Optimising part feeding in the automotive assembly industry: deciding between kitting and line stocking

In a synchronous and fast-paced assembly line operation, it is crucial that the right parts are being supplied at the right time and at the right place. In automotive assembly, the need for efficient material handling part delivery is particularly great because of extensive product customisation and the lack of space to stock all the required parts at the assembly line. This paper introduces a mathematical cost model for evaluating the assignment of parts to one of two possible material supply systems: kitting or line stocking. Case data from an automotive company in Belgium is used to test the model. The results demonstrate that hybrid policies, where some parts will be kitted while others will be stocked in bulk at the line, are preferred to the exclusive use of either material delivery system. The factors influencing the preferred delivery method for individual parts are explored. Numerical results are presented.     

Effect of Oxime Ether Incorporation in Acyl Indole Derivatives on PPAR Subtype Selectivity

Compounds that simultaneously activate peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor (PPAR) subtypes α and γ have the potential to effectively treat dyslipidemia and type 2 diabetes (T2D) in a single pharmaceutically active molecule. The frequently observed side effects of selective PPARγ agonists, such as edema and weight gain, were expected to be overcome by using additive PPARα activity, leading to dual PPARα/γ agonists with balanced activity for both subtypes. Herein we report the discovery, synthesis, and optimization of a new series of α‐ethoxyphenylpropionic acid bearing 5‐ or 6‐substituted indoles. The incorporation of oxime ethers on the carbonyl portion of the benzoyl group can bring the PPARα/γ potency ratio equal to or slightly greater than one, as is the case for compounds 20 c and 21 a . Compound 20 c shows high efficacy in an ob/ob mouse model of T2D and dyslipidemia, similar to that of rosiglitazone and tesaglitazar, but with a significant increase in body weight gain. In contrast, compound 21 a , less potent as a dual PPARα/γ activator than 20 c , showed an interesting pharmacological profile, as it elicits a decrease in body weight relative to reference compounds.     

Processing and tribology of thermoplastic polyurethane particulate composite materials

The processing, mechanical and tribological properties of wax containing thermoplastic polyurethane–filler composites were studied for different weight ratios of graphite, TiO₂, MoS₂, and ZrO₂ microparticles and SiO₂ nanoparticles. The composites were compounded by extrusion and processed by compression molding. The rheological, thermal, and mechanical properties were measured, and the wear characteristics were tested with ball-on-plate reciprocating tribometer tests under fixed friction conditions and then observed by scanning electron microscopy. Correlations between the friction, wear, and mechanical properties were observed, and their mechanisms are discussed. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

Alfalfa baleage with increased concentration of nonstructural carbohydrates supplemented with a corn-based concentrate did not improve production and nitrogen utilization in early lactation dairy cows

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of feeding alfalfa baleage with different concentrations of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) supplemented with a common corn-based concentrate on performance, ruminal fermentation profile, N utilization, and omasal flow of nutrients in dairy cows during early lactation. Ten multiparous (8 ruminally cannulated) and 8 primiparous Holstein cows were randomly assigned to treatments (high- or low-NSC diet) in a crossover design. The difference in NSC concentration between the 2 alfalfa baleages fed from d 14 to 21 averaged 14 g of NSC/kg of dry matter (DM). Forages and concentrate were offered in separate meals with forages fed once and concentrate offered 3 times daily. Except for the molar proportion of valerate, which was lowest in cows fed the high-NSC diet, no other changes in ruminal fermentation were observed. Omasal flows of most nitrogenous fractions, including bacterial nonammonia N and AA, were not affected by treatments. Apparent ruminal digestibilities of neutral and acid detergent fiber and N were lowest, whereas that of total ethanol-soluble carbohydrates was highest when feeding the high-NSC diet. Postruminal digestibilities of DM, organic matter, fiber, and N were highest in cows fed the high-NSC diet, resulting in no difference in total-tract digestibilities. Total-tract digestibility of total ethanol-soluble carbohydrates was highest in cows fed the high-NSC diet, but that of starch did not differ across treatments. Although milk yield and total DM intake did not differ between treatments, yields of milk fat and 4% fat-corrected milk decreased significantly in cows fed the high-NSC diet. Milk concentration of urea N was lowest, and that of ruminal NH₃-N highest, in cows fed the high-NSC diet. Plasma urea N concentration tended to be decreased in cows fed the high-NSC diet, but concentrations of AA were not affected by treatments, with the exception of Asp and Cys, both of which were lowest in cows fed the low-NSC diet. Feeding diets with contrasting NSC concentrations did not improve milk production, N utilization, or bacterial protein synthesis, possibly because intakes of NSC and DM were similar between treatments. Overall, results from the current study should be interpreted cautiously because of the lack of difference in dietary NSC intake between treatments and reduced N and fiber intakes when feeding the high-NSC diet.     

Effects of age, speed of processing, and working memory on comprehension of sentences with relative clauses.

