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The use of household waste-derived materials for wastewater treatment has double environmental benefit due to the availability of simultaneous disposal of household waste and wastewater. In this work, we report the facile production of phosphorus-rich carbon from waste paper as a potential adsorbent for the disposal of uranium (VI)-containing nuclear wastewater. A simple phosphoric acid activation-carbonization strategy is developed to effectively transform waste paper into carbon. The phosphorus content of the obtained carbon reaches 8.55 at% and large pores with sizes ranging from 2 to 100 nm are observed. Batch and column adsorption experiments verify that waste paper-derived carbon can efficiently adsorb uranium (VI) from aqueous solution under weakly acidic conditions. The maximum amount of uranium adsorption on the carbon attains 492 mg g−1 at pH 4.6, and adsorption of uranium (VI) on the carbon quickly reaches the equilibrium within 20 minutes. The distribution coefficient of uranium (VI) on waste paper-derived carbon is as high as 128 L g−1. The carbon can be reused for five times with uranium (VI) adsorption efficiencies above 89% and can be used for dynamic adsorption of uranium (VI) in a fix-bed column. Kinetics, thermodynamics and DFT calculations reveal a surface complexation mechanism between uranium (VI) ion and ionized phosphoric acid group. Moreover, to avoid the generation of secondary polluted water during the treatment of uranium-containing nuclear wastewater, a water-saving method is developed for the adsorption preparation and a water-free combustion method is employed for the disposal of uranium-containing spent adsorbent instead of recycling. This study demonstrates the good application potential of household waste-derived materials in wastewater treatment and provides more clues for the amalgamation of multifold subjects. [Display omitted] • The integration of wastes recycling and wastewater treatment. • Facile production of phosphorus-rich carbon from waste paper. • High uranium adsorption efficiency and good selectivity. • Investigation of the mechanism based on DFT calculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Duckweed, a floating freshwater plant, is an excellent phytoremediator used in wastewater treatment and ecosystem restoration. However, the large amount of plant biomass generated presents a bigger problem. This work highlights our efforts towards sustainable waste management of aquatic plant biomass by way of waste recycling and valorization. Novel paper pulp from duckweed biomass yielded various pulp-based products including handmade paper, packing materials and packing board. Paper produced was found to have 139 g/m2 and 6–14 N/1.5 cm gram per square meter and tensile strength respectively. Biochar obtained from the biomass after pyrolysis exhibited 23.9 nm to 49.49 nm pore size and was used to formulate novel soil conditioners that increased the seed vigour of fenugreek, green gram, wheat and pearl millet by 53.41, 87.98, 148.25 and 122.41 % respectively. Thus, two novel applications of a waste biomass were successfully established, concomitantly establishing sustainability and circularity in waste aquatic biomass management. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermodynamically favorable selective electrooxidation reactions coupled with hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is a promising strategy for simultaneous production of value-added chemicals and hydrogen. In this work, a binder-free gold nanoflowers electrode based on carbon paper is prepared and used as anode catalyst, which results in good charge transfer, high stability and superior catalytic activity for electrooxidation of glycerol. We develop an integrated system of glycerol electrooxidation with HER, and the effect of potential on the distribution of anodic electrooxidation products and cathodic hydrogen production are investigated. At 1.0 V, the overall reaction reaches 10 mA cm−2 and the selectivity of glyceric acid (GLA) reaches 97.2%. At 1.2 V, hydrogen production reaches the highest value of 960 μmol L−1 and the anode product consists of a mixture of glyceric acid, glycolic acid (GA) and formic acid (FA). At 1.3 V, the selectivity of FA reaches 87.3%. Operando technique in situ infrared spectroscopy is used to monitor the immediate evolution and study the pathway of controlled glycerol electrooxidation. This work demonstrates carbon paper is a promising substrate material of binder-free electrode applied in thermodynamically favorable electrocatalytic reactions boosting hydrogen evolution. [Display omitted] • A binder-free electrode based on carbon paper is developed. • Hydrogen production is increased by 24 times with the addition of glycerol. • The selectivity of glyceric acid on carbon paper supported gold nanoflowers is 97.2%. • In situ FTIR reveals the pathway for electrooxidation of glycerol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper crumb (PC) is a type of paper sludge residue from the wastepaper recycling industry. It is a by-product from the various fiber purification stages that is particularly composed of short cellulose fibers, lignin, organic compounds and inorganic filler residues. Despite representing a reject material for the paper recycling sector, this feedstock can be turned into a bioresource to enable cross-sector industrial symbiosis in the form of a more sustainable concrete, hence an opportunity for novel Net Zero supply chains. This study sought to valorise the PC by the sequential anaerobic digestion to produce methane (CH 4) from the organic compounds, followed by utilization of the digestate as a water replacement in concrete. The 21-day digestion of PC yielded 163 ml CH 4 per gram volatile solids and the resulting digestate improved concrete compressive strength up to 50% water replacement grade, meeting the requirements for structural grade (C32/40) applications with substitution grades up to 50% and 25%, with and without the addition of plasticiser respectively. In a minor capacity, the digestate reduced workability of the concrete mix, however we demonstrate this issue can be resolved by the addition of plasticiser or increased water to cement ratios. The admixture addition is important to facilitate pumpability on site and ensure satisfactory compaction. This study highlights the potential of anaerobic digestate as a concrete supplement (additive), which would improve the sustainability of both the construction and the paper sector. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the fabrication and characterization of porous SiC ceramics derived from highly-filled preceramic papers. The SiC ceramics were obtained by spark plasma sintering of stacked preceramic papers at temperatures of 2100 and 2200 °C under pressures of 5–60 MPa for 10 min. The microstructure and phase composition were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, respectively. Gas permeation tests were performed using hydrogen permeation cell at room temperature. It is revealed that the porosity of sintered SiC can be varied from 9 to 45 % depending on the sintering parameters. The shrinkage of the materials during spark plasma sintering occurs in four stages. The linear shrinkage value of the material increases from 7 to 47 % at 2100 °C and from 20 to 50 % for the samples sintered at 2100 and 2200 °C, respectively. Correlation dependencies between porosity and mechanical properties of the fabricated SiC were established. The obtained porous SiC ceramics exhibit high bending strength of 165 MPa and gas permeation flux of 78 molH 2 /m2/s at the porosity of 36 % that make it suitable for ceramic-based membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This updated report on intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is part of a series of consensus-based white papers previously published by the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) addressing patient safety. Since the first white papers were published, IMRT went from widespread use to now being the main delivery technique for many treatment sites. IMRT enables higher radiation doses to be delivered to more precise targets while minimizing the dose to uninvolved normal tissue. Due to the associated complexity, IMRT requires additional planning and safety checks before treatment begins and, therefore, quality and safety considerations for this technique remain important areas of focus. ASTRO convened an interdisciplinary task force to assess the original IMRT white paper and update content where appropriate. Recommendations were created using a consensus-building methodology, and task force members indicated their level of agreement based on a 5-point Likert scale, from "strongly agree" to "strongly disagree." A prespecified threshold of ≥75% of raters who select "strongly agree" or "agree" indicated consensus. This IMRT white paper primarily focuses on quality and safety processes in planning and delivery. Building on the prior version, this consensus paper incorporates revised and new guidance documents and technology updates. IMRT requires an interdisciplinary team-based approach, staffed by appropriately trained individuals as well as significant personnel resources, specialized technology, and implementation time. A comprehensive quality assurance program must be developed, using established guidance, to ensure IMRT is performed in a safe and effective manner. Patient safety in the delivery of IMRT is everyone's responsibility, and professional organizations, regulators, vendors, and end-users must work together to ensure the highest levels of safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Concept map has positive effects in student's critical thinking and understanding. • Quantitative analysis of concept map and open-ended exam papers in nursing education. • Concept map has comparable results