Although the overall levels of harmonics in modern power supply systems are in most of the practical cases still below the prescribed tolerance limits and thresholds (e.g. these stipulated in [IEC 61000-3-2 and 61000-3-12]), the sources of harmonics are constantly increasing in numbers and are expected to increase even more in the future. Some of the examples of modern non-linear power electronic (PE) devices that are expected to be employed on a much wider scale in LV networks in the future include: light-emitting diode (LED) lamps, switched-mode power supplies (SMPS'), electric vehicle battery chargers (EVBCs) and photovoltaic inverters (PVIs), which are all analysed in this thesis. The thesis first reviews the conventional harmonic analysis methods, investigating their applicability to modern PE devices. After that, the two most widely used forms of harmonic models, i.e. component-based models (CBMs) and frequency-domain models (FDMs), are applied for modelling of the four abovementioned types of modern PE devices and their models are fully validated by measurements. The thesis next investigates the impact of supply voltage conditions and operating modes (e.g. low vs high operating powers) on the device characteristics and performance, using both measurements and developed CBMs and FDMs. The obtained results confirm that both supply conditions and operating modes have an impact on the characteristics of most of the considered PE devices, which is taken into account in the developed models and demonstrated on a number of case studies. As the next contribution, the thesis proposes new indices for the evaluation of current waveform distortions, allowing for a separate analysis of contributions of low and high frequency harmonics and interharmonics to the total waveform distortion of PE devices. As the modern PE devices are normally based on high-frequency switching converters or inverters, the impact of circuit topologies and control algorithms on their harmonic emission characteristics and performance is also investigated. Special attention is given to the operation of PE devices at low powers, when there is a significant increase of current waveform distortion, a substantial decrease of efficiency and power factors and when input ac current might lose its periodicity with the supply voltage frequency. This is analysed in detail for SMPS', resulting in the proposal of a new methodology ("operating cycle based method") for evaluating overall performance of PE devices across the entire range of operating powers. Finally, a novel and simple hybrid harmonic modelling technique, allowing for the use of both time-domain and frequency-domain models in the same simulation environment, is proposed and illustrated on the selected case studies. This is accompanied with a frequency-domain aggregation approach, which is applied in the thesis to investigate the impact of increasing numbers of different types of modern PE devices on the LV network. The implementation of the developed hybrid harmonic modelling approach and frequency-domain aggregation technique is demonstrated on the example of a typical (UK) urban generic LV distribution network and used for the analysis of different deployment levels of EVs and PVIs. The presented harmonic modelling framework for individual PE devices and, particularly, for their aggregate models, fills the gap in the existing literature on harmonic modelling and characterisation of modern PE devices, which is important for the correct evaluation of their harmonic interactions and analysis of the impact of their large-scale deployment on the overall network performance.

The aim of this thesis work has been to develop signal analysis methods for a computerized cardiac auscultation system, the intelligent stethoscope. In particular, the work focuses on classification and interpretation of features derived from the phonocardiographic (PCG) signal by using advanced signal processing techniques. The PCG signal is traditionally analyzed and characterized by morphological properties in the time domain, by spectral properties in the frequency domain or by nonstationary properties in a joint time-frequency domain. The main contribution of this thesis has been to introduce nonlinear analysis techniques based on dynamical systems theory to extract more information from the PCG signal. Especially, Takens' delay embedding theorem has been used to reconstruct the underlying system's state space based on the measured PCG signal. This processing step provides a geometrical interpretation of the dynamics of the signal, whose structure can be utilized for both system characterization and classification as well as for signal processing tasks such as detection and prediction. In this thesis, the PCG signal's structure in state space has been exploited in several applications. Change detection based on recurrence time statistics was used in combination with nonlinear prediction to remove obscuring heart sounds from lung sound recordings in healthy test subjects. Sample entropy and mutual information were used to assess the severity of aortic stenosis (AS) as well as mitral insufficiency (MI) in dogs. A large number of, partly nonlinear, features was extracted and used for distinguishing innocent murmurs from murmurs caused by AS or MI in patients with probable valve disease. Finally, novel work related to very accurate localization of the first heart sound by means of ECG-gated ensemble averaging was conducted. In general, the presented nonlinear processing techniques have shown considerably improved results in comparison with other PCG based techniques. In modern health care, auscultation has found its main role in primary or in home health care, when deciding if special care and more extensive examinations are required. Making a decision based on auscultation is however difficult, why a simple tool able to screen and assess murmurs would be both time- and cost-saving while relieving many patients from needless anxiety. In the emerging field of telemedicine and home care, an intelligent stethoscope with decision support abilities would be of great value.

