There are three purposes in this thesis. First of all, the thesis examines the market herding behavior of real estates in Taiwan. Second, if herding exists in the markets, what factors cause herding behavior? Finally, how does herding behavior affect market performance? The empirical results show there is no herding evidence in the real estates markets when market moves downward. There are different results between different real estates and periods when market moves upward. There is obvious herding behavior in the pre-sale houses in Taipei City. Herding behavior also exist lag phenomenon. During lag period, there is obvious herding behavior in the pre-sale houses in Taipei when market moves upward. There is weak herding behavior in the other real estates, including pre-sale houses of Taipei County, existing houses and land. We find that macro factors such as money supply, GDP growth rate, saving amount, incoming and micro factors such as market depth and market return in the last period will cause herding behavior. Finally, herding behavior, price volatility and transaction amount volatility have Granger causality. Herding behavior will makes price more efficient and increases transaction.

In this research paper have been examined the ability of artificial neuron network, to project multidimensional data into smaller measurement expanse, by using the idea of main components. Described the usage of artificial neuron network and educational algorithm for specific features extraction and multidimensional data projection. Analyzed classical research methods of main components, and program KOMPONENTĖ has been designed to accomplish this particular work. Also there have been analyzed the possibilities of artificial neuron network to project the multidimensional data into the straight and plane. There have been designed programs TIESĖ, OJA and SANGER for this research paper. There have been accomplished and presented the results of this research. The results, obtained using classical main components method, were compared with results, obtained by neuron network realizabled main components. Additional conclusions maid about multidimensional data visualization problems, using the Y.H.Oja ir T.D.Sanger regulations and dependance of these regulations from parameter of educational precision, and parameter of significance of educational rate. Software operated in this research paper: Free Pascal IDE for WIN32 and Microsoft Excel 2003.

Healthy aging is associated with an increased incidence of injuries such as low back pain and falling. Age-related changes in trunk neuromuscular activation patterns could potentially explain uncontrolled trunk motion, a risk factor for these injuries. The purpose of this study was two-fold: i) to establish if trunk neuromuscular activation patterns differ between older and younger adults, and ii) to identify if increased cognitive load can alter the activation patterns used by older adults. Participants performed a controlled dynamic transfer task known to challenge trunk musculature by continuously changing the external moment experienced by the spine. In this thesis, the transfer task was altered by increasing the external moment and cognitive load to address purpose i) and ii) respectively. Three dimensional trunk and pelvis motion and surface electromyograms for 24 trunk muscle sites were collected in two experiments. In the first experiment 26 younger adults, and 17 older adults, performed the transfer task at two physical task intensities. In a second experiment, eight of these older adults performed the dynamic transfer task while performing a simultaneous cognitive dual-task. An analysis of amplitude and temporal characteristics of EMG waveforms, using principal component analysis, showed that older adults had altered trunk neuromuscular activation patterns compared to younger adults. In particular, after accounting for physical task intensity, older adults have increased antagonist co-activation, less temporal variation to changing external moments, and changes in the synergistic relationships between trunk muscle sites. Increasing the cognitive load had no influence on the trunk neuromuscular activation patterns used by healthy active older adults. However, as cognitive performance was not measured in the dual-task it cannot be excluded that i) the cognitive task did not represent enough challenge to result in competition of cortical resources, or ii) the cognitive resources necessary for the successful completion of the transfer task were prioritized in older adults.

