Warranty Prediction Using Weibull Simulation

The main objective of this master’s thesis is to examine if Weibull analysis is suitable method for warranty forecasting in the Case Company. The Case Company has used Reliasoft’s Weibull++ software, which is basing on the Weibull method, but the Company has noticed that the analysis has not given right results. This study was conducted making Weibull simulations in different profit centers of the Case Company and then comparing actual cost and forecasted cost. Simula-tions were made using different time frames and two methods for determining future deliveries. The first sub objective is to examine, which parameters of simulations will give the best result to each profit center. The second sub objective of this study is to create a simple control model for following forecasted costs and actual realized costs. The third sub objective is to document all Qlikview-parameters of profit centers. This study is a constructive research, and solutions for company’s problems are figured out in this master’s thesis. In the theory parts were introduced quality issues, for example; what is quality, quality costing and cost of poor quality. Quality is one of the major aspects in the Case Company, so understand-ing the link between quality and warranty forecasting is important. Warranty management was also introduced and other different tools for warranty forecasting. The Weibull method and its mathematical properties and reliability engineering were introduced. The main results of this master’s thesis are that the Weibull analysis forecasted too high costs, when calculating provision. Although, some forecasted values of profit centers were lower than actual values, the method works better for planning purposes. One of the reasons is that quality improving or alternatively quality decreasing is not showing in the results of the analysis in the short run. The other reason for too high values is that the products of the Case Company are com-plex and analyses were made in the profit center-level. The Weibull method was developed for standard products, but products of the Case Company consists of many complex components. According to the theory, this method was developed for homogeneous-data. So the most im-portant notification is that the analysis should be made in the product level, not the profit center level, when the data is more homogeneous.

Receipt from M.Y. Keating, St. Catharines

Receipt from M.Y. Keating, St. Catharines for picture hooks and wire, March 25, 1887.

L’adoption des innovations dans les systèmes PACS et la perception des bénéfices : le concept de l’alignement tâche-technologie comme outil d’évaluation

Contexte : Les premières implantations PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) remontent aux années 80. Le rehaussement récent du PACS au sein d’un centre hospitalier universitaire a permis d’étudier l’introduction d’innovations dans une technologie mature. Objectif : Dans un premier temps, effectuer une revue de la littérature sur les études évaluant la perceptions des utilisateurs de l’implantation des PACS. Deuxièmement, évaluer dans une étude de cas si le niveau d’alignement entre les tâches et la technologie prédit l’utilisation et la perception des bénéfices. Méthodes : Il y a eu une revue systématique de la littérature afin d’identifier les études sur la perception des utilisateurs du PACS. Une adaptation du modèle TTF (Task-Technology-Fit) développé par Goodhue (1995) a servi de base théorique pour l’étude de cas effectuée par questionnaire auto-administré. Résultats : Les modèles recensés dans la revue systématique sont mieux adaptés à des nouvelles implantions PACS qu’à des systèmes matures en évolution. Il y a une corrélation significative entre le niveau de l’alignement, tel que perçu par les utilisateurs, et la perception des bénéfices nets, ainsi que l’utilisation de la technologie. L’étude a démontré un écart entre la perception des utilisateurs et celle des développeurs interviewés. Conclusions : Cette étude supporte la validité du concept alignement tâche-technologie dans l’analyse d’un rehaussement PACS. Il est important de maintenir une interaction soutenue entre développeurs et utilisateurs, qui va audelà de la phase initiale de développement.

