Previous studies have shown that many students have misconceptions about basic concepts in physics which persist after instruction. It has been concluded that one of the challenges lies in the teaching methodology. To address this, Georgia State University (GSU) has begun teaching studio algebra-based physics. Although many institutions have implemented studio physics, most have done so in calculus-based sequences. Additionally, the unique environment of GSU’s population as a diverse, urban research institution is considered. The effectiveness of the studio approach for this demographic in an algebra-based introductory physics course was assessed. This five-semester pilot study presents demographic survey results and compares the results of student pre- and post-tests using the Force Concept Inventory (FCI). FCI results show that 1) the studio approach yields higher learning gains than the conventional course, 2) there are significant performance differences among ethnic groups, and 3) a gender gaps exists regardless of instructional method.

The increase in the use of digital video/image has showed the need for modeling and querying the semantic content in them. Using manual annotation techniques for defining the semantic content is both costly in time and have limitations on querying capabilities. So, the need for content based information retrieval in multimedia domain is to extract the semantic content in an automatic way. The semantic content is usually defined with the objects in images/videos. In this thesis, a Genetic Algorithm based object extraction and classification mechanism is proposed for extracting the content of the videos and images. The object extraction is defined as a classification problem and a Genetic Algorithm based classifier is proposed for classification. Candidate objects are extracted from videos/images by using Normalized-cut segmentation and sent to the classifier for classification. Objects are defined with the Best Representative and Discriminative Feature (BRDF) model, where features are MPEG-7 descriptors. The decisions of the classifier are calculated by using these features and BRDF model. The classifier improves itself in time, with the genetic operations of GA. In addition to these, the system supports fuzziness by making multiple categorization and giving fuzzy decisions on the objects. Externally from the base model, a statistical feature importance determination method is proposed to generate BRDF model of the categories automatically. In the thesis, a platform independent application for the proposed system is also implemented.

Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) and geostatistical techniques were used to predict diet quality of sub-Saharan African (SSA) livestock, and to create cokriged estimated diet quality maps for cattle across a landscape. Rations of native vegetation were stall-fed to cattle (Bos indicus), sheep (Ovis aries), and goats (Capra hircus) to generate diet-fecal pair data. Trials were conducted in Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Ghana. Historical data from Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Niger were included. Diet samples were analyzed for crude protein (CP%), and digestible organic matter (DOM%), while feces were scanned for NIR spectra. NIRS equations were developed from data using modified partial least square (MPLS) regression. Coefficients of determination (R2) of CP for cattle, sheep, and goats were 0.92, 0.95, and 0.97, with corresponding standard errors of calibration (SEC) being 0.90, 0.79, and 0.80, respectively. Standard errors of cross validation (SECV) for CP were 1.12%, 1.08%, and 1.03% for cattle, sheep, and goats, respectively. R2 and SEC values for DOM were 0.88, 0.94, 0.94 and 2.82%, 1.68%, and 2.65%, for cattle, sheep, and goats, respectively. Corresponding SECV values for DOM were 3.26%, 2.07%, and 3.30%, respectively. The statistics reported were within the acceptable limits for NIRS calibrations. The results indicate that dietary CP and DOM of free-ranging SSA livestock can be predicted with the same precision as that of conventional wet chemistry methods. The cattle equation was used to predict cattle fecal samples collected, from February to August 2000, from selected households located within the northern Ghana savanna. The predicted CP% and DOM% were used with Normalized Differential Vegetation Index (NDVI) data, and cokriging technique to create diet quality maps for March and July 2000 for the northern Ghana savanna. Cross validation results indicated a moderate capability of cokriging to estimate predicted CP% for March (r2 = 0.687, SEp = 1.736) and July (r2 = 0.513, SEp = 1.558). Cokriged-estimated DOM value for July was above average (r2 = 0.584, SEp = 3.611), while March DOM% estimation was rather poor (r2 = 0.132, SEp = 3.891). The techniques of cokriging and creation of diet quality maps were moderately successful in this study.

