ABSTRACT Date:                           02 June 2024 Level:                          Master thesis in Product and Process Development, advanced level, 30                                       credits. Institution:                 School of Innovation, Design and Engineering, Mälardalen University Author:                       Aziz EzzAlden                        Zain Momin    20th November 1998  10th August 1998                                Title:                           Optimizing Logistic Operations: exploring diverse approaches to order                                         point  dynamics  Tutor:                         Ebba Bengtsson, Organisation                                     Yuji Yamamoto, Mälardalen University Keywords:                  RFID, Kanban; Push; Pull; Just In Time; internal logistics; Signals;                                      Material flow; Order point Purpose:                     The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of order points on                                           logistics operations and how smart inventory technologies address the                                                 challenges of order  point management. By utilizing a framework that                                                                  aligns with logistics operations and smart inventory practices.  Research  questions:  1. How does order point affect the logistic operations and their                                              performance?                           2. How can smart inventory address the challenges related to order                           points?  Method:                      This study adopts an abductive approach, facilitating a dynamic                                      interaction between theoretical frameworks and empirical findings.                                       The theoretical framework is based on scientific articles. The study                                      focuses on a singular main case organisation, supplemented by                                                    comparative analyses involving three additional organisations,                                       forming a case study design. Empirical data allocation used multiple                                       semi-structured interviews, unstructured interviews, and observations                                       to gather data.  Conclusion:                The study indicated that efficient order point systems are crucial for                                        ensuring timely material replenishment and optimizing material flow.                                        Additionally, smart inventory technologies offer effective solutions,                                        including real-time monitoring and automated reordering, which                                        minimize errors and enhance efficiency in logistical operations. / SAMMANFATTNING Datum:                        02 juni 2024 Nivå:                            Examensarbete i produkt- och processutveckling avancerad nivå, 30 hp.                                     Institution:                  Akademin för Innovation. Design och Teknik. IDT, Mälardalens                                                 universitet  Författare:                  Aziz EzzAlden                        Zain Momin     20 November 1998   10 Augusti 1998                                Titel:                            Optimering av logistik operationer: utforska olika tillvägagångssätt för                                        order punkts dynamik. Handledare:               Ebba Bengtsson, Organisation                                     Yuji Yamamoto, Mälardalens universitet Nyckelord:                  RFID, Kanban; Push, Pull; Just In Time; instant logistics; Signaler,                                       Materialflöde; Order Punkt Syfte:                          Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur orderpunkter påverkar                                      logistik operationer och hur smarta lager teknologier hanterar                                      utmaningarna med orderpunkt hantering. Detta genom att använda en                                    ram som överensstämmer med logistikoperationer och smarta                                    lagerpraxis. Frågeställningar:       1. Hur påverkar order punkten logistikoperationer och deras prestanda?                                      2. Hur kan smarta lager hantera utmaningarna relaterade till                                                                order punkter? Metod:                          Denna studie antar ett abduktivt tillvägagångssätt som underlättar en                                         dynamisk interaktion mellan teoretiska ramverk och empiriska resultat.                                        Det teoretiska ramverket är baserat på vetenskapliga artiklar. Studien                                           fokuserar på en enda huvudorganisation, kompletterad med jämförande                                          analyser som involverar tre ytterligare organisationer, vilket bildar en                                         fallstudiedesign. Empiriska datainsamlingen använde sig av flera                                          semi-strukturerade intervjuer, ostrukturerade intervjuer och                                                observationer för att samla in data. Slutsats:                       Studien indikerade att effektiva orderpunkt system är avgörande för att                                        säkerställa att material återfylls i rätt tid och för att optimera                                       materialflödet. Dessutom erbjuder smarta lager teknologier effektiva                                       lösningar, inklusive realtidsövervakning och automatisk ombeställning,                                        vilket minimerar fel och ökar effektiviteten i logistikoperationer.

