Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequent malignancies and affects approximately 5% of worldwide population. More than 75% of CRC cases represent sporadic forms. Susceptibility to nonhereditary CRC is significantly influenced by polymorphisms and mutations in low-penetrance genes. Variations in biotransformation and DNA repair genes may result in acumulation of toxins and DNA damage in cells leading to the development of cancer. Furthermore, different gene expression profiles of membrane transporters affecting the accumulation of anticancer drugs in tumour cells, e.g. ABC drug transporters, may largely influence inter-individual variability in drug response and chemotherapy outcome. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of genetic and lifestyle factors in the risk of onset and progression of colorectal cancer. This study followed selected genetic alterations in xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes (CYP1B1, GSTM1, GSTT1, GSTP1, NQO1 and EPHX1) and genes involved in response to DNA damage (CHEK2 and NBN), as potential CRC susceptibility factors. Another aim of this study was to investigate expression profile of all human ABC transporter genes to follow their prognostic and predictive potential in colorectal carcinoma. Materials and methods: The polymorphisms and other...

Measuring the success of Activity Based Costing (ABC) is part of a more general challenge of measuring the success of any major change in managerial methods. The past thirteen years have seen accelerated rates of change in the South African Post Office (SAPO). However little is known about `'Measuring the successful implementation of ABC in (SAPO)''. The objectives of this study is to research the perceptions of staff regarding the successful implementation of ABC, the benefits of ABC implementation and the conditions that affect the potential benefits from the successful implementation of ABC. This will allow organisations and provide them with relevant information that will enable them to make better decisions with regard to measuring the successful implementation of ABC. To achieve these objectives a questionnaire was prepared and handed out to the finance staff of the SAPO. They were asked to respond to the questionnaire on their experience and their perceptions on the implementation of ABC. 121 questionnaire were returned generating a 38% response rate. The findings in this study highlighted that top management fails in giving active support to the implementation of ABC and the technical factors were perceived as standing in the way of the successful implementation of ABC. These were training, the high cost of implementing ABC, the lack of software packages, the lack of data requirements and co-operation between departments. From the finding the recommendation was made were general strategies were suggested for the SAPO for measuring the successful implementation of ABC. / Business Management / M.Tech. (Business Administration)

Measuring the success of Activity Based Costing (ABC) is part of a more general challenge of measuring the success of any major change in managerial methods. The past thirteen years have seen accelerated rates of change in the South African Post Office (SAPO). However little is known about `'Measuring the successful implementation of ABC in (SAPO)''. The objectives of this study is to research the perceptions of staff regarding the successful implementation of ABC, the benefits of ABC implementation and the conditions that affect the potential benefits from the successful implementation of ABC. This will allow organisations and provide them with relevant information that will enable them to make better decisions with regard to measuring the successful implementation of ABC. To achieve these objectives a questionnaire was prepared and handed out to the finance staff of the SAPO. They were asked to respond to the questionnaire on their experience and their perceptions on the implementation of ABC. 121 questionnaire were returned generating a 38% response rate. The findings in this study highlighted that top management fails in giving active support to the implementation of ABC and the technical factors were perceived as standing in the way of the successful implementation of ABC. These were training, the high cost of implementing ABC, the lack of software packages, the lack of data requirements and co-operation between departments. From the finding the recommendation was made were general strategies were suggested for the SAPO for measuring the successful implementation of ABC. / Business Management / M.Tech. (Business Administration)

Orientador: Prof. Dr. Gerardo Alberto Silva / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do ABC, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Planejamento e Gestão do Território, 2015. / Nas décadas correspondentes ao período de 1991 a 2011 ocorreram importantes mudanças no cenário econômico, político e cultural brasileiro e, no que diz respeito ao combate às desigualdades raciais, novas perspectivas se apresentaram. Do ponto de vista econômico, a estabilização da economia e a queda das desigualdades nos fazem pensar até que ponto estes processos atingiram a população negra que, segundo o IBGE, era a maioria em 2010. Do ponto de vista cultural e político, desde a década de 1980 a ação dos movimentos negros ganha novos contornos e, a partir da década de 1990, a questão racial passa a fazer parte da agenda pública, ainda que timidamente. É a partir destes pressupostos e seus corolários que esta pesquisa buscou compreender o alcance das desigualdades raciais no mercado de trabalho na Região do Grande ABC no período em questão por meio de informações e dados secundários disponibilizados pelo IBGE, o DIEESE e o Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego, argumentando sobre a resiliência destas desigualdades ante as transformações verificadas. / In the decades corresponding to the period between 1991 and 2011 there were important changes in the economic political and cultural Brazilian landscape, and that of which regards the combat of the racial differences, new perspectives present themselves. From the economic point of view, the stabilization of the economy and the drop of inequalities make us wonder to what extent these processes reached the black population, which according to IBGE were majority in 2010. From the cultural and political standpoint, since the 80's decade the action of the black movements gained new outlining, and since the 90's decade, the racial issue becomes part of the public agenda, yet timidly. It is from this prerogative and its corollaries that this research attempted to understand the reach of racial differences in the labor market at the region of the Grande ABC in the given period through information and secondary data provided by the IBGE, DIEESE and the Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego, arguing about its resilience facing the verified transformations.

