Production Performance Research Articles

Influence of the modification of chlorophyll-rich extracts on the hydrogen evolution reaction of rGO-based electrocatalysts

The great efforts to develop alternative electrocatalysts for efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) applications through environmentally friendly synthesis still need to be completed. We explore a green route using spinach extract to simultaneously reduce and functionalize graphene oxide (GO). A spinach extract, rich in green reducing agents and chlorophyll, was obtained and modified by saponification and demetallation to yield Chln-H2 and further used to reduce and functionalize GO in a one-step procedure. The resulting RGO/Chln-H2 electrocatalyst was evaluated on the HER by Lineal Sweep Voltammetry (LSV), achieving a current density of −34.84 mA/cm2 starting its activation from an onset potential of −0.68 V vs reference hydrogen electrode (RHE). The effect of saponification and demetallation produces a new metal-free alternative catalyst with increased current density seven times, boosting hydrogen production performance.

Effects of Mitragyna speciosa Leaf Powder Supplementation in Layer Diet on Production Performance and Egg Quality

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of kratom leaf powder supplementation in layer diet on production performance and egg quality. Forty 73-week-old Hisex Brown hens were divided into 4 treatment groups with 5 replications of 2 hens each. A basal diet supplemented with kratom leaf powder at 0, 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0% of diet for 8 weeks were fed to these hens. Body weight, egg production, egg weight, egg mass, feed intake and feed conversation ratio were recorded. Egg quality was measured on the last day of the experiment. The results showed that supplementation of kratom leaf powder at 0.5% level gave better egg production, egg mass and feed conversion ratio than other groups (P < 0.01). In addition, the supplementation of kratom leaf powder resulted in a reduction in feed intake (P < 0.01). In terms of egg quality, it was found that eggshell weight, eggshell strength, eggshell thickness, yolk weight, albumen weight, yolk color and Haugh unit were not statistically different (P > 0.05). From these findings, it can be concluded that kratom leaf powder can be supplemented in layer diet at 0.5% level.

Inclusion of by-products of the brewing and wine industry in dairy goats

The aim of the following work was to evaluate a diet formulated with byproducts from the brewing and wine industry for lactating goats and quantify its potential in terms of nutritional quality and quantity. Twelve multiparous Nubian x Saanen goats, 2.75 years old (+ 1,24) during an experimental period of 12 weeks: 2 weeks of habituation and 10 weeks of testing. In both diets the goats grazed 6 hours on natural grass. Diet T0 (n = 6): Commercial feed: 500 g/day/goat (16% CP and 2.6 Mcal ME/kg DM) and diet T1 (n = 6): non-traditional balanced feed: 500 g/day/goat (16% CP and 2.6 Mcal ME/kg DM). Productive performance and health parameters were evaluated in goats fed with both diets during a period of 5 weeks starting 35 days postpartum. Total dry matter intake (DMI), milk production and corrected (MY and MYC), live weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), degree of FAMACHA© and quantitative coproparasitological diagnosis (EPG and OPG) were measured. A greater DMI was observed at T0 compared to T1 (p < 0.05). MY, MYC, BW, BCS, FAMACHA©, EPG and OPG did not show significant differences (p > 0.05) between both diets (T0 vs T1) throughout the experimental period evaluated. Goat health parameters throughout the study were within the physiological range during the production cycle and did not interfere with dietary treatments. The formulation of the diet with barley bagasse and grape pomace in dairy goats had a productive behaviour and health parameters like those of the commercial diet evaluated, without affecting milk production.

