bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A comparison of two distributed large-volume measurement systems: The mobile spatial co-ordinate measuring system and the indoor global positioning system
Authors: Maisano D A , Jamshidi J , Franceschini F , Maropoulos P G , Mastrogiacomo L , Mileham A R , Owen G W
Published: February 2009

Advances in the area of industrial metrology have generated new technologies that are capable of measuring components with complex geometry and large dimensions. However, no standard or best-practice guides are available for the majority of such systems. Therefore, these new systems require appropriate testing and verification in order for the users to understand their full potential prior to their deployment in a real manufacturing environment. This is a crucial stage, especially when more than one system can be used for a specific measurement task. In this paper, two relatively new large-volume measurement systems, the mobile spatial co-ordinate measuring system (MScMS) and the indoor global positioning system (iGPS), are reviewed. These two systems utilize different technologies: the MScMS is based on ultrasound and radiofrequency signal transmission and the iGPS uses laser technology. Both systems have components with small dimensions that are distributed around the measuring area to form a network of sensors allowing rapid dimensional measurements to be performed in relation to large-size objects, with typical dimensions of several decametres. The portability, reconfigurability, and ease of installation make these systems attractive for many industries that manufacture large-scale products. In this paper, the major technical aspects of the two systems are briefly described and compared. Initial results of the tests performed to establish the repeatability and reproducibility of these systems are also presented.
Feasibility study of using acoustic signals for online monitoring of the depth of weld in the laser welding of high-strength steels
Authors: Huang W , Kovacevic R
Published: February 2009

It is a trend to use high-strength steels in the automobile industry because of their good formability, weldability, and high strength—volume ratio. In order to achieve quality control, it is necessary to monitor the welding process online. In this paper, acoustic signals generated during the laser welding process of high-strength steel DP980 were recorded and analysed. A microphone was used to acquire the acoustic signals. A spectral subtraction method was used to reduce the noise in the acoustic signals, and a Welch—Bartlett power spectrum density estimation method was used to analyse the frequency characteristics of the acoustic signals. The results indicate that good welds with full penetration (FP) could be clearly distinguished from bad welds with partial penetration (PP). An algorithm based on the different sound pressures between FP and PP was developed to identify the penetration state in the time domain. Another algorithm based on the different frequency characteristics from 500 to 1500 Hz between FP and PP was also developed to differentiate the penetration state. The results show that these two algorithms can effectively distinguish FP from PP. In addition, the mechanisms of the different characteristics of the acoustic signal generated from different penetration depths and modes were also analysed and discussed. This study shows that it is feasible to use acoustic signals to achieve online monitoring of the penetration states during the laser welding of high-strength steel DP980 in a noisy environment by applying proper digital signal processing methods. The acquired acoustic signal could be used as a feedback signal to control the depth of weld penetration in the laser welding process.
Development of a method to compute the kingpin axis using screw axis theory based on suspension-parameter-measuring device data
Authors: Heo J-H , Lee U-K , Lee S-H
Published: February 2009

Kingpin geometry is one of the most important design features in vehicle development, as it determines the steering feeling of drivers, the handling performance, and the steering stability of a vehicle.

The idea of a geometric kingpin axis has been used to design a relatively simple suspension mechanism such as a double-wishbone type, and various techniques have been developed to design the kingpin axis of multi-link suspensions. However, a kingpin axis for a real vehicle has been unknown so far because there has been no method to measure or compute it.

This paper presents the development of a method to compute the kingpin axis of a vehicle using screw theory and suspension-parameter-measuring device (SPMD) data. SPMD data, such as the wheel centre displacement, toe, camber, and side view angles, are used to derive the finite displacement matrix of the wheel. The finite screw axis is computed on the basis of the displacement matrix, and its compatibility with the kingpin axis is verified by an in-house kinematic analysis program and ADAMS/Car.

The result of the finite screw axis method (FSAM) is also verified indirectly by comparing suspension parameters such as the caster trail with the SPMD test result. Both verification results show that the FSAM can successfully compute the kingpin axis of a real vehicle.
Numerical studies on the mixing characteristics of exhaust gas recirculation gases with air, and their dependence on system geometries in four-cylinder engine applications
Authors: Kim J N , Kim H Y , Yoon S S , Sohn J H , Kim C R
Published: February 2009

