In the past decade XML became a wide-spread information exchange data model. Many XML users have many XML formats described by XML schemas. To ease the management of multiple XML schemas modeling similar reality, the conceptual model for XML was defined. With its definition came various challenges that needed to be further researched. This thesis focuses on two of those challenges. The first challenge is to manage the evolution of the multi-level conceptual model as the modeled reality, XML schemas and applications evolve in time. The second challenge is to allow the majority of users who already use XML schemas in their system without the conceptual model to use their schemas to semi-automatically create one. In addition a step towards integration of the conceptual modeling of XML and semantic web techniques was taken.

The subject of the thesis is a comparative analysis of sign production and the interpretation of the film and painting of oneiric or horror genre focused on Vall Lewton's films and their similarity to the painting in creating an atmosphere of uneasiness and fear. Although these works are based on a sign structure, which is an important key to their interpretation, they are not independent of the different interpretations they allow. On the contrary, it seems that the work's intention is to encourage the viewer to complete the art by projecting his own fear into it. This approach is based on Umberto Eco's and Jan Mukařovský's theory of the interpretation, both of which emphasizing the reader's role in understanding the principle of functioning of the work of art. The concepts of the model author and model reader in Eco's theory and the term semantic gesture within Mukařovský's work are sharing numerous similarities.

Schema matching is a basic problem in many database application domains, such as data integration, E-business, data warehousing, and semantic query processing. In current implementations, schema matching is typically performed manually, which has significant limitations. On the other hand, previous research papers have proposed many techniques to achieve a partial automation of the match operation for specific application domains. We present a taxonomy that covers many of these existing approaches, and we describe the approaches in some detail. In particular, we distinguish between schema-level and instance-level, element-level and structure-level, and language-based and constraint-based matchers. Based on our classification we review some previous match implementations thereby indicating which part of the solution space they cover. We intend our taxonomy and review of past work to be useful when comparing different approaches to schema matching, when developing a new match algorithm, and when implementing a schema matching component.

Molecular-biological annotation data is continuously being collected, curated and made accessible in numerous public data sources. Integration of this data is a major challenge in bioinformatics. We present the GenMapper system that physically integrates heterogeneous annotation data in a flexible way and supports large-scale analysis on the integrated data. It uses a generic data model to uniformly represent different kinds of annotations originating from different data sources. Existing associations between objects, which represent valuable biological knowledge, are explicitly utilized to drive data integration and combine annotation knowledge from different sources. To serve specific analysis needs, powerful operators are provided to derive tailored annotation views from the generic data representation. GenMapper is operational and has been successfully used for large-scale functional profiling of genes.

When regarding the history of role theory, one becomes aware of the fact that, although much knowledge is available specifically pertaining to roles in small group settings (e.g. expectations about behaviour, types of roles, flexibility of locus, appropriateness of the role system, dynamic nature of role formation and development as well as typologies dividing roles into categories), not much literature is available specifically pertaining to what the impact of an individual’s self-concept is on his/her propensity to either assume or avoid certain roles in such a setting. Accordingly, this study aimed to explore the above-mentioned aspect of role division in small groups. Research was done by means of a case study research design, with a constructivist/interpretevist meta-theoretical paradigm as research approach. This paradigm holds that there are multiple subjective realities involved when studying human interactions and the consequences thereof. The study was furthermore conducted from a psychodynamic and systems theory perspective. Data was collected from a sample of postgraduate students, who participated in a training group as part of their Industrial and Organisational Psychology master’s degree programme at the University of Pretoria, by means of three different methods, namely video and voice recordings, a document study, as well as semi-structured interviews. Data was furthermore analysed by Atlas.ti, a qualitative data analysis programme, according to the principles of constructivist grounded theory. When regarding current literature on the subject, it is implied by some that an individual will only allow roles to be imposed on him/her if he/she is predisposed to assuming such roles, and if he/she can accordingly integrate the responsibility somehow with his/her self-concept. Accordingly, the results obtained showed some connection between an individual’s self-concept and the role(s) that was assumed by the individual in the small group setting. More specifically, the results showed that an individual is more likely to change roles with ease should the alternate role requirements also be in line with elements of the individual’s self-concept. The results further indicated that it might be difficult for an individual to adapt and change to another role should the roles, which are required in the small group setting, be in conflict with the individual’s self-concept. These findings thus imply that an individual’s self-concept might have an impact on an individual’s propensity to either assume or avoid certain roles (role valency) in a small group setting. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Human Resource Management / unrestricted