with traditional assessments. This study's aim is to investigate the necessity and advantages of the use of concept map as an assessment tool in nursing education. Concept maps have been used extensively aiming mainly at effective understanding, linking together concepts and evaluating new knowledge. A class of second-year nursing degree undergraduate students (N = 32) in Greece participated in this pilot study. Concept map and open-ended exam papers were used. Quantitative statistical analysis of the concept map and open-ended exam grades was conducted. Statistical tests were used to compare all pairs of both types of papers. For the concept map papers, two different grading methods were employed to evaluate their effectiveness. The obtained results indicated that the concept map exam type provided similar scores when compared to the open-ended exam, while the grading efficiency is higher. Moreover, for the concept map exam paper, both grading methods can be applied interchangeably to provide similar scores for the students. The concept map can be a trusted assessment tool for identifying the nursing students' gaps in knowledge and comprehension, in comparison to the open-ended exam type. Nursing educators are encouraged to note the tools strengths and use it according to courses' requirements. Not applicable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The EEG is one of the most useful technologies for brain research and clinical neurology. • The acquired traces are visibly displayed, but various studies investigate the translation of brain waves in sound. • The analog EEG was equipped with an auditory output, the pen-on-paper noise made by the writer unit, useful to facilitate the diagnosis of epileptic disorders. • Early digital EEG devices could be equipped with special software to duplicate the pen-on-paper noise digitally. • Nowadays, auditory neurofeedback has applications in therapeutic interventions, cognitive improvement, and basic research. The electroencephalogram (EEG) is one of the most useful technologies for brain research and clinical neurology, characterized by non-invasiveness and high time resolution. The acquired traces are visibly displayed, but various studies investigate the translation of brain waves in sound (i.e., a process called sonification). Several articles have been published since 1934 about the sonification of EEG traces, in the attempt to identify the "brain-sound." However, for a long time this sonification technique was not used for clinical purposes. The analog EEG was in fact already equipped with an auditory output, although rarely mentioned in scientific papers: the pen-on-paper noise made by the writer unit. EEG technologists often relied on the sound that pens made on paper to facilitate the diagnosis. This article provides a sample of analog video-EEG recordings with audio support representing the strengths of a combined visual-and-auditory detection of different types of seizures. The purpose of the present article is to illustrate how the analog EEG "sounded," as well as to highlight the advantages of this pen-writing noise. It was considered so useful that early digital EEG devices could be equipped with special software to duplicate it digitally. Even in the present days, the sonification can be considered as an attempt to modify the EEG practice using auditory neurofeedback with applications in therapeutic interventions, cognitive improvement, and basic research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This updated report on image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) is part of a series of consensus-based white papers previously published by the American Society for Radiation Oncology addressing patient safety. Since the first white papers were published, IGRT technology and procedures have progressed significantly such that these procedures are now more commonly used. The use of IGRT has now extended beyond high-precision treatments, such as stereotactic radiosurgery and stereotactic body radiation therapy, and into routine clinical practice for many treatment techniques and anatomic sites. Therefore, quality and patient safety considerations for these techniques remain an important area of focus. The American Society for Radiation Oncology convened an interdisciplinary task force to assess the original IGRT white paper and update content where appropriate. Recommendations were created using a consensus-building methodology, and task force members indicated their level of agreement based on a 5-point Likert scale from "strongly agree" to "strongly disagree." A prespecified threshold of ≥75% of raters who selected "strongly agree" or "agree" indicated consensus. This IGRT white paper builds on the previous version and uses other guidance documents to primarily focus on processes related to quality and safety. IGRT requires an interdisciplinary team-based approach, staffed by appropriately trained specialists, as well as significant personnel resources, specialized technology, and implementation time. A thorough feasibility analysis of resources is required to achieve the clinical and technical goals and should be discussed with all personnel before undertaking new imaging techniques. A comprehensive quality-assurance program must be developed, using established guidance, to ensure IGRT is performed in a safe and effective manner. As IGRT technologies continue to improve or emerge, existing practice guidelines should be reviewed or updated regularly according to the latest American Association of Physicists in Medicine Task Group reports or guidelines. Patient safety in the application of IGRT is everyone's responsibility, and professional organizations, regulators, vendors, and end-users must demonstrate a clear commitment to working together to ensure the highest levels of safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Texas has the highest age-adjusted incidence rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the United States. The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas has funded the Texas Collaborative Center for Hepatocellular Cancer (TeCH) to facilitate HCC research, education, and advocacy activities with the overall goal of reducing HCC mortality in Texas through coordination, collaboration, and advocacy. On September 17, 2022, TeCH co-sponsored a multi-stakeholder conference on HCC with the Baker Institute Center for Health and Biosciences. This conference was attended by HCC researchers, policy makers, payers, members from pharmaceutical industry and patient advocacy groups in and outside of Texas. This report summarizes the results of the conference. The goal of this meeting was to identify different strategies for preventing HCC and evaluate their readiness for implementation. We call for a statewide (1) viral hepatitis elimination program; (2) program to increase nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and obesity awareness; (3) research program to develop health care models that integrate alcohol associated liver disease treatment and treatment for alcohol use disorder; and (4) demonstration projects to evaluate the effectiveness of identifying and linking patient with advanced fibrosis and cirrhosis to clinical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This bibliographic analysis was designed to review all dental publications in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and evaluate the effect of international collaboration on the impact of published articles. The Web of Science (WOS) database was used to extract all related published articles in the KSA from 1982 to 2021. The keywords were connected using Boolean Operators to download related articles. Downloaded articles were screened according to the following inclusion criteria: collaboration journal category, journal discipline, number of citations, number of authors, and impact factor. After applying the inclusion criteria and excluding single-author articles, 5,689 documents were included in the final analysis. The chi-square test and two-independent samples t -test were used to determine the statistical significance between the variables. A significantly higher proportion of articles with international collaboration (51.4%) were published in dental journals than those published nationally (43.3%) or within the institutional level (41.8%) (P < 0.0001). In addition, the average number of citations (9.28 ± 23.8) ranged from 0 to 749, received by an article and the impact factor of the journal in which the article was published, significantly higher in the case of internationally collaborative work compared with national or within institutional collaboration (P < 0.0001). International collaboration positively affected the impact factor, number of citations, and quartile rank of published articles. Moreover, the number of co-authors in different countries contributes to the international collaboration effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Water retention curves (WRCs) of municipal solid wastes (MSWs) • Hysteresis of WRCs of MSWs with decomposition. • Effects of decomposition and paper content on the WRCs. • Unsaturated hydraulic and gas conductivity of MSWs. This paper investigates the drying and wetting water retention curves (WRCs) of municipal solid wastes (MSWs) with different paper contents, dry unit weights and degrees of biodegradation (DOBs). Fresh synthetic samples were prepared based on the field composition of the MSWs at Mugga Lane Landfill, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), Australia. The degraded samples were prepared in simulators with MSWs of different initial dry unit weights and decomposition periods with leachate recirculation. The water retention curves (WRCs) of the MSWs were determined using pressure plate tests, in both drying and wetting phases. The outflow from MSWs was analysed using Gardner's method to obtain