A concepção arquitetônica dos templos dóricos gregos é abordada na interface da análise entre as fontes textuais e a cultura material. Verificamos a relevância e o papel que tiveram a \"elegância\" e a \"sutileza\", segundo Vitrúvio, no modus operandi dos arquitetos gregos, como recursos técnicos e metodológicos para o desenvolvimento do projeto do templo dórico grego entre o século V-II a.C. Visamos esclarecer e estabelecer vínculos entre esses conceitos relativamente subjetivos e a lógica subjacente que norteou os arquitetos, tanto em projeto como nas aplicações precisas em obra, verificando assim a Hipótese Modular proposta por Mark Wilson Jones, para a concepção dos templos dóricos gregos. Para isso, abordarmos os fundamentos científicos da arquitetura grega a partir da análise de dois grupos de templos: o Grupo 1, composto de oito templos hexastilos, 6 x 13, do século V a.C. e o Grupo 2, composto de nove templos hexastilos perípteros de configuração de colunata lateral variada, datados entre o IV-II século a.C. Adotamos como ponto de partida da pesquisa, e referência fundamental, os artigos publicados por Mark Wilson Jones em 2001 e 2006, respectivamente, nos periódicos: American Journal of Archaeology e Nexus. Procuramos sistematicamente atualizar o debate apoiados nas discussões mais recentes e em nossas próprias análises e conclusões. / This thesis addresses the conception of Greek Doric Temple Design and architecture found in the analysis of and interface between textual sources and material culture. This thesis notes the importance of and the role that \"elegance\" and \"subtlety\" played, according to Vitruvius, in the modus operandi of Greek architects, including technical and methodological resources in the development of Greek Doric temples between the fifth and second centuries BC. This work aims to clarify and establish links between these relatively subjective concepts and the subjacent logic that guided these architects, both in design as well as in their precise application in construction, thus verifying the Modular hypothesis proposed by Mark Wilson Jones. Towards this end, this thesis addresses the scientific foundations of Greek architecture by analyzing two groups of temples: Group 1, comprised of eight 6 x 13 hexastyle temples from the fifth century BC and Group 2, comprised of nine hexastyle peripteral temples in varied peristyle lateral configuration, dated between the fourth and second centuries BC. The starting point of and the fundamental reference for the research are scholarly articles published by Mark Wilson Jones in 2001 and 2006 in The American Journal of Archaeology and Nexus, respectively. This work seeks to systematically update the latest debates and discussions surrounding this topic via the author\'s own analysis and subsequent conclusions.

