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Randomized comparison of W.A.R.A. (Wiring Affect with ReAttach) versus distraction: A pilot study assessing the efficacy of an ultrafast transdiagnostic intervention

Weerkamp-Bartholomeus P, Marazziti D, Chan E, Srivastava A, van Amelsvoort T

Heliyon, 2020 Aug;6(8):e04660.
PMID: 32802985 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04660

Background: Generally, neuropsychiatric patients share different symptoms across nosological categories, such as, amongst other, psychological distress, mood alterations, anxiety, and self-regulation disturbances.ReAttach is a novel psychological intervention with its key elements being external affect and arousal regulation, stimulation of multiple sensory processing, conceptualization, affective mentalization, and associative memory processing. ReAttach has been hypothesized to be effective in reducing symptom severity in different psychiatric conditions. Given the limited information currently available, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of main ReAttach elements called "Wiring Affect with ReAttach" (W.A.R.A.) on negative affect (N.A.), and to compare it with "Distraction," another well-established affect-regulating strategy.
Methods: We used a single-blind, randomized controlled crossover equivalence design to compare the efficacy on N.A. regulation of W.A.R.A. versus Distraction in 101 patients with different neuropsychiatric disorders.
Results: The results showed a significant difference (p < 0.001) in response to W.A.R.A. vs. Distraction, with W.A.R.A. being significantly more effective in regulating N.A., with a large effect size (dRMpooled = 2.38) and a high probability (95%) of success.
Limitations: The heterogeneity of the study population makes generalization and clear recommendations for specific patient groups difficult. The Numeric Rating Scale might have prevented detection of increased N.A. when the baseline scores were high. More in-depth research is needed to explore the W.A.R.A. technique and the extent of confounding variables such as the placebo effect.
Conclusions: The findings suggest that W.A.R.A. may be an effective, accessible, and brief intervention reducing negative affect. Although premature, these first results are encouraging.
Fulltext Lattice mismatch alleviation in p-CdTe/n-Si heterostructure by surface engineering on Si substrate

Isah M, Doroody C, Rahman KS, Harif MN, Kiong TS, Zuhdi AWM

Heliyon, 2023 Nov;9(11):e21536.
PMID: 38027560 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e21536

The study used magnetron sputtering to investigate the growth of cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin films on surface treated n-type silicon (n-Si) substrates. The n-Si substrates were textured using potassium hydroxide (KOH) before the sputter deposition of CdTe. This was followed by cadmium chloride treatment to reduce the strain at the interface of CdTe and Si, which is caused by the incompatible lattice and thermal expansion mismatch (CTE). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that the lowest FWHM and dislocation densities were obtained for CdCl2/CdTe/txt-nSi, which aligns with the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results. In the SEM images, the interface bonding between the CdTe and Si surfaces was visible in the cross-sections, and the top-view images revealed sputtered CdTe thin films conforming to the patterns of pyramidal textured Si as an engineered surface to capture more light to maximize absorption in the CdTe/Si tandem design. The Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) results showed that all the CdTe deposited on textured n-Si exhibited more Te atoms than Cd atoms, irrespective of the CdCl2 treatment. The presented results suggest that the texturization and CdCl2 treatment improved the morphology and grain boundary passivation of the sputtered CdTe. The adhesiveness of CdTe on the n-Si substrate was also significantly enhanced. Our findings further demonstrate that proper surface treatment of the Si substrate can greatly improve the quality of CdTe grown on Si by reducing the strain that occurs during the growth process. This study demonstrates a valuable method for enhancing the integration of CdTe with Si for two-junction tandem solar cell applications.
Fulltext Influence of processing parameters on dehydrogenation of TiH2 in the preparation of Ti-Nb: A review

Sa'aidi AF, Farrahnoor A, Zuhailawati H

Heliyon, 2022 Nov;8(11):e11602.
PMID: 36439777 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11602

