bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Dressage scoring patterns at selected British Eventing novice events
Authors: Whitaker TC , Hill J 
Published: August 2005

AbstractSubjective bias by judges within the dressage phase of eventing competition is problematic if correct evaluation of horse and rider performance is to be undertaken. The present study examines dressage penalty scoring (penalty scores are awarded for completion of a pre-set series of dressage movements) within a population of novice event horses (n = 2471). Between May and June 2003, 22 novice events within the UK were analysed, and at each event up to six competitions or sections (at the same competitive level) were run. The whole population data structure was normal in distribution, Pearson's skewness 0.314 (Kolmogorov–Smirnov Z = 1.855, P>0.05 from zero) and kurtosis at 0.425. The mean score recorded for the whole population was 37.82 penalty points (standard deviation = 5.65 and standard error = 0.11). A number of effects were observed within the population. Between-events effects were observed in three of the 22 events studied (P<0.01). Of those events running three or more sections (n = 16), within-event effects were observed for 10 events as differences (P<0.01) in mean scoring patterns between sections. All events running two sections (n = 4) were observed to exhibit differences (P<0.02) in mean scores. Differences (P>0.01) between the dressage test used at events were determined using post hoc Bonferroni tests. However, these differences were not found to have a confounding effect on the between-event observations. The study indicates that additional methodologies need to be implemented to ensure that accurate and impartial evaluation of event horses is conducted.
Effect of training and recovery on airway inflammation in an animal model of ‘ski asthma’
Authors: Davis MS , McKenzie EC , Royer CM , Williamson KK , Payton M , Nelson SL 
Published: August 2005

AbstractRepeated strenuous exercise while breathing cold air is believed to induce chronic airway inflammation and hyperreactivity, a condition referred to in humans as ‘ski asthma’. However, the time course of development and resolution of ski asthma is unknown. We have previously shown that multi-day aerobic exercise induces airway inflammation and hyperreactivity in racing sled dogs. In the present study, a similar group of subjects was examined at multiple times during training to test the hypothesis that ski asthma spontaneously resolves during seasonal detraining, but is re-induced during training in the cold weather. At the beginning of training, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from detrained elite sled dogs (n= 16) had higher concentrations of lymphocytes (median 53.63vs. 8.30 cells μl−1) and neutrophils (median 23.03vs. 1.10 cells μl−1) compared with normal laboratory dogs (n= 5). However, there was no significant effect of training on BALF nucleated cell concentrations from exercised sled dogs (n= 11) compared with sedentary sled dogs (n= 8). In contrast to our hypothesis, our data support the contention that cold weather exercise-induced airway inflammation can persist through seasonal detraining, but that routine training does not cause significant worsening of the condition.
Corrosion protection and mechanical performance of SiO2 films deposited via PECVD on OT59 brass
Authors: Moretti Giuseppe , Guidi Francesca , Canton Roberto , Battagliarin Marino , Rossetto Gilberto 
Published: August 2005

PurposeTo evaluate the corrosion performance and nano‐mechanical behaviour of a brass substrate covered by different thick SiO2 layers deposited by means of plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) technique.Design/methodology/approachThe comparison between laboratory and “industrial” objects revealed a very good corrosion behaviour and good mechanical performance of both of them: in particular it was possible to modulate the surface treatment to solve various problems from the industrial point of view.FindingsIt was possible to reduce the Cu migration into the SiO2 coating during the PECVD deposition at a negligible level and to control it by the deposition; further, the nano‐indentation tests revealed the great utility of the coating annealing in obtaining a significant improvement of the mechanical properties of the coated objects.Research limitations/implicationsEven if some industrial problems were solved (minimization of the presence of the coating defects and transparency of the coatings), some on the layer hardness (anti‐wear behaviour of the industrial objects) has to be better investigated and possibly solved.Practical implicationsThe work reports a deposition process that is carried out industrially over a two year period.Originality/valueThis research reports a PECVD process realized on industrial objects: the originality is in the reached corrosion and mechanical performances that made it possible to realize a satisfactory industrial deposition.
Influence of 1‐methyl 2‐mercapto imidazole on corrosion inhibition of carbon steel in 0.5 M H2SO4
Authors: Benali O. , Larabi L. , Tabti B. , Harek Y. 
Published: August 2005