the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity. The results indicate that the WRCs of the MSWs are greatly affected by the DOB, paper content and dry unit weight. When DOB < 30 %, as DOB increases, the air-entry pressure of MSWs with paper increases, and the residual moisture content decreases regardless of paper content. With DOB > 30 %, the air entry pressure and residual water content depend on the balance between organic matter and highly decomposed organic constituents. The paper content affects the WRCs of MSWs due to its water retention capacity and change in the particle size distribution with decomposition. The increase in the dry unit weight of MSWs significantly increases the air entry pressure and residual moisture content, similar to the borehole samples with combined effects of biodegradation and increase in stress level from literature. Hysteresis effects have been observed during the drying and wetting of MSWs. The hysteresis of WRCs increases with the paper content and DOB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persulfate is a potential oxidant in direct liquid fuel cells (DLFCs), and the commercial carbon paper (CP) can directly serve as the cathode due to strong oxidizability of persulfate. However, the poor catalytic activity and low specific surface area of CP limit the electrode performance. Herein, a defect-enriched, pyridine-N-dominated and self-standing carbon paper electrode with abundant carbon nanosheets is successfully prepared by hydrothermal treatment combined with in-situ electrochemical exfoliation. Benefitting from the integrated structure, plentiful defects and high-content pyridine-N dopants of the prepared electrode result in the superior electrocatalytic activity and long-term stability in persulfate reduction reaction. Remarkably, a membraneless DLFC with the prepared electrode as cathode and persulfate as the oxidant acquires prominent cell performance and extremely high open circuit voltage of 2.13 V. The maximum power density of the DLFC achieves 241.0 mW cm−2, far higher than those of the previously reported similar membraneless DLFCs. A three-dimensional computational model for the DLFC is developed, which is help to reveal the importance of improving the reaction kinetics and electrical conductivity for the cathode with persulfate as oxidant. A facile approach for in-situ preparation of highly N-doped CP electrode is provided to yield outstanding cell performance for low-cost DLFCs. [Display omitted] • A facile way to introduce high-content nitrogen on carbon paper is proposed. • Massive defective sites, carbon nanosheets and pyridine-N dopants are introduced. • N doping enhances charge transfer and electrocatalytic activity of the electrode. • Effects of hydrothermal duration and precursor concentration are discussed. • The N-doped cathode yields the outstanding cell performance for low-cost DLFC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of the automotive industry, people have put forward higher requirements for automotive air filter paper, hoping that it can meet the more complex air environment. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop "green" multifunctional air filters with excellent filtration efficiency, flame retardancy, hydrophobicity, antibacterial properties and low cost. In this work, a multifunctional cellulose-based air filter paper with flame retardant, antibacterial and hydrophobic properties was prepared from mercerized pulp and softwood pulp via chemical treatment with pre-synthesized N, N -biguanide-diethyl phosphonic acid (AGDEPA) and octadecyl trichlorosilane (OTS). Due to the high nitrogen and phosphorus content of AGDEPA, the air filter paper shows remarkable self-extinguishing behavior and have no afterglow with an intact textile structure. The limiting oxygen index (LOI) value of air filter paper reached 38.8%, meeting the industry standard for flame retardant materials. Antimicrobial tests confirm that the killing efficiency against E. coli and S. aureus reached 93.9% and 99.99%. Furthermore, OTS containing hydrophobic long chains successfully constructed a multi-layer micro/nanostructure on the paper surface, and its contact angle to water was up to 153.6°. The addition of mercerized fibers also effectively improves the air permeability of the filter paper, which can reach 619 L/m2·s, and subsequent impregnation avoided the impact on the pore size of the material. • A new N-P flame retardant and antimicrobial agent was synthesized and fixed to the paper fibers by chemical grafting. • Excellent flame retardant, antibacterial and hydrophobic properties were achieved. • The high permeability and mechanical properties of filter paper meet the needs of practical use. • The green, low-cost, multi-functional all-fiber air filter material was realized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black liquor (BL) bioconversion into valuable by-products is essential to develop a bioeconomy strategy; however, its furfural content hinders microbial fermentation activities. Hence, this study utilizes paper mill sludge (PMS) to provide extracellular enzymes, furfural-degrading microbial consortia, and electron donor required for promoting the BL hydrogenesis potential. Three up-flow anaerobic sequential batch reactors (UASBRs) are fed with PMS (UASBR1), BL (UASBR2), and PMS + BL (UASBR3) and operated in parallel at 15 min fill, 72 h reaction, and 4 h settling. The UASBR3 achieves the maximum volumetric H 2 of 1.483 ± 0.088 L/L/d and H 2 yield of 2.06 ± 0.12 mol/mol glucose, which drops by 88% in UASBR2 and 24% in UASBR1. The insufficient H 2 productivity values in UASBR2 could be due to a lack of nutrients availability (C:N = 440:1 and C:P = 19:1), higher furfural concentration (2116 ± 422 mg/L), and involvement of the butyrate fermentation pathway. The synergetic effect between PMS and BL overcomes these limitations and enriches the fermentation medium with Proteobacteria phyla (22.8%) and Acinetobacter sp. degrading furfural (6.1%). The microbial community at the phylum level (e.g., Proteobacteria , Firmicutes , and Actinobacteria) in UASBR3 maximizes the migration of electrons (e−eq = 9.34 ± 0.54%) towards efficient H 2 formation. [Display omitted] • Paper mill sludge (PMS) mitigated inhibitory effect of furfural in black liquor (BL). • PMS improved H 2 yield from the BL by 8.3-folds and accounted for 2.1 mol/mol glucose. • e– eq transferred to H 2 was 9.3% in the PMS:BL, 7.4% in PMS, and 1.27% in BL. • Acinetobacter degrading furfural (6.1%) was abundant with PMS addition. • Bacilli (8.9%) and Clostridia (5.4%) was dominant in the hydrogenesis of PMS:BL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A technology-rich system model is created by integrating operations at MRFs and recycling paper mills. • Our model assesses sustainable pathways for U.S. domestic paper recycling industry. • Domestic recycling rate can increase by 15 % with better collection rate and sorting efficiency. • Use of recycled fibers can reduce energy and carbon intensities for most paper products. Dramatic changes in global recovered paper markets, triggered in large part by Chinese import restrictions, challenge the U.S. to find sustainable pathways for increasing the domestic paper recycling rate. This study presents a technology-rich process model of the U.S. domestic paper recycling industry to assess the energy consumption, carbon emissions, and system costs. A scenario analysis shows the viability of three potential pathways for achieving the national goals of a 15 % increase in both the paper recycling rate and the recycled paper utilization rate. The results suggest that the national goals can be achieved by recovering 80 % of recyclable papers from households and commercial stores, while trading all exported bales to domestic recovery with additional investments in processing capacity expansion. The deployment of advanced technology can enable material recovery facilities (MRFs) and paper mills to produce most recycled paper products that are more energy efficient with fewer CO 2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1 Amorphous carbon was facilely obtained via the treatment of waste papers with sulfuric acid. 2 The combination of amorphous carbon with graphitic carbon nitride leads to an increased photo-catalytic H 2 generation. 3 The enhancement in H 2 generation is resultant from the efficient separation of electrons and holes owing to the excellent electrical conductivity of amorphous carbon. Up-cycling of waste papers to value-added carbon products has significant environmental and economic benefits in real life. This work aims to recycle the waste papers to construct amorphous carbon modified graphitic carbon nitride composite photocatalysts for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen generation from water under visible light. Amorphous carbon (labeled as a-C) was yielded from the office waste papers by simple sulphuric-acid treatment and then combined with graphitic carbon nitride (g-CN) to form the g-CN/a-C composite photocatalysts by the thermolysis of a-C and melamine mixture. The addition of a-C enlarges the surface area of g-CN from 11.52 m2 g−1 of pristine g-CN to 28.12 m2 g−1 of g-CN/a-C-100. In addition, the a-C incorporation can significantly separate the electrons from the photoexcited g-CN owing to the excellent conductivity of a-C. As a result, an increased photocatalytic H 2 generation was realized under visible light exposure. The g-CN/a-C-100 sample with optimized a-C contents offers the highest photocatalytic H 2 generation rate of up to 17.1 μ mol h−1, which is ∼12 times higher than that of pristine g-CN under the same condition. The present study manifests the great potential of the recycling of office waste papers for increased photocatalytic H 2 generation. Graphical Abstract [Display omitted]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aerogel composites reinforced