The purpose of this thesis was to examine associations between parenting and child callous-unemotional (CU) behavior in a high-risk sample of children aged 2-9 years. First, a narrative review examined the construct of CU behavior, focusing specifically on definitions and measurement of the affective and interpersonal dimensions of psychopathy, and their applicability to youth. Second, a systematic review examined evidence from 30 studies that had investigated associations between dimensions of parenting and CU traits. Studies were classified as testing one of five different research questions. Third, five different empirical studies tested various research questions pertaining to associations between parenting and CU behavior. Data from mother-child dyads N = 731; 49% female) were collected from a multi-ethnic and high-risk sample, and included multi-method observed measures of parenting. Study 1 found that observed harsh and positive parenting predicted child CU behavior from ages 2-4, controlling for earlier child behavior and various demographic covariates. Study 2 employed a moderator design, and found that harsh and warm parenting were more strongly related to the conduct problems of children with high versus low levels of CU behavior. Study 3 tested cross-lagged simultaneous and reciprocal effects models, and found that parental warmth (observed and expressed by parents in speech samples) uniquely predicted child CU behavior versus conduct problems. Study 4 tested the factor structure of Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits (ICU; Frick, 2004), finding support for a three-Bifactor structure. Finally, Study 5 found that parent-child affective interactions at ages 2-3 predicted CU traits at age 9, over and above general behavior problems. Taken together, the results of this thesis suggest that CU features are more malleable than previously thought. In particular, aspects of parental affect and warm parenting behavior appear to be important key targets of investigation for future empirical and intervention studies.

<p>Software modeling is an integral practice for software engineers especially as the complexity of software solutions increase. There is precedent in industry to model information systems in terms of functions, structures, and behaviors. While constructing these models, abstraction and systems thinking are employed to determine elements essential to the solution and how they are connected. However, both abstraction and systems thinking are difficult to put in practice and difficult to teach due to the, often, ill-structured nature of real-world IT problems. Unified Modeling Language (UML) is the industry standard for software modeling but unfortunately it is often used incorrectly and misunderstood by novices. This has also been observed in educational contexts where students encounter difficulty in employing the appropriate level of abstraction in modeling and programming contexts and not necessarily being able to view or treat software systems as being interconnected. </p> <p>The researcher detailed a multi-methods approach, through the lens of pragmatism, towards understanding patterns of student proficiency with abstraction and software modeling in terms capturing the functional, structural, and behavioral aspects of an information system, as given by the Structures-Behaviors-Function framework. The quantitative strand involved the development of rubrics to analyze functional, structural, and behavioral models given by UML activity diagrams, class diagrams, and sequence diagrams, respectively. The subjects of this study were students enrolled in a sophomore-level systems analysis and design class. Descriptive analysis revealed patterns of modeling proficiency. Students were generally proficient in modeling the system in terms of functions but there was an overall drop-off in proficiency when modeling the system in terms of structures and behaviors. The results of the clustering analysis revealed underlying profiles of students based on abstract thinking and systems thinking ability. Two distinct clusters – high performing students and moderate performing students – were revealed with statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of abstract thinking and systems thinking ability. Further correlational analysis was performed on each cluster. The results of the correlational analyses pointed to significant positive associations between software modeling proficiency and the constructs of abstract thinking and systems thinking. Logistic regression analysis was then performed, and it could be inferred from the regression model that abstract thinking in terms of behaviors and systems thinking in terms of aligning sequence diagrams with activity diagrams were the most important predictors of high performance. </p> The qualitative strand of this study involved a case study approach using the think-aloud protocol centered around exploring how students utilized abstract thinking and systems thinking while constructing software models. The participants of this study were students who had completed the sophomore-level systems analysis and design course. Thematic analysis was utilized to identify themes of abstract thinking and systems thinking within the epistemic games of structural, functional, and process analyses. Two different approaches towards modeling information systems were identified and chronological visualizations for each approach were presented. Overall, it could be inferred from the results and findings of the study that the learning design of the sophomore-level course was successful in equipping students with the skills to proficiently model information systems in terms of functions. However, the students were not as proficient in modeling information systems in terms of structures and behaviors. The theoretical contribution of this study was centered around the application of the SBF framework and epistemic forms and games in the context of information systems. The methodological contributions pertain to the rubrics that were developed which can be used to evaluate software modeling proficiency as well as abstract thinking and systems thinking. Abstract thinking and systems thinking were successfully characterized in the context of information systems modeling. The results of this study have implications in computing education. The suggested instructional approaches and scaffolds can be utilized to improve outcomes in terms of structural and behavioral modeling proficiency.

