Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-23T14:08:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Parte Inicial.pdf: 580643 bytes, checksum: 1783483d80317ac5307ad55e7cbdb752 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-03-25 / O propósito da pesquisa aqui elaborada é mostrar a viabilidade da aplicação de Funções de Base Radial de Suporte Compacto (FBRSC) no processo de aproximação direta do núcleo da ação de domínio através de integração de contorno. Essa formulação utilizada no tratamento da integral de domínio é denominada como (Método dos Elementos de Contorno com Integração Direta de Contorno) MECIC. Com o intuito de se avaliar a efetividade das FBRSC como funções de interpolação, serão realizados diversos testes numéricos, onde se deseja calcular o volume de superfícies. Então, serão realizados testes bidimensionais de aproximação, variando-se o suporte das FBRSCs, a fim de analisar o comportamento dessas funções. Depois de verificar a efetividade e a precisão das FBRSCs no processo de interpolação, desenvolvem-se programas, no ambiente do Método dos Elementos de Contorno (MEC), para a solução de problemas governados pela Equação de Poisson com a Formulação MECIC associada ao conceito de interpolação com FBRSC com suporte devidamente otimizados. A aferição das soluções numéricas obtidas se dá a partir da comparação com as suas respectivas soluções analíticas, facilmente encontradas na literatura especializada. Assim, possibilita-se estimar o erro relativo e então a eficácia da Formulação MECIC com FBRSC. Uma vez comprovado a sua eficácia, a Formulação MECIC com FBRSC é testada também com o esquema de interpolação com ajuste de pontos. Durante todo o desenvolvimento, atenta-se para a importância do custo computacional da formulação, a partir da geração de tabelas com o tempo de processamento dos programas implementados no MEC. Dessa forma, avalia-se qualitativamente o desempenho das FBRSC na Formulação MECIC, visando futuras aplicações na área de propagação de ondas sísmicas / The purpose of this research is to show the viability of application of Compactly Supported Radial Basis Function (CSRBF) in the process of direct approximation of the core of the domain action through boundary integration. This formulation is termed as (Boundary Elements Method with Directs Boundary Integration) MECIC, and is used in the treatment of the domain integration. By evaluating the effectiveness of CSRBF as interpolation functions, it performed several numerical tests to calculate the volume of surfaces. Also; by varying the support of CSRBFs, it performed two-dimensional approximation tests to examine the behavior of these functions. After verifying the effectiveness and accuracy of CSRBFs in the interpolation process, it developed computational programs to solve physical problems using the MECIC formulation, which is governed by Poisson s Equation. That formulation is associated with the concept of CSRBF in which the support is properly optimized. The calibration of the numerical solutions is given by the confrontation with their respective analytical solutions, easily found in the specialized literature. In this way, it is possible to estimate the relative error and the effectiveness of the MECIC formulation in association with the CSRBF concept. It is tested also with the curve fitting interpolation scheme. Owing the importance of the computational cost of that formulation, it is generated several time tables showing the processing time of those Boundary Elements Method computational programs. Therefore; aiming future applications in the seismic propagation wave area, it was finally evaluated the qualitative performance of the CSRBF in MECIC s formulation

After the 1994 genocide and collapse of the health system, Rwanda initiated major social and health reforms in order to reduce child mortality and health inequities in accordance with the Millennium Development Goals. The aim of this thesis was to assess trends in under-five mortality (U5M) and equity in child survival, to study social barriers for improved perinatal and neonatal survival, and to evaluate Helping Babies Breathe (HBB), a newborn resuscitation program. In paper I we analysed trends and social inequities in child mortality 1990−2010, using data from national Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 2000, 2005, and 2010. The following papers were based on hospital studies in the capital of Rwanda. In paper II we explored social inequities in perinatal mortality. Using a perinatal audit approach, paper III assessed factors related to the three delays, which preceded perinatal deaths, and estimates were made of potentially avoidable deaths. Paper IV evaluated knowledge and skills gained and retained by health workers after training in HBB. Under-five mortality declined from the peak of 238 deaths per 1000 live births (95% CI 226 to 251) in 1994 to 65 deaths per 1000 live births (95% CI 61 to 70) in 2010 and concurred with decreased social gaps in child and neonatal survival between rural and urban areas and household wealth groups. Children born to women with no education still had significantly higher under-five mortality. Neonatal mortality also decreased but at a slower rate as compared to infant and U5M. Maternal rural residence or having no health insurance were linked to increased risk of perinatal death. Neither maternal education nor household wealth was associated with perinatal mortality risks. Lack of recognition of pregnancy danger signs and intrapartum-related suboptimal care were major contributors to perinatal deaths, whereof one half was estimated to be potentially avoidable. Knowledge significantly improved after training in HBB. This knowledge was sustained for at least 3 months following training whereas practical skills had declined. These results highlight the need for strengthening coverage of lifesaving interventions giving priority to underserved groups for improved child survival at community as well as at hospital levels.

