Marginal Variation Research Articles

Study on quantitative interpretation of uranium spectral gamma-ray logging based on machine learning algorithm

Spectral gamma-ray logging stands out as an efficacious methodology in the exploration of uranium(U). In order to address the challenges associated with low statistical efficacy in spectral analysis and mitigate the impact of spectral drift, machine learning algorithms such as Back Propagation (BP) neural network, Generalized Regression Neural Network (GRNN), and Support Vector Machine (SVM) have been employed for the quantitative interpretation of uranium. A method rooted in machine learning algorithms for energy spectral analysis has been proposed, catering to the analysis of high-speed spectra logging and gamma-ray spectra characterized by spectral drift. Examinations conducted on standard model wells containing uranium revealed that the BP neural network exhibited commendable accuracy in uranium interpretation, achieving quantification accuracy rates of 86.986 % and 93.478 % for low-grade and medium-high-grade uranium ores in the Testing Set, respectively. Notably, marginal variations in the model's quantification errors were observed under diverse logging speeds and spectral drift conditions, underscoring the capacity of gamma-ray spectral quantitative interpretation through machine learning algorithms to effectively surmount the impacts of logging speed and spectral drift. This machine learning-based approach to energy spectral analysis proved instrumental in enhancing traditional logging speeds to 6 m/min, presenting a novel perspective for the quantitative interpretation of uranium spectral gamma-ray logging at heightened logging speeds.

Rheological, Thermal and Physicochemical Properties of Bioprocessed Flour From Cowpea, Sorghum and Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato

ABSTRACTThis study investigated the rheological, physicochemical, and thermal properties of fermented and germinated whole reddish‐brown cowpea, white sorghum and orange‐fleshed sweet potato. Germination substantially reduced the pasting and rheological attributes of flour suspensions compared to the fermentation process. This study observed notable increases in the hot paste, setback, and final viscosities after the fermentation of cowpea and sorghum, indicating an improvement in the ease of cooking and greater retrogradation tendency of starch molecules. Among the fermented flours, sorghum had the highest hot paste viscosity (848 mPa s) and final viscosity (1451 mPa s). The mechanical fingerprint revealed a viscoelastic solid character, with G′ > G″ over the frequency range of 0–10 rad/s for all samples. Temperature sweep data showed a sharp increase in G′ at about 80°C, corresponding to the onset of starch gelatinization. Shear‐thinning behavior was observed, except in germinated and raw sorghum flours, where molecular rearrangement resulted in an initial viscosity rise at a low share rate (< 20 s−1). Differential scanning calorimetric analysis revealed a marginal variation in the peak transition temperature of gelatinization (98°C–104°C for all flours except raw sorghum flour, 83.87°C). The fermented sweet potato flour indicated good flour particle flowability expressed as Carr's compressibility index (30.99) and the Hausner ratio (1.45); however, the available reducing sugars could have influenced its high percentage solubility (49.83%), thus impacting low pasting viscosities. The contrasting technological features suggest an avenue to intensify efforts in exploring composite bioprocessed flours for applications in novel foods.

A 3D DEM modeling of soil-rock mixture considering spatial distribution orientation of blocks

Spatial distribution orientations of blocks can cause significant errors in the discrete element model (DEM) calculation of soil-rock mixture (SRM). To avoid this error, spherical harmonic (SH) series whose harmonization degrees fixed at 15 were proposed for block reconstruction. This research refers to the case-history of a deep excavation rift valley spanning from the Mabian to Zhaojue section of the Leshan-Xichang Expressway, mainly containing moderately-weathered silty mudstone, in the Leshan City, Sichuan Province, China. The appropriate degree of finite-term SH series is selected by the volume, surface area. 100 blocks were scanned on site, and sphericity and angularity of the blocks were calculated. The sphericity and angularity of 50 reconstructed blocks were considered for the error analysis of SH method. Moreover, stochastic polyhedron method was considered for comparing different block reconstructions. The maximum block placement angle was defined to control the spatial distribution orientations of the blocks. Large scale direct tests were carried. Numerical simulations of large-scale direct shear tests were conducted to study the influence of the spatial distribution orientations of the blocks on the mechanical properties of the SRMs. The results revealed that the finite-term SH series fixed at 15 accurately reflected the shape characteristics and mechanical behaviors of actual blocks. The spatial distribution orientations of the blocks had a minimal impact on the friction angle and cohesion of SRM constructed through the SH method. The SRMs developed via the SH method exhibited marginal variations in contact force and anisotropy index of contact across diverse block placement strategies. The evolution of coordination number was closer when employing the SH method under varied block placement methods. Blocks reconstructed by the SH method, could mitigate errors in DEM calculation caused by the spatial distribution orientations of the blocks.

