Improving transferability between different engineering stages in the development of automated material flow modules

For improving flexibility and robustness of the engineering of automated production systems (aPS) in case of extending, reducing or modifying parts, several approaches propose an encapsulation and clustering of related functions, e.g. from the electrical, mechanical or software engineering, based on a modular architecture. Considering the development of these modules, there are different stages, e.g. module planning or functional engineering, which have to be completed. A reference model that addresses the different stages for the engineering of aPS is proposed by AutomationML. Due to these different stages and the integration of several engineering disciplines, e.g. mechanical, electrical/electronic or software engineering, information not limited to one discipline are stored redundantly increasing the effort to transfer information and the risk of inconsistency. Although, data formats for the storage and exchange of plant engineering information exist, e.g. AutomationML, fixed domain specific structures and relations of the information, e.g. for automated material flow systems (aMFS), are missing. This paper presents the integration of a meta model into the development of modules for aMFS to improve the transferability and consistency of information between the different engineering stages and the increasing level of detail from the coarse-grained plant planning to the fine-grained functional engineering.Comment: 11 pages, https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/7499821

How sexism leads to intentions to leave an organization among coaches of women's teams in Division I intercollegiate athletics

Since the passage of Title IX, there has been a steady decline of women head coaches in intercollegiate athletics. Previous research indicated that perceived treatment and access discrimination may be a plausible cause of the decline; however, research has not identified the antecedents of discrimination. Research indicates that sexism levels are associated with hiring intentions, ascription of attributes to managers, and performance appraisals. This study attempted to identify sexism as one possible antecedent of discrimination. A dyadic study between head and assistant collegiate coaches was utilized to determine the relationship between hostile and benevolent sexism, treatment and access discrimination, and intentions to leave the profession. I sampled 364 head coaches and 163 assistant coaches, creating 71 dyads. Each of the measures was validated in previous research. Results indicated that men possessed higher levels of hostile (M = 2.02, SD = 1.02) and benevolent (M = 2.33, SD = 1.01) sexists beliefs than females (M = 2.00, SD = .97, M = 1.62, SD = 1.00). Additionally, females coaches indicated significantly higher levels of perceived access discrimination (F [1, 384] = 38.05, p < .01), treatment discrimination (F [1,384] = 7.353, p < .01) and intentions to leave (F [1, 384] = 13.146, p < .01) than men. Results indicate that there is a correlation between benevolent sexism and access discrimination (r = .322, p < .001) within the coach dyads. Further, to support previous literature, this study found that 17% of the variance in intentions to leave the profession was explained by perceived treatment and access discrimination. Though the results of this study show only one relationship between sexism and perceived discrimination, the results that sexism is present in intercollegiate athletics and that females perceive higher levels of discrimination and intentions to leave the profession are an interesting finding. Sexism may have an effect on perceived discrimination; however, the relationship may be mediated through other variables such as group identity or organizational citizenship behavior. Ultimately, this study has indicated that sexist beliefs are present in intercollegiate athletics and has negative implications that should be further researched

Comparison of Sport Tourist and Local Participants’ Sponsorship and Charity Recall and Intentions

Running events have proliferated in the last decade and rely on sponsorships for income. However, more needs to be discovered about how effective these sponsorships are in encouraging purchase behavior and connecting to charity organizations. This study aims to develop a stronger understanding of running event participants and their attitudes toward sponsorships and charity organizations. Local participants were compared to sport tourists to determine if differences existed in the recall or potential use of the sponsor’s product. Also, this study used self-determination theory to determine the impact of motivation on sponsorship recall and purchase intentions. A total of 201 respondents completed a survey at a major running event. Results indicated sport participants were likely to recall sponsors with a high level of perceived fit. Additionally, participants intended to purchase products from the running shoe company. Participants also had a high level of recall for the main charity and intended to donate money. Local participants were more likely to donate time to charity and purchase sponsor products than sport event tourists. Finally, autonomously motivated participants were more likely to recall sponsors. Keywords: Sport, Sponsorship, Charit

