Identical Content Research Articles

Influence of particle size on soil consolidation processes

Settlements in infrastructure works such as roads, bridges and highways are often underestimated due to a lack of understanding of the phenomena associated with volumetric deformations of soils. This can lead to significant damage to the structures built on them and in some cases it will be necessary to demolish them or render them useless. This study shows the difference in longterm deformations that occur between two types of soil depending on their particle sizes. The study shows the results of two soil samples subject to consolidation, with identical initial moisture content, but with a different particle size distribution. It also shows how the consolidation process occurs and the direct influence of particle size on the long-term volumetric reduction process of soils.

Investigation of the possibility of using sulfur-containing oil products as flotation reagents components

ABSTRACT Due to the reduction in the geological reserves of critical raw materials and the increased dependence on low-grade sources, it has become urgent to improve technologies for beneficiation of non-ferrous and rare metal ores. The synthesis of new flotation reagents based on cheap domestic raw materials can be an option for modernising the flotation method. The article discusses the production of flotation reagents based on sulfur-containing oil products by ultrasonic cavitation. The emphasis is placed on the selection of oil products, which is based on the study of their qualitative and quantitative composition. Sulfur-containing oil products with the same sulfur content but different form of location is considered. It has been established that despite the virtually identical sulfur content, only sulfur-containing products of a certain molecular structure can be used to obtain flotation agents. Optimal conditions for ultrasonic cavitation and combinations of components in the compositions have been developed. The flotation reagent obtained under optimal conditions as a collector was tested for flotation of gold-bearing raw materials. It has been shown that its use made it possible to increase the degree of gold recovery into rougher concentrate by 4.8% and 7.5% compared to the classical one.

Pretending to be a VIP! Characterization and Detection of Fake and Clone Channels on Telegram

Telegram is a widely used instant messaging app that has gained popularity due to its high level of privacy protection. Telegram has standout social network features like channels, which are virtual rooms where only administrators can post and broadcast messages to all subscribers. However, these same features have also led to the emergence of problematic activities and a significant number of fake accounts. To address these issues, Telegram has introduced verified and scam marks for channels, but only a small number of official channels are currently marked as verified, and only a few fakes as scams. In this research, we conduct a large-scale analysis of Telegram by collecting data from 120,979 different public channels and over 247 million messages. We identify and analyze two types of channels: Clones and fakes. Clones are channels that publish identical content from another channel in order to gain subscribers and promote services. Fakes, on the other hand, are channels that impersonate celebrities or well-known services by posting their own messages. To automatically detect fake channels, we propose a machine learning model that achieves an F1-score of 85.45%. By applying this model to our dataset, we find the main targets of fakes are political figures, well-known people such as actors or singers, and services.

Towards the Prediction of Future Polarization Curves from Operating Data: Machine Learning-Based Investigations for Degradation Modelling of PEM Water Electrolysis Cells

