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Soft robotic hands and grippers are increasingly attracting attention as robotic end effectors. Compared with their rigid counterparts, they are safer for human-robot and environment-robot interactions, easier to control, and more compliant, and they cost and weigh less. Design studies of soft robotic hands have focused mostly on the soft fingers and bending actuators. However, the palm is also an essential part in grasping. In this work, we propose a novel design for an inexpensive soft humanoid hand with pneumatic soft fingers and a soft palm. The configuration of the soft palm is based on a modular design that can be applied to actuate different kinds of existing soft fingers. The splaying of the fingers, bending of the whole palm, and abduction and adduction of the thumb are implemented by the palm. Moreover, we present a new design of soft finger, called the hybrid-bending soft finger (HBSF), that can both bend in the grasping axis and deflect in the side-to-side axis, achieving human-like motion (Figure 1). The functions of the HBSF and soft palm are evaluated both in simulation, using the Simulation Open Framework Architecture (SOFA) framework, and experimentally. Six finger designs with 1-11 longitudinal segments are analyzed. The versatility of the soft hand is evaluated and demonstrated experimentally by its grasping of objects according to Feix's taxonomy. The results demonstrate a great diversity of grasps, with 31 of the 33 grasp types of the taxonomy performed successfully with the proposed design, showing promise for grasping a large variety of objects with different shapes and weights.

In this research, a camber changing mechanism feasible for use in a flapping hydrofoil tidal stream turbine is suggested to generate high lift force and subsequently a large flapping angle as a dynamic response. The hydrodynamic characteristics of rigid and variable-camber hydrofoils, which mainly affect the response, were numerically obtained using XFOIL. The flapping responses of the hydrofoils were estimated by a validated nonlinear dynamic model with the hydrodynamic characteristics. The estimated responses of a variable-camber hydrofoil were compared with the measured responses of the rigid hydrofoil from a previous study as well as the estimated responses of a rigid hydrofoil. It was shown from these comparisons that the variable-camber hydrofoil produced a much higher flapping angle amplitude with the same pitch angle relative to that of the rigid wing due to the cambered shape of the former. Moreover, the variable-camber hydrofoil could generate considerable flapping responses compared to experimental data, even when a relative small input pitch angle was applied in the estimation.

The conversion of high acid value (AV) waste cooking oils (WCOs) into biofuels was studied using the cracking process over spent fluid catalytic cracking (SFCC) catalysts. The processing of WCO was carried out in a fluid catalytic cracking lab-scale unit with temperatures ranging from 450 to 520 °C. From 480 °C, whatever the spent catalysts, WCOs with AV in range of 6–22 mgKOH/g can be converted to liquid fuels with the near zero AV (AV

Aim It was the aim of this study to develop a zeta potential changing drug delivery system by decorating lipid-based nanocarriers with a polycationic cell penetrating peptide (CPP) and subsequently masking these cationic substructures with polyphosphates. Methods In order to anchor the CPP poly- l -lysine (PLL) on the surface of the oily droplets of an o/w nanoemulsion, stearic acid was covalently attached to the peptide. The resulting CPP-decorated oily droplets were coated with phytic acid and tripolyphosphate. The elimination of these polyphosphates due to cleavage by alkaline phosphatase was monitored by the release of monophosphate from the surface of the nanocarriers, by the change in zeta potential and by cellular uptake studies on Caco-2 cells. Results Polyphosphate coated PLL-decorated nanocarriers exhibited a pronounced conversion of zeta potential from −14.1 mV to +4.2 mV in case of tripolyphosphate coated nanocarriers and from −9.9 mV to −2.6 mV in case of phytic acid coated nanocarriers. The cellular uptake on Caco-2 cells of the polyphosphate coated nanocarriers was 4-fold improved compared to the control nanocarriers. Furthermore, confocal images showed that the majority of nanodroplets distributed in cytoplasm not being internalized into lysosomes. Conclusion Polyphosphate coating of CPP-decorated nanocarriers seems to be a promising and simple strategy to overcome the polycation dilemma.

In this paper, we examine the properly twice epi-differentiability and compute the second order epi-subderivative of the indicator function to a class of sets including the finite union of parabolically derivable and parabolically regular sets. In this way, we provide no-gap second order optimality conditions for a disjunctive constrained problem. Moreover, we derive applications of our results to some types of disjunctive programs.

This Letter proposed a maximum-a-posteriori-based, pilot-aided algorithm for iterative estimation of carrier frequency offset (CFO) and time-varying multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) multipath channel responses in FD orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. Empirical results and related benchmark limits show that the proposed algorithm offers reliable system performance having (i) estimation's mean-squared errors close to related Bayesian Cramer Rao bounds, (ii) data-detection's bit-error rates close to the ideal values under the assumption of perfect channel estimation and synchronisation and (iii) high robustness against the time variation of wireless channels in a network with moving nodes.

In this paper, we first provide some results on first- and second-order analysis to a circular cone complementary set Γ. In this way, we obtain a parabolical regularity of Γ as well as an exact com...

This study reported comprehensive and systematic investigations on size and shape control of silver nanoplates (SNPs) through a simple synthesis route where individual effects of each reactant on surface plasmon resonance of silver nanoplates were thoroughly investigated. SNPs were successfully fabricated via chemical reduction of AgNO3 with the aid of TSC, PVP, NaBH4, and H2O2 as a primary capping agent, secondary capping agent, reducing agent, and oxidative etchant, respectively. The role and effects of each reagent on the size and uniformity of SNPs during the synthesis were deeply investigated. The results showed that both TSC and H2O2 played critical roles in the growth of SNPs. Sufficient amount of TSC in the solution ([TSC]:[Ag+] molar ratio ≤ 22.5) would favor the formation of small-sized SNPs, while large-sized SNPs could be obtained at an excessive concentration of TSC. In addition to TSC, H2O2 was also essential for the formation of SNPs whose size increased with the addition of H2O2. In contrast, PVP did not play a major role in the formation of SNPs. It functioned as a secondary capping agent to prevent the formation of larger SNPs and facilitated the production of small-sized SNPs with equal uniformity. This role of PVP was particularly significant at the low level of TSC. The results were crucial for deeply understanding the individual effects of each reagent on the size and uniformity of SNPs so as to control the size and shape of SNPs for better surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) signals of 4-mercapto benzoic acid (4-MBA).

