Dynamical Systems Theory (DST) (De Bot, Lowie, & Vespoor 2007; Larsen-Freeman 1997, 2007; Larsen-Freeman & Cameron 2008; Dörnyei 2009; and van Lier 2000) represents a scientific paradigm shift derived from the fields of physics, engineering and theoretical mathematics that attempts to solve real-world scenarios that do not respond to scientific reductionism, otherwise known as ‘analysis’. The purpose of this dissertation is to (re)frame foreign language learning/use as a dynamical process that that involves interplay among what Dörnyei (2009) terms the language, the agent and the environment. More specifically, this dissertation presents a quasi-experimental, psycholinguistic study that looks at the interface between language (in this case the talk that resulted from NS-NNS interactions) and agent (as defined by a set of personal traits, or Individual Differences [IDs], including motivation, attitudes, personality and aptitude) in order to answer the research question: Do IDs vary in conjunction with language learning/use, and if so, how? Eight tutored Spanish learners were followed over the course of 16 weeks during which time they participated in 8 chat sessions with a native Spanish-speaker. Their ID profiles were measured immediately before and after each session and sessions with significant pre- to post-session ID shifts were analyzed to determine to what extent such shifts correlated with certain types of talk and/or think-aloud sequences. Results indicated that all participants’ pre- and post-interactional ID profiles fluctuated measurably and significantly, even within the span of a single interaction. Moreover, those sessions with significantly positive ID shifts were qualitatively different in terms of language-related episodes (LREs), conversation management/pragmatic markers, and metacognition from those with significantly negative ID shifts. Other unexpected findings revealed, for example, that LREs (especially NS-initiated LREs) negatively impacted motivations and attitudes and, therefore, the language-learning process itself. Taken together, the results of this study indicate that the agent’s IDs and their (inter)language co-emerge; that is to say, they evolve simultaneously and in response to one another. Moreover, this study suggests that DST can indeed be quasi-experimentally applied to the study of SLA, thus necessitating further development in DST-oriented methodologies and research questions. / text

In this thesis, we propose architecture for a SaaS model in Cloud that would provide service to the financial investors who are not familiar with various mathematical models. Such finance models are used to evaluate financial instruments, for example, to price a derivative that is currently being traded before entering into a contact. An investor may approach CSP to price a particular derivative and specify the time, budget and accuracy constraints. Based on these constraints specified by investors, the service provider will compute the option value using our proposed FSM. To evaluate our proposed model, we compared pricing results with the classical model that provides a closed-form solution for option pricing to meet the accuracy constraints. After establishing the accuracy of our pricing results, we further ensured that the SLA between the FSP and the investors is honoured by meeting the constraints put forth by the investor who uses the Cloud service.

In this thesis, we propose architecture for a SaaS model in Cloud that would provide service to the financial investors who are not familiar with various mathematical models. Such finance models are used to evaluate financial instruments, for example, to price a derivative that is currently being traded before entering into a contact. An investor may approach CSP to price a particular derivative and specify the time, budget and accuracy constraints. Based on these constraints specified by investors, the service provider will compute the option value using our proposed FSM. To evaluate our proposed model, we compared pricing results with the classical model that provides a closed-form solution for option pricing to meet the accuracy constraints. After establishing the accuracy of our pricing results, we further ensured that the SLA between the FSP and the investors is honoured by meeting the constraints put forth by the investor who uses the Cloud service.

No description available.

Research into second language strategies has started as a result of the shift of focus, from teachers and teaching to learners and learning which has taken place in the field of education over the last few decades. Strategies used by good language learners have been revealed, strategies used by successful and less successful language learners have been compared, and factors influencing the use of learning strategies have also been investigated. As an attempt to contribute to gaining more insights into language learning strategy, this research aims to investigate the writing strategies used by successful and less successful English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) learners and the relationship between strategy use and the learners’ success. A multi-method approach combining both qualitative and quantitative approaches was used to answer the research questions. This approach was achieved by means of method triangulation which consisted of structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and learning diaries. Nine female adult native Vietnamese students, who were in their second year of a four-year Bachelor program at Hanoi University in Vietnam, participated in the study. Questionnaires were administered at the beginning of the data collection phase. Guidelines for diary writing were then provided to the participants. Semi-structured interviews which served as the primary method of data collection were finally conducted with each of the participants. Findings from the study showed that the successful writers not only used strategies more frequently but also used more metacognitive, memory, compensation, and cognitive strategies than the less successful writers. The study also found some strategies which were most and least frequently used by both the successful and less successful writers.

