In the wake of the Big Data phenomenon, the computing world has seen a number of computational paradigms developed in response to the sudden need to process ever-increasing volumes of data. Most notably, MapReduce has proven quite successful in scaling out an extensible class of simple algorithms to even hundreds of thousands of nodes. However, there are some tasks---even embarrassingly parallelizable ones---that neither MapReduce nor any existing automated parallelization framework is well-equipped to perform. For instance, any computation that (naively) requires consideration of all pairs of inputs becomes prohibitively expensive even when parallelized over a large number of worker nodes. Many of the most desirable methods in machine learning and statistics exhibit these kinds of all-pairs or, more generally, all-tuples computations; accordingly, their application in the Big Data setting may seem beyond hope. However, a new algorithmic strategy inspired by breakthroughs in computational physics has shown great promise for a wide class of computations dubbed generalized N-body problems (GNBPs). This strategy, which involves the simultaneous traversal of multiple space-partitioning trees, has been applied to a succession of well-known learning methods, accelerating each asymptotically and by orders of magnitude. Examples of these include all-k-nearest-neighbors search, k-nearest-neighbors classification, k-means clustering, EM for mixtures of Gaussians, kernel density estimation, kernel discriminant analysis, kernel machines, particle filters, the n-point correlation, and many others. For each of these problems, no overall faster algorithms are known. Further, these dual- and multi-tree algorithms compute either exact results or approximations to within specified error bounds, a rarity amongst fast methods. This dissertation aims to unify a family of GNBPs under a common framework in order to ease implementation and future study. We start by formalizing the problem class and then describe a general algorithm, the generalized fast multipole method (GFMM), capable of solving all problems that fit the class, though with varying degrees of speedup. We then show O(N) and O(log N) theoretical run-time bounds that may be obtained under certain conditions. As a corollary, we derive the tightest known general-dimensional run-time bounds for exact all-nearest-neighbors and several approximated kernel summations. Next, we implement a number of these algorithms in a commercial database, empirically demonstrating dramatic asymptotic speedup over their conventional SQL implementations. Lastly, we implement a fast, parallelized algorithm for kernel discriminant analysis and apply it to a large dataset (40 million points in 4D) from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, identifying approximately one million quasars with high accuracy. This exceeds the previous largest catalog of quasars in size by a factor of ten and has since been used in a follow-up study to confirm the existence of dark energy.

Resident-centered care has been the standard philosophy in accredited personal care homes (PCHs) across Canada since 1990. Health care aides (HCAs) are the primary health care providers in PCHs and key to residents' quality of care and quality of life. However, studies have not examined HCA work satisfaction in relation to the four elements of resident-centered care: providing flexible scheduling, following residents' preferences, promoting a home-like environment and offering permanent assignment to promote consistency of care. This cross-sectional, ethnographic study was conducted using face-to-face interviews with nine HCAs working in four PCHs in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The results indicate that HCAs' work satisfaction was highly related to their caring relationships with residents and their working relationships with other HCAs and staff. The implementation of resident-centered care depended on institutional and managerial support. Lack of this support created stressful situations for HCAs and caused them concern about the quality of care and quality of life of residents.

