Thesis--Beograd, 1965. / Summary in French and English. List of contents also in French. Includes bibliographical references (p. 194-207).

A water characteristic and hydrogeologic study was conducted at the site of a proposed lignite mine in Kemper and Lauderdale Counties, Mississippi. The goal of the project was to collect background information on the conditions of subsurface and surface water resources, prior to the development of the proposed mine. Every water well, spring, stream, and pond within the project area was sampled, tested for specific variables, and analyzed. Measurements of pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, and specific conductivity were collected. Subsurface water levels were measured at accessible water wells. Spring and stream flow rates were gauged by measuring the velocity of the flow and the cross sectional area. Fourteen surface water sites were monitored, as well as fluctuations during base, normal, and highlow events. The data determined that streams are flashy and overall good quality. The project area possesses limited ground water resources that are of good quality.

Although being regarded as a prominent representative by other countries, the current health insurance system of Taiwan is actually faced with fierce financial bankrupt crisis. A second-generation health insurance draft is proposed by the government in 2004 to improve this financial deficit. Nevertheless, it is still not accepted by the national Legislative Yuan due to political issues. According to the report of Department of Health, there are six major problems in the current health insurance system as following:1. financial unbalanced, 2. unfair insurance fee design, 3. lack of connection between revenue and expenditure, 4. disorganized allocation of medical resources, 5. fail to disclosure the medical information to the public and 6.unreasonable payment standard. The second generation health insurance adopts the strategy that the fee for one household is dependent on the family income. The adaptive system aims at increasing insurance revenue and pressing the subsidy arrears of local government. The ultimate goal is to replace the lump sum payment approach with the service-quality based payment scheme and to reduce the payment for unreasonable medicine price. By comparing the developing progress of health insurance systems in the United Kingdom, German, Canada and the United States, this study inspected the problems of the current and second generation health insurance systems in Taiwan. Several improvement alternatives accommodate the situation of Taiwan were proposed as well. We suggested that conjunctive utilization of the principle of user charge and the income-based household fee design should be applied to increase the revenue of health insurance while maintain social fairness. Adaptive law should be modified or legislated to provide legality for the administrators to press the subsidy arrears of local government. The price of expenditure for medical service could be based on the basis suggested by the union of doctors and pharmacists. But this payment should be re-examined by experts and disclosure to civilians in order to achieve an acceptable standard. The payment procedure should be carried out using internet payment systems to save administration expenditures as well as to improve the service quality and information disclosure of health insurance.

Thesis--Auburn University, 2009. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 43-47).

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University. / Typescript. Sponsor: Max R. Brunstetter. Dissertation Committee: Karl W. Bigelow, Paul W. F. Witt. Type B project. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 115-116).

