Structural elements of coordination mechanisms in collaborative planning processes and their assessment through maturity models: Application to a ceramic tile company

Maturity is defined as a measure to evaluate the capabilities of an organization in regards to a certain discipline. The Collaborative Planning Process is a very complex process and Coordination mechanisms are especially relevant in this field to align the plans of the supply chain members. The objective of this paper is to develop a maturity model and a methodology to perform assessment for the Structural Elements of Coordination Mechanisms in the Collaborative Planning Process. Structural elements are specified in order to characterize coordination mechanisms in a collaborative planning context and they have been defined as key areas to be assessed by the maturity model. The identified structural elements are: number of decision-makers, collaboration level, interdependence relationships nature, interdepen-dence relationships type, number of coordination mechanisms, information exchanged, information processing, decision sequence characteristics and stopping criteria. Structural elements are assessed using the scheme of five levels: Initial, Repeatable, Defined, Managed and Optimized. This proposal has been applied to a ceramic tile company and the results are also reported.Cuenca, L.; Boza Garcia, A.; Alemany Díaz, MDM.; Trienekens, JJ. (2013). Structural elements of coordination mechanisms in collaborative planning processes and their assessment through maturity models: Application to a ceramic tile company. Computers in Industry. 64(8):898-911. doi:10.1016/j.compind.2013.06.019S89891164

Analysis of Dental Enamel Surface Submitted to Fruit Juice Plus Soymilk by Micro X-Ray Fluorescence: In Vitro

Objective. This paper aimed to analyze the in vitro industrialized fruit juices effect plus soy to establish the erosive potential of these solutions. Materials and Methods. Seventy bovine incisors were selected after being evaluated under stereomicroscope. Their crowns were prepared and randomly divided into 7 groups, using microhardness with allocation criteria. The crowns were submitted to the fruit juice plus soy during 15 days, twice a day. The pH values, acid titration, and Knoop microhardness were recorded and the specimens were evaluated using X-ray microfluorescence (µXRF). Results. The pH average for all juices and after 3 days was significantly below the critical value for dental erosion. In average, the pH value decreases 14% comparing initial time and pH after 3 days. Comparing before and after, there was a 49% microhardness decrease measured in groups (p<0.05). Groups G1, G2, G5, and G6 are above this average. The analysis by μXRF showed a decrease of approximately 7% Ca and 4% P on bovine crowns surface. Florida (FL) statistical analysis showed a statistically significant 1 difference between groups. Thus, a tooth chance to suffer demineralization due to industrialized fruit juices plus soy is real

Intracellular Ca2+ signals in human-derived pancreatic somatostatin-secreting cells (QGP-1N)

Single-cell microfluorimetry techniques have been used to examine the effects of acetylcholine (0.1-100 μM) on the intracellular free calcium ion concentration (Ca2+i) in a human-derived pancreatic somatostatin-secreting cell line, QGP-1N. When applied to the bath solution, acetylcholine was found to evoke a marked and rapid increase in Ca2+i at all concentrations tested. These responses were either sustained, or associated with the generation of complex patterns of Ca2+i transients. Overall, the pattern of response was concentration related. In general, 0.1-10 μM acetylcholine initiated a series of repetitive oscillations in cytoplasmic Ca2+, whilst at higher concentrations the responses consisted of a rapid rise in Ca2+i followed by a smaller more sustained increase. Without external Ca2+, 100 μM acetylcholine caused only a transient rise in Ca2+i, whereas lower concentrations of the agonist were able to initiate, but not maintain, Ca2+i oscillations. Acetylcholine-evoked Ca2+ signals were abolished by atropine (1-10 μM), verapamil (100 μM) and caffeine (20 mM). Nifedipine failed to have any significant effect upon agonist-evoked increases in Ca2+i, whilst 50 mM KCl, used to depolarise the cell membrane, only elicited a transient increase in Ca2+i. Ryanodine (50-500 nM) and caffeine (1-20 mM) did not increase basal Ca2+ levels, but the Ca2+-ATPase inhibitors 2,5-di(tert-butyl)-hydroquinone (TBQ) and thapsigargin both elevated Ca2+i levels. These data demonstrate for the first time cytosolic Ca2+ signals in single isolated somatostatin-secreting cells of the pancreas. We have demonstrated that acetylcholine will evoke both Ca2+ influx and Ca2+ mobilisation, and we have partially addressed the subcellular mechanism responsible for these events. © 1994 Springer-Verlag