Convective heat transfer during hot pressing in wood-based composite panel manufacturing is widely accepted as the most important means of heat transport for resin curing. The rate of convective heat transfer to the panel core is controlled by its permeability. Permeability in the plane of the panel also controls the flow of vapor to the panel edges, thereby influencing the potential for panel "blowing". This research considers how flake thickness, flake alignment and changing mat density during hot-pressing influences OSB mat permeability, through its thickness and in the plane of the panel. Some previous research exists but it fails to address the affects of horizontal and vertical density gradients as well as flake alignment. An apparatus was designed to allow cold pressing of aligned flakes to desired densities while enabling permeability measurements through the mat thickness. An additional apparatus was designed to allow the measuring of permeability in the plane of the mat. These designs permitted permeability measurements in mats that had no vertical density gradient, allowing for the direct study of permeability versus density (compaction ratio). Superficial permeability was determined using Darcy's law and for each sample, multiple readings were made at five different pressure differentials. Permeability through the mat thickness was highly dependent on compaction ratio and to a lesser extent flake thickness. As the compaction ratio is increased, the initial reduction in permeability is severe, once higher compaction ratios are achieved the reduction in permeability is less pronounced. Permeability decreased with decreasing flake thickness. Permeability in the plane of the mat decreases with increasing compaction ratio but in a less severe manner than through the mat thickness. In this case, the permeability-compaction ratio relationship appears linear in nature. Again, permeability decreases with decreasing flake thickness. / Master of Science

Fluvial channel geometry is controlled by the interaction of a number of geologic and hydraulic variables. The width of mixed alluvial-bedrock channels generally is a function of discharge, with variations due to local conditions. The aspect ratio (width/depth) of channels is heavily influenced by substrate size and erodibility. How channel width and aspect ratio vary as a function of other variables, such as structure, lithology, slope, large scale valley topography, and rock uplift, has not been fully quantified. The New River is ideal for examining these relationships because it shows considerable variability in width and aspect ratio and flows through three structurally and lithologically distinct geologic provinces. Through these provinces, the New River does not follow the expected trends of channel widening with increasing drainage area. Topographic maps show that channel width of the New River has a significant variation that far outscores an overall widening downstream. Aspect ratios for the New River are also large, approaching 500. We collected a field data set of 29 sites of the river's channel geometry, along with characteristics of bedrock, sediment, and confinement. Fifteen of the 29 sites are bedrock reaches. The data set allows empirical analysis of how width and aspect ratio of the New River are related to different variables, including slope, discharge, flow velocity, curvature, trend, bedrock type, and structure. Sediment characteristics and confinement of the channel do not affect channel morphology. Bedrock is shown to affect channel width directly through the percent of bedrock exposed in the channel and indirectly through the modified rock mass strength, rock hardness, obliquity to regional strike, dip orientation, and degree of joint intersection. / Master of Science

