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This paper deals with a problem of tactical planning of production activities. It considers the case of the world's largest phosphate production site, with several mines, several washing plants, and a drying plant, with transport of merchantable phosphate ores (MOs) by rail or pipeline. The tightening of product quality requirements by customers prevents from continuing to plan its production with the current rules. Currently, the plants are managed quite independently, source ores (SOs) are pre-assigned to the MOs for blending, and the MO production routings in the washing plants are predetermined. We propose a model that ensures flexibility in the production of MOs through the choice of dynamic blends and routings. Our approach goes beyond any pre-allocation of resources and aims at synchronising the flows of the washing plants. This specific problem of blending production and planning has not been addressed in the literature. Still, it is widely encountered in many mining industries and offers perspectives for the application of the approach proposed. Numerous tests show that this model ensures the quality constraints related to the composition of several chemical components, with a generalised use of the most economical routings while ensuring horizontal and vertical alignment of decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycarbonates (PC) are widely used as a high performance engineering plastics having an edge over other polymers for its impact, optical, tensile and thermal properties. PC, however, suffers to a drastic reduction in its impact properties at sub-zero temperature near the ductile-brittle-transition. Researchers have done extensive work on enhancing its property at low temperature and also studied the effect of modification on other important properties of PC. A substantial research work available in literature has been reviewed and PC properties, materials, basic approaches for property enhancement, characterization methods etc. have been discussed. The conventional methods like blending and copolymerization, and recently developed methods like nano-addition and reactive blending for property enhancement have been reviewed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen addition has been widely used to improve the combustion performance of low-reactivity fuels such as NH 3. In this study, a series of two-dimensional NH 3 /H 2 flames in mixing layers were investigated numerically. The aim is to assess and interpret the effects of H 2 addition on the structure and dynamics of ammonia flames. Detailed chemistry and transport models were considered in the simulations. It was shown that for pure hydrogen or ammonia flames, a classical tribrachial structure was observed. The non-premixed branch in the tribrachial flame of NH 3 combustion features high heat release rate (HRR), while the two premixed branches are weak. The mixture fraction corresponding to the maximum HRR of NH 3 combustion is significantly lower than the stoichiometric mixture fraction. When blending ammonia with hydrogen, a tetrabrachial flame structure consisting of two premixed branches and two non-premixed branches was observed, where one non-premixed branch corresponds to the reaction of NH 3 , while the other is formed due to the reaction of H 2. It was suggested that the formation of the tetrabrachial flame is related to the preferential diffusion of hydrogen. After decreasing artificially the diffusivity of hydrogen to suppress the preferential diffusion effect, the flame exhibits only three branches with the merging of the two non-premixed branches. By analyzing the flame dynamics at the leading edge, it was found that the flame speed (S d ∗) is negatively correlated with the flame stretch (κ) and scalar dissipation rate (χ), with S d ∗ decreasing almost linearly with κ or χ , consistent with previous studies of methane and hydrogen flames. As the H 2 concentration is increased, the values of S d ∗ increase due to the enhanced reactivity. • Effect of H 2 addition on NH 3 flame structure and dynamics in a mixing layer is studied. • Tetrabrachial flame of NH 3 /H 2 combustion is identified for the first time. • Influence of preferential diffusion of H 2 on the structure of NH 3 flame is analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Plastics / Zhongguo Suliao is the property of Journal Office of CHINA PLASTICS 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.)

AbstractContinuous powder mixing offers many advantages over batch processes, but its industrial implementation requires control of transient phases due to startup or variations in operating conditions. Detecting the steady-state by observing the mixture properties, obtained through in-line analysis of the mixture composition, is challenging due to the significant fluctuations in these properties. However, there is no quantitative method for identifying the steady-state for continuous powder mixing. We therefore propose in this work a methodology for steady-state detection by comparing several methods of mixture property analysis and signal processing. We show that conventional methods of mixture property analysis cannot reliably and accurately detect steady-state. We conclude that the best methodology is to perform signal processing on the content of the key component in the mixture. To do this, the signal of the content of the key component is first smoothed by the Savitzky-Golay filter. Then, the standard deviation of the filtered signal is compared with a tuning parameter to detect the beginning of steady-state. This method could be used to determine the mixing conditions leading to the smallest startup time, hence avoiding costly waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) was melt-blended separately with low concentrations of polypropylene (PP) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) that maintained the total biopolymer content above 89 wt%. Additionally, a multifunctional reactive chain extender was also incorporated to assess the potential compatibility among the constituents. The blends were exposed up to five reprocessing cycles to simulate recycling, with material collection occurring at one and three recycling stages for characterization. Rheology, thermal, and mechanical properties were then evaluated to assess the processing – properties of the resulting materials. In addition, wood flour powder (≤ 250 μm) was compounded into two different system types (PLA: PP and PLA: LDPE) at 30 and 40 wt% to fabricate high-biopolymer content wood-plastic composites (WPCs). The entire composite was then subjected to up to five recycling cycles to elucidate the effects of recycling on different systems. The simulated recycling process induced crosslinking reactions in the case of LDPE, evidenced by an increase in melt viscosity and changes to the zero-shear viscosity ratio of the blended polymers. In the case of PP, recycling led to reduced viscosity likely attributed to temperature and shear mediated chain scission inducing changes in both the matrix and dispersed phase's viscosity. The study provided valuable insights into the behavior of the materials and composites undergoing through recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The infrared spectra of common biodegradable plastics were first collected using attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy, and their characteristic functional groups were labeled. A blend of biodegradable plastic and non-degradable plastic was prepared through melt blending and solution blending. The results indicated that a rapid detection method based on infrared spectroscopy was efficient and accurate in the analysis of biodegradable plastics. This study provides useful references for promoting the development of biodegradable plastics and the treatment of plastic pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Polymer Materials Science & Engineering is the property of Sichuan University, Polymer Research Institute 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.)

