The elemental composition within structured insect populations was tested by creating a new method to analyze how variables (survival, growth and fecundity) within a population matrix could potentially affect the stoichiometric regime of a structured population at steady state. This was done by focusing on if the growth rate hypothesis, which states that there is a linear relationship between an individual growth rate and the percent of phosphorus within the individual, works at a population level. This was analyzed by creating and combining two matrices: the matrix-population containing the variables and a matrix containing the element phosphorus and dry weight. Data from a beetle species, Chrysomela tremulae F., was used as a guideline to create eight stoichiometric generic populations, where survival, growth and fecundity were tested in each of the eight generic populations. The results showed deviations from the growth rate hypothesis, suggesting that the hypothesis does not always work within structured populations. However, more research is needed to predict exactly how this hypothesis works in populations. Overall, this new method for analyzing stoichiometry within structured populations is a useful analytical tool, but there is a need for analyzing the results from these models in a more efficient way.

L'Hypothèse de la Primauté de l'Aspect (Anderson & Shirai, 1996) propose que les verbes ont tous leur propre aspect lexical inhérent. Ces aspects lexicaux sont: les états, les activités, les accomplissements et les achèvements. Toujours selon l'Hypothèse de l'Aspect, les inflexions grammaticales des verbes apparaîtraient dans la production des apprenants, d'une L1 ainsi que d'une L2, d'une manière cohérente avec l'aspect lexical du verbe. La présente étude examinera l'acquisition du progressif du présent en anglais par les apprenants français d'anglais L2. Les résultats d'un teste de compétence générale linguistique indiquent que les participants de cette étude sont à trois niveaux linguistiques: débutant (n = 20), intermédiaire (n = 14) et avancé (n = 19). Leurs résultats seront comparés à ceux du groupe témoin composé de sept locuteurs natifs de l'anglais (n = 7), qui venaient de finir leur licence ou étaient en train de l'obtenir. Les résultats d'une ANOVA simple montrent que la difference entre les groupes est significative (f(3, 58) = 3.520, p = .021). Les résultats d'un test d'acceptabilité /préférence grammaticale révèlent un effet significatif pour l'aspect lexical et le groupe pour les niveaux débutant (X² (1) = 16.904, p = .001) et intermédiaire (X² (1) = 12.167, p = .001), mais pas pour le niveau avancé (X² (1) = .032, p = .499). D'après un test de chi carré, les résultats d'une description d'une vidéo se révèlent être significatifs en ce qui concerne l'aspect lexical : (X² (1) = 198.242, p = .001). Ces résultats montrent un fort effort d'aspect lexical sur le choix entre le présent simple et le présent progressif et indiqueraient aussi un effet de plateau puisque les différences entre les niveaux intermédiaires et avancés sont souvent non significatives. Les résultats indiquent aussi une préférence pour le présent simple comparé au present progressif, surtout avec les verbes téliques.

The main objective of the thesis is to analyse impact of wavelet covariance estimation in the context of Markowitz mean-variance portfolio selection. We use a rolling window to apply maximum overlap discrete wavelet transform to daily returns of 28 companies from DJIA 30 index. In each step, we compute portfolio weights of global minimum variance portfolio and use those weights in the out-of- sample forecasts of portfolio returns. We let rebalancing period to vary in order to test influence of long-term and short-term traders. Moreover, we test impact of different wavelet filters including Haar, D4 and LA8. Results reveal that only portfolios based on the first scale wavelet covariance produce significantly higher returns than portfolios based on the whole sample covariance. The disadvantage of those portfolios is higher riskiness of returns represented by higher Value at Risk and Expected Shortfall, as well as higher instability of portfolio weights represented by shorter period that is required for portfolio weights to significantly differ. The impact of different wavelet filters is rather minor. The results suggest that all relevant information about the financial market is contained in the first wavelet scale and that the dynamics of this scale is more intense than the dynamics of the whole market.

ABSTRACT The present research study examines the possible relationship between students’ career decision-making self-efficacy (CDMSE) and their perceptions of their family members’ job satisfaction and job insecurity. The present research uses a quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional research design, on a sample of 148 subjects drawn from a sample of first year Psychology students from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. The Career Decision Self-Efficacy scale was used to measure career decision-making self-efficacy (Betz & Taylor, 2001), Warr, Cook and Wall’s (1979) Overall Job Satisfaction scale to measure job satisfaction (Short, 1996) and the Job Insecurity scale developed by Ashford, Lee and Bobko (1989) to measure job insecurity. The statistical procedures used to analyse the data, included correlations to test the first hypothesis, which proposed a relationship between students’ CDSME and their perceptions of their family members’ job satisfaction and the second hypothesis, assumed a relationship between students’ CDMSE and their family members’ job insecurity. A Stepwise Multiple Regression was performed to examine the above hypotheses. The results reported a significant relationship between students’ CDMSE and their perceptions of their family members’ job satisfaction. However, there was insufficient evidence to support the relationship between students’ CDMSE and their perceptions of their family members’ job insecurity.

