Enablers for embedding big data solutions in smart factories: an empirical investigation

This study provides insight into the enablers that assist organizations in implementing big data solutions in their smart factory development, as well as the interrelationships between these enablers from an information system (IS) perspective. The research followed an inductive qualitative approach. Twenty-two in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with experienced consultants and IT managers from SAP Consultancy Company, and general managers and engineers from Xiamen Intretech Inc., a leading manufacturing company in adopting big data solutions in smart factory. Following thematic analysis approach, three sets of enablers including organization, technology and external environment were identified together with the interrelationships between them. This paper extends the current understanding of smart factory and big data solutions in information system research through offering an empirical investigation of different enablers in this context. The findings also provide recommendations for practitioners to increase the possibilities of success when implementing big data solutions in smart factory context

Marketization allocation, land price, and local government land speculation, China

Land value appreciation in the urbanization process has triggered market speculation. The Land Bank System strengthens local governments’ ability to control land supply and distribution rights. Local governments are considered close stakeholders. Under the pressure of guaranteeing economic growth and promotion, local governments have increased their dependence on land finances. It is important for investors to understand the local governments’ behaviors, and draw up business strategies. This study aims to examine the influencing factors and formation mechanism of local government land hoarding. The research hypothesis was tested by collating provincial-level panel data of China from 2004 to 2015 and using dynamic panel data estimated by the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM). A significant positive correlation was found between residential land price and land hoarding area by local governments. Land speculation in the eastern region is also more pronounced than that in central and western regions. In addition, empirical studies have found a correlation between the degree of government intervention and local government land hoarding behavior. The higher the degree of government intervention, the less land sold through bid invitation, auction, and listing, which are linked to the corresponding hoarding land area

Molecular Mechanism Study on the Effect of Nonionic Surfactants with Different Degrees of Ethoxylation on the Wettability of Anthracite

A serious risk to the production safety of coal mines is coal dust. The wettability of coal may be successfully changed by adding surfactants to water. However, the creation of very effective dust suppressants is constrained by the lack of knowledge about the microscopic interaction mechanism between coal dust and surfactants. In this investigation, we explained macroscopic experimental phenomena from a molecular perspective. The lauryl polyoxyethylene ethers (C12 (EO)n, n = 7,15,23) were selected. The macromolecular model of anthracite with 55 different components was constructed. Surface tension experiments and hydrophilic lipophilic balance (HLB) calculations showed that the ability of surface hydrophilicization followed the order of C12 (EO)712 \u3e(EO)1512 \u3e(EO)23. Contact angle experiment, XPS and FTIR experiments proved that after the surfactants were adsorbed on the surface of anthracite, the content of carbon element decreased and the content of oxygen element increased, indicating the enhanced surface hydrophilicity. The simulation results showed that with the degree of ethoxylation increases, the adsorption strength of surfactants becomes stronger, and the hydrophilic head group of surfactant on anthracite surface is more uniformly distributed. The greater the degree of ethoxylation, the more powerfully the modified coal surface can bind to water molecules

Molecular Mechanism Study on the Effect of Nonionic Surfactants with Different Degrees of Ethoxylation on the Wettability of Anthracite

A serious risk to the production safety of coal mines is coal dust. The wettability of coal may be successfully changed by adding surfactants to water. However, the creation of very effective dust suppressants is constrained by the lack of knowledge about the microscopic interaction mechanism between coal dust and surfactants. In this investigation, we explained macroscopic experimental phenomena from a molecular perspective. The lauryl polyoxyethylene ethers (C12 (EO)n, n = 7,15,23) were selected. The macromolecular model of anthracite with 55 different components was constructed. Surface tension experiments and hydrophilic lipophilic balance (HLB) calculations showed that the ability of surface hydrophilicization followed the order of C12 (EO)7(EO)15(EO)23. Contact angle experiment, XPS and FTIR experiments proved that after the surfactants were adsorbed on the surface of anthracite, the content of carbon element decreased and the content of oxygen element increased, indicating the enhanced surface hydrophilicity. The simulation results showed that with the degree of ethoxylation increases, the adsorption strength of surfactants becomes stronger, and the hydrophilic head group of surfactant on anthracite surface is more uniformly distributed. The greater the degree of ethoxylation, the more powerfully the modified coal surface can bind to water molecules

