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Sample records for means-end chains analysis

  1. Means-end chains - A means to which end?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grunert, Klaus G.

    2010-01-01

    This paper describes the development of the means-end chain concept in consumer behaviour research, starting from the original proposal by Gutman in 1982. A lack of theoretical development - as opposed to a refinement of methodology - is argued to by the main reason why the concept, after....... This reinterpretation leads to three goals for research that could establish means-end chains as a useful theoretical concept in consumer behaviour research....

  2. Applying the means-end chain concept to product development

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Søndergaard, Helle Alsted

    This paper proposes that the means-end chain (MEC) approach can influence the use of market information and inter-functional communication in new product development (NPD). The central question is whether market information represented by means-end chain data can be a vehicle for inter......-functional communication. This paper describes a PhD project - that through case studies and action research in two companies - aims at investigating the effects on communication and attitudes to communication by those involved when introducing means-end chain data as market information in NPD....

  3. Means-end chains as associative networks: Do they exhibit automatic spreading activation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Scholderer, Joachim; Grunert, Klaus G.

    Despite its popularity in consumer research, means-end chain theory suffers from problems of unconfirmed validity. In particular, it is unknown if its central construct, the means-end chain (MEC), is an identifiable memory structure or not. Theoretically, means-end chains can be cast as associative...... networks with a three-layered structure, consisting of attributes (A), consequences (C) and values (V) that are hierarchically linked. This yields two predictions when operationalized in a lexical decision task: means-end chains should display spreading activation (direct as well as mediated priming...

  4. The validity of the means-end chain model of consumer behaviour

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Scholderer, Joachim; Grunert, Klaus G.

    2004-01-01

    Despite its popularity in consumer research, means-end chain theory suffers from problems of unconfirmed validity: the nomological status of its central construct, the means-end chain, is still unknown. The aim of the research reported here was threefold: (a) to reformulate means-end chain theory....... In a pilot session, each participant completed four different laddering tasks. Each task consisted of four different consumer products varying on three different attributes. After the pilot session, the word material that participants had generated in the laddering task was entered into a database...

  5. The concept of retailer value: A means-end chain analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skytte, Hans; Bove, Karsten

    2004-01-01

    value'. Subsequently this concept has been used in an empirical study of retail chains in Denmark and Germany. The study was designed as a means-end chain project on the buying of pork and fish products by retail buyers. The results revealed that it is possible to analyse the hierarchy between...... attributes, consequences and values sought by retail buyers when buying for their companies, and to identify relevant differences across countries and products. These differences across the value maps are used to propose ideas for how manufacturers of pork and fish products can improve their marketing......It is a well-established fact that creating value for customers is a very important source of competitive advantage. However, no researchers have yet analysed or defined what is meant by retailer value. In this study, building on a solid theoretical back-ground, we propose a definition of 'retailer...

  6. Means-end chains and laddering: An inventory of problems and an agenda for research

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grunert, Klaus G.; Grunert, Suzanne C.; Sørensen, Elin

    Executive summary 1. Means-end chains are a device used to understand how consumers mentally link products to self-relevant consequences. Means-end chains are usually measured by a method called laddering. 2. Means-end chains may fall short of tapping all relevant aspects of how consumers think...... about products. Specifically, nonverbal imagery, episodic information, and procedural knowledge are not included in means-end chains. 3. A number of methodological problems can be identified in the collection of means-end chain data. Major problems, which should be addressed in research, are methods...... to elicit the product attributes the laddering is to start with, the integration of a usage situation in the interview, and the basic decision on how much direct the respondent. 4. Concerning the coding of laddering data, a higher degree of transparency of the coding process would be desirable. 5...

  7. Means-end chain analyses of fish consumption in Denmark and France: A multidimensional perspective

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Valette-Florence, Pierre; Sirieix, Lucie; Grunert, Klaus G.

    2000-01-01

    This article aims to stress the potentiality of means-end chain analysis for studying cognitive structures on a cross-cultural basis. More precisely, the study attempts to compare and differentiate the means-end orientations motivating or demotivating consumers to buy seafood products in two...... different countries, France and Denmark. The results, although exploratory, lead to the identification of potential common and country-specific targets....

  8. The significance of avoiding household food waste - A means-end-chain approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richter, Beate; Bokelmann, Wolfgang

    2018-04-01

    Many humans suffer from hunger, while edible food is discarded. This study aims at showing the importance of avoiding food waste in households and its causes by applying the means-end-chain analysis. Additional the means-end-chain approach should be examined in how far the method is suitable to get insights towards this topic. Consumer backgrounds in terms of feelings and attitudes regarding food waste should be shown, with the particular question why food waste personally is important. The data collection occurred utilizing the hard laddering method within a quantitative online survey. The results indicate that avoiding food waste is important for the greater part of consumers, as many claim to have a bad conscience, seeing it as morally wrong and reprehensible to waste food. A sample breakdown of gender, age and income points differences among these groups in regards to psychological consequences and value systems. Financial and environmental aspects have a lesser impact on attitudes and feelings regarding food waste in households. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Personal values Involved in choosing a College: Analysis Using the Means-End Chain Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lílian Carolina Viana

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available The investigation the reasons for choice of products and services by consumers stands out as relevant in the area of ​​market studies, as well as notes management for any organization. Through the Theory of Means-End Chain proposed by Gutman (1982, which relates the “means” (attributes and benefits linked to the consumption of products or services with the “ends” in terms of personal values achieved, it is possible understand of the meanings that consumers attribute the choice of products and services in a more abstract level. Thus, the objective of this study is to understand what aspects, considering attributes, consequences and personal values ​​guide the behavior of students in choosing the nursing course at a private institution of higher education. Based on the theory mentioned it was adopted the technique laddering, in-depth interview and analysis methodology and representation of the hierarchical value map, which was interpreted and analyzed in order to understand the cognitive structure of students’ choice.The analysis of the results indicate that students are guided primarily by hedonistic values of happiness itself the choice of nursing in college studied.

  10. Means-end chains for low involvement products: A study of Danish consumers' cognitions regarding different applications of vegetable oil

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bech-Larsen, Tino; Nielsen, Niels Asger; Grunert, Klaus G.

    value maps', which are normally used for analysing laddering data, have been criticised for being questionable representations of raw data. 3. This paper reports on a study in which laddering was used to measure means-end chains for a low involvement product (vegetable oil), explicitly controlling....... 2. Some of the critique relates to the use of laddering with low involvement products, neglect of the situational factor when making laddering interviews, and the lack of a link from means-ends chains to constructs which are closer to the actual behaviour of consumers. Furthermore 'hierarchical...... for the situation. Also, a possible way of linking means-ends data to overall product perceptions and alternat the 'hierarchical value map' analysis are presented. 4. The study presented is part of the Danish research project Rape seed oil for human consumption. Although modern Danish rape seed oil has nutritional...

  11. Markedsorienteret produktudvikling med en means-end chain tilgang

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Søndergaard, Helle Alsted

    is illustrated in figure 1. Figure 1: How the MEC approach is expected to influence new product development The review of the NPD literature showed what to anticipate when using an MEC approach to new product development: The MEC approach generates market information at the value level - knowledge about customer...... additional research questions: Which factors within market-oriented new product development can an MEC approach be expected to affect? This question is answered by means of a literature review in chapters 2 thorough 4 which also forms the basis for the formulation of the second research question: How...... will an MEC approach affect the use of market information, integration and inter-functional co-ordination in product development? This question is answered by the empirical work done in two case companies. Before turning to the results I shall introduce its theoretical foundation. A means-end chain approach...

  12. Using means-end chain analysis to reveal consumers' motivation for buying local foods: An exploratory study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Poppy Arsil

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available This article utilizes and discusses specific aspects of Means-End Chain (MEC analysis for understanding of the motives of Indonesian consumers who are involved in purchasing local foods. The MEC theory is used as a measure of attributes, consequences, and values of locally produced products involving specific aspects of this theory namely laddering methods of administration, content analysis procedure, constructing and interpreting Hierarchy Value Map (HVM. The results of the study indicate that MEC approach is a powerful method to reveal consumer motivation of local foods when associated with the various cultural groupings identified by the study particular between Javanese and Non-Javanese consumers. This study offers a practical implication and source of knowledge for other future studies and policies in term of (a a new approach for understanding the motives behind purchasing local foods for Indonesia consumers, and (b developing new categories of attributes, consequences and values of local foods.

  13. A customer value analysis of Taiwan ice cream market: a means-end chain approach across consumption situations

    OpenAIRE

    Chen, Yan-Kwang; Tsai, Pei-Shan; Chiu, Fei-Rung

    2015-01-01

    In the highly competitive market, it is increasingly hard for ice cream stores to develop creative marketing strategies to retain existing customers and attract new ones. This study applies the means?end chain approach to identify the customer value, consequences, and attributes of ice cream and to suggest useful information for ice cream sellers to develop differential marketing strategies across various consumption situations (i.e. on a date, gathering with friends, craving for ice cream). ...

  14. Assessing the predictive value of means-end-chain theory: an application to meat product choice by Australian middle-aged women.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Le Page, Aurore; Cox, David N; Georgie Russell, C; Leppard, Phillip I

    2005-04-01

    Means-end-chain theory seeks to understand how consumers make links between products and self-relevant consequences and values. To date, means-end-chain theory has remained a descriptive process and has not been applied to predicting product choice. Within the context of cooking meat, the main objective of this research was to assess the predictive value of the means-end-chain theory. In a two part study, we first undertook a laddering study (n=58 middle-aged women) focusing on cooking three different meat products, using small group administration and paper-and-pencil responses to elicit mean-end-chains (MEC). In the second part, we considered all the MEC independently and incorporated them into a questionnaire, which was also comprised of psycho-social predictors from a range of behavioural models. Responses were elicited from a sample of middle-aged women (n=247). Although MEC explained little of the variance in self-reported behaviour, they were shown to be an important predictor of attitude. Contrary to expectations, the least abstract levels of the MEC appeared to be the most predictive. A critical examination of the data suggested a need to reconsider the means-end-chain theory since it appears to take the respondents beyond their own awareness of their behaviours.

  15. Means-End Chains for low involvement food products: A study of Danish consumers' cognitions regarding different applications of vegetable oil

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bech-Larsen, Tino; Nielsen, Niels Asger; Grunert, Klaus G.

    to the use of laddering with low involvement products (Durgee, 1986), the neglecting of the situational factor when doing laddering interviews (eg, Pieters, Steenkamp, & Wedel, 1992), and the lack of a from means-ends chains to constructs which ar e closer to the actual behaviour of consumers (Grunert......In recent years, means-end chains and the laddering technique as a way to measure them have become popular in consumer reserach. At the same time, however, a substantial amount of critique regarding the validity of the theory as well as the method been publsihed. Some of this critique relates...... & Gruenert, 1995). This paper reports on a study in which laddering was used to measure means-end chains for a low involvement product, explicitly controlling for situational factors. Also, a possible way of linking means-ends data to overall product percpetions is presented. The study is part of the Danish...

  16. Exploring the Influence of Differentiated Nutrition Information on Consumers' Mental Models Regarding Foods from Edible Insects: A Means-End Chain Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pambo, Kennedy O; Okello, Julius J; Mbeche, Robert M; Kinyuru, John N

    2017-01-01

    This study used a field experiment and means-end chain analysis to examine the effects of positive and perceived negative nutrition information on the households' motivations to consume insect-based foods. It used a random sample of households drawn from rural communities in Kenya. The study found that provision of nutrition information on benefits of edible insects and perceived negative aspects of insect-based foods influences participants' perceptions of insect-based foods and hence acceptance. We also found that tasting real products influenced the nature of mental constructs. The results provide marketers of edible insects with potential marketing messages for promotion.

  17. The Values of College Students in Business Simulation Game: A Means-End Chain Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Yu-Ling; Tu, Yu-Zu

    2012-01-01

    Business simulation games (BSGs) enable students to practice making decisions in a virtual environment, accumulate experience in application of strategies, and train themselves in modes of decision-making. This study examines the value sought by players of BSG. In this study, a means-end chain (MEC) model was adopted as the basis, and ladder…

  18. Consumer motives for buying fresh or frozen plaice: A means end chain approach

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Niels Asger; Sørensen, Elin; Grunert, Klaus G.

    1997-01-01

    Consumer motives for buying or not buying a seafood product can be analysed in terms of means-end chain theory. According to this theory, con-su-mers are motivated to buy a product to the extent that it, in the mind of the con-sumer, contributes t fulfilment of personal life values. Means......, wholesomeness, convenience, and p Different levels of expe-rience with seafood influence how consumers perceive the two products. Accor-ding to our investigation, the main life values motivating or demotiva-ting consumers to buy seafood are care for the family, health, and joy/ happiness....

  19. An investigation into the association pattern technique as a quantitative approach to measuring means-end chains

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    ter Hofstede, F; Audenaert, A; Steenkamp, JBEM; Wedel, M

    Means-end chain theory links products to consumers by postulating hierarchical relations between attributes of the product, consequences of product use and values of consumers. It has served as an important conceptual framework for studies in marketing. The authors investigate the association

  20. Muslim consumer’s motivations towards meat consumption in Belgium : qualitative exploratory insights from means-end chain analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karijn Bonne

    2006-05-01

    Full Text Available Dans cette étude, la théorie du Means-End chain (MEC a été utilisée afin d’examiner quelles caractéristiques de la viande fraîche sont importantes pour les consommateurs musulmans, quelles sont les motivations pour l’achat de viande (halal et dans quelle mesure les tendances en consommation de viande sont applicables aux consommateurs musulmans. Au total 50 interviews, sur base de la technique laddering, concernant la consommation de la viande ont été effectuées auprès de la première et deuxième génération de musulmans en Belgique. Les résultats sont repris dans une carte de valeurs hiérarchiques (HVM représentant une carte de structures cognitives agrégées. De manière générale, les consommateurs musulmans achètent de la viande pour atteindre les valeurs suivantes : la santé, la foi, le respect pour le bien-être des animaux mais également pour jouir de la vie et prendre soin de la famille. Les différences observées dans la comparaison des HVM pourraient être expliquées par des effets de génération, l’âge ou le sexe.In this study, the means-end chain (MEC theory is used to investigate which attributes of fresh meat are important to Muslim consumers, to depict their motivations to buy (halal meat and to assess whether meat consumer trends apply for Muslims in the same sense as for non-Muslims. A total of 50 in-depth laddering interviews about meat consumption have been performed with first- and second-generation Muslims living in Belgium. A common output of a means-end study is a Hierarchical Value Map (HVM representing an aggregate cognitive or motivational structure. Overall, health, faith, respect for animal welfare, enjoying life, and care for family are the main goals Muslim consumers strive for when buying meat. Differences in motivational structures are explained by generation, age or gender effects.

  1. A comparison of fish consumption in Denmark and France: A means-end perspective

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Valette-Florence, Pierre; Sirieix, Lucie; Grunert, Klaus G.

    This article aims to stress the potentiality of means-end chain analysis for studying cognitive structures on a cross-cultural basis. More precisely, the study attempts to compare and diffrentiate the means-end orientations motivating or demotivat consumers to buy seafood products in two different...... countries, France and Denmark. The results, although exploratory, lead to the identification of potential common and country-specific targets....

  2. A customer value analysis of Taiwan ice cream market: a means-end chain approach across consumption situations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Yan-Kwang; Tsai, Pei-Shan; Chiu, Fei-Rung

    2015-01-01

    In the highly competitive market, it is increasingly hard for ice cream stores to develop creative marketing strategies to retain existing customers and attract new ones. This study applies the means-end chain approach to identify the customer value, consequences, and attributes of ice cream and to suggest useful information for ice cream sellers to develop differential marketing strategies across various consumption situations (i.e. on a date, gathering with friends, craving for ice cream). This study conducted one-on-one in-depth interviews with participants. The interview content was subsequently analyzed and coded to produce an implication matrix and a hierarchical value map, which was further used to determine customers' value perceptions. The results indicate the terminal values of the highest strength comprised economy, pleasure, and efficiency. Pleasure was emphasized among consumers who were on a date or gathering with friends, whereas satisfaction was emphasized among consumers who craved ice cream. Based on the results, the study also provides suggestions to the industry and future researchers.

  3. Market oriented new product development: How can a means-end chain approach affect the process?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Søndergaard, Helle Alsted

    Few disagree on the advantage of market oriented product development. However, can a well-known theory on consumer behaviour be used as a catalyst for achieving it? This paper describes a case study where means-end chain (MEC) approach was introduced to a cross-functional development team at two...... different stages of the development process. Results show that MEC data is perceived as a good way of gaining knowledge about consumers; that the information serves well as the basis of discussions and for keeping project goals fixed. The results also indicate that MEC data are most valuable to the team...

  4. Financing the End-to-end Supply Chain: A Reference Guide to Supply Chain Finance

    OpenAIRE

    Templar, Simon; Hofmann, Erik; Findlay, Charles

    2016-01-01

    Financing the End to End Supply Chain provides readers with a real insight into the increasingly important area of supply chain finance. It demonstrates the importance of the strategic relationship between the physical supply of goods and services and the associated financial flows. The book provides a clear introduction, demonstrating the importance of the strategic relationship between supply chain and financial communities within an organization. It contains vital information on how supply...

  5. Do means-end chains exist? Experimental tests of their hierarchicity, automatic spreading activation, directionality, and self-relevance

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Scholderer, Joachim; Grunert, Klaus G.

    2004-01-01

    , bidirectionality, and self-relevance. The predictions were tested in altogether six experiments, using the same basic methodology. Two sessions were held with each participant. In a pilot session, a set of conventional MEC representations was elicited from each participant using the laddering technique. From......Despite its popularity in consumer research, means-end chain (MEC) theory suffers from problems of unconfirmed validity. Theoretically, MECs can be cast as associative networks with a three-layered structure that should exhibit four properties: hierarchicity, automatic spreading activation...

  6. The Elderly Perceived Meanings and Values of Virtual Reality Leisure Activities: A Means-End Chain Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cheng-Shih Lin

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available This study uses means-end chain (MEC techniques to examine the awareness, decision-making procedure, and personal values of the elderly with regard to virtual reality leisure activities. The results of the study show that elderly respondents value virtual reality leisure activities that are fun, safe, and easy. In terms of outcome benefits, elderly respondents value feeling physically and mentally healthy, firsthand experience, and satisfied curiosity. In value terms, elderly respondents hope that their chosen virtual reality leisure activities improve not only their relationships with others, but also their enjoyment, quality of life, and sense of belonging. The results show that, while consumers with different awarenesses of virtual reality leisure activities have different decision-making processes, they share creating “good memories” as the terminal value with the most significant effect. This presents a potential opportunity to promote virtual reality leisure activities. Relevant bodies or enterprises can seek to create good memories in consumers by developing activities that are safe and fun, promote good health, and provide good service, thereby attracting the interest of elderly consumers.

  7. The Elderly Perceived Meanings and Values of Virtual Reality Leisure Activities: A Means-End Chain Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Cheng-Shih; Jeng, Mei-Yuan

    2018-01-01

    This study uses means-end chain (MEC) techniques to examine the awareness, decision-making procedure, and personal values of the elderly with regard to virtual reality leisure activities. The results of the study show that elderly respondents value virtual reality leisure activities that are fun, safe, and easy. In terms of outcome benefits, elderly respondents value feeling physically and mentally healthy, firsthand experience, and satisfied curiosity. In value terms, elderly respondents hope that their chosen virtual reality leisure activities improve not only their relationships with others, but also their enjoyment, quality of life, and sense of belonging. The results show that, while consumers with different awarenesses of virtual reality leisure activities have different decision-making processes, they share creating “good memories” as the terminal value with the most significant effect. This presents a potential opportunity to promote virtual reality leisure activities. Relevant bodies or enterprises can seek to create good memories in consumers by developing activities that are safe and fun, promote good health, and provide good service, thereby attracting the interest of elderly consumers. PMID:29614012

  8. The Elderly Perceived Meanings and Values of Virtual Reality Leisure Activities: A Means-End Chain Approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Cheng-Shih; Jeng, Mei-Yuan; Yeh, Tsu-Ming

    2018-04-03

    This study uses means-end chain (MEC) techniques to examine the awareness, decision-making procedure, and personal values of the elderly with regard to virtual reality leisure activities. The results of the study show that elderly respondents value virtual reality leisure activities that are fun, safe, and easy. In terms of outcome benefits, elderly respondents value feeling physically and mentally healthy, firsthand experience, and satisfied curiosity. In value terms, elderly respondents hope that their chosen virtual reality leisure activities improve not only their relationships with others, but also their enjoyment, quality of life, and sense of belonging. The results show that, while consumers with different awarenesses of virtual reality leisure activities have different decision-making processes, they share creating "good memories" as the terminal value with the most significant effect. This presents a potential opportunity to promote virtual reality leisure activities. Relevant bodies or enterprises can seek to create good memories in consumers by developing activities that are safe and fun, promote good health, and provide good service, thereby attracting the interest of elderly consumers.

  9. Means-end theory of lifestyle

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Scholderer, Joachim; Brunsø, Karen; Grunert, Klaus G.

    2002-01-01

    Brunsø, Scholderer and Grunert (in press) reconstruct means-end chain theory and lifestyle within a dual-process framework, incorporating bottom-up and top-down information-processing routes. The bottom-up route of their model is defined as a hierarchical categorization process, and the top...... of the intervening knowledge structures is considered a necessary condition for both information-processing routes to reach their ends, predicting a complete-mediation model. The initial study by Brunsø et al. (in press) was exactly replicated based on survey data gathered in the United Kingdom in 1998, using...... modeling. Compared against five alternative model structures, the complete-mediation model fitted the data best, thus confirming the predictions derived from the reconstructed theory, and cross-validating the initial model in a different consumer population....

  10. Motivations Underlying Consumers’ Preference for Farmers’ Markets in Klang Valley: A Means-End Chain Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yeong Sheng Tey

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available In an increasingly competitive market environment, understanding why consumers purchase fresh produce from farmers’ markets is pivotal to understanding the markets’ value and to strengthening the rural economy. This is the first study to employ a means-end chain (MEC framework to analyze the motivations underlying consumer preference for farmers’ markets. The linkages between these motivators are important steps in understanding why consumers purchase fresh produce from farmers’ markets. Based on in-depth interviews with 212 shoppers at the farmers’ markets in the Klang Valley, Malaysia, we identified the attributes ‘fresh’, ‘nearby’, ‘variety’, and ‘cheap’ as the means of achieving self-directed personal values (e.g., ‘expenses are better managed’, security values (‘live longer’, and benevolent values (e.g., ‘close the ties’. The insights gained should prove useful to policy-makers and to the farmers’ market sector, allowing them to more effectively communicate with consumers from the basis of a better understanding of the attributes, benefits, and personal values influencing them.

  11. Market-oriented new product development: How can a means-end chain approach affect the process?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Søndergaard, Helle Alsted

    2005-01-01

    . The resukts also indicate that MEC data are most valuable to the team in the early stages of the development process and that lack of a learning orientation may inhibit the effects of a MEC approach. Originality/value - The MEC approach shows clear advantages for market oriented product development.......Purpose - Aims to ascertain whether a well-known theory within consumer research - a means-end chain (MEC) - can be used as a catalyst to achieve market oriented product development. Design/methodology/approach - Describes a case study, involving a Danish food manufacturer, where a MEC approach...... was introduced to a cross-functional development team at two different stages of the development process. Findings - Results show that MEC data is perceived as a good way of gaining knowledge about consumers; that the information serves well as the basis of discussions and for keeping project goals fixed...

  12. Distributions of chain ends and junction points in ordered block copolymers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mayes, A.M.; Johnson, R.D.; Russell, T.P.; Smith, S.D.; Satija, S.K.; Majkrzak, C.F.

    1993-01-01

    Chain configurations in ordered symmetric poly(styrene-b-methyl methacrylate) diblock copolymers were examined by neutron reflectively. In a thin-film geometry the copolymers organize into lamellar microdomains oriented parallel to the substrate surface. The copolymers organize into lamellar microdomains oriented parallel to the substrate surface. The copolymers were synthesized with small fractions of deuterated segments at either the chain ends or centers. This selective labeling permitted characterization of the spatial distribution of chain ends and junction points normal to the plane of the film. From the reflectivity analysis, the junction points are found to be confined to the PS/PMMA interfacial regions. The chain ends, however, are well distributed through their respective domains, exhibiting only a weak maximum in concentration at the center of the domains

  13. Understanding Effect of Constraint Release Environment on End-to-End Vector Relaxation of Linear Polymer Chains

    KAUST Repository

    Shivokhin, Maksim E.

    2017-05-30

    We propose and verify methods based on the slip-spring (SSp) model [ Macromolecules 2005, 38, 14 ] for predicting the effect of any monodisperse, binary, or ternary environment of topological constraints on the relaxation of the end-to-end vector of a linear probe chain. For this purpose we first validate the ability of the model to consistently predict both the viscoelastic and dielectric response of monodisperse and binary mixtures of type A polymers, based on published experimental data. We also report the synthesis of new binary and ternary polybutadiene systems, the measurement of their linear viscoelastic response, and the prediction of these data by the SSp model. We next clarify the relaxation mechanisms of probe chains in these constraint release (CR) environments by analyzing a set of "toy" SSp models with simplified constraint release rates, by examining fluctuations of the end-to-end vector. In our analysis, the longest relaxation time of the probe chain is determined by a competition between the longest relaxation times of the effective CR motions of the fat and thin tubes and the motion of the chain itself in the thin tube. This picture is tested by the analysis of four model systems designed to separate and estimate every single contribution involved in the relaxation of the probe\\'s end-to-end vector in polydisperse systems. We follow the CR picture of Viovy et al. [ Macromolecules 1991, 24, 3587 ] and refine the effective chain friction in the thin and fat tubes based on Read et al. [ J. Rheol. 2012, 56, 823 ]. The derived analytical equations form a basis for generalizing the proposed methodology to polydisperse mixtures of linear and branched polymers. The consistency between the SSp model and tube model predictions is a strong indicator of the compatibility between these two distinct mesoscopic frameworks.

  14. To cook or not to cook: A means-end study of motives for choice of meal solutions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Costa, A.I.A.; Schoolmeester, D.; Dekker, M.; Jongen, W.M.F.

    2007-01-01

    Few studies have approached the issue of the motivations for choice of meal solutions. This is, however, a matter of undeniable importance when individuals select, purchase, prepare and consume foods. This study resorted to the means-end chain theory and laddering interviews to conduct an analysis

  15. Degradation behavior of polymer blend of isotactic polypropylenes with and without unsaturated chain end group

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakatani, Hisayuki; Kurniawan, Dodik; Taniike, Toshiaki; Terano, Minoru

    2008-01-01

    In this work, the relationship between the unsaturated chain end group content and the thermal oxidative degradation rate was systematically studied with binary polymer blends of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) with and without the unsaturated chain end group. The iPPs with and without the unsaturated chain end group were synthesized by a metallocene catalyst in the absence of hydrogen and by a Ziegler catalyst in the presence of one, respectively. The thermal oxidative degradation rate of the binary iPP blends was estimated from the molecular weight and the apparent activation energy (ΔE), which were obtained through size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) measurements, respectively. These values exhibited a negative correlation against the mole content of the unsaturated chain end group. The thermal oxidative degradation rate apparently depends on the content of the unsaturated chain end group. This tendency suggests that the unsaturated chain end acts as a radical initiator of the iPP degradation reaction.

  16. Personal values underlying ethnic food choice: Means-end evidence for Japanese food

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yeong S. Tey

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Background: Ethnic cuisines are increasingly popular in global food markets. This study identifies the personal values underlying Malaysian consumers' decision making with respect to Japanese food. Methods: A total of 134 Malaysian consumers were interviewed and analyzed using means-end chain methodology. Results: Our findings indicate that Japanese food is chosen for the values that the attribute “tasty” can help achieve, not for that attribute per se. Conclusion: Identified values primarily related to longevity, meaningful life-style and sense of accomplishment. The identification of these connections is an important step in understanding why a particular ethnic food is favored by foreign consumers. Our findings could be helpful to restaurateurs in meeting marketing strategies with consumer values and policymakers when designing health campaigns. Keywords: Attributes, Japanese food, Means-end chain, Personal values, Product attributes, Cognition

  17. Means and ends of control

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lind, Morten

    2004-01-01

    assumptions. Means-end analysis also lacks a proper definition of the control concept. It is proposed that control is defined as a binary relation that assign functional roles to subsystems. This control concept leads to distinct but entangled process and control hierarchies. It is argued that the problems...

  18. Peningkatan Kemampuan Pemecahan Masalah dan Komunikasi Matematis Siswa SMP melalui Model Pembelajaran Means-ends Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juanda Juanda

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Dalam kurikulum mata pelajaran matematika, siswa dituntut mampu mengembangkan kemampuan matematika dalam pemecahan masalah dan mengkomunikasikan ide atau gagasan dengan menggunakan simbol, tabel, diagram, dan media lain. Oleh karena itu, dibutuhkan model pembelajaran yang tepat untuk meningkatkan kemampuan pemecahan masalah dan komunikasi matematis. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk; 1 mengetahui peningkatan kemampuan pemecahan masalah dan komunikasi matematis apabila ditinjau keseluruhan siswa dan level kemampuan awal siswa, 2 interaksi antara model pembelajaran dan level kemampuan siswa terhadap peningkatan kemampuan pemecahan masalah dan komunikasi matematis dan 3 sikap siswa terhadap pembelajaran model Means-ends analysis. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif dengan metode eksperimen. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah seluruh siswa kelas VIII SMPS YPPU Sigli, Provinsi Aceh, sedangkan sampelnya adalah siswa kelas VIII-1 sebagai kelas eksperimen dan kelas VIII-2 sebagai kelas kontrol. Instrumen yang digunakan adalah jenis tes dan non tes. Analisis data dilakukan secara kuantitatif dengan menggunakan uji-t terhadap rataan gain ternormalisasi antara kedua kelompok sampel  dan uji anova dua jalur untuk menguji interaksi antara model pembelajaran dan level siswa terhadap peningkatan kemampuan matematis siswa. Hasil penelitian menyimpulkan bahwa peningkatan kemampuan pemecahan masalah dan komunikasi matematis siswa yang memperoleh pembelajaran model Means-ends analysis lebih baik daripada siswa yang memperoleh pembelajaran konvensional baik ditinjau berdasarkan keseluruhan siswa maupun berdasarkan level kemampuan siswa. Terdapat interaksi antara faktor model pembelajaran dan level kemampuan siswa terhadap peningkatan kemampuan pemecahan masalah matematis. Tidak terdapat interaksi antara model pembelajaran Means-ends analysis dan level kemampuan siswa terhadap peningkatan kemampuan komunikasi matematis. Siswa memiliki sikap positif

  19. The role of sea ports in end-to-end maritime transport chain emissions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gibbs, David; Rigot-Muller, Patrick; Mangan, John; Lalwani, Chandra

    2014-01-01

    This paper's purpose is to investigate the role of sea ports in helping to mitigate the GHG emissions associated with the end-to-end maritime transport chain. The analysis is primarily focused on the UK, but is international in application. The paper is based on both the analysis of secondary data and information on actions taken by ports to reduce their emissions, with the latter data collected for the main UK ports via their published reports and/or via interviews. Only a small number of ports (representing 32% of UK port activity) actually measure and report their carbon emissions in the UK context. The emissions generated by ships calling at these ports are analysed using a method based on Department for Transport Maritime Statistics Data. In addition, a case example (Felixstowe) of emissions associated with HGV movements to and from ports is presented, and data on vessel emissions at berth are also considered. Our analyses indicate that emissions generated by ships during their voyages between ports are of a far greater magnitude than those generated by the port activities. Thus while reducing the ports' own emissions is worthwhile, the results suggest that ports might have more impact through focusing their efforts on reducing shipping emissions. - Highlights: • Investigates role of ports in mitigating GHG emissions in the end-to-end maritime transport chain. • Emissions generated both by ports and by ships calling at ports are analysed. • Shipping's emissions are far greater than those generated by port activities. • Ports may have more impact through focusing efforts on reducing shipping's emissions. • Options for ports to support and drive change in the maritime sector also considered

  20. Analysis of the relationship between end-to-end distance and activity of single-chain antibody against colorectal carcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jianhua; Liu, Shanhong; Shang, Zhigang; Shi, Li; Yun, Jun

    2012-08-22

    We investigated the relationship of End-to-end distance between VH and VL with different peptide linkers and the activity of single-chain antibodies by computer-aided simulation. First, we developed (G4S)n (where n = 1-9) as the linker to connect VH and VL, and estimated the 3D structure of single-chain Fv antibody (scFv) by homologous modeling. After molecular models were evaluated and optimized, the coordinate system of every protein was built and unified into one coordinate system, and End-to-end distances calculated using 3D space coordinates. After expression and purification of scFv-n with (G4S)n as n = 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9, the immunoreactivity of purified ND-1 scFv-n was determined by ELISA. A multi-factorial relationship model was employed to analyze the structural factors affecting scFv: rn=ABn-ABO2+CDn-CDO2+BCn-BCst2. The relationship between immunoreactivity and r-values revealed that fusion protein structure approached the desired state when the r-value = 3. The immunoreactivity declined as the r-value increased, but when the r-value exceeded a certain threshold, it stabilized. We used a linear relationship to analyze structural factors affecting scFv immunoreactivity.

  1. One long chain among shorter chains : the Flory approach revisited

    OpenAIRE

    Raphaël , E.; Fredrickson , G.; Pincus , P.

    1992-01-01

    We consider the mean square end-to-end distance of a long chain immersed in a monodisperse, concentrated solution of shorter, chemically identical chains. In contrast with the earlier work of Flory, no simplifying assumption on the wave vector dependence of the effective potential between segments is made. In order to obtain a closed form expression for the dimension of the long chain, we first derive a general expression for the mean square end-to-end distance of a flexible chain with arbitr...

  2. Iraq 2003-4 and Mesopotamia 1914-18: A Comparative Analysis in Ends and Means

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Scudieri, James

    2004-01-01

    This paper is a comparative analysis of the linkage between strategic ends with operational ways and means of the current operation in Iraq in 2003-4 and the British campaign in Mesopotamia in 1914-18...

  3. Phase transitions in single macromolecules: Loop-stretch transition versus loop adsorption transition in end-grafted polymer chains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Shuangshuang; Qi, Shuanhu; Klushin, Leonid I.; Skvortsov, Alexander M.; Yan, Dadong; Schmid, Friederike

    2018-01-01

    We use Brownian dynamics simulations and analytical theory to compare two prominent types of single molecule transitions. One is the adsorption transition of a loop (a chain with two ends bound to an attractive substrate) driven by an attraction parameter ɛ and the other is the loop-stretch transition in a chain with one end attached to a repulsive substrate, driven by an external end-force F applied to the free end. Specifically, we compare the behavior of the respective order parameters of the transitions, i.e., the mean number of surface contacts in the case of the adsorption transition and the mean position of the chain end in the case of the loop-stretch transition. Close to the transition points, both the static behavior and the dynamic behavior of chains with different length N are very well described by a scaling ansatz with the scaling parameters (ɛ - ɛ*)Nϕ (adsorption transition) and (F - F*)Nν (loop-stretch transition), respectively, where ϕ is the crossover exponent of the adsorption transition and ν is the Flory exponent. We show that both the loop-stretch and the loop adsorption transitions provide an exceptional opportunity to construct explicit analytical expressions for the crossover functions which perfectly describe all simulation results on static properties in the finite-size scaling regime. Explicit crossover functions are based on the ansatz for the analytical form of the order parameter distributions at the respective transition points. In contrast to the close similarity in equilibrium static behavior, the dynamic relaxation at the two transitions shows qualitative differences, especially in the strongly ordered regimes. This is attributed to the fact that the surface contact dynamics in a strongly adsorbed chain is governed by local processes, whereas the end height relaxation of a strongly stretched chain involves the full spectrum of Rouse modes.

  4. Logarithmic corrections from ferromagnetic impurity ending bonds of open antiferromagnetic host chains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lou Jizhong; Qin Shaojin; Su Zhaobin; Dai Jianhui; Yu Lu

    2000-06-01

    We analyze the logarithmic corrections due to ferromagnetic impurity ending bonds of open spin 1/2 antiferromagnetic chains, using the density matrix renormalization group technique. A universal finite size scaling ∼ 1/L log L for impurity contributions in the quasi-degenerate ground state energy is demonstrated for a zigzag spin 1/2 chain at the critical next nearest neighbor coupling and the standard Heisenberg spin 1/2 chain, in the long chain limit. Using an exact solution for the latter case it is argued that one can extract the impurity contributions to the entropy and specific heat from the scaling analysis. It is also shown that a pure spin 3/2 open Heisenberg chain belongs to the same universality class. (author)

  5. An overview of means-end theory: potential application in consumer-oriented food product design

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Costa, A.I.A.; Dekker, M.; Jongen, W.M.F.

    2004-01-01

    This paper presents an overview of the means-end chain theory and associated techniques, and discusses the virtues and shortcomings of its potential application in consumer-oriented food product design. This overview, based on literature in the food area, presents also the process of conducting a

  6. Identifying Innovative Interventions to Promote Healthy Eating Using Consumption-Oriented Food Supply Chain Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hawkes, Corinna

    2009-01-01

    The mapping and analysis of supply chains is a technique increasingly used to address problems in the food system. Yet such supply chain management has not yet been applied as a means of encouraging healthier diets. Moreover, most policies recommended to promote healthy eating focus on the consumer end of the chain. This article proposes a consumption-oriented food supply chain analysis to identify the changes needed in the food supply chain to create a healthier food environment, measured in terms of food availability, prices, and marketing. Along with established forms of supply chain analysis, the method is informed by a historical overview of how food supply chains have changed over time. The method posits that the actors and actions in the chain are affected by organizational, financial, technological, and policy incentives and disincentives, which can in turn be levered for change. It presents a preliminary example of the supply of Coca-Cola beverages into school vending machines and identifies further potential applications. These include fruit and vegetable supply chains, local food chains, supply chains for health-promoting versions of food products, and identifying financial incentives in supply chains for healthier eating. PMID:23144674

  7. Identifying Innovative Interventions to Promote Healthy Eating Using Consumption-Oriented Food Supply Chain Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hawkes, Corinna

    2009-07-01

    The mapping and analysis of supply chains is a technique increasingly used to address problems in the food system. Yet such supply chain management has not yet been applied as a means of encouraging healthier diets. Moreover, most policies recommended to promote healthy eating focus on the consumer end of the chain. This article proposes a consumption-oriented food supply chain analysis to identify the changes needed in the food supply chain to create a healthier food environment, measured in terms of food availability, prices, and marketing. Along with established forms of supply chain analysis, the method is informed by a historical overview of how food supply chains have changed over time. The method posits that the actors and actions in the chain are affected by organizational, financial, technological, and policy incentives and disincentives, which can in turn be levered for change. It presents a preliminary example of the supply of Coca-Cola beverages into school vending machines and identifies further potential applications. These include fruit and vegetable supply chains, local food chains, supply chains for health-promoting versions of food products, and identifying financial incentives in supply chains for healthier eating.

  8. Means-end theory of lifestyle: A replication in the UK

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Scholderer, Joachim; Brunsø, Karen; Grunert, Klaus G.

    Brunsø, Scholderer and Grunert (submitted, 2000) reconstruct means-end chain theory and lifestyle within a dual-process framework, incorporating bottom-up and top-down information-processing routes. The bottom-up route of their model is defined as a hierarchical categorization process, and the top...... of the intervening knowledge structures is considered a necessary condition for both information-processing routes to reach their ends, predicting a complete-mediation model. The initial study by Brunsø et al. (2000) was exactly replicated based on survey data gathered in the United Kingdom in 1998, using the 'list...... modeling. Compared against five alternative model structures, the complete-mediation model fitted the data best, thus confirming the predictions derived from reconstructed theory, and cross-validating the initial model in a different consumer population....

  9. The Means-End Approach to Understanding Customer Values of a On-Line Newspaper

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    André Luiz Maranhão de Souza Leão

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available Customer value is understood as one of the constructs that best explains consumer decision making. Its proposal is to understand how consumers translate product or service characteristics and consequences of use into personal self-relevant values. The means-end theory is a way of systematically thinking in this hierarchicalrepresentation. The most commonly used method to achieve means-end chains is laddering. This theory and method were used to understand customer values of an important on-line Brazilian newspaper, which is an innovative approach, since on-line laddering is uncommon. The findings indicate that values related to goals of a personal nature are the most important ones. However, other values indicate the increase of the public man pointing to an alternative vision of what is commonly thought of as the contemporary isolated and selfish human. Academic research could benefit from a broader understanding and use of the means-end theory and laddering on the Web. Future research for managerial practices is warranted in areas such as segmentation, satisfaction measuring and customer value reevaluation, in addition to copy tests.

  10. Closing the gap between values and behavior: A means-end theory of lifestyle

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Brunsø, Karen; Scholderer, Joachim; Grunert, Klaus G.

    Means-end chain theory and lifestyle are reconstructed within a dual-process framework, incorporating bottom-up and top-down information-processing routes. The bottom-up route is defined as a hierarchical categorization process, and the top-down route as goal-directed action. Lifestyle, then...... condition for both information-processing routes to reach their ends, predicting a strict mediation model. The model is tested on survey data gathered in France in 1998, using the list of values as a measure of abstract goal states, the food-related lifestyle instrument as a measure of intervening knowledge...... structures, and a newly constructed behavior list as a measure of behavior. Data were analyzed by means of structural equation modeling. Compared against five alternative model structures, the strict mediation model fitted the data best, thus confirming the predictions derived from the reconstructed theory....

  11. Double-chain phospholipid end-capped polyurethanes: Synthesis, characterization and platelet adhesion study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tan Dongsheng; Zhang Xiaoqing; Li Jiehua; Tan Hong; Fu Qiang

    2012-01-01

    A novel phospholipid containing double chains and phosphotidylcholine polar head groups, 2-(10-(2-aminoethylamino)-10-oxodecanamido)-3-(decyloxy)-3-oxopropyl phosphorylcholine (ADDPC), was synthesized and characterized. Two kinds of double-chain phospholipid end-capped polyurethanes with different soft segments were prepared. The structure of prepared polyurethanes was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS), attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectrometry and atomic force microscope (AFM), which indicated that the double-chain phospholipids enriched onto the top surface of the prepared polyurethane films. The preliminary evaluation of blood compatibility showed that these novel phospholipid end-capped polyurethanes could suppress platelet adhesion and activation effectively. This property did not depend on the chemical structure of polyurethanes. In addition, according to tensile test results, the phospholipid polyurethanes kept good mechanical properties in comparison with original polyurethanes. It is suggested that double-chain phospholipid end-caption has good potential for achieving both hemocompatibility and good mechanical properties simultaneously for polyurethanes.

  12. Segregation of chain ends to polymer melt surfaces and interfaces

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao, W.; Zhao, X.; Rafailovich, M.H.; Sokolov, J.; Composto, R.J.; Smith, S.D.; Satkowski, M.; Russell, T.P.; Dozier, W.D.; Mansfield, T.

    1993-01-01

    The conformation of polymer chains in the melt near an impenetrable boundary has recently been studied by molecular dynamics and off-lattice Monte Carlo simulations. Both types of calculations show an enhancement of the chain end density within a distance of approximately two polymer segment lengths of the interface relative to the bulk. In the absence of preferential interactions between monomers and the interface, the segregation arises from minimizing the loss of conformational entropy near an impenetrable boundary; i.e., by positioning an end near the surface, only one unit rather than two is reflected. In order to obtain an experimental measure of this effect, monodisperse polystyrene (PS) chains of molecular weight 63 000 with short blocks of deuterated polystyrene (dPS) at each end were prepared. The block length was kept as short as possible, while yet producing sufficient neutron scattering contrast in order to minimize any preferential surface segregation due to isotopic effects. The synthesis was carried out via living anionic polymerization of a purified styrene monomer in cyclohexane at 60 C, utilizing sec-butyllithium as the initiator. The process was terminated using degassed methanol

  13. Chain-end modification of living anionic polybutadiene with diphenylethylenes and styrenes

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Donkers, E.H.D.; Willemse, R.X.E.; Klumperman, B.

    2005-01-01

    The first step in the transformation of poly(butadienyl)lithium into a macromolecular atom transfer radical polymerization initiator or reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer agent is the modification of the anionic chain end into a suitable leaving/reinitiating group. We have investigated

  14. Multi-institutional evaluation of end-to-end protocol for IMRT/VMAT treatment chains utilizing conventional linacs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loughery, Brian; Knill, Cory; Silverstein, Evan; Zakjevskii, Viatcheslav; Masi, Kathryn; Covington, Elizabeth; Snyder, Karen; Song, Kwang; Snyder, Michael

    2018-03-20

    We conducted a multi-institutional assessment of a recently developed end-to-end monthly quality assurance (QA) protocol for external beam radiation therapy treatment chains. This protocol validates the entire treatment chain against a baseline to detect the presence of complex errors not easily found in standard component-based QA methods. Participating physicists from 3 institutions ran the end-to-end protocol on treatment chains that include Imaging and Radiation Oncology Core (IROC)-credentialed linacs. Results were analyzed in the form of American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Task Group (TG)-119 so that they may be referenced by future test participants. Optically stimulated luminescent dosimeter (OSLD), EBT3 radiochromic film, and A1SL ion chamber readings were accumulated across 10 test runs. Confidence limits were calculated to determine where 95% of measurements should fall. From calculated confidence limits, 95% of measurements should be within 5% error for OSLDs, 4% error for ionization chambers, and 4% error for (96% relative gamma pass rate) radiochromic film at 3% agreement/3 mm distance to agreement. Data were separated by institution, model of linac, and treatment protocol (intensity-modulated radiation therapy [IMRT] vs volumetric modulated arc therapy [VMAT]). A total of 97% of OSLDs, 98% of ion chambers, and 93% of films were within the confidence limits; measurements were found outside these limits by a maximum of 4%, consistent despite institutional differences in OSLD reading equipment and radiochromic film calibration techniques. Results from this test may be used by clinics for data comparison. Areas of improvement were identified in the end-to-end protocol that can be implemented in an updated version. The consistency of our data demonstrates the reproducibility and ease-of-use of such tests and suggests a potential role for their use in broad end-to-end QA initiatives. Copyright © 2018 American Association of Medical

  15. Skateboard Park Participation: A Means-end Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marni Goldenberg

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Skateboarding has become a highly visible and popular activity. However, many negative stereotypes remain associated with the activity and its participants (Jones & Graves, 2000. In contrast to the negative stereotypes, skateboarding seems to provide many individuals, and youth in particular, with an important outlet for physical activity, leisure, and personal development. The purpose of this study was to investigate why skateboarders chose to visit skateboard parks, to identify outcomes of participating in skateboarding at skateboard parks, and to identify the underlying values that guide skateboarders’ choice of this specific setting. The conceptual framework for the reported study was provided by a means-end model, which views values as the key force influencing an individual’s decision to engage in a particular behavior (Gutman, 1982; Manyiwa & Crawford, 2002. The results indicate that this sample of skateboarders received a number of important benefits and, despite stereotypical views, may seek positive outcomes through skateboarding at skateboard parks. A socio-ecological model and a positive youth development framework provide a platform for interpreting the results and implications.

  16. Chain Ends and the Ultimate Tensile Strength of Polyethylene Fibers

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Connor, Thomas C.; Robbins, Mark O.

    Determining the tensile yield mechanisms of oriented polymer fibers remains a challenging problem in polymer mechanics. By maximizing the alignment and crystallinity of polyethylene (PE) fibers, tensile strengths σ ~ 6 - 7 GPa have been achieved. While impressive, first-principal calculations predict carbon backbone bonds would allow strengths four times higher (σ ~ 20 GPa) before breaking. The reduction in strength is caused by crystal defects like chain ends, which allow fibers to yield by chain slip in addition to bond breaking. We use large scale molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to determine the tensile yield mechanism of orthorhombic PE crystals with finite chains spanning 102 -104 carbons in length. The yield stress σy saturates for long chains at ~ 6 . 3 GPa, agreeing well with experiments. Chains do not break but always yield by slip, after nucleation of 1D dislocations at chain ends. Dislocations are accurately described by a Frenkel-Kontorova model, parametrized by the mechanical properties of an ideal crystal. We compute a dislocation core size ξ = 25 . 24 Å and determine the high and low strain rate limits of σy. Our results suggest characterizing such 1D dislocations is an efficient method for predicting fiber strength. This research was performed within the Center for Materials in Extreme Dynamic Environments (CMEDE) under the Hopkins Extreme Materials Institute at Johns Hopkins University. Financial support was provided by Grant W911NF-12-2-0022.

  17. Confinement in Melts of Chains with Junction Points, but No Ends

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foster, Mark; He, Qiming; Zhou, Yang; Zhang, Fan; Huang, Chongwen; Narayanan, Suresh

    Measurements of surface fluctuations of 4-arm star and ''8-shaped'' analogs of the same polystyrene (PS) chain show that elimination of chain ends is much more important in dictating the fragility in a thin film than is the introduction of a branch point in the molecule. Both the viscosities derived from surface fluctuations and rheological measurements for the 8-shaped PS manifest a lower value than the 4-arm star PS analog, with the discrepancy increasing as the temperature approaches the glass transition temperature, Tg , bulk. Comparison among different chain topologies shows the effect of the number of chain ends and junction point on the viscosity. The viscosity behavior of the 8-shaped PS is quite different from that of the star analog, but similar to that of the simple cycle analog. The fragility of the 8-shaped molecule in the thin film is reduced relative to that in the bulk, manifesting a nanoconfinement effect. This research used resources of the Advanced Photon Source, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science User Facility operated for the DOE Office of Science by Argonne National Laboratory under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357.

  18. Triplet Transport to and Trapping by Acceptor End Groups on Conjugated Polyfluorene Chains

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sreearunothai, P.; Miller, J.; Estrada, A.; Asaoka, S.; Kowalczyk, M.; Jang, S.; Cook, A.R.; Preses, J.M.

    2011-08-31

    Triplet excited states created in polyfluorene (pF) molecules having average lengths up to 170 repeat units were transported to and captured by trap groups at the ends in less {approx}40 ns. Almost all of the triplets attached to the chains reached the trap groups, ruling out the presence of substantial numbers of defects that prevent transport. The transport yields a diffusion coefficient D of at least 3 x 10{sup -4} cm{sup 2} s{sup -1}, which is 30 times typical molecular diffusion and close to a value for triplet transport reported by Keller (J. Am. Chem. Soc.2011, 133, 11289-11298). The triplet states were created in solution by pulse radiolysis; time resolution was limited by the rate of attachment of triplets to the pF chains. Naphthylimide (NI) or anthraquinone (AQ) groups attached to the ends of the chains acted as traps for the triplets, although AQ would not have been expected to serve as a trap on the basis of triplet energies of the separate molecules. The depths of the NI and AQ triplet traps were determined by intermolecular triplet transfer equilibria and temperature dependence. The trap depths are shallow, just a few times thermal energy for both, so a small fraction of the triplets reside in the pF chains in equilibrium with the end-trapped triplets. Trapping by AQ appears to arise from charge transfer interactions between the pF chains and the electron-accepting AQ groups. Absorption bands of the end-trapped triplet states are similar in peak wavelength (760 nm) and shape to the 760 nm bands of triplets in the pF chains but have reduced intensities. When an electron donor, N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine (TMPD), is added to the solution, it reacts with the end-trapped triplets to remove the 760 nm bands and to make the trapping irreversible. New bands created upon reaction with TMPD may be due to charge transfer states.

  19. Newtonian Analysis of a Folded Chain Drop

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mungan, Carl E.

    2018-05-01

    Consider a chain of length L that hangs in a U shape with end A fixed to a rigid support and free end E released from rest starting from the same initial height (call it y = 0) as A. Figure 1 sketches the chain after end E has fallen a distance y. Points O and A are assumed to be close enough to each other and the chain flexible enough that the radius of curvature r at the bottom point C can be taken to be negligibly small (compared to the length of the chain). The problem is to compare the speed of descent v(y) = dy/dt of the free end E of the chain to the speed vfree(y )=√{2 g y } of a free-falling point mass that has descended the same distance y. If v(y) > vfree (y) for all y > 0, then, in a race to fall any arbitrary distance Y (where 0 < Y < L), the chain end E will always beat a simultaneously released point mass, because the fall time t for E will be shorter than tfree for the point mass, t = ∫0 Y d/y v (y )

  20. The transition of a Gaussian chain end-grafted at a penetrable surface

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Skvortsov, A.M.; Klusken, L.I.; Male, van J.; Leermakers, F.A.M.

    2000-01-01

    A Gaussian chain at a liquid–liquid interface is considered. The solvents are represented by an external potential field u that has a constant value in one half-space and is zero elsewhere. One end of the chain is fixed at the boundary where the external potential field changes its value. For this

  1. A Full Front End Chain for Drift Chambers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chiarello, G. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Lecce (Italy); Università del Salento, Lecce (Italy); Corvaglia, A.; Grancagnolo, F. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Lecce (Italy); Panareo, M. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Lecce (Italy); Università del Salento, Lecce (Italy); Pepino, A., E-mail: aurora.pepino@le.infn.it [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Lecce (Italy); Università del Salento, Lecce (Italy); Primiceri, P. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Lecce (Italy); Tassielli, G. [Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Lecce (Italy); Fermilab, Batavia, Illinois (United States); Università Marconi, Roma (Italy)

    2014-03-01

    We developed a high performance full chain for drift chamber signals processing. The Front End electronics is a multistage amplifier board based on high performance commercial devices. In addition a fast readout algorithm for Cluster Counting and Timing purposes has been implemented on a Xilinx-Virtex 4 core FPGA. The algorithm analyzes and stores data coming from a Helium based drift tube and represents the outcome of balancing between efficiency and high speed performance.

  2. Flow boundary conditions for chain-end adsorbing polymer blends.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Xin; Andrienko, Denis; Delle Site, Luigi; Kremer, Kurt

    2005-09-08

    Using the phenol-terminated polycarbonate blend as an example, we demonstrate that the hydrodynamic boundary conditions for a flow of an adsorbing polymer melt are extremely sensitive to the structure of the epitaxial layer. Under shear, the adsorbed parts (chain ends) of the polymer melt move along the equipotential lines of the surface potential whereas the adsorbed additives serve as the surface defects. In response to the increase of the number of the adsorbed additives the surface layer becomes thinner and solidifies. This results in a gradual transition from the slip to the no-slip boundary condition for the melt flow, with a nonmonotonic dependence of the slip length on the surface concentration of the adsorbed ends.

  3. Analysis of end-face seals by FEM

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juraszek J.

    2002-09-01

    Full Text Available The end face-seals joint simultaneously the function of seal, bearing and heat exchanger. In order to improve the design of end-face seals the analysis of this type of joint by means of finite element method, was developed. The temperature distribution is indispensable to the analysis of displacement and stress in this type of face seal. In this work the values of temperature and stress in end-face seals were calculated. The numerical results were confirmed by measurements in the laboratory.

  4. Analysis of mean time to data loss of fault-tolerant disk arrays RAID-6 based on specialized Markov chain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rahman, P. A.; D'K Novikova Freyre Shavier, G.

    2018-03-01

    This scientific paper is devoted to the analysis of the mean time to data loss of redundant disk arrays RAID-6 with alternation of data considering different failure rates of disks both in normal state of the disk array and in degraded and rebuild states, and also nonzero time of the disk replacement. The reliability model developed by the authors on the basis of the Markov chain and obtained calculation formula for estimation of the mean time to data loss (MTTDL) of the RAID-6 disk arrays are also presented. At last, the technique of estimation of the initial reliability parameters and examples of calculation of the MTTDL of the RAID-6 disk arrays for the different numbers of disks are also given.

  5. From Chains for Mean Value Inequalities to Mitrinovic's Problem II

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Ling

    2005-01-01

    In this note, an integrated form of some significant means with two variables is provided, and some chains for mean value inequalities are obtained. At the same time, a concise family of algebraic functions appears, which satisfy Mitrinovic's requirements.

  6. Hybrid modeling and empirical analysis of automobile supply chain network

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Jun-yan; Tang, Jian-ming; Fu, Wei-ping; Wu, Bing-ying

    2017-05-01

    Based on the connection mechanism of nodes which automatically select upstream and downstream agents, a simulation model for dynamic evolutionary process of consumer-driven automobile supply chain is established by integrating ABM and discrete modeling in the GIS-based map. Firstly, the rationality is proved by analyzing the consistency of sales and changes in various agent parameters between the simulation model and a real automobile supply chain. Second, through complex network theory, hierarchical structures of the model and relationships of networks at different levels are analyzed to calculate various characteristic parameters such as mean distance, mean clustering coefficients, and degree distributions. By doing so, it verifies that the model is a typical scale-free network and small-world network. Finally, the motion law of this model is analyzed from the perspective of complex self-adaptive systems. The chaotic state of the simulation system is verified, which suggests that this system has typical nonlinear characteristics. This model not only macroscopically illustrates the dynamic evolution of complex networks of automobile supply chain but also microcosmically reflects the business process of each agent. Moreover, the model construction and simulation of the system by means of combining CAS theory and complex networks supplies a novel method for supply chain analysis, as well as theory bases and experience for supply chain analysis of auto companies.

