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This study focussed on the development of fully biodegradable composites based on polybutylene succinate (PBS) in combination with raw materials from different processing stages of the pulp and paper industry. Sulfite pulp (SP), kraft pulp (KP) and screened sludge residue (SL) from wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) were investigated as reinforcing fibres contributing to a circular economy. We report a comparative study of the physicochemical properties and mechanical performance of PBS composites reinforced with these cellulosic raw fibres and commercial pure microcrystalline cellulose (MC). The composites were characterised in tensile strength, elongation at break, modulus of elasticity, water absorption and wettability. The incorporation of the fibres into the polymer matrix was also investigated using torque rheometry. Critical concentrations were obtained with maximum incorporation in the range of 15–20 wt% for SP/KP and 25–30 wt% for SL. SP and KP composites showed at least as good physicochemical and mechanical properties as MC at the concentrations studied (0–20 wt%). SP-composites showed the highest tensile strength and modulus of elasticity. It was shown that these fibres from the pulp and paper industry can be used as reinforcement for PBS matrices without additional chemical purification and provide a valuable alternative to commercial microcrystalline cellulose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) fiber is a kind of rigid-rod polymer fiber and has a fibrillar structure. It can be fibrillated through a refining process. In this study, the highly fibrillated poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) fiber, which consists of poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) fibrils, was prepared by refining and fractionalizing. It was found that the poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) fibril has a specific surface area of 41.5 m2/g, and the diameter can be tens of nanometers. Poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) fibrils can be prepared into the paper by a wet-laid formation process. It was found that the average pore size of poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) paper was 0.64 μm. The filtration efficiency of poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) paper was 99.96% for particles with a size of 150 nm. After being heated at 400°C for 5 min, the poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) paper could still retain a complete structure and have a filtration efficiency of 99.58%. It is suggested that poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) paper has a potential application in high-efficiency particulate air filters used in air and gas treatment systems in some industrial facilities to resist heated air with a temperature of 400°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating academic papers and groups is important in scholar evaluation and literature retrieval. However, current evaluation indices, which pay excessive attention to the citation number rather than the citation importance and unidirectionality, are relatively simple. This study proposes new evaluation indices for papers and groups. First, an improved PageRank (PR) algorithm introducing citation importance is proposed to obtain a new citation-based paper index (CPI) via a pre-ranking and fine-tuning strategy. Second, to evaluate the paper's influence inside and outside its research field, the focus citation-based paper index (FCPI) and diversity citation-based paper index (DCPI) are proposed based on topic similarity and diversity, respectively. Third, aside from the statistical indices for academic papers, we propose a foreign academic degree of dependence (FAD) to characterise the dependence between two academic groups. Finally, artificial intelligence (AI) papers from 2005 to 2019 are utilised for a case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined how a group of Chinese undergraduate students understood paraphrasing and source use conventions for research paper writing in English. Prior scholarship has generated valuable insights about novice second language (L2) writers' unconventional source use practices, but little is known about how these writers interpret and understand source use expectations for English academic writing. We followed a group of nine Chinese undergraduate students for an academic term as they learned to paraphrase and write with sources for their research paper assignments. Drafts of students' papers were collected and rounds of text-based interviews were conducted where students were asked to explain their source use decisions. Findings showed that the students actively and constantly referenced their source use knowledge of Chinese essay writing to help make sense of source use expectations for English academic writing, although their understanding of English academic source use as well as their rendition of culture may likely be viewed by expert academic writers as 'insufficient' or 'inadequate'. We conclude by highlighting the importance of foregrounding learner voice and acknowledging the legitimacy of the interpretations of novice L2 writers as intercultural informants in the teaching of English academic source use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantifiable predictability in the citation counts of articles is significant in scientometrics and informetrics. Many metrics based on the citation counts can evaluate the scientific impact of research articles and journals. Utilising time series models, an article's citation counts up to the y th year after publication can be predicted by those up to the previous years. However, the typically used models cannot predict the fat tail of the actual citation distributions. Thus, based on cumulative advantage of the citation behaviour, we propose a method to predict the accumulated citation counts, by using a random number sampled from a power-law distribution to modify the results given by a recurrent neural network (RNN), long short-term memory. Extensive experiments on the data set including 17 journals in information science verified the effectiveness of our method by the good fittings on distributions and evolutionary trends of the citation counts of articles. Our method has the potential to be extended to predict other popular assessment measures such as impact factor and h -index for journals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the present state of the art and forthcoming directions of digital library adoption (DLA) research over the past 30 years. By means of scientometric analysis, we synthesize 216 articles and conference papers published between 1992 and 2022 using visualization maps of prolific contributions, co-citation, co-occurrence, and thematic networks. The analysis reveals important findings concerning research evolution, models and theories, intellectual foundations, emerging streams, frontiers, and hotspots that inform DLA decisions. Moreover, the paper highlights future DLA research opportunities through addressing scarcely observed areas in the field. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt that comprehensively oversees the breadth and depth of the DLA research over a long-time span. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to characterise the anaerobic degradation of three paper mill waste water treatment residues in the shape of sludges and to correlate this anaerobic digestion to the physico-chemical characteristics of the paper sludges. After a deep characterisation of each paper sludge in their initial stage, several parameters were analysed on each paper sludge in mesophilic conditions for 40–50 days: pH, conductivity, chemical oxygen demand, total organic acids and organic fibres degradation. A special care was taken to identify and quantify the volatile fatty acids (VFAs) produced by the digestion using gas chromatography coupled with a mass spectrometer. The results showed that in paper sludges, cellulose mainly degrades over time while the degradation of the other fibres (hemicellulose and lignin) is limited. Consequently, the greater the cellulose content in a paper sludge, the greater the digestion and formation of VFAs. However, not all the cellulose degrades because of a shielding effect of lignin on cellulose, and a pH buffering effect of the calcium carbonate present in the paper sludges limits the hydrolysis-acidogenesis step of the anaerobic digestion. Finally, the gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) investigations showed that acetic acid is the main VFA produced by the anaerobic digestion of paper sludges. This work helps predicting paper mill sludge evolution in the purpose of using them in circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly (p-phenylene benzoisoxazole ; PBO) paper is a potential raw material for use in honeycomb sandwich composites in the aerospace industry, which are able to sustain high temperatures exceeding 300°C. This work presents a wet-forming method of making PBO paper, consisting of PBO chopped fibers. The paper was impregnated with phenolic resin to simulate honeycomb wall material. The structure and mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties of the raw and impregnated paper were characterized. The performance of PBO paper was tested against p -aramid paper. The comparative results showed the tensile strength of PBO raw paper was 2.17 kN/m, which was slightly worse than p -aramid raw paper: 2.66 kN/m. After impregnation, the tensile strength of the PBO paper was 13.93 kN/m due to the increase in the number of bonding points—better than p -aramid paper: 7.99 kN/m. The tearing resistance value for PBO raw paper versus p -aramid raw paper was 3252 mN against 845 mN. The morphology of the torn samples in the impregnated paper revealed higher levels of PBO fiber pullout than p -aramid fiber, therefore the tearing resistance value was 6000 mN for PBO impregnated paper, which was again superior to p -aramid impregnated paper: 675 mN. The PBO paper also showed higher storage modulus than p -aramid paper after impregnation. Experimental studies showed that PBO paper could be used in load-bearing structures and in honeycomb components where high resistance to deformation and thermal stability is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the American Express travel board game Money Card (1972) as it highlights the intertwinement between the rise of a distinctive form of tourism as a modern mass industry and the expansion of the capitalist market, the primacy of the dollar, and U.S. hegemony. In a period marked by a shift from paper money to credit cards and global credit markets, American Express was the most powerful and easily identifiable symbol of the new post-war international economic order dominated by U.S. economic and political power. Placing the American Express Money Card board game within the shift from the post-war economy of reconstruction to credit expansion and neoliberalism, brings to the forefront the ways in which the game presented tourism as a ritual in celebration of capitalism. As a form of armchair travel, the board game sold tourism as a re-enchantment of the world. The article explores how the board game framed the American Express Card as fetish object, portrayed Europe as up for sale, and created a desire for the services of American Express and consumerism more generally. It shows how players were trained to use credit cards, be good consumers, and participate in the economy of the tourist industry. By advancing a capitalist tourist dreamworld, Money Card shaped perceptions of travel to Europe and created a religious illusion, offering a re-enchantment of the world through tourism and credit cards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polypyrrole (PPy) has high electrical conductivity, good environmental stability, and reversible electrochemical redox characteristics, which makes PPy responsive to changes in environmental humidity values. In this work, a humidity sensor with a good response to humidity was prepared using in situ polymerization of PPy in filter paper doping with acetic acid. A possible sensing mechanism of conductive polymers is proposed and the conjecture is verified by experiments. The results demonstrated that the PPy/filter paper-based humidity sensor provides an electron migration channel with the capability of detecting the relative humidity. External humidity stimulation can regulate the electrochemical reaction of PPy. The reduction reaction occurs near the water side to generate the nucleophilic product OH–. The PPy system loses electrons to form carrier directional channels, resulting in changes in the output voltage measured between the two electrodes. The PPy/filter paper-based humidity sensor exhibits the moisture dependent voltage response over a wide range from a relative humidity of 11–98%, and a response/recovery time of 43/51 s as it was placed between relative humidity of 33% and 98%. In addition, unlike the traditional sensing mechanism, the voltage sensing mechanism raised here shows self-powered ability with no need for an additional power unit. This provides a new idea for self-powered sensor devices, and this sensor shows good performance in non-contact sensing applications such as breath detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perforated paper honeycomb structure with double-hole in cell walls is one kind of innovative sandwich structure also to improve drying process of traditional honeycomb paperboard. Based on the analytical calculation, experiment inspection and finite element analysis, this paper is focus on the paper honeycomb core layer with double-hole in cell walls, and especially studies the bending and folding deformation and the compressive strength under out-of-plane quasi-static compression for different humidity. The structure first appears elastic buckling and folds near the circular holes in the cell wall, and goes on buckling, folding and crushing until to the densification with the continuously increase of compression set. Its quasi-static compressive stress and strain curve mainly shows four kinds of compression deformation processes, such as linear elastic stage, elastic yielding stage, plastic collapse stage, and densification stage. The critical stress and plateau stress of the structure slowly decrease with the increase of humidity and aperture, and the multiple linear regression analysis result illustrates that the relative humidity has much more influence on the critical stress and plateau stress. For different humidity and aperture, the analytical calculation result is close to the experiment result. However, the finite element simulation result greatly deviates from the above two results, especially for relative humidity 50% and 60% cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Academic scholarly communication is the predominant business of researchers, scientists, and scholars. It is the core element of promoting scientific thought, investigation, and building up solid knowledge. The