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Hundert, Juliane. "Die Rückabwicklung des finanzierten Beitritts zu einer Publikumsgesellschaft nach Paragraphen 358, 359 BGB." kostenfrei, 2009. http://d-nb.info/1000042626/34.
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Brauns, Christoph [Verfasser]. "Requirements Engineering & Management in der wehrtechnischen Beschaffung : Empirische Bestandsaufnahme, Konzeptentwicklung, Evaluation / Christoph Brauns." Aachen : Shaker, 2016. http://d-nb.info/1124366660/34.
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Kemper, Werner. "Horizontale Teilrechtskraft des Schuldspruchs und Bindungswirkung im tatrichterlichen Verfahren nach der Zurückverweisung : 353, 354 Abs. 2 StPO /." Frankfurt am Main ;Berlin [u.a.] : Lang, 1993. http://www.gbv.de/dms/spk/sbb/recht/toc/276510437.pdf.
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Tolbert, Glen D. "359." Thesis, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1989. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/53247.
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Ozlu, Pelin. "Three Dimensional Finite Element Analysis Of A Novel Bracing System In Small Deep Excavations." Master's thesis, METU, 2012. http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12615029/index.pdf.
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One of the most common retaining systems for deep excavations is by supporting a wall with multiple levels of anchors. In densely built urban areas, preventing soil movement with such a system can be very costly. Additionally, anchored walls are assumed and forced to act independently during design calculations, thus fail to take the advantage of the rigidity of the whole system at the corners of the excavation area. An alternative support system that uses the entire system is bracing of the walls with struts. But such a system greatly hinders construction space. In this research, a new type of supporting system has been investigated by performing a parametric study in finite element analyses program. New system is a single ring at each support level, supporting the system at several locations. A comparative study has been undertaken between the conventional systems and the new system in both 2D and 3D. PLAXIS finite element analysis software was used for the analyses. The primary aim was to investigate the structural and geotechnical performance of the arch supported system. The study revealed that the new system provides improvement for specific cases and can be considered as an alternatve support system for such cases.
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Ozturk, Songul. "Small Towns Reshaping Their Urban Planning Policies Joining In The Cittaslow International Network:the Case Of Seferihisar In Turkey." Master's thesis, METU, 2012. http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12614177/index.pdf.
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Honiball, Thomas Wallace. "Elandspoort 357-JR." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/30287.
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Landscape design and architecture adhere to the similar principles of form making. These have been affiliated with nature through history, sharing dialogues of philosophy. As theoretical premise, an investigation at the relationship between form and programme in the Western world (from Antiquity to the 21st Century). The conclu¬sion was that there is a relationship between form and programme, that different periods in history have drawn varying conclusions regarding this relationship. My conclusion views the idea as the most important aim of architecture, that the relationship between form and programme influences/guides/shapes the idea through the design process. The urban framework aims to preserve, to link and enhance open space in the Pretoria Central Business District. The theoretical investigation and framework directed the need for a site that would allow me to convey my own conclusion regarding the relationship, ingrained with the idea of preserving and linking open space in the focus area of Pretoria. The Union Buildings as selected site, orientated around its natural landscape, is layered with different interventions representative of relationships between form and programme, presenting the opportunity to explore my premise. The site is dominated by biota or nature, allowing the assessment of the terrain in terms of how landscape (more specifically plants) as a programme influences architectural form. Interventions focused on the Vredehuis complex (sited on the Union Buildings grounds) function as the focus of the argument. The site is classified as a botanic garden. The programme of botany is informed by the site history; residential (1880-1914), botanic gardens (1914-1975), nursery (1915-1950), greenhouse (1918-1975) and entomology/plant pathology division (1914-2007). A further investigation of plants informs the function and programme of the design.Mini Dissertation (MArch(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2010.
Architecture
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Hoarau, Christophe. "Nouvelles approches synthétiques de produits naturels basées sur la réactivité d'aminocarbanions stabilisés." Lille 1, 2000. https://pepite-depot.univ-lille.fr/LIBRE/Th_Num/2000/50376-2000-354-355.pdf.
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Les techniques de synthese organique s'appuyant sur la creation de carbanions -amines representent des outils extremement prometteurs mais restent encore peu utilisees dans les plans d'elaboration d'alcaloides complexes. Le travail developpe s'inscrit dans cette perspective et propose la conception et la mise en uvre de strategies originales d'acces a une serie d'alcaloides et de produits naturels hautement condenses dont l'elaboration releve des defis synthetiques. Elles sont basees sur la creation et l'utilisation d'-aminocarbanions stabilises par divers groupements phosphoryles et integres dans deux grandes familles : les amides et amines. C'est ainsi qu'une strategie generale de synthese d'isoindolinones--phosphorylees mettant a profit la reactivite nucleophile de ces especes vis-a-vis d'entites aryniques et permettant de maitriser le nombre et la position des substituants sur tous les sites de la molecule a dans un premier temps ete envisagee. Une premiere application de ce concept a permis de proposer une strategie generale d'acces aux structures isoindolinoniques qui devrait pouvoir trouver immediatement une application en chimie therapeutique puisque ces structures sont utilisees comme tenseur dans la conception de nouveaux medicamentsDe nouvelles approches conceptuelles de la charpente d'alcaloides de la famille des aristolactames, de l'eupolauramine, des tetrahydroisoindolobenzazepines et des 4,5-dioxoaporphines ont ensuite ete developpees. Elles reposent toutes sur l'exploitation des proprietes yluriques des anions derivant soit d'amines phosphoryles et ont en commun la formation concomitante d'une unite de type enamide ou enamide acyclique ou exocyclique, ces reactions s'inscrivant dans le cadre des reactions de horner. La mise en uvre de techniques d'annelation de differente nature, radicalaire, carbocationique ou enfin photochimique, ont permis de completer la construction des charpentes aromatiques polycycliques azotees
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England, Keven [Verfasser], Andreas [Akademischer Betreuer] Schlattmann, Andreas [Gutachter] Schlattmann, and Annette [Gutachter] Schmidt. "Sportliche Aktivität und Einstellung zur körperlichen Fitness von Soldatinnen und Soldaten der Bundeswehr / Keven England ; Gutachter: Andreas Schlattmann, Annette Schmidt ; Akademischer Betreuer: Andreas Schlattmann ; Universität der Bundeswehr München, Fakultät für Humanwissenschaften." Neubiberg : Universitätsbibliothek der Universität der Bundeswehr München, 2021. http://d-nb.info/1235490653/34.
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Gillon, Frédéric Brochet Pascal. "Modélisation et optimisation par plans d'expériences d'un moteur à commutations électroniques." [S.l.] : [s.n.], 1997. http://www.univ-lille1.fr/bustl-grisemine/pdf/extheses/50376-1997-351-352.pdf.
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Hoarau, Christophe Couture Axel. "Nouvelles approches synthétiques de produits naturels basées sur la réactivité d'aminocarbanions stabilisés." [S.l.] : [s.n.], 2000. http://www.univ-lille1.fr/bustl-grisemine/pdf/extheses/50376-2000-354-355.pdf.
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Delemer, Jean-David Jaeger Jean-Claude de. "Elaboration d'un nouveau modèle hydrodynamique bidimensionnel de transistor à effet de champ à hétérojonctions pour l'amplification de puissance en millimétrique." [S.l.] : [s.n.], 2000. http://www.univ-lille1.fr/bustl-grisemine/pdf/extheses/50376-2000-358-359.pdf.
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Stone, Helen. "Specialist teachers and curriculum reform in a Western Australian primary school in 2002 : a comparative study of specialist music, health and physical education, and languages-other-than-English teaching professionals /." Stone, Helen (2006) Specialist teachers and curriculum reform in a Western Australian primary school in 2002: a comparative study of specialist music, health and physical education, and languages-other-than-English teaching professionals. Masters by Research thesis, Murdoch University, 2006. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/350/.
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This thesis details research on the first phase of curriculum reform (1999-2004) in a government primary school in Western Australia. The purpose of the study was to examine what progress had been made with the implementation of the Curriculum Framework (1998). The research focussed on Music, Health and Physical Education, and Languages Other than English as specialist teachers working with the Curriculum Framework (1998). Teachers and school administrators, as frontline practitioners, considered their experiences and perceptions of daily practice and provided their perspectives on curriculum reform.
The hypothesis formulated for the study was that with the introduction of the Curriculum Framework (1998) the delivery of these three subjects could be further improved. This study argues that successful curriculum performance of these three subjects traditionally considered 'specialist programs' may be more fully supported by becoming aware of the forces influencing Australian curriculum discourse and delivery. Subject knowledge endorsement in this study refers to the transfer of valued knowledge in Western Australian educational systems. It is proposed that if teaching professionals articulated the substance of their educational beliefs and experiences with regard to subject knowledge meaning, place and value, curriculum delivery in primary schools may progress more effectively. Positive learning experiences for all students can be provided through the encouragement of communication and collegiality together with relevant and accessible professional development. These measures can also be supported by mounting whole-school primary programs that engage with beliefs about Music, Health and Physical Education, and Languages Other Than English through collaborative networks and learning communities. Accordingly, curriculum delivery can come within reach of the seamless curriculum anticipated by reform (Curriculum Framework, 1998:6-7).
In this qualitative interview study, the frontline participants included generalist teachers, specialist teachers and school administrators. These educational practitioners were asked to participate in an in-depth, semi-structured discussion that explored their perceptions of specialist teaching and knowledge while employed at Deep Sea Primary School in 2002. They teachers also commented on how these perceptions may be linked to their experiences of socially constructed and established notions of valued knowledge.
The findings of this study indicated that the progressive implementation of these three subjects or specialist's areas were characterised by subtle historical, economic, political and social forces. This thesis suggests that, these largely obscured external forces together with individual yet, taken for granted perceptions of what is perceived as valuable knowledge work together to position curriculum rhetoric and curriculum enactment that reflect established perceptions of the knowledge hierarchy. Teachers and administrators at the school often operated within the structures and meanings of conventional teaching practice of subject knowledge as determined by dominant culture in Australia. The findings indicated that school culture in a time of reform re-traditionalised hierarchical patterns of subject knowledge organisation and evaluation. Accordingly, current subject knowledge endorsement in terms of specialist teaching often worked to the benefit of established power relationships typical of post-industrial market economy in Australia.
