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Like most other states, Missouri uses assessments intended to measure whether students are on a pathway to "college and career readiness." The state longitudinal data system now has the capacity to directly test that claim. We make use of 8th-grade assessment (MAP) scores in Math, Science, and Communication Arts for roughly 260,000 first-time Missouri freshmen who began high school between Fall, 2009 and Fall, 2012. These students were tracked through high school and for five years following on-time high school graduation. We find a strong positive association between MAP performance scores in 8th grade Math, Science, and Communication Arts and post-secondary college attendance and degree completion. This is true overall and for White, Black, and Hispanic students disaggregated by gender. Proficiency on all three exams matters even more. Based on a logistic forecasting model, if all students who scored below Proficient on the 8th-grade MAP raised their scores to Proficient, the number earning post-secondary degrees would increase by roughly 50 percent. Black and Hispanic students earning post-secondary degrees would increase by roughly 150 and 75 percent, respectively. We conclude that 8th-grade MAP proficiency scores are highly informative about whether students are on a pathway to college and career readiness.

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) has a partnership with NWEA for the development of the 2024 Grades 3-8 English Language Arts Tests. Teachers from across the State work with NYSED in a variety of activities to ensure the validity and reliability of the New York State Testing Program (NYSTP). The 2024 Grades 6 and 7 English Language Arts Tests are administered in two sessions on two consecutive school days. Students are asked to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in the areas of reading and writing. Students will have as much time as they need each day to answer the questions in the test sessions within the confines of the regular school day. For Grades 6 and 7, the tests consist of multiple-choice (1-credit) and constructed-response (2- and 4-credit) questions. Each multiple-choice question is followed by four choices, one of which is the correct answer. Students record their multiple-choice responses on a separate answer sheet. For Session 1, students will write their responses to the constructed-response questions in their separate answer booklets. For Session 2, students will write their responses to these questions directly in their test booklets. By following the guidelines in this document, teachers help ensure that the test is valid, reliable, and equitable for all students. A series of instructions helps teachers organize the materials and the testing schedule.

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) has a partnership with NWEA for the development of the 2024 Grades 3-8 English Language Arts Tests. Teachers from across the State work with NYSED in a variety of activities to ensure the validity and reliability of the New York State Testing Program (NYSTP). The 2024 Grades 3 and 4 English Language Arts Tests are administered in two sessions on two consecutive school days. Students are asked to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in the areas of reading and writing. Students will have as much time as they need each day to answer the questions in the test sessions within the confines of the regular school day. For Grades 3 and 4, the tests consist of 1-credit multiple-choice questions, 2-credit constructed-response questions, and 4-credit (Grade 4 only) constructed-response questions. Each multiple-choice question is followed by four choices, one of which is the correct answer. Students record their multiple-choice responses on a separate answer sheet. For Session 1, students will write their responses to the constructed-response questions in their separate answer booklets. For Session 2, students will write their responses to these questions directly in the test booklets. By following the guidelines in this document, teachers help ensure that the test is valid, reliable, and equitable for all students. A series of instructions helps teachers organize the materials and the testing schedule.

This occasional paper presents national demographic subgroup data for the 1975-2022 Monitoring the Future (MTF) national survey results on 8th, 10th, and 12th graders' use of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. The study covers all major classes of illicit and licit psychoactive drugs for an array of population subgroups. The 2020 subgroup data presented in this report accompany the "Monitoring the Future National Survey Results on Drug Use: 1975-2022: Overview, Key Findings on Adolescent Drug Use" (ED627365) and the "Monitoring the Future National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975-2022: Secondary School Students" (ED627366). The trends shown in both tabular and graphic forms in this report cover demographic subgroups based on: (1) Gender; (2) College plans; (3) Region of the country; (4) Population density; (5) Education level of the parents (a proxy for socioeconomic level); and (6) Racial/ethnic identification.

Research reveals better school and student outcomes, especially for teachers and children of color, when a principal of color is at the helm. One way to improve the educational experiences of schoolchildren across the country is to increase their access to leaders of color--and strengthen the caliber of teaching and leading in our nation's schools. Yet, despite the fact that diversity among our nation's students is growing, diversity among teachers, principals, and district leaders continues to lag. This is known as the representation gap. Strategic investments are needed to develop the next generation of school leaders who better reflect the communities they serve. A recent survey of district leaders conducted by New Leaders suggests a disconnect between intention and actions taken to advance diversity. The majority of respondents state that their district is committed to improving the diversity of its leaders, but an almost equal number report that there is no clear leadership path for educators of color within their district. Building a diverse pipeline of school leaders who are well prepared and supported enables districts to retain the kind of talent that ensures all students thrive. This paper examines five actions school districts can take to shape the future of educational leadership in their district. [For the executive summary of this series, "Closing the Representation Gap: A Series of Papers on Reshaping Educational Leadership for the Future," see ED625674.]

The instructions in this manual explain the responsibilities of school administrators for the New York State Testing Program (NYSTP) Grades 3-8 English Language Arts and Mathematics Paper-Based Field Tests. School administrators must be thoroughly familiar with the contents of the manual, and the policies and procedures must be followed as written so that field testing conditions are uniform statewide. This School Administrator's Manual for Paper-Based Field Testing also serves to guide school administrators in general field test administration activities for paper-based field testing. [For the 2021 manual, see ED613295.]

This technical assistance paper provides policy and guidance to individuals with test administration responsibilities in adult education programs. The Florida assessment policies and guidelines presented in this technical assessment paper are appropriate for state and federal reporting. Therefore, guidance and procedures regarding the selection and use of appropriate student assessment are included in this technical assistance paper. Additionally, the following important information for adult education programs is reviewed: (1) Definition of key terms and acronyms; (2) Selection of appropriate assessments by student and program type; (3) Appropriate student placement into program and instructional level; (4) Verification of student learning gains, Educational Functioning Level and/or program completion; (5) Accommodations for students with disabilities and other special needs; (6) Assessment procedures for Distance Education; and (7) Training for all staff who administer the standardized assessments. [For the 2021-2022 report, see ED616047.]

The Federal Bureau of Investigation was the catalyst that established the theme for the Twenty-First Allerton Institute, held at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign's Allerton House, October 29-31, 1989. The FBI's Library Awareness Program, if it had any merit, did raise a significant ethical conflict between the librarian's responsibility to preserve the confidentiality surrounding use of library materials and his or her responsibility as a citizen of the United States. The FBI's activities, along with an apparent increase in interest in ethical matters in society as a whole, suggested "professional ethics" as an appropriate theme for a conference of librarians in 1989., published or submitted for publication

Letters from Irene Overman Oxley, Jack's mother -- Letters from Jack -- Letters from Raymond Oxley, Jack's father -- Address book -- Documents -- "For the Editors of of Pacific Unit newspapers" -- SWPA maptalk newsletter -- Minutes & financials -- Miscellaneous -- Monetary notes -- Monthly -- Reports -- Notebook -- Photos -- Pierce log -- Propaganda -- "The Star" newsletter.

