This thesis aims at securing the quality of components from AP&T’s suppliers and to get a picture of different suppliers’ processes. In this thesis, samples supplied by various AP&T suppliers where measured at AP&T to gather data on how well the parts met design specifications. The collected data were analyzed using histogram and stratification. Further analysis was done using pareto chart and capability indices. Only the critical dimensions identified from the pareto chart together with discussions with experts on the shop floor were further analyzed using capability indices. This was done to focus more on the critical dimensions which needed more attention. The findings were critically studied and suggestions were made which served as a fundamental base for supplier product quality improvement plan at AP&T. However, there was no direct contact with the supplier process to ascertain its being in control; therefore, product characterization was carried out. In this case, all the results obtained from the analyses only gave a momentary picture of the process. Therefore, the results can not be used for future predictions.In the analysis, special attention was laid on the shape, spread and centering of the histogram. Studies were also done on the significant few; got from the pareto chart. Use was made of capability indices to get the momentary fall-outs of ppm and the percentage of the specification band used up by the process. / Uppsatsnivå: D

Utilizando dados de produtividade dos experimentos regionais de avaliação de genótipos de algodoeiro (Gossypium hirsutum) conduzidos no estado de Mato Grosso, nos anos agrícolas 1998/99, 1999/00 e 2000/01, foi realizado este trabalho, com a finalidade de estratificar e determinar o número de ambientes para avaliação de genótipos de algodão. Para isso foram avaliados oito genótipos em 1998/99, 14 em 1999/00 e 15 em 2000/01 em oito ambientes, quais sejam: Campo Novo dos Parecis, Sorriso, Primavera do Leste, Rondonópolis, Campo Verde, Sapezal, Pedra Preta e Lucas do Rio Verde. A partir das análises de variância foram aplicadas técnicas fundamentadas na análise AMMI (Additive Main effects and Multiplicative interactions). A primeira estratificação baseou-se na distância entre locais para a interação por um modelo AMMI de análise. O segundo método baseou-se na abordagem de genótipos vencedores, utilizando-se as estimativas dos modelos AMMI1 e AMMI2. As duas metodologias aplicadas permitiram a formação de estratos ambientais para todos os anos de avaliação. As matrizes de coincidências para os três anos de avaliação permitiram inferir que os estratos formados têm caráter preditivo, pois foram identificados a partir de conjuntos de genótipos diferentes em cada ano e se confirmaram nos três anos de estudo. Assim, por meio da metodologia baseada na distância para interação observou-se a formação de um estrato compreendendo Campo Verde e Lucas do Rio Verde. Entretanto a metodologia baseada em genótipos vencedores permitiu a formação de dois estratos envolvendo quatro dos oito locais avaliados, sendo o primeiro grupo constituído por Sorriso e Lucas do Rio Verde e segundo composto por Primavera do Leste e Lucas do Rio Verde. A metodologia baseada em genótipos vencedores possibilitou a formação de estratos ambientais baseados em critérios estatísticos de fácil entendimento e apresentação gráfica clara, permitindo a delimitação de estratos de forma matemática, baseada na performance dos genótipos vencedores. Ela informou de maneira integrada a recomendação de genótipos de adaptação específica para cada estrato de ambientes. / Data of yield were obtained from Regional Yield Trials of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) genotypes carried out in Mato Grosso State, Brazil in 1998/99, 1999/00 and 2000/01, was used in this study on environmental stratification and evaluation of the minimum number of environments required for cotton genotypes assessments. Eight genotypes were evaluated in 1998/99, fourteen in 1999/00 and fifteen in 2000/01. The genotypes were planted in the following eight locations: Campo Novo dos Parecis, Sorriso, Primavera do Leste, Rondonópolis, Campo Verde, Sapezal, Pedra Preta e Lucas do Rio Verde. From the analysis of variance and the environmental means, two techniques were applied based on AMMI analysis (Additive Main effects and Multiplicative Interactions) analysis. The first method was based on an interaction distance between locations estimated by AMMI analysis. The second method was based on the winning genotypes approach, throught the interactions estimates from models AMMI1 and AMMI2. The methodologies were efficient to provide an environmental stratification at every years of evaluation. The results of the matrix of coincidences over the three years of this study suggested the formed strata have a predictive property, since their identification was based on a different set of genotypes in each year and they remained the same over the years. Then, the method based on an interaction distance between locations estimated by AMMI analysis permited to constitute one stratum involving Campo Verde and Lucas do Rio Verde. However, the method based on the winning genotypes approach has formed a two strata involving four locations; the first group was constitute by Sorriso and Lucas do Rio Verde and the second involved the locations Primavera do Leste and Lucas do Rio Verde. The methodology based on the winning genotypes approach to made possible the formation of environmental strata based on statistical criteria of easy understanding and showing graphic display. This method to allowed the demarcation of strata in a mathematical way through the performance winning genotypes; it provided an integrated understanding about the recommendation of genotypes with specific adaptation for each environmental stratum.

