7440 research outputs found
Sort by
The legality of foreign military action against Islamic State in Syria
No full textTheoretical thesis.Bibliography: pages 50-64.Chapter 1. Introduction -- Chapter 2. Non-state actors in the international order -- Chapter 3. Self-defence -- Chapter 4. The right of the state to invite foreign intervention -- Chapter 5. The UN authorisation -- Chapter 6. Conclusion -- Bibliography.The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) (also known as Da’esh) emerged in Iraq and Syria in 2013, adopting an extremely radical ideology and controlling a wide area of both the Iraqi and Syrian territories. The international community has unanimously agreed that ISIL represents an unprecedented threat to international peace and security. In October 2014, the President of the United States (US) announced the formation of an international coalition to defeat ISIL. The US-led coalition began its operations by conducting strikes in the Syrian territory. Meanwhile, the Russian air force and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard were the strongest supporters of the Assad regime in Syria.This project seeks to analyse the legal basis used to justify the use of foreign force against ISIL in Syria. The unsolicited armed action of foreign forces in Syria based on the invoked principle of self-defence as a justification is untenable in international law. The participants in the military operations in Syria have invoked different legal approaches to justify their operations. Many different questions have been raised concerning the legality of intervention with or without the consent of the Syrian government. The adoption of the self-defence principle according to Article 51 of the United Nations (UN) Charter does not provide a solid legal basis for intervention. As the international law does not give a clear answer on how to respond to armed attacks conducted by non-state actors emanating from foreign territories without the involvement of the state that harbours them. The language of the UN Security Council Resolution 2249 is controversial, as it does not explicitly authorise the use of force. The intervention by the Russian and Iranian forces, at Syria’s invitation, also faces certain legal challenges. The legality of interfering in a civil war, as well as an examination of the intervening states’ intentions and purposes, has exposed the difficulties that arise regarding respect for the fundamental principles of self-determination and intervention under international law.The ambiguity in the international law that is controlling the use of force, especially against non-state actors, as well as the lack of political consensus between the superpower states, reflects negatively on the endorsement of a mutual legal basis to eradicate the threat of ISIL and reduce the suffering of the Syrian people. As a matter of law, the consent of the Syrian Government is deemed crucial to legalise the use of force in its territory.Mode of access: World wide web1 online resource (vi, 64 pages
Massive MIMO wireless systems under an RF chains constraint
No full textEmpirical thesis.Bibliography: pages 176-190.1 Introduction -- 2 Mathematical tools and preliminaries -- 3 Analysis of adaptive least squares filtering in Massive MIMO -- 4 Compressive-sensing-aided detection for generailized-spatial-modulation Massive-MIMI systems -- 5 Achievable rates for generalized spatial modulation Massive MIMO systems -- 6 Large system analysis of antenna selection aided downlink beamforming in Massive MISO under RF chains constraint -- 7 Beam alignment schemes for millimeter-wave Massive MIMO systems under RF chains contraint -- 8 ConclusionsMassive MIMO is an exciting new technology which is revolutionizing the wireless community. Massive MIMO serves multiple users with increased data rates using a massively large number of antenna elements at the base station using simple beamforming techniques. In digital beamforming, each antenna element is connected to a dedicated radio-frequency chain. With so many antenna elements, it is not practical to have a dedicated RF chain for each antenna element due to high fabrication cost and power consumption.We start by considering the pilot contamination problem in which inter-cell interference occurs because the channel estimate of a user sending a particular training sequence in one cell is corrupted by the transmissions of the users using the same training sequence in other cells. To mitigate pilot contamination, we consider an adaptive least-squares algorithm in massive MIMO which employs bi-directional training to optimize precoders and receive filters without doing channel estimation. We characterize the impact of using different types of training sequences on sum-rate performance of a multi-cell system. We demonstrate analytically that usage of random training sequences across cells, offers better performance than usage of identical training sequences for a fixed number of interferers which is critical because it avoids having to synchronize the users across cells.The thesis next considers the challenges arising from the the limited number of RF chains. There are a variety of approaches to tackle the