Microbial contamination causes environmental and costly problems in paper production (gas formation in stored pulp, and biofilm/slime) and waste water systems (biofilm formation causing corrosion of the pipes). Today, chemical-based biocides are used to control these problems. We have developed a biocide substitute consisting of industrial rest products; rye bran or spruce bark. Rye bran is a suitable nutrient for growth of a selected strain of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum. Previous studies have shown that fermented rye bran, as well as spruce bark extracts, contains bioactive metabolites with the power to limit virtually all bacterial growth. These products also contain fibres with potential to be a supplement as raw material in the pulp. Our intention with this study was to investigate the potential of these rest materials as an antibacterial raw material in paper production. We will specifically determine the antibacterial effect on strains isolated from pulp, process water from the paper mill, and waste water pipes. In addition, likewise analyse the antimicrobial activity of single metabolites discovered in the crude extracts. The results so far, show that the products efficiently inhibit growth of the bacterial strains isolated from waste water and the paper mill. The pure metabolites showed also antibacterial properties, but were less potent as compared to the crude products. The Lactiplantiobacillus strain, used to ferment the rye bran in the present study, was resistant to all the tested products. In conclusion, fermented rye bran and spruce bark extracts show properties indicating a potential to be used as a bioactive raw material, limiting the need of adding synthetic biocides in paper production and waste water systems.

Paper sludge consists mainly of wet short cellulose fibers that are lost during papermaking and of residual chemicals used in the manufacturing process that remain dissolved in the water. Each ton of paper generates about 40–50 kg of dry sludge, of which 70% is primary sludge. Paper production, which exceeded 400 million tons globally in 2020, generates vast volumes of solid waste. Primary sludge is usually fiber-rich and hence suitable to be recycled back into the papermaking process. However, if the sludge is to be disposed of in landfills, sustainable practices must be developed in order to recover the fibers as they are valuable source for manufacturing high value-added products. This study investigates the valorization of paper sludge discarded by a filter paper manufacturer, with the purpose of producing cellulose acetate films for food packaging. The process involves recovering cellulose fibers from the sludge, purifying them and through acetylation reaction produce cellulose acetate films. FTIR spectra confirmed successful acetylation of fibers and also that acetyl groups reduced the hydrophilicity of cellulose—the contact angle was increased to over 80° from 50° in native cellulose. The films exhibited very good water barrier properties at both 50% and 90% relative humidity (RH), Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature. This publication is part of the Project PID2020-114070RB-I00 (CELLECOPROD), funded by MCIN/ AEI/10.13039/501100011033. Elisabet Quintana is a Serra Húnter Fellow. Authors are grateful to PhD student Noemi Huete for kindly providing information about the composition of waste paper sludge, Postprint (published version)

The Bündnis Junger Ärztinnen und Ärzte (BJÄ, Alliance of Young Physicians in Germany) has presented a position paper (PP) on Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) against the background of an unfolding hospital reform in Germany, and they describe existing deficits of PGME in Germany. Based on this, demands were made of legislators, employers and medical associations which could result in a sweeping reformation of PGME. Hospital reforms can only be accomplished with well trained and motivated physicians. In this respect the BJÄ regards the reform of hospitals and the health-care system as a chance for a reform of PGME, which is long overdue. Legislative competence for PGME lies with the States of the Federal Republic of Germany and this warrants an adjustment of state medical association laws to accommodate the demands of the BJÄ. Generally PGME must be taken into consideration in all health-care legislation, in analogy to the meanwhile globally adopted principle of "Health in all Politics (HiAP)". The BJÄ has made every endeavour to produce this PP. The responsible stakeholders and actors in the health-care system would be well-advised to take the position paper seriously with a dwindling physician work force in hospitals and serious quality deficits in PGME. Hence, the BJÄ must be comprehensively supported. They need congenial partners to define the scientific foundation of all their demands, to test their application under real life conditions in hospital and outpatient care, to pursue research on the impact on patient care and on the intended transformation of the health-care system. This might best be accomplished by partnering with a scientific Association for Postgraduate Medical Education as has been the case in many countries for decades., Das Bündnis Junger Ärztinnen und Ärzte (BJÄ) hat ein Positionspapier (PP) zur ärztlichen Weiterbildung (ÄWB) vor dem Hintergrund der sich entwickelnden Krankenhausreform vorgelegt, das bestehende Defizite der ÄWB in Deutschland beschreibt. Daraus werden Forderungen an Gesetzgeber, Arbeitgeberinnen und Arbeitgeber sowie Ärztekammern abgeleitet, die eine umfassende Erneuerung der ÄWB bewirken würde. Gesundheitsreformen sind nur mit gut vorbereiteten und motivierten Fachärztinnen und Fachärzten zu bewältigen. Insofern betrachtet das BJÄ die Reformen im Krankenhaus- und Gesundheitswesen als eine Chance für eine längst überfällige Reform der ÄWB. Die Gesetzgebungskompetenz der Bundesländer für die ÄWB macht es erforderlich, die Heilberufe und Kammergesetze der Länder mit Hilfe der Gesundheitsministerkonferenz an die Forderungen des BJÄ anzupassen. Flankiert werden muss dies durch die Berücksichtigung der ÄWB in allen Gesetzen im Gesundheitswesen, ähnlich dem inzwischen global anerkannte Prinzip "Health in all Politics (HiAP)". Das BJÄ hat eine große Anstrengung unternommen, indem sie das PP erarbeitet haben. Die verantwortlichen Akteure im Gesundheitswesen wären gut beraten, das PP vor dem Hintergrund von schwindenden ärztlichen Personalressourcen und ernsthaften Qualitätsmängeln in der ÄWB ernst zu nehmen. Das BJÄ muss umfassend unterstützt werden. Die wissenschaftliche Begründung aller geforderten Maßnahmen, die Testung in der realen Umgebung von Krankenhäusern und der ambulanten Krankenversorgung, die wissenschaftliche Begleitung der Auswirkungen auf die Versorgung von Patienten und die angestrebte Transformation des Gesundheitswesens braucht kongeniale Partner. Am wirkungsvollsten könnte dies von einer wissenschaftlichen Gesellschaft für Ärztliche Weiterbildung geleistet werden, wie dies in vielen Ländern seit Jahrzehnten der Fall ist.

Pulp and paper manufacturing ranks as one of the most water and energy-intensive sectors globally, invariablyleading to significant environmental pollution e.g. issues related to air pollution and waste disposal. Also, asglobal competition intensifies, prices of forest products are expected to keep decreasing. To ensure their viability,traditional producers must augment their revenue streams by diversifying into the production of bioenergy andbiomaterials, alongside traditional wood, pulp, and paper products. A feasible solution is the integrated productsbiorefineries which provide a distinctive chance to pulp and paper industry to enhance revenues as well asreduce their environmental impact. Since pulp and paper stands as the predominant industry in Sweden, thisreview article explores the emerging biorefinery process options and main technological pathways beingdeveloped within Swedish pulp and paper mills. It also delves into the significant challenges that are beingencountered in this evolving landscape and what possibilities lie ahead for responsible and sustainable pulp andpaper operations.