Dans cette thèse, nous étudions le spectre conforme d'une surface fermée et le spectre de Steklov conforme d'une surface compacte à bord et leur application à la géométrie conforme et à la topologie. Soit (Σ, c) une surface fermée munie d'une classe conforme c. Alors la k-ième valeur propre conforme est définie comme Λ_k(Σ,c)=sup{λ_k(g) Aire(Σ,g)| g ∈ c), où λ_k(g) est la k-ième valeur propre de l'operateur de Laplace-Beltrami de la métrique g sur Σ. Notons que nous commeçons par λ_0(g) = 0. En prennant le supremum sur toutes les classes conformes C sur Σ on obtient l'invariant topologique suivant de Σ: Λ_k(Σ)=sup{Λ_k(Σ,c)| c ∈ C}. D'après l'article [65], les quantités Λ_k(Σ, c) et Λ_k(Σ) sont bien définies. Si une métrique g sur Σ satisfait λ_k(g) Aire(Σ, g) = Λ_k(Σ), alors on dit que g est maximale pour la fonctionnelle λ_k(g) Aire(Σ, g). Dans l'article [73], il a été montré que les métriques maximales pour λ_1(g) Aire(Σ, g) peuvent au pire avoir des singularités coniques. Dans cette thèse nous montrons que les métriques maximales pour les fonctionnelles λ_1(g) Aire(T^2, g) et λ_1(g) Aire(KL, g), où T^2 et KL dénotent le 2-tore et la bouteille de Klein, ne peuvent pas avoir de singularités coniques. Ce résultat découle d'un théorème de classification de classes conformes par des métriques induites d'une immersion minimale ramifiée dans une sphère ronde aussi montré dans cette thèse. Un autre invariant que nous étudions dans cette thèse est le k-ième invariant de Friedlander-Nadirashvili défini comme: I_k(Σ) = inf{Λ_k(Σ, c)| c ∈ C}. L'invariant I_1(Σ) a été introduit dans l'article [34]. Dans cette thèse nous montrons que pour toute surface orientable et pour toute surface non-orientable de genre impaire I_k(Σ)=I_k(S^2) et pour toute surface non-orientable de genre paire I_k(RP^2) ≥ I_k(Σ)>I_k(S^2). Ici S^2 et RP^2 dénotent la 2-sphère et le plan projectif. Nous conjecturons que I_k(Σ) sont des invariants des cobordismes des surfaces fermées. Le spectre de Steklov conforme est défini de manière similaire. Soit (Σ, c) une surface compacte à bord non vide ∂Σ, alors les k-ièmes valeurs propres de Steklov conformes sont définies comme: σ*_k(Σ, c)=sup{σ_k(g) Longueur(∂Σ, g)| g ∈ c}, où σ_k(g) est la k-ième valeur propre de Steklov de la métrique g sur Σ. Ici nous supposons que σ_0(g) = 0. De façon similaire au problème fermé, on peut définir les quantités suivantes: σ*_k(Σ)=sup{σ*_k(Σ, c)| c ∈ C} et I^σ_k(Σ)=inf{σ*_k(Σ, c)| c ∈ C}. Les résultats de l'article [16] impliquent que toutes ces quantités sont bien définies. Dans cette thèse on obtient une formule pour la limite de σ*_k(Σ, c_n) lorsque la suite des classes conformes c_n dégénère. Cette formule implique que pour toute surface à bord I^σ_k(Σ)= I^σ_k(D^2), où D^2 dénote le 2-disque. On remarque aussi que les quantités I^σ_k(Σ) sont des invariants des cobordismes de surfaces à bord. De plus, on obtient une borne supérieure pour la fonctionnelle σ^k(g) Longueur(∂Σ, g), où Σ est non-orientable, en terme de son genre et le nombre de composants de bord. / In this thesis, we study the conformal spectrum of a closed surface and the conformal Steklov spectrum of a compact surface with boundary and their application to conformal geometry and topology. Let (Σ,c) be a closed surface endowed with a conformal class c then the k-th conformal eigenvalue is defined as Λ_k(Σ,c)=sup{λ_k(g) Aire(Σ,g)| g ∈ c), where λ_k(g) is the k-th Laplace-Beltrami eigenvalue of the metric g on Σ. Note that we start with λ_0(g) = 0 Taking the supremum over all conformal classes C on Σ one gets the following topological invariant of Σ: Λ_k(Σ)=sup{Λ_k(Σ,c)| c ∈ C}. It follows from the paper [65] that the quantities Λ_k(Σ, c) and Λ_k(Σ) are well-defined. Suppose that for a metric g on Σ the following identity holds λ_k(g) Aire(Σ, g) = Λ_k(Σ). Then one says that the metric g is maximal for the functional λ_k(g) Aire(Σ, g). In the paper [73] it was shown that the maximal metrics for the functional λ_1(g) Aire(Σ, g) at worst can have conical singularities. In this thesis we show that the maximal metrics for the functionals λ_1(g) Aire(T^2, g) and λ_1(g) Aire(KL, g), where T^2 and KL stand for the 2-torus and the Klein bottle respectively, cannot have conical singularities. This result is a corollary of a conformal class classification theorem by metrics induced from a branched minimal immersion into a round sphere that we also prove in the thesis. Another invariant that we study in this thesis is the k-th Friedlander-Nadirashvili invariant defined as: I_k(Σ) = inf{Λ_k(Σ, c)| c ∈ C}. The invariant I_1(Σ) was introduced in the paper [34]. In this thesis we prove that for any orientable surface and any non-orientable surface of odd genus I_k(Σ)=I_k(S^2) and for any non-orientable surface of even genus I_k(RP^2) ≥ I_k(Σ)>I_k(S^2). Here S^2 and RP^2 denote the 2-sphere and the projective plane respectively. We also conjecture that I_k(Σ) are invariants of cobordisms of closed manifolds. The conformal Steklov spectrum is defined in a similar way. Let (Σ, c) be a compact surface with non-empty boundary ∂Σ then the k-th conformal Steklov eigenvalues is defined by the formula: σ*_k(Σ, c)=sup{σ_k(g) Longueur(∂Σ, g)| g ∈ c}, where σ_k(g) is the k-th Steklov eigenvalue of the metric g on Σ. Here we suppose that σ_0(g) = 0. Similarly to the closed problem one can define the following quantities: σ*_k(Σ)=sup{σ*_k(Σ, c)| c ∈ C} and I^σ_k(Σ)=inf{σ*_k(Σ, c)| c ∈ C}. The results of the paper [16] imply that all these quantities are well-defined. In this thesis we obtain a formula for the limit of the k-th conformal Steklov eigenvalue when the sequence of conformal classes degenerates. Using this formula we show that for any surface with boundary I^σ_k(Σ)= I^σ_k(D^2), where D^2 stands for the 2-disc. We also notice that I^σ_k(Σ) are invariants of cobordisms of surfaces with boundary. Moreover, we obtain an upper bound for the functional σ^k(g) Longueur(∂Σ, g), where Σ is non-orientable, in terms of its genus and the number of boundary components.

