A Perspective on Material Handling Engineering: History and New Challenges

1997 ◽  
Vol 119 (4B) ◽  
pp. 835-840
Author(s):  
Ira W. Pence

It is especially appropriate to consider the status of material handling at this time, as the Material Handling Engineering Division of the ASME marks the 75th Anniversary of its founding. Seventy-five years is a long time, and those of us actively engaged in research, development, and application owe a great debt to those who have gone before, like Jim Allred, Irv Footlik, Walter O’Mally, Ralph Sims, Howard Zollinger, and the like. It would be inappropriate to try to review the current status without reviewing how we got here.

Buildings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 567
Author(s):  
Hongping Yuan ◽  
Wenbo Du ◽  
Zeyu Wang ◽  
Xiangnan Song

Megaproject practices worldwide have triggered increasing research in megaproject management issues and led to an increasing number of papers being published during the last decade. However, it is demonstrated by the literature that there is no systematic examination on research development in the discipline of megaproject management, and consequently it is very difficult for scholars to quickly understand and grasp the research trend. Therefore, a research question naturally comes out, i.e., what is the status quo of megaproject management research and what are the research directions worthy of further investigation? This study aims to answer the question by conducting a systematic examination of the research development in the discipline of megaproject management. A total of 117 relevant articles, identified from six major international journals between 2009 and 2021, were analyzed based on the number of papers published annually, main author contributions, citations, categorization of the research methods and data analysis methods adopted, and research topics covered. The results indicated that developed countries, such as Australia, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom, have enjoyed significant advantages in terms of megaproject management research. It also revealed that more sophisticated views and theory have been used effectively, rather than only basic qualitative methods, in a number of studies on megaproject management. Future studies on megaproject management will be led globally, where megaprojects will remain designed and built to better built environments. In addition, continuous in-depth research on related topics can promote innovation in megaproject management to achieve sustainable megaproject development. Megaproject management will continue to be a hot research topic in the future; in particular, megaproject investment and finance management have emerged as new challenging topics. The findings can be valuable for both industry practitioners and researchers to gain deeper understanding of the current status and future directions of megaproject management research.


Author(s):  
Ilker Tari ◽  
Sibel Tari

According to the educational objectives of METU Mechanical Engineering Department, there should be two senior year design courses: a mechanical design course and a thermal or fluids design course. The department had a successful long running mandatory mechanical design course. Instead of preparing and offering a mandatory thermal or fluid design course, it is decided to change the status of three senior year elective courses in thermal or fluids field that were involving design elements. Among these, ME421 Heat Exchanger and Steam Generator design course is offered as restricted elective. The course had been offered as an elective course for a long time for a smaller group of interested students. In new restricted elective status, the number of students is increased but their overall interest level is dropped. The format changes made in the course to accommodate the change in status are presented. Some quantitative and qualitative examples are given to compare the previous and the current status in terms of student learning outcomes. Statistical significance of the observations is discussed along with the results of Bartlett's test.


Author(s):  
Zameer Gulzar ◽  
A. Anny Leema

The educational system at all levels in India had been criticized for a long time for lagging behind modern and western education resulting in calls for improvement and transformation. The Internet applications such as E-learning are being considered by many educationists and experts as an opportunity knock at doors of Indian education system to leverage change and reform. Many Universities in India have adopted Learning Management System for E-learning purpose that has been identified as the most acceptable and a foreseen Tool present to tame various challenges in education. In this chapter, the status and quality of E-learning in Indian Universities has been discussed to fill the void in the literature on this particular topic. Therefore, the first objective of this study is to discuss the current Status and present an analytical overview of Learning Management System in Indian Universities. The second objective of this study is to evaluate Learning Management System by collecting facts about its diffusion, acceptance and its use in Indian Universities.


2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (01) ◽  
pp. 23-32
Author(s):  
Nazir Ahmad Bhat ◽  
Shabir Ahmad Ganaie

Purpose This paper of this study is to attempt to explore the status of collection in agricultural libraries of Northern India and assess the magnitude of impact of the advent of electronic information resources (EIRs) on the contemporary acquisition. Design/methodology/approach While adhering to the survey method, the questionnaire was used as a data collection tool to collect data from university librarians. Telephonic interaction and e-mail correspondence were also used to clear doubts, remove ambiguities and obtain data of higher significance from the respondents. Findings The majority of the agricultural libraries in Northern India have a sound collection of information resources in the print form, which may continue to act as a source of attraction for users in the future for a long time to come. Yet, the acquisition of information resources in the print form across the studied libraries continues at routine pace, and as such the advent of e-resources seems to have not yet laid any prominent impact on acquisition of resources in print form. E-Books have not yet been fully incorporated into the library collection and that e-journal collection “CeRA” (Consortium for Electronic Resources in Agriculture) seems to gratify the needs of users of these libraries, as no additional e-journals are seen to be subscribed to at present. Research limitations/implications Only seven agricultural libraries have been taken as a sample. Moreover, the work is confined to only two aspects, i.e. current status and the impact of EIRs on acquisition of information resources. Other aspects like those of collection development, storage and accommodation, preservation, library functionality and library services need to also be studied. Originality/value This is first work of its nature in Northern India with agricultural libraries as their domain. The findings will help the librarians and the library advisory committees decide on logical grounds about the proportion at which the print and electronic forms of information resources need to be acquired.


