The spatial data community relies on the quality of its data. This research investigates new ways of storing and retrieving spatial data quality information in databases. Given the importance of features and sub-feature variation, three different data quality models of spatial variation in quality have been identified and defined: per-feature, feature-independent and feature-hybrid. Quality information is stored against each feature in the per-feature model. In the feature-independent model, quality information is independent of the feature. The feature-hybrid is derived from a combination of the other two models. In general, each model of spatial variation is different in its representational and querying capabilities. However, no model is entirely superior in storing and retrieving spatially varying quality. Hence, an integrated data model called as RDBMS for Spatial Variation in Quality (RSVQ) was developed by integrating per-feature, feature-independent and feature-hybrid data quality models. The RSVQ data model provides flexible representation of SDQ, which can be stored alongside individual features or parts of features in the database, or as an independent spatial data layer. / The thesis reports on how Oracle 10g spatial RDBMS was used to implement this model. An investigation into the different querying mechanisms resulted in the development of a new WITHQUALITY keyword as an extension to SQL. The WITHQUALITY keyword has been designed in such a way that it can perform automatic query optimization, which leads to faster retrieval of quality when compared to existing query mechanism. A user interface was built using Oracle Forms 10g which enables the user to perform single and multiple queries in addition to conversion between models (example, per-feature to feature-independent). The evaluation, which includes an industry case study, shows how these techniques can improve the spatial data community’s ability to represent and record data quality information.

This study investigated the delivery of electron arc treatment with a trapezoidal aperture. The aim of the investigation is to reduce the nonuniformity of the dose distribution, which is caused by the variation of the patient contour from superior to inferior. The characteristics of static electron beam were first investigated. Then a measurement-based algorithm was developed and implemented as a computer program called EarcMU to calculate the monitor units required for delivering the prescribed dose with a trapezoidal aperture. The central axis percentage depth dose was found to be independent of source-to-surface distance (SSD) and the width of the aperture. The inplane profiles of a trapezoidal aperture show that the dose decreases longitudinally from the wide to the narrow end of the trapezoidal aperture. The EarcMU program was verified using two cylindrical water phantoms. The measured dose and the dose calculated by the program agreed within 2.1% in the typical clinical conditions. A simple method was also proposed for determining the trapezoidal aperture for an individual patient. Under the same conditions, the trapezoidal apertures calculated by this method along with the open aperture were used to deliver treatments to several conical phantoms. Significant improvement in the uniformity of dose distribution was observed. On average, the flatness index of the longitudinal dose distribution from superior to inferior decreases dramatically from 8% for open aperture down to 0.58% for trapezoidal aperture. The results are clinically significant, indicating that delivering the electron arc treatment using a trapezoidal aperture can bring more uniform dose to the patient regardless of the change of patient contour from superior to inferior.

