Dawson (2009) suggested a twelve step methodology for implementing knowledge management solutions following research which showed that implementing knowledge management solutions was not as successful as expected. This thesis investigates the third of this twelve step methodology which requires finding a knowledge management solution in the context of the problem. The aim of the research is to determine a methodology that will provide a systematic way for managers to select an appropriate knowledge management tool given a particular working environment. Two organisations are investigated to confirm that there is a need for a systematic methodology for selecting knowledge management tools and how a methodology may help in achieving selecting an appropriate tool. This investigation is carried out using case studies, action research and interviews and results in discovering that organisations do not have a systematic method for selecting tools which leads to tools being selected haphazardly and not always successfully. Two tools are developed to aid a manager in selecting a knowledge management tool: the House of Knowledge Management Tool Selection and the Knowledge Management Tool Classification Grid. The House tool helps to identify the knowledge problem being solved and evaluates all potential knowledge management tools against the problem. The barriers to the potential success of the tools are also examined. The grid identifies potential tools by classifying them against knowledge problems. The two tools are further refined and developed using the two organisations as case studies to demonstrate how and when the tools can be used. This leads to development of the Barrier House and the Evaluation Grid. A framework and associated methodology are then developed that can be used as a guide to using the tools, offering a systematic approach to selecting knowledge management tools given any environment and thus accomplishing the aim of the thesis.

Renewable and alternative energy technologies have become increasingly popular in Ontario over the last few years. Part of this increase has been from the Feed-In-Tariff incentive that pays Ontarians an amount per kWh generated by some of these technologies onto the central electricity grid. Between residential, commercial and agricultural settings, agriculture operations and locations offer an abundance of resources that make renewable energy systems attractive. The big question being asked by Ontario farmers is what renewable or alternative energy technology is best or most economical for their particular location and operation? The solution to that question is the Complimentary Energy Decision Support Tool (CEDST). This application combines Solar Photovoltaic, Wind Turbine, Geothermal, Anaerobic Digester, Solar Thermal and Energy Conservation calculators into one tool that compares the feasibility of each technology. This thesis specifically presents the development of the CEDST platform which is used as the delivery method for each of the individual calculators, the creation of the Solar Photovoltaic calculator and methodology behind determining if a solar photovoltaic system is a feasible solution, as well as, the integration of all the other individual calculators developed by the rest of the CESDT team into the CEDST platform. / Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs, Poultry Industry Council, Egg Farmers of Canada, and the University of Guelph

