Production Activity Research Articles

An efficient two-stage optimization algorithm for a flexible job shop scheduling problem with worker shift arrangement

Due to the involvement of workers, scheduling production jobs necessitates consideration of worker shifts in most production activities. In this study, we address a flexible job shop scheduling problem with worker shift arrangement, considering constraints such as job priority, limited resources, and resource unavailability. To minimize the overdue days of low-priority jobs and ensure the timely delivery of high-priority jobs, we establish a mixed-integer programming model to allocate production resources, process sequencing, and schedule worker shifts. An improved differential evolution algorithm is proposed and designed such that overdue days and worker overtime of all jobs are calculated. Furthermore, we develop a two-stage intelligent optimization algorithm. First, we design a two-segment chromosome encoding and decoding method. Then, we propose generation strategies that follow the urgency of the priority rule to generate high-quality initial chromosomes. In adaptive worker shift adjustment, we prioritize high-priority jobs to align with delivery times. We conducted experiments to validate our model and algorithm by comparing them against four well-known intelligent optimization algorithms. Our improved algorithm proves to be highly beneficial in job and worker scheduling as it effectively minimizes overdue days and arranges worker overtime.

Novel non-metallic carbon-nitrogen photocatalysts deposited in cold plasma for hydrogen production

This study investigates carbon-nitrogen thin films as active materials in photocatalytic methanol reforming, addressing the need for eco-friendly fuels with minimal waste and non-metallic photocatalysts. Additionally, it explores the synthesis of these materials using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) from acrylonitrile or acetonitrile. This area has limited prior attention in carbon-nitrogen materials synthesis, particularly with subsequent application in methanol reforming offering potential advancements in clean energy production. The aim is to develop effective, environmentally friendly sources of hydrogen, where photocatalysts play a crucial role. The studies involved also characterization for morphology, and chemical structure. The results confirmed the activity in hydrogen production through methanol reforming, achieving a promising rate of 82 ± 6 μmol·h-1·cm-2.

Unraveling the Photocatalytic Mechanism of N2 Fixation on Single Ruthenium Sites.

Photocatalytic N2 fixation offers promise for ammonia synthesis, yet traditional photocatalysts encounter challenges such as low efficiency and short carrier lifetimes. Atomically precise ligand-metal nanoclusters emerge as a solution to address these issues, but the photophysical mechanism remains elusive. Inspired by the synthesis of Au4Ru2 NCs, we investigate the mechanism behind N2 activation on Au4Ru2, focusing on photoactivity and carrier dynamics. Our results reveal that vibration of the Ru-N bond in the low-frequency domain suppresses the deactivation process leading to a long lifetime of the excited N2. By the strategy of isoelectronic substitution, we identify the single Ru sites as the active sites for N2 activation. Furthermore, these ligand-protected M4Ru2 (M = Au, Ag, Cu) NCs show robust thermal stability in explicit solvation and decent photochemical activity for N2 activation and NH3 production. These findings have significant implications for the optimization of catalysts for sustainable ammonia synthesis.

Tumor necrosis factor regulates leukocyte recruitment but not bacterial persistence during Staphylococcus aureus craniotomy infection

