This thesis compares the experiences of citizens who regularly participate in the planning and zoning processes of their respective local governments. Atlanta has had a highly structured system of neighborhood government in place for over 35 years, called Neighborhood Planning Units. Enacted by Atlanta’s first African-American Mayor, NPUs were meant to facilitate the civic engagement of all neighborhoods, regardless of socioeconomic status. The role and boundaries of NPUs are codified in the City Charter. Unincorporated Cobb County, Georgia is a large, urbanizing-but-still-suburban county north of the city. Cobb does not officially recognize community boundaries nor is there a codified neighborhood government structure in place. By comparing the two systems of governance, this thesis will examine which best facilitates participation and whether respondents feel efficacious as they engage with their local government. The findings matter because citizen participation is generally deemed a desirable and even necessary element of modern, representative democracy.

Syftet med denna studie är att studera hur hälsa och utbildning påverkar det ekonomiska välståndet i och utanför ekonomisk jämvikt i Europa. Studien omfattar 43 europeiska länder och ekonomiskt välstånd mäts i BNP per capita. Två modeller estimeras där den första är en variant av en utökad MRW-modell och den andra utgår ifrån en klassisk Cobb-Douglas produktionsfunktion. Skattningar av MRW-modellen baseras på paneldata för perioden 1995-2013 och Cobb-Douglas-specifikationen skattas med paneldata för perioden 1991-2013. Parametrarna skattas med minstakvadrat-estimatorn och i båda specifikationerna används fixa effekter. Det sammantagna resultatet från de båda modellerna är tvetydligt och det är svårt att ge en entydig slutsats. Investeringar i hälsa och utbildning har en svagt negativ effekt på BNP per capita medan förväntad livslängd vid födseln och utbildningsdeltagande på gymnasienivå har positiva effekter. De tvetydliga resultatet kan bero på omvänd kausalitet, modellspecifikation och/eller snedvridning orsakad av utelämnade variabler.

La scoliose idiopathique de l'adolescent est une pathologie fréquente responsable d'une déformation tridimensionnelle du rachis. Des troubles infra-cliniques du contrôle postural sont décrits impliquant le vestibule, la proprioception et la vision, mais la littérature fait état de ces troubles pour des scolioses évoluées. Ainsi, notre étude a eu pour but de mesurer s'il existait des différences de contrôle postural en relation avec l'importance de la déformation pour des scolioses peu évoluées, au moment du diagnostic. Une population de 65 adolescentes présentant une scoliose idiopathique (11,4 ± 2,3 ans) a été soumise, au moment du diagnostic, à un examen clinique et radiographique (angle de Cobb), ainsi qu'à des tests posturographiques statiques et dynamiques, avec et sans conflits sensoriels. Deux groupes ont été constitués en fonction de l'importance de la déformation scoliotique. L'angle de Cobb était de 14,8 ± 5,1°. Trente cinq patientes présentaient un angle de Cobb entre 5 et 14° (groupe I) et 30 patientes présentaient un angle entre 15 et 25° (groupe II). Ce groupe des scolioses les plus importantes présentait des oscillations posturales plus amples, caractérisées lors des tests statiques par des oscillations du centre de pression des pieds dans une plus grande surface, à la fois en condition yeux ouverts et yeux fermés. Ce groupe présentait également des oscillations latérales plus importantes, mais uniquement en condition yeux fermés. Dans les conditions de conflits sensoriels, les patients du groupe II ont montré un contrôle postural significativement moins performant, particulièrement dans les conditions de conflits visuels et somesthésiques. De plus, lors des tests dynamiques, les stratégies d'anticipation étaient moins bien utilisées dans le groupe II que le groupe I pour stabiliser leur posture lors des mouvements d'oscillation lente imposés par la plate-forme. Les performances moindres du contrôle postural chez les patientes présentant un angle de Cobb supérieur ou égal à 15°, en particulier dans les conditions de conflits sensoriels, reflètent une difficulté d'intégration centrale des informations / Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is related to disorders of postural control with potential involvement of vestibular, proprioceptive and visual inputs. So far no assessment of postural control has been done in an AIS population at the onset of spine deformation. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the amplitude of spine deformation in AIS is an important factor for postural control at disease onset. This cross-sectional study included 65 female patients with AIS (mean age: 11.4 ± 2.3 years), which were clinically and radiologically (Cobb angle) assessed at the time of diagnosis and evaluated in posturography, including static tests ? with and without sensory conflict ? and dynamic tests. Two groups were formed according to the mean Cobb angle of the primary curve. The mean Cobb angle was 14.8 ± 5.1°; 35 patients were included in group I with a Cobb angle of 5 to 14°, and 30 patients into group II with a Cobb angle of 15 to 25°. The latter group displayed higher body sways in static tests, characterized by a larger area covered by center of foot pressure in both eyes open and eyes closed conditions, and by higher lateral oscillations in only the eyes closed condition. Group II patients displayed poorer balance control, mainly in visual and somatosensory conflict conditions. Group II patients used fewer anticipatory strategies to stabilize body oscillations than Group I patients, especially in the more challenging sensory conflict and dynamic situations. In conclusion, poorer postural performance, especially in sensory conflict situations observed in patients with a Cobb angle greater or equal to 15° reflects less effective central information processing