Stellite alloys have good wear resistance and maintain their strength up to ~ 600°C, making them suitable for various industrial applications like cutting tools and combustion engine parts. This investigation was aimed at i) manufacturing new Stellite alloy blends using powder metallurgy and ii) mathematically mapping hardness, yield strength, ductility and impact energy of base and alloy blends. Linear, exponential, polynomial approximations and dimensional analyses were conducted in this semi-empirical mathematical modelling approach. Base alloy compositions similar to Stellite 1, 4, 6, 12, 20 and 190 were used in this investigation to form new alloys via blends. The microstructure was analysed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD). Mechanical performance of alloys was conducted using tensile, hardness and Charpy impact tests. MATLAB® coding was used for the development of property maps. This investigation indicates that hardness and yield strength can be linked to the wt.% composition of carbon and tungsten using linear approximation with a maximum variance of 5% and 20%, respectively. Elongation and carbide fraction showed a non-linear relationship with alloy composition. Impact energy was linked with elongation through polynomial approximation. A dimensional analysis was developed by interlinking carbide fraction, hardness, yield strength, and elongation to impact energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract High conductivity loss and low breakdown strength of traditional polypropylene (PP) film in the high‐temperature environment are the key factors limiting the application of metallised film capacitors (MFCs). The effect of cyclic olefin copolymers (COCs) with different glass transition temperatures (Tgs) on the dielectric performance of PP/COC composites at high temperature are studied. The results showed that the addition of COC enhanced the intermolecular interaction force, which led to the reduction of defects in the films. In addition, COC with high Tg inhibits the movement of molecular chains and enhances the thermal stability of the film, which limits the transport of carriers at high temperatures. The conductivity and breakdown strength of the modified films (with a Tg of 134°C for COC) at 125°C are 91.6% lower and 45.7% higher, respectively, than that of pure PP. This method shows great potential in improving the dielectric properties of PP at high temperatures.

This paper proposes a multi-site global optimisation model of blending operations, alternative routings and order scheduling with a co-production flow. It is performed in a phosphoric supply chain owning three open-pit mines of different geological structures and chemical compositions, each having a dry blending plant. One main challenge of the phosphate industries is to produce merchantable ores (MO) that verify a quality charter (chemical composition) with chemical heterogeneous source ores (SO). Thus, a process of SO blending followed by a treatment is mostly necessary to obtain the required MO. Six alternative routings exist to produce an MO; one of them involving a calcination plant generates a co-product. The model objective is to determine the least costly production programme of a set of MO orders to be delivered within precise time windows, in given quantities and compliance with a specific quality charter, by assigning for each MO its blending plant, routing, blend of SOs and production schedule; it also defines the feeding of the blending plants. A real case study illustrates the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Enormous amounts of data are generated in the form of feedback or comments from online platforms such as social media, e-commerce, education, and programming. This feedback and comments hold significant value for making important strategic decisions; therefore, effectively analyzing them poses a major challenge. This research addresses the imperative need for an efficient comment classification model. To fill this research gap, we propose a robust ensemble machine learning (ML) model called CommentClass (RF+AdaBoost+SVM+Soft-Voting), specifically designed for the comment classification task. First, we developed eight (08) pipelines using various combinations of ML algorithms. Next, the fundamental ensemble techniques such as stacking, blending, hard-voting, soft-voting, and averaging are incorporated into these pipelines to improve comment classification performance. These ensemble models are able to discern the latent characteristics of diverse text comments, classifying them to achieve superior accuracy. The proposed CommentClass ensemble model achieved an impressive accuracy and F1-score of approximately 98% for comment classification on the YouTube dataset. This result represents an improvement in accuracy by approximately +3% compared to prior research on the same dataset. Moreover, the proposed CommentClass model obtained higher F1-scores of 90.26%, 87.04%, and 75.74%, on the Spambase, IMDB, and Twitter datasets, respectively, compared to other sophisticated models. Furthermore, the proposed CommentClass model exhibited significant accuracy on the SMS dataset and two distinct synthetic datasets.

