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Introduction The assessment of the risk of virus transmission through papers, such as postcards, is important. However, the stability of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and influenza A virus (IAV) on different types of papers is currently unknown. Investigation of the survival time of these viruses on different types of papers will provide insights into their risk of long-distance transport by postal items. Methods We evaluated the stability of SARS-CoV-2 and IAV, mixed with a culture medium, on the surface of postcards with various coatings, including plain paper (PP), inkjet paper (IP), and inkjet photo paper (IPP). The surface structure of each paper was microscopically assessed. Results The surface structures of PP, IP, and IPP varied greatly depending on the presence or absence, and type, of coat layer, regardless of the base material. IP and IPP surfaces were less conducive to virus survival than PP surfaces, because of the difference in surface shapes. The survival times of SARS-CoV-2 on each paper were approximately 59.8 (PP), 6.5 (IP), and 9.8 h (IPP), and significantly longer than those of IAV (10.3, 1.8, and 3.3 h, respectively). Conclusions The risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission via paper, such as postcards, is significantly higher than that of IAV transmission. While PP, IP, and IPP have the same base material, their surface structures differ, which affects viral stability. The IP and IPP surfaces are less suitable for virus survival. This study provides novel insights into the risks of viral transmission via paper.

Introduction. Maintaining good health and working capacity of the population is one of the main tasks of the healthcare system. Living under adverse climatic conditions of the North and being exposed to dangerous production factors of the pulp and paper industry, strongly represented in the Arkhangelsk Region, can significantly reduce the adaptive capacity of the body. Major role in providing an adequate response to the action of irritators and initiating the adaptation process is played by the neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, and circulatory systems, which reflect qualitative and quantitative changes in the body while being reliable markers of homeostasis. The aim was to study the adaptive potential of workers showing the level of functioning of the circulatory system and to evaluate their endocrine profile depending on the revealed functional capabilities of the body. Materials and methods. The study involved 50 men aged 22–60 years working in the production departments of Solombala Pulp and Paper Mill (Arkhangelsk) with a body mass index of 19–25 and without earlier history of endocrine pathology. Serum levels of thyroxine-binding globulin and oestradiol were determined by means of radioimmunoassay, while serum concentrations of total cortisol, thyrotropin, thyroxine, triiodothyronine, progesterone, testosterone, insulin, C-peptide, and somatotropin were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results. The research demonstrated that in 2/3 of the examined employees of the pulp and paper mill the adaptation mechanisms were under strain, while the condition of two subjects corresponded to the physiological norm, which is characterized by good and satisfactory adaptation. Workers with decreased adaptive capabilities to the point of unsatisfactory adaptation showed increased levels of cortisol, thyroxine-binding globulin, oestradiol, C-peptide, and insulin against the background of a decrease in testosterone, progesterone, and the testosterone/oestradiol ratio. The authors recommend conducting periodic medical examinations of pulp and paper workers, including endocrine profile assessment, and monitoring changes that occur over time.

Infections caused by resistant microorganisms are a complex global public health challenge, and the way to combat the increase of resistance is the development of more modern and faster techniques for resistance detection. This study aimed to evaluate the transport of inactivated bacteria impregnated in a filter paper disk to detect carbapenem resistance genes by multiplex real-time PCR (qPCR) using high-resolution melting (HRM). A total of 88 isolates of 10 different species of Enterobacterales harboring well-characterized carbapenem resistance genes were evaluated. A full 10-µL loop of fresh growth of bacteria were impregnated in a filter paper disk, which was left at room temperature for 2 days in order to simulate the time spent in transportation. Bacterial inactivation was performed with 70% ethanol at 15 min. Afterwards, the DNA was extracted from the paper disks for further analysis by qPCR HRM. The time of 15 min in 70% ethanol was enough to inactivate all the isolates tested. It was possible to correctly identify the presence of the carbapenem resistance gene by HRM qPCR in 87 isolates (98.87%) that were transported in the filter paper disks. Our results indicated that it is possible to use filter paper to transport inactivated bacteria and to identify carbapenem resistance genes by qPCR HRM. This alternative tends to facilitate the access to this technology by many laboratories which do not have the qPCR equipment.

The fibre characteristics of five Spondia mombin stands were studied to determine their suitability for pulp and paper production. Wood slivers obtained parallel to grain at three (3) different positions along the bole were macerated in combined identical amounts of glacial acetic acid plus hydrogen peroxide under heat at between 80-100o C. Macerated fibres were washed clean of mixture and mounted on slide for microscopic examination of fibre characteristics. Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was employed for the experiment. Data were analysed using one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) while, the Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) was used to separate means of significant differences among the treatments. Results show that significant differences existed in fibre characteristic of sampled trees, however the fibre length ranged from 0.98-1.0 mm, fibre diameter (18.22-21.47 um), lumen width (10.90-12.98 um) and cell wall thickness (3.86-4.60 um). Significant differences were also observed among the derived fibre characteristics, the Runkel ratio ranged from 0.66-8.89, elasticity coefficient (57.22-60.50 %), coefficient of rigidity (19.78-22.24 %), slenderness ratio (43.27-46.5). This implied that, the fibres of S. mombin were short and elastic which make the wood species an appropriate raw material for pulp and paper making especially when blended with other long fibre species.

Purpose: The study aims to manufacture paper mulberry-added formulations to improve hair quality, apply it to damaged hair, and examine the effect of the formulations in improving hair quality. Methods: Formulations were manufactured by varying the contents of paper mulberry extract at 0, 2, 4, and 6 g. Then, the formulations were applied to discolored sample hairs, which were treated with heat and left in nature. Then, the conditions of the sample hairs before and after application of the formulations were compared. To examine the effect of the formulations on hair quality, the study measured tensile strength, optical absorption using methylene blue, and luster. Results: For all samples, the average values for tensile strength increased after application of the formulations, especially for samples 7L(1), 7L(2), 7L(3), and 9L(3). The analysis of optical absorption using methylene blue demonstrated that the average values for optical absorption decreased for all samples except in the case of healthy hair. Such decreases were noted for samples 7L(1), 7L(2), 7L(3), and 9L(3). Finally, the average values for luster increased samples 7L(3) and 9L(3). Conclusion: The study found that paper mulberry extract is effective for improving tensile strength, optical absorption, and luster of damaged hair. However, the study only verified the results on a limited number of hair characteristics and used one ingredient. Thus, further research using various measurement methods and other ingredients is necessary.

