Neural Network Based Central Heating System Load Prediction and Constrained Control

A neural network (NN) based heating system load prediction and control scheme are proposed. Different from traditional physical principle based load calculation method, a multilayer NN is incorporated with selected input features and trained to predict the heating load as well as the desired supply water temperature in heating supply loop. In this manner, a complicated load calculation model can be replaced by simple but efficient data-driven scheme and the response time to outdoor temperature variation can be enhanced. Moreover, in order to handle the input and output constraints in valve opening degree control task to achieve desired supply water temperature, Barrier Lyapunov candidate function and axillary system technique are involved. An additional NN is employed to approximate the system transfer function with reliable accuracy. The stability of the system is guaranteed through rigorous mathematical analysis. The excellent performance of the novelly proposed control over traditional PID is demonstrated via extensive simulation study. A quantitative case study is also conducted to verify the flexibility and validity of proposed load prediction strategy

Network Pharmacology Based Research on the Combination Mechanism Between Escin and Low Dose Glucocorticoids in Anti-rheumatoid Arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by chronic progressive symmetrical synovitis and destruction of multiple joints. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are widely used in the treatment of RA. However, their adverse effects can be serious. Escin, which is isolated from Aesculus hippocastanum L., has been reported to have anti-inflammatory effects. We investigated the anti-RA effect of Escin combined with low dose GCs (dexamethasone, Dex) and the underlying mechanism. Adjuvant-induced RA rats and lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-injured RAW264.7 cells were used to investigate the anti-RA effects of Escin combined with low dose Dex in vivo and in vitro. The results showed that Escin combined with low-dose Dex significantly decreased arthritic index, serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels, reduced paw swelling, and ameliorated the joint pathology and immune organ pathology. Gene chip results revealed that Nr3c1 (GR) expression was significantly altered, and that GR was activated by Escin and low dose Dex in vivo and in vitro. Additionally, Escin combined with low dose Dex also significantly increased GR mRNA expression. However, when GR expression was suppressed by its specific inhibitor, the anti-RA effect of Escin combined with low-dose Dex was abolished. The data in this study demonstrated that Escin combined with Dex reduced the dose of Dex, and exerted significant anti-RA effects, which could also reduce the adverse effects of Dex. This combination might result from GR activation. This study might provide a new combination of drugs for the treatment of RA

The Use of Integrative Therapies in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in Shanghai, China

Objective. To investigate the current use of integrative therapies (IT) in the treatment of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods. A cross-sectional, multicenter clinical epidemiological survey was conducted in 12 hospitals in Shanghai. We investigated the type and frequency of IT use and determined whether the use of IT correlated with demographic, social, or disease-specific characteristics in our patient population. Results. A total of 231 (89.5%) of 258 patients with ALS were eligible for the study and 229 (99% of all) of 231 reported the use of at least one IT for the treatment of ALS. Vitamins and Chinese herb decoctions, Chinese herb compounds, massage therapy, and acupuncture were the 5 most commonly used therapies. There was a strong association between education level, income, and use of IT. A household income of more than 75,000 RMB ($49,995) correlated with multiple IT use, and married patients used IT more often than single individuals. The main reasons for using IT were to treat weakness and fatigue, muscle atrophy, the development of ALS, depression, insomnia, limb pain or numbness, and side effects associated with Riluzole. Conclusion. The use of IT is common in patients with ALS in Shanghai. Vitamins and TCM are the most used additional therapies and the widespread and largely unexamined use of IT for ALS requires more attention

Experimental study on LBL beams

Six specimens were made and tested to study the mechanical properties of LBL beams. The mean ultimate loading value is 68.39 MPa with a standard deviation of 6.37 MPa, giving a characteristic strength (expected to be exceeded by 95% of specimens) of 57.91 MPa, and the mean ultimate deflection is 53.3 mm with a standard deviation of 5.5 mm, giving the characteristic elastic modulus of 44.3 mm. The mean ultimate bending moment is 20.18 kN.m with a standard deviation of 1.88 kN.m, giving the characteristic elastic modulus of 17.08 kN.m. The mean elastic modulus is 9688 MPa with a standard deviation of 1765 MPa, giving the characteristic elastic modulus of 6785 MPa, and the mean modulus of rupture is 93.3 MPa with a standard deviation of 8.6 MPa, giving the characteristic elastic modulus of 79.2 MPa. The strain across the cross-section for all LBL beams is basically linear throughout the loading process, following standard beam theory

