Water splitting, the process of converting water into hydrogen and oxygen gases, has garnered significant attention as a promising avenue for sustainable energy production. One area of focus has been the development of efficient and cost-effective catalysts for water splitting. Researchers have explored catalysts based on abundant and inexpensive materials such as nickel, iron, and cobalt, which have demonstrated improved performance and stability. These catalysts show promise for large-scale implementation and offer potential for reducing the reliance on expensive and scarce materials. Another avenue of research involves photoelectrochemical (PEC) cells, which utilize solar energy to drive the water-splitting reaction. Scientists have been working on designing novel materials, including metal oxides and semiconductors, to enhance light absorption and charge separation properties. These advancements in PEC technology aim to maximize the conversion of sunlight into chemical energy. Inspired by natural photosynthesis, artificial photosynthesis approaches have also gained traction. By integrating light-absorbing materials, catalysts, and membranes, these systems aim to mimic the complex processes of natural photosynthesis and produce hydrogen fuel from water. The development of efficient and stable artificial photosynthesis systems holds promise for sustainable and clean energy production. Tandem cells, which combine multiple light-absorbing materials with different bandgaps, have emerged as a strategy to enhance the efficiency of water-splitting systems. By capturing a broader range of the solar spectrum, tandem cells optimize light absorption and improve overall system performance. Lastly, advancements in electrocatalysis have played a critical role in water splitting. Researchers have focused on developing advanced electrocatalysts with high activity, selectivity, and stability for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). These electrocatalysts contribute to overall water-splitting efficiency and pave the way for practical implementation.

Instability is inherent in global capitalism, impacting all countries, particularly those directly reliant on this economic framework. The USA shapes tourism metrics in dependent nations and influences inbound tourism spending. Using logarithmic models and power tests, the study delineated four dynamic fields (Cn) supporting the thesis of the fusion of tourism and temporary residency. This study demonstrates that tourism and migration correlate with political, economic, and social instability, as evidenced by high statistical correlations. Variance increases during instability, leading to more residency petitions per tourist entry. This pattern is repeated during three major crises: the 2008–2009 financial crisis, the 2011–2013 conflicts in the Middle East and Africa, and the 2016–2017 regional political turmoil and Venezuelan migration. Economic classification tests confirm the association between instability, armed conflict, and heightened tourism and residency tendencies. Tourism income rises steadily, and residency averages increase, especially during periods of regional instability. The study highlights the tight link between tourism and migration with political, economic, and social instability. The statistical analysis reveals significant correlations, showing higher residency pressure during unstable periods. The applied tests confirm that countries in turmoil exhibit heightened tourism and migration tendencies.

Bagasse fiber from sugarcane waste is used with epoxy resin to make natural composites. The raw fibers are treated chemically to improve compatibility and adherence with the epoxy polymer. It’s anticipated that epoxy resin matrix composites reinforced with bagasse particles would work as a trustworthy replacement for conventional materials utilized in the building and automobile sectors. The amount and distribution of reinforcing particles inside the matrix are two factors that impact the composite’s strength. Furthermore, the precise proportion of reinforcing elements—roughly 20–30 weight percent—into the matrix plays a critical role in providing a noticeable boost in improving the properties of the composites. This research investigates the impact of reinforcing alkali-treated bagasse and untreated bagasse powder into an epoxy matrix on aspects of mechanical and morphological characteristics. The hand layup technique is used to create alkali-treated bagasse and untreated bagasse powder-reinforced epoxy composites. Composites are designed with six levels of reinforcement weight percentages (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30%). Microstructural analysis was performed using SEM and optical microscopes to assess the cohesion and dispersion of the reinforcing particles throughout the hybrid composites’ matrix phase. With reinforcement loading up to 20 wt%, the tensile strength, impact strength, and toughness of epoxy-alkali-treated bagasse and untreated bagasse powder-reinforced composites increased. In contrast, treated bagasse epoxy composites were superior to untreated epoxy composites in terms of efficacy. The results indicate that 20 wt% alkali bagasse powder provides better mechanical properties than other combinations.

The food industry progressively requires innovative and environmentally safe packaging materials with increased physical, mechanical, and barrier properties. Due to its unique properties, cellulose has several potential applications in the food industry as a packaging material, stabilizing agent, and functional food ingredient. A coffee pod is a filter of cellulosic, non-rigid, ready-made material containing ground portions and pressed coffee prepared in dedicated machines. In our study, we obtained, with homogenization and sonication, cellulose micro/nanoparticles from three different coffee pods. It is known that nanoparticulate systems can enter live cells and, if ingested, could exert alterations in gastrointestinal tract cells. Our work aims to investigate the response of HT-29 cells to cellulose nanoparticles from coffee pods. In particular, the subcellular effects between coffee-embedded nanocellulose (CENC) and cellulose nanoparticles (NC) were compared. Finally, we analysed the pathologic condition (Cytolethal Distending Toxin (CDT) from Campylobacter jejuni) on the same cells conditioned by NC and CENC. We evidenced that, for the cellular functional features analysed, NC and CENC pre-treatments do not worsen cell response to the C. jejuni CDT, also pointing out an improvement of the autophagic flux, particularly for CENC preconditioning.

The following paper assesses the relationship between electricity consumption, economic growth, environmental pollution, and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) development in Kazakhstan. Using the structural equation method, the study analyzes panel data gathered across various regions of Kazakhstan between 2014 and 2022. The data were sourced from official records of the Bureau of National Statistics of Kazakhstan and include all regions of Kazakhstan. The chosen timeframe includes the period from 2014, which marked a significant drop in oil prices that impacted the overall economic situation in the country, to 2022. The main hypotheses of the study relate to the impact of electricity consumption on economic growth, ICT, and environmental sustainability, as well as ICT’s role in economic development and environmental impact. The results show electricity consumption’s positive effect on economic growth and ICT development while also revealing an increase in pollutant emissions (emissions of liquid and gaseous pollutants) with economic growth and electricity consumption. The development of ICT in Kazakhstan has been revealed to not have a direct effect on reducing pollutant emissions into the environment, raising important questions about how technology can be leveraged to mitigate environmental impact, whether current technological advancements are sufficient to address environmental challenges, and what specific measures are needed to enhance the environmental benefits of ICT. There is a clear necessity to integrate sustainable practices and technologies to achieve balanced development. These results offer important insights into the relationships among electricity consumption, technology, economic development, and environmental issues. They underscore the complexity and multidimensionality of these interactions and suggest directions for future research, especially in the context of finding sustainable solutions for balanced development.