Speedy Delivery Research Articles

Roads at risk: traffic detours from debris flows in southern Norway

Abstract. Globalisation and interregional exchange of people, goods, and services has boosted the importance of and reliance on all kinds of transport networks. The linear structure of road networks is especially sensitive to natural hazards. In southern Norway, steep topography and extreme weather events promote frequent traffic disruption caused by debris flows. Topographic susceptibility and trigger frequency maps serve as input into a hazard appraisal at the scale of first-order catchments to quantify the impact of debris flows on the road network in terms of a failure likelihood of each link connecting two network vertices, e.g. road junctions. We compute total additional traffic loads as a function of traffic volume and excess distance, i.e. the extra length of an alternative path connecting two previously disrupted network vertices using a shortest-path algorithm. Our risk metric of link failure is the total additional annual traffic load, expressed as vehicle kilometres, because of debris-flow-related road closures. We present two scenarios demonstrating the impact of debris flows on the road network and quantify the associated path-failure likelihood between major cities in southern Norway. The scenarios indicate that major routes crossing the central and north-western part of the study area are associated with high link-failure risk. Yet options for detours on major routes are manifold and incur only little additional costs provided that drivers are sufficiently well informed about road closures. Our risk estimates may be of importance to road network managers and transport companies relying on speedy delivery of services and goods.

A strategic framework for good governance through e-governance optimization

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to attempt to find out whether the new information and communication technologies can make a significant contribution to the achievement of the objective of good governance. The study identifies the factors responsible for creating a conducive environment for effective and successful implementation of e-governance for achieving good governance and the possible barriers in the implementation of e governance applications. Based on the comprehensive analysis it proposes a strategic policy framework for good governance in Punjab in India. Punjab is a developed state ranked amongst some of the top states of India in terms of per capita income and infrastructure.Design/methodology/approach– The study designs a framework for good governance by getting the shared vision of all stakeholders about providing good quality administration and governance in the Indian context through “Participatory Stakeholder Assessment”. The study uses descriptive statistics, perception gap, ANOVA and factor analysis to identify the key factors for good governance, the priorities of public regarding e-services, the policy makers’ perspectives regarding good governance to be achieved through e-governance.Findings– The study captures the good governance factors mainly contributing to the shared vision. The study further highlights that most Indian citizens in Punjab today believe in the power of information and communication technology (ICT) and want to access e-governance services. Major factors causing pain and harassment to the citizens in getting the services from various government departments include: unreasonable delay, multiple visits even for small services; poor public infrastructure and its maintenance in government offices. In the understanding of citizens the most important factors for the success of e-governance services are: overall convenience and experience of the citizens; reduction in the corruption levels by improvement in the transparency of government functioning and awareness about the availability of service amongst general masses.Originality/value– The present study has evolved a shared vision of all stakeholders on good governance in the Indian context. It has opened up many new possibilities for the governments, not only to use ICTs and help them in prioritizing the governance areas for focused attention, but also help to understand the mindset of the modern citizenry, their priorities and what they consider as good governance. The study will help policy makers focus on these factors for enhancing speedy delivery of prioritized services and promote good governance in developing countries similar to India.

Role of Tendering Process on Performance of Public Institutions: A Case Study of Nakuru County Government

The purpose of the study was to determine the role of tendering process on performance of public institutions. The study was guided by the following specific objectives. To assess the role of transparency resulting from tendering process on the performance of public institutions, to establish the role of accountability resulting from tendering process on the performance of public institutions, to find out the role of quality resulting from tendering process on the performance of public institutions, to determine the role of lead time resulting from tendering process on the performance of public institution. A case study design was adopted for the study. The study targeted 43 procurement officers from 10 ministries in Nakuru County Headquarters. Census technique was applied. Questionnaires were used to collect data. Data analysis was done using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed that the level of transparency in the county government was good. They further revealed that transparency reduced corruption during tendering process hence resulting to enhanced performance in public institutions. Further the researcher found out that Public administration on tendering process leads to accountability during the tendering process and hence positive performance of public institutions. The research findings also revealed that high lead time variability due to tendering was a major reason for the institutions inability to achieve inventory goals and hence affecting the performance of public institutions negatively. Based on the findings, the researcher recommended that the organization employees to be more transparent in the tendering process, the organization puts in place measures to enhance transparency during the process and also to minimize lead time to enhance the speedy delivery in the organization and thus enhance overall organization performance of the organization. The researcher recommended a further research to be carried out on the role played of other alternative procurement methods on performance of public institutions. Further studies should be conducted on the critical success factors of tendering in public institutions.