Innovation and ‘creative destruction’ should thrive in the competitive, high risk and high cost environment of the North Sea. Paradoxically, uptake of new technology is slow. The focus of this research was to understand how new technology is developed and how end users make decisions about innovation. Innovation process in the literature can sometimes come across like a ‘black box’ without much explanation of what happens inside the box. This study seeks to explicate what transpires inside the ‘black box’ to improve our understanding of the innovation process. The linear models of technology-push and market-pull are too simplistic to account for the complexity of relationships and engagements that affect innovation at small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) level. Subsequent models of innovation are suited to how large corporations manage innovation but neglect patterns of social interactions at the micro level where SMEs operate. These innovation models are incomplete because they relegate the importance of context and how it shapes understanding, action and outcome. This study, rooted in a social constructionist paradigm, takes a process-relational stance on entrepreneurship and innovation, recognising the dynamic relationships between social actors and context. Taking Heidegger’s explication of how we relate to the world, this thesis submits that innovation occurs when actors move into the ‘occurrent’ mode. The happenings and doings in the innovation process are treated as the results of perpetual social constructions. This study is based on extended interviews with eleven individuals in relevant roles and with direct experiences of the technical innovation construction in the oil and gas industry. The purposeful sample of research encompasses a variety of roles including technology entrepreneurs, end users of technology and venture capitalists. This study makes a number of contributions. Firstly, the research improves our understanding of how different social constructions are welded together to develop shared understanding. Secondly, a conceptual framework is presented that bridges a number of theoretical concepts, which allows us to see that innovation cannot be properly understood using simplistic models that ignores the social constructions human actors instantiate. Thirdly, the research claims that problem framing is foundational to innovation construction, where social actors collaborate to develop shared understanding, and mentally represent in the present a future that is not totally knowable. Fourthly, an alternative model of innovation construction is presented that is relational and accounts for the social constructions of process participants. Finally, a number of research implications for academics and insights for practitioners engaged in the technical innovation construction are offered.

Cette thèse s’inscrit au croisement de plusieurs domaines de la recherche économique de l’innovation. Notre démarche fait appel à des résultats empiriques issus de l’économétrie de l’innovation. Pour étudier la relation entre innovation et demande, l’outil le plus adapté nous semble être le modèle de la croissance endogène fondé sur l’innovation par opposition au modèle de la croissance exogène. La nature et la direction de cette relation ont été explorées par différents courants économiques qui peuvent être classés selon deux grandes écoles. Les premiers sont les tenants de la thèse dite de la poussée technologique de l’innovation (« Technology-Push Innovation ») que l’on peut considérer très globalement comme « tirés » par les travaux de Joseph Schumpeter. Les seconds sont les tenants de l’approche dite de l’impulsion par la demande de l’innovation (« Demand-Pull Innovation ») dont les travaux pionniers ont été baptisés par Jacob Schmookler. Les travaux de Kleinknecht et Verspagen (1990) nous ont fortement inspiré pour démarrer cette thèse. Notre démarche constitue un prolongement et une complexification de leur analyse. En effet, l’objectif de cette thèse est double : monter que la relation entre innovation et demande n’est pas unidirectionnelle et, ce constat vérifié, examiner la possibilité d’étudier l’hétérogénéité des industries au sens de ces deux approches en fonction de leurs niveaux technologiques.Il nous semble que notre travail contribue à la compréhension des déterminants de l’innovation tels qu’ils ressortent de la controverse « Demand-Pull » versus « Technology-push », de trois façons :1) En proposant un survey problématisé de la littérature sur l’innovation,2) En présentant de façon originale des données sur la R&D et la productivité des industries des pays de l’OCDE,3) En suggérant que les modèles à correction d’erreur, maintenant très bien maîtrisés, peuvent apporter d’utiles éclairages à la question des modèles d’innovation (« Demand-Pull » versus « Technology-push »). / This thesis is at the intersection of several fields of economic research of innovation. Our approach uses empirical results from the econometrics of innovation. To study the relationship between innovation and demand, the most suitable seems to be the endogenous growth model based on innovation as opposed to the exogenous growth model. The nature and the direction of this relationship have been explored by various economic flows that can be classified into two major schools. The first are the proponents of so-called “Technology-Push Innovation” which may be regarded very broadly as “learned” by the work of Joseph Schumpeter. The latter are the proponents of the approach “Demand-Pull Innovation”, whose pioneering works have been baptized by Jacob Schmookler.The works of Kleinknecht and Verspagen (1990) have greatly inspired us to start this thesis. Our approach is an extension of this analysis. The purpose of this thesis is twofold: 1) showing that the relationship between innovation and demand is not unidirectional, 2) and this finding verified, examining the heterogeneity of industries within the meaning of these two approaches based on their technology levels.It seems to us that our work contributes to understanding the determinants of innovation as they emerge from the controversy “Demand-Pull” versus “Technology-push”, in three ways: 1) By offering a problematized survey of the literature on innovation, 2) By presenting, in an original way, data on R&D and productivity of industries in OECD countries, 3) By suggesting that the error correction models, now very well controlled, can provide useful insights to the issue of innovation models (“Demand-Pull” versus “Technology-push”).

