The thesis is focused on analysis of consumption credits, which are provided by banking and non-banking providers. The work contains theoretical and legislative resources mainly for the pointer annual percentage rate, because the APRC should be the main compartive standard for consumers. The thesis contains comparison of consumer credits of several providers from the czech credit market. The overall evaluation of situation on market and recommendations for consumers are also included.

Les communications téléphoniques en voix sur IP souffrent de la perte de paquets causée par les problèmes d'acheminement dus aux nœuds du réseau. La perte d'un paquet de voix induit la perte d'un segment de signal de parole (généralement 10ms par paquet perdu). Face à la grande diversité des codeurs de parole, nous nous sommes intéressés dans le cadre de cette thèse à proposer une méthode de masquage de pertes de paquets générique, indépendante du codeur de parole utilisé. Ainsi, le masquage de pertes de paquets est appliqué au niveau du signal de parole reconstruit, après décodage, s'affranchissant ainsi du codeur de parole. Le système proposé repose sur une modélisation classique de type « modèles de Markov cachés » afin de suivre l'évolution acoustique de la parole. À notre connaissance, une seule étude a proposé l'utilisation des modèles de Markov cachés dans ce cadre [4]. Toutefois, Rødbro a utilisé l'utilisation de deux modèles, l'un pour la parole voisée, l'autre pour les parties non voisées, posant ainsi le problème de la distinction voisée/non voisée. Dans notre approche, un seul modèle de Markov caché est mis en œuvre. Aux paramètres classiques (10 coefficients de prédiction linéaire dans le domaine cepstral (LPCC) et dérivées premières) nous avons adjoint un nouvel indicateur continu de voisement [1, 2]. La recherche du meilleur chemin avec observations manquantes conduit à une version modifiée de l'algorithme de Viterbi pour l'estimation de ces observations. Les différentes contributions (indice de voisement, décodage acoutico-phonétique et restitution du signal) de cette thèse sont évaluées [3] en terme de taux de sur et sous segmentation, taux de reconnaissance et distances entre l'observation attendue et l'observation estimée. Nous donnons une indication de la qualité de la parole au travers d'une mesure perceptuelle : le PESQ. / Packet loss due to misrouted or delayed packets in voice over IP leads to huge voice quality degradation. Packet loss concealment algorithms try to enhance the perceptive quality of the speech. The huge variety of vocoders leads us to propose a generic framework working directly on the speech signal available after decoding. The proposed system relies on one single "hidden Markov model" to model time evolution of acoustic features. An original indicator of continuous voicing is added to conventional parameters (Linear Predictive Cepstral Coefficients) in order to handle voiced/unvoiced sound. Finding the best path with missing observations leads to one major contribution: a modified version of the Viterbi algorithm tailored for estimating missing observations. All contributions are assessed using both perceptual criteria and objective metrics.

La presente investigación tuvo como intención estudiar un nuevo enfoque del análisis de la variabilidad en la programación semanal en proyectos donde se aplica el Last Planner® System (LPS). Para ello, se usó como caso de estudio, el proyecto «Mejoramiento de las actividades recreativas pasivas del Parque Amarilis de la localidad de Huánuco». Durante el estudio, se realizaron mediciones en campo para analizar, verificar, diagnosticar e implementar dos nuevas métricas (PPC+, PPC++) con relación al PPC (porcentaje de plan cumplido). Ello, con el fin de evidenciar la variabilidad subyacente no detectada por el PPC en la programación semanal de las actividades durante la ejecución. Con la investigación se pudo determinar que la implementación de nuevas métricas (PPC+, PPC++) estuvieron relacionadas con cambios en la programación de actividades y defectos que comprometen la planificación y ejecución del proyecto; y que la toma de decisiones, en función a la información de la variabilidad subyacente, traería beneficios para la mejora en el cumplimento del alcance, tiempo, calidad y costo del proyecto. / The research was intended to study a new approach to the analysis of variability in the weekly schedule in projects where Last Planner® System (now on LPS) are applied. For this purpose, the case study was taken, the project “Improvement of passive recreational activities at Amaryllis’park in the Huánuco town “. During the study, measurements were carried out in the field to analyze, verify, diagnose and implement two new metrics (PPC+, PPC++) in relation to PPC (percentage of plan accomplished). In order to show the underlying variability not detected by the PPC in the weekly schedule of activities during execution. With the research, it was determined that the implementation of new metrics (PPC+, PPC++) that complement the PPC showed changes in the scheduling of activities and defects that compromise the planning and execution of the project; and that decision-making, based on the information of the underlying variability, would bring benefits for the improvement in the fulfillment of the scope, time, quality and cost of the project. / Trabajo de investigación