Aim: Comparison of the impact of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polyglycerol (PG) surface decoration on self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS)-membrane interaction and cellular uptake. Materials & methods: PEG-, PEG/PG- and PG-SEDDS were assessed regarding their self-emulsifying properties, surface charge, bile salt fusibility, cellular uptake and interaction with endosome-mimicking membranes. Results: SEDDS exhibited droplet sizes between 150 and 175 nm, a narrow size distribution and self-emulsified within 7 min. Higher PEG-surfactant amounts in SEDDS resulted in charge-shielding and thus in a decrease of ζ potential up to Δ11 mV. The inert PEG-surface hampered bile salt fusion and interfered SEDDS–cell interaction. By reducing the PEG-surfactant amount to 10%, cellular uptake increased twofold compared with PEG-SEDDS containing 40% PEG-surfactant. PG-SEDDS containing no PEG-surfactants showed a threefold increased cellular uptake. Furthermore, complete replacement of PEG-surfactants by PG-surfactants led to enhanced cellular interaction and improved disruption endosome-like membranes. Conclusion: PG-surfactants demonstrated high potential to address PEG-surface associated drawbacks in SEDDS.

We have developed a 5-electrode recording system that combines an implantable electromyography (EMG) device package with transcutaneous inductive power transmission, near-infrared (NIR) transcutaneous data telemetry and 3 Mbps Wi-Fi data acquisition for chronic EMG recording in vivo . This system comprises a hermetically-sealed single-chip, 5-electrode Implantable EMG Acquisition Device (IEAD), a custom external powering and Implant Telemetry Module (ITM), and a custom Wi-Fi-based Raspberry Pi-based Data Acquisition (RaspDAQ) and relay device. The external unit (ITM and RaspDAQ) is powered entirely by a single battery to achieve the objective of untethered EMG recording, for the convenience of clinicians and animal researchers. The IEAD acquires intramuscular EMG signals at 17.85 ksps/electrode while being powered transcutaneously by the ITM using 22 MHz near-field inductive coupling. The acquired EMG data is transmitted transcutaneously via NIR telemetry to the ITM, which in turn, transfers the data to the RaspDAQ for relaying to a laptop computer for display and storage. We have also validated the complete system by acquiring EMG signals from rodents for up to two months. Following the explantation of the devices, we have also conducted failure and histological analysis on the devices and the surrounding tissue, respectively.

In the paper, we mention a parametrized vector equilibrium problem via sum of two given set-valued maps, considered as a unified model of some problems in variational analysis and optimization. Then, we study sensitivity analysis for this problem in terms of the second-order contingent derivatives. Finally, corresponding results for special cases are implied.

Sodium ternary layered oxides, typically NaNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 (NMC), are layered structures analogous to LiNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2, and have been utilized extensively in sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). The cathode material was successfully synthesized by a sol-gel process followed by a calcination step at 900 °C for 12 h. The triple-phase integration denoted as P2, O1 and O3 in the NMC sample was evidently revealed on XRD diagrams. The composite cathode material acted as an O3 purity phase that exhibited relatively good performance that delivered an initial capacity of 140 mAh g−1 and sustained reversible capacities of nearly 110 mAh g−1 after 100 cycles. The kinetics of sodium intercalation of sol-gel NMC upon reversible Na+ insertion/de-insertion was evaluated via galvanostatic intermittence titration technique (GITT) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The diffusion coefficients of Na+ deduced from the GITT curve were found to lie within a wide range, 10−9–10−12 cm2 s−1 for the charge process and 10−13–10−17 cm2 s−1 for the discharge process. This implies that the kinetics of Na+ extraction out of the NaxNi1/3Mn1/3Co1/3O2 host could be much more favored than Na+ insertion. Additionally, the evolution of diffusion coefficient and charge transfer resistance are consistent with the complex phase transition generally observed in sodium layered oxides.

Using density functional theory (DFT), we performed theoretical investigation on structural, energetic, electronic, and magnetic properties of pure armchair silicene nanoribbons with edges terminated with hydrogen atoms (ASiNRs:H), and the absorptions of silicon (Si) atom(s) on the top of ASiNRs:H. The calculated results show that Si atoms prefer to adsorb on the top site of ASiNRs:H and form the single- and/or di-adatom defects depending on the numbers. Si absorption defect(s) change electronic and magnetic properties of ASiNRs:H. Depending on the adsorption site the band gap of ASiNRs:H can be larger or smaller. The largest band gap of 1 Si atom adsorption is 0.64 eV at site 3, the adsorption of 2 Si atoms has the largest band gap of 0.44 eV at site 1-D, while the adsorption at sites5 and 1-E turn into metallic. The formation energies of Si adsorption show that adatom defects in ASiNRs:H are more preferable than pure ASiNRs:H with silicon atom(s). 1 Si adsorption prefers to be added on the top site of a Si atom and form a single-adatom defect, while Si di-adatom defect has lower formation energy than the single-adatom and the most energetically favorable adsorption is at site 1-F. Si adsorption atoms break spin-degeneracy of ASiNRs:H lead to di-adatom defect at site 1-G has the highest spin moment. Our results suggest new ways to engineer the band gap and magnetic properties silicene materials.

Intensive Pangasius aquaculture farming contributes to increased income and profits in Vietnam, but is also associated with many environmental problems, including pollution from nutrient-rich water and sediments that are released into the environment. This article investigates the feasibility of using Pangasius pond sediments (PPS) in combination with amendments of rice straw (RS) to fertilize cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) and water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica Forssk) plant. The results showed that mixing a ratio of 30% PPS with 70% RS produced the highest nutrient concentrations. The study demonstrates that organic fertilizer produced from PPS in combination with chemical fertilizer can replace 2575% of the inorganic fertilizers used as a nutrient source for cucumber and water spinach, and also increase the vegetable production. The highest yields were found for treatment PPS-3 (a combination of 50% chemical fertilizer and 50% organic fertilizer used on cucumber), and for treatment PPSRS-4 (a combination of 25% chemical fertilizer and 75% organic fertilizer used on water spinach) in both the wet and dry season (P˂0.05). The lowest yields were found when growing cucumbers and water spinach either with 100% organic fertilizer (the treatment PPS-5) or with 100% chemical fertilizer (the control treatment PPS-1), respectively (P˂0.05). Overall, the results indicated that the recycling of PPS as organic fertilizer and chemical fertilizer in combination for vegetable cultivation is more environmentally friendly as compared to using only chemical fertilizers.

