Effects Of Different Combinations Research Articles

On synergistic effects of resilience strategies: developing a layered defense approach

Supply chain literature has amply explored the effect of different resilience strategies in the face of supply chain disruptions. Firms often apply a multitude of resilience strategies in tandem. Such strategies can vary from slack inventory to volume flexibility and responsiveness to backup capacity. Yet, there is a lack of empirical or analytical evidence in how the combination of resilience strategies affects firm capabilities in the face of supply chain disruptions. In this paper, we use simulation modelling techniques to determine the effect of different combinations of resilience strategies in a systematic and stepwise manner. Our modelling considers different disruption attributes (capacity or delay), their effect (severity and likelihood), and their origin (i.e. upstream or downstream). A number of interesting observations are made. First, combining resilience strategies is not always beneficial and can occasionally have detrimental effects. Moreover, resilience strategies that are beneficial at the node (firm) level may prove ineffective at the system level. We also find that inventory and volume flexibility are strategies that combine well with others. The study offers several contributions to research and management in supply chain disruption and the study of resilience.

Optimization of 3D Printing Parameters of Biodegradable Polylactic Acid/Hydroxyapatite Composite Bone Plates.

The building parameters of three-dimensional (3D) printed polylactic acid/hydroxyapatite (HA) composite bone plates were optimized by an orthogonal experiment, and the effects of the layer thickness, printing speed, filament feeding speed, and HA content on the bending strengths of the specimens were analyzed. The deformation characteristics of the specimens were studied by 3D full-field strain analysis, and the internal defects of the specimens were analyzed. The effects of different combinations of the process parameters on the cross-sectional shape of the single deposited line, printing temperature, and pressure of the molten material were further analyzed. The results showed that the factors affecting the bending properties were the layer thickness, printing speed, filament feeding speed, and HA content, successively. The optimized process parameters were an HA content of 10%, a layer thickness of 0.1 mm, a printing speed of 30 mm/s, and a filament feeding speed of 0.8 mm/s, and the optimized specimen bending strength was 103.1 ± 5.24 MPa. The deposited line with a flat section shape and width greater than the print spacing helped to reduce the porosity of the specimens. The process parameters that resulted in large high-temperature areas and a high extrusion pressure could better promote material fusion.

Interactive effects of temperature and salinity on the growth and cytotoxicity of the fish-killing microalgal species Heterosigma akashiwo and Pseudochattonella verruculosa

Fish-killing blooms of Heterosigma akashiwo and Pseudochattonella verruculosa have been devastating for the farmed salmon industry, but in Southern Chile the conditions that promote the growth and toxicity of these microalgae are poorly understood. This study examined the effects of different combinations of temperature (12, 15, 18 °C) and salinity (10, 20, 30 psu) on the growth of Chilean strains of these two species. The results showed that the optimal growth conditions for H. akashiwo and P. verruculosa differed, with a maximum rate of 0.99 day−1 obtained at 15 °C and a salinity of 20 psu for H. akashiwo, and a maximum rate of 1.06 day−1 obtained at 18 °C and a salinity of 30 psu for P. verruculosa. Cytotoxic assays (2 × 101 – 2 × 105 cell mL−1; cells, filtrates, and cell lysates) performed at salinities of 20 and 30 psu showed a 100% reduction in the viability of embryonic fish cells exposed to intact cells of H. akashiwo and a 39% reduction following exposure to culture filtrates of P. verruculosa. Differences in the fish-killing mechanisms (direct cell contact vs. extracellular substances) and physiological traits of H. akashiwo and P. verruculosa explain the recent occurrence of very large blooms under contrasting (cold-brackish vs. hot-salty) extreme climate conditions in Chile.

