Polyolefins are the most important commodity polymers today. Their end use properties polymers depend primarily on their molecular weight (MWD) and chemical composition (CCD) distributions. Several characterization techniques are used to analyze the microstructures of the polyolefins. High-temperature gel permeation chromatography (GPC) is the most widely used technique for MWD determination. Temperature rising elution fractionation (TREF) and crystallization analysis fractionation (CRYSTAF) are routinely used for CCD measurement. There have been significant improvements over the last few years on CCD characterization techniques for polyolefins with the introduction of crystallization elution fractionation (CEF) and high-temperature thermal gradient interaction chromatography (HT-TGIC). The main objective of this thesis was to conduct systematic studies on HT-TGIC and CEF to provide a better understanding on the separation mechanism of these new techniques and to find out operational conditions that enhance the resolution of the measured CCDs. The effects of cooling rate, adsorption/desorption temperature range, heating rate and sample size on HT-TGIC fractionation were investigated using polyethylene and ethylene/1-octene copolymers made with metallocene catalyst. It was found out that HT-TGIC was relatively insensitive to the cooling rate within the range investigated in this study. However, the obtained profiles depended strongly on the heating rate applied during the desorption cycle. Chromatograms measured under faster heating rates were broader and had lower resolutions, supposedly due to co-desorption effects. Analysis of polyolefin blends by HT-TGIC showed that sample volume was a very important parameter affecting peak separation of the blend components; reducing the volume of the injected sample can be used to minimize the degree of co-adsorption and co-desorption effects. The effect of solvent type on HT-TGIC analysis was investigated using o-dichlorobenzene (ODCB), 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (TCB), and chloronaphthalene (CN). Polyolefin blends were analyzed using these solvents and the best resolution was obtained iv when ODCB was used as the mobile phase. The profiles obtained using TCB and CN were similar and both were strongly affected by the co-adsorption and co-desorption phenomena. HT-TGIC profiles of ethylene homopolymers and ethylene/1-octene copolymers were also compared with the equivalent CEF profiles. Interestingly, it was found out that the differences between the profiles measured by these techniques decreased as the comonomer content increased, with CEF systematically measuring sharper profiles for samples with low 1-olefin comonomer content. A new method was also developed to quantify the degree of co-crystallization of polyolefin blends analyzed by CEF and was used to quantify operating conditions that influenced co-crystallization. The results showed that co-crystallization can be minimized using slower cooling rates, but heating rates play a less important role. A detailed study on the effect of CEF operating conditions on CCD resolution was also conducted using industrial LLDPE resins that have broad MWDs and CCDs. Cooling rate and solvent flow rate during the cooling cycle significantly affect the degree of co-crystallization of CEF profiles. However, varying the heating rate does not have a marked impact on these separations. The CEF profiles of these resins were compared with the equivalent HT-TGIC profiles, showing that CEF provided better peak separation than HT-TGIC. Finally, a new mathematical model was developed to simultaneously deconvolute the MWD and CCD of polyolefins made with multiple site-type catalysts such as Ziegler-Natta catalysts. The model was applied to several industrial linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) resins to estimate the minimum number of active site types, the number average molecular weight, the average comonomer mole fraction, and the mass fraction of soluble and non-soluble polymer made on each site type.

