The issue of housing for humans has been extensively studied and remains highly relevant. While multi-story buildings in both large and small cities have addressed the need for residential accommodations, key aspects essential to ensuring comfortable living and human activity have often been neglected. A potential solution lies in the renovation of existing structures to enhance housing quality while preserving the original framework. This paper aims to explore the relationship between renovation approaches and the structural systems of residential buildings. It examines case studies of building renovations utilizing various materials, highlighting their features and applicable solutions. The analysis includes examples from multiple countries with diverse social, economic, and climatic conditions. Renovation is defined in this study as the process of modernizing residential buildings and their surrounding areas. Through an evaluation of architectural strategies employed in building renovations, the study identifies general trends and principles applicable to the refurbishment of standard residential structures. Based on these findings, the authors propose recommendations for renovation strategies tailored to different structural types. The outcomes of this research offer a framework for implementing revitalization projects, urban regeneration efforts, and building adaptation initiatives. © 2025 by authors, all rights reserved.

The need to remove radioactive iodine from water extends beyond the liquid radioactive waste treatment in the nuclear industry, as it can also be found in hospital wastewater and reach wastewater treatment plants. However, it remains a challenge affected by diverse iodine speciation, which includes anions and neutral forms. Recent developments in new carbon materials are offering new opportunities to capture radioactive iodine species from aqueous and gas phases. But how are they made, how feasible is their use, and how effective can they be? Do they outperform traditional carbon materials such as activated carbon? This review, for the first time, assesses current developments in preparing adsorbents for removing iodine species, including nanocarbons. Specifically, their synthesis, properties, maximum extraction capacity, and sorption mechanisms are discussed. The most effective biomass-based carbon for iodine removal was found to be chemically activated (with KOH) sunflower hydrochar with highly developed porosity and a surface area >2000 m2/g. Its capacity achieved 6.46 g of I2/g adsorbent. A similar level of uptake was demonstrated by KOH-activated hydrochar made from cellulose diacetate. The range of nanocarbons studied for this application did not outperform biomass-activated carbons. The regeneration of adsorbents, their scalability, current gaps in understanding the mechanisms of iodine species uptake, and the need to achieve their practical application have been discussed. The purpose of the review is to extract new knowledge from relatively new carbon nanomaterials, nanocomposites as well as traditional carbon sorbents that will inform the preparation of effective sorbents for upscaled applications such as the treatment of radioactive effluents from hospitals or liquid radioactive waste produced in the nuclear fuel cycle. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd

Generative potential and thermal maturity for Upper Palaeozoic source rocks from the south-eastern edge of Precaspian Basin were determined using Rock–Eval. A high hydrocarbon source rock generative potential and high degree of thermal maturity for the Lower Permian, Mid-Carboniferous strata have been revealed based on 39 rock samples. TOC values of 0.4–5.5% have been obtained for mature source rocks. Integrated geochemical analysis determined from Rock–Eval studies combined with 1D basin modelling was utilized in order to reconstruct thermal evolution for the Upper Palaeozoic source rocks. Calibrated 1D models for three wells had been constructed to understand petroleum system. For two deep exploration wells (Nur-1 and Tassym SE-1), which penetrated pre-salt strata at the depths of 5.7 and 7 km, respectively, the impact of salt diapirism on timing of maturation was modelled. Type II kerogen was used, which is based on previous palaeogeographic studies. The stratigraphic framework and major stages of geodynamic evolution were analysed. Salt-related structural traps in post-salt strata have been described based on 3D seismic data, and additional intra-salt sediment packages have been delineated. Discovered producing oil fields in the Upper Triassic and Jurassic–Cretaceous stratigraphic sections are mainly confined to the four-way dip structural closures above the steep flanks of salt structures. Based on burial and thermal modelling, the maturation and generation behaviour of kerogen Type II below salt-related minibasins and close to thick salt diapirs were inferred. For Lower Permian SR with type II kerogen, the generation peak (maturity over 50%) occurs in Middle to Late Jurassic. For predominantly carbonate and terrigenous-carbonate Mid-Carboniferous marine SR, generation peak occurs earlier below salt withdrawal minibasins. Implications for deeper hydrocarbon prospectivity were made for the study area, and methodology for evaluating hydrocarbon potential adopting 1D basin modelling technique and geochemical data is presented. © 2022, The Author(s).