The findings also indicated that issues pertaining to curriculum prioritisation were influenced by institutional, group and individual experiences of subject specialist knowledge. Poor perceptions of these three subjects could also be generated by experiencing inflexible and inadequate yet established funding and resource patterns in educational systems. Frontline teachers, their school-based roles and responsibilities attached to the teaching and learning of the three specialist areas were typified by rigid school organisation and job structures together with condensed teaching time and community backing.
This thesis argues that progressive, outcomes education requires an articulate and supportive school culture, more funding and the genuine maintenance of quality Music, Health and Physical Education and Language Other Than English teachers. In addition, curriculum implementation would benefit from the promotion of constructivist-orientated student activities within specialist programs.
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Stone, Lynley M. "Floral biology and propagation of blue-flowered Conospermum spp." Stone, Lynley M. (2003) Floral biology and propagation of blue-flowered Conospermum spp. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2003. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/351/.
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Blue-flowered Conospermum are endemic to Western Australia, and show great potential as cut flowers. Propagation from cuttings or seed proved difficult, and root initiation in vitro is problematic. This thesis examines the floral biology of the species and the possibility of using somatic embryogenesis to overcome propagation problems.
A survey of explant tissue types for C. eatoniae and C. caeruleum was carried out to identify tissue that could be induced into embryogenic pathways. Vegetative, semi-floral and floral buds were initiated into culture from February to June, but were found unsuitable for embryogenesis, producing shoots, callus or dying in culture. Leaves from in vitro leaf cultures formed callus in the presence of 2,4-D and BAP, but were unable to differentiate into embryos in the presence of a variety of growth regulator combinations and concentrations. Immature zygotes died in culture. Direct embryogenesis and/or embryogenic callus was observed on mature zygotes of the species C. caeruleum, C. spectabile, C. dorrienii and C. brownii, and somatic embryos were maintained in culture for up to 18 months for C. caeruleum.
Maturation and germination of somatic embryos proved difficult; treatments of cold, ABA, desiccation or mannitol did not induce maturation. It appears that developmental pathways in Conospermum are well defined and are difficult to alter in vitro. It was concluded that somatic embryogenesis has limited commercial potential in these species.
Conospermum species have an active pollination mechanism where the style is held in a state of tension when the flower opens. When pressure is applied at the base of the style by an insect, the style flicks downwards, striking the insect pollinator and releasing pollen from the anther in a single dusty mass. However, the breeding systems of blue-flowered Conospermum have not previously been well explored.
Flowers on a C. eatoniae inflorescence opened from the basal end upwards acropetally, with the terminal two or three buds never opening. Fruit and seed set occurred only from the basal one to three buds. Isolation of C. eatoniae and C. amoenum flowers showed they were unable to self-pollinate in the absence of insect pollinators.
Experiments to determine the timing of the peak of stigmatic receptiveness were inconclusive. Pollen germinated and penetrated the stigma 0 - 6 days after anther dehiscence. Pollen loads on the stigma did not relate to the number of pollen tubes observed down the style. Controlled pollinations of cultivated C. eatoniae at a field station using self and cross pollen, revealed compatibility with a range of pollen genotypes, as pollen tubes were observed extending down the style. However, late-acting incompatibility could not be ruled out as controlled crosses failed to set any seed as flowers were shed from the bush.
DNA analysis of open pollinated C. eatoniae seed progeny from two plants from a field station and two plants in natural bushland revealed very different pollination habits. Plants from the field station showed no outcrossing, with progeny closely resembling the maternal parent, whereas plants from the wild population showed outcrossing with several different paternal parents. These results suggest self-pollinated seed can be reliably obtained in a plantation situation using stands of ramets of the same clone. Alternatively, assuming that the required insect pollinators are present in a cultivated stand, it should be possible to obtain cross pollinated seed by surrounding the maternal plant with the desired paternal parent.
Unusual pollen behaviour was observed for many blue-flowered species, a white-flowered species of Conospermum, and close relative, Synaphea petiolaris. Up to three pollen tubes emerged from the triporate pollen in vitro, and at rates of up to 55 mcgms-1. This rate was maintained for only 2 s but is greater than 20 times faster than reported in the literature for any species, in vitro or in vivo. Pollen with multiple tubes was also observed on the stigma in vivo in C. amoenum flowers.
Changing the osmotic pressure of the germination medium by altering sucrose concentration influenced the number of tubes to emerge from the pollen grain; generally the number of tubes decreased as sucrose increased. However, the rate of tube growth was unaffected. The addition of calcium channel blockers to the germination medium had no effect on Conospermum growth rate, nor did they eliminate pulses of tube growth.
Observation of Conospermum pollen ultrastructure revealed similarities to Gramineae pollen. The tube cytoplasm was packed with vesicles filled with material of similar electron density to the cell wall. Few golgi were identified, and the apical end of the tube contained these vesicles, smaller secretory vesicles and mitochondria. This is atypical of the tip, which is normally free of large vesicles. Distinct zones in the cytoplasm were not identified, which is similar to Gramineae. Like the grasses, Conospermum appears to pre-manufacture cell wall material and store it in vesicles ready for rapid germination and extension.
A biological function of multiple pollen tube emergence with such rapid growth was not elucidated.
This research has shown Conospermum to be a complex and very interesting genus. Further investigation into the remarkable growth of multiple pollen tubes would enhance our knowledge of the biological processes involved in tube growth and the process of fast wall formation. The potential benefits to the cut flower industry of commercialising some of these species warrants further effort to find an efficient method of propagation. Introduction into horticulture may be the only means by which these threatened species will survive.
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Sudweeks, Fay. "Development and leadership in computer-mediated collaborative groups." Sudweeks, Fay (2004) Development and leadership in computer-mediated collaborative groups. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2004. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/352/.
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Computer-mediated collaboration is an important feature of modern organisational and educational settings. Despite its ever increasing popularity, it is still commonly compared unfavourably with face-to-face collaboration because non-verbal and paralinguistic cues are minimal. Although research on face-to-face group collaboration is well documented, less is known about computer-mediated collaboration.
The initial focus of this thesis was an in-depth analysis of a case study of a computer-mediated collaborative group. The case study was a large international group of volunteer researchers who collaborated on a two-year research project using asynchronous communication (email). This case study was a window on collaborative dialogue in the early 1990s (1992-94) at a time when information and communication technologies were at an early stage of development.
After identifying the issues emerging from this early case study, another case study using technologies and virtual environments developed over the past decade, was designed to further understand how groups work together on a collaborative activity. The second case study was a small group of students enrolled in a unit of study at Murdoch University who collaborated on a series of nine online workshops using synchronous communication (chat room). This case study was a window on collaborative dialogue in the year 2000 when information and communication technologies had developed at a rate which few people envisioned in the early 90s.
The primary aim of the research described in this thesis was to gain a better understanding of how computer-mediated collaborative communities develop and grow. In particular, the thesis addresses questions related to the developmental and leadership characteristics of collaborative groups.
Internet research requires a set of assumptions relating to ontology, epistemology, human nature and methodological approach that differs from traditional research assumptions. A research framework for Internet research - Complementary Explorative Data Analysis (CEDA) - was therefore developed and applied to the two case studies.
The results of the two case studies using the CEDA methodology indicate that computer-mediated collaborative groups are highly adaptive to the aim of the collaborative task to be completed, and the medium in which they collaborate. In the organisational setting, it has been found that virtual teams can devise and complete a collaborative task entirely online. It may be an advantage, but it is certainly not mandatory to have preliminary face-to-face discussions. What is more important is to ensure that time is allowed for an initial period of structuration which involves social interaction to develop a social presence and eventually cohesiveness. In the educational setting, a collaborative community increases pedagogical effectiveness. Providing collaborative projects and interdependent tasks promotes constructivist learning and a strong foundation for understanding how to collaborate in the global workplace. Again, this research has demonstrated that students can collaborate entirely online, although more pedagogical scaffolding may be required than in the organisational setting. The importance of initial social interaction to foster a sense of presence and community in a mediated environment has also been highlighted.
This research also provided greater understanding of emergent leadership in computer-mediated collaborative groups. It was found that sheer volume of words does not make a leader but frequent messages with topic-related content does contribute to leadership qualities.
The results described in this thesis have practical implications for managers of virtual teams and educators in e-learning.
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Summerfield, Tracey Lee. "Families of meaning: dismantling the boundaries between law and society." Summerfield, Tracey Lee (2004) Families of meaning: dismantling the boundaries between law and society. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2004. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/353/.
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Legal positivism insists upon a distinction between the inside and outside of law. The common law and statutory rules of interpretation assist in maintaining this distinction, establishing the myth that legal decision-making is a purely objective and rational process, giving rise to internal truths. While critical theorists have illustrated the ways in which the lines between the inside and outside are always blurred, there remains a perceived distinction, in law, between the interpretation of concepts that occurs in the law and that which occurs outside the law. Only the former have legal legitimacy. The idea of the legal family is a case in point, where the law defines family according to its own prescriptions irrespective of how family is constituted by non-legal communities. In this thesis, I consider the meanings of family in different spheres to show how the lines between the social, the political and the legal consistently overlap. I then develop a mechanism by which the law can acknowledge and affirm that which is 'outside'. This requires, firstly, a conception of law as communication and of legal interpretation as a constructive process. Secondly, the task demands that jurists engage with the semiotic processes of the everyday and that legal concepts, at least those that exist independently of the law (family for example) be framed with an open indexicality. This might enable such concepts to be interpreted according to a range of contexts, other than (or in addition to) the legal one. Finally, using the family as an example, I illustrate how a semiotic approach can assist legal interpretation, reform and analysis.
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Sungsri, Patsorn. "Thai cinema as national cinema : an evaluative history /." Sungsri, Patsorn (2004) Thai cinema as national cinema: an evaluative history. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2004. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/354/.
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This dissertation considers Thai cinema as a national text. It portrays and analyses Thai film from the introduction of cinema to Thailand during the reign of King Chulalongkorn (1868-1910) up until the present day (2004).
At its core, this thesis adopts the ideas of Higson, O'Regan and Dissanayake in considering the cultural negotiation of cinema and the construction of nation. In this study of Thai National Cinema two principal methods are employed - economic and text-based. In terms of political economy Thai National Cinema is explored through the historical development of the local film industry, the impact of imported cinema, taxation, censorship and government policy, and the interplay between vertically and horizontally integrated media businesses. Special attention is paid to the evolving and dynamic role of the ruling class in the local film industry. The dissertation's text-based analyses concern the social and ideological contexts of these national productions in order to consider extant characteristics of Thai nationhood and how these are either reflected or problematised in Thai Cinema.