Στόχος της παρούσας διδακτορικής διατριβής είναι η διερεύνηση της δομής των μισθών και των μισθολογικών διαφορών στην Ελληνική αγορά εργασίας, δεδομένων ορισμένων χαρακτηριστικών της, ιδιαίτερα εκείνων που σχετίζονται με το θεσμικό πλαίσιο που διέπει τη λειτουργία της αγοράς εργασίας και ρυθμίζει τις εργασιακές σχέσεις. Η διδακτορική διατριβή αποτελείται από τέσσερις ξεχωριστές μελέτες, ωστόσο τα ευρήματα και συμπεράσματα της κάθε μίας έχουν γενικότερη εφαρμογή και ερμηνεία. Το πρώτο μέρος της διδακτορικής διατριβής ερευνά τις μισθολογικές διαφορές που οφείλονται στο μέγεθος των επιχειρήσεων, όπως αυτό μετράται από τον συνολικό αριθμό των εργαζόμενων σε αυτές. Οι εκτιμήσεις πραγματοποιούνται μέσω της χρήσης διαστρωματικών ενοποιημένων δεδομένων εργαζόμενων-εργοδοτών. Τα αποτελέσματα των οικονομετρικών εκτιμήσεων υποδεικνύουν την ύπαρξη ενός μισθολογικού πλεονεκτήματος υπέρ των εργαζόμενων σε επιχειρήσεις μεγαλύτερου μεγέθους, το μέγεθος του οποίου είναι ανάλογο με αντίστοιχα εκτιμημένα πλεονεκτήματα τα οποία αναφέρονται στη διεθνή βιβλιογραφία. Επίσης, εξετάζεται η εγκυρότητα διαφόρων πιθανών ερμηνειών που έχουν προταθεί στην σχετική βιβλιογραφία. Σύμφωνα με τα αποτελέσματα των εκτιμήσεων, οι διαφορές σε ανθρώπινο κεφάλαιο, η ύπαρξη ανταποδοτικών αμοιβών, οι μισθοί αποδοτικότητας και η λειτουργία εσωτερικών αγορών εργασίας είναι παράγοντες ικανοί να ερμηνεύσουν το μεγαλύτερο μέρος του μισθολογικού πλεονεκτήματος υπέρ των εργαζόμενων σε μεγαλύτερες επιχειρήσεις. Επίσης, τα αποτελέσματα των εκτιμήσεών υποδεικνύουν ότι το υπό εξέταση μισθολογικό πλεονέκτημα μεταβάλλεται, ανάλογα με τον κλάδο οικονομικής δραστηριότητας. Σκοπός του δεύτερου κεφαλαίου της παρούσας διδακτορικής διατριβής, είναι η διερεύνηση των επιπτώσεων της σύναψης επιχειρησιακών συλλογικών συμβάσεων εργασίας στη δομή των μισθών στην αγορά εργασίας. Για τους σκοπούς της ανάλυσης χρησιμοποιούνται ενοποιημένα στοιχεία εργαζόμενων-εργοδοτών για το έτος 2006, εκτιμήσεις μη δεσμευμένων ποσοστημορίων καθώς και οι σχετικές μέθοδοι διαχωρισμού επιδράσεων. Τα αποτελέσματα επιβεβαιώνουν την ύπαρξη ενός μισθολογικού πλεονεκτήματος υπέρ των εργαζόμενων που καλύπτονται από επιχειρησιακές συλλογικές συμβάσεις εργασίας, το οποίο ακολουθεί μια κοίλη τάση κατά μήκος κατανομής των ατομικών αμοιβών. Επιπλέον, οι μισθολογικές διαφορές μεταξύ των εργαζόμενων που καλύπτονται από επιχειρησιακές συλλογικές συμβάσεις και εκείνων που καλύπτονται από συλλογικές συμβάσεις που υπογράφονται σε πιο κεντρικά επίπεδα διαπραγμάτευσης, οφείλονται σε διαφορές στον τρόπο συλλογικής διαπραγμάτευσης για όσους βρίσκονται στο αριστερό ήμισυ της συνολικής κατανομής των ατομικών αμοιβών, ενώ για όσους βρίσκονται στο δεξί ήμισυ της κατανομής, το μεγαλύτερο μέρος των μισθολογικών διαφορών εξηγείται από διαφορές στο ανθρώπινο κεφάλαιο και στα χαρακτηριστικά των επιχειρήσεων. Το τρίτο μέρος της διδακτορικής διατριβής ερευνά την ύπαρξη μιας καμπύλης μισθών στην Ελληνική αγορά εργασίας χρησιμοποιώντας μικροοικονομικά δεδομένα για την περίοδο 2001-2012.