Currently, several state Departments of Transportation (DOTs) are using contractor test results, in conjunction with verification test results, for construction and materials acceptance purposes. While the reasons for using contractor test results for construction and materials acceptance purposes are real (essentially shortage of state DOT staff and intensive construction schedules), the practice itself has fundamental pitfalls. This research reveals the conceptual and technical pitfalls of using contractor test results for acceptance and payment purposes; identifies and ranks potential alternatives and improvements to the use of contractor test results for acceptance and payment purposes; and investigates the potential application of skip-lot sampling as a means for reducing acceptance sampling and testing for highway agencies.

The dissertation investigates syntactic and semantic aspects of the indefinite pronoun system in Modern Hebrew and consists of an experimental part and a theoretical part. The experimental part presents the grammaticality judgment task conducted to test three theoretical questions: (1) the relation between negation and the licensing of AF `any' and KOL `any'; (2) the contrast between EYZE `some' and EYZESEHU `some' in terms of specificity; and (3) the correlation between syntactic position and free choice readings. Three main theoretical findings are contributed by this work. First, it is shown that from a typological viewpoint, Hebrew, a Semitic language, patterns with Romance and Germanic languages, rather than Japanese-type languages, in having indefinite pronouns specialized for particular operators available in the discourse. Second, the thesis proposes a novel unified syntax-semantics for KOL which accounts for its interpretational variability. Working with the Kratzer and Shimoyama (2002) framework where indefinite pronouns generate sets of individual alternatives, the semantics of a KOL--modified noun phrase is formalized as a variable and containing a restriction. When this restriction ranges over kinds, KOL receives a generic reading; when the restriction is over a contextually specified set of entities, KOL has an episodic reading. In these cases, the KOL--phrase moves to the argument position of a universal quantifier which binds the individual alternatives generated by the KOL--phrase. If KOL stays in situ, the individual alternatives are allowed to expand into propositional alternatives, resulting in the free choice reading. Third, I discuss the DP-internal structure of [eyze(N)se-hu (N)] and [(N) kol(N)se-hu], treating 'se-hu' as a CP. I propose that there is a correlation between the postnominal position and the free choice readings of these pronouns, suggesting that domain restrictions, usually derived in the semantics-pragmatics, may also be encoded in the syntax. If this hypothesis is on the right track, it could provide us with a better understanding of how and when in the process of language acquisition domain restrictions found with indefinite pronouns are acquired.

Through evaluating Hilary Bok’s argument from her essay Freedom and Practical Reason, I hope to shed light on the overall question of whether we can have free will if determinism is true. In the first two chapters I will fully explain and break down Bok’s argument for genuine epistemic alternatives. In chapter three I will evaluate the success of Bok’s arguments. Specifically, I will offer a variety of intuitive examples to show that epistemic unpredictability is not enough to make our alternatives genuine. I will then use more examples to consider the relative importance of unpredictability and endorsement to free will.

The dissertation investigates syntactic and semantic aspects of the indefinite pronoun system in Modern Hebrew and consists of an experimental part and a theoretical part. The experimental part presents the grammaticality judgment task conducted to test three theoretical questions: (1) the relation between negation and the licensing of AF `any' and KOL `any'; (2) the contrast between EYZE `some' and EYZESEHU `some' in terms of specificity; and (3) the correlation between syntactic position and free choice readings. Three main theoretical findings are contributed by this work. First, it is shown that from a typological viewpoint, Hebrew, a Semitic language, patterns with Romance and Germanic languages, rather than Japanese-type languages, in having indefinite pronouns specialized for particular operators available in the discourse. Second, the thesis proposes a novel unified syntax-semantics for KOL which accounts for its interpretational variability. Working with the Kratzer and Shimoyama (2002) framework where indefinite pronouns generate sets of individual alternatives, the semantics of a KOL--modified noun phrase is formalized as a variable and containing a restriction. When this restriction ranges over kinds, KOL receives a generic reading; when the restriction is over a contextually specified set of entities, KOL has an episodic reading. In these cases, the KOL--phrase moves to the argument position of a universal quantifier which binds the individual alternatives generated by the KOL--phrase. If KOL stays in situ, the individual alternatives are allowed to expand into propositional alternatives, resulting in the free choice reading. Third, I discuss the DP-internal structure of [eyze(N)se-hu (N)] and [(N) kol(N)se-hu], treating 'se-hu' as a CP. I propose that there is a correlation between the postnominal position and the free choice readings of these pronouns, suggesting that domain restrictions, usually derived in the semantics-pragmatics, may also be encoded in the syntax. If this hypothesis is on the right track, it could provide us with a better understanding of how and when in the process of language acquisition domain restrictions found with indefinite pronouns are acquired.

