Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) is a type of Additive Manufacturing (AM) technology that builds parts in a layer-by-layer fashion out of a bed of metal powder via the selective melting action of a laser or electron beam heat source. The technology has become widespread, however the demand is growing for closed loop process monitoring and control in PBF systems to replace the open loop architectures that exist today. This paper demonstrates the simulated efficacy of applying closed-loop state estimation to the problem of monitoring temperature fields within parts during the PBF build process. A simplified LTI model of PBF thermal physics with the properties of stability, controllability and observability is presented. An Ensemble Kalman Filter is applied to the model. The accuracy of this filters’ predictions are assessed in simulation studies of the temperature evolution of various test parts when subjected to simulated laser heat input. The significant result of this study is that the filter supplied predictions that were about 2.5x more accurate than the open loop model in these simulation studies.

Nanocellulose (CNC) seems to be a promising surfactant, which, together with expandable graphite (EG), forms the essence of an effective natural-based fire retardant wood coating. In our research, the most suitable composition of the mixture was tested concerning good solubility, dispersion, and consistency. Favorable results were achieved with the formulation composed of a 4% CNC alkaline solution with 80 wt.% of selected EG. Subsequently, six different EG were used to prepare these wood fire retardant coatings. The effectiveness of treatments was verified using a test with a radiant heat source, where the test samples' relative weight loss, relative burning rate, and surface temperature during 600 sec were evaluated. All prepared formulations can be characterized as more or less equally effective. However, the best results were obtained with EG of GG 200 – 100 N, where the mass loss of the sample was 8.10 ± 1.24%. Very good results were also achieved by graphite 25 E + 180 HPH (8.70 ± 0.89%), which is similar to the previous one, even according to the microscopic assessment of the coating as well as the expanded layer. Graphite type 25 K + 180 (8.86 ± 0.65 %) shows the expanded layer's best cohesion, coating uniformity, and ease of application. The results of this work confirmed that the CNC coating itself has significant retardation effects.

The increasing environmental awareness and carbon-storing capability of wood have amplified its relevance as a building material. The demand for high-quality wood species necessitates exploring alternative, underutilized wood sources due to limited forest areas and premium wood volume. Consequently, the veneer-based industry is considering lower-value hardwood species like grey alder, black alder, and aspen as substitutes for high-quality birch. Initially less appealing due to their lower density and mechanical properties, these species show promise through densification, which enhances their density, strength, and hardness. This study aims to enhance plywood screw withdrawal capacity and surface hardness by densifying low-density wood species and using them in plywood face veneer layers or all layers. The relationship between wood density, surface hardness, and screw withdrawal capacity of plywoods made of low-value species like aspen and black alder is examined. Experimental work with a pilot-scale veneer and plywood production line demonstrates improved surface hardness (65% and 93% for aspen and black alder, respectively) and screw withdrawal capacity (16% and 35% for aspen and black alder, respectively) in face veneer densified low-value hardwood plywood. This research highlights the potential of densified low-value wood species to meet construction requirements, expanding their practical applications.

The rapid growth of the global wearable technologies market is projected to reach $61.30 billion by 2030 which reflects a shift towards personalised health monitoring embedded in everyday activities. This paper explores the potential of embroidered interdigitated transducer (IDT)-based sensors for non-invasive, continuous monitoring of human biomarkers, particularly glucose levels, in human sweat. The study employs innovative embroidery techniques to create flexible fabric-based sensors with gold-coated IDTs. Experimental results demonstrate the sensor’s capability to detect water droplets and glucose concentrations, showcasing promising applications for health monitoring. The embroidered IDT-based sensors offer a unique approach for seamless integration into clothing, paving the way for personalised, continuous health data capture.

No matter where we reside, the issue of greenhouse gas emissions impacts us all. Their influence has a disastrous effect on the earth's climate, producing global warming and many other irreversible environmental impacts, even though it is occasionally invisible to the independent eye. Phase change materials (PCMs) can store and release heat when it is abundant during the day (e.g., from solar radiation), for use at night, or on chilly days when the building needs to be heated. As a consequence, buildings use less energy to heat and cool, which lowers greenhouse gas emissions. Consequently, research on thermally active medium-density fiberboard (MDF) with PCMs is presented in this work. MDF is useful for interior design and furniture manufacturing. The boards were created using pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and spruce (Picea abies L.) fibers, urea-formaldehyde resin, and PCM powder, with a phase transition temperature of 22 oC, density of 785 kg m−3, the latent heat capacity of 160 kJ kg−1, the volumetric heat capacity of 126 MJ m−3, the specific heat capacity of 2.2 kJ kgK−1, the thermal conductivity of 0.18 W mK−1, and a maximum operating temperature of 200 °C. Five variants of MDF with PCM additive were developed: 0%, 5%, 10%, 30%, and 50%. According to the study, scores at the MOR, MOE, IB, and Screw Withdrawal Resistance (SWR) tests decreased when PCM content was added. However, the results of the thickness swelling and water absorption tests indicate that the PCM particles do not exhibit a substantial capacity to absorb water, retaining the dimensional stability of the MDF boards. The panel's thermal characteristics improved with increasing PCM concentration, according to the data. The density profiles of all the variations under consideration had a somewhat U-shaped appearance; however, the version with a 50% PCM content had a flatter form and no obvious layer compaction on the panel surface. Therefore, certain of the mechanical and physical characteristics of the manufactured panels can be enhanced by a well-chosen PCM addition.

The research focuses on the production of particleboards from the biomass of energetic willow (Salix viminalis L.) and energetic poplar (Populus spp.), aiming to explore their feasibility as sustainable materials for various applications. Energetic willow and energetic poplar are known for their rapid growth and suitability for energy production. They present an intriguing alternative as raw materials with added value for particleboard manufacturing. The study investigates the selected mechanical and physical properties of the produced particleboards, considering parameters such as density profile, bending strength, modulus of elasticity, water absorption, thickness swelling, and screw withdrawal resistance. During the research, the results were also compared between different mass shares of willow and poplar particles in the particleboards. The findings underscore the promising potential of willow and poplar-based particleboards as eco-friendly alternatives in the construction and furniture industries, contributing to resource efficiency and carbon emission reduction efforts.

The aim of the study was to identify limiting factors for reusing wood through the recycling of window frames by conducting research under fully controlled conditions. The research involved manufacturing new window frames, seasoning them, and then shredding them into wood particles to prepare a three-layer particleboard. The proportion of wood particles in recycling was 0, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 parts by weight of the manufactured particleboard. Mechanical property tests were conducted: modulus of elasticity (MOE) and modulus of rupture (MOR), internal bond (IB), screw withdrawal resistance (SWR), and physical properties: density profile (DP), thickness swelling (TS) after water immersion, water absorption (WA), as well as formaldehyde emission and total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) tests. The conducted research indicates a significant potential for utilising wood from this sector of the wood industry, particularly considering variants with a higher proportion of recycled wood. MOR and MOE results are most promising for variants above 50 parts by weight of recycled wood. Based on the results obtained, it is clear that the production process should be improved or the raw material modified to enhance the internal bonding of particleboard, as these results were the weakest. Thus, recycled wood from window joinery has the potential to be reincarnated as particleboard, which continues to be widely used in their production.

Enormous quantities of softwood and hardwood tree bark are generated yearly in the pulp and woodworking industry. Chemical compounds which can be found in bark extracts have important biological properties and therefore a high potential for using in the production of special formulations. In the present study, extraction of Picea abies bark with organosolv solvents was investigated to achieve a high yield of desirable compounds. For the extraction four different solvent ratios of ethanol and water were applied. The temperature range of extraction was set between 40 and 100 °C and stirring velocity of 400 rpm. Extractions were performed with a solid/liquid ratio of 1:20. Yields of phenolics, flavonoids and tannins were determined using gallic acid for total phenolic content (TPC), quercetin for total flavonoid content (TFC) and tannic acid for total tannins content (TTC) as calibration compounds. Qualitative analysis of phenolic constituents was performed after their derivatization, by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry identification. The total yield of bark extract of 14.75 wt.% was achieved by using an ethanol/water ratio of 50% (v/v) and a temperature of 100 °C. Gas chromatography results show 9 aromatic carboxylic acids as phenolic acids and quercetin and (+)-catechin as flavonoid compounds. Highest concentrations of TPC = 3.21 mg gallic acid equivalent/g, TCF = 0.62 mg quercetin equivalent/g and TTC = 0.84 tannic acid equivalent/g were determined at the same process conditions by photometric method. This study determined the conditions for organosolv extraction of useful compounds and suggests that some of extractives, e.g., taxifolin and rhamnetin presented in the spruce bark extracts, have antiviral (SARS-CoV-2) effects. Therefore, this warrants further evaluation of the antiviral properties of spruce bark constituents.

High level of noise is a disturbance to the human environment. Noise in industries is also an occupational hazard because of its attendant effects on workers’ health. Noise presents health and social problems in industrial operations, and the source is related to the machineries used in the industries. One of the unique features of the noise associated with wood machinery is the level of exposure and duration. Equipment used in a factory can be extremely loud. They can produce noise at decibels high enough to cause environmental health and safety concerns. The mechanically driven transport and handling equipment, cutting, milling, shaping and dust extractor installations in the wood industry generate noise. The sources of noise pollution have increased due to non-compliance with basic safety practices. The increased use of locally fabricated machine in the industry has increased the level of noise and vibration. The effects of industrial noise pollution as discussed include: increase in blood pressure; increased stress; fatigue; vertigo; headaches; sleep disturbance; annoyance; speech problems; dysgraphia, which means reading/learning impairment; aggression; anxiety and withdrawal. As presented in this paper, noise control techniques include; sound insulation, sound absorption, vibration damping and Vibration isolation.

The silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) is among the most valuable conifers in Europe for ecological and economic reasons. In the course of history, primarily in the 20th century, its share in stands has been declining due to ill-suited management practices, especially clear-cut management, air pollution, and wildlife-induced damage. Based on recent knowledge of fir ecology and population dynamics, small-scale shelterwood and selection management have been introduced in fir stands, which have also stabilized them. Fir is an essential species for maintaining high stability and biodiversity, especially on planosols and in waterlogged habitats. Due to its shade tolerance and environmental flexibility, particularly at higher altitudes, it can coexist very well with many tree species in mixtures, which can increase the productive potential of stands. It can form stands of heterogeneous structure, ranging from single to multi-layer to selection. For its successful natural regeneration, it is essential to reduce cloven-hoofed game and thus prevent bud browsing damage. On the other hand, fir is a species relatively resistant to bark stripping and the spread of secondary rot compared to Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.). During global climate change, fir is expected to shift to higher elevations with sufficient precipitation, while in the southern part of its natural range or at lower elevations, outside water-influenced habitats, it is likely to decline. This paper essentially reviews the description and distribution of the species, its ecological requirements, threats and diseases, habitat and stand conditions, and close-to-nature forest management practices with emphasis on ongoing climate change.

This article challenges the assumption that journals and peer review are essential for developing, evaluating and disseminating scientific and other academic knowledge. It suggests a more flexible ecosystem, and examines some of the possibilities this might facilitate. The market for academic outputs should be opened up by encouraging the separation of the dissemination service from the evaluation service. Publishing research in subject-specific journals encourages compartmentalising research into rigid categories. The dissemination of knowledge would be better served by an open access, web-based repository system encompassing all disciplines. There would then be a role for organisations to assess the items in this repository to help users find relevant, high-quality work. There could be a variety of such organisations which could enable reviews from peers to be supplemented with evaluation by non-peers from a variety of different perspectives: user reviews, statistical reviews, reviews from the perspective of different disciplines, and so on. This should reduce the inevitably conservative influence of relying on two or three peers, and make the evaluation system more critical, multi-dimensional and responsive to the requirements of different audience groups, changing circumstances, and new ideas. Non-peer review might make it easier to challenge dominant paradigms, and expanding the potential audience beyond a narrow group of peers might encourage the criterion of simplicity to be taken more seriously - which is essential if human knowledge is to continue to progress.

Upholstery nonwoven fabric is a waste product mainly generated during upholstered furniture production. The polyester composition makes it problematic to recycle and reuse this product. This study examined the manufacturing process of nonwoven fabric-reinforced plywood composites and their selected mechanical and physical properties. Nonwoven fabric was integrated between veneers bound with urea-formaldehyde resin to improve standard layered composites' mechanical and physical properties. Several board variants were produced, differing in the position of the nonwoven layers in the composite structure. The composites were evaluated for modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE), and screw withdrawal resistance, among others. The results showed that the addition of nonwoven fabric significantly improved some properties. Variants with strategically placed nonwoven layers showed the highest performance increases. The results underscore the potential of nonwoven fabric as an effective reinforcing material, offering a path to developing high-performance plywood composites suitable for demanding applications. Another, environmental profit is that the nonwoven fabric waste, that was used in tested plywood production, has not been subjected burning nor landfilling, but, by incorporation to plywood structure, have positively contributed to Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) policy. The findings advocate for a circular economy approach, where industrial waste is effectively repurposed, contributing to the development of green materials in the wood-based composite industry.

Recycling upholstery textiles is challenging due to the complexity of materials, which often include a mix of fabrics, foams, and adhesives that are difficult to separate. The intricate designs and layers in upholstered furniture make it labor-intensive and costly to dismantle for recycling. Additionally, contaminants like stains, finishes, and flame retardants complicate recycling. Despite these difficulties, recycling upholstery textiles is crucial to reducing landfill waste and conserving resources by reusing valuable materials. It also helps mitigate environmental pollution and carbon emissions associated with producing new textiles from virgin resources. The presented research aimed to establish the feasibility of incorporating textile fibers from waste artificial leather fibers from the upholstery furniture industry into the structure of high-density fiberboards. This approach positively contributes to carbon capture and storage (CCS) policy and mitigates the problem of such waste being sent to landfills. The research shows that while selected mechanical and physical parameters of the panels decrease with a rising content of recycled textile fibers, it is possible to meet proper European standard requirements by adjusting technological parameters such as nominal density.