Τα εκτιμημένα αποτελέσματα υποδεικνύουν ότι ο “εμπειρικός νόμος της Οικονομικής Επιστήμης” σύμφωνα με τον οποίο υπάρχει μια βραχυχρόνια αρνητική σχέση μεταξύ ατομικών αμοιβών και τρέχουσας περιφερειακής ανεργίας, μπορεί να επιβεβαιωθεί μόνο για την περίοδο μετά το 2010, όπου μια σειρά δημοσιονομικών μέτρων και μεταρρυθμίσεων του θεσμικού πλαισίου των εργασιακών σχέσεων έλαβαν μέρος, με στόχο τη μείωση του μισθολογικού κόστους και την αύξηση του βαθμού ευελιξίας της αγοράς εργασίας. Πριν το 2010, δεν ήταν δυνατός ο προσδιορισμός μιας συστηματικής σχέσης μεταξύ ατομικών αμοιβών και περιφερειακής ανεργίας. Η ανυπαρξία μιας τέτοιας σχέσης, μπορεί να αποδοθεί κυρίως σε θεσμικές δυσκαμψίες οι οποίες απαγόρευαν τις μισθολογικές προσαρμογές προς τα κάτω. Το συμπέρασμα αυτό ενισχύεται από το γεγονός ότι η ύπαρξη καμπύλης μισθών πριν το 2010, δεν επιβεβαιώνεται ανεξάρτητα από το επίπεδο των συλλογικών διαπραγματεύσεων στο οποίο προσδιορίζονται οι αμοιβές στην Ελληνική αγορά εργασίας. Τέλος, το τέταρτο μέρος της παρούσας διδακτορικής διατριβής πραγματοποιεί την πρώτη αποτίμηση μιας πρόσφατης θεσμικής μεταρρύθμισης στην Ελληνική αγορά εργασίας. Σκοπός της μεταρρύθμισης αυτής είναι η αποκέντρωση του συστήματος των συλλογικών διαπραγματεύσεων έτσι ώστε να διευκολύνεται η προσαρμογή των μισθών στα χαρακτηριστικά των επιχειρήσεων και στις επικρατούσες συνθήκες στην αγορά εργασίας. Για τους σκοπούς αυτής της μελέτης, αναπτύχθηκε μια μοναδική βάση δεδομένων αποτελούμενη από πληροφορίες που προέρχονται από το σύνολο των επιχειρησιακών συμβάσεων που υπογράφηκαν στην ελληνική αγορά εργασίας τα τελευταία χρόνια. Τα αποτελέσματα μιας σειράς εκτιμήσεων υποδειγμάτων περιορισμένων εξαρτημένων μεταβλητών υποδεικνύουν ότι η εισαγωγή της νέας εργασιακής νομοθεσίας επηρεάζει σημαντικά την πιθανότητα τα διαπραγματευόμενα μέρη να συμφωνήσουν σε προς τα κάτω μισθολογική προσαρμογή, ειδικά στο επίπεδο του κατώτατου μισθού που περιγράφεται στην Εθνική Γενική Συλλογική Σύμβαση Εργασίας, ενώ οι τρέχουσες συνθήκες που επικρατούν στην αγορά εργασίας είναι επίσης σημαντικοί προσδιοριστικοί παράγοντες των συμφωνηθεισών μισθολογικών προσαρμογών. / The purpose of this doctoral thesis, is the investigation of the wage structure and the wage differentials in the Greek labour market, given some specific characteristics, especially those pertaining to the institutional framework which underlies it and governs the labour relations. This thesis consists of four distinct essays, however, their findings and conclusions can be more generally applied. The first part of this doctoral thesis examines the establishment size-wage premium in Greece using a matched employer-employee dataset. The results of the econometric estimation suggest that such a premium is also present