Domain walls in spin-valve nanotracks: characterisation and applications

Magnetic systems based on the manipulation of domain walls (DWs) in nanometre-scaled tracks have been shown to store data at high density, perform complex logic operations, and even mechanically manipulate magnetic beads. The magnetic nano-track has also been an indispensable model system to study fundamental magnetic and magneto-electronic phenomena, such as field induced DW propagation, spin-transfer torque, and other micromagnetic properties. Its value to fundamental research and the breath of potentially useful applications have made this class of systems the focus of wide research in the area of nanomagnetism and spintronics. This thesis focuses on DW manipulation and DW-based devices in spin-valve nanotracks. The spin-valve is a metallic multi-layered spintronic structure, wherein the electrical resistance varies greatly with the magnetisation of its layers. In comparison to monolayer tracks, the spin-valve track enables more sensitive and versatile measurements, as well as demonstrating electronic output of DW-based devices, an achievement of crucial interest to technological applications. However, these multi-layered tracks introduce new, potentially disruptive magnetic interactions, as well as fabrication challenges. In this thesis, the DW propagation in spin-valve nanotracks of different compositions was studied, and a system with DW propagation properties comparable to the state-of-the-art in monolayer tracks was demonstrated, down to an unprecedented lateral size of 33nm. Several DW logic devices of variable complexity were demonstrated and studied, namely a turn-counting DW spiral, a DW gate, multiple DW logic NOT gates, and a DW-DW interactor. It was found that, where the comparison was possible, the overall magnetic behaviour of these devices was analogous to that of monolayer structures, and the device performance, as defined by the range of field wherein they function desirably, was found to be comparable, albeit inferior, to that of their monolayer counterparts. The interaction between DWs in adjacent tracks was studied and new phenomena were observed and characterised, such as DW depinning induced by a static or travelling adjacent DW. The contribution of different physical mechanisms to electrical current induced depinning were quantified, and it was found that the Oersted field, typically negligible in monolayer tracks, was responsible for large variations in depinning field in SV tracks, and that the strength of spin-transfer effect was similar in magnitude to that reported in monolayer tracks. Finally, current induced ferromagnetic resonance was measured, and the domain uniform resonant mode was observed, in very good agreement to Kittel theory and simulations

Medição da Qualidade em Bibliotecas e Centros de Informação: Novos Indicadores de Desempenho

Este estudo pretende ser uma revisão de algumas metodologias, de avaliação da qualidade e do desempenho dos serviços prestados nas bibliotecas e centros de informação, emergentes nos últimos cinco anos. Existe abundante literatura sobre esta matéria que se encontra profundamente ligada à gestão da qualidade. Procurou-se, de modo sumário, enumerar e promover o conhecimento de instrumentos criados e implementados em vários países do mundo. Optou-se por realçar os projectos que mais se evidenciaram a nível internacional e mostraram ser reconhecidos como instrumentos úteis e válidos para aferir, em termos quantitativos, os serviços prestados por bibliotecas públicas, académicas ou especializadas. Á biblioteca física veio adicionar-se a biblioteca digital, ambas coexistem e completam-se nos serviços de documentação. Os bibliotecários e gestores de informação têm, que gerir simultaneamente recursos humanos e de informação com, os seguintes objectivos finais: proporcionar um acesso rápido à informação; satisfazer as expectativas do utilizador e reduzir os custos dos serviços. Tendo enfoque nestas metas, vários profissionais em todo o mundo investigaram e definiram grande quantidade de metodologias para optimizar o desempenho e a qualidade dos serviços prestados nas bibliotecas. Neste contexto, é importante avaliar os serviços, uma vez que, existe a necessidade de conhecer se “os profissionais estão a oferecer os melhores serviços possíveis, aos utilizadores certos e a um preço justo” (DAVIS, 2008). A emergência das tecnologias de informação nas bibliotecas trouxe várias questões e novas abordagens. Para efectuar quantificações foram estabelecidas e alteradas, recentemente, várias ferramentas, a saber: • Novos indicadores de desempenho definidos pela International Organization for Standardization (ISO 11620:2008, ISO 2789:2006 e ISO/TR 281181:2009) e pela International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) (POLL, te BOEKHORST, 2007); • Adopção da estrutura Balanced Scorecard; • Novas dimensões da metodologia LibQUAL; • Utilização do Método de Avaliação Contingencial

Quality Measures for Libraries and Information Services.

The purpose of this article is to describe briefly two quality evaluation models for academic libraries: the Portuguese investigation proposes an action model to measure the performance of the libraries of the Universidade do Porto (UP). This tool is justified by the CAF – Common Assessment Framework (an auto-evaluation tool based on the European Foundation Quality Management Excellence Model), the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP); the PAQ – Quality of Products and Services Evaluation Program of the SIBi/USP, based on the Model SERVQUAL, is an assessment research implemented in the academic libraries of the Universidade de São Paulo (USP), in Brazil. The proposal has been presented as being viable and necessary for the management of the libraries of the SIBi/USP

Equity report on caterpillar Inc

This paper is presented in the form of an equity report, aiming to evaluate Caterpillar Inc. per share value, comparing its market value with its fair value. This manuscript presents investors with two valuation methodologies – Market Multiples and the Adjusted Present Value – that define a target price range for Caterpillar’s stocks. The first model compares Caterpillar accountings with its major competitors’ data and in the second model a 10-year forecast valuation was built. Based on the referred methods and supported on the analysis of the firm’s performance and future outlook a sell investment recommendation was made by the author

