O objetivo deste trabalho é desenvolver e propor um novo método para o planejamento de redes geodésicas. O planejamento (ou pré-análise) de uma rede geodésica consiste em planejar (ou otimizar) a rede, de modo que a mesma atenda a critérios de qualidade pré-estabelecidos de acordo com os objetivos do projeto, como precisão, confiabilidade e custos. No método aqui proposto, os critérios a serem considerados na etapa de planejamento são os níveis de confiabilidade e homogeneidade mínimos aceitáveis para as observações; a acurácia posicional dos vértices, considerando tanto os efeitos de precisão quanto os (possíveis) efeitos de tendência, segundo ainda um determinado nível de confiança; o número de outliers não detectados máximo admissível; e o poder do teste mínimo do procedimento Data Snooping (DS) no cenário n-dimensional, isto é, considerando todas as observações (testadas individualmente). De acordo com as classificações encontradas na literatura, o método aqui proposto consiste em um projeto combinado, solucionado por meio do método da tentativa e erro, além de apresentar alguns aspectos inéditos em seus critérios de planejamento. Para demonstrar a sua aplicação prática, um exemplo numérico de planejamento de uma rede GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System – Sistema Global de Navegação por Satélite) é apresentado e descrito. Os resultados obtidos após o processamento dos dados da rede GNSS foram concordantes com os valores estimados na sua etapa de planejamento, ou seja, o método aqui proposto apresentou desempenho satisfatório na prática. Além disso, também foram investigados como os critérios pré-estabelecidos, a geometria/configuração da rede geodésica e a precisão/correlação inicial das observações podem influenciar nos resultados obtidos na etapa de planejamento, seguindo o método aqui proposto. Com a realização destes experimentos, dentre outras conclusões, verificou-se que todo os critérios de planejamento do método aqui proposto estão intrinsecamente interligados, pois, por exemplo, uma baixa redundância conduz a um valor relativamente mais alto para a componente de precisão, e consequentemente, um valor relativamente mais baixo para a componente de tendência (mantendo a acurácia final constante), o que também conduz a um poder do teste mínimo nos cenários unidimensional e n-dimensional significativamente mais baixos. / The aim of this work is to develop and propose a new method for the design of geodetic networks. Design (planning or pre-analysis) of a geodetic network consists of planning (or optimizing) the network so that it follows the pre-established quality criteria according to the project objectives, such as accuracy, reliability and costs. In the method proposed here, the criteria to be considered in the planning stage are the minimum acceptable levels of reliability and homogeneity of the observations; the positional accuracy of the points considering both the effects of precision and the (possible) effects of bias (according to a given confidence level); the maximum allowable number of undetected outliers; and the minimum power of the test of the Data Snooping procedure (DS) in the n-dimensional scenario, i.e., considering all observations (individually tested). According to the classifications found in the literature, the method proposed here consists of a combined project, solved by means of trial and error approach, and presents some new aspects in their planning criteria. To demonstrate its practical application, a numerical example of a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) network design is presented and described. The results obtained after processing the data of the GNSS network were found in agreement with the estimated values in the design stage, i.e., the method proposed here showed satisfactory performance in practice. Moreover, were also investigated as the pre-established criteria, the geometry/configuration of the geodetic network, and the initial values for precision/correlation of the observations may influence the results obtained in the planning stage, following the method proposed here. In these experiments, among other findings, it was found that all the design criteria of the method proposed here are intrinsically related, e.g., a low redundancy leads to a relatively higher value for the precision component, and consequently to a relatively lower value for the bias component (keeping constant the final accuracy), which also leads to a minimum power of the test significantly lower in the one-dimensional and the n-dimensional scenarios.