Genomic prediction of blood biomarkers of metabolic disorders in Holstein cattle using parametric and nonparametric models

BackgroundMetabolic disturbances adversely impact productive and reproductive performance of dairy cattle due to changes in endocrine status and immune function, which increase the risk of disease. This may occur in the post-partum phase, but also throughout lactation, with sub-clinical symptoms. Recently, increased attention has been directed towards improved health and resilience in dairy cattle, and genomic selection (GS) could be a helpful tool for selecting animals that are more resilient to metabolic disturbances throughout lactation. Hence, we evaluated the genomic prediction of serum biomarkers levels for metabolic distress in 1353 Holsteins genotyped with the 100K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chip assay. The GS was evaluated using parametric models best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP), Bayesian B (BayesB), elastic net (ENET), and nonparametric models, gradient boosting machine (GBM) and stacking ensemble (Stack), which combines ENET and GBM approaches.ResultsThe results show that the Stack approach outperformed other methods with a relative difference (RD), calculated as an increment in prediction accuracy, of approximately 18.0% compared to GBLUP, 12.6% compared to BayesB, 8.7% compared to ENET, and 4.4% compared to GBM. The highest RD in prediction accuracy between other models with respect to GBLUP was observed for haptoglobin (hapto) from 17.7% for BayesB to 41.2% for Stack; for Zn from 9.8% (BayesB) to 29.3% (Stack); for ceruloplasmin (CuCp) from 9.3% (BayesB) to 27.9% (Stack); for ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) from 8.0% (BayesB) to 40.0% (Stack); and for total protein (PROTt) from 5.7% (BayesB) to 22.9% (Stack). Using a subset of top SNPs (1.5k) selected from the GBM approach improved the accuracy for GBLUP from 1.8 to 76.5%. However, for the other models reductions in prediction accuracy of 4.8% for ENET (average of 10 traits), 5.9% for GBM (average of 21 traits), and 6.6% for Stack (average of 16 traits) were observed.ConclusionsOur results indicate that the Stack approach was more accurate in predicting metabolic disturbances than GBLUP, BayesB, ENET, and GBM and seemed to be competitive for predicting complex phenotypes with various degrees of mode of inheritance, i.e. additive and non-additive effects. Selecting markers based on GBM improved accuracy of GBLUP.

Assessment of Production Performance and Uncertainty in the UBGH2-6 Gas Hydrate Reservoir, Ulleung Basin

This study delineates the intricate dynamics of gas hydrate production in the UBGH2-6 reservoir, located in the Ulleung Basin, by deploying a comprehensive simulation model. By integrating a sensitivity analysis with Latin hypercube sampling-based Monte Carlo simulations, we evaluated the influences on gas and water production and explored the underlying uncertainties within this gas hydrate reservoir. The simulation model revealed significant findings, including the production of approximately 440 t of gas and 34,240 t of water, facilitated by a depressurization strategy at 9 MPa for a year. This highlights the pivotal roles of porosity, permeability, and thermal properties in enhancing production rates and influencing hydrate dissociation processes. Sensitivity analysis of 19 parameters provides insights into their impact on production, identifying the key drivers of increased production rates. Furthermore, uncertainty analysis examined 300 reservoir models, utilizing statistical percentiles to quantify uncertainties, projecting a median gas production of approximately 455 t. This study identifies critical factors affecting gas hydrate production and offers valuable insights for future exploration and exploitation strategies, making a significant contribution to the field of gas hydrate research.

EFFECT OF ADDING CHLOROGENIC ACID ON BROILER PERFORMANCE, SOME BLOOD BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS AND GUT HEALTH

This study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of chlorogenic acid on productive performance, blood biochemistry and intestinal histomorphology of broiler chickens. A total of 256-day old Ross 308 broiler chicks were divided into 4 treatments with 4 replications, 16 chicks per replicate. Treatments were arranged as follow: control group was left without any additive, whereas group 2-4 supplemented with 1, 1.5 and 2 mL of chlorogenic acid per litter of drinking water respectively. Results of this study showed that the body weight gain of birds received chlorogenic acid significantly increased when compared to control group. Lowest feed intake (P<0.05) was recorded for the birds received 1.5ml of chlorogenic acid than other experimental groups. Better feed conversion ratio was found in birds offered 1 and 1.5 mL chlorogenic acid compared to the control and those offered 2 mL /L of chlorogenic acid. The chlorogenic acid significantly increased villous heights and reduced crypt depths. The higher villous surface area was recorded for the birds received 1 mL of chlorogenic acid (P<0.05) than other groups. The birds in control group significantly increased the serum content of globulin over all treatments. It can be concluded that chlorogenic acid had a positive effect on performance and gut health of broiler chickens.

