High-resolution structures have not been reported for replicative helicases at a replication fork at atomic resolution, a prerequisite to understanding the unwinding mechanism. The eukaryotic ...replicative CMG (Cdc45, Mcm2-7, GINS) helicase contains a Mcm2-7 motor ring, with the N-tier ring in front and the C-tier motor ring behind. The N-tier ring is structurally divided into a zinc finger (ZF) sub-ring followed by the oligosaccharide/oligonucleotide-binding (OB) fold ring. Here we report the cryo-EM structure of CMG on forked DNA at 3.9 Å, revealing that parental DNA enters the ZF sub-ring and strand separation occurs at the bottom of the ZF sub-ring, where the lagging strand is blocked and diverted sideways by OB hairpin-loops of Mcm3, Mcm4, Mcm6, and Mcm7. Thus, instead of employing a specific steric exclusion process, or even a separation pin, unwinding is achieved via a "dam-and-diversion tunnel" mechanism that does not require specific protein-DNA interaction. The C-tier motor ring contains spirally configured PS1 and H2I loops of Mcms 2, 3, 5, 6 that translocate on the spirally-configured leading strand, and thereby pull the preceding DNA segment through the diversion tunnel for strand separation.
► Presents an overview of TBM and CBM techniques. ► We discuss how the TBM and CBM techniques work toward maintenance decision making. ► The challenges of implementing each technique are compared. ► ...Each of techniques is found to have unique concepts, procedures and challenges.
This paper presents an overview of two maintenance techniques widely discussed in the literature: time-based maintenance (TBM) and condition-based maintenance (CBM). The paper discusses how the TBM and CBM techniques work toward maintenance decision making. Recent research articles covering the application of each technique are reviewed. The paper then compares the challenges of implementing each technique from a practical point of view, focusing on the issues of required data determination and collection, data analysis/modelling, and decision making. The paper concludes with significant considerations for future research. Each of the techniques was found to have unique concepts/principles, procedures, and challenges for real industrial practise. It can be concluded that the application of the CBM technique is more realistic, and thus more worthwhile to apply, than the TBM one. However, further research on CBM must be carried out in order to make it more realistic for making maintenance decisions. The paper provides useful information regarding the application of the TBM and CBM techniques in maintenance decision making and explores the challenges in implementing each technique from a practical perspective.
Many systems are required to perform a series of missions with finite breaks between any two consecutive missions. To improve the probability of system successfully completing the next mission, ...maintenance action is carried out on components during the breaks. In this work, a selective maintenance model with stochastic maintenance quality for multi-component systems is investigated. At each scheduled break, a set of maintenance actions with different degrees of impact are available for each component. The impact of a maintenance action is assumed to be random and follow an identified probability distribution. The corresponding maintenance cost and time are modelled based on the expected impact of the maintenance action. The objective of selective maintenance scheduling is to find the cost-optimal maintenance action for each component at every scheduled break subject to reliability and duration constraints. A simulated annealing algorithm is used to solve the complicated optimisation problem where both multiple maintenance actions and stochastic quality model are taken into account. Two illustrative numerical examples and a real case study have been solved to demonstrate the performance of the proposed approach. A comparison with deterministic maintenance shows the importance of considering the proposed stochastic quality in selective maintenance scheduling.
Condition-based maintenance (CBM) is a maintenance strategy that collects and assesses real-time information, and recommends maintenance decisions based on the current condition of the system. In ...recent decades, research on CBM has been rapidly growing due to the rapid development of computer-based monitoring technologies. Research studies have proven that CBM, if planned properly, can be effective in improving equipment reliability at reduced costs. This paper presents a review of CBM literature with emphasis on mathematical modeling and optimization approaches. We focus this review on important aspects of the CBM, such as optimization criteria, inspection frequency, maintenance degree, solution methodology, etc. Since the modeling choice for the stochastic deterioration process greatly influences CBM strategy decisions, this review classifies the literature on CBM models based on the underlying deterioration processes, namely discrete- and continuous-state deterioration, and proportional hazard model. CBM models for multi-unit systems are also reviewed in this paper. This paper provides useful references for CBM management professionals and researchers working on CBM modeling and optimization.
•A review on Condition-based maintenance (CBM) optimization models is presented.•The CBM models are classified based on the underlying deterioration processes.•Existing CBM models for both single- and multi-unit systems are reviewed.•Future essential research directions on CBM are identified.
Purpose - This paper reviews the literature on opportunistic maintenance (OM) as new advance maintenance approach and policy. The purpose of this paper is to conceptually identify common principle ...and thereby provide absolute definition, concept and characteristics of this policy. Design/methodology/approach - A conceptual analysis was conducted on various literatures to clarify a number of principle and concepts as a method for understanding information on OM. The analysis involves the process of separating the compound terms used in the literatures into a few parts, analyse them and then recombining them to have more clear understanding of the policy. Findings - The paper discussed the maintenance approach, genealogy, principle, concept and applications of OM both in numerical analysis and real industry. OM policy is developed based on combination of age replacement policy and block replacement policy and in practical; OM is applied as the combination of corrective maintenance which is applied when any failure occurred, with preventive maintenance (PM) - a planned and scheduled maintenance approach to prevent failure to happen. Any machine shutdown or stoppages due to failure is the "opportunity" to conduct PM even though it is not as planned. The characterization of OM was provided in order to present its theoretical novelty for researchers and practical significance for industries. Practical implications - To date, there is no publication that reviews the OM in-depth and provides clear understanding on the topic. Therefore, this paper aims to show lineage of OM and the current trend in researches. This discussion will pave the way of new research areas on this optimal maintenance policy. Clear definition and principle of OM provided in this paper will trigger interest in its practicality as well as aid industries to understand and conduct OM in operation plant. Originality/value - This paper discussed the available literature about OM in various perspectives and scopes for further understanding of the topic by maintenance management professionals and researchers. Therefore, OM can be widely studied and applied in real industry as it is an effective and optimal maintenance policy.
