Academic literature on the topic 'HYBRID LWT'

Online platforms became preferred mode of communication due to advancement in communication technology. Sharing of digital documents over online communication medium grown exponentially and thus demanded a secure, robust and transparent watermarking technique for authenticity of digital media and copyright protection. This research study proposes a robust and secure non-blind SVD-LWT watermarking technique. Color images are employed instead of gray scale images and Y channel of YCbCr color model is utilized to embed secret digital information. The selected color model is in accordance with the human visual system and Y channel is ideal for data hiding. Two level LWT, SVD is used and diagonal matrix of Y channel of host (cover) and watermark image along with scaling factor (α) is used to embed digital data. Block based and chaotic image encryption transform are used for image scrambling. The performances of presented watermarking scheme evaluated with the aid of fidelity parameters namely MSE, PSNR, SSIM and NCC.

This research article explores a hybrid strategy that combines an adaptive iterative filtering (IF) method and the fast discrete lifting-based wavelet transform (LWT) to eliminate power-line noise (PLI) and baseline wander from an electrocardiogram (ECG) signal. Due to its correct mathematical basis and its guaranteed a priori convergence, the iterative filtering approach was preferred over empirical mode decomposition (EMD). The noisy modes generated from the IF are fed to an LWT system so as to be disintegrated into the detail and the approximation coefficients. These coefficients are then scaled using a threshold method to generate a noise-free signal. The proposed strategy improves the quality and allows us to precisely preserve the vital components of the signal. The method’s potency has been established empirically by calculating the improvement in signal-to-noise ratio, cross-correlation coefficient and percent root-mean-square difference for different recordings available on the MIT-BIH arrhythmia database and then compared to numerous existing methods.

Based on the study of the sensing property of fiber bragg grating (FBG) sensor network, this paper takes hybrid wavelength division/time division multiplexing sensor network with high-capacity FBG as the research object to study noise source, noise category and traditional noise reduction algorithm. In accordance with the characteristic of crosstalk accumulation noise in the network, this paper proposes LCEEMD-LWT signal processing method, which uses the local complementary ensemble empirical mean decomposition (LCEEMD) method for signal preprocessing, and then adopts LWT technology to refine high-frequency signal and solve the related problems. Then this paper put forwards detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) to evaluate the sensing signal of high-capacity FBG, preprocesses the sensing signal by LCEEWD-LWT method, and conducts a temperature sensing experiment. The average temperature error of the demodulating system is reduced from 0.2923℃ to 0.2357℃, which not only overcomes the shortcoming that the traditional signal processing method is not meticulous for high-frequency signal processing, but also avoids the problem that the signal processing time is too long, exerting a good effect on the signal pre-processing of high-capacity FBG. The method in this paper has certain theoretical and technical reference value for the signal processing and the improvement of sensing property of high-capacity FBG sensing demodulating system in engineering application.

A deterministic method for predicting wave elevation based on pressure measurements is developed. The method is based on the hybrid wave model (HWM), which employs both conventional and phase modulation methods for modeling wave-wave interactions in an irregular wave train. The predicted wave elevation using the HWM based on the pressure measurement of a steep transient wave train is in excellent agreement with the corresponding elevation measurement, while that using linear wave theory (LWT) has relatively large discrepancies.

The image watermarking is widely used to provide the security. This paper provides the conceptual framework on image watermarking which is widely used for security purpose within the epoch of data and communication technology. Detailed discuss has been provided on the basis of the three phases. In the first phase of present paper focus has been made on image watermarking and data set will be prepared on which watermarking technique will be executed. Second phase need to locate a specific watermarking technique [LWT- WALSH HADMARD-SVD] which will provide appropriate results in term of PSNR and processing time. In second phase various attacks will be tested on images so that implemented method must stand against various attacks. Last phase emphasise on reverse process will be executed to extract cover and watermark image. Proposed technique is based on the secure encryption watermark .It is associated with image encryption. The encryption algorithm had been introduced in which watermarking information was based on the size of an image. It is clear from the outcomes of the hybrid proposed technique shows that it provides more security than the existing technique. Proposed techniques provide high level of security as compared to existed technology.

A multi-objective optimized hybrid image watermarking technique is being proposed considering robustness, imperceptibility and security aspects using two different scaling factors. In this technique, original image is subjected to third level lifting wavelet transform (LWT) followed by singular value decomposition (SVD). Watermark is split into two parts to embed each of them into a different subband. In the suggested scheme, firefly algorithm is employed to get optimum solutions for two scaling factors to balance trade-off amid invisibility and robustness. Security in digitized data is an important aspect of image processing. It is improved with a key, an input to Arnold transform for scrambling watermark, to watermark embedding and extraction procedures. All the performance parameters like peak signal to noise ratio (PSNR), structural similarity index measure (SSIM), normalized correlation coefficient (NCC) and bit error rate (BER) are used in formulating maximization objective function. Evaluation of the proposed algorithm indicates that it is characterized by fairly good robustness, invisibility and security.

Image fusion is a method in which all the relevant information is collected from the input source images and included in few/single output image. Image fusion techniques are divided into two broad categories: spatial domain and transform domain. Principal component analysis (PCA) is a spatial domain technique which is computationally simpler and reduces redundant information but has the demerit of spectral degradation. Lifting wavelet transform (LWT) is a transform domain technique which has an adaptive design and demands less memory. In this project, a novel hybrid fusion algorithm has been introduced which combines the LWT and PCA in a parallel manner. These two fusion methods are applied on Infrared and Visible image data set. Infrared and visible images contain complementary information and their fusion gives us an output image which is more informative than the individual source images. The hybrid method is also compared with conventional fusion techniques like PCA, LWT and DWT. It has been shown that the proposed method outperforms the conventional methods. The results are analyzed using performance parameters standard deviation, average value, the average difference, and normalized cross- correlation.

