Process capability indices and X , R control chart limit adjustments by taking into account measurement system errors

This paper investigates the effects of measurement system variability arising from evaluations of process capabilities. In this work, relationships between true process capability indices, Cp,True and Cpm,True, and their corresponding observed indices, Cp,Obs and Cpm,Obs, are developed depending on the levels of type I and II errors. Moreover, the method for adjusting control chart limits used to monitor the process is proposed based on measurement system variability. An industrial case study is used to highlight the findings of this investigation and to discuss the adjustment levels that should be conducted depending on the values of type I and type II errors

Indium selenide: An insight into electronic band structure and surface excitations

We have investigated the electronic response of single crystals of indium selenide by means of angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy and density functional theory. The loss spectrum of indium selenide shows the direct free exciton at similar to 1.3 eV and several other peaks, which do not exhibit dispersion with the momentum. The joint analysis of the experimental band structure and the density of states indicates that spectral features in the loss function are strictly related to single-particle transitions. These excitations cannot be considered as fully coherent plasmons and they are damped even in the optical limit, i.e. for small momenta. The comparison of the calculated symmetry-projected density of states with electron energy loss spectra enables the assignment of the spectral features to transitions between specific electronic states. Furthermore, the effects of ambient gases on the band structure and on the loss function have been probed

The Gene Expression Analysis of Blood Reveals S100A11 and AQP9 as Potential Biomarkers of Infective Endocarditis

BACKGROUND: The diagnostic and prognostic assessments of infective endocarditis (IE) are challenging. To investigate the host response during IE and to identify potential biomarkers, we determined the circulating gene expression profile using whole genome microarray analysis. METHODS AND RESULTS: A transcriptomic case-control study was performed on blood samples from patients with native valve IE (n = 39), excluded IE after an initial suspicion (n = 10) at patient's admission, and age-matched healthy controls (n = 10). Whole genome microarray analysis showed that patients with IE exhibited a specific transcriptional program with a predominance of gene categories associated with cell activation as well as innate immune and inflammatory responses. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR performed on a selection of highly modulated genes showed that the expression of the gene encoding S100 calcium binding protein A11 (S100A11) was significantly increased in patients with IE in comparison with controls (P<0.001) and patients with excluded IE (P<0.05). Interestingly, the upregulated expression of the S100A11 gene was more pronounced in staphylococcal IE than in streptococcal IE (P<0.01). These results were confirmed by serum concentrations of the S100A11 protein. Finally, we showed that in patients with IE, the upregulation of the aquaporin-9 gene (AQP9) was significantly associated with the occurrence of acute heart failure (P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Using transcriptional signatures of blood samples, we identified S100A11 as a potential diagnostic marker of IE, and AQP9 as a potential prognostic factor

Transmutations and spectral parameter power series in eigenvalue problems

We give an overview of recent developments in Sturm-Liouville theory concerning operators of transmutation (transformation) and spectral parameter power series (SPPS). The possibility to write down the dispersion (characteristic) equations corresponding to a variety of spectral problems related to Sturm-Liouville equations in an analytic form is an attractive feature of the SPPS method. It is based on a computation of certain systems of recursive integrals. Considered as families of functions these systems are complete in the $L_{2}$-space and result to be the images of the nonnegative integer powers of the independent variable under the action of a corresponding transmutation operator. This recently revealed property of the Delsarte transmutations opens the way to apply the transmutation operator even when its integral kernel is unknown and gives the possibility to obtain further interesting properties concerning the Darboux transformed Schr\"{o}dinger operators. We introduce the systems of recursive integrals and the SPPS approach, explain some of its applications to spectral problems with numerical illustrations, give the definition and basic properties of transmutation operators, introduce a parametrized family of transmutation operators, study their mapping properties and construct the transmutation operators for Darboux transformed Schr\"{o}dinger operators.Comment: 30 pages, 4 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1111.444

Role of cellular senescence and NOX4-mediated oxidative stress in systemic sclerosis pathogenesis.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by progressive fibrosis of skin and numerous internal organs and a severe fibroproliferative vasculopathy resulting frequently in severe disability and high mortality. Although the etiology of SSc is unknown and the detailed mechanisms responsible for the fibrotic process have not been fully elucidated, one important observation from a large US population study was the demonstration of a late onset of SSc with a peak incidence between 45 and 54 years of age in African-American females and between 65 and 74 years of age in white females. Although it is not appropriate to consider SSc as a disease of aging, the possibility that senescence changes in the cellular elements involved in its pathogenesis may play a role has not been thoroughly examined. The process of cellular senescence is extremely complex, and the mechanisms, molecular events, and signaling pathways involved have not been fully elucidated; however, there is strong evidence to support the concept that oxidative stress caused by the excessive generation of reactive oxygen species may be one important mechanism involved. On the other hand, numerous studies have implicated oxidative stress in SSc pathogenesis, thus, suggesting a plausible mechanism in which excessive oxidative stress induces cellular senescence and that the molecular events associated with this complex process play an important role in the fibrotic and fibroproliferative vasculopathy characteristic of SSc. Here, recent studies examining the role of cellular senescence and of oxidative stress in SSc pathogenesis will be reviewed

Global Analysis of Circulating Immune Cells by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry

Background: MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry is currently used in microbiological diagnosis to characterize bacterial populations. Our aim was to determine whether this technique could be applied to intact eukaryotic cells, and in particular, to cells involved in the immune response. Methodology/Principal Findings: A comparison of frozen monocytes, T lymphocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocytes revealed specific peak profiles. We also found that twenty cell types had specific profiles, permitting the establishment of a cell database. The circulating immune cells, namely monocytes, T lymphocytes and polymorphonuclear cells, were distinct from tissue immune cells such as monocyte-derived macrophages and dendritic cells. In addition, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry was valuable to easily identify the signatures of monocytes and T lymphocytes in peripheral mononuclear cells. Conclusions/Significance: This method was rapid and easy to perform, and unlike flow cytometry, it did not require any additional components such as specific antibodies. The MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry approach could be extended t

Thermodynamic analysis of humidification dehumidification desalination cycles

Humidification–dehumidification desalination (HDH) is a promising technology for small-scale water production applications. There are several embodiments of this technology which have been investigated by researchers around the world. However, from a previous literature [1], we have found that no study carried out a detailed thermodynamic analysis in order to improve and/ or optimize the system performance. In this paper, we analyze the thermodynamic performance of various HDH cycles by way of a theoretical cycle analysis. In addition, we propose novel high performance variations on those cycles. These high-performance cycles include multi-extraction, multi-pressure and thermal vapor compression cycles. It is predicted that the systems based on these novel cycles will have gained output ratio in excess of 5 and will outperform existing HDH systems.King Fahd University of Petroleum and MineralsCenter for Clean Water and Clean Energy at MIT and KFUP