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Very recently, P. Saha et al. [A global optimality result in probabilistic spaces using control function. Optimization. 2021;70:2387–2400] studied the existence of best proximity points for Banach type ϕ-proximal contractions in the framework of Menger probabilistic metric spaces. In this paper, we present a simple proof of their main existence result which is based on a fixed point theorem for ϕ-contractive self-mappings in complete Menger PM-spaces due to B.S. Choudhury and K. Das [A new contraction principle in Menger spaces. Acta Math Sin. 2008;24:13791386]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the removal of UV254, phenol, and calcium from paper industry wastewater by persulfate oxidation was investigated. Fe2+ addition and heat application methods were used for persulfate activation. Response surface methodology and central composite design were applied for the optimization of effective parameters on processes. The statistical fit of the model was confirmed by the high R2 and adjusted R2 values. Based on the results obtained, response surface methodology models were developed. Estimated results calculated with model equations and experimental data were close to each other, and the models were confirmed to be significant. As a result of experimental studies conducted under the optimum conditions determined by the model, UV254, phenol, and calcium removal efficiencies from paper industry wastewater were 84.2%, 92.6%, and 85.7%, respectively by the Fe2+-activated persulfate process while they were 96.4%, 96.3%, and 81.8%, respectively by heat-activated persulfate process. The results of the study showed that persulfate oxidation is an effective advanced treatment process for recalcitrant pollutants removal from paper industry wastewater and response surface methodology is a useful tool for optimizing the treatment parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability demands circular and material solutions with an emphasis on using local resources. Using alternative fibers from invasive plants and agro-residue promotes local production in smaller paper mills, which have additional benefits for the environment (protecting the local species, reducing agro-industrial waste). In electrophotography printing, toner adhesion is a vital quality parameter showing the prints' resistance against different mechanical stress, leading to toner particle detachment. This study tested six different papers made from invasive plants Japanese Knotweed, Black Locust, Canadian Goldenrod, agro-industrial residues Miscanthus, and Tomato stems and waste jute bags. The papers were printed with electrophotography, and three different toner adhesion methods were used to evaluate the toner adhesion. Paper properties like roughness, surface energy and surface resistivity were tested. The results indicate that uncoated agro-industrial residue and invasive plant papers with low surface roughness, low surface energy and high surface resistivity result in low toner adhesion. The cellulose content of the papers acquired with FTIR analysis did not influence the adhesion. Papers with surface energy over 35 mJ/m2 and surface resistivity below 5E + 1012 Ω values resulted in excellent paper toner adhesion (high IGT printability tester and tape pull test). High grammage and long fibers also improved the adhesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the tragedy in Ukraine deepens, it's clear that the world should end its dependency on Russian oil. It will be ironic, however, if nations disentangling themselves from this compromised energy source instead turn to another energy source with destructive impacts: harvesting and burning forest wood for fuel, which increases carbon emissions compared to fossil fuels, and degrades forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microfluidic paper-based analytical devices are emerging as promising options for on-the-spot detection of chemical contaminants in water. The coupling of these devices with digital imaging technology has attracted immense interest in developing portable sensor applications. However, the potential of digital techniques still remains to be fully explored. In this work, we integrate digital imaging with microfluidic paper-based analytical devices to develop a portable colorimetric assay for iron. The experimental conditions are optimised using image analysis and the effects of imaging equipment and colorimetric analysis methods on the readout of devices are studied using numerical, graphical and statistical techniques. The experimental results are obtained for the estimation of iron contamination in water samples using a colorimetric assay based on iron (III)-thiocyanate reaction. The digital image acquisition approach using smartphone as imaging equipment is adopted for on-the-spot colorimetric data collection. Image processing techniques are employed to estimate the iron concentration in water from digital images. Greyscale colour intensity obtained from a digital image is identified as a readout of the analytical device and employed for quantitative assessment. The limit of detection for iron is estimated to be 0.26 ppm. The microfluidic approach offers good recovery and repeatability with relative standard deviation of 1.4%. The maximum percentage difference for intensities between the image analysis methods is 4.94% and that between the imaging equipment is 9.96%. The gradients of regression lines for pairwise equipment and method outputs with zero intercept range from 0.9931 to 1.0162 with high values of coefficients of determination. The correlation coefficient values for various paired comparisons (>0.99) suggest strong agreement. Statistical test results suggest no significant differences between methods and between imaging equipment (significance level 0.05). The findings suggest the efficacy of digital imaging and colorimetric analysis for paper-based analytical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fragrance allergens (FAs) have been widely used in wet wipes, diapers, sanitary napkins, and other paper personal care products. There are more than 1000 fragrance allergens that may be present in these products. However, their negative effects on human health and environment cannot be ignored. This work presented a headspace (HS) solid-phase microextraction (SPME) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for the determination of fragrance allergens in paper personal care products. The factors affecting the extraction efficiency were optimized by response surface methodology (RSM). Under optimal conditions, the method provided good linearity (R-0.995) from 2.5x10-4 to 1.28x10-1mg with low limits of detection (LODs) between 1.9x10-2 and 6.0 mg/kg. Twenty paper personal care products were analyzed and 12 fragrance allergens were detected. The detection rate of benzyl alcohol was the highest (80%) with contents from 0.009 to 5.73mg/kg, followed by linalool (over 75%) with