This study was intended to investigate the nature of child labour, continued causes and effects of child labour on development initiatives, establishing the magnitude of the problem and make recommendations for intervention. It was generally established that child labour is a hindrance to developmental programmes by negatively affecting the targeted next generations. The high rate of child labour was mainly attributed to poverty, HIV/AIDS, low incomes, culture, weak laws, invisible phenomenon, population growth, armed conflict, limited access to education opportunities, employment, gender, social attitudes and ignorance, irresponsible parenthood, agriculture and orphan hood. Solutions suggested to child labour included; stronger government intervention, training and awareness raising, further research and adopting a zero-tolerance for child labour. Facilitation of the Universal Primary Education Programme to be improved and stronger bye-laws should to be adopted. / Development Studies / M. A. (Development Studies)

<p>The aim of this thesis is to interconnect human tactile perception with various physical properties of materials. Tactile perception necessitates contact and relative motion between the skin and the surfaces of interest. This implies that properties such as friction and surface roughness ought to be important physical properties for tactile sensing. In this work, a method to measure friction between human fingers and surfaces is presented. This method is believed to best represent friction in tactile perception.</p><p>This study is focused on the tactile perception of printing papers. However, the methodology of finger friction measurements, as well as the methodology to link physical properties with human perception data, can be applied to almost whichever material or surfaces.</p><p> </p><p>This thesis is based on three articles.</p><p> </p><p>In Article I, one participant performed finger friction measurements, using a piezoelectric force sensor, on 21 printing papers of different paper grades and grammage (weight of the papers). Friction coefficients were calculated as the ratio of the frictional force and the normal force, shown to have a linear relationship. The values were recorded while stroking the index finger over the surface. The results show that measurements with the device can be used to discriminate a set of similar surfaces in terms of finger friction. When comparing the friction coefficients, the papers group according to paper surface treatment and an emerging trend is that the rougher (uncoated) papers have a lower friction coefficient than the smoother (coated) papers. In the latter case, this is interpreted in terms of a larger contact between the finger and paper surface.</p><p> </p><p>In addition, a decrease in friction coefficient is noted for all papers on repeated stroking, where the coated papers display a larger decrease. XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy) reveals that skin lipids are transferred from the finger to the paper surface, acting as a lubricant and hence decrease friction. Nevertheless, there is evidence that mechanical changes of the surface cannot be completely ruled out.</p><p> </p><p>The reproducibility of the finger friction measurements is elaborated in Article II, by using many participants on a selection of eight printing papers out of the 21. The trends in friction are the same; once again, the coated papers display the highest friction. There are notably large variations in the exact value of the friction coefficient, which are tentatively attributed to different skin hydration and stroking modes.</p><p> </p><p>These same participants also took part in a tactile study of perceived paper coarseness (“strävhet” in Swedish). The results reveal that the participants can distinguish a set of printing papers in terms of perceived coarseness. Not unexpectedly, surface roughness appears to be an important property related to perceived coarseness, where group data display that perceived coarseness increases with increasing surface roughness. Interestingly, friction also appears to be a discriminatory property for some subjects. A few participants showed opposite trends, which is evidence for that what is considered coarse is subjective and that different participants “weigh” the importance of the properties differently. This is a good example of a challenge when measuring one-dimensional perceptions in psychophysics.