The suitabilities of major agricultural residues were assessed as papermaking feedstocks. All the examined agricultural residues were assumed as potential candidates for substituting hardwood fibers in mixed pulp blends from a fiber morphological perspective. Wheat, barley, rice, rapeseed, maize, sunflower, sugarcane bagasse, coconut husk, and two genotypes of miscanthus grass underwent identical maceration. The fiber length, fiber width, cell wall thickness, and lumen diameter were measured to calculate the slenderness ratio, flexibility coefficient, and Runkel ratio. The average fiber length ranged from 0.50 mm ± 0.32 mm (MG-S-02-V) to 1.15 mm mm ± 0.58 mm (sugarcane bagasse). The fiber width ranged from 10.77 μm ± 3.28 μm (rice straw) to 22.99 mm ± 5.20 mm (sunflower stalk). The lumen diameter ranged from 4.52 μm ± 2.52 μm (rice straw) to 13.23 μm ± 4.87 μm (sunflower stalk). The cell wall thickness ranged from 3.02 μm ± 0.95 μm (rice straw) to 4.80 μm ± 1.48 μm (sunflower stalk). The slenderness ratio, flexibility coefficient, and Runkel ratio values ranged between 28.08 to 58.11, 37.97 to 60.8, and 0.62 to 1.68, respectively. Wheat, maize, rapeseed, sugarcane bagasse, and coconut husk were found to be appropriate residue sources for papermaking feedstocks.

Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs) are a class of varied compounds that mimic the effects of natural cannabinoids found in cannabis. Because they have a wide range of diverse structures, they vary widely in their potency. The abuse of new psychoactive substances (NPS) in prisons was reported in many European countries and in the USA. In the present study, we have described the identification of SCRAs in 56 infused paper sheet samples, seized mainly in Brazilian prisons between 2016 and 2020. The materials were seized by local or federal law enforcement and analyzed by Sao Paulo State Police or Brazilian Federal Police using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry or nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry. Most of these samples (87.5%) were seized in 2019–2020; seven different SCRAs were identified in samples, and the most frequently identified substances were MDMB-4en-PINACA (23.6%) and 5F-MDMB-PICA (36.4%), the newest SCRAs emerging recently. As observed in Europe and the USA, Brazil also shows the prevalence of indazole-3-carboxamides and indole-3-carboxamides among SCRAs seizures in the prison system. This phenomenon is spreading all over the world at this moment. These data on the prevalence could help to alert judicial authorities to shutting down the introduction of NPS, including SCRAs, into prisons to ensure safety and security for avoiding health risks of prisoners and staff, leading to positive effects in this population. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of SCRAs smuggling into prisons in Latin America.

The growth of pulp and paper industries has encouraged the expansion of the industrial plantation forests for pulp wood. The exotic species planted for pulp wood initially maintained a relatively high productivity, however it decreases in the following rotation cycles. The peat land wood species of Sumatera could be an alternative for exotic species. However, the insufficient information on the wood properties has brought about they are less considered. This paper examined the fiber quality of Sumatran local peat-wood and its possibility as a raw material of pulp and paper. For specific gravity, samples were selected based on three different diameter groups in each plot. Fiber properties (dimension and fiber derivative values) used to asses the suitability of the wood for pulp and paper raw material were determined in accordance with the method of the Forest Product Laboratory (FPL). The resulted data and information were compared to those of krasikarpa (Acacia crassicarpa Benth.). The results showed that the fiber quality of sekubung wood was classified into grade II, while gerunggang and mahang putih were classified into grade III. The specific gravity of gerunggang wood was higher than these of other woods and comparable to that of krasikarpa. Although the growth of Sumatran local peat-wood is still low, however, conformity with government regulations (Government Regulation Number 57-2016 and Ministry of Environment and Forestry Regulation Number 17-2017) and fiber quality, the local peat-wood could potentially substitute the exotic wood species.

COVID-19 first appeared in December of 2019 in Wuhan, China. Since then it has become a global pandemic. A robust and scalable diagnostics strategy is crucial for containing and monitoring the pandemic. RT-PCR is a known, reliable method for COVID-19 diagnostics which can differentiate between SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses. However, PCR is location dependent, time consuming and relatively expensive. Thus, there is a need for a more flexible method which may be produced in an off-the-shelf format and distributed more widely. Paper-based immunoassays can fulfill this function. Here we present the first steps towards a paper-based test which can differentiate between different between the Spike protein of various coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2 and CoV-HKU1 with negligible cross reactivity for HCoV-OC43 and HCoV-229E in a single assay which takes less than 30 minutes. Furthermore, our test can distinguish between fractions of the same Spike protein. This is done by an altered assay design with four test line locations where each antigen builds a unique, identifiable binding pattern. The effect of several factors, such as running media, immunoprobe concentration and antigen interference is considered. We find that running media has a significant effect on the final binding pattern where human saliva provides results while human serum leads to the lowest signal quality.

Recent studies have evaluated alternatives to the use of live animals in colony health monitoring. Currently, an alternative method that is suitable for all rack types and that has been verified to detect the infectious agents most commonly excluded from mouse colonies is unavailable. We compared the use of filter paper placed on the inside floor of mouse cages to the traditional use of sentinel mice in the detection of several prevalent murine pathogens including mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), murine norovirus (MNV), minute virus of mice (MVM), mouse parvovirus (MPV), Theiler murine encephalomyelitis virus (TMEV), Helicobacter spp., Syphacia obvelata, and Aspiculuris tetraptera. Experimental groups comprised 7 cages containing either 2 pieces of filter paper on the cage floor or 2 ICR sentinel mice. Soiled bedding from pet-store mice was transferred to the experimental cages weekly for 8 wk. At 1 and 2 mo after bedding transfer, the filter papers were evaluated by PCR and sentinel mice were tested by serology and fecal PCR. Filter papers detected all pathogens as effectively (MHV, MNV, MPV, MVM, TMEV S. obvelata, and A. tetraptera) or more effectively (Helicobacter spp.) than sentinel mice at both time points. Filter papers more readily detected pathogens with a high copy number per RT-PCR analysis than a low copy number. Helicobacter spp. were not detected by sentinel mice at either time point. These results indicate that the use of filter paper placed on the interior floor of empty mouse cages and exposed to soiled bedding is efficient in detecting bacteria, endoparasites, and most of the common mouse viruses included in an animal health monitoring program.

