Market-driven strategies and the design of flexible production systems: evidence from the electronics industry

Links the concept of market-driven business strategies with the design of production systems. It draws upon the case of a firm which, during the last decade, changed its strategy from being “technology led” to “market driven”. The research, based on interdisciplinary fieldwork involving long-term participant observation, investigated the factors which contribute to the successful design and implementation of flexible production systems in electronics assembly. These investigations were conducted in collaboration with a major computer manufacturer, with other electronics firms being studied for comparison. The research identified a number of strategies and actions seen as crucial to the development of efficient flexible production systems, namely: effective integration of subsystems, development of appropriate controls and performance measures, compatibility between production system design and organization structure, and the development of a climate conducive to organizational change. Overall, the analysis suggests that in the electronics industry there exists an extremely high degree of environmental complexity and turbulence. This serves to shape the strategic, technical and social structures that are developed to match this complexity, examples of which are niche marketing, flexible manufacturing and employee harmonization.

Modeling naturalistic argumentation in research literatures:representation and interaction design issues

This article characterizes key weaknesses in the ability of current digital libraries to support scholarly inquiry, and as a way to address these, proposes computational services grounded in semiformal models of the naturalistic argumentation commonly found in research literatures. It is argued that a design priority is to balance formal expressiveness with usability, making it critical to coevolve the modeling scheme with appropriate user interfaces for argument construction and analysis. We specify the requirements for an argument modeling scheme for use by untrained researchers and describe the resulting ontology, contrasting it with other domain modeling and semantic web approaches, before discussing passive and intelligent user interfaces designed to support analysts in the construction, navigation, and analysis of scholarly argument structures in a Web-based environment. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Int Syst 22: 17–47, 2007.

Development of two forecasting systems and the design of hard copy information displays

DUE TO COPYRIGHT RESTRICTIONS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR CONSULTATION AT ASTON UNIVERSITY LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES WITH PRIOR ARRANGEMENT

A study of the behaviour of the single phase induction type energy meter and the design of an instrumentation system for its calibration

DUE TO COPYRIGHT RESTRICTIONS ONLY AVAILABLE FOR CONSULTATION AT ASTON UNIVERSITY LIBRARY AND INFORMATION SERVICES WITH PRIOR ARRANGEMENT

Structural and chemical modifications of typical South African biomasses during torrefaction

Torrefaction experiments were carried out for three typical South African biomass samples (softwood chips, hardwood chips and sweet sorghum bagasse) to a weight loss of 30wt.%. During torrefaction, moisture, non-structural carbohydrates and hemicelluloses were reduced, resulting in a structurally modified torrefaction product. There was a reduction in the average crystalline diameter (La) (XRD), an increase in the aromatic fraction and a reduction in aliphatics (substituted and unsubstituted) (CPMAS 13C NMR). The decrease in the aliphatic components of the lignocellulosic material under the torrefaction conditions also resulted in a slight ordering of the carbon lattice. The degradation of hemicelluloses and non-structural carbohydrates increased the inclusive surface area of sweet sorghum bagasse, while it did not change significantly for the woody biomasses.

Self-organizing Map and Cellular Automata Combined Technique for Advanced Mesh Generation in Urban and Architectural Design

This paper presents a technique for building complex and adaptive meshes for urban and architectural design. The combination of a self-organizing map and cellular automata algorithms stands as a method for generating meshes otherwise static. This intends to be an auxiliary tool for the architect or the urban planner, improving control over large amounts of spatial information. The traditional grid employed as design aid is improved to become more general and flexible.

Periphyton responses to eutrophication in the Florida Everglades: Cross-system patterns of structural and compositional change

We examined periphyton along transects in five Everglades marshes and related compositional and functional aspects to phosphorus(P ) gradients caused by enriched inflows. Results were compared to those of a P-addition experiment in a pristine Everglades marsh. While the water total P (TP) concentration was not related to P load in the marshes or experiment the concentration of TP in periphyton was strongly correlated with the distance from the P source. Increased P concentration in periphyton was associated with a loss of biomass,p articularly of the calcifying mat-forming matrix, regardless of the growth form of the periphyton (epiphytic, floating,or epilithic). Diatom species composition was also strongly related to P availability, but the TP optima of many species varied among marshes. Enriched periphyton communities were found 14 km downstream of P inputs to one marsh that has been receiving enhanced P loads for decades, where other studies using different biotic indicators show negligible change in the same marsh. Although recovery trajectories are unknown, periphyton indicators should serve as excellent metrics for the progression or amelioration of P-related effects in the Everglades.

