety Paraguay. For Andaí and Jety Paraguay varieties, they should be planted in December and harvested at 122 days post planting (DPP). For Pyta Guasu, it should be planted in October and harvested at 124 DPP. Regarding productivity response with soil preparation methods, the use of ridges showed higher yields in all planting methods, with the curved method planting being the most productive. Finally, optimal chemical fertilization doses were established in order to improve the total yield. The optimal nitrogen fertilizer dose (urea 45% N) was 40 kg/ha. The optimal phosphorus fertilizer dose (triple superphosphate 45% P2O5) was 80 kg/ha and the optimal potassium fertilizer dose (potassium chloride 60% K2O) was 120 kg/ha.

Background: Because oxidative stress can induce decreased quality of caprine semen during the storage, there has been limitation for the use of stored semen in the assisted reproductive technologies. The present study, therefore, assesses the potential of Annona muricata (A. muricata ) to reduce semen storage associateddamages. Methods: Semen was collected by electro-ejaculation from ten bucks, and extended with Tris-egg yolk (TEY) supplemented with A. muricata leaf aqueous extract (SAE) at 20 (SAE20), 40 (SAE40), and 80 (SAE80) μg/mL. Sperm variables including motility, motion characteristics, viability, membrane functionality, and DNA integrity were assessed at different storage periods (6, 24, 48, and 72 hr). In addition, oxidative stress indicators in the extender supplemted with SAE were also assessed for each group. Results: By adding SAE at 80 μg/mL in TEY, the storage of goat buck semen was improved, resulting in reduced loss of sperm motility, viability, DNA fragmentation, and membrane integrity during chilled storage at 4℃ for up to 72 hr. In addition, enrichment of TEY extender with SAE significantly (p < 0.05) reduced malondialdehyde, an indicator of oxidative stress, compared to the negative control. Conclusions: Supplementation of SAE in TEY extender can reduce buck spermatozoa liquid storage associated damages due to oxidative stress.

딱정벌레목 침봉바구미과 별창주둥이바구미아과의 미기록속인 Psudorobitis Redtenbacher속에 속하는 한종 Psudorobitis gibbus Redtenbacher, 1868 (배롱별창주둥이바구미, 신칭)을 남한에서 처음으로 보고한다. 성충의 형태적 특징과 형태 사진을 수록하였다.

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is an essential crop in the Paraguayan diet. It plays a crucial role in food security. It is a source of income for family agriculture. It has a significant potential to adapt to various climatic and soil conditions in Paraguay, making it a promising crop for improving productivity. However, Paraguay faces a deficit in the development of sweet potato cultivation technology, resulting in a low productivity of 5.3 ton/ha. Efforts have been made to collect and characterize sweet potato genotypes, covering a diversity of native varieties. These efforts have laid the groundwork for future sweet potato research and development. Still, ongoing research and development of strategies are needed to address existing challenges of improving genetic resource traits and developing cultivation technology and to fully exploit growth opportunities in this sector. This review summarizes sweet potato cultivation in Paraguay, focusing on several key technical aspects. It analyzes current market situation and production conditions as well as the availability of genetic materials adapted to different ecoregions. Additionally, it explores prospects for the development of advanced sweet potato crops, including the production of high-quality, virus-free sweet potato plants with improved productivity.

Forward Head Posture (FHP) involves the anterior positioning of the head relative to the shoulders, often associated with muscular imbalances. It is known that individuals with FHP experience shortening of craniocervical extensors and cervical flexors. However, contrary to the understanding of flexion in the craniocervical extension subaxial region, a study has reported flexion in the craniovertebral spinal vertebrae among individuals with FHP. The aim of this study was to examine the consistency of biomechanical study results conducted for FHP. The relevant studies were investigated in PubMed and Google Scholar databases using the keywords “forward head posture OR cervical sagittal alignment OR cervical spine AND biomechanics OR kinetic analysis OR kinematic analysis.” During the research selection process, only nine studies relevant to the purpose of our study were identified. Out of these nine studies, four conducted kinematic analysis related to FHP formation, while six conducted kinetic analysis. During the comparison of these studies, five inconsistencies were identified. Biomechanical studies on FHP reveal conflicting findings, suggesting potential variability in the biomechanics of FHP formation across individuals. However, drawing definitive conclusions requires further exploration through additional biomechanical investigations on FHP in the future.