development of preprint platform web interfaces, server repositories of electronic scholarly papers submitted by their authors and openly available to the scientific community proposed a new form of academic communication. The distribution of a preprint of a scientific manuscript allows the authors to claim the priority of discovery, in a manner similar to the conference proceedings output, but also creates an anteriority that prevents protection by a patent application. Herein, we review the scope and the role of preprint papers platforms in academia, we explore individual cases, arXiv, SSRN, OSF Preprints, HAL, bioRxiv, EconStor, RePEc, PhilArchive, Research Square, viXra, Cryptology ePrint Archive, Preprints.org, ChinaXiv, medRxiv, JMIR Preprints, Authorea, ChemRxiv, engrXiv, e-LiS, SciELO, PsyArXiv, F1000 Research, and Zenodo, and discuss their significance in promoting scientific discovery, the potential risks of scientific integrity, as well as the policies of data distribution and intellectual property rights, the plus and minus, for the stakeholders, authors, institutions, states, scientific journals, scientific community, and the public. In this review we explore the scope and policies of the existing preprint papers platforms in different academic research fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recycling every viable material to produce new value-added products not only reduces waste, but also provides an opportunity to create sustainable and innovative solutions while preserving our natural resources. With this motivation, electrically conductive one-dimensional carbon fibers and two-dimensional aluminum flakes reinforced cellulose matrix composite papers were manufactured using recycled materials with a scalable, eco-friendly, and low-cost papermaking process. The designed composite paper showed 36.1 dB electromagnetic interference shielding efficiency (EMSE) with an absorbance-dominated performance by absorbing 98.85% of electromagnetic waves. An efficient impedance matching was obtained on the composite paper surface using reinforcements with different morphologies. Cellulose paper samples were converted to electrically conductive composites (0.415 S/cm), and the electrical conductivity was altered by tailoring the reinforcement ratios. Thermo-mechanical test results revealed that the cellulose matrix's storage modulus was increased from 1.44 to 2.1 GPa with a 46.5% improvement. The composite cellulose paper represented increased hydrophilicity with higher porosity. The environmentally friendly composite paper responses to the escalating environmental worries and possesses a tremendous possibility of being utilized as an electromagnetic shielding material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current disposal of biosludge generated in wastewater treatment has high costs and causes environmental problems, anaerobic digestion (AD) of solid waste is a promising alternative. Thermal hydrolysis (TH) is an accepted technology to enhance anaerobic biodegradability of sewage sludge, but this technology has not been developed to be used with biological sludge from industrial wastewater treatment. In this work, the improvements to the AD of biological sludge from cellulose industry when thermal pretreatment is carried out were experimentally determined. The experimental conditions for TH were 140 °C and 165 °C for 45 minutes. Batch tests were carried out to quantify methane production evaluated as biomethane potential (BMP), anaerobic biodegradability according to volatile solids (VS) consumption and kinetic adjustments. An innovative kinetic model based on the serial mechanism of fast and slow biodegradation fractions was tested for untreated waste, and parallel mechanism was also evaluated. Increases in BMP and biodegradability values according to VS consumption were determined with increasing TH temperature. The results of 241 NmL CH4 gVS substrate−1 for BMP and 65% biodegradability are reported for the 165 °C treatment. AD rate increased for the TH waste compared to the untreated biosludge. Improvements of up to 159% for BMP and 260% for biodegradability according to VS consumption were quantified for TH biosludge compared to untreated biosludge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the COVID-19 pandemic prevails, research related to COVID-19 has spread beyond medicine, health science, and biology to almost all academic fields. Library and information science is one of the most active fields that publish COVID-19-related research papers. This study examined 696 research papers related to COVID-19 whose journal being categorized as "information science & library science" by Web of Science. The result of bibliometric analysis showed that the publications were active and on the rise. Most papers were published in English and produced in the United States. According to the keyword clustering map produced by semantic network analysis, two fields, bibliometrics and health communication, were publishing research papers related to COVID-19 most actively. Moreover, the most productive journal was a library and information science journal focusing on health informatics. Additionally, a tendency was found that researchers preferred to publish on journals with high impact factors. Compared with non-COVID-19-related research papers, there was a significant decrease of "time for acceptance" of COVID-19-related papers, and the proportion of open access was relatively high. Confronting the global crisis of COVID-19, the library and information science field also made efforts and challenges to resolve the slow peer-review, delayed publishing, and high paywalls, which have been recognized as a "chronic diseases" of the academic publishing ecosystem. It is expected that these endeavors can serve as a turning point to reconsider and innovate the traditional research-publishing lifecycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Nordic, particularly Swedish and Finnish, pulp and paper (P&P) companies are represented in earlier research as using specialized maritime transport systems – based on roll-on/roll-off (ro-ro) vessels – in long-term collaborations with shipping companies after the Second World War. However, the strategic choices of the P&P companies that led to this development have not been researched. Based on studies of the Swedish P&P companies that developed specialized maritime transport systems during the period 1960–2015, this article sheds light on the reasons for these maritime transport systems. As well as the growth of exports, the expansion of P&P companies through mergers and acquisitions and the increased value of the exported goods, the study shows that the Swedish ro-ro trend, diversified and sensitive products, pressure from customers for frequent and speedy deliveries, and a fairly short distance to stable main markets, were additional factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The landmark 2016 Minimal Invasive Extracorporeal Technologies International Society (MiECTiS) position paper promoted the creation of a common language between cardiac surgeons, anesthesiologists and perfusionists which led to the development of a stable framework that paved the way for the advancement of minimal invasive perfusion and related technologies. The current expert consensus document offers an update in areas for which new evidence has emerged. In the light of published literature, modular minimal invasive extracorporeal circulation (MiECC) has been established as a safe and effective perfusion technique that