PurposeTo evaluate the inhibition efficiency of 1‐methyl 2‐mercapto imidazole (MMI) in controlling the corrosion of carbon steel in sulphuric acid and to study its action mechanism.Design/methodology/approachThe effect of concentration, immersion time and temperature on the behaviour of this inhibitor has been studied using weight loss, d.c. polarisation and a.c. polarisation techniques.FindingsThe results show that MMI is a mixed type inhibitor. Changes in impedance parameters (charge transfer resistance, Rt; and double layer capacitance, Cdl) were indicative of adsorption of MMI on the metal surface, leading to the formation of a protective film that grew with the increasing exposure time. Adsorption of MMI on the carbon steel is found to obey the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The inhibition efficiency of MMI is temperature‐independent and its addition leads to a small increase in activation corrosion energy.Research limitations/implicationsSurface analytical techniques such as X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Auger spectroscopy can enlighten more on the mechanism of corrosion inhibition.Originality/valueA survey of literature has shown that no work using electrochemical techniques has yet been done on MMI as corrosion inhibitor for carbon steel in sulfuric acid.
Safety design of a petrol pump attendant robot
Authors: Becchi Francesco , Molfino Rezia M. , Razzoli Roberto P. 
Published: August 2005

PurposeTo set‐up the study of an unmanned system for refuelling of vehicles, with attention to VOCs recovery.Design/methodology/approachPresents the architecture of a robotic arm for refuelling. Special attention was allocated to the safety characteristics of the automatic refuelling station assuring the highest protection of people and their safeguard against accidents, preventing any dangerous response of the robotic arm in all the predictable conditions. A concurrent engineering methodology jointly with the life‐cycle approach was adopted for the study and evaluation of the equipment.FindingsFinds that a six DoF arm with a tubular architecture with relocated actuation equipped with a specifically designed filler satisfying stage II rules is suitable to perform the task of safe refuelling of vehicles.Research limitations/implicationsProvides hints to design refuelling stations, also for fluids of the future (e.g. hydrogen).Practical implicationsThis robot is a low cost and efficient solution for replacing humans in petrol pump stations, while preserving environmental health. Refuelling will be comfortable and safe even in adverse climate conditions or for dangerous fuels (e.g. hydrogen).Originality/valueIntroduces a robotic arm made with tubes so that cables, pipes and VOCs run inside it and a filler granting easy mating with the cap and VOCs collection.
Manufacturing performance: evaluation and determinants
Authors: Leachman Chien , Pegels C. Carl , Kyoon Shin Seung 
Published: August 2005

PurposeMany studies examine manufacturing performance along individual benchmarking dimensions. This study aims to develop a performance metric based on quality and output volume among other variables to assess a firm's manufacturing competitiveness in relation to its major rivals.Design/methodology/approachThe relative manufacturing performance is measured by data envelopment analysis (DEA). Several key manufacturing practices are examined for their impact on performance. They are research and development (R&D) commitment, time compression during production, and degree of outsourcing. The results are based on a sample from the world automobile industry.FindingsThe empirical results suggest that a strong R&D commitment and ability to compress production time explain 37 percent of the manufacturing performance differences among major volume automobile producers. A nonlinear convex relationship is also found between outsourcing rate and manufacturing performance. The results show how the resulting performance ratings can then be utilized to assess the effects of a selected group of practices on manufacturing performance.Research limitations/implicationsSince, there is a common basis for the sources of competitiveness among industries, the findings derived from this study are probably transportable to other industries. Also, the proposed metric and analytic approaches are generic and thus can be broadly applied to other industries. The results also suggest the need for further analysis of where improvements can be made within a given company, according to its firm‐specific characteristics.Originality/valueExamines manufacturing performance along individual benchmarking dimensions and develops a performance metric based on quality and output volume to assess a firm's manufacturing competitiveness in relation to its major rivals.
Manufacturer‐supplier relationships
Authors: Szwejczewski Marek , Lemke Fred , Goffin Keith 
Published: August 2005

PurposeEffective management of suppliers is one of the ways manufacturing companies can improve their performance. Typically, it has been argued in the literature that close relationships with suppliers should be developed, in contrast to the traditional price‐driven transactional relationships. However, there has been relatively little empirical research on how supplier management is applied.Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents research probing how manufacturers manage their suppliers and takes a sample from Germany – which has a large manufacturing sector. In‐depth interviews with purchasing managers were used to understand whether relationships with suppliers were being utilised.FindingsThe analysis of the data indicates that a significant portion of the companies surveyed had experienced a change in their relationship with suppliers in the last few years. In the main, relationships had become closer and the use of partnerships was in evidence.Practical implicationsThe research results have implications for German manufacturing companies, as they indicate the potential for improving performance through the greater adoption of best practices in the area of supplier management. The research results indicate the need for German manufacturers to adopt leading‐edge practices in the area of supplier management.Originality/valueAlthough exploratory in nature, the investigation demonstrated the need for researchers to better understand the range of relationships in a typical manufacturer's supplier base.
Do green supply chains lead to competitiveness and economic performance?
Authors: Rao Purba , Holt Diane 
Published: August 2005