Commercially pure titanium (cp-Ti) and Ti-6Al-4V alloy have emerged as excellent candidates for use as biomaterials in medical implants due to their high strength-to-weight ratio and biocompatibility. β-type Ti alloys composed of non-toxic metallic elements such as niobium (Nb) have been extensively studied in order to resolve the issue of a high elastic modulus and toxicity of certain elements, particularly in Ti-6Al-4V alloy. Titanium hydride (TiH2) has recently received a lot of attention due to its densification, oxidation levels, and material costs. Powder metallurgy combined with mechanical alloying has become an attractive route for producing near-net shape components of Ti-based alloys, mainly where porosity control and better homogeneity are required. This review aims to create a platform for investigating the feasibility of producing Ti from TiH2 via a dehydrogenation process. The dehydrogenation behaviour of TiH2 is affected by variables such as sintering condition, alloying element, and particle size. The review revealed that TiH2 decomposition occurs at various temperatures (400 °C to 800 °C), resulting in the formation of several sequences of phases. Although the dehydrogenation process was unaffected, the addition of alloying elements was found to change the starting and ending temperatures of the reactions. The use of vacuum accelerates the dehydrogenation process more than argon flow. TiH2 powder with smaller particle size, on the other hand, eliminates hydrogen faster than larger ones due to the larger surface area exposed. This review also looks at the best processing conditions for getting a high concentration of β phase in Ti-Nb alloys. β-type titanium alloys with a low elastic modulus (10-40 GPa) similar to human bone are a potential strategy for reducing premature implant failure.
Fulltext CEO successor origins, top management team faultline, and strategic change-empirical evidence from China

Ren D, Jiang H, Cheng J, Peng C, Zou Y

Heliyon, 2023 Sep;9(9):e19200.
PMID: 37662732 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19200

Building on the upper echelons theory and demographic faultline theory, this paper investigates the role of the top management team (TMT) faultline as a mediator and explores the moderating effect of CEO power as an important contextual factor. We utilize a sample of A-share listed companies on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges from 2009 to 2020. Our findings show that outside CEO successors are significantly and positively related to corporate strategic change. TMT faultline mediates the effect of CEO successor origins on corporate strategic change, while CEO power reinforces the relationship between the two. Heterogeneity tests reveal that the effect of outside CEO successors on strategic change is insignificant in state-owned enterprises (SOEs) but has a significant impact on firms at their growth and maturity stages. Furthermore, our findings suggest that outside CEO successors inhibit the positive role of strategic change in promoting firm value.
Fulltext The moderating effect of environmental gamification on the relationship between social media marketing and consumer-brand engagement: A case study of Ant Forest Gen Z users

Huang M, Mohamad Saleh MS, Zolkepli IA

Heliyon, 2024 Feb 29;10(4):e25948.
PMID: 38384528 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25948

Social media marketing plays a relevant role in the brand promotion of enterprises owing to its advantages of rapid and diversified communication with consumers. The Chinese Internet enterprise Alipay launched Ant Forest as a mobile application with gamified social functions, bringing consumer-brand engagement. Ant Forest provides a variety of gamification functions (e.g. point, leaderboard, badge, task and teamwork) to encourage users to participate in environmental protection and public welfare activities. These gamification mechanisms, combined with the spread of social media, have realised the co-creation of user brand value. In the current study, 305 Gen Z users of Ant Forest were surveyed through an online questionnaire, and the data analysis was conducted using the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) method. This study indicates that the four elements of entertainment, trendiness, customisation and word-of-mouth in social media marketing have statistically significant direct effects on the consumer-brand engagement in Ant Forest. In addition, gamification shows a significant positive moderating effect on the relationship between customisation and consumer-brand engagement and a significant negative moderating effect on the relationship between trendiness and consumer-brand engagement in Ant Forest. This study adds gamification to the conceptual system of social media marketing and provides suggestions for the development of gamified social media marketing applications.
Fulltext The adoption and use of learning analytics tools to improve decision making in higher learning institutions: An extension of technology acceptance model