Natural Hazards are a risk to buried gas pipeline infrastructure, but these risks are difficult to assess and quantify. This can often lead to the risks not being properly identified by pipeline owners. The risk to pipelines within landslide areas are particularly difficult to assess given the complex nature of landslide movements and the soil-pipeline interaction mechanisms imposing loads on a pipeline. This thesis research examines the relationship between ground movements and strains/stresses in buried pipelines through field measured ground movements and in-situ measured pipe strains/stresses. The pipe stresses and strains are then used to estimate probability of pipeline failure and risk based on RBDA limit states approaches. Within Manitoba Hydro’s pipeline network, three at-risk landslide areas (riverbank and deep river valleys) were selected for detailed studies. A field investigation and monitoring program was undertaken to assess possible sources of load and stresses on pipelines. Soil, ground, and pipe instrumentation were installed at the sites and monitored over a four year period. Monitoring results identified soil near the pipeline does not freeze, and ground movements at valley sites are slow moving (<50 mm/year) landslides. The monitoring results also showed pipe stresses and behaviour were affected by backfilling, changes in river levels, thermal affects, soil-pipe relaxation, and ground movements. Pipe push tests were conducted in conjunction with FEM modelling to examine pipe adhesion and to possible explain the pipe behaviour observed. Several ultimate and serviceability limit states pipe failure modes were assessed using the measured pipe stresses. Statistical analysis was undertaken to calculate the probability of pipeline failure for the various limit states failure modes and compared against limit states targets for several scenarios (backfill loads, initial stress-state of the pipeline, other pipelines within Manitoba Hydro network). Overall, the probability of failure estimates were generally insignificant or low due to a postulated soil-pipe relaxation mechanism which is causing a repeated release in longitudinal pipe stresses as the landslide continues to accumulate ongoing ground movements. Three mechanisms are presented and discussed. The statistical analysis indicate pipelines within Manitoba Hydro’s network may exceed limit states targets for yielding and local buckling depending on the loading scenario and the class of the pipeline within the landslide area. The outcome of the research was used to develop a risk managements system to examine geotechnical hazards within Manitoba Hydro’s pipeline network. Specifically, risks associated with ground movements along natural slopes and at river crossings are examined within the system. / October 2016

É elaborada uma proposta de procedimentos de projetos de comboios fluviais adaptados às condições existentes das vias navegáveis, a partir de uma visão ampliada da necessidade de obtenção de menores custos de transporte, com níveis adequados de segurança e de respeito ao meio ambiente. Uma análise das inter-relações técnicas entre hidrovias e embarcações, assim como dos condicionantes e implicações do conceito de embarcações adaptadas às vias navegáveis, orientou a elaboração do modelo. Este foi estruturado em módulos, com o objetivo de reproduzir, um a um, os fatores mais importantes que influenciam a eficiência, a segurança e o nível de interferência ambiental do transporte de cargas por comboios. Um programa computacional foi desenvolvido como instrumento de aplicação do modelo, consolidando os procedimentos propostos para a escolha das melhores alternativas de projeto e de operação de comboios. Resultados experimentais com comboios em escala real e com modelos em tanques de provas, foram utilizados para validação dos procedimentos adotados. Dados de acidentes com comboios em várias hidrovias do mundo foram utilizados como bases para avaliações de risco. O modelo foi aplicado aos casos de transportes de soja pela hidrovia Tietê-Paraná e pelo rio Araguaia, exemplificando as formas de análise e de escolha das alternativas de soluções de projeto. Ao final, os resultados obtidos comprovaram a utilidade da adoção de um enfoque mais abrangente do processo de projeto de comboios fluviais. / It is proposed a procedure model for design of barges push-tow adapted to waterway actual conditions, with the purpose of minimize transportation costs but always making verifications of navigation safety and ambient interferences levels. An analysis of inter-relations on inland waterways and cargo ships and, also, detailed conditionings and implications of waterway adapted ships concept, was used for model elaboration. It was structured in blocks to reproduce, one to one, the most important factors that modify efficiency, safety and environmental interference levels of barges push-tow cargo transportation. A computational program was developed to consolidate the proposed model and to apply procedures to choose best design and operational alternatives. Results of full scale and towing tank tests with push-tows were used to verify the mathematical and semi-empirical models. Barges push-tows accidents data from waterways of the world was used as risk model basis. To evaluate its effectiveness, the model was applied to bulk grain transportation cases by Tietê-Paraná waterway and by Araguaia river. The results shows that the special emphasis on three factors (efficiency, safety and ambient) improves the quality of barges push-tow design process.

