European Journal of Applied Sciences

Outdoor Exposure Effects on Different Formulated Clear Coats of Wood as Sustainable Urban Design Material

Candan Kus Sahin, Rahim Merdan — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

When wood is exposed to the outdoors, degradation can occur either in the coatings or the wood surface, or in both materials. However, interaction between exposure radiation and the wood surface produces complex photooxidation reactions that degrade the clear film and appear as discoloration. There are very complicated variations found for the changes in all three-color coordinates in terms of outdoor exposure impact on modifications of seven different coatings and exposure directions. However, the similar surface coatings on tangent and radial surfaces respond differently when exposed to outdoor. The varnish+teak oil and plant oil+teak oil (ΔEEr: 3.47 vs. ΔEFr: 8.65) coated samples show higher radial surface discolorations than counterpart tangent surfaces, while tangent surfaces show higher discoloration than radial surfaces for the other five transparent coated samples. The most stable surface against outdoor exposure was found with a radial surface of varnish+enamel treatment of ΔECr: 1.71 (metric), followed by radial and tangent surface of varnish+teak oil treatments (ΔEEr: 2.78 and ΔEEt: 3.47). It is notable that all discolorations were perceptible to the human eye (ΔE:>1.0 unit) when look carefully. There is no trend observed for chroma and hues of samples. Solely varnish coated (hBt) and plant oil+varnish coated (hGt) samples show considerably shifts of color for tangent surfaces and solely varnish coated (hBr) and plant oil+ varnish coated (hFr) samples for radial surfaces (Δh ± >5 degree), while all other samples do not show noticeable differences between radial and tangent surfaces of coated samples, either weathered or not, and those changes were not perceptible by the human eye.

Physical Sciences: Astrophysical Portals are a Source of New Knowledge

Antonov, A. A. — Sat, 04 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The article claims that the version of the special theory of relativity studied in all physics textbooks is incorrect and sets out the main provisions of its corrected version. And from the relativistic formulas of the corrected version of SRT it follows that in nature, in addition to our visible universe, there are mutually invisible universes and anti-universes that are connected to each other by a large number of portals. At the same time, the entrances to the portals are supposedly the so-called anomalous zones, which people avoid visiting, since it is very difficult to get out of them. However, scientific research of portals by unmanned robotic complexes is possible and necessary. Such scientific research will allow solving a number of very important scientific problems - proving the existence of mutually invisible universes adjacent to our visible universe, explaining the Fermi paradox, proving the possibility of traveling not only in the space of the hidden Multiverse, but also in time, etc.

Effect of Waterlogging at Different Growth Stages on Growth, Yield and Biochemical Characteristics of Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)

Thu, 09 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Waterlogging affects a variety of plants, including brinjal; however, little is known about the consequences of waterlogging on brinjal at various growth stages. A pot experiment was carried out on two brinjal cultivars, BARI brinjal 8 and BARI brinjal 11, to study the effects of waterlogging at various growth stages on plant growth, chlorophyll content, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, reducing sugar, proline, phenol, and fruit yield. The experiment was carried out using waterlogging treatments applied at the four-five-leaf and flowering stages, with standard management (no waterlogging) as a control. The negative effects of waterlogging on brinjal growth varied with waterlogging timing, with the greatest influence occurring during the flowering stage, followed by the seedling stage. BARI brinjal 8 was more susceptible to waterlogging than BARI brinjal 11. Waterlogged conditions reduced the chlorophyll content, ultimately lowering grain yield. Biochemical parameters such as proline, reducing sugar, phenol, and MDA concentration, changed under waterlogging stress, with the change being more pronounced during the flowering stage. It was observed that, plants that received watering at the seedling stage recovered. However, during the flowering stage, waterlogging may cause morphological development to stall and hinder brinjal production from recovering.

Digitalization, Planning, and Sustainability in Project Management in Jordan’s Construction Sector: Enhancing Project Success through Stakeholder Engagement and Virtual Work Dynamics

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Due to the growing client requirements for cost-effective solutions and environmentally friendly projects, the construction business remains pressured to deliver sustainable project results and objectives. Although the role of sustainability in project management has been widely explored and documented, there is growing research interest regarding integrating digitalized tools and sustainable project planning into sustainable project success; its relation to virtual teams is explicitly relatively unknown, especially within the developing world context such as Jordan. This research is intended to fill this gap by assessing the effect of sustainability in project management, Digitalization, and sustainable project planning on sustainable project success, with the virtue of the work environment acting as a moderator and stakeholder engagement as a mediator. To meet this research aim, the structured questionnaire was distributed to one hundred project engineers, managers, and other project professionals in Jordan's construction industry. The gathered data were investigated to evaluate the claimed link using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) approach using the Smart PLS tool. The findings show that the success of a project mainly depends on digitization, environmentally friendly project design, and sustainable project management. Moreover, the virtual work environment and stakeholder engagement were recognized as the significant mediator and moderator of these relationships. The implications drawn from the study point to the critical need for construction firms to embrace integrated and sustainable project management models, incorporate technology in their execution, and be keen to involve stakeholders. Therefore, these concepts might be used to raise project-level organizational performance and help to meet more general sustainable development targets in the building sector.

