This thesis deals with the development of an environment and necessary set of tests for an evaluation of the DDoS Protector device in terms of functionality and performance. CESNET is developing device called DDoS Protector for protection against denial of service (DDoS) attacks with focus on volumetric and TCP SYN flood attacks. Current development environment does not support generation of stateful (TCP) network traffic and it's difficult to create complex evaluation tests in terms of interaction between various parts of the device. Goal of this work is to create an environment which enables complex evaluation of the device, including generation of both stateful and stateless network traffic combined with multi-vector DDoS attack, thus approaching real network traffic. Cisco TRex was chosen after examination of available traffic generators. Finally set of tests generating various combination of legitimate traffic and attacks was created and DDoS Protector was successfully evaluated.

This thesis is composed of two critical circuit designs for FlexRay ECU (Electron-ics Control Unit), i.e., a transceiver with over-current protection, and a digital over-temperature protection circuit. Regarding the transceiver with over-current protection, to reduce the glitch prob-lem, we propose to use delay cells in the transmitter. In order to avoid the transmitter current which is higher than the upperbound defined by FlexRay specifications, we propose a current comparator circuit to detect the state where the transmitter should stop sending signals. The temperature protection is required for FlexRay specifications. We propose an over-temperature circuit in the thesis. By utilizing an oscillator-based structure, fre-quency to digital converter (FDC) circuit is developed as the core of the temperature protection mechanism. It will convert the frequency signal and output the sensed tem-perature in a digital code format. The output frequency at different process and temper-ature corners show a linear feature such that the range and accuracy of temperature de-tection is enhanced.

South African Government introduced the supply chain management framework in 2003, with a vision of creating a seamless system which will play a pivotal role in service delivery provision to the communities, while achieving the objectives of cost effectiveness, fairness, equity transparency and ethics. The main aim of adopting this framework immediately after reform was to align the Public Sector Supply Chain management to the best practices. Unfortunately since its inception the supply chain management, particularly in the local government, has not enjoyed good publicity, due to the following three main factors, firstly incompetency of the supply chain management practitioners on using the preference points system, writing insufficient motivation when deviating from the SCM policies and irregular extensions of validity periods. The second main factor is the unethical conduct of the supply chain management practitioners in collusion with suppliers to overprice their respective tenders and also to supply inferior material for projects intended for community development. The last main factor is the lack of political leadership to enforce compliance, such as consequence management for those who contravened the supply chain management policies, as some councillors are also found doing business with their municipalities which is against the Municipal System Act 32 of 2000. The aim of this study was to establish an effective supply chain management framework for local municipalities in order to achieve the primary objectives of Section 217 of the Constitution of the Republic which are fairness, equity, transparency, and competitive and cost effectiveness. The study found that supply chain management practitioners have indicated that they have a very good understanding of how the supply chain management framework should be applied and of related legislations, but the literature differs with the views of the practitioners, as corruption, fraud and lack of consequences reports are still raised by the Auditor General South Africa and by other publications over the years. The following are recommendations that should be taken into account for the supply framework to function effectively: - Establish a Supply Chain Management Professional Association (SCMPA) of which the role is to provide annual online assessment for all the supply chain management practitioners; - To use the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) grading certificate as evaluation minimum criteria of assessing functionality in accordance with the specific project; - Cancel the provision to re-issue or re-advertise the tenders after the supply chain management unit has received quotations from suppliers. - Municipalities should develop an integrated online commodity price listing supply database which should be operational 24 hours. Also to develop a Cellular phone application that will enable all the service providers to access the portal at any time to load their respective prices. - Make provision to include members of the audit committee to be charged for negligence under financial misconduct section 171 of the Municipal Finance Management Act 56 of 2003. - To provide the Auditor General South Africa and the Public Protector with legislative powers to refer malpractices or contravention with the supply chain policies to the SCMPA and SAPS to recover wasteful and fruitless expenditure as required by Section 102 of Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) of 56 of 2003 after complying with section 173 of the MFMA. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

