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Ma thèse développe le problème de la compatibilité de responsabilité morale et des thèses causales (déterminisme et indéterminisme.) Ce problème est traité en analysant l’importance supposée de deux conditions de la responsabilité: le pouvoir d’agir autrement et le contrôle sur les sources causales du comportement. La condition de possibilités alternatives est envisagée en faisant référence aux exemples à la Frankfurt, tandis que la condition de la source est supportée par les exemples de manipulation. Mon analyse refuse ces deux conditions. L’examen des œuvres de P.F. Strawson et de J. Feinberg montre, à mon avis, qu’il est impossible de définir les conditions de la responsabilité sans prendre position dans le champ de l’éthique normative. Ainsi, j’en viens à analyser la notion d’obligation morale, et je propose finalement un approche contractualiste, basé sur la théorie de T.M. Scanlon. / My thesis develops the problem of the compatibility between moral responsibility and the physical causation of human decisions. This problem is dealt with the supposed relevance of two different conditions of responsibility: the power to choose otherwise and the control over the source of behaviour. The alternative-possibilities condition is examined by reference to the Frankfurt-type examples, while the source-condition is supported by the manipulation examples. My analysis rejects both of those argumentations. The examination of P.F. Strawson’s and J. Feinberg’s works show, in my opinion, that it is impossible to define the conditions of responsibility without embracing some sort of normative ethical theory. So I came to analyse the notion of moral obligation and finally I propose a contractualist approach, based on the works by T.M. Scanlon.

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MSc Agric (Food Science and Technology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Food Science / unrestricted

Information on different rangeland plants’ nutritive values in different parts of plant species and habitats are important in Rangelands Management. Effects of different plant parts (stems and leaves) of the Jasminum fruticans L. plant species on forage quality indicators were investigated in two regions in 2015. Plant samples were collected from Sharlogh Rangelands and cultivated in Research and Education Center of Agricultural and Natural Resources (RECANR) in Iran with completely randomized design with three replications in each plant sample. The plant leaves and stems’ samples were oven-dried at 80°C for 24 hours, then analyzed for crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF), dry matter (DM) Ether Extract (EE), Crude Ash (CA), Metabolizable Energy (ME), and mineral elements, including Calcium (Ca) and Phosphorus (P). Results showed that the forage quality indicators in different regions were statistically significant, except for the CA. Also, nutritive values differed significantly (P<0.01) between different plant parts, except ME parameter. Results also indicated that J. fruticans due to its high tissue CP content is a valuable source of forage for livestock.

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The aim of this thesis is to prove the existence of the Shilov boundary and the minimal boundary with respect to some function algebras and investigate their topological structures. / Science, Faculty of / Mathematics, Department of / Graduate

Background: Uncertainty in parameters is present in many risk assessment and decision making problems and leads to uncertainty in model predictions. Therefore an analysis of the degree of uncertainty around the model inputs is often needed. Importance analysis involves use of quantitative methods aiming at identifying the contribution of uncertain input model parameters to output uncertainty. Expected value of partial perfect information (EVPPI) measure is a current gold- standard technique for measuring parameters importance in health economics models. The current standard approach of estimating EVPPI through performing double Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) can be associated with a long run time. Objective: To investigate different importance analysis techniques with an aim to find alternative technique with shorter run time that will identify parameters with greatest contribution to uncertainty in model output. Methods: A health economics model was updated and served as a tool to implement various importance analysis techniques. Twelve alternative techniques were applied: rank correlation analysis, contribution to variance analysis, mutual information analysis, dominance analysis, regression analysis, analysis of elasticity, ANCOVA, maximum separation distances analysis, sequential bifurcation, double MCS EVPPI,EVPPI-quadrature and EVPPI- single method. Results: Among all these techniques, the dominance measure resulted with the closest correlated calibrated scores when compared with EVPPI calibrated scores. Performing a dominance analysis as a screening method to identify subgroup of parameters as candidates for being most important parameters and subsequently only performing EVPPI analysis on the selected parameters will reduce the overall run time.

In this thesis, we review the basic notions related to univariate regular variation and study some fundamental properties of regularly varying random variables. We then consider the notion of regular variation in the multivariate case. After collecting some results from multivariate regular variation for random vectors with values in $\mathbb{R}_{+}^{d}$, we discuss its properties and examine several examples of multivariate regularly varying random vectors such as independent and identically distributed random vectors, fully dependent random vectors and other models. We also present the elements of univariate and multivariate extreme value theory and emphasize the connection with multivariate regular variation. Some measures of extreme dependence such as the stable tail dependence function and the Pickands dependence function are presented. We end the study by conducting a data analysis using financial data. In the univariate case, graphical tools such as quantile-quantile plots, mean excess plots and Hill plots are used in order to determine the underlying distribution of the univariate data. In the multivariate case, non-parametric estimators of the stable tail dependence function and the Pickands dependence function are used to describe the dependence structure of the multivariate data.

Advertising expenditure is one of the most important budget items supporting marketing activities for most companies, and may be treated as an intangible asset. Through the impact on demand and costs, advertising activities affect the firm’s pricing and output decisions as well as the firm’s market value (Tannous, 1997; Chauvin & Hirschey, 1994). Despite the significant economic importance of advertising expenditure, not much attention has been given to the value relevance of advertising expenditure and the impact of advertising expenditure disclosure on firms’ market value. Most of the empirical studies for value relevance of advertising expenditure have been conducted using data from the US and UK Academic research on the value relevance of advertising expenditure in Canada is nonexistent. The accounting standard applied in Canada is different from that used in prior US and UK studies. . Canada adopts Canadian GAAP before 2011, and switches to IFRS from 2011onwards. Both regimes do not require firms in Canada to disclose advertising expenditure. However, most US studies use data before 1994 to analyze value relevance of advertising expenditure. Before 1994, disclosing advertising expenditure is mandatory for US firms under US GAAP. The UK evidence uses data before 2005, during which period UK firms still adopt UK GAAP. Although UK. GAAP does not require companies to disclose advertising expenditure, unlike IFRS, different accounting standards can lead to different financial data reporting and different results. In addition, studies on the impact of voluntary disclosure of advertising expenditure on market value are nonexistent. Furthermore, Canada has a more stable financial system than that of the US and UK In this context, the objective of this thesis is to initiate research on the important dimension of advertising expenditure among Canadian firms. The findings of this thesis will enhance understanding of the relationship between advertising expenditure and market value, and companies’ decisions to voluntarily disclose advertising expenditure on their market value.

The transient flow in pipe networks is represented by a pair of quasi-linear hyperbolic partial differential equations. The method of characteristics is used to transform these equations to a set of ordinary differential equations, which are then solved, by a first order finite difference technique using suitable boundary conditions. The main purposes of these investigations are: 1) To derive suitable boundary conditions or boundary condition equations for valves, sprinklers, surge tanks and air chambers, and 2) To investigate the effect of these boundary conditions on the transient flow in pipe systems. Several numerical examples are solved on the digital computer using the method of characteristics. The results are compared with those obtained by the graphical method. Although in this thesis the developed boundary conditions are used to study the transient response of the irrigation pipe systems, the boundary conditions, without any modification, can be used to determine the transient conditions in water supply pipe networks or in pipes carrying other liquids. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Civil Engineering, Department of / Graduate