The two SCUBA HAlf-Degree Extragalactic Survey (SHADES) fields are amongst the richest places in the sky in terms of multi-wavelength coverage. They comprise an eastern section of the Lockman Hole (LH) and the central portion of the Subaru- XMM/Newton Deep Field (SXDF). In this thesis, I have obtained extremely deep, multi-frequency radio imaging of the SHADES fields using the GiantMetre-wave Radio Telescope (GMRT) and the Very Large Array (VLA), at 610MHz and 1.4GHz, respectively. These data are used to analyse the nature of the sub-milliJansky (sub-mJy) radio population, which has been hotly debated in the last few years: are they powered by star-forming or nuclear activity? To tackle the problem, I employ different approaches making use of the large variety of multi-wavelength data in the SHADES fields. I begin by analysing the spectral index, α610MHz 1.4GHz , of radio sources detected in the LH, to explore the dominant emission mechanism. Based on a robust 10 σ detection criterion, I find a constantmedian spectral index of α610MHz 1.4GHz ≈ −0.6 to −0.7 for sources between S1.4GHz ≈ 200 μJy and 10mJy. This result suggests that the galaxy population in the sub-mJy regime is powered by optically-thin synchrotron emission – starforming galaxies or lobe-dominated active galactic nuclei (AGN). Making use of X-ray observations in the LH, I show that the fraction of radio sources detected in the hard X-ray band (between 2 and 10 keV) decreases from 50 to 15 per cent between S1.4GHz ≈ 1mJy and . 100 μJy, which strongly suggests a transition from AGN to star-forming galaxies. Based on the deep, multi-wavelength coverage of the SXDF, I explore the behaviour of the far-infrared (FIR)/radio correlation as a function of redshift. I combine the q24 factor – the logarithmic flux density ratio between Spitzer 24-μm and VLA 1.4- GHz flux densities – with available photometric redshifts and find strong evidence that the correlation holds out to z ≈ 3.5. Based on M82-like k-corrections and using a high-significance (S1.4GHz > 300 μJy) radio sub-sample, I find a mean and scatter of q24 = 0.71 ± 0.47. Monte-Carlo simulations based on these findings show that fewer sources deviate from the correlation at fainter flux densities (i.e. fewer radioloud AGN). I predict that the radio-loud fraction drops from 50 per cent at ∼ 1mJy to zero at . 100 μJy. The validity of the FIR/radio correlation out to very high redshifts adds credibility to identifications of sub-millimetre (submm) galaxies (SMGs) made at radio wavelengths. Based on a sample of 45 radio-identified SMGs in the LH, I find a median radio spectral index of α610MHz 1.4GHz = −0.72 ± 0.07, which suggests that optically-thin synchrotron is the dominant radio emission mechanism. Finally, as anAppendix I include a theoretical treatment that constrains the average geometry of the dusty, torus-like structures believed to obscure a large fraction of the AGN population. I use the distribution of column densities (NH) obtained from deep ∼ 1Msec X-ray observations in the Chandra Deep Field South. I find that to reproduce the wide observed range of NH, the best torus model is given by a classical “donut”- shaped distribution with an exponential angular dependency of the density profile.

Granskning av makt och makthavare är ett av mediernas viktigaste uppdrag och i en jämställd politisk miljö bör uttalanden och ageranden bedömas utifrån lika villkor. Det för ingenting gott med sig om medierna gör en orättvis skillnad på kvinnor och män i deras rapportering om politiska skandaler. Det finns många påståenden om en genusdimension i mediernas rapportering, men relativt få vetenskapliga belägg för detta. Syftet med avhandlingen är att undersöka i vilken utsträckning det förekommer likheter och skillnader i hur nyhetsmedier rapporterar om kvinnor och män i svenska politiska skandaler samt bidra med en förståelse för förekomsten av dessa eventuella likheter och skillnader. I en kvantitativ innehållsanalys analyseras 4345 tidningsartiklar fördelade på 92 svenska skandaler med förtroendevalda politiker på den nationella och den europeiska nivån mellan åren 1997 och 2010. Utifrån teoretiska antaganden om mediernas dagordningsmakt, gestaltningsmakt och medielogik undersöks nyhetsmedierna Aftonbladet, Dagens Nyheter, Expressen och Svenska Dagbladet. Studiens resultat visar på flera stora könsskillnader som är till kvinnornas nackdel, men i datamaterialet framträder också många likheter. Som grupp betraktat missgynnas dock kvinnor i flera avseenden gentemot män vilket kan innebära att kvinnor kan få sämre möjligheter till att hantera och överleva politiska skandaler än män. En slutsats är att huvudpersonens kön är en viktig aspekt i strävan efter förståelse för hur politiska skandaler tar sin början, utvecklas och kommer till avslut.

© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2016 / Reducing AgNO3 by glucose at basic pH coated the surface of silica spheres with a high density of hemispherical silver nanoparticles (average diameter 3.2±1 nm). A much lower silver concentration than is standard favored heterogeneous nucleation of silver on the silica surface at the expense of homogeneous nucleation in solution. The slow growth rate of the nuclei promoted the formation of discrete silver particles rather than a continuous shell. Based on scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, the surface coverage of silver seed particles was as high as 25% at 10 °C without prior functionalization of the silica. The particles were composed of metallic silver based on x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. There was a sharp increase in the silver surface coverage and decrease in the particle size when the temperature was raised from 5 °C to 10 °C and the amount of silica was decreased from 0.2 to 0.025 V/V. The size was controlled by the diffusion barrier through the ion shell surrounding the silica spheres and by maintaining reaction conditions where the particles on the surface compete for silver.

Due to the rapid changes that governs the Swedish financial sector such as financial deregulations and technological innovations, it is imperative to examine the extent to which the Swedish Financial institutions had performed amid these changes. For this to be accomplish, the work investigates what are the determinants of performance for Swedish Financial Monetary Institutions? Assumptions were derived from theoretical and empirical literatures to investigate the authenticity of this research question using seven explanatory variables. Two models were specified using Returns on Asset (ROA) and Return on Equity (ROE) as the main performance indicators and for the sake of reliability and validity, three different estimators such as Ordinary Least Square (OLS), Generalized Least Square (GLS) and Feasible Generalized Least Square (FGLS) were employed. The Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) was also used to verify which specification explains performance better while performing robustness check of parameter estimates was done by correcting for standard errors. Based on the findings, ROA specification proves to have the lowest Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and Standard errors compared to ROE specification. Under ROA, two variables; the profit margins and the Interest coverage ratio proves to be statistically significant while under ROE just the interest coverage ratio (ICR) for all the estimators proves significant. The result also shows that the FGLS is the most efficient estimator, then follows the GLS and the last OLS. when corrected for SE robust, the gearing ratio which measures the capital structure becomes significant under ROA and its estimate become positive under ROE robust. Conclusions were drawn that, within the period of study three variables (ICR, profit margins and gearing) shows significant and four variables were insignificant. The overall findings show that the institutions strive to their best to maximize returns but these returns were just normal to cover their costs of operation. Much should be done as per the ASC theory to avoid liquidity and credit risks problems. Again, estimated values of ICR and profit margins shows that a considerable amount of efforts with sound financial policies are required to increase performance by one percentage point. Areas of further research could be how the individual stochastic factors such as the Dupont model, repo rates, inflation, GDP etc. can influence performance.

Ordinal coefficient alpha is a newly derived non-parametric reliability estimate. As with any point estimate, ordinal coefficient alpha is merely an estimate of a population parameter and tends to vary from sample to sample. Researchers report the confidence interval to provide readers with the amount of precision obtained. Several methods with differing computational approaches exist for confidence interval estimation for alpha, including the Fisher, Feldt, Bonner, and Hakstian and Whalen (HW) techniques. Overall, coverage rates for the various methods were unacceptably low with the Fisher method as the highest performer at 62%. Because of the poor performance across all four confidence interval methods, a need exists to develop a method which works well for ordinal coefficient alpha.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering / Naiqian Zhang / One of precision agriculture researches currently focuses on the relationship between plant phenotype, genotype, and ambient environment, including critical investigations of a multi-sensor-integrated phenotyping platform and data mining technology for big data. This study examined the designs of two phenotyping platforms and developed machine vision (MV) technology to estimate wheat growth status and count wheat head. The GreenSeeker, an infrared thermometer (IRT), a web camera, and a global positioning system (GPS) receiver were integrated into one handheld phenotyping platform, named as Phenocorn. The Phenocorn allowed simultaneous collection of the normalized difference vegetative index (NDVI) and canopy temperature (CT) with precise assignment of all measurements to plot location by GPS data points. The Phenocorn was tested using a field trial of 10 historical and current elite wheat (Triticum aestivium) breeding lines at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in Ciudad Obregon, Mexico, during the 2013 and 2014 growing seasons. Results showed that the NDVI data, PVC (percent vegetation coverage) data, and temperature data obtained by the handheld phenocorn could availably reflect the wheat growing status in the field, and the handheld phenocorn could be used as an instrument to do plant phenotyping information collection. This study also used the modular design method to design the mechanical structures of a robot-based phenotyping platform, named as Phenorobot. Its control system was based on a Controller Area Network (CAN bus). The basic function performances such as steering function, lifter load, and movement features were tested in the laboratory. Proposed design indicators were achieved, demonstrating its potential utilization for field experiments. Image acquisition is one of the main data collection methods for plant phenotyping research. The method for extracting plant phenotyping traits based on MV was explored in this research. Experiments for detecting the wheat development based on the images taken in the field were designed and carried out from March to June 2015, and a method based on color analysis to estimate percent vegetation coverage (PVC) of wheat was developed. A wheat growth model based on the PVC was used for the wheat growth status analysis. In addition, a wheat head counting method was developed and divided into three steps: wheat head image segmentation, leaf debris elimination, and wheat head counting. This paper proposes the first wheat head counting model (WCM) based on the pixels group measurement of wheat heads. Compared to the Joint Points Counting (JPC) method (Liu et al., 2014) and the Wheatear Shape Index (WSI) method (Frédéric et al., 2012), the WCM more accurately counted wheat heads from images taken in the experiments.

