bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Les récentes propositions de révision en Italie et en France sur les instruments de démocratie directe
Authors: Evangelisti Adriano
Published: December 2023

L’article se focalise sur les récents débats, en France et en Italie, et sur les propositions de révision constitutionnelle tendant à insérer de nouveaux instruments de démocratie directe. Malgré leurs différences, les propositions sont animées d’une même volonté à savoir rendre plus central le rôle des citoyens pour la formation des politiques publiques. Si en France les propositions instaurant de nouveaux procédés viennent des députés d’opposition suite au mouvement des Gilets Jaunes, en Italie, l’initiative est prise par les deux partis au gouvernement, M5* et Ligue, conformément aux engagements pris par ces deux forces politiques dans le contrat de Gouvernement.

L’article va examiner en premier lieu les trois propositions qui ont été déposées en Italie, ensuite seront analysées les propositions françaises et l’instrument fortement soutenu par les Gilets Jaunes, le Référendum d’initiative citoyenne (RIC).
Chinese State-Owned Enterprises and Jurisdictional Immunities
Authors: Lai Adrian
Published: December 2023

L’immunité des États et l’immunité de la Couronne sont deux concepts juridiques distincts qui, s’ils étaient maintenus, auraient pour conséquence que les tribunaux nationaux refusent d’exercer leur compétence sur les États mis en accusation. De telles immunités, dans des circonstances appropriées, s’étendent à des entités considérées comme agents et instruments des États. Une préoccupation pratique concerne le moment où une entité devrait être considérée de la sorte. L’auteur préconise un double critère : (1) appliquer la lex incorporationis pour décider si l’État considère l’entité concernée comme telle ; (2) déterminer si l’entité concernée a satisfait au test de «contrôle » . L’auteur discute ensuite de la position des entreprises publiques chinoises en se référant à la Constitution, aux lois et règlements de la Chine, à la position publique du gouvernement chinois et aux décisions pertinentes du tribunal de la RAS de Hong Kong (Chine) et tire la conclusion selon laquelle les entreprises d’État chinoises ne bénéficient généralement pas d’immunités.
Intercultural Competency Development Model for Extension Professionals: Expert Consensus Using the Delphi Technique
Authors: Diaz John , Gusto Cody , Jayaratne K.S.U. , Narine Lendel , Silvert Colby , Suarez Cecilia , Wille Celina
Published: December 2023

To address concerns about the applicability of existing intercultural competence models to the Extension context, we aimed to develop a systematic intercultural competence framework tailored for Extension professionals through a collaborative and consensual process. A three-phased Delphi approach was utilized with a panel of 36 intercultural competence experts in Extension across academic disciplines to identify and finalize competencies thought to be necessary across career phases. The panel agreed upon 54 competencies in total with 13 competencies to develop in the first year, 37 competencies to develop in the first three years and four competencies in years two through seven.
Workplace dynamics and individual outcomes: Role of workplace ostracism in shaping inner resignation
Authors: Khalid Komal
Published: December 2023

This study aims to examine the influence of workplace ostracism on horizontal workplace violence, occupational self-efficacy, and inner resignation in the faculty members working in higher education institutions of Pakistan. In this study, a survey was held for native Urdu speakers. The back-to-back method was used for the translation of the questionnaire. The translated questionnaire was pilot tested with a small group to ensure clarity. The total of 321 responses were collected by using self-administered questionnaires and online platform. The SPSS and Smart PLS4 software were utilized for hypothesis testing. The results of the study show that respondents have low workplace ostracism, horizontal workplace violence, and inner resignation, whereas they exhibit high occupational self-efficacy. The results also indicate that workplace ostracism has the strong and positive relation with horizontal workplace violence while negative relation with occupational self-efficacy. The findings of the study show that interrelationship between workplace ostracism and inner resignation is not an isolated one but is significantly influenced by horizontal workplace violence and occupational self-efficacy.
Gestión estratégica de la comunicación organizacional externa en la era de los medios sociales. Desafíos de las bibliotecas integrantes de la red BUCOC
Authors: Rodríguez Mariela
Published: December 2023

Este trabajo analiza la gestión de la comunicación organizacional externa digital en los medios sociales de las bibliotecas universitarias pertenecientes a la Red de Universidades Católicas y de Orientación Católica de la República Argentina (BUCOC), y su posible relación con la formación profesional de los responsables y colaboradores encargados de esta tarea. El estudio se llevó a cabo entre el 1 de julio de 2020 y el 31 de enero de 2022, mediante un enfoque descriptivo y un diseño no experimental de tipo transeccional o transversal. Para el análisis se utilizaron técnicas de observación directa, mediante guías de criterios para analizar los sitios web y perfiles en medios sociales, y encuestas a los responsables de las bibliotecas y sus colaboradores involucrados en la gestión de la comunicación. Los resultados revelan que la mayoría de las bibliotecas utilizan los medios sociales para promover sus servicios, pero apenas los usan para establecer relaciones públicas con los usuarios. Se identificaron deficiencias en las prácticas de comunicación, posiblemente relacionadas con la falta de capacitación en la gestión estratégica de la comunicación digital. El trabajo concluye señalando posibles áreas de investigación futuras relacionadas con el tema abordado en el estudio.
El papel de los identificadores bibliográficos, institucionales y de personas en el control bibliográfico
Authors: Martín Sandra Gisela
Published: December 2023