This study examines whether the breakthrough of push notifications has affected journalism, and what characterizes the editorial content of push notifications. The study focuses specifically on the two Swedish newspapers Aftonbladet and Dagens Nyheter. Qualitative interviews have been conducted where two people from each newspaper, who in various ways encounter push notifications in their daily work, had the opportunity to share their experiences in the area. These interviews have then been supplemented with a quantitative content analysis, where the two newspapers push notifications are categorized based on specific variables and variable values. The study's theoretical framework is based on theories of news evaluation, news selection and editorial routines. Combined with previous research on what makes news, differences between morning and evening press as well as the consequences of the push notifications, the results of the study is discussed. The conclusions are that the work with push notifications is demanding, competitive and keeps a high tempo. The goal of being first with the push notification can lead to the verification process being down prioritized. There is also a connection that shows that too many push notifications increase the number of news application-uninstallations. In addition, it is concluded that the newsworthiness behind Aftonbladet and Dagens Nyheters push notifications to some extent follows the same pattern as when it comes to news in general. Based on theory and previous research, push notifications seem to be an extension of what characterizes morning and evening press. Both Aftonbladet and Dagens Nyheter focuses on the news that is typical for respective newspapers. However, the push notifications place higher demands when it comes to befit the whole audience. / Denna studie undersöker huruvida pushnotisernas genombrott påverkat journalistiken, samt vad som karaktäriserar det redaktionella innehåll som sänds ut via pushnotiser. Studien fokuserar specifikt på de två svenska dagstidningarna Aftonbladet och Dagens Nyheter. Kvalitativa intervjuer har genomförts där två personer från respektive tidning, som på olika sätt kommer i kontakt med pushnotiser i sitt dagliga arbete, haft möjlighet att berätta om sina erfarenheter i området. Dessa intervjuer har sedan kompletterats med en kvantitativ innehållsanalys, där dagstidningarnas pushnotiser kategoriserats utifrån bestämda variabler och variabelvärden. Studiens teoretiska ramverk har utgångspunkt i teorier om nyhetsvärdering, nyhetsurval och redaktionella rutiner. Utifrån dessa teorier, samt tidigare forskning om vad som blir nyheter, skillnader mellan morgonpress och kvällspress samt notisernas konsekvenser, diskuteras studiens resultat. Slutsatsen som dras är att arbetet med pushnotiser är krävande, tävlingsinriktat och håller ett högt tempo. Målet att vara först ut med pushnotisen kan leda till att verifikationsprocessen nedprioriteras. Det finns även ett samband som visar på att för många pushnotiser ökar antalet avinstallationer av nyhetsapplikationen. Utöver detta dras slutsatsen att nyhetsvärderingen bakom Aftonbladets och Dagens Nyheters pushnotiser till viss del följer samma mönster som när det kommer till nyheter generellt. Utifrån teori och tidigare forskning har pushnotiserna visat sig vara en förlängning av vad som karaktäriserar morgonpress respektive kvällspress, där Aftonbladet respektive Dagens Nyheter fokuserar på de nyheter som följer deras profilering. Pushnotiserna ställer emellertid högrekrav på att lämpa sig för hela läsarkretsen.

