Crack patterns in drying protein solution drops

A deposited drop of bovine serum albumin salt solution experiences both gelation and fracturation during evaporation. The cracks appearing at the edge of the gelling drop are regularly spaced, due to the competition between the evaporation-induced and relaxation-induced stress evolution. Subsequently, the mean crack spacing evolves in an unexpected way, being inversely proportional instead of proportional to the deposit thickness. This evolution has been ascribed to the change with time of the average shrinkage stress, the crack patterning being purely elastic instead of evaporation-controlled

Predicting the value of product service-systems for potential future implementers: results from multiple industrial case studies

The great impact played by Product/Service-Systems (PSS) on industry and academia can be motivated by the need for modernizing business models, carrying out internal companies' reconfiguration, enhancing environmental sustainability. Despite the large number of objectives pursued by PSS, sparks of criticism have recently emerged, as well as the results ensuing from PSS adoption have not been rigorously assessed. In particular, the authors highlight a lack of quantitative analysis concerning the service aspects of PSS and hurdles in service modeling and evaluation. The paper's objective is to contribute in this field by individuating factors, advantages and disadvantages that are not directly measurable in monetary terms by companies. This kind of assessment might result crucial, as the implementation of PSS-oriented strategies require a not negligible amount of commitment, besides propensity to risk. A first activity was carried out thanks to a pilot group of firms that have not implemented any PSS initiative so far, which have been exposed to business reconfiguration scenarios underpinning PSS. A model for generalizing pros and cons of future PSS implementation has been subsequently experimented by a larger group of industrial organizations. Such a model has represented the backbone for the creation of a tentative quantitative estimation tool, which assesses and forecasts the added value of services featured by the introduction of PSS and hence represents a candidate criterion for undertaking decisions concerning the implementation of PSS strategies. The paper clarifies which assumptions are introduced in order to achieve this result

Qualification of single use in-line sensors for use in continuous bioprocessing

The requirements for batch versus continuous processing will be compared along the lines of the design attributes of single use sensors for pressure, temperature, conductivity, and UV absorbance and also performance over months of continuous operation. These sensors are applicable in both upstream and downsteam processing starting with pressure monitoring on single use bioreactors, sensors required for perfusion process monitoring followed by monitoring of continuous purification processes. Dissection of the materials of the sensors and their physical nature to withstand liquid exposure of up to 90 days versus (versus shorter more discrete batch processes of less than one day) will be examined on the core material basis. With single use sensors, calibration can often not be done at the time of use because of the closed nature of the bioprocess system. How the both the sensors and their corresponding monitors can meet the requirement of “no calibration required” at the point of use will be presented which is an important aspect in single use systems for continuous bioprocessing. In addition to examining impact of time and type of exposure of the sensor materials, during a continuous process of up to 90 days, the susceptibility to sensor measurement drift / change in calibration over time will be examined. Finally, during continuous processing, it is often imperative that a process can be continuously controlled and data can be logged and trended 24/7. Therefore, interface of the sensors to higher level control systems and to data historians is important and options will be examined to accomplish this for different plant architectures

A framework to evaluate the effects of organizational resilience on service quality

Disruptions and unexpected turbulences characterize the contemporary service industry and pose greater criticalities to organizations that have concerns about both their survival and their business sustainability. The answer to this challenge is to design an organizational system aimed at enhancing so-called organizational resilience. The aim of this work is to present and test an assessment methodology based on a framework that links key static and dynamic characteristics of firms as resilient systems and relates these characteristics with service quality preservation after disruptions. The framework adopts a set of indicators, namely resilience dimensions, to comprehend the real effects of resilience characteristics with service quality dimensions. Through the analysis of a real case, we provided evidence of how the model can be applied in a backward perspective to understand fault modes of specific events. Results show how inadequacies in terms of resilience characteristics determine losses of service quality, and also how the model can be used as a predictive tool to determine in which area companies should intervene in order to improve resilience and service quality

Segregation in desiccated sessile drops of biological fluids

It is shown here that concurrence between advection and diffusion in a drying sessile drop of a biological fluid can produce spatial redistribution of albumen and salt. The result gives an explanation for the patterns observed in the dried drops of the biological fluids.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures; submitted to European Physical Journal

A MULTI-LAYER ATTACK MODEL INTEGRATING HUMAN FACTORS IN DELIVERING CYBERSECURITY

This study proposes an innovative multi-layer attack model for cybersecurity that integrates human, access, and network layers. In particular, it focuses on the human layer which has been recently recognized as a still open issue. Drawing on literature, human factors (HFs) that contribute to cyber vulnerabilities and human behaviors that can lead to vulnerabilities are identified. Finally, the research discusses human capabilities that could be leveraged as mitigation factors. By considering the HFs from a twofold perspective, the study provides a holistic approach that accounts for both technical and human elements in cybersecurity management

Spacial and temporal dynamics of the volume fraction of the colloidal particles inside a drying sessile drop

Using lubrication theory, drying processes of sessile colloidal droplets on a solid substrate are studied. A simple model is proposed to describe temporal dynamics both the shape of the drop and the volume fraction of the colloidal particles inside the drop. The concentration dependence of the viscosity is taken into account. It is shown that the final shapes of the drops depend on both the initial volume fraction of the colloidal particles and the capillary number. The results of our simulations are in a reasonable agreement with the published experimental data. The computations for the drops of aqueous solution of human serum albumin (HSA) are presented.Comment: Submitted to EPJE, 7 pages, 8 figure

Contextualizing risk and building resilience: returnee versus local entrepreneurs in China

Risk is a pivotal concept in entrepreneurship research, as entrepreneurs constantly face uncertainty, ambiguity, setbacks, and stressful situations. Attitudes toward risk vary contingent upon individual risk preferences and cultural influences. Building resilience is critical for entrepreneurs to overcome obstacles, deal with risk, and grow their ventures. By juxtaposing effectuation theory and resilience literature, we compare the perceptions of risk held by Chinese returnees and local entrepreneurs and their coping strategies in building resilience. Our research reveals two types of coping approaches, namely effectual coping and causal coping. This study contributes to the comparative international entrepreneurship literature by contextualizing the notion of risk held by entrepreneurs influenced by Eastern and Western cultures. Our study further contributes to the nascent literature on resilience in organizations by specifying the entrepreneurial occupational context and exploring the influence of cultures on resilience, and by identifying distinctive resilience‐building coping strategies based upon cultural influences and interpretations of risk. Furthermore, we suggest that resilience can constitute one micro‐foundation of effectuation theory in the context of entrepreneurship dealing with risk

Mechanisms of pattern formation from dried sessile drops

The formation of patterns after the evaporation of colloidal droplets deposited on a solid surface is an everyday natural phenomenon. During the past two decades, this topic has gained broader audience due to its numerous applications in biomedicine, nanotechnology, printing, coating, etc. This paper presents a detailed review of the experimental studies related to the formation of various deposition patterns from dried droplets of complex fluids (i.e., nanofluids, polymers). First, this review presents the fundamentals of sessile droplet evaporation including evaporation modes and internal flow fields. Then, the most observed dried patterns are presented and the mechanisms behind them are discussed. The review ends with the categorisation and exhaustive investigation of a wide range of factors affecting pattern formation