A presente dissertação de mestrado busca contribuir para o debate em desenvolvimento sobre a emergência de países do Sul Global, a partir do estudo das relações de poder hierarquizadas em que estes esses países estão inseridos. Nesse sentido, questiona-se como estruturas de assimetria material atuam sobre o comportamento de distintos atores do sistema internacional. As oportunidades e constrangimentos de tais estruturas materiais se manifestam especificamente para distintos atores? Como essa variação se articula com as possibilidades de emergência de países do Sul Global? A partir da resposta a essas perguntas, busca-se propor um caminho para identificar episódios históricos de constituição, por parte de países do Sul Global, de capacidade transformativa de sua posição nas relações internacionais em que se inserem. Para tanto, mobiliza-se um diálogo entre a literatura sobre diferenciação estrutural e sobre a hierarquia nas relações internacionais, como modo de articular analiticamente o processo de socialização entre estruturas políticas e econômicas. Desse diálogo estrutural, pretende-se compreender os mecanismos de exclusão que perpetuam assimetrias materiais no sistema internacional e os meios instrumentalizáveis para sua ruptura. / This master's thesis aims to contribute to the debate on the rise of countries from the Global South, proposing the study of hierarchical power relations that they entail. In this sense, it questions how structures of material asymmetries act conditioning the behavior of actors throughout the international system. Are the opportunities and constraints deriving such structures specifically varying for different actors? How is this variation related to the possibilities of rise in the Global South? From the answers to these questions, it is hoped to propose an alternative to identify historical episodes of constitution, by countries the Global South, of transformative capacity of their position in the international relations that they operate. Therefore, the work mobilizes a dialogue between the literature on structural differentiation and hierarchy in international relations, as a way of analytically articulate the process of socialization of political and economic structures. This structural dialogue focuses on identifying mechanisms of exclusion that perpetuate materials asymmetries in the international system and the means to their rupture.

A presente pesquisa analisa as transformações nas famílias brasileiras do ponto de vista dos diferenciais entre classes e da autonomia feminina no período de 1976 a 2012. Elegeu-se analisar aspectos da formação de família, reprodução, socialização dos filhos e divisão do trabalho (doméstico e remunerado). Na primeira parte, apresenta-se o objeto da pesquisa, seu referencial teórico e histórico. O capítulo 1 apresenta o problema de pesquisa, situando-o no quadro geral das mudanças na condição das mulheres nas famílias no Ocidente e em face das hipóteses de classe presentes nas pesquisas de gênero e família no Brasil. O capítulo 2 apresenta o referencial teórico empregado, considerando a relação entre vida familiar e as estratificações de classe e gênero, e a mudança social como transformação no equilíbrio de poder. O capítulo 3 oferece evidências históricas da diversidade e das mudanças, na longa duração, das práticas familiares e dos rótulos a elas associados, aprofundando-se, a seguir, a experiência de modernização do contexto de 1976 a 2012, escolhido para a análise de dados. Na parte dois investigam-se as transformações nas dimensões centrais da vida familiar, relativas à conjugalidade, reprodução e socialização de filhos. Destacam-se o controle da fecundidade pela contracepção, o adiamento da união e da maternidade, as mudanças no equilíbrio de poder nos casais, e a superação e até inversão das desigualdades educacionais das filhas comparadas aos filhos. Abordam-se também aspectos persistentes de desigualdades em cada uma dessas esferas, como a violência entre parceiros íntimos, a maternidade na adolescência e as dificuldades no processo de autonomização dos jovens. Na terceira parte, indaga-se sobre a construção da autonomia econômica das mulheres na intersecção entre as dimensões do trabalho doméstico e remunerado. No capítulo 7, após constatar a tendência geral e as variações por classe no crescimento da participação das mulheres no mercado de trabalho, nota-se que o engajamento feminino ainda é afetado pelas características familiares. Constata-se também o crescimento da presença de renda de trabalho ou de outra fonte, o que leva a considerar o debate em torno das políticas sociais que concedem titularidade às mulheres. No capítulo 8, analisa-se a divisão do trabalho doméstico e de cuidado, aspecto no qual as desigualdades de gênero seguem expressivas não apenas na geração adulta, mas também entre os filhos, o que conduz à discussão dos limites das mudanças na estratificação de gênero e das propostas em torno da conciliação entre trabalho e família e do direito ao cuidado. Na conclusão, destaca-se que, a despeito das variações por classe no ritmo e grau das mudanças, as mulheres brasileiras, no período 1976-2012, movem-se em direção a um melhor equilíbrio de gênero nas relações familiares. Também são problematizados os limites das mudanças e algumas de suas implicações para as dinâmicas de classe e gênero, indicando ainda algumas direções para pesquisas futuras.

