This diploma thesis describes elementary factors affecting real estate rental market. The thesis includes a market research in two different localities in the city of Brno. The result of the research determines a usual rent amount. The collected data is separated by the number of rooms 1+1/kk, 2+1/kk a 3+1/kk and bigger (number of room + the kitchen or a kitchenette) and plot into a map. The usual rent amount defines three levels on each of the groups. The conclusion of the thesis evaluates the research results.

BIM som står för Building Information Modeling har lett till stora förändringar inom byggbranschen, men trots detta tillämpas inte tekniken fullt ut. Detta beror bland annat på att vissa aktörer känner sig tryggare vid det manuella arbetssättet. Tekniken som är tillgänglig kan bland annat tillämpas vid utförandet av mängdavtagningar. I dagsläget väljer vissa kalkylingenjörer att utföra mängdavtagningar manuellt utifrån PDF-ritningar i utskriftsformat med hjälp av SpeedyCalc, penna och skalstock. Detta kan istället genomföras i mängdavtagningsprogrammet Vico Office med hjälp av en 3D-modell.   Syftet med examensarbete är att jämföra två mängdavtagningsmetoder ur tids- och kostnadsperspektiv. Metoderna som jämfördes i studien var manuell mängdavtagning och mängdavtagning i programmet Vico Office. Studiens syfte var även att jämföra felen som kan uppstå vid utförandet av dessa två metoder.   För studiens ändamål utfördes ett antal intervjuer där viktig information samlades in. Författarna deltog även i två kurser för att få kunskapen som behövdes för att underlätta utförandet av studien. Dessa kurser handlade om modelleringsprogrammet ArchiCAD och mängdavtagningsprogrammet Vico Office. Författarna samlade även in information genom att studera tidigare forskningar inom berörda området.   Mängdavtagningen i studien utfördes på projektet Strandpromenaden, som tilldelades av Peab. Projektet är ett flerbostadshus som består av fem huskroppar med fyra till sex våningar. Studien avgränsades till tre huskroppar och även de större byggnadsdelarna som bland annat väggar, dörrar och fönster. Studien påvisade att implementering av BIM i anbudsskedet medför en kortare tid och lägre kostnad vid mängdavtagning. När de olika mängdavtagningsmetoderna ställdes gentemotvarandra, var differensen av mängden på exempelvis en fläktrumsvägg 100 %, vilket innebar att fläktrumsväggen blev utebliven vid den manuella mängdavtagningen. / BIM stands for Building Information Modeling and has led to major changes in the construction industry, but despite this, the technology is not used fully. This is partly because some players feel more comfortable in the manual methods. The technology that is available can be particularly applied in the performance of amount calculation. In the current situation, some calculus engineers choose to perform amount calculation manually based on PDF drawings in print format using the program SpeedyCalc and also with pen and shell stock. This may instead be implemented in calculation program Vico Office with the help of a 3D model. The aim of the thesis is to compare two methods used for the amount calculation in time and cost perspective. The methods that were compared in this study was manual calculation and calculation program Vico Office. The study's purpose was also to compare the errors that may arise in the performance of these two methods. For study purposes, the authors conducted a number of interviews in which important information was collected. The authors also participated in two courses to gain the knowledge needed to facilitate the study. These courses focused on modeling program ArchiCAD and Vico Office. The authors also collected information by studying previous research in the area concerned. The amount calculation in this study was carried out on the project “Promenade”, which the authors reserved by Peab. The project is a multi-family apparment which consists of five buildings with four to six floors. The study was limited to three buildings and the major structural elements including for instance walls, doors and windows. The study demonstrated that the implementation of BIM in the tender stage results in a shorter time and at lower cost in amount calculation. When the different amount calculation methods prepared against each other, the difference in the amount of, for example a fan room wall was 100%, meaning that the fan room wall was missed during manual amount calculation.