Chain Network Research Articles

Information Communication Tools in Alternative Food Networks

Effective communication in food supply chains is increasingly important, especially in supply chains that strive to provide improved levels of information from producer to consumer. Such supply chains can be found in alternative food networks. Alternative food networks often adopt local and short supply chain strategies to provide embedded information between producers and consumers. Information in the supply chain of alternative food networks is communicated through face-to-face, proximate, or extended supply chain structures. The tools used to communicate information vary amongst the supply chains in alternative food networks; for example, face-to-face may adopt word-of-mouth, while proximate and extended supply chain structures may use labels, digital platforms, and websites. This paper uses Principal Component Analysis to provide an understanding of the categories and underlying dimensions of information communication tools in the supply chains of alternative food networks. A living lab approach and survey method were used for data collection. Using Principal Component Analysis, the data revealed two principal components of information communication tools, highlighting the use of on-packaging information communication tools such as packaging and labelling tools as a principal component. Another principal component was identified, backing a need for off-packaging information communication tools such as digital technologies, certificates, social media, and packaging technologies, enabling stakeholders who desire a further understanding of information regarding the processes and products. The paper concludes with the implications, limitations, and areas of future work.

Vimo - Visual Analysis of Neuronal Connectivity Motifs.

Recent advances in high-resolution connectomics provide researchers with access to accurate petascale reconstructions of neuronal circuits and brain networks for the first time. Neuroscientists are analyzing these networks to better understand information processing in the brain. In particular, scientists are interested in identifying specific small network motifs, i.e., repeating subgraphs of the larger brain network that are believed to be neuronal building blocks. Although such motifs are typically small (e.g., 2 - 6 neurons), the vast data sizes and intricate data complexity present significant challenges to the search and analysis process. To analyze these motifs, it is crucial to review instances of a motif in the brain network and then map the graph structure to detailed 3D reconstructions of the involved neurons and synapses. We present Vimo, an interactive visual approach to analyze neuronal motifs and motif chains in large brain networks. Experts can sketch network motifs intuitively in a visual interface and specify structural properties of the involved neurons and synapses to query large connectomics datasets. Motif instances (MIs) can be explored in high-resolution 3D renderings. To simplify the analysis of MIs, we designed a continuous focus&context metaphor inspired by visual abstractions. This allows users to transition from a highly-detailed rendering of the anatomical structure to views that emphasize the underlying motif structure and synaptic connectivity. Furthermore, Vimo supports the identification of motif chains where a motif is used repeatedly (e.g., 2 - 4 times) to form a larger network structure. We evaluate Vimo in a user study and an in-depth case study with seven domain experts on motifs in a large connectome of the fruit fly, including more than 21,000 neurons and 20 million synapses. We find that Vimo enables hypothesis generation and confirmation through fast analysis iterations and connectivity highlighting.

Theoretical and experimental investigation of Al3+ ion-suppressed phase-separation structures in rare-earth-doped high-phosphorus silica glasses.

Rare-earth-doped silica-based composite glasses (Re-SCGs) are widely used as high-quality laser gain media in defense, aerospace, energy, power, and medical applications. The variable regional chemical environments of Re-SCGs can induce new photoluminescence properties of rare-earth ions but can cause the selective aggregation of rare-earth ions, limiting the application of Re-SCGs in the field of high-power lasers. Here, topological engineering is proposed to adjust the degree of cross-linking of phase-separation network chains in Re-SCGs. A combination of experimental and theoretical characterization techniques suggested that the selective aggregation of rare-earth ions originates from the formation of phase-separated structures in glasses. The decomposition of nanoscale phase separation structures to the sub-nanometer scale, enabled by incorporating Al3+ ions, not only maintains the high luminescence efficiency of rare earth ions but also increases light transmittance and reduces light scattering. Furthermore, our investigation encompassed the exploration of the inhibitory mechanism of Al3+ ions on phase-separation structures, as well as their influence on the spectral characteristics of Re-SCGs. This work provides a new design concept for composite glass materials doped with rare-earth ions and could broaden their application in the field of high-power lasers.

