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This thesis aims to forecast aircraft demand in the aerospace and defense industry, specifically aircraft orders and deliveries. Orders are often placed by airline companies with aircraft manufacturers, and then suddenly canceled due to changes in plans. Therefore, at some point during the three-year lead time, the number of orders placed and realized deliveries may be quite different. As a result, orders and deliveries are very difficult to predict and are influenced by many different factors. Among these factors are past trends, macroeconomic indicators as well as aircraft sales measures. These predictor variables were analyzed thoroughly, then used with time series and multiple regression forecasting methods to develop different forecasts for quarterly and annual orders and deliveries. The relative accuracies of forecasts were measured and compared through the use of Theil’s U statistic. Finally, a linear program was used to aggregate multiple forecasts to develop an optimal combination of all forecasts. In conclusion, the methods employed in this thesis are quite effective and produce a wholesome aggregate forecast with an error that is generally quite low for a forecasting task as challenging as this one.

Biological network data is plentiful with practically every experimental methodology giving 'network views' into cellular function and behavior. Bioinformatic screens that yield network data include, for example, genome-wide deletion screens, protein-protein interaction assays, RNA interference experiments, and methods to probe metabolic pathways. Efficient and comprehensive computational approaches are required to model these screens and gain insight into the nature of biological networks. This thesis presents three new algorithms to model and mine network datasets. First, we present an algorithm that models genome-wide perturbation screens by deriving relations between phenotypes and subsequently using these relations in a local manner to derive genephenotype relationships. We show how this algorithm outperforms all previously described algorithms for gene-phenotype modeling. We also present theoretical insight into the convergence and accuracy properties of this approach. Second, we define a new data mining problem–constrained minimal separator mining—and propose algorithms as well as applications to modeling gene perturbation screens by viewing the perturbed genes as a graph separator. Both of these data mining applications are evaluated on network datasets from S. cerevisiae and C. elegans. Finally, we present an approach to model the relationship between metabolic pathways and operon structure in prokaryotic genomes. In this approach, we present a new pattern class—biclusters over domains with supplied partial orders—and present algorithms for systematically detecting such biclusters. Together, our data mining algorithms provide a comprehensive arsenal of techniques for modeling gene perturbation screens and metabolic pathways. / Ph. D.

America's founding fathers designed the Constitution as a malleable contract for governance, envisioning a republic with a struggle among co-equal actors that would serve to constrain and channel the struggle for power. The problem this study was designed to address is that presidents have used executive orders (EOs) when legislation is too difficult to pass due to divided party government, or when making sweeping changes to executive departments or agencies that historically required congressional approval. The purpose of this analysis was to explore whether a contemporary Democratic president are more likely than a Republican to use the EO as a unilateral strategy to pursue domestic/economic policy objectives during times of divided party government. This study compared the use of executive orders under divided government by Republican President Ronald Reagan and Democratic President Barack Obama, examining three EOs issued by each. Reagan and Obama viewed government differently. President Obama saw government as a solution to problems and President Reagan saw government as a source of problems. From this, I inferred that Democrats would be more likely than Republicans to favor federal government intervention in domestic/economic policy. Yet, though both presidents had different agendas and approaches, they both used the EO as a unilateral strategy under divided government. This may reflect that presidents understand that many in the public hold the president accountable for the economic performance of the United States, and economic wellbeing may lead to reelection of a president. / Master of Arts / America's founding fathers designed the Constitution as a flexible contract for control, imagining a republic with a struggle among co-equal actors that would serve to limit and guide the struggle for power. The problem this study was designed to address is that presidents have used executive orders (EOs) when laws were too difficult to pass due to divided party government, or when making far-reaching changes to departments or agencies that usually need congressional approval. The purpose of this study was to gain more insight as to whether a Democratic president was more likely than a Republican president to use executive orders to pursue domestic/economic policy goals when different parties controlled Congress and the presidency. The study examined the use of executive orders by Republican President Ronald Reagan and Democratic President Barack Obama under divided government, looking in depth at three executive orders each President issued. Reagan saw government as a source of problems and Obama saw government as a source of solutions. This led to the expectation that Democratic President Obama might use domestic/economic intervention by the federal government more often than Republican President Reagan would. Yet, although both presidents had different plans and methods, they used the executive order similarly during times of divided government. This likely reflects that presidents -- regardless of party -- understand that many in the public hold the president accountable for the economic performance of the United States, and economic wellbeing may lead to reelection of a president.

