Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Inverse Relationship'

Land ist eine entscheidende Ressource in der landwirtschaftlichen Produktion, aber seine ungleiche Verteilung verzögert das Wohlergehen der Entwicklungsländer. Diese Studie wurde hauptsächlich entwickelt, um die Verteilung von land und die damit verbundenen Problemen der landwirtschaftlichen Produktivität in den zugehörigen Ländern zu erforschen. Darüber hinaus wurde die unterschiedliche Ebene der Verteilung von land auf die Beziehungen zu anderen betriebs und sozio-ökonomischen Indikatoren analysiert. Ebenso wurde die vollständige oder teilweise Faktor-produktivität, Bruttoergebnisse, Ernteintensität, Ernte-Vielfalt, die Unterschiede der Einkommensverteilung und die institutionelle Kredit Verfügbarkeit untersucht. Alle der genannten Indikatoren wurden für kleine, mittlere und große Kategorien der Betriebsgrößen bewertet. Drei verschiedene Standorte wurden differenziert nach ihrem zugang zu bewässerung aus gesucht z.B. ständig bewässerte. Flächen m0it ganzjährigen Dauerkulturen, nicht dauerhaft bewässerten Flächen mit sechsmonatiger Bewässerbarkeit durch die öffentliche Infrastruktur und Flächen mit dene bewässerungs-infrastrukture (vor allem durch Brunnen bewässert). Verschiedene statistische (zB. Gini-Koeffizient, Lorenz-Kurve, Herfindahl-Index etc.) und ökonometrische Maßnahmen (log-log-Funktion) wurden zu messung verschiedener Indikatoren zur Erreichung der Ziele der Studie verwendet. Der Ergebnisse belegen eine gleichmäßige Landverteilung in nicht dauerhaft bewässerten Gebieten, während die Landverteilung in regenbewässerten Gebieten zersplittert ist. Die Leistung der meisten der Indikatoren, d.h. die Rendite, Bruttoergebnisse, die landwirtschaftlichen Einkommen, Arbeitsproduktivität, Einkommensverteilung, Anbauintensität und Anbaudiversität war im Vergleich zu anderen Gebieten höher. Während die Faktorproduktivität, Bewässerungsproduktivität und die institutionelle Kreditverfügbarkeit in dauerhaft bewässerten Gebieten höher war. Allerdings wiesen regenbewässerung-gebiete immer die geringste Effizienz in Bezug auf alle der genannten Indikatoren auf. Die genannten Indikatoren waren bei kleinen Betrieben stärker ausgeprägt als bei größeren betrieben. Darüber hinaus bestätigten regressive Ergebnisse der Studie die Existenz der inversen Beziehung zwischen Betriebsgröße und Produktivität an allen Standorten der Studie. Daher wird der Schluss gezogen, dass eine bessere Verteilung von Land und kleine Betriebsstrukturen der Landwirtschaft dazu beitragen können, mehr zu produzieren. Es wird dringend empfohlen, dass die Umverteilungen der Land reformen notwendig sind, in Entwicklungs ländern mit Landknappheit und reichlichen Arbeitskräften wie Pakistan. Es kann auch zur Linderung von Armut beitragen und als Hilfe zür Ernährungssicherung in den benachteiligten Regionen dienen.
Land is a pivotal resource in agriculture production but its uneven distribution retards the welfare of developing nations. This study was, mainly, devised to address land distribution problems and consequent farm productivity in the study area. Furthermore, level of land distribution disparities was focused on to observe its relationship with different on-farm and socio-economic indicators including total and partial factor productivities, gross margins, cropping intensity, crop diversity, income distribution disparities and institutional credit availability etc. All of the aforesaid indicators were also assessed for small, medium and large farm size categories. Three distinct locations were chosen on the basis of varying irrigation endowments i.e. irrigated perennial area with year round, irrigated non-perennial area with six months irrigation availability through public infrastructure and rainfed area was mainly tubewell irrigated (without public irrigation infrastructure). Various statistical (i.e. Gini coefficient, Lorenz curve, Herfindahl Index etc) and econometric measures (i.e. log-log function) were employed to quantify different indicators to achieve objectives of the study. Land was observed evenly distributed in irrigated non-perennial area as compared to other areas while land distribution was found most skewed in rainfed area. The performance of most of the indicators i.e. yield, gross margins, farm income, labour productivity, income distribution, cropping intensity and crop diversity was found better as compared to other areas. While total factor productivity, irrigation productivity and rate of institutional credit availability was higher in irrigated perennial area. However, rainfed area was always least efficient with respect to all of the quantified indicators. The aforesaid indicators were observed better at small farms than larger ones. Moreover, regression results of the study also confirmed the existence of inverse relationship between farm size and productivity in all of the study locations. Therefore, it is concluded that better land distribution and small farms agriculture can help to produce more. So, it is strongly suggested that redistributive land reforms are necessary in land scarce and labour abundant developing countries like Pakistan. It can also alleviate poverty and help to bring food security in the deprived regions.

