In the literature on B2C logistics of e-commerce, the two main delivery methods - home delivery and delivery to collection-delivery points (CDPs) - have rarely been compared with respect to their environmental effects. This is the case despite a growing e-commerce and the fact that the logistic part of the transportation sector stands for a great amount of the pollution in urban areas. In this report, the two delivery methods have been compared to each other with respect to their environmental impacts through a custom-made network impact model, including simulation using vehicle routing problems (VRPs) and a cross-nested logit model. The results show that one delivery method's advantage over the other (only regarding emissions) is strongly dependent on the distance to the distribution center (DC), the customer density, the density of CDPs and the demographics of that area. Home deliveries proved to be more sensitive to the customer density factor and the distance to the DC than CDP deliveries. / I litteraturen om e-handelslogistik har de två huvudsakliga leveransmetoderna -- hemleverans och leverans till utlämningsställe (CDP) -- sällan jämförts med avseende på deras miljöeffekter. Detta trots en växande e-handel och faktumet att logistikdelen av transportsektorn står för en stor del av föroreningarna i städer. I denna rapport har de två leveransmetoderna jämförts med avseende på deras miljöpåverkan genom en skräddarsydd modell, som bygger dels på simulering med hjälp av ruttplaneringsproblem (VRP) och dels på en korsnästad logitmodell (CNL). Resultaten visar att vilken leveransmetod som presterar bäst (räknat utifrån lägst utsläpp), är starkt beroende av avståndet till distributionscentret (DC), kundtätheten, tätheten av utlämningsställen och områdets demografi. Hemleveranser visade sig vara mer känsliga för kundtätheten och avståndet till distributionscentret än leveranser via utlämningsställe.

Syfte – Studiens syfte var att utveckla KDI-metoden till att även inkludera egentillverkade artiklar. För att kunna uppfylla syftet har det brutits ned i tre frågeställningar: Vilka data och analysverktyg i KDI-metoden berör egentillverkade artiklar? Vilka verktyg bör tillkomma i fas två för att kunna analysera egentillverkade artiklar? Vilken ytterligare data bör tillkomma i fas ett för att kunna inkludera egentillverkade artiklar? Metod – Tillvägagångssättet för studien innefattade en litteraturstudie, en fallstudie samt en analytisk konceptuell ansats. För att besvara den första frågeställningen genomfördes fallstudien innehållande intervjuer, observationer samt dokumentstudier på fallföretaget Kinnarps, Skillingaryd. Insamlad data tolkades och analyserades i förhållande till ett teoretiskt ramverk som genererade ett resultat. För att besvara den andra och tredje frågeställningen genomfördes en analytisk konceptuell ansats utifrån tidigare framtagna teorier som senare sammanställdes i en modell. Resultat – Steg ett till fyra i fas ett samt steg sju och åtta i fas två i KDI-metoden berör egentillverkade artiklar. En modell för inkludering av egentillverkade artiklar skapades där det framgår vilka analysverktyg samt data som bör undersökas. De verktyg som tagits fram baseras på teorier kring bland annat värdeflödeskartläggning, materialhantering och modell för make-or-buy beslut. Utifrån dessa verktyg kunde det tolkas vilka data som bör tillkomma för egentillverkade artiklar. Implikationer – I denna studie framgår det att ingen ny litteratur har upprättats utan kombinationer av redan existerande teorier presenteras. Teorin kring KDI-metoden skulle kunna förändras utifrån det sidoresultat som presenteras i examensarbetets sjunde kapitel. Verksamheter som applicerar KDT-metoden skulle kunna öka kunskapen för KDT och därmed förbättra verksamheten internt. Metoden hjälper även till vid analys för både externa och interna flöden. Begränsningar – KDI-metoden är i nuläget relativt ny och ej testad utanför det kontext som den är utformad för. Detta har resulterat i att författarna ej har kunnat styrka denna litteratur utifrån andra forskare. Fokus har legat på att finna teorier till kunddriven tillverkning kring värdeflödeskartläggning, materialhantering med mera. Önskvärt hade varit att genomföra ytterligare litteraturstudier för att finna lämpliga utvecklingsområden. Nyckelord – KDI-metoden, materialhantering, SWOT-analys, försörjningskedja, värdeflödeskartläggning, produktionslayout. / Purpose – The purpose of the study was to develop the CDP-method to include also manufacturing items. In order to help answering the purpose, three questions have been defined: Which data and analytical tools in the CDP-method affect manufactured items? Which tools should be added in the second phase in order to analyse manufactured items? Which additional data should be included in the first phase in order to include manufactured items? Method – The procedure for the study contain a literature study, case study and an analytical conceptual approach. In order to answer the first question, a case study was performed with interviews, observations and document studies at Kinnarps, Skillingaryd. The received data were interpret and analysed in relation to the theoretical framework that generated a result. In order to answer the second and third question, an analytical conceptual approach were conducted from previous theories that later was compiled in a model. Findings – Step one to four in the first phase and step seven and eight in the second phase of the CDP-method affect manufactured items. A model for included manufactured items has been created where analytical tools and data are presented that should be investigated. The tools that are introduced are based on theories within value stream mapping, material handling and a model for make-or-buy-decision. Based on these tools, it could be interpreted which data that should be created for manufactured items. Implications – It appears in this study that no new literature has been created but combinations of already existed theories are presented. The theory within the CDP- method could be changed from results that were founded when the CDP-method was applied at the case company. This is presented in the bachelor thesis seventh chapter. Companies that apply the CDM-method could increase the knowledge for customer driven manufacturing and improve the company internally. The method also assists when analysing both external and internal flows. Limitations – Today the CDP-method is relative new and not applied outside the context that it is designed for. One result of this is that the authors have not confirmed these literatures by other researcher. The focus has been to find theories to customer driven manufacturing within value stream mapping material handling and so on. It would have been desirable if additional literature studies could be performed in order to find appropriate development areas. Keywords – CDP-method, material handling, SWOT-analysis, supply chain, make- or-buy analysis, value stream mapping, production layout, total cost of ownership.

