Manufactured Housing Production Layout Design

This paper presents exploratory research work in facility layout design of a manufactured housing production plant. Manufactured homes are built in a factory on an assembly line that consists of activity stations, subactivity stations, feeder stations, and storage areas. This research developed systematic process steps for the layout design of manufactured housing production plants with a qualitative approach. The qualitative approach takes into account space requirements and proximity parameters. For this purpose, the tools and techniques available in industrial and manufacturing engineering were investigated. Data related to the space and proximity requirements in the two case study production plants were collected, and alternative layouts were developed. These layouts were analyzed to suggest the best possible layout. Finally, layout design steps for the qualitative analysis of the facility design were presented in the form of a process flowchart.     

Re-examination of a proposed model for nonisothermal crystallization kinetics

This communication is a theoretical re-examination of the model proposed by Choe and Lee for the nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of semicrystalline polymers.     

Anaerobic Degradability: Effect of Particulate COD

Batch bioassay tests were conducted to evaluate the effect of particulate chemical oxygen demand (COD) (CODP) on anaerobic digestion of wastewater at different ratio of food to microorganism (F/M). Synthetically prepared soluble and complex wastewaters were used. Experiments were conducted in seven sets of serum bottles maintained at F/M ranging from 0.18 to 2.0. Each set contained six bottles having a total COD (CODT) of 500 mg and CODP from 0 to 100%. Methane generation conforms to the first order rate kinetics. At all F/M, k?(day?1) decreased linearly with increase in fraction of CODP?(CODPF = CODP/CODT). Biomethane potential (BMP), and substrate and sludge activities also exhibited declining trend with increasing CODPF. The optimum value of F/M ranged from 0.57 to 0.68. The two variables, CODPF and F/M, were compounded to yield the ratio of CODP to microorganisms [M, measured as volatile suspended solids (VSS)]. On increasing the CODP/VSS from 0 to 0.9, the rate constant for methane generation is reduced by 81%. BMP30, percent sludge activity, and substrate utilization rate are lowered by 52–55%. These correlations could serve as useful guidelines to quantitatively assess the impact of particulate COD on biodegradability parameters.     

Toward targets for initiation of chronic dialysis

OBJECTIVES: To better define the targets for initiation of chronic dialysis, we compared the relationship between the normalized protein equivalent of nitrogen appearance (nPNA, g/kg standard weight/day) and weekly urea clearance (Kt) normalized to total body water (V) in predialysis chronic renal failure (CRF) patients and in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and hemodialysis (HD). We also studied the relationships of other nutritional parameters to weekly Kt/Vurea in CRF patients. DESIGN: This cross-sectional study was a prospective observational design meant to study each patient once. SETTING: The University Hospital and Clinics and Harry S. Truman VA Medical Center, Columbia, Missouri. PATIENTS: Forty-five consecutive predialysis CRF patients were enrolled and the results compared with patients on CAPD and HD. RESULTS: In CRF, the nPNA calculated from urea appearance correlated with the weekly Kt/Vurea (r = 0.57, p < 0.0001) and, using exponential best-fit, nPNA = 1.217 x (1-e-0.769Kt/V). This exponential relationship was similar to that for CAPD and both were different from that in patients on HD. Likewise, nPNAs, calculated from Kjeldahl nitrogen output, and weekly Kt/Vurea were correlated (r = 0.37, p = 0.014) and, using exponential best-fit, nPNA = 1.102(1-e-0.867Kt/V), similar to the relationship in patients on CAPD. Evidence is presented that these relationships are not explained only by mathematical coupling. There was a significant correlation between the weekly Kt/Vurea and 24-hour urinary creatinine excretion. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that in CRF, as in CAPD, a weekly Kt/Vurea less than 2.0 is likely to be associated with a nPNA less than 0.9 g/kg standard weight. In CRF patients, initiation of chronic dialysis should be considered if weekly renal Kt/Vurea falls below 2.0 and a nPNA greater than 0.8 is desired.     

A pictorial index mechanism for model-based matching

We are currently developing unified query processing strategies for image databases. To perform this task, model-based representations of images by content are being used, as well as a hierarchical generalization of a relatively new object-recognition technique called data-driven indexed hypotheses. As the name implies, it is index-based, from which its efficiency derives. Earlier approaches to data-driven model-based object recognition techniques were not capable of handling complex image data containing overlapping, partially visible, and touching objects due to the limitations of the features used for building models. Recently, a few data-driven techniques capable of handling complex image data have been proposed. In these techniques, as in traditional databases, iconic index structures are employed to store the image and shape representation in such a way that searching for a given shape or image feature can be conducted efficiently. Some of these techniques handle the insertion and deletion of shapes and/or image representations very efficiently and with very little influence on the overall system performance. However, the main disadvantage of all previous data-driven implementations is that they are main memory based. In the present paper, we describe a secondary memory implementation of data-driven indexed hypotheses along with some performance studies we have conducted.     

Randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial of coenzyme Q10 in patients with acute myocardial infarction

Adherence with inhaled beta-agonists and corticosteroids in 24 asthmatic children was tracked over 3 months utilizing the metered-dose inhaler chronolog (MDIC). Patients seldom took all of their medications as prescribed, and failed to take any inhaled corticosteroid doses on a median of 41.8% of days or inhaled beta-agonists on 28.1% of days despite prescribed daily use. Medication nonadherence was correlated with lower levels of asthma knowledge (Asthma Knowledge Questionnaire) and family dysfunction (Family Assessment Device), but not child behavior disorder (Child Behavior Checklist). Patients tended to dramatically over-report medication use. Improved identification of the markers of nonadherence can directly facilitate more efficient targeting of behavioral interventions, resulting in improved adherence, better illness control, and less requirement of urgent medication intervention.     

Complex esters as antiwear agents

Diol centered complex esters using diethylene glycol, 1,3-butane diol, neopentyl glycol, polyethylene glycol (molecular weight 200–1000), 1-phenoxy 2,3 propane diol as centered diols and sebacic acid as dibasic acid with outer monohydric alcohols as 2-ethyl hexanol, 1-benzyloxy propanol-2 and methyl digol were prepared and assessed as antiwear agents in aviation turbine fuels, diesel fuels and light mineral oil. These types of complex esters, in general, were found to be effective antiwear agents.     

Acoustic behavior of calcium soap solutions

The results of ultrasonic velocity for calcium soap solutions show that the adiabatic compressibility, intermolecular free length and solvation number decrease while the specific acoustic impedence, apparent molal compressibility, apparent molal volume and molar sound velocity increase with increasing soap concentration. The ultrasonic results are in agreement with the conductance measurements and confirm that calcium soaps behave as weak electrolytes in solutions.     

Detection of composite edges

The paper presents a new parametric model-based approach to high-precision composite edge detection using orthogonal Zernike moment-based operators. It deals with two types of composite edges: (a) generalized step and (b) pulse/staircase edges. A 2-D generalized step edge is modeled in terms of five parameters: two gradients on two sides of the edge, the distance from the center of the candidate pixel, the orientation of the edge and the step size at the location of the edge. A 2-D pulse/staircase edge is modeled in terms of two steps located at two positions within the mask, and the edge orientation. A pulse edge is formed if the steps are of opposite polarities whereas a staircase edge results from two steps having the same polarity. Two complex and two real Zernike moment-based masks are designed to determine parameters of both the 2-D edge models. For a given edge model, estimated parameter values at a point are used to detect the presence or absence of that type of edge. Extensive noise analysis is performed to demonstrate the robustness of the proposed operators. Experimental results with intensity and range images are included to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed edge detection technique as well as to compare its performance with the geometric moment-based step edge detection technique and Canny's (1986) edge detector.     

Graft copolymerization onto starch. II. Grafting of acrylonitrile to granular native potato starch by manganic pyrophosphate initiation. Effect of reaction conditions on grafting parameters

The effect of reaction conditions on the composition of native potato starch–polyacrylonitrile graft copolymers initiated by manganic pyrophosphate onto starch slurries at 30°C has been examined. In general, when the Mn³⁺ ion concentration was increased from 0.15 × 10^?3M to 3.0 × 10^?3M (other conditions kept constant), an increase in conversion of monomer to polymer and % add-on was observed, whereas frequency of grafts (anhydroglucose units, AGU, per grafted chain) decreased. Also, the average molecular weights of grafts showed a decrease from 2.2 × 10⁵ to 1.5 × 10⁵. Increasing the concentration ratio of starch to monomer during polymerization by a factor of 3 produced an increase in the conversion of monomer to polymer, whereas an increase in frequency of grafts (AGU/chain) was obtained. Values of % add-on and average molecular weights of the grafts showed, however, a decreasing tendency. It was observed that grafting onto starch took place readily even at acid additions as low as 10 × 10^?3M H₂SO₄ (pH ?1.8). Selective solvent extraction of homopolymer and extremely low conversions of monomer to polymer (0.1%–1.5%) in duplicate runs without addition of starch indicated that grafting efficiencies were high in all cases. An attempt has been made to interpret the results in terms of variations in factors such as initial ratio of (Mn³⁺)/(AGU), termination rate of acrylonitrile chain radicals by oxidation by Mn³⁺ ions, oxidation rate of radicals formed on anhydroglucose units by Mn³⁺ ions, and physical factors such as diffusion rate of Mn³⁺ ions through the polyacrylonitrile-grafted starch granules for terminating the radicals.