O consumo de energia se torna cada vez mais importante para a arquitetura de processadores, onde o número de cores dentro de um mesmo chip está aumentando mas o total de energia disponível se mantém no mesmo nível ou até mesmo se reduz. Assim, técnicas para economizar energia, tais como opções de escala de frequência e desligamento automático de subsistemas, estão sendo usadas para manter a troca entre energia e desempenho. Para se obter alto desempenho, os atuais Chip Multiprocessors (CMPs) integram grandes memórias cache a fim de reduzir a latência média para acesso a memória principal, através da alocação do conjunto de dados da aplicação dentro do chip. Essas memórias cache tem sido projetadas tradicionalmente para explorar a localidade temporal usando políticas de substituição inteligentes e localidade espacial buscando todos os dados da linha da cache após uma falta de dados. Entretanto, estudos recentes mostraram que o número de sub-blocos dentro da linha da memória cache, que são realmente usados, costuma ser baixo, sendo que, os sub-blocos que são usados recebem poucos acessos antes de se tornarem mortos (isto é, nunca mais são acessados). Além disso, muitas da linhas da memória cache permanecem ligadas por longos períodos de tempo, mesmo que os dados não sejam usados novamente ou são inválidos. Para linhas de cache modificadas, a memória cache aguarda até que a linha seja expulsa para que esta seja gravada (write-back) de volta no próximo nível de memória. Essas escritas competem com as requisições de leitura (demanda do processador e prébusca da cache), aumentando a pressão no controlador de memória. Por essas razões, a eficiência energética e o desempenho das memórias cache não são ideais. Essa tese propõe a aplicação de preditores de uso de linhas da cache para aumentar a eficiência energética das memórias cache. São propostos os mecanismos Dead Sub-Block Predictor (DSBP) e Dead Line and Early Write-Back Predictor (DEWP) para permitir economia de energia sem que haja degradação do desempenho. DSBP é usado para prever quais sub-blocos da linha da cache serão usados e quantas vezes eles serão acessados de forma a trazer para a cache apenas os sub-blocos úteis e desliga-los após eles serem acessados pelo número de vezes previsto. DEWP prevê linhas de cache mortas assim que elas recebem o último acesso, desligando essas linhas. As linhas sujas são escalonadas para sofrerem write-back após a última operação de escrita, aumentando o potencial de salvar energia, reduzindo também a pressão no controlador de memória. Ambos os mecanismos propostos também reduzem a poluição nas memórias cache, dando prioridade para a expulsão de linhas mortas, melhorando as atuais políticas de substituição. Embora cada mecanismo apresentado seja capaz de funcionar separadamente dentro do sistema, ambos os mecanismos podem também ser misturados em uma mesma hierarquia de cache. Essa implementação mista é interessante pois a granularidade de sub-bloco é preferível para níveis de cache próximos do processador, onde as linhas de memória cache são expulsas rapidamente, enquanto o último nível de cache tende a usar toda a linha antes da sua expulsão. Com o intuito de avaliar os mecanismos propostos, é apresentado o Simulator of Non- Uniform Cache Architectures (SiNUCA). Esse simulador de microarquitetura com precisão de ciclos é validado em termos de desempenho e consumo de energia através da comparação com um processador real. Os resultados de desempenho foram obtidos executando aplicações das cargas de trabalho single-threaded do conjunto SPEC-CPU2006 e aplicações multi-threaded dos conjuntos SPEC-OMP2001 e NAS-NPB. Os resultados relativos a energia foram obtidos integrando o SiNUCA com as ferramentas de modelagem Multi-core Power, Area, and Timing (McPAT) e CACTI. Quando aplicados os mecanismos em todos os níveis de memória cache, observou-se em média uma redução de 36% no consumo de energia usando o DSBP, 