in the Greek market sector and its magnitude is in line with those reported in other economies. The validity of various explanations of the size-wage premium, put forward in the pertinent economics literature, is also tested. This exercise suggests that in the Greek case, human capital, compensating wage differentials, incentive payment schemes and internal labor markets are primarily responsible for its presence. Lastly, the analysis reveals that the premium is sector-specific. The second part of this doctoral thesis analyzes the effect of firm-level contracting on the wage structure in the Greek private sector. Using a matched employer–employee dataset for 2006, unconditional quantile regressions and relevant decomposition methods, leads to the identification of a wage premium associated with firm-level contracting, which follows a hump-shaped profile across the wage distribution. Furthermore, the wage differential between workers under firm-level and broader-level collective agreements can be primarily attributed to differences in the regime-specific wage setting structure, for those below the median of the unconditional wage distribution, and to differences in worker and firm-specific characteristics for those in the upper tail. The third part of this doctoral thesis investigates the existence of a wage curve in Greece using microdata for the period 2001-2012. According to the estimated results, the implied by the “empirical law of Economics” short-run negative relationship between regional unemployment and wage levels can be only identified for the period after 2010 where, due to the increasing unemployment rate, a series of fiscal cuts and reforms of the collective bargaining system were imposed in order to reduce the labour cost in the private sector of the economy. Regarding the period before this structural break, a systematic relationship between regional unemployment and individual wage levels could not be identified. This finding can be mainly attributed to institutional rigidities which prevented downward wage flexibility, since a wage curve could not be established at any level of collective bargaining either. Finally, the fourth part of this doctoral thesis uses a unique dataset developed from official firm-level collective agreements signed during the period 2009-2012 to perform a first evaluation of a recent institutional reform which decentralized the highly regulated Greek labour relations framework in order to facilitate wage adjustments to firm-specific and prevailing labour market conditions. The estimated results from a series of limited dependent variable models indicate that the new labour law affects significantly the probability of a bargained downward wage adjustment, especially to the national minimum level, while the prevailing labour market conditions are also important determinants of the bargained wage cuts.

