The retriever breeds have the same origin and have long been used as a gundog for hunting of game, mostly birds. However, recently the retriever breeds have become a popular pet and show dog. This have affected the breeding of the dogs as the same traits are not bred for a gundog and a pet or show dog. Breeds as the Labrador retriever consists of a field- and common-type. The aim of this study is to investigate any differences between and within five of the retriever breeds in behaviours as retrieving, search and game reaction. 64 dogs undergoing the field trial Description of Function- Retriever was video recorded and scores from 430 dogs that have undergone field trials was obtained. Both differences between and within breeds were found when analysing both the videos and scores. In the video analysis, the Flatcoated retriever showed the most retrieving behaviours and was the most passive. The Nova scotia duck tolling retriever was in both the video and score analyses the most active breed. The Labrador retriever scored high in game reaction. The field- and mixed-types had almost always higher scores in behaviours linked to hunting, compared to the common-type. This supports findings that recent selection in breeding have a larger effect on behaviour than the origin uses of the dogs.

A confiabilidade do produto é um dos principais atributos da sua qualidade, porém a melhoria contínua desta confiabilidade é um objetivo inalcançável para as empresas, principalmente após o processo de globalização, no qual as empresas locais não têm como competidores apenas as empresas regionais ou nacionais, mas também as outras empresas mundiais. Outro fator importante, para o estabelecimento da confiabilidade, é o cliente que têm aumentado as suas exigências num processo contínuo, em que os aspectos de conformidade às especificações do projeto estão se tornando critério de compra. Este trabalho, através de um estudo de caso, apresenta a análise de um processo de atendimento a itens não conformes e propõe melhorias neste processo, visando agilizar a solução de problemas de campo. Para isso será avaliada a confiabilidade da empresa, desde a comunicação do cliente, passando pelo revendedor e da própria empresa, até a metodologia utilizada para a análise das falhas de campo dos produtos existentes. Os registros e informações da área de suporte e serviços, serão fundamentais para a introdução de melhorias para o procedimento atualmente em uso pela empresa. / The reliability of a product is one of the main attributes of its quality, however continuous improvement of its reliability is a never-ending journey for companies, especially those with global processes, as they must complete with other regional, national and global companies. Another important factor in determining the reliability of a product is the understanding of the critical customer requirements. Due to market globalization, consumers now have access to a greater variety of products and are better able to make comparisons between similar items. This ability drives consumers to constantly change or refine their critical requirements that ultimately influence their purchasing decisions. This case study presents an analysis of a process for monitoring product non-conformances and proposes process improvements aimed at speeding up the solution to field problems. To do this, company reliability will be analyzed in terms of the path of communication of product problems from the customer to the dealer, the dealer to the factory and from the factory to the methodology used to analyze field failures. Information from the product support and services area will be fundamental to the introduction of improvements to the current field failure processes.

A confiabilidade do produto é um dos principais atributos da sua qualidade, porém a melhoria contínua desta confiabilidade é um objetivo inalcançável para as empresas, principalmente após o processo de globalização, no qual as empresas locais não têm como competidores apenas as empresas regionais ou nacionais, mas também as outras empresas mundiais. Outro fator importante, para o estabelecimento da confiabilidade, é o cliente que têm aumentado as suas exigências num processo contínuo, em que os aspectos de conformidade às especificações do projeto estão se tornando critério de compra. Este trabalho, através de um estudo de caso, apresenta a análise de um processo de atendimento a itens não conformes e propõe melhorias neste processo, visando agilizar a solução de problemas de campo. Para isso será avaliada a confiabilidade da empresa, desde a comunicação do cliente, passando pelo revendedor e da própria empresa, até a metodologia utilizada para a análise das falhas de campo dos produtos existentes. Os registros e informações da área de suporte e serviços, serão fundamentais para a introdução de melhorias para o procedimento atualmente em uso pela empresa. / The reliability of a product is one of the main attributes of its quality, however continuous improvement of its reliability is a never-ending journey for companies, especially those with global processes, as they must complete with other regional, national and global companies. Another important factor in determining the reliability of a product is the understanding of the critical customer requirements. Due to market globalization, consumers now have access to a greater variety of products and are better able to make comparisons between similar items. This ability drives consumers to constantly change or refine their critical requirements that ultimately influence their purchasing decisions. This case study presents an analysis of a process for monitoring product non-conformances and proposes process improvements aimed at speeding up the solution to field problems. To do this, company reliability will be analyzed in terms of the path of communication of product problems from the customer to the dealer, the dealer to the factory and from the factory to the methodology used to analyze field failures. Information from the product support and services area will be fundamental to the introduction of improvements to the current field failure processes.

