Modelo de avaliação de desempenho de operadores logísticos atuantes no setor agrícola de cargas a granel

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia de ProduçãoA mensuração da performance dos processos logísticos de organizações prestadoras de serviços logísticos é considerada dentro do ambiente empresarial como de primordial importância para aquelas que têm como desafio atuar de forma mais competitiva em mercados globais. Um dos setores em que essa realidade é observada é o agrícola - especialmente de granéis -, onde os operadores logísticos constituem um elo fundamental das cadeias produtivas dos grãos, os quais representam uma fatia representativa do PIB agrícola nacional e atuam como um dos mais importantes reguladores da balança comercial brasileira. Esses operadores logísticos fazem parte de um grupo muito heterogêneo de organizações baseadas em ativos ou em informações, mas que, de forma similar, não tabulam de maneira organizada e periódica seus resultados operacionais. Conseqüentemente, não acompanham a performance de seus processos primários, ou seja, os serviços oferecidos e vendidos aos clientes. O estudo iniciou através do levantamento do panorama e dos conceitos de avaliação de desempenho logístico. Para isso, foram consultadas todas as principais publicações acadêmicas disponíveis que poderiam oferecer alguma contribuição ao tema. Basicamente, todo o material a que se teve acesso estava focado na mensuração da performance de empresas com processos industriais. Um destes modelos estudados foi o desenvolvido no Latin America Logistics Center do Georgia Institute of Technology, um grupo de estudos chefiado pela Prof. Dra. Maria Angélica Rey, que consiste da proposta de aplicação de quatro grupos de indicadores de desempenho (financeiro, produtividade, tempo e qualidade) às atividades logísticas efetuadas na empresa. Com base nesta estrutura, foi proposto um novo modelo voltado à aplicação em empresas prestadoras de serviços logísticos. O resultado desse novo modelo proposto foi apresentado de forma matricial, na qual, nas linhas figuram as principais atividades logísticas efetuadas por operadores logísticos e no lugar das colunas, os quatro grupos de indicadores. Para cada atividade foram apresentados exemplos de indicadores dos diferentes grupos. Na parte metodológica do estudo foi proposta a forma de medição dos indicadores sugeridos e demonstrada uma das representações gráficas que pode assumir. Finalmente foi feita a aplicação do modelo, através de um sistema de indicadores de desempenho em um grande operador logístico atuante no setor agrícola de cargas a granel sediado no Norte do Paraná. Desta forma buscou-se demonstrar o uso deste novo modelo e criar os primeiros padrões de referência que poderão ser utilizados como benchmarking por outros profissionais/pesquisadores que adotarem a mesma metodologia

De la experiencia europea a la realidad en los países en vías de desarrollo: una propuesta para la comparación de acciones del Programa LEADER con iniciativas brasileñas de desarrollo local en el medio rural

This article presents the possibilities for the replication of the structure and concepts of the European Initiative LEADER to the Latin – American rural areas, focus on the Brazilian context. The replication is based on two current national level experiences: Program for the Invigoration of the Familiar Agriculture –PRONAF- and Program Fome Zero (Zero Hunger). As a result of the Brazilian case study, it is suggested the amplification of the Model drawn up by this research (Unforeseen Actions Model) to other Latin American regions that lack of a starting point to propose or upgrade local development plans for rural areas. The relevance of this study is stressed due to the important activity of the European Cooperation in Latin America through the existing channels of Technical Cooperation and Humanitarian Help.Se propone presentar algunas posibilidades de replicación de la estructura y de los conceptos de la Iniciativa europea LEADER al contexto territorial de los espacios rurales latinoamericanos, haciendo hincapié en la realidad brasileña. La replicación está basada en las experiencias vigentes de ámbito nacional: Programa de Fortalecimiento de la Agricultura Familiar y Programa Fome Zero (Hambre Cero). Como resultado del estudio del caso brasileño, se sugiere la ampliación del Modelo creado en esta investigación (Modelo de Acciones No Contemplados) a otros territorios latinoamericanos que carezcan de un punto de partida para proponer o actualizar planes de desarrollo local en el medio rural. Se fortalece la pertinencia de dicho estudio por la importante actuación de la Cooperación Europea en Latinoamérica a través de canales de Cooperación Técnica y Ayuda Humanitaria en la actualidad