</p><p> </p><p>In Article III, a multidimensional approach was used to explore the tactile perception of printing papers. To do this, the participants scaled similarity among all possible pairs of the papers, and this similarity data are best presented by a three-dimensional space solution. This means that there are three underlying dimensions or properties that the participants use to discriminate the surface feel. Also, there is a distinct perceptual difference between the rougher (uncoated) and smoother (coated) papers. The surface roughness appears to be the dominant physical property when discriminating between a real rough paper and a smooth paper, whereas friction, thermal conductivity and grammage are more important when discriminating among the smooth coated papers.</p>

<p>У овој дисертацији разматране су објективне мере процене квалитета<br />слике и видеа са потпуним и делимичним референцирањем на изворни<br />сигнал. За потребе евалуације квалитета развијене су поуздане,<br />рачунски ефикасне мере, засноване на очувању информација о<br />градијенту. Мере су тестиране на великом броју тест слика и видео<br />секвенци, различитих типова и степена деградације. Поред јавно<br />доступних база слика и видео секвенци, за потребе истраживања<br />формиране су и нове базе видео секвенци са преко 300 релевантних<br />тест узорака. Поређењем доступних субјективних и објективних скорова<br />квалитета показано је да је објективна евалуација квалитета веома<br />сложен проблем, али га је могуће решити и доћи до високих<br />перформанси коришћењем предложених мера процене квалитета слике<br />и видеа.</p> / <p>U ovoj disertaciji razmatrane su objektivne mere procene kvaliteta<br />slike i videa sa potpunim i delimičnim referenciranjem na izvorni<br />signal. Za potrebe evaluacije kvaliteta razvijene su pouzdane,<br />računski efikasne mere, zasnovane na očuvanju informacija o<br />gradijentu. Mere su testirane na velikom broju test slika i video<br />sekvenci, različitih tipova i stepena degradacije. Pored javno<br />dostupnih baza slika i video sekvenci, za potrebe istraživanja<br />formirane su i nove baze video sekvenci sa preko 300 relevantnih<br />test uzoraka. Poređenjem dostupnih subjektivnih i objektivnih skorova<br />kvaliteta pokazano je da je objektivna evaluacija kvaliteta veoma<br />složen problem, ali ga je moguće rešiti i doći do visokih<br />performansi korišćenjem predloženih mera procene kvaliteta slike<br />i videa.</p> / <p>This thesis presents an investigation into objective image and video quality<br />assessment with full and reduced reference on original (source) signal. For<br />quality evaluation purposes, reliable, computational efficient, gradient-based<br />measures are developed. Proposed measures are tested on different image<br />and video datasets, with various types of distorsions and degradation levels.<br />Along with publicly available image and video quality datasets, new video<br />quality datasets are maded, with more than 300 relevant test samples.<br />Through comparison between available subjective and objective quality<br />scores it has been shown that objective quality evaluation is highly complex<br />problem, but it is possible to resolve it and acchieve high performance using<br />proposed quality measures.</p>

Ce travail se concentre sur comment un acteur justifierait ses actions dans des 'environnements hétérogènes et fragmentés. Le but est de démontrer qu’en l’absence d’un principe d’accord contraignant les actions des acteurs, les relations entre les partenaires d’action égaux basculeraient dans la polyarchie et celles entre les partenaires d’action inégaux basculeraient respectivement dans l’arrangement, la discorde et finalement, la violence. A cette fin, cette recherche se concentre sur les politiques mandataires britanniques en Irak à travers une étude de traitement du mouvement nationalitaire kurde dans la wilaya de Mossoul dans une période s’étendant du 30 octobre 1918 au 5 juin 1926. Le 30 octobre 1918 est la date à laquelle l’Armistice de Moudros a été signée entre les Alliés et l’Empire ottoman (à la fin de la Première Guerre mondiale) suite à laquelle les Britanniques occupèrent Mossoul. Le 5 juin 1926 correspond à la date de la signature du Traité d’Angora qui devait régler la question de la frontière turco-irakienne, connue aussi comme la Question de Mossoul / This study