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Nanometer-sized zinc oxide (ZnO) has been synthesized through sol-gel method with natural cellulose substance (commercial filter paper) as template. The structure of zinc oxide nanomaterial was characterized by nitrogen adsorption-desorption and XRD. The morphology was observed by SEM and TEM. The results show that the hexagonal wurtzite phase is actually the only crystal phase in the sample and the product faithfully inherits the hierarchical morphology and the complex network structure of the original filter paper, which is composed of many randomly intersecting zinc oxide microfibers and nanosheets with lots of close stacked particles adsorbed on the surface. Moreover, these zinc oxide nanomaterials possess abundant mesoporous structure with an average pore diameter ofca. 21 nm and a wide pore size distribution (3–30 nm). Due to the strong absorption ability in the UV range, the zinc oxide nanomaterial prepared by this method displays significantly high photocatalytic activity for degrading methyl orange. In a short period of 20 minutes, the zinc oxide nanomaterial has degraded about 50% of the original MO, and the MO dye is fully degraded after UV irradiation for 80 minutes.

Transformers are very expensive apparatuses and are vital to make the whole power system run normally. The failures in such apparatuses could leave them out of service, causing severe economic losses. The life of a transformer can be effectively determined by the life of the insulating paper. In the present work, we show an alternative diagnostic technique to determine the ageing condition of transformer paper by the use of FTIR spectroscopy and an empirical model. This method has the advantage of using a microsample that could be extracted from the transformer on-site. The proposed technique offers an approximation quantitative evaluation of the degree of polymerization of dielectric papers and could be used for transformer diagnosis and remaining life estimation.

The plate-like graphene shells (GS) produced by an original methane pyrolysis method and their derivatives graphene oxide (GO) and graphene oxide paper (GO-P) were evaluated with luminescent Escherichia coli biotests and additional bacterial-based assays which together revealed the graphene-family nanomaterials' toxicity and bioactivity mechanisms. Bioluminescence inhibition assay, fluorescent two-component staining to evaluate cell membrane permeability, and atomic force microscopy data showed GO expressed bioactivity in aqueous suspension, whereas GS suspensions and the GO-P surface were assessed as nontoxic materials. The mechanism of toxicity of GO was shown not to be associated with oxidative stress in the targeted soxS::lux and katG::lux reporter cells; also, GO did not lead to significant mechanical disruption of treated bacteria with the release of intracellular DNA contents into the environment. The well-coordinated time- and dose-dependent surface charge neutralization and transport and energetic disorders in the Escherichia coli cells suggest direct membrane interaction, internalization, and perturbation (i.e., "membrane stress") as a clue to graphene oxide's mechanism of toxicity.

A novel cellulose insulation paper handsheet has successfully been modified with various contents of montmorillonite (MMT). Relative permittivity and breakdown strength were investigated. The microstructure of MMT in Kraft paper was observed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction. The relative permittivity of the immersed oil Kraft-MMT handsheets (K-MMT) initially decreased with the increasing amount of MMT. For MMT concentration of 9 wt%, K-9% MMT possessed the lowest relative permittivity of approximately 2.3 at 50 Hz. The breakdown voltage of the paper-oil-paper composite insulation system increased from 50.3 kV to 56.9 kV. The tensile strength of the paper handsheet was also measured.

Designing diffractive optical elements is crucial for efficient development of THz techniques. Here, we consider paper structures and we analyze their advantages and disadvantages in fast prototyping. The discussion about using material parameters like refractive index and absorption coefficient in designing diffractive optical elements is shown. We analyze the influence of phase step mismatch, of attenuation of real structure, and of nonuniform illumination on the efficiency of the structure. All these features result in worsening of the diffraction efficiency but they do not seem to have such significant influence as shadow effect introduced by fast varying zones. Diffractive elements can be designed with very good accordance with experimental results which makes them ideal for possible applications. Paper optics scan be used more for fast prototyping; nevertheless its performance can be increased by placing it inside water protecting foil.