The objectives of the present body of work were 1) to evaluate the Personal Lift-Assist Device (PLAD) in terms of its effect on lifting technique, interjoint coordination, and whether sex modulates these effects and 2) to explore the use of principal component analysis (PCA) as a method to investigate lifting waveforms. Thirty participants (15M, 15F) completed a freestyle, symmetrical lifting protocol during which three-dimensional kinematics of the ankle, knee, hip, and lumbar and thoracic spine were collected using a two-camera Optotrak 3020 system. There were four testing conditions: a) with and b) without wearing the PLAD; and c) 0% load and d) 10% of maximum back strength load. All data were evaluated using PCA. In the first analysis, the relationship between the PLAD and lifting technique under a loaded condition was explored. Results showed that 8 PCs were significantly different between the PLAD/No PLAD conditions yet there were no significant effects of sex on any of the PCs. It was concluded that wearing the PLAD encourages a lifting technique that is reflective of a squat lift, independent of sex. In the second analysis, the PLAD’s effect on interjoint coordination patterns under both loaded and unloaded conditions was examined using the relative phase angle (RPA). It was found that there were no significant differences between device, sex, or load conditions on any of the PCs retained in the model. A novel approach to enhance interpretability of PCs was developed during this study. Finally, when the PLAD was not worn, male and female differences were further investigated under loaded and unloaded conditions. It was determined that when the load is individualized to personal strength characteristics, sex differences in lifting technique are negligible. This is a contradictory finding from previous research. Overall, the major contributions of this research are: support for the use of the PLAD in industry; the recommendation that load be selected based on individual strength characteristics for lifting research experimental design; the use of PCA as a method to effectively evaluate lifting waveforms; and the development of a novel approach to aid in the interpretation of principal components. / Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2010-08-18 09:35:19.142

The human olfactory system can classify new odors in a dynamic environment with varying odor complexity and concentration, while simultaneously reducing the influence of stable background odors. Replication of this capability has remained an active area of research over the past 3 decades and has great potential to advance medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring and industrial monitoring, among others. New methods for rapid dynamic temporal evaluation of chemical sensor arrays for the monitoring of analytes is explored in this work. One such method is high and low bandpass filtering of changing sensor responses; this is applied to reduce the effects of background noise and sensor drift over time. Processed sensor array responses, coupled with principal component analysis (PCA), will be used to develop a novel approach to classify odors in the presence of changing sensor responses associated with evolving odor concentrations. These methods will enable the removal of noise and drift, as well as facilitating the normalization to decouple classification patterns from intensity; lastly, PCA and artificial neural networks (ANNs) will be used to demonstrate the capability of this approach to function under dynamic conditions, where concentration is changing temporally. / February 2016

O gênero Mikania (Asteraceae, tribo Eupatorieae) apresenta aproximadamente 450 espécies, muitas delas especialmente importantes por seu uso em medicina tradicional. Para a análise quimiotaxonômica, um banco de dados acerca da composição micromolecular de Mikania foi criado. Foram elaboradas análises de agrupamento e de componentes principais, bem como o cálculo de parâmetros evolutivos usados em quimiotaxonomia. O perfil químico e a análise estatística multivariada demonstraram que diterpenóides, lactonas sesquiterpenoídicas e cumarinas são os marcadores químicos mais importantes para este gênero. A presença de dicotomia entre a produção de lactonas sesquiterpenoídicas e diterpenóides não foi estritamente confirmada para o gênero, embora esteja claro que a produção de um interfere negativamente na do outro. As relações SH/(AC+IPP) e FV/FL foram compatíveis com o posicionamento de Mikania na família Asteraceae. As análises de componentes principais (PCA) e de agrupamento forneceram informações que correlacionam caracteres morfológicos e geográficos com dados químicos. As espécies distribuídas predominantemente no Brasil são consideradas muito mais ricas em diterpenos do tipo kaurano, assim como tendem a apresentar inflorescências tirsóides. Por outro lado, espécies não-brasileiras tendem a acumular lactonas sesquiterpenoídicas e apresentar preferencialmente inflorescências do tipo corimbosa. / The genus Mikania (Asteraceae, tribe Eupatorieae) encompasses around 450 species, many of which especially important due to their use in folk medicine. A database of the micromolecular composition of Mikania was generated for a chemotaxonomic analysis. Clustering and Principal Components Analysis (PCA) were performed, as well the calculation of evolutive parameters used in chemotaxonomy. The chemical profile and the statistical multivariate analysis demonstrated that diterpenes, sesquiterpene lactones and coumarins are the most important chemical markers in this genus. The presence of dicotomy between the production of sesquiterpene lactones and diterpenes was not strictly confirmed for the genus, although it is clear that the production of one interferes negatively with the other. The SH/(AC+IPP) and FV/FL ratios are compatible with the positioning of Mikania in the Asteraceae family. The PCA and clustering analysis provided information correlating morphological characters and geographical patterns with chemical data. The species distributed predominantly in Brazil are considered very rich in kaurane diterpenes quite prone to present thyrsoid inflorescences. In contrast, non-Brazilian species trend to accumulate mostly sesquiterpene lactones, preferentially presenting the corymbose inflorescence type.