El presente trabajo tiene como objetivo conocer el grado de inserción de los identificadores bibliográficos, institucionales y de personas en el proceso de control bibliográfico en las bibliotecas nacionales y/o agencias bibliográficas nacionales de los países latinoamericanos integrantes de la Asociación de Estados Iberoamericanos para el Desarrollo de las Bibliotecas Nacionales de Iberoamérica (ABINIA), - se excluye España y Portugal-. El estudio se basó en una investigación en sitios web con una estrategia cualitativa en torno al análisis de los identificadores. Se procedió a la consulta, observación, lectura, análisis e interpretación de las páginas web de las bibliotecas nacionales, de las agencias bibliográficas nacionales y de los sitios web oficiales de cada uno de los identificadores. Los resultados y las conclusiones dan cuenta que las bibliotecas nacionales latinoamericanas se basan para el registro del depósito legal y la elaboración de las bibliografías nacionales, única y exclusivamente en dos identificadores bibliográficos: el ISBN (libros) y el ISSN (publicaciones periódicas) y en menor medida en el ISMN (publicaciones de música, partituras, etc.). La inexistencia de redes de agencias bibliográficas y de agencias administradoras de identificadores que trabajen colaborativamente con las bibliotecas nacionales muestran las limitaciones que existen en la difusión del patrimonio documental y por ende de las limitaciones para poder concretar un exhaustivo control bibliográfico universal.
Un estudio de caso que refleja la situación de la documentación publicitaria en las empresas españolas
Authors: Cruz Gil María del Carmen
Published: December 2023

Los límites entre el fenómeno y el contexto pueden no ser evidentes. Por este motivo, se realiza un estudio de la literatura científica sobre documentación publicitaria, dado que se considera importante hacerlo en profundidad, se contrasta ese estudio con un contexto real para conocer la situación de la documentación publicitaria de una empresa española, Balay, seleccionada por tener más de setenta años de antigüedad y seguir vigente en la actualidad. Tiene también gran cantidad de documentos que muestran el avance de la compañía, y son reflejo del contexto social, cultural y económico en el que se desenvolvió a lo largo de su existencia, además de formar parte del patrimonio documental como se ha reivindicado a través de otros estudios. Por tanto, una vez adquirido el conocimiento de los estudios en documentación publicitaria se aúnan desde la perspectiva de la gestión de la información y documentación para comprobar esta teoría en un entorno real y conocer su situación. De esta forma se intenta responder también a preguntas como: saber si en las empresas hay equipos profesionales especializados, los documentalistas, para aplicar técnicas que hagan posible la recuperación de la documentación publicitaria. Se finaliza el estudio con el apartado de conclusiones y recomendaciones.
КОНТЕКСТУАЛЬНИЙ ОПЕРАЦІОНАЛІЗМ В АВТОМАТИЗОВАНОМУ ПЕРЕКЛАДІ ТЕРМІНОСПОЛУКИ: НОВИЙ ПІДХІД ДО ПЕРЕКЛАДУ
Authors: Дем’янчук Ю. І.
Published: December 2023

У статті деталізовано особливості контекстуального операціоналізму в автоматизованому перекладі терміносполуки – нового підходу, спрямованого на покращення точності й адекватності відтворення терміносполуки шляхом глибокого аналізу контексту кожної мовної одиниці. В основі цього підходу лежить ідея, що значення й відтворення терміносполуки визначаються не тільки її лексичним наповненням, але й контекстуальним оточенням, у якому вона вживається. Автоматизований переклад у цьому контексті слугує інформаційною платформою для пошуку аналізованого мовного феномена, його відтворення у фрагментах текстів і синкретизації різновекторних філософських і прикладних досліджень.
Physico-insight on Sewability Properties of Crust Leathers Using Melamine Syntan and Synthetic Fatliquor
Authors: Jayakumar G.C. , Niklesh C. , Jeyas Kandhan S. , Phebe Aaron K. , Krishnaraj K.
Published: December 2023

Leather being a natural material finds a most prominent position in the fashion field. Leather goods, garments and products symbolize luxury and comfort. Manufacturing of leather products requires meeting the physical and chemical norms stipulated by the international agencies depending on the end products. Among the various physical properties, sewability is very important in deciding the quality of manufactured products. The present research discusses about the effect of syntan and fatliquor on leather properties. Experiments have been designed with varied concentration of melamine syntan along with 10% fatliquor. Various physical characterizations such as sewability, tensile strength, grain crack and microscopic images have been studied to elucidate the effect of syntan and fatliquor on leather properties. The experimental results show that the presence of fatliquor is a critical component to achieve better sewability properties in leather. Similar effect has been observed in the case of grain crack and tensile strength of the crust leathers. Prosaically, the experimental data have shown that the usage of fatliquor shows better sewability property.
Superhydrophobic Modification of Collagen Fiber
Authors: Xu Shuangfeng , Wang Ya-nan , Shi Bi
Published: December 2023