Introduction Hair growth-promoting herbal extract mixtures (4HGF) exhibits significant anti-inflammatory activities relevant to promoting hair growth; however, its efficacy in patients with hair loss has been limited majorly due to its low penetration ability into hair follicles. Herein, we prepared hydrogels via dropwise addition of poly(γ-glutamic acid) (PGA) solution containing 4HGF into chitosan (CS) solution, resulting in quick formation of ~400 nm-sized hydrogel particles through electrostatic interaction-derived ionic gelation with over 50% encapsulation efficiency of 4HGF (PGA-4HGF). Methods The size and morphology of PGA-4HGF were characterized by TEM, SEM, and dynamic light scattering analyses. Encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity of 4HGF within PGA-4HGF, as well as in vitro release profiles were determined by simply measuring the characteristic absorbance of 4HGF. Penetrating efficiency of PGA-4HGF was evaluated by tracking the respective fluorescence through model porcine skin with confocal laser microscope system. By treating PGA-4HGF on telogenic mice and dermal papilla cells (DPCs), we evaluated the size of hair bulbs in mice, as well as morphological changes in DPCs. Results Negligible and sustained release of entrapped 4HGF from the hydrogel nanoparticles were observed under acidic and physiological pH conditions, respectively, which is quite advantageous to control their release and prolong their hair growth-promoting effect. The hydrogel nanoparticles were penetrable through the porcine skin after incubation with or without shaking. After treating telogenic mice and DPCs with PGA-4HGF, we detected enlargement of hair bulbs and remarkable shape changes, respectively, thereby showing its potential in induction of hair growth. Conclusion These results suggest that the hydrogel nanoparticle formulation developed in this study can be employed as a potential approach for the preservation of hair growth-promoting compounds, their delivery of into hair follicles, and enhancing hair growth.

In the paper, we first establish relationships between second-order contingent derivatives of a given set-valued map and that of the weak perturbation map. Then, these results are applied to sensitivity analysis for parametric equilibrium problems in set-valued optimization.

Mucus permeation, mucoadhesion and cell membrane interaction are properties that a drug carrier needs to deliver macromolecule compounds through the mucus barrier and inside epithelial cells effectively. Herein, we prepared micelles from phosphorylated chitosan-stearic acid conjugates (CSSAP) possessing those properties. Their zeta potential can be shifted from negative to neutral once contacting with alkaline phosphatase (ALP). CSSAP micelles showed effective mucus permeation and cell association, thus could be used as a promising platform for mucosal drug delivery. CSSAP was obtained via two modifications: alkylation of CS with stearic acid (termed CSSA) followed by phosphorylation utilizing phosphorus pentoxide. CSSAP had critical micelle concentration value of 76 μg/mL and phosphate content of 1066 μmol/g polymer. Micelle hydrodynamic size was 50–60 nm. Upon contacting with ALP, the polymeric micelles showed a phosphate release of 626 μmol/g polymer (~60%) and a zeta potential shift from −20 to −9 mV within 30 min. They exhibited 6-times higher mucus permeation capacity than positively charged CSSA micelles. CSSAP micelles association to Caco-2 and HEK 293 cells depended on the ALP activity. On Caco-2 cells, cell association rate after 3 h was 2-times higher compared to association rate in the presence of 0.5% phosphatase inhibitors.

The general economics or productivity potential of shale gas projects are strongly related to the reservoir characteristics and completion quality. This study proposed a framework for the development of an economic indicator for evaluating the economics of a shale gas project based on the reservoir parameters, hydraulic fracturing parameters, and various gas price scenarios. Nine key parameters were selected as the most influential factors through a sensitivity analysis study: the reservoir pressure, reservoir thickness, porosity, permeability, initial gas saturation, adsorbed gas content, fracture half-length, fracture conductivity, and fracture spacing. A total 87 simulation cases were modeled and simulated based on the key parameters, whose ranges were based on the Barnett shale reservoir properties to define the relationship between the net present value (NPV) of a well along with the reservoir properties and hydraulic fracturing qualities. An indicator-based multivariate exponential function was then developed in terms of the key parameters. A strong correlation was observed between the economic indicator (SREI) and the NPV of a shale gas project. The parameters in the developed indicator were then divided by their base values to develop a dimensionless indicator. The dimensionless economic indicator was incorporated with a range of gas prices from $2 to $8 USD/Mcf to develop a dynamic economic indicator called the SREI_D. The results showed that value of SREI_D should be greater than 1.088 for a gas well in Barnett shale reservoir to be economically feasible, which shows a positive NPV. The results from the cross-validation test indicated that SREI_D can properly describe the relationship between the NPV of a shale gas well and the reservoir parameters and hydraulic fracturing parameters. The proposed economic indicator is a useful tool for identifying sweet spots in a shale gas reservoir. Furthermore, the use of SREI_D is efficient and convenient, and the proposed indicator can be used to identify the economic feasibility of a shale gas well for various gas price scenarios without calculating the NPV. The results of this study can be extended as a general economic indicator for major shale gas basins in the USA or in other countries.

The aim of this study was to synthesize novel polymeric excipients forming mucoadhesive films for treatment of vaginal microbial infections. 2-(2-Amino ethyldisulfanyl) nicotinic acid was conjugated with gellan gum via amide bond formation. The structure of the resulting S-protected gellan gum was confirmed by 1H NMR. S-protected gellan gum variants were characterized for thiol content, cytotoxicity, rheological behaviour and film forming capability. Depending on the added amount of AMENA degree of thiolation was 81 ± 13 (S-GG 81) and 174 ± 16 (S-GG 174) μmol/g, respectively. Vaginal films were casted from S-protected gellan gum variants and studied for adherence to vaginal mucosa, drug release and antimicrobial activity. S-protected gellan gum remained biocompatible showing >87% cell viability. S-GG 81 and S-GG 174 exhibited 1.84- and 4.3-fold increased dynamic viscosity in porcine mucus in comparison to unmodified gellan gum, respectively. Compared to gellan gum films, thiol functionalized gellan gum films showed 3-fold improved adhesion on mucosal surface over a period of 3 h along with significant antimicrobial activity. Moreover, S-protected gellan gum provided a sustained release of metronidazole. According to these results, S-protected gellan gum proved to be a promising novel excipient for casting vaginal films, exhibiting strongly improved mucoadhesive and antimicrobial properties.