increases biocompatibility and ultimately ensures perfusion safety in all adult cardiac surgical procedures, including re-operations, aortic arch and emergency surgery. Moreover, it was recognized that incorporation of MiECC strategies advances minimal invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) by combining reduced surgical trauma with minimal physiologic derangements. Minimal Invasive Extracorporeal Technologies International Society considers MiECC as a physiologically-based multidisciplinary strategy for performing cardiac surgery that is associated with significant evidence-based clinical benefit that has accrued over the years. Widespread adoption of this technology is thus strongly advocated to obtain additional healthcare benefit while advancing patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The book review discusses "Encounters at Sea: Paper, Objects and Sentiments in Motion across the Mediterranean," which explores the cultural and sensory experiences of movements and connections at sea. The authors use an interdisciplinary approach, incorporating history, literature, archaeology, and the science of the book to examine the cultural significance of maritime travel. The review highlights the role of emotions and materiality in Mediterranean circulations and emphasizes the importance of considering the practical and emotional dimensions of sea journeys. The book also explores the role of objects in connecting peoples and cultures, as well as the transfer of knowledge through texts and images. The review praises the rich iconographic apparatus in the book, including maps, manuscripts, and drawings, which enhance the reader's understanding of the subject matter. Overall, the review suggests that maritime historians should consider the emotional and material aspects of sea travel when conducting research in related fields. [Extracted from the article]

Pulp and paper manufacturing and recycling industries are a resource-intensive sector, generating 25–40% of the annual municipal solid waste worldwide. Waste includes abundant volumes of paper sludge, as well as the product of its incineration, namely paper sludge ash. These two waste materials are both predominantly landfilled. There is thus a drive for additional valorisation routes for these materials. This short communication focuses on the potential use of paper sludge ash in alkali-activated cement concrete; this type of concrete was estimated to potentially reduce CO2 emissions by up to 5–6 times, while it can also incorporate waste materials or industrial by-products in its composition. The paper presents a laboratory study assessing the feasibility of structural alkali-activated cement concrete with ground granulated blastfurnace slag (a by-product of steel production) and paper sludge ash. Paper sludge ash is used mainly as a source of Ca(OH)2 in the alkaline activator solution, and secondly as an additional source of aluminosilicates. A number of factors potentially affecting the activation process and the resulting concrete quality were investigated, including different dosage of activators, curing conditions and curing time. Mixes with paper sludge ash in the activator system developed high early concrete strengths at ambient temperatures and maintained adequate strengths for structural concrete. Further mix optimisation and mechanical and durability testing, accompanied by material characterisation, are required to establish the advantages of using this waste material in structural alkali-activated cement concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The correction practice of scientific publications is usually used to correct publication errors by issuing correction notices, and it is less explored compared to retraction practice. The aim of this study is to present an overview of correction practice and to explore the citation situation of correction notices in library and information science (LIS) journals, using 720 correction notices in the Web of Science from 2001–2020. Through bibliometrics and content analysis, we found the correcting rate of LIS was relatively low. The main types of corrected errors occurred in authorship, figure or table, references, etc. Most corrected errors were trivial or minor. The citation situation of correction notices was more complex than expected and could be classified into five types. It was relatively rare to cite both the corrected paper and correction notice in a standardized manner. The remaining four types of citation were unreasonable, which could influence citation practice and reduce the citations of corrected papers. We concluded that the appearance of the correction notice had affected the citation of the corrected papers to some extent, and researchers and databases needed to pay attention to this problem. We also provided some suggestions for improving correction practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mathematics is often treated as different from other disciplines, since arguments in the field rely on deductive proof rather than empirical evidence as in the natural sciences. A mathematical paper can therefore, at least in principle, be replicated simply by reading it. While this distinction is sometimes taken as the basis to claim that the results in mathematics are therefore certain, mathematicians themselves know that the published literature contains many mistakes. Reading a proof is not easy, and checking whether an argument constitutes a proof is surprisingly difficult. This article uses peer review of submissions to mathematics journals as a site where referees are explicitly concerned with checking whether a paper is correct and therefore could be published. Drawing on 95 qualitative interviews with mathematics journal editors, as well as a collection of more than 100 referee reports and other correspondence from peer review processes, this article establishes that while mathematicians acknowledge that peer review does not guarantee correctness, they still value it. For mathematicians, peer review 'adds a bit of certainty', especially in contrast to papers only submitted to preprint servers such as arXiv. Furthermore, during peer review there can be disagreements not just regarding the importance of a result, but also whether a particular argument constitutes a proof or not (in particular, whether there are substantial gaps in the proof). Finally, the mathematical community is seen as important when it comes to accepting arguments as proofs and assigning certainty to results. Publishing an argument in a peer-reviewed journal is often only the first step in having a result accepted. Results get accepted if they stand the test of time and are used by other mathematicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemp paper made from Manila hemp pulp was processed by a traditional Japanese hand-crumpling technique. The applicability of the hemp paper to clothing was examined. Hand-crumpling decreased the dry tensile index of the hemp paper but increased the seam strength index of the sewn hemp paper. A scanning electron microscope was used to observe a piece of hemp paper; the results showed that pulp fibers that were not hand-crumpled suffered brittle fracture without being elongated, while pulp fibers of hand-crumpled hemp paper were elongated and broken by ductile fracture. This implies that hand-crumpling inhibits cracks generated in the stitch from propagating and produces a high stitch strength index. The air permeability and water absorbency of the hemp paper were considerably increased by hand-crumpling. Hand-crumpling considerably improves the softness of Manila hemp paper and enhances its applicability as clothing material. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In the past decade, the use of multiple-criteria decision analysis technology has dramatically increased in solving complex real-world problems in solid waste management. Likewise, many municipalities have paid attention to finding feasible solutions for disposal and recycling of solid waste due to the increase in waste generation rates worldwide. Therefore, policy-makers must determine which recycling program to be implemented among various recycling program options. In this paper, a new approach to select a recycling program for recovered paper and pulp recyclables was proposed using analytic hierarchy process–Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (AHP-TOPSIS) techniques. A set of essential parameters of the decision-making system were identified, and a numerical case to illustrate the procedure was conducted. Our findings show very encouraging results to use a combined model between AHP and TOPSIS to select a suitable recycling program for different recovered recyclable materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted a major contradiction in contemporary urban planning. This is the relationship between the entrepreneurial modes of urban politics that shape contemporary planning practice and the interrelated dynamics of economic precarity and informalisation of low-income communities that exacerbate contagion, and therefore enable pandemic spread. Through a review of literature on the urban dimensions of COVID-19, and on the historical relationship between pandemics and urban planning, we develop a framework for analysing the debates that are emerging around planning approaches to addressing contemporary pandemic risk in low-income, informalised communities. We argue that post-pandemic debates about urban planning responses are likely to take shape around three discourses that have framed approaches to addressing informalised communities under entrepreneurial urbanism – a revanchist approach based on territorial stigmatisation of spaces of the poor, an incrementalist approach premised on addressing the most immediate drivers of contagion, and a reformist approach that seeks to address the structural conditions that have produced economic precarity and shelter informality. We further argue that any effort to assess the political outfall of the COVID-19 pandemic in a given context needs to take an inter-scalar approach, analysing how debates over informality take shape at the urban and national scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a challenging work to design micro aerial vehicle with great aerodynamic performance because the tiny wingspan at low-Reynolds-number cannot provide lift efficiently. The aerodynamic configuration of a classic delta-wing paper airplane is investigated in the present work with numerical method to discover its potential for micro aerial vehicle designs. Furthermore, the effect of the ventral gap on the aerodynamic characteristics of the paper airplane is investigated herein. The stall angles of attack reach 37.5° and 40°, respectively, for ventral opened configuration and the closed one, and the maximum lift coefficient reaches 1.49 and 1.46. The ventral-opened configuration has negative pitching moment coefficient (−0.01431) even at 37.5° while the closed one has a positive coefficient (0.01402). The reason may be the gap leads to a strong back-flow vortex before the trailing edge in the ventral gap which produces a strong nose-down moment. Generally, the ventral gap improves lift and dramatically influences the longitudinal stability compared with the one without it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nishijin is famous for its traditional technique of cutting Japanese paper to a thickness of 0.2 to 0.3 mm and weaving it with warp and weft threads. This technique is called ' hikibaku '. In the previous paper, we reported on the creation of a new textile with a new tactile feeling by using natural cowhide instead of Japanese paper used in hikibaku. In this paper, we describe the details of the automation of the hikibaku technique that created the new textile, and conduct a durability test of the newly produced textile using artificial leather, which is of stable quality, instead of natural cowhide, and discuss its new applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the era of print reading, being selected as a cover paper holds a crucial role in attracting greater attention and bolstering academic influence. It is important to assess its effect on scholarly attention and academic influence, particularly in light of the evolving reading habits among researchers. In this study, we empirically estimate the impact of ‘being selected as a cover paper’ on scholarly online attention (proxied by altmetric score) and academic influence (measured by citation counts). This analysis is based on a data set comprising 25,238 papers selected from 10 high-impact materials science journals (with journal impact factors exceeding 10) published between 2016 and 2020. Our findings indicate a positive correlation between ‘being selected as a cover paper’ and scholarly online attention, while its impact on academic influence is insignificant. Our results remain robust even when excluding the top 1% mostly cited papers, employing the negative binomial model and considering various time windows for estimation. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the impact of ‘being selected as a cover paper’ on scholarly online attention holds across nearly all topics, consistent with the baseline result. In addition, online platforms, such as Twitter and News outlets, exhibit a higher frequency of sharing research featured as cover papers. We offer suggestive evidence that ‘being selected as a cover paper’ is not solely contingent on its quality. These findings contribute to the development of a precise, dynamic and multi-dimensional evaluation framework, crucial for navigating the revolution of science communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patent citations received by a paper are considered one of the most appropriate indicators for quantifying the technological impact of scientific research. In light of the large number of published research outcomes, technology developers need an effective method to identify academic work with potential technological impact and so as to provide scientific theories for the generation of relevant technologies. Focusing on the technical field of artificial intelligence (AI), this study constructs a set of 47 features from seven dimensions and uses feature selection and machine learning models to accurately predict how research papers impact AI technology. The results show that the random forest model is superior to the other tested models in predicting AI patent citations of papers, with citation-related features (such as ‘PaperCitations’ and ‘Background’) playing a vital role in the prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advent of Web 2.0 tools and especially social media, researchers are increasingly active on the Web. This has resulted in a transformation in the scholarly communication process through which researchers share and bookmark research works in online platforms. In the present study, the influence of social networking sites on the field of Artificial Intelligence research was studied. The study analysed the influence of social networking sites on