Tanning is considered to be the crosslinking reaction between collagen fibers and tanning agents, and a majority of tanning reactions result in suppressed water absorption and enhanced hydrophobicity of leather. However, extensive use of tanning agents may bring a burden to the environment. Herein, to facilitate a sustainable leather manufacturing industry, we propose a revolutionary strategy of “tanning” without tanning agents. Based on this strategy, superhydrophobic collagen fibers (FAS-CFs) were fabricated through dehydration, followed by superhydrophobic modification. Dehydration aimed to eliminate the “sticky” effect of water on collagen fiber to obtain a dispersed hierarchical structure. Superhydrophobic modification not only dispersed and stabilized the fiber structures, but also protected the fiber dispersity from water immersion. Compared with chrome-tanned collagen fibers (Cr-CFs) and glutaraldehyde-tanned collagen fibers (G-CFs), FAS-CFs showed higher hydrophobicity, lower water absorption, and superior mechanical properties. Meanwhile, FAS-CFs exhibited a high thermal denaturation temperature of 92.5°C and retained their original shape after being heated to 100°C. Therefore, our proposed strategy is expected to be a potential substitute for conventional tanning and might contribute to cleaner and sustainable leather manufacturing.
Nonionic Short Fluorocarbon Chain Surfactants for Improving Application Properties of Acrylic Resin in the Retanning of Wet-blue Leather
Authors: Zhou Rong , Jin Yong , Lai Shuangquan , Shi Liangjie , Zhou Yutang , Peng Zhangyi
Published: December 2023

Acrylic resin (AR) is one of the most commonly used leather retanning agents owing to its excellent selective filling property and low cost. However, there are some defects affecting the quality of wet-blue leather in the practical application of AR, such as “excessive convergence”, “detanning”, and “fading”. Herein, the nonionic short fluorocarbon chain surfactants (F6-m) combined with AR for retanning wet-blue goat leather to further improve the application properties of AR. In a series of comparative experiments, the grain surface state and mechanical properties of leather retanned with 4 wt% AR and 2wt% F6-400 are preferred. Moreover, after dyeing, the dye adsorption rate and a* (red-greenness) value of AR/F6-400 retanned leather are higher than that of leather retanned with AR alone. The above issues reveal that F6-400 can improve application properties of AR in the retanning of wet-blue leather to a certain extent, benefiting to further upgrade the quality of leather.
Simulation of Realistic Fur Texture Based on Piece Element Synthesis
Authors: Wang Wei , Wang Weijie , Zhang Gaopeng , Yang Luming , Peng Biyu
Published: December 2023

Realistic fur texture is usually modeled and rendered with three-dimensional software. Due to the complexity and inefficiency of the three-dimensional software, it cannot meet general designers’ requirements to represent realistic fur texture quickly. In order to achieve the rapid drawing of real-quality fur, this work proposes an approach to simulating realistic fur texture based on the method of piece elements synthesis. To be specific, we used fur elements to represent fur units, the dislocation and superposition of which formed the fur visual effect. Also, we discuss the validity and feasibility of parameters that can be matched in Adobe Illustrator software. The method applied in this paper can not only meet the timeliness and convenience of designers when representing fur texture, but also visualize fur texture with a high sense of authenticity and diversity.
A Mini Review: Role of Natural Binders in Leather Finishing
Authors: Venkatramani Janani , Sahu Bindia
Published: December 2023

Leather finishing has its own importance in leather making. A variety of chemicals are used in the finishing operation, to provide the aesthetic look of the leather products. The role of finishing chemicals such as pigments, dyes, plasticizers, wax emulsions, cross linkers, fillers, wetting, penetrating agents and binders have their own role to give finished look to the leather products. A binder plays significant role in the leather finishing. This review elaborated on the role of natural binders with respect to their properties, application and binding effects in leather finishing against synthetic binders. This review focuses on a greener approach to leather finishing.
Study of the Biodegradability of Leather Tanned with Sodium Aluminosilicate
Authors: Esquerra-Resa Salvador , Esquerra-Dot Salvador , Garcia Alejandro , Moreno Àngels , Mir Teresa , Bacardit Anna
Published: December 2023

The leather industry transforms raw hides into leather by mechanical and chemical processes. The main chemical process is the tanning in which the fibers are stabilized and cannot putrefy. To this end, different chemicals can be used that are capable of forming crosslinkages between collagen molecules. In this sense, the most used products are: chromium salts, aluminum, vegetable tannins, synthetics, aldehydes, resins and silicates. In this work, a new biodegradable tanning process based on zeolites was studied in two steps. In the first one, a tanning process for sheepskins and cow hides was developed. In the second one, three types of retanning process to obtain shoe upper, vegetable and leather goods were studied. This new system allows to obtain leather that can decompose naturally in a relative short period of time. Leather tanned with this system shows similar values to the biodegradability of pure collagen.Specifically, with the retanning system used for shoe upper allows to obtain a 74.4% relative biodegradability compared to pure collagen.
Melamine Ethoxylates as Novel Formaldehyde Free Replacements of Resin Re-Tanning Agents
Authors: Ammenn Jochen
Published: December 2023

Melamine urea formaldehyde condensates or resin re-tanning agents are commonly used in the leather industry. They give riseto homogeneous filling, are easily and widely applicable, but generally contribute to free formaldehyde, measurable in emissionor extraction methods. Many projects to resolve this issue have been carried out. The weakness of the resin re-tanning is the reversibility of the bond formation between formaldehyde and two amino groups. The formaldehyde forms a methylene group after condensation with two amino groups and releases water. This methylene group can be hydrolyzed under acidic conditions to release formaldehyde again, reversing the synthesis.

