Modelling the Product Development performance of Colombian Companies

Organised by: Cranfield UniversityThis paper presents the general model of the Product Development Process (PDP) in the Metal mechanics Industry in Barranquilla-Colombia, since this sector contributes significantly to the productivity of this industrial city. This case study counted on a five-company sample. The main goal was to model the current conditions of the PDP according to the Concurrent Engineering philosophy. The companies were selected according to their productive profile, in order to contrast differences regarding the structure of their productive processes, conformation of multidisciplinary teams, integration of different areas, customers and suppliers to the PDP; human resources, information, technology and marketing constraints.Mori Seiki – The Machine Tool Compan

C/O white dwarfs of very low mass: 0.33-0.5 Mo

The standard lower limit for the mass of white dwarfs (WDs) with a C/O core is roughly 0.5 Mo. In the present work we investigated the possibility to form C/O WDs with mass as low as 0.33 Mo. Both the pre-WD and the cooling evolution of such nonstandard models will be described.Comment: Submitted to the "Proceedings of the 16th European White Dwarf Workshop" (to be published JPCS). 7 pages including 13 figure

The Properties of Satellite Galaxies in External Systems. I. Morphology and Structural Parameters

We present the first results of an ongoing project to study the morphological, kinematical, dynamical, and chemical properties of satellite galaxies of external giant spiral galaxies. The sample of objects has been selected from the catalogue by Zaritsky et al. (1997). The paper analyzes the morphology and structural parameters of a subsample of 60 such objects. The satellites span a great variety of morphologies and surface brightness profiles. About two thirds of the sample are spirals and irregulars, the remaining third being early-types. Some cases showing interaction between pairs of satellites are presented and briefly discussed.Comment: Accepted for publication in Astrophys. Journal Supp. Se

Detecting fish aggregations from reef habitats mapped with high resolution side scan sonar imagery

As part of a multibeam and side scan sonar (SSS) benthic survey of the Marine Conservation District (MCD) south of St. Thomas, USVI and the seasonal closed areas in St. Croix—Lang Bank (LB) for red hind (Epinephelus guttatus) and the Mutton Snapper (MS) (Lutjanus analis) area—we extracted signals from water column targets that represent individual and aggregated fish over various benthic habitats encountered in the SSS imagery. The survey covered a total of 18 km2 throughout the federal jurisdiction fishery management areas. The complementary set of 28 habitat classification digital maps covered a total of 5,462.3 ha; MCDW (West) accounted for 45% of that area, and MCDE (East) 26%, LB 17%, and MS the remaining 13%. With the exception of MS, corals and gorgonians on consolidated habitats were significantly more abundant than submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) on unconsolidated sediments or unconsolidated sediments. Continuous coral habitat was the most abundant consolidated habitat for both MCDW and MCDE (41% and 43% respectively). Consolidated habitats in LB and MS predominantly consisted of gorgonian plain habitat with 95% and 83% respectively. Coral limestone habitat was more abundant than coral patch habitat; it was found near the shelf break in MS, MCDW, and MCDE. Coral limestone and coral patch habitats only covered LB minimally. The high spatial resolution (0.15 m) of the acquired imagery allowed the detection of differing fish aggregation (FA) types. The largest FA densities were located at MCDW and MCDE over coral communities that occupy up to 70% of the bottom cover. Counts of unidentified swimming objects (USOs), likely representing individual fish, were similar among locations and occurred primarily over sand and shelf edge areas. Fish aggregation school sizes were significantly smaller at MS than the other three locations (MCDW, MCDE, and LB). This study shows the advantages of utilizing SSS in determining fish distributions and density

Endodermis foliares en el género Isoetes L. (Isoetaceae).

Endodermis foliares en el género Isoetes L. (Isoetaceae). La presencia y naturaleza de la endodermis en microfilos de 18 taxones de Isoetes se puso de manifiesto con técnicas microquímicas de coloración con TBO y mediante fluorescencia intrínseca (autofluorescencia). Las especies estudiadas son: I. adspersa, I. andina, I. boliviensis, I. boryana, I.brochonii, I. durieui, I. echinospora, I.engelmanii, I. histrix, I. lacustris, I. lechleri, I. longissima, I. malinverniana, I. melanopoda, I. setacea, I. storkii, I. velata subsp. velata, I. velata subsp. asturicense. Desde el punto de vista morfológico se reconocen tres tipos de endodermis, que coexisten en la misma hoja. Una endodermis primaria con bandas de Caspary, que se desarrolla inicialmente rodeando los canales intrastelares, pero que evolucionaría hacia endodermis secundaria (con engrosamientos en U), ya que éste es el tipo que se encuentra en torno de los canales intrastelares en microfilos de todas las especies estudiadas. También se forma una endodermis secundaria (con engrosamientos en U), parcial o completa, rodeando las cámaras aeríferas, en todas las especies estudiadas. Las especies que crecen a mayor altura sobre el nivel del mar pueden desarrollar en esta zona una endodermis terciaria (con engrosamientos en O). La endodermis de las cámaras aeríferas está menos desarrollada o desaparece en la porción del microfilo que se encuentra hundida en el sustrato, no así la endodermis de los canales intrastelares. La función reguladora del flujo de agua y metabolitos entre el haz vascular y el mesofilo explicaría tanto la presencia como la especialización de estas capas en microfilos sujetos a estrés hídrico

The Kinematics of the Ionized and Molecular Hydrogen in the Starburst Galaxy NGC 253

Near-infrared H_2 1-0 S(1) and Br_gamma velocity curves along the major axis of NGC 253 have revealed a central velocity gradient that is seven times steeper than that shown by the optical velocity curve. This is interpreted as an optical depth effect due to dust. Approximately 35 mag of visual extinction in the center is required to match the SW side of the optical velocity curve. The spatial variation of the ratio of these lines to the CO (J=1-0) line is compared among starburst galaxies NGC 253, M82, and NGC 4945 to investigate the excitation mechanism responsible for the H_2 1-0 S(1) line.Comment: Uuencoded postscript file, 10 pages (4 tables included), 8 figures available on request to [email protected], Ap.J. (in press