Three-dimensional linear-elastic fracture mechanics analysis of thick-walled pressure vessel components

Imperial Users onl

Impact of Automation and Visualization on a Toyota´s European process

Internship Report presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Data Science and Advanced Analytics, specialization in Data ScienceThis dissertation focuses on implementing automation and visualization in a Toyota’s European process that ensures compliance and customer safety across Europe. The Campaign Team within Toyota Motor Europe (TME) plays a crucial role in this Request process. Given its significance to the company, it is vital to automate and optimize this process and create visualization tools to enhance effective monitoring and informed decision-making. By incorporating the Toyota Business Process (TBP) framework, we defined thirteen steps for completing this project. We analyzed existing pain points in the Request process, set clear goals, proposed a To-Be process, and involved all stakeholders in tool development. To enhance efficiency, we relied on some concepts from the Toyota Production System (TPS), including Nemawashi, Genchi Genbutsu, and Poka-yoke. As a result, we significantly reduced manual work performed by the Campaign Team every time a new request is issued. Additionally, we provided all National Marketing & Sales Companies (NMSCs) with a visual overview of the Request process. Other benefits were also implemented in this project, such as job standardization, information centralization, and enhanced communication between stakeholders and the Campaign Team. Overall, this dissertation presents a methodology that can be replicated for enhancing other Toyota’s European processes

Kafkaesque experiences

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and EconomicsTrying to enhance the understanding of Kafkaesque experiences that greatly affect organizations and people and aiming to fill the gap in the literature on this topic, this study was developed. A qualitative research allowed a true clarification of how people experience and deal with Kafkaesque bureaucracy. Through the analysis of the performed interviews three responses were recognized: inactiveness, helplessness and meaninglessness, which reflect the attitude’s components. Understanding that these findings constitute a mutually debilitating combination, the impact of these experiences both on people and organizations was revealed to be negative, leading three actions to avoid generating those to be suggested to organizations

Weak-form efficiency of equity energy exchange traded funds

Mestrado em FinançasO principal objetivo desta dissertação de final de mestrado é aferir se os Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) Energéticos são eficientes na forma fraca. Para o período compreendido entre 2008 e 2012 selecionámos todos os ETFs energéticos que são negociados no mercado de capitais dos Estados Unidos, com uma data de emissão anterior a 2008. A amostra selecionada é composta por 26 ETFs e foram usados os dados históricos dos preços diários para aplicar vários testes: testes de autocorrelação, testes de runs, testes de raízes unitárias admitindo quebras estruturais, análise de raízes unitárias em painel e testes de rácio de variância. Estes testes permitiram-nos concluir que a variação dos preços dos ETFs Energéticos seguem um passeio aleatório e que a hipótese de eficiência fraca não é rejeitada.The main purpose of this final master dissertation is to assess the weak-form efficiency of Equity Energy Exchange Traded Funds (ETF). For the period of 2008-2012 we selected all equity energy ETFs traded in the U.S. stock market with inception date before 2008. The sample selected, is composed by 26 ETFs and we make use of full daily historical data and apply various tests: autocorrelation tests, runs test, unit roots structural breaks tests, panel unit roots analysis and variance ratio tests. These tests allow us to conclude that equity energy ETFs price changes follow a random walk, and so the weak-form efficiency hypothesis is not rejected

Functionalization of Silica Surfaces: Influence in Naproxen Molecular Mobility and Release Profile

This work aimed to improve aqueous drug solubility by amorphization upon loading in silica porous matrixes and stabilize it in the amorphous form. Naproxen was chosen as the target material, a practically insoluble pharmaceutical drug, with anti-pyretic and anti-inflammatory properties. To evaluate the influence of guest-host interactions in the drug delivery, two silica matrixes were synthesized differing in their surface composition: unmodified MCM-41 mainly with surface silanol groups and MCM-41_Func caped with methyl groups. The surface area modification with methyl groups was confirmed by attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Textural analysis showed narrow pore diameter distributions centered at 3.0 and 2.9 nm, respectively. To evaluate the guest’s physical state, different techniques were used as: differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dielectric relaxation spectroscopy (DRS) and attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. These analyses showed that naproxen was successful incorporated in the both silica. The naproxen’s amorphization was confirmed by the DSC detection of the glass transition, located in between ~0ºC and 22ºC. However, crystallization and melting are always observed, nonetheless in low extent (~6 % of crystallization degree). The mobility of the amorphous pharmaceutical drug incorporated inside these silica pores, was probed by DRS, allowing estimating a dielectric glass transition temperature in good agreement with the calorimetric one and revealing a higher mobility for the hydrated unmodified composite. It was shown that this mobility enhancement controls the drug delivery, monitored by ultraviolet spectroscopy, which revealed to be faster in the unmodified matrix. The studied composites show promising behavior as controlled drug delivery systems

