Homogeneous Product Research Articles

Comparative analysis of iPSC-derived NK cells from two differentiation strategies reveals distinct signatures and cytotoxic activities.

The ability to generate natural killer (NK) cells from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has given rise to new possibilities for the large-scale production of homogeneous immunotherapeutic cellular products and opened new avenues towards the creation of "off-the-shelf" cancer immunotherapies. However, the differentiation of NK cells from iPSCs remains poorly understood, particularly regarding the ontogenic landscape of iPSC-derived NK (iNK) cells produced in vitro and the influence that the differentiation strategy employed may have on the iNK profile. To investigate this question, we conducted a comparative analysis of two sets of iNK cells generated from the same iPSC line using two different protocols: (i) a short-term, clinically compatible feeder-free protocol corresponding to primitive hematopoiesis, and (ii) a lymphoid-based protocol representing the definitive hematopoietic step. Our work demonstrated that both protocols are capable of producing functional iNK cells. However, the two sets of resulting iNKs exhibited distinct phenotypes and transcriptomic profiles. The lymphoid-based differentiation approach generated iNKs with a more mature and activated profile, which demonstrated higher cytotoxicity against cancer cell lines compared to iNK cells produced under short-term feeder-free conditions suggesting that the differentiation strategy must be considered when designing iNK cell-based adoptive immunotherapies.

Empirical framework for Cournot oligopoly with private information

AbstractWe propose an empirical framework for asymmetric Cournot oligopoly with private information about variable costs. First, considering a linear demand for a homogeneous product with a random intercept, we characterize the Bayesian Cournot–Nash equilibrium. Then we establish the identification of the joint distribution of demand and firm‐specific cost distributions. Following the identification steps, we propose a likelihood‐based estimation method and apply it to the global market for crude oil and quantify the welfare effect of private information. We also consider extensions of the model to include product differentiation, conduct parameters, nonlinear demand, or selective entry.

Pricing and Service Decisions of Products in a Dual-Channel Supply Chain Introducing Ship-to-Store

This study investigates the optimal pricing and service decisions when implementing ship-to-store (STS) in a dual-channel supply chain comprising one BM store and one manufacturer. Homogeneous products within the market are categorized into mainstream and niche products. The effects of consumer service sensitivity, channel preference, and degree of personalization on optimal decisions and profitability are analyzed, followed by numerical simulation and analysis. It is found that (1) the supply chain should charge high prices for mainstream products and low prices for niche products to maximize profits. (2) Implementing STS is conducive to expanding niche products in the market when facing highly service-sensitive consumer groups. (3) Based on highly service-sensitive consumer segments, supply chains are more profitable implementing STS strategies in a centralized decision-making model than in a traditional dual-channel one; however, under decentralized decision-making, it is only profitable to implement an STS strategy if consumers have a low level of personalization and have a particularly pronounced preference for online direct marketing channels.

Integrated evaluation of the functioning quality of robotic agricultural vehicle system

The article proposes to use a method for evaluating the effectiveness (Data Envelope Analysis) of a system of robotic agricultural vehicles, which is based on solving the problem of fractional linear programming when analyzing a set of homogeneous production facilities. This method is used for an integrated assessment of the quality of service of robotic vehicles according to the specified key parameters of functioning. The main parameters of the effectiveness of the system of robotic agricultural vehicles are selected: the coefficient of technical readiness, operational speed, downtime in maintenance and repair, the average daily duration of the car, the average monthly mileage of the vehicle, the remaining life of the car, the unit cost of maintenance and specific cargo displacement. Solving systems of linear equations makes it possible to determine the position of each analyzed object relative to the efficiency boundary in a multidimensional parameter space. The solution of the Bunker-Charnes-Cooper problem has been completed. Sets of target changes in the parameters of robotic cars have been obtained, which transfer objects to the efficiency boundary. The analysis of the parameters is carried out by constructing diagrams of production capabilities in a multidimensional space. For two periods of operation of the robotic vehicle system for an agro-industrial enterprise, the Malmquist index was calculated to assess the dynamics of operational efficiency.

Digital trade liberalization and quality upgrading: evidence from Chinese intermediate imports

ABSTRACT This article investigates how the import quality of intermediate products responds to digital trade liberalization using Chinese Customs data and the composite index of digital trade liberalization obtained from OECD database for 2014–2019. The results reveal that digital trade liberalization has significantly improved the quality of Chinese manufacturing intermediate imports. Further mechanism tests show that digital trade liberalization will boost the improvements through trade cost reduction effects. For the influence path, digital trade liberalization will promote the quality upgrading through both intensive and extensive margins. The heterogeneity analyses find that imports from countries with high economic developments experienced larger quality promotion than those from lower economic area. Meanwhile, the quality upgrading effects of digital trade liberalization are mainly reflected in Chinese non-comparative industries, such as downstream, digital-intensive, R&D-intensive and technology-intensive industries. Moreover, compared to homogeneous products and those by processing trade mode, the quality of intermediate imports for differentiated products by general trade are more responsive to the liberalization of digital trade barriers.

