Auction-based approach for a flexible job-shop scheduling problem with multiple process plans

This study addresses the flexible job-shop scheduling problem with multiple process plans with the objective of minimizing the overall makespan. A nonlinear programming model is formulated to allocate machines and schedule jobs. An auction-based approach is proposed to address the integrated production route selection and resource allocation problem and focus on improving resource utilization and productive efficiency to reduce the makespan. The approach consists of an auction for process plans and an auction for machines. The auctions are evaluated to select a more suitable route for production and allocate resources to a more desirable job. Numerical experiments are conducted by testing new large benchmark instances. A comparison of Lingo and other existing algorithms demonstrates the effectiveness and stability of the proposed auction-based approach. Furthermore, SPSS is used to prove that the proposed method exhibits an absolute advantage, particularly for medium-scale or large-scale instances.</p

Nondestructive Post-Treatment Enabled by <i>In Situ</i> Generated 2D Perovskites Derived from Multi-ammonium Molecule Vapor for High-Performance 2D/3D Bilayer Perovskite Solar Cells

Recently, two-dimensional (2D)/three-dimensional (3D) bilayer perovskite solar cells (PSCs) show a great potential for commercialization due to the combination of the fascinating photovoltaic performance of 3D perovskites and superior stability of 2D perovskites. However, it is a challenge to nondestructively construct 2D/3D bilayer perovskites, and the impact of the number of amine groups in ammonium spacer cations on the properties of 2D/3D bilayer perovskites has not been investigated. In this work, a novel interfacial post-treatment strategy is proposed to nondestructively fabricate 2D/3D bilayer perovskite films using the multi-ammonium molecule (MAM) vapor. Here, a series of MAMs with three to six amine groups (3 to 6N), including diethylenetriamine (DETA, 3N), triethylenetetramine (TETA, 4N), tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA, 5N), and pentaethylenehexamine (PEHA, 6N), are applied and compared. Benefiting from the strong interaction between MAMs and perovskites, the MAM vapor post-treatment can in situ generate Dion–Jacobson (DJ) 2D capping layers on the surface of 3D perovskite films. In comparison with the 3D perovskite film, such DJ 2D/3D perovskite films exhibit improved film quality, effectively passivated defects/traps, optimized interfacial band energy alignment, and mitigatory tensile strain. In particular, the number of amine groups in MAMs can dramatically influence the quality of DJ 2D/3D bilayer perovskite films and their corresponding photovoltaic performance. As the number of amine groups increases from DETA to PEHA, the efficiency and stability of PSCs are boosted significantly. Consequently, the PEHA-based DJ 2D/3D bilayer PSC delivers a champion power conversion efficiency of 21.79% with a negligible hysteresis effect, elevated reproducibility, and enhanced device stability. This work offers the reference for designing novel and effective MAMs for nondestructively fabricating high-performance 2D/3D bilayer PSCs

In Situ-Grown 2D Perovskite Based on π‑Conjugated Aggregation-Induced Emission Organic Spacer Boosting the Efficiency and Stability of 2D–3D Heterostructured Perovskite Solar Cells

The two-dimensional–three-dimensional (2D–3D) heterostructured perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have drawn widespread interest, wherein the organic spacer plays a significant role in the photovoltaic performance. Herein, a novel π-conjugated organic spacer with the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) property, (Z)-2-([1,1′-biphenyl]-4-yl)-3-(5-(4-(3-aminopropoxy)phenyl)thiophen-2-yl)acrylonitrile (BPCSA-S), is designed and synthesized, which is successfully applied for the in situ construction of 2D–3D heterostructured PSCs via the two-step solution method. By virtue of the functional groups (i.e., cyano, thiophene, and amino) in BPCSA-S, the BPCSA-S organic spacer can trigger the in situ growth of 2D perovskites, which will serve as the template for the heteroepitaxial growth of 3D perovskites, thus obtaining a 2D–3D heterostructured film with high-quality and few defects. More pleasingly, benefiting from the AIE property and delocalized π-electrons in the π-conjugated BPCSA-S organic spacer, excellent photosensitization process and carrier transport can be achieved. Consequently, the resultant 2D–3D heterostructured PSCs yield a pleasing PCE of 22.07%, accompanied by mitigatory hysteresis, as well as enhanced stability. Our research shows a hopeful multifunctional organic spacer approach using the novel π-conjugated AIE organic spacer for high-performance PSCs