  7. Nonmonotonic energy harvesting efficiency in biased exciton chains

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vlaming, S.M.; Malyshev, V.A.; Knoester, J.

    2007-01-01

    We theoretically study the efficiency of energy harvesting in linear exciton chains with an energy bias, where the initial excitation is taking place at the high-energy end of the chain and the energy is harvested (trapped) at the other end. The efficiency is characterized by means of the average

  8. Discussing Laddering Application by the Means-End Chain Theory

    Science.gov (United States)

    Veludo-de-Oliveira, Tania Modesto; Ikeda, Ana Akemi; Campomar, Marcos Cortez

    2006-01-01

    This article aims at analyzing laddering as a technique of qualitative research, emphasizing the procedures for data collection, analysis and interpretation, and its main limitations as well. "Laddering refers to an in-depth, one-on-one interviewing technique used to develop an understanding of how consumers translate the attributes of products…

  9. Summary statistics for end-point conditioned continuous-time Markov chains

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hobolth, Asger; Jensen, Jens Ledet

    Continuous-time Markov chains are a widely used modelling tool. Applications include DNA sequence evolution, ion channel gating behavior and mathematical finance. We consider the problem of calculating properties of summary statistics (e.g. mean time spent in a state, mean number of jumps between...... two states and the distribution of the total number of jumps) for discretely observed continuous time Markov chains. Three alternative methods for calculating properties of summary statistics are described and the pros and cons of the methods are discussed. The methods are based on (i) an eigenvalue...... decomposition of the rate matrix, (ii) the uniformization method, and (iii) integrals of matrix exponentials. In particular we develop a framework that allows for analyses of rather general summary statistics using the uniformization method....

  10. 188 An Empirical Investigation of Value-Chain Analysis and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    User

    Analysis has a positive but insignificant impact on Competitive Advantage of a manufacturing firm in ... chain analysis is a means of increasing customer satisfaction and managing costs more ... The linkages express the relationships between the ... margins, return on assets, benchmarking, and capital budgeting. When a.

  11. Markov Chain Model with Catastrophe to Determine Mean Time to Default of Credit Risky Assets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dharmaraja, Selvamuthu; Pasricha, Puneet; Tardelli, Paola

    2017-11-01

    This article deals with the problem of probabilistic prediction of the time distance to default for a firm. To model the credit risk, the dynamics of an asset is described as a function of a homogeneous discrete time Markov chain subject to a catastrophe, the default. The behaviour of the Markov chain is investigated and the mean time to the default is expressed in a closed form. The methodology to estimate the parameters is given. Numerical results are provided to illustrate the applicability of the proposed model on real data and their analysis is discussed.

  12. Deuterium magnetic resonance of some polymorphic liquid crystals: The conformation of the aliphatic end chains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hsi, S.; Zimmermann, H.; Luz, Z.

    1978-01-01

    Deuterium magnetic resonance measurements of four members of the homologous series p-alkoxybenzylidene-p-alkylaniline (noxm), perdeuterated in their alkoxy chains, are reported. The compounds studied were 40x7, 50x7, 60x7, and 70x7. For 50x7 various isotopic species specifically deuterated in the alkoxy chains, as well as in the benzylidine moiety, were prepared and their DMR studied. These measurements allowed a complete assignment of the resonances from the alkoxy chain. The spectrum of all four compounds was studied over their whole mesomorphic regions. In most phases well resolved spectra were obtained yielding the various quadrupole splittings and in many cases also the dipolar interactions within the methylene and methyl groups. Using double quantum spectroscopy dipolar splitting between different methylene deuterons could also be resolved. The methylene quadrupolar splittings and the dipolar interaction within the methylene groups decrease along the chain towards the methyl end in a characteristic stepwise manner. This behavior is attributed to chain reorientational freedom and is quantitatively interpreted in terms of two structural factors: (i) Fast dynamical equilibrium between the all-trans conformation of the alkoxy chains and chain conformations involving one or more kinks, and (ii) a molecular model in which the aliphatic chain axis is inclined with respect to the molecular long axis. The characteristic pattern of the splitting can then be reproduced by assuming a monotonically increasing kink probabilities along the chain towards its methyl end. This interpretation is used to estimate the kink probability distribution in the alkoxy chains in the various compounds and mesophases. No significant effect of the mesophase structure on the kink statistics was found

  13. Chain end distribution of block copolymer in two-dimensional microphase-separated structure studied by scanning near-field optical microscopy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sekine, Ryojun; Aoki, Hiroyuki; Ito, Shinzaburo

    2009-10-01

    The chain end distribution of a block copolymer in a two-dimensional microphase-separated structure was studied by scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM). In the monolayer of poly(octadecyl methacrylate)-block-poly(isobutyl methacrylate) (PODMA-b-PiBMA), the free end of the PiBMA subchain was directly observed by SNOM, and the spatial distributions of the whole block and the chain end are examined and compared with the convolution of the point spread function of the microscope and distribution function of the model structures. It was found that the chain end distribution of the block copolymer confined in two dimensions has a peak near the domain center, being concentrated in the narrower region, as compared with three-dimensional systems.

  14. Nitroxide-mediated radical ring-opening copolymerization: chain-end investigation and block copolymer synthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delplace, Vianney; Harrisson, Simon; Tardy, Antoine; Gigmes, Didier; Guillaneuf, Yohann; Nicolas, Julien

    2014-02-01

    Well-defined, degradable copolymers are successfully prepared by nitroxide-mediated radical ring opening polymerization (NMrROP) of oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate (OEGMA) or methyl methacrylate (MMA), a small amount of acrylonitrile (AN) and cyclic ketene acetals (CKAs) of different structures. Phosphorous nuclear magnetic resonance allows in-depth chain-end characterization and gives crucial insights into the nature of the copoly-mer terminal sequences and the living chain fractions. By using a small library of P(OEGMA-co-AN-co-CKA) and P(MMA-co-AN-co-CKA) as macroinitiators, chain extensions with styrene are performed to furnish (amphiphilic) block copolymers comprising a degradable segment. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  15. Rapid analysis of rearranged kappa light chain genes of circulating polysaccharide-specific B lymphocytes by means of immunomagnetic beads and the polymerase chain reaction

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hougs, L; Barington, T; Madsen, HO

    1993-01-01

    reaction (PCR) using in addition a degenerate kappa light chain signal peptide region primer. The PCR product was cloned into the M13mp18 phage. The cloning efficiency was 100-600 clones/ml of blood. Of the 86 clones sequenced, 90% represented rearranged kappa light chain genes from different antibody...... of the B lymphocytes activated in vivo. Here, we present a method for rapid analysis of the rearranged kappa light chain genes used by human circulating antigen-specific B lymphocytes. After vaccination with Haemophilus influenzae type b capsular polysaccharide (HibCP) conjugated with protein, the Hib...

  16. Chains of mean-field models

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hamed Hassani, S; Macris, Nicolas; Urbanke, Ruediger

    2012-01-01

    We consider a collection of Curie–Weiss (CW) spin systems, possibly with a random field, each of which is placed along the positions of a one-dimensional chain. The CW systems are coupled together by a Kac-type interaction in the longitudinal direction of the chain and by an infinite-range interaction in the direction transverse to the chain. Our motivations for studying this model come from recent findings in the theory of error-correcting codes based on spatially coupled graphs. We find that, although much simpler than the codes, the model studied here already displays similar behavior. We are interested in the van der Waals curve in a regime where the size of each Curie–Weiss model tends to infinity, and the length of the chain and range of the Kac interaction are large but finite. Below the critical temperature, and with appropriate boundary conditions, there appears a series of equilibrium states representing kink-like interfaces between the two equilibrium states of the individual system. The van der Waals curve oscillates periodically around the Maxwell plateau. These oscillations have a period inversely proportional to the chain length and an amplitude exponentially small in the range of the interaction; in other words, the spinodal points of the chain model lie exponentially close to the phase transition threshold. The amplitude of the oscillations is closely related to a Peierls–Nabarro free energy barrier for the motion of the kink along the chain. Analogies to similar phenomena and their possible algorithmic significance for graphical models of interest in coding theory and theoretical computer science are pointed out

  17. System reliability analysis and introduction to modelisation by means of Markov chains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doyon, L.R.

    1977-01-01

    A new method to solve simultaneously all models of availability, reliability and maintenaibility for a complex system is described. This analysis is obtained more exactly by using time-intervals between failures and times to repare with probability laws and maintenance policies most adapted to the problem. The expression of this computation, using MARKOV chains corresponds perfectly to computer-language and results very short machine operation times. The procedure necessary for the use of APAFS program operationnal at the CISI (Compagnie Internationale de Services en Informatique) is also described. Thus, a very important tool is now available to designers without any requirement in programming knowledge [fr

  18. Means-End Theory: Getting the Service Customer's Attention.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosen, Deborah E.; Greenlee, Timothy B.

    2001-01-01

    Examined the usefulness of Means-End Theory in developing effective college recruitment brochures. Found evidence that brochures that emphasize attributes (e.g., cost, location) over consequences (e.g., getting a job) or values (e.g., security) will generate greater interest in an educational institution. (EV)

  19. French fair trade coffee buyers' purchasing motives: An exploratory study using means-end chains analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    de Ferran, Florence; Grunert, Klaus G.

    2007-01-01

    Considering the growth of fair trade product consumption in European countries and the expansion of its distribution to different kinds of distribution networks in reply to increasing consumer sensitivity to the ethical characteristics of a product, it becomes important to understand it better....... In this paper, we examine the motives and the values underlying this purchase through a laddering methodology with 54 French fair trade coffee purchasers. A quantitative analysis of the ladders allows us to define several groups of motives that are socially and individually oriented. Moreover, our results...

  20. Primitive-path statistics of entangled polymers: mapping multi-chain simulations onto single-chain mean-field models

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Steenbakkers, Rudi J A; Schieber, Jay D; Tzoumanekas, Christos; Li, Ying; Liu, Wing Kam; Kröger, Martin

    2014-01-01

    We present a method to map the full equilibrium distribution of the primitive-path (PP) length, obtained from multi-chain simulations of polymer melts, onto a single-chain mean-field ‘target’ model. Most previous works used the Doi–Edwards tube model as a target. However, the average number of monomers per PP segment, obtained from multi-chain PP networks, has consistently shown a discrepancy of a factor of two with respect to tube-model estimates. Part of the problem is that the tube model neglects fluctuations in the lengths of PP segments, the number of entanglements per chain and the distribution of monomers among PP segments, while all these fluctuations are observed in multi-chain simulations. Here we use a recently proposed slip-link model, which includes fluctuations in all these variables as well as in the spatial positions of the entanglements. This turns out to be essential to obtain qualitative and quantitative agreement with the equilibrium PP-length distribution obtained from multi-chain simulations. By fitting this distribution, we are able to determine two of the three parameters of the model, which govern its equilibrium properties. This mapping is executed for four different linear polymers and for different molecular weights. The two parameters are found to depend on chemistry, but not on molecular weight. The model predicts a constant plateau modulus minus a correction inversely proportional to molecular weight. The value for well-entangled chains, with the parameters determined ab initio, lies in the range of experimental data for the materials investigated. (paper)

  1. Supply chain cost analysis of long-distance transportation of energy wood in Finland

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tahvanainen, Timo; Anttila, Perttu

    2011-01-01

    The increasing use of bioenergy has resulted in a growing demand for long-distance transportation of energy wood. For both biofuels and traditional forest products, the importance of energy efficiency and rail use is growing. A GIS-based model for energy wood supply chains was created and used to simulate the costs for several supply chains in a study area in eastern Finland. Cost curves of ten supply chains for logging residues and full trees based on roadside, terminal and end-facility chipping were analyzed. The average procurement costs from forest to roadside storage were included. Railway transportation was compared to the most commonly used truck transportation options in long-distance transport. The potential for the development of supply chains was analyzed using a sensitivity analysis of 11 modified supply chain scenarios. For distances shorter than 60 km, truck transportation of loose residues and end-facility comminution was the most cost-competitive chain. Over longer distances, roadside chipping with chip truck transportation was the most cost-efficient option. When the transportation distance went from 135 to 165 km, depending on the fuel source, train-based transportation offered the lowest costs. The most cost-competitive alternative for long-distance transport included a combination of roadside chipping, truck transportation to the terminal and train transportation to the plant. Due to the low payload, the energy wood bundle chain with train transportation was not cost-competitive. Reduction of maximum truck weight increased the relative competitiveness of loose residue chains and train-based transportation, while reduction of fuel moisture increased competitiveness, especially of chip trucks.

  2. Optical Parametric Chirped-Pulse Amplifier as the Front End for the OMEGA EP Laser Chain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bagnoud, V.; Begishev, I.A.; Guardalben, M.J.; Keegan, J.; Puth, J.; Waxer, L.J.; Zuegel, J.D.

    2004-01-01

    A 145-mJ optical parametric amplifier has been developed as a front-end source prototype for the OEMGA EP laser chain. The system definition is presented together with experimental results that show 30% conversion efficiency

  3. Acyclic Diene Metathesis (ADMET Polymerization for Precise Synthesis of Defect-Free Conjugated Polymers with Well-Defined Chain Ends

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tahmina Haque

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available This accounts introduces unique characteristics by adopting the acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET polymerization for synthesis of conjugated polymers, poly(arylene vinylenes, known as promising molecular electronics. The method is more suitable than the other methods in terms of atom efficiency affording defect-free, stereo-regular (exclusive trans polymers with well-defined chain ends; the resultant polymers possess better property than those prepared by the conventional methods. The chain ends (vinyl group in the resultant polymer prepared by ruthenium-carbene catalyst(s can be modified by treating with molybdenum-alkylidene complex (olefin metathesis followed by addition of various aldehyde (Wittig type cleavage, affording the end-functionalized polymers exclusively. An introduction of initiating fragment, the other conjugated segment, and one-pot synthesis of end-functionalized block copolymers, star shape polymers can be achieved by adopting this methodology.

  4. The Search for Value and Meaning in the Cocoa Supply Chain in Costa Rica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Erin Sills

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Qualitative interviews with participants in the cocoa (Theobroma cacao supply chain in Costa Rica and the United States were conducted and supplemented with an analysis of the marketing literature to examine the prospects of organic and Fairtrade certification for enhancing environmentally and socially responsible trade of cocoa from Costa Rica. Respondents were familiar with both systems, and most had traded at least organic cocoa for some period. However, most individuals said that they were seeking better product differentiation and marketing than has been achieved under the organic and Fairtrade systems. Many suggested that more direct recognition of individual growers and the unique value of their cocoa throughout the production chain would be more helpful than certification for small companies in the cocoa supply chain. These findings suggest new marketing techniques that convey an integration of meaning into the cocoa and chocolate supply chain as a differentiation strategy. This involves integration of the story of producers’ commitment and dedication; shared producer and consumer values of social and environmental responsibility; and personal relationships between producers and consumers. This marketing approach could enhance the ability of smaller companies to successfully vie with their larger competitors and to produce cocoa in a more environmentally and socially acceptable manner.

  5. Energy Chain Analysis of Passenger Car Transport

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hans Jakob Walnum

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Transport makes up 20 percent of the World’s energy use; in OECD countries this has exceeded 30 percent. The International Energy Agency (IEA estimates that the global energy consumption will increase by 2.1 percent annually, a growth rate that is higher than for any other sector. The high energy consumption means that transportation accounts for nearly 30 percent of CO2 emission in OECD countries and is also one of the main sources of regional and local air pollution. In this article, we analyze energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions from passenger car transport using an energy chain analysis. The energy chain analysis consists of three parts: the net direct energy use, the energy required for vehicle propulsion; the gross direct chain, which includes the net direct energy consumption plus the energy required to produce it; and, finally, the indirect energy chain, which includes the energy consumption for production, maintenance and operation of infrastructure plus manufacturing of the vehicle itself. In addition to energy consumption, we also analyze emissions of greenhouse gases measured by CO2-equivalents. We look at the trade-offs between energy use and greenhouse gas emissions to see whether some drivetrains and fuels perform favourable on both indicators. Except for the case of electric cars, where hydropower is the only energy source in the Norwegian context, no single car scores favourably on both energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

  6. Controlled and selective placement of boron subphthalocyanines on either chain end of polymers synthesized by nitroxide mediated polymerization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Benoît H. Lessard

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available In previous studies, we synthesized the first organic light emitting diode (OLED using boron subphthalocyanines (BsubPcs based polymers. When designing new polymer materials for organic electronic applications such as OLEDs or organic photovoltaic (OPV devices it is important to consider not only the contribution of each monomer but also the polymer chain ends. In this paper we establish a post-polymerization strategy to couple BsubPcs onto either the α- or the ω-chain end using chemically selective BsubPc derivatives. We outline how the chain ends of two representative polymers, poly(styrene (PS and poly(n-butylacrylate (BA, synthesized by nitroxide mediated polymerization (NMP, using BlocBuilder-MA as the initiating species, can be chemically modified by the incorporation of BsubPc chromophores. The addition of the BsubPc chromophore was confirmed through the use of a photodiode array detector (PDA connected in-line with a gel permeation chromatography (GPC setup. These findings represent the first reported method for the controlled and selective placement of a BsubPc chromophores on either end of a polymer produced by NMP. This strategy will therefore be utilized to make next generation BsubPc polymers for OLEDs and OPV devices. The extremely high molar extinction coefficient of BsubPc also make these polymers ideally suited for dye-labelling of polymers.

  7. Social network analysis and supply chain management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raúl Rodríguez Rodríguez

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with social network analysis and how it could be integrated within supply chain management from a decision-making point of view. Even though the benefits of using social analysis have are widely accepted at both academic and industry/services context, there is still a lack of solid frameworks that allow decision-makers to connect the usage and obtained results of social network analysis – mainly both information and knowledge flows and derived results- with supply chain management objectives and goals. This paper gives an overview of social network analysis, the main social network analysis metrics, supply chain performance and, finally, it identifies how future frameworks could close the gap and link the results of social network analysis with the supply chain management decision-making processes.

  8. Information technology portfolio in supply chain management using factor analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmad Jaafarnejad

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available The adoption of information technology (IT along with supply chain management (SCM has become increasingly a necessity among most businesses. This enhances supply chain (SC performance and helps companies achieve the organizational competitiveness. IT systems capture and analyze information and enable management to make decisions by considering a global scope across the entire SC. This paper reviews the existing literature on IT in SCM and considers pertinent criteria. Using principal component analysis (PCA of factor analysis (FA, a number of related criteria are divided into smaller groups. Finally, SC managers can develop an IT portfolio in SCM using mean values of few extracted components on the relevance –emergency matrix. A numerical example is provided to explain details of the proposed method.

  9. Supply reliability and dynamic safety analysis of an alternative energy supply chain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Herbert-Hansen, Zaza Nadja Lee; Markert, Frank; Jacobsen, Peter

    2016-01-01

    This paper focuses on the integration of risk and supply chain modelling by means of analysing a case concerning a Hydrogen Refuelling Station in Berlin. It presents a framework that can analyse an energy supply chain and at the same time enables easy reporting and presentation of various results...... by utilizing Dis-crete Event Simulation (DES). The industrial implication of this work is to provide practitioners with an anal-ysis framework for improved decision support. The novelty of this paper is the approach to model a supply chain together with a dynamically modelled event tree-based approach...

  10. Application of Markov chains-entropy to analysis of depositional environments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Men Guizhen; Shi Xiaohong; Zhao Shuzhi

    1989-01-01

    The paper systematically and comprehensively discussed application of Markov chains-entropy to analysis of depositional environments of the upper Carboniferous series Taiyuan Formation in Anjialing, Pingshuo open-cast mine, Shanxi. Definite geological meanings were given respectively to calculated values of transition probability matrix, extremity probability matrix, substitution matrix and the entropy. The lithologic successions of coarse-fine-coarse grained layers from bottom upwards in the coal-bearing series made up the general symmetric cyclic patterns. It was suggested that the coal-bearing strata deposited in the coal-forming environment in delta plain-littoral swamps. Quantitative study of cyclic visibility and variation of formation was conducted. The assemblage relation among stratigraphic sequences and the significance of predicting vertical change were emphasized. Results of study showed that overall analysis of Markov chains was an effective method for analysis of depositional environments of coal-bearing strata. 2 refs., 5 figs.

  11. Gamma-irradiation of homodeoxyoligonucleotides 32P-labelled at one end: computer simulation of the chain length distribution of the radioactive fragments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Teoule, R.; Duplaa, A.M.

    1987-01-01

    Electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gels of the fragments resulting from γ-irradiation of single-stranded oligodeoxyribonucleotides labelled at their 5'- or 3'-end proved a potent tool for analysis of the radiation-induced chain breakage of DNA. Owing to the fact that the oligonucleotide may be ruptured at more than one site, counting of the electrophoresis bands must be corrected and it is necessary to assess the influence of the cleavage position on the band intensities. A complicating factor is the inhomogeneity of the system due to the presence of the four bases A, T, C and G. To circumvent this problem, the homooligodeoxyribonucleotides (dA) 15 , (dC) 15 , (dT) 15 were used as experimental probes. They were γ-irradiated in solution, heated in alkali and resulting fragments separated by gel electrophoresis. A computer simulation of band intensities was compiled based on the general assumption that the chain breakage is homogeneous. Experimental results obtained from the homooligodeoxyribonucleotides labelled at either the 5' or the 3'-end are in excellent agreement with theoretical calculations. Abacus giving the gel band intensities (percentage) against the nucleotide positions and the remaining intensity of the original oligonucleotide have been obtained. (author)

  12. Decision-Making for Supply Chain Integration Supply Chain Integration

    CERN Document Server

    Lettice, Fiona; Durowoju, Olatunde

    2012-01-01

    Effective supply chain integration, and the tight co-ordination it creates, is an essential pre-requisite for successful supply chain management.  Decision-Making for Supply Chain Integration is a practical reference on recent research in the area of supply chain integration focusing on distributed decision-making problems. Recent applications of various decision-making tools for integrating supply chains are covered including chapters focusing on: •Supplier selection, pricing strategy and inventory decisions in multi-level supply chains, •RFID-enabled distributed decision-making, •Operational risk issues and time-critical decision-making for sensitive logistics nodes, Modelling end to end processes to improve supply chain integration, and •Integrated systems to improve service delivery and optimize resource use. Decision-Making for Supply Chain Integration provides an insight into the tools and methodologies of this field with support from real-life case studies demonstrating successful application ...

  13. Simulation and Analysis of Roller Chain Drive Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Sine Leergaard

    The subject of this thesis is simulation and analysis of large roller chain drive systems, such as e.g. used in marine diesel engines. The aim of developing a chain drive simulation program is to analyse dynamic phenomena of chain drive systems and investigate different design changes to the syst......The subject of this thesis is simulation and analysis of large roller chain drive systems, such as e.g. used in marine diesel engines. The aim of developing a chain drive simulation program is to analyse dynamic phenomena of chain drive systems and investigate different design changes...... mathematical models, and compare to the prior done research. Even though the model is developed at first for the use of analysing chain drive systems in marine engines, the methods can with small changes be used in general, as for e.g. chain drives in industrial machines, car engines and motorbikes. A novel...

  14. Markov Chain Ontology Analysis (MCOA).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frost, H Robert; McCray, Alexa T

    2012-02-03

    Biomedical ontologies have become an increasingly critical lens through which researchers analyze the genomic, clinical and bibliographic data that fuels scientific research. Of particular relevance are methods, such as enrichment analysis, that quantify the importance of ontology classes relative to a collection of domain data. Current analytical techniques, however, remain limited in their ability to handle many important types of structural complexity encountered in real biological systems including class overlaps, continuously valued data, inter-instance relationships, non-hierarchical relationships between classes, semantic distance and sparse data. In this paper, we describe a methodology called Markov Chain Ontology Analysis (MCOA) and illustrate its use through a MCOA-based enrichment analysis application based on a generative model of gene activation. MCOA models the classes in an ontology, the instances from an associated dataset and all directional inter-class, class-to-instance and inter-instance relationships as a single finite ergodic Markov chain. The adjusted transition probability matrix for this Markov chain enables the calculation of eigenvector values that quantify the importance of each ontology class relative to other classes and the associated data set members. On both controlled Gene Ontology (GO) data sets created with Escherichia coli, Drosophila melanogaster and Homo sapiens annotations and real gene expression data extracted from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), the MCOA enrichment analysis approach provides the best performance of comparable state-of-the-art methods. A methodology based on Markov chain models and network analytic metrics can help detect the relevant signal within large, highly interdependent and noisy data sets and, for applications such as enrichment analysis, has been shown to generate superior performance on both real and simulated data relative to existing state-of-the-art approaches.

  15. Supply Chain Visibility with Linked Open Data for Supply Chain Risk Analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hofman, W.J.

    2011-01-01

    Current customs applications are declaration based to support the various customs procedures based on (inter)national laws and regulations. To be able to perform a proper supply chain risk analysis, customs requires to have all data in supply chains. The current declaration procedures are not

  16. Chain Effects: The Impact of Academy Chains on Low Income Students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hutchings, Merryn; Francis, Becky; De Vries, Robert

    2014-01-01

    The authors analysed school performance data to review how well disadvantaged pupils achieve in academy chains. They included chains only if they had at least three academies in 2013, and two sponsored secondary academies for the whole period from September 2010 to July 2013. This means that academies are included in our analysis only when there…

  17. Psychocapital and Shangri-Las: How happiness became both a means and end to governmentality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Mckay

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available In this paper a paradox is revealed in the politics of well-being over the means and ends of happiness. That paradox, in brief, is that although happiness is argued to be the ultimate end of all governmentality, in order to serve as that end, it first needs to be translated into a means for bolstering the economy, for only that way can a teleology of happiness gain a foothold in a world which prioritizes economic growth as an end in itself. To show this the paper gives a history of subjective well-being (SWB research, and contrasts it with the politics of happiness in the UK, where SWB has in the past decade been translated into a discourse around the psychological wealth of the nation via the concepts of mental capital (MC and mental well-being (MWB.

  18. End-group characterisation of poly(propylene glycol)s by means of electrospray ionisation-tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jackson, Anthony T; Slade, Susan E; Thalassinos, Konstantinos; Scrivens, James H

    2008-10-01

    The end-group functionalisation of a series of poly(propylene glycol)s has been characterised by means of electrospray ionisation-tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS). A series of peaks with mass-to-charge ratios that are close to that of the precursor ion were used to generate information on the end-group functionalities of the poly(propylene glycol)s. Fragment ions resulting from losses of both of the end groups were noted from some of the samples. An example is presented of how software can be used to significantly reduce the length of time involved in data interpretation (which is typically the most time-consuming part of the analysis).

  19. Translation in the Teaching of a Foreign Language As a Means and As an End

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suparmin Suparmin

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available In the history of foreign language teaching translation has alternately been praised and condemned. Unfortunately, the praise and condemnation were based on a rather simplistic, biased, and extreme view of the role of translation. In this view no clear, explicit distinction was made between translation as a means and as an end although in practice people already showed a tendency to be more concerned with one aspect than the other. Moreover, in their treatment of translation people tended to take an “either … or …” position. Either take it or leave it. This paper proposes a more explicit, balanced, and moderate attitude towards translation and its two aspects. It is suggested that a clear distinction be made between translation as a means and as an end and that each be treated accordingly in a better programmed way. The treatment should consider the level of instruction. At the beginning level translation should be treated more as a means than as an end. Gradually, as the level of instruction progresses the role of translation as a means is reduced, while its role as an end is increased so that at the more advanced levels translation will be treated more as an end than as a means. Accordingly, translation should not be totally abandoned or too liberally used. However, the use and disuse should be based on a careful and well-prepared program. In line with the idea that translation be treated as an end at the more advanced level, and considering its importance for a developing nation, it is also proposed here that translating be adopted as a “fifth skill” to be pursued.

  20. Ethics and choosing appropriate means to an end: Problems with coal mine and nuclear workplace safety

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shrader-Frechette, K.; Cooke, R. [University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN (USA). Dept. of Biological Science

    2004-02-01

    A common problem in ethics is that people often desire an end but fail to take the means necessary to achieve it. Employers and employees may desire the safety end mandated by performance standards for pollution control, but they may fail to employ the means, specification standards, necessary to achieve this end. This article argues that current (de jure) performance standards, for lowering employee exposures to ionizing radiation, fail to promote de facto worker welfare, in part because employers and employees do not follow the necessary means (practices known as specification standards) to achieve the end (performance standards) of workplace safety. To support this conclusion, the article argues that (1) safety requires attention to specification, as well as performance, standards; (2) coal-mine specification standards may fail to promote performance standards; (3) nuclear workplace standards may do the same; (4) choosing appropriate means to the end of safety requires attention to the ways uncertainties and variations in exposure may mask violations of standards; and (5) correcting regulatory inattention to differences between de jute and de facto is necessary for achievement of ethical goals for safety.

  1. Analysis of a complex shape chain plate using Transmission Photoelasticity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dasari N.

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Most chains are an assembly [1] of five parts namely, outer plate, inner plate, bush, pin and roller. Two inner plates are press fitted with two bushes to form an inner block assembly. The outer plates are press fitted with pins after keeping the pins through the assembled bushes of the inner block. Roller is a rotating member and placed over the bush during inner block assembly. Inner block assembly is the load transfer member from sprocket tooth. The outer block assembly helps in holding and also to pull the inner block over the sprocket teeth. If a chain length is in odd number of pitches, it requires an offset plate as shown in Figure 1 to connect two ends of the chain together to make chain endless. When the chain is assembled with an offset plate, the chain fatigue life was observed only 20 to 25% of the total life of a chain, assembled without an offset plate. The holes in the offset plate are of the same size as in the outer and inner plates respectively and it is a complex in shape chain plate. A inbuilt thinning zone at the centre of the chain plate as shown in Figure 1 is unavoidable. The stresses and its distribution in this complex shape chain plate geometry play a critical role in the fatigue life performance of a chain assembly. However, it is difficult identify the stress distribution and stress concentration zones precisely using only the conventional industrial friendly tools such as routine quality control test, breaking load test and numerical computations. In this context the transmission photoelastic technique has made it possible to identify the stress distribution, its concentration and also to quantify the stress and strain [2-3] at any point in the chain plate. This paper explains how transmission photoelastic technique is used to estimate the stress distribution and its concentration zones in a complex chain plate when it isloaded. An epoxy chain plate model was made through the casting method using a Perspex mould [2

  2. Deterministic assembly of linear gold nanorod chains as a platform for nanoscale applications

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rey, Antje; Billardon, Guillaume; Loertscher, Emanuel

    2013-01-01

    target substrate, thus establishing a platform for a variety of nanoscale electronic and optical applications ranging from molecular electronics to optical and plasmonic devices. As a first example, electrical measurements are performed on contacted gold nanorod chains before and after their immersion......We demonstrate a method to assemble gold nanorods highly deterministically into a chain formation by means of directed capillary assembly. This way we achieved straight chains consisting of end-to-end aligned gold nanorods assembled in one specific direction with well-controlled gaps of similar...... to 6 nm between the individual constituents. We determined the conditions for optimum quality and yield of nanorod chain assembly by investigating the influence of template dimensions and assembly temperature. In addition, we transferred the gold nanorod chains from the assembly template onto a Si/SiO2...

  3. A study of open strings ending on giant gravitons, spin chains and integrability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Berenstein, David; Correa, Diego H.; Vazquez, Samuel E.

    2006-01-01

    We systematically study the spectrum of open strings attached to half BPS giant gravitons in the N = 4 SYM AdS/CFT setup. We find that some null trajectories along the giant graviton are actually null geodesics of AdS 5 x S 5 , so that we can study the problem in a plane wave limit setup. We also find the description of these states at weak 't Hooft coupling in the dual CFT. We show how the dual description is given by an open spin chain with variable number of sites. We analyze this system in detail and find numerical evidence for integrability. We also discover an interesting instability of long open strings in Ramond-Ramond backgrounds that is characterized by having a continuum spectrum of the string, which is separated from the ground state by a gap. This instability arises from accelerating the D-brane on which the strings end via the Ramond-Ramond field. From the integrable spin chain point of view, this instability prevents us from formulating the integrable structure in terms of a Bethe Ansatz construction

  4. Analysis of the Pelletron charging chain break in the Chalk River MP tandem accelerator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burn, N.; Greiner, B.F.; Coleman, C.E.

    1980-11-01

    On February 7, 1980 one of the three Pelletron charging chains in the Low Energy end of the Chalk River MP Tandem Accelerator broke during normal operation. The chains had been in use for 38 000 h at the time of the break. Tensile tests were carried out on pieces of the broken chain as well as unused pieces of chain. Several possible reasons for the chain break are suggested; ways of improving performance and reliability are proposed. (auth)

  5. Dying means suffocating: perceptions of people living with severe COPD facing the end of life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, Sylvie; Legault, Alan; Côté, José

    2010-09-01

    The purpose of this research was to describe the perceptions of people living with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with respect to the end of life. For this descriptive exploratory qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six participants suffering from severe COPD hospitalized in the past year following an exacerbation episode. The data were analyzed using the method developed by Miles and Huberman (2003), which comprises three main steps: data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing/verification. The analysis yielded four themes that reflect the perceptions of participants with respect to the end of life, namely: living and seeing oneself decline, living and preparing to die, dying of COPD means suffocating, and dying in hospital surrounded by family and friends. What emerges from the study is that persons living with severe COPD wish to die without suffocating, in hospital, surrounded by family and friends, all the while hoping to go on living. This study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the end-of-life experience. It shows the importance of accompanying these persons properly towards the end of life and at the moment of dying. The study proposes a series of avenues for future research and makes recommendations for practice.

  6. Chain-based communication in cylindrical underwater wireless sensor networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Javaid, Nadeem; Jafri, Mohsin Raza; Khan, Zahoor Ali; Alrajeh, Nabil; Imran, Muhammad; Vasilakos, Athanasios

    2015-02-04

    Appropriate network design is very significant for Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks (UWSNs). Application-oriented UWSNs are planned to achieve certain objectives. Therefore, there is always a demand for efficient data routing schemes, which can fulfill certain requirements of application-oriented UWSNs. These networks can be of any shape, i.e., rectangular, cylindrical or square. In this paper, we propose chain-based routing schemes for application-oriented cylindrical networks and also formulate mathematical models to find a global optimum path for data transmission. In the first scheme, we devise four interconnected chains of sensor nodes to perform data communication. In the second scheme, we propose routing scheme in which two chains of sensor nodes are interconnected, whereas in third scheme single-chain based routing is done in cylindrical networks. After finding local optimum paths in separate chains, we find global optimum paths through their interconnection. Moreover, we develop a computational model for the analysis of end-to-end delay. We compare the performance of the above three proposed schemes with that of Power Efficient Gathering System in Sensor Information Systems (PEGASIS) and Congestion adjusted PEGASIS (C-PEGASIS). Simulation results show that our proposed 4-chain based scheme performs better than the other selected schemes in terms of network lifetime, end-to-end delay, path loss, transmission loss, and packet sending rate.

  7. Chain-Based Communication in Cylindrical Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nadeem Javaid

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Appropriate network design is very significant for Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks (UWSNs. Application-oriented UWSNs are planned to achieve certain objectives. Therefore, there is always a demand for efficient data routing schemes, which can fulfill certain requirements of application-oriented UWSNs. These networks can be of any shape, i.e., rectangular, cylindrical or square. In this paper, we propose chain-based routing schemes for application-oriented cylindrical networks and also formulate mathematical models to find a global optimum path for data transmission. In the first scheme, we devise four interconnected chains of sensor nodes to perform data communication. In the second scheme, we propose routing scheme in which two chains of sensor nodes are interconnected, whereas in third scheme single-chain based routing is done in cylindrical networks. After finding local optimum paths in separate chains, we find global optimum paths through their interconnection. Moreover, we develop a computational model for the analysis of end-to-end delay. We compare the performance of the above three proposed schemes with that of Power Efficient Gathering System in Sensor Information Systems (PEGASIS and Congestion adjusted PEGASIS (C-PEGASIS. Simulation results show that our proposed 4-chain based scheme performs better than the other selected schemes in terms of network lifetime, end-to-end delay, path loss, transmission loss, and packet sending rate.

  8. End-anchored polymers in good solvents from the single chain limit to high anchoring densities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whitmore, Mark D; Grest, Gary S; Douglas, Jack F; Kent, Michael S; Suo, Tongchuan

    2016-11-07

    An increasing number of applications utilize grafted polymer layers to alter the interfacial properties of solid substrates, motivating refinement in our theoretical understanding of such layers. To assess existing theoretical models of them, we have investigated end-anchored polymer layers over a wide range of grafting densities, σ, ranging from a single chain to high anchoring density limits, chain lengths ranging over two orders of magnitude, for very good and marginally good solvent conditions. We compare Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations, numerical self-consistent field calculations, and experimental measurements of the average layer thickness, h, with renormalization group theory, the Alexander-de Gennes mushroom theory, and the classical brush theory. Our simulations clearly indicate that appreciable inter-chain interactions exist at all simulated areal anchoring densities so that there is no mushroom regime in which the layer thickness is independent of σ. Moreover, we find that there is no high coverage regime in which h follows the predicted scaling, h ∼ Nσ 1/3 , for classical polymer brushes either. Given that no completely adequate analytic theory seems to exist that spans wide ranges of N and σ, we applied scaling arguments for h as a function of a suitably defined reduced anchoring density, defined in terms of the solution radius of gyration of the polymer chains and N. We find that such a scaling approach enables a smooth, unified description of h in very good solvents over the full range of anchoring density and chain lengths, although this type of data reduction does not apply to marginal solvent quality conditions.

  9. Bayesian data analysis of severe fatal accident risk in the oil chain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eckle, Petrissa; Burgherr, Peter

    2013-01-01

    We analyze the risk of severe fatal accidents causing five or more fatalities and for nine different activities covering the entire oil chain. Included are exploration and extraction, transport by different modes, refining and final end use in power plants, heating or gas stations. The risks are quantified separately for OECD and non-OECD countries and trends are calculated. Risk is analyzed by employing a Bayesian hierarchical model yielding analytical functions for both frequency (Poisson) and severity distributions (Generalized Pareto) as well as frequency trends. This approach addresses a key problem in risk estimation-namely the scarcity of data resulting in high uncertainties in particular for the risk of extreme events, where the risk is extrapolated beyond the historically most severe accidents. Bayesian data analysis allows the pooling of information from different data sets covering, for example, the different stages of the energy chains or different modes of transportation. In addition, it also inherently delivers a measure of uncertainty. This approach provides a framework, which comprehensively covers risk throughout the oil chain, allowing the allocation of risk in sustainability assessments. It also permits the progressive addition of new data to refine the risk estimates. Frequency, severity, and trends show substantial differences between the activities, emphasizing the need for detailed risk analysis. © 2012 Paul Scherrer Institut.

  10. SU-F-J-150: Development of An End-To-End Chain Test for the First-In-Man MR-Guided Treatments with the MRI Linear Accelerator by Using the Alderson Phantom

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hoogcarspel, S; Kerkmeijer, L; Lagendijk, J; Van Vulpen, M; Raaymakers, B [University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Utrecht (Netherlands)

    2016-06-15

    The Alderson phantom is a human shaped quality assurance tool that has been used for over 30 years in radiotherapy. The phantom can provide integrated tests of the entire chain of treatment planning and delivery. The purpose of this research was to investigate if this phantom can be used to chain test a treatment on the MRI linear accelerator (MRL) which is currently being developed at the UMC Utrecht, in collaboration with Elekta and Philips. The latter was demonstrated by chain testing the future First-in-Man treatments with this system.An Alderson phantom was used to chain test an entire treatment with the MRL. First, a CT was acquired of the phantom with additional markers that are both visible on MR and CT. A treatment plan for treating bone metastases in the sacrum was made. The phantom was consecutively placed in the MRL. For MRI imaging, an 3D volume was acquired. The initially developed treatment plan was then simulated on the new MRI dataset. For simulation, both the MR and CT data was used by registering them together. Before treatment delivery a MV image was acquired and compared with a DRR that was calculated form the MR/CT registration data. Finally, the treatment was delivered. Figure 1 shows both the T1 weighted MR-image of the phantom and the CT that was registered to the MR image. Figure 2 shows both the calculated and measured MV image that was acquired by the MV panel. Figure 3 shows the dose distribution that was simulated. The total elapsed time for the entire procedure excluding irradiation was 13:35 minutes.The Alderson Phantom yields sufficient MR contrast and can be used for full MR guided radiotherapy treatment chain testing. As a result, we are able to perform an end-to-end chain test of the future First-in-Man treatments.

  11. Primitive chain network simulations of probe rheology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masubuchi, Yuichi; Amamoto, Yoshifumi; Pandey, Ankita; Liu, Cheng-Yang

    2017-09-27

    Probe rheology experiments, in which the dynamics of a small amount of probe chains dissolved in immobile matrix chains is discussed, have been performed for the development of molecular theories for entangled polymer dynamics. Although probe chain dynamics in probe rheology is considered hypothetically as single chain dynamics in fixed tube-shaped confinement, it has not been fully elucidated. For instance, the end-to-end relaxation of probe chains is slower than that for monodisperse melts, unlike the conventional molecular theories. In this study, the viscoelastic and dielectric relaxations of probe chains were calculated by primitive chain network simulations. The simulations semi-quantitatively reproduced the dielectric relaxation, which reflects the effect of constraint release on the end-to-end relaxation. Fair agreement was also obtained for the viscoelastic relaxation time. However, the viscoelastic relaxation intensity was underestimated, possibly due to some flaws in the model for the inter-chain cross-correlations between probe and matrix chains.

  12. End or Means--The "What" and "How" of Observed Intentional Actions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hesse, Maike D.; Sparing, Roland; Fink, Gereon R.

    2009-01-01

    Action understanding and learning are suggested to be mediated, at least in part, by the human mirror neuron system (hMNS). Static images as well as videos of actions with the outcome occluded have been shown to activate the hMNS. However, whether the hMNS preferentially responds to "end" or "means" of an action remains to be investigated. We,…

  13. Performance analysis of Supply Chain Management with Supply Chain Operation reference model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hasibuan, Abdurrozzaq; Arfah, Mahrani; Parinduri, Luthfi; Hernawati, Tri; Suliawati; Harahap, Bonar; Rahmah Sibuea, Siti; Krianto Sulaiman, Oris; purwadi, Adi

    2018-04-01

    This research was conducted at PT. Shamrock Manufacturing Corpora, the company is required to think creatively to implement competition strategy by producing goods/services that are more qualified, cheaper. Therefore, it is necessary to measure the performance of Supply Chain Management in order to improve the competitiveness. Therefore, the company is required to optimize its production output to meet the export quality standard. This research begins with the creation of initial dimensions based on Supply Chain Management process, ie Plan, Source, Make, Delivery, and Return with hierarchy based on Supply Chain Reference Operation that is Reliability, Responsiveness, Agility, Cost, and Asset. Key Performance Indicator identification becomes a benchmark in performance measurement whereas Snorm De Boer normalization serves to equalize Key Performance Indicator value. Analiytical Hierarchy Process is done to assist in determining priority criteria. Measurement of Supply Chain Management performance at PT. Shamrock Manufacturing Corpora produces SC. Responsiveness (0.649) has higher weight (priority) than other alternatives. The result of performance analysis using Supply Chain Reference Operation model of Supply Chain Management performance at PT. Shamrock Manufacturing Corpora looks good because its monitoring system between 50-100 is good.

  14. Gm typing by immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene RFLP analysis.

    OpenAIRE

    Jazwinska, E C; Dunckley, H; Propert, D N; Gatenby, P A; Serjeantson, S W

    1988-01-01

    This study was undertaken to investigate a means of assigning Gm allotypes to Caucasians by RFLP analysis. A single immunoglobulin heavy-chain gamma-4 cDNA probe (HU gamma 4) was hybridized with genomic DNA digested separately with two restriction enzymes, TaqI and PvuII. Results showed excellent correlation (P less than .001) between serologically defined Gm allotypes G1m(1), G1m(2), G2m(23), and G1m;G3m (3;5,10) and RFLPs identified with the (HU gamma 4) probe. We conclude that it is now po...

  15. Risikobasiertes Supply-Chain-Management

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wieland, Andreas; Schinz, Philipp

    2015-01-01

    Das Management erlebt seit einigen Jahren dahingehend einen Paradigmenwechsel, dass nicht mehr Unternehmen als einzelne autonome Einheiten im Wettbewerb zueinander stehen, sondern die Supply Chains, in denen diese Unternehmen eingebunden sind. Ursachen hierfür sind beispielsweise die Auslagerung...... von Nicht-Kernprozessen auf vorgelagerte Stufen der Supply Chain oder auf Supply-Chain-Dienstleister sowie die Internationalisierung der Beschaffung. Dieser Paradigmenwechsel hat traditionelles Denken in den Schranken des Systems „Unternehmen“ abgelöst und zum Supply- Chain-Denken geführt, das vor......- und nachgelagerte Stufen des Systems „End-to-End-Supply-Chain“ einbezieht, etwa auch die Lieferanten von Lieferanten....

  16. Supply Chain Management: from Linear Interactions to Networked Processes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Doina FOTACHE

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available Supply Chain Management is a distinctive product, with a tremendous impact on the software applications market. SCM applications are back-end solutions intended to link suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and resellers in a production and distribution network, which allows the enterprise to track and consolidate the flows of materials and data trough the process of manufacturing and distribution of goods/services. The advent of the Web as a major means of conducting business transactions and business-tobusiness communications, coupled with evolving web-based supply chain management (SCM technology, has resulted in a transition period from “linear” supply chain models to "networked" supply chain models. The technologies to enable dynamic process changes and real time interactions between extended supply chain partners are emerging and being deployed at an accelerated pace.

  17. Value chain analysis in quality management context

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Popescu, M.

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Based on the description of value chain analysis, which is a strategic management tool attributed to Michel Porter, the paper aims to demonstrate that quality management applies this method, under specific forms. The paper's specific objectives are: to redefine the functions of value chain analysis in the context of quality management; to clarify the significance and the possibilities of measuring the value added; to present management tools and techniques needed to control and systematically improve performance. Research methodology is based on examples, previous studies and a case study that reveals the diversity of indicators for measuring the value added and analysis tools used in quality management.

  18. An episodic specificity induction enhances means-end problem solving in young and older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Madore, Kevin P; Schacter, Daniel L

    2014-12-01

    Episodic memory plays an important role not only in remembering past experiences, but also in constructing simulations of future experiences and solving means-end social problems. We recently found that an episodic specificity induction-brief training in recollecting details of past experiences-enhances performance of young and older adults on memory and imagination tasks. Here we tested the hypothesis that this specificity induction would also positively impact a means-end problem-solving task on which age-related changes have been linked to impaired episodic memory. Young and older adults received the specificity induction or a control induction before completing a means-end problem-solving task, as well as memory and imagination tasks. Consistent with previous findings, older adults provided fewer relevant steps on problem solving than did young adults, and their responses also contained fewer internal (i.e., episodic) details across the 3 tasks. There was no difference in the number of other (e.g., irrelevant) steps on problem solving or external (i.e., semantic) details generated on the 3 tasks as a function of age. Critically, the specificity induction increased the number of relevant steps and internal details (but not other steps or external details) that both young and older adults generated in problem solving compared with the control induction, as well as the number of internal details (but not external details) generated for memory and imagination. Our findings support the idea that episodic retrieval processes are involved in means-end problem solving, extend the range of tasks on which a specificity induction targets these processes, and show that the problem-solving performance of older adults can benefit from a specificity induction as much as that of young adults. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

  19. The Analysis of Orders of Perishable Goods in Relation to the Bullwhip Effect in the Logistic Supply Chain of the Food Industry: a Case Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chocholáč, Jan; Průša, Petr

    2016-12-01

    The bullwhip effect generally refers to the phenomenon where order variability increases as the orders move upstream in the supply chain. It is serious problem for every member of the supply chain. This effect begins at customers and passes through the chain to producers, which are at the end of the logistic chain. Especially food supply chains are affected by this issue. These chains are unique for problems of expiration of goods (particularly perishable goods), variable demand, orders with quantity discounts and effort to maximize the customer satisfaction. This paper will present the problem of the bullwhip effect in the real supply chain in the food industry. This supply chain consists of approximately 350 stores, four central warehouses and more than 1000 suppliers, but the case study will examine 87 stores, one central warehouse and one supplier in 2015. The aim of this paper is the analysis of the order variability between the various links in this chain and confirmation of the bullwhip effect in this chain. The subject of the analysis will be perishable goods.

  20. Accessing the dynamics of end-grafted flexible polymer chains by atomic force-electrochemical microscopy. Theoretical modeling of the approach curves by the elastic bounded diffusion model and Monte Carlo simulations. Evidence for compression-induced lateral chain escape.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abbou, Jeremy; Anne, Agnès; Demaille, Christophe

    2006-11-16

    The dynamics of a molecular layer of linear poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) chains of molecular weight 3400, bearing at one end a ferrocene (Fc) label and thiol end-grafted at a low surface coverage onto a gold substrate, is probed using combined atomic force-electrochemical microscopy (AFM-SECM), at the scale of approximately 100 molecules. Force and current approach curves are simultaneously recorded as a force-sensing microelectrode (tip) is inserted within the approximately 10 nm thick, redox labeled, PEG chain layer. Whereas the force approach curve gives access to the structure of the compressed PEG layer, the tip-current, resulting from tip-to-substrate redox cycling of the Fc head of the chain, is controlled by chain dynamics. The elastic bounded diffusion model, which considers the motion of the Fc head as diffusion in a conformational field, complemented by Monte Carlo (MC) simulations, from which the chain conformation can be derived for any degree of confinement, allows the theoretical tip-current approach curve to be calculated. The experimental current approach curve can then be very satisfyingly reproduced by theory, down to a tip-substrate separation of approximately 2 nm, using only one adjustable parameter characterizing the chain dynamics: the effective diffusion coefficient of the chain head. At closer tip-substrate separations, an unpredicted peak is observed in the experimental current approach curve, which is shown to find its origin in a compression-induced escape of the chain from within the narrowing tip-substrate gap. MC simulations provide quantitative support for lateral chain elongation as the escape mechanism.

  1. Falling chains

    OpenAIRE

    Wong, Chun Wa; Yasui, Kosuke

    2005-01-01

    The one-dimensional fall of a folded chain with one end suspended from a rigid support and a chain falling from a resting heap on a table is studied. Because their Lagrangians contain no explicit time dependence, the falling chains are conservative systems. Their equations of motion are shown to contain a term that enforces energy conservation when masses are transferred between subchains. We show that Cayley's 1857 energy nonconserving solution for a chain falling from a resting heap is inco...

  2. The cold chain and the weakest link; De koudeketen en de zwakste schakel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moerman, P.C.

    2005-11-01

    The production of food products requires a proper control system to guarantee the quality of the products at the end of the distribution chain. A HACCP (Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points) system provides a scheme for proper handling in a cold chain. Two examples are described: a cold chain for chilled meat and a cold chain for frozen products. For each step in the chains the critical control points are described. The indicated parameters had to be monitored and controlled to achieve good end products. [Dutch] Om bederfelijke producten veilig bij de gebruiker te brengen is een keten van handelingen nodig: de koudeketen. De parameters van de toegepas-te processtappen dienen beheerst te worden. Hiervoor kan men het HACCP ((Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points) systeem gebruiken. Twee voorbeelden worden gegeven: een koelketen voor vers vlees en een vriesketen. Voor beide ketens wordt voor een aantal processtappen aangegeven welke grootheden kritisch zijn en dus beheerst moeten worden om tot een goed resultaat te komen.

  3. How Understandings Colour the Means and Ends in the Case of Environmental Innovations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holgaard, Jette Egelund

    2002-01-01

    Different understandings of the concept of innovation have resulted in different means and ends in the innovation activities within Dan-ish industry. The different emphasis on economic, technical, organ-isational, inter-organisational and institutional issues in product and process-innovation has...

  4. Study and realisation of chaining operators

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khan, Mohd Solaiman

    1970-01-01

    Within the frame of researches in the field of binary analysis performed in the nuclear instrumentation department of the Saclay Nuclear Centre, this research thesis belongs to the field of applications of binary analysis theories, and more particularly to the development and study of a chaining operator (chaining operators are used to develop complex automatic systems with a clear separation between information processing and program-based management of this processing). The author first recalls some notions of binary analysis: algebraic binary sets, products and their specific properties, and practical realisation of binary functions by means of logical circuits. He recalls methods for the general study of sequential systems; generalities, base functions, elementary reflex functions, graphical study of sequential systems, search for and removal of commutation variations. He discusses the present organisation of electronic computers: software, hardware, synchronous and asynchronous control. He presents chaining operators: generalities, computation of a chaining operator, static aspect of chaining operators. He reports and comments the practical realisation of chaining operators: components, measurements performed on elaborated chaining operators, simulation experimental set-up [fr

  5. Applying Mean-Field Approximation to Continuous Time Markov Chains

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kolesnichenko, A.V.; Senni, Valerio; Pourranjabar, Alireza; Remke, A.K.I.; Stoelinga, M.I.A.

    2014-01-01

    The mean-field analysis technique is used to perform analysis of a system with a large number of components to determine the emergent deterministic behaviour and how this behaviour modifies when its parameters are perturbed. The computer science performance modelling and analysis community has found

  6. Mathematical supply-chain modelling: Product analysis of cost and time

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Easters, D J

    2014-01-01

    Establishing a mathematical supply-chain model is a proposition that has received attention due to its inherent benefits of evolving global supply-chain efficiencies. This paper discusses the prevailing relationships found within apparel supply-chain environments, and contemplates the complex issues indicated for constituting a mathematical model. Principal results identified within the data suggest, that the multifarious nature of global supply-chain activities require a degree of simplification in order to fully dilate the necessary factors which affect, each sub-section of the chain. Subsequently, the research findings allowed the division of supply-chain components into sub-sections, which amassed a coherent method of product development activity. Concurrently, the supply-chain model was found to allow systematic mathematical formulae analysis, of cost and time, within the multiple contexts of each subsection encountered. The paper indicates the supply-chain model structure, the mathematics, and considers how product analysis of cost and time can improve the comprehension of product lifecycle management

  7. Mathematical supply-chain modelling: Product analysis of cost and time

    Science.gov (United States)

    Easters, D. J.

    2014-03-01

    Establishing a mathematical supply-chain model is a proposition that has received attention due to its inherent benefits of evolving global supply-chain efficiencies. This paper discusses the prevailing relationships found within apparel supply-chain environments, and contemplates the complex issues indicated for constituting a mathematical model. Principal results identified within the data suggest, that the multifarious nature of global supply-chain activities require a degree of simplification in order to fully dilate the necessary factors which affect, each sub-section of the chain. Subsequently, the research findings allowed the division of supply-chain components into sub-sections, which amassed a coherent method of product development activity. Concurrently, the supply-chain model was found to allow systematic mathematical formulae analysis, of cost and time, within the multiple contexts of each subsection encountered. The paper indicates the supply-chain model structure, the mathematics, and considers how product analysis of cost and time can improve the comprehension of product lifecycle management.

  8. Reverse supply chain coordination by revenue sharing contract

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Govindan, Kannan; Popiuc, M.N.

    2014-01-01

    implementation of revenue sharing contract. We define customer willingness to return obsolete units as a function of the discount offered by the retailer in exchange for recycling devices with a remanufacturing value. The results show that performance measures and total supply chain profits improve through......Products that are not recycled at the end of their life increasingly damage the environment. In a collection - remanufacturing scheme, these end-of-life products can generate new profits. Designed on the personal computers industry, this study defines an analytical model used to explore...... the implications of recycling on the reverse supply chain from an efficiency perspective for all participants in the process. The cases considered for analysis are the two- and three-echelon supply chains, where we first look at the decentralized reverse setting followed by the coordinated setting through...

  9. Control of enterprise interfaces for supply chain enterprise modeling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Interrante, L.D. [Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States); Macfarlane, J.F. [Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States). Information and Computing Sciences Div.

