Simplified Program Research Articles

Simplification and verification of chemical reaction mechanism of RP-3 aviation kerosene

To reveal the combustion and explosion characteristics of RP-3 aviation kerosene, a three-step simplified mechanism involving CO-CO2, H2-H2O equilibrium was constructed. Using a general program based on Cantera and genetic algorithms, the reaction rate parameters were optimized under given conditions, and a relationship between reaction rate parameters and fuel equivalence ratio was developed. The optimized mechanism was compared with multiple flame parameters under multiple operating conditions of RP-3 aviation kerosene. The results showed that the laminar flame speed and adiabatic flame temperature of the three-step simplified mechanism were in good agreement with the experimental data of RP-3 aviation kerosene within the temperature range of 300 ∼ 600 K and pressure range of 1–5 atm, with an error of less than 10 %. The optimized mechanism corrected using a correction function is in good agreement with experimental and numerical results under multiple conditions, verifying the rationality of the simplified program and the accuracy of the three-step simplified mechanism. For practical engineering issues, RP-3 aviation kerosene explosion experiments were conducted, and the pressure and flame data were analyzed and compared. The results indicated that the three-step simplified mechanism had satisfactory calculation time scales and numerical simulation feasibility.

Long-read sequencing improves the genetic diagnosis of retinitis pigmentosa by identifying an Alu retrotransposon insertion in the EYS gene

BackgroundBiallelic variants in EYS are the major cause of autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa (arRP) in certain populations, a clinically and genetically heterogeneous disease that may lead to legal blindness. EYS is one of the largest genes (~ 2 Mb) expressed in the retina, in which structural variants (SVs) represent a common cause of disease. However, their identification using short-read sequencing (SRS) is not always feasible. Here, we conducted targeted long-read sequencing (T-LRS) using adaptive sampling of EYS on the MinION sequencing platform (Oxford Nanopore Technologies) to definitively diagnose an arRP family, whose affected individuals (n = 3) carried the heterozygous pathogenic deletion of exons 32–33 in the EYS gene. As this was a recurrent variant identified in three additional families in our cohort, we also aimed to characterize the known deletion at the nucleotide level to assess a possible founder effect.ResultsT-LRS in family A unveiled a heterozygous AluYa5 insertion in the coding exon 43 of EYS (chr6(GRCh37):g.64430524_64430525ins352), which segregated with the disease in compound heterozygosity with the previously identified deletion. Visual inspection of previous SRS alignments using IGV revealed several reads containing soft-clipped bases, accompanied by a slight drop in coverage at the Alu insertion site. This prompted us to develop a simplified program using grep command to investigate the recurrence of this variant in our cohort from SRS data. Moreover, LRS also allowed the characterization of the CNV as a ~ 56.4kb deletion spanning exons 32–33 of EYS (chr6(GRCh37):g.64764235_64820592del). The results of further characterization by Sanger sequencing and linkage analysis in the four families were consistent with a founder variant.ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the first report of a mobile element insertion into the coding sequence of EYS, as a likely cause of arRP in a family. Our study highlights the value of LRS technology in characterizing and identifying hidden pathogenic SVs, such as retrotransposon insertions, whose contribution to the etiopathogenesis of rare diseases may be underestimated.

Problems of comprehensive assessment of the impact of global business structures on the development of the national economy

