Search Results (20)

This study introduces a novel approach for minimizing assembly errors in wind turbine gearboxes using a hybrid optimization algorithm, Particle Swarm-Bacteria Foraging Optimization (PSBFO). By integrating error-driven task sequencing and real-time error feedback with the PSBFO algorithm, we developed a comprehensive framework tailored to the unique challenges of gearbox assembly. The PSBFO algorithm combines the global search capabilities of PSO with the local refinement of BFO, creating a unified framework that efficiently explores task sequencing, minimizing misalignment and torque misapplication assembly errors. The methodology results in a 38% reduction in total assembly errors, improving both process accuracy and efficiency. Specifically, the PSBFO algorithm reduced errors from an initial value of 50 to a final value of 5 across 20 iterations, with components such as the low-speed shaft and planetary gear system showing the most substantial reductions. The 50 to 5 error reduction represents a significant decrease in assembly errors from an unoptimized (50) to an optimized (5) sequence, achieved through the PSBFO algorithm, by minimizing dimensional deviations, torque mismatches, and alignment errors across 26 critical gearbox components. While the primary focus is on wind turbine gearbox applications, this approach has the potential for broader applicability in error-prone assembly processes in industries such as automotive and aerospace, warranting further validation in future studies. Full article

Triticale (Triticosecale Wittmack) is a versatile forage crop valued for its high yield, balanced nutrition, and environmental adaptability. However, the dough-stage triricale has higher dry matter and starch content but lower water-soluble carbohydrate levels than earlier stages, posing fermentation challenges that may impair silage quality. This study aimed to investigate the effects of lactic acid bacteria inoculation on the fermentation quality, bacterial community, and metabolome of whole-plant triticale silage at the dough stage. Fresh triticale was ensiled for 30 days without or with an inoculant containing Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Streptococcus bovis. Fermentation quality, bacterial succession, and metabolic profiles were analyzed at multiple time points. Inoculation significantly improved fermentation quality, characterized by a rapid pH drop, increased lactic acid production, and better preservation of fiber components. Microbial analysis revealed that inoculation successfully established Lactobacillus as the dominant genus while suppressing spoilage bacteria like Enterobacter and Clostridium. Metabolomic analysis on day 30 identified numerous differential metabolites, indicating that inoculation primarily altered pathways related to amino acid and purine metabolism. In conclusion, inoculating dough-stage triticale with this LAB combination effectively directs the fermentation trajectory. It enhances silage quality not only by optimizing organic acid profiles and microbial succession but also by modulating key metabolic pathways, ultimately leading to improved nutrient preservation. Full article

The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, a critical ecological barrier and major livestock region, faces deteriorating grasslands and rising forage demand under its harsh alpine climate. Oat (Avena sativa L.), valued for its cold tolerance, rapid biomass accumulation, and ability to thrive in nutrient-poor soils, can expand winter feed reserves and partly alleviate grazing pressure on native rangelands. However, genetic improvement alone has not been sufficient to address the environmental challenges. This issue is particularly severe in the Qaidam Basin, where soil salinization, characterized by high pH, poor soil structure, and low nutrient availability, significantly limits crop performance. Rhizosphere growth-promoting bacteria (PGPR) are environmentally friendly biofertilizers known to enhance crop growth, yield, and soil quality, but their application in the saline soil of the Qaidam Basin remains limited. We evaluated two PGPR application rates (B1 = 75 kg hm⁻² and B2 = 150 kg hm⁻²) on ‘Qingtian No. 1’ oat, assessing plant growth, soil physicochemical properties, and rhizosphere microbial communities. The results indicated that both treatments significantly increased oat productivity, raised the comprehensive growth index, augmented soil organic matter, and lowered soil pH; B1 chiefly enhanced above-ground biomass and fungal community stability, whereas B2 more strongly promoted root development and bacterial community stability. Structural equation modeling showed that PGPR exerted direct effects on the comprehensive growth index and indirect effects through soil and microbial pathways, with soil properties contributing slightly more than microbial factors. Notably, rhizosphere organic matter, fungal β-diversity, and overall microbial community stability emerged as positive key drivers of the comprehensive growth index. These findings provide a theoretical basis for optimizing PGPR dosage in alpine forage systems and support the sustainable deployment of microbial fertilizers under saline soil conditions in the Qaidam Basin. Full article