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to examine how a critical principle of motor learning, practice amount (high number of trials versus a low number of trials), affects speech motor learning in childhood apraxia of speech (CAS). It also sought to contribute to the literature base regarding using an integral stimulation approach for these children. Currently, a limited evidence base exists for decision-making regarding practice amount in CAS treatment. Using a single-case experimental design with two participants, three target sets of utterances (High Amount, Low Amount, and Control) received different amounts of treatment. Outcomes were compared in terms of retention. Targets were scored regarding perceptual (prosodic and segmental) accuracy. Effect sizes were computed to quantify the extent of treatment effects. For both participants, results show some evidence suggesting a higher amount of practice is advantageous and leads to greater learning. A low amount of treatment did not show clear differences compared to not receiving any treatment. Caution should be taken when interpreting these findings due to its small sample size and modest effects. Results suggest that the integral stimulation approach may only be effective if provided with a significantly high amount of practice. Further research is needed to examine how the principles of motor learning and the integral stimulation approach should be sensibly and systematically applied to promote best outcomes for this population. / Communication Sciences

Topical inquiries for the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI) include analysis of explosive substances in different sample types. Research into explosives in complex matrixes can provide an analytical support function for forensic investigation i.e. tools for areas such as finding bomb factories, identification and risk analysis of home-made explosives (HME) and improvised explosive devices (IED) as well as preventive measures against maliciously intended use of explosives. Additionally, the research may lay the groundwork for indications of health- and environmental hazards. Utilizing state-of-the-art equipment and years of extensive expertise, FOI is able to carry out these types of research tasks to provide security and sustainability for society. The aim of this thesis project is to establish and validate developed methods for collecting, extracting, separating, and detecting trace amounts of explosives in various bodies of water using a solid-phase extraction (SPE) robot and a high-resolution (HR) mass spectrometer (MS) connected to an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatograph (UHPLC). Particular areas of interest include locations in the Stockholm archipelago where experimental detonations of explosives have taken place. Overall, UHPLC-HRMS analysis provides a powerful tool for analyzing explosives in complex matrixes with unambiguous and reliable measurement data. The compounds of investigation were hexogen (RDX), octogen (HMX), pentyl (PETN), and trotyl (TNT). To summarize, during the course of the thesis, trace amounts of some explosives were detected and quantified in various bodies of water. Furthermore, the applied method for the project was successful in qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the compounds of interest with limit of detection ranging between 0.33–11 μg/L (ppb) in various water sources.

本研究旨在探討民國88年至94年台灣IC設計產業之研發效率分析。採兩階段資料包絡分析法(Data Envelopment Analysis, DEA):第一階段以保證區域資料包絡分析法(Assurance Region DEA，AR/DEA)衡量績效，以避免傳統DEA方法可能出現產出或投入的乘數為0之狀況。第二階段採資料切齊的(censored) TOBIT迴歸模型探討影響研發效率值的效率因子。 研究發現: (1)只考量專利數量與納入專利品質考量下之統計檢定結果，雖沒有顯著的差 異，但對少數的廠商的研發效率值與排名確實有變動，納入專利品質考 量，可以掌握更多研究發展資訊，了解廠商專利真正的價值。 (2)專利被引證次數與研發效率值呈現顯著正相關。 (3)TOBIT迴歸實證結果顯示: 研發效率與公司規模無顯著關係；研發效率與研發人力密集度無顯著相 關；研發效率與研究發展費用率呈負向關係；研發人員年約收入對研發技 術效率無顯著影響；外來知識流量占自有知識存量比例會正向影響研發效 率表現。 / This study investigates R&D efficiency analysis of IC design industry in Taiwan from 1999 to 2005 by using the two-stage Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). To avoid the situations that the multiplier of the input or output might be zero, we adapt the method of Assurance Region DEA (AR/DEA) to measure achievements in the first stage. We then use censored TOBIT regression model to study the factors that influence the efficiency value in the second stage. Through our study, we conclude that: (1) Although there is no significant difference in the results of statistical test whether we take patent quantity into account or not, both the value of R&D efficiency and ranking of a few firms do change. We can grasp more information of research and development and understand the true value of firm’s patent as we put patent quality into account. (2) The correlation coefficient between the amount of patent cited and the value of R&D efficiency is positive significantly. (3) The empirical results of TOBIT regression show that: a. There is no significant relationship between the R&D efficiency and the company’s scale. b. There is no significant relationship between the R&D efficiency and the density of R&D workers. c. There is a negative relationship between the R&D efficiency and the ratio of R&D expense. d. The yearly revenue of R&D workers does not significantly influence the R&D and technology efficiency. e. The ratio between the flow rate of external knowledge and the owned knowledge storage affects positively on R&D efficiency.