BackgroundCraniotomy is a common neurosurgery used to treat intracranial pathologies. Nearly 5% of the 14 million craniotomies performed worldwide each year become infected, most often with Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), which forms a biofilm on the surface of the resected bone segment to establish a chronic infection that is recalcitrant to antibiotics and immune-mediated clearance. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a prototypical proinflammatory cytokine, has been implicated in generating protective immunity to various infections. Although TNF is elevated during S. aureus craniotomy infection, its functional importance in regulating disease pathogenesis has not been explored.MethodsA mouse model of S. aureus craniotomy infection was used to investigate the functional importance of TNF signaling using TNF, TNFR1, and TNFR2 knockout (KO) mice by quantifying bacterial burden, immune infiltrates, inflammatory mediators, and transcriptional changes by RNA-seq. Complementary experiments examined neutrophil extracellular trap formation, leukocyte apoptosis, phagocytosis, and bactericidal activity.ResultsTNF transiently regulated neutrophil and granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cell recruitment to the brain, subcutaneous galea, and bone flap as evident by significant reductions in both cell types between days 7 to 14 post-infection coinciding with significant decreases in several chemokines, which recovered to wild type levels by day 28. Despite these defects, bacterial burdens were similar in TNF KO and WT mice. RNA-seq revealed enhanced lymphotoxin-α (Lta) expression in TNF KO granulocytes. Since both TNF and LTα signal through TNFR1 and TNFR2, KO mice for each receptor were examined to assess potential redundancy; however, neither strain had any impact on S. aureus burden. In vitro studies revealed that TNF loss selectively altered macrophage responses to S. aureus since TNF KO macrophages displayed significant reductions in phagocytosis, apoptosis, IL-6 production, and bactericidal activity in response to live S. aureus, whereas granulocytes were not affected.ConclusionThese findings implicate TNF in modulating granulocyte recruitment during acute craniotomy infection via secondary effects on chemokine production and identify macrophages as a key cellular target of TNF action. However, the lack of changes in bacterial burden in TNF KO animals suggests the involvement of additional signals that dictate S. aureus pathogenesis during craniotomy infection.

Optimization of Raw Material Inventory using Always Better Control (ABC) Analysis and Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) Method Approach in the Warehouse of a Bolt Manufacturing Factory in Indonesia

There is a problem in the raw material procurement process at the Contractor Company, such as running out and excess stock of raw materials, as well as difficulties in determining how many raw materials to order that meet the company's economic value. Running out of raw material stock results in delays in production activities, while excess raw material stock can fill warehouse capacity, thereby increasing storage costs. To overcome this problem, research was carried out using a quantitative descriptive method to determine the level of production cost efficiency and production effectiveness level in order to achieve optimization of raw material supplies using Always Better Control (ABC) Analysis and the Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) Method at Bolt Companies. ABC analysis plays a role in determining which raw materials have the highest level of demand and the EOQ method plays a role in determining the amount of raw materials to be ordered in order to meet the company's economic value. The research results show that the combination of ABC Analysis and EOQ Method can reduce ordering costs and raw material inventory. There are 4 items out of 10 raw material items that are included in Category A or the most prioritized category. From the results of calculations using the EOQ method, the Bolt Company can save total orders and raw material inventory (TIC) in the period January to December 2023 amounting to IDR 2,147,403,-.

Physico-Mechanical Characterization of Masonry Mortars for Sustainable Construction: Experimental Study with Four Different Aggregates

The construction sector generates a strong environmental impact every year as a result of the high consumption of raw materials and the large waste volumes associated with this productive activity. In this sense, the search for alternative and sustainable solutions that allow progress towards responsible economic growth has become a priority activity. This work presents an exhaustive characterisation of masonry mortars made with four different types of aggregates: standard sand, natural sand, concrete waste recycled sand and ceramic components recovered sand. Differently from other studies, this research addresses the previous characterisation of the aggregates as raw material for the manufacture of masonry mortars, and, afterwards, a study of the most relevant properties for these cement composites in the fresh and hardened state is carried out. The most relevant properties of the mortars made with these raw materials are presented, and the repercussion of aggregate washing on their physical-mechanical characteristics is analysed. The results show how mortars made with 100% recycled aggregate can be competitive in the industry, presenting excellent properties in the fresh state and achieving an optimal mechanical strength. In addition, it has been observed that the introduction of a previous washing step of the aggregates improves their physical-mechanical properties and results in a higher quality of the cement mortars finally produced. In this way, the most representative properties of this type of materials have been collected in a well-structured and complete way, thus showing their possibilities of application in the construction industry.

Women's Participation in Productive Economic Activities in the Context of Improving the Socio-Economic Status of Fishermen's Communities in Konawe Regency, Southeast Sulawesi Province, Indonesia

Women's Participation in Productive Economic Activities in the Context of Improving the Socio-Economic Status of Fishermen's Communities in Konawe Regency, Southeast Sulawesi Province, Indonesia

M/BiOCl-(M=Pt, Pd, and Au) Boosted Selective Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction to C2 Hydrocarbons via *CHO Intermediate Manipulation.

