Subsequent Use Research Articles

The Influence of the Content of Recycled Natural Leather Residue Particles on the Properties of High-Density Fiberboards.

During the production of furniture, large amounts of waste materials are generated, which are most often stored in warehouses without a specific purpose for their subsequent use. In highly developed countries, as many as 25 million tons of textile waste are produced annually, of which approximately 40% is non-clothing waste such as carpets, furniture and car upholstery. The aim of this research was to produce and evaluate dry-formed high-density fiberboards (HDF) bonded with urea-formaldehyde resin, 12% resination, with various shares of recycled particles of natural leather used in upholstery furniture production at different contents (1, 5 and 10% by weight). The panels were hot-pressed (200 °C, 2.5 MPa, pressing factor 20 s mm-1). Mechanical properties (modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity and screw withdrawal resistance) and physical properties (density profile, thickness swelling after water immersion, water absorption and surface absorption) were tested. The density profile and contact angle of natural leather have been also characterized. The results show that increasing the content of leather particles in HDF mostly has a positive effect on mechanical properties, especially screw withdrawal resistance and water absorption. It can be concluded that, depending on the further use of HDF, it is possible to use recovered upholstery leather particles as a reasonable addition to wood fibers in HDF technology.

Phytochemistry, Proximate Analysis and Acute Toxicity Study of Ethanolic Moringa Oleifera Root Bark Extract.

Moringa Oleifera is a fast growing deciduous tree with its different plant parts commonly used in herbal medicine, also with good socio-economic and industrial values. The ethanolic extract of M.Oleifera root bark is shown to be rich in nutrients, owing to the presence of essential phytochemicals in the root bark. The phytochemicals or secondary metabolites of the ethanolic extract of the root bark were screened and identified. Also, acute toxicity study of the ethanolic extract of the root bark was carriedout in Albino Rats according to Institutional Animal Care and Use (IACU) guidelines. The fresh M.Oleifera root was harvested at the inception of the rainy season at Pil Gani District of Langtang North LGA and excess soil washed off as the root bark was properly peeled, air dried, pulverized to powdered form and stored for subsequent use. Serial extractions using water, acetone, ethanol, and ethyl acetate were carriedout by Simple Maceration. The ethanolic extract was seen to have the best yield of the phytochemicals qualitatively identified as tannins, saponins, carbohydrates, flavonoids, alkaloids, steroids, terpenes, cardiac glycosides and anthraquinones. Acute toxicity test was determined by Lorke’s method and the LD50 was shown to be at the highest limit dose of 5000mg/kg, which signifies that the extract is non toxic at such single dosage. The ethanolic M.Oleifera root bark extract contains nutritive phytochemicals with vast medicinal uses. No sign of acute toxicity was observed on oral administration as the median lethal dose was shown to be safe at the highest limit single dose of 5000mg/kg.

Establishment of a Nipah Virus Disease Model in Hamsters, including a Comparison of Intranasal and Intraperitoneal Routes of Challenge.

Nipah virus (NiV) is an emerging pathogen that can cause severe respiratory illness and encephalitis in humans. The main reservoir is fruit bats, distributed across a large geographical area that includes Australia, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Incursion into humans is widely reported through exposure of infected pigs, ingestion of contaminated food, or through contact with an infected person. With no approved treatments or vaccines, NiV poses a threat to human public health and has epidemic potential. To aid with the assessment of emerging interventions being developed, an expansion of preclinical testing capability is required. Given variations in the model parameters observed in different sites during establishment, optimisation of challenge routes and doses is required. Upon evaluating the hamster model, an intranasal route of challenge was compared with intraperitoneal delivery, demonstrating a more rapid dissemination to wider tissues in the latter. A dose effect was observed between those causing respiratory illness and those resulting in neurological disease. The data demonstrate the successful establishment of the hamster model of NiV disease for subsequent use in the evaluation of vaccines and antivirals.