Paper-based packaging is a complex multi-material composed of paper (fibers), plastics, and metals, making efficient material recycling complicated. Currently, most of the fibers are recycled into new paper products while the residual material is commonly incinerated. Therefore, to improve the circularity and reduce the fossil dependency chemical recycling is needed. In this study, recycling of the residual materials was evaluated by thermal and catalytic pyrolysis. First, screening tests were performed using five reject materials and four catalysts in an analytical scale and then, a selection of catalyst and reject materials were evaluated in lab-scale followed by a techno-economic assessment. Experimental results indicated that the conversion was more efficient if the reject had high content of plastics compared to fibers, leading to products with increased heating value, higher hydrocarbon yield and less reactive oxygenates compared to the rejects with low plastic ratio. In the thermal pyrolysis 54 % of the weight of the feedstock and 70 wt% of the carbon in the feedstock ended up in a solid organic product (wax) which contained hydrocarbons and alcohols. In the analytical catalytic pyrolysis, HZSM-5 gave the best result in terms of cracking, deoxygenation, and aromatization. Ex-situ catalytic pyrolysis using HZSM-5 resulted in an improved quality of organic liquid with reduced hydrocarbon length as well as deoxygenated and aromatic compounds. The yield of the organic liquid was up to 19 wt% and contained mainly monoaromatics. The techno-economic evaluation showed, for processing 100,000 tons year−1 residual material, the total plant investment and the annual profit are about 29 and 12 million Euros, respectively, if no incentive for treating the residual material., Funding: Packforsk Owners Association

The rapid development of emerging electronics requires power sources with the advantages of lightweight, high efficiency, and portability. Considering the use of critical raw materials (such as Li, Co, etc.) and the increasing global concern of battery waste, self-charging power systems (SCPSs) integrating energy harvesting, power management, and energy storage devices have been envisioned as promising solutions to replace traditional batteries to avoid the use of toxic materials and the need of frequent recharging/replacement. Up to date, the reported SCPSs still hold the problem of large form factor, unscalable fabrication, noble materials, and material complexity. In our work, a highly stable and eco-friendly organic conductive ink based on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) has been developed for monolithic fabrication on-paper SCPSs almost fully through a simple direct ink writing (DIW) process. The ink possesses multiple functions and enables to directly print almost all the key components in the SCPSs, including electrodes for triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs, mechanical energy harvesters), electrodes for micro-supercapacitors (MSCs, energy storage devices), and interconnects, on the same paper substrate in a monolithic manner without the need for “post-integration”. The monolithic printing process exhibits excellent upscaling capability for manufacturing. In particular, the direct patterning merit of the DIW process offers great flexibility in optimizing the system performance through adjusting the cell number, electrode dimension, and thickness of the MSC arrays. By adjusting the cell numbers, the MSC arrays attain high-rate capability up to 50 V/s to match the pulsing electricity produced from the TENGs. For small-size printed SCPSs (~ 2 cm × 3 cm ×1 mm), after continuous press and release of the TENGs for ~79000 cycles, the 3-cell series-connected MSC array can be charged to 1.6 V while 6-cell array to 3.0 V. For a lar, Part of ISBN 9789189896925QC 20240719

Passive indoor moisture control is a meaningful way to reduce HVAC operation and improve building energy efficiency. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been considered one of the most promising sorbent materials for passive indoor moisture control. However, the powder form of MOF is challenging to use in the built environment. Typical shaping methods like pellets, beads, and coating can lead to problems like partial pore blocking, insufficient mechanical stability, amorphization, and low material utilization. Here, we report a new sustainable MOF paper sheet comprising 25% cellulosic fibers and 75% MOF MIL-100(Fe) powder. The porous polymer matrix provides good support and fixation for MOF particles, so it’s more applicable in the built environment. The crystalline and pore structure characteristics of the MOF in the membrane are well preserved. Hydro characteristic test results show that MIL-100(Fe) paper sheet has high water vapor uptake, S-shape isotherm, mild regeneration condition, and high MBV. Then, a numerical model was developed to calculate the relation between a material’s MBV and its thickness. MIL-100(Fe) paper sheet with the most efficient thickness was applied as wallpaper in a building energy simulation model. The simulation result shows that the MIL-100(Fe) paper sheet is promising for passive indoor moisture control. It can remove about 45%-55% of the latent cooling load in most European climate types.

This technical assistance paper provides policy and guidance to individuals with test administration responsibilities in adult education programs. The Florida assessment policies and guidelines presented in this technical assessment paper are appropriate for state and federal reporting. Therefore, guidance and procedures regarding the selection and use of appropriate student assessment are included in this technical assistance paper. Additionally, the following important information for adult education programs is reviewed: (1) The definition of key terms and acronyms; (2) Selection of appropriate assessments by student and program type; (3) Appropriate student placement into program and instructional level; (4) Verification of student learning gains, Educational Functioning Level, and/or program completion; (5) Accommodations for students with disabilities and other special needs; (6) Assessment procedures for Distance Education; and and (7) Training for all staff who administer the standardized assessments. [For the "2019-2020 Florida Adult Education Assessment Technical Assistance Paper," see ED600585.]

This occasional paper presents national demographic subgroup data for the 1975-2019 Monitoring the Future (MTF) national survey results on 8th, 10th, and 12th graders' use of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. The 2018 subgroup data presented in this report accompany the "Monitoring the Future National Survey Results on Drug Use: 1975-2019: Overview, Key Findings on Adolescent Drug Use" (see ED604018) and the "Monitoring the Future National Survey Results on Drug Use, 1975-2018: Volume I, Secondary School Students" (see ED599067). The trends presented in this occasional paper in tabular and graphic forms cover demographic subgroups based on: (1) Gender; (2) College plans; (3) Region of the country; (4) Population density; (5) Education level of the parents (a proxy for socioeconomic level); and (6) Racial/ethnic identification. Detailed descriptions of the demographic categories are provided. The graphs and tables in this occasional paper present trend data for 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-grade respondents separately. Data for 12th grade begins with 1975, the first year in which a nationally representative sample of high school seniors was surveyed. Data for 8th and 10th grades begin with 1991, when the study's nationally representative annual surveys were expanded to include those lower grade levels.

The pulp and paper industry produces several calcite-rich by-products including Green Liquor Dregs (GLDs), lime mud, grits, sludges, etc. Presently, majority of these by-products are managed by landfilling. The GLD used in this study is mainly dominated by calcite (∼80 %) and Hydrotalcite like compounds (HTlc, ∼12 %). It is used to produced OPC clinkers by using them as 0 %, 5 %, 10 %, 15 %, and 20 % replacement of limestone used for clinker production. TGA-DSC analysis of the clinker raw meals up to 1350 ℃ indicates that increase in GLD leads to slight reduction in the decomposition temperature for the raw meals, and a slight change in the formation temperatures for C2S and C3S. The mineral phase compositions of all the clinkers are comparable with a slightly decreasing C3S and C2S with increasing GLD. Compared to the Bogue calculated compositions, C3S and C2S are slightly lower, while the C3A is significantly lower and C4AF is significantly higher. The environmental leaching of GLD and the clinkers are all within the limits set by EN-12457-2. The environmental impact of clinker production and effect of GLD is analyzed for cradle-to-gate scenario with system boundaries. This analysis shows that by using GLD as replacement for limestone can lower the impact on diversity as well as CO2 related to transportation can also be reduced., This research was a part of the MIMEPRO-project (7935/35/2019), which is a Business Finland funded Co-Innovation Project, together with the following companies: Stora Enso Oyj, Metsä Fibre Oy, Valmet Oy, Fortum Waste Solutions Oy, Matnur Oy, Betoniteollisuus ry, and Parma-Consolis Oy. D.D. Ramteke and P. Kinnunen would like to acknowledge the support by the Academy of Finland – Academy Project (CEMGLASS-243033041).

