Strip steaks from the McGregor genome project were used to evaluate the effects of sarcomere length, myofibrillar fragmentation index, 3 h postmortem pH, 24 h postmortem pH, marbling, electrical stimulation (ES), sarcoplasmic free calcium concentration, and collagen characteristics on tenderness as measured by Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBS). The WBS values were measured prior to this project so the animals were able to be separated into “tender” and “tough” groups using a WBS value of 30 N as the separating point, steaks with a WBS value less than 30 N being “tender” and the others being “tough”. It was found that ES sides had lower WBS values, however, “tough” steaks showed a greater response to ES than “tender” steaks. ES sides also had higher sarcoplasmic free calcium concentration and lower 3 h postmortem pH. Tenderness is best predicted by treatment (ES versus NON-ES), however, there is some efficacy in using total collagen and collagen solubility in conjunction with treatment.

This master thesis is focused on the market concentration in six sectors of public procurements in the Czech Republic, and the relationship between level of market concentration, profitability of the companies, final price and number of bids. The analyzed procurements refer to food industry, electricity, postal and telecommunications services, solar energy, IT and automotive sector from period of 2007-2010. Concentration ratio, Herfindahl-Hirschman index and Gini coefficient were used to quantify market concentration. The first four of above mentioned public procurement markets seem to be highly concentrated according to these indicators; the remaining two cases are unconcentrated or moderately concentrated. Correlation analysis was used for each sector. The analyzed variables were: market shares of the companies, their profitability, average number of bids and average proportion of the final and expected price in tenders which the company won. Further, the relationship between market concentration indicators and average variables for the relevant sectors was assessed.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-04-11T13:52:48Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Fabio Heleno.pdf: 634046 bytes, checksum: 60fe4a200379097b6d7c11e49f61c628 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-02-27 / FAPEAM - Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Amazonas / The petrochemical industry occupies a special position in the national industry in face of his importance for the economical and productive development of the country and of the areas where it settles. The reflections of this dissertation are centered in the analysis of the concentration process, specialization and dynamism on Brazilian petrochemical industry in the period of 1995 and 2005. The adopted methods were the normalized concentration index, location quotient and the shift-share. To test those empiric models the base of personal computer-data of RAIS it was used. The results indicate the areas that hold the Brazilian main petrochemicals poles (Camaçari-BA, ABC-SP and Triunfo-RS) presented high agglomeration levels and specialization with tendency for geographical decentralization in the indicators. Tendency to the gathering and specialization of activities petrochemicals in other areas (especially Alagoas, Manaus and Rio de Janeiro), forming local systems of production, due to the production of the basic raw material and of effects in chain originated by the specific economical activities of each area. It was also verified that there was a slow dynamism of the petrochemical industry national, due to the combination of the structural and differential effects unfavorable, carting in competitive disadvantage. / A indústria petroquímica ocupa uma posição especial na indústria nacional em face de sua importância para o desenvolvimento econômico e produtivo do país e das regiões onde se instala. As reflexões desta dissertação se centram na análise do processo de concentração, especialização e dinamismo da indústria petroquímica brasileira no período de 1995 e 2005. Foram adotados os métodos do índice de concentração normalizado, quociente locacional e o shift-share. Para testar esses modelos empíricos foi utilizada a base de micro-dados da RAIS. Os resultados indicam que as regiões que comportam os principais pólos petroquímicos do país (Camaçari-BA, ABC-SP e Triunfo-RS), apresentaram elevados níveis de concentração e especialização com tendência para desconcentração geográfica nos indicadores. Tendência à aglomeração e especialização de atividades petroquímicas em outras regiões (especialmente Alagoas, Manaus e Rio de Janeiro), formando sistemas locais de produção, por conta da produção da matéria-prima básica e de efeitos em cadeia originados pelas atividades econômicas específicas de cada região. Verificou-se também que houve um lento dinamismo da indústria petroquímica nacional, por conta da combinação dos efeitos estrutural e diferencial desfavoráveis, acarretando em desvantagem competitiva.

The diploma thesis is focused on the distribution of non-taxable items, respectively their impact on the distribution of the income or tax base between diverse income groups in the Czech Republic. The aim of the empirical research was to measure redistributional effects of total and particular non-taxable items by various income inequality metrics.