problem of RF chains constraint. The first approach is to study generalized spatial modulation (GSM) in which RF chains are connected to a subset of antennas. We propose novel compressive sensing (CS) aided detection algorithm which offers superior performance to existing algorithms. For imperfect channel state information, we use CS in conjunction with total least-squares to mitigate the effect of contaminated channel estimates. Our CS framework is premised on the assumption of frequency-selective fading for GSM to account for high data-rate applications. We derive the achievable rates for GSM and provide closed-form expressions for upper and lower bounds of the achievable rates to investigate the capacity gains offered by GSM under finite alphabet constraint. The second approach we take is to investigate the antenna selection for massive MIMO whereby the limited number of RF chains are connected to the best subset of antennas. We derive a theorem which provides a concise formula for the limiting normalized channel power gain in the large system dimensions.Finally, the application of massive MIMO in millimeter-wave (mmWave) band under RF chains constraint is analysed. The performance bottleneck in mmWave massive MIMO is beam-alignment due to narrow beams. We propose beam alignment algorithms under RF chains constraint to improve upon existing schemes. We derive theorems which provide closed-form expressions for probability of beam-misalignment of energy and Bayesian detectors for analogue beam-steering. Moreover, we perform asymptotic analysis for Bayesian detector and demonstrate that probability of beam misalignment tends to zero in the limit of infinite numberof BTS antennas under RF chains constraint. The results demonstrate that Bayesian detection offers superior performance over energy detection in terms of mmWave beam-alignment which is imperative because it minimizes beam pointing losses.Mode of access: World wide web1 online resource (xxiv, 190 pages graphs, table
Neighbourhood density effects in spoken word production
No full textThesis by publication..Includes bibliographical references.Chapter 1. Introduction -- Chapter 2. Paper 1. Effects of semantic neighbourhood density on unimpaired and aphasic spoken word production -- Chapter 3. Paper 2. Investigation of the effects of semantic neighbours in aphasia : a facilitated naming study -- Chapter 4. Paper 3. Effects of phonological neighbourhood density and frequency in picture naming: English monolinguals and French-English late bilinguals -- Chapter 5. General discussion.Most theories of speech production postulate that in the process of producing words, representations that are similar to the target word with respect to its meaning and, for some theories, in terms of form, also become active. However, in previous speech production research, findings are still inconclusive with regards to the influence of the number of these neighbours, with data supporting the full range of possibilities - no effect, inhibitory and facilitatory effects. This thesis investigates what constitutes a word’s meaning and form neighbourhood in the lexicon and whether and how this neighbourhood might affect the production of the intended target word.Paper 1 is a comparison of several measures of semantic neighbourhood density, and an investigation of their influence on the picture naming performance of English monolinguals and individuals with aphasia. While no effect was observed in monolinguals, a facilitation effect of semantic neighbours was observed in aphasic speakers. Paper 2 follows this up with a case study investigating the effects of different semantic neighbourhood measures on a facilitated naming paradigm involving two aphasic participants with different levels of impairment. Although inhibitory effects of semantic neighbourhood variables were observed for both participants at baseline, the change in each participant’s performance at post-test was affected differently and by distinct measures in each participant.In Paper 3, the picture naming performance of English monolinguals and late French-English bilinguals is investigated with respect different types of phonological neighbourhood density and frequency measures , including a novel phonological neighbourhood density metric adapted to these bilingual speakers. Results showed, for both speaker groups, an interaction between phonological neighbourhood measures and the target word’s frequency, with inhibitory effects on low frequency targets and facilitatory effects on the most frequent targets, frequency being affected, for bilinguals, by language experience and the overlap between the target and its translation equivalent. The complex patterns of facilitation and inhibition coming from neighbours that were found across this thesis are discussed in light of the main theories of lexical access in speech production, and are best explained within theories that assume interactivity between the different levels of representation.Mode of access: World wide web1 online resource (vi, 194 pages) illustration
Determinants and consequesces of corporate social responsibility and the role of management control systems: evidence from an developing counry, Nepal