    1995-04-01

    There is a current trend for manufacturing enterprises in a supply chain of a particular industry to join forces in an attempt to promote efficiencies and improve competitive position. Such alliances occur in the context of specific legal and business agreements such that each enterprise retains a majority of its business and manufacturing information as private and shares other information with its trading partners. Shared information may include enterprise demand projections, capacities, finished goods inventories, and aggregate production schedules. Evidence of the trend toward information sharing includes the recent emphases on vendor-managed inventories, quick response, and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) standards. The increased competition brought on by the global marketplace is driving industries to consider the advantages of trading partner agreements. Aggregate-level forecasts, supply-chain production smoothing, and aggregate-level inventory policies can reduce holding costs, record-keeping overhead, and lead time in product development. The goal of this research is to orchestrate information exchange among trading partners to allow for aggregate-level analysis to enhance supply chain efficiency. The notion of Enterprise Interface Control (EIC) is introduced as a means of accomplishing this end.

  10. Managing Distance Education Institutions through Value Chain Analysis: the Nigerian Experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aderinto, J. A.; Akintayo, M. O.

    Value chain analysis can gauge, analyze, and predict organization effects to control cost in light of achieving strategic organization objectives of distance education. Value chain analysis enables organizations to accomplish their goal or mission through cost effectiveness or differentiation. The value chain activity structure in a distance…

  11. 79 Methodological and Conceptual Framework of Means-End Chain ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Arc. Usman A. Jalam

    other housing research theories and models, has been a potent and effective instrument in measuring both aspects ... field of architecture and urban design has been very useful and ... information technology, and organizational management ...

  12. Distribution Free Approach for Coordination of a Supply Chain with Consumer Return

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Jinsong; Xu, Yuanji

    Consumer return is considered in a coordination of a supply chain consisting of one manufacturer and one retailer. A distribution free approach is employed to deal with a centralized decision model and a decentralized model which are constructed under the situation with only knowing the demand function's mean and variance, respectively. A markdown money contract is designed to coordinate the supply chain, and it is also proved that the contract can make the supply chain perfectly coordinated. Several numerical examples are given at the end of this paper.

  13. Proof of the identity between the depletion layer thickness and half the average span for an arbitrary polymer chain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wang, Yanwei; Peters, Günther H.J.; Hansen, Flemming Yssing

    2008-01-01

    point in the polymer chain (such as the center of mass, middle segment, and end segments) can be computed as a function of the confinement size solely based on a single sampling of the configuration space of a polymer chain in bulk. Through a simple analysis based on the CABS approach in the case...... of a single wall, we prove rigorously that (i) the depletion layer thickness delta is the same no matter which reference point is used to describe the depletion profile and (ii) the value of delta equals half the average span (the mean projection onto a line) of the macromolecule in free solution. Both...

  14. Size, shape, and diffusivity of a single Debye-Hückel polyelectrolyte chain in solution

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soysa, W. Chamath; Dünweg, B.; Prakash, J. Ravi

    2015-08-01

    Brownian dynamics simulations of a coarse-grained bead-spring chain model, with Debye-Hückel electrostatic interactions between the beads, are used to determine the root-mean-square end-to-end vector, the radius of gyration, and various shape functions (defined in terms of eigenvalues of the radius of gyration tensor) of a weakly charged polyelectrolyte chain in solution, in the limit of low polymer concentration. The long-time diffusivity is calculated from the mean square displacement of the centre of mass of the chain, with hydrodynamic interactions taken into account through the incorporation of the Rotne-Prager-Yamakawa tensor. Simulation results are interpreted in the light of the Odjik, Skolnick, Fixman, Khokhlov, and Khachaturian blob scaling theory (Everaers et al., Eur. Phys. J. E 8, 3 (2002)) which predicts that all solution properties are determined by just two scaling variables—the number of electrostatic blobs X and the reduced Debye screening length, Y. We identify three broad regimes, the ideal chain regime at small values of Y, the blob-pole regime at large values of Y, and the crossover regime at intermediate values of Y, within which the mean size, shape, and diffusivity exhibit characteristic behaviours. In particular, when simulation results are recast in terms of blob scaling variables, universal behaviour independent of the choice of bead-spring chain parameters, and the number of blobs X, is observed in the ideal chain regime and in much of the crossover regime, while the existence of logarithmic corrections to scaling in the blob-pole regime leads to non-universal behaviour.

  15. MEANS FOR PRODUCING PLUTONIUM CHAIN REACTIONS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wigner, E.P.; Weinberg, A.M.

    1961-01-24

    A neutronic reactor is described with an active portion capable of operating at an energy level of 0.5 to 1000 ev comprising discrete bodies of Pu/ sup 239/ disposed in a body of water which contains not more than 5 molecules of water to one atom of plutonium, the total amount of Pu/sup 239/ being sufficient to sustain a chain reaction. (auth)

  16. Impacts of Returning Unsold Products in Retail Outsourcing Fashion Supply Chain: A Sustainability Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bin Shen

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available l outsourcing with a return policy is quite commonly adopted in the fashion supply chain. Under the return policy, the supplier as a brand owner may focus on production, and then outsource retailing to the retailer. In the meanwhile, the retailer may receive some support money from the supplier for subsidizing the loss of unsold products at the end of the selling season and be asked for shipping back. Motivated by this real practice in the fashion industry, we examine a two-echelon supply chain with one supplier and one retailer under the return policy. Several interesting findings are obtained from our analysis. First, we find that when the supply chain achieves channel coordination, the cost of physical return is at least partially borne by the supplier, no matter who is responsible for it in reality. Second, we find that the cost of physical return is significantly affecting the sustainability factors such as the expected amount leftover (which represents environmental friendliness, the expected sales to expected goods leftover ratio (which implies both environmental friendliness and economic sustainability, and the rate of return on investment (which indicates economic sustainability. Third, from a sustainability perspective, we find that the pure wholesale price contract is more sustainable than the coordinating return policy. A numerical study by the real company data is conducted and managerial insights from analysis are discussed.

  17. THE IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC MANAGEMENTACCOUNTING BASED ON VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS: VALUE CHAINACCOUNTING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mustafa KIRLI

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available To compete successfully in today’s highly competitive global environment,companies have made customer satisfaction an overriding priority. They have alsoadopted new management approaches, changed their manufacturing systems andinvested in new technologies. Strategic managementaccounting examines thedecision-making linked with the business operationsand strategic work offinancial administration as support for the same. Strategic managementaccounting is a theory and practice of accounting that looks at an organization'scost position, cost advantages and product differentiation in order to make marketdecisions. The value chain is a systematic approachto examining the developmentof competitive advantage. The chain consists of a series of activities that createand build value. Value chain analysis refers to a structured method of analyzingthe effects of all core activities on cost and/or differentiation of the valuechain.With the growing division of labour and the global dispersion of theproduction ofcomponents, systemic competitiveness and so value chain analysishave become increasingly important. Value chain accounting is the combinationof value chain analysis and accounting theory.Valuechain accounting is animportant part of value chain management and a further development of strategicmanagement accounting. Value chain accounting is anew approach onaccounting subject which is combined by the theories of value chain management,supply chain management, accounting management andinformation technology.From the analysis about value chain theory and strategic management accountingtheory,this paper proposes an accounting managementframework based on valuechain analysis called value chain accounting.

  18. Analysis of supply chain management of shallots in Medan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alam, M. C.; Supriana, T.

    2018-02-01

    Supply chain is important for business. One of supply chain that needs to be studied is the shallots supply chain. Medan have high demand while the supply of shallots is limited. This study aims to analyze the flow of shallots supply chain distribution in Medan. The method used was survey by using questionnaires to shallots producers, collecting traders, distributors, traders as well as government involved in shallots supply chain. Descriptive analysis was used to explain the shallots supply chain distribution flow. The results showed that there are two shallots supply chain model in Medan that was local shallots model and imported shallots model. Local shallots model could be distinguished based on three producer area, those were models of Medan Marelan, Samosir, and Simalungun. Medan Marelan and Simalungun models have seven supply chains, while the Samosir Model has eight supply chains. This condition indicates that the local shallots supply chain management in Medan was not efficient because of the length of the distribution channel. Supply chain imported shallots was more efficient because it had a shorter distribution flow with five supply chains.

  19. End-to-end integrated security and performance analysis on the DEGAS Choreographer platform

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Buchholtz, Mikael; Gilmore, Stephen; Haenel, Valentin

    2005-01-01

    We present a software tool platform which facilitates security and performance analysis of systems which starts and ends with UML model descriptions. A UML project is presented to the platform for analysis, formal content is extracted in the form of process calculi descriptions, analysed with the......We present a software tool platform which facilitates security and performance analysis of systems which starts and ends with UML model descriptions. A UML project is presented to the platform for analysis, formal content is extracted in the form of process calculi descriptions, analysed...

  20. Crystallisation and chain conformation of long chain n-alkanes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gorce, J.

    2000-06-01

    Hydrocarbon chains are a basic component in a number of systems as diverse as biological membranes, phospholipids and polymers. A better understanding of the physical properties of n-alkane chains should provide a better understanding of these more complex systems. With this aim, vibrational spectroscopy has been extensively used. This technique, sensitive to molecular details, is the only one able to both identify and quantify conformational disorder present in paraffinic systems. To achieve this, methyl deformations have been widely used as ''internal standards'' for the normalisation of peak areas. However, in the case of n-alkanes with short chain length, such as n-C 44 H 90 for example, the infrared spectra recorded at liquid nitrogen temperature and reported here show the sensitivity of these latter peaks to the various crystal structures formed. Indeed, the main frequencies of the symmetric methyl bending mode were found between 1384 cm -1 and 1368 cm -1 as a function of the crystal form. Changes in the frequency of the first order of the L.A.M. present in the Raman spectra were also observed. At higher temperatures, non all-trans conformers, inferred from different infrared bands present in the wagging mode region, were found to be essentially placed at the end of the n-alkane chains. At the monoclinic phase transition, the concentration of end-gauche conformers, proportional to the area of the infrared band at 1342 cm -1 , increases abruptly. On the contrary, in the spectra recorded at liquid nitrogen temperature no such band is observed. We also studied the degree of disorder in two purely monodisperse long chain n-alkanes, namely n-C 198 H 398 and n-C 246 H 494 . The chain conformation as well as the tilt angle of the chains from the crystal surfaces were determined by means of low frequency Raman spectroscopy and S.A.X.S. measurements on solution-crystallised samples. The increase in the number of end-gauche conformers which was expected to occur with

  1. Measurements and analysis of end-to-end Internet dynamics

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Paxson, Vern [Univ. of California, Berkeley, CA (United States). Computer Science Division

    1997-04-01

    Accurately characterizing end-to-end Internet dynamics - the performance that a user actually obtains from the lengthy series of network links that comprise a path through the Internet - is exceptionally difficult, due to the network`s immense heterogeneity. At the heart of this work is a `measurement framework` in which a number of sites around the Internet host a specialized measurement service. By coordinating `probes` between pairs of these sites one can measure end-to-end behavior along O(N2) paths for a framework consisting of N sites. Consequently, one obtains a superlinear scaling that allows measuring a rich cross-section of Internet behavior without requiring huge numbers of observation points. 37 sites participated in this study, allowing the author to measure more than 1,000 distinct Internet paths. The first part of this work looks at the behavior of end-to-end routing: the series of routers over which a connection`s packets travel. Based on 40,000 measurements made using this framework, the author analyzes: routing `pathologies` such as loops, outages, and flutter; the stability of routes over time; and the symmetry of routing along the two directions of an end-to-end path. The author finds that pathologies increased significantly over the course of 1995 and that Internet paths are heavily dominated by a single route. The second part of this work studies end-to-end Internet packet dynamics. The author analyzes 20,000 TCP transfers of 100 Kbyte each to investigate the performance of both the TCP endpoints and the Internet paths. The measurements used for this part of the study are much richer than those for the first part, but require a great degree of attention to issues of calibration, which are addressed by applying self-consistency checks to the measurements whenever possible. The author finds that packet filters are capable of a wide range of measurement errors, some of which, if undetected, can significantly taint subsequent analysis.

  2. Planning of a supply chain for anti-personal landmine disposal by means of robots

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafael Guillermo García-Cáceres

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available The current paper presents a Mixed-Integer-Linear Programming Model (MIP which incorporates strategic and tactical management decisions into the supply chain of an anti-personal landmine robotic detection and disposal system. Originally based on a mixed-integer-non-linear programming model (MINLP with stochastic elements, of which it is an approximation, the MIP model is obtained by means of two solution procedures that include redefining variables, treating stochastic and non-linear constraints, and incorporating valid constraints. The model included considerations such as uncertain procurement, stochastic inventories in plants, production scales, supply-production-distribution capacities, particular distribution-production infrastructure, locationallocation considerations, stochastic demand, and BOM. Additionally, the models detail optimal helicopter operation by considering each period’s trip frequency during the planning horizon. Finally, a sensibility analysis of the way in which parameters variations affect overall costs is presented. The suggested solution procedure is considered satisfactory in terms of time for the analyzed example.

  3. The Challenge of Ensuring Human Rights in the End-to-End Supply Chain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wieland, Andreas; Handfield, Robert B.

    2014-01-01

    Certification programs have their merits and their limitations. With the growing availability of social media, analytics tools, and supply chain data, a smarter set of solutions could soon be possible....

  4. Mixed Vehicle Flow At Signalized Intersection: Markov Chain Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gertsbakh Ilya B.

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available We assume that a Poisson flow of vehicles arrives at isolated signalized intersection, and each vehicle, independently of others, represents a random number X of passenger car units (PCU’s. We analyze numerically the stationary distribution of the queue process {Zn}, where Zn is the number of PCU’s in a queue at the beginning of the n-th red phase, n → ∞. We approximate the number Yn of PCU’s arriving during one red-green cycle by a two-parameter Negative Binomial Distribution (NBD. The well-known fact is that {Zn} follow an infinite-state Markov chain. We approximate its stationary distribution using a finite-state Markov chain. We show numerically that there is a strong dependence of the mean queue length E[Zn] in equilibrium on the input distribution of Yn and, in particular, on the ”over dispersion” parameter γ= Var[Yn]/E[Yn]. For Poisson input, γ = 1. γ > 1 indicates presence of heavy-tailed input. In reality it means that a relatively large ”portion” of PCU’s, considerably exceeding the average, may arrive with high probability during one red-green cycle. Empirical formulas are presented for an accurate estimation of mean queue length as a function of load and g of the input flow. Using the Markov chain technique, we analyze the mean ”virtual” delay time for a car which always arrives at the beginning of the red phase.

  5. SCit: web tools for protein side chain conformation analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gautier, R; Camproux, A-C; Tufféry, P

    2004-07-01

    SCit is a web server providing services for protein side chain conformation analysis and side chain positioning. Specific services use the dependence of the side chain conformations on the local backbone conformation, which is described using a structural alphabet that describes the conformation of fragments of four-residue length in a limited library of structural prototypes. Based on this concept, SCit uses sets of rotameric conformations dependent on the local backbone conformation of each protein for side chain positioning and the identification of side chains with unlikely conformations. The SCit web server is accessible at http://bioserv.rpbs.jussieu.fr/SCit.

  6. Equivalence of chain conformations in the surface region of a polymer melt and a single Gaussian chain under critical conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skvortsov, A M; Leermakers, F A M; Fleer, G J

    2013-08-07

    In the melt polymer conformations are nearly ideal according to Flory's ideality hypothesis. Silberberg generalized this statement for chains in the interfacial region. We check the Silberberg argument by analyzing the conformations of a probe chain end-grafted at a solid surface in a sea of floating free chains of concentration φ by the self-consistent field (SCF) method. Apart from the grafting, probe chain and floating chains are identical. Most of the results were obtained for a standard SCF model with freely jointed chains on a six-choice lattice, where immediate step reversals are allowed. A few data were generated for a five-choice lattice, where such step reversals are forbidden. These coarse-grained models describe the equilibrium properties of flexible atactic polymer chains at the scale of the segment length. The concentration was varied over the whole range from φ = 0 (single grafted chain) to φ = 1 (probe chain in the melt). The number of contacts with the surface, average height of the free end and its dispersion, average loop and train length, tail size distribution, end-point and overall segment distributions were calculated for a grafted probe chain as a function of φ, for several chain lengths and substrate∕polymer interactions, which were varied from strong repulsion to strong adsorption. The computations show that the conformations of the probe chain in the melt do not depend on substrate∕polymer interactions and are very similar to the conformations of a single end-grafted chain under critical conditions, and can thus be described analytically. When the substrate∕polymer interaction is fixed at the value corresponding to critical conditions, all equilibrium properties of a probe chain are independent of φ, over the whole range from a dilute solution to the melt. We believe that the conformations of all flexible chains in the surface region of the melt are close to those of an appropriate single chain in critical conditions, provided

  7. Analysis of supply chain management of N1-EAM project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu Jize; Liu Xujia; Liu Huanhuan

    2014-01-01

    Supply chain management directly affect the safe and stable operation of nuclear power plants. China's nuclear power production management information system N1-EAM covers supply chain management business. This paper firstly N1-EAM supply chain management functions, advanced analysis of business processes, Qinshan area combined with supply chain management situation, the initial application of the proposed solutions. (authors)

  8. The impact of stack geometry and mean pressure on cold end temperature of stack in thermoacoustic refrigeration systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wantha, Channarong

    2018-02-01

    This paper reports on the experimental and simulation studies of the influence of stack geometries and different mean pressures on the cold end temperature of the stack in the thermoacoustic refrigeration system. The stack geometry was tested, including spiral stack, circular pore stack and pin array stack. The results of this study show that the mean pressure of the gas in the system has a significant impact on the cold end temperature of the stack. The mean pressure of the gas in the system corresponds to thermal penetration depth, which results in a better cold end temperature of the stack. The results also show that the cold end temperature of the pin array stack decreases more than that of the spiral stack and circular pore stack geometry by approximately 63% and 70%, respectively. In addition, the thermal area and viscous area of the stack are analyzed to explain the results of such temperatures of thermoacoustic stacks.

  9. Analysis of Smith-Purcell BWO with end reflections

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumar, V.; Kim, K.-J.

    2006-01-01

    We present a one-dimensional time-dependent analysis and simulation of Smith-Purcell (SP) backward wave oscillator (BWO) taking end reflections and attenuation into account. In the linear regime, we obtain an analytic solution and calculate the start current. The dependence of start current on end reflections is studied taking the attenuation due to finite conductivity into account. In this paper, we have set up Maxwell-Lorentz equations for the one-dimensional time-dependent analysis of SP-BWO including end reflection and attenuation due to finite conductivity. We have obtained a solution in the linear regime and extended the analysis to the nonlinear regime by solving the Maxwell-Lorentz equations numerically. Our analysis can be used for detailed optimization of outcoupled power and start current in SP-BWO taking end reflection and attenuation into account.

  10. Understanding and reducing the risk of supply chain disruptions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Graham

    2012-01-01

    Natural disasters can wreck havoc on business operations. When civil unrest swept the UK in August 2011, the effect on business was stark, losing the retail sector £300m in unexpected costs and lost revenues. On the other side of the world, the natural disaster that hit Japan in early 2011 is estimated to have run up costs in the region of £189bn in repairs. Beyond this, the earthquake and its aftermath shattered supply chains, with technology companies expecting delays of up to six months before business could resume fully. It is impossible to predict incidents like these, but businesses can help mitigate disruption in the supply chain by undertaking business continuity management (BCM). A flexible supply chain is essential when it comes to BCM - whether it means being able to cope with altering transport routes at short notice, or finding or replacing a supplier at the last minute. Understanding the supply chain is critical when responding to major impacts that affect supply chains in multiple points - like IT system failures and country-wide fuel strikes. Businesses should carry out detailed business impact assessments and risk assessments right across the end-to-end supply chain and not just at key single points of failure. It is an intensive process that needs dedicated resources and ownership at the highest level. Recognising this, DHL has designed a 10-step process, which it has implemented across its global supply chain business. This paper provides an overview of what a supply chain really looks like, what can cause disruptions and how far up/down the supply chain companies need to go with their BCM planning.

  11. Integrating structure, conduct and performance into value chain analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Santana De Figueiredo Junior, H.; Meuwissen, M.P.M.; Oude Lansink, A.G.J.M.

    2014-01-01

    Value chain analysis has been adopted by several research and funding institutions for analysing local development opportunities. Development practitioners, however, are still looking for more solid grounds for value chain strategy development, especially since the expected outcomes of

  12. Hydropower Manufacturing and Supply Chain Analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cotrell, Jason R [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

    2018-01-02

    Hydropower Manufacturing and Supply Chain Analysis presentation from the WPTO FY14-FY16 Peer Review. The project objective is to provide data and insights to inform investment strategies, policy, and other decisions to promote economic growth and manufacturing.

  13. A mean field approach to the Ising chain in a transverse magnetic field

    Science.gov (United States)

    Osácar, C.; Pacheco, A. F.

    2017-07-01

    We evaluate a mean field method to describe the properties of the ground state of the Ising chain in a transverse magnetic field. Specifically, a method of the Bethe-Peierls type is used by solving spin blocks with a self-consistency condition at the borders. The computations include the critical point for the phase transition, exponent of magnetisation and energy density. All results are obtained using basic quantum mechanics at an undergraduate level. The advantages and the limitations of the approach are emphasised.

  14. Adjoint sensitivity analysis procedure of Markov chains with applications on reliability of IFMIF accelerator-system facilities

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Balan, I.

    2005-05-01

    This work presents the implementation of the Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis Procedure (ASAP) for the Continuous Time, Discrete Space Markov chains (CTMC), as an alternative to the other computational expensive methods. In order to develop this procedure as an end product in reliability studies, the reliability of the physical systems is analyzed using a coupled Fault-Tree - Markov chain technique, i.e. the abstraction of the physical system is performed using as the high level interface the Fault-Tree and afterwards this one is automatically converted into a Markov chain. The resulting differential equations based on the Markov chain model are solved in order to evaluate the system reliability. Further sensitivity analyses using ASAP applied to CTMC equations are performed to study the influence of uncertainties in input data to the reliability measures and to get the confidence in the final reliability results. The methods to generate the Markov chain and the ASAP for the Markov chain equations have been implemented into the new computer code system QUEFT/MARKOMAGS/MCADJSEN for reliability and sensitivity analysis of physical systems. The validation of this code system has been carried out by using simple problems for which analytical solutions can be obtained. Typical sensitivity results show that the numerical solution using ASAP is robust, stable and accurate. The method and the code system developed during this work can be used further as an efficient and flexible tool to evaluate the sensitivities of reliability measures for any physical system analyzed using the Markov chain. Reliability and sensitivity analyses using these methods have been performed during this work for the IFMIF Accelerator System Facilities. The reliability studies using Markov chain have been concentrated around the availability of the main subsystems of this complex physical system for a typical mission time. The sensitivity studies for two typical responses using ASAP have been

  15. Profit Analysis Model of Smart Item Implementation in Integrated Supply Chain Process

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tritularsih, Yustina; Rinanto, Andhy; Prasetyo, Hoedi; Nur Rosyidi, Cucuk

    2018-03-01

    Nowadays all links of the entire supply chain need to integrate their different infrastructures and they have better control of them to drive better profits. This integration should offer the ability for companies in order to have an overall and transparent insight to its supply chain activities. An intelligent supply chain which is mainly supported by Smart Items technology can satisfy the need of those integration. By means of Smart Items, a company can benefit some advantages. Those are cost reduction and value creation. However, currently there is no comprehensive Smart Item infrastructure exists yet so it is difficult to calculate the true benefit information. This paper attempts to recommend a model for estimating the benefits of implementing Smart Items in a company which has an integrated supply chain process. The integrated supply chain means that three echelons (supplier, shipper and retailer) of supply chain are belonged to a company. The proposed model was used to determine the shrinkage value and RFID tag price which can give the maximum benefit of Smart Items implementation. A numerical example is also provided to give a better comprehension on model calculation.

  16. Increased mean aliphatic lipid chain length in left ventricular hypertrophy secondary to arterial hypertension: A cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evaristi, Maria Francesca; Caubère, Céline; Harmancey, Romain; Desmoulin, Franck; Peacock, William Frank; Berry, Matthieu; Turkieh, Annie; Barutaut, Manon; Galinier, Michel; Dambrin, Camille; Polidori, Carlo; Miceli, Cristina; Chamontin, Bernard; Koukoui, François; Roncalli, Jerôme; Massabuau, Pierre; Smih, Fatima; Rouet, Philippe

    2016-11-01

    About 77.9 million (1 in 4) American adults have high blood pressure. High blood pressure is the primary cause of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), which represents a strong predictor of future heart failure and cardiovascular mortality. Previous studies have shown an altered metabolic profile in hypertensive patients with LVH. The goal of this study was to identify blood metabolomic LVH biomarkers by H NMR to provide novel diagnostic tools for rapid LVH detection in populations of hypertensive individuals. This cross-sectional study included 48 hypertensive patients with LVH matched with 48 hypertensive patients with normal LV size, and 24 healthy controls. Two-dimensional targeted M-mode echocardiography was performed to measure left ventricular mass index. Partial least squares discriminant analysis was used for the multivariate analysis of the H NMR spectral data. From the H NMR-based metabolomic profiling, signals coming from methylene (-CH2-) and methyl (-CH3) moieties of aliphatic chains from plasma lipids were identified as discriminant variables. The -CH2-/-CH3 ratio, an indicator of the mean length of the aliphatic lipid chains, was significantly higher (P hypertensive group without LVH and controls. Receiver operating characteristic curve showed that a cutoff of 2.34 provided a 52.08% sensitivity and 85.42% specificity for discriminating LVH (AUC = 0.703, P-value hypertension.

  17. Value Chain Analysis in Interfirm Relationships: A Field Study.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dekker, H.C.

    2003-01-01

    Interfirm relationships introduce new challenges for management accounting. One such challenge is the provision of information for the coordination and optimization of activities across firms in a value chain. According to the literature, a value chain analysis (VCA) is a useful tool to meet this

  18. SCit: web tools for protein side chain conformation analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Gautier, R.; Camproux, A.-C.; Tufféry, P.

    2004-01-01

    SCit is a web server providing services for protein side chain conformation analysis and side chain positioning. Specific services use the dependence of the side chain conformations on the local backbone conformation, which is described using a structural alphabet that describes the conformation of fragments of four-residue length in a limited library of structural prototypes. Based on this concept, SCit uses sets of rotameric conformations dependent on the local backbone conformation of each...

  19. Alignment between chain quality management and chain governance in EU pork supply chains: a Transaction-Cost-Economics perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wever, Mark; Wognum, Nel; Trienekens, Jacques; Omta, Onno

    2010-02-01

    Although inter-firm coordination of quality management is increasingly important for meeting end-customer demand in agri-food chains, few researchers focus on the relation between inter-firm quality management systems (QMS) and inter-firm governance structures (GS). However, failure to align QMSs and GSs may lead to inefficiencies in quality management because of high transaction-costs. In addition, misalignment is likely to reduce the quality of end-customer products. This paper addresses this gap in research by empirically examining the relation between QMSs and GSs in pork meat supply chains. Transaction-Cost-Economic theory is used to develop propositions about the relation between three aspects of QMSs--ownership, vertical scope and scale of adoption--and the use of different types of GSs in pork meat supply chains. To validate the propositions, seven cases are examined from four different countries. The results show that the different aspects of QMSs largely relate to specific GSs used in chains in the manner predicted by the propositions. This supports the view that alignment between QMSs and GSs is important for the efficient coordination of quality management in (pork meat) supply chains.

  20. End-of-waste criteria for waste plastic for conversion. Technical proposals.

    OpenAIRE

    VILLANUEVA KRZYZANIAK Alejandro; EDER Peter

    2014-01-01

    This report is the JRC-IPTS contribution to the development of the end-of-waste criteria for waste plastic in accordance with Article 6 of Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on waste (the Waste Framework Directive). This report includes a possible set of end-of-waste criteria and shows how the proposals were developed based on a comprehensive techno-economic analysis of the waste plastic production chain and an analysis of the economic, environmental and le...

  1. Automated generation of burnup chain for reactor analysis applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tran Viet Phu; Tran Hoai Nam; Akio Yamamoto; Tomohiro Endo

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents the development of an automated generation of a new burnup chain for reactor analysis applications. The JENDL FP Decay Data File 2011 and Fission Yields Data File 2011 were used as the data sources. The nuclides in the new chain are determined by restrictions of the half-life and cumulative yield of fission products or from a given list. Then, decay modes, branching ratios and fission yields are recalculated taking into account intermediate reactions. The new burnup chain is output according to the format for the SRAC code system. Verification was performed to evaluate the accuracy of the new burnup chain. The results show that the new burnup chain reproduces well the results of a reference one with 193 fission products used in SRAC. Further development and applications are being planned with the burnup chain code. (author)

  2. Automated generation of burnup chain for reactor analysis applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tran, Viet-Phu; Tran, Hoai-Nam; Yamamoto, Akio; Endo, Tomohiro

    2017-01-01

    This paper presents the development of an automated generation of burnup chain for reactor analysis applications. Algorithms are proposed to reevaluate decay modes, branching ratios and effective fission product (FP) cumulative yields of a given list of important FPs taking into account intermediate reactions. A new burnup chain is generated using the updated data sources taken from the JENDL FP decay data file 2011 and Fission yields data file 2011. The new burnup chain is output according to the format for the SRAC code system. Verification has been performed to evaluate the accuracy of the new burnup chain. The results show that the new burnup chain reproduces well the results of a reference one with 193 fission products used in SRAC. Burnup calculations using the new burnup chain have also been performed based on UO_2 and MOX fuel pin cells and compared with a reference chain th2cm6fp193bp6T.

  3. Automated generation of burnup chain for reactor analysis applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tran, Viet-Phu [VINATOM, Hanoi (Viet Nam). Inst. for Nuclear Science and Technology; Tran, Hoai-Nam [Duy Tan Univ., Da Nang (Viet Nam). Inst. of Research and Development; Yamamoto, Akio; Endo, Tomohiro [Nagoya Univ., Nagoya-shi (Japan). Dept. of Materials, Physics and Energy Engineering

    2017-05-15

    This paper presents the development of an automated generation of burnup chain for reactor analysis applications. Algorithms are proposed to reevaluate decay modes, branching ratios and effective fission product (FP) cumulative yields of a given list of important FPs taking into account intermediate reactions. A new burnup chain is generated using the updated data sources taken from the JENDL FP decay data file 2011 and Fission yields data file 2011. The new burnup chain is output according to the format for the SRAC code system. Verification has been performed to evaluate the accuracy of the new burnup chain. The results show that the new burnup chain reproduces well the results of a reference one with 193 fission products used in SRAC. Burnup calculations using the new burnup chain have also been performed based on UO{sub 2} and MOX fuel pin cells and compared with a reference chain th2cm6fp193bp6T.

  4. Modeling methodology for supply chain synthesis and disruption analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Teresa; Blackhurst, Jennifer

    2004-11-01

    The concept of an integrated or synthesized supply chain is a strategy for managing today's globalized and customer driven supply chains in order to better meet customer demands. Synthesizing individual entities into an integrated supply chain can be a challenging task due to a variety of factors including conflicting objectives, mismatched incentives and constraints of the individual entities. Furthermore, understanding the effects of disruptions occurring at any point in the system is difficult when working toward synthesizing supply chain operations. Therefore, the goal of this research is to present a modeling methodology to manage the synthesis of a supply chain by linking hierarchical levels of the system and to model and analyze disruptions in the integrated supply chain. The contribution of this research is threefold: (1) supply chain systems can be modeled hierarchically (2) the performance of synthesized supply chain system can be evaluated quantitatively (3) reachability analysis is used to evaluate the system performance and verify whether a specific state is reachable, allowing the user to understand the extent of effects of a disruption.

  5. Means-ends decoupling and academic identities in Ukrainian university after the Revolution of Dignity

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hladchenko, Myroslava; Westerheijden, Don F.

    2018-01-01

    This article aims to explore the academic identities under the conditions of means-ends decoupling at the nation-state level. For empirical evidence we choose Ukraine. In 2014, after the Revolution of Dignity despite the adoption of the policies aimed to construct academic identities like in the

  6. Do US Consumers’ Perceive Local and Organic Food Differently? An Analysis Based on Means‐End Chain Analysis and Word Association

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rainer Haas

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available The market of local and organic food is still a niche market in the USA, despite its strong growth rates. Both offer consumers an alternative to a globalized anonymous food supply chain. Yet local food and organic food seem to beoverlapping and to some degree competing food concepts. While the organic food market somehow has managed to “mature”, being widely distributed in national supermarket chains, local food in the US still seems to be tied to a“grassroots food movement”, being mainly distributed over short food supply chains. With several trends indicating sustained growth for local and organic consumption, this paper first addresses different connotations of local foodand compares them to standard definitions of organic food. The main focus is to explore the perception of US consumers towards local and organic food, using results from two different studies. Both studies use laddering techniques and word association tests, which were undertaken at Cornell University in New York State and at the University of Florida in the city of Gainesville. These findings are used to achieve a better understanding of the image of local and organic food, and the motives and values of local and organic food consumers.

  7. When means become ends: technology producing values

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bjørn Hofmann

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Technology has become the symbol of our culture.  The claim that we are subject to a technological imperative is therefore a fundamental cultural critique: we do not control technology, rather technology controls us. An alternative way to formulate this is to claim that technology cannot be “made down” when it is made up; we just have to make the best of it. Accordingly, it has been argued that technology has evolved from being merely a means to becoming an end in itself. This article investigates this claim by analyzing the relationship between technology and values. The examples stem from the technologies of medicine and weapons because they clarify this relationship. It is argued that technology relates to values in two ways. Technology both raises general questions about values and it is value-laden due to its very function. However, although technology is value-laden, it does not necessarily give an imperative mandate. One reason for this lies in our responsibility. We are inevitably responsible for all aspects of technology, i.e. development, construction, production, commercialization, implementation, and use. Referring to a technological imperative to explain and defend our decisions with respect to technology constitutes an unjustified renunciation of our own responsibility. Hence, the article tries to underscore our responsibility by developing a technological axiology.

  8. Primary and secondary structure dependence of peptide flexibility assessed by fluorescence-based measurement of end-to-end collision rates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Fang; Hudgins, Robert R; Nau, Werner M

    2004-12-22

    The intrachain fluorescence quenching of the fluorophore 2,3-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-2-ene (DBO) is measured in short peptide fragments, namely the two strands and the turn of the N-terminal beta-hairpin of ubiquitin. The investigated peptides adopt a random-coil conformation in aqueous solution according to CD and NMR experiments. The combination of quenchers with different quenching efficiencies, namely tryptophan and tyrosine, allows the extrapolation of the rate constants for end-to-end collision rates as well as the dissociation of the end-to-end encounter complex. The measured activation energies for fluorescence quenching demonstrate that the end-to-end collision process in peptides is partially controlled by internal friction within the backbone, while measurements in solvents of different viscosities (H2O, D2O, and 7.0 M guanidinium chloride) suggest that solvent friction is an additional important factor in determining the collision rate. The extrapolated end-to-end collision rates, which are only slightly larger than the experimental rates for the DBO/Trp probe/quencher system, provide a measure of the conformational flexibility of the peptide backbone. The chain flexibility is found to be strongly dependent on the type of secondary structure that the peptides represent. The collision rates for peptides derived from the beta-strand motifs (ca. 1 x 10(7) s(-1)) are ca. 4 times slower than that derived from the beta-turn. The results provide further support for the hypothesis that chain flexibility is an important factor in the preorganization of protein fragments during protein folding. Mutations to the beta-turn peptide show that subtle sequence changes strongly affect the flexibility of peptides as well. The protonation and charge status of the peptides, however, are shown to have no significant effect on the flexibility of the investigated peptides. The meaning and definition of end-to-end collision rates in the context of protein folding are critically

  9. Long-distance entanglement and quantum teleportation in XX spin chains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Campos Venuti, L.; Giampaolo, S. M.; Illuminati, F.; Zanardi, P.

    2007-01-01

    Isotropic XX models of one-dimensional spin-1/2 chains are investigated with the aim to elucidate the formal structure and the physical properties that allow these systems to act as channels for long-distance, high-fidelity quantum teleportation. We introduce two types of models: (i) open, dimerized XX chains, and (ii) open XX chains with small end bonds. For both models we obtain the exact expressions for the end-to-end correlations and the scaling of the energy gap with the length of the chain. We determine the end-to-end concurrence and show that model (i) supports true long-distance entanglement at zero temperature, while model (ii) supports 'quasi-long-distance' entanglement that slowly falls off with the size of the chain. Due to the different scalings of the gaps, respectively exponential for model (i) and algebraic in model (ii), we demonstrate that the latter allows for efficient qubit teleportation with high fidelity in sufficiently long chains even at moderately low temperatures

  10. End modes in arrays of modulated Su–Schrieffer–Heeger chains

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    2016-07-15

    Jul 15, 2016 ... is not an edge mode. For no other combination of XA,. XB and φ investigated in this work, could one obtain such a spectrum. Wavefunction of all the edge modes is similar to that obtained in a chain with all NNN terms modulated. To study the effect of the presence of other chains and to find if such states are ...

  11. Postural and Object-Oriented Experiences Advance Early Reaching, Object Exploration, and Means-End Behavior

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lobo, Michele A.; Galloway, James C.

    2008-01-01

    The effects of 3 weeks of social (control), postural, or object-oriented experiences on 9- to 21-week-old infants' (N = 42) reaching, exploration, and means-end behaviors were assessed. Coders recorded object contacts, mouthing, fingering, attention, and affect from video. Postural and object-oriented experiences advanced reaching, haptic…

  12. Supply reliability and dynamic safety analysis of an alternative energy supply chain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Herbert-Hansen, Zaza Nadja Lee; Markert, Frank; Jacobsen, Peter

    2016-01-01

    This paper focuses on the integration of risk and supply chain modelling by means of analysing a case concerning a Hydrogen Refuelling Station in Berlin. It presents a framework that can analyse an energy supply chain and at the same time enables easy reporting and presentation of various results...

  13. SCRL-Model for Human Space Flight Operations Enterprise Supply Chain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tucker, Brian

    2010-01-01

    Standard approach to evaluate and configure adaptable and sustainable program and mission supply chains at an enterprise level. End-to-end view. Total Lifecycle. Evaluate the readiness of the supply chain during the supply chain development phase.

  14. Do the ends justify the means? Nursing and the dilemma of whistleblowing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Firtko, Angela; Jackson, Debra

    2005-01-01

    Patient advocacy and a desire to rectify misconduct in the clinical setting are frequently cited reasons for whistleblowing in nursing and healthcare. This paper explores current knowledge about whistleblowing in nursing and critiques current definitions of whistleblowing. The authors draw on published perspectives of whistleblowing including the media, to reflect on the role of the media in health related whistleblowing. Whistleblowing represents a dilemma for nurses. It strikes at the heart of professional values and raises questions about the responsibilities nurses have to communities and clients, the profession, and themselves. In its most damaging forms, whistleblowing necessarily involves a breach of ethical standards, particularly confidentiality. Despite the pain that can be associated with whistleblowing, if the ends are improved professional standards, enhanced outcomes, rectification of wrongdoings, and, increased safety for patients and staff in our health services, then the ends definitely justify the means.

  15. Process design, supply chain, economic and environmental analysis for chemical production in a glycerol biorefinery: Towards the sustainable design of biorefineries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Loureiro da Costa Lira Gargalo, Carina

    are developed, where uncertainty and sensitivity analysis play a significant role. Nevertheless, in order to further advance the development and implementation of glyc-erol based biorefinery concepts, it is critical to analyze the glycerol conversion into high value-added products in a holistic manner......, considering both production as well as the logistics aspects related to the supply chain structure. Therefore, the boundaries of anal-ysis were extended to include all activities and operations involved in the glycerol-based biorefinery to bioproducts supply chain. To this end, the GlyThink model is proposed...... so as to identify operational decisions - including locations, capacity levels, technologies and product portfolio, as well as strategic decisions such as inventory levels, production amounts and transportation to the final markets. GlyThink is a multi-period, multi-stage and multi-product Mixed...

  16. Vibro-Acoustic Numerical Analysis for the Chain Cover of a Car Engine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Enrico Armentani

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available In this work, a vibro-acoustic numerical and experimental analysis was carried out for the chain cover of a low powered four-cylinder four-stroke diesel engine, belonging to the FPT (FCA Power Train family called SDE (Small Diesel Engine. By applying a methodology used in the acoustic optimization of new FPT engine components, firstly a finite element model (FEM of the engine was defined, then a vibration analysis was performed for the whole engine (modal analysis, and finally a forced response analysis was developed for the only chain cover (separated from the overall engine. The boundary conditions applied to the chain cover were the accelerations experimentally measured by accelerometers located at the points of connection among chain cover, head cover, and crankcase. Subsequently, a boundary element (BE model of the only chain cover was realized to determine the chain cover noise emission, starting from the previously calculated structural vibrations. The numerical vibro-acoustic outcomes were compared with those experimentally observed, obtaining a good correlation. All the information thus obtained allowed the identification of those critical areas, in terms of noise generation, in which to undertake necessary improvements.

  17. Increasing Supply-Chain Visibility with Rule-Based RFID Data Analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ilic, A.; Andersen, Thomas; Michahelles, F.

    2009-01-01

    RFID technology tracks the flow of physical items and goods in supply chains to help users detect inefficiencies, such as shipment delays, theft, or inventory problems. An inevitable consequence, however, is that it generates huge numbers of events. To exploit these large amounts of data, the Sup......RFID technology tracks the flow of physical items and goods in supply chains to help users detect inefficiencies, such as shipment delays, theft, or inventory problems. An inevitable consequence, however, is that it generates huge numbers of events. To exploit these large amounts of data......, the Supply Chain Visualizer increases supply-chain visibility by analyzing RFID data, using a mix of automated analysis techniques and human effort. The tool's core concepts include rule-based analysis techniques and a map-based representation interface. With these features, it lets users visualize...

  18. Agricultural Value Chains in Developing Countries; a Framework for Analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Trienekens, J.H.

    2011-01-01

    The paper presents a framework for developing country value chain analysis made up of three components. The first consists of identifying major constraints for value chain upgrading: market access restrictions, weak infrastructures, lacking resources and institutional voids. In the second component

  19. Rice value chain analysis in Tanzania: identification of constraints ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The importance of rice (Oryza sativa L.) as a food and cash crop in Eastern Africa, is increasing, but its value chain is becoming complex. In 2012/13, rice value chain analysis was conducted in rice farming systems of Lake, Eastern and Southern-Highlands zones of Tanzania. A sample of 240 producers, 60 traders and 30 ...

  20. Selecting Effective Means to Any End: Futures and Ethics of Persuasion Profiling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaptein, Maurits; Eckles, Dean

    Interactive persuasive technologies can and do adapt to individuals. Existing systems identify and adapt to user preferences within a specific domain: e.g., a music recommender system adapts its recommended songs to user preferences. This paper is concerned with adaptive persuasive systems that adapt to individual differences in the effectiveness of particular means, rather than selecting different ends. We give special attention to systems that implement persuasion profiling - adapting to individual differences in the effects of influence strategies. We argue that these systems are worth separate consideration and raise unique ethical issues for two reasons: (1) their end-independence implies that systems trained in one context can be used in other, unexpected contexts and (2) they do not rely on - and are generally disadvantaged by - disclosing that they are adapting to individual differences. We use examples of these systems to illustrate some ethically and practically challenging futures that these characteristics make possible.

  1. Noise Analysis of Single-Ended Input Differential Amplifier using Stochastic Differential Equation

    OpenAIRE

    Tarun Kumar Rawat; Abhirup Lahiri; Ashish Gupta

    2008-01-01

    In this paper, we analyze the effect of noise in a single- ended input differential amplifier working at high frequencies. Both extrinsic and intrinsic noise are analyzed using time domain method employing techniques from stochastic calculus. Stochastic differential equations are used to obtain autocorrelation functions of the output noise voltage and other solution statistics like mean and variance. The analysis leads to important design implications and suggests changes in the device parame...

  2. Global Carbon Fiber Composites Supply Chain Competitiveness Analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sujit Das, Josh Warren, Devin West, Susan M. Schexnayder

    2016-05-01

    This analysis identifies key opportunities in the carbon fiber supply chain where resources and investments can help advance the clean energy economy. The report focuses on four application areas — wind energy, aerospace, automotive, and pressure vessels — that top the list of industries using carbon fiber and carbon fiber reinforced polymers. For each of the four application areas, the report addresses the supply and demand trends within that sector, supply chain, and costs of carbon fiber and components.

  3. End-to-end System Performance Simulation: A Data-Centric Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guillaume, Arnaud; Laffitte de Petit, Jean-Luc; Auberger, Xavier

    2013-08-01

    In the early times of space industry, the feasibility of Earth observation missions was directly driven by what could be achieved by the satellite. It was clear to everyone that the ground segment would be able to deal with the small amount of data sent by the payload. Over the years, the amounts of data processed by the spacecrafts have been increasing drastically, leading to put more and more constraints on the ground segment performances - and in particular on timeliness. Nowadays, many space systems require high data throughputs and short response times, with information coming from multiple sources and involving complex algorithms. It has become necessary to perform thorough end-to-end analyses of the full system in order to optimise its cost and efficiency, but even sometimes to assess the feasibility of the mission. This paper presents a novel framework developed by Astrium Satellites in order to meet these needs of timeliness evaluation and optimisation. This framework, named ETOS (for “End-to-end Timeliness Optimisation of Space systems”), provides a modelling process with associated tools, models and GUIs. These are integrated thanks to a common data model and suitable adapters, with the aim of building suitable space systems simulators of the full end-to-end chain. A big challenge of such environment is to integrate heterogeneous tools (each one being well-adapted to part of the chain) into a relevant timeliness simulation.

  4. Analysis of the demand status and forecast of food cold chain in Beijing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hongjie Lan

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Food cold chain is very important for ensuring food safety and decreasing the loss in the supply process. It is also benefit for the citizen, because cold chain could promise the food safety and the demand of the special cold food. Beijing, as the capital, the level of food chain is high, compared to other cities, and analysis of the demand status and forecast of food cold chain in Beijing is necessary, it could direct the scientific and health development of cold chain all over our country. Design/methodology/approach: In this paper, in accordance with the investigation, we analysis the demand status of food cold chain from two aspects, then according to the status, we forecast the demand of refrigerated cars and warehouse for food cold chain in Beijing with the multivariate statistics. Findings: From the analysis of the paper, we can see that the need of cold chain logistics grows rapidly, but most consumers are lack of the awareness of the importance of the cold chain and many companies cannot bear the huge investment, it make the gap of the resources of cold chain logistics large and cannot meet the normal need of cold chain logistics in Beijing. Originality/value: The result of this paper could support the relative enterprise to run business in terms of the refrigerated car and warehouse. 

  5. Magnetic ordering in arrays of one-dimensional nanoparticle chains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Serantes, D; Baldomir, D; Pereiro, M; Hernando, B; Prida, V M; Sanchez Llamazares, J L; Zhukov, A; Ilyn, M; Gonzalez, J

    2009-01-01

    The magnetic order in parallel-aligned one-dimensional (1D) chains of magnetic nanoparticles is studied using a Monte Carlo technique. If the easy anisotropy axes are collinear along the chains a macroscopic mean-field approach indicates antiferromagnetic (AFM) order even when no interparticle interactions are taken into account, which evidences that a mean-field treatment is inadequate for the study of the magnetic order in these highly anisotropic systems. From the direct microscopic analysis of the evolution of the magnetic moments, we observe spontaneous intra-chain ferromagnetic (FM)-type and inter-chain AFM-type ordering at low temperatures (although not completely regular) for the easy-axes collinear case, whereas a random distribution of the anisotropy axes leads to a sort of intra-chain AFM arrangement with no inter-chain regular order. When the magnetic anisotropy is neglected a perfectly regular intra-chain FM-like order is attained. Therefore it is shown that the magnetic anisotropy, and particularly the spatial distribution of the easy axes, is a key parameter governing the magnetic ordering type of 1D-nanoparticle chains.

  6. Mean-field theory of photoinduced formation of surface reliefs in side-chain azobenzene polymers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Thomas Garm; Johansen, Per Michael; Holme, N.C.R.

    1998-01-01

    A mean-field model of photoinduced surface reliefs in dye containing side-chain polymers is presented. It is demonstrated that photoinduced ordering of dye molecules subject to anisotropic intermolecular interactions leads to mass transport even when the intensity of the incident light is spatially...... uniform. Theoretical profiles are obtained using a simple variational method and excellent agreement with experimental surface reliefs recorded under various polarization configurations is found. The polarization dependence of both period and shape of the profiles is correctly reproduced by the model....

  7. Mean-field theory of photoinduced molecular reorientation in azobenzene liquid crystalline side-chain polymers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, T.G.; Johansen, P.M.

    1997-01-01

    . The theory provides an explanation for the high long-term stability of the photoinduced anisotropy as well as a theoretical prediction of the temporal behavior of photoinduced birefringence. The theoretical results agree favorably with measurements in the entire range of writing intensities used......A novel mean-field theory of photoinduced reorientation and optical anisotropy in liquid crystalline side-chain polymers is presented and compared with experiments, The reorientation mechanism is based on photoinduced trans cis isomerization and a multidomain model of the material is introduced...

  8. Stakeholder Analysis for Farmer inclusive Value chain Development in Mango

    OpenAIRE

    Nadhika K; Jayasree Krishnankutty

    2017-01-01

    Mango is being cultivated over a substantial area in Palakkad District of Kerala state. Being one of the significant agricultural commodity value chains existing in Kerala, the mango value chain of Palakkad district needs urgent attention to improve its performance. The study highlights the stakeholder analysis and SWOC matrix analysis of the mango sector. Stakeholders were asked to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges in the mango sector. Based on the highest scor...

  9. Closed Loop Supply Chains for Sustainable Mass Customization

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Kjeld; Brunø, Thomas Ditlev

    2013-01-01

    Closed loop supply chains reducing waste, energy consumption and natural resource depletion which all contribute to more sustainable production and products. For mass customization however, the challenges of closed loop supply chains are emphasized by the large variety of inbound end-of-life prod......Closed loop supply chains reducing waste, energy consumption and natural resource depletion which all contribute to more sustainable production and products. For mass customization however, the challenges of closed loop supply chains are emphasized by the large variety of inbound end...

  10. Measuring performance at the supply chain level: the role of the chain director

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Job A.C. De Haan

    2016-05-01

    The findings show when an attempt to implement a PMS at the supply chain level might be appropriate and effective (if a chain exists and has a director, and how the system’s content should be focused on what is needed to improve chain performance (with end customers’ demands as a starting point. The paper highlights the benefits obtained by the other partners if they comply with the best informed supply chain member in the development of the chain’s PMS, as well as how a PMS cannot be developed when none of the partners can be labelled as chain director.

  11. Using open-ended data to enrich survey results on the meanings of self-rated health: a study among women in underprivileged communities in Beirut, Lebanon.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salem, Mylene Tewtel; Abdulrahim, Sawsan; Zurayk, Huda

    2009-12-01

    This study extends the debate on self-rated health by using different sources of data in the same study to explore the meanings of self-rated health among women who live in socio-economically disadvantaged communities in Beirut, Lebanon. Using data from the Urban Health Study, a cross-sectional household survey of 1,869 women between 15 and 59 years of age, multiple logistic regression models were developed to assess factors associated with self-rated health. Also, open-ended data was used to analyze women's explanations of their self-rated health ratings. Self-rated health was found to be a complex concept, associated not only with physical health but also with a combination of social, psychological, and behavioral factors. This open-ended analysis revealed new meanings of self-rated health that are often not included in self-rated health epidemiologic research, such as women's experiences with pain and fatigue, as well as exposure to financial stressors and the legacy of wars. We argue that triangulating survey and open-ended data provides a better understanding of the context-specific social and cultural meanings of self-rated health.

  12. The Search for Value and Meaning in the Cocoa Supply Chain in Costa Rica

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jessica Haynes; Frederick Cubbage; D. Evan Mercer; Erin Sills

    2012-01-01

    Qualitative interviews with participants in the cocoa (Theobroma cacao) supply chain in Costa Rica and the United States were conducted and supplemented with an analysis of the marketing literature to examine the prospects of organic and Fairtrade certification for enhancing environmentally and socially responsible trade of cocoa from Costa Rica. Respondents were...

  13. How Can Big Data Complement Expert Analysis? A Value Chain Case Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kyungtae Kim

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available In the world of big data, there is a need to investigate how data-driven approaches can support expert-based analyses during a technology planning process. To meet this goal, we examined opportunities and challenges for big data analytics in the social sciences, particularly with respect to value chain analysis. To accomplish this, we designed a value chain mapping experiment that aimed to compare the results of expert-based and data-based mappings. In the expert-based approach, we asked an industry expert to visually depict an industry value chain based on insights and collected data. We also reviewed a previously published value chain developed by a panel of industry experts during a national technology planning process. In the data-driven analysis, we used a massive number of business transaction records between companies under the assumption that the data would be useful in identifying relationships between items in a value chain. The case study results demonstrated that data-driven analysis can help researchers understand the current status of industry structures, enabling them to develop more realistic, although less flexible value chain maps. This approach is expected to provide more value when used in combination with other databases. It is important to note that significant effort is required to develop an elaborate analysis algorithm, and data preprocessing is essential for obtaining meaningful results, both of which make this approach challenging. Experts’ insights are still helpful for validating the analytic results in value chain mapping.

  14. AN ANALYSIS OF THE APPLICATION END TO END QUALITY OF SERVICE ON 3G TELECOMMUNICATION NETWORK

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cahya Lukito

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available End to End Quality of Service is a way to provide data package service in a telecommunication network that based on Right Price, Right Service Level, and Right Quality. The goal of this research is to analyze the impact of End to End QoS use on 3G telecommunication network for voice service and data. This research uses an analysis method by doing the application on the lab. The result that is achieved in this research shows that End to End QoS is very influental to the Service Level Agreement to the users of the telecommunication service.Keywords: End to End Qos, SLA, Diffserv

  15. Design and analysis of the Gemini chain system in dual clutch transmission of automobile

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Yabing; Guo, Haitao; Fu, Zhenming; Wan, Nen; Li, Lei; Wang, Yang

    2015-01-01

    Chain drive system is widely used in the conditions of high-speed, overload, variable speed and load. Many studies are focused on the meshing theory and wear characteristics of chain drive system, but system design, analysis, and noise characteristics of the chain drive system are weak. System design and noise characteristic are studied for a new type Gemini chain of dual-clutch automatic transmission. Based on the meshing theory of silent chain, the design parameters of the Gemini chain system are calculated and the mathematical models and dynamic analysis models of the Gemini chain system are established. Dynamic characteristics of the Gemini chain system is simulated and the contact force of plate and pin, plate and sprockets, the chain tension forces, the transmission error and the stress of plates and pins are analyzed. According to the simulation results of the Gemini chain system, the noise experiment about system is carried out. The noise values are tested at different speed and load and spectral characteristics are analyzed. The results of simulation and experimental show that the contact forces of plate and pin, plate and sprockets are smaller than the allowable stress values, the chain tension force is less than ultimate tension and transmission error is limited in 1.2%. The noise values can meet the requirements of industrial design, and it is proved that the design and analysis method of the Gemini chain system is scientific and feasible. The design and test system is built from analysis to test of Gemini chain system. This research presented will provide a corresponding theoretical guidance for the design and dynamic characteristics and noise characteristics of chain drive system.

  16. An RFID-Based Tracing and Tracking System for the Fresh Vegetables Supply Chain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luca Mainetti

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents an innovative gapless traceability system able to improve the main business processes of the fresh vegetables supply chain. The performed analysis highlighted some critical aspects in the management of the whole supply chain, from the land to the table of the end consumer, and allowed us to reengineer the most important processes. In particular, the first steps of the supply chain, which include cultivation in greenhouses and manufacturing of packaged vegetables, were analyzed. The re-engineered model was designed by exploiting the potentialities derived from the combined use of innovative Radio Frequency technologies, such as RFID and NFC, and important international standards, such as EPCglobal. The proposed tracing and tracking system allows the end consumer to know the complete history of the purchased product. Furthermore, in order to evaluate the potential benefits of the reengineered processes in a real supply chain, a pilot project was implemented in an Italian food company, which produces ready-to-eat vegetables, known as IV gamma products. Finally, some important metrics have been chosen to carry out the analysis of the potential benefits derived from the use of the re-engineered model.