The Impact a Diversity Culture Has on the "Think Manager, Think Male" Stereotype: A Social Identity Theory of Leadership Perspective on Gender Stereotypes in Sport Organizations

Women in intercollegiate athletics have faced numerous challenges in breaking through the "glass ceiling." This issue has received a plethora of attention in the literature; however, the impact of culture on leadership stereotypes has yet to be evaluated. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the impact a diversity culture may or may not have on gendered leadership stereotypes. Utilizing the social identity theory of leadership and the expectations of gender stereotypes, I predicted men would be considered more prototypical of a sport organization than would women. Moving forward, I argued culture would moderate this relationship. Specifically, women would be considered more prototypical in a proactive culture (diversity viewed as an asset), whereas men would be perceived as more prototypical in compliant cultures (diversity viewed as a liability). Finally, when a leader was determined as prototypical, then (s)he would be rated as more effective than nonprototypical leaders. A 2 (culture: compliant, proactive) by 2 (leader's sex: male, female) design was employed to determine the relationship between culture, sex and leadership prototypicality. Respondents to this research experiment included students participating in activity classes at a major Southwest University (N = 278). Respondents were first asked to read through two scenarios: one describing culture and the other manipulating the leader. Next, they were asked to complete a series of items to measure prototypicality and leadership effectiveness. Results indicated the manipulation in the scenarios was successful. A majority of the respondents correctly identified the leader?s sex (N = 241), and a proactive culture was viewed as supporting diversity when compared to a compliant culture (F [1, 274] = 120.83, p .05, n2 =.001), and culture did not affect prototypicality ratings (b = -.04, p greater than .05). However, culture did have a significant positive relationship with leadership effectiveness (b = 21, p less than .01). Prototypicality was significantly positively related to leadership effectiveness (b = .54, p less than .001), thus supporting the third hypothesis

Are You Welcomed? A Racial and Ethnic Comparison of Perceived Welcomeness in Sport Participation

International Journal of Exercise Science 10(6): 833-844, 2017. Sport has become racialized such that minority youth accrue limited health and academic benefits from participation, compared to their White counterparts. Understanding the welcomeness that minorities feel in sport, leisure and physical activities plays an important role in breaking down barriers to participation. Thus, the overall aim of this study is to further examine the determinants of sport participation, particularly as it relates to race, socialization and perceived welcomeness. College students (N = 451) scored their perceived level of welcomeness for Whites, African Americans and Hispanic/Latinos in 14 sports. Results reveal significant differences in the perceived welcomeness felt by Whites, African Americans and Hispanic/Latinos in most of the sports analyzed. The discussion focuses on the socialization agents that facilitate such racialized perceptions and hinder access and opportunities for racial and ethnic minority youth to experience the health, academic and social benefits of sport participation

Transapical aortic valve implantation with a self-expanding anatomically oriented valve

Aims The Medtronic Engager™ aortic valve bioprosthesis is a self-expanding valve with support arms facilitating anatomically correct positioning and axial fixation. Valve leaflets, made of bovine pericardium, are mounted on a Nitinol frame. Here, we report the first in man study with this new implant (Trial Identifier NCT00677638). Methods and results Thirty patients (mean age 83.4 ± 3.8 years; 83% female) with tricuspid aortic valve stenosis were included in the study. Mean logistic EuroSCORE was 23.4 ± 11.9. Mean aortic annulus diameter was 21.8 ± 1.4 mm. For this study, the Engager was available in only one size (23 mm), to fit aortic annuli of 19-23 mm. Standard transapical valve implantation was performed using predilation of the aortic valve and rapid ventricular pacing during ballon valvuloplasty and most valve deployments. Accurate valve placement was achieved in 29/30 cases (97%). Post-implant peak-to-peak gradient was 13.3 ± 9.3 mmHg. In 80% of the patients, no more than grade I paravalvular leakage was observed, in 13% grades I-II and in 3% grade II. Three patients (10%) required permanent pacemaker implantation for higher-degree or complete atrioventricular block. Four dissections (13%) occurred during positioning of the valve and were treated surgically in three cases. Thirty-day and in-hospital mortality were 20% and 23%, respectively, and 6-month survival was 56.7%. No structural failure occurred for up to 1 year. Conclusion This series established the feasibility of implanting a novel self-expanding transapical aortic valve prosthesis predictably into an anatomically correct position. Observed complications led to complete redesign of the delivery system for upcoming clinical studies with the goal of establishing safety and performanc

