Esta pesquisa investiga o comportamento sintático dos quantificadores flutuantes no português brasileiro (PB), dentro do modelo teórico do Programa Minimalista (Chomsky 1995) da Sintaxe Gerativa, buscando atingir dois objetivos principais: (i) identificar as posições na sentença em que os quantificadores podem ou não flutuar e (ii) identificar a estrutura sintagmática interna das expressões quantificadas. Com Sportiche (1988) assumimos que a flutuação de quantificadores é derivada por movimentos sintáticos e com Valmala Elguea (2008) assumimos que este fenômeno é relacionado ao conteúdo informacional da sentença. Dessa forma, adotamos a cartografia de projeções informacionais (de tópico e foco) proposta por Rizzi (1997) para a periferia esquerda alta da sentença e por Belletti (2004) para a periferia esquerda baixa (acima de VP). Argumentando que é preciso distinguir os tipos categoriais dos quantificadores para explicar por que alguns são capazes de flutuar no interior da sentença e outros não, mostramos que os quantificadores que projetam a categoria QP, como cada (um) e todos, são capazes de flutuar, enquanto quantificadores que projetam uma categoria igual ou menor que DP, como muitos, poucos, vários e alguns, são incapazes de flutuar no PB. Mostramos ainda como as diferenças estruturais internas entre todos (cujo DP associado é um complemento de Q0) e cada (um) (cujo DP associado é analisado como um adjunto de QP) podem explicar seu comportamento distinto em relação a algumas possibilidades de flutuação, considerando o cálculo de Minimalidade Relativizada entre QP e DP. A flutuação de quantificadores é | 10 | analisada como resultado da interação entre a estrutura sintagmática interna de cada expressão quantificada e outras propriedades da gramática (universais e específicas da língua) operantes ao longo da derivação e envolvidas sobretudo na checagem de Caso e na satisfação dos Critérios de Tópico e Foco. As possibilidades de flutuação devem respeitar a assimetria entre a periferia esquerda alta e a periferia esquerda baixa do PB em relação ao licenciamento de elementos com ou sem Caso sintático: enquanto DPs, NumPs e NPs que não foram licenciados na sintaxe podem ser superficializados com Caso default na periferia alta, a periferia baixa apenas pode superficializar DPs, NumPs e NPs licenciados antes de Spell-Out. Assumimos que quantificadores de categoria QP, além de poderem ter seu Caso licenciado na sintaxe por checagem, podem se licenciar na superfície por Caso default ou por Transmissão de Caso seja na periferia alta, na periferia baixa ou na posição temática propriedade que lhes garante a capacidade de flutuação. Propomos uma análise uniforme em que estruturas flutuantes e não-flutuantes podem ser geradas a partir de um mesmo constituinte subjacente inserido na posição temática, sendo distintas por seu percurso derivacional. Dessa forma, esta análise simplifica e uniformiza algumas questões presentes na literatura sobre a flutuação de quantificadores. / This research investigates the syntactic behavior of floating quantifiers in Brazilian Portuguese (BP), in the framework of the Minimalist Program (Chomsky 1995), aiming at two main goals: (i) to identify the sentence positions in which quantifiers can or cannot float and (ii) to identify the internal phrase structure of quantified expressions. I assume with Sportiche (1988) that quantifier floating is derived through syntactic movement and with Valmala Elguea (2008) that this phenomenon is related to the informational content of the sentence. Thus, I adopt the cartography of informational projections (topic and focus) proposed by Rizzi (1997) for the high left periphery of the sentence and by Belletti (2004) for the low left periphery (above VP). I argue that in order to explain why some quantifiers are able to float inside the sentence and some are not, it is necessary to distinguish the categorial types of quantifiers. I show that quantifiers that project as QPs, like cada (um) each (one) and todos all, are able to float, whereas quantifiers that project as DPs or lower categories, like muitos many, poucos few, vários several and alguns some, are unable to float in BP. We also show how internal structural differences between todos (whose associate DP is a complement of Q0) and cada (um) (whose associate DP is analyzed as an adjunct of QP) can explain their different behavior regarding some floating possibilities, given the computation of Relativized Minimality between QP and DP. Quantifier floating is analyzed here as the result of the interaction between the internal phrase structure of each quantified expression and other properties of the grammar (both universal and language| 12 | specific), in particular Case-checking and Topic and Focus Criteria. Floating possibilities must respect the asymmetry between the high and the low left peripheries in BP regarding the licensing of elements with or without syntactic Case: whereas DPs, NumPs and NPs that have not been licensed in the syntax can surface with default Case in the high periphery, the low periphery can only host DPs, NumPs and NPs that have already been licensed before Spell- Out. I assume that QP-type quantifiers, besides being able to have their Case licensed in the syntax via Checking, can be licensed on the surface via default Case or Case Transmission regardless of whether they are in the high left periphery, in the low left periphery or in the thematic position which is in fact the property that provides them with the ability to float. We propose a uniform analysis in which both floated and non-floated structures can be generated from the same underlying constituent inserted in the thematic position, being distinguished by their derivational course. Therefore, this analysis simplifies and unifies some issues present in the literature on quantifier floating.

