Start-up Period Research Articles

The Practice of Project-Based Learning in a Management Information Systems Course for Graduate Students

The Project-Based Learning (PBL) is a contextualized learning method based on constructivist theory, enabling students to learn knowledge by applying knowledge and conducting experiments. Most researcher in PBL focused on the K-12 and undergraude students, less focused on graduate students. This article integrates PBL into the teaching practice activities of a management information systems (MIS) course for graduate students and constructs a PBL process consisting of four stages: startup period, middle period, presentation period, and closing period. It aims to address the practical application of relevant theories of MIS and the application of emerging information technologies in solving practical problems, so as to improve students' active construction ability of course knowledge and effectively enhance their team collaboration ability.

Evolution of support policies for the development of distant-water fishing bases in China: Review, performance, challenges and prospects

Distant-water fishing bases are an important carrier and development platform for the development of distant-water fishing. It is necessary to analyze the evolution of the policies supporting offshore fishing bases in order to promote the standardized and orderly development of distant-water fisheries. Based on 302 policy documents, this paper adopts the content analysis method to analyze the policies since 1993 using ROSTCM6 software. These policies can be divided into three phases: the start-up period (1993–2010), the rapid development period (2011–2015) and the steady development period (2016–2023). The study found that the interrelationship and complementarity between fishing base-focused and related policies have increased, with continuous improvements in the policy framework, a shift toward developing a green and healthy industry chain, and an expanded scope of policy support. However, there are still some limitations in the evolution of support policies for the development of distant-water fishing bases, including an imperfect industrial support system, insufficient talent reserves and inadequate management policies. Finally, the paper emphasizes the need to improve the policy system, promote the development of the whole industry chain of distant-water fisheries, build a talent training system, strengthen scope and capacity of international cooperation in distant-water fisheries, promote the sustainable development of fisheries and enhancing international compliance capacity.

Influence of water saliny changes on the operation of the RAS biological treatment system under low temperature conditions

In fish-breeding circulation systems the change-over of a biofilter from operation in fresh water conditions to sea water conditions (or vice versa) requires a smooth gradual transition. However, a one-time water change is feasible faster and technologically easier. This determined the relevance of the study. The goal was to determine the influence of one-time water salinity changes (sea to fresh and fresh to sea) on the ability of the activated sludge biocenosis of biofilters to maintain or restore its activity in a cold-water RAS. Six model biofilters were filled with sea water and six with fresh water. With a simultaneous decrease of water temperature from 21 to 9 °C, at the first stage a start-up period of biological treatment was carried out. At the second stage — in a stable operating regime, sea water was simultaneously changed to fresh water, and fresh water to sea water. Concentrations of ammonium, nitrites and nitrates were determined at the start of experiment, then on the next day after a bacterial culture and ammonia as a source of ammonium nitrogen adding, and then — 2 times a week. A steady decrease in the concentration of ammonium in water to 0.2 mg/l, nitrite — to 0.3 mg/l was considered as the indicator of the end of each stage. The duration of the start period of biological treatment in both fresh and sea water was approximately the same and amounted to 138 and 134 days, respectively. With the simultaneous change of sea water to fresh or fresh water to sea, the complete destruction of the biofilter activated sludge biocenosis didn’t happen, that indicated by the continuing increase of the nitrates concentration. However, the ability of the biofilter biocenosis to purify circulating water from ammonia nitrogen and nitrites naturally decreases with the following gradual performance restoration. The adaptation of biofilter biocenosis to work under conditions of rapid desalination was 1.5 times faster than the adaptation of biocenosis to rapid salination.

