Definition of a collaborative working model to the logistics area using design for Six Sigma

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to create an online enterprise community for all logistics employees of Bosch Car Multimedia division in the Bosch Group, for an internal collaboration of the entire Bosch Group based on an IBM Connections platform: Bosch Connect. An additional concern, collected throughout the project, was to bring employees to join the platform, making it a tool of your daily work. The final objective is to implement and promote a tool to foster internal and external integration of the Bosch logistics community.Design/methodology/approach - A case study is presented to illustrate the use of a Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) methodology to support all the process creation of a collaborative community. There are several variants of the methodology DFSS. For the context of this project, will be used the define, measure, analyze, design and verify (DMADV) methodology, that is appropriated to design services processes and it addresses specifically to the remodeling processes.Findings - The use of DMADV methodology allows establish, systematically, a model which was in accordance with the target population needs.Research limitations/implications - Since this is a case study, it is not possible to generalize the results. Furthermore, this project was developed in a limit time (about four months). Thus, was not possible to obtain a large community.Practical implications - The case study brings some evidence of how a systematic approach to the design of a online enterprise community can support designers to meet user's needs.Social implications - A new approach is proposed to meet an online enterprise community user's needs.Originality/value - To the best of the authors' knowledge, there is no evidence the use of this methodology to support a construction of an online enterprise community.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Distributions of charged massive scalars and fermions from evaporating higher-dimensional black holes

A detailed numerical analysis is performed to obtain the Hawking spectrum for charged, massive brane scalars and fermions on the approximate background of a brane charged rotating higher-dimensional black hole constructed in arXiv:0907.5107. We formulate the problem in terms of a "spinor-like" first order system of differential wave equations not only for fermions, but for scalars as well and integrate it numerically. Flux spectra are presented for non-zero mass, charge and rotation, confirming and extending previous results based on analytic approximations. In particular we describe an inverted charge splitting at low energies, which is not present in four or five dimensions and increases with the number of extra dimensions. This provides another signature of the evaporation of higher-dimensional black holes in TeV scale gravity scenarios.Comment: 19 pages, 6 figures, minor typos corrected, 1 page added with a discussion on higher spins, added reference

EVOLUÇÃO DA CONDUTA AMBIENTAL DE EMPRESAS SIDERÚRGICAS BRASILEIRAS SOB A ÓPTICA DOS RELATÓRIOS DE EVIDENCIAÇÃO AMBIENTAL

This work analyzes the evolution of environmental conduct amongst Brazilian steel companies which have published their accountancy reports concerning the financial years from 2000 to 2004. In global markets, the steel company’s market structure suffers great environmental pressure exerted by different stakeholders. On the same hand, the social and environmental disclosure is important to the decision making process. The research was prepared with evidence collected from the firms’ accountancy reports published by Brazilian Securities and Exchange Commission using the disclosure-scoring measure methodology developed by Al-Tuwaijri et al (2003). The results demonstrate that most companies prefer to report quantitative information when they improve their environmental conduct. The research concludes that steel companies have increased their environmental responsibilities as times goes by.O artigo analisa a evolução da conduta ambiental das empresas siderúrgicas brasileiras, referentes aos exercícios sociais de 2000 a 2004. Parte-se da hipótese de que a indústria siderúrgica está sujeita a fortes pressões ambientais, ditadas principalmente pelos stakeholders, e que as informações de cunho sócio-ambiental são relevantes no processo decisório. A pesquisa foi elaborada a partir de evidências coletadas nas demonstrações contábeis das empresas divulgadas à Comissão de Valores Mobiliários (CVM). A técnica de quantificação foi desenvolvida por Al-Tuwaijri et al (2003) e baseia-se no disclosure-scoring measure. A análise das evidenciações da conduta ambiental de cada uma das siderúrgicas pertencentes à amostra permitiu verificar que a medida que as empresas melhoram sua conduta ambiental existe uma tendência crescente em apresentar informações quantitativas. Conclui-se, a partir dos indicadores de evidenciação analisados, que ocorreu uma evolução nas condutas conduzindo a um incremento na responsabilidade ambiental na indústria siderúrgica brasileira

EFSA NDA Panel (EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies), 2013 . Scientific opinion on Dietary Reference Values for fluoride

Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) derived Dietary Reference Values (DRVs) for fluoride, which are provided as Adequate Intake (AI) from all sources, including non-dietary sources. Fluoride is not an essential nutrient. Therefore, no Average Requirement for the performance of essential physiological functions can be defined. Nevertheless, the Panel considered that the setting of an AI is appropriate because of the beneficial effects of dietary fluoride on prevention of dental caries. The AI is based on epidemiological studies (performed before the 1970s) showing an inverse relationship between the fluoride concentration of water and caries prevalence. As the basis for defining the AI, estimates of mean fluoride intakes of children via diet and drinking water with fluoride concentrations at which the caries preventive effect approached its maximum whilst the risk of dental fluorosis approached its minimum were chosen. Except for one confirmatory longitudinal study in US children, more recent studies were not taken into account as they did not provide information on total dietary fluoride intake, were potentially confounded by the use of fluoride-containing dental hygiene products, and did not permit a conclusion to be drawn on a dose-response relationship between fluoride intake and caries risk. The AI of fluoride from all sources (including non-dietary sources) is 0.05 mg/kg body weight per day for both children and adults, including pregnant and lactating women. For pregnant and lactating women, the AI is based on the body weight before pregnancy and lactation. Reliable and representative data on the total fluoride intake of the European population are not available

Cryptic Speciation in Brazilian Epiperipatus (Onychophora: Peripatidae) Reveals an Underestimated Diversity among the Peripatid Velvet Worms

Taxonomical studies of the neotropical Peripatidae (Onychophora, velvet worms) have proven difficult, due to intraspecific variation and uniformity of morphological characters across this onychophoran subgroup. We therefore used molecular approaches, in addition to morphological methods, to explore the diversity of Epiperipatus from the Minas Gerais State of Brazil.Our analyses revealed three new species. While Epiperipatus diadenoproctussp. nov. can be distinguished from E. adenocryptussp. nov. and E. paurognostussp. nov. based on morphology and specific nucleotide positions in the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and small ribosomal subunit RNA gene sequences (12S rRNA), anatomical differences between the two latter species are not evident. However, our phylogenetic analyses of molecular data suggest that they are cryptic species, with high Bayesian posterior probabilities and bootstrap and Bremer support values for each species clade. The sister group relationship of E. adenocryptussp. nov. and E. paurognostussp. nov. in our analyses correlates with the remarkable morphological similarity of these two species. To assess the species status of the new species, we performed a statistical parsimony network analysis based on 582 base pairs of the COI gene in our specimens, with the connection probability set to 95%. Our findings revealed no connections between groups of haplotypes, which have been recognized as allopatric lineages in our phylogenetic analyses, thus supporting our suggestion that they are separate species.Our findings suggest high cryptic species diversity and endemism among the neotropical Peripatidae and demonstrate that the combination of morphological and molecular approaches is helpful for clarifying the taxonomy and species diversity of this apparently large and diverse onychophoran group

TNF-α induced endothelial MAdCAM-1 expression is regulated by exogenous, not endogenous nitric oxide

BACKGROUND: MAdCAM-1 is an adhesion molecule expressed in Peyer's patches and lymphoid tissues which is mobilized by cytokines like TNF-α and is a major determinant of lymphocyte trafficking to the gut in human inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It has been suggested that both reactive oxygen and nitrogen metabolites participate in regulating adhesion molecule expression in response to TNF-α. METHODS: To examine how exogenous and endogenous sources of NO modulate MAdCAM-1 induction by TNF-α, we pre-treated mouse lymphatic endothelial cells with either long or short acting NO donors prior to TNF-α-stimulation, and measured MAdCAM-1 induction at 24 h. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: DETA-NO, a long-acting NO donor, and SperNO, a rapid releasing NO donor both inhibited TNF-α-stimulated MAdCAM-1 expression in a concentration dependent manner. Both NO donors also reduced a4b7-dependent lymphocyte endothelial adhesion. Inhibition of endogenous NO production by either L-NAME, a non-selective NOS inhibitor, or by 1400 w, a selective iNOS inhibitor failed to induce, or potentiate TNF-α regulated MAdCAM-1 expression. CONCLUSIONS: Exogenous NO donors may be beneficial in the treatment of IBD, while endogenous nitric oxide synthases may be less effective in controlling adhesion molecule expression in response to cytokines

Manipulation of follicle development to ensure optimal oocyte quality and conception rates in cattle

Over the last several decades, a number of therapies have been developed that manipulate ovarian follicle growth to improve oocyte quality and conception rates in cattle. Various strategies have been proposed to improve the responses to reproductive biotechnologies following timed artificial insemination (TAI), superovulation (SOV) or ovum pickup (OPU) programmes. During TAI protocols, final follicular growth and size of the ovulatory follicle are key factors that may significantly influence oocyte quality, ovulation, the uterine environment and consequently pregnancy outcomes. Progesterone concentrations during SOV protocols influence follicular growth, oocyte quality and embryo quality; therefore, several adjustments to SOV protocols have been proposed depending on the animal category and breed. In addition, the success of in vitro embryo production is directly related to the number and quality of cumulus oocyte complexes harvested by OPU. Control of follicle development has a significant impact on the OPU outcome. This article discusses a number of key points related to the manipulation of ovarian follicular growth to maximize oocyte quality and improve conception rates following TAI and embryo transfer of in vivo-and in vitro-derived embryos in cattle.FAPESPCNPqCAPE