The applicability of bleached bamboo kraft pulp (Ba-BKP) was explored as a raw material for the manufacture of nanofibrillated cellulose (EN-NFC) made of enzyme-pretreated pulps and the effects of the EN-NFC on enhancing paper strength. The Ba-BKP was pretreated using an endo-glucanase enzyme at 50 °C and pH 6, after which the EN-NFC was made by micro-grinding. Bleached hardwood kraft pulp (Hw-BKP) was used as a control, and the non-enzymatic refining pretreatment of BKPs was compared with the enzyme pretreatment. The EN-NFC was incorporated into handsheets, and the sheet strengths were measured. The physical properties of the NFC made from the Ba-BKP were similar to those made from the Hw-BKP. The NFC prepared following enzyme pretreatment were smaller and more uniform than those pretreated with refining. The EN-NFC made from the Ba-BKP was effective at enhancing tensile index by 52.7%, and burst index by 210.2% when 2% of EN-NFC was added in the furnish, and those of handsheets containing the EN-NFC made from Hw-BKP showed the similar improvement. Therefore, Ba-BKP can be used as a raw material for the manufacture of EN-NFC that confers similar physical properties and strength enhancement to paper as those made from Hw-BKP.

In this study, extractives from Pinus rigida heartwood (PRW), Eucalyptus camaldulensis var. obtusa aerial parts (ECL), and Eucalyptus flower buds (ECF) were used as additives in paper sheets produced from the pulp of linen fibers, and their effects on the mechanical and antifungal properties of the paper sheets were studied. The highest tensile and tear indices were 31.5 Nm/g, and 17.3 mNm2/g as pulp treated with PRW (4%), and ECL (1%), respectively. All the pulp additives yielded lower burst index values compared to the control (2.24 KPa.m2/g); the nearest value was 2.23 KPa.m2/g (ECL 4% pulp additive). The brightness percentages (ISO%) ranged from 65.7% to 70.2%, which were lower than the control treatment (70.3%). The paper sheets produced from pulp treated with 2% or 4% PRW, and with 4% ECL suppressed Aspergillus niger growth on the paper disc; pulp treated with 2% or 4% PRW, 4% ECL, and with 2% or 4% ECF completely suppressed A. terreus growth. However, all pulp extract additives did not inhibit the growth of Fusarium culmorum.

Introduction We developed low-cost, portable paper-based diagnostic devices for detection of human immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) in serum without any sample preparation. These devices can be used to help identify presence of diseases, used to provide rapid results ( Materials and Methods We successfully accomplished colorimetric detection of human IgG and human IgM using a sandwich-style assay within the microfluidic paper device via vertical flow immunoassay configuration. The reaction zone in the wax printed paper layer is a small circular pattern. Gold nanoparticles conjugated with anti-human IgG and IgM antibodies have been used for colorimetric detection of IgG or IgM by naked eye. Colorimetric signal can be precisely quantified through implementation of image analysis software which can be developed as an app for a smartphone. The size of the device is 2 cm × 2 cm × 1 mm. Results Colorimetric detection of human IgG was accomplished at 100 fg/mL concentration using a gold nanoparticle–conjugated anti-human IgG antibody. The developed platform has a dynamic range of IgM and IgG concentrations between 0.1 pg/mL and 100 μg/mL. These devices provided a color readout in Conclusions Because of the inherent simplicity of the device operation and their ease of use, there is no variation between samples and users of the device. This low-cost approach enables multiplexing with >1 measurement performed in parallel at the same time. We anticipate that because of the sensitivity, specificity, ease of use, and overall reliability, this approach will become a standard for diagnosis of diseases and health conditions.

To deeply investigate the pivotal roles of Auxin (mainly indole-3-acetic acid, IAA), it is essential to obtain the contents of IAA in different locations of plants. It is still a challenge to quantify the levels of IAA in different sites of Arabidopsis thaliana leaves because of the small sizes. In this study, a simple paper-based electroanalytical device coupled with microsampling was used to differentiate the IAA amounts in different locations of Arabidopsis thaliana leaves. For the micro real sampling, the different areas of the thaliana leaves were retrieved by the Harris Uni-Core TM Miltex® with diameters: 1.0, 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, and 4.0 mm. The results showed that the contents of IAA can be detected from circle samples with the diameter from 1.0 to 4.0 mm. With 1.5 mm diameter sampling, the levels of IAA could be obtained in different sites of cotyledon and the first true leaf of Arabidopsis thaliana at the seedling stage. Our results suggested that the highest IAA levels were in the near petiole and lowest IAA levels in the leaf tip, which roughly agreed with those in tobacco leaves based on HPLC-MS reported before. In addition, the microsampling has a minor impact on the growth of Arabidopsis thaliana in the following especially for circle samples with the diameter 1.5 mm. This study revealed the potential application of microsampling coupled with a simple paper-based electroanalytical device for the mapping study of IAA in small plants or small tissue samples.

Ruminants would suffer from gastric distension (bloat) when feeding on alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.; Alf), while tannins can relieve this problem. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of Alf mixed with paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera) leaves (PML) or condensed tannins (CT) extracted from PML on in vitro fermentation performance. Seven experimental treatments based on the mass ratios of Alf and PML were set up: Alf, PML, 3A1P (Alf:PML = 3:1), 1A1P (Alf:PML = 1:1), 1A3P (Alf:PML = 1:3), A1P (Alf with 1% CT extracted from PML), A2P (Alf with 2% CT extracted from PML), and a blank. The results after fermentation were as follows. (1) The degradable dry matter (DDM) and degradable organic matter (DOM) contents increased simultaneously with the increase in the proportion of PML (p .05), propionic, and butyric acids compared to Alf alone. Adding CT improved the concentrations of propionic and butyric acids over the Alf treatment (p

The aim of this study was to investigate a potential biorefinery process to realize the high utilization of Camellia oleifera shell (COS), which is an agricultural by-product mainly composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Before treatment by steam explosion, the COS was impregnated with water, 3.0 wt% NaOH solution, or 3.0 wt% H2SO4 solution. The morphological structure and chemical composition of the steam-exploded COS pulp were investigated. The results indicated that the impregnation treatments increased the cellulose content of the steam-exploded COS pulp and decreased the hemicellulose and lignin content. The morphology of steam-exploded COS fiber was short, coarse and stiff. Hydrophobic and colorful handsheets were fabricated by mixing proportional bleached softwood fiber. This study demonstrated that COS was a potential material for the papermaking industry, and the combination of water impregnation and steam explosion treatment for COS was a good pulp process.

