This dissertation models K-12 enrollment within an urban school district using two grade progression ratio (gpr)-based and two housing choice methods. The housing choice methods provide, for the first time, a new spatio-demographic model for projecting school enrollments by grade for any flexibly defined set of individual catchment areas. All methods use the geocoded pattern of individual, address-matched, enrollments within the study district but are different in the way they model this data to estimate key parameters. The conventional method projects the intra-urban pattern of enrollment by assuming no change in grade progression ratios (gprs), which are themselves functions of enrollment change. The adaptive kernel ratio estimation (KRE) of local gprs successfully predicts local changes in gprs from three preceding two-year periods of gpr change. The two housing choice methods are based on different mixtures of a generalized linear and a periodic model, each of which use housing counts and characteristics. Results are clearly sensitive to these differences. Using the above predictions of gpr change, the adaptive KRE enrollment projections are 4.1% better than those made using the conventional model. The two housing choice models were 2.0% less accurate than the conventional model for the first three years of the projection but were 5.1% more accurate than this model for the fourth and fifth years of the projection. Limitations are discussed. These findings help close a major gap in the literature of small-area enrollment projections, shed new light on spatial dynamics collected at areas below the scale of the school district, and permit new kinds of investigations of urban/suburban school district demography.

The study investigated the effects of a motivational and cognitive pre-tasks on oral task production by intermediate and low advanced college learners of French at a large public university in the United States. The motivation and cognitive groups engaged in an information-gap group discussion task in French following brief motivationally and strategically oriented pre-tasks conducted in the participants' native language, while the control group completed the discussion task without a pre-task. In addition, all groups completed a dictation as a measure of proficiency and a post-task motivation survey. The results of the study did not show any significant differences between the motivation, cognitive and control treatments in terms of accuracy, fluency or complexity of their speech. Possible reasons contributing to the findings are discussed and interpretations are proposed. Particularly, it is suggested that strategies for motivating students and providing cognitive support for a language task need to be coupled with focus on the task content and/or form, addressed in the target language, in order to differentially affect the fluency, accuracy, and complexity aspects of the second language speech. At the same time, the motivation group participants reported significantly higher interest in the task, higher perception of its value, and higher perception of their own autonomy, which indicates that the motivation pre-task did positively affect their motivation in relation to the task. Interest and value subcategories of the motivation survey were particularly sensitive to differences between the groups. It is suggested that regular support and promotion of positive motivational dispositions in a language class may, in the long run, result in an observable positive effect on certain aspects of the learners' speech.

All residential water meters have published flow rates for which they will operate as designed. These specifications include a maximum operating flow rate, which is recommended not to exceed. However, there are situations which may cause a meter to flow above the maximum flow rate. This thesis explores what effect these surge flows have on residential water meters. Twenty-one 5/8”x3/4” meters were tested in this study: three oscillating pistons, six nutating disks, nine ultrasonic, and three electromagnetic. Testing was done at the Utah Water Research Laboratory using a gravimetric test bench specifically designed for residential water meter testing. The results of this study showed that the ultrasonic meters decreased significantly in accuracy for tests above 35 gallons per minute. The nutating disk and oscillating piston meters were found to be accurate through nearly all surge flow rates tested. The electromagnetic meters were found to be accurate up to 55gallons per minute. Accuracy tests that were performed after surge flows showed that some nutating disk and oscillating piston meters decreased in accuracy at flow rates below two gallons per minute. The electronic meters had similar accuracy before and after surge flows.

Context: Scapular motion evaluation is a necessary component of the upper extremity exam. Several methods exist, but most lack good reliability or diagnostic accuracy. The yes/no scapular dyskinesis test has the best of both measures but is untested on inexperienced clinicians. Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability and diagnostic accuracy of the yes/no scapular dyskinesis test when used by graduate assistant athletic trainers. Participants: The participants were college-aged students with no prior history of upper extremity fracture or nerve injury. Data Collection and Results: Participants were evaluated for scapular dyskinesis by a physician and 10 graduate assistant athletic trainers. Ratings were for normal or dyskinetic and then determination of side. Reliability was calculated using Gwet’s AC1 statistic and diagnostic accuracy from standard 2x2 contingency tables. Results: Reliability was moderate (AC1 = 0.48, p < 0.0025, 95% CI [0.147, 0.812]) when side was not accounted for and moderate (AC1 = 0.43, p < 0.0001, 95% CI [0.242, 0.632]) when side-per-side decisions were made. Sensitivity and negative predictive values were low to moderate (34.4%-66.2%, 8.9%-74.1% ). Specificity and positive predictive values were moderate to high (50%-85.2%, 51.5%-95.2%). Accuracy was moderate (65.2%-69.4%) and positive and negative likelihood ratios were low (1.325-2.333, 0.675-0.769). Conclusions: The reliability in this study was on par with previously published studies. Measures of diagnostic accuracy met or exceeded previous results. Clinically, to avoid false negative results and enhance the use of positive results, it appears necessary to combine methods and begin the evaluation with a gross assessment of whether or not dyskinesis is present and if it is to then evaluate which side is dyskinetic.

