MXenes are one of the most important classes of materials discussed worldwide by many researchers of diverse fields for diverse applications in recent years. It is a nanomaterial with a wide range of applications due to its multiple forms and structures with fascinating properties, for example, high surface area and porosity, biocompatibility, ease of fictionalizing with various active chemical moieties, benefit of high metallic conductivity, activated metallic hydroxide sites, and sensitivity to moisture. MXenes have great chances for potential applications in environmental issues, water purification, biological applications, and energy storage devices and sensors. MXenes show great selectivity towards the absorption of heavy metals and a good capability to reduce chemical and biological pollutants present in the water. The present review article critically analyzed advancements in water purification using the adsorption and reduction abilities of MXenes and their composites. The mechanism of various procedures, important challenges, and associated problems using MXene and their composites are discussed in detail. The future research directions can be extracted from this article efficiently and comprehensively. The energy storage issues of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, batteries other than lithium-ion batteries, and electrochemical capacitors are also discussed in detail.

The article discusses the essence of integrative geography and its importance for the theory and practice of geographical science. Such areas of integrative geography are characterized, the development of which will further increase the importance of applied geographical science. They include teaching about cultural landscape and historical landscape (part of landscape studies), geoecological expertise and environmental impact assessment (part of geographic ecology), geographic archeology and ecological culture (part of historical geography), landscape management and landscape services (part of landscape planning), and tourism—Assessment and planning of recreational resources (part of recreational geography).

There has always been a subtle connection between the development of science and technology and society's ethical beliefs. They mutually constrain and promote each other, collectively forming the fundamental framework of modern social ethics and moral systems. The exploration of the relationship between the two has significant theoretical value and practical significance. Thus, there is an urgent need for a new research paradigm to establish theoretical and practical guidance for the various issues arising between technology and ethics. This paper aims to analyze the binary structure of "human-nature" in the philosophy of life technology. Based on this research paradigm, it seeks to reveal the dialectical unity between technology and ethics. Furthermore, the paper explores how to construct a new ethical perspective of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature in the present era. It also delves into the methods to confront this ethical dilemma.

This study delves into the evolving landscape of smart city development in Kazakhstan, a domain gaining increasing relevance in the context of urban modernization and digital transformation. The research is anchored in the quest to understand how specific technological factors influence the formation of smart cities within the region. To this end, the study adopts a Spatial Autoregressive Model (SAR) as its core analytical tool, leveraging data on server density, cloud service usage, and electronic invoicing practices across various Kazakhstani cities. The crux of the research revolves around assessing the impact of these selected technological variables on the smart city development process. The SAR model’s application facilitates a nuanced understanding of the spatial dynamics at play, offering insights into how these factors vary in influence across different urban areas. A key finding of this investigation is the significant positive correlation between the adoption of electronic invoicing and smart city development, a result that stands in contrast to the relatively insignificant impact of server density and cloud service usage. The conclusion drawn from these findings underscores the pivotal role of digital administrative processes, particularly electronic invoicing, in driving the smart city agenda in Kazakhstan. This insight not only contributes to the academic discourse on smart cities but also holds practical implications for policymakers and urban planners. It suggests a strategic shift towards prioritizing digital administrative innovations over mere infrastructural or technological upgrades. The study’s outcomes are poised to guide future smart city initiatives in Kazakhstan and offer a reference point for similar emerging economies embarking on their smart city journeys.

This article reports the development of an index of culturality in Chile. Fifteen quantitative variables indicative of local cultural development are used to measure the access to cultural opportunities in each Chilean district. This approach was adopted from the theoretical framework of cultural materialism theorized by Marvin Harris in the seventies. Using this framework, a ranking is developed among 164 districts to determine the degree of cultural development exists in each and the variables that are the influential on the enhancement of this indicator. The results showed that the districts of Rancagua, Providencia, La Reina, El Bosque, and Valparaíso have better cultural opportunities based on their material forms, which are mainly driven by obtaining funds for cultural projects, workers’ salaries, civic activity, and public libraries. Based on the results of this ranking, a baseline is proposed to develop it using new data. In addition, recommendations are provided regarding public policies that have promoted cultural development in the communities with unsuccessful results. The article provides significant information for decision makers in Chile and a quantitative method for exploring cultural materialism in specific territories.

Cucumber Variety ‘Drite L108’ (Cucumis sativus L. Cv. Derit L108) was selected as the test material. In the solar greenhouse, different days (1, 3, 5, 7, 9 d) of light (PAR < 200 µmol·m^-2·s^-1) and normal light conditions were designed with shading nets to observe the growth indexes of cucumber plants and the changes of antioxidant enzyme activities in leaves. The results showed that: (1) continuous low light increased the SPAD (relative chlorophyll) value of cucumber leaves and decreased the net photosynthetic rate. The longer the continuous low light days are, the smaller the net photosynthetic rate of cucumber leaves and the worse the photosynthetic recovery ability would be. (2) The plant height, stem diameter and leaf area per plant were lower than CK, and the above indexes could not return to the normal level after 9 days of normal light recovery; the yield and marketability of cucumber fruit decreased under continuous low illumination. (3) The activities of SOD (superoxide dismutase) and POD (peroxidase) in cucumber leaves increased, the activities of CAT (catalase) first increased and then decreased, and the content of MDA (malondialdehyde) continued to increase. The longer the days of continuous light keep, the more seriously the cucumber leaves were damaged by membrane lipid peroxidation. After continuous light for more than 7 days, the metabolic function of cucumber leaves was difficult to recover to the normal level.