Value co-creation in industrial AI: The interactive role of B2B supplier, customer and technology provider

This research explores the interactive role of supplier, customer and technology company in business-to-business (B2B) marketing when they develop and use industrial artificial intelligence (AI). From a value co-creation perspective and following a service-dominant logic, this study aims to identify essential value types that are created collaboratively by B2B professionals (namely suppliers, customers and AI providers), and critical capabilities that contribute to their value co-creation practices. Nineteen in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with three groups of B2B stakeholders in six companies that involved in an industrial AI development and usage project. The data was then analysed using a thematic analysis approach. The results of this research contain a categorisation of four value types and three sets of capabilities, together with the interrelationships between them. This study contributes to the literature of value co-creation, information system and B2B marketing by bridging these three disciplines within the context of industrial AI development and usage

Effects of Process Parameters on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Semi-Solid Al-7Si-0.5Mg Aluminum Alloy by Gas Induced Semi-Solid Process

Al-7Si-0.5Mg aluminum alloy semi-solid slurry with good spherical grains was prepared by gas induced semi-solid process (GISS) and the effects of both holding time and medium alloy addition on the microstructure of the semi-solid slurry were investigated. These two parameters have a great influence on the solid fraction, the size and the sphericity of the grains. With holding time increased from 85 s to 270 s, the solid phase fraction of the semi-solid slurry decreased from ~0.77 to ~0.67, the average grain size increased from ~95 μm to ~225 μm and the average shape factor decreased from ~0.80 to ~0.33. When medium alloy addition varied in the range of 0.5–2.0 wt%, a better slurry microstructure was obtained at about 1.5 wt%. Compared with the conventional liquid die-casting, the semi-solid die-casting improved the mechanical properties of tensile bars; yield strength, tensile strength and elongation of tensile bars reached ~240 MPa, ~307 MPa and ~8.8% after heat treatment, respectively. In conclusion, GISS process can prepare the semi-solid slurry with uniform and round microstructure, and the semi-solid die-casting can improve mechanical proper ties of Al-7Si-0.5Mg aluminum alloy

Study on induction hardening performance of 34CrNi3MoA steel crankshaft

The evolution of the temperature field, microstructure field, and residual stress field of a 34CrNi3MoA steel marine diesel engine crankshaft during medium-frequency induction hardening was studied based on an electromagnetic-thermal-transformation-stress coupled numerical model, which considers the effect of internal stress induced by transformation induced plasticity on residual stress. Using the equal conversion rate method, the austenitizing region of the crankshaft was determined during the induction heating stage. In the quenching stage, the parameters of the phase transformation model are derived from the continuous heating expansion curve and the continuous cooling transformation curve, and the phase transformation kinetics equation is used to analyze the phase transformation process of the crankshaft. The results indicate that extending the heating time can enhance the uniformity of the surface temperature of the crankshaft and the thickness of the hardened layer. The simulation results are validated by measurements of hardened layer, hardness and residual stress, and the simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental results

Clinicopathological features and prognosis analysis of salivary duct carcinoma

Objective To summarize the clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic factors of salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) patients. Methods This study was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee, and informed consent was obtained from the patients. The clinical data of 30 SDC patients who were admitted to the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University from 2014 to 2022, including case records, pathological diagnoses, immunohistochemical indicators, treatment methods, follow-up data, and other data, were retrospectively analyzed. SPSS 26.0 software was used to process the data and construct relevant curves. The chi-square test was used to analyze the correlation between different immunohistochemical indices and the recurrence and metastasis of SDC, and a single factor was used to analyze clinical prognostic factors. Results Among the 30 SDC patients, the male-to-female ratio was 5∶1, with a median age of 61.5 years. Approximately 60% of cases occurred in the parotid gland, whereas the remainder occurred in the submaxillary gland, sublingual gland, or minor salivary gland. Among them, 19 patients were androgen receptor-positive, 23 patients were human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 positive, and 26 patients were Ki-67 positive. Postoperative follow-up was 18-94 months, with a median follow-up of 37 months. There were 13 cases of recurrence and 14 cases of distant metastasis. The 5-year overall survival rate was only 31.2%. The long-term survival of patients who underwent postoperative radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy was better than that of patients who underwent surgery alone (P= 0.027). T stage and lymph node invasion were associated with prognosis and survival (P<0.05). There was a correlation between a Ki-67-positive cell count ≥ 40% and postoperative recurrence or metastasis (P = 0.025). Conclusion Radical surgery combined with postoperative radiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy is helpful for improving long-term overall survival, and tumor T stage and lymph node metastasis may be the main factors affecting the prognosis of patients with SDC. Patients with Ki-67-positive cell counts ≥ 40% are prone to postoperative recurrence or metastasis

