Applying total cost of ownership for strategic procurement : three industrial case studies.

In this paper we elaborate on a Total Cost of Ownership supplier selection methodology that we have constructed using three real life case studies which are presented in this article. Analysing the value chain of the firm, data on the costs generated by the purchasing policy and on supplier performance are collected using Activity Based Costing (ABC). Since a spreadsheet cannot encompass all these costs, let alone optimise the supplier selection and inventory management policy, a mathematical programming model is used. Possible savings of between 6 and 14% are obtained for the three cases.Case studies; Studies;

An evaluation of vendor selection models from a Total Cost of Ownership perspective.

Many different vendor selection models have been published in the purchasing literature. However there has been no systematic approach to compare the relative efficiency of the systems. In this paper we propose to use the concept of Total Cost of Ownership as a basis for comparing vendor selection models. We illustrate the comparison with real life data set of the purchasing problem of ball bearings at Cockerill Sambre, a Belgian multinational company in the steel industry. Mathematical programming models outperform rating models and multiple item models generate better results than single item models from a Total Cost of Ownership perspective for this specific case study.Evaluation; Models; Selection;

Total cost of ownership purchasing of a service : the case of airline slection at Alcatel Bell.

The multiple objective problem of purchasing for business falls into two broad categories: the purchasing of components for manufacturing and the purchasing of services. Several supplier selection models have been suggested in the literature for the purchasing of production-related components. To our knowledge, no supplier selection model for the purchasing of services has been published. In this paper we elaborate on a mathematical programming model that selects suppliers of a multiple item service and simultaneously determines market shares of the suppliers selected. The methodology is based on the collection of Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) information, quantifying all the costs associated with the purchasing process throughout the entire value chain of the firm. We apply this methodology to the real life case study of selecting airlines for 56 destinations at Alcatel Bell and have obtained TCO savings of 19.5%.Purchasing; Selection; Manufacturing; Models; Mathematical programming; Suppliers;

Enhancing Quality of Life of People With Visual Impairments Through Aesthetic Techniques

Vision loss affects roughly 285 million people globally and is one of the leading causes of age-related disability which can lead to reduced quality of life (QoL) and increased levels of depression and anxiety (van der Aa, Bruin, van Rens, Twisk, & van Nispen, 2015). Occupational therapists have been involved in the rehabilitation of individuals with low vision since 1917 (Warren, 1995) and are significant to the low vision community due to their knowledge and expertise addressing occupational limitations while taking into consideration psychosocial factors that result from vision loss. However, there appears to be gaps in the literature related to helping the vision loss population with self-image, appearance, and performance in aesthetic techniques. This capstone project will focus on the assessment of need and development of a class at the Braille Institute San Diego that highlights aesthetic techniques for individuals with blindness and low vision, considering all genders and age groups. The purpose of this class is to help this specific population enhance performance in aesthetic occupations and/or explore areas in aesthetics they may be interested in to incorporate in their daily routines. The aesthetic techniques program was held at the Braille Institute San Diego and consisted of two classes titled “Skincare and Hairstyling 101” and “Makeup 101”. A total of twenty-two subjects were enrolled in the classes. This project utilized a mixed-methods design using a pre and post oral interview which consists of quantitative and qualitative questions as an outcome measure. These questions examined themes that pertain to self-image perception, confidence with aesthetic performance, aesthetic interests, and learned techniques. Results from the interview revealed that students had an increase in their self-confidence, self-esteem, and occupational performance in aesthetics. Furthermore, students reported that this program helped them gain a sense of empowerment which include being an advocate for themselves and their personal autonomy. The lack of studies and programs on aesthetic techniques for people with visual impairments highlight the importance of research and program development aimed at enabling this population to live a full and satisfied life. Therefore, further research, projects, and advocacy work is greatly needed

Заметки о диалекте с. Же́рвени (район Костура) у переселенцев в Мустафапаше и Джемилькёй (Турция)

The article dwells upon the dialect of the people of Bulgarian origin in Mustafapasa and Cemilköy, Turkey, descending from the village of Zhèrveni in Kostur region (Aegean Macedonia). The general outline of some peculiarities of the dialect’s phonology is presented as well as some lexical differences between the Christian dialect in the neighbouring villages and the Muslim dialect of Zhèrveni. Three songs in Zhèrveni dialect are published for the first time.В статье рассматривается диалект болгарских переселенцев в Мустафапаше и Джемилькёй (Турция), которые происходят из с. Жервени в районе Костура (Эгейская Македония). Представлен очерк некоторых фонологических особенностей диалекта, а также описание лексических различий между диалектом мусульман из Жервени и христиан из соседних сёл. Впервые публикуются три песни на жервенском диалекте

Being flexible : the voltage-controllable activation gate of Kv channels

Kv channels form voltage-dependent potassium selective pores in the outer cell membrane and are composed out of four alpha-subunits, each having six membrane-spanning alpha-helices (S1-S6). The alpha-subunits tetramerize such that the S5-S6 pore domains co-assemble into a centrally located K+ pore which is surrounded by four operational voltage-sensing domains (VSD) that are each formed by the S1-S4 segments. Consequently, each subunit is capable of responding to changes in membrane potential and dictates whether the pore should be conductive or not. K+ permeation through the pore can be sealed off by two separate gates in series: (a) at the inner S6 bundle crossing (BC gate) and (b) at the level of the selectivity filter (SF gate) located at the extracellular entrance of the pore. Within the last years a general consensus emerged that a direct communication between the S4S5-linker and the bottom part of S6 (S6(c)) constitutes the coupling with the VSD thus making the BC gate the main voltage-controllable activation gate. While the BC gate listens to the VSD, the SF changes its conformation depending on the status of the BC gate. Through the eyes of an entering K+ ion, the operation of the BC gate apparatus can be compared with the iris-like motion of the diaphragm from a camera whereby its diameter widens. Two main gating motions have been proposed to create this BC gate widening: (1) tilting of the helix whereby the S6 converts from a straight a-helix to a tilted one or (2) swiveling of the S60 whereby the S6 remains bent. Such motions require a flexible hinge that decouples the pre-and post-hinge segment. Roughly at the middle of the S6 there exists a highly conserved glycine residue and a tandem proline motif that seem to fulfill the role of a gating hinge which allows for tilting/swiveling/rotations of the post-hinge S6 segment. In this review we delineate our current view on the operation of the BC gate for controlling K+ permeation in Kv channels