BackgroundAntimicrobial surveillance and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) are essential pillars in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR), but practical guidance on how surveillance data should be linked to AMS activities is lacking. This issue is particularly complex in the hospital setting due to structural heterogeneity of hospital facilities and services. The JPIAMR ARCH and COMBACTE-MAGNET EPI-Net networks have joined efforts to formulate a set of target actions for linking surveillance data with AMS activities.MethodsA scoping review of the literature was carried out addressing research questions on three areas: (i) AMS leadership and accountability; (ii) antimicrobial usage and AMS; (iii) AMR and AMS. Consensus on the target actions was reached through a RAND-modified Delphi process involving over 40 experts in different fields from 18 countries.ResultsEvidence was retrieved from 51 documents. Initially 38 targets were proposed, differentiated as essential or desirable according to clinical relevance, feasibility and applicability to settings and resources. In the first consultation round, preliminary agreement was reached for 32 targets. Following a second consultation, 27 targets were approved, 11 were deleted and 4 were suggested for rephrasing, leading to a final approved list of 34 target actions in the form of a practical checklist.ConclusionsThis White Paper provides a pragmatic and flexible tool to guide the development of calibrated hospital-surveillance-based AMS interventions. The strength of this tool is that it is a comprehensive perspective that takes into account the hospital patient case-mix and the related epidemiology, which ultimately drives antimicrobial usage, and the feasibility in low-resource settings.

The paper industry wastewater even after bio-treatment at industrial scale is a major source of aquatic and soil pollution due to various unknown compounds. Hence, the study has focused on the detection of residual organic pollutants from the bleached and unbleached paper mill wastewater and both sources showed endocrine-disrupting compounds. The toxicity test with Phaseolus aureus seed germination showed inhibition of seed germination and alpha-amylase activity >25% in bleached and unbleached paper mill wastewater. The LC50 of Tubifex tubifex was noted of >50% after 48 hours incubation test. This revealed that the wastewater discharged from bleached paper mill is more toxic than unbleached paper mill waste this might be due to the use of more chemicals during bleaching and pulping process. This study has revealed that there is need to treat both paper mill wastewaters adequately prior to discharge.

In this study, Rhododendron luteum and Rhododendron ponticum were evaluated as raw material for pulp and paper production. 12 different sodium borohydride (NaBH4) added cooking trials were performed for each sample and kraft method was used for pulp production. Pulp properties, such as yield, kappa number and viscosity, and physical properties, such as breaking length and burst index, were determined for each trial. Besides, the effects of active alkali and NaBH4 on the pulp and paper properties were also examined. Optimum cooking conditions were obtained by using 18 % active alkali for NaBH4-free cooking experiments and 0.5 % NaBH4 and 18 % active alkali for NaBH4-added cooking experiments. In NaBH4-added pulping condition, the screened yield, kappa number and viscosity of R. luteum were found to be 43.4 %, 40.1 and 949 cm3/g1, respectively. The respective values for R. ponticum were 41.9 %, 44.5 and 885 cm3/g1. The screened yields of R. luteum and R. ponticum increased by about 2.8 % and 5.3 %, respectively, with 5 % addition of NaBH4 compared to NaBH4-free cooking experiments. Furthermore, with the addition of NaBH4, the kappa numbers decreased while the viscosity increased. The physical properties of the produced papers were also improved by using NaBH4 in cooking liquor. According to the obtained results, it was found that R. luteum and R. ponticum species can be evaluated for pulp and paper production., U ovom je radu istražena mogućnost uporabe biljaka Rhododendron luteum i Rhododendron ponticum kao sirovine za proizvodnju celuloze i papira. Za svaki uzorak provedeno je 12 različitih ispitivanja kuhanja s natrijevim borhidridom (NaBH4), a celuloza je proizvedena kraft postupkom. Za svako ispitivanje određena su svojstva celuloze poput prinosa, kappa broja i viskoznosti, te fizička svojstva kao što su duljina lomljenja i indeks pucanja papira. Osim toga, ispitani su učinci aktivne lužine i NaBH4 na svojstva celuloze i papira. Optimalni uvjeti kuhanja postignuti su upotrebom 18 % aktivne lužine za eksperimentalno kuhanje bez NaBH4 i upotrebom 0,5 % NaBH4 i 18 % aktivne lužine za eksperimentalno kuhanje s dodatkom NaBH4. U proizvodnji celuloze iz biljke R. luteum s dodatkom NaBH4 utvrđeno je da prinos prosijavanja iznosi 43,4 %, da je kappa broj 40,1, a viskoznost 949 cm3/g, dok su vrijednosti za celulozu dobivenu iz biljke R. ponticum redom 41,9 %, 44,5 i 885 cm3/g. Prinos prosijavanja biljaka R. luteum i R. ponticum uz dodatak 5 % NaBH4 povećao se oko 2,8 % i 5,3 % u usporedbi s eksperimentalnim kuhanjem bez dodatka NaBH4. Nadalje, uz dodatak NaBH4 smanjuju se kappa brojevi, a viskoznosti se povećavaju. Fizička svojstva proizvedenih papira također se poboljšavaju dodavanjem NaBH4 tekućini za kuhanje. Iz dobivenih je rezultata utvrđeno da se biljke R. luteum i R. ponticum mogu upotrebljavati u proizvodnji celuloze i papira.

Reproductive conflicts are expected in societies where nonbreeding helpers retain the ability to produce offspring. Despite potential competition from reproductively capable nestmates in social wasps, egg laying tends to be monopolised by a single or relatively few queens. Genetic studies on reproductive partitioning in Polistes paper wasps suggest high reproductive skew in the genus. Conflict is thought to be minimal due to nestmate relatedness or the possibility of inheriting a reproductive monopoly on a nest; consequently, there are inclusive fitness opportunities for nonreproductive helpers. However, most studies are limited to temperate wasp species. Given the cosmopolitan distribution of Polistes, genetic data on group conflicts are required for a broader range of tropical species to determine whether these trends apply across climatic zones. We examined female reproductive skew in the Neotropical paper wasp Polistes lanio, genotyping a selection of adults and pupae from established post-emergence nests using single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). SNP-based pedigree analyses indicate a reproductive monopoly held by a single queen, with queen replacement from natal nestmates and evidence of possible multiple mating. Relatedness between pupal offspring was high (r = 0.71). It is likely that high reproductive skew among females is a founding trait of Polistes societies, conserved among species that have spread into new environments from Indomalayan origins.

The present study was undertaken to know the effect of common mixed pulp and paper mill effluent discharge released from century pulp and paper mill Lalkuan, Nainital Uttarakhand on the blood morphology of Heteropneustes fossilis (Singhi). The various morphological changes were observed in the specimen, randomly collected with the help of cast net from (3 sites) different locations. The maximum changes were observed in the specimen collected from site 3 in compare to site 1 and 2 respectively. The formation of inclusion bodies, sickle cells, Cabot rings and ovalocytes were recorded along with nuclear fusion, membrane disruption and cell clumping of blood cells in the specimen collected from the site 3 (i.e. nearer to source of discharge) while in the specimen collected from site 2, the formation of tear drop cell, target cells, spherocytes and bi-nucleated cells were recorded along with the activity of cell clumping. The changes were found less in the specimen collected from site 1 in compare to the specimen of site 2 and 3 i.e. formation of ovalocytes, spherocytes and microcytes with the activity of membrane degeneration and agglutination in blood cells.