Abstract The textile industries are looking forward to sustainable textile products. The bio‐based products are very important for protecting the environment, reducing carbon emissions, eliminating chemical pollution, and preserving the resources. These products provide economic advantages and strengthen communities with customer expectations for environmentally friendly items. In addition, sustainable practices encourage innovation and contribute to a healthier and adaptable environment, making them an essential textile product. Here the natural flax fiber plays a vital role due to its eco‐friendly behavior. Cotton‐flax blended yarns are manufacturing for perfect use of natural fibers and getting the better quality yarn than single product yarn. Here in this work it was trying to find out the perfect blending ratio by using Design‐Expert software. Because different blended ratio contain different characteristics. So it was trying to find out a perfect blending solution from the thirteen different ratios by using Design‐Expert software. This software analyses the blended ratios through statistical analysis. This study focuses on the unevenness (U%), imperfection index (IPI), hairiness (H%), tenacity (cN/tex) and elongation at break of the blended yarn. During the analysis the actual and predicted values were checked and it shows good significance, the correlation and regression analysis highlight the results of the samples summary. The findings of the study have great impact on the quality of cotton‐flax blended yarn, which impact on the quality of textile products. This work not only helps to understand cotton‐flax blending using Design‐Expert software, but it also highlights the possibility of using the perfect blended ratio by giving a solution. Highlights To identify the perfect blended ratio of flax and cotton fiber for producing blended yarn. Design‐Expert software has been used to find out the perfect response through yarn properties surface methodology. Thirteen experimental runs were trailed to find the perfect result.

This paper aims at analyzing utopias and dystopias in Last and First Men (1930) by William Olaf Stapledon. Taking into consideration that this narrative was already defined as a scientific romance and an anatomy with allegorical status, as well as McCarthy's observation that Stapledon’s writing resists simple categorization and that its classification as science fiction or utopian literature is inadequate, this paper suggests several definitions for Stapledon’s work. The author also takes into account the ongoing dispute between utopian studies and science fiction scholars about the strong interaction between utopia and science fiction in the twentieth century. The possibilities of applying the conceptual integration theory to such a complex work of fiction as Last and First Men is explored.

Restriction of trans fatty acids (TFA) in the diets due to their negative impacts on health has led to the development of various TFA-free products. Blending is one of the common methods used to obtain TFA-free fats. This study aimed to obtain optimum formula of TFA-free oil, designed by using Design Expert 13 mixture with a simplex-lattice design for chocolate filling application. There were four types of oils, namely palm oil (PO), palm olein (PL), palm kernel oil (PKO), and chemically interesterified palm oil (CIE). Analysis was performed on chemical and physical properties of the oil blends as well as the physical properties of chocolate filling made from the oil blends. Commercial partially hydrogenated oil (PHO) was used as a comparison. The results showed that two out of six oil blends were recommended by the software, and both conformed to the specifications of commercial PHO, namely E (blend of 48% CIE and 52% PL) and F (blend of 33% CIE, 21% PKO, 17% PL, and 29% PO). The induction period (IP) and crystallization rate of sample E and F are lower than PHO. All chocolate fillings showed good emulsion stability (oil released

PM2.5 filters with hydrophobicity and thermal resistance are preferable for automobile cabins, engine air intake, and indoor applications, safeguarding against moisture ingress, microbial growth, and temperature fluctuations, and ensuring optimal air quality. This study explored the effects of blending five fibres with different web arrangements and fibre blend compositions on needle-punched dust-holding, hydrophobic, and thermal properties. Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), polypropylene (PP), polyester (PET), polylactic acid (PLA), and polyacrylonitrile (PAN) were blended in different proportions to produce the samples. The method included opening, blending, carding, web laying, and needle punching to produce eight samples with cross-laid, parallel-laid, and pre-needled parallel-laid web configurations. Standard test methods were employed for the characterization. The results showed a dust holding capacity of > 3,423,000 particles/cm2, the highest WCA of 133.12°, and the highest thermal resistance of 0.24255 m2KW−1. Based on the ANOVA analysis, web arrangement and pre-needling did not have a significant impact on the hydrophobicity of the samples. N0, N1, and N2 showed similar high water contact angles (~ 126°), indicating that the hydrophobicity was more affected by the chemistry of the fibre blend than by the web structure. Turkey’s analysis of other samples strengthened this idea. However, they had a substantial impact on the porosity, air permeability, dust-holding capacity, and thermal properties at a P-value ≤ 0.05. The findings provide insightful information regarding the complex interactions among fibre content, web layout, and pre-needling to develop sophisticated needle-punched PM2.5 filters.