The goal of this research is to show the feasibility of detecting density variations in green-state powder metallurgy (P/M) compacts from surface voltage measurements. By monitoring a steady electric current flow through the sample and recording the voltages over the surface, valu-able information is gathered leading to the prediction of the structural health of the compacts. Unlike prior research that concentrated on the detection of surface-breaking and subsurface de-fects, the results presented in this thesis target the density prediction throughout the volume of the sample. The detection of density variations is achieved by establishing a correlation between the conductivity and their respective density. The data obtained from the surface measurements is used as part of an inversion algorithm, calculating the conductivity distribution, and subse-quently the density within the compact. In a first step, the relationship between conductivity and density of green-state P/M com-pacts was investigated. Tests were conducted for a number of parts of various powder mixtures. In all cases a clear correlation between conductivity and density could be established, indicating that measurements of electric conductivity could indeed be exploited in an effort to render valid information about the density of the sample under test. We found a linear correlation for non-lubricated parts and a non-linear behavior for lubricated samples. Specifically, it was found that the conductivity increases with increasing density only up to a maximum value obtained at ap-proximately 6.9g/cm3. Interestingly, any additional density increase leads to a reduction of the conductivity. This behavior was confirmed to be inherent in all powder mixtures with lubricants. The thesis research is able to provide a physical model and a mathematical formulation describ-ing this counter-intuitive phenomenon. A finite element solver in conjunction with an inversion algorithm was then implemented to study arbitrarily shaped part geometries. Based on the principles of electric impedance imag-ing, the developed algorithm faithfully reconstructs the density distribution from surface voltage measurements. The feasibility of the instrumentation approach for both simple and complex parts can be demonstrated using a new sensor concept and measurement arrangement. Measurements were performed on both geometrically simple and complex parts.

Denna systematiska litteraturstudie syftar till att med hjälp av forskning identifiera avgörande faktorer för framgångsrika undervisningsstrategier av stambråk i grundskolans matematikundervisning. Studien baseras på elva vetenskapliga artiklar som bearbetats systematiskt med hjälp av innehållsanalys för att besvara forsknings-frågorna om vilka avgörande faktorer som forskningen visar för undervisningen av stambråk samt vilka framgångsrika undervisningsstrategier som finns. Forskningen visar att areamodellen som representationsform dominerar undervisningen av bråk vilket innebär att stambråk får lite plats i undervisningen. Stambråket är en viktig del för att kunna tillägna sig avgörande faktorer av bråk. Resultatet visar att en undervisning med linear measurement (linjära representationsformer) betonar stambråkets roll som tolkningsverktyg för att kunna jämföra andra bråk samt det omvända förhållandet där en större nämnare utgör en mindre andel. Resultatet visar också att undervisningen av stambråk etablerar grundläggande principer för rationella tal och mer avancerade matematiska områden som proportionalitet och algebra. Därmed är lärares val av undervisningsstrategier och representationsformer samt deras kunskaper inom dessa områden vitala för vad eleverna kan tillägna sig i samband med bråkundervisningen.

Dispositif pédagogique qui réorganise temps et espaces scolaires grâce aux fonctionnalités des outils numériques, la classe inversée suscite un engouement important dans les sphères de l’éducation. Dans un contexte de développement rapide de cette pratique dans l’enseignement secondaire français, cette recherche s’intéresse à l’appropriation du dispositif par des élèves de lycée et interroge la dynamique créée chez les apprenants engagés dans une classe inversée. A travers de questionnaires et d’entretiens menés auprès d’élèves de huit classes de lycée, une analyse exploratoire a été conduite pour comprendre l’évolution des rapports au savoir des apprenants, ainsi que le repositionnement de l’élève face à l’enseignant dans la relation pédagogique. Il apparaît que le dispositif est un instrument au service du professeur plus qu’un levier de changement pour les élèves. Au-delà de l’impact sur la motivation, inégal selon les élèves, il semble que le dispositif de la classe inversée s’inscrive dans la problématique d’une redistribution des rôles au lycée qui mette l’élève en tension entre soumission et responsabilisation à propos de ses apprentissages
A pedagogical tool which reorganizes educational time and space thanks to the use of new technologies, the Flipped Classroom has generated great enthusiasm in education. Given the rapid development of this instructional approach at the secondary level in France, this research looks at the appropriation of the flipped classroom by French high school students and questions the dynamics created for the learner navigating in a flipped setting. Using questionnaires and semi-directive interviews conducted with 8 high school classes, an exploratory analysis was done to understand the evolution of students’ relationship to knowledge and how they reposition themselves in relation to their teacher. It appears that the flipped classroom approach is more of an instrument to serve teachers’ needs than a change agent for students. Beyond its impact on student motivation, which differs from one student to another, the Flipped Classroom approach seems to come within the scope of the redistribution of roles at the high school level, placing the student in a situation of tension between submission and responsibility concerning his/her learning