a content of 12.30mg/kg in makeup removing wipes. Additionally, a comparison for the determination of fragrance allergens by solid-liquid extraction-dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (SLE-DLLME) and HS-SPME was reported. HS-SPME has been demonstrated to be a sensitive screening method for fragrance allergens in paper personal care products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper and board are used for packaging of moist as well as dry food. According to Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004, food contact materials (FCM) must not bring about a deterioration in the organoleptic characteristics of foodstuffs. For testing the transfer of off-flavour (taint) from packaging to food via the gas phase (DIN EN 1230-2), relative humidity (rH) has to be adjusted. In contrast, rH is neither taken into account when testing the odour (DIN EN 1230-1), nor in chemical migration of volatile organic substances (VOC) onto the adsorbent Tenax® (DIN EN 14338). In this work, effect of different rHs on the desorption of VOC from paper and board was investigated by GC-MS analysis as well as by human sensory tests. Raising humidity led to an increase in VOC transfer, which was observed by increasing peak areas as well as the detection of more substances in GC-MS. Analytical results were in line with human sensory tests. The odour profile of the paper at 33 and 58% rH was described as cardboard-like, sweet and smoky. Impact substances for these olfactory impressions were (E)-2-nonenal, vanillin and 2-methoxyphenol as identified by GC with an olfactory detection port (GC-ODP). The increase to 75 and 100% rH resulted in the additional perception of cheesy/sweaty and fatty/rancid impressions, which were primarily caused by short-chain fatty acids and di-unsaturated aldehydes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The comments provided in this document are a response to a study conducted by Professor Jean-Pierre Pascal on the inertia forces in roller test rigs. The comments address concerns raised by Professor Pascal regarding a statement made in a previous paper. The comments highlight the limitations of using roller test rigs for longitudinal wheelset motion and emphasize the need for three-dimensional models to accurately capture the effects of inertia forces on contact forces. The document also points out several fundamental problems with the planar example used in Professor Pascal's paper. Overall, the comments suggest that further research is needed to fully understand the impact of longitudinal velocity on motion trajectories and contact forces. [Extracted from the article]

Plastic mulch is used for agricultural production to improve crop performance and mediate local environmental concerns. Paper mulch is an alternative to plastic mulch, it is effective and more biodegradable. The performance of plastic and paper mulch materials in agricultural production varies according to climatic environments, production practices, and crops. The objective of this study was to investigate the performance of paper mulch compared with plastic mulch and bare soil for tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) field production in 2018 and 2021. Data on weed control, soil temperature, and tomato yield were recorded. Weed coverage and weeding time were reduced in paper and plastic mulch treatments compared to bare soil. Soil temperature in 2021 was lower in paper and plastic mulch treatments than in bare soil. Tomato yield was greater in plastic mulch than paper mulch and bare soil. Tomato yield for paper mulch treatments was not different from that of bare soil treatments. Paper mulch offered comparable weed control benefits as plastic mulch, and comparable tomato yield as bare soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of the American Institute for Conservation is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The current analytical techniques for characterizing printing and graphic arts substrates, particularly those used to date and authenticate provenance, are destructive. This limits the amount of data that can be captured from an individual sample. For samples being evaluated in forensic and archeological investigations, any loss or degradation of the materials is undesirable. Furthermore, it is difficult to produce statistically relevant data for such analytes. We have shown elsewhere that a contactless microwave resonant cavity dielectric spectroscopy technique can discriminate between paper samples made from different plant fiber species based on their lignin content. In this publication, we demonstrate the utility of the contactless resonant cavity dielectric spectroscopy (RCDS) technique in the characterization of naturally and artificially aged paper samples. Based on our experimental results, we suggest that the technique could be used in forensic and archeological investigations of unique paper products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple method for preparing chelated calcium from black liquor produced in the paper industry was studied. Various factors influencing the chelation rate of Ca2+ were studied, including the system pH, reaction temperature, reaction time, reaction solution ratio. The optimum reaction conditions are as follows: the system pH, reaction temperature, reaction solution ratio (V(CaCl2):m (Black liquor)) and time were 5.6, 25°C, 1:20 and 60 min, respectively. The maximum Ca2+ chelation rate was 88.75%. The characteristics of chelated calcium fertilizer in black liquor were studied by Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron microscope. The results indicated that the CaCl2 could be chelated by the black liquor from paper-making industry, and showed a high chelating rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper highlights how significant characteristics of liver can be modeled in tissue-engineered constructs using unconventional scaffolds. Hepatic lobular organization and metabolic zonation can be mimicked with decellularized plant structures with vasculature resembling a native-hepatic lobule vascular arrangement or silk blend scaffolds meticulously designed for guided cellular arrangement as hepatic patches or metabolic activities. The functionality of hepatocytes can be enhanced and maintained for long periods in naturally fibrous structures paving way for bioartificial liver development. The phase I enzymatic activity in hepatic models can be raised exploiting the microfibrillar structure of paper to allow cellular stacking creating hypoxic conditions to induce in vivo-like xenobiotic metabolism. Lastly, the paper introduces amalgamation of carbon-based nanomaterials into existing scaffolds in liver tissue engineering. Plain Language Summary Unconventional scaffolds have the potential to meet the current challenges in liver tissue engineering- loss of hepatic morphology and functions over long-term culture, absence of native-like cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions, organization