A presente tese, intitulada Lexicografia da Língua de Sinais Brasileira (Libras) do Nordeste, objetiva documentar o léxico de sinais de Libras usado por uma amostra da população surda residente nos nove estados do Nordeste (AL, BA, CE, MA, PB, PE, PI, RN, e SE) a partir de informantes surdos nativos desses estados, com vistas a aumentar a representatividade geográfica lexical dos sinais de uso comum entre os surdos nordestinos nas próximas edições do Novo Deit-Libras: Novo Dicionário Enciclopédico Ilustrado Trilíngue da Língua de Sinais Brasileira (Capovilla, Raphael, & Mauricio). A região Nordeste, com sua população de 53 milhões de habitantes, dos quais 3 milhões têm alguma deficiência auditiva, ocupa a primeira posição nacional em incidência relativa de pessoas com alguma perda auditiva na população. Considerando a média nacional de incidência de perda auditiva de 5,1% da população, observa-se que todos os nove estados têm incidência de perda auditiva acima da média nacional: CE com 6,2%; PB e RN com 6,1; AL, PI e PE com 6,0; BA com 5,5; SE com 5,4; e MA com 5,3. Diante desses dados alarmantes identificou-se a necessidade de fazer uma pesquisa que pudesse registrar o léxico de sinais usados pelos surdos dessa população. Esta pesquisa lexicográfica, que documenta a língua de sinais da região Nordeste, é parte do programa de pesquisa de documentação lexicográfica de Libras, empreendido no Laboratório de Neuropsicolinguística Cognitiva Experimental da Universidade de São Paulo, que tem documentado a língua de sinais de cada região brasileira. Por isso foram adotados e expandidos os procedimentos metodológicos canônicos de coleta e análise lexicográfica originais do Novo Deit-Libras. A pesquisa produziu um corpus de 4.287 sinais de Libras de todos os nove estados, todos plenamente documentados, descritos e ilustrados em sua forma e em seu significado, bem como distribuídos em 25 categorias semânticas, e devidamente validados por juízes surdos de cada estado / The present thesis aims to document the lexicon of signs of the Brazilian Sign Language, Libras, used by a sample of native deaf informers from all nine states of Northeastern Brazil (Alagoas, Bahia, Ceara, Maranhao, Paraiba, Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio Grande do Norte, and Sergipe). The purpose was to increase the geographic representation of Northeastern Libras signs in the upcoming edition of the New Deit-Libras: New Trilingual Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brazilian Sign Language (see 2nd edition: Capovilla, Raphael, & Mauricio, 2012). In the Northeast Brazil, out of its population of 53 million people, there are 3 million people with some kind of hearing impairment. When compared to the rest of the countrys regions, Northeast Brazil has the highest relative incidence of people with any hearing loss. Considering a 5.1% national average of the hearing loss incidence, it is observed that all nine states have an incidence percentage that is over the national average: Ceara with 6.2%, Paraiba and Rio Grande do Norte with 6.1%, Alagoas, Piaui and Pernambuco with 6.0 %, Bahia with 5.5%, Sergipe with 5.4%, and Maranhao with 5.3%. Such alarming data prove the urgent need to conduct lexicographic research of the Libras sign lexicon used by deaf population in the Northeast Brazil. The present lexicographic research of the Northeast Libras lexicon is part of the major research program conducted by the Laboratory of Cognitive Neuropsycholinguistics at the University of Sao Paulo, which aims at documenting the Libras lexicon from all geographic regions of Brazil. Therefore, it used the same canonic methods created by the authors of the original Deit-Libras (Capovilla & Raphael, 2001). This research has mapped a corpus of 4,287 Libras signs from all nine states. All signs are fully described and illustrated, both in terms of form and meaning, and are classified into 25 semantic categories. Last, but not least, all signs have been validated by deaf judges from all states

