Thesis (DPhil (Geography and Environmental Studies))—University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / The use of average energy aircraft noise contours as the sole means for guiding aircraft noise-based planning around airports is being questioned increasingly. A growing proportion of residents who live in neighbourhoods adjacent to airports are dissatisfied with the averaging procedure that is employed. In their experience of exposure to aircraft noise, particularly in the evening and at night when they are at home, the average energy aircraft noise descriptors are misleading. In order to effectively analyse the socio-spatial interaction of annoyance at and interference by aircraft noise, an alternative approach has been suggested – a supplemental noise perspective. Conventional approaches to aircraft noise land use planning based on average energy noise descriptors run the risk of being ineffectual, or even counterproductive, because they do not consider the central aspects of disturbance, namely the loudness of an event and the number of times events are heard. Consequently, an alternative measure to ameliorate the limitations of average energy noise contours is needed by which airport neighbours, the aviation industry and town planners can better understand the nature of the problem. Although supplemental noise analysis is not new, this study applies it to a South African international airport (OR Tambo) for the first time. The airport’s operations are typical of many busy airports close to large urban areas, serving domestic, regional and international routes. Reportedly, there have been few complaints about noise emanating from the airport, but when they are made they are usually about evening and night-time aircraft noise events. In the context of South Africa as a developing society in transition, where growth of urban settlements continues apace, average energy aircraft noise information must be enhanced by providing supplemental noise information. This study investigated the broad issue of land use planning around airports by employing two aircraft noise prediction models, namely the Integrated Noise Model and the Transparent Noise Information Package, to establish the various potential effects and consequences of night-time aircraft noise in noise zones demarcated according to supplemental aircraft noise information. The effects and consequences examined include annoyance, disturbance of sleep, telephone conversations, watching television and work or study, and the likelihood that people will move away to escape night-time aircraft noise. The perceptions of residents living in neighbourhoods around the airport were surveyed and the responses analysed according to noise zones classified as supplemental noise information. The results show that the airport’s neighbours are annoyed by aircraft noise and that aircraft noise interferes with normal household activities. This annoyance and interference decreases with increasing distance from the airport. Furthermore, reported annoyance and interference is greater in those areas where higher numbers of noise events are encountered, even at relatively low noise levels of 60 LAmax – something not evident from average energy noise contours. This finding strengthens the argument that it is insufficient to provide only average energy aircraft noise information when studying the impact of aircraft noise. To understand the situation more fully, supplemental noise information is essential. The study concludes with a framework constructed to apply supplemental aircraft noise information to the abatement and mitigation measures normally used to deal with aircraft noise.

爲規避利率上升風險，市場上有很多避險工具，諸如遠期利率協定、利率交換、我國期交所於2004年1月2日所推出的債券期貨（或稱利率期貨）、歐元期貨契約。本論文所要探討的是平均利率上限選擇權之評價，使用的方法是建構Forward LIBOR Tree之利率樹，再使用Timothy. R. Klassen（2001）評價亞式選擇權的方法來評價平均利率上限選擇權。