In today’s increasingly energy conscious society, the methods of providing thermal comfort to humans are constantly under scrutiny. Depending on the climate, and the comfort requirements of the occupants, buildings can be designed to heat and cool occupants with passive methods, as well as mechanical methods. In the subtropics, where buildings often need to be heated in the winter and cooled in the summer, a synthesis of these two methods would be ideal. However, there is a disconnect between the integration of passive cooling and mechanical air conditioning, in subtropical architecture. A study of user attitudes, based out of Australia, found that, “Central control of temperatures has been used to cut demand by preventing users from altering thermostats and other parts of the building for microclimate control. In particular, windows are sealed to prevent tampering.”1 Reliance on air conditioning has the everyday person convinced that if we save energy in the right places, we can use air conditioning as much as we like. The same study goes on to state, “Air-conditioning has been assumed to replace the need for climate design features in buildings creating poor thermal design and high energy use.”2 This can be most clearly seen in our public buildings. Fully conditioned buildings pump cool air into sealed envelopes, adjusting the thermostat to regulate thermal comfort year-round, often in a climate in which mechanical air conditioning is needed only four months of the year, and during the warmest hours of the day. Inversely, ventilated buildings provide passive cooling in a climate in which the temperature and humidity are often too high for thermal comfort during the same four months of the year. In his book Natural Ventilation in Buildings, Francis Allard points out that the global energy efficiency movement, begun in the early 1990s, has now emerged as a concept that incorporates active air conditioning and sitespecific climate design of buildings into one holistic approach.3 However, these buildings exist in more dry and temperate climates, and do not fully apply to the subtropics as cooling models. A model is needed for subtropical architecture allowing a building to reach both ends of the spectrum; from natural ventilation, through mechanical ventilation, to mechanical air conditioning. The goal of this thesis is to design a hybrid model for subtropical architecture which maximizes the use of natural and mechanical ventilation, and minimizes the use of mechanical air conditioning. The vehicle for this explanation is the design of an educational facility. Research of thermal comfort needs for occupants in the subtropics was accompanied with observation studies. This research was compared with case study, site and program analysis. The analysis was supplemented by a handbook of passive and mechanical cooling which was compiled to aid in establishing cooling strategies for the design process. The implementation of the research and analysis was brought to a conclusion that successfully achieved the goals of this thesis. By using passive methods to lower the temperature of the air surrounding the classroom buildings, the incoming air used to cool the occupants reached temperatures low enough to be considered comfortable inside the classrooms.

In this dissertation, we investigate the use of lot streaming in a two-stage assembly system and a two-stage hybrid flow shop in order to improve system performance. Lot streaming accelerates the flow of a production lot through a production process by splitting it into sublots, and then, processing these sublots in an overlapping fashion over the machines, thereby reducing work-in-process and cycle-time. Traditionally, lot streaming has been applied to problems in various flow shop machine configurations. It has also been applied to machine environments of job shop, open shop, and parallel machines. Its application to assembly system is relatively new. The two-stage assembly system that we consider consists of multiple suppliers at Stage 1 with each supplier producing one type of a subassembly (or a component), and one or more assembly locations at Stage 2, where the subassemblies are then put together. Lot-attached and sublot-attached setup time and cost are encountered on the machines at both the stages, and sublot-attached time and cost are encountered for the transfer of sublots from Stage 1 to Stage 2. Mass customization is an example of such a system in which the final assembly of a product is postponed to capture specific customer demands. Dell Computer constitutes a real-life example of this system. A customer picks his/her computer processor, memory, storage, and other equipment, on Dell's web site. Dell's supply chain is configured to obtain subassemblies from suppliers (stage 1), and then, to assemble the requisite systems in different market areas (stage 2). This enables a reduction in operating cost while improving responsiveness to customers. The problem that we address is as follows: Given a maximum number of sublots of each lot, determine the number of sublots to use (assuming equal sublot sizes), and also, the sequence in which to process the lots, in order to minimize two criteria, namely, makespan, total cost. We propose two column generation-based methods that rely on different decomposition schemes. The results of our computational investigation conducted by using randomly generated data sets reveal that the proposed column generation methods obtain solutions in a few seconds of CPU time while the direct solution by CPLEX of a mixed integer programming model of the problem requires much larger CPU times. For the hybrid flow shop lot streaming problem, the machine configuration that we consider consists of one machine at Stage 1 and two machines at Stage 2 (designated as 1+2 system). A single lot is to be processed in the system, and the objective is to minimize the makespan. A removal time is associated with each sublot at Stage 1. We present a mixed integer programming model for this problem to determine optimal number of sublots and sublot sizes. First, we consider the case of a given number of sublots for which we develop closed-form expressions to obtain optimal, continuous sublot sizes. Then, we consider determination of optimal number of sublots in addition to their sizes. We develop an upper bound on optimal number of sublots, and use a simple search procedure in conjunction with the closed-form expressions for sublot sizes to obtain an optimal solution. We also consider the problem of determining integer sublot sizes, and propose a heuristic method that directly solves the mixed integer programming model after having fixed values of appropriate variables. The results of our numerical experimentation reveal the efficacy of the proposed method to obtain optimal, continuous sublot sizes, and also, that of the proposed heuristic method to obtain integer sublot sizes, which are within 0.2% of optimal solutions for the testbed of data used, each obtained within a few seconds of CPU time. The last problem that we address is an extension of the single-lot lot streaming problem for a $1+2$ hybrid flow shop considered above to the case of multiple lots, where each lot contains items of a unique product type. We consider two objectives: minimize makespan, and minimize the sum of the completion times for all the lots. The consideration of multiple lots introduces a complicating issue of sequencing the lots. We use the results derived for the single-lot problem and develop effective heuristic methods for this problem. The results of our computational investigation on the use of different heuristic methods reveal their efficacy in solving this problem.
Ph. D.

Motivées par des normes de rejets en azote toujours plus sévères et par les besoins d'extension de certaines stations d'épuration, les agglomérations sont à la recherche de nouvelles technologies de traitement plus compactes et plus performantes. Dans ce sens, le procédé hybride, à lit fluidisé placé dans un réacteur de type boues activées (IFAS), est une nouvelle technologie de traitement du carbone et de l'azote très attractive. L'objectif de cette thèse est d'optimiser le dimensionnement du procédé IFAS en configuration trois bassins (anoxie/aérobie BA/aérobie IFAS) et d'apporter des recommandations sur la conduite du procédé (charge massique appliquée, température.). Pour cela, une double démarche expérimentale et numérique a été mise en place. Un pilote de 3 m3 alimenté en eau usée brute a été conçu, instrumenté et étudié pendant 2 ans au cours de 7 périodes stabilisées (entre 0,15 et 0,30 kgDBO5/kgMVSLM/j, température entre 10 et 22°C, et le séquençage de l'aération dans les bassins). La concentration en MES dans la liqueur mixte a été maintenue à 2,3 gMES/L et la concentration en oxygène entre 2 à 6 mgO2/L. Les capacités de nitrification du biofilm et de la liqueur mixte (NPRmax) ont été mesurées tous les 15 jours. Les performances d'élimination de l'azote (nitrification et dénitrification) et du carbone observées sont restées supérieur à 90% d'élimination pour une charge massique maximale de 0,30 kgDBO5/kgMVSLM/j entre 16 à 24°C. Le biofilm dispose d'une capacité de nitrification maximale de 0,90 gN/m2/j et tributaire des concentrations en oxygène dans la liqueur mixte (contraintes diffusionnelle). Le biofilm contribue en moyenne à hauteur de 60% du flux total nitrifié dans le réacteur IFAS pour des âges de boues < 5 jours à 16°C. La diminution du MLSRT en dessous de 4 jours a permis de limiter le développement des bactéries autotrophes dans la liqueur mixte (minimum 10% du flux total nitrifié par la liqueur mixte) mais pas de les supprimer totalement (apport de nitrifiante par détachement de biofilm)
Motivated by the increasingly demanding discharge consents and by the need to improve overall treatment capacity, water authorities are uninterruptedly examining better performing and more compact wastewater treatment technologies. Thanks to its compactness and to its capacity to treat both organic matter and nitrogen at an affordable cost, the IFAS process represents an attractive addition to improve retrofitting-activated sludge plants performance. The main objective of this thesis is to optimize IFAS process with regards to key operation parameters such as dimensioning, F/M ratio by combining experimental and mathematical modelling approaches. A 3 m3 pilot IFAS fed with raw wastewater was operated at the experimental hall of La Feyssine wastewater treatment plant, Villeurbanne, for a period of 2 years. The IFAS process was separated in 3 tanks to treat organic matter and total nitrogen separately (anoxic/aerobic, suspended/aerobic IFAS). The experimental study was divided in 7 periods with different steady state operation conditions each. The feasibility of nitrification at steady F/M ratios (between 0,1S to 0,30 kgBODS/kgMLVSS/d), at constant temperatures (between 10 - 22°C) and at different oxygen supply rates was investigated. TSS in mixed liquor were maintained at 2,3 gMLTSS/L and oxygen concentration between 2 to 6 mgO2/L. Biofilm mass and combined nitrification capacity of biofilm and mixed liquor (NPRmax) were measured on a weekly basis. The removal performance was up to 90% for nitrogen and carbon treatment with a maximal F/M ratio of 0,30 kgBODS/kgMLVSS/d between 16°C to 24 °C. The biofilm was able to nitrify 0,90 gN/m2/d (NPRmax) depending on the oxygen concentration in the mixed liquor (diffusional limitation). Under the operating conditions tested in this study, biofilm was responsible for 40 to 70% of NOx-N production in IFAS reactor during nitrification. Decreasing the MLSRT to less than 4 days limits the growth of autotrophic bacteria in the mixed liquor but does not halt it completely