In this work, syntheses of crystalline DDR powder and DDR membranes were studied with regard to memory effects happening to the repetitively used synthesis vessel. It was found that promoted nucleation and growth towards DDR framework structures occur during a certain number of synthesis sequences. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and single-gas permeation tests were partially used to characterize obtained DDR crystals, as-synthesized DDR membranes as well as detemplated DDR membranes. The results implied that intermediate residues remain as traces on or within the re-used synthesis liner wall and act as seeds in the subsequent synthesis approaches. The obtained crystals derived from the different synthesis sequences were used as seed materials for DDR membrane growth. It could be shown that thin films of pure DDR phase start to form onto alumina supports within 18 h secondary growth and a defect-free DDR membrane can be achieved after 24 h of synthesis.

The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate a self-emulsifying delivery system (SEDDS) for oral rutin fatty ester administration and to improve its mucus permeating properties by the incorporation of the silicon polymer poly [dimethylsiloxane-co-(3-(2-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethoxy)propyl]methylsiloxane] (PDMSHEPMS) in the formulation. In order to increase the lipophilicity of the flavonoid and to dissolve it in SEDDS, enzymatic acylation of rutin with lauric acid was catalyzed by lipase from Candida antarctica in acetone. Different formulations were evaluated regarding their emulsifying properties and ability to dissolve the rutin ester. Suitable SEDDS was chosen and characterized regarding droplet size, polydispersity index, and zeta potential. The rutin fatty ester was loaded into SEDDS to 7% (w/w). Different concentrations of PDMSHEPMS were incorporated in SEDDS for following mucus permeation studies. Formulation with 10% of PDMSHEPMS showed 1.9-fold increase in mucus permeation compared to the formulation without PDMSHEPMS. Furthermore, the formulation with 10% of PDMSHEPMS showed a significant increase in mucus permeation compared with rutin fatty ester without formulation. According to these results, SEDDS containing PDMSHEPMS might be a promising strategy to increase the oral bioavailability of rutin.

Paraphrase identification plays an important role with various applications in natural language processing tasks such as machine translation, bilingual information retrieval, plagiarism detection, etc. With the development of information technology and the Internet, the requirement of textual comparing is not only in the same language but also in many different language pairs. Especially in Vietnamese, detecting paraphrase in the English–Vietnamese pair of sentences is a high demand because English is one of the most popular foreign languages in Vietnam. However, the in-depth studies on cross- language paraphrase identification tasks between English and Vietnamese are still limited. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a method to identify the English–Vietnamese cross-language paraphrase cases, using hybrid feature classes. These classes are calculated by using the fuzzy-based method as well as the siamese recurrent model, and then combined to get the final result with a mathematical formula. The experimental results show that our model achieves 87.4% F-measure accuracy.

One of the promising renewable energy sources is converting CO2 into useful chemical fuels; it will help to overcome both energy supply and global warming issues. Among various methods for CO2 redu...

In the paper, we develop sum and chain rules of the generalized contingent derivative for set-valued mappings. Then, their applications to sensitivity analysis and optimality conditions for some particular optimization problems are given. Our results extend some recent existing ones in the literature.

There is great potential to build new energy-efficient building blocks in combination with efficient energy supply systems. Such a development will contribute to achieve national energy and climate goals as well as the overall aim for a sustainable development. Here, we analyze final and primary energy use for heating a new residential area by using district-heating. The area, located in Vaxjo, in south Sweden has potentially varied land exploitation levels, energy performance of buildings and district heat supply/return temperatures. The results show that the district heating demand will be reduced by about 52-56% if buildings in the area meet the Swedish passive house criteria instead of the Swedish building code. The exploitation levels of construction in the area strongly influence the total heating demands. A dense instead of a low exploitation will increase the area’s heating demand more than four times. But, the heat demand density of the residential area has quite a small impact on the total heat losses of the distribution network in contrast to changed supply and return temperatures. The distribution heat losses could be reduced by up to 50% with lower supply/return temperatures. However, a reduction of district heat supply/return temperatures to 50/20oC increases electricity use for boosting hot water temperature to avoid the risk of legionella bacteria. This causes a shift from district heat production to electricity production and increases the primary energy use. The results of this study can be used for further considerations of costs and benefits of energy supply options for new residential areas.

The choice of a heat supply option in new residential areas depends on various factors including available local energy resources and the scale and density of the heat demand in the areas. Here, we study costs and primary energy use of using district heat (DH) and ground-source electric heat pump (EHP) for heating a residential area being developed. We consider different architecture layouts and exploitations of the area along with different building energy efficiency standards which give different heat demand densities and profiles for this residential area. The analysis shows that for existing fuel-based energy supply systems, using DH is more primary energy efficient than using EHP to supply heat to the new residential area. However, if the future production of marginal electricity is based on state-of-the art technologies utilizing renewable energy resources, using EHP can be more primary energy efficient than using DH. The initial investment costs are much lower for options using DH than for options using ground-source EHP for the different exploitation alternatives. Also, the marginal heat cost for suppling DH to the residential area, excluding the sunk capital costs, is significantly lower than the heat cost for supplying heat with ground-source EHPs. The potential use of local ground-source heat linked to the exploitation level of residential area and energy performance of the buildings should be further analyzed in comparison to the use of other types of heat sources such as ambient air or ventilation air.

The critical exponents and magnetocaloric properties of La0.7Sr0.3Mn1−xTixO3 with x = 0 and 0.05 have been explored via magnetic measurements. The magnetic data analyzed in the critical region by using modified Arrott plots, the Kouvel–Fisher method, and the scaling hypothesis reveal values for the critical parameters of β = 0.3165 and 0.3027, γ = 1.1121 and 1.203, and δ = 4.7556 and 4.833 for x = 0 and x = 0.05 respectively. These values are in agreement with the three-dimensional (3D) Ising model. The n values obtained from the law $$ \Delta S_{\rm{max} } = a(\mu_{0} H)^{n} $$ are 0.648 and 0.685. The maximum values of the magnetic entropy change are 1.65 J/kg K and 1.46 J/kg K under a magnetic field change of 10 kOe for x = 0.00 and 0.05, respectively. These results can be explained in the scenario of the short-range interaction and the phase separation as well as the diluted magnetic effect in manganites.