  17. The Chain-Length Distribution in Subcritical Systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nolen, Steven Douglas

    2000-01-01

    The individual fission chains that appear in any neutron multiplying system provide a means, via neutron noise analysis, to unlock a wealth of information regarding the nature of the system. This work begins by determining the probability density distributions for fission chain lengths in zero-dimensional systems over a range of prompt neutron multiplication constant (K) values. This section is followed by showing how the integral representation of the chain-length distribution can be used to obtain an estimate of the system's subcritical prompt multiplication (MP). The lifetime of the chains is then used to provide a basis for determining whether a neutron noise analysis will be successful in assessing the neutron multiplication constant, k, of the system in the presence of a strong intrinsic source. A Monte Carlo transport code, MC++, is used to model the evolution of the individual fission chains and to determine how they are influenced by spatial effects. The dissertation concludes by demonstrating how experimental validation of certain global system parameters by neutron noise analysis may be precluded in situations in which the system K is relatively low and in which realistic detector efficiencies are simulated

  18. The Chain-Length Distribution in Subcritical Systems

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nolen, Steven Douglas [Texas A & M Univ., College Station, TX (United States)

    2000-06-01

    The individual fission chains that appear in any neutron multiplying system provide a means, via neutron noise analysis, to unlock a wealth of information regarding the nature of the system. This work begins by determining the probability density distributions for fission chain lengths in zero-dimensional systems over a range of prompt neutron multiplication constant (K) values. This section is followed by showing how the integral representation of the chain-length distribution can be used to obtain an estimate of the system's subcritical prompt multiplication (MP). The lifetime of the chains is then used to provide a basis for determining whether a neutron noise analysis will be successful in assessing the neutron multiplication constant, k, of the system in the presence of a strong intrinsic source. A Monte Carlo transport code, MC++, is used to model the evolution of the individual fission chains and to determine how they are influenced by spatial effects. The dissertation concludes by demonstrating how experimental validation of certain global system parameters by neutron noise analysis may be precluded in situations in which the system K is relatively low and in which realistic detector efficiencies are simulated.

  19. The Swedish Automotive Cluster : How will it be affected by foreign acquisitions at the end of the value chain?

    OpenAIRE

    Sundqvist, Helena

    2011-01-01

    In this master thesis it is analyzed how the Swedish automotive cluster will be affected by foreign acquisitions at the end of the value chain. This is a relevant topic as the Swedish automotive industry is a very important industry in Sweden. It is of interest to evaluate how the recent shifts of ownership for the Swedish automotive manufacturers will affect the Swedish automotive cluster as a whole. It is also relevant from a theoretical point of view and this thesis draws on the extensive ...

  20. Analysis of cumulative exergy losses in the chains of technological processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Szargut, J.

    1989-01-01

    This paper reports on cumulative exergy consumption (CExC) which characterizes the chain of technological processes leading from natural resources to the final product under consideration. The difference of CExC and exergy of material or energy carrier expresses the cumulative exergy loss (CExL) in the mentioned technological chain. Two apportionment methods of CExL have been proposed. Partial exergy losses appear in particular links of the technological chain and characterize the influence of irreversibility of these links. Constituent exergy losses express the influence of thermodynamic imperfection of constituent technological chains leading to the final link of the total technological chain. Analysis of the partial and constituent exergy losses informs about the possibilities of improvement of the technological chains

  1. Effect of bidispersity in grafted chain length on grafted chain conformations and potential of mean force between polymer grafted nanoparticles in a homopolymer matrix.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nair, Nitish; Wentzel, Nathaniel; Jayaraman, Arthi

    2011-05-21

    In efforts to produce polymeric materials with tailored physical properties, significant interest has grown around the ability to control the spatial organization of nanoparticles in polymer nanocomposites. One way to achieve controlled particle arrangement is by grafting the nanoparticle surface with polymers that are compatible with the matrix, thus manipulating the interfacial interactions between the nanoparticles and the polymer matrix. Previous work has shown that the molecular weight of the grafted polymer, both at high grafting density and low grafting density, plays a key role in dictating the effective inter-particle interactions in a polymer matrix. At high grafting density nanoparticles disperse (aggregate) if the graft molecular weight is higher (lower) than the matrix molecular weight. At low grafting density the longer grafts can better shield the nanoparticle surface from direct particle-particle contacts than the shorter grafts and lead to the dispersion of the grafted particles in the matrix. Despite the importance of graft molecular weight, and evidence of non-trivial effects of polydispersity of chains grafted on flat surfaces, most theoretical work on polymer grafted nanoparticles has only focused on monodisperse grafted chains. In this paper, we focus on how bidispersity in grafted chain lengths affects the grafted chain conformations and inter-particle interactions in an implicit solvent and in a dense homopolymer polymer matrix. We first present the effects of bidispersity on grafted chain conformations in a single polymer grafted particle using purely Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. This is followed by calculations of the potential of mean force (PMF) between two grafted particles in a polymer matrix using a self-consistent Polymer Reference Interaction Site Model theory-Monte Carlo simulation approach. Monte Carlo simulations of a single polymer grafted particle in an implicit solvent show that in the bidisperse polymer grafted particles

  2. Relationships between food producers and retail chains seen as shared meanings

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skytte, Hans

    This paper presents a new theory on relationships between producers and retail chains. This theory is a result of a project which investigated the cooperation between Danish abattoirs and food processors, and retail chains in four countries. The new theory's main point is that relationships betwe...

  3. Means-end chains and laddering: An inventory of problems and an agenda for research

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Grunert, Klaus G.; Beckmann, Suzanne C.; Sørensen, Elin

    2001-01-01

    and unconscious (or, at least, semiconscious) factors. It is intuitively appealing to the practitioner but has, likewise, attracted academic research. Increased acceptance and use of a new approach inevitably leads to the detection of unresolved issues and problems. Many of these unresolved issues are related...... to the collection and analysis of laddering data. However, many of these also point at problems of a more theoretical nature. In this chapter presented are some of the issues regarded as unresolved and suggested research that could help in solving these problems. The mayor part of this chapter deals...... with methodological problems of the interview technique called laddering, og coding laddering data, and of analysing the coded data. However, also shown, methodological and theoretical issues are partly interlinked: resolutions of methodological problems may require theoretical progress or at least a clarification...

  4. Value chain analysis on cassava and cassava based - products in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This study examined the value Chain analysis (production process and cost related to each element of production chain to add value) on cassava and cassava products in Imo State specifically to ascertain the farm size holdings of the respondents as well as the ownerships of the land used for production. It also identified` ...

  5. Enhanced binding capacity of boronate affinity adsorbent via surface modification of silica by combination of atom transfer radical polymerization and chain-end functionalization for high-efficiency enrichment of cis-diol molecules

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Wei; He, Maofang; Wang, Chaozhan; Wei, Yinmao, E-mail: ymwei@nwu.edu.cn

    2015-07-30

    Boronate affinity materials have been widely used for specific separation and preconcentration of cis-diol molecules, but most do not have sufficient capacity due to limited binding sites on the material surface. In this work, we prepared a phenylboronic acid-functionalized adsorbent with a high binding capacity via the combination of surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) and chain-end functionalization. With this method, the terminal chlorides of the polymer chains were used fully, and the proposed adsorbent contains dense boronic acid polymers chain with boronic acid on the chain end. Consequently, the proposed adsorbent possesses excellent selectivity and a high binding capacity of 513.6 μmol g{sup −1} for catechol and 736.8 μmol g{sup −1} for fructose, which are much higher than those of other reported adsorbents. The dispersed solid-phase extraction (dSPE) based on the prepared adsorbent was used for extraction of three cis-diol drugs (i.e., epinephrine, isoprenaline and caffeic acid isopropyl ester) from plasma; the eluates were analyzed by HPLC-UV. The reduced amount of adsorbent (i.e., 2.0 mg) could still eliminate interferences efficiently and yielded a recovery range of 85.6–101.1% with relative standard deviations ranging from 2.5 to 9.7% (n = 5). The results indicated that the proposed strategy could serve as a promising alternative to increase the density of surface functional groups on the adsorbent; thus, the prepared adsorbent has the potential to effectively enrich cis-diol substances in real samples. - Highlights: • Boronate adsorbent is prepared via ATRP and chain-end functionalization. • The adsorbent has quite high binding capacity for cis-diols. • Binding capacity is easily manipulated by ATRP condition. • Chain-end functionalization can improve binding capacity significantly. • Reduced adsorbent is consumed in dispersed solid-phase extraction of cis-diols.

  6. Kinematics of roller chain drives - Exact and approximate analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fuglede, Niels; Thomsen, Jon Juel

    2016-01-01

    An exact and approximate kinematic analysis of a roller chain drive modeled as a four-bar mechanism is presented. The span connects the sprockets such that they rotate in the same direction, and the sprocket size, number of teeth, and shaft center distance can be arbitrary. The driven sprocket...... to be very good agreement. All together this gives new insights into the characteristics of chain drive kinematics and the influence of main design parameters....

  7. A comparative analysis of the encapsulated end-organs of mammalian skeletal muscles and of their sensory nerve endings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Banks, R W; Hulliger, M; Saed, H H; Stacey, M J

    2009-06-01

    The encapsulated sensory endings of mammalian skeletal muscles are all mechanoreceptors. At the most basic functional level they serve as length sensors (muscle spindle primary and secondary endings), tension sensors (tendon organs), and pressure or vibration sensors (lamellated corpuscles). At a higher functional level, the differing roles of individual muscles in, for example, postural adjustment and locomotion might be expected to be reflected in characteristic complements of the various end-organs, their sensory endings and afferent nerve fibres. This has previously been demonstrated with regard to the number of muscle-spindle capsules; however, information on the other types of end-organ, as well as the complements of primary and secondary endings of the spindles themselves, is sporadic and inconclusive regarding their comparative provision in different muscles. Our general conclusion that muscle-specific variability in the provision of encapsulated sensory endings does exist demonstrates the necessity for the acquisition of more data of this type if we are to understand the underlying adaptive relationships between motor control and the structure and function of skeletal muscle. The present quantitative and comparative analysis of encapsulated muscle afferents is based on teased, silver-impregnated preparations. We begin with a statistical analysis of the number and distribution of muscle-spindle afferents in hind-limb muscles of the cat, particularly tenuissimus. We show that: (i) taking account of the necessity for at least one primary ending to be present, muscles differ significantly in the mean number of additional afferents per spindle capsule; (ii) the frequency of occurrence of spindles with different sensory complements is consistent with a stochastic, rather than deterministic, developmental process; and (iii) notwithstanding the previous finding, there is a differential distribution of spindles intramuscularly such that the more complex ones tend

  8. Statistically interacting quasiparticles in Ising chains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu Ping; Vanasse, Jared; Piecuch, Christopher; Karbach, Michael; Mueller, Gerhard

    2008-01-01

    The exclusion statistics of two complementary sets of quasiparticles, generated from opposite ends of the spectrum, are identified for Ising chains with spin s = 1/2, 1. In the s = 1/2 case the two sets are antiferromagnetic domain walls (solitons) and ferromagnetic domains (strings). In the s = 1 case they are soliton pairs and nested strings, respectively. The Ising model is equivalent to a system of two species of solitons for s = 1/2 and to a system of six species of soliton pairs for s = 1. Solitons exist on single bonds but soliton pairs may be spread across many bonds. The thermodynamics of a system of domains spanning up to M lattice sites is amenable to exact analysis and shown to become equivalent, in the limit M → ∞, to the thermodynamics of the s = 1/2 Ising chain. A relation is presented between the solitons in the Ising limit and the spinons in the XX limit of the s = 1/2 XXZ chain

  9. Topological analysis of polymeric melts: chain-length effects and fast-converging estimators for entanglement length.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoy, Robert S; Foteinopoulou, Katerina; Kröger, Martin

    2009-09-01

    Primitive path analyses of entanglements are performed over a wide range of chain lengths for both bead spring and atomistic polyethylene polymer melts. Estimators for the entanglement length N_{e} which operate on results for a single chain length N are shown to produce systematic O(1/N) errors. The mathematical roots of these errors are identified as (a) treating chain ends as entanglements and (b) neglecting non-Gaussian corrections to chain and primitive path dimensions. The prefactors for the O(1/N) errors may be large; in general their magnitude depends both on the polymer model and the method used to obtain primitive paths. We propose, derive, and test new estimators which eliminate these systematic errors using information obtainable from the variation in entanglement characteristics with chain length. The new estimators produce accurate results for N_{e} from marginally entangled systems. Formulas based on direct enumeration of entanglements appear to converge faster and are simpler to apply.

  10. Failure Investigation of a Cage Suspension Gear Chain used in Coal Mines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghosh, Debashis; Dutta, Shamik; Shukla, Awdhesh Kumar; Roy, Himadri

    2016-10-01

    This investigation is primarily aimed to examine the probable causes of in-service failure of cage suspension gear chain used in coal mines. Preliminary visual examination, dimensional measurement, chemical analysis, magnetic particle inspection and estimation of mechanical properties are necessary supplement to this investigation. Optical microscopic analysis along with scanning electron microscopy examinations are carried out to understand the metallurgical reasons for failure. The visual examination and magnetic particle investigations reveal presence of fissure cracks at weld joint for both un-failed and failed end link chain. The average hardness value has been found to increase gradually with the distance from the weld interface. The macro and microstructural examinations of the samples prepared from both failed and un-failed specimens depict presence of continuous as well as aligned linear inclusions randomly distributed along with decarburized layer at weld interface/fusion zone. Fractographic examination shows flat fracture covering major portion of cross-section, which is surrounded by a narrow annular metallic fracture surface having a texture different from that of the remaining surface. Fracture mechanics principles have been used to study the fatigue crack growth rate in both weld region and base region of the un-failed gear chain material. Detailed stress analyses are also carried out to evaluate the stress generated along the chain periphery. Finally, it is concluded that presence of serious weld defect due to use of improper welding parameters/procedure caused failure of the end links of the investigated chain link.

  11. Simulation study of the initial crystallization processes of poly(3-hexylthiophene) in solution: ordering dynamics of main chains and side chains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takizawa, Yuumi; Shimomura, Takeshi; Miura, Toshiaki

    2013-05-23

    We study the initial nucleation dynamics of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) in solution, focusing on the relationship between the ordering process of main chains and that of side chains. We carried out Langevin dynamics simulation and found that the initial nucleation processes consist of three steps: the ordering of ring orientation, the ordering of main-chain vectors, and the ordering of side chains. At the start, the normal vectors of thiophene rings aligned in a very short time, followed by alignment of main-chain end-to-end vectors. The flexible side-chain ordering took almost 5 times longer than the rigid-main-chain ordering. The simulation results indicated that the ordering of side chains was induced after the formation of the regular stack structure of main chains. This slow ordering dynamics of flexible side chains is one of the factors that cause anisotropic nuclei growth, which would be closely related to the formation of nanofiber structures without external flow field. Our simulation results revealed how the combined structure of the planar and rigid-main-chain backbones and the sparse flexible side chains lead to specific ordering behaviors that are not observed in ordinary linear polymer crystallization processes.

  12. Modeling Value Chain Analysis of Distance Education using UML

    Science.gov (United States)

    Acharya, Anal; Mukherjee, Soumen

    2010-10-01

    Distance education continues to grow as a methodology for the delivery of course content in higher education in India as well as abroad. To manage this growing demand and to provide certain flexibility, there must be certain strategic planning about the use of ICT tools. Value chain analysis is a framework for breaking down the sequence of business functions into a set of activities through which utility could be added to service. Thus it can help to determine the competitive advantage that is enjoyed by an institute. To implement these business functions certain visual representation is required. UML allows for this representation by using a set of structural and behavioral diagrams. In this paper, the first section defines a framework for value chain analysis and highlights its advantages. The second section gives a brief overview of related work in this field. The third section gives a brief discussion on distance education. The fourth section very briefly introduces UML. The fifth section models value chain of distance education using UML. Finally we discuss the limitations and the problems posed in this domain.

  13. Structural analysis of the carbohydrate chains of glycoproteins by 500-MHz 1H-NMR spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mutsaers, J.H.G.M.

    1986-01-01

    This thesis deals with the structural analysis by 500-MHz 1 H-NMR spectroscopy of carbohydrate chains obtained from glycoproteins. In the chapters 1 to 6 the structural analysis of N-glycosidically linked carbohydrate chains is described. The chapters 7 to 10 describe the structural analysis of O-glycosidically linked carbohydrate chains. 381 refs.; 44 figs.; 24 tabs.; 7 schemes

  14. Phases for the value chain design and analysis in organizations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emilio García Vega

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Value generation is a key issue in the management of organizations because it allows the consumer satisfaction, dynamic face of competition and reward the owners or shareholders. Its treatment reflects both the academic and the business world; i.e. teachers, researchers, executives and managers of the enterprises, whether they are micro, small, medium or large. Although there are different approaches to the subject, this paper will seek to develop an approach from a competitive perspective and through the value chain, as it can be considered a valid tool for designing and analysing how organizations generate value. Also, this research tries to present the evolution of the generation of value, based on the classical models of McKinsey & Co. and Michael Porter. Then some approaches and contributions to the value chain of different authors and from different perspectives are presented, so that we can count with a number of additional ideas, which the author considers relevant to face the value chain design and analysis. Finally, on the basis of capital contribution of the mentioned Harvard University Professor, a series of recommendations for the strategic application of the value chain in the management of today's organizations, which are organized into nine phases (phases for the design and analysis of the value chain are presented.

  15. Apparatus and method for applying an end plug to a fuel rod tube end

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rieben, S.L.; Wylie, M.E.

    1987-01-01

    An apparatus is described for applying an end plug to a hollow end of a nuclear fuel rod tube, comprising: support means mounted for reciprocal movement between remote and adjacent positions relative to a nuclear fuel rod tube end to which an end plug is to be applied; guide means supported on the support means for movement; and drive means coupled to the support means and being actuatable for movement between retracted and extended positions for reciprocally moving the support means between its respective remote and adjacent positions. A method for applying an end plug to a hollow end of a nuclear fuel rod tube is also described

  16. Outcome of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis in 100 suspected cases of infectious uveitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kharel Sitaula, Ranju; Janani, M K; Madhavan, H N; Biswas, Jyotirmay

    2018-01-10

    Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis is an important tool in the diagnosis of infectious uveitis. A retrospective, interventional study of PCR analysis of ocular fluid in suspected infectious uveitis cases between January 2014 to July 2016 was done. Nested, real-time and broad range PCR was performed for detection of the genome of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, herpes virus family, Chikungunya virus, Toxoplasma gondii, fungus, eubacterium and propionibacterium acne. Total of 100 cases included, mean age was 39.2 ± 15.4 years. Uveitis was unilateral in 82% and granulomatous in 40%. Mean visual acuity at the initial visit and final visit was 0.73 logMar and 0.63 logMar respectively. PCR analysis confirmed the clinical diagnosis in 70.1% patients. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of PCR analysis was 90.2%, 93.9%, 93.9% and 90.2% respectively. The quantitative value of real-time M. tb. Positive PCR ranged from 32c/ml to 2722 c/ml. PCR assay is an accurate technique with high sensitivity and specificity to diagnose the DNA genome in infectious uveitis.

  17. Milk value chain analysis: the case of the Republic of Moldova

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Artur GOLBAN

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The competitiveness of a product can be evaluated using the value chain analysis which represents the needed steps of the development cycle or process through which a product proceeds from its initial concept to pro-duction and final sale. The value chain includes the design, production, marketing, distribution and support to bring the product to its final consumer. Milk production sector is of great importance to the national economy. However, the milk is produced mostly in private households (95% from total volume of milk and approximately five percent is produced in agricultural enterprises. The paper has the purpose to present the value chain analysis of milk, the major problems the milk producers face at the value chain level and to propose solutions in order to increase the competiti-veness of milk production. For this study, data provided by the National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Mol-dova and international commercial databases, were used. The results of the research give the possibility to understand the role of each element of the milk value chain in increasing the competitiveness of this product.

  18. An Alternative Front End Analysis Strategy for Complex Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-12-01

    missile ( ABM ) system . Patriot is employed in the field through a battalion echelon organizational structure. The line battery is the basic building...Research Report 1981 An Alternative Front End Analysis Strategy for Complex Systems M. Glenn Cobb U.S. Army Research Institute...NUMBER W5J9CQ11D0003 An Alternative Front End Analysis Strategy for Complex Systems 5b. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER 633007 6

  19. Dynamics of global supply chain and electric power networks: Models, pricing analysis, and computations

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matsypura, Dmytro

    In this dissertation, I develop a new theoretical framework for the modeling, pricing analysis, and computation of solutions to electric power supply chains with power generators, suppliers, transmission service providers, and the inclusion of consumer demands. In particular, I advocate the application of finite-dimensional variational inequality theory, projected dynamical systems theory, game theory, network theory, and other tools that have been recently proposed for the modeling and analysis of supply chain networks (cf. Nagurney (2006)) to electric power markets. This dissertation contributes to the extant literature on the modeling, analysis, and solution of supply chain networks, including global supply chains, in general, and electric power supply chains, in particular, in the following ways. It develops a theoretical framework for modeling, pricing analysis, and computation of electric power flows/transactions in electric power systems using the rationale for supply chain analysis. The models developed include both static and dynamic ones. The dissertation also adds a new dimension to the methodology of the theory of projected dynamical systems by proving that, irrespective of the speeds of adjustment, the equilibrium of the system remains the same. Finally, I include alternative fuel suppliers, along with their behavior into the supply chain modeling and analysis framework. This dissertation has strong practical implications. In an era in which technology and globalization, coupled with increasing risk and uncertainty, complicate electricity demand and supply within and between nations, the successful management of electric power systems and pricing become increasingly pressing topics with relevance not only for economic prosperity but also national security. This dissertation addresses such related topics by providing models, pricing tools, and algorithms for decentralized electric power supply chains. This dissertation is based heavily on the following

  20. LISA data analysis using Markov chain Monte Carlo methods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cornish, Neil J.; Crowder, Jeff

    2005-01-01

    The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) is expected to simultaneously detect many thousands of low-frequency gravitational wave signals. This presents a data analysis challenge that is very different to the one encountered in ground based gravitational wave astronomy. LISA data analysis requires the identification of individual signals from a data stream containing an unknown number of overlapping signals. Because of the signal overlaps, a global fit to all the signals has to be performed in order to avoid biasing the solution. However, performing such a global fit requires the exploration of an enormous parameter space with a dimension upwards of 50 000. Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods offer a very promising solution to the LISA data analysis problem. MCMC algorithms are able to efficiently explore large parameter spaces, simultaneously providing parameter estimates, error analysis, and even model selection. Here we present the first application of MCMC methods to simulated LISA data and demonstrate the great potential of the MCMC approach. Our implementation uses a generalized F-statistic to evaluate the likelihoods, and simulated annealing to speed convergence of the Markov chains. As a final step we supercool the chains to extract maximum likelihood estimates, and estimates of the Bayes factors for competing models. We find that the MCMC approach is able to correctly identify the number of signals present, extract the source parameters, and return error estimates consistent with Fisher information matrix predictions

  1. Hybrid Control of Supply Chains: a Structured Exploration from a Systems Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paul W. P. J. Grefen

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available Supply chains are becoming increasingly complex these days, both in the structure of the chains and in the need for fine-grained, real-time control. This development occurs in many industries, such as manufacturing, logistics, and the service industry. The increasing structural complexity is caused by larger numbers of participating companies in supply chains because of increasing complexity of products and services. Increasing requirements to control are caused by developments like mass-customization, pressure on delivery times, and smaller margins for waste. Maintaining well-structured strategic, tactic, and operational control over these complex supply chains is not an easy task – certainly as they are pressured by end-to-end synchronization requirements and just-in-time demands. Things become even more complex when chains need to be flexible to react to changing requirements to the products or services they deliver. To enable design of well-structured control, clear models of control topologies are required. In this paper, we address this need by exploring supply chain control topologies in an organized fashion. The exploration is based on integrating a supply chain model and a control model in two alternative ways to obtain two extreme models for supply chain control. These two models are next combined to obtain a hybrid chain control model in which control parameters can be adapted to accommodate different circumstances, hence facilitating agility in supply chains and networks. We apply the developed model to a number of case studies to show its usability. The contribution of this paper is the structured analysis of the design space for chain-level control models - not the description of individual new models.

  2. SU-F-J-177: A Novel Image Analysis Technique (center Pixel Method) to Quantify End-To-End Tests

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wen, N; Chetty, I [Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI (United States); Snyder, K [Henry Ford Hospital System, Detroit, MI (United States); Scheib, S [Varian Medical System, Barton (Switzerland); Qin, Y; Li, H [Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Michigan (United States)

    2016-06-15

    Purpose: To implement a novel image analysis technique, “center pixel method”, to quantify end-to-end tests accuracy of a frameless, image guided stereotactic radiosurgery system. Methods: The localization accuracy was determined by delivering radiation to an end-to-end prototype phantom. The phantom was scanned with 0.8 mm slice thickness. The treatment isocenter was placed at the center of the phantom. In the treatment room, CBCT images of the phantom (kVp=77, mAs=1022, slice thickness 1 mm) were acquired to register to the reference CT images. 6D couch correction were applied based on the registration results. Electronic Portal Imaging Device (EPID)-based Winston Lutz (WL) tests were performed to quantify the errors of the targeting accuracy of the system at 15 combinations of gantry, collimator and couch positions. The images were analyzed using two different methods. a) The classic method. The deviation was calculated by measuring the radial distance between the center of the central BB and the full width at half maximum of the radiation field. b) The center pixel method. Since the imager projection offset from the treatment isocenter was known from the IsoCal calibration, the deviation was determined between the center of the BB and the central pixel of the imager panel. Results: Using the automatic registration method to localize the phantom and the classic method of measuring the deviation of the BB center, the mean and standard deviation of the radial distance was 0.44 ± 0.25, 0.47 ± 0.26, and 0.43 ± 0.13 mm for the jaw, MLC and cone defined field sizes respectively. When the center pixel method was used, the mean and standard deviation was 0.32 ± 0.18, 0.32 ± 0.17, and 0.32 ± 0.19 mm respectively. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that the center pixel method accurately analyzes the WL images to evaluate the targeting accuracy of the radiosurgery system. The work was supported by a Research Scholar Grant, RSG-15-137-01-CCE from the American

  3. Relationship Between Supply Chain Risks: An Empirical Work

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mustafa UNGAN

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Supply chain risk management is turned out to be a critical function for organization around the globe as a consequence of change in technology, economic, environment of organizations. Most companies or organizations view supply chain risk as a disruption of the flow of products or services that meet their requirements and consequently reduce their performance. A literature review for this study indicates that relationship between supply chain risks and developing appropriate mitigation strategies is drawing the attention of practitioners and academics in recent years. However, there is a lack of studies in this field. This paper aims to contribute to fill this gap in the literature by exploring the relationships between supply chain risks in Nigeria. To this end, data were collected 82 companies operating in different industries. Correlation matrices and item to total correlations were used for the analysis. The results indicated that terrorist activity risk is the most perceived supply chain risk in Nigeria. It was also found that many companies can reduce the level of many supply chain risks with an optimum level of capacity and good planning. It is expected that the findings help supply chain managers and policy makers in their decisions.

  4. How manufacturers can use their reverse supply chain: a typology of reverse supply chain roles

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Samuel; Jacobsen, Peter

    2014-01-01

    While traditional forward supply chains end with customer markets, the reverse supply chain (RSC) both begins and ends with the firm’s markets. The study applies the prevalent conceptual RSC‐description in the theoretical field by Guide and Van Wassenhove (2009). In the description, the RSC begins...... is not explicitly part of the description, this study does include them as disposition strategies. Although some RSC topics have been fairly well‐addressed in extant literature (e.g. product acquisition, inventory models and product disassembly), the RSC‐topic remains under‐explored (Pohkarel and Mutha, 2009...... the reverse logistical processes required for supporting a liberal return policy, etc. Based on extant literature from the supply chain management and OM fields, this study develops a conceptual typology of what roles the RSC can play in the firm’s efforts of achieving higher overall economic profits. Each...

  5. Planning of outsourced operations in pharmaceutical supply chains

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boulaksil, Y.

    2010-01-01

    In this dissertation, we focus on the planning and control of supply chains where part of the supply chain is outsourced to a contract manufacturer(s). Supply Chain Management deals with the integration of business processes from end-customers through original suppliers that provide products,

  6. Path-integral approach to the dynamics of a random chain with rigid constraints

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ferrari, Franco; Paturej, Jaroslaw; Vilgis, Thomas A.

    2008-01-01

    In this work the dynamics of a chain consisting of a set of beads attached to the ends of segments of fixed lengths is investigated. The chain fluctuates at constant temperature in a viscous medium. For simplicity, all interactions among the beads have been switched off and the number of spatial dimensions has been limited to two. In the limit in which the chain becomes a continuous system, its behavior may be described by a path integral, in which the rigid constraints coming from the infinitesimally small segments are imposed by means of a functional δ function. In this way a model of the dynamics of the chain is obtained, which closely resembles a two-dimensional nonlinear σ model. The partition function of this generalized nonlinear σ model is computed explicitly for a ring-shaped chain in the semiclassical approximation. The behavior of the chain at both long and short scales of time and distances is investigated. The connection between the generalized nonlinear σ model presented here and the Rouse model is discussed

  7. Stakeholder Analysis for Farmer inclusive Value chain Development in Mango

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nadhika K

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Mango is being cultivated over a substantial area in Palakkad District of Kerala state. Being one of the significant agricultural commodity value chains existing in Kerala, the mango value chain of Palakkad district needs urgent attention to improve its performance. The study highlights the stakeholder analysis and SWOC matrix analysis of the mango sector. Stakeholders were asked to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges in the mango sector. Based on the highest score obtained, four strategic options viz., enhancing value addition and product development, promotion of branding, educating the farmers on building competitiveness and increasing export potential by addressing quality parameters were identified.

  8. cDNA cloning and primary structure analysis of invariant chain in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    cDNA cloning and primary structure analysis of invariant chain in Chinese Pengze crucian carp. X Liu, W Yu, J Li, F Chen, S Liu, C Wu, J Xu. Abstract. Invariant chain (Ii) plays an important role in MHC class II molecules assembly and exogenous peptide presentation in vertebrates. Although mammalian Ii has been ...

  9. Markov chains and semi-Markov models in time-to-event analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abner, Erin L; Charnigo, Richard J; Kryscio, Richard J

    2013-10-25

    A variety of statistical methods are available to investigators for analysis of time-to-event data, often referred to as survival analysis. Kaplan-Meier estimation and Cox proportional hazards regression are commonly employed tools but are not appropriate for all studies, particularly in the presence of competing risks and when multiple or recurrent outcomes are of interest. Markov chain models can accommodate censored data, competing risks (informative censoring), multiple outcomes, recurrent outcomes, frailty, and non-constant survival probabilities. Markov chain models, though often overlooked by investigators in time-to-event analysis, have long been used in clinical studies and have widespread application in other fields.

  10. VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS OF BROILER TO INCREASE COMPETITIVENESS (Case Study at PT. Charoen Pokphand Indonesia, Tbk

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Surip Prayugo

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available The objectives of this research are to (1 map the value chain in broiler at PT. Charoen Pokphand Indonesia, Tbk (CPI; (2 analyze the value chain governance in broiler at CPI; (3 analyze the margin of marketing at broiler industry both on farm or off farm; (3 analyze the gap between the expectation and the performance of consumers (farmers upon using products of CPI and (4 recognize factors influencing competitiveness in broiler industry; and (5 to formulate strategy for value chain upgrading at CPI in order to increase competitiveness of broiler. As revealed by the value chain analysis, the role of CPI in this value chain is highly significant. All poultry inputs (DOC, feed, veterinary medicine, and poultry equipments are supplied by CPI. As for downstream sector, CPI processes broiler into its derivatives. The type of value chain governance between feed supplier, DOC, and veterinary medicine, poultry equipment, and poultry derivates belongs to market value chain. Whereas the type of value chain governance between carcass supplier and restaurant belongs to captive value chain. Based on the margin of marketing analysis, the party that gains the lowest margin is farmer and the party that receives the highest margin is the processor. In gap analysis, the lowest attribute of competitiveness is the feed spending and the highest attribute is the spending on veterinary medicine for two months. Factors that influence the competitiveness in poultry industry are condition, demand, industry competition, main industries and supporting industries, and government’s role.Keywords: Value Chain, Competitiveness, Broiler, PT. Charoen Pokphand Indonesia, Tbk, Margin of Marketing Analysis, Gap Analysis, SWOT Analysis

  11. Don't break the chain: importance of supply chain management in the operating room setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bilyk, Candis

    2008-09-01

    Management of supplies within the operating room (OR) has considerable implications for decreasing healthcare costs while maintaining high-quality patient care. This area of healthcare therefore requires more monitoring by end-users including OR management, physicians, and nursing staff. This article is based on understanding supply chain management in the OR setting. Information provided throughout the article can be applied to small or large health care centers. It defines supply chain management and contains a brief overview of supply chain processes. It reviews the benefits of following these processes. The article also includes recommendations for improving the supply chain in the OR.

  12. Understanding Effect of Constraint Release Environment on End-to-End Vector Relaxation of Linear Polymer Chains

    KAUST Repository

    Shivokhin, Maksim E.; Read, Daniel J.; Kouloumasis, Dimitris; Kocen, Rok; Zhuge, Flanco; Bailly, Christian; Hadjichristidis, Nikolaos; Likhtman, Alexei E.

    2017-01-01

    of a linear probe chain. For this purpose we first validate the ability of the model to consistently predict both the viscoelastic and dielectric response of monodisperse and binary mixtures of type A polymers, based on published experimental data. We

  13. Marketing channels for small wineries: a meansend chain approach.

    OpenAIRE

    Escobar Gonzalez, Cristina; Gil Roig, José María

    2016-01-01

    The wine sector in Catalonia (Spain) is clearly dual: there are some big companies that contrast with the many small wineries that face difficulties to remain profitable. For these wineries, gaining access to the markets is of paramount importance. Our work explores the distributor’s main business motivations, and the possibilities to pursue these in their business relationships with the wineries. To tackle this issue we carried out a vertical differentiation of the service “wine supply” by m...

  14. Supply chain analysis of e-tailing versus retailing operation - a case study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Sameer; Tiffany, Maryellen; Vaidya, Salil

    2016-07-01

    The swift growth of e-commerce or e-tailing as a consumer retail channel has made it a serious competitor to traditional retail channels and is changing consumers' purchasing behaviour. The purpose of this case study, based on Target and Amazon.com, is to analyse the attributes of traditional retailing, e-tailing, and hybrid supply chain models to form conclusions about the feasibility of an idealised supply chain model for the future. An integrated and generalised modelling framework is used that incorporates Six Sigma - define, measure, analyse, improve, control methodology leveraging various tools, including process flow maps, cause and effect diagram, performance efficiency metrics, failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA), and Monte Carlo simulation. Based on this analysis and research, the conclusion is that the idealised supply chain of the future may evolve into a hybrid supply chain, which includes both e-tail and retail channels. The main recommendations from this study include assessing the risks of migrating to such a hybrid supply chain and to leverage the recommended actions provided in the hybrid FMEA. To facilitate more effective and mature processes, this study can guide researchers in exhaustive empirical evaluations of hybrid supply chains, gather experiences and lessons learned for practitioners.

  15. Multistationary and oscillatory modes of free radicals generation by the mitochondrial respiratory chain revealed by a bifurcation analysis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vitaly A Selivanov

    Full Text Available The mitochondrial electron transport chain transforms energy satisfying cellular demand and generates reactive oxygen species (ROS that act as metabolic signals or destructive factors. Therefore, knowledge of the possible modes and bifurcations of electron transport that affect ROS signaling provides insight into the interrelationship of mitochondrial respiration with cellular metabolism. Here, a bifurcation analysis of a sequence of the electron transport chain models of increasing complexity was used to analyze the contribution of individual components to the modes of respiratory chain behavior. Our algorithm constructed models as large systems of ordinary differential equations describing the time evolution of the distribution of redox states of the respiratory complexes. The most complete model of the respiratory chain and linked metabolic reactions predicted that condensed mitochondria produce more ROS at low succinate concentration and less ROS at high succinate levels than swelled mitochondria. This prediction was validated by measuring ROS production under various swelling conditions. A numerical bifurcation analysis revealed qualitatively different types of multistationary behavior and sustained oscillations in the parameter space near a region that was previously found to describe the behavior of isolated mitochondria. The oscillations in transmembrane potential and ROS generation, observed in living cells were reproduced in the model that includes interaction of respiratory complexes with the reactions of TCA cycle. Whereas multistationarity is an internal characteristic of the respiratory chain, the functional link of respiration with central metabolism creates oscillations, which can be understood as a means of auto-regulation of cell metabolism.

  16. The value of supply chain coordination under moral hazard: A case study of the consumer product supply chain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Yumi; Song, Sang Hwa; Cheong, Taesu

    2018-01-01

    In this paper, we examine a real-world case related to the consumer product supply chain to analyze the value of supply chain coordination under the condition of moral hazard. Because of the characteristics of a buyback contract scheme employed in the supply chain, the supplier company's sales department encourages retailers to order more inventory to meet their sales target, whereas retailers pay less attention to their inventory level and leftovers at the end of the season. This condition induces moral hazard problems in the operation of the supply chain, as suppliers suffer from huge returns of leftover inventory. This, in turn, is related to the obsolescence of returned inventory, even with penalty terms in the contract for the return of any leftovers. In this study, we show under the current buyback-based supply chain operation, the inventory levels of both the supplier and retailers exceed customer demand and develop vendor-managed inventory (VMI) system with base stock policy to remove any mismatch of supply and demand. A comparison of both systems shows that through the proper coordination of supply chain operations, both suppliers and retailers can gain additional benefits while providing proper services to end customers.

  17. Analysis of a quantum Markov chain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Marbeau, J.; Gudder, S.

    1990-01-01

    A quantum chain is analogous to a classical stationary Markov chain except that the probability measure is replaced by a complex amplitude measure and the transition probability matrix is replaced by a transition amplitude matrix. After considering the general situation, we study a particular example of a quantum chain whose transition amplitude matrix has the form of a Dirichlet matrix. Such matrices generate a discrete analog of the usual continuum Feynman amplitude. We then compute the probability distribution for these quantum chains

  18. Anticipating different grips reduces bimanual end-state comfort: A tradeoff between goal-related and means-related planning processes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christian Seegelke

    Full Text Available The present study explored the sensitivity towards bimanual end-state comfort in a task that required anticipating different final grips. Participants simultaneously reached and grasped two objects with either a whole-hand grip (WHG or a precision grip (PG, and placed them at two target locations by transporting them either over or under an obstacle. The transport path was varied such that it could be either congruent (i.e., both objects over or under or incongruent (i.e., one object over and the other object under. In the congruent conditions, participants satisfied bimanual end-state comfort (and identical initial grips on the majority of trials. That is, participants adopted a PG for either hand when the objects were transported over the obstacle and a WHG for either hand when the objects were transported under the obstacle. In contrast, in the incongruent conditions, bimanual end-state comfort was significantly reduced, indicating the presence of intermanual inference. The results indicate that goal-related planning constraints (i.e., bimanual end-state comfort do not strictly take precedence over means-related constraints (i.e., identical initial grips if this requires anticipating different final grips. Thus, bimanual end-state comfort per se does not provide a predominant constraint in action selection, by which sensorimotor interference can be reduced. In line with the proposal that bimanual grip planning relies on a flexible constraint hierarchy, a simple formal model that considers bimanual grip posture planning as a tradeoff between goal-related and means-related planning processes can explain our results reasonably well.

  19. Liquid crystals with novel terminal chains as ferroelectric liquid crystal hosts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cosquer, G.Y.

    2000-02-01

    Changes to the molecular structure of liquid crystals can have a significant effect upon their mesomorphism and ferroelectric properties. Most of the research in liquid crystal for display applications concentrates on the design and synthesis of novel mesogenic cores to which straight terminal alkyl or alkoxy chains are attached. However, little is known about the effects upon the mesomorphism and ferroelectric properties of varying the terminal chains. The compounds prepared in this work have a common core - a 2,3-difluoroterphenyl unit with a nine-atom alkyl (nonyl) or alkoxy (octyloxy) chain at the 4-position, but with an unusual chain at the 4''-position. In some cases the terminal chain contains hetero atoms such as silicon, oxygen, chlorine and bromine or has a bulky end group. In total 46 final materials were synthesised in an attempt to understand the effect of an unusual terminal chains on mesomorphism and for some of these compounds the effect upon the switching times when added to a standard ferroelectric mixture were investigated. It was found that most compounds containing a bulky end group only displayed a smectic C phase, compounds with a halogen substituent as an end unit displayed a smectic A phase and that increasing the chain flexibility by introducing an oxygen atom in the chain reduces the melting and clearing points. The electro-optical measurements carried out on ferroelectric mixtures containing a bulky end group compound showed that shorter switching times were produced than for the ferroelectric mixture containing a straight chain compound. It is suggested that a bulky end group diminishes te extent of interlayer mixing in the chiral smectic C phase and therefore the molecules move more easily with ferroelectric switching. (author)

  20. Exact solutions in dynamics of alternation open spin chains s = 1/2 with XY-Hamiltonian and its application to the problems of many-quantum dynamics and quantum information theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuznetsova, E.I.; Fel'dman, Eh.B.

    2006-01-01

    Paper deals with a method of exact diagonalization of XY-Hamiltonian of s=1/2 alternated open chain of spins based on the Jordan-Wigner transform and analysis of dynamics of spinless fermions. One studied the many-quantum spin dynamics of alternated chains under high temperatures and calculated the intensities of many-quantum coherencies. One attacked the problem dealing with transfer of a quantum state from one end of the alternated chain to the opposite end. It is shown that perfect transfer of cubits may take place in alternated chains with larger number of spins in contrast to homogeneous chains [ru

  1. THE DEAD-END ELIMINATION THEOREM AND ITS USE IN PROTEIN SIDE-CHAIN POSITIONING

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    DESMET, J; DEMAEYER, M; HAZES, B; LASTERS, [No Value

    1992-01-01

    THE prediction of a protein's tertiary structure is still a considerable problem because the huge amount of possible conformational space' makes it computationally difficult. With regard to side-chain modelling, a solution has been attempted by the grouping of side-chain conformations into

  2. Taxonomy of Means and Ends in Aquaculture Production—Part 2: The Technical Solutions of Controlling Solids, Dissolved Gasses and pH

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bjorgvin Vilbergsson

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available In engineering design, knowing the relationship between the means (technique and the end (desired function or outcome is essential. The means in Aquaculture are technical solutions like airlifts that are used to achive desired functionality (an end like controlling dissolved gasses. In previous work, the authors identified possible functions by viewing aquaculture production systems as transformation processes in which inputs are transformed by treatment techniques (means and produce outputs (ends. The current work creates an overview of technical solutions of treatment functions for both design and research purposes. A comprehensive literature review of all areas of technical solutions is identified and categorized into a visual taxonomy of the treatment functions for controlling solids, controlling dissolved gasses and controlling pH alkalinity and hardness. This article is the second in a sequence of four and partly presents the treatments functions in the taxonomy. The other articles in this series present complementary aspects of this research: Part 1, A transformational view on aquaculture and functions divided into input, treatment and output functions; Part 2, The current taxonomy paper; Part 3, The second part of the taxonomy; and Part 4, Mapping of the means (techniques for multiple treatment functions.

  3. Increasing biomass resource availability through supply chain analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Welfle, Andrew; Gilbert, Paul; Thornley, Patricia

    2014-01-01

    Increased inclusion of biomass in energy strategies all over the world means that greater mobilisation of biomass resources will be required to meet demand. Strategies of many EU countries assume the future use of non-EU sourced biomass. An increasing number of studies call for the UK to consider alternative options, principally to better utilise indigenous resources. This research identifies the indigenous biomass resources that demonstrate the greatest promise for the UK bioenergy sector and evaluates the extent that different supply chain drivers influence resource availability. The analysis finds that the UK's resources with greatest primary bioenergy potential are household wastes (>115 TWh by 2050), energy crops (>100 TWh by 2050) and agricultural residues (>80 TWh by 2050). The availability of biomass waste resources was found to demonstrate great promise for the bioenergy sector, although are highly susceptible to influences, most notably by the focus of adopted waste management strategies. Biomass residue resources were found to be the resource category least susceptible to influence, with relatively high near-term availability that is forecast to increase – therefore representing a potentially robust resource for the bioenergy sector. The near-term availability of UK energy crops was found to be much less significant compared to other resource categories. Energy crops represent long-term potential for the bioenergy sector, although achieving higher limits of availability will be dependent on the successful management of key influencing drivers. The research highlights that the availability of indigenous resources is largely influenced by a few key drivers, this contradicting areas of consensus of current UK bioenergy policy. - Highlights: • As global biomass demand increases, focus is placed indigenous resources. • A Biomass Resource Model is applied to analyse UK biomass supply chain dynamics. • Biomass availability is best increased

  4. Analysis of Location Quotient index of poplar wood processing value chain in Iran

    OpenAIRE

    omid hosseinzadeh; Marzieh Hajjarian; Samira Porbar

    2016-01-01

    Value added in the poplar wood value chain has great economic effects for poplar farmers and have a fundamental role in sustainable supplying of required cellulosic materials of industries in long-term. The purpose of this study was to analyze the value chain of poplar and use the results to improve it. In order to determine the poplar value chain, Porter's value chain analysis framework was used. The statistical society consists of 76 experts to identify poplar wood value who were active in ...

  5. Sales Rebate Contracts in Fashion Supply Chains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chun-Hung Chiu

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available We explore in this paper the performance of sales rebate contracts in fashion supply chains. We conduct both analytical and numerical analyses via a mean-variance framework with reference to real empirical data. To be specific, we evaluate the expected profits and variance of profits (risk of the fashion supply chains, fashion retailers, and manufacturers under (1 the currently implemented sales rebate practices, (2 the case without sales rebate, and (3 the theoretical coordination situation (if target sales rebate is adopted. In addition, we analyze how sales effort affects the performances of the supply chain and its agents. Our analysis indicates that the rebate contracts may hurt the retailer and the manufacturer of a fashion supply chain when it is inappropriately set. Moreover, a properly designed sales rebate contract not only can coordinate the supply chain (with retail sales effort but can also improve expected profits and lower the levels of risk for both the manufacturer and the retailer.

  6. Why friendships end up? An analysis from the Goffman sense of vulnerability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mauro Koury

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available This paper aims to discuss the friendship through the vulnerabilities that relations between friends are exposed indaily life. Therefore, in the analysis of vulnerabilities in the relationship between friends aims to understand whysome come to an end. At first, try to establish an approximate relationship between falling in love, love and friendship,to then discuss the social and moral relations produced in a process of friendship and love between friends,and vulnerabilities that discuss, complicate and tighten some relationships and lead others to a close. The analysisis full of comments taken from interviews conducted over several years in all Brazilian state capitals, and who claimthe existence of friendships so intense that felt as eternal, or so that desired look. I try to understand the startlesome interviewees when they having experienced long friendships, suddenly, one day, these relational if it strangeand everything built together lost or seems to lose meaning, and comes to an end.

  7. Probabilistic Chain Teleportation of a Qutrit-State

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Meiyu; Yan Fengli

    2010-01-01

    We investigate chain teleportation of a qutrit-state via the non-maximally two-qutrit entangled channels. For the case of four parties, the efficiencies of two chain teleportation protocols, the separate chain teleportation protocol (SCTP), and the global chain teleportation protocol (GCTP), are calculated. In SCTP the errors are corrected between every step while in GCTP the errors are corrected only at the end. Furthermore, we present a piecewise global chain teleportation protocol (PGCTP) for keeping away from the inconvenience of error-correction of GCTP. We show that PGCTP is more efficient than SCTP. (general)

  8. Processing-Dependent and Clonal Contamination Patterns of Listeria monocytogenes in the Cured Ham Food Chain Revealed by Genetic Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morganti, Marina; Scaltriti, Erika; Cozzolino, Paolo; Bolzoni, Luca; Casadei, Gabriele; Pierantoni, Marco; Foni, Emanuela; Pongolini, Stefano

    2016-02-01

    The quantitative and qualitative patterns of environmental contamination by Listeria monocytogenes were investigated in the production chain of dry-cured Parma ham. Standard arrays of surfaces were sampled in processing facilities during a single visit per plant in the three compartments of the food chain, i.e., ham production (19 plants) and postproduction, which was divided into deboning (43 plants) and slicing (25 plants) steps. The numbers of sampled surfaces were 384 in ham production, with 25 positive for L. monocytogenes, and 1,084 in postproduction, with 83 positives. Statistical analysis of the prevalence of contaminated surfaces showed that in ham production, contamination was higher at the beginning of processing and declined significantly toward the end, while in postproduction, prevalence rose toward the end of processing. Prevalence was higher in the deboning facilities than in slicing facilities and was dependent on the type of surface (floor/drainage > clothing > equipment). The qualitative pattern of contamination was investigated through an analysis of the survey isolates and a set of isolates derived from routine monitoring, including longitudinal isolations. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and whole-genome single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis revealed a remarkable clonality of L. monocytogenes within plants, with the detection of 16 plant-specific clones out of 17 establishments with multiple isolates. Repeated detections of clonal isolates >6 months apart were also observed. Six was the maximum number of between-isolate differences in core SNPs observed within these clones. Based on the same six-SNP threshold, three clusters of clonal isolates, shared by six establishments, were also identified. The spread of L. monocytogenes within and between plants, as indicated by its clonal behavior, is a matter of concern for the hygienic management of establishments. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights

  9. The effect of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation on intelligence in low birth weight infant during lactation: A meta-analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Yuan; Liu, Ya; Pan, Yun; Yuan, Xiaofeng; Chang, Pengyu; Tian, Yuan; Cui, Weiwei

    2018-01-01

    Background Low birth weight infant (LBWIs) are prone to mental and behavioural problems. As an important constituent of the brain and retina, long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids are essential for foetal infant mental and visual development. The effect of lactation supplemented with long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) on the improvement of intelligence in low birth weight children requires further validation. Methods In this study, a comprehensive search of multiple databases was performed to identify studies focused the association between intelligence and long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation in LBWIs. Studies that compared the Bayley Scales of Infant Development (BSID) or the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence for Children (WISC) scores between LBWIs who were supplemented and controls that were not supplemented with LCPUFA during lactation were selected for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Results The main outcome was the mean difference in the mental development index (MDI) and psychomotor development index (PDI) of the BSID and the full scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ), verbal intelligence quotient (VIQ) and performance intelligence quotient (PIQ) of the WISC between LBWIs and controls. Our findings indicated that the mean BSID or WISC scores in LBWIs did not differ between the supplemented groups and controls. Conclusion This meta-analysis does not reveal that LCPUFA supplementation has a significant impact on the level of intelligence in LBWIs. PMID:29634752

  10. Labour and Segmentation in Value Chains

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hammer, Nikolaus; Riisgaard, Lone

    2015-01-01

    In order to understand the linkages between labour process analysis and global value chains (GVCs) it is important to investigate the particular factory regimes at the upstream end of GVCs. Social relations of production were integrated into the global economy along different trajectories...... of production out of craft traditions; formal firms (and MNCs) either recruiting informal labour directly, or through labour-only contractors; and cases in which downsizing in the formal sector pushes workers into the informal sector. Each case results in different lines of segmentation, links into GVCs...

  11. On the dynamics of semi-rigid chains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodriguez Talavera, R.; Alexander-Katz, R.

    1993-01-01

    The dynamics of a semi-rigid polymer chain is studied. The force structure of the chain is derived from the statistics generated through a Wiener measure whose end-to-end distance is that of a Kratky-Porod chain. Additionally, the dissipative terms in the equation of motion will contain, besides the usual Stokes' term, a non-local friction term (internal viscosity) which is quadratic in the normal mode q, in order to take into account the resistance to changes in curvature. The analytical shape of this term is the same as the one introduced by Edwards and Freed. We show that this model of stiff chain reproduces both asymptotic limits: the flexible and the rod limits for the elastic moduli. A form for the internal viscosity coefficient is deduced from a phenomenological approach, which has the right solvent viscosity dependency as obtained by MacInnes. (Author)

  12. A comparison of electricity and hydrogen production systems with CO2 capture and storage. Part B: Chain analysis of promising CCS options

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Damen, K.J.; van Troost, M.M.; Faaij, A.P.C.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/10685903X; Turkenburg, W.C.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/073416355

    2007-01-01

    Promising electricity and hydrogen production chains with CO2 capture, transport and storage (CCS) and energy carrier transmission, distribution and end-use are analysed to assess (avoided) CO2 emissions, energy production costs and CO2 mitigation costs. For electricity chains, the performance is

  13. Accounting, charging and billing for dynamic service composition chains

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rumph, F.J.; Kruithof, G.H.; Huitema, G.B.

    2010-01-01

    Services delivered to an end user can be composed of numerous subservices and form chains of composed services. These service composition chains traditionally consist of a static set of business entities. However, in order to increase business agility, dynamic service composition chains can be used

  14. Reliability analysis and prediction of mixed mode load using Markov Chain Model

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nikabdullah, N.; Singh, S. S. K.; Alebrahim, R.; Azizi, M. A.; K, Elwaleed A.; Noorani, M. S. M.

    2014-01-01

    The aim of this paper is to present the reliability analysis and prediction of mixed mode loading by using a simple two state Markov Chain Model for an automotive crankshaft. The reliability analysis and prediction for any automotive component or structure is important for analyzing and measuring the failure to increase the design life, eliminate or reduce the likelihood of failures and safety risk. The mechanical failures of the crankshaft are due of high bending and torsion stress concentration from high cycle and low rotating bending and torsional stress. The Markov Chain was used to model the two states based on the probability of failure due to bending and torsion stress. In most investigations it revealed that bending stress is much serve than torsional stress, therefore the probability criteria for the bending state would be higher compared to the torsion state. A statistical comparison between the developed Markov Chain Model and field data was done to observe the percentage of error. The reliability analysis and prediction was derived and illustrated from the Markov Chain Model were shown in the Weibull probability and cumulative distribution function, hazard rate and reliability curve and the bathtub curve. It can be concluded that Markov Chain Model has the ability to generate near similar data with minimal percentage of error and for a practical application; the proposed model provides a good accuracy in determining the reliability for the crankshaft under mixed mode loading

  15. Fresh fish distribution chains: An analysis of three Danish and three Australian chains

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frederiksen, Marco Thorup; Bremner, Allan

    2001-01-01

    . Traceability is a most important issue in the high value product chains in Australia. No information technology methods, were in evidence. In the Danish chains, nearly all traceability was lost after the collector/auction stage and the only evaluation of quality parameters was by inspection.......Information on traceability was gathered for three domestic Danish fish chains typical of the current trading practices in fresh seafood and for three chains exporting products from Australia to Japan. The same standard questionnaires, coupled with personal interviews, were used in all six chains...

  16. The ALICE TPC front end electronics

    CERN Document Server

    Musa, L; Bialas, N; Bramm, R; Campagnolo, R; Engster, Claude; Formenti, F; Bonnes, U; Esteve-Bosch, R; Frankenfeld, Ulrich; Glässel, P; Gonzales, C; Gustafsson, Hans Åke; Jiménez, A; Junique, A; Lien, J; Lindenstruth, V; Mota, B; Braun-Munzinger, P; Oeschler, H; Österman, L; Renfordt, R E; Ruschmann, G; Röhrich, D; Schmidt, H R; Stachel, J; Soltveit, A K; Ullaland, K

    2004-01-01

    In this paper we present the front end electronics for the time projection chamber (TPC) of the ALICE experiment. The system, which consists of about 570000 channels, is based on two basic units: (a) an analogue ASIC (PASA) that incorporates the shaping-amplifier circuits for 16 channels; (b) a mixed-signal ASIC (ALTRO) that integrates 16 channels, each consisting of a 10-bit 25-MSPS ADC, the baseline subtraction, tail cancellation filter, zero suppression and multi-event buffer. The complete readout chain is contained in front end cards (FEC), with 128 channels each, connected to the detector by means of capton cables. A number of FECs (up to 25) are controlled by a readout control unit (RCU), which interfaces the FECs to the data acquisition (DAQ), the trigger, and the detector control system (DCS) . A function of the final electronics (1024 channels) has been characterized in a test that incorporates a prototype of the ALICE TPC as well as many other components of the final set-up. The tests show that the ...

  17. Adjoint sensitivity analysis of dynamic reliability models based on Markov chains - I: Theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cacuci, D. G.; Cacuci, D. G.; Ionescu-Bujor, M.

