In many organisations, air travel is an essential part of conducting business in order to meet company objectives and goals. The selection of a preferred airline is a complex undertaking. Corporations may obtain discounts based on expenditure commitments; the airline may have a frequent flyer programme; or a low cost carrier may offer a better alternative to full service carriers. The literature on corporate travel is fairly limited with determinants determining the selection of airlines having been studied from other perspectives such as the business traveller, thus, this study should make a significant contribution to this field by generating new information on corporate travel and in particular corporate air travel decisions. The literature review provides a demarcation of the broad concepts of the buying approach towards corporate air travel. Also discussed is the relationship between the key role players in airline selection: the corporate traveller; the travel management company; and the airline. Various determinants of airline selection by corporations are identified and the role of frequent flyer programmes is analysed. Furthermore, the move towards low-cost airlines as a preferred choice for corporate travel is investigated. The empirical phase of the research study focussed on identifying the determinants of airline selection by large-sized corporations in South Africa; the relative importance of frequent flyer programmes; and the move towards low-cost airlines as a preferred choice for corporate travel. The target population was sampled using a non-probability convenience sampling approach with a newly designed quantitative, ex post facto web-based questionnaire, distributed via e-mail to the target population. Exploratory factor analysis was done to identify whether an underlying structure of airline selection determinants exists from which the relative importance of frequent flyer programmes could be assessed. From the results, a model of corporate airline selection determinants was derived. Then, the model was compared to the conceptual model formulated from the literature survey. A number of important selection determinants were identified, and it became evident that frequent flyer programmes are, generally, not considered a decisive determinant in the selection of a preferred airline by corporations. However, the influence of low-cost airlines was shown to be considerable, in line with the endeavour to save on air travel expenses within a corporate air travel management programme. The findings should assist both corporations and airlines with the design of their air travel buying approaches and marketing strategies respectively. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Tourism Management / Unrestricted

This study is an assessment of preferences and the perceived satisfaction of clothing for a group of large-sized women shopping in the Dallas metropolitan area. Demographic information was gathered from the respondents to compare the relationship between the clothing preferences and the demographic variables. The participants in this study were sixty large-sized women who shopped in two large-sized specialty stores in Dallas, Texas. The data were collected by use of a personal interview instrument developed by the researcher. This study concludes that large-sized women perceived the selection of large-sized clothing ranging from good to fair with variation in their satisfaction of style, price, fabric, and availability. Large-sized women prefer the following style features: the A-line skirt, the V-neckline, the A-line dress, the bishop sleeve, the solid fabric design, and the color green.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-10T10:44:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TATIANE CARMO BRISTOT.pdf: 910895 bytes, checksum: 1f9129dea53bec24583edb826e8ceea8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-05-29 / Among the Brazilian fauna, mammals represent approximately 701 species, from which 30% or 210 species are considered endemic in Brazil. From this total are found in the Cerrado 251 species, including 32 endemic from this biome. This work aimed to establish an overview of the taxonomic composition, richness and abundance of the community ofmedium and large-sized mammals in the Cerrado area in the county of Arenopolis State of Goiás Brazil.It was done four (04) sampling campaigns from October - 2009 up to November - 2011, with eight (08) days of effective sampling per campaign, with the use ofthree (03) complementary methods which were, camera-traps, linear transects, diurnal and nocturnal with the use of Sealedbean.In this study were cataloged 23 species distributed in 09 (nine) orders and 16 families, with a total of 169 individuals registered, from which 13 species are in some lists of endangered animals. The species Hydrochoerushydrochaeris was the most frequent during the studies with 14.20% of the records and 24 individuals, followed by Nasuanasua with 11.24 % and 19 specimens, in the side of lower frequency Puma concolor and Puma yagouaroundi had this index reduced to 0.59% each, on the basis of the record of these ones have occurred only once. The richness found in the study area is still incomplete and the results must be more conclusive as new steps of faunal study are performed. The different methods used to obtain the records from medium to large mammals were complementary amongthemselves, which are considered to be of low evasionbased on the non-capture and stress of the animals. From the medium and large-sized mammals cataloged, part is in danger of extinction, even being considered of wide distribution in the Cerrado. However, the achievement of a directed faunal monitoring, mainly to these species, might benefit the mammal species found in the study area, assisting and directing efforts of handling these species. / Dentre a fauna brasileira os mamíferos representam cerca de 701espécies, dos quais 30% ou 210 espécies são consideradas endêmicas do Brasil. Desse total são encontradas no Cerrado 251 espécies, sendo 32 endêmicas. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo estabelecer uma visão geral da composição taxonômica, riqueza e abundância da comunidade de mamíferos de médio e grande porte em área de Cerrado, no município de Arenopólis,estado de Goiás. Foram realizadas quatro campanhas de amostragem, entre outubro de 2009 e novembro de 2011, com oito dias efetivos de amostragem por campanha, com a utilização de três metodologias complementares (armadilhas fotográficas, transectos lineares diurnos, e, noturnos). Foram catalogadas 23 espécies distribuídas em nove ordens e 16 famílias, com um total de 169 indivíduos registrados, dos quais 13 espécies estão em alguma lista de animais ameaçados de extinção. A espécie Hydrochoerushydrochaerisfoi a mais freqüente durante os estudos com 14,20% dos registros (24 indivíduos), seguida de Nasuanasua com 11,24% (19 espécimes), com menor freqüênciaPuma concolor e Puma yagouarounditiveram índice reduzido (0,59% cada), em função do registro destas terem ocorrido apenas uma única vez. Os diferentes métodos utilizados para a obtenção dos registros dos mamíferos de médio e grande porte foram complementares entre si.Dos mamíferos de médio e grande porte catalogados, parte encontra-se em perigo de extinção, apesar de sua ampla distribuição no Cerrado. Realçou se, porém, que a realização de monitoramento faunístico direcionado, principalmente a estas espécies, pode beneficiar a mastofauna encontrada na área de estudo, e assim, desencadear esforços corretos e adequados de manejo à conservação destas espécies.

