Static atomic charges affect key ground-state parameters of boron quasi-planar clusters Bn, n ≤ 20, which serve as building blocks of borophenes and other two-dimensional boron-based materials promising for various advanced applications. Assuming that the outer valence shells partial electron density of the constituent B atoms are shared between them proportionally to their coordination numbers, the static atomic charges in small boron planar clusters in the electrically neutral and positively and negatively singly charged states are estimated to be in the ranges of –0.750e (B70) to +0.535e (B200), –0.500e (B7+, B8+, and B9+) to +0.556e (B17+), and –1.000e (B7–) to +0.512e (B20–), respectively.

Global energy agencies and commissions report a sharp increase in energy demand based on commercial, industrial, and residential activities. At this point, we need energy-efficient and high-performance systems to maintain a sustainable environment. More than 30% of the generated electricity has been consumed by HVAC-R units, and heat exchangers are the main components affecting the overall performance. This study combines experimental measurements, numerical investigations, and ANN-aided optimization studies to determine the optimal operating conditions of an industrial shell and tube heat exchanger system. The cold/hot stream temperature level is varied between 10 ℃ and 50 ℃ during the experiments and numerical investigations. Furthermore, the flow rates are altered in a range of 50–500 L/h to investigate the thermal and hydraulic performance under laminar and turbulent regime conditions. The experimental and numerical results indicate that U-tube bundles dominantly affect the total pumping power; therefore, the energy consumption experienced at the cold side is about ten times greater the one at the hot side. Once the required data sets are gathered via the experiments and numerical investigations, ANN-aided stochastic optimization algorithms detected the C10H50 scenario as the optimal operating case when the cold and hot stream flow rates are at 100 L/h and 500 L/h, respectively.

Flood risk analysis is the instrument by which floodplain and stormwater utility managers create strategic adaptation plans to reduce the likelihood of flood damages in their communities, but there is a need to develop a screening tool to analyze watersheds and identify areas that should be targeted and prioritized for mitigation measures. The authors developed a screening tool that combines readily available data on topography, groundwater, surface water, tidal information for coastal communities, soils, land use, and precipitation data. Using the outputs of the screening tool for various design storms, a means to identify and prioritize improvements to be funded with scarce capital funds was developed, which combines the likelihood of flooding from the screening tool with a consequence of flooding assessment based on land use and parcel size. This framework appears to be viable across cities that may be inundated with water due to sea-level rise, rainfall, runoff upstream, and other natural events. The framework was applied to two communities using the 1-day 100-year storm event: one in southeast Broward County with an existing capital plan and one inland community with no capital plan.

The increasing epileptic electricity supply, mainly in the residential areas of Nigerian cities, has been linked to the incorrect knowledge of the numerous socio-economic and physical indices that influence household electricity usage. Most of the seemingly identified explanatory factors were done at macro level which does not give a clear estimate of this electricity demand. The thrust of the study is to analyse empirically the household electricity determinants in Nigerian cities with a view to evolving a more informed and sustainable energy policy decision. Multistage area cluster sampling method was adopted in the study where 769 copies of structured questionnaire were distributed to electricity users of prepaid meters in five major Nigerian cities. The research hypothesis was tested using the multiple linear regression statistical tool. The result revealed that nine variables which include age (r = 0.05, p-value: 0.05), household income (r = 0.00, p-value: 0.05), number of hours that people stay outside the house (r = 0.043, p-value: 0.05), number of teenagers at home, (r = 0.006, p-value: 0.01) number of electrical appliances (r = 0.016, p-value: 0.01), type of house (r = 0.012, p-value: 0.01), hours that the electrical appliances are used (r = 0.043, p-value: 0.05), weather condition, (r = 0.011, p-value: 0.05) and the location of the building (r = 0.045, p-value: 0.05) were significant in determining the household electricity consumption. Policies based on the findings will give energy and urban planners an empirical basis for accurate and robust forecasting of the determinants that influence household electricity consumption in Nigeria that is devoid of any speculation or unfounded predictions.

Indonesia ranks as the second-largest source of plastic garbage in marine areas, behind China. This is a critical problem that emphasises the need for synergistic endeavors to safeguard the long-term viability of marine ecosystems. The objective of this work is to examine the implementation of the Penta Helix model in the management of marine plastic trash. For this purpose, a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was carried out, utilizing scholarly papers sourced from the Science Direct, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. The analysis centred on evaluating the Penta Helix model as a cooperative framework for tackling plastic waste management in the marine environments of Indonesia and China. The results suggest that the Penta Helix methodology successfully enables the amalgamation of many interests and resources, making a valuable contribution to the mitigation of plastic pollution in the waters of both nations. In order to advance a more comprehensive and sustainable approach to plastic waste management, this multidisciplinary plan brings together stakeholders from government, academia, business, civil society, and the media. Under this framework, the government is responsible for formulating laws, guidelines, and programs to decrease the use of disposable plastics and improve waste management infrastructure, all while guaranteeing adherence to environmental constraints. Simultaneously, the industrial and academic sectors are responsible for creating sustainable technology and pioneering business strategies, while civil society, in collaboration with the media, has a crucial role in increasing public consciousness regarding the destructive effects of plastic trash. This comprehensive strategy emphasizes the need of synergistic endeavors in tackling the intricate issues of marine plastic contamination.