Polyolefins are the most important commodity polymers today. Their end use properties polymers depend primarily on their molecular weight (MWD) and chemical composition (CCD) distributions. Several characterization techniques are used to analyze the microstructures of the polyolefins. High-temperature gel permeation chromatography (GPC) is the most widely used technique for MWD determination. Temperature rising elution fractionation (TREF) and crystallization analysis fractionation (CRYSTAF) are routinely used for CCD measurement. There have been significant improvements over the last few years on CCD characterization techniques for polyolefins with the introduction of crystallization elution fractionation (CEF) and high-temperature thermal gradient interaction chromatography (HT-TGIC). The main objective of this thesis was to conduct systematic studies on HT-TGIC and CEF to provide a better understanding on the separation mechanism of these new techniques and to find out operational conditions that enhance the resolution of the measured CCDs. The effects of cooling rate, adsorption/desorption temperature range, heating rate and sample size on HT-TGIC fractionation were investigated using polyethylene and ethylene/1-octene copolymers made with metallocene catalyst. It was found out that HT-TGIC was relatively insensitive to the cooling rate within the range investigated in this study. However, the obtained profiles depended strongly on the heating rate applied during the desorption cycle. Chromatograms measured under faster heating rates were broader and had lower resolutions, supposedly due to co-desorption effects. Analysis of polyolefin blends by HT-TGIC showed that sample volume was a very important parameter affecting peak separation of the blend components; reducing the volume of the injected sample can be used to minimize the degree of co-adsorption and co-desorption effects. The effect of solvent type on HT-TGIC analysis was investigated using o-dichlorobenzene (ODCB), 1,2,4-trichlorobenzene (TCB), and chloronaphthalene (CN). Polyolefin blends were analyzed using these solvents and the best resolution was obtained iv when ODCB was used as the mobile phase. The profiles obtained using TCB and CN were similar and both were strongly affected by the co-adsorption and co-desorption phenomena. HT-TGIC profiles of ethylene homopolymers and ethylene/1-octene copolymers were also compared with the equivalent CEF profiles. Interestingly, it was found out that the differences between the profiles measured by these techniques decreased as the comonomer content increased, with CEF systematically measuring sharper profiles for samples with low 1-olefin comonomer content. A new method was also developed to quantify the degree of co-crystallization of polyolefin blends analyzed by CEF and was used to quantify operating conditions that influenced co-crystallization. The results showed that co-crystallization can be minimized using slower cooling rates, but heating rates play a less important role. A detailed study on the effect of CEF operating conditions on CCD resolution was also conducted using industrial LLDPE resins that have broad MWDs and CCDs. Cooling rate and solvent flow rate during the cooling cycle significantly affect the degree of co-crystallization of CEF profiles. However, varying the heating rate does not have a marked impact on these separations. The CEF profiles of these resins were compared with the equivalent HT-TGIC profiles, showing that CEF provided better peak separation than HT-TGIC. Finally, a new mathematical model was developed to simultaneously deconvolute the MWD and CCD of polyolefins made with multiple site-type catalysts such as Ziegler-Natta catalysts. The model was applied to several industrial linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) resins to estimate the minimum number of active site types, the number average molecular weight, the average comonomer mole fraction, and the mass fraction of soluble and non-soluble polymer made on each site type.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-12T15:08:06Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 arquivo1740_1.pdf: 241386 bytes, checksum: fc38e7bd18449a0daecf0ba8f05b5651 (MD5) license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2002 / Essa dissertação aborda o comportamento do franqueado no processo de decisão de compra de uma franquia, considerando-a como um produto, buscando identificar as motivações e as variáveis que influenciam o processo de decisão de compra de uma franquia. A natureza do estudo é exploratória/descritiva, onde abordagens de pesquisas qualitativa e quantitativa foram empregadas para a operacionalização dos objetivos. Inicialmente revisou-se a literatura sobre o franchising e o processo de decisão de compra, considerando a abordagem da franquia como produto. Para ter uma visão do processo de compra por parte do franqueado, entrevistas pessoais foram realizadas na fase qualitativa, junto a uma amostra de 15 franqueados. Para a etapa quantitativa, realizou-se um survey junto a uma amostra composta de 66 franqueados da região metropolitana do Recife. Com a aplicação de técnicas estatísticas multivariadas, identificou-se que nesse estudo as principais dimensões relacionadas ao processo de decisão de compra de uma franquia foram: Preço e Marca ; Realização e Segurança

