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Abstract In this paper, three kinds of micro-nano bamboo powder (MBP) and alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) were added to the polyvinyl alcohol/cellulose nanofiber (PVA/CNF) coating to prepare PVA/CNF/MBP coated paper and PVA/CNF/M-MBP/AKD coated paper. The results showed that MBP improved the oleophobicity of PVA/CNF coating, and the grease resistance grade of PVA/CNF/B-MBP and PVA/CNF/M-MBP coated papers reached the highest level, with a kit number of 12. Among the PVA/CNF/MBP coated papers, the PVA/CNF/M-MBP coated paper has the best hydrophobic properties, with the water contact angle and Cobb value of 74° and 21.3 g/m2, respectively. In addition, when the AKD dosage was 0.2% in the PVA/CNF/M-MBP/AKD coating, the kit number of the coated paper was 11, the Cobb value was 15.2 g/m2, the water contact angle was 103°, and the tensile strength was found to increase slightly. Therefore, compared with PVA/CNF coated paper, PVA/CNF/M-MBP/AKD coated paper has good strength and excellent hydrophobic and oleophobic properties.

Abstract Paper coating plays an important role in the paper properties, printability and application. The nanocoating is a multifunction layer that provides the paper with unique features. In this work, nanocoating formulas were prepared using a green method and component. The nanocoating formulas were based on biopolymers nanostarch NSt and nanochitosan NCh (NCS) decorated with Egyptian kaolinite Ka doped with zinc nanoparticles NCS@xka/ZnONPs (x represents different ratios) support for multifunctional uses. The nanocoating formulas were characterized using a physiochemical analysis as well as a topographical study. FTIR, XRD, SEM and TEM techniques were used. Additionally, the antimicrobial activity of the tested samples was assessed against six microorganisms including Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. The prepared nanocoating formulas affirmed excellent antimicrobial activity as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial active agent with excellent activity against all representative microbial communities. The nanocoating with the highest ratio of Ka/ZnONPs (NCS@40 ka/ZnONPs) showed excellent antimicrobial activity with an inhibition percentage of more than 70% versus all microorganisms presented. The paper was coated with the prepared suspensions and characterized concerning optical, mechanical and physical properties. When Ka/ZnONPs were loaded into NCS in a variety of ratios, the characteristics of coated paper were enhanced compared to blank paper. The sample NCS@40 ka/ZnONPs increased tensile strength by 11%, reduced light scattering by 12%, and improved brightness and whiteness by 1%. Paper coated with NCh suspension had 35.32% less roughness and 188.6% less porosity. When coated with the sample NCS@10 ka/ZnONPs, the coated paper's porosity was reduced by 94% and its roughness was reduced by 10.85%. The greatest reduction in water absorptivity was attained by coating with the same sample, with a reduction percentage of 132%.

Abstract In this work heat transfer papers were loaded with a new core–shell pigment based on precipitating thin shell of titanium dioxide on a core of rice husk silica ash TiO2/RHSA to be applied in dye sublimation printing of textile fabrics. Besides, 0.1% (w/w) cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM) and 1% (w/w) bentonite (Bt) were also added sequentially to improve drainage and filler retention of the paper hand-sheets made from bleached kraft bagasse pulps. The effect of the new core–shell pigment on the mechanical and barrier properties, thermal stability and surface morphology of modified paper sheets were investigated. In addition, the study of transfer printability and ease of dye release from paper to fabric in this heat transfer printing of polyester fabrics using silk-screen printing under different transfer parameters were studied. Also, fastness measurements including washing, light and perspiration of printing polyester fabric were also estimated.