Melamine ethoxylates were found to be a formaldehyde free, stable, and easily applicable alternative. Besides the fact that they are made without formaldehyde, it proved to be possible to incorporate renewable components into their synthesis, giving rise to an even more sustainable product. Another sustainable aspect of this chemistry is the delivery of the potential product as a concentrated liquid versus most resin re-tanning agents being placed into the market as spray dried powders, consuming significant amounts of energy in the process.

Melamine ethoxylates show advantages in application on leather in comparison with classical resin re-tanning agents. An insightinto the scope of application will be given, showing that melamine ethoxylates can be considered a formaldehyde free replacement for resin re-tanning agents
Optimization of Dehairing/Fiber Opening using Ammonium Chloride/Dispase by Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Tang Chao , Liu Hui , Hu Yadi , Wang Fang , Tang Keyong , Zhong Jide
Published: December 2023

A great number of pollutants including sulfides, suspended solids, and ammonia nitrogen compounds are generated by dehairingand fiber opening with the traditional use of sodium sulfide, calcium hydroxide, and ammonium salt. In this work, ammoniumchloride (NH4Cl)/dispase system was used for the dehairing and fiber opening as an alternative of sodium sulfide/lime system tosimplify the beamhouse operations, as well as to ease environmental pollution. It was found that the removing effect of interfibrillar  substance is highly related to the factors such as enzyme catalysis time, temperature and the salt usage. Therefore, the mathematical models of enzyme activity, protein content, polysaccharide content and hydroxyproline content were established by response surface methodology (RSM) with the enzyme catalysis time, temperature and the salt usage as independent variables. It was found that the dehairing/fiber opening effect is the best with 2 % NH4Cl (base onhide weight) at 32.5°C for 15h, and only 3.5 h is needed for dehairing. This work might provide a reference for green leather making with enzymes.
Performance Evaluation of Hybrid Formulations Consisting of Antioxidant and Crosslinking Agents for the Treatment of Acid Degradation in Historic Vegetable-Tanned Leathers
Authors: Koochakzaei Alireza , Mallakpour Shadpour , Ahmadi Hossein
Published: December 2023

This study investigated the performance of several new formulations for the treatment of acid degradation in historic leathers made with condensed tannins. This investigation was performed for four formulations consisting of collagen-stabilizing agents (oxazolidine E, resorcinol, nano alumina, and nano silica) and an antioxidant agent (Songnox 1010) in the acidic environment. The compounds were applied to 19th-century leathers with a brush. The properties of the leathers before and after treatment and accelerated aging were determined by measuring pH, shrinkage temperature, and color and conducting ATR-FTIR and FORS. For accelerated aging, the samples were exposed to an atmosphere with 95ppm SO2, 40°C, and 51% relative humidity for 14 days. The results showed that all of the tested formulations slowed down the acid degradation process. The combined use of collagen stabilizing agents provided good treatment properties and adding Songnox 1010 antioxidant agent to this combination further enhanced the effect of treatment. Among the tested formulations, the one containing oxazolidine+resorcinol+nano alumina+S1010 provided the best properties for controlling acid degradation.
Remediation of Spent Vegetable Tannins from Waste Tanning Liquor through Coagulation and Ultrasound Pre-Treatment
Authors: Mohan Resmi , Muthukumar R. , Ganesan R. Shivaji , Shrividhya S. , Sivakumar Venkatasubramanian
Published: December 2023

Vegetable tanning is one of the oldest methods of tanning. Vegetable tannins present in spent tanning liquor necessitates suitable remediation measures for sustainable solution. Vegetable tanning agent, wattle extract powder and vegetable tanning process spent liquor collected from a commercial tannery were used for the experiments. In the present approach, natural clay has been employed for the coagulation of spent vegetable tannins. Various other suitable precipitating agents such as zinc chloride (ZnCl2), barium chloride (BaCl2), ferric alum, lime and poly-electrolyte have also been studied for their efficacy in the treatment process and their requirement optimized. The efficacy of coagulation was monitored through settling characteristics of precipitation process and % settled volume for a given time. In the case of wattle powder, better settling of tannins was obtained due to combined use of optimized amount of clay and ZnCl2. Whereas, ultrasound pre-treatment provided further enhancement. In the case of spent tannery vegetable tanning liquor, ultrasound pre-treatment of polyelectrolyte along with optimized amount of normal lime, clay and ferric alum provided rapid settling behavior, with steady state achieved in 20 minutes with settled volume of ~10 ml. Similar trend was also achieved (10 ml, 8 min.) for ultrasound pre-treated optimized clay with the use of other agents as normal. There was a significant reduction in particle size of clay (from 539 nm to 298 nm) through ultrasound pre-treatment (20 min.), leading to more surface area facilitating the coagulation process. This method could be useful for remediation of vegetable tannins present in spent vegetable tanning liquors using available natural material clay and shall also be extended to other streams. The present study has explored the ultrasound assisted coagulation science and technology for remediation of wastewater in general, whereas, spent vegetable tanning liquor in specific.
Synthesis and Characterization if Large Particle Size Self-Matting Core-shell Acrylic Resin
Authors: Peng Hao , Wei Huan , Xiang Jun , Fun Haojun
Published: December 2023

