The diploma thesis deals in the first part with the importance and the characteristics of the most famous and the most cultivated clover crops in our country. Clover crops distinctly increase yield of fodder crops and production in temporary and permanent grasslands with a low fertilizer requirement. The production of high-quality bulky feed on the arable land and on permanent grasslands leads to a higher nutrients concentration for high-performance animals. The second part of this thesis is focused on the own monitoring of the Hare's-foot clover, where operating areas was chosen in the South Bohemian region. On operating areas, which were 1-year, 2-years, 3-years old, there was studied the manner of planting, the quantity of plants and stems per 1 m2 and the yield of fodder crops of one of the most important clovers cultivated in the Czech Republic were determined by a numerical method. In conclusion, the methods of regulation of yield of fodder crops and quality of crop production take into account agrotechnical and technological procedures, cultivated crops and, last but not least, agricultural machines affect the quality and condition of the growths. Because fodder is important not only for good forage, but also for non-production functions, environmental protection, landscape creation, revitalization and species diversity.

Esta dissertação descreve um conjunto de ferramentas, VEasy, o qual foi desenvolvido especificamente para auxiliar no processo de Verificação Funcional. VEasy contém quatro módulos principais, os quais realizam tarefas-chave do processo de verificação como linting, simulação, coleta/análise de cobertura e a geração de testcases. Cada módulo é comentado em detalhe ao longo dos capítulos. Todos os módulos são integrados e construídos utilizando uma Interface Gráfica. Esta interface possibilita o uso de uma metodologia de criação de testcases estruturados em camadas, onde é possível criar casos de teste complexos através do uso de operações do tipo drag-and-drop. A forma de uso dos módulos é exemplificada utilizando projetos simples escritos em Verilog. As funcionalidades da ferramenta, assim como o seu desempenho, são comparadas com algumas ferramentas comerciais e acadêmicas. Assim, algumas conclusões são apresentadas, mostrando que o tempo de simulação é consideravelmente menor quando efetuada a comparação com as ferramentas comerciais e acadêmicas. Os resultados também mostram que a metodologia é capaz de permitir um alto nível de automação no processo de criação de testcases através do modelo baseado em camadas. / This thesis describes a tool suite, VEasy, which was developed specifically for aiding the process of Functional Verification. VEasy contains four main modules that perform linting, simulation, coverage collection/analysis and testcase generation, which are considered key challenges of the process. Each of those modules is commented in details throughout the chapters. All the modules are integrated and built on top of a Graphical User Interface. This framework enables the testcase automation methodology which is based on layers, where one is capable of creating complex test scenarios using drag-anddrop operations. Whenever possible the usage of the modules is exemplified using simple Verilog designs. The capabilities of this tool and its performance were compared with some commercial and academic functional verification tools. Finally, some conclusions are drawn, showing that the overall simulation time is considerably smaller with respect to commercial and academic simulators. The results also show that the methodology is capable of enabling a great deal of testcase automation by using the layering scheme.

Master of Agribusiness / Department of Agricultural Economics / Terry Griffin / Large acreage farms and even moderate sized farms employing custom applicators and harvesters have multiple machines in the same field at the same time conducting the same field operation. As a method to control input costs and minimize application overlap, these machines have been equipped with automatic section control (ASC). For nearly all these multiple-vehicle operations, over application is a concern especially for more irregularly shaped fields; however modern technology including automated guidance combined with automatic section control allow reduced doubling of input application including seeds, fertilizer, and spray. Automatic section control depends on coverage maps stored locally on each vehicle to determine whether or not to apply input products and up to now, there has not been a clear method to share these maps between vehicles in the same field. Without sharing coverage maps, an individual ASC planting unit only has location data where it has applied individually and no location data for where other planting units have applied seed in that same field. Automatic section control relies upon shared coverage maps to be continually updated between each planting unit and utilizes existing machine telematics infrastructure for map data sharing. Telematics utilizes a cloud computing platform and cellular connectivity which in rural areas is known to have limited service levels. Planting operations were simulated for two 16-row planters, each using two John Deere GreenStar3 2630 monitors, simulated GPS location data stream, electronic rate control units, and individual row unit clutches to have control at the finest granularity. Each simulated planting unit is equipped with automatic section control and telematics gateways to share coverage map data from the first planting unit to JDLink cloud infrastructure then out to the second. This study evaluates the impact that field size and shape have on using multiple ASC planters and coverage map sharing, and estimates seed cost savings from reducing over application because coverage maps are shared between planting units. The impact of sharing coverage maps with both planting units using field boundaries with automatic section control and without using field boundaries were evaluated. Guidance line headings were determined using AgLeader SMS’s mission planning feature to minimize the number of passes across each field based on the field boundary and implement width. Each field was run twice using parallel tracking, once each with and without coverage map sharing to observe the extent of over application. The field level data were then taken to examine a fictious 3,000 acre farming operation where the field level data was used as a partial composition of the farm operation. An embedded Microsoft Excel macro was used to create 8,008 different composition scenarios to determine farm level savings. The average farm savings was $58,909 per year. Additionally, using the 8,008 scenarios, time value of money was examined to determine the the minimum area required annually for five years for this technology to pay back. The average was 133 acres each year for five years. Equipment manufacturers and farmers have interest in these results. In general, equipment manufacturers desire to create a service-based product to be sold such that continual revenue path provides value added services after the precision agriculture hardware is sold. In this study, the existing telematics product offerings are tied to shared coverage maps to provide a value-add to an existing service. Farmers want to ensure this is a sound equipment investment with payback in a relatively short time period. As farm input costs continue to rise especially relative to crop prices, reducing over application will be critical to limit waste.

