Homogeneous Product Research Articles

Comparison of different substrates for organic seedling production

Propagation from seedlings is generally applied in the horticultural sector and it has many advantages including earlier harvest and more efficient resource (land, time, energy and seeds) utilization, as well as healthy and homogenous plant production. In conventional large-scale horticulture, seedling cultivation has already become a separate sector. The basis of successful seedling production is the use of the suitable substrate. The physical and chemical quality of the growing medium is crucial. There can be significant differences among the growing media available at the domestic market. For own substrate, farmers put different mixtures of peat, perlite and nutrients together according to a unique recipe. According to the Regulation (EU) 2018/848 on organic production and labelling of organic products, only organic seed and seedling can be used for organic plant production. Therefore, seeds, fertilizers, plant protection and disinfection substances are allowed to be applied only when authorized for use in organic production by the regulations. Recently there are only a few professional organic seedling producers in Hungary. Most of the organic farmers produce their own seedlings. For this purpose, commercially available certified organic growing media, or home mixed substrates are used. In this study, two commercially available organic substrates (Florasca Bio B and Klasmann KKS Proline) are compared with two typical farmer mixtures: peat with pelleted cattle manure and peat with compost. The physical and chemical properties of the substrates are investigated and presented.

Biogenic synthesis of spherical-shaped noble metal nanoparticles using Vicia faba extract (X@VF, X = Au, Ag) for photocatalytic degradation of organic hazardous dye and their in vitro antifungal, antibacterial and anticancer activities

• A cost effective green Vicia faba method used to obtain gold and silver nanoparticles. • SEM images conferred the spherical and oval morphology of samples. • AuNPs and AgNPs showed excellent antibacterial (against gram-negative and gram-positive strains) and antifungal activities. • AuNPs and AgNPs exhibited dose dependent anticancer activity (on AGS-3 and MCF-7 cell lines) and high biocompatibility towards normal cells (Beas-2B cell line). • Excellent photocatalytic pollutant degradation was observed in the Ag and Au nanoparticles. In recent years, industrial wastewater pollution, including organic pollution and harmful bacteria, has endangered the health of humans and other organisms. For this purpose, we designed an eco-friendly and cost-effective technique for the synthesis of noble metal nanoparticles using natural reducing, stabilizing, and capping agents. In the present study, gold (AuNPs@ VF ) and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs@ VF ) were synthesized using the extract of Vicia faba , and evaluated for catalytic, antibacterial, antifungal, and anticancer activities. Optimizing synthesis conditions (pH, temperature, reaction time, and concentration) for the best outcomes was conducted. The synthesized AuNPs@ VF and AgNPs@ VF were characterized using UV-Vis, XRD, EDS, TEM, and FESEM. The homogeneous, oval-spherical morphology and regular products with a size in the range of 30-60 nm were observed from XRD and FESEM techniques. The photocatalytic performance of AuNPs@ VF and AgNPs@ VF were calculated by degradation of methyl orange (MO) pollution under UV-light irradiation. The AuNPs@ VF (91.4%) and AgNPs@ VF (80.4%) showed high photocatalytic degradation in the shortest possible time. In order to evaluate antifungal, antibacterial, and drug resistance activities, seven ATCC bacteria (gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria), resistant pathogens strains, and eight fungal strains were selected. The results showed that among these two metal nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles showed a very high antibacterial activity, which can be considered an antibacterial agent. This is despite the fact that the antifungal activity of gold nanoparticles was better than silver nanoparticles. Moreover, the cytotoxicity effects of AuNPs@ VF and AgNPs@ VF on MCF-7, AGS-3, and normal Beas-2B cell lines were examined by MTT assay. The cytotoxicity result showed that the biosynthesized AuNPs@VF and AgNPs@VF displayed a significant dose-dependent inhibitory effect with IC50 values of 58.65, 46.38 µg/mL on MCF-7 and 22.91, 9.73 µg/mL on AGS-3, respectively compared cisplatin as the positive control. Also, the results showed that the synthesized nanoparticles acted selectively on the normal cell and were safe on the human epithelial cells.