A presente tese, intitulada Lexicografia da Língua de Sinais Brasileira (Libras) do Nordeste, objetiva documentar o léxico de sinais de Libras usado por uma amostra da população surda residente nos nove estados do Nordeste (AL, BA, CE, MA, PB, PE, PI, RN, e SE) a partir de informantes surdos nativos desses estados, com vistas a aumentar a representatividade geográfica lexical dos sinais de uso comum entre os surdos nordestinos nas próximas edições do Novo Deit-Libras: Novo Dicionário Enciclopédico Ilustrado Trilíngue da Língua de Sinais Brasileira (Capovilla, Raphael, & Mauricio). A região Nordeste, com sua população de 53 milhões de habitantes, dos quais 3 milhões têm alguma deficiência auditiva, ocupa a primeira posição nacional em incidência relativa de pessoas com alguma perda auditiva na população. Considerando a média nacional de incidência de perda auditiva de 5,1% da população, observa-se que todos os nove estados têm incidência de perda auditiva acima da média nacional: CE com 6,2%; PB e RN com 6,1; AL, PI e PE com 6,0; BA com 5,5; SE com 5,4; e MA com 5,3. Diante desses dados alarmantes identificou-se a necessidade de fazer uma pesquisa que pudesse registrar o léxico de sinais usados pelos surdos dessa população. Esta pesquisa lexicográfica, que documenta a língua de sinais da região Nordeste, é parte do programa de pesquisa de documentação lexicográfica de Libras, empreendido no Laboratório de Neuropsicolinguística Cognitiva Experimental da Universidade de São Paulo, que tem documentado a língua de sinais de cada região brasileira. Por isso foram adotados e expandidos os procedimentos metodológicos canônicos de coleta e análise lexicográfica originais do Novo Deit-Libras. A pesquisa produziu um corpus de 4.287 sinais de Libras de todos os nove estados, todos plenamente documentados, descritos e ilustrados em sua forma e em seu significado, bem como distribuídos em 25 categorias semânticas, e devidamente validados por juízes surdos de cada estado / The present thesis aims to document the lexicon of signs of the Brazilian Sign Language, Libras, used by a sample of native deaf informers from all nine states of Northeastern Brazil (Alagoas, Bahia, Ceara, Maranhao, Paraiba, Pernambuco, Piaui, Rio Grande do Norte, and Sergipe). The purpose was to increase the geographic representation of Northeastern Libras signs in the upcoming edition of the New Deit-Libras: New Trilingual Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brazilian Sign Language (see 2nd edition: Capovilla, Raphael, & Mauricio, 2012). In the Northeast Brazil, out of its population of 53 million people, there are 3 million people with some kind of hearing impairment. When compared to the rest of the countrys regions, Northeast Brazil has the highest relative incidence of people with any hearing loss. Considering a 5.1% national average of the hearing loss incidence, it is observed that all nine states have an incidence percentage that is over the national average: Ceara with 6.2%, Paraiba and Rio Grande do Norte with 6.1%, Alagoas, Piaui and Pernambuco with 6.0 %, Bahia with 5.5%, Sergipe with 5.4%, and Maranhao with 5.3%. Such alarming data prove the urgent need to conduct lexicographic research of the Libras sign lexicon used by deaf population in the Northeast Brazil. The present lexicographic research of the Northeast Libras lexicon is part of the major research program conducted by the Laboratory of Cognitive Neuropsycholinguistics at the University of Sao Paulo, which aims at documenting the Libras lexicon from all geographic regions of Brazil. Therefore, it used the same canonic methods created by the authors of the original Deit-Libras (Capovilla & Raphael, 2001). This research has mapped a corpus of 4,287 Libras signs from all nine states. All signs are fully described and illustrated, both in terms of form and meaning, and are classified into 25 semantic categories. Last, but not least, all signs have been validated by deaf judges from all states

Estágio realizado na ALERT Life Sciences Computing, S.A. e orientado pelo Eng.º Filipe Pereira / Tese de mestrado integrado. Engenharia Informática e Computação. Faculdade de Engenharia. Universidade do Porto. 2009

