In the thesis the author attempts to discover whether or not The Value Line Investment Survey shows evidence of an ability to forecast "Probable Twelve Months Market Performance Rank," a ranking of stocks according to their probable relative price performance within the succeeding twelve months. To test the ability to forecast, the author determines the significance of the correlation between the ranking of stocks according to the forecast and the ranking of stocks according to the observed relative price performance within the year. The conclusion drawn is that The Value Line Investment Survey does not show evidence of a consistent ability to forecast "Probable Twelve Months Market Performance Rank." The author also presents a model of the process which may underly the generation of stock market price changes. The author tests the assumption of the independence of price changes, a part of the model, on the data of the thesis and finds that the test results do not refute the assumption. The model, the "Random Walk Hypothesis," is related to the ability of The Value Line Investment Survey to forecast "Probable Twelve Months Market Performance Rank." It is concluded that The Value Line Investment Survey has failed to show that its forecasts are superior to forecasts based solely on past prices where the market is assumed to follow a random walk. / Business, Sauder School of / Graduate

The aim of this paper is to find real reason why companies in the czech market engage in CSR (corporate social responsibility). Theoretical part explains main features of CSR concept, its historical development and current understanding in the world and mainly in the Czech Republic. In this part is higher focus on measuring and reporting of CSR activities. According to the Standart Odpovědná Firma method which is also used for evaluation of TOP Firemní Filantrop are generated data useful for practical part of this paper. Analysis is performed on data from TOP Firemní Filantrop and compares development of CSR activities of companies in the czech market. There is used a regression analysis to justify a hypothesis of relation between earnings before taxation and expenditures of companies on CSR activities. In conclusion is summarized opinion of nonprofit organizations to the current situation in CSR and how these organizations perceive involvement of companies engaged in CSR concept.

The main objective of this thesis is to map some of the business process management, business process reengineering methodologies and compare it according to several criteria. Part of this thesis is survey of the state of business process management in Czech Republic and Hungary.

Orientador: Márcio de Moraes / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-22T08:59:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Torezan_JoseFlavioRibeiro_D.pdf: 4350703 bytes, checksum: 3ac54e7d7d385f711b690250269be729 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / Resumo: A osteotomia sagital dos ramos mandibulares (OSRM) é uma técnica das mais versáteis em cirurgia ortognática e muitos são os sistemas de fixação, propostos na literatura, para fixar os segmentos osteotomizados. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a carga e o deslocamento de pico e a distribuição de tensões em três tipos de fixação interna estável da OSRM, com o uso de placas e parafusos monocorticais, por meio de testes mecânicos, fotoelásticos e de elementos finitos. Foi utilizados como grupos amostrais, a fixação com duas placas de quatro furos independentes, duas placas de quatro furos unidas com uma ponte e duas placas de quatro furos unidas com duas pontes. Para os testes mecânicos foram usadas réplicas de hemimandíbulas humanas dentadas de poliuretano com OSRM, fixadas com os três tipos de fixação. Foi aplicada carga na região oclusal de 1º molar e avaliados a carga de pico e deslocamento de pico. Para os testes de fotoelasticidade, as amostras foram avaliadas de forma qualitativa quanto ao padrão de distribuição de tensões na hemimandíbula. Para a análise de elementos finitos as amostras também foram avaliadas de maneira qualitativa, quanto ao padrão de distribuição de tensões na hemimandíbula e nos sistemas de fixação. De acordo com os resultados do teste mecânico, o grupo com duas placas independentes foi aquele que apresentou maior carga de pico, seguida pelo grupo de duas placas unidas com uma ponte e pelo grupo de duas placas unidas com duas pontes. Esses resultados de carga de pico mostraram que não houve diferença estatisticamente significante entre o grupo de duas placas independentes e o grupo de duas placas unidas com uma ponte. Porém houve diferença estatisticamente significante entre o grupo de duas placas independentes e o grupo de duas placas unidas com duas pontes. Quanto ao deslocamento de pico observou-se que o grupo com duas placas independentes apresentou deslocamento estatisticamente maior que os demais grupos. Os resultados das análises fotoelásticas e de elementos finitos mostraram que as tensões dissiparam melhor, ou seja, para áreas de maior resistência, no grupo de duas placas independentes, seguidas pelo grupo de duas placas unidas com uma ponte e pelo grupo de duas placas unidas com duas pontes, o qual mostrou dissipação detensões para áreas mais frágeis, próximas aos parafusos. Baseado nesses resultados as placas duplas unidas com uma ponte apresentaram o melhor desempenho nos testes in vitro comparadas as placas duplas independentes e as placas unidas com duas pontes / Abstract: The sagittal split ramus osteotomy is one of the most versatiles techniques in the orthognatic surgery and many are the proposed fixation systems in the literature to unify the osteotomized segments. The aim of this study was to evaluate the peak load and the stress distribution within three systems of internal stable fixation of the sagittal split ramus osteotomy, using monocortical miniplates and screws from mechanical tests, photoelastic tests and finite elements analysis. Sample groups were composed by two plates of four independent screws, two plates of four screws joined by one bridge and two plates of four screws joined by two bridges. For the mechanical tests, polyurethane hemimandibular replicas with sagittal split ramus osteotomy were fixed with three types of fixations. A load was applied to the first molar oclusal region and it was evaluated the peak load and the displacement peak. For the photoelastic tests, the samples were evaluated from a qualitative form as for the stress distribution in the hemimandibula. For the finite element analysis, the samples were also evaluated in a qualitative form as for the stress distribution in the hemimandibula just as in the fixation system studies. According to the results of the mechanical tests, the group with two independent plates was the one that showed higher peakload, followed by the group of two plates joined by one bridge and by the two plates joined by two bridges group. These results show that there was no statistical significant difference of peak load between the two independent plates group and the two plates joined by one bridge group. As for displacement peak, it's noticed that the group with the independent double plates shows a statistical displacement higher than the other groups. The results of the photoelastic analysis and the finite elements showed that stress dissipate better, meaning, to more resistant areas, in the two independent plates group, followed by the two plates joined by one bridge group and by the two plates joined by two bridges group, with showed stress dissipation to more fragile areas, near the screws. Based on theses results, the double plates joined by one bridge showed better outcome in the in vitro tests while compared to the independent double plates and double plates joined by two bridges / Doutorado / Cirurgia e Traumatologia Buco-Maxilo-Faciais / Doutor em Clínica Odontológica

