Collective agreements on time and motion study;

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A Time-Motion Study of Registered Nurses’ Workflow in Intensive Care Unit Remote Monitoring

Utilizing advanced information technology, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) remote monitoring allows highly trained specialists to oversee a large number of patients at multiple sites on a continuous basis. In the current research, we conducted a time-motion study of registered nurses’ work in an ICU remote monitoring facility. Data were collected on seven nurses through 40 hours of observation. The results showed that nurses’ essential tasks were centered on three themes: monitoring patients, maintaining patients’ health records, and managing technology use. In monitoring patients, nurses spent 52% of the time assimilating information embedded in a clinical information system and 15% on monitoring live vitals. System-generated alerts frequently interrupted nurses in their task performance and redirected them to manage suddenly appearing events. These findings provide insight into nurses’ workflow in a new, technology-driven critical care setting and have important implications for system design, work engineering, and personnel selection and training.

Chewing time and chewing strokes in different dentofacial deformities

PURPOSE: To verify whether the number of chewing strokes and the chewing time are influenced by dentofacial deformities in habitual free mastication. METHODS: Participants were 15 patients with diagnosis of class II dentofacial deformity (GII), 15 with class III (GIII), and 15 healthy control individuals with no deformity (CG). Free habitual mastication of a cornstarch cookie was analyzed, considering the number of chewing strokes and the time needed to complete two mastications. Strokes were counted by considering the opening and closing movements of the mandible. The time needed to consume each bite was determined using a digital chronometer, started after the placement of the food in the oral cavity and stopped when each portion was swallowed. RESULTS: There were no differences between groups regarding both the number of strokes and the chewing time. However, with regards to the number of strokes, CG and GII presented a significant concordance between the first and the second chewing situation, which was not observed in GIII. The analysis of time showed significant concordance between the first and second chewing situation in CG, reasonable concordance in GII, and discordance in GIII. CONCLUSION: Dentofacial deformities do not influence the number of chewing strokes or the chewing time. However, class III individuals do not show uniformity regarding these aspects.

Tasolohkolinjan läpäisyaikojen tarkastelu ja kehittäminen Lean management periaatteita soveltaen

Diplomityön tavoitteena oli Aker Yardsin Turun telakan tasolohkolinjan läpäisyajan parantaminen. Työssä selvitettiin lohkotehtaan nykyinen läpimenoaika ja pyrittiin parantamaan sitä Lean management periaatteita soveltaen. Työssä suoritettiin perusteellinen työntutkimus yhdessä työnjohdon kanssa, jossa selvitettiin eri työvaiheiden läpimenoajat ja työtunnit. Tuloksista löydettiin kolme selvää kehityskohdetta, joilla saadaan nykyistä läpimenoaikaa ja alihankintakustannuksia pienemmäksi. Nämä kehityskohteet olivat jäykkääjien asennuksen ja hitsauksen parantaminen, myynnin jälkeisten töiden minimointi sekä nostotukien asennuksen tehostaminen. Lisäksi tutkimustyön ohella havaittiin neljäs kehityskohde, osavalmistuksen ajoittaminen oikeaan aikaan. Tämä ei tullut ilmi tutkimustuloksista vaan ihmisiä haastattelemalla. Kehityskohtien tunnistamisen perusteella luotiin investointiehdotus jäykkääjien toiminnan tehostamiseen, sekä uusia toimintatapoja myynnin jälkeisten töiden minimoimiseksi ja nostotukien asennuksen tehostamiseksi. Osavalmistuksen ajoittamisella oikeaan aikaan, pyritään tehostamaan toimintaa lohkonkoontipaikalla.

Lohkovalmistuksen läpimenoaikojen tarkastelu ja kehittäminen työntutkimuksen avulla

Tutkimus tehtiin STX Finlandin Turun telakalle osana suurempaa kehitysohjelmaa, joka tähtää läpimenoaikojen lyhentämiseen ja kilpailukyvyn paranemiseen. Työntutkimuksesta saatujen tietojen avulla toimintaa pyritään kehittämään tuottavammaksi ja läpimenoaikaa lyhyemmäksi. Työssä pyrittiin löytämään valmistusteknillisiä keinoja läpimenoajan lyhentämiseksi käyttäen hyväksi Lean-ajattelutapaa. Mittaustuloksista voidaan nähdä, miten aika jakaantuu lohkonkoonnissa ja mihin aikaa hukataan. Tuloksista huomataan, että lisäarvoa tuottavan työn osuutta työajasta voidaan lisätä. Kasvattamalla jalostavan työn osuutta voidaan tuotannosta tehdä tehokkaampaa ja läpimenoaikaa lyhentää. Tuloksista selviää, minkälaisia Lean-ajattelutavan hukkia työvaiheet sisältävät ja kuinka paljon aikaa niihin kuluu. Tutkimus tehtiin tunnettuja työntutkimuksen keinoja hyväksikäyttäen. Käytössä oli havainnointitutkimus sekä ajankäyttötutkimus. Havainnointitutkimuksen avulla saatiin selville tuotannon epäkohtia. Työntutkimuksen avulla selvisi myös, ettei mekanisointien käyttö hitsauksessa ole riittävällä tasolla. Suuri osa hitsauksesta tehdään manuaalisesti ilman kuljettimia, jolloin paloaikasuhde pysyy matalana. Tuotannossa esiintyvät virheet jäävät liian usein raportoimatta. Tutkimuksessa on esitetty toimintamalli tuotannon epäkohtien raportoinnin toteutukselle. Johtopäätöksinä syntyi kehitysideoita lohkovalmistuksen tehostamiseksi. Tutkimuksen avulla luotiin pohja työntutkimuksen uudelleenkäynnistämiselle. Luotuja työntutkimuskaavioita voidaan käyttää tulevissa työntutkimuksissa. Johtopäätöksinä syntyi kehitysideoita lohkovalmistuksen tehostamiseksi. Menetelmien avulla lohkovalmistuksen läpimenoaikaa saadaan tehostettua.

