<p>The aim of this study is to investigate how language is used, online, in a condescending way in order to make the recipient feel belittled. The research questions sought to find out what kind of linguistic strategies are used online in order to make language function in a derogatory way as well as the linguistic reactions these strategies evoke in the recipients. How this derogatory usage can be met by using specific linguistic strategies was also explored.</p><p>The study was conducted by performing qualitative discourse analysis based on the theoretical framework of Culpeper’s (1996) impoliteness theory. The data consisted of excerpts from four different threads in online discussion forums. The results indicate that there are several ways to insult someone, and that sarcasm, in particular, is heavily utilized in order to make language function in a derogatory manner.</p><p>The conclusion of the study is that phenomena such as the flouting of maxims, face-threatening acts, impoliteness strategies and flaming are all utilized when trying to belittle someone. All these linguistic strategies performed with the intention to insult people have proved to have a negative affect on people who are exposed to them. This affect can be detected through the linguistic reactions they rendered, for example: counter-attacks with insults of their own and refuting the insults.</p><p>The present study contributes to enlightening linguistic strategies which are being used in a derogatory way and as such might function to raise awareness of the power invested in language.</p>

The aim of this study is to investigate how language is used, online, in a condescending way in order to make the recipient feel belittled. The research questions sought to find out what kind of linguistic strategies are used online in order to make language function in a derogatory way as well as the linguistic reactions these strategies evoke in the recipients. How this derogatory usage can be met by using specific linguistic strategies was also explored. The study was conducted by performing qualitative discourse analysis based on the theoretical framework of Culpeper’s (1996) impoliteness theory. The data consisted of excerpts from four different threads in online discussion forums. The results indicate that there are several ways to insult someone, and that sarcasm, in particular, is heavily utilized in order to make language function in a derogatory manner. The conclusion of the study is that phenomena such as the flouting of maxims, face-threatening acts, impoliteness strategies and flaming are all utilized when trying to belittle someone. All these linguistic strategies performed with the intention to insult people have proved to have a negative affect on people who are exposed to them. This affect can be detected through the linguistic reactions they rendered, for example: counter-attacks with insults of their own and refuting the insults. The present study contributes to enlightening linguistic strategies which are being used in a derogatory way and as such might function to raise awareness of the power invested in language.

This master's thesis deals with design of cross-platform application for risk analysis support. It describes risk management in information technology and methods which can be~used for risk management with emphasis on those that can be visualized. Possibilities for cross-platform development are described subsequently. Next, application for risk analysis support is designed and implemented. In the end of this thesis is shown how to use implemented application for risk analysis.

The European Union (EU) and South Korea signed the EU- South Korea free trade agreement (FTA) in 2011 and since then they started to gradually remove barriers to their mutual trade. This thesis is analyzing the effects of this agreement on their bilateral trade flow in 10 commodity sections from 2005 until 2018. For this analysis we are using gravity model that is estimated by OLS and PPML method for comparison. This analysis showed that the EUSouth Korea FTA influences their mutual trade in all 10 sections differently due to different levels of protectionism at the beginning. The FTA had a positive influence on their mutual trade in 9 commodity sections out of 10. In the Section 9 we found a negative effect of the FTA. Contrary to our beliefs we also found out that the highest increase in their mutual trade was not in automobile and electronic industry but in the chemical industry. JEL Classification C23, F14, F33, C16 Keywords Free Trade agreement, South Korea, European Union, gravity model Title Analysis of the EU - South Korea FTA and its effects on their mutual trade using the gravity model Author's e-mail katarina.vinsova@gmail.com Supervisor's e-mail michal.paulus@fsv.cuni.cz

Main aim of this diploma thesis is to analyze trade relations between EU and Brazil. In the first part of the thesis there is review of literature of the applied trade policies, the importance of the parties in the world trade and development of the mutual trade relations. Subsequently the development of the free trade agreement talks between EU and Mercosur in which Brazil plays crucial role is described. Also problematic topics of the negotiations are analysed. Second part of the thesis consists of the analysis of the dynamics and structure of mutual trade between EU and Brazil as well as between EU and Mercosur. At the end there is analysed mutual relation of EU and Brazil at the multilateral level, specifically at the WTO. Obtained information are discussed and possible recommendations are suggested in the conclusion.

