Hydroponics is a modern agricultural system that enables year-round plant growth. Biochar, derived from apple tree waste, and humic acid were investigated as a replacement for the Hoagland nutrient solution to grow strawberries in a greenhouse with three replications. Growth parameters, such as leaf area, the average number of fruits per plant, maximum fruit weight, and the weight of fresh and dry fruits, were measured. A 50% increase in fresh and dry fruit weight was observed in plants grown using biochar compared to the control. Additionally, the use of Hoagland chemical fertilizer led to a 25% increase in both fresh and dry weight. There was a 65% increase in the number of fruits per plant in the biochar-grown sample compared to the control. Moreover, biochar fertilizer caused a 100% increase in maximum fruit weight compared to the control and a 27% increase compared to the Hoagland chemical fertilizer. Biochar had a higher pH compared to the Hoagland solution, and such pH levels were conducive to strawberry plant growth. The results indicate that biochar has the potential to enhance the size and weight of fruits. The findings of the study demonstrate that biochar, when combined with humic acid, is a successful organic hydroponic fertilizer that improves the quality and quantity of strawberries. Moreover, this approach enables the more efficient utilization of garden waste.

Heat conduction theory stipulates that two thermo-physical properties of materials: the thermal conductivity “k” and the thermal diffusivity “α” influence the temperature evolution in regular and irregular bodies as a response to various cooling/heating conditions. The traditional statement involving the two thermo-physical properties is examined at length in the present study for the case of a semi-infinite region. The primary objective of the present study is to investigate the influence of the less known thermo-physical property called the thermal effusivity “e” on the incipient surface temperature rise in a semi-infinite body affected by uniform surface heat flux. The secondary objective of the study is to identify a key figure of merit named the dimensionless threshold time that separates the incipient temperature elevation in a semi-infinite region from the incipient temperature elevation in a large wall of finite thickness under the same uniform surface heat flux. The outcome of the methodical analysis suggests that the accurate estimate for the dimensionless threshold time τ_th in the semi-infinite region should be 0.10.

Urbanization plays a crucial role in facilitating the integration of population growth, industrial development, economic expansion, and energy consumption. In this paper, we aim to examine the relationships between CO2 emissions and various factors including economic growth, urbanization, financial development, and energy consumption within Pakistan’s building sector. The study utilizes annual data spanning from 1990 to 2020. To analyze the cointegration relationship between these variables, we employ the quantile autoregressive distributed lag error correction model (QARDL-ECM). The findings of this research provide evidence supporting the presence of an asymmetric and nonlinear long-term relationship between the variables under investigation. Based on these results, we suggest the implementation of tariffs on nonrenewable energy sources and the formulation of policies that promote sustainable energy practices. By doing so, policymakers and architects can effectively contribute to minimising environmental damage. Overall, this study offers valuable insights that can assist policymakers and architects in making informed decisions to mitigate environmental harm while fostering sustainable development.

The significance of infrastructure development as a determinant of economic growth has been widely studied by economists and policymakers. Though there is no much debate about the importance of infrastructure on growth, the extent to which infrastructure affects growth in the long run is often debated among researchers. This paper aims to examine the effect of infrastructure development on economic growth in ten sub-Saharan Africa. This study uses balanced panel data of ten African countries, particularly sub-Saharan Africa over the period of 2010–2020 by analyzing a set of independent variables with relation to the dependent, which is GDP per capita. The study has found that water supply & sanitation index and electricity index have positive and significant relationship with economic growth, while transport index and Information & Communications (ICT) have negative relationship with economic growth in these countries.

This study provides an empirical examination of the design and modification of China’s urban social security programme. In doing so, this study complements the popular assumption regarding the correlation between economic growth and social security development. Focusing on the economic and political motivations behind the ruling party’s decision to implement social security, this study first discusses the modification of urban social security and welfare in China. It then empirically demonstrates the mechanisms behind the system’s operation. This study proposes the following hypothesis: in a country like China, a change in the doctrine of the ruling party will affect government alliances, negating the positive impact of economic growth on the development of social security. In demonstrating this hypothesis, this study identifies a political precondition impacting the explanatory power of popular conceptions of social security development.