In data analysis, data points are usually analyzed based on their relations to other points (e.g., distance or inner product). This kind of relation can be analyzed on the manifold of the data set. Manifold learning is an approach to understand such relations. Various manifold learning methods have been developed and their effectiveness has been demonstrated in many real-world problems in pattern recognition and signal processing. However, most existing manifold learning algorithms only consider one manifold based on one dissimilarity matrix. In practice, multiple measurements may be available, and could be utilized. In pattern recognition systems, data integration has been an important consideration for improved accuracy given multiple measurements. Some data integration algorithms have been proposed to address this issue. These integration algorithms mostly use statistical information from the data set such as uncertainty of each data source, but they do not use the structural information (i.e., the geometric relations between data points). Such a structure is naturally described by a manifold. Even though manifold learning and data integration have been successfully used for data analysis, they have not been considered in a single integrated framework. When we have multiple measurements generated from the same data set and mapped onto different manifolds, those measurements can be integrated using the structural information on these multiple manifolds. Furthermore, we can better understand the structure of the data set by combining multiple measurements in each manifold using data integration techniques. In this dissertation, I present a new concept, manifold integration, a data integration method using the structure of data expressed in multiple manifolds. In order to achieve manifold integration, I formulated the manifold integration concept, and derived three manifold integration algorithms. Experimental results showed the algorithms' effectiveness in classification and dimension reduction. Moreover, for manifold integration, I showed that there are good theoretical and neuroscientific applications. I expect the manifold integration approach to serve as an effective framework for analyzing multimodal data sets on multiple manifolds. Also, I expect that my research on manifold integration will catalyze both manifold learning and data integration research.

Many agricultural educators fail to integrate core subject concepts into their classrooms. Current research addresses the perceptions of agricultural educators regarding core subject integration, but little research notes the barriers that are identified in the perception studies and the action of agricultural educators needed to overcome those barriers. The purpose of this study was to identify the path progressive agricultural educators, who are successful in integrating core subject concepts, particularly STEM, in their classroom followed. Additionally, to determine the tools and resources the progressive agricultural educators believe other agricultural educators need in order to follow a similar path. Overall the participants in the study all followed similar paths to become progressive in academic integration. All participants appeared to be highly self-motivated individuals because they seek out professional development opportunities in order to continuously improve the teaching in their classrooms and increase rigor within their curriculum. Collaboration between agricultural educators and core subject educators is crucial to increasing rigor in the agricultural education classroom (Myers & Thompson, 2008). Administrators at the participating schools were supportive of the idea of academic integration in the agricultural science classroom. According to the participants, longer professional development workshops are needed for teachers to successfully advance in the area of academic integration along with resource sharing opportunities between other agricultural educators and potentially core subject teachers. The participants all possess adequate facilities to conduct academic integration and believe available facilities and budgets affect the success of academic integration, because without proper facilities and supplies it is difficult for teachers to incorporate inquiry based instruction. According to the participants budgets also are a constraint for teachers when attempting to advance. If the teacher’s budget does not allow for extra purchases, then the teacher should take it upon themselves to seek out additional fiscal support to assist in classroom instruction, by writing grants or asking the local community for support.

Konstanz, Univ., Diss., 2007.

Enterprise Resource Management (ERP) software is used by organizations to control accounting, manufacturing and customer processes. It is common practice that organizations use more than a singular ERP system and various modules from multiple ERP vendors in their business. Hence, there is a need to integrate systems and find technical solutions that allow the EPRs to communicate. This thesis presents the development of a Generic Integration Layer (GIL) that allows various available ERP systems to exchange data. The goal was to design and develop a module that could integrate different ERP modules, fill the data communication gaps among them, with the goal to minimize the need to use several commercial product for data integration purposes. The developed GIL allows flexible import from different file formats as well as provides verification and updates in a database management server. Moreover, it transforms data into a generic format based on XML that can be read by many modern ERPs. / Master Thesis / Development of a Generic Integration Layer for an ERP system

This thesis describes the integration policy of the Czech Republic. The aim is to analyze the integration policy of the Czech Republic targeting on specific integration programs. After the basic theoretical background of migration, integration and integration policies work has been dealing with a specific integration policy of the Czech Republic. Follow the analysis of the selected integration programs, which take place in the capital city of Prague and Středočeský region. Based on the findings of work validates the hypothesis that the integration policy of the Czech Republic in need of radical change. To this end the work used statistical methods, method comparison, and especially SWOT analysis.