<p>Determination of the subsurface geology is very important for the rock quarry industry. This is primarily done by drilling and mapping of the surface geology. However in Sweden the bedrock is often completely covered by Quaternary sediments making the prediction of subsurface geology quite difficult. Incorrect prediction of the rock-mass quality can lead to economic problems for the quarry. By performing geophysical measurements a more complete understanding of the subsurface geology can be determined. This study shows that by doing 2D-parallel data sampling a 3D inversion of the dataset is possible, which greatly enhances the visualization of the subsurface. Furthermore the electrical resistivity technique together with the induced polarization method proved to be very efficient in detecting fracture frequency, identification of major fracture zones, and variations in rock-mass quality all of which can affect the aggregate quality. With this technique not only the rock-mass quality is determined but also the thickness of the overburden. Implementation of geophysics can be a valuable tool for the quarry industry, resulting in substantial economic benefits.  </p>

Eddy-covariance (EC) CO₂ flux data were analysed and annual carbon (C) balances estimated for a four-year period (2004-2007) following clearcut harvesting of a boreal jack pine stand in northern Saskatchewan. The site was a source of C to the atmosphere for all years, with annual net ecosystem productivity (NEP) increasing from -153 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹ in 2004 to -63 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹ in 2007. This increase was mainly due to gross primary productivity (GPP) increasing significantly from 78 to 200 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹ , while ecosystem respiration (R) increased only slightly from 231 to 263 g C m⁻² yr⁻¹ over the same period. In the 2006 growing season (GS), a field campaign was conducted to investigate the relationships between monthly destructive measurements of leaf area index (LAI) and daily measurements of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and photosynthetic capacity (Amax). The latter was derived from 5-day, 16-day, 30-day and annual Michaelis-Menten light response analyses using daytime measurements of NEP and incident photosynthetically active radiation. Digital-camera data were used to evaluate the potential of using the rectilinear-lens vegetation index (RLVI) as a surrogate for NDVI of a young forest stand. Results showed that LAI was linearly related to NDVI and RLVI, which was largely the result of changes in the deciduous vegetation component across the GS. These results indicate that RLVI could be used as a surrogate for NDVI up to a GS maximum LAI of 0.91 m2 m⁻² observed in 2006. Measured mean (± 1 S.D.) GS LAI was 0.67 (± 0.24) m² m⁻² in 2006. LAI accounted for the majority of the variability in Amax at the 30-day time scale, while at shorter time scales air temperature was the dominant control. For 2004 to 2007, mean spring estimates of LAI were 0.25, 0.29, 0.38 (compared to 0.40 m² m⁻² from measurements) and 0.41 m² m⁻², respectively. Results suggest that a steady increase in the jack pine LAI component accounted for the annual increases in GPP and hence NEP over the four years.

Previous research has identified linear boundaries within a normalized unit square for specific paired strategies within the iterated prisoner's dilemma schema. In this work, general methods of capturing linear boundaries are developed and demonstrated on a wider variety of paired strategies. The method is also tested using an alternate scoring method. An application of Burnside's Lemma simplifies the number of neighbourhood configurations to be considered. In addition, Shannon entropy is used as a means of evaluating diversity of agents evolved with different payoff matrices, by which one might locate a game that is as balanced as possible.