25% usando o DEWP e 37% quando usou-se o DSBP nos níveis L1 e L2 e o DEWP no último nível. Todas essas reduções causaram uma perda desprezível de desempenho de menos de 4% em média. / Energy consumption is becoming more important for processor architectures, where the number of cores inside the chip is increasing and the total power budget is kept at the same level or even reduced. Thus, energy saving techniques such as frequency scaling options and automatic shutdown of sub-systems are being used to maintain the trade-off between power and performance. To deliver high performance, current Chip Multiprocessors (CMPs) integrate large caches in order to reduce the average memory access latency by allocating the applications’ working set on-chip. These cache memories have traditionally been designed to exploit temporal locality by using smart replacement policies, and spatial locality by fetching entire cache lines from memory on a cache miss. However, recent studies have shown that the number of sub-blocks within a line that are actually used is often low, and those sub-blocks that are used are accessed only a few times before becoming dead (that is, never accessed again). Additionally, many of the cache lines remain powered for a long period of time even if the data is not used again, or is invalid. For modified cache lines, the cache memory waits until the line is evicted to perform the write-back to next memory level. These write-backs compete with read requests (processor demand and cache prefetch), increasing the pressure on the memory controller. For these reasons, the energy efficiency and performance of cache memories are not ideal. This thesis introduces cache line usage predictors to increase the energy efficiency of cache memories. We propose the Dead Sub-Block Predictor (DSBP) and Dead Line and Early Write-Back Predictor (DEWP) mechanisms to enable energy savings without performance degradation. DSBP is used to predict which sub-blocks of a cache line will be actually accessed and how many times they will be used in order to bring into the cache only those sub-blocks that are necessary, and power them off after they are accessed the predicted number of times. DEWP predicts dead lines as soon as they receive the last access, and turns off these lines. Dirty lines are scheduled for write-back after the last write operation occurs, increasing the energy savings potential and also reducing the pressure on the memory controller. Both proposed mechanisms also reduce pollution in cache memories by prioritizing dead lines for eviction in the existing replacement policy. Although each introduced mechanism is capable of performing separately inside a system, both mechanisms can also be mixed in the same cache hierarchy. This mixed implementation is interesting because the sub-block granularity is more suitable for cache levels closer to the processor, where the cache lines are quickly evicted, while the Last- Level Cache (LLC) tends to use the whole cache line before its eviction. In order to evaluate our proposed mechanisms, we introduce the Simulator of Non- Uniform Cache Architectures (SiNUCA). This cycle-accurate microarchitecture simulator is validated in terms of performance and energy consumption by comparing it to a real processor. Our performance results were obtained executing single-threaded applications from SPEC-CPU2006 and multi-threaded applications from SPEC-OMP2001 and NASNPB benchmark suites. The energy related results were obtained by integrating SiNUCA with the Multi-core Power, Area, and Timing (McPAT) framework and the CACTI power modeling tool. When applying our mechanisms on all the cache levels, we observe on average a 36% energy reduction for DSBP, 25% energy reduction using DEWP and an average reduction of 37% in the energy consumption applying DSBP on L1 and L2 and DEWP on the LLC. All these reductions caused a negligible performance loss of less than 4% on average.