Denna uppsats har haft examensarbetet “MPLS kontra traditionell IP-routing - enjämförelse av resursåtgång” av Sebastian Viking och Anton Öhlin som stöd. Derasarbete jämförde processoranvändning vid routing med, respektive utan, MPLS.Resultatet påvisade att MPLS gav högre processorbelastning gentemot traditionell IProuting,tvärtemot vad teorin för MPLS säger. På grund av uppenbara motsägelsermellan teori och praktik ämnade detta arbete skapa en hypotes som undersöks deduktivtmed målet att bekräfta dess utsaga: På grund av MPLS, respektive IP:s implementation iunderliggande hårdvaruarkitektur, kommer ingen märkbar skillnad iprocessorbelastning att uppvisas vid tester där en routers uppgift är att förmedla paket.Vi har därför återskapat deras tester för att verifiera äktheten i deras resultat. Resultetfrån våra egna tester visade ingen uppenbar olikhet mellan routingteknikerna IP medCEF, respektive MPLS. Presenterat resultat visar därmed på att hypotesen, som stöds avteknikernas teori, bevisats i praktiken från denna undersökning. / This paper was based on the thesis "MPLS kontra traditionell IP routing - enjämnförelse av resursåtgång" by Sebastian Viking and Anton Öhlin. Their workcompared the CPU usage when performing routing with, and without, MPLS. Theresults demonstrates that MPLS provides higher processor load over traditional IProuting, contrary to the theory of MPLS. Due to the apparent contradictions betweentheory and practice has this work intended to create a hypothesis examined deductivelywith the aim to confirm its statement: Because of MPLS, and IP's, implementation ofthe underlying hardware architecture should no noticeable difference in processor usagebe presentated at tests where a router's job is to convey the package. Therefore, we recreatedtheir tests to confirm the authenticity of their results. The results from the testsin this paper showed no significant difference between IP routing technologies withCEF, and MPLS. Presented results thus confirm the hypothesis supported by thetheories behind the techniques used.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-12T15:07:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 arquivo1493_1.pdf: 1660176 bytes, checksum: 69635433d38109df6c5268c5dd6af5d7 (MD5) license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005 / O objetivo central desta pesquisa foi compreender algumas facetas da aprendizagem profissional de gerentes gerais de agências da Caixa Econômica Federal da Região Metropolitana do Recife. As seguintes perguntas de pesquisa sobre os participantes ao longo de suas carreiras profissionais guiaram esta investigação: a) Qual o papel dos relacionamentos interpessoais para a aprendizagem dos gerentes gerais? b) Qual o papel de possíveis comunidades de prática formadas por gerentes gerais na aprendizagem desses profissionais? c) O que os gerentes gerais têm aprendido e tem sido decisivo para o desempenho de suas tarefas? Com o intuito de fundamentar a pesquisa, utilizou-se um arcabouço teórico que abrange temas como, aprendizagem situada, conteúdo da aprendizagem, comunidades de prática e relacionamentos interpessoais. Buscando descobrir as perspectivas dos respondentes sobre essas questões, foram selecionados dez gerentes gerais de agências da Caixa e um estudo de caso foi desenvolvido. O principal instrumento para coleta de dados foi a entrevista semi-estruturada, a qual foi conduzida com cada um dos profissionais pesquisados. A análise dos dados compreendeu a descrição e a interpretação de diferentes aspectos do fenômeno investigado. A partir dos dados obtidos, esta pesquisa concluiu que: 1) Os relacionamentos possibilitam que as pessoas aprendam umas com as outras e fornecem apoio de modo a facilitar a aprendizagem; 2) As comunidades de prática potencializam os efeitos benéficos dos relacionamentos para a aprendizagem; 3) O conteúdo da aprendizagem dos gerentes entrevistados estava compreendido entre as habilidades operacionais, habilidades relevantes à comunicação com as pessoas e questões referentes à sua conduta pessoal

A new analytical technique to measure the chemical composition distribution (CCD) of polyolefins, crystallization elution fractionation (CEF), was introduced in 2006 during the First International Conference on Polyolefin Characterization. CEF is a faster and higher resolution alternative to the previous polyolefin CCD analytical techniques such as temperature rising elution fractionation (TREF) and crystallization elution fractionation (CRYSTAF) (Monrabal et al., 2007). Crystallization elution fractionation is a liquid chromatography technique used to determine the CCD of polyolefins by combining a new separation procedure, dynamic crystallization, and TREF. In a typical CEF experiment, a polymer solution is loaded in the CEF column at high temperature, the polymer is allowed to crystallize by lowering the solution temperature, and then the precipitated polymer is eluted by a solvent flowing through the column as the temperature is raised. CEF needs to be calibrated to provide quantitative CCD results. A CEF calibration curve consists of a mathematical relationship between elution temperature determined by CEF and comonomer fraction in the copolymer that could be estimated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR). Different comonomer types in ethylene/α-olefin copolymers will have distinct calibration curves. The main objective of this thesis is to obtain CEF calibration curves for several different ethylene/α-olefin copolymers and to investigate which factors influence these calibration curves. A series of homogeneous ethylene/α-olefin copolymers (1-hexene, 1-octene and 1-dodecene) with different comonomer fractions were synthesized under controlled conditions to create CEF calibration standards. Their average chemical compositions were determined by 13C NMR and FTIR and then used to establish CEF calibration curves relating elution temperature and comonomer molar fraction in the copolymer.