Under the Radar: Airborne Arms Trafficking Operations in Africa

Airborne illicit arms traffickers from the former Soviet space are resourceful and adaptable international criminals who have built complex air trafficking networks by successfully cultivating strategic connections in a number of geographically distant states. This paper examines the airborne arms trafficking operations of networks from former Soviet states which transfer weapons and ammunition to areas of conflict in Africa, embargoed African states, or those descending into conflict. As such, these arms traffickers brazenly circumvent international regulations by obscuring their air cargo operations and securing impunity through subornation, fraud, and exploitation of lax regulations. Importantly, they rely on strategic connections in former Soviet states for a steady supply of arms, on states such as UAE for relaxed oversight and free trade zones for transit, product warehousing, and laundering of proceeds, and on carefully-cultivated connections with “big men” and/or local fixers in African states for speedy delivery and payment.

Multi-Velocity Energy-Efficient Reliable Routing Protocol for Coal Mine Monitoring

sensor network has been used in many real-time applications that require reliable and timely delivery of data. This paper presents a real-time communication protocol with data recovery at each hop level to guarantee reliability and also uses the latency of link to determine the shortest path and promises speedy delivery for wireless sensor networks. The proposed protocol provides services such as route discovery based on the reaching speed of the node, multipath forwarding using required reliability and data recovery in single hop. Simulation result shows that the proposed protocol significantly improves the effective capacity of a sensor network in terms of reliability and quickness. Moreover the protocol is highly responsive to the various error conditions experienced and adaptive to large-scale dynamic sensor networks. KeywordsSensor Networks, QoS, multispeed, reliable routing, energy efficiency

Speedy delivery makes rotational IMRT the technique of choice

Speedy delivery makes rotational IMRT the technique of choice

WE‐G‐108‐05: A Technique to Detect Dosimetric Errors as Low as 0.5% Arising From MLC Leaf Shifts in Rapid Arc

Purpose: RapidArc is a more complicated technique than fixed field IMRT both in terms of treatment planning and delivery. Due to its speedy delivery, RapidArc (RA) is becoming popular in the clinics. Previous work has shown that the detectors used to perform patient specific IMRT QA cannot detect MLC leaf position error induced dosimetric differences even large as 5.6%. We present a patient specific QA technique with the ability to detect MLC leaf error induced dosimetric errors as small as 0.5%. Methods: Dual arc RA plans were made for treatment of head and neck, gastrointestinal and spine cancers of 10 patients on a Trilogy unit. For each patient, four plans were created: i) clinically acceptable RA plan ii) RA plan with a single MLC leaf shifted for only three consecutive control points iii) delivered original plan recreated using linac log file measurements iv) delivered shifted plan recreated using linac log file measurements. Delivered plans were recreated using only MLC positional errors from linac log file measurements. The results were analyzed by comparing voxel by voxel 3D dose differences. To quantify the actual dose difference errors due to intentional MLC shifts, a comparison was performed between the shifted dose map and the original dose map. Results: Simulated MLC shifts gave rise to a trajectory of dose differences with maximum percentage dose differences mean (range) of 0.52 (0.31 – 0.80)%, while measurements from linac log files show a maximum percentage dose differences mean (range) of 0.56 (0.31 – 0.81)%. Maximum background percentage dose differences mean (range) were 0.19 (0.05 – 0.35)%. Measurement related 3D dose map had an average signal to noise ratio of 3.89 for the set of patients analyzed. Conclusion: Linac log file measurements provide the means to detect MLC shift induced dosimetric deviations as small as 0.5% from the prescription dose. UVA Radiation Oncology George Amarino Grants ‐ 2011

Nittsū’s Company History as a Guide to the Early Modern Origins of Japan’s Modern Communications

Historians of the future will no doubt focus on the transformative role of Internet-based communications as they have changed human interaction in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. The introduction of modern postal services in Japan and elsewhere in the nineteenth century produced effects no less profound: citizens were connected to each other and their governments by reliable and relatively speedy delivery of letters, newspapers, and parcels. Japan’s postal system was a great success, but the communications practices of the Japanese prior to the establishment of the post played an important role in that success. Courier services—the so-called hikyakuya—of the early modern period survived and ultimately became today’s Nippon Tsūun (Nittsū), and global logistical corporation. This article surveys the development of early modern Japanese communications, demonstrating the indispensible role that Nittsū’s company history plays in understanding that development.

