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Detecting sputum pyocyanin (PYO) with a competitive immunoassay is a promising approach for diagnosing Pseudomonas aeruginosa respiratory infections. However, it is not possible to perform a negative control to evaluate matrix-effects in competitive immunoassays, and the highly complex sputum matrix often interferes with target detection. Here, we show that these issues are alleviated by performing competitive immunoassays with a paper biosensor. The biosensing platform consists of a paper reservoir, which contains antibody-coated gold nanoparticles, and a substrate containing a competing recognition element, which is a piece of paper modified with an albumin-antigen conjugate. Detection of PYO with a limit of detection of 4.7·10−3 µM and a dynamic range between 4.7·10−1 µM and 47.6 µM is accomplished by adding the sample to the substrate with the competing element and pressing the reservoir against it for 5 min. When tested with patient samples, the biosensor was able to qualitatively differentiate spiked from non-spiked samples, whereas ELISA did not show a clear cut-off between them. Furthermore, the relative standard deviation was lower when determining sputum with the paper-based biosensor. These features, along with a mild liquefaction step that circumvents the use of harsh chemicals or instruments, make our biosensor a good candidate for diagnosing Pseudomonas infections at the bedside through the detection of sputum PYO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable materials and material circularity are key priorities for the coming decades. While paper is the most utilized material in the packaging sector, its applications in food packaging are limited due to low barrier properties. Coating it with petroleum-based polymer barrier coatings renders it unrecyclable both mechanically and biologically. Bio-coated paper packaging, made from agricultural waste or by-products, presents environmentally favorable solutions that can benefit the biological cycle of the circular economy. The main objective of this study is to assess the applicability of grain and beer production by-products in wood pulp food packaging materials. It examines the effects of different grain by-products (industrial wheat grain processing residues and wheat bran) particles and concentrations (15 wt% and 40 wt%), as well as the impact of brewer's yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) at a concentration of 10 wt%, on the physical–mechanical and barrier properties of Northern bleached softwood kraft (NBSK) and chemithermomechanical (CTMP) pulps. Material composites were fabricated using a standard sheet forming method. Physical–mechanical properties were analyzed through tensile strength, strain at break, tear resistance, and bending stiffness tests. Barrier-related properties were analyzed through roughness, air permeance, and water contact angle tests. Results revealed that the vast majority of physical–mechanical properties decreased with the increase of both types of grain production fillers. Industrial wheat grain processing residues had a lower impact on physical–mechanical properties than wheat bran filler. A higher percentage of property decrease was absorbed in NBSK pulp than in CTMP. Roughness of CTMP can be improved by adding both industrial wheat grain processing residues and wheat bran. Wheat bran particles can increase hydrophobicity. CTMP pulp strength properties can be increased with the addition of yeast; however, the yeast additive's effect on air permeance demonstrated a negative impact. In the case of NBSK pulp, which has higher primary strength properties, the addition of yeast does not make any significant changes. The conducted experiments demonstrated that, overall, the addition of these fillers resulted in a decline in physical–mechanical properties such as tensile strength, strain at break, tear resistance, and bending stiffness. This decline was more pronounced with higher concentrations of fillers. In the case of CTMP pulp, both types of fillers exhibited similar trends in affecting properties, whereas for NBSK pulp, wheat bran had a more significant impact compared to wheat grain processing residues. The addition of yeast generally led to a reduction in physical–mechanical properties, particularly in tensile strength and tear resistance. However, samples containing yeast displayed increased flexibility compared to controls. The influence on barrier properties varied: while yeast increased air permeability, it also enhanced surface hydrophobicity, thereby reducing the paper's receptivity to liquids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eco-friendly acid base indicators (anthocyanins) are always a center of attention in quantitative volumetric analysis as substitute for synthetic dye indicators. The purpose of the study is to promote utilization of Punica granatum (pomegranate) peel biomass by developing a novel eco-friendly acid–base indicator for titrimetric analysis. Pomegranate peel extract (PPEx) was prepared by ultrasonic probe sonication, a green method for extraction. The obtained extracts were evaluated for total phenol, anthocyanin content and the color change ability analysis (CIEL*a*b* analysis). The pKa of PPEx was determined, the effectiveness of PPEx as indicator was established in different acid–base titrations and compared with conventional synthetic indicators phenolphthalein and methyl orange. The aspirin powder and tablet (Ecosprin) were analyzed by using PPEx as indicator. An attempt was also made to develop PPEx pH indicator paper. The aqueous and ethanolic PPEx prepared by ultrasonic probe sonication contains 657.1 ± 21 and 718.1 ± 21 mg/LGAE of total phenols and 38.49 ± 0.83 and 42.91 ± 2.10 mgC3G/100gm of anthocyanins, respectively.The PPEx and pH indicator paper shows color change with the pH of solution. The pKa of PPEx was 7.14. PPEx was served as eco-friendly substitute for phenolphthalein and methyl orange indicators. PPEx was effective to analyze aspirin. The statistical analysis ensures the reliability and effectiveness of PPEx as an eco-friendly indicator in acid base titrations as substitute for the synthetic dye indicator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The economic development of a country directly depends upon industries. But this economic development should not be at the cost of our natural environment. A substantial amount of water is spent during paper production, creating water scarcity and generating wastewater. Therefore, the Pollution Control Board classifies this industry into red category. Water is used in different papermaking stages such as debarking, pulping or bleaching, washing, and finishing. The wastewater thus generated contains lignin and xenobiotic compounds such as resin acids, chlorinated lignin, phenols, furans, dioxins, chlorophenols, adsorbable organic halogens (AOX), extractable organic halogens (EOCs), polychlorinated biphenyls, plasticizers, and polychlorinated dibenzodioxins. Nowadays, several microorganisms are used in the detoxification of these hazardous effluents. Researchers have found that microbial degradation is the most promising treatment method to remove high biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) from wastewater. Microorganisms also remove AOX toxicity, chlorinated compounds, suspended solids, color, lignin, derivatives, etc. from the pulp and paper mill effluents. But in the current scenario, mill effluents are known to deteriorate the environment and therefore it is highly desirable to deploy advanced technologies for effluent treatment. This review summarizes the eco-friendly advanced treatment technologies for effluents generated from pulp and paper mills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to discuss and complete the avalanche representations of the failure process of quasi-brittle materials. Paper was used as a model material. We proposed an original method to determine avalanches extracted directly from the force drops in the post-peak regime of experimental force–displacement curves. We studied the avalanche distributions on notched and unnotched samples, taking into account the measurement noise. From these experimental tests, two regimes in the avalanche distribution were observed during the propagation of a macrocrack, in particular with a well-defined power law at small scale, that was consistent with other avalanche distributions based on other methods and other materials in literature. A single regime power-law distributed was found for a diffuse damage (without a significant macrocrack propagation) using the Mazars' damage model. Our results showed that the post-peak regime of tensile curves contained the statistical signature of the propagation of a macrocrack during the rupture of paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) has long recognized and championed increasing diversity within the surgical workplace. SAGES initiated the Fundamentals of Leadership Development (FLD) Curriculum to address these needs and to provide surgeon leaders with the necessary tools and skills to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in surgical practice. In 2019, the American College of Surgeons issued a request for anti-racism initiatives