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This article presents a case study of how drawing paper can be integrated into a therapeutic drama stage. It will propose drawing in drama counseling as a new model of integral drama-based pedagogy. The article illustrates the connection of drawing, drama, and counseling. The model was developed by the author using the methods of integral drama-based pedagogy to counsel a Chinese primary school student who was angry about rejection and exclusion by his classmates. The study demonstrates how the student could use drawing paper to become his drama stage and how a student acted out a drama by drawing on that paper stage. The case study describes a method that could lead to a new therapeutic model in individual mental health counseling allowing for emotional catharsis, expression, and release. The article especially discusses the drawing in drama counseling model from Wu-wei of the Chinese culture.

This position paper delves into the complex interplay between proactive cyber defense mechanisms and inherent human susceptibilities. The researchers posit that as cyber systems advance in technical robustness, malicious entities progressively exploit human psychological tendencies and behavioral inconsistencies to circumvent security measures. These exploitations are not merely opportunistic but are strategic, leveraging a profound comprehension of human cognitive biases to undermine security infrastructures. The researchers argue for broadening the intellectual horizon in this domain, underscoring the imperative for a multidisciplinary methodology that amalgamates the empirical acumen of psychology, sociology, and computer science. The article asserts that the fortification of cyber defenses is contingent upon the comprehensive integration of human vulnerability assessments within cybersecurity frameworks. This position paper calls for an augmentation of scholarly research at the nexus of offensive cybersecurity and human factors, formulating defense mechanisms centered around the human element and promulgating inclusive cybersecurity policies that harmonize human and technological considerations.

Abstract Students often recruit digital devices to complete their classroom activities. To determine best practices for the classroom, the present study explored the use of tablets relative to laptops and paper in the understudied context of brief, in-person, small group academic tasks. One-hundred twenty small groups of two to three undergraduate students were randomly assigned to one device (paper, laptop, or tablet) and one set-up (a single shared device or multiple individual devices) in a 3 × 2 between-subjects design. Data were collected in 2019 –2021. Students completed one group task that culminated in a knowledge quiz and a second group task that culminated in writing their own quiz together. They then individually rated group members as well as reported their perceptions of satisfaction, effort, and difficulty. Open-ended questions further assessed their perceptions of technology and the three devices in question. Results showed equivalency in group outcomes and individual perceptions across devices and set-ups, with very few exceptions. Quantitative and qualitative data supported that students found advantages and drawbacks to each device and believed that all were effective tools in such a context. Educators must consider the affordances of different technologies when encouraging their use in the classroom but should be open to students using their device of choice for groupwork.

In 1921 Mellin published a Comptes Rendu paper computing the principal solution of a polynomial using generalized hypergeometric functions of its coefficients. He used an integral transform nowadays bearing his name. Slightly over three pages, the paper is written in French in a terse style befitting the language. This article makes Mellin’s landmark result accessible to people who are not experts in hypergeometric functions and complex analysis by deriving detailed proofs that were omitted in Mellin’s paper.

Patients with kidney disease require frequent blood tests to monitor their kidney function, which is particularly difficult for young children and the elderly. For these people, the standard method is to evaluate serum creatinine or cystatin C or drug levels through venous sampling, but more recently, evaluation using dried blood spots has been used. This narrative review reports information from the literature on the use of dried blood spots to quantify the main markers used to detect kidney diseases. The ScienceDirect and PubMed databases were searched using the keywords: "dried blood on filter paper," "markers of renal function," "renal function," "creatinine," "cystatin C," "urea," "iohexol," and "iotalamate." Studies using animal samples were excluded, and only relevant articles in English or Spanish were considered. Creatinine was the most assessed biomarker in studies using dried blood spots to monitor kidney function, showing good performance in samples whose hematocrit levels were within normal reference values. According to the included studies, dried blood spots are a practical monitoring alternative for kidney disease. Validation parameters, such as sample and card type, volume, storage, internal patterns, and the effects of hematocrit are crucial to improving the reliability of these results.

Abstract As the social organism, Polistes wasps build a communal nest using woody fibers with saliva for sustaining brood and adult population throughout the season. Limited information exists regarding the identification specific plant materials employed in wasp nest building. Thus, we firstly tested if the DNA metabarcoding approach utilizing rbcL and trnL molecular markers could identify the plant species quantitatively and qualitatively inform the mixed-origin woody samples. A threshold of 0.01 proportion of reads was applied for rbcL and trnL molecular markers, while this threshold for median proportion was 0.0025. In assessing taxa richness, the median proportion demonstrated superior performance, exhibiting higher taxa detection power, however, rbcL marker outperformed in quantitative analysis. Subsequently, we applied DNA metabarcoding to identify the plant materials from the nests of two Polistes species, P. mandarinus and P. rothneyi. The results showed that higher preference of Quercus and Robinia as the major nest building materials regardless of the surrounding plant communities, by two wasp species. Material diversity was higher for P. rothneyi than P. mandarinus, which may explain the abundance of this species possibly with heightened adaptive capacities in their nesting behavior. This study demonstrated that DNA metabarcoding could identify the complex nest-building plant materials of paper wasps and provide insights into their ecological interactions in the natural ecosystem.

In this paper we extend the SuperHyperAlgebra, SuperHyperGraph, SuperHyperTopology, SuperHyperSoft Set, endowed with SuperHyperOperations, SuperHyperAxioms, and SuperHyperFunctions, to the most general form of structure, from our real world, called SuperHyperStructure in any field of knowledge. A practical application of the SuperHyperStructure is presented at the end. The prefix “Hyper” [Marty, 1934] stand for the codomain of the functions and operations to be P(H), or the powerset of the set H. While the prefix “Super” [Smarandache, 2016] stands for using the Pn (H), n ≥ 2, or the n-th PowerSet of the Set H {because the set (or system) 𝐻 (that may be a set of items, a company, institution, country, region, etc.) is organized in sub-systems, which in their turn are organized in sub-sub-systems, and so on} in the domain and/or codomain of the functions and operations.

