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Abstract This work test the feasibility and characterize the thermohygric properties of composite materials, realized with eco-friendly raw materials and designed to make suspended ceilings or interior partition walls. Several raw materials are considered: recycled paper (granules or cellulose wadding) and wood fibers. Aggregates or fibers are bonded with organic or mineral binder. One of the binder considered is starch, due to its availability in Ivory Coast (cassava flour). The calcium sulfate hemihydrate is also used for comparison. The density of the produced composites ranges from 400 to 1200 kg/m3 depending on formulation. The thermal conductivity increases proportionally with the density and ranges from 0.09 to 0.5 W/(m.K). The characterization of hygric behavior is based on the measurement of moisture buffer value (MBV) [1]. The hydric performances of the composites made of mineral binder goes from moderate (MBV around 1 g/(m².%RH)) to excellent (MBV > 2 g/(m².%RH)). The moisture buffer value of the paper granules -starch composite is also excellent (MBV > 2 g/(m².%RH))

Humanity’s long-term presence in space entails the establishment of sustainable space ecosystems in both orbital and planetary environments. Sustainable ecosystems are characterized by minimal resource depletion, reduction in space debris, reusable and renewable materials and components, among other factors. However, achieving sustainability in space is challenging due to limited resources, harsh environmental conditions, and the need for continuous operation. Intelligent robotic systems with diverse manipulation and locomotion capabilities using artificial intelligence (AI) are capable of In-Situ Resource Utilization and carrying out autonomous production and maintenance operations. Modular reconfigurable systems and heterogeneous teams allow for optimized task allocation strategies, thus expanding the task domain. Efficient human–robot interaction methods can assist astronauts and future space inhabitants in their routine tasks as well as during critical missions. We also emphasize the importance of collaboration among space agencies, roboticists and AI scientists for shared resources and knowledge, and the development of technology standards and interfaces for systems collaboration. Such cooperative efforts are vital to ensure the long-term viability of space exploration and settlement. This paper explores how AI-driven autonomous robots are being developed at the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence and University of Bremen (Germany) to address these challenges.

Conducted by the ESPACE French laboratory with the Ressource research consultancy and the Tour du Valat, the CAMPLAN research program on the integrated management of the Camargue and Plan-du-Bourg hydro-system, is based on the observation made by several managers of natural areas of this territory: an increasing inability of the water governance to maintain the adaptive capacity of the hydraulic system faced with global change, and most particularly with sea level rise. In this research program, our goal was to combine the knowledge produced by the multidisciplinary research team in order to identify the elements which, in the functioning of the territorial system, are favourable and unfavourable to its adaptation. The complexity and the breadth of the gathered knowledge have required a systemic approach. The analysis of the structure of the constitutive relationships of the Camargue system brought to light two ways to adapt, from which the levers and brakes to the adaptability of the Camargue area were examined.

AbstractClimate change amplifies dry and hot extremes, yet the mechanism, extent, scope, and temporal scale of causal linkages between dry and hot extremes remain underexplored. Here using the concept of system dynamics, we investigate cross-scale interactions within dry-to-hot and hot-to-dry extreme event networks and quantify the magnitude, temporal-scale, and physical drivers of cascading effects (CEs) of drying-on-heating and vice-versa, across the globe. We find that locations exhibiting exceptionally strong CE (hotspots) for dry-to-hot and hot-to-dry extremes generally coincide. However, the CEs differ strongly in their timescale of interaction, hydroclimatic drivers, and sensitivity to changes in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum and background aridity. The CE of drying-on-heating in the hotspot locations reaches its peak immediately driven by the compounding influence of vapor pressure deficit, potential evapotranspiration, and precipitation. In contrast, the CE of heating-on-drying peaks gradually dominated by concurrent changes in potential evapotranspiration, precipitation, and net-radiation with the effect of vapor pressure deficit being strongly controlled by ecosystem isohydricity and background aridity. Our results help improve our understanding of the causal linkages and the predictability of compound extremes and related impacts.