Histone deacetylase activity is essential for the expression of HoxA9 and for endothelial commitment of progenitor cells

The regulation of acetylation is central for the epigenetic control of lineage-specific gene expression and determines cell fate decisions. We provide evidence that the inhibition of histone deacetylases (HDACs) blocks the endothelial differentiation of adult progenitor cells. To define the mechanisms by which HDAC inhibition prevents endothelial differentiation, we determined the expression of homeobox transcription factors and demonstrated that HoxA9 expression is down-regulated by HDAC inhibitors. The causal involvement of HoxA9 in the endothelial differentiation of adult progenitor cells is supported by the finding that HoxA9 overexpression partially rescued the endothelial differentiation blockade induced by HDAC inhibitors. Knockdown and overexpression studies revealed that HoxA9 acts as a master switch to regulate the expression of prototypical endothelial-committed genes such as endothelial nitric oxide synthase, VEGF-R2, and VE-cadherin, and mediates the shear stress–induced maturation of endothelial cells. Consistently, HoxA9-deficient mice exhibited lower numbers of endothelial progenitor cells and showed an impaired postnatal neovascularization capacity after the induction of ischemia. Thus, HoxA9 is regulated by HDACs and is critical for postnatal neovascularization

Исследование процесса и разработка методологических основ безаварийного бурения под интервалы направлений и кондукторов на скважинах Восточно-Сибирского региона (на примере Куюмбинского ГКМ)»

Научный доклад содержит сформулированные выводы на основе реальных производственных результатов, а также разработаны обоснованные рекомендации по безаварийному строительству секций направлений и кондукторов для геологических условий Куюмбинского месторождения.The paper contains formulated conclusions based on real production results, and well-grounded recommendations for accident-free construction of sections of directions and conductors for the geological conditions of the Kuyumbinskoye field

Rubbing Powders : Direct Spectroscopic Observation of Triboinduced Oxygen Radical Formation in MgO Nanocube Ensembles

Powder compaction-induced surface chemistry in metal oxide nanocrystal ensembles is important for very diverse fields such as triboelectrics, tribocatalysts, surface abrasion, and cold sintering of ceramics. Using a range of spectroscopic techniques, we show that MgO nanocube powder compaction with uniaxial pressures that can be achieved by gentle manual rubbing or pressing (p ≥ 5 MPa) excites energetic electron-hole pairs and generates oxygen radicals at interfacial defect structures. While the identification of paramagnetic O- radicals and their adsorption complexes with O2 point to the emergence of hole centers, triboemitted electrons become scavenged by molecular oxygen to convert into adsorbed superoxide anions O2 - as measured by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). By means of complementary UV-photoexcitation experiments, we found that photon energies in the range between 3 and 6 eV produce essentially the same EPR spectroscopic fingerprints and optical absorption features. To provide insights into this effect, we performed density functional theory calculations to explore the energetics of charge separation involving the ionization of low-coordinated anions and surface-adsorbed O2 - radicals at points of contact. For all selected configurations, charge transfer is not spontaneous but requires an additional driving force. We propose that a plausible mechanism for oxygen radical formation is the generation of significant surface potential differences at points of contact under loading as a result of the highly inhomogeneous elastic deformations coupled with the flexoelectric effect