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Academics, analysts and investors have always been intrigued by, and have always sought to identify with certainty, factors that determine investment returns and share price movements. In 1953 Maurice Kendall, following on the work of Louis Bachelier, made the revelation that share price movements followed a random pattern, i.e. they could not be predicted with certainty. Through continual research, two schools of thought emerged - fundamental and technical analysis. The fundamentalists' perspective is that through thorough due diligence analysis of current and historical data, one will be able to identify good investment prospects.The latter stipulates that future price movements can be predicted from previous price movements, i.e. historical patterns replicate themselves over time. The random walk theory suggested by Kendall was followed by the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) as developed and refined by Sharpe (1964), Lintner (1965) and Black (1972). The CAPMrecognised risk (beta) as the key explanatory variable of returns. The CAPMremains the backbone of modern financial theory and is the basis against which all new developmentsare measured. Subsequent studies have attempted to find other explanatory variables of return other than beta. Banz (1981) found evidence of a relationship between size and returns later referred to as the size effect. Chen (1981 and 1983) found that after adjusting for risk factors, the size effect did not yield high returns adequately, thus challenging Banz's findings. In 1985, Chan, Chen and Hsieh using macro and micro economic variables found that given more accurate estimates of beta, no sized-based differences in returns could be observed. Reinganumin 1981 found evidence of high earnings-price (EjP) shares yielding abnormally high returns. He further found a strong relationship between size and earnings-to-price (EjP) ratio. Bhandari (1988) suggested that in addition to beta and size, leverage also played an important explanatory role of returns. Related studies by Basu (1977), Chan, Hamao and Lakonishok (1991) and Jegadeesh (1992) found a multi-variable explanation of returns - market equity, beta, EjP ratio, size and other non-market factors. The combination of these factors led to the conclusion that the CAPM model had been misspecified. Fama and French (1992 and 1995) expanded the research and sought to establish the multi-dimensionality of beta. They found, inter alia, that equities with a high book value vis-a-vis their price realised higher returns than their counterparts. They further found profitability to be positively related to size. This led to a new ratio in financial analysis, the price book ratio (PB). The PB ratio has never emerged as a prominent analytical tool in the financial sector and has historically been superseded by the price earnings (PE) ratio. The author therefore seeks to establish the raison d' etre for the status quo by undertaking an empirical study of the JSE Securities Exchange for the period commencing 1989 and ending 1998. Using financial data obtainable from annual financial statements, the author proceeded to calculate PE and PB ratios. Tracing the mathematical derivation of the two ratios and using the Pearson correlation coefficient, trend analysis and the Spearman Rank correlation test, the author found that there exists prima facie evidence to suggest that the PE ratio could be used as a proxy for the PB ratio. This offers a partial explanation of the inconspicuous role of the PB ratio as an explanatory tool. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Akademici, analiste en beleggers stel steeds belang in en strewe om faktore wat beleggingsopbrengste en aandeleprysbewegings bepaal, met sekerheid te identifiseer. In 1953 het Maurice Kendal, gebaseer op die werk van Louis Bachelier, getoon dat aandelepryse 'n ewekansige patroon volg en as gevolg hiervan nie met sekerheid voorspel kan word nie. Navorsing het twee denkrigtings tot gevolg gehad naamlik fundamentele ontleding en tegniese analise. Fundamentele ontleding veronderstel dat winsgewende beleggingsgeleenthede vanuit 'n deeglik oorweegde impak analise van huidige en historiese data gemaak kan word. Tegniese analise stel voor dat toekomstige prysbewegings uit vorige prysbewegings afgelei en voorspel kan word, óf anders gestel, dat patrone hulself oor 'n sekere periode herhaal. Die stogastiese lopie teorie van Kendall is gevolg deur die markpryswaarderingsmodel (MPM) wat deur Sharpe (1964), Lintner (1965) en Black (1972) ontwikkel en verfyn is. Die MPM stel risiko (beta) as 'n sentrale veranderlike wat opbrengste voorspel. Die MPM vorm steeds die primêre uitgangspunt van finansiële teorie en die basis waaraan nuwe ontwikkelings gemeet word. Voortspruitend uit die voorafgaande studies, is daar gepoog om verdere veranderlikes anders as beta te ondersoek wat opbrengste voorspel. Banz (1981) toon aan dat daar 'n verhouding bestaan tussen grootte en opbrengste - naamlik die grootte-effek. Chen (1981 en 1983) het die gevolgtrekking gemaak dat die grootte-effek nie genoegsame hoë opbrengste lewer nadat risikofaktore in berekening gebring is nie. Gevolglik is Banz se bevindinge bevraagteken. In 1985 het Chan, Chen en Hsieh deur die gebruik van makro en mikro-ekonomiese veranderlikes bevind dat, gegewe 'n meer akkurate bepaling van beta, geen grootte gebaseerde opbrengste waargeneem kon word nie. Reinganum (1981) bevind dat bewyse bestaan dat aandele met hoë verdienste-prys abnormaal hoë opbrengste getoon het. Sterk verhoudings tussen grootte en die aandeel se prysverdienste verhouding is waargeneem. Bhandari (1988), in verdere navorsing in hierdie verband, stel dat in aanvulling tot die gebruik van die beta-koëffisient en grootte, hefboomwerking ook 'n belangrike bydrae lewer in die bepaling van opbrengste. Verbandhoudende studies deur Basu (1977), Chan, Hamao en Lakonishok (1991) en Jegadeesh (1992) stel dat opbrengste verduidelik kan word aan die hand van verskeie veranderlikes, naamlik markekwiteit, beta, prysverdienste verhouding, grootte en ander nie-markverwante faktore. Die kombinering van hierdie faktore het gelei tot die gevolgtrekking dat die MPM model verkeerd gespesifiseerd was. Fama en French (1992 en 1995) se navorsing poog om die multi-dimensionaliteit van beta te bepaal. Hulle bevind onder andere dat aandele wat 'n hoë boekwaarde teenoor prys, 'n hoër verdienste of opbrengs oplewer as ander aandele. Verder is bevind dat 'n positiewe korrelasie tussen winsgewendheid en grootte bestaan. Dit het gelei tot 'n nuwe verhouding in finansiële analise, naamlik die prys-tot-boek verhouding (PB). Die PB-verhouding het egter nooit in die finansiële sektor gerealiseer as 'n prominente analitiese metode nie en word histories deur die prysverdienste verhouding oorskadu. Die skrywer wil gevolglik die raison d' etre vasstel vir die status quo deur 'n empiriese studie van die Johannesburgse Effektebeurs vir die periode 1989 tot 1998 te onderneem. Deur jaarlikse finansiële state te ontleed, is die prysverdienste en prys-tot-boek verhoudings bereken. Deur 'n wiskundige afleiding van die twee verhoudings te maak, die Pearson korrelasiekoëffisient, tendensanalise en die Spearman rang korrelasiekoëffisienttoets te gebruik, het die skrywer bevind dat daar prima facie getuienis bestaan dat die prysverdienste verhouding ook gebruik kan word as 'n ekwivalent vir die prys-tot-boek verhouding. Dit bied 'n gedeeltelike verklaring van die ontoereikende rol van die prys-tot- boek verhouding as 'n verklarende veranderlike.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 25-28, 1993 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / System performance can be ascertained via a number of parameters; one of which is Signal-to-Noise ratio (SNR). SNR is the ratio of the value of the signal to the value of the noise. It is generally expressed in decibels and usually a function of the system bandwidth. Another measure of performance is the Noise-Power ratio (NPR). NPR is the ratio of the noise level within a specific measurement channel when noise is applied to all channels, to the level that is measured within the specific channel with noise applied to all of the channels but not the specific channel.