    2008-01-01

    The development of the adjoint sensitivity analysis procedure (ASAP) for generic dynamic reliability models based on Markov chains is presented, together with applications of this procedure to the analysis of several systems of increasing complexity. The general theory is presented in Part I of this work and is accompanied by a paradigm application to the dynamic reliability analysis of a simple binary component, namely a pump functioning on an 'up/down' cycle until it fails irreparably. This paradigm example admits a closed form analytical solution, which permits a clear illustration of the main characteristics of the ASAP for Markov chains. In particular, it is shown that the ASAP for Markov chains presents outstanding computational advantages over other procedures currently in use for sensitivity and uncertainty analysis of the dynamic reliability of large-scale systems. This conclusion is further underscored by the large-scale applications presented in Part II. (authors)

  18. Adjoint sensitivity analysis of dynamic reliability models based on Markov chains - I: Theory

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cacuci, D. G. [Commiss Energy Atom, Direct Energy Nucl, Saclay, (France); Cacuci, D. G. [Univ Karlsruhe, Inst Nucl Technol and Reactor Safety, D-76021 Karlsruhe, (Germany); Ionescu-Bujor, M. [Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe, Fus Program, D-76021 Karlsruhe, (Germany)

    2008-07-01

    The development of the adjoint sensitivity analysis procedure (ASAP) for generic dynamic reliability models based on Markov chains is presented, together with applications of this procedure to the analysis of several systems of increasing complexity. The general theory is presented in Part I of this work and is accompanied by a paradigm application to the dynamic reliability analysis of a simple binary component, namely a pump functioning on an 'up/down' cycle until it fails irreparably. This paradigm example admits a closed form analytical solution, which permits a clear illustration of the main characteristics of the ASAP for Markov chains. In particular, it is shown that the ASAP for Markov chains presents outstanding computational advantages over other procedures currently in use for sensitivity and uncertainty analysis of the dynamic reliability of large-scale systems. This conclusion is further underscored by the large-scale applications presented in Part II. (authors)

  19. An Analysis of United States Marine Corps Enlisted Entry-Level Training Using Supply Chain and Operations Management

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-12-01

    An Analysis of United States Marine Corps Enlisted Entry-Level Training Using Supply Chain and Operations Management ______________________________________ By...Report 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE: An Analysis of United States Marine Corps Enlisted Entry-Level Training Using Supply Chain and Operations Management 6...Level Training; United States Marine Corps; Operations Management ; Supply Chain Management; Process Analysis 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY

  20. Pushing or sharing as value-driven strategies for societal change in global supply chains: two case studies in the British-South African fresh fruit supply chain

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Müller, C.; Vermeulen, W.J.V.; Glasbergen, P.

    2012-01-01

    Business strategy is linked to organisational values and culture, which is determined to some extent by national culture. This can provide a challenge in a global supply chain where culture and values at one end of the chain do not correspond with culture at the other end. This paper contends that

  1. Supply chain integration opportunities for the offshore wind industry

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Martinez, Ivan

    2016-01-01

    Purpose - This paper surveys the literature on supply chain integration (SCI) to identify the state of research in the various types of studied industries and manufacturing environments. The purpose of this paper is to identify academic discoveries that could provide offshore wind projects...... with means to overcome their current supply chain challenges. Design/methodology/approach - A comprehensive literature review was conducted involving 162 articles published in 29 peer-reviewed journals. The papers were analyzed in terms of the dimensions of SCI, research methodology, unit of analysis, level...... of analysis, type of industry and manufacturing environment being studied, integrative practices, integrative barriers and the link between SCI and performance. Findings - While SCI has been evolving to become an influential topic in the field of supply chain management, scholars have overlooked industrial...

  2. The 90 90 90 strategy to end the HIV Pandemic by 2030: Can the supply chain handle it?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jamieson, David

    2016-01-01

    Introduction UNAIDS “90-90-90” strategy calls for 90% of HIV-infected individuals to be diagnosed by 2020, 90% of whom will be on anti-retroviral therapy (ART) and 90% of whom will achieve sustained virologic suppression. Reaching these targets by 2020 will reduce the HIV epidemic to a low-level endemic disease by 2030. However, moving the global response towards this universal test and treat model will pose huge challenges to public health systems in resource-limited settings, including global and local supply chain systems. These challenges are especially acute in Africa, which accounts for over 70% of the persons affected by HIV. Discussion From a supply chain perspective, each of the “90's” has possible complications and roadblocks towards realizing the promise envisioned by 90-90-90. For instance, ensuring that 90% of HIV-infected persons know their status will require a large increase in access to HIV tests compared with what is currently available. To ensure that there are enough anti-retrovirals available to treat the nearly 25 million people that will require them by 2020 represents a near doubling of the ARV supplied to treat the 13 million currently on treatment. Similarly, to monitor those on treatment means an unprecedented scale-up of viral load testing throughout Africa. Conclusions Larger issues include whether the capacity exists at the local level to handle these commodities when they arrive in the most severely affected countries, including considerations of the human resources and costs needed to make this strategy effective. We believe that such “real world” analysis of proposed strategies and policies is essential to ensure their most effective implementation. PMID:27370169

  3. The 90 90 90 strategy to end the HIV Pandemic by 2030: Can the supply chain handle it?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jamieson, David; Kellerman, Scott E

    2016-01-01

    UNAIDS "90-90-90" strategy calls for 90% of HIV-infected individuals to be diagnosed by 2020, 90% of whom will be on anti-retroviral therapy (ART) and 90% of whom will achieve sustained virologic suppression. Reaching these targets by 2020 will reduce the HIV epidemic to a low-level endemic disease by 2030. However, moving the global response towards this universal test and treat model will pose huge challenges to public health systems in resource-limited settings, including global and local supply chain systems. These challenges are especially acute in Africa, which accounts for over 70% of the persons affected by HIV. From a supply chain perspective, each of the "90's" has possible complications and roadblocks towards realizing the promise envisioned by 90-90-90. For instance, ensuring that 90% of HIV-infected persons know their status will require a large increase in access to HIV tests compared with what is currently available. To ensure that there are enough anti-retrovirals available to treat the nearly 25 million people that will require them by 2020 represents a near doubling of the ARV supplied to treat the 13 million currently on treatment. Similarly, to monitor those on treatment means an unprecedented scale-up of viral load testing throughout Africa. Larger issues include whether the capacity exists at the local level to handle these commodities when they arrive in the most severely affected countries, including considerations of the human resources and costs needed to make this strategy effective. We believe that such "real world" analysis of proposed strategies and policies is essential to ensure their most effective implementation.

  4. FPGA Design of the digital acquisition chain to test and implement ALPS, the new Beam Position Monitor for the Super Proton Synchrotron at CERN

    CERN Document Server

    Degl'Innocenti, Irene; Boccardi, Andrea

    This thesis presents the firmware design and the data analysis to test and implement part of the acquisition chain of ALPS (A Logarithmic Position Monitor), the new beam position monitor of the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS) at CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research. CERN provides particle accelerators and detectors to accelerate beams of particles and observe their collisions and the SPS is the second larger circular machine in the accelerator complex. The SPS beam position monitor, the system that measures the transverse position of the accelerated particle beams along the pipe, is now under redesign. In the BPM acquisition chain the signal from the sensor is first conditioned by the analog front-end, then digitalised in the digital front-end and transmitted to the back-end for being processed. The goal of the thesis is the conception of firmware modules and analysis tools integrated with the acquisition chain, aiming to acquire and analyse data to qualify the system and finally implement ...

  5. Alternating chain with Hubbard-type interactions: renormalization group analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buzatu, F. D.; Jackeli, G.

    1998-01-01

    A large amount of work has been devoted to the study of alternating chains for a better understanding of the high-T c superconductivity mechanism. The same phenomenon renewed the interest in the Hubbard model and in its one-dimensional extensions. In this work we investigate, using the Renormalization Group (RG) method, the effect of the Hubbard-type interactions on the ground-state properties of a chain with alternating on-site atomic energies. The one-particle Hamiltonian in the tight binding approximation corresponding to an alternating chain with two nonequivalent sites per unit cell can be diagonalized by a canonical transformation; one gets a two band model. The Hubbard-type interactions give rise to both intra- and inter-band couplings; however, if the gap between the two bands is sufficiently large and the system is more than half-filled, as for the CuO 3 chain occurring in high-T c superconductors, the last ones can be neglected in describing the low energy physics. We restrict our considerations to the Hubbard-type interactions (upper band) in the particular case of alternating on-site energies and equal hopping amplitudes. The standard RG analysis (second order) is done in terms of the g-constants describing the elementary processes of forward, backward and Umklapp scatterings: their expressions are obtained by evaluating the Hubbard-type interactions (upper band) at the Fermi points. Using the scaling to the exact soluble models Tomonaga-Luttinger and Luther-Emery, we can predict the low energy physics of our system. The ground-state phase diagrams in terms of the model parameters and at arbitrary band filling are determined, where four types of instabilities have been considered: Charge Density Waves (CDW), Spin Density Waves (SDW), Singlet Superconductivity (SS) and Triplet Superconductivity (TS). The 3/4-filled case in terms of some renormalized Hubbard constants is presented. The relevance of our analysis to the case of the undistorted 3/4-filled Cu

  6. The value of supply chain coordination under moral hazard: A case study of the consumer product supply chain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Yumi; Song, Sang Hwa

    2018-01-01

    In this paper, we examine a real-world case related to the consumer product supply chain to analyze the value of supply chain coordination under the condition of moral hazard. Because of the characteristics of a buyback contract scheme employed in the supply chain, the supplier company’s sales department encourages retailers to order more inventory to meet their sales target, whereas retailers pay less attention to their inventory level and leftovers at the end of the season. This condition induces moral hazard problems in the operation of the supply chain, as suppliers suffer from huge returns of leftover inventory. This, in turn, is related to the obsolescence of returned inventory, even with penalty terms in the contract for the return of any leftovers. In this study, we show under the current buyback-based supply chain operation, the inventory levels of both the supplier and retailers exceed customer demand and develop vendor-managed inventory (VMI) system with base stock policy to remove any mismatch of supply and demand. A comparison of both systems shows that through the proper coordination of supply chain operations, both suppliers and retailers can gain additional benefits while providing proper services to end customers. PMID:29547625

  7. A BENCHMARKING ANALYSIS FOR FIVE RADIONUCLIDE VADOSE ZONE MODELS (CHAIN, MULTIMED_DP, FECTUZ, HYDRUS, AND CHAIN 2D) IN SOIL SCREENING LEVEL CALCULATIONS

    Science.gov (United States)

    Five radionuclide vadose zone models with different degrees of complexity (CHAIN, MULTIMED_DP, FECTUZ, HYDRUS, and CHAIN 2D) were selected for use in soil screening level (SSL) calculations. A benchmarking analysis between the models was conducted for a radionuclide (99Tc) rele...

  8. Kinetics of Internal-Loop Formation in Polypeptide Chains: A Simulation Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doucet, Dana; Roitberg, Adrian; Hagen, Stephen J.

    2007-01-01

    The speed of simple diffusional motions, such as the formation of loops in the polypeptide chain, places one physical limit on the speed of protein folding. Many experimental studies have explored the kinetics of formation of end-to-end loops in polypeptide chains; however, protein folding more often requires the formation of contacts between interior points on the chain. One expects that, for loops of fixed contour length, interior loops will form more slowly than end-to-end loops, owing to the additional excluded volume associated with the “tails”. We estimate the magnitude of this effect by generating ensembles of randomly coiled, freely jointed chains, and then using the theory of Szabo, Schulten, and Schulten to calculate the corresponding contact formation rates for these ensembles. Adding just a few residues, to convert an end-to-end loop to an internal loop, sharply decreases the contact rate. Surprisingly, the relative change in rate increases for a longer loop; sufficiently long tails, however, actually reverse the effect and accelerate loop formation slightly. Our results show that excluded volume effects in real, full-length polypeptides may cause the rates of loop formation during folding to depart significantly from the values derived from recent loop-formation experiments on short peptides. PMID:17208979

  9. Decision Analysis of Advertising and Price for Bilateral Competing Supply Chain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cheng-Tang Zhang

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The outcome of centralized equilibrium, prisoner's dilemma equilibrium, and decentralized equilibrium under different decision models has been provided with regards to bilateral competing supply chain system, either side of which is composed of one manufacturer and one retailer. Theoretical analysis indicates a positive correlation between price and one's own advertising investment level and a negative correlation between price and the opponent's advertising investment level. Through analysis of numerical examples, the results reveal a first mover advantage that leads to prisoner's dilemma in the system as well as the impact that price and advertising competition intensity has on the supply chain's choice of decision model.

  10. Advances in single chain technology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gonzalez-Burgos, Marina; Latorre-Sanchez, Alejandro; Pomposo, José A

    2015-10-07

    The recent ability to manipulate and visualize single atoms at atomic level has given rise to modern bottom-up nanotechnology. Similar exquisite degree of control at the individual polymeric chain level for producing functional soft nanoentities is expected to become a reality in the next few years through the full development of so-called "single chain technology". Ultra-small unimolecular soft nano-objects endowed with useful, autonomous and smart functions are the expected, long-term valuable output of single chain technology. This review covers the recent advances in single chain technology for the construction of soft nano-objects via chain compaction, with an emphasis in dynamic, letter-shaped and compositionally unsymmetrical single rings, complex multi-ring systems, single chain nanoparticles, tadpoles, dumbbells and hairpins, as well as the potential end-use applications of individual soft nano-objects endowed with useful functions in catalysis, sensing, drug delivery and other uses.

  11. Supply chain management for small business--how to avoid being part of the food chain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knechtges, J P; Watts, C A

    2000-08-01

    A supply chain is a series of customer and supplier relationships that extend throughout and beyond the company. It is an interwoven set of links that together form a chain supplying our customers in a seamless and integrated fashion delivering a high level of customer satisfaction. Supply chain management (SCM) integrates all activities so they are focused on customer satisfaction (both internally and externally). One of the things this article will attempt to accomplish is to provide a clear understanding of SCM's positive impact on customer service as well as on improving profitability, cash flow, product cycle times, and communication. Whether we go forward in the supply chain to the final end-user or backward in the supply chain to our supplier's suppliers, SCM will significantly improve our ability to serve our customers.

  12. The Bullwhip Effect on the VMI-Supply Chain Management viaSystem Dynamics Approach: The Supply Chain with Two Suppliers and One Retail Channel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yahia Zare Mehrjerdi

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available This work investigates the effect of different inventory policies of a supply chain model using the system dynamics approach which belongs to the class of Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI, automatic pipeline, inventory and order based production control systems (VMI-APIOBPCS. This work helps management to investigate the effect of different policies such as adding the VMI system or third party logistic (TPL on the whole cost of the supply chain. To this end, this work applies system dynamics in supply chain with two supplier and one retail channel which consists of VMI system. Moreover, this work studies the performance of the proposed model via three metrics: Bullwhip effect; satisfaction of the end-customer; the amount of the whole inventory of chain.

  13. A stakeholder analysis of divergent supply-chain trends for the European onshore and offshore wind installations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wüstemeyer, Christoph; Madlener, Reinhard; Bunn, Derek W.

    2015-01-01

    This paper provides a survey-based analysis of investment decisions and structural shifts related to onshore and offshore wind power supply chains. Insights on cost reductions are obtained from a detailed stakeholder survey conducted amongst the European wind power industry in 2012. Overall, a rather more optimistic view of the scope for cost reductions in offshore technology is presented than has previously been evident in empirical analysis. From the analysis we conclude that the wind power industry has experienced a decoupling process of the offshore supply chain from its onshore counterpart with diverging technological requirements. For policy-makers, it is essential to acknowledge that barriers to adoption and the consequent needs for subsidies among the players in the onshore and offshore supply chains seem to differ, and that a micro-level analysis of the innovations and risks involved at the various stages in the supply chain is necessary. - Highlights: • Survey-based analysis of supply chain trends in the European wind energy industry. • Study of technology adoption decisions, structural shifts, and cost projections. • Results reveal a decoupling process between onshore and offshore supply chains. • Possibilities to transfer knowledge from the onshore to the offshore product vary. • The divergent barriers to adoption need to be accounted for by policy-makers

  14. Learning from the UK Research Excellence Framework: Ends and Means in Research Quality Assessment, and the Reliability of Results in Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    McNay, Ian

    2015-01-01

    This article first reviews the objectives/ends of research quality assessment in several countries to draw lessons for the UK Research Excellence Framework and similar exercises. It then reviews work on performance management as a framework for reviewing the views of participants on the means to the ends--the management of their experience in…

  15. Analysis of Supply Chain Risk Management Strategies: Case Study of Supply Chain Disruptions

    OpenAIRE

    Marcelo Dias Carvalho; Leticia Ishikawa

    2016-01-01

    Supply Chain Risk Management refers to a set of strategies used by companies to avoid supply chain disruption caused by damage at production facilities, natural disasters, capacity issues, inventory problems, incorrect forecasts, and delays. Many companies use the techniques of the Toyota Production System, which in a way goes against a better management of supply chain risks. This paper studies key events in some multinationals to analyze the trade-off between the best supply chain risk mana...

  16. Modelling and analysis of workflow for lean supply chains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Jinping; Wang, Kanliang; Xu, Lida

    2011-11-01

    Cross-organisational workflow systems are a component of enterprise information systems which support collaborative business process among organisations in supply chain. Currently, the majority of workflow systems is developed in perspectives of information modelling without considering actual requirements of supply chain management. In this article, we focus on the modelling and analysis of the cross-organisational workflow systems in the context of lean supply chain (LSC) using Petri nets. First, the article describes the assumed conditions of cross-organisation workflow net according to the idea of LSC and then discusses the standardisation of collaborating business process between organisations in the context of LSC. Second, the concept of labelled time Petri nets (LTPNs) is defined through combining labelled Petri nets with time Petri nets, and the concept of labelled time workflow nets (LTWNs) is also defined based on LTPNs. Cross-organisational labelled time workflow nets (CLTWNs) is then defined based on LTWNs. Third, the article proposes the notion of OR-silent CLTWNS and a verifying approach to the soundness of LTWNs and CLTWNs. Finally, this article illustrates how to use the proposed method by a simple example. The purpose of this research is to establish a formal method of modelling and analysis of workflow systems for LSC. This study initiates a new perspective of research on cross-organisational workflow management and promotes operation management of LSC in real world settings.

  17. Numerical analysis of the performance of an atomic iodine laser amplifier chain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Uchiyama, T.; Witte, K.J.

    1981-05-01

    The performance of an atomic iodine laser amplifier chain with output pulse powers close to 2 TW is analyzed by a numerical solution of the Maxwell-Bloch equations. Two subjects are discussed in detail. The first one refers to the pulse compression occurring in the chain as a result of saturation and some related aspects such as damage to components, self-focussing, correlation between the input and output pulse shapes, and the means of pulse shape control. The second deals with various schemes suited for achieving extraction efficiencies of about or larger than 55%. These include the single-pass and double-pass schemes, pulses with two carrier frequencies and a variation of the pulse carrier frequency. In addition, the response of the chain to a variation of those parameters which are most easily subject to change in a routine operation is investigated. (orig.)

  18. Integration of Forestry Industrial Chain in China

    OpenAIRE

    Lan, Zhanzhan; Wang, Liqun

    2013-01-01

    Based on the Smile Curve and Michael E. Porter’ value chain model, this paper points out that China’s forestry industry stays at the low end of the value chain for a long time. Raw materials are imported from foreign countries and also sold in foreign countries. Then, the authors analyze characteristics and existing problems of China’s forestry industrial chain. They put forward the development direction of China’s forestry industrial chain with reference to International Paper Compan...

  19. More Than Bar Codes: Integrating Global Standards-Based Bar Code Technology Into National Health Information Systems in Ethiopia and Pakistan to Increase End-to-End Supply Chain Visibility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hara, Liuichi; Guirguis, Ramy; Hummel, Keith; Villanueva, Monica

    2017-12-28

    The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) DELIVER PROJECT work together to strengthen public health commodity supply chains by standardizing bar coding under a single set of global standards. From 2015, UNFPA and USAID collaborated to pilot test how tracking and tracing of bar coded health products could be operationalized in the public health supply chains of Ethiopia and Pakistan and inform the ecosystem needed to begin full implementation. Pakistan had been using proprietary bar codes for inventory management of contraceptive supplies but transitioned to global standards-based bar codes during the pilot. The transition allowed Pakistan to leverage the original bar codes that were preprinted by global manufacturers as opposed to printing new bar codes at the central warehouse. However, barriers at lower service delivery levels prevented full realization of end-to-end data visibility. Key barriers at the district level were the lack of a digital inventory management system and absence of bar codes at the primary-level packaging level, such as single blister packs. The team in Ethiopia developed an open-sourced smartphone application that allowed the team to scan bar codes using the mobile phone's camera and to push the captured data to the country's data mart. Real-time tracking and tracing occurred from the central warehouse to the Addis Ababa distribution hub and to 2 health centers. These pilots demonstrated that standardized product identification and bar codes can significantly improve accuracy over manual stock counts while significantly streamlining the stock-taking process, resulting in efficiencies. The pilots also showed that bar coding technology by itself is not sufficient to ensure data visibility. Rather, by using global standards for identification and data capture of pharmaceuticals and medical devices, and integrating the data captured into national and global tracking systems

  20. DOS cones along atomic chains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kwapiński, Tomasz

    2017-01-01

    The electron transport properties of a linear atomic chain are studied theoretically within the tight-binding Hamiltonian and the Green’s function method. Variations of the local density of states (DOS) along the chain are investigated. They are crucial in scanning tunnelling experiments and give important insight into the electron transport mechanism and charge distribution inside chains. It is found that depending on the chain parity the local DOS at the Fermi level can form cone-like structures (DOS cones) along the chain. The general condition for the local DOS oscillations is obtained and the linear behaviour of the local density function is confirmed analytically. DOS cones are characterized by a linear decay towards the chain which is in contrast to the propagation properties of charge density waves, end states and Friedel oscillations in one-dimensional systems. We find that DOS cones can appear due to non-resonant electron transport, the spin–orbit scattering or for chains fabricated on a substrate with localized electrons. It is also shown that for imperfect chains (e.g. with a reduced coupling strength between two neighboring sites) a diamond-like structure of the local DOS along the chain appears. (paper)

  1. DOS cones along atomic chains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kwapiński, Tomasz

    2017-03-01

    The electron transport properties of a linear atomic chain are studied theoretically within the tight-binding Hamiltonian and the Green’s function method. Variations of the local density of states (DOS) along the chain are investigated. They are crucial in scanning tunnelling experiments and give important insight into the electron transport mechanism and charge distribution inside chains. It is found that depending on the chain parity the local DOS at the Fermi level can form cone-like structures (DOS cones) along the chain. The general condition for the local DOS oscillations is obtained and the linear behaviour of the local density function is confirmed analytically. DOS cones are characterized by a linear decay towards the chain which is in contrast to the propagation properties of charge density waves, end states and Friedel oscillations in one-dimensional systems. We find that DOS cones can appear due to non-resonant electron transport, the spin-orbit scattering or for chains fabricated on a substrate with localized electrons. It is also shown that for imperfect chains (e.g. with a reduced coupling strength between two neighboring sites) a diamond-like structure of the local DOS along the chain appears.

  2. Assessment of the Lodging Industry Profitability Performance: Invest in Independent or Chain Ownership?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soultana Tania Kapiki

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to evaluate the economic results of the independent hotels in comparison with the chain hotels as well as to propose suggestions for the viability of the lodging industry.The survey took place in Greece concerning the period 2008-2011 and it was conducted via on-line questionnaires among 165 hotel units. The average means of efficiency and profitability indicators of the sampled hotels are benchmarked and the data of 2009 are utilized to further compare their ratios by using ratio analysis. Furthermore, ANOVA test is used to conduct mean difference analysis in order to identify the differences among the means along with their associated variables between independent and chain hotels. The main findings of the survey show that, generally, the independent hotels tend to be more profitable than chain hotels. The sector’s good practices that have been identified through this study are highlighted as suggestions for the viability of the lodging industry both in Greece and worldwide.Based on the findings of the survey, investors and hotel operators may have a clearer picture of whether it is preferable to invest their funds in the development of an independent hotel or they should turn to chain ownership

  3. Flux through a Markov chain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Floriani, Elena; Lima, Ricardo; Ourrad, Ouerdia; Spinelli, Lionel

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • The flux through a Markov chain of a conserved quantity (mass) is studied. • Mass is supplied by an external source and ends in the absorbing states of the chain. • Meaningful for modeling open systems whose dynamics has a Markov property. • The analytical expression of mass distribution is given for a constant source. • The expression of mass distribution is given for periodic or random sources. - Abstract: In this paper we study the flux through a finite Markov chain of a quantity, that we will call mass, which moves through the states of the chain according to the Markov transition probabilities. Mass is supplied by an external source and accumulates in the absorbing states of the chain. We believe that studying how this conserved quantity evolves through the transient (non-absorbing) states of the chain could be useful for the modelization of open systems whose dynamics has a Markov property.

  4. An Application of Graph Theory in Markov Chains Reliability Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pavel Skalny

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents reliability analysis which was realized for an industrial company. The aim of the paper is to present the usage of discrete time Markov chains and the flow in network approach. Discrete Markov chains a well-known method of stochastic modelling describes the issue. The method is suitable for many systems occurring in practice where we can easily distinguish various amount of states. Markov chains are used to describe transitions between the states of the process. The industrial process is described as a graph network. The maximal flow in the network corresponds to the production. The Ford-Fulkerson algorithm is used to quantify the production for each state. The combination of both methods are utilized to quantify the expected value of the amount of manufactured products for the given time period.

  5. Equivalence of chain conformations in the surface region of a polymer melt and a single Gaussian chain nder critical conditions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Skvortsov, A.M.; Leermakers, F.A.M.; Fleer, G.J.

    2013-01-01

    In the melt polymer conformations are nearly ideal according to Flory's ideality hypothesis. Silberberg generalized this statement for chains in the interfacial region. We check the Silberberg argument by analyzing the conformations of a probe chain end-grafted at a solid surface in a sea of

  6. The Effect of Information Security Management on Organizational Processes Integration in Supply Chain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohsen Shafiei Nikabadi

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available : The major purpose of this article was that how information security management has effect on supply chain integration and the effect of implementing "information security management system" on enhancing supplies chain integration. In this respect, current research was seeking a combination overview to these tow approaches (Information Security Management and Organizational Processes Integration by Enterprise Resources Planning System and after that determined factors of these two important issue by factor analysis. Researchers using a series of comments in the automotive experts (production planning and management and supply chain experts and caregivers car makers and suppliers in the first level and second level supply chain industry. In this way, it has been done that impact on how information security management processes enterprise supply chain integration with the help of statistical correlation analysis. The results of this investigation indicated effect of "information security management system" various dimensions that were coordination of information, prevent human errors and hardware, the accuracy of information and education for users on two dimensions of internal and external integration of business processes, supply chain and finally, it can increased integration of business processes in supply chain. At the end owing to quite these results, deployment of "information security management system" increased the integration of organizational processes in supply chain. It could be demonstrate with the consideration of relation of organizational integration processes whit the level of coordination of information, prevent errors and accuracy of information throughout the supply chain.

  7. The Role of Information Security Management Systems in Supply Chain Performance Improvement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Reza Taghva

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available In recent years, the researchers have emphasized on positive effect of information system on supply chain performance such as organizational processes integration, information sharing, information technology, etc. In other hand, information security management system is one of the subjects that researches considered its effects on increase accuracy and effective information exchange, access to accurate and timely information and reduce errors of information system. Since, any research has not been done on this ground (the importance of ISMS on supply chain performance. Therefore, it was felt that a research should have done on these approaches on supply chain. In this respect, current research was seeking that how ISMS had impact on supply chain performance in automotive industry and this was the innovative aspect of this paper. So first of all, after the review of the information security management system literature, supply chain performance was considered by the balanced scorecard approach then the most important factors of these two subjects was extracted by correlation analysis. In this way, it was considered that how ISMS had impact on supply chain performance by correlation analysis. The results showed that different dimensions of ISMS (information uniformity, prevent the human and machine mistake, information be accuracy, and rectitude and instruction for users had impact on four dimensions of supply chain performance (customers, financial, internal processes and learning and growth in three levels (strategic, technical, and operational in supply chain. At the end, it was showed that ISMS lays the ground for increase supply chain performance.

  8. Probabilistic Accident Consequence Uncertainty Analysis of the Food Chain Module in the COSYMA Package (invited paper)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brown, J.; Jones, J.A.

    2000-01-01

    This paper describes the uncertainty analysis of the food chain module of COSYMA and the uncertainty distributions on the input parameter values for the food chain model provided by the expert panels that were used for the analysis. Two expert panels were convened, covering the areas of soil and plant transfer processes and transfer to and through animals. The aggregated uncertainty distributions from the experts for the elicited variables were used in an uncertainty analysis of the food chain module of COSYMA. The main aim of the module analysis was to identify those parameters whose uncertainty makes large contributions to the overall uncertainty and so should be included in the overall analysis. (author)

  9. Planning of outsourced operations in pharmaceutical supply chains

    OpenAIRE

    Boulaksil, Y.

    2010-01-01

    In this dissertation, we focus on the planning and control of supply chains where part of the supply chain is outsourced to a contract manufacturer(s). Supply Chain Management deals with the integration of business processes from end-customers through original suppliers that provide products, services and information that add value for customers (Cooper et al., 1997). In a narrow sense, a supply chain can be ‘owned’ by one large company with several sites, often located in different countries...

  10. Integration of End-User Cloud Storage for CMS Analysis

    CERN Document Server

    Riahi, Hassen; Álvarez Ayllón, Alejandro; Balcas, Justas; Ciangottini, Diego; Hernández, José M; Keeble, Oliver; Magini, Nicolò; Manzi, Andrea; Mascetti, Luca; Mascheroni, Marco; Tanasijczuk, Andres Jorge; Vaandering, Eric Wayne

    2018-01-01

    End-user Cloud storage is increasing rapidly in popularity in research communities thanks to the collaboration capabilities it offers, namely synchronisation and sharing. CERN IT has implemented a model of such storage named, CERNBox, integrated with the CERN AuthN and AuthZ services. To exploit the use of the end-user Cloud storage for the distributed data analysis activity, the CMS experiment has started the integration of CERNBox as a Grid resource. This will allow CMS users to make use of their own storage in the Cloud for their analysis activities as well as to benefit from synchronisation and sharing capabilities to achieve results faster and more effectively. It will provide an integration model of Cloud storages in the Grid, which is implemented and commissioned over the world’s largest computing Grid infrastructure, Worldwide LHC Computing Grid (WLCG). In this paper, we present the integration strategy and infrastructure changes needed in order to transparently integrate end-user Cloud storage with...

  11. Markov chains models, algorithms and applications

    CERN Document Server

    Ching, Wai-Ki; Ng, Michael K; Siu, Tak-Kuen

    2013-01-01

    This new edition of Markov Chains: Models, Algorithms and Applications has been completely reformatted as a text, complete with end-of-chapter exercises, a new focus on management science, new applications of the models, and new examples with applications in financial risk management and modeling of financial data.This book consists of eight chapters.  Chapter 1 gives a brief introduction to the classical theory on both discrete and continuous time Markov chains. The relationship between Markov chains of finite states and matrix theory will also be highlighted. Some classical iterative methods

  12. COST ANALYSIS AND OPTIMIZATION IN THE LOGISTIC SUPPLY CHAIN USING THE SIMPROLOGIC PROGRAM

    OpenAIRE

    Ilona MAŃKA; Adam MAŃKA

    2016-01-01

    This article aims to characterize the authorial SimProLOGIC program, version 2.1, which enables one to conduct a cost analysis of individual links, as well as the entire logistic supply chain (LSC). This article also presents an example of the analysis of the parameters, which characterize the supplier of subsystems in the examined logistic chain, and the results of the initial optimization, which makes it possible to improve the economic balance, as well as the level of customer servic...

  13. Fuel rod end plug

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McGeary, R.K.; Bucher, G.D.

    1989-01-01

    This patent describes an end plug for welded disposition within the end of a tube. It comprises a circumferentially extending, axially oriented land surface, having a radial extent defined by means of a first predetermined dimension, for disposition within the end of the tube; a circumferentially extending, axially oriented land surface, having a radial extent defined by means of a second predetermined dimension which is greater than the first predetermined dimension, for disposition outside of the end of the tube. The second land surface being disposed upstream of the first land surface; an annularly extending, radially oriented shoulder portion, defined at the downstream end of the second land surface and having a radially inward depth which is greater than the difference defined between the first and second radial dimensions of the first and second land surfaces, for engaging the end of the tube in a butt contact fashion; and annular groove means defined between the upstream end of the first land surface and the shoulder portion of the end plug, for eliminating porosity defects normally developed within a weldment defined between the tube end and the end plug when the end plug is welded within the tube end, and including a conical surface which extends radially outwardly from the innermost radial depth extent of the shoulder portion to the upstream end of the first land surface

  14. Price competition and equilibrium analysis in multiple hybrid channel supply chain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuang, Guihua; Wang, Aihu; Sha, Jin

    2017-06-01

    The amazing boom of Internet and logistics industry prompts more and more enterprises to sell commodity through multiple channels. Such market conditions make the participants of multiple hybrid channel supply chain compete each other in traditional and direct channel at the same time. This paper builds a two-echelon supply chain model with a single manufacturer and a single retailer who both can choose different channel or channel combination for their own sales, then, discusses the price competition and calculates the equilibrium price under different sales channel selection combinations. Our analysis shows that no matter the manufacturer and retailer choose same or different channel price to compete, the equilibrium price does not necessarily exist the equilibrium price in the multiple hybrid channel supply chain and wholesale price change is not always able to coordinate supply chain completely. We also present the sufficient and necessary conditions for the existence of equilibrium price and coordination wholesale price.

  15. Solitons in Granular Chains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Manciu, M.; Sen, S.; Hurd, A.J.

    1999-01-01

    The authors consider a chain of elastic (Hertzian) grains that repel upon contact according to the potential V = adelta u , u > 2, where delta is the overlap between the grains. They present numerical and analytical results to show that an impulse initiated at an end of a chain of Hertzian grains in contact eventually propagates as a soliton for all n > 2 and that no solitons are possible for n le 2. Unlike continuous, they find that colliding solitons in discrete media initiative multiple weak solitons at the point of crossing

  16. Natural gas as an alternative to crude oil in automotive fuel chains well-to-wheel analysis and transition strategy development

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hekkert, M.P.; Hendriks, F.H.J.F.; Faaij, A.P.C.; Neelis, M.L.

    2005-01-01

    Road transport produces significant amounts of CO 2 by using crude oil as primary energy source. A reduction of CO 2 emissions can be achieved by implementing alternative fuel chains. This article studies CO 2 emissions and energy efficiencies by means of a well to wheel analysis of alternative automotive fuel chains, using natural gas (NG) as an alternative primary energy source to replace crude oil. The results indicate that NG-based hydrogen applied in fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) lead to largest CO 2 emission reductions (up to 40% compared to current practice). However, large implementation barriers for this option are foreseen, both technically and in terms of network change. Two different transition strategies are discussed to gradually make the transition to these preferred fuel chains. Important transition technologies that are the backbone of these routes are traditional engine technology fuelled by compressed NG and a FCV fuelled by gasoline. The first is preferred in terms of carbon emissions. The results furthermore indicate that an innovation in the conventional chain, the diesel hybrid vehicle, is more efficient than many NG-based chains. This option scores well in terms of carbon emissions and implementation barriers and is a very strong option for the future

  17. Optimal inventory policy in a closed loop supply chain system with multiple periods

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sasi Kumar, A.; Natarajan, K.; Ramasubramaniam, Muthu Rathna Sapabathy.; Deepaknallasamy, K.K.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to model and optimize the closed loop supply chain for maximizing the profit by considering the fixed order quantity inventory policy in various sites at multiple periods. Design/methodology/approach: In forward supply chain, a standard inventory policy can be followed when the product moves from manufacturer, distributer, retailer and customer but the inventory in the reverse supply chain of the product with the similar standard policy is very difficult to manage. This model investigates the standard policy of fixed order quantity by considering the three major types of return-recovery pair such as commercial returns, end- of- use returns, end –of- life returns and their inventory positioning at multiple periods. The model is configured as mixed integer linear programming and solved by IBM ILOG CPLEX OPL studio. Findings: To find the performance of the model a numerical example is considered for a product with three Parts (A which of 2nos, B and C) for 12 multiple periods. The results of the analysis show that the manufacturer can know how much should to be manufacture in multiple periods based on Variations of the demand by adopting the FOQ inventory policy at different sites considering its capacity constraints. In addition, it is important how much of parts should be purchased from the supplier at the given 12 periods. Originality/value: A sensitivity analysis is performed to validate the proposed model two parts. First part of the analysis will focus on the inventory of product and parts and second part of analysis focus on profit of the company. The analysis which provides some insights in to the structure of the model.

  18. Optimal inventory policy in a closed loop supply chain system with multiple periods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sasi Kumar, A.; Natarajan, K.; Ramasubramaniam, Muthu Rathna Sapabathy.; Deepaknallasamy, K.K.

    2017-07-01

    Purpose: This paper aims to model and optimize the closed loop supply chain for maximizing the profit by considering the fixed order quantity inventory policy in various sites at multiple periods. Design/methodology/approach: In forward supply chain, a standard inventory policy can be followed when the product moves from manufacturer, distributer, retailer and customer but the inventory in the reverse supply chain of the product with the similar standard policy is very difficult to manage. This model investigates the standard policy of fixed order quantity by considering the three major types of return-recovery pair such as commercial returns, end- of- use returns, end –of- life returns and their inventory positioning at multiple periods. The model is configured as mixed integer linear programming and solved by IBM ILOG CPLEX OPL studio. Findings: To find the performance of the model a numerical example is considered for a product with three Parts (A which of 2nos, B and C) for 12 multiple periods. The results of the analysis show that the manufacturer can know how much should to be manufacture in multiple periods based on Variations of the demand by adopting the FOQ inventory policy at different sites considering its capacity constraints. In addition, it is important how much of parts should be purchased from the supplier at the given 12 periods. Originality/value: A sensitivity analysis is performed to validate the proposed model two parts. First part of the analysis will focus on the inventory of product and parts and second part of analysis focus on profit of the company. The analysis which provides some insights in to the structure of the model.

  19. Optimal inventory policy in a closed loop supply chain system with multiple periods

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SasiKumar A.

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: This paper aims to model and optimize the closed loop supply chain for maximizing the profit by considering the fixed order quantity inventory policy in various sites at multiple periods. Design/methodology/approach: In forward supply chain, a standard inventory policy can be followed when the product moves from manufacturer, distributer, retailer and customer but the inventory in the reverse supply chain of the product with the similar standard policy is very difficult to manage. This model investigates the standard policy of fixed order quantity by considering the three major types of return-recovery pair such as commercial returns, end- of- use returns, end –of- life returns and their inventory positioning at multiple periods.  The model is configured as mixed integer linear programming and solved by IBM ILOG CPLEX OPL studio. Findings: To find the performance of the model a numerical example is considered for a product with three Parts (A which of 2nos, B and C for 12 multiple periods. The results of the analysis show that the manufacturer can know how much should to be manufacture in multiple periods based on Variations of the demand by adopting the FOQ inventory policy at different sites considering its capacity constraints. In addition, it is important how much of parts should be purchased from the supplier at the given 12 periods. Originality/value: A sensitivity analysis is performed to validate the proposed model two parts. First part of the analysis will focus on the inventory of product and parts and second part of analysis focus on profit of the company. The analysis which provides some insights in to the structure of the model.

  20. The Innovation Union: a perfect means to confused ends?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hove, Sybille van den; McGlade, Jacqueline; Mottet, Pierre; Depledge, Michael H.

    2012-01-01

    In this commentary we argue that innovation is a means, not an end in itself. Innovation is only desirable to the extent that it improves human health and well-being and contributes to environmental, social, and economic sustainability. If innovation is merely focussed on bringing more products to markets and delivering economic growth in the short term, as is currently the trend in the European Union and many OECD countries, it is unclear how it differs from the dominant pre-crisis approach which, notwithstanding its positive effects on living standards, led to unsustainable resource use, crippling biodiversity loss, and increasing greenhouse gas emissions. As the future European research, development and innovation policies are being defined, we should not miss an historic opportunity to concentrate on improving human health, well-being and quality of life, and to embark on a more ecologically, socially and economically sustainable path. Given the scale and irreversibility of our damaging effects on the environment and on the well-being of current and future generations, we call for these aspects to be urgently represented in European innovation discourses, policies, and actions. Re-balancing market focussed innovation and socially meaningful and responsible innovation (i.e. innovation with a human purpose) can be achieved by building on a broader concept of innovation which not only includes technological innovation, but also non-technological, social, institutional, organisational and behavioural innovation. We then discuss the importance of curiosity-driven research and of environment and health research as drivers of socially meaningful innovation in all its forms.

  1. Ordering Strategy Analysis of Prefabricated Component Manufacturer in Construction Supply Chain

    OpenAIRE

    Yang, Hongxiong; Chung, Jacky K. H.; Chen, Yuhong; Pan, Yifan; Mei, Zhiling; Sun, Xiongle

    2018-01-01

    Firstly, the characteristics and present situations of the prefabricated construction supply chain are analyzed; inventory cost models for construction material of every phase order, one-off order, and fractionated order are built based on traditional EOQ model and construction supply chain theory. Next, the order decision is represented in binary numbers 0 and 1, in which 0 stands for “no order” and 1 for “order.” The analysis uses the genetic algorithm, sets the objective function, and unde...

  2. CORRECTION OF CHAIN-LINKING METHOD BY MEANS OF LLOYD-MOULTON-FISHER-TÖRNQVIST INDEX ON CROATIAN GDP DATA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ante Rozga

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available National statistical agencies of European Union use chain-linking method to achieve the best possible decomposition of GDP. The main advantage of this method is its simplicity, thus it can be applied in practice, which makes it particularly attractive in the situation when GDP has to be compiled on due time. By this method transformation-substitution effect – inherent to rational producers and consumers, has been implicitly built into GDP compilation, which is prior assumption of normative economic theory. On empirical (ex-post ground it gives more precise volume-price decomposition. In this paper, by means of constructing LMTF index and Fisher index derived from the previous one, it is suggested how to improve chain linking method, due to following reasons: a it is theoretically restrictive, b it gives only rough GDP decomposition into volume and price and, what seems to be its main disadvantage, c it gives additively inconsistent GDP.

  3. Systems Analysis of Ten Supply Chains for Whole Tree Chips

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Helmer Belbo

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Whole trees from energy thinnings constitute one of many forest fuel sources, yet ten widely applied supply chains could be defined for this feedstock alone. These ten represent only a subset of the real possibilities, as felling method was held constant and only a single market (combustion of whole tree chips was considered. Stages included in-field, roadside landing, terminal, and conversion plant, and biomass states at each of these included loose whole trees, bundled whole trees or chipped material. Assumptions on prices, performances, and conversion rates were based on field trials and published literature in similar boreal forest conditions. The economic outcome was calculated on the basis of production, handling, treatment and storage costs and losses. Outcomes were tested for robustness on a range of object volumes (50–350 m3solid, extraction distances (50–550 m and transport distances (10–70 km using simulation across a set of discrete values. Transport was calculated for both a standard 19.5 m and an extended 24 m timber truck. Results showed that the most expensive chain (roadside bundling, roadside storage, terminal storage and delivery using a 19.5 m timber truck at 158 € td−1 was 23% more costly than the cheapest chain (roadside chipping and direct transport to conversion plant with container truck, at 128 € td−1. Outcomes vary at specific object volumes and transport distances, highlighting the need to verify assumptions, although standard deviations around mean supply costs for each chain were small (6%–9%. Losses at all stages were modelled, with the largest losses (23 € td−1 occurring in the chains including bundles. The study makes all methods and assumptions explicit and can assist the procurement manager in understanding the mechanisms at work.

  4. Markov chain model for demersal fish catch analysis in Indonesia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Firdaniza; Gusriani, N.

    2018-03-01

    As an archipelagic country, Indonesia has considerable potential fishery resources. One of the fish resources that has high economic value is demersal fish. Demersal fish is a fish with a habitat in the muddy seabed. Demersal fish scattered throughout the Indonesian seas. Demersal fish production in each Indonesia’s Fisheries Management Area (FMA) varies each year. In this paper we have discussed the Markov chain model for demersal fish yield analysis throughout all Indonesia’s Fisheries Management Area. Data of demersal fish catch in every FMA in 2005-2014 was obtained from Directorate of Capture Fisheries. From this data a transition probability matrix is determined by the number of transitions from the catch that lie below the median or above the median. The Markov chain model of demersal fish catch data was an ergodic Markov chain model, so that the limiting probability of the Markov chain model can be determined. The predictive value of demersal fishing yields was obtained by calculating the combination of limiting probability with average catch results below the median and above the median. The results showed that for 2018 and long-term demersal fishing results in most of FMA were below the median value.

  5. Global Carbon Fiber Composites Supply Chain Competitiveness Analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Das, Sujit [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Warren, Josh [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); West, Devin [Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Schexnayder, Susan M. [Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)

    2016-05-01

    This study identifies key opportunities in the carbon fiber supply chain where the United States Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy resources and investments can help the United States achieve or maintain a competitive advantage. The report focuses on four application areas--wind energy, aerospace, automotive, and pressure vessels--that top the list of industries using carbon fiber and carbon fiber reinforced polymers and are also particularly relevant to EERE's mission. For each of the four application areas, the report addresses the supply and demand trends within that sector, supply chain, and costs of carbon fiber and components, all contributing to a competitiveness assessment that addresses the United States' role in future industry growth. This report was prepared by researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Tennessee for the Clean Energy Manufacturing Analysis Center.

  6. Vitelline coat of Unio elongatulus: III. Glycan chain analysis of the 220- and 180-kD components by means of lectins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Focarelli, R; Leotta, F; Lampariello, R; Rosati, F

    1995-02-01

    Lectins of different binding specificity were used to analyze the oligosaccharide chains of the 220- and 180-kD proteins of the Unio elongatulus egg vitelline coat (vc). The lectins ConA and RCA1 reacted with both glycoproteins, and four other lectins reacted with one or other vc components. The lectin from Galanthus nivalis, which recognizes terminal mannose residues of N-linked high mannose type oligosaccharide chains, bound specifically to the 180-kD protein. Binding sites for this lectin were found throughout the vc of the differentiating oocyte and the mature egg. Lectins specific for the O-linked oligosaccharide chains, such as AIA and PNA, reacted only with the 220-kD protein species. Binding sites for these lectins were found only in the crater region. The presence of fucosyl residues on the glycan chains was investigated with lectins from Lotus tetragonolobus and Aleuria aurantia. The latter was positive on both glycoproteins, whereas LTA was only positive to the 220-kD species. The binding sites of both these lectins were in the same areas as those of PNA and AIA. These results suggest that while the 180-kD protein is part of the entire vc structure, the 220-kD protein is prevalently accumulated in the crater region. Since this is where sperm recognition and interaction take place, it has been suggested the 220-kD protein acts as a ligand molecule in the sperm-egg interaction.

  7. Philips Electronics synchronizes its supply chain to end the bullwhip effect

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kok, de A.G.; Janssen, F.B.S.L.P.; van Doremalen, J.B.M.; Wachem, van E.; Clerkx, M.J.R.; Peeters, W.

    2005-01-01

    Demand variability increases as one moves up a supply chain. The demand for finished products is less variable than for subassemblies, which is less variable than for individual components. This phenomenon is known as the bullwhip or Forrester effect. It increases inventory unnecessarily and makes

  8. A Mean variance analysis of arbitrage portfolios

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fang, Shuhong

    2007-03-01

    Based on the careful analysis of the definition of arbitrage portfolio and its return, the author presents a mean-variance analysis of the return of arbitrage portfolios, which implies that Korkie and Turtle's results ( B. Korkie, H.J. Turtle, A mean-variance analysis of self-financing portfolios, Manage. Sci. 48 (2002) 427-443) are misleading. A practical example is given to show the difference between the arbitrage portfolio frontier and the usual portfolio frontier.

  9. Stochastic analysis of contaminant transport in porous media: analysis of a two-member radionuclide chain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bonano, E.J.; Shipers, L.R.

    1987-01-01

    In this study the authors extend previous stochastic analyses of contaminant transport in geologic media for a single species to a chain of two species. The authors particular application is the quantification of uncertainties due to lack of characterization of the spatial variability of hydrologic parameters on transport of radionuclides from a high-level waste repository to the biosphere. Radionuclide chains can have a significant impact on demonstrating compliance (or violation) of standards regulating the release to the environment accessible to humans. Two approaches for determining the cross-covariance terms in the mean concentration equations are presented. One uses a Taylor expansion to obtain the cross-covariance between the velocity and concentration fluctuations, while the other is based on a Fourier-Laplace double transform method. For the conditions of interest here, the difference between these two approaches are expected to be small. In addition, the variances are calculated in a unique way by solving another associated partial differential equation. A parametric study is carried out to examine the sensitivity of the mean concentration of the two species and their corresponding variances and cross-covariance on the parameters associated with the structure of the stochastic velocity field. It is found that the dependent variables are most sensitive to the intensity and correlation length of the velocity fluctuations. The magnitude of the variances and cross-covariance of the concentrations are proportional to the magnitude of the mean concentrations which depend on inlet concentration boundary conditions

  10. Toward tailoring Majorana bound states in artificially constructed magnetic atom chains on elemental superconductors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thorwart, Michael

    2018-01-01

    Realizing Majorana bound states (MBS) in condensed matter systems is a key challenge on the way toward topological quantum computing. As a promising platform, one-dimensional magnetic chains on conventional superconductors were theoretically predicted to host MBS at the chain ends. We demonstrate a novel approach to design of model-type atomic-scale systems for studying MBS using single-atom manipulation techniques. Our artificially constructed atomic Fe chains on a Re surface exhibit spin spiral states and a remarkable enhancement of the local density of states at zero energy being strongly localized at the chain ends. Moreover, the zero-energy modes at the chain ends are shown to emerge and become stabilized with increasing chain length. Tight-binding model calculations based on parameters obtained from ab initio calculations corroborate that the system resides in the topological phase. Our work opens new pathways to design MBS in atomic-scale hybrid structures as a basis for fault-tolerant topological quantum computing. PMID:29756034

  11. Plugger guide for aligning an end plug and a fuel rod tube end

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Klapper, K.K.; Boatwright, D.A.

    1987-01-01

    A pin driving tool is described for inserting or removing pins from teeth on a digging means, comprising: fuel rod tube toward an end plug for application of the end plug into the tube end, the apparatus comprising: (a) a guide housing having an elongated central longitudinal bore with one end for receiving the end plug and an opposite end for receiving the fuel rod tube end; (b) sets of rolling elements disposed in the housing at axially spaced positions along and about the bore thereof. The rolling elements in each set are positioned in fixed relation with respect to one another to receive the fuel rod tube end therebetween and align the tube end with the end plug as the tube end is moved through the bore and into engagement with the end plug; and (c) retaining means disposed adjacent to the open end of the housing bore for engaging the end plug so as to maintain it in a stationary seated position at the one end of the housing bore

  12. How IT Chain Collaboration Enables Dutch Governmental Organizations to Realize Innovation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Eckartz, S.; Spitzer, A.M.

    2014-01-01

    Collaborating in a value chain that delivers services is even more complex and information intensive than the collaboration in a physical goods value chain. Successfully managing the collaboration and underlying information chain is critical for the delivery of the end service. This paper gives

  13. End-to-End Availability Analysis of IMS-Based Networks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kamyod, Chayapol; Nielsen, Rasmus Hjorth; Prasad, Neeli R.

    2013-01-01

    Generation Networks (NGNs). In this paper, an end-to-end availability model is proposed and evaluated using a combination of Reliability Block Diagrams (RBD) and a proposed five-state Markov model. The overall availability for intra- and inter domain communication in IMS is analyzed, and the state...

  14. Applying the Theory of Contraints to Supply Chain Management

    OpenAIRE

    Simatupang, Togar Mangihut; Sandroto, Indah Victoria

    2004-01-01

    Supply chain management among independent firms often provide larger benefits form effectively satisfying customer needs and wants than working in isolation. However, many improvement initiatives often end up with devastating effects on supply chain performance. Part of the reason is sub-optimisation among the chain members resulting form a lack of awareness about the importance of the perspective of the supply chain as a whole and the existence of constraint(s). This paper applies the Theory...

  15. Value Chain Analysis of Prol Tape Cassava in Agroindustry in Jember

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fennela Firman Sari

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the study was to analyze the mapping of prol tape value chain and the critical succes factor (CSF to define effective strategyto improve the prol tape. The sampling methods were census and snowball sampling. The data analysis methods were mapping analysis, CSF, and benchmarking. The findings showed that the agroindustrial actors spent the highest amount of money in one production process, 2,278,999.75 rupiahs, and as the consequence got the least amount of profit, 862,292.25 rupiahs. According to the agroindustry, the most criticalfactors were taste, quality, and price, while those according to the consumers were taste, quality, and expired. The factor that had highest gap score was expired (0.97 followed by innovation (0.6 and supply (0.53. Therefore, the methods of upgrading to do were process upgrading (minimizing defects in raw materials, product upgrading (improving flavors, product diversification, mentioning expiration date and increasing supply, functional upgrading (increasing machine capacity for production and chain upgrading (shifting the chain and not involving retailers, increasing the number of stores (outlets in strategic locations, and buying raw materials directly from tape sellers.

  16. A Markov Chain Monte Carlo Approach to Confirmatory Item Factor Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Michael C.

    2010-01-01

    Item factor analysis has a rich tradition in both the structural equation modeling and item response theory frameworks. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate a novel combination of various Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) estimation routines to estimate parameters of a wide variety of confirmatory item factor analysis models. Further, I show…

  17. Mean value analysis for polling systems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Winands, E.M.M.; Adan, I.J.B.F.; Houtum, van G.J.J.A.N.

    2005-01-01

    The present paper deals with the problem of calculating mean delays in polling systems with either exhaustive or gated service. We develop a mean value analysis (MVA) to compute these delay figures. The merits of MVA are in its intrinsic simplicity and its intuitively appealing derivation. As a

  18. Mean value analysis for polling systems

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Winands, E.M.M.; Adan, I.J.B.F.; Houtum, van G.J.J.A.N.

    2006-01-01

    The present paper deals with the problem of calculating mean delays in polling systems with either exhaustive or gated service. We develop a mean value analysis (MVA) to compute these delay figures. The merits of MVA are in its intrinsic simplicity and its intuitively appealing derivation. As a

  19. Mean-Gini Portfolio Analysis: A Pedagogic Illustration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Sherman Cheung

    2007-05-01

    Full Text Available It is well known in the finance literature that mean-variance analysis is inappropriate when asset returns are not normally distributed or investors’ preferences of returns are not characterized by quadratic functions. The normality assumption has been widely rejected in cases of emerging market equities and hedge funds. The mean-Gini framework is an attractive alternative as it is consistent with stochastic dominance rules regardless of the probability distributions of asset returns. Applying mean-Gini to a portfolio setting involving multiple assets, however, has always been challenging to business students whose training in optimization is limited. This paper introduces a simple spreadsheet-based approach to mean-Gini portfolio optimization, thus allowing the mean-Gini concepts to be covered more effectively in finance courses such as portfolio theory and investment analysis.

  20. Flow cytometric analysis of expression of interleukin-2 receptor beta chain (p70-75) on various leukemic cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoshino, S.; Oshimi, K.; Tsudo, M.; Miyasaka, M.; Teramura, M.; Masuda, M.; Motoji, T.; Mizoguchi, H.

    1990-01-01

    We analyzed the expression of the interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) beta chain (p70-75) on various leukemic cells from 44 patients by flow cytometric analysis using the IL-2R beta chain-specific monoclonal antibody, designated Mik-beta 1. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated the expression of the IL-2R beta chain on granular lymphocytes (GLs) from all eight patients with granular lymphocyte proliferative disorders (GLPDs), on adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) cells from all three patients with ATL, and on T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) cells from one of three patients with T-ALL. Although GLs from all the GLPD patients expressed the IL-2R beta chain alone and not the IL-2R alpha chain (Tac-antigen: p55), ATL and T-ALL cells expressing the beta chain coexpressed the alpha chain. In two of seven patients with common ALL (cALL) and in both patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the leukemic cells expressed the alpha chain alone. Neither the alpha chain nor the beta chain was expressed on leukemic cells from the remaining 28 patients, including all 18 patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, five of seven patients with cALL, all three patients with multiple myeloma, and two of three patients with T-ALL. These results indicate that three different forms of IL-2R chain expression exist on leukemic cells: the alpha chain alone; the beta chain alone; and both the alpha and beta chains. To examine whether the results obtained by flow cytometric analysis actually reflect functional aspects of the expressed IL-2Rs, we studied the specific binding of 125I-labeled IL-2 (125I-IL-2) to leukemic cells in 18 of the 44 patients. In addition, we performed 125I-IL-2 crosslinking studies in seven patients. The results of IL-2R expression of both 125I-IL-2 binding assay and crosslinking studies were in agreement with those obtained by flow cytometric analysis

  1. End-to-End Trade-space Analysis for Designing Constellation Missions

    Science.gov (United States)

    LeMoigne, J.; Dabney, P.; Foreman, V.; Grogan, P.; Hache, S.; Holland, M. P.; Hughes, S. P.; Nag, S.; Siddiqi, A.

