This paper deals with the computation of OC- and ASN-function of sequential probability ratio tests in the multi-parameter case. In generalization of the method of conjugated parameter pairs Wald-like approximations are presented for the OC- and ASN-function. These characteristics can be used describing robustness properties of a sequential test in case of nuisance parameters. As examples tests are considered for the mean and the variance of a normal distribution.

本研究旨在探究學習者在wiki共筆、數位閱讀標註及知識論壇三種不同知識建構導向之電腦支援合作學習環境下，其合作知識建構與問題討論歷程差異，再則這三種不同學習環境是否營造不同知識建構氛圍，以及對支援知識建構是否有所欠缺。最後，針對研究結果提出有效知識建構教學的實施策略與建議。 本研究採實驗研究法，以某國立大學數位碩士在職專班19名研究生為研究對象，分別依序體驗包括wiki共筆、合作式數位閱讀標註及知識論壇三種各具特色的知識建構導向合作學習環境，進行知識建構討論與分享，藉由搜集觀察上述三種學習環境之知識建構歷程討論及成果記錄，進行知識建構及問題解決討論概念編碼後，進行序列分析，依此觀察學員們知識建構演進之歷程，並評估問題討論的互動程度，最後輔以半結構式訪談，與序列分析結果進行交互驗證。 結果發現學員在wiki共筆、合作式數位閱讀標註及知識論壇三種知識建構環境上，共同合作建構產出的知識建構成果均呈現一定品質水準，確實有助於輔助學生之共同知識建構成長。此外，三種電腦支援合作知識建構學習環境中，知識論壇在適當教學設計與學習策略實施下，較能發揮知識建構水準；知識論壇相當適合於問題解決討論；三種知識建構導向之電腦支援合作學習環境，對於完整支援知識建構仍有不足需要強化之處，特別是為促使學員更深入討論，以達更深層的知識建構，需要更好的教學設計與學習策略。 最後本研究根據研究結果，歸納出幾點建議，作為教師在進行合作知識建構教學時，選擇電腦支援合作學習環境之參考，並對未來研究方向提出建議。 / The major purpose of the present study was investigate the learners would have the differences of the progress of knowledge construction and problem discussion, which were under the three different guided knowledge construction in the computer-supported collaborative learning environments, the three learning environments including wiki, knowledge-based annotation learning system, and Knowledge Forum. A secondary purpose of this study was to examine if these three different learning environments would build the variety atmospheres of knowledge construction, and then the deficiency in the computer-supported collaborative learning. Finally, the conclusion drawn above should be proposed the efficient policy and suggestion in relation to the effective teaching of knowledge construction. The method to carry out this study was using an experimental research. The participant in this research were 19 postgraduate students enrolled in executive master of digital systems in one national university. In this experiment, all participants experienced the three different guided knowledge construction in the computer-supported collaborative learning environments in order, each differs from one another, including, wiki, knowledge-based annotation learning system, and Knowledge Forum. Furthermore, all subjects focused on the discussion and shared the progress of the knowledge construction and the results of the accomplishment by searching and observing the above three varied environments. The data of knowledge construction and problem solving were to conceptual encoded and processed the sequential analysis in order to observe the evolution of the progress of knowledge construction of all subjects, and to estimate the level of interaction of problem discussion. Lastly, we used the auxiliary semi-constructed interview and the result of sequential analysis to work with the cross-validation. The findings suggest that the participants produced the conclusions with coordinated knowledge construction which appeared in a certain quality, and this result indeed helped learners to grow-up in the coordinated knowledge construction. Additionally, Knowledge Forum firstly developed well standard under the congruent design and tactic of teaching in these three computer-supported collaborative learning environments. And then Knowledge Forum would be even more proper to discuss the problem solving. However, there is an insufficient part which needs to be strength of the three guided computer-supported collaborative learning environments for the complete computer-supported learning environments, most particularly, to be able to stimulate the subjects would go deep into the discussion in order to achieve the more depth of the knowledge construction, at the same time require the preferable instructional design and learning strategy. On the basis of the findings we sum up the few suggestions: As teacher, this study would be a reference to choose computer-supported collaborative learning environment when teach the coordinated knowledge construction, and then to address the suggestion in relation to the future research.

This paper deals with CUSUM tests based on grouped or classified observations. The computation of average run length is reduced to that of solving of a system of simultaneous linear equations. Moreover a corresponding approximation based on the Wald approximations for characteristics of sequential likelihood ratio tests is presented. The effect of grouping is investigated with a CUSUM test for the mean of a normal distribution based on F-optimal grouping schemes. The considered example demonstrates that hight efficient CUSUM tests can be obtained for F-optimal grouping schemes already with a small number of groups.

