Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'S/D RATIO'

In title on title-page, "[Beta]" appears as the upper-case Greek letter; and, every instance of the single letter "s" appears as subscript below the superscript numbers and symbols.
Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Physics, 2007.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 151-154).
by Boris Iyutin.
Ph.D.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Physics, 2007.
Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Jul 27, 2009). Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 69-11, Section: B, page: 6877. Adviser: Rick Van Kooten.

Sommaire : Comprendre le fonctionnement des e??cosyste??mes est un enjeu crucial, en particulier dans un contexte de changements globaux. Afin de mieux pre??dire les processus e??cosyste??miques, j???ai teste?? la pre??cision et les limites des hypothe??ses du biomass-ratio de Grime (HBMR) et de l???annulation idiosyncratique (HAI), cette dernie??re e??tant une hypothe??se originale de cette the??se. Pour cela, j???ai applique?? le principe du biomass-ratio aux traits fonctionnels, en employant la me??thode des traits agre??ge??s en communaute??, pour estimer la re??ponse globale des espe??ces en me??lange. La de??composition des litie??res plurispe??cifiques constitue un bon mode??le biologique, pour lequel je me suis pose?? les questions suivantes : (1) est-ce que l???HBMR pre??dit bien les taux de de??composition en me??langes plurispe??cifiques ? ; (2) est-ce que le degre?? de variabilite?? de ces taux diminue pour des raisons biologiques avec l???augmentation de la richesse spe??cifique (RS) des me??langes (HAI) ? ; (3) est-ce que la variabilite?? des taux entre me??langes diminue quand les conditions abiotiques du site deviennent plus limitantes ? ; (4) conside??rant que les me??langes plus contraste??s fonctionnellement sont susceptibles de de??velopper plus d???interactions, est-ce que la de??viation a?? la pre??diction augmente avec la dispersion fonctionnelle des me??langes (?? FDis ??, Laliberte?? & Legendre 2010) ? Cette the??se inclut deux expe??riences de de??composition en sachets a?? litie??res : (1) a?? Sherbrooke (QC, Canada) avec des microcosmes, impliquant des litie??res de six espe??ces d???arbres, de??composant seules et en me??langes et (2) sur trois sites au climat contraste?? dans la re??gion de Clermont-Ferrand (France) avec des litie??res de quatre espe??ces d???herbace??es, de??composant seules et en me??langes. Les re??sultats montrent des de??viations positives et ne??gatives par rapport aux taux pre??dits, mais l???HBMR de??crit bien la re??ponse moyenne des litie??res plurispe??cifiques. Bien que l???HAI ait e??te?? rejete??e, les re??sultats montrent une convergence des taux observe??s vers les taux pre??dits quand (1) la RS des me??langes augmente, (2) l???e??chelle spatiale augmente et (3) le climat est plus limitant pour la de??composition. Enfin, malgre?? des corre??lations entre FDis et interactions entre espe??ces dans les litie??res, cette relation n???est pas ge??ne??ralisable et l???hypothe??se de corre??lation positive entre FDis et de??viation a?? l???HBMR a e??te?? rejete??e. // Abstract : Understanding ecosystem functioning is a key goal in ecology, especially in the context of global changes. To better predict ecosystem processes, I tested the accuracy and the limits of Grime???s biomass-ratio (BMRH) hypothesis and a novel idiosyncratic annulment (IAH) hypothesis. I applied the biomass-ratio to functional traits, using the community-weighted means (CWM) to estimate the global response of species in mixtures. I studied the decomposition of litter species mixtures as a biological model and asked the following questions : (1) does the BMRH predict well the decomposition rates of mixed species litters? ; (2) does the degree of variability of these rates decrease with increasing species richness (SR) beyond that expected from purely mathematical causes (IAH)? ; (3) does the variability of rates between mixtures decrease with less favourable abiotic conditions for decomposition? ; (4) as more functionally contrasted mixtures are expected to develop more interactions, does the deviation from prediction increase with increasing functional dispersion in mixtures (?? FDis ??, Lalibert?? & Legendre 2010)? This study involves two decomposition experiments using litterbags: (1) at Sherbrooke (QC, Canada), in microcosms, involving litters from six tree species, decomposed alone and in mixtures and (2) in three climatically contrasted sites in the region of Clermont-Ferrand (France) with litters from four herbaceous species, decomposed alone and in mixtures. Despite both positive and negative deviations from expectation occurring at all levels of SR, the BMRH well described the average response of mixed species litters. Although I rejected the IAH, the results showed a convergence to the predicted values based on CWM with (1) increasing the SR in mixtures, (2) increasing the spatial scale of the study and (3) a less favourable climate to decomposition. Finally, although there was a correlation between litter interactions and functional divergence, this relationship was not generalizable and I rejected the hypothesis of a positive correlation between FDis and the deviations from BMRH.

