The structural versatility of hydrotalcites as engineering tool for an efficient nanoparticle stabilization in the Pd catalyzed Suzuki cross coupling

It was shown that the hydrotalcite structure have a significant effect on the NP size and catalytic performance of HT supported Pd-NP catalysts. The effect of (i) metal loading method (i.e., co-precipitation versus impregnation), (ii) calcination (i.e., calcined versus uncalcined support), (iii) support basicity (i.e., a Mg/Al ratio 3 versus 2) was studied. Also, the first catalytic results of hydrotalcite supported PdCu nanoparticle catalysts were mentioned

The genomes of two key bumblebee species with primitive eusocial organization

Background: The shift from solitary to social behavior is one of the major evolutionary transitions. Primitively eusocial bumblebees are uniquely placed to illuminate the evolution of highly eusocial insect societies. Bumblebees are also invaluable natural and agricultural pollinators, and there is widespread concern over recent population declines in some species. High-quality genomic data will inform key aspects of bumblebee biology, including susceptibility to implicated population viability threats. Results: We report the high quality draft genome sequences of Bombus terrestris and Bombus impatiens, two ecologically dominant bumblebees and widely utilized study species. Comparing these new genomes to those of the highly eusocial honeybee Apis mellifera and other Hymenoptera, we identify deeply conserved similarities, as well as novelties key to the biology of these organisms. Some honeybee genome features thought to underpin advanced eusociality are also present in bumblebees, indicating an earlier evolution in the bee lineage. Xenobiotic detoxification and immune genes are similarly depauperate in bumblebees and honeybees, and multiple categories of genes linked to social organization, including development and behavior, show high conservation. Key differences identified include a bias in bumblebee chemoreception towards gustation from olfaction, and striking differences in microRNAs, potentially responsible for gene regulation underlying social and other traits. Conclusions: These two bumblebee genomes provide a foundation for post-genomic research on these key pollinators and insect societies. Overall, gene repertoires suggest that the route to advanced eusociality in bees was mediated by many small changes in many genes and processes, and not by notable expansion or depauperation

Improving wet clutch engagement with Reinforcement Learning

A common approach when applying reinforcement learning to address control problems is that of first learning a policy based on an approximated model of the plant, whose behavior can be quickly and safely explored in simulation; and then implementing the obtained policy to control the actual plant. Here we follow this approach to learn to engage a transmission clutch, with the aim of obtaining a rapid and smooth engagement, with a small torque loss. Using an approximated model of a wet clutch, which simulates a portion of the whole engagement, we first learn an open loop control signal, which is then transferred on the actual wet clutch, and improved by further learning with a different reward function, based on the actual torque loss observed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Understanding and Managing Customer Relational Benefits in Services: A Meta-Analysis

Recent meta-analyses provide clear insights into how service firms can benefit from relationship marketing, whereas investigations of customers’ relational benefits (1) are unclear about the absolute and relative strengths by which different relational benefit dimensions induce different customer responses and (2) have not simultaneously examined the various mediating processes (including perceived value, relationship quality, and switching costs) through which relational benefits reportedly affect customer loyalty. To consolidate extant research on the benefits of relationship marketing for customers, this meta-analysis integrates 1242 effect sizes drawn from 235 independent samples across 224 papers disseminated in the past two decades. The results reveal that all three relational benefits affect loyalty, though confidence benefits and social benefits have the strongest effects. Among the three identified mediation paths through which relational benefits influence customer loyalty, the sequential path through perceived value and relationship quality is the strongest. From a service research perspective, this study provides novel empirical generalizations; managerially, the findings suggest that a primary goal for service managers should be strengthening confidence and social benefits.status: Published onlin

Understanding and managing customer relational benefits in services:a meta-analysis

Recent meta-analyses provide clear insights into how service firms can benefit from relationship marketing, whereas investigations of customers'' relational benefits (1) are unclear about the absolute and relative strengths by which different relational benefit dimensions induce different customer responses and (2) have not simultaneously examined the various mediating processes (including perceived value, relationship quality, and switching costs) through which relational benefits reportedly affect customer loyalty. To consolidate extant research on the benefits of relationship marketing for customers, this meta-analysis integrates 1242 effect sizes drawn from 235 independent samples across 224 papers disseminated in the past two decades. The results reveal that all three relational benefits affect loyalty, though confidence benefits and social benefits have the strongest effects. Among the three identified mediation paths through which relational benefits influence customer loyalty, the sequential path through perceived value and relationship quality is the strongest. From a service research perspective, this study provides novel empirical generalizations; managerially, the findings suggest that a primary goal for service managers should be strengthening confidence and social benefits

Policy search reinforcement learning for automatic wet clutch engagement

In most existing motion control algorithms, a reference trajectory is tracked, based on a continuous measurement of the system's response. In many industrial applications, however, it is either not possible or too expensive to install sensors which measure the system's output over the complete stroke: instead, the motion can only be detected at certain discrete positions. The control objective in these systems is often not to track a complete trajectory accurately, but rather to achieve a given state at the sensor locations (e.g. to pass by the sensor at a given time, or with a given speed). Model-based control strategies are not suited for the control of these systems, due to the lack of sensor data. We are currently investigating the potential of a non-model-based learning strategy, Reinforcement Learning (RL), in dealing with this kind of discrete sensor information. Here, we describe ongoing experiments with a wet clutch, which has to be engaged smoothly yet quickly, without any feedback on piston position.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Policy gradient methods for controlling systems with discrete sensor information

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

The effect of the hydrotalcite structure and nanoparticle size on the catalytic performance of supported palladium nanoparticle catalysts in Suzuki cross-coupling

An uncalcined HT supported Pd-NP catalyst was synthesized via co-precipitation, i.e., PdHT_100RED_20, and benchmarked against a Pd impregnated HT catalyst, i.e., Pd@HT_500RED_20. TEM analysis pointed out that the largest NPs (6.5 nm) were found in the co-precipitated catalyst because of its weaker steric NP confinement, compared to the benchmark catalyst (3.2 nm). The PdHT_100RED_20 had a significantly higher catalytic performance (60% conversion, 1.85% leaching) than Pd@HT_500RED_20 (19%, 0.98%) due to lack of calcination resulting in an ordered, and thus, more accessible HT structure in combination with its high support basicity. Both catalysts showed low Pd leaching confirming the suitability of HTs as NP support. Focusing on PdHT_100, the effect of the reduction temperature on the NP size and catalytic performance was investigated. NP size distribution analysis showed that the smallest NPs were found in PdHT_100RED_0 (5.3 nm), resulting in a higher catalytic performance (67%, 2.28%) when compared to PdHT_100RED_20 (6.5 nm). Performing the reduction at higher temperatures, i.e., at 60 °C (5.7 nm), caused an extremely low catalytic performance (13%, 0.20%) due to the less efficient reduction reaction with NaBH4 at higher reduction temperatures. Reusing PdHT_100RED_20, a decrease in catalytic performance (45%) was observed. However, this decrease was less pronounced (50%) when a re-activation of the catalyst with Na2CO3 between consecutive runs was performed. Moreover, it was shown that the leached Pd species were able to re-deposit onto the support if high conversions were obtained, and thus, an almost quantitatively recovery from the reaction mixture can be achieved with retention of its catalytic activity (>99%)