Production Setup Research Articles

The impact of architectural modifications on relative resistance to fluid flow in ventricular catheters

IntroductionAlthough many ventricular catheter designs exist for hydrocephalus treatment, few standardized studies assess outflow resistance and the impact of design modifications on shunt drainage. This study represents the in-vitro assessment of various architectural modifications on catheter flow rate and pressure, focusing on bulk outflow dynamics and occlusion with whole blood-inoculated cerebrospinal fluid.MethodsCatheters were manufactured utilizing a novel catheter production setup with 16 variations from standard catheters, including but not limited to changes in: hole number, hole dimensions, catheter lumen dimension, and catheter lumen impingement. These catheters were tested in a portable custom-made ventricular catheter testing device to analyze relative resistance to flow between catheter designs. A subset of catheters with varying lumen diameters was tested in 0.30 mL/min saline flow with 2.5% blood to simulate early blood exposure.ResultsWith increasing hole and lumen diameter, we found a significant decrease in overall catheter relative resistance using DIH20 (P < 0.001 and P < 0.002 respectively, n = 5). With increasing lumen diameters, blood assays showed a significant increase in the time to complete obstruction (P = 0.027, n = 5). Lumen impingement, representing one obstruction-based pinch point in the lumen, showed a considerable increase in relative resistance as obstruction diameter increased and lumen diameter at the pinch point decreased (P = 0.001, n = 5). Removal of specific catheter hole rows trended toward an increase relative resistance after 75% of catheter holes were blocked, but the effect in relative outflow resistance is otherwise minimal (P > 0.05, n = 5) and no effect was observed with blocking segments.ConclusionThis study implemented a novel method of rapid catheter manufacturing to systematically produce ventricular catheters with specific catheter architecture. By testing variables independently, we found that catheters with changes to the lumen diameter had the most dramatic shifts in overall relative resistance between catheter designs. Similarly, testing in the acute in-vitro blood assay demonstrated that smaller diameter catheters have a higher propensity to obstruct with blood compared to catheters with larger diameter. Relative resistance impacts fluid outflow efficiency, which may translate to clinical outcomes for hydrocephalus patients. These findings help us understand catheter architectural effects on resistance and inform future designs for specific ventricle morphologies.

Continuous Production of Influenza VLPs Using IC-BEVS and Multi-Stage Bioreactors.

The insect cell-baculovirus expression vector system (IC-BEVS) has been an asset to produce biologics for over 30 years. With the current trend in biotechnology shifting toward process intensification and integration, developing intensified processes such as continuous production is crucial to hold this platform as a suitable alternative to others. However, the implementation of continuous production has been hindered by the lytic nature of this expression system and the process-detrimental virus passage effect. In this study, we implemented a multi-stage bioreactor setup for continuous production of influenza hemagglutinin-displaying virus-like particles (HA-VLPs) using IC-BEVS. A setup consisting of one Cell Growth Bioreactor simultaneously feeding non-infected insect cells to three parallel Production Bioreactors operated at different residence times (RT) (18, 36, and 54 h) was implemented; Production Bioreactors were continuously harvested. Two insect cell lines (neutral pH-adapted High Five and Sf9) and two recombinant baculovirus (rBAC) constructs (one that originates from a bacmid, rBACbacmid, and another of non-bacteria origin, rBACflashbac) were tested. Combining rBACflashbac with Sf9 cells was the most efficient approach, allowing consistent HA-VLPs titers (34 ± 14 HA titer/mL) and rBAC titers (108-109 pfu/mL) throughout the period of continuous operation (20 days). Cell growth kinetics and viability varied across RT, and higher RT was associated with increased expression of HA-VLPs, independent of the cell line and rBAC used; RT of 54 h allowed to maximize titers. The presence of particles resembling HA-VLPs was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy throughout the continuous operation. This work showcases the implementation of a process for continuous production of a promising class of biotherapeutics (i.e., VLPs), and paves the way for establishing continuous, integrated setups using the IC-BEVS expression system.

