This study empirically investigates the role Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) play in the economic growth of Zambia from 1992: Q1 to 2015: Q4. The main aim of the study is to find out if DFIs enhance economic growth in Zambia and if the growth witnessed over the study period was in fact improved by these inflows. Additionally, a multiple regression is run against the exchange rate, inflation unemployment and interest rate to further analyse the interaction of these variables with DFI inflows and how they have impacted the growth levels experienced in Zambia. The findings show that the impact DFIs on the GDP are ambiguous. In current period and DFI lagged to 2 periods prior, has a depressing effect whilst DFI lagged one period has an encouraging effect on GDP levels. Furthermore, from the cointegration tests, it is evident that there is a long run relationship that exists, signifying that the positive effects of DFIs can be felt in future periods especially if deployed to key sectors. The regression results of the other variables are in line with macro-economic theory which suggests that DFI inflows need to be supplemented with stable macro conditions to boost the degree of positive impact on GDP. To ensure future benefit to Zambia from DFI inflows; recommendations preferred to authorities inferred from the findings include, directing of these funds to job and revenue generating sectors that can increase export revenue. These sectors may include agriculture and manufacturing. Furthermore, it is cardinal that institutional infrastructures are put in place that effect legal and monitoring framework to ensure efficient deployment of these funds within the economy.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science May 23, 2017 / The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship and direction between electricity consumption and gross domestic product including energy infrastructure as a third variable in South Africa using the time series data from 1993 to 2015. The relationship was modelled in South Africa focusing on the industry sectors that influence economic growth and using techniques such as ARIMA model, Multivariate Regression Analysis, Vector Autoregressive and Granger Causal Test. The Vector Autoregressive model performed better than Multivariate Regression analysis in modelling the relationship between consumption and economic growth in South Africa. The Granger causal effect illustrated a direction from consumption to economic growth and again Granger cause effect from infrastructure to economic growth. The results from these models revealed that there was a relationship between electricity consumption and economic growth, as well as electricity infrastructure. South Africa supports a growth hypothesis meaning that South Africa is energy dependent. The results of the study signals that the electricity consumption of South Africa have an effect on the economic growth. / MT 2017

Acorns of red oaks (Quercus spp; Subgenus Erythrobalanus) are important forage for wildlife and seed for oak regeneration. I estimated production of viable acorns by red oaks in 5 forests in the Mississippi Alluvial Valley (MAV) and 2 greentree reservoirs (GTRs) in Mississippi. Mean acorn production in the MAV was 439 kg(dry)/ha of red oak crown (CV = 29%) during autumn-winter 2009-2010 and 794 kg/ha (CV = 19%) in GTRs during autumn-winters 2008-2010. I recommend researchers sample acorn production in the MAV for ≥5 years to improve precision of estimates (i.e., CV ≤ 15%). I estimated mass and gross energy (GE) of viable red oak acorns after 90 days in unflooded and flooded hardwood bottomlands in Mississippi. Within species, mass loss of acorns was <8.4% and variation in GE ≤0.08 kcal(dry)/g. Winter decomposition of intact viable red oak acorns would have minimal effect on wildlife carrying capacity of hardwood bottomlands.

A proposal was made by Albert Burger and Anatol Balbach to measure the money stock by excluding foreign holdings of U. S. dollars. This measure termed "domestic money stock" was tested against Ml to observe which was the least variable and which would predict GNP with the least error. The test were conducted by using Leonall Andersen's "monetary model of nominal income determination." The final results showed that due to the closeness in the percentage change of the two measures of the money stock, that little if any of the two measures had different values for variability, and both predicted nominal GNP with the same error. / Master of Arts

This study was conducted to compare the gizzard integrity between two broilers flocks, one under a no antibiotics ever (NAE) program and the other from a conventionally raised flock (CONV). One-hundred Ross 708 x Ross YPM broiler chickens from two flocks of the same company but raised under two distinct management systems were allocated for this study. At 1, 14, 28 and 42 days of age, birds from both flocks were received at the Poultry Research and Diagnostic Laboratory. Gross and histopathologic evaluations of gizzard lesions and microbiological determinations of the gizzard mucosa were conducted and body and gizzard weights were recorded. Birds under both programs showed very similar growth rates, however gizzards were heavier in the birds under the CONV program. The birds under the NAE program had higher gross gizzard lesion scores at days 1, 14, 28 and 42, with statistical significance at day 42 (P<0.05). Histopathologically, the birds under the NAE program had greater gizzard lesion scores compared to the CONV flock at days 14 and 28, however no statistical significance was established. Escherichia coli was more frequently isolated from the birds under the CONV program. According to these observations, gross and microscopic gizzard lesions appeared to be more associated with the NAE program.

No description available.