Although spinal cord injury (SCI) is a debilitating condition that presents a large socioeconomic problem in the United States, there is currently no treatment that reliably reduces morbidity and mortality. Current research is aimed at identifying mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of SCI and using this knowledge to develop rational treatments. We have observed plasma membrane compromise in the acute (within 10 minutes), sub-acute (3 days), and chronic phases (5 weeks) in a rat model of contusion SCI and postulate that it negatively affects neurological outcome. Holes/tears in the plasma membrane were assessed with a dye exclusion assay, in which a fluorescent cell-impermeant dye was injected into the cerebrospinal fluid prior to sacrifice; therefore, cellular uptake of the dye is indicative of plasma membrane compromise. As early as 10 minutes after SCI, widespread uptake of permeability markers was evident in neuronal cell bodies as well as axonal projections. The number of permeable cells and the size of the membrane breaches (measured by using permeability markers of various sizes) varied with distance from the injury site, with larger disruptions located closer to the epicenter. Greater cellular uptake was observed when the impact force was increased (200 > 150 > 100 kdyn > sham). At longer time points (3 days and 5 weeks), substantial permeability marker uptake was observed in axons but not in cell bodies. Cells with increased permeability displayed a variety of pathomorphological alterations, including swelling, blebbing, retraction bulb formation, neurofilament loss, and fragmentation, suggesting that increased plasma membrane permeability is detrimental to cell survival and function. We therefore investigated a clinically-relevant treatment strategy designed to restore plasma membrane integrity. Animals were treated with citicoline, a molecule utilized in the endogenous synthesis of phosphatidylcholine (the major membrane component in mammalian cells). Citicoline has been shown to be beneficial in numerous studies of neurological disease, improving overall outcome by increasing phospholipid synthesis and attenuating phospholipid destruction (by reducing phospholipase A2 activity). However, these mechanisms have not been explored in a model of SCI. When compared to injured animals receiving vehicle (saline) injections, citicoline treatment after SCI did not have a statistically significant effect on cytoplasmic PLA2 activity (at 24h post-injury), the density of permeable axons (at 3 days post-injury), or the lesion volume (at 3 days post-injury). Since citicoline may improve neurological outcome after SCI through mechanisms we did not directly assess, we then conducted a longer-term study to evaluate the overall efficacy of citicoline treatment in terms of longer-term functional and histological consequences. Citicoline did not have a biologically significant effect on behavioral recovery (evaluated during open field locomotion, grid walk and hyperalgesia testing weekly for up to 5 weeks post-injury) or lesion volume (at 5 weeks post-injury). The lack of citicoline-mediated effect may be attributed to experimental parameters (e.g., dosing or sensitivity of outcome measures) or biological inefficacy. Although we were not able to demonstrate that citicoline improves outcome after SCI, the finding that plasma membrane damage occurs in a persistent fashion and is associated with pathophysiological cellular alterations may provide fundamental knowledge necessary for developing treatments targeted at membrane repair. Future work examining the complex mechanisms causing prolonged membrane damage after SCI and evaluating strategies for manipulating these pathways (potentially using citicoline in combination with other pharmacological agents) may lead to a clinically effective therapy.