High voltage transmission system availability and system security are key performance criteria for electricity utilities worldwide. System disturbances need to be cleared quickly and accurately in order to minimise the impact of faults and to facilitate speedy system restoration. In this context, the South African utility, Eskom has maintained a process of refreshing protective relaying technology as older equipment becomes obsolete and is no longer capable of meeting the utility’s requirements. The difficulties which a process of equipment renewal presents the organisation with include the risk of incorrectly applying the newer technologies within the complex electrical network. The application of new technology is affected by the complexities of the newer technology with respect to the older, more familiar technologies. Some of the difficulties can be addressed with revised commissioning procedures or the use of modern test equipment. Enhanced relay algorithms and settings calculation methodologies can however not be simplified. Protective relay maloperations cannot always be completely avoided and when they do occur, these must be investigated and addressed to prevent future recurrences. The research covered by this dissertation focuses on a number of protective relay maloperations on transmission lines using impedance protection algorithms. The research undertaken identifies the previously unidentified causes of the maloperations and describes a relay settings solution for improving the accuracy of the protective relays. The methodology that was followed in the research covers the following aspects: • Identification and highlighting of some of the protection relay maloperations that occurred during system faults, • Review of the fundamental principles involved in system fault analysis, • Comprehensive study of the theory involved in the calculation of an overhead line conductor self and mutual-inductance, as well as the calculation of the positive, negative and zero sequence impedances of an overhead line, • Brief evaluation of the effect of load impedance on relay measurements and the impact on fault clearing operation, • Analysis of the theoretical operation of various numerical relays during singlephase- to-earth faults in radial and meshed (complex) network conditions, • Mathematical calculations using typical Newton-Raphson methods to study the impact of resistive single-phase-to-earth faults on the voltage and current measurements at the relaying position with the exclusion of the capacitive components between conductors and conductors and earth, • Comparison and evaluation of mathematical calculations and system studies using network simulation software which included all steady state network parameters, • Review and analysis of actual system faults that had been previously analysed without definitive conclusion. The faults were re-analysed in an attempt to correlate findings with the hypothesis of the research, • Comparison of the performance of protective relay impedance charactersitics using positive sequence domain versus loop domain analysis techniques. This study concluded that significant benefits can be achieved by analysing system faults and relay operation using loop quantities in primary impedance values as opposed to positive sequence or apparent impedance quantities in secondary values. The inherent differences between the positive or apparent impedance characteristics of the relays are nullified when considered in the loop impedance domain, provided that the relays reach settings were calculated correctly. The study also showed that load current cannot be ignored when calculating settings as it has significant impact on the actual impedance measured during fault conditions. It is therefore crucial that when relays from different manufacturers are being used to protect the same circuit that the differences between the relays and the subsequent measurements are clearly understood and compensated for. Finally relay setting changes have been proposed for implementation based on the findings of this research. The combination of the theory, network simulations and secondary injections performed on the relays all correlate and therefore validate the research. It is left for the utility and or users of these relays to evaluate the results of this research and implement the necessary changes as applicable. / Thesis (MSc (Electrical Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

Polymer materials stand on a very significant position in the materials industry area. The presence of organoclay nanocomposites reinforces polymer materials on many properties like strength, tensile and so on. Most previous studies on the characteristics of organoclays and polymer nanocomposites were based on the experimental approaches such as XRD (X-ray Diffraction) and NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance). These methods have achieved successfully on the basic analysis of chains and layering structures of polymer nanocomposites. However, information on the molecular level cannot be provided by those approaches. MD (Molecular Dynamic) simulation method could be employed to develop further information on the molecular level about organoclays and interlayer structure polymer nanocomposites. In the research of ODTMA-MMT (Octadecyltrimethylammonium-Montmorillonite) organoclay simulation, we find that the strong layering behaviour of interlayer ODTMA molecules is present with the same minimum distance between nitrogen atoms and MMT surface in different T/O (Tetrahedral vs. Octahedral) ratio cases. Nitrogen atoms sit right above the corresponding hexagonal cavities, which is in agreement with the previous research. The interaction energy between surfactants and MMT clay will reach the lowest point when substitution ratio of tetrahedral and octahedral (T/O) is equal to 1:1. Moreover, MSD (Mean Square Displacement) and diffusion coefficient of different models under same CEC (Charge Exchange Capacity) condition are inverse ratio to the T/O proportion. In nylon6 polymer nanocomposites, sodium cations which exist originally in ensemble as charge balancer are absorbed much closer to MMT surface than the organic components in the nylon 6 ODTMA-MMT ensemble. Sodium atoms or nitrogen atoms in surfactants both have higher MSD and coefficients than those atoms in the organic-modified clays. In the exfoliated nylon 6 ODTMA-MMT nanocomposites, pair correlation has been analysed instead of density profile. Layering packing structure is also shown through this analysis, which is also consistent with previous work.

<p>The purpose of this thesis work was to make a survey of presently existing devices available in the market to store encryption keys; how the hacker intrudes into the device; what are the attacks behind</p><p>theft of the keys; how can we store encryption keys securely?</p><p>To achieve this purpose, an overview of the storage devices and attacks made by hackers was acquired through academic books and papers, Internet sites and magazines. Basic cryptography and related</p><p>algorithms were studied for the purpose of knowing how the encryption key is generated from these algorithms.</p><p>Under the category of storage devices, USBs (Universal Serial Bus), PDAs (Personal Digital Assistant) and Smart Cards were examined. Under the category of attacks on devices, attacks from hackers,</p><p>attacks from malicious code (Trojan Horses, viruses, worms), attacks from PDAs, attacks from Smart Cards, dictionary attacks and brute force attacks were studied.</p><p>Based on these requirements we have discussed and analyzed a proposed system to store the encryption keys securely to avoid these attacks.</p>

