The advances in technology for creation, storage and dissemination of data have dramatically increased the need for tools that effectively provide users with means of identifying and understanding relevant information. Despite the great computing opportunities distributed frameworks such as Hadoop provide, it has only increased the need for means of identifying and understanding relevant information. Formal Concept Analysis (FCA) may play an important role in this context, by employing more intelligent means in the analysis process. FCA provides an intuitive understanding of generalization and specialization relationships among objects and their attributes in a structure known as a concept lattice. The present thesis addresses the problem of mining and visualising concepts over a data stream. The proposed approach is comprised of several distributed components that carry the computation of concepts from a basic transaction, filter and transforms data, stores and provides analytic features to visually explore data. The novelty of our work consists of: (i) a distributed processing and analysis architecture for mining concepts in real-time; (ii) the combination of FCA with visual analytics visualisation and exploration techniques, including association rules analytics; (iii) new algorithms for condensing and filtering conceptual data and (iv) a system that implements all proposed techniques, called Cubix, and its use cases in Biology, Complex System Design and Space Applications.

We compute the expected numbers of both formal concepts and proper premises in a formal context that is chosen uniformly at random among all formal contexts of given dimensions.

Critical thinking ability is imperative for nurse practitioners in the multidimensional unfolding health care arena. Consensus as to what critical thinking entails has yet to be articulated. This non-empirical study thus set out to clarify the concept "critical thinking. Walker and Avant's (1995) proposal for conducting a concept analysis was used within the qualitative research paradigm. Literature selected from the fields of education, philosophy, nursing and psychology was consulted as the main source of data. Thematic and theoretical sampling of literature were also embarked upon during the later stage of the research to add density to emergent categories and themes. Categories were organised according to the Strauss and Corbin (1995) paradigmatic model; indicating the antecedents, disposition of the thinker, attributes and critical attributes, and outcomes of critical thinking. The findings indicate that critical thinking is a complex, multidimensional, dynamic, existential and context dependent mental operation. The essence of critical thinking is further illuminated by the construction of a model case and additional cases. The concept critical thinking is finally succinctly defined. The implications that critical thinking holds for nursing education and practice are spelled out. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:31:30Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2006Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:42:12Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 beck_mlg_dr_mar.pdf: 611939 bytes, checksum: 06629403726641078da9cf603f8333d8 (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Este trabalho teve como objetivo principal a verificação das percepções sobre fracasso escolarde professores e discentes de um curso de pedagogia. Essa verificação teve por objetivo identificar possível viés ou atribuições egotímicas por parte dos professores em exercício, quando confrontados com as pressões do exercício profissional . A atribuição egotímica é aquela que tem por objetivo o deslocamento de uma atribuição interna para externa, preservando assim a auto-estima e o autoconceito do sujeito. Foram aplicados questionários em discentes de uma universidade pública estadual do Mato Grosso, bem como em professores egressos dessa mesma instituição que atuam na rede pública de ensino. Foram elaboradas categorias conforme as respostas dos entrevistados e as diferenças nas alusões às categorias por parte de docentes em exercício e discentes apontam para a ocorrência do fenômeno da atribuição egotímica por parte dos professores. / This work had as main objective the verification of the perceptions of teachers and students about school failure in a course of pedagogics. This verification had the objective of identifying possible bias or egothymics attributions by the operating teachers, when collated with the pressures of the professional exercise. The egothymics attribution can be expressed on the displacement of an attribution from the internal to a external side, thus preserving the self-esteem and the self-concept of the subject. Questionnaires had been applied to students of a state public university of the Mato Grosso, as well as in teachers originated from the same institution and who act in the public net of education. Categories have been elaborated according to the interviewed onesþ answers and the differences in the mention to the categories between the operating teachers and the students point to the occurrence of the egothymics attribution phenomenon in the teachers side.