Mini study project (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This mini study project aims to investigate the prediction value ofpricelearnings (pIE) ratios. The ability of investors to predict earnings growth is tested by examining the relationship between PIE ratios and excess earnings growth. The study further also investigates the relationship between PIE ratios and two other variables: share returns and dividend yields. The study design was based on that of two other studies: Fuller, Huberts and Levinson (1993) and Hamman, Jordaan and Smit (1995). These studies specifically tested the random walk theory of earnings. In this study all the companies were allocated to one of four PIE portfolios according to the magnitude of their PIE ratio. The relationship between PIE ratios and the dependent variables (earnings growth, share returns and dividend yields) was then analysed by comparing the medians of the dependent variables of the different quartiles (pIE portfolios). The investigation into the relation between PIE ratios and excess earnings growth indicated that companies with high PIE ratios tend to have higher excess earnings growth. The relationship, however, seemed to be more pronounced in the one year results than in the two and four year results. The share returns seemed to be randomly distributed and it was more difficult to identify the correlation with PIE ratios. For a two and four year period however, the lowest PIE quartile delivered the highest returns and the highest PIE quartile performed very poorly. Lastly it was found that companies with high PIE ratios had lower dividend yields and companies with lower PIE ratios had higher dividend yields. Even though some departures from randomness were observed when comparing the PIE quartiles, the variability of the dependant variables at individual stock level was high and indicated random distribution. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie ministudieprojek het ten doelom die voorspellingvermoë van prys/verdienste (PN) verhoudings te ondersoek. Die vermoë van beleggers om winsgroei te voorspel word getoets deur die verwantskap tussen PN-verhoudings en surplus winsgroei te ondersoek. Verder ondersoek die studie ook die verwantskap tussen PN-verhoudings en twee verdere veranderlikes: aandeelopbrengste en dividendopbrengste. Die ontwerp van die studie is gebaseer op dié van twee ander studies: Fuller, Huberts en Levinson (1993) en Hamman, Jordaan en Smit (1995). Die twee studies het spesifiek die ewekansige verspreiding van winste ondersoek. Alle maatskappye in hierdie studie is geallokeer aan een van vier PN-protefeuljes volgens die vlak van hulle PNverhouding. Die verwantskap tussen PN-verhoudings en die afhanklike veranderlikes (winsgroei, aandeelopbrengste en dividendopbrengste) is dan ondersoek deur die mediane van die afhanklike veranderlikes van die verskillende PN-kwartiele (portefeuljes) te vergelyk. Die analise van die surplus winsgroei het aangedui dat maatskappye met hoë PNverhoudings geneig is om beter surplus winsgroei te toon. Die verwantskap blyk egter om duideliker te wees vir 'n eenjaar-periode as vir 'n tydperk van twee of vier jaar. Die aandeelopbrengste het 'n ewekansige verspreiding getoon en dit was moeilik om 'n verwantskap met die PN-verhoudings te identifiseer. Vir 'n twee en vier jaar periode het die laagste PN-kwartiel die hoogste aandeelopbrengs gelewer en die hoogste PNkwartiel het baie sleg presteer. Laastens is daar gevind dat maatskappye met hoë PN-verhoudings laer dividendopbrengste gelewer het en maatskappye met lae PN-verhoudings hoë dividendopbrengste. Alhoewel afwykings van ewekansigheid geïdentifiseer is met die vergelyking tussen kwartiele, was die variansie van die afhanklike veranderlikes op individuele aandelevlak hoog en het gedui op 'n ewekansige verspreiding.

Orientador: Almir Mantovani / Banca: Paulo Henrique Miotto Donadéli / Banca: Cassio Garcia Ribeiro Soares da Silva / Resumo: Trata-se do estudo da relação existente entre renda per capita e o acesso ao Poder Judiciário. Oaumento da renda per capita, no Brasil, entre 1994 e 2010, refletiu diretamente na ampliação do acesso à Justiça. Determinadas políticas públicas participativas também foram decisivas para o aumento do acesso da população à Justiça. Pretende-se diferenciar os conceitos de acesso ao Poder Judiciário e acesso à Justiça; discorrer sobre o cenário brasileiro até 1990, no tocante à efetivação do acesso universal à Justiça; analisar as políticas públicas afirmativas após 1990 e seus resultados; tratar da intrínseca relação existente entre renda per capita, consumo e acesso à Justiça; e, finalmente, discorrer sobre o perfil dos principais