Each year the top 125 players on the PGA TOUR money list receive fully exempt status for the upcoming season. Past literature looks at the determinants that led to success for the top professionals on the PGA TOUR. Instead, I look at the determinants of finishing inside the top 125 on the PGA TOUR money list and retaining one’s TOUR card. I analyze the difference both statistically and in future earnings between finishing 100-125th on the money list and 126-150th. This paper finds that greens and regulation and putting have the largest effect on retaining a TOUR card while driving distance and accuracy are significant but at a much lower level. Future studies should look into the tradeoff between playing on the PGA TOUR and less marque tours like the Web.com as it can affect one’s earnings greatly.

Research Question: This research adapted, tested, and evaluated a methodology to set priorities for systematic reviews topics within the Cochrane Collaboration that is sustainable and incorporates the social determinants of health and health equity into the analysis. Background: In 2008 a study was conducted to review, evaluate and compare the methods for prioritization used across the Cochrane Collaboration. Two key findings from that study were: 1) the methods were not sustainable and 2) health equity represented a gap in the process. To address these key findings, the objective of this research was to produce and test a method that is sustainable and incorporates the social determinants of health and health equity into the decision making process. As part of this research, the methods were evaluated to determine the level of success. Methodology: With assistance from experts in the field, a comparative analysis of existing priority setting methods was conducted. The Global Evidence Mapping (GEM) method was selected to be adapted to meet our research objectives. The adapted method was tested with assistance of the Cochrane Musculoskeletal Group in identifying priorities for Osteoarthritis. The results of the process and the outcomes were evaluated by applying the “Framework for Successful Priority Setting”. Results: This research found that the priority setting method developed is sustainable. Also, the methods succeeded in incorporating the social determinants of health and health equity into the analysis. A key strength of the study was the ability to incorporate the patients’ perspective in setting priorities for review topics. The lack of involvement of disadvantaged groups of the population was identified as a key limitation. Recommendations were put forward to incorporate the strengths of the study into future priority setting exercises within Cochrane and to address the limitations.

The main aim is to analyze and describe the situation of the demand for badminton in Czech Republic and to verify if this demand is increasing or decreasing. Furthermore to think about which instruments would help to develop the demand for badminton. Some perspective for the future is the development of marketing activities. The opportunities for sports marketing I will try to present at a practical example of the SPORT INVEST Marketing company stands for the currently best Czech badminton player.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / It has been noticed that many countries around the world have started making the construction and development of industrial SMEs one of the critical driving forces for economic growth of their countries. The SMEs industry has shown growth and good performance in East and Southeast Asia (South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan). Many researchers have undertaken research on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa, including the development of rural entrepreneurship. Despite numerous articles and numerous past research surveys conducted on SMEs in South Africa, Brazil, Nigeria, Ukraine, Tanzania, Botswana, China, Taiwan, UK, Australia, USA including many other developing countries, the understanding of the determinants of survival and growth of rural SMEs in rural areas, with specific reference to KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and the existence of a growth model remain largely unknown. Since rural businesses operate in different environments from those in urban areas, it is essential to have a broad understanding and knowledge of business characteristics of small and medium enterprises of rural entrepreneurs, including their personal attitudes, rural entrepreneurial orientation growth of business, external/internal environmental dynamics, as well as rural entrepreneurial resources. In recent times, rural entrepreneurship has had a huge impact on many issues, including economic development, employment, food supply and social safety. With more and more people moving from the rural areas to urban areas due to a lack of employment opportunities and the complexity of running their own business, the problem of potential social unrest and many other problems become more and more real. Thus, it is very important that researchers, especially in those countries with large numbers of people living in the rural areas to investigate this problem and provide ways of how to solve it. The assumptions and the confusion, surrounding rural SMEs owners/managers awareness, perceptions and the understanding of various determinants of survival and growth of rural SMEs in their areas, highlights a need and creates interest for academics to conduct more research in this particular area. There are a number of other important reasons, such as the failure rate of SMEs that also need to be investigated. This study was conducted within the rural areas of the southern region of KZN province, using quantitative research methods. The sample for the study consisted of 150 owners/managers of SMEs. The respondents were selected using quota sampling and required to complete a research questionnaire, with an interviewer present to assist. The research instrument consisted of a close–ended, questionnaire made up of a 5 point Likert scale with the questionnaires distributed to five selected areas in the rural southern region of KZN province. The research findings indicate that the size of the local market is very small for selling SMEs products; poor infrastructure has an impact on their business growth and lack of financial support as well as tough government regulations adversely affect SME growth. This study provides both theoretical and practical implications for rural entrepreneurs and policy-makers. The study presents a number of recommendations, including a conceptual growth model for rural SMEs.

