The basic objective in bulk electrical system planning is to determine the necessary generating facilities required to ensure an adequate and economic supply of electrical energy and the development of an adequate transmission network to transport the generated energy to the customers. Quantitative adequacy assessment is a basic task in achieving this objective. An important requirement in this task is the ability to forecast the system load requirements at specific times in the future. These forecasts must also recognize the inherent uncertainty in predicting the future load demands.<p> The primary focus of the research described in this thesis is to examine the effects and implications of load forecast uncertainty on the load point and system adequacy indices of a composite generation and transmission system. This thesis considers two techniques to incorporate the inherent uncertainty associated with future load forecasts in the adequacy assessment of bulk electrical systems. Base case and factor analyses are performed on a number of power system configurations to identify and address the relative contributions to the load point and system indices due to load forecast uncertainty. A transmission reinforcement option and a number of generation system expansion options are presented to examine the system reliability response due to load forecast uncertainty.<p> The actual magnitudes of the changes due to load forecast uncertainty in the load bus and system risk indices and in the percentage change values are different for each generation expansion scenario. The topology and parameters of the system are different in each of the studied power system configurations. The effect of load forecast uncertainty on the system and load point adequacy can be quantified and utilized in the decision-making process associated with system generation and transmission planning. Load forecast uncertainty has important impacts on the system and load point indices that can only be appreciated by conducting comprehensive bulk system adequacy assessment. The actual effects are a complicated function of the system topology and parameters, and the system load curtailment philosophy.

Background: Rapid sequence intubation (RSI) is an advanced airway skill commonly performed in the pre-hospital setting globally. In South Africa, pre-hospital RSI was first approved for non-physician providers by the Health Professions Council of South Africa in 2009 and introduced as part of the scope of practice of degree qualified Emergency Care Practitioners (ECPs) only. The aim of the research study was to investigate and describe, based on the components of the minimum standards of pre-hospital RSI in South Africa, specific areas of interest related to current pre-hospital RSI practice. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study design in the form of an online survey were conducted amongst operational ECPs in the pre-hospital setting of South Africa, using convenience and snowball sampling strategies. Results: A total of 87 participants agreed to participate. Eleven (12.6%) incomplete survey responses were excluded while 76 (87.4%) were included in the data analysis. The survey response rate could not be calculated. Most participants were operational in Gauteng (n=27, 35.5%) and the Western Cape (n=25, 32.9%). Overall participants reported that their education and training were perceived as being of good quality. An overwhelming number of participants (n=69, 90.8%) did not participate in an internship programme before commencing duties as an independent practitioner. Most RSI and post-intubation equipment were reported to be available, however, our results found that introducer stylets and/or bougies and EtCO2 devices are not available to some participants. Only 50 (65.8%) participants reported the existence of a clinical governance system within their organisation. Furthermore, our results indicate a lack of clinical feedback, deficiency of an RSI database, infrequent clinical review meetings and a shortage of formal consultation frameworks. Conclusion: The practice of safe and effective pre-hospital RSI, performed by non-physician providers or ECPs, rely on comprehensive implementation and adherence to all the 51 components of the minimum standards. Although there is largely an apparent alignment with the minimum standards, recurrent revision of practice needs to occur to ensure alignment with recommendations. Additionally, there are areas that may benefit from further research to improve current practice.