by fibers have found extensive applications in the field of thermal insulation and energy conservation. However, the composites are hindered by their high infrared radiation transmittance and weak interface adhesion in practical applications. Herein, we designed and prepared a novel thin composite called 'fiber/whisker/aerogel paper' (SWAP) with a thickness of less than 1 mm. The SWAP integrated SiC nanowhiskers (SiC nw) as opacifiers and ultrafine SiO 2 fibers as reinforcement, fabricated through wet manufacturing and sol-gel process. The 'fiber/aerogel paper' (SAP) and SWAP exhibited low thermal conductivity at room temperature, measuring 0.025 W/(m·K) and 0.033 W/(m·K), respectively. Additionally, they exhibited low densities of 0.195 g/cm3 and 0.225 g/cm3, respectively. Notably, SWAP exhibited excellent high-temperature insulation performance, primarily due to its low infrared transmittance (50% at 3 μm). The incorporation of SiC nw and ultrafine SiO 2 fibers collectively enhanced the interfacial adhesion with the aerogel matrix even amidst rigorous testing (weight loss less than 3%). SWAP also demonstrated flexibility, high thermal stability, hydrophobicity, and flame resistance. Furthermore, a comprehensive investigation into the performance variations and influencing g factors of the material was conducted under different heat treatment conditions. This research provides guidance for the application of such materials under high temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ZrO 2 fiber paper exhibits excellent thermal insulation properties, however, its limited mechanical strength and insufficient thermal stability hinder its widespread applications. The composite fiber papers, using mullite fibers possessing a high aspect ratio and exceptional thermal stability combined with ZrO 2 fibers, were fabricated via a vacuum-assisted filtration method. This method involved the successive stacking of composite fibers with alumina sol, using vacuum-induced directed water flow to create a layered structure reminiscent of nacre. The layered structure of the nacre, which demonstrates remarkable strength and hardness, has also served as a source of inspiration for the architectural design of the fiber paper. The tensile strength of pure ZrO 2 fiber paper was significantly enhanced by the addition of 7 wt% mullite fibers, resulting in a remarkable increase to 0.1805 kN/m. The paper exhibited exceptional resistance to bending, maintaining 96 % of its bending strength even after undergoing 100 cycles. The thermal shrinkage of the composite paper, containing 15 wt% mullite fibers, was reduced from 17.75 % observed in pure ZrO 2 fiber paper to a mere 1.32 % after undergoing heat treatment at a temperature of 1300 °C for 2 h. The composite paper, measuring 5 mm in thickness and consisting of 7 wt% compositions, displayed exceptional thermal insulation properties when exposed to a hot side temperature of 1370 °C. It effectively insulated temperatures up to approximately 1000 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A closed-loop material flow analysis model is established for China's pulp and paper industry (CPPI), followed by a comprehensive quantitative analysis from both retrospective and prospective perspectives. • By implementing sound plans and stricter regulations and standards, China has improved recycling and material use efficiency, reduced the organic material with wastewater, and shifted towards recovered paper as a raw material over non-wood fiber. • Lowering the waste paper recycling rate to increase carbon storage is not suitable for China, due to the limited virgin fiber and growing demand. • The growing paper demand requires efforts from both ends of virgin fiber supply and waste paper management towards the sustainable development of CPPI. As the largest global producer and consumer of pulp and paper, China faces significant sustainability challenges in fiber supply and waste paper management. A comprehensive material flow analysis of China's pulp and paper industry (CPPI) is needed to understand the interaction between raw material supply and waste paper management. Here, we construct a closed-loop material flow analysis model for CPPI, examine the evolution patterns of material metabolism from 1990 to 2019, and explore the demand for paper production, waste paper recycling, and virgin fiber supply in 2030 and 2050 under multiple scenarios considering critical factors. Results show that the industry has undergone rapid expansion, increased material use efficiency, and a shift towards recycled pulp from 1990 to 2019. China's paper demand will grow to 186 Mt in the next 30 years, resulting in a significant increase in both demand for fibers (173 Mt) and the generation of waste paper (138 Mt). To ensure a sustainable fiber supply for CPPI, domestic waste paper recycling needs to be prioritized. However, attention should also be paid to the availability of virgin pulp supply and proper disposal of organic solid waste. Proper management of these factors is crucial for achieving a circular economy in the industry and reducing its environmental impact. The findings highlight the importance of addressing both raw material supply and waste paper management for CPPI's sustainable development. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are many suggestions offered within the literature to decide if a job type is a profession, some using tick box type trait and characteristics analyses to compare the actions and qualities of individuals to a predefined list. However, there is no specific way to resolve what makes or defines a profession. Writers in many disciplines, including radiography, have used these different models, sometimes with conflicting results. This paper explores the use of Bourdieu's replacement of the concept of profession with that of a 'field', meaning a network of occupants with common attributes, in this case radiographers, in an attempt to resolve this issue. In the UK, radiography practitioners and professional bodies generally use the term profession to describe radiography, and this paper explores a defence of the term for radiography. Using Bourdieu's field theory not only helps define a profession, but also explains the difficulties at the boundaries of professions, and the work needed to protect a profession as a credible entity. This paper supports the argument that radiography is a profession when using Bourdieu's field theory. Radiography continues to work to maintain its status by increasing its symbolic capital by increasing the research output and evidence base of the profession and through role extension. Radiographers can perhaps be assured that radiography is a profession when using Bourdieu's field theory. This paper shows how theoretical frameworks and concepts from outside radiography can be used to support new ways of thinking within the profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a reflection of the scholar's mastery of basic theories and professional knowledge, the dissertation is an important yardstick for measuring the level of scientific research. At present, the problem of academic misconduct is becoming increasingly prominent, which is not only related to personal academic ethics, but also related to the overall development of the national academic and scientific research field. In the traditional method of evaluating the quality of papers, it is mainly based on the evaluation experts' comments and scores. However, there are cases that the evaluation experts' comments and scores are inconsistent in practice. To address this problem, we proposed a paper quality consistency detection model based on the nearest neighbor analysis dimensionality reduction algorithm. Compared with other traditional models, the experimental results show that the detection accuracy of XGBoost model after dimensionality reduction using nearest neighbor analysis algorithm reaches 85.81%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With prolonged pandemic conditions, and emerging evidence but persisting low awareness of the importance of nutritional derangements, ESPEN has promoted in close collaboration with World Health Organization-Europe a call for papers on all aspects relating COVID-19 and nutrition as well as nutritional care, in the Society Journals Clinical Nutrition and Clinical Nutrition ESPEN. Although more COVID-related papers are being submitted and continue to be evaluated, ESPEN and WHO present the current editorial to summarize the many published findings supporting major interactions between nutritional status and COVID-19. These include 1) high risk of developing the disease and high risk of severe disease in the presence of pre-existing undernutrition (malnutrition) including micronutrient deficiencies; 2) high risk of developing malnutrition during the course of COVID-19, with substantial impact on long-term sequelae and risk of long COVID; 3) persons with obesity are also prone to develop or worsen malnutrition and its negative consequences during the course of COVID-19; 4) malnutrition screening and implementation of nutritional care may improve disease outcomes; 5) social and public health determinants contribute to the interaction between nutritional status and COVID-19, including negative impact of lockdown and social limitations on nutrition quality and nutritional status. We believe the evidence supports the need to consider COVID-19 as (also) a case of malnutrition-enhanced disease and disease-related malnutrition, with added risk for persons both with and without obesity. Similarities with many other disease conditions further support recommendations to implement standard nutritional screening and care in COVID-19 patients, and they underscore the relevance of appropriate nutritional and lifestyle prevention policies to limit infection risk and mitigate the negative health impact of acute pandemic bouts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foster care children tend to have greater physical and mental health needs compared to those of their peers who are not in foster care due to many challenges that threaten their well-being. Yet, owing to frequent placement changes, their treatment may be fragmented. Moreover, if foster children are unable to provide important information about their own health status, and the same cannot be obtained from their families of origin, the resulting incomplete and/or inconsistent health history puts them at risk for unrecognized problems and conflicting diagnoses. Paradoxically, foster parents and resource providers often request psychotropic medications for children and youth in their care as a means of managing their behaviors. The phenomenon of inappropriate polypharmacy arises due in part to the difficulties related to integrating trauma-informed principles into the care process. It is further exacerbated by the complexity of intersecting systems in which child welfare case workers need to communicate including foster and biological parents, social service agencies, and advocates. In this second paper, we report on the same intervention as that discussed in the first paper, focusing on the effectiveness of the live 2-hour face-to-face training for child welfare staff and the 3-month web-based curriculum for leadership personnel in improving the participants' trauma responsiveness. 