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate how ABC-classified article placement can reduce transport distances within warehouse operations, which do not use volume-based article placement. Based on the purpose, two research questions have been formulated: [1]   How can an ABC-classified article placement be established in order to minimize transport distances within warehouses? [2]   How much can transport distances be reduced by using an ABC-classified article placement instead of a non-volume based storage? Method – The methods that have been used to collect data have been a case study and a literature review. The case study has been performed on Sherwin-Williams’ distribution centre in Nässjö and has mainly been based on two months of picking data. Interviews and observations have supplemented the document study. The literature review has resulted in a theoretical framework in which the relevant theories of the study have been presented. The collected data was analysed by comparing the different results against each other. Further comparisons analysed the empirical data against the theoretical framework. Findings – The study has resulted in a model of how ABC-classified article placement with the purpose to reduce transport distances can be designed. The model is based on a few steps that are: pilot study, performance of an ABC-analysis based on the articles picking rate, and zone division. According to the case study ABC-classified article placement can reduce up to 35 % of internal transportation distances and according to the theoretical framework of up to 55 %. Implications – Warehouses that want to use the study can proceed from the steps presented in the analysis section. Furthermore, the practical implications of the study results in a system configuration and the movement of goods to the introduction of the ABC-classified article placement. The study implies theoretically that the volume-based article placement minimizes transport distances. The existing theories stating this is evidenced in this study which also shows that warehouses with less skewed ABC-curves can benefit from placing high frequency goods near the loading area. The study contributes with a new model that has been developed by compiling theories in the studied area. Limitations – The study has been limited to a single case study. The calculations made in the study have excluded items that require special storage, small package picking and distance between the pallets that are retrieved together. Transport distances have been calculated from the loading area and has excluded the distance between the racks and unload area.

This research reconsiders two ABC programs from the early 1990s, Twin Peaks and My So-Called Life, through the frames of queer-theory based textual analysis, press discourse, and fan reception. I begin by arguing that both programs, which emerged in concert with the solidification of queer studies as an academic field, exist as televisual oddities that provided a temporary space for the exploration of queer subjectivities in primetime; this analysis also invokes the non-normative positioning of showrunners David Lynch and Winnie Holzman based on their previous and subsequent work. Secondly, I posit popular press receptions/retrospectives as undermining the queer centrality of both programs by adhering to heteronormative frameworks such as “quality television.” Lastly, I discuss fan reclamations of both programs through slash fiction and collaborative web forums as illuminating the intrinsic queerness of Twin Peaks and My So-Called Life lost through dominant press narratives. / text

This thesis studies structural dynamic system identification in a frequency-based framework. The basic consideration stems from the fact that frequencies may generally be measured with higher accuracy than other pertinent modal data such as mode shapes; however only a limited number of frequencies may be measured in the conventional context of natural frequencies. Being able to measure extra frequencies is a key to the success of a frequency-based method. The main part of the thesis is therefore organised around the involvement of the so-called artificial boundary condition (ABC) frequencies to augment the frequency dataset for general structural damage identification. In essence, the ABC frequencies correspond to the natural frequencies of the system with additional pin supports, but may be extracted from specially configured incomplete frequency response function matrix of the original structure without the need of physically imposing the additional supports. In the first part of the research, a particular focus is placed on the actual extraction of these ABC frequencies from physical experiments through effective modal testing, data collection, data processing and analysis. The influences of key processes involved in a typical modal experimental procedure, including high-fidelity measurement of the (impact) excitation input, averaging, windowing, and an effective use of post-processing techniques, particularly the Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) technique, are scrutinised in relation to the extraction of the ABC frequencies. With appropriate implementation of testing and data processing procedures, results demonstrate that all one-pin and two-pin ABC frequencies from the first few modes can be extracted with good quality in a laboratory setting, and the accuracy of extracted ABC frequencies is comparable to natural frequencies of corresponding orders. A comprehensive study is then carried out to investigate the sensitivities of ABC frequencies to damages. Two-pin ABC frequency sensitivity is formulated by extending the expression of anti-resonance sensitivity. On this basis, the mode shape contribution is adopted as a criterion for the selection of more sensitive ABC frequencies to be employed in detailed parameter identification or finite element model updating procedures. The soundness of using ABC frequencies in structural parameter identification and the effectiveness of the above ABC frequency selection method are subsequently examined through case studies involving laboratory experiments and the corresponding FE model updating. Furthermore, a preliminary study is carried out to examine the possibility of formulating ABC frequency-based damage indicator, herein with an analogy to the mode shape curvature, for direct damage assessment. As an extended investigation in the general framework of frequency-based dynamic identification, in the last part of the thesis, a complex dynamic system, namely a railway bridge under moving loads & masses, is evaluated with regard to the various frequency characteristics involved. The variation of the natural frequencies of the bridge-moving mass system, as well as the presence of the apparent frequencies from the trainloads, are analysed in detail. Besides simplified theoretical analysis, a computational model is developed to simulate the combined bridge-moving vehicle/train system, where the vehicle mass is coupled with the bridge via surface contact. The model is verified by comparison with field measurement data and theoretical predictions. Parametric studies enable a clear identification of the correlation of the frequency contents between the response and the trainload, and provide new insight into the significance of the so-called driving and dominant frequencies. It is found that much of the dynamic response phenomena, including the resonance effect, may be explained from the view point of the frequency characteristics of the trainload pattern, which is governed primarily by the ratio between the carriage length and the bridge length. Finally, a resonance severity indicator (the Z-factor) is developed for the assessment of the resonance effect in the railway bridge response when the trainload moves at a resonance speed. Numerical results demonstrate that the proposed methods are effective for the determination of the critical speed and the resonance effects, including the situations where a significant carriage mass is incorporated.

