Diploma thesis "Education of Roma children in the Czech Republic" deals with the issue of the status quo in education of Roma children. The aim is to analyze the situation in the education of Roma children in the Czech Republic and to compare it with other European countries and find examples of good practice. The educational situation of Roma pupils remains unsatisfactory, not only in the Czech Republic but also in other European countries. Roma pupils continue to be subject to exclusion in quality education resulting from variety of many interrelated factors including poor living conditions of parents, especially high unemployment, low education level and living in social exclusion. It is necessary to make systemic changes in order to increase the quality education chances of Roma children, because the Roma population belongs among the most socially vulnerable groups affected by a variety of risk factors that often result in cumulative disadvantages and often bring the Roma into the spiral of mechanisms leading to social exclusion.

This master's thesis deals with the method of functional examination of brain electric activity. In the first part is description of central nervous system, method of electroencephalography and possible connections. Furthermor the project involves characteristic of EEG signal and its artifacts. It also includes signal processing and list of symptoms, which will be used for an analysis of the EEG during anesthesia. The second part of thesis involves development of application, which allow viewing and proccesing of EEG signal. In conclusion of thesis is carried out unequal segmentation and statistical processing.

Ubiquitous Internet of Things (IoT) is destined to connect everybody and everything on a never-before-seen scale. Such networks, however, have to tackle the inherent issues created by the presence of very heterogeneous data transmissions over the same shared network. This very diverse communication, in turn, produces network packets of various sizes ranging from very small sensory readings to comparatively humongous video frames. Such a massive amount of data itself, as in the case of sensory networks, is also continuously captured at varying rates and contributes to increasing the load on the network itself, which could hinder transmission efficiency. However, they also open up possibilities to exploit various correlations in the transmitted data due to their sheer number. Reductions based on this also enable the networks to keep up with the new wave of big data-driven communications by simply investing in the promotion of select techniques that efficiently utilize the resources of the communication systems. One of the solutions to tackle the erroneous transmission of data employs linear coding techniques, which are ill-equipped to handle the processing of packets with differing sizes. Random Linear Network Coding (RLNC), for instance, generates unreasonable amounts of padding overhead to compensate for the different message lengths, thereby suppressing the pervasive benefits of the coding itself. We propose a set of approaches that overcome such issues, while also reducing the decoding delays at the same time. Specifically, we introduce and elaborate on the concept of macro-symbols and the design of different coding schemes. Due to the heterogeneity of the packet sizes, our progressive shortening scheme is the first RLNC-based approach that generates and recodes unequal-sized coded packets. Another of our solutions is deterministic shifting that reduces the overall number of transmitted packets. Moreover, the RaSOR scheme employs coding using XORing operations on shifted packets, without the need for coding coefficients, thus favoring linear encoding and decoding complexities. Another facet of IoT applications can be found in sensory data known to be highly correlated, where compressed sensing is a potential approach to reduce the overall transmissions. In such scenarios, network coding can also help. Our proposed joint compressed sensing and real network coding design fully exploit the correlations in cluster-based wireless sensor networks, such as the ones advocated by Industry 4.0. This design focused on performing one-step decoding to reduce the computational complexities and delays of the reconstruction process at the receiver and investigates the effectiveness of combined compressed sensing and network coding.