Abstract Paper and packaging materials a lignocellulose-based natural biodegradable polymer that spontaneously releases acetic acid, aldehydes, alcohol, and ester-based volatile organic compounds (VOCs) upon ageing and these VOCs start degrading the paper products and decline their mechanical strength properties. The reactivity of the paper of unbleached wheat straw pulp towards acetic acid and hexanal, which has been proven to have more degrading effects on paper than other VOCs, was considered in this work. The papers were exposed to these volatile compounds for 90 days in an air-tight vessel under ambient environmental conditions. The results showed that hexanal was more destructive than acetic acid with regards to cellulose degradation and depletion in the mechanical strength properties. The paper properties like, tensile, tear and burst index, viscosity, pH and carbonyl group content was measured. The growth of the carbonyl group, evidence of the ageing effects in the paper, detected more in the paper exposed to acetic acid. However, the strength of paper properties declined more with hexanal. FE-SEM analysis of the sample showed the development of pores and damage of cellulose fibre upon ageing. Similarly, the damaging effects of VOCs on cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin were confirmed by significantly reduced peak detection through FT-IR \analysis. The high crystallinity index of the paper products due to exposure to VOCs was detected by XRD analysis, which confirmed the degradation of the low molecular weight cellulose molecule. Thus, the results are strongly recommended that VOCs that generates due to natural or artificial ageing could be the leading cause of paper degradation.

Abstract Polymers are often combined with magnetostrictive materials to enhance their toughness. This study reports a cellulose nanofibril (CNF)-based composite paper containing dispersed CoFe2O4 particles (CNF–CoFe2O4). Besides imparting magnetization and magnetostriction, the incorporation of CoFe2O4 particles decreased the ultimate tensile strength and increased the fracture elongation of the CNF–CoFe2O4 composite paper. CNF was responsible for the tensile properties of CNF–CoFe2O4 composite paper. Consequently, the magnetic and magnetostrictive properties and tensile properties of CNF–CoFe2O4 composite paper can be controlled by changing the mixture ratio of CNF and CoFe2O4 particles.

Abstract We aimed to investigate differences in patients’ anxiety and satisfaction between patients undergoing paper-based patient decision aid (PDA) for shared decision-making (SDM) and those receiving computer-based PDA. We retrospectively collected questionnaires before and after SDM. Basic demographic data as well as anxiety, satisfaction, knowledge acquisition, and participation in SDM were recorded. We divided our population into subgroups according to use of paper-based or computer-based PDA. In addition, Pearson correlation analysis was applied to assess the relationships among variables. In total, 304 patients who visited our Division of Nephrology were included in the final analysis. Overall, over half of the patients felt anxiety (n = 217, 71.4%). Near half of the patients felt a reduction in anxiety after SDM (n = 143, 47.0%) and 281 patients (92.4%) were satisfied with the whole process of SDM. When we divided all the patients based on use of paper-based or computer-based PDA, the reduction of anxiety level was greater in the patients who underwent paper-based PDA when compared with that of those who underwent computer-based PDA. However, there was no significant difference in satisfaction between the two groups. Paper-based PDA was as effective as computer-based PDA. Further studies comparing different types of PDA are warranted to fill the knowledge gaps in the literature.

Abstract Although often regarded a childhood toy, the design of paper airplanes is subtly complex. The design space and mapping from geometry to distance flown is highly nonlinear and probabilistic where a single airplane design exhibits a multitude of trajectory forms and flight distances. This makes optimization and understanding of their behavior challenging for humans. By understanding the behavior of paper airplanes and predicting flight behavior, there is a potential to improve the design of aerial vehicles that operate at low Reynolds numbers. By developing a robotic system that can fabricate, test, analyze, and model the flight behavior in an unsupervised fashion, a wide design space can be reliably characterized. We find there are discrete behavioral groups that result in different trajectories: nose dive, glide, and recovery glide. Informed by this characterization we propose a method of using Gaussian mixture models to extract the clusters of the design space that map to these different behaviors. This allows us to solve both the forward and reverse design problem for paper airplanes, and also to perform efficient optimization of the geometry for a given target flight distance.