L'architecture structurale de l’avant-pays sud atlasique tunisien est caractérisée par un style tectonique mixte résultant de la réactivation de failles normales connectées avec le socle, de la mise en place de décollements dans la couverture sédimentaire ainsi que d’un diapirisme non négligeable. La géométrie et l’orientation des structures extensives préexistantes, issues du rifting Trias à Turonien, contrôlent la déformation de la couverture sédimentaire au cours des phases compressives d’âge fini-mésozoïque et cénozoïque. En effet, la marge tunisienne a enregistrée une longue période de rifting, de la fin du Permien-Trias jusqu’au Turonien. Une inversion tectonique s’est initiée probablement pendant le Crétacé supérieur. Les compressions tectoniques tertiaires se sont produites au cours de trois périodes: l’Eocène, le Mio-Pliocène et le Plio-Quaternaire. Notre étude montre une variation temporel du champ de contrainte régional, d’un régime tectonique compressif de direction NW-SE d’âge Mio-Pliocène à un régime tectonique compressif de direction N-S à NNE-SSW d’âge Quaternaire à l’actuel. Ce changement de régime tectonique a lieu, soit à la fin du Pliocène, soit au début du Quaternaire. Et une variation spatiale du champ de contrainte, de la compression (Domaine atlasique de la Tunisie) à la transtension (Golfe de Gabès), semble se faire progressivement du Nord vers le Sud-Est. Cette étude souligne le rôle prépondérant des failles profondes héritées et acquises au cours de l'évolution de la marge passive sud téthysienne. Dans ce domaine, la restauration de notre coupe équilibrée montre un raccourcissement modéré en surface de l’ordre de 8.1 km (~7,3%)
The structural architecture of the Tunisian foreland consists in a mixed tectonic style with deep-seated basement faults, shallower décollements within sedimentary cover and salt diapirism. Structural geometry and orientation of the pre-existing Triassic-Turonian extensional structures controlled subsequent contractional deformation within the sedimentary cover. The rifting of the margin started in the late Permian–Triassic and continued up to the Turonian. From the inversion of the successive compressions, the development of ENE-trending thrust-related anticlines such as the Orbata and Chemsi structures are controlled by the reactivation of the inherited Mesozoic faults. Geologic data from this region indicate that the positive tectonic inversion occurred probably during Late Cretaceous period. The Cenozoic tectonic compressions in the southern Atlassic domain occurred during three periods: Late Eocene, Late Miocene and Plio-Quaternary. The Fault kinematic analysis reveals a temporal change in states of stress that occurred during the Late Cenozoic. A paleostress (Miocene-Pliocene) state is characterized by a regional compressional tectonic regime with a mean N134±09°E trending compressional axis (σ1). A modern (Quaternary to present-day) state of stress also corresponds to compressional tectonic regime with a regionally mean N05±10°E trending horizontal σ1. This study underlines the predominant role of inherited basement structures acquired during the evolution of the southern Tethyan margin, and their influence on the geometry of the Atlassic fold-and-thrust belt. At the southern Atlas of Tunisia our restoration shows a surface shortening of ~8.1 km (~7.3%)

One of the problems associated with automatic thesaurus construction is with determining the semantic relationship between word pairs. Quasi-synonyms provide a type of equivalence relationship: words are similar only for purposes of information retrieval. Determining such relationships in a thesaurus is hard to achieve automatically. The term vector space model and an inverse term frequency similarity function can provide a way to automatically determine the similarity between words in thesaurus. A thesaurus constructed using this method can also improve precision and recall in information retrieval, when the thesaurus is constructed in conjunction with fuzzy rough set algorithms and used with tight upper approximation query expansion. This dissertation presents a method that combines fuzzy rough sets and a word weighting and inverse term frequency similarity function as a technique for automatic thesaurus construction.

