ITC/USA 2009 Conference Proceedings / The Forty-Fifth Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 26-29, 2009 / Riviera Hotel & Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / In this project, a telemetry system is implemented to save firefighters from potential danger in their working environment. Each Firefighter has a "node" or "unit" attached to them which contains temperature, oxygen, and carbon-monoxide sensors, and a transceiver. Each node constantly transmits data collected by the sensors to a central "base station." The base station consists of a laptop which is monitored by the Fire Chief at a safe distance from the scene, and it displays gas levels. The base station monitors the sensor readings, and sets off an alarm locally and also at the node if a reading has reached a predetermined critical value.

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study examined the causal relationship between foreign direct investment and domestic savings in Zambia. Data over the period 1970–2012 was extracted from the World Development Indicator and Global Economic Monitor Databases (2014). The study employed the Johansen cointegration approach to establish the long-standing relationship between domestic savings and foreign direct investment. In addition, the Granger causality test was also carried out to examine the causal relationship between foreign direct investment and gross domestic savings. The results suggest that although foreign direct investment inflow can lead to domestic savings growth in the short run, in the long run it would substitute domestic savings. This implies that the effect of the increased inflows of foreign direct investment experienced in the recent past may in the long run hurt domestic savings growth in Zambia. Policy makers should therefore improve the governance mechanism for the use and monitoring of foreign direct investment inflows in Zambia and promote diversification away from mining, the main economic activity that accounts for more than 60 percent of direct foreign investment in Zambia. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie het ondersoek ingestel na die oorsaaklikheidsverwantskap tussen direkte buitelandse belegging en binnelandse besparing in Zambië. Data vir die tydperk 1970 tot 2012 is uit die Wêreldbank se databasisse World Development Indicators en Global Economic Monitor (2014) bekom. Die studie het die Johansen-benadering van ko-integrasie gevolg om die lank bestaande verwantskap tussen binnelandse besparing en direkte buitelandse belegging te bepaal. Daarbenewens is die Granger-oorsaaklikheidstoets uitgevoer om die oorsaaklikheidsverwantskap tussen direkte buitelandse belegging en bruto binnelandse besparing te ondersoek. Die resultate dui daarop dat hoewel die invloeiing van direkte buitelandse belegging binnelandse besparing op kort termyn ’n hupstoot sal gee, dit binnelandse besparing op lang termyn sal vervang. Dít impliseer dat die verhoogde direkte buitelandse belegging wat in die onlangse verlede ondervind is, op lang termyn ’n skadelike uitwerking op groei in binnelandse besparing in Zambië kan hê. Beleidsvormers behoort dus die beheermeganisme vir die aanwending en monitering van direkte buitelandse belegging in Zambië te verbeter en diversifikasie aan te moedig weg van mynbou, die vernaamste ekonomiese aktiwiteit in die land wat tans vir meer as 60% van alle direkte buitelandse belegging in Zambië sorg.

This study aims to investigate the effects of ventilation rate, indoor air temperature, humidity and using a heat recovery ventilation system on indoor radon concentration and distribution. Methods employed include energy dynamic and computational fluid dynamics simulation, experimental measurement and analytical investigations. Experimental investigations primarily utilize a continuous radon meter and a detached house equipped with a recovery heat exchanger unit. The results of the dynamic simulation show that the heat recovery unit is cost-effective for the cold Swedish climate and an energy saving of about 30 kWh per  floor area per year is possible, while it can be also used to lower radon level. The numerical results showed that ventilation rate and ventilation location have significant impacts on both radon content and distribution, whereas indoor air temperature only has a small effect on radon level and distribution and humidity has no impact on radon level but has a small impact on its distribution.