Use of screen glass and polishing sludge in waste-based expanded aggregates for resource-saving lightweight concrete

The purpose of this study is to evaluate different lightweight concretes for the first time formulated with lightweight expanded aggregates produced only with industrial waste. The motive is that a lack of knowledge still exists in the literature about how to integrate these waste-based aggregates in lightweight concrete. To achieve the desired bloating and aggregates physical properties, PC-TV screen glass and ceramic tile polishing sludge were selected as suitable raw materials. Both were characterized by mineralogical and chemical analyses and the effect of different combinations was pointed out. Hot-stage microscopy was used to determine the bloating rates and firing behavior. Lightweight expanded aggregates were obtained using both static laboratory kiln and rotating pilot kiln, by firing at maximum temperatures between 1150 and 1200 °C, to simulate the industrial production process and favor scaling up. The so obtained aggregates were characterized from the physical-mechanical point of view, highlighting an important bloating attitude and bulk density lower than 700 kg/m3 for all the test conditions. Bulk density, water absorption and mechanical properties are fully comparable to commercial counterparts. The best material was used as coarse aggregate in lightweight structural concrete and cellular concrete prepared at pilot scale (for structural application and thermal/acoustic insulation, respectively). The technical properties are consistent with standard requirements of compressive strength (>25 MPa for lightweight structural concrete) and thermal conductivity (18–24 W/m*K for cellular concrete). These results demonstrate the technological feasibility of using waste-based aggregates into lightweight concrete design, according to a circular economy vision.

Combined use of biopreparations and growth regulators to improve soybean and tomato yields

The results of research on the effect of crop protection agents on tomato and soybean crops under Primorye conditions are presented. The study of preparations was carried out on zoned varieties of tomato Novichok and soybean Primorskaya 86. The effectiveness of different combinations of biological preparations based on Bacillus subtilis strains Bactophyt, Gamair and growth regulators Zircon, Mival-Agro was evaluated. The preparations were used for seed treatment and spraying of vegetative plants. Complex treatment with Bactofit provided a 3.9% reduction of septoriosis manifestation on tomato, the biological efficiency was 22.1%. Growth regulator Mival-Agro (seed and plant treatment) provided 36.8% effectiveness against late blight. The highest tomato yield was observed with the treatment of seeds and plants with Gamair (20.0 t/ha) with an increase of 4.9 t/ha compared to the control. The maximum efficiency (29.7%) against septoriosis on soybeans was recorded in the variant Gamair + Mival-Agro. The biological efficacy against peronosporosis ranged from 21% (Gamair complex treatment) to 25.4% (Bactofit + Mival-Agro). The application of all preparations had a positive effect on the growth and development of soybean plants. The largest increase in plant height in the phase of full ripeness was noted in the variant with the use of Bactofit and Mival-Agro (73.1 cm), in the control - 61.8 cm. Thousand-kernel weight increased with certainty by 13.5 – 22.0% in comparison with the control (176.2 g) after the usage of biopreparations and growth-regulating chemicals. High yield was achieved in the Bachtophit + Mival Agro variant (2.7 t/ha), in comparison the control was 1.8 t/ha, the addition amounted to 0.9 t/ha.

Efficient Plant Regeneration via Indirect Organogenesis in Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus semperflorens flore pleno) Cultivars

Abstract Callus induction and plant regeneration are important steps of in vitro plant breeding of ornamental plants. In this study, the effects of different combinations of plant growth regulators (PGRs), promoters, and minerals on callus induction and plant regeneration in different carnation cultivars were studied in a completely randomized design with three replications. For callus induction, 16 different combinations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 6-benzylaminopurine (BA), 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), and casein hydrolysate (CH) were studied using in vitro leaf explants. The Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 0.2 mg·dm−3 of 2,4-D and 200 mg·dm−3 of CH showed the highest frequency of callus induction. Among the cultivars, ‘Noblesse’ showed the highest rate of callus induction (91.67%). Regarding regeneration, BA, NAA, silver nitrate (AgNO3), and adenine hemisulfate (As) were used in ten different combinations. The ‘Cameron’, ‘Tabasco’, and ‘Noblesse’ cultivars with 95.24% regeneration percentage showed the highest rate of plant regeneration. Generally, in most cultivars, the highest regeneration rate and shoot number per explant were found in the MS medium supplemented with 3 mg·dm−3 of BA, 0.6 mg·dm−3 of NAA, 5 mg·dm−3 of AgNO3, and 40 mg·dm−3 of As. According to the results, the highest regeneration frequency was obtained when 40 mg·dm−3 of As was added to the medium. Finally, the flow cytometry analysis indicated that there were no significant differences between in vitro regenerated and control plants in terms of DNA ratios.

