Learning disabled (hereafter abbreviated as LD) adolescents have a hard time coping with the demands of secondary school and often experience frustration and failure. Educators have received little or no training to provide meaningful support for these learners. Despite sweeping policy changes LD learners' diverse needs are not being met in the classroom. Research indicates that LD learners are best served within the mainstream classroom. In-service training is necessary to help educators equip themselves with skills to cope with this new role. An assistance programme has been developed in this study to provide practical teaching and learning interventions, to help educators support the LD secondary school learner in regular mainstream classrooms. If LD learners are supported in the classroom they will acquire skills to become independent learners. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (with specialisation in Guidane and Counselling)

L'intégration monolithique de fonctions auxiliaires au coeur d'un interrupteur de puissance permet de simplifier sa mise en oeuvre, de réduire la connectique et donc de fiabiliser ce composant. La conception de tels composants de puissance passe par divers étapes: modélisation, dimensionnement, création de masques, fabrication et test. Dans le milieu académique, ces étapes sont actuellement effectuées par le concepteur, sans aucune assistance. Or, celles-ci peuvent être critiques et induire des erreurs ne permettant pas le fonctionnement du dispositif. Nous proposons d'étudier la mise en place d'une plateforme de Conception et d'Assistance au Prototypage de Systèmes Intégrés sur Silicium (CAPsis). Nous commençons par définir l'architecture ce cette plateforme. Puis nous verrons comment assister le concepteur lors des étapes de modélisation lui servant pour ses simulations lors du dimensionnement. Puis nous présentons la méthode choisie pour l'assistance à la génération des masques d'un dispositif. Enfin nous développons la mise en oeuvre de tout ceci avec la création d'un interrupteur à commutation automatique à coeur VD-MSOFET.

En 1975, Wilson et King ont proposé que l'évolution opère non seulement via des changements affectant la structure des protéines, mais aussi via des mutations qui modifient la régulation génétique. L'étude des éléments régulateurs de l'expression génétique a un rôle important dans la compréhension de l'expression de différentes maladies et de la réponse thérapeutique. Nous avons développé un algorithme bio- informatique qui nous permet rapidement de trouver des sites de régulation génétique à travers tout le génome et pour une grande quantité de gènes. Notre approche consiste à trouver des sites polymorphes (SNPs) qui sont en déséquilibre de liaison avec le débalancement allélique (AI) afin de cartographier la région régulatrice et le site responsable. Notre méthode est avantageuse par rapport à d'autres méthodes, car elle n'a pas besoin des données « phasées». De plus, les données de débalancement allélique ne sont pas affectées par des facteurs externes étant donné qu'ils sont mesurés dans la même cellule. Nous avons démontré que notre approche est fiable et qu'elle peut détecter des sites loin du gène. De plus, il peut être appliqué à des données de génotypage sans avoir besoin de les « phaser » . / Wilson and King (1975) proposed that evolution frequently operates through mutations affecting genetic regulation. Likewise, it is expected that genetic variation responsible for inter-individual differences will be due to variation in regulatory sites. Identifying such sites is thus important in the genetic and medical research. We have developed a new bioinformatics algorithm to find genome-wide regulatory sites for a big number of genes. Individuals carrying different alleles at a regulatory site will exhibit allelic imbalance(AI) due to differential expression of the two copies the same locus. Our approach consists of searching polymorphic sites (SNPs) in linkage disequilibrium with AI in order to map regulatory regions. We have detected many SNPs associated to the regulation of different genes pointed in previous studies. We have also found regulatory regions far from the transcription start site (TSS). The major advantage of this method is that phased data is not needed. In addition, AI data has the benefit of not being affected by external factors since it is measured in the same cell. The results show that our approach is reliable and it can detect sites far from the gene.