Laparoscopic liver surgery is complicated due to the structure of this organ with open sinusoids. A serious disadvantage is the risk of gas embolism (GE) due to CO2 pneumoperitoneum. CO2 can enter the vascular system through a wounded vein. A common opinion is that gas fluxes along a pressure gradient, e.g. CVP-intra abdominal pressure (IAP). The occurrence of GE could also be eased by entrainment, a ‘Venturi-like’ effect, due to cyclic differences in thoracic pressure and blood flow caused by mechanical ventilation at normal frequency. The aims of these studies were to survey, in a porcine model, the influence on respiratory and haemodynamic variables by GE, to determine at what frequency, severity and duration GE occurs during laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) and whether there are methods to influence the occurrence or severity of GE. Pulmonary and circulatory variables were monitored and measured as well as continuous blood gas monitoring. Transoesophageal echocardiogram was used to identify GE and, according to the amount of bubbles in the right outflow tract of the heart, GE was graded as 0, 1 and 2. Pneumoperitoneum was created by using CO2and IAP was set to 16 mm Hg. A single bolus dose of CO2 influenced respiratory and haemodynamic variables for at least 4 h. During LLR GE occurred in 65-70% of the animals, of which the more serious caused negative influence on cardiopulmonary variables. Elevated PEEP (15 cm H2O) increased CVP but GE occurred irrespective if CVP was lower than or exceeded IAP. In two last studies, a hepatic vein was cut and left open for 3 m before it was clipped. Interestingly, no signs of GE were seen despite an open vein and IAP > CVP in 8 of 20 animals. In the last study high frequency jet ventilation was used in order to minimise the risk of entrainment. The duration of GE was shortened. The occurrence of GE seemed to be influenced by several different factors. The physiological reaction of a GE is impossible to predict for a specific patient, and depends among other factors on comorbidity, and amount, site and entrance rate of GE.

A well-crafted, locally adapted customer value proposition (CVP) can aid businesses in attaining loyal customers. The main purpose of this research is to determine the key value components that should be considered for the development of a CVP, for free-floating car sharing services in the Nordic region. This is done by establishing the relationship between deductively identified value components, perceived value, satisfaction, trust, and loyalty.  A research framework is proposed, where the relationships between the different constructs are hypothesised. Quantitative data is collected from existing car sharing users in the Nordic countries, through a self-administered online questionnaire, distributed through a non-probability sampling method. The empirical data is analysed through multiple regression analysis using the software SPSS, and the extension “PROCESS”, as well as additional analysis techniques to ensure data quality. The research findings indicate that perceived convenience, need fit, and a low service price positively impact both perceived value, as well as satisfaction. Satisfaction shows a stronger, positive effect on loyalty than that of perceived value, yet, loyalty is better explained when both constructs are accounted for. Additionally, trust shows to carry a mediating effect between both satisfaction and loyalty, as well as between perceived value and loyalty. Therefore, firms operating within this context should emphasise the customer needs to provide a service which is perceived as affordable and convenient. Finally, efforts should be taken to reduce uncertainty, and promote trust between the service providers, and their users.

In an abundance of industries, production lines and facilities, a correct indoor climate is an integral part to ensure the quality of the products and also very important for its occupants. To ensure a high quality air climate it is not enough to control the air temperature, air humidity is of at least equal importance. Most heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC), are based on multiple treatment steps that each change both temperature and humidity. Due to the correlation between the temperature and relative humidity this results in system control difficulties, and unnecessary realignments to achieve the desired outputs. The novel Shortest path enthalpy change system (SPEC), developed by AirWaterGreen (AWG) with Controlled vapor pressure technology (CVP), aims to eliminate these problems. This is done by utilizing a method that may achieve the desired air quality with only one conditioning step, transferring heat and humidity simultaneously to or from the air. To validate this technology the work of this thesis is focused on producing a viable simulator model with verification, performed by comparing to a prototype system with the same technology. By verifying the simulator, it is also possible to continue development of the system by implementing system controllers within the Simulink environment. This provides the opportunity to ultimately obtain a highly efficient HVAC system with accurate setpoint control. In addition, the possibility of optimizing system dimensions is also investigated to allow for specific case configurations. The results show that high simulator accuracy is achievable, leading to a high confidence in the results, and showing that a PID or even proportional feedback controller is able to realize satisfactory system control. The optimization of dimensions shows that parallel computing is a fast way to reduce the amount of possible configurations that satisfy specific criteria. To support further development of the control and optimization of the system and ultimately hardware implementation, this thesis suggests points of interest for future work. These points include the improvement of ancillary simulator systems and further development of the pads physical equations, to increase the accuracy of process simulations, and the continued development of more complex controllers as well as their hardware implementation. Lastly, while focus of this thesis has been on the development of a functioning and controllable system, an important addition would be a study on the energy usage of the system and identifying points of interest for decreasing the total energy used from the system.

