IP networks have become an increasingly protable option over traditional communication networks. Despite the advantages of VoIP compared to PSTN, it is not possible to replace one technology by the other instantly, due to the complexity involved. This implies a transition period in which the two technologies will coexist. In order to make this feasible, there must be a system for mapping E.164 numbers (used in the PSTN) to URIs (used in the IP network). In this context, the ENUM protocol is gaining prominence as the most promising solution. However, it is not very spread yet. In addition, there are technical issues and especially political and economic interests that need to be worked so that this protocol can be popularized. Regarding technical issues, there is a shortage of tools for the study of this protocol. Thus, this dissertation proposes a simulation platform that enables the study of the ENUM protocol. The project design of the simulator was based on experiments carried out in the laboratory, the proposition of mathematical models and, subsequently, implementation, integration and validation of the simulator. The results indicate that the simulation platform rightly describes the real system considered. The results also proved the success of the proposed modeling strategy. In addition, new modules were developed for the NS-3 simulation environment, oering new opportunities for researchers. / As redes IP têm se tornado uma opção cada vez mais vantajosa em relação às redes de comunicações tradicionais. Mesmo diante das vantagens oferecidas pela tecnologia VoIP em relação à PSTN, não é possível uma substituição instantânea de uma tecnologia pela outra devido à complexidade envolvida. Isto implica em um período de transição em que as duas tecnologias irão conviver. Para que isto seja realizável, é necessário que exista um sistema de mapeamento entre números E.164 (utilizados na PSTN) e URIs (utilizados na rede IP). É neste contexto que o protocolo ENUM vem ganhando destaque como a solução mais promissora. Entretanto, a sua disseminação ainda é baixa. Além disso, existem questões técnicas e, principalmente, interesses políticos e econômicos que precisam ser trabalhados para que este protocolo seja popularizado. Em relação às questões técnicas, existe uma escassez de ferramentas para o estudo deste protocolo. Neste sentido, esta dissertação apresenta uma proposta de plataforma de simulação que possibilite o estudo do protocolo ENUM. Dessa maneira, o projeto de concepção do simulador foi baseado na realização de testes em laboratório, na proposição de modelos matemáticos e, posteriormente, na implementação, integração e validação do simulador. Os resultados indicam que a plataforma de simulação descreve com delidade o sistema real considerado. Os resultados também comprovaram o sucesso da estratégia de modelagem proposta. Além disso, novos módulos foram desenvolvidos para o ambiente de simulação NS-3, oferecendo novas possibilidades para os pesquisadores da área. / Mestre em Ciências

Agile methods have been widely implemented in the industry while teaching these methods is a substantial part of Computer Science and Engineering program curricula. Evidencedriven data of agile practices, methods, and tools have been extracted based on empirical studies with students, however, there is an important need for more anecdotal evidence to confirm these findings. In order to fill this gap, this paper explores the perceptions and the applicability of the Scrum Framework in a student research team in an industrial context. Empirical data have been gathered through interviews with the case study participants combined with a survey. The analysis reveals that student experiences are mainly positive and that they can easily grasp the benefits of Scrum Framework. The challenges of implementing Scrum in such a setting mainly concern the balance between coach and self-organization, formulating accurate user stories when researching, finding the most suitable estimation method, as well as planning when conducting research. The empirical findings may potentially be extrapolated in student scrum teams or even in industrial settings. Finally, this research paper should encourage other researchers to investigate the adoption of Scrum in a student setting. / Agila metoder har implementerats i stor utsträckning inom branschen, medan undervisning i dessa metoder är en väsentlig del av utbildningarna för datavetenskap och teknik. Bevisdriven data om agila arbetssätt, metoder och verktyg har tagits fram från empiriska studier med studenter, men det finns ett viktigt behov av mer anekdotiska bevis för att bekräfta dessa resultat. För att fylla detta gap utforskar den här rapporten uppfattningarna och tillämpligheten av ramverket Scrum i ett studentforskningsteam i ett industriellt sammanhang. Empiriska data har samlats genom intervjuer med deltagarna i fallstudien i kombination med ett frågeformulär. Analysen visar att studentupplevelserna är främst positiva och att man lätt kan förstå fördelarna med Scrum. Utmaningarna med att implementera Scrum i en sådan miljö gäller främst balansen mellan coaching och självorganiserande, formulera exakta användarhistorier när man forskar, finner den mest lämpliga uppskattningsmetoden samt planerar forskningsrelaterat arbete. De empiriska fynden kan eventuellt extrapoleras i Scrumteam med studenter eller till och med i industriella miljöer. Slutligen bör detta forskningsarbete uppmuntra andra forskare att undersöka införandet av Scrum i ett studentkontext.