A crucial piece of the puzzle for the long-term success of the cost-effective supply of green hydrogen through electrolysis is the description of the time-dependent degradation behaviour in order to be able to consider this, for example, in predictive maintenance concepts. Without this information, it cannot be guaranteed that customers will be able to fulfil their supply contracts for the agreed amounts of produced hydrogen. For this purpose, knowing the current state-of-health (SoH) and also describing its future development over time play essential roles. However, using conventional methods it is only possible to obtain the SoH if characterization measurements are carried out at regular intervals, such as the recording of polarization curves or electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. In real applications, this has the major disadvantage that the desired current operation mode has to be interrupted, which leads to a reduction in system utilization and undesired operation conditions. Consequently, intensive efforts are being made to find model-based alternatives for describing the SoH at a certain point in time or even predicting the future degradation trend purely on the use of begin-of-life (BoL) measurements and anyway available operating data without additional characterization intervals. Since the physics-based description of degradation mechanisms is not yet sufficiently sophisticated, data-driven approaches are currently receiving increased attention. These have the great advantage that they can use information in the available data to learn underlying unknown relationships independently, without the need for prior physico-chemical knowledge [1].For this reason, we tackle the aforementioned problem of predicting the degradation trend using a machine learning (ML)-based approach and investigate it in the context of a proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) cell.The central relationship of PEMWE related to ageing is the change in polarization behaviour, which essentially describes the connection between the operating conditions and the resulting cell voltage. The current density corresponds to the electrical load, while the voltage is a measure of the specific energy consumption (SEC) and the efficiency. The degradation-related drift of the entire polarization curve means that the cell voltage depends not only on the operating conditions but also on time and thus has two core dimensions. Although the temporal development of the cell voltage only provides integral information about ageing, this is the key variable in the context of economic operation and maintenance due to the direct correlation to the above-mentioned SEC and thus with the supply agreements.The goal of this study is therefore to predict future polarization behaviour based on historical data. In principle, there are various ways of specifying this desired model output. The possible spectrum of describing the polarization behaviour ranges from the cell voltage at a selected reference current density to a cell voltage analysis including a voltage breakdown over the entire current density range. Depending on the data used for model training, this results in a data-driven degradation matrix (see Figure 1a), which was experimentally supported by performing a specially tailored accelerated stress test (AST) [2] and investigated using selected practice-relevant showcases. We were able to demonstrate that the applied ML workflow can be used to build neural network-based models, which are capable of covering different cases of this degradation matrix. This applies both to cases that are characterized by the identical information content of input and output and lie on the diagonal (cases 1 and 2) and to a case in which the model is provided with less information via the training data than the desired model output should contain (case 3).Another unique feature of these investigations is the different experimental background of the data used for model training in the individual cases. Cases 1 and 3 are based on data from discrete load levels, which are extracted exclusively from the operating profile of the AST, while case 2 is based on data of polarization curves obtained from separate measurements during characterization phases. Accordingly, case 3 clearly demonstrates that future polarization curves, i.e. information that is typically only available via specific characterization measurements interrupting the operation, can be predicted solely based on past operating data (Figure 1b).The authors gratefully acknowledge funding by BMBF in the framework of projects Segiwa/Deriel, FKZ. 03HY121G/03HY122G.

Enhancement in the Electrical Properties and Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Performance of Acrylonitrile–Butadiene–Styrene/Carbon Nanotubes Foams via the Introduction of Bimodal Cell Structures

The cell structures of conductive polymer‐based composite foams significantly influence their electrical properties and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness (SE), necessitating a thorough understanding of how these properties improve with evolving cell structures. In this study, supercritical CO2 foaming technique was manipulated to fabricate acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS)/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) foams. The constant‐temperature mode was used to prepare unimodal foams (UF), while the bimodal foams (BF) were produced by varying‐temperature mode. The foaming properties, electrical conductivity, complex permittivity, and EMI SE of ABS/CNTs foams with various cell structures are methodically investigated at identical volume expansion ratio and CNTs content. The electrical conductivity of bimodal ABS/CNTs foam with CNTs content of 20% (BF‐C20) is 0.2191 S cm−1, higher than that of unimodal ABS/CNTs foam with CNTs content of 20% (UF‐C20) (0.1765 S cm−1) owing to the introduction of bimodal cell structures. Complex permittivity results manifest that at 8.2 GHz, the ε′ and ε″ of BF‐C20 are 67.7 and 74.5, respectively, which are higher than 57.9 and 52.9 of UF‐C20. Among all ABS/CNTs foams, the total EMI SE of BF‐C20 attains the highest EMI shielding value, which reaches 30.2 dB. Furthermore, the absolute shielding effectiveness of BF‐C20 is 188.5 dB (g cm−2)−1, which is 17.3% higher than that of UF‐C20.