Target costing in construction: a comparative study

Target costing is an approach for the development of new products in the automobile industry, aimed at reducing their life-cycle costs while ensuring quality, reliability and other client requirements, by examining all possible ideas for cost reduction at the product planning, research and development and prototyping phases. Prior studies have attempted to adapt the manufacturing target costing process to the project-based nature of the construction industry. This paper aims to provide insights for future target costing implementations in the public sector projects. A qualitative comparison of three studies is performed through the lens of a set of target costing influencing factors. Similarities and differences revealed in the comparison suggest that factors related to supplier-base strategy and to the nature of customer are potentially relevant to future target costing implementations in public sector projects

PERFORMANCE OF BRAZILIAN BUSINESS, ACCOUNTING AND TOURISM GRADUATE PROGRAMS

The Brazilian institution in charge of graduate programs (CAPES) evaluates all programs every three years, focusing on publications in scientific periodicals, which are classified by the Qualis – CAPES system. This study aims to measure the relative efficiency of post-graduate programs in Business, Accounting and Tourism through Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and to measure the change in productivity from the three-year period of 2004-2006 to the 2007-2009 period by the Malmquist Index. Efficiencies of some graduate programs in Brazil using DEA have been evaluated but the Malmquist Index was not used because the 2007-2009 data was only recently available. They also used different input and output variables and did not consider, in our view, the real importance CAPES attributes to publications. We used, as inputs, professors, dissertations and thesis and, as outputs, total points obtained from the Qualis classification of periodicals. Among the results: the efficiency increased from the first to the second period; the efficiency of public institutions was higher as was the efficiency of programs with PhD courses and of programs more than 12 years old; the Malmquist index increased from one triennium to another

Desafios sociais para o consumo colaborativo de bicicletas e patinetes como meios de transporte no Rio de Janeiro

As cidades estão sofrendo um processo de urbanização massiva nos últimos anos e na ausência de um planejamento urbano efetivo, as consequências dessa rápida urbanização serão dramáticas, principalmente no setor de transporte. Historicamente a solução para enfrentar os desafios no transporte tem sido a fomentação do transporte particular motorizado como politica urbano, entretanto, o impacto negativo que este modal tem causa na sociedade, como a alta emissão de gases carbônicos e os engarrafamentos que afligem os indivíduos diariamente. Com o advento de novas tecnologias e do consumo colaborativo, alternativas mais eficientes e benéficas a sociedade está sendo apresentadas, como os serviços de compartilhamento de bicicletas e patinetes. Neste contexto, a presente pesquisa buscou compreender os desafios sociais, pela percepção dos consumidores, para que os serviços de compartilhamento de bicicletas e patinetes se tornem alternativas viáveis de meio de transporte para o dia-a-dia. Assim, foi realizada uma pesquisa mista, por meio de questionário online e com a utilização de dados secundários, abordando aspectos qualitativos e qualitativa. Ao final da analise, formou-se base necessária para compreender as principais barreiras atuais para a utilização em massa dos serviços de bicicleta e patinetes compartilhados, como a falta de infraestrutura, o alto preço principalmente para o serviço de patinete, e a disponibilidade que hoje se encontra limitada. A pesquisa limitou-se pelos instrumentos utilizados que não possibilitaram observar as necessidades e pensamentos dos entrevistados com uma maior profundidade

Diretrizes para adoção do custeio-meta no processo de desenvolvimento de produtos para o mercado imobiliário residencial

This study focuses on the problems associated with the traditional practice of reducing costs in construction and the need to increase business competitiveness in the residential real estate sector. In this context, target costing is a promising approach to improve the competitiveness of companies by ensuring that the products launched on the market do not jeopardize the company's results and value delivery to customers. However, far too little attention is paid to target costing implementation by companies that develop residential real state products for sale and face strong market competition. Thus, this paper seeks to investigate whether the standard framework of target costing in the literature applies - with or without adjustments - to real estate developers. Case study was the research strategy adopted. Guidelines are proposed for the introduction of target costing in the development process of residential real estate products. The proposed guidelines are related to the three main sections of the target costing process: market-driven costing, product-level target costing and component-level target costing173153165Este estudo concentra-se nos problemas associados à prática tradicional de redução de custos na construção civil e na necessidade de aumentar a competitividade das empresas do setor imobiliário residencial. Nesse contexto, o custeio-meta é uma abordagem promissora para melhorar a competitividade das empresas, assegurando que os produtos lançados no mercado não comprometam os resultados da empresa e a entrega de valor aos clientes. No entanto, muito pouca atenção tem sido dada à implementação do custeio-meta pelas empresas que desenvolvem produtos habitacionais para venda e enfrentam forte concorrência no mercado. Assim, este artigo procura investigar se o arcabouço conceitual do custeio-meta se aplica - com ou sem ajustes - aos incorporadores imobiliários. O estudo de caso foi a estratégia de pesquisa adotada. Diretrizes são propostas para a introdução de custeio-meta no processo de desenvolvimento de produtos imobiliários residenciais. As diretrizes propostas estão relacionadas às três seções principais do processo do custeio-meta: custeio orientado ao mercado, custeio-meta ao nível de produto e custeio-meta ao nível de component

Tula Giannini e Jonathan P. Bowen (ed.) – Museums and Digital Culture: New Perspectives and Research

O livro Museums and Digital Culture: New Perspectives and Research debruça-se sobre a cultura digital, as práticas artísticas digitais e o seu impacto nos museus no século XXI, traçando o desenvolvimento da cultura digital desde os anos de 1940 até ao presente. Sob múltiplos pontos de vista, esta publicação reflecte sobre o crescente e preponderante papel dos meios digitais na sociedade e o consequente impacto nos diferentes aspectos da prática museal. Os temas abordados visam responder a alg..