Of particular relevance is this dissertation's emphasis on three resilient and potent signifiers of Thai identity- nation, religion,and monarchy - and their interrelationship and influence in the development of Thai National Cinema. These three 'pillars' of Thai society form the basis for organising an understanding of the development of Thai cinematic tradition, now over a century old. This thesis argues that any discussion of the historical, or current, development of Thai National Cinema must accommodate the pervasive role that these three principal forms of national identity play in formulating Thai society, culture, and politics. The recent challenges of globalisation and postmodernism, as well as the rise of an educated middle-class, provide opportunity for reconceptualizing the relevance of these three pillars. In this way Thai National Cinema can be considered a useful barometer in both reflecting and promoting the construction of Thai identity and thought.
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Beven, Jaimie Patricia. "Interpersonal emotional responses in violent offenders: (re)examining the role of empathy." Beven, Jaimie Patricia (2005) Interpersonal emotional responses in violent offenders: (re)examining the role of empathy. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2005. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/355/.
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The study of empathy has had a long history in both psychology and philosophy; however, debate has continued in relation to the exact nature of the construct. Several distinct variants of empathy have evolved over time, with some researchers viewing the construct as cognitive, while others emphasise the affective nature of empathy. An examination of the history of the construct reveals evidence which supports both positions. Multidimensional models of empathy, such as that posed by Davis (1994), encompass both cognitive and affective accounts of empathy, as well as their interaction. Despite the apparent acceptance of multidimensional models of empathy, confusion still remains as to the definition of empathy. This has restrained theories of the relationship between empathy and constructs such as aggression.
The current program of study sought to clarify the relationship between aggression and empathy, focusing on a multidimensional approach. It was argued that previous research relied on the assumed inhibitory nature of empathy on aggression, and although intuitive, had failed to acknowledge alternative explanations for a relationship between empathy and aggression. Three possible explanations to account for a possible relationship between empathy and aggression were therefore examined. Firstly, that the distress cues of another produce distress in the observer (personal distress) and that distress is interpreted as aversive. Personal distress produces a drive to reduce the aversive state which may result in the use of violence by some individuals. (Empathic arousal functioning as a facilitator of aggression); secondly, that the distress cues of another fail to produce an affective reaction in some observers. (Empathic arousal failing to function as an inhibitor of aggression); and thirdly, that the distress cues of another produce an affective reaction in some observers, which is interpreted as an excitation (contrast empathy), and functions to reinforce the use of violence. (Empathic arousal functioning as a facilitator of aggression).
During phase 1 of the research the psychometric properties of the empathy measure, currently used with offenders, were examined in an offender sample. Results from 88 violent offenders indicated that the measure was not suitable for use with offender samples, and therefore new scales needed to be produced before research could continue. Two scales were constructed; the Negative Affect Intolerance Scale (NAIS) assessed offenders' level of intolerance toward distress cues of others, while the Offender Contrast Affect Scale (OCAS) assessed offenders' level of excitation and enjoyment of the distress cues of others. Once scale construction had been complete, the psychometric properties of the scales were examined using sample of 166 university students. These preliminary results indicated that both scales were reliable and valid.
Phase 2 of the research program began with a pilot study to examine the psychometric properties of the two newly constructed scales with sample of 49 incarcerated male offenders. Both scales once again produced results which supported their reliability and validity. A larger study was then conducted to examine the three theorised roles that empathy may play in either the production or maintenance of aggression. Cluster analysis identified 5 clusters in a sample of 106 sentenced male offenders, based on their responses to a set of scales (including the NAIS and OCAS). Each of these clusters was compared to a Western Australian community sample (43 low SES males). Results supported all three explanations of a relationship between empathy and aggression, within different clusters of offenders.
The final phase of research involved postulating a theoretical role for cognitive aspects of empathy (perspective taking) in the production or inhibition of aggression. It was argued that, despite the apparent simplicity with which the construct has been dealt with in the literature, perspective taking should be considered a two dimensional construct (frequency and accuracy). When considered in this way, perspective taking may provide additional guidance in the study and treatment of human aggression.
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Thompson, Alan. "Entrepreneurship and business innovation." Thompson, Alan (2006) Entrepreneurship and business innovation. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2006. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/356/.
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This study has examined the knowledge required for the publication of an Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation (E&BI) focused teaching text. The research design was based on a constructivist, interpretive paradigm, and utilised a qualitative methodology to support the development of a framework and content for a text. Data collection occurred through formal research, discovery and exploration of knowledge rather than verification, and was subject to my interpretation arising from my participation as an academic.
The analysis of data required a conceptual framework to be developed consistent with the research paradigm, and be so designed as to provide a way for me through a participatory process, to identify and evaluate knowledge in E&BI and investigate the research questions. The study rationalised that E&BI educational programs must first be consistent with, and reflective of, the mission of the institution providing such programs, and also, must address the learning needs of students. Previous research undertaken for this thesis had clearly identified a strong demand for material on E&BI that combined theory and practice with case studies drawn from real world entrepreneurial practices.
The outcome of this study resulted in the design of a formal text that was suitable for use by secondary, community and adult education institutions within Australia, for delivery to both a digital and print audience and representative of international E&BI good practice. The text 'Entrepreneurship and Business Innovation' was published in 2005.
The published text was designed to provide new entrepreneurs and existing Small to Medium Enterprise owners with a practical guide on how to pursue business success based on established entrepreneurial and enterprise management techniques. The thesis has explicated the scholarly coherence and originality of the published work, and further places the text within a pedagogical framework.
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Blackett, Anthony John. "Solving momentum-space coupled-channels equations for electron-atom scattering using a rotated-contour method." Blackett, Anthony John (2002) Solving momentum-space coupled-channels equations for electron-atom scattering using a rotated-contour method. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2002. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/357/.
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In the last twenty years, electron-atom scattering theory has witnessed significant theoretical developments. One of these advances is the use of the momentum-space convergent closecoupling approach to fully incorporate target atom continua. This theoretical framework is based on the momentum-space Lippmann-Schwinger equation, an integral form of the Schrodinger equation. Although the approach has been highly successful in its application to atomic scattering theory, computing numerical solutions is inherently difficult because the momentum-space LS equation is a singular integral equation. Standard numerical integration techniques are normally employed to solve the problem and as computing power has increased, calculations have improved. However, there remains the problem of the integral's singular nature, which demands complicated methods for selecting integration points, particularly near the energy-dependant singularity. The rotated-contour method uses a conlplex-variable approach that solves the momentum-space LS equation by integrating along a deformed contour in the complex momentum plane away from the singularities. This method has the potential for simplifying the numerical integrations associated with the close-coupling equations.
A rotated-contour method is first applied to a simple scattering model - electron scattering from the Yukawa potential. This gives some insight into the difficulties that arise when calculating potential matrix elements for complex momenta. The method is then applied to the s-wave model of the electron-hydrogen scattering problem and finally, the full problem. Existing FORTRAN software written to solve the momentum-space LS equations for electron-hydrogen scattering using standard techniques has been converted to C++. Extensive modification of the code has resulted in a flexible Windows-based program with a graphical user interface that runs on any modern computer using PC architecture. The program can calculate results using either a conventional method (no rotation) or a rotatedcontour method.
Using a rotated-contour method to solve the momentum-space LS equations necessitates detailed knowledge of the analytic nature and singularity structure of the coupled channels potentials. This is achieved through the extensive use of the computer symbolic algebra system Maple to compute closed-form solutions for the direct potentials and for a range of partial-wave direct and exchange potentials. It is found that logarithmic branch point singularities are present on the real momentum axis for an extensive class of partial-wave direct-potential matrix elements. The analysis reveals that arotated contour method cannot be applied to the full atomic scattering problem due to these analytic problems which are associated with the long-range nature of the Coulomb potential.
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Thompson, Anthony Keith. "Religious confession privilege at common law: a historical analysis." Thompson, Anthony Keith (2006) Religious confession privilege at common law: a historical analysis. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2006. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/358/.
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Since English lawyers started writing text books about the law of evidence, they have denied that religious confession privilege exists at common law. However, that statement of the law surprises those who recognise confessional secrecy dating back into the first millennium AD. It is also counter-intuitive in Federal Australia since the one human freedom which the Constitution has guaranteed since 1901 is the 'free exercise of any religion'.
This thesis analyses the legal conclusion that there is no religious confession privilege at common law against available historical materials. Those materials include the origin of confessional secrecy in Christian practice and the entrenchment of that practice in canon law; the recognition and even the reception of canonical practices in the custom that became the common law; and all the English common law cases that have affirmed or denied religious confession privilege whether in passing or in an arguably precedential way. The reason why clear evidence of the existence of the privilege even seventy years after the English Reformation has been ignored by the text writers is traced to an uncorrected interpretive error made by the text writer Peake in 1801. His error has been uncritically followed and affirmed by later commentators and judges. However, until Gavan Duffy J decided Cook v Carroll in Ireland in 1945 and the Supreme Court of Canada decided R v Gruenke in 1991, there was no reported decision on religious confession privilege anywhere in the British Commonwealth. All else that had been written was at best obiter dicta.
The factors that influenced those two courts to recognise not a narrow religious confession privilege but a more encompassing confidential religious communications privilege are then measured against Australian jurisprudence to suggest whether the High Court of Australia would come to a similar conclusion.
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Thompson, Greg. "Swings and round-abouts: discourses of connectedness in secondary schools." Thompson, Greg (2003) Swings and round-abouts: discourses of connectedness in secondary schools. Masters by Research thesis, Murdoch University, 2003. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/359/.
Full textAbstract:
Connectedness is a complex idea that seems to mean different things for each individual. For the purposes of this dissertation, connectedness can best be understood as the ways that an individual feels an affiliation with the community of the institution that he/she experiences. This dissertation seeks to uncover the discourses that various stakeholder groups have within the site of a single school concerning connectedness.
