For five different regions in Kırklareli province, heavy metals; such as Pb, Ni, Cu, Mn, Cd, Cr, Co, Zn, Mo, and Fe in the mixture of leaves and flowers from linden trees (Tilia tomentosa L.) were analyzed by using flame atomic absorption spectroscopy after the samples were dissolved with microwave method. Also, organochloride pesticides; such as ∑BHC: [α-BHC, β-BHC, γ-BHC, and δ-BHC], ∑DDT: [4,4’-DDD, 4,4’-DDE, and 4,4’-DDT], α-Endosulfan, β-Endosulfan, Endosulfan sulfate, Heptachlor, Heptachlor-endo-epoxide, Aldrin, Dieldrin, Endrin aldehyde, Endrin ketone, Endrin and Methoxychlor in these samples were determined by utilizing gas chromatography mass spectroscopy after the samples were prepared for analyses by using QuEChERS method. The metal concentrations in the samples were in the range of 45.3 to 268 mg/kg for Mn, 0.25 to 18.8 mg/kg for Cu, 11.5 to 46.1 mg/kg for Zn, 128 to 1310 mg/kg for Fe, 10.4 to 38.6 mg/kg for Mo, 0.82 to 1.34 mg/kg for Cd, 0 to 6.45 mg/kg for Ni, 0 to 19.2 mg/kg for Pb, and 0 to 8.25 mg/kg for Cr. Moreover, the concentrations of organochloride pesticides in samples were usually determined to be lower than their maximum residue level values given the pesticide residue limit regulation of Turkish Food Codex. 

In this study, nano-scale microstructural evolution in 6061-T6 alloy after laser shock processing (LSP) was studied. 6061-T6 alloy plate was subjected to multiple LSP. The LSP treated area was characterized by X-ray diffraction and the microstructure of the samples was analyzed by transmission electron microscopy. Focused Ion Beam (FIB) tools were used to prepare TEM samples in precise areas. It was found that even though aluminum had high stacking fault energy, LSP yielded to formation of ultrafine grains and deformation faults such as dislocation cells, stacking faults. The stacking fault probability (PSF) was obtained in LSP-treated alloy using X-Ray diffraction. Deformation induced stacking faults lead to the peak position shifts, broadening and asymmetry of diffraction. XRD analysis and TEM observations revealed significant densities of stacking faults in LSP-treated 6061-T6 alloy. And mechanical properties of LSP-treated alloy were also determined to understand the hardening behavior with high concentration of structural defects.

In the present study, friction damper, an energy dissipating passive device is explored to reduce the response of open ground storey building under lateral loading due to earthquake. This damper is installed in the selected bays of open ground storey so that the response is reduced. The masonry infill wall is macro-modeled in the form of compression only diagonal members. Three different types of bracing system were installed along with Pall friction damper – single diagonal tension – compression brace with friction damper, tension only cross brace with friction damper and chevron brace with friction damper were modeled using Wen’s plastic link element in SAP2000. G+4 storey buildings were analyzed using nonlinear time history analysis. The storey displacement and inter-storey drift for all the cases were compared in the study.

Heat conduction theory stipulates that two thermo-physical properties of materials: the thermal conductivity “k” and the thermal diffusivity “α” influence the temperature evolution in regular and irregular bodies as a response to various cooling/heating conditions. The traditional statement involving the two thermo-physical properties is examined at length in the present study for the case of a semi-infinite region. The primary objective of the present study is to investigate the influence of the less known thermo-physical property called the thermal effusivity “e” on the incipient surface temperature rise in a semi-infinite body affected by uniform surface heat flux. The secondary objective of the study is to identify a key figure of merit named the dimensionless threshold time that separates the incipient temperature elevation in a semi-infinite region from the incipient temperature elevation in a large wall of finite thickness under the same uniform surface heat flux. The outcome of the methodical analysis suggests that the accurate estimate for the dimensionless threshold time τ_th in the semi-infinite region should be 0.10.

In April 2023, the government of Changshu City, in Jiangsu Province, China, announced that it would officially use digital Chinese Yuan (E-CNY) as a method of wage payment to the government and state-owned enterprises staff starting in May. With the gradual improvement and application of E-CNY technologies, such as no electricity, no internet payment (offline payment), and the programmability of smart contracts, E-CNY will be officially used in China. CNN said China is on the verge of a cashless society. The advantages of E-CNY have a positive role in promoting the Chinese government’s implementation of the development goals of a low-carbon and sustainable economy. However, artificial intelligence (AI) trust concerns are the primary bottleneck in the current development based on intelligent algorithms and digital information technology. AI trust concerns are affecting the scope of use of E-CNY, and it may need to achieve effective scale-use, making it promote low-carbon and sustainable development. From the industry perspective, this article selects the housing rental enterprises, which are challenging to develop and energy-intensive, to analyze the theoretical approach and practical impact of E-CNY in promoting the low-carbon and sustainable development of China’s rental housing economy. Meanwhile, from the perspective of Chinese consumers, the impact of AI trust concerns on E-CNY in promoting low-carbon and sustainable development is analyzed in this article.