This study investigated the physical and combustion properties of briquettes produced from agricultural wastes (groundnut shells and corn cobs), wood residues (Anogeissus leiocarpus) and admixtures of the particles at 15%, 20% and 25% starch levels (binder). A 6 x 3 factorial experiments in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was adopted for the study. The briquettes produced were analyzed for density, volatile matter, ash content, fixed carbon and specific heat of combustion. The result revealed that the density ranged from 0.44g/cm³ to 0.53g/cm³, while briquettes produced from groundnut shells had the highest (0.53g/cm³) significant mean density. Mean volatile matter and ash content of the briquettes ranged from 24.35% to 34.95% and 3.37% to 4.91%. A. leiocarpus and corn cobs particles had the lowest and highest ash content respectively. The briquette fixed carbon and specific heat of combustion ranged from 61.68% to 68.97% and 7362kca/kg to 8222kca/kg respectively. Briquette produced from A. leiocarpus particles had the highest specific heat of combustion. In general, briquettes produced from A. leiocarpus particles and admixture of groundnut shell and A. leiocarpus particles at 25% starch level had better quality in terms of density and combustion properties and thus suitable as environmentally friendly alternative energy source.

This study investigates the impact of specimen size on the mechanical properties of wood, specifically focusing on compression strength, elastic modulus, and Poisson's ratio. Compression tests were conducted using three different specimen sizes (20mm×20mm×30mm, 40mm×40mm×60mm, 60mm×90mm×90mm) in the longitudinal, radial, and tangential directions. Mechanical parameters, failure mechanisms, load-displacement curves, and stress-strain relationships were systematically analyzed for each size. The study also evaluated the influence of specimen size on the accuracy of finite element numerical simulations by utilizing the obtained mechanical parameters. The results reveal a significant correlation between compressive strength and specimen size, indicating a decrease in compressive strength with increasing specimen size. Conversely, elastic modulus and Poisson's ratio exhibit less sensitivity to variations in specimen size. Notably, parameters derived from small-sized specimens (20mm×20mm×30mm) exhibited substantial errors, while those obtained from medium-sized (40mm×40mm×60mm) and large-sized specimens (60mm×90mm×90mm) demonstrated greater reliability, providing precise results in finite element numerical simulations.

Reducing under-five mortality is a key indicator of a country's overall development, yet in Angola, understanding the factors contributing to hospital deaths in this vulnerable demographic remains incomplete despite improvements in healthcare infrastructure and public health policies. With one of the highest under-five mortality rates in Sub-Saharan Africa, Angola grapples with significant challenges, including malaria, malnutrition, pneumonia, neonatal conditions, and intestinal infectious diseases, as leading causes of death among children. This study aimed to identify factors associated with these hospital deaths in children aged 28 days to five years admitted to DBPH in Luanda between May 2022 and June 2023. Utilizing a hospital-based case-control design, a total of 1020 children were studied, with 340 cases of hospital deaths. Notably, distal and intermediate determinants emerged as primary predictors of hospital mortality, revealing significant associations with maternal education status, maternal alcohol consumption during pregnancy, short hospital stays (≤24h), poor nutritional status, short interbirth intervals, maternal age ≤19 years, and maternal age ≥35 years. These findings underscore the preventable nature of most under-five hospital deaths and emphasize the urgent need to address social inequities and enhance the quality of primary healthcare services to effectively mitigate child mortality.

Due to the accumulation of pesticides in the environment, the development of efficient strategies for their removal is of utmost importance. Activated carbons are currently seen as excellent candidates for adsorptive pesticide removal based on several beneficial properties, like a large surface area, developed porosity, and low price. However, a deep link between materials' properties and performance is still elusive. Here we focus on the kinetics of three organophosphate pesticides removal, aliphatic dimethoate and malathion and aromatic chlorpyrifos, using a series of carefully prepared activated carbon fibers. Used adsorbents have a wide range of specific surface areas, pore size distributions, and elemental content, allowing the establishment of the link between physicochemical properties and their performance as adsorbents. We use data analysis tools to link these properties and discuss their different roles in the removal of three structurally different yet extremely dangerous pesticides. The obtained results can guide the synthesis of novel adsorbents or rationally select adsorbents for specific target pollutants based on the physicochemical properties of adsorbents and the chemical structure of pollutants.

This work investigates the utility of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Water Model (NWM) for water management operations by assessing the total inflow into a select number of reservoirs across the Central and Western U.S. Total inflow is generally an unmeasured quantity, though critically important for anticipating both floods and shortages in supply over a short-term (hourly) to sub-seasonal (monthly) time horizon. The NWM offers such information at over 5,000 reservoirs across the U.S., however, its skill at representing inflow processes is largely unknown. The goal of this work is to understand the drivers for both well performing and poor performing NWM inflows such that managers can get a sense of the capability of NWM to capture natural hydrologic processes and in some cases, the effects of upstream management. We analyzed the inflows for a subset of Bureau of Reclamation (BoR) reservoirs within the NWM over the long-term simulations (retrospectively, seven years) and for short, medium and long-range operational forecast cycles over a one-year period. We utilize ancillary reservoir characteristics (e.g. physical and operational) to explain variation in inflow performance across the selected reservoirs. In general, we find that NWM inflows in snow-driven basins outperform those in rain-driven, and that assimilated basin area, upstream management, and calibrated basin area all influence the NWM’s ability to reproduce daily reservoir inflows. The final outcome of this work proposes a framework for how the NWM reservoir inflows can be useful for reservoir management, linking reservoir purposes with the forecast cycles and retrospective simulations.

Recently, the concept of participatory democracy developed in the early 1970s has come back into fashion to revitalize the public involvement in political decision-making processes. Public par-ticipation in forest policy has been fully conceptualized by the scientific community in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but in many contexts the practical application remains unfulfilled. The aim of this study is to identify and analyze the participatory techniques used in literature to increase knowledge and facilitate its transferability into forest policies and strategies. A literature review was carried out to offer an overview of the participatory techniques adopted in the deci-sion-making process. At the end of literature review, 25 participatory techniques were identified based on over 2,000 publications. Afterwards, the participatory techniques were assessed using seven indicators (degree of participation, type and number of participants, time scale, cost, po-tential influence on policy). The results showed that the type of actors involved in the participa-tory technique is a key variable for the complexity and usefulness of the process, while the number of participants influences how information is disseminated. The Principal Component Analysis highlighted that the participatory techniques can be divided in three groups: the first group includes those techniques with a high degree of participation and a contextual high po-tential influence on policies, the second one includes techniques with a costs in terms of re-sources, while the third one consists of those with a large number of participants and reduced time requirements.

Autonomous weapons systems (AWS), sometimes referred to as “killer robots”, are receiving evermore attention, both in public discourse as well as by scholars and policymakers. Much of this interest is connected with emerging ethical and legal problems linked to increasing autonomy in weapons systems, but there is a general underappreciation for the ways in which existing law might impact on these new technologies. In this paper, we argue that as AWS become more sophisticated and increasingly more capable than flesh-and-blood soldiers, it will increasingly be the case that such soldiers are “in the power” of those AWS which fight against them. This implies that such soldiers ought to be considered hors de combat, and not targeted. In arguing for this point, we draw out a broader conclusion regarding hors de combat status, namely that it must be viewed contextually, with close reference to the capabilities of combatants on both sides of any discreet engagement. Given this point, and the fact that AWS may come in many shapes and sizes, and can be made for many different missions, we argue that each particular AWS will likely need its own standard for when enemy soldiers are deemed hors de combat. We conclude by examining how these nuanced views of hors de combat status might impact on meaningful human control of AWS.

The peptide hormone kisspeptin attenuates liver steatosis, metabolic dysfunction-associated stea-tohepatitis (MASH) and fibrosis in mouse models, by signaling via the kisspeptin 1 receptor (KISS1R). However, whether kisspeptin impacts fibrogenesis in the human liver is not known. We investigated the impact of a potent kisspeptin analog (KPA) on fibrogenesis using human precision cut liver slices (hPCLS) from fibrotic livers from male patients, in human hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), LX-2 and in primary mouse HSCs. In hPCLS, 48 h and 72 h of KPA (3 nM, 100 nM) treatment decreased collagen secretion, and lowered expression of fibrogenic and inflammatory markers. Immunohistochemical studies revealed that KISS1R is expressed and localized to HSCs in MASH/fibrotic livers. In HSCs, KPA treatment reduced transforming growth factor beta (TGFb)-induced expression of fibrogenic and inflammatory markers, in addition to decreasing TGFb induced collagen secretion, cell migration, proliferation and colony formation. Mechanistically, KISS1R signaling downregulated TGFb signaling by decreasing SMAD2/3 phosphorylation, via activation of protein-phosphatases PP2A, that dehosphorylates SMAD 2/3. This study revealed for the first time that kisspeptin reverses human hepatic fibrogenesis thus identifying it as a new therapeutic target to treat hepatic fibrosis.

The ability to self-direct a research program determines graduate degree completion. Yet, research on incompletion of graduate physics programs assume students’ present level of self-direction adequate and neglects to recognize a lack of self-directed learning as key. One theoretical mathematical physicist focused on changing this challenge of physics graduate education by promoting self-directed learning through the type research flow that has been found to bring the greatest satisfaction to researchers with respect to their insights. This he provided through his space, time, open mindedness and theoretical contributions with his students and in collaboration with his colleagues. A self-directed learner himself, David J. Rowe developed methods of mentoring for encouraging physics graduate students to recognize symmetry as valuable in identifying solutions to problems quickly—helping these students take the lead in finding insightful resolutions to complex, multidimensional, mathematical physics uncertainties. How Rowe set about supporting self-directed learning in his graduate physics education interactions will be examined with the use of narrative research to interpret the texts and conversations with the author he made available. His techniques will be presented and recommendations made regarding how Rowe’s work in this regard can be modeled to improve self-direction in STEM graduate education.

Finishing coatings in the wood-based composites industry not only influence the final appearance of the product but also serve to protect against fungi, and molds, and reduce the release of harmful substances, particularly formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Carbon-rich materials, such as those derived from birch bark extraction, specifically suberin acids, can fulfil this role. Previous research has demonstrated that adding suberin acid residues (SAR) at 20% and 50% by weight significantly enhances the gas barrier properties of surface finishing materials based on poly(lactide) (PLA) and polycaprolactone (PCL), particularly in terms of Total VOC (TVOC) and formaldehyde emissions. This study aims to explore whether these properties can be further improved through the incorporation of nano-zinc oxide (nano-ZnO). Previous research has shown that these nanoparticles possess strong resistance to biological factors and can positively affect the characteristics of nanofilms applied as surface protection. The study employed PLA and PCL finishing layers blended with SAR powder at 10% w/w and included 2% and 4% nano-zinc oxide nanoparticles. The resulting blends were milled to create a powder, which was subsequently pressed into 1 mm thick films. These films were then applied to raw particleboard surfaces. TVOC and formaldehyde emission tests were conducted. Additionally, the fungal resistance of the coated surfaces was assessed. The results showed that PLA/SAR and PCL/SAR composites with the addition of nano-zinc oxide nanoparticles exhibited significantly improved barrier properties, offering a promising avenue for developing biodegradable, formaldehyde-free coatings in the furniture industry with enhanced features. Furthermore, by utilizing SAR as a post-extraction residue, this project aligns perfectly with the concept of upcycling.

Aim: Streptococcus pneumoniae and influenza H1N1 virus are common organisms associated with human infections. These infections could play a significant role in immune regulation. The study was performed to analyse the genome sequences of these organisms with human genome and study its functional significance. Methods: The study was performed to analyse the overlapping of genome sequences in Streptococcus pneumoniae and Influenza (H1N1) virus against human genome sequences by BLASTn sequence analysis. The alignments are studied against the corresponding genes for their functional significance with DAVID and NDEx software.Results: Several hits or overlapping nucleotide segments were identified. Between streptococcus and homo sapiens 287 overlaps were identified, and among influenza and homo sapiens 124 hits were identified. A wide range of functional significance of these genes were identified, and the results are presented in this study. The results show insights into functional pathways and biological activities associated with the respective vaccinations or infections by these microorganisms. Conclusion: The common organisms like Streptococcus pneumoniae and Influenza H1N1 virus actively interact with the immune system and result in a wide range of immune regulations.

Sterile alpha motif domain-containing protein 9 (SAMD9) is a regulatory protein centrally involved in cell proliferation and apoptosis. Mapped to 7p21.1, variants in SAMD9 have been reported in <50 pediatric cases worldwide, typically with early lethality. Germline gain-of-function SAMD9 variants are associated with MIRAGE Syndrome (myelodysplasia, infection, restricted growth, adrenal hypoplasia, genital anomalies, and enteropathy). Spalt like transcription factor 1 (SALL1) is a zinc finger transcriptional repressor located at 16q12.1 where only two transcript variants in SALL1 are known. RUNX2 (6p21.1) encodes a nuclear protein with a Runt DNA-binding domain critical for osteoblastic differentiation, skeletal morphogenesis, and serves as a scaffold for nucleic acids and regulatory factors involved in skeletal gene expression. RUNX2 and SALL1 are thus both ‘master regulators’ of tissue organization and embryo development. Here, we describe exome sequencing and copy number variants in two previously unknown mutations—R824Q in SAMD9, and Q253H in SALL1. A new multiexon 3’ terminal duplication in RUNX2 is also reported. This is the first known phenotype characterization for the intersection of all three variants in a healthy 46,XX adult. Focusing on developmental progress, ultrastructural renal anatomy, and selected reproductive aspects, we describe this unique genotype diagnosed incidentally during Covid-19 illness. Individual disruption in SAMD9, RUNX2, or SALL1 would be expected to give a bleak prognosis. However, the convergence discovered here appears to dampen severe pathology, perhaps by cross-gene silencing of effects normally deleterious when such changes occur alone.