To achieve low nitrogen oxide (NO x) emissions and combustion reliability, the variation in the geometry of the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system should be optimized. However, the layout process essentially fixes the position of a conventional EGR system, and modifying the intake manifold geometry tends to be economically unjustifiable for a commercial engine. In the present study, two types of EGR system, namely ‘linked single’ and ‘individual’ EGR systems, are proposed and their performances are evaluated numerically. Parametric studies were performed using a three-dimensional numerical model to assess the mixing uniformity of the intake air and EGR gases. The distribution of the mixed gases into the four runners, which force the mixed gases into the four combustion cylinders, is predicted. Three different geometries of the EGR system are considered: single, side-feed individual, and top-feed individual configurations. These geometries reflect the means by which the EGR gases are supplied into the four cylinders. These three configurations are called cases A, B, and C respectively, and their corresponding detailed geometries are identified as A1 to A9, B1 to B17, and C1 to C10, which give a total of 36 computational runs. It was found that case A5 with a hole angle of 60° yielded the most optimal operating mixing and distribution condition. In general, the single systems were found to be superior to the individual systems, among which the top-feed system tended to be slightly more advantageous for mixing than the side-feed individual system owing to the symmetric supply of the top-feed system. The flow of the throttle-valve system, which controls the mass flowrate of the intake air, was used as the validation case; Hyundai-Kia Motor Co. provided the experimental data, which were compared with the computational results.
Analysis of piston secondary motion considering the variation in the system inertia
Authors: Zhang Z , Xie Y , Zhang X , Meng X
Published: February 2009

The secondary motion of a piston has a significant impact on the performance and reliability of an internal combustion engine. However, the variation in the system inertia, namely the variable inertia of the piston—connecting-rod—crankshaft mechanism due to the change in their positions relative to the crankshaft axis, has been neglected in most studies on piston secondary motion. A novel mathematical model is developed for piston—connecting-rod—crankshaft dynamics by taking the variation in the system inertia into consideration. Then a coupling model of the piston secondary dynamics and the fluid dynamic lubrication is built. The simulations show that the variation in the system inertia influences the piston secondary motion and piston side force, and that the piston side force plays an important role in determining the piston lateral motion. Results also show that the engine speed and the centre-of-mass (COM) positions of the connecting rod have considerable effect on the piston secondary motion. The analysis of the COM positions can be employed to optimize the design of the connecting rod.
Relating the cetane number of biodiesel fuels to their fatty acid composition: A critical study
Authors: Gopinath A , Puhan S , Nagarajan G
Published: February 2009

The cetane number is one of the most significant properties to specify the ignition quality of a fuel for use in a diesel engine. The cetane number of biodiesel fuels is considerably influenced by their fatty acid methyl ester composition. The determination of cetane number of biodiesel is an expensive and time-consuming process. The objective of the present work is to predict the cetane numbers of different biodiesels using their fatty acid ester composition. Fifteen different biodiesel (including three blends) fuels were prepared and their cetane numbers were experimentally measured. An extensive literature review was made and the measured cetane numbers were compared with the reported values. To predict the cetane numbers of biodiesel fuels from their fatty acid methyl ester composition, a multiple linear regression model was developed. The cetane numbers and fatty acid compositions of 57 biodiesel fuels and 7 pure fatty acid methyl esters from the available literature were given as inputs. The experimentally measured cetane numbers and fatty acid compositions of four biodiesel fuels were also given as inputs to develop the regression model. The regression model has yielded an R2 value of 0.953 and a standard deviation of 2.271. The predicted cetane numbers are comparable with the experimentally measured cetane numbers. The maximum prediction error from the present model was found to be 8 per cent. Similarly, the present model was compared with the available litrature models. The maximum prediction error from the literature models was found to be 15 per cent. The present model also shows a good agreement with the measured cetane numbers.
Evidence-based medicine practice in Africa: is it feasible?
Authors: Chica Humphrey Okechi , Okello Emmy
Published: February 2009

Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is slowly transforming medical practice in the developed world by allowing physicians to use valid, systematically reviewed medical evidence in their daily routine. This letter explores the applicability of EBM and its potential to improve medical practice in developing countries.
Skilled attendance at delivery: who or where?
Authors: Ekele Bissallah
Published: February 2009

The third United Nations Process Indicator for emergency obstetric care is the proportion of all births that take place in maternity or obstetric facilities. This is in conflict with the concept of skilled attendance at delivery. Here, a case is made for emphasis to be on who conducts the delivery and not necessarily where.
Burden of cryptococcal meningitis in Malawi
Authors: Makombe Simon D , Nkhata Amon , Schouten Erik J , Kamoto Kelita , Harries Anthony D
Published: February 2009

There is little information about the national burden of cryptococcal meningitis (CM) in African countries affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. From April 2005 onwards, we used national supervision visits of all health facilities that provided antiretroviral therapy to collect data on the number of new patients diagnosed and treated for CM in the previous quarters – using mainly fluconazole registers. For two 12-month reporting periods, there were 2125 and 2464 patients suffering from CM, giving an estimated annual incidence of 2.2% and 2.6%, respectively, of those infected with HIV in Malawi. Between 40–50% of all patients with CM were diagnosed and treated at central hospitals; no more than 1% were diagnosed and treated at smaller antiretroviral therapy sites. These data are useful for quantifying the need for better diagnostic reagents and antifungal drugs.
Conservative management of subacute puerperal inversion of uterus
Authors: Chandra J A , Zahra F , Qureshi S
Published: February 2009

