Submitted by FABRÍCIO MACIEL GOMES null (fabricio@dequi.eel.usp.br) on 2016-01-04T00:06:19Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese_Fabricio_Maciel_Gomes.pdf: 1836829 bytes, checksum: 3ec7860a9d87ebfeaef21b25dc157d25 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Juliano Benedito Ferreira (julianoferreira@reitoria.unesp.br) on 2016-01-06T16:12:19Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 gomes_fm_dr_guara.pdf: 1836829 bytes, checksum: 3ec7860a9d87ebfeaef21b25dc157d25 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-01-06T16:12:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 gomes_fm_dr_guara.pdf: 1836829 bytes, checksum: 3ec7860a9d87ebfeaef21b25dc157d25 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-12-15 / Empresas não medem esforços para aperfeiçoar seus processos e produtos de acordo com diferentes critérios para satisfazer as exigências e necessidades dos clientes em busca de um padrão de competitividade superior ao de suas concorrentes. Neste cenário é muito comum a necessidade de se estabelecer condições que resultem na melhoria de mais de um critério de forma simultânea. Neste trabalho foi realizada uma avaliação da utilização de quatro métodos que utilizam as Meta-heurísticas Recozimento Simulado, Algoritmo Genético, Recozimento Simulado combinado com o método Nelder Mead Simplex e algoritmo genético combinado com o método Nelde-Mead simplex para o estabelecimento de melhoria das condições de processos com múltiplas respostas. Para a avaliação dos métodos propostos foram utilizados problemas-teste criteriosamente selecionados na literatura de forma a serem analisados casos com diferente número de variáveis, número de respostas e tipos de resposta. A aglutinação das respostas foi realizada por quatro métodos diferentes: Desirability, Desvio Médio Percentual, Programação por Compromisso e Programação por Compromisso normalizada pela distância euclidiana. A avaliação dos métodos foi realizada por meio de comparação entre os resultados obtidos na utilização de um mesmo método de aglutinação, determinando assim a eficiência do método de busca. Os resultados obtidos na avaliação dos métodos sugerem a aplicação do método do algoritmo genético quando se pretende estabelecer parâmetros que resultem na melhoria de processos com múltiplas respostas, em particular quando essas respostas são modeladas por equações com termos cúbicos, independentemente do número de termos que possam conter, do tipo de respostas e do número de variáveis. / Companies go to great lengths to improve its processes and products according to different criteria to meet the demands and needs of customers looking for a higher standard of competitiveness to that of their competitors. This scenario is very common the need to establish conditions that result in the improvement of more than one criterion simultaneously. This work was carried out an evaluation of the use of four methods that use Metaheuristics Simulated Annealing, Genetic Algorithms, Simulated Annealing combined with the Nelder Mead Simplex method and genetic algorithm combined with Nelde Mead simplex method for the improvement of establishing the conditions of processes with multiple answers. For the evaluation of the proposed test methods were used in the literature problems carefully selected in order to be analyzed cases with different numbers of variables, response numbers and types of responses. In this research we used the average percentage deviation function as a way to bring together the answers. The agglutination of the answers was performed by four different methods: Desirability, Average Percentage Deviation, Compromise Programming and Compromise Programming normalized by Euclidean distance. The evaluation method was performed by comparison between the results obtained in using the same bonding method, thereby determining the efficiency of the search method. The results obtained in the evaluation of the methods suggest the application of the genetic algorithm method when you want to set parameters that result in the improvement of processes with multiple answers, particularly when these responses are modeled by equations with cubic terms, regardless of the number of terms that can contain the type of responses and the number of variables.

Tato dizertační práce se zabývá vývojem optimalizačního nástroje, který je založen na metodě Particle swarm optimization a je poté aplikován na dva typy oběžných kol radiálních čerpadel.

Introduction: No Fixed-Dose Combination (FDC) formulations currently exist for pediatric tuberculosis (TB) treatment. Earlier work implemented, in the software NONMEM, a rational method for optimizing design and individualization of pediatric anti-TB FDC formulations based on patient body weight, but issues with parameter estimation, dosage strata heterogeneity and representative pharmacokinetics remained. Aim: To further develop the rational model-based methodology aiding the selection of appropriate FDC formulation designs and dosage regimens, in pediatric TB treatment. Materials and Methods: Optimization of the method with respect to the estimation of body weight breakpoints was sought. Heterogeneity of dosage groups with respect to treatment efficiency was sought to be improved. Recently published pediatric pharmacokinetic parameters were implemented and the model translated to MATLAB, where also the performance was evaluated by stochastic estimation and graphical visualization. Results: A logistic function was found better suited as an approximation of breakpoints. None of the estimation methods implemented in NONMEM were more suitable than the originally used FO method. Homogenization of dosage group treatment efficiency could not be solved. MATLAB translation was successful but required stochastic estimations and highlighted high densities of local minima. Representative pharmacokinetics were successfully implemented. Conclusions: NONMEM was found suboptimal for the task due to problems with discontinuities and heterogeneity, but a stepwise method with representative pharmacokinetics were successfully implemented. MATLAB showed more promise in the search for a method also addressing the heterogeneity issue.