focuses on how an actor justifies its actions in heterogenous and fragmented environments. It aims at proving that in the absence of a principle of agreement constraning the actors’ actions, the relations between equal partners of action turn into polyarchy whilst those between inequal ones end in arrangement, contention and finally, violence. To this end, this research concentrates on the British mandatory policies in Iraq through the management of Kurdish nationalist movement in the wilaya of Mosul from 30rd October 1918 to 5th 1926. The 30rd October 1918 is the date of the signature of Armistice of Mudros between the Allies and the Ottoman Empire at the end of the First World War. It is in the aftermath of this armistice that the British occupied Mosul. In 5th 1926, Turkey and Great Britain signed the Treaty of Angora which settled the question of frontier between Turkey and Irak, a question which is also known as Question of Mosul

In der vorliegenden Studie wurde daher den Einfluss exzentrischen Trainings, mit unterschiedlicher Reizmagnitude, Bewegungsgeschwindigkeit und Muskellänge bei Reizapplikation, auf die Adaptation des M. vastus lateralis (VL) untersucht. Die 31 Studienteilnehmer wurden randomisiert in zwei Trainings- und eine Kontrollgruppe aufgeteilt. Die Trainingsgruppen führten 30 Trainingseinheiten mit exzentrischem Training der Knieextensoren an einem Isokineten durch. Gruppe 1 (n=10) trainierte ein Bein mit 65% der maximalen willkürlichen isometrischen Kontraktion (MVC) und das andere Bein mit 100% MVC, bei einer Winkelgeschwindigkeit von 90°/s und einem Kniewinkel von 25°-100°. Gruppe 2 (n=10) trainierte beide Beine mit 100% MVC, ein Bein aber mit einer Winkelgeschwindigkeit von 90°/s in einem Kniewinkel von 25°-65° und das andere Bein mit 240°/s und 25°-100°. In der Pre- und Postmessung wurde die VL Muskelfaserlänge mittels Ultraschall bestimmt und die Moment-Winkel- und Leistungs-Winkelgeschwindigkeitsrelation mit einem Dynamometer erfasst. Die Ergebnisse zeigen nur für Bein mit 240°/s eine signifikante (p / The present study investigated the effects of magnitude, velocity and muscle length at which the eccentric stimulus is applied on the longitudinal adaptation of the vastus lateralis muscle (VL). The 31 participants were randomly assigned into two experimental groups to perform 30 sessions of eccentric training for the knee extensors (3 times/week) and one control group. The first experimental group (n=10) exercised one leg at 65% of maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) and the second leg at 100% MVC at 90°/s from 25° to 100° knee angle on an isokinetic device (Biodex 3). The second experimental group (n=10) exercised one leg at 100% MVC at 90°/s from 25° to 65° knee angle and the other leg at 100% MVC at an angular velocity of 240°/s from 25° to 100° knee angle. In pre and post measurements the fascicle length of the VL was examined by ultrasonography and the moment-angle and power-angular velocity relationship of the knee extensors with a dynamometer. The results showed an increase (p

Most developing countries are faced with drinking water problems, with conditions becoming more severe due to water pollution. Meeting the growing demands for clean water in most countries, there are difficult challenges as the availability and supply of drinkable water are diminishing. Due to economic and environmental concerns, development of additional physical means for the removal of organic compounds from wastewater using permanent magnets, electromagnetic coils, electrodes and ultrasonic pretreatment is desirable. Improving the adsorption and separation process, magnetic field exposure method has progressively drawn consideration. Magnetic field exposure method has demonstrated its capacity for increasing the adsorptive elimination of contaminants from water as static magnetization is suitable, simple and cost-effective. The polypyrrole magnetic nanocomposite use for adsorption experiments influenced by exter-nal magnetic field was prepared using the in-situ polymerization method, which was charac-terized using TEM, SEM, EDX, XRD, BET, FTIR, VSM, and ESR spectrophotometers. The magnetic nanocomposite (PPy/Fe3O4) was observed to have an average particle size of 10 nm with the elementary composition of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, chloride and iron. The magnetic nanocomposite had a crystalline structure