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The response of partially saturated granular cargoes during maritime transportation has resulted in the capsize and sinking of 27 bulk carriers at sea and the loss over 90 seafarers' lives in the last decade. The partially saturated granular material response to energy imparted during cargo loading, ship engine vibrations and vessel rolling motions from sea states causes a change in state of the granular cargo, which can lead to vessel instability and ultimately capsize. However, the mechanisms driving the response of partially saturated granular cargos within a bulk carrier hold are not well understood. This paper presents results from an experimental study of rolling table centrifuge model tests on a partially saturated silica sand to contribute to improved understanding of the response of granular cargoes during maritime transport. Observed settlement, pore pressure, moisture content and density changes during and/or following a sequence of large amplitude rolling motions are presented. The results indicate that for the conditions considered, a progressive upwards migration of pore water during rolling led to creation of a free surface of water above the granular sample that was left in a denser, lower moisture content sample compared to its initial state. Sloshing of free water on top of even a competent cargo during rolling motions of the ship can contribute to loss of ship stability and ultimately capsize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main drawback of recycled fibers is the deterioration of fiber bonding dependent papermaking properties (like tensile, tear and burst indexes) due to the hornification effect, as a results of drying during papermaking. In order to improve the papermaking properties through increasing fiber bonding, an alkaline treatment of Old Corrugated Cardboard (OCC) followed by fractionation were carried out in this investigation. Alkaline treatment dissolved 6.6 % organics (carbohydrates and lignin) and fibers became wider as a results of fiber swelling. The alkali treatment decreased fines from 39.9 % to 28.5 %, consequently, decreased drainage resistance from 26 °SR to 21 °SR. The papermaking properties of OCC pulp increased on alkaline treatment. Fiber fractionation of alkaline treated OCC further increased papermaking properties. At 40 °SR value, the tensile index, burst index and tear index of alkaline treated longer fiber fraction was 49 N m/g, 3.2 kPa m2/g, 7.2 mN m2/g, respectively while it was 40.4 N m/g, 2.1 kPa m2/g and 6.1 kPa m2/g, for non-treated longer fiber fraction, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legal financial obligations (LFOs) associated with justice system involvement are increasingly a focus for policymakers and researchers seeking to understand sources of inequality and the factors that promote successful reentry. These conversations often rely on an assumption that LFOs are associated with or may even drive higher rates of recidivism. The empirical research in this area, however, has not kept up with the growing strength of these claims. This study reports findings that may offer a new perspective and contribute to an evidence‐based debate. Multisourced administrative data on all individuals released from carceral supervision in an East Coast state (N = 21,301) over 3 years are used to examine the complex relationship between criminal justice debt and reoffending. We detail the results of survival analyses estimating the impact of these debts on various forms of recidivism. Broadly, we find that even though the relationship between case‐level LFO assessments and future offending did not reach statistical significance, the association with the cumulative effect of monetary sanctions over the life course did. Furthermore, the impact of LFO debt is greater for certain racial groups, supporting theoretical and practical inquiries into factors informing structural disadvantage. Implications for policy and future research are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a novel procedure to assess fragmentation from automatic analysis of 3D photogrammetric models with a commercial software. The muckpiles from 12 blasts were photographed with a conventional drone to build 3D photogrammetric models; the flights were made with a relatively constant ground sampling distance (GSD) of 6.2 sd 0.92 mm (mean and standard deviation, respectively). A comparison with already published mass-based size distributions from 11 of these blasts, shows a good performance of automatic 3D-fragmentation measurements in the coarse range (P ≥ 60%), while deviations between mass-based and 3D model fragmentation analysis grow towards the central-fines range. As a solution, the Swebrec function is fitted to the reliable part of the size distributions, well above the GSD, and then is extended towards the fines, down to a percentage passing of 5–10%. The suitable fitting range is obtained iteratively from the mass-based fragmentation data; the lower fragment size considered is independent of the model's resolution (i.e. GSD) with mean of 357 mm (equivalent to a passing in the range 66–86%, and well above the GSD of our models). The resulting distributions match properly mass-based size distributions with relative errors in percentile sizes of 15.5 sd 3.4%, and they can be represented with the simplest form of the fragmentation-energy-fan. As a guideline for reconstruction of size distributions and fines assessment when mass-based data is not available, the lower-fitting limit of 357 mm yields reasonable results (mean errors in pass in the range 5–36%) for the present case. The errors are limited enough to keep a sound description of the variation of fragmentation with change in blast design. Highlights: 3D photogrammetric models are obtained from UAV flights over the muckpiles to assess fragmentation from blasting with a commercial software. The coarse fraction is reasonably well estimated through automatic analysis of 3D muckpile models. To correct deviations in the central-fines range, the Swebrec function is fitted to the coarse range (passings generally above 70%) and extrapolated to passing of 5–10%. The smaller fragment size considered for the fit is estimated for each blast from sieving data and it is independent of the model's resolution; the mean of these sizes (357 mm) procures a proper fines assessment for the present case. The reconstructed image-based size distributions match properly mass-based size distributions and are sensitive to changes in the powder factor in line with fragmentation-energy-fan principles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Courts in many jurisdictions remain indifferent to criticisms for their overly harsh or unequal treatments. There has been a debate whether this is attributed to judges' individual dispositions or rather their environments. This article contributes to this debate by offering evidence from Thai courts about their indifference to inequality generated by the wealth-insensitive fine and fine-default custody. It argues that judges are situationally driven to adopt rigid framing about justice when performing duties, as a result of which judges develop indifference to the 'side-effects' of their frame-influenced decisions. The findings imply the possibility that the same mechanisms may exist in other jurisdictions and underline the need to address indifference to prevent failure in reforming for a more egalitarian system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suffusion is one of the four mechanisms of internal erosion. The embankments and their foundations can exhibit different forms of heterogeneity which can be a major factor initiating suffusion. Although several experimental studies on the effect of heterogeneities have been performed, numerical studies remain less approached. In this paper, the effect of material heterogeneity is examined using the discrete element method and the computational fluid dynamics model (DEM-CFD). The suffusion process is studied by simulating a soils sample in a column, subjected to downward flow. Heterogeneity is addressed by adding coarse particles at two-layer positions (mid-length or downstream) at three coarse fractions (20%, 40%, 60%). Its