Performance assessment of decision-making units using an adaptive neural network algorithm: one period case

This study proposes a nonparametric method based on adaptive neural network (ANN) technique for measuring efficiency of decision making units (DMUs) in one period case as a complementary tool for the ANN-based efficiency methods in the previous studies. In previous studies, there are needed to have large volume of data, and so the proposed method in this study is more applicable because it can be used for the cases which have no historical data. In fact, a limitative weakness of the ANN-based efficiency methods about applying them for these cases is removed. So, it can be a competitive method to the other common tools for measuring efficiency. By noting the importance of flexible manufacturing system, this study presents a decision-making model for optimization of operators’ allocation in cellular manufacturing system by computer simulation. The methodology is illustrated through its application on a previously reported dataset. It was found out that ANN provides more robust results and identifies more efficient units than the conventional methods since better performance patterns are explored.     

Decay Rates for a Beam with Pointwise Force and Moment Feedback

We consider the Rayleigh beam equation and the Euler–Bernoulli beam equation with pointwise feedback shear force and bending moment at the position ξ in a bounded domain (0,π) with certain boundary conditions. The energy decay rate in both cases is investigated. In the case of the Rayleigh beam, we show that the decay rate is exponential if and only if ξ/π is a rational number with coprime factorization ξ/π=p/q, where q is odd. Moreover, for any other location of the actuator we give explicit polynomial decay estimates valid for regular initial data. In the case of the Euler–Bernoulli beam, even for a nonhomogeneous material, exponential decay of the energy is proved, independently of the position of the actuator. Date received: October 30, 2000. Date revised: December 20, 2001.     

Carbothermic reduction of anatase and rutile

The carbothermic reduction of anatase and rutile to TiC was investigated using a combination of thermogravimetric analysis and X-ray diffraction. Samples premilled for 50 h prior to heat treatment showed a much greater extent of reduction compared with the unmilled powders. Heating the rutile up to 800 °C and anatase up to 870 °C showed no evidence for reduction with the observed mass loss attributed to desorption of gas. After heating to 800 °C, most of the anatase has transformed to rutile. The reduction of rutile started at 830 °C whilst anatase underwent reduction at 870 °C. The initial identified products were Ti₅O₉ and Ti₄O₇ with the latter being the last apparently stable phase prior to TiC formation. The TiC formed from anatase was apparently stoichiometric whilst that from rutile was clearly sub-stoichiometric. Reasons for the difference in reduction behaviour are discussed.     

Thermo‐economic‐environmental multiobjective optimization of a gas turbine power plant with preheater using evolutionary algorithm

In this study, the gas turbine power plant with preheater is modeled and the simulation results are compared with one of the gas turbine power plants in Iran namely Yazd Gas Turbine. Moreover, multiobjective optimization has been performed to find the best design variables. The design parameters of the present study are selected as: air compressor pressure ratio (r_AC), compressor isentropic efficiency (η_AC), gas turbine isentropic efficiency (η_GT), combustion chamber inlet temperature (T₃) and gas turbine inlet temperature. In the optimization approach, the exergetic, economic and environmental aspects have been considered. In multiobjective optimization, the three objective functions, including the gas turbine exergy efficiency, total cost rate of the system production including cost rate of environmental impact and CO₂ emission, have been considered. The thermoenvironomic objective function is minimized while power plant exergy efficiency is maximized using a genetic algorithm. To have a good insight into this study, a sensitivity analysis of the results to the interest rate as well as fuel cost has been performed. In addition, the results showed that at the lower exergetic efficiency in which the weight of thermoenvironomic objective is higher, the sensitivity of the optimal solutions to the fuel cost is much higher than the location of Pareto Frontier with the lower weight of thermoenvironomic objective. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Declining sperm counts in the United States? A critical review

PURPOSE: Recent reports suggest declining sperm counts in the United States. These reports did not include all available data and did not account for geographic variations noted in prior studies. We examined all available data on U.S. sperm counts and evaluated whether geographic variations account for the decline suggested. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed all 29 U.S. studies from 1938 to 1996 reporting manually counted semen analyses of 9,612 fertile or presumably fertile men. We determined mean sperm concentrations by geographic location with weighted analysis of variance, and assessed any changes with time by linear regression analysis. RESULTS: Mean sperm concentrations from New York were significantly higher than from all other U.S. cities (98.6 versus 71.6 x 10(6) sperm per cc, respectively, p = 0.006). There has been no statistically significant change with time for mean sperm concentrations reported from New York (p = 0.49) or from U.S. cities other than New York (p = 0.62). Analysis without separating by location revealed a decline (p = 0.047). CONCLUSIONS: Sperm concentrations are highest in New York compared to other U.S. cities. When accounting for this geographic difference and examining all available data, there appears to be no significant change in sperm counts in the U.S. during the last 60 years. Further studies addressing the causes of geographic variations are needed.     

