This work examines several volume attributes extracted from 3D seismic data with the goal of seismic facies classification and lithology prediction in intraslope minibasins. The study area is in the Keathley Canyon protraction (KC), within the middle slope of the Northern Gulf of Mexico (GOM). It lays within the tabular salt and minibasins province downdip of the main Pliocene and Pleistocene deltaic depocenters. Interaction between sedimentation and mobile salt substrate lead to the emergence of many stratigraphic patterns in the intraslope minibasins. Interest in subsalt formations left above salt formations poorly logged. Facies classification using Artificial Neural Network (ANN) was applied in those poorly logged areas. The resultant facies classes were calibrated and used to predict the lithology of the recognized facies patterns in an intraslope minibasin, away from well control. Three types of facies classes were identified: Convergent thinning, convergent baselaping and bypassing. The convergent baselaping are found to be the most sand rich among all other facies.

This master thesis is part of a big project at Siemens Industrial Turbomachinery (SIT) in Finspång aimed to use the operation experience available at SIT to predict the state of the gas turbines in general and some mechanical components in particular. The objective of the thesis is to continue the development of a prediction model based on experience data for estimations of a components lifetime. In a previous master thesis by Alessandro Olivi statistical analysis of environmental attributes effect on the expected lifetime of components in a gas turbine was performed. Olivi’s thesis constitutes the starting point on which to keep building to create a reliable prediction model. In this thesis extensive validation tests have been performed in order to further quantify the reliability of the model. Investigations aimed towards finding ways to further develop and improve the prediction model are carried out. The relevant new findings are applied to the model and analysis concerning improvements in the prediction accuracy is carried out. It was revealed that the model is able to make accurate predictions for most of the validation points for each failure mode, but more research is needed to obtain a completely reliable prediction model.

Magister Commercii - MCom / A brand extension strategy is one of the marketing tools that firms utilise to introduce new products in the market. One of the advantages of adopting this strategy is that firms are able to leverage on the positive image, reputation, and equity of a recognised and established brand,thereby reducing risk associated with launching new products.This study examines how consumers perceive the overall quality and similarity/fit of the brand extensions (Nike camera, Nike socks, and Nike golf balls) in relation to the original brand (Nike athletic shoes) and how these perceptions influence their attitudes towards the extensions. The researcher proposes that the perceived overall quality of the brand extensions will be congruent to that of the original brand and that the attitude towards the brand extensions will be favourable only when there is a perceived similarity/fit between the brand extensions and the original brand.In order to get these insights, the study surveyed 147 undergraduate and postgraduate students from the University of the Western Cape across all faculties. A non-probability convenience sampling method was used to access respondents. To collect data, qualitative and quantitative methods were employed using a questionnaire which consisted of open-ended and closed-ended questions in the form of free associations technique and 5-point Likert scales. The data gathered was analysed by means of descriptive statistics and Spearman correlation coefficient. The findings indicate two things.(1) respondents only perceived Nike socks’ overall quality to be congruent to the original brand, Nike athletic shoes. (2) respondents only perceived Nike socks to be strongly similar to the original brand, Nike athletic shoes. Despite this, respondents had a favourable attitude towards all the brand extensions irrespective of whether they perceived the overall quality of the extensions to be congruent to the original brand or not, and whether they perceived the extensions to be similar to the original brand or not. These factors did not influence respondents’ attitudes towards the extensions negatively.

Magister Commercii - MCom / This study aimed to shed insight on how store image influences customer perception. Everything customers see, hear and experience is linked together and forms their overall perception of a store. The first objective of the study was to analyze whether a relationship exists between the store choice and customers biographical details. The second objective is to identify components of store image that shoppers may consider important in store selection process; how the case company can use this knowledge and develop the business and customer service even further. Eight dimensions of shopping enjoyment are proposed and a 47-item measure was developed to measure 155 consumer perceptions from various malls in the geographical area of Cape Town. Findings indicate that there are no statistically significant relations between store image and consumers demographic factors such as age, gender, level of education, marital status, occupation and income. Furthermore, respondents rated physical characteristics of the store which included factors such as the neatness and cleanliness of the store, its decor, the wideness of the aisles, air-conditioning and lighting as the most important element when making a store choice. The implications of these results are discussed, together with practical and theoretical implications, study limitations, and future research directions.