Bakgrund: Smärta är för intensivvårdspatienten en unik, subjektiv, obehaglig och flerdimensionell upplevelse. Intensivvårdssjuksköterskan har ett moraliskt ansvar att lindra patienternas smärta. Verbalt icke-kommunicerandepatienter kan inte skatta sin smärta med hjälp av Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). På en neurointensivvårdsavdelning (NIVA) i Stockholm har det beteendebaserade smärtskattningsverktyget- the Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool (CPOT), implementerats. Intensivvårdssjuksköterskorna på NIVA använder CPOT dagligen i sitt arbete. Som en del i implementeringsprocessen har denna enkätundersökning genomförts, med fokus på CPOT och dess användbarhet. Standarden ISO 9241-11 definierar begreppet användbarhet. Ledande komponenter i definitionen är – ändamålsenlighet och måluppfyllelse, effektivitet och tillfredsställelse. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka intensivvårdssjuksköterskors uppfattningar om användbarheten av the Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool – CPOT, hos verbalt icke kommunicerande patienter, på en neurointensivvårdsavdelning. Metod: Detta är en kvantitativ icke-experimentell tvärsnittsstudie. 32 intensivvårdssjuksköterskor har besvarat en enkät. Resultat och slutsats: Resultatet är en momentan mätning. Begreppet användbarhet har flera aspekter och resultatet kan tolkas på olika sätt. Intensivvårdssjuksköterskorna på NIVA har olika uppfattningar om CPOT och dess användbarhet. 84 % känner någon grad av tillfredsställelse med att använda CPOT på NIVA. De flesta uppfattar CPOT som effektiv. Respondenter har uttryckt svårigheter i att utföra smärtskattningar med hjälp av CPOT och delar av populationen ser brister i verktygets måluppfyllelse och ändamålsenlighet på NIVA. Klinisk betydelse: Implementeringsprocessen av CPOT på NIVA har en utvecklingspotential. Undersökningens resultat bör kunna användas vid fortsatt utvecklingsarbete i verksamheten. / Background: Pain for the intensive care patient is a unique, subjective, unpleasant and multidimensional experience. The critical care nurse has a moral duty to relieve the patient’s pain. Non-verbal communicative intensive care patients can´t self-report and score their pain using the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS). At a neurological intensive care unit (neuro-ICU) in Stockholm, one behavior based pain scale, the Critical-Care PainObservational Tool (CPOT), has been implemented. The critical care nurses at the neuro-ICU use CPOT daily in their work. As a part of to the implementation process one self-administered questionnaire has been conducted with focus on the concept usability. The European Standard ISO 9241-11 defines the concept usability. Main components in the definition are the attainment of goals, suitability, effectiveness and satisfaction. Purpose: The aim of this research was to investigate critical care nurses’ perceptions of the usability of the Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool – CPOT, for non-verbal communicative patients, at a neurological intensive care unit. Method: The investigation is a quantitative questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey. 32 critical care nurses answered a questionnaire. Results and conclusion: The result is a momentary measurement. The concept usability has various aspects and the result can be interpreted in different ways. The critical care nurses at the neuro-ICU express varying opinions about CPOT and its usability. 84 % experience some degree of satisfaction using CPOTat the neuro-ICU. The majority perceive CPOT as effective. The respondents have expressed difficulties in carrying out pain assessments with the CPOT at the neuro-ICU, and part of the population see deficiencies in the tools goal attainment and suitability at the neuro-ICU. Clinical Significance: The implementation process of CPOT at the neuro-ICU shows potential for further development of CPOT within the organization. The results of the investigation should be able to be used for further development.

A tool management system for a job shop was developed in this study. The system is based on the rules of the plant of T&uuml / rk Trakt&ouml / r ve Ziraat Makineleri A.S. in Ankara. An object-oriented methodology was used during the system development. Unified Modeling Language (UML), which is the standard diagramming notation for object-oriented development, is used to model the system. Entity-Relation (E-R) modeling is used during the construction of the database. System was developed using three-tiered Microsoft Windows Distributed Internet Applications (DNA) Architecture. Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 and Visual InterDev 6.0, which are the members of Microsoft Visual Studio 6.0 were used as programming tools. Internet Information Server was used as web server and Microsoft Transaction Server was used as object broker. Microsoft SQL Server was used as database server. Software was developed in three modules: gage-fixture, cutting tool-tool holder and tool requirement plan modules. Gage- fixture module tracks the location of measuring equipment, fixture and fixture assemblies / keeps the related data about these tools and manage calibration of the measuring equipments. Cutting tool-tool holder module tracks the issue and return of cutting tools and tool holders / sharpening of cutting tools / keeps the related data about these tools. Tool requirement plan module tracks the purchase orders and cutting tool receivings from vendors / prepares tool requirement plan and suggests purchase orders according to the requirement calculation.

