Production Activity Research Articles

Metabolic effects of physical exercise on zebrafish (Danio rerio) fed a high-fat diet.

The present study aimed to establish zebrafish as an experimental model for investigations into obesity and physical exercise, as well as to assess the effects of these factors on metabolism. The experiment spanned twelve weeks, comprising a feeding trial during which the last four weeks incorporated a physical exercise protocol. This protocol involved placing fifteen animals in a five-liter aquarium, where they were subjected to swimming at an approximate speed of 0.08m/s for 30min daily. Throughout the experiment, histological analyses of visceral, subcutaneous, and hepatic adipose tissues were conducted, along with biochemical analyses of total cholesterol and its fractions, triglycerides, glucose, lactate, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. Additionally, oxidative stress markers, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and catalase activity and the formation of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, were investigated. The results revealed that the group fed a high-fat diet exhibited an increase in ROS production and SOD activity. In contrast, the group administered the high-fat diet and subjected to physical exercise demonstrated a notable reduction in visceral adipocyte area, hepatic steatosis levels, ALT levels, and SOD activity. These findings indicate that physical exercise has a positive effect on obesity and oxidative stress in zebrafish, providing promising evidence for future investigations in this field.

Research on investment project risk prediction and management based on machine learning

In the era of digital economy, digital transformation is an inevitable choice in line with current economic development and national policy trends. Enterprises use new generation digital technologies such as big data, blockchain, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and financial technology to apply these technologies to various production and business activities. The research on project risk management has gradually introduced the method of intelligent decision-making, using technologies such as big data and artificial intelligence to identify and analyze risks. We use learning models and ensemble learning techniques to predict and manage the risks of investment projects. Through long short-term memory networks (LSTMs), we are able to effectively extract spatiotemporal features from historical investment data to predict future risk dynamics. In order to further improve the accuracy of prediction and the robustness of the model, we introduced the Gradient Booster (GBM) ensemble learning method. These integrated technologies not only optimize the overall performance of the model, but also enhance the adaptability and forecast accuracy of various market changes. In the experimental analysis, we compare the performance of multiple models on real-world investment datasets, and the results show that the ensemble learning method has significant advantages in risk prediction accuracy.

IMPLEMENTATION OF INTEGER PROGRAMMING USING THE BRANCH AND BOUND METHOD ASSISTED BY PYTHON IN OPTIMIZING THE PRODUCTION OF COOKIES

Many people are interested in cookies. Due to the high consumer interest in cookies, many companies produce cookies with various variants, one of which is Rizky Bakery. The problem faced by Rizky Bakery is how to determine the amount of production of 6 types of cookies to reach the maximum profit. Rizky Bakery carries out production activities to meet high market demand and standard demand. This study constructs a model that accommodates both conditions. The model is solved by using the Branch and Bound method constraints on materials, manufacturing time, fee labor, payment for resellers, and production targets. The purpose of this research is to determine the total number program model and the optimal solution by maximizing the profit of cookie production using Branch and Bound. Optimization using the Branch and Bound method can utilize the Python programming language with a limit of 50 iterations. Data collection methods used for this research are interviews and documentation. The limitation of the problem in this research is that the model to be studied is limited to the average condition of demand is standard and when demand is high. The results of the analysis at times of high demand showed that the production of nastar cookies, castangel cookies, mawar cookies, putri salju cookies, peanut cookies, and custard cookies in 300-gram packaging respectively are 250, 45, 80, 39, 90, 150 and in 500-gram packages are 40, 10, 10, 6, 45, and 45. While, the result of standard demand in 300-gram packaging respectively are 100, 25, 50, 16, 50, 60 and the 500-gram packaging respectively are 10, 3, 10, 2, 10, 20. The profit earned when the demand is high is IDR 8,769,412.00 and the standard demand is IDR 3,769,504.00.