由於VANET上的行動節點移動速度快，加上受到道路及交通號制的限制，導致網路拓樸快速改變，容易造成網路斷訊，影響資料封包在網路上的傳送效能。在傳統的MANET上有許多用來傳送資料封包的路由機制，並不直接適用在VANET上。隨著Global Position System (GPS)的普及，越來越多的車輛都具備GPS，用以輔助行車定位之用。在本研究中我們將透過GPS取得車輛的地理資訊，提出一個適用於VANET中以車行方向為基礎的貪婪路由演算法(MDBG)。 本論文目的在強化VANET網路上資料封包的路由選擇策略。所提出的路由機制將會透過hello message來取得相鄰車輛的位置和車行方向，並利用目標要求(DREQ)、目標回應(DREP)來獲得目標車輛的資訊。進而運用車輛的車行方向，選擇適當的相鄰車輛找出一條穩定的路由路徑。當來源車輛和目標車輛的車行方向相同時，AODV能有不錯的效能表現。而我們的路由演算法(MDBG)將強化當來源車輛和目標車輛的車行方向相反，並且逐漸遠離時的效能表現。實驗模擬的結果顯示MDBG在封包到達率、吞吐量和平均端對端延遲上較之於AODV及DSR演算法有更優異的表現。 / Packets transmission over VANET is intermittent due to rapid change of network topology. This comes from both high mobility of mobile nodes and road limitation. Intermittent transmission causes inefficient packet delivery. Those routing protocols applicable to MANET might not be suitable for VANET. On the other hand, Global Position System (GPS) is becoming prevalent in assisting positioning for vehicles. In this research, we develop a Moving Direction Based Greedy (MDBG) routing algorithm for VANET. MDBG algorithm is based on the geographical information collected by GPS. The objective of the thesis is to enhance routing decision in packet delivery. The "hello message" is used to retrieve the locations and moving directions of neighboring vehicles. Destination REQuest (DREQ) and Destination REPly (DREP) messages are used to retrieve target vehicle information. The source vehicle will thus use these information together with its own moving direction information to establish a stable routing path by selecting appropriate neighboring vehicles. AODV algorithm is proved to have good performance as both the source vehicle and target vehicle have the same moving direction. MDBG algorithm is proposed to leverage the problem as source vehicle and target vehicle move far apart in opposite directions. Simulation results show that MDBG outperforms both AODV and DSR in packet arrival rate, throughput and average end-to-end delay.

Thesis (M.Com. (Economics))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2005.

本文模型來自於DeGroot (1974)的模型，以此模型為基礎延伸至兩產品之架構，並利用比較效果與網絡效果疲乏之間的交互作用，而得到了本文的定理2.。此定理2.可解釋許多市場上，廠商選擇其產品推出時間而影響其銷售量之變化。因此，本文對於兩廠商的競爭提出了一個新觀點：廠商因何時推出其產品，而能使得其產品成為主流。我們討論的不是價格或者品質的競爭，而在於產品相對推出的時間，因此，本文在定理2.得到了一個充分條件，這個條件讓廠商知道應何時推出其產品，而此產品可成為市場上之主流產品。

This study reviewed the literature on the struggle for equal educational opportunity of the 1960s and 1970s, the reform movement of the 1990s, the public/private school debate of the 1980s and 1990s, the issue of school choice in the 1990s, and a brief history of private schools. The literature revealed that since the Supreme court's ruling, in 1954, on the unconstitutionality of separate-but-equal public schools and decisions on the separation of church and state, during the 1960s and 1970s, the number of and enrollment in private and parochial schools have grown steadily. This study was conducted on a sample of 14,242 students attending 17 colleges (15 private colleges and 2 public universities) to determine if there was a difference in their academic performance (GPA) at the end of their freshman year. The independent variables of the study were the size of the student's secondary school graduating class, the religious affiliation of the secondary school, the gender enrollment pattern of the secondary school, and the residential pattern of the secondary school. In addition, using the student's SAT score, an analysis was conducted to determine whether or not the student's first-year college GPA exceeded their GPA predicted by the SAT.

Pinus mugo Turra (sensu lato) is a prostrate shrub growing above the alpine timberline in the mountain ranges of Southern, Central and Eastern Europe. It is well adapted to the harsh alpine environment creating different mechanisms for survival. The research was carried out in Krkonoše Mountains on base of Pinus mugo individuals compared with Picea abies trees. Samples from shrubs were gathered using serial sectioning from four sites in different elevations located on Sněžka Mountain and Smogornia Ridge. Further analysis of the sampled material was made with the help of different detrending methods to see which method will return the best growth response to climate parameters. RCS detrending and detrending via simple averaging reflected the best climate signal contained in dwarf pine chronologies. The advantage of these methods is based on their ability to reflect growth conditions of the particular site. Upper sites showed significant correlations with temperatures of the growing season, while on lower sites the signal was quite unclear. The amount of precipitation plays the significant role on shrub growth during the vegetation period (especially July month) and early spring when water is very important for growth initiation. Upper Pinus mugo sites showed high sensitivity to droughts, especially...