Gel transition of active triblock copolymers

The self-propulsion of active matter leads to many non-equilibrium self-organization phenomena, and the conformational freedom of polymer chains can produce unique equilibrium self-assembly behaviors, which stimulates cross-disciplinary research between active matter and polymer physics. In this work, we use molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the modulation of self-propulsion activity on the gel transition of ABA triblock copolymers. The research results indicate that under different active forces and attractive strengths, the gel states formed by ABA copolymers can be divided into three types: stable polymer gels with stable percolation paths and uniform spatial distribution, dynamic polymer gels with constantly changing percolation path and strand conformation, and collapsed polymer gels aggregating into large percolating clusters. The spatial uniformity of active gels is related not only to the concentration fluctuation during the formation of the network, but also to the inconsistent movement of the network chains caused by the activity, which is manifested in the rotation of crosslinking points in the flexible system and the directional movement of the bundles along their contour directions in the semi-flexible and rigid systems. In terms of topological conformation of polymer networks, when the attractive strength between A blocks is strong, the proportion of loop increases with the active force increasing. When attractive strength is weak, inter- and intra-chain binding are unstable, and the conformation is easily changed by the activity drive, noise and other chain collisions, so the proportion of loop decreases with the active force increasing. The branching number of crosslinking points varies with active force, which is not only affected by the attraction strength, but also related to the rigidity of the network chain. Generally, the branch number of crosslinking points in semi-flexible networks is larger than that in flexible and rigid networks. In addition, the directional motion of active polymers induces anomalous diffusion in stable polymer gels. This study contributes to the understanding of the collective behavior of active polymers and serves as a guide for designing and implementing active polymeric materials.

Introduction to Supply Chain Management

Abstract: The Industrial Revolution has brought about immense changes in the market globally. Since then, we have been seeing an ever-increasing change in demand trends across various industries around the world, and at the same time, the advancements in science and technology over the years have been another reason for the growth and diversification of the global market. [9][10] According to sources, the supply chain management market has steadily grown from $15.85 billion in 2020 to $21.95 billion in 2023 and is expected to reach $30.91 billion by 2026. In today's world, the growth in population and increasing requirement for commodities, acts as another challenge for the network chain between the manufacturer and consumer.[11] It is very important to manage the involved factors in these chains to maintain proper balance and ensure efficient production at the manufacturer's end, effective distribution of these commodities, and timely fulfillment of consumer demands. This project aims to provide a brief understanding of the importance and steps involved in the management of this Demand-Supply chain.

Thermal Conductivity and Orientation Structure of Liquid Crystalline Epoxy Thermosets Prepared by Latent Curing Catalyst

Improvements in the performance of electronic devices necessitate the development of polymer materials with heat dissipation properties. Liquid crystalline (LC) epoxies have attracted attention because of the orientation of their polymer network chains and their resultant high thermal conductivity. In this study, a diglycidyl ether of 1-methyl-3-(4-phenylcyclohex-1-enyl)benzene was successfully synthesized as an LC epoxy and the LC temperature range was evaluated via differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The synthesized LC epoxy was cured with m-phenylenediamine (m-PDA) as an amine-type curing agent and 1-(2-cyanoethyl)-2-undecylimidazole (CEUI) as a latent curing catalyst, respectively. The LC phase structure and domain size of the resultant epoxy thermosets were analyzed through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and polarized optical microscopy (POM). High thermal conductivity was observed in the m-PDA system (0.31 W/(m·K)) compared to the CEUI system (0.27 W/(m·K)). On the other hand, in composites loaded with 55 vol% Al2O3 particles as a thermal conductive filler, the CEUI composites showed a higher thermal conductivity value of 2.47 W/(m·K) than the m-PDA composites (1.70 W/(m·K)). This difference was attributed to the LC orientation of the epoxy matrix, induced by the hydroxyl groups on the alumina surface and the latent curing reaction.