Objetivo: Este artigo tem como objetivo avaliar o impacto da implantação da estratégia de triagem com classificação de risco e da unidade vascular no processo assistencial dos pacientes atendidos no serviço de emergência do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, HCPA. Método:Trata-se de um quasi-experimento em que 3.700 pacientes atendidos na emergência nos meses de março a maio de 2005 e 4.954 pacientes atendidos no mesmo período de 2007, após a implantação das novas tecnologias, tiveram seu processo de atendimento medidos e comparados.O impacto da reorganização do serviço com a implantação destas tecnologias foi avaliado através da comparação dos indicadores de “Tempo de Permanência”, “Tempo de espera para realização de Exames” e “Tempo de espera para realização Cirurgias e Procedimentos” de todos os pacientes atendidos e especificamente dos pacientes com doenças cardiovasculares. Resultados: O tempo mediano de triagem de todos os pacientes foi de 11,8 minutos (0-92,5) e de 6,3 minutos (0-53) dos pacientes com doenças cardiovasculares. Foi evidenciado aumento significativo da mediana de tempo de permanência: 2005: 12,3h (0-510,8) e 2007:15,5h.(0-388,9), P<0,001. O mesmo ocorreu com os pacientes cardiovasculares que passaram de uma mediana de tempo de permanência de 24,5h (0,5- 341) em 2005 para 74h (0,6 -287,h), P <0,001.O exame de tomografia de crânio apresentou redução significativa no tempo mediano de espera para todos os pacientes 2005: 4h (0,08-76,4), 2007: 3h (0,2-62,7), P =0,006,e para os pacientes com doenças cardiovasculares, 2005: 4,2h (0,5-15,9), 2007: 0,9h (0,5-7,9), P =0,001.O cateterismo cardíaco realizado pelos doentes cardiovasculares agudos apresentou uma redução significativa no tempo mediano de espera, 2005: 55,6h (31,2-90,4) e 2007 13,6h (0,6-97,6), P =0,025. Conclusão: Embora tenha havido aumento de 25,3% nos casos atendidos entre 2005 e 2007, acompanhado do aumento da mediana de idade, do escore de gravidade e de casos demandando procedimentos cirúrgicos, a implantação de estratégia de triagem com estratificação de risco e da unidade vascular em serviço de emergência de hospital universitário esteve associada à redução dos tempos de espera para procedimentos diagnósticos e terapêuticos considerados como essenciais em pacientes com síndrome vascular aguda. / Objective: This study assesses the impact of implementing a strategy of screening using risk rating and creating a vascular unit for patients admitted to the emergency department of Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre. Method: This study describes a quasi-experiment in which 3700 patients treated at the emergency department from March to May 2005 (P1) and 4954 patients treated during the same months of 2007 (P2), after the introduction of new care technologies. The process of care was measured and compared. The impact of department reorganization with these technologies was evaluated comparing length of stay, length of stay to perform tests and length of stay to perform surgery or procedure, measured for all patients and specifically for cardiovascular disease patients. Results: Screening median time was 11.8 min (0-92.5) for all patients and 6.3 min (0- 53) for cardiovascular disease patients. Our results showed a significant increase in median length of stay from P1 to P2 for all patients, 12.3 min (0-510.8) and 15.5 hr (0-388.9) respectively, P < 0.001. Cardiovascular disease patients had a median length of stay of 24.5 min (0.5-341) and 74 hr (0.6-287) in 2005 and 2007 respectively. Cranial tomography scan had a significant time reduction for all patients from P1 to P2, 4 hr (0.08-76.4) and 3 hr (0.2-62.7) respectively, P = 0.006, and for cardiovascular disease patients 4.2 hr (0.5-15.9) and 0.9 hr (0.5-7.9) respectively, P = 0.001. Cardiac catheterization for acute cardiovascular disease patients showed a significant decrease in median waiting time, from 55.6 min (31.2- 90.4) in P1 to 13.6 min (0.6-97.6) in P2, P = 0.025. Conclusion: Although there was a 25.3 percent increase in admitted patients from 2005 to 2007 and an increase in age, severity score and surgical patients, the implementation of a screening strategy with risk stratification and creation of a vascular unit in the emergency department was associated with reduction of waiting times of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for acute cardiovascular disease patients.