Selective CO2 photoreduction to C2 hydrocarbons is significant but limited by the inadequate adsorption strength of the reaction intermediates and low efficiency of proton transfer. Herein, an ameliorative *CO adsorption and H2O activation strategy is realized via decorating bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) nanostructures with different metal (Pt, Pd, and Au) species. Experimental and theoretical calculation results reveal that distinct *CO binding energies and *H acquisition abilities of the metal cocatalysts mediate the CO2 reduction activity and hydrocarbon selectivity. The relatively moderate *CO adsorption and *H supply over Pd/BiOCl endows it with the lowest free energy to generate *CHO, leading to its highest activity of hydrocarbon production. Specifically, the Pt cocatalyst can efficiently participate in H2O dissociation to deliver more *H for facilitating the protonation of the *CHO and *CHOH, thereby favoring CH4 production with 76.51% selectivity. A lower *H supply over Pd/BiOCl and Au/BiOCl results in a large energy barrier for *CHO or *CHOH protonation and thus a more thermodynamically favored OC─CHO coupling pathway, which endows them with vastly increased C2 hydrocarbon selectivity of 81.21% and 92.81%, respectively. The understanding of efficient C2 hydrocarbon production in this study sheds light on how materials can be engineered for photocatalytic CO2 reduction.

Enhanced solar-driven photocatalytic hydrogen production, dye degradation, and supercapacitor functionality using MoS2–TiO2 nanocomposite

In our current study, we've devised a promising method to overcome the limitations of nanostructured titanium dioxide (TiO2) with molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanoflowers synthesized through a cost-effective and straightforward solvothermal process. The resulting heterostructures function as highly efficient photocatalysts and supercapacitors. The synthesized MoS2–TiO2 nanocomposite demonstrated exceptional performance in various applications, including efficient hydrogen (H2) evolution, dye degradation, and enhanced supercapacitor performance. The combination of MoS2, a two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide, and TiO2, a wide-bandgap metal oxide semiconductor, addresses critical challenges in clean energy, environmental remediation, and energy storage. Photocatalytic studies revealed that the MoS2–TiO2 catalysts exhibited the highest activity for hydrogen production, with a rate of 137.93 μmol h−1 g−1, which is three times greater than that of pure MoS2. Additionally, the MoS2–TiO2 nanocomposite demonstrated superior electrochemical performance, with a specific capacitance of 638 F/g. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed that the charge transfer kinetics were comparable, highlighting the positive impact of TiO2 without significantly increasing resistance. The MoS2–TiO2 nanocomposite emerges as a transformative material with multifaceted applications, showcasing its versatility in addressing global challenges related to clean energy and environmental sustainability.

FOREIGN ECONOMIC ACTIVITY IN THE SYSTEM OF ACCOUNTING AND ANALYTICAL MANAGEMENT SUPPORT

The article decomposes the foreign economic activity of enterprise through the prism of accounting and analytical support of management. It has been determined that current trends in the development of the domestic and world economy, specificity and peculiarities of activities of individual business entities in the field of foreign economic relations, the need for further development of methodology and methods of accounting and analysis of foreign economic activity, taking into account the objectively arising needs for the development of information support for management, determine the relevance of decomposition of foreign economic activity in the system of accounting and analytical support for management. It is substantiated that the basis for the decomposition of foreign economic activity in the system of accounting and analytical support of management is the concept of the type of activity. The organisation of accounting of foreign economic activity at a particular enterprise is largely determined by the type of foreign economic activity inherent in this enterprise. In the process of production and economic activity, enterprises, as a rule, face several types of foreign economic operations simultaneously. The accounting and analytical aspects of management of foreign economic activity of enterprise are systematised. A model of decomposition of the foreign economic activity of enterprise has been developed. It is proposed that the model of decomposition of foreign economic activity of enterprise should include types of foreign economic activity and accounting and analytical aspects, grouped into blocks: key aspects; characteristics of types of foreign economic activity, organisational and legal conditions, purpose, directions and results of functioning, accounting approaches and basic analytical criteria, performance indicators, structural construction and functioning, etc. The developed model provides for the reflection and determination of performance results by types, subtypes, segments and other classification features of foreign economic activity in order to obtain analytical, detailed, transparent and relevant information based on financial, management and strategic accounting data. Formation of an integrated system of accounting and analysis of foreign economic activity is based on consideration of regulatory, contractual, structural, accounting, analytical, control and software and hardware support of foreign economic activity.