Many materials have been explored for the purpose of creating structures with high radiative cooling potential, such as nanocellulose-based structures and nanoparticle-based coatings, which have been reported with environmentally friendly attributes and high solar reflectance in current literature. They each have their own advantages and disadvantages in practice. It is worth noting that nanocellulose-based structures have an absorption peak in the UV wavelengths, which results in a lower total solar reflectance and, consequently, reduce radiative cooling capabilities. However, the interwoven-fiber structure of cellulose gives high mechanical strength, which promotes its application in different scenarios. The application of nanoplatelet-based coatings is limited due to the need for high volume of nanoparticles to reach their signature high solar reflectance. This requirement weakens the polymer matrix and results in more brittle structures. This work proposes a dual-layer system, comprising of a cellulose-based substrate as the bottom layer and a thin nanoparticle-based radiative cooling paint as the top layer, where both radiative cooling potential and mechanical strength can be maximized. Experimental and theoretical studies are conducted to investigate the relationship between thickness and reflectance in the top coating layer with a consistent thickness of the bottom layer. The saturation point is identified in this relationship and used to determine the optimal thickness for the top-layer to maximize material use efficiency. With the use of cotton paper painted with a 125 μm BaSO4-based layer, the cooling performance is enhanced to be 149.6 W/m2 achieved by the improved total solar reflectance from 80 % to 93 %.

IntroductionPaper folding and punched hole tests are used to measure spatial abilities in humans. These abilities are relevant since they are associated with success in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). This study addresses the challenge of teaching spatial reasoning skills using an educational videogame, the Paper Folding Reasoning Game.MethodsThe Paper Folding Reasoning Game is an interactive game which presents activities intended to help users train and understand how to fold a paper to get a specific shape (Part I) and the consequence of punching a hole on a folded paper (Part II). This educational videogame can automatically generate paper-folding-and-punched-hole questions with varying degrees of difficulty depending on the number of folds and holes made, thus producing additional levels for training due to its embedded reasoning mechanisms (Part III).ResultsThis manuscript presents the results of analyzing the gameplay data gathered by the Paper Folding Reasoning Game in its three parts. For Parts I and II, the data provided by 225 anonymous unique players are analyzed. For Part III (Mastermode), the data obtained from 894 gameplays by 311 anonymous unique players are analyzed. In our analysis, we found out a significant difference in performance regarding the players who trained (i.e., played Parts I and II) before playing the Mastermode (Part III) vs. the group of players who did not train. We also found a significant difference in players' performance who used the visual help (i.e., re-watch the animated sequence of paper folds) vs. the group of players who did not use it, confirming the effectiveness of the Paper Folding Reasoning Game to train paper-folding-and-punched-hole reasoning skills. Statistically significant gender differences in performance were also found.

Abstract Objectives This study aims to analyze and visualize the top dental papers from 2012 to 2022 using data from essential science indicators (ESIs). Materials and Methods The present study was conducted using library and retrospective bibliometric analysis methods. Additionally, a science map has been created. Web of Science was searched on January 18, 2023. The results were limited to the top papers in ESIs. The bibliometric information of the top papers was evaluated. Next, the VOSviewer was used to perform a co‐occurrence analysis and visualize data. Results The findings showed that Mariano Belén Sanz and Maurizio S. Tonetti were the top two authors. The University of London and the University of Bern had the highest number of articles. These articles were published in 55 journals. According to the analysis of keyword co‐occurrence, the most frequently used keywords in the field of dentistry include “periodontitis,” “dental implants,” “periodontal disease,” “mechanical properties,” “peri‐implantitis,” “oral health,” “dental caries,” “dental materials,” “3D printing.” Conclusion The findings of this study enable readers to pinpoint the authors, organizations, countries, and journals that have made the biggest contributions to the list of the most often cited dentistry papers. In medicine, bibliometric citation analysis is frequently used to assist researchers in learning the fundamentals of a subject and pinpoint subtopics of broad interest for additional study.

BackgroundIn this study, we aimed to address the low utilization of straw and poor fermentation quality of paper mulberry silage (under natural fermentation conditions). Straw was combined with paper mulberry for ensiling, and the fermentation characteristics, bacterial community, and metabolite composition of the mixed straw and paper mulberry silage were investigated. Four treatment groups were established: corn-straw treatment 2 (3:7 ratio of corn straw to paper mulberry), corn-straw treatment 3 (5:5 ratio of corn straw to paper mulberry), wheat-straw treatment 2 (3:7 ratio of wheat straw to paper mulberry), wheat-straw treatment 3 (5:5 ratio of wheat straw to paper mulberry), and a control group (ensiling of paper mulberry alone).ResultsThe control group demonstrated the highest pH and ammonia (AN) and acetic acid (AA) content compared with all the treatment groups. Corn-straw treatment 2 had the highest lactic acid content (54.70 g/kg dry weight) compared with the control and other treatment groups. The relative abundance of Enterobacter (7.085%) was the lowest in the control than in the other treatment groups (p

There is a growing need for easy-to-use, low cost and portable quantitative assays to determine active pharmaceutical ingredients in the pharmaceutical industry. Here, we developed a batch spectrophotometric method and a method employing a paper-based microfluidic device for the estimation of Amoxicillin (AMX) in pure solution and pharmaceutical preparations. The detection depends on the coupling reaction of Amoxicillin with diazotized sulfadimidine (DSDM) in an alkaline medium. The yellow azo dye reaction product was measured at λmax 425 nm and linearity was observed from 2 to 30 mg L−1 with a detection limit of 0.32 mg L−1 and a quantification limit of 1.2 mg L−1 was found. The reaction was then transferred onto the paper-based microfluidic device and a plateau change in color intensity was found above 10 mg L−1. Thus, the paper-based microfluidic device can be applied for the semi-quantitative determination of Amoxicillin in pure solution and commercial pharmaceutical products for rapid screening.

