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In 2015 acupuncture was introduced as an alternative intervention in the management of chronic pain, at the Chronic Pain Management Clinic of Groote Schuur Hospital, a tertiary academic hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. This study is a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis that aimed to investigate several aspects of the acupuncture intervention over a 12 month period. The main outcome measure, the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI), is a widely used, internationally validated questionnaire, containing pain intensity, pain interference, and total score. The main objective of this study was to determine if the acupuncture treatment lowered BPI scores after 6 to 9 intervention sessions. Additional objectives were to determine if there are any correlations between demographic and clinical factors and changes in BPI scores, and to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of the study population. The data was obtained by folder reviews of 66 patients with chronic pain who were referred for acupuncture treatment between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2015, and attended at least one treatment session. The full treatment course (6-9 sessions) was completed by 24 patients (36,3%), with an average post treatment decrease in BPI of 3,7 points. Responders (patients who obtained 2 and more point BPI decrease) comprised 70,6% of the patients who completed treatment. Decrease in BPI scores after completion of full acupuncture treatment proved to be statistically significant (p=0.002). Factors showing strongest correlation with BPI decrease were female gender and absence of medical and psychiatric co-morbidities.

Les LBP/BPIs sont des protéines importantes de la réponse antimicrobienne des mammifères, encore mal caractérisées chez les invertébrés. L'objectif de ce projet était d'élucider le rôle des LBP/BPIs dans la réponse immunitaire du gastéropode B. glabrata. Nous avons montré que l'une des LBP/BPI (BgLBP/BPI1) était une protéine majeure de la glande albumène et des masses d'oeufs et possédait les activités attendues des BPIs telle que la capacité de perméabilisation des bactéries.De plus, nous avons découvert une nouvelle activité biocide (anti-oomycète) inconnue jusqu'alors chez les LBP/BPI, et démontré que BgLBP/BPI1 influence à la fois la production d'oeufs et leur protection contre les infections à oomycètes. Nous avons ensuite examiné la diversité et l'évolution des BgLBP/BPIs et montré qu'au moins 5 LBP/BPIs, regroupées en 3 clades phylogénétiques, étaient exprimées chez B. glabrata. Une étude de l'expression de représentants de ces 3 clades a montré qu'ils étaient exprimés dans différents tissus, appuyant l'hypothèse de l'acquisition de spécificités fonctionnelles par les membres de cette famille multigénique. / LBP/BPIs are important immune factors of the mammalian antimicrobial response,poorly characterized in invertebrates. The aim of this work was to elucidate the role of LBP/BPIs in the immune response of the fresh-water snail B. glabrata. Firstly, we showed that one member, BgLBP/BPI1, was highly abundant in the albumen gland and the egg masses. Importantly, in addition to the expected activities of BPIs, such as the induction of bacterial permeability, we discovered a novel biocidal (antioomycete) activity that was unsuspected so far. We demonstrated that BgLBP/BPI1 is a major fitness-related protein, acting on both egg production and offspring protection against oomycete infections. Then, we investigated the sequence diversity and evolution of this LBP/BPI protein family and showed that at least 5 LBP/BPIs were expressed in B. glabrata, belonging to three distinct phylogenetic clades. Expression studies of representatives of the three clades showed that they are expressed in different tissues, differently regulated, and therefore supported the hypothesis of the acquisition of functional specificities by the members of this multigenic family.

