Context. The advances in location-acquisition and mobile computing techniques have generated massive spatial trajectory data. Such spatial trajectory data accumulated by telecommunication operators is huge, analyzing the data with a right tool or method can uncover patterns and connections which can be used for improving telecom services. Forecasting trajectory data or predicting next location of users is one of such analysis. It can be used for producing synthetic data and also to determine the network capacity needed for a cell tower in future. Objectives. The objectives of this thesis is, Firstly, to have a new application for CWT (Collapsed Weighted Tensor) method. Secondly, to modify the CWT method to predict the location of a user. Thirdly, to provide a suitable method for the given Telenor dataset to predict the user’s location over a period of time.   Methods. The thesis work has been carried out by implementing the modified CWT method. The predicted location obtained by modified CWT cannot be determined to which time stamp it belongs as the given Telenor dataset contains missing time stamps. So, the modified CWT method is implemented in two different methods. Replacing missing values with first value in dataset. Replacing missing values with second value in dataset. These two methods are implemented and determined which method can predict the location of users with minimal error.   Results. The results are carried by assuming that the given Telenor dataset for one week will be same as that for the next week. Users are selected in a random sample and above mentioned methods are performed. Furthermore, RMSD values and computational time are calculated for each method and selected users.   Conclusion. Based on the analysis of the results, Firstly, it can be concluded that CWT method have been modified and used for predicting the user’s location for next time stamp. Secondly, the method can be extended to predict over a period of time. Finally, modified CWT method predicts location of the user with minimal error when missing values are replaced by first value in the dataset.

Certains gènes, modulant la sérotonine (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT), ont été associés aux tempéraments liés à l'anxiété. Une limitation dans la plupart de ces études est que les études sont de nature transversale et l'anxiété a été évaluée à un seul point dans le temps. De plus, seules quelques études ont été réalisées chez les enfants. Le but de la présente étude était d'étudier le rôle des gènes HTR2A et TPH2 dans le développement des trajectoires d’anxiété durant l’enfance. Les associations entre ces gènes, ces trajectoires, le diagnostic d’anxiété à l'âge adulte et les différences entre les sexes ont été examinées dans l'Étude Longitudinale des Enfants de Maternelle au Québec, composée de 3185 enfants recrutés en 1986-1987. Leur anxiété a été cotée par leur professeur annuellement entre 6 et 12 ans. Ces cotes ont été modélisées en trajectoires comportementales. Les données genotypées de 5-HT, disponibles pour 1068 personnes, ont été analysées en utilisant les statistiques du Chi-carré, des régressions logistiques et des analyses de variance. Sur les 37 polymorphismes étudiés, plusieurs ont été associés à la trajectoire de forte anxiété, tels le 5-HTR2A (rs1328684, rs95534511, rs1745837, rs7984966, 7330636) et TPH2 (rs11179050, rs11179052, rs1386498). Bien que les trajectoires d’anxiété en enfance n’aient pas prédit le diagnostic d'anxiété à 21 ans, les relations ont été trouvées entre ce diagnostic, HTR2A et les polymorphismes du nucléotide simple (PNS) de TPH2. On remarque que les PNS associés à l’anxiété durant l’enfance et l’âge adulte ne sont pas les mêmes. La force d'association entre les gènes étudiés et l'anxiété diffère entre les garçons et les filles. Cette étude est la première à identifier une association entre les variantes TPH2, 5-HTR2A et les trajectoires d’anxiété en enfance. Les études futures devraient reproduire les résultats dans d'autres échantillons, enquêter sur l'interaction avec les facteurs de stress, et étudier la pertinence fonctionnelle de la PNS. / A number of genes known to modulate serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) have been associated with anxiety-related temperaments. A limitation in most of these studies is that the studies are cross-sectional and anxiety has been measured at a single point in time. Furthermore, only a few studies have been done in children. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of the HTR2A and TPH2 gene in the development of trajectories of anxiety in childhood/ adolescence. Associations between these genes, anxiety trajectories in childhood and anxiety diagnoses in adulthood were also investigated. Finally, gender differences were explored. Research questions were investigated in the Quebec Longitudinal Study of Kindergarten Children, consisting of 3185 boys and girls, selected in 1986-1987. Children`s anxiety was rated by their teacher every year between the age of 6 and 12 years. The ratings were modeled into behavioral trajectories. 5-HT genotyping data were available for 1068 cohort members. Data were analyzed using Chi-square statistics, logistic regressions and ANOVAs. Out of 37 investigated polymorphisms, several polymorphisms, such as 5-HTR2A (rs1328684, rs95534511, rs1745837, rs7984966, 7330636) and TPH2 (rs11179050, rs11179052, rs1386498) were associated with a high anxiety trajectory. Though trajectories of high anxiety in childhood did not predict an anxiety diagnosis at age 21, relationships were found between HTR2A and TPH2 SNPs and anxiety diagnosis at age 21. We note that the SNPs associated with anxiety were different between adults and children. The strength of association between the investigated genes and anxiety differed between boys and girls. This is the first study reporting an association with some HTR2A and TPH2 variants and trajectories of anxiety in children. Future studies should replicate the findings in other samples, investigate the interaction with stressors, and study the functional relevance of the SNPs