Concrete has for decades been one of the main materials used to construct important structuressuch as dams and bridges. However, after years of service, the concrete structuresstart deteriorating and signs of damages start showing on the structure. The inspectionof such structures is compulsory to assess their state and plan repairing operations ifnecessary. The main inspection method has for long been field inspection, however, thismethod presents several problems, namely, the complexity to access some parts of thestructures and the subjectivity of the decisions. These difficulties make the operationtime-consuming and prone to error, thus a need for a new methodology that would benumerical and more automated.One of the damages that affect the carrying capacity the most in concrete structuresare surface-cracks. In this work, the focus is brought on this type of damage and a solutionfor the inspection methodology is presented and applied to a case study.The methodology first consists in using the photogrammetry technology, which allows theproduction of a 3D point cloud model of the structure by taking multiple pictures of it usingUAVs to facilitate access to its complex parts. From this point cloud, surface-openingcracks could be visualized and an orthoimage featuring the damages can be produced.Then, an image-based crack detection program will be used on the orthoimage to extractthe crack. From this, a program is developed to find the coordinates of the crack in thestructure and to process the model of the crack. Then a program is made to importthe crack model to a finite element software, and from there the extended finite elementmethod (XFEM) combined with the concrete damaged plasticity (CDP) method will beused to assess the carrying capacity of the structure and to study the evolution of itscrack pattern.The methodology was tested in a case study. In this case study, a steel-reinforced concretebeam was damaged and all of the methodology steps were applied. An adaptationto some steps was needed due to challenges raised by the test set-up.A three-point bending experience was carried out on the beam while recording the forceand displacement data and the crack pattern evolution. Numerically, this experience wasreproduced and relevant results were extracted and compared to the experimental ones.Differences in the carrying capacity were observed and multiple numerical analyses werecarried out to test the taken assumptions and detect the source of error. On the otherhand, for the crack pattern, satisfying results were achieved. Moreover, the degree of thedetailing in the crack model and its effect on the results is discussed.Globally, it can be concluded that the methodology can effectively in a numericalsemi-automated way capture the surface cracks in concrete structures and import theirmodel to a finite element software to apply analyses to assess the capacity of the damagedstructure and study the evolution of the cracks.This methodology could be further developed in the future by including more technologiessuch as lasergrammetry to make it go from a 2D surface-based damage analysis to a 3Danalysis. Moreover, criteria specialized for inspection and repairing purposes could becreated and implemented in the methodology.

<p>Phosphatidylinositol (PI) is a phospholipid that constitutes only a minor component of eukaryotic membranes. However, they are critical in many fundamental cellular processes, such as signal transduction pathways, vesicular trafficking and actin cytoskeletal dynamics. PI is highly enriched in specific acyl chains at both the <em>sn-1</em> and <em>sn-2</em> positions, the major species being 1-stearoyl-2-arachidonoyl. Enzymes required for PI synthesis are believed to play a major role in this enrichment through the selective catalysis of specific substrates. We have studied several aspects of two enzymes involved in PI synthesis, Diacylglycerol kinase ε (DGKε) and CDP-Diacylglycerol synthases (CDS). We have studied the role of the ATP-binding motif of DGKε and showed that this enzyme is not only required for enzymatic activity, but substrate specificity and sub-cellular localization. We have also looked at the region adjacent to the catalytic site, containing a cholesterol recognition motif, and determined that this also affects the enzymes activity and substrate specificity. Finally, we have characterized the enzymatic properties of two CDS isoforms <em>in vitro</em> and demonstrated that these isoforms exhibit different substrate specificities. Taken together, our results serve to further our understanding of both DGKε and CDS1/2 and their roles in PI synthesis and enrichment with specific acyl chains.</p> / Master of Science (MSc)