of face-centred cubic lattice of Fe3O4, an adsorption-desorption isotherm shape indicating a typical type-IV mesoporous material with a surface area of 28.77 m2/g. Characteristic peaks of Fe3O4 and PPy were also observed using FTIR spectro-photometer. From the VSM and ESR characterization, the synthesized superparamagnetic ma-terial was shown to have a saturation magnetization of 23 emu/g and an effective g-value of 2.25 g which was attributed to Fe3+ spin interaction. An enhanced removal of Cr(VI), fluoride and congo red dye were observed under the influence of magnetic field, with parameters like pH, adsorbent dosage, the initial concentration of ad-sorbate, magnetic field and magnetic exposure time been varied. The enhanced adsorption of contaminants using magnetic field is attributed to the increase in the magnetic field induced on the particles over a magnetic exposure time, resulting in the rotating particles forming aggre-gates due to the increased magnetic force and torque on the particles from the PSV results. This leads to increase in the chain collision and area of particle interaction with the aqueous solution of hexavalent chromium, fluoride and congo red dye. / Physics / Ph. D. (Physics)

Ce mémoire d'habilitation décrit ma recherche effectuée en vue de mieux comprendre le mécanisme des tremblements de terre. Les ondes sismiques sont les principales données qui donnent accès à cette information, et mes travaux sont donc en lien direct avec les observations des capteurs sismiques (ou géodésiques) capables de détecter ces ondes. Les qualité, quantité et type de données disponibles m'ont conduit à aborder cette thématique sous trois angles différents, qui recoupent les trois chapitres de ce mémoire. A l'échelle mondiale, les capteurs large-bande du réseau global permettent une étude systématique et homogène de tous les séismes dont la magnitude est suffisante pour générer des ondes clairement analysables. Cette magnitude seuil est de l'ordre de 5.5-6 lorsque l'on analyse les ondes de volume se propageant dans la Terre. Par ailleurs, ces données sont accessibles en temps réel, ce qui permet d'obtenir des informations rapides sur les séismes, à condition que des techniques d'analyse automatisées soient mises en place. Ce double intérêt de l'approche globale -systématisme et rapidité- est développé dans le Chapitre I de ce mémoire. L'échelle mondiale trouve ses limites lorsqu'on s'intéresse aux détails du processus de rupture. Alors que les données mondiales sont suffisantes pour imager les caractéristiques moyennes de source (mécanisme au foyer, profondeur, magnitude de moment, fonction source), elles ne permettent généralement pas d'extraire avec précision les informations internes à la rupture sismique (distribution de glissement, vitesse de rupture locale). Pour ce faire, il est nécessaire d'utiliser des données plus proches de l'événement sismique, et de développer des techniques d'analyse adaptées à chaque configuration (analyses en réseau, analyses comparées entre le séisme principal et l'un de ses précurseurs...). Par ailleurs, et contrairement à l'échelle globale - où les données large-bande sont les données " reines " de l'analyse de la source -, l'analyse à distance plus proche permet et/ou requiert de diversifier les données utilisées. Cela peut passer par l'utilisation des capteurs accélérometriques, ou par la nouvelle utilisation des capteurs GPS en tant que sismomètres. Le Chapitre II s'intéresse à cette thématique de résolution fine des propriétés de source, avec un intérêt particulier pour la détermination de la vitesse de rupture. La mise en évidence récente des vitesses de rupture supershear (plus rapides que les ondes de cisaillement) et de leurs conséquences constituent un point important de ce chapitre. Enfin, il est intéressant de replacer la rupture sismique dans le cadre plus large des conditions qui stimulent ou inhibent son déclenchement. Dans cet esprit, je présente dans le Chapitre III des éléments de réponse venant de l'observation continue de la zone de subduction Equatorienne. Cette observation - incluant capteurs large-bande, accéléromètres, et GPS - se déroule depuis 2008 dans le cadre du projet ANR ADN, soutenu par l'IRD et en collaboration avec l'Institut de Géophysique à Quito. Nous montrerons dans ce chapitre comment l'occurrence de séismes lents sur l'interface de subduction est un facteur déclenchant de la sismicité.

