Delivery Reliability: Timely and Quantitative Accuracy in a Forest Industry Company

The primary objective of this thesis was to research delivery reliability of mill business unit of a forest industry company, especially timely and quantitative accuracy of sales orders. Delivery reliability is an important factor of customer satisfaction, which has a great influence for success of a company. The secondary objective was to find out reasons for possible problems of delivery reliability and give propositions for improvable performances. The empirical part of the thesis based on reporting database of the forest industry company’s ERP-software and detailed information of the mill system. The delivery reliability results of the mill business unit were compared to delivery reliability of similar mill business unit inside the forest industry company. The research results expressed problems in the supply chain. The delivery reliability reporting should be also developed further. This would advance delivery reliability monitoring. The improvement propositions of the thesis were logistic operation mode estimation, particular benchmarking of the compared mill business unit and more detailed survey on production delivery reliability.

Distinção entre cachaças destiladas em alambiques e em colunas usando quimiometria

One hundred fifteen cachaça samples derived from distillation in copper stills (73) or in stainless steels (42) were analyzed for thirty five itens by chromatography and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The analytical data were treated through Factor Analysis (FA), Partial Least Square Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) and Quadratic Discriminant Analysis (QDA). The FA explained 66.0% of the database variance. PLS-DA showed that it is possible to distinguish between the two groups of cachaças with 52.8% of the database variance. QDA was used to build up a classification model using acetaldehyde, ethyl carbamate, isobutyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, acetic acid and formaldehyde as chemical descriptors. The model presented 91.7% of accuracy on predicting the apparatus in which unknown samples were distilled.

Validación de un método analítico empleando cromatografía líquida de alta eficiencia para la determinación de ibuprofeno en medios biorrelevantes

An analytical method by liquid chromatography has been proposed and validated to study the apparent solubility of ibuprofen in biorelevant dissolution media. The main properties of the studied media were pH values of 5.0 and 6.5 and the presence or absence of some natural surfactant agents. The parameters evaluated were specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, and detection and quantification limits, as well as the drug stability under the analysis conditions. The developed method was useful to determine the apparent solubility of this drug as a function of temperature and surfactants concentration to demonstrate the validity of the Biopharmaceutics Classification System.

Identification of Races of Selected Isolates of Uromyces appendiculatus from Minas Gerais (Brazil) Based on the new international classification system

Twelve single-pustule isolates of Uromyces appendiculatus, the etiological agent of common bean rust, were collected in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and classified according to the new international differential series and the binary nomenclature system proposed during the 3rd Bean Rust Workshop. These isolates have been used to select rust-resistant genotypes in a bean breeding program conducted by our group. The twelve isolates were classified into seven different physiological races: 21-3, 29-3, 53-3, 53-19, 61-3, 63-3 and 63-19. Races 61-3 and 63-3 were the most frequent in the area. They were represented by five and two isolates, respectively. The other races were represented by just one isolate. This is the first time the new international classification procedure has been used for U. appendiculatus physiological races in Brazil. The general adoption of this system will facilitate information exchange, allowing the cooperative use of the results obtained by different research groups throughout the world. The differential cultivars Mexico 309, Mexico 235 and PI 181996 showed resistance to all of the isolates that were characterized. It is suggested that these cultivars should be preferentially used as sources for resistance to rust in breeding programs targeting development lines adapted to the state of Minas Gerais.

A Survey and Classification of Software Testing Tools

Software testing is one of the essential parts in software engineering process. The objective of the study was to describe software testing tools and the corresponding use. The thesis contains examples of software testing tools usage. The study was conducted as a literature study, with focus on current software testing practices and quality assurance standards. In the paper a tool classifier was employed, and testing tools presented in study were classified according to it. We found that it is difficult to distinguish current available tools by certain testing activities as many of them contain functionality that exceeds scopes of a single testing type.