Exact solution for stability analysis of moderately thick functionally graded sector plates on elastic foundation

In this article, an exact analytical solution for buckling analysis of moderately thick functionally graded (FG) sector plates resting on Winkler elastic foundation is presented. The equilibrium equations are derived according to the first order shear deformation plate theory. Because of the coupling between the bending and stretching equilibrium equations of FG plates, these plates have deflection under in-plane loads lower than the critical buckling load acting on the mid-plane. The conditions under which FG plates remain flat in the pre-buckling configuration are investigated and the stability equations are obtained based on the flat plate assumption in the pre-buckling state. The stability equations are simplified into decoupled equations and solved analytically for plates having simply supported boundary condition on the straight edges. The critical buckling load is obtained and the effects of geometrical parameters and power law index on the stability of functionally graded sector plates are studded. The results for the critical buckling load of moderately thick functionally graded sector plates resting on elastic foundation are reported for the first time.     

Heat Transfer Coefficient for a Packed Bed of Shredded Materials at Low Peclet Numbers

The application of the Nusselt number (Nu) correlation of a packed bed of spherical particles overestimates the rate of heat transfer in the packed beds of shredded materials. This is due to the dependence of flow distribution on the particle geometry. This discrepancy is even more pronounced due to a channeling effect at low Peclet numbers (Pe). In this study, the heat transfer coefficient for a packed bed of shredded materials was derived at low Peclet numbers. In deriving the correlation, both numerical simulation and experimental work were employed. The experimental work was carried out in a packed bed of combustible materials for the flow rates of 15 × 10^{? 6} to 50 × 10^{? 6} m ³/s and a temperature range of 30 to 60°C. Using the results of experimental work along with numerical modeling and applying a power law formulation, the best-fit Nusselt number for the packed bed of shredded materials for Pe < 25 was derived to be Nu = 0.015 0.11 + Pe ^0.73 . The Nusselt number calculated from this correlation is in good agreement with the experimental data.     

TP53 Targeted Deep Sequencing of Cell-Free DNA in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Using Low-Quality Serum: Concordance with Tumor Mutation

Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is emerging as a potential tumor biomarker. CfDNA-based biomarkers may be applicable in tumors without an available non-invasive screening method among at-risk populations. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and residents of the Asian cancer belt are examples of those malignancies and populations. Previous epidemiological studies using cfDNA have pointed to the need for high volumes of good quality plasma (i.e., >1 mL plasma with 0 or 1 cycles of freeze-thaw) rather than archival serum, which is often the main available source of cfDNA in retrospective studies. Here, we have investigated the concordance of TP53 mutations in tumor tissue and cfDNA extracted from archival serum left-over from 42 cases and 39 matched controls (age, gender, residence) in a high-risk area of Northern Iran (Golestan). Deep sequencing of TP53 coding regions was complemented with a specialized variant caller (Needlestack). Overall, 23% to 31% of mutations were concordantly detected in tumor and serum cfDNA (based on two false discovery rate thresholds). Concordance was positively correlated with high cfDNA concentration, smoking history (p-value = 0.02) and mutations with a high potential of neoantigen formation (OR; 95%CI = 1.9 (1.11–3.29)), suggesting that tumor DNA release in the bloodstream might reflect the effects of immune and inflammatory context on tumor cell turnover. We identified TP53 mutations in five controls, one of whom was subsequently diagnosed with ESCC. Overall, the results showed that cfDNA mutations can be reliably identified by deep sequencing of archival serum, with a rate of success comparable to plasma. Nonetheless, 70% non-identifiable mutations among cancer patients and 12% mutation detection in controls are the main challenges in applying cfDNA to detect tumor-related variants when blindly targeting whole coding regions of the TP53 gene in ESCC.