Inhomogeneity of microstructure and mechanical properties in compression-type bulk formed specimens

The effect of elongation and spreading in a material on strain and microstructure inhomogeneity during compression-type bulk forming processes was investigated to improve the strain homogeneity of the materials. For systematic investigation, four different compression-type forming processes, namely wire flat rolling, plate flat rolling, wire caliber rolling, and uniaxial compression, were compared. Strain inhomogeneity and macroscopic shear bands (MSBs) were clearly observed during the compression-type bulk forming processes based on a comparative study on the shape change, effective strain and hardness distributions, and microstructural evolution in twinning-induced plasticity steel. The flat-rolled wire had the largest strain inhomogeneity, followed by the caliber-rolled wire, compressed specimen, and flat-rolled plate in the listed order. The inhomogeneity of the strain distribution along the horizontal direction tended to increase with the pure spreading during the forming process. Meanwhile, the inhomogeneity of the strain distribution along the vertical direction increased with decreasing elongation during the process. Therefore, a small pure spreading and large elongation of the specimen result in more homogeneous and higher quality products in the compression-type bulk forming process. For instance, the flat-rolled plate exhibited weak MSBs and low strain inhomogeneity because of the small pure spreading and large elongation during the forming process.

Smog chamber study of secondary organic aerosol formation from gas- and particle-phase naphthalene ozonolysis

Naphthalene (Nap), one of the most abundant PAHs in the atmosphere, has been shown to be an important secondary organic aerosol (SOA) precursor. In this study, the gas- and particle-phases (Suspended Nap-coated polystyrene latex spheres (PSLs) generated by vaporization condensation) Nap ozonolysis were investigated in a 1000 L volume cubic Teflon smog chamber. Gas-phase products and Nap-SOAs were observed from the gas- and particle-phase Nap ozonolysis via homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions, respectively. The time-dependent size distribution and mass concentration of Nap-SOAs were analyzed using a scanning mobility particle sizer and a laboratory-developed single-particle aerosol mass spectrometry (SPAMS) instrument. The chemical components of the homogeneous and heterogeneous reaction products were analyzed on-line by single photo ionization mass spectrometry (SPIMS), SPAMS, as well as by thermal desorption gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry. The results showed that the chemical components of the gas-and particle-phase Nap ozonolysis were essentially the same, with the dominant products being phthalaldehyde, phthalic anhydride, 2-carboxybenzaldehyde, and benzoic acid; Nap-SOA formation was attributed to the formation of new particles as well as the uptake of homogeneous and heterogeneous Nap oxidation products on the gas-phase or/and the particle surface. Based on the online measurement results, the reaction mechanism of Nap-ozonolysis also exhibits an initial carbon atom or double-bond attacks by O3, and kinetic analysis of Nap-coated PSLs ozonolysis shows a heterogeneous reaction rate constant of 2.55E-4 s−1 with R2 = 0.984. This study provides a systematic approach to characterize the chemical and physical properties of the gas- and particle-phase Nap ozonolysis in real time, which will deepen our understanding of the migration and transformation of PAHs in the atmosphere.

CD82 Is Sufficient to Uniquely Identify Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Hemogenic Endothelium with the Hematopoietic Lineage Potency to Give Rise to Bona Fide Lymphocytes

