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The quality of Ti alloy casing is crucial for the safe and stable operation of aero engines. However, the fluctuation of key process parameters during the investment casting process of titanium alloy casings has a significant influence on the volume and number of porosity defects, and this influence cannot be effectively suppressed at present. Therefore, this paper proposes a strategy to control the influence of process parameters on shrinkage volume and number. This study constructed multiple regression prediction models and neural network prediction models of porosity volume and number for a ZTC4 casing by simulating the gravity investment casting process. The results show that the multiple regression prediction model and neural network prediction model of shrinkage cavity total volume have an accuracy of over 99%. The accuracy of the neural network prediction model is higher than that of the multiple regression model, and the neural network model realizes the accurate prediction of shrinkage defect volume and defect number through pouring temperature, pouring time, and mold shell temperature. The sensitivity degree of casing defects to key process parameters, from high to low, is as follows: pouring temperature, pouring time, and mold temperature. Further optimizing the key process parameter window reduces the influence of process parameter fluctuation on the volume and number of porosity defects in casing castings. This study provides a reference for actual production control process parameters to reduce shrinkage cavity and loose defects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a methodological framework to develop a data-driven process control using pure industrial production data from a cast iron foundry, despite the limitation of complete casting traceability. The aim is to help sand foundries to produce good castings. A reference foundry, which produces mainly automotive and oven parts with automatic sand molding and pouring machines, was selected. Past data, where only good castings were produced, were extracted from the database to determine parameter control limits (upper and lower control limits) with the aid of statistical approach. To identify critical process parameters associated with casting defects, process data from the zero and high scrap production batches were systematically compared. This method clearly identified unstable parameters without exact synchronization between inline and part quality data. Molding sand moisture, temperature and compactability, liquidus temperature of the melt, phosphorus content, carbon equivalent and pouring temperature were found to be the critical parameters to be stabilized. Finally, a regression model for predicting and controlling of molding sand moisture and liquidus temperature of the melt was created. The determined boundaries and the models were helpful for the foundry in assisting ongoing production control and correction of process inputs to achieve target casting quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an analysis of the buffer allocation problem on a serial production line with five workstations and four buffer locations with unreliable operating conditions. Originally, this work was used as an optimization criterion to maximize the Overall Equipment Effectiveness indicator; said indicator is used to evaluate the performance of the processes in Lean Manufacturing; a comparison of the generated solution configurations is made with respect to other optimization criteria such as the minimization of the average work-in-process inventory and the maximization of Throughput. Three case studies involving the production line operating in a balanced and unbalanced manner are examined. The evaluation method used in this document is simulation. On the other hand, an exhaustive enumeration of the analyzed solution space is made. The results report the optimal allocation of buffers in the case studies and the differences that exist in the distribution of these in the optimization criteria investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schedule conformance depends on construction activities starting and finishing on time. However, construction activities are often delayed because construction flows necessary to start their execution are unavailable. Construction flows can be classified into: labor, equipment, workspace, materials, precedence, information, and external. Current construction models do not formally represent, measure, and track all flow types. Hence, field managers lack formal methods for managing flows and instead rely on their intuition and experience managing them. This paper presents a construction model based on activities and flows called the activity–flow model (AFM). The AFM formally represents the activities, the flows, and their interactions. The AFM was validated prospectively through its implementation on three building projects that were in different phases (foundations, core and shell, and finishing), at different geographic locations (Bogota, Copenhagen, and Lima), and used different planning and control methods (master schedule and weekly planning, last planner system, and location-based management system). The AFM was able to represent all the activities and flows in the test projects, track variations of activities and flows, and quantify activity and flow variability. Field managers can use the metrics enabled by the AFM to plan and control the project. Such proactive flow management can help field managers improve flow readiness, which should reduce activity delays and improve schedule conformance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the dynamics of a two-product closed-loop supply chain with realistic assumptions on production capacity constraints. The closed-loop supply chain is also subject to unpredictable disruptions, which lead to the non-stationarity of customer demand. The factory employs a production control policy to decide the product type to be processed. We propose a novel production control policy, named the Adaptive Hedging Corridor Policy, which makes decisions on production capacity based on the demand evolution. The proposed strategy is compared with well-known production control policies widely used in literature, such as DDMRP. Simulation results demonstrate the benefits of implementing an adaptive production control as it enables the closed-loop supply chain to enhance customer service level and bullwhip effect. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis is provided to assess the influence of experimental factors on the performance. The analysis highlights the significance of return flows and manufacturing operations for the closed-loop supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today's factories are considered as smart ecosystems with humans, machines and devices interacting with each other for efficient manufacturing of products. Industry 4.0 is a suite of enabler technologies for such smart ecosystems that allow transformation of industrial processes. When implemented, Industry 4.0 technologies have a huge impact on efficiency, productivity and profitability of businesses. The adoption and implementation of Industry 4.0, however, require to overcome a number of practical challenges, in most cases, due to the lack of modernisation and automation in place with traditional manufacturers. This paper presents a first of its kind case study for moving a traditional food manufacturer, still using the machinery more than one hundred years old, a common occurrence for small- and medium-sized businesses, to adopt the Industry 4.0 technologies. The paper reports the challenges we have encountered during the transformation process and in the development stage. The paper also presents a smart production control system that we have developed by utilising AI, machine learning, Internet of things, big data analytics, cyber-physical systems and cloud computing technologies. The system provides novel data collection, information extraction and intelligent monitoring services, enabling improved efficiency and consistency as well as reduced operational cost. The platform has been developed in real-world settings offered by an Innovate UK-funded project and has been integrated into the company's existing production facilities. In this way, the company has not been required to replace old machinery outright, but rather adapted the existing machinery to an entirely new way of operating. The proposed approach and the lessons outlined can benefit similar food manufacturing industries and other SME industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In line with the principles of modern design a building structure should not only be safe but also optimized. In deterministic optimization, the uncertainties of the structures are not explicitly taken into account. Traditionally, uncertainties of the structural system (i.e. material parameters, loads, dimensions of the cross-sections) are considered by means of partial safety factors specified in design codes. Worth noticing, that optimal structures are sensitive to randomness design parameters and deterministic optimal solutions may lead to reduced reliability levels. It therefore seems natural to extend the formulation of deterministic optimization with the random scatter of parameter values. Such a formulation is offered by robust optimization and reliability-based design optimization. The applicability of RBDO is strongly dependent on the availability of the joint probability density function. A formulation of non-deterministic optimization that better adapts to the design realities is robust optimization. Unlike RBDO optimization, this formulation does not require estimation of failure probabilities. In the paper using the examples of steel beams, the authors compare the strengths and weaknesses of both formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goal of the studies was to collect information on the impact of the identified risk factors on the amount of costs incurred in the life cycle of buildings. The own studies were focused especially on residential and non-residential buildings. The studies consisted in obtaining expert opinions on the subject of the research involves in the non-random (arbitrary) selection of a sample of respondents from among specialists corresponding to the industry purpose of the studies and the research material. The research used the expert questionnaire method. The studies were divided into three stages. In the first stage, the identification and division of risk factors in the life cycle of buildings was performed. Then, experts assessed 45 selected risk factors that may affect the amount of costs incurred in the life cycle of buildings. In the last step, the research results were developed in the form of a checklist knowledge base, containing information about the potential impact of the identified risk factors in the life cycle of buildings on the amount of the corresponding components of life cycle costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction contractor is concerned with reducing the cost of the project, including reducing unnecessary downtime. This is achieved when resources are fully utilized; this means the crews work continuously moving without interruption from one location to the other. However, any disturbance in the optimally scheduled workflow caused by random events is likely to result in delays, interruptions in the crews work, and productivity losses. There is therefore a need for scheduling methods that allow plans to be more resilient to disruptions and ensure a reduction in downtime and implementation costs. The authors put forward a proactive-reactive approach to the schedule risk management. Proposed method makes it possible to protect schedule deadlines from the impact of risk factors by allocating time buffers (proactive approach). It also takes into account the measures that managers take during execution in response to delays that occur, such as changing construction methods, employing extra resources, or working overtime (reactive approach). It combines both ideas and is based on project simulation technique. The merits of the proposed approach are illustrated by a case of a repetitive project to erect a number of buildings. The presented example proves that the proposed method enables the planner to estimate the scale of delays of processes' start and consider the impact of measures to reduce duration of processes in particular locations taken in reaction to delays. Thus, it is possible to determine the optimal schedule, at which the costs of losses associated with delays and downtime are minimal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analytical measurement methods are used in different areas of production and quality control, diagnostics, environmental monitoring, or in research applications. If direct inline or online measurement methods are not possible, the samples taken have to be processed offline in the manual laboratory. Automated processes are increasingly being used to enhance throughput and improve the quality of results. In contrast to bioscreening, the degree of automation in (bio)analytical laboratories is still low. This is due in particular to the complexity of the processes, the required process conditions, and the complex matrices of the samples. The requirements of the process to be automated itself and numerous other parameters influence the selection of a suitable automation concept. Different automation strategies can be used to automate (bio)analytical processes. Classically, liquid handler-based systems are used. For more complex processes, systems with central robots are used to transport samples and labware. With the development of new collaborative robots, there will also be the possibility of distributed automation systems in the future, which will enable even more flexible automation and use of all subsystems. The complexity of the systems increases with the complexity of the processes to be automated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is no denying smart manufacturing is a critical step in responding to a new round of energy crises and promoting the high-quality development of the manufacturing industry, among which, the construction of intelligent production lines is the key link. In the practical production of complex aerospace components, production scheduling optimization plays an important role in achieving cost