Dissertation Business process improvement possibilities in internet shop introduce reader with improvement possibilities in small e-shops with limited financial competence. Object of this work is determination conception process, finding suitable methods for process improvement in enterprise and on the basis of obtained information create process model chosen e-shop and usage some method for process improvement. At the beginning is reader introduced with concept e-shop and e-business. Next part is explained concept and sense of process access in companies operating in nowadays. Next part is about process improvement. First are explained concepts Business process improvement and Business process reengineering than are introduced methods suitable for process improvement. Methods are chosen from different areas, so is good to see the variety of ways that heads to process improvement. Next part is about MIPIM methodology. All steps are explained and extended with suitable methods and tools for each step. Next chapter introduces SkateMORE e-shop. Using SWAT analysis and strategic goals show us possible ways of process modification. Last chapter put deals with process improvement in practically using MIPIM methodology and chosen method mentioned in foregoing chapters. Dissertation ends with rating design of solution implementation. Implementation and rating is not a part of dissertation

Business Process Improvement (BPI) is a challenge for most companies facing challenges in finding temporary solutions to immediate problems. An increased intertwining between the digital and the physical world leads to new ways of customer interaction. Today's digitalized society placing high demands on the digitalization of companies and insurance companies is no exception. The insurance industry is considered behind for what is required for digitization leading to unnecessarily long processing times and arbitrary assessments. A digital solution for insurance management is expected to reduce processing times and be more in line with customers' expectations. The purpose of the work is to evaluate how process improvements in claims management can be achieved via a digital customer portal. The research includes a case study at a well-established insurance company where a current situation of a claims process is mapped and evaluated through interviews and workshops. A prototype of a digital customer portal is developed and evaluated in a theoretical applicability test. Important factors for BPI are developed with the help of previous research and the study's result analyzes based on these factors. The primary result showed that BPI were generated via the digital customer portal through the factors lead times, automation, bottlenecks, quality assurance of information and value creation. Thus, the customer portal proved to be a theoretical way of being able to live up to customers' expectations of digitalization, contribute with competitiveness, customer loyalty and improved customer experience and customer service. Finally, companies can acquire knowledge about the importance of customer centering and the development of digital customer portals for BPI and which factors to consider for BPI. / Förbättring av affärsprocesser (eng. Business Process Improvement, BPI) är en utmaning för de flesta företag som ständigt står inför utmaningen att hitta tillfälliga lösningar på omedelbara problem. En ökad sammanflätning mellan den digitala och den fysiska världen leder till nya sätt för kundinteraktion. Dagens digitaliserade samhälle ställer höga krav på digitaliseringen hos företag och försäkringsbolagen är inget undantag. Försäkringsbranschen anses ligga efter vad gäller digitalisering vilket kan leda till onödigt långa handläggningstider och godtyckliga bedömningar. En digital lösning för försäkringshandläggning förväntas kunna effektivisera handläggningstider och leva upp till kundernas förväntningar. Syftet med arbetet är att utvärdera hur processförbättringar inom försäkringshandläggning kan uppnås via en digital kundportal. Arbetet omfattar en fallstudie på ett väletablerat försäkringsbolag där ett nuläge av en skadeprocess kartläggs för att sedan utvärderas genom intervjuer och workshops. En prototyp av en digital kundportal utvecklas och utvärderas i ett teoretiskt applicerbarhetstest. Viktiga faktorer för BPI tas fram med hjälp av tidigare forskning och studiens resultat analyseras utifrån dessa faktorer. Det primära resultatet var att BPI förväntades kunna uppnås via den digitala kundportalen med hänsyn till faktorerna ledtider, automatisering, flaskhalsar, kvalitetssäkring av information samt värdeskapande. Kundportalen visade sig också teoretiskt sätt kunna leva upp till kundernas förväntan av digitalisering, bidra med konkurrenskraft, kundlojalitet samt förbättrad kundupplevelse och kundservice. Avslutningsvis kan företag utifrån arbetet inhämta kunskap om kundcentreringens och utvecklingen av digitala kundportalers betydelse för BPI samt vilka faktorer att ta hänsyn till vid BPI.

The subject of my thesis is the optimization of selected business processes in the specific company. These are processes, which optimization will lead to save time, money and will generate additional income and increase the current level of profit significantly. In my thesis, I proposed several indicators of metrics and describe new information systems that will be part of optimized processes. In the first part I present the theoretical aspects and the transition from functional to process management, modeling based on different methodologies, standards and measuring the performance of individual processes. In the next chapter I am dealing with the practical application of theoretical knowledge on a specific company. First I briefly introduce this company, define its position in the market, and going through complex of strategic analysis. Next I give solution how to find out the problematic aspects of the most critical processes and then I suggest optimization. An important part of this thesis are suggested metrics and indicators for these metrics, which are monitored and evaluate targets of each individual process and thus his successful implementation. After incorporating the proposed optimization, the company has significantly shifted not only in monitored metrics, but will also increase its value. These ideas I will summarize in the end of the work.

