Adoption of lean thinking practices at Brazilian auto part companies

The objective of this study is to analyze the adoption of lean thinking practices at Brazilian auto part companies. For such, a survey was conducted at 75 sector companies. The results reveal that among all practices, the “systematic search for continuous improvement" obtained the highest implementation average. In terms of correlation, interdependence was observed among all Lean Manufacturing variables, most especially between LM5 (Kanban) and LM6 (Just-in-Time). This correlation can be explained by the importance of Kanban systems when implementing Just-inTime.

Propriedades luminescentes de polioxometalato contendo európio(III) correlacionadas à sua conformação em sólido estendido e em filmes auto-organizados de Langmuir e Langmuir-Blodgett

Pós-graduação em Química - IQ

An optimal estimator for the correlation of CMB anisotropies with Large Scale Structures and its application to WMAP-7year and NVSS

In the thesis we present the implementation of the quadratic maximum likelihood (QML) method, ideal to estimate the angular power spectrum of the cross-correlation between cosmic microwave background (CMB) and large scale structure (LSS) maps as well as their individual auto-spectra. Such a tool is an optimal method (unbiased and with minimum variance) in pixel space and goes beyond all the previous harmonic analysis present in the literature. We describe the implementation of the QML method in the {\it BolISW} code and demonstrate its accuracy on simulated maps throughout a Monte Carlo. We apply this optimal estimator to WMAP 7-year and NRAO VLA Sky Survey (NVSS) data and explore the robustness of the angular power spectrum estimates obtained by the QML method. Taking into account the shot noise and one of the systematics (declination correction) in NVSS, we can safely use most of the information contained in this survey. On the contrary we neglect the noise in temperature since WMAP is already cosmic variance dominated on the large scales. Because of a discrepancy in the galaxy auto spectrum between the estimates and the theoretical model, we use two different galaxy distributions: the first one with a constant bias $b$ and the second one with a redshift dependent bias $b(z)$. Finally, we make use of the angular power spectrum estimates obtained by the QML method to derive constraints on the dark energy critical density in a flat $\Lambda$CDM model by different likelihood prescriptions. When using just the cross-correlation between WMAP7 and NVSS maps with 1.8° resolution, we show that $\Omega_\Lambda$ is about the 70\% of the total energy density, disfavouring an Einstein-de Sitter Universe at more than 2 $\sigma$ CL (confidence level).

Total internal reflection fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy: theory and application for studying boundary slip phenomenon

I present a new experimental method called Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence Cross-Correlation Spectroscopy (TIR-FCCS). It is a method that can probe hydrodynamic flows near solid surfaces, on length scales of tens of nanometres. Fluorescent tracers flowing with the liquid are excited by evanescent light, produced by epi-illumination through the periphery of a high NA oil-immersion objective. Due to the fast decay of the evanescent wave, fluorescence only occurs for tracers in the ~100 nm proximity of the surface, thus resulting in very high normal resolution. The time-resolved fluorescence intensity signals from two laterally shifted (in flow direction) observation volumes, created by two confocal pinholes are independently measured and recorded. The cross-correlation of these signals provides important information for the tracers’ motion and thus their flow velocity. Due to the high sensitivity of the method, fluorescent species with different size, down to single dye molecules can be used as tracers. The aim of my work was to build an experimental setup for TIR-FCCS and use it to experimentally measure the shear rate and slip length of water flowing on hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces. However, in order to extract these parameters from the measured correlation curves a quantitative data analysis is needed. This is not straightforward task due to the complexity of the problem, which makes the derivation of analytical expressions for the correlation functions needed to fit the experimental data, impossible. Therefore in order to process and interpret the experimental results I also describe a new numerical method of data analysis of the acquired auto- and cross-correlation curves – Brownian Dynamics techniques are used to produce simulated auto- and cross-correlation functions and to fit the corresponding experimental data. I show how to combine detailed and fairly realistic theoretical modelling of the phenomena with accurate measurements of the correlation functions, in order to establish a fully quantitative method to retrieve the flow properties from the experiments. An importance-sampling Monte Carlo procedure is employed in order to fit the experiments. This provides the optimum parameter values together with their statistical error bars. The approach is well suited for both modern desktop PC machines and massively parallel computers. The latter allows making the data analysis within short computing times. I applied this method to study flow of aqueous electrolyte solution near smooth hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces. Generally on hydrophilic surface slip is not expected, while on hydrophobic surface some slippage may exists. Our results show that on both hydrophilic and moderately hydrophobic (contact angle ~85°) surfaces the slip length is ~10-15nm or lower, and within the limitations of the experiments and the model, indistinguishable from zero.