savings and energy reduction for a range of existing problems, such as cumbersome process design, difficult real-time scheduling adjustment, inefficient quality data testing, and complex interrelationships of state-type data. In this work, the optimization of scheduling objective, the selection of scheduling method, and the construction of scheduling management control system are the pointcuts to review the recent development of production scheduling optimization, systematically. The research on the more practical implications of multi-objective production scheduling optimization has shown that efficiency and energy consumption are the primary priorities of scheduling objectives. Scheduling rules and heuristic algorithms are the crucial research methods. Intelligent information technologies are an effective means to decrease the complexity of scheduling. Meanwhile, building intelligent management control systems for production scheduling is of great significance for the transformation and upgrading of production from digitalization to intelligence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Haemodialysis is life sustaining but expensive, provides limited removal of uraemic solutes, is associated with poor patient quality of life and has a large carbon footprint. Innovative dialysis technologies such as portable, wearable and implantable artificial kidney systems are being developed with the aim of addressing these issues and improving patient care. An important challenge for these technologies is the need for continuous regeneration of a small volume of dialysate. Dialysate recycling systems based on sorbents have great potential for such regeneration. Novel dialysis membranes composed of polymeric or inorganic materials are being developed to improve the removal of a broad range of uraemic toxins, with low levels of membrane fouling compared with currently available synthetic membranes. To achieve more complete therapy and provide important biological functions, these novel membranes could be combined with bioartificial kidneys, which consist of artificial membranes combined with kidney cells. Implementation of these systems will require robust cell sourcing; cell culture facilities annexed to dialysis centres; large-scale, low-cost production; and quality control measures. These challenges are not trivial, and global initiatives involving all relevant stakeholders, including academics, industrialists, medical professionals and patients with kidney disease, are required to achieve important technological breakthroughs. Portable, wearable and implantable artificial kidney systems require compact and efficient dialysate regeneration systems and novel membranes for improved toxin removal and long-term patency. Here, the authors discuss efforts to overcome these challenges and future perspectives for achieving miniaturized dialysis. Key points: Haemodialysis is expensive and is associated with high patient mortality and poor quality of life; portable, wearable and implantable artificial kidney systems are being developed to improve patient care. An important challenge for designing portable or wearable artificial kidney systems is the continuous regeneration of a small volume of dialysate; recycling systems based on sorbents have great potential for dialysate regeneration. Novel dialysis membranes composed of polymeric or inorganic materials are being developed to improve the removal of uraemic toxins, with low levels of membrane fouling. Bioartificial kidney systems can provide important biological functions and thereby potentially improve patient outcomes; however, their implementation has manufacturing, feasibility and logistics challenges. Important technological breakthroughs can be achieved via global initiatives involving relevant stakeholders including academics, industrialists, medical professionals and patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a proposal for optimizing the production process of corrugated cardboard based on measurements of process variables as well as the knowledge and skills of the operator conducting production. This technique involves continuous recording and analysis of process quantities that affect the quality of the produced cardboard. For this purpose, a network of temperature sensors with a system of continuous registration and monitoring of the process variables was designed and installed in the industrial environment of the corrugator. The recorded data is analyzed to estimate the desired values of the measured process variables, giving clues to how to control the production line. Unlike existing systems, the proposed algorithm for controlling production parameters allows each operator to use their preferred values for process variables independently of others. The proposed system allows for improving the quality of the produced cardboard and increasing the efficiency of its production by taking into account the individual experience and habits of the operator conducting production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: During photoperiodic growth, the light‐dependent nature of chlorophyll synthesis in angiosperms necessitates robust control of the production of 5‐aminolevulinic acid (ALA), the rate‐limiting step in the initial stage of tetrapyrrole biosynthesis (TBS). We are interested in dissecting the post‐translational control of this process, which suppresses ALA synthesis for chlorophyll synthesis in dark‐grown plants.Using biochemical approaches for analysis of Arabidopsis wild‐type (WT) and mutant lines as well as complementation lines, we show that the heme‐synthesizing ferrochelatase 2 (FC2) interacts with protochlorophyllide oxidoreductase and the regulator FLU which both promote the feedback‐controlled suppression of ALA synthesis by inactivation of glutamyl‐tRNA reductase, thus preventing excessive accumulation of potentially deleterious tetrapyrrole intermediates.Thereby, FC2 stabilizes POR by physical interaction. When the interaction between FC2 and POR is perturbed, suppression of ALA synthesis is attenuated and photoreactive protochlorophyllide accumulates. FC2 is anchored in the thylakoid membrane via its membrane‐spanning CAB (chlorophyll‐a‐binding) domain.FC2 is one of the two isoforms of ferrochelatase catalyzing the last step of heme synthesis. Although FC2 belongs to the heme‐synthesizing branch of TBS, its interaction with POR potentiates the effects of the GluTR‐inactivation complex on the chlorophyll‐synthesizing branch and ensures reciprocal control of chlorophyll and heme synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industry 4.0 is a basic step in the upgrade of manufacturing companies into digital enterprises. It allows more flexibility in manufacturing, as well as mass customization, provides better quality, and enhances productivity. As a result, it empowers companies to meet the challenges of smart manufacturing which is increasingly individualizing products with shorter time-to-market span and improving quality. Smart manufacturing has an important part in Industry 4.0. This study aims to characterize and analyze a smart manufacturing process designed for a company specialized in the production of brass accessories: spherical bushels. We basically set up a