Israël est l’un des pays développés les plus féconds dans le monde et maintient un taux de fécondité stable depuis 1995. Il a échappé à la chute spectaculaire de la fécondité qui a été observée dans la plupart des pays occidentaux. Le taux de fécondité était de 2,96 enfants par femme en 2009 (Statistical Abstract of Israel, 2010, tableau 3.14). Le maintien d’une si forte fécondité pourrait être dû à l’immigration et à la “guerre démographique” qui sévit entre les différentes communautés vivant dans le pays (Sardon, 2006). Toutefois, on observe une différence significative entre les niveaux de fécondité des juifs d’Israël et de Cisjordanie depuis plusieurs années. Les études qui portent sur la fécondité en Israël sont faites au niveau national, ce qui ne fournit aucune explication sur cette différence. Pour ces raisons, l’étude de la fécondité en Israël mérite une attention particulière. Ce projet vise à identifier les différents facteurs qui ont une incidence sur la fécondité des femmes juives vivant en Israël et en Cisjordanie. Il contribuera à une meilleure compréhension des comportements liés à la fécondité de la population juive de la Cisjordanie et peut fournir des indices sur les mécanismes complexes qui régissent les relations entre Juifs et Arabes dans les territoires occupés. Grâce aux données recueillies dans l’Enquête sociale générale de 2004 d’Israël,des analyses descriptives et explicatives ont été produites. Dans un premier temps, les facteurs qui ont un impact sur la fécondité dans chaque région ont été déterminés et par la suite, une analyse de l’importance de ces facteur sur la fécondité a été produite. Le nombre d’enfants nés de femmes âgées de 20 à 55 ans constitue la variable d’intérêt et les variables explicatives retenues sont les suivantes: religiosité, éducation, revenu familial mensuel, statut d’emploi, pays d’origine, âge et état matrimonial. Cette étude a montré que les femmes juives qui résident en Cisjordanie ont un nombre prévu d’enfants de 13% supérieur à celui des femmes juives qui résident en Israël lorsque l’on contrôle toutes les variables. Il est notamment montré que la religion joue un rôle important dans l’explication de la forte fécondité des femmes juives dans les deux régions, mais son impact est plus important en Israël. L’éducation joue également un rôle important dans la réduction du nombre prévu d’enfants, en particulier en Cisjordanie. Tous ces facteurs contribuent à expliquer les différents niveaux de fécondité dans les deux régions, mais l’étude montre que ces facteurs ne permettent pas une explication exhaustive de la forte fécondité en Israël et en Cisjordanie. D’autres forces qui ne sont pas mesurables doivent avoir une incidence sur la fécondité telles que le nationalisme ou la laïcisation, par exemple. / Israel is one of the most fertile developed countries in the world and has had a stable fertility rate since 1995. The country avoided the dramatic fall in fertility that has been observed in most Western countries. The fertility rate was of 2.96 children per woman in 2009 (Statistical Abstract of Israel, 2010, table 3.14). Maintaining such a high fertility level could be due to immigration and the “demographic war” between the different communities living in the country (Sardon, 2006). However, a significant difference between the levels of fertility of the jewish population of Israel and the West Bank has been observed for several years. In the literature, studies of fertility in Israel are conducted at a national level, which neither reveals nor explains the difference. Accordingly, Israel’s high fertility deserves a particular attention. This project aims to identify the different factors that affect the fertility of Jewish women living in Israel and in the West Bank. It will contribute to a better understanding of the fertility behavior of the Jewish population of the West Bank and may shed light on the complex mechanisms that govern the relations between Jews and Arabs in the Occupied Territories. With data collected in the General Social Survey of Israel of 2004, descriptive and explanatory analyses were produced. In the first part, factors influencing fertility in each region have been determined and an analysis of the importance of each factor on fertility was conducted in the second part. The outcome of interest is the number of children ever born to women aged 20 to 55 and the independent variables are: religiosity, education, monthly family income, employment status, country of origin, age and marital status. This study showed that Jewish women residing in the West Bank have an expected number of children 13% higher than their counterparts residing in Israel. It is also shown that the intensity of religious interest plays an important role in explaining the high fertility of Jewish women in both regions but its impact is more important in Israel. Education also plays an important role in reducing the expected number of children, especially in the West Bank. All of these factors contribute to explaining the different fertility levels in the two regions but the study shows that these factors do not provide an exhaustive explanation of higher fertility in the West Bank. There must be other forces that have an impact on fertility but which are not measurable such as nationalism or secularization, for example.

No description available.

Univ., Diss--Göteborg, 2008. / Enth. 4 Beitr. Zsfassung in engl. Sprache.