which lead to the partnering of the two societies. The primary goal of FLD was to create the first surgeon-focused leadership curriculum dedicated to DEI. The rationale/development of this curriculum and its evaluation/feedback methods are detailed in this White Paper. Methods: The FLD curriculum was developed by a multidisciplinary task force that included surgeons, education experts, and diversity consultants. The curriculum development followed the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation and Evaluation (ADDIE) instructional design model and utilized a problem-based learning approach. Competencies were identified, and specific learning objectives and assessments were developed. The implementation of the curriculum was designed to be completed in short intervals (virtual and in-person). Post-course surveys used the Kirkpatrick's model to evaluate the curriculum and provide valuable feedback. Results: The curriculum consisted of interactive online modules, an online discussion forum, and small group interactive sessions focused in three key areas: (1) increasing pipeline of underrepresented individuals in surgical leadership, (2) healthcare equity, and (3) conflict negotiation. By focusing on positive action items and utilizing a problem-solving approach, the curriculum aimed to provide a framework for surgical leaders to make meaningful changes in their institutions and organizations. Conclusion: The FLD curriculum is a novel leadership curriculum that provided surgeon leaders with the knowledge and tools to improve diversity in three areas: pipeline improvement, healthcare equity, and conflict negotiation. Future directions include using pilot course feedback to enhance curricular effectiveness and delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the actual processing of Xuan paper surface sizing, we used bone glue solution with mass fractions of 0.5–2.5% to apply manual drag-dye surface sizing. Organic elemental analysis, scanning electron microscopy, surface pH determination, water contact angle measurement, dynamic vapour sorption, and thermogravimetric analysis were used to characterize the bone glue content, surface properties and thermal stability of the sized Xuan paper. Different bone glue concentrations were retained uniformly and effectively on Xuan paper. The surface morphology of Xuan paper changed significantly after sizing due to the bone glue coating on the fibres and the fibre network. With an increase in sizing concentration from 1.0 to 1.5%, the hydrophobicity of the sizing Xuan paper's surface increased considerably. The weak acidity of bone glue solution lowered Xuan paper's surface pH. Increasing bone glue concentration can boost Xuan paper's saturation moisture absorption. When bone glue concentration was over 1.0%, sized Xuan paper's moisture absorption rate increased, while sized Xuan paper with a concentration below 1.0% showed a slight inhibition of moisture absorption within a certain humidity range. The sized Xuan paper with a concentration of 1.0% had a more stable and slower hygroscopic reaction in the absorption–desorption cycle. As bone glue concentration increased, Xuan paper's initial moisture content decreased and then increased, with the lowest value for sized Xuan paper at 1.0% concentration. The sized Xuan paper with a concentration of 1.0% bone glue showed the best thermal stability. Surface sizing should have little effect on Xuan paper's calcium carbonate content, but bone glue complicated its thermal behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the case of an adjunct university professor to illustrate the dilemma of using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to grade student papers. The hypothetical case discusses the benefits of using a commercial AI service to grade student papers—including discretion, convenience, pedagogical merits of consistent feedback for students, and advances made in the field that yield high-quality work—all of which are achieved quickly. Arguments against using AI to grade student papers involve cost, privacy, legality, and ethics. The paper discusses career implications for faculty members in both situations and concludes with implications for researchers within the discourse on academic integrity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Paper mills" are unethical outsourcing agencies proficient in fabricating fraudulent manuscripts submitted to scholarly journals. In earlier years, the activity of such companies involved plagiarism, but their processes have gained complexity, involving the fabrication of images and fake results. The objective of this study is to examine the main features of retracted paper mills' articles registered in the Retraction Watch database, from inception to the present, analyzing the number of articles per year, their number of citations, and their authorship network. Eligibility criteria for inclusion: retracted articles in any language due to paper mill activity. Retraction letters, notes, and notices, for exclusion. We collected the associated citations and the journals' impact factors of the retracted papers from Web of Science (Clarivate) and performed a data network analysis using VOSviewer software. This scoping review complies with PRISMA 2020 statement and main extensions. After a thorough analysis of the data, we identified 325 retracted articles due to suspected operations published in 31 journals (with a mean impact factor of 3.1). These retractions have produced 3708 citations. Nearly all retracted papers have come from China. Journal's impact factor lower than 7, life sciences journals, cancer, and molecular biology topics were common among retracted studies. The rapid increase of retractions is highly challenging. Paper mills damage scientific research integrity, exacerbating fraud, plagiarism, fake images, and simulated results. Rheumatologists should be fully aware of this growing phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-barrier, strong, and antibacterial paper was fabricated by coating the acetylated cellulose solution with different contents of cinnamaldehyde (CIN) on Kraft paper. The antibacterial, antioxidant, mechanical, and barrier properties of coated paper were investigated. When the amount of CIN added in coating reached 6% v/v, the coated paper exhibited excellent antioxidant activity and antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Notably, the dry and wet tensile strength of paper after coating was increased by 26.4 and 10.6 MPa, respectively. Furthermore, the coated papers' barrier properties against oil, water, water vapor, and oxygen were dramatically improved, especially for the water barrier rate up to 96.4%. Our coated papers with over 6% v/v CIN could extend beef's shelf-life for at least 4 days, which exhibited a promising prospect in eco-friendly antibacterial packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our goal is to reveal the social media knowledge cascade (SMKC) of the diffusion of scientific papers. PLoS Biology, one of the prestigious and influential open-access journals under PLoS, has received much attention from researchers. Using papers published in PLoS Biology as sample, we use the citation indicators and social media indicators of scientific papers to establish an SMKC network model that measures the relationship between the citation diffusion trajectory of scientific papers and their social media diffusion trajectory through knowledge bursts. Based on the number and type of knowledge bursts, we have identified three types of SMKCs: Social media and SMKC (S–S knowledge cascade), Citation and citation knowledge cascade (C–C knowledge cascade), and Social media and citation knowledge cascade (S–C knowledge cascade). Specifically, we focus on studying the S–C knowledge cascade type in SMKC. We explored the relationship between social media diffusion trajectory knowledge bursts and citation diffusion trajectory knowledge bursts, the prompting effect of S–C knowledge cascades on paper's citation and the pivot node characteristics of the paper S–C knowledge cascade. Our research found that, in the S–C knowledge cascade papers the knowledge burst of the paper on the social media diffusion trajectory is the decisive factor for the knowledge burst in the citation diffusion trajectory. Only part of the knowledge burst in the citation diffusion trajectory will immediately cause the social media diffusion trajectory knowledge bursts. The stronger a paper's SMKC, the easier it is to become a highly cited paper. The type of pivot node is more inclined to the burst of knowledge on the trajectory of social media diffusion. We analyzed the trajectory of knowledge dissemination in the life cycle of scientific papers from a dynamic perspective. We revealed the general features of SMKCs in the process of scientific paper diffusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper recommendation with personalized methods helps researchers to track the latest academic trends and master cutting-edge academic trends efficiently. Meanwhile, the methods of previous paper recommendation suffer from three problems: data sparsity of content-based and collaborative filtering methods; Graph-based recommendations do not fully consider the personalized information of