This thesis examines the current situation on the electricity market in the Czech Republic. A particular emphasis is put on the regulation of distribution system operators (DSOs). The Czech regulator applies only general efficiency factors for all incumbents, and the efficiency of the incumbents is not taken into account in the regulatory formula. In many countries, the regulators apply benchmarking methods to assess the efficiency of operators. This thesis analyses the current regulatory formula in international comparison and considers the application of benchmarking methods to the regulation of DSOs. The first part provides a description of the theoretical approach to the regulation of network industries, relevant legal norms, the current situation on the Czech electricity market and practices of the regulatory bodies in selected European states. The second, empirical, part presents an international benchmarking study based on data of 15 regional DSOs including two Czech operators. The study examines the application of yardstick methods using data envelopment analysis (DEA) and stochastic frontier analysis (SFA). Based on our results, we find that the cost efficiency of each of the Czech DSOs is different. This suggests that introducing individual efficiency factors in the fourth regulatory...

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Nos processos industriais envolvendo eletrólise, como na produção de alumínio, cobre, zinco, níquel, manganês, carbeto de silício, cloro e seus derivados, as correntes envolvidas em geral atingem patamares que excedem o valor nominal de um único semicondutor, exigindo a associação de componentes em paralelo com uma distribuição de corrente equilibrada. Este trabalho apresenta uma análise comparativa da distribuição de corrente em associações de semicondutores em paralelo em vinte retificadores de alta potência com diferentes tipos de arquitetura física de barramentos. A particularidade deste estudo é a medição simultânea das correntes em todos os semicondutores de todos os ramos do retificador obtendo-se uma imagem da distribuição real de correntes do conversor. / The industrial electrolytic processes to produce, aluminum, cooper, zinc, nickel, manganese, silicon carbide, chlorine and its derivative, require current values which greatly exceed the capability of single rectifying devices and paralleled combinations of semiconductors or equipments are necessary. This study evaluated through a comparative analyzes twenty rectifiers, with different busbar geometries, in order to verify the current distribution in paralleled devices. The differential of this study is the simultaneous measurement of currents in all semiconductors of each branch in order to obtain a real representation of the rectifiers current distribution.

Spring water bottled and sold for human consumption can only be subjected to certain treatment processes such as separation from unstable constituents by decantation, filtration and aeration, ultraviolet irradiation and ozonation. A spring water distribution system in the Western Cape, South Africa was experiencing microbiological problems. The aim of the study was to investigate bacterial contamination in the spring water distribution system and the application of bioremediation as treatment technology. Sampling at various points in the spring water distribution bottling system started in February 2004 and continued until November 2004. The acceptable microbiological limits for bottled spring water clearly states that the total viable colony count should be < 100 organisms per ml of water. Analysis of samples by the heterotrophic plate count (HPC) technique indicated significantly (p < 0.05) high counts which did not conform to the microbiological limit. The heterotrophic plate counts recorded for weeks one, four, eight & 46 in the final bottled water (Site J) were 3.66 x 107 cfu/ml, 9.0 x 106cfu/ml, 2.35 x 107 cfu/ml and 5.00 x 104 cfu/ml, respectively. The total cell counts [Flow cytometry analyses (FCM)] recorded for week one, four, eight & 46 in the final bottled water (Site J) were 5.44 x 107 microorganisms/ml, 8.36 x 107 microorganisms/ml, 9.09 x 107 microorganisms/ml and 5.70 x 107 microorganisms/ml, respectively. The higher viable total cell counts(FCM) indicate that flow cytometry was able to detect cells in the water sample that enter a viable but not culturable state and that the heterotrophic plate count technique only allowed for the growth of the viable and culturable cells present in the water samples. This indicated that the HPC is not a clear indication of the actual microbial population in the water samples. It could be concluded that FCM technique was a more reliable technique for the enumeration of microbial populations in bottled water samples. Various organisms were identified by means of the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) using 16S rRNA specific primers. Purified PCR amplicons were sequenced and Phylogenetic trees were constructed. Neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree analysis of the bacterial species present in the water samples was performed. The dominant bacterial isolates that were sequenced from the various water samples throughout weeks one, four, eight and 46 were Bacillus sp. and Enterobacteriaceae. The pathogenic species isolated throughout the sampling period included Escherichia sp., Pseudomonas sp., Shigella boydii, Bacillus and Staphylococcus sp. A laboratory-scale bioreactor was constructed and water samples were analysed over a period of two weeks. Water samples were analysed using FCM and Direct Acridine Orange Count (DAOC) in conjunction with epiflourescence microscopy (EM). The FCM counts ranged from 1.53 x 107 microorganisms/ml in the initial sample (Day 0) to 1.16 x 107 microorganisms/mℓ in the final sample (Day 13). The results indicated a 24% decrease in the microbial numbers however, it was still above the limit of < 100 organisms/ml as set out by the South African Standards of Bottled Water, (2003). The total cell counts obtained by the DAOC method ranged from 1.43 x 106 microorganisms/ml to 9.54 x 105 microorganism/ml on day 13 (final). The results indicated a 33% decrease in microbial numbers. The total cell counts analysed by flow cytometry fluctuated throughout the sampling period. The total cell counts obtained from the DAOC method were lower in all the water samples when compared to the total counts obtained by flow cytometric analyses. Even though the FCM counts fluctuated throughout the sampling period, results clearly show that the FCM method yielded more accurate data for total cell counts than the DAOC method. Due to external environmental conditions such as changes in the weather conditions the results fluctuated and the final results clearly indicated that further studies are required to optimise the bioreactor system for its application in the spring water industry.