Les déterminants du comportement alimentaire de jeunes hommes gais

Introduction : Cette étude visait à explorer les déterminants des choix alimentaires de jeunes hommes gais. L’objectif secondaire était d’explorer la perception des hommes gais à l’égard du comportement alimentaire des hommes hétérosexuels. Méthode : Une méthode qualitative s’appuyant sur la prise de photographies et d’entrevues individuelles semi-dirigées a été utilisée. Résultats : Onze hommes gais de 21 à 25 ans et habitant en appartement dans la région de Montréal ont participé à l’étude. L’apparence corporelle, la santé et la nutrition sont des facteurs très influents de leur comportement alimentaire. Les hommes de la cohorte soutiennent la perception que ces facteurs n’influencent pas aussi fortement le comportement alimentaire des hommes hétérosexuels. Ils sont de grands consommateurs de cuisine hors domicile. Plusieurs d’entre eux limitent leur consommation de viande, un aliment qu’ils considèrent masculin et fortement lié aux hommes hétérosexuels. Conclusion : Le comportement alimentaire des jeunes hommes de cette cohorte est influencé par plusieurs facteurs qui ne sont habituellement pas associés aux hommes, dont l’apparence corporelle, la santé et la nutrition. Ils sont au fait de cette dichotomie en se comparant à leurs proches hétérosexuels. Si les professionnels de la santé négligent ces facteurs, ils risquent de passer à côté de leviers d’intervention efficaces.

The sculpture of Irma Stern (1922-1955)

Le présent mémoire se veut être une étude critique portant sur un thème qui n’a pas été traité à ce jour : l’œuvre sculptural d’Irma Stern (1894-1966), artiste d’ascendance juive-allemande née en Afrique du Sud. Il s’agit de dégager des perspectives nouvelles sur l’art, la carrière et l’importance historique d’une personnalité qui est d’ordinaire acclamée pour sa contribution à l’essor de la peinture sud-africaine moderne. Notre visée est double. Nous proposons d’abord le premier catalogue exhaustif des sculptures d’Irma Stern : sont présentées environ trente à cinquante œuvres qui furent réalisées entre 1922 et 1955 dans divers média et dont le trait commun est de représenter des femmes africaines. Nous proposons en second lieu une analyse interprétative du corpus, dans son intégralité. Il s’agit de corréler l’œuvre sculptural d’Irma Stern aux méandres de sa vie et de son travail de peintre déterminée à représenter des sujets africains. Notre but est de parvenir à une compréhension fine des désirs, des préoccupations et des angoisses qui animèrent l’artiste dans sa confrontation, longue de trente années, avec des thèmes africains ainsi que des dynamiques de pouvoir qui se dégagent de son œuvre. En portant tour à tour notre attention aux sculptures en argile (1922), en ciment (1936-45) et enfin, en pierre à savon et en verdite (1936-45), et en empruntant aux cadres conceptuels fournis par les théories postcoloniale, phénoménologique et sculpturale, nous mettons en évidence les évolutions qu’a connues le rapport de l’artiste à son sujet et ce qu’elles nous disent sur la relation, mouvante, qu’elle entretenait avec ses modèles. Les analyses que nous proposons sont susceptibles d’ouvrir de nouvelles pistes et de modifier le regard porté à Irma Stern et à sa place dans l’histoire de l’art sud-africain.

Finite Element Analysis of Warship Structures

Warships are generally sleek, slender with V shaped sections and block coefficient below 0.5, compared to fuller forms and higher values for commercial ships. They normally operate in the higher Froude number regime, and the hydrodynamic design is primarily aimed at achieving higher speeds with the minimum power. Therefore the structural design and analysis methods are different from those for commercial ships. Certain design guidelines have been given in documents like Naval Engineering Standards and one of the new developments in this regard is the introduction of classification society rules for the design of warships.The marine environment imposes subjective and objective uncertainties on ship structure. The uncertainties in loads, material properties etc.,. make reliable predictions of ship structural response a difficult task. Strength, stiffness and durability criteria for warship structures can be established by investigations on elastic analysis, ultimate strength analysis and reliability analysis. For analysis of complicated warship structures, special means and valid approximations are required.Preliminary structural design of a frigate size ship has been carried out . A finite element model of the hold model, representative of the complexities in the geometric configuration has been created using the finite element software NISA. Two other models representing the geometry to a limited extent also have been created —- one with two transverse frames and the attached plating alongwith the longitudinal members and the other representing the plating and longitudinal stiffeners between two transverse frames. Linear static analysis of the three models have been carried out and each one with three different boundary conditions. The structural responses have been checked for deflections and stresses against the permissible values. The structure has been found adequate in all the cases. The stresses and deflections predicted by the frame model are comparable with those of the hold model. But no such comparison has been realized for the interstiffener plating model with the other two models.Progressive collapse analyses of the models have been conducted for the three boundary conditions, considering geometric nonlinearity and then combined geometric and material nonlinearity for the hold and the frame models. von Mises — lllyushin yield criteria with elastic-perfectly plastic stress-strain curve has been chosen. ln each case, P-Delta curves have been generated and the ultimate load causing failure (ultimate load factor) has been identified as a multiple of the design load specified by NES.Reliability analysis of the hull module under combined geometric and material nonlinearities have been conducted. The Young's Modulus and the shell thickness have been chosen as the variables. Randomly generated values have been used in the analysis. First Order Second Moment has been used to predict the reliability index and thereafter, the probability of failure. The values have been compared against standard values published in literature.