Introduction: Paper folding and punched hole tests are used to measure spatial abilities in humans. These abilities are relevant since they are associated with success in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). This study addresses the challenge of teaching spatial reasoning skills using an educational videogame, the Paper Folding Reasoning Game. Methods: The Paper Folding Reasoning Game is an interactive game which presents activities intended to help users train and understand how to fold a paper to get a specific shape (Part I) and the consequence of punching a hole on a folded paper (Part II). This educational videogame can automatically generate paper-folding-and-punched-hole questions with varying degrees of difficulty depending on the number of folds and holes made, thus producing additional levels for training due to its embedded reasoning mechanisms (Part III). Results: This manuscript presents the results of analyzing the gameplay data gathered by the Paper Folding Reasoning Game in its three parts. For Parts I and II, the data provided by 225 anonymous unique players are analyzed. For Part III (Mastermode), the data obtained from 894 gameplays by 311 anonymous unique players are analyzed. In our analysis, we found out a significant difference in performance regarding the players who trained (i.e., played Parts I and II) before playing the Mastermode (Part III) vs. the group of players who did not train. We also found a significant difference in players' performance who used the visual help (i.e., re-watch the animated sequence of paper folds) vs. the group of players who did not use it, confirming the effectiveness of the Paper Folding Reasoning Game to train paper-folding-and-punched-hole reasoning skills. Statistically significant gender differences in performance were also found.

In this work, we predicted the gradient of the deformational moisture dynamics in a sized commercial paper by observing the curl deformation in response to the one-sided water application. The deformational moisture is a part of the applied liquid which ends up in the fibers causing swelling and subsequent mechanical response of the entire fiber network structure. The adapted approach combines traditional experimental procedures, advanced machine learning techniques and continuum modeling to provide insights into the complex phenomenon relevant to ink-jet digital printing in which the sized and coated paper is often used, meaning that not all the applied moisture will reach the fibers. Key material properties including elasticity, plastic parameters, viscoelasticity, creep, moisture dependent behavior, along with hygroexpansion coefficients are identified through extensive testing, providing vital data for subsequent simulation using a continuum model. Two machine learning models, a Feedforward Neural Network (FNN) and a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN), are probed in this study. Both models are trained using exclusively numerically generated moisture profile histories, showcasing the value of such data in contexts where experimental data acquisition is challenging. These two models are subsequently utilized to predict moisture profile history based on curl experimental measurements, with the RNN demonstrating superior accuracy due to its ability to account for temporal dependencies. The predicted moisture profiles are used as inputs for the continuum model to simulate the associated curl response comparing it to the experiment representing “never seen” data. The result of comparison shows highly predictive capability of the RNN. This study melds traditional experimental methods and innovative machine learning techniques, providing a robust technique for predicting moisture gradient dynamics that can be used for both optimizing the ink solution and paper structure to, QC 20231227

Due to its unique material properties, paper offers many practical advantages as a viable platform for sensing devices. In view of paper-based microfluidic biosensing applications, the covalent immobilization of enzymes with preserved functional activity is highly desirable and ultimately challenging. In the present manuscript, we report an efficient approach to achieving the covalent attachment of certain enzymes on paper fibers via a surface-bound network of hydrophilic polymers bearing protein-modifiable sites. This tailor-made macromolecular system consisting of polar, highly swellable copolymers is anchored to the paper exterior upon light-induced crosslinking of engineered benzophenone motifs. On the other hand, this framework contains active esters that can be efficiently modified by the nucleophiles of biomolecules. This strategy allowed the covalent immobilization of glucose oxidase and horseradish peroxidase onto cotton linters without sacrificing their bioactivities and performance upon surface binding. As a proof-of-concept application, a microfluidic chromatic paper-based glucose sensor was developed and achieved successful glucose detection in a simple yet efficient cascade reaction.

The electrification and digitalization of our society has propelled the demand for energy storage solutions. High-end technologies have been developed to satisfy the requirements of demanding applications, such as electromobility and portable consumer electronics, which also increasingly find markets for less demanding applications. These markets include grid and domestic energy storage, as well as Internet of Things (IoT). However, using high-end technologies for low-end applications is a waste of resources that puts unnecessary stress on the supply lines. Thus, more low-cost cost and environmentally friendly alternative technologies are sought, among which renewable biobased materials derived from agriculture and forestry play a prominent role. The dominant chemical constituents in plants, cellulose and lignin, exhibit some intriguing electrochemical and colloidal properties. Cellulose has been found to efficiently stabilize various electronic materials, whereas lignin can be used as an electronic material itself. Lignocellulosic materials also open for papermaking as an alternative manufacturing approach. Taking the step to using papermaking methods is, however, a bit far from the technology readiness level, as the vast majority of the research on paper electrodes is based on nanocellulose. The material properties of such nanopapers are indeed extraordinary, but the lack of large-scale production methods for nanopapers is a serious challenge. To circumvent this obstacle and find a shortcut to the realization of paper electrodes, this thesis has turned to conventional papermaking techniques. Fibres are essentially different to nanofibrils by their difference in size, and the papermaking process requires careful composition of the formulations. Thus, as the research on nanopaper electrodes cannot be directly translated into conventional papermaking techniques, this calls for separate studies on fibre-based systems. This thesis is based on four separate works carrie

This project was implemented as a Master thesis project in Industrial design engineering (IDE). In collaboration with Billerud Karlsborg, the project was initiated to develop proposal for a technological solution for eliminating a manual handling work task in the production line for coated paper products. The design process was implemented as a Participatory design approach, inviting the workers of the production unit to collaborate in design activites and workshops. The participatory approach was based on the Scandinavian perspective on Participatory design, with influences from the comtemporary views on collaborative design. The project included a holistic ergonomic analysis focused on the assessment of musculoskeletal disorder risk factors in the work task flagged by workers as a cause of work strain. The focused work task documented in detail and assessed through REBA and RULA assessment. The work task involves manual handling of a stack of residual paper that is rolled to a tube, by hand, and subsequently lifted and pushed to a grinder inlet for re-purposing. While the ergonomic analysis confirm that there are postural risk factors present, the pace of work suggests that adequate resting for preventing work stain related to the focused task is possible during work. However, the percieved work strained is suggested to originate from work task in close connection to the focused task. A proposal for a concept that sufficiently eliminates the risk factors found in the focused task is developed based on a human-centered design and anthropometric principles. The development concludes with the construction of a prototype, but time constraints denies evaluation of the prototype with end users. The concept is therefore presented as renders of a 3D-model., Det här projektet har utförts som ett examensarbete inom Civilingenjör Teknisk design, på uppdrag av Billerud Karlsborg. Syftet med projektet var att utveckla ett tekniskt lösningsförslag till ett av Billerud utvalt arbetsmiljöproblem vid en av arbetstationerna i pappersbruket i Karlsborg. I samarbete med arbetarna i den berörda produktionslinjen genomfördes en participativ designprocess, innefattade planering och genomförande av participativa designaktiviteter och workshops baserade på de skandinaviska teorierna kring participativ design, med influens från nyare perspektiv kring co-design. Som en del i arbetet utfördes en övergipande ergonomisk analys avseende belastningsergonomiska riskkällor vid en fokuserad arbetsstation, med en detaljerad kartläggning av den arbetsuppgift som arbetarna upplever som problematisk. Den fokuserade arbetsuppgiften innefattar manuell hantering av en restprodukt som behöver rullas ihop för hand och därefter lyftas samt skjutas till en kvarn för återvinning. Den ergonomiska analysen utfördes med hjälp av REBA- och RULA-bedömningar, vilka bekräftade att en potentiell risk för belastningsergonomiska skador i det arbetssätt som utövas, men där produktionstakten och systemets styrning tyder på att tillräcklig vila är möjlig under arbetet för att motverka skador från lågintensivt muskelarbete. Arbetsmiljöproblemet bedöms däremot inte vara obefintligt då arbetarnas totala arbete innefattar ytterligare moment av fysisk belastning, och där arbetsmiljöproblemet eventuellt kan vara ett resultat av närliggande moment till den fokuserade arbetsuppgiften. Som lösningsförslag på problemet utvecklas ett koncept som eliminerar de funna riskkällorna i den avgränsade arbetsuppgiften, med utgångspunkt i användarcentrerad design och utefter antropometriska riktlinjer. Utvecklingen av en fysisk prototyp för utvärdering med arbetarna påbörjades, men hann inte slutföras innan projektet avslutades. Istället presenteras konceptet genom rendingar av en 3D-model

Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGID), such as infant regurgitation, infant colic, and functional constipation, are common and typically physiological phenomena during the early months of an infant's life and account for frequent consultations with pediatricians. Various infant formulas are marketed for their management and are frequently given by parents to infants before a medical consultation. However, the evidence supporting their effectiveness is limited and some have altered nutritional compositions when compared to standard formulas. Thus, these products should only be used under medical supervision and upon medical advice. Marketing and over-the-counter sales do not ensure proper medical guidance and supervision. The aim of this position paper is to review the current evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of formulas specifically formulated for addressing regurgitation, colic, and constipation, recognized as FGID. The objective is to provide guidance for clinical management based on the highest quality of available evidence. A wide search using Pubmed, MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was performed including the MESH terms infant formula, colic, constipation, regurgitation, reflux, palmitate, lactase, lactose, magnesium, hydrolyzed protein, prebiotics or probiotics. 752 papers were identified and screened. Finally, 72 papers were included in the paper. In the absence of evidence, recommendations reflect the authors' combined expert opinion. Final consensus was obtained by multiple e-mail exchange and meetings of the Nutrition Committee. (1) For breastfed infants experiencing FGID such as regurgitation, colic, or constipation, transitioning from breastfeeding to commercial formulas is not recommended. (2) In general, whether an infant is breastfed or formula-fed, it's crucial to reassure parents that FGIDs are normal and typically do not necessitate treatment or change to a special formula. (3) Thickened formulas, oft

Traditionellt har samhället förlitat sig på en linjär ekonomi som använder jungfruliga råvaror. Men nu är ett skifte i sikte. Intresset för att skapa nya varor från restprodukter har drivit fram utvecklingen av cirkulära bioekonomier genom industriell symbios. Dessa syftar till att minimera utarmningen av jordens resurser och främja hållbarhet. Ett framstående exempel på detta är potentialen för industriell symbios inom pappers- och massabruk. I denna studie har Stora Enso Skoghalls Bruk använts som utgångspunkt. Bruket har ett bioslamflöde från reningsverket som i dagsläget inte utnyttjas effektivt. Detta avfall förbränns endast för att generera värmeenergi. Samtidigt måste reningsverket köpa in stora mängder närsalter till det biologiska reningssteget. Produktionen av dessa närsalter, som kväve och fosfor, är energikrävande och miljöskadlig. Dessutom kan fosfor bara utvinnas i begränsad mängd. Genom industriell symbios kan detta avfallsflöde omvandlas till en värdefull resurs. Samtidigt kan närsalterna återanvändas i reningsverket. Detta bidrar till en mer hållbar och effektiv användning av resurser. I samarbete med Tebrito AB har ett experiment utförts på behandlat bioslam hämtat från Stora Enso Skoghalls Bruk. Hälften av detta bioslam användes för att producera biopolymeren polyhydroxialkanoater (PHA). Vanligt- och PHA-rikt bioslam användes för att undersöka om bioslam från pappers- och massabruk kan användas för att odla mjölmaskar på, samt om mjölmaskarna kan användas för att förenkla extraktion av bioplast från bioslam. Parallellt med detta experiment byggdes en simuleringsmodell i Microsoft Excel. I modellen utforskades flera scenarier på industriell symbios med ett pappers- och massabruk för att bedöma vilken kombination av olika industrier som resulterar i lägst utsläpp av växthusgaser. De industrier som undersöktes i modellen var: fiskodling, mjölmaskodling, biokol från pyrolys och bioplastproduktion. Det undersöktes även om det potentiellt finns ekonom, Traditionally, society has relied on a linear economy that uses virgin raw materials. But now a shift is in sight. The interest in creating new goods from waste products has driven the development of circular bioeconomies through industrial symbiosis. These aim to minimize the depletion of the earth’s resources and promote sustainability. A prominent example of this is the potential for industrial symbiosis within the pulp and paper industry. In this study, Stora Enso Skoghalls Bruk has been used as a starting point. The mill has a biosludge flow from the treatment plant that is currently not used effectively. This waste is only burned to generate heat energy. At the same time, the treatment plant must buy large amounts of nutrients for the biological treatment step. The production of these nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, is energy-intensive and environmentally harmful. In addition, phosphorus can only be extracted in limited quantities. Through industrial symbiosis, this waste flow can be transformed into a valuable resource. At the same time, the nutrients can be reused in the treatment plant. This contributes to a more sustainable and efficient use of resources. In collaboration with Tebrito AB, an experiment was carried out on treated biosludge obtained from Stora Enso Skoghalls Bruk. Half of this biosludge was used to produce the biopolymer polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA). Regular and PHA-rich biosludge was used to investigate whether biosludge from pulp and paper mills can be used to grow mealworms on, and whether the mealworms can be used to simplify the extraction of bioplastics from biosludge. Parallel to this experiment, a simulation model was built in Microsoft Excel. In the model, several scenarios of industrial symbiosis with a pulp and paper mill were explored to assess which combination of different industries results in the lowest greenhouse gas emissions. The industries examined in the model were: fish farming, mealworm farming, biochar

The purpose of this study was to investigate the atomic-level structural changes in cellulose-based materials for varying moisture content, crucial for understanding the durability and barrier properties of the material. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of cellulose microfibril bundles under wet and dry conditions were performed using the GROMACS simulation package. Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) and Wide-Angle X-ray Scattering (WAXS) data were computed for the equilibrated 3D structures from the simulations and compared to experimental data of Tetra Pak’s paper straw material at different humidity levels. The results indicated that increased moisture content led to fibril swelling, in accordance with previous research, observable as an intensity bump in the SAXS curves. It proved more difficult to draw any conclusion regarding the change in crystal structure as the WAXS data between the simulations and experiments were inconsistent. The methodology in this thesis provides valuable insights into moisture-induced structural changes in cellulose materials, laying the groundwork for future research on improving the barrier properties of paper-based packaging.