Les invertases de plantes (Invs) hydrolysent de manière irréversible le saccharose en fructose et glucose. En fonction de leur pH optimum et de leur localisation subcellulaire, les Invs sont classées en trois groupes : alcaline et neutre (A/N-Inv), vacuolaire (VI) et de paroi (CWI). Le but de notre étude a été de mieux comprendre les mécanismes impliqués dans les régulations post-traductionnelles d'une VI de Solanum lycopersicum (VINV). L'ADNc codant pour VINV a été cloné et exprimé dans le système hétérologue Pichia pastoris. Après purification, la caractérisation biochimique a été réalisée et a montré des résultats comparables à ceux obtenus précédemment pour d'autres Invs. La structure tridimensionnelle de VINV a été résolue par cristallographie aux rayons X à 2,75 Å et il s'agit de la première structure d'une VI décrite jusqu'ici. Des expériences de mutagénèse dirigée ont permis d'identifier certains acides aminés impliqués dans la catalyse : le nucléophile, le catalyseur acide/base, le stabilisateur d'état de transition et un résidu qui module le pKa du catalyseur acide/base. Par ailleurs, la régulation de l'activité de VINV a été étudiée. La N-glycosylation de VINV recombinante semble être importante pour la stabilité de la structure. De plus, l'activité VINV peut aussi être modulée par un inhibiteur protéique spécifique. Une approche de génomique fonctionnelle a été utilisée, et un inhibiteur d'invertase vacuolaire putatif (SolyVIF) de S. lycopersicum a été identifié dans la banque de données des Solanacées. L'ADNc codant pour SolyVIF a été cloné et exprimé dans le système hétérologue Escherichia coli Rosetta gami (DE3)
Plant invertases (Invs) hydrolyze irreversibly sucrose into fructose and glucose. Based on their pH optima and subcellular localization, Invs are categorized into three groups: alkaline and neutral invertase (A/N-Inv), vacuolar invertase (VI), and cell wall invertase (CWI). The goal of our study was to better understand mechanisms involved in the molecular regulation of a VI from Solanum lycopersicum (VINV) at post-translational levels. The VINV cDNA was cloned and heterologously expressed in Pichia pastoris. After purification, the biochemical characterization was performed and showed comparable results with those obtained previously for other characterized Invs. The three-dimensional structure of VINV was solved by X-ray crystallography to 2.75 Å resolution and it was the first structure of a plant VI described so far. Mutations experiments allowed to identify important amino acids: the nucleophile, the acid/base catalyst, the transition-state stabilizer and a residue that modulate pKa of the acid/base catalyst. Moreover, the regulation of VINV at different post-translational levels was studied. N-glycosylation of recombinant VINV seems to be important for structure stability. VINV activity can also be modulated by specific proteinaceous inhibitor. A functional genomics approach was used, and a putative vacuolar invertase inhibitor (SolyVIF) of S. lycopersicum was identified in the Solanaceae data bank. SolyVIF cDNA was cloned and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli Rosetta gami (DE3). Recombinant protein was purified and characterized

Research gap: Reputation is seen as an important asset for companies and can create competitive advantages. Within business-to-business the reputation of the company is argued to affect the relationship between buyers and suppliers and although the area is stressed to be important, it is still under-researched. Previous literature is not aligning when it comes to the importance of reputation and the duration of the relationship and it also states trust to have impact on important parts of the relationship, such as affective commitment and the willingness to invest. Purpose: The purpose of the thesis was to measure to what extent the duration of a buyer-supplier relationship affects trust, and to what extent trust affects the affective commitment and willingness to invest, when the reputation of the supplier was negative as the outcome of adverse publicity. Hypothesis: H1a; H1b: The duration of buyer-supplier relationship has a positive impact on Trust (integrity or benevolence) if the reputation of the supplier is negative H2a; H2b: Trust (integrity or benevolence) has a positive impact on affective Commitment, if the reputation of the supplier is negative H3a; H3b: Trust (integrity or benevolence) has a positive impact on willingness to invest if the reputation of the supplier is negative Method: The study had a quantitative approach and collected the data by a questionnaire sent to manufacturing business-to-business companies by email. 462 companies were contacted which resulted in 72 usable answers. Conclusion:The buyer-supplier relationship was not to a significantly extent affected by negative reputation and the duration of the relationship was not differing to a substantially extent. The different trust increased the buyers’ affective commitment and willingness to invest which demonstrates the importance of trust in the relationship due to negative reputation.

A pesquisa aborda a compreensão da relação sociedade-natureza no campo, através do estudo de caso da Comuna da Terra Irmã Alberta, estabelecida como assentamento rural pelo Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra (MST), desde 2002, no distrito de Perus, município de São Paulo/SP e em processo de regularização pelo INCRA. Houve a preocupação de apreender a influência do meio físico na determinação dos modos de exploração agrícola da área em questão e o impacto desses sistemas de produção agrícola na dinâmica da paisagem, problematizando as práticas das famílias em relação à gestão do meio físico. Nesse sentido, entende-se que há uma produção da paisagem pelo processo histórico de apropriação da terra e vice-versa. A reconstituição histórica da estrutura agrária da região e a elaboração dos mapeamentos temáticos do meio físico subsidiaram o estudo das interações dos sistemas pedológicos e os sistemas de produção agrícola do assentamento. A caracterização dos sistemas pedológicos se deu a partir da caracterização do impacto das ações antrópicas sobre a morfologia dos solos através da técnica do Perfil Cultural. O trabalho abrange, ainda, a discussão das limitações da modalidade de assentamento rural de Desenvolvimento Sustentável, proposto pelo INCRA, e respectivamente, de Comuna da Terra, pelo MST, na promoção do bem-estar e reprodução material das famílias camponesas e no alcance dos objetivos de sustentabilidade que se propõem
The research addresses the understanding of the relationship between society and nature in the field, through the case study of the Commune Earth \"Irmã Alberta\", established as a rural settlement by the Movement of Landless Rural Workers ( MST ), since 2002, in the district of Perus São Paulo / SP and regularization process by INCRA. We were careful to grasp the influence of the physical environment in determining modes of farm area in question and the impact of agricultural production systems in the dynamic landscape, questioning the practices of families in relation to the management of the physical environment. In this sense, it is understood that there is a production landscape by historical process of appropriation of land and vice versa. The historical reconstruction of the agrarian structure of the region and preparation of thematic maps of the physical subsidized the study of interactions of the pedological and agricultural production systems of the settlement. The characterization of pedological systems occurred from the characterize the impact of human actions on the morphology of the soil using the technique of Cultural Profile. The work also covers the discussion of the limitations of the type of rural settlement of \"Sustainable Development\" proposed by INCRA and respectively the Commune of the Earth, the MST, in promoting well - being and material reproduction of peasant families and achievement of sustainability goals proposed