One of the precepts that this dissertation holds is that connectedness to school has benefits for the individual as learner, the school as a community and potentially the wider community in years to come. This is a theoretical position in the lineage of such theorists as Plato, Rousseau, and Dewey who have argued that education is a transformative practice that could be a tool in solving some of the issues that contemporary societies face.
To examine the issue of connectedness, focus group research was chosen as the most beneficial methodology, as it allowed the stakeholders to explore their understanding of connectedness in small groups of their peers. It was important that the students in particular were allowed to develop their discourses of connectedness, as they were at the centre of the converging and diverging discourses. For this reason there were four student focus groups. The students selected for each of the student focus groups were targeted because of particular characteristics. They were purposively sampled to examine how, if at all, these discourses changed if the student was a high achiever, a quiet student, a student committed to the co-curricular programme of the school or a student who had been in regular trouble with the school hierarchy. There were also two parent focus groups, two staff focus groups, and a focus group made up of members of the school council.
The contributions of the various focus groups were analysed in the light of the work done by the French theorist Michel Foucault concerning the institution and the way that it deploys discursive practices to govern and regulate the subject. A number of his ideas that have been particularly important in this work. Foucault's power, discourse and governmentality have informed the analysis of the data and have supported the conclusions drawn. The key finding of this dissertation is that discourses of connectedness are crucial in determining how students feel about their schools. Many of the stakeholder groups hold diverging expectations of what connectedness is. These findings, and others, have implications for the management of schools in Western Australia.
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Gagliardi, Adriano. "CFD analysis and design of a low-twist, hovering rotor equipped with trailing-edge flaps." Thesis, Connect to e-thesis, 2008. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/350/.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Glasgow, 2007.Ph.D. thesis submitted to the Department of Aerospace Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Glasgow, 2007. Includes bibliographical references. Print version also available.
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Ignatieva, Ekaterina. "Adaptive Bayesian sampling with application to 'bubbles'." Connect to e-thesis, 2008. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/356/.
Full textAbstract:
Thesis (MSc(R)) - University of Glasgow, 2008.MSc(R). thesis submitted to the Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Information and Mathematical Sciences, University of Glasgow, 2008. Includes bibliographical references.
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Vignard, David. "Studies towards the total synthesis of labiatin A." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 2008. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/357/.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis is concerned with studies towards the total synthesis of labiatin A using metal carbenoid chemistry. The work described herein shows the most recent contribution to this field from our research group. Chapter I provides an introduction to metal carbenoids and their uses in organic synthesis. In particular, the synthesis of diazo carbonyl compounds, their decomposition by metal catalysts leading to the formation of metal carbenoids and the reactions involving metal carbenoids is described. A retrosynthesis of labiatin A involving the use of two metal-carbenoid transformations- intramolecular C-H insertion reaction and oxonium ylide formation followed by [2,3]-sigmatropic rearrangement- is presented. In Chapter II, the successful applications of these two reactions to the enantioselective synthesis of the tricyclic core of labiatin A is described. This is followed by the description of the different attempts to complete the synthesis of labiatin A. Finally, the exploration of a modified approach to the total synthesis of labiatin A is described. Chapter III provides the analytical support to this thesis.
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Molette, Jérôme. "Towards the total synthesis of gambieric acid A." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 2008. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/358/.
Full textAbstract:
Over the past three decades, numerous polycyclic ether natural products have been isolated from marine organisms. All of these unusual compounds possess a wide range of biological activities. In 1992, a new family of polyethers was discovered from the marine dinoflagellate Gambierdiscus toxicus: gambieric acids A–D, which show antifungal activity against a variety of filamentous fungi. The purpose of this thesis is to show the progress towards the synthesis of F–J ring system of gambieric acid A. First, the large scale synthesis of I–G ring fragment using the two directional ring closing metathesis developed in the laboratory is described including the improvements made to the previous synthesis. Subsequently, the efficient introduction of the methyl group of the F ring using a 1,4 addition with a cuprate reagent to an a,b-unsaturated lactone is discussed in detail. In addition, efficient introduction of the side chain to the J ring using a cyclic siloxane using a model system is also reported, after the exploration of ten different approaches. Finally, studies concerning the final stages of the synthesis are discussed.
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Nisbet, Ashley Muir. "The electrophysiology of the atrioventricular node in normal and failing rabbit hearts." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 2008. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/352/.
Full textAbstract:
Conduction abnormalities affect prognosis in chronic heart failure (CHF). Previous investigators have observed abnormal delay in atrioventricular (AV) conduction in a rabbit model of left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) due to apical myocardial infarction. In this model, AV conduction time increased with increasing pacing rates, suggesting the most likely site of delay is the AV node. The mechanisms by which this occurs are not fully understood. The purpose of this thesis was to confirm that the abnormal prolongation of AV conduction time originates at the AV node in a rabbit model of LVD due to apical myocardial infarction, and explore possible mechanisms underlying the observation. Using surface electrogram recording and standardised pacing techniques in an isolated AV node tissue preparation I confirmed that there is abnormal prolongation of AV nodal conduction in this rabbit model of LVD, as evidenced by prolongation of atrio-hisian (AH) interval and Wenckebach cycle length (WCL) in LVD compared to control. Furthermore, using optical mapping of electrical activation using voltage sensitive dye I observed that the prolongation of the AH interval is predominantly a consequence of conduction delay between the inputs of the AV node and the compact nodal region. Neuro-hormonal derangement in chronic heart failure has a central role in the pathogenesis of the disease, with evidence of downregulation of beta ()-adrenoceptors in the left ventricular myocardium. I therefore explored the possibility of β-adrenoceptor downregulation in the AV node as a mechanism underlying the abnormal AH interval prolongation in LVD. There was no evidence of β-adrenoceptor downregulation in the AV node in LVD compared to control to account for the observed abnormal conduction delay. Adenosine is known to have profound effects on AV nodal conduction and the possibility of tonic excess of adenosine in LVD was explored as a possible mechanism for the prolonged conduction delay. Using an exogenously applied adenosine A1 receptor antagonist there was no evidence of excess endogenous adenosine in LVD compared to control. There was, however, an increase in the sensitivity of the LVD samples compared to control to exogenous adenosine, with a significant increase in AH interval and WCL with increasing concentrations. This thesis also investigates the effect of acidosis on AV nodal conduction. There was significant prolongation of the spontaneous sinus cycle length, AH interval and WCL, as well as the AV nodal functional and effective refractory periods, proportional to the degree of acidosis. These effects were reversible with return to normal pH. Optical mapping studies showed that the spatiotemporal pattern of AV nodal delay during acidosis was similar to that observed in LVD, with the predominant delay in conduction between the AV nodal inputs and the compact AV node. In summary this thesis has confirmed that even in the absence of a direct ischaemic insult to the AV junction, conduction abnormalities in the AV node may still occur as a pathophysiological response to a myocardial infarction resulting in LVD. The mechanisms underlying this response are likely to be complex and multiple, and are not yet clear. Establishing the electrophysiological basis and the effects of neuro-hormonal modulators of atrioventricular nodal function may lead to development of targeted therapeutic strategies to improve overall survival and improve symptom control for patients with CHF.
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Mérola, Claudia Braida. "Molecular analysis of myotonic dystrophy type 1 patients with an unusual molecular diagnosis." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 2008. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/359/.
Full textAbstract:
Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is the most common form of muscular dystrophy in adults, characterised by multiple tissue involvement and caused by an expansion of a (CTG)n repeat within the 3’-UTR of the DMPK gene (19q13.3). Normal individuals contain between 5 and 35 CTG repeats, whereas the repeats in DM1 patients expand in the range of 50 to several thousands. Longer alleles are very unstable and generally always increase in size when transmitted from parent to child, explaining the phenomenon of anticipation defined by earlier age of onset and an increase in the severity of the symptoms. Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is a genetically heterogeneous, hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy of the peripheral nervous system. To date, 30 different loci have been mapped and mutations have been identified in more than 20 different genes. The DM1+CMT++ family is a very unusual three generation family in which all patients co-segregate both DM1 and CMT (LOD score = 7.03). It was postulated that either a single or two closely linked mutations near the APOC2 marker must be the cause of DM1 and CMT. Southern blot analysis of restriction digested genomic DNA revealed a fragment equivalent to a small CTG expansion (~200-400) at the DM1 locus, but an expanded allele could not be amplified by PCR. We postulated that the expanded repeats may have predisposed the repeat tract and the flanking regions to further DNA instability, leading to a secondary deletion, insertion and/or rearrangement. These novel mutations might modify the expression of DMPK and/or nearby genes explaining the unusual clinical presentation. To identify the lesion in the DM1+CMT++ family, a variety of molecular approaches was performed. The molecular lesion identified was an insertion of a GC rich region within the CTG repeats. The allele was comprised of a variable number of CTGs at the 5'-end followed by (GGC)3 G (CCG)20 (CCGCTG)14 (CTG)35. Analysis of single molecule separated alleles revealed 3 that the interrupted 3'-end of the array was stable, while the CTG repeats at the 5'-end were unstable. Postulated mechanisms to explain the DM1 and CMT symptoms in the family were: a novel RNA gain-of-function, and/or a novel effect on the downstream genes. Finding an imperfect CTG repeat allele in the DM1+CMT++ family led us to suggest that imperfect CTG repeat alleles may not be unique events and other DM1 patients may also contain similar alleles. To investigate this DNA samples from 14 DM1 patients with an unusual molecular diagnosis were analysed. The majority of these patients presented with an imperfect CTG repeat allele containing CCGCTG hexamers and/or CCG repeats. Five patients contained two or three higher order repeats containing between 18 and 30 bp such as ((CTG)5 (CCG)5), ((CTG)2 (CCGCTG)4) and ((CTG)5 (CCG)2 (CCGCTG)). These findings further suggest that imperfect CTG repeat alleles might not be as rare as was previously believed. The results of this project point out the importance of performing a more detailed molecular characterisation of the DM1 patients, which could lead to the provision of more accurate prognoses and the development of effective therapies.
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Beths, Thierry. "Total intravenous anaesthesia in dogs : development of a target controlled infusion (TCI) scheme for propofol." Thesis, University of Glasgow, 2008. http://theses.gla.ac.uk/354/.