O estudo \"Análise sócio-ambiental da bacia do Rio Biguaçu - SC: subsídios ao planejamento e ordenamento territorial\" objetiva a análise integrada de informações de aspectos naturais e sócio-econômicos, que permitam o entendimento na perspectiva geográfica para fins de planejamento territorial ambiental. A área da bacia é de 389,7 km2, compreendendo todo o município de Antônio Carlos e grande parte do município de Biguaçu. A geologia é formada pelos terrenos pré-cambriano e cobertura sedimentar cenozóica de origem fluvial e marinha. Na geomorfologia, o embasamento cristalino corresponde ao modelado de dissecação (75,97% da área total da bacia) e os depósitos quaternários são representados pelo modelado de acumulação (24,03% do total da bacia). Os solos dominantes são os cambissolos, seguidos dos argissolos vermelho-amarelos, gleissolos e neosssolos. A vegetação típica é a mata atlântica, sendo dominante a vegetação secundária (capoeirões e capoeiras). Foram produzidos nove mapas temáticos: hipsométrico, clinográfico, geológico, unidades do relevo, solos, ocupação e uso da terra, fragilidade ambiental, legislação ambiental e zoneamento ambiental, todos na escala original 1: 50.000. Os problemas ambientais levantados na pesquisa foram: ausência de mata ciliar ao longo dos rios em áreas de preservação permanente, poluição dos recursos hídricos superficiais por esgotos domésticos e resíduos de agrotóxicos, lixo, erosão nas margens dos rios e assoreamento da foz do rio Biguaçu. No município de Biguaçu a indústria química (plásticos) é a principal atividade econômica. Destaca-se também o cultivo de grama e de hortaliças. No município de Antônio Carlos o destaque da economia é o cultivo de hortaliças. No mapa de zoneamento ambiental foram definidas zonas produtivas (rural e urbana) e a zona de restrições legais (vegetação secundária, manguezal, área de proteção permanente de rios e RPPN). Nas diretrizes para o ordenamento territorial ambiental foram propostas seis unidades de intervenções e gestão: marinha, flúviomarinha, planície fluvial, Serra de São Miguel e Planalto de Biguaçu/Três Riachos e Planalto de Cimeira. Foram propostas ações visando a mitigação do quadro geral de degradação ambiental na qual está inserida a bacia do rio Biguaçu. Através de projetos e estudos, as ações sugeridas visam a compatibilização da utilização econômica dos recursos da natureza com a preservação do meio físico-biótico, promovendo a qualidade de vida das populações humanas. / \"Socio-environmental analysis of Biguaçu River Basin - SC: subsides to the planning and territorial ordaining\" is a study that aims to an integrated analysis of information on the natural and socio-economical aspects which. The basin area is of 389.7 Km2, and contains all Antonio Carlos District and most of Biguaçu District. The geology is formed by the Precambrian lands and Cenozoic sedimentary cover from fluvial and marine origin. In geomorphology, the crystalline base corresponds to the dissection modeling (75.97% of the basin total area) and the quaternary deposits are represented by the accumulation modeling (24.03% of the total of the basin). The dominating soils are the Cambisoils, followed by the red-yellow Clay soils, Gley soils and Neosoils. The typical vegetation is the Atlantic Tropical Forest, in which the secondary vegetation is dominant (dense forest and coppice). Nine thematic maps have been produced: hypsometric, clinographic, geologic, relief unities, soils, occupation and soil usage, environmental fragility, environmental legislation and environmental zoning, all in the original scale of 1:50.000. The following environmental problems have been found in the research: lack of riparian vegetation in areas of permanent preservation, superficial hydric recourses polluted by domestic sewage and agrotoxic waste residues, garbage, erosion on the margins of the rivers and silting of Biguaçu River mouth. In Biguaçu District, the chemical industry (plastics) is the main economical activity. Grass and vegetable growth is also a highlight. In Antonio Carlos District the most important activity is the vegetable growth. In the environmental zoning map, productive zones (rural and urban) and the legal restriction zone (secondary vegetation, mangrove, river permanent protection area and RPPN) have been defined. In the guidelines for the environmental territorial ordaining, six units of intervention and management have been proposed: marine, fluvial-marine, fluvial plain, São Miguel mountain chain and Biguaçu plateau/Três Riachos and Cimeira plateau. Actions have been proposed, aiming to a mitigation of the general picture of environmental degradation in which is Biguaçu River Basin. Through projects and studies, the suggested actions aim to the compatibilization of the economical utilization of the natural resources, with the preservation of the physical-biotic environment, promoting life quality for the human populations.