The study is a first investigation of the feasibility to preserve recycled fillers (e.g. calcium carbonate, kaolin) from deinking paper sludge for newspaper production using an alternative approach respect to the actual methods. Deinking paper sludge was incinerated at 575 °C. The thermal stability of the incinerated sludge (ash) was evaluated by infrared analysis. Subsequently, the resulting ash was bleached by sodium dithionite. The particle size of the ashes was analysed by laser diffraction. The effect of recycled fillers on recycled paper pulp, after blending, was evaluated by the analysis of the physical and optical properties of the obtained paper sheets. Analysis showed the conservation of the calcium carbonate and other fillers’ molecular structure, both after incineration of the sludge and after bleaching. The dithionite treatment of the ashes resulted in ISO brightness levels of more than 70. The brightness was stable over one month. Paper sheets made by blending the bleached ashes with recycled paper showed an improvement of brightness and opacity but a decrease in terms of porosity and breaking length compared to paper sheets made without any filler. The proposed method still requires further studies to evaluate the economical application but offers an opportunity for the recycling of inorganic materials and valorisation of the sludge.

A novel strain, designated WH2-56, was isolated from a slime sample collected from a paper company along the Yangtze River during March, 2018. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain WH2-56 was related to members of the genus Planomicrobium. Cellulolytic activity of the sample was screened and confirmed by Congo red-polysaccharide interactions and examined by broth culture using filter paper (FP) with no starch as the sole carbon source. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) was used to confirm the delicate morphological changes of FP during bio-degradation. Different cellulosic materials were used to measure biodegradation effects and optimum incubation conditions. The activity of FPase and carboxymethyl cellulase (CMCase) were checked by 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS agents) with different carbon sources, which showed a peak at 0.62 U/mL of CMCase on day 4, and at 0.38 U/mL of FPase on day 5.

The study describes the preparation of pulp and nanocellulose from non-wood plant materials, as well as an improved properties of paper and cardboard for mass production. The pulps from wheat straw, kenaf and flax fibers were prepared by the environmentally friendly organosolv method—cooking in a solution of isobutanol or peracetic acid. The organosolv pulps used to prepare nanocellulose had traces of lignin and mineral substances. The process of hydrolysis of the investigated organosolv pulps was optimal when carried out under the following conditions: 43% sulfuric acid, temperature 60 °C, hydrolysis time 90 min and ultrasonic treatment 60 min. Using the methods of SEM, XRD, TEM, AFM and TGA, the structure and properties of organosolv pulps and nanocellulose were studied. The use of nanocellulose in bulk and on the surface of mass types of paper and cardboard—paper for corrugation, offset paper, recycled containerboard and cardboard for flat layers of corrugated cardboard were investigated. We established the positive effect of nanocellulose application on the physical and mechanical properties of paper and cardboard. Low consumption of nanocellulose allows production of the paper and cardboard with properties that meet the requirements to appropriate standards and replacement of synthetic reinforcing materials.

The article uses the example of artificially polluted soil to consider the effect of urea sorbent-a biological product "Unisorb-Bio" modified by waste paper on the biodegradation of oil with subsequent phyto-control of the soil by a test culture of pink-Swedish clover (Trifolium hybridum). It is shown that during 18 weeks of exposure "Unisorb-Bio" with immobilized on it the oil-oxidizing strains of Pseudomonas sp. and Bacillus subtilis, the oil content in the soil decreased by 10 times, which is on an order of magnitude higher to comparison with the control. High seeding qualities (germination energy, seed germination – 82%) are observed when using "Unisorb-Bio" modified waste paper from newsprint in conditions of 10% initial soil contamination, with a content of nitrophosca 0.05%. In the soil with" Unisorb-Bio "modified waste paper from the paper "Snegurochka" the indicators are lower by 17–20% than in the soil samples with biologics product modified by waste paper from newsprint, which is probably perhaps is bound up with more the greater destructibility of the latter under these conditions and an increase of mobile forms of nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil. The results of phytocontrol (germination energy, seed germination-52%) indicate a relatively good level of soil recovery with 15% initial contamination and almost independent of the type of biological product. The observed seeding quality and morphophysiological indicators give reason to conclude that the "Unisorb-Bio" biological product modified with waste paper is able to restore the soil even with a high level of contamination within one season.

Paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera) is a perennial woody plant used as source material for Cai Lun paper making, in traditional Chinese medicine, and as livestock feed. To identify the presence of viruses in paper mulberry plants affected by a disease with leaf curl symptoms, high-throughput sequencing of total RNA was performed. Analysis of transcriptome libraries allowed the reconstruction of two geminivirus-like genomes. Rolling-circle amplification and PCR with back-to-back primers confirmed the presence of two geminiviruses with monopartite genomes in these plants, with the names paper mulberry leaf curl virus 1 and 2 (PMLCV-1 and PMLCV-2) proposed. The genomes of PMLCV-1 (3,056 nt) and PMLCV-2 (3,757 to 3,763 nt) encode six proteins, with the V4 protein of PMLCV-1 and the V3 proteins of both viruses having low similarities to any known protein in databases. Alternative splicing of an intron, akin to that of mastre-, becurto-, capula-, and grabloviruses, was identified by small RNA (sRNA)-seq and RNA-seq reads mapping to PMLCV-1 and PMLCV-2 antisense transcripts. Phylogenetic analyses and pairwise comparisons showed that PMLCV-1 and PMLCV-2 are most closely related to, but distinct from, two unassigned geminiviruses, citrus chlorotic dwarf associated virus and mulberry mosaic dwarf associated virus, suggesting that they are two new members of the family Geminiviridae. Field investigation confirmed the close association of the two viruses with leaf curl symptoms in paper mulberry plants and that coinfection can aggravate the symptoms.

The pulp and paper industry released different chemical pollutants that are directly discharged into the environment without proper treatment. This experiment was carried out to study the effect of pulp paper mill sludge amendments with garden soil (25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%), and garden soil was utilized as a control in a pot experiment. This study revealed the growth parameters of Triticum aestivum and Brassica campestris in germination percentage and germination index values decreased with rising in sludge concentration. Further, Soil amended with 25% paper mill sludge slightly reduced the growth in root length, shoot length, biomass, photosynthetic, and 50% sludge amended soil had variable effects on the root, shoot, and photosynthetic pigment of T. aestivumand B. campestris. However, the toxicity of effluent on tubifex-tubifex worms was also carried out at selected concentrations (25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%). Results of the study suggested that after 24 hours of exposure (>25% concentration), tubifex worms showed various changes such as morphological changes; hemoglobin content disappeared at the lethal concentrations of pulp paper mill effluent; cell bursting, and the back of the body became white with body disintegration at the lethal concentrations of pulp paper mill effluent. This article mainly focuses on the toxicity of the organic pollutants in terrestrial and aquatic life due to pulp paper mill effluent.