What Google Maps can do for Biomedical Data Dissemination: Examples and a Design Study

Background: Biologists often need to assess whether unfamiliar datasets warrant the time investment required for more detailed exploration. Basing such assessments on brief descriptions provided by data publishers is unwieldy for large datasets that contain insights dependent on specific scientific questions. Alternatively, using complex software systems for a preliminary analysis may be deemed as too time consuming in itself, especially for unfamiliar data types and formats. This may lead to wasted analysis time and discarding of potentially useful data. Results: We present an exploration of design opportunities that the Google Maps interface offers to biomedical data visualization. In particular, we focus on synergies between visualization techniques and Google Maps that facilitate the development of biological visualizations which have both low-overhead and sufficient expressivity to support the exploration of data at multiple scales. The methods we explore rely on displaying pre-rendered visualizations of biological data in browsers, with sparse yet powerful interactions, by using the Google Maps API. We structure our discussion around five visualizations: a gene co-regulation visualization, a heatmap viewer, a genome browser, a protein interaction network, and a planar visualization of white matter in the brain. Feedback from collaborative work with domain experts suggests that our Google Maps visualizations offer multiple, scale-dependent perspectives and can be particularly helpful for unfamiliar datasets due to their accessibility. We also find that users, particularly those less experienced with computer use, are attracted by the familiarity of the Google Maps API. Our five implementations introduce design elements that can benefit visualization developers. Conclusions: We describe a low-overhead approach that lets biologists access readily analyzed views of unfamiliar scientific datasets. We rely on pre-computed visualizations prepared by data experts, accompanied by sparse and intuitive interactions, and distributed via the familiar Google Maps framework. Our contributions are an evaluation demonstrating the validity and opportunities of this approach, a set of design guidelines benefiting those wanting to create such visualizations, and five concrete example visualizations.

Critical Analysis on the Structural and Magnetic Properties of Bulk and Nanocrystalline Cu-Fe-O

Nanocrystalline and bulk samples of “Fe”-doped CuO were prepared by coprecipitation and ceramic methods. Structural and compositional analyses were performed using X-ray diffraction, SEM, and EDAX. Traces of secondary phases such as CuFe2O4, Fe3O4, and α-Fe2O3 having peaks very close to that of the host CuO were identified from the Rietveld profile analysis and the SAED pattern of bulk and nanocrystalline Cu0.98Fe0.02O samples. Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) measurements show hysteresis at 300 K for all the samples. The ferrimagnetic Neel transition temperature () was found to be around 465°C irrespective of the content of “Fe”, which is close to the value of cubic CuFe2O4. High-pressure X-Ray diffraction studies were performed on 2% “Fe”-doped bulk CuO using synchrotron radiation. From the absence of any strong new peaks at high pressure, it is evident that the secondary phases if present could be less than the level of detection. Cu2O, which is diamagnetic by nature, was also doped with 1% of “Fe” and was found to show paramagnetic behavior in contrast to the “Fe” doped CuO. Hence the possibility of intrinsic magnetization of “Fe”-doped CuO apart from the secondary phases is discussed based on the magnetization and charge state of “Fe” and the host into which it is substituted.

Effects of In Situ CO2 Enrichment on the Structural and Chemical Characteristics of the Seagrass Thalassia Testudinum

Seagrasses commonly display carbon-limited photosynthetic rates. Thus, increases in atmospheric pCO2, and consequentially oceanic CO2(aq) concentrations, may prove beneficial. While addressed in mesocosms, these hypotheses have not been tested in the field with manipulative experimentation. This study examines the effects of in situ CO2(aq) enrichment on the structural and chemical characteristics of the tropical seagrass, Thalassia testudinum. CO2(aq) availability was manipulated for 6 months in clear, open-top chambers within a shallow seagrass meadow in the Florida Keys (USA), reproducing forecasts for the year 2100. Structural characteristics (leaf area, leaf growth, shoot mass, and shoot density) were unresponsive to CO2(aq) enrichment. However, leaf nitrogen and phosphorus content declined on average by 11 and 21 %, respectively. Belowground, non-structural carbohydrates increased by 29 %. These results indicate that increased CO2(aq) availability may primarily alter the chemical composition of seagrasses, influencing both the nutrient status and resilience of these systems.

Structural and Functional Analysis of the Caspase –dependent and –independent Domains of the X-linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis Protein in Inflammatory Breast Cancer Tumor Biology

Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is an extremely rare but highly aggressive form of breast cancer characterized by the rapid development of therapeutic resistance leading to particularly poor survival. Our previous work focused on the elucidation of factors that mediate therapeutic resistance in IBC and identified increased expression of the anti-apoptotic protein, X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), to correlate with the development of resistance to chemotherapeutics. Although XIAP is classically thought of as an inhibitor of caspase activation, multiple studies have revealed that XIAP can also function as a signaling intermediate in numerous pathways. Based on preliminary evidence revealing high expression of XIAP in pre-treatment IBC cells rather than only subsequent to the development of resistance, we hypothesized that XIAP could play an important signaling role in IBC pathobiology outside of its heavily published apoptotic inhibition function. Further, based on our discovery of inhibition of chemotherapeutic efficacy, we postulated that XIAP overexpression might also play a role in resistance to other forms of therapy, such as immunotherapy. Finally, we posited that targeting of specific redox adaptive mechanisms, which are observed to be a significant barrier to successful treatment of IBC, could overcome therapeutic resistance and enhance the efficacy of chemo-, radio-, and immuno- therapies. To address these hypotheses our objectives were: 1. to determine a role for XIAP in IBC pathobiology and to elucidate the upstream regulators and downstream effectors of XIAP; 2. to evaluate and describe a role for XIAP in the inhibition of immunotherapy; and 3. to develop and characterize novel redox modulatory strategies that target identified mechanisms to prevent or reverse therapeutic resistance.