This thesis examined the influence that premarital preparation had on the level of complaints in marriages and the amount of perceptual accuracy that couples had in their marriage. The data for this thesis were taken from Wave I and Wave II of the Utah Governor’s Commission on Marriage study on newlyweds. The research examined four questions: (1) Do husbands and wives who have reported higher helpfulness of premarital preparation activities have fewer strong complaints in their marriage? (2) Do husbands and wives who have reported the helpfulness of premarital preparation activities have greater perceptual accuracy in their marriages? (3) Which types of premarital preparation activities are associated with strong complaints? (4) Which types of premarital preparation activities do husbands and wives find to be most helpful? Results revealed that those who reported the helpfulness of premarital preparation activities had fewer complaints than those who did not find those activities helpful. This study finds no statistical significance between the reported helpfulness of premarital preparation activities and perceptual accuracy. The relationship between premarital preparation activities and strong complaints is presented. Preparation activities that husbands and wives found to be most helpful are ranked and presented. A discussion of the findings, limitations, and suggestions for future research is also presented.

The effects of roots on soil-moisture measurements taken with a neutron probe were studied. These effects were observed under three different soil-moisture conditions, with different sized roots, and with varying distances between the access tube and root. The moisture conditions used were air dry, field capacity, and saturated. Large roots can greatly affect neutron soil-moisture measurements when the access hole is drilled through the root. Positive errors as large as 52 percent were found when the soil moisture was at field capacity. With dry and saturated conditions positive errors of 43 percent and 38 percent respectively, were found. In most practical field situations, where the access hole is not drilled through large roots, root material appears to have very little effect, if any, on neutron soil-moisture measurements. The largest positive error found, when the access holes were not drilled through the roots, was only 8 percent. This occurred at a point where the access tube was in contact with the outside of a root