Nutrition and recovery go hand in hand. After a resistance training workout, it is extremely important for athletes to rebuild and refuel their bodies with the proper nourishment to obtain maximal results. In doing so, they consume different recovery aids or ergogenic aids for gains in muscle mass, an aid in hydration, and a speedy recovery. Ergogenic aids can include many things (i.e., improved equipment, training program), but one of the most popular types of ergogenic aids is nutritional supplements such as protein, carbohydrates, creatine, and vitamins. A nutritional supplement that has recently grown in popularity is chocolate milk. Currently, no studies exist comparing the effects of fat-free chocolate milk and 2% chocolate milk on muscular strength and body composition in collegiate softball players. The purpose of this study will be to determine the effects of fat-free and 2% chocolate milk ingestion on body composition and muscular strength following eight weeks of resistance training. In a randomized (matched according to strength and bodyweight), double blind experimental design, 18 female, collegiate softball players (18.5 +_ .7 yrs; 65.7 +_ 1.8 inches; 156.2 +_ 21.6 lbs) ingested either fat-free chocolate milk or 2% chocolate milk immediately after resistance exercise workouts for an 8-week period. Dependent variables included body fat percentage, lean muscle mass, bench press 1RM, and leg press 1RM. Data was analyzed via a paired samples t-test (to detect difference across both groups over the 8-week training period) and an independent samples t-test (to detect differences between the groups) using SPSS for Windows 15.0. No statistically significant differences were found in bench press strength, leg press strength, body fat %, and lean body mass between the fat-free group and the 2% chocolate milk group. The major finding of this study is that there is no difference between fat-free chocolate milk and 2% chocolate milk in regards to body fat percentage, lean body mass, bench press maximal strength, and leg press maximal strength following an eight week exercise program where the chocolate milk was ingested immediately after each workout. However, there was a significant difference in both groups combined after the eight week training program. Therefore, from a practical sense, consumption of either fat-free chocolate milk or 2% chocolate milk in conjunction with a periodized resistance training program does improve exercise performance in regards to maximal strength as well as improvements in body fat percentage and lean body mass.

The diploma thesis entitled "Analysis of ancillary costs of budget" deals with ancillary costs with a focus on the cost of site equipment. The aim of this work was to analyze the-se costs and subsequent evaluation of incidental costs and with a more detailed focus on the cost of site equipment. The first part of the work focuses on the analysis of the con-struction budget, a detailed description of secondary budget costs and construction site equipment. The second part deals with the analysis of ancillary costs of the construction budget. The emphasis here is on the cost of site equipment. For each type of cost, an ana-lysis was performed using percentage cost rates.