This article presents the results of an experiment designed to study the impact of temperature on the characteristic parameters of creeping discharges. The insulating interfaces consist of a thermally enhanced cellulose surface immersed in mineral oil, palm kernel oil methyl ester (PKOME) and castor oil methyl ester (COME). The study was carried out under a standard negative lightning impulse voltage (1.2/50 μs). The article also presents the complete algorithms for calculating the maximum extension of the discharges, the ionisation rate and the charge produced by them. The results of the study show that temperature favors the propagation of discharges and the ionisation rate. It was observed that liquids with a higher dielectric constant and high electrical conductivity were more exposed to the impact of temperature. The results show ionisation increments of 0.973%/°C, 1.093%/°C and 1.076%/°C in mineral oil (MO), COME and PKOME respectively. The maximum extension of the discharges shows a linear evolution with the applied voltage and temperature but a non-linear increment with the temperature. As for the charge produced, it shows a constant increment with temperature and voltage in each liquid. These values are (5.839%/°C, 1.977%/kV), (6.047%/°C, 2.082%/kV) and (6.177%/°C, 2.113%/kV) respectively in MO, COME and PKOME., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Rapid and accurate bioburden detection has become increasingly necessary for food, health, pharmaceutical and environmental applications. To detect bioburden accurately, and in a highly sensitive manner, we have fabricated a novel microfluidic device with an integrated filter to trap the cells. Bioburden is detected on the filter paper in situ using the redox reaction of fluorescent label resorufin and a portable multichannel fluorometer is used for fluorescence measurement. The microfluidic device was fabricated in a facile, low-cost, and rapid way with microwave-induced thermally assisted bonding. To characterize the bonding quality of the microfluidic cassettes, different tests were performed, and the filter paper material and size were optimized. Primary Bacillus subtilis culture bacterial samples were filtered through the device to validate and investigate the performance parameters. Our results show that a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.037 CFU/mL can be achieved through this microfluidic device whereas the LOD in a normal microfluidic cassette in the fluorometer and the golden standard spectrophotometer are 0.378 and 0.128 CFU/mL respectively. The results depict that three to ten times LOD improvement is possible through this microfluidic cassette and more sensitive detection is possible depending on the volume filtered within a rapid 3 min. This novel microfluidic device along with the fluorometer can be used as a rapid portable tool for highly sensitive, accurate and high-throughput bacterial detection for different applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study performs a chemical investigation of blood plasma samples from patients with and without fibromyalgia, combined with some of the symptoms and their levels of intensity used in the diagnosis of this disease. The symptoms evaluated were: visual analogue pain scale (VAS); fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ); Hamilton anxiety rating scale (HAM); Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia (TAMPA); quality of life Questionnaire—physical and mental health (QL); and Pain Catastrophizing Scale (CAT). Plasma samples were analyzed by paper spray ionization mass spectrometry (PSI-MS). Spectral data were organized into datasets and related to each of the symptoms measured. The datasets were submitted to multivariate classification using supervised models such as principal component analysis with linear discriminant analysis (PCA-LDA), successive projections algorithm with linear discriminant analysis (SPA-LDA), genetic algorithm with linear discriminant analysis (GA-LDA) and their versions with quadratic discriminant analysis (PCA/SPA/GA-QDA) and support vector machines (PCA/SPA/GA-SVM). These algorithm combinations were performed aiming the best class separation. Good discrimination between the controls and fibromyalgia samples were observed using PCA-LDA, where the spectral data associated with the CAT symptom achieved 100% classification sensitivity, and associated with the VAS symptom achieved 100% classification specificity, with both symptoms at the moderate level of intensity. The spectral variable at 579 m/z was found to be substantially significant for classification according to the PCA loadings. According to the human metabolites database, this variable can be associated with a LysoPC compound, which comprises a class of metabolites already evidenced in other studies for fibromyalgia diagnosis. This study proposed an investigation of spectral data combined with clinical data to compare the classification ability of different datasets. The good classification results obtained confirm this technique is as a good analytical tool for the detection of fibromyalgia, and provides theoretical support for other studies about fibromyalgia diagnosis.

Abstract In medical institutions, radiation shielding is an effective strategy to protect medical personnel and patients from exposure. Reducing the weight of the shield worn by medical personnel in the radiation generating area plays a key role in improving their productivity and mobility. In this study, a new lightweight radiation shield was developed by electrospinning a polymer-tungsten composite material to produce nanofibers with a multi-layered thin-film structure similar to that of a morpho butterfly wing. The fabricated shield was in the form of 0.1 mm thick flexible shielding paper. The multi-layer structure of the thin shielding paper was obtained through nanofiber pattern formation via electrospinning a dispersion of tungsten particles. At 0.1 mm thickness, the paper’s shielding rate was 64.88% at 60 keV. Furthermore, at 0.3 mm thick and arranged in a laminated structure, the shielding rate was 90.10% and the lead equivalent was 0.296 mmPb. When used as an apron material, the weight can be reduced by 45% compared to existing lead products. In addition, the material is highly processable and can be used to manufacture various flexible products, such as hats, gloves, underwear, and scarves used in medical institutions.