Onchocerciasis is a blindness-causing disease caused by a nematode called Onchocerca volvulus that is transmitted by Simulium blackflies. The disease is a major epidemiological problem among rural communities living in close proximity to rivers in some population in Sub-Saharan Africa. Recent studies identified Ghana to be a treat of recrudescence of onchocerciasis in neighboring countries. This thesis applies spatial models, predicts, and assesses population at risk of onchocerciasis in Ghana. It also evaluates the disease endemicity in Burundi in order to test the models applied in Ghana. Onchocerciasis prevalence data spanning a period of 2004 (Ghana) and 1985-1992 (Burundi) were integrated together with biophysical variables in a GIS. Next, modeling of the spatial risk of onchocerciasis was based on the principal component analysis (PCA) regression models. The final predictive spatial models represent the risk of the disease. The spatial models showed potential biogeographic zones and epidemiological patterns of onchocerciasis in relation to village settlements that are at risk. Also, the risk of onchocerciasis increased with the proximity to the rivers. The estimated population at risk in Ghana in 2010 was 5,211,808 people (or 21.36% of the total population) and 235,032 people in Burundi (or 2.8% of the total population). Findings from this study can help in the effective design of preventive control measures of the risk of recrudescence of the disease and safeguard the achievements of the OCP and APOC programs.

Este trabalho investiga a possibilidade de reconstruir a variabilidade da precipitação pretérita na América do Sul a partir de uma série temporal de razão isotópica de oxigênio (δ18O) em um testemunho de gelo obtido na Bolívia, para isso é analisado as relações espaço-temporais entre a precipitação sobre a América do Sul e a série do δ18O. Utilizou-se dados do δ18O dos primeiros 50 metros do testemunho de gelo do Nevado Illimani (6.350 m, 16º37’S, 67º46’W) e totais mensais da precipitação coletada em 890 estações meteorológicas sobre o continente sul-americano no período 1979–2008. As amostras da precipitação foram dispostas em uma grade equiespaçada com resolução de ~2º de latitude e longitude. A variabilidade espacial e temporal da precipitação foram analisadas pela Análise das Componentes Principais no Modo T e S, respectivamente, com a identificação dos principais Padrões Espaciais Anômalos (PEA) e das zonas espaciais em que a variação temporal das anomalias da precipitação é correlacionada. No núcleo de cada zona foi selecionada uma série temporal anômala da precipitação para comparar com a série do δ18O. Constatou-se que há 12 PEA da precipitação e que são originários, predominantemente, da variação na temperatura superficial dos oceanos Pacífico Equatorial e Atlântico Tropical Norte e 8 zonas espaciais em que a variação da precipitação é parcialmente homogênea. Analisando características dos PEA da precipitação com a variação do δ18O constata-se que os registros de máximo (mínimo) fracionamento isotópico no verão estão relacionados à seca (chuvas acima da média) na Amazônia ou no nordeste brasileiro. Já no inverno, os registros de máximo (mínimo) fracionamento isotópico estão relacionados a secas (chuvas acima da média no litoral) na região tropical e chuvas acima da média (secas) na região extratropical. O índice de correlação entre todas séries de precipitação com a série do δ18O mostrou que a variação sincronizada das variáveis altera-se sazonalmente em função da migração espacial dos mecanismos de transporte e convergência da umidade. A comparação das séries de precipitação das 8 zonas com o δ18O possibilitou identificar possíveis áreas para a reconstrução paleoclimática. Nas regiões equatorial e subtropical foi testado a reconstrução. Nessas áreas, os fatores que controlam as duas variáveis são os mesmos, predominando os oceanos Pacífico