of hepatocytes into lobular structures exhibiting metabolic variations-which hinder pharmaceutical analysis, regenerative therapies and artificial organ development. Paper with cellulose microfibril network develops cellular aggregates with hypoxic conditions that influence enzymes of xenobiotic metabolism proving to be a better scaffold for hepatotoxicity testing compared with conventional monolayers in tissue culture plates. Decellularized plant stems provide already-built vasculature to be exploited for the development of intricate vessel networks that exist in hepatic lobules aiding in regenerative medicine for hepatic pathologies. Fibrous plant structures are excellent materials for the immobilization of hepatocytes and improve albumin secretion enabling their use in bioartificial liver development. Biomimicry of metabolic zonation in hepatic lobules can be achieved with perfusion culture using silk blend scaffolds with varying proportions of the liver matrix that orchestrate cellular function. The mechanical properties of silk allow the fabrication of structures that resemble liver anatomy to generate native-like hepatic lobules. Nanomaterials have immense potential as a component of composite material development for scaffolds to achieve improved predictive ability in pharmacokinetics. Most of these unconventional scaffolds have the added advantage of being readily available, accessible, affordable and sustainable for liver tissue engineering applications. Conclusively, the shift of attention away from conventional scaffolds poses a promising future in the field of tissue engineering. Graphical Abstract Article highlights Limitations of 2D culture: Current 2D culture practices cannot achieve the complexity of hepatic tissue including metabolic zonation, lobular organization, extensive vasculature, existence of multiple cell types. Splenic scaffold: Spleen proves to be the excellent choice of decellularized organ for liver tissue regeneration, however, this cross-organ recellularization procedure is not ideal for clinical translation. Plant-based scaffold: Selecting plant material that matches hepatic tissue mechanical properties and anatomical features including the channel arrangements (central vein and portal triad) help hepatic regeneration and pathological modeling. Naturally fibrous plant materials have the potential to be excellent platforms for bioartificial liver development based on high hepatocyte adherence and function. Paper-based scaffold: Hepatocyte culture on functionalized filter paper forms a physiologically more relevant model for hepatotoxicity assessment particularly because of higher activity of drug metabolizing enzymes. Silk-based scaffold: Hepatic lobular organization that supports metabolic zonation can be mimicked by varying ECM content in silk blend scaffolds to create native-like oxygen and nutrient gradient. CNT-based scaffold: Exceptional properties of carbon nanotubes make them ideal to mimic liver ECM allowing formation of hepatic spheroids with in vivo like characteristics- bile canaliculi, polarity and drug clearance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The separation of oil and water mixtures is an important issue in acidic and alkaline conditions. In this paper, the chitosan (CS)-coated filter paper was successfully fabricated for application in the field of oil/water separation by crosslinking filter paper with hydrophilic chitosan through a simple Schiff's base reaction. The surface of the prepared CS-coated filter paper maintains superhydrophilic and low adhesive ability to oil in water. Besides, this filter paper can resist highly acidic erosion even concentrated sulfuric acid. Surprisingly, CS-coated filter paper can be efficiently applied on the separation of different types of oil/water mixtures in wide pH range conditions and exhibits excellent recyclability and antibacterial property. The antibacterial rate of CS fiber pure textile can reach 99%. The antibacterial rate of blended fabric is about 75%. This separation process has high potential for industrial oilfield wastewater treatment and separation in extreme environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposed a proof-of-concept methodology for the investigation of paper samples by utilizing ATR-FTIR spectroscopy supported by chemometric methods. An attempt on the analysis of aged writing papers due to the degradation of their chemical constituents with time has been made. The degradation of its constituents with time is directly linked to the age of the paper since its production. This further links the questioned document with the fraudster, and sometimes it becomes crucial information in the court of law to reach to conclusion. The present study offers a method to discriminate, and estimate the age of unknown writing paper. The statistical models like Curve Estimation (CE), multiple linear regressions (MLR), and partial least squares regression (PLSR), are built to predict the age of the papers. The maximum dating errors are in the CE model whereas, MLR and PLSR models show excellent age estimation of unknown paper with minimum error of ±5 days and ±3 days in actual and estimated date of artificial ageing respectively. The present methodology is expected to provide valuable insight for answering the queries related to the date/age of the suspected document documents/paper artefacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Nazi Germany (1933–45), reclaiming waste became an intrinsic component of the regime's economy as well as its ideological, racial, and expansionist ambitions. National Socialist interventions into waste streams began in 1934 with salvage campaigns. The state then brought urban waste policies and municipal waste services under its control, restructuring and 'Aryanising' the waste salvage trade. Moreover, both consumers and producers were prompted to collect and reprocess waste. Over time, the gradual expansion of the Nazi waste recovery policies and campaigns – here referred to as the 'Nazi waste exploitation regime' – brought forth a determined vision of a circular economy in which no waste whatsoever should escape its reclamation for the national community or Volksgemeinschaft. This article sketches the actors, structures, and objectives of this waste exploitation regime for the case of rags and paper and uncovers its entanglement with Nazi racist and genocidal ideology and expansionism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper photography and paper money share a common history, especially in the context of the USA in the 1860s, a commonality explored by this article. The interconnection of the two media was first addressed by Oliver Wendell Holmes's metaphorical description of cartes de visite as 'sentimental "green-backs" of civilization'. This article focuses on Abraham Lincoln's public image as presidential candidate, one that was heavily influenced by the new craze for cartes de visite. At the same time, the advent