Polymers obtained from renewable sources are gaining popularity over their petroleum based counter parts in recent years due to their capability to address the environmental pollution related concerns emanating from the widespread usage of synthetic polymers. Even though the polymers from renewable sources are attractive in an environmental point of view, some of the property limitations and the high cost of these materials pose limitations for their extensive commercial applications. These aspects opened the door for a large chunk of research activities in development of polyblends and composites containing polymers from renewable sources as one of the components. Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) is one of the most discussed and commercialized polymer originated from renewable resources. Even though it has many useful properties, certain disadvantages like high brittleness, low impact resistance etc. limit the wide spread commercialization of PLA. In this review article, the recent research activities which are aimed to fill this gap by various modifications of PLA are discussed with special emphasis on the latest research advancements in the field of biodegradable and non biodegradable systems containing PLA.

The number of domestic studies on "variational pragmatics" (Ren Yuxin, Chen Xinren, 2012) is very limited. The research scopes are also relatively limited, which has not yet attracted the attention of more researchers. Therefore, based on this book The Routledge Handbook of Second Language Acquisition and Pragmatics, this paper aims to sort out and summarize the development trend of pragmatics from the meaning, goal and theory of variational pragmatics, and then put forward suggestions for future research.

Objective: To evaluate the radiographic characteristics of dentigerous cysts (DC) diagnosed at the School of Stomatology of the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (UPCH) during the period of 2010–2017. Material and methods: Retrospective, descriptive, observational and cross-sectional study, where the panoramic radiographs of 37 cases of DC were selected. Results: The total number of diagnosed cases of dentigerous cysts was 233, which after inclusion and exclusion criteria, 37 cases were obtained, of which 45.9% of cysts were found in the second decade of life with a higher frequency of 51.4 percent for women, and a jaw predilection of 59.5% in all cases. In addition, it was found that 97.3% of the cases were radiolucent, defined limits were found in 67.6%, corticalized edges in 54.1% and unilocular in 94.6%. All dentigerous cysts were associated with a tooth, of which closed apex (48.6%) and tooth displacement (59.5%) were observed. The adjacent tooth was not affected in 56.8% of cases, but its hard lamina was affected (59.5%). The 68.2% of cases did not affect the basal mandibular cortex, but did displace the inferior dental canal (54.5%) and 46.7% of cases displaced the floor of the maxillary sinus. Conclusions: Most of the results obtained on the characteristics in the Peruvian population support previous studies reported in America, Europe and Asia. Radiographically the dentigerous cyst showed characteristics that support its clearly benign behavior.

Chinese municipalities have developed a large stock of capital assets during a period of rapid growth and urbanization, but have yet to modernize asset management practices. Cities face challenges such as premature decline of fixed assets and spiking liabilities related to operating and maintaining assets. This paper evaluates the asset management practices in three selected small cities and towns in China, using a benchmarking assessment tool followed by an in-depth field assessment. The paper finds that overall performance is below half the international benchmark for good practice in all three cities. Management practices are considerably more advanced for land than for buildings and infrastructure. Key deficiencies in data availability and reporting, governance, capacity, and financial management indicate increased risks for local government finance and the delivery of public services. For small cities and towns where public revenues are often uncertain and limited, urban public services will be at risk of deterioration unless good asset management practices are put in place. The paper recommends strategic actions for upper and lower levels of government, to advance local asset management practices and facilitate the reform agenda.

Purpose: This article explores the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Human Resource Management (HRM) in the UAE, focusing on the critical challenges of fairness, bias, and privacy in recruitment processes. The study aims to understand how AI is transforming HR practices in the UAE, highlighting the issues of bias and privacy while examining real-world applications of AI in recruitment, employee engagement, talent management, and learning and development. Methodology: Through case study methodology, detailed insights are gathered from these companies to understand real-world applications of AI in HRM. A comparative analysis is conducted, comparing AI-driven HRM practices in UAE-based organizations with international examples to highlight global trends and best practices. Findings: The research reveals that while AI holds significant potential to streamline HR functions such as recruitment, onboarding, performance monitoring, and talent management, it also discusses challenges and strategies companies face and develop in integrating AI into their HRM processes, reflecting the broader context of AI adoption in the UAE’s HR landscape. Originality: This paper contributes to the growing body of literature on AI in HRM by focusing on the unique context of the UAE, a rapidly developing market with a highly diverse workforce. It highlights the specific challenges and opportunities faced by organizations in the UAE when implementing AI in HRM, particularly regarding fairness, bias, and data privacy.

In this study, ‘Xinli No. 3’, ‘Shengli rootstock’, ‘Shenli rootstock’ and ‘Shengzhen No. 1’ were used as rootstock, and ‘Jinchun No. 39’ cucumber was used as scion to study the effects of different rootstock on the yield and quality of grafted cucumber, and to select high quality rootstock suitable for cucumber grafting. Different rootstock affected the survival rate, phenology, the height of plant, stem diameter, growth potential, yield and quality of cucumber grafting. Among them, the survival rate of ‘Shenli rootstock’ grafted cucumber is the highest, and the growth of ‘Shengzhen No. 1’ grafted cucumber is relatively the strongest. There was no significant difference in fruit tuber, melon edge, thorn color and pulp crispness between self-rooted seedling (CK) and each rootstock grafting combination. The average yield of ‘Xinli No. 3’ grafted cucumber plot was not significantly different from that of self-rooted seedlings (CK). The length of ‘Shenli rootstock’ and ‘Shengli rootstock’ grafted cucumber was significantly higher than that of self-rooted seedlings (CK), and the length of ‘Shengzhen No. 1’ Grafted Cucumber was significantly higher than that of self-rooted seedlings (CK). The contents of vitamin C and soluble protein of ‘Shengli rootstock’, ‘Shenli rootstock’ and ‘Shengzhen No. 1’ grafted cucumber were significantly higher than those of self-rooted seedlings (CK), and the contents of soluble sugar were lower than those of self-rooted seedlings (CK). Therefore, ‘Shengzhen No. 1’ and ‘Jinchun No. 39’ have strong compatibility with cucumber. As rootstocks, the grafted cucumber plants not only have strong growth potential and high yield, but also significantly increase the content of soluble protein and vitamin C.