The paper is devoted to the activities of enterprises and their impact on the state economy. The activities of enterprises are aimed at achieving economic and social results and making a profit in addition, it is related to the provision of the needs of each person, is subject to the influence of many factors and covers a wide range of organizational, technological, economic and financial issues. The paper analyzes the main aspects of the economic significance of the activities of enterprises for the effective functioning of the national economy. Business has been proven to be of global importance through financial inflows, foreign investment and share of gross domestic product. Stability of enterprise activity, achievement of competitive advantages, strengthening of the enterprise’s position on the market – all this is achieved by implementation of rational and carefully developed economic policy of business entities and state policy. That is why the problem of formation and management of the economic policy of the enterprise becomes especially relevant. The main aim of the research is to identify the risks and prospects of enterprise activity on the national economy in modern conditions. Support for the economy is provided only by those enterprises that correctly and competently determine the requirements of the market, organize the production of competitive products and services that are in demand, skillfully carry out highly qualified creative labor staff All this requires fundamental and in-depth economic knowledge, and therefore, appropriate training of economics specialists. The paper describes the state of enterprise activity, possible threats, prospects, and further vectors of development in the post-war period. The practical value of the research is reflected in the results of the work and its follow-up scientific research. The authors concludes that the following steps have been taken in recent years to improve the relationship between entrepreneurship and the national economy: comprehensive regulation of the business sector, development of a simplified program for permitting procedures and registration of property rights, high-quality and modern procedures for starting and closing a business, obtaining administrative services at the highest level, observance of state control over the activities of business entities and reforming the provision of administrative services, mitigation of taxation.

Effects of Tai Chi on the neuromuscular function of the patients with functional ankle instability: a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundAnkle instability limits physical activities and undermines a person’s quality of life. Tai Chi’s health benefits have been reported in different population groups. However, the effects of Tai Chi on neuromuscular function among young adults with functional ankle instability (FAI) remain unclear. Therefore, we aim to investigate the effect of Tai Chi on young adults with FAI.MethodsThis study will be conducted as a randomized controlled trial with blinded assessors. A total of 104 young adults with FAI will be recruited and randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. The participants in the simplified Tai Chi exercise program (STCEP) group will receive a 12-week Tai Chi training. The participants in the control group will receive a low-intensity exercise program and health education for 12 weeks. The primary and secondary outcomes will be assessed at baseline, 4th, 8th, and 12th weeks. Primary outcome measures will include the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT) score, kinematics/kinetics data, electromyography during single-leg landing tasks, and the modified Star Excursion Balance Test (mSEBT). Secondary outcome measures will include the total time of Dynamic Leap and Balance Test (DLBT), ankle muscle strength, and ankle proprioception.DiscussionThis study will investigate the effects of Tai Chi exercise on the neuromuscular function of patients with FAI, as indicated by ankle joint biomechanics, ankle proprioception, balance, ankle muscle strength, and ankle muscle activation. Results will demonstrate that Tai Chi can be an effective exercise for young adults with FAI.Trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2100044089. Registered on 10 March 2021

Digital vs. in-person financial education: What works best for Generation Z?

Nowadays, financial literacy is one of the most important skills that can be acquired by a tech-savvy Generation Z student. In order to understand what format of financial education works best for Generation Z, we set up an experiment that involved implementing a financial education program called “Futuro Sicuro” with a sample of 650 High School students in Italy. The program allowed us to gather data from two treatments at the class level, namely 1) a traditional financial education simplified program with the presence of a financial advisor, and 2) a digital financial education program using web-based applications based on learning-by-playing concepts. The two treatments were associated with different costs but showed similar effects: three weeks after their conclusion, we find that both courses did increase actual financial knowledge and the results also aligned with participants’ realistic assessments of their own financial skills. A follow-up study also reveals the persistence of these effects three months later for the traditional course.

ИНВЕНТАРИЗАЦИЯ И МОНИТОРИНГ ПОПУЛЯЦИЙ РЕДКИХ И ИСЧЕЗАЮЩИХ ВИДОВ ТРАВЯНИСТЫХ МНОГОЛЕТНИКОВ НА ТЕРРИТОРИИ СТАВРОПОЛЬСКОГО КРАЯ