Two hundred participants, 50 in each of four age ranges (19–29, 30–49, 50–69, 70–90) were tested for working memory, speed of processing, and the processing of sentences with relative clauses. In Experiment 1, participants read four sentence types (cleft subject, cleft object, subject-subject, subject-object) in a word-by-word, non-cumulative, self-paced reading task and made speeded plausibility judgments about them. In Experiment 2, participants read two types of sentences, one of which contained a doubly center embedded relative clause. Older participants' comprehension was less accurate and there was age-related slowing of online processing times in all but the simplest sentences, which increased in syntactically complex sentences in Experiment 1. This pattern suggests an age-related decrease in the efficiency of parsing and interpretation. Slower speed of processing and lower working memory were associated with longer online processing times only in Experiment 2, suggesting that task-related operations are related to general speed of processing and working memory. Lower working memory was not associated with longer reading times in more complex sentences, consistent with the view that general working memory is not critically involved in online syntactic processing. Longer online processing at the most demanding point in the most demanding sentence was associated with better comprehension, indicating that it reflects effective processing under some certain circumstances. However, the poorer comprehension performance of older individuals indicates that their slower online processing reflects inefficient processing even at these points. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Discriminating between bilayer and bulk heterojunction polymer:fullerene solar cells using the external quantum efficiency

The morphology of the active layer in polymer:fullerene solar cells is a key parameter for the performance. We compare bilayer poly(3-hexylthiophene)/[6,6]-phenyl-C(61)-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT/PCBM) solar cell devices produced from orthogonal solvents before and after thermal annealing with P3HT:PCBM bulk heterojunction solar cells produced from a single solvent. By comparing the spectral shape and magnitude of the experimental and theoretically modeled EQEs we show that P3HT/PCBM bilayers made via orthogonal solution processing do not lead to bilayers with a sharp interface but that partial intermixing has occurred. Thermal annealing of these diffusive P3HT/PCBM bilayers leads to increased mixing but does not result in the same mixed bulk heterojunction morphology that is obtained when P3HT and PCBM are cast simultaneously from single solution. For thicker layers, the annealed bilayers significantly outperform the bulk heterojunction devices with the same nominal composition and same total thickness.     

Comparison of antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter jejuni isolated from humans, chickens, raw milk, and environmental water in Québec

This study compares the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance to erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, and tetracycline among 384 Campylobacter jejuni isolates from humans (245), fresh whole retail chickens (56), raw milk (33), and environmental water (41) collected between 2000 and 2003 in Québec, Canada. Resistance to ciprofloxacin was significantly more frequent in human isolates acquired abroad than in those acquired locally (50 versus 5.9%; P < 0.001); ciprofloxacin resistance was almost absent in water, chicken, and raw milk isolates. In contrast, resistance to erythromycin was significantly more common in chicken than in locally acquired human isolates (16 versus 3.0%, respectively; P < 0.001); no erythromycin resistance was found among water, raw milk, and human isolates acquired abroad. Resistance to tetracycline was significantly more common in chicken and human isolates acquired locally (58.9 and 45.8%, respectively) than in raw milk and water isolates (9.1 and 7.3%, respectively, P < 0.001). Tetracycline resistance was also observed in 44.4% of human isolates acquired abroad. No human isolate was resistant to both ciprofloxacin and erythromycin, but one chicken isolate was resistant to all three antimicrobial agents. Our results suggest that from 2000 to 2003 in Québec, antimicrobial resistance remained stable among locally acquired C. jejuni human clinical isolates and might even have decreased. However, the high erythromycin resistance rate observed among chicken isolates is concerning because of the risk of transmission of such isolates to humans. Additional studies are needed to monitor trends in antimicrobial resistance among food, environment, and human C. jejuni isolates as well as antibiotic use in animals.     

Preparation of chitosan‐based adhesives and assessment of their mechanical properties

The aim of this study is to develop chitosan‐based adhesives and to characterize their shear strength. The desirable features of such adhesives are biodegradability, biocompatibility, non‐toxicity, and anti‐microbial properties. Various eco‐friendly polyanionic polysaccharides, acids, and plasticizers, in single or multiple formulations, were associated with chitosan. The resulting crosslinked polymers were glued on some chemically treated aluminum adherends. The shear strength of these formulations was measured with the “double lap‐joint” bonding method, as it features a low‐peeling effect. The shear strength of 40.8 MPa obtained for formulations containing chitosan and glycerol plasticizer was the most significant finding in this study. This value is equivalent to that obtained with a synthetic adhesive used in industry. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Use of Surfactants to Enhance the Removal of PAHs from Soil

The efficiency of soil remediation is often limited by the low aqueous solubility of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, PAHs. Surfactants can then be used to enhance the removal of PAHs from soils. The dissolution of pure solid deposit of benzo(a)pyrene, B(a)P, has shown that cationic surfactants are the most efficient to increase the aqueous solubility of B(a)P, when compared to neutral or anionic surfactants. In this paper we compare by using soil suspension washings, the efficiency of two surfactants (i) a cationic surfactant, the benzyldimethyl dodecylammonium bromide, BDDA, and (ii) a neutral one, the t-octylphenoxypolyethoxy ethanol, triton X-100. The losses of surfactant, by adsorption on soil or precipitation, were measured together with the release of B(a)P, chosen as a model molecule, representative of all the PAHs. The efficiency of surfactants used in blend was then compared to the efficiency of surfactants alone.