Effective treatment of cyanide containing coking wastewater by catalytic ozonation with a novel ruthenium-supported catalyst

Biological treatment of coking wastewater for organic and cyanide compounds required extensive hydraulic retention times and prolonged startup periods. This study introduces a novel Ru, Ag, Mn loaded activated carbon (RuAgMn-AC) catalyst for catalyst ozonation, significantly enhancing the removal of the cyanide and organic compounds. In synthetic coking wastewater (SCW), RuAgMn-AC exhibits a high removal efficiencies, achieving 76.5% for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and 89.1% for cyanide in 30 min of reaction. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis, combine with radicals quenching experiments revealed that hydroxyl radicals (•OH), superoxide radicals (O2•−), and singlet oxygen (1O2) were the dominant reactive oxygen species (ROS) responsible for pollutant degradation. Moreover, the analysis of intermediate products revealed a gradually pH decreased from 10 to 5 during the reaction process, during which cyanide and cyanate were formed and eventually decomposed into nitrogen gas or ammonium. In addition, the catalytic ozonation with RuAgMn-AC effectively removed 91% of cyanide and 87.8% of COD from real coking wastewater (RCW) and maintained a stable removal efficiency after multiple batch cycles. Our study presents a promising solution for removing organic compounds and cyanide from coking wastewater compared to recent literatures.

Low Strength Wastewater Treatment Using a Combined Biological Aerated Filter/Anammox Process

To achieve the in situ capacity expansion of the post-denitrification biological aerated filter (BAF-DN), the integration of BAF with the anammox process (BAF/AX) was proposed. With the objective of maximizing retaining ammonia nitrogen, the operational optimization of BAF was achieved by two distinct strategies. The treatment performance of BAF demonstrated that the removal efficiencies of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N) was 66.3~67.3% and 4~12%, respectively, under conditions of low aeration intensity (0.4 m3·m−2·h−1) or a shortened empty bed residence time (EBRT) of 30 min. Residual NH4+-N in the BAF effluent served as the ammonia substrate for the subsequent anammox process, which was successfully launched by using ceramic particles and sponges as carriers. Notably, the sponge carrier facilitated a shorter start-up period of 41 to 44 days. Furthermore, the sponge-based anammox reactor exhibited a superior NH4+-N removal capacity (≥85.7%), under operations of a shorter EBRT of 40 min, low influent NH4+-N concentrations (≤30 mg/L), and COD levels of ≤67 mg/L. In addition, a comprehensive evaluation of the BAF/AX process was conducted, which considered performance, cost-effectiveness, and engineering feasibility. The performance results illustrated that the effluent quality met the standard well (with a COD level of ≤ 50 mg/L, and a TN of ≤3.1~10.5 mg/L). Following a comparison against the low aeration intensity operation, it was recommended to operate BAF at a low EBRT within the BAF/AX process. Consequently, the treated volume was double the volume of the standalone BAF-DN, synchronously achieving low costs (0.413 yuan/m3).

Development and integration of a continuous horizontal belt filter into drug production procedure

In the pharmaceutical industry, filtration is traditionally carried out in batch mode. However, with the spread of continuous technologies, there is an increasing demand for robust continuous filtration strategies suitable for processing suspensions produced in continuous crystallizers. Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate a lab-scale horizontal conveyor belt filtration approach for pharmaceutical separation purposes for the first time. The newly developed continuous horizontal belt filter (CHBF) was tested under different systems (microcrystalline cellulose (MCC)/water, lactose/ethanol and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA)/water) and diverse conditions. Filtration was robust using a well-defined unimodal particle size distribution MCC in water system, where the residual moisture content varied within narrow limits of 45–52% independently from the process conditions. Besides, the residual moisture content highly depended on the applied solvent and particle size. It could be reduced to below 2% by processing the suspensions of either a volatile solvent (lactose in ethanol) or an aqueous slurry of a large particle size ASA. Finally, the CHBF was connected to a mixed suspension mixed product removal (MSMPR) or a plug flow crystallizer (PFC). The residual moisture content of the CHBF-filtered ASA product and operation characteristics (onset of steady-state) were evaluated in both continuous crystallizer-filter systems. The MSMPR-CHBF system operated with a longer startup period. The size of the in situ-produced crystals was of a similar order magnitude in both systems, resulting in a similar residual moisture content (around 20%). Overall, the tested continuous filter was robust, did not modify the crystal morphology in the examined experimental range, and could be effectively integrated with continuous crystallizers.

Packing Incubation and Addition of Rot Fungi Extracts Improve BTEX Elimination from Air in Biotrickling Filters.