Synthesis of Co0·52Cu0·48/Cu@S–C arrays for the enhanced performance of hydrazine-assisted hydrogen production

The development of efficient bifunctional catalysts is the key technology to replace oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR) with lower theoretical potential to achieve high efficiency and energy-saving hydrogen production. In this work, the Co0·52Cu0·48/Cu@S–C (−1.3 V) composite with flower-like array was prepared by two-step electrodeposition coupled pyrolysis method. The electrochemical measurements showed that the driving voltages of the optimal composite for HzOR and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are respectively −118 mV and 47 mV at a current density (j) of 10 mA cm−2. The excellent performance of Co0·52Cu0·48/Cu@S–C (−1.3 V) composite is attributed to the fact that the flower-like structure exposes more active areas and facilitates the diffusion of electrolyte, the strong electron interaction between Co0·52Cu0·48/Cu and S–C substrate, which can be verified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), enhances the electrical conductivity, the Co0·52Cu0·48/Cu heterogeneous interface reduces the water dissociation barrier and facilitates the dehydrogenation kinetics of N2H4 determined by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Due to the excellent performance of Co0·52Cu0·48/Cu@S–C (−1.3 V), the overall hydrazine splitting (OHzS) electrolytic cell was constructed with Co0·52Cu0·48/Cu@S–C (−1.3 V) as electrodes. The results showed the voltages required by the cell are 36, 210 and 282 mV at the current density values of 10, 100 and 200 mA cm−2 respectively, showing that Co0·52Cu0·48/Cu@S–C (−1.3 V) can be used for energy-saving hydrogen production by hydrazine assisted water electrolysis.

Metabolic imprinting in beef calves supplemented with creep feeding on performance, reproductive efficiency and metabolome profile

This experiment evaluated the influence of creep feeding supplementation on productive and reproductive performance and on serum metabolome profile in Nelore (Bos indicus) heifers. Female calves were assigned to treatments: Creep (n = 190), with ad libitum access to a nutritional supplement from 70 to 220 days after birth, or Control (n = 140), without supplementation. After weaning (Day 220), both groups followed the same pasture and nutritional management. Body weight (BW) and backfat thickness (BFAT) were measured over time. Blood samples were collected at 220 and 360 days for LC–MS/MS targeted metabolomics. On day 408, during the synchronization timed artificial insemination (TAI) protocol, reproductive status (RS: diameter of uterine horn and largest follicle, and presence of CL) was assessed. Creep feeding increased BW and BFAT at weaning, but no differences in BW, BFAT, or RS after weaning were observed. Nonetheless, the pregnancy per AI (P/AI) for 1st service was 28.9% higher in the Creep group. On day 220, 11 significant metabolites influenced five metabolic pathways: Glucose-alanine cycle, alanine, glutathione, phenylalanine and tyrosine metabolism, and urea cycle. On day 360, 14 significant metabolites influenced eight metabolic pathways: Malate-aspartate shuttle, arginine and proline metabolism, urea cycle, aspartate, beta-alanine, glutamate metabolism, ammonia recycling and citric acid cycle. In conclusion, creep feeding supplementation improved calf performance and induced metabolic changes at weaning and 360 days of age. Although heifers had similar productive performance and reproductive status, when submitted to TAI, those supplemented with creep feeding had greater P/AI.

A Stochastic Frontier Analysis of the Performance of Livestock in the North-Eastern Cape Communal Rangelands, South Africa

This paper examined the technical efficiency of livestock in Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, to improve the understanding of the performance of livestock production of rural households in the communal rangelands. Surveys from 120 households were used to estimate a stochastic frontier model to assess livestock production's technical efficiency (TE) amongst households in a communal production environment where rangelands are the primary source of fodder. The estimated coefficients of the stochastic frontier model indicated that livestock units (LSU) and costs of additional feed supplements positively influenced livestock output per household. Management practices such as livestock kraaling and livestock herding influenced TE positively. An average technical efficiency score of 0.79 was estimated among households, suggesting that an improvement in efficiency could be achieved if proper interventions were employed. These interventions may include programmes such as the Extended Public Work Programmes to provide livestock herding support, gender-sensitive strategies that support the inclusion of women in livestock production, and other labour inputs related to animal husbandry. Lastly, this study provided essential information in understanding livestock production and informed policy about possible interventions that could potentially improve livestock production in rangelands.