Efficient Production and Purification of Bioactive E50-52-ClassIIa Peptidic Bacteriocin Is Achieved through Fusion with the Catalytic Domain of Lysostaphin-Class III Bacteriocin.

E50-52, a class IIa-peptidic bacteriocin produced by a strain of Enterococcus faecium, has broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against various foodborne pathogens. However, effective utilization of the E50-52 has been limited by low production yields and challenges associated with separation and purification of this 39-amino acid antimicrobial peptide. In this study, we have successfully produced a biologically active recombinant form of E50-52 by fusing it with the 16-kDa catalytic domain of lysostaphin-classIII bacteriocin (LssCAT), which resulted in high-yield production. Initially, the LssCAT-E50-52 chimeric protein was insoluble upon over-expression in Escherichia coli, but it became soluble using phosphate buffer (pH7.4) supplemented with 8M urea. Purification using immobilized-Ni2+ affinity chromatography under urea denaturing conditions resulted in consistent production a homogenous products (LssCAT-E50-52) with >95% purity. The purified protein was refolded using an optimized stepwise dialysis process. The resulting refolded LssCAT-E50-52 protein exhibited dose-dependent inhibitory activity against Helicobacter pylori, a Gram-negative, flagellated, helical bacterium that is associated with gastric cancer. Overall, the optimized protocol described in this study effectively produced large quantities of high-purity recombinant LssCAT-E50-52 protein, yielding approximately 100mg per liter of culture. To thebest of our knowledge, this is the first report on the impact of LssCAT-E50-52 on H.pylori. This finding could pave the way for further research into bactericidal mechanism and potential applications of this bacteriocin in biomedical industry.

On the design of price caps as sanctions

A ceiling has been imposed on the price at which Russian producers can sell oil. The price cap is intended to reduce Russian government tax revenue without increasing the world price of oil excessively. We show that such price caps can have counterintuitive effects. A price cap can induce sanctioned producers to increase their output, thereby increasing their revenue. This increased output can also reduce the world price of the homogeneous product supplied by sanctioned and non-sanctioned producers. The welfare-maximizing price cap, which is often well below the unrestricted world price, can increase welfare substantially.

Exploring visible spectrum wavelengths in light transmission through wood material

Wood is a multiscale heterogeneous natural composite material with properties depending on its growing conditions and its genetic heritage. This variability is challenging for industries that work to perform homogeneous and reliable products. In industry, different non-destructive testing methods are in use to classify, grade, and select wood products to optimize their usage. Among them, the use of lasers to detect fiber orientation with different wavelengths. This orientation significantly influences the mechanical behavior of wood, including stress limits and stiffness. According to our knowledge, the use of laser diffusion still is limited to grain angle measurement. Our objective in this paper is to realize transmission light scattering maps for wood samples from several wood species (poplar, oak, Douglas fir, beech), and then identify the most suitable wavelength to study light diffusion in wood, depending on the property that will be measured. A supercontinuum laser is used over a wavelength range from 500 to 800 nm, allowing precise adjustment of the wavelengths. It was found that near-infrared light better scatters in the studied wood species than lower wavelength. However, the wavelength that gives the best contrast between earlywood and latewood depends on the sample studied and is not necessarily in the near infrared rays.

The impact of AI recommendation for homogeneous products on product demand

The impact of AI recommendation for homogeneous products on product demand

New Law Responding to Imitations of Designs that Intersect Real and Virtual Space: Amendment of the Unfair Competition Prevention Act in Japan

Abstract Digital items that have the appearance of real utilitarian products are often tied to NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) in the virtual space known as the metaverse, and sold as goods. The designs of real utilitarian products are increasingly being converted into the designs of such NFT goods without the permission of their developers. In order to deal with these imitations, which intersect the real and the virtual worlds, the Japanese legislator decided to utilize the existing provision for the protection of forms of goods in the unfair competition prevention law (UCPA 1993). The law was amended in June 2023 to newly define ‘the act of offering through telecommunication line’ goods that imitate the form of another person’s goods as an act of unfair competition. Copyright protection under Japanese case law has rarely been granted to designs of utilitarian products, and under Japanese design law the product design is identified not only by its shape but also by its product type. The protection of image designs is almost exclusively limited to specific images unrelated to the NFT goods. However, the revised provision of UCPA 1993 has also been generally interpreted as the provision prohibiting the imitation of designs between homogeneous products. The amendment effectively negates this interpretation. This paper reveals the impact on the existing interpretation of the relevant provision of UCPA 1993 and the issues arising from other legal provisions with respect to such imitations.