1. What are the child welfare staff's perceptions of their own knowledge, attitudes, and communication behaviors associated with medications used to treat mental health symptoms and monitoring for side-effects of psychotropic medication use in children? 2. What is the level of trauma responsiveness among child welfare staff? The ABC Medication Scale was employed to measure staff knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors associated with medications used to treat mental health symptoms before and after the intervention to determine if the training resulted in any improvements. Individual- and organizational-level trauma responsiveness was rated on a continuum of the Missouri Model: A Developmental Framework for Trauma-Informed Approaches. Artifacts of the web-based curriculum and qualitative interview data were analyzed by applying grounded theory methods. There was a significant increase in The ABC Medication Scale scores following the training. The qualitative findings further revealed that majority of the participants rated themselves as "trauma aware" or "trauma responsive" on the Missouri Model, while indicating that their agencies could work harder to become more fully trauma-informed. As trauma-informed child welfare workforce that understands the complexity and advocacy requirements of psychotropic medication management is needed, further longitudinal research is required is to assess the training effects over time. In particular, the aim should be to establish (a) how knowledge and attitude shifts correlate with greater degrees of trauma responsiveness, and (b) if and how such trainings translate into improved systems of support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The phenomenon of inappropriate polypharmacy among the foster care population arises in part due to the challenges related to integrating trauma-informed principles into service delivery. It is further exacerbated by the complexity of intersecting systems in which child welfare case workers need to communicate, including foster and biological parents, social service agencies, and advocates. Yet, there is limited research about trauma-informed psychotropic medication management interventions for child welfare staff. This pilot study was conducted to evaluate a trauma-informed psychotropic medication management intervention and is reported in two manuscripts, pertaining respectively to the facilitators and barriers to learning, and perceived individual and institutional trauma responsiveness. The intervention comprised of a 2-hour-long training session for child welfare staff and a 3-month web-based curriculum for leadership personnel, aiming to increase their understanding of trauma-informed psychotropic medication management. In the first paper, we report on the facilitators and barriers to learning, grouped into three categories: teacher attributes, learner attributes, and situational factors. In the second paper, in addition to trauma responsiveness ratings, we also provide a detailed account of one participant's life experience and perceptions of the intervention provided, as an exemplar of the psychosocial facets of resilience. The ABC Medication Scale scores that measured staff knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors associated with medications used to treat mental health symptoms showed a significant change in scores following training. Based on these findings, we provide practical solutions to address situational factors that are worth considering when providing training for child welfare staff. Given that foster care children experience many challenges that threaten their well-being, their physical and mental health needs tend to be greater than those of their peers who are not in foster care. However, owing to the transient nature of the foster care placements, as well as continuous changes in medical providers and counselors, the screenings, supportive interventions, and treatments they receive may be fragmented. This is particularly problematic when considering that many of these children are medicated as a means of managing their behavior. Moreover, children in foster care are also more vulnerable to having the medications and diagnoses accumulate due to frequent placement changes and lack of treatment continuity. Our research was guided by the question "What are the facilitators and barriers to learning about trauma-informed psychotropic medication management?" We developed an intervention to address the issue of inappropriate polypharmacy and examined the facilitators and barriers to learning using a mixed methods design. The facilitators to learning were instructor-specific (e.g., reputation, teaching style, capacity for selecting and implementing relevant resources), learner-specific (altruism, capacity to see personal relevance in the learning situation, desire for knowledge/competence, career advancement/recognition-seeking), and situational (immediacy/on-demand resources, reinforcement of pleasant learning experience). Barriers were largely situational (workload and family demands). Based on these findings, we provide practical strategies for addressing situational factors that are worth considering when designing training curricula aimed at child welfare staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rewritable paper is of great significance for environmental and sustainable development. Specially, the water rewritable paper based on hydrochromism has aroused extensive research interesting for being clean, convenient and compatible with the current ink jet printer. Nevertheless, previously reported water rewritable paper requires complex and time-consuming fabricating process. Here, we report a facile strategy to fabricate structural colored water rewritable paper simply via two step infiltration on commercially available paper. After infiltration of graphene laminates and SiO 2 colloidal spheres in sequence, the obtained paper is integrated with assembled graphene laminates (AGLs)/amorphous colloidal arrays (ACAs) hierarchical composite structure. Owing to the advantageous micro-topography, selective separation capacity and high visible light absorption property of the underlying AGLs, SiO 2 ACAs with vivid structure color can be realized. Moreover, the hydrochomism of the hierarchical composite structure is resulted from the synergistic contribution of the hydrophilic structural color and the visible light absorption property of AGLs. Our strategy is based on the environmental-friendly structural color and convenient to realized, which offers a promising alternative to rapidly fabricate colored water rewritable paper. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Semi-automated generation of regionalized paper recycling life-cycle inventories. • National impacts on climate change of recycling three paper grades in 191 countries. • Life-cycle assessment case study of Quebec's mixed wastepaper recycling system. Recycling is a commonly acknowledged strategy to reduce the environmental impacts linked to primary resource exploitation. Large regional variations can be observed in recycling processes' parameters, like efficiency, energy mix and treatment of rejects. Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is widely used to evaluate the environmental impacts of recycling processes, but existing studies are neither harmonized nor sufficient to provide a comprehensive geographical and technological coverage of recycling processes. The purpose of this research is to develop an efficient and iterative approach for the parametrized generation of semi-automated regionalized life-cycle inventories that take into account technological and geographical variabilities in the recycling sector. The regionalization framework is then applied to create a parametrized paper recycling regionalization tool. This tool is used in the results section to compare the national climate change impacts of recycling three paper grades. Results show a significant global warming impact variability between countries for recycled graphic paper (0.36 to 2.25 kg CO 2 -Eq/kg wastepaper recycled), newsprint (0.27 to 1.84 kg CO 2 -Eq/kg wastepaper recycled) and corrugated cardboard (0.28 to 1.68 kg CO 2 -Eq/kg wastepaper recycled) productions. A regionalized LCA of the international recycling of the mixed wastepaper exported from Quebec's (Canada) sorting centers is also performed with the tool and compared to the non-regionalized mixed wastepaper recycling process available in the ecoinvent database. Only nine midpoint ReCiPe impact categories remain environmentally advantageous compared to virgin paper production when applying the regionalization methodology, compared to sixteen when using the ecoinvent process, illustrating how regionalization can substantially influence LCA results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A thermal method of synthesis and fixation of Pt nanoparticles (Pt NPs) on carbon paper is proposed in this paper. Carbon paper was coated with H 2 PtCl 6 by simple immersion in an ethanol solution containing the Pt precursor. Thereafter, H 2 PtCl 6 was decomposed in inert atmosphere into Pt NPs by applying a temperature of 600 °C. Formed Pt NPs were able to oxidize the surrounding carbon fiber surface. This local thermal oxidation of carbon promoted the generation of nano-roughness and Pt NPs were embedded in the carbon fiber, thus favoring their fixation on carbon paper. Pt load can be easily controlled by the number of coating processes applied. The proposed method combines the advantage of achieving small size nanoparticles (5–10 nm) with enhanced fixation of Pt NPs when compared with electrochemical synthesis. The optimal number of coatings applied was three, which produced a complete coverage of carbon paper surface (with a Pt load of 0.18 mg cm−2). • Thermal method of synthesis of PtNPs on carbon paper. • Formed PtNPs locally oxidize carbon paper support. • Pt nanoparticles are embedded in carbon paper fibers. • Size of Pt nanoparticles obtained is around 5–10 nm. • Thermal synthesis of PtNPs produce more electroactive NPs than electrochemical one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the wake of the IT revolution of recent decades, Polish companies have experienced changes, such as the obligation to report financials in purely electronic form. This shift creates benefits but is also a source of challenges. The authors' inspiration for this research stems from the recognition of a clear research gap in the literature relating to the electronic reporting of micro and small companies. The article aims to verify how Poland's smallest companies covered by reporting obligations cope with the compulsory compilation, signing and publication of financial statements solely by electronic means. The study was qualitative in nature, followed a case study methodology, and concerned two Polish micro-companies. The results show that the entities analyzed essentially do cope with e-reporting. Certain attributes of these reports - - such as timeliness or completeness, are questionable, however. The results contribute to the understanding of the financial reporting practice by micro companies in Poland. They can indicate directions for changes in the actions taken by those involved in corporate reporting. Cognizance of this issue can also provide the regulator with directions for regulatory changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of administrative databases and clinical registries in lower extremity arthroplasty research is growing. Such observational studies are unable to fully control for confounders and cannot establish causality. However, many authors use causal language when describing their aims or findings, potentially misleading readers. We examined the prevalence of causal language and inferences in the lower extremity arthroplasty literature. We systematically identified administrative database and registry studies on hip and knee arthroplasty that were published in 4 orthopaedic journals in 2020. Articles were graded independently by two reviewers for the presence of causal language in both the title and abstract and the full text. Chi-squared analyses were conducted to determine the relationship between the causality grading and article characteristics including the journal of publication. Of 116 eligible articles, we classified 79.3% of titles and abstracts as either consistently causal or inconsistently causal, with only 20.7% as consistently noncausal. A total of 40.5% of full texts were consistently causal, 49.1% were inconsistent, and 10.3% were consistently noncausal. Chi-squared analyses revealed no statistically significant association between the title and abstract's grading and the journal (P =.720) nor with the use of a database or registry (P =.716). Causal language and inferences were present in 79.3% of titles and abstracts of lower extremity arthroplasty observational database studies published in 2020. The high prevalence of causal language and inferences in the arthroplasty literature may mislead readers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The clinical spectrum of atrial fibrillation means that a patient-individualized approach is required to ensure optimal treatment. Cardiac computed tomography can accurately delineate atrial structure and function and could contribute to a personalized care pathway for atrial fibrillation patients. The imaging modality offers excellent spatial resolution and has been utilised in pre-, peri- and post-procedural care for patients with atrial fibrillation. Advances in temporal resolution, acquisition times and analysis techniques suggest potential expanding roles for cardiac computed tomography in the future management of patients with atrial fibrillation. The aim of the current review is to discuss the use of cardiac computed tomography in atrial fibrillation in pre-, peri- and post-procedural settings. Potential future applications of cardiac computed tomography including atrial wall thickness assessment and epicardial fat volume quantification are discussed together with emerging analysis techniques including computational modelling and machine learning with attention paid to how these developments may contribute to a personalized approach to atrial fibrillation management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Actionable incidental findings (AIFs) are common in radiologic imaging. Imaging is commonly performed in emergency department (ED) visits, and AIFs are frequently encountered, but the ED presents unique challenges for communication and follow-up of these findings. The authors formed a multidisciplinary panel to seek consensus regarding best practices in the reporting, communication, and follow-up of AIFs on ED imaging tests. A 15-member panel was formed, nominated by the ACR and American College of Emergency Physicians, to represent radiologists, emergency physicians, patients, and those involved in health care systems and quality. A modified Delphi process was used to identify areas of best practice and seek consensus. The panel identified four areas: (1) report elements and structure, (2) communication of findings with patients, (3) communication of findings with clinicians, and (4) follow-up and tracking systems. A survey was constructed to seek consensus and was anonymously administered in two rounds, with a priori agreement requiring at least 80% consensus. Discussion occurred after the first round, with readministration of questions where consensus was not initially achieved. Consensus was reached in the four areas identified. There was particularly strong consensus that AIFs represent a system-level issue, with need for approaches that do not depend on individual clinicians or patients to ensure communication and completion of recommended follow-up. This multidisciplinary collaboration represents consensus results on best practices regarding the reporting and communication of AIFs in the ED setting. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive trabeculation, often referred to as "noncompacted" myocardium, has been described at all ages, from the fetus to the adult. Current evidence for myocardial development, however, does not support the formation of compact myocardium from noncompacted myocardium, nor the arrest of this process to result in so-called noncompaction. Excessive trabeculation is frequently observed by imaging studies in healthy individuals, as well as in association with pregnancy, athletic activity, and with cardiac diseases of inherited, acquired, developmental, or congenital origins. Adults with incidentally noted excessive trabeculation frequently require no further follow-up based on trabecular pattern alone. Patients with cardiomyopathy and excessive trabeculation are managed by cardiovascular symptoms rather than the trabecular pattern. To date, the prognostic role of excessive trabeculation in adults has not been shown to be independent of other myocardial disease. In neonates and children with excessive trabeculation and normal or abnormal function, clinical caution seems warranted because of the reported association with genetic and neuromuscular disorders. This report summarizes the evidence concerning the etiology, pathophysiology, and clinical relevance of excessive trabeculation. Gaps in current knowledge of the clinical relevance of excessive trabeculation are indicated, with priorities suggested for future research and improved diagnosis in adults and children. [Display omitted] • Current evidence shows that the extent of trabeculated vs compact myocardium in the adult is determined by differential (allometric) growth of each myocardial layer. Because trabeculated myocardium does not coalesce to form the compact myocardial wall, the term "left ventricular noncompaction" is inaccurate and use should be discouraged. • Excessive trabeculation, as diagnosed using existing criteria, may be present as a normal variant or as a response to preload conditions. • In adults incidentally found to have excessive trabeculation with normal myocardial function and morphology, clinical management is determined by other cardiovascular symptoms or abnormalities, without regard to trabecular pattern. • In adults diagnosed with hypertrophic or dilated cardiomyopathy where excessive trabeculation is also present, the extent of ventricular trabeculation has not been demonstrated to alter management nor prognosis. Following