Super broadband NIR (near-infrared) emission and energy transfer of Nd–Bi–Er co-doped transparent silicate glass-ceramics under excitation 808 nm laser diode were investigated. Super broadband NIR emission in Nd–Bi–Er co-doped extending from 1000 to 1600 nm with a full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 600 nm were observed. This result is due to the overlapping NIR emission band centered at 1275 nm (ES1 → GS) of Bi-related and NIR emission band centered at 1063 nm (4F3/2 → 4I11/2) of Nd3+ as well as NIR emission spectral band centered at 1546 nm (4I13/2 → 4I15/2) of Er3+. At the same time, the energy transfer processes between Bi-related, Nd3+ and Er3+ were also discussed and proposed.

The near/mid-infrared emission of Er3+-doped, Er3+-Yb3+ co-doped and Er3+-Mn2+-Yb3+ tri-doped in 40SiO2–(22.9-x)Al2O3–20BaF2–10LaF3–5TiO2– xMnO–0.1Er2O3–2Yb2O3 (in mol.%, x = 0, 2.0, 4.0, 6.0 and 10.0) (acronym: SGC-xMn) transparent silicate glass-ceramics were prepared. Enhanced near/mid-infrared emission intensity of Er3+-doped bands centered at ∼1.54 and ∼2.73 µm in transparent silicate glass-ceramics via Mn2+–Yb3+ dimer under 980 nm excitation were investigated. XRD results indicate that the Mn2+ ions are dispersed into the glass matrix. With the forming of Mn2+–Yb3+ dimer and the energy transfer processes from Mn2+–Yb3+ dimer and Mn2+ to Er3+ ions has led to NIR emission intensity of Er3+-doped at ∼1.54 µm was increased significantly about four-fold and the MIR emission intensity of Er3+-doped at ∼2.73 µm was increased about third-fold. In addition, based on the decay time spectra, mechanism of energy transfer processes between Mn2+–Yb3+ dimer, Mn2+ and Er3+ ions were also discussed.

Accurately modeling local surface properties of objects is crucial to many robotic applications, from grasping to material recognition. Surface properties like friction are however difficult to estimate, as visual observation of the object does not convey enough information over these properties. In contrast, haptic exploration is time consuming as it only provides information relevant to the explored parts of the object. In this work, we propose a joint visuo-haptic object model that enables the estimation of surface friction coefficient over an entire object by exploiting the correlation of visual and haptic information, together with a limited haptic exploration by a robotic arm. We demonstrate the validity of the proposed method by showing its ability to estimate varying friction coefficients on a range of real multi-material objects. Furthermore, we illustrate how the estimated friction coefficients can improve grasping success rate by guiding a grasp planner toward high friction areas., Published in RA-L and ICRA2021. 8 pages, 8 figures. Tin IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 2021

Laccases are important multicopper oxidases that are involved in many biotechnological processes; however, they suffer from poor stability as well as high cost for production/purification. Herein, we found that DNA-copper hybrid nanoflowers, prepared via simple self-assembly of DNA and copper ions, exhibit an intrinsic laccase-mimicking activity, which is significantly higher than that of control materials formed in the absence of DNA. Upon testing all four nucleobases, we found that hybrid nanoflowers composed of guanine-rich ssDNA and copper phosphate (GNFs) showed the highest catalytic activity, presumably due to the affirmative coordination between guanine and copper ions. At the same mass concentration, GNFs had similar Km but 3.5-fold higher Vmax compared with those of free laccase, and furthermore, they exhibited significantly-enhanced stability in ranges of pH, temperature, ionic strength, and incubation period of time. Based on these advantageous features, GNFs were applied to paper microfluidic devices for colorimetric detection of diverse phenolic compounds such as dopamine, catechol, and hydroquinone. In the presence of phenolic compounds, GNFs catalyzed their oxidation to react with 4-aminoantipyrine for producing a colored adduct, which was conveniently quantified from an image acquired using a conventional smartphone with ImageJ software. Besides, GNFs successfully catalyzed the decolorization of neutral red dye much faster than free laccase. This work will facilitate the development of nanoflower-type nanozymes for a wide range of applications in biosensors and bioremediation.

Exosomes contain cargoes of proteins, lipids, micro-ribonucleic acids, and functional messenger RNAs, and they play a key role in cell-to-cell communication and hold valuable information about biological processes such as disease pathology. To harvest their potentials in disease diagnostics, prognostics, and therapeutics, exosome isolation is a crucial first step in providing pure and intact samples for both research and clinical purposes. Unfortunately, conventional methods for exosome separation suffer from low purity, low capture efficiency, long processing time, large sample volume requirement, the need for dedicated equipment and trained personnel, and high cost. In the last decade, microfluidic devices, especially those that incorporate nanostructures, have emerged as superior alternatives for exosome isolation and detection. In this review, we examine microfluidic platforms, dividing them into six categories based on their capture mechanisms: passive-structure-based affinity, immunomagnetic-based affinity, filtration, acoustofluidics, electrokinetics, and optofluidics. Here, we start out exploring the research and clinical needs that translate into important performance parameters for new exosome isolation designs. Then, we briefly introduce the conventional methods and discuss how their failure to meet those performance standards sparks an intense interest in microfluidic device innovations. The essence of this review is to lead an in-depth discussion on not only the technicality of those microfluidic platforms, but also their strengths and weaknesses with regards to the performance parameters set forth. To close the conversation, we call for the inclusion of exosome confirmation and contamination evaluation as part of future device development and performance assessment process, so that collectively, efforts towards microfluidics and nanotechnology for exosome isolation and analysis may soon see the light of real-world applications.

With the development of technology, data is becoming an extremely valuable resource. Data is being created, analyzed and used in a massive scale in every modern system. As a result, data analysis and data mining are very essential in each aspect of social applications. The value of data will be more useful if it can be linked and merged with other different data resources, especially for solving current social problems. In order to make a reality of this big challenge, data transformation is a crucial step that we have to overcome. Among data conversion methods, the intermediate method is to be a preferable one due to its expandable ability. However, for this type of model, finding the intermediate data type for the system is the crucial problem that needs to be solved firstly. In this paper, we will make comparisons among some popular data formats to find the appropriate data type for this elastic data conversion system.