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T and natural killer (NK) cells represent compelling opportunities for the treatment of hematological malignancies and solid tumors. However, autologous and donor-derived allogeneic CAR-T and NK cell therapies are limited based on the quantity and quality of the starting engineered cells. We previously described our off-the-shelf induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived CAR-T (CAR-iT) and CAR-NK (CAR-iNK) cell platforms that eliminate some of the hurdles associated with patient-derived cells by creating a homogenous cell product that is derived from a renewable bank of iPSC master cell lines. A major challenge in the manufacturing of iPSC derived immune cells is the derivation of hemogenic endothelium (HE), which is the rare and transient direct precursor of hematopoietic cells, making its in vitro specification from iPSCs inefficient and challenging. Furthermore, there is not a reliable marker or set of markers for the identification of HE in culture. HE identification has traditionally relied on detection of the transcription factor RUNX1 and the establishment of reporter cell lines, neither of which are suitable for the manufacture of HE cells destined to become therapeutic immune cells. We have established a cytokine driven protocol for the differentiation of iPSCs that improves the efficiency of the derivation of RUNX1+ HE cells. To identify candidate HE surface markers, we compared iPSC-derived cells containing a high percentage of HE, based on RUNX1 expression, to control differentiated cells containing a low percentage of HE, via a cell surface antibody array. Through the array we identified several surface markers that were expressed by a higher percentage of CD34+ endothelial cells compared to control CD34+ cells. Several of the candidates identified, including CD44, CD61, CD226 and CD143 have been previously identified by other groups as candidate HE markers, thereby validating our screening method. We identified CD82 as a novel candidate HE marker, with expression uniquely restricted to the CD34+ endothelial population and positively correlating with RUNX1 expression (Fig. 1A). Furthermore, we demonstrated via limiting dilution assays that HE is enriched in the CD34+CD43-CD82+ population (HE frequency, 1/38) compared to the CD34+CD43-CD82- population(HE frequency, 1/736) (Fig. 1B). Even more strikingly, isolation of cells based on CD82 alone was sufficient to enrich for HE cells (HE frequency, 1/44) and outcompeted CD34 enrichment alone, suggestive of its unique ability to identify the HE population (Fig. 1B). To determine if CD82+ HE cells could give rise to lymphocytes we carried them forward into T cell differentiation and showed thatthey efficiently gave rise to CAR-iT cells (i.e. >95% CD7+ T lymphocytes). The identification of CD82 for the enrichment of iPSC derived HE is a critical step to the development of definitive hematopoiesis with ability to give rise to all lineages of the hematopoietic compartment and facilitates the scaled and consistent manufacture of high-quality T and NK cells for off-the-shelf therapeutic applications. Figure 1View largeDownload PPTFigure 1View largeDownload PPT Close modal

Entropy-Maximization-Based Customer Order Allocation of Clothing Production Enterprises in the Sharing Economy

With the rapid development of the sharing economy, more and more platform operators apply the sharing concept in manufacturing, which increases the efficiency of assets utilization. Considering the apparel industry, clothing enterprises or manufacturers may share their excess orders between each other via a manufacturing cloud platform. Under the traditional production mode, manufacturers focus on processing their individual orders. There may be a coexistence of insufficient and surplus production capabilities. Some manufacturers cannot meet their customer demands due to limited capabilities and some orders have to be rejected, while some other manufacturers may have excess capacities with insufficient demands. It results in loss of revenue, and it is not conducive to maintaining a good customer relationship. In this paper, we consider a shared system with multiple manufacturers that produce homogeneous products, and the manufacturers in the shared system can share customer orders with each other. Once any manufacturer cannot fulfill all of its orders, the unsatisfied ones will be shared with other manufacturers that have surplus capacities with the aim of improving the balance of resource utilization and risk resistance of all manufacturers on the platform. The entropy maximization theory is mainly adopted to facilitate the formulation of the objective function. We apply a Taylor expansion to reformulate the objective function and construct a mixed-integer quadratic programming (MIQP) model. We employ off-the-shelf solvers to solve small-scale problems, and also propose a two-stage constructive heuristic algorithm to solve large-scale problems. Numerical experiments are conducted to demonstrate the efficiency of the algorithm.