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the interrelationships of several important fitness characteristics in Division 1 athletes. Sport performance magnitude is the summation of an individual athlete’s technical, psychological, and fitness characteristics. Athletes who excel in any or all characteristics perform better in their chosen sports. General fitness characteristics that are important to almost all sports include strength, power, vertical jump height, shortdistance sprinting ability, muscularity, and body fat percentage. These variables have been shown in previous research to independently affect athletic performance outcomes, but their relationships to one another are less clear. Eighty Division I athletes from 4 sports were examined in a variety of fitness characteristics as part of a continuous athlete monitoring program. Data on strength, power, vertical jump height, short-distance sprinting speed, muscularity, and body fat percentage were collected and analyzed. Analysis revealed several important relationships. Firstly, strength is highly related to muscularity, with lean body mass as one of the most important determinants of strength. Secondly, athletes who can produce high relative (scaled per body mass) forces and powers tend to be considerably higher jumpers and much faster sprinters. Lastly, leaner athletes out-perform less lean athletes in almost every metric, especially relative strength and power, vertical jumping ability, and sprinting ability.

Objective. Determine the relationship between dietary quality and body weight/composition in college women. Specific emphasis was made regarding adherence to current MyPyramid guidelines, fruit, vegetable and junk food consumption. Design/Participants. The study used a cross-sectional design. One hundred and sixty three women were recruited to participate in the study. All participants were university students (20.4 ± 1.6 y). Diet intake was measured using the Dietary History Questionnaire (DHQ) and the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) was calculated to assess diet quality. Body fat percentage was assessed using the Bod Pod and BMI was calculated using height and weight measurements. Physical activity was measured objectively using accelerometers over seven consecutive days. Results. There was no significant difference in BMI or body fat percentage across university year. There was no relationship between diet quality (as measured using the Healthy Eating Index) and percent body fat or BMI. The number of MyPyramid equivalents of fruit was negatively correlated to body fat percentage (r = -0.2, p ≤ 0,05) but not BMI (r = -0.093, p =0.26). The number of MyPyramid equivalents of dairy was also negatively related to both body fat percentage (r = -0.21, p ≤ 0.05) and BMI (r = -0.21, p ≤ 0.05). Percentage of calories from Non Nutrient Dense Foods (NNDF) was positively related to percent body fat ( r= 0.179, p = 0.029). For every 1-percentage increase in NNDF, there was a 0.12 percentage point increase in body fat. Conclusion. Increasing fruit, dairy, and vegetable intake, and reducing intake from Non Nutrient Dense Foods (NNDF) such as French fries, cookies, and candy, may have a beneficial influence on body composition in college women.

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 has mandated that all public school students will be reading at grade level by the 2013-2014 school year. Florida has embarked on an agenda to ensure that the kindergarten through high school student population is reading at or above grade level by 2014. Many of Florida's low-performing student population, including middle school students with high incidence disabilities, are reading below grade level. Using a multiple baseline across subjects design, this study examined the impact of computer-assisted repeated readings on the reading performance of three middle school students with mild intellectual disabilities over the course of 67 days. Results showed an improvement in reading fluency rate using instructional level text. The study was evaluated using quality indicators of single-subject research in special education. Future research is advocated to replicate this study across different grades and exceptionalities.

The radiation-induced bystander effect is an important phenomenon in the field of radiation biology. It has been shown that cells, after exposure to radiation, can communicate with surrounding cells and affect their physiology. Otherwise-healthy recipient cells can be influenced to undergo cellular senescence or apoptosis through this process. This has potential utilizations for radiation oncology and as well as our understanding of radiation safety. The radiation-induced bystander effect has been extensively investigated since the 1990s, but the scientific community struggles to come to a unanimous decision on how strongly these signals impact the survival of bystander cells. Results show various degrees of impact on cell survival whereas certain studies refute the existence of a radiation-induced bystander effect. This may be due to the fact that there is a great deal of study heterogeneity within the radiation-induced bystander effect community. Most experiments follow a similar general bystander protocol but often use different donor and reporter cell lines that vary in sex, organ of origin, and p53 status. The type of radiation and dose rate also typically differ between experimental designs. In this analysis, 67 in vitro, medium-transfer, radiation-induced, bystander effect studies were retrospectively graphed and analyzed to determine which intrinsic and external factors contributed significantly to the overall survival percentage change observed in reporter cells. A Two-Way ANOVA was conducted on each variable and showed that the reporter cell line, p53 status, and radiation type had a statistically significant effect on survival percentage change. These findings may explain the variation in results seen in past experiments and may help standardize future research allowing for more direct comparisons. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