Purpose. To justify and develop the theoretical bases of the formation and operation of the container technology for moving mining mass from quarries, which ensures a reduction of economic and energy costs, as well as damage to the environment during the extraction of mineral resources. Methodology. The work used complex research methods, including analysis and scientific synthesis of scientific and technical information; theoretical research; methods of mathematical and computer modeling, and design developments. Findings. The analysis of existing technologies for openpit mining and the current state of mining indicates an urgent need to develop new resourcesaving technology and environmentally friendly technologies for moving rock mass for openpit mining. A new technology for container transportation of rock mass in containers is proposed without the construction of additional transport communications in the quarry and has technological and energysaving advantages. Originality. The scientific novelty of the research consists of an integrated and systematic approach to assessing the energy efficiency and environmental safety of the proposed set of equipment for container technology for transporting rock mass. Practical value. In this work, special attention is paid to the problem of the formation and effective use of a new resourcesaving and environmentally friendly container technology for moving rock mass from deep quarries. These advantages are simultaneous excavation of rocks, transportation of rocks over the shortest distance, low container packing ratio, and mobility of a complex of lifting machines, which will reduce energy consumption and the cost of transporting rock mass. A transport complex has been developed to ensure the reliable operation of lifting and transport machines.

This paper presents the results of determining the parameters of tritium transfer processes in lithium ceramics Li2TiO3 under reactor irradiation conditions. Analysis of sections with a short-term decrease in reactor power allowed numerical determination of the Arrhenius parameters of tritium diffusion (pre-exponential factor and activation energy) based on comparison with in situ experimental data. The obtained values of activation energy (70.2–74.7 kJ/mol) and pre-exponential factor (0.9–2.1 × 10−8m2/s) demonstrate growth with increasing fluence, which is explained by the accumulation of radiation defects in ceramics. A linear dependence was established between D0 and Ea, corresponding to the Mayer–Noldel rule. Unlike previously conducted studies based on a phenomenological approach to assessing only the activation energy of diffusion, in this study, a complex model that takes into account temperature gradients, tritium generation, its diffusion, and release from the surface was used. The applicability of such an integrated approach to the analysis of in situ reactor experiments with lithium ceramics was confirmed, and allowed us to estimate changes in the tritium transfer parameters in lithium ceramics Li2TiO3 depending on the irradiation time. © 2025 by the authors.

Purpose. To analyze the development of landslide processes in the village areas, study the causes of the destruction of the coastline of Lake Alakol, and develop recommendations for coastal protection measures. To assess the impact of key geological, hydrological, and climatic factors on the intensity of abrasion processes and the dynamics of the coastline. Methodology. The methodology includes a comprehensive approach. Monitoring of the shoreline was conducted, covering the measurement of erosion speed and direction, evaluation of sediment volumes, analysis of changes in the coastline and geomorphological features. Computer modeling was used to predict destructive processes, considering multiple factors such as hydrological conditions, lithological composition of rocks, and climatic conditions. Retrospective analysis of long-term observation data and photographs revealed patterns in the development of shoreline changes. Findings. The changes in the shoreline of Lake Alakol are related to the complex interaction of natural and anthropogenic factors. The main causes of shoreline destruction were identified, including active landslides, wave erosion, and changes in the hydrological regime. Measures for shore strengthening were proposed: installation of breakwaters, slope reinforcements, planting vegetation, creation of artificial beaches, and other engineering measures. A program for predicting coastal destruction using mathematical models has been developed, which allows for effective planning of measures to protect them. Originality. The scientific novelty of this work lies in the integration of modern monitoring, analysis, and modeling methods to study the dynamics of coastal processes. This approach provides a deeper understanding of the causes of shoreline destruction and contributes to the development of optimal engineering solutions. Practical value. Recommendations are developed that can be used for strengthening the shores of Lake Alakol, as well as preventing exogenous geological processes (shoreline abrasion, landslides, landslips, collapses, gully formation, etc.) at other water bodies. © Alzhigitova M. M., Tileuberdi N., Zapparov M. R., Auyelkhan Y. S., Abdisseiit E. S., 2025

The paper presents an algorithm for planning agricultural field surveying routes in the presence of obstacles, designed to address precision agriculture tasks. Unlike classical methods, which are typically limited to straightforward zigzag (Zamboni) traversal and basic perimeter-based obstacle avoidance, the proposed algorithm accounts for heterogeneous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) of varying types, ranges, costs, and speeds, along with a mobile ground platform that enables drone takeoff and landing at multiple points along the road. The key innovation lies in a two-stage optimization procedure: initially, a random set of field partitions into multiple sub-polygons with predefined area proportions (considering internal obstacles) is generated. Subsequently, the optimal partitioning is selected, and based on this, a genetic algorithm is applied to optimize flight parameters, including flight angle, entry points, composition, and sequence of drone launches, and the ground platform route. This approach achieves more localized coverage of individual field segments, with each segment serviced by an appropriate drone type, while also enabling flexible movement of the ground platform, thereby reducing unnecessary flights. This brings down the price of the coverage by 10–30% in some cases. The concluding section discusses future directions, including the incorporation of three-dimensional terrain considerations, dynamic factors (such as changing weather conditions and drone stoppages due to technical issues), and automated collision avoidance in intersecting route segments. © 2025 by the authors.

