Analysis of the color properties of papers subjected to different recycling numbers in electrophotographic (toner) printing

Purpose In this present study, electrophotographic printing is made on papers which are subjected to different recycling numbers, and this paper aims to examine the colour changes of this printing type. Design/methodology/approach Four-colour electrophotographic printing is carried out on adhering to the INGEDE 11p standard recycled papers four times under the same conditions. Colour measurements are made by means of electrophotographic printed colour scales printed on these recycled papers. Colour measurements are made with the X-Rite eXact spectrophotometer according to the ISO 13655:2017 standard. As a result of colour measurements, colour differences (ΔL′, ΔH′, ΔC′, ΔE00) of recycled papers are determined using some formulas. Findings According to the values obtained after four recycling, the highest ΔL′ value is found to be 4.80 yellow and the lowest 1.92 black. Again, according to the measurement results, it is determined that the highest ΔE00 is yellow colour with a value of 5.66, and lowest ΔE00 is black colour with a value of 1.98. In ΔH′, black colour is the highest value of 12.61, the lowest value with −2.05 is obtained in magenta colour. It was observed that the highest ΔC′ value is 2.98 in yellow, and the lowest value is −0.28 in black. Originality/value In the printing industry, sometimes customers want to monitor the colour differences in the printing by taking the L′a′b′ obtained values as a result of printing from the printing houses. If the colour differences exceed the tolerance values, then they can interfere with the printing. As a result of the calculations, colour changes in electrophotographic printing are observed with many parameters. This study can be a pioneer for the studies that can be done on this subject.

Mana Taonga Kākahu: Exploring Approaches to Reconnecting Taonga Kākahu to Tangatawhenua

<p><b>The current mission of museums in Aotearoa New Zealand is to reconnect taonga (treasured artefacts) to their tribal descendants, but in most cases, there is no provenance, and many Māori remain alienated from their cultural heritage. Taonga kākahu (treasured textiles) from the pre-European and contact period retain mātauranga Māori (ancestral knowledge), materialise links to Te Ao Māori (the Māori world), whakapapa (genealogy) and reflect a sustainable relationship with Te Taiao (nature). They are the product of intricate weaving skills in the procurement, preparation, and construction of natural materials, including the dying of harakeke fibre (NZ flax) with paru (iron rich mud). The main research question therefore is: How and why should taonga kākahu in museum collections be reconnected with tangata whenua?</b></p> <p>This thesis used a range of interdisciplinary qualitative and quantitative methods, including field work, scientific applications such as colour measurements, technical analysis of cloaks and practical weaving samples. Iron rich mud samples were gathered from different geographical locations spread around the North Island and one in the South Island and processed with several tannins that were each scientifically measured for their hue of black. Experimental archaeology produced new insights and interpretations of three case study taonga kākahu. The research aims to revitalize customary techniques and knowledge of dying and weaving, support conservation and display of Māori textiles, and enhance the mana and understanding of these precious taonga.</p> <p>The data gathered through this research supports the preservation of the fragile dyed black fibre, contributes to the decolonisation of conservation, advocates for greater community access to collections, and argues for enhanced museum display of cloaks through new interpretation of designs. The research has identified material composition and some unique characteristics in the construction of taonga kākahu which explores ways of reconnecting unprovenanced taonga to tangata whenua.</p> <p> </p>

Mana Taonga Kākahu: Exploring Approaches to Reconnecting Taonga Kākahu to Tangatawhenua