Fiber reinforced polymer composite structures are particularly vulnerable to high temperatures as their strength drastically reduces under elevated temperature conditions. Therefore, it is important to improve the thermal stability of such composite structures to expand their potential range of applications. In this study, the effect of mixing two epoxy monomers, DGEBA and Tactix 742, which are di‐ and tri‐functional, respectively, on the thermal stability of their composites is investigated. The thermo‐mechanical analysis of these composites revealed that the glass transition temperature rose from 123 to 229°C when Tactix 742 is increased from 25% to 75%. The thermal resistance property is attributed to a three‐dimensional crosslink network which is initiated by tri‐functional Tactix 742. However, the higher percentage of Tactix led to a reduction in strength, possibly due to decreased crystallinity and formed amorphous phase material. Subsequently, a tensile strength model was employed to assess the performance at elevated temperatures. It was shown that a matrix with a mix of di‐ and tri‐functional monomers is highly promising for manufacturing thermoresistant polymeric composites with robust mechanical properties, thereby expanding their potential applications across various engineering fields such as civil and construction industries. Highlights: A thermoresistant matrix by blending di‐ and tri‐functional epoxy monomers.Improved thermo‐mechanical properties and increased glass transition temperature of fiber reinforced composites.Mechanical performance of carbon fiber reinforced composites at elevated temperatures.Validated a model to estimate the tensile strengths of the composites at elevated temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract\nHIGHLIGHTSThe current impetus to develop bio-based polymers for greater sustainability and lower carbon footprint is necessitated due to the alarming depletion of fossil resources, concurrent global warming, and related environmental issues. This article reviews the development of polymeric blends based on bio-based polymers. The focus on bio-based polymers is due to their greater ‘Sustainability factor’ as they are derived from renewable resources. The article delves into the synthesis of both conventional and highly biodegradable bio-based polymers, each crafted from feedstocks derived from nature’s bounty. What sets this work apart is the exploration of blending existing bio-based polymers, culminating in the birth of entirely new materials. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the recent advancements in the development of bio-based polymeric blends, covering their synthesis, properties, applications, and potential contributions to a more sustainable future. Despite their potential benefits, bio-based materials face obstacles such as miscibility, processability issues and disparities in physical properties compared to conventional counterparts. The paper also discusses significance of compatibilizers, additives and future directions for the further advancement of these bio-based blends. While bio-based polymer blends hold promise for environmentally benign applications, many are still in the research phase. Ongoing research and technological innovations are driving the evolution of these blends as viable alternatives, but continued efforts are needed to ensure their successful integration into mainstream industrial practices. Concerted efforts from both researchers and industry stakeholders are essential to realize the full potential of bio-based polymers and accelerate their adoption on a global scale.Sustainable versatility: Reduce fossil fuel dependency and decompose naturally.Challenges: Poor mechanical properties and scalability.Modification strategies: Blending improves properties for specific uses.Market potential: Good market potential, despite a commercialized gap.Research need: To address challenges and advance bio-based polymer technology [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural lipids with nutritional or therapeutic benefits that also provide desired texture, melting and organoleptic appeal (mouthfeel, skin feel) are difficult to procure for the food and cosmetics industries. Natural Astrocaryum pulp oil (AVP) and kernel fat (AVK) from Guyana were blended without further modification to study the potential of extending the physical functionality of the blends beyond that of crude AVK and AVP. An evaluation of non-lipid components by ESI-MS indicated twenty-four (24) bioactive molecules, mainly carotenoids (90%), polyphenols (9%) and sterols (1%) in AVP, indicating important health and therapeutic benefits. Only trace-to-negligible amounts of these compounds were detected in AVK. The thermal transition phase behavior, solid fat content (SFC), microstructure and textural properties of five AVP/AVL blends were used to construct phase diagrams of the AVK/AVP binary system. Binary phase diagrams constructed from the cooling and heating DSC thermograms of the mixtures and description of the liquidus line indicated a mixing behavior close to ideal with a tendency for order, with no phase separation. Melting onsets, solid fat content and measurements of solid-like texture all predictively increased with increasing AVK content. The descriptive decay parameters obtained for SFC, crystal size, hardness, firmness and spreadability were similar and predictive and indicate the way the binary system structure approaches that of a liquid or a functional solid. The bioactive content of the blends was accurately calculated; the work provides a blueprint for the blending of AVP and AVK to deliver targeted bioactive content, stability, spreadability, texture, melting profile, organoleptic appeal and solid content. SFCs at 20 °C ranged from 9.1% to 39.1%, melting onset from −17.5 °C to 27.8 °C, hardness from 0.1 N to 3.5 N and spreadability from 3.3 N·s to 147.1 N·s; indicating a useful dynamic range of physical properties suitable for bioactive oils to bioactive butters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aimed to explore the composition, thermal characteristics, and morphological properties of binary blends composed of bambangan kernel fat stearin and palm stearin. Various attributes, including the fatty acid composition, triglyceride profile, solid fat content, and crystal microstructure, were assessed through gas chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance, and polarization