Lixia Gao¹, Sheng Shi^1,2,*, Wensheng Hou¹, Shuhua Wang¹, Zhifeng Yan¹, Chao Ge¹

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.6, pp. 703-713, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09055

Abstract In this study, waste cotton fabric was used as cellulose raw material and pretreated in aqueous NaOH/urea solution system to investigate the effect of NaOH/urea pretreatment solution on the hydrolysis of cotton fiber. The cotton fiber was pretreated with different conditions of aqueous NaOH/urea solution, and the pretreated cotton fiber was hydrolyzed under the same conditions as the original cotton fiber. The results of characterization analysis showed that water retention value of pretreated cotton fiber was higher than that of unpretreated sample. Moreover, the cotton fiber presented both a convoluted structure and a coarser surface, XRD results suggested that the… More >

Nikolajs Vedernikovs^*

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.6, pp. 661-674, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.09274

Abstract The main principles of the technological realisation of the furfural obtaining process have been formulated by Ricard [1]. Based on his recommendations, all investigators proceeded from the assumption that the depolymerisation of pentosans and the dehydration of pentoses in the one-step production of furfural from raw plant material must be accelerated with diluted catalyst solutions. According to this theory, uniform impregnation of the raw material with a catalyst solution is considered necessary. The reduction in the amount of the catalyst solution down to 30–40% of the mass of the dry raw material, suggested by Miner et al. [2], made the… More >

Taner Kasar¹, Pelin Ayyildiz¹, Gulhan Tunca Sahin¹, Erkut Ozturk¹, Selman Gokalp¹, Sertac Haydin², Alper Guzeltas¹, Yakup Ergul¹

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.3, pp. 450-457, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12595

Abstract Background: We aimed to evaluate rhythm abnormalities in cases of congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (ccTGA) and associated treatment strategies.
Patients and Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 65 pediatric patients with ccTGA who were admitted to the clinic between 2009 and 2017. The patients were divided into two groups, and surgical data, Holter electrocardiographic (ECG) recordings, ECG recordings, electrophysiological data, and device implantation data on the two groups were compared.
Results: Group I (n = 53, 82%) consisted of patients with significant associated lesions, and Group II (n = 12, 18%) consisted of those with minor or… More >

Jason F. Goldberg¹, Craig L. Jensen², Rajesh Krishnamurthy³, Nidhy P. Varghese⁴, Henri Justino¹

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.13, No.1, pp. 124-130, 2018, DOI:10.1111/chd.12537

Abstract Objective: We describe the long-term follow-up of a child with recurrent hemoptysis due to severe pulmonary vein stenosis decompressing via collaterals to esophageal varices.
Design: Case report
Setting: Tertiary children’s hospital
Patient: Single child through ages 2- to 11-year old
Interventions: The child underwent cutting balloon angioplasty, bare metal stenting, and implantation of a PTFE-covered stent, all of which failed rapidly. Only after placement of a paclitaxel drug eluting stent did he have prolonged relief from hemoptysis and long-term patency of the treated vein. The stents were serially dilated to keep up with somatic growth of the child, eventually culminating… More >

Jennifer L. Lapum¹, Suzanne Fredericks¹, Barbara Bailey², Terrence M. Yau^3,4, Jennifer Graham⁵, Ariane J. Marelli^6,7

Congenital Heart Disease, Vol.14, No.2, pp. 185-192, 2019, DOI:10.1111/chd.12716

Abstract Objective: The number of adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) has increased substantially because of medical advances that are extending life expectancy beyond childhood. A historical investigation is timely not only because of this significant demographic shift, but also because stakeholder engagement is increasingly important in shaping research directions. The study questions were: From the perspective of stakeholders, what is known about the medical treatment for the adult CHD cohort in Canada and how has it changed over time?
Design/Methods: We harnessed the use of historical research methods and conducted interviews with 21 key informants in order to articulate a… More >