A cyber-physical architecture to monitor human-centric reconfigurable manufacturing systems

AbstractReconfigurable manufacturing systems represent the most adequate production paradigm due to their ability to meet mass customized needs while ensuring cost-effective flexibilities and performances. However, digital solutions are required to manage these dynamic environments over working shifts and processes’ reconfiguration. In this scenario, this work proposes a layout and task-insensitive cyber-physical architecture to monitor human-centric reconfigurable manufacturing systems. Workers’ motion patterns and industrial resources’ positions are acquired through a radio-frequency-based real-time locating system. These data streams are fed into a machine-learning cyber layer to segment operators’ activities during production cycles into two steps. The first computational stream assigns workers’ motion patterns to industrial resources regardless of the system configuration. The following step distinguishes workers’ operations into value-added and non-value-added. These outputs are stored in a decision support system where customized callback functions develop key performing indicators to monitor the performance of such reconfigurable human-centric environments. The validity of the cyber-physical architecture is demonstrated in an industrial-related pilot environment, involving 40 workers and 8 production set-ups.

Investigation of Electron-Positron Pair Production in Vacuum Induced by Spatially Separated Dual Oscillating Fields

This study investigates the combination of two not completely overlapping oscillating fields. The aim is to analyze the effect of the separation distance between the fields on the production of electron-positron pairs in a vacuum.The process was simulated using Computational Quantum Field Theory (CQFT) methods and the split-operator technique, based on the space-time dependent Dirac equation. The primary focus was on analyzing the impact of separation distance and frequency combinations on the pair production rate and energy spectrum.<br> The research found that partially overlapping subcritical oscillating fields can still effectively generate electronpositron pairs within a small separation distance. The variation in separation distance in the overlapping direction significantly affects the pair production rate. For two oscillating fields with a fixed sum of frequencies, the separation distance has a notable impact on the production rate, with different frequency combinations showing varying degrees of dependency.<br>Further analysis of the energy spectrum revealed that the number and position of spectral peaks are differently affected by the separation distance. Models with smaller frequency differences exhibited more concentrated energy distributions, generally presenting a single-peak structure. In contrast, models with larger frequency differences showed more dispersed energy distributions, typically presenting a dual-peak structure. As the separation distance increases, the energy spectrum structure varies with different frequency combinations, especially for larger separation distances. In cases with larger frequency differences, the high-energy peak decreases rapidly with increasing separation distance, resulting in a lower proportion of high-energy electrons, whereas the cases with smaller frequency differences exhibit less change. This phenomenon was further analyzed using particle energy transition probability distribution diagrams.<br>By observing the particle energy transition probability distribution diagrams, we gained preliminary insights into the differences in various frequency combinations with changes in separation distance, explaining the variations in energy spectrum structure from the perspective of multiphoton transitions.Additionally, a more detailed analysis of these diagrams based on the law of energy conservation allowed us to extract the trends in particle production corresponding to various multiphoton transition effects.It was found that for the same frequency combination, the trends of second and third-order effects with varying separation distances differ, with higher-order effects decreasing more rapidly.<br>By analyzing the changes in multiphoton transition probabilities for the combined fields with separation distance, as well as the changes in the individual fields’ multiphoton transition probabilities, we concluded that when the separation distance is small, the combined fields with larger frequency differences have an advantage in electron-positron pair production. However, when the separation distance is large, the combined fields with smaller frequency differences begin to play a major role due to their inherent multiphoton effects, demonstrating better stability. For different cases under the combined influence of two fields, we conducted a more in-depth analysis of the differences between various orders within the same frequency combination and the differences between the same order transitions under different frequency combinations. By proposing hypotheses and performing computational verification, it was found that the trend of normalized-overlapping photon numbers with varying separation distances under the same conditions is consistent with the trend of corresponding particle production numbers, providing a more convenient method for examining the trends in particle production with separation distance.<br>This study not only enriches our understanding of vacuum electron-positron pair generation in strong fields but also provides theoretical guidance and reference for designing experimental setups for pair production.

