In this technical note we use insights from the theory of projective geometry to provide novel and non-algebraic proofs of convergence of continuous-time fictitious play for a class of games. As a corollary we obtain a kind of equilibrium selection result, whereby continuous-time fictitious play converges to a particular equilibrium contained in a continuum of equivalent equilibria for symmetric 4x4 zero-sum games.

Fictitious play is a classical learning process for games, and games with strategic complementarities are an important class including many economic applications. Knowledge about convergence properties of fictitious play in this class of games is scarce, however. Beyond games with a unique equilibrium, global convergence has only been claimed for games with diminishing returns [V. Krishna, Learning in games with strategic complementarities, HBS Working Paper 92-073, Harvard University, 1992]. This result remained unpublished, and it relies on a specific tie-breaking rule. Here we prove an extension of it by showing that the ordinal version of strategic complementarities suffices. The proof does not rely on tie-breaking rules and provides some intuition for the result.

Fictitious Play is the oldest and most studied learning process for games. Since the already classical result for zero-sum games, convergence of beliefs to the set of Nash equilibria has been established for several classes of games, including weighted potential games, supermodular games with diminishing returns, and 3×3 supermodular games. Extending these results, we establish convergence of Continuous-time Fictitious Play for ordinal potential games and quasi-supermodular games with diminishing returns. As a by-product we obtain convergence for 3×m and 4×4 quasi-supermodular games.

The aim of the thesis is to evaluate the state of financial literacy at the Masaryk Business Academy in Rakovnik and make academic recommendations to improve financial literacy education at this school. This thesis consists of two parts. The first part explains the theoretical concepts of financial literacy and assesses the state of financial literacy in the Czech Republic. The second part is about Masaryk Business Academy in Rakovnik. There is general information about the school, teaching financial literacy and the level of comprehension with regard to financial literacy of students at this school. This part also contains suggestions to improve financial literacy at the Masaryk Business Academy in Rakovnik

