<p>The present mini-thesis seeks to explore and investigate the mathematical theory and concepts that underpins the valuation of derivative securities, particularly European plainvanilla options. The main argument that we emphasise is that novel models of option pricing, as is suggested by Hull and White (1987) [1] and others, must account for the discrepancy observed on the implied volatility &ldquo / smile&rdquo / curve. To achieve this we also propose that market volatility be modeled as random or stochastic as opposed to certain standard option pricing models such as Black-Scholes, in which volatility is assumed to be constant.</p>

Tyrimo objektas: Normalios ir plokščios pėdos raumenų elektrinis aktyvumas. Tyrimo tikslas: Nustatyti ir palyginti pėdos raumenų elektrinį aktyvumą esant normaliai ir plokščiai pėdai. Tyrimo uždaviniai: 1. Nustatyti ir palyginti atitraukiamojo kojos nykščio, priekinio blauzdos ir ilgojo šeivinio raumenų elektrinį aktyvumą stovint ant dviejų ir ant vienos kojos atpalaiduotoje ir neutralioje pašokikaulinio sąnario padėtyje esant normaliai pėdai. 2. Nustatyti ir palyginti atitraukiamojo kojos nykščio, priekinio blauzdos ir ilgojo šeivinio raumenų elektrinį aktyvumą stovint ant dviejų ir ant vienos kojos atpalaiduotoje ir neutralioje pašokikaulinio sąnario padėtyje esant plokščiai pėdai. 3. Palyginti atitraukiamojo kojos nykščio, priekinio blauzdos ir ilgojo šeivinio raumenų elektrinį aktyvumą stovint ant dviejų ir vienos kojos atpalaiduotoje ir neutralioje pašokikaulinio sąnario padėtyje tarp normalios ir plokščios pėdos. Tyrimo problema: Pėdos raumenys yra svarbūs išlaikant vidinį išilginį pėdos skliautą. Tačiau nėra žinoma ar skiriasi pėdos skliautą išlaikančių raumenų aktyvumas esant normaliai ir plokščiai pėdai. Išvados: 1. Esant normaliai pėdai atitraukiamasis kojos nykščio raumuo aktyviausias stovint ant vienos kojos neutralioje pašokikaulinio sąnario padėtyje (p<0,05), ilgasis šeivinis raumuo – stovint ant vienos kojos atpalaidavus (p<0,05). Statistiškai reikšmingo priekinio blauzdos raumens elektrinio aktyvumo pokyčių nenustatyta. 2. Esant plokščiai pėdai... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Object of the research: electromyographic activity of the normal and flat foot muscles. The aim of the research: To evaluate and compare electromyographic activity of foot muscles in subjects with normal and flat foot. The tasks of the research: 1. To evaluate and compare electromyographic activity of abductor hallucis, tibialis anterior and peroneus longus musles standing on two or one leg in relaxed and subtalar neutral position in subjects with normal foot. 2. To evaluate and compare electromyographic activity of abductor hallucis, tibialis anterior and peroneus longus muscles standing on two or one leg in relaxed and subtalar neutral position in subjects with flat foot. 3. To compare electromyographic activity of abductor hallucis, tibialis anterior and peroneus longus muscles standing on two or one leg in relaxed and subtalar neutral position between subjects with normal and flat foot. Problem of the research: Intrinsic and extrinsic foot muscles are important supporting medial longitudinal arch. However, there is no research about foot muscle activity in subjects with different foot types. Conclusions: 1. In subjects with normal foot the greatest electromyographic activity of abductor hallucis was standing on one leg in neutral subtalar joint position (p<0,05), the greatest activity of peroneus longus – standing on one leg in relaxed subtalar joint position (p<0,05). There were no significant differences in electromyographic activity of tibialis anetrior. 2. In... [to full text]

This study begins with the question: "Is there a place for a Christian ethical code of conduct in the diverse and complex business world of today?" In chapter 2 I explain the context wherein one should understand this question. If you look at the history of South Africa you will see that there was discrimination that took place over a long period of time on the basis of race, religion and gender and that makes this issue a very sensitive one. The reason why it is so sensitive is if there were to be a Christian ethical code of conduct in the workplace could it lead to discrimination again? That is not allowed to happen under the current Constitution of South Africa. But the other side is also true, if you don?t have a Christian ethical code won?t you loose the beautiful things Scripture gives us on how to treat all people equally and fairly within the workplace? This study will show that according to the Constitution of South Africa it is possible to have a Christian ethical code of conduct as long it does not exclude any employee. In chapter 3 we have a look at Scripture that gives us guidelines on how to treat all people and also people in the workplace. Here are some examples: * the way employees should be handled; * the number of working hours the employees should be working; * the remuneration of the employees – is it fair; * how the Shareholders? / Stakeholders? interests are looked after; * the manner in which the business is being managed; * the Constitutional business environment; * the international law that transcends borders where macrobusinesses do business. In chapter 4 we look at the Christian ethical perspective in the business. We look at the role of the economy and the core values to manage a business. In chapter 5 we end with an example of a workable Christian ethical code of conduct and we compare two large business codes of conduct. / Thesis (Th.M. (Ethics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Pricing options quickly and accurately is a well known problem in finance. Quantum computing is being researched with the hope that quantum computers will be able to price options more efficiently than classical computers. This research extends the quantum binomial option pricing model proposed by Zeqian Chen to European put options and to Barrier options and develops a quantum algorithm to price them. This research produced three key results. First, when Maxwell-Boltzmann statistics are assumed, the quantum binomial model option prices are equivalent to the classical binomial model. Second, options can be priced efficiently on a quantum computer after the circuit has been built. The time complexity is O((N − τ)log(N − τ)) and it is in the BQP quantum computational complexity class. Finally, challenges extending the quantum binomial model to American, Asian and Bermudan options exist as the quantum binomial model does not take early exercise into account.