Seminario para optar al título de Ingeniero Comercial, Mención Administración / En el presente Seminario de Título se realiza un análisis de los sistemas de costeo para las instituciones de educación superior, planteando posteriormente un modelamiento matemático de costeo ABC + tradicional para la Universidad de Chile. La investigación se centra en la pregunta, ¿cómo desarrollar un modelo de costeo ABC + tradicional para la Universidad de Chile? Para responder esto, se realizó un análisis de literatura que permitió determinar el método de costeo a utilizar. Posteriormente mediante la realización de la metodología y el estudio del costeo ABC + tradicional, se formuló un problema de programa lineal que puede ser utilizado para universidades estatales con financiamiento privado. Dentro de las principales conclusiones de este Seminario de Título se encuentra la necesidad que existe en Chile por parte de las instituciones universitarias a aplicar un método de costeo como el costeo ABC + tradicional, especialmente en las universidades con las características de la Universidad de Chile. Por otro lado, se señalan las ventajas de utilizar el este método, como la mejor comprensión de la asignación de costos, y las mejoras internas que se pueden dar dentro de las organizaciones que lo apliquen. Finalmente se destaca la contribución del modelo dada la poca discusión en temas relacionados a la contabilidad y operaciones en el sector educativo terciario chileno

Denna rapport behandlar ett problem med låg utlastningseffektivitet av transporter på Econovas lagerområde för jordprodukter i Åby. Utlastningseffektivitet avser i denna rapport tiden för påfyllning från lager till ett fordon. I dagsläget så tar utlastningen av fordon för lång tid. De rutiner som används vid utlastningen medför att maskinförarna behöver röra sig onödigt mycket när de letar efter material. Dåligt uppmärkta lagerplatser samt en godtycklig placering av lagerförda artiklar bidrar till förvirring bland maskinförarna. Detta bidrar till att maskinförarna ibland får problem med att hitta de artiklar som skall levereras till kunden. En effekt av detta är köbildningar till utlastningsområdet under högsäsongen eftersom utlastningseffektiviteten är otillräcklig. Syftet med arbetet är att ta fram ett förslag på problem förknippat med låg utlastningseffektivitet som underlättar utlastningsarbetet och därmed ökar utlastningseffektiviteten. Arbetet är avgränsat till att enbart studera utlastningsarbetet för Econovas jordsortiment.

Textilindustrin präglas av turbulens på grund av sporadiska faktorer såsom mode, trend, väderlek samt kundpreferenser som ständigt förändras. Hanteringen och bemötandet av den stokastiska efterfrågan tenderar att bilda alltför stora lagernivåer, vilket ökar lagerhållningskostnaderna, minskar likviditeten och försämrar genomflödet. På uppdrag av textilföretaget Cavaliere AB har studien gjorts inom lagerstyrning. Syftet med rapporten är att ge konkreta förslag kring hur lagernivåerna kan sänkas och kapitalbindningen minskas. De föreslagna lösningarna har inte implementerats, utan presenteras för företaget som förslag. Nuläget av lagerställningen analyserades genom lagerstatistik som erhölls från företaget och konsultation med företagets ledning. De problem som identifierades var onödigt stora säkerhetslager, långa ledtider, ej precisa prognosmodeller, alltför stora beställningskvantiteter och icke-frekventa leveranser. De föreslagna lösningarna inkluderar justering av servicenivåer och säkerhetslager, nya metoder för produktklassificering, beställningsprinciper, samt förslag kring hantering av inleveranser och ledtider.