abstract: Situations of sensory overload are steadily becoming more frequent as the ubiquity of technology approaches reality--particularly with the advent of socio-communicative smartphone applications, and pervasive, high speed wireless networks. Although the ease of accessing information has improved our communication effectiveness and efficiency, our visual and auditory modalities--those modalities that today's computerized devices and displays largely engage--have become overloaded, creating possibilities for distractions, delays and high cognitive load; which in turn can lead to a loss of situational awareness, increasing chances for life threatening situations such as texting while driving. Surprisingly, alternative modalities for information delivery have seen little exploration. Touch, in particular, is a promising candidate given that it is our largest sensory organ with impressive spatial and temporal acuity. Although some approaches have been proposed for touch-based information delivery, they are not without limitations including high learning curves, limited applicability and/or limited expression. This is largely due to the lack of a versatile, comprehensive design theory--specifically, a theory that addresses the design of touch-based building blocks for expandable, efficient, rich and robust touch languages that are easy to learn and use. Moreover, beyond design, there is a lack of implementation and evaluation theories for such languages. To overcome these limitations, a unified, theoretical framework, inspired by natural, spoken language, is proposed called Somatic ABC's for Articulating (designing), Building (developing) and Confirming (evaluating) touch-based languages. To evaluate the usefulness of Somatic ABC's, its design, implementation and evaluation theories were applied to create communication languages for two very unique application areas: audio described movies and motor learning. These applications were chosen as they presented opportunities for complementing communication by offloading information, typically conveyed visually and/or aurally, to the skin. For both studies, it was found that Somatic ABC's aided the design, development and evaluation of rich somatic languages with distinct and natural communication units. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Computer Science 2012

Ett väl utnyttjat automatlager som innehåller rätt artiklar, med hänsyn till dess betydelse för företaget och efterfrågefrekvens, innebär en ökad konkurrenskraft på marknaden. Med hjälp av tydliga beslutskriterier angående vilka produkter som ska lagerföras i automatlagret underlättas den dagliga lagerstyrningen. En förbättrad insikt och kontroll över en lagerverksamhet innebär möjligheter för företag att med hjälp av exempelvis differentierade servicenivåer nå en högre kundtillfredsställelse och minskad kapitalbindning. Det studerade företaget upplever att lagerstyrningen av automatlager samt plock-och buffertlager inte sker fördelaktigt ur ett ekonomiskt perspektiv. Frekventa truckkörningar till följd av brist i automatlagret och höga lagernivåer samt mindre frekventa produkter som följd av felplacering av artiklar i automatlagret är tidskrävande aktiviteter att hantera. Syftet med studien är att utforma en lagerstyrning för företag inom grossisthandeln för att öka utnyttjandegraden av ett automatlager med hänsyn till artiklarnas betydelse för företaget och dess efterfrågefrekvens. Studien är utformad som en fallstudie och kommer att baseras på Abena AB i Växjö. Studien belyser de nuvarande problemen som finns i företagets lagerstyrning samt ger förslag till förbättringar. Fallstudiens disposition baseras på följande tre frågeställningar: Hur ser Abenas nuvarande lagerstyrning ut vid fördelning av lagerplatser i automatlagret? Vad är orsakerna till de problem som identifieras i nuvarande lagerstyrning och vad innebär de för konsekvenser? Vilka förbättringsåtgärder kan föreslås för att åstadkomma en högre utnyttjandegrad av automatlagrets lagringskapacitet? Under studiens gång har förslag på tillvägagångssätt för att öka utnyttjandegraden av företagets automatlager presenterats. Ett datoriserat verktyg i Excel har skapats där samtliga beräkningar utförts baserade på Abenas data från affärssystemet. Det utformade verktyget i Excel kan i framtiden användas av företaget som ett hjälpmedel för utveckling av lagerstyrning. En ny kategorisering enligt ABC/XYZ-kategorisering skapade goda förutsättningar för Abena att på ett mer rationellt och konsekvent sätt fördela artiklar till lagerplatser i automatlagret. En differentiering av servicenivåer utifrån den kategorisering innebär ytterligare högre utnyttjandegrad av automatlager då lagernivåerna anpassas utefter värdet på produkten samt dess efterfrågefrekvens. Differentieringen resulterade i en minskad kapitalbindning på 1 821 187 kronor jämfört med senast bokförda kapitalbindning. Det frigjorda kapitalet förbättrar företagets ekonomiska förutsättningar inför exempelvis framtida investeringar.