Sports are getting more and more benefit from use of information technologies. Information technologies can provide not only collected sport event statistics but also can give more complex analysis results that can be used for planning sport strategies and tactics. Also information technologies are used in sports monitoring, data gathering and result data analysis. Great results are achieved in basketball monitoring and data analysis. Most popular and widely used basketball data analysis methods are rating systems. Other analysis methods can provide predictions on forthcoming basketball games. With aim to provide new possibilities in data analysis area some popular basketball data analysis methods are introduced with discussed possibilities of methods improvements. As a research result possibilities for basketball rating systems improvements are proposed. Also framework for basketball games prediction methods precision research is designed and developed. Using developed framework prediction methods are researched and main results provided.

The ability of Candida albicans to change morphology plays several roles in its virulence and as a human commensal. The yeast-to-hyphae transition is tightly regulated by several sets of activating and repressing pathways. The DNA-binding proteins Rfg1p, Nrg1p and the global repressor Tup1p are part of the repressors found to regulate this morphogenesis. Knowledge of these repressors is based on extrapolations from homology to S. cerevisiae and from expression studies of mutants in inducing conditions, all of which are indirect means of determining a protein's function. We proposed a genome-wide location study of the Nrg1 and Rfg1 transcription factors to obtain direct data to identify their in vivo targets. Our results suggest different avenues for Nrg1p function and a regulation behaviour diverging from the previously suggested model: Nrg1p acts not only as a repressor but also as a transcription activator. Furthermore it regulates its target genes through binding in their coding regions instead binding to the expected regulatory elements on promoters.

Uma das grandes dificuldades na mensuração monetária dos bens e serviços naturais, ou ambientais, reside na valoração do não-uso dos mesmos. Enquanto que o valor de uso de um recurso ambiental pode ser obtido através do mercado, que revela as preferências do consumidor, o valor de não-uso somente pode ser apropriado através do uso de mercados hipotéticos. Dentre as técnicas utilizadas, o método de valoração contingente (CVM) é o mais tradicional mas na última década, diversos economistas têm se voltado para novas abordagens evoluídas das áreas de marketing e transportes. Esses métodos, classificados como de análise conjunta (conjoint analysis) que podem ser, ainda, subdivididos em rating contingent e ranking contingent, são o estudo desse trabalho. O objetivo principal foi comparar os resultados, obtidos por um mesmo conjunto de observações, para as principais estatísticas referentes a precisão dos métodos, quando sujeitas a várias formas funcionais de utilidade, distintos graus de preferência ambiental dos consumidores e diferentes métodos de estimação. Além disso, é apresentada uma síntese crítica dos métodos em análise e os procedimentos metodológicos para o desenvolvimento e aplicação dos mesmos. Para a realização dessa análise, primeiramente foram definidos coeficientes para as utilidades dos bens – ambiental, não ambiental e monetário. Posteriormente, fez-se uso da técnica de Monte Carlo para a simulação da situação/problema e, ao final, foram utilizados os modelos de variável dependente discreta (probit ou logit ordenados) para a estimação final dos parâmetros definidos ex-ante. Constatou-se que o uso do modelo logit ordered para a estimação dos verdadeiros parâmetros mostrou-se mais preciso para a estimação dos coeficientes do que o uso do probit ordenado. Dentre as técnicas em análise, o método de valoração denominado rating contingente apresentou melhores resultados do que o ranking. No que tange às formas funcionais da utilidade e preferências dos consumidores, não foi possível constatar uma relação entre a qualidade das estimativas e a forma funcional. Foi possível, ainda, verificar que os métodos rating e ranking contingente estão bem fundamentados na teoria microeconômica, contudo, verifica-se a dificuldade de se encontrar um valor econômico total a todas as situações que envolvem bens ambientais, pois existem dificuldades a serem vencidas, não especificas aos métodos de valoração mas comum à economia ambiental. / The difficulties in giving monetary values on natural services and