Export competition with China and firms' coping strategies

AbstractThis paper analyses how intensified Chinese competition in export markets affects firms' coping strategies. Using a novel identification approach that exploits changes in China's product‐specific export policies across industries, we find that Chinese export competition reduces the aggregate value of product‐ and destination‐specific exports of Finland, primarily by putting a downward pressure on export prices. The firm‐level analysis using Finnish administrative data shows that firms undertake larger price cuts for homogeneous products than for differentiated export products. We analyse further export firms' coping strategies on product range margin, and find that firms drop their marginal products as the Chinese export competition intensifies. Our results highlight the increasing importance of competition with China for exporters from developed countries.

The Impact of Annealing Methods on the Encapsulating Structure and Storage-Stability of Freeze-Dried Pellets of Probiotic Bacteria

ObjectiveThis paper investigates the critical role of material thickness in freeze-dried pellets for enhancing the storage stability of encapsulated bacteria. Freeze dried material of varying thicknesses obtained from different annealing durations is quantified using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and X-ray microtomography (μCT), the material thickness is then correlated to the storage stability of the encapsulated cells.MethodsA formulation comprising of sucrose, maltodextrin, and probiotic cells is quenched in liquid nitrogen to form pellets. The pellets undergo different durations of annealing before undergoing freeze-drying. The material thickness is quantified using SEM and μCT. Storage stability in both oxygen-rich and oxygen-poor environments is evaluated by measuring CFU counts and correlated with the pellet structure.ResultsThe varying annealing protocols produce a range of material thicknesses, with more extensive annealing resulting in thicker materials. Storage stability exhibits a positive correlation with material thickness, indicating improved stability with thicker materials. Non-annealed pellets exhibit structural irregularities and inconsistent storage stability, highlighting the impracticality of avoiding annealing in the freeze-drying process.ConclusionsExtensive annealing not only enhances the storage stability of probiotic products but also provides greater control over the freeze-drying process, ensuring homogeneous and reproducible products. This study underscores the importance of material thickness in freeze-dried pellets for optimizing storage stability for probiotic formulations, and emphasize the necessity of annealing as a critical step in freeze-drying quenched pellets to achieve desired structural and stability outcomes.

Picker routing in scattered storage warehouses: an evaluation of solution methods based on TSP transformations

AbstractTo optimize their order fulfillment processes, many e-commerce warehouses employ a storage assignment strategy known as scattered or mixed-shelves storage. Under this approach, unit loads of homogeneous products are divided, and individual pieces are stored in various shelves throughout the warehouse. This arrangement ensures that products that appear together on unpredictable pick lists are stored in close proximity somewhere in the huge warehouses, reducing the travel distance for pickers. Despite these advancements, efficiently guiding pickers through the warehouse remains a significant planning challenge. Since the same products can be found in multiple storage positions, the traditional picker routing problem becomes more complex, as an additional selection task arises regarding which shelf to retrieve each requested product from. While previous research has developed several tailor-made solution algorithms, we demonstrate that known transformation schemes used for different variants of the well-known Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) can be utilized to convert the single picker routing problem with scattered storage (SPRP-SS) into a classical TSP. This approach enables us to leverage the extensive array of state-of-the-art TSP solvers. The purpose of this paper is to explore the performance of these solvers when applied to solving the SPRP-SS. Through our computational study, we found that existing TSP solvers exhibit good performance, allowing near-optimal solutions to be obtained in less than a second for real-world scale SPRP-SS instances. Moreover, the efficiency of these TSP solvers remains unaffected by the number of cross aisles in the warehouse. Consequently, we exploit this flexibility to investigate the impact of cross aisles on picking performance in scattered storage warehouses.

