The influence of multiple goals on driving behavior: the case of safety, time saving, and fuel saving

Due to the innate complexity of the task drivers have to manage multiple goals while driving and the importance of certain goals may vary over time leading to priority being given to different goals depending on the circumstances. This study aimed to investigate drivers’ behavioral regulation while managing multiple goals during driving. To do so participants drove on urban and rural roads in a driving simulator while trying to manage fuel saving and time saving goals, besides the safety goals that are always present during driving. A between-subjects design was used with one group of drivers managing two goals (safety and fuel saving) and another group managing three goals (safety, fuel saving, and time saving) while driving. Participants were provided continuous feedback on the fuel saving goal via a meter on the dashboard. The results indicate that even when a fuel saving or time saving goal is salient, safety goals are still given highest priority when interactions with other road users take place and when interacting with a traffic light. Additionally, performance on the fuel saving goal diminished for the group that had to manage fuel saving and time saving together. The theoretical implications for a goal hierarchy in driving tasks and practical implications for eco-driving are discussed.     

Migration behavior of landfill leachate contaminants through alternative composite liners

Four identical pilot-scale landfill reactors with different alternative composite liners were simultaneously operated for a period of about 540 days to investigate and to simulate the migration behaviors of phenolic compounds (phenol, 2-CP, 2-MP, 3-MP, 4-MP, 2-NP, 4-NP, 2,4-DNP, 2,4-DCP, 2,6-DCP, 2,4,5-TCP, 2,4,6-TCP, 2,3,4,6-TeCP, PCP) and heavy metals (Pb, Cu, Zn, Cr, Cd, Ni) from landfill leachate to the groundwater. Alternative landfill liners of four reactors consist of R1: Compacted clay liner (10 cm + 10 cm, k = 10⁻⁸ m/sn), R2: Geomembrane (2 mm HDPE) + compacted clay liner (10 cm + 10 cm, k = 10⁻⁸ m/sn), R3: Geomembrane (2 mm HDPE) + compacted clay liner (10 cm, k = 10⁻⁸ m/sn) + bentonite liner (2 cm) + compacted clay liner (10 cm, k = 10⁻⁸ m/sn), and R4: Geomembrane (2 mm HDPE) + compacted clay liner (10 cm, k = 10⁻⁸ m/sn) + zeolite liner (2 cm) + compacted clay liner (10 cm, k = 10⁻⁸ m/sn). Wastes representing Istanbul municipal solid wastes were disposed in the reactors. To represent bioreactor landfills, reactors were operated by leachate recirculation. To monitor and control anaerobic degradation in the reactors, variations of conventional parameters (pH, alkalinity, chloride, conductivity, COD, TOC, TKN, ammonia and alcaly metals) were also investigated in landfill leachate samples. The results of this study showed that about 35-50% of migration of organic contaminants (phenolic compounds) and 55-100% of migration of inorganic contaminants (heavy metals) to the model groundwater could be effectively reduced with the use of bentonite and zeolite materials in landfill liner systems. Although leachate contaminants can reach to the groundwater in trace concentrations, findings of this study concluded that the release of these compounds from landfill leachate to the groundwater may potentially be of an important environmental concern based on the experimental findings.     

Effect of garlic powder on the performance,egg traits and blood parameters of laying hens

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of garlic powder on the performance, egg traits and blood parameters of laying hens. One hundred and sixty‐two SHSY‐type brown layers aged 21 weeks were chosen at random from a large flock. They were allocated to three dietary treatments. Each treatment comprised six replicates of nine layers in groups of three. The diets were supplemented with 0, 5 and 10 g kg^?1 garlic powder. The experimental period lasted 22 weeks. Garlic powder addition did not significantly affect body weight, egg production, feed consumption, feed efficiency, egg shell index, egg breaking strength, egg shell thickness, egg albumen index, egg yolk index, egg Haugh unit, egg yolk weight and serum protein concentration. Egg weight increased (P < 0.01) with garlic powder supplementation. There was a significant (P < 0.01) reduction in egg cholesterol concentration as mg g^?1 yolk when the dietary level of garlic powder was increased from 0 to 10 g kg^?1. Hen serum triglyceride (P < 0.05) and total cholesterol (P < 0.01) concentrations decreased with garlic powder supplementation. This study demonstrated that garlic powder addition increased egg weight and decreased egg yolk cholesterol concentration (mg g^?1 yolk) and serum triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations without adverse effects on performance and egg traits. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry     

Constitutive modeling of concrete in finite element analysis

Approaches generally used in defining constitutive relations for concrete are reviewed. A computer program developed for the three-dimensional finite element analysis of complex reinforced, prestressed, and refractory concrete systems is described. The constitutive models based on isotropic elastic, orthotropic elastic, and plasticity formulations, which are implemented in that program, are discussed in detail. The program incorporates nonlinear material properties, cracking in concrete, shear transfer in cracked reinforced concrete sections, and time dependent effects such as creep, shrinkage, and transient temperature distributions. A wide range of structural problems are analyzed to demonstrate the applicability of the computer program. Comparisons between predictions with different constitutive models, and between predictions and test results are made.     