The effect of the product categories diversity recommended on cross‐buying in electronic commerce platforms: The moderating role of user navigation heterogeneity

AbstractE‐commerce platforms encourage consumers' cross‐buying behavior to boost user traffic and trading volume. However, balancing the precision and richness of recommended information with the mechanisms influencing consumer cross‐buying remains unclear, which also poses challenges to the specific operation of these platforms. Therefore, this study leverages extensive online behavioral data from an e‐commerce platform, encompassing detailed records of 26,034 consumers. By employing unsupervised machine learning algorithms to distinguish the heterogeneity of consumer browsing, we apply clickstream data to explore the mechanisms of the impact of information diversity, specifically the breadth and depth of recommended product categories, on cross‐buying. This study reveals that the effect of diverse recommendations on online decision‐making undergoes marginal variations due to alterations in both the breadth and depth of these recommendations. Specifically, the depth and breadth of recommended product categories exhibit an inverted U‐shaped relationship with cross‐buying, initially promoting, and subsequently suppressing it. Additionally, consumers with different browsing behavior characteristics respond differently to recommendation diversity. Confused visitors and hedonic visitors positively moderate the depth of information and negatively moderate the breadth of recommendations with the inverted U‐shaped effect on cross‐buying. Search‐oriented visitors positively adjust the inverted U‐shaped relationship between the depth of information and the breadth of recommendations on consumer cross‐buying. This study enriches research on cross‐buying in the domain of recommendations on e‐commerce platforms from the perspective of information diversity, providing valuable insights for optimizing recommendation strategies, promoting cross‐buying behavior, and enhancing consumer loyalty.

Influence of endophytic fungi treatments on aluminum contents in Vernicia montana seedlings and soils under different concentrations of aluminum stress

Although leveraging the interaction with endophytic fungi is an efficient and environment-friendly strategy for plants to enhance growth and resistance, how different endophyte species influence host plants’ resilience in adverse conditions remain comparatively unclear. In order to explore the effect of endophytic fungi on the aluminum resistance of woody host plants, Vernicia montana seedlings were subjected to different aluminum concentrations (T0, T1, T2, T3, T4) in this study. The aluminum contents in roots, leaves and rhizospheric soil of V. montana seedlings were determined after applying endophyte suspensions of Pestalotiopsis (NP), Alternaria (LA), Penicillium (QP), Coniothyrium (DC) and Thermophilic (ST) spp. The results showed that aluminum stress treatment, endophytic fungi treatment and their interaction had significant effects on aluminum content in leaves, aluminum content in roots, aluminum content in rhizospheric soil, and the transport and retention rate of aluminum ions in soil-root-leaf. With the increase of aluminum concentrations, the aluminum content in leaves of V. montana increased in the endophyte treatments of LA and ST, decreased in CK, NP and DC, or had marginal variation in QP treatment. Compared with T0, four endophyte treatments of LA, QP, DC and ST significantly reduced root aluminum content under T4 concentration (P < 0.05), contrary to the results of NP treatment. Endophyte treatments significantly increased root aluminum content of V. montana under T1 concentration (P < 0.05). The foliar Al content in fungi-inoculated seedlings was significantly lower than that of the non-inoculated ones under T0 and T3 levels (P < 0.05), the LRR is less than 1, while the opposite trend was observed under T2 and T4 treatments. The aluminum transport coefficient TFsoil-root and TFroot-leaf increased in different proportions under the same aluminum concentration. The findings indicate that the application of endophytic fungi change the aluminum contents and transport from rhizospheric soil, roots to leaves. The specific effects of endophytic fungi vary with the degree of aluminum stress and the fungi genus. The study proves that inoculation of endophytic fungi can improve the aluminum tolerance of host plants, and thereby play an important role in promoting the sustainable development of forestry.