Abstract Numerous scientific, health care, and industrial applications are showing increasing interest in developing optical pH sensors with low-cost, high precision that cover a wide pH range. Although serious efforts, the development of high accuracy and cost-effectiveness, remains challenging. In this perspective, we present the implementation of the machine learning technique on the common pH paper for precise pH-value estimation. Further, we develop a simple, flexible, and free precise mobile application based on a machine learning algorithm to predict the accurate pH value of a solution using an available commercial pH paper. The common light conditions were studied under different light intensities of 350, 200, and 20 Lux. The models were trained using 2689 experimental values without a special instrument control. The pH range of 1: 14 is covered by an interval of ~ 0.1 pH value. The results show a significant relationship between pH values and both the red color and green color, in contrast to the poor correlation by the blue color. The K Neighbors Regressor model improves linearity and shows a significant coefficient of determination of 0.995 combined with the lowest errors. The free, publicly accessible online and mobile application was developed and enables the highly precise estimation of the pH value as a function of the RGB color code of typical pH paper. Our findings could replace higher expensive pH instruments using handheld pH detection, and an intelligent smartphone system for everyone, even the chef in the kitchen, without the need for additional costly and time-consuming experimental work.

Abstract The study's goal was to develop a spore-based paper strip biosensor for detecting ß-lactam antibiotics in milk using the enzyme induction principle. A new spore-based paper strip biosensor has been developed after important operating parameters such as spore volume, substrate volume, exposure time and temperature, and incubation time and temperature were optimised. The limit of detection for various ß-lactam antibiotics, including amoxicillin, penicillin, ampicillin, carbenicillin, cloxacillin, nafcillin, oxacillin, cephalothin, cefalexin, cefoxitin, cefazolin, and cefuroxime, was determined in milk with detection sensitivity of 1 ppb, 2 ppb, 2 ppb, 10 ppb, 10 ppb, 10 ppb, 20 ppb, 10 ppb 1000 ppb, 10 ppb 300 ppb and 100 ppb, respectively. It was also tested with other contaminants such non-ß-lactam antibiotics, pesticides, aflatoxin, heavy metals, and other chemical contaminants, and no interference was found, indicating that the created biosensor had a low rate of false positive and negative results. In comparison to the AOAC-approved CHARM-ROSA ß-lactam strip test, which identified 7 raw milk and zero pasteurised milk samples positive for ß-lactam antibiotics, the sensor was further analysed and verified using 200 raw milk and 105 pasteurised milk samples. This indicates a perfect match between our biosensor and the AOAC-approved CHARM-ROSA ß-lactam strip test. The developed spore-based paper strip biosensors are expected to be useful in the rapid and cost-effective detection of ß-lactam antibiotic residues in milk samples at the dairy farm, reception dock, and production units, respectively.

Abstract There is increasing focus on applying deep learning methods to electrocardiograms (ECGs), with recent studies showing that neural networks (NNs) can predict future heart failure or atrial fibrillation from the ECG alone. However, large numbers of ECGs are needed to train NNs, and many ECGs are currently only in paper format, which are not suitable for NN training. We developed a fully-automated online ECG digitisation tool to convert scanned paper ECGs into digital signals. Using automated horizontal and vertical anchor point detection, the algorithm automatically segments the ECG image into separate images for the 12 leads and a dynamical morphological algorithm is then applied to extract the signal of interest. We then validated the performance of the algorithm on 515 digital ECGs, of which 45 were printed, scanned and redigitised. The automated digitisation tool achieved 99.0% correlation between the digitised signals and the ground truth ECG (n = 515 standard 3-by-4 ECGs) after excluding ECGs with overlap of lead signals. Without exclusion, the performance of average correlation was from 90 to 97% across the leads on all 3-by-4 ECGs. There was a 97% correlation for 12-by-1 and 3-by-1 ECG formats after excluding ECGs with overlap of lead signals. Without exclusion, the average correlation of some leads in 12-by-1 ECGs was 60–70% and the average correlation of 3-by-1 ECGs achieved 80–90%. ECGs that were printed, scanned, and redigitised, our tool achieved 96% correlation with the original signals. We have developed and validated a fully-automated, user-friendly, online ECG digitisation tool. Unlike other available tools, this does not require any manual segmentation of ECG signals. Our tool can facilitate the rapid and automated digitisation of large repositories of paper ECGs to allow them to be used for deep learning projects.