This thesis focuses assessments of the financial situation of LENA-hračky, s.r.o. company for years 2011 – 2015 through the use of selected methods of financial analysis and following use of Balanced Scorecard. Thesis objective is to suggest possible solutions for the improvement of the financial situation of this company in the coming years using Balanced Scorecard.

R??sum?? : La d??composition des liti??res v??g??tales a ??t?? d??crite comme ??tant la deuxi??me plus importante fonction ??cosyst??mique sur terre, apr??s la productivit?? primaire. Alors que la photosynth??se fournit les apports ??nerg??tiques ?? la plupart des cha??nes alimentaires, la d??composition recycle les nutriments, permet leur utilisation future par d???autres organismes et relargue dans l???atmosph??re le carbone fix?? photosynth??tiquement. Dans un contexte de changement climatique, un grand int??r??t est port?? sur la d??composition des liti??res, car il s???agit, ?? l?????chelle globale, de la plus grande source d?????mission de CO[indice inf??rieur 2] dans l???atmosph??re. Les taux de d??composition des liti??res sont principalement d??termin??s par trois facteurs: les variables climatiques, la structure des communaut??s de d??composeurs et les propri??t??s chimiques et physiques de la liti??re. La structure de la communaut?? v??g??tale h??te dans laquelle se produit la d??composition et d???o?? provient la liti??re peut influencer l???ensemble de ces trois facteurs. Des changements dans la structure de la communaut?? v??g??tale pourraient donc affecter les futurs taux de d??composition et modifier significativement les dynamiques globales du carbone. Malgr?? cela, la communaut?? h??te est rarement prise en compte dans les ??tudes sur la d??composition des liti??res. Des exp??riences enl??vent souvent la liti??re de son environnment naturel de d??composition, mesurant la d??composition des liti??res ?? partir de monolithes ou de microcosmes en laboratoire, afin de contr??ler les variations ind??sirables des propri??t??s du sol. Dans ce m??moire, j?????tudie les effets de plusieurs propri??t??s fonctionnelles de la communaut?? v??g??tale h??te sur les taux de d??composition des liti??res et leur contribution ?? la respiration du sol. En utilisant une plantation exp??rimentale d???arbres qui permet de manipuler la structure de leur communaut??, je teste l???effet de l???identit?? fonctionnelle des arbres, des esp??ces et de la diversit?? fonctionnelle, ainsi que des interactions entre d??composeurs et arbres sur ces processus ??cosyst??miques. La d??composition des liti??res et la respiration du sol sont li??es aux propri??t??s fonctionnelles des plantes. La d??composition des liti??res est bien pr??dite par les valeurs moyennes de traits fonctionnels des liti??res, mais plus faiblement corr??l??e ?? la diversit?? sp??cifique. D???apr??s mes r??sultats, le nombre d???esp??ces en m??lange de liti??res ne constitue pas un facteur important pour la d??composition, ?? cause des interactions globalement idiosyncratiques entre types de liti??res. Cependant, l???augmentation conjointe de la diversit?? fonctionnelle des m??langes d???esp??ces en liti??res et de la communaut?? d???arbres-h??tes acc??l??re les taux de d??composition et la respiration du sol. Les premi??res phases de d??composition de liti??res en surface ne sont que faiblement affect??es par la diversit?? des plantes, alors que pour la respiration du sol, qui prend en compte les derni??res phases de d??composition de liti??re et de mati??re organique du sol, la diversit?? est la propri??t?? fonctionnelle de plantes qui fournit le meilleur pouvoir de pr??diction. De plus, j???ai trouv?? que les