INVESTIGATION OF WELDER SELECTION PARAMETERS BASED ON FUZZY ANALYTIC HIERARCHY PROCESS IN SHIPBUILDING

Today, it is very significant to select appropriate welders in shipbuilding industry. The fact that there is a really tough competition between shipyards triggers the increasing of welder quality. Higher welder quality means higher quality welding workmanship. If a shipyard has a high quality workmanship, it has bigger competitive power than its rivals. Therefore, shipyard management must take welder selection into more consideration. In this study, the weights of welder selection parameters of shipyards were determined by utilizing Chang’s extent analysis method. In this way, it is aimed to understand the point of view of shipyards in selecting welder. In addition, taking into account the important parameters in welder selection, the welders can improve their weak sides. Consequently, the results obtained from this study are believed to be a guide for the people who want to work as a welder in shipyards.

A phylogeny-aware GWAS framework to correct for heritable pathogen effects on infectious disease traits

Infectious diseases are a unique challenge for genome-wide association studies (GWAS) because pathogen, host, and environmental factors can all affect disease traits. Previous GWAS have successfully identified several human genetic variants associated with HIV-1 set point viral load (spVL), among other important infectious disease traits. However, these GWAS do not account for potentially confounding or extraneous pathogen effects that are heritable from donor to recipient in transmission chains. We propose a new method to consider the full genome of each patient’s infecting pathogen strain, remove strain-specific effects on a trait based on the pathogen phylogeny, and thus better estimate the effect of human genetic variants on infectious disease traits. In simulations, we show our method can increase GWAS power to detect truly associated host variants when pathogen effects are highly heritable, with strong phylogenetic correlations. When we apply our method to HIV-1 subtype B data from the Swiss HIV Cohort Study, we recover slightly weaker but qualitatively similar signals of association between spVL and human genetic variants in the CCR5 and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) gene regions compared to standard GWAS. Our simulation study confirms that based on the estimated heritability and selection parameters for HIV-1 subtype B spVL, standard GWAS are robust to pathogen effects. Our framework may improve GWAS for other diseases if pathogen effects are even more phylogenetically correlated amongst individuals in a cohort.

Factors Affecting Productivity of Refuse Compactor Vehicles in India

Shift towards mechanization in the municipal solid waste management (MSWM) is aimed at improving health wellbeing of the workers who are manually handling waste. With huge investment and operating costs, proper evaluation and monitoring of the performances of these equipment is essential. Identifying and rating the factors which impact the performance of equipment is the first step towards improving efficiency of a system. This research identifies the critical factors and issues in the operation optimization of refuse compactor vehicles. Interviews with experts and field studies helped in identification of 30 factors which were divided in five categories. The research uses analytical hierarchy process (AHP) for finding out the priority vectors of thus identified factors and categories. The study also highlights equipment selection parameters for the best suited model and make.

EVALUATION OF KARAKUL LAMB BY PHENOTYPE IN CASE OF A LARGE NUMBER OF BREEDING TRAITS

Methods for assessing krimmer lamb productivity, constitutional and reproductive characteristics used in Karakul sheep breeding have been studied. It has been established that there are several dozens of krimmer breeds, except karakul, as well as crossbreeds with them, from which karakul is also obtained in the world. Sheep selection of these breeds differs significantly from selection of other breeds by the fact that decisions on animal production purpose are made as soon as this animal is born. The selection is carried out according to a large number of characteristics, mainly parameters of krimmer lamb skin quality. Such techniques are numerous and have certain differences in different breeds and different countries, however, there are also common properties. Most of the selection parameters are determined subjectively, and the only decision is made - whether to leave the lamb for breeding or to remove the krimmer. Obviously, a method is needed which includes all the selected traits and it would be expressed in one complex parameter. In the course of this study, a new, suitable for automation method for increasing the objectivity of phenotype assessing of Karakul sheep by a complex of traits was designed and described. Specifically, a special card is proposed and shown in the appendix, which facilitates the collection of individual data from a newborn lamb and their processing using spreadsheet application. From our own observations and production experience, the practicability of obtaining marketable milk from krimmer sheep, free from suckling lambs, is shown. Folk traditions of improving sheep milk yield that exist in sheep-breeding countries are described. Examples of successful use of Romanov sheep on karakul ewes and creation of multiparous karakul on their basis are shown.

Evaluating Heritability and Relationships among Phosphorus Efficiency Traits in Maize under Low P Soils of Western Kenya

Low available phosphorus (P) remains a major limitation to maize (Zea mays L.) productivity across the world. Selection for P efficiency is key as part of strategies to achieving agricultural sustainability. The objectives of this study were to: (i) determine the phenotypic and genetic relationships among P-efficiency traits in maize under low P soils and (ii) determine the heritability of some of these traits under similar conditions. A total of 32 experimental maize hybrids were evaluated for tolerance to low P in a replicated trial at four locations for one season. The experiment was laid out in a split plot arrangement in RCBD replicated 3 times across two P levels (36 kgP/ha and 6 KgP/ha). Grain yield had the highest correlation (r= 0.44-0.95) with most P- efficiency traits at both P conditions. It also exhibited high positive and significant correlations with plant height (rg = 0.72**) ear height (rg = 0.54*), cob Length (rg =0.81**) and stover yield (rg = 0.61**) while it was negatively correlated with days to anthesis and silking. The correlation between grain and shoot P concentration and grain P content with majority of the P efficiency indices (P acquisition &Utilization efficiencies &P efficiency) at both P levels was low & tended to be negative and non-significant indicating that seed P reserve, and stover P concentration, had minimal contribution to differential P efficiency. However, the relationship between shoot P content with P-efficiency traits was significant (r= 0.51-0.95), suggesting that shoot P content is a useful parameter in selecting for P efficiency in maize. Moderate to high heritability (0.50-0.95) was observed for the various traits showing that a large proportion of the observed variations were due to genetic differences among the hybrids. This study has determined genetic and phenotypic associations among P selection parameters that can help in flexing the selection methodologies to suite unique circumstances and environments.