This dissertation documents two contributions to automating the formal verification of hardware – particularly memory-intensive circuits – by Symbolic Trajectory Evaluation (STE), a model checking technique based on symbolic simulation over abstract sets of states. The contributions focus on improvements to the use of BDD-based STE, which uses binary decision diagrams internally. We introduce a solution to one of the major hurdles in using STE: finding suitable abstractions. Our work has produced the first known algorithm that addresses this problem by automatically discovering good, non-trivial abstractions. These abstractions are computed from the specification, and essentially encode partial input combinations sufficient for determining the specification’s output value. They can then be used to verify whether the hardware model meets its specification using a technique based on and significantly extending previous work by Melham and Jones [2]. Moreover, we prove that our algorithm delivers correct results by construction. We demonstrate that the abstractions received by our algorithm can greatly reduce verification costs with three example hardware designs, typical of the kind of problems faced by the semiconductor design industry. We further propose a refinement method for abstraction schemes when over- abstraction occurs, i.e., when the abstraction hides too much information of the original design to determine whether it meets its specification. The refinement algorithm we present is based on previous work by Chockler et al. [3], which selects refinement candidates by approximating which abstracted input is likely the biggest cause of the abstraction being unsuitable. We extend this work substantially, concentrating on three aspects. First, we suggest how the approach can also work for much more general abstraction schemes. This enables refining any abstraction allowed in STE, rather than just a subset. Second, Chockler et al. describe how to refine an abstraction once a refinement candidate has been identified. We present three additional variants of refining the abstraction. Third, the refinement at its core depends on evaluating circuit logic gates. The previous work offered solutions for NOT- and AND-gates. We propose a general approach to evaluating arbitrary logic gates, which improves the selection process of refinement candidates. We show the effectiveness of our work by automatically refining an abstraction for a content-addressable memory that exhibits over-abstraction, and by evaluating some common logic gates. These two contributions can be used independently to help automate the hard- ware verification by STE, but they also complement each other. To show this, we combine both algorithms to create a fully automatic abstraction discovery and refinement loop. The only inputs required are the hardware design and the specification, which the design should meet. While only small circuits could be verified completely automatically, it clearly shows that our two contributions allow the construction of a verification framework that does not require any user interaction.

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / This thesis explores using a direct pseudospectral method for the solution of optimal control problems with mixed dynamics. An easy to use MATLAB optimization package known as DIDO is used to obtain the solutions. The modeling of both low thrust interplanetary trajectories as well as aerocapture trajectories is detailed and the solutions for low thrust minimum time and minimum fuel trajectories are explored with particular emphasis on verification of the optimality of the obtained solution. Optimal aerocpature trajectories are solved for rotating atmospheres over a range of arrival Vinfinities. Solutions are obtained using various performance indexes including minimum fuel, minimum heat load, and minimum total aerocapture mass. Finally, the problem formulation and solutions for the mixed dynamic problem of low thrust trajectories with a terminal aerocapture maneuver is addressed yielding new trajectories maximizing the total scientific mass at arrival. / Lieutenant, United States Navy

It has been well reported that the use of multidimensional constellation signals can help to reduce the bit error rate in Additive Gaussian channels by using the hyperspace geometry more efficiently. Similarly, in fading channels, dimensionality provides an inherent signal space diversity (distinct components between two constellations points), so the amplitude degradation of the signal are combated significantly better. Moreover, the set of n-dimensional signals also provides great compatibility with various Trellis Coded modulation schemes: N-dimensional signaling joined with a convolutional encoder uses fewer redundant bits for each 2D signaling interval, and increases intra-subset minimum squared Euclidean distance (MSED) to approach the ultimate capacity limit predicted by Shannon's theory. The multidimensional signals perform better for the same complexity than two-dimensional schemes. The inherent constellation expansion penalty factor paid for using classical mapping structures can be decreased by enlarging the constellation's dimension. In this thesis, a multidimensional signal set construction paradigm that completely avoids the constellation expansion penalty is used in Band-limited channels and in fading channels. As such, theoretical work on performance analysis and computer simulations for Quadrature-Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (Q2PSK), Constant Envelope (CE) Q2PSK, and trellis-coded 16D CEQ2PSK in ideal band-limited channels of various bandwidths is presented along with a novel discussion on visualization techniques for 4D Quadrature-Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (Q2PSK), Saha's Constant Envelope (CE) Q2PSK, and Cartwright's CEQ2PSK in ideal band-limited channels. Furthermore, a metric designed to be used in fading channels, with Hamming Distance (HD) as a primary concern and Euclidean distance (ED) as secondary is also introduced. Simulation results show that the 16D TCM CEQ2PSK system performs well in channels with AWGN and fading, even with the simplest convolutional encoder tested; achievable coding gains using 16-D CEQ2PSK Expanded TCM schemes under various conditions are finally reported.