This study investigated the clothing preferences of large-size women who shopped in selected large-size specialty stores in North Dallas. Questions were asked regarding the respondents' age, employment, income, dress size and degree of fashion-consciousness. Also investigated were preferences regarding apparel and shopping sources. A questionnaire was used to obtain the desired information. Based on the data obtained, it was found that large-size women have certain preferences concerning the clothing they purchase and the sources they shop.

Orientador: Adriano Garcia Chiarello / Resumo: O efeito da redução do habitat natural na biodiversidade é idiossincrática a respeito das relações que se estabelecem entre as espécies e as características das paisagens modificadas pelo homem. Nesse contexto, as evidências científicas evidenciam cada vez mais a importância de se utilizar não somente a escala espacial na interpretação das respostas da biodiversidade, mas também a escala temporal. A correlação dos parâmetros biológicos atuais com características do ambiente pretérito mostra que respostas atrasadas das espécies às modificações podem ocorrer após um distúrbio ambiental, o que como consequência, gera interpretação errôneas da relação das espécies com os ambientes da paisagem no presente, o que vem a comprometer as subsequentes tomadas de decisão de viés conservacionista. A fim de compreender como espécies de mamíferos de médio e grande porte neotropicais estão respondendo à paisagens de Cerrado que passaram por redução de habitat ao longo de um intervalo temporal de 48 anos, a presente tese objetivou em seus capítulos: (i) caracterizar a trajetória e a transição das classes de cobertura e uso do solo de três paisagens modificadas pelo homem, (ii) Detectar a existência de respostas atrasadas de sete espécies de mamíferos neotropicais de médio e grande porte em relação ao ambiente nativo dessas três paisagens e (iii) detectar a existência de limiares ecológicos nas respostas de seis espécies de mamíferos neotropicais a ambientes nativo e antrópico. As três paisage... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The effect of habitat reduction on biodiversity is idiosyncratic regarding the established relationships among species and the traits of human-modified landscapes. In this manner novel scientific evidences point to the importance of considering not only the spatial scale on the interpretation of species responses, but also the temporal scale. The correlation between biological parameters of the present and environmental traits of the past show that species might present delayed responses after a disturbance event, and as consequence, species responses to current landscape traits may be misleading for conservation purposes and environmental management actions. In order to understand how the neotropical medium and large-sized mammals are responding to human-modified landscapes of Cerrado under a 48-years interval of disturbance, the present dissertation aimed in their three chapters: (i) to describe land use and land cover trajectory and native vegetation transition of three human-modified landscapes, (ii) to detect the existence of time-lagged responses among seven neotropical medium and large-sized mammal species to their the natural environment and (iii) to detect the existence of ecological threshold responses of six neotropical medium and large-sized mammal species to natural and human-modified environments. The three studied landscapes are located in the northeastern region of São Paulo State and harbor important protected remnants of Cerrado and Atlantic Rainforest under... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Heutzutage werden bereits klein- bis mittelformatige Fassadenplatten aus Textilbeton mit Flächen bis zu 6 m² im Bauwesen verwendet. Dabei werden die ca. 25 mm dicken Elemente mit netzartigen technischen Textilien aus AR-Glas bewehrt. In einem kürzlich abgeschlossenen Forschungsprojekt wurde eine großformatige Fassadenplatte aus Textilbeton mit einer Elementfläche von 12,2 m² entwickelt, die eine Plattendicke von nur 30 mm aufweist. Die Platte wurde mit zwei rückseitigen monolithisch verbundenen Betonstegen ausgesteift. Durch die Beschichtung der Textilien mit Epoxidharz konnten formstabile und formbare Bewehrungsstrukturen entwickelt werden, die Textilspannungen von bis zu 1400 N/mm² aufweisen. In einem Pilotprojekt wurden die Ergebnisse des Forschungsprojektes angewendet und ihre Praxistauglichkeit nachgewiesen. Der Artikel beschreibt das architektonische Konzept, gibt Hinweise zur konstruktiven Durchbildung und beschreibt Herstellverfahren der textilen Bewehrung und Fassadenplatte.