O principal objetivo deste trabalho, foi avaliar a eficiêcia do rbcL na identificação das espécies arbóreas da Floresta Estacional Semidecidual do estado de São Paulo. Para isso, foi construído um banco de dados local de sequências derbcL de 149 espécies circunscritas em 64 famílias e realizado o teste de identificação. Os resultados de porcentagem de correta identificação variaram de 42,8 - 100% quando ordenados por score até 88 - 100% quando ordenados pela porcentagem de identidade, ficando evidente a importância na maneira de ordenar os resultados. Foi gerada também uma lista para as espécies arbóreas ocorrentes na Floresta Estacional Semidecidual no estado de São Paulo, que contou com 716 espécies incluídas em 80 famílias. / The main goal of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of the molecular marker rbcL in the identification of native tree species of Semideciduous Seasonal Forest, in São Paulo, Brazil. A local database of rbcL sequences from 149 species, comprising 64 families, was assembled to carry identification tests. Percentage of correct identification (PCI) ranged from 42.8 to 100% when the score criterion of identification was used and from 88 to 100% when the results were order by percentage of identity. This evidences the importance of the method for ordering results. A list of 716 tree species of Semideciduous Seasonal Forest in the São Paulo state, comprising 80 families, was also a product of this work.

abstract: This research paper will examine William Bolcom’s compositional style and performance challenges related to Three Popular Rags (1967-1968), Knockout: A Rag (2008), Estela: Rag Latino (2010), and Contentment - A Rag (2015). The aim is to reveal some of his contributions to the revival and expansion of ragtime. The paper includes a brief background on William Bolcom and a history of ragtime music. Differences between the compositional styles of Scott Joplin and Bolcom are discussed through descriptive analysis, focusing on musical forms, rhythms, harmonies, and textures. The performance suggestions include elements of dynamics, articulation, extended piano techniques, and pedal use. The author hopes that this stylistic analysis and performance guide will further interest in Bolcom’s piano ragtime music. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Music 2020

acase@tulane.edu / Background As a region, Francophone sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) continues to have among the highest fertility rates and lowest contraceptive prevalence rates in the world. As of the latest Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data available for each country, total fertility rates range from 4.1 (Gabon 2012) to 7.6 births per woman (Niger 2012). Modern contraceptive prevalence rates for married women range from a low of 3.3% (Guinea 2012) to a high of 20.1% (Senegal 2014). Methods Three analyses were completed utilizing nationally representative DHS data available for each Francophone SSA country. For each paper, bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed with weighted data to take into account the two-stage cluster sampling design of the DHS survey. In paper one, we determine whether being Muslim and/or being in a polygynous union impacts the use of modern contraceptives. In paper two, we provide detailed information on the characteristics that define users of specific contraceptive methods in this region. In the final paper, we provide a clearer picture of the reproductive health dynamic in young never married women in Francophone SSA. Results In paper #1, we found that religion and marital type generally were not predictive of modern contraceptive use. The typical predictors – education, age, residence (urban/rural) – were consistently significant across the included countries. In paper #2, profiles of users of the most common contraceptive methods in each country were created. For example, condom users had the most consistent profile across the 12 countries, with marital status, parity and education being clearly associated with condom use. For paper #3, education level was found to be the key predictor of both sexual activity and becoming pregnant for young, never married women in this region. In general, those with primary or secondary and higher education were more likely to be sexually active than those with no education. Conclusion These findings provide valuable information to government, private and nongovernmental organizations working toward increasing the numbers of contraceptive users in Francophone SSA. / 1 / Margaret Farrell

The diploma thesis is focused on the comparison of goodwill values of two construction companies. The theoretical part describes the basic knowledge and principles they are required to terminated the value of goodwill. Furthermore, terms such as marketing planning and questionnaire creation are explained. In the practical part, selected methods are used to terminate the value of goodwill. Subsequently, five questions are set and the questions are tested. Based on the analysis results is proposed marketing strategy at the end of the thesis.

Seemingly overnight, the Internet has gone from an academic experiment to a worldwide information matrix. Along the way, computer scientists have come to realize that understanding the performance of the Internet is a remarkably challenging and subtle problem. This challenge is all the more important because of the increasingly significant role the Internet has come to play in society. To take stock of the field of Internet performance modeling, the authors organized a workshop at Schloß Dagstuhl. This paper summarizes the results of discussions, both plenary and in small groups, that took place during the four-day workshop. It identifies successes, points to areas where more work is needed, and poses “Grand Challenges” for the performance evaluation community with respect to the Internet.

Xenoturbella bocki has recently been identified as one of the most basal deuterostomes, although an even more basal phylogenetic position cannot be ruled out. Here we report on a polymerase chain reaction survey of partial Hox homeobox sequences of X. bocki. Surprisingly, we did not find evidence for more than five Hox genes, one clear labial/PG1 ortholog, one posterior gene most similar to the PG9/10 genes of Ambulacraria, and three central group genes whose precise assignment to a specific paralog group remains open. We furthermore report on a re‐evaluation of the available published evidence of Hox genes in other basal deuterostomes.