The Effect of Composition and Structure of NBR-Based Elastomer Blends in the Vulcanization Process and Study of Their Aging by Exposure to Heat and Radiation

The vulcanization process of elastomeric blends based on chlorinated aromatic nitrile-butadiene rubber (SKN-40M) has been studied in the present work. The structural parameters (molecular weight, plasticity, rigidity, number of network chains, cross-linked molecules) in thermovulcanizates were investigated on an example of nitrile-butadiene rubber blend with polyvinyl chloride using viscometry and the sol-gel process.

Centralization of trade agreements network and global value chain participation

We argue that a country’s position in preferential trade agreements (PTAs) network affects its global value chain (GVC) participation level through two opposite effects: the resource allocation effect, which promotes the GVC participation level, and the market substitution effect, which decreases it. Using data from 43 countries over the 2000–2014 period, we find that the overall centrality of a country's position in the ego-centered PTAs network is positively associated with its GVC participation with other member countries, suggesting that the resource allocation affect dominates the market substitution effect. However, upon decomposing the PTAs network into private and common networks, we find that the centralization of a country's position in the private PTAs network has a negative effect on its GVC participation. In contrast, the centralization of a country's position in the common PTAs network has a positive effect on its GVC participation. Furthermore, the centralization of the private network weakens the effect of individual deep PTAs on bilateral GVC participation, while the centralization of the common network strengthens the effect of individual deep PTAs on bilateral GVC participation. A series of tests confirms the robustness of our main findings.

ANALISIS RANTAI PASOK BIJI KOPI ROBUSTA DI KECAMATAN TAMBORA KABUPATEN BIMA

The aims of this research are to: (1) Analyze the robusta coffee bean supply chain network in Tambora District, Bima Regency; (2) Analyze the performance of the robusta coffee bean supply chain in Tambora District, Bima Regency. The research uses descriptive methods, while data collection is carried out using survey techniques. Data is analyzed descriptively using Food Supply Chain Network (FSCN) and Supply Chain OperatingReference (SCOR) framework analysis. The results of the research show that: (1) The robusta coffee bean supply chain network in Tambora District, Bima Regency is: (a) The final target of the robusta coffee bean supply chain is within and outside the island (Lombok and Java) while the development targets are paying attention to grade levels, cut one of the supply chain actors and equalize prices; (b) Supply chain management consists of selecting partners based on location proximity, size of purchasing scale and ease of marketing robusta coffee beans. Agreements that occur between links in the chain are carried out informally (orally) with cash transactions. Lack of assistance from the government for robusta coffee bean supply chain actors; (c) The supply chain structure includes 2 channels, namely channel I (farmers - village collectors - village collectors - sub-district collectors - wholesalers - inter-island traders) and channel II (farmers - village collectors - large traders - off-island traders (Lombok and Java) where each supply chain has a different role. The supply of robusta coffee beans from the Tambora District, Bima Regency has not been able to meet the demand of the processing industry; (d) Supply chain resources consist of physical resources that are different for each member of the chain according to the activities carried out, technological resources still use simple equipment, human resources use labor within and outside the family and capital resources are still limited using own capital and loans; (e) The supply chain business process consists of 3 streams, namely product flow, fund flow and information flow which are distributed evenly and smoothly. The risks faced by each link in the chain are related to fluctuating prices, damage to production results and market congestion and the way to build trust is to communicate smoothly and sell to the same actors. (2) Robusta coffee bean supply chain performance which is in a superior position that must be maintained, namely perfect order fulfillment, delivery performance and asset management (channels I & II), order fulfillment cycle and flexibility. The performance that must be further improved to a superior position is the order fulfillment cycle (parity) and flexibility (advantage) in channel II with the costs incurred by channel I being greater than those of channel II.

Spatio-temporal prediction of land use and land cover change in Bahi (Manyoni) Catchment, Tanzania, using multilayer perceptron neural network and cellular automata-Markov chain model.