Reference samples are a vital part of the forensic analysis of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) evidence. Efficient processing and analysis of these sample types are required for comparative analysis of an unknown electropherogram (EPG) and forensic databasing purposes (12). These reference samples can be derived from blood swabs or cheek swabs, the latter also being known as buccal cell swabs (20, 22, 32). Buccal cells, or epithelial cells of the oral cavity, are the preferred cell type for known samples as their collection is non-invasive and painless (20-21). Buccal cell collection devices typically consist of a swab (cotton or foam) and a filter paper, commonly FTA paper (1). FTA paper contains proprietary chemicals that lyse cell membranes upon contact, trapping and stabilizing DNA for downstream processing (21, 34). FTA paper also inhibits bacterial and viral growth and protects against damage from UV radiation, nucleases and oxidation (21, 34). Some of the benefits of using FTA cards include the ability to store the cards at ambient temperature for years (21, 35, 37) and to perform direct amplification of the samples thereby removing the need to utilize DNA extraction and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) (32, 37, 39). The EasiCollectTM (EC) and EasiCollectTM + (EC+) Buccal Sample Collection Devices (General Electric (GE) Healthcare Life Sciences, Buckinghamshire, UK) have FTA sample collection cards that contain a proprietary dye that changes color from pink to white, indicating where colorless fluids, such as saliva, were likely deposited (42). This study consisted of four phases. Phase 0 determined the optimal amplification conditions, including number of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) cycles and an appropriate capillary electrophoresis (CE) injection time for high template, single source samples obtained from FTA cards using the EC and EC+ buccal cell collection devices. Samples were obtained from EC FTA cards with a Harris 1.2-mm Uni-Core Punch and amplified using the GlobalfilerTM Express PCR Amplification Kit (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA) using the manufacturer’s protocol with 26, 27 or 28 PCR cycles (28). Fragment separation was achieved on an ABI 3500 Genetic Analyzer (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA) with 5, 15 and 25 second (s) 1.2 kiloVolt (kV) injections. Samples were analyzed on GeneMapper® ID-X v1.4 (Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA) with an analytical threshold of 150 RFU (relative fluorescence units) (31). It was determined that amplification with 26 PCR cycles was optimal for high template, single source samples from FTA cards in this laboratory. The three injection times were utilized in the remaining phases and no other parameters were changed. In Phase 1 of this study, the optimal collection method for the EC+ device from various processes was assessed using the following collection variables: 1) a dry or saliva-wet swab; 2) a circular or up-down/side-to-side motion; 3) 2, 3 or 4 motions; and 4) swabbing of one or both cheeks. This resulted in a total of 24 distinct collection processes. We found that collection techniques that involved wetting the foam head of the EC+ device provided higher peak heights, improved heterozygote balance (Hb) and minimized the rate of drop-out in EPGs. When swabbing two cheeks versus one, the median peak heights increased, indicating an increase in transfer of cellular material onto the FTA surface. The motion of swabbing - circular or up-down/side-to-side - did not have an effect on the overall quality of the EPG data. During Phase 2a, the distribution of cellular material was assessed for two collection processes that involved swabbing of two cheeks with a wet swab four times; the variation among the methods being the motion (circular or up-down/side-to-side). Two punches taken surrounding the original punch assessed during Phase 1 showed similar average peak heights (i.e. ca. 3500 RFU at a 5 s injection on the ABI 3500 Genetic Analyzer) for both collection processes. No allelic drop-out was observed with either collection technique. Phase 2b compared the EPG signal of the EC and EC+ collection devices. The EC+ collection process used for this comparison involved rubbing a wet swab across two cheeks using four circular motions as this produced no allelic drop-out and fewer samples which saturated the CE laser detector. Therefore, this method provided more data for analysis. Samples from both devices produced comparable peak heights and PHRs above 0.6 with no allelic drop-out and stutter ratios below the thresholds set by the manufacturer (28). The EC+ device was found to be robust and provided full profiles using a minimalist sample collection method. However, the probability of drop-out increased as both the number of motions and the number of cheeks decreased. Based on this study, a collection using four circular motions divided between two cheeks with a wet swab is recommended with a 5 s, 1.2 kV injection on an ABI 3500 Genetic Analyzer, since full DNA profiles were obtained with balanced heterozygote loci, expected stutter ratios, and acceptable levels of minus A artifact. Further, it was determined that this recommended collection method resulted in high-fidelity DNA signal for up to three punches. Thus, the EC+ device is reliable, easy-to-use and non-invasive for the collection of buccal cells for known reference samples. A sample obtained from the area of transfer on an FTA card from the EC+ device can produce an EPG of the quality required for the comparison of known samples to an evidentiary profile as well as for input of the genotype into a national forensic database.

