Academic literature on the topic '620.8/2'

In this research paper the role and impact of remittances on the economic growth of Kosovo in the recent years (2008 - 2013) through remittances, inflation rate, real effective exchange rate (REER) as independent variables and economic growth as depend variable is analyzed. The secondary data are used which are taken from international and domestic institutions which are analyzed through STATA software (an econometric and statistical program).The reason for writing is that in 2013 the total value of remittances in Kosovo was 620.8 million € and in 2011 Kosovo was among the top 10 countries with the highest level of remittances. The main arguments used in this research paper are: how do remittances affect in overall the economy? What is the impact of remittances on businesses? How do we use it for family consumption? In the research methodology are used secondary data and all of them are analyzed by STATA software which helps in calculation of OLS method of regression, descriptive statistic and correlation matrix.Also this paper research findings show us that if we refer to the result of variables that are included in the paper though OLS methods, the remittances (β1= - 0.017) and the exchange rate (β3= - 0.322) have negative impact and nonsignificant (T < 2) effect on economic growth but the inflation rate has positive (β2= 0.245) and significant (T > 2) effect on economic growth and the coefficient of determination (R²) is 84% then the coefficient of Durbin Watson Statistic (DW) is 2.11, it means there is no autocorrelation.

Salinity is a major threat to agricultural productivity worldwide. The selection and evaluation of crop varieties that can tolerate salt stress are the main components for the rehabilitation of salt-degraded marginal soils. A field experiment was conducted to evaluate salinity tolerance potential, growth performance, carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen isotope composition (δ15N), intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE), harvest index, and yield stability attributes in six barley genotypes (113/1B, 59/3A, N1-10, N1-29, Barjouj, Alanda01) at three salinity levels (0, 7, and 14 dS m−1). The number of spikes m−2 was highest in Alanda01 (620.8) while the lowest (556.2) was exhibited by Barjouj. Alanda01 produced the highest grain yield (3.96 t ha−1), while the lowest yield was obtained in 59/3A (2.31 t ha−1). Genotypes 113/1B, Barjouj, and Alanda01 demonstrate the highest negative δ13C values (−27.10‰, −26.49‰, −26.45‰), while the lowest values were obtained in N1-29 (−21.63‰) under salt stress. The δ15N was increased (4.93‰ and 4.59‰) after 7 and 14 dS m−1 as compared to control (3.12‰). The iWUE was higher in N1-29 (144.5) and N1-10 (131.8), while lowest in Barjouj (81.4). Grain protein contents were higher in 113/1B and Barjouj than other genotypes. We concluded that salt tolerant barley genotypes can be cultivated in saline marginal soils for food and nutrition security and can help in the rehabilitation of marginal lands.

Abstract Objectives Maternal obesity increases the risk for adverse pregnancy and offspring outcomes; however, with large heterogeneity. We hypothesize that in mothers with obesity, the heterogeneity of offspring adiposity is due to prolonged exposure to excess maternal substrates, namely glucose and triglycerides, which promote fetal fat accretion. The aims of this prospective observational study were to 1) examine the maternal metabolic milieu in pregnant women with metabolically unhealthy obesity, MUO and metabolically healthy obesity, MHO; and 2) identify if these maternal metabolic phenotypes in women with obesity influence infant adiposity. Methods During early pregnancy, 51 women with obesity were classified to have MUO (n = 9) or MHO (n = 13) based on the presence of zero (MHO) or ≥ 2 (MUO) risk factors for metabolic syndrome (SBP &gt; 130 or DBP &gt; 85, HDL &lt; 50 mg/dL, LDL ≥ 100 mg/dL, triglycerides ≥ 150 mg/dL, and glucose ≥ 100 mg/dL). Area under the pregnancy concentration curve (AUC) for glucose and triglycerides, gestational weight gain (GWG), fat accretion, and energy intake and expenditure from early (13–16 wks), mid (24–27 wks) to late (35–37 wks) pregnancy and infant fat mass were compared between groups. Results Compared to women with MHO, women with MUO were not different with respect to maternal BMI, GWG, fat accretion, energy and macronutrient intake, and energy expenditure. In both groups, maternal substrates changed similarly from ∼13 to ∼37 weeks of pregnancy, however MUO resulted in greater pregnancy AUC for glucose (+2169.7 ± 381.5 p &lt; 0.001 mg/dL · day) and triglycerides (+12,210.5 ± 3916.1 mg/dL · day, p &lt; 0.001). The offspring of women with MHO had significantly lower birth weight (−620.8 ± 204.6 g, p = 0.01), body fat percentage (−5.8 ± 2.1%, p = 0.02), and total fat mass (−268.8 ± 88.4 g, p = 0.01). Conclusions Differing obesity phenotypes in pregnancy may explain the heterogeneity of offspring adiposity. Metabolically unhealthy obesity resulted in a more prolonged exposure of fetal fat promoting substrates and increased adiposity at birth. This study identifies a population of women with obesity most in need of prenatal interventions and suggests that obesity phenotypes need to be considered when evaluating intervention effect on offspring outcomes. Funding Sources R01DK099175.