<p><b>The current mission of museums in Aotearoa New Zealand is to reconnect taonga (treasured artefacts) to their tribal descendants, but in most cases, there is no provenance, and many Māori remain alienated from their cultural heritage. Taonga kākahu (treasured textiles) from the pre-European and contact period retain mātauranga Māori (ancestral knowledge), materialise links to Te Ao Māori (the Māori world), whakapapa (genealogy) and reflect a sustainable relationship with Te Taiao (nature). They are the product of intricate weaving skills in the procurement, preparation, and construction of natural materials, including the dying of harakeke fibre (NZ flax) with paru (iron rich mud). The main research question therefore is: How and why should taonga kākahu in museum collections be reconnected with tangata whenua?</b></p> <p>This thesis used a range of interdisciplinary qualitative and quantitative methods, including field work, scientific applications such as colour measurements, technical analysis of cloaks and practical weaving samples. Iron rich mud samples were gathered from different geographical locations spread around the North Island and one in the South Island and processed with several tannins that were each scientifically measured for their hue of black. Experimental archaeology produced new insights and interpretations of three case study taonga kākahu. The research aims to revitalize customary techniques and knowledge of dying and weaving, support conservation and display of Māori textiles, and enhance the mana and understanding of these precious taonga.</p> <p>The data gathered through this research supports the preservation of the fragile dyed black fibre, contributes to the decolonisation of conservation, advocates for greater community access to collections, and argues for enhanced museum display of cloaks through new interpretation of designs. The research has identified material composition and some unique characteristics in the construction of taonga kākahu which explores ways of reconnecting unprovenanced taonga to tangata whenua.</p> <p> </p>

Mana Taonga Kakahu; Exploring Approaches to Reconnecting Taonga Kakahu to Tangatawhenua

<p><b>The current mission of museums in Aotearoa New Zealand is to reconnect taonga (treasured artefacts) to their tribal descendants, but in most cases, there is no provenance, and many Māori remain alienated from their cultural heritage. Taonga kākahu (treasured textiles) from the pre-European and contact period retain mātauranga Māori (ancestral knowledge), materialise links to Te Ao Māori (the Māori world), whakapapa (genealogy) and reflect a sustainable relationship with Te Taiao (nature). They are the product of intricate weaving skills in the procurement, preparation, and construction of natural materials, including the dying of harakeke fibre (NZ flax) with paru (iron rich mud). The main research question therefore is: How and why should taonga kākahu in museum collections be reconnected with tangata whenua?</b></p> <p>This thesis used a range of interdisciplinary qualitative and quantitative methods, including field work, scientific applications such as colour measurements, technical analysis of cloaks and practical weaving samples. Iron rich mud samples were gathered from different geographical locations spread around the North Island and one in the South Island and processed with several tannins that were each scientifically measured for their hue of black. Experimental archaeology produced new insights and interpretations of three case study taonga kākahu. The research aims to revitalize customary techniques and knowledge of dying and weaving, support conservation and display of Māori textiles, and enhance the mana and understanding of these precious taonga.</p> <p>The data gathered through this research supports the preservation of the fragile dyed black fibre, contributes to the decolonisation of conservation, advocates for greater community access to collections, and argues for enhanced museum display of cloaks through new interpretation of designs. The research has identified material composition and some unique characteristics in the construction of taonga kākahu which explores ways of reconnecting unprovenanced taonga to tangata whenua.</p> <p> </p>

Herbal Plants as Feed Additives in Broiler Chicken Diets

This study evaluated the effect of some herbal plants as natural feed additives on broiler production parameters, carcass parts, and breast meat quality. A total of 150 broiler chicks, Cobb 500 hybrid, were allocated to five treatments with 30 broilers /group, for 42 days. The experimental treatments were: Control (C); a diet containing 5% alfalfa meal (A); a diet containing 5% alfalfa meal and 1% basil (AB); a diet containing 5% alfalfa and 1% thyme (AT) and a diet containing 5% alfalfa and 1% sage (AS). Bodyweight was significantly (P<0.05) affected in AS group compared with C and A groups. Feed conversion ratio was significantly higher only in A and AB groups. Experimental groups had significantly greater (P<0.05) gizzard weight. The total polyphenols content and the antioxidant capacity were significantly (P<0.05) higher in AB, AT, and AS groups versus the C group. The cholesterol concentration was significantly (P<0.05) decreased in AB, AT, and AS meat samples compared with C and A samples. Instrumental colour measurements indicated significant alterations (P<0.05) among the groups regarding the values of L*, a*, b*, H°, C*, and ΔE*. The texture analysis showed that hardness, gumminess, and chewiness were significantly (P<0.05) higher in AB, AT, and AS groups than in C and A groups.