No description available.

In this thesis, we consider the trajectory planning of an autonomous vehicle to cross an intersection within a given time interval. The vehicle communicates its sensordata to a central coordinator which then computes the trajectory for the given time horizon and sends it back to the vehicle. We consider a realistic scenario in which the communication links are unreliable, the evolution of the state has noise (e.g., due to the model simplification and environmental disturbances), and the observationis noisy (e.g., due to noisy sensing and/or delayed information). The intersection crossing is modeled as a chance constraint problem and the stochastic noise evolution is restricted by a terminal constraint. The communication impairments are modeled as packet drop probabilities and Kalman estimation techniques are used for predicting the states in the presence of state and observation noises. A robust sub-optimalsolution is obtained using convex optimization methods which ensures that the intersection is crossed by the vehicle in the given time interval with very low chance of failure.

Thesis advisor: Barbara E. Wolfe / Despite the chronicity and less than optimal outcomes of inpatient treatment (IPT) for anorexia nervosa (AN), treatment guidelines continue to reflect the common notion of one-size-fits-all and the process of weight restoration continues to be poorly understood. Weight restoration, a primary goal of IPT for AN, does not occur in isolation but rather reflects an adaptation process within internal and external environments. It is unknown whether or not there are unique patterns of change in body weight that are associated with factors identified in the existing literature as being predictors of weight gain. The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which patterns of change in body weight existed among individuals during IPT for AN, and the relationship with factors identified in the existing literature as being predictors of weight gain (i.e., age at time of admission, admission caloric intake, percent of ideal body weight [IBW] at time of admission, body weight at time of discharge, body mass index [BMI] at time of discharge). Individuals who were diagnosed with AN and admitted to the inpatient unit of an eating disorder treatment facility in the Northeast between January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2015 were included in this retrospective, exploratory study (N = 500). Group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) was used to identify distinct trajectories of change in body weight, and to determine the risk of being in a particular trajectory. Four distinct trajectories were identified: weight gain (n = 197), weight loss (n = 177), weight plateau (n = 82), and weight fluctuate (n = 44) groups. Significant predictors of trajectories were age, history of prior IPT for AN, admission caloric intake, body weight at time of admission and discharge, and length of stay. Results from this study suggest that a further understanding of patterns of change in body weight among individuals with AN, will help guide assessment and treatment interventions and consequently influence outcomes. Additionally, there is an opportunity to update treatment guidelines and recommendations for AN. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2016. / Submitted to: Boston College. Connell School of Nursing. / Discipline: Nursing.