Abstract Clinoptilolite (CLN), could potentially improve nitrogen (N) utilization when fed to beef cattle as it can bind ruminal-ammonia-N (NH3-N), limiting its loss and subsequent detoxification into urea-N, which is released into blood and is excreted in urine. However, the effectiveness of CLN is influenced by physical properties such as particle size. Although decreasing the particle size has been shown to increase the binding of ammonium in-vitro, this remains to be evaluated in vivo. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the effects of feeding CLN of two different particle sizes (30 and 400 µm) on ruminal NH3-N and plasma-urea-N (PUN) concentrations, ruminal pH, and nutrient intake and apparent total-tract digestibility. Six ruminally-cannulated beef heifers (mean initial BW± SD, 620.8 ± 30.15) were used in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design with 21 d periods (sample collection from d 15 to 21). Dietary treatments were: 1) finishing ration with no supplement (CON), 2) CON +30-µm CLN (CL-30), and 3) CON + 400-µm CLN (CL-400). Clinoptilolite was top-dressed (2.5% of diet DM) during morning feeding. Intake was measured daily. Ruminal fluid was collected on d 19 for NH3-N analysis and blood was collected 3 h post-feeding on d 21 for PUN analysis. Indwelling pH loggers were used to measure ruminal pH (d 15 to 21) and grab fecal samples were collected from d 19 to 21 to determine total-tract nutrient digestibility. Statistical analysis was conducted using PROC MIXED in SAS. There was no treatment effect (P ≥ 0.13) on ruminal NH3-N and PUN concentrations, ruminal pH, and nutrient (DM, OM, NDF, ADF and CP) intake and apparent total tract digestibility. In conclusion, feeding CLN to finishing heifers had no effect on measures of N utilization, ruminal pH and nutrient intake and apparent total-tract digestibility.

The title compound was prepared by solid state reaction of Ag2O with Hg(NO3)2· H2O in air at 350 °C. Its crystal structure was determined from single-crystal diffractometer data: Pnma, a = 620.1(1) pm, b = 670.1(1) pm, c = 1267.5(2) pm, Z = 4, R = 0.026 for 586 structure factors and 33 variable parameters. The compound may be represented by the formula Ag(HgO)2NO3 . The mercury(II) together with the oxygen atoms form zig-zag chains with linear coordination of the mercury atoms. The oxygen atoms of these chains are linked via silver(I) atoms, thus forming two-dimensionally infinite nets, which contain the trigonal planar nitrate groups in interstices. Thus, only secondary Hg-O and Ag-O bond are formed between the nets.

A family of 63 citrus intergenemic backcross hybrids was used for this study. The parents and hybrids were multiplied by rooted cuttings, with 6 uniform replicates selected per hybrid, and each plant was inoculated with citrus nematodes (Tylenchulus semipenetrans) 5 times over 2 mo. The number of nematode female larvae per gram of fine fresh root was determind 2 mo after the last inoculation. The phenotypic variation of the hybrids was continuous and wide-ranged, from 8.0 females· g-1 of root tissue (resistant parent Swingle citrumelo=15.6) to 620.0 females· g-1 of root tissue (susceptible parent LB 6-2=540.5). Bulked segregant analysis (BSA), using RAPD fragments, was conducted with 2 DNA bulks of individuals from the extremes of the phenotypic distribution. Three hundred twenty primers were screened and 5 were found to generate repeatedly single RAPD fragments specific to the resistant bulk. The segregation of resistance-associated fragments among the individuals was examined, and the linkage between these markers and potential nematode resistance loci was estimated.