Evaluation of land use and land cover (LULC) change is among vital tools used for tracking environmental health and proper resource management. Remote sensing data was used to determine LULC change in Bahi (Manyoni) Catchment (BMC) in central Tanzania. Landsat satellite images from Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 8 OLI/TIRS were used, and support vector machine (SVM) algorithm was applied to classify the features of BMC. The obtained kappa values were 0.74, 0.83 and 0.84 for LULC maps of 1985, 2005 and 2021, respectively, which indicates the degree of accuracy from produced being substantial to almost perfect. Classified maps along with geospatial, socio-economic and climatic drivers with sufficient explanatory power were incorporated into MLP-NN to produce transition potential maps. Transition maps were subsequently used in cellular automata (CA)-Markov chain model to predict future LULC for BMC in immediate-future (2035), mid-future (2055) and far-future (2085). The findings indicate BMC is expected to experience significant expansion of agricultural lands and built land from 31.89 to 50.16% and 1.48 to 9.1% from 2021 to 2085 at the expense of open woodland, shrubland and savanna grassland. Low-yield crop production, water scarcity and population growth were major driving forces for rapid expansion of agricultural lands and overall LULC in BMC. The findings are essential for understanding the impact of LULC on hydrological processes and offer insights for the internal drainage basin (IDB) board to make necessary measures to lessen the expected dramatic changes in LULC in the future while sustaining harmonious balance with livelihood activities.

High Gas Permeability in Aged Superglassy Membranes with Nanosized UiO‐66−NH2/cPIM‐1 Network Fillers

AbstractSuperglassy membranes synthesised by polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) suffer from physical aging and show poor gas permeance over time, especially thin membranes, due to the fast rearrangement of nonequilibrium polymer chains. Herein, we constructed a novel PIM‐1 thin film nanocomposite membrane (TFN) using nanosized UiO‐66−NH2 (≈10 nm)/carboxylated PIM‐1 (cPIM‐1) as the composite filler. Unlike conventional fillers, which interact with the polymer only via the surface, the UiO‐66−NH2/cPIM‐1 forms a stable three‐dimensional (3D) network intertwining with the polymer chains, being very effective to impede chain relaxation, and thus physical aging. Nanosizing of UiO‐66−NH2 was achieved by regulating the nucleation kinetics using carbon quantum dots (CQD) during the synthesis. This led to increased surface area, and hence more functional groups to bond with cPIM‐1 (via hydrogen bonding between −NH2 and −COOH groups), which also improved interfacial compatibility between the 3D network and polymer chains avoiding defect formation. As a result, the novel TFN showed significantly improved performance in gas separation along with reduced aging (i.e. ≈6 % loss in CO2 permeability over 63 days); the aged membranes had a CO2 permeance of 2504 GPU and ideal selectivity values of 37.2 and 23.8 for CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4, respectively.

High Gas Permeability in Aged Superglassy Membranes with Nanosized UiO-66-NH2 /cPIM-1 Network Fillers.

Superglassy membranes synthesised by polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) suffer from physical aging and show poor gas permeance over time, especially thin membranes, due to the fast rearrangement of nonequilibrium polymer chains. Herein, we constructed a novel PIM-1 thin film nanocomposite membrane (TFN) using nanosized UiO-66-NH2 (≈10 nm)/carboxylated PIM-1 (cPIM-1) as the composite filler. Unlike conventional fillers, which interact with the polymer only via the surface, the UiO-66-NH2 /cPIM-1 forms a stable three-dimensional (3D) network intertwining with the polymer chains, being very effective to impede chain relaxation, and thus physical aging. Nanosizing of UiO-66-NH2 was achieved by regulating the nucleation kinetics using carbon quantum dots (CQD) during the synthesis. This led to increased surface area, and hence more functional groups to bond with cPIM-1 (via hydrogen bonding between -NH2 and -COOH groups), which also improved interfacial compatibility between the 3D network and polymer chains avoiding defect formation. As a result, the novel TFN showed significantly improved performance in gas separation along with reduced aging (i.e. ≈6 % loss in CO2 permeability over 63 days); the aged membranes had a CO2 permeance of 2504 GPU and ideal selectivity values of 37.2 and 23.8 for CO2 /N2 and CO2 /CH4 , respectively.