authors and their articles; Cold start based on deep learning. To overcome those difficulties, we propose a personalized paper recommendation method based on a knowledge graph and Transformer encoder (KGTE) with a self-attention mechanism. Firstly, we add auxiliary information (article title, publication year, citation times, and abstract) as attributes to the nodes of knowledge graph(KG), which contain author, digital object unique identifier(DOI) and keywords. Secondly, BERT is used to represent the semantic information features of the article and Transformer is introduced to fully integrate the feature context. After that, by using RippleNet, we traverse the knowledge graph, filter the user preference distribution and form a set of pre recommended nodes with multi_hop nodes. Finally, the prediction layer sorts the set and gets a Top_n paper recommendation. In the experiments on the DBLP and Aminer datasets, the precision value of KGTE improved by an average of 2.59% over the existing baseline methods DER and 4.23% improvement in NDCG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The valorization of paper mill sludge (PMS) is the main goal of this study. The emissions of PMS continue to increase at global scale, especially from packaging paper and board sectors. The raw sludge was used to prepare an adsorbent to remove toxic pollutants from wastewater, the methylene blue (MB), an organic dye. Firstly, the physico-chemical characterization of PMS was done determining the crystalline phases of PMS fibers, the content of main elements, and the pH zero point charge, which was determined at around pH 7. The adsorption of MB on PMS powder was studied at 18 °C with an agitation of 200 rpm, being the best operating conditions 30 min of contact time, 250 mg L−1 of initial MB concentration and 0.05 g in 25 mL of adsorbent dose. Experimental data of MB adsorption was fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm equations. The Langmuir model was more accurate for the equilibrium data of MB adsorption at pH 5.1. The PFOM and PSOM were adjusted to experimental adsorption kinetics data, being PSOM, which describes better the MB adsorption by PMS powder. This was confirmed by calculating the maximum adsorption capacity with PSOM, which was 42.7 mg g−1, being nearly similar of the experimental value of 43.5 mg g−1. The analysis of adsorption thermodynamics showed that the MB was adsorbed exothermically with a ΔH0 = − 20.78 kJ mol−1, and spontaneously with ΔG0 from − 0.99 to − 6.38 kJ mol−1 in the range of temperature from 291 to 363 K, respectively. These results confirm that the sludge from paper industry can be used as biosorbent with remarkable adsorption capacity and low cost for the treatment of wastewater. PMS can be applied in the future for the depollution of the effluents from the textile industry, which are highly charged with dyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Excessive paper dust during paper production may harm the workers’ respiratory health. We wanted to assess the inhalable paper dust levels and its determinants among paper industry workers.A study was conducted in Ethiopia to assess the level of personal inhalable paper dust exposure among four paper mills. A total of 150 samples were collected using the IOM sampler attached to Side Kick Casella pumps at a flow rate of 2 L/min. The samples were analyzed in Nemko Norlab, Norway. Linear mixed-effect models were applied to identify determinants of inhalable paper dust.The geometric mean of personal inhalable paper dust was 3.3 mg/m3 with 80% of the measurements exceeding the Swedish occupational exposure limit (OEL) of 2 mg/m3. The linear mixed-effects model showed that the level of dust was 28% higher when using high-speed than when using low-speed rewinding machines, while paper mills with an average of more than four machines per job group had 22% higher exposure than paper mills with a lower number of machines. Furthermore, working in packing and preparation was associated with higher dust exposure than in other areas.The dust exposure levels were above the Swedish OEL for 80% of the samples. This indicates that preventive measures should be established in the industry. The exposure model identified high-speed rewinding machines, a high number of machines, and work in preparation and packing as associated with high levels of paper dust exposure.Methods: Excessive paper dust during paper production may harm the workers’ respiratory health. We wanted to assess the inhalable paper dust levels and its determinants among paper industry workers.A study was conducted in Ethiopia to assess the level of personal inhalable paper dust exposure among four paper mills. A total of 150 samples were collected using the IOM sampler attached to Side Kick Casella pumps at a flow rate of 2 L/min. The samples were analyzed in Nemko Norlab, Norway. Linear mixed-effect models were applied to identify determinants of inhalable paper dust.The geometric mean of personal inhalable paper dust was 3.3 mg/m3 with 80% of the measurements exceeding the Swedish occupational exposure limit (OEL) of 2 mg/m3. The linear mixed-effects model showed that the level of dust was 28% higher when using high-speed than when using low-speed rewinding machines, while paper mills with an average of more than four machines per job group had 22% higher exposure than paper mills with a lower number of machines. Furthermore, working in packing and preparation was associated with higher dust exposure than in other areas.The dust exposure levels were above the Swedish OEL for 80% of the samples. This indicates that preventive measures should be established in the industry. The exposure model identified high-speed rewinding machines, a high number of machines, and work in preparation and packing as associated with high levels of paper dust exposure.Results: Excessive paper dust during paper production may harm the workers’ respiratory health. We wanted to assess the inhalable paper dust levels and its determinants among paper industry workers.A study was conducted in Ethiopia to assess the level of personal inhalable paper dust exposure among four paper mills. A total of 150 samples were collected using the IOM sampler attached to Side Kick Casella pumps at a flow rate of 2 L/min. The samples were analyzed in Nemko Norlab, Norway. Linear mixed-effect models were applied to identify determinants of inhalable paper dust.The geometric mean of personal inhalable paper dust was 3.3 mg/m3 with 80% of the measurements exceeding the Swedish occupational exposure limit (OEL) of 2 mg/m3. The linear mixed-effects model showed that the level of dust was 28% higher when using high-speed than when using low-speed rewinding machines, while paper mills with an average of more than four machines per job group had 22% higher exposure than paper mills with a lower number of machines. Furthermore, working in packing and preparation was associated with higher dust exposure than in other areas.The dust exposure levels were above the Swedish OEL for 80% of the samples. This indicates that preventive measures should be established in the industry. The exposure model identified high-speed rewinding machines, a high number of machines, and work in preparation and packing as associated with high levels of paper dust exposure.Conclusions: Excessive paper dust during paper production may harm the workers’ respiratory health. We wanted to assess the inhalable paper dust levels and its determinants among paper industry workers.A study was conducted in Ethiopia to assess the level of personal inhalable paper dust exposure among four paper mills. A total of 150 samples were collected using the IOM sampler attached to Side Kick Casella pumps at a flow rate of 2 L/min. The samples were analyzed in Nemko Norlab, Norway. Linear mixed-effect models were applied to identify determinants of inhalable paper dust.The geometric mean of personal inhalable paper dust was 3.3 mg/m3 with 80% of the measurements exceeding the Swedish occupational exposure limit (OEL) of 2 mg/m3. The linear mixed-effects model showed that the level of dust was 28% higher when using high-speed than when using low-speed rewinding machines, while paper mills with an average of more than four machines per job group had 22% higher exposure than paper mills with a lower number of machines. Furthermore, working in packing and preparation was associated with higher dust exposure than in other areas.The dust exposure levels were above the Swedish OEL for 80% of the samples. This indicates that preventive measures should be established in the industry. The exposure model identified high-speed rewinding machines, a high number of machines, and work in preparation and packing as associated with high levels of paper dust exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)–related research on paper products has focused on food packaging with less consideration on the presence of PFAS at different stages of the paper recycling chain. This study analysed the prevalence of PFAS in paper grades used for the manufacture of recycled paperboard. The presence of PFAS was attributed to the use of PFAS-containing additives, consumer usage, exposure to packed goods as well as contamination during mingling, sorting, collection, and recovery