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In the redesign process of assembly components that need adaptation to robotic assembly, designers can find support from structured methodologies for innovation, such as the theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ). This paper aims to illustrate the authors’ methodology for redesigning gas hobs components for adaptation to robotic assembly.

A designer approaching a redesign task of an assembly component of any kind for adaptation to robotic assembly must consider, first of all, the features and limitations of existing robotic assembly systems; the generation of new design ideas that best fit the requirements may result to be a very challenging task. Here, the TRIZ methodology has proven useful for generating design ideas and finding the best solution.

The authors’ methodology approaches the challenges of redesign tasks for robotic assembly adaptation, which exploits knowledge of automatic and robotic assembly systems and the TRIZ method for innovation; it has proven useful in the redesign, checks and prototyping of gas hobs components.

This paper shows how the TRIZ methodology can be integrated into the redesign process and its impact on an industrial environment. The work’s main value is to provide a set of steps to help the designers change their design components approach that is necessary but not still implemented to optimize the use of the automation.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a flexible and extensible model for the classification of suppliers, within the purchasing guidelines and market trends of an Italian small company, leader in the production of street lamps. The model is applied to identify critical supply chains with the final objective of lead-time reduction.

The model is obtained by the application of the purchasing portfolio analysis through the construction of Kraljic matrix. Profit impact and supply risk criteria are selected according to the main company requirements, and then prioritized by the analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Finally, supply chain lead-times are analyzed with Gantt diagrams.

The application of the model allows the determination of company criticalities in terms of high lead-times and of the involved suppliers. The analysis of critical suppliers positioning in the Kraljic matrix allows the definition of some possible strategies to implement for lead-time reduction.

Purchasing portfolio analysis and Kraljic matrix are practical instruments to quickly frame company purchasing situation, but their application is not simple due to the numerous and different factors involved, especially in small and medium enterprises (SMEs), where resource are scarce and several constraints limit operations. The objective of the research is the development of a practical tool for strategic purchasing, simple and robust to be implemented in SMEs, with limited resources and access to quantitative supplier data.

Evaluation criteria definition is one of the most difficult phases, such as their univocal and quantitative comparison. The problem of selecting and prioritizing both quantitative and qualitative criteria for suppliers classification is overcome with the combined application of Kraljic matrix and AHP. The newly integration of the two methodologies allows the realization of a reliable and robust model for suppliers classification, which can be easily adapted to company business strategy changes.

The purpose of this study is to extract psyllium mucilage and evaluate its antioxidant compounds (in the best extraction condition) and its application in a chocolate drink.

First, the extraction by ultrasonic bath was evaluated, followed by water bath extraction, and as there was no difference between the methods, a water bath experimental design was carried out to evaluate the best extraction conditions for psyllium mucilage, having response variables, yield and emulsion stability. A chocolate drink with psyllium mucilage was produced and evaluated in the best extraction condition to compare with xanthan gum.

The best extraction conditions for psyllium mucilage were 60°C for 2 h and 1:80 ratio (seed:water). It can be verified that psyllium is rich in antioxidant compounds (0.71 mg GAE/g and 6.67 Mmol ET/g by 2,2′-azinobis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline sulfonic acid-6), and 9.65 Mmol ET/g for ferric reducing antioxidant power), which can greatly contribute to its application in food products. The use of mucilage in chocolate drink is feasible, as among its several attributes there was no significant difference between samples, highlighting texture attributes in which mucilage samples did not differ from the control containing xanthan gum (being the grades approximated 6.84).

Psyllium presented several antioxidant compounds that are very desirable in food products. In the chocolate drink, psyllium mucilage showed potential use as a thickener, so it is important for further studies to improve the product’s development, but it is currently feasible to be produced in an industrial scale.

This article seeks to help senior local policy‐makers, managers and practitioners in children's services to develop robust but realistic and manageable strategies for measuring outcomes in a multi‐disciplinary context. Drawing on orthodox research methods, it sets out strategies for measuring outcomes in children's services at individual child, service and community levels. It is intended to show how, in a given local jurisdiction, different approaches to measuring outcomes could fit together logically and within a reasonable budget, so creating an outcome culture and contributing to the development and integration of services. The principles outlined would also apply to adult services.

