This thesis examines the use and function of a specific group of Psalms, the so-called “Royal Psalms,” among the texts of the Qumran library. From the time of their integration into the worship practices of the Israelite people in the obscure past to the Second Temple period and beyond, these Psalms continued to be a source of inspiration to the Jewish people. Though there have been many studies that have analyzed their Sitz im Leben, use, interpretation, and application for many different periods, no study has attempted a thorough analysis of their use among the Qumran documents. Analyses of the use in the Qumran texts of certain individual Royal Psalms exist, but these do not attempt to cover the Royal Psalms as a corpus. The present thesis will analyze the appearance in the Qumran library of the eleven generally-accepted Royal Psalms: Pss 2, 18, 20, 21, 45, 72, 89, 101, 110, 132, and 144. This study explores whether or not these Psalms are to be found in the known Qumran Psalms scrolls, variations or differences as compared to the Masoretic Text, how they are were interpreted in exegetical and other texts, quotations of and allusions to them, and how themes from the Royal Psalms contribute to the structure and theology of non-canonical royal psalms found at Qumran. An understanding of the use of the biblical Royal Psalms in these texts is of value for our comprehension of what happened to the pre-exilic royal traditions as these hymns continued to be used in a post-monarchic society. This dissertation makes an original contribution toward these goals, establishing that there was an interest on the part of the authors of many of the Qumran texts in royal themes although they lived long after the monarchy had ended.

本研究以不動產估價技術規則第19條第7項與第20條之規定，引用相似無關迴歸模式、多變量迴歸模式與典型相關分析等計量模式，對金融機構所做的擔保品估價進行驗證、預測及控制分析。 擔保品估價中會產生兩價，即擔保品的評估市場價格與評估擔保值（價），大部分的人都認為兩價存在一個比率關係。傳統的迴歸分析估價模式係由一組價格影響因素影響一個不動產價格，上述情形是否可能由同一組價格影響因素影響兩個不動產價格？本研究實證結果顯示，在95％統計信賴水準下，有兩個不動產價格受同一組價格因素影響的結果。既然驗證存在同一組價格影響因素影響兩個不動產價格，是否有更具效率的計量估價模式呢？典型相關分析係透過兩組變項之相關關係建構計量模式，除可再度驗證同一組價格影響因素影響兩個不動產價格，並可如同因素分析或主成份分析的功能，對兩組變項各做變項縮減的工作，達到對變項去蕪存菁的效果。 / This thesis is based on Article 19 No 7 and Article 20 of the Real Estate Appraisal Regulation. Seemingly Unrelated Regression Model, Multivariate Regression Model and Econometric Model and so on econometric model are applied. In addition, collateral valuations done by financial institutions are verified, predicted and analyzed. In collateral valuations, there are two-value references: assessed market value and assessed accommodation value. Majority believe that there is a ratio between these two values. The traditional regression analysis of the valuation model is having one set of pricing factors to have impact on the real estate price. However, is it possible that one set of pricing factors will affect two real estate prices? The findings approve that, under statistical confidence level with 95%, more than two real estate prices can be influenced by one set of pricing factors. Further more, this thesis also examines if there are other econometric valuation models to be applied? The canonical correlation analysis is to build a calculation model to analyze correlation between two variables. Other than examining one set of pricing factors can influence two real estate prices, this analysis also provides a similar function of the factor analysis or principal analysis to reduce variables caused by two sets of variable.