The study focused on the positive or negative direction shown in 57 articles from ten English-language magazines covering the 1973 military coup in Chile, September 1 to December 31, 1973, inclusive. Magazines chosen were from the fields of news, religion, opinion, and business. Direction was determined by comparing individual thought units within articles against a category table comprising mutually exclusive pairs of thought units. Directional value of each article was determined by positive and negative ratios. Results showed a wide variation in scores, with news magazines adhering most closely to the objective ideal. Recommendations for further study included long-term study of single magazines or classes of magazines for direction, and an expanded mathematical analysis.

The study's problem was whether five major newspapers that covered Viking produced informative, educational, interpretive, and credible stories. Indexed, microfilmed articles from January, 1975, to November, 1976, were analyzed. Conclusions: no newspaper gave the landings the greatest percentage of coverage; every newspaper devoted the largest percentage of coverage to interpretation; science writers used analogy most often; adequate explanations of Viking's implications were not found; four of five newspapers had more references to named than unnamed sources; only two newspapers utilized their staffs more than outside sources. Recommendations: covering a science event should be planned to include preliminary coverage, follow-up, and analysis; writers must interpret the facts, use educational writing techniques, explain implications, and have specific attribution; newspapers should assess their capabilities for science coverage.

This cross-sectional, non-experimental study evaluates associations between cohort membership, type of dental coverage, and utilization of dental services in all patients age 47 and over who received dental care at Virginia Commonwealth University’s (VCU) School of Dentistry in 2011. Structural Lag Theory poses that society’s institutions lag behind the actuality of a healthy and capable older adult population. The two dynamisms of the Structural Lag Theory were used for this study. The Dynamism of Changing Lives is represented by Cohort differences. Cohort differences include cohort size, people living longer and retaining more of their natural teeth along with different attitudes toward dental care. This dynamism impacts the Dynamism of Structural Change, represented by the institutions of dental coverage and utilization of dental services. Cohort membership is an independent variable. The dependent variable, utilization, is defined as Financial-Total amount spent and Procedural-Routine adult dental prophylaxis. Dental coverage, a dichotomous variable, is used as an independent and dependent variable. Descriptive statistics revealed employer provided dental coverage is the most prevalent type of dental coverage. However, when considered a payment source, out of pocket funding is the primary source of payment for dental services. Using Chi-square and logistic regression, examination of Cohorts (1-Greatest Generation, 2-Silent Generation, 3-Baby Boomer Generation) revealed that Cohort 2 had more dental coverage than Cohort 1, and Cohort 3 had more dental coverage than Cohort 2. Using logistic regression, Cohort 2 showed the highest level of Procedural utilization. Evaluating Financial utilization, multiple regression models showed Cohort 1 utilized more than Cohort 2 and Cohort 2 utilized more than Cohort 3. Those with dental coverage spend more on dental services, fees for routine adult dental prophylaxis make up the majority of the total amount spent, and those with dental coverage utilize more dental services when defined as total amount spent. Because they have experienced different social, political, economic, and technological changes at different times in their life course, the receipt of dental services by new cohorts of older people differs from previous ones. Findings from this study confirm that there is a structural lag in Medicare policy and its coverage of dental services.

The diploma thesis Sport rioting and its media coverage examines the way in which specified Czech media inform about rioting linked to sport events, in this case football mathches. The theoretical part of the thesis maps the history of sport fans, sociological and psychological background of football rioting as well as approaches to dealing with it. Likewise, it features theoretical points on the problematics of reality representation. The chosen cases and analysed media are presented in brief profiles. These are followed by the analytical part of the thesis, which employs qualitative content analysis of the specified media texts. The analysis examines content of the media outputs in the period of one week after the cases occurred. The goal of this thesis is to evaluate which language means the media used, how it framed the events and whether they resorted to tabloidization while reporting on them. Keywords Media coverage, rioting, sport, fans, stereotyping, framing