Real-time co-ordinated resource management in a computational enviroment

Design co-ordination is an emerging engineering design management philosophy with its emphasis on timeliness and appropriateness. Furthermore, a key element of design coordination has been identified as resource management, the aim of which is to facilitate the optimised use of resources throughout a dynamic and changeable process. An approach to operational design co-ordination has been developed, which incorporates the appropriate techniques to ensure that the aim of co-ordinated resource management can be fulfilled. This approach has been realised within an agent-based software system, called the Design Coordination System (DCS), such that a computational design analysis can be managed in a coherent and co-ordinated manner. The DCS is applied to a computational analysis for turbine blade design provided by industry. The application of the DCS involves resources, i.e. workstations within a computer network, being utilised to perform the computational analysis involving the use of a suite of software tools to calculate stress and vibration characteristics of turbine blades. Furthermore, the application of the system shows that the utilisation of resources can be optimised throughout the computational design analysis despite the variable nature of the computer network

A generic coordination approach applied to a manufacturing environment

This paper describes a generic coordination approach applied to the field of manufacturing engineering. The objective of the coordination mechanism with respect to this application is twofold. Firstly, it is shown that utilising the developed system can result in the efficient organisation of processes leading to a near optimum time taken to manufacture a number of artefacts. Secondly, successful operation of the system in this environment will demonstrate that the approach is generic in nature. The results already achieved using this system within a computational analysis environment supports this hypothesis

A methodology for design coordination in a distributed computing environment

At the conceptual stage of the design process it is increasingly common that analysis tools are involved in the evaluation of a large number of alternative designs. Designers use such analysis tools to assist with large scale concept evaluations and the prediction of good initial designs. Consequently there exists a need to coordinate these analysis tools to enable the early stage of design to be performed in a timely and efficient manner. This paper describes a generic methodology that allows the management and coordination of design analysis tools. A Computer Aided Design tool, namely the Design Coordination System (DCS), has been developed to assist the designer in performing computational analysis in a distributed computing environment. Within the DCS, a collection of design agents act as members of a multi-functional team operating in a cooperative and coordinated manner in order to satisfy the objective of efficiently performing the design analysis

A methodology for prospective operational design co-ordination

Engineering companies are continually faced with the challenge of how best to utilise their design team given some design project. Decisions regarding how to distribute the project workload amongst the members of the design team are the responsibility of a project manager who, in order to do this, often relies upon previous experience and/or the support of some planning tool. Furthermore, a project manager rarely has the opportunity to assess the capability of the design team against the current work load in order to determine what, if any, alterations couldbe made to the team to facilitate appropriate reductions in project time and cost.This paper proposes a mathematical-based methodology aimed at identifying shortfalls in design teams, which if remedied would result in a more efficient project in terms of time and cost. The methodology provides a means of identifying those skills within the design team,with respect to the outstanding work load, in which improvements would have the greatest influence on reducing time and cost. In addition, the methodology employs a genetic algorithm for the purpose of scheduling tasks to be undertaken by potential design teams. The methodology is applied to two practical case studies provided by engineering industry.The first case study involves the assessment of a multi-disciplined design team consisting of single-skilled engineers. In contrast, the second case study entails the assessment of multiskilled engineers within a multi-disciplined design team. As a result of applying the methodology to the case studies, potential improvement to the design teams are identified and, subsequently, evaluated by observing their effects

Real-time co-ordinated scheduling using a genetic algorithm

Real-time co-ordination is an emerging approach to operational engineering management aimed at being more comprehensive and widely applicable than existing approaches. Schedule management is a key characteristic of operational co-ordination related to managing the planning and dynamic assignment of tasks to resources, and the enactment of the resulting schedules, throughout a changeable process. This paper presents the application of an agent-oriented system, called the Design Co-ordination System, to an industrial case study in order to demonstrate the appropriate use of a genetic algorithm for the purpose of real-time scheduling. The application demonstrates that real-time co-ordinated scheduling can provide significant reductions in time to complete the computational design process

Rat Population Assessment and Control In Eastern Suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio

The Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) is found to inhabit many urbanized areas needs to be controlled, given that it is a carrier of diseases and a source of economic damages. As harborage areas in suburbs, the rat prefers compost piles, cesspits, sewer systems, and basements that are near water. Norway rats prefer food sources such as waste disposal sites, unclean yards with trashcans, gardens, and slaughterhouses (Traweger and Slotta-Bachmayr 2004). The typical range for this species in an urban setting is 25-150 meters (27-164 yards). The research for this thesis was done in conjunction with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health (CCBH). Data was collected from residents who reported seeing a rat to CCBH. The resident\u27s property and surrounding properties were then assessed for rat activity, harborage, and food sources. When rat activity was noted the property was baited using rodenticides, and re-baited until no further activity was noted. The number of baiting visits until no activity was noted was recorded for each location and was the main outcome variable of the study. The number of baiting visits was correlated to Census and parcel data utilizing Pearson, Kendall\u27s tau, and Spearman\u27s rho. Also Chi-squared analysis was conducted on the parcel data to determine similarities and differences with locations seeking county services for rat control and general demographic characteristics of the region. Finally, using the GIS system, densities were done to possibly show high concentration of rats to be used for future study site