Ali Khamenei: A Criminal in Disguise

Michael Gurevitz — Sun, 12 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Surface Behaviors of Pine Wood (Pinus nigra) After Short-Term Weathering: Urban Furniture Suitability Investigation

Candan Kus Sahin, Rahim Merdan — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The tangential/radial ratio (T/R) has usually been used to investigate wood’s physical properties due to moisture uptake and loss differences. In this issue, the color coordinate differences were evaluated between two surfaces for Black pine (Pinus nigra). Initially (controls), it was measured to be a (T-R)L*: 10.71 1.45 (metric) difference for lightness, (T-R)a*: -0.07 (metric) for a* coordinate, and (T-R)b*:- 0.14 (metric) for the b* coordinates. However, the total color changes (discoloration) of two surfaces were found to be after outdoor exposure, separately. The tangent surface shows ΔE_T: 10.71 (metric), which is higher than the radial surface values of ΔE_R: 8.57 (metric) after weathering. The chroma and hue differences were observed to be negligible for control and weathered samples, with only <2.0 units differences for both surfaces. A similar trend was also observed for gloss properties: all gloss differences were found to be <3.0 Gu which could not be visually differentiated easily. The radial surface seemed to have a higher yellowness value than tangent surfaces, which was found to be YI_R: 52.70 (numeric) for radial surfaces and YI_T: 47.62 (numeric) for tangent surfaces. After weathering, considerably lower X-(red), Y-(yellow) and Z-(blue) stimuli values were calculated: ΔXT(w-c):-12.68 (numeric) in tangent and ΔXR(w-c): -10.67 (numeric) in radial surface for X stimuli, ΔYT(w-c): -12.47 (numeric) in tangent- and ΔXR(w-c): -10.46 (numeric) in radial surface for Y stimuli; and ΔZT(w-c): -7.28 (numeric) for tangent and ΔZR(w-c): -7.42 (numeric) in radial surface for Z stimuli, respectively.

Access to Education Rights - A Case of Malawi

Samuel McNeil Elias Kayuni — Sat, 04 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Access to education is a fundamental human right recognized by various international treaties and national constitutions. In Malawi, the right to education is enshrined in the Constitution and supported by policies aimed at promoting inclusive and equitable education for all citizens. However, significant barriers persist that hinder access to quality education, particularly for marginalized groups such as girls, children with disabilities, and those from impoverished backgrounds. This paper examined the current state of educational access in Malawi, highlighting key challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, insufficient funding, cultural attitudes towards education, and the impact of socio-economic factors. It also explored government initiatives and non-governmental efforts aimed at improving educational access and quality. The analysis underscores the importance of community involvement and policy reform in addressing these challenges. Furthermore, this study emphasizes the role of international organizations in supporting Malawi's educational framework through funding and technical assistance. By identifying best practices and successful interventions, the paper aims to provide recommendations for enhancing access to education rights in Malawi, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to achieve their full potential through quality education. Ultimately, achieving universal access to education in Malawi requires a concerted effort from all stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society, and local communities, to create an inclusive educational environment that respect and promote the rights of every individual.

Use Sensory Analysis to Optimize Corn Seed Storage Methods in a Triple Bagging and Biopesticide System (Leaves of Lippia multiflora Moldenke and Hyptis suaveolens Poit) in Côte D'ivoire

N’Dri Kouakou Félix, Sidibé Daouda, Biego Henri Marius, Kouamé Olivier Chatigre — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000

The effectiveness of dried leaves of Lippia multiflora and Hyptis suaveolens on maize grains stored in a triple bagging system was tested. A three-factor central composite design (CCD) affecting the storage of maize grains was used to monitor changes in sensory quality, namely moldy aroma and rancid odor, during storage. The first CCD factor comprised six observation periods: 0, 1, 4.5, 9.5, 14.5, and 18 months. The second factor was the type of treatment, which consisted of 1 control batch with polypropylene bags (WB) and 9 experimental batches, including 1 in a triple bag without biopesticides (TBS0) and eight (8) additional batches containing ratios and/or combinations of biopesticides (TB1 to TB8). Finally, the third factor concerned the combination of two biopesticides, with the percentage (%) of Lippia multiflora as the reference. The results indicate that the ideal conditions for maintaining the sensory quality of maize grains during storage, based on the intensity of the rancid odor and moldy aroma, are achieved under the following conditions: Storage period: 18 months, Ratio of biopesticides to maize: 2.5%- Combination of biopesticides: 100% Lippia multiflora or 100% Hyptis suaveolens under the best-expected conditions, the experimental values were: rancid odor 4.10±0.25 and musty aroma 3.70±0.37.

The Forthcoming Freezing of the European West Coast is Seemingly a ‘Divine Retribution’

Michael Gurevitz — Sun, 12 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000