Stem and leaf anatomical and physiological characteristics of ‘Colín V-33’ avocado seedlings

The anatomical and physiological structure of the ‘Colín V-33’ avocado stem and leaf is described from samples from plants obtained from seed in order to identify genotypes and early selection parameters in a rootstock improvement program for avocado. Eighty-nine plants of 12 months of age were used, where a total of 25 anatomical variables of the stem, leaf, and physiological of leaf were evaluated. A cluster analysis was conducted that generated a hierarchical dendrogram that suggested six groups of plants. Furthermore, from the 25 variables, eight were selected as discriminant when performing a canonical discriminant analysis, the variables that most discriminated for the first canonical component were: stem diameter and density of xylem vessels, for the second: thickness of the stem epidermis, temperature of the stem leaf and stomata length, while for the third: thickness of the cambium, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance. The genotypes showed a great variation between the groups, the characteristics of these indicated that the genotypes of Group 4 showed some that could be related to small or dwarf plants (smaller stem diameter, high density of xylem vessels, a higher rate of transpiration and stomatal conductance). In contrast to the genotypes of Group 3 which presented opposite characteristics in the previous variables, being able to associate with vigorous plants. The anatomical traits of the stem showed to be highly related to the behavior of the avocado plants. Associating genotypes with physiological and anatomical variables in leaf and stem can have great value for the selection of rootstocks at an early stage of development.

Estimation of genealogical lines of cattle of the Kazakh white-headed breed

An assessment of economically useful traits and external conformation of the Kazakh whiteheaded cows of the main genealogical lines, bred in the farms of the Altai Territory, was carried out. For the analysis, indicators of economically useful traits and conformation of first-calf heifers and full-aged cows of the Kazakh white-headed breed were used: live weight, measurements, total score for conformation, milk production. It was established that first-calf heifers of Zamok 3035 line surpass their herdmates in chest girth, and heifers of Zadorny 1325 and Korol 13682 lines are superior in oblique body length. Cows of Peon 29 line are inferior to their peers in live weight. The best indicators in live weight were noted in full-aged cows of Zadorny 1325 line, in milk yield – in Korol 13682 line. In general, there were no significant differences in most animal traits between the lines assessed. Analysis of full-aged cows belonging to the lines of Zamok 3035, Korol 13682, Zadorny 1325 showed that they surpass their herdmates in live weight, the lines of Korol 13682 – in milk yield. The study of the coefficients of heritability showed a low level of influence of the genotype on the variability of the main traits. This fact may indicate a high degree of consolidation of the Kazakh white-headed breed. In the breeding work with this breed, it is necessary to make wider use of sires belonging to the lines of Zadorny 1325, Zamok 3035. Particular attention should be paid to the rotation of genealogical groups. It is recommended to use new unrelated animals from other regions to increase the genetic variability of traits in herds. In order to do this, selection should be carried out in accordance with the grading requirements and selection parameters calculated for a particular farm.

Comparative evaluation of selections groups for milking of full-age cows of various breeds

An assessment of the cow population based on exterior and productive characteristics in the formation of production groups identified by the level of milk yield was carried out. It is established that the selection parameters for the yield of milk in the breeding group of Mature cows of Simmental breed in Novosibirsk region for black-motley breed on 15% exceeds the requirements of the standard, red steppe -17.9, Simmental Khakassia - 23.5 %. The analysis of interbreeding differences by breeding groups shows that animals of the black-and-white breed significantly outperform their peers of other breeds in terms of chest width behind the shoulder blades, chest girth, milk yield and milk production index. Animals of the red steppe breed have superiority in live weight, width in makloks, oblique length of the trunk, oblique length of the back, fat content of milk, milk fat. Simmental cows bred in the Novosibirsk region surpass their peers in height at the withers, and simmentals of Khakassia are the leaders in height at the rump, chest depth, waist circumference, and exterior assessment. The assessment of the division of animals of the evaluated breeds into breeding groups by milk yield allows us to note that the leadership of the black-and-white breed is not so obvious among plentiful individuals. Cows of breeding groups of red steppe and Simmental breeds have the same productivity with black-and-white milk yield and milk yield index, and red steppe cows surpass their peers in milkfat content and milk fat. The selection of groups by milk yield showed the consolidation of the black-and-white breed by productive and exterior characteristics. The red steppe and Simmental breeds have a high potential for improvement. their breeding groups closely approach the analogues of the black-and-white breed in terms of milk production.

Joint inference of adaptive and demographic history from temporal population genomic data

Disentangling the effects of selection and drift is a long-standing problem in population genetics. Theoretical works based on simulations show that the signal of selection may bias demographic inference when it is pervasive. Ideally, interactions between selection and demography should be considered in the estimation of parameters of demographic and adaptive models. One potential approach is to co-estimate demography and selection parameters using simulation-based likelihood-free methods such as Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC). We propose a framework based on ABC via Random Forests to jointly infer demographic and selection parameters from temporal population genomic data (e.g. experimental evolution, monitored populations, ancient DNA). The proposed framework allows the separation of demography (census size,N) from genetic drift (effective population size,Ne) and the estimation of the genome-wide effect of selection as the scale mutation rate of beneficial mutations (θb). We applied this approach to a dataset of feral populations ofApis melliferacollected in California, and we estimated parameters consistent with the biology and the recent history of this species.