No description available.

Since European settlement the Aspen Parkland has been subject to agricultural intensification. This research assessed the agronomic, ecologic and economic impact of native Parkland conversion into tame pasture, by building on a study initiated in 1980 investigating the short-term agronomic responses within three landscape-level treatments: an intensive Clear & Break (C&B), a Spray & Burn (S&B) and a burnt Native Check (NC). Historical information was supplemented with recently collected data (2005-2006). Production remained high within the NC relative to the others after 25 years, in part due to contributions from browse in areas with increasing woody species. Plant species composition also demonstrated considerable convergence (i.e. overlap) between native and tame grasslands, and although not different in soil organic matter, microfaunal activity differed marginally. Net present value (NPV) economic analysis indicated the NC and S&B provided greater aggregate returns over the study period, and has implications for aspen management in the future. / Rangeland and Wildlife Resources

Positive staff interactions with clients can be difficult to maintain when working with adults with developmental disabilities who display challenging behavior. Research findings have demonstrated a common display of challenging behaviors within this population and some of the staff that work with these individuals display less than positive interactions which has led researchers to investigate the use of several behavioral approaches to improve staff interactions. One intervention that has been explored is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT); however, there is limited research in applying ACT to this problem. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of ACT, specifically the use of mindfulness techniques in improving staff interactions towards developmentally disabled clients. Results of this study revealed that mindfulness techniques were effective at improving staff interactions towards clients, as indicated by an increased number of positive staff interactions, with continued practice of these behaviors during maintenance probes.

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Allen M. Featherstone / Johnsonville Sausage is a privately held company based in Sheboygan Falls, WI. The company has a growing cooked sausage business and is evaluating options to expand capacity. Investing in either of two existing facilities or outsourcing production to a co-manufacturer is being considered in this make versus buy analysis. Intense competition in the category and uncertain raw material markets are considerations in the evaluation. Data used for the analyses were obtained from Johnsonville sources. Assumptions for the “make” analyses were based on existing data where applicable such as labor and utilities, and in other cases assumptions were made based on company knowledge of the process. Johnsonville engineers worked closely with equipment vendors to develop the building and equipment investment plan. Data for the “buy” alternative were received from a prequalified co-packer with advanced manufacturing technology. A Net Present Value (NPV) model is developed for each alternative and used to determine financial viability of each. The models consider varying investment requirements, freight rates and cost of goods for each alternative. Sensitivity analyses are performed to address key variables such as raw material prices and sales volume. The paper concludes that investment in Sheboygan is a viable option; however, the investment poses risk if raw material prices rise and or volume declines from expected projections. Therefore, the recommendation is to outsource production and initiate the Sheboygan project when the co-packed volume reaches 15 million pounds.

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Allen M. Featherstone / Best Maid is a middle-sized regionally orientated company, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is currently owned and operated by the fourth generation of the Dalton family. The company specializes in the production of pickles and condiment products and currently holds the title of #1 retail brand of pickles in the state of Texas. In addition to the Best Maid label, products are also produced under the Del-Dixie label. The objective of this thesis is to analyze a potential capital project: a bucket line replacement. The analysis will be completed by using net present value to determine the cost and benefits of the project. The focus of the project will be the food service bucket line. The current line was designed and installed over 20 years ago. Currently, this line and supporting resources require a staff of 17 employees to operate. The process is looking to be improved through advances in technology including vibratory conveyors, more complex PLC programming, and increased accuracy of scaling equipment. Implementing these advancements has the potential to reduce the employee labor cost as well as decrease over-scaling. The goal of this project is to inform the Best Maid owners of the investment costs, labor savings, benefits, and the financial viability of the proposed capital investment. Best Maid has consistently grown at a high single digit to low double digit rate each year. Businesses must continually identify and react to the needs of tomorrow, today. Formal processes within the business will be established to evaluate and prioritize future potential projects. The conclusion of the analysis resulted in a positive NPV of about $567 thousand and a favorable IRR. The recommendation is to adopt the new technology.

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Allen M. Featherstone / The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the impact the installation of an automated packaging system would have on the predominately manual bulk packaging work centers at Wixon Inc., a privately held, integrated food and beverage developer, manufacturer, and processor. The objective of this thesis is to determine if converting to an automated system would minimize costs and increase line speeds. The owners desire a 3-year payback on the investment. In addition to the financial and economical aspects of automating the equipment, there are potential food safety and personnel safety improvements that would be brought to the firm by changing equipment. The firm’s owners want to be proactive and minimize any impact a reduction in the labor pool might see cause from the exit of workers from the Baby Boomer generation. Methods used to determine the objectives of this thesis include a comparative time study of bag filling rates, an analysis of incremental cost savings, net present value (NPV) analysis and return on investment (ROI). Data were collected from studies conducted by the engineering consulting firm of Middough Incorporated, from Wixon Inc. accounting records and, interviews of key Wixon employees. The report provided by Middough determined that the new system would be able to replace three work centers in the Bulk Packaging department based on bag fill rates and flexibility in bag sizes. This reduces the employee cost per bag. The incremental costs were analyzed using accounting records for past history. Floor space, labor costs and other integral costs were compared to determine what costsavings there may be. Cost savings were treated as cash flow. The NPV and ROI for the project used this cash flow to determine if an investment in automation is a wise one. The conclusion based on the analysis made was that, based on NPV the investment would be profitable. However, the 3-year payback of $1.5 million would not be possible under current assumptions. The automation would reduce the number of needed employees enough to absorb any reduction in the labor pool while providing increased food and employee safety.