No full textTheoretical thesis.Bibliography: pages 201-226.Chapter One: Introduction -- Chapter Two: Literature review -- Chapter Three: Paper one -- Chapter Four: Paper two -- Chapter Five: Paper three -- Chapter Six: ConclusionDoing business in a responsible, ethical and more transparent manner is essential in order to remain competitive in the current global environment and to ensure the long-term survival of organisations. The traditional concept of profit maximisation or creating value for shareholders has been called into question by the social and environmental impacts of organisations. Organisations are under increasing pressure from their stakeholders to consider the impacts oftheir commercial and industrial activities. By ignoring stakeholder pressure, organisations may face penalties and consumer boycotts or worse, in having their licence to operate cancelled. In response to increased stakeholder pressure, organisations practise corporate social responsibility (CSR) to balance their obligations to be socially responsible, environmentally sustainable and economically competitive. However, achieving these goals simultaneously is often viewed as contradictory.While the prior literature on CSR mostly focuses on its ethical aspects or the relationship between CSR and performance, little is known about why and how CSR diffuses, the association between strategy and CSR, and the mediating role of management control systems (MCS) on adoption and implementation of CSR. Therefore, the aim of this study is to make an original and significant contribution by addressing these empirical gaps in the exiting literature. The format of this thesis is ‘thesis by publication’ consisting of three separate but interrelated comprehensive research papers.The purpose of paper one is to explore the determinants of CSR, by addressing the following two research questions. (i) Why and how was CSR diffused within the case organisation operating in a developing country? (ii) What factors influenced the diffusion of CSR within the case organisation? To address these research questions, the study draws on the diffusion of innovations theory (Rogers, 1995, 2003) and Abrahamson’s (1991) theoretical perspectives. Data were collected from a Nepalese airline company through semi-structured interviews and relevant documents to examine CSR diffusion. The findings of this study suggest that perceived benefit facilitates the diffusion of CSR within the organisation. The adoption of CSR is also seen as a proactive strategy to avoid any future risk associated with an organisation’s environmental impact. The findings reveal that organisations’ strategy, cultural values and beliefs, and top management support are important predictors of the adoption of CSR. The empirical findings of this study provide valuable insights into how CSR can enhance organisations’ performance if CSR is used in a strategic way. This study extends the diffusion of innovations theory by focusing on both the initial and post-adoption process (primary and secondary stage of diffusion) of CSR within a single airline company operating in a developing country, Nepal.The aim of paper two is to investigate whether adoption of CSR is associated with differentiation strategy and, if so, whether the association is mediated by organisational culture (in particular, innovation and respect for people dimensions of O’Reilly et al.’s (1991) organisational cultural profile), using survey data collected from 132 companies in Nepal. The results of the study suggest that adoption of CSR is directly linked to differentiation strategy, while further analyses reveal that the link is fully mediated by the innovation and respect for people dimensions of organisational culture. Overall, the findings highlight the important role of organisational culture, which is often cited as a decisive factor for the success or failure of implementing new management practices, including CSR. This study provides valuable insights into the role of organisational culture in general, and innovation and respect for people dimensions in particular on (re) aligning CSR into business strategy, which in turn may help organisations create value for shareholders as well as stakeholders.Paper three examines the association between CSR and organisational performance, and the mediating role of MCS on the association between these two. Drawing on the resource-based view (Barney, 1991) and Simons’ (1995, 2000) levers of control (LOC) framework (in particular, the use of interactive and diagnostic controls), hypotheses were tested by using the survey data collected from 120 companies operating in Nepal. This study finds that CSR is positively associated with organisational performance and further analyses reveal that MCS (in particular the use of interactive controls) partially mediate the relationship between CSR and organisational performance. The mediating role of interactive controls on association between CSR and organisational performance highlights the need for regular management attention and face to face dialogue between senior managers and subordinates. Even if the use of interactive controls can be seen as time consuming and costly, the findings suggest that the use of such controls is an important means for enhancing the performance effect of CSR. This study contributes to the management accounting literature by responding to the call for research in management accounting in the context of developing countries in general and research on the role of MCS on CSR in particular.Mode of access: World wide web1 online resource (xiv, 243 pages) diagrams, table