of modern paper money as we know it is marked by the introduction of Demand Notes or so-called greenbacks, of which the ten-dollar denomination showed Lincoln's portrait after a photograph. Medial intersections between paper money and photography are taken into consideration in more theoretical terms, before a concluding section sets out the wider context of photography's involvement in the emergence and early turbulences of early national paper currencies in the Civil War era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, hemp-based barrier papers were produced by a facile film coating route. The hemp plant was mechanically separated by crushing and breaking down the stalks. The woody hurd and fibers were separated manually. Then, cellulosic pulp was prepared by the Kraft method. Alkali treated hemp fibers were used for the paper preparation, and papers were coated with poly(lactic acid) (PLA) films. Physical, morphological, structural, wetting, mechanical properties, thermal dimensional stability, and water vapor permeability (WVP) properties were analyzed. Average hemp fiber diameter decreased by around 50% after alkali treatment. It was also found that dry and wet tensile strength values for PLA-coated hemp papers increased 3- and 2-orders of magnitudes, respectively. Also, PLA-coated hemp papers showed 0% shrinkage in the temperature range from 100°C to 200°C. WVP of PLA-coated hemp papers decreased by around 50% compared to hemp paper at the end of 300 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Erdoğan: a graphic biography: the rise of Turkey's modern autocrat" is a graphic novel written by Can Dündar and illustrated by Anwar. The book focuses on the rise of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, covering his upbringing, entry into politics, and his complicated relationship with Necmettin Erbakan. The biography portrays Erdoğan as a Machiavellian figure who uses democracy as a means to obtain power, with no true commitment to democratic principles. While the book presents strong arguments, some claims cannot be definitively proven. Overall, it is an impressive and important work that deserves a wide audience. [Extracted from the article]

This document is a letter to the editor addressing a typographical error in the formulas for the double Pareto-lognormal distribution and the normal-Laplace distribution. The authors clarify that the formulas themselves are correct, but there was an error in the expression of the Mills ratio in the correction by Amini and Rabbani. The authors provide the correct formulas for both distributions and offer further explanation upon request. The authors are affiliated with Juraj Dobrila University of Pula in Croatia. [Extracted from the article]

"Breaks in the Air: The Birth of Rap Radio in New York City" by John Klaess is a significant contribution to the history of New York hip-hop culture. The book explores the early days of rap radio in New York, when stations like WBLS played a crucial role in shaping the sound and culture of hip-hop. Klaess uses interviews and cassette recordings to provide insights into the inseparable relationship between rap, radio, and diverse listening communities. The book also examines the impact of deregulation on the commercial radio industry and the role of radio in advancing Black social progress. Overall, "Breaks in the Air" offers a valuable perspective on the history of rap radio in New York City. [Extracted from the article]

"The Real World of College: What Higher Education Is and What It Can Be" by Wendy Fischman and Howard Gardner is a book that examines the state of higher education in the United States. The authors conducted 2,000 interviews over five years at ten colleges to gain insight into current expectations and experiences of higher education. The book explores different justifications for engaging in higher education, such as inertia, transaction, exploration, and transformation. While the book defends traditional humanist scholarship, it could have made a stronger case for the liberal arts. However, it lacks awareness of sociological problems associated with the university and does not consider the broader issues affecting higher education. Overall, the book provides a harmless addition to the library of defenses of liberal education. [Extracted from the article]

"The Inglorious Years: The Collapse of the Industrial Order and the Rise of Digital Society" by Daniel Cohen explores the changes in technology and their impact on society. Cohen examines the shifts in the 1960s as an example of how liberalizing ideas can lead to backlash, using various viewpoints including Marxist and Freudian perspectives. The book highlights moments in history that indicate impending change, such as films and philosophers of the time. Cohen also discusses demographic and economic changes that underlie the transformations of the 1960s and raises concerns about potential future backlash to progress. The book prompts readers to consider the challenges and possibilities of the future based on past patterns. [Extracted from the article]

Nowadays, food safety has become a major concern for the sustainability of global public health. Through the production and distribution steps, food can be contaminated by either chemical hazards or pathogens, and the determination of these plays a critical role in the processes of ensuring food safety. Therefore, the development of analytical tools that can provide rapid screening of these hazards is highly necessary. Microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (µPADs) have advanced significantly in recent years as they are rapid and low-cost analytical screening tools for testing contaminated food products. This review focuses on recent developments of µPADs for various applications in the food safety field. A description of the fabrication of selected papers is briefly discussed, and evaluation of the μPADs' performance with regard to their precision and accuracy as well as their limits of detection is critically assessed. The advantages and disadvantages of these devices are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) have attracted much interest as an alternative energy conversion technology and as a system for recovering and treating wastewater. MFC is a powerful technique for generating energy from various sources, including natural organic matter and renewable biomass. It has several possible applications, including power generation for many small electronic devices, wastewater treatment, and biosensors. However, the restricted power output of MFCs is the most significant impediment to their widespread use and up-scaling in practical applications. The anode electrode is the most critical component of an MFC, where poor anode electrode performance leads to poor MFC efficiency. Therefore, efforts have been made to modify electrodes to improve their performance. While power density is an essential metric in determining MFC efficiency, other parameters such as Coulombic