Subacute puerperal inversion of the uterus is preferably managed by surgery. Conservative management by Aveling's repositor or vaginal packing was cumbersome and took long. However, a long surgery scar over the uterus carries a high risk of uterine rupture in the next pregnancy. A series of four village women with subacute puerperal inversion of the uterus were treated with vaginal packing. A twice-daily rigorous routine of dressing and packing of the uterus was followed, along with supportive treatment. The uterus was raised high in the pelvis so as to stretch the round ligaments, which then slowly pulled out the fundus in about a month. The vaginal packing method may be sincerely attempted in young women from remote areas, as this would reduce the riskof uterine rupture in the next pregnancy.
Improved assessment of child nutritional status using target weights and a novel, low-cost, weight-for height slide chart
Authors: Kerac Marko , Seal Andrew , Blencowe Hannah , Bunn James
Published: February 2009

Correctly identifying malnourished or at-risk children is the critical first step towards appropriate nutritional interventions. To improve weight-for-height assessment and classification of nutritional status, we present a novel, low-cost, weight-for-height slide chart. We also describe a target weight system for monitoring children's progress towards nutritional recovery.
A bizarre appearance of a common disease, tuberculous dactylitis, involving multiple digits in an adult
Authors: Chrispal Anugrah , Prabhakar T , Booruga Hari Kishan
Published: February 2009

Tuberculosis is a common illness in developing nations. Tuberculous dactylitis is an unusual manifestation of tuberculous osteomyelitis seen predominantly in children. A woman presented with painless, fusiform swelling of multiple digits of the hand. Synovial biopsy revealed granulomatous inflammation and the pus smear was positive foracid-fast bacilli. She underwent debridement of the involved digits and was initiated on antituberculous therapy. This is an unusual presentation of tuberculous dactylitis in an immunocompetent host which involved multiple digits in a single hand.
Audit of the use of sugar dressings for the control of wound odour at Lilongwe Central Hospital, Malawi
Authors: Chiwenga S , Dowlen Henry , Mannion Steve
Published: February 2009

Seventy-one patients with malodorous, painful wounds were treated with sugar dressings in Lilongwe Hospital, Malawi, to assess the effects of such dressings on diminishing pain and odour. Pain and odour were assessed at the beginning of dressing application and then at frequent intervals. Mean patient odour scores reduced from 5.45 (out of 10) on application to 2.94 at 10 days, and mean patient discomfort scores reduced from 6.73 on application to 3.87 at 10 days. This very cheap treatment produced reproducible benefits as part of an appropriate protocol for use in developing world hospitals with limited resources and nursing care.
Is laparoscospic orchidectomy the treatment of choice in adults with impalpable testis in rural hospitals in the developing world?
Authors: Mir Iqbal Saleem , Mohsin Mir , Kirmani Omar , Cheachek Bashir A , Alam Intikhab , Wani Mumtazuddin
Published: February 2009

This study was undertaken in order to evaluate the feasibility and safety of performing laparoscopic orchidectomy (LO) in men for unilateral impalpable testis in non-teaching rural hospitals in a developing country. We also investigated the possibility of reducing the cost and length of stay in hospital for patients undergoing LO. This is a prospective analysis of patients with impalpable testis undergoing LO in three non-teaching rural hospitals in the Kashmir Valley from January 2001 to March 2007. The cohort represented men requiring LO aged 15 to 62 (mean 36.2) years. The main outcome parameters assessed included mortality, conversion to an open procedure, complications, reduction in the costs and the length of the hospital stay.

Forty-eight men with unilateral undescended testis on physical examination were studied. During laparoscopy the testis was identified near the deep ring in 30 patients, intra-abdominally in 16, and two had blind-ending vas and spermatic vessels near the deep ring. In 46 patients orchidectomy was performed. There were no deaths and none of the patients required conversion to an open procedure. Using reusable instruments, 00° polyglactin sutures and self-made extraction bags, about US$ 300/patient was saved. There was no case of malignancy of the testis on histopathology examination. LO is one of the most satisfactory methods for the management of men with impalpable testis, having both a diagnostic and a therapeutic role especially for patients in the underdeveloped countries. These simple methods can reduce the cost and the length of the hospital stay.
A randomised controlled trial comparing eusol and sugar as dressing agents in the treatment of traumatic wounds
Authors: Bajaj G , Karn N K , Shrestha B P , Kumar P , Singh Mahi Pal
Published: February 2009

