Fuzzy short-run control charts

Statistical control charts are useful tools in monitoring the state of a manufacturing process. Control charts are used to plot process data and compare it to the limits set for the process. Points plotting outside these limits indicate an out-of-control condition. Standard control charting procedures, however, are limited in that they cannot take into account the case when data is of a fuzzy nature. Another limitation of standard charting methods is when the data produced by the process is short-run data. Often, the situation where the data is short-run occurs in conjunction with data that is considered fuzzy. This paper dicusses the development of a fuzzy control chartting technique, called short-Run α-cut p Control Chart, to account for fuzzy data in a short-run situation. The developed chart parameters accounted for the fuzzy nature of the data in a short-run situation. The parameters were validated by comparing the false alarm rates for various combinations of subgroup numbers (m) and subgroup sizes (n). It was shown that for every combination of m and n, the Short-Run α-cut p Control Chart limits produced a lower false alarm rate than that of the standard fuzzy α-cut control chart.Peer Reviewe

Applicant Selection to a Regional Medical Training Program: A Structural Analysis of Interviewer Assessments

Introduction: For regional campuses with specific program foci, assessing applicant fit necessarily extends beyond academic and professional factors. Based on assessments of applicants to a regional Rural Physician Leadership Program (RPLP), this study explores the relationship of academic and socio-demographic factors with interviewers’ ratings of: (1) likelihood of eventually practicing in a rural area of the state; and (2) overall acceptability to medical school. Methods: The study population consisted of 163 first-time RPLP applicants interviewed independently from 2009-2016 by two faculty members at both main and regional medical campuses. Path analysis was used to calculate direct, indirect, and total effects of applicants’ socio-demographic and academic characteristics on interviewers’ composite ratings. This study protocol (#17-0198-X3B) was approved as exempt by the governing Institutional Review Board; the authors report no conflicts of interest. Results: The combined influence of being an in-state resident with rural Appalachian origins, combined with undergraduate GPA, explained 40.7% of the variance in applicants’ predicted likelihood of practicing in rural Kentucky. In terms of applicant acceptability, the strongest direct effects were exerted by academic factors, GPA and total MCAT score, and the sole preceding endogenous variable: likelihood of rural in-state practice. However, two other background factors were modestly but significantly directly associated with overall acceptability: (1) age; and (2) residence. Specifying likelihood of rural practice as an intervening variable explained 42.5% of the variance in applicant acceptability and provided a good fit to the sample data (X2 = 3.19, df = 4, p = .526, CFI = 1.000, RLI = 1.018, RMSEA = .000). Conclusions: Interviewers appear to be assessing programmatic, mission-specific “fit” within the broader context of applicants’ abilities to navigate a demanding professional training curriculum. Future research should examine graduates’ eventual practice locations and intermediate academic performance as empirical validity of faculty interviewers’ assessments. Similarly, pre-professional pipeline efforts should better coordinate with training programs to provide consistent opportunities to nurture interest in mission-specific outcomes

Mechanism for zirconium oxide atomic layer deposition using bis(methylcyclopentadienyl)methoxymethyl zirconium

The mechanism for zirconium oxide atomic layer deposition using bis(methylcyclopentadienyl)methoxymethyl zirconium and H(2)O was examined using ab initio calculations of hydrolysis energies to predict the order of ligand loss. These predictions were tested using in situ mass spectrometric measurements which revealed that the methyl ligand, and 65% of the methylcyclopentadienyl ligands are lost during the zirconium precursor adsorption. The remaining 35% of the methylcyclopentadienyl ligands and the methoxy ligand are lost during the subsequent H(2)O exposure. These measurements agree very well with the predictions, demonstrating that thermodynamic calculations are a simple and accurate predictor for the reactivities of these compounds. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics. (DOI: 10.1063/1.2824814

The over-prediction of energy use by EPCs in Great Britain: A comparison of EPC-modelled and metered primary energy use intensity

This analysis compares the difference between the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)-modelled and smart-meter measured annual energy use on a like-for-like basis in 1,374 gas-heated British households from the Smart Energy Research Lab (SERL) Observatory. EPCs and metered energy use were converted to primary energy use intensity (PEUI) to provide a comparison of the same quantity for the first time. We show that EPCs predict significantly more energy use than metered in homes in Great Britain. EPC bands A and B show no statistically significant difference, but all other bands show a significant gap which increases as EPC rating worsens. The PEUI gap widens from −26 kWh/yr/m2 (−8%) for band C to −276 kWh/y/m2 (−48%) for bands F and G. Unlike previous research, we show that the difference persists in homes matching the EPC-model assumptions regarding occupancy, thermostat set-point and whole-home heating; suggesting that occupant behaviour is unlikely to fully explain the discrepancy. EPCs are a core tool in the residential energy sector, and the gap between EPC-modelled and metered energy use could have a significant impact on policy, research, and industry. Future research should investigate disaggregated components of energy use, the underlying thermal model, and assumptions regarding building characteristics