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-12-23T14:05:54Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Raposo Carlos O L (dissertacao).pdf: 2138408 bytes, checksum: 92598a211c5acd54e932935165f2df18 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005-11-11 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The steel slag or BOF (Basic Oxygen Furnace) slag is a by-product generated in integrated steel plants. The use of this material in bases and sub-bases of pavements may present technical, economical and environmental advantages compared to natural aggregates. However, problems, like the expansibility and the deficiency of technical criteria for its acceptance, limit the use of steel slags in pavements. The expansibility of steel slags is mainly generated by hydration of free calcium and magnesium oxides (CaO and MgO). The purpose of this study is to evaluate compaction and expansibility of a steel slag using laboratory tests. And then contributing for definition of technical criteria of expansibility evaluation of this material for use in bases and sub-bases of pavements. The steel slag of this study is originated in a integrated steel plant located in Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brazil. In this work, the laboratory compaction tests were conducted using standard and modified effort, and for the expansibility tests three methods were used: PTM-130/78, JIS 5015/92 and ASTM D 4792/00. The compaction tests of the steel slag did not yield optimum water content, showing the same characteristic of granular materials. Statistical analysis of compaction tests did not show significant differences between two procedures (with and without reuse of material), between two efforts of compaction (standard and modified effort) and between two different samples (with and without treatment for expansion reduction). The statistical analysis of expansibility tests using method PTM-130/78 show that: The water content of compaction was not statistically significant in the expansion results; the influence of the temperature in the expansion results was statistically significant; and the influence of the effort of compaction in the expansion results was statistically significant. Also a technical criterion for acceptance of lots of steel slag is proposed here, using PTM- 130/78 test method. The criterion includes sampling procedure, a statistical significant methodology to calculate the minimum number of specimens and the maximum limit of 3% expansion using PTM-130/78 test method. / A escória de aciaria LD é um subproduto gerado durante o processo de fabricação do aço em siderúrgicas que utilizam conversores a oxigênio. A utilização desse material em bases e subbases de pavimentos pode ser vantajosa em termos técnico, econômico e ambiental, comparados a agregados convencionais. Porém, problemas como sua natureza expansiva e a deficiência de critérios técnicos para sua aceitação têm limitado a utilização das escórias de aciaria em pavimentação. A expansão das escórias de aciaria é provocada principalmente pela hidratação dos óxidos de cálcio e magnésio livres presentes nesse material. O objetivo desta dissertação é estudar experimentalmente a compactação e a expansão de uma escória de aciaria LD, e assim contribuir para a definição de critérios técnicos de avaliação da expansão desse material visando a sua utilização em bases e sub-bases de pavimentos. A escória de aciaria LD deste estudo é proveniente de uma siderúrgica da região metropolitana de Vitória, Espírito Santo. Neste trabalho, são apresentados ensaios laboratoriais de caracterização química, física e ambiental, ensaios de compactação com energias do Proctor normal e do Proctor modificado e ensaios de expansão. Os três métodos de ensaio de expansão utilizados foram os métodos: PTM-130/78, JIS A 5015/92 e ASTM D 4792/00. Os resultados dos ensaios de compactação demonstraram que as amostras de escória de aciaria LD estudadas não apresentaram umidade ótima de compactação definida, tendo um comportamento típico de solos e materiais granulares. Análises estatísticas realizadas nos resultados dos ensaios de compactação mostraram ausência de diferenças estatisticamente significantes entre os dois procedimentos utilizados (com e sem reuso de material), entre as duas energias de compactação utilizadas (Proctor normal e Proctor modificado) e entre as duas amostras utilizadas (com e sem tratamento de redução de expansão). As análises estatísticas dos resultados dos ensaios de expansão obtidos pelo método PTM-130/78, nas amostras de escória de aciaria estudadas, demonstraram que: a umidade de compactação não teve influência estatisticamente significante nos resultados de expansão; a influência da temperatura nos resultados de expansão foi altamente significativa; e a influência da energia de compactação nos resultados de expansão foi estatisticamente significante, sendo que a energia do Proctor modificado provocou menores valores de expansão em relação à energia do Proctor normal. Neste trabalho, também se propõe um critério técnico para aceitação dos lotes de escória de aciaria LD segundo o requisito expansão utilizando o método PTM-130/78. Esse critério engloba o procedimento de amostragem, uma metodologia estatisticamente significante para o cálculo do número mínimo de corpos-de-prova e o limite máximo de 3% de expansão determinada pelo método PTM-130/78.