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Processing of Bolu-Himmetoglu (Type I Kerogen) and Ankara-Beypazari (Type II Kerogen) oil shales by flotation techniques were investigated for achieving clean solid fuel substitutes. Materials characterization was done through mineralogical, XRD and FTIR analyses. Flotation responses of the samples were tested with non-ionizing and ionizing collectors of cationic and anionic types. The effects of the collector dosage and pulp pH on cleaning were determined. Other important flotation parameters, conditioning time, flotation time, pulp density, particle size and frother dosage were encountered using a statistical approach, through a full two level factorial experimental design. An advanced flotation procedure, assisted by ultrasonic application, was developed for further improvement in flotation performance. The effects of cleaning on thermal characterstics and combustion kinetics were evaluated with Differential Scanning Calorimetry and ASTM methods while the changes in the emission profiles were assessed using Effluent Gas Analysis. Himmetoglu sample was characterized as a carbonate and organic rich humic oil shale with XRD and FTIR analyses while Beypazari oil shale involved significant carbonate and clay minerals and exhibited a fulvic character with a poor organics content. Reverse flotation with amine acetates provided the most effective means of cleaning with Himmetoglu oil shale. Ash was decreased from 34.76 % to 23.52 % with a combustible recovery of 83.57 % using 800 g/ton Flotigam CA at natural pH and the calorific value increased from 4312 kcal/kg to 5010 kcal/kg. Direct flotation with amines was most effective for Beypazari oil shale cleaning. Using Armoflote 17, ash was reduced from 69.88 % to 53.10 % with 58.64 % combustible recovery using 800 g/ton Armoflote 17 at natural pulp pH and the calorific value of the sample increased from 876 kcal/kg to 2046 kcal/kg. Following optimization, ash of Himmetoglu oil shale decreased to 16.81 % with 84.10 % combustible recovery and calorific value increased to 5564 kcal/kg. For Beypazari oil shale ash decreased to % 48.42 with 59.17 % combustible recovery and the calorific value increased to 2364 kcal/kg. Ultrasonic pre-treatment before flotation further decreased the ash of Himmetoglu sample to 11.82 % with 82.66 % combustible recovery at 15 minutes pre-conditioning time and 50 % power level. For Beypazari oil shale, ash decreased to 34.76 % with 64.78 % combustible recovery after 15 minutes pre-treatment time at 70 % power level. Comparative XRD spectra and SEM analyses revealed that the extent of mineral matter removal relied on the flotation performance. The thermal indicators considerably improved after cleaning and the extent of improvement increased with a decrease in the ash of the concentrates. Kinetic analysis showed the favorable effect of inorganics removal on the effectiveness and easiness of combustion and activation energies decreased after cleaning for both oil shales. The contributions of cleaning on the effectiveness of combustion were also revealed by the increases in the emission rates and total CO2 and CO emission amounts. CO2 emissions due to mineral matter decomposition and harmful SO2 emissions apparently decreased as a consequence of the cleaning of the undesired inorganic contituents and potentially cleaning components. Results of the cleaning and thermal analysis sudies revealed that it was possible to achieve a clean energy source alternative from oil shales through flotation and a significant potential can be anticipated for future use of oil shales as a cost effective and environmental friendly solid fuel substitute in view of Turkey&amp / #8217 / s great oil shale reserves.

Der Einsatz von digitalen Menschmodellen erlaubt neben einer frühzeitigen ergonomischen Analyse die Gestaltung von Arbeitsprozessen und stellt ein hilfreiches Werkzeug in der Produkt- und Prozessgestaltung dar. Im Rahmen dieses Beitrages soll auf ausgewählte Schwerpunkte der Entwicklung des digitalen Menschmodells „The Smart Virtual Worker“ eingegangen werden. Das Forschungsprojekt soll einen Beitrag zur Lösung, der mit dem demografischen Wandel der Gesellschaft einhergehenden Herausforderungen leisten. Die daraus resultierenden Forschungsschwerpunkte liegen insbesondere in der Einbeziehung von Alterungs- und psychischen Faktoren in die Bewegungsgenerierung des Menschmodells und der Modellierung von Umweltbedingungen. In Umsetzung des Projektes wurde ein erstes Arbeitsszenario erarbeitet, auf dessen Basis die vorgenannten Forschungsaufgaben interdisziplinär gelöst werden sollen.