Mixture models are useful in describing a wide variety of random phenomena because of their flexibility in modeling. They have continued to receive increasing attention over the years from both a practical and theoretical point of view. In their applications, estimating the number of mixture components is often the main research objective or the first step toward it. Estimation of the number of mixture components heavily depends on the underlying distribution. As an extension of normal mixture models, we introduce a skew-normal mixture model and adapt the reversible jump Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm to estimate the number of components with some applications to biological data. The reversible jump algorithm is also applied to the Cox proportional hazard model with frailty. We consider a regression model for the variance components in the proportional hazards frailty model. We propose a Bayesian model averaging procedure with a reversible jump Markov chain Monte Carlo step which selects the model automatically. The resulting regression coefficient estimates ignore the model uncertainty from the frailty distribution. Finally, the proposed model and the estimation procedure are illustrated with simulated example and real data.

Overfishing of red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico has significantly increased lately. A major regulation to reduce the overfishing is Total Allowable Catches (TAC) in combination with a season closure. The restrictions on entry lead to an inefficient outcome, however, because the resource is not used by the fishermen who value it the most. As an alternative to restricting entry, transferable rights (TR) programs are being increasingly considered. Under a TR program, a market is created to trade a right to use a resource and the total benefits of the participants are maximized through such a trade. The principal objective of this dissertation is to comprehensively assess economic and biological consequences of the red snapper fishery for the TR program. To date the literature lacks sufficient discussion of how recreational TR programs would function. I, therefore, propose an economically desirable institutional framework for the TR program in the recreational fishery. I draw some lessons from hunting programs and applications of other TR programs to find better schemes for the TR program in the recreational fishery.This dissertation uses theoretical and empirical models as well as institutional settings to develop the TR program. A theoretical model is provided to investigate which unit of measurement for the TRs is preferable. For empirical models I first estimate an empirically based recreation demand that incorporates TR permit demand and then develop a simulation submodel using the estimated demand. I find price instruments, such as fees or TR programs, are very efficient to reduce fishing trips but they also lead to distributional impacts on trips by low income (or low cost) anglers. Partial simulation results indicate that an efficiency benefit of the TR program would be significant because recreational trip demand in the current closed season is not trivial. I conclude that the TR program in the recreational fishery will economically and biologically provide a great deal of merit to reduce the overfishing situation and a substantial efficiency gain to Gulf anglers. Some institutional barriers, especially from the large transaction cost can also be overcome if electronic systems or the Internet are used.

The lack of adequate transportation infrastructure in Brazil has been a bottleneck for the soybean producers for many years. Moreover, the costly inland transportation incurred from this bottleneck has resulted in a loss in competitiveness for Brazil compared to other exporting countries, especially the United States. If transportation costs are reduced by introducing improved infrastructure, Brazil is expected to increase its competitiveness in the world soybean market by increasing its exports and producer revenues. On the other hand, the United States and other significant soybean competing exporting countries are expected to lose market share as well as producer revenues. This study uses a spatial equilibrium model to analyze transportation infrastructure improvements proposed by the Brazilian government vis-à-vis enhance the nation's soybean transportation network. The analyzed transportation improvements are: (i) the development of the Tapajós-Teles Pires waterway; (ii) the completion of the BR- 163 highway; (iii) the construction of the Mortes-Araguaia waterway; (iv) the Ferronorte railroad expansion to Rondonópolis and the linkage between the city of Rio Verde to Uberlândia; and (v) the Ferropar railroad expansion to the city of Dourados. The model specifies the Brazilian inland transportation network and the international ocean shipments. The model divides Brazil into 18 excess supply regions and 8 excess demand regions. The competing exporting countries are the United States, Argentina, Rest of South America (Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay), Canada, and India. The importing countries are composed of China, European Union, Southeast Asia, Mexico, and the Rest of the World. Results suggest these proposed transportation improvements yield potential noteworthy gains to Brazil with producer revenues increasing more than $500 million and exports increasing by 177 thousand metric tons. Consequently, the world soybean price declines by $1.16 per metric ton and producer revenues and exports in the United States fall by 63 thousand metric tons and $104.89 million, respectively. Although the absolute gains in price, revenues, and exports for Brazil are considerable, they only represent in relative changes 1.48, 2.35, and 0.32 percent, respectively. Similarly, the loss in price, revenue, and export value for the United States is also low, declining by 0.23, 0.23, and 0.12 percent, respectively.