This study was focused on the description of fishing gears on Lake Kivu. Data were collected from March 2012 to February 2014 in Goma, Bukavu, and Kibuye fishing stations. The study findings indicate that gill nets, beach seine, lift net, trammel net composed of two panels of small and larger meshes (mosquito net attached to lift net parts), mosquito net, longline, single line, pots, and cast net were identified as fishing gears used on Lake Kivu. Longline was more selective (2 species) in terms of species selection. The lift net presented the best catch (19.4 ± 11 kg), while the trammel net showed the highest CPUE (7.9 ± 6.1 kg/h). The large dimensions of gears and the long netting duration characterized gillnets (1023.2 ± 620.1 m2 ) and longline (10.3 ± 4.6 hours) respectively. Cast-nets (20mm) showed the largest mesh size, while mosquito nets (1 ± 0.3 mm) were the smallest.

Fourteen tropical fruits from southern Florida [red guava, white guava, carambola, red pitaya (red dragon), white pitaya (white dragon), mamey, sapodilla, lychee, longan, green mango, ripe mango, green papaya and ripe papaya] were evaluated for antioxidant activity, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), total fiber and pectin. ORAC (oxygen radical absorbance capacity) and DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl, radical scavenging activity) assays were used to determine antioxidant activity. The total soluble phenolics (TSP), ORAC, and DPPH ranged from 205.4 to 2316.7 μg gallic acid equivalent/g puree, 0.03 to 16.7 μmole Trolox equivalent/g puree and 2.1 to 620.2 μg gallic acid equivalent/g puree, respectively. Total ascorbic acid (TAA), total dietary fiber (TDF) and pectin ranged from 13.6 to 159.6 mg/100 g, 0.88 to 7.25 g/100 g and 0.2 to 1.04 g/100 g, respectively. The antioxidant activities, TSP, TAA, TDF and pectin appeared to be influenced by cultivar (papaya, guava and dragon fruit) and ripening stage (papaya and/or mango). Data demonstrate the potential benefits of several of these fruits for human health.

Abstract. The objective of this study was to determine the relationships between milk yield and calving interval in first lactation and breeding efficiency, herd life and length of productive life of 1 293 Holstein cows maintained at Ceylanpinar State Farm in Southeast Anatolia from 1990 to 2002. The least-squares means of first lactation milk yield, lactation length and calving interval were 5 620.1 ± 76.6 kg, 315.5 ± 2.0 and 386.9 ± 2.6 days. The values for breeding efficiency, herd life and length of productive life were 94.9 %, 2 095.9 ± 34.7 and 1 257.2 ± 34.4 days. The year of first lactation had significant effect (P<0.05) on all traits except for calving interval and lactation length, and breeding efficiency was only affected by age at first insemination and age at first calving (P<0.05). Heritabilities were 0.27 ± 0.08 for milk yield, 0.02 ± 0.05 for lactation length, 0.06 ± 0.05 for calving interval, 0.05 ± 0.05 for breeding efficiency, 0.30 ± 0.08 for herd life and 0.29 ± 0.08 for length of productive life. Genetic and phenotypic correlations between different traits ranged from −0.49 to 0.99 and −0.37 to 0.99 respectively.