Abstract In the present work, the composite cross-linked were used to consolidate the dyed paper manuscripts. Nanocomposites of mesoporous silica nanoparticle (MPSNP)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and cellulose nanofiber (CNF)/PVA, which have never been used before, have been evaluated for the consolidation process of the dyed paper manuscripts with madder extract. Three concentrations 1%, 3%, and 5% have been prepared. Analysis and investigation methods like scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), dynamic light scattering analysis (DLS), X-Ray diffraction Analysis (XRD), atomic force microscope (AFM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and total color difference (ΔE) by spectrophotometer have been used in order to characterize the prepared nano-sized composites and evaluate the treated dyed paper samples before and after the aging process. The results of surface morphology by SEM revealed the effectiveness of MPSNP/PVA core–shell nanocomposite at 5% in the consolidation process, where the improvement of properties of the aged dyed paper samples. The fibers of the treated paper became strong and appeared clearly. The result of ΔE measurements showed that the treated sample with MPSNP/PVA nanocomposite at 5% gave the lowest ΔE (5.22), while, the treated sample with CNF/PVA nanocomposite at 5% gave the highest ΔE value (11.66). Mechanical measurements (tensile strength and elongation) revealed the efficiency of MPSNP/PVA nanocomposite at 5% in the treatment of the aged dyed paper samples. The treated sample with the mentioned material gave tensile strength and elongation values of 84.8 N/nm2 and 1.736%, respectively. In contrast, the treated sample with CNF/PVA nanocomposite at 1% gave the lowest tensile strength and elongation values 38.2 N/nm2, and 1.166%, respectively. FTIR analysis revealed an increase was noticed in the CH2 stretching band (refers to the crystallinity of cellulose), where the intensity of the treated sample with MPSNP/PVA nanocomposite was at a 5% increase compared to the control sample. The FTIR results supported the results of mechanical measurements. The intensity of the CH2 stretching band, which refers to the crystallinity index of cellulose, was increased with the use of MPSNP/PVA nanocomposite at 3% and 5%, which explains the improvement in mechanical properties. This may be due to the nano-mineral particles, which improve the mechanical properties. Additionally, they reduce the effect of accelerated thermal aging on the cellulosic fibers and give them stability. The detailed analysis of analytical methods used for evaluation revealed the novelty of MPSNP/PVA nanocomposite, especially at 5%. It has a potential role in strengthening and improving different properties of the dyed paper manuscripts with madder extract.