[pt] Crítica da forma jurídica: método, debates e questões atuais. A crítica da forma jurídica é uma vertente que, com apoio na crítica marxiana da economia política, pretende avaliar o complexo jurídico a partir de sua forma e da relação desta com a forma mercadoria. Suas principais implicações críticas são a crítica ao sujeito de direito enquanto interpelação ideológica e a integração da crítica ao direito no complexo de problemas ligados à reificação, ao estranhamento e à ideologia. Este trabalho tem como objetivos renovar a crítica da forma jurídica em seus fundamentos metodológicos, e refletir sobre sua pertinência para a crítica ao direito no contexto brasileiro. Para tanto, conjuga a pesquisa bibliográfica de fundo teórico com aportes bibliográficos de fundo empírico, vindos da historiografia e da sociologia. A pesquisa conclui que o desenvolvimento desigual dos complexos sociais brasileiros, as permanências do escravismo na demarcação da massa marginal, a generalização lenta e heterogênea do regime assalariado de trabalho e o papel ideologicamente protagonista do Estado na dinamização da economia e do complexo jurídico determinam uma forma jurídica definida pela seletividade das interpelações jurídicas. Assim, convivem na sociedade brasileira a interpelação tipicamente burguesa definida na categoria do sujeito de direito e um conjunto variado de modos de interpelação que, em geral, rebaixam ainda mais a situação jurídica dos grupos marginalizados. Esta conclusão indica possibilidades de manejo da crítica da forma jurídica para o interior da luta ideológica que perpassa o direito, visando compreender e superar as contradições que expressam estes vários tipos de estranhamento no complexo jurídico brasileiro. / [en] Critique of the legal form: method, debates and current issues. Critique of the legal form is a branch that, based on Marxian critique of political economy, intends to evaluate the legal complex based on its form and its relation to the commodity form. Its main critical implications are the critique of the subject of law as an ideological interpellation and the integration of the critique of law in the complex of problems linked to reification, estrangement, and ideology. This dissertation aims to renew the critique of the legal form in its methodological foundations, and to reflect on its relevance for the critique of law in the Brazilian context. To this end, it combines bibliographical research on a theoretical basis with bibliographical contributions on an empirical basis from historiography and sociology. The research concludes that the uneven development of the Brazilian social complexes, the permanence of slavery in the demarcation of the marginal masses, the slow and heterogeneous generalization of the salaried labor regime, and the ideologically protagonist role of the State in dynamizing the economy and the legal complex determine a legal form defined by the selectivity of legal interpellations. Thus, the typically bourgeois interpellation defined in the category of the subject of law coexists in Brazilian society with a varied set of interpellation modes that, in general, further debase the legal situation of marginalized groups. This conclusion indicates possibilities of handling the critique of the legal form within the ideological struggle that permeates law, aiming at understanding and overcoming the contradictions that express these various types of estrangement in the Brazilian legal complex.

[ES] Este trabajo está centrado en analizar el flujo y la eficiencia de turbinas de doble entrada, así como desarrollar modelos de capacidad de flujo y eficiencia que sean capaces de predecir su comportamiento en condiciones de admisión desiguales. Dichas condiciones son las más comunes en funcionamiento real, por lo que deben ser evaluadas adecuadamente. Se ha realizado un análisis profundo de los patrones de flujo y las principales fuentes de pérdidas mediante simulaciones CFD y campañas experimentales, identificando y cuantificando los fenómenos más importantes en distintas condiciones de admisión. El análisis CFD y la campaña experimental con la técnica LDA han mostrado que el flujo de cada rama no se mezcla completamente con el otro dentro del rotor. Esto significa que las turbinas de doble entrada podrían estudiarse como dos turbinas de entrada simple trabajando en paralelo en modelos unidimensionales. Además, las áreas de entrada y salida del rotor correspondientes a cada rama dependen linealmente de la relación de gastos másicos (MFR). Los principales fenómenos de pérdidas han sido identificados. Fenómenos ya conocidos como las pérdidas por fricción en las volutas, interespacio y rotor, las pérdidas por incidencia o las pérdidas en punta de álabe se han cuantificado. Sin embargo, se han encontrado fuentes de pérdidas adicionales que ayudan a explicar el comportamiento en condiciones de admisión desiguales. Se ha encontrado una expansión brusca aguas abajo de la unión de las volutas que produce pérdidas en la rama con más presión. Aunque el flujo de cada rama no se mezcla completamente dentro del rotor, hay un intercambio de momento entre ramas producido en la región de contacto entre ramas. La rama con mayor momento transmite parte de este a la rama con menor momento. Este fenómeno produce pérdidas en la rama con mayor momento en el interespacio y el rotor, pero también produce ganancias en la rama con menor momento. Este intercambio de momento es un fenómeno esencial para entender correctamente el funcionamiento de las turbinas de doble entrada en condiciones de admisión desiguales. Finalmente, como la mezcla completa de los flujos de cada rama se produce en la región de salida, es aquí donde se computan las pérdidas por