The development and complexity of the e-commerce sector has increased the demand forcompanies to grasp and develop their business models, as well their credit risk managementfunctions, in order be profitable and create value. This thesis examines how credit riskmanagement can be integrated in a business model, in terms of a customer value proposition,profit formula, key processes and key resources. Theories about business models state that abusiness model should give a holistic view of the company and how it operates. Features for asuccessful model should include functions that create value and increase competitiveness, as wellas generating valuable cost and risk structures to ensure the company’s profitability. The empiricaldata was collected through interviews and secondary data at Klarna, a company that operates withpayment solutions in the e-commerce, a market where the risk of credit losses is high and to haveproper credit risk functions is a necessity. The result revealed that credit risk management is afundamental part of a business model in the e-commerce, since effective credit risk managementfunctions ensure that the elements of a business model are functional and complement each other.The study further found that there are certain prominent functions in each one of the four elementsthat enable the integration of credit risk management in the business model.

Submitted by Erika Demachki (erikademachki@gmail.com) on 2015-01-29T17:22:50Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Dissertação - Viviane de Mendonça Fiaia Costa - 2013.pdf: 2823749 bytes, checksum: ecfd680ce08bcf98dfe51f08f6e6d2d2 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Erika Demachki (erikademachki@gmail.com) on 2015-01-29T17:44:58Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Dissertação - Viviane de Mendonça Fiaia Costa - 2013.pdf: 2823749 bytes, checksum: ecfd680ce08bcf98dfe51f08f6e6d2d2 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2015-01-29T17:44:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Dissertação - Viviane de Mendonça Fiaia Costa - 2013.pdf: 2823749 bytes, checksum: ecfd680ce08bcf98dfe51f08f6e6d2d2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-04-27 / The digital piano is an instrument that has been increasingly used in the musicalization process, instrument practice, and performance. As every instrument has a peculiar technique, the digital piano also offers possibilities in musical interpretation. In the context of teaching piano in group, we investigated the possibilities that the digital clavinova piano CVP 401, instrument used in the piano laboratory at UFG, offers to the musical interpretation. Therefore, the aim of this research is to study the possibilities that the digital piano offers for musical interpretation in this context. For this purpose, three musical pieces of three different music styles were taught: classic, romantic, and Brazilian dance (samba), for piano students in groups, presenting technical tools for distinction in articulation and phrasing for each style in order to evaluate the end result sound. The results are discussed based on the concept of interpretation and musical style of Thurston Dart (2000), Nikolaus Harnoncourt (1998 ), Muniz Sodré (1998) and Carlos Sandroni (2008) technical knowledge of the mechanism of the digital piano used, assessment of four renowned pianists, and the researcher’s experience and knowledge in using the acustic piano and the digital piano. As a result of this work, the digital clavinova CVP 401 offers a potential for different interpretation styles, but with limitations regarding the level of repertoire and the reverberation of harmonics. / O piano digital é um instrumento que vem sendo cada vez mais utilizado no processo de musicalização, prática do instrumento, e performance. Como todo instrumento possui uma técnica peculiar, o piano digital também oferece possibilidades na interpretação musical. Dentro do contexto do ensino de piano em grupo, investigamos as possibilidades que o piano digital clavinova CVP 401, instrumento utilizado no laboratório de piano em grupo da UFG, oferece para a interpretação musical. Para isso ensinamos três peças de três estilos musicais, clássico, romântico e dança brasileira (samba), para alunos de piano em grupo, apresentando ferramentas técnicas para distinção de articulação e fraseado referentes a cada estilo com o intuito de avaliarmos os resultados sonoros. Discutimos tais resultados tendo como fundamentação o conceito de interpretação e estilo musical conforme Thurston Dart (2000), Nikolaus Harnoncourt (1998), Muniz Sodré (1998) e Carlos Sandroni (2008), o conhecimento técnico sobre o mecanismo do piano digital utilizado, a avaliação de quatro pianistas renomados e as experiências e conhecimentos da utilização do piano acústico e piano digital desta pesquisadora. Como resultado desse trabalho, o piano digital clavinova CVP 401 oferece uma potencialidade para interpretação de estilos diferenciados, mas com limitações no que concerne ao nível do repertório e a reverberação de harmônicos.