Elaborate design and construction of direct Z-scheme ZnIn2S4@BiYWO6 heterojunction catalysts for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen production

Photocatalytic Hydrogen production as one of the effective ways to solve the future energy issues has recently become a research hotspot in the field of renewable energy. However, single-component photocatalysts have poor hydrogen production efficiency due to the narrow light-absorption range, susceptibility to photo-corrosion and low catalytic activity. Herein, novel heterojunction photocatalysts of ZnIn2S4@BiYWO6 with different mass ratios were designed and synthesized using a facile two-step hydrothermal method. Experimental results and analyses show that these heterojunction catalysts exhibit extremely excellent photocatalytic performance for hydrogen production. Especially, the hydrogen production rate of 10ZnIn2S4-BiYWO6 is 73 times higher than that of pure ZnIn2S4. Furthermore, enhanced photocatalytic mechanism and carrier transfer pathway in the heterojunction photocatalyst of ZnIn2S4@BiYWO6 were deeply analyzed and explored in the paper, which confirmed that ZnIn2S4@BiYWO6 is a direct Z-scheme heterojunction architecture. Within such a Z-scheme framework, the presence of a built-in electric field at the interface between ZnIn2S4 and BiYWO6 as well as the energy band bending lead to the direct recombination of electrons and holes with low redox capacity, while keeping the electrons and holes with high redox capacity in each component. Consequently, the photocatalytic activity of the Z-scheme heterojunction system has been greatly enhanced. It is believed that the present work provides valuable guidance for the design and construction of novel Z-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts.

Current Status and Economic Prospects of Alternative Protein Sources for the Food Industry

The rising demand for novel and alternative protein (AP) sources has transformed both the marketplace and the food industry. This solid trend is driven by social awareness about environmental sustainability, fair food production practices, affordability, and pursuit of high-quality nutritional sources. This short review provides an overview of key aspects of promising AP sources (plants, algae, insects, fungi and cultured protein) as well as the economic potential, prospects, and operational challenges of this market. The low environmental performance of livestock production, associated with high GHG emissions and land use, can be overcome by less resource-intensive AP production. However, despite the forecasted expansion and improved economic viability, key challenges such as regulatory concerns, consumer acceptance and product functionality still need to be addressed. While the consumption and production of plant-based products are relatively well established, research and development efforts are needed to remediate the main commercialization and manufacturing issues of unprecedented protein sources such as cultured protein and the emerging edible insects sector.

Moderating Gender in Work From Home Policy Implementation on State Civil Apparatus Performance using Multigroup Analysis

The WFH (Work from Home) policy has significantly changed the work landscape, particularly within governmental institutions. As organizations grapple with implementing this policy, they must navigate newfound disruptions and adapt to a new way of working. Understanding how this policy is executed sheds light on its impact on employee performance and whether the implemented work system is suitable. This study analyzed the relationship between WFH policy implementation and various factors such as work productivity, worklife balance, and overall apparatus performance, with a subsequent examination of gender moderation. Data were collected through a Google forms survey from January to February 2023, targeting all East Java Region's BPS (Central Bureau of Statistics) Regency/City personnel. Results indicate that the WFH policy enhances employee performance and productivity, both directly and indirectly. However, it also appears to diminish work-life balance. Overall, no significant differences are observed between genders regarding the implementation of WFH, whether in terms of performance, work productivity, or work-life balance, either directly or indirectly. The WFH policy emerges as a viable solution, particularly during the pandemic, offering workplace flexibility and ensuring employee health security

Production performance of Seurukan fish (Osteochilus sp.) with high density in recirculating system