LOSS OF RIVER NATURALNESS – CAUSES AND CASE

The economic growth of lowland areas is closely related to water management, with the development of valley areas limited by local hydrological conditions. The water retention shaped by hydro-technical structures enables the subsequent use of water for flood protection, agricultural, industrial, fire-fighting, energy, or recreational purposes, conditioning the potential development opportunities of the region. Over the years, there have been different approaches to the exploitation of water resources – from total subordination of nature by man to the development of sustainable solutions. However, to utilise the potential of rivers, channels and valleys were subjected to regulation, which in some cases provided immediate economic benefits, but in the long-term, deprived the river of its natural qualities, inhibiting its ability to self-purification morphodynamic processes. The water runoff acceleration as a result of channel straightening and concreting, combined with the narrowing of river valleys, led to a progressive increase in flood risk. As observed, over the years, such rivers increased the flood problem, oppositely to intentions. In response to deteriorating hydromorphological conditions, a variety of mitigation measures have been undertaken, which can be broadly termed as river restoration. The article presents the most common causes leading to the loss of naturalness, one of the most significant environmental effects. As demonstrated, most often, the loss of naturalness of water occurs through the influence of several factors, although in individual cases, it is possible to recognise one of them as the main threat source

Hugh Allen Oliver Hill. 23 May 1937—30 July 2021

Allen Hill was one of the pioneers who established bioinorganic chemistry as an academic discipline. His transition from early research in organic chemistry to the biocoordination chemistry of metals led to the invention of the glucose electrode, which provided for the first time an electronic (amperometric) determination of glucose levels in blood. He guided its commercialization and subsequent use by millions of diabetics worldwide. He and his co-workers made crucial discoveries of how small molecules, especially ferrocene derivatives, can mediate electron transfer from enzymes such as glucose oxidase to electrode surfaces. He used scanning probe microscopy to reveal molecular interactions between proteins and electrode surfaces, and even resolve bound metals at near-atomic resolution. His studies of the biological redox properties and interactions of metals involved not only electrochemical methods, but also nuclear magnetic resonance, electron paramagnetic resonance and Mössbauer spectroscopies. He enjoyed the power of creativity and discovery, and was an exceptional mentor for early career researchers, with an ability to think broadly across the sciences and medicine. He gave devoted service to his college and the University of Oxford, was highly respected internationally and valued greatly the support and encouragement of his own family.

Building Information Modeling (BIM 6D) and Its Application to Thermal Loads Calculation in Retrofitting

The purpose of this study is to propose optimal actions to improve the energy efficiency of large office buildings in tropical regions with cooling systems, while ensuring the users’ comfort at a reasonable cost. In tropical climates, the building envelope plays a crucial role in saving thermal energy as buildings are exposed to significant climatic impacts and require a significant amount of energy to achieve optimal indoor comfort conditions. In this context, BIM-3D simulation is considered to be effective since it can provide results very similar to those of its physical counterpart, which can be useful for decision making. For this purpose, a public building in Costa Rica is used as a case study, which is modeled in Revit 2019 to obtain a BIM-3D model and simulate its thermal behavior using the BIM tools of the referred software. The architectural characteristics are evaluated in the climatic context of the building, and results are simulated with different configured materials. The obtained results lead to the conclusion that simulation together the previous economic analysis is a valuable decision-making tool for design, enabling significant savings during construction and subsequent building use.

The Added Diagnostic Value of Transcatheter CT Hepatic Arteriography for Intraprocedural Detection of Previously Unknown Colorectal Liver Metastases During Percutaneous Ablation and Impact on the Definitive Treatment Plan