Synergic Effect of Microorganism and Colloidal Biochar-Based Organic Fertilizer on the Growth and Fruit Quality of Tomato

It is well known that carbon-based organic fertilizer can effectively promote crop growth and improve nutrient utilization efficiency. However, little is known about the effect of microorganisms on the nutrient availability of carbon-based organic fertilizer. To elucidate the contribution of microorganisms to the agricultural benefit of colloidal biochar-based fertilizer, a 5-month pot experiment was conducted to study the effect of different combinations of Methyltrophic bacillus, colloidal biochar, and organic fertilizer on physical–chemical properties of soil, plant growth, physiological-biochemical reactions, yield, and quality of tomato. The results show that the addition of Methyltrophic bacillus effectively promoted the availability of soil nutrients (such as nitrate nitrogen and available potassium) and increased soil cation exchange capacity; meanwhile, it significantly increased the content of chlorophyll-a (9.42–27.41%) and promoted the net photosynthetic rate (10.86–13.73%) and biomass of tomato fruit (17.84–26.33%). The contents of lycopene, vitamin C, total sugar, and soluble sugar in the fruits treated by the ternary combination of Methyltrophic bacillus, colloidal biochar, and organic fertilizer increased by 58.40%, 46.53%, 29.45%, and 26.65%, respectively. The above results demonstrate that the addition of beneficial microorganisms could further improve the performance of biochar-based fertilizer on plant growth, yield, and fruit quality of tomato. This information provides evidence for the promising performance of microorganism-supported biochar organic fertilizer in agricultural applications.

Hemodynamic Effects of Different Combinations of Midazolam and Opioids in Healthy Dogs

The purpose of this study was to compare the hemodynamic effects of four different combinations of midazolam and opioids in healthy dogs. Twenty-four healthy dogs were divided in four groups (n = 6) using intramuscular midazolam 0.3 mg/kg and morphine 0.3 mg/kg (GMOR), methadone 0.3 mg/kg (GMET), butorphanol 0.2 mg/kg (GBUT) or fentanyl 5 ug/kg (GFEN). Cardiovascular variables were recorded before (TB) and 20 minutes following drug administration (T20) and comprised arterial blood pressure, heart rate and cardiac index. Subsequently, left ventricular work index and total peripheral resistance index were calculated using the previous variables. At the end of the study, data were compared using analysis of variance followed by Tukey test and Friedman followed by Dunn test, all under 5% significance. No differences were found on cardiovascular variables at all times among the groups, which indicates that all combinations provide hemodynamic stability for clinical sedation of healthy dogs. However, a few animals showed paradoxical excitation in GBUT. In conclusion, the association of midazolam with morphine, methadone, butorphanol or fentanyl provides cardiovascular stability and can be used to sedate dogs undergoing cardiovascular examination, although caution is warranted with the use of midazolam with butorphanol due to possible paradoxical excitation.

Assessment of the Effects of Dietary Vitamin D Levels on Olanzapine-Induced Metabolic Side Effects: Focus on the Endocannabinoidome-Gut Microbiome Axis.

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with poor mental health and dysmetabolism. Several metabolic abnormalities are associated with psychotic diseases, which can be compounded by atypical antipsychotics that induce weight gain and insulin resistance. These side-effects may be affected by vitamin D levels. The gut microbiota and endocannabinoidome (eCBome) are significant regulators of both metabolism and mental health, but their role in the development of atypical antipsychotic drug metabolic side-effects and their interaction with vitamin D status is unknown. We studied the effects of different combinations of vitamin D levels and atypical antipsychotic drug (olanzapine) exposure on whole-body metabolism and the eCBome-gut microbiota axis in female C57BL/6J mice under a high fat/high sucrose (HFHS) diet in an attempt to identify a link between the latter and the different metabolic outputs induced by the treatments. Olanzapine exerted a protective effect against diet-induced obesity and insulin resistance, largely independent of dietary vitamin D status. These changes were concomitant with olanzapine-mediated decreases in Trpv1 expression and increases in the levels of its agonists, including various N-acylethanolamines and 2-monoacylglycerols, which are consistent with the observed improvement in adiposity and metabolic status. Furthermore, while global gut bacteria community architecture was not altered by olanzapine, we identified changes in the relative abundances of various commensal bacterial families. Taken together, changes of eCBome and gut microbiota families under our experimental conditions might contribute to olanzapine and vitamin D-mediated inhibition of weight gain in mice on a HFHS diet.

