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Framework For Effectively Integrating Flexibility And Lean
No full textABSTRACTFRAMEWORK FOR EFFECTIVELY INTEGRATING FLEXIBILITY AND LEAN by GWENDOLYN HOLOWECKY May 2024 Advisor: Dr. Ratna Babu Chinnam Major: Industrial Engineering Degree: Doctor of Philosophy The world is full of uncertainty, which manifests itself as operational waste in firms. To remain competitive, firms implement sometimes costly flexibility solutions using a combination of buffers and process capabilities to quickly overcome uncertainty. Lean’s proven capabilities for waste identification and removal may provide an ideal foundation for choosing optimal flexibility solutions. However, the literature has been completely absent on how to objectively think about flexibility-lean integration and manage it. Even firms that have mastered lean processes employ ad hoc processes for integrating flexibility and lean. The primary contribution of the dissertation is a framework that provides a structured approach for developing and applying a holistic flexibility-lean solution that also promotes a process for reducing the flexibility investments gradually over time through continuous improvement. In developing the framework, first, we review the existing literature on flexibility and lean. This includes literature on flexibility in non-lean contexts and literature on lean applications/practices that support the preceding flexibility studies. A theoretically grounded flexibility-lean integration framework is then developed. Next, we test and elaborate the a priori theoretical framework by addressing the following research question/s through two situationally grounded case research studies: How does flexibility and lean interact with each other? And if, as the literature suggests, flexibility has a negative effect on lean performance, how can that effect be minimized? The two cases, case research and action research, in a lean Tier 1 automotive supplier provide rich details around the manufacturing framework to guide firms on how to leverage and operationalize the framework. Within the framework, contrasts of routine and time, and a lean/flexibility priority question are discovered and resolved highlighting the prioritized standardization (lean) and revealing the symbiotic nature of lean and flexibility in helping overcome time and routine contrasts. Finally, the flexibility measurement choice is clarified through timeline selection, so any type of firm understands the difference between targets setting in an operational sense (mobility/uniformity performance) versus strategic potential flexibility planning (range performance)
Issues of description and access for the Graystone and other collections at the Detroit Sound Conservancy
Get PDFIn this mixed case study research paper, I examine how Community Archives deal with issues of access and difficulties of description, especially with hard-to-describe materials. I first discuss the general role of a community archive. I then discuss some of the issues faced by community archives through the lens of three collections at the Detroit Sound Conservancy (DSC) that are complicated when it comes to matters of description. The case study part of this project is based on my own experience working on collections at the DSC and from interviews with Michelle McKinney, the Archivist at the DSC. The first DSC collection I discuss is the Club Heaven Soundsystem collection, which preserves the history of a primarily Black LGBTQ club in Detroit. The second collection I discuss is the collection of the Graystone International Jazz Museum & Hall of Fame, a former museum in Detroit. The final collection I discuss is the Jazz Scrapbook Collection, which is a collection of preserved liner notes that were put together by a record store in Dearborn that preserves the history of mostly unknown Black artists, many of whom were part of the Great Migration. Based on my interview with Michelle MiKinney, I also discuss how issues of suspicion, sustainability, and outreach affect Community Archives
Decolonizing Descriptions in Library Archives
Get PDFDescriptions in a library archive are the anchoring guide to all information that’s available to those who are researching a subject of their choosing. For hundreds of years, estates, historical documents, artifacts, moving images, and sound material have been donated to libraries and universities for the use of higher education, but without a tool to help one navigate the endless amount of information, knowledge will become doormat if there’s no organizational means of looking it up. With the use of Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS), this system can help provide direction towards what you’re looking for to the point of eventually becoming the standard digital design of library archives for both public and academic standards. However, through the transfer of information of analog media towards electronic internet access, historical documentation and descriptions are not only present for easy user access, but a lot of this information remains intact from the original notes of both the creator and donator of an archive.
For the sake of historical accuracy, it is still a unique perception that researchers can observe the point of view of early explorers, historians, and archeologists, however, this same unchanged language also contains a dark cloud of colonization. Through this lens, the approach towards a non-western populace, especially for indigenous people, is characterized with not only an opinion that is racist, but it’s also dismissive towards native people as anything other than an exploitative capitalist commodity.
