Managed fund attributes and performance : Australian evidence

This cross-sectional study goes beyond the traditional performance evaluation of managed funds and extends the literature to consider fund-specific attributes that influence performance. Using a sample of 168 Australian open-ended equity funds, the risk adjusted performance is measured using three alternative evaluation techniques. We find that funds with higher management fees and long fund history have contributed to the underperformance. Along with the traditional attributes identified by the literature, market capitalisation of the security held by the fund is included as a unique attribute with significant results, indicating that funds targeting small capitalisation companies display superior performance.

Seasonal performance rating of heat pump water heaters

Seasonal performance evaluation methods for water heaters are reviewed and an experimental method for rating air-source heat pump water heaters is presented. The rating method is based on measured heat pump performance during heat-up operation of particular products rather than a generic simulation model of heat pump performance. The measured performance is used in a correlation model of the heat pump unit in an annual load-cycle system performance simulation based on the TRNSYS simulation package.

Managed fund attributes and performance

This cross-sectional study goes beyond the traditional performance evaluation of managed funds and extends the literature to consider fund-specific attributes that influence performance.. Using a sample of 168 Australian open-ended equity funds, the risk adjusted performance is measured using three alternative evaluation techniques. We found funds with higher management fees and senior in age have contributed to the underperformance. Along with the traditional attributes identified by the literature. market capitalisation of the security held by the fund is included as a unique attribute with significant results indicating that funds targeting small capitalisation companies display superior performance.

An empirical study of high performance HRM practices in Chinese SMEs

This paper explores the performance effects of human resource management (HRM) practices in 74 Chinese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Four high performance HRM practices are identified: performance-based pay, participatory decision-making, free market selection, and performance evaluation. Regression analysis results support the conventional idea that the adoption of HRM practices generates better HRM outcomes and, in turn, better HRM outcomes contribute positively to firm performance. However, not all HRM practices, and their effects, led to improved SME performance. Among the Chinese SMEs investigated, a high level of employee commitment was identified as being the key HRM outcome for enhancing performance.

Energy-efficient management of data center resources for cloud computing : a vision, architectural elements, and open challenges

Cloud computing is offering utility-oriented IT services to users worldwide. Based on a pay-as-you-go model, it enables hosting of pervasive applications from consumer, scientific, and business domains. However, data centers hosting Cloud applications consume huge amounts of energy, contributing to high operational costs and carbon footprints to the environment. Therefore, we need Green Cloud computing solutions that can not only save energy for the environment but also reduce operational costs. This paper presents vision, challenges, and architectural elements for energy-efficient management of Cloud computing environments. We focus on the development of dynamic resource provisioning and allocation algorithms that consider the synergy between various data center infrastructures (i.e., the hardware, power units, cooling and software), and holistically work to boost data center energy efficiency and performance. In particular, this paper proposes (a) architectural principles for energy-efficient management of Clouds; (b) energy-efficient resource allocation policies and scheduling algorithms considering quality-of-service expectations, and devices power usage characteristics; and (c) a novel software technology for energy-efficient management of Clouds. We have validated our approach by conducting a set of rigorous performance evaluation study using the CloudSim toolkit. The results demonstrate that Cloud computing model has immense potential as it offers significant performance gains as regards to response time and cost saving under dynamic workload scenarios.

An approach to faulty reader detection in RFID reader network

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology is becoming increasingly popular as an automated tool for object monitoring and identification in a cost-efficient manner. RFID systems are made up of heterogeneous components consisting of both hardware and software. RFID components such as the readers are prone to failures with serious consequences to the overall system. Thus, issues such as reliability and dependability of RFID systems are receiving attention recently. This mandates fault management that includes monitoring the health of RFID readers and accessing the RFID reader configurations remotely. Therefore, an approach that detects the faulty readers with the aim to minimize the impacts of the faulty readers on the system reliability and dependability is of paramount importance. In this chapter, the authors discuss an approach to detect faulty readers in networked RFID system environments. Performance evaluation of the approach against other techniques is presented and shows that it performs reasonably well in the presence of faulty readers.