Development of time-gated luminescence bio-imaging instruments
No full textThesis by publication.Bibliography: Pages 135-138.Chapter 1: Introduction -- Chapter 2: Multi-colour time-gated luminescence microscopy -- Chapter 3: Time-gated animal imaging system -- Chapter 4: Encoder-assisted scanning microscopy -- Chapter 5: Conclusions and perspectivesThe general goal for biosensing is to realize ultra-sensitive, high-contrast, rapid and high throughput detection, localization and quantification of trace amounts of biomolecules and diseased cells of rare types within complex samples. Luminescent probes, such as lanthanidecomplexes and photon upconversion nanomaterials, hold the potential to realize this goal due to their unique optical properties, which include long luminescence lifetimes in the microsecond region and as well sharp spectral emission spectra. Application of the time-gated and time-resolved techniques based on these probes will provide background-free detection conditions. But such a potential has been seriously limited by the availability of suitable instrumentsThe focus of my PhD research program is the development and the design of new instruments to realize time-domain detection towards advanced optical characterizations of luminescent materials and their analytical applications in biosensing and bioimaging. Specifically, my research project aims to advance and translate the time-gated luminescence detection technique into three prototype instruments -the multi-colour microscope, the invivo imaging system, and the high-speed scanning cytometryThe development of the first instrument, a multi-colour microscope, in this work had the specific aims of (a) increasing the detection efficiency, (b) improving the compatibility and stability, and (c) reducing the cost and complexity associated with time-gated luminescence microscopes. These aims were met by designing and engineering a high-efficiency excitation unit that is based on a high power and high repetition rate Xenon flash lamp, to provide broadband illumination for simultaneously exciting multiple lanthanide luminescent probes. The time-gated detection module of this apparatus is optimised by using a fast-rotating optimal chopper with a pinhole on the edge of the chopper blade to realise a high switching speed. The modular design has been proved to offer high compatibility and stability when installed to a commercial inverted microscope, and high-contrast dual-colour imaging has been demonstrated in this work by imaging two types of micro-organisms stained by a red-emitting europium complex and a green-emitting terbium complex, respectively, using this setup.The second instrument, an in-vivo imaging system, extended the time-gated technique usedi n background-free small animal imaging. In this work, the mechanics and optics of the time-gated detection unit of this instrument was re-designed so that this instrument became more suited to the visualization of upconversion nanoparticles when it was used as the optical contrast agents. Their ability to be excited at 980 nm and emit at 800 nm are advantageous for deep-tissue imaging of animal models because near-infrared light lies in the biological transparent window' where haemoglobin and proteins demonstrate a low absorption. In this work, it was shown that an excitation module housing up to eight 980 nm fibre-coupled diode could be engineered, and a synchronization circuit to generate time-delayed pulses with sufficient driving capacity could be designed. Capable of significantly reducing the optical background and the thermal accumulation, the system integrating near-infrared optical imaging and time-gated technique was demonstrated that could visualise upconversion nanoparticles injected into a Kunming mouse in vivo.The third instrument, a high-speed scanning cytometry, aimed to achieve high-precision pinpointing of individual luminescent targets at high sample throughput for quantitative measurements. Based on the orthogonal scanning automated microscopy (OSAM) method previously developed by members of the Author's research group, the next-generation referenced-OSAM (R-OSAM) was further engineered by integrating two linear encoders and an autofocus unit to provide the positional reference and compensate the sample tilt in real time. It has been evaluated using micrometre-scale luminescent beads incorporating down-converting lanthanide complexes or upconversion nanoparticles, crystalline microplates, colour-barcoded microrods, and quantitative suspension array assays.Through the course of this work, a range of device modules have been demonstrated with high detection efficiency, low cost, improved stability and compatibility to modify commercial systems. These create new opportunities for chemistry and biology laboratories to access advanced time-gated luminescence techniques for material characterisation and biosensing applicationsThis work is structured as a thesis by publication. The three result chapters are presentedin the form of four peer-reviewed journal papers.Mode of access: World wide web1 online resource (xviii, 138 pages
