Pavement smoothness has become a standard measure of pavement quality. Transportation agencies strive to build and maintain smoother pavements. Smooth roads provide comfort while riding, minimize vehicular wear and tear and increase pavement life. A user perceives smoothness of a pavement based on the ride quality, which is severely affected by presence of defects on pavement surface. Defects identified after construction are corrected as per smoothness specifications prescribed by respective transportation agencies. The effectiveness of any method used to determine defect locations depends on the decrease in roughness obtained on correction of defects. Following the above line of thought a method that detects defects by comparing original profile to a smoothened profile will be more effective in identifying defect locations that cause roughness in pavements. This research report proposes a methodology to detect defect locations on pavement surface using profile data collected on pavements. The approach presents a method of obtaining a smoothened profile from the original profile to help identify defect locations based on deviations of the original profile from the smoothened one. Defect areas will have a higher deviation from the smoothened profile as compared to smooth areas. The verification of the defects identified by this approach is carried out by determining the decrease in roughness after removal of the identified defects from profile. A roughness statistic is used to do the same. The approach is illustrated using profile data collected on in-service pavement sections.

Investments in R&D activities are essential to firms. Decisions to increase or decrease R&D investments may rely according to changes in macroeconomic factors. The purpose of this paper is: to examine how firms in the industries; manufacturing computers, electronics and optics and manufacturing electrical equipment, have increased or decreased their R&D investments, in conjunction with macro factors during the 2000s. The sample is 49 Swedish firms. This paper is based on quantitative firm-level panel data on R&D activity investments and aggregated quantitative macro-level data on macro factors. The firm-level panel data set has been put together completely from scratch, using collected and transformed raw data. Using a logistic regression model, the results show that macro factors do affect R&D investments on a micro-level, to some extent. Further, the results show that change in macro factors does to a greater extent, affect decreases in R&D investments than increases in R&D investments. The process of increase and decrease of R&D investment should be considered as two different dynamic processes. Increase and decrease do not follow the same pattern, thus a decrease of R&D investments is a more explicit decision than a decision to increase R&D investments.

Pavement smoothness has become a standard measure of pavement quality. Transportation agencies strive to build and maintain smoother pavements. Smooth roads provide comfort while riding, minimize vehicular wear and tear and increase pavement life. A user perceives smoothness of a pavement based on the ride quality, which is severely affected by presence of defects on pavement surface. Defects identified after construction are corrected as per smoothness specifications prescribed by respective transportation agencies. The effectiveness of any method used to determine defect locations depends on the decrease in roughness obtained on correction of defects. Following the above line of thought a method that detects defects by comparing original profile to a smoothened profile will be more effective in identifying defect locations that cause roughness in pavements. This research report proposes a methodology to detect defect locations on pavement surface using profile data collected on pavements. The approach presents a method of obtaining a smoothened profile from the original profile to help identify defect locations based on deviations of the original profile from the smoothened one. Defect areas will have a higher deviation from the smoothened profile as compared to smooth areas. The verification of the defects identified by this approach is carried out by determining the decrease in roughness after removal of the identified defects from profile. A roughness statistic is used to do the same. The approach is illustrated using profile data collected on in-service pavement sections.

Baigiamajame magistro darbe yra apžvelgti aviacinių degalų sąnaudų mažinimo būdai Lietuvos oro linijose. Apžvelgiama pasaulinė bei Lietuvos aviacijos rinka bei aviacinių degalų kainų didėjimo įtaka jai. Aviacinių degalų sąnaudų mažimo būdų paieška ir įvertinimas apima skrydžių planavimą, skrydžių vykdymą, techninę priežiūrą. Taip pat vertinama lenktų antsparnių sumontavimo lėktuvuose įtaka degalų sąnaudoms. Atliekami eksperimentiniai skaičiavimai atlikto darbo tikslingumui bei sąnaudų mažinimo būdų teikiamai naudai įvertinti. Darbą sudaro 6 dalys: įvadas, tyrimo objektas ir problemos aptarimas, analitinė-metodinė dalis, eksperimentinė-tiriamoji dalis, išvados ir siūlymai, literatūros sąrašas. Darbo apimtis – 73 p. teksto be priedų, 24 iliustr., 37 lent., 23 bibliografiniai šaltiniai. / In this concluding masters work was overlooked the means of decreasing expenditures in Lithuanian airlines. There is also given an overlook of World‘s and Lithuania‘s aviation markets and the impact of rising aviation fuel prices to them. The search and evaluation of means of decreasing aviation fuel expenditures involves areas of: flight planning, performing the flights and technical maintenance. The expected results on the fuel expenditures of mounting blended winglets is also assessed. Experimental calculations also evaluates influence and benefits of applying fuel saving means. This work consists of six parts: introduction, the reserch’s object and discussion of the problems, literary analysis, experiments and questionnaires, conclusions and suggestions, literary list. Thesis consist of: 73 p. text without appendixes, 24 pictures, 37 tables, 23 bibliographical entries.