El objetivo fundamental de este trabajo ha sido elaborar un modelo de pena de trabajos en beneficio de la comunidad (TBC) a partir del cual analizar y valorar la introducción de esta sanción en nuestro sistema de penas, su regulación y funciones, así como el grado y los ámbitos en que efectivamente ha sido aplicada.Los materiales empleados para realizar este estudio han sido fundamentalmente bibliografía española y extranjera sobre la materia, especialmente anglosajona; esta elección se debe a las numerosas reflexiones teóricas existentes alrededor del modelo británico de servicios comunitarios, a la constante evaluación a la que ha sido sometido y a su influencia en la expansión del TBC en numerosos ordenamientos europeos occidentales.Además del estudio de la literatura disponible, se han tratado de tener en cuenta los resultados de los estudios empíricos existentes, y se ha buscado una aproximación a la realidad de la aplicación de la pena, más allá de sus aspectos normativos mediante entrevistas con jueces y con responsables y técnicos de la gestión de la ejecución de la pena en el ámbito catalán; en el ámbito inglés se ha realizado un seguimiento del trabajo de un grupo de penados durante diversas sesiones. El estudio del TBC se ha abordado en primer lugar desde un punto de vista histórico, intentando rastrear los orígenes del TBC con voluntad clarificar el contenido de la pena y de apuntar al sentido que pueda tener su introducción en los contemporáneos ordenamientos. Se ha desvinculado el TBC de otras formas históricas de utilización del trabajo penal, caracterizadas por su dureza y por un componente de explotación y de humillación del penado ajenos a la sanción objeto de estudio. Hemos analizado dos elementos esenciales de la pena: la privación de tiempo de ocio como parte fundamental de su contenido, y el papel desempeñado por la comunidad en el desarrollo y la ejecución de las sanciones de trabajos comunitarios. El estudio de estos dos elementos nos ha permitido contextualizar el TBC en un momento determinado del desarrollo de las sociedades occidentales, distinguiéndolo claramente de formas de trabajo forzado. Finalmente hemos vinculado el TBC al desarrollo de las penas alternativas a la prisión; parece que es esta vinculación la que otorga al TBC su sentido de reducir el recurso a la prisión como sanción penal. En segundo lugar hemos tratado de abordar los fundamentos de la sanción. Para ello hemos procedido a analizar si es capaz de satisfacer los fines tradicionalmente exigidos a las penas de acuerdo con las investigaciones empíricas disponibles, y el resultado de nuestro análisis ha sido globalmente positivo.De la prevención general, la prevención especial, la incapacitación y la retribución se derivan exigencias respecto de la regulación y la aplicación del TBC, que hemos tratado de sistematizar. El modelo de TBC resultante nos ha servido como punto de partida para analizar la vigente regulación de la sanción y realizar propuestas interpretativas y de modificación legislativa al respecto. En tercer lugar, se ha procedido a analizar la regulación del TBC contenida en el CP, fundamentalmente en su artículo 49, así como las funciones que la sanción tiene asignadas en el sistema de penas, procurándose integrar en este análisis normativo el estudio de la mecánica de ejecución de la sanción, regulada en el Real Decreto 515/2005.Finalmente se han procurado recoger y valorar los datos dispobibles acerca de la aplicación efectiva de esta pena en el ámbito estatal, bajo la competencia de la Dirección General de Instituciones Penitenciarias, y en particular en el ámbito catalán, bajo la competencia de la Subdirecció General de Medi Obert i Mesures Penals Alternatives. / The main aim of this research has been to build a model of community service as punishment in order to analyse and evaluate the introduction of such a sanction in the Spanish sanctioning system, its regulation and the functions granted to it, as well as the degree and areas in which it has been actually applied to.The data used in order to pursue this research has been fundamentally Spanish and foreign scientific literature, particularly anglosaxon sources; such choice is due to the many theoretical works elaborated arround British community service orders as well as the constant empirical evaluation it has been submitted to, as well as the influence of the British model in the expansion of the sanction in most european systems.As well as the study of the available literature, we have tried to take into account the result of the available empirical research, and we have tried to approach the reality of the practical implementation of the sanction, beyond its normative aspects, through interviews with judges and with the agents responsible for the implementation of community service in Catalonia; in England, we have followed the work of a group of offenders during several community service sessions. The study of community service orders has been takled in the first place from a historical point of view, looking for the origins of the sanction with the intent to clarify its content and the sense its introduction in contemporary santioning systems may have. Thus community service has been distinguished from historical uses of penal labour characterized by their harshness and by an element of exploitation and humiliation of offenders completely alien to contemporary community service orders. Still from a historical point of view two essential elements in this sanction have been analysed: privation of leisure as a fundamental part of its contents, and the role played by the community in the development and implementation of community service orders. The study of these two elements has allowed us to contextualize community service orders in a particular social and cultural context in Western societies, thus clearly distinguishing them from forced labour. We have finally linked community service orders to the development of alternatives to prison; this link, it seems, grants community service orders its sense as a means of reducing the use of prison as a criminal sanction. Next the theoretical foundations of the sanction have been analysed. In order to do so we have examined if it is capable of satisfying the ends traditionally demanded from sanctions according to available empirical evidence, and the result of our analysis has been generally positive.Various consequences for the regulation and implementation of community service orders derive from deterrence, rehabilitation, incapacitation and retribution, and we have tried to somehow organize them. The resulting model of community service orders has been used as a starting point for the analysis of current Spanish regulation of the sanction, putting forward interpretations and legal changes. In the third place, the analysis of the legal regulation of community service orders contained in the Spanish Criminal Code, particularly in its article 49, has been tackled, as well as the functions the sanction has been granted in the sanctioning system; such a normative analysis has been complemented with the study of the particulars of the implementation process of the penalty, contained in Real Decreto 515/2005.Finally, the available data on the actual implementation of community service orders in Spain (both under the Dirección General de Instituciones Penitenciarias and the Subdirecció General de Medi Obert i Mesures Penals Alternatives) has been collected and evaluated.