One of the local fish (native species) that is popular with the public and has quite good market prospects in Aceh is the seurukan fish (Osteochilus sp.). Seurukan fish cultivation technology with a recirculation system needs to be developed so that its potential can be utilized optimally. This research aims to evaluate production performance and determine the optimal stocking density for rearing seurukan fish (Osteochilus sp.) in a recirculation system. This research was conducted by experimental method. The experimental design used was a completely randomized design (CRD) with three treatments of stocking density and each treatment was repeated four times. The treatments are P1 (5 fish/m2), P2 (10 fish/m2), and P3 (15 fish/m2). The rearing period for Seurukan fish lasts for 50 days. The parameters tested during the research included biological parameters consisting of survival, absolute growth rate, feed conversion ratio, weight diversity coefficient, and water quality parameters including temperature, pH and dissolved oxygen. The results showed that the seurukan fish reared at different stocking densities using a recirculation system had a significant effect on the absolute growth rate and the coefficient of variation in weight. The best treatment in this study was 5 fish/m2, with a survival rate of 100%, an absolute growth rate of 0.04 g/head/day, a feed conversion ratio of 1.63, and a coefficient of variation of weight of 17.99%.Key words: production performance; seurukan fish; recirculation system; stocking density

A Rare Mono-Rhamnolipid Congener Efficiently Produced by Recombinant Pseudomonas aeruginosa YM4 via the Expression of Global Transcriptional Regulator irrE.

Rhamnolipids (RLs) are widely used biosurfactants produced mainly by Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia spp. in the form of mixtures of diverse congeners. The global transcriptional regulator gene irrE from radiation-tolerant extremophiles has been widely used as a stress-resistant element to construct robust producer strains and improve their production performance. A PrhlA-irrE cassette was constructed to express irrE genes in the Pseudomonas aeruginosa YM4 of the rhamnolipids producer strain. We found that the expression of irrE of Deinococcus radiodurans in the YM4 strain not only enhanced rhamnolipid production and the strain's tolerance to environmental stresses, but also changed the composition of the rhamnolipid products. The synthesized rhamnolipids reached a maximum titer of 26 g/L, about 17.9% higher than the original, at 48 h. The rhamnolipid production of the recombinant strain was determined to be mono-rhamnolipids congener Rha-C10-C12, accounting for 94.1% of total products. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) value of the Rha-C10-C12 products was 62.5 mg/L and the air-water surface tension decreased to 25.5 mN/m. The Rha-C10-C12 products showed better emulsifying activity on diesel oil than the original products. This is the first report on the efficient production of the rare mono-rhamnolipids congener Rha-C10-C12 and the first report that the global regulator irrE can change the components of rhamnolipid products in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Preparation and performance evaluation of microencapsulated acid used for gel breaking of fracturing fluid in low-temperature reservoirs

In low-temperature reservoirs, the generation of free radicals by oxidizing breakers is challenging, and the alkaline fracturing fluid generally inhibits enzyme’s activity, making it difficult to break down the fracturing fluid. Previous studies have demonstrated that acids can consume borate ions and disrupt crosslinking nodes even at low temperatures, thereby efficiently breaking gels. Thus, microencapsulated oxalic acid (OA) was prepared via a coacervation method, using ethyl cellulose (EC) or acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) as shell materials with varying initiator viscosities and core–shell ratios. An optimal microcapsule MC[OA/ABS-2000-1:2] was determined based on the coating effect, productivity, encapsulation rate, and release performance. The test results of FT-IR and TGA together proved that the optimal microcapsule was composed of 24.4 and 74.8 % of OA and ABS, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy and laser particle size analysis were employed to characterize the optimal microcapsule with an average particle size of 402.8 μm, which exhibited a high degree of sphericity. Because of their porous shells, these microcapsules exhibited sustained slow-release characteristics. Evaluations conducted at temperatures of 30 and 50 ℃, simulating the tight sandstone reservoir conditions in the Ordos basin, revealed that delayed gel breaking could be achieved within approximately 2.5 h at low temperatures by adding only 0.25 % of the optimal microcapsule. Furthermore, increasing the temperature and dosage of microcapsules resulted in shorter breaking times. Additionally, a synergistic breaking effect was observed between the enzymes and the prepared microencapsulated acid. Thus, by optimizing the microcapsule dosage based on the reservoir temperature and fracturing construction pumping time, employing the two breakers together can achieve delayed and complete gel breaking at the desired time. In conclusion, the microencapsulated acid prepared in this study has significant potential as a gel breaker for fracturing fluids in low-temperature reservoirs.