We conducted a randomized controlled trial comparing EUSOL (Edinburgh University Solution of Lime) and sugar as dressing agents in the treatment of traumatic wounds. Patients in both groups were matched forage and gender. We found EUSOL did better than sugar in terms of contraction of size of wound, presence of discharge, floor area covered with slough, formation of healthy granulation and early possibility of wound coverage.
Using Lagrangian Relaxation to Compute Capacity-Dependent Bid Prices in Network Revenue Management
Authors: Topaloglu Huseyin
Published: February 2009

We propose a new method to compute bid prices in network revenue management problems. The novel aspect of our method is that it explicitly considers the temporal dynamics of the arrivals of the itinerary requests and generates bid prices that depend on the remaining leg capacities. Our method is based on relaxing certain constraints that link the decisions for different flight legs by associating Lagrange multipliers with them. In this case, the network revenue management problem decomposes by the flight legs, and we can concentrate on one flight leg at a time. When compared with the so-called deterministic linear program, we show that our method provides a tighter upper bound on the optimal objective value of the network revenue management problem. Computational experiments indicate that the bid prices obtained by our method perform significantly better than the ones obtained by standard benchmark methods.
Dynamic Hedging Under Jump Diffusion with Transaction Costs
Authors: Kennedy J. S. , Forsyth P. A. , Vetzal K. R.
Published: February 2009

If the price of an asset follows a jump diffusion process, the market is in general incomplete. In this case, hedging a contingent claim written on the asset is not a trivial matter, and other instruments besides the underlying must be used to hedge in order to provide adequate protection against jump risk. We devise a dynamic hedging strategy that uses a hedge portfolio consisting of the underlying asset and liquidly traded options, where transaction costs are assumed present due to a relative bid-ask spread. At each rebalance time, the hedge weights are chosen to simultaneously (i) eliminate the instantaneous diffusion risk by imposing delta neutrality, and (ii) minimize an objective that is a linear combination of a jump risk and transaction cost penalty function. Because reducing the jump risk is a competing goal vis-à-vis controlling for transaction cost, the respective components in the objective must be appropriately weighted. Hedging simulations of this procedure are carried out, and our results indicate that the proposed dynamic hedging strategy provides sufficient protection against the diffusion and jump risk while not incurring large transaction costs.
An Exact Solution Approach for Portfolio Optimization Problems Under Stochastic and Integer Constraints
Authors: Bonami P. , Lejeune M. A.
Published: February 2009

In this paper, we study extensions of the classical Markowitz mean-variance portfolio optimization model. First, we consider that the expected asset returns are stochastic by introducing a probabilistic constraint, which imposes that the expected return of the constructed portfolio must exceed a prescribed return threshold with a high confidence level. We study the deterministic equivalents of these models. In particular, we define under which types of probability distributions the deterministic equivalents are second-order cone programs and give closed-form formulations. Second, we account for real-world trading constraints (such as the need to diversify the investments in a number of industrial sectors, the nonprofitability of holding small positions, and the constraint of buying stocks by lots) modeled with integer variables. To solve the resulting problems, we propose an exact solution approach in which the uncertainty in the estimate of the expected returns and the integer trading restrictions are simultaneously considered. The proposed algorithmic approach rests on a nonlinear branch-and-bound algorithm that features two new branching rules. The first one is a static rule, called idiosyncratic risk branching, while the second one is dynamic and is called portfolio risk branching. The two branching rules are implemented and tested using the open-source Bonmin framework. The comparison of the computational results obtained with state-of-the-art MINLP solvers (MINLP_BB and CPLEX) and with our approach shows the effectiveness of the latter, which permits to solve to optimality problems with up to 200 assets in a reasonable amount of time. The practicality of the approach is illustrated through its use for the construction of four fund-of-funds now available on the major trading markets.
Technical Note—A Note on “The Censored Newsvendor and the Optimal Acquisition of Information”
Authors: Bensoussan Alain , Çakanyıldırım Metin , Sethi Suresh P.
Published: February 2009

This paper revisits the finite-horizon model of a censored newsvendor by Ding et al. [Ding, X., M. L. Puterman, A. Bisi. 2002. The censored newsvendor and the optimal acquisition of information. Oper. Res. 50 517–527]. An important result claimed there without a proper proof is that the myopic order quantity is always less than or equal to the optimal order quantity. Lu et al. [Lu, X., J. S. Song, K. Zhu. 2008. Analysis of perishable inventory systems with censored demand data. Oper. Res. 56(4) 1034–1038.] supplied a correct proof of the result. We analyze the same model using the interesting concept of the unnormalized probability, which simplifies the dynamic programming equation considerably and facilitates the proof of the claim. Moreover, it produces the proof of the existence of an optimal solution for an infinite-horizon setting of the problem.
Subsidiary use of Foreign Marketing Knowledge
Authors: Roth Martin S. , Jayachandran Satish , Dakhli Mourad , Colton Deborah A.
Published: February 2009

