Desenvolvemos aqui um estudo das formulações alternativas-equivalentes da Relatividade Geral, baseada no formalismo de conexões de Ashtekar. Iniciamos discutindo a estrutura matemática necessária de fibrados e conexões, e a teoria de sistemas Hamiltonianos vinculados. Em seguida, damos uma breve introdução ao formalismo métrico de Einstein e então passamos ao formalismo geometrodinâmico canônico (formalismo ADM). Introduzimos as transformações no espaço de fase que geram as formulações alternativas, de forma generalizada tal que possamos obter ambas as variáveis complexas de Ashtekar ou as variáveis reais de Barbero, ou mesmo qualquer forma intermediária por meio do parâmetro de Immirzzi. / We develop here a study of the alternative-equivalent formulations of General Relativity, based on Ashtekars connexion formalism. We begin discussing the mathematical structure needed of fibre bundles and connexions, and the theory of constrained Hamiltonian systems. Next, we give a brief introduction for Einsteins metric formalism and then we pass to the canonical geometrodynamic formalism (ADM formalism). We introduce the transformations of the phase space which generate the alternative formulations, in a generalized form such that we can obtain both Ashtekars complex variables or Barberos real variables, or even any intermediary form by using the Immirzzi parameter.

Bakgrund: Trycksår är en vanlig vårdskada som orsakar stora problem inom hälso- och sjukvård, onödigt lidande för patienter och leder till höga kostnader för samhället. Preventiva åtgärder skulle kunna förebygga detta, vilka kan kombineras i åtgärdsprogram.   Syfte: Syftet var att undersöka effekten av olika åtgärdsprogram för trycksårsprevention, samt identifiera vilka komponenter som ingår i ett effektivt åtgärdsprogram.   Metod: Litteraturstudie baserad på tio kvantitativa artiklar med randomiserad kontrollerad studie (RCT) eller kvasiexperimentell design. Artikelsökning gjordes i databaserna PubMed och Cinahl samt manuellt. Katie Erikssons teori om vårdlidande användes som teoretisk referensram.   Resultat: Majoritet av inkluderade studiers åtgärdsprogram resulterade i effekt på andel sjukhusförvärvade trycksår, preventiva åtgärder, patienters delaktighet och egenvård samt kunskap hos vårdpersonal. Åtgärder som förekom i samtliga effektiva åtgärdsprogram var: riskbedömning, hudbedömning, tryckavlastande underlag, lägesändring, hudvård och adekvat nutrition. Komponenter som flertalet åtgärdsprogram dessutom använde var: skin champions, familjemedverkan och multiprofessionell samverkan. Enskilda åtgärdsprogram använde följande komponenter: mobilapplikation, foto och uppladdning i journal, orsaksanalys och algoritmer som beslutsstöd.   Slutsats: Trycksår är en vårdskada som kan undvikas med preventiva åtgärder. Åtgärdsprogram bestående av grundläggande åtgärder som: riskbedömning, hudbedömning, tryckavlastande underlag, lägesändring, hudvård och adekvat nutrition har påvisats ha god effekt för trycksårsprevention. Åtgärdsprogram med signifikant reducering av andel sjukhusförvärvade trycksår hade antingen effektiviserat och ökat frekvensen av dessa åtgärder eller kombinerat dem med ytterligare åtgärder.   Nyckelord: Trycksår, prevention, åtgärdsprogram, lidande / Background: Hospital acquired pressure ulcers are common and that cause major problems in health and medical care, unnecessary suffering for patients and leads to high costs in the society. Preventive measures could prevent this, which can be designed in bundles.   Aim: The aim was to investigate the effect of various bundles for pressure ulcer prevention, and to identify which components are part of an effective bundle.   Method: Literature review based on ten quantitative articles with randomized controlled trial (RCT) or quasi-experimental design. Article search was made in the databases Pubmed and Cinahl as manually. Katie Eriksson’s theory of care suffering was used as a theoretical frame of reference. Results: The majority of the bundles of the included studies resulted in an effect on the proportion of hospital acquired pressure ulcers, preventative measures, patient involvement and self-care, and knowledge among healthcare professionals. Measures that were included in all effective bundles were: risk assessment, skin assessment, pressure relieving surfaces, repositioning, skincare and adequate nutrition. Additional components that most of the bundles used were: skin champions, family involvement and multiprofessional collaboration. Some bundles used the following components: mobile application, photo and upload in journal, cause analysis and algorithms as decision support.   Conclusion: A pressure ulcer is an adverese event that can be avoided with the adequate preventive measures. Bundles consisting of basic measures such as: risk assessment, skin assessment, pressure relieving surfaces, repositioning, skincare and adequate nutrition have been shown to have a good effect for pressure ulcer prevention. Bundles with a significant reduction in the proportion of hospital acquired pressure ulcers had either made them more effective and increased the frequency of these measures or combined them with further measures   Keywords: Pressure ulcer, prevention, bundles, suffering

