This study is concerned with a sorting problem / the placement of alternatives into preference classes in the existence of multiple criteria. An interactive model is developed to address the problem, assuming that the decision maker has an underlying utility function which is linear. A recent methodology, Even-Swaps, which is based on value tradeoff is utilized in the model for both making an estimation of the underlying utility function and generating possible dominance among the alternatives on which it is performed. Convex combinations, dominance relations, weight space reduction, Even-Swaps and direct decision maker placements are utilized to place alternatives in preference classes. The proposed algorithm is experimented with randomly generated alternative sets having different characteristics.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--West Virginia University, 2000. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 148 p. Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 98-105).

Bakgrund: - År 2012 stod lastbilstransporter för majoriteten av alla transporter internt inom Sverige medan intermodala inlandstransporter endast stod för 2,4 procent. Samtidigt finns det en ambition på både nationell och regional nivå att flytta långväga godstransporter från landsvägen till järnvägen (Eriksson, 2016). Till skillnad från andra delar av samhället har utsläppen från interntransporter, alltså transporter inom Sverige, inte minskat under det senaste decenniet (Intelligent Logistik, 2016). Syfte: - Syftet med studien är att identifiera vilka förutsättningar som finns för intermodala transporter till och från Jönköpings län. Utifrån slutsatsen för frågeställning ett, de förutsättningar som identifierats, ska förbättringsförslag som kan öka andelen intermodala transporterna presenteras samt hur dessa förslag kan bidra med måluppfyllelse inom transportpolitiska och miljömässiga målsättningar för RJL. Metod: - Studien är uppbyggd på en kvalitativ strategi och för att besvara studiens syfte har en fallstudie på Jönköping län gjort. Den empiri som används har samlats in genom semistrukturerade intervjuer och sekundärdata från rapporter, vetenskapliga artiklar och litteratur. Studiens urval av respondenter har skett genom snöbollsurval. Slutsats: - För att intermodala transporter skall vara ekonomiskt motiverade krävs det långa avstånd vilket är ett problem för Jönköping län. Genom att förutsättningar för intermodala transporter till och från Jönköpings län har identifierats har förslag på vad RJL kan göra för att öka andelen intermodal transporter presenterats. Det innefattar både förslag som RJL direkt kan påverka i form av investering i infrastrukturen och förslag på hur de indirekt kan påverka, som att uppmuntra samarbete mellan terminaler för att skapa samordningsvinster och därmed minska break-even distansen. / Background: - In 2012, lorries transported the bulk of all shipments internally within Sweden while intermodal inland transport only accounted for 2.4 percent. At the same time, there is an ambition at national and county level to move long-distance freight transport by road to the railroad (Eriksson, 2016). Unlike other parts of society, emissions from internal transport, ie transport within Sweden, have not decreased over the past decade (Intelligent Logistics, 2016). Purpose: - The purpose of the study is to identify the conditions for intermodal transport to and from Jönköping County. Based on the conclusion of research question one, the identified conditions, proposals for improvement that can increase the proportion of intermodal transports and how these proposals can contribute to the achievement of objectives in transport policy and environmental objectives for RJL will be presented. Methodology: - The study is based on a qualitative strategy and in order to answer the purpose of the study, a case study on Jönköping County has been made. The empirical use has been collected through semi structured interviews and secondary data from reports, scientific articles and literature. The study's selection of respondents has been through snowball selections. Findings: - In order for intermodal transport to be economically justified, long distance is required, which is a problem for Jönköping County. By recognizing the conditions for intermodal transport to and from Jönköping County, proposals for what RJL can do to increase the proportion of intermodal transport has been presented. It includes both proposals that RJL can directly influence in terms of investment in the infrastructure and suggestions on how they indirectly can affect others parties.

This master’s thesis deals with manufacturing and logistic issues of low voltage cabinets produced by ProCS, s.r.o. company. The aim is to design and evaluate manufacturing and assembling process rationalization proposal. The proposal is based on familiarization with technological process of cabinet's manufacturing. Becoming familiar with manufacturing and assembling process of marshalling and system cabinets made it possible to find an opportunity of rationalization through automation of selected assembling processes. Automation of striping and crimping process is possible through suitable crimping machine. Situation before and after rationalization is economically interpreted and evaluated using break even point analysis. Through mentioned rationalization arrangement it is possible to improve manufacturing flexibility, reduce lead times and cut down manufacturing costs.