The first published description of intraovarian platelet-rich plasma (PRP) appeared in mid-2016, when a new experimental technique was successfully used in adult human ovaries to correct the reduced fertility potential accompanying advanced maternal age. Considering the potential therapeutic scope of intraovarian activated PRP and/or condensed platelet cytokines would likely cover both menopause treatment and infertility, the mainstream response has ranged from skeptical disbelief to welcome astonishment. Indeed, reports of restored menses in menopause (as an alternative to conventional hormone replacement therapy) and healthy term livebirths for infertility patients (either with IVF or as unassisted conceptions) after intraovarian PRP injection continue to draw notice. Yet any proper criticism of ovarian PRP applications will be difficult to rebut given the heterogenous patient screening, varied sample preparations, wide differences in platelet incubation and activation protocols, surgical/anesthesia techniques, and delivery methods. Notwithstanding these features, no adverse events have been reported thus far and ovarian PRP appears well tolerated by patients. Here, early research guiding the transition of ‘ovarian rejuvenation’ from experimental to clinical is outlined. Likely mechanisms are presented to explain results observed in both veterinary and human ovarian PRP research. Current and future challenges for intraovarian cytokine treatment are also discussed.

Involving local people in natural area management is very important to address the complexity of environmental management issues for sustainable use of local resources. Participatory methods require the contribution of local stakeholders in decision making. Mapping the environmental views of local communities allows for detecting aspects that could facilitate management efforts. This research – in the frame of the Skyros LIFE project and the PAMNATURA project - measures local acceptability of the conservation actions proposed by the LIFE project in Skyros Island (Greece) in relation with recording local people’s environmental orientation using the 15-item revised New Ecological Paradigm (NEP) scale. The research was carried out by means of questionnaires. The LIFE project proposed actions were grouped into three categories according to their theme, i.e. promoting (a) Nature protection, (b) Agro-pastoralism and (c) Ecotourism. The sample seems to largely agree with the LIFE project proposals, while the results showed high scores for most of the NEP scale items, implying pro-environmental beliefs, though there appears disagreement or neutrality regarding a few items. Local acceptability of the proposed actions was found to correlate to local people’s environmental concern measured through the NEP scale. Drawing on the results, implementation of actions related directly or indirectly to economic activities, preservation of traditional activities, as well as environmental education, interactive informing and consultation could enhance local participation. Skyros island seems to offer an appropriate social background for applying participatory and adaptive management and implementing conservation programs.

Understanding maturation stress and wood properties of poplar tension wood are critical for improving lumber yields and utilization ratio. In this study, Released Longitudinal Maturation Strains (RLMS), anatomical features, physical and mechanical properties, and nano-mechanical properties of the cell wall were analyzed at different peripheral positions and heights in nine inclined, 12-year-old poplar (Populus×euramericana ‘Zhonglin46’) trees. The correlations between RLMS and wood properties were determined. The results showed that there were mixed effects of artificial inclination on wood quality and properties. The upper sides of inclined stems had higher RLMS, proportion of G-layer, bending modulus of elasticity, and elastic modulus of cell wall but lower microfibril angle than the lower sides. At heights between 0.7 m and 2.2 m, only the double wall thickness increased with height, RLMS and other wood properties such as fiber length and basic density fluctuated or changed little with height. RLMS was a good indicator of wood properties in the tension wood area and at heights between 0.7 m and 1.5 m. The results of this study present opportunities to identify and select better quality wood in poplar trees.

Covid-19 has caused infections and deaths worldwide. While research in the field of Data Science has contributed good predictions of positive Covid-19 case numbers, this study's review of literature shows there is little research in the use of variants of the virus in predictions. We set out to define and evaluate novel variant features. We find that features relating to variant trends, thresholds and amino acid substitutions are especially powerful in two tasks. In the first task, predicting Covid-19 case numbers, accuracy improved from 71.53% without variant features to 82.12% with variant features. In the second task, predicting transmission severity of variants between two classes, we created a method to build some variable ensembles through selecting appropriate models that are generated with variant features. The test results showed that our ensembles are more accurate and reliable. One particular ensemble of 14 models correctly classified 90.91% of variants, outperforming other models including the popular Random Forest ensemble. In addition, as the variant features have represented more underlying information about Covid-19 pathophysiology, our ensemble methods use only a few data samples to achieve an accurate prediction. The ensemble of 14 models uses only 50 cases of each variant, an ability that could be exploited for early detection of highly infectious variants. These research findings may benefit public health professionals, policy makers, and the research community in the collective efforts to overcome this disease.

Ranaviruses have been associated with rising numbers of mass die-offs in amphibian populations globally. With life-stages occupying different environments and presenting distinct physiologies, amphibian of different ages are likely to play an important role in pathogen persistence. To assess the potential role of post-metamorphic amphibians as a Ranavirus reservoir, we performed a bath-exposure study on wood frogs using environmentally relevant doses (~10³ and ~10⁴ PFU/mL) of wild-type (WT) and knockout Frog virus 3 (FV3), deficient for the vIF-2α immune-evasion gene, the effects of which have never been addressed in post-metamorphic anurans. We observed 42% infection prevalence and low mortality (10%) across the virus challenges, with half of the mortalities attributable to ranavirosis. Prevalence and viral loads followed a dose-dependent pattern. Notably, when exposed to the vIF-2α knockout (DvIF-2α) FV3, individuals exhibited significantly decreased growth and increased lethargy in comparison to WT FV3 treatments. Although 85% of individuals in the virus treatments exhibited stereotypic signs of ranavirosis throughout the experiment, at termination (40 days post exposure) most individuals were clear of signs of infection. Overall, this study provides evidence that even a single short time exposure to environmentally relevant doses of Ranavirus may cause sublethal infections in post-metamorphic amphibians, thus indicating their possible role as a reservoir for this pathogen.

The study findings revealed significant variability in various wood properties among different genetic families, although the static modulus of elasticity did not exhibit significant differences between the chosen genetic families. All measured wood properties decreased from the bottom to the top of the model trees. Wood hardness displayed a moderately negative correlation with wood density and weak correlations with MOE and MOR. Given the weak correlations between wood hardness and other wood mechanical properties, it is suggested that the MOEdyn would be a more suitable trait for genetic studies.

Field and numerical investigations at Happisburgh, East coast of England, UK, sought to characterize beach thickness and determine geologic framework controls on coastal change. After a major failure of coastal protection infrastructure, removal of about 1 km of coastal defense along the otherwise protected cliffed coastline of Happisburgh triggered a period of rapid erosion over 20 years of ca. 140 m. Previous sensitivity studies suggested that that beach thickness plays a major role in coastal recession. These studies were limited, however, by a lack of beach volume data. In this study, we have integrated the insights gained from our understanding of the Quaternary geology of the area, a novel non-intrusive passive seismic survey method, and a 3D novel representation of the subsurface source and transportable material into a coastal modelling environment to explore the role of beach thickness on the back wearing and down wearing of the cliffs and consolidated platform, respectively. Results show that beach thickness is non-homogeneous along the study site: we estimate that the contribution to nearshore sediment budget via platform down wearing is of a similar order of magnitude as sediment lost from the beach and therefore non-negligible. We have provided a range of evidence to support the idea that the Happisburgh beach is a relatively thin layer perched on a sediment rich platform of sand and gravel. This conceptualization differs from previous publications, which assumes that the platform was mostly till and fine material. This has direct implication on the regional sediment management of along this coastline. The present study contributes to our understanding of a poorly known aspect of coastal sediment budgeting and outlines a quantitative approach that allows for simple integration of geological understanding for coastline evolution assessments worldwide.

Fusarium species are agriculturally important fungi with a broad host range and can be found as endophytic, pathogenic, or opportunistic parasites in many crop plants. This study aimed to identify Fusarium species in bare-rooted, dormant plants in Turkish grapevine nurseries using molecular identification methods and assess their pathogenicity. Asymptomatic dormant plants were sampled from grapevine nurseries (43) in different regions of the country, and fungi were isolated from plant roots and internal basal tissues. The Fusarium isolates were identified by performing gene sequencing (TEF1-α, RPB2) and phylogenetic analyses. Pathogenicity tests were carried out by inoculating mycelial agar pieces of isolates onto the stem or conidial suspensions into the rhizosphere of vines (1103 Paulsen rootstock). Laboratory tests revealed that Fusarium species were highly prevalent in Turkish grapevine nurseries (41 out of 43). Gene sequencing and phylogenetic analyses unraveled that 12 Fusarium species (F. annulatum, F. brachygibbosum, F. clavum, F. curvatum, F. falciforme, F. fredkrugeri, F. glycines, F. nanum, F. nematophilum, F. nirenbergiae, F. solani, and Fusarium spp.) existed in the ready-to-sale plants. Some of these species (F. annulatum, F. curvatum and F. nirenbergiae) consistently caused wood necrosis of seedling stems, rotting of the basal zone and roots, and reduced root biomass. Although the other nine species also caused some root rot and root reduction, their virulence was not as severe as the pathogenic ones, and they were considered opportunistic parasites or endophytic species. This study is the first detailed investigation of Fusarium species in grapevine nurseries in Türkiye and emphasizes the need to consider pathogenic species in producing healthy grapevine seedlings.

The increasing demand for large-scale, high-frequency environmental monitoring has driven the adoption of satellite-based technologies for effective forest management, especially in the context of climate change. This study explores the potential of SAR for estimating the mass of harvesting residues, a significant component of forest ecosystems that impacts nutrient cycling, fire risk, and bioenergy production. The research hypothesizes that while the spatial distribution of residues remains stable, changes in moisture content—reflected in variations in the dielectric properties of the woody material—can be detected through SAR techniques. Two models, generalized linear model (GLM) and random forest (RF), were used to predict the mass of residues using interfer-ometric variables (phase, amplitude and coherence) as well as the backscatter signal from several acquisition pairs. The models provided encouraging results (R2 of 0.48 for GLM and 0.13 for RF), with acceptable bias and RMSE. We concluded that SAR data are feasible to predict the mass of harvesting residues and the findings could lead to improved monitoring and management of forest residues, contributing to sustainable forestry practices and enhanced bioenergy resource utilization.

Shape Memory Polymer (SMP) actuators are smart materials that adapt and switch shape in response to environmental conditions, allowing controlled and dynamic building systems. The integrated SMP strip enabled the adaptive facade shading system to operate independently and with flexibility under certain thermoresponsive conditions to regulate building performance. This study aims to improve adaptive façade performance in a hot-humid climate by determining optimal thermal activation factors for the shape memory polymer. This was achieved by comprehensively examining and analysing the impact of various SMP activation parameters on energy efficiency, thermal comfort, and visual comfort. In addition, dynamic IES-VE building energy simulation was used to evaluate the thermal performance of the adaptable facade. The results were validated using a multicriteria approach to compare with the existing glass façade of a high-rise apartment. The results showed that the coactivation technique, which combines solar radiation and air temperature triggers, proved to be the most efficient strategy to improve the performance of the adaptive façade. This strategy minimised heat gain, lowered indoor temperatures, reduced glare, and enhanced daylight comfort, resulting in notable energy savings through reduced cooling consumption. The study concluded that the utilisation of SMP actuators with fine-tuning activation parameters significantly optimised adaptive façade performance, promoting functionality, efficiency, and sustainability in buildings.

This review critically examines the various ways in which the mechanical properties of wood have been understood. Despite the immense global importance of wood in construction, most understanding of its elastic and inelastic properties is based on models developed for other materials. Such models neglect wood’s cellular and fibrous nature. This review thus questions how well models that were originally developed for homogeneous and effectively continuous materials can describe wood’s mechanical properties. For example, the elastic moduli of wood have been found by many authors to depend on the size of the test specimen. Such observations are incompatible with classical elasticity theory. There is also much uncertainty about how well elastic moduli can be defined for wood. An analysis of different models for size effects of various inelastic properties of wood shows that these models only approximate the observed behaviour, and do not predict or explain the scatter in the results. A more complete understanding of wood’s mechanical properties must take account of it being in some sense intermediate between a material and a structure.

CO2 emission activity of xylotrophic fungi response to an increase in temperature in the range of 10-30 °C on the example of pure dikaryotic cultures of Fomes fomentarius s. str., F. inzengae, Fomitopsis betulina, F. pinicola, Phellinus igniarius was analyzed. Emission activity was assessed by the difference in CO2 concentration in 0.5-liter exposure chambers with Petri dishes with mycelium growing on agar at the beginning of exposure and an hour later using a Gasmet DX-4030 FTIR spectrometer (Gasmet Technologies Oy, Finland), error measurements ±50 ppm. Specific (μg CO2/cm2/h) and total (μg CO2/h) emission activity and its relationship with temperature and size (area) of the mycelium were assessed. It has been shown that in the range of 10-30 °C, the specific and total CO2 emission activity of the mycelium is closely and positively related to temperature. Specific emission, which is an indicator of the respiratory activity of the mycelium, does not depend on its size; its only driver is temperature, the relationship with which is linear: an increase in temperature by 10 °C causes an increase in the specific emission activity of the mycelium by 1.7 times. The total CO2 emission activity, which is an indicator of the total amount of CO2 emitted, is directly proportional to the specific emission activity and the size of the mycelium. In the range of 10-30 °C, an increase in temperature causes an almost equal increase in both the specific emission activity of the mycelium (Q10 1.7) and its growth (Q10 1.5) and causes an exponential increase in the total emission of CO2. This must be taken into account when predicting CO2 emissions from woody debris under climate change, as it could potentially contribute to accelerating climate change.