[pt] Recentemente, tem sido observado um crescimento explosivo na utilização de redes de acesso local sem fio (Wireless Local Area Networks - WLANs), utilizando equipamentos de nível de radiação restrito operando em bandas independentes de outorga de uso de rádio freqüência, tanto para uso corporativo como doméstico e para prover acesso pago em ambientes públicos como aeroportos, hotéis, centros de convenções, campi universitários e mesmo restaurantes e cafés. Se estas redes serão complementares ou competidoras das redes celulares de terceira e quarta gerações é ainda uma questão polêmica e aberta. Os objetivos deste trabalho são o desenvolvimento um modelo de propagação de sinais na faixa de freqüência de 2,4 GHz em ambientes fechados (indoor), para a previsão de cobertura de WLANs, e prover ao projetista de redes wireless uma metodologia um bom dimensionamento da rede. São apresentados os principais modelos semi-empíricos já existentes na literatura técnica e, a partir de medidas realizadas em diferentes ambientes, é proposto um ajuste de parâmetros de um modelo de propagação indoor bastante completo. As medidas realizadas incluem as perdas de penetração em paredes de diferentes materiais, o efeito de difração em quinas de paredes, efeito de movimentação de pessoas no ambiente, além do coeficiente de perda de propagação com a distância. Os modelos desenvolvidos foram implementados numa ferramenta de software para o planejamento de cobertura de redes wireless indoor que permite realizar o projeto a partir da planta baixa do ambiente disponibilizada em arquivos de imagem. / [en] Recently, an explosive growth in the use of Wireless Local Area Networks - WLANs, using restricted radiation levels and operating in license exempted frequency bands, has been observed, not only for corporative domestic use but also to provide paid internet access in public environments such as airports, hotels, convention centers, university campus and even restaurants and coffee shops. The question if these networks will be complementary or will compete with third and forth generation of cellular networks, is still a controversial and opened. The objectives of this work are the development a model for propagation in closed environments (indoor) at the 2,4 GHz frequency band for the coverage planning of WLANs and to provide the wireless network designer with a complete project methodology . The most important semi-empirical models available in the technical literature are presented and, based on measurements carried out in different environments, a fairly complete model with fitted parameters is proposed. The measurements include losses of penetration in walls of different materials, the effect of diffraction at wall edges, the effect of movement of people in the environment and the rate of loss with distance coefficient. The developed models have been implemented in a software tool for coverage planning of wireless indoor networks that allows the development of the project starting from blue prints of the environment available as digital image files.

Esta dissertação descreve um conjunto de ferramentas, VEasy, o qual foi desenvolvido especificamente para auxiliar no processo de Verificação Funcional. VEasy contém quatro módulos principais, os quais realizam tarefas-chave do processo de verificação como linting, simulação, coleta/análise de cobertura e a geração de testcases. Cada módulo é comentado em detalhe ao longo dos capítulos. Todos os módulos são integrados e construídos utilizando uma Interface Gráfica. Esta interface possibilita o uso de uma metodologia de criação de testcases estruturados em camadas, onde é possível criar casos de teste complexos através do uso de operações do tipo drag-and-drop. A forma de uso dos módulos é exemplificada utilizando projetos simples escritos em Verilog. As funcionalidades da ferramenta, assim como o seu desempenho, são comparadas com algumas ferramentas comerciais e acadêmicas. Assim, algumas conclusões são apresentadas, mostrando que o tempo de simulação é consideravelmente menor quando efetuada a comparação com as ferramentas comerciais e acadêmicas. Os resultados também mostram que a metodologia é capaz de permitir um alto nível de automação no processo de criação de testcases através do modelo baseado em camadas. / This thesis describes a tool suite, VEasy, which was developed specifically for aiding the process of Functional Verification. VEasy contains four main modules that perform linting, simulation, coverage collection/analysis and testcase generation, which are considered key challenges of the process. Each of those modules is commented in details throughout the chapters. All the modules are integrated and built on top of a Graphical User Interface. This framework enables the testcase automation methodology which is based on layers, where one is capable of creating complex test scenarios using drag-anddrop operations. Whenever possible the usage of the modules is exemplified using simple Verilog designs. The capabilities of this tool and its performance were compared with some commercial and academic functional verification tools. Finally, some conclusions are drawn, showing that the overall simulation time is considerably smaller with respect to commercial and academic simulators. The results also show that the methodology is capable of enabling a great deal of testcase automation by using the layering scheme.