O presente trabalho descreve um programa de computador em linguagem Java que reproduz o modelo compartimental reduzido de célula mitral do bulbo olfativo construído por Davison, Feng e Brown (Brain Res. Bull. 51:393-399,2000), como uma simplificação do modelo detalhado de Bhalla e Bower (J. Neurophysiol., 69:1948-1965, 1993). O modelo reduzido considera a célula mitral como composta por quatro compartimentos, modelados conforme a metodologia de HODGKIN e HUXLEY. Por seu baixo custo computacional, o modelo reduzido permite a construção de modelos de rede de grande porte para o bulbo olfativo. A implementação computacional feita em Java apresenta grande similaridade com a original, indicando uma robustez do modelo com relação a versões em plataformas distintas. / This work describes a computer program written in Java, which reproduces the reduced compartimental model of the mitral cell of the olfactory bulb constructed by Davison, Feng and Brown (Brain Res. Bull. 51:393-399,2000), as a simplified version of the detailed model of Bhalla and Bower (J. Neurophysiol., 69:1948-1965, 1993). The reduced model considers the mitral cell as composed of four compartiments modeled according to the Hodgkin-Huxley formalism. Due to its low computational cost, the reduced model allows the construction of large-scale network models of the olfactory bulb. The computer implementation made in Java shows great similarity with the original, indicating that the model is robust with respect to implementations in different platforms.

This thesis reveals methods for estimating individual perception at the regional level, such as environmental awareness or wage effects due to labour market tightness. Environmental awareness belongs to individual attitudes, which is driven by socialization, culture and education. Consequently, it is difficult to compare environmental awareness between regions. Labour market tightness might be reflected in individual wages, but the latter is also triggered by a lot of exogenous variables. Given that a simple linear regression model fails in both cases, existing alternative approaches from the econometrics like Multiple Indicator Multiple Cause model and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operators are used. First, a Multiple-Indicator Multiple-Causes model is introduced, which allows us to estimate a not-directly observable individual attitude, environmental awareness, for different regions and to rank them. The method is cost-effective and less time-consuming, it also allows for comparisons between regions. The study area serves 81 regions in Russia. The model is constructed in such a way that Internet queries from the search engine Yandex are assumed to be indicators, which are affected by the regional environmental awareness index. In addition, regional characteristics, such as Gross Regional Product per capita, the proportion of employees in specific industry sectors, and also the environmental situation within the regions are potential cause variables. The regional environmental awareness index is estimated for each of the Russian regions from January 2014 until April 2016. Furthermore, the findings shows a rather non-linear positive relationship between the regional environmental awareness and regional wealth, as well as a strong negative correlation with the temperature. The colder the region and the observed month, the higher the interest of the population in environmental topics. Furthermore, the regions can be grouped into four environmental awareness clusters by using k-means clustering algorithm. It seems that the environmental awareness index shrinks from the Eastern to the Western part of Russia. The highest values can be estimated in Chukotka, Kamchatka, and Magadan. The lowest values are found in the rather poor and warm Caucasus area. Second, another issue concerns the estimation of an effect of an observable regional variable, such as labour supply shortage, on individual wages. This thesis investigates the ten year wage development of employees who first enter the labour market from 1995 until 2004 and looks for positive wage effects of labour market tightness in different occupational groups. Due to incomplete vacancy data, labour market tightness is measured as the number of unemployed people divided by the number of employees within an occupational field and region. Mean and quantile regression methods are applied. Because the number of right-hand side variables could lead to incorrect detected statistical significant coefficients, different Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operators are used for reducing the variables set. The findings suggests that regional labour market tightness in occupational fields affects individual wages. Employees who start their carrier in a tighter labour market enjoy higher wage growth compared to workers from more relaxed labour markets. The wages in technical professions, such as several engineer groups, IT-occupations, technicians, and also in some commercial occupations are especially affected by a shortage of labour supply. Health care occupations, such as nurse, reveals a complete reverse relationship. A shortage of workforce seems to be correlated with smaller wages.

The thesis comprises two parts. In the first part, we investigate various cohomological aspects of hypercomplex manifolds and analyse the existence of special metrics. In the second part, we define Seiberg-Witten equations on the leaf space of manifolds which admit a Riemannian foliation of codimension four. / Doctorat en Sciences / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

This thesis will cover an elementary proof of the Riemann–Roch Theorem for planecurves. We will introduce the notions of divisors, which is a convenient way of com-puting multiplicities of rational function, then continuing by introducing differentials.Furthermore we will introduce the K-vector space L(D), consisting of rational func-tions which are controlled by a divisor D. This is followed by presenting some moreresults before we arrive at an elementary proof of the Riemann–Roch Theorem.