Student evaluation of teaching : keeping in touch with reality

Student evaluation of teaching is commonplace in many universities and may be the predominant input into the performance evaluation of staff and organisational units. This article used publicly available student evaluation of teaching data to present examples of where institutional responses to evaluation processes appeared to be educationally ineffective and where the pursuit of the ‘right’ student evaluation results appears to have been mistakenly equated with the aim of improved teaching and learning. If the vast resources devoted to student evaluation of teaching are to be effective, then the data produced by student evaluation systems must lead to real and sustainable improvements in teaching quality and student learning, rather than becoming an end in itself.

Establishment of temperature control scheme for microbioreactor operation using integrated microheater

This paper presents design and fabrication of a microbioreactor platform, and implementation of two temperature control methods (i.e. on-off and PID) and their performance evaluation on the microbioreactor platform (working volume ~300 μL). The temperature of the microbioreactor content is controlled by using a subminiature heater placed underneath the microbioreactor and is measured with a miniature Pt 100 sensor. The microbioreactor is also integrated with a magnetic stirring capacity and a water evaporation control scheme. Programs for the two temperature control methods are written in LabVIEW software and implemented by interfacing them with a data acquisition card. It is shown that by implementing on–off and PID temperature control methods, the temperature of the microbioreactor content can be tightly controlled with an accuracy of approximately ±0.5 °C of the set point values. Both control methods also provide a good response and settling time values (i.e. around 2 min). Contrary to the on/off control method, the PID control method requires no adjustments whenever the set-point values are modified. The PID temperature control method works well for the entire tested range.

Estratégias acadêmicas na avaliação de desempenho dos cursos de ciências contábeis no enade em NATAL - RN

O número de instituições de ensino superior no Brasil vem crescendo bastante nos últimos anos. Com isso a preocupação com a qualidade dos cursos ofertados também tem aumentado. Para avaliar essa qualidade do ensino o governo instituiu formas de avaliação e vem aperfeiçoando a cada ano. As instituições, por sua vez, buscam bons resultados nessas avaliações a fim de utilizar como item de vantagem competitiva, uma vez que as notas obtidas por elas chamam atenção de novos clientes. Dessa forma, o presente trabalho buscou analisar as principais estratégias acadêmicas utilizadas na avaliação de desempenho dos cursos de Ciências Contábeis, da região de Natal-RN, no ENADE. Trata-se de uma pesquisa de abordagem qualitativa e quantitativa, e foi aplicado um estudo de caso complementado por um survey. A parte qualitativa foi obtida através de entrevistas semiestruturadas realizadas com os coordenadores dos cursos e a quantitativa foi obtida através da aplicação de um questionário fechado aos alunos aptos a participarem do ENADE no ano de 2012. Foram estudadas todas as instituições em Natal que possuem o curso de Ciências Contábeis, modelo presencial, sendo ao todo 10 (dez) instituições identificadas. Os dados foram analisados por meio da análise de conteúdo (entrevistas) e do software SPSS® 18 (survey). Foram utilizados os métodos de análise fatorial, através da análise de componentes principais, com rotação Varimax e normalização Kaiser. Em relação à análise da importância do ENADE sob a perspectiva dos estudantes, foi utilizado o teste não paramétrico de Mann-Whitney. Como resultados da pesquisa, foi identificado que tanto os discentes como os coordenadores de curso entendem a importância do ENADE, também observou-se que a satisfação dos discentes com a instituição refletiu nos resultados obtidos por esta, bem como, o momento em que foi iniciada a preparação para o exame também refletiu nas notas recebidas pelas instituições

Scheduler simulation using iSPD, an iconic-based computer grid simulator

Increased accessibility to high-performance computing resources has created a demand for user support through performance evaluation tools like the iSPD (iconic Simulator for Parallel and Distributed systems), a simulator based on iconic modelling for distributed environments such as computer grids. It was developed to make it easier for general users to create their grid models, including allocation and scheduling algorithms. This paper describes how schedulers are managed by iSPD and how users can easily adopt the scheduling policy that improves the system being simulated. A thorough description of iSPD is given, detailing its scheduler manager. Some comparisons between iSPD and Simgrid simulations, including runs of the simulated environment in a real cluster, are also presented. © 2012 IEEE.

