In this study, we present a 10-Gb/s coaxial-type laser modules package with signal input of single-end and differential-end designs, separately. By using the method of coaxial-type package with low-cost and high-performance characteristics, it can be applied to high-speed optical fiber communication, fiber to the home (FTTH), and passive-optical-network (PON) applications. Because the structure of traditional TO-Can header without proper modification, the laser module with single-end signal input design results in poor RF transmission characteristic. The notch filter effect induced by the parasitic inductance of the long lead and wires is becoming the traditional TO-Can¡¦s one of the major factors. A coaxial-type laser module with commercial TO-Can materials and an internal matching resistor of 18 ohms to reduce the signal reflection is used in this work. In single end signal modulation, The proposed coaxial laser module is fitted with an internal matching resistor of 18£[ to reduce the signal reflection. With the transmission signal of 231-1 and 10Gb/s operation, the coaxial-type laser module with single-end input can meet the mask of OC-192 standard and 26% eye mask margin. The laser module with the design of differential-end signal input that has two reverse voltage V+ and V- can reduce effect of the common-mode noise. Because the differential-signal input with shunt connection was adopted, the matching resistor of 39ohm was used for impedance matching. In addition, the laser module with common-mode signal input was also used to compare. The laser module with common-mode signal input was measured with ER (extinction-ratio) of 3.5dB and Jitter of 23ps. Due to the laser submount without optimization design, the laser module with differential-mode signal input can not be measured a good result.

This thesis develops a model of closed end bond funds that helps us better understand a recent finding in the literature. In 2012 Elton et al. published an empirical study of closed end bond funds (CEBFs) and they suggested that the use of leverage in CEBFs could explain the fact that these funds had higher returns than those of comparable open end funds. This thesis provides a framework for estimating the impact of leverage on expected return and risk in this context. We use a Merton type approach to model both unlevered and levered CEBFs. The assets of a CEBF are primarily risky bonds. Each of these risky bonds can be analysed in terms of options under the Merton approach. We create an unlevered CEBF model by extending Merton's model to a multi-firm framework to represent a CEBF composed of several risky bonds. We then add leverage by assuming the CEBF issues debt. This permits us to model the securities of a levered closed end bond fund as compound options. The equity and debt of the CEBF can be decomposed into options on a portfolio of options. This framework enables us to compute the expected rate of return and standard deviation of an unlevered and levered CEBF. We obtain results that are comparable to those observed in Elton et al.

Thesis (M.A.)--Columbia Biblical Seminary and Graduate School of Missions, Columbia, S.C., May 1995. / Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 142-149).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Concordia Seminary, 1997. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 141-145).

Thesis (M.B.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1991.

Shear walls are one of the most effective methods of resisting these lateral forces caused by seismic or wind load. The placement of these walls can be very influential on how the structure behaves. Since the end return of a shear wall is perpendicular to the lateral force, it is neglected for the purpose of resisting later force. This study will investigate whether or not the effect of end return on the rigidity of shear walls can be neglected. Two different building frames will be modeled using Finite Element Analysis software to see how they behave differently. Hand calculations will also be incorporated to check and verify the results obtained by the computer models. The moment of inertia is expected to be an important factor calculating the deflection of the shear wall due to bending, and the end return may significantly impact the magnitude of the moment of inertia. The objective of this study is to determine the effect of the end return on the rigidity of a shear wall.

The following is a recording of an inquisition into site and necessity – serving as design problem, catalysed by a thorough investigation of place. The town of Makhado in the Limpopo Province, serves as the subject of this proposition. The design problem is comprised of two proponents: Site and building, with the substance of the fore mentioned clarifying the intervention type of built form. The objective of locale extends to include not only a localised site and attributed programme, but more importantly the understanding of the macro - contextual landscape, of which the town is only a part. The design narrative begins with identifying those site-specific proponents of context, which comprised of culture and form; help interpret the resulting relationship as that places’ “vernacular” (Rapport, 1989). The study of “man-environments” throughout a spectrum of time and cultural character is initiated, identifying form making, with specific importance placed on the town itself. This study will however not remain exclusive to Makhado and its residents, but include it’s regional users - Emphasising the large demand by the latter placed on the town. The investigation thus asks to extend its search of context to these regional users, as the envisaged programme of the Trade and Transport Terminus seeks to include this partisan as permanent and temporal inhabitant. These users are comprised of long distance commuters, permanent residents and trades-people, currently residing elsewhere. There will exist then an amalgamation of partisans, whose reference of time and space occupation varies considerably. These references are dictated by their acute visual make-up, founded on identity of home, social and working space, and the conduct of ritual activity within these respective realms. It is thus by the understanding of these users’ contextual composition, ranging from signs and meanings to form making, that underpins the design investigation of this paper. The aim is to successfully collect and arrange the respective schemata of these users accordingly, making a legible environment within one that is already strictly defined. / Dissertation (MArch(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Architecture / unrestricted