Digital analysis of internal fit variation of additively manufactured crown patterns

Aim: The purpose of this study was to digitally quantify the consistency and variation of printed resin crown patterns produced by different 3D printers, aiming to evaluate their clinical relevance and accuracy. This was accomplished by evaluating patterns manufactured using three different 3D printers and resin materials, assessing their fit and adaptation through digital scanning and analysis. The objective was to determine the internal and marginal variations of printed crown resin patterns and to identify the printer and material combinations that produce the most consistent and clinically acceptable results. Methods: A prefabricated typodont tooth was prepared for a crown and scanned using an intraoral scanner. From this scan, a crown was designed and the resulting STL file was exported. This 3D file was manufactured using resins indicated for castable patterns on 3 different printers: FotoDent® Cast with the Carbon M2 printer, Form 3 Castable with the Form 2 printer, and Siraya Tech Cast with the ELEGOO Mars 2 Pro 3D printer. Finally, the crown resin patterns were scanned using an intraoral digital scanner (3Shape TRIOS 3) scanner, and crown adaptation was digitally quantified in GeoMagic software. Clinically relevant significance was determined (marginal gap &lt; 50 µm) between resin patterns printed on different printers. Results: Form 3 Castable/Form 2 printer had the lowest mean internal variation at all measurement areas, 21.07 μm at the occlusal, 104.23 μm at the margin, and 37.98 μm at the axial. FotoDent® Cast/Carbon M2 had the largest marginal variation while Siraya Tech Cast/ELEGOO Mars 2 Pro had the largest occlusal variation. Within each material, the largest internal variation was at the marginal area while the lowest value was in the occlusal area. Conclusions: All printed crowns displayed clinically acceptable ranges, but there was a statistically significant difference in the fit between all printers.

Microstructure characterization and formability assessment of electron beam welded Nb-10Hf-1Ti (wt.%) refractory alloy sheets

Formability study on welded blanks of Nb-based refractory alloy C-103 (Nb-10Hf-1Ti (wt.%)) has tremendous potential for utilizing smaller sheets for realization of large-size divergent portions of upper-stage liquid engine nozzle of satellite launch vehicles and thrusters of attitude orbital control systems. In this work, vacuum-annealed monolithic C-103 sheets were electron beam welded successfully to obtain defect-free welds and detailed microstructural and mechanical characterizations were investigated. Columnar epitaxial grains were found in fusion zone (FZ) instead of equiaxed grains in base metal (BM). Detailed SEM and HRTEM analyses revealed spherical shape of nano-sized HfO2 precipitates with monoclinic crystal structure in the C-103 sheet. Further, microhardness across the weld cross-section indicated that the FZ had a uniform and maximum hardness of ∼195 HV0.5 due to formation of finer nano-sized HfO2 precipitates with higher number density, followed by a lowering of hardness in a narrow heat-affected zone. A marginal reduction in tensile strength of ∼6% with a considerable decrease in ductility of ∼29% was noticed for the welded sample. However, fracture occurred in the BM region, indicating good weld integrity. Furthermore, formability of the welded blanks was evaluated in terms of limiting dome height (LDH), forming limit diagram, and deep drawn cup depth. The effect of the presence of WZ on the formability of the C-103 sheet was estimated under uniaxial, plane strain, and biaxial tensile strain paths for the first time, and the results were compared with the monolithic sample. It was noted that the failure limit of the welded specimens decreased compared to that of the monolithic sample, resulting in a lower LDH of approximately 69% and 62% when deformed along plane strain and biaxial tensile strain paths, respectively. However, a marginal variation in LDH was observed for the uniaxial strain path. Also, the welded blank had more resistance to material flow into the die cavity due to the harder weld region, resulting in a reduction of deep drawn cup depth by 52% than that of the monolithic blank. The overall results concluded that the presence of the WZ significantly affected the formability of the C-103 sheet, especially in plane strain and biaxial strain paths. However, the fracture was never found to be propagating along the weld line, indicating the ability of the weld to sustain large plastic strains. This study provides insightful information on the formability of electron beam welded C-103 sheets for the successful fabrication of space components.

Modeling longitudinal skewed functional data.

