Multi-agent system for dynamic manufacturing system optimization

This paper deals with the application of multi-agent system concept for optimization of dynamic uncertain process. These problems are known to have a computationally demanding objective function, which could turn to be infeasible when large problems are considered. Therefore, fast approximations to the objective function are required. This paper employs bundle of intelligent systems algorithms tied together in a multi-agent system. In order to demonstrate the system, a metal reheat furnace scheduling problem is adopted for highly demanded optimization problem. The proposed multi-agent approach has been evaluated for different settings of the reheat furnace scheduling problem. Particle Swarm Optimization, Genetic Algorithm with different classic and advanced versions: GA with chromosome differentiation, Age GA, and Sexual GA, and finally a Mimetic GA, which is based on combining the GA as a global optimizer and the PSO as a local optimizer. Experimentation has been performed to validate the multi-agent system on the reheat furnace scheduling problem

National Power and Military Force: the Origins of the Weinberger Doctrine, 1980-1984

<p>This dissertation addresses one of the most vexing issues in American foreign policy: Under what circumstances should the United States use military force in pursuit of national interests? Despite not having a policy upon entering office or articulating one throughout its first term, the Reagan administration used military force numerous times. Two-weeks following Reagan's landslide reelection victory, Secretary of Defense Caspar W. Weinberger articulated six tests for when and how to use military force, which surprisingly seemed to call for restraint. Through the examination of three case studies, the Reagan administration's decisions are found to have been influenced by the assimilation of lessons from Vietnam, the reading of public pulse, the desire to placate Congress, and the need to protect the nation's strategic interests. All these factors, ultimately codified by Weinberger, were considered by the leaders in the Reagan administration as they tried to expand the military's ability to help the U.S. meet an increasingly wider range of threats. Thus this dissertation will show that, contrary to what one finds in contemporary scholarship, the Weinberger doctrine was intended as a policy to legitimize the use of military force as a tool of statecraft, rather than an endorsement to reserve force as a last resort after other instruments of power have failed.</p>Dissertatio

Evaluation of resistance in a selected field strain of Haemonchus contortus to ivermectin and moxidectin using the Larval Migration on Agar Test

Haemonchus contortus is one of the most common and economically significant causes of disease in small ruminants worldwide, and the control programs of parasitic nematodes - including H. contortus - rely mostly on the use of anthelmintic drugs. The consequence of the use of this, as the sole sanitary strategy to avoid parasite infections, was the reduction of the efficacy of all chemotherapeutic products with a heavy selection for resistance. The widespread of anthelmintic resistance and the difficulty of its early diagnosis has been a major concern for the sustainable parasite management on farms. The objective of this research was to determine and compare the ivermectin (IVM) and moxidectin (MOX) effect in a selected field strain of H. contortus with a known resistance status, using the in vitro larval migration on agar test (LMAT). Third stage larvae of the selected isolate were obtained from faecal cultures of experimentally infected sheep and incubated in eleven increasing diluted concentrations of IVM and MOX (6, 12, 24, 48, 96, 192, 384, 768, 1536, 3072 and 6144µg/mL). The dose-response sigmoidal curves were obtained using the R² value of >0.90 and the lethal concentration (LC50) dose for the tested anthelmintic drugs using a four-parameter logistic model. The LC50 value for MOX was significantly lower than IVM (1.253µg/mL and 91.06µg/mL), identifying the H. contortus isolate as considerably less susceptible to IVM compared to MOX. Furthermore, the LMAT showed a high consistency (p<0.0001) and provided to be a useful diagnostic tool for monitoring the resistance status of IVM and MOX in H. contortus field isolate, as well as it may be used for official routine drug monitoring programs under the Ministry of Agriculture (MAPA) guidance

Evaluation of resistance in a selected field strain of Haemonchus contortus to ivermectin and moxidectin using the Larval Migration on Agar Test Avaliação da resistência em um isolado de campo selecionado de Haemonchus contortus à ivermectina e moxidectina usando o Teste de Migração de Larvas em Ágar

Haemonchus contortus is one of the most common and economically significant causes of disease in small ruminants worldwide, and the control programs of parasitic nematodes - including H. contortus - rely mostly on the use of anthelmintic drugs. The consequence of the use of this, as the sole sanitary strategy to avoid parasite infections, was the reduction of the efficacy of all chemotherapeutic products with a heavy selection for resistance. The widespread of anthelmintic resistance and the difficulty of its early diagnosis has been a major concern for the sustainable parasite management on farms. The objective of this research was to determine and compare the ivermectin (IVM) and moxidectin (MOX) effect in a selected field strain of H. contortus with a known resistance status, using the in vitro larval migration on agar test (LMAT). Third stage larvae of the selected isolate were obtained from faecal cultures of experimentally infected sheep and incubated in eleven increasing diluted concentrations of IVM and MOX (6, 12, 24, 48, 96, 192, 384, 768, 1536, 3072 and 6144µg/mL). The dose-response sigmoidal curves were obtained using the R² value of >0.90 and the lethal concentration (LC50) dose for the tested anthelmintic drugs using a four-parameter logistic model. The LC50 value for MOX was significantly lower than IVM (1.253µg/mL and 91.06µg/mL), identifying the H. contortus isolate as considerably less susceptible to IVM compared to MOX. Furthermore, the LMAT showed a high consistency (pHaemonchus contortus é uma das causas mais comuns e economicamente significativas de doença em produções de pequenos ruminantes em todo o mundo, e os programas de controle de parasitas nematoides - incluindo H. contortus - baseiam-se principalmente no uso de drogas anti-helmínticas. A consequência da utilização desses compostos, como sendo a única estratégia sanitária para evitar infecções por parasitas, tem sido a redução da eficácia de todos os produtos quimioterápicos, selecionando fortemente para resistência. O desenvolvimento generalizado da resistência anti-helmíntica e a dificuldade de seu diagnóstico precoce têm sido uma grande preocupação para o manejo sustentável de parasitas no campo. O objetivo desta pesquisa foi determinar e comparar o efeito da ivermectina (IVM) e da moxidectina (MOX) em um isolado de campo selecionado de H. contortus com um estado de resistência conhecido, utilizando o teste in vitro de migração de larvas em ágar (LMTA). Larvas de terceiro estágio de um isolado de H. contortus selecionado foram obtidas a partir de culturas de fezes de ovinos infectados experimentalmente e incubadas em onze concentrações diluídas crescentes de IVM e MOX (6, 12, 24, 48, 96, 192, 384, 768, 1536, 3072 e 6144µg/mL). As curvas sigmoides de dose-resposta foram obtidas utilizando o valor de R² >0,90 e a dose de concentração letal (CL50) para as drogas anti-helmínticas testadas, utilizando um modelo logístico de quatro parâmetros. O valor de CL50 para MOX foi significativamente menor do que para IVM (1,253µg/mL e 91,06µg/mL), identificando o isolado de H. contortus como consideravelmente menos suscetível à IVM em comparação à MOX. Além disso, o LMTA mostrou uma alta consistência (p<0,0001) e pode ser uma ferramenta útil de diagnóstico para monitorar o status de resistência de IVM e MOX em isolado de campo de H. contortus, assim como ser utilizado de forma oficial e em rotina para programas de monitoramento das drogas sob a demanda do Ministério da Agricultura (MAPA)