by Tsz-Kit Keung. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1996. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 81). / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Testing Testable Hypotheses in Linear Models --- p.8 / Chapter 2.1 --- A General Theory --- p.9 / Chapter 2.2 --- The Method of Peixoto --- p.17 / Chapter 2.3 --- The Method of Chan and Li --- p.23 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- A New Method of Obtaining Equivalent Hypotheses --- p.32 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Constrained Linear Models --- p.44 / Chapter 4.1 --- Hypothesis Testing in Constrained Linear Models --- p.44 / Chapter 4.2 --- Linear Models with Missing Observations --- p.50 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Conclusions --- p.71 / Appendix --- p.74 / References --- p.81

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Includes bibliographical references.

This thesis analyzes the differences in monetary return when saving in stocks using Individual Pension Saving (IPS) or saving directly on the stock exchange (OMX). An individual is assumed to have the same portfolio of stocks whether he or she uses IPS or OMX. Different length of saving years, payment years, real rates of return, saving amounts and different tax rates are compared to each other between the systems. The results indicate a clear benefit using IPS in the long run, when tax rates are higher during the saving period compared to when retrieving the payment. It also indicates an uncertain usefulness of IPS compared to OMX when individuals have only income tax when saving and retrieving payment. In some cases using IPS can generate a monetary loss compared to OMX. Individuals that are low-income earners and prefers a low risk in their investments should not use IPS, while high-income earners that prefer high risk investments should use IPS instead of directly investing on the OMX. / Den här uppsatsen analyserar skillnaderna i avkastning om man sparar i aktier när man använder sig av Individuellt pensionssparande (IPS) eller sparar direkt på börsen (OMX). En individ antas inneha samma aktieportfölj vare sig han eller hon nyttjar IPS eller OMX. Olika längd av sparande, utbetalning, olika realavkastningar, olika sparnivåer och olika skattesatser jämförs med varandra i de olika systemen. Resultaten indikerar en klar fördel för användandet av IPS på lång sikt, när skattesatsen vid sparandet överskrider skattesatsen vid erhållandet av betalningen. Det finns också indikationer på osäkerhet vad gäller nyttan av att använda IPS jämfört med OMX när individer endast har inkomstskatt både vid sparandet och vid erhållandet av betalningen. I vissa fall kan individen förlora på att nyttja IPS jämfört med OMX. Individer som är låginkomsttagare och föredrar låg risk på sina investeringar skall ej använda sig av IPS, medan höginkomsttagare som föredrar högrisk på sina investeringar skall använda IPS istället för OMX.

The experiences of past efforts of industrial pollution control while maintaining competitiveness should be of great value to research and policy practice addressing sustainability issues today. In this article, we analyze the environmental adaptation of the Swedish pulp industry during the period 1970–1990 as illustrated by the sulfite pulp producer Domsjö mill. We investigate how this company managed to adapt to heavy transformation pressure from increasing international competition in combination with strict national environmental regulations during the 1960s to the early 1990s. In line with the so-called Porter hypothesis, the company was able to coordinate the problems that were environmental in nature with activities aiming at production efficiency goals and the development of new products. Swedish environmental agencies and legislation facilitated this ―win-win‖ situation by a flexible but still challenging regulatory approach towards the company. From the early 1990s and onwards, the greening of the pulp industry was also a result of increased market pressure for green paper products.

Concern is mounting over the increase in prevalence and severity of overweight and obesity in children worldwide. Intrauterine life has been identified as a critical period for the development of overweight or obesity and other related chronic diseases. Prenatal exposure to maternal cigarette smoke (PEMCS) has consistently emerged as an important risk factor for excess weight in the offspring and is a targetable behaviour for prevention strategies. This study examines first the relationship between PEMCS and overweight status of children at 10 years of age and second, whether PEMCS is associated with distinct longitudinal BMI trajectories. Analyses include multivariate and multinomial logistic regression and longitudinal group based modeling methods. PEMCS was found to be a significant risk factor for overweight in children independent of birth weight and catch-up growth. However, PEMCS was not associated with BMI trajectory membership. Our results lend support to the paradigm of in-utero excess weight prevention.