effect is investigated in terms of erodible particles, retention efficiency, and contact forces at the particle scale. In particular, the numerical simulation results show that the erosion occurs in a heterogeneous way, and the downstream configuration provides more suffusion than the central one. In addition, the introduction of coarse particles can lead to increase the filtration efficiency. The effect of involved heterogeneities on erosion depends simultaneously on the coarse fraction and configuration heterogeneity. The comparison of the numerical results with those obtained by a suffusion test shows a concordance and validates the numerical approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aeolian sand (AS) is locally available in desert area that can be used as road construction material. However, AS is a loose granular material with low bearing capacity which needs to be stabilized. This paper presents a novel study of using geopolymer (GP) and fines to stabilize AS. A series of cyclic triaxial tests was conducted to study the effect of GP and fines contents on cyclic response of stabilized AS. The experimental results show that adding fines into AS can effectively increase the cyclic loading capacity but increase the accumulated axial strain of the mixture; inclusion of GP into the AS-fines mixture greatly enhances the cyclic loading capacity and reduces the accumulated axial strain of the mixture. The shakedown response of the untreated AS changes from plastic shakedown to incremental collapse with increase in cyclic stress ratio (CSR); however, the GP-fines-AS mixture with higher fines and GP contents mainly experiences plastic shakedown. The modulus index of untreated AS or fines-containing AS shows an increase-stable trend with loading cycles, indicating strengthening in the soil matrix, but that of the GP-fines-AS mixture shows increase-stable, stable or decrease-stable trend with loading cycles, depending on the CSR and fines and GP contents. Microcharacterization using scanning electron microscope (SEM) shows that the added fines greatly alter the microstructure of AS by filling the voids and acting as lubricant, which facilitates the movement of AS particles and thus induces larger axial strain. The added GP increases the cyclic loading capacity of the treated soil by inducing a chemical fabric in the treated soils. Increase in fines and GP content results in larger contact area and stronger fabric leading to enhanced stabilizing effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If policy makers wish to encourage members of a population to take a socially beneficial action, should they reward those who take the desired behavior or punish those who do not? This article develops a model that facilitates both utilitarian and majoritarian perspectives on the use of incentives and disincentives in public policy. An asymmetry arises between the two types of policy: as incentives grow, higher shares of the population take the beneficial action and earn the reward, driving administrative costs up; as disincentives grow, however, smaller shares of the population fail to take the desired action, requiring fewer fines and exerting downward pressure on administrative costs. Domains that favor inducing high (low) shares of the population to take a desired behavior thus indirectly favor the use of disincentives (incentives). Distributive implications amplify this tendency, such that majoritarian influence on policy making tends to generate stronger disincentives and weaker incentives than are efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Old corrugated container (OCC) pulp was fractionated and it was found that the longer fiber fraction represented 76.54% and the short fiber fraction – 21.3% of the OCC pulp. The fiber length was 1.22 mm for the long fiber fraction and 0.6 mm for the short fiber, which was longer and shorter, respectively, than the fiber length of the whole OCC pulp (0.95 mm). In addition to fibers in pulp, the cellulosic microparticles that pass through a mesh screen or a perforated plate with a hole diameter of 76 μm, called fines, also have an impact on the properties of the final paper product. The fines content in both longer and shorter fiber fractions was lower than in the whole OCC pulp, consequently, drainage resistance (°SR) in the longer fiber fraction decreased to 14 from 21 in the whole OCC pulp. The air permeability and papermaking properties of the longer fiber were higher than those corresponding to the whole OCC and shorter fiber pulp. Therefore, the longer fraction of pulps can be used to manufacture test liner products and the shorter fiber fraction – for fluting paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines how litigants from the 1190s through the 1270s combined final concords with other forms of documentary and symbolic agreement: affirmations given through letters and in court, homage, and charters. The end of the twelfth century through the mid-thirteenth century saw the growth of the royal courts as a more standardized and powerful legal system. Over this period, litigants increasingly trusted final concords as a secure way to transfer land and rights and to settle disputes. At the same time, they continued to combine final concords with other forms of agreement. This enabled them to expand concords beyond the principal parties to other claimants and authority figures. By layering multiple types of documentary and symbolic acts, litigants were also able to connect to both administrative and personal authority, and to reinforce agreements within their local social networks. These patterns show how early final concords, despite their routine form, were flexible enough to accommodate individual needs. Litigants' ability to deploy these documents creatively demonstrates the overall flexibility of the early common law, and its space for continuity with earlier approaches to dispute resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evolution from fines migration to deposition and clogging is critical for many geotechnical and environmental engineering practices. In this study, the coupling of computational fluid dynamic and discrete element method was adopted to tackle fines migration. The surface energy density term γ was used to represent the combination of Coulomb forces and van der Waals interactions. A particle-scale mechanical analysis method was adopted to identify three criteria of particle deposition conditions. (1) The drag force on the fines should be less than the electrical forces between particles, (2) the drag force and electrical force torques should be on the same order of magnitude, and (3) the contact angle between particles should be greater than 5.5°. The deposition efficiency increases from 8.5 to 37.8% as surface density energy increases from 0.001 to 0.01 J/m2 at a Reynolds number of 10. As the electrical force is more than 10 times the drag force, clogging occurred. Due to the inertial and Dean forces and the filtration effect of micropillars, a band of lacking particles appears in the symmetrical center of the pore throat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a quantitative analysis of the European Commission's cartel decisions in the 2010–2019 decade. It assesses the way the Commission's 2006 guidelines on fines were applied in practice and the operation of the leniency and settlement procedures. It also provides an overview of the types of cartels prosecuted, how they were detected, and how long the Commission took to investigate a cartel. It looks at rends in the Commission's enforcement activity and assesses some frequently made claims such as whether recidivism is rife; whether the Commission's leniency program is excessively generous and disproportionately benefits larger, more culpable firms; how much the settlements procedure reduces the length of the Commission's investigations; and why the Commission takes so long to conclude its investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging work in fiscal sociology examines the intersection of race/ethnicity, inequality and taxation, and suggests that localities are increasingly turning to nontax alternatives such as fines, fees and forfeitures to fill revenue gaps and service demands. These