South African Government introduced the supply chain management framework in 2003, with a vision of creating a seamless system which will play a pivotal role in service delivery provision to the communities, while achieving the objectives of cost effectiveness, fairness, equity transparency and ethics. The main aim of adopting this framework immediately after reform was to align the Public Sector Supply Chain management to the best practices. Unfortunately since its inception the supply chain management, particularly in the local government, has not enjoyed good publicity, due to the following three main factors, firstly incompetency of the supply chain management practitioners on using the preference points system, writing insufficient motivation when deviating from the SCM policies and irregular extensions of validity periods. The second main factor is the unethical conduct of the supply chain management practitioners in collusion with suppliers to overprice their respective tenders and also to supply inferior material for projects intended for community development. The last main factor is the lack of political leadership to enforce compliance, such as consequence management for those who contravened the supply chain management policies, as some councillors are also found doing business with their municipalities which is against the Municipal System Act 32 of 2000. The aim of this study was to establish an effective supply chain management framework for local municipalities in order to achieve the primary objectives of Section 217 of the Constitution of the Republic which are fairness, equity, transparency, and competitive and cost effectiveness. The study found that supply chain management practitioners have indicated that they have a very good understanding of how the supply chain management framework should be applied and of related legislations, but the literature differs with the views of the practitioners, as corruption, fraud and lack of consequences reports are still raised by the Auditor General South Africa and by other publications over the years. The following are recommendations that should be taken into account for the supply framework to function effectively: - Establish a Supply Chain Management Professional Association (SCMPA) of which the role is to provide annual online assessment for all the supply chain management practitioners; - To use the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) grading certificate as evaluation minimum criteria of assessing functionality in accordance with the specific project; - Cancel the provision to re-issue or re-advertise the tenders after the supply chain management unit has received quotations from suppliers. - Municipalities should develop an integrated online commodity price listing supply database which should be operational 24 hours. Also to develop a Cellular phone application that will enable all the service providers to access the portal at any time to load their respective prices. - Make provision to include members of the audit committee to be charged for negligence under financial misconduct section 171 of the Municipal Finance Management Act 56 of 2003. - To provide the Auditor General South Africa and the Public Protector with legislative powers to refer malpractices or contravention with the supply chain policies to the SCMPA and SAPS to recover wasteful and fruitless expenditure as required by Section 102 of Municipal Finance Management Act (MFMA) of 56 of 2003 after complying with section 173 of the MFMA. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

No description available.

abstract: Protectors who do harm are often punished more severely because their crime is perceived as a betrayal of trust. Two experiments test whether this will generalize to protectors who incur harm while serving in their protective role, and if not, whether collective guilt for the harm they suffered provides an explanation. Study 1 tested competing hypotheses that a veteran (versus civilian) with PTSD would be punished either more harshly because of the trust betrayal, or more leniently because of increased guilt about the harm the veteran suffered during war. Men and women were both more lenient toward a veteran (versus civilian) but this effect was mediated by collective guilt only among men. In Study 2, guilt inductions increased leniency among participants less likely to classify the veteran as an in-group member (women, low national identifiers), but not in those who are more likely to classify the veteran as an in-group member (men, high national identifiers), who were lenient without any guilt inductions. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Psychology 2015