Bakgrund: En förlossning inleds med en latensfas som övergår till en aktiv fas och sedan till ett utdrivningsskede. Latensfasen kan vara svår att definiera kliniskt och kan variera så pass mycket att det inte finns ett normalt intervall och som begrepp är latensfasen otydlig. Syfte: Syftet var att få en fördjupning i begreppet latensfas i samband med graviditet och förlossning. Metod: Denna studie är en begreppsanalys som utgår från Walker Olszewski och Avant Coalsons modell för att kunna göra en fördjupning i det valda begreppet latensfas. I studien gjordes både en teoretisk fas och en fältstudiefas där fem barnmorskor verksamma inom förlossningsvård och mödrahälsovård intervjuades. Resultat: För att begreppet latensfas ska kunna existera behövs förutsättningar, till exempel graviditet och symtom på förlossningsarbete. Och ett resultat av begreppet blir en konsekvens, till exempel sjukhusvård. Latensfasen är en fas som är diffus och svårbedömd för många barnmorskor, ofta måste den födande kvinnan komma in för undersökning för att veta var i förlossningsarbetet hon befinner sig. Kriterier för när latensfasen övergår till aktiv fas varierar stort internationellt och kvinnor upplever latensfasen olika i intensitet och längd. Därför är det viktigt att barnmorskan är förstående och ger ett bra stöd. Slutsats: Under studiens gång har fem attribut hittats, diffus smärta och molande mensvärk, korta och oregelbundna sammandragningar, styrka och kraft i sammandragningarna, smärtsamma sammandragningar, ingen eller liten progress på livmoderhalsen och livmodermunnen, utan dessa attribut kan inte latensfasen existera. Klinisk tillämpbarhet: Med studien önskar vi att bland annat skapa trygghet och minska förvirring hos kvinnan genom att begreppet latensfas används likvärdigt bland barnmorskor. / Background: A childbirth begins with a latent phase that goes into an active phase and then into the delivery stage of childbirth. The latent phase can be difficult to define clinically and can vary so much that there is no normal interval and the latent phase of labor is unclear as a concept.Aim: The aim was to increase an understanding of the concept latent phase of labor relating to pregnancy and childbirth.Methods: This study is a concept analysis and to increase the understanding of the chosen concept, latent phase of labor, the study is based on Walker Olszewski and Avant Coalson's mode. The study included both a theoretical phase and a field study phase where five midwives in obstetrics and maternity care were interviewed.Results: In order for the concept of latent phase of labor to exist, conditions are needed, for example pregnancy and symptoms of labor. And a result of the concept becomes a consequence, for example hospital care. The latent phase of labor is a phase that is diffuse and difficult for many midwives to judge, the woman must almost always come in for examination to know where in labor progress she is. Criteria for when the latent phase of labor passes to active phase varies widely internationally and women experience the latent phase of labor differently in intensity and length. Therefor it is important that the midwife is understanding and provides moral support.Conclusion: Five attributes have been found during the study, diffuse pain and distressing menstruation pain, short and irregular contractions, strength and force in the contractions, painful contractions, nothing or a small progress on the cervix, the latent phase of labor cannot exist without these attributes.Clinical applicability: With this study we wish to create comfort and reduce confusion among women by making the concept latent phase equally among midwifes.