guidelines developed specifically for those conditions is recommended. • In infants and children, caution is warranted because fewer data are available regarding the etiology and prognosis of excessive trabeculation. Clinical evaluation for occult neuromuscular disease or another genetic/metabolic etiology may be appropriate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Liquid water saturation in carbon paper is measured • Quantifies the capillary trapping effect of isolated water drops in carbon papers • Proposes a model describing liquid water drops transport In previous macroscopic average models of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), liquid water was assumed to be continuous throughout the carbon paper. The transport of disconnected water drops in carbon paper has long been neglected in these models, which tend to underestimate water saturation in carbon paper. This study proposes a two-phase flow model that considers the transport of disconnected water drops to simulate the air-water transport in carbon paper. The proposed model was established based on the relationship between capillary force and liquid water saturation, and this relationship was obtained by conducting centrifuge experiments. In the centrifuge experiment, initially, the water saturation inside the carbon paper sample was one, and the centrifugal acceleration was zero. As the centrifugal acceleration increased, the water saturation decreased owing to the centrifugal force. After twenty seconds, the water saturation no longer decreases because the centrifugal force on the liquid water is balanced by the capillary force. Centrifugal acceleration was used to evaluate the capillary force. When the centrifugal acceleration was 185 m s − 2 , the saturation of the water drops in the balanced state was 32.0%. As the centrifugal acceleration increases to 739 m s − 2 , the saturation decreases to 6.5%. According to the experimental results, a function correlating the saturation and centrifugal acceleration, that is, the capillary force, was established. Finally, the results show that the centrifugal acceleration is more than 18.5 times that of the gravitational acceleration, indicating that the effect of gravity on the motion of water drops is negligible. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• H 2 O 2 modification of hydrochar increased surface functional groups on hydrochar. • Modified hydrochar adsorbed NH 4 + better than pristine hydrochar by two times. • NH 4 +adsorption was mainly controlled by cation exchange and electrostatic attraction. • Modified hydrochar can be used as a promising alternative adsorbent for NH 4 + removal. This work investigated adsorption behaviors of NH 4 + onto H 2 O 2 modified paper waste sludge-derived hydrochar (HPSH). Effect of various operational parameters, including modification ratio, solution pH, adsorbent dosage, initial NH 4 + concentration and contact time on NH 4 + adsorption was studied. Besides, the NH 4 + adsorption isotherms, kinetics and thermodynamics at different operational temperatures were systematically investigated. The textural, morphology, crystalline structure and surface chemistry characteristics of hydrochars were analyzed. Specially, NH 4 + adsorption mechanisms controlled by enriched oxygen-containing surface functional groups by treatment of H 2 O 2 onto hydrochars were deeply discussed. The results showed that the optimal treatment ratio between H 2 O 2 and PPSH was 40. Characterization data indicated H 2 O 2 modification increased the oxygen-containing functional groups on the hydrochar surface. The maximum adsorption capacity of HPSH-40 was 7.941 mg/g which was higher that of PPSH about double. NH 4 + adsorption onto hydrochars was well described by the pseudo-second-order model and Langmuir isotherm. The thermodynamic studies showed NH 4 + adsorption onto hydrochars was endothermic in nature. The mechanisms of NH 4 + adsorption onto hydrochars included π-cation interaction, cation exchange, surface complexation and electrostatic attraction which were attributed to the vital role of enriched oxygen-containing surface functional groups on hydrochar's surface. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate crisis is dramatically changing life on earth. Environmental sustainability and waste management are rapidly gaining centrality in quality improvement strategies of healthcare, especially in procedure-dominant fields such as gastroenterology and digestive endoscopy. Therefore, healthcare interventions and endoscopic procedures must be evaluated through the 'triple bottom line' of financial, social, and environmental impact. The purpose of the paper is to provide information on the carbon footprint of gastroenterology and digestive endoscopy and outline a set of measures that the sector can take to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases while improving patient outcomes. Scientific societies, hospital executives, single endoscopic units can structure health policies and investment to build a "green endoscopy". The AIGO study group reinforces the role of gastrointestinal endoscopy professionals as advocates of sustainability in digestive endoscopy. The "green endoscopy" can shape a more sustainable health service and lead to an equitable, climate-smart, and healthier future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keywords Ash utilization; Canadian pulp paper mills; Biomass boiler ash; Fly ash; Bottom ash; Ash application Highlights * General ash characterization is not enough to find useful applications of ash. * Ash use in the liming agent requires different properties than ash use in concrete. * Ash must be characterized according to its application requirements. * PPM ash can mainly be used for concrete, ag lands, liming agent, and forest roads. Abstract Pulp and paper mill biomass boilers generate large quantities of ash in Canada with British Columbia (BC) being the highest ash generating province followed closely by Quebec. Generally, the generated ash is landfilled, particularly in BC, with only a small amount being used beneficially. It is anticipated that the difficulty associated with the management of ash will worsen over time as the industry increases its reliance on green fuel. Thus, there is a strong need to identify beneficial uses of pulp and paper boiler ash for the sake of environmental and economic sustainability. The purpose of this report is to provide the first step in this direction, a review of proposed or implemented uses for coal and hog (or wood) ash around the world. Considering both the properties of the ash and local opportunities, this could be the first step toward screening the applications that may apply to individual mills. Several large-scale practices use ash, such as land application (as a nutrient source or as a liming agent), use in the construction industry (as a replacement for cement or as a fill material), and reclamation of mine sites and stabilization of unpaved forest roads. In some cases, relatively small-scale applications have been used which included uses such as a compost component, agent for pH adjustment of liquid streams and slurries, blasting abrasive, and source of quartz for glass manufacturing to name a few. It is important to note that the chemical nature of both fly and bottom ashes can be quite variable due to the type of wood residues combusted as well as combustion equipment used and must be considered in identifying beneficial applications. Abbreviations AB, Alberta; ASTM, American Society for Testing and Materials; BC, British Columbia; CCE, Calcium Carbonate Equivalents; CCME, Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment; CFIA, Canadian Food Inspection Agency; GHG, Greenhouse Gas; ITE, Inorganic Trace Element; LOI, Loss on Ignition; MSW, Municipal Solid Waste; NS, Nova Scotia; ON, Ontario; QC, Quebec; TNV, Total Neutralizing Value; XRF, X-ray Fluorescence Author Affiliation: (a) FPInnovations, Pointe-Claire, QC, H9R 3J9, Canada (b) FPInnovations, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada * Corresponding author. Article History: Received 8 February 2022; Revised 29 June 2022; Accepted 9 July 2022 Byline: Allan Elliott [allan.elliott@fpinnovations.ca] (a), Talat Mahmood [talat.mahmood@fpinnovations.ca] (a), Abu Kamal [kamal.abu@gmail.com] (b,*)

Keywords Pulp and paper mill sludge; Land spreading; Waste management; Soil health; Soil ammendment Highlights * Land spreading paper pulp mill sludge (PPMS) offers economic and environmental benefit. * Characteristics and utility of PPMS vary with treatment level (primary vs secondary). * Co-application of N sources can prove beneficial in some cases. * Routine analysis and robust regulation prevent adverse outcomes from PPMS use. * Longer term studies on soil chemistry and ecology effects are warranted. Abstract It is estimated that >400 Mt of board and paper are produced globally per year, and that 4.3--40 kg (dw) of sludge like material, pulp and paper mill sludge (PPMS), is generated for every tonne of product. PPMS are now more widely reused in agriculture as a soil amendment due to their high organic content of 40--50% by weight, perceived low toxicity and possible liming capabilities. Within this review article historic and recent literature on PPMS land spreading are combined with knowledge of European and UK regulation to explore the benefits, potential impacts and viability of land spreading PPMS. The review reveals that risks relating to potential N immobilisation in soils post-application can be readily mitigated, if desired, by coapplication of an N source, or even pre-treatment of sludge via composting. The benefits to crops have been demonstrated emphatically, while negative ecological impacts under typical field application rates have not been observed to date. The case is therefore strong for continued land application of the material as an environmentally responsible and sustainable use option. However, there are currently gaps in the literature regarding longer-term implications of PPMS applications in agriculture and in regards to the possible presence of emerging contaminants in some PPMS materials, both of which have been identified as areas that merit further research. Author Affiliation: (a) School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, Keele University, Keele, ST5 5BG, UK (b) 4R Group, Control House, A1 Business Park, Knottingley Road, Knottingley, WF11 0BU, UK * Corresponding author. Article History: Received 11 July 2021; Revised 24 February 2022; Accepted 27 May 2022 Byline: Tomi Turner [t.turner@keele.ac.uk] (a,*), Rebecca Wheeler (b), Ian W. Oliver (a)

