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Nanoparticles, considered building blocks of nanotechnology, are a topic of widespread research due to their extraordinary properties that are useful in diverse sectors. Among all nanoparticle types, TiO2 (anatase) has drawn the most attention, primarily because of its superhydrophilic properties and effective antibacterial actions. Its applications include self-cleaning of solid surfaces, treatment of water and air, production of clean energy, treatment of microbial infections, pesticide management, etc. making TiO2 a focal point of research in materials science. However, the lack of photosensitivity to visible light (>390 nm) reduces the scope for utilising TiO2 in photocatalytic processes. Therefore, most studies on TiO2 nanoparticles have focused on broadening their spectral sensitivity through band gap manipulation for effective photocatalysis under visible light. Researchers have doped/co-doped metals and non-metals, such as N, C, F, S, B, Cu, Fe, V, Pt, etc. to nano-TiO2 to shorten its band gap with varying degrees of success. This review paper mainly focuses on the mechanism and effectivity of N and Fe co-doped TiO2 nanoparticles. The progress of scientific research on TiO2 photocatalysis has introduced an array of new applications using TiO2 nanoparticles, and these applications have also been discussed in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personalisation, which tailors to individual preferences, is considered a possible route for improving engagement with digital mental health (DMH) products. Despite claims about the presence and importance of personalised features, evidence about their extent and impact is limited. The study objective was to review evidence from published research to investigate and characterise the contribution of personalisation to engagement and effectiveness.Research papers were retrieved using keywords, with 139 papers being fully examined and 61 meeting our eligibility criteria. Most of the eligible articles reviewing DMH systems have weak to intermediate forms of personalisation (45). Only nine were coded as having strong, adaptive personalisation. Of the 40 articles which evaluated the personalisation effectiveness, 28 were qualitative indicating user preference for personalised features. The 16 controlled, quantitative designs lacked a non-personalised intervention, making it difficult to determine the added value. Effect sizes calculated from available data showed minimal differences in effectiveness compared to non-personalised apps.Our review indicates mixed evidence of personalisation’s performance in DMH interventions. Generally, there is a lack of good quality evidence to isolate specific contributions of personalisation. Opportunities were identified for improved evaluation, however caution is required when implementing more sophisticated methods of DMH personalisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel class of nanomaterials known as carbon quantum dots (CQDs) has drawn significant attention because of numerous benefits, particularly its small size (between 1 and 10 nm) and great water solubility, fluorescence, ease of synthesis, and low toxicity among others. There are still many crucial questions that need to be answered, such as how to prepare high-quality CQDs with an appropriate yield using a simpler and easier approach. Most of the articles reviewed have discussed the production of CQDs intended for applications in imaging and sensing. Nevertheless, there is a scarcity of research focusing on producing undecorated and doped CQDs. In this review paper, the various methods for synthesizing CQDs by using various carbon sources have been summarized. Additionally, In this paper, we discuss the primary characterization techniques and the applications of CQDs in various fields. The fundamental objective of this paper is to analyze various synthesis methods used over different periods to address the challenges that one might encounter during the synthesis of CQDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) technology has gained significant traction as an eco-friendly, cost-effective, and intelligent self-healing method for concrete cracks. The harsh service environment and high alkalinity of cement matrices have posed a significant challenge to the survival and growth of bacteria, which is crucial for the success of MICP technologies in concrete components. This article aims to present an up-to-date overview of the current research status of self-healing concrete cracks utilizing MICP technology. Specifically, it comprehensively reviews the selection of mineralization repair systems, encompassing repair mechanisms, effects, processes, nutrient addition sequences, and carrier selection. Furthermore, various characterization methods for evaluating the self-healing ability of concrete are explored, accompanied by an in-depth analysis of practical applications of self-healing concrete. Finally, this paper highlights the pressing issues facing this technology while outlining promising directions for future advancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the research progress of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) research in the nervous system in recent years is reviewed. Firstly, the current status of neurotransmitter testing is briefly introduced, and the advantages of SERS detection technology are proposed. Secondly, the development status of SERS technology for neurotransmitters is reviewed, such as monoamines and amino acids. Thirdly, the SERS used to detect neurological diseases are mainly introduced, and SERS based microdevices are further introduced. In addition, the diagnostic applications of SERS in malignant tumors of the nervous system are analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The standard binomial distribution is based on a sequence of Bernoulli trials. The probability of success is the same for each trial. In the Generalized Binomial Distribution (GBD), the probability of success changes by the history of successes up to that point. For example, if a student correctly answers a large proportion of the first few questions, the probability of correctly answering the next question increases because the history of successes may indicate skill. The Bernoulli events are correlated. Alternatively, the standard binomial distribution does not consider the history of successes, and assumes that successes are not correlated. In this paper we prove some new properties of the GBD and apply the concept to five new areas in sport competition, finance, biology, meteorology, and testing pseudo-random number generators. We prove that the GBD predicts the results in the collected data significantly better than the standard binomial distribution thus proving that the events are indeed correlated. We provide an R