Analysis of the Financial Banking Intermediary Function on Economic Growth and Poverty in East Kalimantan from 2011 to 2022

Banking intermediation in Indonesia is crucial because it directly affects economic growth to accommodate and channel capital from depositors to debtors to be used for production activities, encouraging economic growth in a region, in a certain period. The increase in economic growth caused by banking intermediation will directly or indirectly affect various aspects, one of which is the poverty rate. This paper aims to look at the effect of banking intermediation on economic growth directly and its effect on poverty levels both directly and indirectly through economic growth in East Kalimantan Province. The dataset used in this study comprises secondary time series data spanning from 2011 to 2022, sourced from the East Kalimantan Province’s BPS (Central Bureau of Statistics) and the Indonesian Financial Services Authority. To analyze these relationships, this study employed path analysis with SPSS 25. The findings of this research revealed that banking intermediation in East Kalimantan Province had a direct impact on economic growth in the same region. However, the relationship between banking intermediation and economic growth in East Kalimantan Province did not have a direct effect on poverty levels in the region. Instead, the influence of banking intermediation in East Kalimantan Province on poverty levels operates indirectly through its impact on economic growth. Keywords: financial intermediary, economic growth, poverty

Unraveling the effect and difference of S or Si atoms modified Pd-based catalysts in tuning catalytic performance of C2H2 semi-hydrogenation

Modifying the spatial scale of active site has been proven a good strategy for enhancing catalytic performance. In this study, the Pd-based catalysts with different spatial scale of active site were constructed via the modification of non-metallic S or Si atoms over Pd, Cu alloyed Pd SACs, PdAg surface alloy and PdM (M=Au, Ag) IMCs catalysts, then, C2H2 semi-hydrogenation catalytic performance was identified based on DFT calculations. The findings indicate that the catalytic performance of C2H2 semi-hydrogenation is greatly influenced by the spatial extent of active site and the electronic effect modified by the S or Si atoms. Geometric effect caused by S or Si atoms reduces the spatial scale of active site over S/Pd-2 × 2, Si/Pd-3 × 3, S/Pd6Ag, S/Pd1Au1, S/Pd1Ag1 and Si/Pd1Ag1, thereby preventing green oil generation. Electronic effect caused by S or Si atoms leads to far away from the Fermi level of d-band center over S/Pd-2 × 2, Si/Pd-3 × 3, S/Pd1Au1, S/Pd1Ag1 and Si/Pd1Ag1 to improve C2H4 production activity and selectivity. Seven catalysts S/Pd-2 × 2, Si/Pd-3 × 3, PdCu-2 × 2, S/Pd6Ag, S/Pd1Au1, S/Pd1Ag1 and Si/Pd1Ag1 are screened out to present high selectivity and activity of C2H4 production, and effectively prevent green oil generation. This study provides valuable structural insights for designing high-performance catalysts by the modification of non-metallic atom in C2H2 semi-hydrogenation.

Assessing the impact of carbon quota allocation in enhancing supply chain members emission reduction and advertising efforts

Carbon quota allocation, a precise implementation approach within the cap-and-trade policy, exerts an enduring impact on the production and economic activities of supply chain members. Recognizing the dynamic fluctuations in product goodwill, this study formulates differential game models involving both the manufacturer and retailer within the supply chain. Subsequently, differences in carbon emission reduction efforts, advertising expenditures, product goodwill, and profitability among supply chain members within each contractual framework are comprehensively compared and analyzed. Numerical illustrations are then utilized to validate the theoretical findings and strengthen the subsequent key insights. First, the implementation of carbon quotas allocation, especially those grounded in the benchmarking-based contract, enhances carbon reduction and advertising efforts by supply chain members. Second, both grandfathering-based and benchmarking-based regulations improve the product goodwill, with the latter yielding more substantial improvements. Third, the escalation in unit emission permit price positively impacts the dedication and profitability of supply chain members, although variations in profit enhancements between the manufacturer and retailer hinge on the specific carbon quota allocation methods employed. Lastly, the grandfathering-based total carbon quotas exclusively benefit the manufacturer's profitability, whereas the per-unit carbon quotas under benchmarking-based contract fosters enhanced individual efforts and profitability for all supply chain members.

Ex nihilo nihil fit – New cities as territorial infrastructures in Brazil and Portugal

The pre-foundational stages of new cities are marked by several decisive elements that ultimately led to their genesis. The reason for their existence and where they materialize necessarily depend on decisions made by agents, institutions and specific political-economic-social circumstances that have guided each of these undertakings. In some cases, new cities have not only involved the destruction of local ecosystems (human and natural) but even their eventual disappearance, within a context whereby the human species has simply viewed them as being subsidiary (almost always superfluous) to pursuing its colonizing determinations. The aim of this article, which is the result of post-doctoral research, is to characterize new cities, those intentionally created and professionally designed, as infrastructural devices for territorial activation and urbanization. Rather than being the end-products of a political-spatial dynamic, could these cities be understood as intermediary cogwheels for productive and extractive activities? In the pursuit of an answer, attention has been focused on the cities founded in the central-south region of the Amazon (Brazil) and in the Sines region (Portugal) during the 1970s, all of which emerged from developmentalism, state authoritarianism, the dynamics of capitalization and accumulation and the expanded participation of private sectors. While maintaining the due proportions and scalar differences, the processes of occupation, colonization, infrastructure development, and exploitation of natural assets characterize both territories, including the predatory urban planning practices that are harmful to local ecosystems. Thus, these cities have become our exploratory field in this investigation, conducted through an historical perspective, underpinned by consultations with primary and secondary sources and on-site visits. With an understanding that “nothing comes from nothing”, this study qualifies each new city as a representation of the conditions that led to its birth and its strategic position in the recent capitalist system.

