Doenças cardiovasculares (DCVs) são a principal causa de morbidade e mortalidade no mundo e a etnia do indivíduo tem uma importante influência no diagnóstico e tratamento dessas doenças. No entanto, as bases das disparidades étnicas ainda não estão completamente esclarecidas. O estudo de uma população com alta miscigenação genética, fornece potenciais maneiras de compreender a influência genética na determinação de fenótipos de doenças complexas, como as cardiovasculares, em raízes ancestrais comuns. O presente estudo teve como objetivo principal associar etnia auto referida e ancestralidade genética em indivíduos de uma coorte brasileira com fatores de risco para doenças cardiovasculares. Identificamos associação entre etnia auto referida e hipertensão arterial, acidente vascular cerebral (AVC) e hipercolesterolemia. Analisando a hipercolesterolemia com mais detalhes, encontramos associação de etnia com níveis séricos de triglicerídeos (TG), lipoproteína de alta densidade (HDL-c) e índice TG/HDL-c. Essas associações foram fortemente dependentes de confundidores socioeconômicos, mas variações existem na força e direção de cada padrão. No entanto, observamos que o efeito de etnia persistiu mesmo após todas as correções. Em seguida derivamos um painel de marcadores para inferir ancestralidade genética continental, para os componentes ancestrais africano, europeu e ameríndio, e determinamos as proporções de ancestralidade na nossa população de estudo. Na sequência, conduzimos análises de associação entre ancestralidade genética e níveis séricos de lipídios, a fim de estudarmos uma variável menos influenciada por fatores socioeconômicos. Nessas análises encontramos associação entre a ancestralidade ameríndia e níveis séricos de HDL-c. Entender porque essa heterogeneidade existe pode prover importantes pistas sobre as razões para uma importante parte das disparidades étnicas em doenças cardiovasculares / Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the main cause of morbidity and mortality in the world and ethnicity plays an important influence on diagnosis and treatment of these diseases. However, the basis of these ethnic disparities are not fully understood. Studying a population with a high genetic admixture allows potential ways to understand the genetic influence on determination of complex disease phenotypes, such as cardiovascular, in common ancestral roots. The present study had as main aim associating self-reported ethnicity and genetic ancestry in individuals from a Brazilian cohort which have risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. We identified association between self-reported ethnicity and arterial hypertension, stroke, and hypercholesterolemia. Analyzing hypercholesterolemia more deeply, we found association of ethnicity with serum levels of triglycerides (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), and TG/HDL-c index. These associations were strongly dependent on socioeconomic confounders, but there are variations in the strength and direction of each pattern. However, we observed that the ethnicity effect persisted even after all adjustments. Following, we derived a panel of markers to infer continental genetic ancestry for African, European and Amerindian ancestral components, and we have determined the ancestral proportions of ancestry in our study population. After that, we conducted association analysis between genetic ancestry and lipids serum levels, in order to study a variable which is less influenced by socioeconomic factors. In these analyzes we found association between Amerindian ancestry and serum levels of HDL-c. Understanding why there is this heterogeneity can provide important clues about the reason for an important part of ethnic disparities in cardiovascular diseases

This diploma work takes and describes for the main objective the evolution and the formation of mental maps. These mental maps join with the idea of a travelling and with a travel tourism. The partial objective is the project for an exploitation of these knowledges for the travel tourism. This research is specialized in the basic school students where is the evolution the most descriptive. The evolution of the mental maps is assumed by students of secondary schools and by older informants. The evolution of these mental maps confirms the anylysis of questionnaires.