Acceptability and Fidelity of a Media Literacy Education-Based, Comprehensive Sexual Health Program for College Students: A Multi-Method Student-Centered Evaluation

The present study compares the feasibility and acceptability of two asynchronous, interactive, 2-3-hour, online interventions: Media Aware, which is a comprehensive sex education program, taught from a media literacy perspective and Health Aware, which is a comprehensive sex education program containing identical sexual health content, but no media literacy content. Among n = 649 community college students, both programs were equivalently high in program fidelity (88% completed all lessons) and acceptability (average 90% positive ratings). Qualitative analyses revealed that both programs were informative and usable, with few criticisms besides program length. Results suggest, both programs represent promising approaches to sex education for college students.

Composite Materials Used for Dental Fillings.

This article explores the properties of composite materials employed in dental fillings. A traditional nano-hybrid composite containing nanofiller particles exceeding 82% by weight served as a benchmark. The remaining samples were fabricated from ormocer resin, maintaining an identical nanofiller content of 84%. In all specimens, the nanoparticles were dispersed randomly within the matrix. This study presents findings from investigations into surface geometry, hardness, wettability, and tribological behavior. The microscopic observations revealed that ormocer-based samples exhibited greater surface roughness than those composed of the traditional composite. Hardness testing indicated that both ceramic addition and sample preparation significantly influenced mechanical properties. Ceramic-enhanced samples demonstrated superior hardness, surpassing the reference composite by 30% and 43%, respectively. Contact angle measurements revealed hydrophilic characteristics in the classic composite, contrasting with the hydrophobic nature of ceramic-containing samples. Tribological evaluations revealed the superiority of the classic composite in terms of friction coefficients and volumetric wear compared to ormocer-based materials.

An application for mobile devices as a decision support for the treatment and prevention of bovine fasciolosis - A survey among organic dairy farms in Bavaria

Based on health applications used in human medicine for the self-management of chronic diseases, the aim of this study was to evaluate a mobile app in veterinary medicine using the example of a decision-making aid for the control and prevention of bovine fasciolosis on dairy cattle farms. The study was carried out on 37 organic dairy cattle farms in Bavaria. The farms were divided into two groups: one group received a mobile app (n=17) as a decision-making aid, while the other group received a printed brochure (n=20) with identical content. At the beginning of the study, all participants were questioned by telephone concerning their farm, among other things. After using the respective tool, the participants were again interviewed by telephone. At the beginning of the study, the majority of participants were aware of the options for drainage (n=28; 75.7%) and fencing off wet areas (n=36; 97.3%). 37.8% (n=14) stated that they were familiar with a pasture rotation system. After using the respective aid, the majority of participants described the tool as helpful (94.1% app; 80% brochure). Many participants (app group: n=10 (58.8%); brochure group: n=16 (80%)) stated that they wanted to change their approach based on the new knowledge gained, e. g. introducing a pasture rotation system (app group: n=9 (52.9%); brochure group: n=13 (65.0%)). Both study groups enjoyed working with the tool they used. They viewed the knowledge imparted by the mobile app or brochure as helpful and useful. Most participants expressed a desire to continue using these tools in animal health management on farms in the future. The use of tools such as mobile apps may improve veterinary advice, e. g. in the management of parasitoses in cattle herds.

Unveiling high-temperature stability and growth dynamics of CVD-SiOC coatings across different deposition conditions and environments

Abstract In this study, we systematically investigated the high-temperature protection performance and evolution behavior of three different SiOC coatings (1050SiOC, 1100SiOC, 1150SiOC) under different atmospheres. The coatings were prepared by the organometallic chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method and characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), grazing incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXRD), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) techniques. It was found that the composition and microstructure of SiOC coatings, environmental atmosphere, and heat treatment temperature can affect the thermal stability and high-temperature reaction mechanism of SiOC coatings. Further, it was revealed that the three SiOC coatings only exhibit the same high-temperature evolution behavior and reaction mechanism in an air environment while exhibiting different high-temperature evolution behavior and reaction mechanisms in both an inert atmosphere and a reduced air atmosphere. Among the coatings prepared, the 1050SiOC coating demonstrated the highest on-set oxidation temperature under identical oxygen content conditions. This characteristic may contribute to the coating’s excellent resistance to high-temperature oxidation.