mezcla. Toda esta información se ha usado para desarrollar modelos de área efectiva y eficiencia. El modelo de área efectiva se utiliza para extrapolar en el mapa de capacidad flujo. Este modelo se ha validado con medidas experimentales. Su capacidad de extrapolación hacia otros MFR se ha demostrado fidedigna, obteniendo un error menor del 3% en cada rama cuando solo se proporcionan al modelo los mapas de condiciones de admisión completa y parcial. El modelo de eficiencia se utiliza para extrapolar en el mapa de eficiencia. Este modelo también se ha validado con medidas experimentales. Su capacidad de extrapolación hacia otros valores de MFR también se ha demostrado fidedigna, obteniendo un error combinado de las dos ramas menor del 7%. Además, las predicciones que ofrece se han comparado con modelos empíricos y comerciales, obteniendo predicciones más precisas en condiciones de admisión desiguales. Como estas condiciones son las más comunes en funcionamiento real, el comportamiento estará mejor predicho la mayor parte del tiempo de operación. Esta mejora en las predicciones de las prestaciones puede ayudar a trabajar en condiciones de operación óptimas, lo que puede significar una eficiencia del motor de combustión interna mayor y su correspondiente reducción en consumo de combustible y emisión de gases contaminantes. Adicionalmente, otra turbina de doble entrada con una geometría distinta se ha analizado, encontrado un comportamiento muy similar. Los modelos desarrollados se han aplicado a esta geometría con buenos resultados, corroborando que dichos modelos proporcionan una descripción física razonable del comportamiento de las turbinas de doble entrada bajo condiciones de admisión desiguales. / [CA] El present treball està centrat en analitzar el flux i l'eficiència de turbines de doble entrada, així com desenvolupar models de capacitat de flux i eficiència que siguen capaços de predir el seu comportament en condicions d'admissió desiguals. Aquestes condicions són les més comunes en funcionament real, per la qual cosa s'han d'avaluar adequadament. S'ha realitzat una anàlisi profunda dels patrons de flux i de les principals fonts de pèrdues mitjançant simulacions CFD i campanyes experimentals, identificant i quantificant els fenòmens més importants en distintes condicions d'admissió. L'ànalisi CFD i la campanya experimental amb la tècnica LDA han mostrat que el flux de cada rama no es mescla completament amb l'altre dins del rotor. Açò significa que les turbines de doble entrada podrien estudiar-se com dues turbines d'entrada simple treballant en paral·lel en models unidimensionals. A més, les àrees d'entrada i eixida del rotor corresponents a cada rama depenen linealment de la relació de gastos màssics (MFR). Els principals fenòmens de pèrdues han estat identificats. Fenòmens ja coneguts com les pèrdues per fricció en les volutes, interespai i rotor, les pèrdues per incidència o les pèrdues en punta de pala s'han quantificat. Tanmateix, s'han trobat fonts de pèrdues addicionals que ajuden a explicar el comportament en condicions d'admissió desiguals. S'ha trobat una expansió brusca aigües avall de la unió de les volutes que produeixen pèrdues en la rama amb més pressió. Encara que el flux de cada rama no es mescla completament dins del rotor, hi ha un intercanvi de moment entre rames produit en la regió de contacte entre rames. La rama amb més moment transmet part d'aquest a la rama amb menor moment. Aquest fenomen produeix pèrdues en la rama amb major moment en l'interespai i el rotor, però també produeix guanys en la rama amb menor moment. Aquest intercanvi de moment entre rames es un fenomen essencial per a entendre correctament el funcionament de les turbines radials de doble entrada en condicions d'admissió desiguals. Finalment, com la mescla completa dels fluxos de cada rama es produeix en la regió d'eixida, és en aquesta regió on es computen les pèrdues per mescla. Tota aquesta informació s'ha utilitzat per desenvolupar models d'àrea efectiva i eficiencia. El model d'àrea efectiva s'utilitza per a extrapolar en el mapa de capacitat de flux. Aquest model s'ha validat amb mesures experimentals. La seua capacitat d'extrapolació cap a altres condicions d'admissió s'ha demostrat fidedigna, obtenint un error menor del 3% en cada rama quan sols es proporciona al model els mapes de condicions d'admissió completa i parcial. El model d'eficiència s'utilitza per a extrapolar en el mapa d'eficiència. Aquest model també s'ha validat amb mesures experimentals. La seua capacitat d'extrapolació cap a altres valors d'MFR també s'ha demostrat fidedigna, obtenint un error combinat de les dues rames menor del 7%. A més, les prediccions que ofereixen els nous models basats en pèrdues han estat comparades amb models empírics i comercials, aconseguint prediccions més precises en condicions d'admissió desiguals. Com les condicions d'admissió desiguals són les més comunes en funcionament real, el comportament de les turbines de doble entrada estaran millor predites la major part del temps d'operació. Aquesta millora en les prediccions de les prestacions pot ajudar a treballar en condicions d'operació òptimes la major part del temps, el qual pot significar una major eficiència del motor de combustió interna i la seua corresponent reducció en consum de combustible i emissió de gasos contaminants. Addicionalment, una altra turbina de doble entrada amb una geometria considerablement diferent s'ha analitzat, trobant un comportament molt similar. Els models proporcionen una descripció física raonable del comportament de les turbines de doble entrada baix condicions d'admissió desiguals. / [EN] The current work focuses on the flow capacity and efficiency analysis and modelling of twin-entry