With the advent of telecommunication technology, the need to transport multimedia content is increasing day by day. Successful video transmission over the wireless network faces a lot of challenges because of the limited resource and error prone nature of the wireless environment. To deal with these two challenges, not only the video needs to be compressed very efficiently but also the compression scheme needs to provide some error resilient features to deal with the high packet loss probability. In this thesis, we have worked with the H.264/ Advanced Video Coding (AVC) video compression standard since this is the most recent and most efficient video compression scheme. Also H.264 provides novel error resilient features e.g. slicing of the frame, Flexible Macroblock Ordering (FMO), data partitioning etc. In this thesis, we investigate how to utilize the error resilient schemes of H.264 to ensure a good quality picture at the receiving end. In the first part of the thesis, we find the optimum slice size that will enhance the quality of video transmission in a 3G environment. In the second part, we jointly optimize the data partitioning property and partial reliability extension property of the new transport layer protocol, Stream Control Transmission Protocol (SCTP). In the third and last part, we focus more on the network layer issues. We obtain the optimum point of application layer Forward Error Correction (FEC) and Medium Access Control (MAC) layer retransmission in a capacity constrained network. We assume that the bit rate assigned for the video application is more than the video bit rate so that the extra capacity available can be used for error correction.

This study examines the changing context and implications for evaluation practice of social program and service delivery devolved to small nonprofit and grassroots organizations. The setting is explored through a critical reflection-on-practice of over twenty years experience conducting evaluation. Using a multiple case study approach, the dissertation examines nine broad themes through two broad composite scenarios and twenty-five detailed vignettes that portray the challenges of working as a consultant with and for small nonprofit and grassroots organizations as they grapple with growing demands for accountability through evaluation. The multiple case study analysis is complemented by an analysis of case studies in two broad areas of literature; one on the impacts of devolution in the nonprofit sector, and the other examining recent trends in evaluation conducted in challenging settings, including community-based and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The five broad themes addressed through the case studies and literature on devolution are: 1) accountability, 2) capacity, 3) mandate drift, 4) competition, and 5) complexity. The four broad themes addressed through case studies and literature on evaluation are: 1) theory-based evaluation, 2) inclusiveness (participatory approaches), 3) the changing and multiple roles of evaluators, and 4) the use of dialogue, deliberative and democratic approaches in evaluation practice. The study contends that the ‘rough ground’ of nonprofit settings provides a useful lens for understanding broader challenges and trends in evaluation practice; that evaluators provide more than just technical skills and knowledge, but undertake important roles in linking communities, mediating among stakeholders, fostering dialogue and deliberation about programming, and mitigating some of the more egregious impacts of devolution experienced by nonprofit and grassroots organizations. By acknowledging and supporting the development of such roles and responsibilities, the profession and evaluators working in these settings can provide meaningful contributions to public discourse about the nature of accountability, the broad context of social programming, the complex capacity challenges being faced by nonprofit organizations, and the role of evaluation in exacerbating or potentially mitigating such effects.

This research study develops a framework of indicators to evaluate the ‘institutional capacity’ of a municipality to implement the soft path approach. The soft path approach is a new strategy for water conservation that complements existing supply and demand water management regimes. The soft path approach aims to achieve sustainability by changing how individuals think about water and how water is used. The framework of indicators consists of qualitative descriptions of elements that should be present in a municipality to successfully implement the soft path approach. These indicators fit into eight themes: human resources, information resources, financial resources, policy and legal environment, political environment, community awareness and involvement, technological solutions, and practical considerations. These indicators are also applied to evaluate the institutional capacity of a case study (southern York Region, Ontario, Canada) for its potential to implement the soft path approach. The case study is compatible and equipped to implement the soft path approach, but this can only be accomplished if coordinated with other levels of government and external organizations.

ABSTRACT The Benefits of Yoga Therapy for Heart Failure Patients by Paula R. Pullen STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The number of patients living with heart failure (HF) is on the rise. Yoga has been found to improve physical and psychological parameters amongst healthy individuals. The effects of yoga on HF patients are unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of yoga on cardio-vascular endurance [functional capacity (FC)], flexibility, inflammatory markers, and quality of life (QoL) on medically stable HF patients. METHOD Forty HF patients with compensated systolic or diastolic HF participated in the study. A randomized control design created two groups, yoga (N=21). and control (N=19).The treatment intervention consisted of 16-yoga sessions conducted bi-weekly (YG) vs. standard medical care (control- CG) for two months. All participants were asked to follow a home walk program. Pre- and post-study measurements included a treadmill stress test to peak exertion, flexibility (FLEX), girth, interleukin-6 (IL-6), c- reactive protein (CRP), and extra-cellular dismutase (EC-SOD). Quality of life was assessed by the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLwHFQ). RESULTS Forty patients were randomized to YG (N=21) or CG (N=19). The results were significant for favorable changes in the YG as compared to the CG for flexibility (P=0.012), treadmill time (P=0.002), ~VO2peak (P=0.003), and all biomarkers (IL-6, CRP, and EC-SOD) of inflammation. Within the YG, pre- to post- test scores for the total and physical sub- scale of the MLwHFQ were significant (P=0.02 and P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Yoga therapy offered additional benefits to the standard medical care of HF patients by improving QoL, exercise capacity, FLEX, and biomarkers of inflammation

