Implementaci?n de mejora continua en una empresa exportadora de aguaymanto deshidratado para el mercado europeo. Caso Green Box

La presente investigaci?n expondr? el an?lisis, diagnostico e implementaci?n de mejoras de proceso productivos en una empresa exportadora de frutos considerando como producto estrella el deshidratado de aguaymanto seg?n el resultado del an?lisis con la herramienta Pareto. Se pretendi? probar la hip?tesis de al mejorar el proceso de producci?n y la calidad del aguaymanto deshidratado, se incrementar? la productividad generando competitividad de la empresa Green Box en el mercado europeo, direccionado al objetivo de identificar el impacto de la mejora del proceso de producci?n y la calidad del aguaymanto deshidratado en la productividad y competitividad de la empresa Green Box, mediante una justificaci?n metodol?gica y t?cnica ya que lo planteado servir? como referencia a otras empresas para la aplicaci?n de un plan de mejora continua de procesos solucionando el problema de ?Mejorando el proceso de producci?n y la calidad del aguaymanto deshidratado, incrementar? la productividad y competitividad de la empresa Green Box en el mercado europeo?. Se aplicaron t?cnicas de estudio como reingenier?a de planta, estudio de tiempos, balance en l?nea, estandarizaci?n de procesos y automatizaci?n de procesos mediante flujogramas, diagrama manual, diagrama de actividades, layout, Ishikawa, an?lisis de movimientos, diagramas de recorrido, etc., bajo una metodolog?a que se expone en el cap?tulo tres. Los resultados obtenidos en la aplicaci?n de las mejoras planteadas muestran una mejora en la capacidad de producci?n de un 7.7% pasando de producir 450 kg a 485 kg de aguaymanto deshidratado, adem?s de mejorar los tiempos en un 15% y eliminar los cuellos de botella por conglomeraci?n de personal. As? mismo, la presente investigaci?n supone un TIR de 17.61%

A holistic assessment of the impacts of park management: findings from the evaluation of Regional Nature Parks in Switzerland

In Switzerland, Regional Nature Parks are required to undergo an impact assessment after ten years of operation, in order for the federal government to award the Park of National Importance label for a further ten years and for the government, relevant canton and communes to continue to provide financial support for the park’s operation. To this end, is there a convenient way of identifying and holistically assessing the impacts of park management activities on the goals of the parks and the overarching targets of parks policy in Switzerland? Based on experience gained from the evaluation of three Regional Nature Parks, we have developed a framework model for the holistic evaluation of such parks and present it here for discussion

Chlorination and oxidation of the extracellular matrix protein laminin and basement membrane extracts by hypochlorous acid and myeloperoxidase

Basement membranes are specialized extracellular matrices that underlie arterial wall endothelial cells, with laminin being a key structural and biologically-active component. Hypochlorous acid (HOCl), a potent oxidizing and chlorinating agent, is formed in vivo at sites of inflammation via the enzymatic action of myeloperoxidase (MPO), released by activated leukocytes. Considerable data supports a role for MPO-derived oxidants in cardiovascular disease and particularly atherosclerosis. These effects may be mediated via extracellular matrix damage to which MPO binds. Herein we detect and quantify sites of oxidation and chlorination on isolated laminin-111, and laminin in basement membrane extracts (BME), by use of mass spectrometry. Increased modification was detected with increasing oxidant exposure. Mass mapping indicated selectivity in the sites and extent of damage; Met residues were most heavily modified. Fewer modifications were detected with BME, possibly due to the shielding effects. HOCl oxidised 30 (of 56 total) Met and 7 (of 24) Trp residues, and chlorinated 33 (of 99) Tyr residues; 3 Tyr were dichlorinated. An additional 8 Met and 10 Trp oxidations, 14 chlorinations, and 18 dichlorinations were detected with the MPO/H2O2/Cl- system when compared to reagent HOCl. Interestingly, chlorination was detected at Tyr2415 in the integrin-binding region; this may decrease cellular adhesion. Co-localization of MPO-damaged epitopes and laminin was detected in human atherosclerotic lesions. These data indicate that laminin is extensively modified by MPO-derived oxidants, with structural and functional changes. These modifications, and compromised cell-matrix interactions, may promote endothelial cell dysfunction, weaken the structure of atherosclerotic lesions, and enhance lesion rupture. Keywords: Extracellular matrix, Hypochlorous acid, Laminin, Protein oxidation, 3-chlorotyrosine, Myeloperoxidas