Le système CADOC est un outil de conception assisté pour circuits VLSI, basé sur le langage CADOC-LD. Présentation du langage CADOC-LD en tenant compte de l'étude du langage de description de matériel CHDL. Application à partir du langage CADOC-LD basée sur les techniques d'exécution symbolique temporisée et de l'intelligence artificielle

<p>The complexity of industrial systems and the mathematical models to describe them increases. In many cases, point sensors are no longer sufficient to provide controllers and monitoring instruments with the information necessary for operation. The need for other types of information, such as audio and video, has grown. These are examples of information-rich signals for which suitable applications range in a broad spectrum from micro-electromechanical systems and bio-medical engineering to paper making and steel production.</p><p>Recursive parameter estimation algorithms are employed to identify parameters in a mathematical model from measurements of input and output signals. For accurate parameter estimation, the input signal must be <i>persistently exciting, i.e.</i> such that important features of the modelled system are reflected in the output over a sufficient period of time.</p><p>The Stenlund-Gustafsson (SG) algorithm, a Kalman filter based method for recursive parameter estimation in linear regression models, that does not diverge under lack of excitation, is studied. The stationary properties of the algorithm and the corresponding Riccati equation are formulated in terms of the excitation space spanned by the regressor vectors.</p><p>Furthermore, it is shown that the Riccati equation of the studied algorithm can be solved element-wise. Convergence estimates for the elements of the solution to the Riccati equation are provided, directly relating convergence rate to the signal-to-noise ratio in the regression model. An element-wise form of the parameter update equation is also given, where the connection to specific elements of the solution to the Riccati equation is apparent.</p><p>The SG-algorithm is employed for two applications with audio signals. One is in an acoustic echo cancellation setting where its performance is shown to match that of other well-known estimation techniques, such as the normalized least mean squares and the Kalman filter. When the input is not sufficiently exciting, the studied method performs best of all considered schemes.</p><p>The other application is the Linz-Donawitz (LD) steel converter. The converter consists of a vessel with molten metal and foam is produced to facilitate chemical reactions. A common problem, usually referred to as slopping, arises when the foam rises above the limits of the vessel and overflows. A warning system is designed, based on the SG-algorithm and change detection methods, to give alarms before slopping occurs. A black-box model relates different sensor values of which one is the microphone signal picked up in the area above the converter. The system detected slopping correctly in 80% of the blows in field studies at SSAB Oxelösund.</p><p>A practical example of a vision-based system is provided by cavity form estimation in a water model of the steel bath. The water model is captured from the side by a video camera. The images together with a non-linear model are used to estimate important process parameters, related to the heat and mass transport in the LD-converter.</p>

The complexity of industrial systems and the mathematical models to describe them increases. In many cases, point sensors are no longer sufficient to provide controllers and monitoring instruments with the information necessary for operation. The need for other types of information, such as audio and video, has grown. These are examples of information-rich signals for which suitable applications range in a broad spectrum from micro-electromechanical systems and bio-medical engineering to paper making and steel production. Recursive parameter estimation algorithms are employed to identify parameters in a mathematical model from measurements of input and output signals. For accurate parameter estimation, the input signal must be persistently exciting, i.e. such that important features of the modelled system are reflected in the output over a sufficient period of time. The Stenlund-Gustafsson (SG) algorithm, a Kalman filter based method for recursive parameter estimation in linear regression models, that does not diverge under lack of excitation, is studied. The stationary properties of the algorithm and the corresponding Riccati equation are formulated in terms of the excitation space spanned by the regressor vectors. Furthermore, it is shown that the Riccati equation of the studied algorithm can be solved element-wise. Convergence estimates for the elements of the solution to the Riccati equation are provided, directly relating convergence rate to the signal-to-noise ratio in the regression model. An element-wise form of the parameter update equation is also given, where the connection to specific elements of the solution to the Riccati equation is apparent. The SG-algorithm is employed for two applications with audio signals. One is in an acoustic echo cancellation setting where its performance is shown to match that of other well-known estimation techniques, such as the normalized least mean squares and the Kalman filter. When the input is not sufficiently exciting, the studied method performs best of all considered schemes. The other application is the Linz-Donawitz (LD) steel converter. The converter consists of a vessel with molten metal and foam is produced to facilitate chemical reactions. A common problem, usually referred to as slopping, arises when the foam rises above the limits of the vessel and overflows. A warning system is designed, based on the SG-algorithm and change detection methods, to give alarms before slopping occurs. A black-box model relates different sensor values of which one is the microphone signal picked up in the area above the converter. The system detected slopping correctly in 80% of the blows in field studies at SSAB Oxelösund. A practical example of a vision-based system is provided by cavity form estimation in a water model of the steel bath. The water model is captured from the side by a video camera. The images together with a non-linear model are used to estimate important process parameters, related to the heat and mass transport in the LD-converter.