Mukred M, Mokhtar UA, Hawash B, AlSalman H, Zohaib M

Heliyon, 2024 Feb 29;10(4):e26315.
PMID: 38420393 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26315

Learning Analytics Tools (LATs) can be used for informed decision-making regarding teaching strategies and their continuous enhancement. Therefore, LATs must be adopted in higher learning institutions, but several factors hinder its implementation, primarily due to the lack of an implementation model. Therefore, in this study, the focus is directed towards examining LATs adoption in Higher Learning Institutions (HLIs), with emphasis on the determinants of the adoption process. The study mainly aims to design a model of LAT adoption and use it in the above context to improve the institutions' decision-making and accordingly, the study adopted an extended version of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as the underpinning theory. Five experts validated the employed survey instrument, and 500 questionnaire copies were distributed through e-mails, from which 275 copies were retrieved from Saudi employees working at public HLIs. Data gathered was exposed to Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) for analysis and to test the proposed conceptual model. Based on the findings, the perceived usefulness of LAT plays a significant role as a determinant of its adoption. Other variables include top management support, financial support, and the government's role in LATs acceptance and adoption among HLIs. The findings also supported the contribution of LAT adoption and acceptance towards making informed decisions and highlighted the need for big data facility and cloud computing ability towards LATs usefulness. The findings have significant implications towards LATs implementation success among HLIs, providing clear insights into the factors that can enhance its adoption and acceptance. They also lay the basis for future studies in the area to validate further the effect of LATs on decision-making among HLIs institutions. Furthermore, the obtained findings are expected to serve as practical implications for policy makers and educational leaders in their objective to implement LAT using a multi-layered method that considers other aspects in addition to the perceptions of the individual user.
Fulltext Determinants of 3Rs behaviour in plastic usage: A study among Malaysians

Chun T'ing L, Moorthy K, Yoon Mei C, Pik Yin F, Zhi Ying W, Wei Khong C, et al.

Heliyon, 2020 Dec;6(12):e05805.
PMID: 33409389 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05805

This research was conducted to explore the factors affecting Malaysians' application of reduce, reuse and recycle (3Rs) concept in plastic usage. This study adopted variables from the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), namely, attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control and added on two more variables, habit and facilitating conditions to study the plastic usage. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect the data and analysis done. The results showed that all variables influence the plastic usage behaviour. This research contributes to a better understanding of the relationship between the determinants of behavioural intention of 3Rs application on plastic usage. Through the suggestions of suitable strategies, this research would contribute to reducing environment pollution caused by plastic waste.
Fulltext SEM-ANN-based approach to understanding students' academic-performance adoption of YouTube for learning during Covid

Elareshi M, Habes M, Youssef E, Salloum SA, Alfaisal R, Ziani A

Heliyon, 2022 Apr;8(4):e09236.
PMID: 35434400 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09236

A hybrid analysis of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN), through SmartPLS and SPSS software, as well as the importance-performance map analysis (IPMA) were used to examine the impact of YouTube videos content on Jordanian university students' behavioral intention regarding eLearning acceptance, in Jordan. According to the evaluation of both ANN and IPMA, performance expectancy was the most important and, theoretically, several explanations were provided by the suggested model regarding the impact of intention to adopt eLearning from Internet service determinants at a personal level. The findings coincide greatly with prior research indicating that users' behavioral intention to adopt eLearning is significantly affected by their performance expectancy and effort expectancy. The paper contributed to technology adoption e.g., YouTube in academia, especially in Jordan. Respondents showed a willingness to employ and adopt the new technology in their education. Finally, the findings were presented and discussed through the UTAUT and TAM frameworks.
Fulltext An exploratory simulation study and prediction model on human brain behavior and activity using an integration of deep neural network and biosensor Rabi antenna

Pham NT, Bunruangses M, Youplao P, Garhwal A, Ray K, Roy A, et al.