of paper recycling material. Q Orbitrap mass spectrometry was used to analyse the paper samples after accelerated solvent extraction and solid phase extraction. The distribution and possible propagation of 22 PFAS were determined in pre-consumer, retail and post-consumer paper products. Post-consumer samples had the highest combined average concentration (ΣPFAS) at 213 ng/g, while the ΣPFAS in retail (159 ng/g) and pre-consumer samples (121 ng/g) was detected at lower concentrations. This study showed that waste collection and recycling protocols may influence PFAS propagation and that measures must be developed to minimise and possibly eliminate exposure opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Honesty of publications is fundamental in science. Unfortunately, science has an increasing fake paper problem with multiple cases having surfaced in recent years, even in renowned journals. There are companies, the so-called paper mills, which professionally fake research data and papers. However, there is no easy way to systematically identify these papers. Here, we show that scanning for exchanged authors in resubmissions is a simple approach to detect potential fake papers. We investigated 2056 withdrawn or rejected submissions to Naunyn–Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology (NSAP), 952 of which were subsequently published in other journals. In six cases, the stated authors of the final publications differed by more than two thirds from those named in the submission to NSAP. In four cases, they differed completely. Our results reveal that paper mills take advantage of the fact that journals are unaware of submissions to other journals. Consequently, papers can be submitted multiple times (even simultaneously), and authors can be replaced if they withdraw from their purchased authorship. We suggest that publishers collaborate with each other by sharing titles, authors, and abstracts of their submissions. Doing so would allow the detection of suspicious changes in the authorship of submitted and already published papers. Independently of such collaboration across publishers, every scientific journal can make an important contribution to the integrity of the scientific record by analyzing its own pool of withdrawn and rejected papers versus published papers according to the simple algorithm proposed in the present paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using industrial waste-driven Fe-TiO2 composite, this study focuses on the removal of color remaining in secondary treated effluent from the pulp and paper industry. This composite facilitated a hybrid system of photocatalysis and photo-Fenton for the treatment of real industry wastewater. The catalyst performance was evaluated in terms of durability, quantum yield, and several other factors. The hybrid, photocatalysis, and photo-Fenton process have a quantum yield of 0.184 × 10−15, 0.00071 × 10−15, and 0.00044 × 10−15, respectively. With more quantum yield, the first-order rate constant (k) of the hybrid process was 16–24 times higher than the individual processes. The optimized values for this system came out to be pH = 4.3, H2O2 dose = 587 mg L−1, % surface area covered = 91.4%, and time = 60 min. A significant color and COD reduction of 89% and 60%, i.e., it got reduced from 400 to 160 mg/L, respectively, was observed for these optimized parameters. The Fe-TiO2 composite showed its efficacy to retain its hybrid nature even after 50 recycles as only a 5–10% reduction in efficiency (in terms of color and COD reduction) was observed. The results of the present study show the potential of composite fabricated from waste for effective color and COD removal in very less time, implying that the technique with reactor modifications can opt as a tertiary treatment in real-life applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soot stain from diverse sources is the most common stain that stains historical paper documents found in libraries, museums, and storage facilities. It is believed to be one of the types of deterioration that arises from the contact between stains and paper sheets. Therefore, in the present work, the effectiveness of the synthesized hybrid nanogel consisting of carbopol and nanoparticles (NPs) of ZnO, TiO2, or Fe3O4, in low and high-viscosity forms, for eliminating soot stains from historical paper manuscripts was conducted. The prepared hybrid nanogels were characterized utilizing the TEM, AFM, XRD, DLS, and Zeta Potential techniques. Following preparation, the soot-stained paper samples were heated to 105 °C for 6 days, a process known as accelerated thermal aging. Surface morphology, mechanical properties and the color change of the paper samples were investigated. The prepared hybrid nanogel had a spherical shape with well-defined edges and uniform size, with an average particle diameter ranging from 30 to 35 nm. There was no significant NPs agglomeration seen, suggesting uniform dispersion in the carbopol matrix. Additionally, the prepared gels' crystal structure and phase purity were revealed by the XRD analysis results. Paper fibers were visible in some parts of the treated sample with TiO2/carbopol hybrid nanogel at high-viscosity before aging. Cleaning soot-stained paper samples using high-viscosity Fe3O4/carbopol hybrid nanogel is more successful than using low-viscosity nanogel. the sample treated with high-viscosity ZnONPs/carbopol hybrid nanogel produced the highest total color differences (ΔE) (26.17). The paper sample treated with high-viscosity ZnO/carbopol hybrid nanogel exhibited the maximum tensile strength (61.8 N/mm2) and elongation at break (1.174%). The evaluation of the paper samples both before and after the cleaning process revealed that, the treatment with high-viscosity ZnO/carbopol hybrid nanogel gave the best results in removing soot stains from stained paper samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research article discusses composite panel manufacturers' challenges in finding an optimum pressing time to achieve a trade-off between the panel's performance and the production cost. Real-time cure monitoring techniques, such as dielectric analysis (DEA), have been developed to overcome the limitations of trial-and-error methods, which have been in use for a long time for the same purpose. DEA measures changes in the dielectric properties of the material during the cross-linking reactions in resin and provides necessary information for the cure state of the material. In this study, paper sensors based on interdigitated electrodes were employed to measure the curing behavior of phenol formaldehyde resin-impregnated paper. The paper sensors were found to be better than commercially available sensors in terms of compatibility, thinness, biodegradability, low cost, flexibility, and non-heterogeneity. The study compared the results obtained from DEA with those from differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and found that DEA can be a good candidate for predicting curing behavior. The average enthalpy of the curing measured using DSC for the B-stage resin-impregnated PF resin was 35.28 J g−1. Moreover, it was observed from the rate of cure that at a higher temperature of 180 °C, the reaction follows an autocatalytic kinetic type as the reaction rate passes through a maximum. However, at lower temperatures, the autocatalytic reaction regime seems to be followed by a decelerating type. Further research on the effect of pressure and other parameters on the curing behavior of PF resin-impregnated paper can be done in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, a high percentage (> 50%) of the paper produced in Europe uses recovered paper (secondary fibers) as raw material. In order to improve the mechanical properties of the paper produced, different kinds of additives are usually incorporated into the paper. Emerging renewable materials based on agricultural or forest residues, such as cellulose nanomaterials, have recently proved good capacities as reinforcing agents for different applications. In this work, pulp from wheat straw with a content of cellulose nanomaterial has been produced and tested as a mechanical reinforcing agent for paper production. A soda semi-chemical process was applied for the delignification of straw, to produce pulp with high cellulose content. Posteriorly, pulps with cellulose nanofibers were obtained in a high-pressure homogenizer, applying three different pretreatments to the cellulose pulp (acid hydrolysis, enzymatic hydrolysis and thermal treatment with glycerol) in order to facilitate the obtention of cellulose nanomaterial. Handsheets of paper were prepared from two sources of secondary fiber (fluting paper and old corrugated containers), adding different percentages of wheat straw derivatives (0, 3.5, 5 and 7%). The fibers' morphology and the papers' mechanical properties were investigated. Noticeable improvement rates (up to 25%) were observed for some mechanical properties of paper containing nanocellulose produced after the enzymatic and acid pretreatments. The quality of the secondary fibers source also affected the improvement rates achieved, with higher percentage changes for the lower-quality recycled paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A PVA matrix