code, and a supplementary Excel file that provide users with an easy way to analyze any collected data set based on Bernoulli processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper summarizes our work on studying educational applications enabled by the introduction of a new information layer called InfoInternet. This is an initiative to facilitate affordable access to internet-based information in communities with network scarcity or economic problems from the Global South. InfoInternet develops both networking solutions as well as business and social models, together with actors like mobile operators and government organizations. In this paper we identify and describe characteristics of educational applications, their specific users, and learning environment. We are interested in applications that make the adoption of Internet faster, cheaper, and wider in such communities. When developing new applications (or adopting existing ones) for such constrained environments, this work acts as initial guidelines prior to field studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the recent decade, there has been a significant increase in the number of maturity models offered in Building Information Modelling (BIM). However, several problems exist, such as no proper criteria for model choice for organisations and no adequate understanding of BIM maturity model (BIMMM) application areas. Thus, a systematic literature review (SLR) was undertaken using 32 papers published between 2010 and 2021, directed with a descriptive and content analysis, following the PRISMA standards. The results of this paper extend the knowledge on BIMMM development, application and validation. BIMMM development has always been initiated with a literature review on existing maturity models. National BIM Standard's Interactive Capability Maturity Model is the most dominant base for developing and applying BIMMMs. However, the literature lacks applications and validation of mainstream models. The application of BIMMMs is mainly focused on assessing BIM performance, while a few studies tried to explore new avenues such as applying BIMMMs to other contexts, finding the relationship between maturity level and other factors, and understanding the impact of BIM maturity level on factors like project performance. Despite interviews and case studies being popular methods of model validation, doubts on the validity of the models have been raised due to the dearth of information on how most of the models were validated. The results of the study lead future research in the BIMMMs and inform the development and application of valid BIMMMs in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With higher standards in terms of diet and leisure enjoyment, spices and essential oils of aromatic plants (APEOs) are no longer confined to the food industry. The essential oils (EOs) produced from them are the active ingredients that contribute to different flavors. The multiple odor sensory properties and their taste characteristics of APEOs are responsible for their widespread use. The research on the flavor of APEOs is an evolving process attracting the attention among scientists in the past decades. For APEOs, which are used for a long time in the catering and leisure industries, it is necessary to analyze the components associated with the aromas and the tastes. It is important to identify the volatile components and assure quality of APEOs in order to expand their application. It is worth celebrating the different means by which the loss of flavor of APEOs can be retarded in practice. Unfortunately, relatively little research has been done on the structure and flavor mechanisms of APEOs. This also points the way to future research on APEOs.Therefore, this paper reviews the principles of flavor, identification of components and sensory pathways in humans for APEOs. Moreover, the article outlines the means of increasing the efficiency of using of APEOs. Finally, with respect to the sensory applications of APEOs, the review focuses on the practical application of APEOs in food sector and in aromatherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractOvotransferrin(OVT)is a protein found in many types of egg white and has a wide range of functional properties. It has 50% homology with human/bovine lactoferrin, and is expected to be one of the most important alternative proteins for use in food and nutritional applications. This paper mainly reviews the structural characteristics and chemical properties of OVT, as well as its extraction and purification methods. It also systematically describes the various biological activities of OVT and its applications in food and medical industries. The challenges and limitations in the research of OVT were suggested. This review recommends some possible methods such as nanoparticle carriers and microencapsulation to improve the bioavailability and stability of OVT. In addition, this review highlights several strategies to overcome the limitations of OVT in terms of preparation and purification. This review systematically summarizes the recent advances in OVT and will provide guidance for the its development for food and nutritional applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) is a new generation of digital technology that is concerned with the integration and inter-dependencies of the cyber and physical world alongside computational elements. As a new and leading technology, its applications are seen in different projects involving energy and this has however generated lots of interest from the industry, researchers in academia and the government. This paper presents an extensive overview and modernistic research on the applications relating to energy CPS and the security issues and challenges revolving around this research path. In order to achieve this, a systematic literature review was carried out which enabled the analysing and classifying of different applications and security issues described in selected publications. Furthermore, the systematic review permitted the discourse stringing these research areas as well as providing future lines of research. Also, results from the review show the paths where there are increasing research focus and expected research trend in the future years to come. These results will not only be useful in serving as a guide to researchers but will also create new research paths to more experienced researchers to actively follow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article demonstrates how data from a biology paper, which analyzes the relationship between mass and metabolic rate for two species of marine bryozoan, can be used to teach a variety of regression topics to both introductory and advanced students. A thorough analysis requires intelligent data wrangling, variable transformations, and accounting for correlation