for the first time lactic acid was applied as an efficient and green catalyst for the one-pot three-component synthesis of amidoalkyl naphthols via the condensation between arylaldehydes, 2-naphthol and amides or urea under thermal solvent-free conditions in good to excellent yields. we have demonestrated a mild and efficient eco-friendly tandem synthesis of amidoalkyl naphthols using lactic ac...

This paper discusses a practical, computerised eco-management system for agriculture which has been developed at the University of Hertfordshire, UK for use by farmers and their advisers to encourage more sustainable practices. The research and software development has been funded by the UK’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Milk Development Council. The computerised system h...

Product design is one of the most important sectors influencing global sustainability, as almost all the products consumed by people are outputs of the product development process. In particular, early design decisions can have a very significant impact on sustainability. These decisions not only relate to material and manufacturing choices but have a far-reaching effect on the product’s entire...

Climate change is strongly linked to human behavior and technologies, and many of the barriers to sustainable behavior are rather psychological than technological. More sustainable technologies and food products have been introduced to combat climate change, most often labeled with morally loaded labels such as “organic” or “environmentally friendly”. The purpose of this thesis was, first, to g...

In Japan, greenhouse gas emissions from rice production, especially CH4 emissions in rice paddy fields, are the primary contributors to global warming from agriculture. When prolonged midseason drainage for mitigating CH4 emissions from rice paddy fields is practiced with environmentally friendly rice production based on reduced use of synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, Japanese ric...

. This paper introduces both the Eco–Be robotic platform and the RoboCup Mixed Reality Competition and the research under development on the FC Portugal team in the context of this league. The Eco-Bes and the Mixed reality competition present an immediate, simple application for developing complete teams for cooperative robotic applications. The Eco-Be is a very small mobile vehicle, also known...

Although numerous hypotheses exist to explain the overwhelming presence of sexual reproduction across the tree of life, we still cannot explain its prevalence when considering all inherent costs involved. The Red Queen hypothesis states that sex is maintained because it can create novel genotypes with a selective advantage. This occurs when the interactions between species induce frequent envir...

Gilbert and Epel present a new approach to developmental biology: embryogenesis must be understood within the full context of the organism's environment. Instead of an insular embryo following a genetic blueprint, this revised program maintains that embryogenesis is subject to inputs from the environment that generate novel genetic variation with dynamic consequences for development. Beyond all...