microscopy. Five binary mixtures were prepared using bambangan kernel fat stearin and palm stearin in varying ratios (g/100 g), with palm stearin content incrementally increasing by 5%. Among these blends, SS5, comprising 70% bambangan kernel fat stearin and 30% palm stearin, demonstrated properties on par with cocoa butter. It contained 21.73% palmitic, 38.92% stearic, and 31.12% oleic acids, along with 1,3-dipalmitate-2-oleate-glycerol, 1-palmitate-2-oleate-3-stearate-glycerol and 1,3-distearate-2-oleate-glycerol values of 10.35%, 10.95%, and 30.22%, respectively. When SS5 was blended with cocoa butter in proportions less than 40%, no tripalmitin was observed, and the thermal and morphological behaviour closely resembled that of cocoa butter. Therefore, SS5 (70:30, bambangan kernel fat stearin: palm stearin) presents a viable alternative due to its comparable properties and compatibility with cocoa butter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Romania, rural communities grapple with decades of depopulation and economic decline, endangering the natural and cultural richness of their landscapes. The implementation of Romania's 2030 sustainable development plan presents an opportunity to reverse these trends by merging economic and community development with cultural preservation. This paper examines the potential for creating new livelihood opportunities through a program that integrates sustainable agrotourism with culturally appropriate vernacular architecture in Romania's distinct rural regions. Focusing on two such regions characterized by significant rural population decline yet endowed with ecological services capable of supporting a diverse rural economy, we collaborated with an architect and landscape engineer to devise three specific and detailed agritourist housing scenarios. These scenarios draw upon local architectural forms harmonious with the vernacular landscape, providing accommodations for agrotourism guests and facilitating craft workshops for visitors interested in rural crafts and traditions. We evaluated the cultural appropriateness of the architectural designs through a social survey and assessed the broader social utility of the development plan via an expansive cost–benefit analysis, treating the project's sustainability features as quasi-public goods. Such interdisciplinary endeavours are essential for effectively bridging conceptually driven social analysis with pragmatic design and planning strategies, essential for achieving sustainable futures for rural communities and landscapes, as exemplified by rural Romania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, 10 min and 2 km high-resolution blended fog data (HRBFD) were generated using grid visibility data (GVD) and data from a GK2A (GEO-KOMPSAT-2A) fog product (GKFP) in Korea. As the blending method, the decision tree method (DTM) was used to consider the different characteristics of the two-input data (categorical data and continuity data). The blending of the two datasets was performed according to the presence or absence of the input data and considered the spatial representation of the GVD and the accuracy of the GKFP. The quality of the HRBFD was evaluated through visual comparison using GVD, GKFP, and visible images of the GK2A. The HRBFD seems to have partly solved the problem of fog detection in areas where visibility meters are rare or absent through the detection of fog occurring in the sea or mountain areas. In addition, the critical problem of the GKFP, which has limitations in detecting fog occurring under clouds, has been mostly overcome. Using the DTM, we generated 23 fog cases of 10 min and 2 km HRBFD. The results confirmed that detailed spatiotemporal characteristics of fog in Korea can be analyzed if such HRBFD is generated for a long time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydraulic transportation of lignite and high ash coal (HAC) is economically unviable due to their poor slurryability and stability. The study suggests and shows how the proper selection of appropriate size range and proportion of anthracite for blending can aid in the economical preparation of highly concentrated HAC slurry. Fine (+0–53 µm), coarse (+53–106 µm), and coarser (+106–150 µm) anthracite particles were added to the HAC sample. The proportion of anthracite particles was varied in the range of 10–40% (by weight), to obtain 12 blended tetra-modal samples. To determine the optimum size range and proportion of anthracite, the stability and rheological characteristics of both tri-modal HAC and blended tetra-modal coal samples were assessed. The addition of a fine anthracite sample (+0–53 µm) has an adverse impact on the rheological characteristics. The optimum size range and proportion of anthracite particles for enhanced slurryability and low apparent viscosity are found to be +106–150 µm and 30%, respectively. Optimal blending yields a 68% maximum solid concentration slurry. By taking advantage of both the tetra-modal particle size distribution and anthracite's high slurryability characteristics, the maximum achievable solid concentration of HAC slurry increases by 17%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Religious identity is often viewed as a relatively stable construct, reflecting an individual's personal worldview. However, individuals living within modern multi-cultural societies often must engage in extensive reflection to orient themselves to faith traditions in ways that are coherent and personally relevant. Although some work has examined the connection between narratives of religious experience, identity and cognition (cf. Richardson, 2012; Richardson & Nagashima, 2018; Richardson & Mueller, 2019), the relationship between thinking and speaking about this identity is still a developing area of enquiry, with important consequences for how religious faith and practice are understood. This article presents a detailed analysis of an interview with a UK-based Jewish woman based on the mental spaces (Fauconnier, 1994) and conceptual blending (Fauconnier & Turner, 2002) frameworks. The analysis shows how mental spaces and the relationship between elements within those spaces emerge over the course of a discourse event so as to constitute a personal account of religious identity. The concluding section furthermore discusses how within- and across-space contrast links are utilized, along with general processes of compression and decompression, to develop a blend that dynamically