Developing an information system to integrate a manufacturing firm and its supplier base

A manufacturing firm is encouraging their suppliers to achieve the goal of zero-defects. However, due to the high expectations set by the manufacturing firm, the suppliers are finding it quite challenging to be able to immediately react to the quality requirements of the manufacturing firm. The manufacturing firm wants to ensure that the suppliers take the necessary actions to eliminate the reoccurrence of specific non-conformities. This thesis illustrates the application of an information system that integrates the manufacturing firm with their supplier base. The information system is developed based on the framework of Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA). It utilizes the concept of Grey theory and Defective Opportunities per Part (DOPP) to rank the non-conformities based on the priorities of the manufacturing firm. This will align the supplier’s response to the requirement of the manufacturing firm. The information system will not only provide transparency in the flow of information between the manufacturing firm and its suppliers but will also ensure that the manufacturing firm will be able to easily monitor the effectiveness of supplier’s action. A future worth cost analysis demonstrates the benefit of employing the new approach

Interference Effects in Multiple Gaseous Diffusion Flames

Interference effects in multiple diffusion flames have been investigated. The study involved the experimental determination of flame heights of LPG diffusion flames issuing through orifices of two different diameters, viz., 1.3 and 1.7 mm. arranged in two different configurations, as a function of nozzle velocity and spacing between individual jets. The flame heights were measured from direct photographs. The interference effects arise principally as a result of oxygen starvation at close separation and lead to increased flame sizes:These effects are more pronounced in the five-burner arrangement and for the smaller orifice. They decrease with both spacing and nozzle velocity

Homoeroticism in neoclassical poetics: French translations of the ideal male nude in late-eighteenth-century word and image

The thesis consists of four chapters, an Introduction and a Conclusion. The Introduction considers the theoretical frameworks within which recent readings of the late-eighteenth-century French homoerotic ideal male nude have been developed; and how these readings have in turn emerged from a wider extra-art-historical discourse on the sexual politics of representation and the representation of sexual politics. A clear picture of the ideal male nude as a contested field emerges; and a justification of the materials which will be used in the thesis clarifies their critical engagement with these polemical debates surrounding the object of study. Chapter 1 is in two parts. Part one deals with the possibilities of a textual representation of homosexuality in French neoclassical poetics by focusing on the notion of 'anacréontisme' as a synonym for 'veiled' homoeroticism. Contrary to the present understanding of the notion, it is argued here, by recourse to successive French translations of the Greek source text, that homosexuality was explicitly problematized in the development of anacréontisme as a critical term, rather than consensually hidden. Part two reviews a social history of homosexuality in eighteenth-century France, in order to contextualize the preceding anacreontic debate. A Kantian reading of the beau ideal, in Chapter 3, attempts to contradict the now dominant understanding of this figure as being simply a high-cultural sign of patriarchal dominance. The chapter traces the philosophical coordinates of the beau ideal from the late seventeenth century until the moment when this figure coincides with the Kantian transcendental aesthetic, and thereby propels it into an anti-ideological space. Chapters 4 and 5 focus on a prime exemplar in current art-historical literature of the homoerotic male nude, David's painting Leonidas at Thermopylae. Chapter 4 argues for a newly politicized reading of the picture, by focusing on its sociohistorical moment. Chapter 5 reads David's painting through selected texts, and commentary on, Sade, in order to account for its 'perversity' in more ways than the simply sexual. Leonidas is finally understood here as a repositary of the various histories which have been precedingly traced. the Conclusion reflects on how those methodological procedures may open out the study of the homoerotic male nude and the construction of masculinity to further examination

Les lettres de Mme Récamier à Canova (1813-1819) : une écriture féminine entre grâce et exil

Mme Récamier et Canova : une double subjectivité Sur la question du patriarcat qui se serait renforcé après la Révolution française, il a été démontré que les femmes avaient bénéficié, grâce à la multiplication des publications, d’un puissant lieu d’expression dans l’espace public. L’exemple le plus décisif est peut-être la figure de Germaine de Staël, écrivaine ayant adopté une posture d’opposition critique, romancière post-rousseauiste ayant contribué à la diffusion, en Europe, de l’éthique..