Remittance and Macroeconomic Performance in Top Migrating Countries

Globalization opens up economies and encourages the free movement of persons and factors of production. Diaspora investors and workers earn income in the process and make remittances to the migrating countries. We examine the impact of the remittance inflow on the macroeconomic performance of top emigrating countries, which comprise nine emerging and two advanced economies. We conduct group and individual country analyses with distinct econometric models (Feasible Quasi Generalized Least Squares and Dynamic Common Correlated Effects) using data between 1987 and 2021. The results reveal positive impact of remittance inflows on nominal GDP and nominal GDP per capita and on real GDP and real GDP per capita, although evidence on the latter is weaker. In all, the emigrating countries can benefit from diaspora remittance in terms of improved productivity and macroeconomic performance. We therefore recommend better systems to facilitate remittance receipt and policies to channel such flows more into investment activities.

An Algoclay-Based Decontaminant Decreases Exposure to Aflatoxin B1, Ochratoxin A, and Deoxynivalenol in a Toxicokinetic Model, as well as Supports Intestinal Morphology, and Decreases Liver Oxidative Stress in Broiler Chickens Fed a Diet Naturally Contaminated with Deoxynivalenol.

The aims of this study were (i) to determine the effect of an algoclay-based decontaminant on the oral availability of three mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol; DON, ochratoxin A; OTA, and aflatoxin B1; AFB1) using an oral bolus model and (ii) to determine the effect of this decontaminant on the performance, intestinal morphology, liver oxidative stress, and metabolism, in broiler chickens fed a diet naturally contaminated with DON. In experiment 1, sixteen 27-day-old male chickens (approximately 1.6 kg body weight; BW) were fasted for 12 h and then given a bolus containing either the mycotoxins (0.5 mg DON/kg BW, 0.25 mg OTA/kg BW, and 2.0 mg AFB1/kg BW) alone (n = 8) or combined with the decontaminant (2.5 g decontaminant/kg feed; circa 240 mg/kg BW) (n = 8). Blood samples were taken between 0 h (before bolus administration) and 24 h post-administration for DON-3-sulphate, OTA, and AFB1 quantification in plasma. The algoclay decontaminant decreased the relative oral bioavailability of DON (39.9%), OTA (44.3%), and AFB1 (64.1%). In experiment 2, one-day-old male Ross broilers (n = 600) were divided into three treatments with ten replicates. Each replicate was a pen with 20 birds. The broiler chickens were fed a control diet with negligible levels of DON (0.19-0.25 mg/kg) or diets naturally contaminated with moderate levels of DON (2.60-2.91 mg/kg), either supplemented or not with an algoclay-based decontaminant (2 g/kg diet). Jejunum villus damage was observed on day 28, followed by villus shortening on d37 in broiler chickens fed the DON-contaminated diet. This negative effect was not observed when the DON-contaminated diet was supplemented with the algoclay-based decontaminant. On d37, the mRNA expression of glutathione synthetase was significantly increased in the liver of broiler chickens fed the DON-contaminated diet. However, its expression was similar to the control when the birds were fed the DON-contaminated diet supplemented with the algoclay-based decontaminant. In conclusion, the algoclay-based decontaminant reduced the systemic exposure of broiler chickens to DON, OTA, and AFB1 in a single oral bolus model. This can be attributed to the binding of the mycotoxins in the gastrointestinal tract. Moreover, dietary contamination with DON at levels between 2.69 and 2.91 mg/kg did not impair production performance but had a negative impact on broiler chicken intestinal morphology and the liver redox system. When the algoclay-based decontaminant was added to the diet, the harm caused by DON was no longer observed. This correlates with the results obtained in the toxicokinetic assay and can be attributed to a decreased absorption of DON.