The dynamical equations of the non-hydrostatic mesoscale model GESIMA are solved numerically on an Arakawa-C grid. Because of the staggered grid most of the prognostic variables and their derivatives have identical local positions. The functional connection between the fluxes and velocities defined at different places is managed by the MacCormack scheme ignoring the local diff erences. The systematic errors are diminished by means of alternate down- and upwind shifting of the fluxes after each time step. A cycle of 8 time steps is necessary to achieve approximately symmetrical conditions because of the shift permutations. Nevertheless, the systematic errors are not completely removed and the iterative calculation of the dynamic pressure is retarded by starting values from eight time steps ago (same permutation of shift directions). Both shortcomings are avoided by a symmetrized MacCormack scheme without the loss of its advantages of handling strong gradients. The new method is based on the symmetrization of the equations with respect to the passive quantities and on the simultaneous calculation of each equation for opposite shift directions of the active variables followed by averaging both increments. The method is tested for a typical example. / Die dynamischen Modellgleichungen des nicht-hydrostatischen mesoskaligen Atmosphärenmodells GESIMA sind numerisch auf einem Arakawa-C-Gitter gelöst. Durch die versetzte Anordnung der Größen auf dem Gitter besitzen die Differenzenquotienten (auf den rechten Seiten) und die prognostizierten Größen (auf den linken Seiten) von vornherein die gleiche lokale Position, allerdings nicht in jedem Fall. Das bisher in GESIMA praktizierte MacCormack-Schema stellt den Zusammenhang zwischen den an verschiedenen Gitterstellen definierten Flüssen und Geschwindigkeiten her, indem die Ortsdifferenz zwischen Fluß- und zugehöriger Geschwindigkeitskomponente ignoriert wird. Zur Verringerung der systematischen Fehler erfolgt die direkte Zuordnung einer Flußkomponente abwechselnd (sequentiell) in einem Zeitschritt zur flußabwärts benachbarten Geschwindigkeitskomponente und im nächsten Zeitschritt zur flußaufwärts benachbarten. Nach Ablauf von jeweils 8 Zeitschritten sind die notwendigen Zuordnungspermutationen der 3 Vektorkomponenten zwecks einer annähernden Symmetrisierung des Verfahrens erreicht. Nachteile des bisherigen Verfahrens sind (a) der nicht vollständige Abbau der jedem Zeitschritt immanenten systematischen Zuordnungsfehler und (b) ein stark erhöhter Rechenaufwand für die iterative Bestimmung des dynamischen Druckes durch einen um 8 Zeitschritte (jeweils gleiche Zuordnungspermutation) zurückliegenden Startwert. Beide Nachteile werden durch ein neues, symmetrisiertes MacCormack-Schema vermieden, ohne daß auf die Vorteile bei der Handhabung starker Gradienten verzichtet werden muß. Das Verfahren beruht (a) auf der Symmetrisierung der lokalen Zuordnung für die passiven Größen innerhalb einer Gleichung (d.h. der nicht durch sie prognostizierten Größen) und (b) auf der simultanen Durchführung der zwei entgegengesetzten Zuordnungsrichtungen für jede der 3 Geschwindigkeitskomponenten innerhalb eines Zeitschrittes mit anschließender Mittelung der beiden Inkremente. Das neue Verfahren wurde anhand eines Beispiels geprüft.

Auditivt berättande är någonting som Christopher Nolan arbetar mycket med och Shepard-ton är en teknik som han har utnyttjat speciellt mycket i tre av sina största filmer, The Dark Knight (2008), Dunkirk (2008) och Interstellar(2014), Gemensamt använder alla filmerna Shepard-tonen, genom och jämsides med andra ljud för att kommunicera till tittaren om miljön, känslor som uttrycks i scenerna och själva berättelsen. Det grundläggande jag har undersökt är om Shepard-tonen är mer än en ljudteknik, utan också en effektiv berättarteknik. För att jag skulle kunna besvara frågan så gjorde jag en analys av nyckelscenerna från dessa tre filmer. I min analys så har jag sammanfattat att Shepard-tonen leder tittaren till en klimax och att den följer Branigans narrativa schema. Den tar inte bort fokuset från vad vi ser utan leder omedvetet tittarna genom det narrativa. Shepard-tonen är ett verktyg som kommunicerar känslor, information och narrativa symboler i berättelsen.

