Data centres and other infrastructures in the field of information technology suffer from the major issue of ‘server sprawl’, a term used to depict the situation wherein a number of servers consume resources inefficiently, when compared to the business value of outcome obtained from them. Consolidation of servers, rather than dedicating whole servers to individual applications, optimizes the usage of hardware resources, and virtualization achieves this by allowing multiple servers to share a single hardware platform. Server virtualization is facilitated by the usage of hypervisors, among which Xen is widely preferred because of its dual virtualization modes, virtual machine migration support and scalability. This research work involves an analysis of the CPU scheduling algorithms incorporated into Xen, on the basis of the algorithm’s performance in different workload scenarios. In addition to performance evaluation, the results obtained lay emphasis on the importance of compute intensive or I/O intensive domain handling capacity of a hypervisor’s CPU scheduling algorithm in virtualized server environments. Based on this knowledge, the selection of CPU scheduler in a hypervisor can be aligned with the requirements of the hosted applications. A new credit-based VCPU scheduling scheme is proposed, in which the credits remaining for each VCPU after every accounting period plays a significant role in the scheduling decision. The proposed scheduling strategy allows those VCPUs of I/O intensive domains to supersede others, in order to favour the reduction of I/O bound domain response times and the subsequent bottleneck in the CPU run queue. Though a small percentage of context switch overhead is introduced, the results indicate substantial improvement of I/O handling and fairness in re-source allocation between the host and guest domains.

The diploma thesis deals consolidation of subsidiaries with particular interest in a foreign currency and loss of control. The thesis id divided into 5 parts. The first part defines importance of the consolidated financial statements for the users, summarizes the basic terms and provides standards that deal with consolidated financial statements. Second part defines the obligation to prepare consolidated financial statements, determining the degree of influence, the exemtion from consolidation for investment companies and the consolidation of subsidiaries acquired for resale. The third chapter contains a basic definition of full consolidation method and theory is demonstrated on a complex example focusing on intra-group transactions and non-controlling interests. The fourth part deals with the issue of foreign currency. There are describe the basic term from area foreign currency and the procedure for determining the functional currency. After that there are described two types of exchange differences and swown in a smaller examples. The last chapter deals with the problem lost of control and theory is again explained by the smaller examples including the reclassification of other comprehensive income. It gives also example on deconsolidation of foreign subsidiary. The whole work contains comment, as this issue is solved according to Czech accounting legislation.

This thesis presents an empirical investigation of the role of competition in determining (1) bidder firm behaviour in, and (2) the resulting valuation effects of, corporate takeovers. The study is based on the most comprehensive sample currently available of interfirm tender offers for publicly traded U. S. target firms during the period 1971-1990. Corporate takeover contests differ in complex ways with respect to the asymmetric information and bargaining environment, distributions of bidder reservation values and target share ownership, and information acquisition costs. There is substantial theoretical work examining the strategic role of the choice of payment method, bidder elimination and target management resistance, and of particular interest in this thesis, pre-bid acquisition of target shares ("toehold") and its impact on the subsequent tender offer price. Despite a voluminous empirical literature on corporate acquisitions, systematic evidence on the extent and role of bidder toeholds on bidding strategies is sparse. While the toehold has been shown to be prevalent in takeover contests, the extant empirical literature contains few results pointing to the strategic role suggested by theory. The lack of statistical significance may reflect a combination of small samples, weak experimental design, and biases in estimation. This thesis remedies the small sample problem by examining more than 1350 takeover contests in the U. S. from 1971 to 1990. The experimental design is improved by including a larger set of sample controls, and addressing the bias issue by estimating a set of equations which simultaneously determines the toehold and the takeover premium. The wealth effects of takeover contests are estimated as a function of toeholds, the number of bids/bidders, the outcome of the bid, and the target management response. Other empirical issues, including the effect of toeholds on the probability of target management resistance and emergence of a second bid in the contest, are also examined. Finally, a new econometric technique is developed for simultaneously estimating event probabilities and conditional expected event returns in order to determine whether entering the takeover auction, and responding to rival bids for the target shares, on average enhances the wealth of the initial bidders' shareholders. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