Furthermore, as the world slowly moved on from European imperialism, the depictions towards ethnic minorities are still being used in the descriptions of archives that today are considered outdated, offensive, hateful, and contemptuous. Despite this knowledge, archive descriptions from all over the world still contain unfiltered terminology that’s slipped through the cracks and can be easily found while researching through prominent university archives.
The process of cleaning up problematic historical terminology along with changing the narrative of who was being written about is not only a matter of decolonizing academia, but in the long run, it’s also about acceptance, tolerance, education, and treating people like human beings. Fortunately, steps have been taken to chip away at the toxicity of racism that are contained within the descriptions of archives. This process is slowly ongoing, but the examination of how this problem is still persistent can also lead us to improved methods of cleaning up hateful language and biased viewpoints without erasing history and more importantly, to help create an improved tolerance for a better future
Bioethics as a Dynamic Issue: Holistic Approaches to Understanding and Applying Ethics to Study Design
Get PDFAnthropologists have challenged bioethicists to incorporate more holistic approaches to applying ethics in ‘real world’ situations. Where bioethicists tend to use systematic philosophical approaches to moral dilemmas, anthropologists apply malleable approaches designed to be responsive to variable cultural contexts. For example, anthropologists emphasize the importance of community and the effects of social issues, political economy, and cultural tradition in decision-making. This difference in approach contributes to the contentious relationship between anthropologists and bioethicists. Despite nuanced perspectives, anthropologists have not enjoyed a durable role in shaping contemporary bioethics.
The lack of nuance becomes problematic when researchers attempt to reconcile ethical issues against a standard of morality rather than what Patricia Marshalls defines as a “culturally constituted and continually evolving” process. Reflecting on the IRB review of my work with African descendants in the United States and Nigeria, I will discuss the importance of conceptualizing bioethics as a dynamic issue, especially when working with communities abroad. Comparing these review processes is instructive about the organizational structures, influenced by culture and society, that impact decision-making in respective communities. In this presentation, I suggest that a focus on the way that IRB reviews are done can also offer insights and contextualization into community decision-making. Within a cross-cultural setting, considerations of the IRB review processes can lead to more informed conversations on bioethics and can aid researchers in applying more holistic approaches to study design
Role of Intraflagellar Transport Protein IFT20 in the Formation and Function of Motile Cilia in Mammals
Get PDFCilia are microtubular structures present on most mammalian cells, which can be categorized into motile cilia and primary cilia (non-motile cilia). The axoneme of both cilia types possess intraflagellar transport (IFT) machinery, composed of unique protein complexes that travel in opposite directions along the microtubules. Although the role of IFT in primary cilia formation has been well studied, little is known about its role in mammalian motile cilia assembly. IFT20 is a component of IFT-B complex. We generated conditional Ift20 knockout mice by crossing floxed Ift20 mice with the Foxj1-Cre transgenic mouse line to specifically delete Ift20 from motile cilia. No difference was found in mice of all genotypes within one week after birth. However, most homozygous mutant mice presented smaller in size one week after birth, but all mice returned to normal size about 4 weeks after birth. No gross hydrocephalus was found in all the mutant mice. Analysis of a 6-week-old homozygous mutant male revealed no sperm in the cauda epididymis. Testis weight and testis/body weight was normal. However, several spermatogenesis defects were present in the testis seminiferous tubules. Given that motile cilia are also present in the epithelial cells in the brain ventricle, tracheal, efferent ductules and oviduct epithelial cells, cilia in these cells will be further examined in the homozygous mutant mice. Immunofluorescence staining using specific antibodies will be conducted; Cilia length and beat frequency (CBF) will be analyzed. TEM and SEM will be conducted to examine cilia ultrastructure. Fertility of males and females will be tested. We propose that IFT20 plays a role in motile cilia assembly and function
Epithelial and Mesenchymal Olfactory Stem Cells Gathered with Minimally-Invasive Micro-brush