This study begins with the question: "Is there a place for a Christian ethical code of conduct in the diverse and complex business world of today?" In chapter 2 I explain the context wherein one should understand this question. If you look at the history of South Africa you will see that there was discrimination that took place over a long period of time on the basis of race, religion and gender and that makes this issue a very sensitive one. The reason why it is so sensitive is if there were to be a Christian ethical code of conduct in the workplace could it lead to discrimination again? That is not allowed to happen under the current Constitution of South Africa. But the other side is also true, if you don?t have a Christian ethical code won?t you loose the beautiful things Scripture gives us on how to treat all people equally and fairly within the workplace? This study will show that according to the Constitution of South Africa it is possible to have a Christian ethical code of conduct as long it does not exclude any employee. In chapter 3 we have a look at Scripture that gives us guidelines on how to treat all people and also people in the workplace. Here are some examples: * the way employees should be handled; * the number of working hours the employees should be working; * the remuneration of the employees – is it fair; * how the Shareholders? / Stakeholders? interests are looked after; * the manner in which the business is being managed; * the Constitutional business environment; * the international law that transcends borders where macrobusinesses do business. In chapter 4 we look at the Christian ethical perspective in the business. We look at the role of the economy and the core values to manage a business. In chapter 5 we end with an example of a workable Christian ethical code of conduct and we compare two large business codes of conduct. / Thesis (Th.M. (Ethics))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

No description available.

The cross sections for neutral current (NC) deep inelastic scattering (DIS) in e+p collisions with a longitudinally polarised positron beam are measured at high momentum transfer squared (Q2 > 185 GeV2) at the ZEUS detector at HERA. The HERA accelerator provides e+-p collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 318 GeV, which allows the weak contribution to the NC process to be studied at high Q2. The measurements are based on a data sample with an integrated luminosity of 135.5 pb-1 collected with the ZEUS detector in 2006 and 2007. The single differential NC cross sections dsigma/dQ2, dsigma/dx and dsigma/dy and the reduced cross section are measured. The structure function xF3 is determined by combining the e+p NC reduced cross sections with the previously measured e-p measurements. The interference structure function xF 3^gamma,Z is extracted at Q2 = 1500 GeV2. The cross-section asymmetry between the positive and negative polarisation of the positron beam is measured and the parity violation effects of the electroweak interaction are observed. The predictions of the Standard Model of particle physics agree well with the measurements.

In this work, the B-&gt / X_dell ell decays are examined in the context of a CP softly broken two Higgs doublet model. The differential branching ratio, forward-backward asymmetry, CP-violating asymmetry, CP-violating asymmetry in the forward-backward asymmetry and polarization asymmetries of the final lepton in this decay are studied. The dependencies of these physical parameters on the model parameters are analyzed by paying a special attention to the effects of neutral Higgs boson (NHB) exchanges and possible CP violating effects. It has been found that NHB effects are quite significant for the tau mode and the above-mentioned observables seems to be promising as a testing ground for new physics beyond the SM, especially for the existence of the CP-violating phase in the theory.

A general analysis of the photon and lepton polarizations in the rare Bs &amp / #8594 / &amp / #61543 / l+l- decay by using the most general model independent form of the effective Hamiltonian is presented. The total and the differential branching ratios for these decays, when photon is in the positive and negative helicity states, are studied. The sensitivity of &quot / photon polarization asymmetry&quot / and the longitudinal, transverse and normal polarization asymmetries of final state leptons, as well as lepton-antilepton combined asymmetries in Bs &amp / #8594 / &amp / #61543 / l+l- decay to the new Wilson coefficients are also investigated. It is shown that all these physical observables are very sensitive to the existence of new physics beyond SM and their experimental measurements can give valuable information about it.

Ce travail de thèse a été réalisé dans le cadre du programme européen INNOSHADE, dont l’objectif était la réalisation de dispositifs électrochromes à coloration neutre. Cette coloration neutre est le résultat de l’association dans un même dispositif de la couleur marron de films à base d’oxyde de nickel avec celle bleue de films d’oxyde de tungstène ou de PEDOT. Nos recherches ont été orientées vers des films minces d’oxyde de nickel modifié contenant des ions nickel trivalent, alliant porosité et désordre structural. Deux techniques de dépôt ont été utilisées : l’ablation laser et le trempage-retrait (dip-coating). Des processus de coloration et de décoloration de ces films en milieux liquides ioniques hydrophobes lithiés et non lithiés, faisant intervenir la participation d’anions tels que TFSI-, ont été mis en évidence pour la première fois dans cette thèse. Les dispositifs tout solides correspondants présentent des efficacités optiques élevées et une bonne durabilité. / Electrochromic devices, ECDs, are able to change their optical properties under an applied voltage. In the framework of the European project INNOSHADE, the aim of the current work is the development of neutral color ECDs based on nickel oxide thin films as counter electrode. Ni3+ containing NiO thin films, called modified NiO thin films, were deposited both by Pulsed Laser Deposition and chemical route. When cycled in lithium based electrolyte, the comparison of the EC behavior of non-stoichiometric NiO thin films points out a higher electrochemical capacity associated with a larger optical contrast for the films synthesized by chemical route due in particular to a larger porosity. Highlighting a novel approach, herein we demonstrate faster kinetics for modified NiO thin films cycled in lithium ion free electrolyte and suggest the participation of anions. High electrochromic efficiency and nice durability of all-solid state devices associating modified NiO and WO3 or Poly(3,4 –ethylenedioxythiophene) PEDOT layers are reported.