A considerable amount of knowledge exists for planning, designing, and implementing rural water supply schemes in developing countries around the world. Generic decision support systems (DSS) and techniques are used to tackle the daunting task of providing water in areas that have poor water resources and limited financial capacity. However, there is a lack of site-specific DSS that utilise local hydrological and socio-economic data for assessing regionally-based rural water supply schemes. In the Nilgiris District of South India, an organizational structure exists for improving local water resources through watershed management projects, but many of the tools used to make informed decisions are ineffective, leading to poorly designed systems. Developing a DSS that uses models applicable to the local conditions, minimizes the need for gathering complex data, and incorporates non-technical factors into the computer algorithms, would greatly improve the process for selecting rural water supply sources in the Nilgiris District. Organising the selection process into a user-friendly computer program would not only benefit the social and economic status of the villages, but also improve the environmental condition of the watershed area. As a result of the need for an improved organizational structure for rural water supply, a prototype DSS called NRWS (Nilgiris Rural Water Supply) was developed in this research. NRWS aids in the process of identifying key issues in selecting sustainable water sources, and systematically guides the user through various methodologies to quantify the potential water sources. The shell of NRWS is developed through Microsoft® Excel using the Visual Basic for Applications programming language. A user-friendly interface directs the user through the program functions by a network of links and forms. The DSS is divided into six modules that represent different criteria used to evaluate potential water sources: water source yield, capital costs, cost and ease of operation and maintenance, impact of development, political and legal constraints, and water quality. The criteria are organized in a decision matrix that provides a total score and rank for each potential water source. There are many different sources that can be used to supply water for domestic use, but only five are considered for NRWS due to their popularity within the Nilgiris District: rooftop rainwater harvesting, check dams, reservoirs, springs, and dug wells. The development of simulation models within the water source yield module for the rainwater harvesting and check dam sources involved gathering local hydrological data. An extensive database of precipitation data was developed for the Nilgiris District, including 19 rain gauge stations spread evenly across the district. It was discovered that three distinct precipitation regions exist which are influenced to a different degree by the dominant northeast and southwest monsoon periods. As such, point precipitation data for villages throughout the district were calculated based on their location within one of the three regions. The methodology used for developing streamflow was analyzing the baseflow recession constant during the dry season. Since it is only during the dry season that streamflow is significantly reduced, the critical factor is assessing the rate at which flow decreases. A general application of the rooftop rainwater harvesting simulation was applied to ten villages throughout the Nilgiris Distract. One important discovery was that the village of Masinigudi, which lies in a rain shadow and receives the lowest level of annual rainfall in the district, performed to the same level as villages with a high annual rainfall. Since the region surrounding Masinigudi is deprived of water sources such as mountain streams and dug wells, rainwater harvesting may be a feasible and economically viable solution. Next, the entire DSS was applied to a specific case in the Emerald Valley village within the Red Hill micro-watershed. Three sources were considered including rainwater harvesting, check dam, and reservoir. After completing the DSS and viewing the decision matrix, it was found that the check dam source was the most feasible source to implement. The significant factors influencing the decision were a low capital cost and higher water quality level. Water resources rely on a fine ecological balance to ensure a sustainable supply is available to future generations. Over the past fifty years, this balance has not been achieved in India with water resources showing rapid signs of depletion. The total renewable freshwater available in India dropped from 5277 m3/person/year in 1951 to 1342 m3/person/year in 2000: where a condition of scarcity is considered to be below one-thousand m3/person/year (Lal, 2002). The government should play a central role in developing effective management tools that promote better decision-making in meeting the basic water needs of the people, while ensuring the longevity of India’s water resources. As more strain is placed on river systems due to increased demand and industrial uses, coordinated activities are crucial to understanding the real impacts and developing a proactive plan for sustainability. The development of NRWS will hopefully provide an organizational structure that enables decision-makers to understand the impacts associated with different actions related to local water resources. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