between observations. The bryozoan data can be used as a valuable class example throughout the semester, or as a dataset for extended homework assignments and class projects. for this article are available online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional highway design approaches have primarily focused on the use of guidelines in the design of highways. These design guidelines provide nominal safety where conservative percentile values of the design inputs are used to account for the uncertainty associated with the inputs. Reliability-based analysis (RBA) been one of the elements of reliability, availability, maintainability, and safety (RAMS) has been identified as an effective method to account for the uncertainty in the design input and to assess the risk related to a particular design. RBA approaches have effectively been used for certain purposes in other disciplines. In highway geometric design literature, these methods were also investigated and showed promise. Given the compelling importance of RBA in highway design, this paper provides a systematic analysis and evaluation of RBA applications for ten highway geometric elements: stopping sight distance, passing sight distance, intersection sight distance, horizontal curve design, vertical curve design, number of freeway lanes, highway grade length, truck escape ramp, and design guide calibration. The review consists of four parts: the concept of RAMS, background on reliability theories, applications in highway geometric design, and guidelines for the use of reliability analysis. The literature review revealed that the application of reliability-based analysis in highway geometric design leads to significant improvements in traffic safety. It is our hope that this paper will serve as a source of information on RBA for highway designers and practitioners, promoting its development and application in highway geometric design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edible insects are accepted as food and feed ingredients in many parts of the world. Insects account for more than 80% of animal kingdom providing rich biodiversity of protein and lipid profiles compared to conventional livestock. Insect biomasses contain an average of 35-62% protein, 3-57% lipid, and 3-12% chitin, and their nutritional values are widely recognized due to their presence, including minerals, and vitamins. While whole insects are consumed as eggs, larvae, pupae, or adults, there has been a recent uptick in interest to use fractions, e.g., protein, lipid, and chitin, as food and feed ingredients. To utilize these fractions in various food and feed preparations, a deeper understanding of the physicochemical as well as functional properties of the ingredients is required, which are generally impacted by extraction and preparation processes. Thus, the methods of extraction/purification are important to preserve the quality and functional properties of these ingredients. This paper discusses the extraction methods for insect protein, lipid, and chitin, their functional properties, and potential applications in food and feed applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the quest for fabricating polymeric nanocomposites with enhanced thermomechanical properties has tremendously escalated as a result of their multifunctional applications in advanced engineering areas sensitive to thermal expansion. Thermal expansion and coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of polymers as well as polymeric nanocomposites are critical properties due to the relatively elevated CTE of polymeric matrices in comparison with other materials. Polymer matrices are embedded with low-CTE or negative-CTE fillers in order to minimize the CTE mismatch which occurs in components where polymeric matrices are used in synergy with other materials. This facilitates their usage as system adhesives, electronical flip-clip underfills, metallic component replacement, coatings, electronic packaging, and so on. Thermal Mechanical Analysis (TMA) is a technique used in measuring thermal expansivity and contractivity of polymeric nanocomposites. Therefore, this paper presents in depth insight into thermal expansivity and coefficient of thermal expansivity of polymeric nanocomposites (PNC) and applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This curated collection covers a selection of PRIMUS articles published over a roughly 12-year period that focus on modeling and applications. The collection includes sections on individual projects, courses with a significant modeling component, and modeling and applications in extracurricular settings and throughout the curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of remote sensing imagery for land cover and land use classification has made significant advancements in recent years. However, it becomes particularly challenging to enhance the semantic representation of high-resolution networks while dealing with uneven land categories and merging multi-scale data without compromising the accuracy of semantic segmentation. To tackle this challenge, this paper presents a novel method for classifying high-resolution remote sensing images based on a deep neural network that performs semantic segmentation of urban construction lands into five categories: vegetation, water, buildings, roads, and bare soil. The network incorporates a U-shaped high-resolution neural network and the advanced high-resolution network (HRNet) framework. The parallel storage of feature maps with different resolutions enables the exchange of information between them. The data pre-processing module addresses the issue of data imbalance in the semantic segmentation of urban construction lands, resulting in an increase in Intersection over Union (IoU) values for different land types by 3.75%-12.01%. Additionally, a target context representation module is introduced to enhance the feature representation of pixels by calculating the relationship between pixels and multiple target regions. Moreover, a polarization attention mechanism is proposed to extract the characteristics of geographical objects in all directions and achieve a stronger semantic representation. This method provides a novel approach to accurately and effectively extract information on construction lands and advance the development of monitoring algorithms for urban construction lands. To validate the proposed U-HRNet-OCR+PSA network, a comparative analysis was conducted with six classical networks, including DeepLabv3+, PSPNet, U-Net, U-Net++, HRNet, and HRNet-OCR, as well as the relatively new ViT-adapter-L, Oneformer and InternImage-H. The experiments demonstrate that the U-HRNet-OCR+PSA network achieves higher accuracy compared to the aforementioned networks. Specifically, the corresponding IoU values for the buildings, roads, vegetation, bare soil, and water in the