PurposeThis study assessed the diagnostic value of CT hepatic arteriography (CTHA) for the intraprocedural detection of previously unknown colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) and the impact on the definitive treatment plan.Materials and MethodsAll patients treated with CTHA-guided percutaneous ablation for CRLM between January 2012 and March 2022 were identified from the Amsterdam Colorectal Liver Met Registry (AmCORE). Radiology reports of the ablative procedure and follow-up imaging were reviewed to see if (a) previously unknown CRLM were detected intra-procedurally and if (b) new CRLM, potentially missed on CTHA, appeared within 6 months following the procedure; three abdominal radiologists re-reviewed the baseline CTHA scans of these patients with early recurrence. To ratify immediate ablations of concomitantly detected CRLM, the upper limit of false positives was predefined at 10%.ResultsOne hundred and fifty-two patients were included. With CTHA, a total of 17 additional tumours in 15 patients were diagnosed and treated immediately, two representing disappeared tumours following systemic chemotherapy. Compared to the conventional contrast-enhanced (ce)CT, ceMRI and 18F-FDG PET-CT, adding CTHA was superior for the detection of CRLM (P < .001). Within 12 months of follow-up 121, new CRLM appeared in 49/152 patients (32.2%); retrospective blinded assessment revealed 56 to already be visible on the baseline CTHA scan (46%); four lesions without substrate on follow-up scans were considered false positives (n = 4/60; 7%). Arterial ring enhancement was the most frequently reported imaging characteristic (n = 45/60; 75%).ConclusionThe subsequent use of CTHA has added value for the detection of previously unknown and vanished CRLM. Taking into account the low number of false positives (7%) and the favourable safety profile of percutaneous ablation, we believe that immediate ablation of typical ring-enhancing supplementary tumours is justified and sufficiently validated.Level of EvidenceLevel 3; individual cross-sectional study with consistently applied reference standard and blinding.

Integrated bioprocess for Se(VI) remediation using duckweed: Coupling selenate removal to biogas production

The use of phytoremediation as a method for wastewater treatment or removal of pollutants is garnering significant interest and duckweed (DW), a free floating macrophyte, depicts significant potential for the removal of nutrients and toxic compounds from contaminated waters. The present work aimed to develop an integrated process for remediating selenate (Se(VI)) using DW biomass and subsequent use of Se(VI) enriched DW for biogas production. The main objective is to extend the application of selenium (Se) enriched DW biomass for biogas production. Se(VI) enriched DW biomass (Se-DW) gave higher methane production (48.38 ± 3.6 mL gCOD−1) than control DW biomass (C-DW) (24.46 ± 3.6 mL gCOD−1). To further enhance methane production, three pre-treatment approaches (acid, alkali and hydrothermal) were assessed and the solid and liquid fractions obtained after pre-treatment were used as a substrate. Pre-treatments increased biogas production in both Se-DW and C-DW than untreated conditions. Liquid fractions gave higher biogas production than solid fractions. In Se-DW, highest biogas production was observed in hydrothermal pre-treated Se-DW, while in C-DW, acid pre-treatment gave higher biogas production. Methane production was shown to be enhanced up to a Se(VI) concentration of 1.7 mg L−1, whereas a concentration beyond this lowered biogas production.

Remediation of real industrial hypersaline effluent using sequential approach of precipitation followed by cavitation based oxidative process

The current study aims to develop a cost-effective and efficient treatment method for the remediation of amine-containing real industrial effluent. The method consists of a precipitation to remove chloride ions and TDS, followed by cavitation-based AOPs involving US and chemical oxidants as H2O2, O3, Fenton’s reagent, NaClO, and nTiO2. Different parameters including precipitating agent type and dosage, oxidant loading/flow rate, and time were assessed to determine optimal conditions for effective treatment. Treatment schemes were evaluated based on cavitational yield (mg/J), treatment cost (Rs/L), and COD reduction to select an industrially feasible design for amine-containing real effluent treatment. The optimum conditions elucidated were H2O2 loading of 3 g/L, NaClO loading of 3 g/L, O3 flowrate of 3 LPH, nTiO2 loading of 3 g/L, and Fenton’s reagent ratio (H2O2/Fe2+) as 6:1. Under the optimum conditions, US+nTiO2 (70%) treatment schemes were the most efficient, achieving a maximum COD reduction compared to US+Fenton (65%), US+H2O2 (36%), US+O3 (49%) and US+NaClO (53%) schemes. Additionally, impact of chloride and TDS on the oxidation process in terms of COD reduction was assessed. Using Rotavap instead of precipitation, and subsequent use of the best oxidation method (US/HC+Fenton+CaO) achieved COD and TDS levels below 250 mg/L (discharge limit) at optimum conditions, with minimal operating costs of 0.23 $/L and 0.15 $/L, respectively. Overall, the study concluded that the sequential approach of precipitation/Rotavap and cavitation-assisted oxidation is an effective and sustainable method, providing a promising solution for the wastewater treatment in the metallurgical industry.