Esta pesquisa tem como finalidade desenvolver implantes de alumina com núcleo denso e superfície gradualmente porosa (FGM) recobertos com materiais bioativos - hidroxiapatita e biovidro. Materiais porosos são estudados como solução para a osseointegração, porém apresenta déficit nas suas propriedades mecânicas. Estruturas bifásicas foram desenvolvidas por pesquisadores com o propósito de promover crescimento tecidual, sem afetar significativamente sua propriedade mecânica, no entanto ocorre delaminação. Neste trabalho é proposta uma estrutura em gradiente funcional que visa aprimorar as propriedades mecânicas conjugadas com a sinalização celular e com integração óssea. O tamanho, a morfologia de poros e também a porosidade são parâmetros fundamentais para boa resposta tecidual e integração do implante, pois afetam a viabilidade e a afinidade celular. Para essa finalidade a busca por uma espessura efetiva de porosidade se faz fundamental para alto desempenho do implante. Peças de alumina porosas infiltradas com materiais bioativos foram fabricadas e estudadas in vivo, em tíbias de ratos da raça Wistar durante 14, 18, 21 e 28 dias, para investigar a qualidade do crescimento de tecido ósseo. O estudo com implantes porosos recobertos foi realizado para avaliar e padronizar a superfície porosa do gradiente funcional. Os animais foram analisados com densidade mineral óssea (DMO), as tíbias foram caracterizadas na interface osso-implante e nos poros com histologia, com EDS-line-scan, com radiografias e com ensaios de cisalhamento. Implantes de alumina com 70% de porosidade foram comparados com recobrimento bioativo e sem recobrimento in vivo e ex-vivo. Nos resultados, os implantes recobertos aceleram o processo de osseointegração. Essa característica foi mais evidente no período de 28 dias de implantação com aumento de 24% na tensão de cisalhamento. Após validar uma superfície porosa e osseointegrável para a superfície do gradiente funcional, foram aplicadas técnicas diferenciadas para manufaturar peças com núcleo denso e superfície com gradiente de porosidade. As peças com FGM foram manufaturadas com a utilização de duas técnicas, dipping e co-prensagem e foram analisadas com microscopia eletrônica de varredura. Com o método de manufatura de co-prensagem foram obtidas peças com superfície gradualmente porosa, com transição de densificação contínua, sem delaminação. Os implantes de alumina em gradiente funcional com 70 % de porosidade na superfície mais externa, recobertos por bioativos apresentam potencial para aplicações em implantes ósseos ou dentários. / The present thesis reports on the development of alumina implants with dense core and gradually porous surface (FGM) covered with bioactive materials, hydroxyapatite (HA) and bioactive glass. Porous materials have been studied to provide tissue ingrowth, however they strongly affect the mechanical properties of the implant. Biphasic structures have been developed by some researchers to promote tissue growth without affecting the mechanical properties, although delamination may occur. This study proposes a functional gradient structure to improve both the mechanical properties of the material and cell signaling. The size and morphology of the pores as well as their porosity are key parameters for good tissue response and implant integration, since they affect the viability and cell affinity, and an effective porosity thickness becomes essential for a high performance of the implant. Porous alumina implants coated with bioactive materials were fabricated and studied in vivo in rat tibia for 14, 18, 21, and 28 days to investigate the quality of bone tissue growth. The study of porous coated implants was performed to evaluate and standardize the porous surface of the functional gradient. The animals were examined with bone mineral density (BMD), the tibiae were characterized in the bone-implant interface and the pores were analyzed with histology, EDS line-scan, X-ray and shear tests. Alumina with 70% porosity was compared with and without bioactive coating in vivo and ex vivo. The results showed that the covered implants accelerated the osseointegration process. This characteristic is more evident within 28 days of deployment with a 24% increase in shear stress. After validating a porous and osteointegrated surface for the surface of the functional gradient, several techniques were applied to manufacture parts with dense core and surface with gradient of porosity. The pieces were manufactured with FGM using two techniques, dipping and co-pressing and were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. The manufacturing method of co-pressing allowed obtaining pieces with gradually porous surface and continuous transition of densification without delamination. On the outermost surface, alumina implants with functional gradient and 70% porosity and coated with bioactive materials presented potential for application to bone or dental implants.