Essa pesquisa estabelece a relação entre políticas públicas e a política. Especificamente, investiga a influência que têm para a disseminação de conflitos entre agentes por posições nos espaços políticos, gerando condições para manifestação do fenômeno denominado antagonismo posicional. Concentra-se na agenda de políticas públicas redistributivas de Reforma do Estado e de reestruturação da base econômica do Rio Grande do Sul, encaminhadas no governo de Antônio Britto Filho do PMDB, cujos efeitos se estenderam ao governo de Olívio de Oliveira Dutra do PT. Nos programas que têm origem nestas políticas (de Demissão Voluntária, privatizações, concessões rodoviárias, FUNDOPEM-RS e os casos de GM e Ford), investiga as condições para a manifestação do fenômeno analisado através (i) dos resultados obtidos (ii) dos impactos na agenda pública e (iii) da influência destes sobre as articulações e sobre o comportamento eleitoral. Ao final, através da reflexão sobre fatos passados vinte (20) agentes políticos que tiveram agência sobre essas políticas públicas apontam suas motivações e razões para que o fenômeno tenha ocorrido. A explicação é a de as políticas públicas importaram mais para articular a manutenção ou reforços das posições nos espaços políticos do que pelos resultados socioeconômicos produzidos. / This research establishes the relationship between public policy and politics. Specifically, it investigates the influence they have on the conflict between agents for positions on political spaces, creating conditions for the phenomenon so-called positional antagonism. It focuses on the redistributive public policy agenda of both state reform and restructuring of the economic base of Rio Grande do Sul, directed by the governor Antonio Britto Filho from the PMDB party, whose effects extended to the governor Olívio Dutra de Oliveira from the PT party. In programs that originate in these policies (Voluntary Dismissal, privatization, highway concessions, FUNDOPEM-RS and the cases of GM and Ford), investigates the conditions for the manifestation of the phenomenon analyzed by (i) the results obtained (ii) the impact on the public agenda and (iii) the influence of these on the joints and on voting behavior. Finally, through the analysis of past events, twenty (20) political agents who had agency on those policies indicate their motivations and reasons for the phenomenon occurrence. The explanation is that public policies imported more to maintain or reinforce positions in the political space than by socioeconomic results.

abstract: Despite the critical role that the vertebral column plays in postural and locomotor behaviors, the functional morphology of the cervical region (i.e., the bony neck) remains poorly understood, particularly in comparison to that of the thoracic and lumbar sections. This dissertation tests the hypothesis that morphological variation in cervical vertebrae reflects differences in positional behavior (i.e., suspensory vs. nonsuspensory and orthograde vs. pronograde locomotion and postures). Specifically, this project addresses two broad research questions: (1) how does the morphology of cervical vertebrae vary with positional behavior and cranial morphology among primates and (2) where does fossil hominoid morphology fall within the context of the extant primates. Three biomechanical models were developed for the primate cervical spine and their predictions were tested by conducting a comparative analysis using a taxonomically and behaviorally diverse sample of primates. The results of these analyses were used to evaluate fossil hominoid morphology. The two biomechanical models relating vertebral shape to positional behaviors are not supported. However, a number of features distinguish behavioral groups. For example, the angle of the transverse process in relation to the cranial surface of the vertebral body--a trait hypothesized to reflect the deep spinal muscles' ability to extend and stabilize the neck--tends to be greater in pronograde species; this difference is in the opposite of the direction predicted by the biomechanical models. Other traits distinguish behavioral groups (e.g., spinous process length and cross-sectional area), but only in certain parts of the cervical column. The correlation of several vertebral features, especially transverse process length and pedicle cross-sectional area, with anterior cranial length supports the predictions made by the third model that links cervical morphology with head stabilization (i.e., head balancing). Fossil hominoid cervical remains indicate that the morphological pattern that characterizes modern humans was not present in Homo erectus or earlier hominins. These hominins are generally similar to apes in having larger neural arch cross-sectional areas and longer spinous processes than modern humans, likely indicating the presence of comparatively large nuchal muscles. The functional significance of this morphology remains unclear. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Anthropology 2013

The recent increase of affordable virtual reality (VR) head-mounted displays has led to many new video games and applications being developed for virtual reality environments. The improvements to VR technology has introduced many new possibilities, but has also introduced new problems to solve in order to make VR software as comfortable and as effective as possible. In this report, different methods of displaying text and receiving text input in VR environments are investigated and measured. An interactive user study was conducted to evaluate and compare the performance and user opinion of three different text display methods and four separate virtual keyboard solutions. Results revealed that the distance between text and user, with the same relative text size, significantly affected the ease of reading the text, and that designing a good virtual keyboard for VR requires a good balance of multiple factors. An example of such factors is the balance between precise control and the amount of physical exertion required. Additionally, the results suggest that the amount of previous experience with virtual reality equipment, and typing skill with regular physical keyboards, can meaningfully impact which solution is most appropriate. / Den senaste tidens ökning av prisvärda virtual reality (VR) glasögon har lett till en ökning av spel och applikationer som utvecklas för virtual reality miljöer. Förbättringarna av VR tekniken har introducerat många nya möjligheter, men även nya problem att lösa för att skapa VR mjukvara som är så bekväm och effektiv som möjligt. I den här rapporten undersöks och mäts olika metoder för att visa samt ta emot text i VR miljöer. Detta undersöktes genom utförandet av en interaktiv användarstudie som utvärderade och jämförde effektiviteten och användaråsikter kring tre olika metoder för att visa text samt fyra olika virtuella tangentbordslösningar. Resultatet visade att avståndet mellan användaren och texten, med samma relativa textstorlek, avsevärt påverkade lättheten att läsa texten, samt att designen av ett bra virtuellt tangentbord för VR kräver en bra balans mellan flera faktorer. Ett exempel på sådana faktorer är balansen mellan noggrann kontroll och den fysiska ansträngning som krävs. Resultatet tyder även på att mängden av tidigare erfarenhet med virtual reality utrustning samt skicklighet att skriva med vanliga fysiska tangentbord betydligt kan påverka vilka lösningar som är mest passande för situationen.