was used to suppress infiltration and coffee-ring effects during colorimetric analysis on a paper substrate and improve the trace-level detection of nickel ions (Ni2+) in environmental samples. To improve the color response, a cross-linked PVA matrix was used to anchor the indicator reagent of Ni2+ on the surface of the porous paper substrate as well as reduce evaporation flow by increasing hydrogen bonding in the sample droplet. These phenomena mitigated the loss of color signal by suppressing infiltration and coffee-ring effects. Under optimized conditions, including crosslinker concentration and addition order, type of commercial filter paper, and loading volume of the PVA/indicator mixture, the sensor obtained a limit of detection (LOD) as low as 0.92 ppm and a notable linear behavior of R2 > 0.97 at a linear range of 0.5–50 ppm, which is sufficient for the detection of legal maximum residue limit (MRL) of Ni2+ in wastewaters in China. The PVA-assisted sensor showed good selectivity to most metal ions and could work at different pH levels ranging from 3 to 9. The sensor also exhibited highly sensitive and stable performance in repetitive measurements and had a shelf-life of more than 3 months. These results suggest that our work provides a facile approach to improving the sensitivity and reliability of paper-based sensors for monitoring trace-level Ni2+ concentration in aqueous samples with good selectivity and prolonged shelf-life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread application of biomass-based materials based on paper is the current and future development direction of packaging, decoration and construction and other materials, and the realization of high-level barrier material properties is a key technology and an important means. This paper proposes a new method for preparing paper-based high barrier material with excellent water resistance and oil resistance, especially high temperature oil barrier. PVA–PDMS-coated paper was prepared by grafting PDMS–NCO onto the surface of polyvinyl alcohol coating by heterogeneous graft polymerization using paper-based material as the carrier and polyvinyl alcohol as the base coating. The structure of the reactive cured coating was characterized by infrared analysis and nuclear magnetic resonance. The microstructure of the coated paper surface was observed by scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscope, and the water contact angle of the coated paper surface was measured. The performance test results showed that the PVA–PDMS-coated paper could achieve the best barrier effect when the mass ratio of PVA/PDMS was 3:1, the Cobb value was 11 g/m2, the kit rating could reach 12, it had excellent thermal stability and blocked hot castor oil at 80 °C within 24 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the exponential growth of the volume of scientific literatures, academic evaluation is becoming one of the important problems of scientometrics. Considering the influence of disruption of papers, in this paper, we propose a disruption based PageRank (DPRank) model to rank the scientific significance of scientific papers. The disruption value of a paper is calculated by the local network structure of the paper in the citation network. DPRank model treats each citation differently based on paper's temporal information and disruption value. In DPRank model, the scores delivered from a paper's upstream nodes decay exponentially with the time gap between the publication time and reference time, and the decay rate is proportional to the paper's disruption value. We use the APS data set and some highly valued papers as benchmarks to evaluate the performance of the proposed DPRank model. The experimental results show that the DPRank model has a relatively better performance for both old and newly published papers, and can outperform other methods in identifying the benchmark papers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most important value of archives lies in the handwritten information they record. However, during the storage process, handwriting may change color or fade due to the influence of the storage environment, especially when writing in blue–black ink. Therefore, in response to the phenomenon that files with blue–black ink handwriting are prone to fading, α,α'-bipyridine with the ethanol solution was selected as a developer to perform color-developing treatment on naturally aged ink samples to assess the color-developing effect of faded blue–black ink handwriting. The results showed that the artificially aged ink sample had significantly faded. After being treated with a chromogenic agent, the color of the faded ink sample deepened, and the outline of the handwriting became clear. The yellow–blue color b value changed to −3.15, the residual ink amount increased by 41.74%, and the difference in absorbance curve area decreased by 296.75. Moreover, the chromogenic agent did not cause significant damage to the paper. This result indicates that the chromogenic agent has a good effect on the recovery of naturally aged blue–black ink blots, and this study has certain practical application value for the protection of the ancient literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Up to now, it is always a delicate and challenging task to clean and protect Xuan paper ink painting. Xuan paper is composed of cellulose with a rough surface and easy to absorb dust, which leads to poor cleaning effect and irreversible damage in traditional cleaning process. Hydrogel is one of the most effective tools to clean the artworks. However, in the practice of cleaning Xuan paper, most hydrogels cannot achieve fine cleaning result due to the interfacial adhesion issues. Herein, to protectively and effectively clean Xuan paper, using physical yet strong poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(N-(2-hydroxyethyl) acrylamide) (PVA/PHEAA) hydrogel with suitable stiffness as the model, the interfacial adhesion between hydrogel and Xuan paper was systematically investigated, and various technologies were used to evaluate the cleaning effect. A critical interfacial adhesive energy (< 4 J/m2) is found to achieve the protective and effective cleaning purpose. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to estimate the adhesion of hydrogel on the cleaning of paper artwork, which will provide a new viewport in the conservation practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recycled paper pulping wastewater (RPPW) will cause serious environmental problems due to the high loads of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and toxic components. In the present work, the degradation of DOM in the biologically treated RPPWs (cardboard wastewater (CW) and corrugated container wastewater (CCW)) by a combined coagulation and ozonation process was investigated. The optimal chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal of CW reached 73.64% at aluminum sulfate (Al2(SO4)3) dosage of 800 mg/l, aeration aperture of 10 μm, pH of 9, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) dosage of 100 mg/l, and reaction time of 70 min. The optimal COD removal of CCW reached 55.76% at a poly-aluminum chloride (PAC) dosage of 700 mg/l, H2O2 dosage of 140 mg/l, and reaction time of 50 min. This study provided some insights into the change of DOM during the combined treatment through the use of UV–Vis spectroscopy and excitation-emission matrix spectroscopy (EEM). PAC and Al2(SO4)3 removed high molecular weight organic such as lignin and lignin-derived compounds to improve the biodegradability of the wastewater. Ozone oxidized high molecular weight organic with complex functional groups to low molecular weight organic with simple functional groups and even mineralization, and this phenomenon resulted in the COD of ozonation effluent significantly reduced. Thus, the results presented in this study support the application of the combined coagulation and ozonation process in treating RPPW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study reviews the methods of studying a microwave field power density distribution inside microwave heat treatment units and identifies shortcomings of these methods. It proposes a technique of extending the thermal-indication capabilities of standard thermal paper, according to which we provide an example of a study of temperature distribution when a three-layer thermal indicator assembly is heated in a microwave beam-type chamber of approximately 600 W. Temperature variations in the range of 25–400°C with the optical density of standard thermal paper have been experimentally studied by means of reflectance densitometry. Based on the analysis of the temperature dependence on the change in optical reflection density, six regions of the standard thermal paper conversion were identified, namely temperature ranges of 25–70°C, 70–100°C, 100–150°C, 150–210°C, 210–290°C, 290–400°C and optical densities of 0.06–0.07, 0.08–0.90, 0.91–0.99, 0.71–0.91, 0.21–0.70, and 0.20–0.38 B, respectively. In region 1, the optical density of the thermal paper does not change relative to the initial surface, and in region 2, an initial increase in the optical density is observed. In regions 3 and 4, the maximum optical density is achieved due to darkening of a leuco dye, while