Emergency situations associated with falls are a serious concern for an aging society. Yet following the recent development within ICT, a significant number of solutions have been proposed to track body movement and detect falls using various sensor technologies, thereby facilitating fall detection and in some cases prevention. A number of recent reviews on fall detection methods using ICT technologies have emerged in the literature and an increasingly popular approach considers combining information from several sensor sources to assess falls. The aim of this paper is to review in detail the subfield of fall detection techniques that explicitly considers the use of multisensor fusion based methods to assess and determine falls. The paper highlights key differences between the single sensor-based approach and a multifusion one. The paper also describes and categorizes the various systems used, provides information on the challenges of a multifusion approach, and finally discusses trends for future work.

Paper cups are ubiquitous in daily life for serving water, soup, coffee, tea, and milk due to their convenience, biodegradability, recyclability, and sustainability. The thermal insulation performance of paper cups is of significance because they are used to supply hot food or drinks. Using an effective thermal conductivity to accurately evaluate the thermal insulation performance of paper cups is complex due to the inclusion of complicated components and a multilayer structure. Moreover, an effective thermal conductivity is unsuitable for evaluating thermal insulation performance of paper cups in the case of fluctuating temperature. In this work, we propose a facile approach to precisely analyze the thermal insulation performance of paper cups in a particular range of temperature by using an evaluation model based on the MISO (Multiple-Input Single-Output) technical theory, which includes a characterization parameter (temperature factor) and a measurement apparatus. A series of experiments was conducted according to this evaluation model, and the results show that this evaluation model enables accurate characterization of the thermal insulation performance of paper cups and provides an efficient theoretical basis for selecting paper materials for paper cups.

Silica nanoparticles (7 nm) were dispersed in solutions of a silane/siloxane mixture. The dispersions were applied, by brush, on four types of paper: (i) modern, unprinted (blank) paper, (ii) modern paper where a text was printed using a common laser jet printer, (iii) a handmade paper sheet detached from an old book, and (iv) Japanese tissue paper. It is shown that superhydrophobicity and water repellency were achieved on the surface of the deposited films, when high particle concentrations were used (≥1% w/v), corresponding to high static (θS≈ 162°) and low tilt (θt< 3°) contact angles. To interpret these results, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to observe the surface morphologies of the siloxane-nanoparticle films. Static contact angles, measured on surfaces that were prepared from dilute dispersions (particle concentration θS. Colourimetric measurements showed that the superhydrophobic films had negligible effects on the aesthetic appearance of the treated papers. Furthermore, it is shown that the superhydrophobic character of the siloxane-nanoparticle films was stable over a wide range of pH.

In the 1960s, through studies on Korean Medicine, Bonghan Kim proposed the Bonghan systems (BS) as the anatomical reality of the acupuncture meridians based on various experimental data. Since 2002, several groups, mainly led by a team at Seoul National University, who renamed the BS as the primo vascular system (PVS), have published around 70 papers showing biological structures corresponding to the BS. However, it is still difficult for other researchers to find them, especially under the skin, which Bonghan Kim first reported as acupuncture points, due to similar-looking biological tissues, for example, the lymphatic vessels, and such artifacts as blood clots or fascia debris. To solve these drawbacks, we examined the main methods for identifying the BS by comparing the original papers with the modern outcomes in terms of the common physical/chemical characteristics of the BS. In addition, effective methods of staining and microscopic observations discovered by modern teams are synthetically explained using visual materials such as diagrams and photos. Through the essentially organized methods in this review paper, we suggest that one can find the BS under the skin as putative acupuncture points by tracing the intraexternal BS, from which a new Korean Medicine will be born.