A presente pesquisa analisou a acurácia posicional horizontal das bases do Bing Maps, Google Maps e da World Imagery da Esri quando utilizadas como referência espacial on-line em um Sistema de Informação Geográfica no Município de São Paulo (MSP). A metodologia adotada foi a baseada no Decreto Federal no 89.817/84 e na Análise Estatística proposta por Merchant (1982). A análise da acurácia foi desenvolvida a partir das diferenças entre as coordenadas de 240 pontos nas cartas 1:1.000 do Mapa Digital da Cidade de São Paulo (MDC) em relação às coordenadas homólogas nas três bases, considerando separadamente as coordenadas do eixo Norte e Este. A base do Google Maps para o MSP foi dividida em duas (mosaico de ortofotos na área central e mosaico de imagens de satélite nas regiões periféricas), devido à grande diferença de acurácia entre os dois produtos. Para classificar cada base a partir do Decreto 89.817 foi definida a escala na qual somente 10% das discrepâncias tivessem seu valor superior ao PEC, e a escala na qual o Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) da amostra das discrepâncias fosse igual a 60,8% do PEC. A escala final selecionada foi a menor (menos detalhada) entre as definidas em cada um dos processos. A Análise Estatística foi baseada nos testes de tendência e precisão. Como as três bases apresentaram tendência, a escala definida pelo teste de precisão não foi considerada no cômputo final das escalas, devido à dificuldade de se eliminar a tendência nessas bases quando utilizadas no SIG. As escalas finais obtidas, relativas à classe A, foram: Google Maps (imagens de satélite): 1:12.400; Google Maps (ortofotos): 1:3.588; Bing Maps: 1:10.881 e Word Imagery da ESRI: 1:8.420. Concluiu-se que os três produtos com escalas próximas a 1:10.000 apresentam acurácia para serem utilizados como bases em SIGs nos estudos para planejamento urbano e que o Google Maps (ortofotos, com escala próxima a 1:4.000) pode ser igualmente utilizada para planejamento, mas em função de sua acurácia maior, pode servir também para a gestão de serviços urbanos. A principal limitação encontrada para as bases no uso como referência espacial em SIGs foi a inclinação das feições distantes do nadir da imagem ou da ortofoto e o consequente recobrimento de áreas adjacentes a essas feições. Entretanto, essa limitação se mostrou quase desprezível para as escalas definidas para as bases na análise da acurácia. / This research has analyzed the horizontal positional accuracy of basemaps Bing Maps, Google Maps and ESRIs World Imagery when used as an online spatial reference within a Geographic Information System for the municipality of São Paulo. The methodology was based on criteria defined by Brazil Federal Decree 89817/84 and in the analysis proposed by Merchant (1982). The accuracy analysis was developed observing the discrepancies between coordinates of selected 240 points from the 1:1000 digital map of São Paulo compared to corresponding points in the three basemaps, (coordinate directions North and East were considered separately). The Google Maps basemap for the city of São Paulo was divided in two (ortophoto mosaic for the central area and satellite images mosaic in the remainder peripheral areas), due to the considerable differences in their accuracy patterns. In order to classify each basemap as per Federal Decree 89.817, we have defined a scale in which only 10% of discrepancies were above the LMAS90 and the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of the discrepancies sample was equal to 60,8% of LMAS90. The final selected scale was the smallest (less detailed) of those obtained in each of the processes. The statistical analysis was based on the test of bias error and by a test of precision. Because the three basemaps have presented biases, the final scales defined by the precision test were not considered in the results, for it is difficult to eliminate biases in these basemaps when used in a GIS. We have obtained the following final scales to class A of the Brazilian Decree: Google Maps (area covered by satellite images): 1:12.400; Google Maps (area covered by ortophotos): 1:3.588; Bing Maps: 1:10.881 and ESRIs Word Imagery: 1:8.420. In conclusion, (a) the three products with scales around a 1:10.000 present accuracy to be used as basemap in GIS for urban planning studies and (b) Google Maps (area covered by ortophotos, scale around 1:4.000) can be equally used for planning studies, as well as urban services manager, due to its greater accuracy. The key limitations for the use of such basemaps as spatial references in GIS was the inclination of features which are distant from the image or ortophoto nadir (off-nadir effects) and the consequent shadowing of adjoining areas. However, this limitation is almost irrelevant to the scales defined for the basemaps in the accuracy analysis.