The removal of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX) from air was investigated in two similar biotrickling filters (BTFs) packed with polyurethane (PU) foam, differing in terms of inoculation procedure (BTF A was packed with pre-incubated PU discs, and BTF B was inoculated via the continuous recirculation of a liquid inoculum). The effects of white rot fungi enzyme extract addition and system responses to variable VOC loading, liquid trickling patterns, and pH were studied. Positive effects of both packing incubation and enzyme addition on biotrickling filtration performance were identified. BFF A exhibited a shorter start-up period (approximately 20 days) and lower pressure drop (75 ± 6 mm H2O) than BTF B (30 days; 86 ± 5 mm H2O), indicating the superior effects of packing incubation over inoculum circulation during the biotrickling filter start-up. The novel approach of using white rot fungi extracts resulted in fast system recovery and enhanced process performance after the BTF acidification episode. Average BTEX elimination capacities of 28.8 ± 0.4 g/(m3 h) and 23.1 ± 0.4 g/(m3 h) were reached for BTF A and BTF B, respectively. This study presents new strategies for controlling and improving the abatement of BTEX in biotrickling filters.

Artificial intelligence empowering rare diseases: a bibliometric perspective over the last two decades

ObjectiveTo conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in Rare diseases (RDs), with a focus on analyzing publication output, identifying leading contributors by country, assessing the extent of international collaboration, tracking the emergence of research hotspots, and detecting trends through keyword bursts.MethodsIn this bibliometric study, we identified and retrieved publications on AI applications in RDs spanning 2003 to 2023 from the Web of Science (WoS). We conducted a global research landscape analysis and utilized CiteSpace to perform keyword clustering and burst detection in this field.ResultsA total of 1501 publications were included in this study. The evolution of AI applications in RDs progressed through three stages: the start-up period (2003–2010), the steady development period (2011–2018), and the accelerated growth period (2019–2023), reflecting this field’s increasing importance and impact at the time of the study. These studies originated from 85 countries, with the United States as the leading contributor. “Mutation”, “Diagnosis”, and “Management” were the top three keywords with high frequency. Keyword clustering analysis identified gene identification, effective management, and personalized treatment as three primary research areas of AI applications in RDs. Furthermore, the keyword burst detection indicated a growing interest in the areas of “biomarker”, “predictive model”, and “data mining”, highlighting their potential to shape future research directions.ConclusionsOver two decades, research on the AI applications in RDs has made remarkable progress and shown promising results in the development. Advancing international transboundary cooperation is essential moving forward. Utilizing AI will play a more crucial role across the spectrum of RDs management, encompassing rapid diagnosis, personalized treatment, drug development, data integration and sharing, and continuous monitoring and care.

Evaluation of a pilot-scale anaerobic biofilm reactor for the treatment of slaughterhouse effluents in rural areas

ABSTRACT Rural slaughterhouses often lack strict effluent treatment rules, resulting in inadequate treatment prior to release into water bodies. Slaughterhouse wastewater (SWW) is a high-strength effluent, posing risks of contamination to ecosystems and human health. To tackle the need for suitable technologies in these areas, this study evaluated a 215 L pilot-scale fixed-bed biofilm reactor (FBBR), known for its simplicity in implementation, operation, and maintenance. During the operation, an initial startup period, with the liquid fraction of fruit and vegetable waste (LF-FVW) was conducted, followed by a gradual transition to SWW, creating a co-digestion period during the substrate transition. Organic load variations (1.59, 3.35, and 4.00 kgCOD/m3·d), corresponding to flow rates of 50, 75, and 120 L/d, respectively, were implemented to address potential alterations in effluent concentration and composition in authentic rural settings. Removal rates of up to 83.69, 91.81, 87.00, and 92.00% were achieved for COD, sCOD, TS, and VS, respectively, with an average removal of 32.00% for TN, and biogas production exceeded 300 L/h at 4.00 kgCOD/m3·d. These results suggest that FBBR implementation in rural areas effectively confronts SWW treatment challenges by reducing contamination, generating biogas, and adapting to rural conditions.