The effect of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) on bacterial translocation in the splenectomized rat

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We created a study group in order to investigate the effects of splenectomy and filgrastim. Filgrastim is an immunomodulator granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), that affects bacterial translocation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We created 3 study groups with 30 male Sprague-Dawley rats; the first group included sham splenectomy, the second group was splenectomy, and the third group was splenectomy+ filgrastim group. RESULTS: The mean bacterial colony count of the cecum were 2.5 x 10(9) in group 1, 1.2 x 10(10) in group 2 and 3.5 x 10(9) in group 3. The differences between these groups were accepted as statistically significant. The mean counts of the terminal ileum were 1.1 x 10(9) in group 1, 5.5 x 10(10) in group 2 and 2.5 x 10(10) in group 3. The p values of group 1-2 were 0.036 (statistically significant) and 0.123 in groups 2-3) were not statistically significant. The mean counts of the liver were 0.2 x 10(4), 1 x 10(10) and 3.4 x 10(5), respectively. In comparison of the groups the p values of the first and last 2 groups were found to be 0.047 (statistically significant). The mean counts of the mesenteric lymph node were 0.7 x 10(3), 1 x 10(10) and 0.9 x 10(6) respectively. The p values were 0.343 for the first and the last 2 groups both. As they were above 0.05, they were not statistically significant. The degrees of liver Kupffer cell hyperplasia were (+) 40%, (+2) 50% and (+3) 10% (group 1), (+) 10%, (+2) 40% and (+3) 50% (group 2), (+2) 60% and (+3) 40% (group 3) (p = 0.0039). The rates of the absence of pathology in mesenteric lymph nodes were 70% (group 1), 90% (group 2) and 100% (group 3) (p = 0.049). These findings were statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: We found that splenectomy has activated the whole predisposing factors of bacterial translocation and created the latter itself. In addition, we showed that filgrastim, a recently widespread used G-CSF, decreases bacterial translocation significantly.     

REFORMULATING QUADRATIC ASSIGNMENT PROBLEMS FOR EFFICIENT OPTIMIZATION

Decision making problems in areas such as R&D project selection, facility layout design, capital budgeting, resource allocation, communication network design, and scheduling are more than often formulated as assignment problems with quadratic objective functions in 0-1 variables. Although quadratic assignment problems are formulated as mathematical optimization problems, the solution algorithms that have been suggested in the literature are usually heuristic. The scarcity of exact solution techniques is attributed to the presence of large numbers of 0-1 variables as well as to the optimization of a nonlinear objective function expressed in 0-1 variables. This paper suggests a reformulation method that linearizes the quadratic objective functions in assignment problems and reduces the number of 0-1 variables one has to deal with in the optimization process. The new reformulation leads to use of commercially available codes to solve the resulting mixed-integer linear programming problem. Computational experience with this new reformulation is also discussed.     

Numerical modeling of reinforced concrete containment walls under cyclic shear

This paper provides an overview of research in numerical modeling of reinforced concrete containment walls subjected to cyclic shear. Bases for the development of the model are discussed, and application of the model is shown. Further research needs and interests are suggested for improved analysis capabilities and design.     

Sensitivity and specificity of infrared thermography in detection of subclinical mastitis in dairy cows

The objectives of this experiment were to determine interrelationships among mastitis indicators and evaluate the subclinical mastitis detection ability of infrared thermography (IRT) in comparison with the California Mastitis Test (CMT). Somatic cell count (SCC), CMT, and udder skin surface temperature (USST) data were compiled from 62 Brown Swiss dairy cows (days in milk = 117 ± 51, milk yield = 14.7 ± 5.2 kg; mean ± SD). The CORR, REG, and NLIN procedures of Statistical Analysis System (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC) were employed to attain interrelationships among mastitis indicators. The diagnostic merit of IRT as an indirect measure of subclinical mastitis was compared with CMT using the receiver operating characteristics curves. The udder skin surface temperature was positively correlated with the CMT score (r = 0.86) and SCC (r = 0.73). There was an exponential increase in SCC (SCC, ×10³ cells/mL = 22.35 × e^{1.31 × CMT score}; R² = 0.98) and a linear increase in USST (USST, °C = 33.45 + 1.08 × CMT score; R² = 0.75) as the CMT score increased. As SCC increased, USST increased logarithmically [USST, °C = 28.72 + 0.49 × ln(SCC, ×10³ cells/mL); R² = 0.72]. The USST for healthy quarters (SCC ≤400,000 cells/mL; n = 94) was different from that for subclinical mastitic quarters (SCC >400,000 cells/mL; n = 135) (mean ± SE; 33.45 ± 0.09 vs. 35.80 ± 0.08°C). The sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 95.6, 93.6, 14.97, 0.05, 95.0, and 93.6, respectively, for IRT and 88.9, 98.9, 83.56, 0.11, 99.2, and 86.1, respectively, for CMT. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve for IRT and CMT was not different. In conclusion, as a noninvasive and quick tool, IRT can be employed for screening subclinical mastitis via measuring USST, with a high predictive diagnostic ability similar to CMT when microbiological culturing is unavailable. However, the reliability of IRT among cows with different characteristics and those living under various environmental conditions remains to be determined.     

Natural-based polymers for antibacterial treatment of absorbent materials

In this study, polypropylene (PP) nonwoven fabric which can be used as topsheet layer of an absorbent hygienic product was modified by natural based antibacterial agents. Antibacterial herbal agents (cinnamaldehyde, geraniol, phenylethyl alcohol) were sprayed by ethanol or applied by means of polylactic acid (PLA) and polycyclohexene oxide (PCHO) based polymers prepared by three different chemical methods. Characterization of synthesized materials was conducted via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X–ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). Besides characterization, antibacterial and pH buffering performances of antibacterial polymers alone and on PP fabric were tested by antibacterial and pH tests. Effects of antibacterial treatments on air permeability and absorption period of nonwoven fabrics were also analyzed. According to the results, biopolymers changed the thermal stability of PP nonwoven fabric. Antibacterial performances can be ranked as cinnamaldehyde, geraniol, and phenylethyl alcohol from the best. Besides a slight decrease about liquid absorption performance, all of the treated topsheet fabrics are sufficient for an absorbent hygienic product. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48302.