The master thesis focuses on the creation of the business plan proposal. Via implemented analysis (SLEPT, SWOT and Porter’s model) and questionnaire research were identified conditions for successful establishment and running of fitness centre M-Gym, s.r.o. in Brno. It involves the choice of tools and strategies, which allows the company to succeed on the market and become competitive.

Let A be an m x n, (0, 1)-matrix. A submatrix of A is odd if the sum of its entries is an odd integer and even otherwise. The maximum number of 2 x 2 odd submatrices in a (0, 1)-matrix is related to the existence of Hadamard matrices and bounds on Turán numbers. Pinelis [On the minimal number of even submatrices of 0-1 matrices, Designs, Codes and Cryptography, 9:85-93, 1994] exhibits an asymptotic formula for the minimum possible number of p x q even submatrices of an m x n (0, 1)-matrix. Assuming the Hadamard conjecture, specific techniques are provided on how to assign the 0's and 1's, in order to yield the maximum number of 2 x 2 odd submatrices in an m x n (0, 1)-matrix. Moreover, formulas are determined that yield the exact maximum counts with one exception, in which case upper and lower bounds are given. These results extend and refine those of Pinelis.

<p> In recent years, a number of qualitative calculations of various nuclear properties have been undertaken based on a "pairing-plus-quadrupole" force model. The present work involves an extension of the techniques associated with this model and is an investigation of the extent to which it can quantitatively predict properties of the low-lying levels of spherical even-even nuclei.</p> <p> As a particular application, the energies of several of the low-lying levels and the reduced transition probabilities for the first 2+ levels are calculated for the even isotopes of lead.</p> <p> These calculations show in a natural way how collective levels arise, and help to clarify the nature both of these and of the non-collective levels.</p> / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

O desenvolvimento do padrão de segmentação de Drosophila é estabelecido por uma cascata de genes de segmentação zigóticos. Estes genes são divididos em três classes (gap, pair-rule e segment-polarity) e codificam para fatores de transcrição (FT) que se ligam a módulos cis-reguladores (CRMs), reprimindo ou ativando genes alvo. A faixa 2 do gene pair-rule even-skipped (eve 2) é ativada pelos fatores maternos Bicoid e Hunchback e reprimida pelas proteínas gap Giant (Gt) e Krüppel. Estudos posteriores mostraram que o FT Sloppy-paired 1 (Slp 1) e provavelmente um outro FT forkhead também atuam na repressão de eve 2. O gene anotado CG9571 foi isolado em uma varredura como proteína forkhead candidata a repressão de eve 2. Estudos genéticos confirmaram essa possibilidade e revelaram que eve 1 também pode ser alvo deste FT. Este trabalho teve como objetivo verificar a interação de CG9571 com os CRMs eve 1 e eve 2. Para tanto, planejamos obter o domínio de ligação da proteína (CG9571 BD) e da proteína completa (CG9571 FL) e testar suas interações in vitro com fragmentos dos CRMs por meio da técnica de retardo da mobilidade eletroforética (EMSA). Obtivemos a quantidade necessária de DNA para os experimentos através de PCR e preparações plasmidiais de versões clonadas destes CRMs que já dispúnhamos em laboratório. Realizamos tentativas de obtenção de CG9571 BD por transcrição e tradução in vitro, mas esta estratégia não foi bem-sucedida e adotamos a estratégia de clonagem em vetor para expressão em células competentes bacterianas. O fragmento de CG9571 BD foi clonado com sucesso, mas não conseguimos verificar a expressão do polipeptídeo em duas linhagens de E. coli. Alteramos novamente nossa estratégia e clonamos o fragmento correspondente a CG9571 FL em vetor de expressão e conseguimos induzir sua expressão em bactéria, embora não tenha sido obter a proteína recombinante em forma solúvel. Prosseguimos para tentativas de recuperação da proteína a partir de corpos de inclusão. Foram empregados diferentes métodos para solubilização, renovelamento e purificação da proteína. Extratos da fração insolúvel solubilizada em diferentes concentrações de ureia foram submetidos a tentativas de purificação e renaturação por cromatografia de afinidade, mas não houve adsorção significativa de CG9571 FL em colunas com Ni2+ imobilizado. Preparações não puras contendo CG9571 FL foram obtidas através de procedimentos de renaturação destes extratos e foram utilizadas em ensaios de interação com os CRMs. Não houve detecção de retardo da mobilidade eletroforética dos fragmentos em gel. Foram observados efeitos de redução da quantidade de DNA detectado com brometo de etídio nas interações, mas este efeito foi considerado produto da ação de possíveis nucleases contaminantes nas preparações após investigação. Preparações de CG9571 FL puras foram obtidas por purificações a partir de SDS-PAGE, mas a maioria das interações da proteína solúvel com eve 1 e eve 2 não indicou formação de complexo. Obtivemos um único resultado positivo para a interação entre CG9571 FL e eve 2. Por não ter sido reproduzido, consideramos o resultado inconclusivo e novos experimentos serão conduzidos para dar continuidade à investigação da hipótese do trabalho / The development of Drosophila segmentation pattern is established by a cascade of zygotic segmentation genes. The zygotic genes are grouped in three classes (gap, pair-rule and segment-polarity) and code for transcription factors (TF) that bind to cis-regulatory modules (CRMs) with activation or repression roles. The stripe 2 of the