Recentemente, um crescente número de institutos de pesquisa pelo mundo tem focado seus estudos em veículos aéreos não tripulados (VANT ou, em inglês, UAV - Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), que se revelam muito úteis tanto em aplicações militares quanto civis, pois suas principais vantagens são: a alta confiabilidade, baixo risco à vida, reduzido custo de implantação e manutenção. A pesquisa apresentada neste trabalho integra-se ao projeto BR-UAV em desenvolvimento na empresa Xmobots Sistemas Robóticos LTDA e no Laboratório de Veículos Não Tripulados (LVNT) da Escola Politécnica da USP. O projeto BR-UAV visa a contribuir para a inserção desta tecnologia no país e, para tanto, desenvolve atualmente a plataforma, aviônica e sistema de controle autônomo voltados ao objetivo de monitoramento no espectro visível e infravermelho. O principal requisito do projeto BR-UAV é o desenvolvimento de um sistema aéreo não tripulado capaz de voar dentro do espaço aéreo controlado. Esta pesquisa foca no desenvolvimento do software embarcado, assim este software deve ser desenvolvido de acordo com uma metodologia direcionada a homologação. Por isso, este trabalho propõe uma metodologia que foi baseada em cinco elementos: processo de desenvolvimento, normas, ferramentas de sistema operacional, ferramentas de aplicação e ferramentas matemáticas. Após o estabelecimento dos objetivos, de uma análise do estado da arte em sistemas aviônicos, e da metodologia de certificação, o processo de desenvolvimento foi inicializado. Na fase de engenharia de sistemas, os requisitos de sistema foram capturados. Então a arquitetura de sistema (hardware e software) foi modelada e analisada. A partir desta modelagem de sistema, os requisitos funcionais e temporais de software puderam ser capturados na etapa de análise da fase de engenharia de software. Na etapa de Implementação, o interior dos agentes foi codificado.Além disso, foi implementado o filtro de Kalman estendido para integrar informações de GPS, unidade de medição inercial e bússola. Na etapa de Testes, foram realizados testes de integração funcional e de desempenho computacional. Os resultados demonstraram que o sistema atendeu a todos os requisitos consumindo 38.3% de processamento. Finalmente, os próximos passos desta pesquisa são discutidos. / Recently, an increasing number of research institutes around the world has been focusing their efforts in the study of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), which have proved to be very useful both in military and civil applications because of their major advantages: high reliability, reduced risk to life, reduced maintenance and implantation costs. The research presented in this work is part of the BR-UAV project, which is in development at XMobots Sistemas Robóticos LTDA and at the Laboratório de Veículos Não Tripulados of USP (Brazil). This project aims to contribute for the insertion of this technology in Brazil. Particularly, at the present stage, the project includes the development of the platform, avionics and autonomous control system for environment monitoring via visible and infrared spectrums. The main requirement of BR-UAV Project is the development of an unmanned aerial system that could flight in controlled airspace. This research is focused on the development of embedded software, and therefore this software should be developed according to a certification methodology. For this purpose, this work proposes a methodology that was based into five guidelines: development process, norms, operating system tools, application tools and mathematical tools. The development process was started after the statement of objectives and the analysis of the state of art on UAV avionics. In the systems engineering phase, system requirements were captured and then the system architecture (hardware and software) was modeled and analyzed. From the system modeling, the functional and temporal software requirements could be captured in the analysis stage of the software engineering phase. In the Implementation stage, the agents were coded as well as the Extended Kalman Filter for integrating information from GPS, inertial measurement unit and Compass sensors. In the Tests stage, integration tests were performed.The results showed that the system could fulfill requirements using 38.3% of processing consumption. Finally, the next steps of this research are discussed.

Apresenta um levantamento abrangente de novas considerações sobre Sistemas de Medição de Desempenho (SMD) e o novo panorama ambiental que envolve as empresas e impacta suas formas de avaliação de desempenho. Compila, a partir desses estudos, os principais requisitos de SMDs em uma tabela e propõe um modelo conceitual para sistema de medição de desempenho. Identifica, também, um sistema computacional para suportar o processo de gestão estratégica de desempenho em empresas. Analisa a satisfação desse sistema computacional estudado em relação aos principais requisitos levantados e compilados. As análises em relação a essa satisfação são feitas segundo a percepção do autor desse trabalho, treinado nesta ferramenta, e de profissionais de empresas que utilizam o sistema avaliado. A percepção desses profissionais é obtida por meio da realização de entrevistas em uma pesquisa de campo, guiadas por um questionário. / It presents a wide literature survey on rising considerations about Performance Measurement Systems (PMS) and the modern environmental which surrounds the companies and impacts their performance evaluation system. It compiles from this survey the main PMS requirements in a table and it suggests a conceptual model for performance measurement system. It identifies, too, a commercial computer-based system in order to support strategic performance measurement management. It also analyzes how the PMS requirements are satisfied by the computer-based system, based on the author perception, who was trained at this tool, and on the perception of customers of this system. The assessment of these customer\'s perceptions were made in site through questionnaire based interviews.