2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 134-151
Author(s):  
Andrea Circolo ◽  
Ondrej Hamuľák

Abstract The paper focuses on the very topical issue of conclusion of the membership of the State, namely the United Kingdom, in European integration structures. The ques­tion of termination of membership in European Communities and European Union has not been tackled for a long time in the sources of European law. With the adop­tion of the Treaty of Lisbon (2009), the institute of 'unilateral' withdrawal was intro­duced. It´s worth to say that exit clause was intended as symbolic in its nature, in fact underlining the status of Member States as sovereign entities. That is why this institute is very general and the legal regulation of the exercise of withdrawal contains many gaps. One of them is a question of absolute or relative nature of exiting from integration structures. Today’s “exit clause” (Art. 50 of Treaty on European Union) regulates only the termination of membership in the European Union and is silent on the impact of such a step on membership in the European Atomic Energy Community. The presented paper offers an analysis of different variations of the interpretation and solution of the problem. It´s based on the independent solution thesis and therefore rejects an automa­tism approach. The paper and topic is important and original especially because in the multitude of scholarly writings devoted to Brexit questions, vast majority of them deals with institutional questions, the interpretation of Art. 50 of Treaty on European Union; the constitutional matters at national UK level; future relation between EU and UK and political bargaining behind such as all that. The question of impact on withdrawal on Euratom membership is somehow underrepresented. Present paper attempts to fill this gap and accelerate the scholarly debate on this matter globally, because all consequences of Brexit already have and will definitely give rise to more world-wide effects.


2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 769-775 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dayun Yan ◽  
Jonathan H. Sherman ◽  
Michael Keidar

Background: Over the past five years, the cold atmospheric plasma-activated solutions (PAS) have shown their promissing application in cancer treatment. Similar as the common direct cold plasma treatment, PAS shows a selective anti-cancer capacity in vitro and in vivo. However, different from the direct cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) treatment, PAS can be stored for a long time and can be used without dependence on a CAP device. The research on PAS is gradually becoming a hot topic in plasma medicine. Objectives: In this review, we gave a concise but comprehensive summary on key topics about PAS including the development, current status, as well as the main conclusions about the anti-cancer mechanism achieved in past years. The approaches to make strong and stable PAS are also summarized.


Author(s):  
Udayon Misra

The concluding chapter takes up what it sees to be some of the major unresolved issues of Partition politics. While it tries to trace the roots of the violence centred around land in several areas of Assam, especially in the Bodo-inhabited region, it shows how issues such as the controversy over the cut-off year for immigrants to acquire citizenship are carry-overs from Partition days. Other major issues that are discussed include the status of Hindu refugees/displaced persons in the state, the National Register of Citizens, and the larger question of language and Assamese identity. It shows how with the new wave of immigrants being assimilated into the Assamese nationality, its transformation is underway and how this transformation itself throws up new challenges and equations.


2020 ◽  
Vol 179 ◽  
pp. 02101
Author(s):  
Jiao Hu ◽  
Qing Yin ◽  
Canqun He

In the daily work of office workers, the comfort of the office chair has a great impact on the staff’s work efficiency and human health. Sitting on the office chair for a long time may cause diseases such as cervical, shoulder, and lumbar spine. This article uses online literature research, brand analysis, and offline field research to understand the current status and deficiencies of office chairs, find design points and design directions, and based on ergonomics and sitting analysis research, design general office chairs for female white-collar workers to achieve a comfortable and healthy office purpose.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (15) ◽  
pp. 4423
Author(s):  
Marco A. Castro-Rojas ◽  
Yadira I. Vega-Cantu ◽  
Geoffrey A. Cordell ◽  
Aida Rodriguez-Garcia

Glass ionomer cements and resin-based composites are promising materials in restorative dentistry. However, their limited mechanical properties and the risk of bulk/marginal fracture compromise their lifespan. Intensive research has been conducted to understand and develop new materials that can mimic the functional behavior of the oral cavity. Nanotechnological approaches have emerged to treat oral infections and become a part of scaffolds for tissue regeneration. Carbon nanotubes are promising materials to create multifunctional platforms for dental applications. This review provides a comprehensive survey of and information on the status of this state-of-the-art technology and describes the development of glass ionomers reinforced with carbon nanotubes possessing improved mechanical properties. The applications of carbon nanotubes in drug delivery and tissue engineering for healing infections and lesions of the oral cavity are also described. The review concludes with a summary of the current status and presents a vision of future applications of carbon nanotubes in the practice of dentistry.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Kezic ◽  
Ivan Spasojevic ◽  
Visnja Lezaic ◽  
Milica Bajcetic

Kidney ischemia/reperfusion injury emerges in various clinical settings as a great problem complicating the course and outcome. Ischemia/reperfusion injury is still an unsolved puzzle with a great diversity of investigational approaches, putting the focus on oxidative stress and mitochondria. Mitochondria are both sources and targets of ROS. They participate in initiation and progression of kidney ischemia/reperfusion injury linking oxidative stress, inflammation, and cell death. The dependence of kidney proximal tubule cells on oxidative mitochondrial metabolism makes them particularly prone to harmful effects of mitochondrial damage. The administration of antioxidants has been used as a way to prevent and treat kidney ischemia/reperfusion injury for a long time. Recently a new method based on mitochondria-targeted antioxidants has become the focus of interest. Here we review the current status of results achieved in numerous studies investigating these novel compounds in ischemia/reperfusion injury which specifically target mitochondria such as MitoQ, Szeto-Schiller (SS) peptides (Bendavia), SkQ1 and SkQR1, and superoxide dismutase mimics. Based on the favorable results obtained in the studies that have examined myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury, ongoing clinical trials investigate the efficacy of some novel therapeutics in preventing myocardial infarct. This also implies future strategies in preventing kidney ischemia/reperfusion injury.


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