Since the establishment of the first minimum retroreflectivity levels in 1993, agencies and researchers have focused on determining the service life of different sheeting type and color combinations. While deterioration curves and measured retroreflectivity are viable methods for maintaining retroreflectivity compliance, they do not ensure the ability of the traffic sign to convey its intended message. Retroreflectivity efficiency only ensures visibility but does not properly describe the legibility of the sign. Therefore, while agencies across the nation are developing and implementing traffic sign maintenance plans, the emphasis should not be solely placed on visibility. In order to evaluate the performance of UDOT’s traffic signs, a sample sign population was collected across all four of UDOT’s maintenance regions. Analysis on this sample set not only determined the current rate of compliance, but it also identified several issues seen throughout the population. Signs under UDOT’s jurisdiction are four times more likely to have substantial damage to the sign face than to fail to meet the minimum retroreflectivity levels. Analysis was conducted on determining contributing factors damage rates and it was determined that precipitation, elevation, seasonal temperature swing, and exposure of the sign all contributed to higher rates of damage. Additional analysis was conducted on determining the service life of different type and sheeting combinations. Hindered by the lack of known installation information, the analysis only identified service life as a significant contributor to sheeting deterioration. Since the majority of new sign installations are prismatic sheeting, the recommended maintenance plan needs to reflect the performance characteristics of this sheeting while continuing to manage the existing sign population. With the combination of UDOT’s current sign knowledge and the sheeting deterioration and damage analysis conducted in this thesis, the feasibility of the five preapproved FHWA methods is discussed. This report concludes with the recommendation of a visual nighttime inspection method due to this method’s ability to assess both the visibility and legibility of traffic signs. This will ensure that UDOT maintains compliance with the retroreflectivity mandate, while improving safety for motorists.

Many advocates of the deaf fear that a whole generation of deaf children will be lost emotionally, socially, and educationally, this fear stems from the fact that many children who are deaf are not having their linguistic, sociocultural. and communicative needs met at home or at school (King, 1993). Their needs are not met primarily for three reasons. First. the hearing culture is often inaccessible to them because they do not understand most of the spoken language around them. When children lack the communicative abilities to interact with the hearing culture, they can not be expected to be knowledgeable of that culture, to participate in that culture, or to establish an identity as a part of that culture. Secondly, Deaf culture is unknown to many children who are deaf. Ninety percent of children who are deaf are born into hearing families who are unaware of Deaf culture (Moores, 1987). Most children who are deaf and hard of hearing do not know about Deaf culture until they become involved in it through a residential school for the deaf or the Deaf community (Padden & Humphries. 1988). Thirdly. Deaf culture. history. heritage. and American Sign Language are not taught as part of the curriculum in most schools nor in the mainstreamed or self-contained classrooms (Gannon. 1990).

The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) now specifies minimum retroreflectivity requirements. These requirements include an obligation for agencies to develop a strategy for maintaining compliance. With budget considerations, it is important that transportation agencies be able to efficiently assess the performance of their assets and adopt management strategies to comply with such requirements. As a foundational work, this research develops specific methodology for assessing the condition and performance of sign assets that are maintained by a large transportation agency. In doing so, this research provides for the determination of key elements that should be considered when developing any sign asset management strategy. This work incorporates and builds upon previous research in order to develop an assessment strategy that can provide new insight and understanding into where sign asset management efforts should be focused. Given the conditions unique to the Utah Department of Transportation’s (UDOT) sign assets, the findings of this research present a potential paradigm shift from the previous assumptions regarding the best prospective management practices. Sign damage was determined to be the primary issue affecting the nighttime visibility of UDOT maintained signs. By controlling damage issues within UDOT's sign assets, retroreflectivity compliance may be maintained. The findings of this research provide for new options and considerations in managing both sign retroreflectivity and nighttime visibility at a large scale.