Title: Speed possibilities and their relative independence in older school age. Goals: Examination of dependence speed ability and technical skills players with ball, comparison league football team youth and teams from lower competes namely on the part of high - speed and technical skill, inquest rate and technical skill in bullpen load and seasonal interval, proposition procuration for improvement results near surveyed sets. Methods: Correlation coefficient, arithmetic average, t-test, probability, canonical correlation. Results: All results are present in result parts work, check set hypotheses, be of consequence source for comparison speed abilities and skills football youth. Key words: Football, practice cycle, particularity, practice training, level, correlation coefficient, arithmetic average, speed, specific tests, nonspecific tests.

The aim of this thesis is to perform an analysis of MODUS ltd. which will be based on evaluation of its economic performance and finding out the causes of the current situation. In the first part, there is basic theoretical determination of the analysis and all of its appurtenances. The second part emphasizes on an extensive characteristics of the chosen company, so that it is possible to perceive the calculated determinants from the right perspective. The third part includes the performance of the analysis of a given company and a well-arranged recording and subsequent evaluation of the results obtained. The thesis is concluded with the evaluation of the economic situation of the company based on the results of the analysis and with the recommendation of particular measures which would increase the economic efficiency and effectiveness in the future. Furthermore, there is a summary of models and determinants used with an indication of their advantages and disadvantages.

Dans la littérature démographique, il est unanimement admis que les âges médian et moyen au premier mariage, le taux des unions libres et du célibat définitif augmentent avec le développement économique, l'élévation du niveau d'instruction et l'urbanisation. Or le Sud-Ouest du Burkina, en dépit de sa pauvreté, de son faible taux d'alphabétisation et de sa ruralité, a des indicateurs de la nuptialité comparables à ceux du Centre et des Hauts Bassins où sont localisées respectivement la capitale Ouagadougou et Bobo Dioulasso, la deuxième ville. Par conséquent, ce constat paradoxal élargit le champ de recherche sur les déterminants de la nuptialité. Dans cette optique, le processus matrimonial des ethnies de cette région qui exige une compensation matrimoniale, bien que celle-ci soit officiellement interdite au Burkina est à scruter. Dans quelle mesure la compensation matrimoniale qui est une catégorie anthropologique peut-elle déterminer un comportement démographique ? Dans l'impossibilité d'étendre l'étude à toutes les ethnies du Sud-Ouest, la recherche s'est focalisée sur les Dagara qui représentent 38% des habitants dont 40% sont chrétiens. La christianisation est un changement crucial. L'approche de la démographie compréhensive qui s'enracine dans la théorie du changement et de la réponse a été l'outil méthodologique de cette enquête. / In demographic litterature, it is unanimously accepted that the median and average ages for entering a first marriage and the rates of common-law unions and permanent celibacy increase with economic development, raised education levels and urbanization. However, the Southwest of Burkina Faso, despite its level of poverty, low literacy rate and rurality, has nuptiality indicators comparable to those of the Centre and Hauts Bassins regions where are located the capital Ouagadougou and the second largest city Bobo Dioulasso respectively. This paradoxical finding widens the research field regarding the determining factors of nuptiality. Consenquently, the matrimonial process is to be scrutinized of ethnic groups in the region, where matrimonial compensation is required even though officially prohibited in Burkina. To what extent can matrimonial compensation, which is an anthropological category, determine demographic paterns? In view of the impossibility of extending the study to all ethnic groups in the Southwest, the research is focused on the Dagara who represent 38% of inhabitants and of whom 40% are Christian. Christianity represents a crucial change. The methodological tool for this research is the comprehensive demographic approach, which is rooted in change and response theory.