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Leather-wood fibreboards are innovative composite materials, which combine together the high mechanical properties of wood with the superior fire behaviour properties of leather. This study deals with the understanding of the combustion mechanism of the wet-white leather panel. During burning, an overlay coating-like surface is formed on top of a foamy structure that creates the heat transfer barrier. The FT-IR spectroscopy results of the leather show the rearrangement of the proteins and the formation of an increasing amount of acid groups when the exposure to hot gun at over 530°C was prolonged. These acid moieties can react with amino groups of other peptide chains, building a protective polymer network which hinders the oxygen to reach the core of the panel. Simultaneously, the gases produced during rearrangement cannot easily leave the material, producing a foamy structure which slows down the heat transfer to the core of the material. The Py-GC-MS analysis shows that the gases produced by the wet-white leather-type protein-based boards were amino-aromatic compounds like the diketopiperazine (DKP), which do not burn easily. The combination of the effects of (i) formation of the overlay coating-like surface, (ii) establishment of the foamy structure, and (iii) degassing of DKP explains the outstanding fire properties of leather and wood-leather fibreboards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper focused on reducing greenhouse gases emissions in wastewater treatment plants operation by application of suitable control strategies. Specifically, the objective is to reduce nitrous oxide emissions during the nitrification process. Incomplete nitrification in the aerobic tanks can lead to an accumulation of nitrite that triggers the nitrous oxide emissions. In order to avoid the peaks of nitrous oxide emissions, this paper proposes a cascade control configuration by manipulating the dissolved oxygen set-points in the aerobic tanks. This control strategy is combined with ammonia cascade control already applied in the literature. This is performed with the objective to take also into account effluent pollutants and operational costs. In addition, other greenhouse gases emissions sources are also evaluated. Results have been obtained by simulation, using a modified version of Benchmark Simulation Model no. 2, which takes into account greenhouse gases emissions. This is called Benchmark Simulation Model no. 2 Gas. The results show that the proposed control strategies are able to reduce by 29.86% of nitrous oxide emissions compared to the default control strategy, while maintaining a satisfactory trade-off between water quality and costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The synthesis method of the metal chromites embedded in silica is original. [•] The redox reaction between PVA and the metal nitrates leads to metal carboxylate precursors inside silica matrix. [•] By a thermal decomposition of these precursors MCr2O4/SiO2 nanocomposites are obtained at 600°C. [•] All chromites have been obtained as nanoparticles homogeneously distributed in the silica matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigated the possibilities of applying coconut husk in fibreboard production. The objective was to reduce the amount of phenol formaldehyde (PF)-resin in highly water resistant fibreboards such as high pressure laminates (HPL). The milling process of coconut husk was analysed, tested and verified. Recommendations were worked out for the storage, transportation and preparation of coconut husks. The main steps such as preparation of raw material including resination, forming and pressing of boards, and their effects on the performance of boards were analysed. HPL boards were manufactured in the laboratory and tested following the European Norms (EN 438). Different particle sizes of coconut husk and blending ratios to wood fibre were chosen. The 100% based coconut husk HPL boards (without PF resin) showed impressive water resistance performance after the 2 hour boiling test. A ratio of PF resinated spruce fibre of 50% and the rest coconut husk showed high mechanical and physical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research was to determine the fundamental properties of Dendrocalamus asper and its suitability to be promoted as a raw material for the manufacture of composite lumber. The parameters studied were pH value, buffer capacity and bonding quality of bamboo strands using different adhesives. The pH and acid-buffering capacity, measured at three locations along the culm length, were 5.4 and 0.53 milliequivalents respectively. However, values from the different locations in the culm did not show any significant difference. The bonding quality of the bamboo strands was evaluated for three adhesives using a special device called an Automated Bonding Evaluation System (ABES). Three essential parameters were studied, namely, three types of glues (melamine formaldehyde, melamine urea phenol formaldehyde and phenol formaldehyde), four pressing temperatures (150, 170, 190 and 210 °C) and different pressing times (20 to 300 s). It was observed that bond quality was improved by increasing the hot pressing time and