Yes / The cost performance of a wide range of public sector infrastructure projects completed by a contractor are analysed and discussed. Change-orders after a contract to construct an asset was signed were, on average, found to contribute to a 23.75% increase in project costs. A positive association between an increase in change orders and the contractor’s margin were identified. Taxpayers pay for this additional cost, while those charged with constructing assets are rewarded with an increase in their margins. As the public sector embraces an era of digitisation, there is a need to improve the integration of design and construction activities and engender collaboration to ensure assets can be delivered cost effectively and future-proofed. The research paper provides empirical evidence for the public sector to re-consider the processes that are used to deliver their infrastructure assets so as to reduce the propensity for cost overruns and enable future-proofing to occur.

We consider constrained variants of graph homomorphisms such as embeddings, monomorphisms, full homomorphisms, surjective homomorpshims, and locally constrained homomorphisms. We also introduce a new variation on this theme which derives from relations between graphs and is related to multihomomorphisms. This gives a generalization of surjective homomorphisms and naturally leads to notions of R-retractions, R-cores, and R-cocores of graphs. Both \\mbox{R-cores} and R-cocores of graphs are unique up to isomorphism and can be computed in polynomial time. The theory of the graph homomorphism order is well developed, and from it we consider analogous notions defined for orders induced by constrained homomorphisms. We identify corresponding cores, prove or disprove universality, characterize gaps and dualities. We give a new and significantly easier proof of the universality of the homomorphism order by showing that even the class of oriented cycles is universal. We provide a systematic approach to simplify the proofs of several earlier results in this area. We explore in greater detail locally injective homomorphisms on connected graphs, characterize gaps and show universality. We also prove that for every $d\\geq 3$ the homomorphism order on the class of line graphs of graphs with maximum degree $d$ is universal.

Das Lexikon ist - in seinem jetzigen Stand - Ergebnis der Forschungen und Recherchen von Frau Dr. Anke Napp (Hamburg). Es entstand 1996 aus dem Wunsch heraus, Interessierten sowie Fachkollegen Artikel zu möglichst vielen Aspekten des Templerordens zu liefern, von einzelnen Ordenshäusern und herausragenden Mitgliedern, über Spiritualität, Kritik und Nachleben bis hin zu dem berühmt-berüchtigten Prozess. Vermerkte Quellen und weiterführende Literatur in diversen Sprachen bieten die Möglichkeit eigener weiterführender Forschungen. Rezensionen nicht nur von Fachliteratur, sondern auch aktuellen TV-Serien oder Computerspielen zeigen den Einfluss des Templermotivs in unserer modernen Popkultur. Seit 2003 steht das Lexikon online zur Verfügung, was seine ständige Aktualisierung, Erweiterung mit neuen Artikeln, Fotos, eine Verlinkung zu Originalquellen in Archiven und unbeschränkten Zugriff weltweit erlaubt. Einige freie Mitarbeiter haben im Laufe der Zeit zu einzelnen Artikeln beigetragen. Hier können Sie sich über einzelne Ereignisse aus der Ordensgeschichte informieren, über besondere Personen, Orte und Mythen, die mit den Templern in Verbindung gebracht werden. Beigefügt ist jeweils eine Bibliographie mit den Quellen des Textes und weiterführender Literatur.