This dissertation examines the development and renewal of capabilities through acquisitions by drawing from absorptive capacity literature (Cohen and Levinthal, 1990; Zahra and George, 2002). This dissertation examines four interrelated questions concerning (1) the impact of acquisition experience on a firm’s absorptive capacity, (2) the role of absorptive capacity in the renewal of capabilities through acquisition, (3) the impact of capabilities renewal through acquisition on a firm’s choice of future growth mode, and (4) the impact of capabilities renewal through acquisition on post-acquisition performance. These questions are examined using FDIC data and surveys administered to top managers of banks that conducted acquisitions between October 2004 and October 2006. Results of this study suggest that a firm’s past experience with internal development and acquisition impacts the development of its absorptive capacity. Furthermore, results suggest that absorptive capacity has multiple dimensions and that the respective absorptive capacity dimensions have unique independent and joint effects on a firm’s ability to renew its capabilities through acquisition. Results also suggest that the impact of the change in capabilities on the firm’s choice of future growth mechanism largely depends on the nature of capability that changed through acquisition. When firms experience an improvement or decline in important revenue-generating capabilities that are fundamental to firm performance, the firm is more likely to pursue future acquisition to either compensate for its inability to grow by its own internal means or to exploit its improved capability in a new setting. However, when management capabilities or operational capabilities experience an improvement or a decline, the firms is less likely to pursue future acquisition in order to avoid taxing the already strained capability or to take time to fully internalize the improved capability. Results also suggest that the change in capabilities through acquisition is positively associated with a change in post-acquisition performance.

Tyrimo objektas – dziudo sportuojančių 16–17 metų amžiaus merginų fizinis parengtumas. Darbo tikslas – nustatyti dziudo sportuojančių 16–17 metų amžiaus merginų fizinį parengtumą ir jo kaitą. Uždaviniai: 1. Nustatyti ir įvertinti tiriamųjų pusiausvyrą ir lankstumą bei jų kaitą. 2. Nustatyti ir įvertinti tiriamųjų greitumą ir jo kaitą. 3. Nustatyti ir įvertinti tiriamųjų staigiąją jėgą, jėgos greitumą ir jų kaitą. 4. Nustatyti ir įvertinti jėgos ištvermę, statinę jėgos ištvermę ir jų kaitą. 5. Nustatyti ir įvertinti jėgos greitumo ištvermę. Rezultatai Nustatyta, kad mūsų tirtų dziudo sportuojančių merginų fizinio parengtumo rodikliai yra vertinami nevienodai: pagal Eurofito orientacines vertinimo skales (Eurofitas. Fizinio pajėgumo testai ir metodika, 2002) testų rezultatų vertinimas svyruoja nuo 6 iki 10 balų. 1. Vidutiniškai vertinami (7 balais) „flamingas“ pusiausvyros testo rezultatai pirmojo ir antrojo testavimo metu abiejų svorio kategorijų grupėse. Liemens lankstumo „sėstis ir siekti“ rezultatai pirmojo testavimo metu lengvo svorio sportininkių buvo vertinami (7 balais), o antrojo testavimo metu lengvo svorio sportininkių grupėje buvo vertinami gerai (8 balais). Vidutinio svorio grupėje pirmojo testavimo metu lankstumas buvo vertintas vidutiniškai (7 balais), o antrojo testavimo metu buvo vertinamas labai gerai (9 balais). Vidutinio svorio merginų šis rezultatų pagerėjimas buvo statistiškai reikšmingas (p<0,05). Specialus lankstumas testas „tiltelis“ abiejų svorio... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Object of research: Physical capacity and its change among 16–17 years old female judoists. Aim of work: To determine physical capacity and its change among 16–17 years old female judoists. Tasks: 1. To identify the balance and flexibility of investigated persons, and their changes. 2. To identify speed and changes of investigated persons. 3. To identify the sudden strength, speed of strength and changes in investigated persons. 4. To identify the strength endurance, static strength endurance and their changes. 5. To identify the strength speed endurance. Results It was found that the physical fitness indicators of our studied judo female sportsmen are assessed differently: according to the Eurofit Reference Scales (Eurofitas. Physical fitness tests and methodology, 2002), the assessment of test results ranges from 6 to 10 points.