在全球化市場的激烈競爭環境中，資訊科技對企業而言已是一種提升競爭優勢的策略性設備，而先前文獻對於資訊科技能力的評估或與企業績效關聯性的探討，多以行為性問卷的認知數據量表進行研究，少有利用事實性問卷所收集的現象數據評估資訊科技能力及進一步分析資訊科技能力與企業績效關聯性之研究。故本研究基於資源基礎觀點理論，利用企業事實性現象填答問卷建立企業資訊科技能力評估模型，包含資訊科技的導入狀態、應用方式及使用經驗等現象相關問項，如硬體、網路、資訊系統應用程度及範圍等，並探討資訊科技能力與企業績效的關聯性。使用典型相關分析進行實證研究發現，針對先前政府委託調查所收集資料計算出來的企業資訊科技能力，與公開發行的上市櫃企業財務資料所計算出來的企業績效具有顯著關聯性，特別是會計型財務績效之經營能力，經檢定具統計顯著性。進一步進行產業別比較，先使用灰色熵權重分析對於各個子構面進行權重估計，並以權重加權法重新計算每一樣本之資訊科技能力，再進行單因子變異數分析，顯示各產業間之資訊科技能力及子構面能力多數呈現顯著差異。本研究所提出的資訊科技能力評估模型與企業績效關聯檢定模式，以及產業間資訊科技能力差異性分析模式，可提供政府或產業觀察機構建立長期觀測平台，以彙整各種產業資訊科技導入現象及應用範圍，使政府與企業可檢視整體產業整體或個別產業資訊科技能力之差異，藉以擬定資訊科技投資策略，提升企業競爭優勢。 / In the highly competitive globalization environment, information technology (IT) has become strategic equipment for leveraging a business’s competitive advantage. Most previous studies use perceptual questionnaire to collect behavioral data for evaluating IT capability, and furthermore to explore the relationship between IT capability and firm performance. Very few studies use factual questionnaire to collect the phenomenon data for analysis. In this study, we propose a model of evaluating IT capability based on Resource-Based View (RBV) theory and use factual phenomenon questionnaire including induction status, application approach, and usage experience, such as hardware, networks, IS application levels and scopes, etc. The research also explores the relationship between IT capability and firm performance. The IT capability data are calculated from the earlier government-sponsored survey. The firm performance data by financial indicators are collected or calculated from the open data of listed companies in Taiwan Stock Exchange and Over-the-Counter Agencies. The Canonical Correlation Analysis is used and shows significantly positive relationship for the IT capability affecting the firm performance, especially in Accounting-Based Financial Indicators. Before further analysis of industry comparison, Grey Entropy is used to estimate the weights of three sub-constructs and the overall IT capability is then re-calculated by integrating the weighted sub-construct capabilities. Afterwards, the One-Way ANOVA analysis is conducted and shows significant differences across industries in the overall IT capability of the firm and the IT capabilities of the sub-constructs. The proposed IT capability estimation model and the relationship analysis for the IT capability and firm performance can be used by the government or industry observation institution to continuously watch the industry IT capability phenomena and its relationship with the firm performance. The observation for the whole country and across industries can be used as a reference to pursue appropriate IT investments for strategic advantage.

L'adsorption de CO dans la faujasite échangée au CuI et au Na+ a été modélisée à l'aide des approches quantiques (DFT) et classiques (Monte Carlo). Grâce à l'approche DFT, la surface d'énergie potentielle de la faujasite a été explorée. Différents types d'interactions de CO avec les cations ont été identifiés, pour chacune les effets induits par l'adsorption de CO aux niveaux structural et énergétique ont été analysés, et le calcul de la fréquence de vibration de CO a été réalisé. Grâce aux valeurs obtenues, une nouvelle attribution des spectres d'adsorption de CO dans CuY et NaY a été établie. D'un autre côté, grâce aux simulations Monte Carlo dans l'ensemble Grand Canonique, les propriétés d'adsorption (isothermes et enthalpies) de la faujasite vis-à-vis de CO ont été modélisées, et le mécanisme microscopique d'adsorption de CO a été établi. La mise en œuvre de ces simulations a nécessité de paramétrer un nouveau champ de force destiné à décrire les interactions CO/faujasite et CO/CO. / CO adsorption in CuI and Na+ exchanged faujasite has been modeled by mean of quantum (DFT) and classical (Monte Carlo) approaches. By mean of the DFT calculations, faujasite potential energy surface has been explored. Different types of CO interactions with the cations have been highlighted, for each one of them CO adsorption effects on the structural and energetic parameters have been analyzed, and calculations of the CO stretching frequency have been performed. Thanks to our calculated values, a new attribution of CO adsorption spectra in CuY and NaY has been established. On another side, by mean of Monte Carlo simulations in the Grand Canonical ensemble, faujasite adsorption properties regarding CO (isotherms and enthalpies) have been modeled, and the CO adsorption mechanism has been established at the microscopic level. The implementation of these simulations has required the derivation of a new force field describing the CO/faujasite and CO/CO interactions.

