El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado. / The present research work has as objective the application of Six Sigma DMAIC methodology in the production’s processes, the results will be manifested in increasing the efficiency of the production system and in reducing the delay in order delivery. In a metal mechanic company dedicated to the manufacture of electrical boards which focus is the terraced boards there was presented a fulfillment rate failure to deliver on time 46%. On the other hand, the delivery delay is generated because the current productivity does not supply what is required by the customer, therefore a minimum 394 units per month is needed to meet the requirements but currently only produce 226 units per month. For solve this problem it was proposed that Production model that merges the painting and baking areas and that generates an impact on the entire painting operation.

Thesis (M. Sc. (Horticulture)) -- University of Limpopo, 2020 / Tea is globally regarded as the second most consumed in the world after water. It is associated with various health benefits such as anti-cancer, anti-inflammation, anti-obesity and reduction in cholesterol blood levels. Jatropha zeyheri indigenous tea has medicinal and nutritional properties, therefore knowledge of its chemical compositions is essential for increasing its quality. This indigenous tea is currently harvested in rural areas when the leaves are already dry, which is in contrary to what is practised in most tea industries. Therefore, the determination of harvesting time has an opportunity to contribute towards increasing the quality of J. zeyheri indigenous tea. The study investigated whether harvesting times has an effect on essential and non-essential mineral elements and phytochemicals and antioxidant activity of J. zeyheri leaves. The study materials were collected in the wild at Khureng village, Lepelle-Nkumpi Municipality, Limpopo Province, South Africa. Five treatments constituting of harvesting times (February, March, April, May and June) were arranged in a randomised complete block design, with 10 replications. Leaves were harvested, oven-dried at 60°C for 24 hrs and pulverised. A microwave digestion system (PerkinElmer, Titan MPS, United States) was used to prepare the samples prior analysis. After the preparations, mineral elements were determined using Inductively Coupled Plasma Emission Spectrometer-9000 (Shimadzu, Japan). The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity assay was used to quantify the antioxidant activity of the acetone extracts of plants. The total phenol and tannin contents in each plant extract were determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu assay method. The total flavonoid contents were determined using the Aluminium Chloride colorimetric assay. The absorbance for antioxidant activity and phytochemicals were recorded using UV/visible spectrophotometer (Beckman Coulter-DU730, USA). Harvesting times had highly significant effects on Cr, Fe, K, Mg, Ni, P and S contributing 58, 65, 73, 62, 55, 67 and 69%, respectively, in total treatment variation, but were significant on Ca, Cu, Mn, Al, Co and Na contributing 62, 58, 66, 53 and 57%, respectively, in total treatment variation (TTV). However, harvesting times did not influence Zn and Si amounts in J. zeyheri leaves. Harvesting times increased majority of essential and non-essential mineral elements, except for K which was gradually decreased. Essential and non-essential mineral elements over different harvesting times exhibited positive quadratic relations. Using the optimisation equation (x = –b1/2b2) from the quadratic equation, harvesting of J. zeyheri was optimised at 2.46 months. Harvesting times had highly significant effects on the antioxidant activity, total phenol and flavonoid contents contributing 62, 88 and 60% in total treatment variation, respectively, but was not significant on total tannin contents. The negative quadratic relationship models explained 51, 90 and 95% of the observed variation in antioxidant activity, total phenol and flavonoid contents, respectively. In conclusion, findings of this study suggested that harvesting of J. zeyheri leaves be done between April-May for improved accumulation of mineral elements, whereas, for phytochemicals and antioxidant activity the results suggested that further studies be conducted from early summer until winter to find the optimum harvesting time of J. zeyheri indigenous tea. / National Research Foundation (NRF)

En este artículo propongo una relación entre la noción moderna de ruina y determinadas representaciones fotográficas de la ciudad de Nueva York durante las primeras semanas de impacto de la pandemia de covid-19, en marzo de 2020. El corpus de imágenes está constituido por fotografías publicadas durante este periodo en la portada del diario The New York Times, seleccionadas por considerarlas representativas de un género fotográfico que denomino de lo que no está. Este género se caracteriza por representar espacios referenciales de la ciudad (casi) vacíos de personas. En mi análisis, identifico aspectos comunes entre este género y las representaciones de ruinas popularizadas en Europa durante los siglos XVII y XVIII, los momentos iniciales de la modernidad. Para establecer estos vínculos me baso de la noción de «supervivencia» acuñada por Aby Warburg, la cual permite identificar reapariciones culturales anacrónicas -inesperadas- que ofrecen claves para reflexionar sobre el presente.