Diagnosis, prevention and treatment of vitamin D deficiency in adults: Ukrainian experts consensus statement

Background. Vitamin D deficiency (VDD) is widespread in the world; its proportion varies considerably in different populations and depends on many causes. Up to now, there were no National recommendations for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of VDD in adults in Ukraine. Their creation became the purpose of this work. Methodology. Consensus was created using the Delphi method, voting was conducted using the SurveyMonkey® platform. After approval of the composition of the Consensus Group, agreement on the order of formation and structure of the Consensus, creation and correction of the main statements, and two voting rounds, the main Consensus statements were formed and were successfully voted on. The 15 authors of the article are 15 experts who participated in the voting. The final 14 Consensus statements are presented in this article. Each statement is preceded by a justification based on high-quality evidence available in the current literature. Results. Despite the reduction of VDD in the Ukrainian population in recent years, experts have recommen­ded increasing the awareness of the medical community and the Ukrainian population about the problem and ways to overcome it, with a screening of the total serum level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) in subjects from the groups of risk to achieve the target concentration of 30–50 ng/ml (75–125 nmol/l). To ensure it, we recommend the individual selection of a prophylactic dose of vitamin D (800–2000 IU/d for young healthy persons and 3000–5000 IU/d for patients with diseases and conditions that affect the metabolism of vitamin D). For the treatment of VDD, we recommend short-term intake of higher doses (4000–10,000 IU/d) of vitamin D with control of the 25(OH)D level after 4–12 weeks of treatment and subsequent use of maintenance doses. Also, we re­commend the determination of serum 25(OH)D level before the initiation of antiosteoporotic therapy in patients with osteoporosis and its complications to prevent its ineffectiveness and increase the safety profile.

Parental drinking, mental health and educational level, and offspring’s subsequent prescription drugs treatment for sleep problems. A longitudinal HUNT survey and registry study

BackgroundParental drinking, mental health and family socioeconomic status are all associated with offspring sleep problems, but there is a paucity of research that considers the effect of risk factors, as they co-occur within and across families. Also, sleep problems are closely linked with mental health problems. Disentangling the effects on one or the other are important. We examined whether parental risk constellations are differently associated with offspring’s subsequent prescription drug use for sleep problems during nine years with or without prescription drug use for anxiety and/or depression.MethodsThe sample included 8773 adolescent offspring of 6696 two-parent families who participated in the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study in Norway. The exposures were five parental risk constellations, previously identified via Latent Profile Analysis, characterized by drinking frequencies and quantities, mental health, and years of education. The outcomes were dispensed prescription drugs in offspring during 2008–2016 for (a) only sleep problems (b) sleep problems and anxiety/depression or (c) only anxiety/depression. We used multinomial logistic regression to model the odds of the outcomes.ResultsCompared to the overall low-risk parental constellation, none of the risky constellations were significantly associated with increased risk of being dispensed prescription drugs only for sleep problems. Offspring from two different risk profiles were at increased risk for being dispensed both sleep and anxiety/depression prescription drugs. These were parental profiles marked by (1) low education, symptoms of mental health problems and weekly binge drinking in both parents (OR 1.90, CI = 1.06;3.42); and (2) frequent heavy drinking in both parents and symptoms of mental health problems in fathers (OR 3.32, CI = 1.49;7.39). Offspring from the risk profile with lowest parental education had increased risk of only anxiety/depression prescription drugs (OR 1.25, CI = 1.05;1.49).ConclusionOur findings suggest that parental risk constellations are not associated with increased risk of offspring receiving sleep medications without also receiving anxiety/depression medications, as two risk constellations were associated with increased risk of dispensation of both sleep and anxiety/depression prescription drugs. Receiving both may be an indication of severity. The findings underscore the importance of including measures of mental health problems when investigating sleep problems to avoid misattribution of effects.