El objetivo general del presente trabajo ha sido utilizar conceptos del costeo basado en actividades, para el desarrollo de un sistema de análisis y gestión de costos, permitiendo analizar costos de operaciones históricas y estimar costos para nuevos escenarios. El trabajo se aplicó en la Mina Los Bronces de Anglo American Chile. Además se contó con la valiosa y constante colaboración del Profesor Sr. Carlos Landolt, quien aportó su vasta experiencia en el tema. Un elemento fundamental dentro del estudio, es la identificación de los ítems de costo y su conexión con las estructuras de operación y de gestión. Los ítems de costo son agrupados en dos categorías: costos fijos, tales como recursos, dotación, gastos corporativos (44,2 % del total) y costos variables o proceso-dependientes (55,8 % del total). Los costos fijos no son modelables en función del proceso; sus valores dependen de las necesidades de la operación y son asignados de acuerdo a la experiencia y juicio de la administración. Los costos proceso-dependientes o insumos pueden ser modelados en función del proceso. Las variables de proceso que determinan el uso de insumos se conocen como factores causales. Pocos ítems de costo son los que determinan gran parte del costo total. Por ello, se utilizó el análisis de Pareto para definir cuáles costos se consideran relevantes. Se identificaron los insumos relevantes y su contribución al costo total, siendo los principales el petróleo diesel (20,2 %), repuestos (9,5 %), explosivos (7,1 %), neumáticos (5 %) y energía eléctrica (1,9%). La gestión de costos requiere establecer relaciones insumo = f [factor causal]. Por ello, se utilizó el análisis de Pareto para el ordenamiento de los diferentes pares insumo-proceso, con el fin de priorizar la relevancia específica de cada par. Luego se construyeron diagramas de dispersión, para evaluar el ajuste de las posibles relaciones insumo-factor causal. En esta memoria fue posible establecer este tipo de relaciones para 27 pares insumo-proceso, correspondientes a un 32,9 % de los costos totales. Esto equivale a 58,9 % de los costos de insumos en el período de estudio (2005-2006). No fue posible establecer relaciones funcionales para los demás pares insumo-proceso, debido a la carencia y/o menor calidad de los datos disponibles para establecer relaciones aceptables. Las relaciones determinadas para los insumos relevantes son válidas como referentes para un benchmarking interno en la operación. Representan analíticamente la dependencia de los insumos en función de los factores causales. Con ellas es posible definir los KPI (Key Performance Indicators) útiles para controlar la operación. La validación del modelo se realizó estimando los costos de insumos para los meses promedio 2005 y 2006, comparando luego con los costos reales para los pares estimados. Los errores de estimación son de -2,35 % y 1,13 % para los casos 2005 y 2006 respectivamente. Se logró modelar cerca del 59 % de los costos de insumos de la mina.

Netoličková, L. Optimization of warehouse management of company XY, s. r. o., Diploma thesis. Brno: Mendel University, 2015. The diploma thesis "Optimization of warehouse management of company XY, s. r. o." deals with theme of a warehouse management of company. In the first part of thesis I focused on character of a warehouse, logistics process and their optimization. In the practical part of my thesis is described the company and input material is subjected to the ABC analysis and divided into groups. Group A optimal values are calculated, which are ten compared with the actual statuses. On the basis of SWOT analysis are designed proposals of optimization leading to decrease of a company costs.

This diploma thesis deals with the issue of a logistic stock management in the company STOLFIG s.r.o. (Ltd.) that focuses mainly on the construction and production of metal products. The theoretical part deals with the basic terminology such as logistics, its management and targets. Nevertheless, most of the theoretical part is focused on the stock, specifically on its characteristics, structuring, management and also risks and costs connected with it. At the beginning of the practical part, the company is introduced with the focus on the stock characteristics and its management system. The next part analyses the present stock management, particularly the analysis of costs, turnover and liquidity, and an ABC analysis. Attention is also paid to the signal level of the stock, the process of selecting suppliers, an unnecessary stock and a warehousing system. Every part is not only analysed but it is also evaluated whether the present situation is satisfactory or not. The third part is based on the given analysis and it contains specific recommendations for improvement, namely in the field of the minimum stock determination, evaluation criteria for supplier selection, management with material with no turnover, and also recommendation for changes within the warehouse. The final part is a clear summary of the whole thesis.

