The process to identify and describe target markets can be challenging for marketers due to the complexity of B2B markets and industrial products. This case-based study aims to bridge the gap between theory and praxis by developing a process to determine target markets for Siemens SIMATIC controllers, which are highly technological products designed for process control and used in industrial applications. The author conducted a literature review to investigate the current understanding of B2B market segmentation and target marketing and collected qualitative data from Siemens. This study defines segmentation variables leveraging segmentation models as a foundation to build and describe customer clusters. Next, target markets for SIMATIC controllers, focused on redundant systems, are selected and mapped. On that basis, the author derives a process for reviewing and defining target markets for the existing controller portfolio and future product launches.

The goal of this diploma thesis was the design of an assistance brake for a mechanical invalid wheelchair. The theoretical part includes the sorting of wheelchairs and available technology of braking systems. In the practical part, there was prepared the design and testing of the assistance brake. In the final chapter, the technical-economic evaluation of the designed solution was discussed and compared with the existing technologies.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 20-23, 2003 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / The Western Aeronautical Test Range (WATR) Integrated Next Generation System (WINGS) Mission Segment provides data acquisition, processing, display and storage in support of each project’s mission at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC). The network architecture for WINGS Mission Segment is responsible for distributing a variety of information from the Telemetry and Radar Acquisition and Processing System (TRAPS), which is responsible for data acquisition and processing, to the Mission Control Centers (MCCs) for display of data to the user. WINGS consists of three TRAPS and four MCCs, where any TRAPS can drive any one or multiple MCCs. This paper will address the requirements for the TRAPS/MCC network and the design solution.

<p>Knowledge of the leftventricular (LV) pressure-volume relation, along withparameters derived from this relation, have led to newpossibilities for the characterisation of cardiac pumpfunction, in both experimental studies and clinicalsettings.</p><p>The pressure-volume diagram is apowerful tool for visualising LV performance, but in order tobe clinically useful it is necessary to make plots continuouslyand on-line. The conductance catheter technique offers thispossibility. The conductance catheter system has experiencedgrowing interest among cardiologists, physiologists, surgeons,and anaesthesiologists around the world as a powerful newresearch tool, but the invasiveness of this technique has beena limiting factor for most clinical applications. The catheterneeds to be thinner and softer in order to make this techniquemore suitable for human use.</p><p>This thesis reports of a newthin and soft conductance catheter for continuously and on-linemeasurements of LV pressure and volume.</p><p>One way to reduce both cathetersize and stiffness is to decrease the number of electrodes onthe catheter. Theoretical calculations shown in this thesisproves that it is possible to obtain the same performance witha single segment catheter as with a five-segment catheter. Thethin catheter has been tested and compared to a commercialfive-segment conductance catheter in animal studies.</p><p>We conclude that the thin singlesegment conductance catheter can measure left ventricularvolume and pessure. The regression coefficient between the twomethods is good independent of loading condition and duringbaseline conditions the catheters produce very similar volumecurves. During preload reduction the estimated volume reductionis different in the two systems.</p><p>Our thin catheter does notdisturb the heart's normal electrophysiology, neither by thecatheter current nor by any mechanical stimuli. The resultsdemonstrates that our thin, soft, single segment conductancecatheter has performance characteristics which warrant furtherdevelopment, with the goal to make the method available forhuman use.</p>

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by CNS inflammation and axonal demyelination. In addition, axonal pathology has also been reported in MS and may be responsible for the functional deficits associated with this disease. Based on preliminary data from our laboratory, we propose that a specific domain of the neuron, known as the axon initial segment (AIS), is targeted in MS. Consistent with our work from the human tissue, we have also observed disruption of AIS integrity in a murine CNS inflammatory model and observations strongly implicate reactive microglia as mediators of AIS disruption. In contrast, a murine model of demyelination did not exhibit AIS pathology but reactive microglia were prevalent. Since we propose that reactive microglia drive AIS disruption in our inflammatory CNS model but observe no AIS pathology following demyelination even in the presence of reactive microglia, we propose that reactive microglia in these models exhibit different interactions and molecular profiles. To test this hypothesis, we employed immunofluorescence labeling combined with confocal microscopy to quantify microglia reactivity and microglia-AIS interaction. Additionally, we conducted a microarray using RNA isolated from microglia from both the inflammatory and demyelinating models. Our findings show that microglia are reactive prior to pathology in both models and that the extent of AIS-microglial contact is similar between the models but significantly increased as compared to naïve mice. Our microarray data reveal a substantial difference in gene expression indicating functional differences between the reactive microglia in the inflammatory and demyelinating models. Finally, following functional enrichment analysis of microarray data, the complement pathway emerged as a potential contributor to the AIS pathology observed in EAE.