The pulp and paper industry produces a diverse range of side-streams from multi-stage processes, but these remain underutilized despite their high potential for use as biofuels. This study investigated acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation by Clostridium acetobutylicum DSM 1731 from the side-streams of three different stages of the pulp and paper manufacturing process (PI, PII, and PIII). Biomass specimens with and without water washing were pretreated with 0.2% H2SO4 at 180 °C for 10 min, followed by enzymatic hydrolysis, to obtain fermentable sugars. The results showed that the produced ABE solvent concentrations were 12.8 g/L, 5.2 g/L, and 6.3 g/L from PI, PII, and PIII, respectively. The butanol yields of PI, PII, and PIII were 0.25, 0.18, and 0.19 g/g sugars, respectively. Among the tested side-streams, PI was shown to have potential as a feedstock for butanol production without prewashing prior to dilute acid pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis, and microbial fermentation.

This research work focused on bioconversion of waste paper into soil conditioner and its effect on plants growth and soil microbial population. The effects were studied for 21 days and the number of seeds germinated and their height were measured at 3 days interval. Percentage (%) seed germination across the samples was 100 %. The height of the plants in soil treated with composted waste paper ranged between 80±0.98 mm and 643± 1.76 mm that of control soil ranged between 70±1.98 mm and 503±1.67 mm. The result for the microbial analysis revealed a total bacterial count range from 4.0± 1.01 to 6.9±1.03 x105cfu/g for soil samples treated with composted waste paper and 5.0±0.78 to 6.1±1.29 x105cfu/g for control. The results also revealed a total of eight bacterial genera and they include;Bacillussp,Pseudomonassp,E.coli,Micrcoccussp,Staphylococusssp,Proteussp,Enterobactersp,Klebsiellasp respectively. Total fungal count ranged from 1.5±0.97 to 2.9±0.92 x 105cfu/g for soil samples treated with composted waste paper. A total of five fungal genera were isolated and they includedAspergillussp,Penicilliumsp,Mucorsp,Rhizopussp, andSacharomycessp respectively. The most prevalent bacterium across the sample wasBacillussp with 33.33 % while the most prevalent fungus across the sample wasPenicilliumsp with 41.67 %.&nbsp

This study focuses on the production and characterization of biodegradable handmade paper from the Sida rhombifolia plant (SRP) cellulose. Sida rhombifolia plant is a seasonal plant that grows in the equatorial and tropical climates. The studies carried out on this SRP were aimed at investigating the methods required for the production of handmade paper from SRP plant and also at determining the tensile strength. Four specimens of SRP paper of different additive labels S0 (no additive), S1 (starch and KOH), S2 (starch), and S3 (Foska liquid glue) were produced using the Kraft method. Tensile properties (stress at break, elongation at break, and Young’s modulus), the rate of water absorption, and the rate of moisture absorption were carried out. Results showed that the addition of potassium hydroxide considerably reduces Young’s modulus of SRP handmade paper (S1) while the Foska liquid glue (S3) significantly improves it. In addition, the addition of potassium hydroxide and Foska liquid substantially improves the water absorption properties of the paper S2 and S3, respectively. The adhesive liquid creates more porosity and consequently increases the absorption of water. The addition of potassium hydroxide and Foska liquid significantly embedded the rate of moisture absorption. From the results obtained, it can be concluded that the paper S3 can be used as packaging paper since it has better mechanical properties and moisture absorption.

Relatively little is known about the processes shaping population structure in cooperatively breeding insect species, despite the long-hypothesized importance of population structure in shaping patterns of cooperative breeding. Polistes paper wasps are primitively eusocial insects, with a cooperative breeding system in which females often found nests in cooperative associations. Prior mark-recapture studies of Polistes have documented extreme female philopatry, although genetic studies frequently fail to detect the strong population structure expected for highly philopatric species. Together these findings have led to lack of consensus on the degree of dispersal and population structure in these species. This study assessed population structure of female Polistes fuscatus wasps at three scales: within a single site, throughout Central New York, and across the Northeastern United States. Patterns of spatial genetic clustering and isolation by distance were observed in nuclear and mitochondrial genomes at the continental scale. Remarkably, population structure was evident even at fine spatial scales within a single collection site. However, P. fuscatus had low levels of genetic differentiation across long distances. These results suggest that P. fuscatus wasps may employ multiple dispersal strategies, including extreme natal philopatry as well as longer-distance dispersal. We observed greater genetic differentiation in mitochondrial genes than in the nuclear genome, indicative of increased dispersal distances in males. Our findings support the hypothesis that limited female dispersal contributes toward population structure in paper wasps.

Plants and trees make our cities more attractive and provide many ecosystem services but some of these also cost society harm in the form of pollen allergy. According to an estimate, 60-70 percent of the trees in Islamabad are of Paper mulberry. Thirty percent of the people are affected each year from pollen allergy in Islamabad. This study evaluated age and gender-wise effects of Pollen Allergy on health followed by proposing options for Paper Mulberry as an alternative. The economic and environmental costs and benefits of Paper mulberry and its alternative plants were also quantified. The annual benefits and costs of Paper Mulberry and its alternative plants were estimated through “The National Tree Benefits Calculator”. Descriptive statistics along with expert opinion method was used for the analysis of the data. The pollen allergy affects children more as compared to other age groups and more on female as compared to male. Urban respondents were affected more by pollen allergy as compared to rural respondents. Most of the respondents were found affected in the month of March. The average monthly health expenditures of the respondents from pollen as Rs. 879. Pine Rexburg and Kachnar are viable alternatives for Paper Mulberry from both economic and environmental viewpoints. Based on the findings it is concluded that Pine Rexburg and Kachnar are the best alternative for Paper Mulberry in Islamabad. The Capital Development Authority should replace Paper Mulberry with Pine Rexburg and Kachnar in the city. Besides, Government should arrange awareness program especially in the pollen month (March) and should provide free of cost treatment and preventives for the pollen patients.