This thesis compares the experiences of citizens who regularly participate in the planning and zoning processes of their respective local governments. Atlanta has had a highly structured system of neighborhood government in place for over 35 years, called Neighborhood Planning Units. Enacted by Atlanta’s first African-American Mayor, NPUs were meant to facilitate the civic engagement of all neighborhoods, regardless of socioeconomic status. The role and boundaries of NPUs are codified in the City Charter. Unincorporated Cobb County, Georgia is a large, urbanizing-but-still-suburban county north of the city. Cobb does not officially recognize community boundaries nor is there a codified neighborhood government structure in place. By comparing the two systems of governance, this thesis will examine which best facilitates participation and whether respondents feel efficacious as they engage with their local government. The findings matter because citizen participation is generally deemed a desirable and even necessary element of modern, representative democracy.

Sammanfattning Titel: Lågkonjunktur – En studie i vilka skillnader som finns för variationen i antal anställda inom IT- respektive industribranschen Författare: Emilio Nilsson, Oscar Kacprzak Handledare: Emil Numminen Institution: Blekinge Tekniska Högskola Kurs: Kandidatarbete i Företagsekonomi Syfte: Syftet med uppsatsen är att undersöka och analysera för hur företagets ekonomiska data för den relativt unga IT-sektorn förklarar antal anställda gentemot hur företagets ekonomiska data förklarar nyckeltalet för en äldre mer erfaren bransch som industrisektorn. Metod: Vi har samlat ihop kvartalsrapporter från 1999 års första kvartal till 2009 års första kvartal för totalt 10 stycken företag som vi bedömt lämpliga för studien, 5 företag från IT-branschen samt 5 företag från industribranschen. Vi har därefter fört regressionsanalyser med antal anställda som Y-variabel och totala intäkter, aktienivå, rörelsekostnader samt rörelseresultat som X-variabler för att finna korrelationen däremellan. Slutsats: De framkomna resultaten från regressionsanalyserna pekar på att det finns skillnader branscherna emellan. Dessa var mest påtagliga i variablerna totala intäkter och rörelsekostnader. För båda variablerna hade industriföretagen större korrelation med Y-variabeln än vad IT-företagen hade. Korrelationen mellan antal anställda och rörelseresultatet kunde vi inte urskilja några tendenser branscherna emellan. Aktienivån hade en något större korrelation i variationen av antalet anställda för industriföretagen än för IT-företagen, där korrelationen var låg rakt igenom. Abstract Title: Recession - A study of the differences that exist for the variation in the number of employees in the IT and industrial sector Author: Emilio Nilsson, Oscar Kacprzak Supervisor: Emil Numminen Institution: Blekinge Institute of Technology Course: Bachelor thesis in Economics Purpose: The aim of the paper is to examine and analyze how a company's financial data for the relatively young IT sector explains the number of employees compared to how the financial data explains it for an older more experienced branch like the industry sector. Method: We have collected quarterly reports from the first quarter of 1999 to the first quarter of 2009 for a total of 10 different companies that we determined appropriate for the study, 5 companies from the IT sector and 5 companies from the industrial sector. We have subsequently conducted a regression analysis with number of employees as the Y-variable and total income, stock level, operating expenses and operating income as the X-variables to find the correlation between them. Conclusion: The results of the regression analysis indicate that there are differences between the industries. These were most visible in the variables of total income and operating expenses. For both variables, the industrial companies’ had a greater correlation with the Y-variable than IT companies had. In the correlation between the number of employees and operating profit, we could not find any differences between the sectors. Stock levels had a slightly higher correlation in the variance of the number of employees for manufacturing companies than for the IT companies, where the correlation was low right through.