Hand held device users encounter various forms of distraction in their daily lives. Distractions may prevent them from correctly using the hand held device. Usability evaluations are meant to identify issues prior to end-users experiencing them. However the laboratory environment, which usability evaluations are conducted, may not reflect the real-world conditions that devices are used. The experiment involved each participant performing tasks in both a quiet and a noisy environment. The noisy environment emulated part of a real-world experience by adding social noise in the background during the participant's tasks. The goal was to compare how much insight each participant was able to achieve from the data in each of the environments. It was found that task performance accuracy was higher in a quiet environment as opposed to the noisy environment. The mental demands and frustration of participants were found to be higher during the noisy environment evaluation.

This thesis focuses on individually specific differences in behavioural strategies, personalities, with two microtine rodents (Microtus arvalis and M. oeconomus) as study species. The work evaluates methodology necessary to reveal and measure consistent individual differences in behaviour, identifies possible proximate and ultimate mechanisms behind the existence of individual behavioural variability, and describes some ecological, evolutionary and behavioural consequences of personalities.

Different field tests are currently used in a wide extent in different levels of soccer teams. To be able to assess the players’ physiological status the tests must have high validity, reliability and external validity. Many different tests have been developt, but currently only five of these tests are most commonly used: Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test (YIRT), Yo-Yo intermittent endurance test (YIET), Multi-sprint-test, Beep-test and Cooper-test. Presently there is no definitive conclusion regarding which of these tests is most suitable for soccer players. Therefore the present study aimed to, on the basis of previous studies evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the five most commonly used field test; to analyze the physiological requirements on soccer players with respect to their aerobic and anaerobic capacity; and last to compare among the five field tests and evaluate the validity of the field tests through comparison of field tests results with results from laboratory and soccer matches. During soccer match about 75-96 % of the energy is provided by the aerobic systems, while the rest, 4-25 %, is provided by the anaerobic systems. This fits approximately most of the results from both field tests and laboratory tests through measurement of either pulse, running distance, VO2max or lactate. Among the five tests, Yo-Yo tests (YIRT and YIET) has the best correlation to soccer match with respect to physiological demands on both aerobic and anaerobic capacities. Among the different Yo-Yo tests YIRT2 seems to be the best compared to YIET1, YIET2 and YIRT1.

Highways and roadways are the major source of stormwater runoff due to their prevalence and large non-permeable surface area. Best Management Practices (BMPs) such as bioswale provide effective on-site management and control of stormwater runoff from linear infrastructure such as highways. Many factors affect the performance of bioswales for stormwater volume reduction. The ratio of the installed BMP area to its service drainage area, characteristics of precipitation and the amount of sediment build-up over the surface of the BMP area are among the most important factors. Earlier studies have indicated that volume reductions in stormwater runoff from bioswale application range from 50% to 94%. However, the reported research lacks adequate information for a full understanding of how bioswales perform under various conditions. Consequently, additional systematic and in-depth research to better understand and the potential of bioswales as a method of controlling stormwater runoff is indicated. This research examined the effect of the following factors on bioswale performance: the ratio of the BMP area to the service drainage area, precipitation amounts and intensity, and sediment build-up. Hydraulic and hydrological processes were developed and analyzed through conceptual and physical models using appropriate governing equations including the Green-Ampt method. Field study of discrete rainfall events was conducted to collect information to calibrate and validate the numerical models. The field study tested various bioswale conditions with different levels of sediment accumulation. It also considered expected soil loss in the study area using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) method. In addition to field study, extensive simulations were conducted considering various contributing areas, rainfall depth and intensity, and sediment accumulation. These variables were manipulated to evaluate their effect on runoff volume reduction. Findings indicate that, for a given rainfall depth and duration, increasing the ratio of the BMP area to the service drainage area from 4% to16% results in increased bioswale efficiency ranging from 84% to 99%. The results revealed that input flowrate to the bioswale ranged from 0.04 to 4.7 in./min. depending on the rainfall intensity and soil type in the area. The runoff reduction performance of a newly constructed bioswale ranged from 44% for the highest input flowrate to 99% for the lowest input flowrate rainfall events. On the low end of rainfall volume/intensity, a 4% increase in the BMP area ratio results in a 34% improvement in efficiency (50% to 84%). On the high end of rainfall volume/intensity, a 16% increase in the area ratio results in only a 5% increase in efficiency (94% to 99%). Results also show that sediment accumulation has a substantial negative effect on infiltration rate. The observed efficiency of a bioswale in runoff reduction ranged from 13% to 100%. According to the USLE, the expected amount of soil loss occurring in the right-of-way area of a highway is approximately 1 ton/acre annually. The research revealed that for a given rainfall depth, duration, and area ratio; increasing the amount of sediment accumulation from 0 lbs./sq. ft. (equivalent to a newly constructed bioswale) to 2.7 lbs./sq. ft. (equivalent to a 10-year old bioswale) results in a 52% reduction in the runoff effectiveness of the bioswale sub-catchment from 98% to 46%. Finally, the physical model and associated governing equations were analyzed to describe the process of each studied factor. These results can be used for further study where the sediment accumulation rates differ from those modeled in this research.