Based on the perspective of complex directed weighted network analysis, this paper constructs a static resilience evaluation framework for trade networks from two dimensions: structural resilience and node resilience. It studies the evolution of static resilience in the upstream, midstream, downstream, and recycling trade networks of global wood forest products from 2002 to 2021. The study finds that the total trade volume of global wood forest products has increased by 58.0%, 77.3%, 71.2%, and 77.2% in the upstream, midstream, downstream, and recycling sectors, respectively. The downstream trade network exhibits efficient information transmission and resource mobility capabilities. All four types of trade networks exhibit scale-free characteristics, with core countries such as China, the United States, and Germany playing a dominant role in the network and playing a crucial role in network robustness, but also increasing network vulnerability. In terms of unweighted assortativity, all four networks exhibit the characteristic of "small countries relying on hubs," while the weighted assortativity of the downstream network is positive, indicating enhanced network resilience. In terms of node resilience, countries exhibit significant differences and dynamic changes. China demonstrates strong resilience and adaptability, while the United States maintains its core position. China's influence in the downstream network has significantly increased, and India has rapidly emerged in the recycling network. To enhance network resilience, it is necessary to increase diversity and redundancy, establish effective emergency response mechanisms, and promote the diversification and green transformation of the supply chain.

Cinnamaldehyde, a natural preservative that can non-specifically deactivate foodborne pathogens, was successfully incorporated into fish skin gelatin (FSG) solutions and blow spun into uniform nanofibers. The effects of cinnamaldehyde ratios (5-30%, w/w FSG) on physicochemical properties of fiber-forming emulsions (FFEs) and their nanofibers were investigated. Higher ratios resulted in higher values in particle size and viscosity of FFEs, as well as higher values in diameter of nanofibers. Loss of cinnamaldehyde was observed during solution blow spinning (SBS) process and cinnamaldehyde was mainly located on the surface of resultant nanofibers. Nanofibers all showed antibacterial activity by direct diffusion and vapor release against Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes. Inhibition zones increased as cinnamaldehyde ratio increased. Nanofibers showed larger inhibition effects than films prepared by casting method when S. typhimurium was exposed to the released cinnamaldehyde vapor, although films had higher remaining cinnamaldehyde than nanofibers after preparation. Lower temperature was favorable for cinnamaldehyde retention, and nanofibers added with 10% cinnamaldehyde ratio showed the highest retention over eight-weeks of storage. Results suggest that FSG nanofibers can be prepared by SBS as carriers for antimicrobials.

This brief review highlights some current issues in Galactic stellar nucleosynthesis, and some recent laboratory studies by the Wisconsin atomic physics group that have direct application to stellar spectroscopy, in order to advance our understanding of the chemical evolution of our Galaxy. The relevant publication history of the lab studies are summarized, and investigations into the abundances of neutron-capture and iron-peak elements in low metallicity stars are described. Finally, new initatives in near-infrared spectroscopy are briefly explored.

Scientific studies on the impact of wood species on solid fuel production, performance, and sustainability are grossly inadequate. The knowledge of this is imperative as users of solid fuels are increasing rapidly, especially in Africa. On this note, it becomes necessary to explore measures that will improve its efficiency and sustainability as an energy source. This study investigates some properties of selected wood species used as an energy source in Nigeria and their pelleting potential. Nine (9) samples were characterized and assessed for suitability of pelleting following four wood pellet quality standards. The findings revealed Anogeissus leiocarpus as the species with the best rating score in terms of fuel properties while Vitellaria paradoxa as the lowest. However, in terms of conformity with the four wood pellets standards, Khaya senegalensis, Parkia biglobosa and Anogeissus leiocarpus having presented density, calorific value, sulfur, arsenic, cadmium, and lead within the limits of the wood pellet quality standards were considered the best wood species in terms of fuel suitability and pelleting potential. The findings therefore suggest that not all wood species are suitable as fuel. Thus, for species that do not meet the standard wood pellet requirements, alternatives such as the use of biomass blends, additives, or process adjustments can be employed to adapt the quality to the standards or by using the fuels in improved cookstoves.

This research raises questions about the possibilities and options of using BIM methodology for wood design and construction associated with software for structure modeling along the asset's cycle life. Likewise, several academic and research initiatives are reviewed. In this sense, this paper aims to establish an appropriate link between two agendas that the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, academia, and governments normally handle separately. By conducting several literature reviews (book, journals, and congresses) and extensive software tests (BIM software: Revit, Archicad, Tekla, and Wood plug-ins: AGACAD, Archiframe, Timber Framing 2015, WoodStud Frame, etc.), the state-of-the-art was assessed in both fields, several cases linking BIM and wood are shown in detail and discussed, various theoretical samples are modelled and shown, and the advantages and disadvantages of each technique and stage are explained. On the other hand, although wood construction has been the most common for hundreds of years, this is not the case of BIM Modeling software developments associated with this materiality. Furthermore, since the appearance of materials such as steel and reinforced concrete, all software developments have focused on these materials, leaving aside the possibility of developing applications for use in wood projects. According to previously discussed, it can be concluded that BIM for Wood has been used more frequently in academia and that both fields have several common processes and, in many cases, only a few BIM-wood tools have been used. Thus, disregarding the high potential and high level of benefits that results with the application of these methodologies for the complete building life cycle (design, construction, and operation).

Japanese plum tree (Prunus salicina Lindl.) is mainly cultivated in temperate areas of China and some European countries. Certain amounts of wood (from pruning works) are generated every year from this crop of worldwide commercial significance. The main objective of this work was to value this agricultural woody residue, for which the chemical composition of pruning wood extracts from six Japanese plum cultivars was investigated, and the antiproliferative activity of extracts and pure phenolics present in those extracts was measured. For the chemical characterization, total phenolic content and DPPH radical-scavenging assays and HPLC‒DAD/ESI‒MS analyses were performed, the procyanidin (‒)-ent-epicatechin-(2α→O→7,4α→8)-epicatechin (5) and the propelargonidin (+)-epiafzelechin-(2β→O→7,4β→8)-epicatechin (7) being the major components of the wood extracts. Some quantitative differences were found among plum cultivars, and the content of proanthocyanidins ranged from 1.50 (cv. ‘Fortune’) to 4.44 (cv. ‘Showtime’) mg/g of dry wood. Regarding the antitumoral activiy, eight wood extracts and four phenolic compounds were evaluated in MCF-7 cells after 48 h of induction, showing the wood extract from cv. ‘Songold’ and (‒)-annphenone (3) the best antiproliferative activity (IC50: 424 ppm and 405 ppm, respectively).

: Greenhouse plants are usually grown in containers filled with growing media. Peat is the main component of the growing media used in greenhouses. However, peat substrate is made from peat from drained peatlands, which is a limited resource. Wood fiber can be an alternative to use as a growing media for controlled-climate crops. The chemical properties of the growing media interact and change continuously due to the small volume of the growing media, which is limited by the vegetative container. Therefore, this study aims to gain new knowledge on the impact of nutrient changes in the microbial degradation of carbon compounds in wood fiber and mixtures with peat substrate on the content and uptake of nutrients required by plants. Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.) were cultivated in growing media of peat substrate and wood fiber: (1) peat substrate (PS); (2) wood fiber (WF); (3) wood fiber and peat substrate 50/50 v/v (WF/PS 50/50); (4) wood fiber and peat substrate 25/75 v/v (WF/PS 25/75). The rates of fertilization were the following: (1) conventional fertilization (CF); (2) N13; (3) N23; (4) N30. Fertilization of cucumbers with different rates of nitrogen influenced the nutrient uptake. Plants grown in WF/PS 50/50 and WF/PS 25/75 growing media had the best Cu uptake when fertilized with N23. When the plants grown in the wood fiber media and the 50/50 media were fertilized with N13, N23, and N30, the Mn content in the growing media at the end of the growing season was significantly lower than the Mn content in the media with conventional fertilization. Thus, nitrogen improved the uptake of Mn by plants grown not only in the wood fiber but also in combinations with peat substrate. Growing plants in wood fiber and fertilizing them with N13 can result in optimum uptake of micronutrients. The number and mass of cucumber fruits per plant were influenced by the amount of wood fiber in the growing media and the application of nitrogen fertilizer. The highest number of fruits and mass of fruits per plant was obtained significantly higher when cucumbers were grown on WF/PS 50/50 growing media with additional N13 fertilization.

A novel method of investigating the temperature dependent variation of aspects of the complex refractive index n* in samples in the THz range using continuous, non-polarised, synchrotron radiation is presented. The method relies on the use of ATR apparatus, and retains the advantage of minimal sample preparation, which is a feature of ATR techniques. The method demonstrates the viability of rapidly monitoring temperature reflectance whilst continuously heating or cooling samples by using a temperature variable Thermal Sample Stage. The method remains useful when the refractive index of the sample precludes attenuated total reflection study. This is demonstrated with the water reflectance experiments. The temperature dependent ATR reflectance of tissue-representative fats (lard and Lurpak® butter) was investigated with the novel approach. Both are within the ATR range of the diamond crystal in a “true” ATR mode. Lard showed no clear temperature variation between -15 0C and 24 0C at 0.7 to 1.15 THz or 1.70 to 2.25 THz. Lard can be regarded as having invariable, constant, dielectric properties within mixtures when biological substances are being assessed for temperature dependent dielectric variation within the stated THz ranges. Lurpak® butter (water content 14.7%) displayed temperature dependent reflectance features with a steady decline in reflectivity with increasing temperature. This is in line with the temperature-dependent behaviour of liquid water. There is no rapid change in reflectance, even at -20 0C, suggesting that emulsified water retains liquid-water-like THz properties at freezing temperatures.

Polyamide 11 (PA11) is a plant-based nylon made from castor beans. Powder bed fusion laser sintering (PBF-LS) is an additive manufacturing process used for PA11 which allows the reuse of the unsintered powder. The unsintered powder is mixed with virgin powders at different refresh rates which has been studied extensively for most semi-crystalline polyamides. However, there is lack of information on the effect of using 100% reused PA11 powder and the number of times it is reused on its own during powder bed fusion laser sintering. This paper investigates the effect of reusing PA11 powder in PBF-LS and number of times it is reused on the dimensional accuracy, density, thermal and tensile properties. From 100% virgin powder to 3rd use of the powder, there is a decrease in powder wastage, decrease in crystallinity and tensile strength. These was associated with the polymerisation and cross-linking process of polymer chains, upon exposure to high temperature. This results in a higher molecular weight and hence density. From the 4th use to 10th reuse, the opposite was observed which was associated to an increase in high-viscosity and un-molten particles which resulted in defects in the PBF-LS parts.

The continuous and precise mapping of glacier calving fronts is essential for monitoring and understanding rapid glacier changes in Antarctica and Greenland, which have the potential for significant sea level rise within the current century. This effort has been mostly restricted to the slow and painstaking manual digitalization of the calving front positions in thousands of satellite imagery products. Here, we have developed a machine learning toolkit to robustly and automatically detect glacier calving front margins in satellite imagery. The toolkit is based on semantic image segmentation using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) with a modified U-Net architecture to isolate the calving fronts from satellite images after having been trained with a dataset of images and their corresponding manually-determined calving fronts. As a case study we train our neural network on a varied set Landsat images with lowered resolutions from Jakobshavn, Sverdrup, and Kangerlussuaq glaciers, Greenland and test the results on novel images from Helheim glacier, Greenland to evaluate the performance of the approach. The neural network is able to identify the calving front in new images with a mean deviation of 96.3 m from the true fronts, equivalent to 1.97 pixels on average, while the corresponding error for manually-determined fronts on the same resolution images is 92.5 m. We find that the trained neural network significantly outperforms common edge detection techniques, and can be used to continuously map out calving-ice fronts with a variety of data products.

Quantum gravity theories rely on a minimal measurable length for their formulations, which clashes with the classical formulation of the uncertainty principle and with Lorentz invariance from general relativity. These incompatibilities led to the development of the generalized uncertainty principle (GUP) from string theories and its various modifications. GUP and covariant formulations of the uncertainty principle are discussed, together with implications for space-time quantization.

According to this study, approximately half of Africa's forests are utilized primarily or partially for the production of wood and non-wood commodities. Aims to evaluate Africa's forestry and forest products, namely Wood Forest Products (WFPs) and Non-wood Forest Products (NWFPs) in the sixteen (16) West African countries. While adhering to the following guidelines: wood extraction and preparation, analyzing wood primarily used as an energy source in Africa, identifying non-wood forest products in Africa, the state of export, trade, and customs procedures in West Africa, and examining the role of forests and forest stakeholders in Africa's low-carbon economy transition. An exploratory literature review of selected wood forest products and non-wood forest products (plants and animals) in West Africa identifying the country, the natural land area with the natural habitat issues of the forest, the species most harvested and traded in the West African sub-region. The study reemphasized some government legislation, policies, and market trade failures and limitations while also stating that trees may help in the low-carbon revolution through interventions aimed at maintaining, improving, and restoring natural capital have demonstrated that high environmental requirements of sustainable forest management (SFM) may be met in both natural and planted forests. The study identified a systematic assessment of the most common forest products (wood and non-wood forest products) considering the available data on the national forest reserves of the selected countries in West Africa. The study also revealed the need for biodiversity conservation of the available forest reserves to help mitigate the impact of global warming targeting the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 13- Climate Action. Which is focused on integrating climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning signs into the national policies, improving forest planning and management education, awareness-raising, and institutional capacity within the sub-region.