PurposeGreen supply chain management is a concept that is gaining popularity in the South East Asian region. For many organizations in this region it is a way to demonstrate their sincere commitment to sustainability. However, if green supply chain management practices are to be fully adopted by all organizations in South East Asia, a demonstrable link between such measures and improving economic performance and competitiveness is necessary. This paper endeavors to identify potential linkages between green supply chain management, as an initiative for environmental enhancement, economic performance and competitiveness amongst a sample of companies in South East Asia.Design/methodology/approachFor this purpose a conceptual model was developed from literature sources and data collected using a structured questionnaire mailed to a sample of leading edge ISO14001 certified companies in South East Asia followed by structural equation modelling.FindingsThe analysis identified that greening the different phases of the supply chain leads to an integrated green supply chain, which ultimately leads to competitiveness and economic performance. Future research should empirically test the relationships suggested in this paper in different countries, to enable comparative studies. A larger sample would also allow detailed cross‐sectoral comparisons which are not possible in the context of this study.Originality/valueThis paper presents the first empirical evaluation of the link between green supply chain management practices and increased competitiveness and improved economic performance amongst a sample of organizations in South East Asia.
An application of a unified capacity planning system
Authors: Ashayeri Jalal , Selen Willem 
Published: August 2005

PurposeThis paper aims to present a unified approach for effective capacity management, with the flexibility to position the organization across differing market‐orientations, anywhere from produce‐to‐stock to purchase‐and‐produce‐to‐order.Design/methodology/approachThe unified planning system combines capacity management with the external market through the customer order decoupling point (CODP). The approach starts by determining the CODP, using commonality and effect‐cause‐effect analysis. The resulting CODP information is then used to determine the optimal master production schedule (medium‐term), as well as the detailed schedule (short‐term) at the bottleneck resource, using mathematical programming; to support decisions across different planning horizons in an integrated fashion.FindingsThis unified approach was applied to an electronics manufacturing company in the Netherlands. The unified capacity planning system not only reduces the number of capacity problems to be solved by production planners, but also more importantly enhances the organization's capabilities to respond faster and more focused to market changes.Research limitations/implicationsFurther studies may test the robustness of this planning approach with additional empirical evidence.Practical implicationsThe structured unified approach provides a comprehensive solution to a complex capacity management problem, in competitive environments where organizations have to be able to respond to dynamically changing market conditions, given the process choices within which they are operating.Originality/valueProvides a unified approach for effective capacity management.
Tricky devil: a humorous training technique for the chat reference environment
Authors: Caufield James 
Published: August 2005

PurposeMany libraries now provide real‐time online reference service via internet relay chat (IRC). This paper proposes a humorous training technique.Design/methodology/approachAn opinion piece based on current and recent trends in online reference services.FindingsMany libraries now provide real‐time online reference service via IRC. But chat reference service can be challenging, even for experienced reference librarians. This is because the affordances of the chat reference environment are severely limited: there are no non‐verbal cues, and the verbal exchange is limited to what can be typed. Behaviors that are successful at the reference desk may be counterproductive in this changed environment.Originality/valueThis paper proposes a humorous training technique, one designed to make librarians aware of these limitations and to instill behaviors that are more appropriate for chat reference service.
Information literacy: a case study of the KFUPM library
Authors: Ashoor Mohammed‐Saleh 
Published: August 2005

PurposeThis paper seeks to provide an overview of information literacy (IL) from a global prospective, to highlight problems facing developing countries in initiating IL programs, and state the trends of IL, with a focus on the development of IL programs at KFUPM.Design/methodology/approachA general review and survey of current development areas.FindingsIL, which is a resource‐based mode of education, has created a greater need to teach students the skills of accessing and evaluating appropriate information resources and use them effectively.Originality/valueThis paper provides an overview of IL from a global prospective.
OPAC usability: assessment through verbal protocol
Authors: Guha Tamal Kumar , Saraf Veena 
Published: August 2005

PurposeThis study aims to investigate how participants have interacted during the execution of Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) searches, and whether they were satisfied or dissatisfied or confused.Design/methodology/approachThis is based on a sample of 18 OPAC users of the British Council Library in Kolkata.FindingsWhile implementing the verbal protocol method this study has developed a scheme of coding with the help of which the protocol data were analysed and proposed a generic model of online catalogue searching process flow. It is suggested that the method has a great potential in library and information science research.Originality/valueThe paper suggests that the method has a great potential in library and information science research.
State library databases on the internet
Authors: Falk Howard 
Published: August 2005