Emergency resource scheduling is a critical facet of disaster management, particularly within the complex environments of chemical parks. A model with multiple disaster sites, multiple rescue sites, and multiple emergency resources was constructed considering the problem of resource scheduling in chemical parks during disasters. The optimization objectives include minimizing the emergency rescuing time and the total scheduling expense. An improved bacterial foraging optimization (IBFO) algorithm was proposed to satisfy these two objectives simultaneously. This algorithm leverages the symmetry inherent in the structure of resource scheduling problems, particularly in balancing the trade-off between local exploitation and global search. The loop structure was enhanced, information interaction between bacteria was incorporated to provide better guidance in the chemotaxis operator, and the migration operator was reconstructed to strengthen the local exploitation in potential optima areas while maintaining global searching capability. The symmetrical nature of the problem allows for more efficient optimization by better exploiting patterns within the solution space. The experimental results show that the IBFO algorithm demonstrates improved convergence accuracy and faster convergence speed compared with the original bacterial foraging optimization, particle swarm optimization, and genetic algorithm. These findings confirm that the IBFO algorithm effectively solves the emergency resource scheduling problem in chemical industry parks by utilizing symmetries to enhance performance. Full article

Complex phytonutrients (CPS) have attracted extensive interest due to their anti-inflammatory effects. This investigation focused on the impact of CPS on rumen health in lambs on high-concentrate diets, emphasizing growth performance, ruminal fermentation, epithelial barrier integrity, ruminal metabolism, and microbial communities. A total of 54 lambs, 3 months old and with a 30.42 ± 0.54 kg body weight, were randomly assigned to three treatment groups, with six replicates per treatment and three lambs per replicate. The lambs received a basal diet (the ratio of concentrate to forage was 75:25) without CPS supplementation (CON) or with the inclusion of 2.5 g/kg (CPS2.5) or 5.0 g/kg CPS (CPS5.0) for a total of 60 days. The CPS groups exhibited increased growth performance and improved rumen fermentation parameters. Mechanistically, CPS enhanced rumen epithelial barrier function, thereby lowering inflammation and inhibiting the overactivation of the JNK/p38 MAPK signaling pathway, and the effect of CPS5.0 was better than that of CPS2.5. Notably, CPS5.0 could optimize the composition of rumen microbiota and increase the levels of Ursolic acid and other metabolites. The strong associations between rumen bacteria and health-related indicators and differential metabolites were further highlighted. Our findings suggest that adding CPS to lambs’ diets has widespread positive impacts, including improved growth performance, reduced inflammation and mRNA relative expression of apoptosis-related genes, enhanced barrier function, and beneficial changes in the rumen microbiome and metabolite profiles. Full article

As animal husbandry advances, the demand for premium feed has seen substantial growth, while the availability of natural forage resources remains limited. Corn stover, characterized by its high yield and rich nutritional content, has become a vital source of roughage. The application of silage technology to corn stover enhances its palatability, improves its nutritional value, and exerts positive effects on livestock production performance. This study aims to evaluate the impact of different additives and their proportions on the nutrient composition, fermentation quality, and microbial community structure of corn stover silage. Specifically, Lactobacillus plantarum, cellulase preparations (commercial cellulase enzyme preparations), and xylanase preparations (commercial xylanase enzyme preparations) were employed as additives to investigate their synergistic effects and underlying mechanisms during the silage process. Furthermore, dosage gradients were established to determine the optimal dosage range, providing a robust scientific basis for the optimization of additive applications. In this experiment, corn stover was used as the substrate, with the moisture content maintained at 60%. Treatments with Lactobacillus plantarum, cellulase, and xylanase were applied, and silage samples were analyzed after 30 and 60 days of fermentation to assess fermentation quality, nutritional quality, and microbial community structure. The findings revealed that the nutritional quality of corn stover silage improved progressively with fermentation time. Compared to the control group, the addition of Lactobacillus plantarum, cellulase, and xylanase significantly increased the abundance of lactic acid bacteria, reduced the pH value, and effectively suppressed the proliferation of spoilage microorganisms. Among the treatments, xylanase demonstrated the most pronounced effects, substantially increasing lactic acid and soluble carbohydrate content while reducing levels of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF). Notably, the incorporation of 20 U/g xylanase into the silage process facilitated the breakdown of xylan in corn stover into soluble carbohydrates, thereby providing essential substrates for lactic acid bacteria and other beneficial microorganisms. This, in turn, inhibited the growth of harmful microorganisms, ultimately improving the nutritional quality, fermentation quality, and microbial community structure of the silage. These findings provide a theoretical framework and practical guidance for optimizing the production of corn stover silage, promoting efficient resource utilization, and supporting the sustainable development of animal husbandry. Full article

