A new hybrid MCDM approach for RPN evaluation for a medical device prototype

The Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) is a useful instrument born in the aerospace industry and widely used to improve a process or product's efficiency. Over the years, this instrument has been adopted in increasingly different contexts, such as HealthCare. This paper proposes an approach aimed at improving the defects typical of the classic FMEA in the design phase, that is, in a scenario full of uncertainties and with little information available, using a new hybrid Multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM) method in order to obtain a priority index more performant than Risk Priority Number (RPN). In the proposed method, the three assessment criteria have a different weighting in the index's final computation, differently from the classical RPN. These weights are obtained with a scientific technique, thus avoiding that excessive subjectivity influences the final result. A more efficient priority index is obtained through a new hybrid approach that solves some classical RPN gaps. A case study concerning an endoscope Ear Nose Throat Entropy (ENT) prototype is examined to illustrate the proposed method. FMEA analysis in HealthCare is increasingly used for its flexibility and reliability. This study focuses on using new techniques to eliminate certain defects or exploit some qualities better. The use of a robust and elastic innovative MCDM method to calculate a new priority index and a scientific technique to obtain the weight of the selection are the interesting insights proposed in this paper.     

Application of multi-criteria decision-making methods: certification mechanisms for organic produce in Brazil

A rural producer who wishes to market organic products must obtain the Brazilian Organic Conformity Assessment System seal and consider a series of criteria for certification. The objective of this article is to identify which criteria should take priority and which organic conformity assessment mechanism (certification by Audit or by the Participatory Guarantee System—SPG) is the most appropriate option for a rural producer who wishes to obtain the seal of organic certification. After a bibliometric analysis, the researchers used the Analytic Hierarchy Process multicriteria method. A sensitivity analysis was also carried out to investigate variations in the priorities of the criteria and certification alternatives. The results indicated the following order of priority of the criteria: cost, market access, and producer availability. SPG was the most relevant assessment mechanism.     

New emulsion polymerization tubular reactor with internal angular baffles: Reaction temperature effect

Deterministic models of physicochemical, mathematical, and computational sciences were used for modeling and simulation of emulsion homopolymerization process of styrene with baffles into tubular reactor (TR) as static mixer. Modeling and simulation were approximate to steady state, cylindrical one‐dimensional model, fully developed laminar plug flow, and they were solved with finite volume method and programmed with Fortran language. Also, the Smith‐Ewart model was considered to estimate the monomer conversion and Arrhenius chemical kinetics was considered as laminar finite‐rate model to compute chemical source. The experimental‐inductive and mathematical‐deductive methods were applied for obtaining mass balance results and properties characterization. The objective is to model, to simulate, and to analyze the emulsion polymerization reactor performance with internal‐inclined angular baffles, and to compare with continuous TR in variable reaction temperature. The predictions were validated with experimental results for the isothermic and TR, with a good concordance. The results in no isothermal conditions without and with baffles were better than in isothermal conditions without and with baffles in relation to the desired properties. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 100: 2572–2581, 2006     

Introduction of internal cysteines as conformational probes in yeast phosphoglycerate kinase

Several mutants of yeast phosphoglycerate kinase, each containingonly one internal cysteine residue, were constructed from asingle mutant devoid of cysteine. These cysteines were introducedas local conformational probes in selected buried positions.The enzyme activity, conformational characteristics and stabilityindicated that the mutations introduced only small perturbationsin the molecule. The folding–unfolding process mediatedby guanidine hydrochloride under equilibrium conditions wasstudied by following the variations in ellipticity and the reactivityof the cysteine residue towards 5,5'-dithiobis(nitrobenzoate).The process was found to be reversible except for mutant C97A,V49C,suggesting that this region located in helix I might be crucialin determining an intermediate on the folding pathway. The transitionsobtained by the two signals did not coincide, indicating thatthe local structures, in several parts inside the molecule,are more sensitive to the denaturant than the overall conformation.     