The problem of detecting monotonic increasing/decreasing trends in variances from k samples is widely met in many applications, e.g. financial data analysis, medical and environmental studies. However, most of the tests for equality of variances against ordered alternatives rely on the assumption of normality. Such tests are often non-robust to departures from normality, which eventually leads to unreliable conclusions. In this thesis, we propose a combination of a robust Levene-type test and a finite-intersection method, which relaxes the assumption of normality. The new combined procedure yields a more accurate estimate of sizes of the test and provides competitive powers. In addition, we discuss various modifications of the proposed test for unbalanced design cases. We present theoretical justifications of the new test and illustrate its applications by simulations and case studies.

The problem of detecting monotonic increasing/decreasing trends in variances from k samples is widely met in many applications, e.g. financial data analysis, medical and environmental studies. However, most of the tests for equality of variances against ordered alternatives rely on the assumption of normality. Such tests are often non-robust to departures from normality, which eventually leads to unreliable conclusions. In this thesis, we propose a combination of a robust Levene-type test and a finite-intersection method, which relaxes the assumption of normality. The new combined procedure yields a more accurate estimate of sizes of the test and provides competitive powers. In addition, we discuss various modifications of the proposed test for unbalanced design cases. We present theoretical justifications of the new test and illustrate its applications by simulations and case studies.