<p>Leukotrienes are arachidonic acid derivatives long known for their inflammatory properties and their involvement with a number of human diseases, most notably asthma. Recently, leukotriene-based inflammation has also been implicated in atherosclerosis: ALOX5AP and LTA4H, two genes in the leukotriene biosynthesis pathway, have been associated with various cardiovascular disease (CVD) phenotypes. To assess the role of the leukotriene pathway in CVD pathogenesis, we performed genetic association studies of ALOX5AP and LTA4H in a non-familial data set of early onset coronary artery disease. Our results support a modest role for the leukotriene pathway in atherosclerosis pathogenesis, reveal important genomic interactions within the pathway, and suggest the importance of using pathway-based modeling for evaluating the genomics of atherosclerosis susceptibility. Motivated by this need, we investigated the statistical properties of a class of matrix-based statistics to assess epistasis. We simulated multiple two-variant disease models with haplotypes to gain an understanding of pathway interactions in terms of correlation patterns. Our goal was to detect an interaction between multiple disease-causing variants by means of their linkage disequlibrium (LD) patterns with other haplotype markers. The simulated models can be summarized into three categories: 1. No epistasis in the presence of marginal effects and LD; 2. Epistasis in the presence of LD and no marginal effects; and 3. Epistasis in the presence marginal effects and LD. We then assessed previously introduced single-gene methods that compare whole matrices of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) LD between two samples. These methods include comparing two sets of principal components, a sum-of-squared-differences comparing pairwise LD, and a contrast test that controls for background LD. We also considered a partial least-square (PLS) approach for modeling gene-gene interactions. Our results indicate that these measures can be used to assess epistasis as well as marginal effects under certain disease models. Understanding and quantifying whole-gene variation and association to disease using multiple SNPs remains a difficult task. Providing a single statistical measure per gene will facilitate combining multiple types of genomic data at a gene-level and will serve as an alternative approach to assess epistasis in genome-wide association studies. The matrix-based measures can also be used in pathway ascertainment tools that require scores on a gene-level.</p> / Dissertation

En 1975, Wilson et King ont proposé que l'évolution opère non seulement via des changements affectant la structure des protéines, mais aussi via des mutations qui modifient la régulation génétique. L'étude des éléments régulateurs de l'expression génétique a un rôle important dans la compréhension de l'expression de différentes maladies et de la réponse thérapeutique. Nous avons développé un algorithme bio- informatique qui nous permet rapidement de trouver des sites de régulation génétique à travers tout le génome et pour une grande quantité de gènes. Notre approche consiste à trouver des sites polymorphes (SNPs) qui sont en déséquilibre de liaison avec le débalancement allélique (AI) afin de cartographier la région régulatrice et le site responsable. Notre méthode est avantageuse par rapport à d'autres méthodes, car elle n'a pas besoin des données « phasées». De plus, les données de débalancement allélique ne sont pas affectées par des facteurs externes étant donné qu'ils sont mesurés dans la même cellule. Nous avons démontré que notre approche est fiable et qu'elle peut détecter des sites loin du gène. De plus, il peut être appliqué à des données de génotypage sans avoir besoin de les « phaser » . / Wilson and King (1975) proposed that evolution frequently operates through mutations affecting genetic regulation. Likewise, it is expected that genetic variation responsible for inter-individual differences will be due to variation in regulatory sites. Identifying such sites is thus important in the genetic and medical research. We have developed a new bioinformatics algorithm to find genome-wide regulatory sites for a big number of genes. Individuals carrying different alleles at a regulatory site will exhibit allelic imbalance(AI) due to differential expression of the two copies the same locus. Our approach consists of searching polymorphic sites (SNPs) in linkage disequilibrium with AI in order to map regulatory regions. We have detected many SNPs associated to the regulation of different genes pointed in previous studies. We have also found regulatory regions far from the transcription start site (TSS). The major advantage of this method is that phased data is not needed. In addition, AI data has the benefit of not being affected by external factors since it is measured in the same cell. The results show that our approach is reliable and it can detect sites far from the gene.