A Novel Routing Protocol that Guarantees Swiftness and Reliability for Wireless Sensor Network

sensor network has been used in many real-time applications that require reliable and timely delivery of data. This paper presents a real-time communication protocol with data recovery at each hop level to guarantee reliability and also uses the latency of link to determine the shortest path and promises speedy delivery for wireless sensor networks. The proposed protocol provides services such as route discovery based on the reaching speed of the node, multipath forwarding using required reliability and data recovery in single hop. Simulation result shows that the proposed protocol significantly improves the effective capacity of a sensor network in terms of reliability and quickness. Moreover the protocol is highly responsive to the various error conditions experienced and adaptive to large-scale dynamic sensor networks.

Pretargeted Molecular Imaging and Radioimmunotherapy

Pretargeting is a multi-step process that first has an unlabeled bispecific antibody (bsMAb) localize within a tumor by virtue of its anti-tumor binding site(s) before administering a small, fast-clearing radiolabeled compound that then attaches to the other portion of the bsMAb. The compound's rapid clearance significantly reduces radiation exposure outside of the tumor and its small size permits speedy delivery to the tumor, creating excellent tumor/nontumor ratios in less than 1 hour. Haptens that bind to an anti-hapten antibody, biotin that binds to streptavidin, or an oligonucleotide binding to a complementary oligonucleotide sequence have all been radiolabeled for use by pretargeting. This review will focus on a highly flexible anti-hapten bsMAb platform that has been used to target a variety of radionuclides to image (SPECT and PET) as well as treat tumors.

Self‐Assembly of a Bifunctional DNA Carrier for Drug Delivery

Speedy delivery: A self-assembled bifunctional unit incorporates a DNA aptamer for target recognition (see picture, green helix) and a G-quadruplex for drug loading. The modified DNA selectively delivered a photosensitizer (red bars) to cancer cells; irradiation with visible light generated high toxicity.

Management of Waste in the Building Design Process: The Ghanaian Consultants' Perspective

Waste associated with building design is one of the causes of the high cost and slow progress of construction projects in Ghana. Proper management of waste at the design stage is therefore a fundamental step towards achieving speedy delivery of building projects at minimum cost. This paper seeks to examine the level of awareness of sources of waste and the application of waste reduction tools in the building design process by Ghanaian consultancy firms. Data on the design activities of the firms were collected by distributing questionnaires to consultants, while contractors and clients were interviewed. Involvement in various building design processes was also used to obtain data for the study. Results revealed a generally low recognition of sources of waste in the building design process and little awareness of waste reduction tools such as design structure matrix, batch size reduction and set-based design. It was also found that inadequate familiarity of the firms with lean thinking was among a number of limitations to the application of waste reduction tools in Ghana. This suggests that there is a need to improve the awareness of lean design management in both education and practice in Ghana.

Consumers' SKU choices in an online supermarket: a latent class approach

This study examines the effects of loyalty and e-marketing mix variables on the choices of online consumers at the stock-keeping-unit (SKU) level. Using a panel dataset from an online supermarket, we estimate a discrete choice model of a frequently purchased product; generate the refined smoothing constants of the loyalty variables for brand, size, and SKU; and adopt the latent class approach to address consumer heterogeneity. The findings suggest that SKU loyalty is a better predictor of consumer choices than brand and size loyalty. Although online consumers are not sensitive to the net prices of SKU alternatives, they are attracted to price promotions. While webpage display has little effect on SKU choices, speedy delivery has a positive impact. The latent class approach significantly improves model fitness and classification accuracy. Analysing consumer choices at the SKU level can help online supermarkets with promotion planning and inventory and distribution management to improve customer satisfaction and profitability.