Yes / Time, cost and risk are the main elements that effect the operating margin of the oil and gas companies due to Turnaround Maintenance (TAM). Turnaround Maintenance (TAM) is a methodology for the total shutdown of plant facilities during a pre-defined period to execute inspection actions, replacement and repairs according to Scope of Work (SoW). This paper presents a new methodology for improving TAM scheduling of oil and gas plants. The methodology includes four stages: removing Non-critical Equipment (NE) from reactive maintenance to proactive maintenance, risk-based inspection of Critical Static Equipment (CSE), risk-based failure of Critical Rotating Equipment (CRE), and application of failure distributions. The results from improving TAM scheduling is associated with decreasing duration and increasing interval between TAM leading to improved availability, reliability, operation and maintenance costs and safety risks. The paper presents findings from the TAM model application. The methodology is fairly generic in its approach and can also be adapted for implementation in other oil and gas industries that operate under similar harsh conditions.

No description available.

No / Fault management is one of the important management functions of a telecommunication network and mainly deals with fault monitoring and diagnosis. This paper applies reliability theories and methodologies for the fault management of an aeronautical communication system developed within the EU FP7 SANDRA project. The failure of the SANDRA terminal demonstrator is an undesirable event and the corresponding fault tree was built upon a reliability function analysis and was used to quickly monitor failures in the system. By using Monte Carlo simulations, the SANDRA demonstrator's reliability can be predicted and important components, which have major contributions to system failures, can be identified. The results can be used to improve the system reliability by adding parallel components in weak and important places. / Fault management is one of the important management functions of a telecommunication network and mainly deals with fault monitoring and diagnosis. This paper applies reliability theories and methodologies for the fault management of an aeronautical communication system developed within the EU FP7 SANDRA project. The failure of the SANDRA terminal demonstrator is an undesirable event and the corresponding fault tree was built upon a reliability function analysis and was used to quickly monitor failures in the system. By using Monte Carlo simulations, the SANDRA demonstrator's reliability can be predicted and important components, which have major contributions to system failures, can be identified. The results can be used to improve the system reliability by adding parallel components in weak and important places.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-07-29T15:07:32Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Marilia Cristina Sola.pdf: 489950 bytes, checksum: 4d267a18376c43b47c56d28c43d655a5 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-02-28 / Brucellosis is a chronic infectious disease caused by bacterium of the genus Brucella, which affects humans and different species of animals. Despite the implementation of programs aimed at the disease controlling and eradicating, brucelosis is endemic in many countries, especially in developing ones, resulting in significant economic losses and serious implications for animal and public health, due to its zoonotic character. The disease can be transmitted by direct or indirect contact with infected animals, fetal membranes, and also transmitted to humans by contaminated animal products, especially milk and dairy products that have not undergone thermal processing, by raw meat and the handling of carcasses and visceras at the slaughterhouse. The National Programme for Control and Eradication of Brucellosis (PNCEBT), established in the country in 2001, determines the diagnosis of animals in order to establish both the distribution and characterization of the agent. In this context and seeking for a rapid, safe and precise diagnosis of this disease in cattle, we aimed to detect Brucella