In Vitro and In Vivo Digestive Fate and Antioxidant Activities of Polyphenols from Hulless Barley: Impact of Various Thermal Processing Methods and β‑Glucan

The unfavorable bioaccessibility of polyphenols in cereal-based food limits their physiological functions as most polyphenols bind spontaneously to the cell-wall polysaccharides. Effects of β-glucan and various thermal processing methods including flaking and roasting, stir-frying, steam-flash explosion, and popping expansion on the bioaccessibility and antioxidant properties of polyphenols from hulless barley in vitro and in vivo were investigated in this study. The bioaccessibility and antioxidant capacity (via DPPH, ·OH, and ·O2– free radical scavenging, TAC, and FRAP assays) of polyphenol extracts from hulless barley treated by steam-flash explosion and popping expansion increased significantly before and after in vitro digestion compared to those from raw and other processed hulless barley. Further, the total polyphenol content of hulless barley elevated dramatically following hydrolyzing with β-glucanase, which was positively correlated with the antioxidant activity. Additionally, the hulless barley treated with steam-flash explosion exhibited potent antidiabetic effects and antioxidant capacity (via TAC, SOD, GSH-Px, CAT, and MDA assays) in type 2 diabetic rats. The absorption of individual phenolic compounds in the alimentary canal of rats was impacted obviously by thermal processing. This study provides new insights into enhancing the bioaccessibility of the polyphenols and suggests that β-glucans interact with polyphenols and proteins in the hulless barley matrix

Construction of g‑C₃N₄/Zn_0.11Sn_0.12Cd_0.88S_1.12 Hybrid Heterojunction Catalyst with Outstanding Nitrogen Photofixation Performance Induced by Sulfur Vacancies

Nitrogen fixation is the second most important chemical process in nature next to photosynthesis. Herein, we report a novel g-C₃N₄/ZnSnCdS heterojunction photocatalyst prepared using the hydrothermal method that has an outstanding nitrogen photofixation ability under visible light. The as-prepared ZnSnCdS is the ternary metal sulfide Zn_0.11Sn_0.12Cd_0.88S_1.12 with many sulfur vacancies, not a mixture of ZnS, SnS₂, and CdS. Strong electronic coupling, as evidenced by the ultraviolet–visible, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and electrochemical impedance spectra results, exists between two components in the g-C₃N₄/ZnSnCdS heterojunction photocatalysts, leading to more effective separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs and faster interfacial charge transfer. The sulfur vacancies on ternary metal sulfide not only serve as active sites to adsorb and activate N₂ molecules but also promote interfacial charge transfer from ZnSnCdS to N₂ molecules, thus significantly improving the nitrogen photofixation ability. With the ZnSnCdS mass percentage of 80%, the as-prepared heterojunction photocatalyst exhibits the highest NH₄⁺ generation rate under visible light, which is 33.2-fold and 1.6-fold greater than those of individual g-C₃N₄ and ZnSnCdS

Thermodynamic Difference between Protocatechualdehyde and <i>p</i>‑Hydroxybenzaldehyde in Aqueous Sodium Chloride Solutions