Na localidade do ABC paulista está concentrado o maior parque fabril brasileiro, principalmente pela presença de filiais das grandes industrias automobilísticas mundiais, o que lhe confere uma situação política e geo-económica muito importante. Procurou-se verificar se os movimentos sociais dos me talUrgicos do ABC paulista ocorridos em 1978 e 1979, lograram iniciar um processo de crise do autoritarismo organizacional. A crise implica em uma transição de uma situação para outras situações possíveis. Ficou definido que a crise tanto pode levar a um reforço na estrutura autoritãria aumentando a repressão ou disfarçando-a através de diversos instrumentos, como pode levar a uma alteração na estrutura autoritãria atravês de uma democracia direta. Definiu-se que são três as principais características do autoritarismo organizacional em seu aspecto mais radical: a) relações de poder unilaterais e coercitivas; b) acentuada distinção entre dirigentes e dirigidos; c) heterogestão revelada em seu aspecto unidimensional. Verificou-se que trabalhadores do ABC paulista, chegaram a desagregar a estrutura dentro da qual se expandiram, pro votando uma crise no autoritarismo organizacional: a) porque conseguiram, ainda que momentaneamente,de finir e realizar seus interesses objetivos específicos; b) porque transpuseram uma legislação autoritãria e institucionalizaram uma relativa aproximação entre as classes, obtendo acordos e reafirmando sua condição de classe antagônica; c) porque questionaram a gestão autoritária, propon do uma forma alternativa de gestão visando a implementação de uma democracia industrial. Os rumos do processo de crise iniciado pelos metalúr gicos não podem no entanto, ser definidos aprioristicamente, porque, como se disse no inicio, há dois caminhos possíveis:al terar ou reforçar a estrutura existente. A crise pode ter como diretriz a autogestão e,portan to, através de um processo evolutivo, definido por Rosa Luxemburgo, Anton Pannekoek, Antonio Gramsci e Norberto Bobbio, levar ã democracia direta. A crise pode também levara co-gestão na fabrica,a uma democracia burguesa, autoritária, que buscará promover a he gemonia política da burguesia vacilante. Como são os homens que fazem a história e como os ru mos desta crise apenas podem ser definidos na evolução histOri ca, tais rumos dependerão dos resultados das práticas das cias ses em luta. / The São Paulo ABC region is the largest industrial region of Brazil, mainly due to the presence of branches of big multinational car industries; thus its great political and geo economic importance. The crisis implies a transition from a given sitúation to other possible situations. It was determined that the crisis either leads to a reinforcement of the authoritarian structure increasing repression, or covering it in various manners or to a change in the authoritarian structure by way of direct democracy. Three basic characteristics of organizacional authoritarianism were defined: a) unilateral/forcefull power relations; b) accentuated differences between rulers and the ruled; and c) management by others (as opposed to self-management). Power was defined as the capacity of a social class to achieve its specific objective interests, even when meeting resistence from other classes and despite the structural levels on which this capacity is based. It was verified that the ABC region's workrs managed to disrupt the structure within which their movement grew,thus provoking a crisis in the organizational authoritarianism. This was so because: a) they managed - even if only momentarily - to defi ne and achieve their specific objective interests; b) they went beyond the limits of the authoritarian legislation, institutionalizing therefore a relative approximation between classes, obtaining agreements with the ruling classes, and reaffirming their condition of antagonic class; c) they questioned the authoritarianmanagement system, proposing an alternative form of management which aims at the implementation of an industrial democracy. The consequence of this crisis which was initiated by the metalworkers can not, however, be defined a priori,because - as was pointed out in the beginning - there are two possible ways of resolving it: by altering or by reinforcing the present social structure. The crisis may have self-management as a guideline, and thus - through an evolutionary process (as defined by Rosa Luxemburg, Anton Pannekoek, Antonio Gramsci and Norberto Bobbio) - bring about direct democracy. The crisis may also lead to industrial co-management, to an authoritarian Bourgeois democracy which will try to promote the political hegemony of the vacilant sector of the Bour geoisie. Since it is men who make History, and since the outcome of this crisis can only be defined by historical evolution,its final result will depend on the results of the social practises of these classes in struggle.