The overall objective of this research was to improve the understanding of worker attitudes and perceptions toward different workspace types and workspace alternatives and how they are related to processes and activities native to a given organization. The specific goals of this study were: •The development of a methodology to assess workers attitudes toward different workspace alternatives for use in the planning stages of new offices. •Identification of workspace variables that affect perceptions and preferences regarding the alternatives based on the proposed units of analysis (individual, interpersonal relations, and organizational). This research consisted of mixed methodology. It was a cross departmental study of needs and preferences of workers regarding key variable and choices of workspace types and workspace alternatives. The main research instrument was a four stage web based survey. The secondary component was focus groups. By tracking these declared needs, preferences and choices regarding workspace types and workspace alternatives it was possible to identify if they associate with demographic information, work performance, and the proposed units of analysis, within a given organizational structure. This information provided a substantial knowledge base for decision makers in the planning stage of relocation of people, and the allocation of space processes. This study provided decision makers in the above mentioned processes a tested methodology that enables the development of a proactive approach to innovative workspace planning. The results are relevant to designers, managers and facility managers as it provides a perspective to understand or identify potential space and layout improvements in existing and future workplaces based on the core activities of any given organization. Such information will allow managers to make informed decisions about future workspace changes, as well as planning new workspace alternatives to continually support the organization’s objectives.

The primary hypothesis of this study was that low-income individuals purchase more packaged foods of lower healthiness and lower price compared to similar packaged foods of higher healthiness and higher price. The Nutrition Metric was chosen as the system to measure the nutritional value of foods because it is in the public domain and uses nutrients common to the Nutrition Facts panel; however, prior to use, the validity of the Nutrition Metric needed to be tested. The convergent validation of the Nutrition Metric was tested with four systems (NuVal, Guiding Stars, WXYfm, Go-Slow-Whoa) that met the study criteria. A sample of 600 foods that were purchased over a 104 week period that ended in November 2009 by 34,407 low-income households was drawn to achieve at least 168 items having scores available for each system. The Nutrition Metric had a positive correlation with all scoring systems for the 174 foods (P<0.01) that verified its validity as a tool to assess food healthiness. The Nutrition Metric was used to measure the healthiness of packaged products from the list of low-income food purchases (n=316). Products had a negative mean healthiness score of -0.88 ± 1.72 and low levels (<5% Daily Value) of dietary fiber, vitamin A and C, iron, and cholesterol. The majority of the products (n=305) did not have a nutrient claim on product packaging. The Nutrition Metric was a successful tool that can be utilized to assess the healthiness differences between products with and without nutrient claims purchased by low-income shoppers with counterpart products at the supermarket. Food price and healthiness differences were evaluated for the list of packaged products (n=305 (minus 11 single ingredient cooking staples)) commonly purchased by low-income shoppers to counterpart products of the same brand and package size with or without nutrient claims. Products with nutrient claims (n=77), on average, had higher healthiness scores and prices than products without claims (n=77) (P<0.01). Research and education initiatives that promote the selection of products with claims instead of products without claims are potential options to improve the diets of low-income consumers. / text

The transportation decision-making process takes on different forms in different states. The purpose of this study was to include and move considerations for national, state, and local security needs into the transportation project development arenas with a focus on Florida. A thorough and updated literature review was completed to determine the current state of the industry regarding incorporating security considerations into the transportation planning process. A review of current Federal, State, and Local laws and regulations concerning planning requirements was conducted to outline planning parameters and limitations. An information request letter was mailed to the key planning staff members for all 50 states in the United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico and other key stakeholders. An online survey was conducted to determine public opinion about transportation security. As a result of these efforts, a modified PD&E process was developed, key findings were identified, future research needs were defined, and an outline of next steps was developed.