Ο σκοπός της παρούσας μελέτης είναι να ερευνήσει τον ρόλο της τεχνολογίας στην οικονομική μεγέθυνση όπως η τεχνολογία ορίζεται στο νεοκλασικό υπόδειγμα παραγωγής με εξωγενή ρυθμό τεχνολογίας. Αρχικά παρουσιάζουμε την θεωρητική βάση του υποδείγματος και εισάγουμε την έννοια παράλληλα την έννοια της τεχνολογικής παραγωγικότητας και την σημασία της. Με χρήση δεδομένων των εθνικών λογαριασμών της ελληνικής οικονομίας από την βάση δεδομένων Penn World Table εκτιμούμε τα μεγέθη της επιτευχθείσας οικονομικής ανάπτυξης και παραγωγικότητας για την Ελλάδα την περίοδο 1961- 2003, μέσω της λογιστικής της οικονομικής μεγέθυνσης. Στην συνέχεια προσπαθούμε να εκτιμήσουμε την επίδραση της τεχνολογικής παραγωγικότητας στην οικονομική ανάπτυξη. Επίσης προσπαθούμε να ερευνήσουμε το γεγονός ότι τα μερίδια οριακής συνεισφοράς των εργασία και κεφάλαιο στην οικονομική ανάπτυξη παραμένουν σταθερά, όπως υποτίθεται στο νεοκλασικό υπόδειγμα μεγέθυνσης, για τις δυτικές χώρες, μέσω της οικονομετρικής παλινδρόμησης του εθνικού εισοδήματος ως εξαρτημένη μεταβλητή και των εισροών εθνική εργασία και εθνικό κεφάλαιο ως ανεξάρτητες μεταβλητές για την περίοδο 1961 – 2003. Τα ευρήματα μας συνηγορούν την παραπάνω υπόθεση, ωστόσο η εξωγένεια της τεχνολογίας ατονεί. Συμπερασματικά αναφέρουμε τα νέα υποδείγματα οικονομικής μεγέθυνσης με ενδογενή τεχνολογία που παρουσιάζονται πιο εύκαμπτα στην μέτρηση εκείνης της ποσότητας της παραγωγικότητας που πρέπει να αποδοθεί στην τεχνολογική πρόοδο / The purpose of the present dissertation is to examine the role of technology in the economic growth as it is attributed in the exogenous growth neoclassical Solow model. We initially present the neoclassical growth Solow model and introduce the theoretical meaning of technology. Using data of the Greek national accounts from Penn World Table we measure the economic and the productivity growth that took place in the Greek economy for the period of 1961 – 2003, through the growth accounting approach. We then try to estimate to what extend this growth should be attributed to exogenous technology. We also investigate whether labor and capital compensation rates remain constant for the Greek economy, as it is implied from the exogenous growth neoclassical Solow model for the western countries, by regressing real GDP output with labor and capital inputs for the period of 1961-2003. Our findings plead the above empirical computation, however the exogenous hypothesis for the technology becomes weakened. Concluding we introduce modern growth theories that seem more appropriate for measuring the Productivity that should be attributed to technology.