A source of potentially valuable knowledge in multinational enterprises is foreign marketing knowledge—that is, knowledge from one country unit that may offer value and competitive advantage to marketing managers in other country units. This article builds on marketing and management knowledge transfer research to further understand both the conditions under which one subsidiary uses external knowledge from another subsidiary and the outcomes of such use in the subsidiary's market. Using the theory of value creation and appropriation and field interviews with headquarter and subsidiary marketing managers, the authors develop a model and research propositions of the enabling, motivating, and perceiving conditions that affect foreign marketing knowledge use and subsequent effects on marketing program effectiveness and efficiency, organization identification, and intellectual capital in subsidiaries of multinational enterprises.
Cosmopolitanism, Consumer Ethnocentrism, and Materialism: An Eight-Country Study of Antecedents and Outcomes
Authors: Cleveland Mark , Laroche Michel , Papadopoulos Nicolas
Published: February 2009

Although there is a consensus that industries are globalizing, the notion that consumer attitudes and behaviors worldwide are likewise homogenizing remains disputed. Despite widespread discourse on this topic, there is a dearth of empirical investigations. This international research examines similarities and differences with respect to the nature of three consumer attitudinal dispositions: cosmopolitanism, consumer ethnocentrism, and materialism. The authors cross-culturally compare demographic antecedents with these dispositions, as well as behavioral outcomes. They test the validation of the construct measures and associated hypotheses using survey data drawn from consumers in eight countries and structural equation modeling techniques, including multigroup analysis. Empirical findings broadly support the cross-cultural applicability of the constructs, though the links to the various demographic antecedents vary considerably from sample to sample. The role of each construct on behavior also varies substantially across the range of product categories considered and across and between national groups.
Practices and Performance of Small Retail Stores in Developing Economies
Authors: Lenartowicz Tomasz , Balasubramanian Sridhar
Published: February 2009

As multinational corporations have expanded beyond the borders of developed economies and into fast-growing developing regions of the world, they have struggled to understand and manage a retail format that is dominant in many of those economies—the small retailer. The authors first synthesize existing literature on the phenomenon of small retailing to deliver a macro perspective of this retail format and its evolution. Then, they delve deeper into an urban market in a developing economy and provide an empirical illustration that sheds light on the decision-making processes of the small retailers and their operational performance. This yields a complementary micro perspective of the phenomenon that has been absent in the literature. The analysis provides insights into how firms that enter markets in developing economies can manage and profit from this important but frequently overlooked distribution format.
Conjoining International Marketing and Relationship Marketing: Exploring Consumers’ Cross-Border Service Relationships
Authors: Nijssen Edwin J. , van Herk Hester
Published: February 2009

Research on international marketing constructs, such as consumer ethnocentrism and country-of-origin effects, typically focuses on consumers’ initial evaluations of foreign products but ignores consumers’ emerging cross-border exchange relationships with foreign service providers. The influence of international marketing constructs on the development of these relationships also seems to be largely ignored. The authors call for new research on cross-border service relationships and integration of relationship marketing with international marketing models. They introduce an exploratory test and develop a research agenda that identifies several avenues for further research. The empirical test involves a study of German consumers who regularly cross the German–Dutch border to attend to their accounts with a foreign (i.e., Dutch) bank. Loyalty to the foreign financial service provider may be explained using substantive relational antecedents, such as satisfaction, trust, and value, and international marketing antecedents, such as consumer ethnocentrism and consumer beliefs about the industry. The results show that the international variables complement the relationship model. The authors discuss the managerial and research implications and provide avenues for further research.
Demarketing, Minorities, and National Attachment
Authors: Grinstein Amir , Nisan Udi
Published: February 2009

This study addresses two important global trends: protection of public goods, specifically the environment, and the emergence of multiethnic societies with influential minority groups. The study tests the effect of a government proenvironmental demarketing campaign on the deconsumption behavior of minority groups and the majority population. It suggests that minority consumers use consumption or deconsumption to manifest their social identity, beliefs, and goals as minorities in relation to the majority and that their motivation to respond positively to a government's demarketing campaign is shaped by their national attachment levels. The study was conducted in Jerusalem, Israel, and involved a large data set (N = 66,272) containing household-level data on actual behavior of consumers. The studied groups invovled the majority of non-ultra-Orthodox Jews and three minority groups: Israeli Arabs, ultra-Orthodox Jews, and Jewish Russian immigrants. The findings show that in a proenvironmental context, government demarketing is more effective on the majority group than on any of the three minority groups. In addition, minority groups with lower national attachment levels respond more negatively to the demarketing effort. However, higher education levels lead to a more positive response across the majority and minority groups. A central implication of the findings is related to the benefits derived from demarketing for different consumer groups (majorities versus minorities based on religion, ethnicity, and immigration status). The findings also provide a benchmark for demarketing efforts in an environmental context. Finally, they suggest that policy makers and marketers should consider using demarketing more to complement regulatory and economic tools.
The Role of Leaders in Internal Marketing
Authors: Wieseke Jan , Ahearne Michael , Lam Son K. , van Dick Rolf
Published: February 2009