Research into second language strategies has started as a result of the shift of focus, from teachers and teaching to learners and learning which has taken place in the field of education over the last few decades. Strategies used by good language learners have been revealed, strategies used by successful and less successful language learners have been compared, and factors influencing the use of learning strategies have also been investigated. As an attempt to contribute to gaining more insights into language learning strategy, this research aims to investigate the writing strategies used by successful and less successful English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) learners and the relationship between strategy use and the learners’ success. A multi-method approach combining both qualitative and quantitative approaches was used to answer the research questions. This approach was achieved by means of method triangulation which consisted of structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and learning diaries. Nine female adult native Vietnamese students, who were in their second year of a four-year Bachelor program at Hanoi University in Vietnam, participated in the study. Questionnaires were administered at the beginning of the data collection phase. Guidelines for diary writing were then provided to the participants. Semi-structured interviews which served as the primary method of data collection were finally conducted with each of the participants. Findings from the study showed that the successful writers not only used strategies more frequently but also used more metacognitive, memory, compensation, and cognitive strategies than the less successful writers. The study also found some strategies which were most and least frequently used by both the successful and less successful writers.

Το αντικείμενο αυτής της διπλωματικής εργασίας είναι η μελέτη της επίδρασης του φυσικού στρώματος των ψηφιακών συνδρομητικών γραμμών στην συνολική απόδοση του DSL συστήματος, όπως αυτή ορίζεται από το συμβατικό επίπεδο εξυπηρέτησης. Πιο συγκεκριμένα εξετάζεται o τρόπος με τον όποιο επιδρούν ο θόρυβος διαφωνίας και τα χαρακτηριστικά του καναλιού στον μέγιστο ρυθμό μετάδοσης που μπορεί να επιτευχθεί. Ο θόρυβος διαφωνίας δημιουργείται από την ανεπιθύμητη παρεμβολή μεταξύ των σημάτων γειτονικών γραμμών της ιδίας δέσμης καλωδίων. Τα χαρακτηριστικά του καναλιού καθορίζονται από το μήκος της γραμμής, την ύπαρξη γεφυρών με ατερμάτιστα τμήματα κατά μήκος του συνδρομητικού βρόγχου και από τις τεχνικές παραμέτρους του δισύρματου καλωδίου (διάμετρος, χαρακτηριστική αντίσταση κ.α.). Με την βοήθεια προσομοιώσεων που υλοποιήθηκαν στο περιβάλλον Μatlab παρουσιάζονται διάφορες μετρήσεις για τον μέγιστο δυνατό ρυθμό μετάδοσης ενός ADSL συστήματος καθώς μεταβάλλονται οι παράγοντες που αναφέρθηκαν παραπάνω. Μελετώντας τα αποτελέσματα αυτά εξάγονται χρήσιμα συμπεράσματα τόσο για την σχεδίαση νέων DSL δικτύων όσο και για την διαχείριση των υπαρχόντων. Έτσι μπορούν να οριστούν ασφαλέστερα οι παράμετροι που περιγράφονται από το συμβατικό επίπεδο εξυπηρέτησης και καθορίζουν την δυνατότητα για παροχή υπηρεσιών εγγυημένης ποιότητας. / The objective of this diploma thesis is to study the effect of DSL physical layer on the overall system infrastructure. More specifically, examine in what way the effects of the crosstalk noise and the channel characteristics on the highest bit rate can be achieved. The crosstalk noise is created by the unwelcome interruption between the neighbor signal lines. The channel characteristics are determined by the length of subscriber loop, by the existence of bridged-tap and the technical parameters of twisted pair (diameter, characteristic resistance etc.). With the help of simulations in Matlab environment, we take various measurements of the highest bit rate of a ADSL system as we change the factors which have been mentioned above. Studying these results are exported useful conclusions for the design of new DSL networks and to manage existing ones. So it can be defined safer parameters which are described by the service level agreements and determine the ability to provide guaranteed quality service.

La sclérose Latérale Amyotrophique (SLA) est une maladie neurodégénérative des motoneurones impliquant des facteurs environnementaux et génétiques. Notre étude porte sur l’étude des relations entre la voie de la SUMOylation post-Traductionnelle des protéines et les effets du stress oxydant et de mutants SOD1. Nous montrons tout d’abord que 2 nouveaux mutants, SOD1V31A et SOD1E121G identifiés chez des patients SLA à évolution lente, entraîne la formation d’agrégats cellulaires Ub/SUMO dans la formation des agrégats était suggérée. Nous montrons 1) que les NSC-34 exposées à un stress oxydant et exprimant SOD1 mutée présentent une modification d’expression de plusieurs gènes des voies de l’Ub/SUMO ; 2) que l’expression de SOD1 mutée réduit le pool de protéine SUMO-1 libre dans les cellules motoneuronales, possible conséquence d’une séquestration dans les agrégats ; 3) qu’inhiber la SUMOylation de SOD1 mutée réduit la quantité de cellules avec agrégats. Nos résultats indiquent qu’une meilleure connaissance de la voie de SUMO pourrait conduire à de nouvelles cibles thérapeutiques intéressantes dans la SLA. / Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease of motor neurones involving a combination of environmental and genetics factors. Ours work focuses on the relathionship between the SUMOylation pathway and the effects of oxidative stress and SOD1 mutants. We first show that 2 new mutants, SOD1V31A and SOD1E121G identified in ALS patients with a slowly progressive disease, induce the formation of Ub/SUMO positive aggregates in motor neuronal cells NSC-34. The implication of the Ub/SUMO pathways has been proposed in the formation of aggregates in ALS. We show 1) modification of expression of several genes of the Ub/SUMO pathways in NSC-34 exposed to oxidative stress and expressing various mutated SOD1 proteins; 2) that the expression of mutants SOD1 reduces free-SUMO1 concentration in motor neuronal cell, perhaps by a sequestration in aggregates; 3) that the inhibition of SUMIylation of various mutants SOD1 reduces the amount of cells with aggregates. Our results support further studies on the SUMO pathway that may lead to new therapeutics targets in ALS.