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The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of an immersive argument based learning environment on students’ multimodal competencies. The objective was to study the impact on students learning as they engage in an ABI classroom, centered on the SWH approach, when compared to students in traditional classrooms. Summary writing samples were collected and coded for informational text features which allowed us to understand cohesion with the learners. Additionally, we were able to study these impacts longitudinally, measuring teacher experience and student exposure to this learning environment. Studies of this nature have been done but only with upper grades, never had it been done with early learners, kindergarten through second grade. These summary writing samples were collected and analyzed in two different groups, the first containing 601 samples and the second 760 samples. A factor analysis was performed to examine the internal structure of the features, resulting in the creation of 3 factors: illustrations, text signals and organizers, and graphics. This allowed us to measure acceleration of the learners multimodal skills and the cohesion related to experience, both of classroom and teacher experience. The results of this study have shown that we are able to significantly impact students rate of usage of informational text features by altering the learning environment. We are able to demonstrate significant rates of growth in usage of higher order skills and cohesion amongst science concepts. This is important as we look to find ways to close achievement gaps, increase interest in science, and help students become more effective learners. The results show great promise for immersive ABI as a means to engage young learners in rigorous, valuable learning experiences.

Akerlof (1970) 肇端了資訊經濟學的發展，而 Leland & Pyle (1977)，Ross (1977) 和 Bhattacharya (1979) 等正式將資訊經濟學帶入財務研究的領域後，資訊不對稱的重要性日益受到重視，且已對傳統財務理論產生很大的衝擊，但是關於資訊不對稱的研究僅偏重於均衡條件的探討，對於如何影響風險性資產的價格以及影響程度則未見系統性研究．而且資訊不對稱的程度很難具體衡量，因此此一議題鮮見實證探討．本研究即將資訊不對稱正式納入風險性資產定價模式，並以銀行借款為實證對象，利用共變結構模型找出資訊不對稱的衡量變數，對資訊不對稱程度加以衡量．本研究在理論模式的建構，分別以一般競爭均衡，利率結構，選擇權定價，與銀行借款信用評等等四個定價模式，將資訊不對稱正式納入各模式中，推導其對價格的影響．四個不同模式均獲致相同結論：資訊不對稱使債權人的認知風險高於完全資訊時的實質風險，致使借款人資金成本上升．利用LISREL為資訊不對稱界定出一組配適良好的衡量模式，包括借款企業的年齡，規模，保證人人數，以及與銀行往來期間等四項變數．實證結果顯示，資訊不對稱對借款者的償債能力．理論模式與主要研究命題獲實證結果支持．

Abstract This study aims to investigate the level of user satisfaction of the official document integration system for fundamental government institutions. Subjects of this study include administrative personnel of each level of schools of Kaohsiung County Government. Adopting the questionnaire method, a total of 156 effective questionnaires were collected with a return rate at 77.61%. Through a self-designed questionnaire entitled, ¡§Questionnaire on the level of satisfaction for the use of official document integration system¡¨ with items including information quality, system quality and service quality as the research tool, this study employs SPSS as the analysis tool and the statistic methods include reliability analysis, factor analysis, descriptive analysis, one-way ANOVA, independent t-test and Pearson product moment correlation analysis. The findings include: 1. There are no significant differences among each factor of variables such as information quality, system quality and service quality for the subjects of different ¡§gender¡¨, ¡§educational level¡¨, ¡§years of service¡¨, ¡§number of changes¡¨ and ¡§number of years of using the system¡¨. 2. Other than a significant difference on the level of satisfaction for the use of information, there are no significant differences among each aspects of variables such as system quality and service quality for subjects of different ¡§position¡¨, ¡§scale of school¡¨ and ¡§location of school¡¨. 3. Other than a significant difference on the level of satisfaction for electrical exchange and function operation, there are no significant differences in other factors in the service quality aspect for subjects ¡§with or without file management personnel¡¨. 4. Other than a significant difference on the level of satisfaction on the use of interface and customer service quality, there are no significant differences in the factors in the information quality aspect for subjects at different ¡§level of use of the system¡¨. 5. There are positive correlations among information quality, system quality and service quality. When the correlation index increases, it influences the level of satisfaction for the users on the official document integration system. In addition, the conclusions, limitations and suggestions are furthered described and investigated according the research findings.