Equatorial e Atlântico Norte nas alterações das séries temporais com frequência entre 24 e 60 meses. Para reconstrução da variabilidade da precipitação pretérita a partir da variação do δ18O foram testada duas técnicas, uma utilizando a análise de dependência por regressão e outra pela adoção de PEA para casos específicos da variação do δ18O. A primeira técnica não gerou resultados satisfatórios, por isso não foi usada. Com a segunda técnica foi possível identificar com 80% de chance de acerto as secas na Amazônia, no nordeste brasileiro e na região subtropical e com 68% de chance de acerto as chuvas acima da média na região subtropical, quando a avaliação não considera a magnitude das anomalias da precipitação. Por outro lado, a técnica é limitada, porque os PEAs adotados como referência não representam a grande variabilidade da precipitação nessas regiões. / This thesis investigates the possibility of reconstructing the South American past precipitation variability based on an oxygen isotope ratio (δ18O) time series from a Bolivian ice core, for this we analysed the spatial-temporal relations between these two variables. We used δ18O data from the upper 50 meters of Nevado Illimani ice core (6,350 m, 16°37'S, 67°46'W) and monthly total precipitation collected at 890 weather stations in South America in the period 1979–2008. Precipitation samples were arranged in an equally spaced grid with a ~2° latitude and longitude. The precipitation temporal and spatial variability were analysed by Principal Component Analysis on Mode S and T, respectively, with the identification of the main Anomalous Spatial Patterns (ASP) and spatial zones in which temporal rainfall anomalies variations are correlated. At each zone core, we selected one anomalous precipitation time series to compare with the δ18O series. There are 12 precipitations ASP that originate predominantly from surface temperature variations in the equatorial Pacific and tropical North Atlantic oceans, and 8 spatial zones in which the precipitation variation is partially homogeneous. Analysing the precipitation ASP characteristics with the δ18O variation, it is observed that records of maximum (minimum) isotopic fractionation in summer are related to droughts (above average precipitations) in the Amazon and northeastern Brazil. In the winter, records of maximum (minimum) isotopic fractionation are related to droughts (above average rainfall in the coastal area) in the tropical region and above average rainfall (droughts) in the extratropical region. The correlation index among all series of precipitation with δ18O series showed that these variables synchronized variation alters seasonally depending on the transport mechanisms spatial migration and on the moisture convergence. The comparison of the 8 precipitation zones with the δ18O series enabled us to identify possible areas for paleoclimatic reconstruction, which are the equatorial and subtropical regions. In these areas, the factors controlling the two variables are the same, prevailing the equatorial Pacific and the North Atlantic changes in time series with frequency from 24 to 60 months. To reconstruct the precipitation variability from the past δ18O variation we tested two techniques, one using dependency analysis for regression and other adopting ASP for specific cases of δ18O variations. The first technique yielded no satisfactory results, so it was disregarded. Using the second technique, it was possible to identify droughts in Amazonia, the Brazilian northeast and in the subtropical region with 80% changes of success. Above the average rainfalls in the subtropical region are identify with 68% changes of success, if this assessment does not consider the magnitude of the precipitation anomalies. On the other hand, the technique has limitations because the ASPs adopted as reference do not represent the wide precipitation variability in these regions.