Overshunting-Related Cervical Myelopathy Causing Progressive Gait Disturbance: A Case Report

A complication of ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunting is overdrainage or overshunting of cerebrospinal fluid, which can cause formation of hygroma but in rare cases also cervical myelopathy at a later stage. In this article, we describe a very late complication of VP shunting. We present a 75-year-old man, previously given a VP shunt at the age of 46, who developed a progressive gait disturbance and ataxia of the limbs after 27 years. MRI showed a cervical stenosis and myelopathy as a result of venous engorgement due to chronic overshunting of the VP shunt. Revision of the VP shunt resulted in complete resolution of his neurological symptoms and the cervical myelopathy. Cervical myelopathy due to chronic overshunting is a rare and potentially very late complication of a VP shunt. Our case underlines the importance of awareness of this complication while proper treatment can reverse the associated symptoms fully

Gesamtheitliche Evaluation der Wirkungen von Parkmanagements: Erkenntnisse aus der Evaluation von Regionalen Naturpärken in der Schweiz

In der Schweiz müssen sich die Regionalen Naturpärke nach zehn Jahren Betrieb einer Wirkungsanalyse unterziehen, damit der Bund das Label «Park von nationaler Bedeutung» für weitere zehn Jahre verleiht und der Bund, der Kanton und die Gemeinden den Betrieb des jeweiligen Naturparks weiterhin finanziell unterstützen. Gibt es zu diesem Zweck eine geeignete Vorgehensweise, um die Wirkungen des Parkmanagements auf die Ziele der Naturpärke und die übergeordneten Ziele der Pärkepolitik in der Schweiz zu identifizieren? – Basierend auf den Erfahrungen mit der Evaluation von drei Regionalen Naturpärken im Kanton Bern haben wir ein Rahmenmodell für die gesamtheitliche Evaluation solcher Pärke entwickelt und stellen es hier zur Diskussion

Impact of simulated nitrogen pollution on heathland microfauna, mesofauna and plants

Deposition of reactive nitrogen derived from intensive agriculture and industrial processes is a major threat to biodiversity and ecosystem services around the world; however our knowledge of the impacts of nitrogen is restricted to a very limited range of organisms. Here we examine the response of groups of microfauna (testate amoebae), mesofauna (enchytraeid worms) and plants to ammonium nitrate application in the Ruabon heathland long-term experiment. Plant data showed significant differences between treatments, particularly characterised by a loss of bryophytes in nitrogen-treated plots, by contrast enchytraeids showed a non-significant increase in abundance in response to treatment. Testate amoebae showed no significant changes in abundance or inferred biomass but significant changes in community structure with a reduced abundance of Corythion dubium, interpreted as a response to the loss of bryophytes. Our results suggest that simple indices of plant community may have value for bioindication while the bioindication value of testate amoebae and enchytraeids is not clearly demonstrated

Data Descriptor : Collocated observations of cloud condensation nuclei, particle size distributions, and chemical composition

Cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) number concentrations alongside with submicrometer particle number size distributions and particle chemical composition have been measured at atmospheric observatories of the Aerosols, Clouds, and Trace gases Research InfraStructure (ACTRIS) as well as other international sites over multiple years. Here, harmonized data records from 11 observatories are summarized, spanning 98,677 instrument hours for CCN data, 157,880 for particle number size distributions, and 70,817 for chemical composition data. The observatories represent nine different environments, e.g., Arctic, Atlantic, Pacific and Mediterranean maritime, boreal forest, or high alpine atmospheric conditions. This is a unique collection of aerosol particle properties most relevant for studying aerosol-cloud interactions which constitute the largest uncertainty in anthropogenic radiative forcing of the climate. The dataset is appropriate for comprehensive aerosol characterization (e.g., closure studies of CCN), model-measurement intercomparison and satellite retrieval method evaluation, among others. Data have been acquired and processed following international recommendations for quality assurance and have undergone multiple stages of quality assessment.Peer reviewe