This is the first report on utilizing hydrolyzed karaya gum (HKG) as a novel polyanion material for complex coacervation with gelatin A. With negative zeta potentials at pH > 2.5, HKG formed the complex coacervate with a maximum yield at pH 3.75 and 1 : 1 HKG:gelatin ratio. The optimal complex coacervates were used to encapsulate soybean oil containing curcumin using different shell:core ratios, homogenization speeds, concentrations of emulsifier, and drying techniques. Optical microscopy showed that increasing homogenization speed and Tween 80 concentration produced smaller and more uniform coacervate particles. Increasing the shell:core mass ratio from 1 to 4 resulted in a linear increase in encapsulation efficiencies for both soybean oil and curcumin. Accelerated peroxidation tests on the microcapsules showed enhanced protective effects against oil peroxidation when increasing shell:core ratios and using freeze-drying instead of oven-drying at 50 oC. In vitro release of curcumin in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids was faster when using freeze-drying and decreasing shell:core ratio. This study shows perspective novel applications of HKG in microencapsulating active ingredients for food and pharmaceutical industries.

This research aims to evaluate the influence of different 3D metals (Fe, Co, and Ni) substituted to Mn on the electrochemical performance of P2-NaxMe1/3Mn2/3O2 material, which was synthesized by the coprecipitation process followed by calcination at high temperature. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results revealed that the synthesized Mn-rich materials possessed a P2-type structure with a negligible amount of oxide impurities. The materials possessed their typical cyclic voltammogram and charge-discharge profiles; indeed, a high reversible redox reaction was obtained by NaxCo1/3Mn2/3O2 sample. Both NaxCo1/3Mn2/3O2 and NaxFe1/3Mn2/3O2 provided a high specific capacity of above 140 mAh·g−1; however, the former showed better cycling performance with 83% capacity retention after 50 cycles at C/10 and high rate capability. Meanwhile, the Ni-sub NaxNi1/3Mn2/3O2 exhibited excellent cycling stability but a low specific capacity of 110 mAh·g−1 and inferior rate capability. The diffusion coefficient of Na+ ions into the structure tended to decrease with a depth of discharge; those values were in the range of 10−10–10−9 cm2·s−1 and 10−11–10−10 cm2·s−1 in the solid solution region and biphasic region, respectively.

Herein, the single-atom Ni site heterogeneous catalysts supported by the UiO-66 structure (University of Oslo-66 metal organic framework) were successfully synthesized by a postsynthetic metalation method, where Ni ions are covalently attached to the missing-linker defect sites at zirconium oxide clusters (Zr6O4(OH)4) in as-prepared UiO-66 structure, [Zr6O4(OH)4(BDC)(DMF)10(OH)10] (BDC (benzene-1,4-dicarboxylate), DMF (dimethylformamide)). The structure properties of the catalysts were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms (BET), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). It was found that single-atom Ni heterogeneous catalysts supported by the UiO-66 structure, UiO-66/Ni1.0 [Zr6O4(OH)4(C8H4O4)(DMF)10(OH)8Ni2(OH)2(Cl)2], showed a sphere-like morphology with a high specific surface area as well as good thermal stability. Specifically, the as-prepared UiO-66/Ni1.0 exhibited the excellent catalytic activity and stability for 4-nitrophenol reduction in terms of low activation energy ( E a = 23.15 kJ mo l − 1 ), high turnover frequency (76.19 molecules g-1 min-1), and high apparent rate constant ( k app = 0.956 mi n − 1 ). In addition, methylene blue (MB) was also chosen as the organic dye model for catalytic reduction reaction. The k app and TOF for the reduction of MB using UiO-66/Ni1.0 were 0.787 min−1 and 33.89 × 10 20 molecules g−1 min−1, respectively.

Trabajo presentado en el International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), celebrado de forma híbrida (virtual y presencial), desde Xian (China), del 30 de mayo al 5 de junio de 2021, While there exists many methods for manipulating rigid objects with parallel-jaw grippers, grasping with multi- finger robotic hands remains a quite unexplored research topic. Reasoning and planning collision-free trajectories on the additional degrees of freedom of several fingers represents an important challenge that, so far, involves computationally costly and slow processes. In this work, we present Multi-FinGAN, a fast generative multi-finger grasp sampling method that synthesizes high quality grasps directly from RGB-D images in about a second. We achieve this by training in an end-to-end fashion a coarse-to-fine model composed of a classification network that distinguishes grasp types according to a specific taxonomy and a refinement network that produces refined grasp poses and joint angles. We experimentally validate and benchmark our method against a standard grasp-sampling method on 790 grasps in simulation and 20 grasps on a real Franka Emika Panda. All experimental results using our method show consistent improvements both in terms of grasp quality metrics and grasp success rate. Remarkably, our approach is up to 20-30 times faster than the baseline, a significant improvement that opens the door to feedback-based grasp re-planning and task informative grasping. Code is available at https://irobotics.aalto.fi/multi-fingan/., This work was supported in part by the Academy of Finland Strategic Research Council grant 314180, CHIST-ERA project IPALM, Finland 326304, Spain PCI2019-103386, and by the Spanish government with projects HuMoUR TIN2017-90086-R and Maria de Maeztu Seal of Excellence MDM-2016-0656