Este estudo buscou desenvolver o conceito vulnerabilidade da família, utilizando a estratégia da Análise Qualitativa de Conceito que consta de duas etapas: na primeira, a fase teórica, os dados foram coletados baseados na literatura, com o objetivo de identificar os atributos teóricos do conceito; e, na segunda, a fase de campo, foram usadas a entrevista e a observação de 12 famílias vivenciando uma experiência de doença e hospitalização de um filho. O Interacionismo Simbólico foi o eixo teórico que orientou os processos de indagação, dando sustentação à Teoria Fundamentada nos Dados, que foi utilizada para guiar a coleta e análise dos dados nesta etapa. Como resultado, construiu-se um modelo teórico cuja categoria central define a vulnerabilidade da família como SENTINDO-SE AMEAÇADA EM SUA AUTONOMIA, em razão das interações com a doença, família e equipe. A comparação das duas análises permitiu ampliar as propriedades do conceito, tornando possível elaborar uma proposição teórica de vulnerabilidade da família, e assim, avançar em termos de conhecimento teórico para a área de enfermagem da família. / The aim of this study was to develop the concept vulnerability of the family. The Qualitative Concept Analysis, which entails an assessment process using various techniques, was applied. Phase I: data were collected from literature for identification of the theoretical attributes of the concept. Phase II: data were collected from interviews and observation with twelve families living the experience of having a child hospitalized. The Symbolic Interactionism was the theoretical foundation that orientated the questioning process, and supported Grounded Theory, applied to guide data collection and analysis in this phase. A theoretical model was built as a result of phase II, whose central category defines vulnerability of the family as BEING THREATENED IN THEIR AUTONOMY, due to the interactions between family members, illness and health staff. The comparison of the two analyses gave raise to the properties of the concept, allowing its theoretical proposition to expand the theoretical knowledge in family nursing area.

Formal concept analysis is increasingly applied to query expansion and data mining problems. In this paper I analyze and compare the current concept lattice construction algorithm, and choose iPred and Border algorithms to adapt for query expansion. After I adapt two concept lattice construction algorithms, I apply these four algorithms on one query expansion prototype system. The calculation time for four algorithms are recorded and analyzed. The result of adapted algorithms is good. Moreover I find the efficiency of concept lattice construction is not consistent with complex analysis result. In stead, it is high depend on the structure of data set, which is data source of concept lattice.

A person who is communication about (the data subject) has to keep track of all of his revealed data in order to protect his right of informational self-determination. This is important when data is going to be processed in an automatic manner and, in particular, in case of automatic inquiries. A data subject should, therefore, be enabled to recognize useful decisions with respect to data disclosure, only by using data which is available to him. For the scope of this thesis, we assume that a data subject is able to protect his communication contents and the corresponding communication context against a third party by using end-to-end encryption and Mix cascades. The objective is to develop a model for analyzing the linkability of communication contents by using Formal Concept Analysis. In contrast to previous work, only the knowledge of a data subject is used for this analysis instead of a global view on the entire communication contents and context. As a first step, the relation between disclosed data is explored. It is shown how data can be grouped by types and data implications can be represented. As a second step, behavior, i. e. actions and reactions, of the data subject and his communication partners is included in this analysis in order to find critical data sets which can be used to identify the data subject. Typical examples are used to verify this analysis, followed by a conclusion about pros and cons of this method for anonymity and linkability measurement. Results can be used, later on, in order to develop a similarity measure for human-computer interfaces.