In situ and operando characterization techniques for nanocatalyst-based electrochemical hydrogen evolution reactions

The hydrogen evolution reaction is important in energy conversion and storage. This has led to the design of different types of catalysts and production setups. Understanding the status of the catalysts and reaction mechanisms motivated researchers to adopt the operando/in situ techniques. Herein, we present a brief overview of the recent (from 2020) advances in the use of in situ and operando characterization techniques, such as in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, IR spectroscopy, electrochemical Raman spectroscopy, online inductively coupled plasma - mass spectro­scopy, differential electrochemical mass spectroscopy, optical microscopy, electron micro­scopy, electrochemical atomic microscopy, electrochemical scanning tun­neling microscopy, and scanning electrochemical microscopy, in the electrochemical hydro­gen evolution reaction. Representative examples of the applications of these techniques are also provided. Challenges in this field and future perspectives are discussed.

Comprehensive thermodynamic, environmental, and economic analyses of a modified waste heat recovery process for a gas turbine cycle producing power, cooling, and hydrogen

Gas turbine cycles generate significant waste heat, and recovering this heat can lead to higher efficiency and valuable by-products. The current study introduces an effective trigeneration setup for power and hydrogen production, along with the gasification of liquid natural gas. This setup includes a gas turbine cycle integrated with a transcritical CO2 power cycle, an organic Rankine cycle, and a proton exchange membrane electrolyzer. The setup’s performance is analyzed using energy, exergy, environmental, and economic approaches. The exergy analysis brings out a total exergy destruction rate of 138592 kW, and reveals that the highest irreversibility occurs in the gas turbine cycle, accounting for about 70.6 % of the total exergy destruction. The overall energy and exergy efficiencies of the setup are 46.69 % and 40 %, respectively. The cost of hydrogen production is estimated at about 4.35 $/kg, while the energy production cost is 21.81 $/GJ. From an environmental perspective, the setup’s CO2 footprint is about 0.423 kg/kWh, which is 56.18 % lower compared to hydrogen production via coal. The findings of this study underscore the significant potential of integrating advanced cycles and systems for enhancing the efficiency and sustainability of energy production. The proposed trigeneration setup not only improves energy and exergy efficiencies but also offers substantial environmental benefits, aligning with the goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting cleaner energy alternatives.

Economic impact of inclusion of black soldier fly products in broiler diets: A comparison between conventional and higher animal welfare production systems in the Netherlands

The primary objectives of this study were to analyze economic feasibility of incorporating black soldier fly products in broiler feed and to compare the viability of alive (alive grown larvae (AGL)) or processed (defatted larvae meal (DLM) and insect oil) insect inclusion into the two Dutch broiler welfare systems: conventional and better life one star (BLS).An existing simulation model for insect production was adapted to build an economic model for the insect-fed broiler breast meat supply chain. Amounts, full costs, and breakeven prices of different production setups were compared and the impacts of specific input parameters were tested by sensitivity and breakeven analyses.Results indicated a hypothetical demand of 2.15 million tons wet matter of raw substrate to meet the total Dutch breast meat production (BLS broilers and 10% AGL inclusion). In case of 10% processed insect inclusion, the conventional broiler breast meat price increased from 3,947 to 6,069 €/t (53.7%) and the BLS breast meat price from 6,493 to 9,662 €/t (48.8%). Alive insect inclusion resulted in a smaller cost increase (42.2%) by skipping the costly processing step. To become price competitive, DLM or AGL must cost 618 or 801 €/ton dry matter (tDM), respectively, requiring a raw substrate mix price of −109 €/tDM.High input amounts and costs currently hinder the widespread adoption of insect products in Dutch mass poultry feed. However, in the long run, using negative value substrates or targeting niche markets for broiler welfare with low AGL inclusion levels could become viable business models.Research is needed on the impact of negative value substrates on insect production performance and contamination risks. Furthermore, the impact of varying AGL composition requires special attention.

Digital twin-based multi-granularity synchronisation for production-warehousing under batch processing mode

Batch production is a cost-effective way that boosts efficiency in manufacturing systems. As customer demands become increasingly customised, there is a growing need to consolidate numerous small-batch orders. However, if batch production exceeds the optimal level, it may lead to the premature completion of customer orders, causing temporary congestion in the finished goods warehouse and prolonged resource occupation. Consequently, an essential focus of this study pertains to coordinating decision-making units like workshops and warehouses within batch production setups to ensure stable system operation amidst dynamic customer demands. The proposed solution encompasses a Digital Twin-based Multi-level Synchronised Control System (DTMCS) framework, featuring the Multi-granularity Synchronised Control Mechanism (MgSCM) and a collaborative optimisation model for batch production and warehouse planning. By examining a practical case study from a paint manufacturing company, the research delves into the effects of four synchronised control patterns on various system performance metrics, such as operating costs, equipment and warehouse utilisation rates, and system stability. Overall, this study provides an adaptable and cost-effective solution for enhancing production-logistics synchronisation.

