Objective clinical performance of ‘comfort-enhanced' daily disposable soft contact lenses

Purpose: To examine the objective clinical performance of ‘comfort-enhanced’ daily disposable contact lenses over a 16-h day. Methods: Four contact lenses (Hilafilcon B, Etafilcon A Plus, Nelfilcon A and Nelfilcon A Plus) were evaluated in an investigator masked, open label trial at the end of a week’s bilateral wear. Pre-lens noninvasive tear break-up time (PL-NITBUT), tear prism height, bulbar hyperaemia and ocular surface temperature (OST) were measured with the lens in situ at 8, 12 and 16 h of wear. Results: There was no difference between how many hours the lenses types were worn each day (F = 0.90, p = 0.44). The PL-NITBUT decreased with the duration of daily lens wear (F = 32.0, p < 0.001) and was more stable with Nelfilcon A Plus (F = 6.00, p = 0.002) than with the other lenses evaluated. Bulbar blood vessels increased in coverage (F = 11.5, p < 0.001) but not overall redness (F = 0.0, p = 0.99) with the duration of daily lens wear, but there was no difference between the lenses (p > 0.05). The tear prism height decreased with the duration of daily wear (F = 27.0, p < 0.001) and differed between lenses (F = 2.9, p = 0.04). The OST decreased with the duration of lens wear (F = 119.7, p < 0.001) and was reduced by daily disposable lens wear (F = 7.88, p < 0.001), but did not differ between lenses (F = 0.88, p = 0.45). Conclusions: Objective measures of tear film indicated a difference between the lenses evaluated for PLNITBUT and tear prism height, but not for wearing time or bulbar conjunctival hyperaemia. Therefore clinical benefits of daily disposable ‘comfort enhancing’ contact lenses can be measured, but challenges remain in producing contact lenses that do not compromise anterior eye physiology over the whole day. 2010 British Contact Lens Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Creation of relational assets through the 'library of equipment' model:an industrial modernization approach of Japan's local technology centres

SMEs with a weak internal R&D capacity show the tendency to shy away from using external sources of technical expertise. The tendency deters providers of industrial modernization services from supporting such structurally weak SMEs. This paper examines how Japan's local technology centres - kosetsushi - remove the bottleneck and reach out to a significant proportion of SMEs with a weak R&D capacity in their localities. Kosetsushi centres sustain habitual interactions with client firms through 'low information gap' services solving immediate needs and lead the clients to a riskier and longer path toward innovation capacity building. This gives kosetsushi centres a position distinct from universities and consultancies in the regional innovation system. While long-term relationships between kosetsushi centres and their client firms can increase switching costs and produce lock-in effects, a case study of two kosetsushi centres illustrates the importance of 'low-information gap' services and relational assets created thereby to the modernization of SMEs with a weak internal R&D capacity. The paper calls for long-term commitment by the public sector if it addresses the issue through modernization services.

Maintenance strategies affecting equipment performance

Proper maintenance of plant items is crucial for the safe and profitable operation of process plants, The relevant maintenance policies fall into the following four categories: (i) preventivejopportunistic/breakdown replacement policies, (ii) inspection/inspection-repair-replacernent policies, (iii) restorative maintenance policies, and (iv) condition based maintenance policies, For correlating failure times of component equipnent and complete systems, the Weibull failure distribution has been used, A new powerful method, SEQLIM, has been proposed for the estimation of the Weibull parameters; particularly, when maintenance records contain very few failures and many successful operation times. When a system consists of a number of replaceable, ageing components, an opporturistic replacernent policy has been found to be cost-effective, A simple opportunistic rrodel has been developed. Inspection models with various objective functions have been investigated, It was found that, on the assumption of a negative exponential failure distribution, all models converge to the same optimal inspection interval; provided the safety components are very reliable and the demand rate is low, When deterioration becomes a contributory factor to same failures, periodic inspections, calculated from above models, are too frequent, A case of safety trip systems has been studied, A highly effective restorative maintenance policy can be developed if the performance of the equipment under this category can be related to some predictive modelling. A novel fouling model has been proposed to determine cleaning strategies of condensers, Condition-based maintenance policies have been investigated. A simple gauge has been designed for condition monitoring of relief valve springs. A typical case of an exothermic inert gas generation plant has been studied, to demonstrate how various policies can be applied to devise overall maintenance actions.

