Thesis (M.S.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2005. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file viewed on (December 19, 2006) Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2006. / Ute Fischer, Committee Member ; Jerry R. Duncan, Committee Member ; Gregory Corso, Committee Member ; Wendy A. Rogers, Committee Member ; Arthur D. Fisk, Committee Chair.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Texas State University-San Marcos, 2007. / Vita. Appendices: leaves 194-207. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 208-209).

Thesis (M.S.)--Missouri University of Science and Technology, 2009. / Vita. The entire thesis text is included in file. Title from title screen of thesis/dissertation PDF file (viewed November 23, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (p. 66-68).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [124]-130). Also available on the Internet.

Σκοπός της εργασίας είναι η σύνδεση της στατιστικής συνάρτησης σάρωσης S_(n,m), που εκφράζει τον μέγιστο αριθμό των επιτυχιών που περιέχονται σε ένα κινούμενο παράθυρο μήκους m το οποίο “σαρώνει” n - συνεχόμενες προσπάθειες Bernoulli, με την αξιοπιστία ενός συνεχόμενου k-μεταξύ-m-από-τα-n συστήματος αποτυχίας (k-μεταξύ-m-από-τα-n:F σύστημα). Αρχικά υπολογίζουμε τη συνάρτηση κατανομής και τη συνάρτηση πιθανότητας της στατιστικής συνάρτησης σάρωσης S_(n,m). Αυτό το επιτυγχάνουμε συνδέοντας την S_(n,m) με την τυχαία μεταβλητή T_k^((m))που εκφράζει τον χρόνο αναμονής μέχρι να συμβεί μια γενικευμένη ροή ή αλλιώς μέχρι να συμβεί η “πρώτη σάρωση” σε μια ακολουθία τυχαίων μεταβλητών Bernoulli οι οποίες παίρνουν τιμές 0 ή 1 ανάλογα με το αν έχουμε αποτυχία ή επιτυχία, αντίστοιχα. Υπολογίζουμε τη συνάρτηση κατανομής και τη συνάρτηση πιθανότητας της T_k^((m)) είτε με τη μέθοδο της εμβάπτισης σε Μαρκοβιανή αλυσίδα είτε μέσω αναδρομικών τύπων και παίρνουμε τις αντίστοιχες συναρτήσεις για την τυχαία μεταβλητή S_(n,m) [Glaz and Balakrishnan (1999), Balakrishnan and Koutras (2001)]. Στη συνέχεια ασχολούμαστε με την αξιοπιστία του συνεχόμενου k-μεταξύ-m-από-τα-n:F συστήματος (Griffith, 1986). Ένα τέτοιο σύστημα αποτυγχάνει αν ανάμεσα σε m συνεχόμενες συνιστώσες υπάρχουν τουλάχιστον k που αποτυγχάνουν (1≤k≤m≤n). Παρουσιάζουμε ακριβείς τύπους για την αξιοπιστία για k=2 καθώς και για m=n,n-1,n-2,n-3 (Sfakianakis, Kounias and Hillaris, 1992) και δίνουμε έναν αναδρομικό αλγόριθμο για τον υπολογισμό της (Malinowski and Preuss, 1994). Χρησιμοποιώντας μια δυϊκή σχέση ανάμεσα στη συνάρτηση κατανομής της T_k^((m)) και κατ’ επέκταση της S_(n,m) με την αξιοπιστία, συνδέουμε την αξιοπιστία αυτού του συστήματος με τη στατιστική συνάρτηση σάρωσης S_(n,m). Τέλος σκιαγραφούμε κάποιες εφαρμογές των στατιστικών συναρτήσεων σάρωσης στην μοριακή βιολογία [Karlin and Ghandour (1985), Glaz and Naus (1991), κ.ά.], στον ποιοτικό έλεγχο [Roberts,1958] κ.τ.λ.. / The aim of this dissertation is to combine the scan statistic S_(n,m), which represents the maximum number of successes contained in a moving window of length m over n consecutive Bernoulli trials, with the reliability of a consecutive k-within-m-out-of-n failure system (k-within-m-out-of-n:F system). First, we evaluate the probability mass function and the cumulative distribution function of the random variable S_(n,m). We obtain that by combining S_(n,m) with the random variable T_k^((m)) which denotes the waiting time until for the first time k successes are contained in a moving window of length m (scan of type k/m) over a sequence of Bernoulli trials with 1 marked as a success and 0 as a failure. The probability mass function and the cumulative distribution function of T_k^((m)) are evaluated using two methods: i. Markov chain embedding method and ii. recursive schemes. Finally, through T_k^((m)) we evaluate the probability mass function and the cumulative distribution function of S_(n,m) [Glaz and Balakrishnan (1999), Balakrishnan and Koutras (2002)]. Next, we evaluate the reliability, R, of the consecutive k-within-m-out-of-n failure system (Griffith, 1986). Such a system fails if and only if there exist m consecutive components which include among them at least k failed ones (1≤k≤m≤n). Exact formulae for the reliability are presented for k=2 as well as for m=n,n-1,n-2,n-3 (Sfakianakis, Kounias and Hillaris, 1992). A recursive algorithm for the reliability evaluation is also given (Malinowski and Preuss, 1994). Using a dual relation between the cumulative distribution function of T_k^((m)) and therefore of S_(n,m) and the reliability R, we manage to combine the reliability of this system with the scan statistic S_(n,m). Finally, we briefly present some other applications of the scan statistics in molecular biology [Karlin and Ghandour (1985), Glaz and Naus (1991), e.t.c.], quality control [Roberts,1958] and other more.