Darbo objektas – „žalioji“ investavimo sistema. Darbo tikslas – ištirti „žaliosios“ investavimo sistemos įgyvendinimo galimybes Lietuvoje. Darbo uždaviniai: remiantis mokslinės literatūros analize, atskleisti „žaliosios“ investavimo sistemos sampratą; išnagrinėti užsienio šalių patirtį kuriant ŽIS; remiantis Aplinkos ministerijos pateikiamais duomenimis, sudaryti ŽIS įgyvendinimo Lietuvoje galimybių tyrimo modelį; atlikti ŽIS įgyvendinimo galimybių Lietuvoje empirinio tyrimo modelio įvertinimą bei nustatyti pagrindines ŽIS įgyvendinimo Lietuvoje galimybes ir kliūtis. „Žalioji“ investavimo sistema yra naujas finansinis mechanizmas, kurio dėka pajamos, gautos iš nustatytosios normos vienetų pardavimo, yra toliau investuojamos į šiltnamio dujų mažinimą. Atlikus ekspertų apklausą, nustatyta, kad Lietuvoje tikslingiausia skirti 80 proc. „sunkaus“ ir 20 proc. „lengvo žalinimo“ projektams. Lietuvoje yra daug neišnaudotų energijos efektyvumo didinimo ir atsinaujinančių išteklių kūrimo galimybių, o stiprioji ŽIS pusė yra jau veikianti Lietuvoje teisinė bazė ir institucinė sistema. Tyrimas parodė, kad per mažai žmogiškųjų išteklių panaudojama ŽIS kūrimui, tobulinimui ir valdymui ir LAAIF yra silpnas žmogiškųjų gebėjimų ir kompetencijos. Nustatyta, kad Lietuva sugebės laiku parduoti tik dalį, o ne visą NNV perteklių. Kadangi Lietuva turi galimybių įgyvendinti ŽIS, ji gali sėkmingai dalyvauti tarptautiniame klimato kaitos kapitalistiniame žaidime pasinaudodama šiuo naujuoju finansiniu... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / An object of the work – “green” investment scheme. The aim of the work - to research the potentialities of implementation of “green” investment scheme in Lithuania. Tasks of the work: on the basis of scientific literature analysis to specify the concept of the “green” investment scheme; to consider the foreign experience in developing GIS; based on data, supplied by the Ministry of the Environment, to create the model of opportunities for implementation GIS in Lithuania; to execute the assessment of empirical study model of GIS Implementation opportunities in Lithuania and to identify the key opportunities and barriers of GIS implementation in Lithuania. “Green” investment scheme is a new financial mechanism, by which the income from sale of the assigned amount units is being further invested in a greenhouse gas reduction. Executing experts survey, identified that dedicating 80 percent for “hard” and 20 percent for “soft greening” projects is the most appropriate variant in Lithuania. In Lithuania is a lot of unused energy efficiency and renewable resource development opportunities and a strong GIS side is already operating legal framework and institutional framework of Lithuania. The study showed that too little human resources is being used for GIS design, development and management and LEIF is weak of human capacity and competence. It was found that Lithuania will be able to sell only a part, but not all AAU surplus. Since Lithuania has the opportunities to implement GIS... [to full text]

Denna fallstudie undersöker hur två marina system för rening av kväveoxider från rökgaser, EGR samt SCR, presterar med avseende på emissioner och ekonomi. En vanligt förekommande tvåtakt dieselmotor valdes att teoretiskt utrustas med respektive system där ett beräkningsprogram, CEAS, kunde användas för att genomföra beräkningar efter valda driftsförhållanden och därmed få ut relevant data. Med förbrukning av de för systemen erforderliga kemikalierna samt förbrukning av bränsle kunde kostnader beräknas efter inhämtande av priser. Med IMO:s Tier III-krav som mål kunde förhindrad mängd utsläppt NOX beräknas och med hjälp av bildad rökgasmängd vid användande med och utan system kunde en uppfattning fås om hur systemen påverkar fartygets emissioner. Beräkningar valdes att göras över en uppskattad livslängd för ett fartyg, 20 år. Vidare valdes de ekonomiska kostnaderna för systemen att slås samman med inköpspriset för systemen. Slutsatser som kunde tas från studien var bland annat att SCR är det system vars sammanräknade kostnad är lägst vid drift. EGR är en teknik som utöver att klara Tier III-kraven även medför en minskning av en del andra miljöförorenande ämnen. Studien antyder att EGR är det bättre systemet ur emission synpunkt och SCR är det bättre systemet sett till ekonomi. / This case study examines how two marine