Product platform two-stage quality optimization design based on multiobjective genetic algorithm

AbstractProduct platform design (PFD) has been recognized as an effective means to satisfy diverse market niches while maintaining the economies of scale and scope. Numerous optimization-based approaches have been proposed to help resolve the tradeoff between platform commonality and the ability to achieve distinct performance targets for each variant. In this study, we propose a two-stage multiobjective optimization-based platform design methodology (TMOPDM) for solving the product family problem using a multiobjective genetic algorithm. In the first stage, the common product platform is identified using a nondominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II); In the second stage, each individual product is designed around the common platform such that the functional requirements of the product are best satisfied. The design of a family of traction machine is used as an example to benchmark the effectiveness of the proposed approach against previous approachs

Ethylene Response of Plum ACC Synthase 1 (ACS1) Promoter is Mediated through the Binding Site of Abscisic Acid Insensitive 5 (ABI5).

The enzyme 1-amino-cyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase (ACS) participates in the ethylene biosynthesis pathways and it is tightly regulated transcriptionally and post-translationally. Notwithstanding its major role in climacteric fruit ripening, the transcriptional regulation of ACS during ripening is not fully understood. We studied fruit ripening in two Japanese plum cultivars, the climacteric Santa Rosa (SR) and its non-climacteric bud sport mutant, Sweet Miriam (SM). As the two cultivars show considerable difference in ACS expression, they provide a good system for the study of the transcriptional regulation of the gene. To investigate the differential transcriptional regulation of ACS1 genes in the SR and SM, their promoter region, which showed only minor sequence differences, was isolated and used to identify the binding of transcription factors interacting with specific ACS1 cis-acting elements. Three transcription factors (TFs), abscisic acid-insensitive 5 (ABI5), GLABRA 2 (GL2), and TCP2, showed specific binding to the ACS1 promoter. Synthetic DNA fragments containing multiple cis-acting elements of these TFs fused to β-glucuronidase (GUS), showed the ABI5 binding site mediated ethylene and abscisic acid (ABA) responses of the promoter. While TCP2 and GL2 showed constant and similar expression levels in SM and SR fruit during ripening, ABI5 expression in SM fruits was lower than in SR fruits during advanced fruit ripening states. Overall, the work demonstrates the complex transcriptional regulation of ACS1

An Adaptive Maintenance Model Oriented to Process Environment of the Manufacturing Systems

We explored an adaptive maintenance model of the process environment to diagnose progressive faults in manufacturing systems. Progressive faults are usually caused by deterioration of the operating environment or aging and show stochastic properties. Many researchers have reported how to detect faults on the machine body in manufacturing systems. However, little research has been conducted on the process environment which causes progressive faults. To tackle this problem, we explored an adaptive maintenance model to detect progressive faults and repair the process environment on the E-repair location. When a difference of the environmental factor state is detected, it will combine the transcription factor and the state enzyme to locate fault source. Then the comprehensive maintenance program is derived to repair the operating environment while eliminating progressive faults. For the purpose of validation, this model was implemented on the process environment of the air separation plant. And the simulation experiments validated the feasibility and effectiveness of this method

Physiological Characteristics and Nonparametric Test for Master-Slave Driving Task’s Mental Workload Evaluation in Mountain Area Highway at Night

With the rapid development of advanced mobile intelligent terminals, driving tasks are diverse, and new traffic safety problems occur. We propose a new research on physiological characteristics and nonparametric tests for the master-slave driving task, especially for evaluation of drivers’ mental workload in mountain area highway in nighttime scenario. First, we establish the experimental platform based driving simulator and design the master-slave driving task. Second, based on the physiological data and subjective evaluation for mental workload, we use statistical methods to composite the physical changes evolution analysis in a driving simulator. Finally, we finished nonparametric test of the drivers’ psychological load and road test. The results show that in compassion with the daytime scenario, drivers should pay much effort to driving skills and risk identification in the nighttime scenario. Thus, in the same driving condition, drivers should bear the higher level of mental workload, and it has been subjected to even greater pressures and intensity of emotions. Document type: Articl