The thesis deals with assortative behaviour of Poecilia wingei. The aims of the thesis are to describe character traits of fish and their heritability, then set breeding pairs of Endler's Livebearer (Poecilia wingei) and to determine their traits (shy or bold). After that, the offspring generation of such pairs was bred and their personal traits were determined too. Finally a comparison of the parents and the offspring generation was carried out and the heritability was analyzed. The traits were analyzed using the Open Field test. Fifty pairs of the parent generation were measured, coupled into pairs according to their traits. After that the offspring generation was measured too. The intraclass correlation coefficient was calculated, determining the share of the total phenotypic variance that is conditioned by the variability of genetic information in the population. The results were analysed using Statistica 12. The comparisons of the results revealed the heritability of the traits.

Nowadays the needs to fulfill severe emission standards and to reduce the mobile machine operative costs have driven the off-highway industrial research towards new solutions able to increase the overall vehicle efficiency. Within this scenario, smart power split transmissions demonstrated to be a very attractive technology able to achieve the fuel consumption reduction targets, increasing the machine working cycle productivity. Compared to the standard technologies (such as Torque Converters - TC), the power split hydromechanical varible transmissin (HVT), designed and developed by Dana Rexroth Transmission Systems S.r.l. (DRTS), is able to fully decouple the engine to wheel behavior during the machine working cycle, with an higher efficiency than a pure hydrostatic transmission. Due to this fundamental characteristic, the HVT allows the engine to work next to the maximum efficiency point, consequently it is possible to downsize the engine to further increase the fuel saving. The analysis of the field test performed by an off-highway vehicle (Kalmar Cargotec DRG Gloria 450 reachstacker) equipped with a DRTS HVT has been shown along this paper; particular attention has been given to the cycle load spectra, the fuel consumption and the working cycle productivity through a comparison with standard TC technologies.