As the Army transitions to the Army Force Generation (ARFORGEN) deployment cycle, it must adjust its many operations in support of ARFORGEN. Specifically, the Initial Military Training (IMT) must be able to adjust the scheduling of its classes for newly enlisted service members to finish training such that they fulfill Brigade Combat Team (BCT) requirements within their common due windows. We formulate this problem as a lot streaming problem. Lot streaming splits a batch of jobs into sublots,which are then processed over the machines in an overlapping fashion. To schedule classes for the IMT, there are two stages that must be coordinated: Basic Training (BT) and Advanced Individual Training (AIT). For the Army Force Generation problem, the classes are considered as sublots that are streamed from one stage to the next. For this process, the model formulation must address determination of class sizes and scheduling of soldiers and classes at the two stages such that (1) the start times of the soldiers at Stage 2 are greater than their completion times at Stage 1, and (2) the assignment of requisite number of soldiers is made to each BCT, so as to minimize the total flow time. We propose a decomposition-based approach for the solution of this problem. In an effort to decompose the problem, the original lot streaming problem is reformulated such that the master problem selects an optimal combination of schedules for training classes and assigning soldiers to BCTs. A complete schedule selected in the master problem includes the assignments of soldiers to classes in BT, AIT, and their assignments to the BCTs, so as to minimize the total flow time as well as earliness and tardiness for regular Army units. Earliness and Tardiness are defined as the length of the time a soldier waits before and after the due date, respectively, of the BCT to which he or she is assigned. Our decomposition-based method enables solution of larger problem instances without running out of memory, and it affords CPU time reductions when compared with the CPU times required for these problem instances obtained via direct application of CPLEX 12.1. Our investigation into the structure of the problem has enabled further improvement of the proposed decomposition-based method. This improvement is achieved because of a result, which we show, that the first and second-stage scheduling problems need not be solved as one combined subproblem, but rather, they can be solved sequentially, the first stage problem followed by the second stage problem. The combination of Stage 1 and Stage 2 problems as one subproblem creates several additional enumerations of possible schedules the model must generate. By reducing this number of enumerations, the computational effort involved in solving the model reduces significantly, thereby allowing reductions in CPU time. In the Sequential approach, the completion times of soldiers determined at Stage 1 are passed to Stage 2 as bounds on their completion times at Stage 2. We prove that solving the combined subproblem sequentially as two subproblems is optimal when the first stage has no limit on the batch size and the ready times of the soldiers at Stage 1 are the same. For the Army Force Generation problem, we use unequal ready times, and therefore, solving the scheduling problems for the first two stages as sequential subproblems can lead to suboptimal solutions. Our experimental investigation shows efficacy of solving larger-sized problem instances with this method. We also recommend various potential additions to improve the Sequential approach for application to the overall Army problem. We have also demonstrated the use of our methodology to a real-life problem instance. Our methodology results in schedules for IMT with an estimated 28% reduction in mean flow time for soldiers over what is currently experienced in practice. We apply this Sequential approach to various extensions of the problem on hand that pertain to hybrid flow shop and agile manufacturing environments. Results of our computational investigation show the effectiveness of using the Sequential approach over direct solution by CPLEX from the viewpoint of both optimality gap and the CPU time required. In particular, we consider two different model configurations for a hybrid flow shop and three different model configurations for an agile manufacturing facility.
Ph. D.

A hybrid system is a system that presents both continuous time evolution and discrete events. To define and analyse such systems prior to building actual products, a hybrid process algebra can be employed. Simulation is often used as a convenient way for a better understanding of the systems’ evolution and its potential weaknesses. This study aims at creating a general architecture of the simulation tool for hybrid process algebras, together with a practical implementation of Behavioural Hybrid Process Calculus simulator. For achieving this objective, a list of tasks has been composed, including the analysis of several hybrid process algebra operators, development of an easily extendible architecture of the tool, the definition of the input language, capable of describing BHPC processes, and a programming solution of the simulator. Together with a simulator tool, a programming solution for the visualisation of hybrid systems’ evolution is created and presented. The application uses Message Sequence Plots diagrams to represent such evolution, which allows a convenient overview and analysis for most of hybrid system simulations. The currently developed simulation and visualisation tools may be regarded as a working ground for both the usage and further development. The improvement points of the tools should be constantly collected from the user experience and implemented. The long term goal of the work is to achieve an expanding community with the joint effort to create a... [to full text]
Hibridinė sistema yra sistema, sudaryta iš laike tolydžios evoliucijos ir diskrečių įvykių. Hibridinių procesų algebros pagalba tokias sistemas galima apibrėžti ir analizuoti dar prieš sukuriant galutinį produktą. Tuo tarpu simuliacija yra dažnai naudojama kaip patogus būdas geresniam sistemos evoliucijos suvokimui ir jos potencialių silpnybių identifikavimui. Šiuo darbu siekiama sukurti bendrą architektūrą hibridinių procesų algebrų simuliavimo įrankiui bei sukurti praktinę priemonę – simuliatorių, skirtą Elgsenos Hibridinių Procesų Algebrai (angl. Behavioural Hybrid Process Calculus – BHPC). Siekiant įgyvendinti šį tikslą, buvo sudarytas užduočių sąrašas, įtraukiant į jį kelių hibridinių procesų algebrų operatorių analizę, nesudėtingai plečiamos programos architektūros sukūrimą, įvedimo kalbos, gebančios aprašyti BHPC procesus, apibrėžimą bei programinio simuliatoriaus sprendimo įgyvendinimą. Hibridinių sistemų evoliucijos vaizdavimui buvo sukurtas programinis sprendimas, naudojantis Pranešimų Sekos Grafiko (angl. Message Sequence Plots) vaizdavimo tipą grafiniam hibridinės evoliucijos atvaizdavimui, kuris suteikia galimybę patogiai apžvelgti ir analizuoti daugumą hibridinių sistemų evoliucijų. Šiuo metu sukurti simuliavimo ir vaizdavimo įrankiai gali būti naudojami praktikoje, tuo pačiu renkant vartotojų patirtį tolesniam jų tobulinimui. Įrankių tobulinimo aspektai turėtų būti nuolatos kaupiami ir įgyvendinami siekiant ilgalaikio šio darbo tikslo – suburti augančią... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