NLTE analysis for Y I and Y II in atmospheres of F-G-K stars

The non-local thermodynamical equilibrium (NLTE) line formation of Y I and Y II is considered in 1D LTE model atmospheres of F-G-K-type stars. The model atom was constructed with the most up-to-date atomic data, including quantum cross sections and rate coefficients for transitions in inelastic collisions of Y I and Y II with hydrogen atoms. For seven reference stars, we obtained an agreement between NLTE abundances inferred from the two ionization stages, while the difference in LTE abundance (Y I - Y II) can reach up to -0.31 dex. In the atmospheres of F-G-K-type stars, for both Y I and Y II lines, the NLTE abundance corrections are positive. In solar metallicity stars, the NLTE abundance corrections for Y II lines do not exceed 0.12 dex, while in atmospheres of metal-poor stars they do not exceed 0.21 dex. For Y I lines, the NLTE abundance corrections can reach up to 0.5 dex. We determined the yttrium NLTE abundances for a sample of 65 F and G dwarfs and subgiants in the -2.62~$\leq$~[Fe/H]~$\leq$~+0.24 metallicity range, using high-resolution spectra. For stars with [Fe/H]~$\leq$~-1.5, [Y/Fe] versus [Fe/H] diagram reveals positive trend with an average value of [Y/Fe]~$\simeq$~0. For metal-poor stars, among Sr, Y, and Zr, the arrangement [Sr/Fe] < [Y/Fe] < [Zr/Fe] remains consistent. The current study is useful for the Galactic chemical evolution research. The model atom will be applied for NLTE yttrium abundance determination in very metal-poor stars studied with LAMOST and Subaru.Comment: 13 figures, 8 tables, accepted to Ap

Replicon-Based Typing of IncI-Complex Plasmids, and Comparative Genomics Analysis of IncIγ/K1 Plasmids

IncI-complex plasmids can be divided into seven subgroups IncI1, IncI2, IncIγ, IncB/O, IncK1, IncK2, and IncZ. In this study, a replicon-based scheme was proposed for typing IncI-complex plasmids into four separately clustering subgroups IncI2, IncI1/B/O, IncIγ/K1 and IncK2/Z, the last three of which were combined from IncI1 and IncB/O, IncIγ and IncK1, and IncK2 and IncZ, respectively. Four IncIγ/K1 plasmids p205880-NR2, p14E509-CTXM, p11011-CTXM and p61806-CTXM were fully sequenced and compared with IncIγ/K1 reference pCT, IncI2 reference R721, IncI1/B/O reference R64 and IncK2/Z reference pO26-CRL-125. These plasmids shared conserved gene organization in the replication and conjugal transfer regions, but displaying considerable sequence diversity among different subgroups. Remarkable modular differences were observed in the maintenance and transfer leading regions. p205880-NR2 contained no resistance genes or accessory modules, while the other seven plasmids acquired one or more accessory modules, which harbored mobile elements [including unit transposons, insertion sequence (IS)-based transposition units and individual IS elements] and associated resistance markers (especially including those involved in resistance to β-lactams, aminoglycosides, tetracyclins, phenicols, streptomycins, trimethoprims, sulphonamides, tunicamycins and erythromycins). Data presented here provided a deeper insight into diversification and evolution of IncI-complex plasmids

Syphilis-attributable adverse pregnancy outcomes in China: a retrospective cohort analysis of 1187 pregnant women with different syphilis treatment.

BACKGROUND: Syphilis is responsible for a substantial burden of preventable adverse outcomes in pregnancy. The purpose of this study was to compare the frequency of adverse pregnancy outcomes among syphilis-seropositive women who received different treatment regimens at different times in Guangzhou, China. METHODS: Pregnant women with syphilis infection who received prenatal and delivery services in Guangzhou between January 2014 and December 2016 were included. Association between treatment status and the composite adverse outcomes (preterm birth, infant smaller than gestational age, stillbirth, and spontaneous abortion) was estimated. RESULTS: Of 1187 syphilis-seropositive pregnant women included in the analysis, 900 (75.8%) syphilis-seropositive pregnant women received treatment, and 287(24.2%) did not receive treatment. Adverse pregnancy outcomes were observed among 16.3% (147/900) of women with treatment and 33.8% (97/287) of women without treatment. Syphilis-seropositive pregnant women treated with one or two courses of penicillin had a similar risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes (adjusted RR = 1.36, 95% CI: 0.94-1.96). Adverse outcomes were more common among women whose non-treponemal serum test titer was >1:8 and received treatment after 28 weeks compared to before 28 weeks (adjusted RR = 2.34, 95% CI: 1.22-4.48). CONCLUSIONS: Women who received one course of penicillin and women who received two courses of penicillin had a similar risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Syphilis treatment before 28 weeks of pregnancy is critical. Strategies to promote high-quality prenatal services are needed