The amount and composition of intramuscular fat (IMF) influence the sensory characteristics, nutritional value of beef and human health. The amount of fatty acid and its composition in beef varies by breed, nutrition, sex, age or carcass finishing level. The fat deposition and composition are determined by many genes that participate directly or indirectly in adipogenesis and lipid metabolism. The selection of animals with fat amount and composition suitable for the consumer is complex due to high cost of measurement, the moderate heritability and polygenic traits (many genes are involved with these traits). In the last decade with a great advance in bovine genomics resulted in the complete genome sequencing and the development of high-density chips of SNPs. This scientific advance jointly with technological improvement allowed the identification of genes responsible for important quantitative traits in cattle. This study aimed to identify and characterize genes associated with the deposition and composition of intramuscular fat in Nellore. A genome-wide association study (genome- wide association studies, GWAS) was performed to identify genomic regions associated with traits of interest and positional candidate genes. A total RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis was applied to transcriptome study of Longissimus dorsi muscle. Three hundred and eighty six Nellore steers were used for the evaluation of lipid content and fatty acid profile of LD, and genotyping with high-density chip SNP (SNP800 Illumina BeadChip). A subset of 14 animals, seven animals for each extremes of genomic estimated values (GEBV) were used to RNA-Seq analysis. Twenty-five genomic regions (1 MB window) were associated with the deposition and composition of intramuscular fat, which explained >= 1 % of the genetic variance. These regions were identified on chromosomes 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17, 26 and 27, many of these have not previously been found in other breeds and in these regions important genes were identified. Genomic regions and genes identified and presented here should be contribute to a better understanding of the genetic control of deposition and fat composition in beef cattle, and can be applied in breeding programs for animals that produce a quality and healthy beef to human consumers. / A quantidade e composição da gordura intramuscular (GIM) pode influenciar as características sensoriais, o valor nutricional da carne bovina e na saúde humana. O perfil dos seus ácidos graxos pode se apresentar de maneira diversificada conforme a genética, o manejo e a nutrição dos animais de origem. A deposição e composição da gordura são determinadas por muitos genes que participam direta ou indiretamente da adipogênese e do metabolismo lipídico. A seleção de animais com teor e composição de gordura adequado para o consumidor é complexa pela difícil mensuração destas características, pela moderada herdabilidade e pelo desconhecimento dos genes envolvidos. Na última década, presenciamos um grande avanço na área da genômica bovina que resultou no sequenciamento completo do genoma e no desenvolvimento de chips de alta densidade de SNP. Este progresso científico, aliado aos avanços tecnológicos de equipamentos, resultou na identificação de genes responsáveis pela determinação de características quantitativas de interesse científico e comercial na bovinocultura. Este estudo teve como objetivo identificar e caracterizar genes associados à deposição e composição de gordura intramuscular em bovinos Nelore. Para este fim foi conduzido um estudo de associação genômica (Genome-wide association studies, GWAS) para identificar regiões genômicas associadas às características de interesse e identificar genes candidatos posicionais. Para o estudo de expressão diferencial foi conduzido um estudo do transcriptoma a partir do sequenciamento de RNA total (RNA-Seq) do músculo Longissimus dorsi. Foram utilizados 386 Nelores para a avaliação do teor de lipídeos total e perfil de ácidos graxos do músculo LD e, genotipagem com chip de alta densidade de SNP (Illumina SNP800 BeadChip). Um subconjunto de 14 animais, sendo sete animais de cada extremo para os valores genômicos estimados (GEBV) foi utilizado para o estudo de RNA-Seq. Foram encontradas 25 regiões genômicas (intervalos de 1 MB) associadas com deposição e composição de gordura intramuscular, as quais explicaram >= 1% da variância genética. Estas regiões foram identificadas nos cromossomos 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 17, 26 e 27, muitas destas não foram previamente detectadas em outras raças. Nestas regiões foram identificados importantes genes e podem ajudar no entendimento da base genética envolvida na deposição e composição de gordura. As regiões genômicas e genes aqui identificados e apresentados contribuem para um melhor entendimento do controle genético da deposição e composição de gordura em gado de corte e ainda podem ser aplicados em programas de seleção genética de animais que produzam carne com qualidade e com perfil de gordura saudável ao homem.