交通事故每日無時無刻在世界各地發生，每次之交通事故均產生一連串椱雜之處理程序，該程序常涉及多方之關係人，包括消費者、保險公司、車禍處理人員、理賠人員、汽車修理廠與汽車製造商等。交通事故所致之汽車損壞，其處理程序，其實是相當值得觀察的，包括賠案登錄、損失金額之認定、賠款之處理與賠案之稽核等，均須耗費龐大之人力。 　　於台灣，汽車損失金額之認定，傳統上均由汽車修理廠師傅依其主觀判斷加以衡量，因為缺乏客觀標準與不夠精確，因此常導致消費者、汽車修理廠與保險人間之糾紛。由於估價不夠精確，因此影響汽車保險之經營甚劇。歐美先進國家產險業者，為達到汽車製造商要求之水準，保障被保險人行車安全，常以共同危險團體管理人自居，力求汽車修理成本之控制，保障被保險人之權益；而為了消弭理賠糾紛、提升保險公司服務品質與商譽，更致力於保險理賠的電腦化、標準化、數位化，以期提供公正、客觀、高效率之理賠。有鑑於此德國Audatex公司早在六○年代便極力發展此種電腦估價系統，運用電腦之資料處理簡化車輛估價之理念。 　　台灣地區汽車保險業務十年來平均占產物保險業總業務之59%，汽車保險理賠問題嚴重且持續，一套正確、客觀、有效率之估價系統，可以真實反映損失狀況，對於公平合理之費率釐定有重大之意義。 　　本文乃從實務角度探討Audatex電腦估價系統在台灣產險市場運用之可行性及其效益分析，比較英國、日本等先進國家之經驗，並發現該系統之運作不但對保險公司經營汽車保險有極大之助益，對消費者權益之維護亦有相當大之幫助。於後並建議於引進Audatex電腦估價系統之前，應先成立汽車修理研究中心，使兩者之能夠相輔相成，期能為業界提供決策與方針，加強管理技術，提供消費者更完善之服務。 / Road traffic accidents occur every day and spark a sequence of complex claim settlement procedure to consumers, motor insurers, accidents managers, loss assessors, repairers, motor manufacturers and many other related parties. In each claim of motor damages, a few linked stages need to be observed, i.e. claim registration, estimating and approving the repair cost, completing the repair work, auditing and invoicing claim settlement. 　　In Taiwan, it is conventional that car repairers estimate motor damages by their individual discretion and opinions case by case. Given lack of objectiveness and accuracy, it often causes a lot of arguments and conflicts among consumers, motor insurers and car repairers. Under such a circumstance, it calls for a need for an end-to-end and comprehensive system to manage the above procedure. 　　The Audatex system, a computerized estimating and integrated claims management system, is adopted in many developed countries to assist motor insurers in claim handling and cost estimating more efficiently. It could not only reduce duplication and errors, but also improve authorization turnaround time. All estimates are calculated and validated through the system, with the rate and terms of business agreed between individual repairers and work providers. Based on the most up-to-date parts and labor information, a fully cost assessment, is automatically sent to the work provider in the approved format. 　　This paper is to examine the feasibility of introducing the Audatex to the motor insurance market in Taiwan. The main theme of this paper is to examine the feasibility of the Audatex in Taiwan motor insurance market. It analyzes the cost of establishing such a system and compares the experiences in certain countries, such as Japan and U.K. It observes that a computerized estimating system would be invaluable both for repairers and work providers. It is suggested that Taiwan shall firstly have a motor vehicle repair research center in place and then a computerized estimating system such as the Audatex.

This dissertation is composed of two parts, an integrative essay and a set of published papers. The essay and the collection of papers are placed in the context of development and application of time series econometric models in a temporal-axis from 1970s through 2005, with particular focus in the Marketing discipline. The main aim of the integrative essay is on modelling the effects of marketing actions on performance variables, such as sales and market share in competitive markets. Such research required the estimation of two kinds of time series econometric models: multivariate and multiple time series models. I use Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) intervention models and the Pierce and Haugh statistical test to model the impact of a single marketing instrument, mainly price promotions, to measure own and cross-short term sales effects, and to study asymmetric marketing competition. I develop and apply Vector AutoRegressive (VAR) and Bayesian Vector AutoRegressive (BVAR) models to estimate dynamic relationships in the market and to forecast market share. Especially, BVAR models are advantageous because they contain all relevant dynamic and interactive effects. They accommodate not only classical competitive reaction effects, but also own and cross-market share brand feedback effects and internal decision rules and provided substantively useful insights into the dynamics of demand. The integrative essay is structured in four main parts. The introduction sets the basic ideas behind the published papers, with particular focus on the motivation of the essay, the types of competitive reaction effects analysed, an overview of the time series econometric models in marketing, a short discussion of the basic methodology used in the research and a brief description of the inter-relationships across the published papers and structure of the essay. The discussion is centred on how to model the effects of marketing actions at the selective demand or brand level and at the primary demand or product level. At the brand level I discuss the research contribution of my work on (i) modelling promotional short-term effects of price and non-price actions on sales and market share for consumer packaged goods, with no competition, (ii) how to measure own and cross short-term sales effects of advertising and price, in particular, cross-lead and lag effects, asymmetric sales behaviour and competition without retaliatory actions, in an automobile market, (iii) how to model the marketing-mix effectiveness at the short and long-term on market shares in a car market, (iv) what is the best method to forecast market share, and (v) the study of causal linkages at different time horizons between sales and marketing activity for a particular brand. At the product or commodity level, I propose a way to model the flows of tourists that come from different origins (countries) to the same country-destination as market segments defining the primary demand of a commodity - the product