Micro Fuel cells or microfluidic fuel cells (μMFCs) are one of the most promising power supplies for portable electronics. However, the necessary electrode spacing is required to prevent fuel-crossover and maintain the stable operation, introducing the unavoidable ohmic resistance and retarding the miniaturization. Herein, we propose a novel μMFC device combining the cellulose paper as separator, with selective catalysts at the cathode side to eliminate the unwanted side reactions and increase the system compactness. One single reactant solution containing fuel and electrolyte is applied to keep the device stable operation. The power-generation properties are evaluated in typical alkaline conditions. A great construction simplification makes the device a substantial high-power density of 2.14 W cm−3 and maximum current density of 15.82 A cm−3. The μMFC stacks are arranged in series and parallel manners, which delivers a maximum power output of 23.6 mW and current of 194.6 mA. It is expected that innovative and customizable performance from commercial paper and low-cost carbonaceous catalysts can provide a forum for future advancement in chip-based electrochemical energy generation and storage devices. • Filter paper served as a membrane for μMFC is proposed. • The electrode-pair distance is greatly minimized (∼140 μm). • The optimized μMFC delivers an ultrahigh power density of 2.14 W cm−3. • The μMFC stacks power output of 23.6 mW and current output of 194.6 mA are achievable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase II metabolites play an important role in diazepam-related cases. The study aimed to assess the stability of diazepam's phase II metabolites in dried blood spots on filter paper. A piece of filter paper was spotted with 100 µL of whole blood (added 1% sodium fluoride as needed) obtained from participant who received 5 mg diazepam orally, air dried for 2 h at room temperature, and then stored at different conditions. Whole spots were cut at 0.1 cm from the outer edge of blood spots at post-consumption time-points of prior (zero), 5, 16, 35, 61, 120 days and 1, 1.5 years. Analytes were extracted with methanol/water mixture (8:2, v/v) and determined using HPLC-MS/MS. Decomposition rules were analyzed by a statistical software "SPSS". Temazepam glucuronide remained stable (0.5–18.6% loss) at 20 ℃ and at 20 ℃ with 1% sodium fluoride for 16 days, while it was unstable after 5 days at 4 ℃ (21.1–26.2% loss) and − 20 ℃ (28.9 - 34.4% loss). After 35 days, temazepam glucuronide concentrations began to fluctuate significantly under all conditions, and an obvious increase (290.4–355.1%) was observed in 1.5 years. Oxazepam glucuronide was always unstable after 5 days, the percentage loss was even 100% when it was stored for 61 days and 1.5 years. Dried blood spots on ordinary filter paper are recommended to be stored at 20 ℃ or 20 ℃ with 1% sodium fluoride within 16 days. Samples should be analyzed immediately or stored in sterile and dry media. • TG was stable on filter paper at 20 ℃ with or without 1 % NaF within 16 days, and it is a more reliable marker in real cases. • OG was always unstable after 5 days, the percentage loss was even 100% when it was stored for 61 days and 1.5 years. • DBS on filter paper in diazepam-related cases are recommended to be stored at 20 ℃ with or without 1 % NaF within 16 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes an approach to build a search index for fuzzy objects recognition in scientific and technical papers. A fuzzy object is explained as an entity described by some physical parameters. A physical parameter consists of two parts: a value, represented in various forms of digits, and a physical unit, represented as text with some digits. The approach presented in the article allows users to search not by ordinary substrings, but by physical parameters with range, less than or greater than operators. The current realisation of the approach is a web service that has functionality to perform all stages for extraction of physical parameters of a fuzzy object. These stages are the extraction of sentences, the extraction of physical parameters and the normalisation of physical parameters values. The web service can be exploited in the synchronous and asynchronous modes. The synchronous mode helps to troubleshoot the software. The asynchronous mode is designed to process papers using queues in the distributed computer systems. The current work is aimed to develop a search engine which will address the challenge of structuring information of a continuously growing number of scientific and technical papers. The search index will help to perform robust navigation among a huge number of documents for scientific workers and engineers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatially resolved fluid-flow modulation and its corresponding integration becomes a crucial aspect to consider when designing high-performing paper-based analytical devices. As such, high demand exists for cost-effective techniques able to selectively control flow in patternable regions of the device. In this regard, a solution composed of potassium alum and animal glue; sizing materials used in the fabrication of calligraphy Xuan paper, is successfully adapted for the first time in a revolutionary approach to efficiently modulate the capillary flow in paper microfluidic channels. Flow delays are achieved by coating the substrate systematically through the variation of parameters such as the ratio of alum to glue, the concentration of alum-glue in the solution, and the number of subsequent coating layers of alum-glue. Moreover, digitized patterning with alum-glue is developed to achieve programmable wicking profiles of accelerating, decelerating, and quasi-linear flow displacement by alternating coated and uncoated zones in the channel. Additionally, the influence of alum-glue when performing biometric assays is investigated by performing a horseradish peroxidase activity colorimetric assay and found to have negligible effects on reading, where a negligible difference of 5.2% was observed in an assay performed in a coated paper substrate, compared to an uncoated one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• New flame-resistant coatings with high mechanical properties for bagasse paper were synthesized using,3-di-aryl-2,2,2,4,4,4-hexachlorocyclodiphosph(V)azane, starch, CaCO 3 , NaHCO 3. • The thermal properties of all specimens were measured. • The ignition properties as the flame chamber (UL/94), and limiting oxygen index (LOI) was measured according to standards. This work aimed to enhance the thermal and mechanical properties of bagasse paper by synthesizing new coatings to prevent bagasse paper from the ignition. Paper sheets were treated with 0.5 percent cychlodiphosph(V)azane/ CaCO 3 solution (1.5 percent), 1.5 percent NaHCO 3 solution, and CNCs mixed with 5.0percent of starch. Paper sheets were treated by immersing bagasse paper in a coating mixture. The paper sheets were then allowed to air dry at ambient temperature. It is important to measure the burning rate (BR) to give people a chance to decrease the loss. These enhancements were investigated using elongation and tensile strength, air permeability test, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and combustion tests (UL/94 and LOI). So, the bagasse paper treatments can be used as packaging materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buildings are often located near ambient air pollution sources such as wildfire or heavy traffic areas. While windows in buildings are intermittently open for free cooling or natural ventilation, increased leakage area can lead to elevated human exposure to air pollutants of outdoor origin. The objective of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of paper filter windows in reducing exposure to outdoor air pollution and improving indoor air quality. The physical properties of paper windows as filtration media were experimentally determined, based on which multi-zone indoor air quality and ventilation analysis (CONTAM) simulations were performed for a full-scale building. The results show that the outdoor-indoor air exchange rate of a building can increase about 100% when conventional windows are replaced with paper filter windows. Even with the increased air exchange rate, the infiltration of outdoor particles into the building was reduced about 57–77% for the particle size range of 7–300 nm. These findings imply that paper windows have potential benefits for controlling both outdoor originated pollutants and indoor-generated pollutants with minimal energy inputs, especially in cities and communities impacted by urban air pollution and wildfires. [Display omitted] • We studied removal of outdoor particles due to paper filter windows in buildings. • Paper windows reduced indoor concentrations of outdoor particles up to 77%. • Due to paper windows, air exchange rate of the building increased about 100%. • Paper windows reduced indoor-generated pollutants (e.g., CO 2) by 35–45%. Synopsis: This study investigates filtration and ventilation performances of paper filter windows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]