In this work, a series of BaTiO3-based ceramic materials, Ba(Al0.5Nb0.5)xTi1-xO3 (x = 0, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08), were synthesized using a standard solid-state reaction technique. X-ray diffraction profiles indicated that the Al+Nb co-doping into BaTiO3 does not change the crystal structure significantly with a doping concentration up to 8 %. The doping ions exist in Al3+ and Nb5+ chemical states, as revealed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The frequencydependent complex dielectric properties and electric modulus were studied in the temperature range of 100~380 K. A colossal dielectric permittivity (>1.5 × 104) and low dielectric loss (<0.01) were demonstrated at the optimal dopant concentration x = 0.04. The observed dielectric behavior of Ba(Al0.5Nb0.5)xTi1-xO3 ceramics can be attributed to the Universal Dielectric Response. The complex electric modulus spectra indicated the grains exhibited a significant decrease in capacitance and permittivity with increasing co-doping concentration. Our results provide insight into the roles of donor and acceptor co-doping on the properties of BaTiO3-based ceramics, which is important for dielectric and energy storage applications.

많은 연구에 따르면 Tenebrio molitor은 유충 단계에서 플라스틱을 섭취할 수 있다고 보고되었다. 이 연구의 목적은 T. molitor 유충의 성장과 발달에 발포폴리스티렌 섭취가 미치는 영향을 조사하는 것이다. 밀기울을 섭취한 유충의 성장률은 발포폴리스티렌을 섭취한 유충의 성장률보다 더 좋았고(p < 0.001) 발포폴리스티렌을 섭취한 유 충의 번데기로 전환되는 기간은 밀기울을 섭취한 유충의 번데기로 전환되는 기간보다 더 빨랐다(p < 0.001). 하지만 두 처리구간 생존율은 유의미한 차이가 없었다(p = 0.786). 이 결과에 따르면 발포폴리스티렌을 섭취한 유충은 체중 감소와 짧은 발육기간이 특징이지만 생존하는 것에는 문제가 없었다. 따라서 우리는 T. molitor가 플라스틱 폐기물 의 지속 가능하고 친환경적인 제거를 위한 주요 자원이라는 결론을 내렸다.

This study comprehensively investigates three types of graphite materials as potential anodes for potassium-ion batteries. Natural graphite, artificial carbon-coated graphite, and mesocarbon microbeads (MCMB) are examined for their structural characteristics and electrochemical performances. Structural analyses, including HRTEM, XRD, Raman spectroscopy, and laser particle size measurements, reveal distinct features in each graphite type. XRD spectra confirm that all graphites are composed of pure carbon, with high crystallinity and varying crystal sizes. Raman spectroscopy indicates differences in disorder levels, with artificial carbon-coated graphite exhibiting the highest disorder, attributed to its outer carbon coating. Ex-situ Raman and HRTEM techniques on the electrodes reveal their distinct electrochemical behaviors. MCMB stands out with superior stability and capacity retention during prolonged cycling, attributed to its unique spherical particle structure facilitating potassium-ion diffusion. The study suggests that MCMB holds promise for potassium-ion full batteries. In addition, artificial carbon-coated graphite, despite challenges in hindering potassium-ion diffusion, may find applications in commercial potassium-ion battery anodes with suitable coatings. The research contributes valuable insights into potassiumion battery anode materials, offering a significant extension to the current understanding of graphite-based electrode performance.

The intensive development of the petrochemical industry globally reflects the necessity of an efficient approach for oily sludge and wastewater. Hence, for the first time, the current study utilized magnetic waxy diesel sludge (MWOPS) to synthesize activated carbon coated with TiO2 particles for the removal of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) and COD from oily petroleum wastewater (OPW). The photocatalyst was characterized using CHNOS, elemental analysis was performed using X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), Raman, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), MAP thermo-gravimetric analysis/ differential thermo-gravimetric (TGA–DTG), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The optimization of synthesized highly porous AC/Fe3O4/TiO2 photocatalyst was conducted considering the impacts of pH, temperature, photocatalyst dosage, and UVA6W exposure time. The results demonstrated the high capacity of the MWOPS with inherent magnetic potential and desired carbon content for the removal of 91% and 93% of TPH and COD, respectively. The optimum conditions for the OPW treatment were obtained at pH 6.5, photocatalyst dosage of 250 mg, temperature of 35 °C, and UVA6W exposure time of 67.5 min. Moreover, the isotherm/kinetic modeling illustrated simultaneous physisorption and chemisorption on heterogeneous and multilayer surfaces. Notably, the adsorption efficiency of the AC/Fe3O4/TiO2 decreased by 4% after five adsorption/desorption cycles. Accordingly, the application of a well-designed pioneering photocatalyst from the MWOPS provides a cost-effective approach for industry manufacturers for oily wastewater treatment.