in region 3, there is a smooth surface of the thermal paper; in region 4, there is a velvety surface of the thermal paper due to formation of microcrystals and clots of the thermosensitive layer material. In region 5, a sharp decrease in optical density is observed as a result of discoloration of a leuco dye, and in region 6, a secondary increase in optical density is observed due to carbonization of the paper backing. The results obtained can be used to design microwave equipment as well as optimize microwave treatment conditions for materials and articles for the food, chemical, electronic, and other industries. The developed technique is also relevant for local measurements of inhomogeneity in the distribution of temperature fields when other thermometry methods cannot be used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a disposable sensor array was designed based on the chemi-resistive behavior of the conducting polymers to detect three volatile organic compounds (VOCs), i.e., acetone, ethanol, and methanol in air and breath. Four disposable resistive sensors were designed by coating polypyrrole and polyaniline (in their doped and de-doped forms) on filter paper substrates and tested against VOCs in air. Change in conductivity of the polymer resulting from exposure to various VOC concentration was measured as percentage resistance change using a standard multimeter. The lowest concentration detected for acetone, ethanol, and methanol vapors was 400 ppb, 150 ppb, and 300 ppb, respectively within 2 min. These VOC-responsive sensors, housed in an indigenous inert chamber, showed good stability, repeatability, and reversibility while sensing, thus making it suitable for environmental pollutant detection at room temperature. Furthermore, the non-specific nature of these easy to fabricate sensors towards all VOCs is considered favorable and upon classifying with principal component analysis (PCA), the gases were qualitatively distinguished in separate clusters. These developed sensors were also tested and analyzed using VOC spiked real breath samples as proof of concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work evaluates the effect of spray-coating papers using cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) and nanoclay (NC) on the mechanical and barrier properties for application such as reinforced packaging bags. Sack kraft papers of 60 g m−2 (C60) were coated with combinations of CNFs and CNFs + NC, varying the number of layers on the internal face (IF) and external face (EF) of the paper. Their properties were compared to uncoated sack kraft papers with basis weight of 60 g m−2 (C60), 80 g m−2 (C80) and 120 g m−2 (C120). The amount of CNF/NC deposited was ~ 20 g m−2 while the CNF layer deposited was ~ 10 g m−2 on the sack papers. Increase in the number of layers deposited decreased the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) compared to C60. CNF layer had lower contact angles on the coated papers than CNF/NC layer. The coated papers also showed a 44–66% increase in tensile index when compared to C120. Papers coated with 2 layers of CNFs and 1 layer of CNFs /NC achieved the same tensile index as C120 and the layers also resulted in higher values of Young's modulus (38–56%) when compared to C60. Spray-coating, with the appropriate layers, improved the mechanical and barrier properties of the coated papers, and is a possible alternative to producing papers with lower basis weight and using renewable raw materials. Additionally, the mixture of two hydrophilic components, such as nanofibrils and NC can result in a coating with more hydrophobic characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous natural dyes were used to dye mediaeval Islamic paper from the tenth to the nineteenth century, using a variety of techniques. The objective of this research is to develop an analytical method using high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC–DAD) to identify natural dyes in forty historical Islamic paper manuscripts from two collections. In addition, novel information was obtained from original treatises containing recipes for dyeing paper and the chronological use of dyes in dyeing mediaeval Islamic paper between the tenth and seventeenth centuries. The results show that thirty-four of the forty manuscripts examined contained dyes. Six natural dyes were detected, including henna, madder, lac, safflower, turmeric, and weld. This is the first study aimed at developing a method for determining various natural dyes in Islamic paper from a wide historical and geographical range in the mediaeval time and to fill significant gaps in the technical and historical knowledge of papermaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corn stalk is employed as a raw material to produce tissue paper and glucose for biofuel. Corn stalk pulp has a high amount of fines which makes it a problematic material for paper making as well as tissue paper. In this study, pulp was produced from whole corn stalk by soda-anthraquinone process, which contained 32% fines, generated from the pith of the starting raw material. High fines content resulted the tissue paper to have low bulk, poor water absorbance, and swelling. The fines were separated from the pulp by fiber classifier. The fines-free pulp was used for tissue paper and fines were subjected to enzymatic hydrolysis using cellulase to produce glucose for bioethanol production. The bulk, water absorbency, and porosity of pulp sheets increased with the removal of fines from the whole pulp. One-stage enzymatic saccharification treatment using cellulase enzyme was evaluated for the conversion of cellulosic fines to monomeric sugars by varying treatment time, consistency, and pH. Maximum fines conversion was observed at a temperature of 40°C, 5.0 pH, and consistency of 6% for 6-h reaction. Efficacy of the cellulase activity was evaluated by measuring sugar yield and residual dry weight of fines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detecting and monitoring hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels is crucial across various industries due to its potential health hazards at elevated concentrations. Hence, there's an urgent need for cost-effective, rapid, and straightforward analytical methods for H2O2 detection and monitoring. This study introduces a simple synthesis method for Barium Titanate (BaTiO3) and Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) (BaTiO3/MS) nanocomposite via mechanochemical means. The nanocomposite exhibits remarkable peroxidase-like activity, catalyzing the oxidation of TMB (3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine) in the presence of H2O2. This catalytic reaction results in the formation of a blue-colored solution with an absorbance peak at 652 nm. The increase in absorbance, facilitated by the catalytic properties of BaTiO3/MS enables precise detection of H2O2 with a detection limit of 8.0 µM. Furthermore, a modified filter paper incorporating the nanocomposite and agarose gel with TMB was developed. The change in color intensity of the filter paper upon exposure to H2O2 was observed and quantified in terms of RGB (Red Green Blue) values using an Android smartphone-based software Color Meter as well as Windows-based software ImageJ. Both the programs gave nearly similar RGB values. This paper-based sensor eliminates the reliance on a UV-visible spectrophotometer, making it portable and user-friendly. This study presents a novel approach for optical and colorimetric detection, with the potential to advance sensing devices for various analytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on novel tools for model-based development differs from a mere engineering task by not only developing a new tool, but by providing some form of evidence that it is effective. This is typically achieved by experimental evaluations. Following principles of good scientific practice, both the tool and the models used in the experiments should be made available along with a paper, aiming at the replicability of experimental results. We investigate to which degree recent research reporting on novel methods, techniques, or algorithms supporting model-based development with MATLAB/Simulink meets the requirements for replicability of experimental results. Our results from studying 65 research papers obtained through a systematic literature search are rather unsatisfactory. In a nutshell, we found that only 31% of the tools and 22% of the models used as experimental subjects are accessible. Given that both artifacts are needed for a replication study, only 9% of the tool evaluations presented in the examined papers can be classified to be replicable in principle. We found none of the experimental results presented in these papers to be fully replicable, and 6% partially replicable. Given that tools are still being listed among the major obstacles of a more widespread adoption of model-based principles in practice, we see this as an alarming signal. While we are convinced that this situation can only be improved as a community effort, this paper is meant to serve as starting point for discussion, based on the lessons learnt from our study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drill-and-practice flashcard interventions are often used