Full textAbstract:
The aim of this work was to develop a propofol (PPF) based Total Intravenous Anaesthesia (TIVA) technique to be used in dogs by veterinary surgeons in practice. As PPF is a poor analgesic agent, this work also looked into the development of a co-infusion scheme for the potent alpha2-adrenoceptor agonist medetomidine (MED) and its active enantiomer dexmedetomidine (DEX). The study was divided into 4 phases. In phase one, canine PPF pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters, derived from previous studies reported in the literature, were incorporated to a Target Controlled Infusion (TCI) system. This approach, comprising computer software incorporated into a syringe driver, which will deliver PPF to a predicted blood concentration, is widely used in humans. The performance of the system was investigated in 6 greyhounds and 10 mixed-breed dogs undergoing routine dental work by comparing predicted with measured PPF concentrations in venous blood samples obtained during and following TCI PPF anaesthesia. The optimal induction target was 3 mgml-1, and an adequate depth and a satisfactory quality of anaesthesia were achieved with mean maintenance targets of between 3.4 and 4.5 mgml-1 of PPF. The performance of the TCI system was considered clinically acceptable as the Median Prediction Error (MDPE%), a measure of bias, and the Median Absolute Performance Error (MADPE%), a measure of the accuracy, were -12.47 and 28.47 respectively, in the greyhounds and 1.56 and 24.79 respectively, in the mixed-breed dogs. The system was easy to use and the quality of anaesthesia was judged to be adequate for dental work. Phase 2 illustrated the inhibitory effect of MED and DEX on PPF metabolism at the level of the cytochrome P450 in rat and canine hepatic tissue and highlighted, therefore, the possible effect on the metabolism dependant performance of the TCI system. Before designing an infusion scheme for MED and studying its possible effect on PPF PK in vivo (phase 4), the purpose of phase 3 was to characterise cardiovascular and respiratory effects of MED administered IV to dogs anaesthetised with a TCI of PPF, and to assess its suitability for use in a TIVA regime. Eighty dogs, ASA 1 or 2, aged 0.5 to 8 years, were randomly allocated into 8 groups of 10 dogs according to the dose of MED administered (Groups 1-8: 0 (saline, 0.9%, 1 ml), 0.01, 0.03, 0.1, 0.3, 1, 3, 10 mcgkg-1 MED, respectively). Following premedication, anaesthesia was induced with a PPF target blood concentration of 3 mcgml-1 and maintained with a target concentration of 3.5 mcgml-1. Cardiovascular and respiratory parameters were recorded for 15 min post induction and before saline (group 1) or MED (groups 2-8) was injected slowly over 1 min. Medetomidine induced a dose-dependent reduction in heart rate (HR) and increase in systolic arterial blood pressure (ABP). At the time of maximum observed effect (2 min post MED injection), the ED50 for ABP and HR were 2.05 and 0.187 mcgkg-1 respectively, while the ED95 (doses of MED inducing 95% of the maximum effect) values were estimated to be 18.1 mcgkg-1 and 3.1 mcgkg-1, respectively. The no effect doses for MED were 0.01 mcgkg-1 for HR, and 0.1 mcgkg-1 for ABP. Minimal respiratory effects were observed in all groups except the group receiving 10 mcgkg-1 of MED where, by the end of the recording period (20 min post MED injection), 8 of 9 spontaneously breathing dogs became apnoeic after MED administration. Phase 4 was designed to develop and assess a stepped infusion scheme for MED and DEX in the TCI PPF anesthetised dog using MED PK parameters from O. Vainio (V1 = 470 mlkg-1, K12 = 0.0954, K21 = 0.0438, K10 = 0.0489); to observe the possible PK and PD (pharmacodynamic) interactions between PPF and the 2 alpha2-adrenoceptor agonists during co-infusion; to determine the minimum blood PPF infusion target (MIT) necessary to prevent purposeful movement during supramaximal noxious stimulation (tetanic twitch for 5 sec at the level of the 4th and 5th coccygeal vertebrae) with and without a co-infusion of MED or DEX and to confirm the DEX minimum analgesic blood concentration of 0.85 ngml-1. Six female beagle dogs, 7.3 (± 2.3) years old, were anaesthetised on 4 occasions, following a randomised cross over design: PPF TCI with either co-stepped infusion of saline (PS), MED (blood target of 1.7 ngml-1, PM), low DEX (blood target of 0.85 ngml-1, PLD) or high DEX (blood target of 1.7 ngml-1, PHD). The co-infusion was started 25 min after the start of anaesthesia (instrumentation period), while the MIT determination was conducted 15 min after the last step of the co-infusion. Venous blood samples were taken at specific times for determination of the PPF, MED and DEX plasma concentrations. The performance of the TCI system for PPF in the dog was only clinically acceptable in the PS and PLD treatments with MDPE% values of 18.85 and 25.94 respectively, and MDAPE% values of 18.85 and 35.80 respectively. In this study the use of DEX 0.85 ngml-1 had a similar PPF sparing effect to the equivalent MED blood concentration of 1.7 ngml-1, but with less effects on ABP, as well as on the performance of the TCI for PPF in the dog. Therefore, it could be concluded that DEX was more advantageous than MED given by infusion in PPF anaesthetised dogs. The study also confirmed the validity of the PK of MED from the previous study. The study redefined specific PK parameters for DEX, although the MED PK parameters could also be used. The study indicated that DEX blood concentrations as low as 0.85 ngml-1 decreased the measured PPF blood concentrations necessary to maintain anaesthesia during noxious stimulation by about 38%. However, although this study supported the suitability of the co-infusion of DEX during PPF anaesthesia in the dog, and the analgesic/sedative effects of DEX were present at the lowest blood concentrations with well maintained respiratory parameters, the CV effects were marked with a decrease in HR and CO and an increase in systolic and mean ABP. Further studies are therefore necessary to establish if a lower blood concentration of DEX will provide analgesia while preserving the CV system.
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Gooch, Rebecca L. "Television production, regulation and enforcement reasons for broadcasters' non-compliance and a weakened state of regulatory affairs." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 2012. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/353/.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis examines a group of television-makers that aimed to circumvent the regulations affecting standards of content and to reshape the boundaries of permissible violent content. It also examines the regulators who, in a period of significant regulatory restructuring, were required to police those boundaries and protect viewers from ‘harmful’ or ‘offensive’ content, and programme-contributors from ‘unfair’ treatment. In doing so, the aim is to offer a broader, empirically rich understanding of the individual, organisational and external factors that can lead to non-compliance and the relaxation of regulatory affairs over time; and to understand how rules or regulations can get pushed and reshaped. My findings revealed that both regulators and television-makers were confronted by conflicting economic and public interest objectives/responsibilities, and that, due to a variety of individual, organisational and external-level factors, they tended to prioritise their economic obligations, and this led to a loosening of the standards of consumer protection. The factors that influenced television-makers’ and regulators’ decision-making, and thereby this sequence of events, included, but were not limited to, the government’s shift toward deregulation, technological advancements, changing politics, a competitive organisational culture and a lack of sufficient accountability for television-makers.
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Dizadji-Bahmani, Foad. "Neo-Nagelian reduction : a statement, defence, and application." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 2011. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/355/.
Full textAbstract:
The thesis proposes, defends, and applies a new model of inter-theoretic reduction, called "Neo-Nagelian" reduction. There are numerous accounts of inter-theoretic reduction in the philosophy of science literature but the most well-known and widely-discussed is the Nagelian one. In the thesis I identify various kinds of problems which the Nagelian model faces. Whilst some of these can be resolved, pressing ones remain. In lieu of the Nagelian model, other models of inter-theoretic reduction have been proposed, chief amongst which are so-called "New Wave" models. I show these to be no more adequate than the original Nagelian model. I propose a new model of inter-theoretic reduction, Neo-Nagelian reduction. This model is structurally similar to the Nagelian one, but differs in substantive ways. In particular I argue that it avoids the problems pertaining to both the Nagelian and New Wave models. Multiple realizability looms large in discussions about reduction: it is claimed that multiply realizable properties frustrate the reduction of one theory to another in various ways. I consider these arguments and show that they do not undermine the Neo-Nagelian of reduction of one theory to another. Finally, I apply the model to statistical mechanics. Statistical mechanics is taken to be a reductionist enterprise: one of the aims of statistical mechanics is to reduce thermodynamics. Without an adequate model of inter-theoretic reduction one cannot assess whether it succeeds; I use the Neo-Nagelian model to critically discuss whether it does. Specifically, I consider two very recent derivations of the Second Law of thermodynamics, one from Boltzmannian classical statistical mechanics and another from quantum statistical mechanics. I argue that they are partially successful, and that each makes for a promising line of future research.
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Seiferling, Michael. "Essays on the political economy of public finance : taxation and debt." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 2012. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/358/.
Full textAbstract:
The granting of discretionary budgeting powers to policymakers whose utility functions do not match those of the societies they govern, may lead to sub-optimal fiscal outcomes which require the creation of binding and credible commitments to rectify. Past research into the institutional constraints placed upon, and behaviour of, policymakers has shown that these do, in fact, generate real effects on macroeconomic performance. Optimal fiscal systems, in this sense, become reliant on having in place an institutional framework which structurally induces social welfare maximizing outcomes. This thesis provides both a historical overview of the birth of modern public finance as well as an in depth examination of both theoretical and empirical contributions to tax theory with a full statistical analysis of the multidimensional determinants of compositional systems of budget equations from the revenue side, observed across 90 states between 1990-2008. There is also the somewhat neglected area of finite planning horizons in public finance, where policymaker discount factors may lead to sub-optimal dynamic fiscal outcomes; mainly, the accumulation of public debt. Theoretical expectations have been difficult to statistically validate due to unobservable transition likelihoods and endogeneity problems which are overcome in this paper revealing significant discount effects on the accumulation of debt. Lastly, the recent popularity of budget rules in many of the world's economies has led to questions regarding their effectiveness where pro igate governments may be less likely to adopt budget rules that constrain their budgeting powers. Empirical findings suggest that rule adoption is partially determined within the equation of fiscal performance, making it difficult to identify the 'true' effects of budget rule adoption, as well as whether these are of first or second order.
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Calich, Isabel. "The impact of globalisation on the position of developing countries in the international tax system." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 2011. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/350/.