Background The first nationwide lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic was implemented in Vietnam from April 1 to 15, 2020. Nevertheless, there has been limited information on the impact of COVID-19 on the psychological health of the public. Objective This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of psychological issues and identify the factors associated with the psychological impact of COVID-19 during the first nationwide lockdown among the general population in Vietnam. Methods We employed a cross-sectional study design with convenience sampling. A self-administered, online survey was used to collect data and assess psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and stress of participants from April 10 to 15, 2020. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) were utilized to assess psychological distress, depression, anxiety, and stress of participants during social distancing due to COVID-19. Associations across factors were explored using regression analysis. Results A total of 1385 respondents completed the survey. Of this, 35.9% (n=497) experienced psychological distress, as well as depression (n=325, 23.5%), anxiety (n=195, 14.1%), and stress (n=309, 22.3%). Respondents who evaluated their physical health as average had a higher IES-R score (beta coefficient [B]=9.16, 95% CI 6.43 to 11.89), as well as higher depression (B=5.85, 95% CI 4.49 to 7.21), anxiety (B=3.64, 95% CI 2.64 to 4.63), and stress (B=5.19, 95% CI 3.83 to 6.56) scores for DASS-21 than those who rated their health as good or very good. Those who self-reported their health as bad or very bad experienced more severe depression (B=9.57, 95% CI 4.54 to 14.59), anxiety (B=7.24, 95% CI 3.55 to 10.9), and stress (B=10.60, 95% CI 5.56 to 15.65). Unemployment was more likely to be associated with depression (B=3.34, 95% CI 1.68 to 5.01) and stress (B=2.34, 95% CI 0.84 to 3.85). Regarding worries about COVID-19, more than half (n=755, 54.5%) expressed concern for their children aged Conclusions The findings highlight the effect of COVID-19 on mental health during the nationwide lockdown among the general population in Vietnam. The study provides useful evidence for policy decision makers to develop and implement interventions to mitigate these impacts.

Aim The aim of this study was to form hydrophobic ion-pairs of proteinase with cationic surfactants and to incorporate them into self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS) to improve their mucus permeating properties. Methods Proteinase was ion-paired with benzalkonium chloride (BAK), hexadecylpyridinium chloride (HDP), alkyltrimethylammonium bromide (ATA) and hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HDT) at pH 8.5-9.0, and subsequently incorporated into SEDDS consisting of Cremophor EL, propylene glycol, and Capmul 808-G (40/20/40). Mucus permeation of SEDDS containing proteinase complexes was evaluated via rotating tube technique and cell-free Transwell® insert system. Additionally, enzymatic activity of proteinase complexes as well as their potential cytotoxicity was evaluated. Results Among all tested hydrophobic ion-pairs, proteinase/BAK showed highest potential. Mucus diffusion of SEDDS containing proteinase/BAK complex yielded in 2.3-fold and 2.5-fold higher mucus permeability with respect to blank SEDDS at Transwell® insert system and rotating tube technique, respectively. Furthermore, proteinase/BAK complex maintained the highest enzymatic activity of 50.5 ± 5.6% compared to free proteinase. At a SEDDS concentration as low as 0.006% cell viability was just 80%. The addition of proteinase complexes to SEDDS increased cytotoxicity on Caco-2 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Conclusion SEDDS loaded with proteinase/BAK complexes are promising nanocarriers because of enhanced mucus permeating properties.

We present in this paper a combined technique of long short-term memory and hidden Markov model to prediction problems of crack propagation in engineering. The primary advantage of the hidden Markov model is that the ability to learn with less information, in other words, its future states do not depend on past ones, based only on the present state. We use long short-term memory to train data, and output consequences improved by adding predicted different changes that are computed by hidden Markov model. Applying this combined method to numerical examples of forecasting crack propagation of singled-edge-notched beam forced by 4-point shear, crack-height growth in Marcellus shale under the hydraulic fracturing and deformations of dam structures made from fiber reinforced concrete material is addressed. The tests were carried out with many different sizes of experimental data. It was found that a combined long short-term memory - hidden Markov model results in more accurate solution than only using long short-term memory, especially in the case of the dataset that is lack of information.

Alpha-calcium sulfate hemihydrate (&alpha, HH) has been used effectively in grafting through its desired features to support bone regeneration. In recent years, many synthetic methods have been proposed. Among them, the autoclave method for manufacturing &alpha, HH is best suited for cost-savings due to its simple operation and limited use of additives. Despite these advantages, the synthesis of surgical grade products without the use of any additives has not yet been clearly discussed. In this study, surgical grade &alpha, HH was successfully produced from calcium sulfate dihydrate (DH) using the autoclave method at an elevated temperature and pressure. The synthesized powder had a high purity of about 98.62% &alpha, HH with a prismatic morphology (20.96 &plusmn, 8.83 &micro, m in length and 1.30 &plusmn, 0.71 &micro, m in diameter). The screening tests, in simulated body fluid (SBF) solution, for the product properties showed no bioactivity, and fast degradation accompanied by a slight decrease in pH. The lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay showed good biocompatibility of the material, however, its potential for cytotoxicity was also observed in NIH 3T3 cells. Briefly, despite some unfavorable properties, the autoclave-synthesized &alpha, HH is a promising bone graft substitute that can be applied in orthopedic and maxillofacial surgeries.

Silver nanodecahedrons were successfully synthesized by a photochemical method under irradiation of blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs). The formation of silver nanodecahedrons at different LED irradiation times (0&ndash, 72 h) was thoroughly investigated by employing different characterization methods such as ultraviolet&ndash, visible spectroscopy (UV&ndash, Vis), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Raman spectroscopy. The results showed that silver nanodecahedrons (AgNDs) were formed from silver nanoseeds after 6 h of LED irradiation. The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effects of the synthesized AgNDs were also studied in comparison with those of spherical silver nanoparticles in the detection of 4-mercapto benzoic acid. Silver nanodecahedrons with a size of 48 nm formed after 48 h of LED irradiation displayed stronger SERS properties than spherical nanoparticles because of electromagnetic enhancement. The formation mechanism of silver nanodecahedrons is also reported in our study. The results showed that multihedral silver nanoseeds favored the formation of silver nanodecahedrons.

Aim Development of a preactivated thiomer as sprayable excipient for mucoadhesive formulations. Methods CG4500 (acrylic acid/acrylamide-methyl propane sulfonic acid copolymer) was thiolated by conjugation with L-cysteine and preactivated by further modification with 2-mercaptonicotinic acid (MNA) in a two-step synthesis and characterized regarding degree of modification and cytotoxicity on Caco-2 cells. The mucoadhesive properties of this novel thiomer were evaluated via rheological synergism, tensile and mucosal residence time studies. Furthermore, the sprayability of the thiomer was evaluated. Results The newly synthesized derivatives CG4500-SH and CG4500-S-S-MNA showed mean coupling rates of 651 µmol thiol groups and 264 µmol MNA per gram polymer, respectively. Even for the unmodified polymer a rheological synergism was observed with isolated porcine intestinal mucus, which was 2.81-fold higher in case of the preactivated thiomer. Mucoadhesion studies on freshly excised porcine intestinal mucosa confirmed these results via a 2.43-fold higher total work of adhesion and a 2.31-fold higher mucosal residence time of the preactivated thiomer. In sprayability tests it was shown that solutions of the preactivated thiomer could be sprayed in concentrations up to 12% (m/V). Conclusion The novel polymer CG4500-S-S-MNA is a promising sprayable excipient for mucoadhesive formulations.