Two experiments are presented in this dissertation to investigate the effect a schema may have on mnemonic discrimination. We developed stimuli composed of a foreground item on a background that was either schematically congruent or incongruent. For the encoding phase of both experiments, these stimuli were presented to 98 participants, who were tasked with determining the congruency of each foreground-background pair. Next, the two experiments diverged for the retrieval phase, where participants were presented with either the same object as before (Target) or one that was similar (Lure). Forty-six participants in Experiment 1 saw stimuli with the same background as initially presented during the retrieval phase. For Experiment 2, fifty-two participants saw the foreground item presented only on a white background. Behavioral, eye tracking, and whole-brain, high-resolution fMRI data were acquired for both experiments and both phases of the task. We found memory discriminability (d-prime) scores were larger for incongruent stimuli when target-lure pairs were less similar and only when the background was present during retrieval. Critically, we found evidence of recognition in the hippocampal subregions as opposed to lure detection. These findings support the notion of a congruency benefit due to the "generate-and-recognize" model and an incongruency benefit due to increased initial attention.

<p>Misunderstanding or misinterpreting specific animal behavior and welfare terminology, as well as principles of learning theory, may influence an individual’s perceptions of horse behavior. This error could potentially result in unnecessary applications of horse training principles and/or human interventions, which could potentially worsen the behavior or situation, leading to unnecessary welfare problems. </p><p>The purpose of this dissertation was to explore interpretations and understandings of specific animal behavior and welfare terminology, and learning theory principles, as applied to horses, among adults within the horse industry. Chapters 1 and 2 introduced, summarized, and linked the connection between horse behavior, horse welfare, learning theory, and schema theory. Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 each pilot-tested an online survey that was completed at the convenience of each participant to explore these interpretations and understandings. Chapter 3 (n = 46) utilized a survey containing general demographic questions, psychographic questions related to horse industry involvement, five videos of horse-human interactions (each with corresponding heart rate, HR, data), and 11 learning theory scenarios. Chapter 4 (n = 21) used a survey containing general demographic questions and five videos of various human-horse interactions, including the same five videos with horse HR information included. Using results from Chapter 3 and Chapter 4, further investigation of how individuals interpret and understand specific animal behavior and welfare terminology, and learning theory principles, as applied to horses was explored across a larger sample of adults within the horse industry. Chapter 5 (n = 1,145) utilized the same survey instrument as Chapter 3 among a more robust sample of adults within the horse industry. </p><p>Across all three studies, the main results suggest that although participants demonstrated a high level of agreement between each other when identifying fear, stress, and reactivity to describe a horse’s behavior, participants could not correctly define fear, stress, reactivity, or principles of learning theory, as related to horses. They also could not connect these states to an important physiological factor, i.e., HR, when identifying these states. Results across all three studies suggest that most participant demographics (such as age, gender, or race) did not influence participants’ abilities to correctly identify or define fear, stress, reactivity, or learning theory principles. Similarly, results from Chapters 3 and 5 suggest that most participant psychographics, such as horse ownership, or level of involvement with horses, did not affect ability to correctly identify key horse behaviors related to fear, stress, and reactivity, or understanding of learning theory principles, or ability to correctly define these states and principles. </p><p> Overall, this dissertation identified the need for additional education when it comes to clearly defining specific states such as fear, stress, and reactivity for individuals across the horse industry. Additional psychographic factors, such as an individual’s specific role or niche in the industry, or an individuals’ overall view of horses, should be further explored.</p>

We introduce end-to-end support of co-existing schema versions within one database. While it is state of the art to run multiple versions of a continuously developed application concurrently, it is hard to do the same for databases. In order to keep multiple co-existing schema versions alive|which are all accessing the same data set|developers usually employ handwritten delta code (e.g. views and triggers in SQL). This delta code is hard to write and hard to maintain: if a database administrator decides to adapt the physical table schema, all handwritten delta code needs to be adapted as well, which is expensive and error-prone in practice. In this paper, we present InVerDa: developers use the simple bidirectional database evolution language BiDEL, which carries enough information to generate all delta code automatically. Without additional e_ort, new schema versions become immediately accessible and data changes in any version are visible in all schema versions at the same time. InVerDa also allows for easily changing the physical table design without a_ecting the availability of co-existing schema versions. This greatly increases robustness (orders of magnitude less lines of code) and allows for signi_cant performance optimization. A main contribution is the formal evaluation that each schema version acts like a common full-edged database schema independently of the chosen physical table design.