The area of research is data mining based on multidimensional data visual analysis. This allows researcher to participate in the process of data analysis directly, to understand the complex data better and to make the best decisions. The objective of the dissertation is to create a method for making a multidimensional data projection on the plane such that the researcher could see and assess the intergroup similarities and differences of multidimensional points. In order to achieve the target, a new hybrid neural network is proposed and investigated. This neural network integrates the ideas both of the radial basis function neural network and that of a multilayer perceptron, which has the properties of a ''bottleneck'' neural network. The new network is used for the visual analysis of multidimensional data in such a way that the output values of the neurons of the last hidden layer are the two-dimensional or three-dimensional projections of the multidimensional data, when the multidimensional data is given to the network. A peculiarity of the network is that the visualization results on the plane reflect the general structure of the data (clusters, proximity between clusters, intergroup similarities of points) rather than the location of multidimensional points.
Šio darbo tyrimų sritis yra duomenų tyryba remiantis daugiamačių duomenų vizualia analize. Tai leidžia tyrėjui betarpiškai dalyvauti duomenų analizės procese, geriau pažinti sudėtingus duomenis ir priimti geriausius sprendimus. Disertacijos tikslas yra sukurti metodą tokios duomenų projekcijos radimui plokštumoje, kad tyrėjas galėtų pamatyti ir įvertinti daugiamačių taškų tarpgrupinius panašumus/skirtingumus. Šiam tikslui pasiekti yra pasiūlytas radialinių bazinių funkcijų ir daugiasluoksnio perceptrono, turinčio ,,butelio kaklelio“ neuroninio tinklo savybes, junginys. Naujas tinklas naudojamas vizualiai daugiamačių duomenų analizei, kai atidėjimui plokštumoje arba trimatėje erdvėje taškai gaunami paskutinio paslėpto neuronų sluoksnio išėjimuose, kai į tinklo įėjimą paduodami daugiamačiai duomenys. Šio tinklo ypatybė yra ta, kad gautas vaizdas plokštumoje labiau atspindi bendrą duomenų struktūrą (klasteriai, klasterių tarpusavio artumas, taškų tarpklasterinis panašumas) nei daugiamačių taškų tarpusavio išsidėstymą.

Over the past decade, the intensive development of nanotechnology was made to increase significantly the number of methods to form the structures of a size between 1 and 100 nm. It should be emphasized that nanostructured materials are interesting both because of perspectives in practical applications and new physical phenomena. In this work the electrochemical technique for the control of morphology of porous silicon matrix developed. Hybrid por-Si structures with metals were made. The method for infiltration of biomolecules into the porous silicon structures was developed and the interaction between silicon and bio-molecules was investigated. GaP nanostructures were formed by electrochemical etching and the possibilities of their application for gas sensors were estimated. Nanoporous and Fe-doped silica films on Si were made and the developed structures were characterized by their structural, optical or magnetic properties.
Pastarąjį dešimtmetį, intensyviai vystantis nanotechnologijoms, ženkliai išaugo technologinių metodų, įgalinančių suformuoti darinius, kuriuose elementų dydžiai būtų tarp 1 ir 100 nm, paieška. Šiai specifinei nanostruktūrinių medžiagų grupei skiriamas ypatingas dėmesys dėl naujų fizikinių reiškinių ir ypač - praktinių taikymų, kuriuos atveria šie dariniai. Šiame darbe aptariamos elektrocheminės technologijos, skirtos kontroliuojamos morfologijos porėtojo silicio formavimui. Suformuoti hibridiniai por-Si dariniai su metalais. Sukurta biomolekulių įterpimo į porėtuosius silicio darinius technologija bei tirta biomolekulių sąveika su kietakūniais padėklais. Nagrinėjami GaP nanodarinių formavimo elektrocheminio ėsdinimo būdu dėsningumai bei jų taikymo galimybės dujų sensoriuose. Įsisavinta nanoporėtųjų dielektrinių terpių ir hibridinių nanodarinių formavimo technologija bei tirtos jų savybės.