Socio-economic Impact of Foreign Employment and Remittance in Household Activities in Besishahar Municipality

Remittances from foreign employment have played an important role in the household economy in Nepal. This article aimed to explore the socio-economic impact of foreign employment and remittances on household activities in the Besishahar Municipality. Following the purposive sampling procedure, I selected 30 households for the cross-sectional survey and administered a questionnaire to collect data. In addition to this, 10 participants were selected for in-depth interviews to collect qualitative information. The findings of the study revealed that foreign employment has improved the socioeconomic condition of a family and brought changes in the source of income, children's education, settlement process, and prestige and status of family members in society. I have suggested using the remittance in productive activities such as self-employment, financial investment, etc. rather than investing in unproductive sectors like building a house or purchasing land in urban areas. The findings of the study may be useful in policy making at the local and federal levels in Nepal as a large number of young people migrate every day for foreign employment abroad. Policymakers should be aware of the management of safe labour migratory flows both to the countries of origin and destination. Its implication can be an effective strategy for adaptation as it generates financial and human capital that contributes to the sustainable alleviation of poverty.

A Systematic Review of The Use of Inter-Country Input-Output (ICIO) Table in Agri-Food Global Value Chain Analysis

The Inter-Country Input-Output (ICIO) table serves as the primary tool and database for Global Value Chain (GVC) analysis. It enables the description and analysis of the connection between production and consumption activities in international trade, while also providing comprehensive information for economic and environmental analysis. A more in-depth systematic literature review examining the use of ICIO tables in GVC analysis on agriculture and foods sector has never been conducted. Hence, the objective of this study is to do a comprehensive examination of existing literature to get insights into the progress of research on GVC analysis utilizing the Input-Output (ICIO) table throughout the past decade. We performed a comprehensive examination of existing literature to consolidate the research themes related to the utilization of ICIO tables in GVC analysis and to comprehend how they are applied to satisfy the research goals. The research findings indicate that the ICIO table is extensively employed in GVC analysis for cross-border international commerce, sector and industry analysis, as well as GVC impact and modelling. WIOD is the most-used database in GVC analysis as it has the most industries, followed by EROA as database that covers the most countries.

РАЗМЕЩЕНИЕ ПРОИЗВОДСТВА В ИСПРАВИТЕЛЬНЫХ КОЛОНИЯХ РЕГИОНА: ПРИНЦИПЫ И ПРИОРИТЕТЫ

The article considers the placement of industrial and economic activities in institutions of the penal system. As an example, the sectoral structure and territorial location of the production of goods and services of correctional colonies of the GUFSIN of Russia in the Rostov region are given. The main research method is the construction of cartograms (geographical maps with the application of economic and statistical information). Cartograms for the region with the display of penal colonies have been built by industries (sewing, woodworking, metalworking, food production). The analysis using cartograms showed the spatial distribution of industries and its concentration on the territory of the region. The article touches upon the problem of integrating the production and economic activities of institutions of the penal system into the economy of the region. We are talking not only about the economy of the Rostov region, but also about a new integrated structure – the Donbass commonwealth. The authors come to the conclusion that it is necessary to optimize the spatial placement of production facilities of the penal correction system, taking into account the ongoing integration processes in the region.

Using the model of closed-loop economy in certain branches of the agro-industrial complex

