RMS capacity utilisation: product family and supply chain

yesThe paper contributes to development of RMS through linkage with external stakeholders such as customers and suppliers of parts/raw materials to handle demand fluctuations that necessitate information sharing across the supply chain tiers. RMS is developed as an integrated supply chain hub for adjusting production capacity using a hybrid methodology of decision trees and Markov analysis. The proposed Markov Chain model contributes to evaluate and monitor system reconfigurations required due to changes of product families with consideration of the product life cycles. The simulation findings indicate that system productivity and financial performance in terms of the profit contribution of product-process allocation will vary over configuration stages. The capacity of an RMS with limited product families and/or limited model variants becomes gradually inoperative whilst approaching upcoming configuration stages due to the end of product life cycles. As a result, reconfiguration preparation is suggested quite before ending life cycle of an existing product in process, for switching from a product family to a new/another product family in the production range, subject to its present demand. The proposed model is illustrated through a simplified case study with given product families and transition probabilities

Softening Coefficient of Reinforced Concrete Elements Subjected to Three-Dimensional Loads

Reinforced concrete structures are prone to fail under the effect of complex threedimensional loading conditions. Accurate constitutive models for concrete under the effect of triaxial stresses are therefore necessary in order to predict the proper response. Strong interaction between in-plane and out of plane shear loads has been observed in experimental tests of concrete structures. This paper presents the derivation of concrete constitutive laws under the effect of triaxial stresses, in particular the softening coefficient, using the results of large-scale tests on representative concrete panels. The experimental program of 7 full-scale panel specimens is briefly described, and the results are then used to derive analytical expressions for the softening coefficient under the effect of bi-directional shear. Finally, existing membrane shear theories are modified to take into consideration the effect of applied out-of-plane shear. The response of the tested panels proved to be accurately predicted using the new theory

Behavior of Reinforced Concrete Membrane Elements Subjected to Bidirectional Shear Loads

The shear design and behavior of a typical membrane reinforced concrete (RC) element has been extensively studied in the past several decades. Such design requires knowledge of the constitutive behavior of RC elements subjected to a shear stress acting along its plane (in-plane shear). These constitutive models were accurately derived from experimental test data on representative RC panel elements. The true behavior of many large, complex structures, however, involves interaction between the in-plane and out-of-plane shear stresses acting on the RC element. To investigate this interaction, large-scale tests on representative concrete panels need to be conducted. The University of Houston is equipped with a unique universal panel testing machine that was used for this purpose. The panel tester enhanced the understanding of the in-plane shear behavior of RC elements. Recently, 10 additional hydraulic jacks were mounted in the out-of-plane direction of the universal panel tester to facilitate testing of concrete elements subjected to bidirectional and tridirectional shear stresses. The experimental program included designing, fabricating, instrumenting, and testing full-scale RC elements. The elements were subjected to different combinations of in-plane and out-of-plane shear loads. A strong interaction between in-plane shear strength and out-of-plane shear stresses was observed

Differentiating Simple Hepatic Cysts from Mucinous Cystic Neoplasms: Radiological Features, Cyst Fluid Tumour Marker Analysis and Multidisciplinary Team Outcomes

Background: Differentiating hepatic mucinous cystic neoplasms (MCNs) from simple hepatic cysts (SCs) preoperatively is a challenging task. Our aim was to determine whether radiological features on ultrasound scan (USS), CT or MRI, cyst fluid tumour markers, or multidisciplinary team (MDT) outcomes could differentiate MCN from SC. Methods: A retrospective review of radiological features, cyst fluid tumour marker levels and MDT outcomes in 52 patients was performed. Results: There were 13 patients with MCN, 38 with SC and one ciliated foregut cyst. MCNs were more often solitary (p = 0.006). Although no other individual radiological characteristic on USS, CT or MRI was predictive of MCN, MDT outcomes stating that a cyst was complex in nature were highly predictive (p = 0.0007). Cyst fluid carbohydrate antigen 19-9, carcino-embryonic antigen and cancer antigen 125 were unable to differentiate MCN from SC (p = 0.45, p = 0.49, and p = 0.73, respectively). Conclusions: MDT outcomes are of greatest value when trying to differentiate MCN from SC, as well as having a solitary cyst on imaging. Conventional cyst fluid tumour markers are unhelpful. All suspicious cystic liver lesions should be discussed pre-operatively by a hepatobiliary MDT to determine the most appropriate surgical approach

Pemanfaatan Citra Landsat 8 Multitemporal Untuk Pemetaan Muatan Padatan Tersuspensi Pada Muara Sungai Serayu Jawa Tengah

Alih fungsi lahan pada kawasan Dieng, Kabupaten Wonosobo berdampak pada peningkatan jumlah muatan padatan tersuspensi (MPT) pada muara sungai. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk: (1) mengkaji kemampuan saluran citra Landsat 8 OLI untuk pemetaan distribusi MPT pada muara Sungai Serayu melalui analisis regresi (2) memetakan variasi dan mengkaji pola distribusi MPT pada muara Sungai Serayu. Metode yang digunakan dalam mengestimasi MPT di muara sungai Serayu adalah analisis regresi liniear antara variabel saluran Landsat 8 OLI dan data MPT aktual. Variabel saluran Landsat 8 OLI yang sesuai untuk memetakan konsentrasi MPT adalah penisbahan antara saluran hijau dan saluran biru atau B3/B2 dengan kesalahan standar yang dihasilkan ± 4,59 mg/l untuk setiap nilai piksel yang diestimasi. Distribusi MPT 2013 sampai 2015 cenderung mengarah ke perairan tenggara muara Sungai Serayu akibat kondisi hidrodinamika seperti pasang surut, arus permukaan dan fenomena upwelling. Pola distribusi MPT cenderung fluktuatif namun terjadi penurunan konsentrasi dari tahun ketahun

Concurrent Acquisition of a Single Nucleotide Polymorphism in Diverse Influenza H5N1 Clade 2.2 Sub-clades

Highly pathogenic Influenza A H5N1 was first identified in Guangdong Province in 1996, followed by human cases in Hong Kong in 1997. The number of confirmed human cases now exceeds 300, and the associated Case Fatality Rate exceeds 60%. The genetic diversity of the serotype continues to increase. Four distinct clades or sub-clades have been linked to human cases. The gradual genetic changes identified in the sub-clades have been attributed to copy errors by viral encoded polymerases that lack an editing function, thereby resulting in antigenic drift. We report here the concurrent acquisition of the same polymorphism by multiple, genetically distinct, clade 2.2 sub-clades in Egypt, Russia, and Ghana. These changes are not easily explained by the current theory of “random mutation” through copy error, and are more easily explained by recombination with a common source. This conclusion is supported by additional polymorphisms shared by clade 2.2 isolates in Egypt and Germany

Pif1-Family helicases support fork convergence during DNA replication termination in eukaryotes

The convergence of two DNA replication forks creates unique problems during DNA replication termination. In E. coli and SV40, the release of torsional strain by type II topoisomerases is critical for converging replisomes to complete DNA synthesis, but the pathways that mediate fork convergence in eukaryotes are unknown. We studied the convergence of reconstituted yeast replication forks that include all core replisome components and both type I and type II topoisomerases. We found that most converging forks stall at a very late stage, indicating a role for additional factors. We showed that the Pif1 and Rrm3 DNA helicases promote efficient fork convergence and completion of DNA synthesis, even in the absence of type II topoisomerase. Furthermore, Rrm3 and Pif1 are also important for termination of plasmid DNA replication in vivo. These findings identify a eukaryotic pathway for DNA replication termination that is distinct from previously characterized prokaryotic mechanisms