戶口普查的主旨在於瞭解一個國家或地區的人口及其相關特性，國家的政策制訂及人力規劃需仰賴正確的調查結果。但隨著社會變遷等諸多因素，即使增加費用也無法提高普查的完訪率，資料的品質也因民眾配合意願而降低。為提高資料品質與降低調查成本等因素，部份國家積極發展新的普查方法，預計在2010年普查正式實施，取代傳統的戶口普查。 本研究整理新的普查方法，包括登記式普查、登記式普查結合抽樣調查、滾動式普查等方法。其中也包括行政院計畫預計在2010年以登記式普查結合抽樣調查取代傳統的戶口普查，效法新加坡、北歐四國與荷蘭，整合公務登記系統取得普查短表資料，抽樣調查代替國外長表問卷，希冀獲得較為詳細的教育、生育、居家老人照護等社經議題之統計資料。除了整理資料外，本文也將討論2010年台灣的戶口普查，以常住人口為調查目標，可能衍生的問題。 另外，本研究也將整理美國與法國即將採用的調查方法，包括美國社區調查（American Community Survey）的設計與抽樣方法，用於普查以取代長表問卷的可能，並研究抽樣調查蒐集人口的限制，比較普查及調查蒐集資料的優缺點。 / The objective of the population and housing census is to collect the demographic information on the population in a nation or an area which will be used as a reference for government planning and policy making. Because of the dramatic change in the social environment, some problems were generated as a result, such as the increase in survey cost, non-response rate, and data demand. Although many countries are still using the Traditional Census method for the 2010 census, some are active in developing new methods to improve the quality of data collected and to decrease the survey cost. Following the examples of Singapore, Netherland, and the Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden), the method for conducting the 2010 Taiwan Census will be different, changing from the traditional census to registered-based census with sampling survey. This method will integrate the official registry system to acquire the basic demographic characteristics, and collect more detailed information on the social and economic topics, including the aspects of education, fertility, and elder care by using sampling methods. Consequently, this research will be separated into two parts. The first part will introduce and analyze several common census methods used, including the Traditional Census method, Registered-Based Census, Registered-Based Census with Sampling Survey, and the Rolling Census. In addition, the target population of 2010 Taiwan Census is De Jure population and we shall also discuss its potential problems. In the second part, the research will further examine the survey methods that will be used for the U.S. and French census, including the design concept and the sampling method executed by the American Community Survey (ACS) to replace the long-form questionnaire for the 2010 U.S. Census. Finally, we will discuss the restrictions of using sampling to collect data, compare the strengths and weaknesses of census and the different sampling methods, as well as analyze the problems related to the registered population and the permanent residents.

Do residents find value in smart home functions? How should these functions be designed to offer user benefit? These were the governing questions of this study that involved nearly 200 families in three different housing projects during five years of occupancy. The housing units were equipped with advanced smart homes solutions, electronic and digital devices to control them, and a set of functions to increase comfort, safety and security in the homes. The evaluations of the residents' use and benefits were accomplished in two different phases, i) evaluation of the user expectations' before and direct after occupancy and ii) long-term experiences after 3-5 years. A third phase of the study represents a radical shift in view. Issues related to innovation and organisation of service delivery were brought into the fore. The research is founded on the multiple case-based methodology. Literature studies were effected. Data acquisition was based on interviews and questionnaires. Theoretical models from different research areas were used in order to analyse observations and to arrive to grounded conclusions. Important conclusions include the fact that smart home functionalities must be developed as close as possible out of the users' genuine needs as experienced in their daily lives. Failure to attain accessibility to a certain function will cause disappointment and will be forsaken. To gain and over time preserve the user's trust in smart home functions or in a system as a whole is conclusive for the their use. Another conclusion is that a viable business model for smart homes must include the occupancy phase. Surveillance and maintenance of smart home systems must be secured over time. It is argued that the failure of establishing a viable long-term service to homes to the benefit to the user depends highly on the market’s ability to supply the homes with appropriate services over time. Possible ways to mediate revealed shortcomings are outlined and what role and responsibility the housing construction industry has to consider with the further development of smart homes. / QC 20100809

