The global economic and financial crisis resulted in worldwide rising government debt levels, especially from 2008 to 2011. This thesis focuses on the sovereign debt crisis in the European Union and illustrates its member countries' debt levels in the period from 2001 to 2011. Two main indicators are considered: accumulated sovereign debt and its share in GDP. The following part outlines main measures taken in order to decrease general debt level in the European Union. Furthermore a selection of various presented proposals is introduced. The last part of the thesis speculatively evaluates all of these instruments and indicates possible imperfections.

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Light can exert optical forces on matter. In the macroscopic world these forces are minuscule, but on the microscopic or atomic scale, these forces are large enough to trap and manipulate particles. They may even be used to cool atoms to a fraction of a degree above absolute zero. This thesis details a number of experiments concerned with the optical manipulation of atoms and micron-size particles using free space light beams and photonic crystal fibres. Two atom guiding experiments are described. In the first experiment, a spatial light modulator is used to generate higher blue-detuned azimuthal Laguerre-Gaussian LG) beams, which are annular beams with a hollow core. These LG beams are then used to guide laser cooled rubidium-85 atoms within the dark core over a distance of 30 mm. The second atom guiding experiment involves attempting to guide laser cooled and thermal rubidium atoms through a hollow-core photonic crystal fibre using red-detuned light. Hollow-core photonic crystal fibres are fibres that are able to guide light with low attenuation within a hollow core. For this experiment a hot wire detection system was designed, along with a number of complex vacuum systems. The first dual-beam fibre trap for micron-size particles constructed using endlessly single-mode photonic crystal fibre (ESM-PCF) is described. The characteristics of dual-beam fibre traps are governed by the fibres used. As ESM-PCF has considerably different properties in comparison to conventional single- or multimode fibres, this dual beam ESM-PCF trap exhibits some novel characteristics. I show that the dual beam ESM-PCF trap can form trapping, repulsive and line potentials; an interference-free ‘white light’ trap; and a dual-wavelength optical conveyor belt.