Acrylic resin plays an important role in leather-making, such as finishing agent, filler and tanning agent. Acrylic resin can be easily fabricated via conventional emulsion polymerization, but how to prepare large particle size with self-matting effect has always been a challenge. In this paper, a continuous three-stage polymerization method: seed-polymerization coupled core-polymerization and shell polymerization was employed to prepare large particle size self-matting acrylic resin emulsion. Simultaneously, the effect of feeding methods on particles size and the effects of latex particle size, shell structure and cross-linking degree on the morphology and gloss of coating were investigated. The Z-average size of PBA seed latex particles was 213.4 nm for semi-continuous feeding method but 82.3nm for batch feeding method. After three-time continuous growth, the seed emulsion turned into core emulsion, and the particle size of core latex reached about 700nm. In third stages ofshell polymerization, the core emulsion was changed into core-shell emulsion, and the latex particle size increased further to 804nm. The latex particle size, core-shell structure and cross-linking degree of shell layer were found to influence the gloss of the coating. Large latex particle size imparted the film spherical micro-rough surface, soft-core combined with hard-shell structure led to deformation resistant during film formation and cross-linking of shell layer increased the densification of shell layer, all contributed to the coating rough surface, as a result, increasing the matting effect of the coating. Finally, the leather gloss was reduced from 5.8° to 1.2°.
Synthesis and Retanning Performance of a Novel Melamine Resin with Ultralow Formaldehyde Content
Authors: Sun Nan , Zhou Ji-bo , Liao Xue-Pin , Shi Bi
Published: December 2023

Diethanolamine, epichlorohydrin (ECH), and lysine were used to change the traditional synthesis route to address the formaldehyde emission issue of melamine resin (MR), and a novel waterborne MR retanning agent with ultralow formaldehyde content (MUF) was finally obtained. The structure of MUF was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, 13C nuclear magnetic resonance, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and its retanning performances in wet-blue and wet-white leathers were thoroughly investigated. Results showed that the formaldehyde content of MUF was 28.05 mg/kg, which was greatly lower than that of traditional MR (3550.23/2543.45 mg/kg), and the formaldehyde contents of chrome- and TWLZ-tanned leathers retanned by MUF were only 12.68 and 8.98 mg/kg, respectively. The thickening rates of MUF-retanned leather were up to 13.40% (chrome-tanned leather) and 9.58% (TWLZ-tanned leather), and MUF showed a satisfying overall performance in retanning leather. MUF is highly promising in practical application owing to its ultralow formaldehyde content, excellent stability in aqueous solution, and satisfactory retanning behaviors.
Biomass-based Tanning Agent for Sustainable Leather Manufacture via Cyanuric Chloride Modified Chitooligosaccharide
Authors: Jiang Min , Xiao Yuanhang , Sang Jun , Wang Chunhua , Zhou Jiajing , Lin Wei
Published: December 2023

Developing alternative tanning agents to avoid the potential environmental and human health risks from the conventional chrome tanning is essential for the leather industry. In this work, we prepared an eco-friendly biomass-based tanning agent dichlorotriazinyl chitooligosaccharide (DTCS) by modifying chitooligosaccharide (COS) with cyanuric chloride (CC) for chrome-free leather manufacture. The synthesis of such biomass-based tanning agent was systematically optimized to obtain the target product with high grafting degree of 67% and weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of 1465 g/mol. The non-pickling tanning procedure using DTCS was investigated, and the interactions between DTCS and collagen fibers were studied. Our results showed that the hydrothermal stability of the tanned leather was significantly increased, i.e., the shrinkage temperature (Ts) exceeding 82.0°C, and the mechanical properties were improved. Moreover, the organoleptic properties of leather (e.g., fullness, softness and grain tightness) exhibited obvious improvement. This research not only offers a reliable approach for cleaner leather manufacturing while addressing the underlying ecological pressure, but also highlights the emerging use of biomass materials in the leather industry.
A Method and Principle of Soft and Transparent Leather Manufacturing
Authors: He Xiu , Zhang Jinwei
Published: December 2023

For preparing a new kind of leather with transmittance and softness at the same time, glycerol was used to treat delimed and bleached split pelt. The softness, transmittance and mechanical properties were tested to evaluate the performance of soft and transparent leather (STL). FT-IR, SEM, XRD, DSC and TG were used to character the structure of STL and reveal the basic principle of STL manufacturing. The results showed that 25% glycerol based on limed pelt weight could make leather soft and transparent simultaneously. Pig pelt was more suitable for thin and transparent leather while cattle split was better for uniform and clear leather. Glycerol combined with collagen through multipoint hydrogen bonds, and the combination had slight positive effect on improving STL thermal stability. Fiber bundles of STL trended to disperse and collagen hierarchical structure including triple helix remained during transparent treatment. The soft and transparent leather could be a new choice for leather goods designers and might be a selectable substrate for high-performance electronic skin.
Opening Address
Authors: Hoefler Joseph
Published: December 2023

117th Annual Convention - June 20-23, 2023

Opening Address by Joseph Hoefler
Awards Banquet Opening and Closing Remarks
Authors: Hoefler Joseph
Published: December 2023