To achieve integrated resource utilization of graphite tailings to improve their water-holding capacity, river silt and cow dung powder were added to graphite tailings as organic matter improvers. Improver ratios were designed using 4 g cow dung powder and 20, 30, and 50 g river silt. Soil–water characterization tests were performed using a combined tensiometer and filter paper method based on optimum density measurements. Analysis of the influence of river silt dosing on the soil–water characteristic curves of improved graphite tailing specimens was performed with data fitting using the Van Genuchten model. Here, we investigated the effect of river silt dosing on the internal pore structure and water-holding capacity of modified graphite tailing samples and verified the applicability of the model to graphite tailings. Our results demonstrate that the organic matter improver incorporated into graphite tailings can improve the internal structural compactness of graphite tailings, improving the water holding capacity. With an increase in river silt dosage, the saturated water content is larger, and the residual water content increases and then decreases. When river silt dosage is 30 g, the residual water content is the highest at a value of 3.32%. The van Genuchten model was highly accurate for assessing the graphite tailings. With an increase in river silt doping, the internal pore space first decreased and then increased, and the internal structure gradually became compact and loosened. The internal structure was in the optimal state in the experimental study when the dosage of cow dung powder was 4 g and the dosage of river silt was 30 g. The water holding capacity was optimal at this time. The results of this study provide a theoretical foundation for graphite-tailing-based mine reclamation and play a guiding role in exploring the value of the hydraulic characteristic index parameters when applying graphite tailings engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has attracted considerable attention for use as a disinfectant ingredient for various applications over the decades. The use of H2O2 within the safety regulations can avoid its toxicity to human health and the environment. In this study, a paper-based sensor containing green-synthesized silver nanoparticles (P-AgNPs) was developed for use in a smartphone in the determination of the H2O2 concentration. In the synthesis process, an extract of spent coffee grounds was used as a bioreducing agent. The effects of reaction time and silver nitrate (AgNO3) concentration on the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were investigated. The optimum conditions for the preparation of P-AgNPs were determined to be 100 mM AgNO3 (P-AgNPs-100) and 15 h synthesis time. The P-AgNPs-100 sensor exhibited high sensitivity with a detection limit of 1.26 mM H2O2, which might be suitable for the detection of H2O2-based household and beverage sanitizers. The H2O2 detection capability of P-AgNPs-100 was comparable to that of a commercial strip sensor. Furthermore, P-AgNPs-100 had a detection efficiency of more than 95% after long-term storage for 100 days.

Abstract Paper-based analytical devices are promising choices for rapid tests and lab-on-chip detection techniques. Carbon quantum dots (CQDs), on the other hand, are biocompatible nanomaterials, which are industrially promising, due to their fast and cost-effective gram-scale synthesis techniques, as well as their significantly high and stable photoluminescence (PL) properties, which are durable and reliable over a year. However, there have been limitations in the entrapment of CQDs on cellulose papers in a way that their PL is not influenced by the flowing of the CQDs with the stream of analyte fluid, making the sensors less accurate at very low concentrations of liquid analytes. Therefore, in this investigation, a polyvinyl alcohol/alkaline-based method was systematically generated and developed to entrap CQDs inside a 3D crystalline matrix on paper, in a way that they can be used directly as probes for a simple drop-and-detect method. As a proof of concept, N/P-doped CQD on cellulose paper was used to make fluorescent paper-based analytical devices for identifying traces of Hg2+ of around 100 ppb. The designed sensor was tested over several months, to study its durability and functionality over long periods, for potential industrial applications.

Abstract The effect of cellulose nanofibers (CNFs)/polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) coating on the hydrophobic, oleophobic, and strength properties of paper were investigated. The results showed that the size of bamboo fibers (BFs) decreased significantly and the crystallinity increased significantly after biological enzyme treatment. The average length of CNFs obtained by high pressure homogenization was 2.4 µm, the diameter was 28.7 nm, and the crystallinity was 63.63%. When the coating weight of PVA/CNF was 2.0 g/m2 and the CNF dosage was increased from 0.0% to 3.0%, the paper grease resistance grade was increased from 7 to 9, the Cobb value was decreased from 22.68 ± 0.29 g/m2 to 18.37 ± 0.63 g/m2, the contact angle was increased from 67.82° to 93.56°, and the longitudinal and transverse tensile index were increased from 67.72 ± 0.21 N m/g and 37.63 ± 0.25 N m/g to 68.61 ± 0.55 N m/g and 40.71 ± 0.78 N m/g, respectively. When the CNF dosage was 3.0% and the coating weight of PVA/CNF was 4.0 g/m2, the grease resistance grade of the paper was 12, the Cobb value was 21.80 ± 0.39 g/m2, and the longitudinal and transverse tensile indices were 72.11 ± 0.43 N m/g and 42.58 ± 0.48 N m/g, respectively. In summary, the increase of CNFs can effectively improve the lipophobicity, hydrophobicity and tensile strength of the PVA coated paper.