In this work, we address a variety of problems with applications to `ethanol production from biomass', `agile manufacturing' and `mass customization' domains. Our motivation stems from the potential use of biomass as an alternative to non-renewable fuels, the prevalence of `flexible manufacturing systems', and the popularity of `mass customization' in today's highly competitive markets. Production scheduling and design and optimization of logistics network mark the underlying topics of our work. In particular, we address three problems, Biomass Logistics Problem, Hybrid Flow Shop Scheduling Problem, and Stochastic Demand Assembly Job Scheduling Problem. The Biomass Logistics Problem is a strategic cost analysis for setup and operation of a biomass supply chain network that is aimed at the production of ethanol from switchgrass. We discuss the structural components and operations for such a network. We incorporate real-life GIS data of a geographical region in a model that captures this problem. Consequently, we develop and demonstrate the effectiveness of a `Nested Benders' based algorithm for an efficient solution to this problem. The Hybrid Flow Shop Scheduling Problem concerns with production scheduling of a lot over a two-stage hybrid flow shop configuration of machines, and is often encountered in `flexible manufacturing systems'. We incorporate the use of `lot-streaming' in order to minimize the makespan value. Although a general case of this problem is NP-hard, we develop a pseudo-polynomial time algorithm for a special case of this problem when the sublot sizes are treated to be continuous. The case of discrete sublot sizes is also discussed for which we develop a branch-and-bound-based method and experimentally demonstrate its effectiveness in obtaining a near-optimal solution. The Stochastic Demand Assembly Job Scheduling Problem deals with the scheduling of a set of products in a production setting where manufacturers seek to fulfill multiple objectives such as `economy of scale' together with achieving the flexibility to produce a variety of products for their customers while minimizing delivery lead times. We design a novel methodology that is geared towards these objectives and propose a Lagrangian relaxation-based algorithm for efficient computation.
Doctor of Philosophy
In this work, we organize our research efforts in three broad areas - Biomass Supply Chain, Hybrid Flow Shop, and Assembly Job Shop, which are separate in terms of their application but connected by scheduling and logistics as the underlying functions. For each of them, we formulate the problem statement and identify the challenges and opportunities from the viewpoint of mathematical decision making. We use some of the well known results from the theory of optimization and linear algebra to design effective algorithms in solving these specific problems within a reasonable time limit. Even though the emphasis is on conducting an algorithmic analysis of the proposed solution methods and in solving the problems analytically, we strive to capture all the relevant and practical features of the problems during formulation of each of the problem statement, thereby maintaining their applicability. The Biomass Supply Chain pertains to the production of fuel grade ethanol from naturally occurring biomass in the form of switchgrass. Such a system requires establishment of a supply chain and logistics network that connects the production fields at its source, the intermediate points for temporary storage of the biomass, and bio-energy plant and refinery at its end for conversion of the cellulosic content in the biomass to crude oil and ethanol, respectively. We define the components and operations necessary for functioning of such a supply chain. The Biomass Logistics Problem that we address is a strategic cost analysis for setup and operation of such a biomass supply chain network. We focus our attention to a region in South Central Virginia and use the detailed geographic map data to obtain land use pattern in the region. We conduct survey of existing literature to obtain various transportation related cost factors and costs associated with the use of equipment. Our ultimate aim here is to understand the feasibility of running a biomass supply chain in the region of interest from an economic standpoint. As such, we represent the Biomass Logistics Problem with a cost-based optimization model and solve it in a series of smaller problems. A Hybrid Flow Shop (HFS) is a configuration of machines that is often encountered in the flexible manufacturing systems, wherein a particular station of machines can execute processing of jobs/tasks simultaneously. In our work, we approach a specific type of HFS, with a single machine at the first stage and multiple identical machines at the second stage. A batch or lot of jobs/items is considered for scheduling over such an HFS. Depending upon the area of application, such a batch is either allowed to be split into continuous sections or restricted to be split in discrete sizes only. The objective is to minimize the completion time of the last job on its assigned machine at the second stage. We call this problem, Hybrid Flow Shop Scheduling Problem, which is known to be a hard problem in literature. We aim to derive the results which will reduce the complexity of this problem, and develop both exact as well as heuristic methods in order to obtain near-optimal solution to this problem. An Assembly Job Shop is a variant of the classical Job Shop which considers scheduling a set of assembly operations over a set of assembly machines. Each operation can only be started once all the other operations in its precedence relationship are completed. Assembly Job Shop are at the core of some of the highly competitive manufacturing facilities that are principled on the philosophy of Mass Customization. Assuming an inherent nature of demand uncertainty, this philosophy aims to achieve ‘economy of scale’ together with flexibility to produce a variety of products for the customers while minimizing the delivery lead times simultaneously. We incorporate some of these challenges in a concise framework of production scheduling and call this problem as Stochastic Demand Assembly Job Scheduling Problem. We design a novel methodology that is geared towards achieving the set objectives and propose an effective algorithm for efficient computation.

O problema de dimensionamento de lotes determina um plano de produção que apoia às tomadas de decisões, a médio prazo, em meios industriais. Este plano de produção indica as quantidades de cada item que devem ser produzidas em cada período do horizonte de planejamento, de acordo com um objetivo dado e satisfazendo a demanda dos clientes. Diversos métodos de solução foram propostas na literatura, considerando a dificuldade de solução de algumas classes de problemas e a necessidade de métodos que gerem soluções de alta qualidade em um tempo computacional adequado. Neste trabalho, abordamos heurísticas baseadas na formulação matemática (LP-and-fix, relax-and-fix e fix-and-optimize), uma metaheurística (algoritmo de abelhas) e dois métodos híbridos, utilizados na solução de dois problemas distintos de dimensionamento de lotes multiestá- gio com limitação de capacidade. Consideramos também, a utilização de três formulações da literatura, para verificar a influência de cada uma sobre as abordagens de solução verificadas. Os resultados computacionais demonstraram que os métodos baseados na formulação matemática do problema se mostraram eficientes, mas limitados normalmente a ótimos locais, enquanto os métodos híbridos puderam superar estes ótimos locais, utilizando conceitos da metaheurística algoritmo de abelhas para isto. Além disso, pudemos verificar a influência de uma formulação \"forte\" sobre as soluções geradas pelas abordagens de solução, demonstrando que métodos baseados em relaxação linear conseguem obter maiores vantagens deste tipo de formulação, mas outras abordagens podem ou não obter estas vantagens, dependendo do problema abordado
The lot-sizing problem determines a production plan, which supports the decision making, in the medium term, at the industrial environment. This production plan indicates the amounts of each item to be produced in each period of the planning horizon, according to a given objective and satisfying customer\'s demand. Diverse solution methods have been proposed in the literature, considering the difficulty of solving some problem classes and the need of methods to generate solutions quickly. In this work, we develop matheuristics (LP-and-fix, relax-and-fix and fix-and-optimize), one metaheuristic (bees algorithm) and two hybrid methods, used to solve two different multilevel capacitated lot-sizing problems. We also consider the use of three different formulations of the literature to verify the influence of each one on the solutions approaches. The computational results show that the matheuristics proved to be efficient, but usually limited to local optima, while the hybrid methods could escape from these local optima, using concepts of bees algorithm to do this. Additionally, we test the effect of a tight formulation on the solutions approaches, demonstrating that LP-based heuristics can obtain further advantages from this type of formulation, but other approaches can take these advantages, depending on the problem addressed

<p>The aim of the present Structural Engineering Document, a state-of-the-art report, is to review the progress made worldwide in the use of fibre rein­forced polymers as structural components in bridges until the end of the year 2000.<p> Due to their advantageous material properties such as high specific strength, a large tolerance for frost and de-icing salts and, furthermore, short installation times with minimum traffic interference, fibre reinforced polymers have matured to become valuable alternative building materials for bridge structures. Today, fibre reinforced polymers are manufactured industrially to semi-finished products and ccimplete structural components, which can be easily and quickly installed or erected on site.<p> Examples of semi-finished products and structural components available are flexible tension elements, profiles stiff in bending and sandwich panels. As tension elements, especially for the purpose of strengthening, strips and sheets are available, as weil as reinforcing bars for concrete reinforcement and prestressing members for internal prestressing or external use. Profiles are available for beams and columns, and sandwich constructions especially for bridge decks. During the manufacture of the structural components fibre-optic sensors for continuous monitoring can be integrated in the materials. Adhesives are being used more and more for joining com­ponents.<p> Fibre reinforced polymers have been used in bridge construction since the mid-1980s, mostly for the strengthening of existing structures, and increas­ingly since the mid-1990s as pilot projects for new structures. In the case of new structures, three basic types of applications can be distinguished: concrete reinforcement, new hybrid structures in combination with traditional construction materials, and all-composite applications, in which the new materials are used exclusively.<p> This Structural Engineering Document also includes application and research recommendations with particular reference to Switzerland.<p> This book is aimed at both students and practising engineers, working in the field of fibre reinforced polymers, bridge design, construction, repair and strengthening.