Understanding of Water Transport through Membrane Electrode Assembly in PEFC

In a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC), water generation, electroosmosis drag, and back diffusion change the humidity, which affects transport properties such as proton conductivity, effective oxygen diffusion coefficient, and permeance of the feed gas through a membrane. Since the sorption and desorption of water in the electrolyte membrane is slower than other processes such as the oxygen reduction reaction, the proton transport, and the oxygen diffusion, dynamic water behavior should be considered to estimate the cell performance precisely. In this study, the water permeation flux through a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) was measured, and the effective water diffusion coefficients in a membrane and catalyst layer (CL) were formulated as a function of temperature and the moisture content respectively. Dynamic moisture content change in MEA was simulated with the measured effective diffusion coefficients. The experimental results showed that desorption was slower than sorption in the identical moisture content range particularly at the beginning, and this tendency was successfully reproduced using the moisture content distribution obtained by numerical simulation.

Earthworm mucus contributes significantly to the accumulation of soil cadmium in tomato seedlings

Whether earthworm mucus affects Cd transport behavior in soil-plant systems remains uncertain. Consequently, this study thoroughly assessed the impacts of earthworm mucus on plant growth and physiological responses, plant Cd accumulation, translocation, and distribution, as well as soil characteristics and Cd fractionation in a soil-plant (tomato seedling) system. Results demonstrated that the earthworm inoculation considerably enhanced plant Cd uptake and decreased plant Cd translocation, the effects of which were appreciably less significant than those of the earthworm mucus. This suggested that earthworm mucus may play a crucial role in the way earthworms influence plant Cd uptake and translocation. Moreover, the artificial mucus, which contained identical inorganic nitrogen contents to those in earthworm mucus, had no significant effect on plant Cd accumulation or translocation, implying that components other than inorganic nitrogen in the earthworm mucus may have contributed significantly to the overall effects of the mucus. Compared with the control, the earthworm mucus most substantially increased the root Cd content, the Cd accumulation amount of root and whole plant, and root Cd BCF by 93.7 %, 221.3 %, 72.2 %, and 93.7 %, respectively, while notably reducing the Cd TF by 48.2 %, which may be ascribed to the earthworm mucus's significant impacts on tomato seedling growth and physiological indicators, its considerable influences on the subcellular components and chemical species of root Cd, and its substantial effects on the soil characteristics and soil Cd fractionation, as revealed by correlation analysis. Redundancy analysis further suggested that the most prominent impacts of earthworm mucus may have been due to its considerable reduction of soil pH, improvement of soil DOC content, and enhancement of the exchangeable Cd fraction in soil. This work may help better understand how earthworm mucus influences the transport behavior of metals in soil-plant systems.

Pripremanje krivičnih djela terorizma Međunarodni standardi i krivično pravo Bosne i Hercegovine

On the basis of several universal and regional international documents, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as a number of modern states, foresees the criminal offense of terrorism in several different forms of manifestation, but with identical content, characteristics, elements, legal description, legal nature, that is, forms or types of manifestation. It is an extremely serious, dangerous crime, with an international content, that is, with international basis for prescribing criminal responsibility and punishment. Due to the high degree of social danger of various forms of manifestations of terrorism, all modern criminal legislations move the limit of punishment to the previous stage - to the stage of preparation of criminal offenses, the undertaking of which, through physical or psychological activities, creates the conditions or prerequisites for the perpetration of one of the criminal offenses of terrorism in general, or to a faster, easier, simpler or more efficient way. In the positive law in Bosnia and Herzegovina, numerous preliminary actions that precede the perpetration of criminal offenses of terrorism in general or preliminary actions that contribute to their more efficient, successful or better execution are also provided as independent criminal offenses. The paper investigates and problematizes the system, concept, content, elements and characteristics, and forms of manifestation of the preparation of criminal offenses of terrorism in the criminal legislation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially in the context of international standards.

