整体包装渗透性测试的重要性

前言 随着生活节奏的加快，人们日益认识到包装对食品、医药、电子等产品的重要性，无论在国际还是国内市场，对产品货架寿命期望值的提高，使得对包装材料的阻隔性要求也越来越高，为了选择合适的包装材料．预测产品的货架寿命，对整体包装渗透性进行测试是生产厂家应该重视的问题，选择了高阻隔材料．并不代表用其做成的整体包装也一定有高阻隔性。本文用奶粉包装袋材料选择的实例来说明整体包装渗透性测试的重要性。     

3D-FEA of osseointegration percentages and patterns on implant-bone interfacial stresses

The aim of this study was to investigate the expression and distribution patterns of the inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in rat placenta during gestation and term labour. The expression of iNOS isoform was assessed by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblotting with monoclonal antibodies. Two specific bands were detected corresponding to 135 and 124 kDa in all placenta samples. The upper band (135 kDa) was identified as iNOS due to its correspondence with the band obtained with mouse macrophages (positive control). Compared with its concentrations on day 16, iNOS decreased steadily toward the end of gestation to approximately 37% on day 20, 20% on day 22 before labour and 12% during labour (p < 0.01). The lower band (124 kDa) drastically increased (to almost double) from day 16 to day 18 but returned to initial values on day 22, during delivery. Immunohistochemical staining of placentae at day 16 and 22 using rabbit polyclonal anti-iNOS antibody revealed labelling specifically concentrated in the trophospongial cell layer, at the fetal-maternal interface. The most conspicuous iNOS staining was associated with islands of cells referred to as vacuolated 'glycogen cells'. Staining was greatly decreased during labour. The changes in placental iNOS expression suggest a 'paracrine' role for NO in regulating uterine contractility, blood flow and immunosuppression required for pregnancy maintenance. NO withdrawal at term may also be involved in the initiation of labour.     

Fluid-based Slotting Optimization for Automated Order Picking System with Multiple Dispenser Types

Slotting strategy heavily influences the throughput and operational cost of automated order picking system with multiple dispenser types, which is called the complex automated order picking system (CAOPS). Existing research either focuses on one aspect of the slotting optimization problem or only considers one part of CAOPS, such as the Low-volume Dispensers, to develop corresponding slotting strategies. In order to provide a comprehensive and systemic approach, a fluid-based slotting strategy is proposed in this paper. The configuration of CAOPS is presented with specific reference to its fast-picking and restocking subsystems. Based on extended fluid model, a nonlinear mathematical programming model is developed to determine the optimal volume allotted to each stock keeping unit (SKU) in a certain mode by minimize the restocking cost of that mode. Conclusion from the allocation model is specified for the storage modules of high-volume dispensers and low-volume dispensers. Optimal allocation of storage resources in the fast-picking area of CAOPS is then discussed with the aim of identifying the optimal space of each picking mode. The SKU assignment problem referring to the total restocking cost of CAOPS is analyzed and a greedy heuristic with low time complexity is developed according to the characteristics of CAOPS. Real life application from the tobacco industry is presented in order to exemplify the proposed slotting strategy and assess the effectiveness of the developed methodology. Entry-item-quantity (EIQ) based experiential solutions and proposed-model-based near-optimal solutions are compared. The comparison results show that the proposed strategy generates a savings of over 18% referring to the total restocking cost over one-year period. The strategy proposed in this paper, which can handle the multiple dispenser types, provides a practical quantitative slotting method for CAOPS and can help picking-system-designers make slotting decisions efficiently and effectively.     

Disorders associated with clinically severe obesity: significant improvement after surgical weight reduction

BACKGROUND: Surgical treatment for patients with clinically severe obesity mainly aims to reduce morbidity. METHODS: Sixty-two patients were examined for disorders associated with morbid obesity before and after surgical weight reduction by vertical banded gastroplasty. All patients were followed-up for 12 to 48 months. RESULTS: At the end of the first postoperative year, 84% of the patients had lost at least 50% of their excess weight. Of the 218 weight-related pathologic conditions existing before the operation, 131 (60%) were completely cured, 50 (23%) showed significant improvement, and only 37 (17%) remained unchanged. The same percentages were obtained for patients followed tip for 24, 36, and 48 postoperative months. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical treatment of clinically severe obesity has a significant effect on the health of the patients by eliminating the associated disorders.     

The Cultural Mosaic: A Metatheory for Understanding the Complexity of Culture.

Workforce population trends have increased the numbers and kinds of culturally diverse people who work together. Researchers in organizational behavior have often examined culture through values; however, cultural values can be based on collections of people other than traditional nation states. A cultural mosaic is presented as a framework to identify demographic, geographic, and associative features underlying culture. An individual's unique collage of multiple cultural identities yields a complex picture of the cultural influences on that person. Developments in chaos and complexity theories are proposed as a theoretical base for study on the complexity of culture at the individual level. Additional developments in network theory serve as a theoretical base for cultural research at the group level. The cultural mosaic is described as a complex system with localized structures, linking cultural tiles in ordered and chaotic ways. Research propositions examining multiple cultural identities at individual and group levels are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Structure and development of causal€xperimental thought: From early adolescence to youth.

Investigated the structure and development of causal–experimental thought. 260 Ss (aged 12–16 yrs) were examined by 3 test batteries. The batteries involved items addressing combinatorial, hypothesis handling, experimentation, and model construction abilities. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that these abilities, although distinct from each other, do share a common functional core, and they are organized in a higher order causal–experimental specialized structural system. Rasch scaling indicated that these 4 kinds of abilities follow overlapping developmental trajectories. Saltus modeling suggested that development is continuous rather than discontinuous. Individual differences were found in the rate of acquisition but not in the structure of abilities. A model of synergic developmental causality was proposed to account for this pattern of development. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Quality of counselors' intake evaluations for clients with problems that are primarily vocational versus personal.

Compared the quality of 15 doctoral-level counselors' written evaluations following an initial interview with 113 17–36 yr old college students whose problems were judged to be primarily vocational, personal, or a mixture of the two. Overall, quality of intake evaluations was lower for vocational than for personal problems. Counselors' interest in doing intakes, studying the results of interest inventories, and doing vocational personal counseling related to the quality of their intake evaluations in various ways. (20 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The reduction of uncertainty concerning future pain.

Ss received series of electric shocks to the forearm in which the temporal schedule and the sequence of shock intensities were associated with varying levels of randomness or uncertainty. The Ss were permitted an instrumental response which produced, in advance, information concerning 1 or both of these aspects of the shocks. Such information functioned as a strong positive reinforcement for most Ss. Instrumental response rate was a significant increasing function of the degree of uncertainty associated with the shock series, and occurred significantly more often for information concerning the temporal occurrence of shock than for its intensity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Moral development and reconstructive memory: Recalling a decision to terminate an unplanned pregnancy.

Investigated the relationship between cognitive development, as measured by changes in the Moral Development Scale, and long-term reconstructive memory in 24 15–33 yr old females. The hypothesis that the past is reconstructed to conform with current developmental stages was examined. Results indicate that when developmental gains were made over a 1-yr interval, Ss used a higher stage perspective to reconstruct the decision making involved in resolving a problematic pregnancy and, hence, reconstructed the events in different terms than were originally presented. When developmental gains were not made over a 1-yr interval, Ss reconstructed the events in the same terms as originally presented. Further analysis indicated that those Ss who made developmental gains also referred to a phenomenon of "memory loss." Results support the hypothesis that memory is reconstructive rather than reproductive. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)