In our country farmers have to face many difficulties because of the poor irrigation system. During flood situation, excessive waters will be staged in paddy field producing great loss and pain to farmers. So, proper Irrigation mechanism is an essential component of paddy production. Poor irrigation methods and crop management are rapidly depleting the country’s water table. Most small hold farmers cannot afford new wells or lawns and they are looking for alternative methods to reduce their water consumption. So proper irrigation mechanism not only leads to high crop production but also pave a way for water saving techniques. Automation of irrigation system has the potential to provide maximum water usage efficiency by monitoring soil moistures. The control unit based on Artificial Neural Network is the pivotal block of entire irrigation system. Using this control unit certain factors like temperature, kind of the soil and crops, air humidity, radiation in the ground were estimated and this will help to control the flow of water to acquire optimized results. / Water is an essential resource in the earth. It is also essential for irrigation, so irrigation technique is essential for agriculture. To irrigate large area of lands is a tedious process. In our country farmers are not following proper irrigation techniques. Currently, most of the irrigation scheduling systems and their corresponding automated tools are in fixed rate. Variable rate irrigation is very essential not only for the improvement of irrigation system but also to save water resource for future purpose. Most of the irrigation controllers are ON/OFF Model. These controllers cannot give optimal results for varying time delays and system parameters. Artificial Neural Network (ANN) based intelligent control system is used for effective irrigation scheduling in paddy fields. The input parameters like air, temperature, soil moisture, radiations and humidity are modeled. Using appropriate method, ecological conditions, Evapotranspiration, various growing stages of crops are considered and based on that the amount of water required for irrigation is estimated. Using this existing ANN based intelligent control system, the water saving procedure in paddy field can be achieved. This model will lead to avoid flood in paddy field during the rainy seasons and save that water for future purposes.

This thesis documents a study of the factors affecting the sustainable growth and performance of the Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs). Despite the increased interest of governments, analysts, central bankers, academics and SWF managers and the unprecedented growth in the last two decades, SWFs research is still in its infancy. Two main problems are: current debate between sponsoring and investee countries about governance and transparency of major SWFs including Oman SWF; and how these SWFs can manage their sustainable growth, performance and success rate. These two issues are addressed in this thesis. . An extensive review of the industry and academic literature was done in order to find the relevant facts about the domain of SWFs. The case study research strategy was adopted and primary data were collected by questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews from employees and other stakeholders of Oman SWF. Norway SWF was analysed for the purposes of data triangulation, comparison and validation. The theoretical framework comprising factors affecting growth, performance and success rate was proposed and tested using multiple evidences from secondary data, interviews and statistical analyses of the questionnaire responses. The literature reveals that existing theories of trade, finance, economics and management are able to resolve conflicting issues within SWFs and between sponsoring and investee countries. Results reveal that qualitative factors such as governance, policy and planning and quantitative factors such as structure, investment strategy and decision making ultimately affect the long term growth and success rate of global SWFs. It is also found that external or investee country laws do not affect the SWFs as much as issues within the SWFs. Findings suggest that Oman SWF has issues of concern in many aspects such as governance, transparency, accountability, investment strategy, organisational structure, asset allocation, updating laws and policy mechanisms; thus requiring overall restructuring and transformation of Oman SWF into a professional organisation. This thesis makes a significant contribution by linking theories to SWFs, an extensive literature review, a theoretical proposition comprising factors affecting the growth of SWFs, methodological combination and creating further research streams in the SWF domain.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 30-November 02, 1995 / Riviera Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada / Benefiting from the Automotive world, Micro-Machined Sensor Technology moves into the Military arena with greater accuracy at a reduced price tag. Advances in Micro-Machining have produced silicone cantilever beam Sensors which meet or exceed some Military environmental specifications while providing a higher overall accuracy, compared to traditional cantilever beam designs. There are several companies such as Motorola, Analog Devices, Sensym, Silicone Designs, and NovaSensor to name a few who have established product lines in Accelerometers and Pressure Transducers. This paper describes an experience utilizing micro-technology Accelerometers which were designed to replace older technology sensors.