The inclusion of leukocytes into platelet rich plasma reduces scaffold stability and hinders extracellular matrix remodelling.

BackgroundScaffolds should have controllable degradation rate and allow cells to produce their own extracellular matrix. Platelet rich plasma (PRP) is a source of autologous growth factors and proteins embedded in a 3D fibrin scaffold. There is no consensus regarding the obtaining conditions and composition of PRPs. The aim of this study was to evaluate how the inclusion of leukocytes (L-PRP) in plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) may alter the process of fibrinolysis. The effect of different combinations of cellular phenotypes with PRGF and L-PRP clots on both the fibrinolysis and matrix deposition process was also determined. MethodsPRGF and L-PRP clots were incubated for 14 days and D-dimer and type I collagen were determined in their conditioned media to evaluate clots’ stability. For remodelling assays, gingival fibroblasts, alveolar osteoblasts and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were seeded onto the two types of clots for 14 days. D-dimer, type I collagen, and laminin α4 were measured by ELISA kits in their conditioned media. Morphological and histological analysis were also performed. Cell proliferation was additionally determined ResultsPRGF clots preserved their stability as shown by the low levels of both D-dimer and collagen type I compared to those obtained for L-PRP clots. The inclusion of both gingival fibroblasts and alveolar osteoblasts stimulated a higher fibrinolysis in the PRGF clots. In contrast to this, the degradation rates of both PRGF and L-PRP clots remained unchanged after culturing with the endothelial cells. In all cases, type I collagen and laminin α4 levels were in line with the degree of clots’ degradation. In all phenotypes, cell proliferation was significantly higher in PRGF than in L-PRP clots. ConclusionThe inclusion of leukocytes in PRGF scaffolds reduced their stability, decreased cell number and slowed down cell remodelling.

Factors influencing participants' engagement with an interactive text-message intervention to improve sun protection behaviors: "SunText" randomized controlled trial.

There is growing evidence suggesting that text-message-based interventions are effective to promote sun protection behaviors. However, it is still unclear how engagement and adherence with the intervention messages can be optimized through intervention design. This study evaluated the effect of different combinations of personalized and two-way interactive messages on participant engagement with a theory-based skin cancer prevention intervention. In the SunText study conducted in February-July 2019 in Queensland, Australia participants 18-40 years were randomized to four different text message schedules using a Latin square design. This study analyzed if the order and intensity in which the schedules were received were associated with participants' level of engagement, and if this differed by demographic factors. Out of the 389 participants enrolled in the study, 375 completed the intervention period and remained for analysis. The overall intervention engagement rate was 71% and decreased from the beginning to the end of the study (82.2%-61.4%). The group starting with personalized, but not interactive messaging showed the lowest engagement rate. The intervention involving interactive messages three times a week for 4 weeks achieved the highest engagement rate. The intervention with increasing frequency (personalized and interactive three times a week for 2 weeks; then daily for 2 weeks) had lower engagement than intervention with constant or decreasing frequency. Engagement with two-way interactive messages was high across all intervention groups. Results suggest enhanced engagement with constant or decreasing message frequency compared to increasing frequency.