radial turbines under unequal admission conditions. These conditions are the most common in real operation, so they must be properly assessed. A thorough analysis of the flow patterns within twin-entry turbines and the main sources of losses have been carried out by means of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and experimental campaigns, identifying and quantifying the most important phenomena under different admission conditions. The CFD analysis and the laser Doppler anemometry experimental campaign have shown that the flow from each branch does not fully mix within the rotor. It means that twin-entry turbines could be studied as two single-entry turbines working in parallel in one-dimensional models. Moreover, the rotor inlet and outlet areas corresponding to each branch depend linearly on the mass flow ratio (MFR). The main phenomena producing losses in twin-entry turbines have been identified. Well-known sources of losses have been quantified, such as passage losses in volutes, interspace and rotor, incidence losses or tip leakage losses. However, additional sources of losses have been found that explain the behaviour of twin-entry turbines under unequal admission conditions. There is a sudden expansion downstream of the junction of the volutes that produces losses in the branch with higher pressure. Although the flow from each branch does not fully mix within the rotor, there is a momentum exchange between branches produced in the contact region between branches. The branch with higher momentum transmits some of it to the branch with lower momentum. This phenomenon produces losses in the branch with higher momentum within the interspace and the rotor, but it also produces gains in the branch with lower momentum. This momentum exchange between branches is an essential phenomenon to properly understand the behaviour of twin-entry turbines under unequal admission conditions. Finally, since the full mixing of both flows is produced in the outlet region, the mixing losses are only computed in the outlet region. The flow behaviour information extracted from the CFD simulations and experimental campaigns has been used to develop effective area and efficiency models. The effective area model is used to extrapolate the flow capacity map. The model has been validated with experimental data. Its capability of extrapolating towards other MFR values has been proven, obtaining an error lower than 3% in each branch when only partial and full admission maps are provided to feed the model. The efficiency model is used to extrapolate the efficiency map. This model has also been validated with experimental data. Its capability of extrapolating towards other MFR values is also reliable, obtaining a combined error between both branches lower than 7%. Moreover, the predictions of this loss-based efficiency model have been compared to empirical and commercial models, obtaining more accurate predictions under unequal admission conditions. Since unequal admission conditions are the most common in real operation, the performance of twin-entry turbines could be better predicted most of the time. This improvement in the performance prediction could help to work in optimum operational points most of the time, which could lead to higher internal combustion engine efficiency and a reduction in fuel consumption and pollutant emissions. Additionally, a twin-entry turbine with a considerably different geometry has been analysed, finding the same flow behaviour. The models developed have been applied to this geometry, giving good results. These results corroborate that these models provide a reasonable physical description of the behaviour of the twin-entry turbines under unequal admission conditions. / The author would like to acknowledge the financial support received through contract FPU17/02803 of the Programa de Formación de Profesorado Universitario of Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades. / Medina Tomás, N. (2022). Flow Capacity and Efficiency Modelling of Twin-Entry Radial Turbines under Unequal Admission Conditions through CFD Analysis and Experiments [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/185820

The focus of this discussion is whether there is still the need to enforce the restraint of trade agreements in their pre-Constitutional form. The dawn of the constitutional era has necessitated a re-examination of common law with a view to establishing whether the balance created by the latter (regarding this field) still exists. The Bill of Rights has obviously raised some doubts regarding the equilibrium desired between employer and employee interests. Section 22 of the Constitution is to the effect that everyone must be free to secure employment (as a fundamental right), whereas the common law restraint of trade agreements impose some bars to the operation of the said right. It is common course that the Constitution is more superior to common law, what remains a debateable issue is whether there are any reasonable limits that must be considered to justify the disregard of the Constitution. Serious arguments around the direct and indirect application of the Bill of Rights still persist and failure to resolve them would have the effect of excluding or weakening the application of the Bill to disputes arising in this field. In common law the enforcement of restraint agreements is sine qua non for the greater good of protecting the sanctity of contracts. Contractual obligations must be fulfilled unless it would be unreasonable to enforce same. The question of the onus to prove unreasonableness, which lies with the employee, turns to place an onerous burden on the employee. This coupled with the employee’s weaker bargaining power