RQAP: Resource and QoS Aware Placement of Service Function Chains in NFV-Enabled Networks

RQAP: Resource and QoS Aware Placement of Service Function Chains in NFV-Enabled Networks

Future Intelligent Communication with 6G Technology: A Review

Abstract: With the exponentially increasing demand for wireless technology in the last few years, fifth-generation (5G) technology is in service at many places and soon will be deployed worldwide. But it might be complicated to address the escalating need for Internet of Things (IoT) connections using the conventional capabilities henceforward, so the proposal of a sixth generation (6G) communication network was introduced to upgrade the ongoing 5G networks and support to develop smart services additionally. The unexpected Internet of Everything applications having incredibly broad and complex needs are projected to be supported by 6G. With this, researchers in academics and industries have started research and development for 6G wireless network. 6G with artificial intelligence support is planned to be introduced, with new dimensions between 2027 and 2030. The future of 6G technology is bright and vibrant; however, there are yet several obstacles in the way of implementing 6G networks like capacity of system, reliability, security, latency, data rate, high energy efficiency, ever-present intelligent connectivity, and recent theories. In this paper, various 6Genabled technologies are discussed like artificial intelligence, terahertz communications, wireless optical, free-space optical, backhaul network, and block chain along with associated challenges. We showcase the foundation of 6G in detail, the performance of the 6G network, and key enabling technologies that can upgrade the future of the smart world. The bibliometric analysis of recent research on 6G networks and related applications is also achieved. Finally, we illustrate key open research challenges and possible future directions toward the realization of 6G-enabled technologies.

In-situ decorating diene-rubber with carbamyl maleamic handles as sacrificial units toward network reinforcement

The decoration of sacrificial units (SUs) into rubber network has gained momentum as a non-filling alternative toward efficient network reinforcement. However, most established methods, including the copolymerization with SUs-containing monomers or the post-modification of rubber backbone, still suffer from the multi-step and time-consuming backbone preparation with poor designability. In this work, we proposed a facile and practical strategy to achieve efficient network reinforcement through in-situ decorating isoprene rubber (IR) network with N-carbamyl maleamic acid (NCMA) as SUs. Model compound vulcanization experiment demonstrated that during sulfur vulcanization, the poly/disulfides in active sulfurating agents or crosslinking precursors can cleave into reactive sulfur radicals, which subsequently proceeded radical addition reaction with the unsaturated NCMA. The decorated carbamyl maleamic handles can spontaneously form multiple hydrogen-bonding linkages to serve as SUs. Upon deformation, the reversible detachment/reattachment of the SUs will smooth out the local stress concentration, but also facilitate the orientation of network chains. Therefore, as the NCMA loading increases, the onset of strain-induced crystallization and the overall crystallinity of the obtained IR network are simultaneously promoted, giving rise to a gradual increase in the tensile modulus (∼80 %) of the system. By virtue of the rich variety, commercial availability and facile structural tunability of maleamic acid-derivatives, we envisage that the present study can open up a novel strategy to achieve in-situ decoration of rubber with various functional handles toward efficient network reinforcement and functionalization.

Criminalisation of Traffic Hijacking and the Way Forward for Regulation

Traffic hijacking is an act of unscrupulous elements using the network chain for profit. From the process of intruding into the system, obtaining information, controlling the computer, damaging the computer system, to helping the information network crime, Internet enterprises have incurred huge economic losses in the traffic hijacking crime. The characterisation of traffic hijacking in current judicial practice is controversial. This paper examines the dilemma of traffic hijacking behaviour identified in criminal law doctrine and judicial practice, analysing the definition of different infringements, the legal interests infringed and the harm caused; Determining the necessity of identifying and regulating acts from the perspective of behavioural science and social harm, considering the prerequisites for identification and identifying the justification of acts; By organising and classifying the offences and cases, distinguishing cyber crimes from traditional criminal law offences, and analysing the judgments, it can provide a consistent characterisation of traffic hijacking in terms of culpability and punishment; Lastly, the system of regulation of traffic hijacking will be constructed in the direction of protecting the legal interests of data, taking domestic and international experience as a guide and combining it with technological governance.