Gauging the effect of supermassive black holes feedback on quasar host galaxies

In order to gauge the role that active galactic nuclei play in the evolution of galaxies via the effect of kinetic feedback in nearby QSO 2’s (z ∼ 0.3), we observed eight such objects with bolometric luminosities Lbol∼1046ergs−1 using Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph-integral field units. The emission lines were fitted with at least two Gaussian curves, the broadest of which we attributed to gas kinetically disturbed by an outflow. We found that the maximum extent of the outflow ranges from ∼1 to 8 kpc, being ∼0.5±0.3 times the extent of the [OIII] ionized gas region. Our ‘default’ assumptions for the gas density (obtained from the [SII] doublet) and outflow velocities resulted in peak mass outflow rates of M˙defout∼ 3–30 M⊙yr−1 and outflow power of E˙defout∼1041–1043ergs−1⁠. The corresponding kinetic coupling efficiencies are εdeff=E˙defout/Lbol∼7×10−4–0.5 per cent, with the average efficiency being only 0.06 per cent (0.01 per cent median), implying little feedback powers from ionized gas outflows in the host galaxies. We investigated the effects of varying assumptions and calculations on M˙out and E˙out regarding the ionized gas densities, velocities, masses, and inclinations of the outflow relative to the plane of the sky, resulting in average uncertainties of 1 dex. In particular, we found that better indicators of the [OIII] emitting gas density than the default [SII] line ratio, such as the [ArIV] λλ4711,40 line ratio, result in almost an order of magnitude decrease in the εf

Bipolar ionization cones in the extended narrow-line region of nearby QSO2s

We have used narrowband [O III] λλ4959, 5007 and Hα+[N II] λλ6548, 84 Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images of nine luminous (L[O III]>1042 erg s−1) type 2 QSOs with redshifts 0.1<z<0.5 in order to constrain the geometry of their extended narrow-line regions (ENLRs), as recent ground-based studies suggest that these regions become more spherical at high luminosities due to destruction of the torus. We instead find elongated ENLRs reaching 4–19 kpc from the nucleus and bipolar ionization cones in [O III]/(Hα+[N II]) excitation maps indicating that the torus survives these luminosities, allowing the escape of ≈10 times higher ionizing photon rates along the ionization axis than perpendicular to it. The exceptional HST angular resolution was key to our success in arriving at these conclusions. Combining our measurements with previous ones based on similar HST data, we have revisited the relation between the ENLR radius Rmaj and L[O III] over the range 39<log(L[O III])<43.5 (L in erg s−1): log(Rmaj)=(0.51±0.03) log(L[O III]) −18.12±0.98. The radius of the ENLR keeps increasing with L[O III] in our data, implying that the ENLR can extend to distances beyond the limit of the galaxy if gas is present there—e.g., from active galactic nucleus (AGN) outflows or interactions, seen in six objects of our sample. We attribute the flattening previously seen in this relation to the fact that the ENLR is matter-bounded, meaning that ionizing photons usually escape to the intergalactic medium in luminous AGNs. Estimated ionized gas masses of the ENLRs range from 0.3 to 2×108Me, and estimated powers for associated outflows range from <0.1% to a few percent of the QSO luminosity

Penilaian Kinerja Keuangan Koperasi di Kabupaten Pelalawan

This paper describe development and financial performance of cooperative in District Pelalawan among 2007 - 2008. Studies on primary and secondary cooperative in 12 sub-districts. Method in this stady use performance measuring of productivity, efficiency, growth, liquidity, and solvability of cooperative. Productivity of cooperative in Pelalawan was highly but efficiency still low. Profit and income were highly, even liquidity of cooperative very high, and solvability was good

Juxtaposing BTE and ATE – on the role of the European insurance industry in funding civil litigation

One of the ways in which legal services are financed, and indeed shaped, is through private insurance arrangement. Two contrasting types of legal expenses insurance contracts (LEI) seem to dominate in Europe: before the event (BTE) and after the event (ATE) legal expenses insurance. Notwithstanding institutional differences between different legal systems, BTE and ATE insurance arrangements may be instrumental if government policy is geared towards strengthening a market-oriented system of financing access to justice for individuals and business. At the same time, emphasizing the role of a private industry as a keeper of the gates to justice raises issues of accountability and transparency, not readily reconcilable with demands of competition. Moreover, multiple actors (clients, lawyers, courts, insurers) are involved, causing behavioural dynamics which are not easily predicted or influenced. Against this background, this paper looks into BTE and ATE arrangements by analysing the particularities of BTE and ATE arrangements currently available in some European jurisdictions and by painting a picture of their respective markets and legal contexts. This allows for some reflection on the performance of BTE and ATE providers as both financiers and keepers. Two issues emerge from the analysis that are worthy of some further reflection. Firstly, there is the problematic long-term sustainability of some ATE products. Secondly, the challenges faced by policymakers that would like to nudge consumers into voluntarily taking out BTE LEI