Abstract Paper‐based devices have attracted considerable attention in point‐of‐care testing (POCT) due to their simple operation and portability. The performance of paper‐based POC assays is further enhanced by coupling with functional nucleic acids (FNAs), which are able to selectively recognize and bind to targets, amplify and transduce signals. Several high‐performance paper‐based POC assays have been developed, resulting from the different spatial structures of the paper‐based device and detection strategies using different FNAs. In this review, we first introduce FNAs and paper‐based devices, including their concepts, classifications and advances. The following section focuses on the application of these FNAs in POC assays using paper‐based devices, taking into account their spatial one‐, two‐ and three‐dimensional structures. Finally, the challenges and perspectives of the application of FNAs in paper‐based POCT are discussed.

To deeply analyze the performance of paper-cutting elements in interior space design, this paper explores the artistic expression of paper-cutting elements. The BIM model is constructed based on the TVL algorithm, and a noise-reducing style migration method with an additional total variable loss function is used to fuse the texture features of a specific paper-cutting style so that the paper-cutting texture is generated in the target object area more intensively. The algorithm is supplemented with a U-shaped network structure to obtain the mask map of the target object, modify and expand the ScanNet training data set, and input a content map and a style map to generate the stylized paper cutout image automatically. The results show that compared with other elements, the stability of paper-cut elements reaches 96.31%, the image smoothness reaches 89.34%, and the retention of significant regions reaches 93.26%. In modern design, the peak signal-noise of paper-cut elements improved by 13.418d on average, the structural similarity also improved by 0.34807, and the recognition rate of paper-cut elements in the furnishing category reached 95%. Applying paper-cut art in interior space design can give interior furnishing design better visual effects, provide inspiration and ideas for interior space design innovation, and contribute to improving aesthetics.

Power transformers are critical equipment responsible for the transmission and transformation of electrical energy, and they are an important component of power system. Under the combined effects of electric field, thermal field, and mechanical stress, insulation degradation is prone to occur in oil-paper insulation structures. Among them, the “liquid-solid” interface formed by oil and oil-immersed pressboard is the weak point in transformer insulation, and extensive operational experience has shown that creeping flashover of insulating pressboard is a common fault in power transformers. Creeping flashover of insulating pressboard can rapidly destroy the insulation structure, leading to irreversible damage to the transformer and posing a serious risk of transformer accidents. In recent years, many scholars have conducted in-depth research on the characteristics and mechanisms of creeping flashover in oil-paper insulation structures using various experimental methods. They have obtained significant findings that have important theoretical and practical implications for optimizing the structure of power transformers and improving their reliability. This paper first introduces the characteristics of the electromagnetic environment inside the power transformer and the common forms of creeping flashover accidents in engineering. Then, classified according to the uneven degree of electric field and creepage distance of test electrodes used in relevant research, and the test methods and flashover characteristics of small size (

Abstract Paper, an inexpensive material with natural biocompatibility, non‐toxicity, and biodegradability, allows for affordable and cost‐effective substrates for unconventional advanced electronics, often called papertronics. On the other hand, polymeric elastomers have shown to be an excellent success for substrates of soft bioelectronics, providing stretchability in skin wearable technology for continuous sensing applications. Although both materials hold their unique advantageous characteristics, merging both material properties into a single electronic substrate reimagines paper‐based bioelectronics for wearable and patchable applications in biosensing, energy generation and storage, soft actuators, and more. Here, a breathable, light‐weighted, biocompatible engineered stretchable paper is reported via coaxial nonwoven microfibers for unconventional bioelectronic substrates. The stretchable papers allow intimate bioconformability without adhesive through coaxial electrospinning of a cellulose acetate polymer (sheath) and a silicone elastomer (core). The fabricated cellulose‐silicone fibers exhibit a greater percent strain than commercially available paper while retaining hydrophilicity, biocompatibility, combustibility, disposable, and other natural characteristics of paper. Moreover, the nonwoven stretchable cellulose‐silicone fibrous mat can adapt conventional printing and fabrication process for paper‐based electronics, an essential aspect of advanced bioelectronic manufacturing.

The dimensional stability of paper during printing is crucial for ensuring production quality and runnability. However, inkjet printing faces inherent challenges due to the hygroscopic nature of paper and the use of water-based inks. Despite freshly printed sheets are flat, a considerable development of paper curl is often observed during storage. In this study, we establish the link between the migration of ink co-solvents and the long-term curl development of printed paper. A4 paper sheets were sprayed with a water-glycerol model ink and changes in the sheet's curvature were monitored using a 2D-laser sensor. We also investigated glycerol migration by splitting the sheets into layers and determining the glycerol distribution using high-performance liquid chromatography. Our results demonstrate the development of curl during storage as well as glycerol migration in thickness direction of the sheet, both on a comparable timescale. We thus propose that long term curl in inkjet printing can be caused by z-directional migration of the co-solvent (glycerol) over time. This study enhances understanding of the physical mechanisms that drive the long-term curl phenomenon in inkjet-printed sheets. The results can be used to optimize printing processes, allowing for the production of higher quality printed products with greater dimensional stability.

In this paper, using 2D PIC simulation, the electron acceleration in the bubble regime has been investigated in the interaction of a short high-power laser pulse with an underdense plasma with a density ramp. Due to the laser pondermotive force, a plasma wave and its corresponding electric field are formed in the plasma. The electrons injected in the focusing and acceleration region of the plasma wave field can get energy from the wave and are accelerated to high energies of the Giga-electron-Volt range. The simulation results show that with increasing the plasma density gradient, the phase speed of the generated plasma wave increases, and the corresponding wavelength decreases. This causes the displacement of the plasma wave focusing and acceleration region and ultimately increases the acceleration length in the acceleration process. Considering a laser pulse with dimensionless intensity amplitude , pulse duration , and plasma with density ramp length ,the plasma wave accelerating electric field with amplitude was generated. The results of this work can be crucial in choosing an appropriate plasma profile to design the laser-plasma accelerator system for obtaining the Giga-electron-Volt energy gain in a short time.