both conference papers and journal articles, as in a field like Artificial Intelligence both channels of research dissemination play important roles. The top 100 cited journal articles and conference papers in Artificial Intelligence published in 2009 and 2013 were analysed for their presence on social networking sites and online reference managers. It was found that amongst social networking sites, Mendeley had the greatest influence on research in Artificial Intelligence. Mendeley played the most remarkable role in transforming scholarly communication with the highest coverage of both journal articles and conference papers for both the years 2009 and 2013. It was found that the influence of social networking sites was greater for journal articles than conference papers, the latter still having a lower average Mendeley readership. The highest correlation between citation counts and Mendeley readership was found for journal articles published in 2009, followed by journal articles published in 2013, conference papers published in 2009 and conference papers published in 2013. The average Mendeley readership was also higher for journal articles than for conference papers. Mendeley readership was also found to be higher for journal articles and conference papers published earlier in time, indicating that research works published earlier in time were more popular in social networking sites and online reference managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the introduction of Special Sections in the periodical, inviting Guest Editors to submit proposals for thematic issues. Topics discussed include the process for proposal submission and evaluation; the importance of global relevance and high-quality content; and the journal's recent achievement of reaching Q1 ranking.

The influence of temperature and relative humidity on the moisture content of paper honeycomb sandwich panels was studied, and the ideal three-dimensional diagram between the moisture content of paper honeycomb sandwich panels and the temperature and relative humidity was constructed by the GAB model. The evaluation equation of critical stress and plateau stress were obtained. The results indicate that the moisture content of paper honeycomb sandwich panels rises with the increase of relative humidity and declines with the increase of temperature; as the moisture content increases, the critical stress and plateau stress of paper honeycomb sandwich panels decline linearly; with the increase of the moisture content, the energy absorption of paper honeycomb sandwich panels increased firstly and then decreased; the evaluation equation of critical stress and plateau stress can predict the mechanical properties of paper honeycomb sandwich panels in different temperatures and relative humidities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the need for portable, low-cost, and eco-friendly devices for testing and monitoring has arisen. Paper-based devices have emerged as a response to these needs due to the properties induced by capillarity, flexibility, disposability, and biodegradability. In this work, the authors explored the possibility of tuning the hygro-mechanical response of paper-based cantilever beams using glycerol. A lumped-parameter model with non-linear stiffness is used to describe the dynamic response of the beams using three parameters. An experimental method based on resonance frequency tests is used to study the influence of glycerol on the dynamic response of four different beam configurations. The obtained results demonstrate that the resonance frequency of paper-based mechanical systems can be easily tuned by the imbibition of a glycerol–water solution. This study could lead to the development of tunable paper-based mechanical systems for specific applications such as energy harvesters and hygro-mechanical-based sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the interdisciplinarity scores of papers published in five major Economic journals by analysing their references. It also explores the relationship between interdisciplinarity and citation. The study considers the influence of the citation time window on accumulating citations and investigates the source of citation advantage for high interdisciplinarity papers. Empirical findings reveal a U-shaped curve relationship between the interdisciplinarity of papers and their citation frequency. Papers with high interdisciplinarity do enjoy a citation advantage, which primarily stems from the attention and citations from distant disciplinary papers and multidisciplinary journals. However, it often takes a longer time for the value of interdisciplinary papers to be recognised. Based on these findings, the study discusses the necessity and effectiveness of incentives for interdisciplinary research and provides recommendations for evaluating and managing interdisciplinary research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a considerable amount of waste produced daily from processing old corrugating containers. Dumping this waste product incurs a considerable cost to a paper recycling mill. In this study a sample of waste containing 45% fibrous and 55% non-fibrous solid was collected from an old corrugating containers paper-recycling mill and analyzed in a laboratory. The waste was used to produce wastes-urea formaldehyde composites and wastes-polyethylene composites. Physical and mechanical properties of the resulting manufactured panels were compared with commercially produced medium density fiberboard and particle board. The results presented the possibility of panel production from waste, even without inclusion of any additional material. Additives would obviously enhance the physical and mechanical characteristics of a product to render it more competitive with commercially produced panels. The results also revealed that water absorbability and thickness swelling of panels were much less compared with similar commercially available products. The mechanical characteristics of the manufactured panels were weaker relative to the commercially available ones, probably due to differences in density and thickness. Hence, wastes-urea formaldehyde composites and wastes-polyethylene composites panels can be recommended for application if physical properties are more important than mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The finite element model for paper honeycomb was constructed, and the finite element method of out-of-plane compression for the paper honeycomb was studied. Then four kinds of paper honeycomb with different structural parameters were simulated and analyzed using finite element software ABAQUS. Moreover, the results obtained from finite element method were verified based on the existing theoretical research results and experimental results, respectively. The results show that stress–strain curves obtained from finite element method clearly show the four deformation stages of the paper honeycomb under out-of-plane compression, which is basically consistent with the trend of the typical curve. The values of initial peak stress, plateau stress and densification strain are close to the theoretical results. The stress–strain curves and deformation contours coincide with experiments well. The differences of initial peak stress σpk, plateau stress σpl and densification strain εD between theoretical, finite element method and experimental results are less than 15%. Therefore, the finite element method can be used to analyze the stress–strain curves and deformation characteristics of paper honeycomb. In addition, the