SILVA, Ticiana Linhares Coelho da. Processamento elástico e não-intrusivo de consultas em ambientes de nuvem considerando o SLA. 2013. 54 f. Dissertação (Mestrado em ciência da computação)- Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza-CE, 2013. / Submitted by Elineudson Ribeiro (elineudsonr@gmail.com) on 2016-07-12T18:22:53Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2013_dis_tlcsilva.pdf: 1298584 bytes, checksum: 63992b01ae2b16152aa961224cc5edfb (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Rocilda Sales (rocilda@ufc.br) on 2016-07-22T12:41:07Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 2013_dis_tlcsilva.pdf: 1298584 bytes, checksum: 63992b01ae2b16152aa961224cc5edfb (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-07-22T12:41:07Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2013_dis_tlcsilva.pdf: 1298584 bytes, checksum: 63992b01ae2b16152aa961224cc5edfb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013 / Computação em Nuvem ou Cloud Computing é um paradigma promissor de computação orientada a serviços. O seu maior benefício é a elasticidade, isto é, a capacidade do sistema de adicionar e remover recursos automaticamente em tempo de execução. Para isso, é essencial projetar e implementar uma técnica efetiva e eficiente que tire proveito da flexibilidade do sistema. Dessa forma, prover elasticidade requer monitorar continuamente (ou prever) a demanda do sistema por recursos, com objetivo de decidir quando adicioná-los e removê-los. Este trabalho apresenta um método de monitoramento não-intrusivo e contínuo de SGBDs relacionais em uma infraestrutura de nuvem, visando minimizar a quantidade de máquinas virtuais provisionadas para o processamento de consultas, e consequentemente maximizar o uso eficiente do ambiente do provedor. Além disso, ele visa satisfazer um "acordo de nível de serviço", em inglês service-level agrement (SLA), associado a cada consulta submetida ao sistema. Dessa forma, um objetivo desse trabalho também é minimizar a penalidade paga pelo provedor para os casos em que ocorre a violação do SLA. Além do método de monitoramento, este trabalho também apresenta um método de provisionamento de MVs para o processamento da consulta como contribuições. Nossa estratégia de monitoramento é aplicada a consultas select-range e consultas com agregação sobre uma única tabela. Os experimentos foram realizados na infraestrutura de nuvem da Amazon, confirmando que nossa técnica é elástica, permitindo ajustar os recursos alocados no sistema de forma automática e dinâmica, com base no SLA acordado.

L'atrophie musculaire de la cachexie provient du déséquilibre entre la synthèse et la dégradation des protéines. La littérature suggère que les membres de la famille p53 (p53, p63, p73) jouent un rôle dans le contrôle des processus de prolifération, différenciation et mort des précurseurs et des fibres musculaires. Ici nous avons caractérisé le profil d'expression de ces membres dans l'atrophie musculaire de la SLA (Sclérose Latérale Amyotrophique) et dans un modèle de cachexie induite par la doxorubicine. Nous avons montré une augmentation de l'expression des membres de la famille p53 et des atrogènes de manière corrélée sur ces deux modèles ainsi qu’une activation transcriptionnelle de Trim63 par p53, p63 et p73. Aussi, nous avons voulu savoir si les composés de tocophérol possédant une activité antioxydante pouvait réduire l'atrophie musculaire et avons montré que ce composé neutralise l'induction de la voie Notch, importante pour le développement musculaire et la régénération. / Muscle atrophy in cachexia results from the imbalance between protein synthesis and degradation due to activation of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Literature suggests that p53 family members play a role in controlling proliferation, differentiation and death of precursors and muscle fibers. Here we characterize the expression profile of the p53 family members in muscle atrophy in ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) and in doxorubicin induced cachexia model. We revealed an increased expression of the p53 family members and atrogenes in a correlated manner on both models and a transcriptional activation of Trim63 by p53, p63 and p73. Importantly, we also show that ROS and ceramide accumulation are important for Trim63 induction by doxorubicin. In addition, we tested whether compounds of tocopherol harboring antioxidant activity might reduce muscle atrophy. We showed that this compound counteracts the induction of the Notch pathway, important to muscle development and regeneration.