A new apatite (U-Th)/He (AHe) dataset from subvertical transects collected in the Teton and Gallatin Ranges in the Teton-Yellowstone region provides insight for the slip history and length of the Teton fault. Along the northernmost segment of the Teton fault, inverse thermal history modeling of AHe data from Eagles Rest Peak yield a ~9 Ma age for onset of fault slip. This age supports previous interpretations that Mount Moran may be the true center of the Teton fault. This refined interpretation coupled with lengthdisplacement fault scaling analysis and previous estimates of total fault displacement (~6 km) indicates that the Teton fault may extend 50-90 km north of Mount Moran. However, this new data precludes the possibility that the Teton and East Gallatin faults represent the same structure. Yet, because these systems share a similar structure trend and initial slip ages (13 Ma and 16 Ma, respectively), they may still be related at a larger scale. To the south, the Teewinot transect yields the oldest onset age of ~32 Ma, however a >500 m vertical data gap in this transect leads us to cautiously interpret the results of this model, particularly as this age conflicts with four other transects along-strike.

Fondos colectivos se considera una nueva fuente de financiación y se está convirtiendo en una herramienta cada vez más empleada por los empresarios que buscan financiación para su empresa y por los inversores que buscan alternativas no tradicionales de inversión. El fenómeno de los fondos colectivos, en teoría y en la práctica, se ha desarrollado y difundido significativamente en los últimos años. Los fondos colectivos de acciones se prometen transformar el panorama de la financiación privada para las empresas en fase de arranque y proyectos en fase inicial que permitan a los inversionistas sin experiencia participar en la financiación de un proyecto. Sin embargo, este tipo de inversionistas tienen herramientas limitadas para identificar casos de fraude y mala conducta, evaluar la propuesta de valor de los proyectos o vender su participación en un mercado secundario líquido. Esta tesis doctoral tiene el propósito de proporcionar un avance en el conocimiento y la comprensión sobre la evaluación de la toma de decisiones de los inversores cuando invierten en fondos colectivos de acciones. Este estudio fue estructurado y diseñado a través de tres ensayos independientes. Cada ensayo pretende explorar una característica del fenómeno de los fondos colectivos de acciones e incluye su propia metodología, análisis y resultados empíricos. El objetivo del primer ensayo es estudiar las características de los inversores dispuestos a financiar nuevas empresas a través de plataformas de fondos colectivos. Hemos encontrado e identificado como factores significativos para categorizar a los inversores tanto su experiencia en fondos colectivos como su estrategia de diversificación de riesgos. El objetivo del segundo ensayo es evaluar el desarrollo de la confianza de los inversionistas en base a sus creencias sobre la competencia, integridad y benevolencia del empresario que busca financiación a través del modelo de fondos colectivos de acciones. La novedad de esta investigación fue analizar la "confianza" en el ecosistema de fondos colectivos de acciones. Utilizamos una técnica de modelado de ecuaciones estructurales para predecir la relación entre nuestras variables latentes de confianza y la intención de invertir en proyectos de fondos colectivos de acciones. El tercer ensayo tres se centra en analizar el efecto combinado de la confianza y las relaciones de agencia entre los inversores, los empresarios y las plataformas de fondos colectivos. En éste último ensayo agregamos los constructos de agencia a los constructos de confianza analizadas para el segundo ensayo. Los constructos de agencia se basan en la investigación de la dinámica de la agencia para el financiamiento inicial en los modelos de inversionistas ángeles, inversión de capital riesgo y fondos colectivos, e incluyen una combinación de factores de inversión ex-ante y ex-post. Hemos probado nuestra hipótesis utilizando un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales por el método de mínimo cuadrado parciales. Encontramos que existe una característica innata del inversionista de confiar en el ecosistema de los fondos colectivos y que los inversionistas han encontrado mecanismos que les permiten identificar posibles defectos y casos de fraude presentes en ciertos proyectos de fondo colectivos de acciones. En base a los hallazgos de la investigación, esta tesis contribuye al conocimiento de diferentes maneras: Primero, una mejor descripción de las características del inversionista; en segundo lugar, adoptamos la conclusión de que la variable de confianza colectiva representada a través de las plataformas de fondos colectivos de acciones desempeña un papel importante en la explicación de las intenciones de confianza de los inversionistas; En tercer lugar, combinamos dos teorías muy conocidas, la confianza y la agencia, que aunque son complementarios no han sido utilizados en la investigación juntos lo suficientemente.
