A metakaolin-based geopolymer was fabricated with 5 ratios of two different nanomaterials. On the one hand, silicon carbide nanowhiskers and, on the other hand, titanium dioxide nanoparticles. Both were placed in water and received ultrasonic energy to be dispersed. The effects on mechanical properties and reaction kinetics were analyzed. Compared to the reference matrix, the results showed a tendency to increase the flexural strength. Probably due to the geometry of the SiC nanowhiskers and the pore refinement by the nano-TiO₂ particles. The calorimetry curves showed that incorporating TiO₂ nanoparticles resulted in a 92% reduction in total heat, while SiC nanowhiskers produced a 25% reduction in total heat.

In this study, ‘Xinli No. 3’, ‘Shengli rootstock’, ‘Shenli rootstock’ and ‘Shengzhen No. 1’ were used as rootstock, and ‘Jinchun No. 39’ cucumber was used as scion to study the effects of different rootstock on the yield and quality of grafted cucumber, and to select high quality rootstock suitable for cucumber grafting. Different rootstock affected the survival rate, phenology, the height of plant, stem diameter, growth potential, yield and quality of cucumber grafting. Among them, the survival rate of ‘Shenli rootstock’ grafted cucumber is the highest, and the growth of ‘Shengzhen No. 1’ grafted cucumber is relatively the strongest. There was no significant difference in fruit tuber, melon edge, thorn color and pulp crispness between self-rooted seedling (CK) and each rootstock grafting combination. The average yield of ‘Xinli No. 3’ grafted cucumber plot was not significantly different from that of self-rooted seedlings (CK). The length of ‘Shenli rootstock’ and ‘Shengli rootstock’ grafted cucumber was significantly higher than that of self-rooted seedlings (CK), and the length of ‘Shengzhen No. 1’ Grafted Cucumber was significantly higher than that of self-rooted seedlings (CK). The contents of vitamin C and soluble protein of ‘Shengli rootstock’, ‘Shenli rootstock’ and ‘Shengzhen No. 1’ grafted cucumber were significantly higher than those of self-rooted seedlings (CK), and the contents of soluble sugar were lower than those of self-rooted seedlings (CK). Therefore, ‘Shengzhen No. 1’ and ‘Jinchun No. 39’ have strong compatibility with cucumber. As rootstocks, the grafted cucumber plants not only have strong growth potential and high yield, but also significantly increase the content of soluble protein and vitamin C.

The detection of urban expansion through digital processing of satellite images provides valuable information for understanding the dynamics of land use change and its spatial relationship with environmental factors. In order to apply or generate effective land-use planning policies, it is essential to have a historical record of the regional distribution of human settlements, an element that is practically non-existent in our country. For this reason, this text aims to determine the urban growth rate during the period 2000–2014 in the state of Hidalgo, Mexico, and to identify potential expansion zones from Landsat images. Six Landsat scenes were used for the spatial analysis of the state urban coverage and their relationship with the road influence area was evaluated. Two maps were obtained as cartographic products: one of urban coverage distribution and another of the municipalities with the greatest expansion, whose areas are located in the Valle del Mezquital region. However, Mineral de la Reforma, Tetepango, Tizayuca and Pachuca de Soto stand out for their growth rates during the study period: 183.44%, 102%, 94% and 68.5%, respectively. In total, the state urban area in-creased 72.3 km² from 2000 to 2014 with an average growth rate of 1.8% per year. Such growth was associated with the areas of influence of important road infrastructure, such as the Libramiento Arco Norte in Hidalgo. Therefore, the Mezquital Valley and the Mexico Basin are considered as potential regions for urban expansion in the state.

The importance of improving industrial transformation processes for more efficient ones is part of the current challenges. Specifically, the development of more efficient processes in the production of biofuels, where the reaction and separation processes can be intensified, is of great interest to reduce the energy consumption associated with the process. In the case of Biodiesel, the process is defined by a chemical reaction and by the components associated to the process, where the thermochemical study seeks to develop calculations for the subsequent understanding of the reaction and purification process. Thus, the analysis of the mixture of the components using the process simulator Aspen Plus V9^® unravels the thermochemical study. The UNIFAC-DMD thermodynamic method was used to estimate the binary equilibrium parameters of the reagents using the simulator. The analyzed aspects present the behavior of the components in different temperature conditions, the azeotropic behavior and the determined thermochemical conditions.

The conversion of the energy supply to renewable sources (wind, photovoltaics) will increase the volatility in electricity generation in the future. In order to ensure a balanced power balance in the power grid, storage is required - not only for a short time, but also seasonally. The bidirectional coupling of existing energy infrastructure with the power grid can help here by using the electricity in electrolysis systems to produce hydrogen. The hydrogen can be mixed with natural gas in the existing infrastructure (gas storage, pipelines) to a limited extent or converted directly to methane in a gas-catalytic reaction, methanation, with carbon dioxide and/or carbon monoxide. By using the natural gas infrastructure, the electricity grids are relieved and renewable energies can also be stored over long periods of time. Another advantage of this technology, known as “Power-to-Gas”, is that the methane produced in this way represents a sink for CO₂ emissions, as it replaces fossil sources and CO₂ is thus fed into a closed cycle.

Research in the field of Power-to-Gas technology is currently addressing technological advances both in the field of electrolysis and for the subsequent methanation, in particular to reduce investment costs. In the field of methanation, load-flexible processes are to be developed that are adapted to the fluctuating supply of hydrogen. The profitability of the Power-to-Gas process chain can be increased through synergistic integration into existing industrial processes. For example, an integrated smelting works offers a promising infrastructural environment, since, on the one hand, process gases containing carbon are produced in large quantities and, on the other hand, the oxygen as a by-product from the water electrolysis can be used directly. Such concepts suggest an economic application of Power-to-Gas technology in the near future.

The purpose of this study is to investigate whether the strategic orientations of organizations have an impact on the resilience levels of employees in the digitalized world. The sample for this research is based on the convenience sampling method. In this study, the sub-factors of strategic orientation, namely innovation, technological orientation, customer focus, and competitor focus, are examined, and their potential effects on resilience are analyzed. Our research emphasizes the importance of psychological resilience in organizations that undergo continuous changes due to the impact of digital transformation, as it enhances employee performance and has positive implications for firms. The field study associated with this research was conducted on 316 individuals working in the service sector in the context of Turkey. The data collected for the research were analyzed using SPSS 25 software. The research findings indicate that the components of strategic orientation have an impact on the levels of psychological resilience.