There is little empirical research on internal marketing despite its intuitive appeal and anecdotal accounts of its benefits. Adopting a social identity theory perspective, the authors propose that internal marketing is fundamentally a process in which leaders instill into followers a sense of oneness with the organization, formally known as “organizational identification” (OI). The authors test the OI-transfer research model in two multinational studies using multilevel and multisource data. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses show that the OI-transfer process takes place in the relationships between business unit managers and salespeople and between regional directors and business unit managers. Furthermore, both leader-follower dyadic tenure and charismatic leadership moderate this cascading effect. Leaders with a mismatch between their charisma and OI ultimately impair followers’ OI. In turn, customer-contact employees’ OI strongly predicts their sales performance. Finally, both employees’ and sales managers’ OI are positively related to their business units’ financial performance. The study provides empirical evidence for the role of leaders, especially middle managers, in building member identification that lays the foundation for internal marketing.
Distribution Network Redesign for Marketing Competitiveness
Authors: Shang Jennifer , Yildirim Tuba Pinar , Tadikamalla Pandu , Mittal Vikas , Brown Lawrence H.
Published: February 2009

This article reports on a marketing initiative at a pharmaceutical company to redesign its distribution network. Distribution affects a firm's cost and customer satisfaction and drives profitability. Using a nonlinear mixed-integer programming model, the authors develop a distribution network with a dual emphasis on minimizing the total distribution costs and improving the customer service levels. Specifically, they address the following issues: They (1) determine the optimal number of regional distribution centers the firm should operate with, (2) identify where in the United States the firm should locate these distribution centers, (3) allocate each retailer/customer distribution center to an appropriate regional distribution center, and (4) determine the total transportation costs and service level for each case. Finally, they conduct a sensitivity analysis to determine the impact of changes in problem parameters on the optimality of the proposed model. This marketing initiative at the studied firm reduced the total distribution costs by $1.99 million (6%) per year, while increasing the customer on-time delivery from 61.41% to 86.2%, an improvement of 40.4%.
Searching for Experience on the Web: An Empirical Examination of Consumer Behavior for Search and Experience Goods
Authors: Huang Peng , Lurie Nicholas H. , Mitra Sabyasachi
Published: February 2009

By lowering the costs of gathering and sharing information and offering new ways to learn about products before purchase, the Internet reduces traditional distinctions between search and experience goods. At the same time, differences in the type of information sought for search and experience goods can precipitate differences in the process through which consumers gather information and make decisions online. A preliminary experiment shows that though there are significant differences in consumers’ perceived ability to evaluate product quality before purchase between search and experience goods in traditional retail environments, these differences are blurred in online environments. An analysis of the online behavior of a representative sample of U.S. consumers shows that consumers spend similar amounts of time online gathering information for both search and experience goods, but there are important differences in the browsing and purchase behavior of consumers for these two types of goods. In particular, experience goods involve greater depth (time per page) and lower breadth (total number of pages) of search than search goods. In addition, free riding (purchasing from a retailer other than the primary source of product information) is less frequent for experience than for search goods. Finally, the presence of product reviews from other consumers and multimedia that enable consumers to interact with products before purchase has a greater effect on consumer search and purchase behavior for experience than for search goods.
Proactive Postsales Service: When and why does it Pay Off?
Authors: Challagalla Goutam , Venkatesh R. , Kohli Ajay K.
Published: February 2009

Proactive postsales service (PPS) refers to a supplier taking the initiative to contact a customer to provide service after a sale is complete. It is argued that PPS leads to faster delivery of service to a broader cross-section of customers than customer-initiated postsales service, or reactive postsales service. The authors argue that mental frames of customers and suppliers engaged in PPS are more positive and open than mental frames of those engaged in customer-initiated service. On the basis of nine focus groups with 94 managers in both business-to-business and business-to-consumer settings, the authors propose three main dimensions of PPS: (1) proactive prevention, (2) proactive education, and (3) proactive feedback seeking. They argue that PPS leads not only to favorable customer-level outcomes (e.g., customer satisfaction) but also to favorable supplier-level outcomes (e.g., greater innovativeness, new product success rate). The authors propose that the value of PPS varies depending on the product's life-cycle stage, its transaction extensiveness, and network externality. In addition, the value of PPS varies depending on a customer's usage intensity, openness to experience, and market mavenism. Some key challenges with PPS pertain to implementation issues, such as privacy intrusion, expectation escalation, user identification, and contact routinization. If neglected, these can result in PPS leading to negative rather than positive outcomes. The authors develop guidelines for addressing these challenges and implementing PPS effectively in both business-to-business and business-to-consumer contexts.
Precision performance at low levels and 99th percentile concentration of the Access® AccuTnI® assay on two different platforms
Authors: Zaninotto Martina , Mion Monica Maria , Novello Enrica , Moretti Marco , Delprete Ernesto , Rocchi Marco Bruno , Sisti Davide , Plebani Mario
Published: February 2009