Grease-proof paper is an energy-demanding paper product to manufacture, especially during refining and dewatering. Increases in energy efficiency in either stage could result in major savings. This article investigates the potential gains with addition of a stepwise progression vacuum suction box to the forming section during production. For both a lighter, 50 g/m2, and a heavier paper grade, 100 g/m2, with a pulp-drainability of 86 °SR, a stepwise progression vacuum suction box in four steps would result in increased dryness, simultaneously with decreased energy expenditure. The observed effects were higher for the lower basis weight paper (50 g/m2). Both basis weights experienced clogging of the forming fabric due to the high degree of refining. This adversely affected the dewatering rate, decreasing the amount of air pulled through the paper even when increasing the vacuum pressure. When a stepwise progression suction box in four steps was compared to a single vacuum suction box, there was a 14% increase in dryness for lighter paper, over an equal energy consumption, measured as amount of air pulled through the paper. For the 100 g/m2 paper, the increase in dryness was 3% compared to the 50 g/m2 paper run over a single vacuum suction box. The results show great promise for energy savings when utilizing stepwise progression suction box dewatering for grease-proof paper production.

In the Värmland region, Sweden, an innovative sandwich structural element has been designed by the cooperation of pulp and paper companies for possible use in indoor products, such as tables, shelves, doors, and furniture in general [1]. The element, lightweight and strong, has facesheets of laminated paperboards made of recycled and/or virgin wood fibres. The core, made of paper pulp, has a unique shape like a cup box with staggered positions between the cups, see [1]). At the Department of Engineering and Chemical Science at Karlstad University, the mechanical performance and properties of the elements have been investigated via experimental tests and finite element (FE) models for different applications. Recently, four-point bending tests have been conducted in sandwich beams from the element, see Fig. 1(a). The facesheets of the beams were made of virgin and/or hybrid (virgin + recycled fibres) paper materials. Results from quasistatic experimental tests were evaluated by means of digital image correlation technique for accurate measurements of the beam deflection. In this presentation, we will address aspects of flexural and shear rigidities of the tested samples [2, 3], as well as main observations of failures, which occurred at the top facesheets (c.f. Fig 1(b)). A parametric FE model will also be presented along with its calibration, capability of predicting the failure (c.f. Fig 1(c)), and possibilities for structural optimization. References [1] Ecopals AB, Hållbar möblekonstruktion till en bråkdel av vikten/Durable furniture construction at a fraction of the weight. Retrieved March 03, 2024, https://ecopals.se/ [2] Howard, G.A., Analysis and design of structural sandwich panels, Pergamon, (1969) [3] Lorna, J.G., Michael, F.A., The design of sandwich panels with foam cores. In: Cellular Solids: Structure and Properties. Cambridge University Press, 345-386, (1997)

This article aims to compare the pattern of responses obtained by a web-based and a paper-based survey used to investigate the transit safety of travellers in railway stations in Sweden. This aim is achieved by evaluating whether the response and the completion rates change as the surveys progress, assessing the effect of the survey mode on respondents' answers (after controlling for the surveys' internal consistency and differences in the samples), and the potential impact of the order of alternatives in multiple-choice questions on the responses. To carry out the study, a sample of 500 responses was taken from each population and later compared using a series of statistical tests. Findings indicate that despite the surveys' high internal consistency, the prevalence of victimisation, fear of crime, and precautions detected in the web survey was higher than those found in the paper survey. The web survey shows a major drop just after the initial questions, while the paper survey shows a more stable pattern of responses, but was also affected by a single compulsory question that pushed the completion rate down. Finally, the order of alternatives in multiple-choice questions (fixed or random) did not affect the answers given by the respondents, providing a solid base for safety interventions in transit environments, regardless of survey mode. The article concludes by making suggestions for both research and practice., Correction: Ceccato, V., Gliori, G., Näsman, P. et al. Publisher Correction to: Comparing responses from a paper‑based survey with a web‑based survey in environmental criminology. Crime Prevention & Community Safety 26, 244 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41300-024-00210-x

Climate change mitigation by increased paper recycling can alleviate the two-sided pressure on the Swedish forest sector: supplying growing demands for wood-based products and increasing the forest carbon sink. This study assesses two scenarios for making use of a reduced demand for primary pulp resulting from an increased paper recycling rate in Sweden, from the present 72% to 78%. A Conservation scenario uses the saved primary pulp to reduce pulplog harvests so as to increase the forest carbon sink concomitant with constant overall wood product supply. In contrast, a Substitution scenario uses the saved primary pulp to produce man-made cellulosic fibers (MMCF) from dissolving pulp replacing cotton fiber, implying increased overall wood product supply. Our results suggest that utilizing efficiency gains in paper recycling to reduce pulplog harvests is better from a climate change mitigation perspective than producing additional MMCF to substitute cotton fiber. This conclusion holds even when assuming the use of by-products from dissolving pulp making and an indirect increase in MMCF availability. Hence, unless joint improvements across the value chain materialize, the best climate change mitigation option from increased paper recycling in Sweden would seemingly be to reduce fellings rather than producing additional MMCF.

The Current study aimed at valorizing carrot pomace (CP), an abundant waste from the juice industry. A water-soluble fraction of CP was separated from solid fraction of CP (SFCP) and employed as feedstock for producing fungal biomass (FB) in bench-scale bioreactors. FB combined with SFCP were used to develop mycelium-based papers (MBP) using the wet-laid method. The potential and capacity of FB, SFCP and MBP to remove dye (methylene blue) from wastewater was then investigated. The maximum achieved dye removal was 92% when using a mixture of SFCP and FB in their suspended forms. The MBP with the lowest density (549 kg/m3) reached 83% dye elimination. The findings of this study support the valorization of carrot pomace, through environmentally benign processes, to mycelium-based papers with potential application in wastewater treatment.

Objectives: Meningitis is a medical emergency, and it is crucial to diagnose it accurately and promptly in order to manage patients effectively. It would, therefore, be essential to introduce and have fast, accurate, and user-friendly methods to determine the cause of these infections. This study aimed to demonstrate a potentially cost-effective new approach for detecting meningitis using a paper-based vertical flow microarray, which could be useful in settings with limited resources. Methods: We describe a multiplex paper microarray for detecting Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Salmonella spp. by the passive vertical flow of PCR-amplified clinical samples. A multibiotinylated amplicon was obtained as a product of PCR in the presence of both a biotinylated primer and biotin-11-dUTP. An enhancement step based on an enzyme-free gold enhancement protocol was also used to facilitate visual detection. Results: This study showed that the vertical flow microarray (previously evaluated for one pathogen) can discriminately detect the amplification results down to the 102 copies of DNA limit for four meningitis pathogens in a multiplexed set-up. The study further demonstrated the ability of this device and setup to detect three of the four pathogens from clinical biosamples. Discussion: This study demonstrated the capacity of a vertical flow microarray device to detect amplification products for four prevalent meningitis pathogens in a multiplex format. The vertical flow microarray demonstrated consistent visualization of the expected gene amplification results; however, indicating limitations in the pre- and amplification steps. This study highlights the potential of this multiplexing method for diagnosing meningitis and other syndromic diseases caused by various pathogens, especially in resource-limited areas., QC 20240926