Mapping the Literature on Job Evaluation: A Scoping Review

Since the 1940’s, job evaluation methods are being used to establish the relative value of jobs within organizations in order to determine salaries. Job evaluation methods have been studied, but there has not been much systematic reflection on the research conducted so far. This scoping review of 199 articles demonstrates that topics changed over decades, starting with methodological questions in the 1940’s, reflecting a start-up period. Historic overviews on wage policies appeared in the 1960’s, and the topic of gender wage inequality in the 1980’s. Guidelines were published in the 1990’s. From 2000 onwards, the main topic was adapting job evaluation methods to specific contexts. Research declined since 2010. There was hardly any research on appending changes in job evaluation methods and criteria. Given the ever-changing nature of work and the upcoming demographic changes, we recommend to revive scientific research on job evaluation and propose an agenda with research questions.

Microbial community succession and antibiotic resistance gene response during the one-step startup of thermophilic UASB

A thermophilic anaerobic up-flow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) was rapidly established from a mesophilic reactor in 25 days by directly increasing the operation temperature from 35 to 55℃. The succession of methanogenic microbial community and response of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) during the startup period were revealed by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and metagenomics analysis. After the temperature was increased, thermophilic hydrotropic Methanothermobacter outgrew aceticlastic Methanosaeta and the mesophilic hydrotropic methanogens (Methanobacterium and Methanolinea), with its abundance increasing from 3.19 % on day 7 to 72.33 % on day 10. Meanwhile, Exilispira, an acetate-oxidizing bacterium, proliferated quickly in the fermenter community concurrently with the growth of Methanothermobacter, indicating that the syntrophic relationship between acetate-oxidizing organisms and hydrogenotrophic methanogens is the primary pathway for methane production in thermophilic UASB. As for ARGs, the abundance of the resistome of the anaerobic sludge decreased after the hike in temperature, driven by the succession of the methanogenic community, confirming the benefit of thermophilic treatment for antimicrobial resistance control. The results proved that a thermophilic UASB could be rapidly constructed by a one-step startup strategy due to the fast establishment of the syntrophic acetate oxidation pathway, and maintain better ARG control performance than its mesophilic counterpart.

Start-up strategy of single-stage partial nitrification-anammox process for anaerobic digestion effluent

The objective of this study was to improve the nitrogen removal efficiency and reduce the start-up period of a single-stage partial nitritation-anammox (SPNA) system using iron particle-integrated anammox granules (IP-IAGs). Anammox granules were enriched in sequencing batch and expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactors. The EGSB reactor produced larger and more uniform granules with higher specific anammox activity. IP-IAGs were then inoculated into a two-stage partial nitritation-anammox reactor treating anaerobic digestion (AD) effluent, followed by an internal recirculation strategy to acclimate the granules to oxygen exposure for SPNA. Finally, the SPNA process operated to treat real AD effluent under optimal conditions of 0.05 L/min aeration intensity (0.01 vvm) and 24 h of hydraulic retention time, achieving TNRE of 86.01 ± 2.64 % and nitrogen removal rate of 0.74 ± 0.04 kg-N/m3·d for 101 d.

Impact of Iron Oxide on Anaerobic Digestion of Frass in Biogas and Methanogenic Archaeal Communities' Analysis.

With the increasing prominence of the global energy problem, socioeconomic activities have been seriously affected. Biofuels, as a renewable source of energy, are of great significance in promoting sustainable development. In this study, batch anaerobic digestion (AD) of frass (swine manure after bioconversion by black soldier fly larvae) and co-digestion with corn straw after the addition of iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticles is investigated, as well as the start-up period without inoculation. The biochemical methane potential of pure frass was obtained using blank 1 group and after the addition of various sizes of Fe3O4 nanoparticles for 30 days period, and similarly, the digestion of frass with straw (blank 2) and after the addition of various sizes of Fe3O4 nanoparticles for 61 days period. The results showed that the average gas production was 209.43 mL/gVS, 197.68 mL/gVS, 151.85 mL/gVS, and 238.15 mL/gVS for the blank, ~176 nm, ~164 nm, and ~184 nm, respectively. The average gas production of frass with straw (blank 2) was 261.64 mL/gVS, 259.62 mL/gVS, 241.51 mL/gVS, and 285.98 mL/gVS for blank 2, ~176 nm, ~164 nm, and ~184 nm, respectively. Meanwhile, the accumulated methane production of the ~184 nm group was 2312.98 mL and 10,952.96 mL, respectively, which significantly increased the biogas production compared to the other groups. The methanogenic results of the frass (30 days) indicated that Methanocorpusculum, Methanosarcina, and Methanomassiliicoccus are the important methanogenic species in the AD reactor, while the microbial diversity of the ~184 nm group was optimal, which may be the reason for the high gas production of ~184 nm.