The ultimate analysis parameters including carbon (C), hydrogen (H), nitrogen (N), and oxygen (O) content in biomass was rarely found to be predicted by nondestructive tests until to date. In this research, we developed partial least squares regression (PLSR) models to predict the ultimate analysis parameters of chip biomass using near infrared (NIR) raw spectra of non-wood and wood samples from fast growing tree and agricultural residue and nine different traditional spectral preprocessing techniques. These techniques include first derivative (sd1), second derivative (sd2), constant offset, standard normal variate (SNV), multiplicative scatter correction (MSC), vector normalization, min-max normalization, mean centering, sd1 + vector normalization, and sd1 + MSC. Additionally, we employed a genetic algorithm (GA), successive projection algorithm (SPA), multi-preprocessing (MP) 5−range, and MP 3−range to develop a PLSR model for rapid prediction. A dataset consisting of 120 chip biomass samples was utilized for model development in which the samples was non-wood samples of 65-67% and wood samples was 33-35%, and the model performance were evaluated and compared. The selection of the optimum performing model was mainly based on criteria such as the coefficient of determination in the prediction set (R2P), root mean square error of the prediction set (RMSEP), and the ratio of prediction to deviation values (RPD). The optimal model for weight percentage (wt.%) of C was obtained using GA−PLSR, yielding R2P, RMSEP, and RPD values of 0.6954, 1.1252 wt.%, and 1.8, respectively. Similarly, for wt.% of O, the most effective model was obtained using the multi-preprocessing PLSR−5 range method with R2P of 0.7150, RMSEP of 1.3088 wt.%, and RPD of 1.9. For wt.% of N, the optimal model was obtained using the MP PLSR−3 range method, resulting in R2P, RMSEP, and RPD values of 0.6073, 0.1008 wt.%, and 1.6, respectively. However, wt.% of H model provided R2P, RMSEP, and RPD values of 0.5162, 0.2322 wt.%, and 1.5, respectively. Notably, the limit of quantification (LOQ) values for C, H, and O were lower than the minimum reference values used during model development, indicating a high level of sensitivity. However, the LOQ for N, exceeded the minimum reference value, implying the samples to be predicted by the model must be in the range of reference range in calibration set. By scatter plot analysis, the effect of combined non-wood and wood spectra of biomass chips on rapid prediction of ultimate analysis parameters using NIR spectroscopy was investigated. To include different species in a model, the species have to be not only in the different values of the constituents to make a wider range for robust model but also they must provide their trend line characteristics in the scatter plot i.e. correlation coefficient (R), slope and intercept (same slope and slope approached to 1 and intercept is same (no gap) and approached zero, high R approached to 1). The effect of the R, slope and intercept to obtain the better optimized model were studied. The results show that the different species affected model performance of each parameter prediction in a different manner and by scatter plot analysis which of these species were affecting the model negatively and how the model could be improved was indicated. This is the first time of the effect is studied by the principle of scatter plot.

No major breakthroughs have entered mainstream clinical fertility practice since egg donation and intracytoplasmic sperm injection decades ago, and oocyte deficits secondary to advanced age continue as the main manifestation of diminished ovarian reserve. In the meantime, several unproven IVF ‘accessories’ have emerged including so-called ovarian rejuvenation which entails placing fresh autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) directly into ovarian tissue. Among cellular responses attributed to this intervention are reduced oxidative stress, slowed apoptosis, and improved metabolism. Besides impacting the existing follicle pool, platelet growth factors might also facilitate de novo oocyte recruitment by specified gene upregulation targeting uncommitted ovarian stem cells. Because disordered activity at mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) has been shown to exacerbate or accelerate ovarian aging, PRP-discharged plasma cytokines combined with mTOR suppression by pulsed/cyclic rapamycin represents a novel fusion technique to enhance ovarian function. While beneficial effects have already been observed experimentally in oocytes and embryos with mTOR inhibition alone, this is the first discussion of intraovarian platelet cytokines followed by low-dose, phased rapamycin. For refractory cases, this investigational, tailored approach could amplify or sustain ovarian capacity sufficient to permit retrieval of competent oocytes via distinct but complementary pathways—thus reducing dependency on oocyte donation.

The objective of this study is to preliminarily evaluate a new CT-biopsy guidance device, an origami needle guide. The device is created by laser cutting the structure from a sheet of cardboard, 3D printing two radiocontrast agent grids on to the surface and folding the structure into a rectangular prism with a viewing window. An abdominal imaging phantom was used to evaluate the device through CT imaging and the targeting of lesions for needle insertion. The lesion targeting trials resulted in a mean targeting error of 1.88 mm with a standard deviation of 0.73 mm. The device attaches to the patient and is rigid enough to adequately support standard biopsy needles, reducing the effect of gravity and the risk of laceration by the needles, making it potentially advantageous for biopsy of superficial lesions and lesions approached from a horizontal orientation. The device supports insertion of multiple needles at once, making it particularly suitable for composite ablation using multiple needles. Another advantage of the device is that it can guide off-axial needle insertion. The low-cost and disposability of the device make it well-suited for the minimally invasive image guided therapy environment.

Castanopsis hystrix, a precious tree species in Southeast Asia, has the advantages of rapid growth and high-quality wood materials. However, there are problems such as long breeding cycle, time-consuming and low efficiency, which greatly restricts the industrial development of C. hystrix. To perform the genome selection (GS) for growth and wood traits and the early selection of superior progeny have great significance for the rapid breeding of new superior varieties of C. hystrix. The 226 clones in the main distribution and 479 progenies within 23 half-sib families were used as experimental materials in this study. Genotyping datasets were obtained by high-throughput re-sequencing technology, and GS studies were conducted on the growth (tree height (H), diameter at breast height (DBH)) and wood (wood density (WD), fiber length (FL), and fiber length-width ratio (LWR)) traits. The coefficient of variation (CV) of five phenotypic traits ranged from 10.1% to 22.73%, the average CV of growth traits was 19.93%, and the average CV of wood traits was 9.72%. The Pearson correlation coefficients between the five traits were almost significantly positive. Based on the Genomic Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (GBLUP) model, the broad-sense heritabilities of growth traits were higher than those of wood quality traits, and the different number of SNPs had little effect on the heritability estimation. GS prediction accuracy first increased and then reached a plateau around 3K SNPs for all five traits. The broad-sense heritability of these five traits was significantly positively correlated with their GS predictive ability (r=0.564, P

The world’s population is growing at a rapid pace, thus increasing the need for shelter, which, because of increased carbon emissions, is making our planet less inhabitable. Thus, supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) are used to reduce the embodied carbon emissions in the building sector. Wood ash, as a replacement for cement in soil treatment, seems to be a promising material. In this study, we considered the strength, stiffness, and microstructural behavior of marine clay treated with cement and wood ash as a cement replacement. Since clay is abundant in nature, it could help stabilize waste to improve the mechanical behavior of produced composites. Portland cement (7%, 10%, and 13%) was replaced with various amount of wood ash (5% and 10%) with two different dry densities (1400 and 1600 kg/m3) and three distinct curing periods (7, 28, and 60 days). Unconfined compressive strength, direct shear, porosity, pulse velocity, x-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy tests were performed on selected specimens to evaluate the structural and microstructural effect of clay–wood ash–cement interaction. The results revealed that the replacement of cement with 5% of wood ash yielded superior performance. The microstructure investigation of wood ash–cement–clay blends further showed the formation of a densified matrix with stable bonds. Furthermore, the porosity and strength properties of blends developed unique relationships, which were further confirmed by other supplementary materials and soils.

The purpose of this work is to analyze heat-treated ash wood at temperature of 185 ºC, in order to analyze its dimensional stability. For comparison, native ash/ not thermally treated wood, was be used. In order to analyze heat-treated ash wood, some main properties such as water absorption, swelling in thickness, roughness, Brinell hardness, modulus of rupture and elasticity, color change toward black with CIELab space, and many others properties were determined and processed. The results obtained after processing the experimental data have showed that heat-treated ash wood had good physical properties as absorption and swelling in thickness, and the slight increase in elasticity offers new fields of use. As a general conclusion of the work, it was established that the ash wood can be properly thermally treated, the dimensional stability characteristics being very good, and the decrease in bending resistance being almost imperceptible.

To investigate this suitability of Black Mustard (Brassica Nigra L.) and Camelina (Camelina Sativa L.) for pulp manufacturing the nitrate-alkaline method was used. The non-wood plants were characterized by chemical analysis, especially lignin, cellulose, ash, extractives and alpha-, beta-, gamma-cellulose. The pulp was cooked in 6% nitric acid and then underwent the extraction by 5% sodium-hydroxide and neutralized by 1% acetic acid. The cooked pulp was characterized by delignification degree – Kappa number. The laboratory sheets were made from this cooked pulp and they were characterized by tensile index, breaking length, smoothness and compared with commonly available papers.

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) of duodenal origin are an unusual subset among all NETs, comprising only about 3% of this neoplasm class. In general, NETs are characterized by overexpression of somatostatin receptors and carry an excellent prognosis with early diagnosis and intervention. Chromogranin A (CgA), a protein originating in secretory vesicles of neurons and endocrine cells, has gained wide usage in NET diagnosis and surveillance. Lanreotide is a synthetic octapeptide somatostatin analog with potent anti-proliferative action which has been approved by the FDA (U.S.) and EMA (E.U.) for NET treatment. It is known for its inhibitory effects on growth hormone, serotonin, CgA, and other markers. Here we describe a 56yr-old female with functional NET of duodenal origin, where serum CgA was successfully reduced from 3636 to <100 ng/mL after multidose lanreotide within five months. Of note, no metastatic spread was identified on positron emission tomography/computed tomography with 64Cu-labeled somatostatin analog tracer. Surgical resection of distal antrum, pylorus, and proximal duodenum followed without complication. Histology revealed several foci of well-differentiated tumor cells with characteristic neuroendocrine features and clear surgical margins; low proliferation index (2%) was noted on Ki-67 staining. While select laboratory and imaging modalities are available for diagnosis and monitoring of duodenal NET, this is the first reported therapeutic use of lanreotide in this NET setting. The observed serum CgA attenuation, even before surgery, supports its effectiveness in management of primary nonmetastatic duodenal NET.

Toxin/antitoxin (TA) systems are used primarily to inhibit phage, reduce metabolic activity during stress, and maintain genetic elements. Given the extreme toxicity of some of the toxins of these TA systems, we were curious how the cell silences toxins, if the antitoxin is inactivated or when toxins are obtained without antitoxins via horizontal gene transfer. Here we find that the RalR (type I), MqsR (type II), GhoT (type V), and Hha (type VII) toxins are inactivated primarily by a mutation that inactivates the toxin promoter or via the chromosomal mutations iraM and mhpR.

This study examines the impact of chainsaw chain type and tree species on the concen-tration of inhalable wood dust generated during motor-manual harvesting in forested areas. The chainsaw chain is a critical component, contributing not only to productivity but also to the oper-ator's health and safety. Wood dust creation during harvesting operations poses significant risks and necessitates careful attention due to its potential health effects. We investigated the effects by conducting real-world measurements of inhalable dust within the operator's breathing zone during forestry work. Two different chain types were evaluated: the commonly used 3/8" pitch chain (conventional chain) and the 0.325" pitch chain. Additionally, measurements were taken for three tree species: beech, oak, and pine (including both live and standing dead trees after a fire). Results showed that, overall, using the conventional 3/8" chain type yielded the highest concentration of wood dust for all three tree species. Notably, the highest wood dust concentration was observed in the burned Pinus brutia cluster, also with the 3/8" chain pitch. These findings emphasize the im-portance of understanding how chain type and tree species contribute to wood dust levels and provide valuable insights for enhancing operator health and safety during motor-manual har-vesting operations

Although several carbon sequestration methods have been proposed according to theories from various disciplines, it is not known which method is the best. This study evaluated and summarized the advantage and disadvantages of several major carbon sequestration methods, including carbon capture and sequestration, ocean alkalinization, algal cultivation, and wood burial, based on the first principles, namely, sequestration scale and time, elemental stoichiometry, and energy use efficiency. This study suggested that, at present, wood burial may be a leading candidate for carbon sequestration because it can be implemented immediately on a large scale, is cost-effective and efficient, has a long sequestration time, has low technical requirements, and has a relatively low impact on agriculture. This study also discussed the implementation of wood burial from the perspective of nutrient requirements. To achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, the present study proposed a 25-year project starting in 2025 with an average sequestration rate of 3 Pg C per year, which includes burying 1.5 Pg of dead wood carbon and the creation of 9.7 × 10⁶ ha woodland.

The current Global Climate Change, the 2030 Agenda and the Planetary boundaries have driven new development strategies, such as the circular economy, bioeconomy and biorefineries. In this framework, this study analyzes the potential availability and sustainability of the wood supply chain for a small-scale biorefinery aiming at producing 280–300 L of bioethanol per ton dry biomass, consuming 30,000 t of dry biomass per year harvested in a 50 km radius. This wood production goal was assessed from Eucalyptus grandis stands planted for solid wood in northeastern Uruguay. Moreover, to understand the environmental performance of this biomass supply chain, the energy return on investment (EROI), carbon footprint (CF) and potential soil erosion were also assessed. The results showed that the potential wood production would supply an average of 81,800 t of dry mass per year, maintaining the soil erosion below the upper threshold recommended, an EROI of 2.3 and annual CF of 1.22 kg CO_2-eq m^–3 (2.6 g CO_2-eq MJ^–1). Combined with the environmental performance of the bioethanol biorefinery facility, these results would show acceptable values of sustainability according to EU Directive 2009/28/ec because the bioethanol CF becomes 1.7% of this petrol’s CF.

Oriental lacquer, a natural and renewable polymeric coating, comes from the sap produced by lacquer trees. For practical application, oriental lacquer must be refined to reduce excess water and enhance its quality. In this study, drying oils were blended with oriental lacquer during the refining process to prepare an oil-modified refined lacquer (OMRL). The type and adding amount (0, 10, and 20% by wt.) of drying oils for wood coatings utilization were evaluated. Rhus succedanea oriental lacquer is composed of 54.1% urushiols, 34.3% water, 7.2% plant gum, and 4.4% nitrogenous compounds, and drying oils, including tung oil (TO), linseed oil (LO), and dehydrated castor oil (DCO) were used as materials in this study. The results show that the drying oil acts as a diluent, which reduces the viscosity and enhances the workability and could shorten the touch-free drying time and speed up the hardened drying of the OMRL. The results also indicate that the hardness, mass retention, Tg, tensile strength, abrasion resistance, and lightfastness of OMRL films decrease as more drying oils are blended. Conversely, the bending resistance, elongation at break, impact resistance increase, and particularly, the gloss, is greatly improved through the blending of more drying oils. In conclusion, the LO-modified refined lacquer (RL) has the highest film gloss and the DCO-modified RL has the shortest drying time for coating; otherwise, the film properties are similar among the three types of drying oil.