The theme of my work is "Deficits and damages in the accounting and tax background in the selected retail, their management options." The aim of my work is to develop standards for the selected type of retail and possibilities of their use in specific conditions. In the theoretical part of the basic concepts are defined on the stocks in the retail and records, inventory, deficits, damages and natural decrease and reasons for their emergence and subsequent definition of deficits and damages from the accounting and tax perspective, legislation and regulations. In the practical part of the first chapter described the survey, evaluation and management agenda deficits, damages and natural decrease. The following chapter deals with the creation process for calculating and determining the subsequent percentage of withdrawals and natural decrease standards for specific retail. This chapter ends with discussions use these standards in practice.

Submitted by Bruno Alves Silva (bruno-alves85@hotmail.com) on 2018-03-09T03:49:48Z No. of bitstreams: 1 modelo tese .pdf: 800649 bytes, checksum: 2fda907f3035e22e2a929fbb1d961881 (MD5) / Rejected by Luciana Pizzani null (luciana@btu.unesp.br), reason: Necessário fazer as seguintes correções no arquivo submetido: problema 1: ficha catalográfica A ficha deve ser incluída no arquivo PDF logo após a folha de rosto do seu trabalho. A submissão deve ser feita em arquivo único em formato PDF. Assim que tiver efetuado a correção submeta o arquivo em PDF novamente. Agradecemos a compreensão. on 2018-03-09T11:39:13Z (GMT) / Submitted by Bruno Alves Silva (bruno-alves85@hotmail.com) on 2018-03-09T14:28:30Z No. of bitstreams: 1 modelo tese 090318.pdf: 830156 bytes, checksum: 9f398d00113918a6efa0118851bebbe4 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Pizzani null (luciana@btu.unesp.br) on 2018-03-09T20:34:16Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 silva_ba_me_bot.pdf: 830156 bytes, checksum: 9f398d00113918a6efa0118851bebbe4 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-03-09T20:34:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 silva_ba_me_bot.pdf: 830156 bytes, checksum: 9f398d00113918a6efa0118851bebbe4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-02-23 / A presença de albuminúria constitui fator prognóstico desfavorável nos pacientes diabéticos do tipo 1 e precede a elevação da PA de consultório em três anos. A monitorização ambulatorial de pressão arterial (MAPA) pode identificar a atenuação ou desaparecimento do descenso noturno, o que prediz o risco cardiovascular, independentemente da pressão arterial de 24 h. Entretanto, apenas um estudo avaliou o papel preditivo da atenuação do descenso noturno para o desenvolvimento da albuminúria no diabetes do tipo 1. Assim, o objetivo do corrente trabalho é de avaliar, em coorte brasileira, se o descenso noturno atenuado pode predizer o desenvolvimento de albuminúria no diabetes do tipo 1. Foi realizado estudo observacional prospectivo que visou avaliar o poder preditivo da ausência ou atenuação do descenso noturno em relação ao surgimento de albuminúria em pacientes diabéticos tipo 1 normoalbuminúricos. Os pacientes foram submetidos à MAPA e dosada a albuminúria por mais de 2 vezes. Ao cabo de um ano a albuminúria foi reavaliada. A frequência de evolução para albuminúria ente os pacientes com descenso noturno ausente/atenuado ou presente foi comparada pelo teste de Fisher. As médias de pressão arterial (PA) foram comparadas por teste "t" para amostras independentes. Foi realizada regressão linear para avaliar a associação entre descenso noturno e elevação da albuminúria no seguimento. O nível de significância foi estabelecido em 5 %. Foram avaliados 24 pacientes com idade de 24 ±8,2 anos, seis pacientes do sexo masculino. Seis pacientes tinham descenso noturno presente