A principal motivação desta dissertação é um estudo realizado pelo Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo (ICESP), envolvendo oitocentos e oito pacientes com câncer em estado avançado. Cada paciente foi acompanhado a partir da primeira admissão em uma unidade de terapia intensiva (UTI) pelo motivo de câncer, por um período de no máximo dois anos. O principal objetivo do estudo é avaliar o tempo de sobrevivência e a qualidade de vida desses pacientes através do uso de um tempo ajustado pela qualidade de vida (TAQV). Segundo Gelber et al. (1989), a combinação dessas duas informações, denominada TAQV, induz a um esquema de censura informativa; consequentemente, os métodos tradicionais de análise para dados censurados, tais como o estimador de Kaplan-Meier (Kaplan e Meier, 1958) e o teste de log-rank (Peto e Peto, 1972), tornam-se inapropriados. Visando sanar essa deficiência, Zhao e Tsiatis (1997) e Zhao e Tsiatis (1999) propuseram novos estimadores para a função de sobrevivência e, em Zhao e Tsiatis (2001), foi desenvolvido um teste análogo ao teste log-rank para comparar duas funções de sobrevivência. Todos os métodos considerados levam em conta a ocorrência de censura informativa. Neste trabalho avaliamos criticamente esses métodos, aplicando-os para estimar e testar curvas de sobrevivência associadas ao TAQV no estudo do ICESP. Por fim, utilizamos um método empírico, baseado na técnica de reamostragem bootstrap, a m de propor uma generalização do teste de Zhao e Tsiatis para mais do que dois grupos. / The motivation for this research is related to a study undertaken at the Cancer Institute at São Paulo (ICESP), which comprises the follow up of eight hundred and eight patients with advanced cancer. The patients are followed up from the first admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) for a period up to two years. The main objective is to evaluate the quality-adjusted lifetime (QAL). According to Gelber et al. (1989), the combination of both this information leads to informative censoring; therefore, traditional methods of survival analisys, such as the Kaplan-Meier estimator (Kaplan and Meier, 1958) and log-rank test (Peto and Peto, 1972) become inappropriate. For these reasons, Zhao and Tsiatis (1997) and Zhao and Tsiatis (1999) proposed new estimators for the survival function, and Zhao and Tsiatis (2001) developed a test similar to the log-rank test to compare two survival functions. In this dissertation we critically evaluate and summarize these methods, and employ then in the estimation and hypotheses testing to compare survival curves derived for QAL, the proposed methods to estimate and test survival functions under informative censoring. We also propose a empirical method, based on the bootstrap resampling method, to compare more than two groups, extending the proposed test by Zhao and Tsiatis.