This paper introduces a model for longitudinal functional data analysis that accounts for pointwise skewness. The proposed procedure decouples the marginal pointwise variation from the complex longitudinal and functional dependence using copula methodology. Pointwise variation is described through parametric distribution functions that capture varying skewness and change smoothly both in time and over the functional argument. Joint dependence is quantified through a Gaussian copula with a low-rank approximation-based covariance. The introduced class of models provides a unifying platform for both pointwise quantile estimation and prediction of complete trajectories at new times. We investigate the methods numerically in simulations and discuss their application to a diffusion tensor imaging study of multiple sclerosis patients. This approach is implemented in the R package sLFDA that is publicly available on GitHub.

First molecular characterisation of Hydatigera taeniaeformis (Cestoda: Taeniidae) from Rattus rattus in urban market centres from Tamale, Ghana

BackgroundThe common cat tapeworm, Hydatigera taeniaeformis, is widely distributed across many regions of the world but its global genetic diversity, ecology, and other biological features are not fully understood. The predator-prey relationship of felids and rodents sustains the transmission in both sylvatic and synanthropic or urban settings. This study was carried out in three urban market centres in Tamale, Ghana to determine the prevalence of H. taeniaeformis infection in urban rats and characterise the local population genetics using the mitochondrial nad1 gene sequences.MethodsFrom January to May 2023, rats were captured and euthanized to identity and isolate the H. taeniaeformis metacestodes. The full mitochondrial nad1 gene was amplified, sequenced and used to characterise the cestode population.ResultsIn total 64/80 rats from the three market centres were found naturally infected with metacestodes of H. taeniaeformis. Averagely, infected rats harboured two cysts with one exceptional case of 25 cysts in one liver. Each cyst harboured one metacestode. The DNA sequences revealed four haplotypes in a star-like distribution network across the three market centres. All four haplotypes were found to be unique, clustered with H. taeniaeformis sensu stricto (s.s.) global isolates and had only marginal variation among themselves.ConclusionThis is the first account of the genetic variability within H. taeniaeformis in Ghana and would contribute to ongoing and future studies on African regional biogeographic distribution of the common cat tapeworm.

Feeding habits of the longfin goatfish Upeneus supravittatus Uiblein and Heemstra, 2010, along Chennai coast, south India

Recognising the need to understand the feeding habits of marine fishes, a study was undertaken on the longfin goatfish Upeneus supravittatus Uiblein and Heemstra, 2010, which contributed to trawl fisheries along Chennai coast (south-east coast of India). Dataon trophic attributes such as mouth gape area, gill raker counts, stomach and intestine lengths and gut condition and contents were collected and analysed to determine condition index, index of relative importance (IRI), niche breadth and trophic level (TrL) with reference to two variables, namely, body size (small, medium and large) and season (post north-east monsoon (PNE); summer (SUM); south-west monsoon (SW); north-east monsoon (NE). The mouth gape area of U. supravittatus was 129.3 mm2. The maximum body depth-total length ratio was 1:5.0; gill rakers in lower arch was 29 and the relative intestine length was 0.48. Empty stomach contributed 56.1% of the samples. U. supravittatus fed on prey belonging to 25 Orders and &gt;40 Genera. Decapods such as shrimps and crablets were the main prey followed by fishes. The IRI of decapods was 6474 and that of fishes was only 193. The maximum prey size predated by the fish was 33.5 and 9.8% in terms of the predator’s length and weight, respectively. Higher prey diversity was noticed in small size group and during south-west monsoon season. The narrow niche breadth of 0.20 showed the selective nature of the fish to feed on decapods. The fish is a benthic carnivore with a mean trophic level of 3.58. The trophic level decreased with body size. Diet similarity was evident between north-east and post north-east monsoon and between summer and south-west monsoon seasons. Diversity indices showed marginal variation in prey diversity among size groups and among seasons. This study paves way for estimating production efficiency of U. supravittatus. Keywords: Diet composition, Index of relative importance, Trophic level, Trophic morphology, U. supravittatus

Cold idle vs hot idle: Gaseous and particulate emissions using a third-generation oxygenated biofuel