Some characterizations on isoquants of homogeneous and quasi-sum production functions in microeconomics

Production function is an important concept in neoclassical economics and of great significance in economics and management. In the theory of geometric variations, the minimality of surfaces describes the optimal solutions of energy equations. Due to the nature of minimum energy, beautiful shape and stable structure, the theory of minimal surfaces is widely utilized in the fields of engineering, architecture, physics and molecular chemistry. In this article, we investigate homogeneous production functions and quasi-sum production functions with minimal isoquants, which solves two problems proposed by Neacşu et al. After meticulous calculations, the complete classifications of homogeneous production functions and quasi-sum production functions are reached. The research results interestingly indicate that homogeneous production functions with minimal isoquants are closely related to harmonic functions, which is a classical concept in mathematics and have widely applications.

Beyond ‘Community Craft Specialisation’ in Prehistoric Mainland Southeast Asian Metallurgy: Copper Smelting Behaviours at Khao Sai On, Nil Kham Haeng, Non Pa Wai, Phromthin Tai, and Tha Kae in Central Thailand

Archaeology in Lopburi Province has been under long-term development since the 1970s and has led to the discovery of Khao Wang Prachan Valley (KWPV) as one of three currently known primary copper production (mining and smelting) sites in Southeast Asia. However, since the 1980s, archaeometallurgical research has focused mainly on the two sites of Non Pa Wai (NPW) and Nil Kham Haeng (NKH), dated from the Neolithic (ca. 1800 B.C.) to Early Iron Age (ca. 2300 B.C.), that are known to have large sequences of archaeological material linked to copper production. Although other sites with evidence of copper production are known in this restricted geographical area, their assemblages have not previously been subjected to archaeometric study. This article discusses the results of archaeometallurgical analyses of slags from Khao Sai On (KSO), Tha Kae (TK), and Phromthin Tai (PTT) with sequences dated during the Middle-Late Iron Age. Slag analysis reveals that different smelting behaviours were occurring at these sites. One heterogenous smelting behaviour at Khao Sai On was probably linked to a smaller community practicing metallurgy among other activities, while Phromthin Tai shows more homogeneous production linked to a larger settlement. Although these three sites are located within 26 km of each other, smelters were probably exploiting different local copper deposits around KWPV. The results seem to support a community based type of production where production behaviours are linked to local geology, technical competence, and intensity of exploitation.

Numerical study on the effect of high efficient cooling nozzles and varying cooling intensity on metallurgical transport behaviors during the slab continuous casting

In this study, the spray characteristics of the cooling water flux of the traditional single nozzle and novel dual nozzle were innovatively and effectively incorporated into a 3D/2D flow-temperature-concentration segmented model. The model was used to investigate the effects of spray characteristics on the flow, heat distribution, solute transport, solidified shell, and mushy zone of steel in the continuous casting. The results showed that various flow patterns of liquid steel in the turbulent zone significantly affected the temperature and carbon concentration distribution. Until Zone 7, the cooling water fluxes in the six cases remained unchanged. The peak temperatures of cases 1 and 4 in Zone 7 were 1253.11 and 1273.51 K, respectively, indicating that the spray characteristic was the primary cause of the variations in slab surface temperatures. The cooling water fluxes in the six cases change from Zone 8 onward. The six cases had differences of −21.39, 17.87, 46.95, −22.08, 16.86, and 45.68 K between the initial and final temperatures in Zone 8, respectively, meeting the requirement of keeping the maximum temperature recovery rate of slab surface under 100 °C/m. However, the final temperatures for cases 2, 3, and 6 were 1225.62, 1196.50, and 1218.91 K, respectively. These temperatures fall within a realistic plastic temperature range, which must be higher than 1220 K. As a result, the plastic cracking in the slab was possible. The maximum temperature gradient differences of the six cases between feature lines at the end of Zone 8 were 0.793, 0.814, 0.829, 0.185, 0.179, and 0.179 K/mm. These results showed that the optimization effect on the temperature gradient difference was insignificant as the cooling intensity rose. However, the carbon concentration uniformity was marginally improved by increasing the cooling water flux. Finally, a state-owned steel company in China chose case 5 (dual nozzle with moderate cooling intensity at the slab solidified end) as the optimum option for the slab continuous casting caster. The dual nozzle enhanced and promoted the efficient and homogeneous production of the metallurgical process.

Applications of optical sensing and imaging spectroscopy in indoor farming: A systematic review

As demand for food continues to rise, innovative methods are needed to sustainably and efficiently meet the growing pressure on agriculture. Indoor farming and controlled environment agriculture have emerged as promising approaches to address this challenge. However, optimizing fertilizer usage, ensuring homogeneous production, and reducing agro-waste remain substantial challenges in these production systems. One potential solution is the use of optical sensing technology, which can provide real-time data to help growers make informed decisions and enhance their operations. optical sensing can be used to analyze plant tissues, evaluate crop quality and yield, measure nutrients, and assess plant responses to stress. This paper presents a systematic literature review of the current state of using spectral-optical sensors and hyperspectral imaging for indoor farming, following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The study surveyed existing studies from 2017 to 2023 to identify gaps in knowledge, provide researchers and farmers with current trends, and offer recommendations and inspirations for possible new research directions. The results of this review will contribute to the development of sustainable and efficient methods of food production.