Esta pesquisa tem como finalidade desenvolver implantes de alumina com núcleo denso e superfície gradualmente porosa (FGM) recobertos com materiais bioativos - hidroxiapatita e biovidro. Materiais porosos são estudados como solução para a osseointegração, porém apresenta déficit nas suas propriedades mecânicas. Estruturas bifásicas foram desenvolvidas por pesquisadores com o propósito de promover crescimento tecidual, sem afetar significativamente sua propriedade mecânica, no entanto ocorre delaminação. Neste trabalho é proposta uma estrutura em gradiente funcional que visa aprimorar as propriedades mecânicas conjugadas com a sinalização celular e com integração óssea. O tamanho, a morfologia de poros e também a porosidade são parâmetros fundamentais para boa resposta tecidual e integração do implante, pois afetam a viabilidade e a afinidade celular. Para essa finalidade a busca por uma espessura efetiva de porosidade se faz fundamental para alto desempenho do implante. Peças de alumina porosas infiltradas com materiais bioativos foram fabricadas e estudadas in vivo, em tíbias de ratos da raça Wistar durante 14, 18, 21 e 28 dias, para investigar a qualidade do crescimento de tecido ósseo. O estudo com implantes porosos recobertos foi realizado para avaliar e padronizar a superfície porosa do gradiente funcional. Os animais foram analisados com densidade mineral óssea (DMO), as tíbias foram caracterizadas na interface osso-implante e nos poros com histologia, com EDS-line-scan, com radiografias e com ensaios de cisalhamento. Implantes de alumina com 70% de porosidade foram comparados com recobrimento bioativo e sem recobrimento in vivo e ex-vivo. Nos resultados, os implantes recobertos aceleram o processo de osseointegração. Essa característica foi mais evidente no período de 28 dias de implantação com aumento de 24% na tensão de cisalhamento. Após validar uma superfície porosa e osseointegrável para a superfície do gradiente funcional, foram aplicadas técnicas diferenciadas para manufaturar peças com núcleo denso e superfície com gradiente de porosidade. As peças com FGM foram manufaturadas com a utilização de duas técnicas, dipping e co-prensagem e foram analisadas com microscopia eletrônica de varredura. Com o método de manufatura de co-prensagem foram obtidas peças com superfície gradualmente porosa, com transição de densificação contínua, sem delaminação. Os implantes de alumina em gradiente funcional com 70 % de porosidade na superfície mais externa, recobertos por bioativos apresentam potencial para aplicações em implantes ósseos ou dentários. / The present thesis reports on the development of alumina implants with dense core and gradually porous surface (FGM) covered with bioactive materials, hydroxyapatite (HA) and bioactive glass. Porous materials have been studied to provide tissue ingrowth, however they strongly affect the mechanical properties of the implant. Biphasic structures have been developed by some researchers to promote tissue growth without affecting the mechanical properties, although delamination may occur. This study proposes a functional gradient structure to improve both the mechanical properties of the material and cell signaling. The size and morphology of the pores as well as their porosity are key parameters for good tissue response and implant integration, since they affect the viability and cell affinity, and an effective porosity thickness becomes essential for a high performance of the implant. Porous alumina implants coated with bioactive materials were fabricated and studied in vivo in rat tibia for 14, 18, 21, and 28 days to investigate the quality of bone tissue growth. The study of porous coated implants was performed to evaluate and standardize the porous surface of the functional gradient. The animals were examined with bone mineral density (BMD), the tibiae were characterized in the bone-implant interface and the pores were analyzed with histology, EDS line-scan, X-ray and shear tests. Alumina with 70% porosity was compared with and without bioactive coating in vivo and ex vivo. The results showed that the covered implants accelerated the osseointegration process. This characteristic is more evident within 28 days of deployment with a 24% increase in shear stress. After validating a porous and osteointegrated surface for the surface of the functional gradient, several techniques were applied to manufacture parts with dense core and surface with gradient of porosity. The pieces were manufactured with FGM using two techniques, dipping and co-pressing and were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. The manufacturing method of co-pressing allowed obtaining pieces with gradually porous surface and continuous transition of densification without delamination. On the outermost surface, alumina implants with functional gradient and 70% porosity and coated with bioactive materials presented potential for application to bone or dental implants.

Computers have been assisting in recording, sound synthesis and other fields of music production for quite some time. The actual performance of music continues to be an area in which human players are chosen over computer performers. Musical performance is an area in which personalization is more important than consistency. Human players play with each other, reacting to phrases and ideas created by the players that they are playing with. Computer performers lack the ability to react to the changes in the performance that humans perceive naturally, giving the human players an advantage over the computer performers. This thesis creates a framework for describing unique musical performers that can play along in realtime with human players. FrTime, a reactive programming language, is used to constantly create new musical phrases. Musical phrases are constructed by unique user programmed performers and by chord changes that the framework provides. The reactive language creates multiple musical phrases for each point in time. A simple module which chooses musical phrases to be performed at the time of performance is created.