As comunidades da Costa da Lagoa (CL) e São João do Rio Vermelho (RV) estão localizadas na Ilha de Santa Catarina, Sul do Brasil, e foram colonizadas na segunda metade do século XVIII por imigrantes vindos do Arquipélago de Açores. Estudos demográficos e genéticos mostraram também a presença de componentes africanos e ameríndios. CL é considerada isolada devido à sua localização geográfica e RV está em fase de quebra de isolado pelo aumento de migração, principalmente nos últimos 20 anos. Os objetivos deste estudo foram verificar a hipótese dos diferentes graus de isolamento nas duas comunidades, estimar as proporções de mistura étnica, assim como estabelecer comparações entre elas e com portugueses, especialmente açorianos. As freqüências de oito AIMs (FY, RB, LPL, AT3, Sb19.3, APO, PV92 e CYP1A1) e dos STRs do haplótipo estendido do cromossomo Y foram então estimadas nas comunidades de CL (n=120), RV (n=163) e na amostra urbana HM (n=50) a partir de PCR e PCR-RFLP. A informação obtida a partir das mesmas foi comparada com resultados de estudos históricos, demográficos e genéticos prévios realizados nestas comunidades. As análises estatísticas empregaram programas já descritos (GENEPOP, DISPAN, GDA, ARLEQUIN, STRUCTURE, MVSP e ADMIX 2 e 3). Com relação ao cromossomo Y, concluímos que as duas comunidades ainda apresentam semelhanças considerando as análises de diferenciação gênica. Isto pode ser devido à origem comum e recente e à proximidade geográfica, o que torna possível um fluxo de homens entre as duas comunidades. Entretanto, o acréscimo no número de marcadores ligados ao cromossomo Y permitiu a diferenciação entre estas duas comunidades, como mostram os valores de FST e de diferenciação haplotípica. As estimativas de mistura indicam preponderância do componente europeu. Entretanto, dada à indisponibilidade da literatura, faz-se ainda necessária uma escolha mais adequada das freqüências parentais no caso dos Y-STRs. Admitindo que os AIMs sejam marcadores mais eficientes em estimativas de mistura étnica, dado seus altos diferenciais de freqüência alélica entre populações parentais, as contribuições de populações não européias (principalmente africanas) observadas mantém a hipótese de cruzamentos preferenciais entre homens portugueses e mulheres ameríndias e/ou africanas na formação das comunidades. / The communities of Costa da Lagoa (CL) and São João do Rio Vermelho (RV) are located on Santa Catarina Island, southern Brazil, and were settled on the second half of XVIII century by immigrants came from Azores Archipelago. Demographic and genetic studies have also been indicated the presence of African and Amerindian components. CL is considered genetically isolated due to its geographic localization and isolate breaking is occurring in RV due to the increased migration to the local, mainly in the last 20 years. The aims of the present study were to verify the hypothesis of the different degrees of isolation in the two communities, to estimate the proportions of ethnic admixture, as well as to establish comparisons between them and with Portuguese, particularly Azoreans. Allele frequencies of eigth AIMs (FY, RB, LPL, AT3, Sb19.3, APO, PV92 e CYP1A1) and of the extended Y haplotype STRs were estimated in the CL (n=120), RV (n=163) and in the urban sample HM (n=50) by means of PCR and PCR-RFLP. These data were compared with previous results from historical, demographical and genetical studies realized in these communities. Statistical analysis were carried out employing the GENEPOP, DISPAN, GDA, ARLEQUIN, STRUCTURE, MVSP and ADMIX 2 and 3 softwares. The communities showed more similarity in relation to Y chromosome on the analysis of gene differentiation, which could be due to the recent and common origin and the geographic proximity, and the interchange mainly male-mediated between them. However, the increased number of Y-linked STRs made possible the differentiation between these communities, as depicted by the FST values and the haplotypic differentiation. The ethnic admixture estimates detected a major European contribution but, due to the literature unavailability, a more suitable choice of the parental frequencies for the Y-STRs estimates is needed. Once AIMs are markers more efficient than Y-STRs on admixture estimates, due to their large allele frequency differentials between parental populations, the non-european contributions (mainly Africans) observed support the hypothesis of biased mating between Portuguese men and Amerindian and/or African women during the formation of these communities.

The legislated Accounting principles modernizing act, abbreviated BilMoG, caused a fundamental accounting reform in Germany. The most important international accounting standards IFRS were implemented in to elsewise conservative accounting rules. Due to fact the main users of GAAP in Central Europe are SME, the description and analysis of IFRS's implementation in to German GAAP seems to be beneficial for SME's financial statement informative value for the first year as of December 31, 2010. Major receiver of SME's financial statement is not the institutional investor but financing bank and other creditor. The aim of the thesis is to verify assumed informative value's improvement of SME's financial statement as their most important finance reporting form. The verification of defined hypothesis is based on rigorous and systematic SME's characteristic analysis as well as their applicable GAAP's. After recognition of the most important German GAAP's changes follow the IFRS comparison and a feasibility evaluation of German qualitative characteristics used not only by SME. The consequent empirical research mergers the provided analysis and recognition of the fundamental and by SME frequently used balance positions with quantitative and qualitative assessment of adjustment to be made for preparation of consolidated financial statement in accordance with German accounting rules and principals. This research is based on near 70 available audited Czech SME's financial statements for the financial years before and after partly IFRS adoption into German GAAP (BilMoG). The findings and results establish the verified informative value's improvement of financial statements. The finance lease recognition (necessary capitalisation) persists to be the most significant adjustment between Czech and German financial statement after BilMoG. This fact clearly shows the deficiency of current Czech GAAP. Extent and number of required adjustments are on the decrease and the current German GAAP seems to be applicable for SME's purposes either. Thesis conclusion draws the attention and requirement to improve the Czech GAAP. Also continuance of prudence principle after partly IFRS adoption is fixed. Surprisingly the positive tax law impact is found out, especially not only on allowances or provisions, but also on other relevant accounting areas as such asset definition, discounting of long term provisions, finance lease recognition etc.