expresses the interviewee's religious identity as an integrated and coherent position lying between competing attractor states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the application performance of chromium-based single-peak high density polyethylene (HDPE) special material HD5502S for small-sized hollow containers, it was extruded and granulated according to the different blending mass ratio with HDPE DGDA6098 for film with good toughness. The physical, mechanical and rheological properties of the mixture were analyzed and compared. The results showed that the processing performance of the mixtures was better when the blending mass ratio of DGDA6098 was less than 40%. When the blending mass ratio of HD5502S/DGDA6098 was in the range of 90/10~70/30, the bending modulus of the mixtures was higher than 1 400 MPa, and the impact strength was also higher than 13 kJ/m², which had a good rigidity and toughness balance. At different temperatures, with the increase of the blending mass ratio of DGDA6098, the shear viscosity (η) and shear stress (τ) of the blends increased, and the critical shear rate (γc) decreased. When the processing temperature was 190 °C, the rheological properties of HDPE mixtures for small-sized hollow containers were the best. The appropriate blending mass ratio was conducive to the formation of a physical bimodal distribution, and the comprehensive performance of the HD5502S mixtures were the best when the blending mass ratio of HD5502S/DGDA6098 was 70/30 and the processing temperature was 190 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abstract provides an overview of a study focused on analyzing diverse strategies to achieve sustainable utilization of synthetic polymers through effective waste management. The escalating global consumption of synthetic polymers has precipitated a concerning increase in plastic waste and environmental degradation. To address this challenge, novel materials with specified application goals, such as engineered plastic, have been developed and are intended for recycling and reuse. Despite the reuse and recycling, when plastic gets disposed into the environment, the degradation properties of plastics render a direct disposal hazard, posing a significant environmental threat. To mitigate these issues, the concept of replacing specific monomers of engineered synthetic plastics with bio‐alternatives or blending them with other polymers to enhance sustainability and environmental compatibility has emerged. In this study, Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) plastic is the focal material, and three distinct investigations were conducted. First, replacing ABS plastic's butadiene monomer with natural rubber was explored for its properties and environmental impact. Second, ABS plastic was blended with virgin, recycled, and bio‐alternatives of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and PVC (polyvinyl chloride) polymers. Lastly, recycled ABS blended with recycled PET and PVC was analyzed for mechanical properties. Comparative assessments of these blends were made based on mechanical properties, carbon emissions, and cost‐effectiveness. The study determined that the r‐ABS/r‐PVC (recycled) blend exhibited the most favorable characteristics for practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Technology of Water Treatment is the property of Technology of Water Treatment Editorial Office 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 textile industries are looking forward to sustainable textile products. The bio‐based products are very important for protecting the environment, reducing carbon emissions, eliminating chemical pollution, and preserving the resources. These products provide economic advantages and strengthen communities with customer expectations for environmentally friendly items. In addition, sustainable practices encourage innovation and contribute to a healthier and adaptable environment, making them an essential textile product. Here the natural flax fiber plays a vital role due to its eco‐friendly behavior. Cotton‐flax blended yarns are manufacturing for perfect use of natural fibers and getting the better quality yarn than single product yarn. Here in this work it was trying to find out the perfect blending ratio by using Design‐Expert software. Because different blended ratio contain different characteristics. So it was trying to find out a perfect blending solution from the thirteen different ratios by using Design‐Expert software. This software analyses the blended ratios through statistical analysis. This study focuses on the unevenness (U%), imperfection index (IPI), hairiness (H%), tenacity (cN/tex) and elongation at break of the blended yarn. During the analysis the actual and predicted values were checked and it shows good significance, the correlation and regression analysis highlight the results of the samples summary. The findings of the study have great impact on the quality of cotton‐flax blended yarn, which impact on the quality of textile products. This work not only helps to understand cotton‐flax blending using Design‐Expert software, but it also highlights the possibility of using the perfect blended ratio by giving a solution. Highlights: To identify the perfect blended ratio of flax and cotton fiber for producing blended yarn.Design‐Expert software has been used to find out the perfect response through yarn properties surface methodology.Thirteen experimental runs were trailed to find the perfect result. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Restriction of trans fatty acids (TFA) in the diets due to their negative impacts on health has led to the development of various TFA-free products. Blending is one of the common methods used to obtain TFAfree fats. This study aimed to obtain optimum formula of TFA-free oil, designed by using Design Expert 13 mixture with a simplex-lattice design for chocolate filling application. There were four types of oils, namely palm oil (PO), palm olein (PL), palm kernel oil (PKO), and chemically interesterified palm oil (CIE). Analysis was performed on chemical and physical properties of the oil blends as well as the physical properties of chocolate filling made from the oil blends. Commercial partially hydrogenated oil (PHO) was used as a comparison. The results showed that two out of six oil blends were recommended by the software, and both conformed to the specifications of commercial PHO, namely E (blend of 48% CIE and 52% PL) and F (blend of 33% CIE, 21% PKO, 17% PL, and 29% PO). The induction period (IP) and crystallization rate of sample E and F are lower than PHO. All chocolate fillings showed good emulsion stability (oil released <0.1%). The texture of chocolate fillings F and E were softer than PHO. Principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least square-discriminant analysis graphs showed that all samples were located in different cluster, but sample F was closer to PHO compared to E. In conclusion, although the optimum blends obtained through the use of Design Expert had similar solid fat content to PHO, the chemical and physical characteristics of the oil blend and chocolate filling were significantly different from PHO. Therefore, there is a further need to evaluate the use of E or F blends to replace PHO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a typical biodegradable material, poly(lactic acid) (PLA) has great development potential in fields such as packaging, textiles and biomedical applications due to its high modulus and strength as well as excellent biocompatibility. However, the inherent brittleness and poor toughness of PLA significantly limit its widespread application. In this study, a biodegradable aliphatic–aromatic copolyester called poly(ethylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PEAT) was synthesized using the industrially well-established direct esterification method. PEAT demonstrated excellent flexibility and extremely high fracture elongation. Its fracture elongation exceeded 900%, making it a highly ductile material with exceptional toughness. Given the complementary nature of PLA and PEAT, blending PLA with PEAT becomes a natural choice for improving the performance of PLA. The influence of the addition of PEAT on the mechanical properties, thermal performance, crystallization, phase morphology and rheological behavior of the blends was thoroughly investigated. With the addition of PEAT, the fracture mode changed from brittle fracture of the neat PLA to ductile fracture of the blends as illustrated by tensile test. The best toughening effect on PLA was achieved at a PEAT content of 30 wt%, with the elongation at break increasing from 6.7% for neat PLA to 359% for the binary blend, an improvement of 53 times. Additionally, the impact strength also increased from 4.4 kJ/m2 to 10.5 kJ/m2, an increase of 138%. DSC revealed that PEAT had a certain influence on the crystallization behavior of PLA. SEM showed that the PEAT toughening mechanism was primarily attributed to a shear yielding mechanism triggered by debonding cavitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Liquid Crystal & Displays is the property of Chinese Journal of Liquid Crystal & Displays 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.)

An essential component of remote sensing, image analysis, and pattern recognition is image categorization. The classification of land use using remotely sensed data creates a map-like representation as the final form of the investigation. With its ability to effectively categorize satellite images, machine learning (ML) algorithms have gained significant traction in a number of fields, including land-use planning, disaster response, and natural resource management. Ensemble learning is also a widely used technique for enhancing the precision of satellite image categorization, which combines multiple models to get more precise predictions. Holdout is an ensemble technique, where multiple ML algorithms are used for training on the same dataset. The primary goal of this study is to create a holdout model for classifying satellite images. Initially, this study explores the usage of ML algorithms namely support vector machines (SVM), k-nearest neighbor (KNN), decision trees (DT), gradient boosting classifier (GBC), histogrambased GBC (HGBC), random forest classifier (RF), bagging classifier (BC), XGBoost classifier for classifying satellite images. Later, GBC, HGBC, RF, BC, and XGBoost are combined to build a stacking model. The bagging ensemble model outperforms all other methods and reaches an accuracy of 88.90%. Finally, blending models with holdout approach were developed and achieved accuracy of 93.70%, 94.14%, and 93.87% which outperformed all previous algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, transportation fuels such as diesel or gasoline are standardly produced from crude oil refining. These petroleum-based products are gradually replaced by more environmentally friendly sources, such as Fischer–Tropsch diesel fractions and other biofuels. The present work reports the distillation of Fischer–Tropsch (FTS) waxes and its use for fuel production by (i) blending the FTS wax diesel fraction with fossil diesel (7:93; 15:85; 30:70; and 50:50 wt.%) and (ii) blending the FTS wax heavy fraction (360–700 °C) with vacuum gas oil (10–50 wt.%) followed by hydrocracking at industrial operating conditions (T = 420 °C, WHSV = 0.5–1.0 h−1, P = 10.0 MPa). The obtained products in both cases were analysed and compared with standard EN590 for petroleum-diesel fuels. Overall, our results point to the suitability of the distillation of FTS waxes for renewable fuel production, either by straight blending of the diesel petroleum-based products or co-hydrocracking of the heavy fraction with vacuum gas oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creativity is a design feature of human language. This paper presents a cognitive model of verbal creativity that draws on insights from the psychological research into creativity--particularly Glăveanu's 5A model that distinguishes five crucial perspectives on a creative act (actors, audience, artefacts, actions and affordances). The paper will outline a linguistic version of this model that adopts Construction Grammar as its theoretical foundation. The resulting "5C model of constructional creativity" argues that the central elements of linguistic creativity are constructors, co-constructors, constructs, constructional blending and the constructional network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Tikrit University for Humanities is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) 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.)

Copyright of Basic Sciences Journal of Textile Universities / Fangzhi Gaoxiao Jichu Kexue Xuebao is the property of Basic Sciences Journal of Textile Universities 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.)

