The effectiveness of the PEG ratio as a valuation tool has been a topical debate between market commentators ever since being popularised by Lynch (1989). This study examines the appropriateness of the fair value criteria of 1.0 (PEGL) in comparison with a time-series based share specific benchmarking model (PEGT). Furthermore, influencing factors of analyst forecasting accuracy, namely: the number of analyst contributions, forecast dispersion and forecast horizon, were tested and compared using sub-set portfolios for each category with the objective of identifying a possible optimal PEG trading rule strategy. The outcome showed a consistent outperformance of PEGT portfolios compared to PEGL portfolios and the market benchmark. Unexpected results were obtained for the impact of analyst forecasts on the performance of the PEG ratio with additional literature review providing possible reasons that analyst optimism may have a more influencing impact on the PEG ratio than forecasting accuracy. Finally, an optimised PEG trading rule strategy delivered annual abnormal returns of 5.4% (CAGR: 19.7%) for a PEGL portfolio, versus that of 13.7% (CAGR: 28.5%) for a PEGT portfolio. The ensuing methodology appeared to single out small cap firms with above market growth prospects. Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: The production of full arch dental models through Rapid Additive Prototyping (3D Printing) have been questioned for their accuracy in the past decade. PURPOSE: To compare the accuracy of 3D printed and milled dental models, using a digital metrology software. MATERIALS AND METHOD: A mandibular arch typodont was duplicated to produce a conventional Type IV dental stone model. This Model was scanned to create a digital model and an STL file was created which would be sent to Milling and 3D printing machines.15 models were printed using 3 different 3D printing companies and 10 models Milled with a CNC (Computerized Numeric Controlled) milling machine. Each model was scanned and a digital model was created. These scanned models were then super imposed to the scan of the master model through an inspection software (Geomagic Control X, 3D Systems) for accuracy of production. RESULTS: The mean difference in measurement in Absolute Gap, by either of the two methods of prototyping adopted, (0.075 mm for 3D Printed and 0.084 mm for milled) are well below the clinically acceptable values mentioned in previous literature. The means in absolute tooth distance discrepancy for both prototyping methods (0.0361 mm for 3DPand 0.0353 mm for Milled) were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: 3D printed dental models were more accurate statistically than milled dental models. In general, the mean accuracy for both methods of rapid prototyping is within clinical tolerance and both are clinically acceptable.

Many research projects have been conducted to compare standing text entry with nomadic text entry. Other research projects have compared the input types of touchscreen and physical keyboards while texting. There is few literature that compares the two inputs types during a standing and nomadic text entry. This research was conducted to investigate the differences in error rate and characters per minute for both input types during both text entry conditions. To investigate these differences two devices were used, the iPhone 4 and the Blackberry Curve 9350, to type a phrase during both a standing and walking condition. Both characters per minute and error rate were analyzed. The investigation showed that there were no significant difference in error rate, but there was a significant difference in characters per minute. The touchscreen keyboard performed better in terms of characters per minutes and arguably performed better in accuracy.

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Employers rely on judges or raters to accurately rate the potential or performance of candidates through interviews or assessment centre evaluations. As the judgment process places heavy demands on information processing, cognitive ability (of raters) is important to detect and interpret behavioural cues presented by those being rated. A consistent empirical finding is that intelligence is the strongest predictor of rating accuracy, but prior research has largely been based on linear models. However, researchers have yet to investigate whether these variables could be nonlinearly related. By studying nonlinear models in judgment and accuracy, we can not only deepen our understanding of the ‘good judge' in HRM, but we may further enhance methods to select and train raters in applied practice. This secondary research study re-analysed data from a prior published study to evaluate the relationship between rater intelligence and accuracy of interview ratings provided by 146 South African managers. The predictiveness of an ordinary least squares (OLS) linear regression model was compared to two nonlinear models (quadratic and cubic) to determine which statistical approach explained the most variance in rating accuracy scores. Findings provided further support of a linear relationship between intelligence and rating accuracy suggesting no quadratic or cubic interactions. Judges, therefore, produced more accurate ratings at higher levels of intelligence. Possible explanations of the findings include the sample size and task complexity. Study limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed in detail