In Ukrainian

Blood loss is one of the main causes of death, especially in war and natural disasters. At the beginning of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war we established the laboratory and later the industrial production of a powdered topical hemostatic composition based on nanosilica which is intended for providing first pre-medical aid. The composition contains nanosized silica A-300 and sodium alginate as two active ingredients in a mass ratio of 4:1. The aim of the work was to develop the optimal technological process for the production of a hemostatic composition and carry out physico-chemical and medical-biological studies of semi-finished products and the final product. Bulk density measurements, optical microscopy, IR spectroscopy method and microbiological research were used to study the initial materials, intermediate products as well as the final product. The effectiveness of the hemostatic effect of the composition was checked on the model of parenchymal bleeding from the liver of a rat, using the time to stop bleeding (min) as a criterion. As a result of the research, a two-stage method of manufacturing the composition is proposed: at the first stage, certain parts of the initial materials are treated in a ball mill, obtaining the semi-finished product "A-300/sodium alginate"; at the second stage, this semi-finished product is mixed with nanosilica and sodium alginate, obtaining the final product. It is shown that the bulk density serves as a useful technological parameter to control of which helps to produce a structurally homogeneous final product. In the IR spectra of the semi-finished product and the finished product, only the absorption bands of silica and sodium alginate are observed, that is, foreign substances are not formed during technological process. The microbiological purity of the composition meets the pharmacopoeial requirements for drugs of this category. An experimental study of the topical hemostatic effect of the composition revealed its significant advantage compared to the inorganic hemostatic substance kaolin, which acts according to a similar adsorption mechanism.

Antecedents of Customer Loyalty in Private Commercial Banks of Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s economy being a small one is home to a huge number of private commercial banks offering homogenous products giving rise to fierce competition within the industry. Gaining substantial customer loyalty can help bank companies survive the competition in the industry. This study tried to review the impact of service quality and perceived value as the antecedents of customer loyalty for private commercial banking customers in Bangladesh. The study reveals that service quality and perceived value positively influence customer loyalty and that the positive impacts are significant as found in prior studies. Additionally, this study suggested that private commercial banks in Bangladesh ought to continually gratify customers by ensuring the quality of service and enhancing perceived value, thereby gaining customer loyalty. As the implication, this study highlighted to the scholars and professionals in the banking industry may resort to the findings of the study for having a better understanding of how the different relevant factors give rise to customer satisfaction, which in turn creates customer loyalty, and how they influence each other as well. The outcomes of the study will assist the practitioners in which innovative and distinctive marketing strategies are to be devised to enhance customer loyalty.

Biodegradable high-nitrogen iron alloy anastomotic staples: In vitro and in vivo studies

For gastrointestinal anastomosis, metallic biodegradable staples have a broad application potential. However, both magnesium and zinc alloys have relatively low strength to withstand the repeated peristalsis of the gastrointestinal tract. In this study, we developed a novel kind of biodegradable high-nitrogen iron (HN–Fe) alloy wires (0.23 mm), which were fabricated into the staples. The tensile results showed that the ultimate tensile strength and elongation of HN–Fe wires were 1023.2 MPa and 51.0 %, respectively, which was much higher than those of other biodegradable wires. The degradation rate in vitro of HN–Fe wires was slightly higher than that of pure Fe wires. After 28 days of immersion, the tensile strength of HN–Fe wires remained not less than 240 MPa, meeting the clinical requirements. Furthermore, sixteen rabbits were enrolled to conduct a comparison experiment using HN–Fe and clinical Ti staples for gastroanastomosis. After 6 months of implantation, a homogeneous degradation product layer on HN–Fe staples was observed and no fracture occurred. The degradation rate of HN–Fe staples in vivo was significantly higher than that in vitro, and they were expected to be completely degraded in 2 years. Meanwhile, both benign cutting and closure performance of HN–Fe staples ensured that all the animals did not experience hemorrhage and anastomotic fistula during the observation. The anastomosis site healed without histopathological change, inflammatory reaction and abnormal blood routine and biochemistry, demonstrating good biocompatibility of HN–Fe staples. Thereby, the favorable performance makes the HN–Fe staples developed in this work a promising candidate for gastrointestinal anastomosis.