Behavioural types provide a promising way to achieve lightweight, language-integrated verification for communication-centric software. However, a large barrier to the adoption of behavioural types is that the current state of the art expects software to be written using the same tools and typing discipline throughout a system, and has little support for components over which a developer has no control. This position paper describes the outcomes of a working group discussion at Dagstuhl Seminar 24051 (Next-Generation Protocols for Heterogeneous Systems). We propose a methodology for integrating multiple behaviourally-typed components, written in different languages. Our proposed approach involves an extensible protocol description language, a session IR that can describe data transformations and boundary monitoring and which can be compiled into program-specific session proxies, and finally a session middleware to aid session establishment. We hope that this position paper will stimulate discussion on one of the most pressing challenges facing the widespread adoption of behavioural typing., QC 20240718

This Bachelor of Science thesis was completed as part of the course: Batchelor thesis for university engineer’s degree in innovation technology and design, MSGC36, at Karlstad University. The work included a preliminary investigation project carried out during the spring term of 2024. The client for this project was Nordic Paper (NP). NP wanted to investigate whether carbon dioxide reduction could be achieved with the help of algae cultivation at Nordic Paper's mill in Bäckhammar. Due to the company's continuous work with improvements in sustainability, where the pursuit of reducing greenhouse gases is one of them, the work was done to contribute to a wider scope of application methods that support one of the focus areas that the company follows: reduced climate impact. The goal of the project was to investigate the possibilities of industrial algae cultivation. The study involved a comprehensive investigation into the abilities and product potentials of algae. During the process, products and the different areas of application regarding algae, have been investigated. In addition to that investigation has been made of their ability to fixate carbon dioxide. The project's layout was inspired by the Double Diamond design process model. Various interviews and the latest research in the field provided the foundation for the conclusions reached during the process. In addition to that, various types of idea generation methods as well as decision-making methods have also been carried out in order to reach a final result. Algae has the ability to fixate carbon dioxide through their photosynthesis without requiring high purity from the flue gases in order to grow. In addition to algae's air-purifying capabilities, algae can also cleanse water from toxic substances and contribute to various end products. Industrial algae cultivation is in continued need of further research. On NP's behalf, deeper research was required in the area of application for algae that includes wat, Examensarbetet utfördes under kursen Examensarbete för högskoleingenjörsexamen i innovationsteknik och design, MSGC36, vid Karlstads universitet. Arbetet innefattade ett förundersökningsprojekt genomfört under vårterminen 2024.Uppdragsgivaren för projektet var Nordic Paper (NP). Företaget ville undersöka om koldioxidreducering kunde uppnås med hjälp utav algodling på Nordic Papers bruk i Bäckhammar. På grund av företagets ständiga arbete med förbättringar inom hållbarhet, där strävan efter reducering av växthusgaser är en utav dem, gjordes arbetet för att bidra till en bredare omfattning av tillämpningsmetoder som stödjer ett av de fokusområden som företaget följer: minskad klimatpåverkan. Målet med projektet var att undersöka möjligheterna kring industriell algodling. Arbetet omfattade en bred undersökning av algers förmåga och produktmöjligheter. I arbetet undersöktes slutprodukter och tillämpningsområden alger har utöver förmågan att binda till sig koldioxid. Projektets upplägg inspirerades av designprocessmodellen Double Diamond. Olika intervjuer och omfattande undersökning av senaste forskningen inom området låg till grunden för de slutsatser som togs under processens gång. Utöver det har även olika typer av idégenereringsmetoder samt metoder för beslutsfattning utförts för att leda till ett slutgiltigt resultat. Alger har en förmåga att binda till sig koldioxid genom sin fotosyntes och kräver dessutom inte hög renhet från rökgaserna för att kunna växa. Utöver algers luftrenande förmåga kan de dessutom rena vatten från giftiga ämnen samt bidra till olika typer av slutprodukter. Industriell algodling är i fortsatt behov av vidare forskning. För NP:s räkning krävdes djupare undersökning i det tillämpningsområdet för alger som innefattar vattenrening, vilket resulterade i att nyttjandet av alger som vattenrenare fick kvarstå till framtiden. De alger som ansågs mest fördelaktiga i s

The construction of the question paper is the key phase in examination system that leads towards the attainment of the goal of assessment which ultimately directs us to make better decision making. Thus, evaluation of the question paper plays an indispensable and prominent role in this regard. To find out the extent of content coverage of the question paper and to perform item analysis to estimate the quality of the questions, 10 question papers, and 489 answer scripts were selected through the Multistage Sampling technique. Question paper review format and focus group discussion were used as a tool. Quantitative analysis disclosed that question paper did not include 52% of the entire syllabus while approximately all items were in “good” or “acceptable” range regarding item analysis. The minimal strata of the question showed very weak discrimination. Variation was also found in attempting different questions ranging from 16% to 93%. Focus Group Discussion disclosed that a specific portion of the syllabus was not taught or ignored by the concerned teacher.

The fourth industrial revolution, colloquially referred to as “industry 4.0”, has garnered substantial global attention in recent years. There, Artificial intelligence (AI) driven industrial intelligence has been increasingly deployed in predictive maintenance (PdM), emerging as a vital enabler of smart manufacturing and industry 4.0. Since in recent years the number of articles focusing on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in PdM is high a review on the available literature reviews in this domain would be useful for the future researchers who would like to advance the research in this area and also for the persons who would like to apply PdM in their application domains. Therefore, this study identifies the AI revolution in PdM and focuses on the next stages available in the literature reviews in this area by quality assessment of secondary study. A well-known structured review approach (Systematic Literature Review, or SLR) was employed to perform this tertiary study. In addition, the Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Review Articles (SANRA) approach for evaluating the quality of review papers has been employed to support a few of the research questions. Here, This tertiary study scrutinizes four crucial aspects of secondary articles: (1) their specific research domains, (2) the annual trends in the quantity, variety, and quality (3) a footsteps of top researchers, and (4) the research constraints that review articles face during the time frame of 2015 to 2022. The results show that the majority of the application areas are applied to the manufacturing industry. It also leads to the identification of the revolution of AI in PdM as well. Our final findings indicate that Dr. Cheng et al.’s (2022) review has emerged as the predominant source of information in this field. As newcomers or industrial practitioners, we can benefit greatly from following his insights. The final outcome is that there is a lack of progress in SLR formulation and in adding explainable or inte