From agricultural production to domestic consumption of products, the food industry produces huge amounts of waste every year, which leads to contamination of soil, water and air. Waste created upon processing agricultural raw materials and using axillary materials, such as additives, certain chemical components, fuel and so on, enhances an impact of the food chain on the environment leading to depletion of natural resources. In the last few years, production branches of economy, including the agro-industrial complex, have made attempts to maintain the balance between their impact on the environment, the use of resources, well-being of the population and economic benefits. This trend stimulates the intensive development of the theory of circular (cyclic) economy or closed-loop economy and facilitates a search for methods of its realization in the real economic system. The paper summarizes the main specific features typical of circular economy: strengthened control of supply of limited natural resources and maintenance of the stable balance of renewable resources; optimization of consumption processes by development and use of products, components and materials that correspond to the highest level of their reuse; detection and prevention of negative external effects of current production activities to increase efficiency of the economic and ecological systems. With that, despite the fact that the concept of circular economy was formulated several decades ago, its comprehensive definition is still a subject of discussions. Ambiguity of the existing definitions shows that the concept of closed-loop economy has different meaning for stakeholders. The paper examines several aspects of using elements of closed-loop economy in certain branches of the agro-industrial complex, including the meat industry. A special attention in this work is given to the introduction of modern technologies and equipment for efficient processing of waste from crop husbandry, animal husbandry and meat production to include it into the economic turnover. In addition, ecological problems arising in the course of activities of enterprises of the food and processing industries are examined and the possibilities of solving these problems by introduction of the model of circular economy have been established. Risks and barriers preventing transition of Russia to the model of circular economy have been revealed. The authors propose measures and directions of scientific research aimed at the development and introduction of elements of closed-loop economy in the meat sub-complex, including related branches of the agro-industrial complex.

Mitigating excessive financialization or promoting innovation? Productivity effects of China's carbon emission trading scheme

AbstractThe success of the carbon emissions trading scheme (ETS) in fostering a mutually beneficial outcome for both the economy and the environment depends on its ability to enhance total factor productivity (TFP). We investigate the diverse implementation of this market‐based environmental policy across Chinese provinces using a staggered Difference‐in‐Differences model. Our study delves into the mechanisms of the ETS, particularly focusing on financialization and innovation, utilizing listed companies in Chinese stock markets as our research sample spanning from 2009 to 2022. Our analysis shows several key findings: (1) ETS facilitates the growth of TFP in micro‐firms, positively influencing other listed companies within the same sector and city. However, its impact on TFP is notably weaker in regions with robust environmental information disclosure and stringent environmental regulations. (2) The ETS helps alleviate resource misallocation stemming from excessive financialization of firms, prompting them to reallocate investments from financing activities to production and operation activities, thus enhancing TFP. (3) Contrary to expectations, the ETS does not directly influence TFP through enhancing firm innovation ability; instead, it encourages directed technical innovation toward green technology over digital technology. This study highlights the effectiveness of the ETS in promoting firm development and sheds light on resource management practices within firms.

Influence of Substrate Structure and Associated Properties on Endothelial Cell Behavior in the Context of Behaviors Associated with Laminar Flow Conditions.

In order to treat most vascular diseases, arterial grafts are commonly employed for replacing small-diameter vessels, yet they often cause thrombosis. The growth of endothelial cells along the interior surfaces of these grafts (substrates) is critical to mitigate thrombosis. Typically, endothelial cells are cultured inside these grafts under laminar flow conditions to emulate the native environment of blood vessels and produce an endothelium. Alternatively, the substrate structure could have a similar influence on endothelial cell behavior as laminar flow conditions. In this study, we investigated whether substrates with aligned fiber structures could induce responses in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) akin to those elicited by laminar flow. Our observations revealed that HUVECs on aligned substrates displayed significant morphological changes, aligning parallel to the fibers, similar to effects reported under laminar flow conditions. Conversely, HUVECs on random substrates maintained their characteristic cobblestone appearance. Notably, cell migration was more significant on aligned substrates. Also, we observed that while vWF expression was similar between both substrates, the HUVECs on aligned substrates showed more expression of platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1/CD31), laminin, and collagen IV. Additionally, these cells exhibited increased gene expression related to critical functions such as proliferation, extracellular matrix production, cytoskeletal reorganization, autophagy, and antithrombotic activity. These findings indicated that aligned substrates enhanced endothelial growth and behavior compared to random substrates. These improvements are similar to the beneficial effects of laminar flow on endothelial cells, which are well-documented compared to static or turbulent flow conditions.