Improving returnable transport equipment management with an autonomous approach

Challenges of returnable transport equipment (RTE) management continue to heighten as the popularity of their usage magnifies. Logistics companies are investigating the implementation of radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology to alleviate problems such as loss prevention and stock reduction. However, the research within this field is limited and fails to fully explore with depth, the wider network improvements that can be made to optimize the supply chain through efficient RTE management. This paper, investigates the nature of RTE network management building on current research and practices, filling a gap in the literature, through the investigation of a product-centric approach where the paradigms of “intelligent products” and “autonomous objects” are explored. A network optimizing approach with RTE management is explored, encouraging advanced research development of the RTE paradigm to align academic research with problematic areas in industry. Further research continues with the development of an agent-based software system, ready for application to a real-case study distribution network, producing quantitative results for further analysis. This is pivotal on the endeavor to developing agile support systems, fully utilizing an information-centric environment and encouraging RTE to be viewed as critical network optimizing tools rather than costly waste.

Simulation of power station protection equipment

Computer programs have been developed to enable the coordination of fuses and overcurrent relays for radial power systems under estimated fault current conditions. The grading curves for these protection devices can be produced on a graphics terminal and a hard copy can be obtained. Additional programs have also been developed which could be used to assess the validity of relay settings (obtained under the above conditions) when the transient effect is included. Modelling of a current transformer is included because transformer saturation may occur if the fault current is high, and hence the secondary current is distorted. Experiments were carried out to confirm that distorted currents will affect the relay operating time, and it is shown that if the relay current contains only a small percentage of harmonic distortion, the relay operating time is increased. System equations were arranged to enable the model to predict fault currents with a generator transformer incorporated in the system, and also to include the effect of circuit breaker opening, arcing resistance, and earthing resistance. A fictitious field winding was included to enable more accurate prediction of fault currents when the system is operating at both lagging and leading power factors prior to the occurrence of the fault.

Perceptions of technological change : the attitude of managers towards group technology in the United States food equipment industry

In the center of today's continued and rapid technological change and ever competitive environment of the next millennium, manufacturers must realize that unless they are ready to consider and evaluate new technologies brought onto them, they may fail to adequately respond to the challenges that lie ahead of them. This research was designed to determine the consistency of the perceptions of technical and non-technical administrators, in manufacturing environment, towards technological change and group technology as an advanced manufacturing system. This research has included a review of literature with references to technological change, justification and implementation processes, and various manufacturing systems including group technology and its benefits. This research has used the research method of empirical analysis (quantitative) and case studies (qualitative) to research perceptions of technical and non-technical administrators towards technological change and group technology. Sixty-four (64) technical and fifty-one (51) nontechnical administrators from fifty (50) manufacturing organizations in the United States of America responded to the mail survey questionnaire used in this research. Responses were analyzed using the Repeated Measures ANOVA procedure to compare mean responses of each group. Two correlation analyses, Cronback Coefficient Alpha and Pearson Correlation Coefficient, were also performed to determine the reliability of the questionnaire as well as the degree of correlation of perceptions between these two groups. This research, through the empirical analysis, has found that perceptions of the technical and non-technical administrators towards group technology were not consistent. In other words, they did not perceive the benefits of group technology in the same manner to the overall organizational performance. This finding was significant since it provided the first clear and comprehensive view of the technical and non-technical administrators' perception towards group technology and technological change, in Food Equipment Manufacturer Industry, in United States of America. In addition, a number of cases were analyzed and the results have supported those of the quantitative analysis. Therefore, this research not only has provided basic data, which was unavailable prior to this investigation, but it also provided a basis for future studies.

Smart microsystems for cell manipulations

This thesis documents the design, manufacture and testing of a passive and non-invasive micro-scale planar particle-from-fluid filter for segregating cell types from a homogeneous suspension. The microfluidics system can be used to separate spermatogenic cells from testis biopsy samples, providing a mechanism for filtrate retrieval for assisted reproduction therapy. The system can also be used for point-of-service diagnostics applications for hospitals, lab-on-a-chip pre-processing and field applications such as clinical testing in the third world. Various design concepts are developed and manufactured, and are assessed based on etched structure morphology, robustness to variations in the manufacturing process, and design impacts on fluid flow and particle separation characteristics. Segregation was measured using image processing algorithms that demonstrate efficiency is more than 55% for 1 µl volumes at populations exceeding 1 x 107. the technique supports a significant reduction in time over conventional processing, in the separation and identification of particle groups, offering a potential reduction in the associated cost of the targeted procedure. The thesis has developed a model of quasi-steady wetting flow within the micro channel and identifies the forces across the system during post-wetting equalisation. The model and its underlying assumptions are validated empirically in microfabricated test structures through a novel Micro-Particle Image Velocimetry technique. The prototype devices do not require ancillary equipment nor additional filtration media, and therefore offer fewer opportunities for sample contamination over conventional processing methods. The devices are disposable with minimal reagent volumes and process waste. Optimal processing parameters and production methods are identified with any improvements that could be made to enhance their performance in a number of identified potential applications.

