Potential Design Features Research Articles

Nature-inspired design principles promote supply network resilience

The dynamic, interconnected nature of modern supply chains makes it important to understand how firm-level decision-making will impact the robustness of supply chains to disruption. The behavior of naturally evolved distribution systems offers a useful starting point to identify potential design features that can promote robustness without compromising the viability of individual firms. Drawing inspiration from how ant food-sharing networks respond to supply shortages, we developed an agent-based model of a generalized supply network and evaluated how different local strategies influenced the ability of firms to acquire sufficient resources to meet their demand. Our simulations reveal that differences among firms in strategic behavior can reduce variation in outcomes across firms while maintaining mean performance, thereby buffering system-level robustness. In addition, the ability to expand one’s supplier network bolstered performance when firms experienced difficulty in meeting their demand. Conversely, under the assumptions of our model, overly relying on distributors to gain access to additional suppliers or to gain competitive advantages was ineffective in helping firms to meet their consumptive demand. Our nature-inspired modeling framework provides a potentially useful approach for evaluating how different participant decision-making strategies may impact the robustness and resilience of global supply chains that are increasingly likely to face frequent and unpredictable disruptions.

An open-source porous media modelling approach to investigate thermohydraulic features of compact printed circuit heat exchangers

An experimental air-foil printed circuit heat exchanger (PCHE) with CO2 as a working fluid is numerically modelled and developed within the OpenFOAM environment as a freely available package for more general PCHE designs. The conjugate heat transfer solver (chtMultiRegionFoam) is adapted to include both the hot and cold fluid streams of the PCHE, along with the solid recuperator body, within three uniquely specified overlapping mesh regions. The fluid stream momentum equation is adapted to incorporate porosity, with the additional streamwise air-foil drag (friction factor) accounted for by the Darcy–Forcheimer porous media model. A simple linear ad-hoc model for the transverse friction factor is evaluated to determine the dispersion of the momentum across the flow. Heat transfer between the fluid streams and the solid body is driven by a volumetric thermal resistance with a cell volume-weighted interpolation method (volume-to-volume coupling), with experimentally determined Nusselt number correlations applied. Temperature-dependent parameters based on isobaric NIST data for CO2 are tabulated as a user library and integrated within the coding package. The model predictions of the solid body temperature distributions are assessed and validated against experimental data with eight equidistant fibre optical measurements across the PCHE core and compared against finite-element-based MATLAB numerical results. Thermal stresses are evaluated and qualitatively evaluated against experimental data, demonstrating the capability of the model to highlight potential design features for improvement.

Massive transfusion experience, current practice and decision support: A survey of Australian and New Zealand anaesthetists.

Massive transfusions guided by massive transfusion protocols are commonly used to manage critical bleeding, when the patient is at significant risk of morbidity and mortality, and multiple timely decisions must be made by clinicians. Clinical decision support systems are increasingly used to provide patient-specific recommendations by comparing patient information to a knowledge base, and have been shown to improve patient outcomes. To investigate current massive transfusion practice and the experiences and attitudes of anaesthetists towards massive transfusion and clinical decision support systems, we anonymously surveyed 1000 anaesthetists and anaesthesia trainees across Australia and New Zealand. A total of 228 surveys (23.6%) were successfully completed and 227 were analysed for a 23.3% response rate. Most respondents were involved in massive transfusions infrequently (88.1% managed five or fewer massive transfusion protocols per year) and worked at hospitals which have massive transfusion protocols (89.4%). Massive transfusion management was predominantly limited by timely access to point-of-care coagulation assessment and by competition with other tasks, with trainees reporting more significant limitations compared to specialists. The majority of respondents reported that they were likely, or very likely, both to use (73.1%) and to trust (85%) a clinical decision support system for massive transfusions, with no significant difference between anaesthesia trainees and specialists (P = 0.375 and P = 0.73, respectively). While the response rate to our survey was poor, there was still a wide range of massive transfusion experience among respondents, with multiple subjective factors identified limiting massive transfusion practice. We identified several potential design features and barriers to implementation to assist with the future development of a clinical decision support system for massive transfusion, and overall wide support for a clinical decision support system for massive transfusion among respondents.