Green innovation drives globalization: a longitudinal case study of Angel Yeast’s evolution from a start-up to a world-class manufacturer

In the increasingly competitive global market, emerging market companies, represented by China, have shown mixed performance during their development process. Many companies grow rapidly in the early stages of development but cannot maintain long-term growth. How to achieve sustainable development has become a major challenge for emerging market companies, and green innovation is considered an effective way to address this issue. Based on the resource-based view, this paper conducts a longitudinal case study on Angel Yeast as the research subject, dividing the development process of Angel Yeast into three stages: the start-up period (1986-2000), the growth period (2000-2010), and the maturity period (2010-present), discussing how Angel Yeast has grown from a small start-up company to a world-class manufacturer. The study finds that Angel Yeast has utilized its unique resources at different stages of development for green technology innovation, green product innovation, green management innovation, green marketing innovation, green supply chain management, and green organizational culture construction, enabling Angel Yeast to gain a sustained competitive advantage and grow into a global leader in the yeast industry. This paper expands the research on the evolution of emerging market companies under the resource-based view theory and enriches the understanding of the role of green innovation in the growth process of enterprises.

From Banks or Venture Capitals? The Financing Choices of Chinese High-Tech Enterprises During the Start-Up Period

From Banks or Venture Capitals? The Financing Choices of Chinese High-Tech Enterprises During the Start-Up Period

High potential lignocellulose-degrading microbial seed exploration from various biogas plants for methane production

Converting lignocellulosic materials into renewable energy through anaerobic digestion (AD) often has low degradation efficiency and thus needs improvement. Inoculum seeds from biogas plants fed with cow manure (CM), pig manure (PM), Napier grass (NG), and goat manure (GM) were explored for high-potential lignocellulose-degrading inocula based on the biochemical methane potential. Overall, CM, PM, and GM seeds could degrade lignocellulose. However, PM inoculum exhibited the highest CH4 production rate from cellulose powder, xylan, and Napier grass degradation by 46.32, 49.61, and 18.56 NmL/gVSadded·d, indicating the shortest lag phase but lagged behind GM and CM for alkali lignin. Microbial community analysis revealed lignocellulose-degrading microorganisms in the inocula. A high relative abundance of cellulose-degrading bacteria, such as Anaerolineaceae, Romboutsia, Bacteroidetes vadinHA17, and Clostridium sensu stricto 1, was detected. Anaerobic lignin-degrading bacteria were found in CM, PM, and GM inocula. Moreover, Bathyarchaeia from the archaeal group involved in lignocellulose degradation was found in CM and GM inocula. Keystone methanogens for methanogenesis were also detected in all inocula. PM inoculum possesses a promising inoculum seed for shortening the start-up period of the lignocellulose-degrading reactor with high AD performance and stability as it provides a short lag time and a high rate of methanogenesis.

Multi‐Array Tubular Microbial Fuel Cell‐Based Biosensor with Membrane Electrode Assembled Air‐Cathodes

ABSTRACTUsing microbial fuel cells (MFCs) as biosensors ensures a sustainable method for water quality detection. However, the research on MFC‐based biosensors with a tubular setup is still scarce. In this study, a tubular multi‐array MFC‐based biosensor setup with air‐cathodes was assembled under the membrane electrode assembly configuration. Three different materials, including carbon black (CB), Pt/C (PtC), and polyaniline (PANI), were synthesized and coated on the membrane‐facing side of the air‐cathode to demonstrate the effects of modified air‐cathodes on the overall performance of the MFC‐biosensors. Unmodified carbon cloths were used as anodes. Three days of startup period were required by the biosensors before producing an electrical signal output. The highest current density was obtained by the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)/CB/PtC (0.31 A m−2) sample followed by PTFE/CB/PANI (0.09 A m−2), and lastly PTFE/CB (0.05 A m−2). The control (PTFE only) sample did not generate any noticeable electrical signal. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis showed that the incorporation of PtC on the PTFE/CB sample lowered the charge transfer resistance (Rct), whereas the addition of PANI increased the Rct. Despite the differences in Rct values, both PTFE/CB/PtC and PTFE/CB/PANI samples demonstrated a better current density production than the PTFE/CB sample. Thus, modified air‐cathodes further elevated the biosensor's performance.