Technological advances in the last decades have led to the realization of the concept of a smart environment. A significant part of this development is decentralized ledger technology and its variant, a blockchain. The blockchain database is immutable, open to all stakeholders, secure by architecture and robust. Applying a blockchain in water supply sanitary control creates opportunities for optimization, higher quality of service, cost reduction, better sanitary standards and public control. Physical, chemical, and biological water supply contamination is a great source of public health hazards. Implementation of a blockchain for water supply IoT, from the source point to the consumption point, enables effective response to changing environments, possible cross-contamination, stormwater management or disaster and emergency action. The chapter encompasses all fundamental elements and principles of water collection, distribution and consumption, with a focus on the health hazards and sanitary requirements for potable water. The chapter listed the main contaminants, methods of their registration and elimination, and requirements for drinking water in accordance with WHO, EU Drinking Water Directive and EPA standards. Blockchain technology solutions are described for smart water supply, including smart supply management, smart contracts, tokenization, smart compliance systems, and, most importantly, effective utilization of distributed ledger technologies for sanitary monitoring of water sources, water treatment, and water distribution systems.

Mallios and Zafiris emphasize that adjoint functors or adjunctions are not only "ubiquitous" in category theory but characterize the naturality of their approach to physical geometry. Hence in this paper, the history and theory of adjoint functors is investigated. Where do adjoint functors come from mathematically and how did the concepts develop historically?

Modification of Scots pine sapwood (Pinus sylvestris L.) with heterocyclic compounds, imidazole and succinimide, was investigated. Pressure-impregnation with aqueous solutions containing imidazole, imidazole + citric acid, succinimide, succinimide + citric acid, and citric acid + sorbitol (CIOL®) at 5%, 10%, and 15% solid content was followed by oven-curing at 220 °C for 1 hour. Mass changes during treatment steps, bending properties, and anti-swelling efficiency (ASE) were examined. Results indicate that solid concentrations within the range of 5% to 10% were optimal. Results seem to show there are two differing mechanisms in the modification of imidazole and succinimide, respectively. Mass loss due to the heat treatment was highest in imidazole-treated specimens, whereas it remained low and concentration-independent in succinimide-treated specimens. ASE after three cycles reached 31% for imidazole-treated specimens and improved to 38% with the addition of citric acid. For succinimide, ASE increased from 17% to 41%. Bending properties generally showed improvement, except for succinimide + citric acid and CIOL®, which displayed a reduced modulus of rupture. Chemical analyses are warranted to fully understand the reaction mechanisms of the treatments. Imidazole treatment's positive effects are suggested to stem from a thermal reaction between the chemical and wood, indicated by substantial mass loss during leaching and specimen darkening. Succinimide and citric acid might exhibit polymerization with each other and wood components, akin to the CIOL® process. Further research should delve into reaction mechanisms and the impact of imidazole and succinimide on biological durability.

The prohibitive costs of small-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) racks decreases PV adoption velocity. To overcome these costs challenges, an open hardware design method is used to develop two novel variable tilt racking designs. These are the first stilt mounted racking designs that allow manual change of tilt angle from zero to 90 degrees by varying the length of cables. The racks are designed using the calculated dead, wind and snow loads for Canada as conservative design for most of the rest of the world. Structural capacities of the wooden members are then ascertained and resisting bending moment, shear force, tensile force, and compressive force for them is calculated. A structural and truss analysis is performed to ensure that racking design with-stands the applicable forces. Moreover, implications of changing the tilt angle on the wooden members/cables used to build the system are also determined. The systems offer significant economic savings ranging from 1/3rd to 2/3rd the capital expenses of the commercially available alternatives. In addition, the racking designs are easy-to-build and require minimal manufacturing operations, which increases their accessibility. The stilt-mounted designs can be employed for agrivoltaic settings while allowing farm workers shaded ergonomic access to perform planting, weeding, and harvesting.

Several methods of processing wood into strong, durable products for the construction industry provide transformative opportunities to substitute for less sustainable building materials. Carbon storage is a further advantage, with the added possibility of combustion for bioenergy at end of life. Intense research activity in this area is expected to open up new markets for wood fiber during the lifetime of trees now being planted. Here, wood-derived materials are classified according to the particle size, from metres to nanometres, into which the wood is fragmented before reconstitution. Materials made by densifying or chemically modifying solid wood with no fragmentation are already in production for exterior doors, window frames and cladding, with improved uniformity and stability compared with unmodified wood. Pre-commercial developments promise further gains in durability and strength. Emerging developments extend these process technologies to wood that has been chipped or stranded or pulped, retaining the above advantages over raw timber for weather-facing applications and adding processability by moulding or extrusion. Crucially, the raw material does not then need to be sawn timber but can be bioenergy-grade wood biomass. This will facilitate afforestation strategies that combine the aims of carbon sequestration and biodiversity.

Logical information theory is the quantitative version of the logic of partitions just as logical probability theory is the quantitative version of the dual Boolean logic of subsets. The resulting notion of information is about distinctions, differences, and distinguishability, and is formalized using the distinctions (`dits') of a partition (a pair of points distinguished by the partition). All the definitions of simple, joint, conditional, and mutual entropy of Shannon information theory are derived by a uniform transformation from the corresponding definitions at the logical level. The purpose of this paper is to give the direct generalization to quantum logical information theory that similarly focuses on the pairs of eigenstates distinguished by an observable, i.e., qudits of an observable. The fundamental theorem for quantum logical entropy and measurement establishes a direct quantitative connection between the increase in quantum logical entropy due to a projective measurement and the eigenstates (cohered together in the pure superposition state being measured) that are distinguished by the measurement (decohered in the post-measurement mixed state). Both the classical and quantum versions of logical entropy have simple interpretations as "two-draw" probabilities for distinctions. The conclusion is that quantum logical entropy is the simple and natural notion of information for quantum information theory focusing on the distinguishing of quantum states.

Supported wellbeing centres were set up in UK hospital trusts as an early intervention aimed at mitigating the psychological impact of COVID-19 on healthcare workers. These provided high quality rest spaces with peer-to-peer psychological support provided by National Health Service (NHS) staff volunteers called ‘wellbeing buddies’, trained in psychological first aid. The aim of the study was to explore the views of centre visitors and operational staff towards this COVID-19 workforce wellbeing provision. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were undertaken with twenty-four (20F, 4M) employees from an acute hospital trust in the UK. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed, data were handled and analysed using thematic analysis. Interviews generated 3 over-arching themes, and 13 sub-themes covering ‘exposure and job roles’, ‘emotional impacts of COVID-19 and ‘the wellbeing centres’. Supported wellbeing centres were viewed as critical for the wellbeing of hospital employees during the first surge of COVID-19 in the UK. Wellbeing initiatives require managerial advocacy and must be inclusive. Job-related barriers to work breaks and accessing staff wellbeing provisions should be addressed. High quality rest spaces and access to peer-to-peer support are seen to benefit individuals, teams, organisations and care quality. Training NHS staff in psychological first aid is a useful approach to supporting the wellbeing of the NHS workforce during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Natural host defensins, also sometimes termed antimicrobial peptides, are evolutionarily conserved. They have been studied as antimicrobials, but some pharmaceutical properties, undesirable for clinical use, led to the development of synthetic molecules with constructed peptide arrangements and/or peptides not found in nature. The leading development currently is synthetic small molecule nonpeptide mimetics, whose physical properties capture the characteristics of the natural molecules, and share their biological attributes. We studied brilacidin, an arylamide of this type, for its activity in vitro against fungi (40 clinical isolates, 20 species) that the World Health Organization has highlighted as problem human pathogens. We find antifungal activity at low concentrations for many pathogens, which indicates further screening for activity, particularly in vivo, is justified to evaluate this compound, and other mimetics, as attractive leads for development of effective antifungal agents.

For 80 years high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has been a significant area for medical research. It is a non-invasive procedure which causes cell death in a highly localised area at a defined distance from the transducer. Since 2000, the clinical indications have broadened considerable as the technology has improved. This review looks back at the history of HIFU and the current clinical indications.

The biofibres wide application as mortars enhancement have been so far restricted by factors related to their chemical composition and hygroscopic nature. Their hydrophilic behavior increases the water demand of mortar-mixtures and diminishes their adhesion to the matrix, while further moisture-related fibre degradation issues may arise. Additionally, the natural fibres seem to be susceptible to degradation caused during the exposure to alkaline environments conditions, such as those of cement mortars, restricting their utilization in construction industry. Therefore, the current study focusses on the potential of fibre modification through treatments that would permanently alter their structure and chemical composition in the whole mass or surface towards their performance improvement. In this study, mild hydrothermally treated wood fibres of black pine and beech species were prepared and incorporated in cement mortars to assess their performance, applying the proportion of 1.5% v/v in the mortar. The mortars workability (at fresh state), physical, hygroscopic, chemical, thermal, and mechanical characteristics at the age of 28, 90 and 365 days and weathering performance by subjecting them at different artificial ageing environments (freeze-thaw cycles or outdoor exposure) were examined. The results indicated the beneficial role of the treated fibres in the dimensional stability, flexural strength, thermal insulation properties and capillary absorption of the mortar specimens, especially during ageing process, with the black pine fibres to reveal the highest improvement. The hydrothermally treated wood fibres seem to ensure the integrity maintenance of cement mortars under all ageing conditions, proving that the specific bio-additives could provide low-cost and eco-friendly mortar enhancement pathways.

Keywords: Wood residuals; Forest biomass; Wood composite; Wood floor; Life Cycle Assessment.

Proposed fundamental laws of biology and a model of health and disease underscore the importance of the lymphatic system. The lymphatics are responsible for two of the laws of biology and the fulcrum of health and disease balancing proliferation with regeneration through the immune system. It is responsible for protection from the environment and repair of senile and damaged tissue. Life is constantly bombarded by forces that increase entropy. Lymphatics provide negative entropy to maintain health. Lymphatics help maintain cellular homeostasis removing products of metabolism. Using these principles, the role of lymphatics is investigated in salt sensitivity hypertension, cardiorenal system, the new pillar of heart failure and kidney disease - Sodium-Glucose Transport Protein 2 (SGLT2) Inhibitors, and brain diseases. The realization of organ lymphatics in maintenance of health and disease opens the avenue to new therapeutics. This is the unrealized potential of lymphatic study.

Background: This study assessed the nature of healthcare services offered in the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences health clinic and students' disposition to access the facility. Objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of students in accessing healthcare services in the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences health clinic.Methods: Used cross-sectional design, a structured questionnaire of a five-point Likert scale as a veritable instrument for collecting the data from 50 student respondents. The questionnaire is made up of four key sections comprising student’s demographic parameters, knowledge, attitude and practice of both students and the clinic staff. Data collected was analyzed in a table of descriptive statistics to determine the total, range, mean and median, which were used to ascertain students’ utilization/accessibility disposition, perception of barriers to accessing healthcare service and overall viability of the clinic.Results: The mean value outcome of knowledge of students falls between 3.1 and 3.9, the mean value for attitude of students falls between 2.5 to 3.4 and 4.0, while the practice of students falls between mean values 2.6 and 3.1. Most of these outcomes represent poor or weak weight factor which requires several levels of intervention.Conclusion: This study highlights the overriding importance of the university healthcare clinic in maintaining a healthy study season among students of David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences and their health-seeking behaviour. This helps to promote health, attract higher intakes and retain them in the institution till graduation.

The new logic of partitions is dual to the usual Boolean logic of subsets (usually presented only in the special case to the logic of propositions) in the sense that partitions and subsets are category-theoretic duals. The new information measure of logical entropy is just the normalized quantitative version of partitions. The new approach to interpreting quantum mechanics (QM) is showing that the mathematics (not the physics) of QM is the Hilbert space version of the mathematics of partitions. Or putting it the other way around, the math of partitions is a skeletal version of the math of QM. The key concepts throughout this progression from logic to information theory to quantum theory are distinctions versus indistinctions, definiteness versus indefiniteness, or distinguishability versus indistinguishability. The distinctions of a partitions are the ordered pairs of elements from the underlying set that are in different blocks of the partition. Logical entropy is defined (initially) as the normalized number of distinctions. The cognate notions of definiteness and distinguishability run through the math of QM, e.g., in the key non-classical notion of superposition (= ontic indefiniteness) and in the Feynman rules for adding amplitudes (indistinguishable alternatives) versus adding probabilities (distinguishable alternatives).

There are potentially promising mitigation activities for epidemic and pandemic scenarios that are not currently the subject of significant research effort. Large epidemics and pandemics pose risks that are important to mitigate, even if the likelihood of the events is low and uncertain. While some efforts are the subject of extensive funding and consideration, other approaches are neglected. Here, we consider such neglected interventions which could significantly reduce the impact of such an epidemic or large-scale pandemic. These are identified via a narrative literature review of extant literature reviews and overviews of mitigations in epidemic and pandemic situations, followed by consideration of the economic value of information of further study of heretofore neglected interventions and approaches.Based on that analysis, we considered several classes of mitigations, and conducted more exploratory reviews of each. Those discussed include mitigations for (1) reducing transmission, such as personal protective equipment and encouraging improved hygiene, (2) reducing exposure by changing norms and targeted changes for high-risk or critical professions and activities, (3) reducing impact for those infected, and (4) increasing large scale resilience using disaster and infrastructure continuity planning.Some proposed mitigations are found to be of low marginal value. Other mitigations are likely to be valuable, but the concepts or applications are underdeveloped. In those cases, further research, resources, or preparation are valuable for mitigating both routine and extreme disease outbreak events. Still more areas of research are identified as having uncertain value based on specific but resolvable uncertainties. In both of the latter cases, there is no guarantee that mitigations identified as worthy of further consideration will be valuable, but the argument for further research is clear.