Utilizing a microfluidic platform to investigate drug-eluting beads: Binding and release of amphiphilic antidepressants

Drug-eluting beads made of responsive polyelectrolyte networks are used in the treatment of liver cancer. Aggregates of loaded drugs in complex with the networks dissolve upon release, causing swelling of the network. According to a recent mechanism the release and swelling rates are controlled by the mass transport of drug through a depletion layer created in the microgel. We hypothesise that the mechanism, in which the stability of the drug aggregates and the swelling properties of the network play crucial roles, offers means to control the release profile also for other drugs. To test this, we investigated the loading and release properties of amitriptyline, chlorpromazine and doxepin in polyacrylate, hyaluronate and DCbead™ microgels in a microfluidic setup. Loaded drugs could be released to a medium with physiological ionic strength and pH. The binding strength increased with decreasing critical micelle concentration of the drugs and increasing linear charge density of network chains. Microgels displayed drug-rich core/swollen shell coexistence, and swelled during release at a rate in agreement with the depletion layer mechanism, indicating its generality. The results demonstrate the potential of microgels as vehicles for amphiphilic drugs and the usefulness of the microfluidics method for in vitro studies of such systems.

Wireless Electrochemical Gel Actuators.

Soft actuators generate motion in response to external stimuli and are indispensable for soft robots, particularly future miniature robots with complex structure and motion. Similarly to conventional hard robots, electricity is suitable for the stimulation. However, previous electrochemical soft actuators require a tethered connection to a power supply, limiting their size, structure, and motion. Here, wireless electrochemical soft actuators composed of hydrogels and driven by bipolar electrochemistry are reported. Viologen, which dimerizes by one-electron reduction and dissociates by one-electron oxidation, is incorporated in the side chains of the gel networks and works as a reversible cross-link. Wireless and reversible electrochemical actuation of the hydrogels, i.e., muscle-like shrinking and swelling, is demonstrated at microscopic and even macroscopic scales.

Properties of Cross‐Linked Poly‐l‐lysine Hydrogels across the Random Coil–Helix Transition

AbstractHydrogels are key components of biological tissues and have applications in biomedicine and commercial industry. Many biological tissues are known to strain harden due to the semiflexible nature of the chains. Here, the mechancial properties of poly‐l‐lysine (PLL) hydrogels, whose network chains undergo a random coil–helix transition, are studied as a function of the polypeptide's structural changes. PLL is cross‐linked with poly(ethylene glycol)diglycidyl ether at cross‐link percents ranging from 3% to 6%. The conformation change and mechanical properties are investigated with circular dichroism and small and large amplitude oscillatory shear rheology, respectively. As a function of pH at low cross‐link percents, a transition from strain softening to strain hardening is observed as the network chains become helical that is similar to the behavior of biological filamentous gels and consistent with recent theoretical descriptions of network strain hardening. At higher cross‐link densities, the hydrogels become brittle due to stress concentration in inhomogeneous locations in the network, which is studied with dynamic light scattering. Overall, the random coil–helix transition has a significant effect on the nonlinear mechanical properties of PLL hydrogels. By understanding the hydrogel structure and response to environmental changes, their potential can be expanded as functional biomedical materials.

Mechanical Robust, Self-Healable Polyurethane Elastomer Enabled by Hierarchical Hydrogen Bonds and Disulfide Bonds.

The fabrication of mechanically robust and self-healing polymeric materials remains a formidable challenge. To address the drawbacks, a core strategy is proposed based on the dynamic hard domains formed by hierarchical hydrogen bonds and disulfide bonds. The dynamic hard domains dissipate considerable stress energy during stretching. Meanwhile, the synergistic effect of hierarchical hydrogen bonds and disulfide bonds greatly enhances the relaxation dynamics of the PU network chains, thus accelerating network reorganization. Therefore, this designed strategy effectively solves the inherent drawback between cohesive energy and relaxation dynamics of the PU network. As a result, the PU elastomer has excellent mechanical properties (9.9 MPa and 44.87 MJ/m3) and high self-healing efficiency (96.2%). This approach provides a universal but valid strategy to fabricate high-performance self-healing polymeric materials. Meanwhile, such materials can be extended to emerging fields such as flexible robotics and wearable electronics.