USING AUTO- AND CROSS-CORRELATIONS FROM SEISMIC NOISE TO MONITOR VELOCITY CHANGES AT VILLARRICA VOLCANO, CHILE

We used the Green's functions from auto-correlations and cross-correlations of seismic ambient noise to monitor temporal velocity changes in the subsurface at Villarrica volcano in the Southern Andes of Chile. Campaigns were conducted from March to October 2010 and February to April 2011 with 8 broadband and 6 short-period stations, respectively. We prepared the data by removing the instrument response, normalizing with a root-mean-square method, whitening the spectra, and filtering from 1 to 10 Hz. This frequency band was chosen based on the relatively high background noise level in that range. Hour-long auto- and cross-correlations were computed and the Green's functions stacked by day and total time. To track the temporal velocity changes we stretched a 24 hour moving window of correlation functions from 90% to 110% of the original and cross correlated them with the total stack. All of the stations' auto-correlations detected what is interpreted as an increase in velocity in 2010, with an average increase of 0.13%. Cross-correlations from station V01, near the summit, to the other stations show comparable changes that are also interpreted as increases in velocity. We attribute this change to the closing of cracks in the subsurface due either to seasonal snow loading or regional tectonics. In addition to the common increase in velocity across the stations, there are excursions in velocity on the same order lasting several days. Amplitude decreases as the station's distance from the vent increases suggesting these excursions may be attributed to changes within the volcanic edifice. In at least two occurrences the amplitudes at stations V06 and V07, the stations farthest from the vent, are smaller. Similar short temporal excursions were seen in the auto-correlations from 2011, however, there was little to no increase in the overall velocity.

Fully automatic GBM segmentation in the TCGA-GBM dataset: Prognosis and correlation with VASARI features.

Reproducible definition and quantification of imaging biomarkers is essential. We evaluated a fully automatic MR-based segmentation method by comparing it to manually defined sub-volumes by experienced radiologists in the TCGA-GBM dataset, in terms of sub-volume prognosis and association with VASARI features. MRI sets of 109 GBM patients were downloaded from the Cancer Imaging archive. GBM sub-compartments were defined manually and automatically using the Brain Tumor Image Analysis (BraTumIA). Spearman's correlation was used to evaluate the agreement with VASARI features. Prognostic significance was assessed using the C-index. Auto-segmented sub-volumes showed moderate to high agreement with manually delineated volumes (range (r): 0.4 - 0.86). Also, the auto and manual volumes showed similar correlation with VASARI features (auto r = 0.35, 0.43 and 0.36; manual r = 0.17, 0.67, 0.41, for contrast-enhancing, necrosis and edema, respectively). The auto-segmented contrast-enhancing volume and post-contrast abnormal volume showed the highest AUC (0.66, CI: 0.55-0.77 and 0.65, CI: 0.54-0.76), comparable to manually defined volumes (0.64, CI: 0.53-0.75 and 0.63, CI: 0.52-0.74, respectively). BraTumIA and manual tumor sub-compartments showed comparable performance in terms of prognosis and correlation with VASARI features. This method can enable more reproducible definition and quantification of imaging based biomarkers and has potential in high-throughput medical imaging research.

Imagem corporal e auto-estima em rapazes pré-adolescentes

Dissertação de Mestrado apresentada ao Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada para obtenção de grau de Mestre na especialidade de Psicologia Clínica.

High Diagnostic Accuracy And Reproducibility Of Fine-needle Aspiration Cytology For Diagnosing Salivary Gland Tumors: Cytohistologic Correlation In 182 Cases.