In this study, the changes in yield, nutrient content, and amino acid levels in legume–cereal grass mixtures were qualitatively evaluated depending on the legume–cereal combination and inoculation with preparations based on Rhizobium. This study, taking into account the biological characteristics of legume forage crops, used inoculations with strains of nodule bacteria and associative nitrogen fixers to enhance the process of the nitrogen fixation of mixed crops of legumes and cereal. The aim of this study was to compare the yields and nutritional values of monocultures and mixed crops, as well as to determine the effects of preparations based on strains of nodule bacteria and the associated nitrogen fixer on the photosynthetic activity and yield of combined annual legume–grain crops. A comparative study of forage crop biomass was conducted to analyze crude protein, fiber, carotene, and amino acid content in monocultures and legume–cereal mixtures, with and without the use of nodule-bacteria-based preparations (Rhizotorphin, Mizorine, Flavobactrin, and Azolene). The combined effect of crop mixtures and biological products led to increased green mass yield, protein content, and feed productivity. Notably, two-component mixtures with Rhizotorphin inoculation increased green mass yield by 8.79%, while three-component mixtures saw a 16.49% increase. The oat–pea mixture showed the most significant amino acid improvements, with lysine increasing by 6.26% and tyrosine by 3.24%. The general conclusion reached by the two-year experiment of 2022–2023 in the hill–plain zone of northern Kazakhstan is that double grass mixtures treated with nodule bacteria are more productive than monoculture crops in this area. These results suggest that inoculation with bacterial strains can effectively enhance the productivity of forage crops in northern Kazakhstan, providing a basis for future recommendations on optimizing herbaceous crop combinations. It is recommended to grow annual forage crops in mixtures with legumes to produce highly nutritious feeds with high metabolic energy in terms of biochemical composition. Full article

This study aimed to determine the optimal growth stage and additives for producing high quality millet silage through two experiments. Experiment 1: Whole-plant millet from the same field and under uniform management was harvested at the heading, sizing, milking, dough, and full-maturity stages. Then, it was chopped into 2–3 cm segments, vacuum-sealed in plastic bags without any further treatment, stored at 20 °C, and opened after 60 days. The results indicated that the dough stage had the highest water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) and crude protein (CP) contents. The lactic acid (LA) and acetic acid (AA) contents during the dough and maturity stages were significantly higher than other stages, with the lowest pH observed during the dough stage. Experiment 2: The whole-plant millet was harvested at the dough stage. It was then chopped into 2–3 cm segments using a forage chopper, mixed thoroughly, and subjected to different treatments—inoculation with 10⁶ CFU/g FM of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (LP), adding of 1% FM sucrose (S), and a combination of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and sucrose (MIX)—with a control group (CK) receiving an equivalent amount of water. The MIX treatment significantly enhanced the WSC content compared to other treatments (p < 0.05), and both the LP and MIX treatments showed superior LA and AA contents and lactic acid bacteria counts. These additives significantly altered the bacterial community, shifting dominance from Proteobacteria in the CK and raw materials to Firmicutes. Klebsiella dominated the CK group but was significantly reduced in the additive treatments, where Lentilactobacillus became the dominant genus. Therefore, we recommend harvesting millet at the dough stage and adding a mixture of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and sugar to improve fermentation quality and aerobic stability. Full article