Crowdfunding is considered a new source of funding and it is becoming an increasingly employed tool by entrepreneurs who seek financing for their venture and by investors who search for non-traditional alternatives of investment. The crowdfunding phenomenon, in theory and practice, has developed and spread significantly in recent years. Equity crowdfunding promises to transform the private funding landscape for start-ups and early stage projects allowing non-experience investors to participate in funding a project. However, these type of investors have limited tools to identify cases of fraud and misconduct, evaluate the value proposition of projects or sell their participation in a liquid secondary market. This doctoral dissertation has the purpose to advance knowledge and understanding on the investors’ decision-making assessment when investing in equity crowdfunding. This study was structured and design through three independent essays. Each essay intends to explore one characteristic of the equity crowdfunding phenomenon and includes its own methodology, analysis and empirical results. The objective of the first essay is to study the characteristics of the investors willing to fund start-ups through crowdfunding platforms. We found and identified as significant factors to categorize the investors both their expertise in equity crowdfunding and their risk diversification strategy. The objective of the second essay is to evaluate the investors’ development of trust based on their beliefs about the competence, integrity and benevolence of the entrepreneur seeking financing through the equity crowdfunding model. The novelty of this research was to analyze “trust” in the equity crowdfunding ecosystem. We use a structural equation modelling technique to predict the relationship among our trust latent variables and the trust intention to invest in equity crowdfunding projects. Essay three focuses on analyzing the combined effect of trust and agency relations among investors, entrepreneurs and crowdfunding platforms. In this essay we add the agency constructs to the trust constructs commented for the second essay objective. The agency constructs are built on the research of agency dynamics for start-up financing in business angel, venture capitalist investment and crowdfunding models, and comprise a combination of ex-ante and ex-post investment factors. We tested our hypothesis using a partial least square-structural equation modeling. We found that there is an innate characteristic of the investor to trust in the equity crowdfunding ecosystem and that the investors have found mechanisms that allow them to identify potential flaws and cases of fraud present in certain equity crowdfunding projects. Based on the research findings, this dissertation contributes to knowledge in different ways: First, a better description of the investor characteristics; second, we embrace the conclusion that the variable collective trust represented through the equity crowdfunding platforms performs an important part in explaining the trust intentions of the investors; third, we combine two very well-known theories, trust and agency, that even though they are complementary they have not been utilized in research together sufficiently.

The thesis analyses competitive environment of suppliers of concurrent quality control technology in industrial enterprises and research laboratories. The thesis provides concepts for a creation of competitive advantages and related higher evaluation of costs and diferentiation than competition. Further it compares technologies from various manufacturers, comparing economical and technical parametres. The evaluation of results follows a presentation of approachs to achieve the most efficient competitors fight management. The thesis also include prognosis of future conditions in the business technology sector on Czech and Slovak market and concept of an appropriate format of effective competitive intelligence. In conclusion there is a presentation of a quality and quantity concept evaluation with emphasis on economic gain of presented solution.

碩士
國立高雄應用科技大學
國際企業研究所
106
The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the correlations among the net buy/ sell of three institutional investors, the balance of margin loan and stock loan, CSI 300, SSE 180 traditional, leveraged and inverse ETF. The empirical data is daily data from May 8, 2017 to May 8, 2018. Research methods we use include the ADF test, which is used to determine if the variable is a stationary series, and then the GARCH model to take into account the fluctuation factors, and finally the Regression Analysis to derive the possible relationships. The results of this empirical analysis are as follow: 1. CSI 300 traditional, leveraged and SSE 180 leveraged, inverse ETF are significantly positively correlated with investment trust, in addition, there is a significant positive correlation between CSI 300 traditional inverse ETF, and SSE 180 inverse ETF on the balance of margin loan. 2. The investment trust and the balance of margin loan have the same investment ability for the China ETF, and the significant positive correlation between the CSI 300 traditional and the SSE 180 inverse ETF is better than other China ETF.