In the present work the effect of isothermal ageing treatment on the microstructure and on the localized corrosion resistance of a duplex stainless steel (DSS) was investigated. Specimens taken from a hot rolled cylindrical duplex stainless bar with 22% Cr grade were solution annealed at 1050&deg / C and then sensitization heat treatments were conducted at 650, 725 and 800&deg / C with duration ranging from 100 to 31622 min. The microstructural changes were examined by the light optical microscopy (LOM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). XRD technique and EDS analysis were used for microstructural evolution. Double Loop Electrochemical Potentiodynamic Reactivation (DLEPR) and standard weight loss immersion acid tests were performed in order to determine the degree of sensitization (DOS) to intergranular corrosion. The surfaces remained after the DLEPR test and the weight loss immersion test were also examined to observe the attack locations and their relationship with the chromium depleted zones. The degree of sensitization is measured by determining the ratio of the maximum current generated by the reactivation (reverse) scan to that of the anodic (forward) scan, (Ir/Ia) x 100. Ir is very small (less than 10-5 A/cm2) for solution annealed samples at 1050&deg / C for 1 hr and those aged at 650&deg / C for 100 and 316 min after the solution heat treatment, with the Ir/Ia ratios of 0.027634%, 0.033428% and 0.058928% respectively. Hence these samples were considered as unsensitized and their microstructure was composed of primary ferrite and austenite. However, Ir increased to values as high as 10-2 A/cm2 and even approached Ia for all samples aged for other temperatures and times, associated with high Ir/Ia ratios. The increased degree of sensitization can be attributed to stronger effect of chromium and molybdenum depleted areas. The microstructure was composed of primary ferrite and austenite including also sigma phase and the secondary austenite that would be responsible for the localized chromium impoverishment. The time required for sensitization was shorter in samples aged at higher temperatures. Accordingly ageing times of 1000 min at 725&deg / C and of 316 min at 800&deg / C were sufficient, whereas times longer than 10000 min was needed to achieve a sensitized structure at 650&deg / C.

This thesis is dealing with using of simulation modeling as a support for decision making in different control level. Theoretic analysis of that problem covers and summarized information about modeling and simulation as well as importance of knowledge of simulation models and systems for decision making provision. Case study which illustrates possibilities using of Arena simulation software for needs decision making on operative control level and a software product Powersim Studio for needs higher control levels is a part of this thesis. Simulations were performed with particular software models and their results were summarized and evaluated by a selecting method of specific variant of solution.

This thesis is an investigation of the effects of whole beans, with different levels of phenolics level, on colonic inflammation in mice. C57BL/6 male mice were fed a basal diet (BD) supplemented with or without 20% bean flour for 3 weeks. Colitis was induced by 2% dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) in mice drinking water. Phenolic determinations of the bean flours revealed that within each pair of beans, the darker bean had higher phenolic content and antioxidant activity compared to the lighter one. In addition, only coloured beans had anthocyanin. When bean were consumed both prior to and during DSS cycle, the mice experienced both disease attention and aggravation. However, when bean consumption was limited to prior to DSS induction only, mice had reduced colitis upon later DSS induction. Overall, findings suggest that the effects of bean may differ depending on the timing of consumption. / Agriculture and Agri-Food of Canada, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs

The inherent nature of distributed acoustic sensing technology is a direct result of two key components: optical fiber and the speed of light. Because the speed of light is constant and optical fiber is an isolated medium, combining the two creates a mechanism insulated from environmental interference that effectively “moves” at the speed of light. This process is most visible in the telecommunications industry where the technology transports large amounts of data over significant distances at very high speeds. The same factors that make optical fiber excellent for transporting data (high speed and low environmental interference) also make the technology very applicable for precise measuring applications. Because optical fiber is insulated, a change to the fiber will have a pronounced (measurable) effect. These measurable effects manifest themselves as changes in the amount of light that is reflected within the optical fiber. This change in reflected light can be measured and quantified to indicate both the specific location along the fiber where the change in reflection occurred and the magnitude of the change in reflection. Knowing both the location of the affected area and the extent to which the reflection changed allows for precise measuring and subsequently, educated inferences about what caused the changes initially. The ability of optical fiber to detect changes at myriad intervals over long distances has particular appeal for functions involving remote and hard to get to environments. Both of these conditions are inherent to the petroleum industry and provide substantial incentive for investigating DAS for oilfield applications.