Взаимообусловленность развития критического мышления и образовательной субъектности в структуре совокупности метапредметных компетенций у обучающихся на ступени высшего образования

The purpose of the research is to theoretically conceptualise the educational potential of higher education in the development of a set of metacompetencies as an ability to realise productive activity not only in specific areas of education, but also in all spheres of life in accordance with modern socio-cultural challenges. The article deals with the essence of meta-skills, their key role in the life activity of a person in post-industrial society, his/her self-realisation in professional activity. Special attention is drawn to the development of critical thinking and educational subjectness of students as significant meta-skills in the implementation of independent cognitive activity, providing life-long learning. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the substantiation of the importance of the development of critical thinking and educational subjectness as components of the meta-goal of the educational process at the level of higher education on the basis of working out the means of their realisation via the pedagogical design of the educational-methodical complex of each academic discipline.

Funds of the state archive of the Kursk region on the state of industry in 1970-1980: industries and enterprises

Relevance. In the context of structural and quantitative changes in modern Russian industry and, in particular, in regional industry, it is relevant to turn to the history of the development of industrial production in the conditions of developed socialism. It was a period of opening new enterprises, increasing industrial production, and increasing labor productivity.Purpose. To investigate the branches and industrial enterprises of the Kursk region, which operated in the 1970s and 1980s. according to the funds of the State Archive of the Kursk region.Objectives: to analyze the scientific reference apparatus of the State Archive of the Kursk region for the detailed identification of industrial enterprises of the Kursk region in the period under study.Methodology. The author's methodology is based on the principles of objectivity and comprehensiveness. During the research, scientific methods were used: synthesis, analysis, generalization, ideographic.Results. In the study, the author gave a description of the industrial enterprises of the Kursk region operating in the 1970s and 1980s and their sectoral subordination.Conclusion. The Kursk region in the 1970s and 1980s was a developed industrial region. A large number of industrial enterprises of various industries were actively operating here: from mining, nuclear, machine-building to food. Enterprises that operated until October 1917 and then nationalized have been preserved in the region. Some of the enterprises were opened before the Great Patriotic War. But most of the enterprises in the region were built and began their production activities in the 1950s and 1960s. Having gone through numerous changes of sectoral subordination, the regional industry successfully developed in the 1970s and 1980s. This is evidence of the implementation of state policy aimed at boosting the economy through the development of industrial production.

Enhanced hydrogen production performance via noble-metal-free amorphous NiZnSx-CS co-catalyst with novel gradient coating structure

In photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production, co-catalyst is a key factor in enhancing the efficiency of photocatalyst. Various inexpensive co-catalysts besides noble metal co-catalysts have been developed; however, the illumination of the relationship between the structure and performance remains a challenge. Here, we present a bimetallic sulfide co-catalyst denoted as NiZnSx-CS with amorphous and gradient coating structures to achieve highly efficient hydrogen production activity. Upon coupling the co-catalyst with CdS, the hydrogen production rate of CdS loaded with NiZnSx-CS reaches 38.0 mmol/g/h, 11.0, 40.0 and 161.0 times higher than that loaded with bulk NiZnSx, 1.0 %Pt and naked CdS, respectively. The co-catalyst with an amorphous and gradient coating structure shows large capacitance and thus facilitates efficient storage, transfer, and separation of photo-excited electrons of semiconductors, effectively reducing the over-potential of hydrogen production. The co-catalyst also has a large specific surface area and excellent hydrophilicity attributed to the abundant active sites and intimate contact with the reactant. Additionally, the coordination structure and chemical environment of NiZnSx-CS elucidated using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The intermediates and the role of lactic acid and water on the surface of NiZnSx-CS after irradiation are determined by in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (in situ FT-IR). This work proposes a strategy to develop a highly efficient special structure co-catalyst with suitable capacitance, specific surface area and hydrophilicity.