Evaluation of iQiyi Financial Pressure Based on Entropy Weight -TOPSIS Method

Financial pressure refers to the behavioral pressure formed by internal and external factors acting on the financial activities of enterprises, which is the pressure that enterprises must bear in the actual production and management activities. This paper takes iQiyi Company as a case, selects financial statement data from 2019 to 2023, selects indicators from five dimensions of solvency, operating capacity, profitability, development capacity and cash flow capacity, and makes a comprehensive evaluation of its financial pressure by combining entropy weight-TOPSIS evaluation system. The results showed that iQiyi's financial situation continued to deteriorate from 2019 to 2021, began to improve in 2022, and 2023 was the best financial situation and faced the least financial pressure. In the end, it provides suggestions on how to prevent and control financial pressure of iQiyi, and provides reference for other Internet video enterprises in China to evaluate and prevent financial pressure.

NC Meets CN: Porous Photoanodes with Polymeric Carbon Nitride/ZnSe Nanocrystal Heterojunctions for Photoelectrochemical Applications.

The utilization of photoelectrochemical cells (PEC) for converting solar energy into fuels (e.g., hydrogen) is a promising method for sustainable energy generation. We demonstrate a strategy to enhance the performance of PEC devices by integrating surface-functionalized zinc selenide (ZnSe) semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) into porous polymeric carbon nitride (CN) matrices to form a uniformly distributed blend of NCs within the CN layer via electrophoretic deposition (EPD). The achieved type II heterojunction at the CN/NC interface exhibits intimate contact between the NCs and the CN backbone since it does not contain insulating binders. This configuration promotes efficient charge separation and suppresses carrier recombination. The reported CN/NC composite structure serves as a photoanode, demonstrating a photocurrent density of 160 ± 8 μA cm-2 at 1.23 V vs a reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), 75% higher compared with a CN-based photoelectrode, for approximately 12 h. Spectral and photoelectrochemical analyses reveal extended photoresponse, reduced charge recombination, and successful charge transfer at the formed heterojunction; these properties result in enhanced PEC oxygen production activity with a Faradaic efficiency of 87%. The methodology allows the integration of high-quality colloidal NCs within porous CN-based photoelectrodes and provides numerous knobs for tuning the functionality of the composite systems, thus showing promise for achieving enhanced solar fuel production using PEC.

Investigation of the causality between participation in global value chains and CO2 emissions between developed and developing countries

The production and consumption activities are cross-border and therefore, it is important to understand the role of Global Value Chains (GVCs) in fulfilling a country’s specific climate commitments. This study examines the causal relationship between selected GVC indices and CO2 emissions. We use the GVC position index, considered robust in comparison to the frequently used GVC participation index, for determining the impact on emissions. The forward and backward participation indices are considered in the analysis. The paper presents an analysis of 62 developing and developed economies from 1995 to –2018 using the Juodis A., Y. Karavias, and V. Sarafidis [2021. “A Homogeneous Approach to Testing for Granger non-Causality in Heterogeneous Panels.” Empirical Economics 60 (1): 93–112] approach, which is an improvement over the traditional approaches to analysing causality. The results show that the overall position in GVCs positively affects CO2 emissions for developing countries but a causal relationship does not exist for the developed countries. The developed countries attain a higher participation index but a lower position index. On the other hand, developing countries with fewer stringent environmental regulations may opt for an upstream position (more export-oriented) and by design specialize in more pollution-intensive industries. Noteworthy, production-based emissions in developed countries are reduced because of an increase in imports of emission-intensive products from developing countries.

Evaluation of Coal Supplied to Soma Thermal Power Plant (Türkiye) with Statistical Process Control Techniques

Statistical Process Control (SPC) is a method developed to ensure that production activities are carried out inaccordance with predetermined quality specifications and to minimize the production of defective products/goods bylargely preventing non-standard production. Various scientific methods are used when the calorific values of coal fed tothermal power plants are examined in terms of quality. In this study, the calorific values and other specifications of thecoal fed to the Soma Thermal Power Plant (Manisa/Türkiye) and whether the process is under control or not are examinedby considering the two-year data for tracking and monitoring the process with the Statistical Process Control (SPC)method, taking into account both the design conditions of the power plant and the production parameters. The adequacyof the processes for which stability analysis was performed was evaluated in the next stage. When the two-year controlcharts (