Articular cartilage has a low propensity for self-repair, due to which 27 million people are affected by osteoarthritis every year in North America. The current repair techniques used for cartilage defects possess flaws that reduce long-term clinical success. Tissue engineering carries with it the promise of engineering hyaline-like cartilage with physical and biochemical properties, similar to that of native cartilage. This being said, the primary objective of my project was to engineer clinically relevant sized articular cartilage constructs. To achieve my objective, first, I investigated the effect of continuous culture on cartilaginous tissue growth. Constructs grown under continuous media flow significantly accumulated more collagen and glycosaminoglycan, and displayed a stratified morphology, similar to that found in native cartilage. The second goal was to further increase chondrocyte proliferation, and extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation. To achieve this, constructs were grown in a bioreactor with media supplemented with 14 mM sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3). Constructs cultivated in the bioreactor with NaHCO3 supplementation exhibited a significant (p<0.05) increase in ECM accumulation (a 98-fold increase in glycosaminoglycans and a 25-fold increase in collagen content), cell proliferation (a 13-fold increase), and thickness (a 28-fold increase) compared to all other conditions (static and reactor without NaHCO3 supplementation). The third goal was to engineer cartilage constructs with as little cells as possible, reducing donor site morbidity. From the results obtained, it was evident that the monolayer constructs outperformed all the other constructs (pellet, biopsy, and minced). The final goal was to understand the underlying reason for the increased proliferation. First, I investigated if there were any differences present in intracellular pH (pHi) and intracellular buffering capacity. Second, I determined the role of extracellular pH (pHe) on cell proliferation. In an effort to accurately achieve this, I, for the first time, have reported on measuring pHi of chondrocytes while still in culture (2D and 3D cultures) using a confocal microscope. This study demonstrated the importance of extracellular environments, such as pHe, extracellular buffering capacity, and the presence of carbon dioxide and bicarbonate ions for chondrocyte proliferation. / Thesis (Ph.D, Chemical Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2012-10-30 19:19:32.026

Heutzutage werden bereits klein- bis mittelformatige Fassadenplatten aus Textilbeton mit Flächen bis zu 6 m² im Bauwesen verwendet. Dabei werden die ca. 25 mm dicken Elemente mit netzartigen technischen Textilien aus AR-Glas bewehrt. In einem kürzlich abgeschlossenen Forschungsprojekt wurde eine großformatige Fassadenplatte aus Textilbeton mit einer Elementfläche von 12,2 m² entwickelt, die eine Plattendicke von nur 30 mm aufweist. Die Platte wurde mit zwei rückseitigen monolithisch verbundenen Betonstegen ausgesteift. Durch die Beschichtung der Textilien mit Epoxidharz konnten formstabile und formbare Bewehrungsstrukturen entwickelt werden, die Textilspannungen von bis zu 1400 N/mm² aufweisen. In einem Pilotprojekt wurden die Ergebnisse des Forschungsprojektes angewendet und ihre Praxistauglichkeit nachgewiesen. Der Artikel beschreibt das architektonische Konzept, gibt Hinweise zur konstruktiven Durchbildung und beschreibt Herstellverfahren der textilen Bewehrung und Fassadenplatte.