One step co-deposition of Ni0.96S and Ag2S on TiO2 nanosheets for enhanced photocatalytic H2 generation with superior stability

Introduction of co-catalysts to construct heterojunctions is one of the important strategies to improve the photocatalytic hydrogen production activity of semiconductor catalysts. Here, Ni0.96S and Ag2S co-decorated TiO2 composites were prepared by a simple one-step solvothermal method, whose photocatalytic H2 production activities were evaluated and related H2 evolution mechanism was explored. The 5%Ni0.96S-8%Ag2S/TiO2 ternary composite exhibited much enhanced photocatalytic activity with the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate (HER) of 23.67 mmol·h−1·g−1, which is 131.5 fold higher than that of the pure TiO2. Even higher HER, 29.45 mmol·h−1·g−1, was obtained in the presence of 40 mL glycerol. The photocatalytic HERs of the 5%Ni0.96S-8%Ag2S/TiO2 catalyst under visible light (λ > 420 nm) and simulated solar light (AM1.5) were 353.78 and 935.24 µmol·h−1·g−1, respectively. The apparent quantum efficiency (365 nm) is as high as 13.9%. Remarkably, the catalyst exhibited excellent photocatalytic cycling stability and durability, beneficial to practice applications. The improved photocatalytic activity of the composite can be attributed to much improved charge carrier transfer/separation, optimized energy band structure and enhanced visible light absorption caused by synergistic effect of Ni0.96S and Ag2S.

TpPa-1/{0 1 0}-BiVO4 S-scheme heterojunction fabricated on specific crystal facets for highly efficient H2O2 artificial photosynthesis

The rational fabrication of inorganic–organic S-scheme heterojuncion hybrid photocatalysts on specific crystal facets is challenging but significant. Herein, we report that TpPa-1-covalent organic framework (COF) selectively grown on {010} crystal facets of decahedral BiVO4 (TpPa-1/{010}-BVO, denoted as TB-1) was synthesized through a surfactant-assisted microwave solvothermal route. The experimental results and theoretical calculations showed that TB-1 was more beneficial to separation of photogenerated carriers than the heterojunction randomly formed at all crystal facets ({010} + {110}) of BiVO4 (TpPa-1/BVO, denoted as TB-2). As a result, photocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity for H2O2 production over TB-1 reached 723 μmol·gcat−1·h−1, which is 72.3-times, 5.7-times, and 2.4-times higher than individual BiVO4 (10 μmol·gcat−1·h−1), TpPa-1 (127 μmol·gcat−1·h−1), and TB-2 (305 μmol·gcat−1·h−1). In addition, the introduction of TpPa-1 could inhibit the decomposition of H2O2. This study not only provides a new hybrid photocatalyst for artificial H2O2 production but also highlights the importance of crystal facet engineering in the design of highly efficient photocatalysts.

In silico designing of multi-epitope vaccine against canine parvovirus using reverse vaccinology.

Canine parvovirus (CPV-2) is a highly contagious virus affecting dogs worldwide, posing a significant threat. The VP2 protein stands out as the predominant and highly immunogenic structural component of CPV-2. Soon after its emergence, CPV-2 was replaced by variants known as CPV-2a, 2b and 2c, marked by changes in amino acid residue 426 of VP2. Additional amino acid alterations have been identified within VP2, with certain modifications serving as signatures of emerging variants. In Brazil, CPV-2 outbreaks persist with diverse VP2 profiles. Vaccination is the main preventive measure against the virus. However, the emergence of substitutions presents challenges to conventional vaccine methods. Commercial vaccines are formulated with strains that usually do not match those currently circulating in the field. To address this, the study aimed to investigate CPV-2 variants in Brazil, predict epitopes, and design an in silico vaccine tailored to local variants employing reverse vaccinology. The methodology involved data collection, genetic sequence analysis, and amino acid comparison between field strains and vaccines, followed by the prediction of B and T cell epitope regions. The predicted epitopes were evaluated for antigenicity, allergenicity and toxicity. The final vaccine construct consisted of selected epitopes linked to an adjuvant and optimized for expression in Escherichia coli. Structural predictions confirmed the stability and antigenicity of the vaccine, while molecular docking demonstrated interaction with the canine toll-like receptor 4. Molecular dynamics simulations indicated a stable complex formation. In silico immune simulations demonstrated a progressive immune response post-vaccination, including increased antibody production and T-helper cell activity. The multi-epitope vaccine design targeted prevalent CPV-2 variants in Brazil and potentially other regions globally. However, experimental validation is essential to confirm our in silico findings.