para PA sistólica (PAS) (média de PAS em 24 h: 119±7,5mmHg) destes, apenas um evoluiu para albuminúria. Dos 18 que tinham descenso noturno atenuado para PAS (média de PAS em 24 h: 122±8,4mmHg; p=0,36 em relação aos pacientes descenso noturno presente), 14 evoluíram para albuminúria (p=0,01). Em relação à PA diastólica (PAD), 12 pacientes tinham descenso noturno presente (média de PAD em 24 h: 72±5,2mmHg), destes, 6 evoluíram para albuminúria. Dos outros 12 que tinham descenso noturno ausente (média de PAD em 24 h: 74±5,6mmHg; p=0,31 em relação aos pacientes com descenso noturno presente), 9 evoluíram com microalbuminúria (p=0,40). A porcentagem de descenso noturno da PAS apresentou coeficiente de correlação com a variação da albuminúria de 0,40; p= 0,061. A porcentagem de descenso noturno da PAD apresentou coeficiente de correlação com a variação da albuminúria de 0,46; p=0,027. Em conclusão, a evolução para albuminúria associou-se à classificação descenso noturno atenuado para PAS, mesmo com PAS em 24 horas normal. Ou seja, a atenuação do descenso noturno para PAS precedeu o início da nefropatia diabética incipiente no diabetes do tipo 1. Estes resultados ressaltam a importância da realização da MAPA no momento do diagnóstico, e no seguimento, dos pacientes diabéticos tipo 1. / The presence of albuminuria constitutes an unfavorable prognosis in type 1 diabetic patients and precedes an increase in office BP in three years. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) can identify an attenuation or disappearance of noc-turnal descent, which predicts cardiovascular risk, regardless of blood pressure of 24 h. There is no type 1 diabetes. Thus, the objective of the current evaluation work, in a Brazilian cohort, whether the attenuated nocturnal decline may predict the devel-opment of albuminuria in type 1 diabetes. A prospective observational study was carried out to evaluate the predictive power of the absence or attenuation of the noc-turnal descent in relation to the appearance of albuminuria in type 1 diabetic normoalbuminuric patients. The patients were submitted to ABPM and dosed albu-minuria by more than 2 times. After one year and albuminuria for reassessment. The frequency of progression to albuminuria in patients with absent / attenuated or pre-sent nocturnal descent was compared by Fisher's test. Blood pressure (BP) averag-es were compared by "t" test for independent samples. Linear regression was per-formed to evaluate an association between nocturnal descent and elevated albumi-nuria at follow-up. The level of significance was set at 5%. Twenty-four patients, aged 24 ± 8.2 years, six male patients were evaluated. Six pa-tients had a nocturnal decrease in systolic BP (SBP) (mean SBP in 24 h: 119 ± 7.5 mmHg), only one had progressed to albuminuria. Of the 18 patients who had an at-tenuated nocturnal decrease in SBP (mean SBP at 24 h: 122 ± 8.4 mmHg, p = 0.36 in relation to the patients present at night), 14 developed albuminuria (p = 0.01). In relation to the diastolic BP (DBP), 12 patients had nocturnal decrease present (mean DBP in 24 h: 72 ± 5.2 mmHg), of these, 6 evolved into albuminuria. Of the 12 others who had a nocturnal descent absent (mean PAD at 24 h: 74 ± 5.6 mmHg, p = .31 compared to patients with nocturnal decrease), 9 developed microalbuminuria (p = 0.40). The percentage of nocturnal SBP decrease had a correlation coefficient with albuminuria variation of 0.40; p = 0.061. The percentage of nocturnal decrease in DBP presented a correlation coefficient with albuminuria variation of 0.46; p = 0.027. In conclusion, the progression to albuminuria was associated with an attenuated nocturnal descent for SBP, even with SBP at normal 24 hours. That is, attenuation of nocturnal descent into SBP preceded the onset of incipient diabetic nephropathy in type 1 diabetes. These results suggest that ABPM should be performed at the time of diagnosis and follow-up of type 1 diabetic patients.