Financier’s credit risk: A Performance-Based Classification Model

The purpose of this study is to view credit risk from the financier’s point of view in a theoretical framework. Results and aspects of the previous studies regarding measuring credit risk with accounting based scoring models are also examined. The theoretical framework and previous studies are then used to support the empirical analysis which aims to develop a credit risk measure for a bank’s internal use or a risk management tool for a company to indicate its credit risk to the financier. The study covers a sample of Finnish companies from 12 different industries and four different company categories and employs their accounting information from 2004 to 2008. The empirical analysis consists of six stage methodology process which uses measures of profitability, liquidity, capital structure and cash flow to determine financier’s credit risk, define five significant risk classes and produce risk classification model. The study is confidential until 15.10.2012.

Classification, comorbidity, heredity, and risk factors of female sexual dysfunctions

Female sexual dysfunctions, including desire, arousal, orgasm and pain problems, have been shown to be highly prevalent among women around the world. The etiology of these dysfunctions is unclear but associations with health, age, psychological problems, and relationship factors have been identified. Genetic effects explain individual variation in orgasm function to some extent but until now quantitative behavior genetic analyses have not been applied to other sexual functions. In addition, behavior genetics can be applied to exploring the cause of any observed comorbidity between the dysfunctions. Discovering more about the etiology of the dysfunctions may further improve the classification systems which are currently under intense debate. The aims of the present thesis were to evaluate the psychometric properties of a Finnish-language version of a commonly used questionnaire for measuring female sexual function, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), in order to investigate prevalence, comorbidity, and classification, and to explore the balance of genetic and environmental factors in the etiology as well as the associations of a number of biopsychosocial factors with female sexual functions. Female sexual functions were studied through survey methods in a population based sample of Finnish twins and their female siblings. There were two waves of data collection. The first data collection targeted 5,000 female twins aged 33–43 years and the second 7,680 female twins aged 18–33 and their over 18–year-old female siblings (n = 3,983). There was no overlap between the data collections. The combined overall response rate for both data collections was 53% (n = 8,868), with a better response rate in the second (57%) compared to the first (45%). In order to measure female sexual function, the FSFI was used. It includes 19 items which measure female sexual function during the previous four weeks in six subdomains; desire, subjective arousal, lubrication, orgasm, sexual satisfaction, and pain. In line with earlier research in clinical populations, a six factor solution of the Finnish-language version of the FSFI received supported. The internal consistencies of the scales were good to excellent. Some questions about how to avoid overestimating the prevalence of extreme dysfunctions due to women being allocated the score of zero if they had had no sexual activity during the preceding four weeks were raised. The prevalence of female sexual dysfunctions per se ranged from 11% for lubrication dysfunction to 55% for desire dysfunction. The prevalence rates for sexual dysfunction with concomitant sexual distress, in other words, sexual disorders were notably lower ranging from 7% for lubrication disorder to 23% for desire disorder. The comorbidity between the dysfunctions was substantial most notably between arousal and lubrication dysfunction even if these two dysfunctions showed distinct patterns of associations with the other dysfunctions. Genetic influences on individual variation in the six subdomains of FSFI were modest but significant ranging from 3–11% for additive genetic effects and 5–18% for nonadditive genetic effects. The rest of the variation in sexual functions was explained by nonshared environmental influences. A correlated factor model, including additive and nonadditive genetic effects and nonshared environmental effects had the best fit. All in all, every correlation between the genetic factors was significant except between lubrication and pain. All correlations between the nonshared environment factors were significant showing that there is a substantial overlap in genetic and nonshared environmental influences between the dysfunctions. In general, psychological problems, poor satisfaction with the relationship, sexual distress, and poor partner compatibility were associated with more sexual dysfunctions. Age was confounded with relationship length but had over and above relationship length a negative effect on desire and sexual satisfaction and a positive effect on orgasm and pain functions. Alcohol consumption in general was associated with better desire, arousal, lubrication, and orgasm function. Women pregnant with their first child had fewer pain problems than nulliparous nonpregnant women. Multiparous pregnant women had more orgasm problems compared to multiparous nonpregnant women. Having children was associated with less orgasm and pain problems. The conclusions were that desire, subjective arousal, lubrication, orgasm, sexual satisfaction, and pain are separate entities that have distinct associations with a number of different biopsychosocial factors. However, there is also considerable comorbidity between the dysfunctions which are explained by overlap in additive genetic, nonadditive genetic and nonshared environmental influences. Sexual dysfunctions are highly prevalent and are not always associated with sexual distress and this relationship might be moderated by a good relationship and compatibility with partner. Regarding classification, the results supports separate diagnoses for subjective arousal and genital arousal as well as the inclusion of pain under sexual dysfunctions.