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / The objective of this research is to investigate the factors at plant level which impact on the diffusion of Japanese Manufacturing Techniques to enterprises in developing countries generally, and South Africa specifically. This informs the development of meaningful supply-side measures to improve the competitiveness of South African manufacturers. This has been achieved through both a thorough examination of the literature and through field research. The field research documents the implementation experiences in fifteen South African plants which participated in the Shopfloor Best Practice workshops of the Manufacturing Roundtable (MRT). I chose to examine these examples of transfer as I was a participant researcher, attached to the MRT. The central question which guided my research is what are the factors which affect the depth of systemic adoption of Japanese Manufacturing Techniques on the shopfloor in South Africa, and what this indicates for the breadth of diffusion of the techniques across the manufacturing sector as a whole. The research argument is that for sustainable adoption both social and technical aspects of Japanese Manufacturing Techniques need to be addressed. Focusing on the technical aspects only and presenting a universally applicable model obscures the realities of transfer, as the embeddedness of the techniques in the social and institutional context is ignored. The point of departure for analysis in this thesis is thus real examples of transfer, as opposed to a universally defined and abstracted model. The experience and opinions of the workshop participants, and those of managers in their plants, have been gathered through individual in-depth interviews and site visits. The evidence indicates that there are many factors both internal and external to the firm which are likely to constrain significantly the ability of some firms to move in the systemic direction. These include the poor primary education of much of the workforce, poor management skills, wage and social inequality and a lack of participation in the workplace. It becomes apparent that the process of diffusion amongst South African manufacturers is not likely to be rapid or steady, and that the most likely path is one of uneven diffusion.

Orientador: Graziela Estela Fonseca Rodrigues / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Artes / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-21T10:14:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Costa_ElisaMassariollida_M.pdf: 2444656 bytes, checksum: 46741614e0010602026fcecc9136f1ef (MD5) Costa_ElisaMassariolliDa_M_Anexo.zip: 792303022 bytes, checksum: f187d9f850cd6916b4c497b59e303d8d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: O objetivo desta pesquisa consistiu em aprofundar-se na fase do Método Bailarino- Pesquisador-Intérprete (BPI) que denominamos de Retorno ao Campo. Essa fase consiste em levar o espetáculo, resultante do processo ocorrido dentro do BPI, ao campo onde foi realizado o Co-habitar com a Fonte para a criação cênica, eixo do Método no qual o bailarino faz uma pesquisa de campo em alguma manifestação cultural ou nicho social brasileiro. A fase do Retorno ao Campo, neste projeto, deu-se por meio da realização de quatro apresentações do espetáculo "Nascedouro" em três diferentes aldeias da Terra Indígena de Pimentel Barbosa, de etnia Xavante, no Norte do Estado do Mato Grosso. "Nascedouro" é resultado de pesquisas de Iniciação Científica no Método BPI, enfocando a etnia Xavante, com a direção da profa. dra. Graziela Rodrigues e interpretação de Elisa Costa. Para a experiência de retornar "Nascedouro" à sua Fonte, intérprete e diretora estiveram nas terras xavante. Fazia parte dos objetivos buscar, por meio do Retorno ao Campo, abertura, comunicação e troca suficientes para proporcionar a intervenção dos pesquisados, gerando um processo de interação, o que, de fato, aconteceu. Após ocorrida a fase do Retorno ao Campo, houve novos laboratório dirigidos, para elaborar cenicamente as reverberações resultantes dessa interação, que resultou em uma performance e também em novas apresentações de "Nascedouro", incorporando os novos sentidos apurados do diálogo entre os Xavante e o espetáculo. Concluímos, após todo esse percurso, que o Retorno ao Campo, no Método BPI, gera identificação e espelhamento com os pesquisados, promove o desenvolvimento do intérprete e também o desenvolvimento do espetáculo, proporcionando inclusive a criação de novos produtos cênicos. Concluímos, também, que uma relação de sintonia e confiança entre diretor e intérprete é essencial para que os processos no Método BPI sejam bem sucedidos / Abstract: The aim of this research has been to plunge into the stage of the Bailarino-Pesquisador- Intérprete Method (BPI, that means, in english, Dance-Research-Performer) which we have named Return to the Field. This very stage consists of taking the performance, which is the result of the process that occurred inside the BPI Method, back to the field where the Cohabiting with the Source for the scenic creation took place. This is a Method in which the performer's object of research is their focus on either a given cultural manifestation or on a certain stratum of the brazilian culture. The stage of the Return to the Field, in this very project, was based upon four presentations of the performance "Nascedouro", which took place in three different indigenous villages in the so-called "Terra Indígena de Pimentel Barbosa" belonging to the ethnic group of the Xavante and situated in the north of Mato Grosso State. "Nascedouro" is the result of the research of the undergraduate on the DRP Method and