Heliyon, 2023 May;9(5):e15749.
PMID: 37305516 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15749

The plasmonic antenna probe is constructed using a silver rod embedded in a modified Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) ad-drop filter. Rabi antennas are formed when space-time control reaches two levels of system oscillation and can be used as human brain sensor probes. Photonic neural networks are designed using brain-Rabi antenna communication, and transmissions are connected via neurons. Communication signals are carried by electron spin (up and down) and adjustable Rabi frequency. Hidden variables and deep brain signals can be obtained by external detection. A Rabi antenna has been developed by simulation using computer simulation technology (CST) software. Additionally, a communication device has been developed that uses the Optiwave program with Finite-Difference Time-Domain (OptiFDTD). The output signal is plotted using the MATLAB program with the parameters of the OptiFDTD simulation results. The proposed antenna oscillates in the frequency range of 192 THz to 202 THz with a maximum gain of 22.4 dBi. The sensitivity of the sensor is calculated along with the result of electron spin and applied to form a human brain connection. Moreover, intelligent machine learning algorithms are proposed to identify high-quality transmissions and predict the behavior of transmissions in the near future. During the process, a root mean square error (RMSE) of 2.3332(±0.2338) was obtained. Finally, it can be said that our proposed model can efficiently predict human mind, thoughts, behavior as well as action/reaction, which can be greatly helpful in the diagnosis of various neuro-degenerative/psychological diseases (such as Alzheimer's, dementia, etc.) and for security purposes.
Fulltext Crafting a place-based souvenir for sustaining cultural heritage

Duan ZY, Tan SK, Choon SW, Zhang MY

Heliyon, 2023 May;9(5):e15761.
PMID: 37205990 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15761

This study aims to investigate the souvenir-person-place bonding for sustaining cultural heritage. Previous studies acknowledge souvenirs could represent a place; however, how people perceive souvenirs as representative of the place still needs to be studied. This study comprehends the traditional craft by identifying the dimensions of place-based craft souvenirs and exploring the connections between souvenirs, craft, and place. A qualitative approach was employed. In-depth interviews, participant and non-participant observations were conducted in Jinan, China, a long-history city with many traditional crafts. Thirty documents were imported into ATLAS.ti software for analysis. The 'place-based craft souvenir', 'evaluation of souvenir', 'place meaning', and 'satisfaction' emerged as the four main themes of 'souvenir-person-place bonding'. These 'souvenir-people-place' bonding motivate individuals' understanding of traditional craft and place, contributing to the sustainability of the traditional craft.
Chinese national music platformisation: A systematic review

Keh-Nie Lim C, Zhang M

Heliyon, 2023 Nov;9(11):e22304.
PMID: 38045210 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22304

Chinese national music is unique to China, and in the past, the single means of distribution and the audience led to the fact that knowledge of Chinese culture and history was limited to national musicians and a subset of fans. With the rapid development of the internet, the dissemination of Chinese national music is no longer limited to live performances, but is beginning to shift to media platforms. Social media has had a tremendous impact on Chinese music culture; people can search for any information they need about Chinese music. With the advancement of social media, groups of internet celebrities such as wanghong () have formed on the internet. This study systematically reviews platformisation and the social media in Chinese national music. Past literature and current notions on Chinese national music development under platformisation are examined given the essentiality of smart devices in developing music through digital technology. The study posed three research questions: 1.What is the current state of development of Chinese national music? What opportunities does platformisation bring to Chinese national music? 2.What areas are the focus for research on platformisation and social media? What is the impact on the music field? 3.What is the history of the development of the Chinese wanghong phenomenon? What impact has it made on Chinese national music? A general systematic review of scholarly articles was conducted for this study using multiple publications from reputable databases: Scopus, Web of Science and CNKI (China National Knowledge Infrastructure). The articles were categorised based on scholarly works involving platforms, platformisation, Chinese national music, social media, and wanghong to determine past study profiles in this domain and relevant knowledge gaps.
Fulltext Frequency regulation of interconnected hybrid power system with Assimilation of electrical vehicles