This thesis was aimed developing a fundamental understanding of the boundary layer response to arbitrary motion. In this context arbitrary motion was defined as the unsteady translation and rotation of an object. Research objectives were developed from the gaps in knowledge as defined during the literature survey. The objectives were divided into three main activities; mathematical formulations for non-inertial bulk flow and boundary layer equations, implementation of said formulations in a numerical solver and simulations for various applications in arbitrary motion. Mathematical formulations were developed for the bulk flow and boundary layer equations in arbitrary motion. It was shown that the conservation of momentum and energy equations remains invariant in the non-inertial forms. The conservations of momentum equation can at most have six fictitious terms for unsteady arbitrary motion. The origin of the terms were found to be from transformation of the material derivative to the non-inertial frame. All fictitious terms were found to be present in the boundary layer equations, none could be eliminated during an order of magnitude analysis. The vector form of the non-inertial equations were implemented in a novel OpenFOAM solver. The non-inertial solver requires prescribed motion input and operate on a stationary mesh. Validation of the solver was done using analytical solutions of a steady, laminar flat plate and rotating disk respectively. Numerical simulation were done for laminar flow on a translating plate, rotating disk and rotating cone in axial flow. A test matrix was executed to investigated various cases of acceleration and deceleration over a range of 70 g to 700 000g. The boundary layer profiles, boundary layer parameters and skin friction coefficients were reported. Three types of boundary layer responses to arbitrary motion were defined. Response Type I is viscous dominant and mimics the steady state velocity profile. In Response Type II certain regions of the boundary layer are dominated by viscosity and others by momentum. Response Type III is dominated by momentum. In acceleration the near-wall velocity gradient increases with increasing acceleration. In deceleration separation occurs at a result of momentum changes in the flow. The mechanism that causes these responses have been identified using the developed boundary layer equations. In acceleration the relative frame fictitious terms become a momentum source which results in an increase in velocity gradient at the wall. In deceleration the relative frame fictitious terms become a momentum sink that induced an adverse pressure gradient and subsequently laminar separation. / Hierdie tesis is gerig op die ontwikkeling van 'n fundamentele begrip aangaande die grenslaag reaksie op arbitrêre beweging. In hierdie konteks word arbitrêre beweging gedefinieer as die ongestadigde translasie en rotasie van 'n voorwerp. Navorsingsdoelwitte is ontwikkel uit die gapings soos omskryf in die literatuuroorsig. Die doelwitte is verdeel in drie hoof aktiwiteite; wiskundige formulerings vir ongestadigde vloei en grenslaag vergelykings, implementering van hierdie formulerings in 'n numeriese kode en simulasies vir verskeie gevalle van arbitrêre beweging. Wiskundige formulerings is ontwikkel vir die vloei en grenslaag vergelykings in arbitrêre beweging. Daar is bewys dat die behoud van massa en energie vergelykings onveranderd in die nie-inertiële vorms bly. Die behoud van momentum vergelyking kan hoogstens ses fiktiewe terme vir ongestadigde, arbitrêre beweging hê. Die oorsprong van die terme is vanuit die transformasie van die ongestadigde en adveksie terme (aan die linker kant van die momentum vergelyking) na die nie-inertiële raam. Alle fiktiewe terme is teenwoordig in die grenslaag vergelykings. Die vektor vorm van die nie-inertiële vergelykings is in 'n nuwe OpenFOAM oplosser geïmplementeer. Die nie-inertiële oplosser vereis voorgeskrewe beweging insette en werk op 'n stilstaande rooster. Die oplosser is getoets teen analitiese oplossings van 'n gestadigde, laminêre plaat plaat en 'n roterende skyf, onderskeidelik. Numeriese simulasies is gedoen vir laminêre vloei op 'n translerende plaat, roterende skyf en roterende konus in aksiale vloei. 'n Toets matriks is gebruik om ondersoek in te stel na gevalle van versnelling en vertraging oor 'n verskeidenheid van 70 g tot 700 000 g. Die grenslaag profiele, grenslaag parameters en oppervlak wrywingskoëffisiënte is aangemeld nie. Drie tipes grenslaag reaksies op arbitrêre beweging is gedefinieer. Reaksie Tipe I is viskeus dominant en boots die bestendige snelheidsprofiel na. In reaksie Tipe II sekere dele van die grenslaag is oorheers deur viskositeit en ander deur momentum. Reaksie Tipe III word in totaliteit oorheers deur momentum. In versnelling die snelheid helling teen die objek neem toe met toenemende versnelling. In vertraging is 'n negatiewe snelheidsprofiel waargeneem as gevolg van momentum veranderinge in die vloei. Die meganisme wat hierdie reaksies veroorsaak is geïdentifiseer deur die grenslaag vergelykings. In versnelling word die fiktiewe terme 'n bron van momentum. Dit lei tot 'n toename in snelheid helling op die objek. In vertraging word die fiktiewe terme 'n momentum gebruiker wat 'n negatiewe drukgradiënt veroorsaak en gevolglik laminêre vloei wegbreking veroorsaak. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering / PhD / Unrestricted

Concrete structures represent a huge investment in terms of materials and energy and they lead to significant environmental impacts. Thus, there is a need to choose the most sustainable and eco-friendly alternative. From this perspective, this report aims to evaluate the environmental impacts associated with the construction of two fictitious structures: a bridge and a tunnel. To fully assess and fairly compare the environmental burdens of those two structures, the life cycle assessment (LCA) has been chosen. Prior to the case studies, the LCA process is described and a literature review related to LCAs of road structures is performed thus revealing the key facts and key figures of such studies. Based on this literature review, a simplified LCA is performed; it relies on public databases and only takes into account the construction phase. Because of data constraints, the indicators that are considered are NOx, SO2 and CO2 emissions, and the categories that are taken into account are energy consumption, global warming potential and photochemical oxidant formation. Characterization factors come from the REciPE method. Three different stages are considered and compared during this LCA study; the production of materials, the construction processes and the transportation phase. Results show that the environmental impacts of the bridge are higher than the ones of the tunnel and that the amount of concrete has a strong influence on the final results and consequently on the interpretation phase. This study also emphasizes the importance of assumptions and describes their potential influence on the final results by considering two different alternatives related to the concrete’s manufacturing. Making the concrete directly on site instead of bringing it by truck significantly decreases the environmental impacts of both structures; indeed, for the bridge structure, it leads to a diminution in CO2 emissions, global warming potential and energy consumption by more than 60%. The main constraint of this study has been the data collection for the life cycle inventory; indeed, many data were missing or coming from different public databases which result in a lack of thoroughness and precision (e.g. different geographical representativeness). Results of this study strongly depend on the various assumptions and on the data that have been collected, and technical choices, methodologies of construction or structural design mainly depend on the project’s location; consequently, results and conclusions cannot be generalized and should be handled carefully.