pair-rule gene even-skipped (eve 2) is activated by the maternal factors Bicoid and Hunchback and repressed by the gap proteins Giant and Krüppel. Later studies showed that Sloppy-paired 1 (Slp 1) and probably another forkhead transcription factor also act for eve 2 repression. The annotated gene CG9571 was isolated in a search for putative forkhead protein repressors of eve 2. Genetic studies confirmed this possibility and reveled that eve 1 could also be a target for this TF. The aim of this work was to verify the interaction of CG9571 with the CRMs eve 1 and eve 2. To reach this aim, we planned to obtain the binding domain of the protein (CG9571 BD) or of the full-length protein (CG9571 FL) and to test their in vitro interactions with the eve 1 and eve 2 fragments by the electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). We obtained the necessary amount of DNA for the tests by PCR and plasmidial preparations of cloned versions of these CRMs that we already had in our laboratory. We made attempts to obtain CG9571 BD by in vitro transcription and translation system, but this strategy did not work and we adopted the cloning strategy to obtain the protein expressed by bacterial competent cells. CG9571 BD was cloned successfully, but we were not able to detect the polypeptide expression in two E. coli strains. We then turned to the CG9571 FL protein that we cloned and succeed to express it in bacteria, although we were not able to obtain the soluble recombinant form. We proceed for attempts of protein recovering from inclusion bodies. Different methods for solubilization, refolding and purification of the proteins were used. Extracts of the insoluble fraction solubilized in solutions with different urea concentrations were used in attempts of refolding and purification by affinity chromatography, but there was not significant CG9571 FL adsorption on columns with Ni2+ immobilized. We obtained impure preparations with CG9571 FL through procedures of refolding of these extracts and employed them on binding assays with the CRMs, but there was no gel shift detection. We observed reduction of the amount of DNA present in the binding reaction samples detected by ethidium bromide, but after further investigations this effect was considered the product of contaminant nuclease reaction from bacteria. Pure preparations of CG9571 FL were obtained by purification from SDS-PAGE, but there was no indication of complex formation on the most binding reaction assays with eve 1 and eve 2. We obtained only one positive result for the interaction between CG9571 FL and eve 2. However, the result was considered inconclusive because we were not able to reproduce it and new experiments will be conducted to investigate the hypothesis of this work

Denna studie undersöker tidsvinsterna med en investeringen av automatiserade regressionstester i förhållande till manuellt genomförande. Syftet med detta är att skapa ett beslutsunderlag av ROI och break-even beräkningar med avsikten att minska osäkerheten ifall investeringen kommer resultera i en tidsvinst under systemets livslängd samt hur stora dessa vinster kan bli. För att undersöka detta har automatiska regressionstester utvecklats, där en mätning av tidsåtgången för detta användes som den investerade tiden. De automatiska testernas tid för genomförandet av studiens testfall jämfördes med den manuella motsvarigheten. Detta har tillsammans med empiriskt material från intervjuer stått som grund för ROI och break-even beräkningar gällande investeringen av automatiska regressionstester. Det empiriska materialet bidrog till beräkningarna med parametrarna testfrekvens, testmängd och livslängd. Till skillnad från tidigare forskning genomför studien beräkningar med flera testfrekvenser, vilket resulterade i att även vid en relativt låg testfrekvens har automatiska regressionstester goda förutsättningar för ett positivt ROI. Vid en medel till hög testfrekvens kunde break-even punkten uppnås inom ett år med möjligheter för stora tidsvinster. Det empiriska materialet har även påvisat att uppstartsfasen, systemtypen, testfallens komplexitet och återanvändning är faktorer som kan påverka tidsvinsterna. / This study examines the time savings of an investment in automated regression tests relative to a manual approach. The purpose of this is to produce an underlay for decision making consisting of ROI and break-even calculations which has the intention of reducing uncertainty in case the investment will result in time savings within the systems life span as well as how big these savings can become. To examine this, automated regression tests have been developed where time spent was measured to be used as the invested time. The time it took for the automated tests to execute the studies test cases were compared with the manual counterpart. This has, together with the empirical material from the interviews, formed the basis for ROI and break-even calculations regarding the investment of automated regression tests. The empirical material contributed to the calculations with parameters for test frequency, test amount and life span. Unlike previous research, this study uses calculations with a higher amount of test frequencies which showed that even with a relatively low test frequency, automated regression tests have good opportunities for a positive ROI. With a medium to high test frequency, the break-even point was reached within one year with possibilities for great time savings. The empirical material has also shown that the start-up phase, system type, test case complexity and reusability are factors that can affect the time savings.