O objetivo desde estudo foi avaliar a eficiência de remoção de smear layer e a influência da resistência de união de cimentos de silicato de cálcio de um novo inserto ultrassônico para agitação do irrigante em preparos retrógrados. Metodologia Foram selecionados 112 caninos unirradiculados, que foram formatados e obturados de forma convencional com a subsequente ressecção apical. Seguidamente, foram conformados 4 grupos de avaliação, ultra-som/solução salina; convencional/solução salina; ultra-som/EDTA17% e convencional/EDTA17%. Para analisar a remoção do smear layer, 72 espécimes foram divididos em 4 grupos (n=18), e retroprepararados utilizando uma ponta ultrassônica. Os espécimes foram clivados, obtendo-se dois segmentos iguais (mesial e distal). Os segmentos retrocavitários foram observados através da microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV), a partir de três regiões representativas a 250x, obtendo-se imagens correspondentes à pré-irrigação. Posteriormente, foram executados os protocolos de irrigação e novamente obtidas imagens representativas da pós-irrigação. Para o teste de push-out, 40 dentes alocados em 4 grupos (n=10) foram empregados, conforme os diferentes protocolos de irrigação previamente mencionados. Os espécimes foram retrobturados e a obtenção dos corpos-de-prova realizada a partir de um novo seccionamento apical de 2mm±0.1 de cada espécime. A resistência de união foi determinada por meio de uma máquina de ensaios mecânicos e o tipo de falha foi determinado por meio de MEV. Os dados foram comparados por meio dos testes de Kruskal-Wallis e Dunn para a remoção de smear layer e ANOVA e Tukey no teste de push-out. Resultados O grupo ultrassom/EDTA17% removeu significativamente uma maior quantidade do smear layer, observando-se uma maior porcentagem de túbulos dentinários abertos em comparação com os outros grupos (P < 0.05). Na resistência de união, o grupo ultrasom/ EDTA17% mostrou os maiores valores na resistência de união (6.42±0.69) seguido pelos grupos convencional/EDTA17%, ultra-som/solução salina e convencional/solução salina respectivamente (P < 0.05). O padrão de falha adesivo foi o mais predominante, enquanto que no grupo ultrassom/EDTA17% foi preponderantemente mista (8/10). Conclusões O novo inserto ultrassônico para ativação do irrigante promoveu uma maior remoção de smear layer além de favorecer maior resistência de união do material retrobturador às paredes dentinárias em preparos retrógrados, principalmente se associado ao EDTA17%. / To evaluate the smear layer removal capacity and its influence on the bond strength of a calcium silicate-based cement of a new ultrasonic tip for irrigant agitation in rootend cavity preparations. Methods: One hundred and twelve maxillary and mandibular canines were chemomechanically instrumented, root filled and the root apexes resected. Specimens were randomly distributed into 4 experimental groups: ultrasonic/saline solution; conventional/ saline solution; ultrasonic/EDTA 17% and conventional/EDTA solution 17%. The analysis of the smear layer removal employed seventy-four specimens divided into 4 groups (n=18), and the retrograde cavities were prepared using an ultrasonic tip. Next, the specimens were split longitudinally and obtained two halves (mesial and distal). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to examine and score the internal surfaces for dentinal tubule opening before and after to perform the irrigation protocols. Images were taken at three representative areas with a magnification of 250x. The push-out test employed forty specimens allocated in four groups (n=10), according to the different irrigation protocols previously described. The specimens were retrofilled, sectioned perpendicularly and obtained apical slices at 2mm±0.1 from the apex. Each disc/dentin/retrofilling material was placed in a testing machine for the bond strength measurement and the failure mode was observed by SEM. The smear layer removal data were analysed and compared using Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn. Push-out data were analysed using ANOVA and Tukey\'s test. Results The ultrasonic/EDTA 17% group removed the smear later more effectively, and showed the best tubule opening condition than the others three groups. (P < 0.05). Ultrasonic/EDTA 17% group demonstrated the highest mean bond strength values (6.42±0.69) compared with conventional/EDTA, ultrasonic/saline solution and conventional/saline solution, respectively (P < 0.05). Most failure modes were predominantly adhesive (55%), whereas in the ultrasonic/EDTA 17% group was mixed (80%). Conclusion The new ultrasonic tip for irrigant agitation showed higher percentage of smear layer removal and improved the push-out bond strength of the retrograde root filling to the root-end dentine surfaces, mainly when associated to EDTA 17%.