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Background: Digital surgery is a new paradigm within the surgical innovation space that is rapidly advancing and encompasses multiple areas. Methods: This white paper from the SAGES Digital Surgery Working Group outlines the scope of digital surgery, defines key terms, and analyzes the challenges and opportunities surrounding this disruptive technology. Results: In its simplest form, digital surgery inserts a computer interface between surgeon and patient. We divide the digital surgery space into the following elements: advanced visualization, enhanced instrumentation, data capture, data analytics with artificial intelligence/machine learning, connectivity via telepresence, and robotic surgical platforms. We will define each area, describe specific terminology, review current advances as well as discuss limitations and opportunities for future growth. Conclusion: Digital Surgery will continue to evolve and has great potential to bring value to all levels of the healthcare system. The surgical community has an essential role in understanding, developing, and guiding this emerging field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This white paper provides guidance regarding the process for establishing and maintaining international collaborations to conduct oncology/neurology-focused chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity (CIPN) research. Methods: An international multidisciplinary group of CIPN scientists, clinicians, research administrators, and legal experts have pooled their collective knowledge regarding recommendations for establishing and maintaining international collaboration to foster advancement of CIPN science. Results: Experts provide recommendations in 10 categories: (1) preclinical and (2) clinical research collaboration; (3) collaborators and consortiums; (4) communication; (5) funding; (6) international regulatory standards; (7) staff training; (8) data management, quality control, and data sharing; (9) dissemination across disciplines and countries; and (10) additional recommendations about feasibility, policy, and mentorship. Conclusion: Recommendations to establish and maintain international CIPN research collaboration will promote the inclusion of more diverse research participants, increasing consideration of cultural and genetic factors that are essential to inform innovative precision medicine interventions and propel scientific discovery to benefit cancer survivors worldwide. Relevance to inform research policy: Our suggested guidelines for establishing and maintaining international collaborations to conduct oncology/neurology-focused chemotherapy-induced peripheral neurotoxicity (CIPN) research set forth a challenge to multinational science, clinical, and policy leaders to (1) develop simple, streamlined research designs; (2) address logistical barriers; (3) simplify and standardize regulatory requirements across countries; (4) increase funding to support international collaboration; and (5) foster faculty mentorship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a mathematical model for the slow combustion (smoldering) of a two-dimensional sheet of paper. We describe the evolution of the char region, and we investigate the effects of an orthogonal air flow on the shape of the combustion front. The mathematical formulation consists in a set of two nonlinear PDEs for the temperature and the oxygen concentrations coupled with one ODE for the cellulose concentration. The (dimensionless) problem is solved numerically by means of a spectral collocation scheme based on Chebyshev polynomials. Our results show that the Péclet and the Lewis number strongly influence the shape of the ignition front and that the advancement of the combustion front does not occur if advection and diffusion are neglected (zero Péclet and Lewis numbers). In particular we observe that the burning region and the ignition front are strongly influenced by the velocity of the airflow and by the mass and heat transport phenomena due to diffusion and advection. We shall see that the increasing of the ratio between the convective and diffusive characteristic times (Péclet number) and the decreasing of the ratio between the mass and heat diffusive characteristic times (Lewis number) have a "flattening effect" on the combustion front. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nuclear medicine has made enormous progress in the past decades. However, there are still significant inequalities in patient access among different countries, which could be mitigated by improving access to and availability of radiopharmaceuticals. Main body: This paper summarises major considerations for a suitable pharmaceutical regulatory framework to facilitate patient access to radiopharmaceuticals. These include the distinct characteristics of radiopharmaceuticals which require dedicated regulations, considering the impact of the variable complexity of radiopharmaceutical preparation, personnel requirements, manufacturing practices and quality assurance, regulatory authority interfaces, communication and training, as well as marketing authorisation procedures to ensure availability of radiopharmaceuticals. Finally, domestic and regional supply to ensure patient access via alternative regulatory pathways, including in-house production of radiopharmaceuticals, is described, and an outlook on regulatory challenges faced by new developments, such as the use of alpha emitters, is provided. Conclusions: All these considerations are an outcome of a dedicated Technical Meeting organised by the IAEA in 2023 and represent the views and opinions of experts in the field, not those of any regulatory authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The following White Paper will discuss the appropriateness of gadolinium administration in MRI for musculoskeletal indications. Musculoskeletal radiologists should consider the potential risks involved and practice the judicious use of intravenous contrast, restricting administration to cases where there is demonstrable added value. Specific nuances of when contrast is or is not recommended are discussed in detail and listed in table format. Briefly, contrast is recommended for bone and soft tissue lesions. For infection, contrast is reserved for chronic or complex cases. In rheumatology, contrast is recommended for early detection but not for advanced arthritis. Contrast is not recommended for sports injuries, routine MRI neurography, implants/hardware, or spine imaging, but is helpful in complex and post-operative cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical strength and water resistance are typical issues with cellulose paper due to the nature of cellulose. Specialty papers that are highly foldable, such as banknotes and securities, must be able to withstand multiple folding actions while also providing exceptional durability. In this paper, a multi-approach strategy involving direct addition, in-situ growth, and coating is proposed for introducing aramid nanofibers (ANFs) as 1D nanofillers and 2D membranes to improve the overall properties of cellulose specialty paper. The flexible and fatigue-resistant ANFs with a large aspect ratio play the roles of filling and bridging between cellulose fibers and ANF via massive hydrogen bonds. The resulting 