Model predicted optimization of experimental set-up and process conditions for microwave-assisted synthesis of silver nanowires

This work presents simulations led optimization of choice of a reactor for an experimental set-up for the continuous production of silver nanowires with certain constraints in terms of yield, reaction time, and dimensions of nanowires. The choice of reactors based on the simulations of reaction kinetics for nucleation and growth phases of driving the optimization of an experimental set-up and subsequent optimization of process conditions to maximize the yield of nanowires of desired dimensions. The optimized reactor configuration is dictated by the reaction kinetics and using a microwave in continuous mode becomes unavoidable. This makes the approach highly reproducible as well as scalable. The integration of conventional and microwave heating is simulated and subsequently optimized experimentally to attain a significant increase in nanowire yield under steady-state conditions with less than 15 min of residence time. The precise control over the rate in different reactor configurations governing nucleation, accelerated growth followed by slow growth to complete the conversion of precursor enables higher selectivity of nanowires with controllable dimensions resulting in 100 gm production per day using simple set-up. We systematically examined key reaction parameters, including the concentration of metal ions, residence time, and different reactor configurations. Our approach successfully yielded AgNWs with 40–60 nm diameter and 15 µm length. The cost associated with this process for synthesizing AgNWs is less than 10$ per gram. This study highlights the potential of continuous, high-throughput processes for controlling nanowire size and yield through advanced reactor engineering.

Electrochemical hydrogen production of SS, Ni, and Ni-B electrodes in prototype electrolyzer system

Highly efficient, low-cost, and stable electrocatalysts are crucial in electrocatalytic water splitting. Herein, the comparative study of stainless steel (SS), a Nickel (Ni/SS), and Nickel boride (Ni-B/SS) electrode for hydrogen production was carried out under a prototype electrolyzer system. The Ni/SS and Ni-B/SS were synthesized by a simple and low-cost chemical method on the SS substrate. As compared to SS and Ni/SS electrodes, the Ni-B/SS electrode demonstrates superior electrochemical activity towards the Hydrogen Evolution reaction (HER) with a low overpotential of 75 mV at a current density of 10 mA/cm2 and Tafel slope of 82 mV/dec in 1M KOH electrolyte. The as-fabricated Ni-B/SS electrode showed cauliflower-like morphology and exhibited an excellent hydrogen production rate such as 4.39 ml/min on a (2 cm x 2 cm) electrode at a constant potential of 2.2 V in a prototype electrochemical hydrogen production setup. The stability of the Ni-B/SS (6 cm x 6 cm) electrode was also checked on a large-scale prototype electrolyzer setup for 50 hr at a constant potential.

Optimizing Supply Chain Efficiency using Innovative Goal Programming and Advanced Metaheuristic Techniques

This paper presents an optimization approach for supply chain management that incorporates goal programming (GP), dependent chance constraints (DCC), and the hunger games search algorithm (HGSA). The model acknowledges uncertainty by embedding uncertain parameters that promote resilience and efficiency. It focuses on minimizing costs while maximizing on-time deliveries and optimizing key decision variables such as production setups, quantities, inventory levels, and backorders. Extensive simulations and numerical results confirm the model’s effectiveness in providing robust solutions to dynamically changing supply chain problems when compared to conventional models. However, the integrated model introduces substantial computational complexity, which may pose challenges in large-scale real-world applications. Additionally, the model’s reliance on precise probabilistic and fuzzy parameters may limit its applicability in environments with insufficient or imprecise data. Despite these limitations, the proposed approach has the potential to significantly enhance supply chain resilience and efficiency, offering valuable insights for both academia and industry.