In today’s competitive environment, industries are required to increase reliability and safety level of their equipment with reasonable cost. Consequently, it is essential to select the appropriate ...maintenance strategy. In the paper industry, pumping of cooked pulp requires abrasion- and sometimes corrosion-resistant pumps that are able to handle up to 70 % solids content. But the maintenance engineer and supervisor often face failures of the pump. Hence, this article describes the application of multi criteria decision-making (MCDM) technique for the selection of optimum maintenance strategy for pumps used in the paper industry. The proposed hybrid MCDM model comprises fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (FAHP), grey relational analysis (GRA), and technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) technique. The FAHP is used to compute the criteria weights whereas GRA–TOPSIS is used for determining the ranking of alternatives. This study discusses four maintenance strategies: corrective maintenance, predictive maintenance, time-based preventive maintenance, and condition-based maintenance. Four main criteria—safety, cost, added value, and feasibility—have been used to evaluate the optimum maintenance strategy.
DNA replication during S phase involves thousands of replication forks that must be coordinated to ensure that every DNA section is replicated only once. The minichromosome maintenance proteins, MCM2 ...to MCM7, form a heteromeric DNA helicase required for both the initiation and elongation of DNA replication. Although only two DNA helicase activities are necessary to establish a bidirectional replication fork from each replication origin, a large excess of MCM complexes is amassed and distributed along the chromatin. The function of the additional MCM complexes is not well understood, as most are displaced from the DNA during the S-phase, apparently without playing an active role in DNA replication. DNA damage response (DDR) kinases activated by stalled forks prevent the replication machinery from being activated, indicating a tight relationship between DDR and DNA replication. To investigate the role of MCM proteins in the cellular response to DNA damage, we used shRNA targeting MCM2 or MCM3 to determine the impact of a reduction in MCM complex. The alteration of MCM proteins induced a change in the activation of key factors of the DDR in response to Etoposide treatment. Etoposide-induced DNA damage affected the phosphorylation of γ-H2AX, CHK1 and CHK2 without affecting cell viability. Using assays measuring homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ), we identified a decrease in both HR and NHEJ associated with a decrease in MCM complex.
Operations and maintenance of offshore wind turbines (OWTs) play an important role in the development of offshore wind farms. Compared with operations, maintenance is a critical element in the ...levelized cost of energy, given the practical constraints imposed by offshore operations and the relatively high costs. The effects of maintenance on the life cycle of an offshore wind farm are highly complex and uncertain. The selection of maintenance strategies influences the overall efficiency, profit margin, safety, and sustainability of offshore wind farms. For an offshore wind project, after a maintenance strategy is selected, schedule planning will be considered, which is an optimization problem. Onsite maintenance will involve complex marine operations whose efficiency and safety depend on practical factors. Moreover, negative environmental impacts due to offshore maintenance deserve attention. To address these issues, this paper reviews the state-of-the-art research on OWT maintenance, covering strategy selection, schedule optimization, onsite operations, repair, assessment criteria, recycling, and environmental concerns. Many methods are summarized and compared. Limitations in the research and shortcomings in industrial development of OWT operations and maintenance are described. Finally, promising areas are identified with regard to future studies of maintenance strategies.
•Review of strategies, planning, operations, and environmental effects of offshore wind turbine operation and maintenance.•Maintenance strategies are introduced, including corrective, proactive, and opportunistic.•The development and limitations of the optimal scheduling problem are discussed.•The crew and equipment transferring, docking, and lifting operations are analyzed.
l’amélioration de la durée de vie des pales éoliennes opérant dans une région aride au-delà de sa durée de vie habituelle de 20 ou 25 ans oblige leur propriétaire à augmenter le nombre des ...inspections dans le cadre de la maintenance préventive sachant que les coûts de maintenance et d’arrêt d’une d’éolienne ont un impact direct sur la production totale et peuvent représenter jusqu’à 25% de l’énergie produite. Sachant que dans une région poussiéreuse, les pales sont soumises à une usure érosive qui contribue à la modification de la forme aérodynamique du bord d’attaque et réduit ainsi les performances de l’éolienne. Ce papier décrive et propose une nouvelle méthode de maintenance CBM pour améliorer la durée de vie d’une pale éolienne. Les résultats expérimentaux montrent que l’utilisation de cette méthode est très efficace pour détecter toute dégradation provoquée par l’usure érosive à la surface d’une pale pendant son service.
PDF