The effects of high levels of radiation are frequently studied, but the effects of very lowdose irradiation are still unknown even in today?s technology-driven world. A study recently carried out at Texas A

The purpose of this study was to investigate how the Weblog Image-text Transmission Model shaped the writing process for third grade students and if this model affected their attitude towards writing. This study adopted an action research approach. Participants in this study were thirty-three third graders in an elementary school in Tainan. Qualitative data were collected from class observations, interviews, student blog contents, and related instructional artifacts . Quantitative data were collected from two measurments : the Rating Scale for Writing, and the Attitude to Writing Scale. Results showed that the Weblog Image-text Transmission Model benefited participants in retrieving prior experiences and knowledge and organizing writing contents. In addition, participants were more willing to express themselves and share their thoughts with their peer students. Participants also tended to complete their writing assignment within the time limit. Lastly, participants writing attitude with respect to¡§fondness for writing¡¨ and ¡§the confidence of using writing to express feelings¡¨ were also raised (p¡Õ.05) . Meanwhile, there were no significant differencse before and after test in ¡§willingness to enhance one¡¦s writing ability¡¨ and ¡§the preceived value of writing¡¨.

Coastal environment is extremely sensitive area. The presence of oil and petroleum residues in the marine environment results from abusive spillages by ships and boats to the detriment of marine ecosystems navigation, and commercial actives such as fisheries, coastal industry development, and tourism; as well as to coastal resources when the oil reaches land. Up to now, there still isn¡¦t a complete evaluation and solution for the oil-spill risks in Taiwan. It is very important to organize and prepare an operational response for coastal oil pollution accidents. The use of computer models to predict the movement of oil helps to make best use of the various measures and equipment that can be employed in case of an oil spill accident. In this study, the numerical model MEDSLIK is used to directly model the transport of oil for the coast sea around Taiwan. MEDSLIK is a 3D oil spill model designed to predict the transport, fate and weathering of an oil spill. The MEDSLIK oil spill model in pre-operational mode was first developed in 1997 (Lardner et al. 1998) to assist the objectives of the EU LIFE project ¡§Subregional contingency Plan for Preparedness and response to Major Pollution Incidents in the Eastern Mediterranean-Levantine¡¨. The software consists of three parts, a graphical input interface through which the user enters data concerning the spill and environmental conditions, a run module that performs the computations that simulate the spill behaviors and a graphical output interface by means of which the user can examine the predictions of the model. The aim of this study is to adopt MEDSLIK model to predict the expected state of the oil when it arrives at a given location around Taiwan. The input data includes the type of oil and its characteristics, forecasts of wind direction and strength, sea temperature, currents and conditions at sea. By using MEDSLIK oil spill model to simulate the Tzini oil-spill accident, the oil disperses between the south part of Suao Harbor and Naao. The modeling results compare well with the actual situation. The main result is the MEDSLIK model provides the oil-spill movement pattern around Taiwan Sea and answers questions such as how much will evaporate, how much will be dispersed as fine droplets in the water, where the oil spill is most likely move to, and how soon it will get there. However, the wind input data is quantitative in this study. Future tasks must fully account the impact of regional wind field to oil movement and emphasize on anticipating likely impacts on the coast and provide an early warming and mitigation tool to plan an effective response to keep oil away from key coastal resources.

Globalization in business has become increasingly common, so stronger company that is seeking for growth tends to merge and acquire other companies since it is more beneficial to take over an existing firm's operations and niche compared to expanding on its own. Integration shortly after merger and acquisition is key to a company¡¦s long-term success, because top-management team must alter an organization¡¦s structure and establish new strategies to adjust to the rapid changing environment. Therefore, we can conclude that the role of top-management teams during the process of mergers and acquisitions is critical. After merger and acquisition, whether or not the top-management team of the target firm should be replaced remains a good question. Not only should the working ability and the accomplishment of the top-management teams be considered, but other internal and external reasons that might affect this alteration should also be considered. This research looks to discuss why the top-management team for the target firm should or should not remain in the office. We¡¦ve selected acquisition firm and target firm from the listed companies at the stock exchange market, over-the-counter market, and emerging stock market in 1997 to 2006 to be our study sample. We will try to figure out the retained ratio for the top management teams by using regression model analysis. The result of this study shows that the type of M & A, the experience of the acquisition firm, and the type of industry they are in have great impact on the retained ratio of the top-management teams.

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In the environmental protection issues and natural resources problem to expand and develop ¡§renewable energy resource¡¨ and ¡§green energy resource¡¨ are the trend of global pursued. Many developed countries have given zealous and efforts to active the solar energy plan. The photovoltaic industry has marketed incentive programs. Currently, Use all energy resources to rely on import above 95% on Taiwan. To decrease consuming fossil fuel should be constructive to spread applies of solar energy. This study was the preliminary statement to develop route and trend of worldwide photovoltaic industry in the pass, presently, and in the future. And then to analyze the data of operate results of the new entrant solar cell industries in the Taiwan. By way of competition strategy, competition advantage, an analysis of competition power, diamond model and vertical integration etc., theory. In this study case, the ways that many companies enter the solar cell market are strategy ventures, and vertical integration to increase production. To confer the structure of solar cell industry, finding Niche at a series action of value. To create acceptable value of the customer. And then to provide a solar cell industry model of competition advantage.

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