The purpose of this research is to contribute to the understanding of the debate surrounding strategic human resource management (SHRM) and organisational performance. The relationship between SHRM and organisational performance has been a heavily deliberated issue over the last decade. A survey of literature on SHRM and its impacts in terms of performance reveals that empirical results on this topic are, as yet, inconclusive. Whilst some studies have found the impact to be positive, the results from several other studies cast doubts concerning the overall efficacy of (positive) HR practices on firms' performance. Moreover, researchers have argued that there is a need for additional studies on the HRM-performance link, and that further investigations in different contexts are required. This study responds to the call of researchers, and is conducted in a new non-Western context in the country of Jordan. The work contributes to our understanding of HR practices' impacts on employee turnover rate as well as on the actual and perceived financial performance of organisations. The empirical analysis is based on theoretical propositions which state that motivated employees, through good HR practices, remain in their positions longer and contribute positively to the overall financial performance of organisations. Rigorous statistical testing of the data on the population of financial firms shows that careful recruitment and selection, training, and internal career opportunities all have a positive impact in terms of reducing employee turnover. Training, in particular, is found to have a strong positive impact on actual and perceived financial performance. The findings do not support the indirect HRM-performance relationship mediated by employee turnover. The study provides strong support for the universalistic approach that a group of best HR practices will continuously and directly generate superior performance for the companies. We also find no evidence to support the notion that bundles or complementarities of HR practices impact better on financial performance than individual HR practices. We test the impact of strategic HR involvement (involving HR functions in the overall strategic process of the company) and HR devolvement (delegating the day-to-day HR issues to line managers) on organisational performance. Our results show that financial performance can be enhanced and employee turnover rate decreased by involving HR directors in the overall strategic decision-making process of the companies. The results indicate that the alignment of HRM with organisational strategy would improve the financial performance of the companies; however, our results suggest that the devolvement of routine HR issues to line managers may not be positively related to the financial performance of the companies or negatively related to employee turnover.

Seja p um \'S POT. 3\' - fibrado principal sobre uma esfera \'S POT. n\' , com n \' >OU=\' 4 . O objetivo deste trabalho é calcular os tipos de homotopia do grupo de gauge \'G IND. p\' desses fibrados p, estendendo o resultado determinado por A. Kono [25] quando n = 4. Apresentamos fórmulas explícitas para o operador bordo na seqüência exata de homotopia associada com a aplicação avaliação ev : m(\'S POT. n\' , B \'S POT. 3\' ) \'SETA\' B \'S POT. 3\' , traduzindo o problema nos cálculos envolvendo grupos de homotopia de esferas. Calculamos todos os casos clássicos, ou seja, aqueles que podem ser avaliados usando as informações encontradas no livro de H. Toda [46], determinando o tipo de homotopia do grupo de gauge desses fibrados para cada n \' > OU =\' 25 / Let p be a principal \'S POT. 3\' - bundle over a sphere \'S POT. n\' , with n\' > or =\' 4\'. The subject of this work is to calculate the homotopy type of the gauge group \'G IND. p\' of these bundles p, extending the result determined by A. Kono [25] when n = 4. We present explicit formulas for the boundary operator in the homotopy exact sequence associated with the evaluation map ev : m(\'S POT. n\' , B \'S POT. 3\' ) \' ARROW\' B \'S POT. 3\' , translating that problem into calculations involving homotopy groups of sphere. We calculate all the classical cases, namely those that can be dealt with using the information in the book of H. Toda [46], determining the homotopy type of the gauge group of these bundles for each n \'> or = 25

Desenvolvemos aqui um estudo das formulações alternativas-equivalentes da Relatividade Geral, baseada no formalismo de conexões de Ashtekar. Iniciamos discutindo a estrutura matemática necessária de fibrados e conexões, e a teoria de sistemas Hamiltonianos vinculados. Em seguida, damos uma breve introdução ao formalismo métrico de Einstein e então passamos ao formalismo geometrodinâmico canônico (formalismo ADM). Introduzimos as transformações no espaço de fase que geram as formulações alternativas, de forma generalizada tal que possamos obter ambas as variáveis complexas de Ashtekar ou as variáveis reais de Barbero, ou mesmo qualquer forma intermediária por meio do parâmetro de Immirzzi. / We develop here a study of the alternative-equivalent formulations of General Relativity, based on Ashtekars connexion formalism. We begin discussing the mathematical structure needed of fibre bundles and connexions, and the theory of constrained Hamiltonian systems. Next, we give a brief introduction for Einsteins metric formalism and then we pass to the canonical geometrodynamic formalism (ADM formalism). We introduce the transformations of the phase space which generate the alternative formulations, in a generalized form such that we can obtain both Ashtekars complex variables or Barberos real variables, or even any intermediary form by using the Immirzzi parameter.

