This research is directed towards developing a decision assisting tool for university administrators. The computational algorithm developed is designed to measure the workload of each university faculty member and to present the results, in special form, to three levels of university administration. Eleven factors that make up the workload of a faculty member are used in a factor weighting measurement system. Emphasis is placed on the use of the decision assisting tool once it has been developed. Problems concerning re-allocation of workloads, allocation of workloads, allocation of new faculty positions, and allocation of other assignments are studied to illustrate ways in which the algorithm output would be helpful. Some trends in undergraduate and graduate education are studied to determine their effects on the workloads of the faculty. Aspects of control of workloads, using the algorithm output, are discussed. / Master of Science

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On a regular basis, project managers concentrate their efforts on critical and near-critical activities. However, the concepts of total float and critical path lose their significance after applying resource-constrained scheduling (RCS) methodologies. RCS techniques solve the resource conflicts but create phantom float in the schedules (i.e., a float that does not exist). RCS techniques overlook the resources relationships between activities that compete for the same but unavailable resources. Therefore, each time an activity uses this apparent float (phantom float), there is a resource violation in the schedule. Due to the projects' size and complexity, schedulers use scheduling software such as Primavera P6 to fix the resource conflicts of a schedule. The software correctly determines the activities' earliest dates that satisfy the resource limitations, but they calculate total float based on a "Time Context" ignoring the presence of resource constraints. Thus, the results show incorrect total float values and a broken critical path. The lack of a continuous critical path makes impossible the anticipation of the impact of a delaying event in the project completion time. Several algorithms have been developed to address the shortcomings of RCS methods. These RCS related algorithms were developed with the aim of providing project managers a tool to correctly schedule and identify critical activities with respect to time and resource allocation and correctly calculate the total float of each activity under resource constraints. In this regard, the Resource-Constrained Critical Path Method (RCPM) is an algorithm that correctly calculates the floats of activities and identifies a continuous critical path in resource-constrained schedules. Regardless of the RCPM provides more reliable float values than traditional RCS-related algorithms, there are some shortcomings that must be addressed to enhance its capability. This study addresses the existing shortcomings of RCPM to make it more practical for real construction projects. / Doctor of Philosophy / One of the challenges of resource allocation is resource availability because oftentimes, the resource demand exceeds the supply. When resources are over-allocated, activities are delayed until resources become available. Due to the projects' size and complexity, schedulers use available software to solve the resource conflicts of a schedule. After testing Primavera P6 versions and MS Project v2016, both software create phantom float in a resource-constrained schedule. This is, the RCS calculations suggest that activities have float, but this float might not exist at all. Resource-Constrained Scheduling (RCS) techniques mitigate a resource supply-demand problem but fail to identify a project critical path. The methods do not consider the resource-activity dependencies that arise when activities are delayed due to resource limits. As a result, the critical path is broken, and all the activities must be considered as critical. To provide correct float values and a continuous critical path, the Resource-Constrained Critical Path (RCPM) was introduced by Kim and de la Garza in 2003. Regardless of the RCPM provides more reliable float values than traditional RCS-related algorithms, there are some shortcomings that must be addressed to enhance its capability. This study addresses the existing shortcomings of RCPM to make it more practical for real construction projects.

Symptoms after surgery and anaesthesia influence the patient´s ability to resume daily activities. If postoperative symptoms are controlled rehabilitation may be accelerated. The aims of this dissertation were to identify disturbing symptoms reported by patients after gynaecological surgery, to investigate what effect prohylactic treatment with antiemetics has on these symptoms and whether or not sensory simulation of the P6-acupressure has an effect on postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and motion sickness. Methods: Total 1138 women participated in three clinical trials (Studies I, II, III) and one experimental study (Study IV). A questionnaire investigating postoperative symptoms was constructed and validated. The questionnaire was used in a prospective, consecutive, doubleblind, randomised, multicentre, and controlled study to identify incidence, and intensity of postoperative symptoms and the effect of common antiemetics (droperidol and granisetron) (Study III). The patients were followed for 24 h. In two studies (I, II) P6-acupressure was compared (prospective, double-blind, ransomised, controlled) with placebo acupressure and a reference group where the effect on PONV was followed over 24 h. The effect of P6-acupressure and placebo acupressure on motion sickness induced by a nauseogenic motion challenge was studied (Study III). Results: A high incidence and severity of postoperative symptoms were found after gynaecological surgery in a group with a high risk (>30%) for PONV. Sixty-four per cent (107/165) of the patients experienced disturbing symptoms after surgery and 46 % (76/165) scored their symptoms as moderate to very severe. Fourty-eight per cent (79/165) had two or more symptoms. A higher incidence of symptoms were reported in the groups with prophylactic treatment, granisetron 74% (123/165) and droperidol 80% (133/165) compared to the control group 41% (69/165) (P <0.05). The relative risk reduction for PONV with granisetron or droperidol prophylaxis is 27% respective 22%. The relative risk increase for headache is 63% after granisetron, and 44% for difficulty with accommodation after droperidol. Less PONV was seen after P6-acupressure, 33% (44/135) compared to reference group 46% (63/136) (p = 0.019), number needed to treat (NNT) was 7 [95% confidence interval (CI) 4- 6]. When comparing laparoscopic and vaginal surgery (subgroup analysis) the main effect was in the vaginal group (day-case surgery), 36% (27/75) in the reference group to 27% (23/86) in the placebo group and to 20% (17/84) in the P6-acupressure group, (P = 0.017), NNT for the vaginal group was 6 [95% CI 3-18]. P6-acupressure increased time to nausea after a laboratory motion challenge and reduced the total number of symptoms reported (p <0.009). Conclusions: There is no clinical efficacy in the form of reduced postoperative symptoms after prophylactic antiemetics (droperidol and granisetron) in females with a high risk (>30%) for PONV undergoing gynaecological surgery. P6-acupressure reduces the incidence of PONV after gynaecological surgery in females with a high (>30%) risk for PONV. The effect seems to be most prominent after vaginal surgery. P6-acupressure increased tolerance to experimental nausogenic stimuli and reduced the total number of symptoms reported in females with a history of motion sickness. / On the day of the public defence the status of article IV was: Submitted.

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