Multilingualism of high school students in Yogyakarta, Indonesia: the language shift and maintenance
No full textTheoretical thesis.Bibliography: pages 278-321.Part 1. Prolegomenon. Chapter One. Introduction : multilingualism in contemporary Yogyakarta ; Chapter Two. Literature review : multilingualism, language maintenance and current issues ; Chapter Three. Contextual background to languages in Yogyakarta -- Part 2. Methodology. Chapter Four. Theoretical underpinnings for using a mixed methods approach ; Chapter Five. The project -- Part 3. Reslts. Chapter Six. Young Yogyakartan multilinguals’ use of their languages ; Chapter Seven. The shift from Javanese to Bahasa Indonesia: extent and implications for group identity ; Chapter Eight. Factors of the shift from Javanese to Bahasa Indonesia ; Chapter Nine. Language strategies in the multilingual setting of Yogyakarta -- Part 4. Conclusion. Chapter Ten. Conclusion -- References -- Appendices.This present study examines the language choices and attitudes of multilingual high school students in Yogyakarta and considers the impact of factors, such as language prestige, ethnic and cultural identity, national pride, educational success and global competitiveness, on the maintenance or shift of their heritage language.Data were collected using student and teacher surveys, interviews with principals, observations and documents. The main participants were 12-18 year-old high school students. Yogyakarta’s population of 61,016 students across 149 schools (BPS, 2014b) is represented by a sample group of 1039 students from 10 schools.Examination of the languages used by the young multilinguals in six domains reveals that Javanese and Bahasa Indonesia compete in the home, in schools and on the street, especially in peer-to-peer interactions. However, despite its large number of speakers, use of Javanese in other domains is endangered. Statistical measures of language proficiency and the inner functions of bi- and multilingualism reveal the extent of the shift away from Javanese, and provide insight into the relationships between their choice of language and their perceived local and national identity. The factors that influence the shift include: the government’s national language policy which has gradually had a negative impact on local languages, including Javanese; exposure to languages in the home, school and media; settlement patterns; the difficulty of learning a language and its perceived benefits; and the attitudes toward particular languages.This present study also includes proposals to revitalise Javanese. The strategies stress the significant role of education in local government language policy. They also rely on intergenerational transmission, a focus rarely discussed in-depth by Indonesians, and the importance of raising parents’ awareness of family language planning, while maintaining the value of English so that young people become competent additive multilinguals.Mode of access: World wide web1 online resource (xxiv, 400 pages) table
Impact of higher capital requirements on bank funding costs: Australian evidence
No full textEmpirical thesis.Bibliography: pages 61-66.1. Introduction -- 2. Capital requirements and bank behaviour -- 3. Capital structure and the cost of equity -- 4. Does M-M hold for Australian banks? -- 5. Impact of higher capital requirements on overall funding costs -- Conclusion -- Bibliography.In response to the experience of the 2007-2009 global financial crisis, capital requirements have been raised for banks across many jurisdictions. With the highly concentrated nature of the Australian banking sector and the implementation of an imputation tax system, an ideal natural experimental environment is available to empirically examine the impact of higher capital requirements on bank funding costs in a small open economy that is heavily reliant on banks for funding economic growth. This study examines the extent to which the risk premium on bank equity decreases as more equity is added to a bank's capital structure, as predicted by the Modigliani-Miller (M-M) theorem. The results suggest that the M-M offset effct on equity risk is realised to around 25% to 30% of the extent it would be if the M-M theorem held exactly. A reduction in the equity risk premium helps cushion the impact of higher equity capital requirements on bank funding costs. Therefore, a doubling in bank market capital from 10% to 20% of total assets would have a relatively mild impact on bank funding costs in the long-run, ranging from 18 basis points (bps) to 55 bps for small banks and from 36 bps to 94 bps for large banks. The cost to banks of maintaining higher risk-based regulatory capital ratios is further reduced when the risk weightings on bank assets are less than one and the bank equity trades at market-to-book ratios greater than one.Mode of access: World wide web1 online resource (x, 66 pages) graphs, table