The Red Data Book of the Stavropol Territory (2013) contains materials on the distribution of rare and endangered species and their habitat in the region. Especially active research in this direction was carried out until 2001. But since the environment around us changes under human influence, the floral composition of the Stavropol Territory also changes: not only some rare species disappear, but also their populations. Since 2009, the staff of the Stavropol Botanical Garden has been involved in research work on the inventory of protected species of local flora in order to clarify their habitats and assess the current state. During the period from 2009 to 2021, we visited 12 administrative districts, conducted a survey of 22 specially protected territories of the state and regional significance and nine territories which do not have a protected status. More than 80 expedition trips were organized. At the first stages of monitoring studies, the areas of detected populations and their coordinates were determined using a GPS navigator. Scientific work on the study of the state of some protected species was carried out according to a simplified program, i.e., according to the first level of monitoring. Making one-time expedition trips, the maximum data collection was carried out for their further accumulation. The study of the age spectrum, in this case, was carried out on meter sites laid when moving along the population. Research work on the study of species in dynamics was at stationary sites. To determine the state of populations and their vitality, visits to stationary sites were planned periodically and at different times of the growing season. All data on the study of the state of populations of protected species of the the Stavropol Territory are published in annual scientific reports and articles in journals of research institutions.

СОСТОЯНИЕ ЦЕНОПОПУЛЯЦИЙ ASTRAGALUS AUSTROSIBIRICUS (FABACEAE) В ГОРНОМ АЛТАЕ И ХАКАСИИ

The Red Data Book of the Stavropol Territory (2013) contains materials on the distribution of rare and endangered species and their habitat in the region. Especially active research in this direction was carried out until 2001. But since the environment around us changes under human influence, the floral composition of the Stavropol Territory also changes: not only some rare species disappear, but also their populations. Since 2009, the staff of the Stavropol Botanical Garden has been involved in research work on the inventory of protected species of local flora in order to clarify their habitats and assess the current state. During the period from 2009 to 2021, we visited 12 administrative districts, conducted a survey of 22 specially protected territories of the state and regional significance and nine territories which do not have a protected status. More than 80 expedition trips were organized. At the first stages of monitoring studies, the areas of detected populations and their coordinates were determined using a GPS navigator. Scientific work on the study of the state of some protected species was carried out according to a simplified program, i.e., according to the first level of monitoring. Making one-time expedition trips, the maximum data collection was carried out for their further accumulation. The study of the age spectrum, in this case, was carried out on meter sites laid when moving along the population. Research work on the study of species in dynamics was at stationary sites. To determine the state of populations and their vitality, visits to stationary sites were planned periodically and at different times of the growing season. All data on the study of the state of populations of protected species of the the Stavropol Territory are published in annual scientific reports and articles in journals of research institutions.

In Silico identification of a common mobile element insertion in exon 4 of RP1

Mobile element insertions (MEIs) typically exceed the read lengths of short-read sequencing technologies and are therefore frequently missed. Recently, a founder Alu insertion in exon 4 of RP1 has been detected in Japanese patients with macular dystrophy by PCR and gel electrophoresis. We aimed to develop a grep search program for the detection of the Alu insertion in exon 4 of RP1 using unprocessed short reads. Among 494 unrelated Korean patients with inherited eye diseases, 273 patients with specific retinal phenotypes who were previously genotyped by targeted panel or whole exome sequencing were selected. Five probands had a single heterozygous truncating RP1 variant, and one of their unaffected parents also carry this variant. To find a hidden genetic variant, whole genome sequencing was performed in two patients, and it revealed AluY c.4052_4053ins328/p.(Tyr1352Alafs*9) insertion in RP1 exon 4. This AluY insertion was additionally identified in other 3 families, which was confirmed by PCR and gel electrophoresis. We developed simplified grep search program to detect this AluY insertion in RP1 exon 4. The simple grep search revealed a median variant allele frequency of 0.282 (interquartile range, 0.232–0.383), with no false-positive results using 120 control samples. The MEI in RP1 exon 4 was a common founder mutation in Korean, occurring in 1.8% of our cohort. The RP1-Alu grep program efficiently detected the AluY insertion, without the preprocessing of raw data or complex installation processes.

