Investigating the Effectiveness of Certain Priority Rules on Resource Scheduling of Housing Estate Projects

The heuristic method is one of the methods used for the scheduling of resource-constrained projects. This method is commonly used in programming the projects with high number of activities and resources such as construction investments. This paper investigates the effectiveness of three heuristic method priority rules applied in the resource scheduling of ten Turkish housing estate projects which were scheduled according to three preselected priority rules [maximum remaining path length (MRPL), latest finish time (LFT), and minimum slack time (MNSLCK)] in resource-constrained conditions. The performance of each priority rule was evaluated in relation to the duration of the project. The results revealed that MRPL priority reduced the project duration to minimum in six projects, whereas LFT priority yielded the best duration results in three projects and MNSLCK priority in only one project.     

Determination of rockmass quality by the crosshole seismic method

Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment - The purpose of the method is to map velocities of P- and S-waves, elastic moduli and attenuation coefficients in the region between two...     

A genome-wide screen for susceptibility loci in ankylosing spondylitis

OBJECTIVE: To localize the regions containing genes that determine susceptibility to ankylosing spondylitis (AS). METHODS: One hundred five white British families with 121 affected sibling pairs with AS were recruited, largely from the Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases AS database. A genome-wide linkage screen was undertaken using 254 highly polymorphic microsatellite markers from the Medical Research Council (UK) (MRC) set. The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region was studied more intensively using 5 microsatellites lying within the HLA class III region and HLA-DRB1 typing. The Analyze package was used for 2-point analysis, and GeneHunter for multipoint analysis. RESULTS: When only the MRC set was considered, 11 markers in 7 regions achieved a P value of < or =0.01. The maximum logarithm of odds score obtained was 3.8 (P = 1.4 x 10(-5)) using marker D6S273, which lies in the HLA class III region. A further marker used in mapping of the MHC class III region achieved a LOD score of 8.1 (P = 1 x 10(-9)). Nine of 118 affected sibling pairs (7.6%) did not share parental haplotypes identical by descent across the MHC, suggesting that only 31% of the susceptibility to AS is coded by genes linked to the MHC. The maximum non-MHC LOD score obtained was 2.6 (P = 0.0003) for marker D16S422. CONCLUSION: The results of this study confirm the strong linkage of the MHC with AS, and provide suggestive evidence regarding the presence and location of non-MHC genes influencing susceptibility to the disease.     

Finite Element Analysis of TV Panel Glass during Cooling

A finite element software has been used to determine the temperature history in forming a TV glass panel during hot pressing in a metal mold and the controlled cooling cycle. The temperature history is then used to calculate the stress and strain history in the glass panel. The goal of the simulation model is to predict the resulting stresses and strains due to forming and cooling that takes place during the manufacturing of the TV panel. DEFORM 3D software has been used to carry out the numeric simulation.     

Low dose amitriptyline in ankylosing spondylitis: a short term, double blind, placebo controlled study

OBJECTIVE: To define the effect of low dose amitriptyline on fatigue, pain, and stiffness in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). METHODS: One hundred consecutive patients with AS were randomized to receive low dose amitriptyline up to 30 mg nightly or placebo for 2 weeks. Patients were assessed by the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity (BASDAI) and Functional (BASFI) Indices pre and post-treatment. RESULTS: Eighty-eight patients (44 amitriptyline, 44 placebo) completed the study. Eight (5 amitriptyline, 3 placebo) stopped treatment because of side effects (e.g., drowsiness, dryness of mouth) and 4 provided insufficient data. Compared to placebo, the patients taking amitriptyline showed significantly greater improvement in restful sleep (66 vs 20%; p < 0.001) and their disease activity scores [BASDAI amitriptyline 1.18 (23%) vs placebo 0.52 (10%); p = 0.024]. All other variables showed a trend to greater improvement by amitriptyline, although the differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: (1) In a 2 week study, low dose amitriptyline significantly improved sleep in AS and was well tolerated; (2) as defined by BASDAI, there was a significant reduction in disease activity with amitriptyline; (3) compared to placebo, there was a nonsignificant trend toward improvement in function; and (4) in spite of improvement in pain, fatigue, and sleep with amitriptyline, stiffness was not increased.     

Comparison of radioactive transmission and mechanical properties of Portland cement and a modified cement with trommel sieve waste

In this study, it was aimed to stabilize trommel sieve waste (TSW) occurring during manufacture of borax from tincal. The effects of TSW added on the mechanical properties and radioactive transmission of modified cement prepared by adding TSW to clinker was investigated. The properties which TSW as additive caused the cement to gain were tested and compared with normal Portland cement.Measurements have been made to determine variation of mass attenuation coefficients of TSW and cement by using an extremely narrow-collimated-beam transmission method in the energy range 15.746-40.930 keV with X-ray transmission method. The characteristic Kα and Kβ X-rays of the different elements (Zr, Mo, Ag, In, Sb, Ba and Pr) passed through TSW and cement were detected with a high-resolution Si(Li) detector. Results are presented and discussed in this paper.