Rumen fluid has been applied to lignocellulosic biomass digest for methane production, and various feed supplements have been shown to improve ruminant digestion of lignocellulosic biomass. Therefore, we investigated the effects of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) on the pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass with rumen fluid and subsequent methane fermentation. SDS was mixed with rumen fluid at concentrations of 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8 g/L. After SDS addition, the waste paper was pretreated with rumen fluid at 37 °C for 6 h. SDS addition decreased the number of surviving rumen ciliates after pretreatment. SDS addition increased the dissolved chemical oxygen demand during pretreatment; however, SDS addition did not increase the volatile fatty acid concentration. After pretreatment, batch methane fermentation of pretreated waste paper was performed at 35 °C for 45 days. SDS addition at 0.1 and 0.2 g/L shortened the waste paper digestion time and enhanced methane gas production compared to the control. By contrast, SDS addition at 0.4 and 0.8 g/L remarkably inhibited methane production from waste paper. These findings suggest that low concentrations of SDS can improve the efficiency of lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment with rumen fluid, and can enhance methane production from waste paper.

Laboratory bioassay were conducted at University Putra Malaysia in order to evaluate the toxicity and the antifeedant activity of five insecticides which is Cypermethrin, Malathion, Prevathon, Rotenone and also Spinosad against the adult of S.oryzae by using the filter paper impregnation and food impregnation method for 1, 3, 5 and 7 days. Rotenone found to be effectives in toxicity via filter paper impregnation method based on the LC50 values with 0.003% while the other was 0.04%, 0.017%, 0.106% and 1.109% were indicated Spinosad, Malathion, Cypermethrin and Prevathon. The less effective was Prevathon. Food impregnation method showed that the effective insecticides was Spinosad with LC50 values 0.001%. The lowest was Prevathon with LC50 values 5.776%. In addition, the other insecticides showed LC50 values was 0.003%, 0.05% and 0.875% which indicated Malathion, Cypermethrin and Rotenone. For the antifeedant activity via feeding deterrent index (FDI), it showed that, the lowest FDI was Spinosad with 0.535% while the highest was Rotenone with 1.756%. The other showed 0.63%, 0.869% and 0.949% indicated Malathion, Cypermethrin and Prevathon respectively. As conclusion, most effective insecticides against adult of S.oryzae was Spinosad because able to control the insect at the prepared concentration in both method..

This work reports the development of a rapid, simple and inexpensive colorimetric paper-based assay for the detection of the severe acute respiratory symptom coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) humanized antibody. The paper device was prepared with lamination for easy sample handling and coated with the recombinant SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antigen. This assay employed a colorimetric reaction, which is followed by horseradish peroxidase (HRP) conjugated detecting antibody in the presence of the 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) substrate. The colorimetric readout was evaluated and quantified for specificity and sensitivity. The characterization of this assay includes determining the linear regression curve, the limit of detection (LOD), the repeatability, and testing complex biological samples. We found that the LOD of the assay was 9.00 ng μL-1 (0.112 IU mL-1). The relative standard deviation was approximately 10% for a sample number of n = 3. We believe that our proof-of-concept assay has the potential to be developed for clinical screening of the SARS-CoV-2 humanized antibody as a tool to confirm infected active cases or to confirm SARS-CoV-2 immune cases during the process of vaccine development.

Mabira Central Forest Reserve in Uganda (MCFR) is facing biodiversity loss, especially other tree species in the paper mulberry dominated area due to Charcoal burning activities and the presence of paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera). Paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera) in the family Moraceae or Morus papyrifera is found mostly in the production zone identified as hotspot of biodiversity in Mabira central Forest reserve. Several studies in western and East Africa have indicated that paper mulberry consumes a lot of ground water which may reduce water availability for other species and lead to reduced growth level of native species around. This study has tried to investigate the influence of paper mulberry (Broussonetia papyrifera) presence on the loss of native tree species in buffer and production zone in MCFR. The study used 1 km transects and thirty plots of 20 m × 10 m each. The index of Shannon and Simpson were used for species diversity and Jaccard similarity index was used for species similarity. The overall non-paper mulberry plant species or native tree species richness decreased significantly (76.92%) (P = 0.04) from the paper mulberry dominated area within the production zone of Mabira central forest reserve. The Shannon Wiener diversity index was 2.7 for production, 2.4 buffer and 0.8 for paper mulberry dominated area, which simply means that the paper mulberry dominated area was less diverse than the two other study sites. Seven hundred sixteen (716) trees were found in total with 56 different tree species where only one species which is paper mulberry was found 233 times and only 483 times of the 55 native species. Mabira central forest reserve is at risk of losing its natural forest in the years to come. This Impact is likely to increase with the increasing of paper mulberry planting. To avoid this the management should think on not planting paper mulberry trees within the natural forest and stop charcoal burning activities.

By way of broadening the use of diverse sustainable bioethanol feedstocks, the potentials of Paper mulberry fruit juice (PMFJ), as a non-food, sugar-based substrate, were evaluated for fuel ethanol production. The suitability of PMFJ was proven, as maximum ethanol concentration (56.4 g/L) and yield (0.39 g/g) were achieved within half a day of the start of fermentation, corresponding to very high ethanol productivity of 4.7 g/L/hr. The established potentials were further optimally maximized through the response surface methodology (RSM). At the optimal temperature of 30 °C, yeast concentration of 0.55 g/L, and pH of 5, ethanol concentration, productivity, and yield obtained were 73.69 g/L, 4.61 g/L/hr, and 0.48 g/g, respectively. Under these ideal conditions, diverse metal salts were afterward screened for their effects on PMFJ fermentation. Based on a two-level fractional factorial design, nutrient addition had no positive impact on ethanol production. Thus, under the optimal process conditions, and without any external nutrient supplementation, bioethanol from PMFJ compared favorably with typical sugar-based energy crops, highlighting its resourcefulness as a high-value biomass resource for fuel ethanol production. Graphical Abstract

Biosensors made entirely of paper are becoming increasingly popular due to their low cost, facile fabrication, and lightweight portability for in-field measurements. However, it is difficult to store nanoparticles in paper substrates without irreversibly binding them to the cellulose matrix. This makes it challenging to fabricate biosensors incorporating nanoparticle probes in paper-based reservoirs. Here, we overcome this limitation with a new method for storing protein-decorated nanoparticles on paper substrates that also allows to release them on demand. It consists of spotting nanoparticles onto pieces of filter paper previously modified with polystyrene sulfonate. Gold nanoparticles modified with avidin or antibodies can be easily transferred from the dry reservoir to a receiving wet piece of paper by simply pressing with the finger or a clamp. Paper-based immunosensors incorporating the reservoir enabled the detection of glycoprotein B from human cytomegalovirus in serum with a limit of detection of 0.03 ng mL-1 and a total assay time of only 12 min. The low limit of detection obtained with a short assay time along with the long shelf-life of the reservoirs make the proposed paper-only biosensors ideal of point-of-care diagnostics.