Ethics in social media in the millennial generation from Pancasila’s point of view

The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the communication ethics of the millennial generation on social media from a Pancasila perspective and according to the role of Pancasila moral values in dealing with technological developments. Advances in technology and science are directly eroding the ethics of using social media, thereby slowly reducing the noble values of Pancasila, which is the life guide and ideology of the unitary state of the Republic of Indonesia. In the era of the millennial generation, the use of social media is often misused. The reason is, the millennial generation tends to be susceptible to content spread on social media without filtering it critically. They truly believe that the content is fact, so they try to defend it with their stance. Socialization, regulatory enforcement, and social media literacy are some of the external ways in which this problem can be solved. Another internal way is to instill in the millennial generation various values and standards of life based on Pancasila and encourage the millennial generation to be involved in various positive productive activities on social media.

City-level green growth accounting: Evidence from China's thirteen urban agglomerations

Cities play a pivotal role in achieving 'Carbon Peak' and 'Carbon Neutrality' objectives through the implementation of strategies aimed at mitigating environmental risks. While the environmental impacts of industrial production activities have been widely examined, the nuances of their internal structures remain obscure. This study delves into the industrial sector across the 'thirteen urban agglomerations (TUAs)' in mainland China, covering the years 2006–2016, by developing a comprehensive (source-specific and variable-specific) decomposition framework for Malmquist productivity index. The framework is utilized to discern whether efficiency changes or technological advancements drive productivity growth, considering input/output variables such as capital and labor. Findings show that the average annual environmental productivity gain during the examined period was 2.6 %, suggesting a general enhancement in productivity within TUAs' industrial sectors. A detailed breakdown of productivity changes indicates that a combined contribution of 1.8 % to environmental productivity growth stemmed from energy use and pollutant variables, with emissions of industrial sulfur dioxide being the most significant at 0.9 %. Conversely, the 'catch-up effect,' or environmental efficiency change, was negative (−0.2 %), indicating the TUAs' inability to emulate the productivity levels of more advanced areas. Industrial energy use and capital inputs were the primary contributors to this negative trend, each accounting for a −0.2 % impact. The results underscore the importance of facilitating technology transfers from more developed to less advanced regions, especially regarding renewable energy and capital investment, to bolster environmental performance and productivity in the TUAs' industrial sectors.

Synergistic Effect of Rutile and Brookite TiO2 for Photocatalytic Formic Acid Dehydrogenation.

Solar energy is an ideal clean and inexhaustible energy source. Solar-driven formic acid (FA) dehydrogenation is one of the promising strategies to address safety and cost issues related to the storage, transport, and distribution of hydrogen energy. For FA dehydrogenation, the O-H and C-H cleavages are the key steps, and developing a photocatalyst with the ability to break these two bonds is critical. In this work, both density functional theory (DFT) calculation and experimental results confirmed the positive synergistic effect between brookite and rutile TiO2 for O-H and C-H cleavage in HCOOH. Further, brookite TiO2 is beneficial to the generation of the •OH radical and significantly promotes C-H cleavage in formate. Under optimized conditions, the H2 production efficiency of FA dehydrogenation can reach up to 30.4 μmol·mg-1·h-1, which is the highest value compared with similar reported TiO2-based systems and over 1.7 times the reported highest value of Au0.75Pd0.25/TiO2 photocatalysts. More importantly, after more than 42 days (>500 h) of irradiation, the system still demonstrated high H2 production activity, indicating the potential for practical application. This work provides a valuable strategy to improve both the efficiency and stability of photocatalytic FA dehydrogenation under mild conditions.

The effects of in vitro vitamin D treatment on glycolytic reprogramming of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells from Ldlr knock-out mouse