Apresenta um levantamento abrangente de novas considerações sobre Sistemas de Medição de Desempenho (SMD) e o novo panorama ambiental que envolve as empresas e impacta suas formas de avaliação de desempenho. Compila, a partir desses estudos, os principais requisitos de SMDs em uma tabela e propõe um modelo conceitual para sistema de medição de desempenho. Identifica, também, um sistema computacional para suportar o processo de gestão estratégica de desempenho em empresas. Analisa a satisfação desse sistema computacional estudado em relação aos principais requisitos levantados e compilados. As análises em relação a essa satisfação são feitas segundo a percepção do autor desse trabalho, treinado nesta ferramenta, e de profissionais de empresas que utilizam o sistema avaliado. A percepção desses profissionais é obtida por meio da realização de entrevistas em uma pesquisa de campo, guiadas por um questionário. / It presents a wide literature survey on rising considerations about Performance Measurement Systems (PMS) and the modern environmental which surrounds the companies and impacts their performance evaluation system. It compiles from this survey the main PMS requirements in a table and it suggests a conceptual model for performance measurement system. It identifies, too, a commercial computer-based system in order to support strategic performance measurement management. It also analyzes how the PMS requirements are satisfied by the computer-based system, based on the author perception, who was trained at this tool, and on the perception of customers of this system. The assessment of these customer\'s perceptions were made in site through questionnaire based interviews.

Recentemente, um crescente número de institutos de pesquisa pelo mundo tem focado seus estudos em veículos aéreos não tripulados (VANT ou, em inglês, UAV - Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), que se revelam muito úteis tanto em aplicações militares quanto civis, pois suas principais vantagens são: a alta confiabilidade, baixo risco à vida, reduzido custo de implantação e manutenção. A pesquisa apresentada neste trabalho integra-se ao projeto BR-UAV em desenvolvimento na empresa Xmobots Sistemas Robóticos LTDA e no Laboratório de Veículos Não Tripulados (LVNT) da Escola Politécnica da USP. O projeto BR-UAV visa a contribuir para a inserção desta tecnologia no país e, para tanto, desenvolve atualmente a plataforma, aviônica e sistema de controle autônomo voltados ao objetivo de monitoramento no espectro visível e infravermelho. O principal requisito do projeto BR-UAV é o desenvolvimento de um sistema aéreo não tripulado capaz de voar dentro do espaço aéreo controlado. Esta pesquisa foca no desenvolvimento do software embarcado, assim este software deve ser desenvolvido de acordo com uma metodologia direcionada a homologação. Por isso, este trabalho propõe uma metodologia que foi baseada em cinco elementos: processo de desenvolvimento, normas, ferramentas de sistema operacional, ferramentas de aplicação e ferramentas matemáticas. Após o estabelecimento dos objetivos, de uma análise do estado da arte em sistemas aviônicos, e da metodologia de certificação, o processo de desenvolvimento foi inicializado. Na fase de engenharia de sistemas, os requisitos de sistema foram capturados. Então a arquitetura de sistema (hardware e software) foi modelada e analisada. A partir desta modelagem de sistema, os requisitos funcionais e temporais de software puderam ser capturados na etapa de análise da fase de engenharia de software. Na etapa de Implementação, o interior dos agentes foi codificado.Além disso, foi implementado o filtro de Kalman estendido para integrar informações de GPS, unidade de medição inercial e bússola. Na etapa de Testes, foram realizados testes de integração funcional e de desempenho computacional. Os resultados demonstraram que o sistema atendeu a todos os requisitos consumindo 38.3% de processamento. Finalmente, os próximos passos desta pesquisa são discutidos. / Recently, an increasing number of research institutes around the world has been focusing their efforts in the study of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), which have proved to be very useful both in military and civil applications because of their major advantages: high reliability, reduced risk to life, reduced maintenance and implantation costs. The research presented in this work is part of the BR-UAV project, which is in development at XMobots Sistemas Robóticos LTDA and at the Laboratório de Veículos Não Tripulados of USP (Brazil). This project aims to contribute for the insertion of this technology in Brazil. Particularly, at the present stage, the project includes the development of the platform, avionics and autonomous control system for environment monitoring via visible and infrared spectrums. The main requirement of BR-UAV Project is the development of an unmanned aerial system that could flight in controlled airspace. This research is focused on the development of embedded software, and therefore this software should be developed according to a certification methodology. For this purpose, this work proposes a methodology that was based into five guidelines: development process, norms, operating system tools, application tools and mathematical tools. The development process was started after the statement of objectives and the analysis of the state of art on UAV avionics. In the systems engineering phase, system requirements were captured and then the system architecture (hardware and software) was modeled and analyzed. From the system modeling, the functional and temporal software requirements could be captured in the analysis stage of the software engineering phase. In the Implementation stage, the agents were coded as well as the Extended Kalman Filter for integrating information from GPS, inertial measurement unit and Compass sensors. In the Tests stage, integration tests were performed.The results showed that the system could fulfill requirements using 38.3% of processing consumption. Finally, the next steps of this research are discussed.