Introducción y antecedentes: La demencia es un término general usado para dar nombre al deterioro grave de la capacidad mental que interfiere con la vida cotidiana. La mayoría de la producción científica en este campo está centrada en elaborar y estudiar los efectos de los fármacos que tratan y palían las consecuencias que producen estas enfermedades a nivel neuronal o los efectos que producen en el comportamiento. Sin embargo, existe un número considerablemente menor de literatura científica que aborde la demencia desde un punto de vista individual y personal ofreciendo voz a las personas que viven estas enfermedades y sus familiares. Del mismo modo, existe un vacío en la literatura científica que explora el conocimiento de los factores que pueden influir en la construcción de entornos o situaciones que favorezcan el bienestar de estas personas durante el transcurso de su enfermedad. El objetivo general de esta tesis es conocer la experiencia de las personas que viven con demencia y la de sus cuidadores para diseñar contextos inclusivos adaptados a sus necesidades. Para ello se desarrollaron los siguientes objetivos específicos: 1. Identificar las fortalezas y debilidades del cuidado a través de la experiencia de las personas que viven con demencia y sus cuidadores en Europa. 2. Explorar la transición cultural del cuidado de las personas mayores, del cuidado en el domicilio hacia el cuidado institucionalizado. 3. Estudiar el fenómeno del cuidado de las personas que viven con demencia fuera de su entorno cultural para elaborar estrategias competentes inclusivas para todas las culturas. 4. Explorar en profundidad las metodologías cualitativas que mejor se adaptan al estudio del conocimiento de la experiencia de las personas que viven con demencia. 5. Conocer los potenciales efectos de las terapias no farmacológicas en personas que viven con demencia. 6. Explorar los elementos necesarios en la adaptación de entornos sanitarios a las personas que viven con demencia y sus familiares para diseñar intervenciones eficaces y adaptadas. Método: La metodología llevada a cabo depende de la finalidad de cada parte del estudio. Para explorar y conocer la experiencia de las personas que viven con demencia se utilizó el estudio de casos que permitió extraer información para justificar los objetivos 1,2,3 y 4. Para abordar los objetivos 5 y 6 fue preciso realizar una revisión de la literatura tipo Scoping Review conociendo así elementos que enlentecen o protegen el desarrollo insidioso de la demencia en las personas que la viven. Resultados: En el estudio de la experiencia de las personas que viven con demencia se encontraron grandes similitudes y diferencias a nivel internacional en enfermedades como el Alzheimer. Las similitudes tienen relación directa con la sintomatología más habitual y cómo esta afecta a las tareas del día a día, a la identidad personal, a la manera de interactuar socialmente con el entorno cercano y a la función que cumplen como parte de la sociedad. Sin embargo, aquellos aspectos que diferencian la experiencia suelen tener relación con los recursos a disposición de las familias y de los pacientes, y de cómo el contexto está construido y adaptado para dar apoyo a las necesidades que presenta tanto la persona que vive con la enfermedad como su entorno más cercano. Las personas inmigrantes que viven con demencia fuera de su entorno habitual se someten a estresores todavía mayores que aquellas personas que viven en su contexto familiar y socio-cultural. Aparentemente ocurre lo contrario en personas que se encuentran en un contexto afín a su experiencia previa. Las personas que viven con demencia y sus cuidadores se enfrentan a una situación insidiosa desde el diagnóstico hasta la muerte ya que hasta el momento no existe cura a enfermedades como el Alzheimer. Sin embargo, las investigaciones muestran que factores protectores pueden influir directamente en el desarrollo de la enfermedad y que la adaptación de los entornos para este tipo de personas junto con estrategias interdisciplinares puede permitir que se asegure una mejora significativa en la calidad de vida y en la experiencia de la enfermedad. Conclusiones: este estudio ofrece una visión cercana y real a la experiencia que viven las personas que viven con demencia y sus cuidadores desde una perspectiva internacional. Del mismo modo ofrece una guía para aquellas instituciones que se encuentran todavía en sus primeras etapas hacia la adaptación de sus entornos a las personas que viven con demencia y sus cuidadores. Muchas de estas personas todavía ingresan en hospitales sin tenerse en cuenta aspectos relevantes de su enfermedad como por ejemplo el Alzheimer, sin embargo, los resultados de este estudio pueden servir como orientación para crear una cultura y entornos que se aproximen al ideal de entornos amigables con las personas que viven con demencia.