Effect of Different Combinations of NPK Fertilizer and Seed Quantities on The Yields of Green and Dry Fodder for Egyptian Clover (Meskawi)

A field experiment was carried out at Abu Al-Fadl Forest Nursery affiliated to Al-Diwaniyah Agriculture Directorate (2 km away from the city center), during the winter season (2020-2021). In order to determine the best combination of NPK fertilizer under influence of different seeding rates to shorten the life of cutting the first To increase cutting number during the growing season and to improvment the quantity and quality of green and dry fodder and seed yield, The experiment includes six combinations of NPK fertilizer are (0-0-0), (20-15-10), (40-30-20), (60-45-30), (80-60-40) and (100-75-50) kg ha−1, and four of seeding rates are (20, 40, 60, 80) kg ha−1, The experiment was applied according to the arrangement of the split plots and using R.C.B. Design with three replications. The combination of NPK fertilizer were placed in the main-plot and the quantities of seeds in the sub-plot. The results showed that NPK5 fertilizer level excelled the yields of green and dry forage for the fourth cutting (20.98, 2.28) ton ha−1 respectively, and The total green and dry fodder yields (60.87, 6.48) ton ha−1 respectively, While the fertilizer level NPK4 exceeded The ratio of leaves to stems for the fourth cutting (37.61%). As for the of seeding rates, the results showed that (80 kg h−1) excelled for the ratio of leaves to stems for third cutting (34.67%) yields of green and dry fodder for the first cutting (9.92, 1.03) ton ha−1 respectively, and the total green fodder yield (59.40 t.h-1), While the 60 kg h−1 excelled the yields of green fodder for the second, third and fourth cutting (13.04, 19.50 and 17.64) ton ha−1, dry forage yield of the second, third and fourth cutting (1.47, 1.94, and 1.90) ton ha−1sequentially. and the total dry fodder yield (6.25) ton ha−1.

Combination therapies for COVID-19: An overview of the clinical trials landscape.

The COVID‐19 pandemic has driven an unprecedented level of global activity in drug discovery and clinical development for effective therapeutics targeting the coronavirus disease. There are currently 744 therapeutics being tested in 2879 clinical trials globally. Almost 90% of these clinical trials are focused on monotherapies. Combination therapies are the mainstay of antiviral therapeutics to increase the potency of the individual compounds and to combat the rapid evolution of resistance, although combination therapies have inherently complex clinical and regulatory development challenges. Increased understanding of the SARS‐CoV‐2 lifecycle and COVID‐19 pathology provides a scientific rationale for evaluating the effectiveness of different combinations. In this paper, we provide an overview of the current clinical trial landscape for combination therapeutics targeting COVID‐19 through weekly scanning of national and international clinical trial registries. Our analysis delves specifically into dual combination therapies in what can be defined as “pivotal clinical trials” (active, randomised, controlled and at least phase II), with a focus on new and repurposed therapeutic candidates that have shown positive signals and/or been granted authorisation for emergency use based on positive efficacy and safety data.

Effects of Different Combinations of Two Spices: Clove and Nutmeg Seed Extracts on Antioxidants Levels in African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

The effect of different combinations of botanical spices such as clove and nutmeg in different proportion on the antioxidants activities which include lipid peroxidation (LPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and glutathione peroxide (GPX) in juveniles and adults sizes of Clarias gariepinus was investigated using different combinations of clove (C),and nutmeg (C.N 0:0- Control 0% of Clove and Nutmeg; C.N 1:3- 25% Clove and 75% Nutmeg; C.N 3:1- 75% Clove and 25% Nutmeg; C.N 2:2- 50% Clove and 50% Nutmeg; C.4 - 100% Clove; N4- 100% ) in triplicates. The results from the study indicated that the anaesthetic caused a significant (p<0.05) alterations in the five antioxidants under investigation. The highest alterations in the studied antioxidants were observed in the fish exposed to C4 combination of the anaesthetics and the lowest in the control. The results from this work therefore suggest that the anaesthetics can alter antioxidants levels in the fish which was more noticeable in the fish exposed to C.N 3:1- 75% Clove and 25% Nutmeg; C.N 2:2- 50% Clove and 50% Nutmeg; C.4 - 100% Clove; N4- 100% . Hence fish farmers and scientists are advised to take caution when combining these plant extracts for use in aquaculture.