Dendritic cells (DCs) undergo glycolytic reprogramming, a metabolic conversion process essential for their activation. Vitamin D has been reported to affect the function of DCs, but studies in metabolic diseases are insufficient. This study investigates the effects of in vitro 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) treatment on glycolytic reprogramming of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) from control, obese, and atherosclerosis mice. Six-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were fed a control diet (CON) or a Western diet (WD), and B6.129S7-Ldlrtm1Her/J mice were fed a Western diet (LDLR−/−) for 16 weeks. BMDCs were cultured in a medium containing 1,25(OH)2D3 (10 nM) for 7 days and stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 50 ng/mL) for 24 h. In mature BMDCs, 1,25(OH)2D3 treatment decreased basal and compensatory glycolytic proton efflux rates (glycoPER), the expression of surface markers related to immune function of DCs (MHC class II, CD80, and CD86), and IL-12p70 production. In addition, mTORC1 activation and nitric oxide (NO) production were suppressed by 1,25(OH)2D3 treatment in mature BMDCs. The effect of 1,25(OH)2D3 treatment on IL-12p70 production and mTORC1 activity in the LDLR−/− group was greater than in the CON group. These findings suggest that vitamin D can affect the metabolic environment of BMDCs by regulating glycolytic reprogramming as well as by inducing tolerogenic phenotypes of DCs.

Optimizing Production Relocation Timing Decisions

In a globalized economy, companies face a range of challenges and opportunities related to relocating production activities to a new country. Relocation can yield significant cost savings and other benefits, but there are also risks including potential damage to the brand image. Thus, firms need to carefully evaluate when to relocate and when to stop production in a particular location. We formulate an optimal control model and derive analytical as well as numerical results to provide insights into the optimal relocation timing and production stoppage decisions. We show that factors like higher relocation costs, higher production costs in the relocation country but high brand image in the country of origin, can postpone production relocation. Competitive effects alter relocation timing, particularly when the firm faces direct competition and asymmetric negative cross-image spillover effects with the rival brand in the home or relocation country. The paper discusses illustrative examples and derives implications for the timing of relocation and the duration of production in the relocation country.

Effects of inorganic salt ions on the wettability of deep coal seams: Insights from experiments and molecular simulations

Coal wettability plays a significant role in the efficiency of coalbed methane (CBM) extraction since it determines fluid transport and distribution. Deep coal seam aqueous fluids have a high salinity. Consequently, coal wettability experiments utilizing fresh water are not representative for those coal seams. Therefore, the effect of aqueous fluids with inorganic salt ions on coal wettability needs to be investigated. In this study, both experiments and molecular simulations are conducted to unravel the wetting behaviour and mechanisms of saline fluids on coal surfaces, investigating different fluid salt concentrations, temperatures, valence states, and coal pore sizes. The results reveal that a more saline fluid displays a more hydrophobic behaviour on the coal surface. Microscopically, water molecules have a tendency to assemble around cations and anions as hydration shells and gradually detach from the coal surface, leading to a gradual transition from hydrophilicity to hydrophobicity. A change in wettability with fluid salinity can be caused by two mechanisms. On the one hand, an increase in ion concentration constrains the diffusion of water molecules through hydration, weakening the mobility of water molecules. On the other hand, a higher ion concentration weakens the interaction between water molecules and oxygen-containing functional groups, reducing the affinity of the water molecules with the pore wall. Moreover, at higher temperatures, ion valence states, and for coal with smaller pores, the impact of inorganic salt ions in fluids on the wetting behaviour of coal surfaces becomes more significant. The coal wettability influences the capillary pressure of coal pores. This study provides new insights on the effect of saline fluids on coal wettability which may help address challenges of fracturing fluid loss and water-blocking in CBM production activities.

Methods to Track Effective Doses from Airborne Radioactive Emissions for Compliance with 40 CFR 61, SUBPART H.

US Department of Energy national laboratories can play an integral role in not only the advancement of science but also in the treatment of various medical conditions through research and development activities conducted at radioisotope production facilities. A project has been underway at Oak Ridge National Laboratory since 2016 whose mission is to produce and supply the radioisotope 227Ac, which is used in a radiopharmaceutical developed to treat certain types of prostate cancer and bone metastases. Production activities result in the environmental release of airborne radioactive emissions, which are governed by Clean Air Act regulations described in 40 CFR Part 61, Subpart H. Stack 3039, the source that emits radioactive effluents from 227Ac production, is subject to additional requirements outlined in American National Standards Institute (ANSI) N13.1-1969 due to its grandfathered status. Radioactive emissions are limited to levels below those that would cause annual compliance dose standards for members of the public to be exceeded and stack 3039 to lose its grandfathered status. To allow for maximum production of 227Ac without exceeding relevant dose limits, monthly tracking of project emissions and resulting CAP88-PC modeled effective doses to a maximally exposed individual have been implemented. Four years of tracking data were compiled and analyzed to identify additional methods that could be used to estimate project doses more frequently, potentially further optimizing 227Ac production while maintaining compliance with applicable regulations.