The chapter argues that the main policy actor at the core of the transitional process remains Myanmar’s secretive military institution. It was the armed forces and its uncontested leadership that let the “opening” outstretch soon after the 2010 elections, by officially disbanding the “junta” and morphing into a hybrid “transit regime”. In a sense, the Tatmadaw stood, as in 1960 and 1974, as a “caretaker” of the transition. Yet, even if the partial disengagement of the armed forces from politics observed after 2011 had carefully been planned by the military leadership, an institutional and political “elite pact” was needed regardless, and sought after by several key elite groups, to pursue the initial procedural transition.

The long process leading to passage of Saxony’s plural suffrage in January 1909 was described as a “dance.” This chapter begins with a brief overview of how the new suffrage was debated in committee and on the floor of the Landtag. This section digs below the surface of parliamentary rhetoric to try to discover the principal actors’ motives for defending one suffrage proposal over another. The next section examines the Saxon government’s proposal (July 1907) for a hybrid voting system, and the majority parties’ opposition to it. Then Saxony’s final legislative “dance” is analyzed against the backdrop of Social Democratic street protests and last-minute disagreements between National Liberals and Conservatives. A last section examines the calculations of Saxon statisticians and others who wanted to let “just enough” Social Democrats into the Landtag. They attempted to calculate which socio-economic groups would be eligible to receive extra ballots under the plural suffrage.

The ancient Buddhist art of Gandhāra was rediscovered from the 1830s and 1840s onwards in what would become the North-West Frontier of British India. By the end of the century an abundance of sculptures had been accumulated by European soldiers and officials, which constituted the foundations for a new field of scholarship and internationally celebrated museum collections. Both then and since, the understanding of Gandhāran art has been impeded by gaps in documentation, haphazard excavation, forgery, and smuggling of antiquities. Consequently, the study of Gandhāran archaeology often involves the evaluation and piecing together of fragmentary clues. In more subtle ways, however, the modern view of Gandhāran art has been shaped by the significance accorded to it by different observers over the past century and a half. Conceived in the imperial context of the late nineteenth century as ‘Graeco-Buddhist’ art – a hybrid of Asian religion and Mediterranean artistic form – Gandhāran art has been invested with various meanings since then, both in and beyond the academic sphere. Its puzzling links to the classical world of Greece and Rome have been explained from different perspectives, informed both by evolving perceptions of the evidence and by modern circumstances. <br><br> From the archaeologists and smugglers of the Raj to the museums of post-partition Pakistan and India, from coin-forgers and contraband to modern Buddhism and contemporary art, this fourth volume of the Classical Art Research Centre’s Gandhāra Connections project presents the most recent research on the factors that mediate our encounter with Gandhāran art.

Almost everyone has long misinterpreted Nikita Khrushchev’s ten-year crusade to propagate the cultivation of corn, a crop important across the globe but previously rare across the vast, environmentally diverse Soviet Union. Launched in 1953, this campaign comprised a large part of the new leadership’s efforts to remedy agrarian crises inherited from Iosif Stalin. Khrushchev pressured collective and state farms to increase plantings of corn from an insignificant proportion of their crops to a peak of nearly 20 percent. Expected to feed livestock that were to yield meat and dairy products, corn promised to enrich citizens’ meager, monotonous diets and thereby make good on Khrushchev’s infamous pledges that the Soviet Union was soon to “catch up to and surpass America” in the Cold War “peaceful competition” between communism and capitalism. Echoing Khrushchev’s former comrades, who denounced corn as “harebrained scheming” when ousting him in 1964, scholars have ridiculed it as “an irrational obsession.” Newly available archival documents reveal a more complex and interesting story of how Khrushchev borrowed industrial-farming methods from the United States. Following experts’ advice, he believed that hybrid seeds, machines, agronomy, and other technologies constituting the global trends in farming technology promised even greater increases in productivity under conditions found in the Soviet Union. Yet Khrushchev’s programs achieved only partial success because they could not overcome the entrenched interests, bureaucratic inertia, and competing priorities that encouraged government officials, local authorities, and farmworkers to disregard methods required to grow even modest harvests, let alone the bumper crops that Khrushchev envisioned.