Tese de doutoramento em Química, na especialidade de Fotoquímica, apresentada ao Departamento de Química da Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade de Coimbra
Este trabalho é uma contribuição para o entendimento das reações de transferência de eletrão (TE), que são a base de processos físicos e químicos fundamentais e estão no cerne de processos biológicos essenciais à vida. Em particular, reações de TE em sistemas bimoleculares e intramoleculares contendo hidrocarbonetos aromáticos e grupos nitrilo foram examinadas com vista a compreender o papel do meio, força motriz e temperatura nas energias e velocidades das reações TE. Cinco doadores de eletrões (naftaleno, pireno, 3,4-dimetilanisole, p-xileno e o-xileno), e dois aceitadores de eletrões (fumaronitrilo e isopropilidenomalononitrilo) foram usados na transferência de eletrão bimolecular fotoinduzida. As reações bimoleculares foram estudadas nos seguintes solventes: n-heptano (ε=1.9), cyclohexano (ε=2.0), éter n-butílico (ε=3.1), éter isopropílico (ε=3.9), clorofórmio (ε=4.8), acetato de etilo (ε=6.1), 1-clorobutano (ε=7.2), tetraidrofurano (ε=7.6), diclorometano (ε=9.0), 1,2-dicloroetano (ε=10.4) e acetato de metilo (ε=6.9). Supressão da fluorescência do doador foi observada em todos os sistemas bimoleculares estudados. No entanto, quando o fumarinitrilo foi usado como um aceitador de eletrões, ocorreu a formação de um par iónico radical fluorescente. Os dados obtidos são consistentes com a formação direta de pares iónicos de contacto, em vez de iões livres, através da tranferência de eletrão fotoinduzida. A dependência da temperatura das velocidades de recombinação de carga mostra um canal de decaimento adicional competitivo com o equilibrio térmico. A transferência de eletrão intramolecular foi estudada em duas moléculas contendo grupos doador-aceitador de eletrões ligados rigidamente entre si: 3-metoxi-1,3,5(10)-estratrien-17-ilideno)malononitrilo (1) and 1,3,5(10)-estratrien-17-ilideno)malononitilo (2). Ambas as moléculas têm a mesma distância de separação de ponta-a-ponta entre o doador e o aceitador. Foram realizados estudos numa série de solventes com diferentes constantes dielétricas, tais como: éter n-butílico (ε=3.1), éter isopropílico (ε=3.9), clorofórmio (ε=4.8), acetato de etilo (ε=6.1), diclorometano (ε=9.0), 2-propanol (ε=20.2) e acetonitrilo (ε=37.0), cobrindo uma ampla gama de temperaturas (288-328 K) e exotermicidades (–1 to –103 kcal/mol). Técnicas resolvidas no tempo, nomeadamente a espectroscopia de transientes femtossegundo (pump-probe), contagem de monofotão correlacionada temporalmente e fotólise por pulso de laser, foram empregues para investigar e caracterizar as espécies com tempos de vida entre 1 ps e 30 us. Estes estudos abrangentes revelaram uma nova relação entre velocidades e energias livres de reações muito exotérmicas (ΔG<–70 kcal/mol), a qual é caraterizada por um aumento da velocidade de reação com a força motriz das reações, levando ao fim da região-invertida prevista por Marcus, e sendo descrita como dupla região-invertida. Adicionalmente, verificou-se que as reações com energias de ativação negativas na região-invertida foram mais lentas do que as reações análogas com energia de ativação positiva na dupla região-invertida. Com a possível exceção do acetonitilo, as velocidades obtidas em outros solventes, seguem a mesma dependência da energia-livre. Os dados bimoleculares e intramoleculares experimentais obtidos são bem suportados pela previsão teórica do Modelo de Intersecão de Estados, e desafiam a interpretação da transferênica de eletrão por teorias de transferência eletrónica frequentemente usadas.
This work is a contribution to the understanding of electron transfer (ET) reactions, which are the basis of fundamental physical and chemical processes and are at the core of essential life-sustaining biological processes. In particular, ET reactions in bimolecular and intramolecular systems containing aromatic hydrocarbons and nitrile groups were examined with a view to understand the role of the medium, driving force and temperature in the energies and rates of ET reactions. Five electron-donors (naphthalene, pyrene, 3,4-dimethylanisole, p-xylene and o-xylene), and two electron-acceptors (fumaronitrile and isopropylidenomalononitrile) were used in photoinduced bimolecular electron transfer. Bimolecular reactions were studied in solvents such as: n-heptane (ε=1.9), cyclohexane (ε=2.0), n-butyl ether (ε=3.1), isopropyl ether (ε=3.9), chloroform (ε=4.8), ethyl acetate (ε=6.1), 1-chlorobutane (ε=7.2), tetrahydrofuran (ε=7.6), dichloromethane (ε=9.0), 1,2-dichloroethane (ε=10.4) and methyl acetate (ε=6.9). Quenching of donor fluorescence emission was observed in all bimolecular systems studied. However, a fluorescent radical ion pair was formed when fumaronitrile was used as an electron-acceptor. The data are consistent with the direct formation of contact ion pairs, rather than free ions, by photoinduced electron transfer. The temperature-dependence of charge recombination rates shows an additional decay channel competitive with the thermal equilibration. Intramolecular electron transfer was studied using two rigidly bridged donor-acceptor molecules: 3-methoxy-1,3,5(10)-estratrien-17-yliden)malononitrile (1) and 1,3,5(10)-estratrien-17-yliden)malononitile (2). Both molecules have the same edge-to-edge separation distance between the donor and the acceptor. Studies were performed in a series of solvents with different dielectric constants such as: n-butyl ether (ε=3.1), isopropyl ether (ε=3.9), chloroform (ε=4.8), ethyl acetate (ε=6.1), dichloromethane (ε=9.0), 2-propanol (ε=20.2) and acetonitrile (ε=37.0), covering a wide range of temperatures (288-328 K) and exothermicities (–1 to –103 kcal/mol). Time-resolved techniques, namely femtosecond pump-probe transient spectroscopy, time-correlated single photon counting and flash photolysis, were employed to probe and characterize the species with the lifetime between 1 ps to 30 μs. These comprehensive studies uncovered a new relationship between rates and free energies of very exothermic reactions (ΔG<–70 kcal/mol), which is characterized by an increase of rate constants with the driving force of the reactions, bringing an end to Marcus inverted region, and described as a “double inverted region”. Additionally, it was found that reactions with apparent negative activation energies in the inverted region were slower than the analogous reactions with positive activation energy in the double inverted region. With the possible exception of acetonitrile, the rates obtained in the other solvents follow the same free-energy dependence. Our bimolecular and intramolecular experimental data were very well supported by the theoretical prediction of the Intersecting-State Model, and challenge the interpretation of electron transfer by commonly used electron transfer theories.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Georgia, 2003.
Directed by Susan R. Wessler. Includes an article published in, and an article submitted to, Proceedings of the National Acedemy of Sciences, USA, and an article accepted by Genetics. Includes bibliographical references.