Experimental and numerical investigation of flow over a spillway bend with different combinations of permeable spur dikes

Abstract In this paper, the effects of different combinations of permeable spur dikes installed in the bend section of spillway on flow characteristics and energy dissipation rate were experimentally and numerically investigated. The results indicate that the permeable spur dikes installed in the spillway bend appreciably contributes to the improvement on the water surface uniformity, and the water surface uniformity can reach 90.13% with three permeable spur dikes installed in the bend. The permeable spur dike can lead to different degrees of decrease in the time-averaged longitudinal velocity in each zone of spillway bend. Different from previous study, no circulation zone is formed upstream and downstream of permeable spur dike due to the presence of permeable holes, and the flow upstream of permeable spur dikes could be divided into three distinctly different flow modes according to dye tracing. The presence of permeable spur dikes causes the concentration of TKE zone at concave bank of the spillway bend, except for TKE zone immediately next to the bottom plate. The TKE first increases and then decreases with the increase in the vertical distance from the bottom plate of the spillway bend, exhibiting a typical parabolic distribution. The energy dissipation rate in the spillway bend with permeable spur dike was calculated using a modified integral method, and the dissipation rate can reach as high as 21.08% with three spur dikes installed in the bend.

Influence of Aloe vera and PEG on the evaluation of photocatalytic degradation of MG dye under UV light and visible light irradiation of ZnO nanomaterials

Photocatalytic degradation is an effective method to prevent the environmental pollution caused by organic pollutants. The effect of different combinations on the properties of zinc oxide was studied by preparing polyethylene glycol (PEG) capped ZnO, Aloe vera mediated ZnO, and PEG/Aloe vera combined ZnO via the sol-gel synthesis method. The size and structure of the synthesized samples were confirmed by XRD and SEM analysis. The decrease in bandgap energy value of ZnO/Aloe/PEG than ZnO/Aloe, and ZnO/PEG indicates the easy excitation of electrons in the latter. Here, the photocatalytic degradation of three different ZnO combinations was tested against Malachite Green (MG) dye with twenty minutes of UV light and visible light irradiation time. Furthermore, the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of textile dye wastewater was also evaluated by ZnO/Aloe/PEG combination under both UV light and visible light irradiation. These findings proved the overwhelming photocatalytic degradation of plant extract and surfactant based ZnO, which has been used as effective remediation to treat textile dye effluent.

Rad27 and Exo1 function in different excision pathways for mismatch repair in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Eukaryotic DNA Mismatch Repair (MMR) involves redundant exonuclease 1 (Exo1)-dependent and Exo1-independent pathways, of which the Exo1-independent pathway(s) is not well understood. The exo1Δ440-702 mutation, which deletes the MutS Homolog 2 (Msh2) and MutL Homolog 1 (Mlh1) interacting peptides (SHIP and MIP boxes, respectively), eliminates the Exo1 MMR functions but is not lethal in combination with rad27Δ mutations. Analyzing the effect of different combinations of the exo1Δ440-702 mutation, a rad27Δ mutation and the pms1-A99V mutation, which inactivates an Exo1-independent MMR pathway, demonstrated that each of these mutations inactivates a different MMR pathway. Furthermore, it was possible to reconstitute a Rad27- and Msh2-Msh6-dependent MMR reaction in vitro using a mispaired DNA substrate and other MMR proteins. Our results demonstrate Rad27 defines an Exo1-independent eukaryotic MMR pathway that is redundant with at least two other MMR pathways.

Studies of COVID-19 Outbreak Control Using Agent-Based Modeling

An agent-based model was developed to study outbreaks and outbreak control for COVID-19, mainly in urban communities. Rules for people’s interactions and virus infectiousness were derived based on previous sociology studies and recently published data-driven analyses of COVID-19 epidemics. The calculated basic reproduction number of epidemics from the developed model coincided with reported values. There were three control measures considered in this paper: social distancing, self-quarantine and community quarantine. Each control measure was assessed individually at first. Later on, an artificial neural network was used to study the effects of different combinations of control measures. To help quantify the impacts of self-quarantine and community quarantine on outbreak control, both were scaled respectively. The results showed that self-quarantine was more effective than the others, but any individual control measure was ineffective in controlling outbreaks in urban communities. The results also showed that a high level of self-quarantine and general community quarantine, assisted with social distancing, would be recommended for outbreak control.