Warehouses are essential for any logistical operation, and Forklifts are efficient tools for moving products and pallets inside warehouses. Forklifts are also heavy machines that are prone to inflict damage on pallets and goods. The demand for forklift operators increases with the demand for forklifts. Inexperienced forklift operators must be equipped with the right tools to carry out everyday tasks with minimum damage. This thesis focuses on investigating the damages that occur by forklifts in warehouse settings, and what measures that can be taken to reduce the damages. Contrary to existing literature that explores damages from the perspective of packaging technology, this study explores how damages happen and how they can be mitigated from the forklift's point of view. The investigation took part in a warehouse that carry out operations for a large furniture manufacturer. A case study was conducted and two major damage types were identified: puncture damages and impact damages, and the most common cause for the occurrence of these damages is the lack of visibility. The case study was followed by a design process to find a solution that fits the end users. The final concept takes form as a system solution, consisting of a sensor-based system that assists the forklift operator during loading and unloading. Along with this, a bumper was developed to mitigate the damage inflicted on goods during handling of goods. / Varulager är avgörande för all logistisk verksamhet. Gaffeltruckar är effektiva verktyg för att flytta produkter och pallar inuti varulager. Gaffeltruckar är dock tunga maskiner som är benägna att orsaka skador på både pallar och gods. Efterfrågan på gaffeltruckförare ökar tillsammans med efterfrågan på gaffeltruckar. Oerfarna truckförare måste vara utrustade med rätt verktyg för att utföra dagliga uppgifter med minimala skador. Detta examensarbete fokuserar på att undersöka de skador som sker på grund av gaffeltruckar i lagermiljöer, och vilka åtgärder som kan vidtas för att minska skadorna. Till skillnad från befintlig litteratur som utforskar skador ur förpackningsteknologins perspektiv, undersöker denna studie hur skador uppstår och hur de kan minskas från en gaffeltrucks synvinkel. Utredningen tog plats i ett lager som bedriver verksamhet åt en stor möbeltillverkare. En fallstudie genomfördes och två primära skadetyper identifierades: punkteringsskador och slagskador, och den vanligaste orsaken till att dessa skador uppstår är bristen på sikt. Fallstudien följdes av en designprocess för att hitta en lösning som passar slutanvändarna. En produktutvecklingsprocess resulterade i en systemlösning, bestående av ett sensorbaserat system som hjälper truckföraren vid lastning och lossning. Tillsammans med detta utvecklades en stötfångare för att mildra skadorna på gods vid godshantering.

Uno de los principales problemas que enfrenta la conservación de los carnívoros es la persecución por parte de los humanos a causa de la predación del ganado, principalmente ovino. Los métodos letales de control suelen ser costosos, poco aceptados socialmente y usualmente inefectivos. Por otro lado, la implementación de métodos de control no letal es más reciente y aún requiere validación científica. Entre las alternativas no letales se encuentra el uso de los perros protectores de ganado (PPG). Los PPG se utilizan en diferentes partes del mundo desde hace miles de años, pero su uso es más reciente en nuestro país. Si bien los beneficios relacionados con las pérdidas de ganado son evidentes, existen otros aspectos poco indagados acerca de su efecto sobre las poblaciones de fauna silvestre. El Sudoeste bonaerense es una región con vocación ganadera donde los conflictos con los carnívoros ocurren, principalmente, con el puma (Puma concolor) y el zorro pampeano (Lycalopex gymnocercus). Este cánido es considerado una especie muy común, su estado de conservación es de “preocupación menor” y es perseguido la raza humana como represalia a través de la caza y el envenenamiento. En esta tesis se propuso aportar información acerca de la eficacia del PPG en un sistema de producción ganadera y los efectos que tiene el PPG sobre aspectos ecológicos del zorro pampeano. A través de encuestas a usuarios de PPG, se evidenció un aumento considerable en la cantidad de establecimientos ganaderos que optaron por esta medida. El 85% de los productores se mostró satisfecho con la herramienta, aunque hubo casos en los que se reportaron problemas en el manejo