Working with GNSS collar data. The importance of pre-analysis when setting the sampling interval

The use of tracking collars implemented with Global Positioning System (GPS) has allowed increasingly complex analyses of the movement and space use of tagged animals. Fundamental to these studies is the setting of parameters related to the technology itself. In this study we assessed the effect of the fix interval on certain ecological variables used to describe behavior, animal movement, home range size and habitat use through parameters such as path length, sinuosity, core area or minimum convex polygon. The aim of the study was to select the most reliable time interval in the study area in the northwest province of Jaén (Spain) for a subsequent use of the collars on wild ungulates. For this purpose, we designed and developed static and moving tests for evaluating 6 GNSS collars, one of them improved by using multi-costellation and multifrequency module, programmed with 5 different time intervals. The kinematic results suggest using caution when programming the collars since differences in the sampling interval leads to important differences in the real trajectories. Movement descriptors varied according to time interval, being longest and more winding with the shortest intervals. Similarly, home range approximations were closer to reality as more fixes were obtained. We progressively underestimated the use of the central core zone and the distance reached by the individual as we increased the time interval. However, there is a trade-off between time, autocorrelation and battery expenditure that is almost the only limiting factor. The experimental results show that a fixing interval of 30 min is an optimal and reliable value to studies focused on the estimation of path length or home range estimation. This value also involves a trade-off between high-resolution data and battery life.

Effects of adding tea tree oil on growth performance, immune function, and intestinal function of broilers

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of adding tea tree oil (TTO) in the basal diet on growth performance, immune function, and intestinal function in broilers. This study utilized 1,650 one-day-old broilers with good health and similar body weight. Subjects were randomized into 5 groups with 6 replicates each: the control group (CON, basal diet), positive control group (PCG, basal diet+100 mg/kg oregano oil in diet), low-dose TTO group (TTO-L, 50 mg/kg TTO added in the basal diet), medium-dose TTO group (TTO-M, 100 mg/kg TTO added in the basal diet), and high-dose TTO group (TTO-H, 200 mg/kg TTO added in the basal diet). The whole test period lasted 28 d. The results showed that the broilers fed with TTO supplemented diet had significantly higher body weight and average daily gain (ADG) (P=0.013), and had a lower feed conversion ratio (F/G) (P=0.010) throughout the trial period. The index of thymus in TTO-M increased significantly compared to CON (P=0.015) on d 28. On d 14 and 28, C3, IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-2 levels in TTO-L serum were significantly increased (P < 0.001); the 3 test groups supplemented with TTO had significantly higher titers of avian influenza H9 subtype in their serum (P < 0.05). Tea tree oil supplement in the diet also had a positive and significant effect on the intestinal morphology of broilers throughout the experiment (P < 0.05). These results indicate that TTO has the ability to promote broiler growth, regulate immunity, and improve intestinal morphology. The proposed dosage of adding 50 mg/kg in broiler basal diets provides a theoretical basis for its subsequent use in livestock feeds.

Structural, Morphological and Physical Characterization of Carbon Fly Ash

Carbon fly ash (CFA) is the principal industrial waste byproduct from the burning fossil fuel (coal combustion) for the thermal generation of electricity. CFA is a gray or black powdery solid that is constituted mostly metal oxides (Al, Si Fe and Ca), unburned carbon (UC) and other inorganic substance. The management of fly ash has thus been a matter of concern given the requirement of the large area of land for its disposal and potential of causing pollution of air, water, land and effects on human health. Physical and chemical characteristics of fly ash is important, as these characteristics influence its subsequent use and disposal. X-ray diffraction, and fluorescence, scanning microscopy with an energy dispersive spectroscopy, FTIR, BET was the common techniques employed to characterize FA. Characterization by XRD analysis identified the presence of quartz, mullite and sillimanite phases; while the FTIR results allowed the identification of vibrational bands, characteristic of Si-O-Si and Si-O bonds. The EDS analysis coupled to SEM allowed verifying that the composition of the samples is consistent with the results sought and that the morphological characteristics validate the proposed methodology. Surface area analyses (BET) showed that the fly ash possess an active area of 6.02 m2 · g-1.&#x0D;