when students display delays in sight word recognition and word reading fluency. Sight-phrase interventions connect two to three words together to teach connected text instead of words in isolation. Although studies have shown that students can learn to read sight phrases through a tablet-based intervention, there have been no studies comparing a tablet-based drill-and-practice sight-phrase intervention with a similar paper-based intervention. The current study used a multiple-baseline design across three students and implemented a sight-phrase intervention both using traditional flashcards and using an iPad app. Students were prompted to see the phrase, attempt to read the phrase, hear the phrase read, and then say the phrase again before moving to the next phrase. Results showed that all students quickly acquired all unknown phrases within two to five sessions. There was no difference in acquisition rate between the paper and iPad modalities. Discussion focuses on the applicability of the iPad intervention to increase efficiency in flashcard intervention delivery given that the intervention can increase student sight-phrase acquisition at a similar rate as traditional flashcard interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen doped graphene nanowall(s) deposited on carbon paper is employed in sequestration of trace-level plutonium from aqueous solution using batch adsorption technique. Surface and structural characteristics of the sorbent are studied using SEM and Raman spectroscopy, respectively. Radiometric α-counting of the supernatant solution showed > 90% sorption at pH > 7. Visual Minteq modelling revealed that Pu(OH)4 species is responsible for high sorption. Freundlich model evolved as the best fit, implying multilayer deposition on a heterogeneous surface as the mechanism of sorption. The combination of 10 M HNO3 and EDTA resulted in 75% desorption. The results are promising for the sequestration of trace-level plutonium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste to energy conversion routes can contribute to solving energy poverty and waste disposal problems while improving farmers' incomes by creating tradable value-added products. This study explored compositing waste paper and biogas digestate-derived char to produce fuel briquettes as a waste to energy conversion route. The objective was to optimize fuel and mechanical properties of derived briquettes. Response surface methodology was employed with independent variables of waste-paper mass, compression force, and drying time while ash content, higher heating value (HHV), density, compressive strength, and moisture content were the response variables. Linear models best fit the responses of HHV, compressive strength, and moisture content. Quadratic models best fit ash content and bulk density responses. Waste-paper mass had the most significant influence on briquettes' ash content, HHV, moisture content, and bulk density. Waste paper to digestate mass ratio of 0.3, compression force 1531 N, and drying time 11 days were found to be the optimum production conditions resulting into ash content of 22.7% db, HHV 14.7 MJ/kg, bulk density 562.7 kgm−3, compressive strength 9.9 N mm−2, and moisture content 5.5% wet basis (wb). Briquettes developed at optimum conditions exhibited drop test strength of 93%. Formulated briquettes had thermal efficiency of 52% compared to eucalyptus wood 31% and eucalyptus charcoal 36%, as well as a lower specific fuel consumption of 47 g/l compared to digestate char briquette and eucalyptus wood with 162 and 80 g/l respectively. If these briquettes replaced wood and its derived charcoal, cost savings of US$328.5 and US$216.23 would be realized per ton of the respective fuel foregone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A solution of cellulose dissolved in NaOH/urea was investigated for extending the life of three different model papers. Their mechanical properties such as tensile strength, folding endurance, and tearing strength were tested before and after the treatment. These samples were also characterized by SEM, XRD and FTIR. The results showed that the pre-protection for the papers was absolutely necessary before spraying the cellulose solution on the papers, otherwise the papers would be destroyed in a matter of seconds by the strong alkalinity of the cellulose solution. The pretreatment of impregnating the papers with ethyl acetate in ethanol solution could greatly extend the time that the papers contacted with the cellulose solution to 8 min before water washing. After the treatment, the mechanical properties of the samples improved significantly, especially for their folding endurance, indicating an increase in the interfiber bonds, which improved the flexibility of the papers. The treatment neutralized the acid in the papers and greatly improved the anti-aging properties of the papers, meanwhile the appearance of the paper changed slightly. This study provided a new idea for paper conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We combine biodegradable plastic (polyvinyl alcohol/glycerol polymer), and cellulose-based tissue paper in a very short time (5 s) by a facile way to form a new matrix, named plastic-paper, which has high optical transmittance (~ 89%) and high optical haze (~ 90%) in broadband. Results showed that the plastic-paper is durable in different solvents, with high folding strength (over 3500 folding times) and good mechanical strength (> 30 MPa tensile strength). Interestingly, the plastic-paper presents a two-sidedness of surface morphology. The smooth side shows high light transmittance and the rough side presents high optical haze. The smooth side of the plastic-paper is successfully applied to Organic Light-Emitting Diode (OLED). When the rough surface of plastic-paper is used in solar cells, the maximum output power increases by 2.6% compared with bare solar cells. The developed plastic-paper with high optical transmittance and high optical haze holds a great potential in flexible optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cheap, rapid, simple and equipment-free nucleic acid extraction (NAE) is highly preferred for implementing nucleic acid detection at point-of-care (POC). Paper-based NAE materials have been extensively utilized due to their low cost, abundance, portability, biocompatibility and ease of chemical modification. However, it is challenging for users to choose the proper one from existing paper-based NAE materials for specific POC applications, which is determined by their physical and chemical properties. Additionally, building the relationship between the physical and chemical properties and the NAE efficiency of paper-based materials is instructive for development of new paper-based NAE materials. In this study, we first systematically compared the physical and chemical properties of six widely used paper-based NAE materials (namely Whatman filter paper #1, FTA card, FTA elute card, Fusion 5, silica membrane and polyethersulfone (PES) membrane), and then evaluated their NAE efficiency. The obtained results indicated that pore uniformity, wet strength, porosity and functional groups are key parameters to affect the efficiency of NAE. The NAE performance of FTA card is the best with high concentration and purity. Finally, we envision that more cost-effective paper-based NAE materials will be developed for POCT application in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research proposes a method for designers to develop kinetic structures derived from folding patterns, which are viable in architecture based on flat and curved folding. It describes how these folding patterns can be used to generate mechanisms free of common problems like self-locking. It questions how it can be learnt from the mathematics of folding techniques so that what is learnt can be transformed into real plates and linkages of kinetic systems. It also examines geometric formations of kinetic surfaces regarding seventeen symmetry groups of crystals to understand global motion and its enablers. The research contribution of this paper consists of a method with a systematic flow as validated through a case study. The case study exemplifies how any arbitrary sketch is transformed into an actual kinetic structure by folding paper models, digital simulations, and prototypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the colorimetric response of standard glucose, serum glucose, and nucleic acid assays on various paper surfaces with different wettability, including hydrophilic, hydrophobic, and nearly superhydrophobic surfaces. Water contact angles (WCA) formed by water droplets on each surface were measured using ImageJ software. The hydrophilic surface showed no contact angle, while the hydrophobic and nearly superhydrophobic surfaces exhibited contact angles of 115.667° and 133.933°, respectively. The colorimetric sensitivity of the standard glucose assay was analyzed on these surfaces, revealing enhanced sensitivity on the nearly superhydrophobic surface due to the high molecular crowding effect owing to its non-wetting behavior and eventually confined reaction product at the sample loading zone. The hydrophobic nature of the surface restricts the spreading and diffusion of the reaction product, leading to a