The complexities of integrating companies, through mergers or acquisitions, are immense and challenging for the leaders involved in the process who are responsible not only for the integration but also for the attainment of the intended objectives. The implications has the potential for far reaching consequences for the leaders themselves, shareholders and employees. However, as much as half of mergers and acquisitions concluded fail to achieve their stated objectives (Stahl, 2004; Bijlsma-Frankema, 2004; Deutch & West, 2010; Sher, 2012). The purpose of this exploratory research study is to establish how the success rate of these mergers and acquisitions could be improved. The focus of the research is on the post-merger / post-acquisition integration process which should not only ensure that the financial objectives of the integrated entity are met but also to ensure the retainment of critical talent. The role leadership plays in the process will also be looked into as leaders play a pivotal role in establishing organisational cultures and therefore accountable for the success / failure of the post-merger integration process. A practical post integration application model will be developed to aid the improvement of the success rate of future post-merger / acquisition integrations. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / zkgibs2015 / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / Unrestricted

A indústria de mineração gera uma vasta quantidade de rejeitos que são comumente depositados em reservatórios ou lagoas de contenção. Para dimensionar adequadamente estas construções, quando o rejeito é altamente compressível, é necessário estudar as características de consolidação deste material através de técnicas que contemplem grandes deformações. Este trabalho teve como objetivo implantar a técnica HCT (Hydraulic Consolidation Test) nos laboratórios do departamento de Geotecnia da EESC-USP e consolidar a utilização da técnica TDR (Time Domain Reflectometry). Também teve como objetivo avaliar o processo de consolidação de rejeitos argilosos contidos em uma barragem com o uso de técnicas de laboratório (HCT) e de campo (TDR). Nos ensaios de laboratório foi utilizada a técnica HCT, enquanto que em campo foi utilizada a técnica TDR. Em laboratório, realizaram-se ensaios com amostras coletadas na região do vertedouro e do canal de lançamento de rejeitos. Foram realizadas diversas análises com estas amostras utilizando a técnica HCT, tendo como resultado uma pequena variação nos parâmetros de consolidação obtidos. Através destes parâmetros foi calculada a curva de compressibilidade de laboratório. A técnica TDR fez uso de uma sonda desenvolvida especialmente para este fim, sendo realizada uma calibração previa em laboratório com o material da barragem. A técnica TDR apresentou, de forma instantânea, a estimativa do teor de umidade para as sondagens realizadas na barragem de rejeitos. Com os resultados da técnica TDR, os índices de vazios foram calculados por correlações e, por fim, calculadas as tensões efetivas atuantes em cada profundidade estudada, gerando uma curva de compressibilidade de campo. Pode-se então comparar as curvas de compressibilidade de laboratório e campo obtendo-se uma grande proximidade entre os valores. Conclui-se que ambas as técnicas são validas para avaliação do processo de consolidação de materiais moles em barragens de rejeitos. / The mining industry generates a large amount of tailing, which is usually placed in tailing dams. To properly design these constructions, when the tailing is highly compressible, it is necessary to study the consolidation characteristics of this material by means of techniques that consider large deformations. This study aimed to establish the technique HCT (Hydraulic Consolidation Test) in the laboratories of the department of Geotechnical Engineering, EESC-USP and consolidate the use of the technique TDR (Time Domain Reflectometry). This research work also aimed to evaluate the process of consolidation of clayey tailings through laboratory and field tests. For laboratory tests it was used the Hydraulic Consolidation Test (HCT) whereas field tests used the Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) technique. The laboratory tests were carried out with samples collected in the spillway and next to the discharge spigot. Several analyses were performed using the HCT technique. The analysis results showed very little variations in the consolidation parameter values. The compressibility curve was determined using these consolidation parameters. The TDR tests were carried out using a probe specifically designed for this purpose. Laboratory calibration was performed with samples collected in the dam. One advantage of the TDR technique is to provide in real time estimates of the soil water content. With the water content profiles provided by the TDR technique, void ratio and effective stress profiles were determined using correlations obtained in laboratory, enabling to find a field compressibility curve. Then, the laboratory and field compressibility curves were compared, showing them very close to each other. It was concluded that both techniques are valid for evaluating the process of consolidation of soft materials in tailings dams.