Doctor of Philosophy (Phd) / Despite an abundance of evidence demonstrating that the temporal relationship between events is a key factor in an organism learning an association between those events, a general theoretical account of temporal contiguity has remained elusive. A particular question that has received little attention is whether behaviour established with strong contiguity can be maintained when contiguity is weakened. The primary aims of this thesis were to examine the mechanisms underlying both the effects of contiguity on learning in rats and humans and the maintenance effect described above. The experiments reported in this thesis demonstrated that rats’ lever-pressing for food/sucrose acquired with immediate reinforcement persisted when a trace/delay that would have prevented acquisition was subsequently introduced, provided the lever was a valid signal for reinforcement. In classical conditioning with a 10-second trace, rats performed magazine-entry during lever-insertion (goal-tracking) instead of lever-pressing (sign-tracking); with zero-trace, rats both sign- and goal-tracked if lever-insertion time was 10 seconds, while goal-tracking dominated with 5-second lever-insertion time. Furthermore, while it was found that context-US associations may interfere with CS-US learning, context conditioning did not contribute to the retardation of sign-tracking in trace conditioning. Overall, these results are consistent with the theory that a localisable manipulandum that signals an appetitive outcome with strong contiguity acquires hedonic value, and that such hedonic value drives lever-pressing behaviour that is resistant to changes in the conditions of reinforcement. Human performance in a conditioned suppression task was inversely related to trace interval, but this apparent contiguity effect was at least partially mediated by the number of distractors during the trace interval, as predicted by Revusky’s concurrent interference theory. Furthermore, some transfer of conditioned suppression was observed when the trace was subsequently lengthened. Despite the different explanations proposed to account for rat and human performance in these experiments, the results suggest that the effects of contiguity on learning may be driven by similar underlying mechanisms across species.

Blonde hair is a potent and highly visible sign in western culture. Although the popularity and desirability of blonde hair in the West is well documented, since the 1950s, blonde hair has also generated many negative associations and these have contributed to myths around blondeness. In particular, women who dye their hair blonde find themselves in a paradoxical position; they simultaneously evoke desire and derision. This thesis uses the model of feminine masquerade outlined by Joan Riviere (1929) as a locus for discussing the transgressive potential of the knowing use of blondeness as a sign. When women wear blondeness in this way they embrace it as an oblique means to access privilege. This self-reflexivity allows women to enter sites of power that they are otherwise excluded from. Drawing on ideas of the carnivalesque, as described by Mikhail Bakhtin (1968), this thesis also proposes that the carnivalesque is employed by women in order to transgress patriarchal boundaries through an ironic masquerade of the archetypal blonde. These paradoxical meanings of blondeness are evoked in the work of performance artist Vanessa Beecroft. Beecroft stages both the reflexive awareness of today's blonde woman and the way in which she is shaped by socio-cultural forces beyond her control. Through reference to Beecroft's art, this dissertation builds upon the optimism and transgressive potential of Bakhtin's 'carnival' and Riviere's 'feminine masquerade' to re-present the identity/position of blonde women as one of agency and power.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Nevada, Reno, 2006. / "May 2006." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 131-137). Online version available on the World Wide Web.

One type of internal diachronic change that has been extensively studied for spoken languages is grammaticalization whereby lexical elements develop into free or bound grammatical elements. Based on a wealth of spoken languages, a large amount of prototypical grammaticalization pathways has been identified. Moreover, it has been shown that desemanticization, decategorialization, and phonetic erosion are typical characteristics of grammaticalization processes. Not surprisingly, grammaticalization is also responsible for diachronic change in sign languages. Drawing data from a fair number of sign languages, we show that grammaticalization in visual-gestural languages – as far as the development from lexical to grammatical element is concerned – follows the same developmental pathways as in spoken languages. That is, the proposed pathways are modalityindependent. Besides these intriguing parallels, however, sign languages have the possibility of developing grammatical markers from manual and non-manual co-speech gestures. We will discuss various instances of grammaticalized gestures and we will also briefly address the issue of the modality-specificity of this phenomenon.