THE ROLE OF THE NEEDLE AS A BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE SUBSTANCE OF PLANT ORIGIN IN FOOD PRODUCTION (PATENT REVIEW)

In the article, the authors substantiated the relevance and expediency of using needles as a herbal ingredient in the development of various product categories. The authors also conducted a content analysis of the data on the chemical composition of needles, indicating the uniqueness of the studied plant ingredient. The main forms of application of needles are represented by extracts based on alcohol or water essence, obtained by infusion, as well as CO2-extraction. The author’s generalized information on the type of needles used - the article presents needles of fir, juniper, spruce, pine, and other types of coniferous plants. Categories of homogeneous products using needles are different: flavor products, honey, bakery products, confectionery, biologically active substances, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. The authors also summarized information on the cities of the Russian Federation, where products are being developed using needles. The list of patent holders was analyzed by the form of ownership of the organization: individuals, scientific organizations, etc., and trends were identified for the publication of patents using the studied raw materials over the years.

The value of product recall insurance in a price competition with financially constrained suppliers

We study the horizontal benefits of product recall (PR) insurance by considering a Bertrand competition with financially constrained suppliers. In the model, two suppliers produce homogeneous products and a buyer purchases from whoever offers the lowest price. Product’s quality is random and defective products would cause a product recall associated with a random recall cost for the faulty supplier. We find that PR insurance eases the suppliers’ financial constraints by reducing their external financing costs and intensifies the price competition. Interestingly, the more intensified price competition may not lead to lower profits for both suppliers. PR insurance enables the suppliers to use financial constraints more efficiently by charging higher prices and improve their profits. We also reveal how asymmetric financial capacities and production costs affect the role of the PR insurance in the price competition. PR insurance restrains the predation effect caused by the financial advantage. However, when the suppliers’ financial capacities are sufficiently high, PR insurance strengthens the predation effect initiated by the cost advantage. Finally, we conduct a numerical study with exponential and Pareto distributions.

XIII EHOC 2022 / CELLULAR THERAPY: CAR T-CELLS IN HEMATOLOGICAL MALIGNANCIES

ARI-0001 [systematically named Varnimcabtagene autoleucel (var-cel), a second generation anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell] granted local use authorization (under the rule of “hospital exemption”, HE) by the AEMPS (Spanish drug agency = Agencia Española de Medicinamentos y Productos Sanitarios) and just a little more than half-year ago (December 2021) PRIME (Priority Medicine) designation by the EMA (European Mediciness Agency) for patients >25 years old with relapsed or refractory (R/R) B cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (B-ALL). The authorization is based on the results of a phase 1 clinical trial (NCT03144583), but additional patients (already reimbursed by Spanish Health System), new clinical trials or compassionate uses with ARI-0001, have been produced and infused in our Hospital Clínic de Barcelona or our pediatric partner, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu. Although HE for adult ALL patients and compassionate uses (next to indicated commercial products that authorized our center) allow us to use CART19 therapy for treating our patients (our real aim of this development), the good clinical results, and petitions of different centers all around the world (specially from places where commercial products are not available) encouraged us to consider how we should proceed to extend our product to other patients.Our Academic proposal is the result of the work of a multidisciplinary team, a point-of-care (PoC) procedure based on a well stablish protocol in a commercially available bioreactor and our home-developed lentivirus.All the elements of our proposal follow the GMP standards, strictly controlled by the AEMPS and the regulations for Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) of the EMA; although the product could be developed in our clean-rooms at Barcelona, our aim is to share procedures to allow production as a real PoC product, looking for partners that can reproduce all steps next to the patient. This multi-site cell production has been already accomplished with success in several clinical trials, while for a homogeneous lentiviral production, we decided (by now) to use facilities centralized in our university hospital. We expect to obtain first local authorization for this multicenter production in Spain, and later by EMA and other regulators (India). In fact, this experience is also supported by developing a clinical trial with 60 multiple myeloma patients under the treatment of a new own CART-BCMA (ARI-0002h).We are convinced that it is a possible model, although most of the huge number of rules are mainly thought for pharma-companies and are not easily implemented by Academic entities. But if we want to have the best treatments for our patients, to find solutions with real options for Academic ATMPs developments is the only way to arrive where the commercial companies, the health systems and in general countries will not be able to arrive for different reasons (difficult recover of investments by complex reimbursement, low level of patients, no-sustainable expenses and procedures for economic and ecologic reason, ...).