Estima-se que a carÃncia de vitamina A atinja atualmente 250 milhÃes de prÃ-escolares. Destas, de 250.000 a 500.000 se tornam irreversivelmente cegas, e metade desse nÃmero evolui para o Ãbito nos primeiros 12 meses seguintes, apÃs a perda da visÃo. A defici-Ãncia de vitamina A ainda à a principal causa de cegueira infantil no mundo. Os efeitos mais divulgados da suplementaÃÃo de vitamina A sÃo a reduÃÃo da gravidade de episÃdios de diar-reia e de infecÃÃes de vias aÃreas superiores. A reduÃÃo da mortalidade total em crianÃas atra-vÃs da suplementaÃÃo à identificada em grupos populacionais de extrema pobreza e com alta prevalÃncia de diarreia. A suplementaÃÃo periÃdica de vitamina A em crianÃas à o mÃtodo recomendado pela OrganizaÃÃo Mundial de SaÃde para a correÃÃo desta deficiÃncia nutricio-nal, e a suplementaÃÃo com altas doses à efetiva, suprindo a carÃncia por vÃrios meses. Neste trabalho, objetiva-se observar a prevalÃncia da suplementaÃÃo de vitamina A em cinco perÃo-dos distintos, entre 1987 e 2007, medindo o impacto que esta suplementaÃÃo causa na morbi-dade, e, atravÃs da sÃrie histÃrica, observar a importÃncia dos programas de suplementaÃÃo nos nÃveis de vitamina A populacionais, bem como os fatores socioeconÃmicos e biolÃgicos que levaram a esta suplementaÃÃo em cada perÃodo e nÃvel nutricional. Os estudos utilizados como base foram do tipo transversal de base populacional, com abrangÃncia estadual, estu-dando uma amostra representativa da populaÃÃo de crianÃas prÃ-escolares do CearÃ, de cerca de duas mil crianÃas em cada ano. O estado do Cearà se caracteriza como um dos mais pobres do paÃs. Fez-se anÃlise inicialmente descritiva, seguida por anÃlise bivariada e multivariada. Ao se analisar a prevalÃncia de suplementaÃÃo no estado do Cearà nos perÃodos estudados, pode-se observar uma tendÃncia de aumento na distribuiÃÃo das megadoses, variando de 9,6% a 65,8% de cobertura, porÃm com flutuaÃÃes devido a mudanÃas na polÃtica de distribuiÃÃo de vitamina A. Pode-se observar tambÃm que o impacto da suplementaÃÃo na reduÃÃo das mor-bidades tem se tornado cada vez menor. AlÃm disso, observa-se que a suplementaÃÃo pode estar associada com maior frequÃncia de morbidades, mesmo quando esta à corrigida para a alimentaÃÃo rica em vitamina A (RC 1,8, IC95% [1,204-2,956]). Viu-se que os fatores mais impactantes na adesÃo a suplementaÃÃo sÃo os associados a cuidados em saÃde e os socioeco-nÃmicos (RC 1,7, IC95% [1,416-2,274]). Verificou-se diminuiÃÃo da inequidade na cobertura de vitamina A. Conclui-se que os programas polÃticos sÃo essenciais para a cobertura, que os cuidados em saÃde sÃo os fatores de maior importÃncia para a frequÃncia da suplementaÃÃo, e que esta tem benefÃcio controverso na reduÃÃo de morbidade.