There is an increasing interest in applying environmentally-friendly materials in wood protection technology. This include the use of less toxic active ingredients, as well as better fixation. This study investigates the formulation based on the combination of copper and Saqez resin on the physical and biological resistance properties of poplar wood. Samples were treated by either copper-ethanolamine (Cu/MEA) and/or Saqez resin at various treatment levels. A vacuum pressure procedure was applied. The retention, weight percent gain, water absorption, volumetric swelling, and decay resistance of the samples were then determined. The highest retention and weight percent gain were obtained at the samples treated with the combination of copper-based system and Saqez resin. Additionally, the combination of the copper and Saqez improved the physical properties and decay-resistance against white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor.

Persistent Pain after Spinal Surgery can be successfully addressed by Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS). International guidelines strongly recommend that a lead trial be performed before any permanent implantation. Recent clinical data highlight some major limitations of this approach. First, it appears that patient outcomes, WITH OR WITHOUT lead trial, are similar. In contrast, during trialing, infection rate drops drastically within time and can compromise the therapy. Using composite pain assessment experience and previous research, we hypothesized that ma-chine learning models could be robust screening tools and reliable predictors of long-term SCS efficacy. We developed several algorithms including logistic regression, Regularized Logistic Regression (RLR), naive Bayes classifier, artificial neural networks, random forest and gradient boosted trees to test this hypothesis and to perform internal and external validations, the objec-tive being to confront model predictions with lead trial results using a 1-year composite out-come from 103 patients. While almost all models have demonstrated superiority on lead trial-ing, the RLR model appears to represent the best compromise between complexity and inter-pretability in prediction of SCS efficacy. These results underscore the need to use AI based-predictive medicine, as a synergistic mathematical approach, aimed at helping implanters to optimize their clinical choices on daily practice.

Field of Research This research study investigates the role of distributed leadership and culture within small enterprises in Malta, an area in which there has been very limited research. It focuses on the interaction between these two elements and their impact on organizational behaviour and effectiveness. Several studies (Jardon et al 2019; Cope et al., 2011; de Oliveira et al., 2015; Mohanty et al., 2012;) suggest that effective leadership and culture are vital elements in the successful endeavours of small organizations. Schein (2006) further asserts that they are two different faces on the same coin and the dyadic interaction characterizes “how leaders create culture and how culture defines and creates leaders”. Distributed Leadership is a systematic practice of interactions and synergies between leaders, followers, and the situation (Spillane 2013). It is different from traditional leadership, which involves top-down management because it tends to be more democratic and participatory, whereby influence and decision-making are shared among multiple individuals rather than being controlled by a single leader. (Xhemajli et al. 2022) Methodology Adopting a naturalistic approach and guided by an interpretivist, constructivist epistemological stance, this research delves into the intricate interplay between leadership and culture within small businesses. The chosen research methodology employs Grounded Theory, recognized for its robust and systematic process facilitating the observation of patterns through intensive iterative and highly analytical procedures (Charmaz, 2015).In the initial stages of field research, characterized by 'responsive interviewing' (Rubin and Rubin, 2012), data sampling commenced with convenience sampling. This initial phase gradually evolved into a refined strategy incorporating selective sampling and theoretical sampling (Corbin and Strauss, 2015). The shift in sampling approaches reflects a deliberate focus on collecting data based on its specific contribution to the development and comprehension of the dimensions, properties, and characteristics of key concepts.The induction of theory is a product of successive comparative analyses, involving the systematic comparison of data points to identify both similarities and variations. Abductive reasoning is integral throughout the analytical process, with particular emphasis during constant comparative analysis of categories, leading to theoretical integration (Charmaz, 2006). This meticulous approach aligns with the assertion of Strauss and Corbin (2015) that grounding theory in data enhances the likelihood of deriving theories that authentically reflect reality.The key advantage of using this approach is that the analysis carried out goes beyond deep exploration and rich description and actually develops a framework that explains the phenomena observed (Parker and Roffey, 1997, p.218). This is very important if the findings are to contribute to the knowledge enhancement of any field of practiceThe culmination of this research effort is the presentation of a set of interconnected concepts, intricately woven together into an emergent parsimonious model (Corbin and Strauss, 2015). This model serves to explain the dynamic interplay between leadership and culture, elucidating its tangible impact on the effectiveness of small enterprises. Research Contribution:Implications for Practice This research contributes to the literature on leadership and organizational culture in small enterprises, particularly in the context of Malta where such studies are scarce. By providing an initial exploration of these phenomena and their impact on organizational behavior, this paper lays the groundwork for further inquiry into this important area. Furthermore, the study offers practical insights for leaders of small enterprises by elucidating leadership behaviors observed in established organizations. Through applied cases, it demonstrates how the abstract concept of culture can be translated into a practical instrument that supports leadership and organizational development. This not only enriches the understanding of leadership dynamics but also provides tangible strategies for implementation. Moreover, the research contributes empirical evidence on the development of leadership functions within small enterprises, emphasizing the potential of shared and distributed leadership models. By grounding its findings in data, the study equips leaders with a deeper understanding of how these leadership approaches can shape organizational development, fostering more effective management practices in small businesses. Methodologically, the adoption of Grounded Theory methodology showcases its efficacy in exploring complex management phenomena. By employing this approach, the researchers were able to gather rich descriptions and develop an explanatory framework, highlighting its applicability in studying nuanced organizational dynamics. Implications for Policy and Theory This research also holds significant implications for policymakers, academic researchers and institutions involved in supporting small businesses. By providing insights into distributed leadership and cultural influences on organizational effectiveness, it offers a basis for informed policy formulation and support mechanisms. The conceptual model emerging from this study serves as a foundation for designing more targeted policies that cater to the unique needs of small enterprises. By understanding the intricacies of leadership dynamics and cultural contexts, policymakers can develop interventions that foster a conducive environment for small business growth and sustainability. Additionally, academic researchers can use these findings to further refine theoretical frameworks and empirical studies in the field, contributing to ongoing scholarly dialogue and knowledge advancement.

Deep learning techniques, such as convolutional neural networks (CNN), generative adversarial networks (GAN), and graph neural networks (GNN), have over the past decade changed the ac-curacy of prediction in many diverse fields. In recent years, the application of deep learning tech-niques in computer vision tasks in pathology demonstrated extraordinary potential in assisting clinicians, automating diagnosis, and reducing costs for patients. Formerly unknown pathologi-cal evidence, such as morphological features related to specific biomarkers, copy number varia-tions, and other molecular features, were also able to be captured by deep learning models. In this paper, we review popular deep learning methods and some recent publications about their appli-cations in pathology.

Members of the genus Armillaria are widespread forest pathogens against which effective protection has not yet been developed. Due to their longevity and the creation of large-scale cloning of Armillaria individuals, the use of mycoviruses as biocontrol agents (BCAs) against these pathogens could be an effective alternative. This work describes the screening of double-stranded RNA banding patterns as a first approach for potential virus discovery and the use of stranded total RNA-seq for viral detection and characterization in Armillaria spp. collected in the Czech Republic. A total of five single-stranded RNA viruses were detected in Armillaria ostoyae and A. cepistipes, including the first virus of the family Tymoviridae found infecting a member the genus Armillaria and four viruses belonging to the recently described virus group "ambiviruses" with circular ambisense genome organization. Both hammerhead (HHRz) and hairpin (HpRz) ribozymes were detected in all the ambiviricot sequences. Armillaria viruses were compared by phylogenetic analysis and confirmed their specific host by direct RT-PCR, which showed the occurrence of interspecies transmission.

Techniques for the controlled seeding and growth of cracks are urgently required for non-destructive testing technique evaluation, particularly for additive manufactured (AM) samples. This paper describes a method which uses a combination of tensile load and resonance excitation of notched AM samples, with in-situ monitoring of the resonance frequency serving to track crack dimensions. Mechanical low-cycle fatigue cracks, ranging in length from ~0.3 mm to ~5 mm, are successfully created in five AM samples using this technique. The samples are non-destructively characterized using optical microscopy and Nonlinear Resonance (NLR) testing. The exploitation of resonance enables the concentration of a significant number of stress cycles on the samples in much shorter timespans than conventional fatigue testing, enabling high throughput, while utilising compact components. Furthermore, the tracking of resonance frequency shift throughout the process enables non-invasive and non-contact real-time condition monitoring.

Obesity is a complex chronic disease characterized by excess of body fat. It represents a significant public health problem due to the health-related risk factors. There are growing evidences showing that maternal obesity can program the offspring, which influence neonatal phenotype and predispose offspring to a higher prevalence of metabolic disorders such as obesity. This increased risk may also be epigenetically transmitted across generations. Thus, there is an urgent need to find effective reprogramming approaches in order to resume normal fetal development. Polyphenols are bioactive compounds found in fruits and vegetables that exert their anti-obesity effect through its powerful anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Polyphenols supplementation has been proven to counteract the deleterious effects of maternal obesity programming on offspring. Indeed, some polyphenols can cross the placenta and protect the fetal predisposition against obesity. The present review summarizes the effects of dietary polyphenols on obesity-induced maternal reprogramming as an offspring anti-obesity approach.

The context of this research is given by a socio-economic situation in which new and more demanding challenges appear. Using wood, a naturally occurring, renewable, and biodegradable material, in construction is becoming more and more necessary due to the awareness of the negative impact on the environment of the construction industry and the energy crisis limitations. The purpose of this study is to analyze what do we really know about the use of wood as a building material. The search for an answer to the research question implies the use of a scientometric literature analysis, followed by an in-depth and expert analysis. The research results indicate a major preoccupation for studying engineering wood structures, like the Cross laminated Timber, the structural behaviour of the structures, the implementation of new IT discoveries in wood construction technology and a more recent approach regarding the environmental impact of wood construction, mostly the possibility of using wood waste to prolong the life of wood as a building material. The results also show a need to create new models of understanding the structural behaviour of wood that consider the fibrous and cellular nature of the material. Wood as a construction material is an extremely complex material and for a better understanding of it, there is a need to have an interdisciplinary approach in which to combine the knowledge of construction with that of forestry, ecology, biology and others.

To examine the hydrophobicity of torrefied wood fuel, the water resistances of torrefied pellets prepared by two different methods were evaluated using exposure tests under indoor and outdoor conditions. Torrefied pellets from the xylem of Japanese cedar (Sugi, Cryptomeria japonica) and oak (Konara, Quercus serrata) were prepared by two methods: the torrefaction of wood chips followed by pelletization and the pelletization of wood chips followed by torrefaction. It was found that the pellets prepared by pelletization followed by torrefaction had much lower moisture levels than those prepared by the other method and they showed almost no change in diameter after an outdoor weathering test. These characteristics are unique and indicate that the pellets can be applied not only for industrial use but also for residential and commercial purposes.

Seirogan, a wood creosote, is a nonprescription drug used to treat diarrhea. However, reports of its clinical use are rare. Here, we report on the efficacy of wood creosote (3 capsules daily) for the alleviation of diarrheal symptoms in 148 patients from 10 clinics in Japan. The wood creosote capsules were classified as remarkably effective (44 patients), effective (71 patients), and partially effective (13 patients) based on the degree of alleviation of diarrheal symptoms that were induced by a variety of causes. The antidiarrheal efficacy of the capsules did not differ between males and females, and young patients (21–30 years) showed greater improvement in diarrheal symptoms than did old patients (> 61 years). Although this report is based on the re-evaluation of old data that had been preserved by our company, the effectiveness and range of symptoms that were treatable with wood creosote has likely remained unchanged. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first public report on the clinical effectiveness of wood creosote capsules for the treatment of a wide range of diarrheal symptoms.

Platinum(II) complexes have been found to be effective against cancer cells. Cisplatin curbs cell replication by interacting with the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), eventually leading to cell death and reducing cell proliferation. In order to investigate the ability of platinum complexes to affect cancer cells, two examples from the class of polyflurophenylorganoamidoplatinum(II) complexes were synthesised and tested on isolated DNA. The two compounds trans-[N,N’-bis(1,2,3,5,6-pentafluorophenyl)ethane-1,2-diaminato(1-)](2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzoato)(pyridine)platinum(II) (PFB), and trans-[N,N’-bis(1,2,3,5,6-pentafluorophenyl)ethane-1,2-diaminato(1-)](2,4,6-trimethylbenzoato)(pyridine)platinum(II) (TMB) were compared with cisplatin through their reaction with DNA. Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy was applied to analyse the interaction of the Pt^(II) complexes with DNA in the hydrated, dehydrated and rehydrated state. These were compared with control DNA in acetone/water (PFB, TMB) and isotonic saline (cisplatin) under the same conditions. Principle Component Analysis (PCA) was applied to compare the ATR-FTIR spectra of the untreated control DNA with spectra of PFB and TMB treated DNA samples. Disruptions in the conformation of DNA treated with the Pt^(II) complexes upon rehydration were mainly observed by monitoring the position of the IR-band around 1711 cm^-1 assigned to the DNA base-stacking vibration. Furthermore, other intensity changes in the phosphodiester bands of DNA at ~1234 cm^-1 and 1225 cm^-1 and shifts in the dianionic phosphodiester vibration at 966 cm^-1 were observed. The isolated double stranded DNA (dsDNA) or single stranded DNA (ssDNA) showed different structural changes when incubated with the studied compounds. PCA confirmed PFB had the most dramatic effect by denaturing both dsDNA and ssDNA. Both compounds, along with cisplatin, induced changes in DNA bands at 1711, 1088, 1051 and 966 cm^-1 indicative of DNA conformation changes. The ability to monitor conformational change with infrared spectroscopy paves the way for a sensor to screen for new anticancer therapeutic agents.