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:03:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 JulianaNB_DISSERT.pdf: 2108811 bytes, checksum: 64901769c8cad295e07db6f5d00d5314 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-09-22 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior / Wetlands systems are considered nowadays as a treatment method that uses simple, easy operation and low cost technology, which has been used in various parts of the world and also in Brazil. Used alone or as a complement to other types of treatment systems, once it effectively removes nutrients, pathogens and other pollutants in the water. Due to the high complexity found in wetlands, making it difficult to predict the response of the system to treat wastewater, one should consider as ideal to base the sizing of the wetland system over the necessary removal of this parameter instead of scaling it from empiricism. The study was conducted to determine the coefficient of bacterial decrease in the Wetland unit located at Ponta Negra Station Sewage Treatment, located in Natal, the coastal region of Rio Grande do Norte. The most representative model to determine the bacterial decrease in this system was the one from Chick for hydraulic piston system. Kb of 0.37 d-1 were found for the flow rate of 15m?/d, while for the system operating at maximum design flow, 30m?/d, the Kb of 0.98 d-1 was found / Os sistemas Wetlands -alagados constru?dos- s?o considerados atualmente como um m?todo de tratamento que utiliza tecnologia simples, de f?cil opera??o e custo baixo, que tem sido utilizado em v?rias partes do mundo, bem como no Brasil. Utilizado isoladamente ou como complemento de outros tipos de sistemas de tratamento, uma vez que remove eficientemente nutrientes, outros poluentes e pat?genos presentes na ?gua. Devido ? alta complexidade encontrada nos alagados constru?dos, dificultando a previs?o da resposta do sistema ao tratar efluentes, deve-se considerar como ideal basear o dimensionamento do sistema wetland em rela??o a necess?ria remo??o deste par?metro ao inv?s de dimension?-lo a partir de empirismo. Foi realizado o estudo para a determina??o do coeficiente de decaimento bacteriano na unidade Wetland localizada na Esta??o de Tratamento de Esgotos Ponta Negra, situado na cidade de Natal, regi?o litor?nea do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte. O modelo mais representativo para determinar o decaimento bacteriano neste sistema foi o de Chick para regime hidr?ulico em pist?o. Foram encontrados Kb de 0,37 d-1 para vaz?o 15m?/d. J? para o sistema funcionando a vaz?o m?xima de projeto, 30m?/d, obteve-se o Kb de 0,98 d-1

This master thesis deals with methods of stocktaking in various enterprises. The aim of the thesis is to describe methods of inventory taking, to define basic problems and to provide recommendations to solve them. In the introductory of the theoretical part the characteristics of stocktaking, its preparation are described. Secondly the main specifics of conducting inventory taking (regular stocktaking, cash audit, and partial stocktaking) and interception of stocktaking differences in accounting and tax impacts are recounted. The application part consists of research via questionnaire and the aims were to pick out the general problems and to compare them with the recommendations in professional literature. The analysis indicates that the especially small companies underestimate the preparation of stocktaking and that the strenuousness of inventory taking rises with the size of a company. As the complementary method the interview in two companies was chosen, generally speaking the results affirms the results of questionnaire research.