Thermal runaway (TR) has become a critical safety concern with the widespread use of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) as an energy storage solution to meet the growing global energy demand. This issue has become a significant barrier to the expansion of LIB technologies. Addressing the urgent need for safer LIBs, this study developed a comprehensive model to simulate TR in cylindrical 18650 nickel cobalt manganese (NMC) LIBs. By incorporating experiments with LG®-INR18650-MJ1 cells, the model specifically aimed to accurately predict critical TR parameters, including temperature evolution, internal pressure changes, venting phases, and mass loss dynamics. The simulation closely correlated with experimental outcomes, particularly in replicating double venting mechanisms, gas generation, and the characteristics of mass loss observed during TR events. This study confirmed the feasibility of assuming proportional relationships between gas generation and the cell capacity and between the mass loss from solid particle ejection and the total mass loss, thereby simplifying the modeling of both gas generation and mass loss behaviors in LIBs under TR. Conclusively, the findings advanced the understanding of TR mechanisms in LIBs, providing a solid foundation for future research aimed at mitigating risks and promoting the safe integration of LIBs into sustainable energy solutions.

Objectives Never-smoking women in Xuanwei (XW), China, have some of the highest lung cancer rates in the country. This has been attributed to the combustion of smoky coal used for indoor cooking and heating. The aim of this study was to evaluate the spectrum of cause-specific mortality in this unique population, including among those who use smokeless coal, considered ‘cleaner’ coal in XW, as this has not been well-characterised. Design Cohort study. Setting XW, a rural region of China where residents routinely burn coal for indoor cooking and heating. Participants Age-adjusted, cause-specific mortality rates between 1976 and 2011 were calculated and compared among lifetime smoky and smokeless coal users in a cohort of 42 420 men and women from XW. Mortality rates for XW women were compared with those for a cohort of predominately never-smoking women in Shanghai. Results Mortality in smoky coal users was driven by cancer (41%), with lung cancer accounting for 88% of cancer deaths. In contrast, cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounted for 32% of deaths among smokeless coal users, with 7% of deaths from cancer. Total cancer mortality was four times higher among smoky coal users relative to smokeless coal users, particularly for lung cancer (standardised rate ratio (SRR)=17.6). Smokeless coal users had higher mortality rates of CVD (SRR=2.9) and pneumonia (SRR=2.5) compared with smoky coal users. These patterns were similar in men and women, even though XW women rarely smoked cigarettes. Women in XW, regardless of coal type used, had over a threefold higher rate of overall mortality, and most cause-specific outcomes were elevated compared with women in Shanghai. Conclusions Cause-specific mortality burden differs in XW based on the lifetime use of different coal types. These observations provide evidence that eliminating all coal use for indoor cooking and heating is an important next step in improving public health particularly in developing countries.

5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is one of the most important renewable platform-chemicals, a very valuable precursor for the synthesis of bio-fuels and bio-products. In this work, the hydrogenation of HMF to two furan diols, 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan (BHMF) and 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)tetrahydrofuran (BHMTHF), both promising renewable monomers, was investigated. Three commercial catalysts, Ru/C, Pd/C and Pt/C, were tested in the hydrogenation of aqueous HMF solutions (2-3 wt%), using a metal loading of 1 wt% respect to HMF content. By appropriate tuning of the process conditions, either BHMF or BHMTHF were obtained in good yields, and Ru/C resulted the best catalyst for this purpose, allowing us to obtain BHMF or BHMTHF yields up to 93.0 and 95.3 mol%, respectively. This catalyst was also tested for in the hydrogenation of a crude HMF-rich hydrolyzate, obtained by one-pot the dehydration of fructose. The influence of each component of this hydrolyzate on the hydrogenation efficiency was investigated, including unconverted fructose, rehydration acids and humins, in order to improve the yields towards each furan diol. Moreover, ICP-OES and TEM analysis showed that the catalyst was not subjected to important leaching and sintering phenomena, as further confirmed by catalyst recycling study.