systems used for reduction of nitrogen oxides from exhaust gases, EGR and SCR, performs in terms of emissions and economic impact. A commonly used two-stroke diesel engine was chosen to be, in theory, equipped with each system. By using a calculation program, CEAS, calculations based on different running conditions were possible and thereby obtain relevant data. With the given consumption of chemicals for each system and the consumption of fuel, costs were able to be calculated after price data was retrieved. With IMO’s tier III regulation as the limit, the inhibited amount of released NOX could be calculated. By using data of produced amounts of exhaust gases, with and without the systems, an estimate could be made on how the systems affect the ship emissions. Calculations were based on an approximation of a vessels lifespan, 20 years. Furthermore, the economic cost for each system was added with the purchase price of each system. Conclusions that could be drawn from the study were, amongst other things, that SCR was the system with the lowest operational cost. EGR does, besides being able to manage the Tier III-requirement, also manage to reduce some other environmental hazardous substances. The study implies that EGR is the better system when viewed in terms of emissions and SCR is the better system when viewed in terms of economy.

Les pyréthrinoïdes et les pyréthrines sont des insecticides neurotoxiques auxquels on attribue également des effets néfastes sur les systèmes immunitaire, hormonal et reproducteur. Ils sont abondamment utilisés en agriculture, mais aussi en horticulture, en extermination et dans le traitement d’infestations parasitaires humaines et animales (gale, poux). Il y a donc un intérêt en santé environnementale à connaître l’ampleur de l’exposition humaine à ces pesticides. La mesure des métabolites urinaires des pyréthrinoïdes et des pyréthrines apparaît une approche de choix pour arriver à cette fin puisqu’elle permet, en théorie, d’obtenir un portrait global de l’exposition. Or,traditionnellement et par soucis de simplicité les concentrations volumiques ou ajustées pour la créatinine) de ces biomarqueurs dans des urines ponctuelles sont déterminées, mais l’effet de l’utilisation de ces unités sur la validité des estimations de dose quotidienne absorbée n’a jamais été vérifié. L’objectif général de cette thèse était donc de développer, appliquer et valider une nouvelle stratégie de mesure et d’analyse de biomarqueurs pour améliorer la précision et la fiabilité des évaluations de l’exposition individuelles et populationnelles aux pyréthrinoïdes et pyréthrines. Les objectifs spécifiques étaient : i) de caractériser l’exposition humaine à ces contaminants en région urbaine et rurale au Québec et ii) de comparer la validité de la nouvelle stratégie de mesure et d’analyse de biomarqueurs urinaires proposée avec les autres méthodes plus usuelles utilisées pour estimer l’exposition individuelle et populationnelle et les doses absorbées de pyréthrinoïdes. Des adultes et des enfants, recrutés dans la population de l’Île de Montréal et de la Montérégie ont recueilli leurs urines pendant une période d’au moins douze heures et complété un questionnaire documentant les sources potentielles d’exposition. Les quantités de métabolites de pyréthrinoïdes et pyréthrines (pmol) mesurées dans les urines ont été ajustées pour une période de douze heures exactement et pour le poids corporel. Les quantités excrétées en région urbaine ont été comparées à celles excrétées en région rurale et les données individuelles et populationnelles ont été comparées à celles qui auraient été obtenues si des concentrations volumiques ou ajustées pour la créatinine avaient été mesurées. Les résultats montrent que l’exposition à ces pesticides est ubiquiste puisque plus de 90% des participants excrétaient les principaux métabolites de pyréthrinoïdes et pyréthrines à un niveau supérieur au seuil de détection analytique. Les résultats suggèrent que l’alimentation pourrait être à l’origine de ce niveau de base puisque les autres sources d’exposition connues n’ont été que rarement rapportées. Au Québec, l’exposition en milieu rural apparaissait légèrement plus importante qu’en milieu urbain et certains facteurs d’exposition, comme l’utilisation de pesticides domestiques, ont été rapportés plus fréquemment en milieu rural. Enfin, il a été démontré que la