Problems Of Improving The Effectiveness Of Applied Sociological Research

The article analyzes the problems of improving the effectiveness of applied sociological research. The scientific method that helps to ensure objectivity and consistency in the study of a social problem is considered. The directions, forms and prospects for the development and improvement of the effectiveness of applied sociology from a practical point of view are given.Intelligence research is the simplest type of applied sociological analysis. It solves problems that are very limited in their content, covers, as a rule, small study populations, and is based on a simplified program and concise methodological tools, which in applied sociology is understood as a package of documents specially developed for each study designed to collect primary sociological information, such as: an interview form, a mass or expert questionnaire, a card for recording the results of observation, studying documents; further: sampling projects, mathematical analysis of primary information, etc.A methodology for evaluating the social effectiveness of applied sociological research applied to any written results of scientific activity is proposed.

Choosing the number of time intervals for solving a model predictive control problem of nonlinear systems

Model predictive control (MPC) is a control strategy that can handle state and control multi-variables at same time. To use the MPC using direct methods for solving the a dynamic optimization problem, one needs, for example, to transform the optimization problem into a nonlinear programming (NLP) problem by dividing the prediction horizon into equal time intervals. In this work, we suggest a tool and procedures for helping to choose a ‘compromise’ number of time intervals with a needed accuracy, objective cost, number of turned NLP iterations and computational time. On the other hand, we offer a simplified nonlinear program to ensure the convergence of a class of finite optimal control problem by modifying the state box constraints. In particular, a special type of box constraints were used to the constrained optimal control problem to enforce the state trajectories to reach the desired stationary point. These box constraints are characterized by some parameters that are easily optimized by our proposed nonlinear program. Our proposed tools are tested using two case studies; nonlinear continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) and nonlinear batch reactor.

ПРЕДВАРИТЕЛЬНАЯ ОЦЕНКА КОМБИНИРОВАННЫХ ЗАТРАТ НА РАЗРАБОТКУ И ИСПЫТАНИЯ ВЫСОКОНАДЕЖНЫХ ФИЗИКО-ХИМИЧЕСКИХ СИСТЕМ ЖИЗНЕОБЕСПЕЧЕНИЯ ДЛЯ ПОЛЕТОВ В ДАЛЬНИЙ КОСМОС С УЧЕТОМ ОТКАЗОВ ПО ОБЩИМ ПРИЧИНАМ

We have made a preliminary comprehensive cost estimation for reliability of life support systems (LSS) in 1000-d remote space exploration missions with the loss-of-crew probability at 0.0001 due to failure of hybrid, partly and maximally closed-loop LSSs currently used onboard the ISS Russian segment. Comprehensive cost of a simplified test program is 5-times higher than cost of any LSS. A beta-factor parametric model was used to analyze LSS reliability against common cause failures (CCFs) when reiterative redundancy cannot provide superhigh reliability. It appears that the required reliability against CCFs is achievable on the diversification principle, i.e. reiterative diverse redundancy of basic LSS technologies. The estimated LSS cost is twice as much in comparison with the traditional approach that takes into account independent failures only. Diverse inherent cold redundancy can reduce the cost about 30 % provided that R&D expenses on regenerative subsystems are equal.

Simplified Computer Program for Ocean Wave Simulation

Analysis and design of structures located offshore involves the simulation of the ocean wave process in order to select a design load. This is a rigorous process that involves the solution of difficult mathematical equations. This study presents an efficient computer program for the simulation of the wave. The program was designed in such a way that only the wave parameters for a given location are required as input. The program then simulate the wave using Karhunen-Loeve series representation in which the eigenfunctions of Prolate Spheroidal Wave Functions are developed and used. The use of the program was demonstrated by simulating an example wave.