goods comes from valuing the non-use of them. Although the use value of environmental resources can be appropriated from the market that indicates the consumer preferences, the non-use value can only be appropriated through the hypothetic market. The contingent valuation method (CVM) is the most traditional of the techniques in use, but in the last decade, some economists have directed themselves toward new approaches in the marketing and transport areas. The goal of this work are the methods classified as conjoint analysis, which may be separated into rating contingent and ranking contingent. The main objective is the analysis of the statistics to compare the precision of the methods when submitted to different utility function forms, distinct levels of environmental preferences and diverse estimation methods. It presents, also, a synthesis of the analyzed methods and the methodological procedure to the development and application of the methods. The execution of that work was defined ex-ante the coefficients for the utilities of the goods – being monetary, environmental and non-environmental. Later it was necessary the use of Monte Carlo Method to simulate the situation that was posteriorly solved – being the coefficients estimated - with the use of discrete dependent variable models – ordered probit and ordered logit. Ordered logit model showed to be the most precise in estimating real parameters than ordered probit. The rating contingent get the best results when compared to the ranking contingent. It was not possible to get a good relation between the goods estimates and the functional form of consumer preference. In closing, it was possible to verify that the rating and ranking contingent methods have basis in the microeconomic theory although the difficulties into getting the total economic value of ambiental sources was cleared, as the problems aren´t specified to the methods studied but are general to the environmental economy.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-08T17:19:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Joanesson S Schmidt.pdf: 1440856 bytes, checksum: df26cfcda5fb5443496a9daa2e65e4e6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-02-18 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / In structural optimization problems based on derivatives the calculation of the displacements sensitivity with respect to design variables is a critical step. Accurate, stable and efficient methods of sensitivity analysis are sought. The occurrence of errors during the calculation of sensitivity motivates a significant research and this paper presents a way to eliminate the errors that arise when using the semi-analytical displacements sensitivity analysis with respect to shape variables in rigid rotation dominated problems. A finite element formulation for structures modelled with bar elements is developed and the complex variable semi-analytical method is implemented in order to apply to problems with geometric nonlinearity. The sensitivity of the displacements is performed with respect to material and shape parameters and the complex variables semi-analytic method is compared to other classical methods of sensitivity analysis: the finite difference method and real variables semi-analytical method. The comparison is performed using two examples known in the literature for presenting geometric nonlinearity. / Em problemas estruturais de otimização baseados em derivada, o cálculo da sensibilidade dos deslocamentos em relação às variáveis de projeto é uma etapa fundamental. Buscam-se métodos de análise de sensibilidade que sejam precisos, estáveis e eficientes. O aparecimento de erros durante o cálculo da sensibilidade motiva uma pesquisa significativa e o presente trabalho aborda uma forma de eliminar os erros que surgem ao se utilizar o método semianalítico na análise de sensibilidade dos deslocamentos em relação a variáveis de projetos de forma em problemas dominados por rotação rígida. Uma formulação de elementos finitos para estruturas modeladas com elementos de barra é desenvolvida e o método de análise de sensibilidade semi-analítico com variáveis complexas é implementado visando a aplicação em problemas com não-linearidade geométrica. A sensibilidade dos deslocamentos é realizada em relação a parâmetros materiais e de forma e o método semi-analítico com variáveis complexas é comparado com outros métodos clássicos de análise de sensibilidade: método das diferenças finitas e método semi-analítico com variáveis reais. A comparação é realizada através de dois exemplos que são conhecidos na literatura por apresentar não linearidade geométrica.