The study aims to investigate the current process for vacation exchange at Karlstad municipality to elicit system requirements for a future system. The investigation includes creating an understanding of the vacation exchange process, the roles involved, and their tasks performed in the process. Further, the limitations, the information used, and the decisions made in the vacation exchange process were also a part of the investigation. The investigation of the vacation exchange process is performed by analyzing an internal document from Karlstad municipality and interviews conducted with the three roles involved in the process. The interviews are transcribed, summarized, and modeled by process models using 2c8 Modeling Tool to explain the vacation exchange process, inputs, and outputs, and the tasks each role performs. The findings showed three specific categories in the vacation exchange process that should be improved when a future system is designed and developed to support the process. The three found categories were: lack of information, information flow, and distribution of responsibilities. In conclusion, the future system should have a function to notify the roles involved. Information used in the vacation exchange process should be gathered and easily accessible in the future system. Further, the future system should support communication between the roles involved in the vacation exchange process, as well as include functions for back-up, digital sending of documents, and facilitate rarely performed tasks. Lastly, the future system should define the responsibilities for each role to balance the tasks each role performs in the process.

Low response time is an important factor for any interactive system. However, web-based applications suffer sometimes from bad response times. This fact is not always important but for services depending on a  high degree of interactivity it can be severe. This thesis attempts to give an answer to the question whichi s the requirements engineering for best response time on a highly interactive Web-based application? The research approach is deductive based on a single-case study and using qualitative method. The case system is a web-based system that supports an experimental technique called Wizard-of-Oz. To tackle the research question an extensive review of literature on requirements engineering was made, and, for the case study itself, system requirements documents and interviews were included. The results include information about the specific requirements engineering process for the case system, response time, and quality attributes.The conclusion indicates the importance of response time requirements, hardware and software requirements, testing, but also a demonstration phase for desired interactive behaviour including response time. The latter is not previously identified as a major step in the general literature on requirements engineering but should definitively be noted by researchers and practitioner alike.