Cleavage and polyadenylation are essential pre-mRNA processing reactions maturing the 3’end of almost all protein encoding eukaryotic mRNAs. Analysis of the sequences required for cleavage and polyadenylation in the human melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) and the human transcription factors JUNB and JUND pre-mRNAs revealed that, at least for some mammalian genes, 3’end processing of the primary transcript is independent of previously described auxiliary sequence elements located upstream or downstream of the core poly(A) sequences. The analysis of the MC4R poly(A) site, contrary to the current understanding of mammalian poly(A) sites, showed that mutations of the AUUAAA hexamer sequence had no effect on 3’end processing levels while mutations in the short DSE severely reduced cleavage efficiency. The MC4R poly(A) site uses a potent DSE and to direct maximal cleavage efficiency requires only a short upstream adenosine rich sequence. Furthermore, analysis of the endogenous A-rich human JUNB poly(A) signal validated upstream A-rich core sequences as genuine 3’end formation directing sequences in human non-canonical 3’end formation signals. The results show that a minimal human poly(A) site, similar to yeast and plants, can be defined by an adenosine rich sequence adjacent to a U/GU-rich sequence element and a cleavage site. These findings further imply that some human non-canonical poly(A) sites may be recognised via a similar DSE-dependent mechanism and may not require additional auxiliary sequence elements. Finally, results on the analysis of the EDF1 poly(A) signal show that, in a spliced environment, A-rich sequences are also 3’end formation effectors but depend on an competent upstream splicing reaction for efficient definition of the 3’end processing site.

Au lendemain de la renaissance juridique du XIIe siècle et de la redécouverte des compilations de Justinien, les juristes médiévaux s’attachent à bâtir un principe général de prohibition des donations entre époux. Dès la première moitié du XIIIe siècle, civilistes et canonistes assouplissent cependant les restrictions, passant ainsi d’une prohibition stricte à un simple système de révocabilité. Les praticiens français, répondant aux demandes de conjoints soucieux de protéger le survivant, ont contribué à l’affaiblissement des entraves romaines et canoniques : serment promissoire, clause de renonciation, donation par personne interposée constituent autant d’expédients, parfois même empiriques et frauduleux. En dépit de ce long glissement doctrinal et des palliatifs élaborés par les notaires, des interdictions ont longtemps persisté dans la plupart des législations territoriales, rédigées et inlassablement réformées à l’aune du droit romain, du Moyen Âge central au début de l’Époque moderne. / Immediately following the juridical renaissance of the 12th century and the rediscovery of the Justinian codification of Roman law, medieval jurists were committed to creating a general principle prohibiting donations between spouses. As early as the first half of the 13th century, however, civil law experts and canonists modulated the restrictions, thereby moving from strict prohibition to a simple system of revocability. French practitioners, responding to requests from married people concerned to protect their surviving spouse, contributed to weakening the constraints of Roman and canon law; promissory oaths, renunciation clauses and donations through an intermediary comprised such contrivances, which were sometimes even improvised and fraudulent. Despite this long doctrinal slide and the palliatives drawn up by notaries, such interdictions persisted over a long period of time in most territorial legislations, redrafted and repeatedly reformed according to the standards of Roman law from the high Middle Ages to the beginning of the modern times.