Awards Banquet Opening and Closing Remarks
Fungal Deterioration on Ancient Leather Artifacts
Authors: Ba Zonghuan , Zhang Mingrui , Chen Yulong , Cao Yizhe , Hu Zhuofan , Kaya Mădălina Georgiana Albu , Tang Keyong
Published: December 2023

Fungal deterioration of ancient leather artifacts is a significant problem for museums and archives, as it might cause significant damage to the valuable cultural heritage. The growth of fungi on these artifacts is affected by such environmental factors as temperature, relative humidity, pH, and light exposure. The environmental factors that contribute to fungal growth and the impact fungi on the deterioration of ancient leather artifacts are discussed here. An overview is summarized on the strategies to prevent and control fungal deterioration, including the environmental control, the use of biocides, and conservation treatments, which is proposed to provide a valuable guidance for the preservation of ancient leather artifacts.
Objective Review
Authors: Dewani Rajkumar , Pervez Muhammad Kashif , Mahboob Sarwat Jahan , Ayaz Tahira , Soomro Sikander Ali
Published: December 2023

Leather industry uses a great number of processing chemicals to make leather from animal hides. The toxicity, health and environmental impacts of many of these chemicals have been established leading to significant regulatory certifications and programs helping in trade and policy making. The focus of this review are the hazardous chemicals and auxiliaries relevant to leather industry, their categories, possible origins, analysis and toxicity with respect to humans and the environment and the regulatory mechanisms suggested for them through manufacturing restricted substance list (MRSL) 2.0.** Informative guidelines are provided about the most probable leather processing stage for the origin of these chemicals. Some alternative technologies, chemicals and ideas gaining popularity are also suggested as probable remedies. Recommended test methods are stated for the adequate monitoring of the hazardous chemicals. The nature and severity of chemical toxicity and corresponding limits set for their allowed use in formulations are graphically expressed for clarity and ease of understanding. The maximum number of compounds / isomers belong to classes comprising chlorinated paraffins, perfluorooctanoic acids (PFOA), perfluorooctanesulfonates (PFOS) and banned aromatic amines. Similarly, most of the restricted chemicals are used during the finishing stage and may be considered for eco-friendly alternatives. Likewise, the analytical equipment covering most testing requirements is GC-MS among other hyphenated techniques. Additionally, most critical chemicals from toxicity point of view are arsenic, cadmium and chromium (VI), whereas navy blue colorants and chlorinated aromatic compounds may be considered as less toxic among the restricted chemicals under the current scope. Surprisingly, the latest UV absorbents and polymeric fatliquors are comparatively non-toxic. Similarly, the most relaxed formulation limits are given for UV absorbers and 2-methoxypropylacetate whereas strict limits have been set for PFOA, PFOS, mercury, triclosan permethrin, sensitizing dyes etc. in MRSL 2.0.
Studies On the Kinetics of Oil Oxidation Using Benzoyl Peroxide and Its Synergistic Effect in Fish Oil Tanning
Authors: Sahu Bindia , Jayakumar Gladstone Chistopher , Anandasadagopan Suresh Kumar
Published: December 2023

The oxidation of oil is an unavoidable process during oil tanning which aids in the forming of aldehydes that subsequently interact and react with amino groups in collagen. Oxidizing agents are commonly used to catalyze a faster reaction, thereby reducing days required for oil tanning. Fish oils are widely and regularly used for oil tanning. The oxidation of fish oil depends on its content of unsaturated fatty acids. In the current research, we focused on the kinetics of fish oil oxidation using Benzoyl Peroxide [BPO]. To assess the catalytic behavior of BPO, the kinetic study of the oil oxidation was carried out by determining the peroxide and p-Anisidine values. The maximum peroxide and p-Anisidine values were obtained on the 4th day. This is in accordance with our earlier studies.
Effect of Acid Swelling and Its Impact on the Properties of Cow Industrial Glove Leathers
Authors: Sathish M. , Thanikaivelan P. , Sarkar Nayan , Aravindhan R. , Rao J. Raghava
Published: December 2023

The development of commercially successful salt-free chrome tanning technology is the need of global leather sector to reduce the total dissolved solids in wastewater. Though some attempts have been made to develop salt-free chrome tanning technology, drawbacks such as slow diffusion of chromium, unevenness in softness and other organoleptic properties are the major concern. The generation of localized acid swelling might be a reason for the above drawbacks and no scientific literature available for the same. Hence, it is important to analyze the effect of acid swelling and its impact on the diffusion of chromium, ageing characteristics of wet-blue leather and physical properties of crust leather. The results show that the acid swelling delays the diffusion of chromium in tanning process and also enhances the growth marks on wet-blue leather. The ageing study reveals that the wet-blue obtained from acid swollen system dehydrates faster than the conventional salt based chromium tanning system. In addition, the wet-blue leather from acid swollen system is prone to fungal attack. The industrial glove leather obtained from acid swollen system has reduced strength characteristics viz., 15% reduction in tensile strength, 17% reduction in tear strength and 20% reduction in grain crack/bursting strength. Further, the degree of heterogeneity in softness is high for crust leather obtained from acid swollen system and also more looseness with internal emptiness. Color value measurements reveal that the crust leather obtained from the conventional tanning system is lighter in shade than the acid-swollen system. The results will be useful to design commercially viable salt-free or low-salt tanning systems as well as to tackle the inadvertent industrial scenario where the tanners are looking for solutions for accidental acid swelling and subsequent salvage of the leathers for possible recovery and applications.
Preventing Enzymatic Damage to Hides by Timely Inhibition of Trypsin Activity with Soybean Flour during Bating Process
Authors: Chen Tingyuan , Zeng Yunhang , Shi Bi
Published: December 2023