Talking water: interplay of gender, trust and expertise in agricultural extension groups in Mendoza, Argentina

Abstract Stakeholder adaptation is a critical strategy to overcome changing climate patterns worldwide. Still it relies on the speed and effectiveness of information flow to end-users. Research shows that the loss of information in several stages of its spread and learning from peers is more important than the knowledge circulated by extension services. Women’s participation and contribution are supportive and strategic, depending on the level of agreement and the interplay of trust variables within the network. In the arid Andes, agriculture is central and dependent on water management and macroeconomic conditions that shape market prospects, irrigation practices, and stakeholder behavior. Data were collected using the platform of a capacity-building program for organisations of water users in the Diamante and Atuel River basins in Mendoza, Argentina. Social Network Analysis (SNA) contributes to unveiling the cornerstones of information flow by identifying group structures, strong bonds, and bottlenecks in water management systems. In the first step, we evaluated the characteristics (density, centrality, average shortest path, and degree) of the pre-existing relationships and five sub-topic networks. Second, we compare networks containing pre-existing links only with those formed during the lecture. Emphasizing adaptation practices to cope with climate change impacts, the results provide valuable insights into the intricate interplay of gender dynamics, trust, expertise recognition, and discussion patterns within water and agricultural extension groups in Argentina. These insights highlight the ongoing need to promote gender equity, address biases in expertise recognition, and leverage trust for meaningful knowledge exchanges within evolving social contexts. It also reveals the alignment of Argentina’s gender performance with similar production setups in Southern America or the Global North, highlighting the universality of challenges and opportunities in fostering inclusive and equitable participation. Our findings indicate that each group within the two river basins exhibits numerous pre-existing links and tends to be less accessible to newcomers, resulting in a shorter average path. Thus, information can spread faster. Trust is an underlying facilitator for sensible topics and a catalyzer for communication.

Measuring urofecal glucocorticoid metabolites in broiler chicken: a noninvasive tool for assessing stress as a marker of welfare

The poultry industry is an important and still growing sector in many parts of the world. For ethical reasons and due to increased consumer awareness for animal welfare in production animals, it is of importance to establish a reliable and objective test system for monitoring and improving health and welfare. During the rearing process, broiler chickens are exposed to numerous potential stressors and management interventions (e.g. weighing of individual animals, preslaughter fasting and capture processes), but assessing the level of stress perceived by the animals entirely through behavioral observations can be challenging. Monitoring stress-related physiological markers, such as glucocorticoids, can be an accurate and presumably more objective addition. To avoid additional stressors induced by blood collection, a noninvasive approach using urofecal samples is advisable. However, a thorough validation is needed to establish a suitable test system for measuring stress hormone levels, including potential effects of the time of day of collection or the time that has elapsed since defecation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to test the stability of urofecal glucocorticoid metabolites (ufGCM) postdefecation, to determine time of day effects on ufGCM levels, and to investigate the effect of standard management procedures on ufGCM concentrations in broiler chickens. Our results revealed a time window of 4 h in which fecal samples from broilers can be collected without major alterations to the ufGCM concentrations. In this regard, a "fecal box" proved useful for collecting uncontaminated fresh samples. The time of day of sample collection did not influence ufGCM concentrations significantly. Moreover, the used assay proved to be sensitive enough to detect even small and short-lasting activations of the HPA axis induced by handling, confinement, and fasting. Thus, the system used can be a powerful and easy to apply tool in a chicken production setup for assessing stress as a marker of welfare in commercially housed broiler chickens, which in the long-term can also improve production, particularly with regard to process quality.

Detecting Changeover Events on Manufacturing Machines with Machine Learning and NC data

ABSTRACT Changeover events occur in every industrial production when a machine is prepared and setup for production of the next product variant. Changeover times must be acquired with a high degree of validity for product cost calculations, order sequencing, and work schedules. The novelty of this article is a Machine Learning (ML) approach to automatically detect changeover events in production on manufacturing machines without direct human feedback. The machine learning approach uses several algorithms to classify different phases of the changeover process. The changeover of a milling process was defined using different phase concepts (2-phases, 6-phases, 23-phases) to be applicable to other types of manufacturing machines. Different machine learning methods were compared. The best results for the F1 score were achieved with the Random Forest, the CatBoost, and the Extra Trees algorithm (2-phases: 99.4–99.7%, 6-phases: 85.2–85.9%, 23-phases: 77.7–79.4%). It is shown that detecting changeover events can be realized based on data from an NC of a manufacturing machine without data from external sensors (2-phases: 98.9%, F1 score).