efficiency, current density, cell voltage, and the removal rate of chemical oxygen demand (COD) should also be considered to evaluate the performance of MFC. This study reviews the most recent electrode modification techniques through anode treatments with metal oxides, conductive polymers, carbon nanotubes, and other chemical compounds as well as through cathode modifications. Different modified MFCs are compared in terms of their power density and the type of bacteria and membrane used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated whether reading comprehension would differ when the texts are studied and tested on screen or on paper. Participants were 69 college students who were attending a college in midwestern United States. Participants read two expository texts each, under comparable paper and screen conditions and answered comprehension questions. Test forms and the order of the conditions were counterbalanced. The correlations between reading outcomes and reader characteristics were examined. Participants also completed a survey on their views on the two media (paper or screen). The results did not indicate a significant difference on students' reading comprehension as a function of medium and reader characteristics. However, students reported preferring paper-based reading for complex material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the digitalization of traditional funeral joss paper into digital commodities through the case study of the Chinese online cemetery 00tang.com. Joss paper are paper replicas of everyday items such as money and objects that are ritually burned as a form of symbolic offering to the deceased in accordance with traditional Chinese practices of ancestor worship. Using both ethnographic interviews and discursive interface analysis, I look at how the remediation of spiritual joss paper into digital objects complicates perceived dichotomy between the gift and commodity that requires new ways of thinking about the acts of social reciprocity, indebtedness, and obligation. Drawing on established literature relating to gift and digital economies, I argue 00tang's digitization of joss paper on internet cemeteries is reflexive of the biopolitical means by which the state and market forces work to subsume traditional ancestor worship into controllable and commodifiable labor of mourning. Here, the subversive wastefulness of the gift is replaced by its accumulation and preservation online. Digitization in this regard highlights the process by which objects take on different materiality, values, aesthetics, and productive labor practices, all of which fundamentally alters the symbolic regimes of death and the ritual gift economy in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue of the International Journal of Production Research, focuses on the 'Carbon Neutrality' and 'SCM'. Nine articles have been selected for this special issue, and they cover various aspects to understand the manifestation of 'Carbon Neutrality' in supply chains, and to further illuminate how to achieve 'Carbon Neutrality' with supply chain innovation. This editorial provides a brief overview of the research domain, then introduces each article in the context of the state-of-the-art and highlights the contributions of selected papers to the field. Finally, the research perspectives are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A paper spray tandem mass spectrometric (PS-MS/MS) method without column separation was developed for the rapid screening of clonidine in dietary supplements. PS-MS/MS provided acceptable performance compared to high-performance liquid chromatography – tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) in terms of limits of detection and quantification, accuracy, and precision. To overcome ionization suppression of complicated plant-based pharmaceutical products, nizatidine, tizanidine, and apraclonidine were investigated as internal standards. A more similar structured internal standard is most suitable for matrix effect compensation. The developed method has advantages of simplicity and speed for the screening of clonidine in dietary supplements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper critically examines the White Paper, Opportunity for all, published by the UK Government's Department for Education (DfE) in March 2022. This has a number of recommendations for schools in an attempt to 'level up'. In particular, there is a promise to deliver 'a fully trust-led system with a single regulatory approach [and] a clear role for every part of the school system'. Such a system provides a serious challenge to the way that Religious Education (RE) structures in England are currently built: in short, when Local Authorities no longer have schools under their control – what is the point of a SACRE? Arguing that the 'local settlement' for RE serves two purposes – a curricular purpose and support and monitoring purpose – this paper will suggest that future RE curricula will be planned at the Trust level, with the monitoring and support functions being moved from the local to the regional. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This practitioner paper presents the case of a small paper business named JNA Pulp, initiated with the vision to provide high-quality imported paper to the market. The paper discusses several hurdles faced by the company which eventually pushed the owner to contemplate shutting down the business in the first quarter of 2020. With the rise of COVID-19, it was clear that considering the stance of the business in local market, survival would be impossible. Using the Fishbone analysis, the paper analyses the problems that lead to the closure of this business in April 2020 and further evaluates the strategies that could possibly contribute towards the survival of small businesses in the domestic market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wrapping paper has an irreplaceable role in the food industry, but the high hydrophilicity of cellulose-based wrapping paper limits its application. Here, we aim to develop a fluorine-free and stable method for preparing the superhydrophobic cellulose-based paper using KH570-modified-n-TiO2 and ε-polylysine (ε-PL) to construct a superhydrophobic surface by layer-by-layer self-assembly. The paper modified by (ε-PL/KH570-modified-n-TiO2)4 multilayers has superhydrophobic and self-cleaning properties after heat treatment. The water contact angle reaches up to 152.8° and the antibacterial rate is close to 100%. The high barrier properties to water vapor better prolong the shelf life of cherries. Therefore, the (ε-PL/KH570-modified-n-TiO2)4 multilayers modified paper can provide a new idea for food preservation. The advantage of the double-layer assembly is that even if the superhydrophobic layer of the wrapper is worn away and lost, the remaining ε-PL is still able to act as a bacterial inhibitor, ensuring that the food is not perishable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines Soviet paper reuse as an ideological, economic daily practice, implemented through the advanced, but hitherto undescribed Soiuzutil'waste collecting system by the early 1930s as the reverse side of Stalinist industrialization. It argues that Soiuzutil'waste paper handling attempted to form a new socialist collective by reworking old print while cultivating citizens as classless scrap-collectors, for the sake of an (ir)rational resource optimization. While World War II intensified recycling efforts among the Allied and Axis powers, invasion and evacuation damaged Soviet waste collection to a point where no return of paper into a centralized system was possible. War forced printers and consumers to retreat to local self-supply networks, as paper remained a crucial, yet scarce resource. By analyzing technical-educational literature and correspondence of the reutilization offices, the article demonstrates the changing attitudes in the Stalinist war economy, the industries, and the population towards mobilizing and saving paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructure of fibrous paper plays an important role in its property investigation. In this study, an approach is proposed to extrapolate a 2D image into a virtual 3D microstructure. Five types of handsheets made of different pulps were prepared. Then, a hybrid function of two-point correlation and lineal-path function (S2&L2) and co-occurrence correlation functions (CCFs) was used in the simulated annealing reconstruction method. Thus, microstructures of two-phase fiber-pore handsheets were reconstructed using 2D scanning electron microscopy images. Finally, penetration simulations and calculations of the absolute permeability of handsheets were conducted. The statistical values of two-point correlation function (S2) and lineal-path function (L2) extracted from the reconstructed images were used to characterize the reconstruction accuracy, and the comparisons of reconstruction accuracy and time were made. The study results showed that the 3D microstructures of fibrous handsheets could be reconstructed effectively by S2&L2 and CCFs, identifying with the targets. The accuracies were around 10-5, and the reconstruction times by CCFs were shortened by 30-60% compared with S2&L2. Moreover, the visual permeability simulation results could reflect the structural difference of handsheets, according to the calculated absolute permeability. These findings provide a guidance for 3D reconstruction of natural fiber paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Several cross-sectional studies have investigated the incidence of urinary Congo-red dye positivity in women with preeclampsia (PE), compared to unaffected pregnancies, and reported very high sensitivity and low false positive rate in the diagnosis of PE. Objective: To determine the performance of the urinary Congo-red dot paper test at 35–37 weeks’ gestation in the prediction of delivery with PE at ≤2 and >2 weeks after assessment. Methods: This was a prospective observational study in women attending for a routine hospital visit at 35+0 to 36+6 weeks’ gestation in a maternity hospital in England. Urine samples were collected and the Congo-red dot paper test was used to assess the degree of Congo-red dye positivity. The test uses a scoring system from 1 to 8 and the higher the score the greater the degree of Congo-red dye positivity. We examined and compared the degree of Congo-red dye positivity in the groups that delivered with PE at ≤2 and >2 weeks with those that remained normotensive. Reproducibility was assessed by examining the inter- and intra-observer reliability of scoring on stored images with the researchers blinded to previous results. Results: The study population of 2140 women included 46 (2.1%) that subsequently developed PE (2.1%). The urinary Congo-red dot test was positive in 8.3% (1/12) and 2.9% (1/34) that delivered with PE at ≤2 and >2 weeks from assessment and in 0.2% (4/2094) of the unaffected pregnancies when the cutoff for Congo-red dye positivity was ≥5. The respective values when the cutoff used was ≥3 were 66.7%, 23.5%, and 16.5%, respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficient for the inter-observer reliability was 0.926 (95% CI 0.890–0.953, p<.0001) and Cohen's kappa coefficient for the intra-observer reliability was 0.904, p<.0001. Conclusions: The performance of the urinary Congo-red dot paper test at 35–37 weeks’ gestation in the prediction of PE is very poor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recycled paper mill effluent (RPME) consists of various organic and inorganic compounds. In this study, modified anaerobic hybrid baffled (MAHB) bioreactor has been successfully used to anaerobically digest RPME. The anaerobic digestion was investigated in relation to methane production rate, lignin removal, and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal, with respect to organic loading rate (OLR) and hydraulic retention time (HRT). The analysis using kinetic study was carried out under mesophilic conditions (37 ± 2 °C) and influent COD concentrations (1000–4000 mg L−1), to prove its practicability towards RPME treatment. First-order kinetic model was used to clarify the behavior of RPME anaerobic digestion under different OLRs (0.14–4.00 g COD L−1 d−1) and HRT (1–7 d). The result shows that the highest COD removal efficiency and methane production rate were recorded to be 98.07% and 2.2223 L CH4 d−1, respectively. This result was further validated by evaluating the biokinetic coefficients (reaction rate constant (k) and maximum biogas production (ym)), which gave values of k = 0.57 d−1 and ym = 0.331 L d−1. This kinetic data concludes that MAHB presented satisfactory performance towards COD removal with relatively high methane production, which can be further utilized as on-site energy supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite substantial literature on the dyeing of textiles, there is a lack of research about colouring Japanese mending papers (tissue papers) used for paper conservation purposes. This study investigates the fungal bioreceptivity of Japanese tissue papers after they have been treated with various dyes and pigments. A variety of toning materials including plant dyes, watercolours, acrylic paints, inks, pastels, gouaches, and colour pencils are commonly used by conservators for paper toning purposes. In this study, two Japanese tissue papers (Yukyu-shiandSekishu Mare) were treated with selected plant dyes, watercolours, and acrylic paints and then inoculated with fungal species. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to quantify the DNA fromAspergillus nigerandPenicillium rubrumas a proxy for fungal species abundance before and after inoculation and artificial moist heat ageing. qPCR primers which were universal for fungi amplified DNA from papers inoculated withA. nigerandP. rubrumand these species were found to grow less on treatedSekishu MareandYukyu-shipapers compared with untreated papers.Sekishu Marepapers treated with artists' acrylic paints were found to be more resistant to fungal growth than similarly treatedYukyu-shipapers. This study suggests that for the best long-term preservation outcomes for paper materials in archives, libraries, galleries, and museums, acrylic paints generally perform better in conservation terms than most plant dyes and watercolours, although most colourants displayed some bioinhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The present study is concerned usage of paper mill sludge (PMS) as an effective adsorbent to remove the two cationic character dyes (Basic Blue 3 [BB3] and Basic Yellow 28 [BY28]) from aqueous solutions. The surface morphology and some characteristics of PMS were determined by Fouirer Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET). The parameters affecting the process – temperature (10–55°C), adsorbent dose (0.5–10 g/l), initial pH (2–10 pH), initial concentration (50–250 mg/l) and contact time (0–24 h) – were examined in the batch adsorption experiments. Maximum adsorption capacities (qmax) of two dyes at 1 g/l dose and pH value of 7 were also calculated as 89.35 and 79.81, respectively. Adsorption phenomena of BB3 and BY28 cationic dyes onto PMS is controlled by pseudo-second-order model. Thereafter, equilibrium experimental data were applied to Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin–Redushkevich (D-R) isotherms, and Langmuir isotherm is the best represent the equilibrium adsorption process for both dyes. The processes occurred by physical adsorption because of calculated activation values (Ea) of BB3 and BY28 dyes were 19.43 and 9.35 kJ/mol, respectively. In addition, based on thermodynamic calculations such as free energy (ΔG°), enthalpy (ΔH°) and entropy (ΔS°), the results clearly demonstrated that the adsorption process were of exothermic and spontaneous nature for both dyes. At the light of obtained findings, it can be stated that PMS can be used effectively in removal of cationic dyes from textile wastewaters and is an alternative to commercial adsorbents due to its low-cost and abundance in the paper industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strength properties of paper are of great significance in terms of its mechanical performance and are attributed to cellulosic fibers. When filler is used in papermaking, the cost and strength properties get reduced but optical properties are improved. So far, modification of fillers using chitosan (CH) is not explored in such a way that all aspects of wet-end of papermaking get covered. The novelty lies in showing the effect of CH as filler modifier at various doses on different fillers and the wet-end application of modified fillers at different doses along with other additives used in papermaking. The impact of addition of modified fillers on end paper properties is also analyzed. Here, CH was applied to modify fillers characteristics so that the ash in paper can be increased without compromising the strength properties. Three different doses (0.25%, 0.50% and 1.00%) of CH were added to the fillers. The addition of modified fillers to bleached mixed hardwood (BMHW) pulp increased the filler retention in paper while the reduction in strength properties was found to be less and in some properties even an increase was observed. The particle size distributions of fillers were found to be affected after modification of fillers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil palm empty fruit bunch (EFB), an abundant fiber material obtained after extracting the oil from the strands, is classified as short fiber which needs supporting agent in order to enhance its mechanical strength for papermaking purpose. The main objective of this research is to investigate the effects of beaten EFB fibers incorporated with microcrystalline cellulose (MCC). Two types of beaten EFB fibers from 500 to 1000 revolutions were applied with MCC. The selected percentage of MCC addition was 0%, 3%, 6%, and 9%. Papermaking process was conducted according to TAPPI Standard T 205 sp-02. By incorporating MCC into EFB fibers, the porosity of the paper decreased while the opacity increased. Paper with 6% of MCC addition had the highest mechanical properties especially on the tensile strength. Beating effect was also found as a great factor in influencing the strength of the papers made from EFB fibers with MCC. Beating revolution of 500 showed excellent properties for tear, burst, and folding endurance. Based on physical, mechanical, and optical properties, the produced paper is found potential in the manufacture of writing or high-quality printing grade paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the properties of concrete with waste paper ash (WPA) as cement replacing material. The chemical composition of WPA was reported, and Portland cement was partially replaced with 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% of WPA to explore its effect on both fresh and hardened properties of C—25 concrete. The result of this study indicated that the chemical compositions of WPA were not classified as Pozzolanic material. Setting times of blended cement paste with WPA were lengthened and its consistency was also increased. The cement paste with replacement up to 10% showed a normal consistency within the standard range. The workability of concrete was tested immediately after preparing the concrete mix, whereas the compressive strength was tested after 7 and 28 days of curing. The results indicated that the workability of concrete containing WPA decreases as the WPA content increases. This study also revealed that there is a significant improvement in the compressive strength of concrete. Replacement of ordinary Portland cement by WPA up to 10% results in better compressive strength than that of the control mix. An improvement of 5.6% & 1.2% was observed, respectively, when compared with the 28-day compressive strength of the control mix. But the compressive strength decreases as the WPA replacement increases over 10%. Maximum compressive strength of 37.89 MPa was obtained for concrete containing 5% of WPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1973 Sweden entered into a free-trade agreement with the EEC. This meant that the EEC principle of prohibition of cartels met with the Swedish principle of abuse. Paper production was heavily cartelised in Sweden and Scandinavian export cartels exercised a strong influence over EEC markets. The problem is analysed in terms of legitimacy – how did the Swedish actors make their claims legitimate? When analysing the arguments used in the negotiations it becomes clear that the Swedish negotiators claimed that paper cartels and no tariffs provided more general utility whereas the EEC argument was that cartels were principally wrong and that the EEC utility was more important than the potential general utility. Since Sweden did not have the upper hand in the discussions the outcome became that the Scandinavian