In this paper, I will highlight the current issues at hand pertaining to the accounting industry policies. I will focus on the auditing sector providing services for public companies. I will lay out the structure, rules, and regulations that are in place today as well as criticize the areas that can be improved upon. I will go through various possibilities of solutions and conclude that the best way to increase financial statement reliability in our country is by both strengthening audit committees and providing financial statement insurance.

Did the right person win? In competitive sports the difference between winning and loosing can be very marginal but still the result will have a big impact. To finish second, even if it is an Olympic Game, can be felt like a failure for the athlete. In the light of this the quality of the measurements and the judgements in sports are an extremely important issue. In this dissertation, consisting of two separate reports and one summary report, the freestyle discipline, acroski, and the gymnastic discipline, rhythmic gymnastics (RG) where studied with a focus on the rules and judgements in the sports. The reliability and validity of the rule and judging systems were analysed together with changes in the rule and judging systems. The reliability, as the judges ability to interpret the rules and judge in a consistent way, and validity in the sense that the judgements, and the rules for the judgements, where in accordance with the idea of the sport. Information was gathered from rulebooks, judging manuals, meeting protocols, and historical documents. For information on how the rules and judgements where perceived among people involved in the two sports, interviews where carried out with two coaches, two judges and four athletes from each of the sports. In the summary report the results from the two reports where discussed and a comparison of the rule systems and judgements was made together with a discussion about reliability and validity problems in sports measured by time, length and height. The results showed that the rule and judging systems in acroski and RG in a short time have gone through major changes to increase the reliability and validity in the judgements. The quick evolution of these sports seems to be the main reason for these changes but also other factors where of vital importance. Finding the balance between making the judgements as objective as possible, without loosing the idea of the sport, together with the quick evolution of the sports, seemed to be the main challenges in the rule and judging systems of acroski and RG.

El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado. / Objective: The cancer worry is associated with preventive behaviors for the detection of this disease; However, there is no instrument with evidence of validity and reliability to measure this construct in Latin American countries, including Peru. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the evidence of validity based on the internal structure and reliability of the Cancer Worry Scale (CWS) in a sample of people without cancer diagnosis with a family history of cancer. Method: It counted with the participation of 215 healthy people with a family history of cancer who attended the outpatient service of two public and private health institutions in the city of Chimbote with an average age of 42.10 years (SD = 14.05). For the collection of information, an ad hoc sociodemographic record and the Cancer Worry Scale were used. Results: The one-dimensional model presented a good fit of the data (SBχ2 (8) = 14.39, SB χ2 / df = 1.79, CFI = 0.991, SRMR = 0.025, RMSEA = 0.061 [IC90%: 0.000-0.111], AIC = 47.701) and adequate reliability (ω corrected = 0.90; IC95%: 0.88-0.92). Conclusion: It is concluded that the CWS presents adequate psychometric properties, being a measure that provides valid and reliable interpretations of the cáncer worry in the peruvian context. / Revisión por pares / Revisión por pares

abstract: Deterministic solutions are available to estimate the resilient modulus of unbound materials, which are difficult to interpret because they do not incorporate the variability associated with the inherent soil heterogeneity and that associated with environmental conditions. This thesis presents the stochastic evaluation of the Enhanced Integrated Climatic Model (EICM), which is a model used in the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide to estimate the soil long-term equilibrium resilient modulus. The stochastic evaluation is accomplished by taking the deterministic equations in the EICM and applying stochastic procedures to obtain a mean and variance associated with the final design parameter, the resilient modulus at equilibrium condition. In addition to the stochastic evaluation, different statistical analyses were applied to determine that the uses of hierarchical levels are valid in the unbound pavement material design and the climatic region has an impact on the final design resilient moduli at equilibrium. After determining that the climatic regions and the hierarchical levels are valid, reliability was applied to the resilient moduli at equilibrium. Finally, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) design concept based on the Structural Number (SN) was applied in order to illustrate the true implications the hierarchical levels of design and the variability associated with environmental effects and soil properties have in the design of pavement structures. The stochastic solutions developed as part of this thesis work together with the SN design concept were applied to five soils with different resilient moduli at optimum compaction condition in order to evaluate the variability associated with the resilient moduli at equilibrium condition. These soils were evaluated in five different climatic regions ranging from arid to extremely wet conditions. The analysis showed that by using the most accurate input parameters obtained from laboratory testing (hierarchical Level 1) instead of Level 3 analysis could potentially save the State Department of Transportation up to 10.12 inches of asphalt in arid and semi-arid regions. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S. Civil and Environmental Engineering 2011