La indústria hotelera es presenta avui com un dels subsectors més destacats del sector turístic i del sector econòmic espanyol. El seu impacte tant a l'economia com al seu entorn d'actuació és molt destacable i estratègic pel desenvolupament del país i la seva zona d'influència. Durant els últims anys, el sector basa la seva estratègia en un alt desenvolupament de la oferta. Durant aquesta mateixa etapa, la demanda ha experimentat una sèrie de canvis i disminucions ocasionats per la revolució de les tecnologies de la informació i la comunicació, l'aparició de nous segments i l'augment de l'exigència de la relació qualitat-preu, fet al que el sector hoteler no ha sabut adaptar-se.Fins a la data, tot i que la qualitat ha estat un element valorat pel sector, no s'han aconseguit grans avenços en el que respecta a la implantació d'aquesta filosofia. El sector públic espanyol aposta per a la seva implantació mitjançant el desenvolupament de normes de qualitat; el sector privat, paral·lelament, desenvolupa segells i marques turístiques per a destacar la qualitat dels establiments acollits. Tot i aquestes actuacions, la implantació no ha estat tant elevada com ho ha estat a d'altres sectors , fet que ha portat a plantejar si els plans desenvolupats són realment els més adequats pel sector.Per respondre a la problemàtica descrita i després d'una revisió de la bibliografia relacionada amb la qualitat, qualitat de servei i qualitat de servei aplicat a la hotelera, es planteja el propòsit del treball que és la determinació i priorització de quins són els aspectes de gestió que portaran a una cadena hotelera a millorar la seva qualitat de servei. Per a dur a terme el treball, s'han considerat les opinions d'un grup d'experts directius hotelers i els resultats d'una enquesta que s'ha realitzat a les cadenes hoteleres a Espanya.La metodologia d'anàlisi és doble, per a una banda s'ha aplicat la tècnica del concept mapping a les opinions d'un grup d'experts directius hotelers, fet que , després de l'aplicació del multidimensional scaling i un anàlisi clúster, ha suposat la determinació de 84 aspectes de gestió agrupats en set clústers que reflecteixen set àmbits de gestió a considerar per les cadenes hoteleres, que són: Gestió dels Recursos Humans, Gestió de màrqueting estratègic, Gestió de la informació de clients, Gestió interna de la cadena hotelera, Gestió interna de la qualitat, Gestió estratègica de la cadena hotelera i Gestió estratègica de la qualitat. Per d'altra banda s'ha utilitzat un procés de raonament qualitatiu, fonamentat en les ordres de magnitud, amb el propòsit de determinar quins són els aspectes prioritaris entre els trobats a la fase anterior. Per a dur a terme el procés, s'han utilitzat els resultats obtinguts d'una enquesta que s'ha fet a les cadenes hoteleres a Espanya. Els resultats mostren una importància cap al pensament estratègic de la cadena hotelera tot i que no és veu un clúster que sigui més valorat que els altres. / La industria hotelera se presenta hoy como uno de los subsectores más destacados del sector turístico y del sector económico español. Su impacto tanto en la economía como en el entorno de actuación es muy destacable y estratégico para el desarrollo del país y su zona de influencia.En los últimos años, el sector basa su estrategia en un desarrollo desmedido de la oferta. Durante esta misma etapa, la demanda ha experimentado una serie de cambios y disminuciones ocasionados por la revolución de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación, la aparición de nuevos segmentos y el aumento de la exigencia de la relación calidad-precio, hecho al que el sector hotelero no ha sabido adaptarse.Hasta la fecha, aunque la calidad ha sido un elemento valorado por el sector, no se han conseguido grandes avances en lo que respecta a la implantación de esa filosofía. El sector público español apuesta por su implantación mediante el desarrollo de normas de calidad; el sector privado, paralelamente, desarrolla sellos y marcas turísticas para destacar la calidad de los establecimientos acogidos. Pese a todas estas actuaciones, la implantación no es tan elevada como ha sido en otros sectores, lo que ha llevando a plantearse si los planes desarrollados son realmente los más adecuados para el sector.Para responder a la problemática descrita y tras una revisión de la bibliografía relacionada