PL-004 Research on monitoring power endurance training effect of synchronized swimmers

Objective To explore the usage of heart rate and derivative index, such as quick recovery index (QRI) and training impulse (TRIMP), to monitor and evaluate load level at physical training course. With simplified load evaluation program, we can accurately feedback load stress and recovery conditions of the athletes, so as to timely adjust training load and avoid sports fatigue.
 Methods Maximum oxygen uptake is tested to determine maximum heart rate of the athletes, which can be used as the basis for monitoring assessment of physical training load. During training phase, monitoring the variation of the relative index of HR and sleeping conditions of 10 athletes by Firstbeat. The test means was High-intensity interval endurance of climbing machine in 7*20s-20s before and after stage training. The main indexes include of QRI/TRIMP/EPOC/BLa\climbing height. 
 Results It’s shown through monitoring that maximum heart rate of the athletes in the physical training course is up to 200BPM, which prompts high load level during training. Such athletic ability is promoted to satisfy the demands for complex choreography. Characteristics of energy supply for power endurance with high intensity closely agree with physical fitness demand during synchronized swimming competition, which is general performance of strength, speed and endurance. Through comparison of data on testing power endurance of climbing machine in 7*20s-20S before and after training, average climbing height of the athletes is increased from 60.1m/20s to 62.4m/20s with increased range up to 3.8% and blood lactate level is decreased from 10.7mmol/L to 10.5mmol/L in 2 minutes after exercise, which can be regarded as slightly improvement of ability of the athletes for lactate decomposition and fatigue relief, and aerobic capacity of the athletes are improved to a certain degree. After training, heart rate QRI and TRIMP of the athletes are improved slightly. Among them, QRI is significantly improved from 19.6% to 21.6% after stage training, which shows slightly improvement of training quality and recovery capability of the athletes, i.e. adaptive capacity to training load; After physical training, research on monitoring QRI of the athletes during arrangement and relaxation shows that maximum heart rate level without voice guidance is 75.1bpm,which is higher than those with voice guidance 72.9bmp after 5-min quick recovery; QRI of the athletes is 31.9% when voice is used to guide relaxation, which is significantly higher than those without relaxation under voice guidance (QRI is 27.0%); night pressure monitoring unit (BodyGuard2) of Firstbeat is used to monitor sleeping conditions of the athletes. In the initial stage of heavy load training cycle, training load enables athletes to produce a strong stress response, which causes relatively poor sleeping and recovery conditions; with gradual adaptation of the athletes to the training load, in the middle and later stages of the cycle, stress response of the athletes during sleeping almost disappears, and their sleeping quality and recovery conditions are improved significantly. 
 Conclusions Through Power endurance training, lactate elimination capacity of the athletes, i.e. anti-fatigue capacity and quick recovery capability are improved; during quick recovery of the athletes, voice guidance can be used to effectively promote quick recovery of the athletes. Exercise heart rate, TRIMP and QRI can be used to perceptually and rapidly monitor completion of physical training load in a real-time way, Objective to evaluate recovery and sleeping conditions of the athletes, and effectively evaluate high-intensity interval physical training load and training effect.

Finding root causes of floating point error

Floating-point arithmetic plays a central role in science, engineering, and finance by enabling developers to approximate real arithmetic. To address numerical issues in large floating-point applications, developers must identify root causes, which is difficult because floating-point errors are generally non-local, non-compositional, and non-uniform. This paper presents Herbgrind, a tool to help developers identify and address root causes in numerical code written in low-level languages like C/C++ and Fortran. Herbgrind dynamically tracks dependencies between operations and program outputs to avoid false positives and abstracts erroneous computations to simplified program fragments whose improvement can reduce output error. We perform several case studies applying Herbgrind to large, expert-crafted numerical programs and show that it scales to applications spanning hundreds of thousands of lines, correctly handling the low-level details of modern floating point hardware and mathematical libraries and tracking error across function boundaries and through the heap.

SIMPL: A Simplified Model-Based Program for the Analysis and Visualization of Groundwater Rebound in Abandoned Mines to Prevent Contamination of Water and Soils by Acid Mine Drainage.