simulation tool to develop a numerical production platform for Industry 4.0 which is able to efficiently operate and manage the production and procurement through material requirement planning (MRP, master production program), logistics warehouse, and cyber-physical production system (CPPS). The findings have been optimized by a new redesigned approach of MRP 2: load-capacity adjustment for smart workshop and Industry 4.0 manufacturing planning. It is the setup of an integrated manufacturing system process, which resulted in reducing the spherical bushels' assembly time and controlling the production and the assembling process. It allowed us to increase the equipment utilization rate by comparing it with the company's former equipment running time prior to switching to smart manufacturing. The proposed model proves that we can successfully optimize the practical application of Industry 4.0 and therefore significantly increase the production efficiency. We are confident that this is the first work addressing the implementation of a simulation platform controlled by a dedicated cyber-physical production system (CPPS) and a master production program (MPP). A case study of a company manufacturing brass accessories is presented in this paper. The developed simulation platform offers the possibility to create a future digital twin of the company. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular factors and genetic adaptations that contributed to the emergence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) from an environmental Mycobacterium canettii-like ancestor, remain poorly investigated. In MTB, the PhoPR two-component regulatory system controls production and secretion of proteins and lipid virulence effectors. Here, we describe that several mutations, present in phoR of M. canettii relative to MTB, impact the expression of the PhoP regulon and the pathogenicity of the strains. First, we establish a molecular model of PhoR and show that some substitutions found in PhoR of M. canettii are likely to impact the structure and activity of this protein. Second, we show that STB-K, the most attenuated available M. canettii strain, displays lower expression of PhoP-induced genes than MTB. Third, we demonstrate that genetic swapping of the phoPR allele from STB-K with the ortholog from MTB H37Rv enhances expression of PhoP-controlled functions and the capacities of the recombinant strain to colonize human macrophages, the MTB target cells, as well as to cause disease in several mouse infection models. Fourth, we extended these observations to other M. canettii strains and confirm that PhoP-controlled functions are expressed at lower levels in most M. canettii strains than in M. tuberculosis. Our findings suggest that distinct PhoR variants have been selected during the evolution of tuberculosis bacilli, contributing to higher pathogenicity and persistence of MTB in the mammalian host. Author summary: Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) likely emerged from an environmental ancestor by adaptation of endogenous pathways enhancing its capacity to colonize and transmit within the human host. The closest extant relatives of the MTB ancestor are the Mycobacterium canettii strains which are opportunist pathogens responsible for rare human tuberculosis cases in East-Africa. Here we found that the sensor protein of the important two-component regulatory system PhoPR displays amino acid substitutions that modulate its activity in M. canettii in comparison to MTB. These mutations impact the production and secretion of virulence factors important for multiplication within the host and cough induction. Therefore, our findings support the hypothesis that variants of the PhoPR regulatory system were selected as key evolutionary adaptations for enhancing the epidemic capacity of the tuberculosis bacilli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The maturity of tobacco leaves plays a decisive role in tobacco production, affecting the quality of the leaves and production control. Traditional recognition of tobacco leaf maturity primarily relies on manual observation and judgment, which is not only inefficient but also susceptible to subjective interference. Particularly in complex field environments, there is limited research on in situ field maturity recognition of tobacco leaves, making maturity recognition a significant challenge. In response to this problem, this study proposed a MobileNetV1 model combined with a Feature Pyramid Network (FPN) and attention mechanism for in situ field maturity recognition of tobacco leaves. By introducing the FPN structure, the model fully exploits multi-scale features and, in combination with Spatial Attention and SE attention mechanisms, further enhances the expression ability of feature map channel features. The experimental results show that this model, with a size of 13.7 M and FPS of 128.12, performed outstandingly well on the task of field maturity recognition of tobacco leaves, achieving an accuracy of 96.3%, superior to classical models such as VGG16, VGG19, ResNet50, and EfficientNetB0, while maintaining excellent computational efficiency and small memory footprint. Experiments were conducted involving noise perturbations, changes in environmental brightness, and occlusions to validate the model's robustness in dealing with the complex environments that may be encountered in actual applications. Finally, the Score-CAM algorithm was used for result visualization. Heatmaps showed that the vein and color variations of the leaves provide key feature information for maturity recognition. This indirectly validates the importance of leaf texture and color features in maturity recognition and, to some extent, enhances the credibility of the model. The model proposed in this study maintains high performance while having low storage requirements and computational complexity, making it significant for in situ field maturity recognition of tobacco leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In present world the major cause of global warming and climate change are emission of carbon and greenhouse gas. Governments and policymakers around the world want to put their best efforts to control the pollution and climate change to save our environment. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions Government and policymakers takes carbon tax policy on carbon emission. Also in real world uncertainty is a pervasive phenomenon. Humans have a significant ability to make logical decisions based on uncertain information. For this purpose, we are developing a pollution control fuzzy production inventory model with imperfect and break-ability items under preservation technology investment and carbon tax policy. In this model, the break-ability rate is dependent on inventory level as the break-ability rate of breakable items depends on the collected stress of inventory stock level. Here the unit production cost is dependent on raw material cost, wear-tear cost and development cost. Carbon emission is controlled by investing in carbon reduction technology and a fraction of product items are imperfect. In this study demand of the product depends on selling price and inventory stock level of product. Finally, this optimal control problem solved by using Pontryagin Maximum principle and the optimal results are illustrated graphically and numerically using MATLAB software. Subsequently, some sensitivity analysis is investigated as the impact of parameters on total profit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The alarming symptoms attributed to several potent clostridial toxins enabled the early identification of the causative agent of tetanus, botulism, and gas gangrene diseases, which belongs to the most famous species of pathogenic clostridia. Although Clostridioides difficile was identified early in the 20th century as producing important toxins, it was identified only 40 years later as the causative agent of important nosocomial diseases upon the advent of antibiotic therapies in hospital settings. Today, C. difficile is a leading public health issue, as it is the major cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in adults. In particular, severe symptoms within the spectrum of C. difficile infections are directly related to the levels of toxins produced in the host. This highlights the importance of understanding the regulation of toxin synthesis in the pathogenicity process of C. difficile, whose regulatory factors in response to the gut environment were first identified at the Institut Pasteur. Subsequently, the work of other groups in the field contributed to further deciphering the complex mechanisms controlling toxin production triggered by the intestinal dysbiosis states during infection. This review summarizes the Pasteurian contribution to clostridial toxin regulation studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates protective effects of vapour phase corrosion inhibitors (VpCI) tested in laboratory conditions. Such tests are required to control the production quality and to provide for high-quality protection of products during exploitation. There are three different tests run to obtain results on effectiveness of protective effect of VpCIs (Razor Blade Test, Water Drop Test and VIA Test). Each test differs in its defined performance procedure, as well as in evaluation of the obtained results, yet all three tests confirmed that vapour phase corrosion inhibitors provide adequate protection of the material exposed to an aggressive atmosphere. Therefore, it is justified to use vapour corrosion inhibitors as a protection mechanism when designing surface protection technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modular polyketide synthases (PKS's) are promising platforms for the rational engineering of designer polyketides and commodity chemicals, yet their low productivities are a barrier to the practical biosynthesis of these compounds. Previously, we engineered triketide lactone synthases such as Pik167 using the recently updated module definition and showed they generate hundreds of milligrams of product per liter of Escherichia coli K207-3 shake flask culture. As the molar ratio between the 2 polypeptides of Pik167 is highly skewed, we sought to attenuate the strength of the T7 promoter controlling the production of the smaller, better-expressing polypeptide and thereby increase production of the first polypeptide under the control of an unoptimized T7 promoter. Through this strategy, a 1.8-fold boost in titer was obtained. After a further 1.5-fold boost obtained by increasing the propionate concentration in the media from 20 to 80 mM, a record titer of 791 mg L−1 (627 mg L−1 isolated) was achieved, a 2.6-fold increase overall. Spurred on by this result, the tetraketide synthase Pik1567 was engineered and the T7 promoter attenuation strategy was applied to its second and third genes. A 5-fold boost, from 20 mg L−1 to 100 mg L−1, in the titer of its tetraketide product was achieved. • PKS polypeptide stoichiometry was tuned by varying T7 promoter strength. • A record 791 mg triketide per liter of E. coli shake flask culture was achieved. • A tetraketide synthase was engineered, and T7 promoter tuning improved titer 5-fold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although novel construction tech systems have been developed to monitor construction sites, each collects data in isolation. We present an event processing model (EPM) that applies multiple monitoring technologies in parallel and a set of algorithms to interpret data from the multiple streams for operations control. In a full-scale lab experiment, multiple monitoring systems were applied to monitor workers as they built drywall partitions with a variety of systems and finishes. Data from the different streams were merged to establish what work was done, by whom, where, and for how long. The results suggest that collecting, merging, and interpreting diverse data streams using a multiple monitoring technologies system on-site can provide more complete and more accurate project status information than can be obtained from the use of any individual technology. This is essential for the automation of project progress monitoring, which is important in automating production planning and control tasks. Modern construction management approaches need more accurate, more reliable, and automated construction-progress monitoring. Manual monitoring is complicated and expensive in large, complex projects. It is difficult to perform the production control process successfully for whole projects with many related trades and resources. Automating data monitoring, data collection, and computing can reduce errors and increase efficiency compared to manual approaches. This paper presents a fully integrated system to manage production information through the construction life cycle. Different types of construction technologies could be integrated, along with a building information modeling (BIM) environment, into one common data-management system to report actual work progress and events completed on-site. The proposed system would support the decision-making process as part of construction planning in large and complex projects by providing accurate real-time information defining what work was done, by whom, in which location, and for how long. The information can be tailored to suit planners' needs at four different levels: (1) work package, (2) task, (3) daily recording, and (4) building element. Broadly speaking, this paper presents a digital twin construction (DTC) framework to integrate data transfer and monitoring from field-to-BIM and from BIM-to-field for automated, accurate, and intelligent production control. This system can help planners improve look-ahead planning (LAP) and decision-making processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geopolymer prepared from solid waste is a high value-added means. However, when used alone, the geopolymer produced by phosphogypsum has the risk of expansion cracking, while the geopolymer of recycled fine powder has high strength and good density, but its volume shrinkage and deformation are large. If the two are combined, the synergistic effect of the phosphogypsum geopolymer and recycled fine powder geopolymer can realize the complementarity of advantages and disadvantages, which provides a possibility for the preparation of stable geopolymers. In this study, the volume stability, water stability and mechanical stability of geopolymers were tested, and the stability synergy mechanism between phosphogypsum, recycled fine powder and slag was analyzed by micro experiments. The results show that the synergistic effect of phosphogypsum, recycled fine powder and slag can not only control the production of ettringite (AFt) but also control the capillary stress in the hydration product, thus improving the volume stability of the geopolymer. The synergistic effect can not only improve the pore structure of the hydration product but also reduce the negative impact of calcium sulfate dihydrate (CaSO4∙2H2O), thus improving the water stability of geopolymers. The softening coefficient of P15R45 with a 45 wt.% recycled fine powder content can reach 1.06, which is 26.2% higher than P35R25 with a 25 wt.% recycled fine powder content. The synergistic work reduces the negative impact of delayed AFt and improves the mechanical stability of the geopolymer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