This study re-examines the relationship between competition and innovation in a detailed firm-level dataset of publicly traded US companies spanning from 1975 to 2013. Using R&D expenditures, patent counts and patent citations as the measures of innovation, and Herfindahl-Hirschman Index, Lerner Index, Profit Elasticity and Product Market Fluidity as the proxies for competition we document a robust positive association between the two variables, as well as strong evidence of the non-linear relationship known as "inverted-U shape", when controlling for size, distance to technological frontier, level of knowledge spillovers, technological opportunities and other firm- and industry-specific characteristics. We address overdispersion in the data by using negative binomial and zero-inflated negative binomial count data regressions, and the results are robust in these specifications. Additionally, in order to address potential endogeneity issues, we employ a set of instruments based on the import tariff rates and the level of Chinese import penetration, and find a weak evidence of positive relationship as well. Overall the results strongly support the prediction of agency models, "replacement effect" and "escape- competition effect" about the positive influence of competition on innovation. Powered by TCPDF...

碩士
國立陽明大學
生物化學研究所
93
Poly-β-hydroxybutyrates (PHB) are biodegradable polyesters that accumulate as granules and are produced by a wide variety of bacteria as intracellular carbon and energy storage materials. Previous study indicated that PHB can bind directly to PhaQ repressor (146 amino acids) in Bacillus megaterium. PhaQ repressor, which exhibits no significant amino acid sequence similarity to any protein with a known function in data banks and contains no known DNA-binding motif, belongs to a new class of transcriptional regulators and negatively controls the expression of the phaQ operon. In this study, gel mobility shift assays showed that truncated PhaQ containing amino acids 17 to 124 exhibits stronger DNA binding activity than the wild-type PhaQ. Gel filtration analysis and cross-linking assays indicated that PhaQ exists in solution as a dimer. However, truncated PhaQ containing amino acids 17 to 102 exhibited no DNA-binding activity. When this truncated PhaQ was fused to the dimerization domain of the B. megaterium Bm3R1 repressor, its DNA-binding activity was restored. This suggests that the C-terminal region of PhaQ is important for dimerization. Site-directed mutagenesis has identified three positively charged amino acids (Lys24, Arg67, and Arg89) that are important for DNA-binding activity of PhaQ. We now demonstrated by PHB binding assays that either one of the two hydrophobic regions of PhaQ (amino acids 17 to 51 and 98-129 ) is sufficient for PHB binding. On the other hand, two σA-like promoters were previously identified in the Bacillus subtilis gapA operon. One is located upstream of cggR and the other resides in the gapA-pgk intergenic region. An inverted repeat following the second promoter was previously predicted to be a Rho-independent transcription terminator. In this study, we demonstrated that this inverted repeat does not function as a transcription terminator. Possible roles of this inverted repeat are discussed.