The thesis deals with the development and prospects of the hegemonic U.S. position and analyzes the ability of its rivals to compete in hegemonic position. The first chapter introduces the fundamental theory and history related to the concept of hegemony, the second chapter compares the position and influence of the USA and its selected rivals in the world economy on the basis of individual attributes of hegemony and the third chapter examines the role of USD as the key world currency and possible alternatives to the current configuration of the international monetary system.

Travel is now the largest online business-to-consumer product in the United States. Online hotel bookings are the second largest segment of online travel. Leisure travelers online spending will increase dramatically from 2002 to 2007. However, a majority of hospitality companies do not currently take advantage of the Internet as the cheapest and most efficient distribution medium. The purpose of this study examined leisure travelers' demographic and psychographic characteristics, online booking and travel frequency that influence travelers' desired hotel Website features and functions. The results found out that demographics (gender, occupation, and ethnicity), and psychographics (travel benefit sought), number of leisure travel trips per year, and number of online hotel bookings per year have impact on hotel Website attribute preferences.

Submitted by Fabio Sobreira Campos da Costa (fabio.sobreira@ufpe.br) on 2016-04-13T14:28:14Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Versão definitiva dissertação.pdf: 2215795 bytes, checksum: 6ae1c11599069fa2b9b187adf1935e10 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-13T14:28:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) Versão definitiva dissertação.pdf: 2215795 bytes, checksum: 6ae1c11599069fa2b9b187adf1935e10 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-08-27 / CNPq / A maioria dos remanescentes de floresta Atlântica no Brasil são pequenas florestas secundárias em regeneração, muitas ocorrendo em áreas urbanas. Espécies arbóreas de remanescentes florestais indicam nível de perturbação, estágio sucessional e mudanças durante a regeneração. O objetivo dessa dissertação é conhecer a composição florística e fitossociológica arbórea de um fragmento urbano de floresta Atlântica em regeneração e verificar sua similaridade com remanescentes urbanos. Testou-se a hipótese de que remanescentes seriam menos similares quanto mais distantes fossem e que fragmentos de tamanhos semelhantes seriam mais similares que os de diferentes tamanhos. No remanescente em regeneração instalou-se 18 parcelas de 10 x 10m para a fitossociologia e realizaram-se expedições quinzenais de setembro de 2013 a dezembro de 2014 para coleta de espécies em estádio reprodutivo. Nos demais fragmentos, o levantamento florístico ocorreu mediante publicações florísticas e fitossociológicas. Médias de diâmetros e alturas das arbóreas do remanescente em regeneração foram de 15±14 cm e 9,54±3,5m, respectivamente e assemelham-se àquelas de florestas em estágio sucessional inicial. A maior similaridade foi encontrada entre a Mata da Guabiraba e o Parque Estadual de Dois Irmãos (0,43), que são fragmentos próximos e semelhantes em área. Na composição das comunidades desses remanescentes Tapirira guianensis Aubl e Eschweilera ovata Cambess. sobressaíram-se entre as espécies mais abundantes e frequentes, sendo que a primeira também se destacou com maior valor de importância e densidade. Outro objetivo dessa dissertação foi obter a diversidade funcional desses remanescentes, pois ela indica interações que os sustentam, a partir de atributos florais das arbóreas. Compararam-se atributos florais, síndromes de polinização e diversidade funcional desses remanescentes florestais urbanos. Testou-se a hipótese de que remanescentes diferem quanto a frequência dos atributos florais, síndromes de polinização e diversidade funcional. Nos demais fragmentos utilizaram-se publicações fitossociológicas e os dados de atributos florais obtidos em herbários e na literatura. Nos remanescentes predominaram flores generalistas, melitófilas (41% e 58%) e formaram-se grupos de fragmentos por atributos florais e síndromes de polinização, o que corrobora parcialmente a hipótese. Os remanescentes estudados não diferiram quanto à diversidade funcional de atributos florais (p = 0,99). Estudos como esse trazem contribuições para a compreensão sobre a diversidade e a estrutura das comunidades vegetais em remanescentes urbanos que devido às suas particularidades, sobretudo pela paisagem na qual se inserem podem apresentar uma dinâmica distinta do que ditam as teorias ecológicas. / The Atlantic forest remnants in Brazil mostly are small secondary forests in regeneration, many occurring in urban areas. Tree species of forest remnants indicate level of disturbance, successional stage and changes during regeneration. The goal of this dissertation is to know the floristic composition and phytosociology of tree of an urban fragment of Atlantic forest regeneration and verify its similarity to other urban forest remnants. The hypothesis tested was that remaining would present smaller the further away they were similarity and similar size fragments would be more similar than different sizes, they were installed 18 plots of 10 x 10m for the study phytosociological and held fortnightly expedition between September 2013 and December 2014 to collect of species in stage reproductive. In the remaining fragments, of the floristic survey occurred through floristic studies and published phytosociological. Average diameters and heights of the remaining tree regeneration were 15 ± 14 cm and 9,54 ± 3,5 m, respectively, and resemble those of forests in early successional stage. Similarity highest was found between the Forest Guabiraba and Parque Estaadual Dois Irmão (0,43), which are fragments near and similar in area. In community composition of these remaining Tapirira guianensis Aubl. and Eschweilera ovata Cambess. stood out among the most abundant and frequent species, with the first also excelled with highest importance value and density. Another aim of this thesis was to obtain the functional diversity of these remnants, as it indicates interactions that maintain them from floral traits of the tree. Compared to floral traits, pollination syndromes and functional diversity of these urban forest remnants. We tested the hypothesis that remaining differ in the frequency of floral attributes, pollination syndromes and functional diversity. In the remaining fragments were used in phytosociological publications and floral attributes of data from herbarium and literature. In general predominant remaining flowers, mellittophilous (41% and 58%) and were formed by groups of fragments and floral attributes pollination syndromes, which partially supports the hypothesis. The remaining studies did not differ in the functional diversity of floral traits (p = 0,99). Such studies bring contributions to the understanding of the diversity and structure of plant communities in urban remnants that because of their specific particularly the landscape in which they operate may have a different dynamic than dictate the ecological theories.