: Cardiac troponins currently represent the preferred biomarkers for the detection of myocardial necrosis. The objective of the present study was to compare the performance of the Access

: The Access

: cTnI concentrations are given in μg/L. 10% CV values (95% confidence interval, CI) were 0.0577 (0.0467–0.0750) (UniCel

: Our data confirm the reliability of the evaluated cTnI assay and demonstrate the comparability of the cTnI values between the platforms studied.

Clin Chem Lab Med 2009;47:367–71.
A study of anthraquinone-fortified green liquor pretreatment of loblolly pine chips
Authors: Ban Weiping , Liu Qiujuan , Guo Jiqiang , Mao Haibo , Lucia Lucian A.
Published: February 2009

Green liquor (GL) pretreatment for kraft pulping technologies was modified by applying anthraquinone (AQ) during the pretreatment stage. Analysis of the pulp lignin contents and final pulp yields demonstrated that the addition of AQ improved delignification selectivity. A proposed mechanism for the behavior of AQ during the GL pretreatment is that it amplifies delignification rather than preserves hemicelluloses. An analysis of the pulp carboxylic acid groups indicated that AQ did not affect the total carboxylic acid content in the pulp, but provided a lower hexenuronic acid content at a specific level of lignin content. In general, green liquor pretreatment reduces the energy requirement for pulping and improves chemical reactivity during delignification. As a result, net pulping efficiency for a kraft pulping operation can be improved.
Radiation Effects on Molybdenum Alloys Bombarded by Electrons in a High-Voltage Electron Microscope
Authors: Igata N , Kohyama A , Itadani K
Published: February 2009

The objective of this study is to clarify the dislocation loop formation and the subsequent void swelling and also to reconsider the use of the high-voltage electron microscope (HVEM) as simulation study for neutron or other particle irradiation. In situ observation of damage processes in molybdenum carbon alloys was performed by HVEM in the temperature range between 300 and 1300 K with the dose level up to 10 displacements per atom (dpa). Dislocation loop density was observed as the function of irradiation temperature. Below 500 K the density was interpreted to mean that the nuclei for interstitial clusters are di-interstitials. Above 500 K, however the instability of the interstitial clusters was observed. The dislocation loop formation and the succeeding dislocation behavior were observed above 1000 K and four stages were observed. Void swelling was observed after the dislocation density reached steady state. The effect of the surface on dislocation behavior was found to be very important. The void swelling was proportional to the third power of irradiation time, similar to other irradiation data.
Response of Inconel 600 to Simulated Fusion Reactor Irradiation
Authors: Wiffen FW
Published: February 2009

Inconel 600 was irradiated in the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) to provide a partial simulation of fusion reactor service. Specimens were irradiated at 55 to 700&C to investigate swelling and postirradiation tensile properties as a function of irradiation and test temperatures under conditions of concurrent displacement damage and helium production. Helium contents from 600 to 1800 atomic parts per million (appm) and displacement levels of 4 to 9 displacements per atom (dpa) were achieved, and the results are used to estimate performance in a fusion reactor environment. The swelling was weakly dependent on temperature between 300 and 600&C, with swelling ranging from 0 to ∼ 1 percent, but increased rapidly above 600°C. The swelling values were much larger than expected from fast reactor and ion bombardment results. Cold-work was not effective in suppressing swelling of Inconel 600. Tensile property measurements and fractography on the same specimens showed strength values increased for irradiation at 55 to 400°C but decreased below unirradiated values for irradiations at 600 and 700°C. Elongation values were lowest at the temperature extremes. Total elongations below 1 percent were found only for irradiation and test temperatures of 600 and 700°C. The fractures were completely transgranular for specimens irradiated and tested at 300 and 400°C, of mixed mode but predominately intergranular at 500°C, and fully intergranular at 600 and 700°C. The results suggest that Inconel 600 does not offer any advantages over Type 316 stainless steel and does not warrant further development for fusion reactor application.
Effects of Bombarding Ions on the Void Swelling Profile in Nickel
Authors: Whitley JB , Kulcinski GL , Smith HV , Wilkes P
Published: February 2009