The focus in this study is on the situation of Roma in Sweden. The purpose is to see the integration strategies that are reflected in Swedish politics, considering the inclusion of Roma. Idea analysis has been used as method, and I have analysed the text to find expressions of four different ideal types that represent four different types of integrations processes. The material consists of the government’s strategy plan for the Roma’s inclusion in Sweden between 2012-2032. Depending on what is being said in the government’s strategy plan about the inclusion of Roma, I will be able to categorize different parts of the text and place it under a certain ideal type, and consequently see the integration strategies that are reflected in Swedish politics.The essay’s results shows that the strategy for the Roma’s inclusion consist of two different ideas of integration processes. It also shows that the other two ideal types for integration processes do not occur in the strategy plan. The four ideal types are: ethnic assimilation, ethnic segregation, civic integration and multiculturalism. The results show that expressions of the last two ideal types are consistent throughout the government’s strategy plan for the Roma’s inclusion. Which one of the two integrations strategies that is the most dominant in the strategy plan has been hard to identify. Keywords: Roma, Inclusion, Integration strategies

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston University / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / The thesis is divided into three parts. Part One, Measure and Measure Spaces, contains the introduction; and in later chapters this part approaches measure theory by the most natural route. It begins in a detailed fashion by developing the theory of set length through several levels of generalization, including the concepts of ordinary interval length, Jordan content, and Lebesgue measure. Then, without details, it discusses the extension of this theory of measure to more complex Euclidean sets and, finally, to abstract sets. Part Two, The Integral on Measure Spaces, introduces the theory of Lebesgue integration. The integrals treated gere are the measure dependent Lebesgue and general Lebesgue integrals. Chapter 6 in this part establishes a link between the Riemann integral and Jordan content, described in Chapter 3 of Part One, and between the Lebesgue integral and Lebesgue measure, described in Chapter 4 of Part One. Chapter 7 establishes an analogous link between the general Lebesgue integral and general measure spaces introduced in Chapter 5 of Part One. Chapter 8 , Measure on a Semialgebra, stands as a bridge between the historic and abstract versions of the Lebesgue Theory; for it generalizes the procedure used to construct the geometric integral, and shows that this procedure will produce general integrals as well. Part Three, A More General Integral , considers the theory of the Daniell integral. This integral is defined in more general terms than the measure-dependent Lebesgue integral of Part Two. Nevertheless, a harmonious resolution is reached in the theorems that show how the lines supporting the two theories can be drawn together / 2031-01-01

The aim of this thesis is to analyse international financial integration. Chapter 2 investigates the determinants of international financial integration. Variables including the capital control policy dummy variable, openness to international trade, domestic credit and economic growth are candidates for explaining variation in the degree of international financial integration. Chapter 3 analyses cointegration between the US and several European Union equity markets. Between 1993 and 1998, there is mixed evidence of cointegration ties with the US equity market. Over the period covering the introduction of the euro, most of the European markets did not show any evidence of cointegration with the US market. Granger causality tests reveal significant causality running from the US to the European markets. Chapter 4 estimates time series of market and idiosyncratic volatilities for the firms composing the index DJ Eurostoxx 50 following the volatility decomposition method of Campbell et al. (2001). There was a positive trend in both market and firm-level volatility and average correlation among firms has increased. This contrasts with the US evidence in Campbell et al. (2001) of a strong positive trend in firm-level volatility, no trend in market volatility and a decrease in the average correlation. Results confirm a statistically significant market risk-return trade-off and that firm-level volatility has no predictive power for subsequent market returns. Chapter 5 analyses the link between FDI and economic growth using panel data. FDI has a stronger positive impact on economic growth in countries with higher levels of education attainment, those that are more open to international trade, have better stock market development and lower rates of population growth and levels of risk. Chapter 6 investigates the determinants of the home bias. Results indicate that capital controls and transaction costs are factors driving the home bias of Australian equity portfolio investment. The home bias lessens if the bilateral trade is higher. Australian investors invest a higher share of their portfolio in countries with better institutions and larger market size.

Zugl.: Zürich, Fachhochsch. Hochsch. für Soziale Arbeit, Diplomarbeit, 2006

The overarching problems to which this study responds are the inadequacies of a traditional language arts curriculum for underserved middle school students and the ways such curricula fall short in providing these students viable means to succeed both academically and socially. The purpose of this study was to learn what happens when underserved middle school students were simultaneously engaged in literacy studies and visual arts learning based on the perceptions of four students, their teacher and the researcher. The questions that guided this study of an integrated literacy curriculum in a visual arts classroom were: 1) What were the perceptions of four underserved middle school students regarding their participation in an arts and literacy integrated curriculum? 2) What were the perceptions of a middle school teacher about student participation arts and literacy integrated curriculum? and, 3) What were the perceptions of the researcher who participated in arts and literacy integrated curriculum? This study incorporated ethnographic techniques of observation, interviews, and artifact collection and analysis as a basis for assessing and interpreting evaluating the real world experiences of students and a teacher. By using a case study methodology along with elements of autoethnography, the study explored primarily the perceptions of four underserved students, along with casual interaction with 24 other students, in class as they engaged in literacy activities in the art class. Results illustrate the students did not find the writing assignment relevant to the associated art activity. Although some students disliked the literacy exercise, some professed to understand its value. Most deemed it irrelevant or inappropriate. All preferred to only work on their art projects. The veteran teacher expressed interest in incorporating language arts into the art class but only did so on a limited basis. It appeared to the researcher that the potential for increasing verbal literacy was likely hampered by inadequate preparation for the lesson. The teacher may not have had a deep belief or motivation to fully utilize this technique. The potential for students to be exposed to deeper literacy integration in the arts class may not have been fully realized.