by Lee Chi-ming. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 103-104). / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 2 --- Three Underlying Distributions --- p.6 / Chapter 2.1 --- Exponential distribution --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Estimation of Thresholds --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Estimation of Parameter --- p.11 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Simulation Study --- p.13 / Chapter 2.2 --- Normal distribution --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Estimation of Thresholds --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Estimation of Parameter --- p.26 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Simulation Study --- p.29 / Chapter 2.3 --- Weibull distribution --- p.42 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Estimation of Thresholds --- p.42 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Estimation of Parameter --- p.44 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Simulation Study --- p.46 / Chapter 3 --- Goodness-of-fit Test --- p.60 / Chapter 3.1 --- Test for the Exponential distribution --- p.63 / Chapter 3.2 --- Test for the Normal distribution --- p.66 / Chapter 3.3 --- Test for the Weibull distribution --- p.68 / Chapter 3.4 --- Implication --- p.70 / Chapter 3.5 --- An Artificial Example --- p.72 / Chapter 3.5.1 --- Case 1 (s= 3) --- p.72 / Chapter 3.5.2 --- Case 2 (s= 4) --- p.80 / Chapter 4 --- Real Data Illustration --- p.87 / Chapter 4.1 --- Test for the Exponential distribution --- p.90 / Chapter 4.2 --- Test for the Normal distribution --- p.91 / Chapter 4.3 --- Test for the Weibull distribution --- p.92 / Chapter 4.4 --- Inferences from the Exponential distribution --- p.94 / Chapter 4.5 --- Inferences from the Normal distribution --- p.95 / Chapter 4.6 --- Inferences from the Weibull distribution --- p.98 / Chapter 5 --- Conclusion --- p.101 / Bibliography --- p.103

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Thesis. 1976. Ph.D.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Economics. / Microfiche copy available in Archives and Dewey. / Bibliography: leaves 92-95, 182-185. / A dynamic theory of racial income differences.--Intergenerational transfers and the equilibrium distribution of earnings. / Ph.D.

Thesis. 1978. Ph.D.--Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dept. of Economics. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND DEWEY. / Bibliography: leaves 191-192. / Ph.D.

Viral marketing is a form of online word-of-mouth (WOM) communication in which individuals are encouraged to pass on promotional messages through social websites. With the growing popularity of online social websites, viral marketing has increasingly garnered attention of marketers and marketing researchers alike. The two most important WOM attributes highlighted in the extant literature are volume and valence. This thesis looked into the cause, development and outcome of WOM marketing and provided computational models for forecasting the development of WOM volume and valence of viral marketing in social websites. With the data extracted from large-scale web-crawling activities, through a series of computer simulation experiments comparable to social websites, the author developed models to predict WOM volume and valence in viral marketing. The model for predicting WOM volume in viral marketing used theories of network topologies. The model for predicting WOM valence in viral marketing used an artificial neural network model. The author discussed the insights from the findings and suggested viral marketing strategies to optimize the performance of WOM volume and valence in social websites. A key contribution of this thesis is the new approaches of modeling and data collection for WOM volume and valance forecasting in viral marketing.