temperature. Results also showed that melamine formaldehyde was the best adhesive to bond bamboo strands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Material flow analysis by means of discrete event simulation proved to be a useful tool for decision support by several studies. This case study presents a bottleneck analysis for an Austrian Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF) production plant. The developed model was linked to actual production data and animated. The aim was to picture production, storage and transporting processes from the hot pressing of the boards through to shipping of batched costumer orders with sufficient accuracy. Different scenarios representing varying production programs and warehouse allocation principles were simulated. The results of the reference scenario showed good alignment to the corresponding factory data. At a production program with increased share of cut-to-size panels the saw turned into a bottleneck and the utilisation of the finished goods warehouse increased significantly. The simulation provided useful information about the capability of the production, transport and storage systems and their performance at altered conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical and mechanical properties of OSB made with mixture of beech and poplar strands were compared to boards made purely of beech, poplar and pine at 650 and 720 kg m−3. The mixed beech and poplar strand boards showed better properties in bending strength and IB compared to pure panels. In addition, MOR and MOE were found to reach values two times higher than the levels as specified in EN300 the standard at a density of 720 kg m−3. Thickness Swelling (TS) after 24 h for panels of mixed beech and poplar strands were 13%, which is around 35% less than EN300 allows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanocomposites of the type 30 % CuFeO/70 % SiO were synthesized using the modified sol-gel method starting from tetraethylorthosilicate, metal nitrates (Fe(NO)·9HO, Cu(NO)·3HO) and the diol: 1,3-propane diol. The obtained hybrid gel, which contains within the pores, the metal nitrates and diol, was thermally treated at 140 °C, when the redox reaction between metal nitrates and 1,3-propane diol takes place forming Cu(II)-Fe(III) carboxylate compounds of malonate type. The thermal decomposition of the carboxylates within the gels pores, at ~300 °C, leads to simple or mixed metal oxides, uniformly distributed within the amorphous silica matrix. The spinel system CuFeO/SiO was obtained starting with 700 °C. The evolution of the spinel phase with the annealing temperature was investigated and resulted that at 1,000 °C, the matrix crystallizes into cristobalite and quartz. The formation of bulk CuFeO, starting from the same type of Cu(II)-Fe(III) carboxylate compounds was also investigated. A comparison between the thermal evolution of bulk CuFeO and CuFeO/SiO starting from Cu(II)-Fe(III) carboxylate compounds was made. The magnetic behavior of the ferrite nanocrystallites depending on the annealing temperature was also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sport teaches you to fight for your goal and not to be harmed in the moments of balance. The psyche feeds on the desire for recognition, self-transcendence and progress; consequently, once the taste for small victories has settled and the desire to overcome barriers exists, the ambition to achieve the set goals appears. Ambition means pursuing a goal and the desire to do everything in your power to achieve it. In the paper "The role of players as innovators" we aimed to present first of all the social dimension of sport, why it has become so important nowadays, as well as the reasons why we consider athletes to be innovative. In the last part are presented a series of athletes considered innovators or pioneers, each in the sport they practice, because they managed to stand out and have exceptional results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sport and the athlete have inspired a lot of admiration among people. With the passing of the years and the improvement of knowledge about the human body and its capabilities, most believed that their abilities could not be improved. But with the advancement of modern technology, this has changed. The modern athlete uses all the help he can get; from specialized coaching to dieticians, to the best and latest technologies. The data gathered through technology is used to dissect the athlete's performance, identifying exactly where improvement is needed and where the focus is needed. In the paper "The use of technological innovations in sport" we make a presentation on how technology has taken over the sports field and produced numerous improvements in various equipments, how this technological development has affected the sports products market and a small analysis of the global sports equipment market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sports betting is the oldest form of gambling in the world. In the beginning, it was simply a leisure activity. We are currently talking about a multi-billion-euro deal. The sports betting industry has changed more in 15 years than in the last 50 years. In the 1950s, sports betting began to enter the