L'allaitement maternel est la modalité idéale d'alimentation du nourrisson. Les propriétés anti-infectieuses du lait maternel sont bien documentées. L'allaitement maternel protège les nourrissons contre les infections intestinales et respiratoires. L'allaitement maternel exclusif est recommandé pendant les 6 premiers mois, principalement parce que le lait maternel satisfait de façon optimale à tous les besoins nutritionnels et hydriques du nourrisson. Les nouvelles infections périnatales par le VIH dans les pays riches ont presque été éliminées grâce à la combinaison du dépistage prénatal du VIH, à la prophylaxie antirétrovirale de la mère et de l'enfant, à la césarienne élective et l'évitement de l'allaitement maternel. Bien que les interventions efficaces soient disponibles pour réduire la transmission in utero et intrapartum dans les pays à ressources limitées, la transmission postnatale du VIH par l'allaitement demeure un enjeu de santé publique. L'acquisition du VIH par l'allaitement maternel est responsable d'environ 40% des nouvelles infections en Afrique subsaharienne. Les études effectuées au cours de cette thèse faisaient partie d'un programme d'intervention qui a porté sur l'utilisation des différentes formes d'alimentation du nourrisson dans un environnement rural, à Umkhanyakude, dans le nord du KwaZulu-Natal, en Afrique du Sud. Les femmes ont été incluses dans cette étude avant le début de l'accès universel aux antirétroviraux en Afrique du Sud (2005). Le travail de doctorat visait à acquérir une meilleure compréhension de la transmission postnatale du VIH-1 par l'allaitement maternel, indispensable pour atteindre l'objectif de l'Organisation mondiale de la Santé de réduire toutes les formes de transmission du VIH de la mère à l'enfant (TME) à moins de 5% d'ici la fin de 2015. Dans la première étude, nous apportons la preuve que l'exposition cumulative à l'ARN VIH-1 par le lait maternel est un facteur de risque associé à la transmission postnatale de la mère à l'enfant, indépendamment du taux de CD4 maternels et de la charge virale plasmatique du VIH-1. Ces données fournissent une meilleure évaluation du risque de transmission mère-enfant du VIH-1 et de la charge virale dans le compartiment mammaire. Dans la seconde étude, nous confirmons que la charge virale associée aux cellules dans le lait maternel est un meilleur facteur prédictif du risque de TME postnatale précoce que la charge virale libre. En revanche, la charge virale libre est un facteur prédictif de transmission postnatale tardive (au-delà de 6 mois). Dans la troisième étude, nous avons étudié l'impact sur la TME du VIH-1 du cytomégalovirus (CMV) et du virus d'Epstein-Barr (EBV) dans le lait maternel des mères infectées par le VIH. Des niveaux élevés de CMV sont excrétés dans le lait maternel, et un niveau significatif de l'EBV est fréquemment observé. Les mères dont le lait maternel contient des niveaux élevés de CMV étaient jusqu'à deux fois et demi plus susceptibles de transmettre le VIH-1 à leur enfant par l'allaitement maternel comparativement aux femmes ayant un faible niveau de réplication de CMV. Nous apportons donc la preuve d'une association, indépendante de la charge virale du VIH-1, entre l'excrétion du CMV dans le lait maternel et la transmission postnatal du VIH-1. Chez les femmes allaitantes infectées par le VIH-1 et sous traitement antirétroviral, le risque de transmission résiduelle par l'allaitement est expliqué en partie par la persistance du virus associé aux cellules dans le lait maternel. D'autres études sont nécessaires pour approfondir les connaissances sur le mécanisme du VIH-1 transmission pendant l'allaitement, et les facteurs associés à l'excrétion compartimentée du VIH-1 dans le lait maternel, et pour aider à développer des médicaments plus efficaces pour une utilisation dans les populations à ressources limitées où l'évitement de l'allaitement maternel est souvent impossible. / Breastfeeding is a most valuable source of nutrition for infants. The anti-infective properties of breast milk are well documented and breastfeeding protects infants against gastrointestinal and respiratory illnesses. There is no disagreement that breastfeeding is the best form of nutrition for all infants everywhere. Exclusive breast-feeding for 6 months is recommended for the general population primarily because human milk can satisfy all of an infants' nutritional and hydration needs. New perinatal HIV infections in resource-rich countries have nearly been eliminated with the combination of universal, opt-out antenatal HIV testing, antiretroviral prophylaxis of the mother and infant, elective cesarean delivery, and avoidance of breastfeeding. Although effective interventions are available to reduce in utero and intrapartum transmission in resource-limited settings, postnatal transmission of HIV through breastfeeding has remained a significant problem. Acquisition of HIV through breast milk accounts for an estimated 40% of new infections in sub-Saharan Africa, where more than 90% of perinatal infection occurs. The studies performed during this PhD were part of a larger intervention program in KwaZulu-Natal that focused on the use of different forms of infant feeding within a rural setting. The Umkhanyakude district in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, is one of the areas worst affected by the HIV and AIDS pandemic, and has some of the highest prevalence figures in the world. Women were enrolled into this study prior to commencement of the South African national antiretroviral roll-out in 2005. This PhD research forms part of efforts to gain a better understanding of postnatal transmission of HIV-1 via breastfeeding, and to support the World Health Organization in their goal to reduce all forms of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) to below five percent by the end of 2015. In the first study performed, we provide for the first time evidence that cumulative exposure to HIV-1 RNA in breast milk is a key risk factor associated with postnatal mother-to-child transmission, independent of maternal CD4 and plasma HIV-1 viral load. This data provides a better evaluation of the risk of HIV-1 MTCT and intra-breast viral load. In the second study we confirm that cell-associated virus load in breast milk is a stronger predictor of the risk of early postnatal MTCT than cell-free virus, independent of HIV-1 replication in blood and breast milk. In contrast, cell-free virus load is a stronger predictor of later postnatal HIV-1 transmission. We provide evidence that the HIV-1 reservoir is a main risk factor for post-natal MTCT of HIV-1. In the third study performed, we investigated the significance and impact of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in breast milk from HIV-infected mothers, and MTCT of HIV-1. High levels of CMV is shed in breast milk, and frequently a significant level of EBV is shed in HIV-infected women. Hence, mothers whose breast milk contained high levels of CMV, were up to two and a half times more likely to transmit HIV-1 to her infant via breastfeeding compared to women with low levels. This is the first evidence of an association, independent of HIV-1 viral load, between CMV in breast milk and postnatal MTCT of HIV-1. In contemporary breastfeeding populations with access to antiretroviral prophylaxis, the residual HIV-1 transmission risk, especially in the early postpartum period, is explained in part by the persistence of cell-associated virus in breast milk. More studies are needed to further knowledge on the mechanism of HIV-1 transmission during lactation, and factors associated with compartmentalized shedding of HIV-1 in breast milk, and to help develop more effective drugs for use in resource-limited populations where avoidance of breastfeeding is almost impossible.