Engine idling is a significant contributor to vehicle emissions, however, it is often unaccounted for. Presented in this study is a comprehensive analysis of gaseous and particulate emissions during cold idle compared to hot idle operations. Fuels used in this study were B20 (20 %) and B10 (10 %) (%v/v) blends of di-octyl phthalate (a third-generation microalgae-based biofuel) and ultra-low sulphur diesel (B00), used as a reference fuel. Compared to cold idle operation, hydrocarbon (HC) emissions during hot idle showed marginal variation (±10 %) using blended fuels, and a significant increase (+55 %) using B00. Compared to cold idle operation, hot idle showed increased oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emissions, using all fuels (with a more significant increase shown using B00). During cold idle, particle concentrations (PNT) were 50–65 % higher using the blended fuels, compared to B00; however, during hot idle, the (PNT) using the blended fuels were one order of magnitude lower than B00. During cold idle operation, the average particle count mean diameter (CMD) in the Lower Aitken and Aitken modes was 5–10 % and 20–30 % higher using blended fuels, compared to B00, respectively. Higher CMD with the blended fuels during the cold idle operation caused a higher percentage increase in the particle mass (PMT), compared to B00. Sub-23 particles (<23 nm) were observed during cold and hot idle operations, using all fuels.

Formulation of Energy Bars by using Sunflower Seeds

The study discusses the popularity and nutritional benefits of snack foods, with a focus on granola bars as a versatile and nutrient-dense option. The importance of energy bars for athletes and individuals with busy lifestyles is highlighted. The study aims to develop a high-protein, high-energy nutritional bar using plant sources. Oats are emphasized for their rich nutrient profile, including carbohydrates, fiber, proteins and various bioactive compounds. Dates and almonds contribute additional nutrients and health benefits. Sunflower seeds are recognized for their therapeutic benefits, while honey is for its antibacterial and nutritional properties. The energy bars, including a basic version and two variations, were analyzed for various nutritional parameters. The moisture content exhibited slight increments, measuring from 6.83±0.01, to 7.03±0.01, while the ash content showed minimal differences at 0.05±0.01. Energy content increased from 380±0.032 to 410±0.026, and protein content ranged from 9.17±0.01 to 9.19±0.01. Fat composition showed marginal variations while the fiber content was measured at 6.67±0.01, 6.77±0.01 and 6.78±0.01 grams. Ascorbic acid concentrations increased from 0.7±0.015 to 0.81±0.0026, while thiamine and riboflavin concentrations showed slight fluctuations. Sensory evaluation revealed that T2 (30% honey) scored highest in various categories, including color (8.5±0.527), taste (8.6±0.516), texture (8.2±0.788), flavor (8.5±0.707), appearance (8.5±0.527) and overall acceptability (8.6±0.516). T2 emerged as the most preferred, followed by T1 (25% honey) and T3 (35% honey).

Insights into enhanced thermoelectric performance of the n-type Mg3Sb2-based materials by amphoteric Al doping

Doping has the potential to alter the levels of anharmonicity in compounds by attenuating bonding strength. In this study, we explore the efficacy of amphoteric Al doping for stimulating anharmonicity in n-type Mg3.25AlxSb1.48Bi0.48Te0.04 to attain enhanced phonon scattering and thermoelectric performance. First-principles calculations and experimental data reveal the occupation of both Sb and Mg2 sites by amphoteric Al atoms in the anionic framework of Mg3.25AlxSb1.48Bi0.48Te0.04. A marginal variation in both carrier concentration and mobility sustains the high power factor without affecting the Seebeck coefficient, implying amphoteric doping induced charge compensation. While phonon velocity, Grüneisen parameter, and crystal orbital Hamilton population calculations results indicate that phonon softening and bond weakening are realized via Al doping, leading to an enhanced lattice anharmonicity and a reduced lattice thermal conductivity. A remarkable enhancement ∼16% in the peak figure of merit ZTpeak and the average ZTavg, was attained for the x = 0.015 sample, when compared with the un-doped sample. Hence, the amphoteric doping can serve as an effective means to optimize ZT values by decoupling the intertwined thermoelectric transport properties.