Recipient animals for bovine embryo transfer (ET) are routinely selected according to the morphology of the corpus luteum (CL) estimated by rectal palpation. However, rectal palpation is not a precise method of diagnosing the functional status of a CL. Ovarian ultrasonography (US) may be used to improve such diagnoses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between ultrasonographic images of CL and pregnancy rates after ET in Holstein heifers to determine whether US can be used to select recipients for ET. Recipient heifers (n = 285) were selected by detection of natural oestrus or following oestrus synchronization using a progesterone-releasing intravaginal device (PRID; ASKA Pharmaceutical, Tokyo, Japan). Transrectal US was performed immediately before ET, on Days 6 to 8 of the oestrous cycle (oestrus = Day 0), using a B-mode scanner (HS1500V; Honda Electronics Co. LTD, Aichi, Japan) equipped with a 7.5-MHz linear-array transducer designed for intrarectal placement. A cross-sectional image of the maximal area of the CL and luteal cavity was obtained. The areas of the CL and luteal cavity were each calculated using the formula for the area of an ellipse (height/2 × width/2 × π). (1) Ultrasonic morphology of CL was classified into 3 types: without cavity (n = 128), with cavity (n = 145) and with blood clot (n = 12). (2) The luteal cavity was categorized into 3 groups: small (<100 mm2, n = 93), medium (100 ≤ x < 200 mm2, n = 32) and large (≥200 mm2, n = 20). (3) Luteinized tissue area (total area of CL minus the area of the luteal cavity) was categorized into 3 groups: small (<250 mm2, n = 61), medium (250 ≤ x < 350 mm2, n = 128) and large (≥350 mm2, n = 84). In vivo–produced embryos were transferred nonsurgically into the uterine horn ipsilateral to the CL. Pregnancy was determined by transrectal US on Days 30 to 40 of gestation. The pregnancy rates of each experimental group were analysed by logistic regression. In this study, the pregnancy rate did not differ significantly in each experimental group: (1) without cavity: 77.3% (99/128), with cavity: 75.2% (109/145) and blood clot: 75.0% (9/12); (2) small cavity: 73.1% (68/93), medium: 75.0% (24/32) and large: 85.0% (17/20). The mean area of the cavity was 100.8 ± 110.3 mm2 (mean ± standard deviation) and recipients with 0 to 539.7 mm2 sized cavities had successful pregnancies (observational range was 0 to 539.7 mm2). (3) The pregnancy rates of recipients that had small, medium and large luteinized tissue were 77.0% (47/61), 75.0% (96/128) and 77.4% (65/84), respectively. The mean area of luteinized tissue was 318.9 ± 90.3 mm2 and 155.0 to 620.0 mm2 sized luteinized tissue had pregnancy success (observational range was 132.8 to 620.0 mm2). In conclusion, the results from this study indicate that the presence of a luteal cavity or blood clot has no detrimental effect on pregnancy success after ET in Holstein heifers. Furthermore, no relationship was found between luteinized tissue area at the time of ET and pregnancy rate.

In Europe, the deployment characteristics of frontal crash restraints are generally optimised to best protect an average young male, since a 50th percentile male dummy is used in a stylised frontal impact scenario. These single point restraint systems may not provide similar levels of effectiveness when the crash scenarios vary with respect to the regulatory and consumer crash test procedures. Previous research has demonstrated that varying restraint deployment characteristics according to occupant and crash variation can provide further injury reduction in frontal impacts. This thesis reports the investigation conducted to assess the potential real world injury reduction benefit of smart restraint systems in frontal impacts. The intelligent capability of the restraint was achieved by varying the seat belt load limiter (SBL) threshold, according to the frontal crash scenario. Real world accident data (CCIS) were analysed to identify the target population of vehicle occupants and frontal impact scenarios where employing smart load limiters could be most beneficial, particularly in reducing chest injury risk. From the accident sample, the chest was the most frequently injured body region at an AIS 2+ level in frontal impacts (7% of front seat occupants). The proportion of older vehicle front seat occupants (>64 years old) with AIS 2+ injury was also greater than the proportion of younger occupants. Additionally, older occupants were more likely to sustain seat belt induced serious chest injury in low and moderate speed frontal crashes. Numerical simulations using MADYMO software were conducted to examine the effect of varying the load limiter thresholds on occupant kinematics and injury outcome in frontal impacts. Generic baseline driver and front passenger numerical models were developed using a 50th percentile dummy and were adapted to accommodate a 5th and 95th percentile dummy. Simulations were performed where the load limiter threshold was varied in five frontal impact scenarios which were selected to cover as wide a range of real frontal crash conditions as possible. From the simulation results, it was found that for both the 50th and 95th percentile dummy in front seating positions (driver and passenger), the low SBL provided the best chest injury protection, without increasing the risk to other body regions. In severe impacts, the low SBL allowed the dummy to move further towards the front facia, thus increasing the chance of occupant hard contact with the vehicle interiors. The Smart load limiters predicted no injury risk reduction for the 5th percentile drivers, who are shorter and tend to sit closer to the steering wheel. The potential injury reduction of the smart load limiters was quantified by applying the estimated injury risk reduction from the simulation to the real world accident data sample. Thoracic injury predictions from the simulations were converted into injury probability values using AIS 2+ age dependent thoracic risk curves which were developed and validated based on a methodology proposed by Laituri et al. (2005). Real world benefit was quantified using the predicted relative AIS 2+ risk reduction and assuming an appropriate adaptive system was fitted to all the cars in the real world sample. When applying the AIS 2+ risk reduction findings to the weighted accident data sample, the risk of sustaining an AIS 2+ seat belt injury reduced from 1.3% to 0.9% for younger front seat occupants, 7.6% to 5.0% for middle aged front seat occupants and 13.1% to 8.6% for the older front seat occupants. The research findings clearly demonstrate a chest injury reduction benefit across all age groups when the load limiter characteristics are varied. It suggests that employing a smart load limiter in a vehicle would not only benefit older occupants but also middle aged and young occupants. The benefit does appear to be most pronounced for older occupants, since the older population is more vulnerable to chest injury. As the older population of car users is rapidly rising, the benefits of smarter systems can only increase in the future.