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-03T16:34:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 SAMANTHA RIBEIRO ULTRAMARI1.pdf: 1584078 bytes, checksum: 011cbc9e75c666c83cef25c8d4ba5163 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-03-21 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / This research verifies through drawing the children’s opinion on the Long Stay Home for the Elderly, before and after ludic contact with the resident elderly. So as to better characterize the elderly population, a neuropsychological profile is outlined. This work was developed with 21 resident elderly and 61 children aged between 7 and 12, from public Primary and Secondary schools. It begins with verification trough drawing of the children’s opinion on Home for the Elderly. Then a ludic intervention with the participation of children and the elderly takes place: there are 10 encounters with symbolic games and rule games. Afterwards, the children’s opinion is re-evaluated and a neuropsychological evaluation of the elderly is done, making use of the Mini Mental State Exam, of the Scale of Geriatric Depression, of the Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) and of the Katz Rate. In order to verify the children’s opinion expressed through drawing, the open title “Home for the Elderly is…” is suggested to be completed. The drawings are analysed based on the projective, based on the projective House-Tree-Person (HTP) test. The results show that from one application of the test to the other there was a change in the opinion of 67% of the children, manifested a more positive opinion, perceiving the elderly as more interactive and the Home for Elderly as more humanised, as expressed in more colourful drawings of houses with doors and windows, people smiling and moving, and affectionate messages. The negative aspects found consist of an increased number of bars and people drawn faceless, which way 0,19, on a scale of 0 to 1, on which the maximum positive value is 1. On the neuropsychological evaluation of the elderly, during MMSE, 50% have showed cognitive preservation. The other instruments indicate that most of the subjects present no depressive symptoms, emit positive opinions on their on health, take part of ludic activities and are dependant. This study, however, points out that the particularities of the researched institution, together with the realization of ludic activities, may have favoured the changes on children’s opinions after their contact with the home for the elderly. The study indicates the need of new research on the interaction of children and elderly people resident at nursing homes / Esta pesquisa verifica a opinião da criança por meio do desenho sobre o Lar de Longa Permanência para Idosos, antes e depois de contato lúdico com idosos institucionalizados. Para melhor caracterizar a população idosa, traça seu perfil neuropsicológico. Desenvolve-se junto a 21 idosos institucionalizados e 61 crianças com idades entre 7 e 12 anos, do Ensino Fundamental público. Inicia-se por verificar a opinião destas crianças sobre Asilo, por meio de desenho. Em seguida, realiza intervenção lúdica com crianças e idosos, de 10 encontros com brincadeiras simbólicas e jogos de regras. A seguir, reavalia a opinião das crianças e faz avaliação neuropsicológica dos idosos, por meio de Mini-Exame do Estado Mental, da Escala de Depressão Geriátrica, do Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) e do Índice de Katz. Para verificar a opinião das crianças expressa por meio do desenho, utiliza de um título em aberto “Asilo é...”, a ser completado. Eles são analisados com subsídios do teste projetivo House-Tree-Person (HTP). Os resultados demonstram que houve, de uma aplicação para outra, alteração na opinião de 67% das crianças, que manifestaram opinião mais positiva relativa a perceber os idosos mais interativos e o Asilo mais humanizado, por meio de desenhos mais coloridas, de casas com portas e janelas, de pessoas sorrindo e em movimento e de mensagens afetuosas. Como aspectos negativos, encontram-se maior número de grades e de pessoas desenhadas sem face, o que pode representar a percepção da criança da dificuldade de contato do idoso com o mundo externo. Na análise estatística, encontrou-se média geral de 0,34 e desvio padrão de 0,16, no primeiro desenho e, no segundo, média de 0,42 e desvio padrão de 0,19, com médias obtidas numa escala de 0 a 1, em que se considera positivo o valor próximo a 1. Na avaliação neuropsicológica dos idosos, no MEEM, 50% demonstram preservação cognitiva. Os demais instrumentos indicam que a maior parte deles não apresenta sintomas depressivos, emite opinião positiva com relação à própria saúde, participa das atividades lúdicas e é dependente. Este estudo ressalta contudo que as características da instituição pesquisada, juntamente com a realização de atividades lúdicas, podem ter favorecido a opinião das crianças após seu contato com o Asilo. O estudo indica a necessidade de novas pesquisas sobre interação criança-idoso institucionalizado

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This paper analyzes the taxation on foreign dividends in comparative tax law. In particular, we study the European and North American system. Finally, we want to assess the Spanish system to avoid international double taxation and its reform, which will be put in force in 2015. / El trabajo tiene por objeto exponer cuál es el gravamen de los dividendos de fuente extranjera en el Derecho comparado, partiendo de la experiencia europea y la norteamericana. Dicho análisis tiene por finalidad última valorar el sistema español de eliminación de la doble imposición internacional, así como, sobre todo, su reforma, que entrará en vigor en 2015.