Uma das grandes dificuldades na mensuração monetária dos bens e serviços naturais, ou ambientais, reside na valoração do não-uso dos mesmos. Enquanto que o valor de uso de um recurso ambiental pode ser obtido através do mercado, que revela as preferências do consumidor, o valor de não-uso somente pode ser apropriado através do uso de mercados hipotéticos. Dentre as técnicas utilizadas, o método de valoração contingente (CVM) é o mais tradicional mas na última década, diversos economistas têm se voltado para novas abordagens evoluídas das áreas de marketing e transportes. Esses métodos, classificados como de análise conjunta (conjoint analysis) que podem ser, ainda, subdivididos em rating contingent e ranking contingent, são o estudo desse trabalho. O objetivo principal foi comparar os resultados, obtidos por um mesmo conjunto de observações, para as principais estatísticas referentes a precisão dos métodos, quando sujeitas a várias formas funcionais de utilidade, distintos graus de preferência ambiental dos consumidores e diferentes métodos de estimação. Além disso, é apresentada uma síntese crítica dos métodos em análise e os procedimentos metodológicos para o desenvolvimento e aplicação dos mesmos. Para a realização dessa análise, primeiramente foram definidos coeficientes para as utilidades dos bens – ambiental, não ambiental e monetário. Posteriormente, fez-se uso da técnica de Monte Carlo para a simulação da situação/problema e, ao final, foram utilizados os modelos de variável dependente discreta (probit ou logit ordenados) para a estimação final dos parâmetros definidos ex-ante. Constatou-se que o uso do modelo logit ordered para a estimação dos verdadeiros parâmetros mostrou-se mais preciso para a estimação dos coeficientes do que o uso do probit ordenado. Dentre as técnicas em análise, o método de valoração denominado rating contingente apresentou melhores resultados do que o ranking. No que tange às formas funcionais da utilidade e preferências dos consumidores, não foi possível constatar uma relação entre a qualidade das estimativas e a forma funcional. Foi possível, ainda, verificar que os métodos rating e ranking contingente estão bem fundamentados na teoria microeconômica, contudo, verifica-se a dificuldade de se encontrar um valor econômico total a todas as situações que envolvem bens ambientais, pois existem dificuldades a serem vencidas, não especificas aos métodos de valoração mas comum à economia ambiental. / The difficulties in giving monetary values on natural services and goods comes from valuing the non-use of them. Although the use value of environmental resources can be appropriated from the market that indicates the consumer preferences, the non-use value can only be appropriated through the hypothetic market. The contingent valuation method (CVM) is the most traditional of the techniques in use, but in the last decade, some economists have directed themselves toward new approaches in the marketing and transport areas. The goal of this work are the methods classified as conjoint analysis, which may be separated into rating contingent and ranking contingent. The main objective is the analysis of the statistics to compare the precision of the methods when submitted to different utility function forms, distinct levels of environmental preferences and diverse estimation methods. It presents, also, a synthesis of the analyzed methods and the methodological procedure to the development and application of the methods. The execution of that work was defined ex-ante the coefficients for the utilities of the goods – being monetary, environmental and non-environmental. Later it was necessary the use of Monte Carlo Method to simulate the situation that was posteriorly solved – being the coefficients estimated - with the use of discrete dependent variable models – ordered probit and ordered logit. Ordered logit model showed to be the most precise in estimating real parameters than ordered probit. The rating contingent get the best results when compared to the ranking contingent. It was not possible to get a good relation between the goods estimates and the functional form of consumer preference. In closing, it was possible to verify that the rating and ranking contingent methods have basis in the microeconomic theory although the difficulties into getting the total economic value of ambiental sources was cleared, as the problems aren´t specified to the methods studied but are general to the environmental economy.