Osteoporosis is a systemic disease of the bone that affects millions of people and causes burden for both the affected individual and health systems and societies worldwide. Since the 1970s much research has been done in the field of osteoporosis. The number of citations of a paper reflects its influence and importance to the field. Thomson ISI Web of Science database was searched to retrieve a list of the fifty most cited articles related to osteoporosis and its research. The fifty most cited articles in absolute numbers in the field of osteoporosis were cited from 877 to 3056 times (mean 1141±537). Most papers were published in the basic science category (n=23). 395 authors contributed; a single paper had between one and 62 authors (mean: 10.02±9.9 authors). 12 authors (3.04%) contributed between 7 and 4 papers; 340 authors (86.1%) were at least named once. Corresponding authors were from eight countries with most contributions from the United States (n=34, 68%). The majority of papers were published in the 1990s (n=29). The list of 50 most cited papers presents citation classics in the field of osteoporosis and related research.

Ecological processes, such as reproduction, mobility, and interaction between species, play important roles in the maintenance of biodiversity. Classically, the cyclic dominance of species has been modelled using the nonhierarchical interactions among competing species, represented by the “Rock-Paper-Scissors” (RPS) game. Here we propose a cascaded channel model for analyzing the existence of biodiversity in the RPS game. The transition between successive generations is modelled as communication of information over a noisy communication channel. The rate of transfer of information over successive generations is studied using mutual information and it is found that “greedy” information transfer between successive generations may lead to conditions for extinction. This generalized framework can be used to study biodiversity in any number of interacting species, ecosystems with unequal rates for different species, and also competitive networks.

In this work an outlook on the design and application, in the cultural heritage field, of new tools for diagnostic and cleaning use, based on biocompatible hydrogels and electrochemical sensors, is reported. The use of hydrogels is intriguing because it does not require liquid treatment that could induce damage on artworks, while electrochemical biosensors not only are easy to prepare, but also can be selective for a specific compound and therefore are suitable for monitoring the cleaning process. In the field of restoration of paper artworks, more efforts have to be done in order to know how to perform the best way for an effective restoration. Rigid Gellan gel, made up of Gellan gum and calcium acetate, was proposed as a paper cleaning treatment, and selective biosensors for substances to be removed from this gel have been obtained by choosing the appropriate enzymes to be immobilized. Using this approach, it is possible to know when the cleanup process will be completed, avoiding lengthy and sometimes unnecessary cleaning material applications.

As a broad range of professionals in clinical and nonclinical settings requires some expertise in human nutrition, the university system must offer academic courses tailored to these different specific needs. In the Italian university system there is still uncertainty with regard to the learning objectives regarding human nutrition. In the ministerial decrees defining the criteria for establishing university courses, the indications about education in human nutrition are rather inconsistent, sometimes detailed, but often just mentioned or even only implied. Education in human nutrition requires both an appropriate duration (number of university credits included in the degree format for different disciplines) and course units that are designed in order to achieve specific expertise. The university system should appropriately design and distinguish the nutritional competencies of the different types of graduates. Physiology and biochemistry are the academic disciplines mostly involved in teaching fundamentals of human nutrition, while the discipline sciences of applied nutrition and dietetics more strictly focuses on applied nutrition and clinical nutrition. Other academic disciplines that may contribute to education in human nutrition, depending on the type of degree, are internal medicine (and its subspecialties), hygiene, endocrinology, food technologies, food chemistry, commodity science, and so forth.

Objectives. To establish referential values ranges of hyposalivation and normosalivation for the salivary flow rate (SFR) of upper labial (LS) and palatal (PS) mucosa using Schirmer's test strips paper and as a second goal to determine the values ranges of the SFR of palatal (PS) and upper labial (LS) mucosa in subjects with and without xerostomia.Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted among subjects distributed in three groups according to their unstimulated and stimulated whole saliva.Results. 144 subjects were enrolled in groups as follows: severe hyposalivation (n=24), mild hyposalivation (n=78), and normosalivation (n=42). The mean and the 95% confidence interval for the LS flow rate (μL/cm2/min) were 3.2 (2.46 to 3.94), 5.86 (4.96 to 6.75), and 9.08 (7.63 to 10.53) (P<0.001) for each group, respectively. The PS results were 1.01 (0.68 to 1.34), 1.72 (1.31 to 2.13), and 2.44 (1.66 to 3.22) (P=0.014). Xerostomia complainers presented lower rates of LS (5.17 (4.06 to 6.23)) than non-complainers (7.33 (6.4 to 8.27)) (P=0.003).Conclusions. The test was reliable to provide referential values ranges for LS flow rate measurement and was shown to be valid to distinguish normosalivation from severe and mild hyposalivation and also to predict xerostomia.