world and almost nothing changed until the beginning of the 21st century. However, with the onset of the new millennium, online betting has changed the landscape dramatically, and is now developing at a fast pace than ever before. The future is always unpredictable, but we will try to imagine it based on current trends in sports betting. The paper "The impact of the betting industry on sports" aims to present a series of aspects regarding the history of sports games, the types of sports games existing today, a brief highlight of the Romanian sports games market and a short presentation of the positive and negative effects on sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated in which way a linear probe, a transvaginal probe and a 3D probe will perform in the investigation of the fetal spine. The targets of the examination were the same as for the 2D convex probe: longitudinal image of the spine and position of the cord in the neural canal. [Extracted from the article]

In our days building a brand means that you start getting visitors to the site who have no reason to be there, except that part of the brain is connected with the company name. In the long run, this situation becomes paramount to expanding the brand. Because it is a first choice, people think about the name of the business and will tell or recommend the services / product to their peers. In the paper " Building the brand of Romanian sports teams from handball" we initially sought to present the theoretical aspects of the brand term, an introduction to the history of Romanian handball, presentation of the results and medals won by the Romanian teams and the strategy used so far that led to the transformation of Romanian handball into a brand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was performed between 2007-2012 and encompasses 94 patients. The patients were divided in two groups. The first group included the patients who have benefited from surgical treatment (42 cases) and the second one included patients who benefited from conservative treatment. Out of the total number of cases, 63 cases showed an intact simple bone cyst that was most of the time an accidental discovery. 31 patients presented with fracture sustained on a simple bone cyst. There were 63 boys and 31 girls. Their mean age was 9.9 +1- 2.34 years. Single injection was performed for 49 patients; the rest had double or triple injections. The mean follow-up was 34.5 +1- 6.6 months. The procedure succeeded in obtaining healing in 77 cysts (82%). Cyst index of more than five and cortical index of less than 1 mm were significantly prone to pathological fractures and had significant poor results after treatment. Our results suggested that an autogenous bone marrow injection is a safe and effective treatment method for simple bone cysts, when compared with the surgical management, but sometimes-repeated injections are necessary. Cyst index and cortical width are good indicators for treatment outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glomus tumor (glomus cell tumor) is a rare, hamartomatous, usually benign neoplasm, whose cells resemble the modified smooth muscle cells of the normal glomus body. The diagnosis of a lower extremity is often delayed, due to the lack of awareness and low level of suspicion, by the treating physician. The glomus tumor (GT) often involves the nail beds. The unusual location of the lower extremity often leads to missed or delayed diagnosis and management. There is a paucy of information about GT in general, especially among orthopedic surgeons. The aim of this article is to make the surgical community more aware of this disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The basic combined test (CRL+NT+blood test) and NIPT (non-invasive prenatal testing) do not have the ability to identify morphological anomalies. New ultrasound machines with improved resolution that provide a good 2D image allow the visualization of the smallest details and together with experienced sonographers increase the detection rate of first trimester anomalies. The 11-13+6-week scan is an accessible investigation that allows preventive and therapeutic measures in certain cases. A normal scan is important for reassurance, especially for patients having an increased risk. We analyzed cases from 2016 to 2019 that had an NIPT performed followed by an ultrasound scan at 11-13+6 weeks. A special attention was given to cases with negative NIPT and chromosomal anomalies diagnosed invasively/ postaborum after ultrasound. Between 2016 and 2019, we had 323 patients who had a NIPT screening at 10 weeks and presented for an anomaly scan at 11-13+6 weeks. Among these, we encountered three cases of chromosomal anomalies diagnosed after termination of pregnancy – due to multiple anomalies, one case of spina bifida, and four cases of single umbilical artery. NIPT has become a widely used tool in both high- and low-risk pregnancies and it is obvious that parents expect an honest and complete answer regarding their fetus. Studies available so far show that about 50% of major fetal anomalies can be detected at the 11-13+6-week scan and a complete anatomy scan – for this gestational age – is possible in most cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]