In this study, Fe3O4/ZnO/chitosan magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized by an ultrasound-assisted coprecipitation method. The magnetic nanoparticles were characterized by XRD, FT-IR, FESEM, and VSM techniques. The effects of ultrasonication time and content of chitosan on crystal size and lattice parameters of the nanoparticles were also studied via XRD spectra. FESEM measurements revealed that the coating consists of Fe3O4/ZnO nanoparticles of 15-20 nm in diameter homogeneously dispersed on the surface of chitosan substance. The VSM measurements at room temperature showed that the Fe3O4/ZnO/chitosan nanoparticles had superparamagnetic properties. These results indicated that ultrasonication time and chitosan content had a significant effect on the characteristics of nanoparticles. The antibacterial activities of the Fe3O4/ZnO/chitosan were tested against both gram-positive Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Bacillus subtilis and gram-negative E. coli bacteria using a disk diffusion method.

The farthest-first-traversal (fft) algorithm originally was used by Rosenkrantz et al. in an analysis of heuristics for the traveling salesman problem. This algorithm has been extensively studied for several sampling techniques. In this work, we present a modification of ProTraS algorithm given by Ros and Guillaume, which is also based on the fft algorithm, for sampling datasets for both k-means and k-median clustering algorithms. Unlike ProTraS, proposed algorithm takes the size of samples as an input. The algorithm is implemented in the Spark platform and tested for benchmark datasets. We also estimate the algorithm by comparing with the adaptive sampling and lightweight coreset algorithms, using the adjust Rand index.

This study examined the relationship between the early production data and the long-term performance of shale gas wells, including the estimated ultimate recovery (EUR) and economics. The investigated early production data are peak gas production rate, 3-, 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-month cumulative gas production (CGP). Based on production data analysis of 485 reservoir simulation datasets, CGP at 12 months (CGP_12m) was selected as a key input parameter to predict a long-term shale gas well&rsquo, s performance in terms of the EUR and net present value (NPV) for a given well. The developed prediction models were then validated using the field production data from 164 wells which have more than 10 years of production history in Barnett Shale, USA. The validation results showed strong correlations between the predicted data and field data. This suggests that the proposed models can predict the shale gas production and economics reliably in Barnett shale area. Only a short history of production (one year) can be used to estimate the EUR and NPV of various production periods for a gas well. Moreover, the proposed prediction models are consistently applied for young wells with short production histories and lack of reservoir and hydraulic fracturing data.

In the present work, the modified bentonites were prepared by the modification of bentonite with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), both cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and hydroxy-Fe cations and both cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and hydroxy-Al cations. X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal analysis (TG-DTA), infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms were utilized to characterize the resultant modified bentonites. The modified bentonites were employed for the removal of phenol red dye from aqueous solution. Phenol red adsorption agreed well with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model. The equilibrium data were analyzed on the basis of various adsorption isotherm models, namely, Langmuir, Freundlich, and Dubinin‒Radushkevich models. The highest monolayer adsorption capacity of phenol red at 30°C derived from the Langmuir equation was 166.7 mg·g−1, 125.0 mg·g−1, and 100.0 mg·g−1 for CTAB‒bentonite, Al‒CTAB‒bentonite, and Fe‒CTAB‒bentonite, respectively. Different thermodynamic parameters were calculated, and it was concluded that the adsorption was spontaneous (∆G° H° > 0), with increased entropy (∆S° > 0) in all the investigated temperature ranges.

In this study, mixed oxides of Mn-Cu and Fe-Cu on OMS-2 support having an octahedral structure were synthesized by the refluxing and impregnation methods. The characteristics of the materials were analyzed by XRD, FTIR, SEM, EDX, and H2-TPR. In the CO oxidation test, CuFeOx/OMS-2 had slightly higher catalytic activity but is significantly more stable than CuMnOx/OMS-2 and CuO/OMS-2. Due to its lower reduction temperature in H2-TPR analysis, the Mars-Van-Krevelen mechanism for CuFeOx/OMS-2 (Cu2+–O–Fe3+ ↔ Cu+–□–Fe2+) could take place more energetically than CuO/OMS-2 and CuMnOx/OMS-2 (Cu2+–O2−–Mn4+ ↔ Cu+–□–Mn3+). In addition, the interaction between Fe and Cu in the catalyst could improve the durability of the surface oxides structure in comparison with that between Mn and Cu. With the high specific rate and TOF of 28.6 mmol/h.g and 0.508, respectively, CuFeOx/OMS-2 has a great potential as an effective catalyst for low-temperature oxidation application in CO and possible VOCs removal.

In Vietnam, Dzung Quat Refinery disposes about 7300 tonnes of spent fluid catalytic cracking (SFCC) catalysts per year. The recovery of rare earth metals (La(III), Ce(III),…) contained in SFCC catalysts using acid leaching process has attracted much attention of scientific community. In this study, the effect of alkaline pre-treatment of spent catalysts prior to the acid leaching process on the leaching yield of La(III) was investigated. The results showed that alkaline pre-treatment caused zeolite destruction, which had a positive effect on the leaching of La(III). High leaching yields of La(III), 80% and 86%, were achieved when the SFCC catalysts were pre-treated with NaOH and NH3, respectively, before leaching with 2 M HNO3 solution at 50 °C. These results were comparable with the one obtained from the sample that was leached by 7 M HNO3 at 50 °C without the initial alkaline pre-treatment. NH3 pre-treatment significantly enhanced the zeolite destruction in the SFCC catalysts and increased La(III) leaching yield compared to the NaOH pre-treatment. It is likely due to NH3 interactions with contaminant metals (e.g. Ni, V, and Fe), which were deposited on catalysts during cracking process.

In the paper, we first extend calculus rules of variational sets, known as a kind of generalized derivatives for set-valued maps, from the first order to the second order. Then, we study sensitivity analysis of parametric set-valued equilibrium problems under the weak efficiency in terms of these sets.