In his 1952 publication, Ergun made the following proclamation: “Data of the present investigation and those presented earlier have been treated accordingly, and the coefficients k1 and k2 have been determined by the method of least squares. The values obtained are k1 = 150 and, k2 = 1.75, representing 640 experiments.” In this paper, we demonstrate that because his experimental methodology was flawed, the corrected values, which his experimental results would otherwise have established for these coefficients, are significantly higher. This is, in part, because Ergun’s reporting of his measured data was ambiguous with respect to the embedded coefficients k1 and k2. In addition, this ambiguity made it difficult for any subsequent researcher to figure out the true meaning of his empirical results which, in turn, resulted in his choice of the values for these coefficients being accepted by default in the scientific community.

Starch was isolated from T. leontopetaloides tubers, chemically modified by acetylation with varying amounts of acetic anhydride. Monolayer of the ten acetylated and control starch powders was exposed on roof top for five weeks and pastes of both exposed and unexposed (control) samples were prepared with distilled water (1 : 3 w/w). The effects of acetylation, degree of substitution (DS), and exposure to sunlight were investigated to evaluate the retrogradation tendency of the adhesive pastes from changes in syneresis, tack strength, optical clarity, viscosity, gelation time, and drying time. The results obtained showed that all the adhesive properties studied were affected by both DS and exposure to sunlight. While tack strength, viscosity, and drying time were found to increase with increase in DS, syneresis, optical clarity, and gelation time were found to decrease with increase in DS. Increase in tack strength and reduction in syneresis imply that the acetylation treatment has made T. leontopetaloides starch more suitable for use in remoistenable adhesive applications. The reduction in syneresis, optical clarity, and gelation time with increase in DS was attributed to the strengthening of the bonds between the amylose and amylopectin molecules, preventing water leaching out of the starch granules.

Paper Spray Ionization is an atmospheric pressure ionization technique that utilizes an offline electro-osmotic flow to generate ions off a paper medium. This technique can be performed on a Bruker SolariX Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometer by modifying the existing nanospray source. High-resolution paper spray spectra were obtained for both organic and biological samples to demonstrate the benefit of linking the technique with a high-resolution mass analyzer. Error values in the range 0.23 to 2.14 ppm were obtained for calf lung surfactant extract with broadband mass resolving power (m/Δm50%) above 60,000 utilizing an external calibration standard.

Demonstration of successful elimination of lymphatic filariasis (LF) in endemic countries requires sensitive diagnostics for accurate definitions of endpoints and future surveillance. There has been interest in complementing available diagnostics with antibody serology testing in children, since negative serology would correspond with cessation of LF transmission. The Filariasis CELISA detects antifilarial IgG(4) and has favourable results with serum samples but field application requires an easier sampling method. Ninety-four paired plasma and filter paper samples were assayed with promising results. The filter paper method resulted in a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 77% when compared to the paired plasma. One hundred and one filter paper samples were assessed for storage effects. Following 10-month storage at -20( degrees )C there was a significant reduction in reactivity (P.001). Overall the results indicated that filter paper sampling would be a favourable sensitive and specific alternative for blood collection in surveys.

Demonstration of successful elimination of lymphatic filariasis (LF) in endemic countries requires sensitive diagnostics for accurate definitions of endpoints and future surveillance. There has been interest in complementing available diagnostics with antibody serology testing in children, since negative serology would correspond with cessation of LF transmission. The Filariasis CELISA detects antifilarial I g G 4 and has favourable results with serum samples but field application requires an easier sampling method. Ninety-four paired plasma and filter paper samples were assayed with promising results. The filter paper method resulted in a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 77% when compared to the paired plasma. One hundred and one filter paper samples were assessed for storage effects. Following 10-month storage at − 2 0 ∘ C there was a significant reduction in reactivity ( 𝑃 < . 0 0 1 ). Overall the results indicated that filter paper sampling would be a favourable sensitive and specific alternative for blood collection in surveys.