Colon cancer causes approximately seven percent of all cancer-related deaths in the world and presumably due to modern lifestyle, it is also one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers. The inefficiency of standard treatment indicates the need for intensive research of molecular mechanisms of cancer development. The canonical Wnt signaling pathway is essential for maintenance of the progenitor phenotype of stem cells in crypts of the intestine and controls repopulation of the epithelia, in physiological conditions. However, aberrant activation leads to tumor formation. Although Wnt signaling in cancer has been subjected to thorough investigation, there is still a lot of questions concerning further branching of the pathway. As a model of Wnt/β-catenin triggered colorectal cancer, we use mice with mutated APC, which is the tumor suppressor involved in this pathway. Previous expression profiling of the intestinal tumors from relevant mice revealed two transcription factors: ETV4 and MSX1 which are significantly overexpressed in cancer cells. In this project we elucidate whether the overexpression is really tumor restricted and Wnt dependent or there is a crosstalk with another signal transduction pathway. We investigate the function and regulation of these transcription factors by synthetic reporter assays,...

Dans cette thèse, nous nous focalisons sur le problème de la décomposition polyadique minimale de tenseurs de dimension trois, problème auquel on se réfère généralement sous différentes terminologies : « Polyadique Canonique » (CP en anglais), « CanDecomp », ou encore « Parafac ». Cette décomposition s'avère très utile dans un très large panel d'applications. Cependant, nous nous concentrons ici sur la spectroscopie de fluorescence appliquée à des données environnementales particulières de type échantillons d'eau qui pourront avoir été collectés en divers endroits ou différents moments. Ils contiennent un mélange de plusieurs molécules organiques et l'objectif des traitements numériques mis en œuvre est de parvenir à séparer et à ré-estimer ces composés présents dans les échantillons étudiés. Par ailleurs, dans plusieurs applications comme l'imagerie hyperspectrale ou justement, la chimiométrie, il est intéressant de contraindre les matrices de facteurs recherchées à être réelles et non négatives car elles sont représentatives de quantités physiques réelles non négatives (spectres, fractions d'abondance, concentrations, ...etc.). C'est pourquoi tous les algorithmes développés durant cette thèse l'ont été dans ce cadre (l'avantage majeur de cette contrainte étant de rendre le problème d'approximation considéré bien posé). Certains de ces algorithmes reposent sur l'utilisation de méthodes proches des fonctions barrières, d'autres approches consistent à paramétrer directement les matrices de facteurs recherchées par des carrés. / In this manuscript, we focus on the minimal polyadic decomposition of third order tensors, which is often referred to: “Canonical Polyadic” (CP), “CanDecomp”, or “Parafac”. This decomposition is useful in a very wide panel of applications. However, here, we only address the problem of fluorescence spectroscopy applied to environment data collected in different locations or times. They contain a mixing of several organic components and the goal of the used processing is to separate and estimate these components present in the considered samples. Moreover, in some applications like hyperspectral unmixing or chemometrics, it is useful to constrain the wanted loading matrices to be real and nonnegative, because they represent nonnegative physical data (spectra, abundance fractions, concentrations, etc...). That is the reason why all the algorithms developed here take into account this constraint (the main advantage is to turn the approximation problem into a well-posed one). Some of them rely on methods close to barrier functions, others consist in a parameterization of the loading matrices with the help of squares. Many optimization algorithms were considered: gradient approaches, nonlinear conjugate gradient, that fits well with big dimension problems, Quasi-Newton (BGFS and DFP) and finally Levenberg-Marquardt. Two versions of these algorithms have been considered: “Enhanced Line Search” version (ELS, enabling to escape from local minima) and the “backtracking” version (alternating with ELS).