Combined modelling of production of merchantable phosphoric ores using parallel processors and their transportation by pipeline

This paper focuses on managing the production and transfer of phosphoric merchantable ores (MOs) in a pull-flow mode of a supply chain that is currently addressed with limited effectiveness. MOs are obtained by washing extracted source ores in parallel lines, using alternative routings that change their weight and composition, before blending in tanks to achieve the required quality defined by a set of compositional constraints. The pipe transfer program defines the batches to be transported and their schedule, considering downstream demand (a roughly stable demand from the chemistry and irregular export demands (export orders of large quantities of MOs)), preventive maintenance of pipe or washing lines and prevention of defusing and saturation in the tanks of the delivery pipe station. A daily used Decision Support System (DSS) encapsulates two models used sequentially and sharing technical, availability, capacity, and quality constraints; then, the optimal solution of the transfer model is adapted to create the order book processed by the original blending model to obtain an optimal joint production and pipe transfer program. It also provides ways to improve SC performance while considering its impact on the chemical production performance.

Multi-objective optimization strategy for multipolar magnesium electrolysis cell based on thermal-electric model

In the operation of industrial multipolar magnesium electrolysis cell, cell voltage and current density are important indicators of the production performance of the cell, while thermal balance is a key factor for normal operation. This paper utilizes the finite element method to establish a three-dimensional full cell thermal-electric model, studying the thermal field distribution and current density distribution in a 165kA multipolar magnesium electrolysis cell. Based on the heat balance of the multipolar cell, the influence of structural parameters on current intensity, average current density at the anode surface and resistance voltage is assessed. Dimensionless analysis yielded optimization criteria, and the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) was employed for multi-objective optimization problems. When stringent optimization is executed, significant performance improvements can be achieved in terms of the electrolysis cell's resistance voltage and current density. Moreover, under the optimization criteria, the relative error of the 265kA multipolar magnesium electrolysis cell model is less than 1 %. The results indicate that the workflow combining the finite element method with multi-objective optimization algorithms can be applied to the optimization and scale-up design of high-current multipolar magnesium electrolysis cell.

Effects of prilled fat supplementation in diets with varying protein levels on production performance of early lactating Nili Ravi Buffaloes.

The objective of the current study was to find out the independent and interactive effects of prilled fat supplementation with protein on the production performance of early lactating Nili Ravi buffaloes. Sixteen early lactating buffaloes (36.75 ± 5.79 d in milk; mean ± SE) received 4 treatments in 4 × 4 Latin-square design according to 2 × 2 factorial arrangements. The dietary treatments were:1) LPLF = low protein low fat, 2) LPHF = low protein high fat, 3) HPLF = high protein low fat, and 4) HPHF = high protein high fat. The dietary treatments contained 2 protein (8.7 and 11.7% CP, crude protein) and fat levels (2.6 and 4.6% EE, ether extract) on a dry matter basis. The yields of milk and fat increased with increasing protein and fat independently (p≤0.05). Energy-, protein-, and fat-corrected milk yields also increased with increasing protein and fat independently (p≤0.05). Increasing dietary protein increased the protein yield by 3.75% and lactose yield by 3.15% and increasing dietary fat supplies increased the fat contents by 3.93% (p≤0.05). Milk yield and fat-corrected milk to dry matter intake ratios were increased at high protein and high fat levels (p≤0.05). Milk nitrogen efficiency was unaffected by dietary fat (p>0.10), whereas it decreased with increasing protein supplies (p≤0.05). Plasma urea nitrogen and cholesterol were increased by increasing protein and fat levels, respectively (p≤0.05). The values of predicted methane production reduced with increasing dietary protein and fat. It is concluded that prilled fat and protein supplies increased milk and fat yield along with increased ratios of milk yield and fat-corrected milk yields to dry matter intake. However, no interaction was observed between prilled fat and protein supplementation for production parameters, body weight, BCS and blood metabolites. Predicted methane production decreased with increasing protein and fat levels.