multi-scale dataset are 89.79%, 90.05%, 94.89%, 85.91%, and 88.36%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferritin is an important iron storage protein, which is widely existed in all forms of life. Ferritin can regulate iron homeostasis when iron ions are lacking or enriched in the body, so as to avoid iron deficiency diseases and iron poisoning. Ferritin presents a hollow nanocage, which can store ions or other small molecular substances in the cavity. Therefore, ferritin shows its potential as a functional nanomaterial that can deliver nutrients or drugs in a targeted manner to improve bioavailability. Due to the special structure, the research on ferritin has attracted more and more attention in recent years. In this paper, the structural characteristics of ferritin were introduced, and the natural purification and prokaryotic expression methods of ferritin from different sources were described. At the same time, ferritin can bind to small molecules, so that it has the activity of small molecules, to construct a new type of ferritin. As a result, ferritin plays an important role as a nutrient substance, in targeted transport, and disease monitoring, etc. In conclusion, the yield of ferritin can be improved by means of molecular biology. Meanwhile, molecular modification can be used to make ferritin have unique activity and function, which lays a foundation for subsequent research. The molecular and structural properties of ferritins were clearly described. Isolation and purification technologies of ferritin were compared. Characterization, functions and molecular modifications mechanism of ferritin were reviewed. The applications of ferritin in pharmaceutical and food industry were prospected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to study the propagation of surface waves in generalized magneto-thermoelastic media under influence of magnetic field and rotation and its applications in Engineering, Geophysics, and Petroleum extracting. The governing equations are considered for generalized thermoelastic problem under magnetic field and rotation and solved to obtain the general solution in x-z plane. The Lame's potential method considering harmonic functions for the physical quantities is used to obtain the secular equation and then the velocity and attenuation coefficient for the types of waves: Stoneley, Love, and Rayleigh. The appropriate boundary conditions at an interface between two dissimilar half-spaces are satisfied with appropriate particular solutions to obtain the frequency equation of the surface wave in the medium. Some special cases as: Stoneley waves, Rayleigh and Love waves also discussed and presented graphically to show the physical meaning of the external parameters effect on the petroleum extracting phenomena and its contributions in KSA vision 2030 in crystal, Iron and steel. A comparison is made with the previous results considering LS model and the absence of rotation that deduces to the previous results as a special case from the present study. Also, if the magnetic field and rotation vanish, the results obtained in the present work are discussed. Experimentally, the results obtained agree with the labs results obtained. The results obtained indicate to a significant impact of the magnetic field and rotation on the waves propagation phenomenon that contributes on the industries and related topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

The combination of membranes and microfluidic systems has been applied in areas such as bioscience, environmental and analytical chemistry, and in the past time research into the integration of membrane mass transfer control functions into microfluidic devices has shown a significant growth trend. The multiple uses of membrane-based microfluidic systems have been demonstrated in published reports. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the development process in this field, starting with the basic terminology of microfluidic and membrane processes and outlining membrane-based microfluidic platforms that combine the two, followed by a classification of membrane integration on a chip based on the preparation methods used to combine the two. Three membrane functions that membranes can perform in microfluidic systems are then discussed; they are separation and enrichment of substances, immobilization and culturing of cells, and fluid control of pumps and valves. Finally, several possible research directions and related issues for membrane-based microfluidic platforms are presented, providing a deeper reference for future research combining membranes with microfluidic platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogels are 3 D cross-linked networking of polymeric materials having the capacity to absorb a tremendous amount of water within the network. Many techniques have been introduced for the characterization of synthesized gels. Most common are the spectroscopic methods (UV/Vis, FTIR) used at the molecular and atomic level, diffraction method (XRD) used for measurement of crystallinity within the structure, microscopy (SEM, TEM) to know about the surface texture and morphology and rheology for the elucidation of viscoelastic behavior of hydrogels. Many industries especially pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food processing, agriculture, water treatment, and other related research fields are directly dependent on the rheological characterization of hydrogels for their possible and related application. Similarly, the final design of the product also depends on characterization at a microscopic level to understand the structure and type of interaction within the hydrogel network and its behavior toward the applied external forces. In the present review paper, we have focused on and tried to grip the rheology of synthetic, natural, and semi synthetics hydrogels-based materials and their application in daily life on an industrial scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we first discuss some of the well-known methods available in the literature for the estimation of the parameters of a univariate/multivariate stable distribution. Based on the available methods, a new hybrid method is proposed for the estimation of the parameters of a univariate stable distribution. The proposed method is further used for the estimation of the parameters of a strictly multivariate stable distribution. The efficiency, accuracy and simplicity of the new method is shown through Monte-Carlo simulation. Finally, we apply the proposed method to the univariate and bivariate financial data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to present what we believe are the most relevant findings and results regarding practical scheduling in order to define practical production scheduling and create a framework that helps researchers to study the various topics that fall under the umbrella of practical production scheduling and to identify the current state of knowledge for each topic. Studies from different fields were analysed and included in this paper, contributing significant knowledge to build a definition of practical production scheduling. Finally, we discuss the applicability that scheduling, as a task, could have in real companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although there have been studies concerning information and communication technologies adoption in the tourism industry, the research trends of mobile tourism (m-tourism) are still not very clear due to the short development time and emerging nature of the technologies. To fill this gap, this study reviewed and analyzed articles related to online reviews of tourism and hospitality published in academic journals between 2002 and 2015. Through a keyword-driven search and content analysis, 92 articles are identified as relevant and classified into three topics. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of this promising research direction by presenting the interesting classification methods used by relevant publications and their insights. This paper also discusses significant topical and methodological trends, and contributes to an overall understanding of existing research and its limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper is an extension of an earlier paper that dealt with global dynamics in autonomous triangular maps. In the current paper, we extend the results on global dynamics of autonomous triangular maps to periodic non-autonomous triangular maps. We show that, under certain conditions, the orbit of every point in a periodic non-autonomous triangular map converges to a fixed point (respectively, periodic orbit of periodp) if and only if there is no periodic orbit of prime period two (respectively, periodic orbits of prime period greater thanp). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Finite Mathematics has become an enormously rich and productive area of contemporary mathematical biology. Fortunately, educators have developed educational modules based upon many of the models that have used Finite Mathematics in mathematical biology research. A sufficient variety of computer modules that employ graph theory (phylogenetic trees, food webs, networks), cellular automata (pattern formation, diffusion limited aggregation), fractals (both measurement and generation of self-similar structures), finite difference equations and deterministic chaos (logistic growth, predator–prey, SIR epidemiology), combinatorics and probability (genetics and evolution), information theory (biodiversity, sequence logos), and Boolean logic (operons) are available to adopt, adapt, and implement. An emphasis has been placed on modules that are freely available, that have been educationally vetted, and that run on a variety of operating systems. Most modules are easy to use, graphically visual, and amenable to modification. In this paper, two different approaches are stressed: (1) "glass box models" that allow students to see equations associated with each cell in a spreadsheet and to modify/extend those models with minimal effort; and (2) agent-based models that emphasize "bottom-up" modeling and that instantiate the power of massively parallel simulation and address the misconceptions of a "centralized mind-set." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relating mathematics learned in the classroom to real situations increases student motivation and enhances learning. In this paper, we provide an example of a classroom application of calculus to physiology in two courses: Differential Equations and Calculus I for Biology and Medicine. We designed and implemented a project that uses calculus to model the volume, flow, and pressure of air inside the lungs of a patient receiving positive pressure ventilation. After comparing mathematical models to a mechanically ventilated high-fidelity breathing simulator, students reported heightened interest in, and a greater appreciation for, the relevance of the calculus in both courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Countercurrent chromatography (CCC) is the separation technique based on the different partition coefficients of the sample between two immiscible solvents, which is a liquid-liquid partition without solid support in the column. In this paper, Firstly, the mechanic's equilibrium principle of CCC is described, which includes hydrostatic equilibrium system (HSES), hydrodynamic equilibrium system (HDES), unidirectional hydrodynamic equilibrium phenomenon, etc. The separation principle of the CCC is also explained. Secondly, the mechanical structure and design of parallel-axis CCC, cross-axis CCC, oblique-axis CCC, as well as some CCC derived from the three are illustrated respectively. Finally, the existing problems for the development of CCC have been exposed, and the trend of the future development direction and applications of CCC are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we highlight the basic techniques of multivariate statistical process control (MSPC) under the dimensionality criteria, such as Multiway Principal Component Analysis, Multiway Partial Squares, Structuration à Trois Indices de la Statistique, Tucker3, Parallel Factors, Multiway Independent Component Analysis, Multiset Canonical Correlation Analysis, Slow Features Analysis, and Parallel Coordinates. Furthermore, we summarize the procedures of each statistical technique and the usage of multivariate control charts. In addition, we review the most significant proposals and applications in practical cases. Finally, we compare and discuss the benefits and limitations within methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vehicle routing problem has been widely studied from a technical point of view for more than 50 years. Many of its variants are rooted in practical settings. This paper provides a survey of the main real-life applications of road-based goods transportation over the past 15 years. It reviews papers in the areas of oil, gas and fuel transportation, retail, waste collection and management, mail and package delivery and food distribution. Some perspectives on future research and applications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Berry fruits have attracted increasing more attention of the food processing industry as well as consumers due to their widely acclaimed advantages as highly effective anti-oxidant properties which may provide protection against some cancers as well as aging. However, the conventional extraction methods are inefficient and wasteful of solvent utilization. This paper presents a critical overview of some novel extraction methods applicable to berries, including pressurized-liquid extraction, ultrasound-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, supercritical