A Comparison of Fresh Pork Colour Measurements by Using Four Commercial Handheld Devices

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of different low-cost instruments to measure pork colour in comparison to Minolta spectrophotometers and industry subjective standards. Canadian pork colour standards and commercial meat (252 loin chops and 46 tenderloins) were measured using two Minolta (CM 700D) spectrophotometers, four Nix sensors (two Nix Pro II and two Nix QC), and four Spectro devices (two Spectro 1 and two Spectro 1 Pro). Using Bland-Altman plots, all hand-held devices revealed similar performance on colour coordinates, except for the Nix Pro II, which had more variability on a* value, and Spectro 1 Pro on b* value, when compared to Minolta measurements. Low RSD values (< 5%) were obtained from repeated measurements on Canadian colour standards. The trend of colour coordinates on colour scores (0–6) were similar for all four commercial instruments, except for a* from Nix Pro and b* from Spectro 1. The correlation coefficients between subjective standards and colour coordinates from the Nix and Spectro devices were slightly higher than the Minolta spectrophotometers. Even though Nix and Spectro 1 series instruments generated different absolute colour coordinate values on meat samples, these pocket-size instruments presented great reliability to measure pork surface colour. However, operational limitations of the instruments, such as the internal calibration time between samples for the Spectro 1 series, should also be considered.

Hydrophobic Leather Coating for Footwear Applications by a Low-Pressure Plasma Polymerisation Process

The aim of this work is to develop hydrophobic coatings on leather materials by plasma polymerisation with a low-pressure plasma system using an organosilicon compound, such as hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO), as chemical precursor. The hydrophobic coatings obtained by this plasma process were evaluated with different experimental techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and standardised tests including colour measurements of the samples, surface coating thickness and water contact angle (WCA) measurements. The results obtained indicated that the monomer had polymerised correctly and completely on the leather surface creating an ultra-thin layer based on polysiloxane. The surface modification produced a water repellent effect on the leather that does not alter the visual appearance and haptic properties. Therefore, the application of the plasma deposition process showed promising results that makes it a more sustainable alternative to conventional functional coatings, thus helping to reduce the use of hazardous chemicals in the finishing process of footwear manufacturing.

Influence of blenching agents on the mechanical properties and colour of dental restorative nanocomposite

Purpose: Bleaching agents are commonly used to make the natural dentition look more attractive. Currently, in addition to products from reputable manufacturers, products of not fully known origin are available for purchase. The aim of the study was to investigate whether products of this type have a destructive influence on the mechanical and aesthetic properties of the dental restorative nanocomposite. Design/methodology/approach: Four bleaching agents were used, two recognized brands, and two products were purchased from Chinese websites (their manufacturer is unknown). Two gels and two types of whitening strips were used. One composite nanomaterial was used. Microhardness, diametral tensile strength,, compressive strength and colour measurements were tested. Findings: For some bleaching agents, studies have shown a relatively small effect on mechanical properties and an acceptable effect on colour changes. Regardless of the observed changes, the use of bleaching agents qualified for the experiment should be considered safe for composites. Research limitations/implications: The number of blenching agents used as well as dental composites in this study was limited. In future studies, increasing the number of cycles in the bleaching process should be considered. Practical implications: A popular method of improving the aesthetic properties of teeth is the use of a wide range of blenching agents. Most patients who use teeth whitening procedures are also users of composite fillings. The use of bleaching agents may have a different effect on the mechanical and aesthetic restorative composites. For economic reasons, many people decide to import cheap bleaching agents of unknown or dubious origin via Internet services to perform the bleaching process on their own. In this study, it was investigated whether products of this type have an influence on the mechanical and aesthetic properties of the dental restorative nanocomposite. Originality/value: Until now, no comparison of the safety of the use of bleaching agents of recognized manufacturers and of unknown origin in terms of the effect on composite materials has been presented, despite their high social importance.