revenue sources are regressive and discriminatory as they disproportionately affect low-income racially/ethnically minoritised groups. We assess the extent to which local municipalities in California are more dependent on regressive nontax revenue sources, and if increases are correlated with a city's racial/ethnic composition. We use fixed-effects estimators on panel fiscal data from the California State Controller Office's Cities Annual Reports between 2002 and 2016 for our analysis. We further exploit our time period to determine how fiscal crises like the Great Recession compound race/ethnicity-driven finance disparities. Our results suggest the proportion of Latinx/Hispanic in a city's population is positively and statistically associated with an increase in a city's reliance on fines, fees and forfeitures. These results suggest concerns of discriminatory and regressive revenue sourcing by local governments that further perpetuate racial inequality and poverty. In aggregate, relative to other years in our analysis, the growth rate of fines, fees and forfeitures as a portion of total own-source revenue saw higher increases during the Great Recession, a time of heightened financial insecurity among low-income, Latinx/Hispanic and Black households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the influences of fines and precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) pigment and their contents on the fundamental properties of handsheets and also evaluate these results in terms of mechanical and chemical data. Design/methodology/approach: A design research approach has been based on the production of various laboratory handmade papers. Any of the paper additives were not added to the paper web to compare the results of the effects of fines and PCC pigment in a literal way. For this purpose, the target grammages of handsheets and the production variables such as pulp consistency, temperature and other variables of formation, pressing and drying processes were kept constant and studied meticulously. Findings: This study is confirmed that with the addition of fines to the pulp of the control handsheets, an increase of up to 125% has been observed in the tensile index values, while a decrease of up to 30% has been observed with the addition of PCC pigment as filler. The tensile results have been changed depending on the pulp content and hence chemical bonds formed in the paper web. These mechanical changes have been explained by correlating with the data of FT-IR spectrums. Especially, the variations have been seen at 950–1150 cm−1, which referring to C-OH and C-O-C stretching vibrations. Originality/value: The originality of this work is based on understanding and comparing the effects of fines and the effect of PCC pigment as a paper filler on the structural and chemical characteristics of laboratory-made handsheets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbially induced calcium carbonate precipitation (MICP) has attracted much attention as a promising green technique for soil improvement. Despite the significance of precipitation pattern in mind, constitutive relations or numerical models considering the finite‐strain mechanical effects of the various precipitation patterns are rarely developed. In this paper, we propose a novel 3D DEM modeling scheme by using coarse particles to represent sand grains and fines as cementing agents, to reproduce the various precipitation patterns in MICP‐treated sand. Based on the topological relations with adjacent particles and the contribution to the mechanical improvement, the cementing fines are classified into effective, partially effective, surface coating, and pore filling ones. The microstructural characteristics and their evolution upon external loading are investigated quantitatively after a careful calibration and validation. The microstructural variation in experiments can be well reproduced, pinpointing this variation as a possible cause for the fluctuation in experimental data. Massive coating fines are produced accompanying the microstructural degradation, which is initiated by the breakage of effective bonds. The breakage of partially effective bonds may become dominating later in the medium to strong cemented specimens. One weakly cemented specimen shows diffuse failure with simultaneous bond‐breakage and friction. In contrast, the medium to strong cemented specimens show localized failure with the dominating mechanism transiting from bond‐breakage to friction producing notable pore filling fines. We propose a relation between unconfined compressive strength and the equivalent effective volume fraction of cementing agents normalized by the pretreatment porosity, which reveals the coupling effects of the initial configuration and the precipitation pattern on the mechanical improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We examine the effects of doubling penalties for mobile phone use while driving. • We apply Regression Discontinuity in Time methods over a 6-week bandwidth. • We find no effect of the intervention on serious or fatal crashes in Britain. Introduction: Road crashes are a major, preventable cause of death and serious injury. Being distracted by a mobile phone while driving can increase the risk of a crash by three to four times and increase crash severity. To reduce distracted driving, on 1 March 2017 the penalty for using a hand-held mobile phone while driving in Britain doubled to ₤200 and six penalty points. Method: We examine the effects of this increased penalty on numbers of serious or fatal crashes over 6 weeks either side of the intervention using Regression Discontinuity in Time. Results: We find no effect of the intervention, suggesting the increased penalty is not effective in reducing the more serious road crashes. Conclusions: We rule out an information problem and an enforcement effect, concluding the increase in fines was insufficient to change behaviour. With very low detection rates of mobile phone use, our result could occur if the perceived certainty of punishment remained very low after the intervention. Practical application: Future technology will increase the ability to detect mobile phone usage, and there may be fewer road crashes if the solution is to raise awareness of such technology and publicise numbers of offenders caught. Alternatively, a mobile phone blocking application could avert the problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the integration of ends and means in aesthetic experience and its moral consequences through a critical reading of John Dewey's work. The first part characterizes aesthetic experience as «an experience» that integrates emotions, senses and ideals. The second part analyzes the integration of ends and means that art implies and the possibilities it offers for the moral understanding of the ends. In conclusion, the ethical possibilities of deweyan aesthetics are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquefaction and settlement of sandy soils cause significant damage during earthquakes. In this research, cohesionless soils of Kutch region with history of large earthquakes are explored. Twenty-six soil samples were collected from different locations of Kutch region and tested under saturated and moist conditions by performing two series of Electromechanical Dynamic Cyclic Simple Shear (EMDCSS) tests. In series I, the liquefaction characteristics of saturated samples were observed to be dependent on fines content and plasticity index. Kutch soils with non-plastic fines exhibited low liquefaction resistance and showed increased resistance at higher FC; however, for sands with plastic fines, PI rather than FC controlled the cyclic degradation. Saturated sandy soils with non-plastic fines exhibited lower shear stress mobilisation, higher pore pressure and larger degradation as compared to sands with clay content. In series II, the settlement characteristics of moist samples at constant normal stress revealed decreased axial deformation and increased mobilised shear stress with increased FC and PI. Silty-sands exhibited higher deformations and larger strength as compared to clayey-sands. The EMDCSS tests at saturated and moist conditions revealed Kutch soils to be prone to liquefaction and large settlements, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The system for setting corporate penalties is not sufficiently precise and there are situations in which the regulation is obscure or nonexistent. This is particularly evident in cases where there is a concurrence of sanctions: can several interdictive penalties be imposed for the same conviction? If a corporation is convicted of several criminal offences, will the penalties be imposed simultaneously without limit or can the rules of concurrence of offences be used? These questions will be the subject of this paper, which is organised around three axes: the possibility of simultaneous enforcement of the penalties imposed on corporation; accumulation will be limited, in the case of fines, by using the same rules to adjust the fine to the economic capacity of the convicted person, and in the case of interdictive penalties, according to the preventive need to inoculate the convicted legal person. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Selective flocculation of ultrafine hematite and quartz has been demonstrated. • High molecular weight anionic polyacrylamide selects hematite unlike cationic PAM. • In-situ probe measurements demonstrate hematite flocs of between 50–150 μm. • Adsorption varies with charge density, but median floc chord length does not vary. • Sodium hexametaphosphate reduces heterocoagulation and APAM adsorption on quartz. Recovering fine valuable material has been a significant challenge in minerals processing. This primarily stems from insufficient collision opportunities between fine particles and bubbles, specifically when utilising traditional recovery methods such as froth flotation. This research endeavours to address this challenge by exploring the use of various commercially available, high molecular weight polymers- specifically polyacrylamide (PAM)- to selectively aggregate hematite from quartz. Investigation of the conditions in which selective aggregation of hematite over quartz occurs, with the goal to achieve aggregate sizes of between 20 and 150 μm, were undertaken. Targeting this size range ensure that conditions are optimised for future use in conventional mechanical flotation cells as an efficient mineral recovery method. The study investigates the selectivity of charged PAM towards hematite and quartz at pH 10, using adsorption studies. Anionic PAM demonstrates a preference for hematite, with a range of charge density studies, highlighting stronger adsorption capacity with lower charge density polymers. Using BlazeMetrics probe technology for in-situ sizing and imaging, it was observed that conditioning 50–300 g APAM per t of hematite resulted in aggregates in the range of 30–230 μm after 5 min. Interestingly, the charge density of APAM does not markedly affect the size of the hematite aggregates, although altering the charge density of the polymer impacts the selectivity towards quartz. Additionally, cationic PAM results in the simultaneous aggregation of both hematite and quartz, not demonstrating selectivity. To mitigate heterocoagulation between minerals, a common dispersant, sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP), was employed, which notably prevents quartz aggregation. Separation of aggregated hematite from quartz by sedimentation was only slightly effective with the majority of quartz settling with the hematite. Adding up to 1000 g of dispersant per t of hematite reduced the amount of quartz in the sediment bed by 23 %. The dispersant increased the magnitude of the negative zeta potential of the two minerals, particularly hematite, lowering heterocoagulation and improving effectiveness of hematite flocculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roller compaction is a widely used continuous dry granulation process in the food and pharmaceutical industries. The flow and distribution of the powder across the rollers in the compaction area plays a crucial role in determining the quality of the final product. Non-uniform powder flow and distribution across the rollers can lead to variations in quality across the ribbon, resulting in uneven qualities in the granules. Hence, it is essential to enhance the powder flow and distribution across the rollers in the compaction area. Besides that, insufficient compaction stress on both sides of the roller edges can also contribute to presence of uncompacted fines during compaction process. This research aims to systematically study a whole range of customized guiders design (T-1 until T-14) that improves powder flow and distribution across the rollers and reduces the percentage of fines in the compaction zone. The 3D printed customized guiders with different grade (1 mm until 14 mm) were applied in roller compactor with horizontal feeding system to control the amount of powder passing through the roller width by guiding more powder to the sides between the rollers and less powder to the centre. The effectiveness of the design was validated by examining crystalline and spray dry lactose powders with varying flowabilities using online thermal imaging. The results demonstrate a significant trend, indicating improved uniformity of powder flow and distribution across the rollers and reduced production of fines. These findings have the potential to contribute to long-term sustainability and resource conservation in industrial applications by reducing the need for material recycling and lowering energy consumption in continuous processes. [Display omitted] • A systematic study of 14 customized guiders on powder distribution in roller compaction was conducted using PAT. • Crystalline and spray-dried lactose with varying flowability were utilized. • Powder with low flowability shows non-uniform distribution during compaction. • Customized guiders improved temperature distribution, uniformity, and reduced fines in low-flowability lactose powder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article summarizes last year's developments in anti-cartel enforcement by the European Commission as well as a number of selected key judgments by the European Courts. It covers the period June 2021-May 2022. As in past editions, we have classified the most relevant cases by theme, starting with a summary of the European Commission's anti-cartel enforcement activity in general, followed by issues surrounding the European Commission's leniency programme. It proceeds with procedural and fining issues before turning to the European Court of Justice's assessment of the liability of subsidiaries in cartel cases. During the selected time period, the Courts have also addressed a number of settlement issues and a repayment claim. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A physical coagulator of fines was employed to separate suspensions comprising refined sulphate cellulose and waste paper, where no reagents were required. The physical coagulator was a porous cylinder with a rotating disk placed in its cavity. Using the MorFi Neo fibre analyser and the Hitachi SU 3500 digital microscope, a dispersed size distribution of well-developed fines in a suspension derived from softwood and hardwood pulp was obtained. The kinetics of fine sedimentation in the suspension was studied. The sedimentation rate of both individual agglomerates and a mass of them, as well as the magnitude of mass concentration in a cleared liquid, was determined. A relationship between the concentration of fines in the suspension and the structure of the pulp during their sedimentation was established. To intensify the fines sedimentation process, it was proposed to return a part of the sediment to the suspension passing into the physical coagulator. Process parameters for the sedimentation process and the construction of the sedimentation tank were obtained. The unit designed for collecting fines from the suspension is shown schematically. Use of this unit reduced the fibre sedimentation time, decreased the loads in wastewaters, and retained the consumer value of the pulp fibres. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food production has increased over the past decade to meet the greater demands of world population growth and the use of agro-food products for energy purposes. Due to globalization, the increase in production of emerging economies and the variation of domestic production, agro-food products are supplied in Romania and Bihor County from all over the world. From the European Union, where there are strict regulations on the production of agro-food products, imports are quite safe for consumers, but there are quality issues with non-EU imports. Products that come from uncertain sources are not 100% compliant with our regulation and in this way must be monitored very strictly and corrective measures must be taken. This study presents the evolution of the controls of the National Authority for Consumer Protection in Bihor County from 2020 to 2022 to provide safe products for the local market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fabric anisotropy and fines content (fc) in sands modify significantly their mechanical behaviour, particularly as related to static liquefaction under undrained conditions. The fabric anisotropy aspect, expressed by means of an evolving fabric tensor F, has been addressed in the recently developed Anisotropic Critical State Theory (ACST) that enhances the two critical state conditions on stress ratio (η) and void ratio (e) of the classical Critical State Theory by an additional condition on the critical state value of F in relation to loading direction; based on this concept it introduces the dependence of dilatancy on fabric anisotropy. Various models have been successfully developed within this framework for clean sands. The fc aspect has been addressed within the Equivalent Granular State Theory (EGST) that substitutes a properly defined equivalent granular void ratio (e*) for e in any model for clean sand in order to obtain the response of sand with fines without any other change of the model structure and constants. Along these lines, a constitutive model is constructed in this work in order to address the effect of both F and fc simultaneously, by a combination of these two powerful propositions. The idea is very simple: one takes a constitutive model developed within ACST for clean sands, hence it accounts for fabric anisotropy, and substitutes the e* for e, as well as the derivative quantities of such substitution, hence it accounts for fc. The result yields a model that can simulate data on the undrained response for a range of fc, with emphasis on static liquefaction. It is shown that the inclusion of fabric anisotropy improves previous similar simulations made within the EGST but without the framework of ACST. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many factors affect the adoption of the mandatory technology of effluent treatment plants for pollution management in Bangladesh. Some of these factors could also affect the adoption of voluntary environmental standards. Therefore, it is important to identify and analyze the importance of these key factors, considering their role in enhancing environmental performance in crucial industries for the country's economy. In this study, a literature review preceded an analysis of factors through structural equation modelling to investigate how attributes of the regulatory agency combine with market aspects to influence environmental practices such as the adoption of mandatory ETP and voluntary certifications. Using official quarterly data, the results of this study show that access to green finance and the number of employees of the regulatory agency significantly affect the adoption of additional ETPs. On the other hand, the size of fines for pollution does not significantly affect the adoption of ETPs. It was also found that green finance and additional ETP adoption also increased the adoption of green factory buildings, which is a voluntary exercise. This study sheds light on the underlying relationships that can guide ongoing multilateral interventions to enhance capacity of regulatory agencies to implement environmental regulations. It also provides new evidence to formulate relevant strategies for enhancing environmental performance by scaling up green finance. • Regulatory fines were found to have no significant effect on technology adoption. • Green finance affects adoption of treatment plants and voluntary certifications. • Constructing new effluent treatment plants does not significantly affect exports. • However, possessing voluntary certifications significantly increased exports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The train process considers physical separation to sort C&D fines using water. • Attrition isolates gypsum particles that are concentrated in a final fraction. • Elutriation effectively separates aggregates and generates three light fractions. • A total of seven fractions to be valorized are generated from the C&D fines. Modern societies are generating considerable volume of Construction and Demolition Wastes (C&DW) annually. Most recycling facilities offers viable sorting and recycling options for the coarser particles of the different materials found in those wastes. However, usual dry mechanical sorting and human sorting are not efficient on C&DW fines particles (C&DF, <10 mm) representing the third of the C&DW produced and being composed of similar materials. Recent environmental issues related to the landfilling of C&DF have pointed out the need to develop innovative alternative and adapted recycling paths for the C&DF. This study presents an efficient sorting process train based on physical separation steps used in the mining and the soil treatment industries. The use and recirculation of process water allowed to segregate and concentrate the gypsum from the 2–12 mm C&DF into a specific fraction (55–65% gypsum content) representing 40% of the total mass. Other constituents were sorted based on their relative density, size and shapes; thanks to hydraulic classification and physical sorting forming four more fractions with high recycling potential: coarse aggregates (15%), fine aggregates (9.4%), organic and inorganic fibers (10.8%) and light organic compounds (24.8%). The process has been designed to be integrated in existing sorting facilities and the process costs were evaluated to 38 CAN$/t. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of a bench scale and an industrial scale pressure screen to separate cellulosic fines from an unbleached softwood kraft pulp containing 5 % (w/w) primary fines was investigated and the results were compared. In the bench scale trials different microperforated screens with hole diameters of 150 µm, 250 µm, 400 µm and 600 µm were used. Based on these results a screen hole diameter of 400 µm was selected for the industrial scale trials. In all cases, a high accept flow rate proved to be the crucial parameter for high removal efficiency of the fines material and a removal efficiency of well above 50 % could be achieved. Further of interest were the limiting factors regarding increased accept flow rates with a focus on the interrelations between pressure difference, slot velocity and reject consistency. As expected, investigation of electric energy demand showed a correlation between removal efficiency and specific energy consumption, which did not exceed 35 kWh/t(od) feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A more efficient application of a dry strength agent (DSA) was investigated to improve the strength of thermomechanical pulp (TMP) blended paper. Strength improvement by DSA application was more effective for hardwood bleached kraft pulp (Hw-BKP) than TMP. The degree of strength improvement of DSA further increased with the increasing degree of refining of Hw-BKP. The strength of the paper was decreased by the fines fractionation of TMP, but the strength improvement efficiency of DSA for the fines fractionated TMP increased. In order to increase the strength of TMP mixed paper using DSA, it is expected that DSA should be adsorbed only to Hw-BKP with high strength improvement efficiency, not TMP fines. When the DSA was mixed with Hw-BKP before contact with other stocks, it was confirmed that the effect of improving the strength by the DSA is the best. The strength improving effect increased as TMP fines were removed. Therefore, to improve the strength of the paper containing TMP in Hw-BKP by adding a DSA, it is preferable to selective apply the DSA to Hw-BKP while blending