Gintaras Žaržojus Polio laikomosios gebos vertinimai Lietuvos gruntuose SANTRAUKA Šiame darbe yra išnagrinėti tokie uždaviniai: 1. šiuolaikinių polio laikomosios gebos vertinimo metodų apžvalga; 2. Lietuvos kvartero nuogulos kaip polinių pamatų pagrindas; 3. vibromonolitinio polio ir pagrindo sąveikos I ribinėje būklėje fizinio modelio sudarymas. Pirmojo uždavinio sprendimui buvo trumpai išnagrinėta Europos šalių polio laikomosios gebos skaičiavimų metodikos, kurias butų galima suskirstyti į tris grupes: &#61656; skaičiavimas pagal polių bandymų metu gautus duomenis; &#61656; skaičiavimas pagal laboratorinių tyrimų metu gautus duomenis; &#61656; skaičiavimas naudojant įvairių in-sitų atliktų zondavimų duomenis. Antrajam uždaviniui išspręsti buvo sudarytas polio pagrindo laikomosios gebos vidurkinių verčių žemėlapis (M 1:1500 000). Šis žemėlapis yra sudarytas pagal pasirinktą polio modelį ir skaičiavimo metodiką (EN 1997-3). Trečiajam uždaviniui išspręsti buvo atlikti penki lauko bandymai ir išanalizuoti kai kurie šiuolaikiniai grunto ir polio santykio modeliai. Pagrindinės šio darbo išvados būtų šios: 1. polio laikomosios gebos skaičiavimo metodai įvairiose šalyse yra skirtingi dėl savitų geologinių sąlygų, dėl tyrėjų (inžinierių) subjektyvumo. Dėl metodų nesutapimo yra gaunami skirtingi to paties polio galutiniai skaičiavimo rezultatai; 2. didžiausią Lietuvos teritorijos dalį sudaro vidutinio stiprumo ir stiprūs gruntai kaip polių pagrindai; 3. pagal sudarytą hipotetinį... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Gintaras Žaržojus ESTIMATION FOR PILES BEARING CAPACITY IN LITHUANIAN SOILS SUMMARY In this work such tasks are analyzed: 1. Review of up-to-date pile bearing capacity estimation methods; 2. Lithuanian quaternary sediments as the base for pile foundation; 3. The creation of physical model of the vibromonolithic pile and foundation interaction while in the I marginal state. For the solution of the first task, the calculation methodology of the pile bearing capacity of the European countries’ was briefly analyzed, and it can be divided into three groups: » calculation according to the data received during pile testing; » calculation according to the data received during laboratory analysis; » calculation using the data of the various probing completed in-situ. For the solution of the second task, the map of the pile base bearing capacity average values was designed (M 1:1500 000). This map is designed according to the chosen pile model and calculation methodology (EN 1997-3). For the solution of the third task the five outdoor tests were performed and the some of the up-to-date soil and pile ratio models were analyzed. The main conclusions would be: 1. The pile bearing capacity calculation methods are different in various countries, because of the individual geological conditions and because of the subjectivity of the researchers (engineers). Due to the method discrepancy, final calculation results for the same pile are different; 2. The biggest part of the Lithuanian territory... [to full text]

This thesis investigates how capacity development techniques, including training and group formation, can be leveraged to aid in new livelihood development for women living in rural areas who lack the resources necessary for agricultural livelihoods: lack arable land, labour, and capital. This study is situated as a case in an agroforestry development project. The study used multiple qualitative methods to identify how these micro-livestock rearing activities contributed to women’s practical and strategic needs. Key informant interviews (n=5); in-depth interviews, including ranking and scoring exercises, with beneficiaries (n=16); and participant observation all contributed to an in-depth understanding of the relevant phenomena. Interviews were coded and analyzed for key themes that emerged. The study focuses on how micro-livestock as a development intervention may contribute to increased capacities of women in the communities. The conclusions emphasize the importance of fostering knowledge exchange amongst beneficiaries for the maximization of tangible and intangible benefits.

Source water protection (SWP) is defined as a land use management and planning process aimed at the protection of surface and groundwater sources from contamination. Currently in Saskatchewan, the Water Security Agency is leading much of the planning and management with the goal of safe drinking water sources and reliable water supplies. The Water Security Agency has developed SWP planning initiatives across the southern portion of the province. Rates of SWP plan implementation in Saskatchewan are uneven and dependent on multiple factors. Using document review and key informant interviews, this study identifies factors facilitating and constraining source water protection plan implementation in selected areas and describes capacity building needs for SWP plans implementation in Saskatchewan. Results are discussed based on four capacity areas: financial, institutional, technical and social capacity. The results in this study show that capacity areas in need of improvement include stable financial resources, training opportunities for local watershed groups, public awareness, adequate stakeholder involvement, SWP plan re-evaluation, and information/data access. The result of this research contributes to the understanding of SWP plan implementation relating to capacity building needs at the watershed scale in the prairie region.

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