Cinematographic Licensing

In India, film censorship originated with Cinematograph Act 1918 empowering the Provincial Governments to establish censorial authorities. In 1949, an amendment provided for a Central Board of Film Censors. In 1952, a new legislation gave the Central Government enormous powers, making the Board to function as a department of the Central Government. The Government had control over the Board with the mechanism of issuing 'directions' to the censors and laying down censorship rules. The legislation did not provide any objective criteria for censoring films. The 1959 amendment, aimed at curing this defect, only incorporated the grounds contained in Article 19(2) of the Constitution. Even after expert studies and a significant decision by the Supreme Court, pointing out the inadequacy of the existing system, and governmental attempts to bring reforms by way of fresh directions, appointment of appellate authority and framing of new rules, the system still warrants radical change. The thesis explores them.

El impacto local de las políticas internacionales de agua y su relación con los organismos multilaterales: el caso de Puebla, México

El tema central de este documento es la incorporación de una aproximación teórica de análisis sobre la relación existente entre la realización y entramado de políticas públicas desde el ámbito de la agenda internacional sostenida por las organizaciones multilaterales a nivel mundial y sus influencias en los países miembros, en el ámbito de lo local.

Misiones católicas en América Latina, siglos XIX-XX : estudio preliminar para una historia comparada

Este documento propone una aproximación preliminar al desarrollo de los estudios y las investigaciones históricas sobre los misioneros católicos en América Latina, en los finales del siglo xix y la primera mitad del siglo xx. Se estudian tres puntos de vista para establecer por medio de ellos diferentes marcos teóricos y métodos de investigación. (En los textos que serán abordados se presentan la investigación de corte vertical y transversal.) El estudio sobre las misiones católicas intenta proporcionar herramientas para adelantar un trabajo en historia comparada.

The Agendas of The Stream

The new tech has introduced the traits of the hypermedia, interactivity and convergence in the journalism field. Moreover, it has involved the emergence of new media and changes in the informative contents. In 2006 Al Jazeera in English was created for covering the underreported regions, inasmuch as new media arise, new contents do so, thus, the research examines the agendas of The Stream, the TV show from Al Jazeera that relies heavily on social networks.

Un nacionalismo más allá de las fronteras: la transnacionalización del movimiento independentista catalán

La presente investigación tiene como objetivo identificar los procesos que han posibilitado la transnacionalización del movimiento independentista catalán entre 2010 y 2014. Por tal motivo, el análisis de este estudio de caso permitirá comprender con mayor profundidad las dinámicas de transnacionalización de una causa nacional, con las que dicho movimiento ha conseguido conectar lo local con lo global. Para ello, la recolección de datos cualitativos se hace imprescindible en la caracterización de este fenómeno social, a partir del uso de herramientas como la observación participante, entrevistas y el análisis documental. Esto, con el propósito de facilitar la obtención de información proveniente de fuentes primarias y secundarias, respetando la perspectiva de los actores involucrados. De tal manera, será posible evidenciar que estos procesos transnacionales se impulsan mutuamente, propiciando la proyección del debate sobre la independencia fuera de las fronteras catalanas.