1.5 wt% ANF reinforced paper has a tensile index of 79.1 N m/g, an impressive folding endurance of over 3500 times, and strong water resistance (a water contact angle of 85.2°). Furthermore, SEM observation of paper during various folding periods reveals that the filling and bridging effects of ANFs, as well as their highly entangled nanofibrous network, contribute to paper's excellent foldability. This work facilitates promising candidates for simultaneously achieving robust, highly foldable, durable and water-resistant cellulose specialty paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superhydrophobic and strong cellulosic paper was fabricated in a two-step process consisting of heavy refining and dip coating with PDMS (trimethylsiloxy-terminated poly (dimethylsiloxane)) and Hf-SiO2 (hydrophobic fumed silica) solution. Results showed that the heavy refining produced extensive fibrillated fibers, which significantly increased the tensile strength. Meanwhile, the density of the paper sheet increased, and the porosity decreased. Benefiting from these changes, the subsequent dip coating operation was improved, producing paper with a very high water contact angle (WCA), yet with a low up-take of the hydrophobic solution. Finally, superhydrophobic paper sheets were fabricated with 155o WCA and 1o sliding angle (SA). At the same time, its tensile strength increased by 12.7 fold (from 0.85 MPa of the original paper to 10.8 MPa), with additional benefits, such as high transparency (75% at 550 nm). The superhydrophobic and strong paper is highly desirable for high value-added utilization of fiber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oily water contamination has been sighted as one of the most global environmental pollution. Herein, copper hydroxide nanorods layer was constructed onto cellulosic filter paper surface cured with polydopamine, Ag nanoparticles, and Cu NPs through immersion method. This work has been aimed to produce a superhydrophobic and superoleophilic cellulosic filter paper. The structure, crystalline, and morphological properties of these modified cellulosic filter paper were investigated. Scanning electron microscope images confirmed that the modified surface was rougher compared with the pristine surface. The contact angle measurement confirmed the hydrophobic nature of these modified surfaces with a water contact angle of 169.7°. The absorption capacity was 8.2 g/g for diesel oil and the separation efficiency was higher than 99%. It was noted that the flux in the case of low viscosity solvent as n-hexane was 9663.5 Lm−2 h−1, while for the viscous oil as diesel was 1452.7 Lm−2 h−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many papers in economics that are published in peer reviewed journals are initially released in widely circulated working paper series. This raises the question about the benefit of publishing in a peer-reviewed journal in terms of citations. Specifically, we address the question: to what extent does the stamp of approval obtained by publishing in a peer-reviewed journal lead to more subsequent citations for papers that are already available in working paper series? Our data set comprises about 28,000 working papers from four major working paper series in economics. Using panel data methods, we show that the publication in a peer reviewed journal results in around twice the number of yearly citations relative to working papers that never get published in a journal. Our results hold in several robustness checks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We found that there are some calculation errors and improper analysis in our paper “The Quantum Corrections on Kerr-Newman Black Hole Thermodynamics by the Generalized Uncertainty Principle” (Wu and Liu in In. J. Theor. Phys. 59:2681–2693, 1). We are very sorry and solemnly apologize for this. In this note, we correct these calculation errors and make appropriate analyses. The most important result was little change. Anyway, the generalized uncertainty principle (GUP) guarantees the existence of radiation remnant for Kerr-Newman black holes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Central neurocytoma is the most common primary intraventricular tumor in adults being classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a benign grade II tumor with a good prognosis. Given the recent advances with regard to this tumor, a bibliometric analysis was due to study the future direction of research for neurocytomas. A comprehensive Elsevier’s Scopus database search was performed to capture all published and indexed studies to date relevant to neurocytoma. A discrete set of validated bibliometric parameters were extracted and analyzed on R v4.1.3. A total of 1002 documents were included in our analysis covering a period between 1910 and 2021 (111 years). Around 98.5% of the documents were multi-author publications with a collaboration index (CI) of 4.21. Acta Neuropathologica, The American Journal of Surgical Pathology, and Cancer were the journals to include the highest number of top ten cited articles (2 out of 10 most cited articles, 20%). Switzerland (4 out of 10, 40%) accounted for the country to have the highest number of top 10 most cited articles with the USA (5588 out of 16,395 citations, 34.1%) having the greatest number of citations. Lastly, our analysis reported an annual growth rate of 6.9% for the number of papers produced by year. This is the first bibliometric analysis to study the top 10 most cited articles with regard to neurocytomas. A shift from histopathologic and clinical symptoms towards the treatment and management of the tumor was observed in our analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One way of exposing predatory journals is to submit a spoof article to see if it gets accepted. We investigate one journal, looking at how it has performed since a spoof paper it accepted came to light. We find that it has published almost 20% more papers following the acceptance of the spoof paper. The journal has a new web site, which appears to show that it did not publish its first paper until 2018. However, there is an old web site that lists 321 papers dating back to 2012. The editors said that this is due to a new workflow system, which meant that previously published papers could not be listed on the new web site. Moreover, the number of papers could be not accommodated, as a high configuration server would be required to provide a responsive web site. We found some plagiarism, which looks quite serious. We conclude that the spoof paper had little effect on the journal, which continues to operate, seven years after the spoof paper was accepted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Rheinheimera sp. laccase was cloned and engineered to truncate domain 3 previously in our laboratory. This engineered laccase was found to deink old newsprint paper (ONP) without the need of any mediator. Response surface methodology (RSM) for statistical optimization of deinking conditions achieved deinking efficiency of 55.66% with enzyme dose of 130 U/g odp (oven-dried pulp), treatment time of 4 h and pulp consistency 5%, irrespective of the presence or absence of mediator (1-hydroxybenzotriazole; HBT). The optimized enzymatic pretreatment for deinking was validated in the R&D setup of Kuantum Papers Ltd., Hoshiarpur, Punjab (India), and an increase of 16.69, 17.18, 11.62 and 25% in brightness, breaking length, tear factor and burst factor, respectively, was achieved in addition to reducing the usage of hazardous chemicals by 50%. These results show the promising application of a greener enzymatic approach for environmentally sustainable paper recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