litigantes brasileiros. O nível de renda per capita e o consumo da população refletem na demanda judiciária e precisam ser levados em consideração na gestão estratégica da Justiça. / Abstract: This study reports the relationship among per capita income and the access to Judiciary. The increasing rate of per capita income, in Brazil, from 1994 to 2010, has directly reflected on expanding access to Justice. Certain participative public policies were also decisive for the increasing access of the population to Justice. It is intended to differentiate the concepts of Judiciary access and Justice access; To discuss the Brazilian scenario until 1990, regarding the universal access to Justice implementation; To analyze affirmative public policies after 1990 and its results; To deal with intrinsic relationship amongst per capita income, consumption and Justice access; and, finally, to discuss about the profile of main brazilian litigants. Per capita income level and population consumption reflect on judiciary demand and must be considered on strategic management of Justice. / Mestre

O objetivo deste trabalho é discutir (des)igualdades entre escolas de duas regiões administrativas do Distrito Federal, tendo como base o custo-aluno e as condições tangíveis de oferta educacional. Custo-aluno é definido como o conjunto de recursos materiais e humanos objetivamente calculados. Condições tangíveis de oferta educacional é definida como o conjunto de recursos materiais e humanos subjetivamente manifestados em sua existência real no cotidiano da escola. A amostra é composta de doze escolas públicas de educação básica (educação infantil; séries iniciais do ensino fundamental; séries finais do ensino fundamental; ensino médio; e educação especial), sendo seis da Região Administrativa de Brasília (RA-Brasília) e seis da Região Administrativa da Samambaia (RA-Samamambaia). Dados foram também coletados de mais duas escolas diferentes, localizadas na RA-Brasília e tidas como custo-adicional à escola (CAE), a saber: Centro de Línguas de Brasília (CLB) e Escola-Parque de Brasília (EPB). Itens de custo incluídos na pesquisa: salário de pessoal (docente e não-docente); material de consumo; material permanente; outros insumos (serviços de terceiros; água/esgoto; energia elétrica; telefone; internet banda larga; e gás GLP); prédio; e terreno. Os dados de salário de pessoal e material permanente foram coletados em cada escola e os demais por meio de documentos oficiais (portarias da Secretaria de Estado de Educação do Distrito Federal; Carta Tributária do Distrito Federal de 2008; relatórios orçamentários de obras de escolas novas). Esta investigação ainda coletou dados por intermédio de observações semi-estruturadas e muitas conversas informais com docentes, não-docentes, alunos e pais de todas as escolas que compõem a amostra de pesquisa. O texto está organizado em cinco capítulos. O primeiro apresenta o conceito de custo e dos vários termos que a ele estão relacionados. O segundo capítulo é referente a uma revisão de literatura sobre custo-aluno no Brasil, no Distrito Federal e nos Estados Unidos da América, em que informações básicas de cada um dos trabalhos são apresentadas, tais como: título; autor(es); tipo de documento (relatório de pesquisa; livro; artigo; dissertação; tese; monografia, etc.); ano (de coleta de dados e de publicação); objetivo(s); insumos considerados; tipo de custo (direto; indireto; direto e indireto, etc.); procedimentos metodológicos; peculiaridades; e principais resultados. Já o terceiro capítulo aborda alguns conceitos de François Dubet, Amartya Sen e John Rawls, e indica possíveis articulações teóricas com os elementos centrais da tese (custo-aluno e condições tangíveis de oferta educacional). O quarto capítulo, por sua vez, expõe de forma detalhada a metodologia. Este capítulo pretende explicar as opções adotadas e a forma como as mesmas foram implementadas, sobretudo no que concerne à coleta de dados. Por fim, o quinto capítulo, em que os dados de custo são apresentados e analisados. Alguns resultados da pesquisa: custo-aluno relativamente elevado em ambas as regiões administrativas; custo-aluno da RA-Brasília mais elevado que o da RA-Samambaia em todas as etapas e modalidades; pobreza dos recursos materiais em ambas as regiões. / The goal of this study is to discuss in(equalities) between public schools from two administrative regions of the Federal District through cost-per-pupil and tangible conditions of education. Cost-per-pupil is defined as the set of material and human resources which are objectively calculated. Tangible conditions are defined as the set of material goods and human resources which area obtained subjectively within