Daraz A, Khan IA, Basit A, Malik SA, AlQahtani SA, Zhang G

Heliyon, 2024 Mar 30;10(6):e28073.
PMID: 38524527 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28073

Recent widespread connections of renewable energy resource (RESs) in place of fossil fuel supplies and the adoption of electrical vehicles in place of gasoline-powered vehicles have given birth to a number of new concerns. The control architecture of linked power networks now faces an increasingly pressing challenge: tie-line power fluctuations and reducing frequency deviations. Because of their nature and dependence on external circumstances, RESs are analogous to continually fluctuating power generators. Using a fractional order-based frequency regulator, this work presents a new method for improving the frequency regulation in a two-area interconnected power system. In order to deal with the frequency regulation difficulties of the hybrid system integrated with RES, the suggested controller utilizes the modified form of fractional order proportional integral derivative (FOPID) controller known as FOI-PDN controller. The new proposed controllers are designed using the white shark optimizer (WSO), a current powerful bioinspired meta heuristic algorithm which has been motivated by the learning abilities of white sharks when actively hunting in the environment. The suggested FOI-PDN controller's performance was compared to that of various control methodologies such as FOPID, and PID. Furthermore, the WSO findings are compared to those of other techniques such as the salp swarm algorithm, sine cosine algorithm and fitness dependent optimizer. The recommended controller and design approach have been tested and validated at different loading conditions and different circumstances, as well as their robustness against system parameter suspicions. The simulation outcomes demonstrate that the WSO-based tuned FOI-PDN controller successfully reduces peak overshoot by 73.33%, 91.03%, and 77.21% for region-2, region-1, and link power variation respectively, and delivers minimum undershoot of 89.12%, 83.11%, and 78.10% for both regions and tie-line. The obtained findings demonstrate the new proposed controller's stable function and frequency controlling performance with optimal controller parameters and without the requirement for a sophisticated design process.
Fulltext Elderly users' perceptions of signage systems from tertiary hospitals in Guangzhou

Deng L, Zhang B, Shi G, Zhang C

Heliyon, 2024 Feb 15;10(3):e25003.
PMID: 38317991 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25003

Wayfinding in hospitals today is a significant challenge for urban residents, especially for the elderly. This study investigated the perceptions and attitudes of the elderly toward existing hospital signage systems to identify the wayfinding needs in the healthcare environment. This study collected 762 elderly participants' perceptions and personal preferences regarding 12 features of the existing signage systems in three hospitals in the Yuexiu, Haizhu, and Liwan districts of Guangzhou using a questionnaire methodology. The study further explored the differences in perceptions and preferences for signage based on the gender, age, and educational level of the elderly participants. The findings indicate that most of the elderly participants experienced becoming lost in the hospital; they typically chose to ask others for directions first, followed by using the signage system. Most of the elderly participants had positive attitudes toward the current hospital signage system. Furthermore, they emphasized the importance of the signage system's graphics, texts, colors, and updates, which directly affects the readability and comprehensibility of signs. We found gender differences in perceptions and attitudes toward signage; male participants had more positive attitudes toward the hospital signage systems than female participants. Additionally, consistent with previous findings, the older the age of participants, the less comprehension they had regarding signage graphic symbols. We also found that the more educated elderly participants were, the more understanding of signage they had. At the same time, however, they were less satisfied, which is possibly because the more educated they were, the more aware they were of signage issues.
Fulltext How does organizational leadership contribute to the firm performance through social responsibility strategies?