Weyl semimetals show special quantum states of matter, which have nontrivial topological features and very interesting and unique applications in the spintronics industry. One method of making these materials is the use of alloying method. In this paper, the alloys are constructed using the first-principles methods. After study of their stability, their structural, electronic, and topological properties have been studied. To study the structural and electronic properties of the alloys, the Wien2k package, based on density functional theory, has been used. Furthermore, the topological properties of the alloys have been calculated using the Wanniertools packages, based on the tight-binding method. Calculations show that the alloys, in the absence of spin-orbit coupling, have crossing points with fourfold degeneracy and band inversion. Therefore, they are topological Dirac semimetal. Considering the spin-orbit coupling, it is seen that alloys with concentrations of x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 change to the normal semimetal by opening the band gap; but, the alloy with x = 1 concentration changes to the topological Weyl semimetal with 16 Weyl fermions couple. The full area of the first Brillouin zone (FBZ) was scanned to find the positions of the Weyl points. The results show that the Weyl points, with chirality of either +1 or -1, were scattered in the FBZ with the central symmetry, but all of them are far from the high-symmetry paths of FBZ. Furthermore, the surface state properties, like Fermi arcs, were calculated and studied for the NbSb Weyl semimetal using the Wanniertools computational packages.

The design of optical sensors in the THz region for application in various fields of biological and medical sciences has significantly expanded in the last two decades. In this paper, we proposed an optical sensor using two dimensional and periodic structure of graphene rings on the dielectric substrate. The surface plasmon resonance mechanism was employed to design the refractive index sensor. First, by changing the geometric parameters of the structure, the optimal parameters for the sensor performance have been extracted. Then, the sensor's sensitivity has been checked regarding the change in the refractive index of the surrounding environment. The sensitivity of the proposed simple structure is 11.2 μm/RIU and is larger than previous works. Also, increasing the refractive index of the measured medium diminished the quality of sensor operation. The proposed sensor can be used to detect environmental air pollution by proper calibration. The Lumerical software which is based on the finite difference time domain method is used to this end.

The effect of calcium carbonate nanoparticles (CaCO3) on the mechanical and thermal properties of various polymers was investigated in this review. The results were compared to scholarly research published between 2002-2022. Different polymers were evaluated, including Polypropylene (PP), High-density polyethylene (HDPE), Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Low-density polyethylene (LDPE), Polyethylene (PE), and natural rubber (NR). Through this work, the effect of CaCO3 nanoparticles that act as fillers in polymeric materials has been reviewed. It can be concluded that mechanical and thermal properties can be decreased, increased, or unchanged by increasing and decreasing the fillers to obtain optimal results. It is reasonable to conclude that most papers with nano-CaCO3 showed improvements in appreciable mechanical and thermal properties. In general, the term "surface modification of inorganic fillers" refers to the coating of the fillers with organic materials, which can be done by physical and chemical interactions between the modifiers and the fillers. The reviewed articles revealed that modification of CaCO3 nanoparticles with surface pre-treatment fillers caused enhancement of the mechanical properties of the polymeric matrix twice and prevented the agglomeration of particles in the matrix. Various mixing methods have been used, the most significant being a twin screw extruder, mechanical stirrer, and two-roll mill.

The iron concentration in natural water of acid sulfate soils is usually determined by complicated methods of SMEWW 3111B:2017 or ISO 6332: 1988 E in the laboratory for acidified water samples at pH ∼2–3. Therefore, the rapid field determination of iron content in natural water is a very useful method because it limits the error and reduces the experimental time for analysis. In this study, we proposed, developed, and tested a rapid colorimetric analysis method based on the chemical reaction of ferric and anion thiocyanate (SCN−) ions for an iron concentration range of 0–100 mg/L with a linear equation of ΔE = 0.5955x + 2.0909 and high correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.9864. The results from 10 water samples by this method were very close to those by flame absorption spectroscopy with a difference of less than 5%. Besides the biggest advantage of rapid site testing, this method also gives quite high accuracy compared to the molecular absorption method of ISO 6332:1988 E. In addition, this new method can quantify Fe3+, Fe2+, and total iron in water, suggesting a very useful and potential method for determining the iron content of natural water from acid sulfate soils. HIGHLIGHTS A color chart was developed to determine iron in water using indicator paper.; A linearity of the iron content was obtained with a concentration below 100 mg/L.; The method gives relatively fast and accurate results of Fe2+, Fe3+, and total iron.; The tested results show high accuracy and sensitivity in natural iron alum water.;

La professionalització dels intèrprets en l’àmbit jurídic està guanyant importància a Espanya a causa de les directives de la Unió Europea sobre els drets processals de persones sospitoses o acusades d’algun delicte. A això s’hi ha d’afegir la prolongada crisi humanitària, que ha sensibilitzat l’opinió pública sobre la qualitat de la interpretació proporcionada per diverses ONG i altres organismes que s’ocupen dels sol·licitants d’asil. Actualment, els proveïdors de serveis privats contracten els intèrprets en funció de les llengües que necessitin o que estiguin disponibles, sense exigir-los una formació específica. En aquest article, analitzem la qualitat percebuda dels serveis d’interpretació i el paper de l’intèrpret des de diverses perspectives, incloses les dels agents de les ONG (assessors jurídics, treballadors socials i psicòlegs) i els advocats que participen en aquesta mena de processos, seguint mètodes d’investigació descriptiva. A continuació, tractarem les diferents percepcions sobre la figura de l’intèrpret que tenen els diferents professionals que intervenen en el procediment de sol·licitud d’asil, amb l’objectiu d’obtenir una imatge vàlida, basada en dades, de la interpretació en el context de la sol·licitud d’asil a Espanya. S’espera que aquesta informació serveixi per omplir el buit que existeix en el desenvolupament professional dels intèrprets com a part essencial dels processos d’asil i, el que és més important, com a garantia dels drets humans. També contribuirà a sensibilitzar els professionals que desenvolupen la seva feina amb l’ajuda d’intèrprets.