Enzymatic bating is important for producing clean, soft, and high-yield leather. However, it is prone to cause damage to hide collagen fibers and result in loose grain or damaged grain surface due to the longer enzymatic hydrolysis time of the grain layer than the middle layer caused by the slow mass transfer and the rapid hydrolysis reaction of the bating agent in hide. Considering trypsin is the most common bating agent, soybean flour (SF) that contains environmental friendly Kunitz trypsin inhibitor (KTI) was used after delimed hides were treated with trypsin for a certain time to opportunely inhibit its activity in the grain and avoid bating defects. The fluorescence micrographs of hides bated with fluorescently labelled trypsin and KTI showed that KTI could cover only the surface layers when it was added after bating for a certain time, whereas trypsin could penetrate the hide completely. When sufficient SF was added to the bating float at 2 h, the damage to hide collagen caused by trypsin was effectively reduced. In particular, the grain surface remained intact after bating for 8 h. The decrease in the strength of leather caused by bating was also reduced. In addition, the usage of SF scarcely affected the fiber dispersion of the middle layer, thereby ensuring the softness of leather. In summary, opportunely inhibiting the activity of trypsin in the grain could prevent hide damage and improve the quality of leather.
Impact of Flax Seed Protein and Beeswax Emulsion Blend on Leather Finishing– A Novel Eco-Benign Formulation
Authors: Sahu Bindia , V Janani , R Renganath Rao , Bhalla Akash , Javid Mohammed Abu
Published: December 2023

Protein based finishing on leather surface is generally done using casein-based formulation which forms a transparent and breathable film. Other naturally available options such as protein extracted from flax seeds exhibit versatile application in various fields. Thus in this work, the flax seed protein which is found to be 84%, along with bees wax emulsion is explored for the first time as an Eco benign binder and as an alternative for casein based finish. The binders play very important role in leather finishing as it helps in binding the various constituents of finishing such as pigments, wax, and additives to the leather matrix. The prepared Eco benign binder formed a continuous film on the surface of the leather and improved the of physical properties and crack resistance of the leather. The FTIR and particle size analysis were carried out for the characterization of the Eco benign binder. The experimental leathers were tested for tensile strength, elongation at break, lastometer test, colour fastness and cold crack tests. The results of the said tests were satisfied and on par with control leathers.
Fluorescent Tracing of Dialdehyde Sodium Alginate Tanning Agent in Leather Matrix
Authors: Zhu Min , Yi Yudan , Fu Jia , Zeng Yunhang , Wang Ya-nan
Published: December 2023

Dialdehyde polysaccharides possess a sustainable nature and good tanning performance. However, the lack of specific detectable groups in their molecular structure results in the difficulty in the determination of the location of dialdehyde polysaccharides in leather fiber networks. In this study, dialdehyde sodium alginate (DSA) tanning agent was fluorescent labeled by 5-(4,6-dichlorotriazinyl) aminofluorescein (DTAF). The purified DTAF–DSA showed high and stable fluorescent intensity at emission wavelength of 515.2 nm when the pH was over 6.0, and the temperature was in the range of 20°C to 50°C. DTAF–DSA was used in tanning and tracked using fluorescence microscopy. Its penetration in the fiber network could be clearly visualized, and its distribution in leather differed with the molecular weight of DSA. As a result, this fluorescence tracing technique could display the mass transfer behavior of dialdehyde polysaccharide tanning agents in leather matrix, which will provide underlying data for tanning mechanism exploration.
Metaphorical Understanding of ELT Students toward a Master’s Degree
Authors: USLU KAPLAN Nebile , ERDEM COŞGUN Gamze
Published: December 2023

This study aims to explore the opinions and metaphorical understanding of English Language Teaching students regarding pursuing a master’s degree. The participants of this cross-sectional survey study were 34 fourth-grade English Language Teaching (ELT) students from a state university in Turkey. The findings showed that most participants expressed a desire to obtain a master’s degree and provided various reasons for their willingness or unwillingness to pursue it, along with a metaphorical representation of their views. The findings also indicated that the participants had some knowledge about the requirements of a master’s degree, and although they recognized the challenges involved, they were mostly willing to pursue it. Overall, the study suggests that English Language Teaching students in Turkey have a positive attitude towards obtaining a master’s degree. However, further research is needed to examine the reasons for this positive attitude and to determine the impact of obtaining a master’s degree on the students’ competencies.
PENGUKURAN CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY DISCLOSURE DENGAN MENGGUNAKAN PROFITABILITAS, REPUTASI, DAN GOOD CORPORATE GOVERNANCE SEBAGAI VARIABEL PREDIKTOR
Authors: Shobah Nurus , Handayati Puji
Published: December 2023