mesure des concentrations volumiques ou ajustées pour la créatinine de biomarqueurs est une approche qui peut entraîner des biais importants (jusqu’à 500% d’erreur et plus) en particulier lors de l’évaluation de l’exposition individuelle. Il est évident que les autorités de santé publique et de santé environnementale employant des biomarqueurs urinaires afin d’évaluer l’exposition aux pyréthrinoïdes et aux pyréthrines (ainsi qu’à d’autres molécules ayant des demi-vies d’élimination similaire)devraient diriger leurs efforts vers la mesure des quantités excrétées pendant une période d’au moins douze heures pour obtenir un portrait le plus valide possible de l’exposition. Il serait aussi souhaitable de mieux documenter la toxicocinétique de ces molécules chez l’humain afin d’établir avec une plus grande confiance la relation entre les quantités excrétées de biomarqueurs et les doses absorbées de ces contaminants. / Pyrethroids and pyrethrins are neurotoxic insecticides also considered to have negative effects on the immune, endocrine and reproductive systems. They are abundantly used for agricultural and horticultural purposes, for pest control and to treat human and animal parasitic infestations (scabies, lice). Consequently, there is in environmental health an interest in evaluating the extent of human exposure to these pesticides. The measurement of pyrethroid and pyrethrin metabolites in urine seems to be the best approach because it provides in theory a global depiction of the exposure. Because of it straightforwardness, it is common practice to use the biomarkers volume-weighted or creatinine-adjusted concentrations in spot urine samples, however the validity of daily doses estimates derived from these units has yet to be assessed. The main goal of this research was to develop, apply and validate a new approach to the measurement and analysis of biomarkers to improve the precision and the reliability of estimates of pyrethroid and pyrethrin exposure at the individual and population levels. The specific objectives were: i) to characterize human exposure to these contaminants in urban and rural populations in Quebec and ii) to assess the validity of this new strategy of measurement and analysis of urinary biomarkers with the biological monitoring strategies generally used to assess individual and population pyrethroid exposure and absorbed doses. Adults and children recruited in the population of the Island of Montreal and of Monteregie collected their urines for at least twelve hours and filled a questionnaire about their potential sources of exposure. The amounts of pyrethroid and pyrethrin metabolites measured in urine (pmol) were adjusted to a fixed twelve hour period and for the body weight. The amounts excreted in the urban area were compared to those from the rural area and individual and population data were compared to those that would have been obtained if volume-weighted or creatinine-adjusted concentrations would have been used. Results show that exposure to these pesticides is very common, with more than 90% of the participants excreting the main pyrethroid and pyrethrin metabolites above the analytical limit of detection. These results also suggest that the diet could be the main contributor to this base level because the other known sources of exposure were rarely reported. In the province of Quebec, the exposure in a rural area seemed slightly more important than in an urban area and some exposure factors, like the use of household pesticides, were reported more frequently in rural area. Finally, it was shown that the measurement of volume-weighted or creatinine-adjusted concentrations is an approach that can lead to an important bias (an error of up to 500% and more) especially for the assessment of individual exposure. It becomes obvious that public health and environmental health authorities using urinary biomarkers to assess pyrethroid and pyrethrin exposure (or other compounds with similar half-lives) should focus their efforts on measuring the amounts excreted during a period of at least twelve hours to obtain the best picture of the exposure. It would also be pertinent to increase the knowledge of the toxicokinetic behaviour of these compounds in humans in order to establish with greater confidence the relation between the excreted amounts and the absorbed doses of these contaminants.

No description available.