A unique concept of making nanocomposites from carbon nanofiber paper was explored in this study. The essential element of this method was to design and manufacture carbon nanofiber paper with well-controlled and optimized network structure of carbon nanofibers. In this study, carbon nanofiber paper was prepared under various processing conditions, including different types of carbon nanofibers, solvents, dispersants, and acid treatment. The morphologies of carbon nanofibers within the nanofiber paper were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition, the bulk densities of carbon nanofiber papers were measured. It was found that the densities and network structures of carbon nanofiber paper correlated to the dispersion quality of carbon nanofibers within the paper, which was significantly affected by papermaking process conditions.

The fifth edition of the Reconfigurable Communicationcentric Systems-on-Chip workshop (ReCoSoC’ 2010) was held in Karlsruhe, Germany, from May 17th to May 19th, 2010. ReCoSoC is intended to be a periodic annual meeting to expose and discuss gathered expertise as well as state-ofthe-art research around SoC-related topics through plenary invited papers and posters. ReCoSoC is a 3-day long event which endeavors to encourage scientific exchanges and collaborations. ReCoSoC aims to provide a prospective view of tomorrow’s challenges in the multibillion transistor era, taking into account the emerging techniques and architectures exploring the synergy between flexible on-chip communication and system reconfigurability. This special issue includes the following Topics: embedded reconfigurability in all its forms; on-chip communication architectures; multiprocessor systems-on-chips; system and SoC design methods; asynchronous design techniques; low-power design methods; middleware and OS support for reconfiguration and communication; new paradigms of computation including bioinspired approaches.

In this study, polymeric silver inks, paper substrates, and screen printing were used to produce prototype Bow-Tie tags. Because of increasing interest in applying passive UHF-RFID systems in paper industry, the Bow-Tie antenna used in this study was designed to work through paper. The maximum reliable read ranges of the tags were measured thorough stacked paper and also in air. The analysis and functioning of the antenna design are also discussed. All inks and paper substrates were suitable as antenna material and the prototype tag antennas had good reading performance. The maximum reliable read ranges were quite the same as for copper and aluminum tags studied elsewhere. This means that printed UHF tags are competitive solutions for the identification of simple mass products.

The purpose of this paper is to present an overview of novel design and integration approaches for improved performance “enhanced-cognition” UHF passive and active radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. Antenna design rules are explained for a variety of applications. A strategy that is currently under development for embedding power sources and integration of sensors and integrated circuits (ICs) on low-cost organic substrates, such as liquid crystal polymer (LCP) and paper, enabling the use of inkjet-printing capability for the UHF frequency band, is discussed in the paper. The proposed technologies could potentially revolutionize RFID tags allowing for integrated sensing capabilities for various applications such as security, military, logistics, automotion, and pharmaceutics.

1 Dipartimento di Ingegneria dell’Informazione, Universita Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, Ancona, Italy 2 Centro de Engenharia Eletrica e Informatica, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Brazil 3 Institute for Information Processing Technology (ITIV), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany 4Centro de Informatica, Universidade Federal da Paraiba, Joao Pessoa, Brazil

The biological oxygen demand (BOD) test is widely used in many wastewater treatment plants. The conventional BOD tests are usually time-consuming and the results are often out of date for process control purposes. The aim of this research was to compare the manometric respirometric test with common chemical methods in the determination of BOD of wastewater from a pulp and paper mills as well as to evaluate the BOD7 values of both wastewaters from the short-term respirometric measurements. The results showed that there were differences in the BOD7 values of paper mill samples measured by conventional and respirometric methods. The main cause was found to be the dilution solution used in the conventional BOD tests. Using the same mineral solution in the respirometric measurements diminished the difference remarkably. Evaluation of the BOD7 value after two or three days incubation was proved to work very well and the estimated results were close to measured values (deviations 1%–12%).