世界貿易組織協定之整體架構，其內容涵蓋了關稅暨貿易總協定、修正1947年關稅暨貿易總協定的瞭解書，以及規範貨品貿易、服務貿易，與智慧財產權的多邊貿易協定等。世界貿易組織協定中的附件1B，即是為規範服務貿易所訂之服務貿易總協定（General Agreement on Trade in Services，以下簡稱GATS）。由於服務貿易相關議題的起步與發展相形較晚，因此各國就世界貿易組織協定達成協議時，GATS中許多議題仍不成熟也缺乏共識，難以有具體之處理與規範。但是為了能在日後繼續處理這些未完成的議題，因此，乃在GATS條文中分別規定相關文字，要求會員在WTO成立生效後應繼續這些議題的討論與處理。 GATS中這些要求留待日後處理的內建（built-in）議題，分別規定在第6條第4項（國內規章）、第10條第1項（緊急防衛措施）、第13條第2項（政府採購）、第15條第1項（補貼）、以及第19條（特定承諾之談判）。其中，關於特定承諾談判的要求是屬於漸進式自由化的議題，其餘四項議題則是關於GATS規則之議題。由於GATS各項內建議題均頗為複雜與困難，對GATS整體架構都有一定程度之影響，其發展具有相當之重要性，從而本文期望能針對GATS規則制定的議題進行整理與分析，並在相關資料評估的基礎之上，提供若干之建議以供參考。惟鑑於時間與篇幅的考量，本文將限縮著重在緊急防衛、政府採購以及補貼等三項內建議題的討論上。 由於發展程度與個別國家的考量有所差異，已開發國家以及開發中國家對於此等議題的主張不盡相同，本文嘗試就此三項議題依序以第二章、第三章、第四章分別加以探討，透過整理、瞭解此三項談判的基本發展、重要爭議與相關之討論意見，就此三項談判的相關資料、重要爭議或討論意見予以扼要分析與適當論述，同時在目前的談判進度下，本文嘗試從開發中國家與已開發國家之不同立場為討論之出發點，並以前者立場作為我國之談判基調，並視我國實際情況作出調整，進而提出對此三項議題之評估與分析，以瞭解個別議題目前討論的進展，以及相關主張可能產生之影響。 最後，本文在前述各章的評估與分析的基礎之上，在第五章分別就此三項議題提出本文之建議，期望能提供相關研究人員以及有關當局作為參考。 / This thesis focuses on the three ongoing issues of the GATS built–in agenda - the negotiations on emergency safeguard measures, government procurement, and subsidies. These three issues were too complicated to be dealt with properly in the Uruguay Round, so the issues left were regulated in Articles X, XIII and XV of GATS, which mandates members to resolve the issues in the future. Because each country’s developments and considerations are widely different from one another, developed and developing countries did not achieve consensus on these issues. This thesis attempts to introduce and analyze the different discussions and opinions on these three issues. Besides the introductory Chapter, the thesis consists of another four parts. Chapter 2 first introduces and clarifies controversial issues on emergency safeguard measures, and then analyzes the three main proposals about ESM (emergency safeguard mechanism) and estimates the most recent status of the issue. Chapter 3 deals with government procurement under the GATS. After reviewing the history of the negotiation, attention is paid to the proposal from the European Community (hereafter “the EC”). Because the proposal involved with a fierce debate over market access, the EC proposal on a framework for rules for government procurement of services could not be accepted by most developing countries. Therefore, the issue has made little progress in the past years. Chapter 3 concludes with some commentaries on the issue. Chapter 4 turns attention to subsidies in services. Article XV of GATS mandates members to enter into negotiations with a view to develop multilateral disciplines which would avoid the distortive effects that subsidies in services may have on trade in services. The negotiation on subsidies in services, however, involves many important issues, such as the necessity to regulate subsidies in services, the definition of subsidies in services, elements of rules, etc. Although members made efforts to address these questions, nothing concrete has been achieved. The last chapter consists of conclusions and recommendations.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / In this work we propose an interdisciplinary modular teaching sequence on the measurement of the speed of light which is compatible with the traditional basic education’s sillabus. Based on the Römer method to measure the time difference between the occultation of Jupiter's moons in different orbital configurations with respect to the Earth, we developed educational activities that include: (a) observations of Jupiter's moons occultations through amateur telescopes; (b) data analysis using professional Astronomy softwares; (c) simulations using the software Stellarium and (d) the use of spreadsheets for the calculations involved to explore the physics contents. The modules can be applied independently and they are associated to educational products like didactic sequences, tutorials, video tutorials and info-animation in PowerPoint to support the lectures. We add three extra classes to the usual curriculum, which however can be easily adapted to the usual lecture. For these classes we prepared two info-animations employing the Peer Instruction and Just-in-time teaching methods besides practical activities centered on the students, following the Meaningful Learning approaches. With these resources we explore kinematics concepts (linear and circular movements), systems of reference, vectors and scientific epistemology. By mean of a pre and post-tests using questions from the High School National Exams (ENEM) involving the topics of Physics and Astronomy proposed in this work, we verified a considerable progress in the pattern of responses before and after our intervention to more than 90% of the addressed questions. Based on publicly available data by the National Institute for Studies and Educational Research (INEP) we identify a significantly higher yield of right answers of our students when compared with the average responses of all students from Sergipe who participated of the National Exams. Methodological corrections to this work based on the problems identified during the application of our products are proposed. / Neste trabalho propomos uma sequência didática modular, de caráter interdisciplinar e compatível com o currículo do ensino básico, sobre a medida da velocidade da luz. Inspirados no método de Römer para medir a diferença de tempo entre as ocultações das luas de Júpiter em configurações orbitais distintas com relação à Terra, elaboramos atividades que contemplam: (a) observações das ocultações das luas de Júpiter por meio de telescópios amadores; (b) análise de dados por meio de softwares profissionais da Astronomia; (c) simulações das observações utilizando o software Stellarium e (d) o uso de planilhas tanto para os cálculos quanto para explorar a física envolvida. Os módulos podem ser aplicados de forma independente e têm como produtos, além da sequência didática, tutoriais, vídeo-tutoriais e info-animações em PowerPoint para apoio às aulas teóricas. Utilizando três aulas complementares à grade tradicional, mas que podem ser facilmente adaptadas à grade de aulas normais, elaboramos duas info-animações em que, empregando a técnica de Instrução pelos Colegas – IpC, Ensino sob Medida - EsM e atividades práticas centradas no aluno, com base nas abordagens da Aprendizagem Significativa, exploramos os conceitos de cinemática (retilínea e circular), sistemas de referência, vetores e epistemologia científica. Por meio das asserções de um pré-teste e um pós-teste, utilizando questões do ENEM envolvendo os tópicos de Física e Astronomia, pudemos constatar uma evolução considerável no padrão de respostas antes e depois de nossa intervenção para mais de 90% das questões abordadas, com um rendimento significativamente superior à média das respostas apresentadas por todos os alunos de Sergipe participantes do ENEM, com base nos dados publicamente disponíveis pelo INEP. Correções metodológicas com base nos acerto e erros aferidos também são exploradas.

Denna studie undersöker användningen av maskininlärningsmodeller för att predicera arbetskraftstrender inom hälso- och sjukvården i Sverige. Med hjälp av en linjär regressionmodell, en Gradient Boosting Regressor-modell och en Exponential Smoothing-modell syftar forskningen för detta arbete till att ge viktiga insikter för underlaget till makroekonomiska överväganden och att ge en djupare förståelse av Beveridge-kurvan i ett sammanhang relaterat till hälso- och sjukvårdssektorn. Trots vissa utmaningar med datan är målet att förbättra noggrannheten och effektiviteten i beslutsfattandet rörande arbetsmarknaden. Resultaten av denna studie visar maskininlärningspotentialen i predicering i ett ekonomiskt sammanhang, även om inneboende begränsningar och etiska överväganden beaktas. / This study examines the use of machine learning models to predict workforce trends in the healthcare sector in Sweden. Using a Linear Regression model, a Gradient Boosting Regressor model, and an Exponential Smoothing model the research aims to grant needed insight for the basis of macroeconomic considerations and to give a deeper understanding of the Beveridge Curve in the healthcare sector’s context. Despite some challenges with data, the goal is to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the policy-making around the labor market. The results of this study demonstrates the machine learning potential in the forecasting within an economic context, although inherent limitations and ethical considerations are considered.