Structural evolution of lignite from heterogeneous particles to homogeneous products during ruthenium ion catalytic oxidation depolymerization

Disclosing the structure evolution of lignite from heterogeneous particles to homogeneous products during depolymerization is of great significance to understand the depolymerization process of lignite. In this work, the structure evolution of lignite during ruthenium ion catalytic oxidation (RICO) depolymerization was studied. Special attention was paid on the changes of the size of lignite particles and molecular weight of the soluble products. The results showed that the depolymerization of lignite into benzene polycarboxylic acids (BPCAs) involved the conversion of lignite from microparticles into nanoparticles, which can be further depolymerized and released the soluble products into the solution. Around 93% of the organic matter in lignite can be converted from heterogeneous particles to homogeneous products. The molecular weight of the soluble products had a wide distribution from dozens of thousand Dalton to several hundred Dalton, indicating that the macromolecules released from lignite particles were gradually decomposed and formed a series of intermediate products. These results explain that why the composition of the depolymerization products is complex. Finally, the microstructural evolution process of lignite during depolymerization was speculated. Lignite particles mainly experienced the microparticles, nanoparticles, macromolecules, and then small molecules such as BPCAs. The formation of macromolecules proceeded fast and the subsequent formation of BPCAs from macromolecules was the rate-determining step. This work contributes deep insights into the structural evolution process of lignite during RICO depolymerization, and provides basic data for the regulation and control of the depolymerization process.

Analysis of the application of Bayesian estimates as part of practical problems in dependability that involve models intended for groups of homogeneous products

. Experts in applied dependability are showing an increasing interest in the Bayesian theory. However, the Bayesian approach is not generally accepted by mathematical statistics and dependability researchers. The doubts about its practical applicability are primarily due to the fact that it allows for subjective probabilities. In practice, homogeneous product models are normally considered, i.e., each item in the evaluated batch is characterized by the same selected dependability value. In the case of Bayesian statistical estimation, the model involves heterogeneous products, however, in the course of steady production, it is not considered normal to manufacture products with varied dependability, which calls into question the adequacy of Bayesian statistical estimation methods. Aim. It is demonstrated that using Bayesian estimators that employ models designed for homogeneous products in dependability is erroneous. Methods of research. For the purpose of finding effective estimates within a selected class, integral numerical characteristics of the accuracy of estimation were used, namely, total squared bias of the expected implementation of a certain variant estimate from the examined parameters of the distribution laws, etc. Conclusions. 1. For any result, the realizations of Bayesian estimates are grouped within the dogma of mean – ≈pα = 1 – α / (α + β), while classical ≈Р2 = 1 – R/N and integral ≈Р4 unbiased estimates respond adequately to any external changes. The use of Bayesian estimates in dependability, when models designed for homogeneous products are employed, is erroneous, and there is no need to use them. 2. Bayesian estimates should only be used for groups of heterogeneous products. 3. Instead of Bayesian estimates, integral biased estimates should be used in dependability, when models designed for homogeneous products are employed.

Fusion enzyme design based on the “channelization” cascade theory and homogenous dextran product improvement

Homogeneous low molecular weight dextran can be used to improve microcirculation and expand blood volume. However, the synthesis and separation of low molecular weight dextran are chemically difficult and environmentally unfriendly. Here, a one-step strategy for the synthesis of homogeneous low molecular weight dextran was developed. Dextransucrase and dextranase were fused by the addition of different length linker peptides. An artificial bifunctional enzyme was created to directly convert sucrose into low molecular weight dextran (13,050 Da), and the related substrate channel mechanism was found. The substrate channel adaptability was studied by changing the length of the linker and its corresponding product behavior. Compared with the mixture of two free enzymes, the residence lag time demonstrates the degree of substrate channelization of a series of fusion enzymes. And found that the highest channelization degree is not equal to produce homogenous dextran. Whereas a fusion enzyme with the appropriate linker (the one with the best substrate channel adaptation) will produce dextran with a homogeneous molecular weight. By studying the temperature dynamics of the fusion enzyme to adjust the two-stage catalytic efficiency of the fusion enzyme, we have increased the yield of low molecular weight homogeneous dextran (Yield of 62 %).