PurposeTo describe the availability of online databases for library patrons in the USA.Design/methodology/approachA review of the present situation.FindingsOnline databases are now very widely available to library patrons in the United States, and many patrons can tap into these databases from their own computers. The larger libraries and library systems can afford to offer their own choice of databases to their patrons through their internet web sites.Originality/valueProvides information of value to information professionals.
Parameterization based shape optimization: theory and practical implementation aspects
Authors: Kegl Marko 
Published: August 2005

PurposeTo present an approach to parameterization based shape optimization of statically loaded structures and to propose its practical implementation.Design/methodology/approachIn order to establish a convenient shape parameterization, the design element technique is employed. A rational Bézier body is used to serve as the design element. The design element is used to retrieve the nodal geometrical data of finite elements (FEs). Their field geometrical data are obtained using the FE own internal functions. For practical implementation it is proposed to establish the optimization cycle by two separately running processes. The data exchange is established by using self‐descriptive and platform‐independent XML conforming data files.FindingsThe proposed approach offers an unified approach to shape optimization of skeletal, as well as continuous structures. Structural shape may be varied smoothly with a relative small set of design variables. The employment of a gradient‐based optimization algorithm assures computational efficiency.Research limitations/implicationsThe aspects of FE mesh deterioration are not considered in this work. This would be necessary if for the actual problem at hand major and excessively non‐uniform shape changes of the FE mesh are expected.Practical implicationsA useful source of information for someone who is planning to develop a general or special‐purpose integrated structural analysis and shape optimization software.Originality/valueThe paper offers a rather simple, but quite powerful approach to structural shape optimization together with practical hints for its computational implementation.
Multi‐scale modeling of heterogeneous structures with inelastic constitutive behaviour
Authors: Markovic Damijan , Niekamp Rainer , Ibrahimbegović Adnan , Matthies Hermann G. , Taylor Robert L. 
Published: August 2005

PurposeTo provide a computational strategy for highly accurate analyses of non‐linear inelastic behaviour for heterogeneous structures in civil and mechanical engineering applicationsDesign/methodology/approachAdapts recent developments on mathematical formulations of multi‐scale problems to the recently developed component technology based on C++ generic templates programming.FindingsProvides the understanding how theoretical hypotheses, concerning essentially the multi‐scale interface conditions, affect the computational precision of the strategy.Practical implicationsThe present approach allows a very precise modelling of multi‐scale aspects in structural mechanics problems and can play an essential tool in searching for an optimal structural design.Originality/valueProvides all the ingredients for constructing an efficient multi‐scale computational framework, from the theoretical formulation to the implementation for parallel computing. It is addressed to researchers and engineers analysing composite structures under extreme loading.
Coupling FEM and BEM for computationally efficient solutions of multi‐physics and multi‐domain problems
Authors: Štok Boris , Mole Nikolaj 
Published: August 2005

PurposeTo present numerical approaches to the solution of physically coupled non‐linear problems, which frequently happen to be characterized by their multi‐domain character.Design/methodology/approachBy adopting coupled solution strategies a considerable attention is devoted, in order to obtain a computationally efficient numerical algorithm, to the selection of appropriate space and time discretization, as well as to a proper discrete approximation method used.FindingsCoupling of two methods, the finite element method and the boundary element method, respectively, has proved to be computationally exceedingly advantageous, particularly in case of moving domains.Practical implicationsAs specific case studies computer simulation of an induction heating problem and a mushy‐state forming problem are considered. A thorough discussion on the coupling effects, characterizing the evolutions of respective physical quantities' fields, is given, and their impact on those evolutions is identified.Originality/valueThis paper presents efficient numerical strategies for the solution of a certain class of multi‐physics and multi‐domain problems.
An international comparison of information in adverse events
Authors: Gillies Alan , Howard John 
Published: August 2005

PurposeAims to describe the growing importance of information and its governance within public services. The paper starts by considering how scandals in three national public health systems have focused public attention on information issues. It describes a theoretical framework for improving information governance, and its practical implementation as a management tool. The paper concludes with a discussion of the benefits of the approach, and the consequences of not improving information governance.Design/methodology/approachThe framework brings together a number of existing methodological approaches, principally the maturity model approach to process improvement, first described in the Software Engineering Institute's capability maturity model, and the novice‐to‐expert approach to competency.FindingsThe paper describes how these approaches can be synthesised into an integrated framework to manage organisational change and how that can be used to improve information governance within public sector organisations.Research implicationsThe paper compares the framework and its practical implementation with existing solutions, arguing that existing solutions provide only partial solutions.Originality/valueConsiders how plans for future service improvements will be restricted unless information governance issues can be addressed.