The paper proposes a new approach to gradient porous composites based on the Ti3Al(Si)C2 MAX phase. This approach is based on the production of preceramic paper with the different content of the powder filler based on MAX phases and their spark plasma sintering. The analysis of the microstructure and phase composition is conducted for these composites. It is shown that the obtained composites have a clear interface between layers with different porosity. It is found that the content of organic components in preceramic paper affects the phase composition of the fabricated composites. The MAX phase content in dense and porous layers is 86 and 56 vol.%, respectively. Microhardness measurements performed in the composite cross-section show the hardness of 600 to 800 HV, depending on the layer porosity and phase composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method for treating cellulose paper using the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([BMIM]Cl) was developed. The treatment was intended to reform the paper structure. Filter paper was immersed in 20 g of molten [BMIM]Cl at 80 °C for 20–80 s and then washed with ethanol and distilled water. The treated paper was then immersed in tert-butyl alcohol before drying in a freeze dryer for 30 min. Next, polyethylene glycol (PG) and trichloromethylsilane were fixed to freeze-dried paper. The paper treated with [BMIM]Cl had a higher specific surface area than that not treated with [BMIM]Cl, and the specific surface area increased as the treatment time increased. The amount of PG fixed to the paper increased as the specific surface area of the paper increased, and PG improved moisture retention. The degree to which the moisture retention was improved was therefore related to the increase in the specific surface area caused by [BMIM]Cl treatment. Addition of trichloromethylsilane to the paper treated with [BMIM]Cl improved the hydrophobicity, and this was caused by the [BMIM]Cl treatment. Overall, [BMIM]Cl treatment was effective for reforming the paper structure and this improved the amount of functional material that could be fixed to the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a high resolution, ultra-frugal printing of paper microfluidic devices using in-house paraffin formulation on a simple filter paper. The patterns printed using an office inkjet printer formed a selective hydrophobic barrier of 4 ± 1 µm thickness with a hydrophilic channel width of 275 µm. These printed patterns effectively confine common aqueous solutions and solvents, which was verified by solvent compatibility studies. SEM analysis reveals that the solvent confinement is due to pore blockage in the filter paper. The fabricated paper-based device was validated for qualitative assessment of Candida albicans (pathogenic fungi) by using a combination of L-proline β-naphthylamide as the substrate and cinnamaldehyde as an indicator. Our studies reveal that the pathogenic fungi can be detected within 10 min with the limit of detection (LOD) of 0.86 × 106 cfu/mL. Owing to its simplicity, this facile method shows high potential and can be scaled up for developing robust paper-based devices for biomarker detection in resource-limited settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the entitymetrics paper assumption, if the citing paper A has m entities and the cited paper B has n entities, then a m-n entity citation network will be built between the two papers. The entitymetrics paper (Ding et al., [1]) assumes that if one paper cites another paper, then an entity in the citing paper will be considered to cite an entity in the cited paper, and entity citation network is built based on the assumption (see Fig. 1, the original entity-entity citation network based on paper-paper citation network, paper to entity citation network is more concise. [Extracted from the article]

The printability properties of the paper can be increased by some processes applied to the surface. The use of non-recyclable materials derived from petroleum is decreasing day by day, and the demand for recyclable materials obtained from renewable sources is increasing. These materials include cellulose derivatives, starch types and polyvinyl alcohol. The materials ratios, sizes, physical and chemical properties of these materials used in the processes applied to the paper and the content of the paper will affect the strength of the paper as well as change the surface properties and significantly affect the printability. The aim of this study is to obtain better printability properties by improving the paper surface with CNF/CNF-OX coating. In this study, fluting and core board papers coated with different amounts of cellulose nanofiber (CNF)/cellulose nanofiber-oxidized (CNF-OX) were produced. Surface properties, contact angle, surface energy, color and gloss of the produced papers were measured by optical microscope, goniometer, spectrophotometer and glossmeter. The papers were printed with the IGT C1 offset printability tester. As a result, in terms of printability, it was determined that CNF/CNF-OX coated papers have smoother surfaces and give better results in terms of both gloss properties and printability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All-cellulose paper-based composites with underwater superoleophobicity and high-wet-strength were developed by casting a barrier layer of bacterial cellulose (BC) on a filter paper substrate. To optimize the pore structure of barrier layer, slow gel process of BC dispersion was conducted via acidification and solvent exchange. 1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid was used to improve the wet strength and surface hydrophilicity through the crosslinking reaction between fibers. The underwater oil contact angles are higher than 150° in neutral environment, and slightly decrease under acid and alkali conditions. Combined with the micron-sized pore structure of BC barrier layer, the composite papers show good separation performance of oil-in-water emulsion. A denser BC layer can significantly improve the separation efficiency, but also lead to the reduction of flux. During the gelation of BC barrier layer, the increase in the ethanol/water ratio of the dispersion medium is able to increase the flux without obvious negative impact on the separation efficiency. When the ethanol/water ratio is 80%, the separation efficiency and water flux reach 99.2% and 1320 L m−2 h−1·bar−1 for the emulsified soybean oil with the average size of 13 μm, respectively. This type of all-cellulose composite papers provides a new idea for the fabrication of membrane materials for oil–water separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Visual analogue scales (VASs) are used in a variety of patient-, observer- and clinician-reported outcome measures. While typically included in measures originally developed for pen-and-paper completion, a greater number of clinical trials