Este estudo apresenta padrões de flutuações das geleiras do Nevado Cololo, Bolívia, no período 1975–2011, determinado partir de dados orbitais, cartográficos e climáticos. As massas de gelo do Nevado Cololo são representativas das geleiras tropicais andinas que estão sujeitas a alternância entre condições atmosféricas úmidas (novembro-abril) e secas (maio-outubro) (outer tropics). Essa sazonalidade é determinada pela oscilação latitudinal da Zona de Convergência Intertropical (ZCIT) e perturbada pelos eventos não sazonais do fenômeno ENOS. A fase positiva, o El Niño, contribui negativamente para o balanço de massa dessas geleiras e foi frequente no intervalo investigado. Esse trabalho usou imagens TM/Landsat-5 para determinar a cobertura de gelo em 1989, 1997, 2008 e 2011. Aplicando o Normalized Difference Snow Index (NDSI), que utiliza as características espectrais opostas das massas de gelo no visível e no infravermelho próximo, este trabalho delimitou as geleiras do Nevado Cololo. Utilizando as informações de carta topográfica foi obtido um Modelo Digital de Elevação (MDE), elaborado pela interpolação de pontos de elevação usando o método geoestatístico krigagem ordinária. As informações obtidas do sensoriamento remoto e da cartografia foram incorporadas a um Sistema de Informação Geográfica (SIG) para se obter parâmetros das geleiras. A análise da séries temporais de precipitação e temperatura usaram dados do Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (GPCC)/NOAA, do Climate Research Unit Time Series (CRUTS)/University of East Anglia e de duas estações meteorológicas. Os dados climáticos não apresentam tendências estatisticamente significativas, mas há uma fraca redução da precipitação durante os meses de novembro, dezembro e abril, condições essa que podem indicar menor nebulosidade durante o verão. Em 2011 só restavam 48 das 122 geleiras identificadas em 1975. Geleiras pequenas (< 0,1 km²) com cotas máximas baixas foram as mais afetadas e atualmente não existem geleiras abaixo de 4.626 m a.n.m. A cobertura de gelo era de 24,77 ±0,00032 km² em 2011, 42,02% menor do que em 1975. A perda superficial ocorreu em todas as vertentes, independente de orientação, mas as geleiras voltadas a leste foram mais afetadas. Mesmo a maior geleira do Nevado Cololo, face SW, perdeu 21,6% de sua área total e sua frente retraiu cerca de 1 km durante o intervalo de 36 anos. Proporcionalmente, houve o aumento do número de geleiras cuja declividade média está entre 30° e 40°. A redução da espessura gelo é atestada pela fragmentação de geleiras e afloramentos do embasamento em suas partes internas. A perda de massa dessas geleiras estudadas foi provavelmente causada pela intensificação dos processos de ablação. / This study presents fluctuations patterns for the Nevado Cololo glaciers, Bolivia, in the period 1975–2011, as determined from orbital, cartographic and climatic data. Nevado Cololo ice masses are representative of Andean tropical glaciers subjected to alternations of humid (November to April) and dry (May to October) (outer tropics) atmospheric conditions. This seasonality is determined by the Inter-tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) latitudinal oscillation and disturbed by the no seasonal ENSO phenomena. The positive phase, El Niño, contributes negatively to these glaciers mass balance and was frequent during the investigated time period. This work used TM/ Landsat-5 imagery to determine the ice cover in 1989, 1997, 2008 and 2011. Applying the Normalized Snow Difference Index (NDIS), which uses the opposite spectral characteristics of ice masses in the visible and near infrared region, this work delimited the Nevado Cololo glaciers. Based on information from a topographic chart, we obtained a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) using elevation points interpolated by the ordinary kriging geostatistical method. Information derived from remote sensing and cartographic sources was incorporated into a Geographic Information System (GIS) to obtain glaciers parameters. The analyses of precipitation and temperature time series used data from the Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (GPCC)/NOAA, the Climate Research Unit Time Series (CRUTS)/University of East Anglia and from two meteorological stations. Climatic data show no statistically significant trend, but there was a weak precipitation reduction during November, December and April months, a condition that may indicate low cloudiness during the summer. By 2011, there were only 48 of the 122 glaciers identified in 1975. Small glaciers (<0.1 km²) with low maximum elevations were most affected and currently there are no glaciers below 4,626 m asl. The ice covered 24.77 km² in 2011, 42.02% less than in 1975. Surface loss occurred in all slopes, regardless of orientation, but glaciers facing east were most affected. Even the largest glacier in Nevado Cololo, SW face, lost 21.6% of its total area and its front retreated about 1 km during the 36 years period. Proportionately, there was an increase in the number of glaciers whose average slope is between 30° and 40°. The ice thickness reduction is attested by glaciers break up and bedrock outcrops in its internal parts. These glaciers mass loss was probably caused by the intensification of ablation processes.