Orientador: Luiz Claudio Di Stasi / Resumo: A Doença Inflamatória Intestinal (DII) é uma doença com etiologia desconhecida e sem terapêutica curativa disponível, englobando, fundamentalmente, duas doenças distintas: a Doença de Crohn (DC) e a Retocolite Ulcerativa (RCU), ambas caracterizadas por uma inflamação crônica do intestino, com períodos de exacerbação seguidos de intervalos prolongados com remissão dos sintomas, cujo tratamento com os fármacos disponíveis apresentam sérios efeitos colaterais. Portanto, o desenvolvimento de novas estratégias de tratamento que combinem eficácia e segurança é uma importante meta na terapia da DII. Produtos de origem natural, especialmente oriundos de fontes vegetais com propriedades de modificar a microbiota intestinal têm sido amplamente estudados como agentes preventivos e/ou curativo destas doenças, visto que a manipulação da microbiota intestinal tem se mostrado como uma estratégia importante na manutenção da homeostase colônica. Neste contexto, muitos frutos de origem tropical, com ampla utilização pela população e ricos em fibras e/ou componentes que ativos como antioxidantes e/ou anti-inflamatórios podem representar uma nova estratégia complementar para a prevenção ou cura da DII. Dentre eles se destacam os frutos das espécies Theobroma grandiflorum (cupuaçu) e Musa spp AAA (banana nanica), ricos em fibras alimentares e compostos fenólicos, os quais são potencialmente benéficos no tratamento e prevenção da DII. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos de uma d... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Doutor

Sustainable Supply Chain Management has become a topic of increased importance within the research domain. There is a greater need than ever before for companies to be able to assess and make informed decisions about their sustainability in the Supply Chains. There is a proliferation of research about its understanding and how to implement it in practice. This is mainly since sustainability has been assessed from various disciplines, organizational industries and organizational functional silos . There is a lack of comprehension, unified definition and appropriate implementation of Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM), leading to failure in decision making for sustainability implementation within supply chains. The proposed research identifies the research gaps through the novel application of Systematic Literature Network Analysis (SLNA) to SSCM literature. In doing so, methods including Systematic Literature Review (SLR), Citation Network Analysis (CNA) and Citation Network Mapping of literature have been used to identify definitions, KPIs, barriers and drivers of SSCM from the literature. Furthermore, a combination of methods from Text Mining and Content Analysis has been used to identify KPIs, barriers and drivers from sustainability reports of top global manufacturing companies, to better understand the practices of organizations for SSCM. The consolidation of the findings from literature and practice led to the development of an SSCM Performance Evaluation Framework built on multiple methods. A 4-level hierarchical model has been developed by classifying the identified KPIs into Economic, Environment and Social as well as considering the key decision areas including tactical, strategic and operational. Furthermore, a rigorous data collection process was conducted among supply chain and sustainability managers from top global manufacturing firms and leading academicians in the field, assessing the identified SSCM KPIs. The collected data were analyzed through novel application of hybrid Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) methods, which includes Values Focused Thinking (VFT), Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchical Process (FAHP), Fuzzy Technique of Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (FTOPSIS) and Total Interpretive Structural Modelling (TISM), for prioritizing and modelling of interdependencies, interactions and weightages among SSCM KPIs. The results obtained were subsequently used to develop a Decision Support System (DSS) that allows managers to evaluate their sustainability by identifying problem areas and yielding guidance on the KPIS and most important areas to focus on for SSCM implementation. The application of DSS has been demonstrated in the context of a case company. From a theoretical development point of view, a Tree perspective framework contributing to the ecological Theory of Sustainability has been proposed through the identification of the most influential organizational theories, and how they interrelate with each other. Overall, the proposed research provides a holistic perspective of SSCM that incorporates the various aspects of organizations, relevant organizational theories and perspectives of academics and practitioners together. The proposed DSS may act as a guiding tool for managers and practitioners for SSCM implementation in companies.