O objetivo deste trabalho é desenvolver e propor um novo método para o planejamento de redes geodésicas. O planejamento (ou pré-análise) de uma rede geodésica consiste em planejar (ou otimizar) a rede, de modo que a mesma atenda a critérios de qualidade pré-estabelecidos de acordo com os objetivos do projeto, como precisão, confiabilidade e custos. No método aqui proposto, os critérios a serem considerados na etapa de planejamento são os níveis de confiabilidade e homogeneidade mínimos aceitáveis para as observações; a acurácia posicional dos vértices, considerando tanto os efeitos de precisão quanto os (possíveis) efeitos de tendência, segundo ainda um determinado nível de confiança; o número de outliers não detectados máximo admissível; e o poder do teste mínimo do procedimento Data Snooping (DS) no cenário n-dimensional, isto é, considerando todas as observações (testadas individualmente). De acordo com as classificações encontradas na literatura, o método aqui proposto consiste em um projeto combinado, solucionado por meio do método da tentativa e erro, além de apresentar alguns aspectos inéditos em seus critérios de planejamento. Para demonstrar a sua aplicação prática, um exemplo numérico de planejamento de uma rede GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System – Sistema Global de Navegação por Satélite) é apresentado e descrito. Os resultados obtidos após o processamento dos dados da rede GNSS foram concordantes com os valores estimados na sua etapa de planejamento, ou seja, o método aqui proposto apresentou desempenho satisfatório na prática. Além disso, também foram investigados como os critérios pré-estabelecidos, a geometria/configuração da rede geodésica e a precisão/correlação inicial das observações podem influenciar nos resultados obtidos na etapa de planejamento, seguindo o método aqui proposto. Com a realização destes experimentos, dentre outras conclusões, verificou-se que todo os critérios de planejamento do método aqui proposto estão intrinsecamente interligados, pois, por exemplo, uma baixa redundância conduz a um valor relativamente mais alto para a componente de precisão, e consequentemente, um valor relativamente mais baixo para a componente de tendência (mantendo a acurácia final constante), o que também conduz a um poder do teste mínimo nos cenários unidimensional e n-dimensional significativamente mais baixos. / The aim of this work is to develop and propose a new method for the design of geodetic networks. Design (planning or pre-analysis) of a geodetic network consists of planning (or optimizing) the network so that it follows the pre-established quality criteria according to the project objectives, such as accuracy, reliability and costs. In the method proposed here, the criteria to be considered in the planning stage are the minimum acceptable levels of reliability and homogeneity of the observations; the positional accuracy of the points considering both the effects of precision and the (possible) effects of bias (according to a given confidence level); the maximum allowable number of undetected outliers; and the minimum power of the test of the Data Snooping procedure (DS) in the n-dimensional scenario, i.e., considering all observations (individually tested). According to the classifications found in the literature, the method proposed here consists of a combined project, solved by means of trial and error approach, and presents some new aspects in their planning criteria. To demonstrate its practical application, a numerical example of a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) network design is presented and described. The results obtained after processing the data of the GNSS network were found in agreement with the estimated values in the design stage, i.e., the method proposed here showed satisfactory performance in practice. Moreover, were also investigated as the pre-established criteria, the geometry/configuration of the geodetic network, and the initial values for precision/correlation of the observations may influence the results obtained in the planning stage, following the method proposed here. In these experiments, among other findings, it was found that all the design criteria of the method proposed here are intrinsically related, e.g., a low redundancy leads to a relatively higher value for the precision component, and consequently to a relatively lower value for the bias component (keeping constant the final accuracy), which also leads to a minimum power of the test significantly lower in the one-dimensional and the n-dimensional scenarios.