Os complexos [TR2(L)3&#8901;x(H2O)]y(H2O) (Eu3+, Gd3+ e Tb3+) com os ligantes dicarboxilatos alifáticos OXA, MAL, SUC, GLU, ADP, PIM, SUB, AZL, SEB, UND e DOD foram preparados pelo método de precipitação. Estes compostos de coordenação foram sintetizados em solução aquosa e com aquecimento (~ 80 ºC) e apresentaram-se na forma de pós brancos, cristalinos, não higroscópicos e insolúveis em solventes polares e apolares. A análise elementar (CHN) indicou a proporção molar M:L de 2:3 e o número de moléculas de H2O dos complexos, que foi confi rmado pelos dados de análise térmica (TG/DTG). A temperatura final de saída das moléculas de H2O dos complexos apresentou um padrão em ziguezague em função do tamanho da cadeia carbônica dos ligantes, levando ao chamado efeito odd-even. As análises de espectroscopia de absorção no infravermelho (FTIR) confirmaram a efetiva coordenação dos ligantes já desprotonados aos íons TR3+ via modo misto de coordenação ponte-quelato, exceto no caso dos complexos [TR2(OXA) 3&#8901;6(H2O)]4(H2O)4(H2O) que ocorre via ponte bidentada. Os difratogramas de raios-X pelo método do pó (XPD) indicam que os complexos apresentam elevada cristalinidade, pertencendo ao sistema cristalino monoclínico e que os complexos com o mesmo ligante e diferentes íons TR3+ são isomórficos. As imagens de microscopia eletrônica de varredura (MEV) mostram que os compostos apresentam diferentes morfologias tais como bastão, placas ou um misto de placas e cubos, como no caso dos complexos de Eu3+ com os ligantes OXA, SUC e DOD respectivamente. A investigação por espectroscopia de absorção dos sais sódicos dos ligantes (Na2L) e a reflectância difusa, bem como o estudo fotoluminescente (espectros de excitação e emissão) dos complexos de Eu3+, Gd3+ e Tb3+ foi realizada e discutida. O comportamento fotoluminescente dos complexos baseados nos tempos de vida (t) do nível emissor 5D0 do íon Eu3+, rendimento quântico intrínseco (QLnLn), taxas de decaimento radiativo (Arad) e não-radiativo (Anrad) foram determinadas. Ademais, foi realizado o estudo sistemático teórico e experimental para calcular os parâmetros de intensidade &#937;2 e &#937;4. Os espectros de fosforescência resolvidos no tempo dos complexos de Gd3+ apresentaram bandas largas oriundas dos níveis tripleto (T1) dos ligantes ~ 22950 cm-1, mais próximos do nível emissor 5D4 (Tb3+) do que do nível 5D0 (Eu3+), sugerindo que a alta intensidade luminescente exibida pelos complexos de Tb3+ comparados com os complexos análogos de Eu3+ é devida à transferência de energia intramolecular mais eficiente. Os espectros de reflectância difusa confirmam a presença de bandas 4f8&#8594;4f75d1 e LMCT nos complexos de Tb3+ e Eu3+, respectivamente. Os espectros de emissão dos íons Tb3+ e Eu3+ apresentaram bandas finas referentes a transições intraconfiguracionais 4f, sendo que as transições 5D4&#8594;7F5 (~ 545 nm) e 5D0&#8594;7F2 (~ 611 nm) foram as mais intensas, respectivamente. Os valores de rendimento quântico intrínseco QLnLn dos complexos variaram entre 13 e 28%, dentro dos quais o composto [Eu2 (SUC) 3&#8901;2(H2O)]H2O apresentou o maior valor. Este comportamento espectroscópico mostra que as moléculas de H2O atuam como um eficiente canal de supressão de luminescência. Os valores dos parâmetros de intensidade experimentais e teóricos (&#937;2 e &#937;4) apresentaram excelente concordância e mostraram o comportamento em ziguezague. Isto sugere que o íon Eu3+ atua como uma poderosa sonda espectroscópica para o efeito odd-even. Os complexos de Gd3+, Eu3+ e Tb3+ apresentaram cores de emissão azul, vermelha e verde, respectivamente, sugerindo que podem ser utilizados