    2017-12-01

    Multipoint measurement missions can provide a significant advancement in science return and this science interest coupled with many recent technological advances are driving a growing trend in exploring distributed architectures for future NASA missions. Distributed Spacecraft Missions (DSMs) leverage multiple spacecraft to achieve one or more common goals. In particular, a constellation is the most general form of DSM with two or more spacecraft placed into specific orbit(s) for the purpose of serving a common objective (e.g., CYGNSS). Because a DSM architectural trade-space includes both monolithic and distributed design variables, DSM optimization is a large and complex problem with multiple conflicting objectives. Over the last two years, our team has been developing a Trade-space Analysis Tool for Constellations (TAT-C), implemented in common programming languages for pre-Phase A constellation mission analysis. By evaluating alternative mission architectures, TAT-C seeks to minimize cost and maximize performance for pre-defined science goals. This presentation will describe the overall architecture of TAT-C including: a User Interface (UI) at several levels of details and user expertise; Trade-space Search Requests that are created from the Science requirements gathered by the UI and validated by a Knowledge Base; a Knowledge Base to compare the current requests to prior mission concepts to potentially prune the trade-space; a Trade-space Search Iterator which, with inputs from the Knowledge Base, and, in collaboration with the Orbit & Coverage, Reduction & Metrics, and Cost& Risk modules, generates multiple potential architectures and their associated characteristics. TAT-C leverages the use of the Goddard Mission Analysis Tool (GMAT) to compute coverage and ancillary data, modeling orbits to balance accuracy and performance. The current version includes uniform and non-uniform Walker constellations as well as Ad-Hoc and precessing constellations, and its

  2. Simulation and Analysis of Chain Drive Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Sine Leergaard

    mathematical models, and compare to the prior done research. Even though the model is developed at first for the use of analysing chain drive systems in marine engines, the methods can with small changes be used in general, as for e.g. chain drives in industrial machines, car engines and motorbikes. A novel...... with a real tooth profile proves superior to other applied models. With this model it is possible to perform a dynamic simulation of large marine engine chain drives. Through the application of this method, it is shown that the interrelated dynamics of the elements in the chain drive system is captured...

  3. Dual use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) and smoked tobacco: a qualitative analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robertson, Lindsay; Hoek, Janet; Blank, Mei-Ling; Richards, Rosalina; Ling, Pamela; Popova, Lucy

    2018-02-01

    Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) arguably pose fewer health risks than smoking, yet many smokers adopt ENDS without fully relinquishing smoking. Known as 'dual use', this practice is widespread and compromises the health benefits that ENDS may offer. To date, few studies have explored how dual use practices arise and manifest. We conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 20 current ENDS users from New Zealand who reported smoking tobacco at least once a month. We explored participants' smoking history, their recent and current smoking, trial, uptake and patterns of ENDS use, and future smoking and vaping intentions. We managed the data using NVivo V.11 and used a thematic analysis approach to interpret the transcripts. Dual use practices among participants evolved in four ways. First, as an attempt to manage the 'inauthenticity' of vaping relative to smoking and to retain meaningful rituals. Second, as complex rationalisations that framed decreased tobacco use, rather than smoking cessation, as 'success'. Third, as a means of alleviating the financial burden smoking imposed and to circumvent smoke-free policies. Lastly, dual use reflected attempts to comply with social group norms and manage stigma. Dual use reflects both social and physical cues. It assisted participants to navigate smoking restrictions and allowed them to manage divergent norms. Policies that discourage smoking, particularly excise tax increases on smoked tobacco and smoke-free space restrictions, appear important in prompting ENDS use. Future research could explore whether these policies also help foster complete transition from smoking to exclusive ENDS use. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

  4. Statistical methodology for estimating the mean difference in a meta-analysis without study-specific variance information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sangnawakij, Patarawan; Böhning, Dankmar; Adams, Stephen; Stanton, Michael; Holling, Heinz

    2017-04-30

    Statistical inference for analyzing the results from several independent studies on the same quantity of interest has been investigated frequently in recent decades. Typically, any meta-analytic inference requires that the quantity of interest is available from each study together with an estimate of its variability. The current work is motivated by a meta-analysis on comparing two treatments (thoracoscopic and open) of congenital lung malformations in young children. Quantities of interest include continuous end-points such as length of operation or number of chest tube days. As studies only report mean values (and no standard errors or confidence intervals), the question arises how meta-analytic inference can be developed. We suggest two methods to estimate study-specific variances in such a meta-analysis, where only sample means and sample sizes are available in the treatment arms. A general likelihood ratio test is derived for testing equality of variances in two groups. By means of simulation studies, the bias and estimated standard error of the overall mean difference from both methodologies are evaluated and compared with two existing approaches: complete study analysis only and partial variance information. The performance of the test is evaluated in terms of type I error. Additionally, we illustrate these methods in the meta-analysis on comparing thoracoscopic and open surgery for congenital lung malformations and in a meta-analysis on the change in renal function after kidney donation. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  5. ANALYSIS OF LOGISTICS AND SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT AGILITY IN CORRUGATED BOX INDUSTRY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yosef Daryanto

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Several analyses were performed in this case study including the analysis of the business environments and the current supply chain system, which than followed by measurement and comparison of supply chain agility performance indicator. As corrugated box industry work in make/engineer to order system and by considering their competitive situation and uncertain business environment it was concluded that they need agility in their supply chain. The main problem was the unbalance power position with paper supplier that resulting low inbound inventory turns. Focusing on this weakness, two solutions were proposed; those are building higher collaboration with paper suppliers and performing better inventory management by set different inventory control and policy for each inventory class

  6. Characterization of a novel debranching enzyme from Nostoc punctiforme possessing a high specificity for long branched chains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, Ji-Hye; Lee, Heeseob; Kim, Young-Wan; Park, Jong-Tae; Woo, Eui-Jeon; Kim, Myo-Jeong; Lee, Byong-Hoon; Park, Kwan-Hwa

    2009-01-01

    A novel debranching enzyme from Nostoc punctiforme PCC73102 (NPDE) exhibits hydrolysis activity toward both α-(1,6)- and α-(1,4)-glucosidic linkages. The action patterns of NPDE revealed that branched chains are released first, and the resulting maltooligosaccharides are then hydrolyzed. Analysis of the reaction with maltooligosaccharide substrates labeled with 14 C-glucose at the reducing end shows that NPDE specifically liberates glucose from the reducing end. Kinetic analyses showed that the hydrolytic activity of NPDE is greatly affected by the length of the substrate. The catalytic efficiency of NPDE increased considerably upon using substrates that can occupy at least eight glycone subsites such as maltononaose and maltooctaosyl-α-(1,6)-β-cyclodextrin. These results imply that NPDE has a unique subsite structure consisting of -8 to +1 subsites. Given its unique subsite structure, side chains shorter than maltooctaose in amylopectin were resistant to hydrolysis by NPDE, and the population of longer side chains was reduced.

  7. Single-molecule study on polymer diffusion in a melt state: Effect of chain topology

    KAUST Repository

    Habuchi, Satoshi

    2013-08-06

    We report a new methodology for studying diffusion of individual polymer chains in a melt state, with special emphasis on the effect of chain topology. A perylene diimide fluorophore was incorporated into the linear and cyclic poly(THF)s, and real-time diffusion behavior of individual chains in a melt of linear poly(THF) was measured by means of a single-molecule fluorescence imaging technique. The combination of mean squared displacement (MSD) and cumulative distribution function (CDF) analysis demonstrated the broad distribution of diffusion coefficient of both the linear and cyclic polymer chains in the melt state. This indicates the presence of spatiotemporal heterogeneity of the polymer diffusion which occurs at much larger time and length scales than those expected from the current polymer physics theory. We further demonstrated that the cyclic chains showed marginally slower diffusion in comparison with the linear counterparts, to suggest the effective suppression of the translocation through the threading-entanglement with the linear matrix chains. This coincides with the higher activation energy for the diffusion of the cyclic chains than of the linear chains. These results suggest that the single-molecule imaging technique provides a powerful tool to analyze complicated polymer dynamics and contributes to the molecular level understanding of the chain interaction. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

  8. Single-molecule study on polymer diffusion in a melt state: Effect of chain topology

    KAUST Repository

    Habuchi, Satoshi; Fujiwara, Susumu; Yamamoto, Takuya; Vá cha, Martin; Tezuka, Yasuyuki

    2013-01-01

    We report a new methodology for studying diffusion of individual polymer chains in a melt state, with special emphasis on the effect of chain topology. A perylene diimide fluorophore was incorporated into the linear and cyclic poly(THF)s, and real-time diffusion behavior of individual chains in a melt of linear poly(THF) was measured by means of a single-molecule fluorescence imaging technique. The combination of mean squared displacement (MSD) and cumulative distribution function (CDF) analysis demonstrated the broad distribution of diffusion coefficient of both the linear and cyclic polymer chains in the melt state. This indicates the presence of spatiotemporal heterogeneity of the polymer diffusion which occurs at much larger time and length scales than those expected from the current polymer physics theory. We further demonstrated that the cyclic chains showed marginally slower diffusion in comparison with the linear counterparts, to suggest the effective suppression of the translocation through the threading-entanglement with the linear matrix chains. This coincides with the higher activation energy for the diffusion of the cyclic chains than of the linear chains. These results suggest that the single-molecule imaging technique provides a powerful tool to analyze complicated polymer dynamics and contributes to the molecular level understanding of the chain interaction. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

  9. Next generation of optical front-ends for numerical services - 15387

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fullenbaum, M.; Durieux, A.; Dubroca, G.; Fuss, P.

    2015-01-01

    Visual Inspection and surveillance technology means in environments exhibiting high levels of gamma and neutron radiation are nowadays fulfilled through the use of analog tubes. The images are thus acquired with analog devices whose vast majority relies on 1 and 2/3 inch imaging formats and deliver native analog images. There is a growing demand for real time image processing and distribution through Ethernet services for quicker and seamless process integration throughout many sectors. This will call for the inception of solid state sensor (CCD, CMOS) to generate numerical native images as the first step and building block towards end to end numerical processing (ICT), assuming these sensors can be hardened or protected in the field of the nuclear industry. On the one hand, these sensor sizes will be significantly reduced (by a factor of 2-3) versus those of the tubes, and on the other hand, one will also be presented with the opportunity of increased spatial resolution, stemming from the high pixel count of the solid state technology, for implementation of new or better services or of enhanced pieces of information for decision making purposes. In order to reap the benefits of such sensors, new optical front-ends will have to be designed. Over and beyond the mere aspects of matching the reduced sensor size to the size of the scenes at stake, optical performances of these front-end will also bear an impact on the whole optical chain applications. As an example, detection and tracking needs will be different from a performance standpoint and the overall performances will have to be balanced out in between the optical front-end, the image format, the image processing software capability, processing speed,...just to name a few. In this paper we will review and explain the missing gaps in order to switch to a full numerical optical chain by focusing on the optical front-end and the associated cost trade-offs. Finally, we will conclude by clearly stating the best

  10. Scientific codes developed and used at GRS. Nuclear simulation chain

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schaffrath, Andreas; Sonnenkalb, Martin; Sievers, Juergen; Luther, Wolfgang; Velkov, Kiril [Gesellschaft fuer Anlagen und Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) gGmbH, Garching/Muenchen (Germany). Forschungszentrum

    2016-05-15

    Over 60 technical experts of the reactor safety research division of the Gesellschaft fuer Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit (GRS) gGmbH are developing and validating reliable methods and computer codes - summarized under the term nuclear simulation chain - for the safety-related assessment for all types of nuclear power plants (NPP) and other nuclear facilities considering the current state of science and technology. This nuclear simulation chain has to be able to simulate and assess all relevant physical processes and phenomena for all operating states and (severe) accidents. In the present contribution, the nuclear simulation chain developed and applied by GRS as well as selected examples of its application are presented. The latter demonstrate impressively the width of its scope and its performance. The GRS codes can be passed on request to other (national as well as international) organizations. This contributes to a worldwide increase of the nuclear safety standards. The code transfer is especially important for developing and emerging countries lacking the financial means and/or the necessary know-how for this purpose. At the end of this contribution, the respective course of action is described.

  11. An introduction to USITC enterprise analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ostic, J.K.

    1997-10-01

    The United States Integrated Textile Complex (USITC) consists of fiber, textile, apparel, and retail firms who manufacture and distribute natural and synthetic fiber products. In today`s competitive global economy, USITC companies who team together to form supply chains require relationships which promote responsiveness to consumer demand, encourage business partnerships, and make effective use of resources. These supply chains, or pipelines, are being analyzed to improve time and cost performance. Enterprise analysis is the application of analysis methods and simulation tools to predict integrated performance of these pipelines. Through the use of scenario analysis, various alternatives in pipeline coordination and configuration can be assessed. Simply put, the end result is to design the pipeline so that the product the customer demands is delivered, in the right place, at the right time. In September 1996, industrial participants of the Demand Activated Manufacturing Architecture (DAMA) project completed the Phase 1 pipeline analysis study. The analysis identified opportunities to improve productivity and efficiency among five supply chain members, and proposed a generic modeling architecture and methodology that, if implemented, would identify actions necessary to improve supply-chain coordination among its members. The architecture and methodology are being pursued during the Phase 2 analysis, which is scheduled to be completed by the end of FY 1997. The goal of the Phase 2 analysis is to propose actionable recommendations to supply-chain members leading to a reduction of pipeline lead-time by 50%.

  12. Discrete and continuous time dynamic mean-variance analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Reiss, Ariane

    1999-01-01

    Contrary to static mean-variance analysis, very few papers have dealt with dynamic mean-variance analysis. Here, the mean-variance efficient self-financing portfolio strategy is derived for n risky assets in discrete and continuous time. In the discrete setting, the resulting portfolio is mean-variance efficient in a dynamic sense. It is shown that the optimal strategy for n risky assets may be dominated if the expected terminal wealth is constrained to exactly attain a certain goal instead o...

  13. Opportunities and Challenges in the Design and Analysis of Biomass Supply Chains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lautala, Pasi T.; Hilliard, Michael R.; Webb, Erin; Busch, Ingrid; Richard Hess, J.; Roni, Mohammad S.; Hilbert, Jorge; Handler, Robert M.; Bittencourt, Roger; Valente, Amir; Laitinen, Tuuli

    2015-12-01

    The biomass supply chain is one of the most critical elements of large-scale bioenergy production and in many cases a key barrier for procuring initial funding for new developments on specific energy crops. Most productions rely on complex transforming chains linked to feed and food markets. The term `supply chain' covers various aspects from cultivation and harvesting of the biomass, to treatment, transportation, and storage. After energy conversion, the product must be delivered to final consumption, whether it is in the form of electricity, heat, or more tangible products, such as pellets and biofuels. Effective supply chains are of utmost importance for bioenergy production, as biomass tends to possess challenging seasonal production cycles and low mass, energy and bulk densities. Additionally, the demand for final products is often also dispersed, further complicating the supply chain. The goal of this paper is to introduce key components of biomass supply chains, examples of related modeling applications, and if/how they address aspects related to environmental metrics and management. The paper will introduce a concept of integrated supply systems for sustainable biomass trade and the factors influencing the bioenergy supply chain landscape, including models that can be used to investigate the factors. The paper will also cover various aspects of transportation logistics, ranging from alternative modal and multi-modal alternatives to introduction of support tools for transportation analysis. Finally gaps and challenges in supply chain research are identified and used to outline research recommendations for the future direction in this area of study.

  14. Opportunities and Challenges in the Design and Analysis of Biomass Supply Chains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lautala, Pasi T; Hilliard, Michael R; Webb, Erin; Busch, Ingrid; Richard Hess, J; Roni, Mohammad S; Hilbert, Jorge; Handler, Robert M; Bittencourt, Roger; Valente, Amir; Laitinen, Tuuli

    2015-12-01

    The biomass supply chain is one of the most critical elements of large-scale bioenergy production and in many cases a key barrier for procuring initial funding for new developments on specific energy crops. Most productions rely on complex transforming chains linked to feed and food markets. The term 'supply chain' covers various aspects from cultivation and harvesting of the biomass, to treatment, transportation, and storage. After energy conversion, the product must be delivered to final consumption, whether it is in the form of electricity, heat, or more tangible products, such as pellets and biofuels. Effective supply chains are of utmost importance for bioenergy production, as biomass tends to possess challenging seasonal production cycles and low mass, energy and bulk densities. Additionally, the demand for final products is often also dispersed, further complicating the supply chain. The goal of this paper is to introduce key components of biomass supply chains, examples of related modeling applications, and if/how they address aspects related to environmental metrics and management. The paper will introduce a concept of integrated supply systems for sustainable biomass trade and the factors influencing the bioenergy supply chain landscape, including models that can be used to investigate the factors. The paper will also cover various aspects of transportation logistics, ranging from alternative modal and multi-modal alternatives to introduction of support tools for transportation analysis. Finally gaps and challenges in supply chain research are identified and used to outline research recommendations for the future direction in this area of study.

  15. Development of natural gas ocean transportation chain by means of natural gas hydrate (NGH)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nogami, T.; Oya, N.; Ishida, H.; Matsumoto, H.

    2008-01-01

    Recent studies in Japan have suggested that natural gas hydrate (NGH) transportation of natural gas is more economical than liquefied natural gas (LNG) transportation systems for small, medium and remote gas fields. Researchers in Japan have built a 600 kg per day NGH production and pelletizing plant and regasification facility. This paper discussed feasibility studies conducted in southeast Asia to determine the unit's commercialization potential with large natural gas-related businesses including shipping companies and electric power utilities. The total supply chain was compared with the corresponding liquefied natural gas (LNG) and compressed natural gas (CNG) supply chains. The study also examined natural gas reserves, energy policies, the positioning of natural gas supplies, and future forecasts of natural gas demand. A conceptual design for an NGH supply chain in Indonesia was presented. Results of the study have demonstrated that the NGH chain is an appropriate and economically feasible transportation method for many areas in southeast Asia. 8 refs., 10 figs

  16. CHAIN-WISE GENERALIZATION OF ROAD NETWORKS USING MODEL SELECTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. Bulatov

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Streets are essential entities of urban terrain and their automatized extraction from airborne sensor data is cumbersome because of a complex interplay of geometric, topological and semantic aspects. Given a binary image, representing the road class, centerlines of road segments are extracted by means of skeletonization. The focus of this paper lies in a well-reasoned representation of these segments by means of geometric primitives, such as straight line segments as well as circle and ellipse arcs. We propose the fusion of raw segments based on similarity criteria; the output of this process are the so-called chains which better match to the intuitive perception of what a street is. Further, we propose a two-step approach for chain-wise generalization. First, the chain is pre-segmented using circlePeucker and finally, model selection is used to decide whether two neighboring segments should be fused to a new geometric entity. Thereby, we consider both variance-covariance analysis of residuals and model complexity. The results on a complex data-set with many traffic roundabouts indicate the benefits of the proposed procedure.

  17. Vendor Managed Inventory: A new approach to supply chain management

    OpenAIRE

    Gandhi, Ujval

    2003-01-01

    The Global Supply Chain Forum (Stanford Global Supply Chain Forum Web Resource, http://www.stanford.edu/groups/scforum) defines supply chain management (SCM) as “Supply chain management is the integration of key business processes from end user through original suppliers that provides products, services and information that add value for customer and other stakeholders.” The rapid development of the Internet has dramatically changed the traditional definitions of manufacturer, suppliers and c...

  18. Single-chain-in-mean-field simulations of weak polyelectrolyte brushes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Léonforte, F.; Welling, U.; Müller, M.

    2016-12-01

    Structural properties of brushes which are composed of weak acidic and basic polyelectrolytes are studied in the framework of a particle-based approach that implicitly accounts for the solvent quality. Using a semi-grandcanonical partition function in the framework of the Single-Chain-in-Mean-Field (SCMF) algorithm, the weak polyelectrolyte is conceived as a supramolecular mixture of polymers in different dissociation states, which are explicitly treated in the partition function and sampled by the SCMF procedure. One obtains a local expression for the equilibrium acid-base reaction responsible for the regulation of the charged groups that is also incorporated to the SCMF sampling. Coupled to a simultaneous treatment of the electrostatics, the approach is shown to capture the main features of weak polyelectrolyte brushes as a function of the bulk pH in the solution, the salt concentration, and the grafting density. Results are compared to experimental and theoretical works from the literature using coarse-grained representations of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and poly(2-vinyl pyridine) (P2VP) polymer-based brushes. As the Born self-energy of ions can be straightforwardly included in the numerical approach, we also study its effect on the local charge regulation mechanism of the brush. We find that its effect becomes significant when the brush is dense and exposed to high salt concentrations. The numerical methodology is then applied (1) to the study of the kinetics of collapse/swelling of a P2VP brush and (2) to the ability of an applied voltage to induce collapse/swelling of a PAA brush in a pH range close to the pKa value of the polymer.

  19. Empirical Analysis of Green Supply Chain Management Practices in Indian Automobile Industry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luthra, S.; Garg, D.; Haleem, A.

    2014-04-01

    Environmental sustainability and green environmental issues have an increasing popularity among researchers and supply chain practitioners. An attempt has been made to identify and empirically analyze green supply chain management (GSCM) practices in Indian automobile industry. Six main GSCM practices (having 37 sub practices) and four expected performance outcomes (having 16 performances) have been identified by implementing GSCM practices from literature review. Questionnaire based survey has been made to validate these practices and performance outcomes. 123 complete questionnaires were collected from Indian automobile organizations and used for empirical analysis of GSCM practices in Indian automobile industry. Descriptive statistics have been used to know current implementation status of GSCM practices in Indian automobile industry and multiple regression analysis has been carried out to know the impact on expected organizational performance outcomes by current GSCM practices adopted by Indian automobile industry. The results of study suggested that environmental, economic, social and operational performances improve with the implementation of GSCM practices. This paper may play an important role to understand various GSCM implementation issues and help practicing managers to improve their performances in the supply chain.

  20. General Equilibrium Analysis of Economic Instruments in Materials-Product Chains with Materials Balance, Recycling and Waste Treatment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kandelaars, P.A.A.H.; Van den Bergh, J.C.J.M. [Department of Spatial Economics, Faculty of Economics and Econometrics, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

    1997-12-31

    Optimal environmental taxation and subsidies in a materials-product (M-P) chain are examined. This incorporates the main economic activities extraction, production, consumption, recycling and waste treatment. A static general equilibrium model of this M-P chain is constructed, with environmental impacts represented as negative externalities generated by natural resource extraction and final dumping of waste. The model includes various environmental taxes and subsidies on products and materials to pay for these externalities. The originality of this analytical exercise is twofold: in all stages of the M-P chain materials balance conditions are satisfied; furthermore, recycling is explicitly included as a separate activity with inputs, outputs and objectives. Thus, the paper combines physical-environmental and welfare economic perspectives on materials flows. The results show that the externalities generated by extraction and harmful waste can only be optimized by imposing a direct tax on the new materials. In a second-best world the externalities may be sub-optimized by taxing the generation of harmful waste or by subsidizing the use of recycled materials. Changes in some variables causes a shift between the optimal taxes on new materials at the beginning and harmful waste at the end of the M-P chain. This linkage is interesting because it shows that the whole M-P chain needs to be considered instead of parts of this chain. 16 refs.

  1. Traceability and Risk Analysis Strategies for Addressing Counterfeit Electronics in Supply Chains for Complex Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    DiMase, Daniel; Collier, Zachary A; Carlson, Jinae; Gray, Robin B; Linkov, Igor

    2016-10-01

    Within the microelectronics industry, there is a growing concern regarding the introduction of counterfeit electronic parts into the supply chain. Even though this problem is widespread, there have been limited attempts to implement risk-based approaches for testing and supply chain management. Supply chain risk management tends to focus on the highly visible disruptions of the supply chain instead of the covert entrance of counterfeits; thus counterfeit risk is difficult to mitigate. This article provides an overview of the complexities of the electronics supply chain, and highlights some gaps in risk assessment practices. In particular, this article calls for enhanced traceability capabilities to track and trace parts at risk through various stages of the supply chain. Placing the focus on risk-informed decision making through the following strategies is needed, including prioritization of high-risk parts, moving beyond certificates of conformance, incentivizing best supply chain management practices, adoption of industry standards, and design and management for supply chain resilience. © 2016 Society for Risk Analysis.

  2. SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT – KEY FACTORS

    OpenAIRE

    Magdalena Daniela DINU

    2014-01-01

    This paper exposes Supply Chain Management by its key factors. Briefly, where the Supply Chain Management is treated as strategic part of a company then maintaining both control and influence throughout the entire supply chain are key factors and critical to success. On the other hand, finding the right partner to manage the non-strategic Supply Chains would be another key factor too. To define the most important key factors within Supply Chain Management means a deeply understanding of bot...

  3. Comparative analysis of catfish BAC end sequences with the zebrafish genome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abernathy Jason

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Comparative mapping is a powerful tool to transfer genomic information from sequenced genomes to closely related species for which whole genome sequence data are not yet available. However, such an approach is still very limited in catfish, the most important aquaculture species in the United States. This project was initiated to generate additional BAC end sequences and demonstrate their applications in comparative mapping in catfish. Results We reported the generation of 43,000 BAC end sequences and their applications for comparative genome analysis in catfish. Using these and the additional 20,000 existing BAC end sequences as a resource along with linkage mapping and existing physical map, conserved syntenic regions were identified between the catfish and zebrafish genomes. A total of 10,943 catfish BAC end sequences (17.3% had significant BLAST hits to the zebrafish genome (cutoff value ≤ e-5, of which 3,221 were unique gene hits, providing a platform for comparative mapping based on locations of these genes in catfish and zebrafish. Genetic linkage mapping of microsatellites associated with contigs allowed identification of large conserved genomic segments and construction of super scaffolds. Conclusion BAC end sequences and their associated polymorphic markers are great resources for comparative genome analysis in catfish. Highly conserved chromosomal regions were identified to exist between catfish and zebrafish. However, it appears that the level of conservation at local genomic regions are high while a high level of chromosomal shuffling and rearrangements exist between catfish and zebrafish genomes. Orthologous regions established through comparative analysis should facilitate both structural and functional genome analysis in catfish.

  4. Typology of end-of-life priorities in Saudi females: averaging analysis and Q-methodology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hammami, Muhammad M; Hammami, Safa; Amer, Hala A; Khodr, Nesrine A

    2016-01-01

    Background Understanding culture-and sex-related end-of-life preferences is essential to provide quality end-of-life care. We have previously explored end-of-life choices in Saudi males and found important culture-related differences and that Q-methodology is useful in identifying intraculture, opinion-based groups. Here, we explore Saudi females’ end-of-life choices. Methods A volunteer sample of 68 females rank-ordered 47 opinion statements on end-of-life issues into a nine-category symmetrical distribution. The ranking scores of the statements were analyzed by averaging analysis and Q-methodology. Results The mean age of the females in the sample was 30.3 years (range, 19–55 years). Among them, 51% reported average religiosity, 78% reported very good health, 79% reported very good life quality, and 100% reported high-school education or more. The extreme five overall priorities were to be able to say the statement of faith, be at peace with God, die without having the body exposed, maintain dignity, and resolve all conflicts. The extreme five overall dis-priorities were to die in the hospital, die well dressed, be informed about impending death by family/friends rather than doctor, die at peak of life, and not know if one has a fatal illness. Q-methodology identified five opinion-based groups with qualitatively different characteristics: “physical and emotional privacy concerned, family caring” (younger, lower religiosity), “whole person” (higher religiosity), “pain and informational privacy concerned” (lower life quality), “decisional privacy concerned” (older, higher life quality), and “life quantity concerned, family dependent” (high life quality, low life satisfaction). Out of the extreme 14 priorities/dis-priorities for each group, 21%–50% were not represented among the extreme 20 priorities/dis-priorities for the entire sample. Conclusion Consistent with the previously reported findings in Saudi males, transcendence and dying in

  5. Typology of end-of-life priorities in Saudi females: averaging analysis and Q-methodology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hammami, Muhammad M; Hammami, Safa; Amer, Hala A; Khodr, Nesrine A

    2016-01-01

    Understanding culture-and sex-related end-of-life preferences is essential to provide quality end-of-life care. We have previously explored end-of-life choices in Saudi males and found important culture-related differences and that Q-methodology is useful in identifying intraculture, opinion-based groups. Here, we explore Saudi females' end-of-life choices. A volunteer sample of 68 females rank-ordered 47 opinion statements on end-of-life issues into a nine-category symmetrical distribution. The ranking scores of the statements were analyzed by averaging analysis and Q-methodology. The mean age of the females in the sample was 30.3 years (range, 19-55 years). Among them, 51% reported average religiosity, 78% reported very good health, 79% reported very good life quality, and 100% reported high-school education or more. The extreme five overall priorities were to be able to say the statement of faith, be at peace with God, die without having the body exposed, maintain dignity, and resolve all conflicts. The extreme five overall dis-priorities were to die in the hospital, die well dressed, be informed about impending death by family/friends rather than doctor, die at peak of life, and not know if one has a fatal illness. Q-methodology identified five opinion-based groups with qualitatively different characteristics: "physical and emotional privacy concerned, family caring" (younger, lower religiosity), "whole person" (higher religiosity), "pain and informational privacy concerned" (lower life quality), "decisional privacy concerned" (older, higher life quality), and "life quantity concerned, family dependent" (high life quality, low life satisfaction). Out of the extreme 14 priorities/dis-priorities for each group, 21%-50% were not represented among the extreme 20 priorities/dis-priorities for the entire sample. Consistent with the previously reported findings in Saudi males, transcendence and dying in the hospital were the extreme end-of-life priority and dis

  6. The dominion of means over ends. Modern bank credit and Max Weber’s irrational rationalization

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Domenico Cortese

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The institutions which grant credit today can be considered to be an example of what Max Weber describes as the typical rationalization of modern age. Such a rationalization would bring a lack of reflection on what should be the ultimate significance of certain technical means, which are confused with a value-in-itself of a social context. The paper highlight the fact that the function of credit consistent with individuals’ ‘ultimate ends’ seems to be that of a temporal coordination between the ‘bargaining wills’ of different individuals who aim at obtaining the highest benefit by means of the utility of their products and the products of their peers. But the current epoch has favored the elevation of historically determined features of credit-issuing to ultimate ends. Referring, among other sources, to a report by the Bank of England and to studies by Neo-Keynesian authors such as Stiglitz, this essay establishes that the consequence of the current private structure of credit-issuing is that the ultimate end of credit does not coincide with maximization and economic reciprocity but with the assessment of a risk which is distinctly private. Also, since in this structure Central Bank acts as the bank of all commercial banks, credit granting can be read as being in function of the availability – within a circumscribed economic web – of a specific credit ‘raw material’ which has a price: central bank’s liquidity. This situation puts a deep philosophical problem into the limelight, since any ‘existential’ preferability of the current model of credit issuing can only be explained as an alienation.

  7. Integration of vaccine supply chains with other health commodity supply chains: a framework for decision making.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yadav, Prashant; Lydon, Patrick; Oswald, Julianna; Dicko, Modibo; Zaffran, Michel

    2014-11-28

    One of the primary objectives of National Immunization Programs is to strengthen and optimize immunization supply chains so that vaccines are delivered to the end recipients effectively, efficiently and sustainably. As a result of larger investments in global health and a wider portfolio of vaccines, global agencies are recognizing the need for vaccine supply chains to operate at their most optimal levels. Integration with other supply chains is often presented as a strategy to improve efficiency. However, it remains unclear if the proposed benefits from integration of vaccine supply chains with other supply chains will outweigh the costs. This paper provides a framework for deciding where such integration offers the most significant benefits. It also cautions about the pitfalls of integration as a one size fits all strategy. It also highlights the need for systematic collection of cost and efficiency data in order to understand the value of integration and other such initiatives. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Responsibility and Sustainability in a Food Chain: A Priority Matrix Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francesco Caracciolo

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available  This paper shows the results of empirical research conducted to assess the sustainability of a typical food supply chain, suggesting feasible solutions to satisfy inter-dimensional requisites of durable development. The analysis was conducted with reference to the supply chain of the San Marzano tomato (SMZ, a typical local food. The product is endowed with an origin certification label (PDO, meeting demand within high-value market niches. The SMZ is a flagship product in the Italian region of Campania and has benefited from several regionally funded interventions, such as genetic research and support for the application for EU certification of origin. Two key findings emerged from the research. First, the results allowed us to define a Stakeholder Priority and Responsibilities’ Matrix (SPRM, and monitor the sustainability trend of SMZ food supply chains. Second, the consistency between the adoption of quality strategy (brand of origin and sustainable development of the sector was evaluated. Despite its intrinsic characteristics and its organized, well-defined structure, the SMZ food supply chain is unable to address sustainable objectives without considerable public intervention and support. In terms of sustainability, to be able to show desirable food chain characteristics, the existence of a fully collaborative relationship between the actors has to be ascertained. Identifying shared goals is essential to assign and implement coordinated actions, pooling responsibility for product quality into social and environmental dimensions.

  9. Analysis of the potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) value chain in Zimbabwe

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Svubure, O.; Struik, P.C.; Haverkort, A.J.; Steyn, J.M.

    2017-01-01

    The performance of the Irish potato sector in Zimbabwe is not well understood. Using value chain analysis, this article evaluated the potato industry using quantitative data gathered from stakeholders using structured questionnaires, field observations, local knowledge and expert consultation.

  10. Shark Ig light chain junctions are as diverse as in heavy chains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fleurant, Marshall; Changchien, Lily; Chen, Chin-Tung; Flajnik, Martin F; Hsu, Ellen

    2004-11-01

    We have characterized a small family of four genes encoding one of the three nurse shark Ig L chain isotypes, called NS5. All NS5 cDNA sequences are encoded by three loci, of which two are organized as conventional clusters, each consisting of a V and J gene segment that can recombine and one C region exon; the third contains a germline-joined VJ in-frame and the fourth locus is a pseudogene. This is the second nurse shark L chain type where both germline-joined and split V-J organizations have been found. Since there are only two rearranging Ig loci, it was possible for the first time to examine junctional diversity in defined fish Ig genes, comparing productive vs nonproductive rearrangements. N region addition was found to be considerably more extensive in length and in frequency than any other vertebrate L chain so far reported and rivals that in H chain. We put forth the speculation that the unprecedented efficiency of N region addition (87-93% of NS5 sequences) may be a result not only of simultaneous H and L chain rearrangement in the shark but also of processing events that afford greater accessibility of the V or J gene coding ends to terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase.

  11. Efficient Synthesis of Single-Chain Polymer Nanoparticles via Amide Formation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Sanchez-Sanchez

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Single-chain technology (SCT allows the transformation of individual polymer chains to folded/collapsed unimolecular soft nanoparticles. In this work we contribute to the enlargement of the SCT toolbox by demonstrating the efficient synthesis of single-chain polymer nanoparticles (SCNPs via intrachain amide formation. In particular, we exploit cross-linking between active methylene groups and isocyanate moieties as powerful “click” chemistry driving force for SCNP construction. By employing poly(methyl methacrylate- (PMMA- based copolymers bearing β-ketoester units distributed randomly along the copolymer chains and bifunctional isocyanate cross-linkers, SCNPs were successfully synthesized at r.t. under appropriate reaction conditions. Characterization of the resulting SCNPs was carried out by means of a combination of techniques including size exclusion chromatography (SEC, infrared (IR spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS, and elemental analysis (EA.

  12. Value Chain Analysis: A Framework for Management of Distance Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woudstra, Andrew; Powell, Richard

    1989-01-01

    Discussion of the benefits of value chain analysis in the management of distance education organizations focuses on an example at Athabasca University. The effects of policies and decisions on the organization and its value system are considered, cost drivers for activities are described, and a future-oriented perspective is emphasized. (14…

  13. Gamma radiation-initiated polymerization of styrene at high pressure. II. Chain termination

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moore, P.W.; Clouston, J.G.; Chaplin, R.P.

    1981-01-01

    The pressure dependence of the termination rate constant k/sub t/ for the free radical polymerization of monomers such as styrene is a function of polymer chain length, chain stiffness, and monomer viscosity, all of which influence the rate of segmental diffusion of an active radical chain end out of the coiled polymer chain to a position in which it can react with a proximate radical. Although k/sub t/ is not sensitive to changes in chain length, the large increase in molecular weight is responsible for a significant reduction in k/sub t/ at high pressures. For most of the common vinyl polymers, which exhibit some degree of chain stiffness, k/sub t/is inversely proportional to a fractional power of the monomer viscosity because it depends in part on the resistance of chain segments to movement and in part on the influence of viscosity in controlling diffusion of the chain ends. The fractional exponent appears to increase with pressure and this is interpreted as evidence that the polymer chains become more flexible in a more viscous solvent. Because the fractional exponent is higher for more flexible chains, the value of the activation volume for chain termination is an indication of the degree of flexibility of the polymer chains, provided that the monomer is a good solvent for the polymer and that chain transfer is negligible

  14. END-OF-USE PRODUCTS IN REVERSE LOGISTICS

    OpenAIRE

    Marta Starostka-Patyk

    2007-01-01

    Reverse logistics is a very useful tool for enterprises which have to deal with end-of-use products. Forward logistics is not able to manage them, because they show up on the beginning of reverse supply chain. That is the reason for growing importance of reverse flows. Reverse logistics is quite new logistics system. This paper presents the idea of reverse logistics and end-of-use products problems.

  15. Understanding the meaning of fatigue at the end of life: an ethnoscience approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirshbaum, Marilynne N; Olson, Kärin; Pongthavornkamol, Kanaungnit; Graffigna, Guendalina

    2013-04-01

    Fatigue is a devastating state of body and mind associated with distress at the end of life. We report the results of the third in a series of papers outlining a novel approach we have developed for understanding the meaning of fatigue by exploring how this meaning is shaped by beliefs and values. The aims of the study were to examine the perception and experiences of fatigue held by patients attending a hospice in England; identify the behavioural patterns that distinguish fatigue from tiredness and exhaustion; provide conceptual definitions of tiredness, fatigue and exhaustion. An Ethnoscience design was selected. The sample comprised nine people who attended a hospice between May and December 2009. Inclusion criteria included: at least 18 years of age, experiencing fatigue, able to provide informed consent and resident in the selected city in northern England for 10 years. Data were collected from two consecutive semi-structured interviews for each participant. We found that tiredness, fatigue and exhaustion are markers of progressive functional decline. Fatigue had two dimensions: 1) Mental Challenge, which included: emotional effects, cognitive realisation of decline and mental tenacity and 2) Physical Challenge, which included: limitations in leisure activities, limitations in functional roles and re-patterning routines. This study provides evidence that symptom experience is socially constructed, which has potential implications for the development of effective interventions. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Electronic properties of linear carbon chains: Resolving the controversy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Al-Backri, Amaal; Zólyomi, Viktor; Lambert, Colin J.

    2014-01-01

    Literature values for the energy gap of long one-dimensional carbon chains vary from as little as 0.2 eV to more than 4 eV. To resolve this discrepancy, we use the GW many-body approach to calculate the band gap E g of an infinite carbon chain. We also compute the energy dependence of the attenuation coefficient β governing the decay with chain length of the electrical conductance of long chains and compare this with recent experimental measurements of the single-molecule conductance of end-capped carbon chains. For long chains, we find E g = 2.16 eV and an upper bound for β of 0.21 Å −1

  17. Carbon 14 in the aquatic food chain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mueller, H.; Fischer, E.

    1983-01-01

    In the links of the food chain consisting of water, water plants, and fish from 6 several aquatic ecosystems, the specific C-14 activity of the carbon was determined from 1979 to 1981 and compared with values of the terrestrial food chain. The mean values obtained from the specific acitivities of the links were between 203 and 321 mBq/g C (5.5 and 8.7 pCi/g C). Four of the six mean values differ from the values for the terrestrial food chain of 260 to 240 mBg/g C (7.0 to 6.5 pCi/g C) investigated for 1979 to 1980. The specific-acitivity model is valid for the aquatic food chain only if atmosphere and man are not included as chain links. (orig.) [de

  18. Sustainable value creation through new industrial supply chains in apparel and fashion

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pal, R.; Sandberg, E.

    2017-10-01

    This paper explores the inter-organizational value creation, in apparel supply chain context, through circularity and digitalization for sustainability, by gathering evidences from vivid research experiences. It can be highlighted that inter-organizational value creation in both circular- and digital- apparel supply chains largely builds upon a variety of collaborative initiatives, and among a range of included members. Knowledge co-evolvement and business co-development, end-to-end integration and information transfer, and open networks are crucial to such collaborations - making development of new supply chain structures a meta-capability of apparel firms in the changing industrial landscape.

  19. Implementing Coordinative Contracts between Manufacturer and Retailer in a Reverse Supply Chain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sung Wook Yoon

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available There is an increasing need for company awareness of environmental problems and sustainable business practices. As a post-consumption activity, the reverse supply chain aims to extract value from products at the end of their lifecycle; it offers a means of pursuing sustainability through recycling, remanufacturing, refurbishing, and reusing. This study develops a series of procedures for implementing contracts between manufacturers and retailers to maximize individual profits and total profits through the reverse supply chain. To analyze the effects of the decision strategies made by parties acting on non-coordinative (decentralized and coordinative contracts, we model a two-echelon reverse supply chain environment using a system dynamics approach. In this study, we examine three cooperative contracts with differing shares of cost and profit between the two parties. Each contract is analyzed according to the following three contract processes. First, the manufacturer proposes a set of contracts that can be considered by the retailer. Second, the retailer evaluates the proposed contracts and chooses the one that is expected to maximize profits. Finally, the retailer and manufacturer adjust the parameters of the best contract to achieve the mutual goal of the supply chain. Using the experimental results, we discuss the best coordinative strategy between manufacturer and retailer for maximizing profits in the reverse supply chain.

  20. The mean ''size'' of polyatomic boxes for a binary mixing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mejdani, R.

    1991-06-01

    In the present work we have studied in detail the problem of the mean ''size'' of mixing of chain-propagating atoms and chain-terminating atoms on a one-dimensional lattice, with respect to the temperature and the interaction constants. Some comparisons of the average chain length of a symmetric system to that of an asymmetric one allows us to state that the asymmetry of bonds play an important role in determining the mean chain length or the mean ''size'' of boxes. (author). 4 refs, 6 figs

  1. Achieving Supply Chain Integration within Construction Industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter McDermotti

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available The main driver behind the adoption of supply chain management (SCM philosophy into the construction industry was the successes within other industry sectors. SCM can be defined as network of different organisations, linked upstream and downstream in a chain, aiming to produce quality and value in the services and products for the end consumers through integrated processes and activities. In order to achieve the optimised level of integration of the whole supply chain, the industry has responded in various forms. This paper will discuss different initiatives by the researchers,construction industry,and the UK government in order to achieve optimal level of supply chain integration. This paper will discuss the concept of aggregation,and also look at other supply chain integration related concepts including client-led supply chain, knowledge about the whole supply chain, effects of procurement on integration of supply chain, etc. The paper will give a brief overview and initial findings of a project undertaken by the authors, and also include examples from the UK construction industry on bundling of the supply and demand.

  2. Secure Supply Chains : Design Restrictions & Organizational Boundaries

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ludema, M.W.

    2009-01-01

    An important issue in the design of secure supply chains is the understanding of the relation between supply chains and the organizational responsibility of specific parts of these supply chains. Organizational boundaries change over time by means of vertical and/or horizontal (des)-integration and

  3. Molecular dynamics investigation of the physisorption and interfacial characteristics of NBR chains on carbon nanotubes with different characteristics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kun Li

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available The present study investigates the physisorption and interfacial interactions between multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs with different characteristics, including different numbers of walls and different functional groups, and acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR polymer chains based on molecular dynamics simulations performed using modeled MWNT/NBR compound systems. The effects of the initial orientation of NBR chains and their relative distances to nanotubes, number of nanotube layers, and the surface functional groups of nanotubes on nanotube/polymer interactions are examined. Analysis is conducted according to the final configuration obtained in conjunction with the binding energy (Eb, radius of gyration (Rg and end-to-end distance (h. The results show that the final conformations of NBR chains adsorbed on MWNT surfaces is associated with the initial relative angle of the NBR chains and their distance from the nanotubes. For non-functionalized MWNTs, Eb is almost directly proportional to Rg under equivalent parameters. Moreover, it is observed that functional groups hinder the wrapping of NBR chains on the MWNT surfaces. This indicates that functional groups do not always benefit the macro-mechanical properties of the composites. Moreover, the type of the major interaction force has been dramatically changed into electrostatic force from vdW force because of functionalization.

  4. Molecular dynamics investigation of the physisorption and interfacial characteristics of NBR chains on carbon nanotubes with different characteristics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Kun; Gu, Boqin

    2017-07-01

    The present study investigates the physisorption and interfacial interactions between multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) with different characteristics, including different numbers of walls and different functional groups, and acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR) polymer chains based on molecular dynamics simulations performed using modeled MWNT/NBR compound systems. The effects of the initial orientation of NBR chains and their relative distances to nanotubes, number of nanotube layers, and the surface functional groups of nanotubes on nanotube/polymer interactions are examined. Analysis is conducted according to the final configuration obtained in conjunction with the binding energy (Eb), radius of gyration (Rg) and end-to-end distance (h). The results show that the final conformations of NBR chains adsorbed on MWNT surfaces is associated with the initial relative angle of the NBR chains and their distance from the nanotubes. For non-functionalized MWNTs, Eb is almost directly proportional to Rg under equivalent parameters. Moreover, it is observed that functional groups hinder the wrapping of NBR chains on the MWNT surfaces. This indicates that functional groups do not always benefit the macro-mechanical properties of the composites. Moreover, the type of the major interaction force has been dramatically changed into electrostatic force from vdW force because of functionalization.

  5. Almería’s tomato chain analysis and strategies to upgrade the chain

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    García Martínez de San Vicente, I.T.

    2012-01-01

    The Almeria’s tomato value chain is currently reducing its competitiveness due to high production and processing costs as well as the maintenance of selling prices and the increase of competitors. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the Almeria’s tomato value chain in order to

  6. From closed-loop to sustainable suplly chains: the WEEE case

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Quariguasi Frota Neto, J.; Walther, G.; Bloemhof, J.M.; Nunen, van J.A.E.E.; Spengler, T.

    2010-01-01

    The primary objective of closed-loop supply chains (CLSC) is to improve the maximum economic benefit from end-of-use products. Nevertheless, the literature within this stream of research advocates that closing the loop also helps to mitigate the undesirable environmental footprint of supply chains.

  7. Impacts of Returning Unsold Products in Retail Outsourcing Fashion Supply Chain: A Sustainability Analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Shen, Bin; Li, Qingying

    2015-01-01

    l outsourcing with a return policy is quite commonly adopted in the fashion supply chain. Under the return policy, the supplier as a brand owner may focus on production, and then outsource retailing to the retailer. In the meanwhile, the retailer may receive some support money from the supplier for subsidizing the loss of unsold products at the end of the selling season and be asked for shipping back. Motivated by this real practice in the fashion industry, we examine a two-echelon supply cha...

  8. Under-reported data analysis with INAR-hidden Markov chains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernández-Fontelo, Amanda; Cabaña, Alejandra; Puig, Pedro; Moriña, David

    2016-11-20

    In this work, we deal with correlated under-reported data through INAR(1)-hidden Markov chain models. These models are very flexible and can be identified through its autocorrelation function, which has a very simple form. A naïve method of parameter estimation is proposed, jointly with the maximum likelihood method based on a revised version of the forward algorithm. The most-probable unobserved time series is reconstructed by means of the Viterbi algorithm. Several examples of application in the field of public health are discussed illustrating the utility of the models. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  9. Historical Semantic Chaining and Efficient Communication: The Case of Container Names

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Yang; Regier, Terry; Malt, Barbara C.

    2016-01-01

    Semantic categories in the world's languages often reflect a historical process of "chaining": A name for one referent is extended to a conceptually related referent, and from there on to other referents, producing a chain of exemplars that all bear the same name. The beginning and end points of such a chain might in principle be rather…

  10. Evaluation of the cardiac efficiency by means of functional radiocardiography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Scheibe, J; Stoll, W [Friedrich-Schiller-Universitaet, Jena (German Democratic Republic). Bereich Medizin

    1982-01-01

    A new method of evaluating the cardiac efficiency by means of radiocardiography performed on exertion with /sup 113m/InCl is reported. Analysis of stroke volume, end diastolic volume and of the quotient of cardiac output to end diastolic volume on exertion enables an adequate evaluation of the actual myocardial efficiency.

  11. Elastic properties of a polymer chain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Webman, I.; Lebowitz, J.L.; Kalos, M.H.

    1981-01-01

    We describe the results of computer simulations on a model polymer chain with excluded volume interactions in the presence of an external stretching force. For weak and moderate forces the response is linear while for strong forces the behavior is nonlinear, consistent with the non-Gaussian nature of the end-to-end vector R distribution for large R. In the vicinity of the THETA temperature the onset of nonlinearity occurs at larger forces

  12. Assessment of strategies for value chains using an extended Structure-Conduct-Performance (SCP) framework: an application to the honey business in Brazil

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Santana De Figueiredo Junior, H.

    2015-01-01

    Keywords: Strategy evaluation, global networks, supply chains, policy Delphi, conjoint analysis, economic development, competitiveness, beekeeping, interventions, uncertainty, upgrading.

    Competition for the end-customer nowadays takes place more among networks of firms

  13. Conformation of Single Pentablock Ionomer Chains in Dilute Solutions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aryal, Dipak [Clemson Univ., SC (United States); Perahia, Dvora [Clemson Univ., SC (United States); Grest, Gary S. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

    2015-04-01

    The conformation of single chain pentablock ionomers (A-B-C-B-A) containing randomly sulfonated polystyrene in the center block, tethered to poly-ethylene-r-propylene end-capped by poly-t-butyl styrene is studied in dilute solutions by molecular dynamics simulations. Multi-block copolymers offer a means to tailor several properties into one molecule, taking advantage of their rich phase diagram together with unique properties of specific blocks. For this pentablock the ionic block facilitates transport while the A and B components are incorporated for mechanical stability. The present study investigates the confirmation of a single chain of pentablock ionomer of molecular weight Mw ~ 50,000 g/mol and sulfonated polystyrene of the same molecular weight as that of the center block for six sulfonation fractions f from f=0.0-0.55. For the sulfonated systems Na+ counterions are included. Results for the equilibrium conformation of the chains and the three blocks in water and 1:1 mixture of cyclohexane and n-heptane are compared to simulations in implicit poor solvents with dielectric constants ε =1.0 and 77.73. In water, the pentablock is collapsed with sulfonated groups on the outer surface. As the sulfonation fraction f increases, the ionic, center block is increasingly segregated from the hydrophobic regions. In the 1:1 mixture of cyclohexane and heptane both the flexible and end blocks are swollen while the center ionic block is collasped for f>0, while for f=0 all blocks are swollen. In both implicit poor solvents the pentablock is collapsed into a nearly spherical shape for all f. The sodium counterions are dispersed widely throughout the simulation cell for both water and ε =77.73 whereas for ε =1.0 the counterions are largely condensed on the collapsed pentablock.

  14. Typology of end-of-life priorities in Saudi females: averaging analysis and Q-methodology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hammami MM

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Muhammad M Hammami,1,2 Safa Hammami,1 Hala A Amer,1 Nesrine A Khodr1 1Clinical Studies and Empirical Ethics Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, 2College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Background: Understanding culture-and sex-related end-of-life preferences is essential to provide quality end-of-life care. We have previously explored end-of-life choices in Saudi males and found important culture-related differences and that Q-methodology is useful in identifying intraculture, opinion-based groups. Here, we explore Saudi females’ end-of-life choices.Methods: A volunteer sample of 68 females rank-ordered 47 opinion statements on end-of-life issues into a nine-category symmetrical distribution. The ranking scores of the statements were analyzed by averaging analysis and Q-methodology.Results: The mean age of the females in the sample was 30.3 years (range, 19–55 years. Among them, 51% reported average religiosity, 78% reported very good health, 79% reported very good life quality, and 100% reported high-school education or more. The extreme five overall priorities were to be able to say the statement of faith, be at peace with God, die without having the body exposed, maintain dignity, and resolve all conflicts. The extreme five overall dis-priorities were to die in the hospital, die well dressed, be informed about impending death by family/friends rather than doctor, die at peak of life, and not know if one has a fatal illness. Q-methodology identified five opinion-based groups with qualitatively different characteristics: “physical and emotional privacy concerned, family caring” (younger, lower religiosity, “whole person” (higher religiosity, “pain and informational privacy concerned” (lower life quality, “decisional privacy concerned” (older, higher life quality, and “life quantity concerned, family dependent” (high life quality, low life satisfaction. Out of the

  15. Mean first-passage times in confined media: from Markovian to non-Markovian processes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bénichou, O; Voituriez, R; Guérin, T

    2015-01-01

    We review recent theoretical works that enable the accurate evaluation of the mean first passage time (MFPT) of a random walker to a target in confinement for Markovian (memory-less) and non-Markovian walkers. For the Markovian problem, we present a general theory which allows one to accurately evaluate the MFPT and its extensions to related first-passage observables such as splitting probabilities and occupation times. We show that this analytical approach provides a universal scaling dependence of the MFPT on both the volume of the confining domain and the source–target distance in the case of general scale-invariant processes. This analysis is applicable to a broad range of stochastic processes characterized by length scale-invariant properties, and reveals the key role that can be played by the starting position of the random walker. We then present an extension to non-Markovian walks by taking the specific example of a tagged monomer of a polymer chain looking for a target in confinement. We show that the MFPT can be calculated accurately by computing the distribution of the positions of all the monomers in the chain at the instant of reaction. Such a theory can be used to derive asymptotic relations that generalize the scaling dependence with the volume and the initial distance to the target derived for Markovian walks. Finally, we present an application of this theory to the problem of the first contact time between the two ends of a polymer chain, and review the various theoretical approaches of this non- Markovian problem. (topical review)

  16. Decofinement, dimensional crossover and quantum criticality in coupled correlated chains with frustration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lal, Siddhartha; Laad, Mukul S.

    2007-08-01

    The dynamics of the charge sector of a one-dimensional quarter-filled electronic system with extended Hubbard interactions were recently mapped onto that of an effective pseudospin transverse-field Ising model (TFIM) in the strong coupling limit. Motivated by studying the effects of inter-chain couplings, we investigate the phase diagram for the case of a system of many coupled effective (TFIM) chains. A random phase approximation analysis reveals a phase diagram with an ordered phase existing at finite temperatures. The phase boundary ends at a zero temperature quantum critical point. Critical quantum fluctuations are found to drive a zero temperature deconfinement transition, as well as enhance the dispersion of excitations in the transverse directions, leading to a dimensional crossover at finite temperatures. Our work is potentially relevant for a unified description of a class of strongly correlated, quarter-filled chain and ladder systems. (author)

  17. Means-End based Functional Modeling for Intelligent Control: Modeling and Experiments with an Industrial Heat Pump System

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Saleem, Arshad

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to present a Multilevel Flow Model (MFM) of an industrial heat pump system and its use for diagnostic reasoning. MFM is functional modeling language supporting an explicit means-ends intelligent control strategy for large industrial process plants. The model is used...... in several diagnostic experiments analyzing different fault scenarios. The model and results of the experiments are explained and it is shown how MFM based intelligent modeling and automated reasoning can improve the fault diagnosis process significantly....

  18. Food value chain analysis: A review of selected studies for Pakistan and guidelines for further research

    OpenAIRE

    ul Haq, Zahoor

    2012-01-01

    The study of value chains comprises of two key concepts: value and chain. The term value is synonym to “value added†in the Value Chain Analysis (VCA) as it characterizes the incremental value of a resultant product produced from processing of a product. For agricultural products, value addition can also take place through differentiation of a product based on food safety and food functionality. Price of the resultant product shows its incremental value. The term chain refers to a supply c...

  19. An Analysis of the Radiation Damage to the ATLAS Semiconductor Tracker End-Caps

    CERN Document Server

    Millar, Declan; Moretti, Stefano

    The motivation, theoretical principles and analytical procedure for an assessment of the radiation damage to the ATLAS SCT end-caps is presented. An analysis of the leakage current across end-cap modules is performed for 2011 and 2012 data. A comparison between the observed and expected leakage current is made, with measurements favouring the shape of the theoretical evolution. Measured data is found to be systematically lower than predicted for a large subset of end-cap modules, while the remainder show surface current effects which interfere with bulk current observation. Uniform differences for modules at different radial distances suggest a radial temperature distribution in the end-caps, with absolute silicon sensor temperature to be established in further analysis.