Pandemi COVID-19 membuat khawatir semua sektor kehidupan. Dahsyatnya dampak yang ditimbulkan membuat seluruh pihak saling membantu untuk mengurangi dampak pandemi, termasuk perusahaan. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) adalah wujud kepedulian perusahaan terhadap perubahan kepada lingkungan sekitarnya. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengkaji profitabilitas, reputasi, dan good corporate governance yang diproksikan komisaris independen dan komite audit terhadap CSR disclosure. Populasi penelitian ini adalah perusahaan manufaktur yang terdaftar di Bursa Efek Indonesia (BEI) 2020-2021. Sampel sebanyak 32 perusahaan manufaktur berhasil dipilih melalui metode purposive sampling. Data sekunder berupa laporan tahunan dan laporan keberlanjutan perusahaan diperoleh dari website BEI dan perusahaan. Teknik analisis menggunakan regresi linier berganda. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa reputasi dan komite audit berpengaruh positif signifikan terhadap CSR disclosure, sedangkan profitabilitas dan komisaris independen tidak berpengaruh terhadap CSR disclosure. Penelitian ini diharapkan dapat menjadi pertimbangan untuk perusahaan agar lebih berfokus dalam CSR karena pengungkapannya yang cukup rendah
Multipath Parameters Estimation of Near-Field Spatial-Wideband Systems
Authors: Das Shrayan , Sen Debarati , Viterbo Emanuele
Published: December 2023

This letter proposes a low-complexity, two-step angle, range and delay
signature estimation algorithm for a sparse multipath near-field
spatial-wideband system. With upcoming sub-THz systems expected to have
a large number of antennas, the transmitted wideband signal is not only
sensitive to the physical propagation delay across the array aperture
but the resulting wavefront is no longer locally planar. We use a
combination of discrete linear chirp transform and discrete Fourier
transform based techniques to estimate the spatial wideband signature of
such a system. Further, we propose an iterative neighbourhood search to
acquire super-resolution estimates of the scatterer locations, delays
and angle of arrival of the multipaths and show that they are
asymptotically optimal approaching their respective CramÃ©r-Rao
bounds.Â This letter proposes a low-complexity one-snapshot two-step
signature estimation algorithm for a sparse multipath near-field
spatial-wideband system. With upcoming sub-THz systems expected to have
a large number of antennas, the transmitted wideband signal is not only
sensitive to the physical propagation delay across the array aperture
but the resulting wavefront is no longer locally planar. We use a
combination of discrete Fourier and discrete linear chirp
transform-based techniques to estimate the spatial wideband signature of
such a system. Further, we propose an iterative neighbourhood search to
acquire super-resolution estimates of the scatterer locations, delays
and angle of arrival of the multipaths and show that they are
asymptotically optimal approaching their respective Cramer- Rao bounds.Â
A New Old Idea: Beam-Steering Reflectarrays for Efficient Sub-THz Multiuser MIMO
Authors: Tiwari Krishan Kumar , Caire Giuseppe
Published: December 2023

This paper presents a novel, power- and hardware-efficient, multiuser,
multibeam RIS (Reflective Intelligent Surface) architecture for
multiuser MIMO,Â especially suited to operate in very high frequency
bands (e.g., high mmWave and sub-THz), where channels are typically
sparse in the beamspace and line-of-sight (LOS) Â is the dominant
component. The key module is formed by an active multiantenna feeder
(AMAF) with a small number of active antennas, placed in the near field
of a RIS with a much larger number of passive controllable reflecting
elements. We propose a pragmatic approach to obtainÂ a steerable beam
with high gain and very low sidelobes. Then K independently controlled
beams can be achieved by closely stacking K suchÂ AMAF-RIS modules. Our
analysis includes the mutual interference between the modules and the
fact that, due to the delay difference of propagation through the
AMAF-RIS structure, the resulting channel matrix is frequency selective
even in the presence of pure LOS propagation.Â We consider a 3D geometry
and show that “beam focusing” is in fact possible (and much more
effective in terms of coverage)Â also in the far-field, by creating
spotbeams with limited footprint both in angle and in range.Â Our
results show that: 1) Â simple RF beamforming without computationally
expensive baseband digital multiuser precoding is sufficient to
practically eliminate multiuser interference when the users are chosen
with sufficient angular/range separation, thanks to the extremely low
sidelobes of the proposed module; 2) the impact of beam pointing errors
with standard deviation as large as 2.5 degÂ and RIS quantized
phase-shifters with quantization bits > 2 is essentially
negligible; 3) The proposed architecture is more power efficient and
much simpler from a hardware implementation viewpoint than standard RF
beamforming active arrays with the same beamforming performance. As a
side result, we show also that the array gain of the proposed AMAF-RIS
structure grows linearly with the RIS aperture, in line with classical
results for standard reflector antennas.
Using (Counter)stories to (Re)shape our Communities and World(s)
Authors: Eljaji Amanah
Published: December 2023

Drawing upon my experience as a Canadian Muslim woman, scholar, educator, and mother, I share and inquire into my stories of experiences alongside youth. Thinking narratively (Clandinin, 2013), I weave my experiences using and teaching with/about single stories (Adichie) and counterstories (Lindemann Nelson, 1995) alongside students to (re)shape the multiplicity of ourselves (Lugones, 1987), relationships, and communities.  This article will provide windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors (Bishop, 1990) into my school and familial curriculum-making (Huber, Murphy, & Clandinin, 2011) experiences alongside Muslim youth. I hope that it will also provide insights into the experiences of diverse Muslim children, youth, and caregivers/families.