Orientador: Darcy Flavio Nouer / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Odontologia de Piracicaba / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-04T00:08:27Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Viotti_AdrianadeOliveira_M.pdf: 2563925 bytes, checksum: 4df9549d622411867272692474ab8ed9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2004 / Resumo: As variações morfológicas e o tamanho mandibular contribuem para a maioria dos desvios oclusais, maloclusões, e displasias dos maxilares. O tratamento ortodôntico é um procedimento de gerenciamento de espaços, e o estudo do processo de crescimento da região retromolar é essencial ao diagnóstico e planejamento do tratamento ortodôntico, com a finalidade de ajustar os dentes às dimensões ósseas de suporte. A avaliação do espaço disponível para se obter as posições dentárias corretas e conseguir a oclusão desejada é um dos passos do diagnóstico diferencial. Este trabalho apresenta uma metodologia para avaliar o ¿espaço útil ortodôntico¿ por meio do aumento dos incrementos de crescimento da região retromolar baseado somente em estruturas ósseas: área anterior, representada pela cortical vestibular do mento e na área posterior, a borda anterior do ramo ascendente mandibular. No presente estudo transversal foram mensuradas 240 lerradiografias da cabeça em norma lateral, distribuídas igualmente para os gêneros femininos e masculinos nas faixas etárias dos 7 aos 18 anos de idade. As análises dos dados estatísticos mostraram que o espaço retromolar teve um aumento de 0,9mm/ano no gênero feminino e 0,8mm/ano no gênero masculinono período estudado. Especificamente na avaliação das faixas etárias estudadas, os seguintes crescimentos foram observados: no gênero feminino de 7 a 10 anos: 5,2 mm, de 11 a 14 anos: 3,6mm e de 15 a 18 anos: 2,4mm. Já no gênero masculino, observou-se, de 7 a 10 anos: 3,6mm, de 11 a 14 anos: 2,8mm e dos 15 aos 18 anos: 3,2mm. Na correlação da medida equivalente à base mandibular (B ¿ X) e parte da altura do ramo (Y ¿ Z) constatou-se uma equivalência no crescimento dos segmentos. No tocante a metodologia proposta e a preconizada por Merrifield observou-se na correlação de Pearson um índice de 0,726 / Abstract: The morphologic variations and the mandible size contribute for most deviations occlusions, malocclusion and diseases of the maxillaries. The orthodontic treatment is a spaces management procedure, and the growth process study of the region retromolar is essential to the diagnosis and planning of the orthodontic treatment, with the purpose of adjusting the teeth to the bony dimensions of support. The evaluations of the available space to if obtain the dental positions and to get the wished occlusion is one of the diagnosis differential. This study show us a methodology of the evaluated the ¿utile orthodontic area ¿based in the growing increments of the retromolar region based only in bone structure: anterior area, the vestibular sinfisys cortical, and in the posterior area the anterior board of the mandible branch. In this study was measured 240 cephalometrics radiographies divided for the female and male sex in the age zones from 7 to 18 years. The results show us that the retromolar space had an increase of 0,9 mm/year in the female sex and 0,8 mm/year in male sex in the study period. Specifically in the evaluation of age zones was study, we observed the following growing increments in female sex 7 to 10 years: 5,2 mm/year, 11 to 14 year: 3,6 mm/year, 15 to 18 year: 2,4 mm/year. In the male sex observed in 7 to 10 year: 3,6 mm/year, 11 to 14 year: 2,8 mm/year and 15 to 18 year: 3,2 mm/year. In the correlation equivalent of mandible base (B ¿ X) and part of the mandible branch¿s high (Y ¿ Z), observed a growing synchrony of the segments. In the propose methodology and in Merrifield¿s propose observed the Pearson correlation an indices of 0,726 / Mestrado / Ortodontia / Mestre em Ortodontia

