Evaluation of pressure coefficients and estimation of air flow rates in buildings employing wind towers

Wind pressure coefficients at various openings of a wind tower were determined by testing a scale model of the building in a boundary layer wind tunnel. Wind towers (or Baud-Geers) are structures which have been employed in Iran and neighbouring countries for natural ventilation and passive cooling. Tests were conducted on an isolated tower, the tower and adjoining house, and the tower and house surrounded by a courtyard. The wind pressure coefficients at the tower and house openings were determined at various wind angles for two types of terrain: suburban and open country. The air flow rates were then estimated from a knowledge of the wind pressure coefficients at the building apertures. It was concluded that the presence of a courtyard around the structure and the angle of incidence of the wind influence the rate and the direction of air flowing from the tower to the house. If leeward openings of the tower can be closed (for example, by automatic dampers) restricting the air leaving these apertures, the air flow rate from the tower to the house can be greatly increased. The results of this investigation are believed to provide assistance to architects and engineers in the design of wind towers for desired ventilation rates in buildings.     

The role of expectancy in eliciting hypnotic responses as a function of type of induction.

Combined data from a study by J. R. Council et al (see record 1983-24975-001) and from a study by the present 3rd author (1983) on cognitive skill hypnotic induction to test the hypothesis that the relationship between expectancy and suggestibility varies as a function of type of induction. Analysis of data on 100 Ss shows significant Expectancy?×?Type of Induction interactions on the Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, the Creative Imagination Scale, and an inventory of hypnotic depth. Within-cells correlations revealed a significant relationship between expectancy and responses to skill induction. Correlations between expectancy and responses to a traditional trance induction were nonsignificant. (8 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A new technique for radiotherapy planning using quadratic programming

Previous attempts at optimization of radiotherapy planning are described and criticized, and consideration of these attempts has resulted in the development of a new technique using quadratic programming. Uniformity of tumour dose is selected as the most important feature of any plan, and this is achieved by minimizing the variance of the dose to preselected points within the tumour. The dose to vulnerable regions can be constrained not to exceed a given percentage of the mean tumour dose. Optimization of field weight and field type is possible. The operation of the system is described and some typical results are given.     

Extreme wind speeds in mixed wind climates

In this paper, a technique is discussed which enables extreme wind speed probabilities in mixed wind climates to be determined. It is shown that in such wind climates the method is likely to yield more accurate probability estimates than the traditional Gumbel analysis of annual wind speed maxima, particularly for annual probabilities of less than 2% (i.e. return periods greater than 50 years). The technique requires a separate analysis of each significant wind-producing meteorological phenomenon and practical methods of achieving this are presented. Extreme wind speed parameters obtained from each analysis may then be combined to yield a “composite extreme wind speed diagram” and several examples illustrating this procedure are shown. By means of a numerical simulation of a typical mixed wind climate, a detailed study is made of the distribution of extreme wind gusts from different meteorological phenomena. This study indicates that a Gumbel analysis of 20 annual maxima may severely underestimate low annual probability (i.e. long return period) gust speeds.     

Supply chain information technologies and organisational initiatives: complementary versus independent effects on agility and firm performance

This research investigates the roles of supply chain information technologies (SCIT) and supply chain organisational initiatives (SCOI) in engendering agility and business performance in manufacturing firms. We examine two competing models, both of which incorporate agility as a mediator between the use of SCIT or SCOI and firm performance; the models differ in how the impacts of SCIT and SCOI are manifest. In one model, SCIT and SCOI are hypothesised to have separate effects on agility, which then impacts firm performance; in the second model, complementarities, or the interaction of SCIT and SCOI, impacts agility directly. Structural equation modelling results show that agility is full mediator, related to firm performance in both models. Further, the model with complementary interactions fits better. These results have implications for how manufacturing firms can position their investments in SCIT and SCOI to enhance agility and overall performance.     

Transmuting performance on manufacturing dimensions into business performance: An exploratory analysis of efficiency using DEA

This research examines efficiency in the transformation of performance on manufacturing competitive dimensions into business performance in the automotive supplier industry. Specifically, the study explores efficiency produced from data envelopment analysis (DEA) using cost, quality, time, flexibility and innovativeness performance as inputs and return on investment (ROI) and return on assets (ROA) as outputs. First tier suppliers to the 'Big 3' in North America were sampled. The 51 suppliers were categorized into three groups (high, medium and low) based on their efficiency. No significant group differences in quality, time, flexibility and innovativeness performance were found, but a significant difference does exist for cost. The results were further investigated by testing between-group differences for various cost reduction programmes, thereby identifying the levers and benchmarks for improving low efficiency firms.     