This thesis aims to present a multi-dimensional instrument for self-assessment of progress in postoperative recovery. The author employs different research paradigms and methodologies to achieve this aim. Walker and Avant’s approach to concept analysis was used to examine the basic elements of postoperative recovery (Study I). The analysis identified different recovery dimensions and developed a theoretical definition showing postoperative recovery to be an energy-requiring process of returning to normality and wholeness, defined by comparative standards. Fourteen patients and 28 staff members participated in individual and focus group interviews aimed at describing patient and staff experiences of patient recovery (Study II). The essence of the postoperative recovery process was described as a desire to decrease unpleasant physical symptoms, reach a level of emotional wellbeing, regain functions, and re-establish activities. In Study III, 5 dimensions and 19 items were identified as a part of the operationalization process of the concept postoperative recovery. Fifteen staff members and 16 patients participated in the evaluation of content validity. On average, 85% of the participants considered the items as essential to the recovery process. In a test run of the questionnaire, 14 of 15 patients considered the questionnaire to be easy to understand and easy to complete. Twenty-five patients participated in the evaluation of intra-patient reliability. Percentage agreement (PA), systematic disagreement (RP, RC), and individual variability (RV) between the two assessments were calculated. PA measures ranged from 72% to 100%. The observed disagreement could be explained mainly by systematic disagreement. In total, 158 patients participated in the evaluation of construct validity, the ability to discriminate between groups, and the investigation of important item variables (Study IV). A rank-based statistical method for evaluation of paired, ordered categorical data from rating scales was used to evaluate consistency between the assessments of the Postoperative Recovery Profile (PRP) questionnaire and a global recovery scale. The number of months needed by participants to be regarded as fully recovered was studied by means of recovery profiles displayed by the cumulative proportion of recovered participants over time. A ranking list based on the participant’s appraisal of the five most important item variables in the PRP questionnaire was compiled to illustrate the rank ordering of the items. In comparing the assessments from the PRP questionnaire and the global recovery scale, 7.6% of all possible pairs were disordered. Twelve months after discharge 73% in the orthopaedic group were regarded as fully recovered, compared to 51% of the participants in the abdominal group (95% CI: 6% to 40%). The pain variable appeared among the top five most important items on eight measurement occasions, of eight possible, in both study groups. In conclusion, the PRP questionnaire was developed and support was given for validity and reliability. The questionnaire enables one to evaluate progress in postoperative recovery.

Abstract The study had two phases. The aim of the first phase was to describe and explain the quality of counselling as assessed by patients and nursing staff. The aim of the second phase was to define the concept of counselling and to test its structure. The data of the first phase of the study was gathered by postal survey from patients (n = 844) and nursing staff (n = 916) in Oulu university hospital. In the analysis, basic and multiple variable methods and content analysis was used. The results yielded a theme for further study for the second phase of the study. During the second phase, the concept of counselling was defined by concept analysis. The structure of the concept of counselling was tested with the aid of confirmatory factor analysis using data of the first phase (n = 844) of the study as data. The results of the first and second phase of the study were combined into a hypothetical counselling quality model. The resources available for counselling were relatively good but the time was insufficient. Nursing staff's counselling knowledge and skills were relatively good. Patients regarded the attitudes of the nursing staff as partly negative. Of the different counselling methods, individual oral counselling was the only on which the staff had good command. One in three patients received no written counselling material. In addition, one in five patients considered that