The subject of this essay is the concept of omnisubjectivity, which is a form of omniscience introduced by Linda Zagzebski. I will analyse the concept in detail, its possible implications, objections and further developments and critically examine these.      Omnisubjectivity is the idea that God has constant access to our consciousness and all our mental states and that God can grasp all conscious creatures’ first-person perspectives at the same time as God has his own first- and third-person perspective. As a model for this Zagzebski uses human empathy, where she means that God has perfect total empathy which implies that God has constant access to all our mental states at the same time as God never forgets that those mental states aren’t God’s own.      Some of the possible implications that I bring up in this essay are that omnisubjectivity can explain how God hears prayers, how God’s love and providence can deepen, how God might or might not be affected by humans’ mental states, especially their failings and immoral actions and thoughts, and how God’s judgement can be perfectly fair. The objections concern Zagzebski’s use of empathy as a model for omnisubjectivity, the definition of perfection, God’s relation to time and what the first-person perspective contributes to. The developments concern Thomas Aquinas thought of God as everything’s first cause and christology.      This essay’s conclusion is that omnisubjectivity is, to a large extent, already a part of omniscience, but that it also contributes with new aspects and opens up for new questions and deepens the meaning of omniscience and God’s relation to his created creatures.

Academic administrators at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) are faced with multiple challenges regarding retention of students, funding, and maintaining status as an HBCU, yet little is understood about how and why leaders choose a particular career pathway. This lack of understanding creates opportunities for failure related to turnover in leadership, funding discrepancies, and lower rates of retention and persistence for students. Using Maslow's needs theory as the foundation, the purpose of this descriptive study was to better understand the career pathways of established executive level leaders atin HBCUs in order to determine attributes of success among leaders with the rank of provost and higher. Data were collected using open-ended surveys from 30 HBCU executives at the rank of provost or higher. These data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, inductive coding, and thematic analysis. Findings indicated that academic administrators tend to move between private and public institutions frequently, and over 20 percent began an academic career as a faculty member at an institution of higher education. The other key finding is that executives tend to plot a path to higher level, executive positions and this transition occurs over a period of several years and t and that those who maintain a focus on achieving executive status also participate in a variety of seminars and workshops to build peripheral skill in communication, financial management, and collaboration. The social change implications stemming from this study include recommendations to HBCUs to engage in leadership training opportunities for faculty and academic managers to encourage internal promotion of executive positions as a mechanism to preserve the unique organizational attributes of HBCUs.