Baggrund. Faldulykker blandt gamle mennesker er et folkesundhedsproblem i Danmark, Norden såvel som i den vestlige verden. Forebyggelse af fald har været grebet an i en befolkningsorienteret adfærdsmotiverendeog –regulerende modus. Denne faldforebyggelsestankegang er i opbrud. Formål. At beskrive hvorledes fald,faldhændelser og at miste balanceopleves og håndteres af gamle mennesker, der bor i selvstændig bolig. Studiet har ligeledes fokus på at undersøge sammenhænge i den faldforebyggende indsats med udgangspunkt i hvad de, der er faldet, har oplevet. Studiet bidragertil udvikling af sundhedsfremmende og faldforebyggende indsats i forhold til den enkelte og til den samlede indsats. Metode. Afhandlingenbygger på fire delstudier (I-IV). I de fire studier anvendes fortolkende fænomenologiskfilosofisk tilgang og analytisk metode. I et studie (III) sker det i en case study ramme og er suppleret med kritisk diskursanalytisk analyse og fortolkning af dokumenter. I alt blev ni kvinder og fire mænd (75-94 år) narrativt interviewetom at falde. To social-og sundhedshjælperen blev individuelt interviewet, de deltog også i fokusgruppeinterview sammen med to social-og sundhedsassistent kolleger og en sygeplejerske, der alle kom ihovedpersonernes hjem irelation til den faldforebyggende indsats. Resultater. For at kunne håndtere det sårbare, skrøbeligeog dødens nærhed ved fald udviklede fortællerne forskellige metoder til at klare situationer for at kunne tilpasse egne ressourcer til konteksten og opnå følelser af velvære (I). Frygt eller bekymring for at falde var altid usynligt tilstede og blev håndteret forskelligt. På den ene side blev frygten konkretiseret i en bekymring for at befinde sig i en nedværdigende situation på den anden side var frygten en eksistentiel udfordring og tegn på dødens nærhed (II). Hovedpersonerne forventede personlige relationer, indflydelse og valgmuligheder i samarbejdet med sundhedspersonale om forebyggelseaf fald. Løsninger skulle forhandles og balancerede mellem professionel og personlig omsorg (III). De, der var faldet viste ikke stor appetit på mad men spiste for at være i live. Appetitten viste sig i at have indflydelse i sociale relationer både til social-og sundhedspersonalet, til familie og naboer og med udgangspunkt i oplevelse af sociale tilhørsforhold have samfundsmæssig indflydelse. Konklusion. Forebyggelse af fald må fremover indebære også sundhedsfremmetankegang og tager udgangspunkt i betydninger og kontekst for på denne måde ikke blotat være multifaktoriel, men også multidimensionel med eksistentielt perspektiv / Background. Falls among older persons are a public health problem in Denmark, the Nordic countries and the rest of the Western world. In a population perspective fall-prevention has been characterised by an individual behavioural modificationand a regulating mode. This kind of fall-prevention discourseis nowbreaking up. Aim. To describe how community-dwelling older adults experience and handle falls, falling and loss ofbalance. The focus is also on examination offalls as contextual phenomena with the older adults’ experiences. This study will contribute to develop health promotion and fall-prevention to individuals and to the fall-prevention as so. Methodology. This thesis consists offour studies/articles (I-IV). Interpretative phenomenology as philosophical and analytical method was used. In one study (III) case study methodwas used as a framework,complemented bycritical discourse-analytic interpretation of documents. Within thefour studies nine women and four men (75-94 years old) were interviewed in narrative in-depth interviews about falling. In article III,five health and social workers and a nurse were interviewed. Results. In coping withfalling accidents, vulnerability, frailty and death imminence the participants developed various methods ofmanagingeveryday lifeat home. They describedadaptive resourcesused to achieve an adequate quality oflife andexperiencea feeling of well-being (I). Fear of fallingwas always present and was met in differentways. On one handwas worry aboutungraceful situationsnot able to manage on your own; on the other hand was the willto live with the fear.(II). The two protagonists, dependent onhome-care developed their own strategies for preventingfalls. The health professionals created a supportive network; a platform of continuity where the efforts of the older persons and the staff complemented each other. The staff had no clear approachto addressing issues raised by accidental falls or the prevention of falls (III).Eating and appetite on foodwerenot trivial everyday routines. The participants showed no particular interest in eating but ateto stay alive. Even if they had little appetite forfood, the participants showed great appetite forestablishing social relationships withfamily, neighbours and health care staff,as well as appetite forestablishing an influence in these relations and in local communities and society. Conclusion. In the future,fall-prevention must takea health promotion approach and contextualise falling accidents withexperiences and meanings as point of reference. Fall-prevention will be not only multifactorial,but also multidimenssional and existential