Environmental predictive models for shark attacks in Australian waters
No full textEmpirical thesis.Bibliography: pages 45-51.1. Introduction -- 2. Methods -- 3. Results -- 4. Discussion -- 5. Appendix -- 6. Reference list.Shark attacks tend to generate disproportionate public concern and, often, calls for enhanced mitigation. However, lethal shark control measures are undesirable and a pressing challenge is to develop non-lethal mitigation strategies. This requires an improved understanding of the drivers of shark attacks. In this study, the relationships between shark attacks in Australia (1915–2015) and environmental variables were explored. Attack data from the Australian Shark Attack File and corresponding environmental data were collated, analysed, and modelled. A K-means cluster analysis revealed two attack temporal periods: 1915–1970 and 1970–2015. White shark attacks in the 1970–2015 period showed the strongest correlation with environmental variables. To identify environmental predictors of white shark attacks, a series of models were fitted, and cross-validated, using presence (attack) and randomly-generated pseudo-absence (no attack) data. The most influential variables were location (river distance, latitude, and longitude), recent rainfall, and SST anomaly. SST anomaly on non-attack dates (mean range +0.5°C to +0.7°C) was significantly (P<0.05) higher than on attack dates (mean +0.2°C). This suggests that with warmer SSTs, white sharks may seek cooler inshore locations potentially bringing them closer to humans. Warning the public of shark attack conditions may decrease attack risk without further affecting marine life.Mode of access: World wide web1 online resource (xi, 51 pages) maps (some colour
Remote sensing of wildland bushfire fuels in the Royal National Park, NSW
No full textTheoretical thesis.Bibliography: pages vi-xiii1 Introduction -- 2 Estimating fuel hazard using optical datasets obtained at different times with pan-sharpening -- 3 Classifying understory fuel hazard using LiDAR and high resolution imagery, integrating fusion ans machine learning -- 4 Conclusion.Field based techniques assessing wildland bushfire fuel characteristics are limited by the spatial extent at which they can be implemented due to cost, labour intensity, and terrain accessibility. Within Australia, research using remote sensing instruments to assess fuel characteristics has utilised low resolution imagery, simultaneously assessing all fuel strata. Within this research, fuel load is used to quantify wildland fuel distribution. Fuel load has been suggested to not account for fuel particle arrangement. This thesis presents two manuscripts: the first investigates the fuel hazard classification of pan-sharpened imagery to improve bushfire fuel assessment resolution, and the second investigates machine learning algorithms and the fusion of LiDAR and high resolution imagery to classify a single fuel stratum, the understory. Results suggest that the use of pan-sharpening to improve bushfire fuel assessment resolution is plausible, and that understory fuels can be classified with moderate accuracy using Support Vector Machine classification of a fusion on imagery and LiDAR metrics.Mode of access: World wide web1 online resource (xvi, 50 pages) colour illustration
The area of Pylons Four, Five and Six at Karnak Temple: assessing the architecture, sequence of construction and ensuing historical implications
No full textTheoretical thesis.Bibliography: pages 110-114.Chapter 1 - Introduction -- Chapter 2 - Early archaeology at Karnak and Ludwig Borchardt's Baugeschichte des Amonstempels -- Chapter 3 - Barguet's exégèse of the temple of Amun-Re -- Chapter 4 – Re-excavation and new evidence: Carlotti and Gabolde -- Chapter 5 – Larché's new observations -- Chapter 6 – Karnak today.This thesis presents a historiographic assessment of the architectural and archaeological study of the area of Pylons Four, Five and Six of the Ancient Egyptian temple of Amun-Re at Karnak. Built during the politically significant period of the reigns of Thutmose I, Thutmose II, Hatshepsut and Thutmose III, this area is characterised by the remains of numerous architectural elements such as pylons, obelisks, columns and colossi that are situated within a relatively small space. Today, the remains of the various building projects of the different pharaohs lie superimposed on top of one another making it difficult for scholars to attribute specific architectural elements to these individual pharaohs. The confusion relating to the historical period has further made it problematic for scholars to determine the sequence of construction of this area of the temple. This study identifies the complexities and trends within the work of scholars Borchardt (1905), Barguet (1962), Carlotti and Gabolde (2003) and Larché (2007) who have endeavoured to reconstruct the building history of this area. Furthermore, it reflects on the impact of contemporary discoveries relating to the archaeology and history of the site during these four phases of study on the area of Pylons Four, Five and Six of Karnak.Mode of access: World wide web1 online resource (xvi,114 pages colour illustration