This study was conducted to investigate the genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) associated with forage plants in the native grassland of western Inner Mongolia and to evaluate their effects on alfalfa silage fermentation. Forage plants and their spontaneous fermentation silages were analysed using culture-based techniques for LAB isolation; the phenotypic properties and 16S rDNA and pheS or rpoA gene sequences of the isolates were evaluated; alfalfa was ensiled with four additive combinations: Lactiplantibacillus plantarum subsp. plantarum (GI19), Lact. plantarum subsp. plantarum and Pediococcus pentosaceus (GI19+GI51), GI19 and 20 g/kg fresh matter of sucrose (GI19+S), and GI19+GI51+S, for 60 d. A total of 73 strains belonging to 16 species were isolated. All isolates grew at 5–45 °C and in 3.0% NaCl, and most of them grew in 6.5% NaCl. Enterococcus faecalis and Lact. plantarum were 26.03% and 17.81% of the total isolates, respectively. All additives improved the silage quality, while GI19+S was more effective for alfalfa ensiling with a higher lactic acid content and lower pH, undesirable microorganism counts, and acetic acid and NH₃-N contents than remnant additives. In conclusion, the LAB species were diverse, and most of them possessed good cryotolerance and osmotolerance; GI19+S was the optimal inoculant for alfalfa fermentation improvement. Full article

Soybean (Glycine max (Linn.) Merr.) is highly suitable as animal feed. The silage quality and microbial characteristics of soybean silage are still unclear. Forage soybean (HN389), at six different growth stages (R2-R7), were used as experimental materials to investigate the changes in fermentation, nutritional quality, and microbial characteristics of semidry silage after 0, 7, 14, 30, and 45 d. As the growth period extended, the content of crude protein (CP) and crude fat (EE) gradually increased, while the neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and the acid detergent fiber (ADF) content decreased. The pH value also decreased gradually with fermentation time, accompanied by increases in the proportion of ammonia-N and the content of lactic acid (LA) and acetic acid (AA). In addition, competitive inhibition was observed in the microbial fermentation. With the process of ensiling, Lactobacillus became the dominant bacterial species. The results indicate that the most active stage of fermentation during ensiling occurred within the first 7 days, the fermentation and nutritional quality of the soybean forage were improved, and the optimal mowing stage was the grain stage. Comparison of the microbial abundance showed that all microorganisms entered a stable stage at 30 days of silage. After storage, the dominant bacteria were Lactobacillus, Enterobacter, and Pantoea. Full article

This paper proposes an improved Bacterial Foraging Optimization for economically optimal dispatching of the microgrid. Three optimized steps are presented to solve the slow convergence, poor precision, and low efficiency of traditional Bacterial Foraging Optimization. First, the self-adaptive step size equation in the chemotaxis process is present, and the particle swarm velocity equation is used to improve the convergence speed and precision of the algorithm. Second, the crisscross algorithm is used to enrich the replication population and improve the global search performance of the algorithm in the replication process. Finally, the dynamic probability and sine-cosine algorithm are used to solve the problem of easy loss of high-quality individuals in dispersal. Quantitative analysis and experiments demonstrated the superiority of the algorithm in the benchmark function. In addition, this study built a multi-objective microgrid dynamic economic dispatch model and dealt with the uncertainty of wind and solar using the Monte Carlo method in the model. Experiments show that this model can effectively reduce the operating cost of the microgrid, improve economic benefits, and reduce environmental pollution. The economic cost is reduced by 3.79% compared to the widely used PSO, and the economic cost is reduced by 5.23% compared to the traditional BFO. Full article

Cyanide is a strong toxin in many tropical forage plants that can negatively affect ruminants. The aim of this study is to determine the cyanide removal efficiency, silage quality, and in vitro rumen fermentation of fresh cassava roots ensiled without an additive (control) and with Acremonium cellulase (AC), two cyanide-utilizing bacterial inoculants (Enterococcus feacium KKU-BF7 (BF7) and E. gallinarum KKU-BC10 (BC10)), and their combinations (BF7 + BC10, AC + BF7, AC + BC10 and AC + BF7 + BC10). A completely randomized design was used with eight treatments × four small-scale silo replicates. Additionally, extra silage samples (seven silos/treatment for individually opening after 0, 1, 3, 5, 7, 15, and 30 days of ensiling) were added to observe the changes in the total cyanide concentration and pH value. The fresh cassava root contained an optimal number of lactic acid bacteria (10⁵ colony forming units/g fresh matter), and the contents of dry matter (DM) and total cyanides were 30.1% and 1304 mg/kg DM, respectively. After 30 days of ensiling, all silages demonstrated a low pH (<3.95; p < 0.01). Cyanide content ranged from 638 to 790 mg/kg DM and was highest in the control (p < 0.01). The addition of BF7 + BC10 increased the crude protein (CP) content (p < 0.01). The addition of AC decreased the fibrous contents (p < 0.01). The control had less acetic acid and propionic acid contents (p < 0.01) and a greater butyric acid content (p < 0.01). However, the degrees of in vitro DM digestibility (IVDMD) and gas production were similar among treatments. Methane production ranged between 29.2 and 33.3 L/kg IVDMD (p < 0.05), which were observed in the AC + BC10 and BF7 + BC10 treatments, respectively. Overall, our results suggested that the cyanide removal efficiency after 30 days of ensiling with good-quality cassava-root silage was approximately 39% of the initial value. The enterococci inoculants and/or AC could improve the ensiling process and cyanide removal efficiency (increasing it to between 47 and 51% of the initial value). The novel enterococci inoculants (BF7 + BC10) were associated with a decreased cyanide content and an increased CP content. They appeared to promote the methanogenesis potential of the cassava root silage. More research is required to validate the use of cyanide-utilizing bacterial inoculants in cyanogenetic plants, bioenergy fermentation, and livestock. Full article