Accuracy and efficiency evaluation of point-centered quarter method variations for vegetation sampling in an araucaria forest

In order to verify Point-Centered Quarter Method (PCQM) accuracy and efficiency, using different numbers of individuals by per sampled area, in 28 quarter points in an Araucaria forest, southern Paraná, Brazil. Three variations of the PCQM were used for comparison associated to the number of sampled individual trees: standard PCQM (SD-PCQM), with four sampled individuals by point (one in each quarter), second measured (VAR1-PCQM), with eight sampled individuals by point (two in each quarter), and third measuring (VAR2-PCQM), with 16 sampled individuals by points (four in each quarter). Thirty-one species of trees were recorded by the SD-PCQM method, 48 by VAR1-PCQM and 60 by VAR2-PCQM. The level of exhaustiveness of the vegetation census and diversity index showed an increasing number of individuals considered by quadrant, indicating that VAR2-PCQM was the most accurate and efficient method when compared with VAR1-PCQM and SD-PCQM.

Using aster multispectral imagery for mapping woody invasive species in pico da vara natural reserve (Azores Islands, Portugal)

This paper aims to assess the effectiveness of ASTER imagery to support the mapping of Pittosporum undulatum, an invasive woody species, in Pico da Vara Natural Reserve (S. Miguel Island, Archipelago of the Azores, Portugal). This assessment was done by applying K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Maximum Likelihood (MLC) pixel-based supervised classifications to 4 different geographic and remote sensing datasets constituted by the Visible, Near-Infrared (VNIR) and Short Wave Infrared (SWIR) of the ASTER sensor and by digital cartography associated to orography (altitude and "distance to water streams") of which the spatial distribution of Pittosporum undulatum directly depends. Overall, most performed classifications showed a strong agreement and high accuracy. At targeted species level, the two higher classification accuracies were obtained when applying MLC and KNN to the VNIR bands coupled with auxiliary geographic information use. Results improved significantly by including ecology and occurrence information of species (altitude and distance to water streams) in the classification scheme. These results show that the use of ASTER sensor VNIR spectral bands, when coupled to relevant ancillary GIS data, can constitute an effective and low cost approach for the evaluation and continuous assessment of Pittosporum undulatum woodland propagation and distribution within Protected Areas of the Azores Islands.

CLASSIFICATION OF FOREST ROADS AND DETERMINATION OF ROUTE USING GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM

ABSTRACT Geographic Information System (GIS) is an indispensable software tool in forest planning. In forestry transportation, GIS can manage the data on the road network and solve some problems in transportation, such as route planning. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the pattern of the road network and define transport routes using GIS technology. The present research was conducted in a forestry company in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The criteria used to classify the pattern of forest roads were horizontal and vertical geometry, and pavement type. In order to determine transport routes, a data Analysis Model Network was created in ArcGIS using an Extension Network Analyst, allowing finding a route shorter in distance and faster. The results showed a predominance of horizontal geometry classes average (3) and bad (4), indicating presence of winding roads. In the case of vertical geometry criterion, the class of highly mountainous relief (4) possessed the greatest extent of roads. Regarding the type of pavement, the occurrence of secondary coating was higher (75%), followed by primary coating (20%) and asphalt pavement (5%). The best route was the one that allowed the transport vehicle travel in a higher specific speed as a function of road pattern found in the study.