Eee PC的低價小筆記型電腦的銷售成功，小筆記型電腦衍然己被筆記型電腦廠商視為下一個藍海市場，以產品生命週期來看，Eee PC由萌芽期進入成長期，而早期辨出消費者中的創新使用者及早期採用者，在新產品發展階段有策略上的重要意義，本研究目的在進一步辨識出消費者及其使用習慣，讓市場行銷人員能選定目標市場及制定適當的行銷策略。 本研究以消費者決策歷程(Consumer Decision Process, CDP)為基礎，在配合科技接受理論TAM (Technology Acceptable Model)當中的有用知覺(Perceived Usefuless, PU) 及易用知覺 (Perceived Eas of Use, PEOU) 發展成本研究的研究架構，並以線上問卷便利取樣己購買Eee PC的消費者，以AIO生活型態做為Eee PC消費者使用者行為的市場區隔基礎，以市場區隔理論(Segmentation)及創新擴散理論將消費者予以區隔，利用因素分析、集群分析、變異數分析、卡方檢定及區別分析等統計方法做為分析方法的工具，試圖分辨出購買Eee PC的使用者並了解Eee PC購買者的使用習慣。 本研究經由實證分析得到了以下的發現: (1)Eee PC消費者具有創新者與早期使用者的特性 (2)依Eee PC消費者之購買行為資料分析，消費者最重視的產品屬性 為小巧方便攜帶及重量輕盈而非價格低廉。 (3)Eee PC消費者資訊搜尋對象以網站為主，但購買仍以實體通路為 主。 (4)Eee PC消費者購買用途以休閒娛樂及工作課業需要為主，不同族 群之間有有顯著差異。 (5)依人口統計變數來看，各族群在特徵上有所不同。 (6)依知覺程度來看，各族群在知覺程度上有所不同。 / The success of selling of ASUS’s Eee PC, the low-priced laptop, led Eee PC be taken as the next blue ocean for notebook manufactures. In the product life cycle of Eee PC, it has been changed from the introduction stage to growth stage. Early identification of the innovators and early adoptors is a strategical important meaning for new product development. The research is to identify the the consumers and their consuming habits, so that the marketing departments can select an ideal market segment and to employ effective marketing tactics. The research is based on the conceptual framework for the consumer decision process proposed by Kolter & Keller (2007) and combines the perspective from the Technology Acceptance Model proposed by Davis(1989) to identify the consumer of Eee PC and explores their satisfacation and how they use Eee PC. Finally, the research uses the traditional stastics tool to differentiate Eee PC buyers based on Psychology variables from AIO theory proposed by Plummer(1974) and segmentation theory proposed by Wind(1978). The research obtains the following findings: (1) Eee PC buyers can be distinguished as innovator and rearly adoptor. (2) According to the data analysis from Eee PC, the features that consumers highly concerned are easy and light for hand-carry instead of cheap price. (3) Eee PC buyers use internet to search information, but they buy Eee PC via the physical channel or stores (4) Eee PC buyers use Eee PC for entertainment and academic or job purpose. (5) As the point of view in demographic, two clusters are significance different. (6) As the point of view in perspective, two clusters are significance different.

This work shows and implements possibilities of OSI Layer-2 Network Topology Discovery based on information from Cisco Discovery Protocol, Spanning Tree Protocol and Switches' Filtering Databases. / Diese Arbeit zeigt und implementiert Möglichkeiten zur OSI Layer-2 Netzwerk Topologie Erkennung basierend auf Informationen des Cisco Discovery Protocol, Spanning Tree Protocol und Switch Filter Datenbanken.

Objective The aim of this study was to identify if there is any significant difference in dynamic postural stability after 3D Virtual Reality VR application on healthy adults. Methodology There were 11 healthy adults participants ( n=11 , 7 males, 4 females), with age average of 27 years. Pre-test and post-test procedures were performed by using NeuroCom, Smart Balance Master System, Sensory Organization Test SOT (Composite Equilibrium, Sensory Analysis of Somatosensory SOM, Visual VIS, Vestibular VEST, and Preference PREF) and Motor Control Test MCT (Weight Symmetry). Application of 3D Virtual Reality was provided by using Samsung Gear Goggles, with 5 minutes duration. Results There were no significant statistical differences in SOT Composite Equilibrium, Sensory Analysis of Somatosensory SOM, Visual VIS, Vestibular VEST, Preference PREF, and MCT Weight Symmetry results (p > 0.05) after the Virtual Reality application. Conclusion The application of Virtual Reality has no significant difference on dynamic postural stability in healthy adults from one session exposure. Further investigation and trials are needed to clarify the Virtual Reality effectiveness on dynamic postural stability of healthy adults. Keywords Postural Stability, Dynamic Postural stability, Balance, Computerized Dynamic...

This work shows and implements possibilities of OSI Layer-2 Network Topology Discovery based on information from Cisco Discovery Protocol, Spanning Tree Protocol and Switches' Filtering Databases. / Diese Arbeit zeigt und implementiert Möglichkeiten zur OSI Layer-2 Netzwerk Topologie Erkennung basierend auf Informationen des Cisco Discovery Protocol, Spanning Tree Protocol und Switch Filter Datenbanken.

Title: Evaluation of postural stability of athletes - a literature review Objectives: Thesis will address retrieval processing rating Dynamic Postural Stability of athletes . Compares analysis or results of research or investigations of different laborers working with this theme. It also mentions tests and machines used in clinical practice. It also investigates in what sports was postural stability tested and how or with what results. The most advanced, currently the most recognized dynamic posturography with impartial value is EquiTest device from NeuroCom. Therefore, the practical part focuses primarily on the results of examination of this device and make statistics about that. Methods: The diploma thesis has descriptive and analytical character. It is elaborate as a literary review . Results: The study includes 142 studies, of which only 11 concern the assessment of postural stability of athletes. Sports disciplines include tennis, football, baseball, tai-chi, taekwondo, gymnastics, basketball, softball. Entire EquiTest testing battery (which contains 7 test in total - Sensory Organization Test, Motor Coordination and Control Test, Adaptation Test, Unilateral Stance Test, Limits Of Stability Test, Rhytmics Weight Shift, Weight Bearing Squat) is almost never used in assessments although it's a...