currently use electronic approaches to their collection. This leads researchers to question whether the measurement properties of the scale have been conserved during the migration to an electronic format, particularly because electronic formats often use a different scale length than the 100 mm paper standard. Methods: We performed a review of published studies investigating the measurement comparability of paper and electronic formats of the VAS. Results: Our literature search yielded 26 studies published between 1997 and 2018 that reported comparison of paper and electronic formats using the VAS. After excluding 2 publications, 23 of the remaining 24 studies included in this review reported electronic formats of the VAS (eVAS) and paper formats (pVAS) to be equivalent. A further study concluded that eVAS and pVAS were both acceptable but should not be interchanged. eVAS length varied from 21 to 200 mm, indicating that 100 mm length is not a requirement. Conclusions: The literature supports the hypothesis that eVAS and pVAS provide comparable results regardless of the VAS length. When implementing a VAS on a screen-based electronic mode, we recommend following industry best practices for faithful migration to minimise the likelihood of non-comparability with pVAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and sensitive colorimetric sensor for nickel(II) ions has been successfully prepared by immobilizing α-furil dioxime reagent in the sol-gel matrix with a solid supporting filter paper medium. The sensor was developed using tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) precursors with 4 days aging time, the mole ratio of water: precursor was 4:1, and reagent concentration at 0.10%. The sensor was quantified by utilizing the Red (R), Green (G), and Blue (B) values ​​of the colors that were successfully displayed after the detection process. The RGB value is confirmed by the Euclidean Distance (ED) equation to determine the optimum conditions. There was no observed degree of leaching in plain sight, and the result of leaching investigation by the double dyeing method did not show any significant change. The linear range was ​​0.10 to 2.8 ppm with an R2 of 0.9964. The values of LOD and LOQ were 0.1 ppm and 0.4 ppm, respectively. In addition, the sensor was free from interfering species and had a percent recovery around 90 to 110%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulp and paper industries emit various odorous gases during the pulp production and paper-making phase, which are unpleasant and have harmful effects on the human body. The working staffs are continuously exposed to these gases and develop various health issues. Hence, regular monitoring and analysis of such gases are necessary to avoid any sudden high concentration exposure and to prevent adverse health effects on the staff. An electronic nose (EN) has an array of gas sensors with an alert system for early detection of gases. Various ENs have been developed for varying applications till date. The detailed knowledge of the sensors used, their sensitivity and technology is helpful in development of any EN. The objective of this study is to comprehensively review various developed ENs with respect to their gas sensing and pattern recognition (PR) technologies. The information on gases released from pulp and paper industries is also compiled. The evolution of EN technology, its various applications, challenges in developing EN and its utility in safeguarding the industrial workers' life have been described. Further, gap analysis among previously developed EN, contemporary EN and wireless sensor network (WSN) is elaborated. It will facilitate future researchers for better selection of sensors and PR technologies while developing EN. The commonly used sensing technologies are described with their advantages, disadvantages and working principles. Metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) gas sensor and ANN algorithm show better result and hence recommended in the development of EN, whereas ZigBee protocol has been widely used for WSN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coating technique, supposedly invented by Chinese papermakers no later than the 3rd century AD, greatly improved paper sheets' qualities of color, texture, writability, and printability. Alongside the dispersal of papermaking and surface-treatment techniques beyond China, coated papers were manufactured and used in many other regions of the world. Understanding the manufacture of coated papers, therefore, is crucial for perceiving how surface treatments were developed to meet the need for paper with enhanced properties. However, the characterization of coating and coating pigments on ancient Chinese papers has long remained an unsolved issue, and previous studies on this topic have often produced inconclusive results. To explore a non-invasive methodology that can more reliably characterize coated papers and the coating pigment on them, this article presents the results of a pilot study that applied micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and Raman spectroscopy to samples of three Qing Dynasty (1644–1911 AD) papers and two handmade papers manufactured in China in the 1990s. Micro-CT revealed the coating layer(s) on Lajian (waxed coated paper) and Lengjinjian (gold-dusted paper) of the Qing Dynasty and characterized the modern raw xuan and bamboo papers as uncoated. Raman spectroscopy, together with handheld X-ray fluorescence analysis, identified the mineral-based pigment in the coating layer, suggesting the use of lead white or kaolin as the coating pigment. Additionally, Raman analysis confirmed the use of other mineral pigments (red lead and cinnabar), beeswax, and organic dyes (gamboge, kermesic acid, and possibly purpurin) in the manufacture of Lajian and Lengjinjian papers. The combination of micro-CT and Raman spectroscopy, it is therefore suggested, is a practical, more reliable approach for non-invasive investigation of coating and coating pigments on ancient Chinese paper specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulosic materials show great superiority in oil/water separation owing to abundance, low cost, renewability and biodegradability. Herein, silylated cellulose graft copolymer (C-PGMA-S) was prepared by combing ATRP grafting of glycidyl methacrylate with ring-opening reaction between epoxy groups in grafted chains and amine groups in (3-Aminopropyl)- triethoxysilane. C-PGMA-S was utilized to construct hydrophobic surface for filter paper substrate conveniently through dipping and drying. As the curing proceeded, water contact angle of the modified paper increased from 77° to 128°. Inhomogeneous coverage on the pores and micro-scaled irregular concavities were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) on modified paper, resulting in decreased porosity and increased roughness. Moreover, bursting strength was improved by 27%. An efficiency of 96.8% was achieved using the modified paper for oil/water separation. The modified paper exhibited moderate reusability with the separation efficiency remaining over 90% after reuse for 8 cycles without renewing process and good stability against pH variations. The C-PGMA-S modified filter paper, which is fluorine-free, might be a potential candidate for oil/water separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural paper mulch is an indispensable part of modern agriculture. It had the functions of heat preservation, moisture preservation, insect resistance, disease prevention, and weed growth inhibition. In order to extend the service life of the paper mulch, we use the solution immersion method to modify the surface of the paper mulch. A super-hydrophobic paper mulch is mainly prepared by using hydrophobic silica. The static contact angle of the super-hydrophobic paper mulch with water is 160.6°. The super-hydrophobic paper mulch samples were immersed in acid solution (pH = 4.6 H2SO4) and alkaline solution (pH = 8.5 NaOH). The main instruments are contact angle tester, tensile testing machine and high-speed camera. The hydrophobic properties, mechanical properties and rebound properties of the two kinds of paper mulches were compared. The results showed that the tensile strength and droplet bounce height of the superhydrophobic paper mulch decreased after being soaked in acid or alkaline solution for 48 h. The mass loss rate of paper mulch was more significant in acid solution, but its contact angle was still greater than 145°, and it had good bounce performance. After observing the microscopic morphology of its surface, it was found that silica had a micro-rough structure on the surface of the paper mulch. The method was simple and environmentally friendly, and can alleviate the problem of poor acid and alkali corrosion resistance of the paper mulch, and had extraordinary significance for environmental protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, biodegradability aspects of UV thermochromic leuco dye print on three different paper materials (synthetic, recycled, and bulky) were studied using the soil burial test under anaerobic conditions. Biodegradation of UV curable thermochromic prints were evaluated for changes by visual examination, microbial growth assay, weight loss measurements, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and colorimetric measurements. Results showed a better absorption of ink into the bulky paper structure, followed by recycled paper. Synthetic paper is not absorbent. The ink binder altogether with classic pigment and microcapsules penetrates into the structure of bulky paper. Recycled paper absorbs ink binder mostly with classic pigment. Better adsorption of binder into the bulky paper structure results in thinner layer of ink binder on the paper surface. On non-absorbent synthetic paper, microcapsules are covered with thicker layer of ink binder. In the case of bulky paper, the highest rate of biodegradation was observed, resulting in a higher number of bacteria, higher weight loss, higher changes in colour (destruction of almost all microcapsules) and almost complete reduction in thermochromic effect of the prints. Results show that microcapsules, which penetrate into the structure of bulky paper, are promoting the rate of bulky paper biodegradation. The opposite behaviour was noticed for the penetration of classic pigment into the structure of recycled paper, which resulted in remarkable reduction of recycled paper biodegradation rate. The thicker layer of ink binder (containing classic pigment) on the surface of microcapsules on recycled paper resulted in slower rate of microcapsules degradation and smaller colour change of the print. The thickest layer of ink binder and classic pigment on synthetic paper surface causes the slowest rate of biodegradation of print. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon paper is commonly used to fabricate electrodes for batteries, and its morphology is crucial to the internal mass transport. In this work, geometric models of carbon paper are obtained by experimental and numerical reconstruction methods. The micromorphology of the carbon paper is obtained with a scanning electron microscope and an X-ray computed tomography scanner, and the binary slicing method is used in the experimental reconstruction method. Three different methods are used for numerical reconstruction, namely the layered 2D fibre, 3D fibre stacking and layered 3D fibre stacking methods. The structure and characteristic parameters of the carbon paper, such as pore size distribution, dimensionless specific surface area, effective diffusion coefficient and anisotropic coefficient, are statistically analysed for comparison. The dimensionless effective diffusion coefficients of Li+ in different directions in the electrolyte-filled carbon paper are obtained using lattice Boltzmann method. Results show that the internal structural features directly affect mass transport. The curves of the calculated effective diffusivity versus porosity are well fitted using a power function similar to Bruggeman equation within the porosity range of 0.66–0.86. The anisotropic coefficient is obtained from the effective diffusion coefficient in different directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrates a method for patterning paper-based microfluidic devices. An octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) solution is used to coat a chromatography paper to make it hydrophobic. A low-temperature (~ 32.9 °C) atmospheric-pressure dielectric-barrier-discharge jet with a shadow mask is then used to pattern hydrophilic stripes on the OTS-coated hydrophobic paper. In this manner, 1-mm-wide hydrophilic stripes are patterned successfully. Liquids are demonstrated to be transported and mixed in the hydrophilic stripes. Water contact angle measurement, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, surface profiler, optical emission spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy are used to characterize effect of pattering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The degradation of paper-based materials involves several and complex mechanisms, such as hydrolysis and oxidation. The behaviour of different types of pulps can be very variable. In this study, the difference upon oxidation of contemporary non-recycled and recycled papers, which now constitute a considerable fibre source, is investigated. A 0.015 M potassium periodate solution is used to oxidise five types of paper, two non-recycled and three recycled, for 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 h. The effects of such oxidation treatments are evaluated in terms of carbonyl content and degree of polymerisation (DP). A modified procedure of the Szabolcs's method and viscometry are used to measure the carbonyl content and DP, respectively. The carbonyl groups are found to increase more rapidly in the recycled papers than in the non-recycled ones. On the contrary, oxidation causes a larger decrease of the DP values in the non-recycled papers, the paper made of pure cellulose being the most sensitive in terms of depolymerisation. The DP values measured for pure cellulose paper are in line with previously reported data. Moreover, in accordance with the Ekenstam equation, the plots of the reciprocal of DP as a function of oxidation time show good linear correlations for all types of paper investigated. Pseudo rate constants are thus calculated from the slopes of these plots, those of the non-recycled papers being found to be higher than those of the recycled papers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental and energy impacts of ICT were identified