The purpose of this thesis work was to make a survey of presently existing devices available in the market to store encryption keys; how the hacker intrudes into the device; what are the attacks behind theft of the keys; how can we store encryption keys securely? To achieve this purpose, an overview of the storage devices and attacks made by hackers was acquired through academic books and papers, Internet sites and magazines. Basic cryptography and related algorithms were studied for the purpose of knowing how the encryption key is generated from these algorithms. Under the category of storage devices, USBs (Universal Serial Bus), PDAs (Personal Digital Assistant) and Smart Cards were examined. Under the category of attacks on devices, attacks from hackers, attacks from malicious code (Trojan Horses, viruses, worms), attacks from PDAs, attacks from Smart Cards, dictionary attacks and brute force attacks were studied. Based on these requirements we have discussed and analyzed a proposed system to store the encryption keys securely to avoid these attacks.

High voltage transmission system availability and system security are key performance criteria for electricity utilities worldwide. System disturbances need to be cleared quickly and accurately in order to minimise the impact of faults and to facilitate speedy system restoration. In this context, the South African utility, Eskom has maintained a process of refreshing protective relaying technology as older equipment becomes obsolete and is no longer capable of meeting the utility’s requirements. The difficulties which a process of equipment renewal presents the organisation with include the risk of incorrectly applying the newer technologies within the complex electrical network. The application of new technology is affected by the complexities of the newer technology with respect to the older, more familiar technologies. Some of the difficulties can be addressed with revised commissioning procedures or the use of modern test equipment. Enhanced relay algorithms and settings calculation methodologies can however not be simplified. Protective relay maloperations cannot always be completely avoided and when they do occur, these must be investigated and addressed to prevent future recurrences. The research covered by this dissertation focuses on a number of protective relay maloperations on transmission lines using impedance protection algorithms. The research undertaken identifies the previously unidentified causes of the maloperations and describes a relay settings solution for improving the accuracy of the protective relays. The methodology that was followed in the research covers the following aspects: • Identification and highlighting of some of the protection relay maloperations that occurred during system faults, • Review of the fundamental principles involved in system fault analysis, • Comprehensive study of the theory involved in the calculation of an overhead line conductor self and mutual-inductance, as well as the calculation of the positive, negative and zero sequence impedances of an overhead line, • Brief evaluation of the effect of load impedance on relay measurements and the impact on fault clearing operation, • Analysis of the theoretical operation of various numerical relays during singlephase- to-earth faults in radial and meshed (complex) network conditions, • Mathematical calculations using typical Newton-Raphson methods to study the impact of resistive single-phase-to-earth faults on the voltage and current measurements at the relaying position with the exclusion of the capacitive components between conductors and conductors and earth, • Comparison and evaluation of mathematical calculations and system studies using network simulation software which included all steady state network parameters, • Review and analysis of actual system faults that had been previously analysed without definitive conclusion. The faults were re-analysed in an attempt to correlate findings with the hypothesis of the research, • Comparison of the performance of protective relay impedance charactersitics using positive sequence domain versus loop domain analysis techniques. This study concluded that significant benefits can be achieved by analysing system faults and relay operation using loop quantities in primary impedance values as opposed to positive sequence or apparent impedance quantities in secondary values. The inherent differences between the positive or apparent impedance characteristics of the relays are nullified when considered in the loop impedance domain, provided that the relays reach settings were calculated correctly. The study also showed that load current cannot be ignored when calculating settings as it has significant impact on the actual impedance measured during fault conditions. It is therefore crucial that when relays from different manufacturers are being used to protect the same circuit that the differences between the relays and the subsequent measurements are clearly understood and compensated for. Finally relay setting changes have been proposed for implementation based on the findings of this research. The combination of the theory, network simulations and secondary injections performed on the relays all correlate and therefore validate the research. It is left for the utility and or users of these relays to evaluate the results of this research and implement the necessary changes as applicable. / Thesis (MSc (Electrical Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012