Магистерская работа включает в себя: введение, три главы, заключение, список использованных источников и приложение. Во введение описывается актуальность выбранной темы диссертационного исследования, определены цели для исследования, указан объект и предмет исследования, приведена теоретико-методологическая основа исследования и эмпирическая база, определена практическая значимость. Теоретическая часть данной работы включает в себя теоретические данные, которое были собраны на основе российских и зарубежных методик. Практическая часть работы заключается в анализе предприятия публичного акционерного общества «Трубная металлургическая компания» дается полная оценка его финансового состояния, проводиться анализ на основании методов оценки вероятности по банкротству предприятия. И в самой последней главе описываются факты фиктивного банкротства, способы борьбы с ними и программы поддержки предпринимательства при банкротстве на государственном уровне, разбираются положительные и отрицательные стороны выбранных программ и способы по их уличению. В заключении подводятся все итоге по проведенному исследованию, выдвигаются основные выводы. / Master's work include: introduction, three chapters, conclusion, list of references and application. The introduction describes the relevance of the chosen topic of the dissertation research, defines the goals for the research, indicates the object and subject of the research, provides the theoretical and methodological basis of the research and the empirical base, and determines the practical significance. The theoretical part of this work includes theoretical data, which were collected based on Russian and foreign methods. The practical part of the work consists in the analysis of the enterprise of the public joint-stock company "Pipe Metallurgical Company", a complete assessment of its financial condition is given, an analysis is carried out because of methods for assessing the probability of bankruptcy of the enterprise. And the very last chapter describes the facts of fictitious bankruptcy, ways to deal with them and programs to support entrepreneurship in bankruptcy at the state level, examines the positive and negative aspects of the selected programs and ways to catch them. In conclusion, all the results of the study are summed up, the main conclusions are put forward.

Submitted by Marlene Aparecida de Souza Cardozo (mcardozo@pucsp.br) on 2018-06-12T12:20:23Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Gléssia Juliany Brasiliano Veras.pdf: 2337734 bytes, checksum: 70bfe3249723af7d4d7adafa57740794 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-06-12T12:20:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Gléssia Juliany Brasiliano Veras.pdf: 2337734 bytes, checksum: 70bfe3249723af7d4d7adafa57740794 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-03-12 / The present research aims at developing a study on the similarities between the character Dona Redonda, in the telenovela Saramandaia (1976/original version and 2013/remake) by Dias Gomes, and the character Bárbara, in the short story Bárbara (1947) by Murilo Rubião, which can be understood as a form of retextualization. The concept of retextualization refers to a type of translation process that emphasizes the creation of a new text from a previous one, bringing the past back to present while promoting future possibilities for the creation of new texts (PLAZA, 2008). Retextualization implies that all forms of text are intersections of different textual bodies, that is, the so-called rewritings or translations which will always establish connections with previous texts. The analysis focuses on identifying and reflecting upon the points that intertwine such works in terms of similarity, by observing the relationship between them, remarkably perceived through the concept of the magical realism, genre shared by both works. This study also intends to reveal in which sense the character Bárbara, by Murilo Rubião, bears similarities to Dona Redonda, in the fictional world of Saramandaia / Este trabalho tem como objetivo desenvolver um estudo sobre as aproximações entre a personagem Dona Redonda da obra Saramandaia (1976/original e 2013/refilmagem), de Dias Gomes, como uma forma de retextualização da personagem Bárbara do conto Bárbara (1947), do autor Murilo Rubião. O conceito de retextualização refere-se a um tipo de processo tradutório cuja ênfase é a criação de um novo texto a partir de um texto prévio, o qual traz o passado para o presente, ao mesmo tempo em que lança possibilidades futuras para construção de novos textos (PLAZA, 2008). A retextualização implica que todas as formas de texto são intersecções de outras faces textuais, isto é, são traduções ou reescritas que dialogam entre si. Dessa forma, a análise proposta pretende identificar e traçar uma reflexão a respeito de questões que unem essas obras por similaridade, observando a relação entre elas expressa principalmente por meio do realismo maravilhoso, gênero que ambas as obras partilham. Este estudo se propõe a estudar de que forma a personagem Bárbara, de Murilo Rubião, se aproxima da personagem Dona Redonda, no mundo ficcional de Saramandaia