Cannabinoid receptors (CBR) are the most abundant G-protein coupled receptors in the mammalian brain with the highest densities within the cerebellum (Herkenham et al., 1990). Cannabinoid manipulations have been reported to cause deficits in cerebellar-dependent learning (Kishimoto and Kano, 2006; Skosnik et al., 2007; Steinmetz and Freeman, 2010; 2013). Cannabinoid receptors-1 (CB1R) have been hypothesized to be important in the establishment of long-term depression within the cerebellar cortex (Levenes et al., 1998; Safo and Regehr, 2005). However, all investigations in vivo have used global manipulations and have not attempted to localize or characterize these receptors during cerebellar-dependent learning. Chapter 2 systematically examined localization within the cerebellar cortex of cannabinoid effects on eyeblink conditioning, a type of cerebellum-dependent learning. Local infusions into a specific portion of the cerebellar cortex, the eyeblink conditioning microzone, resulted in deficits in learning similar to systemic injections. Additionally, infusions of cannabinoids into the eyeblink conditioning microzone, and no other parts of the cerebellar cortex or deep nuclei, were responsible for the deficits. Finally, tetrode recordings were made in Purkinje cells while receiving either CBR agonist or vehicle injections prior to training. Fewer Purkinje cells exhibited learning-related decreases in activity when the rat was administered a CBR agonist as compared to when it was injected with the vehicle. The CBR administered Purkinje cells also showed earlier onsets and smaller amplitudes in their learning-related activity. Purkinje cells that show a learning-related increase in activity were not affected by cannabinoid administration. The impairment in Purkinje cell plasticity was not observed after the rats reached asymptotic levels of learning. These results indicate that CBR agonist administration disrupts the induction of plasticity within the cerebellar cortex and this may account for the behavioral deficit in eyeblink conditioning. Chapter 3 examined whether infusions of the CBR agonist into the cerebellar cortex impaired forebrain-dependent learning as well as forebrain-independent associative learning. Similar to subcutaneous injections, forebrain-dependent trace eyeblink conditioning was unimpaired, whereas forebrain independent delay eyeblink conditioning was impaired. These findings provide evidence that plasticity mechanisms that are modulated by cannabinoids do not play a significant role in trace eyeblink conditioning. Finally, in Chapter 4 the role of CBRs and endocannabinoids during memory consolidation were examined. CBR and endocannabinoid manipulations prior to training resulted in impaired eyeblink conditioning. However, a CBR agonist or a drug increasing endocannabinoid levels resulted in enhanced consolidation when administered 1 hour post-training. In contrast, a CBR antagonist or an endocannabinoid decreasing drug resulted in impairments 1 hour post-training. Thus, CBRs and endocannabinoids appear to be important in learning and consolidation of cerebellar-dependent learning.

The master's thesis deals with issues in financial statements' consolidation of ArcelorMittal Ostrava a.s. company. The thesis describes important terms and methods related to consolidated financial statements. Given theoretical background is utilized also in practical part, which focuses on a possible change of the consolidation method while assuming a share purchase. Afterwards, there are new consolidated financial statements proposed and impacts, how particular changes of the consolidation method affect financial situation of the concern.

The Diploma Thesis is focused on consolidated financial statements, which specifies propose of consolidation rules of chosen group of companies via the analysis of current status of group of companies joined by a capital. The Diploma Thesis contains the basic characteristics of consolidated financial statements, analysis of current status and proposal of consolidation rules for chosen group of companies. It concern the group of companies, which fulfil conditions for mandatory assembling of consolidated accounts, but are not assembling such consolidated accounts yet.

This master's thesis deals with the methodology for Enlargement of Consolidated Group. The national regulation gradually takes over several terms contained in International Financial Reporting Standards, but there are still a few differences between these systems. The definition of consolidation under IFRS and other related regulations is considerably more complex and handle the situations that are neglected in Czech legislation. Theoretical part is oriented on the given issue both from the point of view of IFRS and Czech legislation.

L’objectif de cette thèse est d’examiner le rôle joué par les élites stratégiques du régime de Z.A. Ben Ali dans son fonctionnement, sa chute puis sa transformation. En prenant appui sur l’analyse des relations intersectorielles et inter-élitaires qui structurent le régime autoritaire contesté en 2011, il nous a été possible de rendre compte de l’activité de ces acteurs en période de crise politique. Le résultat en est une configuration révolutionnaire originale : la chute du régime de Ben Ali s’est déroulée en l’absence de crise de régime avant le départ du chef. À son tour, ce changement de régime vient modifier les institutions et la place des élites sectorielles qui ordonnent le nouveau système politique. La transition politique est marquée par une rapide « élitisation » de la crise et par une continuité des caractéristiques sociales des agents, malgré un remarquable bouleversement institutionnel.