cGAS‐STING signalling is induced by detection of foreign or mislocalised host double‐stranded (ds)DNA within the cytosol. STING acts as the major signalling hub, where it controls production of type I interferons and inflammatory cytokines. Basally, STING resides on the ER membrane. Following activation STING traffics to the Golgi to initiate downstream signalling and subsequently to endolysosomal compartments for degradation and termination of signalling. While STING is known to be degraded within lysosomes, the mechanisms controlling its delivery remain poorly defined. Here we utilised a proteomics‐based approach to assess phosphorylation changes in primary murine macrophages following STING activation. This identified numerous phosphorylation events in proteins involved in intracellular and vesicular transport. We utilised high‐temporal microscopy to track STING vesicular transport in live macrophages. We subsequently identified that the endosomal complexes required for transport (ESCRT) pathway detects ubiquitinated STING on vesicles, which facilitates the degradation of STING in murine macrophages. Disruption of ESCRT functionality greatly enhanced STING signalling and cytokine production, thus characterising a mechanism controlling effective termination of STING signalling. Synopsis: Effective termination of STING signalling is crucial to prevent unwarranted inflammation. Utilising biochemical and microscopy approaches, here we identify that the ESCRT pathway facilitates STING degradation and shuts off immune signalling. STING activation induces phosphorylation changes in a large number of intracellular trafficking proteins.Ubiquitination of STING is essential for its degradation.The ESCRT pathway mediates the termination of STING responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In forest genetic improvement programs for non-domesticated species, limited knowledge of kinship can compromise or make the estimation of variance components and genetic parameters of traits of interest unfeasible. We used mixed models and genomics (in the latter, considering additive and non-additive effects) to evaluate the genetic architecture of 12 traits in juçaizeiro for fruit production. A population of 275 genotypes without genetic relationship knowledge was phenotyped over three years and genotyped by whole genome SNP markers. We have verified superiority in the quality of the fits, the prediction accuracy for unbalanced data, and the possibility of unfolding the genetic effects into their additive and non-additive terms in the genomic models. Estimates of the variance components and genetic parameters obtained by the additive models may be overestimated since, when considering the dominance effect in the model, there are substantial reductions in them. The number of bunches, fresh fruit mass of bunch, rachis length, fresh mass of 25 fruits, and amount of pulp were strongly influenced by the dominance effect, showing that genomic models with such effect should be considered for these traits, which may result in selective improvements by being able to return more accurate genomic breeding values. The present study reveals the additive and non-additive genetic control of the evaluated traits and highlights the importance of genomic information-based approaches for populations without knowledge of kinship and experimental design. Our findings underscore the critical role of genomic data in elucidating the genetic control architecture of quantitative traits, thereby providing crucial insights for driving species' genetic improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autaptic hippocampal neurons are an architecturally simple model of neurotransmission that express several forms of cannabinoid signaling. Over the past twenty years this model has proven valuable for studies ranging from enzymatic control of endocannabinoid production and breakdown, to CB1 receptor structure/function, to CB2 signaling, understanding 'spice' (synthetic cannabinoid) pharmacology, and more. However, while studying cannabinoid signaling in these neurons, we have occasionally encountered what one might call 'interesting negatives', valid and informative findings in the context of our experimental design that, given the nature of scientific publishing, may not otherwise find their way into the scientific literature. In autaptic hippocampal neurons we have found that: (1) The fatty acid binding protein (FABP) blocker SBFI-26 does not alter CB1-mediated neuroplasticity. (2) 1-AG signals poorly relative to 2-AG in autaptic neurons. (3) Indomethacin is not a CB1 PAM in autaptic neurons. (4) The CB1-associated protein SGIP1a is not necessary for CB1 desensitization. We are presenting these negative or perplexing findings in the hope that they will prove beneficial to other laboratories and elicit fruitful discussions regarding their relevance and significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peptide-based nanoparticles (PBN) for nucleotide complexation and targeting of extrahepatic diseases are gaining recognition as potent pharmaceutical vehicles for fine-tuned control of protein production (up- and/or down-regulation) and for gene delivery. Herein, we review the principles and mechanisms underpinning self-assembled formation of PBN, cellular uptake, endosomal release, and delivery to extrahepatic disease sites after systemic administration. Selected examples of PBN that have demonstrated recent proof of concept in disease models in vivo are summarized to offer the reader a comparative view of the field and the possibilities for clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sand production from loosely consolidated reservoirs is one of the critical issues in the oil and gas industry all around the world that can cause many problems, such as erosion of surface and well equipment, sand accumulation in wells and operation facilities, buckling of casing in cased-hole wells and well productivity reduction. Sand production control methods include restrictive production rate, mechanical methods (slotted liner, wire-wrapped screen, pre-packed screen, frac-pack, gravel pack, high-rate water pack) and chemical consolidation that chemical method is considered for more effectiveness in sand production alleviation