An intelligent decision theoretic approach to producibility optimization in conceptual design

Product optimization involves selecting design, manufacturing, and support attributes that can produce the best system. Producibility or manufacturability is the term often used to describe the relative ease of manufacturing a product. In complex systems, productibility optimization is a very difficult process, particularly when the values of many attributes are restricted by constraints. One challenge is to develop more universal producibility metrics for the conceptual design phase when design information is limited and drawings are nondimensional. This paper develops a new method for producibility optimization in conceptual design based on a combination of both decision theoretic and expert system techniques. Decision theoretic techniques provide the means to model the design for producibility problem in a manner that can deal with risk, uncertainty, and user (or corporate) preferences, and can effectively integrate diverse factors to provide a measure of the overall worth of a design. The particular decision theoretic approach employed is based on multi-attribute utility theory. An illustrative example of the methodology is applied to the conceptual design of a structural composite part.     

Proximity electron tunneling spectroscopy. IV. Electron-phonon coupling and superconductivity of tantalum

An extensive superconducting electron tunneling study of Ta, using both a proximity method and an optimized conventional spectroscopy, is reported. The results for Ta confirm the electron-phonon origin of superconductivity in this element, and provide slightly improved superconducting parameters: =0.73 and _ph ^* = 0.11. The results from the PET and optimized conventional methods are in substantial agreement, although the proximity method appears to provide somewhat better resolution of structure in the Eliashberg function ² F(E).Operated for the U.S. Department of Energy by Iowa State University under contract No. W-7405-Eng-82. This research was supported by the Director for Energy Research, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, WPAS-KC-02-02-02.     

Analog Computer Research in Industrial Engineering—A Literature Review

Sixty-six sources are abstracted and divided into sixteen subject areas. The sources include journal articles, papers presented at conferences, technical bulletins, theses, and textbooks. Sources within a subject area are arranged alphabetically by author. Those which refer to more than one subject area are cross-referenced by author and subject.     

Plant-derived polyphenols attenuate lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide and tumour necrosis factor production in murine microglia and macrophages

Lipopolysaccharides released during bacterial infections induce the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and lead to complications such as neuronal damage in the CNS and septic shock in the periphery. While the initial infection is treated by antibiotics, anti-inflammatory agents would be advantageous add-on medications. In order to identify such compounds, we have compared 29 commercially available polyphenol-containing plant extracts and pure compounds for their ability to prevent LPS-induced up-regulation of NO production. Among the botanical extracts, bearberry and grape seed were the most active preparations, exhibiting IC(50) values of around 20 mug/mL. Among the pure compounds, IC(50) values for apigenin, diosmetin and silybin were 15, 19 and 12 muM, in N-11 murine microglia, and 7, 16 and 25 muM, in RAW 264.7 murine macrophages, respectively. In addition, these flavonoids were also able to down-regulate LPS-induced tumour necrosis factor production. Structure-activity relationships of the flavonoids demonstrated three distinct principles: (i) flavonoid-aglycons are more potent than the corresponding glycosides, (ii) flavonoids with a 4'-OH substitution in the B-ring are more potent than those with a 3'-OH-4'-methoxy substitution, (iii) flavonoids of the flavone type (with a C2=C3 double bond) are more potent than those of the flavanone type (with a at C2-C3 single bond).     

Magnetoresistance of Domain Walls in?Superconductor/Ferromagnet Hybrid Systems

The anisotropic magnetoresistance of single domain walls in S/F hybrid devices was studied with a view of examining the superconducting proximity effect at a single domain wall. By changing the geometry of a Py/Nb nanowire, the character of the domain wall that is nucleated can be controlled. The pinning of both vortex and transverse domain walls at narrow notches in the wires was investigated. In addition, the effect of the interfacial transparency between a superconductor and ferromagnet is also briefly discussed, showing a reduction of the superconducting proximity effect with poorer transparency.     

Burnout among licensed psychologists.

We examined the extent of burnout and its correlates in a national sample of 562 licensed, doctoral-level, practicing psychologists employed primarily within human service settings. Their responses to the Maslach Burnout Inventory indicated that more than a third of the sample reported experiencing high levels of both emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. The modal burned-out clinician in this sample was young, had a low income, engaged in little individual psychotherapy, experienced feelings of lack of control in the therapeutic setting, and felt overcommitted to clients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)