Varfarina é o anticoagulante oral prescrito com maior frequência, no entanto há difi-culdades em seu manejo na prática clínica. Embora tenha eficácia bem estabelecida é considerado um medicamento potencialmente perigoso, que está associado a erros de medicação fatais na atenção primária à saúde. Para garantir a segurança do paciente, seu uso requer o monitoramento dos níveis de anticoagulação, sendo importante a ade-são ao tratamento e a informação dos pacientes quanto aos cuidados durante o trata-mento. O objetivo do presente estudo foi verificar o nível de informações dos pacien-tes quanto à prescrição, o nível de informações prestadas pela equipe de saúde aos pa-cientes, a adesão ao tratamento e os níveis de controle da anticoagulação através do valor do Coeficiente Internacional Normatizado (INR). Foi realizado estudo transver-sal, a partir de uma coorte prospectiva, com 60 pacientes atendidos na atenção primá-ria à saúde no município de Ijuí, utilizando-se questionário para verificar o nível de informação prestada aos pacientes pela equipe de sáude, a Escala de Adesão Terapêu-tica de Morisky de Oito Itens para verificar a adesão, e o exame do tempo de protrom-bina para verificar o valor INR. De acordo com os critérios adotados, verificou-se um nível insuficiente de informações prestada pela equipe de saúde, baixa adesão ao tra-tamento, com a maioria dos pacientes fora do intervalo terapêutico adequado. Verifica-se a necessidade de melhoria da qualidade das informações prestadas aos usuários, incentivo da adesão ao tratamento e melhor monitoramento da anticoagulação visando à segurança do paciente. / Warfarin is the oral anticoagulant most frequently prescribed, although is difficult handling warfarin in clinical practice. It’s has a well-established efficacy, but is con-sidered a potentially dangerous drug, and in primary health care is associated with fatal medication errors. To ensure patient safety, its use requires requires anticoagulation levels monitoring ,, so medication adherence and care information’s about anticoagula-tion therapy are important. The aim of this study was to verify the information level about the prescription, information level provided by the health care team, medication adherence and anticoagulation control levels by the International Normalized Ratio (INR) value. A cross-sectional study, from a prospective cohort, was realized with 60 patients seen in primary health care in Ijuí city, a questionnaire was use to check the information level to the patients by the health team, Eight Item Morisky Medication Adherence Scale was use to verify adherence, and prothrombin time exam was use to check the INR value. According to the criteria adopted, was observed insufficient in-formation level provided by health care team, poor adherence to treatment and most patients was out of the therapeutic range. It’s necessary improve the quality of infor-mation provided to the patients, promote medication adherence and improve the anti-coagulation monitoring for patient safety in the treatment.

A implantação de Sistemas de Gestão da Qualidade em ambiente laboratorial vem se tornando uma necessidade frequente, devido à demanda dos clientes por resultados confiáveis e rastreáveis. No Brasil, a Coordenação Geral de Acreditação do Inmetro (Cgcre) é o órgão responsável pela acreditação de laboratórios segundo a NBR ISO/IEC 17025, sendo o Laboratório de Metalurgia Física (LAMEF) da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul acreditado para a realização de ensaios de materiais metálicos desde 2010. Em 2013, tendo passado por um processo de aumento de escopo de acreditação para os ensaios mecânicos, evidenciou-se o não atendimento ao item de garantia da qualidade da NBR ISO/IEC 17025 e da NIT-DICLA-026. Para atender aos requisitos, foram conduzidas análises através de Ensaios de Proficiência e por monitoramento interno da qualidade pelos métodos do Erro Normalizado e de Análise de Variância. Quando identificados desvios dos critérios de aceitação, ações corretivas foram tomadas, visando a melhoria contínua dos sistemas de medição. Os resultados do trabalho demonstraram que a implantação sistemática de métodos estatísticos para o monitoramento da qualidade dos ensaios foi fundamental para o processo de aumento do escopo de acreditação do LAMEF, o qual foi consolidado no início de 2014. / The implementation of Quality Management Systems in laboratory environment is being an increasing necessity, due to customer demand for reliable and traceable test results. The General Coordination for Accreditation of Inmetro (Cgcre/Inmetro) is the Brazilian body responsible for the accreditation of laboratories according to ISO/IEC 17025 standard, and the Physical Metallurgy Laboratory (LAMEF) from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) has been accredited in performance of metallic materials tests since 2010. In 2013, during the process of accreditation scope extension on mechanical testing, there were identified nonconformities to the quality assurance requirements of ISO/IEC 17025 and NIT-DICLA-026. In order to comply with these requirements, studies have been carried out through Proficiency Testing and internal quality monitoring via Normalized Error and Analysis of Variance methods. Corrective actions were taken when deviations from the acceptance criteria were identified, aiming the measurement systems continuous improvement. The results of this work have demonstrated that the systematic implementation of statistical methods for monitoring the testing quality was critical to the process of LAMEF extension of scope, which was consolidated in the early 2014.