Environmental pollution and the exploitation of fossil-based products are topical issues that should be a matter of concern to the global population. The production of bio-based substances from waste biomass is a way to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and limit environmental pollution. Enzymatic catalysed saccharification of cellulose is an important step for the bio-conversion of biomass such as waste paper into glucose that could be utilized as a feedstock for the production of value added bioproducts and this process can also be considered as an alternative route of waste management. During this study, fresh cellulase enzyme from Trichoderma viride was incubated separately with seven different waste paper materials during twelve successive incubation periods of 2 h each. The amount of sugar released from each paper material during each incubation period was determined. The highest sugar concentration released from each paper materials was produced during the first incubation period except the filter paper for which the highest amount of sugar was produced during the 9th period of incubation. During these optimum sugar producing incubation periods the highest total sugar concentration was released from brown envelope paper (3.3 mg.mL-1 followed by foolscap paper (3.0 mg.mL-1) and office paper (2.8 mg.mL-1) while the lowest amount of sugar was released from Pick ’n Pay paper (0.6 mg.mL-1). The relative saccharification percentage was also calculated which showed that filter paper produced the highest amounts of sugar followed by newspaper, and foolscap paper with advertising paper from a retailer. Pick ’n Pay offered the highest resistance towards cellulase catalysed bio-conversion into sugar.

General diagnosis of poultry viruses primarily relies on detection of viruses in samples, but many farms are located in remote areas requiring logistic transportation. Filter paper cards are a usef...

In order to improve the efficiency of disease diagnosis and environmental monitoring, it is desirable to detect the concentration of proteins and metal ions simultaneously, since the current popular diagnostic platform can only detect proteins or metal ions independently. In this work, we developed a colorimetric microfluidic paper-based analytical device (µPAD) for simultaneous determination of protein (bovine serum albumin, BSA) and metal ions [Fe(III) and Ni(II)]. The µPAD consisted of one central zone, ten reaction zones and ten detection zones in one device, in which reaction solutions were effectively optimized for different types of chromogenic reactions. Fe(III), Ni(II) and BSA can be easily identified by the colored products, and their concentrations are in good accordance with color depth based on the established standard curves. The detection limits are 0.1 mM for Fe(III), 0.5 mM for Ni(II) and 1µM for BSA, respectively. Best of all, we demonstrated the efficiency of the µPAD with accurate detection of Fe(III), Ni (II) and BSA from river water samples within 15 minutes. The µPAD detection is efficient, instrument-free, and easy-to-use, holding great potential for simultaneous detection of cross type analytes in numerous diagnostic fields.

This work describes the log-MAP (BCJR) algorithm implementation of a close to capacity dirty paper coding CODEC. The CODEC consists of eight deep pipeline processors. It decodes blocks of 975 bits in 26.9 ms using less than 9.7% of low-cost FPGA (and no DSP blocks). Two pipelines, for alpha and beta, calculate the values of gamma (of the BCJR) to reduce the storage requirements. The final log-likelihood ratio (LLR) is calculated together with alpha, reusing intermediate results. The number of bits used by the different signals of the processor is easily configurable. It was set to six bits to the channel measure signals and eight bits to log of probability signals like alpha, beta, and others. The CODEC clock was 100 MHz. The achieved bit rate is 36.2 Kbps per CODEC, but multiple CODECs can be fit into a single chip. The CODEC is 3.49 dB from the channel capacity.

This study evaluated the fibre morphology of Musa balbisiana leaf, stalk and stem portions for pulp and paper production. Samples of Musa balbisiana portions were prepared and macerated in equal volume of glacial acetic acid and hydrogen peroxide in ratio 1:1. Twenty cellulose fibres from each portion were randomly selected using Reichert visopan microscope to determine the physical fibre morphology while the derived fibre indices were calculated. Data collected were subjected to one way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Follow up tests carried out using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT). Results showed that means of fibre length, fibre diameter, cell wall thickness and lumen width ranged between 1.35 and 2.46 mm, 16.46 and 33.34 µm, 7.58 and 24.99 µm, and 3.54 and 3.56 µm, respectively. The mean values of fibre length of Musa balbisiana leaf and stalk were not significant but were significantly different from the mean values of the stem at p

We report on a simple, cost-effective, instrument-free, and portable distance-based paper device coupled with NFs for the determination of glucose. The analysis reaction is based upon the oxidative etching reaction of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in the presence of H2O2 that is produced from glucose after a glucose oxidase (GOx) catalytic reaction leading to a morphological transformation of AgNPs. A color band length of AgNPs is coated on to a detection channel and then etched by H2O2, and these were changed from a purple color to colorless as a correlate of the glucose concentration. To improve the performance of the enzyme immobilization, NFs, which are biocompatible without compromising their structure and biological activity, were then placed onto the sample zone. The naked-eye detection limit was 0.1 mM for 40 min of analysis time. The recoveries of glucose spiked in the artificial urine samples and control urine samples were then verified by our device and were in the acceptable range of 96 - 100%.

There is a growing interest on recycling of waste fibres as an alternative to landfill disposal. The aim of the study was to investigate the durability and mechanical properties of waste paper–cement composite panels reinforced with varying kenaf fibre content (FC, 2–10%). The panels produced were evaluated for properties including modulus of rupture (MOR) and apparent modulus of elasticity (MOE). The resistance of the panels was tested in the field for both termite damage and fungi decay for a period of 24 weeks. Accelerated decay test was also performed on selected samples. The results showed that the mean MOR ranged from 3.17 MPa for samples with 10% FC to 4.84 MPa for samples with 8% FC. The mean MOE ranged from 248 MPa for samples with 10% FC to 1298.1 MPa for samples with 8% FC. Statistical analysis showed that the effect of the fibre content was significant on the properties evaluated (p

Why workers forfeit direct reproduction is a crucial question in eusocial evolution. Worker reproduction provides an excellent opportunity to understand the mechanism of kin conflict resolution between the queen and workers. We evaluated behavioral and physiological differences among females in the paper wasp Polistes chinensis antennalis to examine why some workers reproduce under queenright conditions. Reproductive workers were old and foraged less early in the season; their cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles overlapped with those of queens but were significantly different. The distinct CHC profile of the eggs of the queen likely represented a cue for policing against those by workers. Juvenile hormone (JH) and dopamine seemed to be associated with gonadotropic function, and the JH level of reproductive workers was similar to that of the queen. The high JH level of reproductive workers likely facilitated their reproduction even under queenright conditions. Gene expression levels of the queen and reproductive workers differed only in vitellogenin. These results suggest that worker reproduction is facilitated by an increase in JH level; however, CHC is not a fertility-linked signal, but a queen-linked signal; consequently, reproductive workers without a queen-linked signal might be allowed to stay within the colony.