raises doubts as to whether the employee is in a better position to conclude a restraint of trade agreement. Common law does not consider or accommodate this concern in that its main object is the fulfilment of the agreement. It is believed that the Constitution has ushered in a new approach which focuses mainly on the fairness of the agreement itself. The enforcement of the agreement must pass the constitutional muster built in section 22 in order to ensure that there is equilibrium between the employer (the restrainor) and employee (the restrainee) interests. In the end this discussion explores whether it is justifiable to subject the Right to work (as provided by the Constitution) to the common law restraint which is opposed to the constitutional right. The circumstances under which the exclusion of section 22 is condonable are interrogated within the framework of conflicting case law. / LLM (Labour Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The focus of this discussion is whether there is still the need to enforce the restraint of trade agreements in their pre-Constitutional form. The dawn of the constitutional era has necessitated a re-examination of common law with a view to establishing whether the balance created by the latter (regarding this field) still exists. The Bill of Rights has obviously raised some doubts regarding the equilibrium desired between employer and employee interests. Section 22 of the Constitution is to the effect that everyone must be free to secure employment (as a fundamental right), whereas the common law restraint of trade agreements impose some bars to the operation of the said right. It is common course that the Constitution is more superior to common law, what remains a debateable issue is whether there are any reasonable limits that must be considered to justify the disregard of the Constitution. Serious arguments around the direct and indirect application of the Bill of Rights still persist and failure to resolve them would have the effect of excluding or weakening the application of the Bill to disputes arising in this field. In common law the enforcement of restraint agreements is sine qua non for the greater good of protecting the sanctity of contracts. Contractual obligations must be fulfilled unless it would be unreasonable to enforce same. The question of the onus to prove unreasonableness, which lies with the employee, turns to place an onerous burden on the employee. This coupled with the employee’s weaker bargaining power raises doubts as to whether the employee is in a better position to conclude a restraint of trade agreement. Common law does not consider or accommodate this concern in that its main object is the fulfilment of the agreement. It is believed that the Constitution has ushered in a new approach which focuses mainly on the fairness of the agreement itself. The enforcement of the agreement must pass the constitutional muster built in section 22 in order to ensure that there is equilibrium between the employer (the restrainor) and employee (the restrainee) interests. In the end this discussion explores whether it is justifiable to subject the Right to work (as provided by the Constitution) to the common law restraint which is opposed to the constitutional right. The circumstances under which the exclusion of section 22 is condonable are interrogated within the framework of conflicting case law. / LLM (Labour Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The unique problems encountered when analyzing weather data sets - that is, measurements taken while conducting a meteorological experiment- have forced statisticians to reconsider the conventional analysis methods and investigate permutation test procedures. The problems encountered when analyzing weather data sets are simulated for a Monte Carlo study, and the results of the parametric and permutation t-tests are compared with regard to significance level, power, and the average coilfidence interval length. Seven population distributions are considered - three are variations of the normal distribution, and the others the gamma, the lognormal, the rectangular and empirical distributions. The normal distribution contaminated with zero measurements is also simulated. In those simulated situations in which the variances are unequal, the permutation test procedure was performed using other test statistics, namely the Scheffe, Welch and Behrens-Fisher test statistics. / Mathematical Sciences / M. Sc. (Statistics)

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Grondhervorming en dit wat daarmee gepaard gaan, is een van die hoekstene van die normalisering van ons samelewing en is sedert 1994 deel van die transformasieproses. Die huidige regering gaan uit van die oortuiging dat blywende vrede nie verkry kan word sonder dat dié ongelykhede reggestel word nie. Is daar ‘n antwoord op Suid-Afrika se ongelyke grondbesit, en kan kontrakboerdery 'n rol speel in die oorbrugging van die probleme? Een van die belangrikste aspekte van die regstelling van die ongeregtighede van die verlede, is die uitwissing van armoede, en in hierdie verband is Landbou 'n belangrike rolspeler. Ten einde armoede te bestry en werk te skep, moet die toekomstige generasie bemagtig word deur eienaarskap te versprei. Die Wet op Inheemse Grond van 1913, die Inheemse Trust- en Grondwet van 1936, en die Groepsgebiedewet van 1950 het swart Suid-Afrikaners die geleentheid ontneem om plaaseenhede te besit en te bedryf in die blanke gebiede van Suid- Afrika wat, soos ons almal weet, verreweg die grootste gedeelte van die land asook die meer produktiewe boerderygrond uitgemaak het. Die grondhervormingsproses streef om die erfenis van hierdie wette ongedaan te maak. Sedert die