The advertising as one of the tools of the marketing mix has positive influence on sales and is differenciating the product from competition. According to persuasive view the advertising contributes to the differences in firms' cost conditions, creates abnormal profit and is able to deter the entry into the market. The question is whether the advertising can have such a influence on competition at the market.The goal of the thesis is to introduce the major views on advertising in economic theories and based on available emprical studies to define and describe the major differences in the views. The impact of advertisng on perfomance indicators is analyzed in own empirical study for the market of chocolate bars, covered and partially coverd wafers.

Master's thesis deals with the intradepartmental informative system in firm Pavel Šálek. The work includes the analysis of current state and the suggestions to implementation of new intradepartmental informative system to achieve improvement in the sphere of intradepartmental leading.

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The natural world is under immense and increasing pressure caused by human activity. The adjustment from a state of declining nature to a more sustainable world requires changes of social and economic activities by individuals, societies, and the private sector. There are some initiatives to assist companies in the development of more sustainable practices in their operations and their value chains that are often complex and require dedicated communication efforts. Information graphics can be an efficient multimodal method for the communication of complex information. Adding interactivity to infographics can also promote a user’s curiosity and engagement. In this study, I produced an interactive infographic using principles of human-centred design, that helps explaining a sustainability framework with illustrated example actions that companies can take in their transformation towards sustainability in their direct operations, their value chains, and associated natural environments. The sustainability actions in the framework are categorised depending on their effect on the environment: from reducing the impacts on nature, to promoting recovery and restoration of natural environment and transforming business models and attitudes. An interactive infographic format can facilitate the understanding of these different actions by combining appealing novel images, text, and the possibility to filter information on demand. The desired effect of the infographic is to be informative, to be relevant to real-life companies, and to inspire companies to learn more about sustainability methods and start their journey towards a better future. I performed usability tests and user experience surveys to obtain qualitative data to evaluate the functioning of the artefact and its desired effects. The results suggests that the infographic is informative, relevant and succeeds in engaging users in the subject of sustainability. The results also showed that functionality is an aspect of these kind of design artefacts that users value for a better experience. / Den naturliga världen är under ett enormt och ökande tryck orsakat av mänsklig aktivitet. Omställning från ett tillstånd av försämrad natur till en mer hållbar värld kräver förändringar av sociala och ekonomiska aktiviteter av individer, samhällen och den privata sektorn. Det finns några initiativ för att hjälpa företag att utveckla mer hållbara metoder i sin verksamhet och sina värdekedjor som ofta är komplexa och kräver särskilda kommunikationsinsatser. Informationsgrafik kan vara en effektiv multimodal metod för kommunikation av komplex information. Att lägga till interaktivitet till infografik kan också främja en användares nyfikenhet och engagemang. I den här studien producerade jag en interaktiv infografik med hjälp av principer för användarcentrerad design, som hjälper till att förklara ett hållbarhetsramverk med illustrerade exempel på åtgärder som företag kan vidta i sin transformation mot hållbarhet i sin direkta verksamhet, sina värdekedjor, och tillhörande naturliga miljöer. Hållbarhetsåtgärderna i ramverket kategoriseras beroende på deras effekt på miljön: från att minska påverkan på naturen, till att främja återhämtning och återställande av naturliga miljöer, och förändra affärsmodeller och attityder. Ett interaktivt infografiskt format kan underlätta förståelsen av dessa olika åtgärder genom att kombinera tilltalande bilder, text och möjligheten att filtrera information vid behov. Den önskade effekten av infografiken är att vara informativ, vara relevant för verkliga företag och att inspirera företag att lära sig mer om hållbarhetsmetoder och starta sin resa mot en bättre framtid. Jag utförde användbarhetstester och användarupplevelseundersökningar för att få kvalitativa data för att utvärdera artefaktens funktion och dess önskade effekter. Resultaten tyder på att infografiken är informativ, relevant och lyckas engagera användare i ämnet hållbarhet. Resultaten visade också att funktionalitet är en aspekt av den här typen av designartefakter som användarna värdesätter för en bättre upplevelse.

No description available.