Economic and biological value of medicinal and fodder herbs for feed production

The relevance of the research lies in the need to involve in the feed production of grass species containing biologically active substances for use as natural animal growth stimulants. The purpose of the study was to experimentally establish the economic and biological value of medicinal and fodder grass species, their technological suitability for growing in clean crops, obtaining raw materials and forming phyto-mixtures from them for use as organic feed additives. In the course of conducting research, the following methods were used: field, laboratory, analytical, and statistical. The economic and biological value for the growth of the following types of medicinal herbs in the feed production was determined: hyssop, fennel, white horehound, Moldavian dragonhead, coriander, yarrow, purple coneflower, dandelion, milk thistle, anise hyssop, St. John’s wort, sneezeweed, sweet wormwood. It was established that annuals in the year of sowing, and perennial species in the second or fourth years of use provided a dry mass of grasses – 1.7-5.0 t/ha and seeds – 0.3-1.8 t/ha. These types of herbs contain biologically active substances (polysaccharides, essential oils, flavonoids, organic acids, mainly vitamins, and trace elements) that have a positive effect on the animal body. The technological suitability for harvesting raw materials and forming phyto-mixtures of the following species is also proved: milk thistle, Moldavian dragonhead, coriander, hyssop, fennel, purple coneflower, anise hyssop, white horehound, and yarrow. As a result of the research, a database was created on the selection of medicinal herbs, their technological suitability for cultivation, and optimal harvesting times for harvesting raw materials with subsequent use in feed production. The inclusion of medicinal and feed species in feeding rations can ensure the production of organic livestock products that meet the requirements of the European Green Deal strategy

Landscapes created by millennia of cultural land use in the Fleurieu Group of Islands, Tasmania—a knowledge baseline for current and future land management under changing climates

Aboriginal peoples have managed Australian landscapes for millennia; however, deep-time paleoecological evidence of the nature of landscape modification remains rare. The Fleurieu Group of islands in Bass Strait was one of the areas actively used by Aboriginal people in lutruwita (Tasmania), until forced dispossession of their lands due to European colonization occurred over 230 years ago, with subsequent land use including leaseholder pastoralism and nature conservation. There are emerging opportunities for greater input from Aboriginal people into land management of the islands now and into the future. This investigation of the long-term human–island ecosystem interactions in the area is aimed at providing a greater understanding of the impact of land-use changes on biodiversity and ecosystem change through time. Holocene multi-proxy paleoecological records from the islands show periods of low to high intensity land use, with the highest intensity periods occurring around 8500–6500 BP and the last 2000 years. Aboriginal land use in the past ∼2000 BP promoted a complex mosaic biodiverse landscape and provides a baseline for current and future land management on the islands and elsewhere in Tasmania.

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of chlorhexidine salts as potential alternatives to potassium dichromate for Eimeria maxima M6 oocyst preservation.

Coccidiosis caused by the Eimeria spp., an Apicomplexan protozoon, is a major intestinal disease that affects the poultry industry. Although most cases of coccidiosis are subclinical, Eimeria infections impair bird health and decrease overall performance, which can result in compromised welfare and major economic losses. Viable sporulated Eimeria oocysts are required for challenge studies and live coccidiosis vaccines. Potassium dichromate (PDC) is typically used as a preservative for these stocks during storage. Although effective and inexpensive, PDC is also toxic and carcinogenic. Chlorhexidine (CHX) salts may be a possible alternative, as this is a widely used disinfectant with less toxicity and no known carcinogenic associations. In vitro testing of CHX gluconate and CHX digluconate exhibited comparable oocyst integrity and viability maintenance with equivalent bacteriostatic and bactericidal activity to PDC. Subsequent use of CHX gluconate or digluconate-preserved Eimeria oocysts, cold-stored at 4°C for 5 months, as the inoculum also resulted in similar oocyst shedding and recovery rates when compared to PDC-preserved oocysts. These data show that using 0.20% CHX gluconate could be a suitable replacement for PDC. Additionally, autofluorescence was used as a method to evaluate oocyst viability. Administration of artificially aged oocysts exhibiting >99% autofluorescence from each preserved treatment resulted in no oocyst output for CHX salt groups.