export cartels were formally dismantled and free trade for paper products had to wait for 11 years. When it comes to the actual effects, Swedish paper export could continue in much the same way as before. A process initiated by EC against the Scandinavian newspaper cartels ended up in a compromise founded on a common skepticism towards North American producers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discharge of Esparto paper industrial wastewater (EPIW) of SNCPA Company of Kasserine – Tunisia in nature without any treatment can cause harmful effects to the environment. To reduce this danger, several treatment processes have been implemented, in particular, the adsorption technique. The present original study consists of using powdered activated carbon (PAC) to treat EPIW. The tests were carried out on different chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentration of EPIW ranging from 2 to 20 g/L. The influence of initial COD concentration, adsorbent dose, pH and contact time were investigated at temperature of 25 ± 2°C. The equilibrium results were modelled and assessed via Freundlich, Langmuir, Temkin and Dubunin–Radushkevich isotherms models. The error analysis was evaluated by three error functions: the average relative error deviation, the Marquardt's percent standard error deviation and the Sum of the squares of the errors. The results showed that COD removal efficiency, maximum adsorption capacity and colour removal rate were 94%, 190 mg/g and 90%, respectively, for pH = 6, an adsorbent dose of 75 g/L, initial COD concentration of 9.3 g/L and contact time of 60 min. Besides, the main characteristics values of treated EPIW (BOD, TCOD, pH and Salinity) at natural conditions were 200 ± 30 mg O2/L, 1300 ± 50 mg O2/L, 7.2 ± 0.1 and 1.7 g/L ± 0.1, respectively, which were below the ISO-14,000 standards conditions for release in public sewerage system. Furthermore, both the higher value of correlation coefficients (R2) and the lower value of SSE have shown that Freundlich model provided the best fits to adsorption experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rachel Kozlowitz and Kirsten Lentz have challenged psychoanalysis to consider more deeply the impact on analysands when the therapist becomes mortally ill and/or dies, and to make the necessary personal exploration (Kozlowski) and structural and theoretical adjustments in the field (Lentz) required to accommodate this possibility. In this discussion, Blaustein contextualizes their thoughtful arguments in our culture's general aversion to talking about death. Drawing on the work of Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), Blaustein also builds upon the authors' shared recognition that when serious illness or mortality enter the treatment room, the analytic frame must be reimagined and expanded to make room for the positive and loving aspects of the analytic relationship – which may have been latent and unexplored to date – to become manifest and shared consciously between the dyad as a way to help offset the profound feelings of isolation, self-doubt and betrayal often reported by patients whose analysts have died without preparation or warning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzed checkout data from hardback and paperback volumes in the BYU library to determine if there was a difference in circulation rates. Based on usage from 2000 through 2020, hardback volumes are no more likely to circulate than paperbacks over that 20 year range, regardless of when the book was added to the collection or its subject (i.e. humanities, sciences, or social sciences). Also, the average number of circulations for these volumes was low enough that damage to a paperback book was unlikely. Given the lower price of paperbacks, academic library budgets may be better served buying paperbacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, electrocoagulation (EC) was used to determine the optimum conditions on the basis of maximum chemical oxygen demand (COD) and color removal. At the optimum conditions chlorophenols (CPs), biological oxygen demand and total organic carbon (TOC) were determined. The biodegradability of wastewater was increased significantly with 63% COD, 98% color, 61% TOC and overall 65.51% reductions in CPs. Further, the electro-coagulated sludge was characterized by using different analytical techniques to assist the physicochemical and elemental phases, to find-out better management option, reusability for plant growth and safe disposal. Additionally, aluminum content (70.62%) was successfully recovered from sludge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study concerns a practical approach to survey water sorption properties of ionic liquid ([EMIM]OAc) treated papers with and without chemical crosslinking. Ionic liquid (IL) 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([EMIM]OAc) can be used to transform sulfate pulp paper to regenerated cellulose film-like material. The fusion process increases both the dry and wet strength of the paper, improves oxygen and grease barrier properties, and increases paper transparency. The transformation is brought about by dissolution of the surfaces of the cellulosic fibers followed by precipitation and fusion of the fiber surfaces. Treatment conditions can be adjusted to produce partial dissolution of the fibers resulting in paper-like materials with improved wet-strength, or to achieve substantial or full dissolution resulting in transparent, regenerated cellulose film-like materials. From the industrial feasibility point of view, understanding the water sorption properties of IL-treated paper and the process parameters to control it are crucial. Results show that the treatment makes the paper more sensitive to both liquid water and water vapor, the magnitude depending on the degree of fiber dissolution and restraint of sheet shrinking during the treatment. Decreased water absorption and improved sheet dimensional stability were achieved by use of chemical crosslinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report explores the history of Puerto Rico's relationship with the United States military and the resistance against militarization. Since the U.S. invasion in 1898, Puerto Rico has experienced the progressive takeover of land for military purposes, resulting in environmental damage and health repercussions. The resistance against militarism has taken various forms, including civil disobedience, marches, and armed struggle. The report showcases a collection of political propaganda, such as posters and pasquines, which were used to spread anti-militarist messages and mobilize people. These materials provide insight into the themes, styles, and campaigns of leftist propaganda between 1960 and 2000, highlighting the power imbalance between the armed forces and the common people. The report includes images and descriptions of selected propaganda pieces, demonstrating the diversity of styles and messages. [Extracted from the article]