Les algèbres cellulaires furent introduite par J.J. Graham et G.I. Lehrer en 1996. Elles forment une famille d’algèbres associatives de dimension finie définies en termes de « données cellulaires » satisfaisant certains axiomes. Ces données cellulaires, lorsqu’elles sont identifiées pour une certaine algèbre, permettent une construction explicite de tous ses modules simples, à isomorphisme près, et de leurs couvertures projectives. Dans ce mémoire, nous définissons ces algèbres cellulaires en introduisant progressivement chacun des éléments constitutifs d’une façon axiomatique. Deux autres familles d’algèbres associatives sont discutées, à savoir les algèbres quasihéréditaires et celles dont les modules forment une catégorie de plus haut poids. Ces familles furent introduites durant la même période de temps, au tournant des années quatre-vingtdix. La relation entre ces deux familles ainsi que celle entre elles et les algèbres cellulaires sont prouvées. / Cellular algebras were introduced by J.J. Graham and G.I. Lehrer in 1996. They are a class of finite-dimensional associative algebras defined in terms of a “cellular datum” satisfying some axioms. This cellular datum, when made explicit for a given associative algebra, allows for the explicit construction of all its simple modules, up to isomorphism, and of their projective covers. In this work, we define these cellular algebras by introducing each building block of the cellular datum in a fairly axiomatic fashion. Two other families of associative algebras are discussed, namely the quasi-hereditary algebras and those whose modules form a highest weight category. These families were introduced at about the same period. The relationships between these two, and between them and the cellular ones, are made explicit.

Conventional construction of concrete shells involves a costly and time-consuming erection of custom formwork. An alternative approach that avoids this is an on-site assembly of shells from prefabricated modules. This article presents a new, highly automated method for the production of such modules. The proposed method combines the technology of full-width 3D concrete printing using strain-hardening cement-based composite and the technology of robotic textile mesh production from mineral-impregnated carbon yarns.

Different road users follow different behaviors and intentions in the trajectories that they traverse. Predicting the intent of these road users at intersections would not only help increase the comfort of drive in autonomous vehicles, but also help detect potential accidents. In this thesis, the research objective is to build models that predicts future positions of road users (pedestrians,cyclists and autonomous shuttles) by capturing behaviors endemic to different road users.  Firstly, a constant velocity state space model is used as a benchmark for intent prediction, with a fresh approach to estimate parameters from the data through the EM algorithm. Then, a neural network based LSTM sequence modeling architecture is used to better capture the dynamics of road user movement and their dependence on the spatial area. Inspired by the recent success of transformers and attention in text mining, we then propose a mechanism to capture the road users' social behavior amongst their neighbors. To achieve this, past trajectories of different road users are forward propagated through the LSTM network to obtain representative feature vectors for each road users' behaviour. These feature vectors are then passed through an attention-layer to obtain representations that incorporate information from other road users' feature vectors, which are in-turn used to predict future positions for every road user in the frame. It is seen that the attention based LSTM model slightly outperforms the plain LSTM models, while both substantially outperform the constant velocity model. A comparative qualitative analysis is performed to assess the behaviors that are captured/missed by the different models. The thesis concludes with a dissection of the behaviors captured by the attention module.