<p>The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the market potential of producer services in Jönköping County. In relation to the main purpose, the idea is to examine which factors that have a positive impact on the development of a long run qualitative producer service industry in the region.</p><p>The favourable location of Jönköping County is one of the main factors for why the county has one of the highest densities of manufacturing firms in Sweden. Moreover, the region has comparative advantages in several products, for an example; wood, rubber, machinery and electronically goods. Earlier research and comparisons with other international manufacturing clusters indicates that these areas tend to contain highly developed producer service industries. The thesis gives a case example of how the beneficial, mutual interaction between the manufacturing and producer service industries works in the car industry in Germany. However, to be able to establish a successful and close relationship between the above mentioned industries, the theoretical framework distinguishes several important factors; for instance, education and infrastructure are assumed to be the two most vital ingredienses. Nonetheless, also the firms’ production milieu and technology affects the successful development of a cluster district. Furthermore,when relating the theoretical assumptions to the descriptive statistics, with the intention to elucidate the industrial structure of Jönköping County, one can differentiate three major producer service sectors, namely; “Transport and mail”, “Consulting, marketing, law” and finally “Rentals of premises, labour and machinery”. Nevertheless, several alarming observations can be noticed concerning the wage level, education intensity, productivity and gross profit percentage within the county’s producer service industry; where all these features are below the domestic average. Nevertheless, the empirical analysis indicates that the region has a varying, but yet a positive market potential in the majority of the county’s municipalities. With correct priorities, Jönköping County has good future prospects to reach a high competitive position, but to accomplish this; the education intensity has to be improved.</p> / <p>Syftet med denna uppsats är att utreda om Jönköpings län besitter marknadspotential inom närindustriella tjänster. I relation till syftet är avsikten också att ta reda på vilka faktorer som kan underlätta utvecklingen av en långsiktig kvalitativ service industri i länet. Den fördelaktiga geografiska positionen är en av faktorerna till varför Jönköpings län har blivit ett av Sveriges industritätaste områden; där regionen har komparativa fördelar i trä, gummi, maskin och elektroniska produkter. Genom tidigare forskning och vid jämförelser med andra internationella tillverkningskluster hävdas det att det finns tydliga tecken på att dessa områden bör innerhålla starkt utvecklade centra för närindustriella tjänster. I uppsatsen nämns framförallt den tyska bilindustrin som ett exempel på hur nära samarbetet mellan tillverkning och service industrin kan bedrivas. För att kunna nå en nära samverkan mellan de nämnda industrierna så pekar teoridelen ut flera viktiga ståndpunkter, där bland annat utbildning och infrastruktur är av allra högsta vikt. Men även företagens produktionsmiljö och teknologi reflekterar hur ett framgångsrikt klusterområde utvecklas. När man därefter relaterar dessa utgångspunkter till den deskriptiva statistiken med syfte att klargöra Jönköpings läns industristruktur, kan man konstatera att den största industritjänsten utgörs av transport och logistik. Därefter följer marknadsföring,redovisning och juridisk rådgivning, medan den tredje och sista tjänsten är uthyrning av lokaler, maskiner och personal. Dock påträffas flera oroväckande iakttagelser gällande lönenivåer, utbildningsintensitet, produktivitet och bruttovinstandelar inom produktionstjänster i länet, då samtliga faktorer hamnar under riksgenomsnittet. Vidare indikerar de empiriska resultaten och analysen på att det finns en varierande men positiv marknadspotential i majoriteten av länets kommuner. Med rätta prioriteringar så finns det således goda framtidsutsikter för att regionen skall kunna skaffa sig en hög konkurrenskraft i framtiden. Men då krävs det framförallt en högre utbildningsgrad bland den arbetsföra befolkningen i länet.</p>