This thesis present a study of thermo-gelling polycaprolactone (PCL) dispersion which consist of a mixture of PCL microspheres (MSs) and thermo-responsive, graft cationic copolymer. The PCL microspheres are solid or colloidosomes (hollow). This study aims toward an injectable colloidal cell delivery system. The thermo-responsive copolymer used in this study is a new family of cationic graft copolymer. The cationic graft copolymer consisted of cationic poly(N,N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate) backbone and poly 2-(2-methoxyethoxy) ethyl methacrylate (PMA) side chains. A series of new cationic graft copolymers were synthesized with different PMA arm length and grafting density. A representative copolymer showed good cell viabililty. The solid PCL MSs were prepared using solvent evaporation method. The MSs were mixed with the thermo-responsive graft copolymer. At room temperature the mixture were liquid-like and gelled at body temperature (37 ˚C). This indicates that the mixture systems were injectable. The injectable route offers a minimal invasive route to fill defect void inside the body. Furthermore, a porous morphology was evident for the mixed gels at 37 ˚C and the porosity could be altered using different composition of the mixed components. The mixed system showed self-healing properties for low volume fraction of PMA. The mixed system particle gel was more ductile in electrolyte but showed similar morphology to the mixed system particle gels prepared in water. This part of the study was carried out using PCL MSs prepared by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as surfactant. A brief study using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) as the surfactant showed that the PCL MSs had similar diameter and gel morphology which suggests that the model systems studied using CTAB may be applicable to the PVA system. Microencapsulation attracts interest due to its ability to deliver and control release actives and also its application in many fields. Colloidosomes are one of the microcapsules/microspheres used for microencapsulation. In this study a two step, facile and scaleable colloidosome preparation method was introduced. The PCL colloidosome shell consisted of partially fused small nanoparticles. The PCL colloidosomes were birefringence under cross polarised light due to the stress applied during solvent evaporation. A brief study showed that the mixture system of colloidosomes and thermo-responsive graft copolymer are able to gel at 37 ˚C.

The goal of this thesis is to probe the functionality of 2-mercaptobenzimidazole (MBI) as corrosion inhibitor of carbon-steel in both strong and weak aqueous acidic solutions (HCl and H2CO3). To achieve this target electrochemical techniques have been employed, in combination with substrate analysis. Concerning aqueous HCl media, results demonstrate that MBI is an effective corrosion inhibitor, functioning essentially equally well in 1 M, 0.1 M, and 0.01 M HCl concentrations. X-ray photoelectron spectra suggest that MBI is typically bound to the surface in two tautomeric forms (thione and thiol). Furthermore, these data indicate that substrate termination varies as a function of both HCl and MBI concentration, with the interface consisting of MBI bound to film-free carbon-steel on highly inhibited substrates. In further work, the impact of dissolved oxygen, solution temperature, and immersion time on MBI performance in HCl solutions has been assessed. The latter two parameters have considerable influence on MBI inhibition efficiency. More specifically, it was found that MBI decreases dramatically its inhibition efficiency between 60°C and 70°C in 1 M HCl, and also apparently work less well as substrate immersion time increases. As regards MBI performance in deaerated CO2-saturated NaCl (0.62 M) solution, results demonstrate that MBI effectively inhibits corrosion within the parameter space explored i.e. solution temperatures of 30°C and 55°C and total applied pressures (p(H2O) + p(CO2)) of 1 bar and 20 bar. The performance of MBI does not vary greatly for different combinations of these temperatures and pressures. Post immersion substrate characterisation with XRD and SEM indicate that no significant surface scaling occurs under these conditions.