Using various genomic and proteomic approaches, combined with analysis of cellular viability, proliferation, and growth parameters both in vitro and in vivo, we demonstrate that XIAP plays a central role in both IBC pathobiology in a manner mostly independent of its role as a caspase-binding protein. Modulation of XIAP expression in cells derived from patients prior to any therapeutic intervention significantly altered key aspects IBC biology including, but not limited to: IBC-specific gene signatures; the tumorigenic capacity of tumor cells; and the metastatic phenotype of IBC, all of which are revealed to functionally hinge on XIAP-mediated NFκB activation, a robust molecular determinant of IBC. Identification of the mechanism of XIAP-mediated NFκB activation led to the characterization of novel peptide-based antagonist which was further used to identify that increased NFκB activation was responsible for redox adaptation previously observed in therapy-resistant IBC cells. Lastly, we describe the targeting of this XIAP-NFκB-ROS axis using a novel redox modulatory strategy both in vitro and in vivo. Together, the data presented here characterize a novel and crucial role for XIAP both in therapeutic resistance and the pathobiology of IBC; these results confirm our previous work in acquired therapeutic resistance and establish the feasibility of targeting XIAP-NFκB and the redox adaptive phenotype of IBC as a means to enhance survival of patients.

Protein and Drug Design Algorithms Using Improved Biophysical Modeling

This thesis focuses on the development of algorithms that will allow protein design calculations to incorporate more realistic modeling assumptions. Protein design algorithms search large sequence spaces for protein sequences that are biologically and medically useful. Better modeling could improve the chance of success in designs and expand the range of problems to which these algorithms are applied. I have developed algorithms to improve modeling of backbone flexibility (DEEPer) and of more extensive continuous flexibility in general (EPIC and LUTE). I’ve also developed algorithms to perform multistate designs, which account for effects like specificity, with provable guarantees of accuracy (COMETS), and to accommodate a wider range of energy functions in design (EPIC and LUTE).

The structural and piezoresponse properties of c-axis-oriented Aurivillius phase Bi5Ti3FeO15 thin films deposited by atomic vapor deposition

The deposition by atomic vapor deposition of highly c-axis-oriented Aurivillius phase Bi 5Ti 3FeO 15 (BTFO) thin films on (100) Si substrates is reported. Partially crystallized BTFO films with c-axis perpendicular to the substrate surface were first deposited at 610°C (8 excess Bi), and subsequently annealed at 820°C to get stoichiometric composition. After annealing, the films were highly c-axis-oriented, showing only (00l) peaks in x-ray diffraction (XRD), up to (0024). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirms the BTFO film has a clear layered structure, and the bismuth oxide layer interleaves the four-block pseudoperovskite layer, indicating the n 4 Aurivillius phase structure. Piezoresponse force microscopy measurements indicate strong in-plane piezoelectric response, consistent with the c-axis layered structure, shown by XRD and TEM.

Physical Insights, Steady Aerodynamic Effects, and a Design Tool for Low-Pressure Turbine Flutter

The successful, efficient, and safe turbine design requires a thorough understanding of the underlying physical phenomena. This research investigates the physical understanding and parameters highly correlated to flutter, an aeroelastic instability prevalent among low pressure turbine (LPT) blades in both aircraft engines and power turbines. The modern way of determining whether a certain cascade of LPT blades is susceptible to flutter is through time-expensive computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes. These codes converge to solution satisfying the Eulerian conservation equations subject to the boundary conditions of a nodal domain consisting fluid and solid wall particles. Most detailed CFD codes are accompanied by cryptic turbulence models, meticulous grid constructions, and elegant boundary condition enforcements all with one goal in mind: determine the sign (and therefore stability) of the aerodynamic damping. The main question being asked by the aeroelastician, ``is it positive or negative?'' This type of thought-process eventually gives rise to a black-box effect, leaving physical understanding behind. Therefore, the first part of this research aims to understand and reveal the physics behind LPT flutter in addition to several related topics including acoustic resonance effects. A percentage of this initial numerical investigation is completed using an influence coefficient approach to study the variation the work-per-cycle contributions of neighboring cascade blades to a reference airfoil. The second part of this research introduces new discoveries regarding the relationship between steady aerodynamic loading and negative aerodynamic damping. Using validated CFD codes as computational wind tunnels, a multitude of low-pressure turbine flutter parameters, such as reduced frequency, mode shape, and interblade phase angle, will be scrutinized across various airfoil geometries and steady operating conditions to reach new design guidelines regarding the influence of steady aerodynamic loading and LPT flutter. Many pressing topics influencing LPT flutter including shocks, their nonlinearity, and three-dimensionality are also addressed along the way. The work is concluded by introducing a useful preliminary design tool that can estimate within seconds the entire aerodynamic damping versus nodal diameter curve for a given three-dimensional cascade.