Engineering Requirements of a Herpes Simplex Virus Patient Registry: Discovery Phase of a Real-World Evidence Platform to Advance Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Medicine.

Comprehensive pharmacogenomic understanding requires both robust genomic and demographic data. Patient registries present an opportunity to collect large amounts of robust, patient-level data. Pharmacogenomic advancement in the treatment of infectious diseases is yet to be fully realised. Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is one disease for which pharmacogenomic understanding is wanting. This paper aims to understand the key factors that impact data collection quality for medical registries and suggest potential design features of an HSV medical registry to overcome current constraints and allow for this data to be used as a complement to genomic and clinical data to further the treatment of HSV. This paper outlines the discovery phase for the development of an HSV registry with the aim of learning about the users and their contexts, the technological constraints and the potential improvements that can be made. The design requirements and user stories for the HSV registry have been identified for further alpha phase development. The current landscape of HSV research and patient registry development were discussed. Through the analysis of the current state of the art and thematic user analysis, potential design features were elucidated to facilitate the collection of high-quality, robust patient-level data which could contribute to advances in pharmacogenomic understanding and personalised medicine in HSV. The user requirements specification for the development of an HSV registry has been summarised and implementation strategies for the alpha phase discussed.

Identifying potential design features of a smart learning environment for programming education in Nigeria

Smart learning environment (SLE) has been researched to enhance teaching and learning by providing personalised learning, quick feedback, motivation and learning support. This study discusses the features of SLE that are relevant to programming education and the general design features for developing SLEs. In addition, the study provides insights into the level of awareness and use of the SLE for programming education in the Nigerian higher education institutions (HEIs). In this study, mixed research method was employed to conduct a survey among the teachers and students of computer science at HEI in Nigeria. Data were collected through questionnaire and interview instruments. The study showed that the students and teachers have no experience of SLEs but indicate strong willingness to embrace the use of the SLE for programming education. Besides, tentative features of SLE such as learning guides, personalised learning, quick feedback mechanisms, and automatic task scheduling were identified and presented.

Phase III Preclinical Trials in Translational Stroke Research: Community Response on Framework and Guidelines.

The multicenter phase III preclinical trial concept is currently discussed to enhance the predictive value of preclinical stroke research. After public announcement, we collected a community feedback on the concept with emphasis on potential design features and guidelines by an anonymous survey. Response analysis was conducted after plausibility checks by applying qualitative and quantitative measures. Most respondents supported the concept, including the implementation of a centralized steering committee. Based on received feedback, we suggest careful, stepwise implementation and to leave selected competencies and endpoint analysis at the discretion of participating centers. Strict application of quality assurance methods is accepted, but should be harmonized. However, received responses also indicate that the application of particular quality assurance models may require more attention throughout the community. Interestingly, clear and pragmatic preferences were given regarding publication and financing, suggesting the establishing of writing committees similar to large-scale clinical trials and global funding resources for financial support. The broad acceptance among research community encourages phase III preclinical trial implementation.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s12975-016-0474-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The New Approach to Design Features Identification

In this paper a new solution for design features identification is show. The proposed method is based on manual arbitral identification of the potential design features. Application of this method allows identifying a set of design features which can be used for a design modelling in CAD system. As a result of application of the proposed method a user is able to identify the set of design features. This set can be next applied in the process of design production preparation subsystem formation at the stage of design feature library creation.