<p>Från den 1 april 2006 har SWEPOS kompletterat den befintliga nätverks-RTK-tjänsten, som dittills levererat RTK-data för GPS, med ett alternativ där RTK-data för GPS/GLONASS levereras. En del användare har rapporterat att de upplever att GPS/GLONASS inte tillför något och även att det ibland kan ta längre tid att få fixlösning. Andra användare hävdar att de nu kan använda nätverks-RTK på platser där de tidigare inte kunde mäta och är mycket positiva till GPS/GLONASS.</p><p>Syftet med detta examensarbete var att undersöka hur tillgängligheten för satellitmätning, positionsnoggrannheten och initialiseringstiden påverkades i öppna respektive störda miljöer med GPS/GLONASS jämfört med enbart GPS vid användandet av nätverks-RTK-tjänsten. Undersökningen har utförts med tre olika fabrikat av GNSS-mottagare (Leica, Topcon och Trimble), vilket även medger att en jämförelse mellan dessa till viss utsträckning kan göras.</p><p>I studien gjordes totalt 1 440 mätningar på sex punkter med kända positioner och med olika grad av sikthinder. Fixlösning uppnåddes inte inom 180 sekunder för 206 (77 för GPS/GLONASS och 129 för GPS) av de 1 440 mätningarna.</p><p>De extra GLONASS-satelliterna tillför en klar fördel när det gäller möjligheten att mäta i störda miljöer. När det gäller initialiseringstid så är dessa kortare för GPS/GLONASS. GLONASS-satelliterna ger ingen förbättring av positionsnoggrannheten. Det är till och med så att GPS får något bättre kvalitetstal i både plan och höjd i denna studie (1-3 mm bättre). För de olika fabrikaten kan det konstateras att precision och noggrannhet är likvärdiga i både plan och höjd för alla tre märken.</p> / <p>On the 1st of April 2006, SWEPOS complemented the existing network RTK service with corrections for the Russian satellite system GLONASS. The service had so far only provided corrections for GPS. Some users have claimed that GPS/GLONASS do not contribute at all and also that the time for initialization sometimes can be longer. However, other users insist on that they now can use network RTK in areas that earlier were impossible and they are very favourable of GPS/GLONASS.</p><p>The purposes of this diploma work were to study and examine measurements using GPS and GPS/GLONASS in areas with different degrees of visual obstacles. Corrections were provided by SWEPOS Network RTK service and availability of satellites, accuracy of position and time for initialization were evaluated. The study has been conducted with three different brands of GNSS receivers (Leica, Topcon and Trimble), which also to some extent makes a comparison between the three brands possible.</p><p>A total number of 1 440 field measurements were made on six well-known points with different degrees of visual obstacles. A fixed solution was not accomplished within 180 seconds for 206 (77 for GPS/GLONASS and 129 for GPS) of the 1 440 measurements.</p><p>The additional GLONASS satellites provide an apparent advantage regarding the possibility to measure in disturbed environments. The time for initialization is shorter for GPS/GLONASS. The GLONASS satellites do not give any improvement in accuracy of position. On the contrary, GPS receives slightly better accuracy numbers in quality for both horizontal and vertical readings (1-3 mm better). Regarding the different brands, it was found that the precision and accuracy were similar in both plane and height for all three brands.</p>

<p>This thesis addresses different aspects of the question about accuracy of protein synthesis: i) the mechanism of tRNA selection during translation ii) study of ribosomal mutations that affect accuracy and iii) the choice of aminoacyl-tRNA isoacceptors on synonymous codons.</p><p>By measuring the codon reading efficiencies of cognate and near-cognate ternary complexes we demonstrate that in optimal physiological conditions accuracy of substrate selection is much higher than previously reported; that during translation the ribosomal A site is not blocked by unspecific binding of the non-cognate tRNAs which would inhibit the speed of protein synthesis. Our results suggest that there is an asymmetry between initial selection and proofreading step concerning the wobble position, and that binding of non-cognate substrate does not induce GTP hydrolysis on the ribosome.</p><p>The knowledge obtained from the ribosomal mutant strains can be used to explain the general relation between the structure of the ribosome and the mechanism of codon recognition, as well as the streptomycin resistance or dependence phenomenon.</p><p>Our work showed experimentally that the probability for binding certain tRNA to the A site of the ribosome is not based on the simple codon-anticodon base pair matching. In the living cell the availability of cognate tRNAs versus the demand for them (the frequency of codon usage) is finely balanced to ensure critical protein synthesis in stress conditions. We have also discovered a new codon assignment for a specific tRNALeu isoacceptor and detected a base modification in its anticodon, which has not been previously observed. The motivation for the later findings comes from a system biology modeling and the results are an example of an interdisciplinary collaboration.</p>