The music of Béla Bartók is defined in part by its unique blend of rhythmic vitality and inventiveness, and his string quartets offer a glimpse into a consistency of technique evident throughout his compositional career. Bartók's rhythmic environments are primarily metrical, but many of his rhythmic configurations are placed in such a way as to potentially override established meter. It is necessary, therefore, to institute an analytical means by which the delineation and comparison of rhythmic structures both within and without the metrical context may be accomplished. An analytical method using Timepoint Accent Structures (TAS) allows for the comparison of rhythms resulting from patterns of accent produced by pitch onset, dynamic stress, articulation or any other accentual factors. Timepoint Grouping Structures (TGS) delineate the number of timepoints present in alternating groups/blocks in a texture, thereby allowing for the recognition of patterning created by these larger groups. By applying TAS and TGS analysis, relationships of rhythmic equivalency, rotation, retrograde, complementation, augmentation, diminution, subset, superset, exchange, compression and expansion are clearly confirmed in the string quartets. In addition, symmetrical structures and arithmetic progressions are discovered. In many ways, Bartók's rhythmic organization mimics his procedures of pitch structuring.

Prioritering av systemkrav är en viktig fråga vid utnyttjandet av resurserna på systemutvecklingsavdelningar. Problem uppstår när antalet krav som ska prioriteras är fler än de systemutvecklingsresurser som finns tillgängliga. Således måste de systemkrav som företag vill få utfört av sin systemutvecklingsavdelning prioriteras på ett strukturerat sätt. För att göra det strukturerat behövs stöd i form av regelverk, ramverk och metoder för prioriteringsarbetet. Problemet är att det finns inga ramverk som ger detta stöd idag. Examensarbetsrapporten utforskar vilka beståndsdelar ett ramverk ska bestå av för att stödja prioritering av systemkrav. Syftet är att skapa ett ramverk för att införa ett strukturerat beslutsstöd med prioriteringsmetoder. En väl utformad forskningsstrategi tillämpas innehållande tre olika forskningsfaser: utforskande, utformande och utvärderande. Forskningsfaserna vägleder arbetet i rätt riktning och ser till att motverka validitetshot som riskerar uppstå. Forskningsmetoden är av kvalitativ och induktiv karaktär. Fakta inhämtas genom litteraturstudier, intervjuer och förstudie, som analyserades ur vilket en första version av ramverkets beståndsdelar utformas. Utvärderingsintervjuer görs med respondenter som har mångårig erfarenhet av prioritering inom systemutveckling. Intervjuerna visar på att företag, oavsett bransch, har liknande förutsättningar och strukturer för att applicera ramverket. Det framtagna ramverkets första version valideras som relevant, lämpligt samt funktionellt för prioritering av systemkrav med mindre justering. Efter en analys av utvärderingen skapades en slutgiltig version av ramverket för prioritering av krav i systemutvecklingsprojekt benämnt PaKS. Resultatet från utvärderingen visar att PaKS är lämpligt, fullständigt och användbart i sin generella utformning där respondenterna bidragit med förslag för ytterligare utformning. / Prioritizing system requirements is an important issue for utilizing resources in system development departments. Issues arise when the number of requirements to prioritize are more than there are resources available in the system development department. Thus, the system requirements that a company want carried out by the system development department must prioritized in a structured way. To make prioritization structured, support is required in the form of regulations, framework and methods for prioritizations. Today there are no frameworks that provide this support. This study explores which components a framework should consist of to support the prioritization of system requirements. The aim is to create a framework for implementing structured decision support with prioritization methods. A well designed research strategy containing three different research phases is used: exploration, design and evaluation. The research phases guide the work in the right direction and aim to counteract validity threats that may occur. The research method is of a qualitative and inductive nature. Facts are obtained through literature studies, interviews and preliminary studies, which were analyzed from which a first version of the framework's components is designed. Evaluation interviews are conducted with respondents who have many years of experience of prioritization in system development. The evaluation show that companies, regardless of industry, have similar conditions and structures to apply the framework. The first version of the framework is validated as relevant, appropriate and functional for prioritizing system requirements with minor adjustments. Following an analysis of the evaluation, a final version of the framework for prioritization of requirements in system development projects, called PaKS, was created. The outcome of the evaluation shows that PaKS is useful in its overall design, in which respondents contributed proposals for further design.