Background Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common dose-limiting toxicity with significant sequelae impacting prognosis and quality of life. The natural history and pathophysiological mechanisms of CIPN are unclear. Equally, the lack of systematic approach to diagnosis and assessments contribute to difficulty identifying at risk patients with implications on symptom burden. Effective management of CIPN is also difficult due to limited treatment options. To try and address this challenging clinical problem, this thesis aimed to adopt a translational approach to: 1) characterisation and early identification of the development of CIPN in cancer patients receiving neurotoxic chemotherapy and 2) explore topical treatment options in patients with chronic peripheral neuropathic pain. Methodology In the CIPN study, a mixed cohort of colorectal, gynaecological and lung cancer patients receiving neurotoxic chemotherapy (platinum agents and taxanes) were assessed prospectively, at baseline (prior to initiating chemotherapy), during cycles (every 3 weeks) and post-treatment (every 3 months) for up to 12 months (cumulative 261 assessments). Comprehensive longitudinal clinical characterisation consisted of the integration of quantitative sensory testing (QST), objective measure of function (grooved pegboard test), patient-reported outcomes and in vivo confocal microscopy to provide insight into the clinical course and potential psychophysical biomarkers of CIPN during and after chemotherapy. In the pilot intervention study, patients with chronic, complex cancer treatment related peripheral neuropathic pain received a single application of high concentration 8% capsaicin patch. Assessments conducted at baseline, 4 weeks and 12 weeks included patient-reported outcomes and QST with an exploratory application of in vivo confocal microscopy in a case. Results In the CIPN study, 33 patients when compared to 33 age and gender matched healthy controls displayed thermal hyperalgesia, sensorimotor impairment and increased resting heart rate prior to initiating neurotoxic chemotherapy. Characterisation of somato-sensory profile demonstrated dysfunction of the various types of primary afferent nerves (Aβ, Aδ and C). Assessing the change over time from baseline to during cycles and post-treatment follow up, revealed signs and symptoms as early as cycle 2 with an increase in the later cycles and 3 months post-treatment follow up. A greater burden was observed at 12 months in comparison to baseline. Significant changes were observed in QST parameters indicating both small and large fibre deficits. Interesting associations were observed for example with tactile deficits in the upper and lower limb and patient-reported outcomes. The repeated measures model provided an opportunity to distil the relationship between subjective and objective measures of CIPN. The subclinical findings at baseline however did not translate to obvious predictors of CIPN development. The exploratory use of in vivo confocal microscopy (45 healthy controls, 9 patients) demonstrated correlation with current assessment tools (QST). Analysis from the pilot intervention study of 20 patients revealed clinically significant improvement in pain in a subset at 4 and 12 weeks post-treatment. Conclusion Overall the combination of subjective and objective measures utilised in the prospective characterisation of this mixed cohort of cancer patients provided a useful paradigm for qualifying and quantifying the trajectory of CIPN related peripheral nerve damage and symptom burden with additional contribution from the novel in vivo confocal microscopy work. In capturing the varied spectrum of phenotypes, this approach may provide insight into the complexities of the underlying neurobiological mechanisms. The baseline subclinical sensory, motor and autonomic nerve dysfunction implicate a cancer-mediated process possibly contributing to CIPN. Although the preliminary investigation of baseline predictors of CIPN was inconclusive, thermal pain threshold warrant further investigation. These findings highlight the need to further address prediction and risk stratification in larger studies. The exploratory intervention study suggests that patients with chronic neuropathic pain may receive some benefit in pain severity, function and mood with effect continuing at 12 weeks post-treatment. This research warrants further investigation in larger cohorts.

Body modification is a global phenomenon. In the southeastern United States, two forms of modifications present themselves most often: piercings and tattoos. Much of the research conducted on body modifications looks at deviance as a primary concern, focusing less on what the individuals are like. This study examines the personal accounts of people with body modifications and add to the existing information about body-modified people. Interviews were conducted with fifteen participants across several months in different parts of two east Tennessee cities. Questions were open-ended and all responses were transcribed. Participants discussed a variety of topics, including pain, belongingness, and body image. This research offers suggestions for future research in focused areas of body modification.

