Digital AVR application to power plants

The digital AVR is not simply a digital version of the analog AVR, but can realize sophisticated control functions that were difficult to achieve with analog circuits, thus making it possible to enhance the stability of power system by PSS (power system stabilizers). This paper describes the test results of digital AVRs applied to power plants, their system configuration and functions, as well as the outline of an auto-tuning PSS (or AT-PSS) planned to be incorporated in digital AVRs in the future     

Avoidance Maneuvering in the Vicinity of the Top of Descent

Four different vertical plane avoidance procedures are proposed for conflict resolution between a pair of aircraft in the vicinity of the top of the descent. The governing design principles for the conflict resolution were simplicity and controllability and therefore avoidance procedures are flown by descending aircraft with only two controlling inputs: time and angle of descent, i.e., rate of descent. The vicinity of the top of descent is derived from quantitative analyses of designed avoidance procedures. With the defined criteria, quantitative analyses also support discussion of safety and feasibility of particular avoidance procedures and the priority order for their execution.     

Triangulation method for determining capillary blood flow and physical characteristics of the skin

A method capable of measuring blood flow at precise depths within the skin is described. The method determines the static and the dynamic properties of light that is backscattered to small areas on the surface of the skin at several contiguous locations along the expected trajectory of laser-light propagation. From observations the method has been shown to be capable of determining physical characteristics that are unique to the different layers of the skin.     

Energy efficiency model for the mini-load automated storage and retrieval systems

In this paper, the energy efficiency model for the mini-load AS/RS is presented. As the existing models of AS/RS apply to already well-known objectives (minimum travel time, maximum throughput and minimum cost), the energy efficiency model for the mini-load AS/RS is proposed and discussed. According to global trends in material handling and warehousing, the design process should encompass not only the application of the equipment with fastest drives but should also consider the energy and environment aspect on the installed equipment. The proposed energy efficiency model for the mini-load AS/RS enables reduction of energy consumption and consequently the CO₂ emission, which is good from the economic and environmental point of view. We sincerely hope that the energy and environment aspect will indubitably bring changes into planning of warehouses and will mean great challenge for those who are engaged in the planning process.     

Travel time model for double-deep shuttle-based storage and retrieval systems

Technological developments in the global supply chain have changed processes in warehousing. This reflects in short response time in handling the orders, which has a consequence on high automation degree in warehousing. An important part of automated warehouses is presented by shuttle-based storage and retrieval systems (SBS/RS), which are used in practice when demand for the throughput capacity is high. In this paper, analytical travel time model for the computation of cycle times for double-deep SBS/RS is presented. The advantage of the double-deep SBS/RS is that fewer aisles are needed, which results in a more efficient use of floor space. The proposed model considers the real operating characteristics of the elevators lifting table and the shuttle carrier with the condition of rearranging blocking totes to the nearest free storage location during the retrieval process of the shuttle carrier. Assuming uniform distributed storage locations and the probability theory, the expressions for the single and dual-command cycle of the elevators lifting table and the shuttle carrier have been determined. The proposed model enables the calculation of the expected cycle time for single- and dual-command cycles, from which the performance of the double-deep SBS/RS can be evaluated. The analysis show that regarding examined type of the double-deep SBS/RS, the results of the proposed analytical travel time model demonstrate good performances for evaluating double-deep SBS/RS.     

Angiotensin II interferes with leukemia inhibitory factor-induced STAT3 activation in cardiac myocytes

BACKGROUND: The 24-hour observation critical pathway for trauma is a clinical tool developed to expedite health care delivery to minimally injured patients. The use of patient care, BS, guidelines and physician-approved standing orders was implemented in a Level I trauma center. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed of 122 patients admitted via the emergency department between December 1, 1993, and May 31, 1994. All patients were evaluated in the emergency department by emergency medicine and trauma physicians and deemed appropriate for 24-hour observation. The information collected included patient demographics, hospital charges, injuries, length of stay, diagnostic tests, consultations, and variances from the critical pathway. RESULTS: During the 6-month study period, there were 600 trauma admissions. Of those admissions, 122 patients (20%) were evaluated in the emergency department and deemed appropriate for enrollment in the 24-hour observation pathway. The charts of these patients were reviewed. Fourteen admissions were determined inappropriate for the critical pathway because of the severity of injuries or discharge against medical advice. One hundred eight charts were evaluated further. Eighty-nine patients (80%) completed the critical pathway with a length of stay of 24 hours. CONCLUSION: The 24-hour observation critical pathway was designed and used appropriately as exemplified by an overall 80% completion rate. The critical pathway offers a mechanism to streamline care of the minimally injured trauma patient. It also serves as a quality-improvement tool for increasing efficiency, decreasing utilization of resources, and decreasing length of stay.     

Exploring occupational differences in work–family interaction: Who is at risk?

The aim of this study was to explore occupational differences in work–family interaction (WFI), both regarding the direction of influence (work-to-family vs. family-to-work), and the type of effect (conflict vs. facilitation). A large sample of 8 occupational groups in Norway (lawyers, physicians, nurses, teachers, church ministers, bus drivers, and people working in advertising and information technology; N = 3,313) was used to examine which occupational groups are likely to be at risk for work–family conflict and which find WFI the most facilitating. Strong tests for factorial invariance supported the use of the WFI scale and found that it was comparable for the 8 occupational groups. Follow-up analysis demonstrated significant latent mean differences in the 4 dimensions of WFI among the 8 groups. In general, the analyses indicate that those experiencing the least conflict are also among those experiencing the least facilitation. Similarly, with few exceptions, those experiencing the most conflict are also among those experiencing the most facilitation. Subsequent analyses indicate that this applies for both men and women. These results empirically support the orthogonal nature of WFI and suggest that the interaction between work and family may be more permeable in some occupations than others. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Returns to growth in a nonparametric DEA approach

In this contribution, first the concept of returns to growth (RTG) of a high‐tech firm facing hyper‐competition in the new economy is introduced by describing a proportional relationship between growth in inputs and growth in outputs using the growth efficiency (GE) model of Sengupta. Second, both technology‐ and value‐based methods are suggested for estimating the RTG behavior of high‐tech firms. Third, although the GE concept seems closely related to the notion of total factor productivity change, this link remains unexplored: we suggest a link between both concepts. Finally, our empirical application to the Indian computer industry reveals that first, companies operating under increasing returns to scale (RTS) may exhibit constant or decreasing RTG; second, companies showing constant RTS may exhibit increasing or decreasing RTG; and third, companies showing decreasing RTS may exhibit constant or increasing RTG. These findings imply that RTS estimates need not provide proper information regarding the growth strategy behavior of high‐tech companies.