The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy and reproducibility of the cytologic diagnosis of salivary gland tumors (SGTs) using fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). The study aimed to determine diagnostic accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity and to evaluate the extent of interobserver agreement. We retrospectively evaluated SGTs from the files of the Division of Pathology at the Clinics Hospital of São Paulo and Piracicaba Dental School between 2000 and 2006. We performed cytohistologic correlation in 182 SGTs. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy were 94%, 100%, 100%, 100%, and 99%, respectively. The interobserver cytologic reproducibility showed significant statistical concordance (P < .0001). FNAC is an effective tool for performing a reliable preoperative diagnosis in SGTs and shows high diagnostic accuracy and consistent interobserver reproducibility. Further FNAC studies analyzing large samples of malignant SGTs and reactive salivary lesions are needed to confirm their accuracy.

Core-valence Correlation Effects On Ir Calculations: The Bf3 And Bcl3 Cases.

The first theoretical results of core-valence correlation effects are presented for the infrared wavenumbers and intensities of the BF3 and BCl3 molecules, using (double- and triple-zeta) Dunning core-valence basis sets at the CCSD(T) level. The results are compared with those calculated in the frozen core approximation with standard Dunning basis sets at the same correlation level and with the experimental values. The general conclusion is that the effect of core-valence correlation is, for infrared wavenumbers and intensities, smaller than the effect of adding augmented diffuse functions to the basis set, e.g., cc-pVTZ to aug-cc-pVTZ. Moreover, the trends observed in the data are mainly related to the augmented functions rather than the core-valence functions added to the basis set. The results obtained here confirm previous studies pointing out the large descrepancy between the theoretical and experimental intensities of the stretching mode for BCl3.

Measuring The Hydrodynamic Radius Of Quantum Dots By Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy.

Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS) is an optical technique that allows the measurement of the diffusion coefficient of molecules in a diluted sample. From the diffusion coefficient it is possible to calculate the hydrodynamic radius of the molecules. For colloidal quantum dots (QDs) the hydrodynamic radius is valuable information to study interactions with other molecules or other QDs. In this chapter we describe the main aspects of the technique and how to use it to calculate the hydrodynamic radius of quantum dots (QDs).

Correlation Between Cephalometric Data And Severity Of Sleep Apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome has a high prevalence among adults. Cephalometric variables can be a valuable method for evaluating patients with this syndrome. To correlate cephalometric data with the apnea-hypopnea sleep index. We performed a retrospective and cross-sectional study that analyzed the cephalometric data of patients followed in the Sleep Disorders Outpatient Clinic of the Discipline of Otorhinolaryngology of a university hospital, from June 2007 to May 2012. Ninety-six patients were included, 45 men, and 51 women, with a mean age of 50.3 years. A total of 11 patients had snoring, 20 had mild apnea, 26 had moderate apnea, and 39 had severe apnea. The distance from the hyoid bone to the mandibular plane was the only variable that showed a statistically significant correlation with the apnea-hypopnea index. Cephalometric variables are useful tools for the understanding of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. The distance from the hyoid bone to the mandibular plane showed a statistically significant correlation with the apnea-hypopnea index.

Histologic Correlation Of Expression Of Ki-67 In Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of The Glottis According To The Degree Of Cell Differentiation.

Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common neoplasm of the larynx and glottis, and its prognosis depends on the size of the lesion, level of local invasion, cervical lymphatic spread, and presence of distant metastases. Ki-67 (MKI67) is a protein present in the core, whose function is related to cell proliferation. To evaluate the expression of marker Ki-67 in squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx and glottis and its correlation to pathological findings. Experimental study with immunohistochemistry analysis of Ki-67, calculating the percentage of the cell proliferation index in glottic squamous cell carcinomas. Sixteen cases were analyzed, with six well-differentiated and 10 poorly/moderately differentiated tumors. There was a correlation between cell proliferation index and degree of cell differentiation, with higher proliferation in poorly/moderately differentiated tumors. The cell proliferation index, as measured by Ki-67, may be useful in the characterization of histological degree in glottic squamous cell tumors.