Development of an Algorithm for Extracting and Encoding Data from Log Messages of a Computing System for Anomaly Detection Systems

This article is devoted to development of an algorithm for automated analysis and transformation of a log message into a list of features in the form of a fixed-length vector and accumulation of the obtained vectors into a single dataset. The resulted dataset is proposed to be used in machine learning based anomaly detection systems. An additional requirement for the algorithm being developed is the diversity of protocols used to collect log messages in a computer system. These goals were achieved by develop of the software package. The software package collect and parse data from log messages in order to isolate and encode the features from log messages. The software package is enable to collect log messages by several protocols: syslog, SNMP, SQL, reading text and binary files. The data extracted from the log messages of the computing system is considered. The support of LUA scripts for data enrichment is applied. The list of features is generated. The method to encode text data extracted from log messages is proposed. The transformation algorithm of an arbitrary log message into a features vector of fixed dimension is proposed. A methodology for the formation of a dataset for subsequent use in machine learning of the anomaly detection system in a computing system is provided. An example of a dataset storage structure is given.

Decellularized human dermal extracellular matrix-derived scaffolds: compositional, mechanical, and in vitro biological characterizations

Currently, there is a growing demand for in vitro skin models. In search of a more realistic approximation of the tissue microenvironment, here, we present an optimized protocol for extracting and characterizing hydrogels obtained from decellularized dermal extracellular matrix from human skin to generate scaffolds for subsequent use in 3D skin models.

Push it real good: the effects of push notifications promoting motivational affordances on consumer behavior in a gamified mobile app

PurposeThere is clear benefit in designing and sending notifications to users that persuade them to interact with an app and marketer goals. The purpose of this study is to examine how different motivational affordances in notifications affects subsequent app use.Design/methodology/approachThe authors designed three studies to address the purpose: (1) an online experiment to test how individuals perceived notifications, which contained social affordances, progression-based affordances, and a combination of social and progression affordances; (2) a survey to gain a deeper understanding of why certain notification characteristics were effective and to unearth factors that jointly affected notification effectiveness; and (3) an in-app field experiment to test if the findings from studies 1 and 2 held up in a “real world” setting.FindingsThe analysis revealed that progression incentives yielded the greatest increases in user behavior. Neither a social incentive, nor a combination of social and progression affordances was more effective than one progression affordance. This effect was heightened by consumers’ involvement with the focal brand.Research limitations/implicationsThe contribution extends knowledge about the use of motivational affordances to gamify push notifications in high-involvement contexts. This implies that greater attention should be paid to how the: length of push notifications, affordances communicated and degree of consumers’ relationship with a focal brand (i.e. involvement) impact notification effectiveness. These findings set out new avenues to investigate the uses of gamification and services marketing in future research.Practical implicationsThe authors provide marketers with insights into the most effective ways to gamify, structure and time the delivery of notifications. In high-involvement contexts where consumers decide whether to act on a gamified marketing affordance quickly, it pays to use push notifications that feature visible, immediate and tangible rewards. Understanding consumers’ involvement with the brand allows marketers to turn notifications from a potential annoyance into a viable conduit for engagement.Originality/valueThis research extends knowledge on gamification to the domain of push notifications. In doing so, the authors have demonstrated the communicated affordances and wording of the push notifications organizations send affect user behavior. The authors further expand knowledge of the role of consumer involvement on push notification effectiveness while controlling for app usage patterns.