Inosine to Increase Serum and Cerebrospinal Fluid Urate in Parkinson Disease

Convergent biological, epidemiological, and clinical data identified urate elevation as a candidate strategy for slowing disability progression in Parkinson disease (PD). To determine the safety, tolerability, and urate-elevating capability of the urate precursor inosine in early PD and to assess its suitability and potential design features for a disease-modification trial. The Safety of Urate Elevation in PD (SURE-PD) study, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging trial of inosine, enrolled participants from 2009 to 2011 and followed them for up to 25 months at outpatient visits to 17 credentialed clinical study sites of the Parkinson Study Group across the United States. Seventy-five consenting adults (mean age, 62 years; 55% women) with early PD not yet requiring symptomatic treatment and a serum urate concentration less than 6 mg/dL (the approximate population median) were enrolled. Participants were randomized to 1 of 3 treatment arms: placebo or inosine titrated to produce mild (6.1-7.0 mg/dL) or moderate (7.1-8.0 mg/dL) serum urate elevation using 500-mg capsules taken orally up to 2 capsules 3 times per day. They were followed for up to 24 months (median, 18 months) while receiving the study drug plus 1 washout month. The prespecified primary outcomes were absence of unacceptable serious adverse events (safety), continued treatment without adverse event requiring dose reduction (tolerability), and elevation of urate assessed serially in serum and once (at 3 months) in cerebrospinal fluid. RESULTS Serious adverse events (17), including infrequent cardiovascular events, occurred at the same or lower rates in the inosine groups relative to placebo. No participant developed gout and 3 receiving inosine developed symptomatic urolithiasis. Treatment was tolerated by 95% of participants at 6 months, and no participant withdrew because of an adverse event. Serum urate rose by 2.3 and 3.0 mg/dL in the 2 inosine groups (P < .001 for each) vs placebo, and cerebrospinal fluid urate level was greater in both inosine groups (P = .006 and <.001, respectively). Secondary analyses demonstrated nonfutility of inosine treatment for slowing disability. Inosine was generally safe, tolerable, and effective in raising serum and cerebrospinal fluid urate levels in early PD. The findings support advancing to more definitive development of inosine as a potential disease-modifying therapy for PD. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00833690.

Attractive Women Want it All: Good Genes, Economic Investment, Parenting Proclivities, and Emotional Commitment

The current research tests the hypothesis that women have an evolved mate value calibration adaptation that functions to raise or lower their standards in a long-term mate according to their own mate value. A woman's physical attractiveness is a cardinal component of women's mate value. We correlated observer-assessed physical attractiveness (face, body, and overall) with expressed preferences for four clusters of mate characteristics ( N = 214): (1) hypothesized good-gene indicators (e.g., masculinity, sexiness); (2) hypothesized good investment indicators (e.g., potential income); (3) good parenting indicators (e.g., desire for home and children), and (4) good partner indicators (e.g., being a loving partner). Results supported the hypothesis that high mate value women, as indexed by observer-judged physical attractiveness, expressed elevated standards for all four clusters of mate characteristics. Discussion focuses on potential design features of the hypothesized mate-value calibration adaptation, and suggests an important modification of the trade-off model of women's mating. A minority of women—notably those low in mate value who are able to escape male mate guarding and the manifold costs of an exposed infidelity—will pursue a mixed mating strategy, obtaining investment from one man and good genes from an extra-pair copulation partner (as the trade-off model predicts). Since the vast majority of women secure genes and direct benefits from the same man, however, most women will attempt to secure the best combination of all desired qualities from the same man.

Matrix Screening of Substituted N-Aryl-1,8-naphthalimides Reveals New Dual Fluorescent Dyes and Unusually Bright Pyridine Derivatives

A 3 x 14 matrix of substituted N-aryl-1,8-naphthalimides was synthesized for the evaluation and discovery of dual fluorescence. Because of their unique photophysical properties, these dual fluorescent systems represent an exception to the widely studied TICT (Twisted Internal Charge Transfer) fluorescent dyes or tautomeric benzofluorescein class of two-color dyes. The matrix library was designed to investigate the effects of heterocycles, particularly pi-excessive and pi-deficient systems. Of the 42 compounds surveyed, five displayed well-resolved two-color emission in solvents as nonpolar as hexane. Based on the observed trends in fluorescence lambda(max) and quantum yield, a new model is proposed that predicts LW and SW emission for these systems. In addition, this model provides potential design features for the synthesis of new dual fluorescent species.