Get PDFSpinal cord injury (SCI) causes devastating lifestyle and financial consequences for the patient. Treatment strategies emphasize neuroprotection, but not regeneration. In this regard, stem cells are an innovative field of study that has the potential to regenerate neural tissue, thereby increasing a person’s ability to regain function. The purpose of this project is two-fold: to attain olfactory stem cells located in the nasal canal in a minimally-invasive way and to gather neural cells from the epithelium and mesenchymal cells in the lamina propria. Cells were gathered with sterile nasal micro-brushes, stored, and grown in flasks. After cells reached confluency, they underwent immunofluorescence using antibodies specific for location and characteristics. Additionally, samples were sorted magnetically to confirm epithelial and mesenchymal cells. A cell count was taken before and after sorting. Immunofluorescence showed the presence of cells that expressed cell markers tested. There was consistent overlap between cell markers and antibodies. Cell count for magnetic sorting yielded total count of 2.45x10^6 cells with viability of 93.9%. Magnetic sorting yielded percentage of cells expressing CD90 of 57.1% and cells expressing CD54 of 24.5%. This experiment shows the presence of both epithelial and mesenchymal stem cells gathered via sterile micro-brush nasal swabbing. This represents a minimally-invasive way to gather neural and mesenchymal stem cells. We show that expanding nasal cell samples in culture resulted in both types of cells. Future research should include application into spinal cord injured populations
Enhancing Patient Understanding: The Impact of Educational Videos on Ophthalmology Visits
Get PDFA major component of effective patient-centered care is the patient’s understanding of their health condition and treatments. Increased knowledge of medical conditions can positively modify health behaviors, such as more participation in cancer screening and better adherence to medications. However, the readability of educational materials often does not match the patients’ reading abilities. Instead, educational videos, which have gained prominence with the emergence of tele-visits following COVID-19, have shown promise in being beneficial to patients with lower literacy levels. For ocular pathologies, early identification and care are key in preventing vision loss. Tele-education in ophthalmology could increase patient awareness of different pathologies and motivate early screening. The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of online videos in increasing patient awareness and understanding of ocular pathologies, catering to a visually impaired and non-impaired patient population.
Individuals over 55 were recruited from the IPTV program and provided a pre- and post-video survey. The video explained common eye diseases and how they affected vision. The study reveals a significant positive impact of educational videos on understanding of ocular pathologies, motivation for an eye exam, and interest in incorporating videos into visits. These findings pave the way for integrating videos into ophthalmology visits, and may contribute to more patient-centered care, prevention of serious ocular diseases, improved doctor-patient communication, and potentially greater patient satisfaction, ultimate fostering a more informed and engaged patient population in ophthalmic healthcare
Neural Correlates Of Fear Extinction: Investing The Impact Of Puberty And Sex In Children And Adolescents Through Neuroimaging
Get PDFFear-based disorders, including anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder, are more prevalent in females than males. Steroid hormones (e.g., estradiol) are involved in fear extinction learning and later recall—a process implicated in the pathophysiology of fear-based disorders. Fear-based disorders commonly emerge during the transition from childhood to adolescence, a period marked by the onset of puberty and a natural increase of steroid hormones. Here, we examined the effects of puberty, sex, and their interaction on extinction recall and underlying neural circuitry in youth. Eighty-five youth (6-17 years, 46% female) completed a two-day Pavlovian fear extinction paradigm while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging. Conditioned fear was measured using unconditioned stimulus expectancy ratings during extinction recall. We examined the effects of biological sex, puberty (early, mid/late), and the sex-by-puberty interaction on expectancy ratings and frontolimbic region activity. There were no significant main effects or interactions of sex-by-puberty on expectancy ratings (p’s\u3e0.05). However, there was a significant sex-by-puberty interaction for activity in the left hippocampus, right hippocampus, and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (p5). Among males, brain activity was higher for early pubertal youth as compared to mid/late pubertal youth. Conversely, in females, frontolimbic activity was lower for early pubertal youth as compared to mid/late pubertal youth. These findings suggest that frontolimbic activation during extinction recall varies by both puberty and sex. This insight can potentially enhance our understanding of sex differences in risk for fear-based disorders and may pave the way for developing novel treatment options