Abstract Osteoclasts are the primary target for osteoporosis drug development. Recent animal studies revealed the crucial roles of osteoblasts in regulating osteoclastogenesis and the longer lifespans of osteoclasts than previously thought with fission and recycling. However, existing culture platforms are limited to replicating these newly identified cellular processes. We report a demineralized bone paper (DBP)-based osteoblast culture and osteoclast assay platform that replicates osteoclast fusion, fission, resorption, and apoptosis with high fidelity and analytical power. An osteoid-inspired DBP supports rapid and structural mineral deposition by osteoblasts. Coculture osteoblasts and bone marrow monocytes under biochemical stimulation recapitulate osteoclast differentiation and function. The DBP-based bone model allows longitudinal quantitative fluorescent monitoring of osteoclast responses to bisphosphonate drug, substantiating significantly reducing their number and lifespan. Finally, we demonstrate the feasibility of humanizing the bone model. The DBP-based osteo assay platforms are expected to advance bone remodeling-targeting drug development with improved prediction of clinical outcomes.

ABSTRACTIn Ethiopia, the dairy cows’ major feed resources are natural pasture and crop residues, both of which are nutritionally low and do not even satisfy the maintenance requirement. Consequently, dairy productivity per head is low in the country. This paper reviews the existing knowledge of negative energy balance (NEB) and summarizes its implication on production and reproduction parameters, as well as the monitoring tools as a means of intervention in minimizing the effect on dairy cows. The presence of NEB in late gestation and early lactation of dairy cows could contribute to both short and long-term negative effects on production and reproduction ability. Lower body condition, reduced milk production, a change in the milk fat to protein ratio, an increasing incidence of health problems, a late time to become estrus, delayed ovarian cycle, and a lower conception rate are the common implications. Through the knowledge created so far, it can be concluded that NEB is almost a common phenomenon in transitional high milking dairy animals, but there is a possibility to shorten its persistence through strategic supplementation using the NEB monitoring tools.

Durante las décadas de los años ochenta y noventa del siglo XX se produjo en España una eclosión de revistas de arte y cultura contemporáneas de formatos, intenciones y misiones muy diferentes. Este artículo se sitúa en el momento sociopolítico que propició una proliferación de proyectos editoriales vinculados al arte contemporáneo en el Estado español. Siguiendo este contexto nos ubicaremos en la fractura entre los principios de la modernidad en el periodo llamado Transición, teñidos de un sentimiento de euforia y una necesidad de desmemoria, y la crisis de los valores modernos que implicó la entrada de la posmodernidad, momento que asociamos con la insatisfacción de las generaciones jóvenes que habían accedido a la universidad y el resurgimiento de los valores neoconservadores que, en las mismas décadas, se extendían por la sociedad y la cultura occidentales (Europa y Estados Unidos). Mediante un ejercicio de síntesis de corte histórico, en virtud de la importante cantidad de proyectos editoriales de arte y cultura contemporánea que surgieron, nos centraremos en recuperar el planteamiento y evolución del proyecto editorial Papers d’Art, revista publicada en Cataluña. Esta propuesta estuvo vinculada a una iniciativa privada, la Fundación Espais de Girona, primero Espais. Centro de Arte Contemporáneo; un ejemplo singular de acuerdo con su compromiso desde un marco periférico y su vinculación sesgada con la globalización, fenómeno ligado al contexto geopolítico de la posmodernidad, con el que Papers d’Art evolucionó, creció y finalizó su actividad.

Durante las décadas de los años ochenta y noventa del siglo XX se produjo en España una eclosión de revistas de arte y cultura contemporáneas de formatos, intenciones y misiones muy diferentes. Este artículo se sitúa en el momento sociopolítico que propició una proliferación de proyectos editoriales vinculados al arte contemporáneo en el Estado español. Siguiendo este contexto nos ubicaremos en la fractura entre los principios de la modernidad en el periodo llamado Transición, teñidos de un sentimiento de euforia y una necesidad de desmemoria, y la crisis de los valores modernos que implicó la entrada de la posmodernidad, momento que asociamos con la insatisfacción de las generaciones jóvenes que habían accedido a la universidad y el resurgimiento de los valores neoconservadores que, en las mismas décadas, se extendían por la sociedad y la cultura occidentales (Europa y Estados Unidos). Mediante un ejercicio de síntesis de corte histórico, en virtud de la importante cantidad de proyectos editoriales de arte y cultura contemporánea que surgieron, nos centraremos en recuperar el planteamiento y evolución del proyecto editorial Papers d’Art, revista publicada en Cataluña. Esta propuesta estuvo vinculada a una iniciativa privada, la Fundación Espais de Girona, primero Espais. Centro de Arte Contemporáneo; un ejemplo singular de acuerdo con su compromiso desde un marco periférico y su vinculación sesgada con la globalización, fenómeno ligado al contexto geopolítico de la posmodernidad, con el que Papers d’Art evolucionó, creció y finalizó su actividad.

This article examines blue paper as an ecological solution in drawing practice by investigating the questions of when and under which circumstances German artists in the early sixteenth century decided to use blue paper. Blue paper had several aesthetic, symbolic, and economic functions, often both referencing a geographic relationship to Italy and its tradition of drawing on blue paper, and also engaging in a world of play and imitation in workshop practices. For a better understanding of the early modern paper ecologies within which artists worked, it is necessary to regard paper production within a broader socio-cultural range, thus not only as an exchange between paper makers but also with consideration of other crafts as well as the impact of new technologies. From there we can reconsider our relationship to nature.

This study reviews the mass transfer with a focus on the challenges, benefits, processing and prospects in the pulp and paper industry with a scope limited to Kraft pulping which is the dominant pulping process worldwide. The mass transfer usually occurs in various processes that deal with reactions, separation, and heat transfer. All these aforementioned processes occur in the production of pulp and paper from their raw materials. The application of mass transfer to these processes is of great importance in setting target yields, and specifications and improving efficiency. The major processes where mass transfer principles are applied are drying, chemical washing, pulp digestion and pulp bleaching respectively. Understanding the requirements and targets of each of these processes in combination with the mass transfer principles helps in the development of models and design of equipment that operate based on the developed models in meeting the required targets. Studies have indicated that mass and energy balances cannot be done independently in meeting the required targets and equipment design. The drying and stripping of lignocellulosic components of the feed-in paper manufacture constitute a large part of the challenges faced by the industry. Drying techniques have been considered to be inefficient, and lignocellulosic by-products are known to contain toxic components. Green chemistry production processes and newer drying techniques were indicated as possible solutions. It is expected that researchers and investors would find this article useful.