Evaluation of babassu meal in feed for layer hens during the growth phase

Studies were conducted to evaluate the nutritional value and inclusion levels of babassu meal (BM) in the diet of grower layer pullets in substitution to wheat meal. Digestibility, metabolism and growth trials were conducted. Twelve cecectomized roosters were used in the digestibility assay to determine the coefficients of standardized digestibility of amino acids (CSDAA). The metabolism trial was conducted with 30 adult roosters to determine the apparent metabolizable energy corrected for nitrogen (AMEn) of BM. A growth trial was performed to determine replacement levels of wheat midds by BM diet using 360 six-week-old commercial layer pullets. BM was included at the 0, 75 and 150 g/kg of BM, during grower and development rearing phases, respectively. Feed intake, body weight gain, and feed conversion were evaluated. BM AMEn was determined as 1,474 kcal/kg, on as-fed basis. The CSDAA determined for BM were below 88% for all AA. The inclusion of BM in the feed of grower layers (7-18 week) significantly decreased feed intake (p < 0.05), but significantly improved body weight gain and feedconversion ratio (p < 0.05) at 15% inclusion level. Considering the nutritional value and performance results, BM can replace wheat midds in diets of grower layer pullets.

Bem-estar e qualidade da carne de suínos alimentados com dietas contendo milho geneticamente modificado

Pós-graduação em Zootecnia - FMVZ

Accurate adjustment of feed formulation for broiler chickens on performance and lipid composition of meat

Most consumers consider the fat of chicken meat undesirable for a healthy diet, due to the high levels of saturated fatty acids and cholesterol. The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the influence of changes in dietary metabolizable energy level, associated with a proportional nutrient density variation, on broiler chickens performance and on the lipid composition of meat. Males and females Cobb 500 broilers were evaluated separately. Performance evaluation followed a completely randomized design with factorial 6x3 arrangement - six energy levels (2,800, 2,900, 3,000, 3,100, 3,200 and 3,300 kcal/kg) and three slaughter ages (42, 49 and 56 days). Response surface methodology was used to establish a mathematical model to explain live weight, feed intake and feed conversion behavior. Total lipids and cholesterol were determined in skinned breast meat and in thigh meat, with and without skin. For lipid composition analysis, a 3x3x2 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design - three ration’s metabolizable energy levels (2,800, 3,000 and 3,300 kcal/kg), three slaughter ages (42, 49 and 56 days) and two sexes - was used. The reduction in the diet metabolizable energy up to close to 3,000 kcal/kg did not affect live weight but, below this value, the live weight decreased. Feed intake was lower when the dietary energy level was higher. Feed conversion was favored in a direct proportion to the increase of the energy level of the diet. The performance of all birds was within the range considered appropriate for the lineage. Breast meat had less total lipids and cholesterol than thigh meat. Thigh with skin had more than the double of total lipids of skinned thigh, but the cholesterol content did not differ with the removal of the skin, suggesting that cholesterol content is not associated with the subcutaneous fat. Intramuscular fat content was lower in the meat from birds fed diets with lower energy level. These results may help to define the most appropriate nutritional management. Despite the decrease in bird’s productive performance, the restriction of energy in broiler chickens feed may be a viable alternative, if the consumers are willing to pay more for meat with less fat.

Identificação de contrastes vocálicos do Português Brasileiro

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)