Full textAbstract:
The objective of this thesis is to analyse the relationship between international taxation and developing countries. The main idea is to examine this relationship through arguments that challenge the current legal debate that has described their interest as capital importers of foreign direct investment. Globalisation has changed the economic relations between developed and developing countries. The evolution of the economic aspects as well as tax policies implemented during the process of globalisation provides the background necessary to understand the increased importance of international taxation and the participation of developing countries in the global economy. The hypothesis tested here addresses the question whether the dichotomy between developing and developed countries and their characterisation as capital importers and capital exporters still provides an appropriate basis for the legal debate on international taxation in the context of globalisation. To approach this question, the behaviour of international flow of capital will be assessed in order to provide an overview of the economic relations among these countries. To perform this study, initially the meaning of globalisation and international taxation are explained in order to build up the framework of this thesis; secondly, the current debate on harmful tax competition is examined to put in evidence the problem addressed in this thesis; thirdly, an analysis of the international flow of capital is performed to identify new premises that could update the legal debate; fourthly, based on the profile of the international flow of capital, the phenomenon of capital flight is addressed. Fifthly, having in mind the difficulty in taxing capital flight, taxation of portfolio investment is examined. Based on the arguments raised, the legal debate is updated demonstrating the higher importance of double taxation over tax avoidance and evasion in the recent past. Finally, considering the increased relevance of international tax avoidance and evasion, instruments available for exchange of information are analysed, and their effectiveness to curb capital flight from developing countries.
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Żurawski, Piotr Marcin. "Essays on market liquidity." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 2011. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/351/.
Full textAbstract:
In the first chapter of my Thesis I propose a model of front-running in noisy market environment. I demonstrate that even if the front-runner/predator has no initial knowledge about the position of a distressed trader he will be still able to front-run his orders in a linear Bayesian-Nash equilibrium. This is possible because initial orders of the distressed trader tend to reveal his initial position. The contribution of this chapter is also in the analysis of long-term dynamics of predatory trading under Gaussian uncertainty. Second chapter treats about the dark-pools of liquidity which are highly popular systems that allow participants to enter unpriced orders to buy or sell securities. These orders are crossed at a specified time at a price derived from another market. I present an equilibrium model of coexistence of dark-pools of liquidity and the dealer market. Dealer market provides the immediate execution, whereas the dark-pool of liquidity provides lower cost of trading. Risk-averse agents in equilibrium optimally choose between safe dealer market and cheaper dark-pool of liquidity. In the third chapter I solve for a partial-equilibrium optimal consumption and investment problem, when one of the investment assets is traded infrequently. Opportunity to trade the "illiquid asset" arises upon the occurrence of a Poisson event. Only when such event occurs a trader is able to change (increase or decrease) her position in the illiquid asset. The investor can consume continuously from the bank account. After deriving HJB equation, I analyze in details the implications of illiquidity on the optimal level of consumption, allocation and welfare. The optimal policy is solved using algorithm from aeronautics.
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Weinhardt, Felix Julian. "Does geography matter? an empirical investigation into neighbourhood, peer effects and electricity consumption." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 2012. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/352/.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis consists of four distinct projects which sit at the crossroad between Labour, Education and Environmental Economics. The underlying and unifying theme is the examination of social and geographical inequalities using applied econometrics. In the first project, I estimate the effect of moving into a deprived high-density social housing neighbourhood on the educational attainments of teenagers in England. I exploit the timing of moving, which can be taken as exogenous because of long waiting lists for social housing in high-demand areas, to avoid the usual sorting problems. Using this strategy, I find no evidence for negative effects. The second project investigates the effect of neighbours' characteristics and prior achievements on teenagers' educational outcomes. The study relies on mover-induced variation in neighbourhood quality, whilst controlling for general gentrification trends and other unobservables. The results provide little evidence for significant effects on pupil test score progression. The third project looks at the size, significance and heterogeneity of ability peer effects in secondary schools in England. The methodological innovation is to identify ability peer effects using within-pupil-across-subject variation in students' test scores and peer prior achievements. The chapter shows that it is the low- and high-achievers, who account for most or all of the effect of average peer quality on the educational outcomes of other pupils and that this effect varies across genders. The final project presents -to the best of my knowledge- the first nationwide empirical assessment of residential electricity use in response to the timing of daylight for the US. Employing Geographical Information Systems (GIS), I calculate the solar times of sunrise and sunset for all locations in mainland US and show that two distinct sources of geographical variation can be used to estimate county-level responses in residential electricity consumption. Using both approaches I find that early sunrise is associated with lower residential electricity use in the North, but higher consumption in the South. This is a novel finding with potentially significant policy implications and I offer some suggestions about how future research should examine the behavioural channels that could cause these results.
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Parida, Sitikantha. "Essays on delegated portfolio management." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 2012. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/356/.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis contains three essays on delegated portfolio management and deals with issues such as impact of regulations on mutual fund performance, impact of competition on transparency in financial markets and strategic trading behaviour of agents in illiquid markets. Chapter 1 analyses the impact of more frequent portfolio disclosure on mutual funds performance. Since 2004, SEC requires all U.S. mutual funds to disclose their portfolio holdings on a quarterly basis from semi-annual previously. This change in regulation provides a natural setting to study the impact of disclosure frequency on the performance of mutual funds. Prior to the policy change, it finds that the semi-annual funds with high abnormal returns in the past year outperform the corresponding quarterly funds by 17-20 basis points a month. This difference in performance disappears after 2004. The reduction in performance is higher for semi-annual funds holding illiquid assets than those holding liquid assets. These results support the hypothesis that performance of funds with more disclosure suffers more from activities such as front running. Chapter 2 analyses the impact of competition in financial markets on incentives to re- veal information. It finds that discretionary portfolio disclosure and advertising expenses of mutual funds decrease with competition. This supports the theory that mutual funds use portfolio disclosure and advertising as marketing tools to attract new investments in a financial market, where superior relative performance and greater visibility are rewarded with convex payoffs. With higher competition, the likelihood of landing new investments goes down for each fund while the cost of disclosure goes up. Funds respond by cutting down on costly disclosures and advertising activities. Thus competition seems to have adverse impact on market transparency and search cost. 3Chapter 3 develops a model of strategic trading to study forced liquidation. Traders who hold an illiquid risky security have to satisfy minimum capital requirements, or liquidate their position. Therefore, traders with price impact can induce the fire sale of others to benefit from future low prices. It shows that if traders have similar proportions of wealth invested in the risky security, or the market is sufficiently liquid, they behave cooperatively and smooth their orders over several trading periods. However, if the proportions are significantly different across agents, and market liquidity is low, the strong agent, who is less exposed to the risky asset, predates on the weak agent, and forces her to exit the market.
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Mejia, Pailles Gabriela. "A life course perspective on social and family formation transitions to adulthood of young men and women in Mexico." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 2012. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/357/.
Full textAbstract:
This research examines the trajectories that young men and women in Mexico experienced during their transition to adulthood in the 1980s and 1990s. The study, particularly, considers two groups of significant markers of adulthood: social transitions (leaving education, entry into the labour force, parental home leaving), and family formation transitions (first sex, first partnership, and first birth). The thesis investigates the ways that these transitions were experienced among Mexican youth: first, by establishing the main interactions between social transitions and family formation transitions to adulthood; and second, by providing evidence of the main trajectories followed by young men and women in their passage to adulthood from a life course perspective. Applying Event History techniques to retrospective data from the 2000 Mexican National Youth Survey, results show that young men and women experienced different patterns of trajectories in their transit to adulthood marked by a strong gender component. While young men showed a lag between the experience of social and family formation transitions characterized by work-oriented trajectories, young women often experienced almost simultaneous occurrence of social and family formation transitions leading to predominantly family-oriented trajectories to adulthood. Differences between urban and rural respondents were also found to be significant. Another conclusion of the study is that many young people found great difficulty in obtaining their first job after leaving education, leading to high unemployment. Despite the lack of employment opportunities for Mexican young people, family formation transitions were not substantially postponed until later ages unlike many developed nations. The findings also confirm the importance of education on the experience of transitions to adulthood. The study shows the need to restructure the Mexican educational system to enable young people to work and study simultaneously, without having to leave education immediately after entering the labour force. These findings highlight the need to strengthen and reinforce current education policies to stimulate labour force participation of young women.
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Lopes, Rui Miguel Ponte Vieira. "Between Cold War and colonial wars : the making of West German policy towards the Portuguese dictatorship, 1968-1974." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 2011. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/359/.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis analyses the making of West German policy towards the Portuguese dictatorship during the governments led by Willy Brandt and Marcelo Caetano, from 1968 until the dictatorship’s downfall on 25 April 1974. This case study sheds new light on the interaction between the Cold War and colonial politics, particularly on the multilateral dimension of the process of Portuguese resistance to decolonisation. Although the starting point is the bilateral relationship between the Federal Republic of Germany and Portugal, this thesis takes a multifaceted approach to the topic. It examines the role of various external and internal forces pushing for change and continuity in Bonn’s policy towards Lisbon. Research demonstrates that not only did that policy become a contentious issue internationally, it also polarised West Germany’s society, parliament and different sections of Bonn’s social-liberal coalition government. Taking this into account, my work covers the diplomatic, economic and military areas of the relations between the two states. It also addresses the parallel ties between the German Social-Democratic Party and the opposition to the dictatorship, including the Portuguese socialists and the African liberation movements. The thesis argues that, despite many impulses and pressures to assertively confront the Portuguese dictatorship’s refusal to decolonise and democratise, West German policy towards the Caetano regime remained essentially cooperative, even if becoming increasingly ambiguous over time. That option reflected the geopolitical and conceptual contradictions between adopting a more aggressive policy towards Portugal and defending Bonn’s contemporary policy of rapprochement with Eastern Europe (neue Ostpolitik). Thus this thesis illustrates the interconnectedness between the global Cold War framework and the perpetuation of colonialism in Africa.
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Kuo, I.-Ling. "The use of visitor management techniques to protect a fragile environment : a case study of practices in the New Forest." Thesis, Bournemouth University, 2003. http://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/356/.