Compte rendu d'Les femmes et l'alcool en Amérique du nord et au Québec.

Reviews the book, Les femmes et l'alcool en Amérique du nord et au Québec by Nadeau Louise, Céline Mercier, and Lise Bourgeois (1984). This monograph consists of eight chapters which cover the subject of alcoholism among women and is the result of a subsidy of research by the ministry for the Social Affairs of Quebec. This study is one of a kind in that it primarily discusses women and their dependence towards alcohol. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multizone circulating reactor modeling for gas‐phase polymerization. II. Reactor operating with gas barrier in the downer section

A new gas‐phase technology for polyolefin production is being developed to be commercially available for large‐scale production between 2004 and 2005. This new technology uses a multizone circulating reactor, which consists of two interrelated zones where two distinct and different fluodynamic regimes are realized, between which the polymer particles are kept in continuous circulation. In the first part, we presented a mathematical model for the reactor, and this second part of the article we present simulations when a gas barrier is introduced in the top of the downer section and its implications in the polymer characteristics. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 93: 1053–1059, 2004     

Using lipid profiles and genotypes for the characterization of Corsican olive oils

In 2004, the Corsican producers of olive oils obtained a French protected designation of origin (PDO) “huile d'olive de Corse”, but up to now specifications of Corsican oil production do not clearly indicate the oil attributes related to the territory of production. That is why the fatty acid and triacylglycerol (TAG) compositions of olive oils from the nine main cultivars used to produce oils under PDO were determined and related to the olive variety. The results showed (i) that the nine cultivars covered only four olive varieties, as revealed by random‐amplified polymorphic DNA markers, (ii) that the lipid composition of oils is strongly dependent on the variety, and (iii) that the lipid composition of the four varieties is completely discriminated on the basis of the proportions of four TAG (OOO, OOL, PoOO, OOL) and one fatty acid (18:0). These results clearly establish the relationships between some characteristics of oils and the area of production (Corsica) for at least three varieties that are originated from Corsica. For the fourth variety, other investigations on minor compounds and on sensory attributes of oils must be undertaken to link some oil traits to the territory of production.     

A replicated investigation of nitroxide‐mediated radical polymerization of styrene over a range of reaction conditions

A comprehensive experimental investigation of nitroxide‐mediated radical polymerization (NMRP) of styrene using 2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐1‐piperidinyloxy (TEMPO) as controller is presented. Polymerizations with a bimolecular initiator (benzoyl peroxide; BPO) were carried out at 120 and 130°C, with TEMPO/BPO molar ratios ranging from 0.9 to 1.5. Results indicate that increasing temperature increases the rate of polymerization while the decrease in molecular weights is only slight. It was also observed that increasing the ratio of TEMPO/BPO decreased both the rate of polymerization and molecular weights. Probably for the first time in the history of such investigations, the paper contains a comprehensive database, appropriate for parameter estimation in aid of future modelling studies, since it comes from a systematic data collection containing independent replication.     

革新计划:海平面上升背景下可视化技术在沿海遗产保护领域中的应用

遗产保护和气候变化正在从对立的角度共同作用于当今的建成环境。保护使得过去的状态在未来得以维持, 而气候变化带来的影响则相反。当前者试图延迟可能出现的进程时,后者则会在不知不觉中造成不可逆转的改变。 二者在价值观的冲突中必然会发生交汇。本文探讨了沿海遗产保护与海平面上升之间的冲突;在对于建筑遗产自 身以及对遗产保护概念的既有认知的基础上,就沿海建筑遗产所面临的困境,论证了对这些建筑物可能会采取的 具有先锋性的适应性措施以及再利用方式。本文着重讨论了被海平面上升所威胁的遗产更新的既有保护政策的必 要性,以及可视化技术在这一进程中所发挥的作用,以促使沿海遗产社区提前对此类政策做好准备。