como dispositivos moleculares conversores de luz (DMCLs). / The [RE2(L)3&#8901;x(H2O)]y(H2O) complexes (RE3+: Eu3+, Gd3+ and Tb3+) with the aliphatic dicarboxylates ligands OXA, MAL, SUC, GLU, ADP, PIM, SUB, AZL, SEB, UND e DOD have been prepared by the precipitation method. These coordination compounds were synthesized in aqueous solution and heating (~ 80 °C) and presented as white crystalline powder, non-hygroscopic and insoluble in both polar and nonpolar solvents. The elemental analysis (CHN) indicated the M:L molar ratio of 2:3 and the number of water molecules of the complexes, which were confirmed by thermal analysis (TG/DTG) data. The final evaporating temperature of the H2O molecules of the complexes presented a zigzag pattern as a function of the carbon chain size of the ligands, leading to the so-called odd-even effect. The infrared absorption spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the effective coordination of the already deprotonated ligands to the RE3+ ions via the mixed mode of bridge-chelate coordination, except for the [RE2 (OXA)3&#8901;6(H2O)]4(H2O) complexes that occur via bidentate bridge mode. The X-ray powder diffraction (XPD) patterns indicate that the complexes present high crystallinity and the compounds with the same ligand and different RE3+ ions present isomorphic character. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that the Eu3+ complexes with OXA, SUC and DOD ligands exhibited different morphologies such as rods, sheets or a mixture of sheets and cubes, respectively. The absorption spectroscopy investigation of the ligand sodium salts (Na2L) and the diffuse reflectance as well as the luminescence study (excitation and emission spectra) for the Eu3+, Gd3+ and Tb3+ complexes have been performed and discussed. The photoluminescent behavior of the complexes based on the lifetime (t) of the 5D0 emitting level of the Eu3+ ion, intrinsic quantum yield (QLnLn), radiative (Arad) and nonradiative (Anrad) were determined. In addition, the theoretical and experimental systematic study was carried out to calculate the intensity parameters &#937;2 and &#937;4. The time resolved phosphorescence spectra of the Gd3+ complexes showed broad emission bands assigned to the triplet (T1) states of the ligands at ~ 22950 cm-1, closer to the 5D4 emitting level (Tb3+) than to the 5D0 level (Eu3+), suggesting that the higher luminescent intensity exhibited by the Tb3+ complexes compared to the Eu3+ analog complexes are due to a more efficient L&#8212;RE3+ intramolecular energy transfer. The diffuse reflectance data confirmed the presence of 4f8&#8594;4f75d1 and LMCT absorption bands in the Tb3+ and Eu3+ complexes, respectively. The emission spectra of the Tb3+ and Eu3+ ions showed narrow bands due to the intraconfigurational 4f transitions, among them the 5D4&#8594;7F5 (~ 545 nm) and 5D0&#8594;7F2 (~ 611 nm) transitions were the most intense, respectively. The values of intrinsic quantum yield QLnLn of the complexes ranged from 13 to 28%, in which the [Eu2 (SUC)3&#8901;2(H2O)]H2O complex presented the highest value due to its lower number of H2O molecules. This optical behavior shows that the H2O molecules act as an efficient luminescence quenching channel. The values of experimental and theoretical intensity parameters (&#937;2 and &#937;4) presented excellent agreement which showed the zigzag behavior. These indicate that the Eu3+ ion acts as a powerful spectroscopic probe for the odd-even effect. The Gd3+, Eu3+ and Tb3+ complexes showed blue, red and green emission colors, respectively, suggesting that can be applied as light-converting molecular devices.