The Effect of Farm-Animal-Assisted Education on Memory Retention in Elementary School Children: An Exploratory Study

ABSTRACT Animal-assisted education (AAE) can provide an exciting and innovative alternative to conventional teaching methods. Numerous studies have been published on the influence of the participation of living animals (primarily dogs) in the educational process on students’ emotions. However, the impact of on-farm teaching on children’s academic knowledge has not received much attention. This study aimed to evaluate whether outdoor learning in the presence of farm animals during animal-oriented lessons impacts knowledge performance and memory retention. The experimental group (n = 71) attended a class at an eco-center farm and directly interacted with farm animals. In contrast, the control group (n = 78) received identical content in a classroom using conventional teaching aids. Knowledge in both groups was compared quantitatively with paper-and-pencil tests in three consecutive examinations: pre-, post-, and follow-up (28 days later). The intergroup results of the pre- and post-examinations showed no difference. However, a significant difference in the intergroup knowledge scores was observed at the one-month follow-up test. The pupils in the experimental group maintained significantly broader knowledge over time than their peers in the control group. These results suggest that implementing AAE into the education process might not affect pupils’ immediate knowledge performance, but it could positively impact memory retention. As scientific research on using farm animals in education is scarce, additional research is needed.

Earth's longest lava flows erupted from its largest igneous province: The submarine Ontong Java Plateau

We use high-precision analyses of fresh basalt glasses from the submarine, Cretaceous Ontong Java Plateau (OJP) recovered by the Ocean Drilling Programs (ODP) to test for long submarine lava flows. Major elements and Cl show that glasses from ODP Holes 1185B and 1186A, which are 200 km apart, are compositionally identical and must have erupted simultaneously from the same well-mixed magma chamber. Identical CO2 contents show they erupted at the same water depth, but 1185B is directly downslope from 1186A and has a corrected basement depth that is >700 m deeper. Remarkably, <2 °C cooling took place over 200 km, requiring a cooling rate <0.01 °C/km.Further evidence of long flows is the lack of vesicles in OJP's glasses, in contrast to mid-ocean ridge basalt glasses that almost always contain vesicles and are often oversaturated in dissolved CO2. We propose that OJP's lavas degassed to saturation levels of dissolved CO2 +H2O and lost all bubbles because they remained liquid for much longer periods during long distance flow. Dissolved CO2+H2O are used to estimate paleoeruption depths which are compared to current corrected basement depths. Using a fixed value of plateau subsidence (500 m) we reconstruct flow distances of 0 to 900 km for eight lava groups from six drill sites. Eruption depths in Hole 807 C are 3040 m for Kwaimbaita-type lavas but 1110 m for Singgalo-type lavas that directly overlie them suggesting that the Singgalo lavas erupted 900 km away (near Site 1183).Paleoeruption depths for Cretaceous glasses from the Jurassic East Mariana and Nauru Basins adjacent to OJP are shallower than most glasses recovered from OJP even though their reconstructed basement depths are 1500–3800 m deeper. It is very likely that the basins’ lavas were erupted on OJP and flowed up to 1600 km: longer than any lava flow known on Earth. Flow distances are shorter (≤1000 km) if a plateau subsidence of 1500 m is used in the calculations. Extremely high Cl in Nauru Basin glasses also supports eruption from OJP. Long distance flow with minimal cooling was facilitated on OJP by favorable slopes, lack of barriers, insulation of rapidly forming glass, and possibly by flow within lava tubes. Lava effusion rates were probably >100 m/sec and flow rapid: >1 m/sec.