O objetivo do presente estudo foi estabelecer os critérios de autenticidade científica de validade, reprodutibilidade e a sensibilidade do FSKT10s e do FSKTmult para o taekwondo. O objetivo secundário foi construir uma tabela normativa para classificação do desempenho físico gerado no FSKT. O estudo foi conduzido em seis etapas, contendo amostras de praticantes ou atletas de diferentes níveis competitivos. Visando investigar a validade lógica do FSKT, foi apresentado um questionário para 94 sujeitos que tivessem alguma experiência com a modalidade. O objetivo do questionário foi conhecer a opinião a respeito do entendimento sobre as instruções, viabilidade de aplicação e predominância energética. Os participantes julgaram que o teste é \'fácil\' ou \'muito fácil de entender\', \'viável\' ou \'muito viável\' de aplicar e que ambos os testes medem predominantemente a condição anaeróbia. Quanto maior o grau de instrução, maior a frequência de resposta de que o FSKT10s é predominantemente anaeróbio, enquanto para o FSKTmult a maior frequência de resposta no grupo não graduado mede predominantemente a condição aeróbia e o grupo pós-graduado julgou que o teste mede predominantemente a condição anaeróbia. Na etapa seguinte 13 atletas de taekwondo do sexo masculino participaram em duas sessões experimentais para determinar a validade de critério entre a luta e o FSKT. Não foram encontradas associações entre as variáveis da luta e o FSKT. Não foram identificadas diferenças significantes para o lactato pico após FSKTmult e após luta, mas houve diferença estatística entre a luta e o FSKT10s. O objetivo seguinte foi determinar a validade de constructo. Foram avaliados 153 homens agrupados em não competidores (n= 53), competidores de nível regional/estadual (n= 55) e de nível internacional/nacional (n= 45) e 42 mulheres agrupadas em competidoras de nível regional/estadual (n= 21) e de nível internacional/nacional (n= 21). Houve superioridade dos competidores de nível nacional/internacional em comparação aos não competidores. As competidoras de nível regional/estadual diferiram do grupo de nível nacional/internacional. A etapa seguinte foi conduzida com 14 atletas para determinar a reprodutibilidade relativa e absoluta do FSKT em teste e reteste. Para a reprodutibilidade relativa foram observados valores de CCI entre 0,63 e 0,95. O EPM ficou entre 0,60 e 3,99 enquanto o SWC0,6 ficou entre 0,73 e 4,83 para as diferentes séries do FSKT. Na etapa seguinte foi determinada a sensibilidade do FSKT de 8 atletas após nove semanas de treinamento de taekwondo e de força/potência muscular. Foi observada melhora do desempenho gerado em todas as variáveis analisadas, exceto para o índice de decréscimo de chutes (IDC). Por fim, 115 homens e 70 mulheres praticantes/atletas familiarizados com o FSKT executaram cada teste uma vez. Após análise dos dados foi elaborada a tabela com cinco escalas (classificação, percentil: muito bom, >=95; bom, >75; regular, 25-75; ruim, <25; muito ruim, <=5) para as seguintes variáveis FSKT10S, FSKTmult (séries 1-5) e IDC. A conclusão é que o FSKT pode ser uma ferramenta utilizada por técnicos e treinadores visando medir o desempenho físico. Diferentes critérios de autenticidade científica foram apresentados no presente estudo, o que ajudará a tomar decisões mais confiáveis quando de sua aplicação. Também será possível classificar o desempenho dos praticantes/atletas via tabela normativa / The purpose of the present study was stablishing the authenticity criteria scientific of validity, reliability and the sensibility of FSKT10s and the FSKTmult for taekwondo. The secondary purpose was building a normative table to classify physical performance generated by FSKT. The study was conducted in six parts, content sample of practitioners or athletes in different competitive levels. Aiming to investigate the logical validity of FSKT, was presented a questionnaire for 94 subjects that would have any experience with the modality. The purpose was to know the opinion about the understanding of the instructions, feasibility of application and energetic predominance. The participants judged that the test is \"easy\" or \"very easy\", \"viable\" or \"many viable\" of apply and that both tests measure predominantly the anaerobic condition. The higher the level of education, higher is the response frequency of that the FSKT10s is predominantly anaerobic, while for FSKTmult the higher response frequency in the no-graduate group measure predominantly the aerobic condition and the postgraduate group judge that the test measure predominantly the anaerobic condition. In the next step 13 male taekwondo athletes participated in twice experimental sessions to determine a validity criterion between match and the FSKT. No associations were found between match variables and FSKT. No statistically significant difference were identified for the peak blood lactate concentration post FSKT and match, but there was statistical difference between the match and FSKT10s. the next objective was to determine the construct validity. 153 subjects were evaluated grouped in non-competitors (n= 53), regional/state competitors (n= 55) and national/international competitors (n= 45) and 42 women grouped in regional/state level competitors (n= 21) and international/national level (n= 21). There was a statistically significant difference with the superiority of national/international competitors compared to non-competitors. The regional/state level competitors differed from the national/international level group. The next step was conducted with 14 athletes to determine the relative and absolute reliability of FSKT test-retest. Regarding relative reliability, ICC values between 0.63 and 0.95 were observed. The EPM was between 0.60 and 3.99 while the SWC0.6 was between 0.73 and 4.83 for the different FSKT series. The next step was to determine the sensitivity of the FSKT of 8 athletes after nine weeks of taekwondo and strength training. It was observed an improvement in the performance generated in all variables analyzed except for the kicks decrement index (KDI). Finally, 115 mens and 70 womens practitioners/athletes familiar with the FSKT performed each test once. After analyzing the data, the table was elaborated with five scales (classification: \'Excellent\': >=95th percentile, \'Good\': 75th percentile up to 94th percentile, \'Regular\': 25th percentile up to 74th percentile, \'Poor\': 6th percentile up to 24th percentile, \'Very poor\': <=5th percentile) for the following variables FSKT10S, FSKTmult (series 1-5 and total) and IDC. The conclusion is that the FSKT can be a tool used by coaches and technicians to measure physical performance. Different criteria of scientific authenticity were presented in the present study, which will help to make more reliable decisions. It will also be possible to classify the performance of the practitioners/athletes, based on the classifications of the normative table