The SERL Observatory Dataset: Longitudinal Smart Meter Electricity and Gas Data, Survey, EPC and Climate Data for over 13,000 Households in Great Britain

The Smart Energy Research Lab (SERL) Observatory dataset described here comprises half-hourly and daily electricity and gas data, SERL survey data, Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) input data and 24 local hourly climate reanalysis variables from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) for over 13,000 households in Great Britain (GB). Participants were recruited in September 2019, September 2020 and January 2021 and their smart meter data are collected from up to one year prior to sign up. Data collection will continue until at least August 2022, and longer if funding allows. Survey data relating to the dwelling, appliances, household demographics and attitudes were collected at sign up. Data are linked at the household level and UK-based academic researchers can apply for access within a secure virtual environment for research projects in the public interest. This is a data descriptor paper describing how the data were collected, the variables available and the representativeness of the sample compared to national estimates. It is intended to be a guide for researchers working with or considering using the SERL Observatory dataset, or simply looking to learn more about it

Ultrathin Oxide Films by Atomic Layer Deposition on Graphene

In this paper, a method is presented to create and characterize mechanically robust, free standing, ultrathin, oxide films with controlled, nanometer-scale thickness using Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) on graphene. Aluminum oxide films were deposited onto suspended graphene membranes using ALD. Subsequent etching of the graphene left pure aluminum oxide films only a few atoms in thickness. A pressurized blister test was used to determine that these ultrathin films have a Young's modulus of 154 \pm 13 GPa. This Young's modulus is comparable to much thicker alumina ALD films. This behavior indicates that these ultrathin two-dimensional films have excellent mechanical integrity. The films are also impermeable to standard gases suggesting they are pinhole-free. These continuous ultrathin films are expected to enable new applications in fields such as thin film coatings, membranes and flexible electronics.Comment: Nano Letters (just accepted

RASSF2 Is a Novel K-Ras-specific Effector and Potential Tumor Suppressor

Ras proteins regulate a wide range of biological processes by interacting with a broad assortment of effector proteins. Although activated forms of Ras are frequently associated with oncogenesis, they may also provoke growth-antagonistic effects. These include senescence, cell cycle arrest, differentiation, and apoptosis. The mechanisms that underlie these growth-inhibitory activities are relatively poorly understood. Recently, two related novel Ras effectors, NORE1 and RASSF1, have been identified as mediators of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Both of these proteins exhibit many of the properties normally associated with tumor suppressors. We now identify a novel third member of this family, designated RASSF2. RASSF2 binds directly to K-Ras in a GTP-dependent manner via the Ras effector domain. However, RASSF2 only weakly interacts with H-Ras. Moreover, RASSF2 promotes apoptosis and cell cycle arrest and is frequently down-regulated in lung tumor cell lines. Thus, we identify RASSF2 as a new member of the RASSF1 family of Ras effectors/tumor suppressors that exhibits a specificity for interacting with K-Ras

Making sense of information about HPV in cervical screening: a qualitative study

Introducing human papillomavirus (HPV) testing into cervical cancer screening has the potential to change the way that women understand cervical cancer, the psychological impact of abnormal screening results and the likelihood of future participation in screening. The study used in-depth interviews to examine how women make sense of information about HPV in the context of cervical cancer screening. A total of 74 women were recruited following participation in HPV testing. Women varied widely in their beliefs about the aetiology of cervical cancer and its relationship with sexual activity, as well as in their understanding of the sexually transmitted nature of HPV. While some women who understood that HPV is sexually transmitted were able to integrate this into their existing model of cervical cancer, others were shocked by the link between cervical cancer and sex, of which they had been previously unaware. Women were generally reassured to know that HPV is common, has no symptoms, can lie dormant for many years, can clear up on its own and need not raise concerns about transmission to sexual partners. Women's understanding of HPV varied considerably, even after participation in testing. The way in which information is presented to women will be crucial in minimising the negative psychological impact of testing positive and ensuring that participation in screening remains high