Esta tese investiga a trajetória e a produção artística do artista norueguês radicado no Paraná, Alfredo Andersen (1860-1935) a partir de uma perspectiva históricosociológica. Nascido em Kristiansand, no sul da Noruega, o pintor teve sua formação artística realizada em ateliês particulares em seu país e na Academia de Belas Artes de Copenhagen, na Dinamarca, então locais periféricos em se tratando de Europa. A análise da sua fase norueguesa auxilia na compreensão da construção de seu esquema, em particular pela presença em sua juventude do movimento nacionalista, que trouxe para o artista, de um lado, uma visão do nacional ligada ao folk e, de outro, uma forma de ver a paisagem como um elemento identitário. A tese busca reinterpretar também sua vinda para o Brasil e sua fixação em Paranaguá, comparando as condições e alternativas que se apresentavam ao artista na Europa e as oportunidades que pode ter vislumbrado no Brasil. Rapidamente acolhido pelo meio local, Andersen desenvolve uma obra vasta e é considerado pai da pintura paranaense, mito que este estudo buscou desconstruir com o apoio de uma sociologia das biografias do pintor, que trouxe à tona os principais interessados em alçá-lo a essa condição. A tese analisou os principais gêneros praticados por Andersen dentro do contexto em que foram produzidos, buscando compreender seus significados sociais, e cada um trouxe elementos do intrincado quebra-cabeças que caracterizava a sua trajetória, repleta de tensões e ambiguidades. Com a análise da retratística foi possível compreender a função que sua arte teve para as elites locais, que se aburguesavam e buscavam distinção, e um gosto local bastante conservador. Já sua obra paisagística, que o levou a ser considerado pela historiografia como um regionalista, se mostrou um terreno fértil para perceber sua relação ambivalente com o paranismo, e a construção de uma alternativa mais autoral que desenvolveu nas marinhas. Com sua experiência social marcada pela condição de estrangeiro e pelo casamento nativo, as cenas de gênero se mostraram documentos ricos para a apreensão da sua posição na cena local e configuram uma faceta pouco valorizada e talvez a mais rica do pintor. Palavras-chave: Alfredo / This thesis investigates the trajectory and the artistic production of the Norwegian painter settled in the state of Paraná, Alfredo Andersen (1860-1935) through a historicalsociological perspective. Born in Kristiansand, Norway, the artists had his artistic training held in private studios and at the Academy of Fine Arts of Copenhagen, Denmark, then peripheral when it comes to Europe. The analysis of his norwegian phase search to comprehend the construction of his schema, and also his involvement with the nationalistic movement, which brought the artist, on the one hand, a vision of the national folk and on the other, a way of seeing landscape as an element of identity. The thesis also seeks to review his migration to Brazil and his settling in Paranaguá, by comparing the conditions and alternatives that were presented to him in Europe and the opportunities that he might have seen in Brazil. His plastic services quickly found a market, and by the importance of his work he is considered the father of Paranás painting, a myth that this study sought to deconstruct through a sociology of his biographies, that brought up the main interests behind that canonization. Also, this study analyzed the main genres painted by Andersen inside the context of their production, seeking to understand their social meanings, and each one brought elements of the intricate puzzle that characterized his trajectory, full of tensions and ambiguities, specially concerning his relation with the local elites. By analyzing portraiture, it was possible to understand the role that his art had to the rising bourgeoisie, that sought distinction, and had a conservative taste. Meanwhile, his landscapes, which led to him being considered by the historiography as a regionalist, has proved a fertile ground to see his ambivalent relationship with paranismo, and the construction of an alternative solution within his marines. With his social experience marked by the condition of beeing a foreigner and by the marriage with a native, the genre scenes were rich documents to the apprehension of his position in the local field and are perhaps the richest of the painter.

O presente trabalho analisou de que forma os estudantes do ensino médio público da cidade de São Paulo projetam e concebem a continuação ou interrupção de sua trajetória escolar, apreendendo suas concepções de universidade e a forma pela qual a escola atua na formação dessa concepção; o papel da família e do trabalho na escolha de prosseguir ou abandonar os estudos; e, ainda, o papel de alguma outra instituição ou experiência social nas decisões relacionadas ao prosseguimento dos estudos. A pesquisa foi realizada por intermédio de um questionário de reconhecimento, respondido por 114 estudantes de três escolas públicas de São Paulo e, principalmente, por meio de entrevistas semidiretivas com 14 estudantes destas mesmas escolas. Foi possível observar que os estudantes que possuem planos com estratégias concretas de prosseguimento são mais influenciados pelo investimento pedagógico da família, que pode ou não apresentar um capital cultural universitário. Há, ainda, estudantes que planejam entrar no ensino superior, no entanto, não possuem estratégias concretas e os planos ficam num patamar de devaneio. Entre aqueles que não visam ao prosseguimento dos estudos, verificou-se um sentimento de insignificância em relação à realidade. Por fim, pode-se afirmar que a escola pública não prepara os estudantes do ensino médio para o planejamento de seu prosseguimento dos estudos e que essa decisão passa por outras determinações sociais, principalmente relacionadas à influência da família. / The present work analyzed the way that the students of the public high school in São Paulo city project and conceive the continuation or interruption of its school trajectory, apprehending its conceptions of university and the way which the school acts in the formation of this conception, the paper of the family and the labour in the choice to continue or to abandon the studies; and, still, the paper of some another institution or social experience in the decisions related to the continuation of the studies. The research was made through a recognition questionnaire, answered by 114 students of three public schools of São Paulo and, mainly, through half-directive interviews with 14 students of these same schools. It was possible to observe that the students who possess plans with concrete strategies of continuation are more influenced by the pedagogical investment of the family, with or without a university cultural capital. It has, still, students who plan to enter in superior education, however, they do not possess concrete strategies and the plans seem like a distant dream. Those who do not aim at to the continuation of the studies showed a feeling of insignificance in relation to the reality. Finally, it can be affirmed that the public school does not prepare the students of high school for the planning of its studies continuation and that this decision passes by other social determination, mainly related to the influence of the family.