A striking variation in the behaviour of pollinating fig wasps (Agonidae) is the occurrence of male fighting in some species while in others it is completely absent. Fighting behaviour was investigated at two levels. Firstly, the variation in fighting behaviour between the species was used to examine factors that might cause the evolution thereof. Comparisons across species were done using phylogenetic regression. This method takes similarity due to phylogenetic constraints into account when data are compared. Kin selection theory implies that fighting is barred by the high degree of relatedness in competing males. We however find that the relatedness of the males do not have an influence on the evolution of fighting and this finding supports models suggesting that high LMC cancels benefits due to relatedness. Rather, that the only factor having a significant correlation with fighting is the release sex ratio. The release sex ratio and dispersal is also associated. Fighting and dispersal are not expected to have direct influence on each other and the association of both with the release sex ratio imply that this may be an indirect link between these two behaviours. A syndrome where fighting and dispersal is found together is in part explained by the release sex ratio. We conclude that the release sex ratio is the most likely cause of the evolution of fighting behaviour in pollinating fig wasps. The second part of this study deals with the proximal determinants causing fighting, in the males of the species Platyscapa awekei. We show that the sex ratio which, is less female biased than non-fighting pollinator species, rapidly becomes even less female biased as soon as both sexes becomes active. Numerous fights are fought by the males in the female limited environment. The activity of the wasps is shown to be regulated by the gaseous environment, which change from a high to a low CO2 concentration with the construction of an exit hole from the fig. The males of the species P. awekei are inactive, and do not engage in mating or fighting activities, in high CO2, contrasted to males of other species, which are active in this environment. P. awekei females rapidly release once the CO2 level is lowered and mating behaviour is only observed in this environment. The number of female to male encounters of every male decrease as the operational sex ratio becomes less female biased. Male fighting in this species is therefore expected due to the high sex ratio, which is enforced by the increase thereof. We conclude that the physical environment, in this species, affects the mating environment. The resultant reduction in the number of potential mating opportunities therefore escalates fighting between the males. / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Genetics / unrestricted