This applied research developed within the framework of a Portuguese Higher Education Institution. Its purpose is to assess academic practice in the context of a curricular unit in a graphic design degree course. This practice has been developed within three complementary perspectives: (a) the pedagogical concept and the proposed design exercise; (b) the selection of paper processes and materials used; (c) the design and structural definition of the graphic product. The purpose of this research is to describe the activity criteria from each perspective, exposing realization guidelines presented to students in designing a specific graphic product, from ideation, design process, and estimation of a feasible production. All this from the analysis of the proposed activity and evaluation of the prototype that represents Paper-pop-up design.

To utilize industrial by-products in construction projects, soil stabilization using paper sludge ash-based stabilizers (PSASs) has recently been developed. PSASs can be manufactured by insolubilizing the heavy metals in original paper sludge (PS) ash, which is a waste product emitted from paper mills. This study assessed the durability of clays treated with PSASs in wet-dry or dry-wet environments through various evaluation tests. Initially, the particle size distributions (PSDs) in the clays that had undergone various pretreatments were assessed. Then, unconfined compression tests were performed on the treated clays that had undergone dry and wet curing cycles using demolded specimens. Finally, cone index tests were carried out on the treated clays that had undergone dry and wet curing cycles while the samples were constrained in molds. Based on the test results, the durability assessment of the clays treated with PSASs was discussed, considering the specifics of each evaluation test and contrasting the findings with those obtained for clays treated with cement. The generated PSDs were found to contain more fine particles as the time spent washing the samples prior to sieving was increased. The findings indicated that PSAS-treated clays will eventually become muddy, even though it is unlikely that these treated clays will ever be subjected to washing with water while being stirred after construction. The unconfined compression test results also demonstrated that, after several dry-wet cycles, the strength of the PSAS-treated specimens had decreased. It was revealed that clays treated with PSASs might be less resistant to dry-wet curing cycles than those treated with cement. However, PSAS-treated samples using unconfined compression test specimens are still being investigated and are a topic of debate because the strength development mechanisms of PSASs and cement are not similar. To address this issue, a series of cone index tests were conducted on samples treated with PSASs to examine the change in strength caused by the dry-wet curing process. The results of the cone index tests were different from those of the unconfined compression tests. The cone index test results revealed that the samples must be constrained during the assessment tests in order to assess the durability of PSAS-treated soils subjected to dry-wet curing. In addition, it was proposed in this study that the idea of maturity would be applicable to PSAS-treated soils with a range of curing temperatures and curing times as long as the soils were constrained during the assessment tests.

AbstractInternationalization makes possible the competitive development of firms. This study proposes a methodology for the selection of international markets that identifies the most favourable international destinations for the paper and paperboard export industry in Colombia. For this purpose, a set of 23 factors divided into 5 categories are defined through literature: costs, trade barriers, logistics, environment and culture, and economy. This comprehensive model is applied to a set of 15 exporting firms and a combination of the multi-criteria models Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), and Evaluation Based on Distance from Average Solution (EDAS) is used for its development. The results indicate that the priority factors when choosing an international market are import costs (0.1974), transit time (0.1392), transport frequency (0.1174) and international transport costs (0.0971). Also, considering these priorities, the most viable markets for companies in this sector are Netherlands (0.9894), the United Kingdom (0.9740), Belgium (0.9409) and Germany (0.9351). The results obtained represent the identification of new possible alternative markets for Colombian companies in the paper sector to expand their international reach and develop in significantly more attractive and convenient markets according to their priorities. Also, this article contributes significantly to the development of methodologies for international markets exploration.

AbstractComputer-based test has been administered in e-learning environments as part of ICT integration in education. Recently, online test is gaining attention in both regular and distance education institutions, and students’ preference or perception of an online test versus paper-based test is crucial in successful adoption or implementation of either of the test modes by any educational institution. For this reason, this study examined undergraduate students’ computer usage experience as a prerequisite for online test completion, and their perception and preference toward online test as opposed to paper-based test. It also examined how students’ perception of online test differed across sex, program major, and computer usage experiences. The findings would contribute to knowledge on factors for consideration, especially by faculty and instructional designers, in successful adoption of online test in undergraduate programmes. An online questionnaire was used to collect data from 213 undergraduate students at a university in Ghana, and the data were analyzed using median, standard deviation, Mann-Whitney U Test, Kruskal–Wallis Test, and Spearman correlation. The results indicated that students had high level of experience in computer usage, they had positive perception and preference for online test, there was no significant differences in perception of online test between female and male students, and among students of different majors. However, there was a positive correlation between computer use experience of the students and their perception of online test. It was recommended that universities seeking to implement online assessment ensure their students are equipped with adequate skills and experiences in computer usage.

Supramolecular systems based on chitosan and cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) with a different surface modification (TEMPO-oxidation and carboxymethylation) were investigated and utilized for the functional consolidation of paper. Prior to the paper consolidation, the interactions between chitosan and CNFs dispersed in aqueous solvent were studied. It was detected that the peculiar surface functionalization of nanocellulose is crucial to control the chitosan/CNFs electrostatic attractions and, consequently, the entropic/enthalpic contributions and the stoichiometry of the biopolymer adsorption onto the cellulose nanofibers. Dynamic Light Scattering and rheological experiments revealed that the presence of biopolymeric chains on the CNFs surface favors the entanglement and the aggregation between the nanofibers reinforcing their network. It was observed that chitosan and nanocellulose exhibit synergetic effects on the paper consolidation in terms of reinforcing action, surface hydrophobization and enhancement of the fire-resistance. In conclusion, this paper demonstrates that the electrostatic interactions between chitosan and functionalized nanocellulose drive the formation of hybrid fillers suitable for paper consolidation. Chitosan coated CNFs possess an improved capacity to penetrate the paper structure causing an enhancement of the mechanical resistance and surface hydrophobization. Moreover, chitosan/CNFs create a protective barrier for heat transfer that prevents the paper combustion.

