The purpose of the study is to empirically determine the relevance of PPP theory under the traditional arbitrage and the efficient markets (EPPP) frameworks during the recent floating period of the 1980s. Monthly data was collected for fifteen industrial nations from January 1980 to December 1986. The models tested included the short-run PPP, the long-run PPP, the EPPP, the EPPP with deviations from expectations, the forward rates as unbiased estimators of future spot rates, the EPPP and the forward rates, and the EPPP with forward rates and lagged values. A generalized regression method called Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR) was employed to test the models. The results support the efficient markets approach to PPP but fail to support the traditional PPP in both the short term and the long term. Moreover, the forward rates are poor and biased predictors of the future spot rates. The random walk hypothesis is generally supported.

<p dir="ltr">Parity non-conversation experiments provide a method to explore the weak interaction. Precision measurements of the weak interaction will lead to more limitations on beyond the standard model theories. Our lab will use a two-color coherent control to help us to extract the small amplitude of the weak interaction between the nucleons of the cesium nucleus. In this dissertation, I will discuss how our lab is investigating the anapole moment in cesium using rf and laser fields, along with future steps to finish the measurement.</p>

The study of topological superconductivity has been at the forefront of condensed matter physics for the past few years. Topological superconductors are predicted to have odd parity pairing and host so called Majorana fermions, which are not only of fundamental importance, but also proposed to be building blocks for fault-tolerant quantum computing. In this dissertation, we use point contact spectroscopy to study the pairing symmetry of candidate topological superconducting materials. We study proximity induced superconductivity in the topological insulator Bi2Se3 by a superconducting niobium tip, and propose a model to explain its features in point contact spectra. We further study the nature of the superconductivity in highly doped superconducting topological insulators, including CuxBi2Se3 and Sn1-xInxTe, using both a normal metal gold tip and a superconducting niobium tip. For CuxBi2Se3, we observe a robust zero-bias conductance peak (ZBCP) in the differential conductance spectra with the gold point contact, while with the niobium point contact we find the height of the peak exhibiting unusual non-monotonic temperature dependence. We argue that both observations cannot be explained by Andreev reflection within the standard Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk (BTK) model, but signify unconventional superconductivity in the material. For Sn1-xInxTe samples, we observe ZBCP in the differential conductance spectra with the gold point contact, while with the niobium point contact, the temperature dependence of ZBCP is monotonic as expected from conventional theory, leaving the nature of the superconductivity of Sn1-xInxTe still an open question.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 20-23, 2003 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC) codes are powerful codes capable of nearly achieving the Shannon channel capacity. This paper presents a tutorial introduction to LDPC codes, with a detailed description of the decoding algorithm. The algorithm propagates information about bit and check probabilities through a tree obtained from the Tanner graph for the code. This paper may be useful as a supplement in a course on error-control coding or digital communication.

ITC/USA 2015 Conference Proceedings / The Fifty-First Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 26-29, 2015 / Bally's Hotel & Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV / The US Army Yuma Proving Ground (YPG) utilizes telemetry in several critical ways. Data, video, and voice from test aircraft provides YPG the information necessary to effectively execute missions. This information must be displayed real-time for efficient use of available flight time, making a robust telemetry link vital. In seeking an increased telemetry downlink capability, YPG considered three new technologies: Space Time Coding (STC), Adaptive Equalization (EQ), and Low Density Parity Check (LDPC). These technologies have shown reduced multipath and increased datalink reliability on fixed-wing aircraft; however, YPG's concern was the technology's benefits on rotary wing aircraft tested here. To assess potential benefits of these technologies, YPG conducted flight tests using representative flight profiles and vendor-supplied equipment to collect quantitative and qualitative data.

Tout en s'inscrivant dans le cadre général de l'histoire des femmes et de l'histoire électoralecontemporaine, la thèse se veut d'abord une thèse d'histoire locale quantitative et fait appel égalementà quelques données relevant d'autres disciplines (science politique, droit public, sociologie). Tout endonnant lieu à une comparaison avec l'évolution constatée au plan national, la thèse s'intéresse àl'histoire d'une population donnée (toutes les catégories de femmes élues), dans un espacegéographique donné (le département de la Sarthe), sur une période donnée (1945-2010).L'augmentation du nombre de femmes élues et la diversification des fonctions auxquelles elles ontaccédé sont appréhendées au travers d'une interrogation qui exprime la problématique de la thèse, àsavoir : quelle est la portée de cette progression et quelle signification peut-on y donner ? En réponsela thèse s'efforce de montrer que cette progression quantitative des femmes élues s'est accompagnéed'un certain nombre de pratiques réglementaires ou comportementales qui en limitent la portée et ennuancent la signification. Le plan chronologique adopté permet de mettre en relief les trois phases quiont marqué l'histoire des femmes élues en Sarthe de 1945 à 2010 en reliant chacune à la problématiquegénérale. Cette articulation générale de la thèse débouche ainsi sur un plan en 3 parties intituléesrespectivement : Les années 1945/1970 : une présence tolérée, un statut inchangé ; Les années1970/1990 : une présence acceptée, une pression contenue ; Les années 1990 / 2010 : une présencereconnue, une inégalité maintenue. / Set in the general frame of the history of women and the contemporary electoral history, this thesis isprimarily a quantitative local history thesis which also includes some data from other fields (politicalscience, public law and sociology). As well as comparing it with the evolution noticed on a nationalscale, the thesis focuses therefore on the history of a given population (all the categories of electedwomen), in a given geographical area (the department of Sarthe), during a given time period (1945-2010).The increasing number of women elected in Sarthe from 1945 to 2010 and the diversification of theoffices they have had access to are grasped through a questioning typifying the problematic of thethesis, which is: what is the significance of this progress and what is the possible meaning of it? Toanswer this question, the thesis strives to show that this quantitative progress of elected women camewith some statutory or behavioral applications which limit its scope and qualify its meaning. Theadopted chronological outline emphasizes the three stages which marked the history of elected womenin Sarthe from 1945 to 2010, linking each of the stages to the general problematic. This generalarticulation of the thesis hence falls into three parts respectively entitled: The years 1945/1970: atolerated presence, an unchanged status; The years 1970/1990: an accepted presence, a containedpressure; The years 1990/2010: a recognized presence, a maintained inequality.