Correlation Between Testosterone And Psa Kinetics In Metastatic Prostate Cancer Patients Treated With Diverse Chemical Castrations.

To assess total testosterone and prostatic-specific antigen (PSA) kinetics among diverse chemical castrations, advanced-stage prostate cancer patients were randomized into three groups of 20: Group 1, Leuprolide 3.75 mg; Group 2, Leuprolide 7.5 mg; and Group 3, Goserelin 3.6 mg. All groups were treated with monthly application of the respective drugs. The patients' levels of serum total testosterone and PSA were evaluated at two time periods: before the treatment and 3 months after the treatment. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was utilized to verify the hypothesis of linear correlation between total testosterone and PSA levels. At the beginning the patients' age, stage, grade, PSA, and total testosterone were similar within the three groups, with median age 72, 70, and 70 years in Groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Three months after the treatment, patients who received Leuprolide 7.5 mg presented significantly lower median total testosterone levels compared with Goserelin 3.6 mg and Leuprolide 3.75 mg (9.5 ng/dL vs. 20.0 ng/dL vs. 30.0 ng/dL, respectively; p = .0072), while those who received Goserelin 3.6 mg presented significantly lower PSA levels compared with Leuprolide 7.5 mg and Leuprolide 3.75 mg (0.67 vs. 1.86 vs. 2.57, respectively; p = .0067). There was no linear correlation between total testosterone and PSA levels. Overall, regarding castration levels of total testosterone, 28.77% of patients did not obtain levels ≤50 ng/dL and 47.80% did not obtain levels ≤20 ng/dL. There was no correlation between total testosterone and PSA kinetics and no equivalence among different pharmacological castrations.

Human Herpesvirus-6 And Cytomegalovirus Dna In Liver Donor Biopsies And Their Correlation With Hla Matches And Acute Cellular Rejection.

Herpesvirus reactivation is common after liver transplantation. Analyze the presence of cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and human herpesvirus-6 (HHV-6) DNA in liver donor biopsies, seeking to better understand issues involving human donor leukocyte antigens (HLA)-A, B and DR, as well as correlations with acute cellular rejection. Fifty-nine liver transplantation patients were investigated for the presence of HCMV and HHV-6 DNA in liver donor biopsies, using the Nested-PCR technique. The clinical donor information and HLA matches were obtained from the São Paulo State Transplant System. The recipients' records regarding acute cellular rejection were studied. Seven (11.8%) biopsies were positive for HCMV DNA and 29 (49%) were positive for HHV-6 DNA. In 14 donors with HLA-DR 15 nine had HHV-6 DNA positive liver biopsy with a tendency for significant association (p=0.09), 22 recipients developed acute cellular rejection and 9/22 were positive for HLA-DR 15 (p=0.03; χ(2)=4.51), which was statistically significant in univariate analysis and showed a tendency after multivariate analysis (p=0.08). HHV-6 DNA was prevalent in liver donors studied as well as HLA-DR 15. These findings suggest that patients with HLA-DR 15 in liver donor biopsies develop more rejection after liver transplantation.

Correlation Between Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Expression And Presence Of Lymph Node Metastasis In Advanced Squamous Cell Carcinoma Of The Larynx.

Squamous cell carcinoma is the most common neoplasm of the larynx, and its evolution depends on tumor staging. Vascular endothelial growth factor is a marker of angiogenesis, and its expression may be related to increased tumor aggressiveness, as evidenced by the presence of cervical lymphatic metastases. To evaluate the expression of the vascular endothelial growth factor marker in non-glottic advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the larynx (T3/T4) and correlate it with the presence of cervical lymph node metastases. Retrospective clinical study and immunohistochemical analysis of vascular endothelial growth factor through the German scale of immunoreactivity in products of non-glottic squamous cell carcinomas. This study analyzed 15 cases of advanced non-glottic laryngeal tumors (T3/T4), four of which exhibited cervical lymphatic metastases. There was no correlation between vascular endothelial growth factor expression and the presence of cervical metastases. Although vascular endothelial growth factor was expressed in a few cases, there was no correlation with the spread of cervical lymph metastases.