due to increasing formation strength in near wellbore region. This review provides an overview on the laboratory and filed operation investigations of chemical remedy for sand production. Some used chemical agents and more common laboratory tests for evaluating the chemical performance in sand consolidation are introduced in this paper. Furthermore, the results of field operations and injections of chemicals into the desired formation are also reported. These results show that the chemical sand consolidation is more effective in newly perforated wells which have no sand production experience and have a production history of less than two years. Finally, it was concluded that the main challenges in applying this method are permeability and capillary force reduction around the wellbore and selective injection into the targeted formation layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a study with the aim of optimizing a production system, consisting of a machine that produces a single type of parts, that degrades over time. This degradation affects the availability of the deployed machine and increases the defective rate of the manufactured products. The machine is subject to random failures and repairs. It has a defective rate which increases with its degradation. An overhaul of the machine allows to reduce this defective rate and bring it back to its initial condition. The objective of this study is to find a joint policy for production, maintenance and quality control, in order to increase the availability of the machine, improve the quality of the manufactured products and minimize the total cost of production. To achieve this goal, we formulated the research problem and used a stochastic dynamic programming approach to develop the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) type optimum conditions. Then, we simulated a practical hybrid application to optimize the production of a Router class R CNC cutting machine that transforms polypropylene sheets in a Quebec (Canada) company specialized in the production of fire pumps. The obtained results allowed us to propose a critical threshold production policy, corrective and preventive maintenance strategies, and a sampling type of quality control to the company. Finally, we performed a sensitivity analysis to ensure the validation of the proposed policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, organizations constantly seek greater productivity in their processes in order to guarantee their sustainability in the market. The Lean Manufacturing philosophy seeks to eradicate activities that do not add value to the processes and that generate financial losses for companies. In this document, a playful learning strategy is proposed, the purpose of which is to explain a production control system from a lean manufacturing approach known as the Kanban card system. The game was carried out in different settings, such as the Ninth National Meeting of the Iddeal Network and the Third meeting of games in engineering, held at the Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios, Buga Regional Center. In these spaces, the participation of professionals and students in the training cycle of the industrial engineering program was evidenced. The play was directed by the members of the GLIOSP research seedbed of the same program. Among the most relevant results is the strengthening of the concept of just-in-time philosophy in the participants of the play, while generating a clear path for the implementation of the Kanban card system in production systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diallyl phthalate (DAP), a crucial raw material in producing resin materials, has been studied widely in terms of its polymerization process and application in material modification. However, less attention has been paid to its safety. In this study, the influence of initiators on the thermal hazard of DAP was examined from various viewpoints by conducting thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry experiments and by performing thermokinetic analysis with multiple models. Moreover, the reaction mechanism of DAP was studied. The three-step autocatalysis reaction simulations agreed well with the experimental findings obtained for DAP. The simulated conversion limit time and time to the maximum rate under adiabatic conditions indicate that the thermal hazard of DAP can serve as a reference for controlling its production and storage temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The history of Tel Shiqmona, on Israel's Carmel coast, in the Iron Age has remained almost totally obscure since its excavation some 50 years ago. Recent analysis has revealed the site's singularity—the only one around the Mediterranean that can be demonstrated to have produced the luxurious purple dye for half a millennium. This article is the first discussion of a central episode (three strata) in the site's history. We argue that during the Late Iron IIA, the Kingdom of Israel, probably under the Omrides, replaced a small Phoenician village with a fortified casemate enclosure in order to control and institutionalise the production of the dye and other industries. These peaked under Jeroboam II, and subsequently the fort was ravaged during the period of unrest in Israel after this monarch's reign. We discuss the historical and cultural picture emerging from a meticulous analysis of the stratigraphy and finds and address trade contacts and regional, historical and geopolitical contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an embedded feedback control strategy to regulate the density of a microbial population, that is, the number of cells into a given environment, allowing cells to self‐regulate their growth rate so as to reach a desired density at steady state. We consider a static culture condition, where cells are provided with a limited amount of space and nutrients. The control strategy is built using a tunable expression system (TES), which controls the production of a growth inhibitor protein, complemented with a quorum sensing mechanism for the sensing of the population density. We show via a simplified population‐level model that the TES endows the control system with additional flexibility by allowing the set‐point to be changed online. Finally, we validate the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy by means of realistic in silico experiments conducted in BSim, an agent‐based simulator explicitly designed to simulate bacterial populations, and we test the robustness of our design to disturbances and parameters' variations due, for instance, to cell‐to‐cell variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