En la empresa que es motivo de esta investigación se evidencian tiempos perdidos en la línea de conversión Línea 60 que pertenece al área de producción; Estas pérdidas de tiempo, que se contabilizan en S/. 4’ 639,858 al año, se encuentran vinculadas a la falta de control, estandarización de actividades y falta de competencias en la parte operativa que garanticen la obtención de mayores y mejores indicadores de producción. El objetivo de esta investigación fue describir una propuesta metodológica para el establecimiento del lean manufacturing, a través de algunas de sus herramientas como el SMED, 5S, Takt time, Mantenimiento autónomo y JIT y, con el apoyo del estudio de tiempos y diagrama de precedencias, establecer planes de acción y estándares de operación. Con esta implementación se logró una reducción de tiempos improductivos del orden del 10% llegando a obtener un ahorro trimestral de S/. 633,318.82. / In the company that is the reason for this investigation are evidenced times lost in the line of conversion Line 60 that belongs to the area of production; These losses of time, which are accounted for in S/. 4’ 639,858 a year, are linked to the lack of control, standardization of activities and lack of competencies in the operative part that guarantee the obtaining of greater and better production indicators. The objective of this research was to describe a methodological proposal for the establishment of lean manufacturing, through some of its tools such as SMED, 5S, Takt time, autonomous maintenance and JIT and, with the support of the time study and precedence diagram, to establish action plans and Standards of operation. With this implementation, a reduction of unproductive times of the order of 10% was achieved, obtaining a quarterly saving of S /. 633,318.82. / Tesis

Att ha lojala kunder har blivit avgörande för företag i servicebranschen. När en kris uppstår i samhället där viktiga delar av människors liv förändras, där råd och rekommendationer från myndigheter gör att man inte längre rör sig ute på samma sätt tvingas företag till förändringar och uppoffringar. När denna studie utförs pågår det en pandemi av viruset Covid-19 som påverkar hela världen. För att bibehålla citykärnan i en mellanstor stad krävs det att konsumenter är lojala och fortsätter stötta servicebranschen i den mån det är möjligt. Här är alltså kundlojalitet avgörande för många företag. I denna studie har vi undersökt hur kundlojaliteten ser ut hos företag och konsumenter i Linköpings city samt hur man kan bibehålla den under en kris. Syftet med studien var då att studera vilka aspekter konsumenter anser är viktigast för att vara en lojal kund samt vilka åtgärder företagen inom servicebranschen har gjort för att på bästa sätt anpassa sig för den rådande situationen. Studien är baserad på kvantitativ data i form av enkätundersökningar hos både konsument och företag i Linköping city för att få en bredare och ett mer valid resultat. Konsumentrespondenterna var totalt 156 stycken och företagsrespondenterna var sammanlagt 20 stycken där alla är baserade i Linköpings city. En kvalitativ analys har sedan utförts genom en tematisk analysmetod där empiri och teorier från teoretiska referensramen ligger till grund för analys och slutsatsen för studien. I slutsatsen besvaras studiens tre forskningsfrågor där vi bland annat kommit fram till vilka aspekter som företagen bör fokusera på för att bibehålla kundlojalitet, vad kundlojalitet innebär, hur kundlojalitet ser ut i Linköping city samt hur den har förändrats under en kris. I slutet av studien ger vi även rekommendationer för framtida forskning. / Having loyal customers has become vital for companies in the service business. When a crisis occurs in a society where important parts of people’s lives change, where advice and recommendations from authorities makes it difficult to live like we used to, companies have to make changes and sacrifices to survive. When this research is done a global pandemic from the virus Covid-19 are affecting the whole world in many different ways. To maintain the city center customers have to stay loyal and support their local businesses to the extent possible. In this study we have examined how companies and consumers customer loyalty looks like and also how you maintain customer loyalty during a crisis. The aim of this study was to see what aspects consumers think are most important to become a loyal customer and also what actions companies within the service business have done to best adjust to the ongoing situation. The study is based on quantitative data made from surveys that got answered from both companies and consumers to obtain a wider and more valid result. It was 156 consumer respondents and 20 company respondents that answered where all the respondents were based in Linköping city. A qualitative analysis has been made with a thematic analysis where empirical data and theoretical information builds the foundation to the analysis and the conclusion. In the conclusion we answer our three research questions where we among many things answer what aspects companies should focus on in to be able to maintain customer loyalty, what customer loyalty is, how customer loyalty looks like in Linköping city center and how it has changed during a crisis. In the end of the study we give recommendations for future research within this subject.

No description available.