Esta dissertação descreve um conjunto de ferramentas, VEasy, o qual foi desenvolvido especificamente para auxiliar no processo de Verificação Funcional. VEasy contém quatro módulos principais, os quais realizam tarefas-chave do processo de verificação como linting, simulação, coleta/análise de cobertura e a geração de testcases. Cada módulo é comentado em detalhe ao longo dos capítulos. Todos os módulos são integrados e construídos utilizando uma Interface Gráfica. Esta interface possibilita o uso de uma metodologia de criação de testcases estruturados em camadas, onde é possível criar casos de teste complexos através do uso de operações do tipo drag-and-drop. A forma de uso dos módulos é exemplificada utilizando projetos simples escritos em Verilog. As funcionalidades da ferramenta, assim como o seu desempenho, são comparadas com algumas ferramentas comerciais e acadêmicas. Assim, algumas conclusões são apresentadas, mostrando que o tempo de simulação é consideravelmente menor quando efetuada a comparação com as ferramentas comerciais e acadêmicas. Os resultados também mostram que a metodologia é capaz de permitir um alto nível de automação no processo de criação de testcases através do modelo baseado em camadas. / This thesis describes a tool suite, VEasy, which was developed specifically for aiding the process of Functional Verification. VEasy contains four main modules that perform linting, simulation, coverage collection/analysis and testcase generation, which are considered key challenges of the process. Each of those modules is commented in details throughout the chapters. All the modules are integrated and built on top of a Graphical User Interface. This framework enables the testcase automation methodology which is based on layers, where one is capable of creating complex test scenarios using drag-anddrop operations. Whenever possible the usage of the modules is exemplified using simple Verilog designs. The capabilities of this tool and its performance were compared with some commercial and academic functional verification tools. Finally, some conclusions are drawn, showing that the overall simulation time is considerably smaller with respect to commercial and academic simulators. The results also show that the methodology is capable of enabling a great deal of testcase automation by using the layering scheme.

Context. The share and importance of software within automotive vehicles is growing steadily. Most functionalities in modern vehicles, especially safety related functions like advanced emergency braking, are controlled by software. A complex and common phenomenon in today’s automotive vehicles is the distribution of such software functions across several Electronic Control Units (ECUs) and consequently across several ECU system software modules. As a result, integration testing of these distributed software functions has been found to be a challenge. The automotive industry neither has infinite resources, nor has the time to carry out exhaustive testing of these functions. On the other hand, the traditional approach of implementing an ad-hoc selection of test scenarios based on the tester’s experience, can lead to test gaps and test redundancies. Hence, there is a pressing need within the automotive industry for a feasible and effective verification strategy for testing distributed software functions. Objectives. Firstly, to identify the current approach used to test the distributed automotive embedded software functions in literature and in a case company. Secondly, propose and validate a feasible and effective verification strategy for testing the distributed software functions that would help improve test coverage while reducing test redundan- cies and test gaps. Methods. To accomplish the objectives, a case study was conducted at Scania CV AB, Södertälje, Sweden. One of the data collection methods was through conducting interviews of different employees involved in the software testing activities. Based on the research objectives, an interview questionnaire with open-ended and close-ended questions has been used. Apart from interviews, data from relevant ar- tifacts in databases and archived documents has been used to achieve data triangulation. Moreover, to further strengthen the validity of the results obtained, adequate literature support has been presented throughout. Towards the end, a verification strategy has been proposed and validated using existing historical data at Scania. Conclusions. The proposed verification strategy to test distributed automotive embedded software functions has given promising results by providing means to identify test gaps and test redundancies. It helps establish an effective and feasible approach to capture function test coverage information that helps enhance the effectiveness of integration testing of the distributed software functions.

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In the years since the 9/11 attacks the incidence of terrorism has been on the rise. At the same time, news media coverage of major terrorist attacks has reached epic proportions, greatly expanding the number of individuals psychologically affected by terrorism. The goal of this dissertation is to better understand how individuals cope with terrorism experienced at a distance. Specifically, this investigation focuses on the impact of stress on integrative complexity (IC; a measure of cognitive processing; Suedfeld, Tetlock, & Streufert, 1992) during and shortly after a major terrorist event. Taken together, the findings from the three studies reported in this dissertation provide several insights into this process. Study 1 replicates and extends results from an earlier study of television newscasters reporting live on 9/11 (Jhangiani & Suedfeld, 2005), in the context of the 2005 London bombings and the medium of radio. In doing so, it provides the first empirical evidence outside of the research laboratory for the curvilinear relationship between stress and IC. Specifically, during the early stages of reports concerning the London bombings, a positive relationship is found between negative emotion and IC. However, once the nature and extent of the event become clearer, increases in negative emotion are related to decreases in IC (the disruptive stress hypothesis). Study 2 replicates this curvilinear relationship in the short-term reactions of two prominent political leaders to 9/11 and the 2005 London bombings. For one of these political leaders, the magnitude of his psychological reaction is moderated by the psychological distance between him and the victims of the attacks. Finally, Study 3 finds that two key personality variables, neuroticism and empathy, play important roles in determining the magnitude of the short-term psychological reactions to 9/11 of more than 250 students from Canada and the United States. This finding is particularly true for those students who were psychologically closer to the victims of the attacks. Implications, strengths and limitations of this research, and possible future directions are discussed. / Arts, Faculty of / Psychology, Department of / Graduate