Pagrindinis šio darbo uždavinys yra nustatyti, kaip žmogiškasis kapitalas įtakoja Lietuvos bendrąjį vidaus produktą (BVP). Žmogiškasis kapitalas šiame darbe vertinamas kaip vidutinis mokymosi metų skaičius, o fizinio kapitalo laiko eilutei sudaryti buvo pritaikytas nuolatinių atsargų metodas. Cobb-Douglas produkcijos funkcija buvo panaudota tam, kad įvertintume ryšį tarp šių dydžių. / The purpose of this paper is to find the impact of Human Capital on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Lithuania. The Human Capital was estimated as average number years of schooling, while perpetual inventory method was used to construct Physical Capital stock for Lithuania. Cobb-Douglas production function was used to get a relationship between these variables.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 157-169). / vii, 169 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm

A total of 169 batches of chicken (almost 4 million pieces) were included in the survey, of which 88 batches were Cobb 500 chicken and 81 batches Ross 308 chickens. The difference in the European Production Efficiency Factor (EPEF) was 30 points in favour of the Ross 308 hybrid when compared with the Cobb 500 hybrid (395 and 365 points respectively, P < 0.05). During the monitored years, the EPEF gradually increased from 357 points in 2014 to 404 points in 2017, i.e. by 47 points (P < 0.05). From the perspective of the hatchery influence (A and B), the Ross 308 hybrid was found have almost identical EPEF (394 and 395 points respectively). The EPEF of the Cobb 500 hybrid was 27 points higher in hatchery B (380 and 353 points respectively, P < 0.05). The dependence of the live weight of the hybrid at slaughter on the age of the parent flock was found to be r = 0.41, i.e. moderate, statistically significant. A higher EPEF was achieved when fattening in green light as compared with white light. For the Cobb 500 hybrid, the difference was only 2 points (367 and 365 points respectively). For Ross 308 hybrid, the difference was higher, 11 points (404 and 393 points respectively). In the high-capacity hall, fattening took longer than in the small-capacity hall. The difference amounted to 0.92 days for the Cobb 500 hybrid (33.66 and 32.74 days respectively) and 0.11 days for the Ross 308 hybrid (33.11 and 33.00 days respectively). The differences in live weight were small, i.e. 0.01 kg for the Cobb 500 hybrid (2.09 and 2.10 kg respectively) and 0.02 kg for the Ross 308 hybrid (2.12 and 2.14 kg respectively), as were the differences in the feed mixture consumption per 1 kg weight gain, i.e. 0.02 kg for the Cobb 500 hybrid (1.57 and 1.59 kg respectively) and 0.03 kg for the Ross 308 hybrid (1.56 and 1.53 kg respectively). Higher mortality was found in the high-capacity hall. It was slightly higher, by 0.06 %, for the Cobb 500 hybrid (3.26 and 3.20 % respectively). For the Ross 308 hybrid, there was a higher difference of 0.72 % (3.46 and 2.74 % respectively). The EPEF was found to be slightly lower in the high-capacity hall compared to the low-capacity hall. The difference amounted to 9 points for the Cobb 500 hybrid (383 and 392 points respectively) and 17 points for the Ross 308 hybrid (395 and 412 points respectively).

Scoliosis is a common skeletal condition in which a curvature forms along the coronal plane of the spine. Although scoliosis has been long recognized, its pathophysiology and best mode of treatment are still debated. Currently, definitive diagnosis of scoliosis and its progression are performed through anterior-posterior (AP) radiographs by measuring the angle of coronal curvature, referred to as Cobb angle. Cobb angle measurements can be performed by Deep Learning algorithms and are currently being investigated as a possible diagnostic tool for clinicians. This thesis focuses on the role of Deep Learning in the diagnosis and treatment of Scoliosis and proposes a study design using the algorithms to continue to better understand and classify the disease.