Design changes during construction, which are typical in most projects, lead to increased cost, loss of productivity and delays. These changes are usually due to approved scope changes or due to design errors and omissions (E&Os) found in the construction documents. Errors and omissions are typically manifested in terms of incorrect or inconsistent dimensions and layouts in the construction documents, or by the lack of timely and correct information that it is needed to build the project or to meet the code requirements. Among others, E&Os are usually caused by poor coordination and communication among the many parties involved in the design process. The objective of this research is to explore the extent to which change orders resulting from errors and omissions in the design documents are caused by poor coordination and communications, and to determine the extent to which the use of the concept of the 3D parametric building model can be used to minimize or eliminate E&Os, hence minimizes total change orders. The concept of the 3D parametric building model has been implemented in commercial software using object-oriented technology. It creates a centralized database storing all the information about the design components as well as their interrelationships. Thus, whatever change is made is consistently propagated to the entire design object. The research was conducted through reviewing of the literature, a case study and a web-based survey among design professionals. The study revealed that 35% of E&Os are primarily due to poor coordination and that the use of 3D parametric building model has a significant impact on productivity and on improving the coordination of the design process. This model shows promising results in helping to minimize errors and omissions in the design documents.

在這篇論文中，我們探討了最近在有界雙容忍序中的一些成果。同時， 我們提供一些標準的簡短證明，包含有界雙容忍序的等價種類， 單位有界雙容忍序與適當有界雙容忍序的關係。 我們的目標是希望能在有界雙容忍序的現今地位上，去提供新的洞悉，並給未來學習者一個方向。 / In the paper、we study recent work on some classes of bounded bitolerance orders. Also, we provide the short proofs of some of classical results on bounded bitolerance orders, including the equivalent classes of bounded bitolerance orders、the relation of unit and proper bitolerance orders. Our goal is to provide the fresh insights into the current status of research in the area while suggesting directions for the future.

O processo civil brasileiro tem sido objeto de diversas reformas, baseadas em teses doutrinárias, no intuito de aumentar a celeridade processual. Essas reformas acabaram por dar origem a contradições e inconsistências no sistema do Código de Processo Civil de 1973, criando novos problemas e aumentando a litigância em torno de questões processuais. Um novo Código de Processo Civil está sendo elaborado, reorganizando o sistema processual civil, modificando a recorribilidade das decisões intercalares e adotando algumas práticas do direito anglo-americano. Uma análise de direito comparado envolvendo as normas processuais adotadas no direito medieval português, na Justiça do Trabalho, nas cortes federais dos Estados Unidos e nas cortes estaduais de Nova Iorque sugere que algumas das modificações propostas podem não ser efetivas para obtenção de celeridade processual. Além disso, uma análise empírica de decisões do Tribunal de Justiça de São Paulo demonstra que 44,33% das decisões intercalares recorridas são anuladas ou modificadas, sugerindo ainda ser importante a supervisão do juízo de segundo grau sobre este tipo de decisão. Os dados também demonstraram que apenas 22,27% dos agravos de instrumento implicam em alguma suspensão do processo, indicando que este recurso não é uma causa significativa de atraso no processo em primeiro grau. Conclui-se que, na realidade, algumas das inovações propostas para o novo Código de Processo Civil podem não ser a maneira mais eficiente de lidar com os problemas atuais do direito processual / Brazilian Civil Procedural Law has been subject to several statutory reforms based on legal theories in order to reduce judicial proceedings length of time. These reforms had produced contradictions and inconsistencies in the Civil Procedure Code introduced in 1973, creating new problems and increasing litigation on procedural matters. A new code is being drafted reorganizing the civil procedure system, redesigning appellate review on interlocutory orders and adopting some practices from common law. Comparative analysis involving procedures adopted by Portuguese medieval Civil Courts, Brazilian Labor Courts, U.S. Federal Courts and New York State Courts suggest that some of the proposed modifications on appellate review may be not effective to reduce procedural length. Moreover, empirical analysis of decisions from São Paulo Court of Appeals demonstrates a reversal or modification rate of 44,33% on appealed interlocutory orders, which suggest the second instance supervisory role over these orders is still important. The empirical data also shows a stay of proceedings rate of only 22,27% while interlocutory appeals are being decided, suggesting it is not a major cause for procedural delay. In fact, comparative and empirical analysis indicates that some statutory innovations to be introduced by the new Civil Procedure Code may be not the most efficient way to cope with the actual Brazilian Procedural Law problems