Scania OmniExpress Busproduction Finland Oy in Lahti, a company that manufactures buses of product family Scania Interlink LD, Scania Interlink MD, Scania Interlink HD and Scania Citywide LE Suburban. As Scania receives larger customer orders, these orders are divided into both Scania Production Słupsk S.A. and Scania OmniExpress Busproduction Finland Oy, which bring a desire to harmonize these factories. To achieve this harmonization an investigation is required of Scania OmniExpress Busproduction Finland Oy analysis process and comparison with Scania Production Słupsk S.A. To keep up the permanent development outcome, Strategic Plan Scania Production Lahti requires a survey of the painting process in Lahti, Finland. Based on this, an internal cost performance benchmark has been implemented between the factories. Through a currant status analysis of both facility’s, based on Strategic Plan Scania Production Lahti methods and strategies, as well as complementing this with external methods and theory, the gap between the factories has been conducted from a cost perspective. Based on the more in-depth analysis made in Scania OmniExpress Busproduction Finland Oy, an improvement work has been carried out. / Scania OmniExpress Busproduction Finland Oy i Lahti, tillverkar idag bussfamiljerna Scania Interlink LD, Scania Interlink MD, Scania Interlink HD och Scania Citywide LE Suburban. För att kunna leverera vid större kundordrar delas dessa upp mellan två Scaniaägda fabriker, Scania Production Słupsk S.A. och Scania OmniExpress Busproduction Finland Oy, detta medför att en harmonisering krävs mellan fabrikerna så att slutprodukten blir identisk. För att uppnå denna harmonisering utfördes denna studie mellan dessa fabriker. Att jobba med ständiga förbättringar är djupt inprintat i Scanias visioner och mål. I arbetet med ständiga förbättringar för processer skulle målerprocessen förbättras i denna studie. Genom en nulägesanalys i båda fabrikerna baserad på Strategic Plan Scania Production Lahti metoder och strategier såväl som kompliment från externa metoder och teorier har prestanda gapet identifierats. Baserat på en såväl djupare nulägesanalys i Scania OmniExpress Busproduction Finland Oy, har ett förbättringsarbete utförts.

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Doctor of Philosophy / Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Interdepartmental Program / Subbaratnam Muthukrishnan / In this study, I have used dsRNA-mediated down-regulation of transcripts/proteins of several potential targets in the model beetle, Tribolium castaneum to identify a molecular target of the “chitin inhibitor”, diflubenzuron (DFB). The elytron of the red flour beetle, T. castaneum, was chosen as the model tissue for studying the mode of action of DFB and its molecular target(s). We have standardized the protocol for topical administration of DFB on precisely aged prepupae to achieve the desired level of mortality (90-95%) on day 5 of the pharate adult stage. Exposure of prepupae to DFB at 1000 ppm results in a near complete loss of chitin in the newly forming adult procuticle of the elytron and the body wall. Global analysis of transcripts by RNA Seq was carried out to look for differential expression of several critical genes of cuticle assembly in these insects compared to mock-treated controls. Interestingly, genes directly involved in the biosynthetic pathway of chitin were not among those affected by DFB. However, immunolocalization studies have shown that several proteins of chitin metabolism including chitin synthase A, which is involved in the synthesis of cuticular chitin, are present in near normal amounts but are mislocalized in DFB-treated insects. Assays for chitin synthase using elytral extracts have indicated that the enzyme preparations from DFB-treated insects are catalytically inactive. By using RNA interference and competition studies with fluorescently-tagged glibenclamide (a sulfonylurea compound) or DFB, we have identified a long-sought molecular receptor of DFB as an ABCC class transporter. DFB-treatment and RNAi of a specific ABCC-type transporter gene lead to identical phenotypes including loss of chitin, loss of laminar architecture of the cuticle, and mislocalization of CHS from its normal plasma membrane location to intracellular locations presumably by affecting vesicular transport. Further, using an in vitro chitin synthesizing system consisting of microsomes prepared from elytral tissue, which exhibits all of the hallmarks of cuticular chitin-synthesizing epidermal cells including sensitivity to DFB, further insights into the mechanistic details of how this class of insecticides inhibits chitin synthesis have been obtained.