Let $\overline{R}$ be a finitely bordered Riemann surface, and let $\mathfrak{E}_\rho(\overline{R})$ be a flat matrix $PU_n(\mathbb{C})$-bundle over $\overline{R}$. Let $\Gamma_c(\overline{R}, \mathfrak{E}(\overline{R}))$ denote the $C^*$-algebra of continuous cross-sections of $\mathfrak{E}(\overline{R})$, and let $\Gamma_h(\overline{R},\mathfrak{E}(\overline{R}))$ denote the subalgebra consisting of the continuous holomorphic sections, i.e.~the continuous cross-sections that are holomorphic on the interior of $\overline{R}$. The algebra $\Gamma_c(\overline{R}, \mathfrak{E}(\overline{R}))$ is an example of an $n$-homogeneous $C^*$-algebra, and the subalgebra $\Gamma_h(\overline{R},\mathfrak{E}(\overline{R}))$ is the principal object of study of this thesis. The algebras $\Gamma_h(\overline{R},\mathfrak{E}(\overline{R}))$ appeared in the earlier works \cite{Abrahamse1976} and \cite{Blecher2000}. Operators that can be viewed as elements in $\Gamma_h(\overline{R},\mathfrak{E}(\overline{R}))$ are the subject of \cite{Abrahamse1976}. The Morita theory of $\Gamma_h(\overline{R},\mathfrak{E}(\overline{R}))$, under the guise of a fixed-point algebra and in the special case of an annulus $R$, is studied in \cite[Ex.~8.3]{Blecher2000}. This thesis studies these algebras and their topological data $\mathfrak{E}_\rho(\overline{R})$ motivated by several problems in the theory of nonselfadjoint operator algebras. Boundary representations are an invariant of operator algebras that were introduced by Arveson in 1969. However, it took nearly 50 years to show that boundary representations existed in sufficient abundance in all cases. I show that every boundary representation of $\Gamma_c(\overline{R}, \mathfrak{E}(\overline{R}))$ for $\Gamma_h(\overline{R}, \mathfrak{E}(\overline{R}))$ is given by evaluation at some point $r \in \partial R$. As a corollary, the $C^*$-envelope of $\Gamma_h(\overline{R},\mathfrak{E}(\overline{R}))$ is $\Gamma_c(\partial R, \mathfrak{E}(\partial R))$. Using the $C^*$-envelope, I show that for certain choices of fibre and base space, $\Gamma_h(\overline{R}, \mathfrak{E}_\rho(\overline{R}))$ is not completely isometrically isomorphic to $A(\overline{R})\otimes M_n(\mathbb{C})$ unless the representation $\rho$ is the trivial representation. I also show that $\Gamma_h(\overline{R},\mathfrak{E}(\overline{R}))$ is an Azumaya over its center. Azumaya algebras are the ``pure-algebra'' analogues to $n$-homogeneous $C^*$-algebras \cite{Artin1969}. Thus the structure of the nonselfadjoint subalgebra $\Gamma_h(\overline{R},\mathfrak{E}(\overline{R}))$ reflects some of the structure of its $C^*$-envelope (which is $n$-homogeneous). Finally, I answer a question raised in \cite[Ex.~8.3]{Blecher2000} on the $cb$ and strong Morita theory of $\Gamma_h(\overline{R},\mathfrak{E}_\rho(\overline{R}))$, showing in particular that $\Gamma_h(\overline{R},\mathfrak{E}_\rho(\overline{R}))$ is $cb$ Morita equivalent to its center $A(\overline{R})$. As suggested in \cite[Ex.~8.3]{Blecher2000}, I provide additional evidence that $\Gamma_h(\overline{R},\mathfrak{E}_\rho(\overline{R}))$ may not be strongly Morita equivalent to its center. This evidence, in turn, suggests that there may be a Brauer group -like analysis for these algebras.