  20. Analysis of environmental and economic aspects of international pellet supply chains

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ehrig, Rita

    2014-01-17

    Biomass plays a key role to achieve the EU's 20-20-20 energy and climate targets. Because of rising European demand and limited domestic resources, the EU relies on worldwide imports. Given this framework, the present thesis explores the influences on wood pellet supply chains considering different environmental policies, price risks and the effect of torrefaction pretreatment. The examinations refer to three real case studies for pellet trade from Australia, Canada, and Russia to Europe. In the first investigation, the efficiency of co-firing imported wood pellets in terms of CO{sub 2} savings and related subsidy schemes is analysed. Scenarios show that co-firing biomass is efficient to contribute to the EU energy targets. Though, policy makers could use these instruments more effective when directing sourcing decision towards options with even less environmental impacts. The second analysis explores the influence of statistically derived price risks on total supply chain economics. It is shown that price risks can effect strong fluctuations in the short term, which seriously affect the profitability of individual trade routes. Securing the supply chain is mainly based on individual producer-buyer agreements, personal branch experiences and fast reactions on the subsidy system. Systematic evaluation of supply chains could contribute to a more reliable market and thus foster investment decisions. In the last investigation, the economic and environmental performance of potential torrefaction-based supply chains is assessed. As a result, torrefaction-based supply chains turn out to be a certain alternative to conventional ones. Though, still huge research efforts and industrial demonstration are required to make torrefied biomass a real alternative on the market.

  1. Analysis of environmental and economic aspects of international pellet supply chains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ehrig, Rita

    2014-01-01

    Biomass plays a key role to achieve the EU's 20-20-20 energy and climate targets. Because of rising European demand and limited domestic resources, the EU relies on worldwide imports. Given this framework, the present thesis explores the influences on wood pellet supply chains considering different environmental policies, price risks and the effect of torrefaction pretreatment. The examinations refer to three real case studies for pellet trade from Australia, Canada, and Russia to Europe. In the first investigation, the efficiency of co-firing imported wood pellets in terms of CO 2 savings and related subsidy schemes is analysed. Scenarios show that co-firing biomass is efficient to contribute to the EU energy targets. Though, policy makers could use these instruments more effective when directing sourcing decision towards options with even less environmental impacts. The second analysis explores the influence of statistically derived price risks on total supply chain economics. It is shown that price risks can effect strong fluctuations in the short term, which seriously affect the profitability of individual trade routes. Securing the supply chain is mainly based on individual producer-buyer agreements, personal branch experiences and fast reactions on the subsidy system. Systematic evaluation of supply chains could contribute to a more reliable market and thus foster investment decisions. In the last investigation, the economic and environmental performance of potential torrefaction-based supply chains is assessed. As a result, torrefaction-based supply chains turn out to be a certain alternative to conventional ones. Though, still huge research efforts and industrial demonstration are required to make torrefied biomass a real alternative on the market.

  2. Mean-deviation analysis in the theory of choice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grechuk, Bogdan; Molyboha, Anton; Zabarankin, Michael

    2012-08-01

    Mean-deviation analysis, along with the existing theories of coherent risk measures and dual utility, is examined in the context of the theory of choice under uncertainty, which studies rational preference relations for random outcomes based on different sets of axioms such as transitivity, monotonicity, continuity, etc. An axiomatic foundation of the theory of coherent risk measures is obtained as a relaxation of the axioms of the dual utility theory, and a further relaxation of the axioms are shown to lead to the mean-deviation analysis. Paradoxes arising from the sets of axioms corresponding to these theories and their possible resolutions are discussed, and application of the mean-deviation analysis to optimal risk sharing and portfolio selection in the context of rational choice is considered. © 2012 Society for Risk Analysis.

  3. Biofuel supply chain, market, and policy analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Leilei

    Renewable fuel is receiving an increasing attention as a substitute for fossil based energy. The US Department of Energy (DOE) has employed increasing effort on promoting the advanced biofuel productions. Although the advanced biofuel remains at its early stage, it is expected to play an important role in climate policy in the future in the transportation sector. This dissertation studies the emerging biofuel supply chain and markets by analyzing the production cost, and the outcomes of the biofuel market, including blended fuel market price and quantity, biofuel contract price and quantity, profitability of each stakeholder (farmers, biofuel producers, biofuel blenders) in the market. I also address government policy impacts on the emerging biofuel market. The dissertation is composed with three parts, each in a paper format. The first part studies the supply chain of emerging biofuel industry. Two optimization-based models are built to determine the number of facilities to deploy, facility locations, facility capacities, and operational planning within facilities. Cost analyses have been conducted under a variety of biofuel demand scenarios. It is my intention that this model will shed light on biofuel supply chain design considering operational planning under uncertain demand situations. The second part of the dissertation work focuses on analyzing the interaction between the key stakeholders along the supply chain. A bottom-up equilibrium model is built for the emerging biofuel market to study the competition in the advanced biofuel market, explicitly formulating the interactions between farmers, biofuel producers, blenders, and consumers. The model simulates the profit maximization of multiple market entities by incorporating their competitive decisions in farmers' land allocation, biomass transportation, biofuel production, and biofuel blending. As such, the equilibrium model is capable of and appropriate for policy analysis, especially for those policies

  4. A Review of the Wood Pellet Value Chain, Modern Value/Supply Chain Management Approaches, and Value/Supply Chain Models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Natalie M. Hughes

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available We reviewed 153 peer-reviewed sources to provide identification of modern supply chain management techniques and exploration of supply chain modeling, to offer decision support to managers. Ultimately, the review is intended to assist member-companies of supply chains, mainly producers, improve their current management approaches, by directing them to studies that may be suitable for direct application to their supply chains and value chains for improved efficiency and profitability. We found that information on supply chain management and modeling techniques in general is available. However, few Canadian-based published studies exist regarding a demand-driven modeling approach to value/supply chain management for wood pellet production. Only three papers were found specifically on wood pellet value chain analysis. We propose that more studies should be carried out on the value chain of wood pellet manufacturing, as well as demand-driven management and modeling approaches with improved demand forecasting methods.

  5. Waste Biomass Based Energy Supply Chain Network Design

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hatice Güneş Yıldız

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Reducing dependence on fossil fuels, alleviating environmental impacts and ensuring sustainable economic growth are among the most promising aspects of utilizing renewable energy resources. Biomass is a major renewable energy resource that has the potential for creating sustainable energy systems that are critical in terms of social welfare. Utilization of biomass for bioenergy production is an efficient alternative for meeting rising energy demands, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and thus alleviating climate change. A supply chain for such an energy source is crucial for assisting deliverance of a competitive end product to end-user markets. Considering the existing constraints, a mixed integer linear programming (MILP model for waste biomass based supply chain was proposed in this study for economic performance optimization. Performance of the proposed modelling approach was demonstrated with a real life application study realized in İstanbul. Moreover, sensitivity analyses were conducted which would serve as a foresight for efficient management of the supply chain as a whole

  6. A supply chain approach to biochar systems [Chapter 2

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nathaniel M. Anderson; Richard D. Bergman; Deborah S. Page-Dumroese

    2017-01-01

    Biochar systems are designed to meet four related primary objectives: improve soils, manage waste, generate renewable energy, and mitigate climate change. Supply chain models provide a holistic framework for examining biochar systems with an emphasis on product life cycle and end use. Drawing on concepts in supply chain management and engineering, this chapter presents...

  7. A Mixed Integer Linear Programming Model for the Design of Remanufacturing Closed–loop Supply Chain Network

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mbarek Elbounjimi

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Closed-loop supply chain network design is a critical issue due to its impact on both economic and environmental performances of the supply chain. In this paper, we address the problem of designing a multi-echelon, multi-product and capacitated closed-loop supply chain network. First, a mixed-integer linear programming formulation is developed to maximize the total profit. The main contribution of the proposed model is addressing two economic viability issues of closed-loop supply chain. The first issue is the collection of sufficient quantity of end-of-life products are assured by retailers against an acquisition price. The second issue is exploiting the benefits of colocation of forward facilities and reverse facilities. The presented model is solved by LINGO for some test problems. Computational results and sensitivity analysis are conducted to show the performance of the proposed model.

  8. Forbidden subgraph pairs for traceability of block-chains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Binlong Li

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available A block-chain is a graph whose block graph is a path, i.e. it is either a $P_1$, a $P_2$, or a 2-connected graph, or a graph of connectivity 1 with exactly two end-blocks. A graph is called traceable if it contains a Hamilton path. A traceable graph is clearly a block-chain, but the reverse does not hold in general.In this paper we characterize all pairs of connected graphs $\\{R,S\\}$ such that every $\\{R,S\\}$-free block-chain is traceable.

  9. Knitting distributed cluster-state ladders with spin chains

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ronke, R.; D' Amico, I. [Department of Physics, University of York, York YO10 5DD, United Kingdom. (United Kingdom); Spiller, T. P. [School of Physics and Astronomy, E C Stoner Building, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT (United Kingdom)

    2011-09-15

    Recently there has been much study on the application of spin chains to quantum state transfer and communication. Here we discuss the utilization of spin chains (set up for perfect quantum state transfer) for the knitting of distributed cluster-state structures, between spin qubits repeatedly injected and extracted at the ends of the chain. The cluster states emerge from the natural evolution of the system across different excitation number sectors. We discuss the decohering effects of errors in the injection and extraction process as well as the effects of fabrication and random errors.

  10. Knitting distributed cluster-state ladders with spin chains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ronke, R.; D'Amico, I.; Spiller, T. P.

    2011-01-01

    Recently there has been much study on the application of spin chains to quantum state transfer and communication. Here we discuss the utilization of spin chains (set up for perfect quantum state transfer) for the knitting of distributed cluster-state structures, between spin qubits repeatedly injected and extracted at the ends of the chain. The cluster states emerge from the natural evolution of the system across different excitation number sectors. We discuss the decohering effects of errors in the injection and extraction process as well as the effects of fabrication and random errors.

  11. The innovation value chain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hansen, Morten T; Birkinshaw, Julian

    2007-06-01

    The challenges of coming up with fresh ideas and realizing profits from them are different for every company. One firm may excel at finding good ideas but may have weak systems for bringing them to market. Another organization may have a terrific process for funding and rolling out new products and services but a shortage of concepts to develop. In this article, Hansen and Birkinshaw caution executives against using the latest and greatest innovation approaches and tools without understanding the unique deficiencies in their companies' innovation systems. They offer a framework for evaluating innovation performance: the innovation value chain. It comprises the three main phases of innovation (idea generation, conversion, and diffusion) as well as the critical activities performed during those phases (looking for ideas inside your unit; looking for them in other units; looking for them externally; selecting ideas; funding them; and promoting and spreading ideas companywide). Using this framework, managers get an end-to-end view of their innovation efforts. They can pinpoint their weakest links and tailor innovation best practices appropriately to strengthen those links. Companies typically succumb to one of three broad "weakest-link" scenarios. They are idea poor, conversion poor, or diffusion poor. The article looks at the ways smart companies - including Intuit, P&G, Sara Lee, Shell, and Siemens- modify the best innovation practices and apply them to address those organizations' individual needs and flaws. The authors warn that adopting the chain-based view of innovation requires new measures of what can be delivered by each link in the chain. The approach also entails new roles for employees "external scouts" and "internal evangelists," for example. Indeed, in their search for new hires, companies should seek out those candidates who can help address particular weaknesses in the innovation value chain.

  12. Long-range interactions in antiferromagnetic quantum spin chains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bravo, B.; Cabra, D. C.; Gómez Albarracín, F. A.; Rossini, G. L.

    2017-08-01

    We study the role of long-range dipolar interactions on antiferromagnetic spin chains, from the classical S →∞ limit to the deep quantum case S =1 /2 , including a transverse magnetic field. To this end, we combine different techniques such as classical energy minima, classical Monte Carlo, linear spin waves, bosonization, and density matrix renormalization group (DMRG). We find a phase transition from the already reported dipolar ferromagnetic region to an antiferromagnetic region for high enough antiferromagnetic exchange. Thermal and quantum fluctuations destabilize the classical order before reaching magnetic saturation in both phases, and also close to zero field in the antiferromagnetic phase. In the extreme quantum limit S =1 /2 , extensive DMRG computations show that the main phases remain present with transition lines to saturation significatively shifted to lower fields, in agreement with the bosonization analysis. The overall picture maintains a close analogy with the phase diagram of the anisotropic XXZ spin chain in a transverse field.

  13. Retail Supply Chain: Challenges and Prospects

    OpenAIRE

    John, Mathew

    2012-01-01

    A supply chain is incomplete if there is no proper distribution channel that delivers goods to the end users. It is equally underperforming of the supply chain if the retail link is missing to satisfy demand. The effect of this will be felt by the final consumers because of the ease of buying off the shelf rather than directly from the distributors. The popular saying, ‘the world is a global village’ shows that internationalization is increasingly becoming a past debate of governments and is...

  14. SCOR based key success factors in cooking oil supply chain buyers perspective in Padang City

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zahara, Fatimah; Hadiguna, Rika Ampuh

    2017-11-01

    Supply chain of cooking oil is a network of companies from palm oil as raw material to retailers which work to create the value and deliver products into the end consumers. This paper is aimed to study key success factors based on consumer's perspective as the last stage in the supply chain. Consumers who are examined in this study are restaurants management or owners. Restaurant is the biggest consumption of cooking oil. The factors is studied based on Supply Chain Operation Reference (SCOR) version 10.0. Factors used are formulated based on the third-level metrics of SCOR Model. Factors are analyzed using factors analysis. This study found factors which become key success factors in managing supply chain of cooking oil encompass reliability, responsiveness and agility. Key success factors can be applied by governments as policy making and cooking oil companies as formulation of the distribution strategies.

  15. Canonical Correlation Analysis Between Supply Chain Quality Management And Competitive Advantages

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chaghooshi Ahmad Jafarnejad

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Competitive environment of today’s organizations, more than ever, is extensive, and the major concern for managers is to preserve and promote the sustainable competitive advantage. Companies have an obligation to improve their product quality and have extensive and close cooperation with other companies involved in the supply chain of products. Supply chain quality management (SCQM is a systematic approach to improve the performance that integrates supply chain partners and uses the opportunity in the best way, establish linkages between upstream and downstream flows, and investigate on creating value and satisfaction of intermediaries and final customers. Furthermore, achieving competitive advantages enables an organization to create a remarkable position in market and differentiate itself from competitors. This paper aims to understand the relationships between SCQM and competitive advantage. Sixty-eight experts of 25 companies in Sahami Alyaf (SA supply chain has been participated in this research. The research method used for this article is descriptive correlation. To assess the relationships between the criteria, canonical correlation analysis was used. The result shows that the SCQM and competitive advantages have a meaningful relationship. It also shows that most important variable in the linear combination of SCQM and competitive advantages are “customer focus and quality,” respectively.

  16. Forbidden subgraph pairs for traceability of block-chains

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Li, Binlong; Li, Binlong; Broersma, Haitze J.; Zhang, Shenggui

    2013-01-01

    A block-chain is a graph whose block graph is a path, i.e. it is either a P1, a P2, or a 2-connected graph, or a graph of connectivity 1 with exactly two end-blocks. A graph is called traceable if it contains a Hamilton path. A traceable graph is clearly a block-chain, but the reverse does not hold

  17. An innovative container supply chain for forest chips

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Karttunen, Kalle; Korpinen, Olli-Jussi; Laettilae, Lauri; Foehr, Jarno; Ranta, Tapio [Lappeenranta Univ. of Technology, Mikkeli (Finland)], e-mail: kalle.karttunen@lut.fi

    2012-11-01

    Most forest chips are transported by trucks with a solid frame. Forest-chip volumes will at least double before 2020, which means longer transport distances from the supply areas to the largest demand sites in Finland. The study concentrates on an innovative container solution based on a channel composite structure, creating a lighter, temperature-isolated, and more durable structure. In addition to the structural benefits, the container includes an innovative supply chain with a beneficial handling operation, interchangeability and maximising of the payload capacity, resulting in an energy- and cost-efficient solution. This innovative-container-based supply chain for forest chips has been studied via cost analysis, GIS analysis, and discrete-event simulation methods. The purpose of the study was to compare a truck of interchangeable containers with solid-frame trucks. The option of interchangeable containers allows combining truck logistics with other modes of transport, such as trains and waterways. The study showed the cost-efficiency potential of container truck logistics, stemming from the cost and payload savings and the supply-chain productivity advantages over solid-frame trucks. The innovative solution for interchangeable-container logistics is an option for large-scale supply of forest chips.

  18. Animal health and price transmission along livestock supply chains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aragrande, M; Canali, M

    2017-04-01

    Animal health diseases can severely affect the food supply chain by causing variations in prices and market demand. Price transmission analysis reveals in what ways price variations are transmitted along the supply chain, and how supply chains of substitute products and different regional markets are also affected. In perfect markets, a price variation would be completely and instantaneously transmitted across the different levels of the supply chain: producers, the processing industry, retailers and consumers. However, empirical studies show that food markets are often imperfect, with anomalies or asymmetries in price transmission and distortions in the distribution of market benefits. This means, for instance, that a price increase at the consumer level may not be transmitted from retailers to processors and producers; yet, on the other hand, price falls may rapidly affect the upstream supply chain. Market concentration and the consequent exertion of market power in key segments of the supply chain can explain price transmission asymmetries and their distributional effects, but other factors may also be involved, such as transaction costs, scale economies, and imperfect information. During the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) crisis, asymmetric price transmission in the beef supply chain and related meat markets determined distributional effects among sectors. After the spread of the BSE food scare, the fall in demand marginally affected the price paid to retailers, but producers and wholesalers suffered much more, in both price reductions and the time needed to recover to precrisis demand. Price transmission analysis investigates how animal health crises create different economic burdens for various types of stakeholder, and provides useful socioeconomic insights when used with other tools.

  19. Chemical variability along the value chains of turmeric (Curcuma longa): a comparison of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and high performance thin layer chromatography.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Booker, Anthony; Frommenwiler, Debora; Johnston, Deborah; Umealajekwu, Chinenye; Reich, Eike; Heinrich, Michael

    2014-03-14

    Herbal medicine value chains have generally been overlooked compared with food commodities. Not surprisingly, revenue generation tends to be weighted towards the end of the chain and consequently the farmers and producers are the lowest paid beneficiaries. Value chains have an impact both on the livelihood of producers and on the composition and quality of products commonly sold locally and globally and consequently on the consumers. In order to understand the impact of value chains on the composition of products, we studied the production conditions for turmeric (Curcuma longa) and the metabolomic composition of products derived from it. We aimed at integrating these two components in order to gain a better understanding of the effect of different value chains on the livelihoods of some producers. This interdisciplinary project uses a mixed methods approach. Case studies were undertaken on two separate sites in India. Data was initially gathered on herbal medicine value chains by means of semi-structured interviews and non-participant observations. Samples were collected from locations in India, Europe and the USA and analysed using (1)H NMR spectroscopy coupled with multivariate analysis software and with high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). We investigate medicinal plant value chains and interpret the impact different value chains have on some aspects of the livelihoods of producers in India and, for the first time, analytically assess the chemical variability and quality implications that different value chains may have on the products available to end users in Europe. There are benefits to farmers that belonged to an integrated chain and the resulting products were subject to a higher standard of processing and storage. By using analytical methods, including HPTLC and (1)H NMR spectroscopy, it has been possible to correlate some variations in product composition for selected producers and identify strengths and weaknesses of some types of value

  20. Concurrent Product & Supply Chain Creation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Gubi, Ebbe

    it is a structural premise. We also know that logistics costs generally are estimated 15-20% of total product costs. Accordingly, it stands to reason that a company can reduce costs, and thereby gain an edge on its competitors, by tailoring the supply chain in question to an individual product or product family; i.......e. by creating Focused Supply Chains. At the same time, customer satisfaction can be increased. As a second means to achieving a better fit between product and supply chain, the firm can deploy Design for Logistics, the discipline of considering the supply chain during product creation. The thesis sets out...... and supply chains should be created concurrently and integrated. The concept of Concurrent Product & Supply Chain Creation is introduced, and the two main components Focused Supply Chains and Design For Logistics are explained and exemplified by use of Bang & Olufsen....

  1. Multiple-Fault Detection Methodology Based on Vibration and Current Analysis Applied to Bearings in Induction Motors and Gearboxes on the Kinematic Chain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Jose Saucedo-Dorantes

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Gearboxes and induction motors are important components in industrial applications and their monitoring condition is critical in the industrial sector so as to reduce costs and maintenance downtimes. There are several techniques associated with the fault diagnosis in rotating machinery; however, vibration and stator currents analysis are commonly used due to their proven reliability. Indeed, vibration and current analysis provide fault condition information by means of the fault-related spectral component identification. This work presents a methodology based on vibration and current analysis for the diagnosis of wear in a gearbox and the detection of bearing defect in an induction motor both linked to the same kinematic chain; besides, the location of the fault-related components for analysis is supported by the corresponding theoretical models. The theoretical models are based on calculation of characteristic gearbox and bearings fault frequencies, in order to locate the spectral components of the faults. In this work, the influence of vibrations over the system is observed by performing motor current signal analysis to detect the presence of faults. The obtained results show the feasibility of detecting multiple faults in a kinematic chain, making the proposed methodology suitable to be used in the application of industrial machinery diagnosis.

  2. First results from the commissioning of the FERMI@Elettra free electron laser by means of the Photon Analysis Delivery and Reduction System (PADReS)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zangrando, M.; Cudin, I.; Fava, C.; Gerusina, S.; Gobessi, R.; Godnig, R.; Rumiz, L.; Svetina, C.; Parmigiani, F.; Cocco, D.

    2011-06-01

    The Italian Free Electron Laser (FEL) facility FERMI@Elettra has started to produce photon radiation at the end of 2010. The photon beam is presently delivered by the first undulator chain (FEL1) that is supposed to produce photons in the 100-20 nm wavelength range. A second undulator chain (FEL2) will be commissioned at the end of 2011, and it will produce radiation in the 20-4nm range. The Photon Analysis Delivery and Reduction System (PADReS) was designed to collect the radiation coming from both the undulator chains (FEL1 and FEL2), to characterize and control it, and to redirect it towards the following beamlines. The first parameters that are checked are the pulse-resolved intensity and beam position. For each of these parameters two dedicated monitors are installed along PADReS on each FEL line. In this way it possible to determine the intensity reduction that is realized by the gas reduction system, which is capable of cutting the intensity by up to four orders of magnitude. The energy distribution of each single pulse is characterized by an online spectrometer installed in the experimental hall. Taking advantage of a variable line-spacing grating it can direct the almost-full beam to the beamlines, while it uses a small fraction of the beam itself to determine the spectral distribution of each pulse delivered by the FEL. The first light of FERMI@Elettra, delivered to the PADReS section in late 2010, is used for the first commissioning runs and some preliminary experiments whose results are reported and discussed in detail.

  3. Detachment of semiflexible polymer chains from a substrate: A molecular dynamics investigation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Paturej, J. [Leibniz-Institut of Poslymer Research Dresden, 01069 Dresden (Germany); Institute of Physics, University of Szczecin, Wielkopolska 15, 70451 Szczecin (Poland); Erbas, A. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois 60208 (United States); Milchev, A. [Institute for Physical Chemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 1113 Sofia (Bulgaria); Rostiashvili, V. G. [Max-Planck-Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz (Germany)

    2014-12-07

    Using Molecular Dynamics simulations, we study the force-induced detachment of a coarse-grained model polymer chain from an adhesive substrate. One of the chain ends is thereby pulled at constant speed off the attractive substrate and the resulting saw-tooth profile of the measured mean force 〈f〉 vs height D of the end-segment over the plane is analyzed for a broad variety of parameters. It is shown that the observed characteristic oscillations in the 〈f〉-D profile depend on the bending and not on the torsional stiffness of the detached chains. Allowing for the presence of hydrodynamic interactions (HI) in a setup with explicit solvent and dissipative particle dynamics-thermostat, rather than the case of Langevin thermostat, one finds that HI have little effect on the 〈f〉-D profile. Also the change of substrate affinity with respect to the solvent from solvophilic to solvophobic is found to play negligible role in the desorption process. In contrast, a changing ratio ε{sub s}{sup B}/ε{sub s}{sup A} of the binding energies of A- and B-segments in the detachment of an AB-copolymer from adhesive surface strongly changes the 〈f〉-D profile whereby the B-spikes vanish when ε{sub s}{sup B}/ε{sub s}{sup A}<0.15. Eventually, performing an atomistic simulation of (bio)-polymers, we demonstrate that the simulation results, derived from our coarse-grained model, comply favorably with those from the all-atom simulation.

  4. Smoothed analysis of the k-means method

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Arthur, David; Manthey, Bodo; Röglin, Heiko

    2011-01-01

    The k-means method is one of the most widely used clustering algorithms, drawing its popularity from its speed in practice. Recently, however, it was shown to have exponential worst-case running time. In order to close the gap between practical performance and theoretical analysis, the k-means

  5. Kinematics and Dynamics of Roller Chain Drives

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fuglede, Niels

    There are two main subjects of this work: Kinematic and dynamic modeling and analysis of roller chain drives. In the kinematic analysis we contribute first with a complete treatment of the roller chain drive modeled as a four-bar mechanism. This includes a general, exact and approximate analysis...... which is useful for predicting the characteristic loading of the roller chain drive. As a completely novel contribution, a kinematic model and analysis is presented which includes both spans and sprockets in a simple chain drive system. A general procedure for determination of the total wrapping length...... is presented, which also allows for exact sprocket center positions for a chain with a given number of links. Results show that the total chain wrapping length varies periodically with the tooth frequency. These results are of practical importance to both the design, installation and operation of roller chain...

  6. The Impact of Carbon Emissions Policies on Reverse Supply Chain Network Design

    OpenAIRE

    Bandar A. ALKHAYYAL; Surendra M. GUPTA

    2018-01-01

    Reverse Supply Chain is described as an initiative that plays an important role in the global supply chain for those who seek environmentally responsible solutions for their end-of-life products. The relative economic and environmental benefits of reverse supply chain are influenced by costs and emissions during collection, transportation, recovery facilities, disassembly, recycling, remanufacturing, and disposal of unrecoverable components. The design of reverse supply chain network takes in...

  7. Using the Theory of Constraints for Effective Supply Chain Management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Archie Lockhamy III

    1999-08-01

    Full Text Available This article provides methodology and guidelines for employing a 'constraint-based approach for effective supply chain management. The article explores the shortcomings of using a traditional supply chain management as well as an Activity Based Management (ABM approach in the managing of supply chains. In addition, the article introduces a supply chain management methodology based on achieving a global optimum for the entire chain. Examples are provided on how constraint-based techniques are currently being applied to the management of certain subsets of the supply chain. Guidelines are presented for managing supply chains using a constraint-based approach. Finally, the article ends with the discussion of the implications regarding the use of a constraint-based approach to the management of supply chains along with the need for future research in this area.

  8. Buckling of paramagnetic chains in soft gels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Shilin; Pessot, Giorgio; Cremer, Peet; Weeber, Rudolf; Holm, Christian; Nowak, Johannes; Odenbach, Stefan; Menzel, Andreas M.; Auernhammer, Günter K.

    We study the magneto-elastic coupling behavior of paramagnetic chains in soft polymer gels exposed to external magnetic fields. To this end, a laser scanning confocal microscope is used to observe the morphology of the paramagnetic chains together with the deformation field of the surrounding gel network. The paramagnetic chains in soft polymer gels show rich morphological shape changes under oblique magnetic fields, in particular a pronounced buckling deformation. The details of the resulting morphological shapes depend on the length of the chain, the strength of the external magnetic field, and the modulus of the gel. Based on the observation that the magnetic chains are strongly coupled to the surrounding polymer network, a simplified model is developed to describe their buckling behavior. A coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation model featuring an increased matrix stiffness on the surfaces of the particles leads to morphologies in agreement with the experimentally observed buckling effects.

  9. Value Chain Development as Alternative Method For Mapping Waste Management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muhammad Saiful Hakim

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Solid Waste management begin at the household as waste of consumption and ended as a new form of waste product or recycling. Based on its value chain the subsequent process will have distict differences with manufacturing product. Value chain of manufacturing product will characterize as value added chain along the chain, where every side of the chain will generate positive chain. In the other hand, some parties of waste management value chain will negative value existed. Some parties in this chain will generate negative value solely because they must establish some cost for wipe the waste. Dissimilarities between value chain on product and waste will contribute to discrepancy between parties. Main purpose of this research is to identify value chain from solid waste management using value chain development. Another purpose to accomplished is to resolve discrepancy in value chain.  Research results shown that household is the parties that experiences negative value. To minimize the discrepancies there should be an action towards household

  10. Supply chain optimization by implementation of modern ICT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soldat Drago S.

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with most important techniques used for supply chain management including the latest applications and program tools intended for companies that do business in transport and logistics. The main goal of these technologies is management coherent data and exchange of information between companies and business units within the supply chain. The expansion of modern e-logistics applications transfers from private networks to Internet has been noticed in recent few years. Market globalization and e-business implementation have positioned portal as key element gathering employers, employees, business partners and end users P/S - main participants in every supply chain - by mutual interface. Thus, portals are often called mega portals of -supply chains.

  11. Sixteen-week analysis of unaltered elastomeric chain relating in-vitro force degradation with in-vivo extraction space tooth movement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, Kristin S; Wood, Cory M; Moffitt, Allen H; Colgan, John A; Holman, J Kevin; Marshall, Steven D; Pope, D Spencer; Sample, Lew B; Sherman, Stephen L; Sinclair, Peter M; Trulove, Tim S

    2017-04-01

    The purposes of this study were to evaluate whether unaltered elastomeric chain can continue to move teeth for 16 weeks and to relate it to the amount of force remaining for the same batch of elastomeric chains. The in-vivo portion of the study had a sample of 30 paired extraction space sites from 22 subjects who were measured for closure of the space every 28 days. The altered side elastomeric chain served as the control and was replaced at 28-day intervals whereas the experimental side remained unaltered. In the in-vitro portion of the study, 100 each of 2-unit and 3-unit segments of the same batch of elastomeric chains were placed in a water bath, and the force was measured for 20 of each segment length at the 28-day measurement points. Statistically significant amounts of space closure occurred at both the altered and unaltered sites at all measurement time points. The mean space closure at the altered sites was minimally greater than that observed at the paired unaltered sites. The mean differences of space closure between the altered and unaltered sites ranged from a minimum of -0.05 mm at 4 weeks to a maximum of -0.14 mm at 8 weeks. The elastomeric chain force degraded rapidly by 4 weeks but continued a gradual diminution of force to 86 g at 16 weeks. Unaltered elastomeric chain continued to move teeth into extraction spaces for 16 weeks in this sample from both statistically and clinically significant standpoints. There were minimal and statistically insignificant differences in the mean space closure measurements between the paired altered and unaltered sites. The elastomeric chain force at 16 weeks was less than 100 g, yet at the same time point, teeth continued to move clinically. Copyright © 2016 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  12. Analysis of fuel end-temperature peaking

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xu, Z.; Jiang, Q.; Lai, L.; Shams, M. [CANDU Energy Inc., Fuel Engineering Dept., Mississauga, Ontario (Canada)

    2013-07-01

    During normal operation and refuelling of CANDU® fuel, fuel temperatures near bundle ends will increase due to a phenomenon called end flux peaking. Similar phenomenon would also be expected to occur during a postulated large break LOCA event. The end flux peaking in a CANDU fuel element is due to the fact that neutron flux is higher near a bundle end, in contact with a neighbouring bundle or close to heavy water coolant, than in the bundle mid-plane, because of less absorption of thermal neutrons by Zircaloy or heavy water than by the UO{sub 2} material. This paper describes Candu Energy experience in analysing behaviour of bundle due to end flux peaking using fuel codes FEAT, ELESTRES and ELOCA. (author)

  13. Discrete time and continuous time dynamic mean-variance analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Reiss, Ariane

    1999-01-01

    Contrary to static mean-variance analysis, very few papers have dealt with dynamic mean-variance analysis. Here, the mean-variance efficient self-financing portfolio strategy is derived for n risky assets in discrete and continuous time. In the discrete setting, the resulting portfolio is mean-variance efficient in a dynamic sense. It is shown that the optimal strategy for n risky assets may be dominated if the expected terminal wealth is constrained to exactly attain a certain goal instead o...

  14. Sustainable Supply Chain Engagement in a Retail Environment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anika Berning

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Sustainability is a key requirement for business success and is often regarded a competitive advantage if strategically managed. Sustainability-mature organisations look to their value chains where the retailer-supplier collaboration becomes critical in embedding sustainability. With this in mind, it is important to monitor retailer-supplier collaboration to determine whether it is effective. To facilitate this monitoring, the UN Global Compact Supply Chain Sustainability: A Guide for Continuous Improvement was consulted. The research question aimed to determine the progress of a prominent South African retailer regarding their sustainable supply chain management (SSCM and collaboration with suppliers. Therefore, this study attempts to apply the Supplier Engagement Continuum, extracted from the UN Global Compact Supply Chain Sustainability: A Guide for Continuous Improvement, in order to determine how the retailer is progressing in sustainable supply chain management. The qualitative and exploratory nature of the study necessitated a case study research design, while the technique of purposive sampling was used to select the sample of three suppliers. Data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews facilitated by an interview guide, and data analysis was conducted with Atlas.ti software. It was found that the retailer’s sustainable supply chain management can only be located on level one of the continuum. Supply chain sustainability in organisations lack the theoretical foundation of what sustainability really is. Therefore, the model was amended and an additional level was added to incorporate the education of sustainability.

  15. Analysis of the paired TCR α- and β-chains of single human T cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Song-Min Kim

    Full Text Available Analysis of the paired i.e. matching TCR α- and β-chain rearrangements of single human T cells is required for a precise investigation of clonal diversity, tissue distribution and specificity of protective and pathologic T-cell mediated immune responses. Here we describe a multiplex RT-PCR based technology, which for the first time allows for an unbiased analysis of the complete sequences of both α- and β-chains of TCR from single T cells. We validated our technology by the analysis of the pathologic T-cell infiltrates from tissue lesions of two T-cell mediated autoimmune diseases, psoriasis vulgaris (PV and multiple sclerosis (MS. In both disorders we could detect various T cell clones as defined by multiple T cells with identical α- and β-chain rearrangements distributed across the tissue lesions. In PV, single cell TCR analysis of lesional T cells identified clonal CD8(+ T cell expansions that predominated in the epidermis of psoriatic plaques. An MS brain lesion contained two dominant CD8(+ T-cell clones that extended over the white and grey matter and meninges. In both diseases several clonally expanded T cells carried dual TCRs composed of one Vβ and two different Vα-chain rearrangements. These results show that our technology is an efficient instrument to analyse αβ-T cell responses with single cell resolution in man. It should facilitate essential new insights into the mechanisms of protective and pathologic immunity in many human T-cell mediated conditions and allow for resurrecting functional TCRs from any αβ-T cell of choice that can be used for investigating their specificity.

  16. Supply chain design: Some critical questions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. D. Nel

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Effective supply chain management (SCM requires organisations to work together in order to satisfy the needs of their end customers. Since organisations have to determine which processes and relationships will best achieve this aim, the design of their supply chains is important. Supply chain design thus forms an integral part of SCM and embodies the supply chain's structure. Unfortunately, too many organisations allow the design of their supply chain to evolve into its current form instead of planning their supply chain design (SCD efforts. The literature is vague on what SCD efforts constitute. This article consists of a comprehensive literature study in which an effort was made to bring more clarity on exactly what purposeful SCD efforts consist of, and some key questions were formulated that organisations could use as a guide in their SCD practices. From these critical questions a conceptual framework has been developed that can be used to determine whether organisations' SCD practices are aligned with organisational objectives. The conceptual framework was tested at two South African organisations to determine if it indeed can be be used to analyse the SCD practices of organisations.

  17. System reliability assessment via sensitivity analysis in the Markov chain scheme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gandini, A.

    1988-01-01

    Methods for reliability sensitivity analysis in the Markov chain scheme are presented, together with a new formulation which makes use of Generalized Perturbation Theory (GPT) methods. As well known, sensitivity methods are fundamental in system risk analysis, since they allow to identify important components, so to assist the analyst in finding weaknesses in design and operation and in suggesting optimal modifications for system upgrade. The relationship between the GPT sensitivity expression and the Birnbaum importance is also given [fr

  18. Neutron mean annihilation time and inverse of the mean annihilation rate in nuclear reactor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hayashi, Masatoshi

    1999-01-01

    There is a dogma in nuclear reactor theory that in a critical reactor the mean annihilation time of neutron is equal to the mean generation time. The author insists that this is a dogma from the basic reexamination of the mean annihilation time of neutron. There are two kinds of neutrons, one participating in chain reactions and the other not participating in chain reactions. The mean annihilation time of neutron is the mean time of the time to annihilation of all neutrons generated in the reactor. The 'prompt neutron life' as a dynamic characteristic parameter proper to nuclear reactor can not be understood as the mean time of neutron to annihilation. The author explains the logic quantitatively with two kinds of nuclear reactors, a bare reactor and an infinite reactor, for which two different mean neutron annihilation times can be defined. Thus, (1) the inverse of the annihilation rate can not simply be considered as the mean annihilation time, (2) the mean annihilation time of a critical reactor is not necessarily equal to the mean generation time, and (3) the prompt neutron life used as a dynamic characteristic parameter of a nuclear reactor can not be understood as the mean time of neutron to annihilation. (M.M.)

  19. Internal versus external preference analysis : an exploratory study on end-user evaluation

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kleef, van E.; Trijp, van H.C.M.; Luning, P.A.

    2006-01-01

    Internal and external preference analysis emphasise fundamentally different perspectives on the same data. We extend the literature on comparisons between internal and external preference analysis by incorporating the perspective of the end user of the preference analysis results. From a conceptual

  20. Experience of using MOSFET detectors for dose verification measurements in an end-to-end 192Ir brachytherapy quality assurance system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Persson, Maria; Nilsson, Josef; Carlsson Tedgren, Åsa

    Establishment of an end-to-end system for the brachytherapy (BT) dosimetric chain could be valuable in clinical quality assurance. Here, the development of such a system using MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor) detectors and experience gained during 2 years of use are reported with focus on the performance of the MOSFET detectors. A bolus phantom was constructed with two implants, mimicking prostate and head & neck treatments, using steel needles and plastic catheters to guide the 192 Ir source and house the MOSFET detectors. The phantom was taken through the BT treatment chain from image acquisition to dose evaluation. During the 2-year evaluation-period, delivered doses were verified a total of 56 times using MOSFET detectors which had been calibrated in an external 60 Co beam. An initial experimental investigation on beam quality differences between 192 Ir and 60 Co is reported. The standard deviation in repeated MOSFET measurements was below 3% in the six measurement points with dose levels above 2 Gy. MOSFET measurements overestimated treatment planning system doses by 2-7%. Distance-dependent experimental beam quality correction factors derived in a phantom of similar size as that used for end-to-end tests applied on a time-resolved measurement improved the agreement. MOSFET detectors provide values stable over time and function well for use as detectors for end-to-end quality assurance purposes in 192 Ir BT. Beam quality correction factors should address not only distance from source but also phantom dimensions. Copyright © 2017 American Brachytherapy Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  1. Free vibration analysis of linear particle chain impact damper

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gharib, Mohamed; Ghani, Saud

    2013-11-01

    Impact dampers have gained much research interest over the past decades that resulted in several analytical and experimental studies being conducted in that area. The main emphasis of such research was on developing and enhancing these popular passive control devices with an objective of decreasing the three parameters of contact forces, accelerations, and noise levels. To that end, the authors of this paper have developed a novel impact damper, called the Linear Particle Chain (LPC) impact damper, which mainly consists of a linear chain of spherical balls of varying sizes. The LPC impact damper was designed utilizing the kinetic energy of the primary system through placing, in the chain arrangement, a small-sized ball between each two large-sized balls. The concept of the LPC impact damper revolves around causing the small-sized ball to collide multiple times with the larger ones upon exciting the primary system. This action is believed to lead to the dissipation of part of the kinetic energy at each collision with the large balls. This paper focuses on the outcome of studying the free vibration of a single degree freedom system that is equipped with the LPC impact damper. The proposed LPC impact damper is validated by means of comparing the responses of a single unit conventional impact damper with those resulting from the LPC impact damper. The results indicated that the latter is considerably more efficient than the former impact damper. In order to further investigate the LPC impact damper effective number of balls and efficient geometry when used in a specific available space in the primary system, a parametric study was conducted and its result is also explained herein. Single unit impact damper [14-16]. Multiunit impact damper [17,18]. Bean bag impact damper [19,20]. Particle/granular impact damper [21,23,22]. Resilient impact damper [24]. Buffered impact damper [25-27]. Multiunit impact damper consists of multiple masses instead of a single mass. This

  2. Chain propagator, mass, and universality in polymer solutions from Brownian relativity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mezzasalma, Stefano A.

    2005-01-01

    A Lagrangian theory for single chains in polymer solutions is addressed via a recent Brownian relativity. By employing generalized diffusive coordinates, statements of covariance and diffusivity invariance result into free particle Lagrangians, where mass turns out to rise as a universal spacetime property. It descends from lowering diffusivity (or curving spacetime), so identifying a mechanism which conceptually resemble those ruling macromolecular scaling laws. An extended chain propagator recovers the Gaussian end-to-end distribution and, in the limits of time-like and space-like orbits, the dualism for diffusive paths and polymer random-walks

  3. Non-Linear Dependence of the Height of a Chain Fountain on Drop Height

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrew, Y.; Kearns, F.; Mustafa, T.; Salih, R.; Ioratim-Uba, A.; Udall, I.; Usama, M.

    2015-01-01

    If the end of a long chain, which is contained in an elevated beaker, is dropped over the edge of the beaker and falls, it is observed that as the speed of the chain increases the chain rises to form a loop well above the top of the beaker. The name "chain fountain" has been applied to this phenomenon. In this study the dependence of the…

  4. A scaling analysis of a cat and mouse Markov chain

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Litvak, Nelli; Robert, Philippe

    2012-01-01

    If ($C_n$) a Markov chain on a discrete state space $S$, a Markov chain ($C_n, M_n$) on the product space $S \\times S$, the cat and mouse Markov chain, is constructed. The first coordinate of this Markov chain behaves like the original Markov chain and the second component changes only when both

  5. Implementing Sustainability into Supply Chain Operations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørsfeldt, Lilyana Makarowa

    2016-01-01

    empirical studies have investigated in detail how sustainability agendas are implemented or how they affect supply chain operations. These studies have mostly investigated the impact of implementation, explored the relationship between strategy formulation and performance, or provided descriptions...... chain practices? Research Question 2. How does a new agenda of sustainability affect supplier-buyer relationships? Research Question 3. How does operational coordination between suppliers and customers change with the introduction of a sustainability agenda? To answer these specific research questions...... and present a simplified model to explore the complexity of the phenomenon. (2) Means for the deployment (i.e., successful implementation) of a sustainability agenda in supply chain practices are identified. The discussion of means provides some explanations for relationships among frameworks components. More...

  6. Modeling and performance analysis of a closed-loop supply chain using first-order hybrid Petri nets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Imane Outmal

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Green or closed-loop supply chain had been the focus of many manufacturers during the last decade. The application of closed-loop supply chain in today’s manufacturing is not only due to growing environmental concerns and the recognition of its benefits in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, and meeting a more strict environmental regulations but it also offers economic competitive advantages if appropriately managed. First-order hybrid Petri nets represent a powerful graphical and mathematical formalism to map and analyze the dynamics of complex systems such as closed-loop supply chain networks. This article aims at illustrating the use of first-order hybrid Petri nets to model a closed-loop supply chain network and evaluate its operational, financial, and environmental performance measures under different management policies. Actual data from auto manufacturer in the United States are used to validate network’s performance under both tactical and strategic decision-making, namely, (1 tactical decision—production policies: increase of recovered versus new components and (2 strategic decision—closed-loop supply chain network structure: manufacturer internal recovery process or recovery process done by a third-party collection and recovery center. The work presented in this article is an extension of the use of first-order hybrid Petri nets as a modeling and performance analysis tool from supply chain to closed-loop supply chain. The modularity property of first-order hybrid Petri nets has been used in the modeling process, and the simulation and analysis of the modeled network are done in MATLAB® environment. The results of the experiments depict that first-order hybrid Petri nets are a powerful modeling and analysis formalism for closed-loop supply chain networks and can be further used as an efficient decision-making tool at both tactical and strategic levels. Unlike other researches on modeling supply chain

  7. Assumption-free analysis of quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) data

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ramakers, Christian; Ruijter, Jan M.; Deprez, Ronald H. Lekanne; Moorman, Antoon F. M.

    2003-01-01

    Quantification of mRNAs using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by monitoring the product formation with the fluorescent dye SYBR Green I is being extensively used in neurosciences, developmental biology, and medical diagnostics. Most PCR data analysis procedures assume that the PCR

  8. Phasic Triplet Markov Chains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El Yazid Boudaren, Mohamed; Monfrini, Emmanuel; Pieczynski, Wojciech; Aïssani, Amar

    2014-11-01

    Hidden Markov chains have been shown to be inadequate for data modeling under some complex conditions. In this work, we address the problem of statistical modeling of phenomena involving two heterogeneous system states. Such phenomena may arise in biology or communications, among other fields. Namely, we consider that a sequence of meaningful words is to be searched within a whole observation that also contains arbitrary one-by-one symbols. Moreover, a word may be interrupted at some site to be carried on later. Applying plain hidden Markov chains to such data, while ignoring their specificity, yields unsatisfactory results. The Phasic triplet Markov chain, proposed in this paper, overcomes this difficulty by means of an auxiliary underlying process in accordance with the triplet Markov chains theory. Related Bayesian restoration techniques and parameters estimation procedures according to the new model are then described. Finally, to assess the performance of the proposed model against the conventional hidden Markov chain model, experiments are conducted on synthetic and real data.

  9. Transmission coefficient and heat conduction of a harmonic chain with random masses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Verheggen, T.

    1979-01-01

    We find upper and lower bounds for the transmission coefficient of a chain of random masses. Using these bounds we show that the heat conduction in such a chain does not obey Fourier's law: For different temperatures at the ends of a chain containing N particles the energy flux falls off like Nsup(-1/2) rather than N -1 . (orig.)

  10. Assessment of myocardial metabolic rate of glucose by means of Bayesian ICA and Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods in small animal PET imaging

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berradja, Khadidja; Boughanmi, Nabil

    2016-09-01

    In dynamic cardiac PET FDG studies the assessment of myocardial metabolic rate of glucose (MMRG) requires the knowledge of the blood input function (IF). IF can be obtained by manual or automatic blood sampling and cross calibrated with PET. These procedures are cumbersome, invasive and generate uncertainties. The IF is contaminated by spillover of radioactivity from the adjacent myocardium and this could cause important error in the estimated MMRG. In this study, we show that the IF can be extracted from the images in a rat heart study with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) by means of Independent Component Analysis (ICA) based on Bayesian theory and Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling method (BICA). Images of the heart from rats were acquired with the Sherbrooke small animal PET scanner. A region of interest (ROI) was drawn around the rat image and decomposed into blood and tissue using BICA. The Statistical study showed that there is a significant difference (p corrupted with spillover.

  11. OISI dynamic end-to-end modeling tool

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kersten, Michael; Weidler, Alexander; Wilhelm, Rainer; Johann, Ulrich A.; Szerdahelyi, Laszlo

    2000-07-01

    The OISI Dynamic end-to-end modeling tool is tailored to end-to-end modeling and dynamic simulation of Earth- and space-based actively controlled optical instruments such as e.g. optical stellar interferometers. `End-to-end modeling' is meant to denote the feature that the overall model comprises besides optical sub-models also structural, sensor, actuator, controller and disturbance sub-models influencing the optical transmission, so that the system- level instrument performance due to disturbances and active optics can be simulated. This tool has been developed to support performance analysis and prediction as well as control loop design and fine-tuning for OISI, Germany's preparatory program for optical/infrared spaceborne interferometry initiated in 1994 by Dornier Satellitensysteme GmbH in Friedrichshafen.

  12. Loads applied to fixations for chain stretching

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ahrens, K; Brychta, P

    1985-06-01

    The chains of scraper chain conveyors must be pre-stretched during standstill in order to compensate the elongations occurring during operation. They require frequent retensiening in order to meet the varying operational requirements. During tensioning, the chains are fixed in a point in the top run by means of fixation elements. The authors present a method for calculating the retaining force needed in the fixations. There are three different initial conditions of the chain before trensioning: Tensionsfree chain, pretensioned chain (stressed chain), slack chain. In all three cases, it is important to find out whether or nor the tensioning drive reaches full speed. The method of calculation is illustrated by the example of a scraper chain conveyor; it enables the establishment of rules for tensioning without damaging the chain and is a good basis for the dimensioning of new types of fixation elements.

  13. Value Chain Optimisation of Biogas Production

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Ida Græsted

    economically feasible. In this PhD thesis, the focus is to create models for investigating the profitability of biogas projects by: 1) including the whole value chain in a mathematical model and considering mass and energy changes on the upstream part of the chain; and 2) including profit allocation in a value......, the costs on the biogas plant has been included in the model using economy of scale. For the second point, a mathematical model considering profit allocation was developed applying three allocation mechanisms. This mathematical model can be applied as a second step after the value chain optimisation. After...... in the energy systems model to find the optimal end use of each type of gas and fuel. The main contributions of this thesis are the methods developed on plant level. Both the mathematical model for the value chain and the profit allocation model can be generalised and used in other industries where mass...

  14. Surface effects in quantum spin chains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parkinson, J B

    2004-01-01

    Chains of quantum spins with open ends and isotropic Heisenberg exchange are studied. By diagonalizing the Hamiltonian for chains of finite length N and obtaining all the energy eigenvalues, the magnetic susceptibility χ, the specific heat C v , and the partition function Z can be calculated exactly for these chains. The high-temperature series expansions of these are then evaluated. For χ and C v it is found that the terms in the series consist of three parts. One is the normal high-T series already known in great detail for the N → infinity ring(chain with periodic boundary conditions). The other two consist of a 'surface' term and a correction term of order (1/T) N . The surface term is found as a series up to and including (1/T) 8 for spin S = 1/2 and 1. Simple Pade approximant formulae are given to extend the range of validity below T = 1

  15. Learning-based position control of a closed-kinematic chain robot end-effector

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nguyen, Charles C.; Zhou, Zhen-Lei

    1990-01-01

    A trajectory control scheme whose design is based on learning theory, for a six-degree-of-freedom (DOF) robot end-effector built to study robotic assembly of NASA hardwares in space is presented. The control scheme consists of two control systems: the feedback control system and the learning control system. The feedback control system is designed using the concept of linearization about a selected operating point, and the method of pole placement so that the closed-loop linearized system is stabilized. The learning control scheme consisting of PD-type learning controllers, provides additional inputs to improve the end-effector performance after each trial. Experimental studies performed on a 2 DOF end-effector built at CUA, for three tracking cases show that actual trajectories approach desired trajectories as the number of trials increases. The tracking errors are substantially reduced after only five trials.

  16. Tracing Primary PM2.5 emissions via Chinese supply chains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meng, Jing; Liu, Junfeng; Xu, Yuan; Tao, Shu

    2015-05-01

    In this study, we examine a supply-chain approach to more effectively mitigate primary PM2.5 emissions in China from the perspectives of production, consumption and their linkages using structural path analysis. We identify the pattern of all supply chain paths using principal component analysis. To address the severe haze problems in China, it is important to understand how final demand purchase initiates production processes and ultimately leads to primary PM2.5 emission. We found that consumers’ demands on power and transportation mainly induce direct emissions, quite different from the demands on construction, industry and service products which largely drive emissions in upstream activities. We also found that nearly 80% of the economic sectors in China follow a similar pattern in generating primary PM2.5 emissions in electricity, cement and the ferrous metal industries; but only the construction sector increases the release of PM2.5 due to the production of non-metallic mineral products. These findings indicate that further reduction of end-of-pipe emissions in the power and transportation sectors will facilitate cleaner production in almost all the economic sectors. However, for urbanization induced emissions, China should mitigate PM2.5 emissions through the supply chain of construction, either severely reducing its life-cycle intensity or carefully planning to avoid extensive, unnecessary building activity.

  17. Tracing Primary PM2.5 emissions via Chinese supply chains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meng, Jing; Liu, Junfeng; Tao, Shu; Xu, Yuan

    2015-01-01

    In this study, we examine a supply-chain approach to more effectively mitigate primary PM 2.5 emissions in China from the perspectives of production, consumption and their linkages using structural path analysis. We identify the pattern of all supply chain paths using principal component analysis. To address the severe haze problems in China, it is important to understand how final demand purchase initiates production processes and ultimately leads to primary PM 2.5 emission. We found that consumers’ demands on power and transportation mainly induce direct emissions, quite different from the demands on construction, industry and service products which largely drive emissions in upstream activities. We also found that nearly 80% of the economic sectors in China follow a similar pattern in generating primary PM 2.5 emissions in electricity, cement and the ferrous metal industries; but only the construction sector increases the release of PM 2.5 due to the production of non-metallic mineral products. These findings indicate that further reduction of end-of-pipe emissions in the power and transportation sectors will facilitate cleaner production in almost all the economic sectors. However, for urbanization induced emissions, China should mitigate PM 2.5 emissions through the supply chain of construction, either severely reducing its life-cycle intensity or carefully planning to avoid extensive, unnecessary building activity. (letter)

  18. Stability and Bifurcation Analysis of a Three-Species Food Chain Model with Fear

    Science.gov (United States)

    Panday, Pijush; Pal, Nikhil; Samanta, Sudip; Chattopadhyay, Joydev

    In the present paper, we investigate the impact of fear in a tri-trophic food chain model. We propose a three-species food chain model, where the growth rate of middle predator is reduced due to the cost of fear of top predator, and the growth rate of prey is suppressed due to the cost of fear of middle predator. Mathematical properties such as equilibrium analysis, stability analysis, bifurcation analysis and persistence have been investigated. We also describe the global stability analysis of the equilibrium points. Our numerical simulations reveal that cost of fear in basal prey may exhibit bistability by producing unstable limit cycles, however, fear in middle predator can replace unstable limit cycles by a stable limit cycle or a stable interior equilibrium. We observe that fear can stabilize the system from chaos to stable focus through the period-halving phenomenon. We conclude that chaotic dynamics can be controlled by the fear factors. We apply basic tools of nonlinear dynamics such as Poincaré section and maximum Lyapunov exponent to identify the chaotic behavior of the system.

  19. Calorie Changes in Large Chain Restaurants

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bleich, Sara N.; Wolfson, Julia A.; Jarlenski, Marian P.

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Large chain restaurants reduced the number of calories in newly introduced menu items in 2013 by about 60 calories (or 12%) relative to 2012. This paper describes trends in calories available in large U.S. chain restaurants to understand whether previously documented patterns persist. Methods Data (a census of items for included restaurants) were obtained from the MenuStat project. This analysis included 66 of the 100 largest U.S. restaurants that are available in all three 3 of the data (2012–2014; N=23,066 items). Generalized linear models were used to examine: (1) per-item calorie changes from 2012 to 2014 among items on the menu in all years; and (2) mean calories in new items in 2013 and 2014 compared with items on the menu in 2012 only. Data were analyzed in 2014. Results Overall, calories in newly introduced menu items declined by 71 (or 15%) from 2012 to 2013 (p=0.001) and by 69 (or 14%) from 2012 to 2014 (p=0.03). These declines were concentrated mainly in new main course items (85 fewer calories in 2013 and 55 fewer calories in 2014; p=0.01). Although average calories in newly introduced menu items are declining, they are higher than items common to the menu in all 3 years. No differences in mean calories among items on menus in 2012, 2013, or 2014 were found. Conclusions The previously observed declines in newly introduced menu items among large restaurant chains have been maintained, which suggests the beginning of a trend toward reducing calories. PMID:26163168

  20. A multi-regional structural path analysis of the energy supply chain in China's construction industry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hong, Jingke; Shen, Qiping; Xue, Fan

    2016-01-01

    The construction industry in China exerts significant environmental impacts and uses considerable resources because of rapid urbanization. This study conducted a structural path analysis (SPA) based on the multi-regional input–output table to quantify environmental impact transmission in the entire supply chain. Results indicated that the direct resource input (the first stage) along with on-site construction (the zeroth stage) consumed the highest amount of energy in the supply chain and accounted for approximately 50% of total energy consumption. Regional analysis showed that energy consumption in the construction industry at the provincial level was self-sufficient. Sectoral analysis demonstrated that the direct inputs from the sectors of “manufacture of non-metallic mineral products” and “smelting and pressing of metals” generated the most important energy flows, whereas the sectors of “production and distribution of electric power and heat power” and “extraction of petroleum and natural gas” significantly but indirectly influenced energy use. Sensitivity analysis exhibited that the system boundary of SPA could be narrowed down into the first two upstream stages that contained nearly 50% of energy flow information or expanded toward the first five upstream stages that represented 80% of total energy consumption. - Highlights: •We designed an optimized algorithm for multi-regional SPA. •We extracted energy-intensive paths throughout the upstream supply chain. •We explored self-sufficiency characteristic for provincial construction industries. •We identified energy-intensive sectors hidden in higher-order supply chain. •We developed an effective strategy for narrowing down the system boundary of SPA.