Chloride-induced corrosion of reinforcing steel in concrete is a worldwide problem. In order to predict how chlorides penetrate in concrete and how other ionic species in con-crete pore solution affect the penetration of chlorides, this thesis presents a numerical study on multi-phase modelling of ionic transport in concrete dominated by migration process. There are many advantages in rapid chloride migration test (RCM) method and numeri-cal approach. However, most of models in the literature predicting chloride diffusivity in concrete are diffusion models, which not consider the action of externally applied electric field. In view of this, the specific aim of this thesis is to develop a rational nu-merical migration model to simulate chloride migration tests. By using this model, the diffusion coefficient of chlorides in concrete will be efficiently predicted. Furthermore, other mechanisms of ionic transportation in composite materials can be scientifically in-vestigated in the meantime. In most existing work, researchers tend to use the assumption of electro-neutrality con-dition, which ensures that no external charge can be imported (Bockris and Reddy, 1998), to determine the electrostatic potential within concrete as well as considering a 1-D problem with only one phase structure and single species (i.e. the chlorides) for pre-dicting the ionic migration. In contrast, this thesis presents a number of sets of multi-phase migration models in more than one dimension and uses the Poisson’s equation for controlling the multi-species interactions. By solving both mass conservation and Pois-son’s equations, the distribution profiles of each ionic species and electrostatic potential at any required time are successfully obtained. Some significant factors, i.e. the influ-ence of dimensions, aggregates, interfacial transition zones (ITZs), cracks and binding effect have also been discussed in detail. The results reveal a series of important features which may not be seen from existing numerical models. For quantitative study, this thesis also provides the prediction method of chloride diffu-sivity not only by the traditional stationary diffusion models but also by the migration models presented in the thesis. The obtained results are compared with three proven analytical models, i.e., Maxwell’s model (Dormieux and Lemarchand, 2000), Brug-geman’s equation (Bruggeman’s, 1935) and the lower bound of the effective diffusion coefficient proposed by Li et al. (2012) as well as validated against experimental data sets of an accelerated chloride migration test (ACMT) brought by Yang and Su (2002).

En 2004, le Groupe PSA a développé le PSA Excellent System, un mode d’organisation basé sur les principes du Lean Manufacturing ayant pour objectif d’optimiser leur production. Un des piliers de ce système est les « standards de travail » (SoW) conçu par les ingénieurs méthodes. En théorie, les SoW permettent l’équilibrage des postes de travail, c.-à-d. l’organisation des tâches que les opérateurs peuvent réaliser dans une période donnée. L’objectif est de maintenir la performance et la santé des opérateurs. Malgré, cette approche, des erreurs des plaints émergent toujours des lignes d’assemblage. Pour comprendre ces phénomènes, nous avons construit une nouvelle approche basée sur la comparaison entre les tâches réelles et prescrites. Nous avons démontré que les différences entre les SoW et le comportement des opérateurs correspondaient à des régulations individuelles ou anticipées/collectives. Ces régulations sont des stratégies utilisées par les opérateurs pour faire face à des contraintes de production, dont la charge mentale, qui ne sont pas prises en compte dans la conception des postes de travail. En d’autres termes, les régulations sont le symptôme d’une dichotomie entre les règles de conception des postes de travail et les contraintes réelles de production. En particulier, alors que certaines contraintes comme la pression temporelle nécessitent la mise en place d’automatismes (des comportements efficients et en grande partie inconscients), d’autres contraintes comme les contraintes spatio-temporelles, les variations dans l’activité, la complexité de la tâche, un niveau de risque élevé ou encore une charge informationnelle élevée, requièrent des comportements réflexifs (qui sont lents et nécessitent un haut niveau d’attention). Nos résultats finaux démontrent que, lorsque nous réduisons le niveau de certaines de ces contraintes et permettant aux opérateurs de mettre en place des automatismes dans leurs tâches, nous minimisons du même coup le risque d’erreur et le besoin de recourir à des stratégies en dehors du SoW
In 2004, PSA developed PSA Excellent System, an organizational system based on the Lean Manufacturing principles to optimize vehicle production. One of the pillars of it is the follow up of a "work standard" (SoW) designed by the methods engineers. In theory, SoW allow for the balancing of shifts, i.e. the organization of tasks that operators can perform within a given period. The objective here is to maintain the operators' performance and health. Despite this approach, errors and complaints on the assembly lines still emerge. To understand these phenomena, we constructed a new approach based on the comparison between prescribed and real tasks. In fact, we found that discrepancies between SoW and workers' behaviour correspond to anticipated/collective and individual regulations. These regulations are strategies used by workers to cope with production constraints, such as mental workload, that are not taken into account during the design of workstations. Thus, regulations are a symptom of a dichotomy between the rules shaping workstations design and real production constraints. Especially, while certain constraints such as time pressure, require automatic behaviours (that are efficient and mostly unconscious), other constraints such as spatio-temporal restrictions, work variations, task complexity, high level of risk and information load, bring the need to use reflexive behaviours (that are slow and require a high level of attention). Our final results showed that, when we reduce level of constraints and allow workers to perform their task automatically, we therefore minimize the risk of errors, and the need to use regulations

