Programming cell surface signaling via phase separation-controlled compartmentalization

Cell surface signaling landscapes are formidably complex. Robust tools capable of manipulating the spatiotemporal distribution of cell surface proteins (CSPs) for dissecting signaling are in high demand. Some CSPs are regulated via multivalency-driven liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). Employing the robustness and versatility of LLPS, we decided to engineer LLPS-based tools for precisely manipulating CSPs. We generated membrane-tethering LLPS systems by fusing multivalent modular phase separation scaffold pairs with CSP binders. Phase separation of the scaffold pairs, concomitant compartmentalization of CSPs on membranes, and cluster-dependent signaling outputs of CSPs require membrane recruitment of one or both scaffolds. We also engineered orthogonal phase separation systems to segregate CSPs into mutually exclusive compartments. The engineered phase separation systems can robustly cluster individual CSPs, co-cluster two or more CSPs, or segregate different CSPs into distinct compartments on cell surfaces. These novel tools will enable the dissection of complicated cell signaling landscapes with unprecedented precision.

Coal and Gangue Recognition Method Based on Local Texture Classification Network for Robot Picking

Coal gangue is a kind of industrial waste in the coal mine preparation process. Compared to conventional manual or machine-based separation technology, vision-based methods and robotic grasping are superior in cost and maintenance. However, the existing methods may have a poor recognition accuracy problem in diverse environments since coals and gangues’ apparent features can be unreliable. This paper analyzes the current methods and proposes a vision-based coal and gangue recognition model LTC-Net for separation systems. The preprocessed full-scale images are divided into n × n local texture images since coals and gangues differ more on a smaller scale, enabling the model to overcome the influence of characteristics that tend to change with the environment. A VGG16-based model is trained to classify the local texture images through a voting classifier. Prediction is given by a threshold. Experiments based on multi-environment datasets show higher accuracy and stability of our method compared to existing methods. The effect of n and t is also discussed.

Thermodynamic Modeling of CO2 Separation Systems with Soluble, Redox-Active Capture Species

Electrochemical approaches hold promise for energy-efficient and modular carbon dioxide (CO2) separation systems that can make direct use of renewably-generated electricity. Here we employ a thermodynamic modeling approach to estimate the upper performance bounds of CO2 separation processes that use soluble, redox-active capture species. We contemplate the impact of tunable molecular and electrolyte properties on the thermodynamic and faradaic efficiencies of four characteristic system configurations. We find a tradeoff between these efficiency metrics, and propose a new metric, the combined efficiency, that can be used to further explore this tradeoff and identify desirable property sets that balance energy and materials requirements. Subsequently, we determine effective CO2 binding affinities of redox-active capture molecules and demonstrate how these values are dependent upon molecular properties, system format, and operating conditions. Overall, this analytical framework can help guide molecular discovery and electrolyte engineering in this emerging field by providing insight into target material properties.

Source separation in municipal solid waste management: Practical means to its success in Asian cities

Source separation plays a pivotal role in sustainable and integrated Municipal Solid Waste Management (MSWM) and in achieving a circular economy in Asia. However, it is still not an official practice, and many cities continue to utilise open dumping, involving receiving mixed waste without pre-treatment. This paper, therefore, examines the advantages of source separation of MSW and explores the main factors for success in the planning and implementation of official source separation programmes in cities in Asia. Analysis of the results for two case studies in India and Japan could be used to strengthen capacities of policymakers in designing and implementing official source separation systems to facilitate material recovery and achieve sustainable development in Asia.

A novel design on polymeric material recycling technology

The necessity for recycling of wastes has increased nowadays and there are various solutions according to the types of wastes which are presented accordingly. By observing these solutions, the recycling system from the waste collection and separation system of the long-term disappearing of polymer waste to the additive manufacturing design stage has been indicated. Waste collection and separation systems have been reviewed and systems to be used effectively in the systematic way have been exemplified. Among four different separating systems which are with rotating, rail and fixed containers, fixed container four-sorting waste separation systems were chosen and developed as a mechatronic system design. The mechatronic system design is very prominent in order to create efficient and economical mechanisms in fixed-container four-sorting waste separation collection system (FCWS) applications. In addition, physical mechatronic system design (MSD), mechanical design, material selection, electrical electronic design sub-heading and cost analysis were made. In this study, the necessity and importance of the waste separation plants are revealed

Verification of regulatory activity reports in the heating sector: process and outcomes

The reports of the heating sector are one of the most important sources of heating data, accurate and reasonable pricing and is an essential objective of public interest. The verification of the reports on regulated activities is particularly important to regulate interpretation of the principles of companies’ operating cost and accounting separation systems. The purpose of the article is to identify the main elements of the regulatory activities report whereas have to be improved and needs more attention of auditors and regulators. There were examined 52 reports of Lithuanian heating sector companies using document (content) analysis approach. Misstatements were analysed using specific evaluation criteria to identify areas for improvement. The development of an appropriate methodology and the efficient functioning of the process should help to avoid errors or inaccuracies in determining, fair recognition, disclosure and valuation of fixed assets as an essential factor of heating prices.

Trees of tangles in infinite separation systems

We present infinite analogues of our splinter lemma for constructing nested sets of separations. From these we derive several tree-of-tangles-type theorems for infinite graphs and infinite abstract separation systems.