Although the vertical jump has long been an accepted and valuable test of explosive strength and physical ability, the major factors affecting performance have not been isolated. This study was designed to investigate vertical-jump performance in relation to certain foot measurements. Two ratios comprised of heel/foot length and arch length/foot length were correlated to vertical-jump performance.

The principle of subsidiarity in a criminal law Summary The Master's degree thesis analyzes the principle of subsidiarity in a criminal law as an actual topic beacause this principle is included in the new czech penal code in art. 12 para 2: "The crime responsibility and its consequences can be applied only in social harmful cases if an application of an other kind of a law responsibility is insufficient." However before the new penal code was passed the czech Constitutional Court and Supreme Court had dealed with the principle of subsidiarity in a criminal law in their judgments. The first chapter reports on a general definition of the principle of subsidiarity and the ultima ratio principle and concludes that the phrasing in the citied art. 12 para 2 is too "thin" because the criminal law should be subsidiary not only to the other law but also to the all social tools. The second chapter deals with the principle of subsidiarity as a rule for an interpretation. In the new czech penal code this principle can be used only for the interpretation of these words describing crimes which are not expressed to unequivocal. The next chapter refers to the german "theory of law goods" (Rechtsgutstheorie) and the term social harm. The judgements of the german Constitutional Court are taken into consideration. The...

This thesis is focused on the financial analysis of Pivovary Staropramen Company. The work is divided into theoretical and practical. The theoretical section explains the general scope of financial analysis, sources of information for financial analysis, users of financial analysis and most importantly, the methods of financial analysis. The practical part is devoted to the application of financial analysis by Pivovary Staropramen Company. Conclusion is drawn about the financial health of the company with some suggestions for improvement.