Ο σκοπός της παρούσας διατριβής είναι να μελετήσει τη μηχανική απόκριση α) απλά τοποθετημένων γραφενίων, 1LG, και β) πρότυπων πολυμερικών πολυστρωματικών νανοσυνθέτων, n-LG, κατά την εφαρμογή μονοαξονικών παραμορφώσεων μέσω της Φασματοσκοπίας Raman. Τα εξεταζόμενα n-LG παρασκευάστηκαν με την μέθοδο της μηχανικής αποφλοίωσης και τοποθετήθηκαν πάνω σε πολυμερικό υπόστρωμα χρησιμοποιώντας κολλητική ταινία. Η διατριβή χωρίζεται σε τρία μέρη α) στη φασματοσκοπία Raman των n-LG, β) στην απόκριση των n-LG υπό μονοαξονικές εφελκυστικές και θλιπτικές παραμορφώσεις, κάμπτοντας το πολυμερικό υπόστρωμα και γ) στην μεταφορά τάσης από το υπόστρωμα σε ένα ακάλυπτο 1LG. Αποτέλεσμα της φασματοσκοπίας Raman είναι ο προσδιορισμός των συχνοτήτων και των ευρών των χαρακτηριστικών κορυφών G και 2D και πώς αυτά μεταβάλλονται καθώς ο αριθμός των στρώσεων, n, αυξάνεται. Επίσης, παρατηρήθηκε η ύπαρξη παραμένουσας παραμόρφωσης, λόγω της μεθόδου μεταφοράς των n-LG πάνω στο πολυμερικό υπόστρωμα και της μορφολογίας του υποστρώματος. Επιπλέον, η παραμένουσα παραμόρφωση αυξάνεται μετα την επικάλυψη των n-LG από ένα λεπτό πολυμερικό υμένιο, με σκοπό την παρασκευή πρότυπων πολυμερικών νανοσυνθέτων υλικών. Κατά την επιβολή εφελκυστικών παραμορφώσεων τα απλά τοποθετημένα 1LG φαίνεται ότι «γλιστράνε» πάνω στο πολυμερικό υπόστρωμα, σε αντίθεση με τα επικαλυμμένα. Επίσης ο διαχωρισμός της κορυφής G στις συνιστώσες G- και G+, παρατηρείται σε όλα τα 1-, 2- και 3LG πρότυπα πολυμερικά σύνθετα υλικά. Αντιθέτως, ο διαχωρισμός της 2D παρατηρείται μόνο στη περίπτωση του 1LG και εξαρτάται από το μήκος κύματος, την πόλωση της προσπίπτουσας μονοχρωματικής ακτινοβολίας και τον κρυσταλλογραφικό προσανατολισμό του δείγματος με τον άξονα της παραμόρφωσης. Η συμπεριφορά των συχνοτήτων G-, G+ και 2D σε όλα τα πρότυπα πολυμερικά n-LG δείγματα είναι γραμμική με την παραμόρφωση και οι κλίσεις των ευθειών είναι σχεδόν παρόμοιες ~ -50 cm-1/%. Κατά την επιβολή θλιπτικών μονοαξονικών παραμορφώσεων η απόκριση των G και 2D κορυφών είναι μη γραμμικές για όλα τα n-LG. Η συμπεριφορά περιγράφεται από την θεωρία λυγισμού του Euler και η τιμή της κρίσιμης θλιπτική παραμόρφωση που επέρχεται λυγισμός, εc, εξαρτάται από το μέγεθος των εξεταζόμενων πρότυπων πολυμερικών νανοσύνθετών 1-LG. Τέλος, καταγράφηκε η διασπορά της τάσης για μονοαξονική εφελκυστική παραμόρφωση, συλλέγοντας λεπτομερώς φάσματα Raman κοντά στα άκρα ενός απλά τοποθετημένου 1LG. Για μηδενική παραμόρφωση, είναι εμφανές ότι η αποφλοίωση του γραφίτη ή η μορφολογία του υποστρώματος εισαγάγουν θλιπτικές διατμητικές παραμένουσες παραμορφώσεις στο 1LG. Επίσης, σημαντικοί παράμετροι όπως το μήκος που απαιτείται για την μεταφορά τάσης, 1/β, και το μέγιστο της διεπιφανειακής διατμητικής τάσης, ISSmax, που αναπτύσσεται σε κάθε επίπεδο παραμόρφωσης , προσδιορίστηκαν. Το μήκος μεταφοράς τάσης για το 1LG βρέθηκε να είναι μικρότερο του 1μm, και επιπλέον, κατά την επιβολή εφελκυστικής παραμόρφωσης στο υπόστρωμα, η τάση δεν μεταφέρεται 1LG μέσω διεπιφανειακής διάτμησης, αλλά απευθείας μέσω κύριων δυνάμεων.