This study looks at female musicians performing in subcultural rock genres commonly considered non-gender-conforming, such as punk rock, heavy metal, noise, and experimental. Twenty-four interviews were conducted with female musicians who reflected on their experiences as musicians. Themes emerged on women’s patterns of entry into music, barriers they negotiated while playing, and forces that may push them out of the music scene. Once women gained a musician identity, their gender functioned as a master status. They negotiated sexism when people questioned their abilities, assumed men played better, expected them to fail, held them to conventional gender roles, and sexually objectified them. Normative expectations of women as primary caregivers for children, internalization of criticism, and high personal expectations are considered as factors that contribute to women’s exit from musical careers. This research closes with suggestions for how more women and girls can be socialized into rock music.

This study investigated educational stratification in Nigeria to determine how socioeconomic status, gender, and regional differences influence achievement in education using the nationally representative 2010 Nigeria Education Data Survey (NEDS). These cross-sectional data are among the first quality household survey data available for assessing aspects of education in Nigeria. In the last four decades, Nigeria has experienced dramatic expansion of its educational system. Following the introduction of educational policies and programs, growth in enrolment at the primary and secondary levels has largely been sustained. For instance, enrolment of pupils in primary education increased from 3,515,827 in 1970 to 14,383,487 in 1985 and to 20,080,986 in 2010. However, this impressive gain was followed by dwindling quality in the educational system, which has reported differing educational outcomes for different groups. Prior research in Nigeria has not examined how socioeconomic status influences achievement in education using large scale representative data. In this study, I primarily focused on assessing socioeconomic status to determine how it predicts achievement in reading and numeracy in Nigerian school children, ages 5 to 16 years. Nigeria is also known to have wide gender and regional gaps in education. Thus, I assessed gender and region variables to determine how much they contribute to the variance in educational achievement. I analyzed NEDS 2010 data and reported the findings of the descriptive and multivariate regression statistics. Descriptive statistics show the frequencies and distribution of the variables in the study. The multivariate regression analyses were employed to determine the relationship of socioeconomic status, gender, and region (the main predictor variables) with achievement in reading and numeracy (outcome variables). Given the use of survey data, both the descriptive and regression statistics were based on weighted statistics. This study found a significant wealth gap in reading and numeracy achievements among Nigerian children. I also found that family wealth, parental education, and region explain differences in academic achievement. Family wealth was found to be the most important variable influencing achievement in reading and numeracy, followed by mother's education and then region. Overall, the findings in this study suggest no significant differences in reading and numeracy achievement for boys and girls. Although gender was not found to be consistently associated with academic achievement in this study, it should not be assumed to mean that gender equality in education exists in Nigeria. It is widely reported elsewhere that gender-biased educational opportunity plays a major role in influencing educational attainment and achievement. More research, preferably using a longitudinal study design, is needed to identify the trends and patterns of gender roles in Nigerian educational attainment and achievement. The findings in this study provide the foundation for making further investigations on the association of social, economic, and cultural factors with academic achievement and to assess inequality in education in Nigeria.

Graduate students represent 15% of the students and one-third of the graduates of colleges and universities across the United States. They are leading thinkers in higher education institutions and businesses across the country and around the world. In many fields, such as law, graduate or professional school is required for entry-level employment, whereas in other fields, such as business, graduate education may enhance performance and opportunities for promotion. The educational stratification and college-choice literature document the influence of family background (distal family) on educational attainment. These literatures focus on the traditional undergraduate student without considering the different preferences and responsibilities (context) of potential graduate students considering enrollment. Potential graduate students are often older than high school students making a college choice, are independent from their parents, and may have a spouse and children (proximal family) at the forefront of their educational plans. This dissertation builds on the educational stratification and college-choice literature by considering post-baccalaureate (graduate) enrollment specifically. This study explores the effects of marriage, parenthood, and any corresponding gender effects on whether and when a bachelor's degree recipient enrolls in graduate education. To investigate these proximal family effects and gender effects, I analyzed data from the National Center for Education Statistics' Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study 1993/03--a longitudinal study that surveyed over 11,000 students at the time of their bachelor's degree completion and three additional times over 10 years. Using survival analysis (event history analysis), I measured the amount of time between baccalaureate degree completion and first graduate enrollment. Using this measure, I compared differences in the odds of graduate enrollment and timing of graduate enrollment based on marital status, parental status, and gender. Overall, more women than men enrolled in graduate education, and men enrolled sooner than women. The results showed that being a parent had a negative effect on if and when an individual enrolled in graduate school. Being married also had a negative effect on if and when an individual enrolled in graduate school, with married men experiencing a slightly stronger negative effect than married women. The combined effect of being married and being a parent had the strongest negative effect on graduate enrollment for men and women, but more so for women. By better understanding graduate college choice, institutions can more effectively use resources and improve the opportunities and experiences for graduate students and, specifically, graduate students with families. Minimizing barriers to entry may level the playing field between graduate degree aspirants with families and those without families.