Chlorine is a crucial radionuclide that must be removed in irradiated nuclear graphite. Understanding the interaction between chlorine and graphene-based materials is essential for studying the removal process of 36Cl from irradiated nuclear graphite. In this study, first-principle density functional theory (DFT) was utilized to investigate the adsorption characteristic of chlorine on the original and reconstructed edges of graphene-based materials. Based on the calculation of adsorption energy of the structures after each step of adsorption, the most energetically favorable adsorption routes at four types of edge were determined: Along the armchair edge and reconstructed zigzag edge, the following adatoms would be adsorbed to compensate the distortion induced by the previously adsorbed atom. Meanwhile at the original zigzag edge, chlorine atoms would be adsorbed alternatively along the edge to minimize the repulsion between two adjacent chlorine atoms. The chemical nature of the bonds formed as a result of adsorption was elucidated through an examination of the density of states (DOS) for the two adsorbed chlorine atoms and the carbon atoms attached. Furthermore, to assess the relative stability of the adsorption structures, formation energy of all energetically favorable structures following adsorption was computed. Consequently, the predominant adsorption structure was identified as the reconstructed armchair edge with two chlorine atoms adsorbed. The desorption process of 36Cl2 from the predominant structure following adsorption was simulated, revealing an energy barrier of 1.14 V for desorption. Comparison with experimental results suggests that the chlorine removed from reconstructed armchair edges significantly contributes to the low-temperature removal stage of 36Cl from irradiated nuclear graphite.

Flexible electrodes, particularly paper electrodes modified with polypyrrole, have shown promise in energy-related applications. We have earlier demonstrated the usage of paper electrodes modified with polypyrrole as a flexible and suitable photoanode for photoelectrochemical water splitting (PEC). Further, modification of this electrode system with an appropriate tandem absorber system for solar fuel production is interesting in developing efficient photoanodes. In this study, we study the PEC performance of flexible polypyrrole-based paper photoanodes (PPy-PAs) by decorating them with rGO@Cu2Zn- SnS4 chalcopyrites (rGO@CZTS/PPy-PAs). The lower bandgap (~ 1.5 eV) of the rGO@CZTS/PPy-PAs system allows for efficient visible light absorption, substantially improving PEC water-splitting reactions. The rGO@CZTS/PPy-PAs exhibited an enhanced current density of ~ 13.2 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V vs RHE, ABPE of ~ 1.5%, and a hydrogen evolution rate of 177 μmoles/min/cm2. Overall, rGO@CZTS/PPy-PAs showed 2.1-fold, 1.1-fold, and 1.4-fold enhancement in photocurrent activity over PPy-PAs, CZTS/PPy-PAs, and rGO/PPy-PAs, respectively. The usability of rGO@CZTS/PPy-PAs is established in the form of stable photocurrent for more than 200 min. These findings open new possibilities for developing modified PPy PAs as flexible PEs for efficient solar-driven PEC devices and give directions on improving flexible PEs for flexible and efficient solar-driven PEC systems.

In this paper, the formation and characterization of Pt2, Pt3 as well as Pt4 atomic clusters in cup-stacked carbon nanotubes (CSCNTs) are evaluated by DFT to examine the adsorption capacity under the clusters. The results show that the Pt clusters move toward the bottom edge or form rings in the optimized stable structure. Pt far from the carbon substrate possesses more active electrons and adsorption advantages. The three clusters can adsorb up to 17, 18, and 16 hydrogen molecules. Loading metal clusters at the bottom edge maintains a relatively good adsorption property despite the low binding energy through comparative studies. The adsorption capacity does not increase with the number of Pt for metal aggregation reducing the hydrogen adsorption area thus impacting the hydrogen storage ability and the aggregation phenomenon limiting the action of Pt metal. During adsorption, chemisorption occurs only in the Pt2 cluster, while multiple hydrogen molecules achieve physiochemical adsorption in the Pt3 and Pt4 clusters. Compared with the atomic loading of the dispersion system in equal quantities, the dispersion system features higher molecular stability and can significantly reduce the energy of the carbon substrates, providing more sites for hydrogen adsorption in space.

The study investigated the influence of website features on the purchase intention of online fashion among Generation Z consumers in South Africa. This topic has received increasing attention against the backdrop of the rapidly growing ‘Digital Generation’, or ‘Millennial consumers’, who are one of the most tech-savvy generations. Despite the benefits that online shopping offers to both the business and the consumer, the act of buying clothes online has presented some challenges to customers. This study therefore aims to gather further insight in an attempt to provide fashion businesses with guidance to better succeed in encouraging customers to shop online. This study selected two visual elements (website aesthetics and product presentation) and two functional website features (website navigation, and security and privacy) and social norms, the test the effect they have on perceived ease of use, attitude and intention to purchase clothing online. The proposed conceptual model tested seven hypotheses of which four were supported. By means of an empirical study, 166 online surveys were collected from individuals within the Generation Z cohort and the analysis was done using SPSS27 by running multiple regression analysis to test the relationships between the variables. The results from this study provide global and local fashion brands with valuable insight into the consumption habits of young consumers in an emerging economy, and factors that drive online fashion consumption.