Abstract
Well, the flu season is back and is joined by the new Covid variants plus RSV. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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has the following on RSV: “Respiratory syncytial (sin-SISH-uhl) virus, or RSV, is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious. Infants and older adults are more likely to develop severe RSV and need hospitalization. If you are age 60 or older, a vaccine is available to protect you from severe RSV. Talk to your healthcare provider to see if it’s right for you. If you are pregnant, you can get an RSV vaccine between 32–36 weeks of pregnancy to protect your infant after birth, or a preventive antibody can be given to your baby after birth.”
We as a society face many issues, problems and conflicts. Keeping ourselves and our friends and neighbors safe is a continuing challenge. Especially in this new era of ‘Fake news’ which is becoming more pervasive with the advent of AI (Artificial Intelligence). It is my understanding that AI can help science make faster progress. This plus the developing quantum computer technology has the potential to make our lives much better. However, like any tool, it has a dark side and I can only trust that the good will overcome the bad.
As I write this COP28 has come to a close. I believe that climate change is an existential threat to humanity and our pursuit for a better life for all beings on this planet. The UN Climate Change Conference in the United Arab Emirates
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has published the following statement: COP28 closed today with an agreement that signals the “beginning of the end” of the fossil fuel era by laying the ground for a swift, just and equitable transition, underpinned by deep emissions cuts and scaled-up finance.
In a demonstration of global solidarity, negotiators from nearly 200 Parties came together in Dubai with a decision on the world’s first ‘global stocktake’ to ratchet up climate action before the end of the decade – with the overarching aim to keep the global temperature limit of 1.5°C within reach.
“Whilst we didn’t turn the page on the fossil fuel era in Dubai, this outcome is the beginning of the end,” said UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell in his closing speech. “Now all governments and businesses need to turn these pledges into real-economy outcomes, without delay.”
I hope that I will see the day when we make significant progress on solving this issue and that we have a truly circular and sustainable economy. Along with the realization that violence is not a solution to violence. Peace and harmony is the way to prosperity. It takes special expertise to deal with a bellicose entity. 2500 years ago, Sun Tzu wrote “The Art of War” and in it he said “Supreme Excellence consists of breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting”. I interpret this to mean: understand your “enemy” and make them your friend. My dream is for all sentient beings to learn and use appropriate communication to effectively resolve issues, problems, and conflicts.
In this issue we have 3 original articles.
The first paper “Mathematical study of viscoelastic polymer during roll-over-web coating” is by H. M. Atif, F. Jabeen & M. A. Javed. They asymptoticly analyze forward roll coating over a rigid substrate for low Weissenberg number viscoelastic fluids. Their analysis uses lubrication theory coupled with regular perturbation theory assuming a simplified Phan-Thien-Tanner (SPPT) constitutive equation and small extensibility parameter (ε) values.
Our second paper “Controlling factors of coating thickness of Sisko fluid in blade coating process” is by A. Hanifa, Z. Abbasa, and S. Khaliqb. They consider the heat transfer and slip effects of the rheological Sisko fluid model for plane coater for a blade coating process. Their model combines the power-law and Newtonian fluids and takes the stiff blade limit as the limiting blade coating behavior. They investigate both shear-thinning and shear-thickening behaviors.
The Third paper “Evaluation of solubility parameters and relative energy difference (RED) on the preparation of polysulfone/polyethylene glycol membrane: a study on the casting solution and coagulation bath” is by Rahim Dehghan, Zahra Kordkatooli, and Jalal Barzin. They investigate how Hansen solubility parameters (HSPs) of a polysulfone/polyethylene glycol (PSU/PEG) with increasing PEG molecular weights and binary coagulation bath of solvent/non-solvent mixtures affect system instability and the relationship between the relative energy difference (RED) and this instability.
And a final quote: “There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still.” -- Franklin D. Roosevelt”
To submit a paper, go to: https://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/jpfs
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