This paper deals with CUSUM tests for monitoring of intensity parameter of a Poisson process if this process can be observed in a restricted manner only at pregiven equidistant time points. In this case the process can be monitored by means of a CUSUM test for the parameter of a corresponding Poisson distribution. For rational reference parameter values the computation of average run length is reduced to that of solving of a system of simultaneous linear equations. The performance of obtained CUSUM tests is discussed by means of corresponding examples.

This paper deals with the computation of OC- and ASN-function of sequential probability ratio tests in the multi-parameter case. In generalization of the method of conjugated parameter pairs Wald-like approximations are presented for the OC- and ASN-function. These characteristics can be used describing robustness properties of a sequential test in case of nuisance parameters. As examples tests are considered for the mean and the variance of a normal distribution.

Satellites provide humanity with data to infer properties of the earth that were impossible a century ago. Humanity can now easily monitor the amount of ice found on the polar caps, the size of forests and deserts, the earth’s atmosphere, the seasonal variation on land and in the oceans and the surface temperature of the earth. In this thesis, new hypertemporal techniques are proposed for the settlement detection problem in South Africa. The hypertemporal techniques are applied to study areas in the Gauteng and Limpopo provinces of South Africa. To be more specific, new sequential (windowless) and non-sequential hypertemporal techniques are implemented. The time-series employed by the new hypertemporal techniques are obtained from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor, which is on board the earth observations satellites Aqua and Terra. One MODIS dataset is constructed for each province. A Support Vector Machine (SVM) [1] that uses a novel noise-harmonic feature set is implemented to detect existing human settlements. The noise-harmonic feature set is a non-sequential hypertemporal feature set and is constructed by using the Coloured Simple Harmonic Oscillator (CSHO) [2]. The CSHO consists of a Simple Harmonic Oscillator (SHO) [3], which is superimposed on the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process [4]. The noise-harmonic feature set is an extension of the classic harmonic feature set [5]. The classic harmonic feature set consists of a mean and a seasonal component. For the case studies in this thesis, it is observed that the noise-harmonic feature set not only extends the harmonic feature set, but also improves on its classification capability. The Cumulative Sum (CUSUM) algorithm was developed by Page in 1954 [6]. In its original form it is a sequential (windowless) hypertemporal change detection technique. Windowed versions of the algorithm have been applied in a remote sensing context. In this thesis CUSUM is used in its original form to detect settlement expansion in South Africa and is benchmarked against the classic band differencing change detection approach of Lunetta et al., which was developed in 2006 [7]. In the case of the Gauteng study area, the CUSUM algorithm outperformed the band differencing technique. The exact opposite behaviour was seen in the case of the Limpopo dataset. Sequential hypertemporal techniques are data-intensive and an inductive MODIS simulator was therefore also developed (to augment datasets). The proposed simulator is also based on the CSHO. Two case studies showed that the proposed inductive simulator accurately replicates the temporal dynamics and spectral dependencies found in MODIS data. / Thesis (PhD(Eng))--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering / unrestricted