Terrestrial ecosystems provide a substantial carbon sink that helps mitigate climate change, sequestering roughly 30% of anthropogenic carbon emissions annually. However, the long-term future of this sink is not well understood. In this dissertation, I use satellite remote sensing, in-situ measurements, and models to improve understanding of the nature and magnitude of spatial and temporal variation in the primary productivity of Eastern Deciduous Forests of the United States. In my first research chapter, I use remote sensing to model to the phenology of two key variables that control forest productivity: leaf area index (LAI) and the fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (fAPAR). Results show that the relationship between remotely sensed vegetation indices and both LAI and fAPAR is strongly influenced by systematic variation in near infrared reflectance arising from seasonal changes in canopy shadow fraction that are independent of physical changes in forest canopy properties. In my second research chapter, I use estimates of gross primary production (GPP) derived from eddy covariance measurements at four temperate deciduous sites to model the phenology and controls on light use efficiency (LUE) within and across sites. Results show that multiple modes of variation in incoming radiation dominate daily and seasonal variation in LUE, and provide a refined basis for understanding how variability in environmental controls affect LUE and how the strength of these drivers change throughout the growing season. In my third research chapter, I use the long-term record of Landsat imagery, in-situ phenological observations, and estimates of GPP derived from eddy covariance measurements at two temperate deciduous forest sites to investigate how phenology controls interannual variability in GPP at these sites. Results demonstrate that phenology metrics derived from remote sensing are consistent with in-situ measurements, and that interaction between the timing of growing season anomalies and incoming radiation explains a significant proportion of interannual variation in GPP. Taken together, results from this dissertation demonstrate how variation in phenology and LUE control variation in deciduous forest productivity, which is essential for reducing uncertainty in how future climate changes will impact the carbon budget of deciduous forest ecosystems.

No presente trabalho, estudamos a possibilidade de se produzir um Condensado de Bose-Einstein em um estado excitado de um potencial confinante. Vimos que, com um campo externo oscilante, é possível transferir átomos do estado fundamental para um estado excitado qualquer. Se esse campo oscilar próximo da freqüência de transição entre os dois modos, é possível aproximar esse sistema para um de dois níveis. Analisando numericamente a evolução temporal das populações de cada nível, vimos que há oscilações de população do tipo Rabi. Estas oscilações variam de acordo com a forma espacial, a intensidade e com a dessintonia do campo aplicado. Vimos, também, que há a formação de franjas do tipo Ramsey, ao aplicarmos um campo oscilatório com dois pulsos separados. Além disso, definindo um parâmetro de ordem como sendo a diferença entre a média temporal da população de cada estado, é possível caracterizar um tipo de transição de fase no condensado. Estudamos como a forma do campo externo interfere na transição de fase, caracterizada pelo parâmetro de ordem. Obtemos também, um valor crítico do campo no qual ocorre essa transição. / In this work, we have studied the possibility of producing a Bose-Einstein Condensate in an excited state of a confining potential. We have seen that, with a oscillatory external field, it is possible to transfer atoms from the ground state to any excited state. If this field oscillates near the transition frequency between the two modes, it is possible to approximate that system to a two-level system. Analyzing numerically the temporal evolution of population of each level, we have seen there are Rabi-like oscillations of population. This oscillations vary according to the spacial shape, the intensity and the detuning of the applied field. We have also seen there is a Ramsey-like fringes formation, if we apply an oscillatory field with separate two pulses. Moreover, defining an order parameter as being a difference between the population time average of each level, it is possible to characterize a kind of phase transition in the condensate. We have studied how the shape of the external field interferes in the phase transition, characterized by the order parameter. We have also obtained a critical value for the field in which that transition occurs.

No presente trabalho, estudamos a possibilidade de se produzir um Condensado de Bose-Einstein em um estado excitado de um potencial confinante. Vimos que, com um campo externo oscilante, é possível transferir átomos do estado fundamental para um estado excitado qualquer. Se esse campo oscilar próximo da freqüência de transição entre os dois modos, é possível aproximar esse sistema para um de dois níveis. Analisando numericamente a evolução temporal das populações de cada nível, vimos que há oscilações de população do tipo Rabi. Estas oscilações variam de acordo com a forma espacial, a intensidade e com a dessintonia do campo aplicado. Vimos, também, que há a formação de franjas do tipo Ramsey, ao aplicarmos um campo oscilatório com dois pulsos separados. Além disso, definindo um parâmetro de ordem como sendo a diferença entre a média temporal da população de cada estado, é possível caracterizar um tipo de transição de fase no condensado. Estudamos como a forma do campo externo interfere na transição de fase, caracterizada pelo parâmetro de ordem. Obtemos também, um valor crítico do campo no qual ocorre essa transição. / In this work, we have studied the possibility of producing a Bose-Einstein Condensate in an excited state of a confining potential. We have seen that, with a oscillatory external field, it is possible to transfer atoms from the ground state to any excited state. If this field oscillates near the transition frequency between the two modes, it is possible to approximate that system to a two-level system. Analyzing numerically the temporal evolution of population of each level, we have seen there are Rabi-like oscillations of population. This oscillations vary according to the spacial shape, the intensity and the detuning of the applied field. We have also seen there is a Ramsey-like fringes formation, if we apply an oscillatory field with separate two pulses. Moreover, defining an order parameter as being a difference between the population time average of each level, it is possible to characterize a kind of phase transition in the condensate. We have studied how the shape of the external field interferes in the phase transition, characterized by the order parameter. We have also obtained a critical value for the field in which that transition occurs.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, 2005. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 79-88).