Bones are multifunctional passive organs of movement that supports soft tissue and directly attached muscles. They also protect internal organs and are a reserve of calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Each bone is covered with periosteum, and the adjacent bone surfaces are covered by articular cartilage. Histologically, the bone is an organ composed of many different tissues. The main component is bone tissue (cortical and spongy) composed of a set of bone cells and intercellular substance (mineral and organic), it also contains fat, hematopoietic (bone marrow) and cartilaginous tissue. Bones are a tissue that even in adult life retains the ability to change shape and structure depending on changes in their mechanical and hormonal environment, as well as self-renewal and repair capabilities. This process is called bone turnover. The basic processes of bone turnover are: • bone modeling (incessantly changes in bone shape during individual growth) following resorption and tissue formation at various locations (e.g. bone marrow formation) to increase mass and skeletal morphology. This process occurs in the bones of growing individuals and stops after reaching puberty • bone remodeling (processes involve in maintaining bone tissue by resorbing and replacing old bone tissue with new tissue in the same place, e.g. repairing micro fractures). It is a process involving the removal and internal remodeling of existing bone and is responsible for maintaining tissue mass and architecture of mature bones. Bone turnover is regulated by two types of transformation: • osteoclastogenesis, i.e. formation of cells responsible for bone resorption • osteoblastogenesis, i.e. formation of cells responsible for bone formation (bone matrix synthesis and mineralization) Bone maturity can be defined as the completion of basic structural development and mineralization leading to maximum mass and optimal mechanical strength. The highest rate of increase in pig bone mass is observed in the first twelve weeks after birth. This period of growth is considered crucial for optimizing the growth of the skeleton of pigs, because the degree of bone mineralization in later life stages (adulthood) depends largely on the amount of bone minerals accumulated in the early stages of their growth. The development of the technique allows to determine the condition of the skeletal system (or individual bones) in living animals by methods used in human medicine, or after their slaughter. For in vivo determination of bone properties, Abstract 10 double energy X-ray absorptiometry or computed tomography scanning techniques are used. Both methods allow the quantification of mineral content and bone mineral density. The most important property from a practical point of view is the bone’s bending strength, which is directly determined by the maximum bending force. The most important factors affecting bone strength are: • age (growth period), • gender and the associated hormonal balance, • genotype and modification of genes responsible for bone growth • chemical composition of the body (protein and fat content, and the proportion between these components), • physical activity and related bone load, • nutritional factors: – protein intake influencing synthesis of organic matrix of bone, – content of minerals in the feed (CA, P, Zn, Ca/P, Mg, Mn, Na, Cl, K, Cu ratio) influencing synthesis of the inorganic matrix of bone, – mineral/protein ratio in the diet (Ca/protein, P/protein, Zn/protein) – feed energy concentration, – energy source (content of saturated fatty acids - SFA, content of polyun saturated fatty acids - PUFA, in particular ALA, EPA, DPA, DHA), – feed additives, in particular: enzymes (e.g. phytase releasing of minerals bounded in phytin complexes), probiotics and prebiotics (e.g. inulin improving the function of the digestive tract by increasing absorption of nutrients), – vitamin content that regulate metabolism and biochemical changes occurring in bone tissue (e.g. vitamin D3, B6, C and K). This study was based on the results of research experiments from available literature, and studies on growing pigs carried out at the Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Polish Academy of Sciences. The tests were performed in total on 300 pigs of Duroc, Pietrain, Puławska breeds, line 990 and hybrids (Great White × Duroc, Great White × Landrace), PIC pigs, slaughtered at different body weight during the growth period from 15 to 130 kg. Bones for biomechanical tests were collected after slaughter from each pig. Their length, mass and volume were determined. Based on these measurements, the specific weight (density, g/cm3) was calculated. Then each bone was cut in the middle of the shaft and the outer and inner diameters were measured both horizontally and vertically. Based on these measurements, the following indicators were calculated: • cortical thickness, • cortical surface, • cortical index. Abstract 11 Bone strength was tested by a three-point bending test. The obtained data enabled the determination of: • bending force (the magnitude of the maximum force at which disintegration and disruption of bone structure occurs), • strength (the amount of maximum force needed to break/crack of bone), • stiffness (quotient of the force acting on the bone and the amount of displacement occurring under the influence of this force). Investigation of changes in physical and biomechanical features of bones during growth was performed on pigs of the synthetic 990 line growing from 15 to 130 kg body weight. The animals were slaughtered successively at a body weight of 15, 30, 40, 50, 70, 90, 110 and 130 kg. After slaughter, the following bones were separated from the right half-carcass: humerus, 3rd and 4th metatarsal bone, femur, tibia and fibula as well as 3rd and 4th metatarsal bone. The features of bones were determined using methods described in the methodology. Describing bone growth with the Gompertz equation, it was found that the earliest slowdown of bone growth curve was observed for metacarpal and metatarsal bones. This means that these bones matured the most quickly. The established data also indicate that the rib is the slowest maturing bone. The femur, humerus, tibia and fibula were between the values of these features for the metatarsal, metacarpal and rib bones. The rate of increase in bone mass and length differed significantly between the examined bones, but in all cases it was lower (coefficient b <1) than the growth rate of the whole body of the animal. The fastest growth rate was estimated for the rib mass (coefficient b = 0.93). Among the long bones, the humerus (coefficient b = 0.81) was characterized by the fastest rate of weight gain, however femur the smallest (coefficient b = 0.71). The lowest rate of bone mass increase was observed in the foot bones, with the metacarpal bones having a slightly higher value of coefficient b than the metatarsal bones (0.67 vs 0.62). The third bone had a lower growth rate than the fourth bone, regardless of whether they were metatarsal or metacarpal. The value of the bending force increased as the animals grew. Regardless of the growth point tested, the highest values were observed for the humerus, tibia and femur, smaller for the metatarsal and metacarpal bone, and the lowest for the fibula and rib. The rate of change in the value of this indicator increased at a similar rate as the body weight changes of the animals in the case of the fibula and the fourth metacarpal bone (b value = 0.98), and more slowly in the case of the metatarsal bone, the third metacarpal bone, and the tibia bone (values of the b ratio 0.81–0.85), and the slowest femur, humerus and rib (value of b = 0.60–0.66). Bone stiffness increased as animals grew. Regardless of the growth point tested, the highest values were observed for the humerus, tibia and femur, smaller for the metatarsal and metacarpal bone, and the lowest for the fibula and rib. Abstract 12 The rate of change in the value of this indicator changed at a faster rate than the increase in weight of pigs in the case of metacarpal and metatarsal bones (coefficient b = 1.01–1.22), slightly slower in the case of fibula (coefficient b = 0.92), definitely slower in the case of the tibia (b = 0.73), ribs (b = 0.66), femur (b = 0.59) and humerus (b = 0.50). Bone strength increased as animals grew. Regardless of the growth point tested, bone strength was as follows femur > tibia > humerus > 4 metacarpal> 3 metacarpal> 3 metatarsal > 4 metatarsal > rib> fibula. The rate of increase in strength of all examined bones was greater than the rate of weight gain of pigs (value of the coefficient b = 2.04–3.26). As the animals grew, the bone density increased. However, the growth rate of this indicator for the majority of bones was slower than the rate of weight gain (the value of the coefficient b ranged from 0.37 – humerus to 0.84 – fibula). The exception was the rib, whose density increased at a similar pace increasing the body weight of animals (value of the coefficient b = 0.97). The study on the influence of the breed and the feeding intensity on bone characteristics (physical and biomechanical) was performed on pigs of the breeds Duroc, Pietrain, and synthetic 990 during a growth period of 15 to 70 kg body weight. Animals were fed ad libitum or dosed system. After slaughter at a body weight of 70 kg, three bones were taken from the right half-carcass: femur, three metatarsal, and three metacarpal and subjected to the determinations described in the methodology. The weight of bones of animals fed aa libitum was significantly lower than in pigs fed restrictively All bones of Duroc breed were significantly heavier and longer than Pietrain and 990 pig bones. The average values of bending force for the examined bones took the following order: III metatarsal bone (63.5 kg) <III metacarpal bone (77.9 kg) <femur (271.5 kg). The feeding system and breed of pigs had no significant effect on the value of this indicator. The average values of the bones strength took the following order: III metatarsal bone (92.6 kg) <III metacarpal (107.2 kg) <femur (353.1 kg). Feeding intensity and breed of animals had no significant effect on the value of this feature of the bones tested. The average bone density took the following order: femur (1.23 g/cm3) <III metatarsal bone (1.26 g/cm3) <III metacarpal bone (1.34 g / cm3). The density of bones of animals fed aa libitum was higher (P<0.01) than in animals fed with a dosing system. The density of examined bones within the breeds took the following order: Pietrain race> line 990> Duroc race. The differences between the “extreme” breeds were: 7.2% (III metatarsal bone), 8.3% (III metacarpal bone), 8.4% (femur). Abstract 13 The average bone stiffness took the following order: III metatarsal bone (35.1 kg/mm) <III metacarpus (41.5 kg/mm) <femur (60.5 kg/mm). This indicator did not differ between the groups of pigs fed at different intensity, except for the metacarpal bone, which was more stiffer in pigs fed aa libitum (P<0.05). The femur of animals fed ad libitum showed a tendency (P<0.09) to be more stiffer and a force of 4.5 kg required for its displacement by 1 mm. Breed differences in stiffness were found for the femur (P <0.05) and III metacarpal bone (P <0.05). For femur, the highest value of this indicator was found in Pietrain pigs (64.5 kg/mm), lower in pigs of 990 line (61.6 kg/mm) and the lowest in Duroc pigs (55.3 kg/mm). In turn, the 3rd metacarpal bone of Duroc and Pietrain pigs had similar stiffness (39.0 and 40.0 kg/mm respectively) and was smaller than that of line 990 pigs (45.4 kg/mm). The thickness of the cortical bone layer took the following order: III metatarsal bone (2.25 mm) <III metacarpal bone (2.41 mm) <femur (5.12 mm). The feeding system did not affect this indicator. Breed differences (P <0.05) for this trait were found only for the femur bone: Duroc (5.42 mm)> line 990 (5.13 mm)> Pietrain (4.81 mm). The cross sectional area of the examined bones was arranged in the following order: III metatarsal bone (84 mm2) <III metacarpal bone (90 mm2) <femur (286 mm2). The feeding system had no effect on the value of this bone trait, with the exception of the femur, which in animals fed the dosing system was 4.7% higher (P<0.05) than in pigs fed ad libitum. Breed differences (P<0.01) in the coross sectional area were found only in femur and III metatarsal bone. The value of this indicator was the highest in Duroc pigs, lower in 990 animals and the lowest in Pietrain pigs. The cortical index of individual bones was in the following order: III metatarsal bone (31.86) <III metacarpal bone (33.86) <femur (44.75). However, its value did not significantly depend on the intensity of feeding or the breed of pigs.