Lääketehtaan valmistusosaston toimitusketjun arvovirtamallintaminen

Tässä diplomityössä laadittiin prosessikuvaus lääketehtaan valmistusosaston toimitusketjusta. Työn tavoitteena oli kuvata toimitusketjun eri prosessit nykytilassaan ja luoda samalla työkalu arvovirtakarttojen luomiseen lean-tuotantomallin mukaisesti. Prosessikaaviot toteutettiin soveltaen IDEF0-prosessienmallinnusmenetelmää. Kaavioissa kuvattiin järjestelmällisesti eri organisaatioiden prosessit sekä niihin liittyvät informaatio- ja materiaalivirrat. Esimerkki arvovirran tunnistamisesta ja arvovirtakarttojen luomisesta tehtiin yhdestä prosessivaiheesta, pakkausprosessista, josta myös määritettiin lean-tuotantomallin mukaisesti sen arvoa tuottavat, arvoa tuottamattomat, mutta välttämättömät ja arvoa tuottamattomat työvaiheet eli hukka. Arvovirran tunnistus suoritettiin työntutkimuksen avulla. Pakkausprosessin arvovirran määrittämisessä havaittiin, että tuotevaihdon aikana työntekijöiden käyttämästä työajasta arvoa tuottavia työvaiheita oli 3 %, arvoa lisäämättömiä työvaiheita, mutta välttämättömiä oli 53 % ja arvoa lisäämätöntä eli hukkaa oli 44,0 %. Pakkaustyön aikana työntekijöiden työajasta arvoa lisääviksi työvaiheiksi saatiin 4 %. Arvoa lisäämättömiä työvaiheita, mutta välttämättömiä oli 38 % ja arvoa lisäämätöntä eli hukkaa oli 58 %. Koneajasta tuotteen arvoa lisäävää oli koneesta riippuen 50–76 % ja arvoa lisäämätöntä 24–50 %. Työn lopuksi esitettiin jatkotoimenpiteitä hukan eliminoimiseksi.

Avaliação do desempenho operacional e de custos entre enfardadoras no recolhimento de palhiço de cana-de-açúcar

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Avaliação de plantadora de cana-de-açúcar com sulcador de desarme automático e rotação da esteira distribuidora

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Desempenho de tractores florestais processadores

A time-and-motion study in wood processing of the Eucalyptus harvester's operational cycle was developed. The objective was to evaluate wood harvesters working under several site conditions. The research includes two kinds of harvesters while processing wood to supply paper and cellulose factories, as follows: a machine with twin tires and other one with large tracks, both connected to a different head harvester models. The forestry species were Eucalyptus saligna Smith and Eucalyptus grandis Hill ex Maiden, seven and eight years old, in slope terrains ranging from 0% to 10% degrees, under harvesting systems used by Votorantim and Suzano forestry companies, in São Paulo State, Brazi. Considering all field research, results disclosed that, for some conditions, both machines have shown mathematical correlation between some mechanical wood operation within the processing operational cycle and the saw logs production. All the mathematical correlations were found to express logarithmical models.

Movement time for motion-impaired users assisted by force-feedback: effects of movement amplitude, target width and gravity well width

This paper presents a study investigating how the performance of motion-impaired computer users in point and click tasks varies with target distance (A), target width (W), and force-feedback gravity well width (GWW). Six motion-impaired users performed point and click tasks across a range of values for A, W, and GWW. Times were observed to increase with A, and to decrease with W. Times also improved with GWW, and, with the addition of a gravity well, a greater improvement was observed for smaller targets than for bigger ones. It was found that Fitts Law gave a good description of behaviour for each value of GWW, and that gravity wells reduced the effect of task difficulty on performance. A model based on Fitts Law is proposed, which incorporates the effect of GWW on movement time. The model accounts for 88.8% of the variance in the observed data.