The purpose of this study is to find out the required teacher competencies in the implementation of the Common European Framework (CEF) and the English Language Portfolio (ELP) and to explore the perceptions of teachers about their current and desired competencies defined by CEF and ELP. The required competencies for the teachers are defined in the book calledCommon European Framework of Reference for Languages. This book being a reference for the whole European Union countries, identifies required teacher competencies under four common European principles / a graduate profession, a profession placed within the context of lifelong learning, a mobile profession, a profession based on partnerships, and three key competencies / work with information, technology and knowledge, work with their fellow human beings &ndash / learners, colleagues and other partners in education, and work with and in society - at local, regional, national, European and broader global levels. A group of 40 teachers randomly selected at the Department of Basic English, School of Foreign Languages at the Middle East Technical University participated in this case study. A questionnaire about required teacher competencies in the implementation of the CEF and the English Language Portfolio was administrated to these teachers and the results were analyzed quantitatively and with the use of the descriptive and exploratory statistics. The findings obtained revealed that the teachers that participated in the questionnaire found themselves to be very competent in the required teacher competencies defined in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, however, they would like to have to be experts in these competencies and also they have found these competencies to be very important.

Substansrabatt för investmentbolag har sedan länge diskuterats inom företagsvärlden och forskningsvärlden. Substansrabattens bakomliggande faktorer är väldokumenterade och omdiskuterade men forskare är inte eniga om exakt vilka faktorer det är som driver investmentbolagets substansrabatt. En av de faktorer som visat sig ha en effekt på substansrabatten för investmentbolag är onoterat innehav och det är onoterat innehav som ligger till grund för vår uppsatts. Syftet med studien är att analyser sambandet mellan svenska investmentbolags substansrabatt och dess onoterade innehav genom att studera ekonomiska egenskaper för de onoterade bolagen som ingår i respektive investmentbolags innehav. Studien baserades på kvartalsvisa observationer för svenska investmentbolags nivå av substansrabatt, andel onoterat innehav, diversifiering av onoterat innehav och värdedrivande parametrar i respektive investmentbolags onoterade innehav. För att besvara studiens frågeställning använde vi oss av Pearson`s korrelationstest och linjära regressioner. Resultatet av studien påvisade att det finns ett positivt samband mellan investmentbolagens substansrabatt och andelen tillväxtbolag i det onoterade innehavet och att det finns ett negativt samband mellan lönsamhet i det onoterade innehavet och investmentbolagets substansrabatt. / The discount to NAV has been a debatable topic in the corporate world and the scientific field for a long period of time. Even though the underlying factors associated with the discount to NAV has been well documented and widely discussed, scientist remains divided on the topic. A factor that has been determined to have an effect on the discount to NAV is unquoted holdings which also is the starting point for this thesis. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the relationship between Swedish investment companies discount to NAV and the companies’ unquoted holdings by studying key performance indicators regarding the companies ‘unquoted holdings. The thesis was based on quarterly observations of the discount to NAV, the quota of unquoted holdings, level of diversification and financial key figures. To answer the hypothesis of the thesis we used Pearson`s test of correlation and linear regression. The thesis result indicates that there is a positive relationship between the discount to NAV and the quota of unquoted growth companies. The results also showed a negative relationship between profitability in unquoted holdings and the discount to NAV.

A new analytical technique to measure the chemical composition distribution (CCD) of polyolefins, crystallization elution fractionation (CEF), was introduced in 2006 during the First International Conference on Polyolefin Characterization. CEF is a faster and higher resolution alternative to the previous polyolefin CCD analytical techniques such as temperature rising elution fractionation (TREF) and crystallization elution fractionation (CRYSTAF) (Monrabal et al., 2007). Crystallization elution fractionation is a liquid chromatography technique used to determine the CCD of polyolefins by combining a new separation procedure, dynamic crystallization, and TREF. In a typical CEF experiment, a polymer solution is loaded in the CEF column at high temperature, the polymer is allowed to crystallize by lowering the solution temperature, and then the precipitated polymer is eluted by a solvent flowing through the column as the temperature is raised. CEF needs to be calibrated to provide quantitative CCD results. A CEF calibration curve consists of a mathematical relationship between elution temperature determined by CEF and comonomer fraction in the copolymer that could be estimated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR). Different comonomer types in ethylene/α-olefin copolymers will have distinct calibration curves. The main objective of this thesis is to obtain CEF calibration curves for several different ethylene/α-olefin copolymers and to investigate which factors influence these calibration curves. A series of homogeneous ethylene/α-olefin copolymers (1-hexene, 1-octene and 1-dodecene) with different comonomer fractions were synthesized under controlled conditions to create CEF calibration standards. Their average chemical compositions were determined by 13C NMR and FTIR and then used to establish CEF calibration curves relating elution temperature and comonomer molar fraction in the copolymer.