using a comparative life cycle assessment (CompLCA) focused on business invoicing processes comparing online to paper processes. There were net energy benefits from online billing. The potential impact across the economy and society is large, particularly as COVID-19 has forced many businesses and government services to shift to online service provision. For one million bills produced electronically and received by customers instead of a paper bill, 18.9 t CO2e is avoided, which translates to a national saving of 22,680 tCO2e, assuming 1.2 billion annual invoicing transactions. The impacts of CO2 are sensitive, however, to several assumptions. The study's originality was to show the range of invoicing variables that impact energy and the environment and to highlight which ones can be influenced. For example, the number of online bills produced was the most sensitive. However, the results are reversed under commonly occurring customer use situations. The study demonstrates the positive and negative impacts from the digitalisation of businesses. It suggests remedies based on the main drivers identified under company, contractor and customer control that led to energy consumption and environmental and land use impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a kind of chemical additives, surfactants are widely used in the processes of papermaking, which played roles of wetting, dispersing, emulsifying etc. to adjust and maintain the product performance. However, there are few reports about the effect of surfactants on fiber properties, especially during paper recycling. This work investigated the effects of three types of surfactants on the cellulosic fibers and paper properties during five-time recycling. Properties of recycled paper with five times were presented as the index of papermaking potential. The results showed that cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), a cationic surfactant, had an obvious negative effect on paper properties. For continuous surfactant supplements, the burst, tearing, and tensile index decreased by 50.2%, 41.6%, and 43.6%, respectively. Sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS), an anionic surfactant, had a significant positive effect on fibers' WRV and inhibited the fibers' hornification to some extent. However, it had a negative effect on paper properties by affecting the bonding between the fibers. Triton X-100 (TX-100), a nonionic surfactant, improved paper properties according to the papermaking potential. For adding surfactant only once, the burst, tearing, and tensile index increased by 15.0%, 8.59%, and 7.2%, respectively. For these three types of surfactants, TX-100 was generally more beneficial for fiber and paper. This paper revealed the effects of surfactants on the fiber and paper properties and perfected the theory of surfactants applied for fiber and paper in papermaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multi-functional porous paper-based material was prepared from grass pulp by simple pore-forming and green cross-linking method. As a pore-forming agent, calcium citrate increased the porosity of the paper-based material from 30% to 69% while retaining the mechanical strength. The covalent cross-linking of citric acid between cellulose fibers improved both the wet strength and adsorption capacity. In addition, owing to the introduction of high-content carboxyl groups as well as the construction of hierarchical micro-nano structure, the underwater oil contact angle was up to 165°. The separation efficiency of the emulsified oil was 99.3%, and the water flux was up to 2020 L·m−2·h−1. The theoretical maximum adsorption capacities of cadmium ion, lead ion and methylene blue reached 136, 229 and 128.9 mg·g−1, respectively. The continuous purification of complex wastewater can be achieved by using paper-based materials combined with filtration technology. This work provides a simple, low cost and environmental approach for the treatment of complex wastewater containing insoluble oil, organic dyes, and heavy metal ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study explored chitosan, a biodegradable nontoxic biopolymer, at different dosages for surface treatment of recycled paper to improve various properties relevant to packaging. Chitosan, at all applied concentrations, improved important paper properties like surface, strength and barrier due to which the low strength paper can also be used as a packaging paper. The effects of surface treatment of chitosan solutions of different concentrations on paper were analyzed by measuring breaking length, burst index, tear index, double fold, stiffness, air permeance, water vapor transmission rate (WVTR), wax pick, tensile energy absorption (TEA), and stretch. After surface treatment by 1% solution of chitosan, the breaking length, double fold, TEA, and stretch in machine direction were increased by 53.8%, 243%, 93%, and 75%, respectively, whereas burst index was increased by 38.4% in comparison with the base paper. The WVTR was reduced from 706 to 496 g/m2/24 h, and air passage time was increased from 18 to 65 Gurley s after surface treatment by 1% chitosan solution on the base paper. The chitosan solution at all the concentrations showed antibacterial activity in plate assay therefore reducing the susceptibility of paper to microbial attack. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the efficiency of a polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) to retain different cellulose micro/nanofibers (CMNFs) during paper formation and to improve the physical properties of recycled unbleached fiber paper was analyzed. CMNFs were obtained from a commercial bleached eucalyptus pulp (BEP) using a PFI refiner followed by a chemical treatment with oxalic acid at two different concentrations. Finally, the pulp was fibrillated using a high-pressure homogenizer at three different intensities. The PEC was formed by addition of the xylan (Xyl) solution on chitosan (CH) solution with a Xyl/CH mass ratio of 80/20. The required dosages of PEC solution to neutralize the charges of different nanocellulose fractions were determined by ζ-potential measurements, and the CMNF retentions on recycled unbleached fibers were evaluated in a Britt Dynamic Drainage Jar. The results showed that the maximum retention was obtained when the neutral PEC-CMNF system was added to pulp. Besides, a significant decrease on °SR was observed when PEC and PEC-CMNF systems were added to the untreated pulp, limiting the negative effects of nanocellulose addition on pulp drainability. The incorporation of PEC-CMNF systems to the handsheets increased the tensile index (up to 28%), Mullen index (up to 40%) and internal bonding (up to 255%). Finally, the compressive strength of the handsheets, namely SCT and CMT, increased up to 30 and 70%, respectively. These simultaneous improvement on drainability and mechanical properties makes the proposed PEC-CMNF system a promising solution for the production of packaging paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