Abstract Accurate quantification of blood creatinine is important to estimate the glomerular filtration rate. Existing techniques using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) have a high accuracy and eliminate most interferences encountered in routine enzymatic and Jaffé methods. However, they require laborious and time-consuming sample treatment and data acquisition. The aim of this study is to develop a fast and simple method to enable a direct analysis of whole blood creatinine with performance measures that are comparable to conventional LC–MS/MS. 5μL whole blood is formed as a three-dimensional spheroid on hydrophobic silanized paper substrates which then undergoes paper-spray ionization—tandem mass spectrometry (PSI–MS/MS). The method is validated using real human samples and compared with LC–MS/MS. PSI–MS/MS whole blood analysis exhibited a lower limit of quantification of 2.5 μg/mL, precision ≤ 6.3%, recovery in the range of 88–94% and excellent linearity (R2 > 0.99; 2.5—20 μg/mL) covering the normal range for creatinine levels. Creatinine levels were comparable to those measured by LC–MS/MS with small deviations of less than 0.3 μg/mL. This simple, fast and accurate microsampling technique for direct analysis of creatinine from whole blood shows promise for routine clinical screening and monitoring. This approach can be readily extended for other analytes of interest and, due to inherent advantages relating to cost, storability, speed, and simplicity, it can be especially advantageous for use in resource-limited settings.

Abstract The simplest point-of-care assays are usually paper and plastic devices that detect proteins or nucleic acids at low cost and minimal user steps, albeit with poor limits of detection. Digital assays improve limits of detection and analyte quantification by splitting a sample across many wells (or droplets), preventing diffusion, and performing analyte amplification and detection in multiple small wells. However, truly digital nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) require costly consumable cartridges that are precisely manufactured, aligned, and operated to enable low detection limits. In this study, we demonstrate how to implement near-digital NAATs in low-cost porous media while approaching the low limits of detection of digital assays. The near-digital NAAT was enabled by a paper membrane containing lyophilized amplification reagents that automatically, passively meters and distributes a sample over a wide area. Performing a NAAT in the paper membrane while allowing diffusion captures many of the benefits of digital NAATs if the pad is imaged at a high spatial resolution during amplification. We show that the near-digital NAAT is compatible with a low-cost paper and plastic disposable cartridge coupled to a 2-layer rigid printed circuit board heater (the MD NAAT platform). We also demonstrate compatibility with biplexing and imaging with mobile phones with different camera sensors. We show that the near-digital NAAT increased signal-to-noise ratios by ~ 10×, improved limits of detection from above 103 copies of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus genomic DNA to between 100 and 316 copies in a biplexed reaction containing 105 copies of co-amplifying internal amplification control DNA, and reduced time-to-result from 45 min of amplification to 15–20 min for the positive samples.