Le récent développement des technologies de l'information a entraîné un redéfinition du concept de vie privée. Nous étudions les impacts de cette redéfinition sur l'environnement informationnel d'un étudiant universitaire et tentons de trouver une façon de rétablir l'équilibre entre la protection de la vie privée et la circulation des informations dans le but de permettre aux étudiants d'évoluer dans un milieu d'apprentissage plus riche. / The recent development of information technologies helped redefine the the concept ofprivacy. We study the impacts of this redefinition on a university sturent's information environment, and we try to find a way to restore the balance between the protection of privacy and the flow of information in order to enable students to evolve in a richer leaming environment. / "Mémoire présenté à la Faculté des études supérieures en vue de l'obtention du grade de Maître en Droit des Technologies de l'Information"

Predicting human behavior from a small amount of training examples is a challenging machine learning problem. In this thesis, we introduce the principle of maximum causal entropy, a general technique for applying information theory to decision-theoretic, game-theoretic, and control settings where relevant information is sequentially revealed over time. This approach guarantees decision-theoretic performance by matching purposeful measures of behavior (Abbeel & Ng, 2004), and/or enforces game-theoretic rationality constraints (Aumann, 1974), while otherwise being as uncertain as possible, which minimizes worst-case predictive log-loss (Gr¨unwald & Dawid, 2003). We derive probabilistic models for decision, control, and multi-player game settings using this approach. We then develop corresponding algorithms for efficient inference that include relaxations of the Bellman equation (Bellman, 1957), and simple learning algorithms based on convex optimization. We apply the models and algorithms to a number of behavior prediction tasks. Specifically, we present empirical evaluations of the approach in the domains of vehicle route preference modeling using over 100,000 miles of collected taxi driving data, pedestrian motion modeling from weeks of indoor movement data, and robust prediction of game play in stochastic multi-player games.

This thesis contains a critical evaluation of the unrealization approach to privacy preserving data mining. We cover a fair bit of ground, making numerous contributions to the existing literature. First, we present a comprehensive and accurate analysis of the challenges posed by data mining to privacy. Second, we put the unrealization approach on firmer ground by providing proofs of previously unproven claims, using the multi-relational algebra. Third, we extend the unrealization approach to the C4.5 algorithm. Fourth, we evaluate the algorithm's space requirements on three representative data sets. Lastly, we analyse the unrealization approach against various issues identified in the first contribution. Our conclusion is that the unrealization approach to privacy preserving data mining is novel, and capable of addressing some of the major challenges posed by data mining to privacy. Unfortunately, its space and time requirements vitiate its applicability on real-world data sets.

Two essays are comprised in this dissertation to explore how market friction affects the processes of price formation. The first essay investigates on both theoretical and empirical bases how segmentation of communication amongst potential lenders can influence loan contracts. Two cases are considered. The first one assumes that potential lenders can freely communicate with each other; the second one assumes that each potential lender can only observe the decisions of its predecessors. I show theoretically that the ex post observed interest rate will be higher and the probability of syndication failure will be lower if the potential lenders cannot communicate freely with each other. These predictions are confirmed by my empirical work. Using a novel proxy, relational distance, for the segmentation of communication, I show that the larger the relational distance, the higher is the loan spread and the lower is the probability of syndication failure. In addition, the relational distance is positively correlated with the probability of the existence of non-price contract terms, such as the requirement for collateral and guarantees. My conclusions are found to be robust to endogeneity issues, potentially omitted variables and alternative model specifications. The second essay focuses on the informational effects between futures market and its spot market. Intraday data are used to investigate the lead-lag relationship between the TX returns, the TX trading activity and the TAIEX stock index returns. I focus on the transmission direction and the source of information and find that there are specific lead-lag relationships between futures returns and spot returns, in addition to the contemporaneous relationship predicted by carry-cost theory and efficient market theory. The results show that futures returns significantly lead spot returns, which suggests that informed trades occur in the futures market and makes information flows from the futures market to the spot market. By distinguishing different types of futures traders and using private information, net open buy, as a proxy for futures trading activity, I found that the major source of informed trades is foreign institutional traders because their trading activity have predictive power for future movements in both spot and futures prices. In contrary, traders in the other categories carry no information about the directional changes in both spot and futures prices.

This thesis deals with the bootstrap method. Three decades after the seminal paper by Bradly Efron, still the horizons of this method need more exploration. The research presented herein has stepped into different fields of statistics where the bootstrap method can be utilized as a fundamental statistical tool in almost any application. The thesis considers various statistical problems, which is explained briefly below. Bootstrap method: A comparison of the parametric and the nonparametric bootstrap of variance is presented. The bootstrap of ranked set sampling is dealt with, as well as the wealth of theories and applications on the RSS bootstrap that exist nowadays. Moreover, the performance of RSS in resampling is explored. Furthermore, the application of the bootstrap method in the inference of contingency table test is studied. Coefficient of variation: This part shows the capacity of the bootstrap for inferring the coefficient of variation, a task which the asymptotic method does not perform very well. Information theory: There are few works on the study of information theory, especially on the inference of entropy. The papers included in this thesis try to achieve the inference of entropy using the bootstrap method.