fluid extraction, enzyme-assisted extraction as well as some combined extraction methods. When combined with conventional methods, the new technologies can be more efficient and environmentally friendly. Additionally, high quality processing of the functional extracts from berry fruits, such as refined processing technology, is introduced in this review. Finally, progress of applications of berry functional extracts in the food industry is described in detail; this should encourage further scientific research and industrial utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional graphene-like molybdenum disulfide, a relatively new and exciting transition metal dichalcogenides, has a number of unique properties which have been widely studied. The structure, property and preparation methods of molybdenum disulfide are introduced in this paper in detail. In order to improve performance of molybdenum disulfide, some researchers start paying close attention to composite and decorating about molybdenum disulfide, such as graphene-MoS2, metal-MoS2, which is not mentioned in other review papers. In addition, we systematically review the application of molybdenum disulfide, which included field effect transistor, phototransistors, gas detector, digital logic transistors and biosensor. At last, we prospect for future advances in methods for preparing atomically thin layers and devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edible mushrooms are rich in nutrition and have strong aroma as well as delicious umami taste. The flavor is not only the main indicator for evaluating the quality of edible mushrooms, but also an important factor influencing consumer preference. Thermal drying prolongs the shelf life of edible mushrooms, but it also causes modification of the flavor-containing components so that dried mushrooms show different flavor characteristics from those of fresh ones. As expected, different drying methods as operating conditions have important impact on product flavor. This paper discussed the formation pathways of the numerous flavor-containing compounds in foods; these include Maillard reaction, lipid oxidation and degradation, protein hydrolysis and Strecker degradation, as well as the main enzyme activity in aroma synthesis pathway. A comparison is presented of the effects of different drying conditions on flavor substances. The application prospects and possible development of more effective drying technology to ensure better retention of flavor in dried mushrooms so as to provide reference for the further research in production of high quality dried edible mushrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the field of anticorrosion, epoxy resin plays an important role. Therefore, many researchers have reported the strategy, manufacturing technology, and application of epoxy anticorrosive coatings all over the world. In this paper, three basic ideas for improving the anticorrosion performance of epoxy resin anticorrosive materials are summarized, and the current strategies for developing new epoxy resins are classified into seven types. In the end, it is pointed out that with the development of technology, the development direction of anticorrosive coatings should be toward multifunctional coatings and composite materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unified power flow controller (UPFC) is the only flexible alternating current transmission system device which is able to deal with protean condition of power system. In this paper, a detailed categorization of different types of models of UPFC used for steady state, transient, and dynamic stability had been done. This paper also highlights the important techniques for finding the optimal location of UPFC and for particular applications like damping of power system oscillations, voltage regulation, and optimal power flow. The simulation study undertaken establishes the use of UPFC in maximizing the power transfer capacity of an interconnected bus power system. Henceforth, an effort has been made to encompass the bibliography and development updates on UPFC since its subsistence so that it may facilitate the researcher keen in the area of UPFC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a new member of the group of promising 2D materials, MXene shows the advantages including metallic conductivity, high charge carrier mobility, tunable band gap, flexibility and diverse surface chemistry, favorable optical and mechanical properties. These unique properties have drawn huge attention, and research on MXene has been intensively conducted and innovative applications have been reported in various fields. At the same time, MXene/polymer nanocomposites have been developed, and many amazing results have been reported. However, overviews of the status and progress in this field are rare. In this paper, first, the preparation method and technical route of MXene/polymer nanocomposites are reviewed. It is found that solution mixing and in situ polymerization are the main preparation methods of the nanocomposites. Second, the properties of the composites are presented. It is shown that MXene can effectively improve the electrical, mechanical, and thermal characteristics of polymers. Then, innovative applications and representative results of the composites in the biomedical, sensing, energy, electromagnetic protection, and other fields are summarized. Finally, the development prospects and key challenges of the composites are listed concisely. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sudden outbreak of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) swept across the world in early 2020, triggering the lockdowns of several billion people across many countries, including China, Spain, India, the U.K., Italy, France, Germany, Brazil, Russia, and the U.S. The transmission of the virus accelerated rapidly with the most confirmed cases in the U.S., India, Russia, and Brazil. In response to this national and global emergency, the NSF Spatiotemporal Innovation Center brought together a taskforce of international researchers and assembled implementation strategies to rapidly respond to this crisis, for supporting research, saving lives, and protecting the health of global citizens. This perspective paper presents our collective view on the global health emergency and our effort in collecting, analyzing, and sharing relevant data on global policy and government responses, human mobility, environmental impact, socioeconomical impact; in developing research capabilities and mitigation measures with global scientists, promoting collaborative research on outbreak dynamics, and reflecting on the dynamic responses from human societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fluorocarbon stationary phases have taken great advances in recent years in liquid