The South African higher education sector is currently facing many challenges. Factors such as a decrease in government funding, mergers and student unrest compel higher education institutions to apply effective strategies for funding and recruitment of quality students. Higher education institutions are forced to focus on restructuring and repositioning themselves, build a strong brand, communicate their image and to sustain their position in order to ensure a competitive advantage. In order to be locally relevant and globally competitive, higher education institutions need to become more marketing-oriented. In a restricted financial environment, higher education institutions will have to assess and reassess marketing strategies aimed at attracting quality first year students. A proper assessment of the importance of the choice factors students consider when selecting a higher education institution as well as the usefulness of the information sources they consider, will enable institutions to allocate funds, time and resources more efficiently and effectively. A quantitative study with a self-administrated questionnaire was used to allow students to complete the questionnaire during class lectures. Non-probability convenience sampling was used and a sample of 1241 students responded from six higher education institutions: the University of Pretoria, Tshwane University of Technology, University of Johannesburg, University of the Free State, University of Kwa–Zulu Natal and the North-West University. The sample consisted of 64 percent females and 36 percent male students. The ethnic orientation distribution was as follows: 46 percent Caucasian, 41 percent Black African, 9 percent Indian, 3 percent Coloured and 1 percent students of other ethnic groups. The main goal of this study was to investigate the relevant importance of the choice factors, as well as the usefulness of the information sources, that first year Economic and Management Sciences students at selected higher education institutions in South Africa considered when they decided to enrol at a specific higher education institution. The findings indicated that some choice factors were more important to students than others, as well as the fact that students from different gender groups, ethnic groups, language groups and institutions differed in the importance they attached to the choice factors. The top ten choice factors respondents regarded as important in the selection of a higher education institution are: quality of teaching, employment prospects (possible job opportunities), campus safety and security, academic facilities (libraries and laboratories), international links (study and job opportunities), language policy, image of higher education institution, flexible study mode (evening classes and use of computers), academic reputation (prestige), and a wide choice of subjects/courses. The findings also revealed that information sources directly from a higher education institution, such as open days and campus visits, university publications and websites are the most useful to students, while information from mass media such as radio, television, magazines and newspaper advertisements are not as useful. The findings give marketing educators an indication of the importance of choice factors considered by prospective students in selecting a higher education institution, and enable higher education institutions to use their limited funds more efficiently to attract quality students, create a unique position and gain a competitive advantage. Based on the usefulness of information sources and the importance of choice factors considered, student focused marketing communication can be developed. This should aid students to make more informed decisions about the higher education institution they wish to attend. The study also add to existing theory in the fields of services marketing, higher education marketing and consumer behaviour, especially the field of outlet selection, as the institution can be viewed as the outlet for buying education. Information obtained from this study also contributes to the available research and literature on this topic and could be used by other researchers as a basis for future research. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Marketing Management / PhD / Unrestricted

As intensas evoluções do mercado forçam as empresas a adequarem seus negócios abordando novos meios estratégicos para se manterem competitivas diante de seus concorrentes. O objetivo do trabalho é analisar novos arranjos produtivos encontrados no segmento automobilístico que se destacam por necessitar de uma forma cada vez melhor de relacionamento com seus clientes através de uma modelagem do sistema para disponibilizar a visibilidade do estoque nos diversos estágios como: antes da produção, durante a produção, durante o transito, quando estocados nos pátios e até possibilitando a colocação de pedido para itens que não estão disponíveis nos estágios anteriores citados. O trabalho também aborda um estudo de previsão de demanda que utiliza modelos matemáticos sobre a média da quantidade de vendas apuradas em determinado período de tempo e um comparativo com o método dos mínimos quadrados. A consequência do engajamento dos pedidos nas etapas anteriores da real disponibilidade física dos produtos para comercialização e entrega, propõe otimizar os níveis de estoque em quantidades mais baixas do que o modelo atual. Os cenários são simulados e visam contribuir como ferramenta para demonstrar a viabilidade de um novo modelo de política de comercialização dos produtos. / The intense Market developments force companies adapt their business by addressing new strategic means to remain competitive in the face of its competitors. The objective is to analyze new production arrangements found in the automotive sector that need to stand out by an ever better relationship with its customers through a modeling system to provide inventory visibility in different stages such as: before production, during production, during transit, when stored in the courtyards and even allowing for the placement of order for items that are not available in earlier stages cited. The paper also discusses a study of demand forecasting which uses mathematical models to average volumes calculated requests in a given time period and a comparison with the least squares method. The result of the engagement of requests in previous stages of actual physical availability of products for sale and delivery, proposes optimize inventory levels in amounts lower than the current model. The scenarios are simulated and aim to contribute as a tool to demonstrate the feasibility of a new model of political marketing.