only the fibers of TMP by fractionation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanistic pavement design procedures of flexible pavement based on elastic-layer theories require the determination or estimation of resilient modulus (MR) for each layer in the pavement structure. Considering the complexity and cost of testing required, regression models have been developed to predict resilient modulus of heavy-duty base crushed rock mixes from their physical and engineering properties. Testing results of MR for three different gradations of the same crushed rock with 15 different fines combinations of crusher dust (CD) and Claypro (CP) have been used to calibrate a universal threeparameter deviatoric stress model. The latter relates resilient modulus to both deviatoric and confining stresses and considers shear stresses and strains developed during loading. Physical properties of these mixes were then used to develop multiple linear regression models to predict the three parameters of the calibrated deviatoric stress model. The modelling process was repeated by including California bearing ratio as a predictor with the physical properties. Both sets of models show the properties considered herein, serve to explain a high variation in the three parameters, ranging between 71 and 91%. However, correlation between measured and predicted MR values from both sets of models is 0.90 and 0.87, respectively. Furthermore, the optimum clay content (CP) for the different mixtures was also assessed. The results indicated that 1% of CP can be considered the optimum content for all three gradations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focal concerns approach has been applied broadly in the sentencing literature. Research that has relied on this perspective generally finds that young, non-white men tend to receive the most punitive criminal sanctions. This perspective has less often been applied to non-custodial types of punishments, such as fines. Using data from the State Court Processing Statistics (SCPS) database from 2009, we examine the effects of defendant characteristics on fine imposition and amounts. In contrast to other sentencing research, we find that Black men under 50 and Black women over 50 are least likely to receive fines. Additionally, Hispanic men 31–49 receive fines of the greatest amounts. The current study contributes to sentencing research by focusing on fines as the sentencing outcome instead of the commonly used sentencing severity and our findings are unique to this area of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pragmatically, legal and fiscal doctrines may diverge by achieving purposes and obtaining benefits with fines. However, the expectation is that fiscal purposes strengthen without preceding the legal ones. Otherwise, the capacity for fines to generate revenue may eclipse their functions to prevent, deter, and correct. In such a case, it becomes difficult to detain high income people for actions breaching the social order, belief in justice and equality erodes, deterrence of fines decreases, and the financial compliance of public debtors weaken. Therefore, a purposeoriented axis shift in fines complicates the act of protecting society from unlawful actions, detention from repetition by correction, and punishment as a warning or deterrent to others. This article propounds on the axis shift in fines from collectability and forecastability. It argues that primary purposes lag behind fiscal ones due to this shift toward the capacity of fines to generate revenue. This study supports the claim above by using the Central Government Budget Statistics of the General Directorate of Accounting for 2007-2020 to evaluate the doctrinal knowledge of current and data-based projection on fines. This study shows a dramatic and consistent decrease in collectability, despite the success in forecastability. Even the expected fiscal purposes are distant, with the axis shift eclipsing the primary objectives. Further research is needed to better understand the ways in which fines can enhance or generate fiscal and legal techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective in this work was to obtain a fine fraction of kraft pulp, with as high concentration as possible, in a pilot-scale fractionation with micro-perforated screen baskets. The influence of screen basket surface, hole size, feed concentration, pulp type and refining segment design was investigated. The results showed that a smooth screen basket surface improved the fractionation efficiency of the unrefined pulp compared to a profiled screen basket, despite a larger hole size. A significantly higher fine fraction concentration was obtained when using refined hardwood pulp compared to when using softwood pulp, which was explained with its lower average fibre length and narrower and thus more flexible fibre fragments. The pilot trials also showed that the screening process could be operated at feed concentrations similar to those directly after a refiner, 30–40 g/l. This was demonstrated in a process layout with partial recirculation where a refiner and a micro-perforated screen basket were operated in series in pilot scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As part of an assessment of its patron circulation policies, Brigham Young University's Harold B. Lee Library Circulation Committee studied the circulation policies of ARL members and like-sized academic institution's libraries. Access Services Department Heads or their equivalent at 165 academic libraries were surveyed. This paper reports on policies relating to circulation, renewals, fines, and recalls for these libraries. The majority of circulation policies are traditional (typical circulation periods, low numbers of renewals and traditional fines), though non-traditional policies (longer circulation periods, more renewals, and elimination of fines) provide better service and satisfaction for patrons. Libraries should examine their policies to determine if non-traditional policies would work at their institution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Conducting cold-flow fluidization experiments with binary particles. • Identifying fines component within mixture via signal deflection reconstruction. • Experiments reveal the fines favor entering bubbles over coarse particles. • Describing the asymmetric distribution of fines using flux model. Bubbles in fluidization contribute to efficient gas–solid interaction and excellent transfer behavior. The fines addition effectively improves fluidization quality by prioritizing bubble control. Our study delves into the dynamic behavior of these added fines through cold-flow fluidization experiments, employing coarse glass particle (Geldart Group B, 186 μm in diameter) with varying contents of fines (Geldart Group A, 60 μm in diameter). To overcome the challenge of measuring the solid volume fractions of individual components in this bi-disperse system, a novel measurement technology, coupled with an optical fiber probe and signal deflection reconstruction method, is established. This technology could sensitively capture the preferential entry of fines into bubbles, leading to an asymmetric distribution of fines between bubbles and emulsion phase. Furthermore, our proposed flux mode, considering both the capability to maintain mono-disperse phase segregation and the competitive occupation of bi-disperse particles through bubble interface, effectively describes the observed asymmetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This contribution develops critique from analysing forms of misconduct by knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) firms, especially the largest, globally located and client-interactive on all five continents. Management consultancy infractions range from supplying spurious advice, to advising clients on fraudulent practice, to acting complicitly in corrupt government practices, including engaging in 'state capture' by channelling internal state revenue into private holding bank accounts. Because the litany of misconduct is too massive for encompassing in a single contribution, and in the spirit of this task, the spotlight is only on a few cases that represent typical 'creative economy' companies contracted