Competition and supply chain integration: a taxonomy perspective

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of competition on supply chain integration (SCI). Design/methodology/approach - Survey data from 617 manufacturers in China were used in this study. Taxonomy with cluster analysis was used to investigate the patterns of competition, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to investigate the influence of these competition patterns on SCI. Findings - Seven competition patterns composed of local competition, international competition, and operational challenges were identified from the survey data. The ANOVA results showed that companies with different patterns achieved significantly different levels of SCI, indicating that higher levels of local competition, international competition, and operational challenges drove higher levels of SCI. Post hoc analyses revealed that international competition had stronger effects than local competition on SCI. Research limitations/implications - The data were collected from a single country, which may limit the generalization of the findings. The data were cross-sectional and thus lacked causal explanatory power. Practical implications - The findings provide suggestions for managers to use different configurations of SCI to adapt to different patterns of competition. Originality/value - This study makes three main contributions to the literature. First, it extends the research on the relationship between competition and cooperation to the supply chain management area. Second, it extends the concept of competition by incorporating not only competitive intensity, but also competitive scope and competitive capability. Third, the use of a configuration approach rather than a dimensional approach to investigate the effects of competition on SCI solves many methodological problems

The impact of organizational culture on supply chain integration: a contingency and configuration approach

Purpose - This study aims to bridge the gap in understanding the effects of organizational culture on supply chain integration (SCI) by examining the relationships between organizational cultures and SCI. The extant studies investigating the antecedents of SCI focus mainly on environments, interfirm relationships and other firm-level factors. These studies generally overlook the role of organizational culture. The few studies that do examine the effects of organizational culture on SCI show inconsistent findings. Design/methodology/approach - By placing organizational culture within the competing value framework (CVF), this study establishes a conceptual model for the relationships between organizational culture and SCI. The study uses both a contingency approach and a configuration approach to examine these proposed relationships using data collected from 317 manufacturers across ten countries. Findings - The contingency results indicate that both development and group culture are positively related to all three dimensions of SCI. However, rational culture is positively related only to internal integration, and hierarchical culture is negatively related to both internal and customer integration. The configuration approach identifies four profiles of organizational culture: the Hierarchical, Flexible, Flatness and Across-the-Board profiles. The Flatness profile shows the highest levels of development, group and rational cultures and the lowest level of hierarchical culture. The Flatness profile also achieves the highest levels of internal, customer and supplier integration. Research limitations/implications - This study is subject to several limitations. In theoretical terms, this study does not resolve all of the inconsistencies in the relationship between organizational culture and SCI. In terms of methodology, this study uses cross-sectional data from high-performance manufacturers. Such data cannot provide strong causal explanations, but only broad and general findings. Practical implications - This study reminds managers to consider organizational culture when they implement SCI. The study also provides clues to help managers in assessing and adjusting organizational culture as necessary for SCI. Originality/value - This study makes two theoretical contributions. First, by examining the relationships between organizational culture and SCI in a new context, the findings of the study provide additional evidence to reconcile the previously inconsistent findings on this subject. Second, by departing from the previous practice of investigating only particular dimensions of organizational culture, this study adopts a combined contingency and configuration approach to address both the individual and synergistic effects of all dimensions of organizational culture. This more comprehensive approach deepens our understanding of the relationship between organizational culture and SCI

Highway Passenger Transport based Express Parcel Service (HPTB-EPS) Network Design: Model and Algorithm

Highway Passenger Transport based Express Parcel Service (HPTB-EPS) is an emerging business which uses unutilised room of coach trunk to ship parcels between major cities. While it is reaping more and more express market, the managers are facing difficult decisions to design the service network. This paper investigates the HPTB-EPS network design problem and analyses the time-space characteristics of such network. A mixed-integer programming model is formulated integrating the service decision, frequency and network flow distribution. To solve the model, a decomposition-based heuristic algorithm is designed by decomposing the problem as three steps: construction of service network, service path selection and distribution of network flow. Numerical experiment using real data from our partner company shows that our model and algorithm are effective and better than the current decision rule. The sensitivity analysis demonstrates the robustness and flexibility of the solutions of the model

Flow Characteristics for Two-Strand Tundish in Continuous Slab Casting Using PIV

With the development of continuous casting technology, there has been an increase in the stringent requirements for the cleanliness and quality of steel being produced. The flow state of molten steel in tundish is the key to: Optimizing the residence time of molten steel in the tundish; homogenizing the temperature of molten steel; and removing inclusions by floatation. Hence, from theoretical and practical aspects, it is imperative to examine and analyze the flow field of molten steel in the tundish in order to ensure the desired molten steel flow. In this study, a two-strand tundish with 650 mm × 180 mm slab casting is considered as the subject for this research. According to the similarity theory, combined with the geometrical shape and dimension of the prototype tundish, a tundish model with a geometric similarity ratio of 2:3 is established in the laboratory. Digital particle image velocimetry (PIV) is employed to measure and examine the flow fields at different casting speeds for a tundish containing different flow control devices. The flow in the tundish is typically turbulent and also consists of a vortex motion; it exhibits both random and ordered characteristics. Results reveal that the presence of baffles with 15° holes can cause an upward-directed flow in the outlet section and give rise to a large circulation. When the casting speed is doubled, the overall velocity of the flow field and turbulent intensity increase, leading to an increase in the molten steel surface velocity