Study of structural and magnetic properties of laser-irradiated zinc ferrite material

Crystalline ZnFe2O4 (zinc ferrite) material was prepared using the sol–gel technique and converted in the forms of 3 pellets, out of which 2 pellets were irradiated at room temperature by pulsed Nd:YAG laser with 1.5 W, λ = 532 nm named ZF1 and continuous AlGaAs diode laser of 4 W, λ = 808 nm called ZF2, respectively, while the 3rd pellet was kept as control and named ZF. Synchrotron X-ray Diffraction (S-XRD) reveals the marginal variation in the structure having the lattice parameters of 8.4364 Å for ZF, 8.4176 Å for ZF1 and 8.4187 Å for ZF2. The porosity after laser irradiation has been increased to 10.87% for ZF1 and 10.84%, for ZF2 from 10.28% for ZF. The blocking temperature (TB) has been ∼15 K for all samples. There had been a slight variation in the magnetization of irradiated pellets at 5 and 300 K compared to ZF. The separation between ZFC and FC curves, the measure of interaction between Fe ions has increased for irradiated pellets when compared with the separation for ZF. Moreover, magnetization (M) versus applied magnetic field (H) at 5 K in the range of ±1 T shows the ferrimagnetic behaviour and this ordering has been seen up to TB as visible from M-T curves, whereas the material becomes superparamagnetic above TB as observed from M-T & M-H measurements.

Flexible low-profile shield for reducing back radiation of wrist-worn antenna

A flexible conducting lossy shield is developed and demonstrated for a reduction in the back radiation of a linearly polarized X-band patch antenna for Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN) applications. The proposed structure comprises a flexible patch antenna backed by a laminated sheet of Expanded Graphite (EG). This flexible sheet is prepared from EG powder pressed uniformly over a thin adhesive tape. The conducting nature of EG is exploited, and the EG sheet is used as a protective shield to prevent back radiation emanating out of the WBAN antenna from propagating toward the human body. The antenna performance is tested over human wrist phantoms experimentally and through full wave simulation studies. The results indicate the marginal variation in the −10 dB impedance bandwidth with a slight increase in the gain and directivity values for a resonant frequency in the range 9.7–10.3 GHz (bending radius variation of 40, 30, and 20 mm and along two bending planes). A measured on-body gain of 6.7 dBi is exhibited by the antenna backed by the EG shield and bent over a 20 mm radius human wrist phantom with an S11 of −19 dB, a −10 dB % bandwidth of 8%, and a directivity of 9.4 dBi. All the other bending configurations exhibit values higher than these. Electric field and Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) studies reveal a reduction in wave penetration by the EG shield antenna inside the wrist phantom with a decrease in the SAR by a maximum of 5%. The measured front-to-back ratio values indicate the lowering of back radiation with a maximum average increase of 76% exhibited by an EG backed antenna. The developed EG shield has an additional advantage of being a standalone structure, which can be integrated with any wearable antenna for a possible reduction in the back radiation.

Adaptability of prognostic prediction models for patients with acute coronary syndrome during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundThe detrimental repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on the quality of care and clinical outcomes for patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) necessitate a rigorous re-evaluation of prognostic prediction models...

Thermal conditions and daylight availability in different zones of courtyard buildings; a study in Iran

ABSTRACT Passive design strategies enhance indoor thermal comfort and reduce energy consumption in buildings located in hot climates. Thus, exploring the various zones of a house’s yard can yield valuable insights for devising a plan that achieves high energy and lighting efficiency. This study examines the climate-responsive design strategies of 20 traditional courtyard buildings in Birjand’s hot and dry climate. These courtyard houses informed modelling a new hypothetical house in DesignBuilder. Two main orientations (45° = NE–SW, and 315° = NW–SE) were used for comparing their impact on indoor air temperature, solar gain and daylight factor across various courtyard zones. The findings indicate that during winter, the interiors of courtyard houses maintain a temperature higher than the exterior, while in summer, they remain cooler than outside conditions. Concerning the influence of orientation on indoor climates, the NE–SW orientation yielded the greatest solar gains for windows in the northern and western zones. Conversely, in the NW–SE orientation, the most substantial solar gains were recorded for windows in the northern and eastern zones. Additionally, the study noted a marginal variation in the daylight factor across different zones of the courtyard houses when comparing the two orientations.