to 'Big 3′ P-KIBS (Professional KIBS) corporations. Of importance to open innovation's critical edge, the contribution articulates the puzzle of why academic KIBS research has presented the field without comment on its 'dark' side, questioning 'leadership' and 'agency' 'observer' and 'confirmation bias'. For interpretation of data discovery, we utilise evolutionary 'pattern recognition' methodology set within an evolutionary theoretical framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Aims: In 2019, legislation was introduced allowing New South Wales police to issue Criminal Infringement Notices (CIN) instead of criminal charges for prohibited drug possession offences, excluding cannabis leaf. This initiative was trialled across NSW music festivals from 25 January to 1 August 2019. This paper aims to examine the number of CINs administered and to estimate the associated (actual and potential) savings. Design and Methods: Data were obtained from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (Recorded Crime Statistics, Reoffending Database). To estimate the monetary savings associated with administering CINs for drug possession offences, as opposed to processing them through the criminal justice system, data were obtained from the 2020 Report on Government Services. Results: From January to June 2019, 300 CINs were issued for illicit drug possession (mostly for ecstasy possession; n = 256), resulting in an estimated saving to the criminal justice system of 194 400 AUD (or 314 400, if generated revenue included). We estimate that issuing CINs for all illicit drug possession offences would have provided savings of over 5 million AUD in that same six‐month period, or approximately 1.7 million AUD if CINs were only issued to people with no prior convictions. Discussion and Conclusion: Issuing CINs for illicit drug possession has the potential to yield substantial monetary savings. However, to avoid unintended consequences (e.g. disproportionate impact on disadvantaged populations), we would argue that police also be given the discretion to issue cautions for illicit drug possession offences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia has adopted changes and ammendments to the Law on Protection of the Population from Contagious Diseases twice in the year 2020. The main goal of the author is to demonstrate that the adopted changes and ammendments area „clear indicator” that certain measures adopted in order to stop and slow the spread of the contagious disease COVID-19 were without legal basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Criminal justice system fines and fees are a source of revenue for courts, district attorneys, probation departments, and other actors both inside and outside of the justice system. Because these departments rely on fine and fee revenue to partially fund their budgets, they may be incentivized to oppose reforms that would reduce fine and fee collections. Using budget documents from counties and a sample of municipalities in Florida and New York, the authors find that budget reports provide more detailed data on fines and fees than are available from other data sources, including information on which types of fines and fees are collected and how much revenue criminal justice fines and fees provide, both on a per-capita basis and as a share of the total jurisdiction budget. This paper presents a replicable methodology for future research in how to use local government budget documents to evaluate fine and fee collections. A larger, forthcoming study will use this methodology to examine fine and fee collections in five states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extent to which real actions such as mort d'ancestor were used collusively for conveyancing purposes in the early years of the English common law is subject to debate. This article first discusses why parties to a transfer of land might engage in collusive litigation, before surveying the existing literature on the question of how collusive suits can be identified, and the suggestions which have been made as to the prevalence of collusive litigation in the late-twelfth and early-thirteenth centuries. It then discusses a method which may be used to provide a more precise answer to this question, and employs this method to uncover the extent to which mort d'ancestor could have been used collusively in the period c.1198–1230. It concludes with a suggestion that this method could be used in relation to other early common law actions to further our understanding of litigation and conveyancing in the period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective for this work was to investigate the possibility to use a pressure screen equipped with a micro-perforated screen basket to produce a fine fraction from bleached chemical pulp. Trials were performed with unrefined bleached chemical hardwood pulp, and with unrefined and refined bleached chemical softwood pulp. The effect of feed concentration, feed flow, and volumetric fine fraction flow was evaluated. The difference between the fine fraction (i. e. the particles passing the screen) and the feed was analysed by studying the fibre morphology. The results showed that high feed concentration was positive for both the fine fraction concentration and the separation efficiency. A higher fine fraction concentration was also obtained when using hardwood pulp, which was explained by the shorter fibre length. Refining of the pulp prior to the fractionation proved beneficial, as a larger share of the refined pulp passed the screen, resulting in a twice as high concentration of the fine fraction when compared to unrefined pulp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the evolution of socio-legal theories concerning the use of monetary sanctions from a specific theoretical perspective – the "political economy of punishment" originally developed by Rusche and Kirchheimer. In particular, the paper explores the often-overlooked chapter on fines in Rusche and Kirchheimer's work. Their reflections on the rise of monetary fines provide some premonitory guesses regarding the role of fines in consumer societies. The paper aims to complete their scenario highlighting their innovative and visionary research on fines, and to contribute to the sparse theoretical literature that deals with the political economy of fines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concentration of fibers and fillers in the pulp suspension is an important parameter in the monitoring process. This paper proposes a versatile optical measurement system to estimate the concentration of a solids mixture in water. The geometry used in a multispectrophotometer (MSM) enables the controlled observation of transmission, and forward scattering light from the suspension in the UV-visible spectral range. We have developed the new fibers mixing system which gives a homogenous distribution of the fines and fillers making it possible to increase the reproducibility and accuracy of the measurement. The data analysis is based on the Beer- Lambert law and CIELAB color space equations. The results show that the proposed method is accurate for measuring the fines and filler concentrations in multicomponent suspensions.