Consumers form consideration sets by screening from all available alternatives. Consumers typically utilize one of two types of screening strategies: an exclusion screening strategy wherein alternatives not worthy of further consideration are rejected or an inclusion strategy wherein worthy alternatives are selected for further evaluation. Extant literature has documented the important role played by screening strategies in decision making. However, there is very limited understanding of when and why consumers may employ one screening strategy over the other as well the impact of the screening strategy for decision accuracy. This dissertation attempts to study the antecedent and consequence of screening strategies. Essay 1 in this dissertation, investigates the role of consumers' perceived uncertainty on the choice of screening strategy. Four studies in this essay show that when consumers are highly uncertain they are more likely to choose exclusion screening strategy; whereas when they are less uncertain they are more likely to use inclusion screening. Mediation analyses in Studies 1 and 2 show that the choice of screening strategy is primarily driven by perceived accuracy of the strategy. Study 3 demonstrates that the effect of uncertainty on the choice of screening strategy is moderated by consideration set size. When uncertain consumers form smaller sets they are more likely to use exclusion screening, but this relationship flips when they form larger consideration sets. Finally, external validity for the relationship between uncertainty and choice of screening strategy is demonstrated in Study 4 using the popular TV game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Essay two in this dissertation, investigates the role of perceived uncertainty and consideration set size on the relationship between screening strategy and objective accuracy of the decision. Utilizing an experimental study with an actual choice task, I demonstrate that perceived uncertainty moderates the screening strategy-decision accuracy relationship. Further, this interactive relationship is contingent on consideration set sizes. Whereas consumers with high perceived uncertainty make higher quality decisions with inclusion while forming smaller consideration sets, their decision quality is higher with exclusion when forming larger sets. Likewise, while consumers with low perceived uncertainty make more accurate decisions with exclusion when forming smaller sets, the accuracy of their decisions increases with inclusion when forming larger sets. This dissertation contributes to literature on screening strategies by explicating perceived uncertainty as a critical factor that leads to consumers preferring one screening strategy versus the other. Furthermore, it adds to our understanding of an important consequence of using screening strategies--decision accuracy.

Fluoroscopy is considered the gold standard for locating catheters during cardiac electrophysiology (EP) procedures. However, fluoroscopy emits ionizing radiation which can lead to adverse health effects when exposed to in high doses (World Health Organization, 2016). Electroanatomic mapping (EAM) systems display the three-dimensional location of EP catheters and measure the local electrical activity of the heart. They can minimize a physician’s reliance on fluoroscopy and can help reduce radiation exposure during a case (Casella, 2011). EAM systems are diagnostic medical devices that inform the placement of ablation therapy and must accurately locate catheters to be deemed safe. Test methods to determine EAM system accuracy should be compared back to a gold standard, such as fluoroscopy. Fluoroscopy only provides a two-dimensional image of the catheter location, which is not a suitable ground truth for measuring the three-dimensional accuracy of EAM systems. X-Ray Reconstruction of Electrode Locations (XRROEL) calculates the true three-dimensional catheter location by performing a coordinate transform on two-dimensional fluoroscopy images. This thesis outlines the development and validation of the XRROEL method in a porcine animal model, and describes how XRROEL can be applied to optimize the location accuracy of electroanatomic mapping system algorithms.

Data from a Coarse Acquisition (C/A) Global Positing System (GPS) map-grade receiver were evaluated to assess the accuracy of differentially corrected points. Many studies have focused on the accuracy of GPS units under ideal data collection conditions. Ideal conditions allow the collection of data with four satellites (3D mode), yet field data conditions are often less than ideal. Four satellites may not always be in view because of mountainous topography, heavy forest cover, or other obstructions which block satellite signals from the receiver. This study examines GPS accuracy when four satellites are not available, instead collecting data with only three satellites (2D mode). 3D GPS points compute four unknowns: x, y , z, and clock error. In comparison, 2D GPS points are less accurate as only three unknowns are calculated: x, y, and clock error. Elevation (or z) is not computed for 2D points, causing increased error in the horizontal (x, y) measurement. The effect of elevation was evaluated on 234 2D GPS data points. These points were collected and corrected at elevation intervals of true elevation, +-25 meters, +- 50 meters, and +-75 meters. These 2D points were then compared to surveyed points to measure the effect vertical error has on horizontal accuracy. In general, the more error in the vertical estimate during correction, the greater the horizontal error. / Master of Science

This study compared the accuracy for the two general approaches to criminal profiling, inductive and deductive. Participants were 213 college students who participated in a 1-hour training session. Participants in the experimental groups were trained in either the inductive or deductive approach to profiling. Participants in the control group were trained in a crime topic unrelated to profiling (rape and sexual assault prevention). Following the training session, participants were asked to review a double sexual homicide case and then profile the offender by completing the Profiling Offender characteristics Questionnaire. Participants trained in the inductive profiling approach were more accurate when profiling the offender’s physical characteristics. Furthermore, the inductive profiling approach led to higher overall accuracy scores compared to the control condition. These results suggest that training naïve profilers to use the inductive approach may improve the accuracy of offender profiles in sexual homicide cases.

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