Torrefaction of organic municipal solid waste to high calorific value solid fuel using batch reactor with helical screw induced rotation

The potential of producing high calorific value (CV) solid fuel was investigated in a helical screw rotation-induced (HSRI) fluidized bed reactor based on mechanical fluidization. The study revealed that the HSRI torrefaction improved the torrefied product properties. For the 40 and 0 rpm conditions, the CV, fixed carbon, and ash contents of torrefied solid fuel increased with an increase in temperature. In contrast, volatile matter, moisture content, mass and energy yields decreased. The CV of torrefied solid fuel increased by a factor of 1.43 and 1.58 at 280 °C for the 40 and 0 rpm conditions, respectively. HSRI torrefaction enhanced the removal of hydroxyl functional group. HSRI torrefaction improved the hydrophobicity of the torrefied solid fuel. Therefore, the HSRI fluidized bed reactor promotes uniform temperature distribution, a higher heat transfer rate within the sample particles in the reactor, and a homogenous torrefied solid product compared to the fixed bed reactor.

Entrepreneurial intention of matric commerce students: An empirical study

Background: In the first quarter of 2021, the official unemployment rate in South Africa was 32.6%. Among young persons between the ages of 15 and 34, the figure was 46.3%. One in two young people in the labour market are unemployed, Entrepreneurship is widely recognised as an effective mechanism to address the tripartite challenges of unemployment, inequality, and poverty.Aim: The study’s aim was to look into the factors that influence matric commerce students’ entrepreneurial intentions in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.Setting: A survey was conducted among commerce students in 11 districts of KwaZulu-Natal.Methods: The study was based on a sample of 433 commerce students from the matric commerce students, South Africa. Data were gathered through a self-administered questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale. Descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were performed on the data.Results: The results of the study show that attitude towards entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial self-efficacy and entrepreneurial education are key drivers of entrepreneurial intention. The study found no evidence of innovativeness as a driver of entrepreneurial intention.Conclusion: The study recommends that the department of basic education should develop strategies that will help innovative and creative students to embrace entrepreneurship. This is because entrepreneurs typically operate in perfect market conditions, with homogeneous products and freedom of entry and exit, so innovativeness is critical.

Trade fraud and non-tariff measures

Similar to tariffs, non-tariff measures (NTMs) may induce trade fraud when they are restrictive. This paper examines whether discrepancies observed in the official trade statistics of importing and exporting countries are partly due to trade fraud from evading border NTMs. To capture the restrictiveness of NTMs, this paper estimates the ad valorem equivalent (AVE) with importer-exporter-product variations. This paper presents a theoretical model and empirical evidence showing that discrepancies increase with AVEs, consistent with the trade fraud due to traders intentionally misdeclaring countries of origin or misclassify products in order to evade border NTMs. The results are driven by homogeneous products and the trade between developed and developing countries.

On interconsumer externalities in a model of sales

I highlight interconsumer externalities in a static model of sales with homogeneous products and bidimensional consumer heterogeneity wherein there exists two-type search intensity heterogeneity and two-type valuation heterogeneity. An increase in the percentage of consumers with high valuation creates a dichotomy in the market. The consumers who experience the increase in their valuation become better off; I call these consumers privileged. All other consumers either become worse off or remain unaffected; I call the consumers who become worse off disadvantaged and the consumers who remain unaffected unprivileged. In the environment with privileged and disadvantaged consumers, the net effect on total consumer surplus is ambiguous. These results come in contrast to a dynamic Coasian version of the model in which if the percentage of consumers with high valuation increases, always all consumers become better off. Public policy interventions that target an increase in the welfare of consumers by altering the mix of the population should (i) distinguish between dynamic and static markets; and (ii) take into account under which conditions in static markets the net effect on consumer surplus is positive.