Development and Evaluation of Velocity Predictive Optimal Energy Management Strategies in Intelligent and Connected Hybrid Electric Vehicles

In this study, a thorough and definitive evaluation of Predictive Optimal Energy Management Strategy (POEMS) applications in connected vehicles using 10 to 20 s predicted velocity is conducted for a Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV). The presented methodology includes synchronous datasets gathered in Fort Collins, Colorado using a test vehicle equipped with sensors to measure ego vehicle position and motion and that of surrounding objects as well as receive Infrastructure to Vehicle (I2V) information. These datasets are utilized to compare the effect of different signal categories on prediction fidelity for different prediction horizons within a POEMS framework. Multiple artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms use the collected data to output future vehicle velocity prediction models. The effects of different combinations of signals and different models on prediction fidelity in various prediction windows are explored. All of these combinations are ultimately addressed where the rubber meets the road: fuel economy (FE) enabled from POEMS. FE optimization is performed using Model Predictive Control (MPC) with a Dynamic Programming (DP) optimizer. FE improvements from MPC control at various prediction time horizons are compared to that of full-cycle DP. All FE results are determined using high-fidelity simulations of an Autonomie 2010 Toyota Prius model. The full-cycle DP POEMS provides the theoretical upper limit on fuel economy (FE) improvement achievable with POEMS but is not currently practical for real-world implementation. Perfect prediction MPC (PP-MPC) represents the upper limit of FE improvement practically achievable with POEMS. Real-Prediction MPC (RP-MPC) can provide nearly equivalent FE improvement when used with high-fidelity predictions. Constant-Velocity MPC (CV-MPC) uses a constant speed prediction and serves as a “null” POEMS. Results showed that RP-MPC, enabled by high-fidelity ego future speed prediction, led to significant FE improvement over baseline nearly matching that of PP-MPC.

Effect of Different Combinations of Dietary Vitamin A, Protein Levels, and Monensin on Inflammatory Markers and Metabolites, Retinol-Binding Protein, and Retinoid Status in Periparturient Dairy Cows.

Simple SummaryThe transition period is a challenging time, which combines a massive increase in nutrient requirements and leads to a negative energy balance. Therefore, disorders related to negative energy balance, such as ketosis, are more frequent. In addition, in this period, oxidative stress increases, favoring immune suppression functions and inflammation, which may lead to increased susceptibility to other diseases such as metritis and mastitis. Therefore, the combination of ionophores, such as monensin, that mitigate the accentuated negative energy balance; vitamin A, which plays an important role in supporting the immune system; and a high level of crude protein might improve immune parameters in dairy cows in the transition period. This study demonstrated that monensin and vitamin A supplementation and high crude protein levels enhanced some vitamin status and inflammatory markers when used during the late prepartum period.The objective of this study was to determine the effect of feeding different combinations of dietary vitamin A supplementation (0 or 110 IU/kg body weight), protein (10.3% or 12.2%), and an ionophore (monensin at 0 or 400 mg/day) on retinoid metabolism and immune function of dairy cows. Eighty multiparous Holstein dairy cows were studied from d −35 to +21 relative to expected parturition in a complete randomized block design with a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. The significance of treatments was declared at p ≤ 0.05. Dairy cows receiving high crude protein (CP) diets with monensin had a greater retinol-binding protein serum concentration than cows receiving high CP diets without monensin (p = 0.04). Animals supplemented with vitamin A showed lower SCC (p = 0.04) and a higher thiobarbituric acid reactive substances concentration (p = 0.06) than cows non-supplemented. Moreover, cows receiving low crude protein diets had a greater haptoglobin concentration (p = 0.01). In addition, cows fed a high crude protein diet had a greater TNF-α expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (p = 0.04). Animals fed diets without monensin had a greater serum haptoglobin on day 3 postpartum than those fed monensin (p = 0.01). Moreover, dietary vitamin A increased serum 13-cis retinoic acid postpartum. We conclude that vitamin A, crude protein levels, and monensin fed during the close-up period affect milk somatic cell count, some vitamin statuses, and inflammatory markers during early lactation.