Cessation of dewatering following underground mine closure typically results in groundwater rebound, because mine voids and surrounding strata undergo flooding up to the levels of the decant points, such as shafts and drifts. SIMPL (Simplified groundwater program In Mine workings using the Pipe equation and Lumped parameter model), a simplified lumped parameter model-based program for predicting groundwater levels in abandoned mines, is presented herein. The program comprises a simulation engine module, 3D visualization module, and graphical user interface, which aids data processing, analysis, and visualization of results. The 3D viewer facilitates effective visualization of the predicted groundwater level rebound phenomenon together with a topographic map, mine drift, goaf, and geological properties from borehole data. SIMPL is applied to data from the Dongwon coal mine and Dalsung copper mine in Korea, with strong similarities in simulated and observed results. By considering mine workings and interpond connections, SIMPL can thus be used to effectively analyze and visualize groundwater rebound. In addition, the predictions by SIMPL can be utilized to prevent the surrounding environment (water and soil) from being polluted by acid mine drainage.

Abstract P4-10-07: Patient-centered initiatives for improving trial participation of diverse patient populations in the open-label phase 3b compLEEment-1 study of ribociclib plus letrozole in the treatment of HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer

Abstract Background: Reported 10-year survival rates in Caucasian, black, and Hispanic women with breast cancer are 80%, 66%, and 78%, respectively. One barrier to understanding disparities in these survival rates is the lack of data due to underrepresentation in clinical trials (including black, Hispanic, Native American, and Pacific Islander populations). US physicians at sites that treat minority patients with breast cancer identified lack of access to and financial burden of clinical trials as 2 key barriers to enrollment. Insufficient knowledge of genetic mutations specific to breast cancer is also a key barrier to identifying ideal treatment to extend survival in minorities. Patient-specific initiatives for the CompLEEment-1 study (CLEE011A2404; NCT02941926), a single-arm, international Phase 3b study of ribociclib (600 mg/d, 3 weeks on/1 week off) plus letrozole (2.5 mg/d) in adults with hormone receptor–positive, human epidermal growth factor–negative advanced breast cancer, were developed in the United States to increase the enrollment of diverse populations and better understand the disease and patient response to treatment. Methods: The enrollment initiatives included formation of a board of leading physicians and academics to advise on awareness initiatives and the cultural competency of tools used in clinical trials, a site selection process that brought the trial to the patient's clinic, a simplified expense reimbursement program to reduce patient economic burden, and partnerships with the Bridge Group and the National Black Church Initiative to bring clinical trial awareness and education to the African American church community. A tumor collection companion study (NCT03050398) was created to identify mechanisms of resistance among racial and ethnic groups. These initiatives aimed to increase the percentage of minorities from previous trials (eg, 5.7% in the MONALEESA-2 trial) and identify potential biological differences associated with race or ethnicity that might affect treatment response. Results: Enrollment in the CompLEEment-1 study is ongoing. Among the first 57 US patients enrolled, 8 (14.0%) were minorities (not identified as Caucasian or Asian), 32 (56.1%) were <65 years old, 7 (12.3%) were premenopausal women, and 2 (3.5%) were men. Thirty-one patients were enrolled in the simplified expense reimbursement program. Of the open study sites, 35 (52.2%) were located >30 miles outside of metropolitan areas. Of the open study sites with enrolled patients, 16 enrolled 1, 8 enrolled 2, and 5 enrolled ≥3 patients. Conclusions: Following discussions with physicians and assessments of patient feedback to identify reasons for underrepresentation of minority patient populations in clinical trials, patient-centered initiatives were developed for the CompLEEment-1 study in the United States to simultaneously reduce barriers to trial participation, reduce economic burden of enrolled patients, and identify biomarkers of therapeutic sensitivity and resistance. These initiatives resulted in an initial increase in the percentage of minorities enrolled to better reflect real-world populations. Citation Format: Small T, Marsano-Feeley J, Fernandez A, Grasso T, Feldman K, Petrone S, Bugazia N, Wong C, Meyer J, Schutta K, Purkayastha D, Saintil K, Spatz Caplan E, Waltman-Johnson K. Patient-centered initiatives for improving trial participation of diverse patient populations in the open-label phase 3b compLEEment-1 study of ribociclib plus letrozole in the treatment of HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-10-07.