A deep learning approach for estimation of price determinants

This paper aims to investigate the spatial price dispersion and estimate the price determinants of a homogeneous product sold by marketing channels in the industrial automation market in the south of Germany. Empirical studies reveal that different prices are charged for the same homogeneous products, which shows a clear deviation from the law of one price. Understanding the key determinants of the prices charged by the marketing channels enables manufacturers to design appropriate channel selection criteria with regional differentiation and to improve their existing channel performance management. This research proposes a new geomarketing approach that combines spatial and hedonic price modeling by using deep learning. Since ANN models are often perceived as a “black box”, this paper demonstrates a technique for extracting knowledge from an ANN to leverage the market intelligence. This study reveals the causal relationships between the explanatory variables and the price within the ANN model. The results indicate that deep learning models provide higher accuracy in modeling the price and its determinants compared to statistical models. However, the econometric model GWR enables detecting the geographical variation, also called spatial heterogeneity, among the retained variables to explain the patterns of price, especially their volatility across space.

Mixing by stirring: Optimizing shapes and strategies

The mixing of binary fluids by stirrers is a commonplace procedure in many industrial and natural settings, and mixing efficiency directly translates into more homogeneous final products, more enriched compounds, and often substantial economic savings in energy and input ingredients. Enhancements in mixing efficiency can be accomplished by unorthodox stirring protocols as well as modified stirrer shapes that utilize unsteady hydrodynamics and vortex-shedding features to instigate the formation of fluid filaments which ultimately succumb to diffusion and produce a homogeneous mixture. We propose a PDE-constrained optimization approach to address the problem of mixing enhancement for binary fluids. Within a gradient-based framework, we target the stirring strategy as well as the cross-sectional shape of the stirrers to achieve improved mixedness over a given time horizon and within a prescribed energy budget. The optimization produces a significant enhancement in homogeneity in the initially separated fluids, suggesting promising modifications to traditional stirring protocols.

Artificial flavors: nostalgia and the shifting landscapes of production in Sino-Japanese animation

ABSTRACT Anime-style films have been produced within East Asia for many years by relying on a cross-border production network dominated by studios in Japan. In this production model, Japanese studios provide source material and creative development, while manual work is outsourced to animators in neighbouring countries. With China’s growing influence within the region’s creative economy, however, more transnationally co-produced animations are based on Chinese source material, offering a promise of enhanced cultural exchange while challenging received frameworks of knowledge and production in the region’s animation industry. This article examines how Japanese animation studios construct China as a nostalgic place by analyzing the use of nostalgia-driven narrative conventions in Flavours of Youth, a 2018 Sino-Japanese co-produced animation. The screen imaginaries yielded by such co-operative productions are contained within a familiar convention couched in an artistic language influenced by Japan’s centrality in the anime production network. This results in a visual rhetoric that transforms the uneven landscape of China’s transitions into a homogenous animation product. By outlining the theoretical terms of nostalgic representation expressed as sentiment: nostalgia as mood, and style: nostalgia as mode, we examine the way Flavours of Youth frames the interplay of the two nostalgic methods as a metacommentary on China’s modernization process vis-à-vis Japan. The creative process involved in reconfiguring China’s developmental transitions through anime conventions of ‘nostalgia machines’ creates a friction between the parasitic nostalgic form and the cultural host it attaches itself to, collapsing the film’s potential for reflection on the contemporary realities of a shared Asian experience. We argue that the transnationally constructed, disembedded – and therefore artificial – nostalgia found in the film is a symptom of Japan’s continuing ambivalence towards China manifested in the anime industry’s overreliance on codified styles over shared engagement with the alternative cultural contexts of its Asian neighbours.

Common ownership, corporate control and price competition

We examine price competition with homogeneous products in the presence of general common ownership arrangements allowing for different corporate control structures. We show that equilibria with positive profits exist (including the monopoly outcome) when the manager places the same weight on the profit of her firm as on the average profit of all the other firms. This condition supports symmetric and asymmetric stakes and can arise as an equilibrium of a network formation game or a bargaining process.