A frequency-selective surface (FSS) optimization method combining a curve-fitting technique and an improved bacterial foraging optimization (IBFO) algorithm is proposed. In the method, novel Koch curve-like FSS and Minkowski fractal islands FSS were designed with a desired resonance center frequency and bandwidth. The bacteria foraging optimization (BFO) algorithm is improved to enhance the performance of the FSS. A curve-fitting technique is provided to allow an intuitive and numerical analysis of the correspondence between the FSS structural parameters and the frequency response. The curve-fitting results are used to evaluate the fitness function of the IBFO algorithm, replacing multiple repeated calls to the electromagnetic simulation software with the curve-fitting equation and thus speeding up the design process. IBFO is compared with the classical BFO algorithm, the hybrid BFO-particle swarm optimization algorithm (BSO), and the artificial bee colony algorithm (ABC) to demonstrate its superior performance. The designed fractal FSS is fabricated and tested to verify the experimental results. The simulation and measurement results show that the proposed FSS has a fractional bandwidth of $91.7\%$ in the frequency range of 3.41–9.19 GHz (S, C, and X-bands). In addition, the structure is very thin, with only $0.025\lambda$ and $0.067\lambda$ at the lowest and highest frequencies, respectively. The proposed fractal FSS has shown stable performance for both TE and TM polarizations at oblique incidence angles up to 45°. according to simulations and measurements. Full article

In this paper, an improved version of the particle swarm optimization algorithm is proposed for the online tuning of power system stabilizers in a standard four-machine two-area power system to mitigate local and inter-area mode oscillations. Moreover, an innovative objective function is proposed for performing the optimization, which is a weight function of two functions. The first part of fitness is the function of the angular velocity deviation of the generators, and the other part is a function based on the percentage of undershoot and maximum overshoot, and also the damping time of the power system oscillations. The performance of the proposed stabilization method is compared with the genetic algorithm and bacteria foraging algorithm results. Simulations are made in three different power system operation conditions by changing the system load. The simulation results indicate the superiority of the proposed method over the genetic algorithm and bacteria foraging algorithm. In all the scenarios, power system oscillations are damped faster and with lower amplitude when the power system stabilizers coordinate with the proposed optimization method. Full article

In this paper, the predictive-based control with bacterial foraging optimization technique for power management in a standalone microgrid is studied and implemented. The heuristic optimization method based on the social foraging behavior of Escherichia coli bacteria is employed to determine the power references from the non-renewable energy sources and loads of the proposed configuration, which consists of a fixed speed diesel generator and battery storage system (BES). The two-stage configuration is controlled to maintain the DC-link voltage constant, regulate the AC voltage and frequency, and improve the power quality, simultaneously. For these tasks, on the AC side, the obtained power references are used as input signals to the predictive-based control. With the help of the system parameters, the predictive-based control computes all possible states of the system on the next sampling time and compares them with the estimated power references obtained using the bacterial foraging optimization (BFO) technique to get the inverter current reference. For the DC side, the same concept based on the predictive approach is employed to control the DC-DC buck-boost converter by regulating the DC-link voltage using the forward Euler method to generate the discrete-time model to predict in real-time the BES current. The proposed control strategies are evaluated using simulation results obtained with Matlab/Simulink in presence of different types of loads, as well as experimental results obtained with a small-scale microgrid. Full article