This report studies the development of a usable web application for gifts with an engaging buying process, where the customer is given suggestions on gifts based on his preferences. The demand was examined and confirmed by studies which formed the basis for the development of the application. The work was done with the project methodology Scrum, which is presented and evaluated. The report presents and discusses the technical solutions chosen for the implementation of the web application.Design choices have been made and are discussed, with the main objective to create ausable web application with an engaging buying process. Usability and commitment hasbeen created through a buying process in which the products are presented one at a time. Finally, the report argues that Presentshoppen is to some extent usable and with an engaging buying process, but it is difficult to prove this before any launch. / Denna rapport studerar utvecklandet av en användbar e-butik för presenter med enengagerande köpprocess, där kunden ges förslag på presenter efter dennes preferenser. Behovet av en sådan e-butik kartlades och bekräftades genom studier, vilket låg till grund för utvecklandet av applikationen. Arbetet har genomförts med projektmetodiken Scrum som presenteras och utvärderas. Rapporten presenterar och diskuterar valda tekniska lösningar för implementationen av webbapplikationen. Designmässiga val och avvägningar har genomförts och diskuteras, där huvudsyftet varit att skapa en användbar e-butik med en engagerande köpprocess. Användbarhet och engagemang har huvudsakligen skapats genom en köpprocess där produkter presenteras en i taget. Slutligen argumenterar rapporten för att Presentshoppen till viss del är användbar och engagerande men att svårigheter finns att visa detta innan eventuell lansering.

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Jason S. Bergtold / Location optimization of a new dairy processing plant is crucial given the significant capital investment of $350 million required to build the plant. Couple this with notable differences in milk and transportation costs due to location, an examination of historical Net Present Value (NPV) of Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) adjusted by a discount rate of 3% is warranted to help determine the most optimal location for a new dairy processing plant investment. This thesis is an examination of historical EBITDA NPV for three locations: Dumas, TX, Sioux Falls, SD, and Lansing, MI in an effort to predict the optimal location of a future dairy processing plant. These locations were chosen due to each having the necessary milk supply that would both encourage milk production and support increases in dairy processing. Prices dairy processors receive for cheese can fluctuate but are not tied to the location in which the cheese is produced. Transportation costs of the cheese are determined by the distance to the processing plant from Plymouth, WI, which is where most further cheese processing takes place. Therefore, this thesis includes a sensitivity analysis for the Lansing, MI location to determine a breakeven milk cost and cheddar cheese price. The NPV was positive for the Dumas, TX location at $100 million as compared to (-$820) million and (-$247) million at the Sioux Falls, SD and Lansing, MI locations, respectively. The results indicate an emerging EBITDA NPV trend favoring the Lansing, MI location as indicated by this location having the best performance in the last two years (2016-2017) of $104 million compared to a negative performance at both of the other locations. The previous 8 years performance would favor the Dumas, TX location, however more weight was given to the past 2 years performance as an indicator for future economic returns. As a result, this thesis concludes the Lansing, MI location as the most favorable location for a new dairy processing investment.

Prenant pour point de départ l’omniprésence de l’animal dans l’art actuel, notre recherche s’attache à comprendre comment la question de l’altérité, souvent explicite dans le discours des artistes contemporains qui utilisent le thème de l’animal, se pose à travers ce dernier. En effet depuis le romantisme et suite à une crise propre à la modernité, l’homme, accablé par une mélancolie et la nostalgie de l’Harmonie et de l’Unité perdue, cherche à combler le fossé qui le sépare de « l’absolu ». C’est dans cette tentative de réconciliation que l’animal en tant qu’altérité prend une place importante. Ainsi dès le milieu du XVIIIe siècle l’attention de l’homme européen se tourne vers ces autres qui sont les « sauvages », les enfants et les animaux. Un nouveau type de rapport entre l’homme et l’animal s’instaure alors. Nous étudions ce changement de rapport en commençant avec Goya et sa descente aux enfers qui interroge la vérité de l’homme. Ensuite nous cherchons à comprendre comment se manifeste l’attrait pour l’« exotisme » chez les romantiques, peu à peu remplacé par la question de l’« éthique », pour enfin aboutir à une certaine forme d’ « animalisme ». / By taking into account the omnipresence of the animal in present art as a point of departure, our research seeks to conceive how the question of otherness, often explicitly articulated in the discourse of those contemporary artists who use the animal theme, has been put forward through it. In effect, since the romanticism and its successors have posed a real crisis to the modernity, the man, overwhelmed by melancholy and nostalgia of the past harmony and its lost unity, seeks to bridge the gap that separates her from the “Absolute.” It is in this endeavour of reconciliation that the animal as otherness holds an important position. Since the eighteenth century, the attention of the European man has turned to these forms of “others,” as the “wild,” the children and the animals. Then a new kind of relation has been developed between the Man and the Animal. Here we study this change of relation, inaugurated by Goya, and its descent into hell that queries the truth about Man. Afterwards we seek to understand how the attraction of “exoticism” among the romantics has been manifested, while gradually replaced by the question of “ethics,” that finally lead to a certain form of “animalism.”