Saeidi P, Robles LAA, Saeidi SP, Zamora MIV

Heliyon, 2021 Jul;7(7):e07672.
PMID: 34401561 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07672

Despite the wide-ranging studies on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), firm performance, and Organizational Leadership (OL), there have been only a few studies examining the inter-relationship between them. Accordingly, this investigation has tried to investigate how OL contributes to the firm's performance through the CSR strategies. It has an internal orientation to CSR motivations compared to the existing studies that mostly considered the external factors in implementing of CSR in firms; also, it has a comprehensive view toward the firm's performance by considering both financial and non-financial aspects of performance. It could be said that this study has tried to answer the question of whether or not CSR can be as a mediator between the OL and firm performance. Data collection was performed from 285 manufacturing and consumer products firms located in Malaysia during the four-month period of June-September of 2020. AMOS Structural Equation Modeling (AMOS-SEM) method was applied to analyze the model. Following the Baron and Kenny approach in testing the hypotheses, it was found that the relationships of OL and financial performance, as well as OL and non-financial performance were partially mediated by CSR. In addition, the non-financial performance was found as a full mediator between the OL and financial performance. Further, the results revealed two full mediated relationships in this way that non-financial performance was a full mediator variable between CSR and financial performance, as well as CSR and non-financial performance which were found as two multiple full mediators between OL and financial performance. The results help Malaysian managers to understand their current status, capabilities, strong points and weaknesses in leadership regarding to CSR. Moreover, due to the positive effects of CSR on both firm's financial and non-financial performance, CSR is recommended to be integrated in leadership style and the organizational strategies in order to having better performance.
Fulltext Global research Activity on olfactory marker protein (OMP): A bibliometric and visualized analysis

Ab Aziz S, Mohd Nasir MH, Jusoh AR, Azman KF, Ismail CAN, Ahmad AH, et al.

Heliyon, 2024 Feb 29;10(4):e26106.
PMID: 38390049 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26106

Olfactory marker protein (OMP) is extensively studied in mature olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) for understanding olfaction physiology. However, no bibliometric analysis on this topic exists. We conducted a bibliometric analysis of OMP research articles, wherein the publication count was assessed by year, country, journal, and author, collaboration by country, and productivity of the authors. Additionally, key terms and research themes were identified. Using the search phrase "olfactory marker protein" in Scopus, we retrieved 691 original research articles by 2487 authors since 1974. Publications showed an increasing trend, with the United States leading in quantity and collaboration. Our thematic map highlights "Olfactory bulb, regeneration, olfactory" as the primary research domain, while "olfaction, olfactory sensory neuron, glomerulus" and "olfactory receptor neurons, apoptosis, olfactory dysfunction" emerge as essential future research topics. These bibliometric findings offer insights into the global OMP research landscape, guiding researchers in potential collaborations and intriguing future research fields.
Fulltext Experiences of LGBTQ student-athletes in college sports: A meta-ethnography

Xiang M, Soh KG, Xu Y, Ahrari S, Zakaria NS

Heliyon, 2023 Jun;9(6):e16832.
PMID: 37332967 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16832

This study aimed to explore and describe the experiences of LGBTQ student-athletes to identify ways in which athletic staff, coaches, and others can support LGBTQ youth's safe participation in sports. Guided by the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews (PRISMA) and eMERGe reporting guidance. We conducted a meta-ethnography to synthesize qualitative research focused on student-athletes' experiences. Fourteen studies were included in the meta-ethnography published between 1973 and 2022. Four themes were identified: (1) experiences of discrimination and violence; (2) perceived stigma; (3) internalized prejudice; and (4) coping and team support, and they were used to generate a line of argument model, which explains the stress process of LGBTQ student-athletes in the sports. LGBTQ student-athletes experience persistent discrimination in college sports, which poses a significant risk to their mental health. Meanwhile, this study identified that qualitative research on LGBTQ youth sports participation is lacking in many regions of the world and lacks knowledge of the sports participation experience of bisexual, gay, and transgender students. These findings revealed a way for research on LGBTQ-related issues and future policy and practice on LGBTQ youth-related issues in sports.
Fulltext Biomarker characteristics of Montney source rock, British Columbia, Canada

