As the effort of today’s industries to continuously move towards lean production, pull production system has been developed as one possible solution of lean. It is popularly known in the industry world, and is indeed a proven technique to achieve substantial savings on inventory, production cost incurred by manufactures all over the world. However, a careful understanding of pull production systems is required to access its suitability to a particular production setup. It is necessary to develop a proper way to implement pull production systems.             This study is based on a real life scenario in a leading driveline manufacturing company. The production system is studied in detail as regard to its production characteristic. A theoretical review is first made as research foundation. A careful analysis study within the company is conducted with all the existing constrains to figure out improvement opportunities. Eventually, from the applicability point of view, proposals of future pull production system implementation have been developed. The objective of the proposals is to minimize the identified weaknesses of the current system, including long lead time, low flexibility and unconnected flow.

Die bildgebende Diagnostik im Magnetresonanztomographen ist für Träger implantierter, nicht MR-fähiger Herzschrittmacher und Cardioverter/Defibrillatoren potentiell risikoreich. Durch das starke externe Magnetfeld und die elektromagnetischen Signale des MRT-Gerätes können die antibradykarden und –tachykarden Therapiesysteme in ihrer korrekten Funktion erheblich gestört und durch die Antennenwirkung der Sonden myokardiale Schädigungen hervorgerufen werden. In der vorliegenden Arbeit sind bei Trägern derartiger Implantate deren wichtigste Funktionsparameter vor und nach einer jeweiligen Untersuchung im MRT telemetrisch ermittelt worden. Anhand der statistischen Auswertung der prä- und postprozedualen Messwerte für Wahrnehmung (Sensing), Reizschwelle und Elektrodenimpedanz wurde der Einfluss einer MRT-Untersuchung auf die regelrechte Funktion der Herzschrittmacher- und ICD-Aggregate untersucht. Ein weiteres Augenmerk galt im Allgemeinen der grundsätzlichen Durchführbarkeit des Verfahrens und eventuellen Komplikationen hinsichtlich unzureichender Patientensicherheit. Zum einen konnte gezeigt werden, dass nach sorgfältiger Abwägung von Risiko und Nutzen der Untersuchung, sowie entsprechenden Sicherheitsvorkehrungen, die MRT komplikationslos durchführbar ist. Weiterhin konnte keine Beeinträchtigung der regelrechten Funktion der Aggregate nachgewiesen werden.

Membrane diversity associated with variation in body mass and body temperature of hymenopterans was investigated. Body mass of organisms affects most aspects of their biology, including physiological traits. One trait influenced by mass is metabolic rate, but the basis for its variation among organisms remains unclear. Recent work revealed that membrane phospholipid composition varies systematically with body mass: smaller vertebrates with higher mass-specific metabolic rates have more fluid membranes containing more long chains of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and less monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA). This “membrane pacemaker” theory of metabolism has recently been challenged by a lack of link between metabolic rate and membrane composition. To test this relationship, we have quantified the membrane lipid composition of 22 species of Panamanian orchid bees with a 22-fold range in mass. Results incorporating phylogenetic analysis show significant relationships for 18:1 (MUFA) and 18:3 (PUFA) with body mass that are consistent with the “pacemaker” theory, and unexpected relationships with saturated fatty acids (SFA). Moreover, changes in membrane fatty acid composition with temperature are a strategy in ectothermic poïkilotherms that is part of the “homeoviscous adaptation” model. Here, we report systematic variations in fatty acid composition linked with thoracic temperature excess in North American Hymenopterans, a novel discovery in these heterotherms. These findings are discussed in the context of diet, metabolism and lifespan.

The interactions of the radio frequency (RF) fields in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with a human body model are investigated. In particular, the interactions of these fields with an implanted pacemaker are studied. The specific absorption rate (SAR) levels in a heterogeneous body model are evaluated in two different birdcage coils - a resonant and a non-resonant coil - at a magnetic field of 1.5 T. The enhancement of the SAR due to an implanted cardiac pacemaker and the effect of the conductivity of the pacemaker lead on the SAR levels are investigated. The finite difference time domain (FDTD) technique is used to model these interactions. The SAR levels are found to be low in the heart region, and thus the SAR enhancement due to the pacemaker lead is relatively low. Modeling of the pacemaker leads as perfect conductors results in greater SAR enhancements than those produced by actual conductive leads.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Tekn. högsk. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2002. / Härtill 6 uppsatser.

Diss. Linköping : Univ.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 156-176) Also available in print.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 156-176) Also available online.

It has long been established that the spinal cord is able to produce locomotor activity on its own. Despite extensive research identifying and describing the involvement of multiple spinal neuron populations that are part of the spinal locomotor circuit, the manner in which these different components act together to precisely control the rhythm and the pattern of activation of muscles during locomotion remains largely undetermined. We sought to shed light on how the components of spinal locomotor circuits interact to produce robust locomotion using a developmental approach in zebrafish larvae. We used electrophysiological techniques to observe how the rhythm generation mechanism developed while the fish was transitioning from an early form of swimming to a more mature swimming behaviour. In the process we were able to highlight fundamental changes in the organization of spinal locomotor circuits as its operation moves from a pacemaker-based architecture relying on intrinsic properties of neurons to a network oscillator-based architecture relying on synaptic connectivity to generate proper rhythm driving the fish tail beats. Additionally, we revealed that this transition occurred at different times along the spinal cord progressing in a caudorostral direction. By combining these experimental observations with already published insights we were able to propose models of spinal locomotor circuits reproducing the successive locomotor behaviours encountered through development. By incrementing supplementing the circuit model in a manner that reflected biological processes by which the nervous system maturates (neurogenesis, synaptic connectivity refinement and maturation of intrinsic properties) we mirrored the natural development of the spinal locomotor circuit. This series of successively constructed models permitted us to pinpoint possible roles of specific neural populations for swimming behaviour as well as eventual targets and mechanism of actions of neuromodulators (serotonin and dopamine). In the process, I further provided testable hypotheses for future inquiries. Overall, the experimental findings in combination with the modeling work are an important step forward in fully understanding how the spinal cord generates swimming movements in zebrafish.