All Epiponini wasps are polygynic, with multiple queens alternating over the colony cycle. There are several potential queens in the early stages of this cycle, but as it progresses, the number of queens is reduced. Because most individuals remain reproductively totipotent, there is great potential for conflicts over reproduction. Workers could have an advantage in controlling queen production because they are much more numerous than queens. Nevertheless, the queen selection process is little known for Epiponini. For this reason, we aimed to study the behaviour of queens and workers during queen selection in multiple species of Epiponini, integrate information from previous behavioural studies, and perform a comparative analysis to interpret changes evolutionarily. We conducted observations on nine species belonging to five genera: Brachygastra, Chartergellus, Metapolybia, Polybia and Protopolybia. Females were individually marked to make direct and video observations. Queen production was artificially induced. A total of 28 behaviours related to queen selection were identified. The most aggressive interactions between castes, such as bite and dart, were lost in the major lineages of Epiponini. Bending display I is an ancient behaviour used as the main dominance display. Behaviours exhibited by workers to test queen status arose in the common ancestor of the Epiponini and are not shared by other polistine wasps. Consequently, the act of workers testing queen status probably was present in the Epiponini ancestor. Ritualized test display and dominance behaviours are used in Epiponini as honest signals of the queen's reproductive potential instead of aggressive behaviours. Caste flexibility had already been suggested as the ground plan for Epiponini and is herein discussed as decisive for colony survival of swarm wasps, because it allows colonies to respond efficiently to different situations that may eventually arise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligent manufacturing automation is a future trend, and optimizing production resource control using blockchain technology is a meaningful research topic. Existing studies have limitations, such as varying PSCO-PC models and insufficient flexibility in simulation models. This paper proposes a novel blockchain-based PSCO-PC strategy for intelligent manufacturing. It details the PSCO-PC model, improving the matching rationality and applicability of simulation system functions. The adaptive difficulty concept is introduced to address data throughput and consensus mechanism issues. Calculation steps for solving the optimal package revenue of PSCO matching records are provided. Experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed simulation model and PSCO-PC strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Centaurium erythraea (Gentianaceae) is a medicinal plant species with therapeutic potential officially listed in the pharmacopoeias of many European, Asian and American countries. It has had many uses in natural medicine since ancient times and it is collected mostly from wild populations. The aim of this study is to investigate the trace element composition of C. erythraea using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). The results of the performed investigations show that INAA has proved to be an efficient analytical technique for the determination of trace elements in medicinal plants. The studied plant contains elements important to the human diet and metabolism that are needed for growth, development and the prevention and curing of disease. A comparison with the reference levels of elements for plants shows that the concentrations of most elements in C. erythraea collected from all types of sites exceed those regarded as the reference. Compared to the values of the elements in C. erythraea from rural areas (LP), the concentrations of most of the investigated elements in C. erythraea collected from the lignite basin, urban areas and in the vicinity of the A4 highway (MP) were significantly higher. The results obtained can be used for control and monitoring in the production of pharmaceuticals based on natural medical plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hot forming process has been used more and more frequently in the production of body structures of modern ultralight passenger cars for several years. This, unlike the commonly used cold stamping, is a complicated process, combining heat treatment and plastic-forming methods. For this reason, permanent control at each stage is required. This includes, among others, measurement of the blank thickness, monitoring its heating process in the suitable atmosphere in the furnace, control of the forming process itself, measurement of shape-dimensional accuracy as well as mechanical parameters of the finished drawpiece. This paper discusses the method of controlling the values of production parameters during the hot stamping process of a selected drawpiece. For this purpose, digital twins of the production line and the stamping process, made in accordance with the assumptions of Industry 4.0, have been used. Individual components of the production line with sensors for monitoring process parameters have been shown. The system's response to emerging threats has also been described. The correctness of the adopted values is confirmed via tests of mechanical properties and the assessment of the shape-dimensional accuracy of a drawpiece test series. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glutamyl-prolyl-tRNA synthetase 1 (EPRS1) is known to associated with fibrosis through its catalytic activity to produce prolyl-tRNA. Although its catalytic inhibitor halofuginone (HF) has been known to inhibit the TGF-β pathway as well as to reduce prolyl-tRNA production for the control of fibrosis, the underlying mechanism how EPRS1 regulates the TGF-β pathway was not fully understood. Here, we show a noncatalytic function of EPRS1 in controlling the TGF-β pathway and hepatic stellate cell activation via its interaction with TGF-β receptor I (TβRI). Upon stimulation with TGF-β, EPRS1 is phosphorylated by TGF-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), leading to its dissociation from the multi-tRNA synthetase complex and subsequent binding with TβRI. This interaction increases the association of TβRI with SMAD2/3 while decreases that of TβRI with SMAD7. Accordingly, EPRS1 stabilizes TβRI by preventing the ubiquitin-mediated degradation of TβRI. HF disrupts the interaction between EPRS1 and TβRI, and reduces TβRI protein levels, leading to inhibition of the TGF-β pathway. In conclusion, this work suggests the novel function of EPRS1 involved in the development of fibrosis by regulating the TGF-β pathway and the antifibrotic effects of HF by controlling both of EPRS1 functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This conceptual paper critically analyses how the British Army exercises control over the production of knowledge about women's war labour in 'front line combat' and how women exert agency to resist this. 2018 saw all British military roles opened to women, yet it is a myth to say that women are only now able to serve in 'front line combat'. The paper reveals a complex negotiated gender order or 'bargain' between the British Army and servicewomen seeing the latter controlled through their co-option, embodied by compliant military femininities, whilst permitting them some agency to resist. Driven by military need, sustaining this ordering has repeatedly seen women exposed to unnecessary risk. This critical feminist history contributes to conceptual development through deconstructing gendered knowledge systems, arguing that foregrounding women's voices is central to furthering the cultural turn in war studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]