the actual school setting. The sample is composed of twelve basic education public schools from kindergarten to high school (preschool; elementary school; intermediate school; middle school; high school; and special education), six schools from the Brasília Administrative Region (AR-Brasília) and six schools from the Samambaia Administrative Region (AR-Samambaia). Data was also collected from two different schools which are located in the AR-Brasília (Brasília Centre of Languages -BCL and Brasília Park School – BPS). The overalls costs of these two schools are defined as additional-cost to school (ACS). Items of cost in this research are: personnel salaries (classroom teachers and all additional staff including professional and nonprofessional support staff); supplies; equipment; others (contracted workers; utility bills [water/sewage; electricity; gas; telephone; broad band internet]); building structure; and land. Personnel salaries and equipment were collected inside each school and all others through official documents/budget review (government guidelines from the Secretary of Education of the Federal District; Land Official Report of the Federal District of 2008; engineering budget reports from new school buildings). This investigation also collected data through semi-structured observations and many informal dialogues with teachers, non-professionals, students, and parents from all sample schools. This study is divided into five chapters. The first chapter presents the concept of cost and terms that are related to it. The second chapter shows a literature review of cost-per-pupil in Brazil, in the Federal District, and in the United States of America in which basic information about each reviewed study are presented, such as: title; author(s); type of publication (research report; book; survey; thesis; dissertation; monograph, etc); year of the data collection and the publication) goal(s); items of cost; type of cost (direct, indirect, etc.); methodological procedures; peculiarities; and main results. The third chapter approaches some concepts from François Dubet, Amartya Sen, and John Rawls, and indicates possible theoretical links with the main categories of this dissertation (cost-per-pupil and the tangible conditions of education). The fourth chapter in turn exposes the methodology in detail. This chapter intends to explain the elected options and their means of implementation, especially those related to data collection. Finally, the fifth chapter, data is presented and analyzed. Some results of this research: the cost-per-pupil is relatively high in both administrative regions; the cost-per-pupil in Brasília is higher than in Samambaia in all levels; deficient material resources are a reality in both regions.

Esta dissertação tem como objetivo analisar a evolução de indicadores de escolaridade pré-selecionados (frequência escolar, média de anos de estudo, níveis de escolaridade, concluída ou frequentada, e a variável situação de estudo e trabalho) dos jovens na faixa etária de 15 a 29 anos, na Região Metropolitana de Porto Alegre, entre 1993 e 2014, através das políticas de ampliação de acesso, seja na universalização do Ensino Fundamental, seja na ampliação significativa do acesso ao Ensino Médio, seja na inserção no Ensino Superior, por meio de programas como o Programa Universidade Para Todos, o Fundo de Financiamento Estudantil e o Reestruturação e Expansão das Universidades Federais e a Lei de Cotas (Lei nº 12.711/2012). A fonte de informações utilizada é a Base de Microdados da Pesquisa de Emprego e Desemprego na Região Metropolitana de Porto Alegre (PED-RMPA). Os resultados obtidos apontam significativa ampliação do acesso à escola, elevação da escolaridade e redução das desigualdades educacionais para os jovens com idade entre 15 e 29 anos. Entretanto o alcance das políticas de acesso ainda está muito aquém de acabar com os diferenciais de acesso e escolaridade de jovens mulheres e jovens homens e pouco contribuiu com a igualdade entre jovens negros e jovens não negros. Duas variáveis foram de fundamental importância para a realização desta pesquisa: situação de estudo e trabalho e grupos de renda familiar per capita. A variável situação de estudo e trabalho compreende as categorias jovens que só estudam, jovens que estudam e trabalham, jovens que estudam e procuram trabalho, jovens que só trabalham, jovens que só procuram trabalho e jovens que não estudam e/ou não trabalham e/ou não procuram trabalho. A variável grupos de renda familiar per capita foi dividida em quatro categorias: Grupo 1 - 25% das pessoas com menor renda familiar per capita; Grupo 2 - 25% das pessoas com renda familiar per capita imediatamente