O gênero Mikania (Asteraceae, tribo Eupatorieae) apresenta aproximadamente 450 espécies, muitas delas especialmente importantes por seu uso em medicina tradicional. Para a análise quimiotaxonômica, um banco de dados acerca da composição micromolecular de Mikania foi criado. Foram elaboradas análises de agrupamento e de componentes principais, bem como o cálculo de parâmetros evolutivos usados em quimiotaxonomia. O perfil químico e a análise estatística multivariada demonstraram que diterpenóides, lactonas sesquiterpenoídicas e cumarinas são os marcadores químicos mais importantes para este gênero. A presença de dicotomia entre a produção de lactonas sesquiterpenoídicas e diterpenóides não foi estritamente confirmada para o gênero, embora esteja claro que a produção de um interfere negativamente na do outro. As relações SH/(AC+IPP) e FV/FL foram compatíveis com o posicionamento de Mikania na família Asteraceae. As análises de componentes principais (PCA) e de agrupamento forneceram informações que correlacionam caracteres morfológicos e geográficos com dados químicos. As espécies distribuídas predominantemente no Brasil são consideradas muito mais ricas em diterpenos do tipo kaurano, assim como tendem a apresentar inflorescências tirsóides. Por outro lado, espécies não-brasileiras tendem a acumular lactonas sesquiterpenoídicas e apresentar preferencialmente inflorescências do tipo corimbosa. / The genus Mikania (Asteraceae, tribe Eupatorieae) encompasses around 450 species, many of which especially important due to their use in folk medicine. A database of the micromolecular composition of Mikania was generated for a chemotaxonomic analysis. Clustering and Principal Components Analysis (PCA) were performed, as well the calculation of evolutive parameters used in chemotaxonomy. The chemical profile and the statistical multivariate analysis demonstrated that diterpenes, sesquiterpene lactones and coumarins are the most important chemical markers in this genus. The presence of dicotomy between the production of sesquiterpene lactones and diterpenes was not strictly confirmed for the genus, although it is clear that the production of one interferes negatively with the other. The SH/(AC+IPP) and FV/FL ratios are compatible with the positioning of Mikania in the Asteraceae family. The PCA and clustering analysis provided information correlating morphological characters and geographical patterns with chemical data. The species distributed predominantly in Brazil are considered very rich in kaurane diterpenes quite prone to present thyrsoid inflorescences. In contrast, non-Brazilian species trend to accumulate mostly sesquiterpene lactones, preferentially presenting the corymbose inflorescence type.

Este trabalho investiga a possibilidade de reconstruir a variabilidade da precipitação pretérita na América do Sul a partir de uma série temporal de razão isotópica de oxigênio (δ18O) em um testemunho de gelo obtido na Bolívia, para isso é analisado as relações espaço-temporais entre a precipitação sobre a América do Sul e a série do δ18O. Utilizou-se dados do δ18O dos primeiros 50 metros do testemunho de gelo do Nevado Illimani (6.350 m, 16º37’S, 67º46’W) e totais mensais da precipitação coletada em 890 estações meteorológicas sobre o continente sul-americano no período 1979–2008. As amostras da precipitação foram dispostas em uma grade equiespaçada com resolução de ~2º de latitude e longitude. A variabilidade espacial e temporal da precipitação foram analisadas pela Análise das Componentes Principais no Modo T e S, respectivamente, com a identificação dos principais Padrões Espaciais Anômalos (PEA) e das zonas espaciais em que a variação temporal das anomalias da precipitação é correlacionada. No núcleo de cada zona foi selecionada uma série temporal anômala da precipitação para comparar com a série do δ18O. Constatou-se que há 12 PEA da precipitação e que são originários, predominantemente, da variação na temperatura superficial dos oceanos Pacífico Equatorial e Atlântico Tropical Norte e 8 zonas espaciais em que a variação da precipitação é parcialmente homogênea. Analisando características dos PEA da precipitação com a variação do δ18O constata-se que os registros de máximo (mínimo) fracionamento isotópico no verão estão relacionados à seca (chuvas acima da média) na Amazônia ou no nordeste brasileiro. Já no inverno, os registros de máximo (mínimo) fracionamento isotópico estão relacionados a secas (chuvas acima da média no litoral) na região tropical e