Specimens of high-purity nickel were irradiated with high-energy carbon and aluminum ions to study the effect on the void microstructure of using different bombarding species. The depth-dependent damage structure was determined by preparing the foils such that they could be viewed directly in cross section. These results were then compared with previous irradiations performed on identical material using self-ions. The swelling behavior observed in the end-of-range region for all specimens was similar, implying that impurities introduced by the ion beam do not strongly influence the swelling response of the material. The mass of the irradiating ions had no noticeable effect on the swelling values achieved for similar damage states, even though the recoil energy spectra produced by the various ions were different. Under aluminum ion irradiation, the void density passed through a maximum at a dose <2 displacements per atom (dpa) and then decreased continuously with increasing dose. Voids were also observed in all specimens at depths ≈15 percent beyond the predicted end-of-range effects.
A Reassessment of the Role of Stress in Development of Radiation-Induced Microstructure
Authors: Garner FA , Wolfer WG , Brager HR
Published: February 2009

Data are now accumulating which clearly demonstrate that the stress state plays a strong role in the development of void and dislocation microstructure in metals during neutron irradiation. In these experiments the application of a tensile biaxial stress state at constant fluence and temperature has been found to lead to a progressively decreasing metal density with increasing stress. The effect of stress on the concurrent development of voids, Frank interstitial loops, and dislocation networks has been studied with transmission electron microscopy. The results of these experiments clearly show that the densities of both Frank loops and voids are enhanced by a tensile stress field, with the relevant operating variable being the hydrostatic stress. More importantly it appears that any anisotropy in the stress field is reflected in a corresponding anisotropy that develops in the number of Frank loops that form on the various (111) planes. The loop density that develops on each plane exhibits a clear and direct dependence on the resolved normal stress component at each plane. Although the data from these experiments have been interpreted previously to support the existence of stress-assisted nucleation mechanisms for both loops and voids, further analysis has shown both of these explanations to be deficient in one or more respects, and both models have been replaced.

Whereas a previous analysis of these data invoked as the dominant process an effect of stress on the rate of thermal re-emission of vacancies by voids, this process has been found to be too slow at the temperature at which the experiments were conducted to account for the magnitude of the observed perturbation. The current model employs as the dominant process the effect of stress on changing the capture efficiency of voids for interstitials.

The stress-assisted nucleation model for Frank loops has been replaced with a stress-assisted growth model arising from the stress-induced preferential absorption (SIPA) mechanism of irradiation creep. Several previously unresolved problems arising from the earlier interpretation of the data set have been reconciled with the new model.

The current analysis of this data field yields two additional significant results that were not part of the original experimental objectives. For the first time the existence of the proposed SIPA mechanism of irradiation creep has been validated by a convincing microstructural record of its existence. The initially perplexing but consistent anisotropy of planar loop populations in the absence of externally applied stresses has also revealed the existence and magnitude of internal stresses generated in polycrystalline materials during irradiation.
An Empirical Evaluation of the Irradiation Sensitivity of Reactor Pressure Vessel Materials
Authors: Varsik JD , Byrne ST
Published: February 2009

There is a general consensus that copper content increases the neutron irradiation sensitivity of reactor vessel materials. Within the past few years, several attempts have been made to introduce factors other than copper to explain the greater variance in irradiation sensitivity of weld metal compared with plate, such as the model presented in 1976 by Biemiller and Byrne (ASTM STP 611). This model implicated the role of the weld metal's major alloying elements with the use of a theoretically derived relation. The objective of this investigation was to further develop an improved and continuous correlation between irradiation-induced nil-ductility transition temperature (NDTT) shift and the residual and alloying elements in a typical reactor pressure vessel weldment. This correlation can be used for predicting, in advance to neutron exposure, a material's irradiation sensitivity.

Using the model developed by Biemiller and Byrne as the investigative basis, a comprehensive computerized data bank was used in performing a series of selected iterations to develop a best-fit chemistry relationship. The approach was to determine, by weighting the empirical chemistry relation, the synergistic role of residual and alloying elements with copper on weld irradiation sensitivity.

In the new empirical model, the alloying elements found to increase irradiation sensitivity were nickel, silicon, carbon, and manganese, while molybdenum was found to decrease sensitivity. A decreasing role of the carbide formers in acting beneficially toward weld irradiation sensitivity was noted.

Reactor vessel plate irradiation data were also evaluated using the empirical weld metal chemistry relationship. The results indicated that plate material exhibited a lower irradiation sensitivity than welds when their corresponding compositions were similar. As principal chemistry increased in content, the irradiation sensitivity of the plate and weld material became less distinguishable.

The most significant conclusion of this investigation is that the influence of alloying elements on weld irradiation sensitivity can be controlled provided a proper chemistry balance, especially copper content, is maintained. This model supports the assumption that, for a given copper content, specific alloying elements in the weld account for the large variation in weld irradiation behavior. The chemistry relationship developed provides a significantly improved method for predicting weld irradiation behavior than was possible with the earlier model as well as with relations involving residual elements alone.