O presente trabalho se dispõe a discutir como Schopenhauer elabora seu princípio de razão suficiente, em sua primeira versão (1813), e qual a concepção de verdade empregada pelo autor para justificar o modo de operacionalização da segunda classe - ratio cognoscendi - do referido princípio e como ela se relaciona com as demais. Em face dessas duas questões apresenta-se como o autor desenvolve sua teoria do conhecimento conceitual e dos juízos. Também se busca discutir como a ciência, um saber abstrato, é sistematizada, dado que ela é um conjunto de conhecimentos homogêneos que depende de conceitos e tem sua organização expressada segundo a ratio cognoscendi. Por fim, a presente dissertação esclarece que a verdade nem sempre é o caso, pois, ao Homem, ocorre a capacidade do riso, fenômeno, o qual demonstra que nem sempre o princípio de razão e a concepção de verdade, que é uma de suas expressões e mostra a congruência entre as classes, é obedecido. / This work presents a discussion about how Schopenhauer elaborates his principium rationis sufficientis, in it first version (1813), and which is the truth conception used by the author to justify the way of second class works - ratio cognoscendi - of it principle and how it is the relation among another ones. In face of this two questions, we present how author developes his theory of conceptual knowledge and judgments. We also expect to discuss how science, abstract knowledge (Wissen) is systematized, in so far as it is a class of homogeny knowledges that depend on concepts and have it organization express by ratio cognoscend. Finally, this dissertation explains why truth sometimes is not the case, because to human being happens the laughter capacity, phenomenon, which is one of it expressions and shows the incongruity of the classes, is satisfied.

Leung, Siu Lun. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2013. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 153-190). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts also in Chinese.

It is of great importance to be able to unambiguously interpret deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) profiles, especially with Low Template (LT) DNA and mixture DNA that may contain major and minor contributors. Reducing stochastic effects, such as heterozygote peak imbalance, dropouts, and stutter artifacts have been studied by scientists in order to improve the evaluation of low quality DNA profile. There has been much research on a compatible solute, trehalose, in its effectiveness in enhancing the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), especially with GC-rich templates of DNA, and thermal stabilizing Thermus Aquaticus (Taq) DNA polymerases. Based on previous research, the effect of trehalose on peak heights, peak height ratios, and stutter ratios (n-1) from 15 short tandem repeats (STR) loci of the AmpFℓSTR® Identifiler® Plus PCR Amplification Kit was evaluated with 0.025ng, 0.05ng, 0.1ng, and 1ng of DNA, through the addition of 0M (control), 0.2M, and 0.4M of trehalose for each quantity of DNA. Although there was an observation regarding changes in average peak heights at 1ng of DNA with the addition of 0.2M, and 0.4M of trehalose, no conclusions could be made with the average peak heights for 0.025ng, 0.05ng, 0.1ng, and 1ng of DNA. The reason is that the propagation of pipetting error during the preparation of each batch could have contributed to the difference in the amount of DNA between each conditions which can be directly reflected in peak heights. Furthermore, unexpected discrepancy between the average peak heights for 0.1ng of DNA from the first and the second experiments rendered 0.1ng of DNA incompatible for comparison. With regards to average peak height ratios for 0.025ng, 0.05ng, 0.1ng, and 1ng of DNA, and average reverse stutter ratios for 0.1ng, and 1ng of DNA, there were no evidence to suggest that 0.2M or 0.4M of trehalose had any effects. Consistent trends for 0.1ng (Exp. 1 and 2) and 1ng of DNA from a statistical analysis through one-way ANOVA of individual loci, suggested that trehalose may have varying effects on certain loci. However, this observation must be approached with caution as it is uncertain whether unique trends across each data sets for certain loci were observed by chance due to small sample sizes or due to mechanisms of stutters and trehalose that are currently unknown. Future studies regarding the effect of trehalose on peak heights should be done with more precision through minimizing pipetting error, which can be accomplished by preparing one batch from which aliquots are taken. The result of the research does not show enough evidence to prove the usefulness of trehalose since the addition of trehalose does not yield consistently higher average peak heights and peak height ratios, and lower average reverse stutter ratios across 15 STR loci. Therefore, our results do not support that 0.2M and 0.4M of trehalose are useful within the parameter of forensic DNA analysis as they do not enhance the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and improve stochastic effects for DNA profiles.