Integration of alternative fuel production and combined cycle power plant using renewable energy sources

The article explores the integration of a methanol production system with a modern combined cycle power plant utilizing oxy-combustion technology, resulting in enhanced efficiency for both systems (synergy effect). The integration involves various components like a 90 MW wind farm, hydrogen generators, and methanol production units. Notably, CO2 preparation and compression for the methanol reactor within the power plant optimize methanol production and reduce energy consumption in the oxygen separation unit by supplementing oxygen through electrolysis. Utilizing oxygen from electrolysis also decreases energy consumption in the gas turbine's oxidant compressor. Additionally, compressing CO2 to lower pressures reduces energy consumption in the CCU installation. The article presents a methodology for quantifying energy efficiency for both the methanol production unit and the combined cycle power plant. Integration leads to significant efficiency increases, particularly for low-power generation setups and with greater contributions from renewable energy sources. For instance, in scenarios involving a gas turbine with 7.5 MW capacity, efficiency gains range from 0.8 to nearly 6 percentage points with multiple wind farms. This study is the first of its kind to demonstrate the synergistic advantages of directly integrating an oxy-combined cycle power plant with a methanol production facility. The integration results in heightened efficiency for both the power plant and the methanol production setup, contributing significantly to the advancement of hydrogen technology and the green deal initiative. The unique approach of utilizing hydrogen from electrolysis setups and CO2 derived from exhaust gases of power plants to generate liquid methanol, a superior energy carrier, is a significant contribution to the existing body of literature. The demonstrated synergistic outcomes of integrating a methanol production facility with combined cycle power plants stem from augmented unit efficiencies, overall installation improvements, and the amelioration of the ecological attributes of the power plant. The innovative character of this research endeavor is underscored by the fact that no existing installation worldwide currently pairs methanol production with a combined cycle power plant.

Topology optimization of forming tools: pressure die in rotary draw bending process

AbstractThe forming tools are conventionally manufactured from alloy steels. These tools can be designed to be light weight and cost effective without compromising performance characteristics. In this research, a fundamental forming tool (pressure die) of ‘rotary draw bending processes’ is topology optimized and 3D printed by using polymeric material. An accurate FE-simulation model of a rotary draw bending process is developed and topology optimization of the pressure die is carried out on the basis of contact stresses provided by FE-simulation results. The topology optimized pressure die is compared with its conventional metal made counter-part in terms of contact forces, contact normal stresses, effective area in-contact and cost performance index. This manuscript demonstrates that topology optimized lightweight 3D printed polymeric forming tools are a cost effective alternative to comparatively heavy alloy steels. This research contributes to widen the avenue of cost effective manufacturing by incorporating topology optimization regimes into existing production setups.

Stage Lighting In Puppetry, A Friend Or An Enemy ?

When dealing with such topics as lighting setup, particularly in a puppet production, and its impact on the actor, namely the puppeteer, the main goal is to emphasize the importance of a stage element that is often ignored by the director and the lighting technicians as well as by other members of the production crew including the actor, the scenographer or the coreographer. My interest in this issue is not of recent date and the present article is the result of both collecting information on lighting techniques and concepts (lighting points, positions, dimensions, technical equipment, aso) and interviewing lighting technicians in this art , as one may call it, on their correlation to every phase in the evolution of a production. I do not claim to have supplied clear solutions to the above matter, but I have opened a path for debate for those that are interested in such aspects, mostly for those that can actually address this issue in an appropriate manner when working on the lighting setup of a puppet production or other stage production.