Full textAbstract:
Tourism, as a human activity, is not likely to be managed effectively if there was a lack of management focus on the visitors. Visitor management plays a vital role in a tourism destination in terms of increasing visitors' experience and level of enjoyment, as well as modifying their on-site behaviour to be more appropriate. Through a combination of various techniques, visitors are provided with controlled access to experience the tourism resources. In so doing, visitors' understanding and appreciation of the features at a site may be increased through the use of interpretation, while restrictions, regulations and resource alteration methods are used to protect the resources from inappropriate visitor activity. Interpretation, restrictions, regulations and other management-related/administrative information need to be delivered to visitors. Furthermore, persuasive communication is effective to modify visitors' on-site behaviour. Regulations and restrictions are usually law-enforced. Because their persuasive function is of coercive type (the managing agencies have the ability to administer punishment if visitors fall to comply with the regulations), visitors' level of enjoyment and understanding of the features at a site is less likely to be increased. A softer style of persuasive communication with visitors (interpretation, marketing and visitor codes) is therefore necessary in order to advise visitors about the sensitivity of the resources and the appropriate behaviour to conduct during their visit. In other words, the hard and soft approaches of visitor management should be used interdependently. Hence, the understanding of (1) how people's intention to behave in a particular manner is formed, and (2) how to maximise the effectiveness of communication, is necessary in order to plan and implement successful visitor management. The visitor survey was carried out in the calendar year of 1999, and 1,053 visitors participated in the research.T he questionnaire-baseds urvey of visitors was conducted at several locations in the New Forest, and the number of surveys to be carried out was distributed throughout the year of 1999 based on the tourism seasonality of the New Forest. The research findings point out that imposing more regulations is not perceived necessary in the current visitor management in the New Forest. Instead, the sampled visitors would like to know more about the environmental aspects about the site, and the appropriate activities to participate in. Moreover, infori-nation provided through interpretive panels and bulletin boards is thought to be less than adequate by the visitors, and they think the signage in the site is not maintained to a high standard. Give the fact that signage is one of the favoured media, the quality and information contents of signage in the New Forest need to be improved. Moreover, with respect to the interpretation of the New Forest, visitors thought the information relating to the envirom-nental aspects of the site and the appropriate visitor activities to be carried out should be improved in terms of the quantity. The analysis shows that in general, visitors would be willing to alter their behaviour to be more appropriate if they were made aware of such interpretive information. In addition, the majority of the visitors, except for the New Forest District local residents, do not object to be charged for the use of tourism facilities such as car parks, providing the revenue is used for resource protection purpose. In other words, visitors value the significance of the New Forest in terms of being resource rich and being an important site that offers recreational opportunities to them. Thus, they expressed their willingness to contribute financially to help the management and protection of the site. The research findings are expected to provide organisations that are responsible for the management of tourism destinations with information relating to the planning and implementation of effective visitor management approaches, because successful visitor management is a step forward towards the long-ten-n sustainable tourism development.
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Buxton, Sarah Victoria. "Saints George, Sebastian, and Eustace in Medieval Castilian prose hagiography." Thesis, Durham University, 2010. http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/350/.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis explores the legends of Saints George, Sebastian, and Eustace as presented in five fourteenth- and fifteenth-century manuscripts of the corpus of Castilian prose hagiography known as Compilation B. Chapter One provides an introduction to the thematic and codicological contexts of the legends, asking whether it is possible to identify unifying literary or conceptual features. An analysis of the prehistory of the accounts is presented in Chapter Two, which explores how they were reworked into Castilian from their Latin forms in Jacobus de Voragine’s Legenda aurea (ca. 1260). Chapter Three presents codicological, textual, and palaeographic studies of each manuscript in order to establish hypotheses of textual affiliation. The second half of the thesis offers a thematic and conceptual analysis of the three legends. Chapter Four looks at the tension between knighthood and martyrdom in representations of George, exploring the rich interpretations that are made possible by the juxtaposition of the secular and the religious. Chapter Five examines the nature of social relationships and interweaving narrative strands in the legend of Sebastian in order to assess the use of multiple protagonists. Finally, Chapter Six considers the use of symbolism and typology in the account of Eustace, identifying and exploring the wide range of traditions from which the account draws. The conclusion draws attention to the importance of studying each text both independently and as part of a wider hagiographic and literary discourse. In an appendix, I provide complete editions of each text, presented here for the first time, along with critical apparatus and sample xeroxes of the manuscripts.
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Intakanok, Harit. "The emergence of private authority in the oil industry : the case of oil concession agreements." Thesis, Durham University, 2010. http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/353/.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis situates itself in a context that has become a feature of the globalizing world – the emergence of private authority in global governance and the transformation of the power of the state. As the title suggested, the thesis investigates the emergence of private authority in the oil industry by concentrating on the negotiation and implementation of various oil concession agreements of the past in the period between 1900 and 1960. The analysis employs qualitative methodologies, taking experiences of private actors through archival research using case study concentrating on four countries in the Middle East region, namely, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iran and Iraq. The examination of each case focuses on the oil concession agreement that is pivotal to the structural transition of oil industry, hence power/authority transition. The relationship between public and private authorities involved in the case study is the key to the emergence of private authority. The public-private interaction that allows this relationship to establish and develop is also important to the process. Other factors such as inter-firm cooperation; resources in the form of finance and expertise; and political, economic and social climate also contribute to the process which allow private authority to emerge and operate. Despite the fact that identifying these factors permits us to gain better understanding of the concept of private authority, it is still difficult to pinpoint the exact moment it emerges and the clear location it operates. Private actors today play a major role in global governance, affecting the political, economic and social development both at national and international level, thus, the exact of its route and the true impact of its existence need to be clarified. The findings from the research have great relevance to the theorizing of the concept of private authority. It provides powerful insights into debates regarding the emergence and operation of private authority both in historical and contemporary perspective. The findings also give us better knowledge of the nature of private authority in term of its various forms and functions.
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Bland, Stewart Rodney. "X-Ray scattering studies of charge and orbital ordering in transition metal oxides." Thesis, Durham University, 2010. http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/357/.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis focusses on the phenomena of charge ordering and orbital ordering in transition metal oxides, using the technique of resonant x-ray diffraction (RXD). The technique is suited to such studies, as it provides an elemental and band specific probe of long range electronic correlations. Here, we present hard and soft x-ray diffraction results on iron and manganese compounds, and demonstrate the utility of resonant x-ray diffraction in revealing their electronic properties. By performing comprehensive hard x-ray RXD studies on the complex charge ordered structures of magnetite and iron oxyborate, we demonstrate that both systems possess non-integer charge order by using the FDMNES simulation code. We find certain reflections have anisotropic polarisation dependencies, due entirely to the crystal structure, with no need to invoke orbital order to explain the observations. In both materials we demonstrate that the anomalous scattering components can result in a surprising conversion from linearly to non-linearly polarised light, through two subtly different interference processes. This is the first report of such mechanisms. By performing soft x-ray scattering on Pr(Sr$_{0.1}$Ca$_{0.9}$)$_2$Mn$_2$O$_7$, we have provided the first direct observation of the orbital rotation within this compound. We have found that there is no apparent change in the orbital occupation during the stripe rotation, but an increase in the charge disproportionation upon cooling. We have used soft x-ray RXD on lutetium ferrate to discover an anisotropic contribution to the scattering at the charge order wavevector. This is not apparent when probing the crystal structure directly using hard x-rays. We attribute such a signal to charge-orbital order within the system, in contrast to previous claims that the system is an orbital glass.
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Al-Ghorairi, Abdulaziz. "The development of the financial sector of Qatar and its contribution to economic diversification." Thesis, Durham University, 2010. http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/354/.
Full textAbstract:
This study delves into the crucial question of how well posed the financial sector of Qatar is to contribute to the government’s policy of economic diversification. In order to answer this question, the study focuses on analysing the sub-units that make up the financial sector such as banking, non-banking services and the insurance industry. The objective of that is to reveal the development and the contribution of these sub-units to the economy, as well as to elucidate the changes and constraints that these units face.
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Johnson, Paul. "Quantum performance : scientific discourse in the analysis of the work of contemporary British theatre practitioners." Thesis, Coventry University, 2006. http://eprints.worc.ac.uk/353/.
Full textAbstract:
The scientific developments made during the twentieth century have provoked a profound re-conceptualisation of the nature of reality. Quantum mechanics in particular has produced a spectacular paradigm shift, the philosophical implications of which are still being debated and explored. This thesis explores these implications in terms of developing a framework for the analysis of live performance through three conceptual categories: identity, observation and play. Though there has been some recent theatre work, notably Copenhagen and Hapgood, that engage explicitly with quantum mechanics in terms of form and content, these performances are not the focus of this study, rather the scientific material is used to engage with a range of performance practice.
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Jayawickrama, Janaka. "Rethinking mental health and wellbeing interventions in disaster and conflict affected communities : case studies from Sri Lanka, Sudan and Malawi." Thesis, Northumbria University, 2010. http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/355/.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis examines the traditional knowledge and capabilities that disaster, conflict and unplanned development affected communities utilise to deal with uncertainties and dangers inherent in their lives. The key question is whether a model of individual care, core to the tradition of western disciplines, is appropriate for humanitarian assistance largely delivered to ‘non-western’ countries. The methodology uses both quantitative and qualitative techniques, and moves beyond a conventional science approach. Guided by a broader ontology and epistemology, it engages an evaluative judgement of three project based case studies in Sri Lanka, Sudan and Malawi. These evaluative judgements build on the adapted OECD/DAC criteria of relevance, efficiency, effectiveness and impact. The “lived experiences” of mental health and wellbeing for individuals amongst these communities are then further examined through their personal stories. The outcomes of this process are used to inform a discussion on mainstream interventions and to provide a basis for exploring improved practice in this field. The scope of the study presented here was limited to Sri Lanka, Sudan and Malawi. These countries were selected based on their geographical locations, nature of the disaster, conflict or development problem and most importantly access to communities through Disaster and Development Centre’s (DDC) research work with United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and Green Movement of Sri Lanka (GMSL). The researcher trained one colleague each from Sudan, Malawi and Sri Lanka to assist in the translation of Arabic, Swahili, Tamil and tribal dialects. This process was conducted by explaining the objectives of the research, refreshing basic interviewing skills, concepts of translation and addressing the research ethical framework. The findings of the study indicate that most disaster, development and conflict-affected communities are positively dealing with uncertainties and dangers in life without outside‘expert’ help. Although there are evident levels of mental health and wellbeing related issues that are visible to the outside view of a community, the inside view is that there are traditional knowledge systems, religions, cultures, attitudes and values that address uncertainty and dangers in a sophisticated though pragmatic manner. The conclusion of this research process is that suffering through danger and uncertainty is part of human experience; it is an attribute of the human condition. However, disaster and development experts, psychologists, psychiatrists and sociologists are occupied in documenting, describing, analysing and diagnosing risks, vulnerabilities, coping strategies, and post-traumatic stress. Along with the costs of murder, rape, torture, and other forms of human malice, a deeper understanding of mental health and wellbeing in adversity is little understood. This is complicated by the varying nature of events that take place and the variable ways they are experienced by individuals and communities. The onset of uncertainty and danger are sometimes sudden, like the brutal attacks in Western Darfur. At other times they take the form of a continuous reign of suffering like the failed development, disaster reduction and conflict mitigation strategies witnessed in Sri Lanka. Even when suffering is not present in such striking forms, there can be slow deterioration of communities through policies that severely disrupt the lives of people, such as experienced by refugees in Malawi. However, in the middle of the worst circumstances, communities continue to carry on with their livelihood regimes, to celebrate, and to enjoy. This is an achievement beyond everyday life. The thesis findings and conclusions point to the need for collaboration with disaster, conflict and unplanned development affected communities to retrieve their knowledge systems to improve their mental health and wellbeing. This can create new processes to deal with suffering.