Ariba Implementation at MED-X: Managing Earned Value

The Ariba Implementation at MED-X case is designed to teach students how to analyze a program that is experiencing problems and recommend solutions. Specifically, the case introduces students to earned value analysis and program oversight for an e-procurement technology program. The case centers on MED-X's need to quickly discover why the company's e-procurement implementation project was not going according to plan. Once a cause has been discovered, students will need to make a recommendation to fix the problem. Data for the simplified program, consisting of two concurrent projects, is given to students, who should in turn analyze the project using earned value analysis. The case is an easy introduction to program management and oversight for executives and MBA students, and teaches the essentials of earned value project management.Students will learn how to control and act in oversight of large complex programs, as well as how to apply earned value metrics to analyze a simplified program consisting of two projects. Analyzing the project enables students to learn the strengths and pitfalls of the earned value approach. From a management decision perspective, the case gives students the tools to succinctly answer the questions: How much will the project cost? How long will it take? What is wrong with the project?

Probabilistic analysis of soil-water characteristic curve with Bayesian approach and its application on slope stability under rainfall via a difference equations approach

The soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) is an important tool in the interpretation of the properties of unsaturated soil, and is widely applied in Geotechnical and Geo-environmental engineering. The SWCC uses several fitting parameters to express the best fit equations, and the fitting parameters depend on the experimental data. The reliability and predictability of SWCC are always being questioned. In this paper, Fredlund and Xing model is used to fit the experimental data of loamy sand and sandy clay loam in the UNSODA database, the fitting parameters values are discussed. Bayesian framework and the Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulation method are applied to estimate the uncertainty of SWCC from the errors and variance of the fitting parameters, and SWCC of different levels of confidence is obtained. Applications of the confidence on slope stability analysis are presented by a simplified finite element program.

An Evolutionary Algorithm Using Parameter Space Searching for Interval Linear Fractional Bilevel Programming Problems

Interval programming is one of main approaches treating imprecise and uncertain elements involved in optimization problems. In this paper, an interval linear fractional bilevel program is considered, which is characterized in that both objective coefficients and the right-hand side vector are interval numbers, and an evolutionary algorithm (EA) is proposed to solve the problem. First, the interval parameter space of the follower’s problem is taken as the search space of the proposed EA. For each individual, one can evaluate it by dealing with a simplified interval bilevel program in which only the leader’s objective involves interval parameters. In addition, the optimality conditions of linear fractional programs are applied to convert and solve the simplified problem. Finally, some computational examples were solved and the results show that the proposed algorithm is efficient and robust.

Simplification of HACCP prerequisite requirements in meat packaging plants

A simplified prerequisite program is a basic element for an effective HACCP system operating in small meat packaging plants. We analyzed current configuration of the prerequisite evaluation checklists and classified according to two categories of general hygiene management and prerequisite requirements. The general hygiene management items overlapping with non-HACCP plant evaluation items were excluded except for the high rate of non-compliances. Non-compliance rates were calculated to determine the weak points of the current prerequisite program operation, and the potential risk elements were included in the simplified prerequisite requirements. The data used for the analysis of non-compliance rates were from the HACCP accreditation evaluation inspection reports by the Korea Livestock Products HACCP Accreditation Service. Of the existing 54 evaluation items, we selected 37 core items as simplified prerequisite requirements for meat packaging plants. In addition, we recommended simple modification of the evaluation items, with one item for evaluation of one check point.