A passive wireless surface acoustic wave sensor of a delay-line type is composed of an antenna, a transducer that converts the EM signal into a surface acoustic wave, and a set of acoustic reflectors that reflect the incoming signal back out through the antenna. A cavity forms between the transducer and the reflectors, trapping energy and causing multiple unwanted echoes. The work in this dissertation aims to reduce the unwanted echoes so that only the main transit signal is left--the signal of interest with sensor information. The contributions of this dissertation include reflective delay-line device response in the form of an infinite impulse response (IIR) filter. This may be used in the future to subtract out unwanted echoes via post-processing. However, this dissertation will use a physical approach to echo suppression by using a unidirectional transducer. Thus a unidirectional transducer is used and also optimized for 3rd harmonic operation. Both the directionality and the coupling of the 3rd harmonic optimized SPUDT are improved over a standard electrode width controlled (EWC) SPUDT. New type of reflectors for the reflective delay-line device are also presented. These use BPSK type coding, similar to that of the Walsh-Hadamard codes. Two types are presented, variable reflectivity and variable chip-lengths. The COM model is used to simulate devices and compare the predicted echo suppression level to that of fabricated devices. Finally, a device is mounted on a tunable antenna and the echo is suppressed on a wireless operating device.

This thesis proposes a new class of bivariate autoregressive conditional median duration models for matched high-frequency data and develops some inferential methods for an existing univariate model as well as the bivariate models introduced here to facilitate model fitting and forecasting. During the last two decades, the autoregressive conditional mean duration (ACD) model has been playing a dominant role in analyzing irregularly spaced high-frequency financial data. Univariate ACD models have been extensively discussed in the literature. However, some major challenges remain. The existing ACD models do not provide a good distributional fit to financial durations, which are right-skewed and often exhibit unimodal hazard rates. Birnbaum-Saunders (BS) distribution is capable of modeling a wide variety of positively skewed data. Median is not only a robust measure of central tendency, but also a natural scale parameter of the BS distribution. A class of conditional median duration models, the BS-ACD and the scale-mixture BS ACD models based on the BS, BS power-exponential and Student-t BS (BSt) distributions, have been suggested in the literature to improve the quality of the model fit. The BSt-ACD model is more flexible than the BS-ACD model in terms of kurtosis and skewness. In Chapter 2, we develop the maximum likelihood estimation method for the BSt-ACD model. The estimation is performed by utilizing a hybrid of optimization algorithms. The performance of the estimates is then examined through an extensive Monte Carlo simulation study. We also carry out model discrimination using both likelihood-based method and information-based criterion. Applications to real trade durations and comparison with existing alternatives are then made. The bivariate version of the ACD model has not received attention due to non-synchronicity. Although some bivariate generalizations of the ACD model have been introduced, they do not possess enough flexibility in modeling durations since they are conditional mean-based and do not account for non-monotonic hazard rates. Recently, the bivariate BS (BVBS) distribution has been developed with many desirable properties and characteristics. It allows for unimodal shapes of marginal hazard functions. In Chapter 3, upon using this bivariate BS distribution, we propose the BVBS-ACD model as a natural bivariate extension of the BS-ACD model. It enables us to jointly analyze matched duration series, and also capture the dependence between the two series. The maximum likelihood estimation of the model parameters and associated inferential methods have been developed. A Monte Carlo simulation study is then carried out to examine the performance of the proposed inferential methods. The goodness-of-fit and predictive performance of the model are also discussed. A real bivariate duration data analysis is provided to illustrate the developed methodology. The bivariate Student-t BS (BVBSt) distribution has been introduced in the literature as a robust extension of the BVBS distribution. It provides greater flexibility in terms of the kurtosis and skewness through the inclusion of an additional shape parameter. In Chapter 4, we propose the BVBSt-ACD model as a natural extension of the BSt-ACD model to the bivariate case. We then discuss the maximum likelihood estimation of the model parameters. A simulation study is carried out to investigate the performance of these estimators. Model discrimination is then done by using information-based criterion. Methods for evaluating the goodness-of-fit and predictive ability of the model are also discussed. A simulated data example is used to illustrate the proposed model as compared to the BVBS-ACD model. Finally, in Chapter 5, some concluding comments are made and also some problems for future research are mentioned. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Over the last two decades, great progress has been made in the understanding of multiferroic materials, ones where multiple long-range orders simultaneously exist. However, much of the research has focused on bulk systems. If these materials are to be incorporated into devices, they would not be in bulk form, but would be miniaturized, such as in nanoparticle form. Accordingly, a better understanding of multiferroic nanoparticles is necessary. This manuscript examines the multiferroic phase diagram of multiferroic nanoparticles related to system size and surface-induced magnetic anisotropy. There is a particular focus on bismuth ferrite, the room-temperature antiferromagnetic-ferroelectric multiferroic. Theoretical results will be presented which show that at certain sizes, a bistability develops in the cycloidal wavevector. This implies bistability in the ferroelectric and magnetic moments of the nanoparticles. This novel magnetoelectric bistability may be of use in the creation of an electrically-written, magnetically-read memory element. / Graduate