Budongo Forest Reserve (BFR) is a flagship reserve for primate conservation due to its abundant chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) population, and its current management policy for multiple economic, conservation and environmental benefits. The identification and better understanding of the structure and dynamics of the forest/plant community types, patterns of species distribution and quantitative properties of their diversity is important to the conservation and sustainable management of tropical rainforests. This study seeks to contribute to a better understanding of the BFR forest community types, species diversity patterns and environmental correlates, as well as natural regeneration processes (i.e. seedling establishment and sprouting). Data on vegetation and environmental variables were collected using rectangular 50 x 100m (0.5 ha) plots, sub-divided into five equal contiguous (20 x 50 m) 0.1 ha sub-plots. Data on land-use/cover changes, and relevant associated socio-economic parameters were collected through the analysis of multi-temporal satellite imagery and field observations, as well as interviews of local households and key informants. The study revealed significant land-use/cover changes, with the area under sugarcane cultivation increasing over 17-fold, from 690 ha in 1988 to 12729 ha in 2002, with a concomitant loss of about 4680 ha (8.2% loss) of forest/woodland, mainly in the southern part of BFR. These changes are attributed to agricultural expansion, a rapidly increasing human population, exacerbated by large influxes of refugees, lack of alternative sources of income, conflicts of interest and political interference in the management of BFR, and an unclear land tenure system. The need for more land for agricultural expansion and the loss of woodlands (a source of building materials and fuelwood for the local communities) is leading to the invasion of and encroachment on BFR, which threatens plant and wild animal conservation. The study revealed that the vegetation of BFR is formed by a mosaic of plant communities, with the major forest types being; Pseudospondias microcarpa Swamp Forest, Funtumia elastica - Pouteria altissima, Lasiodiscus mildbraedi - Khaya anthotheca and Cynometra alexandri - Rinorea ilicifolia forest communities. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) indicated that soil nutrients (Si, Ca, N, Fe and Li) and anthropogenic disturbances are the main factors controlling forest community patterns. The variances explained as a proportion of total inertia were relatively high (0.53 and 0.56 for basal area and abundance, respectively), showing how well the measured variables explained species composition. These plant communities differed significantly in terms of woody species diversity and richness; being highest in the Pseudospondias microcarpa swamp and lowest in the Cynometra alexandri-Rinorea ilicifolia forest. However, about 48 species were shared between the forest community types. A total of 269 species representing 171 genera and 51 families was recorded. Fisher’s alpha-diversity ranged 4.45-30.59 and 3.07-29.7 for stem diameters ≥2.0 cm and ≥10 cm, respectively, being significantly higher for stem diameters ≥2.0 cm. The use of stem diameters ≥2.0 cm unveiled 53 more species (19.7%), with only 216 species recorded for the standard ≥10 cm dbh minimum size usually applied in tropical forests. A SHE analysis also showed greater richness (ln(S)) and H diversity for the >2.0 cm than the ≥10cm stem diameters. Hence, the study reaffirmed that the use of 10 cm as a minimum dbh in woody plant diversity studies in forests, where many tree species rarely exceed 10 cm stem diameter, is highly likely to underestimate diversity and richness, potentially biasing the understanding of diversity patterns. The most speciose families were Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Rubiaceae, Moraceae, Meliaceae, Rutaceae, Annonaceae, and Flacourtiaceae, accounting for 147 species. Families with the highest Familial Importance values (FIV) were; Fabaceae (17.5), followed by Euphorbiaceae (16.3), and Ulmaceae (8.35). The BFR exhibits characteristics intermediate between log-normal and log-series species-abundance distributions, indicating a community with a small number of abundant species and a relatively large proportion of rare species. Both Whittaker’s (βw) and the Morisita-Horn Index measures of β-diversity consistently showed higher β-diversity for logged and arboricide treated areas, followed by logged only, and