The extant Keteleeria is endemic to East and Southeast Asia, while it is widely distributed in the northern hemisphere in Earth’s history. In this paper, we reported a novel wood fossil of Keteleerioxylon changchunense Shi, Sun, Meng et Yu sp. nov. collected from the middle member of Yingcheng Formation, Yingcheng Coal Mine, Changchun City, Jilin Province, Northeast China. The quantitative growth-ring analyses of K. changchunense indicate that it was evergreen and its leaf longevity was 1-3 years, which is consistent with the foliar retention of extant Keteleeria. Its high ring markedness index (RMI) indicates that the climate seasonality was pronounced during the early Albian in Songliao Basin, Northeast China. The fossil records of Keteleeria and closely related taxa indicate that this group might originate in Northeast China, spread and migrated northward during the Cretaceous, gradually decreased in the Cenozoic, and so far only survives in East and Southeast Asia.

Quasi-solid composited electrolytes were produced by LiFSI initiated polymerized poly-(Dioxolane) (PDOL) with garnet-LLZO (Li7La2Zr3O12) nanofibers and used in lithium-metal batteries. Linear sweep voltammetry shows that the initial oxidation voltage of 4.6 V for Gel-10% (G10, 10% wt. LLZO in PDOL) vs Li/Li+. EIS test of stainless steel// stainless steel symmetric cells for Gel-1% (G1), Gel-5% (G5) and Gel-10% (G10) show ion conductivity (5*10-5 S/cm). Li/G10/Li symmetric cells have stable stripping-plating cycling performance over 1300 hours continuously with the current density of 0.1 mA/cm2 at 25 oC, indicating a good interface contact and stable lithium-ion transport pathway through the composite electrolytes. LFP/G10/Li batteries have stable charge-discharge plateau, low polarization voltage of 0.07-volt, energy efficiency of 95% and coulombic efficiency of ~99% at current density of 26.3 mA/g at 25 oC for over 100 cycles.

One of the main products of the forest, which has the greatest economic impact, is wood. Due to its characteristics, the wood requires certain types of vehicles for transport it. For this reason, the accessibility of the stands with forest roads plays significant role in the efficiency of the wood logging process, which aims to bring the wood from the forest to the harvesting area located, frequently, next to a permanent transport route. The process of wood transport from the forest initially takes place on forest roads and after that on public roads. The technological process of wood transport represents an important stage in this process, and its good organization can have implications on the final price of the wood material. Based on those mentioned above, the paper aims to highlight the factors that can influence productivity in the case of loading wood in forestry trucks and forestry platforms, in different conditions. Thus, the research was carried out in four counties in Romania and addressed the loading of wood in different forestry trucks and platforms, with or without trailers. Following the evaluation of the work phases specific to the process of round wood loading in vehicles of transport, it was found that sometimes a significant importance is given to the working phases that can be carried out before the loading process, as phases of preparation of the wooden material in order to load it. Also, the facilities of the transport vehicles, the assortments of wood material, as well as the experience of the operators are the main factors that can lead to an increase in productivity.

The objective of this work was to improve the thermal stability, flame resistance and surface properties of black poplar (Populus nigra L.) wood via different impregnation methods. The impregnation method was employed through two distinct modalities: vacuum impregnation and immersion impregnation. Here, poplar wood was impregnated with calcium oxide solutions (1%, 3% and 5%). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis revealed a shift in the typical peaks of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin depending on the impregnation method and solution ratio. Thermogravimetric analysis and the limiting oxygen index indicated that the samples impregnated with lime solutions exhibited higher thermal stability than the unimpregnated wood. In both impregnation methods caused a decrease water absorption and thickness swelling of the sample groups. Using a scanning electron microscope, the effect of the impregnation process on the structure of the wood was examined. In terms of surface properties, it was determined that the surface roughness value increased. On the contrary, it was observed that the contact angle value also increased. A significant difference emerged between the applied methods. In conclusion, the applied lime minerals are suitable substances to increase flame resistance and thermal stability of black poplar wood.

Finishing coatings used in the wood-based composites industry play a key role in the final appearance of the finished product. However, the use of such coatings is not only for aesthetic purposes but also to protect the product against surface damage and moisture or minimize the emission of harmful substances. The latter is an extremely important factor in terms of safety for both the manufacturer and the user, which is why the emissivity test is one of the most important tests in the case of finishing coatings. Such a role can be played by carbon-rich materials, such as those remaining from the extraction of birch bark. In this article, an attempt was made to create coatings in the form of a film by combining a biopolymer with suberinic acid residues (SAR). There were two types of biopolymers used – polylactide (PLA) and polycaprolactone (PCL), in various polymer-SAR ratios. SAR as a residue, is a material that bounds CO2 from the atmosphere and creates a possibility of further use. As part of this study, the obtained coatings were tested in terms of resistance to scratch, relative hardness, cold liquids, total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) and formaldehyde emission, surface absorption etc. Differences in the polymers used and the effect of the SAR additive on selected surface properties were demonstrated. The addition of carbon-rich SAR significantly improves the gas barrier properties of the surface finishing materials based on PLA and PCL. The relative hardness and scratch resistance has also increased with raising SAR content. However, the increasing content of SAR filler act as a limiter in the depth of penetration of deposited surface finishing materials onto the wood surface.

In recent years, laser engraving has received widespread attention as a convenient, efficient, and programmable method, which has enabled the obtaining of high-quality porous graphene from various precursors. Laser engraving is often used to fabricate the dielectric layer with micro-structure for capacitive pressure sensors, however, the usual choice of electrodes remains poorly flexible metal electrodes, which greatly limits the overall flexibility of the sensors. In this work, we propose a flexible capacitive pressure sensor made entirely of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and laser-induced graphene (LIG) derived from wood. The capacitive pressure sensor consisted of a flexible LIG/TPU electrode (LTE), a LIG/TPU electrode with micro hole array, and dielectric layer of TPU with micro-cone array molded from laser-engraved hole array on wood, which provided high sensitivity (0.11 kPa-1), ultra-wide pressure detection range (100Pa to 1.4MPa), fast response (~300 ms) and good stability (&gt;4000 cycles, at 0-35 kPa). We believe that our research makes a significant contribution to the literature because the easily available materials derived from wood and overall consistent flexibility meet the requirements of flexible electronic devices.

This study investigates the potential of utilizing hazelnut shells (HS) as an innovative filler in three-layer plywood technology, addressing the growing need for sustainable, high-performance materials. Traditional plywood production relies on adhesives enhanced with various fillers to improve physical, mechanical, and operational characteristics. This research explores using native, chemically modified, and activated carbon derived from hazelnut shells as fillers in urea-formaldehyde (UF) resin. The mechanical properties, water absorption, and formaldehyde emissions of the produced plywood were thoroughly analyzed. Key findings demonstrate that incorporating 10 part by weight (pbw) native hazelnut shell flour significantly enhances the modulus of rupture (MOR) and modulus of elasticity (MOE). Chemically modified hazelnut shell flour achieves optimal results at 5 pbw, while activated carbon from hazelnut shells, even at 1 pbw, markedly improves bonding strength and thermal properties. Notably, activated carbon effectively reduces formaldehyde emissions and improves water resistance, indicating better further dimensional stability and lower environmental impact. The study also shows that excessive filler content negatively affects strength parameters, confirming the importance of optimizing filler concentration. These results highlight the potential of hazelnut shells as an eco-friendly alternative filler in plywood production, contributing to waste valorization and environmental sustainability. This study supports the practical application of hazelnut shell fillers, promoting a circular economy and reducing reliance on traditional, less sustainable materials, thus providing a valuable solution for the wood composite industry.

The wood-based panel industry is experiencing an excessive accumulation of solid residues from the production of medium-density fiberboard (MDF) panels and moldings. It is possible to create new MDF products with acceptable physical and mechanical properties by revaluing MDF residues. Additionally, those products’ thermal properties can be improved by incorporating phase change materials (PCMs). This study aims to develop a wood-based fiberboard made of MDF residues, capable of storing thermal energy. Two types of PCMs, two PCM ratios, and two types of adhesives were used to produce eight different types of panels. The vertical density profile, thickness swelling, water absorption, internal bond (IB), and static bending properties – modulus of elasticity (MOE) and modulus of rupture (MOR) – were determined for each panel type. The specific heat of the panels was also determined. The results show the panels’ densities were greater than 700 kg/m3. Thickness swelling in water improved by 23% compared to the reference value of the control panel PCMs after PCM incorporation. The highest IB value was 1.30 MPa, which is almost three times the minimum required by regulation standards. The incorporation of PCMs reduced the panels’ bending properties compared to the properties of the control panels. Even though the values obtained are sufficient to comply with the minimum values set out in ANSI standard A208.2 with a MOE value of 2072.4 MPa and the values obtained are sufficient to comply with the minimum standards with a MOE value of 2072.4 MPa and a MOR value of 16.4 MPa. When microencapsulated PCM is used, the specific heat of the panels is increased by more than 100% over that of the control panels. This study develops a feasible alternative for using MDF residues: to create fiberboard that is capable of storing thermal energy and has adequate physical and mechanical properties.

While Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) provides satisfaction to almost 2/3 of Persistent Spinal Pain Syndrome-Type 2 (PSPS-T2) patients implanted for refractory chronic back and/or leg pain when not adequately addressed the back pain component, leaves patients in a therapeutic cul-de-sac. Peripheral Nerve field Stimulation (PNfS) has shown interesting results addressing back pain in the same population. Far from placing these two techniques in opposition, we suggest that these approaches could be combined to better treat PSPS-T2 patients. We designed a RCT (CUMPNS), with a 12-month follow-up, to assess the potential added value of PNfS, as a salvage therapy, in PSPS-T2 patients experiencing a “Failed SCS Syndrome” in the back pain component. Fourteen patients were included in this study and randomized into 2 groups (“SCS + PNfS” group/n=6 vs “SCS only” group/n=8). The primary objective of the study was to compare the percentage of back pain surface decrease after 3 months, using a computerized interface to obtain quantitative pain mappings, combined with multi-dimensional SCS outcomes. Back pain surface decreased significantly greater for the ”SCS+PNfS” group (80.2% ± 21.3%) compared to the “SCS only” group (13.2% ± 94.8%) (p=0.012), highlighting the clinical interest of SCS+PNfS, in cases where SCS fails to address back pain.

Although the effect of thermal modification (TM) on teak wood color is well documented, a few studies were carried out in closed system processes, as well as it remains unclear the effect of different processes on the same material. This work aimed to verify the effect of closed and open system processes of TM on the color of fast-growing teak wood. Thermally modified wood was evaluated in a closed system at 160 °C (CS160) and in an open system at 185 °C and 210 °C (OS185 and OS210). We measured the moisture content (initial and final) of wood, and the corrected mass loss (CML). The chemical analyses encompassed the contents of alpha-cellulose, hemicelluloses, lignin, and extractives (total, in acetone and dichloromethane). Wood color was measured before and after TM according to the CIEL*a*b* color space. It was possible to achieve the same color using different processes of thermal modification (CS160 and OS210). TM reduced wood lightness (L*), red-green chromaticity coordinate (a*), and yellow-blue chromaticity coordinate (b*). L* and a* had the bigger and lower variations, respectively. The color of thermally modified wood was significantly changed, even at the mildest condition tested (OS185, 0.33% CML).

This review provides an overview of the biotransformation of limonene and α-pinene, which are commonly found in wood residues and citrus fruit by-products, to produce high-value-added products. Essential oils derived from various plant parts contain monoterpene hydrocarbons, such as limonene and pinenes which are often considered waste due to their low sensory activity, poor water solubility, and tendency to autoxidize and polymerise. However, these terpene hydrocarbons serve as ideal starting materials for microbial transformations. Moreover, agro-industrial byproducts can be employed as nutrient and substrate sources, reducing fermentation costs, and enhancing industrial viability. Terpenes, being secondary metabolites of plants, are abundant in byproducts generated during fruit and plant processing. Microbial cells offer advantages over enzymes due to their higher stability, rapid growth rates, and genetic engineering potential. Fermentation parameters can be easily manipulated to enhance strain performance in large-scale processes. The economic advantages of biotransformation are highlighted by comparing the prices of substrates and products. For instance, R-limonene, priced at US$34/L, can be transformed into carveol, valued at around US$530/L. This review emphasises the potential of biotransformation to produce high-value products from limonene and α-pinene molecules, particularly present in wood residues and citrus fruit by-products. The utilisation of microbial transformations, along with agro-industrial byproducts, presents a promising approach to extract value from waste materials and enhance the sustainability of the antimicrobial, the fragrance and flavour industry.

Swampy land in Banjarmasin has special characteristics for building house constructions. The foundation for very low soil bearing capacity requires special treatment as well. Many building collapses are caused by foundation failures due to mismatched building loads and foundation functions, as well as construction material errors. The need for house design follows the development of building functions. Nowadays, a one-story house is no longer sufficient due to limited land. The need to elevate houses to two stories or to develop houses (renovations) often leads to foundation construction errors. The commonly used foundation, wooden pile foundation, has limited load-bearing capacity, necessitating modification steps in the form of foundation reinforcement. Several steps, including material combinations or combinations of various types of foundations, can be implemented. Therefore, a specific model is required to obtain a foundation design that can accommodate construction needs. The aim of the research is to create a foundation design model capable of reinforcing wooden pile foundations for both house construction development and as a reference for building one-story and two-story houses. In this research, field observations will be conducted at various house construction sites in Banjarmasin, both residential and individual objects. Data will be presented descriptively and analyzed to obtain an applicable model as a reference for house construction on swampy land. The model will provide an applicable depiction and will be tested against foundation construction implementation methods.