results also show that the thickness of specimen has little effect on the stress and strain. However, people often prefer to use the thicker paper honeycomb to get better cushioning effect in practical applications, which was explained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This short communication focuses on the potential use of paper sludge ash, a waste product of the paper making industry, as an innovative binder partially replacing cement in concrete with glass aggregate. After preliminary testing using binary or ternary CEM-II mixes with paper sludge ash/pulverised fly ash, a suitable mix for concrete with glass aggregate was identified. Concrete mixes with partial or full natural sand replacement by waste glass aggregate were then produced and showed appropriate strengths and overall similar or better water absorption characteristics than control mixes with natural aggregates, without manifest alkali-silica reaction problems. This shows potential for applications in precast dry mix concrete units based on the required strengths that were achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates an optimal design for a paper-feeding system that minimizes both jamming and simultaneous feeding of multiple papers, hereafter referred to as the multi-feeding rate. A total of 11 design parameters for the paper transfer device, the paper separation device, and the paper guide path are selected and analysed in this study. A test jig for feeding and transferring papers is manufactured to obtain experimental data for use in parameter analysis and design optimization. Back-propagation neural network-based causality analysis is employed to extract five dominant variables among 11 design parameters, and the results of causality analysis are compared with sensitivity results obtained from the analysis of means in the context of experimental design. Five-variable, second-order polynomial based approximate meta-models for jam rate and multi-feeding rate are then constructed, and numerical optimization is performed using NSGA-II, a non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm. Finally, two numerical Pareto optimal solutions are verified via experimental testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have been established for recycling of paper waste with focus on a material recovery facility (MRF). The MRF upgrades the paper and cardboard waste before it is delivered to other industries where new paper or board products are produced. The accounting showed that the GHG contributions from the upstream activities and operational activities, with global warming factors (GWFs) of respectively 1 to 29 and 3 to 9 kg CO2-eq. tonne-1 paper waste, were small in comparison with the downstream activities. The GHG contributions from the downstream reprocessing of the paper waste ranged from approximately 490 to 1460 kg CO2-eq. tonne-1 of paper waste. The system may be expanded to include crediting of avoided virgin paper production which would result in GHG contributions from -1270 to 390 kg CO2-eq. tonne-1 paper waste. It may also be assumed that the wood not used for virgin paper production instead is used for production of energy that in turn is assumed to substitute for fossil fuel energy. This would result in GHG contributions from -1850 to -4400 kg CO2-eq. tonne-1 of paper waste. These system expansions reveal very large GHG savings, suggesting that the indirect upstream and operational GHG contributions are negligible in comparison with the indirect downstream emissions. However, the data for reprocessing of paper waste and the data for virgin paper production are highly variable. These differences are mainly related to different energy sources for the mills, both in regards to energy form (heat or electricity) and fuel (biomass or fossil fuels). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organic fraction (mainly food waste) is typically the most abundant of the separately collected waste streams. The research aims at investigating the influence of different types of collection bag on the environmental performances of the food waste management chain in Italy. A comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) between two alternative systems based on paper or bioplastic collection bags was carried out. It included the collection bags manufacturing and distribution, their use at the household, the transportation of collected food waste and its subsequent anaerobic digestion, including the valorisation of useful outputs and the management of residues. The two systems were modelled mainly with primary data related to the current management system and to tests performed on bags. The LCA was performed with two different modelling approaches applied in the environmental product declaration (EPD) system and in the product environmental footprint (PEF) studies, respectively. In the scenario representing the average conditions, higher environmental impacts are shown by the use of bioplastic bags compared to paper ones with the EPD approach (+257%/+576%). With the PEF approach, the differences between the two systems are lower (−55%/+133%). Moreover, paper bags could allow for further impact reductions assuming a decrease of the food waste collection frequency, allowed by higher weight losses and a lower generation of leachate and odour during the household storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanofiber has shown outstanding performance in many studies. Blending nanofibers into fibrous filter media is a promising way to improve the filtration performance. This paper discussed the modeling method for multi-fiber filter paper and the proper way to apply nanofiber into filter paper. Sixteen different filter papers were prepared and these filter papers covered the range of coarse-fiber-dominant and fine-fiber-dominant fibrous structure. The theoretical modeling method in this study for pressure drop and penetration of multi-fiber filter paper showed accurate results compared with the experiment data. It was found that for the higher quality factor, the nanofibers should be effectively separated by the coarse fibers. This study presented the idea of the fiber's effective contribution to filtration efficiency, which can lead to a comprehensive and distinct understanding of fibrous structure and filtration properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a new design for the jaws used in the uniaxial tensile testing of PA6 electrospun membranes. The aims of the new design are both to accelerate the clamping process and additionally reduce the paper waste created by paper frames. In order to validate the efficiency of the new design, the newly developed jaws were compared both with currently used paper frames and the direct positioning of samples in metal jaws. It was demonstrated that the new jaws reduced the clamping time by half. Moreover, the maximal stress and strain values were observed to be higher than those of the metal jaws and the paper frames. Finally, it was determined that the new design enables the testing of wetted samples, which is problematic using paper frames. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A standalone literature review was conducted to ascertain the extent and status of research on the practical inclusion of Chinese music in Western educational contexts. The study identified a body of journal articles and postgraduate theses on the topic. The papers were analysed to discern what might constitute best practice classroom approaches to teaching and learning Chinese music. Based on the review's criteria for inclusion – papers were in English, praxis-oriented, peer-reviewed and published over the past three decades – the study found that the number of publications was limited (19) and that in terms of established pedagogical approaches they engaged, some gaps existed, certain pedagogies were minimally represented and some were perhaps too recent to have been trialled. Even so, the study concluded that while best practice is an elusive notion, Chinese music forms and styles appear to be compatible with a range of educational settings and Western-oriented music teaching and learning approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper is a composite of fibers, air and additives where the fiber/fiber joints keep the network structure together. A study was undertaken to establish the link between the properties of the contact zone between fibers and paper performance under mechanical loading. The contact zone between fibers was investigated using light microscopy. A staining technique was developed for evaluating the influence of surface charge on fiber/fiber joint strength. The joint strength was linearly correlated with paper tensile strength and with the average amplitude of the acoustic events measured by acoustic emission testing. The fiber surface conformability was improved by changing the surface charge. This resulted in increased fiber/fiber joint strength as the relative contact area became larger. Increasing the molecular adhesion in the contact zone with the aid of strength additives also improved the fiber/fiber joint strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the generation of process waste in printed paper recycling and some factors affecting the amount of de-inking waste. The effects on waste generation by paper grades, which are designed for improved recyclability, are pointed out. The amount of waste generated is considered as the improvement in recyclability. This corresponds to a reduction in the use of materials that cannot be recycled, which, in the case of paper means lowering their mineral content. Two scenarios of a dynamic model of the fluxes of printed paper in Germany between 1993 and 2000 are used to analyse the amount of waste generated. No product changes are assumed in the first scenario, whereas improved recyclability in the form of less non-recyclable materials is presumed in the second scenario. Results show that improved product recyclability would produce around 800 000 tonnes less waste annually by the year 2000. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The large amount of scientific papers provides a convenient way for users to know the latest research progress of a specific research topic. However, the large volume and the diverse research themes hiding among these papers usually hinder users from conveniently locating the specific papers that they are interested in. To tackle this problem, we propose a novel unsupervised cascade learning scheme that aims to extract a ‘cluster-theme keywords’ structure from the related papers of a research topic so as to help users locate their research interests quickly. Our approach first selects some representative papers for a research topic. It then clusters these selected papers into several small clusters with the help of a domain ontology. It finally extracts some theme keywords for each cluster. Our approach not only greatly reduces the time-consuming and labour-intensive paper-seeking process for users, but also comprehensively displays the diverse themes of a research topic. We conducted extensive experiments to evaluate our proposed approach. The experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach, which produces promising results. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The influence of the degree of morphological variances of third body on the friction coefficient is a foundational question for understanding the friction mechanism. The correlations between the composition and morphology of third body as well as the surface roughness and the friction coefficient of copper-matrix friction material were investigated using a pin-on-disc tribometer by a method of interface interference caused by various grit size abrasive papers by grinding the friction surface during friction. Friction tests were conducted under friction speeds of 200–800 r/min at a normal load of 0.5 MPa. The results indicate that the friction coefficients increase under dry abrasive paper interference condition. It is generally 0.07–0.09 higher than the noninterference case. Large particle sizes of abrasive paper interference causes the change in the morphology of third body. More specifically, high surface roughness caused by plowing of coarse abrasive paper interference is the main cause for high friction coefficient. This phenomenon is weakened with the increase in speed. And small particle size of abrasive paper interference induces the change in the composition and distribution of third body due to fine SiC particles grinding and embedding into the friction interface. These changes increase the hard spots contact area, exacerbate the abrasive wear at all speeds, leading to a higher friction coefficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Authentication devices transform cheap paper into legitimate documents. They are the sensory, informational, and computational features that make up valuable papers like banknotes and passports, and they provide the confidence required in moments of exchange and passage. These devices – which include techniques like watermarks and specialized threads, proprietary substrates and inks, or RFID chips – are the product of security printing, an industry that continuously reinvents the possibilities of paper. Importantly, these components protect paper things from counterfeiting, allowing it to function as an original and authentic copy and to do the logistical work of connecting quotidian materials to global networks. The value of valuable papers is therefore not purely extrinsic, socially or discursively established, but is also performed through its intrinsic material qualities. These are the authentication devices that are read, assessed, and trusted as paper things are circulated, and they are what securely connects paper to infrastructures of mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses global paper consumption and the influence of electronic information media from the perspective of information science and the paper industry. Analysis of market segments for printing and writing papers; Uneven distribution of paper consumption around the world; Impact of information technology on paper consumption in developing countries.

The effect of paper sludge content and size on the processibility, mechanical properties, swelling behavior and morphology of PP--EPDM composites were examined. Results show that the increasing content of paper sludge in composites has increased the Young's modulus and water absorption but decreased the tensile strength and elongation at break. At a similar filler content, PP--EPDM composites with the smallest size show the highest mechanical properties but the lowest water absorption resistance. SEM tensile fracture surface of composites show that the smallest size of paper sludge has better filler--matrix interaction than the larger size of paper sludge. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the increase of paper sludge content has increased the thermal stability of PP--EPDM composites particularly at temperatures above 500°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]