chromatography. Numerous studies to elucidate the retention mechanism have been undertaken that concluded the retention is driven by a multitude of factors, due to the presence of fluorine atoms in the molecule. Many applications in this domain have been described in the literature so far. Applications for other fields have also been published in various original papers for fluorocarbon silica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper first presents an overview of inventory management. This includes a categorization, by a number of dimensions, of inventory problems and associated models. Relevant Canadian contributions to fundamental and applied theory are listed within the dimensions. Then substantial evidence is provided of widespread Canadian applications of inventory management. The paper points out the continuing gap between theory and practice, followed by a number of suggested research topics to help bridge the gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, there is an ever-growing interest on natural food ingredients both by consumers and producers in the food industry. In fact, people are looking for those products in the market which are free from artificial and synthetic additives and can promote their health. These food bioactive ingredients should be formulated in such a way that protects them against harsh process and environmental conditions and safely could be delivered to the target organs and cells. Nanoencapsulation is a perfect strategy for this situation and there have been many studies in recent years for nanoencapsulation of food components and nutraceuticals by different technologies. In this review paper, our main goal is firstly to have an overview of nanoencapsulation techniques applicable to food ingredients in a systematic classification, i.e., lipid-based nanocarriers, nature-inspired nanocarriers, special-equipment-based nanocarriers, biopolymer nanocarriers, and other miscellaneous nanocarriers. Then, application of these cutting-edge nanocarriers for different nutraceuticals including phenolic compounds and antioxidants, natural food colorants, antimicrobial agents and essential oils, vitamins, minerals, flavors, fish oils and essential fatty acids will be discussed along with presenting some examples in each field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Herbal medicines (HMs) have been utilized to prevent and treat human ailments for thousands of years. Especially, HMs have recently played a crucial role in the treatment of COVID-19 in China. However, HMs are susceptible to various factors during harvesting, processing, and marketing, affecting their clinical efficacy. Therefore, it is necessary to conclude a rapid and effective method to study HMs so that they can be used in the clinical setting with maximum medicinal value. Non-targeted analytical technology is a reliable analytical method for studying HMs because of its unique advantages in analyzing unknown components. Based on the extensive literature, the paper summarizes the benefits, limitations, and applicability of non-targeted analytical technology. Moreover, the article describes the application of non-targeted analytical technology in HMs from four aspects: structure analysis, authentication, real-time monitoring, and quality assessment. Finally, the review has prospected the development trend and challenges of non-targeted analytical technology. It can assist HMs industry researchers and engineers select non-targeted analytical technology to analyze HMs’ quality and authenticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the evolution and potential of halogen-free polymers, highlighting recent advancements in alternatives and their environmental advantages. The integration of these flame retardants within polymer composites is addressed, focusing on how novel materials and methods can improve mechanical properties without compromising fire safety. Sustainability is a key consideration, with life cycle assessments demonstrating the environmental benefits of halogen-free polymers. The crucial role of these polymers in the electronics, transportation, and aerospace sectors is also explored, emphasizing their exceptional flame-retardant capabilities and specific performance requirements. This review identifies key challenges and promising research avenues for further development in the field of halogen-free polymers. It underscores the need for continuous development and collaboration to ensure the future of polymer science embraces sustainability and fire safety without compromise. This comprehensive review aims to equip researchers and scientists with a thorough understanding of halogen-free polymers, paving the way for advancements toward a future characterized by both responsible material development and effective fire protection. Exploreshalogen-free polymers' evolution, properties, and applications. Discusses recent advances in flame-retardant polymer development. Stresses flame retardant inclusion to boost composite properties. Highlights sustainability and environmental impact assessments. Examineshalogen-free polymers' role in electronics, transport, aerospace. Advocates for ongoing innovation and collaboration in research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper constructs a new theory of social networks based on reputation. The model assumes that reputation is an asset and that individuals connect by buying options on the reputation of others. In networking, individuals construct portfolios of call options to leverage the reputations of others and put options to hedge the connections with others. A network then consists of portfolios of reputation options. The option model confers advantages not present in existing models. First, the payoff to connecting is the payoff on a portfolio of reputation options. Second, the network forms as individuals take option positions; the network evolves as individuals adjust those positions. Third, networking strategies become option strategies. The model allows for insights into network structure, the price of connecting and the value of connecting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant number of the research paper on Medical cases using Additive manufacturing studied. Different applications of additive manufacturing technologies in the medical area analysed for providing the state of the art and direction of the development. To illustrate the Additive Manufacturing technology as being used in medical and its benefits along-with contemporary and future applications. Literature Review based study on Additive Manufacturing that are helpful in various ways to address medical problems along with bibliometric analysis been done. Briefly described the review of forty primary applications of AM as used for medical purposes along with their significant achievement. Process chain development