e impronta del PPG. Mediante monitoreo con dispositivos GPS se establecieron las relaciones espaciales entre un PPG y una oveja (proxy de la majada) en la Chacra Experimental Patagones (CEP). El PPG y la oveja presentaron tamaños similares de home range (HR) y altamente solapados en el período de parición y fuera del mismo. El PPG mantuvo un HR limitado al área de las ovejas y realizó pocas excursiones fuera de ella. En este sistema de producción ganadera ovina, el PPG redujo las pérdidas por predación y mantuvo una fuerte cohesión con la majada. Una muestra de zorros presente en la CEP fue monitoreada a través de collares VHF (n= 7); presentaron tamaños de HR grandes, en promedio: MPC 95%=2,85 km2 (rango= 1,52-5,15) y kernel 95%=6,42 km2 (rango= 2,82-9,71), y solapamiento entre machos y hembras. No se observaron variaciones considerables en los tamaños de los HR de los zorros comparando entre el período de parición y fuera del mismo. Los solapamientos entre los HR de los zorros con el HR del PPG y la oveja fueron variables (rango= 0-98%). El zorro cuyo HR presentó mayor solapamiento con el HR del PPG, mantuvo su área núcleo a una distancia mínima de 950 metros del centro del área núcleo del PPG (ker 30%). El PPG ejerce una defensa activa de las ovejas dentro de su HR y presenta un solapamiento alto con algunos zorros, pero no en sus áreas de mayor uso. Se comparó, a través de fototrampeo, la población de zorros de la CEP con una población de zorros sin PPG sometida a control letal. Los factores determinantes del uso de hábitat de los zorros fueron similares en áreas con y sin PPG, aunque la tasa de captura en el área con PPG fue tres veces mayor. La dinámica poblacional de los zorros parece no estar tan influenciada por el hábitat; respaldando estos resultados la plasticidad de la especie. El patrón temporal de actividad del PPG fue principalmente diurno y el de los zorros fue principalmente crepuscular-nocturno. El patrón temporal de actividad de los zorros presentó un desplazamiento hacia la nocturnidad en las áreas con mayor actividad antrópica y sin PPG. La presencia del PPG no influiría de manera significativa en los patrones temporales de actividad del zorro. En síntesis, los resultados obtenidos en esta tesis indican que el perro protector de ganado no impactaría de manera negativa en los aspectos ecológicos del zorro pampeano que fueron evaluados. Estos resultados, sumados a la información obtenida sobre la eficiencia de los PPG y su aceptación por parte de los productores, hacen de los PPG una herramienta adecuada que permite la coexistencia con el zorro pampeano y sus presas en los sistemas de producción del Sudoeste bonaerense. / One of the main problems facing carnivore conservation is the conflict with people over livestock predation, mainly sheep. Lethal control methods are usually expensive, socially unacceptable, and often ineffective. On the other hand, the implementation of non-lethal methods is more recent and still requires scientific validation. Non-lethal alternatives include the use of livestock guardian dogs (LGD). LGD have been used in different parts of the world for thousands of years, but their use is more recent in Argentina. Although the benefits related to livestock losses are evident, there are several aspects that have been little studied, especially in relation to their effect on wildlife populations. The Southwest of Buenos Aires province is a strong cattle-raising region where the conflicts with carnivores occur mainly with the puma (Puma concolor) and the pampas fox (Lycalopex gymnocercus). This canid is considered a very common species, its conservation status is of "least concern" and it is persecuted by people in retaliation through hunting and poisoning. The main objective of this thesis was to provide information on the effectiveness of LGD in a livestock production system and on the effects of LGD implementation on the ecological aspects of the pampas fox populations. Interviews with LGD users revealed a considerable increase in the number of livestock farms that opt for this method. 