Suid-Afrikaanse grondhervormingsprogram in 1994 van stapel gestuur is, heers daar groot debat oor die beleid, implementeringstrategieë en die impak van sodanige pogings op landbougrond, die lewens van die bevoordeeldes, en die Suid-Afrikaanse ekonomie. Met die toename in skaal en kompleksiteit van grondhervorming het dit al hoe moeiliker vir die Regering geword om die proses te monitor en te evalueer. Dit is nou alombekend dat, behalwe vir kwantitatiewe aanwysings, daar baie leemtes bestaan in die inligting oor grondhervorming. In die lig van die veranderende aard van wêreld-landbou- en voedselmarkte en die voortspruitende behoefte vir vertikale integrasie van die voedselverskaffingskettings, het hierdie werkstuk ten doel om die rol van kontrakboerdery as 'n instelling te ondersoek, ten einde die voortgesette deelname te verseker van kleinboere in ontwikkelende lande in die markte vir hoëwaarde produkte. Die klem val spesifiek op die Suid-Afrikaanse omstandighede vir grondhervorming. Die werkstuk bespreek die teoretiese rasionaal van kontrakboerdery, en illustreer hoe dié vorm van boerdery aangewend kan word om markmislukkings en a-simmetriese informasieprobleme te oorkom. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Land reform and associated matters are some of the cornerstones of the normalizing of our society and have been part of the transformation process since 1994. The present regime is of the conviction that lasting peace cannot be achieved without such unequalities being addressed. Is there an answer to unequal ownership of land in South Africa, and can contract farming play a role in bridging these problems? One of the most important aspects of the unrighteousness of the past, is poverty and in its eradication, agriculture is an important role player. In order to combat poverty and create jobs, the future generation must be empowered by ownership of the economy. The Indigenous Land Act of 1913, The Indigenous Trust and Land Act of 1936, and the Group Areas Act of 1950 deprived Black South Africans of the opportunity to own and run farming units within the white areas of South Africa that, as we all know, formed by far the largest part of the land as well as the more productive farming land. The land reformation process strives to annul the legacy of those laws. Since the South African land reform program was started in 1994, a heated debate has raged about the policy, implementation stategies, and impact of such efforts on agricultural land, the lives of the beneficiaries, and the South African economy. With the increase in scale and complexity of land reform, it became more and more difficult for the regime to monitor and evaluate the process. It is now common knowledge that, except for qualitative indications, many shortcomings are apparent in the information on land reform. In light of the changing nature of world agricultural and food markets and the subsequent need for vertical integration of the food-supply chains, this study aims at investigating the role of contract farming as an institution, in order to ensure the continued participation of small farmers in developing countries in the markets for high-value products. The emphasis falls specifically on the South African conditions for land reform. This study describes the theoretical rationale of contract farming, and illustrates how this form of farming can be applied to overcome market fiascos and assimmetrical information problems.

An experimental investigation of an M level (M = 16, 64 and 256) Quadrature Amplitude Modulation (QAM) transmission system suitable for video transmission is presented. The communication system is based on layered video coding and unequal error protection to make the video bitstream robust to channel errors. An implementation is described in which H.264 video is protected unequally by partitioning the compressed data into two layers of different visual importance. The partition scheme is based on a separation of the group of pictures (GoP) in the intra-coded frame (I-frame) and predictive coded frame (P frame). This partition scheme is then applied to split the H.264-coded video bitstream and is suitable for Constant Bit Rate (CBR) transmission. Unequal error protection is based on uniform and non-uniform M-QAM constellations in conjunction with different scenarios of splitting the transmitted symbol for protection of the more important information of the video data; different constellation arrangements are proposed and evaluated to increase the capacity of the high priority layer. The performance of the transmission system is evaluated under Additive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN) and Rayleigh fading conditions. Simulation results showed that in noisy channels the decoded video can be improved by assigning a larger portion of the video data to the enhancement layer in conjunction with non-uniform constellation arrangements; in better channel conditions the quality of the received video can be improved by assigning more bits in the high priority channel and using uniform constellations. The aforementioned varying conditions can make the video transmission more successful over error-prone channels. Further techniques were developed to combat various channel impairments by considering channel coding methods suitable for layered video coding applications. It is shown that a combination of non-uniform M-QAM and forward error correction (FEC) will yield a better performance. Additionally, antenna diversity techniques are examined and introduced to the transmission system that can offer a significant improvement in the quality of service of mobile video communication systems in environments that can be modelled by a Rayleigh fading channel.