counselling was not patient-centred. Interactivity was well implemented. However, before coming to the hospital, patients did not receive sufficient counselling on matters related to their illness and its treatment. During their stay at hospital, counselling on social support was insufficient. Counselling had little or no impact on one in three patients. Counselling had the least effect on the receipt of information by relatives. As a whole, patients did however consider counselling as being good. Counselling was defined as an action linked to the context, i.e. the background, of the patient and the nursing staff that was based on interaction, active and goal-oriented. According to the hypothetical model developed, the quality of counselling meant that counselling is based on the professional responsibility of the nursing staff, action linked to the context, i.e. the background, of the patient and the nursing staff that is based on interaction, active and goal-oriented, implemented with appropriate resources, sufficient and has an impact. The results of the study can be used in counselling theory formulation, improvement of counselling quality and in basic and continuing nursing education. / Tiivistelmä Tutkimus oli kaksivaiheinen. Ensimmäisen vaiheen tarkoituksena oli kuvailla ja selittää ohjauksen laatua potilaiden ja hoitohenkilöstön arvioimana. Tutkimuksen toisen vaiheen tarkoituksena oli määritellä ohjaus-käsite ja testata käsitteen rakenne. Tutkimuksen ensimmäisen vaiheen aineisto kerättiin tätä tutkimusta varten kehitetyillä mittareilla postikyselynä Oulun yliopistollisen sairaalan potilailta (n = 844) ja hoitohenkilöstöltä (n = 916). Aineiston analyysissä käytettiin perus- ja monimuuttujamenetelmiä sekä sisällönanalyysiä. Tulokset tuottivat jatkotutkimusaiheen tutkimuksen toiseen vaiheeseen. Tutkimuksen toisessa vaiheessa ohjaus-käsite määriteltiin käsiteanalyysillä, jonka aineisto kerättiin harkinnanvaraisesti Medline-, Cinahl- ja Medic-tietokannoista (n = 32) ja käsihakuina yleisteoksista (n = 6). Aineisto analysoitiin induktiivisella sisällönanalyysillä. Analyysin tuloksena määriteltiin ohjaus-käsite. Teoreettisen käsitteenmuodostuksen jälkeen ohjaus-käsitteen rakenne testattiin konfirmatorisella faktorianalyysillä. Aineistona käytettiin tutkimuksen ensimmäisen vaiheen aineistoa (n=844). Tutkimuksen ensimmäisen ja toisen vaiheen tulokset yhdistettiin ohjauksen laadun hypoteettiseksi malliksi. Ohjauksen resurssit olivat kohtalaiset, mutta ohjausaika oli riittämätöntä. Hoitohenkilöstön tiedot ja taidot ohjata olivat kohtalaisen hyvät. Potilaiden mielestä hoitohenkilöstön asenteet olivat osittain kielteisiä, vaikka hoitohenkilöstö piti niitä myönteisinä. Ohjausmenetelmistä hoitohenkilöstö hallitsi hyvin vain suullisen yksilöohjauksen. Kolmannes potilaista ei saanut kirjallista ohjausmateriaalia lainkaan. Lisäksi viidennes potilaista arvioi, ettei ohjaustoiminta ollut potilaslähtöistä. Ohjauksen suunnittelussa ja arvioinnissa ei aina otettu potilaan taustatekijöitä huomioon. Vuorovaikutus toteutui hyvin. Ohjaus oli kuitenkin osittain riittämätöntä varsinkin ennen sairaalaan tuloa sairauteen ja sen hoitoon liittyvien asioiden osalta sekä sairaala-aikana sosiaalisen tuen osalta. Potilaslähtöinen ohjaustoiminta, ohjauksen riittävyys ja kokonaislaatu selittivät ohjauksen vaikutuksia. Ohjauksella oli vähän tai ei lainkaan vaikutusta kolmannekseen potilaista. Vähiten ohjaus vaikutti omaisten tiedonsaantiin. Kokonaisuudessaan potilaat pitivät ohjauksen laatua hyvänä. Ohjaus määriteltiin potilaan ja hoitohenkilöstön kontekstiin eli taustatekijöihin sidoksissa olevaksi, vuorovaikutussuhteessa rakentuvaksi, aktiiviseksi ja tavoitteelliseksi toiminnaksi. Ohjauksen lähtökohtana on potilaan ja hoitohenkilöstön konteksti, jonka kohtaaminen edellyttää vuorovaikutukselta kaksisuuntaisuutta. Vuorovaikutus on keino, jolla ohjaussuhdetta rakennetaan. Onnistunut vuorovaikutteinen ohjaussuhde mahdollistaa potilaan ja hoitohenkilöstön välisen aktiivisen ja tavoitteellisen toiminnan. Kehitetyn hypoteettisen mallin mukaan ohjauksen laadulla tarkoitettiin sitä, että ohjaus on hoitohenkilöstön ammatilliseen vastuuseen perustuvaa, potilaan ja hoitohenkilöstön kontekstiin eli taustatekijöihin sidoksissa olevaa, vuorovaikutussuhteessa rakentuvaa, aktiivista ja tavoitteellista toimintaa, joka on asianmukaisin resurssein toteutettua, riittävää ja vaikuttavaa. Tutkimustuloksia voidaan hyödyntää ohjauksen teorianmuodostuksessa, ohjauksen laadun kehittämisessä sekä hoitotyön perus- ja täydennyskoulutuksessa.