85% of the farmers were satisfied with this tool, although there were cases in which problems in the management and bonding of the LGD were reported. Through monitoring with GPS devices, the spatial relationships between a LGD and a sheep (proxy of the flock) were established in the Chacra Experimental Patagones (CEP). LGD and sheep had similar and highly overlapping home range (HR) sizes in the lambing period and outside the lambing period. The LGD kept a HR limited to the sheep’s area, and made few excursions outside this area. In this sheep livestock production system, the LGD reduced predation and maintained a strong bond with the flock. A sample of foxes present in the CEP was monitored through VHF collars (n=7); they presented large HR sizes, on average: MPC 95%=2.85 km2 (range= 1.52-5.15) and kernel 95%=6.42 km2 (range= 2.82-9.71), and overlap between males and females. No considerable variations were observed in the sizes of foxes HR comparing between the lambing season and outside of it. The overlaps between the HRs of foxes with the HRs of LGD and sheep were variable (range = 0-98%). The fox whose HR presented greater overlap with the HR of the LGD, kept its core area at a minimum distance of 950 meters from the core area of the LGD. The LGD made an active defense of the sheep within its HR and presents a high overlap with some foxes, but not in its core areas. Fox population of the CEP was compared through camera trapping with a population of foxes without LGD, under lethal control. Determinants variables of fox habitat use were similar in areas with and without LGD, although the capture rate in the area with LGD was three times higher. Fox population dynamics do not seem to be influenced as much by habitat, which supports the plasticity of this species. The activity pattern of the LGD was mainly diurnal and the pattern of foxes was mainly nocturnal crepuscular. The activity pattern of foxes showed a change towards night in the areas with the highest anthropic activity and without LGD. The presence of the LGD does not significantly disturb the activity patterns of the fox. The results obtained in this thesis indicate that the livestock protection dog does not negatively impact the ecological aspects of the Pampas fox that were evaluated. These results, added to the information obtained on the efficiency of the LGD and the conformity of the farmers, make the LGD an adequate tool that allows coexistence with the pampas fox and its prey in the productive systems of the Southwest of Buenos Aires province.

The purpose of the work reported within this thesis was to design and implement a series of tests which better replicate the impact conditions experienced during a game, and allow for quantitative measurements of performance of various items of personal protection equipment (PPE). The sports of cricket and taekwondo were used as case studies. The aim was to improve on existing testing protocols making them more representative of real life, an approach that has not been previously attempted in the literature and so required design of multiple items of novel equipment. A representative cricket impact test was developed utilizing a ball canon firing a cricket ball mass at an equivalent bowling velocity of 31 m/s (70 mph) and a novel, freely suspended force acquisition system with embedded accelerometers from which the transmitted force values could be derived. Throughout the testing secondary variables of coefficient of restitution (COR), deformation and contact time were measured from high speed video footage to give further insight into the impact mechanics of the three tested leg guards. Contact times were in the range of 3 ms - 4 ms, COR between 0.38 - 0.50 and deformation between 45 mm - 52 mm. These results were compared against other benchmark tests to establish how close the representative test was to an actual human related ball-pad impact and to estimate human tolerance levels to impact. A rig to mimic a human on human kicking impact in taekwondo was designed to measure performance of the piece of body protection equipment used in training and competition, commonly referred to as a hogu. Primarily a mechanical simulator was designed to replicate the speed and mass of a human leg impacting during a roundhouse kick. A force acquisition system was manufactured, capable of integrating with the kicking robot functioning, with a human torso sized and shaped anvil, using a similar accelerometer based system of force measurement as that introduced in the cricket testing. This test was then used to measure performance levels of nine off-the-shelf hogus and protective training pads. Using transmitted peak force and time to peak force (TTPF) as indicators of protection, these values were found to range from between 0.5 kN 7.5 kN and 9 ms - 23 ms across the pads indicating a major difference in the protection provided.