Effectiveness of a kindergarten-based intervention for preventing childhood obesity

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:Interventions to prevent childhood obesity targeting school age children have mostly reported limited effectiveness, suggesting such prevention programs may need to start at an earlier age, but evidence has been scarce. We reported a pilot study aiming to demonstrate the feasibility of a multifaceted intervention for preschool children and to provide a preliminary assessment of the effectiveness.METHODS:This nonrandomized controlled trial recruited children aged 3 to 6 years from 6 kindergartens in Guangzhou, China. Based on the preference of the School and Parents Committees, 4 kindergartens (648 children) received a 3-component intervention (training of kindergarten staff, initiating healthy curriculum for children, and close collaboration between families and kindergartens) over 12 months, while the other 2 kindergartens (336 children), serving as controls, received routine health care provision. Outcome measures were the changes in BMI z score between baseline and the end of 12 months, and the prevalence of postintervention children who were overweight or obese.RESULTS:By 12 months, children within the intervention group had a smaller BMI z score increase (0.24) compared to the control (0.41), with a difference of –0.31 (95% CI –0.47 to –0.15). The prevalence of overweight or obesity was also lower among the intervention group at the end of the study (OR: 0.43, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.96), adjusted for baseline status.CONCLUSIONS:Our results indicated a multicomponent health behavior intervention might be effective in reducing the prevalence of obesity, but the longer term effects will need confirmation from randomized controlled trials.</jats:sec

Massive seasonal high-altitude migrations of nocturnal insects above the agricultural plains of East China

High-altitude, windborne movements of insects occur on an enormous scale, and have significant impacts on ecosystem function, provision of beneficial services, disease spread, and agricultural productivity. We used a combination of insect monitoring radar, balloon-borne nets, and searchlight traps to characterize the intensity, taxonomic composition, direction, and geographical extent of nocturnal insect “bioflows” occurring at heights to ~1 km above the agricultural lands of East China during spring, summer, and fall. We demonstrate seasonal northward and southward flows and show that the transport of insect biomass is considerably greater above this globally important food-production region than above the United Kingdom (the only other region where it has been quantified to date) and is dominated by species that are agricultural pests. Long-distance migrations of insects contribute to ecosystem functioning but also have important economic impacts when the migrants are pests or provide ecosystem services. We combined radar monitoring, aerial sampling, and searchlight trapping, to quantify the annual pattern of nocturnal insect migration above the densely populated agricultural lands of East China. A total of ~9.3 trillion nocturnal insect migrants (15,000 t of biomass), predominantly Lepidoptera, Hemiptera, and Diptera, including many crop pests and disease vectors, fly at heights up to 1 km above this 600 km-wide region every year. Larger migrants (>10 mg) exhibited seasonal reversal of movement directions, comprising northward expansion during spring and summer, followed by southward movements during fall. This north–south transfer was not balanced, however, with southward movement in fall 0.66× that of northward movement in spring and summer. Spring and summer migrations were strongest when the wind had a northward component, while in fall, stronger movements occurred on winds that allowed movement with a southward component; heading directions of larger insects were generally close to the track direction. These findings indicate adaptations leading to movement in seasonally favorable directions. We compare our results from China with similar studies in Europe and North America and conclude that ecological patterns and behavioral adaptations are similar across the Northern Hemisphere. The predominance of pests among these nocturnal migrants has severe implications for food security and grower prosperity throughout this heavily populated region, and knowledge of their migrations is potentially valuable for forecasting pest impacts and planning timely management actions