This paper describes and discusses the evaluation of an innovative child and adolescent mental health project located in a large county in eastern England. The project was one of eight located in the voluntary sector and supported by the Mental Health Foundation as part of a national initiative aimed at responding in new, accessible ways to young people requiring help for emotional and mental health problems. Traditional specialist CAMH services are overwhelmed by demand while also failing to engage many young people. This study provides evidence of how new services can develop to meet the needs of troubled young people in appropriate and acceptable ways.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of group concept mapping (GCM) as a tool for developing a conceptual model of an episode of acute, unscheduled care from illness or injury to outcomes such as recovery, death and chronic illness.

After generating a literature review drafting an initial conceptual model, GCM software (CS Global MAX^TM) is used to organize and identify strengths and directionality between concepts generated through feedback about the model from several stakeholder groups: acute care and non-acute care providers, patients, payers and policymakers. Through online and in-person population-specific focus groups, the GCM approach seeks feedback, assigned relationships and articulated priorities from participants to produce an output map that described overarching concepts and relationships within and across subsamples.

A clustered concept map made up of relational data points that produced a taxonomy of feedback was used to update the model for use in soliciting additional feedback from two technical expert panels (TEPs), and finally, a public comment exercise was performed. The results were a stakeholder-informed improved model for an acute care episode, identified factors that influence process and outcomes, and policy recommendations, which were delivered to the Department of Health and Human Services’s (DHHS) Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response.

This study provides an example of the value of cross-population multi-stakeholder input to increase voice in shared problem health stakeholder groups.

This paper provides GCM results and a visual analysis of the relational characteristics both within and across sub-populations involved in the study. It also provides an assessment of observational key factors supporting how different stakeholder voices can be integrated to inform model development and policy recommendations.

This article reviews the contents of the previous year's editions of the Journal of Children's Services (Volume 2, 2007), as requested by the Journal's editorial board. It draws out some of the main messages for how high‐quality scientific research can help build good childhoods in western developed countries, focusing on: the need for epidemiology to understand how to match services to needs; how research can build evidence of the impact of prevention and intervention services on child well‐being; what the evidence says about how to implement proven programmes successfully; the economic case for proven programmes; the urgency of improving children's material living standards; how to help the most vulnerable children in society; and, lastly, the task of measuring child well‐being.

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are acknowledged to provide the most reliable estimate of programme effectiveness, yet relatively few are undertaken in children's services. Consequently, there are few models with a demonstrated impact on child well‐being, leading to a concern not only that services may frequently be ineffective but also that some may be harmful. This article considers how this state of affairs has come into being and discusses potential remedies for improving both the knowledge base and the quality of interventions. It focuses on ‘operating systems’ that link prevention science and community engagement and so help communities, agencies and local authorities to choose effective prevention, early intervention and treatment models. Specifically, it describes an attempt in Ireland to implement a robust programme of research into children's health and development, to rigorously design new services, evaluate their impact to the highest standard (using RCTs)and integrate the results into the policy process. Based on the authors' extensive first‐hand experience of supporting the work, and the advice of international experts, the article reflects critically on the unforeseen challenges and offers lessons for others starting a similar enterprise.

The aims of this study were to investigate the influencing factors of wine tourism development in China, assess the marketing efforts made by the wine-tourism stakeholders, and provide constructive suggestions for the development of China's wine tourism.

A qualitative approach was adopted for the purposes of this research. The study site is the Bohai Bay wine region in Shandong Province, the birthplace of China's modern wine industry and the largest wine-producing area in China. Chateau Changyu-Castel and Chateau Junding were visited in June 2010. Qualitative data were collected in the forms of observations of the wineries, interviews with wine tourists, focus groups with tourism practitioners, and analyses of travel blogs, document excerpts, and official web sites. Content analysis produced a thematic framework on people, promotion, and place.

A number of facilitating and detrimental factors were revealed pertaining to China's wine tourism development on the three themes: people, promotion, and place.

The number of wine tourists being interviewed is relatively small, and the wineries chosen are relatively large ones. Results may not be generalized to other wine tourists and wineries in China.

The paper includes implications for the development of wine tourism in China, such as food and wine pairing that combines wine with local (Chinese) cuisine at the wineries, positioning, and genuine government support.

Research on wine tourism and wine tourists in China is scant. The current research fills a research gap by examining China's wine tourism phenomena from multiple perspectives, including those of tourists, tourism practitioners, and wine tourism destinations.

If you are 30 or older, you are middle‐aged by someone's criteria. When the college students of the 1970s declared “Don't trust anyone over 30,” did you think they would be someday talking about you? And what about those who say “Life begins at 40”? Did you ever believe them?