Rat Population Assessment and Control In Eastern Suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio

The Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) is found to inhabit many urbanized areas needs to be controlled, given that it is a carrier of diseases and a source of economic damages. As harborage areas in suburbs, the rat prefers compost piles, cesspits, sewer systems, and basements that are near water. Norway rats prefer food sources such as waste disposal sites, unclean yards with trashcans, gardens, and slaughterhouses (Traweger and Slotta-Bachmayr 2004). The typical range for this species in an urban setting is 25-150 meters (27-164 yards). The research for this thesis was done in conjunction with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health (CCBH). Data was collected from residents who reported seeing a rat to CCBH. The resident\u27s property and surrounding properties were then assessed for rat activity, harborage, and food sources. When rat activity was noted the property was baited using rodenticides, and re-baited until no further activity was noted. The number of baiting visits until no activity was noted was recorded for each location and was the main outcome variable of the study. The number of baiting visits was correlated to Census and parcel data utilizing Pearson, Kendall\u27s tau, and Spearman\u27s rho. Also Chi-squared analysis was conducted on the parcel data to determine similarities and differences with locations seeking county services for rat control and general demographic characteristics of the region. Finally, using the GIS system, densities were done to possibly show high concentration of rats to be used for future study site

Rat Population Assessment and Control In Eastern Suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio

The Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) is found to inhabit many urbanized areas needs to be controlled, given that it is a carrier of diseases and a source of economic damages. As harborage areas in suburbs, the rat prefers compost piles, cesspits, sewer systems, and basements that are near water. Norway rats prefer food sources such as waste disposal sites, unclean yards with trashcans, gardens, and slaughterhouses (Traweger and Slotta-Bachmayr 2004). The typical range for this species in an urban setting is 25-150 meters (27-164 yards). The research for this thesis was done in conjunction with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health (CCBH). Data was collected from residents who reported seeing a rat to CCBH. The resident\u27s property and surrounding properties were then assessed for rat activity, harborage, and food sources. When rat activity was noted the property was baited using rodenticides, and re-baited until no further activity was noted. The number of baiting visits until no activity was noted was recorded for each location and was the main outcome variable of the study. The number of baiting visits was correlated to Census and parcel data utilizing Pearson, Kendall\u27s tau, and Spearman\u27s rho. Also Chi-squared analysis was conducted on the parcel data to determine similarities and differences with locations seeking county services for rat control and general demographic characteristics of the region. Finally, using the GIS system, densities were done to possibly show high concentration of rats to be used for future study site

Surgical Management of Gastroesophageal Reflux in Children: Risk Stratification and Prediction of Outcomes

Introduction: Since the 1980s fundoplication, an operation developed for adults with hiatus hernia and reflux symptoms, has been performed in children with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GORD). When compared to adult outcomes, paediatric fundoplication has resulted in higher failure and revision rates. In the first chapter we explore differences in paradigm, patient population and outcomes. Firstly, symptoms are poorly defined and are measured by instruments of varying quality. Secondly, neurological impairment (NI), prematurity and congenital anomalies (oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia) are prevalent in children. / Purpose: To develop methods for stratifying paediatric fundoplication risk and predicting outcomes based on symptom profile, demographic factors, congenital and medical history. / Methods: Study objectives are addressed in three opera: a symptom questionnaire development (TARDIS:REFLUX), a randomised controlled trial (RCT) and a retrospective database study (RDS). TARDIS: REFLUX: In the second chapter, digital research methods are used to design and validate a symptom questionnaire for paediatric GORD. The questionnaire is a market-viable smartphone app hosted on a commercial platform and trialed in a clinical pilot study. / RCT: In the third chapter, the REMOS trial is reported. The trial addresses the subset of children with NI and feeding difficulties. Participants are randomized to gastrostomy with or without fundoplication. Notably, pre- and post-operative reflux is quantified using pH-impedance. / RDS: In the fourth chapter, data mining and machine learning strategies are applied to a retrospective paediatric GORD database. Predictive modelling techniques applied include logistic regression, decision trees, random forests and market basket analysis. / Results and conclusion: This work makes two key contributions. Firstly, an effective methodology for development of digital research tools is presented here. Secondly, a synthesis is made of literature, the randomised controlled trial and retrospective database modelling. The resulting product is an evidence-based algorithm for the surgical management of children with GORD