Barham A, Ismail MS, Hermana M, Zainal Abidin NS

Heliyon, 2021 Nov;7(11):e08395.
PMID: 34825096 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08395

Montney Formation (MF) source rock located in northeastern British Columbia (BC), Canada, was analyzed to determine its depositional conditions and organic matter source input other than to determine their level of thermal maturity. The high total sulfur (TS) (2.23-20.86 wt.%) and good to very good total organic carbon (TOC) content (0.3-5.87 wt.%) in the analyzed samples give good evidence that the deposition of MF source rock was in a marine environment under reducing conditions. A mixed marine-terrestrial derived organic matter (OM) for the Montney source rock that was deposited in a marine dysoxic environment is deduced from the composition and distribution of different biomarker traces. Thus, the previous result is supported by the high short-chain n-alkanes ratio, accompanied by carbon preference index (CPI) around unity, high concentration of tricyclic terpanes, high C24 tricyclic/C24 tetracyclic, hopane/sterane ratios ranging from low to moderate, as well as the relationship between regular sterane compositions. During deposition of the MF source rock, it can be noticed that more land organic materials this was deduced according to the high waxiness index. From maturity ratios of Ts/(Ts + Tm), C32 22S/(22S + 22R) homohopane, moretane/hopane and 20S/(20S + 20R) and ββ/(ββ + αα) C29 it can give a conclusion that the source rock is mature to postmature of hydrocarbon generation.
Fulltext Impact of ZnO nanoparticles as additive on performance and emission characteristics of a diesel engine fueled with waste plastic oil

Suhel A, Abdul Rahim N, Abdul Rahman MR, Bin Ahmad KA, Khan U, Teoh YH, et al.

Heliyon, 2023 Apr;9(4):e14782.
PMID: 37064486 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14782

Neat waste plastic oil (WPO) application as a fuel in engines reduces BTE and increases deleterious emissions of CO, UHC, NOx, and smoke due to the presence of insufficient oxygen and unbreakable hydrocarbon chains in WPO. Present investigation was performed to evaluate the impact of ZnO nanoparticles on the performance and emission characteristics of a diesel engine operated with the waste plastic oil (WPO20) blend. The objective of doping ZnO nanoparticles with WPO20 was to enhance the oxidation reaction and heat transfer rate between fuel droplets during combustion, which aids in completing the combustion. The sol-gel technique was adopted to successfully synthesize the ZnO nanoparticles using zinc acetate (Zn(CH3CO2)2.2H2O) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) precursors. The structure and morphology of resulted particles were studied by XRD and FESEM tests. Both results indicate the stable formation of ZnO, and exhibit the crystallinity nature, spherical surface, and size consistency. The synthesized ZnO nanoparticles were infused in WPO20 blend in the amounts of 50, 100, and 150 ppm with the aid of the ultrasonication technique. Engine test was conducted with diesel fuel, WPO20 blend, and nano-infused fuels at a constant speed of 1500 rpm under various loads. The disparities in performance and emission characteristics were examined and compared with pure diesel fuel. The findings demonstrated that adding nanoparticles to WPO20 significantly lowers the smoke, CO, UHC, and NOx emissions and simultaneously improves the BTE and decreases the BSFC of the diesel engine. Optimum results were obtained for 100 ppm concentration of ZnO nanoparticles. Reduction of smoke by 11.86%, CO by 5.7%, UHC by 28%, and NOx by 14.93%, along with the enhancement of BTE by 2.47%, were noticed at maximum load with 100 ppm particles. Based on the test results, it is concluded that ZnO nanoparticles can be used as a suitable additive in WPO blends to improve the overall engine characteristics. Further scope of the present work is to study the effect of organic nanoparticles with WPO on engine behaviour, the detailed combustion of nanoparticles infused WPO, and the nanoparticles doped WPO on engine wear and corrosion.
Fulltext Predicting the degradation potential of Acid blue 113 by different oxidants using quantum chemical analysis