superior à do Grupo 1; Grupo 3 - 25% das pessoas com renda familiar per capita imediatamente superior à do Grupo 2; Grupo 4 - 25% das pessoas com maior renda familiar per capita. No aspecto renda familiar per capita, o impacto das políticas em todos os estratos de renda foi importante, em especial para as Categorias I (jovens que só estudam) e II (jovens que estudam e trabalham e/ou procuram trabalho). Deve--se considerar que ainda há um enorme desafio para um acesso pleno à educação, com a permanência dos jovens na escola, bem como com a conclusão dos estudos, especialmente para os jovens homens, os jovens negros e para os jovens pertencentes ao grupo de menor 7 rendimento familiar per capita (Grupo 1), onde são verificados avanços, mas persistem as desigualdades de acesso e permanência escolar. / The aim of this thesis is to analyze the evolution of preselected school indicators (school attendance, average years of schooling, completed or attended school levels, and the variable study and work context) of young people in the 15- 29 age group, in the Porto Alegre metropolitan area, between 1993 and 2014, through the expansion policies access, either in the universalization of Primary Education, or in the significant expansion of access to Secondary Education, or in the insertion in higher education, by means of programs such as the University for All Program, the Student Financing Fund and the Restructuring and Expansion of Federal Universities, and the Quotas Law (Law no. 12.711 / 2012). The source of information used is the micro database of Employment and Unemployment Research of Porto Alegre Metropolitan Area (PED-RMPA). The results obtained indicate a significant increase in access to schools, higher schooling and reduction of educational inequalities among youths aged 15 -29. However, the extent of access policies still fall short of ending up with the differentials in access and schooling among young men and women and has contributed little to the equality of young black and non-black youths. Two variables were of fundamental importance for this research: study and work context and per capita family income groups. The variable study and work context includes the categories of young people who only study, young people who study and work, young people who study and seek work, young people who only work, young people who are looking for work and young people who do not study and / or do not seek work. The variable per capita family income groups was divided into four categories: Group 1 - 25% of people with lower per capita family income; Group 2 - 25% of people with per capita family income immediately higher than Group 1; Group 3 - 25% of people with per capita family income immediately higher than Group 2; Group 4 - 25% of people with higher per capita family income. In the per capita family income aspect, the impact of policies on all income strata was important, especially for Categories I (young people who only study) and II (young people who study and work and / or seek work).One must consider that there is still a huge challenge for full access to education, the permanence of young people in school and the completion of studies, especially for young men, young blacks and young people belonging to the group with a lower per capita family income (Group 1), where progress is made, but access inequalities and school permanence persist.

Dissertação (Mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Sócio-Econômico. / Made available in DSpace on 2012-10-17T06:30:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0Bitstream added on 2016-01-08T23:46:51Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 170081.pdf: 2233871 bytes, checksum: c35c27d9e9dfb531abd817d96c6abf5c (MD5)

Neste trabalho buscamos evidências, para o caso brasileiro, da Hipótese da Renda Permanente. Primeiro, investigamos a existência de tendências e ciclos comuns entre as séries de consumo e renda per capita. Então, usando o resultado de co-movimentos entre as variáveis decompomos cada série em tendência e ciclo, através dos modelos de componentes não observados de Harvey (1989). Por fim, usando os modelos de vetores autorregressivos, decompomos a variância dos erros de previsão, seguindo a metodologia de Blanchard e Quah (1989), com o objetivo de avaliarmos a importância relativa dos choques permanentes e transitórios para as variações do consumo. Os resultados apontam que as inovações permanentes são responsáveis pela maior parte das variações no consumo. Este resultado embora rejeite a Hipótese da Renda Permanente, indica que o consumo responde pouco a variações transitórias na renda, ou seja, os choques temporários têm pouca importância para o consumo.