The enthalpies of dilution of protocatechualdehyde and <i>p</i>-hydroxybenzaldehyde in the aqueous sodium chloride solutions were measured by using a mixing-flow microcalorimeter at 298.15 K. Densities of the ternary homogeneous systems at different temperatures (293.15, 298.15, 303.15, 308.15, and 313.15 K) were also measured with a quartz vibrating-tube densimeter. The homogeneous enthalpic interaction coefficients (<i>h</i>₂, <i>h</i>₃, and <i>h</i>₄) were calculated according to the excess enthalpy concept based on the calorimetric data. The apparent molar volumes (<i>V</i>_ϕ) and standard partial molar volumes (<i>V</i>_ϕ⁰) of the investigated system were computed from their density data. The variation trends in <i>h</i>₂ and <i>V</i>_ϕ⁰ with increasing salt molality were obtained and discussed in terms of the (solute + solute) and (solute + solvent) interactions. The experimental results showed that the molecular structures of protocatechualdehyde and <i>p</i>-hydroxybenzaldehyde, especially the number of hydroxyl groups, have evident influence on their thermodynamic properties. The thermodynamic data obtained in this work may be helpful for exploring the structure–function relationship of protocatechualdehyde and <i>p</i>-hydroxybenzaldehyde

Presentation_1_Intestinal Microbiota at Engraftment Influence Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease via the Treg/Th17 Balance in Allo-HSCT Recipients.PPT

<p>Animal models have indicated that intestinal microbiota influence acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) by modulating immune homeostasis. But, in humans, the mechanism by which the microbiota induces aGVHD remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the intestinal microbiota and T cell subsets in patients who undergo allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) to explore the mechanism by which microbiota induced aGVHD. Based on aGVHD, this study was categorized into two groups: grades II–IV aGVHD (aGVHD group, n = 32) and grade 0–I aGVHD (non-aGVHD group, n = 49). The intestinal microbiota was detected by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and the T cell subsets and histone 3 (H3) acetylation in CD4+ T cells in the peripheral blood was assayed by flow cytometry at the time of engraftment. The aGVHD group had greater low microbial diversity than the non-aGVHD group (56.3 versus 24.5%, p = 0.004). The bacterial community was depleted of Clostridia (e.g., the Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae families) and enriched for Gammaproteobacteria (e.g., the Enterobacteriaceae family) in the aGVHD group compared with the non-aGVHD group. The relative abundance of Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae was positively correlated with the Treg/Th17 ratio counts (r = 0.469 and 0.419; p < 0.001 and <0.001, respectively), whereas Enterobacteriaceae was negatively correlated with the Treg/Th17 ratio (r = −0.277; p = 0.012). The level of acetylated H3 in CD4+ T cells was not only correlated with Lachnospiraceae/Ruminococcaceae, but also with the Treg/Th17 ratio (r = 0.354; p = 0.001). In conclusions, our results suggest that decreased Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae and increased Enterobacteriaceae, correlate with a Treg/Th17 imbalance, which might be through acetylated H3 in CD4+ T cells. These findings suggest that intestinal microbiota might induce aGVHD by influencing the Treg/Th17 balance.</p

Characteristics of patients and transplants.

<p>DLI = donor lymphocyte infusion, CP = chronic phase, AP = accelerated phase, BP = blast phase, Ph = Philadelphia chromosome, GVHD = graft versus host disease.</p

Overall Survival (A) and Disease-free Survival (B) in the imatinib and DLI groups.

<p>The 8-year overall survival (OS) after relapse was 85%±8% and 40.3±12.1% (<i>P</i> = 0.017), 8-year disease-free survival (DFS) after relapse was 85%±8% and 40.3±12.1% (<i>P</i> = 0.011), respectively, in the imatinib and DLI groups.</p

Donor chimerism in imatinib and DLI groups in 1, 2 and 3 months after treatments (<i>P</i> = 0.836, <i>P</i> = 0.691 and <i>P</i> = 0.931).

<p>The median donor chimerism in imatinib and DLI groups was 73% (range 27%–90%) vs 74% (range 47%–89%), 84% (range 11%–95%) vs 84% (range 28%–94%), and 96% (range 0%–100%) vs 97% (range 23%–100%), respectively, in 1, 2 and 3 months after treatments.</p