Most corals worldwide are broadcast spawners that rely on synchronous gamete release for successful fertilization. Spawning synchrony may also decrease the probability of heterospecific fertilization that may produce maladaptive hybrids. Despite the importance of reproductive timing, researchers have only recently begun to collect spawning data across coral species in the Caribbean, but these data remain to be analyzed. This study investigates interannual, seasonal, and environmental patterns that may influence Caribbean scleractinian spawning times. The number of spawning observations varies widely among location and species. Most spawning observations were collected in Florida, Curaçao, and Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary. Acropora palmata, A. cervicornis, and Orbicella species were the most documented. The Orbicella spp. were very consistent for spawning day annually, while the acroporids were less reliable. However, the acroporids were more consistent for spawning time in minutes after sunset between years. Season and moon cycles were obvious proximate cues for spawning, but a strong influence from wind and tides was absent. Acropora cervicornis was the only species in this study which spawning was significantly affected by water temperature. For some scleractinians, the day of spawning was significantly affected by mass bleaching events; spawning could occur on earlier days than in previous years for up to two years after the event. This study highlights existing data gaps for Pseudodiploria clivosa, A. prolifera and Siderastrea siderea. Documenting spawning patterns is crucial to better understand the potential impacts of future threats on the already imperiled Caribbean corals at risk from reproductive failure.

In the American press, news publishers and advertisers have enjoyed a close relationship well before the birth of our nation. When Benjamin Franklin bought The Pennsylvania Gazette in 1729, he became the owner of a communications platform and printed both information and advertisements. Today, news publishers and tech companies like Facebook and Twitter do the same—they publish and distribute news and commercial messages. Organizations like The New York Times and Washington Post produce more than news stories. News outlets have new departments—branded content studios, product marketing teams, and innovation teams—that are dedicated to creating and placing marketing messages beneath our gaze as we turn the physical page of a paper or scroll, click, and tap our screens throughout the day. This dissertation examines how advertisers aim to invisibly inject their messages into and alongside news stories by investigating the relationship between the business and newsroom side of various news publications. The research methodology is qualitative and draws upon over 125 interviews with people who work at news organizations, ad agencies, media and tech companies. This dissertation has a simple premise: compare the words of CEOs, executive leadership, and mission statements with the actions of news organizations to identify where discrepancies exist between the core tenets of journalism and its practice.

Porozumění chování silniční dopravy je klíčem pro její efektivní řízení a organizaci. Tato úloha se stává čím dál více důležitou s rostoucími požadavky na dopravu a počtem registrovaných vozidel. Informace o dopravní situaci je důležitá pro řidiče a osoby zodpovědné za její řízení. Naštěstí v posledních několika dekádách došlo k značnému rozvoji technologií pro monitorování dopravní situace. Stacionární senzory, jako jsou indukční smyčky, radary, kamery a infračervené senzory, mohou být nainstalovány na důležitých místech. Zde jsou schopny měřit různé mikroskopické a makroskopické dopravní veličiny. Bohužel mnohá měření obsahují nekorektní data, která není možné použít při dalším zpracování, například pro predikci dopravy a její inteligentní řízení. Tato nekorektní data mohou být způsobena poruchou zařízení nebo problémy při přenosu dat. Z tohoto důvodu je důležité navrhnout obecný framework, který je schopný doplnit chybějící data. Navíc by tento framework měl být také schopen poskytovat krátkodobou predikci budoucího stavu dopravy. Tato práce se především zabývá vybranými problémy v oblasti doplnění chybějících dopravních dat, predikcí dopravy v krátkém časovém horizontu a predikcí dojezdových dob. Navrhovaná řešení jsou založena na kombinaci současných metod strojového učení, například Support vector regression (SVR) a multikriteriálních evolučních algoritmů. SVR má mnoho meta-parametrů, které je nutné dobře nastavit tak, aby byla dosažena co nejkvalitnější predikce. Kvalita predikce SVR dále silně závisí na výběru vhodné množiny vstupních proměnných. V této práci používáme multiktriteriální optimalizaci pro optimalizaci SVR meta-parametrů a množiny vstupních proměnných. Multikriteriální optimalizace nám umožňuje získat mnoho Pareto nedominovaných řešení. Mezi těmito řešeními je možné dynamicky přepínat dle toho, jaká data jsou aktuálně k dispozici tak, aby bylo dosaženo maximální kvality predikce. Metody navržené v této práci jsou především vhodné pro prostředí s velkým množstvím chybějících hodnot v dopravních datech. Tyto metody jsme ověřili na reálných datech a porovnali jejich výsledky s metodami, které jsou v současné době používány. Navržené metody poskytují lepší výsledky než stávající metody, a to především ve scénářích, kde se vyskytuje mnoho chybějících hodnot v dopravních datech.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(理学) / 甲第19470号 / 理博第4130号 / 新制||理||1594(附属図書館) / 32506 / 京都大学大学院理学研究科数学・数理解析専攻 / (主査)教授 熊谷 隆, 教授 岡本 久, 教授 小野 薫 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Science / Kyoto University / DFAM