in the application of AM is identified and tabulated for every process chain member, its achievement and limitations for various references. There are five criteria which one can achieve through medical model when made through AM technology. To support the achievements and limitations of every criterion proper references are provided. The ongoing research is also classified according to the application of AM in medical with criteria, achievement and references. Eight major medical areas where AM is implemented have been identified along with primary references, objectives and advantages. Paper deals with the literature review of the Medical application of Additive Manufacturing and its future. Medical models which are customised and sourced from data of an individual patient, which vary from patient to patient can well be modified and printed. Medical AM involves resources of human from the field of reverse engineering, medicine and biomaterial, design and manufacturing of bones, implants, etc. Additive Manufacturing can help solve medical problems with extensive benefit to humanity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an illustration of the work done in [14] where a hierarchy of difference boundary value problems was developed. In particular, we studied the effect of applying a Crum-type transformation to a weighted second order difference equation with general λ-dependent boundary conditions at the end points, for eigenparameter λ. In this paper we demonstrate by means of examples, how it is possible to go up and down the hierarchy of boundary value problems developed in [14], keeping the form of the second order difference equation constant but possibly increasing or decreasing the dependence on λ of the boundary conditions at each step. In addition, the transformed boundary value problem either gains or loses an eigenvalue or the number of eigenvalues remains the same as we step up or down the hierarchy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diesel engines are energy efficient (1), but their particulate matter (soot) emissions are still a matter of concern even though major advances in their control are being made. For soot abatement, catalytic diesel particulate filter (DPF) technique is widely employed to trap and burn the soot. Many types of catalysts have been investigated for the soot combustion i.e. platinum group metal (PGM) based, perovskite-type oxides, spinel-type oxides, rare earth metal oxides, and mixed transient metal oxides etc. The cost of PGM catalysts is high and their availability is questionable. Further they are susceptible to poisoning and have low thermal stability. On the other hand perovskite catalysts show potential as effective soot oxidation catalyst for the DPF because of their low cost, high thermal stability and tailoring flexibility. Many papers related to soot oxidation over perovskite catalysts have been published but no review paper appears in the literature that is dedicated to soot oxidation. Thus, this article provides a summary of published information regarding pure and substituted perovskite catalyst, preparation methods, properties, and their application for diesel soot emission control. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Flood forecasting (FF) is one the most challenging and difficult problems in hydrology. However, it is also one of the most important problems in hydrology due to its critical contribution in reducing economic and life losses. In many regions of the world, flood forecasting is one among the few feasible options to manage floods. Reliability of forecasts has increased in the recent years due to the integration of meteorological and hydrological modelling capabilities, improvements in data collection through satellite observations, and advancements in knowledge and algorithms for analysis and communication of uncertainties. The present paper reviews different aspects of flood forecasting, including the models being used, emerging techniques of collecting inputs and displaying results, uncertainties, and warnings. In the end, future directions for research and development are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proliferation of smart phones increases the demand for better Quality of Services (QoS) in mobile Internet. User's expectation causes the traditional design of mobile and wireless networks is not capable of keeping up with the changes from voice-centric to multimedia oriented services. Moreover, the mobile hosts require a certain protocol, such as mobile Internet Protocol (IP), that allows them to change their location and maintain data rate. It is important to note that mobile IP comes with handoff and routing issues that impose heavy load on home agent, which results in wasting resources. These issues and problems can be tackled and solved by using a dynamic and flexible architecture such as software-defined networking (SDN). SDN has become a common architecture to decouple conventional network architecture into control and data plane resulting in a direct programmable network control regardless the applications and network services used. In SDN architecture, a software-based controller is used to manage the forwarding rules of the switches under its supervision. The switches process the forwarding data based on the rules that are set by the controller. In recent years, OpenFlow protocol is widely utilized to standardize the communication between controllers and switches in SDN architecture. The uniqueness of SDN has gained high attention among researchers concerning enhancing the QoS in mobile network. This paper reviews the most recent SDN techniques proposed to improve mobile network and its performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the set-membership filtering problem has received extensive research interests due to its engineering significance to estimate a set which includes the true state of the system rather than a single vector. What's more, the communication protocol has been widely applied in the control systems because of its ability to prevent from data collisions and reduce the burden of the network. From the engineering practice, it is of vital importance to investigate the set-membership filtering under communication protocols. In this paper, a bibliographical review is provided on the set-membership filtering for networked control systems (NCSs) under communication protocols. Next, the concept of the NCS is briefly introduced. Some recent advances on the set-membership filtering problem for NCSs are summarized. Then, some well-known scheduling schemes are presented and the results of the set-membership filtering for NCSs under communication protocols are reviewed. Finally, some concluding remarks are given and some potential future research directions are pointed out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]