Exporting to Eastern Europe : principles and practice, including a case study of the market for fire fighting equipment

East-West trade has grown rapidly since the sixties, stimulating a parallel expansion in the literature on the subject. An extensive review of this literature shows how: (i) most of the issues involved have at their source the distinctions between East and West in political ideology and/or economic management, and (ii) there has been a tendency to keep theoretical and practical perspectives on the subject too separate. This thesis demonstrates the importance of understanding the fundamental principles implied in the first point, and represents an attempt to bridge the gap identified in the second. A detailed study of the market for fire fighting equipment in Eastern Europe is undertaken in collaboration with a medium-sized company, Angus Fire Armour Limited. Desk research methods are combined with visits to the market to assess the potential for the company's products, and recommendations for future strategy are made. The case demonstrates the scope and limitations of various research methods for the East European market, and a model for market research relevant to all companies is developed. Tne case study highlights three areas largely neglected in the literature: (i) the problems of internal company adaptation to East European conditions; (ii) the division of responsibility between foreign trade organisations; and (iii) bribery and corruption in East-West trade. Further research into the second topic - through a survey of 36 UK exporters - and the third - through analysis of publicised corruption cases - confirms the representativeness of the Angus experience, and reflects on the complexity of the Bast European import process, which does not always function as is commonly supposed. The very complexity of the problems confronting companies reaffirms the need to appreciate the principles underlying the subject, while the detailed analysis into questions of, originally, a marketing nature, reveals wider implications for East-West trade and East-West relations.

The development of heat recovery equipment from conception to commercialisation

A comprehensive survey of industrial sites and heat recovery products revealed gaps between equipment that was required and that which was available. Two heat recovery products were developed to fill those gaps: a gas-to-gas modular heat recovery unit; a gas-to-liquid exhaust gas heat exchanger. The former provided an entire heat recovery system in one unit. It was specifically designed to overcome the problems associated with existing component system of large design commitment, extensive installation and incompatibility between parts. The unit was intended to recover heat from multiple waste gas sources and, in particular, from baking ovens. A survey of the baking industry defined typical waste gas temperatures and flow rates, around which the unit was designed. The second unit was designed to recover heat from the exhaust gases of small diesel engines. The developed unit differed from existing designs by having a negligible effect on engine performance. In marketing terms these products are conceptual opposites. The first, a 'product-push' product generated from site and product surveys, required marketing following design. The second, a 'market-pull' product, resulted from a specific user need; this had a captive market and did not require marketing. Here marketing was replaced by commercial aspects including the protection of ideas, contracting, tendering and insurance requirements. These two product development routes are compared and contrasted. As a general conclusion this work suggests that it can be beneficial for small companies (as was the sponsor of this project) to undertake projects of the market-pull type. Generally they have a higher probability of success and are less capital intensive than their product-push counterparts. Development revealed shortcomings in three other fields: British Standards governing heat exchangers; financial assessment of energy saving schemes; degree day procedure of calculating energy savings. Methods are proposed to overcome these shortcomings.

TETRA mobile radios interfere with electroencephalography recording equipment

We observed an anomaly in the human electroencephalogram (EEG) associated with exposure to terrestrial trunked radio (TETRA) Radiofrequency Fields (RF). Here, we characterize the time and frequency components of the anomaly and demonstrate that it is an artefact caused by TETRA RF interfering with the EEG recording equipment and not by any direct or indirect effect on the brain.

R v Lion Steel Equipment Ltd 2012

Case law report - online

An optimum utilisation of plant and equipment with respect to maintenance

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Studies of the fouling of heat exchanger equipment

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Development of pneumatic stowing equipment and a study of the principles involved

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