Due to the high economic and social importance of the common bean in Brazil, still has doubts regarding the manner mode and use of topdressing nitrogen fertilizer aiming to obtain high yields, concern about the excessive use of nitrogenous fertilizers, associated with the development of new tools to assess quickly and accurately the nutritional status of crops.TIn this sense, the study aimed to evaluate the use of Sufficiency Chlorophyll Index (SCI) as a tool to identify the necessity for application and estimate the top dress nitrogen rate (N) should be applied, to obtain the common bean yield and its yield components and monitor the behavior of the index Falker chlorophyll (IFC), the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), the N content in the leaf tissue and available N in the soil with different N rates application and nitrogen topdressing application timing . The experimental design was randomized blocks in a factorial arrangement of 8 x 5 x 4 (N rates x topdressing application timing x evaluation periods), with three repetitions. N rates evaluated were: 0, 40, 80, 120, 160, 200, 240 and 280 kg ha-1, topdressing application. The evaluation periods were: 15, 25, 35 and 45 days after emergence (DAE). The application timing were as follows: E1: application of N rates on seeding; E2: application of N rates at 10 DAE; E3: application of N rates when the SCI ≤ 95%; E4: application of N rates at 20 DAE and E5: application of N rates when SCI ≤ 90%. From the results obtained it was concluded that the SCI was efficient to identify differences in IFC levels of 15 to 40 DAE, however, it was not possible to estimate the N rates that should be applied according to the SCI, because the yield showed no significance differences due to N rates and application timing. The mean yield was 2,061 kg ha-1. With increasing of N rates occurs linear increase in the number of pods plant-1 and a linear decrease in the number of grain legume-1. Soil mineral N content showed linear increase with increasing N rates, but were not showed the same behavior to IFC, NDVI and leaf tissue N values, which showed low significant variation depending of the N rates. NDVI increased over DAE, reaching the highest value between 35 and 45 DAE and in 45 DAE the IFC values did not differ among treatments. / Devido à elevada importância econômica e social do feijoeiro para o Brasil, ainda persistem dúvidas quanto a o modo e uso de fertilizante nitrogenado em cobertura visando à obtenção de altas produtividades, a preocupação com o uso excessivo de fertilizantes nitrogenados, associado ao desenvolvimento de novas ferramentas para avaliar o estado nutricional das culturas de maneira rápida e precisa. Nesse sentido este estudo tem como objetivos avaliar a utilização do Índice de Suficiência de Clorofila (ISC) como ferramenta para identificar a necessidade de aplicação e estimar qual a dose de nitrogênio (N) a ser aplicada em cobertura, obter a produtividade do feijoeiro comum e seus componentes de rendimento e monitorar o comportamento do índice de clorofila falker (ICF), do índice de vegetação por diferença normalizada (NDVI), do teor de N no tecido foliar e do N mineral no solo, com a aplicação de diferentes doses de N e épocas de aplicação do N em cobertura. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos ao acaso, num arranjo fatorial de 8 x 5 x 4 (doses de N x épocas da aplicação do N em cobertura x épocas de avaliação), com três repetições. As doses de N avaliadas foram de 0, 40, 80, 120, 160, 200, 240 e 280 kg ha-1, aplicados em cobertura. As épocas de avaliação foram aos 15, 25, 35 e 45 dias após a emergência (DAE). As épocas de aplicação do N foram os seguintes: E1: aplicação das doses no dia da semeadura; E2: aplicação das doses de N aos 10 DAE; E3: aplicação das doses de N quando o ISC ≤ 95%; E4: aplicação das doses de N aos 20 DAE e E5: aplicação das doses de N quando ISC ≤ 90%. A partir dos resultados obtidos concluiu-se que o ISC foi eficiente para identificar diferenças nos teores de ICF dos 15 aos 40 DAE, porem não foi possível estimar qual a dose de N que deveria ser aplicada em função dos ISC, pois a produtividade não apresentou diferença para as fontes de variação dose e manejo, a média da produtividade foi de 2.061 kg ha1. Com o incremento das doses de N ocorre um aumento linear do número de legumes planta-1 e uma redução linear do número de grãos legume-1. O Teor de N mineral no solo apresentou incremento linear com o aumento das doses, mas não repercutiu em mesmo comportamento das variáveis ICF, NDVI e N no tecido foliar, os quais apresentam variação pouco significativa em função das doses. O NDVI aumentou com o passar dos DAE, atingindo valor mais elevado entre 35 e 45 DAE e aos 45 DAE o ICF não diferiu entre os tratamentos.