What Makes Fact-Checking Effective? Exploratory Research into the Role of Linguistic Politeness

Abstract This study examined how the linguistic politeness of fact-checking messages affects audiences’ belief accuracy and message acceptance by shaping their perceived face threat and psychological reactance. In 2 experiments with national convenience samples of South Korean adults, we manipulated linguistic politeness by using either honorific or non-honorific sentence endings—a well-established marker of linguistic politeness in Korean—in fact-checking news articles correcting misinformation about COVID-19 (Study 1) and refugees (Study 2). Study 1 (N = 240) found that fact-checking articles using honorific sentence endings were perceived as less face-threatening than those presenting identical content with non-honorific endings, which in turn increased belief accuracy and the perceived persuasiveness of the articles. Study 2 (N = 296) replicated the findings of Study 1 and extended them by demonstrating: (1) the effect of using honorific (vs. non-honorific) sentence endings on recipients’ perceived face threat was not moderated by their conspiratorial predisposition or need for cognition; (2) the effects of perceived face threat were mediated by psychological reactance; and (3) the sequential mediation also produced attitudinal effects. The findings are discussed in light of their theoretical and practical implications for designing effective fact-checking messages to combat misinformation in non-Western languages.

Plasma treated cattle slurry with modest fertilizer effect on grass.

Abstract Plasma-based nitrogen enrichment of organic fertilizers is a process that utilizes plasma technology and electricity to infuse liquid biobased fertilizers with atmospheric Nitrogen (N), doubling plant-available N content. The final product is labeled as Nitrogen-Enriched Organic Fertilizer (NEO). This study investigates and compares the applicability of NEO against conventional fertilizers in grass production during 2020-2023 across two regions in Norway. Regarding different fertilizers' N efficacy, in the trials featuring only grasses, applying 210 kg N ha -1 in NEO yielded dry matter (DM) and N yield comparable to those achieved with 149 and 154 kg N ha -1 in mineral fertilizer, respectively. Besides, the untreated cattle slurry and mineral fertilizer combination containing 210 kg N ha -1 resulted in a DM and N yield equivalent to 178 and 180 kg N ha -1 in mineral fertilizer. In the grass-clover mixture trials, NEO and mineral fertilizers reduced the clover content, significantly influencing the overall yield. Merging the results from all trials (2021-2022), it was found that given identical N-min content, standalone mineral fertilizer, and the untreated slurry and mineral fertilizer combination resulted in ~19% and ~28%, and ~14% and ~13.5% higher DM and N yields than NEO, respectively. Further, NEO provided ~9% and ~25% higher DM and N yields than untreated slurry. Notably, NEO's N-min content was nearly double that of untreated slurry (210 vs. 107 kg N ha -1 ). Nonetheless, a supplementary trial (2023) employing different NEO variants with reduced nitrite and elevated nitrate levels returned more promising results than those examined in prior years. Still, ~9% and ~6% less DM and N yield than mineral fertilizer with identical 210 kg N ha -1 content. Our findings suggest that although a considerable N fraction of NEO did not translate to yields compared to other fertilization treatments, and given that NEO is an evolving product, the NEO's enhanced performance in the final study year highlights the necessity for continued research and optimization to fully unlock and utilize the potential advantages of NEO in future agriculture.

Priming for drought resistance: UV-C flashes triggered pipecolate accumulation and dehydration avoidance in Capsicum chinense Jacq. but induced no growth or metabolic costs

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation has been increasingly studied as an elicitor of plant defense against biotic and abiotic stress. The biological responses to these stimuli can be either beneficial or detrimental and are not yet fully understood. We treated chili pepper plants with UV-C flashes (1 kJ·m−2, 2 s, 254 nm) three times for 1 week before imposing progressive drought stress for 2 weeks. In the absence of drought, plants treated with UV-C showed identical height, leaf number, water content, and stomatal conductance to those of the control plants. Analysis of leaf metabolic fingerprints covering large portions of central and secondary metabolism also revealed a limited effect of UV-C treatment on the metabolome, including the accumulation of pipecolate. In contrast, when subjected to drought, plants treated with UV-C exhibited enhanced water retention in leaves and significant changes in the metabolome. Further investigation of metabolic responses revealed that variations in major water stress markers were significantly mitigated by UV-C pretreatment. Overall, the results suggest that UV-C treatments induce priming based on the activation of systemic defense effectors and the absence of harmful symptoms, resulting in partial but significant avoidance of dehydration and reduced drought-related metabolic consequences. This paves the way for agricultural applications to concurrently manage multiple stresses and to study the specific mechanisms at work in UV-C-primed plants.