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Radjenovic, Aleksandra. "Measurement of physiological variables by dynamic Gd-DTPA enhanced MRI." Thesis, University of Leeds, 2003. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/356/.
Full textAbstract:
Abnormal angiogenesis is characterised by the alteration of physiological variables such as capillary permeability and fractional volume of the extravascular extracellular space. The aim of the work presented in this thesis was to investigate the feasibility of non-invasive measurement of these physiological variables through quantitative analysis of dynamic Gd-DTPA enhanced MRI (DEMRI) acquired using standard imaging hardware within a clinical setting. A method for quantitative analysis of DEMRI (QDEMRI) was developed and implemented on a standard personal computer platform using a set of programs written in the C programming language. The method includes pharmacokinetic modelling of Gd-DTPA kinetics based on the modification of existing approaches and moving-window algorithms for the measurement of black-box quantifiers of DEMRI. The measurements were performed in two angiogenesis dependent diseases: breast cancer and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In a study involving QDEMRI analysis of 59 primary invasive breast carcinomas, a significant relationship between capillary permeability-related QDEMRI variables and tumour grade was found. In a randomised controlled study of early RA in metacarpophalangeal joints, a significant reduction in the QDEMRI variable which reflects fractional volume of the extravascular extracellular space was found three months after the start of therapy in 20 patients treated with methotrexate and intra-articular methylprednisolone injections, whereas it remained constant in a control group of 17 patients who were treated with slow-acting methotrexate only. A significant reduction in the permeability-related QDEMRI variable was detected in 17 patients treated with leflunomide four months after the start of treatment whilst it remained unchanged in 17 patients treated with methotrexate in a randomised controlled study of established RA of the knee joint. The results obtained in this work indicate that the proposed QDEMRI method can be used in its present form to monitor treatment-induced changes in angiogenesis dependent diseases. Further work is needed to render these measurements fully independent of DEMRI acquisition settings and allow the evaluation of individual lesions.
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Beauregard, Alexandra. "Interference between work and home : an empirical study of the antecedents, outcomes, and coping strategies amongst public sector employees." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 2004. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/354/.
Full textAbstract:
Work-home interference has been receiving increasing attention in the organizational behaviour literature. It is defined as a form of inter-role conflic t in which the demands of the work role and the demands of the home role are mutually incompatible. Existing research on work interference with home/home interference with work has focused on situational antecedents and attitudinal outcomes, with limited attention paid to gender- and disposition-based predictors, behavioural outcomes, and coping strategies associated with interference. Using a quantitative methodology, this thesis drew upon two separate samples of UK public sector employees, comprising 208 and 226 respondents respectively, to pursue three aims: 1) to examine the roles of gender and of personality in contributing to interference, as well as the potential for characteristics associated with one domain (e.g., home) to influence the degree of interference generated by the opposing domain (e.g., work); 2) to investigate the link between interference and extra-role work behaviours such as organizatio na l citizenship and workplace deviance; and 3) to extend existing knowledge of coping strategies for dealing with work-home interference. Findings indicated that gender moderated the effects of both home- and work-related characteristics on home interference with work, and that dispositional variables were capable of predicting work-home interference above and beyond the effects of situational characteristics. With regard to behavioural outcomes, work-home interference predicted increased workplace deviance amongst employees. Work interference with home was associated with greater employee participation in organizational citizenship behaviours, while the opposite was true for home interference with work. In terms of coping with interference, cognitive reappraisal was identified as the most effective strategy, and gender was found to moderate the effect of certain coping strategies on interference. Contributions of the thesis, major research and practical implications, and future research directions are discussed.
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Vine, Daniel Samuel Gordon. "Time-domain concatenative text-to-speech synthesis." Thesis, Bournemouth University, 1998. http://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/351/.
Full textAbstract:
A concatenation framework for time-domain concatenative speech synthesis (TDCSS) is presented and evaluated. In this framework, speech segments are extracted from CV, VC, CVC and CC waveforms, and abutted. Speech rhythm is controlled via a single duration parameter, which specifies the initial portion of each stored waveform to be output. An appropriate choice of segmental durations reduces spectral discontinuity problems at points of concatenation, thus reducing reliance upon smoothing procedures. For text-to-speech considerations, a segmental timing system is described, which predicts segmental durations at the word level, using a timing database and a pattern matching look-up algorithm. The timing database contains segmented words with associated duration values, and is specific to an actual inventory of concatenative units. Segmental duration prediction accuracy improves as the timing database size increases. The problem of incomplete timing data has been addressed by using `default duration' entries in the database, which are created by re-categorising existing timing data according to articulation manner. If segmental duration data are incomplete, a default duration procedure automatically categorises the missing speech segments according to segment class. The look-up algorithm then searches the timing database for duration data corresponding to these re-categorised segments. The timing database is constructed using an iterative synthesis/adjustment technique, in which a `judge' listens to synthetic speech and adjusts segmental durations to improve naturalness. This manual technique for constructing the timing database has been evaluated. Since the timing data is linked to an expert judge's perception, an investigation examined whether the expert judge's perception of speech naturalness is representative of people in general. Listening experiments revealed marked similarities between an expert judge's perception of naturalness and that of the experimental subjects. It was also found that the expert judge's perception remains stable over time. A synthesis/adjustment experiment found a positive linear correlation between segmental durations chosen by an experienced expert judge and duration values chosen by subjects acting as expert judges. A listening test confirmed that between 70% and 100% intelligibility can be achieved with words synthesised using TDCSS. In a further test, a TDCSS synthesiser was compared with five well-known text-to-speech synthesisers, and was ranked fifth most natural out of six. An alternative concatenation framework (TDCSS2) was also evaluated, in which duration parameters specify both the start point and the end point of the speech to be extracted from a stored waveform and concatenated. In a similar listening experiment, TDCSS2 stimuli were compared with five well-known text-tospeech synthesisers, and were ranked fifth most natural out of six.
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Walker, Jan. "The management of elderly patients with pain." Thesis, Bournemouth University, 1989. http://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/357/.
Full textAbstract:
This research project is designed to determine a plan of assessment and intervention, which can be used by nurses in the community to help elderly patients cope with painful conditions. A theoretical model is developed, in which coping is defined in terms of the degree of control experienced over pain and other stressors. This model identifies emotional state as the indicator of coping at any particular time. A study is described, in which subjects were 190 retired patients, who were being visited by a district nurse, and who identified that they had persistent or recurrent pain. Data on pain and coping was collected using semi-structured interview. Mood state was measured as the dependent variable. Independent variables for quantitative analysis included pain intensity ratings, pain duration, disability, health, personal and financial problems, age and locus of control. Qualitative data were collected to validate the quantitative findings. Questionnaire data were collected from nurses for purposes of verification and comparison. Nonparametric correlations, and multiple regression analysis, identified that the variables which directly determined coping were feeling the pain to be under control, being occupied, feeling informed about the painful condition, having regrets and non pain-related personal problems (notably bereavement loss). Those who used active occupational and pain-relieving strategies coped better than those who adopted passive coping strategies. Patients generally valued supportive aspects of nursing care, particularly the provision of encouragement and confidence. Nurses systematically underestimated patients' worst pain and overestimated anxiety. There was a significant association between patients' pain complaints and perceived pain exaggeration. Few nurses used a pain assessment protocol, or had received formal education in the management of chronic pain. These results are used to produce guidelines for the nursing management of elderly patients with pain in the community, with particular reference to assessment and intervention, based upon the nursing process
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Mancini, Luca. "Esperienze sul trattamento di essiccamento fanghi da depurazione presso il termovalorizzatore di Coriano (RN)." Master's thesis, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, 2009. http://amslaurea.unibo.it/354/.
Full textAbstract:
L’argomento trattato in questo elaborato è il problema sempre più emergente dello smaltimento dei fanghi provenienti dalla depurazione delle acque reflue.
La quantità di fanghi da smaltire, infatti, è in continuo aumento e continuerà a crescere nel corso dei prossimi anni a causa di trattamenti sempre più spinti di depurazione e della costruzione di nuovi impianti.
Dopo aver analizzato i vari scenari possibili per lo smaltimento dei fanghi ed i relativi costi, si passa ad analizzare le varie tecniche utilizzate per l’essiccamento
dei fanghi (dirette ed indirette), includendo anche tecniche di ultima generazione come l’essiccamento per via solare.
Si è andati poi ad analizzare nel dettaglio il funzionamento dell’impianto di essiccamento termico dei fanghi di depurazione di Coriano (RN), situato presso il
termovalorizzatore e che sfrutta il calore proveniente da questo come fonte di calore per essiccare i fanghi.
Sono state evidenziate le varie parti che compongono l’impianto e le caratteristiche delle correnti in ingresso ed uscita.
Si è passati poi ad analizzare il pericolo di esplosione, all’interno dello stesso impianto, dovuto alla presenza di miscele esplosive formate dalla polvere organica del fango e dall’aria.
Si sono analizzate tutte le modifiche apportate all’impianto in modo tale da prevenire questo rischio di esplosione.
Infine è stata condotta una valutazione economica per dimostrare che l’essiccamento dei fanghi risulta un processo molto conveniente, perché consente di ridurre i volumi da trattare, e, quindi, di conseguenza anche i costi dello smaltimento finale.