Asghar A, Bello MM, Raman AAA, Daud WMAW, Ramalingam A, Zain SBM

Heliyon, 2019 Sep;5(9):e02396.
PMID: 31517121 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02396

In this work, quantum chemical analysis was used to predict the degradation potential of a recalcitrant dye, Acid blue 113, by hydrogen peroxide, ozone, hydroxyl radical and sulfate radical. Geometry optimization and frequency calculations were performed at 'Hartree Fock', 'Becke, 3-parameter, Lee-Yang-Parr' and 'Modified Perdew-Wang exchange combined with PW91 correlation' levels of study using 6-31G* and 6-31G** basis sets. The Fourier Transform-Raman spectra of Acid blue 113 were recorded and a complete analysis on vibrational assignment and fundamental modes of model compound was performed. Natural bond orbital analysis revealed that Acid blue 113 has a highly stable structure due to strong intermolecular and intra-molecular interactions. Mulliken charge distribution and molecular electrostatic potential map of the dye also showed a strong influence of functional groups on the neighboring atoms. Subsequently, the reactivity of the dye towards the oxidants was compared based on the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy values. The results showed that Acid blue 113 with a HOMO value -5.227 eV exhibits a nucleophilic characteristic, with a high propensity to be degraded by ozone and hydroxyl radical due to their lower HOMO-LUMO energy gaps of 4.99 and 4.22 eV respectively. On the other hand, sulfate radical and hydrogen peroxide exhibit higher HOMO-LUMO energy gaps of 7.92 eV and 8.10 eV respectively, indicating their lower reactivity towards Acid blue 113. We conclude that oxidation processes based on hydroxyl radical and ozone would offer a more viable option for the degradation of Acid blue 113. This study shows that quantum chemical analysis can assist in selecting appropriate advanced oxidation processes for the treatment of textile effluent.
Light transmission and internal scattering in pulsed laser-etched partially-transparent silicon wafers

Rohaizar MH, Sepeai S, Surhada N, Ludin NA, Ibrahim MA, Sopian K, et al.

Heliyon, 2019 Nov;5(11):e02790.
PMID: 31768436 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2019.e02790

Continuing trend in silicon wafer thickness directed at cost reduction approaches basic boundaries created by: (a) mismatch between Al paste and Si wafer thermal expansion and (b) incomplete optical absorption. With its symmetrical front and back electrical contacts, the bifacial solar cell setup reduces stress due to mismatch thermal expansion, decreases metal use and increases high temperature efficiency. Efficiency improvement is accomplished in bifacial solar cells by capturing light from the back surface. Partially transparent wafers provide an option to improve near-infrared radiation absorption within Si wafer. To fully absorb optical radiation, three-dimensional texture of these kinds of wafers is essential. Pulsed laser interactions, thermal oxidation, and wet chemical etching are included in this research. A feature of its energy and pattern setup is the interaction of pulsed laser with Si, running at 1.064 μm wavelength and micro-second length. Two experimental settings were explored: (a) post-laser chemical etching with potassium hydro-oxide etching with thermal oxide as etching mask and (b) post-laser heat Si surface oxidation. Due to fast melting and recrystallization, laser pulsed processing inherently produces its own texture. Some of these spherically-shaped, randomly focused characteristics improve inner scattering and boost near-infrared absorption within the wafer. These characteristics are separated during chemical etching with the thermally-grown oxide layer as an etch mask. Comparison of optical absorption in both surfaces shows almost a rise in the magnitude of absorption in non-etched surfaces. Detailed optical (optical microscope and IR absorption), morphological (field emission scanning electron microscope) and heat imaging (far IR camera) analyses were performed to comprehend physical processes that contribute to near-IR absorption improvement. Such kinds of partially-transparent, three-dimensional textured Si wafers are anticipated to discover applications for bifacial solar cells as substrates.

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