The thesis is focused on online marketing communication tools and their effectiveness. The theoretical part focuses on the basics of online marketing and especially to the summary and characteristics of the various tools of online marketing. Those are further described their main advantages and possibilities. The practical part presents selected anonymous company for which the individual tools analyzed. Analyzed are mainly paid channels used by the company to promote its services in the period from the perspective of visitor behavior on the site and in terms of effectiveness of individual channels. Evaluation is done by monitoring key indicators using web analytics Google Analytics. The aim of the thesis is to evaluate the effectiveness of online marketing tools selected companies. Partial order is based on the analyzed data to proposing possible changes and other recommendations in this area.

O presente trabalho observa a iniciativa do governo federal que pretende garantir a qualidade do ensino brasileiro, através da igualdade de oportunidades e de acesso ao conhecimento por meio do Projeto Um Computador por Aluno – UCA. Tais tecnologias estão sendo disponibilizadas em fase de estudo piloto, podendo, posteriormente, atingir a totalidade de escolas regulares no país. Por outro lado, faz-se necessário observar que a Política Nacional de Educação Especial na Perspectiva da Educação Inclusiva, garante o acesso e permanência de pessoas com deficiência nos bancos regulares de ensino. Observar como ocorre o processo inclusivo de pessoas com deficiência mediadas por laptops foi o objetivo deste estudo. Caracterizando-se como uma pesquisa qualitativa, descritiva em formato de estudo de caso, este trabalho enfocou a realidade de Tiradentes-MG. Esta cidade configura-se como UCA total, ou seja, município em que todas as escolas foram contempladas nesta fase do projeto piloto. Sob o enfoque vygotskyano avaliou-se quais mudanças ocorrem nas dimensões cognitivas e sociais de pessoas com deficiência quando mediadas por laptops em contexto escolar, bem como se identificou quais movimentos inclusivos estão sendo desencadeados a partir da implementação do PROUCA, tanto nas dinâmicas de sala de aula e nas escolas quanto na gestão educacional do município. Os diferentes resultados da pesquisa apontaram que o projeto de disseminação de laptops do governo federal, balizando a ferramenta ofertada sob o conceito da homogeneidade e uniformidade tecnológica, impõe barreiras ao atendimento da diversidade em situação de inclusão sociodigital. Além disso, observamos que a prática inclusiva em Tiradentes garante a vinculação do aluno especial à rede regular de ensino, mas ainda não articula movimentos capazes de promover a efetiva participação dos sujeitos com deficiência no ambiente escolar, quer seja pela falta de acesso arquitetônico, pela restrição ao atendimento educacional especializado ou pelo escasso apoio pedagógico ao professor. / This paper analyzes the federal government initiative which aims to ensure the quality of education in Brazil through equal opportunity and access to knowledge with the One Laptop per Child Project – UCA. These technologies have become available in a pilot study phase and may subsequently reach the totality of regular schools in the country. However, it is necessary to note that the National Policy on Special Education, in the Perspective of Inclusive Education, ensures access and retention of people with disabilities in regular education classes. The objective of this study was to observe how the inclusive process of disabled people mediated by laptops occured. Characterized as a qualitative research, with a descriptive case study format, this work focused on the reality of Tiradentes-MG, which is a city considered as total UCA, that is, a municipality in which all schools were covered in this phase of the pilot project. Under the Vygotskian approach, the study assessed what changes occured in cognitive and social dimensions of people with disabilities when mediated by laptops in the school context, and it also identified which inclusive movements were triggered by the implementation of PROUCA, both in the classroom and school dynamics and in educational administration of the municipality. The different results of the research showed that the federal project of distribution of laptops imposes barriers to address diversity in a situation of sociodigital inclusion by delimiting the offered tool under the concept of technological homogeneity and uniformity. Furthermore, we observed that the inclusive practice in Tiradentes, ensures the binding of the special student to the regular school system, but it has not yet articulated movements that promote the effective participation of individuals with disabilities in the school environment, whether by lack of access Architectural, the restriction tospecialized educational services, or by the limited pedagogical support to the teacher.