The improvement of throughput rates is a crucial factor at higher education institutions; hence, university departments focus on improving pass rates per module. This study investigated how lecturers in the School of Computing (SoC) at the University of South Africa, use technology for improving throughput rates in an Open Distance Learning (ODL) context. The study sought answers to the main research question on how lecturers in the SoC use technology for improving throughput rates in an ODL institution. A mixed research methods approach was used, where quantitative data was extracted from the university systems and integrated with the qualitative data collected from interviews. Thirteen lecturers for the thirty modules under investigation were interviewed. A thematic analysis was used on the qualitative data, and quantitative data was analysed using rankings and correlation coefficients, leading to the interpretation that the use of myUnisa technology assisted to improve throughput on the modules. / Mathematics Education / M. Sc. (Computing Education)

Large open-source software projects involve developers with a wide variety of backgrounds and expertise. Such software projects furthermore include many internal APIs that developers must understand and use properly. According to the intended purpose of these APIs, they are more or less frequently used, and used by developers with more or less expertise. In this paper, we study the impact of usage patterns and developer expertise on the rate of defects occurring in the use of internal APIs. For this preliminary study, we focus on memory management APIs in the Linux kernel, as the use of these has been shown to be highly error prone in previous work. We study defect rates and developer expertise, to consider e.g., whether widely used APIs are more defect prone because they are used by less experienced developers, or whether defects in widely used APIs are more likely to be fixed.

An important characteristic of Service-Oriented Architectures is that clients do not depend on the service implementation's internal assignment of methods to objects. It is perhaps the most important technical characteristic that differentiates them from more common object-oriented solutions. This characteristic makes clients and services malleable, allowing them to be rearranged at run-time as circumstances change. That improvement in malleability is impaired by requiring clients to direct service requests to particular services. Ideally, the clients are totally oblivious to the service structure, as they are to aspect structure in aspect-oriented software. Removing knowledge of a method implementation's location, whether in object or service, requires re-defining the boundary line between programming language and middleware, making clearer specification of dependence on protocols, and bringing the transaction-like concept of failure scopes into language semantics as well. This paper explores consequences and advantages of a transition from object-request brokering to service-request brokering, including the potential to improve our ability to write more parallel software.

This thesis deals with the innovation of information system (IS) as a decision problem. The main objective of this thesis is the construction and the application of a method to select an optimal innovation variant of IS in an organisation of any scale. The designed method is based on the conception of the innovation of IS in the methodology "Multidimensional Management and Development of Information System (MMDIS)". The proposed selection method (Method of Innovation Modules based on MMDIS - MIM) is intended to serve mainly for decision-making on a strategic level. The IS structure is mapped in accordance with the MMDIS methodology. Innovation aspects are derived from two approaches: innovation aspects based on the MMDIS principles ("module of principles" - e.g. integration, flexibility, standardisation, measurability) and innovation aspects based on the IS dimensions defined in MMDIS methodology ("module of dimensions" - e.g. software, hardware, processes and functions, finances). The proposal method enforces a systematic approach to evaluation of the innovation variants, ensuring that the innovation aspects (the principles and the dimensions) are aligned with key requirements. As an example, this method is applied to an existing electronic toll system operated in the Czech Republic. Basic innovation variants of the electronic toll system are described - the microwave, the satellite and the hybrid toll system. Case studies from the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany are used for support the proposed innovation variants, as well as evaluation of variants. The principles and the dimensions form a framework for description and evaluation of the telematics, of the electronic toll and of the innovation variants of the electronic toll. The variants are compared within the framework of refined principles and dimensions, the optimal variant is proposed. The used evaluation parameters are a result of an analysis of published studies and specific toll system technical designs. The Method of Innovation Modules was constructed on the basis of MMDIS methodology and demonstrated by application in an example scenario (electronic toll). The key result of the proposed method is the comprehensive structured map of available system innovation opportunities.

Enforcing security policies to distributed systems is difficult, in particular, when a system contains untrusted components. We designed AspectKE*, a distributed AOP language based on a tuple space, to tackle this issue. In AspectKE*, aspects can enforce access control policies that depend on future behavior of running processes. One of the key language features is the predicates and functions that extract results of static program analysis, which are useful for defining security aspects that have to know about future behavior of a program. AspectKE* also provides a novel variable binding mechanism for pointcuts, so that pointcuts can uniformly specify join points based on both static and dynamic information about the program. Our implementation strategy performs fundamental static analysis at load-time, so as to retain runtime overheads minimal. We implemented a compiler for AspectKE*, and demonstrate usefulness of AspectKE* through a security aspect for a distributed chat system.