Multilevel modeling of self-esteem change during acute inpatient stroke rehabilitation.

Objective: To explore self-esteem change during inpatient stroke rehabilitation and moderators of change. Research Method: One hundred twenty survivors of stroke serially completed the State Self-Esteem Scale (SSES) during inpatient rehabilitation, as well as measures of mood and perceived recovery as potential moderators of change. Age, gender, prior stroke, prestroke depression, stroke laterality, and admission Functional Independence Measure (FIM) self-care, mobility, and cognitive scores were also included as moderators. Results: Multilevel modeling of the repeated administrations of the SSES indicated that self-esteem significantly improved during rehabilitation. Female gender, left hemisphere stroke, prior stroke, and lower admission FIM cognitive scores were associated with lower self-esteem ratings at admission, but only age and admission FIM self-care and mobility scores were associated with self-esteem change. Older individuals showed less self-esteem improvement than younger individuals, and higher self-care and mobility scores at admission were associated with greater self-esteem improvement. While mood change significantly covaried with self-esteem, the rate of mood change did not appear to influence rate of self-esteem change. Greater improvement in self-esteem over time was related to lower levels of perceived recovery, but this was likely because of the relationship between perceived recovery and self-esteem at rehabilitation admission. Implications: These results suggest that self-esteem improves during inpatient rehabilitation, and this change may be partially dependent on functional status. Implications for facilitating self-esteem change by the clinician are discussed, as well as future research directions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Self-esteem level and stability, admission functional status, and depressive symptoms in acute inpatient stroke rehabilitation.

Objectives: Explore the relationship of self-esteem level, self-esteem stability, and admission functional status on discharge depressive symptoms in acute stroke rehabilitation. Research Method: One hundred twenty stroke survivors serially completed a measure of state self-esteem during inpatient rehabilitation and completed a measure of depressive symptoms at discharge. Functional status was rated at admission using the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). Regressions explored main effects and interactions of self-esteem level and stability and admission FIM self-care, mobility, and cognitive functioning on discharge depressive symptoms. Results: After controlling for potential moderating variables, self-esteem level interacted with FIM self-care and cognitive functioning to predict discharge depressive symptoms, such that survivors with lower self-rated self-esteem and poorer functional status indicated higher levels of depressive symptoms. Self-esteem stability interacted with FIM mobility functioning, such that self-esteem instability in the presence of lower mobility functioning at admission was related to higher depressive symptoms at discharge. Implications: These results suggest that self-esteem variables may moderate the relationship between functional status and depressive symptoms. Self-esteem level and stability may differentially moderate functional domains, although this conclusion requires further empirical support. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A microcomputer data-acquisition system for ground-based reflectance measurements

A microcomputer data logger, using a Synertek SYM-1 microcomputer based on a 6502 series microprocessor, is described for the collection of spectral reflectance data from ground-based radiometers. The system was battery-powered with up to 16 analog input channels, a real-time clock, an alpha-numeric keyboard and a video display. The control program, written in BASIC, allowed for variations of the sampling pattern to suit various experimental designs. Timing, data acquisition, and housekeeping routines which required faster execution speeds were written in Assembly language. Hardware and software are described and a listing of programs is given in the appendix.     

The effects of product modularity on launch speed

Extant literature suggests that product modularity positively and directly impacts the timeliness and frequency of new products as well as manufacturing performance, particularly flexibility. Little is known about the nature of these relationships, however, since few empirical studies have been done. Important questions remain unanswered including whether the effect of modularity on launch speed is direct or indirect, and what role other constructs might play. This study explores these issues by examining the effects of product modularity on launch speed within a holistic framework that considers the roles of product platforms and manufacturing flexibility. Drawing upon dynamic capabilities theory in the resource-based view, the model depicts product modularity as antecedent to product platforms, product platforms as antecedent to manufacturing flexibility and manufacturing flexibility as antecedent to launch speed. The model is strongly supported by an analysis of 93 manufacturers. Results reveal a positive effect of product modularity on launch speed, but it is delivered through the mediating effects of product platforms and manufacturing flexibility. In contrast to earlier work, the findings show modularity alone is an insufficient condition for the timely and frequent introduction of new products. Rather, launch speed is engendered by a ‘gestalt’ of dynamic capabilities.