Entendiendo un programa de reparación: reconstrucción del proceso de creación e implementación de familias en su tierra – FEST– El caso del municipio de La Palma, Cundinamarca

A partir de la reconstrucción del proceso de creación e implementación del programa presidencial para la reparación a población desplazada Familias En Su Tierra, se exploran las dificultades y retos que enfrenta la Ley de Víctimas y Restitución de Tierras.

Tests of syntactic comprehension in aphasia: an investigation of task effects

Background: Consistency of performance across tasks that assess syntactic comprehension in aphasia has clinical and theoretical relevance. In this paper we add to the relatively sparse previous work on how sentence comprehension abilities are influenced by the nature of the assessment task. Aims: Our aims are: (1) to compare linguistic performance across sentence-picture matching, enactment, and truth-value judgement tasks; (2) to investigate the impact of pictorial stimuli on syntactic comprehension. Methods Procedures: We tested a group of 10 aphasic speakers (3 with fluent and 7 with non-fluent aphasia) in three tasks (Experiment 1): (i) sentence-picture matching with four pictures, (ii) sentence-picture matching with two pictures, and (iii) enactment. A further task of truth-value judgement was given to a subgroup of those speakers (n=5, Experiment 2). Similar sentence types across all tasks were used and included canonical (actives, subject clefts) and non-canonical (passives, object clefts) sentences. We undertook two types of analyses: (a) we compared canonical and non-canonical sentences in each task; (b) we compared performance between (i) actives and passives, (ii) subject and object clefts in each task. We examined the results of all participants as a group and as case-series. Outcomes Results: Several task effects emerged. Overall, the two-picture sentence-picture matching and enactment tasks were more discriminating than the four-picture condition. Group performance in the truth-value judgement task was similar to two-picture sentence-picture matching and enactment. At the individual level performance across tasks contrasted to some group results. Conclusions: Our findings revealed task effects across participants. We discuss reasons that could explain the diverse profiles of performance and the implications for clinical practice.

Lorrie Moore: Mo(o)re than an interim assessment

Lorrie Moore has long shed the image of the precocious talent who won the Seventeen story prize with her first submission as a nineteen-year-old undergraduate, but there is still a sense that her best work may be yet to come. In that respect, this mini special issue represents by no means the final word on Moore, but rather an interim assessment of a career that is already substantial and that promises much more to come. Together these three essays (and introduction) offer a coherent and striking exploration of Moore's work that develops new directions for future criticism and will help cement her growing reputation as one of the most original and distinctive contemporary writers. They sometimes circle around the same stories, even the same quotations, reading them in a variety of frames and picking up (and at) the nuances of Moore's sustained wordplay and careful documenting of space, of identity, of gender. Thus these essays work together rather than separately, layering over multiple understandings of Moore's incisive American literature.

Pragmatic oriented data interoperability for smart healthcare information systems

Smart healthcare is a complex domain for systems integration due to human and technical factors and heterogeneous data sources involved. As a part of smart city, it is such a complex area where clinical functions require smartness of multi-systems collaborations for effective communications among departments, and radiology is one of the areas highly relies on intelligent information integration and communication. Therefore, it faces many challenges regarding integration and its interoperability such as information collision, heterogeneous data sources, policy obstacles, and procedure mismanagement. The purpose of this study is to conduct an analysis of data, semantic, and pragmatic interoperability of systems integration in radiology department, and to develop a pragmatic interoperability framework for guiding the integration. We select an on-going project at a local hospital for undertaking our case study. The project is to achieve data sharing and interoperability among Radiology Information Systems (RIS), Electronic Patient Record (EPR), and Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS). Qualitative data collection and analysis methods are used. The data sources consisted of documentation including publications and internal working papers, one year of non-participant observations and 37 interviews with radiologists, clinicians, directors of IT services, referring clinicians, radiographers, receptionists and secretary. We identified four primary phases of data analysis process for the case study: requirements and barriers identification, integration approach, interoperability measurements, and knowledge foundations. Each phase is discussed and supported by qualitative data. Through the analysis we also develop a pragmatic interoperability framework that summaries the empirical findings and proposes recommendations for guiding the integration in the radiology context.