Performance of indexable insert cutting tools is not only about the performance of cutting inserts. It is also about the cutting tool body, which has to provide a secure and accurate insert positioning as well as its quick and easy handling under severe working conditions. The common damage mechanisms of cutting tool bodies are fatigue and plastic deformation. Cutting tools undergo high dynamic stresses going in and out cutting engagement; as a result, an adequate level of fatigue strength is the essential steel property. Working temperatures of tool bodies in the insert pocket can reach up to 600°C, why the tool steel requires high softening resistance to avoid plastic deformation. Machinability is also essential, as machining of the steel represents a large fraction of the production cost of a cutting tool. The overall aim of the study is to improve the tool body performance by use of an advanced steel grade with an optimized combination of all the demanding properties. Due to the high-temperature conditions, the thesis concerns mostly hot-work tool steels increasing also the general knowledge of their microstructure, mechanical properties and machinability. Knowing the positive effect of sulphur on machinability of steels, the first step was to indentify a certain limit of the sulphur addition, which would not reduce the fatigue strength of the tool body below an acceptable level. In tool bodies, where the demand on surface roughness was low and a geometrical stress concentrator was present, the addition of sulphur could be up to 0.09 wt%. Fatigue performance of the cutting tools to a large extent depended on the steel resistance to stress relaxation under high dynamic loading and elevated temperatures. The stress relaxation behaviour, material substructure and dislocation characteristics in low-alloyed and hot-work tool steels were studied using X-ray diffraction under thermal and mechanical loading.  Different tool steels exhibited different stress relaxation resistance depending on their microstructure, temper resistance and working temperature. Hot-work tool steels showed to be more preferable to low-alloyed tool steels because of their ability to inhibit the rearrangement and annihilation of induced dislocations. High-temperature softening resistance of the hot-work tool steels was investigated during high-temperature hold-times and isothermal fatigue and discussed with respect to their microstructure. Carbide morphology and precipitation were determined using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Machinability of a prehardened hot-work tool steel of varying nickel content from 1 to 5 wt% was investigated in end milling and drilling operations. Machining the higher nickel containing steels resulted in longer tool life and generated lower cutting forces and tool/workpiece interface temperature. The difference in machinability of the steels was discussed in terms of their microstructure and mechanical properties.