가금류 음식에 대한 이용성향 및 만족도 평가에 관한 연구

Using patterns of poultry food and satisfaction for poultry specialty restaurants were examined based on the subjects in Seongnam area. In preference of poultry food, 62.5% answered “likeable” or “very likeable,” and only 5.0% answered “dislikeable” or “very dislikeable”. Among the subjects showing high preference the most favorable cooking methods were panbroiled (33.4%) and fried (29.9%). In preference of poultry food by seasons, the subjects preferred summer the best (62.5%), and the biggest reasons were taste (60.5%) and nutrition (20.7%) (The percentage of subjects who visited poultry specialty restaurants was 95.9%, and out of 61.0% answered that the price was “acceptable.” Satisfaction factors according to categories related to using poultry specialty restaurants were divided into 3 factors, factor 1 (service, speedy delivery, mood, sanitation), factor 2 (food amount, price), and factor 3 (taste, food styling). The total factors of the igen value was 62.24%. In analysis of correlation between satisfaction factors, the correlation between service and economics was rather high with .437. It could be seen that satisfaction toward food raises the preference for poultry food, and economics brings negative influence toward the preference.

Automated trade‐off between time and cost in planning repetitive construction projects

An automated model is developed to support the optimization of the planning and scheduling of repetitive construction projects. The model provides the capability of optimizing two important objectives commonly sought in scheduling repetitive construction projects: minimizing project duration; and minimizing project cost. The model performs this multi‐objective optimization using a genetic algorithm approach. The output of the model is a set of optimal solutions that represent the trade‐off between time and cost in planning repetitive construction projects. Furthermore, the model can be utilized to find a single scheduling solution that provides the minimum overall project cost by simply adding project indirect cost to the obtained project direct cost for each of the obtained scheduling solutions on the Pareto optimal curve. Other important time‐related costs are also considered in the model including: early completion incentives, late completion penalties and lane rental costs. Providing the planners of repetitive construction projects with an automated set of optimal time–cost trade‐off solutions should contribute to cost‐effective and speedy delivery of this type of construction project. An application example is analysed to illustrate the use of the model and demonstrate its capabilities in generating optimal trade‐off solutions between minimizing the project time and cost for repetitive construction projects.

Speedy delivery

In this article, we address the overhead hoist transport allocation and dispatching (OHTAD) problem in large-scale, 300-mm automated material handling system (AMHS) management. We propose a simulation-based, two-phase approach to solve the problem. At first, a discrete-event simulation model is built for each OHT loop. Without considering the OHT service requirements, the best OHT dispatching policy that efficiently controls OHT transports is selected among several OHT dispatching rules. For a given set of service requirements to an OHT loop, the required number of OHT vehicles in the loop can be calculated from the simulation results of this loop. However, as the total number of OHT vehicles in the fab is limited, the optimal number of OHT vehicles for each loop is then determined by leveraging the total requirements on OHT services from all the other loops. Our OHTAD objective is twofold: to meet the transport requirements of throughputs and to minimize carrier delivery times.

Recent advances in semiconductor factory automation, part 2: equipment-level automation

This is the second of two special issues that reports some recent research results and industrial applications of semiconductor factory automation technologies with an emphasis on new trends and innovations. The two issues are the result of an effort made by the Technical Committee on Semiconductor Factory Automation. See the Web site at http://tc-sfa.ee.ntou.edu. tw for more information about this technical committee. The current issue focuses on equipmentlevel automation. “Scenario Normalization Techniques,” by Chung and Jeng, addresses the scenario normalization procedure for inline steppers (ILSs) and its implementation. The sequence diagram is used to highlight the operation details at the equipment level for modeling the operational scenarios of the stepper and track. Then, the overall operational scenarios are checked against the normalized operational flow to derive normalization rules, expressed in terms of “triggering rules,” before being implemented in an event-triggering programming platform as a coordinator between the equipment control system and the ILS. The design of an ILS coordinator for a real-world photolithographic cell controller is presented in detail. “Speedy Delivery,” by Liao and Fu, presents a simulation-based, two-phase approach for effective dynamic overhead hoist transport (OHT) allocation and dispatching in large-scale, 300-mm automated material handling systems (AMHS) management. Numerical results based on realistic data from a local 300-mm mass production fab demonstrate that this simulation-based, two-phase approach performs well both in minimizing the averages and variances of carrier delivery times as well as in achieving the target requirements. Joo and Lee, in the article “Virtual Control,” propose a virtual cluster tool for verifying a scheduler and a cluster tool controller. The authors explain the model architecture and modeling strategies. They also present the use of a formal model-based automatic error detection technique as well as experiences verifying a real cluster tool controller using the virtual cluster tool. Finally, we would like to thank all the authors for their contributions and the anonymous reviewers for helping improve the articles. We would also like to thank the editor-in-chief, Prof. Kimon P. Valavanis, for approving the two special issues and Ms. Rosalyn Snyder for great editorial assistance. H an d & b ac kg ro un d © C or bi s C or p. E le ct ro ni c ci rc ui t © D ig ita l S to ck , 1 99 6 F R O M T H E G U E S T E D I T O R S