Co-production of pigment and high value-added bacterial nanocellulose from Suaeda salsa biomass with improved efficiency of enzymatic saccharification and fermentation

This study evaluated the co-production of pigment and bacterial nanocellulose (BNC) from S. salsa biomass. The extraction of the beet red pigment reduced the salts and flavonoids contents by 82.7%–100%, promoting the efficiencies of enzymatic saccharification of the biomass and the fermentation of BNC from the hydrolysate. SEM analysis revealed that the extraction process disrupted the lignocellulosic fiber structure, and the chemical analysis revealed the lessened cellulase inhibitors, consequently facilitating enzymatic saccharification for 10.4 times. BNC producing strains were found to be hyper-sensitive to NaCl stress, produced up to 400.4% more BNC from the hydrolysate after the extraction. The fermentation results of BNC indicated that the LDU-A strain yielded 2.116 g/L and 0.539 g/L in ES-M and NES-M, respectively. In comparison to the control, the yield in ES-M increased by approximately 20.0%, while the enhancement in NES-M was more significant, reaching 292.6%. After conducting a comprehensive characterization of BNC derived from S. salsa through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), the average fiber diameter distribution of these four BNC materials ranges from 22.23 to 33.03 nanometers, with a crystallinity range of 77%–90%. Additionally, they exhibit a consistent trend during the thermal degradation process, further emphasizing their stability in high-temperature environments and similar thermal properties. Our study found an efficient co-production approach of pigment and BNC from S. salsa biomass. Pigment extraction made biomass more physically and chemically digestible to cellulase, and significantly improved BNC productivity and quality

Clinical characteristics of respiratory tract infection caused by Klebsiella pneumoniae in immunocompromised patients: a retrospective cohort study

PurposeWith advancements in medical technology and the growth of an aging society, the number of immunocompromised patients has increased progressively. Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) is one of the most common opportunistic pathogens, causing a severe disease burden. We aimed to further clarify the differences in respiratory tract K. pneumoniae infections between immunocompromised and immunocompetent populations.MethodsWe retrospectively compared cases of respiratory tract K. pneumoniae infection in immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients admitted to Ruijin Hospital in Shanghai between January 2019 and August 2020 to clarify the differences between the two groups.ResultsWe enrolled 400 immunocompromised patients and 386 immunocompetent patients. Compared to the immunocompetent group, immunocompromised patients were more likely to develop bacteremia and shock and to require mechanical ventilation support during hospitalization. Immunocompromised patients also had a greater probability of polymicrobial infection and a higher rate of antibacterial resistance to carbapenem, which resulted in a higher intensive care unit admission rate, 30-day case fatality rate (CFR), and 6-month CFR. Multivariate analysis indicated that immunocompromised patients with respiratory diseases (odds ratio [OR], 2.189; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.103-4.344; P = 0.025) and cardiovascular diseases (OR, 2.008; 95% CI, 1.055-3.822; P = 0.034), using mechanical ventilation (OR, 3.982; 95% CI, 2.053-7.722; P = 0.000), or infected with multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae (OR, 3.870; 95%, 1.577-9.498; P = 0.003) were more likely to have a higher 30-day CFR.ConclusionThe disease burden of K. pneumoniae infection in immunocompromised patients is high. Immunocompromised patients who presented with respiratory diseases and cardiovascular diseases, used mechanical ventilation, or were infected with multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae experienced a higher 30-day mortality rate