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2017-11-30T11:32:23Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Vanessa Alves Maximo dos Santos.pdf: 1791281 bytes, checksum: f0b2b15003ebd0802aafa8a1bd325c81 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-11-30T11:32:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Vanessa Alves Maximo dos Santos.pdf: 1791281 bytes, checksum: f0b2b15003ebd0802aafa8a1bd325c81 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-11-07 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Quixote, by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, whose first part came to light in 1605, is one of the best known works in world literature and has received several interpretations. A controversial subject concerns the proposal of Salvador de Madariaga y Rojo, who proposed a slow and persistent process of symbiosis between the characters Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, from the work Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, resulting in the sanchificación of dom Quixote and in Sancho's quixotization. The proposal, made in the first half of the twentieth century, caused great repercussion in the scope of the Cervantine studies. The present work seeks to analyze the speech and the behavior of the characters throughout the narrative, in order to confirm or not Madariaga's proposal and, for that, concentrates on the analysis of two chapters "Moinhos de Vento" (Chapter VIII) and "Cravilenho" (cap.XLI) that make up the first and second part of Quixote, respectively. The research, which is a critical one, has the basic support in the theoretical-methodological proposal of Systemic-Functional Linguistics (LSF), in which the interpersonal metafunction encompasses the notion of modality as welll as the notion of appraisal – subdivided in affection (emotions), judgement (ethic) and appreciation (aesthetics). SFL allows the relation of the lexical-grammatical choices of the microstructure of the text with the macrostructure of the power relations and discourse ideology. The research should answer the following questions: (a) What grammatical choices confirm the sanchification of Don Quixote and the quixotization of Sancho? (b) What role does appraisal play in this process? (c) How is social critique made in this context? The analysis proves that there is in fact a change in the character of both characters, in terms of a mutual influence that happens throughout the narrative, in which a more careful examination discloses the implicit social critique woven by Cervantes / O livro Quixote, de Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, cuja primeira parte veio a lume em 1605, é uma das obras mais conhecidas da literatura mundial e tem recebido várias interpretações. Um assunto controvertido, diz respeito à proposta de Salvador de Madariaga y Rojo, que propôs um processo de simbiose, lento e persistente, entre os personagens dom Quixote e Sancho Pança, da obra Quixote, de Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, resultando na sanchificação de dom Quixote e na quixotização de Sancho. A proposta, feita na primeira metade do século XX, provocou grande repercussão no âmbito dos estudos cervantinos. O presente trabalho tem o objetivo de analisar a fala e o comportamento das personagens ao longo da narrativa, a fim de confirmar, ou não, a proposta de Madariaga e, para tanto, concentra-se na análise de dois capítulos “Moinhos de Vento” (cap. VIII) e “Cravilenho” (cap.XLI) que compõem a primeira e a segunda parte de Quixote, respectivamente. A pesquisa, de cunho crítico, tem o apoio básico na proposta teórico-metodológica, da Linguística Sistêmico-Funcional (LSF), cuja metafunção interpessoal acolhe a noção de modalidade acrescida da avaliatividade – avaliação de afeto (emoções), julgamento (ética) e apreciação (estética), que inclui a avaliação social (avaliação de fenômenos sociais). A LSF permite relacionar as escolhas léxico-gramaticais da microestrutura do texto com a macroestrutura das relações de poder e de ideologia do discurso. Nesse contexto, incluímos questões referentes ao footing, à ameaça de face e de ironia. A pesquisa deve responder às seguintes perguntas: (a) Que escolhas gramaticais confirmam a sanchificação de dom Quixote e a quixotização de Sancho? (b) Que papel exerce a avaliatividade nesse processo? (c) Como é feita a crítica social nesse contexto? A análise comprova que há de fato uma mudança no caráter das duas personagens, em termos de uma mútua influência que acontece ao longo da narrativa, em que um exame detido capta a crítica social implícita tecida por Cervantes