The number of dividend paying firms has been on the decline since the popularity of stock repurchases in the 1980s, and the recent financial crisis has brought about a wave of dividend reductions and omissions. This dissertation examined the U.S. firms and American Depository Receipts that are listed on the U.S. equity exchanges according to their dividend paying history in the previous twelve quarters. While accounting for the state of the economy, the firm’s size, profitability, earned equity, and growth opportunities, it determines whether or not the firm will pay a dividend in the next quarter. It also examined the likelihood of a dividend change. Further, returns of firms were examined according to their dividend paying history and the state of the economy using the Fama-French three-factor model. Using forward, backward, and step-wise selection logistic regressions, the results show that firms with a history of regular and uninterrupted dividend payments are likely to continue to pay dividends, while firms that do not have a history of regular dividend payments are not likely to begin to pay dividends or continue to do so. The results of a set of generalized polytomous logistic regressions imply that dividend paying firms are more likely to reduce dividend payments during economic expansions, as opposed to recessions. Also the analysis of returns using the Fama-French three factor model reveals that dividend paying firms are earning significant abnormal positive returns. As a special case, a similar analysis of dividend payment and dividend change was applied to American Depository Receipts that trade on the NYSE, NASDAQ, and AMEX exchanges and are issued by the Bank of New York Mellon. Returns of American Depository Receipts were examined using the Fama-French two-factor model for international firms. The results of the generalized polytomous logistic regression analyses indicate that dividend paying status and economic conditions are also important for dividend level change of American Depository Receipts, and Fama-French two-factor regressions alone do not adequately explain returns for these securities.

The aim of the work is to analyze the convergence in the Czech Republic for the period of 1996- 2006. The paper is based primarily on the Barro and Sala-i-Martin's theories of convergence of sub-national territorial units. The regression results proved assumptions to be realistic. The main model concentrates on a panel data approach that captures the extent to which new transport infrastructure influences within-nation regional convergence. This paper developed a regional approach to evaluate the impact of transport infrastructure, human capital and migration in four Central and Eastern European countries - the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and the Slovak Republic. The aim is to present an overview of the convergence process of the Czech regions between 1996 and 2006. A neoclassical growth model is used as a framework to study convergence across the 14 administrative units of the Czech Republic. Data on gross value added per capita are exploited. 1

The dissertation deals with the links between health care systems and health outcomes in the so-called 'transition' countries. The main questions to be addressed are: ''Do health care systems and their transitions influence health outcomes in the transition area and i f they do - how?" The combination o f qualitative techniques and econometric methods allowed for a creation o f the structural classifications o f the health care systems in transition and produced important findings. Firstly, health care transitions, and especially their structural component, are found to be significant in determining health status in the CEE and CIS countries. Secondly, however, the socio-economic determinants o f health were established to also play a major role in determining health inequalities in the transition area. Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

This study examines the effects of 2007/8 financial crisis on capital structure determinants of Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) listed companies in South Africa. Data extracted from INET BFA Expert database was analyzed using regression models on the correlation between the leverage and company size, growth, profitability, tangibility, liquidity, non-debt tax shield along with Ordinary Least Squares based on the sample of JSE listed companies for the period of 2004 to 2013. The study examined two industries namely, Real estate and Retail industry. The results show that size, tangibility, profitability and liquidity have significant impact on the capital structure before, during and after financial crisis. Growth results were inconsistent over the period under review, and non-debt tax shield was found to be statistically insignificant. The study also shows that the 2007/8 had statistical significance on the capital structure of the listed companies in South Africa.