Urinary VCAM -1 as a renal disease activity indicator and lifestyle factors affecting the disease activity in lupus nephritis: A Diagnostic Case Control Study

OBJECTIVES : 1. To study the utility of urinary levels of VCAM-1 in lupus nephritis. 2. To study the association between lifestyle factors and disease activity of lupus nephritis. METHODOLOGY : It was a diagnostic case control study. The patients presenting to Medicine, Nephrology and Rheumatology OPD were recruited into this study. Patients were divided into 2 groups, SLE without active nephritis and SLE with active nephritis based on the renal SLEDAI. Urinary VCAM1 was tested in all patients using an early morning spot urine sample. Renal biopsy was done in those patients with active nephritis. All patients underwent a lifestyle assessment including dietary, stress and physical activity.VCAM1 levels were compared with the renal SLEDAI, renal biopsy disease activity and standard of care markers. The lifestyle factors were also compared with the disease activity.The results were analyzed using SPSS software version 16. A 2x2 analysis for the diagnostic test was done. The validity and predictive value statistics was presented with 95 percent confidence interval. As VCAM1 provides levels, the best cut off was identified using ROC analysis. The risk factor analysis for the nutritional intake was done using multivariate regression analysis. RESULTS : Out of 83 patients, 74 patients were taken up for final analysis. Urinary VCAM 1 levels had significant correlation (p=0.01) with disease activity based on renal SLEDAI. However, the correlation between the biopsy findings and VCAM levels was not statistically significant. The sensitivity and specificity of urinary VCAM 1 is 65.22% and 75% respectively. The cut off value of urinary VCAM 1 is 23.8 pg/mg of creatinine. Stress was found to be statistically significant in active nephritis (p value <0.001). The positive predictive value was 55% and negative predictive value was 81%

NOVEL PHARMACEUTICAL DOSAGE FORM

Objective of the proposed idea is to introduce novel pharmaceutical dosage form prepared of biodegradable polymeric balls. These polymeric balls will encircle oral liquid dosage forms within an edible membrane which can be flavoured, coloured, and can be used as unit dosage form. It will be prepared by reaction between sodium alginate and calcium chloride resulting in spherical, flexible ball of calcium alginate. Current research will eliminate the use of plastics as syrups or other liquid dosage forms will be provided in these balls which will be more economic and eco-friendly. Keywords: novel pharmaceutical dosage, polymeric balls, sodium alginate, eco-friendl

Quantitative characterization of interface delamination in composite T-joint using couplant-free Lamb wave methods

Research in quick Non-Destructive Evaluation methods for field maintenance of aircraft has become a focus of attention due to increase in the use of co-cured skin-stiffened composite structures. When Lamb wave propagates over skin-stiffened structure, the occurrence of multiple modes is unavoidable due to structural features such as stringers and stiffeners, which in turn makes the interpretation of the received wave difficult and limits the defect-detection ability of Lamb waves. Using Finite Element simulations, the propagation of incident S0 Lamb mode in a typical composite T-joint with delamination between the flange and skin (interface) is investigated. Arrival time delays of the out-of-plane mode-converted wave packets are found to be promising indicator for quantitative detection and sizing of the delamination. A novel experimental technique of combining a liquid couplant-free transduction scheme using dry-coupled roller transducer (contact probe) for generating S0 mode and an air-coupled transducer (non-contact probe) as a receiver is proposed. This transduction scheme helps in selectively separating mode-converted wave packets. This investigation also establishes quantitative B-scan imaging method for characterization of delamination in the T-joint. Experimental results show a good agreement with Finite Element predictions

Lamb wave-based air-coupled ultrasonic inspection technique for filament-wound composite pipes

Filament-wound glass epoxy composite pipe-like structures require ultrasonic inspection in order to characterise any potential defects, such as those due to foreign inclusions and delaminations, so that defective as-manufactured components do not go into service. Current manual point-to-point contact or immersion-based ultrasonic inspections are effective but time consuming and expensive for large-diameter/long-span composite pipes. This work addresses the need for rapid defect inspection for these composite pipes. The detection of multiple artificial inclusions in the pipe using the A0 Lamb wave mode, generated and received using non-contact air-coupled ultrasonic transducers, is studied in this investigation. A two-step inspection technique is proposed. The first step consists of a single-sided global screening in the axial and radial directions of the pipe using the A0 mode for rapidly locating the defects. In the second step, a limited-area point-to-point air-coupled through-transmission inspection for sizing the defects is proposed. Lamb wave-based inspections are interpreted using a two-dimensional intensity profile (B-scans), which satisfactorily indicates the approximate locations of defective regions. The aim of this study is also to demonstrate a system using this proposed Lamb wave technique