This work presents a microfluidic paper-based analytical device (μPAD) for the determination of sucrose using the Benedict's test. An asymmetric dumbbell-shaped hydrophobic barrier was produced by rubber stamping the barrier pattern onto a laboratory filter paper. Hydrochloric acid and solution containing sucrose were successively deposited onto the sample reservoir of the μPAD attached to a glass slide. The device was placed in a plastic bag and dipped into boiling water for accelerating the hydrolysis of sucrose into the reducing sugars. Then the Benedict's reagent was added at the narrow straight channel connecting the two circular zones of the μPAD, which was replaced in the plastic bag and heated again for reduction of Cu(II) by the reducing sugars. Precipitate of brick-red copper(I) oxide was formed. The image of the μPAD was recorded by a smartphone. The ratio of the red to blue intensities gave linear correlation with the concentration of sucrose in the range of 0.5–10% w/v. The relative standard deviation of the measurement was less than 5% for 2 and 4% w/v sucrose (n = 10), with limit of determination, calculated using standard deviation of regression divided by slope of calibration, of 0.26% w/v sucrose. The method was successfully validated using the dinitrosalicylic acid method for sucrose measurement. Percent recoveries of sucrose were evaluated using ten sugarcane samples. The recoveries were in the range of 89 to 101%, demonstrating that there were no significant sample matrix effects on the quantification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The functional paper holds significant potential in some special fields, which has achieved great development. Nevertheless, using cellulose paper to fabricate functional paper, which integrates transparency, robustness, flexibility, shape memory, and sustainability, remains a challenge. Herein, the vitrimer precursor was vacuum impregnated into cellulose paper and then in-situ polymerized to develop a vitrimer-cellulose paper (VCP) with transparency, shape manipulation, robustness, and sustainability. Taking advantage of the vitrimer's dynamic performance, the resulting VCP demonstrated excellent optical transparency (transmittance of 84%, haze of 75%), enhanced mechanical strength (tensile strength of 80.5 MPa), chemical resistance, thermal-triggered shape manipulation, and reprocessing. Noteworthily, VCP possessed outstanding light management capability with effective light propagating and scattering performance. Furthermore, VCP laminate showed increased mechanical property with the increased layers, and it can be reprocessed to a bulk composite after crushing. These incorporated merits of VCP make a promising candidate for light management and sustainable building application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulp and paper industries are very important for developing the Brazilian economy. During production processes, many effluents are generated with high polluting potential. The objective of this study is to conduct an extensive literature review on the characteristics of effluents and treatment forms adopted by Brazilian mills in this industrial sector. Most consulted studies address raw (without treatment) and secondary (after biological treatment) effluents, considering their main characteristics like pH, chemical and biochemical oxygen demands (COD and BOD, respectively), color, solids, organochlorines, toxicity, estrogenic activity, and phenols. Raw effluents differ considerably in composition, depending on the type of paper produced, the pulping process employed, and other steps, like pulp bleaching. Raw effluent characteristics indicate that this effluent cannot be directly disposed of into water bodies, because it does not comply with federal and state disposal standards. Secondary effluents normally comply with Brazilian legislations, although some studies have reported COD and total phenol concentrations higher than disposal standards, suggesting that additional treatments are necessary. Treated effluent reuse was verified in some Brazilian mills, while its disposal in eucalyptus plantations has been considered a promising alternative for irrigation purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical properties of bag paper before and after processing in a field of a unipolar (negative) corona discharge are investigated. It is shown that the modification of bag paper leads to its strengthening: absolute punching resistance, breaking stress, breaking length, tensile stiffness, tearing resistance in the longitudinal (machine) and transverse directions increase. The strengthening of the material is explained by the increased interfiber interaction due to an increase in the potential of the double electric layer on the surface of the fibers under the action of charge carriers injected into the paper volume during processing in a unipolar corona discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Just like disposal of waste papers by indiscriminate dumping, stabilisation of clay soil using cement or by firing has a potential adverse effect on the environment and public health. Thus, the essence of this work was to investigate the feasibility of chemically modifying clay soils using waste papers in order to solve the disposal problems and also develop clay-based composites suitable for building purposes. Hydrothermally calcined waste paper ash nanomaterial (HCWPAN) was prepared from assorted waste papers and used to separately develop composites with white clay matrix (WCC) and yellow clay matrix (YCC) each at 0 %, 10 %, 20 %, 30 %, and 40 % volumetric proportions of replacement. Three representative samples were developed in each case. Apparent porosity, water absorption, bulk density, sorptivity, thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity, volumetric heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, thermal lag, flaking concentration, flexural strength, and compressive strength were investigated for all the samples. For satisfactory performance during service, the optimum content level of the HCWPAN was found to be 10 % in the samples. Though the WCC sample possessed greater compressive strength (4.029 ± 0.002) MPa than the value (2.895 ± 0.002) MPa obtained for the YCC sample at that level, the latter exhibited greater potential for enhancement of thermal comfort as a walling element in buildings. Also, reductions from 8.98 % to 8.00 % and 13.30 % to 12.575 % were observed in water absorption of the resulting WCC and YCC samples, respectively. From the technical–economic viewpoint, the HCWPAN is a promising material for clay soil modification for building purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical strength degradation of recycled paper (RP) caused by the keratinization of recycled fibers is a basic problem to be solved urgently in the waste paper recycling industry. Compensating RP strength in a sustainable pathway is imperative and challenging. Cellulose nanofibrils with a three-dimensional interpenetrating network structure (3DIPN-CNFs) developed as a new family of strength additives for RP were demonstrated herein. The 3DIPN-CNFs were obtained from bagasse in a single bath treatment with H3PO4 and H2O2 under mild aqueous conditions. The tensile index and tear index of the RP with 3DIPN-CNFs were increased by 78% and 39%, respectively. 