Title: The Turkish Get-Up with a kettlebell from the point of view of developmental kinesiology Objectives: In the last couple of years the TGU has again entered the consciousness of the sporting public not just in the Czech Republic. Despite this there do not exist many studies that evaluate the effects of this exercise. It is a complex exercise, similar to the development line, during which one ascends from a lying down on the ground to a stan- ding position while holding a weight. This is why I chose tests for DSS. Postural muscle function develops vigorously during the first year of life. This is why the tests chosen are ones that evaluate the quality of the manner of connection and evaluate the function of the muscle during stabilization. The objective of this thesis is to confirm or overturn the statement that the TGU (Turkish Get-Up) positively affects the deep stabilizing system (DSS). The evaluation of data acquired will therefore provide the conclusion, whether the exercising of the TGU has a positive effect on the DSS. Methods: 8 people (4 women and 4 men) between the ages of 22-32 years participated in the stu- dy. They participated in a 6 week programme, exercising the TGU twice a week, 10 repetitions per exercise unit. Women used a kettlebell of 4 kg weight, men used a kettle- bell of...

Abstract For the past few years, electronics manufacturing may have been the victim of its own success. Unlike in heavier industries, rationalization is a concept that was unknown in the sector until only a few years ago and even now, many companies are struggling with cost-cutting measures. Production systems in electronics manufacturing need to be highly flexible because of a varying and evolving environment. Therefore real-time process control and, possibly as a result, production optimization are extremely challenging areas. Traditional approaches often do not work due to a lack of robustness or reliability. For this reason, a new generation of decision support systems is needed in response to some specific problems. The thesis addresses topics such as design of intelligent interfaces for knowledge acquisition and elicitation, use of that knowledge for improved data analysis and diagnostics, real-time feedback control, self-tuning capabilities, and evaluation of optimization methods in discrete processes. Topics covered therefore include the whole scope of a decision support system, from its design through to the evaluation of its performance as well as interaction capabilities as a vehicle for sharing information. The aim of this research is to streamline the development of a new generation of decision support systems by providing tools and methods for a better integration of knowledge in an evolving environment. The main interest lies not only in improved data analysis, but also in better formalization and use of diagnosis. Case studies presented in this thesis demonstrate the practical feasibility of such an approach.

The development and use of web-enabled tools for watershed modeling and decision-making have gained popularity lately with the increase in internet speed and accessibility. Most of the web-enabled tools available today address the watershed problems related to a narrow discipline like hydrology, or ecology etc. This thesis presents the work done in the development of a web-enabled integrated system, named WebL2W, which can address watershed problems in a more holistic approach. WebL2W integrates models from hydrology, economics, and biology in a single shell. The integration is performed using GIS as a common platform for database and interface management. A user accesses the system over the web and chooses pre-selected land development patterns to create a 'what if' scenario. The hydrologic model simulates effects of the scenario on annual runoff volume, flood peaks of various return periods, and ground water recharge. The economics model evaluates the changes in land value, tax revenue, and government expenditures as a result of the new land development scenario. The biology model evaluates effects of new land uses to fish habitats in the watershed. The design of the system is based on current software engineering practices such as object oriented programming (OOP) and relational database management system (RDBMS). The implementation uses the Visual Basic programming environment and Active Server Pages. / Master of Science