In this work, I dealt with the field of Business Process Managent and Service Oriented Architecture. First I tried a comprehensive conceptual view of both through the definition of important principles. In BPM as a disciline I identified "life-cycle" as the most important principle for process optimization tools. For service-oriented architecture, I had to reduce the view to important principles related to composition of services. An important starting point in my work are the definitions of processes and services and their roles in BPM systems. It is a simplified view that helps connect modeled processes to Web services. Web services and orchestration is the most popular and most common usage of the service-oriented architecture. Composition is another important building block of SOA and is the basis for more realistic goals of SOA, such as greater enterprise agility, more efficient utilization of resources in the enterprise, etc. BPM discipline combines multiple elements and as it is typicaly multidisciplinary it combines process management and optimization through tools. These tools historically perform their roles well, but companies are now in a very competitive linked environment and must to behave differently. In my work I have stated firstly why would these areas could be beneficial to each other. The next part focused, what is the relationship with the life-cycle process for BPM and how it fits into the life-cycle services in SOA. Finally, I analyzed the current state mapping of BPMN, the most common notation for expressing processes in BPM, to BPEL. BPEL describes a process, but it is expressed as a programmatic sequential process, which is also executed in digital form. At work I have examined the role of the new version of the BPMN notation 2.0.

Aims: To evaluate end of life practices among hospitalised children who died of HIV/AIDS. Design: Retrospective chart review. Setting: A public, secondary and tertiary children's teaching hospital in a developing country. Patients: A consecutive series of in-patient deaths among HIV-infected children. Main Outcome Measures: Identification of patients as dying, presence of do not resuscitate (DNR) orders, documentation of comfort care plans, whether end of life decisions were discussed with parents or caretakers, nature of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in the last 24 hours of life, and presence of pain and distress in the last 48 hours of life. Results: 165 out of 167 in-patient deaths were reviewed. 79% of patients died in the general wards. The median age of patients was 4 months. The median length of hospitalisation was 6 days. 30% of patients fell in Category B. Patients with shorter lengths of stay were more likely to fall in Category B (median 4 days versus 7 days, P=0.0000). About 1 quarter of patients had a median length of stay of 25 days. 84% of patients had a DNR order, with a median of 4 days between admission and documentation of the order. DNR orders appeared simultaneously in only 41 % of medical and nursing entries. 39% and 63% respectively of doctors did not document their justification for the DNR order or whether it had been discussed with parents. 50% of patients were identified as dying. Terminology such as 'TLC' and 'keep comfortable' designated 44% of patients to receive comfort care only. The median time between admission and identifying a patient as dying and documenting a comfort plan was 5 days and 7 days respectively. In 44% of folders there was no indication of whether the comfort plan had been discussed with parents. 73% and 62% respectively of patients with comfort plans received IV fluids and IV antibiotics in their last 24 hours of life. 55% of patients who died in general wards experienced pain and distress in the last 48 hours of life. Respiratory symptomatology and oral and oesophageal candidiasis accounted for most discomfort. 2 in 5 patients with a comfort plan failed to receive analgesia, despite pain and distress. Conclusions: Despite extreme diagnostic and prognostic uncertainty, doctors made key end of life decisions. Doctors' practices often failed to meet procedural and ethical requirements in professional guidelines. Failure to discuss DNR orders or comfort plans with parents ignores their role as principal decision makers for their children. The low rate of comfort plans, compared to DNR orders, suggests doctors had difficulty making the transition from curative to palliative care. Many comfort plans were incoherent and included interventions neither meant for, nor likely to promote patients' comfort. Whilst fear of hastening death may explain doctors' reluctance to prescribe adequate analgesia, undertreating pain and distress in a dying child is of more concern morally and medically than the risk of suppressing respiratory effort. To achieve better end of life care for HIV-infected children, it will be necessary to improve practice patterns. A structured medical treatment plan that focuses on goals of care is proposed to manage transitions from life-sustaining treatment to palliation.

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