chuvas acima da média (secas) na região extratropical. O índice de correlação entre todas séries de precipitação com a série do δ18O mostrou que a variação sincronizada das variáveis altera-se sazonalmente em função da migração espacial dos mecanismos de transporte e convergência da umidade. A comparação das séries de precipitação das 8 zonas com o δ18O possibilitou identificar possíveis áreas para a reconstrução paleoclimática. Nas regiões equatorial e subtropical foi testado a reconstrução. Nessas áreas, os fatores que controlam as duas variáveis são os mesmos, predominando os oceanos Pacífico Equatorial e Atlântico Norte nas alterações das séries temporais com frequência entre 24 e 60 meses. Para reconstrução da variabilidade da precipitação pretérita a partir da variação do δ18O foram testada duas técnicas, uma utilizando a análise de dependência por regressão e outra pela adoção de PEA para casos específicos da variação do δ18O. A primeira técnica não gerou resultados satisfatórios, por isso não foi usada. Com a segunda técnica foi possível identificar com 80% de chance de acerto as secas na Amazônia, no nordeste brasileiro e na região subtropical e com 68% de chance de acerto as chuvas acima da média na região subtropical, quando a avaliação não considera a magnitude das anomalias da precipitação. Por outro lado, a técnica é limitada, porque os PEAs adotados como referência não representam a grande variabilidade da precipitação nessas regiões. / This thesis investigates the possibility of reconstructing the South American past precipitation variability based on an oxygen isotope ratio (δ18O) time series from a Bolivian ice core, for this we analysed the spatial-temporal relations between these two variables. We used δ18O data from the upper 50 meters of Nevado Illimani ice core (6,350 m, 16°37'S, 67°46'W) and monthly total precipitation collected at 890 weather stations in South America in the period 1979–2008. Precipitation samples were arranged in an equally spaced grid with a ~2° latitude and longitude. The precipitation temporal and spatial variability were analysed by Principal Component Analysis on Mode S and T, respectively, with the identification of the main Anomalous Spatial Patterns (ASP) and spatial zones in which temporal rainfall anomalies variations are correlated. At each zone core, we selected one anomalous precipitation time series to compare with the δ18O series. There are 12 precipitations ASP that originate predominantly from surface temperature variations in the equatorial Pacific and tropical North Atlantic oceans, and 8 spatial zones in which the precipitation variation is partially homogeneous. Analysing the precipitation ASP characteristics with the δ18O variation, it is observed that records of maximum (minimum) isotopic fractionation in summer are related to droughts (above average precipitations) in the Amazon and northeastern Brazil. In the winter, records of maximum (minimum) isotopic fractionation are related to droughts (above average rainfall in the coastal area) in the tropical region and above average rainfall (droughts) in the extratropical region. The correlation index among all series of precipitation with δ18O series showed that these variables synchronized variation alters seasonally depending on the transport mechanisms spatial migration and on the moisture convergence. The comparison of the 8 precipitation zones with the δ18O series enabled us to identify possible areas for paleoclimatic reconstruction, which are the equatorial and subtropical regions. In these areas, the factors controlling the two variables are the same, prevailing the equatorial Pacific and the North Atlantic changes in time series with frequency from 24 to 60 months. To reconstruct the precipitation variability from the past δ18O variation we tested two techniques, one using dependency analysis for regression and other adopting ASP for specific cases of δ18O variations. The first technique yielded no satisfactory results, so it was disregarded. Using the second technique, it was possible to identify droughts in Amazonia, the Brazilian northeast and in the subtropical region with 80% changes of success. Above the average rainfalls in the subtropical region are identify with 68% changes of success, if this assessment does not consider the magnitude of the precipitation anomalies. On the other hand, the technique has limitations because the ASPs adopted as reference do not represent the wide precipitation variability in these regions.