Sugars have long been used as stabilizing excipients for protein-based therapeutics during the development and production process. Incorporating stabilizing agents, such as sucrose and trehalose into dry formulations is a common strategy approved by the US FDA. However, single-sugar formulations may not be sufficient for diverse medicinal products, necessitating the blending of excipients to improve stability, dissolution, and patient acceptability. Our goal is to comprehensively understand the impact of excipients, focusing on the impact of various sugar types on formulation stability, and to explore the effectiveness of incorporating additional excipients such as amino acids, surfactants, and polyols, to further enhance protein stability. The review begins with an overview of sugars' used in proteins stabilization and the blending of excipients. It discusses the limitation of single-sugar formulations and explores alternatives such as oligo- or polysaccharides. The mechanism underlying sugar and excipient combinations is elucidated, emphasizing the benefits of blending multiple excipients for stabilizing therapeutic protein. Our findings demonstrate that excipients blending presents a promising strategy for improving the stability of sugar-stabilized therapeutic proteins. Combining sugars with other excipients such as amino acids and polyols effectively enhances formulation stability. Optimization of excipients ratios and quantities is crucial for achieving the desired stability profile for each specific protein. Considering the impact of excipients on stabilization is essential in therapeutic proteins development. Employing blends of various excipients in different ratios and quantities ensures appropriate stability and functionality of the protein formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Este artículo examina la locución faltar un hervor a algo o a alguien como instanciación del esquema de imagen de la carencia. Dentro del marco teórico de la Lingüística Cognitiva, se estudia el fenómeno a partir de la teoría de la metáfora, la metonimia y la integración conceptual para describir los mecanismos creativos que intervienen en la producción y la comprensión de tal formulación. Sobre la base de un corpus de enunciados efectivos, se realiza un análisis cualitativo que permite describir los modelos cognitivos que sustentan esta expresión: (i) el modelo del desarrollo pendiente, para marcar inmadurez, y (ii) el modelo del desarrollo inacabado, para sugerir falta de inteligencia. El análisis se extiende a otras formulaciones como le falta un jugador que muestran construcciones similares sobre el modelo del todo incompleto, empleado para insinuar incapacidad. Finalmente se caracteriza el valor retórico de estas expresiones con especial atención a la tensión existente entre eufemismo y lítote.

Abstract Fossil-origin plastics have raised great concerns due to their non-biodegradable nature. Biodegradable polymers can be an alternative for these materials’, however they have higher cost. The use of agro-industrial waste in blends with biopolymers can provide cheaper materials’ with improved properties. This study aims to develop low-cost biodegradable materials by extrusion and thermoplastic injection using oat hulls, polybutylene succinate (PBS), and starch. Six formulations with different concentrations of oat hulls (0-56% w/w) were extruded in a single-screw extruder, and then the materials were produced by thermoplastic injection. The extrusion aligned the oat hull fibers, making the material dimensionally stable. The oat hulls enhanced stiffness and reduced material density compared to non-hull counterparts. Besides that, the oat hulls are a low-cost agro-industrial byproduct, and it was possible to produce biodegradable materials with up to 56% hulls and only 20% PBS. These biodegradable materials are environmentally friendly and non-toxic.

Copyright of China Textile Leader is the property of China Textile Information Center 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.)

When a US Marine Corps training facility decided to add a second aquifer to its existing groundwater supply, it designed a treatment plant that would successfully blend the two source waters and meet strict water quality goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dünya genelinde yaşanan küresel enflasyon ve Rusya-Ukrayna savaşının neden olduğu enerji krizi tüm dünyada enerji verimliliği ile ilgili çalışmaların ivme kazanmasına olanak sağlamıştır. Kömüre dayalı termik santrallerdeki enerji üretim verimliliği de bu çalışmaların önemlilerindendir. Bilindiği üzere kömüre dayalı termik santrallerde enerji verimliliği hususunda en önemli parametrelerden biri termik santralin kazan dizaynına uygun özelliklerdeki kömürlerin teminidir. Burada, benzer özelliklerdeki kömürlerin yüksek miktarlarda sürekli teminini sağlamak kolay bir süreç olmadığından dolayı, uygulamada farklı özelliklerdeki kömürler stok sahalarında harmanlama/homojenizasyon uygulamaları ile biraya getirilmekte ve istenilen özelliklerdeki kömür hazırlanmaya çalışılmaktadır. Bu çalışmada, iki termik santral için farklı özelliklerde kömür temin eden Çan Linyitleri İşletmesinde (ÇLİ) uygulanan homojenizasyon faaliyetleri araştırılmış ve bu faaliyetlerin verimliliği değerlendirilmiştir. Araştırma sonuçları, ÇLİ’de uygulanan homojenizasyon tekniğinin iki termik santral için ortalama %77,9 oranında başarı gösterdiğini ortaya koymuştur. Araştırma sonuçlarına paralel olarak, çalışma kapsamında, mevcut homojenizasyon yönteminin verimliliğini daha üst seviyelere çıkarabilecek değişiklik önerisi yapılmıştır.