Cette thèse de doctorat porte sur la description analytique des phénomènes acoustophorétiques, en solutions et suspensions. L'acoustophorèse est la création d'un champ électrique par une onde acoustique.La première partie porte sur les solutions d'électrolytes, et est basée sur l'analyse critique de la littérature. A partir des différents articles, un modèle original, basé sur la résolution des équations de la dynamique pour les ions est trouvé, lequel permet la prédiction, sans paramètres ajustables, de l'acoustophorèse des sels simples pour des solutions allant de très diluées à assez concentrées. Ce modèle est ensuite étendu aux cas de solutions avec trois espèces ioniques différentes, et un programme informatique calculant l'acoustophorèse en fonction de la concentration est en annexe. Une seconde extension est faite pour les liquides ioniques, et permet de déduire le volume des ions. Des tentatives d'extension du modèle sont faites pour les micelles et les colloïdes, en précisant les écueils. Une deuxième approche, basée sur la thermodynamique irréversible et les relations de réciprocité d'Onsager, est faite dans le cas des suspensions colloïdales. Les principaux résultats sont la proportionnalité entre l'acoustophorèse et la mobilité électrique des colloïdes, et donc l'applicabilité de cette technique à la caractérisation des suspensions, y compris concentrées ; le lien rigoureux entre l'acoustophorèse et son corollaire, la création d'une onde acoustique et son champ électrique ; enfin une procédure pour séparer le signal des colloïdes du signal de l'électrolyte support dans l'acoustophorèse des suspensions réelles. / This Ph.D. thesis is on the analytical description of acoustophoretic phenomena, in solutions and suspensions. Acoustophoresis is the creation of an electric field by an acoustic wave.First part is on electrolytic solutions, and it begins by a critical review of literature, from Debye first paper to a recent Ph.D. thesis on the same subject. Hypotheses are carefully selected, and a new model is deduced. This model, using pressure, friction, electric, inertia and corrective force, allows the prediction of acoustophoresis up to 0,3 molar for a simple salt, without any fitting parameter. An extension to solutions with three ionic species is done, and a Fortran program to compute the acoustophoresis as a function of the concentration is given in annex. Extension of the model, in the case of ionic liquid, allows the measurement of the volume of ions. A brief point is done on micellar and colloidal suspensions. A second part is on the application of non-equilibrium thermodynamic, especially Onsager reciprocal relation, to the acoustophoresis of suspensions. Acoustophoresis is shown to be proportional to the electric mobility, which allows the measurement of the latter in dark and concentrated suspensions. A link between acoustophoresis and the creation of acoustic wave by an electric field is also found, and a process to isolate contributions of colloids in real suspensions, with a supporting electrolyte, is proposed.

This master's thesis investigates the impact of unbalanced variability on lead time using a simulation-based optimization approach. Based on the hypothesis, variation of service time has a strong effect on lead time. It has also been hypothesized that placing the high variable station, in terms of CVp, at the end of the line will increase lead time. To evaluate these hypotheses, Fact Analyzer Simulation Software version beta7 was used to simulate and optimize two different models. First, the effect of an imbalanced line in terms of service time on total lead time in a simple production line hypothetical model was investigated. In the second part of this master thesis, a real health care model was adopted from Frandsen and Engqvist’s project at Skaraborg Hospital (SkaS). By optimizing this model, using NSGA_II Algorithms, the effect of variance and mean of service time on lead time variance and mean were evaluated and compared. As a result of both the hypothetical and health care models, the total lead time will not decrease by reducing the variance of service time, indicating that the hypothesis should be rejected.    Keywords: service time, CVp, lead time, imbalanced, variability, mean lead time, variance lead time, waiting time, variability