Objective: In Japan, paper-based surveys are currently more effective than web-based surveys. This study compared the response rates and lifestyle behaviors between paper- and web-based surveys conducted among Japanese junior and senior high schools. Methods: In total, there were 42 and 64 junior and senior high schools, respectively, for the web-based surveys and 20 and 27 junior and senior high schools, respectively, for the paper-based surveys. The questionnaire covered lifestyle behaviors (e.g., alcohol consumption, smoking, exercise, eating, and sleep status), mental health, and plans to attend college. School- and student-level response rates by survey method were assessed, and so was the effect on the reporting of each lifestyle behavior using logistic regression models. Results: The school response rates were 16.0% and 38.3% for web- and paper-based surveys, respectively. The student response rates were 88.7% and 77.2%, respectively. The web-based group had significantly more female participants and lower response rates for higher grades in senior high schools. The odds of lifetime and current alcohol consumption and poor mental health were lower, whereas those of lifetime use of conventional cigarettes, shorter sleep duration, and plans to continue attending college were higher among web-based (vs. paper-based) participants. Conclusions: The school response rate was poor in the web-based survey. However, whether the differences in lifestyle behavior are attributed to selection bias or the survey method remains unclear.

AbstractThis study seeks to profile the shoppers’ propensity to reuse shopping bags and the type of shopping bags they reuse on the basis of demographics. The study used an observation method to record the consumers’ shopping habits and a short questionnaire to record the participants’ demographics. A binary regression analysis and a multinomial regression analysis were used to analyse data. The results indicated that the mature aged, women, and low income shoppers were more likely to practice reuse of plastic shopping bags than their respective counterparts. There were no statistically significant differences in the likelihood of young aged shoppers compared to mature aged shoppers and low income shoppers compared to high income shoppers using cotton bags than plastic bags. There were also no statistically significant differences in the likelihood of young aged shoppers compared to mature aged shoppers and male shoppers compared to female shoppers using paper bags than plastic bags. However, the results indicated a statically significant result in how males compared to females differed in their using of cotton bags than plastic bags and a statistically significant result in how low income shoppers compared to high income shoppers differed in their use of paper bags than plastic bags.

Abstract Kidney stones, a persistent urological condition, continue to affect people globally. In this critical review, we examine the work of Borghi et al. who evaluated patients with idiopathic stone formation and randomised 99 patients to increased water intake (≥ 2 L/day) and 100 patients to usual care in a 5-year randomized controlled trial. The study examined baseline urine volume in individuals with idiopathic calcium stones, recurrence rates, and relevant biochemical factors. The study found reduced recurrence rate (12.1% vs. 27% (p = 0.008)), and time to recurrence with increased water intake (38.7 ± 13.2 months) vs. (25 ± 16.4 months) (p = 0.016). These findings inform clinical practice, contributing to the guideline recommendations that kidney stone patients should aim for fluid intake of at least 2.5 L per day to prevent stone recurrence.

Abstract Background The advent of Personalized Medicine (PM) holds significant promise in revolutionizing healthcare by tailoring treatments to individual patients based on their data. However, its successful implementation requires the seamless integration of innovative technologies and presents formidable challenges in terms of sustainability. To tackle these challenges head-on, the International Consortium for Personalized Medicine (ICPerMed) was established, and the IC2PerMed project, as part of this consortium, seeks to foster collaboration between the European Union (EU) and China in the field of Personalized Medicine. Based on the results collected by the project, the objective of this study is to discern the key priorities for the implementation of Personalised Medicine concerning Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Big Data and digital solutions, with a particular emphasis on data management and protection. Methods A Delphi survey was conducted to gather expert’s consensus on the main priorities for actions on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Big Data and digital solutions in the field of Personalized Medicine. Results The survey identified seven priorities in the area of Big Data and digital solutions, including data interoperability, standards, security measures, and international partnerships. Additionally, twelve priorities were identified for the innovation-to-market process, emphasizing cost-effectiveness, need assessment, and value definition in resource allocation. Conclusions The effective implementation of new technologies in Personalized Medicine research and practice is essential for the advancement of healthcare systems in both the European and Chinese contexts. The identified priorities play a pivotal role in promoting the sustainability of health systems and driving innovation in the implementation of Personalized Medicine. Addressing challenges related to data interoperability, standards, security, international collaboration, cost-effectiveness, and value assessment is of utmost importance in order to propel the progress of Personalized Medicine in healthcare systems.

This research seeks to gain insight into the reading preferences of adolescents as they begin secondary education. The study examined a sample of 664 students in the first year of compulsory secondary education (ESO) in Cádiz to determine any similarities with small samples in other national and international contexts (Spain, Chile, Poland, and Portugal). The methodology employs reading format as a dependent variable and explores its relationship with the independent variables “sex” and “love of reading.” The statistics were processed with univariate and bivariate analyses to explore preferences for reading formats, and a CHAID analysis to establish reading profiles. The results show that traditional reading formats are preferred by the most avid readers, while more infrequent readers prefer to read digitally. This information offers opportunities to devise teaching strategies that promote reading in virtual environments.

This review seeks to demonstrate how the social and economic dimensions of sustainability need to be considered alongside its environmental dimensions. This is particularly important when, as in the case of the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations (NNRs), policymakers are attempting to address the twin goals of health and sustainability. For a policy that might make good sense when seen in purely environmental terms, it might not prove sustainable in social and economic terms – if it is too costly, it exacerbates existing inequalities or has detrimental effects on public health. There are some ‘win-wins’ in the field of health and sustainability policy. However, difficult choices between competing policy options will occur, similar to those facing ordinary consumers in their everyday lives. Being clear about the way food is framed as an issue and how different framings shape policy outcomes is a useful way forward in addressing the inevitable trade-offs and compromises between competing objectives.