spp by real time PCR in suspect lesions detected during routine inspection in slaughterhouses under Federal Inspection in the state of Goias, Brazil. Such lesions were related to cervical bursitis, testicular, lung and liver lesions and also in mandibular, retropharyngeal, esophageal, intercostal, apical, mediastinal, tracheobronchial, inguinal, ischiatic, popliteal and mesenteric lymphnodes. In the sampling procedure, cellulose cards were used for storage of biological material (card FTA ® Elute) by impregnating the material in the fibrous matrix of the card. Laboratory analyses were performed on 47 samples from animal tissue and fluids, collected from carcasses and visceras at 40 bovines suspected of brucellosis. Samples were processed at the Laboratório de Biologia Molecular from the Centro de Pesquisa em Alimentos, Escola de Veterinária e Zootecnia from Universidade Federal de Goiás (LBM / CPA / EVZ / UFG). Brucella spp was detected in 42.5% of the bovines with suspect lesions and in 38.3% of samples. It was verified that the use of real-time PCR associated with the FTA® Elute method is an important diagnostic tool in the process of trial and disposition of carcasses and visceras of slaughtered animals and it gives flexibility and efficiency for the diagnosis of diseases, helping the Federal Inspection Service in fulfilling its mission of providing safe food to consumers / A brucelose é uma enfermidade infectocontagiosa de caráter crônico, causada por bactérias do gênero Brucella, que acomete o homem e diferentes espécies animais. Apesar da implementação de programas que visam o controle e a erradicação da enfermidade, apresenta-se endêmica em muitos países, principalmente aqueles em desenvolvimento, resultando em prejuízos econômicos significativos aos sistemas de produção e sérias implicações em saúde animal e pública, visto seu caráter zoonótico. A doença pode ser transmitida pelo contato direto ou indireto com animais infectados e anexos fetais e, ainda, veiculada ao homem pela ingestão de produtos de origem animal contaminados, principalmente leite e seus derivados que não passaram por processamento térmico. Pode ser veiculada também por meio de carnes cruas e pela própria manipulação de carcaças e vísceras durante o abate sanitário. O Programa Nacional de Controle e Erradicação da Brucelose e Tuberculose (PNCEBT) instituído no país em 2001 determina como uma das medidas sanitárias, o diagnóstico dos animais, a fim de estabelecer a ocorrência, distribuição e caracterização do agente. Neste contexto, visando um diagnóstico rápido, seguro e preciso desta enfermidade em bovinos, objetivou-se detectar o DNA de Brucella spp por meio da técnica de PCR em Tempo Real em lesões sugestivas identificadas durante a inspeção sanitária de rotina em matadouros-frigoríficos sob Inspeção Federal no estado de Goiás. Tais lesões abrangeram a bursite cervical, lesões testiculares, pulmonares, hepáticas e de linfonodos mandibular, retrofaríngeo, esofageano, intercostal, apical, mediastínico, traqueobrônquico, inguinal, isquiático, poplíteo e mesentérico. Para tanto, no procedimento de colheita de amostras, foram utilizados cartões de celulose destinados ao armazenamento de material biológico (cartão FTA® Elute), por impregnação do material na matriz fibrosa do cartão. As análises laboratoriais foram efetuadas em 47 amostras provenientes de fluidos e tecido animal, colhidas em carcaças e vísceras de 40 bovinos com suspeita de brucelose e desenvolvidas no Laboratório de Biologia Molecular do Centro de Pesquisa em Alimentos da Escola de Veterinária e Zootecnia da Universidade Federal de Goiás (LBM/CPA/EVZ/UFG). Detectou-se o DNA de Brucella spp em 42,5% dos bovinos que apresentaram lesões sugestivas e em 38,3% das amostras totais. Verificou-se que o emprego da técnica de PCR em Tempo Real associada ao método FTA® Elute, é uma ferramenta de diagnóstico importante no processo de julgamento e destino de carcaças e vísceras dos animais de abate, tendo em vista que confere agilidade e eficiência no diagnóstico das enfermidades, auxiliando o Serviço de Inspeção Federal no cumprimento de sua missão, ou seja, de colocar à disposição do consumidor, alimentos seguros.