Ultra-rapid development of ‘solid’ aerobic granular sludge by stable transition/filling of inoculated ‘hollow’ mycelial pellets in hypersaline wastewater

To overcome the long start-up period in cultivating aerobic granular sludge (AGS) under hypersaline environment, mycelial pellets (MPs) of halotolerant fungus Cladosporium tenuissimum NCSL-XY8 were inoculated to try to realize the ultra-rapid development of salt-tolerant AGS by stable transition of ‘hollow’ MPs into ‘solid’ AGS without apparent fragmentation. The granules directly met the standard of AGS after inoculating MPs (Day 0), and it basically satisfied relatively strict standards of AGS (SVI30 < 50 mL/g, D50 > 300 μm, D10 > 200 μm and SVI30/SVI5 > 0.9) under anaerobic/aerobic mode during whole cultivation processes. Microstructure of the granular cross section clarified that MPs with hollow/loose inner layer transitioned into solid/dense AGS under anaerobic/aerobic mode within 7 days, while formed skin-like floating pieces and unstable double-layer hollow granules under aerobic mode. Organics removal reached relatively stable within 13 days under anaerobic/aerobic mode, 6 days faster than aerobic mode. This study provided a strategy for ultra-rapid and stable development of AGS, which showed the shortest granulation period in various AGS-cultivation strategies.

Implementing a completely autotrophic nitrogen removal over nitrite process using a novel umbrella basalt fiber carrier.

The completely autotrophic nitrogen removal over nitrite (CANON) process is significantly hindered by prolonged start-up periods and unstable nitrogen removal efficiency. In this study, a novel umbrella basalt fiber (BF) carrier with good biological affinity and adsorption performance was used to initiate the CANON process. The CANON process was initiated on day 64 in a sequencing batch reactor equipped with umbrella BF carriers. During this period, the influent NH4+-N concentration gradually increased from 100 to 200 mg·L-1, and the dissolved oxygen was controlled below 0.8 mg L-1. Consequently, an average ammonia nitrogen removal efficiency (ARE) and total nitrogen removal efficiency (TNRE) of ∼90 and 80% were achieved, respectively. After 130 days, ARE and TNRE remained stable at 92 and 81.1%, respectively. This indicates a reliable method for achieving rapid start-up and stable operation of the CANON process. Moreover, Candidatus Kuenenia and Candidatus Brocadia were identified as dominant anammox genera on the carrier. Nitrosomonas was the predominant genus among ammonia-oxidizing bacteria. Spatial differences were observed in the microbial population of umbrella BF carriers. This arrangement facilitated autotrophic nitrogen removal in a single reactor. This study indicates that the novel umbrella BF carrier is a highly suitable biocarrier for the CANON process.

Network embeddedness, entrepreneurial bricolage, and family farm sustainability

Family farm sustainability is an essential guarantee for increasing the resilience of food systems. Based on the network embeddedness theory and entrepreneurial bricolage theory, an exploratory longitudinal case study was adopted. The value-creating behaviors of family farms in different entrepreneurial periods were described and a process model of family farms sustainability with network embeddedness and entrepreneurial bricolage was constructed. The study revealed that family farms faced resource constraints such as shortage of element resources, insufficient market resources and lack of knowledge resources during the induction, start-up, and growth periods, respectively. In order to overcome resource constraints in different entrepreneurial periods, family farms employed multiple network embeddedness ways including relational embeddedness, structural embeddedness and cognitive embeddedness to seek help from actors in the rural social network. Family farms embedded in multiple networks used the entrepreneurial bricolage strategy of “element bricolage – market bricolage – institutional bricolage” to continuously acquire production elements, improve brand awareness, optimize processing techniques and promote the convergence of three industries. Family farms benefited from a win-win result with actors through network embeddedness and entrepreneurial bricolage, and created economic, social and ecological values eventually. The study offers fresh insights into the dynamics of rural entrepreneurship.