This article discusses the general description and legal analysis of liability for intentional harm to health with a mitigating effect. The article also analyzes the concept of mitigating bodily harm, the social necessity of offense and criminal liability, history, objective and subjective characteristics of a crime, qualification of crimes related to these norms, and analysis of the legislation of some foreign countries. Suggestions and scientific recommendations are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous fluidized landslides with long runout distances and fast movements have been triggered by heavy rainfall under climate change. Non-plastic fines are frequently involved in many fluidized landslides. However, the role of fines in the initiation and movement of landslides has not been well understood. This study aimed to investigate the role of non-plastic fines in the initiation and movement of rainfall-induced landslides in a flume test setup. The experiments were conducted using mixtures of silica sand (D 50 = 0.16 mm) with different non-plastic fines (D 50 = 0.035 mm) content under different initial densities. The results demonstrated that the behavior of landsliding greatly depends on fines content (FC) and initial packing density (presented by density index, I d) of the soil layers in the flume. The landsliding phenomena could be classified into five failure modes, including slow and fast retrogressive individual sliding, sudden multiple sliding, and deep-seated and shallow fluidized sliding. As the FC increased or I d decreased, the landsliding behavior gradually evolved from slow retrogressive individual sliding to shallow fluidized sliding. For the tests with I d ≥ −0.06, the peak velocity (V p) of the landsliding increased continuously with FC. Conversely, for the tests with I d ≤ −0.19, an optimal FC of 30 % was identified at which V p reached its maximum. Additionally, for FC ≤ 10 %, V p decreased with the increasing I d , while for FC ≥ 20 %, an optional I d existed at which V p reached its maximum for a given FC, and the value of optimal I d (−0.2 ∼ −0.04) varied with FC (20 % ∼ 40 %). The peak pore-water pressure (PWP) (u p) generally increased with the increase of FC. Furthermore, an optimal I d existed at which the PWP built up after landsliding occurrence (Δu) reached its maximum. The equivalent intergranular void ratio (e s *) and equivalent interfine void ratio (e f *), which are calculated by considering both FC and void ratio, are found to be appropriate indices for evaluating and explaining the role of fines in the observed landsliding behavior. In conclusion, the addition of non-plastic fines can change the structure of test materials and result in different failure modes and mobility of landslides by affecting both interparticle contacts and PWP responses. These findings provide insights into the mechanisms of landsliding behavior and have implications for the assessment and mitigation of landslides in geotechnical engineering. • Systematically studied the role of non-plastic fines in the initiation and movement of landslides in the 25 flume tests. • The fines content (FC) and initial density (density index, I d) jointly regulate the landsliding modes and mobility. • Peak PWP (u p) becomes greater in general with FC increasing. Optimal I d existed where PWP built up (Δu) reached the maximum. • We used equivalent intergranular void ratio (e s *) and equivalent interfine void ratio (e f *) to explain landsliding behavior. • The addition of fines could affect landslide modes and mobility by influencing both interparticle contacts and PWP responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective for the 2012–2013 academic year, the Hilda C. Landers Library at St. Mary's College of Maryland (SMCM) eliminated daily overdue fines for undergraduates on books and some other materials. In 2019, nine years of comprehensive data on overdue returns (comprising three years before and three years after the change) was extracted from the ILS and examined to see if there were any changes in overdue behavior. The results show that immediately following the elimination of daily overdue fines for SMCM undergraduates, there was a marked increase in both the overdue rate and the length of overdue for books. However, this did not hold for SMCM-owned materials loaned to undergraduates at other institutions, and there were mixed results for undergraduate loans for some non-book SMCM-owned materials and Interlibrary Loan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the construction of the unbound pavement layers of Corridors X and XI in Serbia, a problem was detected regarding the evaluation of cleanliness of the available materials. The European standard for the sand equivalent from 1999 to 2015 had significant changes related to the test procedure. A mass correction has been taken into account. It consists of replacing a part of the fines with rinsed material (0.063/2 mm) when the percentage of fines exceeds 10% in a tested fraction. Thus, the test sample usually yields high values of the sand equivalent, which often exceeds the limits of 50% and 60%. From the standpoint of the technical specifications, aggregates are considered clean, while using other methods like methylene blue or a plasticity index, the presence of clay particles above the limits can be confirmed. This paper presents the results of research on 63 laboratory-prepared test samples of limestone aggregate with small quantities of the smectite group of clay minerals, where the fines content in the unbound aggregate, 0/31.5 mm, gradually increased up to 20%. It was found that the sand equivalent values are continuously decreasing from 84 to 14% in the fraction 0/2 mm and from 87 to 18% in the 0/4 mm fraction, with increasing of the methylene blue value of the all-in aggregate (MBA) from 0.4 to 4.5 g/kg. Correlations of different methods and fractions, as well as with the content of fines were found. There are no correlations with SE10 because of grouping the test data around one point. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brazil is the largest producer of Niobium alloys, with a production of 58,000 tons of Nb2O5 concentrate in 2016, corresponding to a 92.81% of the world production. The Brazilian Niobium ores grades vary from 0.51 to 2.71%. Ferroniobium (Fe-Nb) is an iron niobium alloy with niobium content of 60-70%. It is the main source for niobium alloying of HSLA steel and covers more than 80% of the worldwide niobium production. In 2014, Brazil produced 51,737 tons of Fe-Nb, being around 90% of it for exportation. In the final stage of the Fe-Nb production, the alloy needs to be crushed in a jaw crusher, which generate fine particles (around 26% of the feed below 10 mm at Niobras/CMOC). The selling price of the fine particles have a significant loss in the market, since the fine particles cannot be used directly in steelmaking. A process to agglomerate the Fe-Nb fine particles into briquettes with size and chemical composition similar to original products was developed. Organic binders were used as well as a lubricant agent. The briquettes were characterized both physically and chemically. For the physical characterization, the briquettes were tested for mechanical and water resistance, thermal shock and Brinell hardness. Briquettes containing addition of 3% of zinc stearate, 2% of iron powder, and 1% of water reached a Niobium content above 62% and contaminants levels of below the standard Fe-Nb specifications. The results indicate that Fe-Nb alloy fines can be technically and economically agglomerate by briquetting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research in our laboratory demonstrated that average particle size of feed from 0 to 14 d influenced overall (0 to 46 d) performance. However, optimal starter average feed particle size has not been identified and represents an important void, as this is a critical stage in a broiler's lifecycle. Therefore, 2 experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of average particle size on 0 to 14 d broiler performance in an effort to determine the optimal average particle size. Both experiments utilized Ross × Ross 708 male broiler chicks that were provided diets varying in average feed particle size from 1,202 to 2,172 μm (Experiment 1) or 1,174 to 3,736 μm (Experiment 2). Performance variables were analyzed with a randomized complete block design using one-way ANOVA. Improvements were most apparent for FCR with an associated 0.03 improvement in both experiments when broilers were provided feed of 1,760 or 2,172 μm (Experiment 1) or larger than 2,257 μm, compared to those receiving smaller average feed particle sizes (Experiment 2). Additionally, a 30 g improvement for ending BW and BW gain was demonstrated in Experiment 2 for broilers receiving ≥2,800 μm. However, linear relationships for 0 to 14 d FCR, ending BW, and BW gain for Experiments 1 and 2 demonstrate that the optimal particle size may not have been achieved during these experiments. Therefore, future research should focus on further expanding the range of particle sizes tested (beyond 3,700 μm) from 0 to 14 d to identify the optimal average feed particle size during this growth phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]