Search for stop and higgsino production using diphoton Higgs boson decays

Results are presented of a search for a "natural" supersymmetry scenario with gauge mediated symmetry breaking. It is assumed that only the supersymmetric partners of the top-quark (stop) and the Higgs boson (higgsino) are accessible. Events are examined in which there are two photons forming a Higgs boson candidate, and at least two b-quark jets. In 19.7 inverse femtobarns of proton-proton collision data at sqrt(s) = 8 TeV, recorded in the CMS experiment, no evidence of a signal is found and lower limits at the 95% confidence level are set, excluding the stop mass below 360 to 410 GeV, depending on the higgsino mass

Severe early onset preeclampsia: short and long term clinical, psychosocial and biochemical aspects

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy specific disorder commonly defined as de novo hypertension and proteinuria after 20 weeks gestational age. It occurs in approximately 3-5% of pregnancies and it is still a major cause of both foetal and maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide1. As extensive research has not yet elucidated the aetiology of preeclampsia, there are no rational preventive or therapeutic interventions available. The only rational treatment is delivery, which benefits the mother but is not in the interest of the foetus, if remote from term. Early onset preeclampsia (<32 weeks’ gestational age) occurs in less than 1% of pregnancies. It is, however often associated with maternal morbidity as the risk of progression to severe maternal disease is inversely related with gestational age at onset2. Resulting prematurity is therefore the main cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity in patients with severe preeclampsia3. Although the discussion is ongoing, perinatal survival is suggested to be increased in patients with preterm preeclampsia by expectant, non-interventional management. This temporising treatment option to lengthen pregnancy includes the use of antihypertensive medication to control hypertension, magnesium sulphate to prevent eclampsia and corticosteroids to enhance foetal lung maturity4. With optimal maternal haemodynamic status and reassuring foetal condition this results on average in an extension of 2 weeks. Prolongation of these pregnancies is a great challenge for clinicians to balance between potential maternal risks on one the eve hand and possible foetal benefits on the other. Clinical controversies regarding prolongation of preterm preeclamptic pregnancies still exist – also taking into account that preeclampsia is the leading cause of maternal mortality in the Netherlands5 - a debate which is even more pronounced in very preterm pregnancies with questionable foetal viability6-9. Do maternal risks of prolongation of these very early pregnancies outweigh the chances of neonatal survival? Counselling of women with very early onset preeclampsia not only comprises of knowledge of the outcome of those particular pregnancies, but also knowledge of outcomes of future pregnancies of these women is of major clinical importance. This thesis opens with a review of the literature on identifiable risk factors of preeclampsia

Mitochondrial physiology

As the knowledge base and importance of mitochondrial physiology to evolution, health and disease expands, the necessity for harmonizing the terminology concerning mitochondrial respiratory states and rates has become increasingly apparent. The chemiosmotic theory establishes the mechanism of energy transformation and coupling in oxidative phosphorylation. The unifying concept of the protonmotive force provides the framework for developing a consistent theoretical foundation of mitochondrial physiology and bioenergetics. We follow the latest SI guidelines and those of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) on terminology in physical chemistry, extended by considerations of open systems and thermodynamics of irreversible processes. The concept-driven constructive terminology incorporates the meaning of each quantity and aligns concepts and symbols with the nomenclature of classical bioenergetics. We endeavour to provide a balanced view of mitochondrial respiratory control and a critical discussion on reporting data of mitochondrial respiration in terms of metabolic flows and fluxes. Uniform standards for evaluation of respiratory states and rates will ultimately contribute to reproducibility between laboratories and thus support the development of data repositories of mitochondrial respiratory function in species, tissues, and cells. Clarity of concept and consistency of nomenclature facilitate effective transdisciplinary communication, education, and ultimately further discovery