Strain-hardening ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) with hybrid steel and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers

This study addresses the advancement of strain-hardening ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) by investigating its tensile behavior with hybrid steel and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers. Through direct tensile testing of UHPC samples with varying volumes of steel and polyethylene fibers (totaling 2.0%), significant improvements in tensile strain capacity and energy absorption capacity (tensile toughness) were observed upon replacing steel fibers with polyethylene fibers. Despite marginal variations in first cracking strength and ultimate tensile strength, these properties could be finely tuned by tailing fiber length and hybrid ratio. Quantitative analysis established correlations between the hybrid fiber factor and key mechanical properties, advancing a deeper understanding of UHPC behavior. The findings underscore the benefits of multiscale fiber hybridization in UHPC, offering scientific insights into predicting and optimizing its performance for structural applications. This study helps close the gap in UHPC development, emphasizing the potential of multiscale fiber hybridization to achieve concurrently high tensile strength and strain capacity.

Green synthesis of graphene for targeted recovery of silver from photovoltaic waste

Atmospheric pressure microwave plasma can synthesize freestanding graphene in a few seconds at ambient conditions. Recent research has explored this method for the synthesis of graphene yet constrained by the utilization of toxic or non-renewable resources. This study aimed to substitute environmentally benign and sustainable precursors, synthesizing graphene from expired tangerine peel oil, an abundant natural source globally. The Raman spectrum of synthesized material showed a characteristic graphene-related 2D peak at microwave powers varied between 200 and 1000 W. The images of transmission electron microscopy revealed interstitial spacing of 0.34, which matched the value of X-ray diffraction calculated through Bragg's law. However, marginal variations in lattice spacing owing to the presence of oxygen functional groups were also observed. Additionally, the as-synthesized graphene deposited on a screen-printed electrode was used to selectively recover silver from spent photovoltaics. Our approach of creating a graphene-silver composite directly from waste material offers environmental benefits, resource utilization, waste reduction, and versatile applications in electrochemistry.

System-based phosphorus management in non-flooded rice-lentil rotation in tropical alkaline soil on Gangetic plain: Crop productivity, phosphorus use efficiency and budgeting

ContextAerobic rice cultivation, gaining recognition for its water-saving and ecological benefits, often faces productivity challenges due to various deficiencies in the soil-plant system. In absence of flooding-induced P dissolution, reduced soil P availability would have yield-limiting impacts on the non-flooded aerobic rice-based system on tropical alkaline soils. ObjectiveThe study aimed to assess the impact of system-based sole fertilizer-P and integrated P treatments in non-flooded direct-seeded rice (DSR)-lentil system for recommending sustainable P management strategies. MethodsThe experimental treatments included a control with no P application ([DSR0-L0]), three variable seasonal distribution of sole fertilizer-P treatments [subscript value (kg P ha−1)] ([DSR22-L22], [DSR33-L11], [DSR11-L33]), three integrated P treatments ([DSR11-L11+phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB)], [DSR16.5-L5.5+rice residue (RR)+PSB], [DSR5.5+lentil residue (LR)-L16.5+PSB] along with a conventional puddled-transplanted flooded rice-lentil using blanket recommended fertilizer-P rate ([PTR22-L22]). These treatments were evaluated over three years to investigate their impact on soil-plant P dynamics, crop productivity, P use efficiency, and budgeting. ResultsThe findings revealed that soil P availability in non-flooded rice (DSR) was lower (8–10 %) compared to transplanted flooded-rice. The integrated P treatment, which included rice residue recycling, PSB, and suboptimal fertilizer-P (22 kg P ha−1y−1) increased soil P availability in both rice (8 %) and lentil (12 %) seasons compared to the recommended sole-fertilizer P treatment. This led to a significant increases in rice (6 %) and lentil (9 %) yields during third year of cropping. Meanwhile, the treatments involving the variable distribution of the annual fertilizer-P rate (44 kg ha−1y−1) to component crops in different ratios [1:1, 3:1, 1:3] exhibited only marginal variations in available-P and crop yields. Integrated P treatments with crop residue recycling increased macronutrient acquisition (N, P, and K), agronomic P use efficiency and fertilizer-P recovery efficiency over sole-fertilizer P treatments (p < 0.05), highest with the rice residue recycling integrated treatment. The apparent P balance was marginally negative in the residue recycling integrated P treatments (-1.9 to −2.1 kg ha−1y−1), but highly positive in the sole fertilizer-P treatments (+15.3 to +15.9 kg ha−1y−1). Conclusion and significanceThe study highlights the potential of integrated P treatments with rice residue recycling in improving soil P availability, nutrient use efficiency, and crop productivity of aerobic rice-lentil system in tropical alkaline soil while saving costly fertilizer-P input.