Increasingly more users are accessing database systems for interactive and exploratory data retrieval. While performing searches on these systems, users are required to use broad queries to get their desired results. Broad queries often result in too many items forcing the user to spend unnecessary time sifting through these items to find the relevant results. This problem, of finding a desired data item within many items, is referred to as "information overload". Most users experience information overload when viewing these database query results. This thesis shows that users information overload can be reduced by clustering database query results. A hierarchical agglomerative clustering algorithm is used to cluster the query results. The reduction of users information overload is evaluated using Chakrabarti et al information overload cost model. Empirical results show that users are able to find more relevant information as well as experiencing a reduction in information overload.

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Yes / Purpose: It aimed at testing the applicability of a validated team-based learning student assessment instrument (TBL-SAI) to assess United Kingdom (UK) pharmacy students’ attitude toward team-based learning. Methods: TBL-SAI, consisting of 33 items, was administered to undergraduate pharmacy students from two schools of pharmacy each at University of Wolverhampton and University of Bradford that utilized TBL as a primary instructional method across credit bearing modules. Validity and reliability tests were conducted on the data, along with comparisons between the two schools. Results: Students’ response rate was 80.0% (138/173) in completion of the instrument. Overall, the instrument demonstrated validity and reliability when used with pharmacy students. Sub-analysis between schools of pharmacy did, however, show that four items from Wolverhampton data, had factor loadings of less than 0.40. No item in the Bradford data had factor loadings less than 0.40. Cronbach’s alpha score was reliable at 0.897 for the total instrument: Wolverhampton, 0.793 and Bradford, 0.902. Students showed preference to TBL, with Bradford’s scores being statistically higher (P < 0.005). Conclusion: This validated instrument has demonstrated reliability and validity when used with pharmacy students. Furthermore students at both schools preferred TBL compared to traditional teaching.

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(社会健康医学) / 甲第25207号 / 社医博第134号 / 京都大学大学院医学研究科社会健康医学系専攻 / (主査)教授 森田 智視, 教授 永井 洋士, 教授 中山 健夫 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Public Health / Kyoto University / DFAM

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / The goal of this thesis is to identify and quantitatively evaluate the factors, especially commissioning source, that affect the longevity of officers in the U.S. Navy. To reach this goal, a survival analysis is conducted on the survival patterns of officer cohorts who entered the service between the years 1983 and 1990. Using data created from Navy Officer Data Card information and annual promotion board results, three survival analysis procedures, LIFETEST, LIFEREG and PHREG were used to examine the factors that influence the survival of U.S. Naval Officers. The results of the survival analysis indicate that commissioning source has significant strong effect on survival rates with Naval Academy graduates have a better survival rate than other commissioning sources. Also, the analysis show that females and African-Americans have better survival rates than males and whites, respectively, and prior enlisted, older, graduates from non-selective colleges have higher survival rates than their counterparts. Additionally, Surface Warfare, Fleet Support and Supply Corps officers were found to have lower survival rates than officers in other communities. When survival functions for involuntary and voluntary separations were analyzed separately, the results were found different. Commissioning age, being African- American, single with children, commissioned from NROTC Contract Program, commissioned from OTHERSOURCE, being prior enlisted, having high GPAs and designated in AIR community had significant, negative effects on involuntary separations and significant positive effects on voluntary separations. / Captain, Turkish General Command of Gendarmerie