focus on the ethnic group of the Xavante. With the direction of the Professor Graziela Rodrigues and the performance of Elisa Costa. As for the experience of returning "Nascedouro" to its Source, both performer and director have been to the land of the Xavante people. It was part of the objectives to seek through the Return to the Field, openness, communication and exchange enough to generate a situation in which the objects of the research would interact with the spectacle and which happened in fact. After the Return to the Field stage, there were other directed creation labs that aimed at better elaborating the scenic results of this project, which resulted in a performance as well as in new presentations of "Nascedouro". Therefore, we have concluded that the Return to the Field, in the BPI Method generates identification together with the objects of the research, thus promoting the perfomer's development as well as the performance's development. It can also provide the creation of new scenic products. We have also concluded that being in tune and trusting one another are the essencial elements to the director-performer relationship, so that the processes of the BPI Method's successful / Mestrado / Artes da Cena / Mestra em Artes da Cena

Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-15T19:40:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Stephanny Maria Rampazo.pdf: 1203090 bytes, checksum: 35e6ca9b23021e367117e2c29b576f87 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-09 / The diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is oriented to people with losses in areas such as communication and social interaction and by the presence of repetitive stereotyped behaviors. It is a clinical diagnosis which follows standard protocols of indirect evaluation and clinical observation (direct evaluation) in order to track signals and symptoms within the 3 areas mentioned previously and having stereotyped behaviors as a clinical indicator of this evaluation. Amongst these indicators, motors stereotypes are usually observed in people with ASD, however, there are a few Brazilian researches that consider broad clinical diversity evaluation as well as its functions, once its tools and common scales explore partially this symptomatology. The objective of this study is to show the registered results of motors stereotypes of people with ASD and discuss about possible ways of stereotypes evaluation regarding its functions and presentation. The sample was built with 22 children (age varying from 3 to 12 years old) diagnosed by Unidade de Referência em Autismo Prof° Marcos Tomanik Mercadante Irmandade Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo with ASD. The stereotype´s evaluations were based on direct and indirect behavior and tracking of ADS from data base tools: a) Brazilian version of The Behavior Problems Inventory-BPI-01; b) Brazilian version of Autism Behavior Checklist - ABC; c) Video register of Stereotypes Evaluation (RAEV). d) Experimental Functional Evaluation of Stereotype. A descriptive analysis was conducted on a case by case basis with non parametric tests and correlation with the used tools. The main conclusions of this study were: 1) the three methods of assessment, recorded the stereotypies in different relative proportions: 12 behaviors that indicate motor stereotypes at ABC were recorded in varying number of subjects in the sample (only one individual did not score), and the record of percentage relative to the total possible was 43.8%. All subjects scored at BPI-01 at least one of the 24 behaviors recorded, and the record of percentage out of the total possible was 67.4%. The direct evaluation was able to register 79 behaviors considered motor stereotypes, and therefore it was considered more effective than other methods; 2) the comparison between ABC and BPI-01 shows similar behaviors, but with slightly different questions, which led to different answers. These two questionnaires are easy to apply, the use of both is recommended because they are complementary to the registration of stereotypies. No difference was found when six similar ABC and BPI-01 records were compared; 3) You can identify the function of stereotyping for each individual from an experimental functional analysis with only a 30 minute session, divided into three situations with 10 minutes each: on demand situation (the children are requested to perform a task); attention situation (the child is praised when showing stereotypes); alone situation (free observation); 4) stereotyping may have multiple functions, i.e., stereotyped behavior can begin with a self-stimulation function, maintained by automatic reinforcement, but it can vary and serve other functions, such as obtaining social attention; 5) evaluating the function of stereotyping rather than the simple topographical record enables different, more detailed and meticulous interventions. / O Diagnóstico de Transtorno do Espectro Autista (TEA) é designado às pessoas com prejuízos nas áreas de comunicação, interação social e pela presença de comportamentos repetitivos e estereotipados. Seu diagnóstico é clinico e a avaliação é realizada a partir de protocolos padronizados de avaliação indireta e de observação clínica (avaliação direta), a fim de rastrear sinais e sintomas dentro das três áreas citadas, sendo um dos indicadores clínicos nessa avaliação, os comportamentos estereotipados. Dentre eles, nas pessoas com TEA, as estereotipias motoras comumente são manifestadas, porém existem poucas pesquisas brasileiras que contemplam avaliações que abranjam sua diversidade clínica, bem como sua função, já que os instrumentos e escalas usuais exploram de maneira parcial essa