con la calidad, calidad de servicio y calidad de servicio aplicada a la hotelería, se plantea el propósito de este trabajo que es la determinación y priorización de cuáles son los aspectos de gestión que llevarán a una cadena hotelera a mejorar su calidad de servicio. Para desarrollar el trabajo, se han considerado las opiniones de un grupo de expertos directivos hoteleros y los resultados de una encuesta que se ha realizado a las cadenas hoteleras en España.La metodología de análisis utilizada es doble, por un lado se ha aplicado la técnica del concept mapping a las opiniones de un grupo de expertos directivos hoteleros, hecho que, tras la aplicación un multidimensional scaling y un análisis clúster, ha supuesto la determinación de 84 aspectos de gestión agrupados en siete clústeres que reflejan siete ámbitos de gestión a considerar por las cadenas hoteleras, que son: Gestión de los Recursos Humanos, Gestión de marketing estratégico, Gestión de la información de clientes, Gestión interna de la cadena hotelera, Gestión interna de la calidad, Gestión estratégica de la cadena hotelera y Gestión estratégica de la calidad.Por otro lado se ha utilizado un procedimiento de razonamiento cualitativo, basado en las órdenes de magnitud, con el propósito de determinar cuáles son los aspectos prioritarios de entre los expuestos en la fase anterior. Para llevar a cabo el procedimiento se ha utilizado los resultados obtenidos de una encuesta realizada a las cadenas hoteleras en España. Los resultados muestran una importancia hacia el pensamiento estratégico de la cadena hotelera pero sin que haya un clúster más importante que los demás. / The hotel industry is presented today as one of the most important sub-sectors of the Spanish tourism industry and economic sector. Its impact on both the economy as well as the environment is significant and also strategic for the country's development and its area of influence. In recent years, the industry has based its strategy on an excessive development of market supply. There have been a number of changes and down turns in demand during this period, caused by the ITC revolution, the emergence of new segments and an increasing demand for value for money, to which the hotel industry has failed to adapt. To date, and although quality has been an element valued by the industry, not much progress has been achieved with regard to the implementation of that philosophy. The Spanish public sector has decided on its implementation through developing quality standards; the private sector, in parallel, has developed seals of quality and tourism brands to enhance the quality of establishments. In spite of all these measures, implementation is not as high as it has been in other sectors, which has led experts to consider whether the plans developed are in fact suited to the sector. To respond to the above-described problem - and following a review of the literature related to quality, service quality and service quality applied to the hotel industry - this paper puts forward the identification and prioritisation of those management aspects which lead a hotel chain to improve its service quality. In developing the paper, we have considered the views of a group of expert hotel managers and the results of a survey carried out among hotel chains in Spain.The analytical methodology used is twofold: on the one hand the concept mapping technique has been applied to the views of a group of expert hotel managers, which, after applying a multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis, led to the identification of 84 management aspects grouped into seven clusters reflecting seven management areas to be considered by hotel chains. These are: Human Resource Management, Strategic Marketing Management, Client Information Management, Internal Hotel Chain Management, Internal Quality Management, Strategic Hotel Chain Management and Strategic Quality Management. On the other hand, a qualitative reasoning procedure based on the orders of magnitude has been used with the aim of identifying the priority areas of the findings for the previous phase. The results of a survey on hotel chains in Spain have been used to carry out the procedure. These results reveal an import shift towards strategic thinking among hotel chains but without there being one cluster that is more significant than the rest.