The diagnosis of dehydration in the older person admitted to hospital has been associated with increased morbidity and mortality. In spite of the high US hospital mortality and morbidity rates associated with dehydration (although presumably not the only contributing factor), no standardised or validated approach to assess or easily screen for dehydration in the hospital setting is reported in the international literature. Therefore, a series of studies was undertaken to assess the extent of this, and to identify other gaps in the current literature. The first study estimated the dehydration prevalence amongst older people upon admission to geriatric and rehabilitation unit in the Australian setting to estimate the morbidity burden in the Australian context. The second study assessed the application of dilution and bio-electrical impedance (BIA) techniques as alternative means to assess dehydration in the clinical setting. The third study undertook to validate against total body water the parameters required to confirm dehydration and to identify those that contribute little to discrimination. The final study integrated the information from the first two studies to identify a clinically practical, sensitive and specific screen suitable for the identification of those at risk of dehydration in a geriatric and rehabilitation unit. Older people aged 60 years or over admitted to the Geriatric and Rehabilitation Unit (GARU) of a tertiary teaching hospital in Brisbane. Australia, were eligible for participation in the study. Individuals were excluded if: involuntarily admitted, informed consent was not obtained, younger than 60 years or fitted with a pacemaker (due to contraindication with the use of BIA). Of 82 GARU participants approached, 43 fulfilled the inclusion criteria and consented, 21 declined and 18 were ineligible. Thirty-five (35) of the 43 were able to be involved in the assessment of prevalence. The studies in this thesis provide original insights into dehydration including prevalence, body water contents, useful clinical assessment and screening parameters. Results showed that dehydration prevalence amongst older people is substantially underreported in the Australian geriatric and rehabilitation unit setting (17.1%) when compared to the reported through coding from the medical record (5.3%). The presence of dehydration has frequently been measured in healthy populations by assessing total body water loss through short-term weight change. Gold standard dilution and bio-electrical impedance techniques were used to assess body water as the assessment of dehydration by weight change has practical and ethical limitations in the clinical setting for either research or assessment applications. Gold standard dilution studies and the bio-electrical impedance technique were not confirmed to be either practical or valid alternates to assess dehydration in the clinical setting. Weight and body mass index (BMI) confounded the association between body water and dehydration. Good agreement (78-87%) of global clinical dehydration assessment (clinical assessment) was confirmed between the study's medical officer and the consultants of the Geriatric and Rehabilitation Unit (GARU) and thus become the alternate dependant variable. Although the optimal combination of parameters for clinical dehydration assessment was unable to be elucidated, clinically significant changes upon mild dehydration were more apparent with physical as opposed to biochemical parameters. BMI confounded the association between dehydration and some physical measurements, such as the drop in systolic blood pressure on standing and skin turgor. Of all the clinical assessment and screening variables explored, tongue dryness was validated and represents a practical, sensitive (64%) and specific (62%) dehydration screen suitable for use with all older people in a geriatric and rehabilitation unit setting. Dehydration was established to be more prevalent amongst older Australians admitted to hospital than previously acknowledged or identified by hospitals. The finding identifies dehydration as a significant clinical issue considering the ageing Australian population, limited health resources and the association of dehydration with increased morbidity and mortality. The validation of the simple dehydration screen will contribute to the identification and treatment of dehydration. Although the highest sensitivity and specificity is always desired for screening, it is not always achieved. Moderate sensitivity results in more people being identified at risk by the screen than confirmed to be dehydrated through clinical assessment. Moderate specificity results in the screen's failure to identify those who would be clinically assessed with dehydration. Moderate sensitivity and specificity necessitates the assessment of more people than those with the condition and results in other people with the condition of interest not being identified. Each situation is reduced with increasing levels of sensitivity and specificity. A valid and simple dehydration screen provides future opportunities to confirm improved clinical (prevent adverse events, improve or stabilise disease), cost (reduce intensity of care, hospital stay) and client (death, disability) outcomes as a result of improved identification and timely and appropriate treatment. New insights are provided into individual clinical assessment measures as well as valid and reliable screening. A number of recommendations and future dehydration studies are discussed. The key recommendation for future studies is to discern between intracellular and intravascular volume depletion to enable investigation of an homogenous sample. Further studies are needed to also establish optimal dehydration prevention methods (e.g. awareness and positioning of fluids, beverage carts) and provide evidence that hydration support enhances primary (e.g. morbidity and mortality) and secondary (e.g. cognitive or functional measures, quality of life) health outcomes. Through responsive systems in health delivery, dehydration amongst older hospitalised people can be identified, better managed if present, and avoided with suitable treatment.

The thesis work intends to provide an architecture for discovery and monitoring of nodes in a network with improved performance and security. The proposed work addresses limitations identified within the scope of this thesis. The limitations are identified by analyzing some of the better existing monitoring tools in the market with the use of different protocols. The proposed work use different protocols depending on the situation of the problem that exists in a network. Analyze the existing network monitoring tools, by performing metrics and overcoming the limitations. We proposed a new architecture motivated from traditional network monitoring tools with subtle changes. Proposed architecture is also conceptually evaluated for its viability. / 0045-31272355, basasrinu@yahoo.co.in,ji_nav@yahoo.co.in

The aim of this work is to analyze the issue of providing cutting tools for internal use in the company STERCH-INTERNATIONAL s.r.o. It is mainly the production and regrinding of end mills and drills for specific machining applications, whose benefit lies in increased efficiency and flexibility of production, which also brings a significant cost reduction.

Aim master´s thesis is analyzed technological and economical parameters of cutting tool. Firstly there are the parameters cutting tool, cutting wear, economical parameters and costs on running tools specified. In the conclusion there are reach technological and economical parameters of cutting tools analyzed and tested on practical sample. The sample is part of attachments in form programme on calculation in Excel, together with evaluation by means of graphs.

Neudert Pavel Goal of this work is preparing different variants of manipulator for changing the tool holder. The report contains choose of optimal solution and specific design solution of manipulator, including technical report and economical conclusions.