Pozzolanic activity of secondary aluminum ash sintered and ground fine powder in Portland cement

To better facilitate the resource utilization of secondary aluminum ash and reduce the consumption of Portland cement, this study investigates the pozzolanic activity grinding fine powder of secondary aluminum ash sintered and ground fine powder (MP) in a Portland cement matrix with different fineness and content. The mechanism of volcanic ash activity was explored using microscopic testing techniques such as XRD, FTIR, TG, SEM, and MIP. The outcomes revealed that as the MP content increased, the fluidity of the cement-based matrix exhibited a declining trend. The addition of MP has a diluting effect on Portland cement, resulting in a decreasing trend of strength activity index with the increase of MP content. Furthermore, under identical content conditions, much finer MP showed a reduction in its pozzolanic activity within the Portland cement-based matrix. Hydration processes and microscopic tests indicated that the addition of the coarser MP particle resulted in higher pozzolanic activity, which is attributed to the faster hydration rate, lower porosity, and higher microstructural compactness. Simultaneously, with an increase in MP content, the porosity and detrimental pore content of the cement-based matrix notably increased, and the content of hydration products reduced.

Zinc oxide nanoparticles immobilized on polymeric porous matrix for water remediation

This work proposes a novel approach to producing composite membranes by immobilizing and blending ZnO nanoparticles within a polymer matrix. The focus is investigating how different immobilization techniques impact membrane performance in critical technological applications, including membrane fouling mitigation and photocatalytic degradation. Lab-synthesized ZnO nanostructures were immobilized within a natural cellulose acetate (CA) matrix using a spray coating technique. To ensure comprehensive exploration, CA membranes with 12% and 15% wt polymer concentrations, which demonstrated superior overall performance in previous studies, were cast and prepared. The membranes underwent phase inversion, and a specially prepared ZnO solution was sprayed onto the membrane surface, creating a unique blend of polymer and nanoparticles. This comparative study highlights distinctions between nanomaterial immobilization techniques (mixing and spray coating) while maintaining identical polymer content. Such insights are crucial for both industrial applications and laboratory-scale research. The photocatalytic degradation of the reactive and toxic dye methylene blue (MB) served as a model reaction, employing a UV light module. Results unequivocally demonstrated that, irrespective of the immobilization technique employed, the combination of CA and ZnO nanoparticles significantly enhanced the photocatalytic activity of the membrane in degrading methylene blue (MB). Specifically, the dye concentration decreased from 25 to approximately 8 mg/L for both the spray coating and bulk immobilization methods, resulting in 62% and 69% dye degradation, respectively. These findings underscore the versatility of different immobilization techniques in various aspects of membrane technology. The CA-ZnO composite exhibited efficacy in photocatalytic MB degradation tests, offering promising alternatives for designing polymeric membranes tailored for contaminant removal, particularly in treating textile dye-contaminated aqueous solutions. The exploration of diverse immobilization techniques for nanocomposites presents an exciting avenue for optimization in different membrane technological processes.

The effects of immersive virtual reality field trips upon student academic achievement, cognitive load, and multimodal presence in a social studies educational context

There is increasing educational interest in immersive virtual reality (IVR) applications which aid student learning and performance. However, few empirical studies have investigated the potential for implementing the technology in middle-school social studies classrooms. This study employed a quasi-experimental approach to address this issue, using pre- and post-test evaluations to measure academic achievement, and questionnaires to examine cognitive load and sense-of-presence. 48 seventh-grade students participated, split evenly between experimental and control groups. The experimental group received a systematic set of IVR-based social studies lessons via Head-Mounted Displays, while the control group covered identical content conventionally. Experimental group participants attained higher academic achievement with lower cognitive loading than control group students. The experimental group also experienced high levels of multimodal presence (physical, social, and self). This study yielded empirical evidence demonstrating the potential benefits which IVR offers social studies education. Furthermore, it provides an example for how effective, IVR-based social studies lessons can be developed.