3DIPN-CNFs are less expensive and easier to obtain than Isolated-CNFs because homogenizing mechanical treatment is not required and are expected to become a sustainable strength additive for RP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reasons underlying retractions of papers authored by the Iran-affiliated highly cited researchers (HCRs) have not been documented. Here, we report that 229 of the Iran-affiliated researchers were listed by the Clarivate Analytics as HCRs. We investigated the Retraction Watch Database and found that, in total, 51 papers authored by the Iran-affiliated HCRs were retracted from 2006 to 2019. Twenty-three of the 229 HCRs (10%) had at least one paper retracted. One of the listed HCRs had 22 papers retracted; 14 of the 23 (60.8%) had only one paper retracted. Among the 51 retracted papers, three had been authored by two female authors. Eight (16.8%) retracted papers had international co-authorships. The shortest and longest times from publication to retraction were 20 and 2610 (mean ± SD, 857 ± 616) days, respectively. Of the 51 papers, 43 (84%) had a single reason for retraction, whereas eight had multiple reasons. Among the 43 papers, 23 (53%) were retracted due to fake peer-review, eight (19%) were duplications, six (14%) had errors, four (9%) had plagiarism, and two (5%) were labelled as “limited or no information.” Duplication of data, which is easily preventable, amounted to 27%. Any publishing oversight committed by an HCR may not be tolerated because they represent the stakeholders of the scientific literature and stand as role-models for other peer researchers. Future policies supporting the Iranian academia should radically change by implementation of educational and awareness programs on publishing ethics to reduce the rate of retractions in Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate eggshell wastes, which have the potential to turn into high value-added products in paper industry. Membrane-removed eggshell wastes were subjected to certain processes of washing, drying, grinding, and sieving. The final product of eggshell calcium carbonate (ECC) was used in office paper production as filler, and its possible effect on physical and optical properties of papers was investigated. Mixed office wastes were turned pulp using as raw material of office paper production. Moreover, the effects of ECC was compared with the use of industrial calcium carbonates of ground (GCC) and precipitated (PCC) forms as filler. Breaking lengths of the papers were shown to reduce up to 65.2, 76.6, and 64.1% by a 30% usage of GCC, PCC, and ECC fillers, respectively. PCC and GCC were more effective in improved optical properties of papers than ECC. The brightness values were measured to be 96.8, 98.4, and 93.1 ISO% with a 30% dosage of GCC, PCC, and ECC fillers, respectively. These results suggested that ECC can be used as filler in paper industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper-based packaging materials are generally assembled using adhesives formulated with oil-based polymers. These adhesives make the recyclability of the materials more complex and may be the source of material contamination by mineral oil. In view of developing an adhesive-free process, the potential of ultrasonic compression was investigated in this study. 100% lignocellulosic papers were assembled using an ultrasonic welder dedicated to thermoplastic polymers. For papers containing lignin, the measured peeling strengths were equivalent to those achieved by hot-melt gluing, provided that the water content of papers was well adjusted. At the interface between bonded papers, the fiber network was dense and rather continuous. SEM examinations, 3D X-ray microtomography images, and temperature measurements suggested that the development of adhesion originated to a large extent from a thermoplastic welding mechanism: wood fiber polymers passed their glass transition temperatures, creeped and formed a matrix that coated fibers. Thus, ultrasonic welding appears as an efficient adhesive-free technique for assembling papers that are used in a broad range of packaging applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Facebook mentions to scholarly papers have provided a novel way for reflecting and measuring the process of informal scientific communication. To uncover the underlying mechanism of Facebook Altmetrics, it is essential to investigate characteristics of its contextual data. Take library and information science papers for empirical study, three categories of contextual data were gathered, namely data of mentioned LIS papers, data of Facebook users and data of Facebook post. Hybrid methods including statistical analysis, content analysis and visualization analysis were adopted to analyze the data. Results show that: (1) Positive open access status and active Facebook account would help get scholarly paper mentioned but would not boost the number of Facebook mentions. Number of citations, number of collaborative institutions, and number of collaborative countries showed a significantly positive correlation with the number of Facebook mentions. Health information management was identified to be the most mentioned research topic while bibliometrics and scientific evaluation has received on average the highest number of Facebook mentions. (2) Scientific Facebook users that mention LIS papers were widely scattered geographically but dominated by USA, Spain, Germany, Brazil and Australia. Institutional users (89%) and academic users (84%) are prevailing, especially universities (14%), research institutes (12%), libraries (11%), academic associations (9%) and commercial organizations (8%). (3) Most scientific Facebook posts were relatively short, while the language distribution was less skewed than that of scientific tweets. The post content is mostly a combination of text, links, and pictures and with neutral sentiment. Different types of users have demonstrated significantly different style of content and concerned topics. These findings indicate that Facebook mentions to LIS papers mainly reflect the institutional level advocacy and attention, with low level of engagement, and could be influenced by several features including collaborative patterns and research topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the problem of reliable determination of the volume of cellulose fiber and its active surface to estimate or predict the properties of the paper or cardboard manufactured on its basis. To that end, we construct a 3D model of paper or cardboard fiber using contemporary methods of sample preparation for electron microscopy along with a professional powerful graphical editor. The 3D modeling included preparation of a series of microstructure paper slices with a step of at least 10 μm followed by their transformation into a 3D body. In the Object Properties section, the vector format graphic software sets the volume of fiber material, its surface and weight. Provided that the 3D body is correctly scaled, i.e., in accordance with the dimensions specified in microscopic images, the Object Properties section generates the required parameters. The obtained 3D fiber model also enables the force direction of interfiber interaction to be determined in the 3D coordinate system. Until now, the absence of a 3D fiber model in real dimensions has impeded evaluation of the actual value of interfiber bonding forces. These forces, as vector quantities, are characterized by not only numerical values, but also directionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]