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Tecnologia, Departamento de Engenharia Elétrica, 2016. / Submitted by Camila Duarte (camiladias@bce.unb.br) on 2017-02-08T14:03:25Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2016_AlexMoreiradoPatrocínio.pdf: 12525561 bytes, checksum: 54fc7d3d4f41b7c4c4e02ca6f0e392fd (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Raquel Viana(raquelviana@bce.unb.br) on 2017-04-19T21:22:19Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2016_AlexMoreiradoPatrocínio.pdf: 12525561 bytes, checksum: 54fc7d3d4f41b7c4c4e02ca6f0e392fd (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-04-19T21:22:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2016_AlexMoreiradoPatrocínio.pdf: 12525561 bytes, checksum: 54fc7d3d4f41b7c4c4e02ca6f0e392fd (MD5) / Ao longo dos últimos anos, a Polícia Federal do Brasil (PF) vem concentrando esforços para elucidar crimes de fraudes bancárias praticados contra a empresa pública e instituição financeira da Caixa Econômica Federal (CAIXA). A elucidação desses crimes é uma atribuição da PF, prevista na Constituição Federal do Brasil em seu artigo 144 § 1º. A abordagem proposta neste trabalho, denominada Kraken, é aprimorar o modelo de investigação existente utilizando-se de grafos e da análise de vínculos para auxiliar às técnicas de investigação da PF. O Kraken trata, em específico, de investigações contra fraudes eletrônicas relativas a transferência de valores entre contas bancárias. Para aplicar a abordagem do Kraken, foi necessária a criação de um ferramental que processe toda a informação contida na Base Nacional de Fraudes Bancárias Eletrônicas (BNFBE) e a transforme em grafos conexos, que representem os atores e seus relacionamentos (vínculos) na ação delitiva desse tipo de fraude. Para a realização desse trabalho tivemos acesso a um conjunto dos dados da BNFBE. O objetivo desse ferramental é servir como uma Interface Gráfica (IG) para que o investigador Policial Federal possa verificar os resultados do processamento da abordagem do Kraken em um formato de tabela, onde cada registro represente um grafo referente a um conjunto de atores e vínculos envolvidos na ação delitiva. É na IG do Kraken que o Policial Federal consegue reordenar a tabela que contém as investigações/grafos em ordem decrescente de métricas objetivas, como: quantidade de vítimas, pessoas beneficiadas e valor total das fraudes existentes em cada grafo gerado pelo Kraken. A principal hipótese é que com o reordenamento dos grafos, baseado nessas métricas objetivas, possa-se priorizar as investigações criminais a serem analisadas pela PF. A IG permite selecionar um grafo específico da tabela para ser exportado e visualizado no Analyst´s Notebook da IBM. Com a abordagem do Kraken e sua IG, espera-se diminuir a necessidade de interferência humana (investigador policial) nos relatórios de análise dos crimes e, consequentemente, acelerar as investigações da PF. / Over the last few years the Federal Police of Brazil (PF) has concentrated efforts to elucidate crimes of bank fraud committed against Caixa Econômica Federal (CAIXA) a public company and financial institution. The elucidation of these crimes is an attribution of the PF, provided for in the Federal Constitution of Brazil in its article 144 § 1º. The approach presented in this work, denominated Kraken, proposes to improve the existing research model, using graphs and link analysis, to assist in the investigation techniques of the PF. Kraken deals in particular with investigations into electronic fraud involving transfer of securities between bank accounts. In order to apply Kraken's approach it was necessary to create a tool to process all the information contained in the National Electronic Banking Fraud Database (BNFBE) and to transform it into related graphs that represent the actors and their relationships (links) in the criminal act of this type of fraud. For this work we had access to a set of BNFBE data. The objective of this tool is to serve as a Graphic Interface (IG) so that the Federal Police investigator can verify the results of the processing of the Kraken approach in a table format, where each record represents a graph referring to a set of actors and movements involved in the crime scene. In Kraken's IG the Federal Police officer can rearrange the table containing the investigations / graphs in descending order of objective metrics such as: number of victims, persons who have profited from crime and total value of frauds in each graph generated by Kraken. The main hypothesis is that with the rearrangement of the graphs, based on these objective metrics, it is possible to prioritize the criminal investigations to be analyzed by the PF. The IG allows to select a specific graph of the table to be exported and viewed on IBM's Analyst's Notebook. With the approach of Kraken and its IG, it is hoped that the need for human interference (police investigator) will be reduced in the crime analysis reports and, consequently, further accelerate investigations in the PF.