The purpose of this thesis is to study the mechanical behaviour of a) simple supported graphene flakes, 1LG, and b) model polymeric multilayer graphene nanocomposites, n-LG, during the application of uniaxial strains, through Raman Spectroscopy. The investigated n-LG samples were prepared by the mechanical exfoliation method and are placed on a polymeric substrate by using a scotch tape. The thesis is divided in three parts, a) the Raman spectroscopy of n-LG, b) the response of the n-LG under uniaxial tensile and compressive strains, by bending the polymeric substrate and c) the stress transfer from the substrate to a simple supported 1LG sample. One result of the Raman spectroscopy is the determination of the frequencies and the widths of the G and 2D peaks and the way they shift, while the number of layers, n, is increased. Also, the presence of initial residual strain is observed due to the method that the n-LG are transferred on the polymeric substrate and also the morphology of the substrate. Moreover, the residual strain increases after the covering of the n-LG flakes by a thin polymeric layer, in order to prepare model polymeric nanocomposites materials. During the application of the tensile strains the simple supported 1LG flakes seem to slip on the polymeric substrate, in the contrary of the covered ones. Also, the splitting of the G peak to the G+ and G- components is observed in all 1-,2- and 3LG model polymeric nanocomposites samples. On the other hand, the splitting of the 2D peak is observed only in the cases of 1LG and depends on the excitation wavelength, the polarization of the incident light and the crystal orientation of the flake with respect to the strain axis. The behaviours of the frequencies G+, G- and 2D peaks in all model polymeric n-LG nanocomposites samples are linear with strain and the slopes are almost the same ~ -50cm-1/%. On applying compressive uniaxial strain the response of G and 2D peaks are not linear in all model polymeric n-LG samples and the behaviour is described by the Euler’s buckling theory and the value of the critical buckling strain, εc, depends on the size of the investigated model polymeric nanocomposites1LG. Finally, the stress distribution for uniaxial tensile strains was recorded, by collecting in detailed Raman spectra near the edges of a simple supported 1LG on a polymeric substrate. For zero strain it is obvious that the mechanical exfoliation technique of graphite or the morphology of the substrate induce compressive shear residual strain on the 1LG. Also, important parameters such as the stress – transfer length, 1/β, and the maximum value of interfacial shear , ISSmax, that is developed in each strain level were determined. The stress – transfer length from the 1LG edges found to be less than 1 μm, and moreover, during the application of tensile strain to the substrate, the stress is not transferred to the 1LG through interfacial shear but by direct normal forces.