controlled and localized concentration of the assay product leading to moderate colorimetric intensity. On the other hand, the hydrophilic surface showed the least enhancement in colorimetric sensitivity; this is attributed to the high wettability of the hydrophilic surface causing the reaction product to spread extensively, resulting in a larger area of dispersion and consequently a lower colorimetric intensity. The measured limit of detection (LOD) for nucleic acid on nearly superhydrophobic surfaces was found to be 16.15 ng/µL, which was almost four-fold lower than on hydrophilic surfaces (60.08 ng/µL). Additionally, the LODs of standard glucose and clinical serum samples were two-fold lower on nearly superhydrophobic surfaces compared to hydrophilic surfaces. Our findings clearly highlight the promising potential of utilizing superhydrophobic surfaces to significantly enhance colorimetric sensitivity in paper-based diagnostic applications. This innovative approach holds promise for advancing point-of-care diagnostics and improving disease detection in resource-limited settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we demonstrate an effective anion capturing in an aqueous medium using a highly porous carbon paper decorated with ZnO nanorods. A sol–gel technique was first employed to form a thin and compact seed layer of ZnO nanoparticles on the dense network of carbon fibers in the carbon paper. Subsequently, ZnO nanorods were successfully grown on the pre-seeded carbon papers using inexpensive chemical bath deposition. The prepared porous electrodes were electrochemically investigated for improved charge storage and stability under long-term operational conditions. The results show effective capacitive deionization with a maximum areal capacitance of 2 mF/cm2, an energy consumption of 50 kJ per mole of chlorine ions, and an excellent long-term stability of the fabricated C-ZnO electrodes. The experimental results are supported by COMSOL simulations. Besides the demonstrated capacitive desalination application, our results can directly be used to realize suitable electrodes for energy storage in supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing fluorescent paper-based materials with recyclable, environmental friendly, excellent stable and uniform performances are still an urgent challenge at present. Herein, a simple, green, and high-efficiency method for the fabrication of high stability and recyclable cellulose-based fluorescent paper from waste bagasse via Hantzsch reaction is proposed. Compared to the pristine paper, the surface modification showed little effect on the morphology, mechanical properties, thermal performance and appearance. Meanwhile, the good writing and printing ability of the paper still remained. The prepared paper showed excellent fluorescence performance, which is very stable even treated with acidic, alkaline, and different solvents for 24 h. It can be processed into different security patterns. What's more, this strategy could be extended by using other compositions with aldehyde groups. Considering their functional and recyclable features, as well as the convenient and efficient fabrication process, our fluorescent papers hold great potential to be applied in many fields such as anti-counterfeiting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, cellulose nanofiber was prepared from water hyacinth (WH) using a simple domestic blender and employed as reinforcement in recycled paper. There are various sources to prepare cellulose nanofiber. However, water hyacinth was used as a source to synthesize cellulose in this study to decrease its devastating effect on the water body. Pure cellulose was isolated from water hyacinth with chemical treatments including dilute alkali swelling and bleaching. The chemical composition of water hyacinth was gravimetrically determined and the result demonstrated that cellulose is the largest constituent of the plant (55%), followed by hemicelluloses (19%) and lignin (14%). The remaining 12% was related to other extracts like fat, oil, pectin, etc. As the FTIR data revealed, the functional groups corresponding to lignin and hemicelluloses were absent in the FTIR spectra of extracted cellulose. To increase its functionality, the prepared cellulose was disintegrated into nanofibers using a simple mechanical treatment. To learn more about cellulose fibrillation, UV–Vis spectroscopy was used to analyze the light transmittance of 1 wt% water dispersed, mechanically treated cellulose. The dispersion showed high light transparency, particularly at a higher wavelength. As a result of the cellulose dispersion's reasonable light transmittance value, it can be deduced that the aggregated cellulose chains were efficiently transformed into nanofibers. The inclusion of cellulose nanofibers as reinforcement significantly improved recycled paper's moisture resistance, thermal stability, and mechanical strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, we design and implement a small, convenient, and noninvasive paper-based microfluidic sweat sensor that can simultaneously detect multiple key biomarkers in human sweat. The origami structure of the chip includes colorimetric and electrochemical sensing regions. Different colorimetric sensing regions are modified with specific chromogenic reagents to selectively identify glucose, lactate, uric acid, and magnesium ions in sweat, as well as the pH value. The regions of electrochemical sensing detect cortisol in sweat by molecular imprinting. The entire chip is composed of hydrophilically and hydrophobically treated filter paper, and 3D microfluidic channels are constructed by using folding paper. The thread-based channels formed after the hydrophilic and hydrophobic modifications are used to control the rate of sweat flow, which in turn can be used to control the sequence of reactions in the differently developing colored regions to ensure that signals of the best color can be captured simultaneously by the colorimetric sensing regions. Finally, the results of on-body experiments verify the reliability of the proposed sweat sensor and its potential for the noninvasive identification of a variety of sweat biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic sticky contaminants represent one of the biggest technical challenges in the paper recycling process. These contaminants reduce paper strength, cause plugging of wires and felts, and stick to or deposit on machine parts affecting the runnability of the paper machine. The removal of these sticky contaminants is difficult to achieve along the process due to the heterogeneous nature of these organic contaminants. In this study, the nature of sticky contaminants in multiple wastepaper grades was analyzed and characterized using screening, solvent extraction with subsequent analysis such as FT-IR, GC-MS, and SEM. The content of stickies in wastepaper varies among different paper grades and their recovery methods. The wastepaper from curb side collection contains nearly 4 times the amount of stickies than most of the wastepaper grades collected from a local paper recycling mill. Polyvinyl acetate polymers, styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), paraffin waxes and polyamines are the major components in the extracted sticky contaminants. In addition, these stickies deposit heavily on fibers surface leading to high negative charge in fibers suspension ranging between 2 and 4.5 µeq/L. It is expected that these findings will assist addressing the knowledge gaps in understanding the nature of stickies and their behaviors, and to eventually develop highly efficient technologies for contamination removal in the paper recycling process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research focuses on the development of paper from lignocellulosic agricultural wastes, viz., corn husk (CH), which is an underexplored material and sugarcane baggase (SB), in varying proportions, through soda pulping and enhancement of their functionalities through chitosan and beeswax–chitosan emulsion coatings. Fiber digestion was done at optimized conditions; followed by blowing, quenching and then refining of both treated CH and SB pulp to a Canadian Standard Freeness (CSF) of 400–450 mL. The handsheets of 80 GSM (grammage) were prepared as per the standard ISO-5269/1 and were tested for their mechanical and barrier properties as per standard methods of ISO. Handsheets developed from the blend of SB and CH (50:50) and SB fibers (100%) were found to have better mechanical strength (in terms of burst, tensile and tear strength) in comparison to CH fibers (100%). The effect of coatings on mechanical, water resistance, micro-structural, and biodegradable properties of the cellulose papers were also assessed. The chitosan coating significantly improved (p < 0.05) the mechanical properties of papers, the barrier properties against water vapor, moisture and air were also enhanced (up to 85%). Papers coated with beeswax–chitosan emulsion had the longest absorbency time, followed by chitosan-coated and uncoated papers. The results advocated for beeswax–chitosan emulsion as the best among the coatings tested, for aforementioned cellulose papers to enhance their barrier properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]