In comparison with unfoamed polymers, polymer foams find extensive application in various civil and industrial fields such as packaging, sports equipment, absorbents, and automotive components due to their advantages of lightweight, high strength-to-weight ratio, excellent insulation properties, high thermal stability, high impact strength, toughness, and long fatigue life. The preparation of conventional polymer foam typically necessitates the incorporation of chemical foaming agents into the polymer, raising environmental issues, which pave the way for the utilization of supercritical fluids. Supercritical fluids exemplified by supercritical carbon dioxide or supercritical nitrogen, are renowned for their environmentally friendly and non-toxic characteristics, thus offering a viable alternative to conventional chemical foaming agents. Supercritical fluids exhibit gas-like diffusion and liquid-like density, offering excellent plasticization effects on polymer melts. This substantially reduces the melt viscosity, melting point, and glass transition temperature of the polymer, facilitating the preparation of uniformly distributed, smaller-sized, and higher-density microcellular foams. This review first provides an overview of the characteristics of supercritical fluids and commonly used supercritical fluid foaming agents. Subsequently, the dissolution, diffusion, and interactions of supercritical fluids in polymers were discussed, followed by a focused elucidation of the cell nucleation (homogeneous and heterogeneous) and growth (island model and cell model). Finally, the application of supercritical fluids in the foam manufacturing techniques is highlighted, including batch foaming, extrusion foaming, and injection foaming, while emphasizing the challenges that still exist in polymer foaming. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Enhancing heat transfer rates while concurrently reducing pressure drop will significantly enhance the energy efficiency of industrial heat exchangers, thereby contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable environment in the future. This study explores the fluid flow of a novel combination solution in a helical heat exchanger under a constant heat flux across various Reynolds numbers (5000–17000) aiming to uncover synergies that enhance heat transfer efficiency while reducing drag for the first time. Two key performance metrics, namely Drag Reduction (DR) and Heat Transfer Enhancement (HTE), along with the thermal effective index, are introduced to evaluate both hydrodynamic and thermal characteristics. Under turbulent conditions, an aqueous solution containing Anionic PAM (100–500 ppm) obtains a noteworthy 43% DR at 500 ppm. Simultaneously, a colloidal solution of nano-SiO2 (500–3000 ppm) in deionized water demonstrates an impressive 47% HTE at 2000 ppm. Furthermore, this study introduces two novel terms, “heat transfer enhancement synergy” and “drag reduction synergy,” marking their debut in the literature. The investigation extends to exploring four Nano-SiO2_PAM combinations which is the novelty of the study, revealing an outstanding 93.3% synergy in HTE. Precisely, at Reynolds 14,000, the synergy between 100 ppm PAM and 2000 ppm SiO2 (named comb.20 as the best combination) attains a remarkable 73.76% in DR, showcasing a noteworthy thermal effectiveness reaching approximately 200%. Even for comb.20, at Reynolds 5000, the synergy achieves a notable 133.33% in DR and 76.22% in HTE, which is quite significant. This result is attributed to a complex formation that elongates the polymer chain due to the presence of nanoparticles around the polymer chain, effectively damping eddies. Furthermore, a novel set of correlations is proposed for the prediction of the Nusselt number of the aforementioned solutions, demonstrating a remarkable agreement with experimental data with a maximum error of 24%.

Targeting vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEFGR) and its co–receptor neuropilin–1 (NRP–1) is an interesting vascular strategy. tLyp–1 is a tumor–homing and penetrating peptide of 7 amino acids (CGNKRTR). It is a truncated form of Lyp–1 (CGNKRTRGC), which is known to target NRP–1 receptor, with high affinity and specificity. It is mediated by endocytosis via C–end rule (CendR) internalization pathway. The aim of this study is to evaluate the importance of each amino acid in the tLyp–1 sequence through alanine–scanning (Ala-scan) technique, during which each of the amino acid in the sequence was systematically replaced by alanine to produce 7 different analogues. In silico approach through molecular docking and molecular dynamics are employed to understand the interaction between the peptide and its analogues with the NRP-1 receptor, followed by in vitro ligand binding assay study. The C-terminal Arg is crucial in the interaction of tLyp-1 with NRP-1 receptor. Substituting this residue dramatically reduces the affinity of this peptide which is clearly seen in this study. Lys-4 is also important in the interaction, which is confirmed via the in vitro study and the MM-PBSA analysis. The finding in this study supports the CendR, in which the presence of R/K-XX-R/K motif is essential in the binding of a ligand with NRP-1 receptor. This presented work will serve as a guide in the future work pertaining the development of active targeting agent towards NRP-1 receptor. © 2022 Elsevier Inc.