雖然濕地是一種具有生態、經濟與景觀價值的富地資源，但由於這些價值通常具有「有行無市」的特質,因而在市場價格的論斤秤兩過程中，許多重要的濕地便成為市場價格運作下的犧牲品。為了改善此種有行無市的市場失靈現象，本研究利用可獲得使用價值與非使用價值的條件評價法(CVM)分析台北市與台南縣居民對不同濕地保育方案所賦予的價值，並利用有母數與無母數統計方法檢測此種方法可能產生的相關課題，特別是數量變異問題的檢測。本研究主要特色係納入「態度--行為」評價歷程、透過濕地意像分析掌握評價意涵與供給不確定性因素的考量，除此之外，並使用七種不同問卷結構的實驗設計檢測條件評價法的相關課題。 應用分析檢測結果顯示，台北市受訪者願付數額顯著高於台南縣，願付數額的理由不論是台北市或台南縣受訪者「非使用價值動機」皆顯著高於「使用價值動機」，而且發現保育範圍愈大的方案主觀供給機率愈小的現象。相關課題檢測結果顯示， 55公頃關渡濕地保育範圍的維護方案與8135公頃五大濕地保育範圍的維護方案受訪者最大願付數額(WTP)無顯著差異(數量變異問題)、單一濕地維護方案加上四大濕地維護方案之願付數額顯著高於五大濕地維題方案(加總問題)、「濕地信託基金」支付工具評價結果顯著高於「額外稅賦」(支付工具偏誤問題)。如果排除研究程序上的問題，此結果隱含條件評價法仍未能完全滿足數量變異的原則，就本研究實證分析探討，條件評價法未能滿足數量變異原則，供給不確定性是一項重要因素，因此條件評價法課題的改善，供給不確定效果的改善或許是一個可考量的方向。 由於條件評價法仍未能獲得可信的評價結果，而且此方法所獲得的評價結果僅是行為傾向而非賞際行為的結果，因而以條件評價法所獲得評價結果從事濕地政策的應用，在現階段仍不是一個十分恰當的做法。然而，此現象並不縮減條件評價法的重要性，因為現今仍未有比條件評價法更好的研究方法可獲得非使用價值，因此條件評價法的改善、其他評價研究方法或整合條件評價法與其他研究方法等研究發展，或許是評價研究可發展的方向。 / The major object of this study is to applyy the contingent valuation method(CVM),based on the willingness to pay(WTP)concept,to analyze the valuation of different wetland conservation projects among residents in Taipei city and Tainan prefecture. Furthermore,this study uses a set of seven surveys to test the issuess of CVM measurement of wetland conservation total values with parametric and nonparametric tests.In addition,this study incorporates the valuation process basedd on attitude-behavior studies,the images of the wetland and supply uncertainties to debate aboutthese issues． Empirical results indicate that Taipei respondents show significant higher valuation than their counterparts in Tainan,that nonuse value motives are greater than use value motives,and that the greater conservation projects have less subjective supply probabilities.Furthermore,this study finds that the magnitude variation principle does not exist in the CVM process while the aggregation problem and the payment vehicle bias exist.This study considers the supply uncertainty is one important cause of rejecting magnitude variation hypotheses．Future research should consider how to improve the supply uncertainty effect． Because the current CVM fails to achieve reliable results,and the CVM results are behavioral intention,which is different from actual behavior， thus it restricts the wetland policy pplication.However， this situation does not diminish the importance of wetland conservation valuation with the CVM,since no other methods can achieve the measurement of nonuse values． Therefore,how to improve the reliability and validity of CVM，how to integrate CVM and other methods or other valuation approaches may be one imnportant direction for future valuation research.

The aim of this thesis is to create collections of examples for the subject Astronomy taught for students of pedagogical faculties, studying this discipline as a part of physics courses. Due to very different mathematical knowledge of students I have chosen typical and not much difficult examples oriented to several branches of astronomy. Each part of examples begins with a self-contained theoretical introduction. The difficulty rises gradually from trivial to more complicated examples. The examples are mainly focused on motions in radial gravitational fields.