Hypothesis Descriptions are a type of manuscript dedicated to the formal description of a hypothesis, as introduced in an accompanying editorial and an examplary Hypothesis Description for the Enemy Release Hypothesis that is used in invasion biology. This questionnaire provides a template for such a Hypothesis Description manuscript. The template's format was designed for simplicity to facilitate adoption, and it can be easily extended to capture additional information, e.g. instructions for falsification or generalization, taxonomic or geographic scope, etymology, or relevant information in other research fields or other languages. The template reflects the recommended structure for a Hypothesis Description manuscript in that each of its sections provides the title for a section in a Hypothesis Description manuscript and indicates whether that section is mandatory or optional. Four sections - Keywords (mandatory), Conflicts of interest (optional), Acknowledgments (optional) and References (mandatory) - are in this template filled in for the template itself but should otherwise be adjusted for the hypothesis at hand. Comments to guide authors who work on a Hypothesis Description manuscript are provided as well.

Članak donosi neobjavljene i u to vrijeme neke objavljene dokumente o Stepincu iz Meštrovićeva arhiva na Sveučilištu Notre Dame u Indiani, SAD, na kojem je Meštrović predavao od 1955. godine do svoje smrti 1962. godine. Uz ostale, donosi se Meštrovićevo pismo kardinalu Spellmanu iz 1954. godine označeno oznakom „povjerljivo“, pismo Alojzija Stepinca Meštroviću od 3. listopada 1956. godine, Meštrovićeva čestitka Stepincu u povodu njegova 60. rođendana, prepiska sa č. s. Reginom Mary C. S. J. nakon Meštrovićeva posjeta Stepincu 1959. godine. U članku su dokumenti dijelom transkribirani i prikazani su, tj. obrađeni najvažniji sadržaji. Dokumenti su nastali u razdoblju od 1949. do 1960. godine. Dokumentacija pokazuje da je Ivan Meštrović iznimno poštovao Stepinca te ga je smatrao nevinim u odnosu na sva nedjela koja su mu se u montiranom sudskom procesu i u javnosti stavljala na teret.

Ultrasound hip screening is suitable for the early identification of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). Newborn and infant home visits are good opportunities for hip screening in the community, but studies focusing on nurse-led screenings are lacking. Based on a pre–post design, this study aims to develop and evaluate an ultrasound training program to improve nurses’ assessment skills in detecting DDH cases during newborn and infant home visits. Said educational program will include e-learning, hands-on seminars, and clinical training. The primary outcome will be the success rate of imaging standard planes (standardized images for hip assessment) in clinical training. The secondary outcomes will include knowledge test results, objective structured clinical examination scores, time required for imaging, and inter-rater reliability between nurses and physicians. The educational program will address the issue of missed and late detection of DDH cases in resource-limited communities. This study will demonstrate the feasibility of procedures and the effectiveness of the educational program in 2024. The protocol was registered in the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trial Registry before starting the study (no. UMIN000051929, 16 August 2023).

Članak donosi neobjavljene i u to vrijeme neke objavljene dokumente o Stepincu iz Meštrovićeva arhiva na Sveučilištu Notre Dame u Indiani, SAD, na kojem je Meštrović predavao od 1955. godine do svoje smrti 1962. godine. Uz ostale, donosi se Meštrovićevo pismo kardinalu Spellmanu iz 1954. godine označeno oznakom „povjerljivo“, pismo Alojzija Stepinca Meštroviću od 3. listopada 1956. godine, Meštrovićeva čestitka Stepincu u povodu njegova 60. rođendana, prepiska sa č. s. Reginom Mary C. S. J. nakon Meštrovićeva posjeta Stepincu 1959. godine. U članku su dokumenti dijelom transkribirani i prikazani su, tj. obrađeni najvažniji sadržaji. Dokumenti su nastali u razdoblju od 1949. do 1960. godine. Dokumentacija pokazuje da je Ivan Meštrović iznimno poštovao Stepinca te ga je smatrao nevinim u odnosu na sva nedjela koja su mu se u montiranom sudskom procesu i u javnosti stavljala na teret.

Objective: Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is a rare disorder mostly seen in younger individuals. Although patient wellbeing is relevantly impaired, it often takes a long time before the diagnosis is made. Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is routinely used despite its radiation exposure, which is a major concern in this young patient population. Moreover, DSA offers limited opportunities for functional assessment. By contrast, ultrasonography is widely accessible without causing radiation exposure and allows for flexible functional assessment. The main goal of the study was to investigate whether ultrasound (US) was a viable alternative to DSA in diagnosing arterial TOS (aTOS). Methods: Patients, referred to a tertiary centre for evaluation of suspected TOS, were recruited into the study. DSA was routinely performed with the patient's arms both in the raised (abducted) and neutral (adducted) position. Two vascular surgeons and two radiologists assessed the resulting images for the presence of aTOS. Additionally, two examiners performed US according to a standardised protocol. The reference for presence of aTOS was the DSA based interdisciplinary vascular conference consensus. Inter-rater agreement and latent class analysis (LCA) were performed between assessors and diagnostic methods. Results: Fifty one consecutive patients (two thirds female) aged 39.3 ± 13.0 years were included within 11 months. US agreement was excellent at 0.94 (0.841–0.980), DSA agreement for vascular surgeons was good at 0.779 (0.479–1.000), whereas it was moderate at 0.546 (0.046–1.000) for radiologists. Results suggest that DSA is untenable as the gold standard for aTOS diagnosis. In LCA, US was shown to be a reliable diagnostic tool for the detection of aTOS. Conclusion: US examination is a valid test for the detection of haemodynamically relevant compression of arteries in the diagnostic work up of aTOS using a standardised protocol. The role of DSA as the gold standard should be reviewed and needs to be reconsidered.