A Mobile Phone Integrated Health Care Delivery System of Medical Images

With the growing computing capability of mobile phones, a handy mobile controller is developed for accessing the picture archiving and communication system (PACS) to enhance image management for clinicians with nearly no restriction in time and location using various wireless communication modes. The PACS is an integrated system for the distribution and archival of medical images that are acquired by different imaging modalities such as CT (computed tomography) scanners, CR (computed radiography) units, DR (digital radiography) units, US (ultrasonography) scanners, and MR (magnetic resonance) scanners. The mobile controller allows image management of the PACS including display, worklisting, query and retrieval of medical images in DICOM format. In this mobile system, a server program is developed in a PACS Web server which serves as an interface for client programs in the mobile phone and the enterprise PACS for image distribution in hospitals. The application processing is performed on the server side to reduce computational loading in the mobile device. The communication method of mobile phones can be adapted to multiple wireless environments in Hong Kong. This allows greater feasibility to accommodate the rapidly changing communication technology. No complicated computer hardware or software is necessary. Using a mobile phone embedded with the mobile controller client program, this system would serve as a tool for heath care and medical professionals to improve the efficiency of the health care services by speedy delivery of image information. This is particularly important in case of urgent consultation, and it allows health care workers better use of the time for patient care.

Membranes as messengers in T cell adhesion signaling.

Talin and RapL are components of molecular pathways that regulate the avidity of the integrin lymphocyte function-associated antigen 1 (LFA-1) for its ligand, intercellular adhesion molecule 1. In this review, we discuss recent advances in our understanding of LFA-1 affinity regulation and signaling and discuss a scenario for how Talin and Rap1 might act in synergy to achieve regulation of LFA-1 that is tailored to the specific functional requirements of different situations. Speedy delivery of signals may be crucial, and membrane trafficking from endosomes and the Golgi apparatus seem to be essential in delivering the messages from spatially segregated surface receptors.

Cerebral palsy--medicolegal aspects.

In 1862 William James Little, a London orthopaedic surgeon wrote: ‘The object of this communication is to show that the act of birth does occasionally imprint upon the nervous and muscular systems of the nascent infantile organism very serious and peculiar evils. Nearly twenty years ago... I showed that premature birth, difficult labours, mechanical injuries during parturition to head and neck, where life had been saved, convulsions following the act of birth, were apt to be succeeded by a determinate affection of limbs of new-born children, spastic rigidity from asphyxia neonatorum, and assimilated it to the trismus nascentium and the universal spastic rigidity sometimes produced at later periods of existence1.’ This condition was known as Little's disease until William Osler coined the term cerebral palsy in 1888. He too noted the association with difficult deliveries and with asphyxia requiring prolonged resuscitation2. In the 1890s Sigmund Freud was the first to recognize that antepartum and postpartum factors could cause a similar condition. He postulated that most cases arose from difficult birth but speculated that the birth difficulty might have been caused by some underlying condition2. The asphyxia theory was subsequently given impetus when research in monkeys showed that perinatal asphyxia could cause brain damage3. In the past 30 years, great increases in the use of fetal monitoring and caesarean section have been driven by the belief that early detection of asphyxia and speedy delivery will prevent brain damage. In parallel with these changes there has been an unprecedented rise in malpractice litigation. Surprisingly, over the same period the incidence of cerebral palsy in term infants has not changed4,5. This lack of impact prompted epidemiological studies which showed that asphyxia accounts for less than 10% of cases6. In 1999 an international consensus statement was published to provide an agreed reference for use by the courts and expert witnesses in birth injury litigation7. The intention was to provide a template that could be modified as new knowledge became available8.