Philosophiae Doctor - PhD / The shortage of appropriate student housing in South Africa has been under the spotlight for the past few years. This has been made explicit by the Report on the Ministerial committee for the review of the provision of student housing at South African universities, revealing shocking realities regarding the State of student residences and deplorable conditions under which many students are forced to live. The inequalities in higher education as a result of the legacy of apartheid reflect glaring gaps in resources between Historically Advantaged Institutions (HAIs) and Historically Disadvantaged Institutions (HDIs). The inequity present within higher education impacts on student learning, as HAIs have more resources than HDIs, giving students attending these institutions a different exposure to opportunities. Having a safe, conducive space that facilitates learning is key to ensuring that students are able to learn properly. This research study uses the work of Nancy Fraser to understand how her notion of social justice and the ability to participate as equals (participatory parity) relates to residence life at a HDI in South Africa. Fraser contends that economic, cultural and political dimensions influence participatory parity and either enable or impede the achievement of social justice. The research study considers what suitable institutional arrangements need to be put in place to facilitate more equitable participation for students to enable them to flourish at university. This study is located at the student residences of the University of the Western Cape (UWC). A participatory action research (PAR) design was used, with the study conducted in two phases. The first phase targeted 40 students across UWC residences and used Participatory Learning and Action (PLA) techniques, including the ‘River of Life’ and ‘Community Mapping’. The second phase, involving the same 40 students, comprised a Photovoice process and individual interviews. Nancy Fraser’s participatory parity framework and the dimensions was used as a lens to make sense of the data. The findings of this study revealed several constraints and enablements which affected student learning, namely economic, cultural and political dimensions. The economic dimension revealed constraints relating to poorly resourced facilities, insufficient and ineffective services and problematic technology. Students reported how maldistribution of resources affected them when the lack of those resources prevented them from participating as equals in relation to their peers. The cultural dimension indicated whose status at residences held esteem and whose did not, and consequently what perceived attributes are valued and devalued at residences. Differently abled students, students struggling with poverty, students living with mental health issues, LGBTIQ issues, issues of gender, as well as foreign national students, found themselves being devalued, meaning that they were misrecognised because of their status. The political dimension was used to examine whether students felt that they had a voice in decision making and whether they felt that their needs and opinions were represented. The study also examined whether students were misframed. Misframing occurs when students are excluded from the frame of justice and determines whether they count and have a valid claim to justice. Foreign national students reported experiencing misframing at residences since, in some respects, they did not qualify as claimants for rights. The study highlights how Fraser’s dimensions are mutually intertwined and reciprocally influence and reinforce one another but that none is reducible to another. Referring to each of the dimensions, the study examines affirmative and transformative strategies for remedying injustices, focusing on existing strategies as well as possible strategies which could bring about participatory parity for students. Finally, the study presents a list of recommendations which the university could consider to improve student learning at residences.

Let E be a one-parameter family of elliptic curves over a number field. It is natural to expect the average root number of the curves in the family to be zero. All known counterexamples to this folk conjecture occur for families obeying a certain degeneracy condition. We prove that the average root number is zero for a large class of families of elliptic curves of fairly general type. Furthermore, we show that any non-degenerate family E has average root number 0, provided that two classical arithmetical conjectures hold for two homogeneous polynomials with integral coefficients constructed explicitly in terms of E.<br />The first such conjecture -- commonly associated with Chowla -- asserts the equidistribution of the parity of the number of primes dividing the integers represented by a polynomial. We prove the conjecture for homogeneous polynomials of degree 3.<br />The second conjecture used states that any non-constant homogeneous polynomial yields to a square-free sieve. We sharpen the existing bounds on the known cases by a sieve refinement and a new approach combining height functions, sphere packings and sieve methods.

<p>According to the different studies regarding customs unions and monetary unions, both these types of economic integration will lead to increased trade which in turn affects the price level.</p><p>In this study, the changes in the price levels across Europe are investigated in order to see if the changes can be attributed to the EMU and the Euro. By using the PPPs calculated by OECD based on the theory of Purchasing Power Parity price levels in different countries become comparable between the countries and over time. The result is that there seems to be a clear convergence towards an average European price level in the observed period 1980-2005.</p><p>In order to investigate if this convergence is an effect of the EMU a panel regression on relevant data is run and the result shows that there has been a convergence in the EMU-price level, but it can most likely not be attributed to the Euro, but other factors like for example increased degrees of openness.</p>

According to the different studies regarding customs unions and monetary unions, both these types of economic integration will lead to increased trade which in turn affects the price level. In this study, the changes in the price levels across Europe are investigated in order to see if the changes can be attributed to the EMU and the Euro. By using the PPPs calculated by OECD based on the theory of Purchasing Power Parity price levels in different countries become comparable between the countries and over time. The result is that there seems to be a clear convergence towards an average European price level in the observed period 1980-2005. In order to investigate if this convergence is an effect of the EMU a panel regression on relevant data is run and the result shows that there has been a convergence in the EMU-price level, but it can most likely not be attributed to the Euro, but other factors like for example increased degrees of openness.