Correlation of Studies between Colour, Structure and Mechanical Properties of Commercially Produced ThermoWood® Treated Norway Spruce and Scots Pine

The thermal modification of wood has become the most-commonly commercialised wood modification process globally, with the ThermoWood® process currently being the most dominant. As with all commercial processes, there is a need to have a robust quality control system, with several small–scale studies undertaken to date investigating quality control using a range of analytical methods, culminating in a multi-year assessment of colour as a means of quality control. This study, as an extension to this multi-year assessment, further explores the colour of Norway spruce and Scots pine commercially modified by the ThermoWood® S and D processes, respectively, along with the mechanical properties and structural characterisation by Fourier transform infrared (FT–IR) spectroscopy and principal component analysis (PCA) to ascertain further correlations between colour and other measurable properties. Infrared spectroscopy indicated modifications in the amorphous carbohydrates and lignin, whereas the use of PCA allowed for the differentiation between untreated and modified wood. Colour measurements indicated reduced brightness, and shifting toward red and yellow colours after thermal modification, hardness values decreased, whereas MOE and MOR values were similar for modified wood compared to unmodified ones. However, by combining the colour measurements and PC scores, it was possible to differentiate between the two modification processes (Thermo–S and Thermo–D). By combining the mechanical properties and PC scores, it was possible to differentiate the untreated wood from the modified ones, whereas by combining the mechanical properties and colour parameters, it was possible to differentiate between the three groups of studied samples. This demonstrates there is a degree of correlation between the test methods, adding further confidence to the postulation of using colour to ensure quality control of ThermoWood®.

Biscuits Polyphenol Content Fortification through Herbs and Grape Seed Flour Addition

The study aimed to verify whether the addition of selected herbs and spices will affect the content of polyphenols in biscuits and their antioxidant capacity, as well as what impact it will have on their sensory properties and attractiveness to consumers. Ground cloves, cinnamon, mint, and grape flour were added to the biscuits in concentrations of 1.0, 3.0, 5.0, and 10.0%. The total content of polyphenols in spices and biscuit samples was determined using the Folin–Ciocalteau solution and, subsequently, the antioxidant capacity was measured by FRAP (ferric ion reducing antioxidant power) and DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl inhibition). Polyphenols were transferred through spices and herbs into the biscuits in all samples and thus their antioxidant capacity was increased. The antioxidant capacity of the control sample measured by the DPPH method was 15.41%, and by the FRAP method 1.02 μmol Trolox/g. There was an increase in antioxidant capacity in all samples with the addition of spices and herbs. The highest increase was recorded in the sample with cloves, namely with the addition of 10% of cloves there was an increase measured by the DPPH method to 92.6% and by the FRAP method to 208.42 μmol Trolox/g. This also corresponds to the measured TPC (Total Polyphenol Content) in the pure clove, which was 219.09 mg GAE/g, and in the samples where the content gradually grew up to 4.51 mg GAE/g in the sample with the addition of 10%, while the polyphenol content of the control sample was 0.2 mg GAE/g. For other parameters, changes were also observed, depending on the addition of spices/herbs. There was a reduction in both texture parameters, hardness and fracturability, depending on the addition of spices/herbs, which was confirmed by both instrumental measurements and sensory analysis. Colour measurements clearly separated the control from the fortified samples, thus confirming the colour changes. The addition of grape flour shows the smallest difference from the control when the overall impression does not change with the addition. In terms of the combination of increased antioxidant capacity and overall consumer acceptability, the addition of cloves at a concentration of 3.0% appears to be the best option.