<p>Within the last decade, the popularity and interest in dry-aging have constantly increased among both consumers and producers. Dry-aging is a natural value-adding process where meat is exposed to a controlled refrigerated environment without any protective barrier during the aging process. This process leads to the development of unique flavors in the final meat product. Although the prevalence of this process is increasing, there are inconsistent reports regarding the impacts of dry-aging on meat sensory attributes, especially on the flavor aspect. Given that flavor generation is dependent on the composition and availability of flavor precursors, the presence or absence of these precursors may contribute to the inconsistency observed. Thus the main objective of the research described here was to characterize the flavor precursors in dry-aged meat and elucidate potential factors or mechanisms favoring to their production.</p> <p> To achieve this objective, metabolomics analysis was conducted in conjunction with various chemical analyses (free amino acids, fatty acids, sugar content and volatile analysis), microbiome profiling and meat quality analysis (tenderness, water holding capacity, color stability, oxidative stability, microbial attributes and sensory analysis) to identify the essential flavor precursors and their production process. In addition, similar analyses were conducted using multiple meat sources (grass-fed beef loins, cull cow beef loins and pork loins) aged by wet-aging (WA), conventional dry-aging (DA), dry-aging in bag (DWA) and UV-light dry-aging (UDA) to elucidate the impact of the different aging treatments on meat quality, sensory attributes and flavor precursor availability.</p> <p>Regardless of the meat source, the results demonstrated that dry-aging altered the meat flavor precursor compositions, primarily by increasing the presence of protein-derived precursors (e.g., free amino acids and dipeptides), especially glutamine and glutamate compounds. Additionally, nucleotide and carbohydrate-derived compounds such as adenosine and reducing sugars were greatly increased after the dry-aging process. While the fatty acid profile was minimally affected, metabolomics analysis revealed a decrease in sterol and terpenoid lipids following dry-aging, which could potentially reduce off-flavors development in the meat. Other compounds such as vitamin B and vitamin C were also detected in the dry-aged product, which potentially could contribute to the flavor development.</p> <p>Analysis of the liberation mechanisms demonstrated that dehydration played a role in increasing the concentration of the flavor precursors in the dry-aged product, potentially promoting greater (e.g., Maillard reaction) during cooking. Furthermore, microorganisms might be responsible for further increasing the availability of flavor precursors in dry-aged meat, especially free amino acids, along with the dehydration process. Microbiome profiling found that <i>Pseudomonas</i> spp. are the most prominent bacterial species in microbial communities found on dry-aged meat which could affect the precursor release in dry-aged meat. Metabolomics analysis also indicated increased glutathione metabolism during dry-aging, which could lead to the liberation of glutamine-related compounds. The analysis also identified other compounds such as porphyrin rings (iron-related) and shikimic acid (bacterial metabolism), providing further examples of how metabolomics can identify dry-aged flavor precursors and reveal other potential mechanisms related to flavor development mechanisms.</p> <p>These outcomes demonstrate that dry-aging alters meat flavor precursor composition, mainly by increasing the availability of protein-, nucleotide- and carbohydrate-derived compounds. Such results indicate that the Maillard reaction is likely be the main mechanism in flavor generation in dry-aged meat. The current results provided more insights into the dry-aging flavor development, especially highlighting important flavor precursor such as glutamate and glutamine containing products, likely to contribute to the dry-aged flavor. Future study to identify the impact of different microorganism (especially mold and yeast) on dry-aging flavor development would be of interest. Additionally, impact of different cooking process should also be studies to maximize the dry-aged flavor potential from the product.</p>