sintomatologia. O objetivo desse estudo é demonstrar os resultados do registro de estereotipias motoras em pessoas com TEA e discutir sobre as possíveis formas de avaliação de estereotipias, em relação à sua topografia e à sua função. A amostra foi constituída por 22 crianças com diagnóstico de TEA pela Unidade de Referência em Autismo Prof° Marcos Tomanik Mercadante Irmandade Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, com idade entre 3 e 12 anos. As formas de avaliação das estereotipias se deram por avaliação comportamental direta e indireta e de rastreamento de TEA, a partir de instrumentos de coleta de dados: a) Versão Brasileira do Inventário de Problemas de Comportamentais (The Behavior Problems Inventory-BPI-01); b) Autism Behavior Checklist - ABC; c) Registro de Avaliação de Estereotipias por Vídeo (RAEV). d) Análise Funcional de estereotipia. Foi realizada análise descritiva da casuística, com testes não paramétricos e correlação entre os instrumentos utilizados. As principais conclusões deste estudo foram: 1) os três métodos de avaliação, registraram as estereotipias em proporções relativas diferentes: os 12 comportamentos que indicam estereotipias motoras no ABC foram registrados em número variados de sujeitos da amostra (apenas um indivíduo não pontuou), sendo que o percentual de registro em relação ao total possível foi de 43,8%. No BPI-01 todos os sujeitos pontuaram em pelo menos um dos 24 comportamentos registrados, sendo o percentual de registro em relação ao total possível de 67,4%. Já a avaliação direta foi capaz de registrar 79 comportamentos considerados estereotipias motoras, sendo, portanto mais eficaz que os demais métodos; 2) a comparação entre o ABC e o BPI-01 mostra que comportamentos similares, mas com perguntas ligeiramente diferentes levam a respostas diversas. Como são dois questionários de fácil aplicação, recomenda-se a utilização de ambos, pois são complementares para o registro das estereotipias. A comparação entre o registro no ABC e BPI-01 entre seis comportamentos cuja redação é muito semelhante não mostrou diferença; 3) é possível obter a função da estereotipia para cada indivíduo a partir de uma análise funcional com apenas uma sessão de 30 minutos, dividida em 3 situações de 10 minutos: demanda (solicita-se que a crianças execute uma tarefa); atenção (elogia-se quando a criança exibe a estereotipia); sozinho (observação livre); 4) uma estereotipia pode ter múltiplas funções, ou seja, um comportamento estereotipado pode iniciar por uma função de auto-estimulação, mantida por reforçamento automático, mas pode variar de função e adquirir outras funções simultâneas, como a obtenção de atenção social; 5) avaliar a função da estereotipia ao invés do simples registro topográfico possibilita intervenções diferentes, mais detalhadas e minuciosas.

Orientador: Graziela Estela Fonseca Rodrigues / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campoinas, Instituto de Artes / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-21T07:05:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Campos_Flavio_M.pdf: 2042473 bytes, checksum: f7b39416abeeb923f2e6277e2bb5e1ef (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: O presente trabalho evidencia a existência e o papel fundamental das relações afetivas no processo criativo proposto pelo método Bailarino-Pesquisador-Intérprete (BPI). Utilizando-me metodologicamente da Análise de Conteúdos proposta por Laurence Bardin (1977) e do caráter qualitativo para analisar os dados coletados, segundo Graham Gibbs (2009), constato que há na dinâmica sistêmica do BPI a estruturação de uma Rede Afetiva a partir das relações intrapessoais e interpessoais vivenciadas pelo intérprete. Este trabalho possui quatro capítulos, onde descrevo a minha trajetória de estudos e inquietações até a organização de um pré-projeto cujo objetivo é o eixo do desenvolvimento desta investigação. Apresento, também, os Materiais e as ferramentas utilizadas para analisar o objeto de estudo escolhido. E, de modo mais especifico, discuto sobre a estruturação de uma Rede de Afetos e sobre a importância do diretor no Processo BPI. Esta dissertação sintetiza o meu aprofundamento sobre o método BPI, traçando, a partir de uma revisão bibliográfica, uma reflexão sobre a alteridade e a conduta ética num processo de criação em Artes da Cena. É um estudo que abre espaço para o diálogo com muitas das áreas do conhecimento, especialmente aquelas relacionadas às artes / Abstract: This study provides evidence of the existence and fundamental role of affectionate relationships in the creative process proposed by the BPI (Dancer-Researcher-Performer) Method. The qualitative approach and the Content Analysis Method proposed by Laurence Bardin (1977) utilized here allow me to observe that an Affective Network of intrapersonal and interpersonal relations is built through the system dynamics proposed by the BPI method. This Dissertation has four chapters in which I describe my personal and academic experiences, as well as my anxieties and inquiries that led me to the organization of a project that form the axis of this investigation. Materials and tools considered in the analyses of my study object are also described here. More specifically, I discuss the structuring of an Affectionate Network and the importance of the director in the BPI process. This dissertation also synthesizes my in-depth study of the BPI method, proposing, from a bibliographic review, a reflection on alterity and ethical conduct in the creative process of the Performing Arts. It is a study that dialogues with many areas of knowledge, especially those related to the arts / Mestrado / Artes da Cena / Mestre em Artes da Cena