apports sp??cifiques de liti??res ?? long terme pouvaient cr??er des conditions qui favorisent la d??composition des liti??res native et pouvaient modifier l???effet de la diversit?? des arbres sur la d??composition. J???attribue cet effet aux r??troactions entre la liti??re et les organismes d??composeurs du sol. Ce travail de recherche fournit une nouvelle perspective sur les effets des changements de structure de communaut?? foresti??re sur les processus de d??composition. La compr??hension de ces effets est n??cessaire pour pr??dire les taux de d??composition de liti??res et les dynamiques globales du carbone. // Abstract : The decomposition of plant litter has been described as the second most important ecosystem function for sustaining life on earth, after primary productivity. Whereas photosynthesis provides the energy input for most food chains, decomposition recycles nutrients for future use by other organisms and returns photosynthetically fixed carbon back to the atmosphere. In the context of climate change, litter decomposition is of specific interest because it represents one of the largest sources of CO[subscript 2] to the atmosphere globally. Rates of litter decomposition are largely determined by three factors: climatic variables, the structure of the decomposer community, and the chemical and physical properties of the litter. The structure of the host plant community under which decomposition takes place and from which the litter is derived can influence all three of these factors. Therefore, any systematic changes in plant community structure could affect future decomposition rates and significantly alter global carbon dynamics. Despite this, the host plant community is rarely considered in litter decomposition studies. Experiments often remove litter from its natural decomposition environment, instead measuring decomposition of litter in common garden settings and laboratory microcosms to control for unwanted variation in soil properties. In this thesis I investigate the effect of several functional properties of the host plant community on rates of litter decomposition and its contribution to soil respiration. Using an experimental tree plantation that manipulates tree community structure, I test the effect of tree functional identity, species and functional diversity, and tree-decomposer interactions on these ecosystem processes. Both litter decomposition and soil respiration were related to plant functional properties. Litter decomposition was best predicted by average-values of litter functional traits and was poorly related to species diversity. The number of species in a litter mixture does not seem to be important for decomposition, as interactions between litter types were idiosyncratic. However increasing the functional diversity both of mixed-species litter and of the host tree community accelerated rates of litter decomposition and soil respiration. Early stages of surface litter decomposition were only marginally affected by plant diversity. In contrast, diversity was the best predictor of soil respiration, which includes latter stages of litter and soil organic matter decomposition. Furthermore, I found that specific repeated litter input to the soil can result in conditions that favour the decomposition of the long-term litter type and can mediate the effect of tree diversity on decomposition. I attribute this effect to feedbacks between the litter and soil decomposer organisms. This research provides insight into the effect of changing forest community structure on decomposition processes. Such an understanding is necessary to predict future rates of litter decomposition and global carbon dynamics.