Uma das grandes dificuldades na mensuração monetária dos bens e serviços naturais, ou ambientais, reside na valoração do não-uso dos mesmos. Enquanto que o valor de uso de um recurso ambiental pode ser obtido através do mercado, que revela as preferências do consumidor, o valor de não-uso somente pode ser apropriado através do uso de mercados hipotéticos. Dentre as técnicas utilizadas, o método de valoração contingente (CVM) é o mais tradicional mas na última década, diversos economistas têm se voltado para novas abordagens evoluídas das áreas de marketing e transportes. Esses métodos, classificados como de análise conjunta (conjoint analysis) que podem ser, ainda, subdivididos em rating contingent e ranking contingent, são o estudo desse trabalho. O objetivo principal foi comparar os resultados, obtidos por um mesmo conjunto de observações, para as principais estatísticas referentes a precisão dos métodos, quando sujeitas a várias formas funcionais de utilidade, distintos graus de preferência ambiental dos consumidores e diferentes métodos de estimação. Além disso, é apresentada uma síntese crítica dos métodos em análise e os procedimentos metodológicos para o desenvolvimento e aplicação dos mesmos. Para a realização dessa análise, primeiramente foram definidos coeficientes para as utilidades dos bens – ambiental, não ambiental e monetário. Posteriormente, fez-se uso da técnica de Monte Carlo para a simulação da situação/problema e, ao final, foram utilizados os modelos de variável dependente discreta (probit ou logit ordenados) para a estimação final dos parâmetros definidos ex-ante. Constatou-se que o uso do modelo logit ordered para a estimação dos verdadeiros parâmetros mostrou-se mais preciso para a estimação dos coeficientes do que o uso do probit ordenado. Dentre as técnicas em análise, o método de valoração denominado rating contingente apresentou melhores resultados do que o ranking. No que tange às formas funcionais da utilidade e preferências dos consumidores, não foi possível constatar uma relação entre a qualidade das estimativas e a forma funcional. Foi possível, ainda, verificar que os métodos rating e ranking contingente estão bem fundamentados na teoria microeconômica, contudo, verifica-se a dificuldade de se encontrar um valor econômico total a todas as situações que envolvem bens ambientais, pois existem dificuldades a serem vencidas, não especificas aos métodos de valoração mas comum à economia ambiental. / The difficulties in giving monetary values on natural services and goods comes from valuing the non-use of them. Although the use value of environmental resources can be appropriated from the market that indicates the consumer preferences, the non-use value can only be appropriated through the hypothetic market. The contingent valuation method (CVM) is the most traditional of the techniques in use, but in the last decade, some economists have directed themselves toward new approaches in the marketing and transport areas. The goal of this work are the methods classified as conjoint analysis, which may be separated into rating contingent and ranking contingent. The main objective is the analysis of the statistics to compare the precision of the methods when submitted to different utility function forms, distinct levels of environmental preferences and diverse estimation methods. It presents, also, a synthesis of the analyzed methods and the methodological procedure to the development and application of the methods. The execution of that work was defined ex-ante the coefficients for the utilities of the goods – being monetary, environmental and non-environmental. Later it was necessary the use of Monte Carlo Method to simulate the situation that was posteriorly solved – being the coefficients estimated - with the use of discrete dependent variable models – ordered probit and ordered logit. Ordered logit model showed to be the most precise in estimating real parameters than ordered probit. The rating contingent get the best results when compared to the ranking contingent. It was not possible to get a good relation between the goods estimates and the functional form of consumer preference. In closing, it was possible to verify that the rating and ranking contingent methods have basis in the microeconomic theory although the difficulties into getting the total economic value of ambiental sources was cleared, as the problems aren´t specified to the methods studied but are general to the environmental economy.

This thesis concentrates on The Financial Analysis of Company XYZ. The thesis can be divided into two parts - theoretical and practical. The theoretical part is conncened with usually used financial analysis methods. Practical part focuses on the practical use of the methods on the company XYZ between years 2004 and 2009. In this thesis you can find recommendations for company XYZ and graphic presentation of the results realised financial analysis.

Sequence similarity searching is commonly used to help clarify the biochemical and physiological features of newly discovered genes or proteins. An efficient similarity search relies on the choice of tools and their associated subprograms and numerous parameter settings. To assist researchers in selecting optimal programs and parameter settings for efficient sequence similarity searches, the web-based expert system, Smart Sequence Similarity Search (S4) was developed.