Allorecognition, defined as the ability to discriminate between self and non-self, is ubiquitous to colonial metazoans and widespread in aclonal taxa. Invertebrate allorecognition phenomena are of broad interest and have long captured the attention of geneticists by virtue of the allotypic diversity they display, marine ecologists by virtue of their control of effector mechanisms determining the outcome of intraspecific competition, evolutionary biologists by virtue of their regulation of the level at which selection acts, and immunologists by virtue of their resemblance to the allogeneic interactions that characterize pregnancy and transplantation in vertebrates. Diverse histocompatibility modes have been described in the jawed vertebrates, protochordates, and cnidarians, which are to date the only three taxa for which a genetic model to study allorecognition has been developed. Outside of the MHC-based histocompatibility of vertebrates, allorecognition determinants have been recognized in only two invertebrates. In the tunicate Botryllus, two genes involved in the histocompatibility response were characterized, FuHc and fester. In Hydractinia, the loci controlling allorecognition, alr1 and alr2, were mapped to a single chromosomal region, the allorecognition complex, and alr2 was recently identified as a polymorphic immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF) receptor. In this study, the identification of the second Hydractinia allodeterminant, alr1, was undertaken. Chapter I briefly reviews prominent allorecognition model organisms and details the phenomenon in the model organism, Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus studied here. Chapter II describes the isolation of a 300.8 kb alr1-containing chromosomal interval by positional cloning. The analysis of that interval for its gene content and the determination of a primary alr1 candidate, CDS4, are described in Chapter III. Chapter III also reveals the existence of a complex of IgSF-like genes, to which belongs CDS4. CDS4, a novel polymorphic IgSF receptor that encodes a type I transmembrane protein with two hypervariable immunoglobulin-like extracellular domains, was confirmed to be the alr1 allodeterminant in Chapter IV, based on the investigation of natural polymorphism. CDS4 allele sequences were found to largely predict the outcome of allorecognition responses within and between laboratory lines and wild-type colonies, confirming the identity of CDS4 as the classically defined locus alr1. / Doctorat en sciences, Spécialisation biologie moléculaire / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

The goal of this work is to demonstrate the utility of using systematically formatted mixture based libraries as part of the drug discovery processes. While there are a number of different valid approaches for identifying hit and tool compounds, systematically formatted mixture based libraries, such as those described in this study, offer the ability to develop a significant amount of structure activity relationship data from the testing of very few samples. In support of this claim a review of recent developments in the area of systematically formatted mixture based libraries as well as three case studies are presented. The three case studies provide the detailed approach and results obtained from using systematically formatted mixture based libraries in programs focused on identifying broad spectrum antibiotics, therapeutics to treat leishmaniasis, and inhibitors of palmitoylation. In each of these three cases approximately 200 samples were utilized to survey millions of compounds in order to develop a series of hit and tool compounds as well as significant structure-activity relationship (SAR) data around the compounds identified. This information will be utilized in future studies to potentially uncover novel mechanisms of action for treating infections and diseases as well as developing therapeutics to treat the patients affect by them. So while systematically formatted mixture based libraries are not the only option for identifying hit or tool compounds they do provide a very efficient method that can be adapted to a variety of assay formats and therefor should be considered when conducting a screening campaign.

The final thesis deals with competitive position of an educational institution, which provides Masters of Business Administration programs on the Czech market with managerial education. Using the methodology of positional maps it evaluates the power of the school towards its competitors. The thesis includes an analysis of internal and external environment which provides us with major strengths and weaknesses of our institution. It also sets the fields management of the school should concentrate on. The thesis can also serve for MBA potential customers as a list of institutions which provide this type of education in the Czech Republic.