Introdução: Um Questionário de Frequência Alimentar Quantitativo (QUEFAC) foi construído por HINNIG et al. (2014) para avaliar a dieta habitual de crianças de 7 a 10 anos, uma vez que os desenvolvidos para adultos podem superestimar o consumo de crianças. No entanto, não foi testado quanto à sua validade e reprodutibilidade para que o instrumento possa ser utilizado em pesquisas. Objetivo: avaliar a reprodutibilidade e a validade do QUEFAC para a amostra como um todo e avaliar a validade estratificada por sexo, faixa etária e nível socioeconômico. Métodos: o estudo de reprodutibilidade foi realizado no município de Araraquara, em abril de 2013, com 89 crianças de 7 a 10 anos que responderam a dois QUEFACs com intervalo de 15 dias entre as aplicações. O estudo de validade foi realizado com 167 crianças de duas escolas do município de São Paulo de agosto a dezembro de 2013. Neste, as crianças responderam a três Recordatórios de 24 horas (R24h) que serviram como método de referência e a um QUEFAC. Em ambos os estudos, os responsáveis pelas crianças responderam a um questionário socioeconômico e realizou-se a avaliação da habilidade da criança em responder ao QUEFAC. Para avaliação da reprodutibilidade e validade, utilizaram-se o teste de diferença de médias para amostras pareadas (teste t pareado e Wilcoxon), calcularamse os coeficientes de correlação intraclasse e Kappa ponderado, além da análise dos gráficos de Bland-Altman. Resultados: mais de 55 por cento das crianças foram avaliadas com habilidade boa, muito boa ou excelente em todos os aspectos avaliados ao responder o QUEFAC. No estudo de reprodutibilidade, observou-se diferença de médias entre uma aplicação e outra do QUEFAC para todos os nutrientes investigados, o coeficiente de correlação intraclasse variou de 0,12 a 0,54, valores de Kappa ponderado de 0,01 a 0,39 e os gráficos de Bland-Altman mostraram distribuição aleatória para todos os nutrientes. No estudo de validade para amostra como um todo, observou-se diferença de média para todos os nutrientes, com exceção da energia e zinco, os coeficiente de correlação intraclasse variaram de 0 a 0,37, valores de Kappa ponderado de 0 a 0,27 e gráficos de Bland-Altman mostraram distribuição aleatória dos dados para lipídios, carboidratos, cálcio, fósforo, sódio, zinco, vitaminas B1, B2, niacina, vitamina C, retinol e gordura saturada. A avaliação da validade estratificada por sexo, faixa etária e nível socioeconômico apresentou resultados semelhantes. Conclusão: O QUEFAC não se mostrou válido para avaliação da dieta habitual dos últimos 3 meses em crianças de 7 a 10 anos residentes em São Paulo e apresentou moderada reprodutibilidade para energia, proteínas, cálcio, fósforo, ferro, potássio, magnésio e vitamina B2. / Introduction: A Quantitative Food Frequency Questionnaire (QUEFAC) was developed by Hinnig et al. (2010 ) to assess the usual intake of children aged 7 to 10 years, because instruments developed for adults may overestimate food consumption of children. However, it was not tested for validity and reliability, so that the instrument can be used in research. Objective: to assess the reproducibility and validity of QUEFAC for the sample as a whole and to evaluate the validity stratified by sex, age group and socioeconomic status. Methods: The reproducibility study was conducted in the city of Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil, in April 2013, with 89 children aged 7 to 10 years who answered two QUEFAC\'s with an interval of 15 days between applications. The validity study was conducted with 167 children from two schools in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, from August to December 2013. In this, children responded to three 24-hour dietary recalls (24HR ) which was the reference method and to a QUEFAC. In both studies, the caregivers of the children answered a socioeconomic questionnaire and the child\'s ability to respond to QUEFAC was assessed. The mean difference for paired samples (Wilcoxon and paired t test), the intraclass correlation coefficient, the weighted kappa and the analysis of Bland- Altman were used to assess the reproducibility and the validity. Results: Fifty five percent of children had their ability to answer the questionnaire considered good, very good or excellent in all the aspects. In the reproducibility study, we observed a significant difference between the means for all nutrients of the two QUEFAC, the intraclass correlation coefficient ranged from 0.12 to 0.54, the weighted kappa values ranged from 0.01 to 0.39. The Bland-Altman plots showed random distribution for all nutrients. In the validity study of the entire sample, we observed difference in means for all nutrients, except for energy and zinc, the intraclass correlation coefficient ranged from 0 to 0.37, the weighted kappa values ranged from 0 to 0.27. The Bland-Altman plot showed a random distribution of data for lipids, carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, zinc, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, niacin, vitamin C, retinol and saturated fat. The assessment of the validity stratified by sex, age and socioeconomic status showed similar results. Conclusion: the QUEFAC was not valid for the evaluation of habitual intake of the last three months for children aged 7 to 10 years living in the city of Sao Paulo and had moderate reproducibility for energy, protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron , potassium, magnesium and vitamin B2.

Resultatstyrning är idag den centrala styrningsformen inom svenskt bistånd. På senare år har ett ökade fokus på resultatstyrning, kallat resultatagendan, kritiserats för hur frågor om långsiktighet och hållbarhet hamnar i skymundan med fokus på kvantitativa och kortsiktiga prestationsmått i utvärderingar. Syftet med denna studie är således att undersöka vad svenska civilsamhällesorganisationer upplever som dagens utmaningar med att utvärdera hållbarhet i biståndsprojekt. Datainsamling har skett genom en litteraturstudie från officiella dokument och tidigare forskning samt fyra intervjuer med medarbetare hos svenska civilsamhällesorganisationer. Uppsatsen har utmynnat i tre övergripande slutsatser: För det första upplever civilsamhällesorganisationer att de lever i en s.k. post-resultatagenda där resultatagendans eftermälen inte är anpassat för mer långsiktigt fokus. Vidare önskas ett processorienterat tillvägagångssätt för hållbarhetsperspektivet där biståndsaktörer arbetar tillsammans för att låta hållbarhetsperspektivet genomsyra svenskt bistånd på en strategisk och aggregerad nivå. Slutligen upplevs det även finnas konkreta hinder för god hållbarhetsutvärdering kopplat till projektens finansiering där ett exempel är timingen på utvärderingar. / Results-Based Management (RBM) is the central form of management in Swedish aid today. In recent years, the focus on RBM, commonly called the Results Agenda, has been criticised for how questions concerning long-term goals and sustainability has become neglected with the focus of quantitative and short-term results in foreign aid evaluations. The purpose of this thesis is to examine what Swedish Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) consider challenging when evaluating sustainability criteria in foreign aid projects. The data collection consists of a literature study of official documents and previous research as well as four interviews with coworkers at Swedish CSOs. The thesis has resulted in three overarching conclusions: Firstly, Swedish CSOs today experience living in a time of so-called Post-Results Agenda were the aftermath of the Results Agenda is not considered suited for more flexible and long-term focus. Furthermore, a process oriented approach for the sustainability perspective is desired, where foreign aid actors work together for a comprehensive sustainability approach on a strategic and aggregated level. Lastly, a couple of concrete obstacles for better evaluation of sustainability criteria are found to originate from the projects’ funding, such as the timing of evaluations.