Le Mod��le Standard, qui r��git la physique des particules, a ��t�� jusqu'�� pr��sent confirm�� par l'exp��rience. Cependant, les questions qu'il laisse en suspens ont conduit �� proposer plusieurs mod��les permettant son extension. L'un de ces mod��les postulant l'existence d'une quatri��me famille de fermions permet de r��soudre certaines des lacunes du Mod��le Standard. Ce travail, effectu�� dans le cadre de l'exp��rience ATLAS au LHC, pr��sente des m��thodes permetttant de d��couvrir le quark up de quatri��me g��n��ratition u4 produit par paire qui se d��sint��gre de mani��re semileptonique. Une m��thode de calibration de l'��nergie des jets ainsi qu'une m��thode d'��valuation de la r��solution de cette ��nergie sont d'abord pr��sent��es car essentielles pour des mesures pr��cises. Nous d��crivons ensuite une m��thode pour d��couvrir le quark u4 tout en ��valuant le potentiel de d��couverte. Enfin une mesure de la masse de ce quark est alors r��alis��e dans l'hypoth��se o�� une d��couverte a ��t�� effectu��e.

En mati??re de s??curit?? en r??gion frontali??re, les ??tats f??d??raux nord-am??ricains ne sont pas les seuls acteurs puisque celle-ci renvoie ?? plusieurs champs de comp??tences constitutionnels partag??s avec les gouvernements f??d??r??s ou d??tenus par ceux-ci. Ainsi, au Canada la s??curit?? en r??gion frontali??re concerne autant les comp??tences f??d??rales que les responsabilit??s provinciales. La S??ret?? du Qu??bec ??tant l???organisation polici??re de la province, elle est amen??e ?? jouer un r??le important en cette mati??re. Cette organisation reste un acteur transnational au sens de Keohane et Nye, elle ??tablit des relations transgouvernementales avec ses homologues ?? travers le monde, notamment pour assurer la s??curit?? en r??gion frontali??re. L???existence d???une culture organisationnelle partag??e par la majorit?? des polici??res et des policiers favorise l?????tablissement de relations entre eux, qui ne se produisent pas sous les directives du gouvernement f??d??ral ou m??me des gouvernements provinciaux. Cette ??tude ne concerne pas l???ensemble des activit??s internationales de la S??ret?? du Qu??bec, mais se concentre sur les relations transgouvernementales entretenues par les directeurs et directeurs adjoints des quatorze postes frontaliers ?? la fronti??re Qu??bec-??tats-Unis. Ces fonctionnaires de proximit?? poss??dent un pouvoir discr??tionnaire et une autonomie particuli??re au sein de l???organisation polici??re et cela leur permet de choisir ou non d?????tablir des relations avec leurs homologues. Cette ??tude cible les facteurs qui favorisent et les ??l??ments qui entravent l?????tablissement des relations transgouvernementales des polici??res et policiers en r??gion frontali??re.

Soil now a days is generally not safe for supporting modern day infrastructures like highways, residential towers, ports, dams etc. Ongoing infrastructure development in several countries has forced engineers to suggest measure to construct modern and high class infrastructure facilities including highways , residential towers, ports, railways etc over soft marine and alluvial deposits. These soft soils have very low bearing capacity and undergo large detrimental settlements when acted upon by heavy loads. Therefore it is required to improve these soil properties before construction work is started on them in order to avoid damages to life and property. When load is applied on soft clayey soil, addition of load leads to development of excess pore water pressure in the soil. This excess pore water pressure is initially taken up by water present within the soft layer of soil. This pore pressure developed in soil is equal to externally applied load on the soil. As time passes, water slowly moves out from the voids of soil depending upon the permeability of soil and drainage path in soil, therefore this excess pore water pressure reduces and the pressure gets transferred to soil grains. As more and more time passes, excess pore water pressure keeps on decreasing and the effective stresses in the layer keeps on increasing. After a very long time the excess hydrostatic pore pressure becomes equal to zero and the entire consolidation pressure becomes an effective stress transmitted acting on grains of the soil. Now total externally applied is acting on soil grains therefore soil grains gets consolidated due to this effective stress and settlements continues for longer duration unless remedial measures are taken to help pore water pressure dissipate quickly. Therefore as long as consolidation continues, foundation of the structure will keep on settling. By this time, irreparable damage to structure would have occurred. Due to low permeability and poor drainage properties of soft soil, during construction load will keep on increasing water will keep on draining out until ultimate settlement is reached. Moreover, due to high compressibility of these soils, the consolidation settlements are of a very high magnitude and from structural safety point of view, it is important that major portion of this consolidation settlement takes place before/during construction phase itself. Out of the different methods available for ground improvement, pre-loading is the most successful one. The main disadvantage of this method is that, consolidation still requires longer time as drainage path is still not reduced and also external load required is of higher magnitude. Therefore to increase the speed of drainage before construction pre-loading alone is not always a good solution In these cases, the presence of prefabricated vertical drain with loading greatly reduces the load required and time for It is a well known fact that coefficient of consolidation in the horizontal direction is much higher than that in the vertical direction, installation of vertical drains also shortens the drainage path effectively , therefore the effectiveness of preloading with vertical drains is very high in achieving desired consolidation and that too in reduced time. Therefore, to accelerate the consolidation process, and reduce consolidation time prefabricated vertical drains are installed with preloading.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1986.
Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 184-189).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1993.
Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 116-122).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1987.
Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 181-183).

The aim of this thesis was to investigate the use of effect sizes to report the results of statistical credit rating models in a more practical way. Rating systems in the form of statistical probability models like logistic regression models are used to forecast the behaviour of clients and guide business in rating clients as “high” or “low” risk borrowers. Therefore, model results were reported in terms of statistical significance as well as business language (practical significance), which business experts can understand and interpret. In this thesis, statistical results were expressed as effect sizes like Cohen‟s d that puts the results into standardised and measurable units, which can be reported practically. These effect sizes indicated strength of correlations between variables, contribution of variables to the odds of defaulting, the overall goodness-of-fit of the models and the models‟ discriminating ability between high and low risk customers.
Statistics
M. Sc. (Statistics)