Nous avons étudié le rôle de l'immunité innée de la peau lors de la transmission des Borrelia (agent infectieux de la borréliose de Lyme) par son vecteur, une tique dure du genre Ixodes. Nous avons montré que la salive de tique et la protéine salivaire Salp15 inhibent la réaction inflammatoire (production de chimiokines et de peptides antimicrobiens) des kératinocytes induite par Borrelia. Cet effet anti- « alarmine » de la salive de tique contribue probablement à créer un environnement cutané local favorable à la transmission de Borrelia. Nous avons montré que Borrelia induit également au niveau des fibroblastes cutanés la transcription de nombreux gènes proinflammatoires. Nous avons observé un effet toxique direct de la salive de tique sur les fibroblastes cutanés : cet effet dose-dépendant est de nature protéique mais non lié à la protéine Salp15. Ces résultats indiquent que les fibroblastes jouent un rôle important dans l’inflammation cutanée induite par Borrelia. / We studied the role of the skin innate immunity during the transmission of Borrelia (the infectious agent of Lyme borreliosis) by its vector, a hard tick belonging to the genus Ixodes. We showed that tick saliva and its protein Salp15 both inhibate Borrelia-induced inflammatory reaction of keratinocytes. The antialarmin effect of tick saliva ensure a favorable environment for Borrelia. We also showed that Borrelia induce a strong inflammatory response in dermal fibroblasts. We also demonstrate a dose-dependent lytic effect of tick salivary gland extracts on dermal fibroblasts and that this cytotoxic effect was of proteinaceous nature and not related to Salp15. These results indicate that dermal fibroblasts could be considered as central mediators in immune cell recruitment to the skin site of Borrelia invasion.

This study examines the experiences of young adult women raised in non-resident father households in Tlokwe Local Municipality, North West. Focus groups and face-to-face interviews were conducted with 34 young women between the ages 18-25. Five important, nuanced themes emerged, these are: a) fathers who are physically present but emotionally absent, b) fathers who are physically present but uninvolved, c) fathers who are physically absent but involved, d) fathers who are physically present and involved and e) fathers who are absent and uninvolved. Non-resident fatherhood remains a challenge in the Tlokwe Municipality, most of the participants had never met their biological fathers. The study revealed the frustration young women feel towards their mothers and maternal grandparents for caring more about maintenance than they do about a healthy father-daughter relationship. The study further revealed a deep-seated need for close proximity and an involved type of fathering among the young women. / Sociology / M.A. (Sociology)

The housing problem in South Africa is complicated by the cultural diversity and the rapidly changing nature of the population. This indicates a need for research to help to determine "what appropriate housing is" for various sectors of the South African population. Social researchers and design professionals therefore have to combine their efforts to provide house designs that will be appropriate to the housing needs and values of a variety of future occupants. This study focuses on the impact of rapid change in the sociophysical environment (modernization) on people's experience of the quality of their relationship with their home environments. An approach is proposed through which groups of individuals, who share similar needs and requirements regarding their housing, can be identified for inclusion in a process of participatory design. A theoretical framework is developed to account for the variety of perspectives of participants (users, researchers and design professionals) in the design process. Through application of the theoretical framework, a novel approach to the determination of "what to design for whom" is developed. The "modernity fit" concept is introduced to describe the quality of the relationship between people and their housing in terms of a rating of the modernity of both human and housing characteristics. It is proposed that the quality of the relationship or "fit" between the modernity of human characteristics and the modernity of the physical characteristics of the house influences people's experience of their houses. Results of this study indicate that the "modernity fit" concept opens up new avenues for research to assist in the design of housing in developing countries. / Psychology / D. Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)