The effect of birch (Betula pendula Roth) face veneer thickness on the reaction to fire properties of fire-retardant treated plywood

Birch (Betula pendula Roth) is the primary wood used for plywood manufacturing in the Baltic and Nordic regions. Birch plywood is a valuable material with superior properties to solid wood, but its poor flammability limits its use in building construction and transportation. Several fire-retardant impregnated spruce and birch plywood solutions are available on the market, the majority of which are based on the concept of fire-retardant pressure impregnated veneers or soaked plywood. Hence, the demand for fire-resistant plywood is increasing worldwide. However, for the plywood industry, it is crucial that any fire protection enhancement process does not significantly disrupt the current production setup. This study investigates the effect of face veneer thickness (FVT) and fire retardant (FR) concentration on the fire performance of birch plywood. The FR treatment was applied by roller coating with the main and diluted (70 %) concentrations of a new protic ionic liquid, FR. Three FVTs were evaluated: 1.0 mm, 1.5 mm and 2.6 mm. The cone heater test demonstrated that the 70 % diluted FR did not provide adequate fire protection, while the plywood batches with 2.6 mm FVT provided a better reaction to fire. Conversely, the SBI test revealed that the 1.5 mm plywood meets the EUROCLASS B requirement for building applications, mainly because of the 2.6 mm FVT's 3 % higher total heat release compared to the EUROCLASS requirement. This outcome suggests magnified non-uniformity in large samples, particularly insufficient coverage of FR despite deep penetration with 2.6 mm FVT. Given the current plywood industry practices, roller coating with the main concentration of the protic ionic liquid FR and a 1.5 mm FVT is a feasible method to improve the fire performance of birch plywood for construction applications.

Multicenter Experience with Good Manufacturing Practice Production of [11C]PiB for Amyloid Positron Emission Tomography Imaging.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with increasing global prevalence and accounts for over half of all dementia cases. Early diagnosis is paramount for not only the management of the disease, but also for the development of new AD treatments. The current golden standard for diagnosis is performed by positron emission tomography (PET) scans with the tracer [11C]Pittsburg Compound B ([11C]PiB), which targets amyloid beta protein (Aβ) that builds up as plaques in the brain of AD patients. The increasing demand for AD diagnostics is in turn expected to drive an increase in [11C]PiB-PET scans and the setup of new [11C]PiB production lines at PET centers globally. Here, we present the [11C]PiB production setups, experiences, and use from four Danish PET facilities and discuss the challenges and potential pitfalls of [11C]PiB production. We report on the [11C]PiB production performed with the 6-OH-BTA-0 precursor dissolved in either dry acetone or 2-butanone and by using either [11C]CO2 or [11C]CH4 as 11C- precursors on three different commercial synthesis modules: TracerLab FX C Pro, ScanSys, or TracerMaker. It was found that the [11C]CO2 method gives the highest radioactive yield (1.5 to 3.2 GBq vs. 0.8 ± 0.3 GBq), while the highest molar activity (98.0 ± 61.4 GBq/μmol vs. 21.2 to 95.6 GBq/μmol) was achieved using [11C]CH4. [11C]PiB production with [11C]CO2 on a TracerLab FX C Pro offered the most desirable results, with the highest yield of 3.17 ± 1.20 GBq and good molar activity of 95.6 ± 44.2 GBq/μmol. Moreover, all reported methods produced [11C]PiB in quantities suitable for clinical applications, thus providing a foundation for other PET facilities seeking to establish their own [11C]PiB production.

Industry 4.0, servitization, and reshoring: A systematic literature review

The goal of this literature review is first of all to help define, characterise and contextualise the phenomena that make up Industry 4.0 (I4.0), the servitisation of manufacturing and re-shoring; and secondly to explore the strong interactions between them. We conduct a systemic literature review to identify, synthesise, assess and interpret the findings of past studies to address the research question analysed here. Industry 4.0 technologies (I4.0Ts), and particularly increased digitisation, has made for the configuration of new business models and the servitisation of the economy in the context of a new paradigm of competition. This digital servitisation is conducive to networking and enhances the role of proximity. Together with other concurrent factors (changes in relative costs, agglomeration economies, the skills and expertise in data management required by I4.0Ts) this is favouring re-shoring. Technology is always present to a greater or lesser degree as an explanatory factor in re-shoring. The increasing cognitive complexity of technical solutions is enhancing proximity constraints. More frequent, more intense contacts are needed between customers and suppliers in a production set-up that is increasingly customised.