Theoretischer Hintergrund: Die motorische Leistungsfähigkeit (MLF) spielt eine zentrale Rolle in der Kindesentwicklung. Über den Verlauf der MLF über die Grundschulzeit in Abhängigkeit auffälliger motorischer Leistungen im Vorschulalter liegen nur wenige Befunde vor. Fragestellung: Liegen unterschiedliche Entwicklungsverläufe derMLF bei Kindern mitmotorisch auffälligen Leistungen in der Fein- und Grobmotorik vor? Methode: Innerhalb einer Längsschnittstudie wurden die motorischen Dimensionen Kraft, Ausdauer, Schnelligkeit, Koordination und Beweglichkeit von Grundschulkindern (N=424) jährlich untersucht und mittels Varianzanalyse mit Messwiederholung geprüft. Ergebnisse: Kinder, die vor Schuleintritt grob- oder feinmotorische Auffälligkeiten (9-15 %) aufwiesen, blieben in ihrer motorischen Entwicklung deutlich hinter motorisch unauffälligen Kindern zurück. Diskussion und Schlussfolgerung: In der Folge können sich erhebliche Einschränkungen für die Alltagsmotorik und das Erlernen komplexer Bewegungen ergeben. Um gleiche motorische Startbedingungen für die betroffenen Kinder herzustellen, stellt die Erweiterung der bewegungsbezogenen Förderung der MLF vor Schulbeginn einen notwendigen Ansatz dar. / Theoretical Background: Motor performance is an important matter in the health-related development of children, particularly for perception and for establishing a personal and material environment using physical activity. Developmental coordination disorders in preschoolaged children may relate to lower levels of fine and gross motor development. Short-term longitudinal studies revealed that preschoolers with motor deficits fall behind in their overall motor performance during the 1st and 2nd grades of primary school. Moreover, the years at primary school are a meaningful stage in life for children because of its rapid progression in motor-learning capability. Objective: Regarding children in primary school, little is known about the effects of developmental coordination disorders on the grade-related progression of basic motor abilities (i.e., flexibility, strength, endurance, speed of movement, coordination). This study analyzes the motor performance development of children over the period of primary school. Method: Using a longitudinal study design (KOMPASS-2 Study), we examined motor ability development in a sample of N = 424 primary school-aged children (n = 218 girls, 51.4%). To assess levels of motor abilities, we used the German Motor Test (DMT 6-18). Based on standard screening for school entry, children were separated into two groups based on the status of their fine and gross motor development. Changes inmotor ability levels were analyzed via robust repeated measures analyses of variance (rmANOVA) regarding developmental group effects, school timeframe effects, and interaction effects. Results: 9% (n = 39) of the children were classified with a gross motor disorder, and 15% (n = 62) of the children were classified with a fine motor disorder. The statistical analyses with rmANOVA demonstrated that children with developmental coordination disorders regarding gross or fine motor developmental status showed lower motor-ability levels on all test tasks compared to children without disorders. Particularly gross-motor disordered children achieved significantly lower motor-ability levels regarding coordination under time constraint (jumping sideways) and coordination during dynamic precision tasks (backward balancing). However, motor-ability levels increased significantly over time for both developmental status groups. Discussion and conclusion: Children with developmental coordination disorders may experience substantial restrictions to meeting daily physical activities and motor learning of complex movements. To create equal motor developmental conditions for children just starting school, it is necessary to promote physical activity in general. Interventions should regard a set of coordination tasks that require children’s attention and speed during movement. Measuring the motor abilities of primary-school-aged children once a year should be an integral part of communal health monitoring.

This thesis emphasizes the role of political risk in international business by analyzing the impact of political events on the valuation of firms. The guiding question is how governments interfere with the business interests of firms located in their own country as well as with the business interests of firms from other nations, as a consequence of the application of international sanctions. Therefore, the focus is on multi-country and multi-sector effects due to the occurrence of specific sanction events. The empirical methodology is the event-study approach, which analyzes stock market reactions to new information. The research objective is to detect abnormal stock returns across multiple markets and sectors, as a consequence of events related to the imposition of or threat of international sanctions. The empirical model of this thesis differentiates between risk-effects for firms located in the sender country (i.e., the origin of sanctions), for firms located in or specifically related to target countries (i.e., the receiver of sanctions) and firms located in third countries (i.e., countries not directly involved). There are three different cases analyzed: E.U. Economic Sanctions against African countries (2002-2005), the U.S. Steel Tariff (2002) and the Iran Sanctions Act (2007). The cases represent sanctions applied on the nationwide, sector- and firm-specific level. The event studies provide empirical evidence for the existence of political risk-effects due to sector-specific sanctions. Risk-effects are detected for firms in target countries and for firms in the sender country itself. The applied political risk framework describes how political risk affects multinational firm value and explains that it varies among firms. The impact of political risk on a firm's value depends on the risk exposure of a firm's individual business interests to it. This contributes a new perspective on political risk that emphasizes multinational and multi-sectoral effects and underlines that a specific political risk can be relevant for a variety of different international business interests. (author's abstract)