Sepsis is associated with high mortality and morbidity. Immediate recognition and treatment is crucial to prevent complications that can be highly detrimental and cause a significant impact on the U.S. healthcare economy. Numerous studies have been conducted to improve patient outcomes and lower healthcare costs from sepsis and septic shock. Many of these studies were focused on exploring healthcare providers' knowledge and compliance to the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) guidelines. This study aimed to explore and identify barriers to the implementation of the sepsis bundles and strategies to enhance healthcare providers' adherence to these bundles. A systematic review of articles was conducted using the ACE Star Model of Knowledge Transformation. Studies such as randomized controlled trials (RTC's), systematic reviews, retrospective studies, and prospective observational studies conducted in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) within the past 10 years were utilized, guided by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses' (AACN's) grading system. Sources of evidence were obtained from PubMed, CINAHL, and GoogleScholar. The results of this study are aimed at helping support the evidence-based clinical practice among providers caring for patients with sepsis and septic shock in an ICU setting using evidence-based guidelines. The results of this study provide an opportunity for healthcare systems to relieve financial burdens from sepsis and thus contribute to pos

Transport Membrane Condenser (TMC) is an innovative technology based on the property of a nano-scale porous material which can extract both waste heat and water from exhaust gases. This technology tremendously improves the efficiency of boilers and gas/coal combustors by lowering waste heat and increasing water recovery. Contaminants in the flue gases, such as CO2, O2, NOx, and SO2 are inhibited from passing through the membrane by the membrane’s high selectivity. The condensed water through these tubes is highly pure and can be used as the makeup water for many industrial applications. The goal of this research is to investigate the heat transfer, condensation rate, pressure drop and overall performance of crossflow heat exchangers. In this research, a numerical model has been developed to predict condensation of water vapor over and inside of nano-porous layers. Both capillary condensation inside the nanoscale porous structure of the TMC and the surface condensation were considered in the proposed method using a semi-empirical model. The transport of the water vapor and the latent heat of condensation were applied in the numerical model using the pertinent mass, momentum, turbulence and energy equations. By using the proposed model and simulation procedure, the effect of various inlet parameters such as inlet mass flow rate, inlet temperature, and water vapor content of the inlet flow on the performance of the cross-flow TMC heat exchanger was studied to obtain the optimum performance of the heat exchangers at different working conditions. The performance of the TMC heat exchangers for inlet flue gas rate 40 to 120 kg/h, inlet water rate 60 to 140 kg/h, inlet flue gas relative humidity 20 to 90%, and tube pitch ratio 0.25 to 2.25 has been studied. The obtained results show that the water condensation flux continuously increases with the increase of the inlet flue-gas flow rate, water flow rate, and the flue-gas humidity. The total heat flux also follows the same trend due to the pronounced effect of the latent heat transfer from the condensation process. The water condensation flux and the overall heat transfer increase at the beginning for small values of the tube pitches and then decreases as the tube pitch increases furthermore. In addition to the cross-flow TMC heat exchangers, the performance of a shell and tube TMC heat exchanger for high pressure and temperature oxy-combustion applications has been investigated. The performance analysis for a 6-heat exchanger TMC unit shows that heat transfer of the 2-stage TMC unit is higher than the 2-stage with the same number of the heat exchanger in each unit.

Bundling is pervasive in the market, examples include desktop computer bundles, digital single-lens reflex camera kits and cookware sets, to name a few. The advancement in information technology allows more and more companies to provide customized bundles to customers. Wind and Mahajan (1997) recognize the importance of researching mass customization and suggest companies to use consumers’ input “as a response (to a conjoint analysis-type task) that provides operational guidelines for the design of products to inventory for the segment that is not willing to pay the premium required for customized products”. In addition to conjoint analysis, researchers and practitioners are using “build-your-own-bundle” or configuration approach. In a configuration study, participants are presented with a menu from which they can choose individual items to build up their desired product bundle. The process mimics the real decision process, is easy to implement, and is straight forward for participants to understand. However, as the size of the menu grows, the number of possible bundles grows geometrically. This results in computation difficulties. This dissertation investigates the application of configuration approach, and examines if it extends and complements the choice-based conjoint (CBC) approach. We first develop an aggregate model for analyzing configuration data. We show analytically that the aggregate choice model consistent with configuration data has a closed form representation which takes the form of a Multivariate Logistic (MVL) model. WE discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the configuration approach. Because configuration and conjoint data tasks have different strengths and weaknesses, taking advantages of these two choice tasks may improve the understanding of consumer preferences for bundles. A fundamental assumption in the data fusion literature is that the same decision making process is applied under different choice tasks. We examine if consumer decision making process is the same under CBC and configuration studies by comparing the estimation results from CBC and conjoint studies. We show that these two procedures may not be fully comparable. To combine the two data sources we need a data fusion model that takes into account the differences to obtain a reasonable result.

The derivation of the standard model from a higher-dimensional action suggests a further study of the fibre bundle formulation of gauge theories to determine the variations in the choice of structure group that are allowed in this geometrical setting. The action of transformations on the projection of fibres to their submanifolds are characteristic of theories with fewer gauge vector bosons, and specific examples are given, which may have phenomenological relevance. The spinor space for the three generations of fermions in the standard model is described algebraically.