AbstractHybrid rice technology is a viable strategy to increase rice production and productivity, especially in countries with limited cultivable land for agriculture and irrigation water, along with costlier chemical inputs. The three-line hybrid rice technology adoption rate is slowing down because of restricted heterosis per se, the availability of better combining ability in cytoplasmic male sterile lines, lower hybrid seed reproducibility, and limited market acceptability of hybrids. Two-line heterosis breeding could overcome these shortcomings. However, the wide-scale adoption and use of two-line hybrid rice technology are possible through systematic research and breeding efforts to develop temperature-sensitive genetic male sterile (TGMS) lines with low (<24 °C) critical sterility temperature point, which is discussed in this chapter. Research on the genetics, breeding, grain quality, and resistance to insect pests and diseases for TGMS line development and physiological characterization is also discussed. In addition, the identification and validation of natural sites for TGMS self-seed multiplication and hybrid rice seed production through GIS mapping and climatic data analytical tools are also tackled. The development of high-yielding two-line rice hybrids and improvement in hybrid rice seed reproducibility could help in their wide-scale adoption.

AbstractThe declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic on March 11, 2020, had profound effects on educational activities worldwide. As a crisis response measure, the educational institutes had to shift from onsite to online teaching and adopt online learning platforms to ensure a smooth delivery of educational content. However, the efficacy of such teaching methods for laboratory experiments partly remains elusive. We aim to explore students’ perspectives and experiences toward a hybrid approach in conducting human physiology experiments. We designed a teaching model that combines onsite and online learning to provide hands-on experience to medical students without compromising COVID-19 preventive measures. It is a cross-sectional study among Years 1, 2, and 3 medical students. Data was collected through an online survey via a self-administered electronic questionnaire. Data was analyzed using a two-sample t-test using Graph-Pad Prism version 8.01. Our results indicate that the hybrid model was well-received, and students agreed that the hybrid model was time-saving and allowed them to study at their own pace compared to students who did not agree (p < 0.05). A significantly higher number of students found the hybrid model extremely useful and were satisfied with its content (p < 0.05). They recommended continuing this format in the future. The students opined that providing the recorded videos in advance and clarifying their doubts in the prelab sessions prepared them better for the hands-on experience (p < 0.05). Therefore, we recommend maintaining the hybrid learning methods for time-effectiveness and enhance efficiency of learning.

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">In European Union (EU), new heavy-duty vehicles are simulated with the Vehicle Energy Consumption calculation TOol (VECTO) to certify their fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions. VECTO will also be used to certify vehicles with hybrid-electric powertrains in all topological configurations from P0 to P4 parallel systems and series hybrids. A development version of VECTO able to simulate these configurations is already available and was used for this study.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">The study team collected measurement data from a specific P2 hybrid lorry, instrumented with wheel torque sensors, current and voltage sensors, fuel flow sensor and a PEMS device. The vehicle was tested on the chassis dyno and on the road, and a representative model was created in VECTO.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">The regional delivery certification cycle was simulated in VECTO in charge sustaining and full electric mode. The results show that the development version of VECTO is able to predict the fuel consumption of the vehicle under test in charge sustaining mode with a maximum error of 6.5% and the electrical energy consumption in full electric mode with an error of 2.5%. The VECTO Hybrid Controller was evaluated by comparing the measured and simulated decisions on utilising the available power sources (fuel/stored electric energy), regenerative braking, and gear shifting. Validation simulations with gear input were run for the regional delivery, showing significant improvements for the predicted fuel and electrical energy consumption error down to 2.5% and 1.5% respectively.</div></div>

The phenotypic analysis of new candidate varieties at multiple locations could provide information on the stability of their genotypes. We evaluated the stability of 11 maize hybrid candidates in five districts in East Java Province, Indonesia. Maize hybrids with high yield potential and early maturity traits derived from a diallel cross were planted in a randomized complete block design with two checks (Srikandi Kuning and BISI-2) as a single factor with four replicates. The observed traits were grain yield per hectare and harvest age. The effects of environment, genotype, and genotype × environment interaction on yield were highly significant (P < 0.01). KTM-1, KTM-2, KTM-4, KTM-5, and KTM-6 showed higher average grain yield per hectare than the checks (Srikandi Kuning = 8.49 ton ha−1 and BISI-2 = 7.32 ton ha−1) at five different locations. The average harvest age of 11 candidates was less than 100 days. KTM-4 and KTM-5 had production yields that were higher than the average yield of all genotypes in all environments (Yi > 7.78 tons ha−1) and were considered stable on the basis of three stability parameters, i.e., Finlay–Wilkinson, Eberhart–Russell, and additive main effect multiplicative interaction (AMMI). KTM-2 had the highest yield among all tested genotypes (9.33 ton ha−1) and was considered as stable on the basis of AMMI but not on the basis of Finlay–Wilkinson and Eberhart–Russell. KTM-1 performed well only in Pamekasan, whereas KTM-6 performed well only in Sampang. Thus, these two genotypes could be targeted for these specific locations.

Many description logics (DLs) combine knowledge representation on an abstract, logical level with an interface to 'concrete' domains such as numbers and strings with built-in predicates such as <, +, and prefix-of. These hybrid DLs have turned out to be quite useful for reasoning about conceptual models of information systems, and as the basis for expressive ontology languages. We propose to further extend such DLs with key constraints that allow the expression of statements like 'US citizens are uniquely identified by their social security number'. Based on this idea, we introduce a number of natural description logics and perform a detailed analysis of their decidability and computational complexity. It turns out that naive extensions with key constraints easily lead to undecidability, whereas more careful extensions yield NEXPTIME-complete DLs for a variety of useful concrete domains.