For shaped charge blasting projects in mining, civil engineering, and similar fields, it is proposed to modify the charge structure by combining slotted tubes and shaped charge liners to obtain a new type of charge structure. This aims to achieve directional rock breaking through the focused action of the shaped charge. The influence of different slotted pipe materials on the directional rock-breaking effect of concentrated energy using a new charge structure is explored through theoretical analysis combined with model test study, high-speed camera, stress–strain gauge, and other equipment. A comparison is made between slotted pipes made of aluminum, kraft paper, and PVC, with the cutting width of 2 mm. Based on the characteristics of the cracks formed after blasting, the new charge structure made of aluminum slotted pipe produces a penetrating crack that is almost consistent with the pre-cracking direction. Based on the corresponding characteristics of successively released blasting energy, the guiding and convergence effect of the new charge structure made of aluminum slotted pipe on the explosion energy is greater than that of the new charge structure made of the other two types of slotted pipe material. According to the strain data measured after blasting, the peak arrival time of the strain peak in the direction of the slotted pipe on one side of the shaped hood is shorter than that in the other two directions, and the peak strain is greater than that in the other two directions while having a better energy gathering effect. Based on the findings, the new charge structure with directional energy concentration has a damage reduction effect. Furthermore, the material of aluminum slotted pipe is found to be better than PVC slotted pipe, whereas the material of PVC slotted pipe is better than kraft paper slotted pipe in achieving directional rock breaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy storage devices (ESD) which are intended to power electronic devices, used in close contact of human skin, are desirable to be safe and non-toxic. In light of this requirement, Zn based energy storage devices seem to provide a viable pathway as they mostly employ aqueous based electrolytes which are safe and non-toxic in their functioning. Additionally, having a flexible ESD will play a crucial role as it will enable the ESD to conform to the varying shapes and sizes of wearable electronics which they energize. In this work, we have developed an inkjet-printed Zinc ion battery (IPZIB) with planar electrode configuration over bond paper substrate. Zn has been used as the negative electrode, MnO 2 is used as the positive electrode with Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) as the active binder. Conducting tracks of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) are used to construct the current collector on the paper substrate. The fabricated IPZIB delivered a high discharge capacity of 300.14 mAh g -1 at a current density of 200 mA g -1 . The energy density of the IPZIB is observed as 330.15 Wh kg -1 at a power density of 220 W kg -1 and retains an energy density of 94.36 Wh kg -1 at a high power density of 1650 W kg -1 . Finally, we have demonstrated the capability of the IPZIB to power a LED at various bending and folding conditions which indicates its potential to be used in the next generation flexible and wearable electronic devices., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Abstract Up-converting nanoparticles can be a demand for requirements in many areas, including bioimaging and conversion of energy, but also in the battle against counterfeiting. The properties of lanthanide ions make falsification difficult or even impossible using appropriately designed systems. The proposition of such an approach is the NaErF4:Tm3+@NaYF4 core@shell up-converting nanoparticles combined with transparent varnishes. Given the spectroscopic properties of Er3+ ions present in the fluoride matrix, the obtained up-converting nanoparticles absorb light by 808 and 975 nm wavelengths. The intentionally co-doped Tm3+ ions enable tuning characteristic green Er3+ emission to red luminescence, particularly desirable in anti-counterfeiting applications. The article includes a thorough analysis of structural and morphological properties. Moreover, this work shows that exclusive luminescent properties of NaErF4:Tm3+@NaYF4 NPs can be given to the transparent varnish, providing an excellent anti-counterfeiting system, revealing red emission under two different excitation wavelengths.

Oyster Farming is one of important fisheries and aquaculture industries in Taiwan. Each year, approximately 4000-5000 tons of discarded bamboo scaffolding (BS) used in oyster farming, are generated, so the treatment and utilization of BS should be taken seriously. This study evaluates the suitability of BS for pulp and papermaking by assessing the chemical compositions, microstructural, and fiber morphology. The pulping properties is investigated by soda pulping. The chemical composition of BS shows the potential for application in pulping. The BS microstructure shows that can enhance pulping reactions, while the fiber morphology indicates the possibility of producing high-strength paper. Through the pulping experiment, it demonstrated that BS is suitable for pulping with lower NaOH dosage and longer digestion time. The condition at 170 °C with 14% NaOH dosage for 90 min digestion has the highest yield. After refining the highest pulping yield BS pulp, it can improve the handsheet strength and bulk of the OCC-BS mixed pulp, which can achieve the strength property required for industrial paper. In summary, BS exhibits the potential for pulping application and produces a better paper strength than OCC pulp, exhibiting the feasibility of enhancing the circular utilization value of BS in Taiwan., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Abstract The present study aimed to investigate indigenous bacteria possibility in recycled paper and cardboard mill (RPCM) wastewater treatment through the isolation and identification of full-scale RPCM indigenous bacteria. The molecular characterization of the isolated bacteria was performed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Klebsiella pneumoniae AT-1 (MZ599583), Citrobacter freundii AT-4 (OK178569), and Bacillus subtilis AT-5 (MZ323975) were dominant strains used for RPCM wastewater bioremediation experiments. Under optimal conditions, the maximum values of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and color biodegradation by C. freundii AT-4 were 79.54% and 43.81% after 10 days of incubation, respectively. In the case of B. subtilis strain AT-5 and K. pneumoniae AT-1, the maximum values of COD and color biodegradation were 70.08%, 45.96%, 71.26%, and 32.06%, respectively. The results from optimal conditions regarding efficiency were higher in comparison with the efficiency obtained from the oxidation ditch treatment unit in full-scale RPCM-WWTP. Therefore, the present study introduces the isolated indigenous bacteria strains as a promising candidate for improving the RPCM-WWTP efficiency using bioremediation.