Les troubles anxieux apparaissent très tôt chez les jeunes. Les études corrélationnelles suggèrent que plusieurs facteurs, tels que le stress prénatal maternel (SPM) et la surimplication maternelle contribueraient à leur développement et à leur maintien. L’objectif de l’étude est de mieux comprendre si la surimplication maternelle est une cause ou une conséquence de l’anxiété chez l’enfant, le tout dans un contexte de stress prénatal maternel causé par un désastre naturel. L’échantillon fait partie d’un projet plus grand dans lequel les stress objectif et subjectif ont été mesurés chez les femmes enceintes lors de l’inondation en 2011 à Queensland en Australie. L’échantillon de l’étude inclut 72 dyades mère-enfant, ayant complété une tâche difficile de casse-tête, d’une durée de 5 minutes, lorsque les enfants étaient âgés de 4 ans. À partir des vidéos, les observateurs ont évalué le comportement maternel (la surimplication) et le comportement de l’enfant (l’anxiété) en continu. Des techniques d’analyse séquentielle ont été utilisées pour déterminer la probabilité qu’un comportement maternel de surimplication se produise avant ou après un comportement anxieux et vice versa. Les corrélations obtenues entre le SPM (objectif et subjectif), le comportement anxieux de l’enfant et le comportement de surimplication maternelle n’ont pas été significatives. Le comportement de surimplication n’est pas un médiateur entre le SPM (objectif et subjectif) et le comportement anxieux de l’enfant. Toutefois, les chances qu’un comportement maternel de surimplication suive un comportement anxieux chez l’enfant étaient plus grandes que les chances qu’un comportement anxieux suive un comportement maternel de surimplication. Nos résultats suggèrent que le stress prénatal maternel n’est pas associé avec le comportement de surimplication maternelle, ni avec le comportement anxieux de l’enfant. La surimplication maternelle est plutôt une réaction au comportement anxieux de l’enfant. Il est essentiel, pour de futures recherches, de se rappeler que l’enfant est un participant actif dans la relation mère-enfant et qu’il est important d’étudier la bidirectionnalité de la relation pour mieux comprendre et pour mieux intervenir. / Anxiety disorders start very early in young people and several factors, such as prenatal maternal stress (PNMS) and maternal overinvolvement are believed to contribute to their development and maintenance. The objective of this study is to better understand if the overinvolvement of the mother is a cause or a consequence of the child’s anxiety, all in a context of prenatal maternal stress due to a natural disaster. The sample is part of a larger project that assessed the objective hardship and the subjective distress in women who were pregnant during the 2011 Queensland flood in Australia. The current sample included 72 mother-child dyads, completing a 5-minute puzzle task when the children were 4 years old. Observers rated maternal (overinvolved) and child (anxious) behaviors from videos continuously. Sequential analysis techniques were used to determine the likelihood of a maternal overinvolved behavior occurring before or after a child anxious behavior and vice versa. The correlations between PNMS (objective and subjective) and the child's anxiety and maternal over-involvement were not significant. Maternal overinvolvement did not mediate the relationship between PNMS (objective and subjective) and anxiety in children. However, the odds of maternal overinvolvement following child anxiety, was stronger than the odds of child anxiety following maternal overinvolvement. Our results suggest that prenatal maternal stress is not associated with maternal overinvolvement nor with child anxiety. It also suggests that maternal overinvolvement is a reaction to the child’s anxious behavior rather than a cause of it. Future research needs to keep in mind that the child is an active participant in the mother-child relationship and that it is important to study the bidirectionality of the relationship to better understand it and intervene.

Estudou-se a especiação dos metais pesados (Cu, Cd, Cr, Zn, Pb e Ni) em sedimentos do rio Tietê, coletados nos reservatórios de Rasgão, Tecelagem e Barra Bonita. Para isto, adotou-se o protocolo de extração seqüencial proposta por Community Bureau of Reference (BCR), que consiste em três etapas de tratamento, as soluções extratores utilizados foram: etapa 1, solução de ácido acético 0,11 mol/L; Etapa 2, solução de cloridrato de hidroxilamina 0,1 mol/L pH 2 (ajustado com HNO3); Etapa 3, ataque com peróxido de hidrogênio em meio ácido e posterior extração dos metais com solução de acetato de amônio pH 2 (ajustado com HNO3). Nas mesmas amostras efetuou-se uma extração com ácido clorídrico 0,1 mol/L, no sentido de avaliar a concentração de metais potencialmente biodisponíveis. Realizou-se ainda a determinação do teor total de metais. Tanto a extração seqüencial como a extração parcial em ácido diluído foram conduzidas em ambientes anaeróbico (mantendo o EH da amostra) e aeróbicos (após secagem em estufa - simulando material dragado e depositado às margens do rio). As concentrações dos metais presentes nos extratos foram determinadas através das técnicas de absorção atômica, espectrometria de emissão atômica, voltametria de redissolução anódica com eletrodo de gota pendente e a técnica proposta por este trabalho, voltametria de redissolução anódica com eletrodo de filme de mercúrio acoplada ao sistema de injeção seqüencial. A técnica de voltametria de redissolução anódica acoplada ao sistema de injeção sequencial apresentou vantagens em relação a voltametria de redissolução com eletrodo de gota pendente, apresentando maior reprodutibilidade e sensibilidade, redução do tempo de análise e consumo de reagentes, e completa automação dos parâmetros instrumentais, como: vazão, número de reagentes, volumes e seqüência dos reagentes aspirados. / Speciation of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn, Ni and Cr) in sediments of the Tietê river (SP), collected at Rasgão, Tecelagem e Barra Bonita reservoirs, was studied by the sequential extraction protocol proposed by the Community Bureau of Reference (BCR). This protocol is composed of three steps, that use the following reagent extractors. Step1: 0,11 mol/L acetic acid. Step 2: Hydroxylamine hydrochloride, acidified to pH 2 with nitric acid. Step 3: Oxidation with acidified 30 % (v/v) hydrogen peroxide followed by extraction with 1mol/L ammonium acetate acidified to pH 2 with nitric acid. Samples were also extracted with 0.10 mol/l hydrochloric acid in order to evaluate the bioavailable metal concentrations. The total concentration of metals was also determined. The sequential extraction and the extraction with hydrochloric acid were performed in anoxic (keeping the negative Eh of samples, as in the time of sampling) and oxidant conditions (after drying samples at 60ºC in the atmosphere, simulating dredged material). Metal determination was performed by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS), Induced Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-EAS), Anodic Stripping Voltammetry with the Mercury Hanging Drop Electrode (ASV-HMDE), and the technique proposed in this work: ASV automated by Sequential Injection (ASV-SI) using the Thin Film Mercury Electrode (TFME). The proposed technique presented improved reproducibility and shorter time of analysis in comparison to conventional ASV-HMDE. In addition, the ASV-SI permits easy and fast change of operational parameters such as flow rate and sample volume, that have direct influence on the deposition time.