then nature reserve historical management practice types. β-diversity was relatively high at the total forest community scale, but lower for stem diameter ≥2.0 cm than ≥10.0 cm data. Environmental variables significantly explained 66.5% and 61.9% of the variance in species composition for stem diameter ≥2.0 cm and ≥10.0 cm data, respectively. Hence, the variation in species composition of BFR is characterised by significant spatial patterns, and the patterns in β-diversity are to a great extent associated with environmental heterogeneity (i.e. soil nutrients, topographic and light gradients) and anthropogenic disturbances. Investigation of natural regeneration showed that sprouting is generally common among the woody species, with both canopy and sub-canopy trees sprouting prolifically. Of the 122 species affected by ii harvesting, and tree and branch fall disturbances, 199 (97.5%) from 31 families sprouted from the cut stumps, with only Caloncoba crepiniana (De Wild. & Th.Dur.) Gilg exhibiting both stem and root sprouting. Stump basal diameter, height, bark-thickness, and height of stump above the ground at which the first sprout emerged, were significant predictors of sprouting ability among individuals. Number of sprouts/stump differed significantly among families, species, and stump size-classes. Of the 241 seedling species, representing 46 families, about 30.3% were rare (only 2-10 individuals); while 12% were very rare (only 1 individual each). Cynometra alexandri C.H. Wright and Lasiodiscus mildbraedii Engl. were the most abundant seedlings and also among the most widely distributed species in the forest. Analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) revealed significant differences in seedling composition between transects, but not between topographic positions or historical management practice types. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) showed that the measured environmental variables significantly explained 59.4% of the variance in seedling species distributions, with the three most important variables being organic matter, titanium and leaf area index (LAI; an indicator of light availability below the canopy). Hence, the important mechanisms influencing regeneration via seedlings in BFR operate through the soil system, and the ground and canopy vegetation characteristics. Nine of the 15 intensively studied multiple-use species, namely L. mildbraedii, Celtis Mildbraedii Engl., Pouteria altissima (A. Chiev.) Aubrev. & Pellegr., Chrysophyllum albidum G. Don., C. alexandri, Diospyros abyssinica (Hiern) F. White, Funtumia elastica (Preuss) Stapf., Chrysophyllum perpulchrum Hutch. & Dalz, and Antiaris toxicaria (Pers.) Lesch. had highly negative size-class distribution (SCD) slopes and substantial seedling regeneration. While Alstonia boonei De Wild. and Cordia millenii Bak. had weakly negative SCD slopes and pulsed or sporadic regeneration patterns. The wide distribution of seedlings for a variety of species, and with most of the intensively studied species having population structures showing healthy regeneration patterns, suggests that BFR is currently experiencing a continuous regeneration phase. In conclusion, the gradients in the vegetation of BFR are a reflection not only of site conditions as shown by the edaphic and abiotic factors, but also the history of human interventions.

Eine wichtige Invariante von Modulkurven ist die arithmetische Selbstschnittzahl der relativ dualisierenden Garbe. Auf dem minimalen regulären Modell von X(N) ist diese Selbstschnittzahl durch den gewöhnlichen Schnitt einiger ausgezeichneter vertikaler Divisoren (dem geometrischen Beitrag) und durch die Auswertung der kanonischen Greenschen Funktion an einigen Spitzen (dem analytischen Beitrag) vollständig festgelegt. Das Ziel dieser Arbeit ist es, jeden dieser Beiträge in Abhängigkeit von der Stufe N zu bestimmen und das asymptotische Verhalten der Selbstschnittzahl zu studieren, wenn die Stufe N gegen unendlich geht. / An important invariant of modular curves is the arithmetic self-intersection of the relative dualizing sheaf. On the minimal regular model of X(N) this self-intersection is completely described by the usual intersection of some distinguished vertical divisors (geometric contribution) and the evaluation of the canonical Green’s function at certain cusps (analytic contribution). The aim of this thesis is to determine each of these contributions in terms of the level N and study the asymptotic behaviour of the self-intersection as N tends to infinity.