He, Xiao. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 196-202). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.3 / Acknowledgement --- p.5 / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.8 / Chapter 1.1 --- Who are the Cosplayers? --- p.13 / Chapter 1.2 --- Why Cosplay? --- p.15 / Chapter 1.3 --- Why Hong Kong? --- p.17 / Chapter 1.4 --- Research Questions --- p.19 / Chapter 1.5 --- The Background of Cosplay --- p.21 / Chapter 1.6 --- Cosplay Events in Hong Kong --- p.24 / Chapter 1.6.1 --- Large-scale commercial conventions --- p.25 / Chapter 1.6.2 --- Cosplay and dôjinshi events held by universities --- p.27 / Chapter 1.6.3 --- Small-scale privately organized photo-taking events --- p.28 / Chapter 1.7 --- How to Get the Costumes --- p.31 / Chapter 1.8 --- Literature Review --- p.33 / Chapter 1.8.1 --- Globalization and Localization --- p.33 / Chapter 1.8.2 --- Youth Subculture and Fandom Culutre --- p.36 / Chapter 1.9 --- Methodology --- p.39 / Chapter 1.9.1 --- In-depth Interview --- p.39 / Chapter 1.9.2 --- Participant Observation --- p.40 / Chapter 1.9.3 --- Media Studies --- p.43 / Chapter 1.9.4 --- Language --- p.44 / Chapter 1.10 --- Outlines of the Chapters --- p.45 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- The Japaneseness for the Cosplayers --- p.48 / Chapter 2.1 --- Emphasis on Japanese Originality --- p.48 / Chapter 2.2 --- Japanese Elements in their Cyberculture --- p.56 / Chapter 2.3 --- High Reputation for Japan --- p.61 / Chapter 2.4 --- "From ""Odorless"" to ""Japanese""" --- p.66 / Chapter 2.5 --- Summary --- p.70 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Cosplayer Cyberculture --- p.73 / Chapter 3.1 --- Cosplayers Online --- p.74 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Public Space --- p.76 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Dark Space --- p.79 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Personal Space --- p.84 / Chapter 3.2 --- The Contradiction --- p.88 / Chapter 3.3 --- A Long-lasting Discussion: Effort or Enjoyment --- p.98 / Chapter 3.4 --- Summary --- p.105 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- "Pretty Girls, Pretty Boys, and Their Audiences" --- p.108 / Chapter 4.1 --- "Pretty Girls, Photographers, and the Other Girls" --- p.109 / Chapter 4.2 --- Pretty Boys --- p.116 / Chapter 4.3 --- Pretty Boys in Love --- p.132 / Chapter 4.4 --- Summary --- p.143 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- The Meanings of Cosplay --- p.146 / Chapter 5.1 --- Mainstream Values and the Education System in Hong Kong --- p.146 / Chapter 5.2 --- Cosplayers as Secondary School-Students --- p.150 / Chapter 5.3 --- The Meanings of Cosplay: Four Cases --- p.157 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- "Te's Story: ""I'm going to work in art and design""" --- p.157 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- "Tsu's Story: ""I mustn't let my parents knew that I'm cosplaying""" --- p.166 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- "Story of a Mother: ""I want to let her try anything that interests her""" --- p.171 / Chapter 5.3.4 --- "Saki's Story: ""Cosplay is just an interest after all'" --- p.175 / Chapter 5.4 --- Summary --- p.179 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Conclusion --- p.181 / Chapter 6.1 --- A Review of the Chapters --- p.181 / Chapter 6.2 --- Comparison with Previous Studies --- p.186 / Bibliography --- p.196