Jonathan Lacuesta^1,*, Iris Beatriz Vega Erramuspe², Liji Sobhana², Dennis Kronlund³, Jouko Peltonen³, Soledad Gutiérrez¹, Pedro Fardim^2,4

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.8, No.3, pp. 275-287, 2020, DOI:10.32604/jrm.2020.08861

Abstract Biobased adsorbents are eco-friendly materials used for water and wastewater treatment and air cleaning. This research work explores the potential use of rice husk chars as a low-cost adsorbent for pollutants from water, such as methylene blue and ethinylestradiol. Rice husk chars are prepared by combustion of rice husks (RH-Char) or pre-treated rice husks (PT-Char). A third char (M-Char) supplied by a local company which uses rice husks as combustion material is also studied. The chars are characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) in conjunction with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and zeta-potential measurements.… More >

Shuo Yang¹, Yuanhai Li^{1, 2, ∗}, Xiaojie Tang^{1, 2}, Jinshan Liu^{1, 2}

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.122, No.2, pp. 633-659, 2020, DOI:10.32604/cmes.2020.07919

Abstract The deformation and damage evolution of sandstone after heat treatment greatly influence the efficient and safe development of deep geothermal energy extraction. To investigate this issue, laboratory confined compression tests and numerical simulations were conducted on pre-holed sandstone specimens after heat treatment. The laboratory test results show that the failure modes are closely related to the heat treatment temperature, with increasing treatment temperature, the failure modes change from mixed and shear modes to a splitting mode. The cracks always initiate from the sidewalls of the hole and then propagate. The failure process inside the hole proceeds as follows: calm period,… More >

Li Li¹, Xiaopeng Fan¹, Kecheng Wu², Zhuanglei Zou¹, Yongyan Zhou¹, Dianhai Zhang^3,*, Ziyan Ren³, Yanli Zhang³

Sound & Vibration, Vol.53, No.6, pp. 251-262, 2019, DOI:10.32604/sv.2019.05252

Abstract In the current paper, which deals with the noise pollution excited by distribution transformers in the living area, a comprehensive treatment scheme is put forward for the purpose of reducing the sound pressure level emitting into the environment. In accordance with the associated test standard, the sound pressure levels of distribution transformer and surrounding environment are not only tested but analyzed as well. The measurements were carried out with the frequency analysis of the 1/3 octave resolution, with the center frequencies at 125 Hz, 250 Hz, 400 Hz, and 500 Hz. As illustrated, on the basis of the measurement results,… More >

Atikur Rahman^1,3, Chad A. Ulven², Maren A. Johnson¹, Cheyenne Durant¹, Khwaja G. Hossain^*,1

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.5, Suppl.1, pp. 62-73, 2017, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2017.634133

Abstract Wheat bran, abundant but underutilized, was investigated for its potential as a reinforcement in biocomposites through different pretreatment methods. Pretreatment methods included were dilute sodium hydroxide (NaOH), dilute sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄), liquid hot water (LHW), calcium hydroxide (CaOH), organosolv such as aqueous ethanol (EtOH), and methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK). Changes in chemical composition and fiber characteristics of the treated bran were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Cellulose content increased to 35.1% and 29.6% in brans treated with H₂SO₄ and NaOH, respectively. The SEM micrographs showed surface cleaning of treated bran while maintaining sufficient… More >

W. M. Abd-Elhameed^1,2,*, Y. H. Youssri²

CMES-Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences, Vol.121, No.3, pp. 1029-1049, 2019, DOI:10.32604/cmes.2019.08378

Abstract This paper is confined to analyzing and implementing new spectral solutions of the fractional Riccati differential equation based on the application of the spectral tau method. A new explicit formula for approximating the fractional derivatives of shifted Chebyshev polynomials of the second kind in terms of their original polynomials is established. This formula is expressed in terms of a certain terminating hypergeometric function of the type ₄F₃(1). This hypergeometric function is reduced in case of the integer case into a certain terminating hypergeometric function of the type ₃F₂(1) which can be summed with the aid of Watson’s identity. Six illustrative… More >