Effect of Storage Time and Temperature of Equine Epididymis on the Viability, Motion Parameters, and Freezability of Epididymal Sperm

The recovery of sperm from the epididymal cauda may be the last chance to obtain genetic material when sudden death or serious injuries occur in valuable stallions. However, the lack of technical knowledge regarding the storage and transportation of the epididymis often prevents the preservation of the sperm. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare sperm parameters of sperm obtained immediately after orchiectomy with sperm recovered from epididymal cauda at different times after storage at 5°C and at room temperature (RT). For that, 48 stallions of different breeds were used. In group 1 (control group), eight stallions were used, and the harvest of the epididymal sperm was performed immediately after orchiectomy. In group 2, 40 stallions were used, which were divided into five groups according to the storage time of the epididymis after orchiectomy (6, 12, 18, 24, or 30 hours), making a total of eight stallions per group. One epididymis of each stallion was stored at 5°C, and the contralateral epididymis was stored at RT, both for the same period. The sperm parameters of total motility, progressive motility, progressive linear velocity, curvilinear velocity, percentage of rapid sperm, and plasma membrane integrity were evaluated in all the groups after sperm recovery, resuspension in a sperm freezing diluent, and thawing. In conclusion, the storage of the testis-epididymis complex at 5°C provided better preservation of epididymal sperm than the storage at RT, and regardless of the temperature, the progressive motility is the sperm parameter that is most sensitive to storage time. © 2013 Elsevier Inc.

The neurophysiological time pattern of illusionary visual perceptual transitions: a simultaneous EEG and fMRI study

Several divergent cortical mechanisms generating multistability in visual perception have been suggested. Here, we investigated the neurophysiologic time pattern of multistable perceptual changes by means of a simultaneous recording with electroencephalography (EEG) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Volunteers responded to the subjective perception of a sudden change between stable patterns of illusionary motion (multistable transition) during a stroboscopic paradigm. We found a global deceleration of the EEG frequency prior to a transition and an occipital-accentuated acceleration after a transition, as obtained by low-resolution electromagnetic tomography analysis (LORETA) analysis. A decrease in BOLD response was found in the prefrontal cortex before, and an increase after the transitions was observed in the right anterior insula, the MT/V5 regions and the SMA. The thalamus and left superior temporal gyrus showed a pattern of decrease before and increase after transitions. No such temporal course was found in the control condition. The multimodal approach of data acquisition allows us to argue that the top-down control of illusionary visual perception depends on selective attention, and that a diminution of vigilance reduces selective attention. These are necessary conditions to allow for the occurrence of a perception discontinuity in absence of a physical change of the stimulus.

The selection of intended actions and the observation of others' actions: A time-resolved fMRI study

Whenever we plan, imagine, or observe an action, the motor systems that would be involved in preparing and executing that action are similarly engaged. The way in which such common motor activation is formed, however, is likely to differ depending on whether it arises from our own intentional selection of action or from the observation of another's action. In this study, we use time-resolved event-related functional MRI to tease apart neural processes specifically related to the processing of observed actions, the selection of our own intended actions, the preparation for movement, and motor response execution. Participants observed a finger gesture movement or a cue indicating they should select their own finger gesture to perform, followed by a 5-s delay period; participants then performed the observed or self-selected action. During the preparation and readiness for action, prior to initiation, we found activation in a common network of higher motor areas, including dorsal and ventral premotor areas and the pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA); the more caudal SMA showed greater activation during movement execution. Importantly, the route to this common motor activation differed depending on whether participants freely selected the actions to perform or whether they observed the actions performed by another person. Observation of action specifically involved activation of inferior and superior parietal regions, reflecting involvement of the dorsal visual pathway in visuomotor processing required for planning the action. In contrast, the selection of action specifically involved the dorsal lateral prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortex, reflecting the role of these prefrontal areas in attentional selection and guiding the selection of responses. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

On the heritability of inspection time and its covariance with IQ: A twin study

Using the classical twin design, this study investigates the influence of genetic factors on the large phenotypic variance in inspection time (IT), and whether the well established IT-IQ association can be explained by a common genetic factor. Three hundred ninety pairs of twins (184 monozygotic, MZ; 206 dizygotic, DZ) with a mean age of 16 years participated, and 49 pairs returned approximately 3 months, later for retesting. As in many IT studies, the pi figure stimulus was used and IT was estimated from the cumulative normal ogive. IT ranged from 39.4 to 774.1 ms (159 +/- 110.1 ms) with faster ITs (by an average of 26.9 ms) found in the retest session from which a reliability of .69 was estimated. Full-scale IQ (FIQ) was assessed by the Multidimensional Aptitude Battery (MAB) and ranged from 79 to 145 (111 +/- 13). The phenotypic association between IT and FIQ was confirmed (- .35) and bivariate results showed that a common genetic factor accounted for 36% of the variance in IT and 32% of the variance in FIQ. The maximum likelihood estimate of the genetic correlation was - .63. When performance and verbal IQ (PIQ & VIQ) were analysed with IT, a stronger phenotypic and genetic relationship was found between PIQ and IT than with VIQ. A large part of the IT variance (64%) was accounted for by a unique environmental factor. Further genetic factors were needed to explain the remaining variance in IQ with a small component of unique environmental variance present. The separability of a shared genetic factor influencing IT and IQ from the total genetic variance in IQ suggests that IT affects a specific subcomponent of intelligence rather than a generalised efficiency. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.