Este trabalho objetivou dar um primeiro passo em direção a uma descrição das unidades do nível fonético-fonológico da língua de sinais brasileira (libras). Para isso, ele se baseou no modelo de análise sublexical proposto por Liddell (1984) e desenvolvido por Liddell & Johnson (2000 [1989]), segundo o qual, os sinais das línguas sinalizadas, semelhantemente às palavras das línguas faladas, são consituídos por segmentos. Além de oferecer uma análise segmental dos sinais, capaz de capturar os contrastes seqüenciais também possíveis nessas línguas, esse modelo apresenta uma descrição bastante detalhada dos traços que caracterizam cada um de seus segmentos. Por conta disso, neste trabalho, foi possível não apenas levantar alguns traços articulatórios que têm valor distintivo na fonologia da libras, mas também esboçar uma análise segmental para alguns de seus itens lexicais. / This research aimed at doing a first description of the phonetic-phonological units of Brazilian Sign Language (libras). To do so, I assumed Liddell & Johnson (2000 [1989])\'s proposal, according to which signed languages\' lexical items are structured by segments, in the same way as spoken languages\' words. This model not only offers a segmental analysis for the signs, but also makes possible a detailed description of their articulatory features. For that reason, in this research, it was possible to identify some libras\'s features used to distinguish signs, as well as outline a segmental analysis to some of its lexical items.

Este trabalho objetivou dar um primeiro passo em direção a uma descrição das unidades do nível fonético-fonológico da língua de sinais brasileira (libras). Para isso, ele se baseou no modelo de análise sublexical proposto por Liddell (1984) e desenvolvido por Liddell & Johnson (2000 [1989]), segundo o qual, os sinais das línguas sinalizadas, semelhantemente às palavras das línguas faladas, são consituídos por segmentos. Além de oferecer uma análise segmental dos sinais, capaz de capturar os contrastes seqüenciais também possíveis nessas línguas, esse modelo apresenta uma descrição bastante detalhada dos traços que caracterizam cada um de seus segmentos. Por conta disso, neste trabalho, foi possível não apenas levantar alguns traços articulatórios que têm valor distintivo na fonologia da libras, mas também esboçar uma análise segmental para alguns de seus itens lexicais. / This research aimed at doing a first description of the phonetic-phonological units of Brazilian Sign Language (libras). To do so, I assumed Liddell & Johnson (2000 [1989])\'s proposal, according to which signed languages\' lexical items are structured by segments, in the same way as spoken languages\' words. This model not only offers a segmental analysis for the signs, but also makes possible a detailed description of their articulatory features. For that reason, in this research, it was possible to identify some libras\'s features used to distinguish signs, as well as outline a segmental analysis to some of its lexical items.

Tématickým zaměřením práce je zavádění nového produktu. Práce se zabývá konkrétní firmou, která se snaží zavést na trh nový produkt. Cílem práce je navržení takového marketingového mixu pro takový segment, který by umožnil úspěšné zavedení nového produktu, s využitím SWOT analýzy a analýzy konkurence. Autor nastiňuje současnou pozici firmy, hlavní konkurenty, cílový segment a vhodný marketingový mix.

Hoy en día, el gobierno peruano establece normas de protección saludable para los niños con el fin de proteger su salud. Por ese motivo, la industria alimenticia y el consumidor peruano vienen cambiando sus hábitos de compras y consumo saludable, de cara a estos cambios, se ha detectado la oportunidad de ofrecer un producto alimenticio saludable y nutritivo contribuyendo a la salud de los niños peruanos. “Power Eggs” busca posicionarse en el mercado peruano en los segmentos A, B y C como un complemento nutricional, brindando a las madres de familia una alternativa de nutrición para el consumo diario de los niños. El mercado al que se apunta está conformado por 9, 485,406 de mujeres con hijos entre las edades de 2 a 12 años en la ciudad de Lima, para el cual se ha calculado un mercado target de 1,171,437 personas. Uno de los principales objetivos es alcanzar un 20% de participación sobre el target de 39,420 personas, como un crecimiento anual de 10% en los próximos 5 años. Como principal estrategia se busca posicionar un producto diferencial de apoyo a la alimentación saludable en el mercado peruano. / Today, Peruvian government establishes healthy protection norms for children in order to protect their health. For that reason, the food industry and Peruvian consumer have been changing their shopping habits and healthy consumption. Faced with these changes, it has been detected the opportunity to offer a healthy and nutritious food product contributing to the health of Peruvian children. “Power Eggs” seeks to position itself on the Peruvian market in segments A, B and C as a nutritional supplement, providing mothers with an alternative nutrition for the daily consumption of children. The market we aim for is made up of 9, 485,406 women with children between the ages of 0 to 12 years in the city of Lima, for which we have a target market of 1, 171,437 people. One of the main objectives is to reach a 20% of participation on the target, as an annual growth of 10% in the next 5 years. It main strategy is to position a differential product to support healthy eating in the peruvian market. / Trabajo de investigación

This thesis presents the first-known exact solutions for vibration of stepped circular Mindlin plates. The considered circular plate is of several step-wise variation in thickness in the radial direction. The Mindlin first order shear deformable plate theory is employed to derive the governing differential equations for the annular and circular segments. The exact solutions to these differential equations may be expressed in terms of the Bessel functions of the first and second kinds and the modified Bessel functions of the first and second kinds. The governing homogenous system of equations is assembled by implementing the essential and natural boundary conditions and the segment interface conditions. Vibration solutions are presented for circular Mindlin plates of different edge support conditions and various combinations of step-wise thickness variations. These exact vibration results may serve as important benchmark values for researchers to validate their numerical methods for such circular plate problems / Master of Engineering (Civil)