Development of error-compensating UI for autonomous production cells

This contribution deals with the impact of human error on the overall system reliability in flexible manufacturing systems (FMS). Autonomous production cells are used to illustrate an error-compensating system design on the basis of Sheridan's (1997) paradigm of supervisory control. In order to specify human errors and their effects in terms of system disturbances, a taxonomy of system disturbances is recommended. This taxonomic approach was derived by a value benefit analysis and is based on HEDOMS (Human Error and Disturbance Occurrence in Manufacturing Systems) with slight modifications and Reason's GEMS (Generic Error Modelling System). The taxonomy is used for data acquisition. Next, a risk priority equivalent to FMEA (Failure Mode and Effect Analysis) is introduced to structure the data according to their relevance. Then, Vicente's and Rasmussen's guidelines (1987) for an ecological interface design are related to the paradigm of supervisory control. On the basis of these guidelines four case studies are presented to show their successful applicability for interface design in FMS.     

UV vapor generation for determination of selenium by heated quartz tube atomic absorption spectrometry

A new vapor generation technique utilizing UV irradiation coupled with atomic absorption for the determination of selenium in aqueous solutions is described. In the presence of low molecular weight organic acid solutions, inorganic selenium(IV) is converted by UV irradiation to volatile selenium species, which are then rapidly transported to a heated quartz tube atomizer for detection by atomic absorption spectrometry. Optimum conditions for photochemical vapor generation and interferences from concomitant elements were investigated. Identification of the volatile products using cryotrapping GC/MS analysis revealed that inorganic selenium(IV) is converted to volatile selenium hydride, selenium carbonyl, dimethyl selenide, and diethyl selenide in the presence of formic, acetic, propionic, and malonic acids, respectively. In acetic acid solution, the efficiency of generation was estimated to be 50 +/- 10%. No interference from Ni(2+) and Co(2+) at concentrations of 500 and 100 mg L(-)(1), respectively, was evident. A detection limit of 2.5 microg L(-)(1) and a relative sensitivity of 1.2 microg L(-)(1) (1% absorption) with a precision of 1.2% (RSD, n = 11) at 50 microg L(-)(1) were obtained.     

Development of matrix patches for transdermal delivery of a highly lipophilic antiestrogen

The aim of this study was to develop matrix-type transdermal systems (TDSs) containing the highly lipophilic (log P = 5.82) antiestrogen (AE) and the permeation enhancers propylene glycol and lauric acid. For that purpose, permeation of AE from various adhesive matrices through excised skin of hairless mice was evaluated. It was found that pretreatment of the skin with permeation enhancers raised the transdermal flux of subsequently applied antiestrogen. Highest steady-state transdermal fluxes (1.1 µg cm^-2 h^-1) were obtained from Gelva®, polyacrylate adhesive, followed by 0.55 µg cm^-2 h^-1 from Oppanol® polyisobutylene, 0.31 µg cm^-2 h^-1 from BIO-PSA® silicone, and 0.12 µg cm^-2 h^-1 from Sekisui polyacrylate matrices. In order to develop TDS with high content of fluid permeation enhancer propylene glycol, two different strategies were investigated. One strategy was the addition of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) as thickening agent to Gelva matrices. This allowed for propylene glycol loading levels of up to 30%, resulting in transdermal AE fluxes of 0.09 µg cm^-2 h^-1. On the other hand, a fleece-laminated backing foil was loaded with the described permeation enhancer formulation and laminated with polyacrylate adhesive layer, resulting in transdermal AE fluxes of 0.06 µg cm^-2 h^-1. However, application of these TDSs on skin pretreated with permeation enhancers raised the fluxes to 2.6 µg cm^-2 h^-1 from Gelva/HPC and 0.46 µg cm^-2 h^-1 from fleece/Sekisui.     

Contrasting reduced overshadowing and blocking.

Preexposure of a cue without an outcome (X-) prior to compound pairings with the outcome (XZ→O) can reduce overshadowing of a target cue (Z). Moreover, pairing a cue with an outcome (X→O) before compound training can enhance its ability to compete with another cue (i.e., blocking). Four experiments were conducted in a conditioned bar-press suppression preparation with rats to determine whether spacing of the X- or X→O trials would differentially affect reduced overshadowing and blocking. Experiment 1a showed that reduced overshadowing was larger with massed trials than with spaced trials. Experiment 1b found that blocking was larger with spaced trials than with massed trials. Experiments 2a and 2b indicated that these effects of trial spacing were both mediated by the associative status of the context at test. The results are interpreted in the framework of contemporary learning theories. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Harwell The Enigma revealed * Nick Hance * Enhance Publishing, Buckland, Oxon, UK * ISBN 0-09553055-0-0, 336 pp (2006), {pound}20 (Hard cover)

In 1940, before the Manhattan Project was created, the Britishgovernment had established the secret MAUD committee, whosepurpose was to pursue the advice of several distinguished scientists,including Otto Frisch and Rudolph Pierls, that the recent discoveryof nuclear fission might lead to the ability to construct an‘atomic bomb’. Then at war with Germany, the UKwas well placed to collect and monitor intelligence on thissubject, both from the flood of information made available byscientists leaving the mainland of Europe in search of asylumfrom Nazi tyranny and because of its own expertise in nuclearphysics at its universities, particularly at Cambridge underthe leadership of Ernest Rutherford. Under the code name ‘TheDirectorate of Tube Alloys’, much of the information gleanedby the British was shared with the US government and assistedthe formation of the Manhattan Project.     

3D point of interest detection via spectral irregularity diffusion

This paper presents a method for detecting points of interest on 3D meshes. It comprises two major stages. In the first, we capture saliency in the spectral domain by detecting spectral irregularities of a mesh. Such saliency corresponds to the interesting portions of surface in the spatial domain. In the second stage, to transfer saliency information from the spectral domain to the spatial domain, we rely on spectral irregularity diffusion (SID) based on heat diffusion. SID captures not only the information about neighbourhoods of a given point in a multiscale manner, but also cues related to the global structure of a shape. It thus preserves information about both local and global saliency. We finally extract points of interest by looking for global and local maxima of the saliency map. We demonstrate the advantages of our proposed method using both visual and quantitative comparisons based on a publicly available benchmark.     

Greenhouse gases in the Earth system: setting the agenda to 2030

What do we need to know about greenhouse gases? Over the next 20 years, how should scientists study the role of greenhouse gases in the Earth system and the changes that are taking place? These questions were addressed at a Royal Society scientific Discussion Meeting in London on 22-23 February 2010, with over 300 participants.     

Drilling history and evolution at Wairakei

Drilling of the Wairakei geothermal field began in May 1950. The rigs initially used were the small truck-mounted Sullivan 37 and Failing 1500 rigs that could drill to 130 and 460 m depth, respectively. These were augmented in November 1952 with two larger capacity rigs (National T12's) that were rated to about 1500 m. The Continental Emsco GC350 was acquired in 1968 to explore the deep geothermal resource—this rig could drill to about 2500 m depth.     

Contracting for treatment termination to reduce illicit drug use among methadone maintenance treatment failures.

Evaluated the effectiveness of a contingency contracting intervention on reducing illicit drug use by 21 25–60 yr old male methadone maintenance patients selected on the basis of positive urinalysis results during a 60-day baseline. The intervention consisted of a 30-day contract, which stated that Ss would continue to receive a specified dosage of methadone, would not be asked to leave the program or detoxify, and would not use illicit drugs during the contract period. Illicit drug use was significantly reduced during the 30-day intervention and remained below baseline levels during a 60-day follow-up. (6 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)