  1. Method of identification of unbranched chain reaction with cross termination of chain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Poluehktov, V.A.; Begishev, I.R.

    1977-01-01

    Gas-phase chlorination of unsymmetrical difluoroethane initiated by gamma quanta of Co 60 has been studied. At decreased temperatures the only hydrogen is replaced by a chlorine atom. Over a wide range of ratios of the initial reagents, the reaction occurs with a chain rupture. An analysis of the kinetics of such a reaction provides a method for identification of an unbranched chain reaction with a cross-rupture of the chain

  2. Stability analysis and stabilization strategies for linear supply chains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagatani, Takashi; Helbing, Dirk

    2004-04-01

    Due to delays in the adaptation of production or delivery rates, supply chains can be dynamically unstable with respect to perturbations in the consumption rate, which is known as “bull-whip effect”. Here, we study several conceivable production strategies to stabilize supply chains, which is expressed by different specifications of the management function controlling the production speed in dependence of the stock levels. In particular, we will investigate, whether the reaction to stock levels of other producers or suppliers has a stabilizing effect. We will also demonstrate that the anticipation of future stock levels can stabilize the supply system, given the forecast horizon τ is long enough. To show this, we derive linear stability conditions and carry out simulations for different control strategies. The results indicate that the linear stability analysis is a helpful tool for the judgement of the stabilization effect, although unexpected deviations can occur in the non-linear regime. There are also signs of phase transitions and chaotic behavior, but this remains to be investigated more thoroughly in the future.

  3. Theoretical analysis on the probability of initiating persistent fission chain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Jianjun; Wang Zhe; Zhang Ben'ai

    2005-01-01

    For the finite multiplying system of fissile material in the presence of a weak neutron source, the authors analyses problems on the probability of initiating a persistent fission chain through reckoning the stochastic theory of neutron multiplication. In the theoretical treatment, the conventional point reactor conception model is developed to an improved form with position x and velocity v dependence. The estimated results including approximate value of the probability mentioned above and its distribution are given by means of diffusion approximation and compared with those with previous point reactor conception model. They are basically consistent, however the present model can provide details on the distribution. (authors)

  4. [Darwinism and the meaning of "meaning"].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castrodeza, Carlos

    2009-01-01

    The problem of the meaning of life is herewith contemplated from a Darwinian perspective. It is argued how factors such as existential depression, the concern about the meaning of "meaning," the problem of evil, death as the end of our personal identity, happiness as an unachievable goal, etc. may well have an adaptive dimension "controlled" neither by ourselves nor obscure third parties (conspiracy theories) but "simply" by our genes (replicators in general) so that little if anything is to be done to find a radical remedy for the human condition.

  5. Transforming vaccines supply chains in Nigeria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sarley, David; Mahmud, Mustafa; Idris, Jide; Osunkiyesi, Modele; Dibosa-Osadolor, Onome; Okebukola, Peter; Wiwa, Owens

    2017-04-19

    Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and in 2012 was suffering some of the lowest vaccination rates in the World. A combination of factors had resulted in a dysfunctional immunization cold chain and supply chain. Recognizing that the number of unimmunized children contributed to high levels of under-5-mortality, and that health MDGs would not be attained, Minister of State for Health Mohammed Pate launched a vaccines transformation project in 2013. In partnership with BMGF, GAVI, UNICEF, WHO, other donors and implementing partners the transformation journey has so far taken three years and achieved impressive results. It has though faced challenges along the way and with the financial burden of GAVI graduation facing Nigeria, the economic downturn and the decentralized funding of health services, the results are far from sustained. This paper documents the work undertaken at the Federal level and then highlights specific work undertaken in partnership with Lagos State Government. It identifies the importance of taking an end to end approach and looking at the root causes of weak system performance. The strategy combined simple innovations in how data was captured, recorded and used to drive decision making. It included a comprehensive and systematic approach to cold chain procurement, installation and maintenance with a shift to a culture of active cold chain maintenance that is performing with higher levels of uptime. It also included supply chain redesign at both the Federal and State level. Finally, it involved an institutional transformation at the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to establish a data driven Department of Logistics and Health Commodities (DLHC) to manage the many challenges in immunizing 7.5 million children annually. While results have been impressive, there have been many challenges and lessons learned on the way. As Nigeria gets ready for its graduation from GAVI, a robust agile performing cold chain and

  6. Chain Networks as a Leverage for Innovation Capacity: The Case of Food SMEs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bianka Kühne

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available  Nowadays, innovation is no longer limited to the individual firm but involves increasingly the chain network in which the firm is embedded. The chain network is considered as the place where the internal and external resources of a firm are combined and transformed, leading to innovation capacity. In the increasingly globalizing market, innovation is an important strategic tool for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs to achieve competitive advantage. However, SMEs are often confronted with barriers for developing and introducing innovations, such as the lack of economies of scale. Our paper investigates how the chain network is contributing to the enhancement of the innovation capacity and which chain network characteristics are crucial in this process. In contrast to previous studies at chain network level, in our research specific chain networks are investigated and compared to each other. Hence, data collection took place at different chain network levels, being the supplier, the food manufacturer and the customer, working together and consequently belonging to one specific and unique chain network.The analysis of innovation capacity at the chain network level is realized by means of cluster analysis. This results in a three-cluster solution dividing the sample into Non-innovator chain networks, Customer-driven innovator chain networks and food manufacturer-supplier-driven innovator chain networks. Next, the influence of the chain network on the innovation capacity is examined. Thereby, the three achieved clusters differ significantly related to certain chain network characteristics. The following characteristics form an important leverage for the innovation capacity: firm size, profitability and business growth of the chain network members, as well as higher dependency, and lower levels of integration, rewarding power, social satisfaction and collaboration. The distinction of Customer-driven and food manufacturer

  7. Using Markov Chains to predict the natural progression of diabetic retinopathy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Srikanth, Priyanka

    2015-01-01

    To study the natural progression of diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes. This was an observational study of 153 cases with type 2 diabetes from 2010 to 2013. The state of patient was noted at end of each year and transition matrices were developed to model movement between years. Patients who progressed to severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) were treated. Markov Chains and Chi-square test were used for statistical analysis. We modelled the transition of 153 patients from NPDR to blindness on an annual basis. At the end of year 3, we compared results from the Markov model versus actual data. The results from Chi-square test confirmed that there was statistically no significant difference (P=0.70) which provided assurance that the model was robust to estimate mean sojourn times. The key finding was that a patient entering the system in mild NPDR state is expected to stay in that state for 5y followed by 1.07y in moderate NPDR, be in the severe NPDR state for 1.33y before moving into PDR for roughly 8y. It is therefore expected that such a patient entering the model in a state of mild NPDR will enter blindness after 15.29y. Patients stay for long time periods in mild NPDR before transitioning into moderate NPDR. However, they move rapidly from moderate NPDR to proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and stay in that state for long periods before transitioning into blindness.

  8. A Computational Analysis Model for Open-ended Cognitions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morita, Junya; Miwa, Kazuhisa

    In this paper, we propose a novel usage for computational cognitive models. In cognitive science, computational models have played a critical role of theories for human cognitions. Many computational models have simulated results of controlled psychological experiments successfully. However, there have been only a few attempts to apply the models to complex realistic phenomena. We call such a situation ``open-ended situation''. In this study, MAC/FAC (``many are called, but few are chosen''), proposed by [Forbus 95], that models two stages of analogical reasoning was applied to our open-ended psychological experiment. In our experiment, subjects were presented a cue story, and retrieved cases that had been learned in their everyday life. Following this, they rated inferential soundness (goodness as analogy) of each retrieved case. For each retrieved case, we computed two kinds of similarity scores (content vectors/structural evaluation scores) using the algorithms of the MAC/FAC. As a result, the computed content vectors explained the overall retrieval of cases well, whereas the structural evaluation scores had a strong relation to the rated scores. These results support the MAC/FAC's theoretical assumption - different similarities are involved on the two stages of analogical reasoning. Our study is an attempt to use a computational model as an analysis device for open-ended human cognitions.

  9. End-to-end delay analysis in wireless sensor networks with service vacation

    KAUST Repository

    Alabdulmohsin, Ibrahim; Hyadi, Amal; Afify, Laila H.; Shihada, Basem

    2014-01-01

    In this paper, a delay-sensitive multi-hop wireless sensor network is considered, employing an M/G/1 with vacations framework. Sensors transmit measurements to a predefined data sink subject to maximum end-to-end delay constraint. In order to prolong the battery lifetime, a sleeping scheme is adopted throughout the network nodes. The objective of our proposed framework is to present an expression for maximum hop-count as well as an approximate expression of the probability of blocking at the sink node upon violating certain end-to-end delay threshold. Using numerical simulations, we validate the proposed analytical model and demonstrate that the blocking probability of the system for various vacation time distributions matches the simulation results.

  10. End-to-end delay analysis in wireless sensor networks with service vacation

    KAUST Repository

    Alabdulmohsin, Ibrahim

    2014-04-01

    In this paper, a delay-sensitive multi-hop wireless sensor network is considered, employing an M/G/1 with vacations framework. Sensors transmit measurements to a predefined data sink subject to maximum end-to-end delay constraint. In order to prolong the battery lifetime, a sleeping scheme is adopted throughout the network nodes. The objective of our proposed framework is to present an expression for maximum hop-count as well as an approximate expression of the probability of blocking at the sink node upon violating certain end-to-end delay threshold. Using numerical simulations, we validate the proposed analytical model and demonstrate that the blocking probability of the system for various vacation time distributions matches the simulation results.

  11. Flexibility evaluation of multiechelon supply chains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almeida, João Flávio de Freitas; Conceição, Samuel Vieira; Pinto, Luiz Ricardo; de Camargo, Ricardo Saraiva; Júnior, Gilberto de Miranda

    2018-01-01

    Multiechelon supply chains are complex logistics systems that require flexibility and coordination at a tactical level to cope with environmental uncertainties in an efficient and effective manner. To cope with these challenges, mathematical programming models are developed to evaluate supply chain flexibility. However, under uncertainty, supply chain models become complex and the scope of flexibility analysis is generally reduced. This paper presents a unified approach that can evaluate the flexibility of a four-echelon supply chain via a robust stochastic programming model. The model simultaneously considers the plans of multiple business divisions such as marketing, logistics, manufacturing, and procurement, whose goals are often conflicting. A numerical example with deterministic parameters is presented to introduce the analysis, and then, the model stochastic parameters are considered to evaluate flexibility. The results of the analysis on supply, manufacturing, and distribution flexibility are presented. Tradeoff analysis of demand variability and service levels is also carried out. The proposed approach facilitates the adoption of different management styles, thus improving supply chain resilience. The model can be extended to contexts pertaining to supply chain disruptions; for example, the model can be used to explore operation strategies when subtle events disrupt supply, manufacturing, or distribution.

  12. SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT – KEY FACTORS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Magdalena Daniela DINU

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available This paper exposes Supply Chain Management by its key factors. Briefly, where the Supply Chain Management is treated as strategic part of a company then maintaining both control and influence throughout the entire supply chain are key factors and critical to success. On the other hand, finding the right partner to manage the non-strategic Supply Chains would be another key factor too. To define the most important key factors within Supply Chain Management means a deeply understanding of both Supply Chain’ s components, procedures, workflow, processes and the importance of Supply Chain Management into maximizing company's value. SCORE model able to provide solid information about measuring performance and identifying priorities within Supply Chain Management will help us to understand the key factors by analyzing its elements: Plan, Source, Make, Deliver,Return, Enable. These elements covers all the challenging areas from first to third tier of Supply Chain Management.

  13. Chain Assembly and Disassembly Processes Differently Affect the Conformational Space of Ubiquitin Chains.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kniss, Andreas; Schuetz, Denise; Kazemi, Sina; Pluska, Lukas; Spindler, Philipp E; Rogov, Vladimir V; Husnjak, Koraljka; Dikic, Ivan; Güntert, Peter; Sommer, Thomas; Prisner, Thomas F; Dötsch, Volker

    2018-02-06

    Ubiquitination is the most versatile posttranslational modification. The information is encoded by linkage type as well as chain length, which are translated by ubiquitin binding domains into specific signaling events. Chain topology determines the conformational space of a ubiquitin chain and adds an additional regulatory layer to this ubiquitin code. In particular, processes that modify chain length will be affected by chain conformations as they require access to the elongation or cleavage sites. We investigated conformational distributions in the context of chain elongation and disassembly using pulsed electron-electron double resonance spectroscopy in combination with molecular modeling. Analysis of the conformational space of diubiquitin revealed conformational selection or remodeling as mechanisms for chain recognition during elongation or hydrolysis, respectively. Chain elongation to tetraubiquitin increases the sampled conformational space, suggesting that a high intrinsic flexibility of K48-linked chains may contribute to efficient proteasomal degradation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. A tunable RF Front-End with Narrowband Antennas for Mobile Devices

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bahramzy, Pevand; Olesen, Poul; Madsen, Peter

    2015-01-01

    desensitization due to the Tx signal. The filters and antennas demonstrate tunability across multiple bands. System validation is detailed for LTE band I. Frequency response, as well as linearity measurements of the complete Tx and Rx front-end chains, show that the system requirements are fulfilled.......In conventional full-duplex radio communication systems, the transmitter (Tx) is active at the same time as the receiver (Rx). The isolation between the Tx and the Rx is ensured by duplex filters. However, an increasing number of long-term evolution (LTE) bands crave multiband operation. Therefore......, a new front-end architecture, addressing the increasing number of LTE bands, as well as multiple standards, is presented. In such an architecture, the Tx and Rx chains are separated throughout the front-end. Addition of bands is solved by making the antennas and filters tunable. Banks of duplex filters...

  15. Halalan Toyyiban Supply Chain The New Insights in Sustainable Supply Chain Management

    OpenAIRE

    Omar, Emi Normalina; Jaafar, Harlina Suzana; Osman, Muhamad Rahimi; Nasruddin, Faisol

    2013-01-01

    Purpose: In today’s highly competitive world scenario, in order for logistics and supply chain firms to be successful, resilient and sustainable, halalan-toyyiban supply chain could be the new insight in assisting the firm. Hence, the purpose of this study is to provide a practical definition for developing an effective supply chain through halalan toyyiban processes and comparing the similarities and differences of the halal term. Design/methodology/approach: The analysis is develo...

  16. Sensitivity Analysis and Optimization for Selected Supply Chain Management Issues in the Company – Using System Dynamics and Vensim

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elżbieta Kasperska

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of our paper is to present the new results of research work on optimization and simulation for some logistic problems in the company. The System Dynamics (SD method and the Vensim simulation language are applied in order to solve specific managerial problems described by Forrester in the model of supply chain. The historical model of Customer-Producer-Employment System by Forrester (Forrester, 1961 has not been examined with the sensitivity analysis, from the “automatic” testing perspective. Optimization experiments have not been conducted, either. It is surprising, since the model is old and widely known. The opportunities offered by the Vensim language allow us to perform such analysis. The visualization called “confidence bounds“ is used, to show the behaviour of chosen variables over a period of time. The Monte-Carlo method is applied for sampling a set of numbers from within bounded domains (distribution for each searching parameters is specified. The authors of this paper conducted numerous experiments in this scope. This paper presents their results and offers some conclusions formulated at the end.

  17. Linear programming models with planned lead times for supply chain operations planning

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Spitter, J.M.; Hurkens, C.A.J.; Kok, de A.G.; Lenstra, J.K.; Negenman, E.G.

    2005-01-01

    This paper contributes to the development of models for capacity constrained Supply Chain Operations Planning (SCOP). We focus on production environments with arbitrary supply chain structures. The demand for the end items is assumed to be exogenously determined. We solve the SCOP problem with

  18. SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT: SOME INSIGHTS FROM INDIAN MANUFACTURING COMPANIES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sanjay Jharkharia

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Some issues such as inventory management, IT-enablement of supply chains, and buyer-supplier relationships are at the core of supply chain research. Some other issues such as postponement, top management commitment, and disparities in trading partners' capability influence these core issues. Some hypotheses have been proposed to assess such influences. Through a questionnaire-based survey for Indian manufacturing companies, these hypotheses have been tested. It is observed from this research that information sharing and top management commitment have important roles towards the effectiveness of a supply chain. The findings also establish relationships among many important issues of supply chain management. The paper ends with the discussion and implications of this research.

  19. Proposition of a modeling and an analysis methodology of integrated reverse logistics chain in the direct chain

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mimouni, F.; Abouabdellah, A.

    2016-07-01

    Propose a modeling and analysis methodology based on the combination of Bayesian networks and Petri networks of the reverse logistics integrated the direct supply chain. Network modeling by combining Petri and Bayesian network. Modeling with Bayesian network complimented with Petri network to break the cycle problem in the Bayesian network. Demands are independent from returns. Model can only be used on nonperishable products. Legislation aspects: Recycling laws; Protection of environment; Client satisfaction via after sale service. Bayesian network with a cycle combined with the Petri Network. (Author)

  20. Empirical analysis of the solar incentive policy for Tennessee solar value chain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sawhney, Rapinder; Thakur, Kaveri; Venkatesan, Bharadwaj; Ji, Shuguang; Upreti, Girish; Sanseverino, John

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Tennessee solar value chain (TNSVC) is modeled to analyze effect of policy on demand. • TNSVC model replicates realistic scenarios to gauge the economic impact on state. • Simulation study determines that the TNSVC capacity is greater than demand. • Direct cash incentives have greater impact on demand than indirect incentives. • The model portrays a holistic approach to assist strategic energy policy analysis. - Abstract: The market for solar energy in the US has grown exponentially due to increased consumer demand resulting from price reduction via economies of scale, technological progress, and a variety of incentives from federal and state governments as well as utility companies. The installation of solar power in Tennessee has more than doubled each year from 2009 to 2011. In this paper, we focus on the behavior of the Tennessee Solar Value Chain (TNSVC) to study the factors that influence growth of solar industry in the state. The impact of existing incentives on the TNSVC is analyzed. The TNSVC is simulated based on inputs from on-site survey to estimate economic impact in terms of the number of jobs added and the tax revenue generated in the state. In addition, a sensitivity analysis for the impact on the TNSVC under different policies those may be adopted by the state of Tennessee in the future is conducted. This paper employs a holistic model which can predict PV installation demand, understand solar value chain capacity, and estimate the revenue generation. It should be noted that the method employed in this study is not unique to the solar energy industry in Tennessee. The data utilized in this study is a combination of public domain information and surveys of suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and installers. This makes the model in this paper flexible enough to be applied to assess the solar value chain in other state or country

  1. Passive Noise Analysis for Advanced Tamper Indication. End of Year Report 2015

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Baker, Benjamin [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Sanders, Jeff [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); West, James [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Svoboda, John [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

    2015-09-01

    Idaho National Laboratory (INL) is part of a multi-lab project assessing front-end electronics for unattended measurement (FEUM) being developed for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) unattended systems. The FEUM development activity provides an opportunity to address tampering detection between FEUM and the detector, signal integrity from FEUM to the data acquisition systems, and data validity – long-standing challenges for the IAEA. This report summarizes the INL activities in Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 to characterize and test passive noise analysis as a potential tamper-indicating approach for implementation into FEUM or as a stand-alone method. The project’s primary objectives in FY-15 were to (1) determine detectable tamper scenarios using four pre-amplifier/detector systems, (2) perform tests of tampering scenarios with three common cable types used by the IAEA, (3) separate radio-frequency-induced events from inherent effect by means of an anechoic chamber, and (4) perform tests at an industrial facility. General conclusions were reached in several areas.

  2. Markov chain analysis of single spin flip Ising simulations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hennecke, M.

    1997-01-01

    The Markov processes defined by random and loop-based schemes for single spin flip attempts in Monte Carlo simulations of the 2D Ising model are investigated, by explicitly constructing their transition matrices. Their analysis reveals that loops over all lattice sites using a Metropolis-type single spin flip probability often do not define ergodic Markov chains, and have distorted dynamical properties even if they are ergodic. The transition matrices also enable a comparison of the dynamics of random versus loop spin selection and Glauber versus Metropolis probabilities

  3. Agile supply chain capabilities: emerging patterns as a determinant of competitive objectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yusuf, Yahaya Y.; Adeleye, E. O.; Sivayoganathan, K.

    2001-10-01

    Turbulent change caused by factors such as changing customer and technological requirements threatens manufacturers through lower product life cycles, profits and bleak survival prospects. Therefore, several companies are stressing flexibility and agility in order to respond, real time, to the unique needs of customers and markets. However, the resource competencies required are often difficult to mobilise and retain by single companies. It is therefore imperative for companies to co-operate and leverage complementary competencies. To this end, legally separate and spatially distributed companies are becoming integrated through Internet-based technologies. The paper reviews emerging patterns in supply chain integration. It also explores the relationship between the emerging patterns and attainment of competitive objectives. The results reported in the paper are based on data from a survey by questionnaire. The survey involved 600 companies in the UK, as part of a larger study of agile manufacturing. The study was driven by a conceptual model, which relates supply chain practices to competitive objectives. The analysis involves the use of factor analysis to reduce research variables to a few principal components. Subsequently, multiple regression was conducted to study the relationship amongst the reduced variables. The results validate the proposed conceptual model and lend credence to current thinking that supply chain integration is a vital tool for competitive advantage.

  4. A multicentre 'end to end' dosimetry audit of motion management (4DCT-defined motion envelope) in radiotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palmer, Antony L; Nash, David; Kearton, John R; Jafari, Shakardokht M; Muscat, Sarah

    2017-12-01

    External dosimetry audit is valuable for the assurance of radiotherapy quality. However, motion management has not been rigorously audited, despite its complexity and importance for accuracy. We describe the first end-to-end dosimetry audit for non-SABR (stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy) lung treatments, measuring dose accumulation in a moving target, and assessing adequacy of target dose coverage. A respiratory motion lung-phantom with custom-designed insert was used. Dose was measured with radiochromic film, employing triple-channel dosimetry and uncertainty reduction. The host's 4DCT scan, outlining and planning techniques were used. Measurements with the phantom static and then moving at treatment delivery separated inherent treatment uncertainties from motion effects. Calculated and measured dose distributions were compared by isodose overlay, gamma analysis, and we introduce the concept of 'dose plane histograms' for clinically relevant interpretation of film dosimetry. 12 radiotherapy centres and 19 plans were audited: conformal, IMRT (intensity modulated radiotherapy) and VMAT (volumetric modulated radiotherapy). Excellent agreement between planned and static-phantom results were seen (mean gamma pass 98.7% at 3% 2 mm). Dose blurring was evident in the moving-phantom measurements (mean gamma pass 88.2% at 3% 2 mm). Planning techniques for motion management were adequate to deliver the intended moving-target dose coverage. A novel, clinically-relevant, end-to-end dosimetry audit of motion management strategies in radiotherapy is reported. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. A scaling analysis of a cat and mouse Markov chain

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Litvak, Nelli; Robert, Philippe

    Motivated by an original on-line page-ranking algorithm, starting from an arbitrary Markov chain $(C_n)$ on a discrete state space ${\\cal S}$, a Markov chain $(C_n,M_n)$ on the product space ${\\cal S}^2$, the cat and mouse Markov chain, is constructed. The first coordinate of this Markov chain

  6. Subgeometric Ergodicity Analysis of Continuous-Time Markov Chains under Random-Time State-Dependent Lyapunov Drift Conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mokaedi V. Lekgari

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available We investigate random-time state-dependent Foster-Lyapunov analysis on subgeometric rate ergodicity of continuous-time Markov chains (CTMCs. We are mainly concerned with making use of the available results on deterministic state-dependent drift conditions for CTMCs and on random-time state-dependent drift conditions for discrete-time Markov chains and transferring them to CTMCs.

  7. Quantum communication and state transfer in spin chains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Van der Jeugt, Joris

    2011-01-01

    We investigate the time evolution of a single spin excitation state in certain linear spin chains, as a model for quantum communication. We consider first the simplest possible spin chain, where the spin chain data (the nearest neighbour interaction strengths and the magnetic field strengths) are constant throughout the chain. The time evolution of a single spin state is determined, and this time evolution is illustrated by means of an animation. Some years ago it was discovered that when the spin chain data are of a special form so-called perfect state transfer takes place. These special spin chain data can be linked to the Jacobi matrix entries of Krawtchouk polynomials or dual Hahn polynomials. We discuss here the case related to Krawtchouk polynomials, and illustrate the possibility of perfect state transfer by an animation showing the time evolution of the spin chain from an initial single spin state. Very recently, these ideas were extended to discrete orthogonal polynomials of q-hypergeometric type. Here, a remarkable result is a new analytic model where perfect state transfer is achieved: this is when the spin chain data are related to the Jacobi matrix of q-Krawtchouk polynomials. This case is discussed here, and again illustrated by means of an animation.

  8. Relationships between food producers and retail chains: From a constructivist perspective

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skytte, Hans

    This paper presents preliminary results from a large project in which we developed a new way of looking at interaction and relationships between companies. Our main focus of interest in the project was the relationships between food producers and retail chains. The project investigated the cooper......This paper presents preliminary results from a large project in which we developed a new way of looking at interaction and relationships between companies. Our main focus of interest in the project was the relationships between food producers and retail chains. The project investigated...... the cooperation between Danish food producers and retail chains in four countries regarding trade in pork and pork-based products. The paradigmatic outset in the project was the constructivist paradigm. Based on theories on organisational identity, organisational image, organisational fields, plausibility......, product development, and construction of meaning and shared meaning, an analytical framework was developed. The theoretical framework subsequently - founded on a grounded theory approach - was used as the basis for the analysis. The paper concludes with a number of recommen¬dations for food producers...

  9. End to End Digitisation and Analysis of Three-Dimensional Coral Models, from Communities to Corallites.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis Gutierrez-Heredia

    Full Text Available Coral reefs hosts nearly 25% of all marine species and provide food sources for half a billion people worldwide while only a very small percentage have been surveyed. Advances in technology and processing along with affordable underwater cameras and Internet availability gives us the possibility to provide tools and softwares to survey entire coral reefs. Holistic ecological analyses of corals require not only the community view (10s to 100s of meters, but also the single colony analysis as well as corallite identification. As corals are three-dimensional, classical approaches to determine percent cover and structural complexity across spatial scales are inefficient, time-consuming and limited to experts. Here we propose an end-to-end approach to estimate these parameters using low-cost equipment (GoPro, Canon and freeware (123D Catch, Meshmixer and Netfabb, allowing every community to participate in surveys and monitoring of their coral ecosystem. We demonstrate our approach on 9 species of underwater colonies in ranging size and morphology. 3D models of underwater colonies, fresh samples and bleached skeletons with high quality texture mapping and detailed topographic morphology were produced, and Surface Area and Volume measurements (parameters widely used for ecological and coral health studies were calculated and analysed. Moreover, we integrated collected sample models with micro-photogrammetry models of individual corallites to aid identification and colony and polyp scale analysis.

  10. End to End Digitisation and Analysis of Three-Dimensional Coral Models, from Communities to Corallites.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gutierrez-Heredia, Luis; Benzoni, Francesca; Murphy, Emma; Reynaud, Emmanuel G

    2016-01-01

    Coral reefs hosts nearly 25% of all marine species and provide food sources for half a billion people worldwide while only a very small percentage have been surveyed. Advances in technology and processing along with affordable underwater cameras and Internet availability gives us the possibility to provide tools and softwares to survey entire coral reefs. Holistic ecological analyses of corals require not only the community view (10s to 100s of meters), but also the single colony analysis as well as corallite identification. As corals are three-dimensional, classical approaches to determine percent cover and structural complexity across spatial scales are inefficient, time-consuming and limited to experts. Here we propose an end-to-end approach to estimate these parameters using low-cost equipment (GoPro, Canon) and freeware (123D Catch, Meshmixer and Netfabb), allowing every community to participate in surveys and monitoring of their coral ecosystem. We demonstrate our approach on 9 species of underwater colonies in ranging size and morphology. 3D models of underwater colonies, fresh samples and bleached skeletons with high quality texture mapping and detailed topographic morphology were produced, and Surface Area and Volume measurements (parameters widely used for ecological and coral health studies) were calculated and analysed. Moreover, we integrated collected sample models with micro-photogrammetry models of individual corallites to aid identification and colony and polyp scale analysis.

  11. Are Local Food Chains More Sustainable than Global Food Chains? Considerations for Assessment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gianluca Brunori

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available This paper summarizes the main findings of the GLAMUR project which starts with an apparently simple question: is “local” more sustainable than “global”? Sustainability assessment is framed within a post-normal science perspective, advocating the integration of public deliberation and scientific research. The assessment spans 39 local, intermediate and global supply chain case studies across different commodities and countries. Assessment criteria cover environmental, economic, social, health and ethical sustainability dimensions. A closer view of the food system demonstrates a highly dynamic local–global continuum where actors, while adapting to a changing environment, establish multiple relations and animate several chain configurations. The evidence suggests caution when comparing “local” and “global” chains, especially when using the outcomes of the comparison in decision-making. Supply chains are analytical constructs that necessarily—and arbitrarily—are confined by system boundaries, isolating a set of elements from an interconnected whole. Even consolidated approaches, such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA, assess only a part of sustainability attributes, and the interpretation may be controversial. Many sustainability attributes are not yet measurable and “hard” methodologies need to be complemented by “soft” methodologies which are at least able to identify critical issues and trade-offs. Aware of these limitations, our research shows that comparing local and global chains, with the necessary caution, can help overcome a priori positions that so far have characterized the debate between “localists” and “globalists”. At firm level, comparison between “local” and “global” chains could be useful to identify best practices, benchmarks, critical points, and errors to avoid. As sustainability is not a status to achieve, but a never-ending process, comparison and deliberation can be the basis of a

  12. Quantum communication through an unmodulated spin chain

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bose, Sougato

    2003-01-01

    We propose a scheme for using an unmodulated and unmeasured spin chain as a channel for short distance quantum communications. The state to be transmitted is placed on one spin of the chain and received later on a distant spin with some fidelity. We first obtain simple expressions for the fidelity of quantum state transfer and the amount of entanglement sharable between any two sites of an arbitrary Heisenberg ferromagnet using our scheme. We then apply this to the realizable case of an open ended chain with nearest neighbor interactions. The fidelity of quantum state transfer is obtained as an inverse discrete cosine transform and as a Bessel function series. We find that in a reasonable time, a qubit can be directly transmitted with better than classical fidelity across the full length of chains of up to 80 spins. Moreover, our channel allows distillable entanglement to be shared over arbitrary distances

  13. Mapping absorption processes onto a Markov chain, conserving the mean first passage time

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Biswas, Katja

    2013-01-01

    The dynamics of a multidimensional system is projected onto a discrete state master equation using the transition rates W(k → k′; t, t + dt) between a set of states {k} represented by the regions {ζ k } in phase or discrete state space. Depending on the dynamics Γ i (t) of the original process and the choice of ζ k , the discretized process can be Markovian or non-Markovian. For absorption processes, it is shown that irrespective of these properties of the projection, a master equation with time-independent transition rates W-bar (k→k ' ) can be obtained, which conserves the total occupation time of the partitions of the phase or discrete state space of the original process. An expression for the transition probabilities p-bar (k ' |k) is derived based on either time-discrete measurements {t i } with variable time stepping Δ (i+1)i = t i+1 − t i or the theoretical knowledge at continuous times t. This allows computational methods of absorbing Markov chains to be used to obtain the mean first passage time (MFPT) of the system. To illustrate this approach, the procedure is applied to obtain the MFPT for the overdamped Brownian motion of particles subject to a system with dichotomous noise and the escape from an entropic barrier. The high accuracy of the simulation results confirms with the theory. (paper)

  14. Synergy between the Multiple Supply Chain and Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) approaches: an initial analysis aimed at fostering supply chain sustainability

    OpenAIRE

    Ana Lima de Carvalho; Livia Rodrigues Ignácio; Kleber Francisco Esposto; Aldo Roberto Ometto

    2016-01-01

    The concept of Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) was created in the 90s to reduce the environmental impacts of productive systems. This approach seeks to improve the environmental performance of all the participants in a supply chain, from the extraction of raw materials to the use and final disposal of the product, through relationships of collaboration or conformity between the parties. The multiple supply chains approach established by Gattorna (2009) brought to light different supply c...

  15. A fuzzy MICMAC analysis for improving supply chain performance of basic vaccines in developing countries.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chandra, Dheeraj; Kumar, Dinesh

    2018-03-01

    In recent years, demand to improve child immunization coverage globally, and the development of the latest vaccines and technology has made the vaccine market very complex. The rise in such complexities often gives birth to numerous issues in the vaccine supply chain, which are the primary cause of its poor performance. Figuring out the cause of the performance problem can help you decide how to address it. The goal of the present study is to identify and analyze important issues in the supply chain of basic vaccines required for child immunization in the developing countries. Twenty-five key issues as various factors of the vaccine supply chain have been presented in this paper. Fuzzy MICMAC analysis has been carried out to classify the factors based on their driving and dependence power and to develop a hierarchy based model. Further, the findings have been discussed with the field experts to identify the critical factors. Three factors: better demand forecast, communication between the supply chain members, and proper planning and scheduling have been identified as the critical factors of vaccine supply chain. These factors should be given special care to improve vaccine supply chain performance.

  16. The four roles of supply chain management in construction

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vrijhoef, R.; Koskela, L.

    2000-01-01

    It is argued that due to construction peculiarities, supply chain management has four specific roles in construction. Practical initiatives in each role to advance the construction supply chain are analysed. The present status of construction supply chains is investigated by means of case studies

  17. Phase behaviour of polyethylene knotted ring chains

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wen Xiao-Hui; Xia A-Gen; Chen Hong-Ping; Zhang Lin-Xi

    2011-01-01

    The phase behaviour of polyethylene knotted ring chains is investigated by using molecular dynamics simulations. In this paper, we focus on the collapse of the polyethylene knotted ring chain, and also present the results of linear and ring chains for comparison. At high temperatures, a fully extensive knot structure is observed. The mean-square radius of gyration per bond (S 2 )/(Nb 2 ) and the shape factor (δ*) depend on not only the chain length but also the knot type. With temperature decreasing, chain collapse is observed, and the collapse temperature decreases with the chain length increasing. The actual collapse transition can be determined by the specific heat capacity C v , and the knotted ring chain undergoes gas—liquid—solid-like transition directly. The phase transition of a knotted ring chain is only one-stage collapse, which is different from the polyethylene linear and ring chains. This investigation can provide some insights into the statistical properties of knotted polymer chains. (condensed matter: structural, mechanical, and thermal properties)

  18. Corporate Social Responsibility and Supply Chain Management:

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Liempd, Dennis van; Warming-Rasmussen, Bent; Abild-Nielsen, Jens

    this, the paper explores what traditional audit types like the financial, operational, compliance and forensic audit have to offer, together with other assurance services, like assurance on non-financial reports, on internal control, on key performance indicators, and on information systems. The paper....... Since a supply chain exists of legally independent entities, the need for right ethics creates the need for a ninth R: right monitoring. This paper investigates how the discipline of auditing can contribute to solve the problem of right monitoring of right ethics across a supply chain. In order to do...... concludes that the independent auditor's methods can contribute in many ways to develop a new form of auditing: Supply Chain Audits (SC-A). The paper ends with implications for future research....

  19. Implementing OLAP Technology to Leverage Value of Supply Chain Management System

    OpenAIRE

    Ekananta, Ekananta

    2008-01-01

    Supply chain refers to the flow of materials, information, money, and services from rawmaterial suppliers, through factories and warehouses, to the end users. The successful of company inthe business competition is highly depend on how well the company capability to optimize andmanage their supply chain process. ERP is an information technology solution that play the mainrole in the supply chain management with the aim to plan, organize, and optimize one or more of thesupply chain’s activitie...

  20. The Impact of Carbon Emissions Policies on Reverse Supply Chain Network Design

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bandar A. ALKHAYYAL

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Reverse Supply Chain is described as an initiative that plays an important role in the global supply chain for those who seek environmentally responsible solutions for their end-of-life products. The relative economic and environmental benefits of reverse supply chain are influenced by costs and emissions during collection, transportation, recovery facilities, disassembly, recycling, remanufacturing, and disposal of unrecoverable components. The design of reverse supply chain network takes into account social, economic and environmental objectives. This paper addresses the design of reverse supply chain under the three common regulatory policies, strict carbon caps, carbon tax, and carbon cap-and-trade.

  1. Analysing the differences between theoretical and implemented supply chain strategies in selected organisations

    OpenAIRE

    Danie J. Nel; Johanna A. Badenhorst-Weiss

    2011-01-01

    Organisations can use supply chain strategies to gain a competitive advantage for the supply chain. A competitive advantage can be achieved by means of low cost or by means of differentiation. However, organisations have to implement the correct supply chain strategy. Returns on investment can be compromised if organisations implement an incorrect supply chain strategy. The objective of the article is to analyse the differences between theoretically implied and implemented supply chain strate...

  2. Maximising the value of supply chain finance

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Vliet, van der K.; Reindorp, M.J.; Fransoo, J.C.

    2013-01-01

    Supply Chain Finance (SCF) arrangements aim to add value by taking a cooperative approach to financing the supply chain. Interest in SCF has been increasing, and decision makers need a comprehensive view of possible applications and their potential. By means of theoretical and empirical exploration,

  3. Flexibility evaluation of multiechelon supply chains.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    João Flávio de Freitas Almeida

    Full Text Available Multiechelon supply chains are complex logistics systems that require flexibility and coordination at a tactical level to cope with environmental uncertainties in an efficient and effective manner. To cope with these challenges, mathematical programming models are developed to evaluate supply chain flexibility. However, under uncertainty, supply chain models become complex and the scope of flexibility analysis is generally reduced. This paper presents a unified approach that can evaluate the flexibility of a four-echelon supply chain via a robust stochastic programming model. The model simultaneously considers the plans of multiple business divisions such as marketing, logistics, manufacturing, and procurement, whose goals are often conflicting. A numerical example with deterministic parameters is presented to introduce the analysis, and then, the model stochastic parameters are considered to evaluate flexibility. The results of the analysis on supply, manufacturing, and distribution flexibility are presented. Tradeoff analysis of demand variability and service levels is also carried out. The proposed approach facilitates the adoption of different management styles, thus improving supply chain resilience. The model can be extended to contexts pertaining to supply chain disruptions; for example, the model can be used to explore operation strategies when subtle events disrupt supply, manufacturing, or distribution.

  4. Stretching of a polymer chain anchored to a surface: the massive field theory approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Usatenko, Zoryana

    2014-01-01

    Taking into account the well-known correspondence between the field theoretical φ 4 O(n)-vector model in the limit n → 0 and the behaviour of long-flexible polymer chains, the investigation of stretching of an ideal and a real polymer chain with excluded volume interactions in a good solvent anchored to repulsive and inert surfaces is performed. The calculations of the average stretching force which arises when the free end of a polymer chain moves away from a repulsive or inert surface are performed up to one-loop order of the massive field theory approach in fixed space dimensions d = 3. The analysis of the obtained results indicates that the average stretching force for a real polymer chain anchored to a repulsive surface demonstrates different behaviour for the cases z-tilde ≪1 and z-tilde ≫1, where z-tilde =z ′ /R z . Besides, the results obtained in the framework of the massive field theory approach are in good agreement with previous theoretical results for an ideal polymer chain and results of a density functional theory approach for the region of small applied forces when deformation of a polymer chain in the direction of the applied force is not bigger than the linear extension of a polymer chain in this direction. The better agreement between these two methods is observed in the case where the number of monomers increases and the polymer chain becomes longer. (paper)

  5. Fracture overprinting history using Markov chain analysis: Windsor-Kennetcook subbasin, Maritimes Basin, Canada

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snyder, Morgan E.; Waldron, John W. F.

    2018-03-01

    The deformation history of the Upper Paleozoic Maritimes Basin, Atlantic Canada, can be partially unraveled by examining fractures (joints, veins, and faults) that are well exposed on the shorelines of the macrotidal Bay of Fundy, in subsurface core, and on image logs. Data were collected from coastal outcrops and well core across the Windsor-Kennetcook subbasin, a subbasin in the Maritimes Basin, using the circular scan-line and vertical scan-line methods in outcrop, and FMI Image log analysis of core. We use cross-cutting and abutting relationships between fractures to understand relative timing of fracturing, followed by a statistical test (Markov chain analysis) to separate groups of fractures. This analysis, previously used in sedimentology, was modified to statistically test the randomness of fracture timing relationships. The results of the Markov chain analysis suggest that fracture initiation can be attributed to movement along the Minas Fault Zone, an E-W fault system that bounds the Windsor-Kennetcook subbasin to the north. Four sets of fractures are related to dextral strike slip along the Minas Fault Zone in the late Paleozoic, and four sets are related to sinistral reactivation of the same boundary in the Mesozoic.

  6. Educational interventions to train healthcare professionals in end-of-life communication: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chung, Han-Oh; Oczkowski, Simon J W; Hanvey, Louise; Mbuagbaw, Lawrence; You, John J

    2016-04-29

    Practicing healthcare professionals and graduates exiting training programs are often ill-equipped to facilitate important discussions about end-of-life care with patients and their families. We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the effectiveness of educational interventions aimed at providing healthcare professionals with training in end-of-life communication skills, compared to usual curriculum. We searched MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, ERIC and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from the date of inception to July 2014 for randomized control trials (RCT) and prospective observational studies of educational training interventions to train healthcare professionals in end-of-life communication skills. To be eligible, interventions had to provide communication skills training related to end-of-life decision making; other interventions (e.g. breaking bad news, providing palliation) were excluded. Our primary outcomes were self-efficacy, knowledge and end-of-life communication scores with standardized patient encounters. Sufficiently similar studies were pooled in a meta-analysis. The quality of evidence was assessed using GRADE. Of 5727 candidate articles, 20 studies (6 RCTs, 14 Observational) were included in this review. Compared to usual teaching, educational interventions to train healthcare professionals in end-of-life communication skills were associated with greater self-efficacy (8 studies, standardized mean difference [SMD] 0.57;95% confidence interval [CI] 0.40-0.75; P communication scores (8 studies, SMD 0.69; 95% CI 0.41-0.96; p communication training may improve healthcare professionals' self-efficacy, knowledge, and EoL communication scores compared to usual teaching. Further studies comparing two active educational interventions are recommended with a continued focus on contextually relevant high-level outcomes. PROSPERO CRD42014012913.

  7. Quasi-Block Copolymers Based on a General Polymeric Chain Stopper.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sanguramath, Rajashekharayya A; Nealey, Paul F; Shenhar, Roy

    2016-07-11

    Quasi-block copolymers (q-BCPs) are block copolymers consisting of conventional and supramolecular blocks, in which the conventional block is end-terminated by a functionality that interacts with the supramolecular monomer (a "chain stopper" functionality). A new design of q-BCPs based on a general polymeric chain stopper, which consists of polystyrene end-terminated with a sulfonate group (PS-SO3 Li), is described. Through viscosity measurements and a detailed diffusion-ordered NMR spectroscopy study, it is shown that PS-SO3 Li can effectively cap two types of model supramolecular monomers to form q-BCPs in solution. Furthermore, differential scanning calorimetry data and structural characterization of thin films by scanning force microscopy suggests the existence of the q-BCP architecture in the melt. The new design considerably simplifies the synthesis of polymeric chain stoppers; thus promoting the utilization of q-BCPs as smart, nanostructured materials. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  8. Expected value of finite fission chain lengths of pulse reactors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Jianjun; Zhou Zhigao; Zhang Ben'ai

    2007-01-01

    The average neutron population necessary for sponsoring a persistent fission chain in a multiplying system, is discussed. In the point reactor model, the probability function θ(n, t 0 , t) of a source neutron at time t 0 leading to n neutrons at time t is dealt with. The non-linear partial differential equation for the probability generating function G(z; t 0 , t) is derived. By solving the equation, we have obtained an approximate analytic solution for a slightly prompt supercritical system. For the pulse reactor Godiva-II, the mean value of finite fission chain lengths is estimated in this work and shows that the estimated value is reasonable for the experimental analysis. (authors)

  9. Enunciation and argumentation: proposals for the analysis of personal forms as argumentative resources in orality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Federico Testoni

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available As part of an investigation about strategies and resources for the construction of social representations (Raiter, 2016 on orality, we propose to articulate an analysis of linguistic forms with the argumentative dimension of utterances. The aim of this paper is to review the methodology proposed by Lavandera (1984 for the analysis of the tension between the personal and the impersonal, interpreting the use of this dimension as an argumentative resource (Ducrot, 1984. From our interdiscursive perspective, we seek to show how the characterization of the enunciative roles can facilitate analysis of the positions of enunciation from which the meaning of statements is oriented (Guimarães, 1998. To this end, we will analyse three fragments of an interview by applying the study of the distribution of pronominal forms (Lavandera, 1984 and the argumentative chains (Ducrot, 1984. We believe that analysis as described from the perspective of discourse analysis will mean a contribution for future work on strategies for building social representations.

  10. Static end-expiratory and dynamic forced expiratory tracheal collapse in COPD

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Donnell, C.R.; Bankier, A.A.; O'Donnell, D.H.; Loring, S.H.; Boiselle, P.M.

    2014-01-01

    Aim: To determine the range of tracheal collapse at end-expiration among chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients and to compare the extent of tracheal collapse between static end-expiratory and dynamic forced-expiratory multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT). Materials and methods: After institutional review board approval and obtaining informed consent, 67 patients meeting the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)/World Health Organization (WHO) Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) criteria for COPD were sequentially imaged using a 64-detector-row CT machine at end-inspiration, during forced expiration, and at end-expiration. Standardized respiratory coaching and spirometric monitoring were employed. Mean percentage tracheal collapse at end-expiration and forced expiration were compared using correlation analysis, and the power of end-expiratory cross-sectional area to predict excessive forced-expiratory tracheal collapse was computed following construction of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: Mean percentage expiratory collapse among COPD patients was 17 ± 18% at end-expiration compared to 62 ± 16% during forced expiration. Over the observed range of end-expiratory tracheal collapse (approximately 10–50%), the positive predictive value of end-expiratory collapse to predict excessive (≥80%) forced expiratory tracheal collapse was <0.3. Conclusion: COPD patients demonstrate a wide range of end-expiratory tracheal collapse. The magnitude of static end-expiratory tracheal collapse does not predict excessive dynamic expiratory tracheal collapse

  11. Synthesis and characterization of hafnium carbide microcrystal chains with a carbon-rich shell via CVD

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tian, Song; Li, Hejun; Zhang, Yulei; Liu, Sen; Fu, Yangxi; Li, Yixian; Qiang, Xinfa

    2013-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Novel HfC microcrystal chains have been synthesized via a catalyst-assisted chemical vapor deposition process. SEM results show the chains have a periodically changing diameter and a nanoscale sharpening tip. Analysis of TEM/SAED/EELS/EDX data shows the single-crystal chains grow along a [0 0 1] direction and consist of a HfC core and a thin carbon-rich shell with embedded HfC nanocrystallites surrounding the core. This work achieves the controllable preparation of nanoscale HfC sharpening tips for application as a point electron emission source and facilitates the application of HfC ultrafast laser-triggered tips in attosecond science. Highlights: •HfC microcrystal chains were synthesized by a catalyst-assisted CVD. •The chains grow along a [0 0 1] direction and have a periodically changing diameter. •Single-crystal HfC core is sheathed by a thin carbon-rich shell. •A growth mechanism model is proposed to explain the growth of microcrystal chians. •This work achieves the controllable preparation of nanoscale HfC sharpening tips. -- Abstract: Novel hafnium carbide (HfC) microcrystal chains, with a periodically changing diameter and a nanoscale sharpening tip at the chain end, have been synthesized via a catalyst-assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. The as-synthesized chains with many octahedral microcrystals have diameters of between several hundreds of nm and 6 μm and lengths of ∼500 μm. TEM diffraction studies show that the chains are single-crystalline HfC and preferentially grow along a [0 0 1] crystal orientation. TEM/EELS/EDX analysis proves the chains are composed of a HfC core and a thin (several tens of nm to 100 nm) carbon-rich shell with the embedded HfC nanocrystallites (typically below 10 nm) surrounding the core. The growth mechanism model for the chains based on the vapor–liquid–solid process, the vapor–solid process, and the HfC crystal growth characteristics is discussed

  12. Value chain dynamics, settlement trajectories and regional development

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fold, Niels

    2014-01-01

    Global value chain (GVC) analysis has little to say about the interaction between regions and global chain dynamics. However, recent calls to address broader development issues have resulted in efforts to incorporate a spatial dimension in GVC analysis. Addressing this issue, the paper argues tha...... by value chain dynamics will improve by adding elements from global production network (GPN) theory to the combined methodology, namely by an examination of territorial embeddedness and value (creation, enhancement, capture, distribution) at settlement level.......Global value chain (GVC) analysis has little to say about the interaction between regions and global chain dynamics. However, recent calls to address broader development issues have resulted in efforts to incorporate a spatial dimension in GVC analysis. Addressing this issue, the paper argues...

  13. Foundations of Logistics and Supply Chain Research

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Georgi, Christoph; Darkow, Inga-Lena; Kotzab, Herbert

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this paper is to explore the current intellectual foundation of four leading academic journals within the field of logistics and supply chain management. We were interested to identify the most frequently quoted publications as well as their impact on logistics research. We examined...... 17,000 references of 412 papers and further analysed the 39 top-references with the means of multidimensional scaling (MDS), cluster- and factor analysis. We were able to identify a mix of textbooks and articles from academic journals and revealed a journal-specific citation pattern, not only...

  14. The people factor: An analysis of the human resources landscape for immunization supply chain management.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kasonde, Musonda; Steele, Pamela

    2017-04-19

    Human resources is the backbone of any system and the key enabler for all other functions to effectively perform. This is no different with the Immunization Supply Chain, more so in todays' complex operating environment with the increasing strain caused by new vaccines and expanding immunization programmes (Source: WHO, UNICEF). In order to drive the change that is required for sustainability and continuous improvement, every immunization supply chain needs an effective leader. A dedicated and competent immunization supply chain leader with adequate numbers of skilled, accountable, motivated and empowered personnel at all levels of the health system to overcome existing and emerging immunization supply chain (ISC) challenges. Without an effective supply chain leader supported by capable and motivated staff, none of the interventions designed to strengthen the supply chain can be effective or sustainable (Source: Gavi Alliance SC Strategy 2014). This landscape analysis was preceded by an HR Evidence Review (March 2014) and has served to inform global partner strategies and country activities, as well as highlight where most support is required. The study also aimed to define the status quo in order to create some form of baseline against which to measure the impact of interventions related to HR going forward. The analysis was comprised of a comprehensive desk review, a survey of 40 respondents from 32 countries and consultations with ISC practitioners in several forums. The findings highlight key areas that should inform the pillars of a HR capacity development plan. At the same time, it revealed that there are some positive examples of where countries are actively addressing some of the issues identified and putting in place mechanisms and structures to optimize the SC function. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  15. CHAIN 2

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bailey, D.

    1998-04-01

    The Second Processing Chain (CHAIN2) consists of a suite of ten programs which together provide a full local analysis of the bulk plasma physics within the JET Tokamak. In discussing these ten computational models this report is intended to fulfil two broad purposes. Firstly it is meant to be used as a reference source for any user of CHAIN2 data, and secondly it provides a basic User Manual sufficient to instruct anyone in running the CHAIN2 suite of codes. In the main report text each module is described in terms of its underlying physics and any associated assumptions or limitations, whilst deliberate emphasis is put on highlighting the physics and mathematics of the calculations required in deriving each individual datatype in the standard module PPF output. In fact each datatype of the CHAIN2 PPF output listed in Appendix D is cross referenced to the point in the main text where its evaluation is discussed. An effort is made not only to give the equation used to derive a particular data profile but also to explicitly define which external data sources are involved in the computational calculation

  16. The Coffee Commodity Chain in the World-Economy: Arrighi's Systemic Cycles and Braudel's Layers of Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John M. Talbot

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available This article presents a history of coffee in the modern world-economy, w;ing an analyticalframework synthesized from Arrighi's concept of systemic cycles of accumulation and Braudel'snotion of three levels of economic analysis: material life, the market economy, and capitalism. Ittakes the commodity chain as the unit of analysis, and argues that this choice helps to illuminatethe caw;al connections between Braudel 's three layers. The method of incorporated comparisonis w;ed to compare restructurings of the coffee commodity chain with the restructurings of thelarger world-economy during each of Arrighi 's systemic cycles.

  17. Geochemical Evolution of the Louisville Seamount Chain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vanderkluysen, L.; Mahoney, J. J.; Koppers, A. A.; Lonsdale, P. F.

    2007-12-01

    The Louisville seamount chain is a 4300 km long chain of submarine volcanoes in the southwestern Pacific that is commonly thought to represent a hotspot track. It spans an ~80 Myr age range, comparable to that of the Hawaiian-Emperor chain (Koppers et al., G-cubed, 5 (6), 2004). The few previously dredged igneous samples are dominantly basaltic and alkalic, and have been inferred to represent post-shield volcanism (Hawkins et al., AGU Monograph, 43, 235, 1987). Their isotope and trace element signatures suggest an unusually homogenous mantle source (Cheng et al., AGU Monograph, 43, 283, 1987). Dredging in 2006, during the AMAT02RR cruise of the R.V. Revelle, was carried out in the hope of recovering both shield and post-shield samples and of exploring the geochemical evolution of the chain. Igneous rocks were recovered from 33 stations on 23 seamounts covering some 47 Myr of the chain's history. Our study, focusing on the major and trace element and Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic characteristics of these samples, shows that all are alkalic basalts, basanites and tephrites containing normative nepheline. Variations in major and trace elements appear to be controlled predominantly by variable extents of melting and fractional crystallization, with little influence from mantle source heterogeneity. Indeed, age-corrected isotopic values define only a narrow range, in agreement with long-term source homogeneity relative to the scale of melting; e.g., ɛNd varies from +4.1 to +5.7, 206Pb/204Pb from 19.048 to 19.281, and 87Sr/86Sr from 0.70362 to 0.70398. These values broadly fall within the fields of the proposed "C" or "FOZO" mantle end-members. However, small variations are present, with less radiogenic Nd and Pb isotope ratios at the older, western end of the chain, defining a trend toward a broadly EM2-like composition. Although some workers have postulated that the Louisville hotspot was the source of the ~120 Myr Ontong Java Plateau, our samples are isotopically distinct

  18. A maturity model for industrial supply chains

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hameri, A.P.; McKay, K.N.; Wiers, V.C.S.

    2013-01-01

    This article takes an evolutionary view of supply chains to suggest a series of distinct, contextual phases for supply chain execution and what maturity might mean at each phase. For example, what is best practice in a mature industry might not be best practice in a pioneering situation.Three

  19. Kinematic and dynamic modeling and approximate analysis of a roller chain drive

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fuglede, Niels; Thomsen, Jon Juel

    2016-01-01

    for analytical studies of the coupled motion of the chain spans and driven sprocket. Parametric excitation of the spans come from sprocket angular displacements, and the driven sprocket acts as a boundary which can be compliant in the axial direction. External transverse excitation of the spans comes from...... polygonal action, and is treated through kinematic forcing at the moving string boundaries. Perturbation analysis of the model is carried out using the method of multiple scales. Results show a multitude of internal and external resonance conditions, and some examples are presented of both decoupled...... and coupled motion. Together, the kinematic and dynamic model are aimed toward providing a framework for conducting and understanding both numerical, and experimental investigations of roller chain drive dynamics....

  20. Value of the free light chain analysis in the clinical evaluation of response in multiple myeloma patients receiving anti-myeloma therapy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Toftmann Hansen, Charlotte; Pedersen, Per T.; Jensen, Bo Amdi

    Value of the free light chain analysis in the clinical evaluation of response in multiple myeloma patients receiving anti-myeloma therapy.......Value of the free light chain analysis in the clinical evaluation of response in multiple myeloma patients receiving anti-myeloma therapy....