The materials to produce concrete blocks (sand, gravel, and cement) are limited resources that are becoming scarce over time due to their increasing demand in construction. On the other hand, the waste of glass and paper is progressively increasing without being fully utilized through recycling. Therefore, the objective of this scientific research is to evaluate the influence on the mechanical properties of masonry concrete blocks made with recycled glass and paper particles. Likewise, the sample was non-probabilistically selected for convenience, consisting of 192 concrete blocks manufactured with additions of 3% (2% glass particles and 1% recycled paper), 6% (4% glass particles and 2% recycled paper), and 9% (6% glass particles and 3% recycled paper), as well as concrete blocks manufactured without additions. According to the results obtained, at 3%, 6%, and 9% addition of glass and paper particles, the absorption decreased by 4.94%, 3.398%, and 3.52% respectively. However, the warping increased between 1.7mm and 1.8mm, while the compressive strength (f'c) increased to 75kg/cm2, 82kg/cm2, and 77kg/cm2, respectively. Similarly, the axial compressive strength (f'm) increased to 91.22kg/cm2, 94.45kg/cm2, and 92.80kg/cm2, and the diagonal compressive strength (V'm) increased by 8.90kg/cm2, 9.70kg/cm2, and 9.70kg/cm2. Nevertheless, the manufacturing cost of masonry units showed a progressive reduction with the amount of glass + paper addition, amounting to 0.57 USD, 0.55 USD, and 0.53 USD. It was also determined that the optimal addition of these materials in the concrete mix in terms of cost and strength is 9% (glass + paper), resulting in compressive strengths of 77kg/cm2, 92.8kg/cm2, and 9.70kg/cm2, with a cost of 0.53 USD per unit. In conclusion, it can be affirmed that adding glass and recycled paper particles in the production of concrete blocks for use in load-bearing masonry walls positively influences the physical and mechanical properties of the blocks. Addit

The sharing and documentation of cardiovascular research data are essential for efficient use and reuse of data, thereby aiding scientific transparency, accelerating the progress of cardiovascular research and healthcare, and contributing to the reproducibility of research results. However, challenges remain. This position paper, written on behalf of and approved by the German Cardiac Society and German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, summarizes our current understanding of the challenges in cardiovascular research data management (RDM). These challenges include lack of time, awareness, incentives, and funding for implementing effective RDM; lack of standardization in RDM processes; a need to better identify meaningful and actionable data among the increasing volume and complexity of data being acquired; and a lack of understanding of the legal aspects of data sharing. While several tools exist to increase the degree to which data are findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR), more work is needed to lower the threshold for effective RDM not just in cardiovascular research but in all biomedical research, with data sharing and reuse being factored in at every stage of the scientific process. A culture of open science with FAIR research data should be fostered through education and training of early-career and established research professionals. Ultimately, FAIR RDM requires permanent, long-term effort at all levels. If outcomes can be shown to be superior and to promote better (and better value) science, modern RDM will make a positive difference to cardiovascular science and practice. The full position paper is available in the supplementary materials.

Paper documents, where digital signatures are not directly applicable, are still widely utilized due to usability and legal reasons. We propose a novel approach to authenticating paper documents by taking short videos of them with smartphones. Our solution combines cryptographic and image comparison techniques to detect and highlight semantic-changing attacks on rich documents, containing text and graphics. We provide geometrical arguments for the security of our novel comparison algorithm, and prove that its combination with a cryptographic protocol is secure against strong adversaries capable of compromising different system components. We also measure its accuracy on a set of 128 videos of paper documents and a set of 960 synthetically generated warped documents, half containing subtle forgeries. Our algorithm finds all forgeries accurately with no false positives. The highlighted regions are large enough to be visible to users, but small enough to precisely locate forgeries.

Assessments of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in managed areas are facing various challenges. A non-flow-through, non-steady-state (NFT-NSS) chamber coupled to a frame permanently inserted into the landfilled substrates is a standard method for quantifying GHG emissions in managed areas, such as pulp and paper mill sludge (PPMS) landfill sites. Frequent measurements are needed to minimize uncertainties on GHG emission factors at the landfill site scale. However, maintaining a frame inserted into the substrates for a long time period is often impossible due to landfilling management operations. Therefore, GHG measurements using NFT-NSS chambers placed directly on substrates’ surface could be an interesting option. Our objectives were to determine the relationships between CO2, CH4, and N2O fluxes measured with (F + ) and without (F-) a frame inserted in the substrates’ surface and to develop correction factors for fluxes measured without a frame. Measurements were made at different PPMS landfill sites in the province of Québec, Canada. Stronger GHG flux relationships were observed at the provincial (across sites) than the specific site scale: the variance in GHG fluxes from F- chambers explained up to 80 % of variance in fluxes from F + chambers. The measured CO2, CH4, and N2O fluxes in F- chambers were on average 53, 78, and 63 % lower, respectively, than those estimated by the models at provincial scale. The correction factors developed with this approach could greatly extend the number of sites where in situ GHG measurements can be done and would help refining GHG inventories at the provincial and national levels.

Evaluating errors represents an important shortcoming of the teaching-learning evaluation process in every educational system. The purpose of this research was to investigate the causes, consequences, and approaches of solutions to eradicate the evaluating errors in Benin secondary schools. To that purpose, ten (10) teachers and 100 learners were chosen based on their willingness exclusively from GUEMA secondary school in the municipality of Parakou. The data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, group discussions, and past exam papers analysis. The findings revealed that exam paper errors are often due to the evaluating system that consists of machines. The mistakes concern miswritten words, special notes such as “NB,” “Note,” etc., ambiguity about items and questions, and unreadability of the paper. Consequently, evaluating errors impacts the learners’ present and future language careers. They make learners feel demotivated and stressed, damaging their eagerness to learn the language. To solve this issue, it was shown that English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers need in-service training and significant reforms in evaluating the system should be done.

Due to the high wastepaper recyclability and water-loop system closure, packaging paper mills struggle with increased fines, causing runnability issues. Cellulase enzymes are a preferred treatment choice for the improvement of the pulp refining in stock preparation area but are not widely used or easy to introduce in the production process. Different cellulase enzymes were tested, and those with the highest activity were introduced to the white-water (WW) samples with the aim to reduce fines content as potentially new enzyme applications on the paper machine. The first portion of the study involved the development of an experiment model to find and confirm the optimal enzyme process parameters (40 °C, pH 5.7, reaction time 3 h, and 0.18% v/v enzyme addition) for laboratory made white-water. The second portion of the study included turbidity, colloidal charge, flow cytometry (FCM), and chemical oxygen demand (COD) analysis on industrial and laboratory made white-water samples at optimized process parameters. Obtained results corresponded to reduced fines content in white-water samples, which justified commercial usage of cellulase enzymes on recycled paper machine short loop and potentially increased machine runnability without negative influence on wastewater treatment plant.

We present a method to fabricate handcrafted thermoelectric devices on standard office paper substrates. The devices are based on thin films of WS2, Te, and BP (P-type semiconductors) and TiS3 and TiS2 (N-type semiconductors), deposited by simply rubbing powder of these materials against paper. The thermoelectric properties of these semiconducting films revealed maximum Seebeck coefficients of (+1.32 ± 0.27) mV K−1 and (−0.82 ± 0.15) mV K−1 for WS2 and TiS3, respectively. Additionally, Peltier elements were fabricated by interconnecting the P- and N-type films with graphite electrodes. A thermopower value up to 6.11 mV K−1 was obtained when the Peltier element were constructed with three junctions. The findings of this work show proof-of-concept devices to illustrate the potential application of semiconducting van der Waals materials in future thermoelectric power generation as well as temperature sensing for low-cost disposable electronic devices. © 2022 The Authors. Energy & Environmental Materials published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Zhengzhou University.