Estudou-se a especiação dos metais pesados (Cu, Cd, Cr, Zn, Pb e Ni) em sedimentos do rio Tietê, coletados nos reservatórios de Rasgão, Tecelagem e Barra Bonita. Para isto, adotou-se o protocolo de extração seqüencial proposta por Community Bureau of Reference (BCR), que consiste em três etapas de tratamento, as soluções extratores utilizados foram: etapa 1, solução de ácido acético 0,11 mol/L; Etapa 2, solução de cloridrato de hidroxilamina 0,1 mol/L pH 2 (ajustado com HNO3); Etapa 3, ataque com peróxido de hidrogênio em meio ácido e posterior extração dos metais com solução de acetato de amônio pH 2 (ajustado com HNO3). Nas mesmas amostras efetuou-se uma extração com ácido clorídrico 0,1 mol/L, no sentido de avaliar a concentração de metais potencialmente biodisponíveis. Realizou-se ainda a determinação do teor total de metais. Tanto a extração seqüencial como a extração parcial em ácido diluído foram conduzidas em ambientes anaeróbico (mantendo o EH da amostra) e aeróbicos (após secagem em estufa - simulando material dragado e depositado às margens do rio). As concentrações dos metais presentes nos extratos foram determinadas através das técnicas de absorção atômica, espectrometria de emissão atômica, voltametria de redissolução anódica com eletrodo de gota pendente e a técnica proposta por este trabalho, voltametria de redissolução anódica com eletrodo de filme de mercúrio acoplada ao sistema de injeção seqüencial. A técnica de voltametria de redissolução anódica acoplada ao sistema de injeção sequencial apresentou vantagens em relação a voltametria de redissolução com eletrodo de gota pendente, apresentando maior reprodutibilidade e sensibilidade, redução do tempo de análise e consumo de reagentes, e completa automação dos parâmetros instrumentais, como: vazão, número de reagentes, volumes e seqüência dos reagentes aspirados. / Speciation of heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn, Ni and Cr) in sediments of the Tietê river (SP), collected at Rasgão, Tecelagem e Barra Bonita reservoirs, was studied by the sequential extraction protocol proposed by the Community Bureau of Reference (BCR). This protocol is composed of three steps, that use the following reagent extractors. Step1: 0,11 mol/L acetic acid. Step 2: Hydroxylamine hydrochloride, acidified to pH 2 with nitric acid. Step 3: Oxidation with acidified 30 % (v/v) hydrogen peroxide followed by extraction with 1mol/L ammonium acetate acidified to pH 2 with nitric acid. Samples were also extracted with 0.10 mol/l hydrochloric acid in order to evaluate the bioavailable metal concentrations. The total concentration of metals was also determined. The sequential extraction and the extraction with hydrochloric acid were performed in anoxic (keeping the negative Eh of samples, as in the time of sampling) and oxidant conditions (after drying samples at 60ºC in the atmosphere, simulating dredged material). Metal determination was performed by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (FAAS), Induced Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-EAS), Anodic Stripping Voltammetry with the Mercury Hanging Drop Electrode (ASV-HMDE), and the technique proposed in this work: ASV automated by Sequential Injection (ASV-SI) using the Thin Film Mercury Electrode (TFME). The proposed technique presented improved reproducibility and shorter time of analysis in comparison to conventional ASV-HMDE. In addition, the ASV-SI permits easy and fast change of operational parameters such as flow rate and sample volume, that have direct influence on the deposition time.

This paper deals with sequential likelihood ratio tests based on grouped observations. It is demonstrated that the method of conjugated parameter pairs known from the non-grouped case can be extended to the grouped case obtaining Waldlike approximations for the OC- and ASN- function. For near hypotheses so-called F-optimal groupings are recommended. As example an SPRT based on grouped observations for the parameter of an exponentially distributed random variable is considered.