The theory of planned behavior and trust in the retailing environment: the case of mobile Grocery Shopping

Mobile shopping has become a popular alternative approach for purchasing all type of goods around the world and it is considered a step ahead of the online shopping. Buying groceries is a crucial habit that must be carried out in order to fulfill the needs for households. Research on mobile grocery shopping is still in its early stages. Based on the theory of planned behavior and the consumer characteristic of trust in the grocery retailer, five hypotheses were developed with the purpose to investigate consumers’ intentions to buy groceries by mobile. The data was collected through a survey from 186 consumers. Furthermore, the analysis of the data was done in SPSS through correlation matrix, descriptive variables and regression analysis. The results of the study suggest that attitude and subjective norms influence positively the intention to shop groceries by mobile. If grocery retailers decide to engage in the mobile sales channel, these findings can help them to understand what drives consumers to adopt the behavior of shopping groceries by mobile

Adaptive glass pane using shape-memory alloys

Glass is one of the most commonly used building materials in modern architecture around the world. Its ability to pass through natural light enabled the builders paradigm of a desire for a exterior environment connected space, but yet comfortable and protected. New techniques and recent developments in fabrication processes made possible to use glass as a structural material. Structural glass propelled construction in glass, turning it into the most distinctive material of modern architecture. Because of the glass design complexity, glass as a construction material, however, still represents a challenge for structural design engineers. Glass is often associated to smart systems and active control researches, evolving shapememory alloys or pre-stressed cables. This dissertation's aim is to contribute to the development of a shape-memory alloys smart system, associated with a glass pane, in order to mitigate the wind action effects on the structure. The hazardous effect of the temperature on the interlayer of the laminated glass is also considered. The control action is imposed by an external system that causes an external force on the structure, enabling the system structural response to be improved

Cyberbullying : o papel do descomprometimento moral na intervenção dos observadores

Dissertação de mestrado, Psicologia (Área de Especialização em Psicologia da Educação e da Orientação), Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Psicologia, 2021Este estudo pretende identificar os comportamentos mais frequentes nos adolescentes observadores de situações de cyberbullying, tendo em conta a sua relação com a vítima, a autorregulação comportamental, mecanismos de descomprometimento moral e divergências ao nível do sexo. Coloca-se também ênfase na importância de estudar o contributo de programas de prevenção de cyberbullying. De forma a atingir este objetivo, 209 alunos do 7º ao 9º ano participaram num programa onde tinham que interagir com agentes sociais virtuais numa rede social criada para as sessões. Os resultados das interações foram sujeitos a uma análise quantitativa e qualitativa, tendo o modelo de intervenção dos observadores e o descomprometimento moral como organizadores da análise. Foram observadas as divergências de sexo, o efeito do in-group bias e as mudanças ao longo das sessões com treino explícito de competências autorregulatórias. O comportamento mais observado foi a seleção de opções de mensagens com intenção pró-social. No caso dos participantes do sexo masculino foi possível observar um declínio do uso de linguagem agressiva ao longo das sessões. As autorreflexões referiram a agência moral (41,4%) e o modelo de intervenção do observador (19,2%) nas situações de cyberbullying. A observação destas mudanças e as divergências que existiram em termos de sexo, são essenciais para acrescentar uma maior profundidade ao conhecimento desta temática, levando a novos fatores que possam ser explorados de modo a criar intervenções online eficazes que visam reduzir a prevalência deste fenómeno, aumentar os comportamentos pró-sociais e sentimentos de empatia nos beneficiadores destes programas de intervenção.This study aims to identify the most frequent behavior in adolescents who observe cyberbullying situations, taking into account their relationship with the victim, behavioral self-regulation, mechanisms of moral disengagement and sex differences. In order to achieve this goal, 209 7th to 9th graders participated in a program where they had to interact with virtual social agents in a social network created for the sessions. The results of the interactions were subjected to a quantitative and qualitative analysis, using the Bystander Intervention Model and moral disengagement as theoretical frameworks of analysis. Differences in gender, the effect of in-group bias and changes throughout the sessions with explicit self-regulatory skills training were observed. The most observed behavior was the selection of message options with pró-social intentions. In the case of male participants, there was a decline in the use of aggressive language throughout the sessions. Self-reflections referred to moral agency (41.4%) and the Bystander Intervention Model (19.2%) in cyberbullying situations. The observation of these changes and the differences that existed in terms of sex, are essential to add greater depth to the knowledge of this topic, leading to new factors that can be explored in order to create effective online interventions that aim to reduce the prevalence of this phenomenon, increase prosocial behavior and feelings of empathy for the beneficiaries of these intervention programs