Master of Science / Department of Apparel, Textiles, and Interior Design / Joy Kozar / China is the world’s largest apparel producer, exporter, and maintains the largest domestic apparel market. Since economic reform in the 1980s that opened up the Chinese market for foreign investors, China’s domestic apparel market has attracted many foreign (Western) apparel brands (Shenkar, 2005). More than 10,000 different international apparel brands share China’s domestic apparel market, including brands from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States, Britain, and South Korea, among others. Around 2,000 Chinese domestic apparel brands have experienced difficultly surviving in China’s domestic apparel market. Besides the large number of foreign (Western) apparel brands, counterfeit apparel products have grown faster than China’s government can control. As a result, China has become the world’s largest counterfeit market. This has become a secondary threat to China’s domestic apparel market and national economy. Additionally, because of economic growth and modernization in China, Chinese consumers have accepted more Westernized values, but also retained their traditional face-saving values. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore how their attitudes toward counterfeit apparel products, China’s domestic apparel brands, and foreign (Western) apparel brands are influenced by their level of perception about knowledge and attitudes toward counterfeit apparel products, face-saving values, materialistic values, and ethical values. This study utilized a sample of males and females between the ages of 18 and 64, who reside in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Wuhan, China. A questionnaire was utilized as part of this study and data was collected online by SOJUMP Survey Company. A total of 1,192 participants (736 males and 456 females) participated in this study. There are in total nine significant relationships that have been found in this study. First, the researcher found a positive relationship between Chinese consumers’ perception about knowledge of counterfeit apparel products and their attitudes about counterfeit apparel products. Second and third, the present study also discovered that Chinese consumers with favorable attitudes of foreign apparel brands or negative attitude of China’s domestic apparel brands would similarly hold positive attitudes of counterfeit apparel products. Fourth, the present scholar concluded that Chinese consumers with favorable attitudes of China’s domestic apparel brands tend to hold negative attitudes of counterfeit apparel products. Fifth and sixth, it was found that Chinese consumers with high level of face-saving values show positive attitudes of foreign (Western) apparel brands and counterfeit apparel products. Seventh, Chinese consumers with high level of face-saving values also possess strong materialistic values. Consequently Chinese consumers with strong materialistic values tend to hold positive attitudes of counterfeit apparel products and foreign (Western) apparel products, but negative attitudes of China’s domestic apparel brands. The findings of this study show that Chinese consumers have a very low level of perception about knowledge of counterfeit apparel products. It is necessary to connect educators, government, apparel industry, and brand owners to develop and enhance anti-counterfeit educational programs. These programs should clearly explain the perception about knowledge of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), trademark, and the negative causes of counterfeit products are warranted. Also, it is better for China’s domestic apparel brand companies to develop better brand images and improve product quality to meet Chinese consumers’ face-saving standards and materialistic values.

Nowadays, buildings are responsible for the 40% of energy consumption in the European Union, with energy up to 68% being coherent with thermal loads. Acknowledging the great potential of building sector, a substantial amount of the current building inventory must be refurbished, based on the trade-offs between energy and thermal comfort. To this effect, this study investigates the impact of retrofitting measures in residential envelope for areas experience Mediterranean climate. Seven detached houses, located in Cyprus, were modelled, investigating 253 parameters of envelope interventions and also, 7,056 combinations of these measures. In general, the findings revealed a seasonal performance variation of interventions with regards to the outdoor climate. The application of roof insulation determined as the most economic viable solution during retrofitting (single interventions), achieving a reduction up to 25% of annual energy consumption with enhancement of the indoor thermal environment. In the perspective of synergies between interventions, the application of roof and external walls thermal insulation with upgrade of glazing system with double Low-E demonstrated exemplary levels of performance decreasing on average energy consumption up to 38%.The findings of this research will contribute on the development of guidelines for designers and house builders for a perceptual retrofitting of existing residential envelopes in Cyprus and also, for countries experiencing the Mediterranean climate.

1 Abstract Title of the thesis: Investment instruments The main purpose of this thesis is to analyze various investment instruments, their markets and their feasibility as an alternative to saving products. Secondary purpose of this thesis is to define a model investor, create reasonable and fitting investment strategy for them and introduce examples of investment portfolios that fulfill the strategy. The thesis is divided into two main chapters, each of which analyzes investment instruments from different perspectives. Chapter One introduces the instruments in general and describes their key characteristics, their legal regulation and brief history. One subchapter is dedicated to explaining motives driving the participants of financial markets. Another subchapter categorizes the investment instruments and divides them into distinct groups. Last subchapter investigates the financial markets themselves and describes their types, structure and functions. Chapter Two introduces a model investor and describes their particular motives for investing. Two subchapters analyze historical development of selected instruments and saving products and then compare the results. In the last subchapter assumptions are made about various products' feasibility for the model investor. Specific investment strategy for the model...

Thesis advisor: S. Anukriti / Since the launch of M-PESA in 2007, mobile money has created the potential to increase financial inclusion by providing a safe and convenient place to store wealth. This paper analyzes the impact of mobile money on savings practices in Sub-Saharan Africa. Using 2015 survey data from Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, I find that mobile money account holders are 10.9 percent more likely to save than non-account holders, holding constant other characteristics. Mobile money has a positive and significant impact on saving for daily consumption, for protection against income shocks, and for business and education investments. In addition, I find that mobile money is a complement to formal savings (bank accounts) and a substitute for informal savings. By increasing saving, mobile money better enables individuals to rely on savings in the event of a negative income shock. These results are consistent with a policy agenda that promotes financial inclusion by increasing access to mobile technologies. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2017. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Departmental Honors. / Discipline: Economics.