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-09-19T15:21:16Z No. of bitstreams: 1 renatapradoalvessilva.pdf: 1353565 bytes, checksum: 16000b96ef4c2dec50c7d5b4c312188c (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-10-04T15:45:49Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 renatapradoalvessilva.pdf: 1353565 bytes, checksum: 16000b96ef4c2dec50c7d5b4c312188c (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-10-04T15:46:00Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 renatapradoalvessilva.pdf: 1353565 bytes, checksum: 16000b96ef4c2dec50c7d5b4c312188c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-04T15:46:00Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 renatapradoalvessilva.pdf: 1353565 bytes, checksum: 16000b96ef4c2dec50c7d5b4c312188c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-05-24 / Os MMORPGs são um fenômeno à parte na indústria dos jogos eletrônicos. Possuem um desenvolvimento paralelo, trazendo sempre elementos novos e diferenciados para a cultura dos games. World of Warcraft, lançado em 2004, é o mais expressivo representante do gênero MMORPG, com 11.5 milhões de usuários pagantes no mundo. O jogo é constantemente alvo de críticas devido ao alto grau de envolvimento dos jogadores (fenômeno denominado ―vício‖ ou ―uso problemático‖) que passam, em média, 20 horas por semana conectados. Entender o desenvolvimento deste game e como se dá a participação nele conduziu à verificação da existência de padrões na concepção do jogo que buscam criar hábitos específicos nos jogadores, resultando no alto grau de envolvimento. Partindo da hipótese de que os jogos eletrônicos estão modificando hábitos, comportamentos e até a sociabilidade, uma contextualização bibliográfica sobre o desenvolvimento dos jogos eletrônicos, desde seus primórdios, indicou que o gênero MMORPG sempre encerrou características essenciais para este envolvimento. O detalhamento de World of Warcraft como mídia híbrida - por meio das Matrizes da Linguagem e do Pensamento de Lúcia Santaella, apoiadas na semiótica peirceana -, conduziu a uma análise das dominâncias sonoras, visuais e verbais no jogo, assim como os hibridismos que atuam potencialmente sobre a formação de hábitos. A análise das semioses para produção de envolvimento apontou que o universo do jogo é concebido e modificado para adequar os hábitos dos jogadores aos interesses comerciais dos desenvolvedores. / The MMORPGs are a phenomenon apart in the industry of electronic games. They have a parallel development, always bringing new and different elements to the culture of games. World of Warcraft, launched in 2004, is the most significant representative of the MMORPG genre, with 11.5 million paying users in the world. The title is constantly criticized because of the high degree of engagement of the players (called "addiction" or "problematic use") that are on average 20 hours per week online. Understanding the development of this game and how does the participation in it led to the determination of standards inside the game design seeking to establish specific habits in the players, resulting in the high degree of involvement identified. Assuming that electronic games are changing habits, behavior and even sociability, a bibliographic research on the development of electronic games, since its inception, said the MMORPG genre always ended the essential characteristics for this involvement. The details of World of Warcraft as hybrid media – through Matrix of Language and Thought by Lucia Santaella, supported by Peirce's semiotics –, led to an analysis of dominances of sound, visual and verbal aspects in the game, as well as hybrid forms, potentially acting on the formation of habits. The analysis of the semiosis for the production of engagement pointed that the game world is designed and modified to suit the habits of players to the developers‘ commercial interests.

M.Ed. (Educational Linguistics) / With the use of English as a medium of instruction from senior primary upwards in the traditional schools, pupils experience problems related to lack of proficiency in English. This becomes evident when they have to express themselves, and then lack the appropriate vocabulary to use in different learning areas or subjects at school. Pupils seem to be underprepared for senior primary work. An academic support programme which will help upgrade the standard or level of proficiency is discussed at length. Partnership and team teaching among teachers affected by this problem are discussed. If this programme succeeds, the failure rate which has already drained the South African economy will be reduced. The study ends with recommendations that will hopefully help remedy the situation.

En considérant le caractère multidimensionnel inhérent au concept de territorialité et, en conséquence, de celui de territoire, on a entrepris différentes analyses avec l'objectif de modéliser ses processus. On a opté pour une structure de thèse fondée sur des sommets composés de différents axes. Au sommet «classification» ont été menées des études s'appuyant sur des données relatives aux 25 dernières années des chaînes de valeur dans l'État du Pará, en cherchant à inférer les dimensions horizontale et verticale de clusters géographiques, ainsi que les arrangements de cooccurrence de ces groupements et de leurs configurations. Le sommet «expression et propriétés» a cherché à qualifier des informations sur la déforestation et la dynamique d'usage et couverture du sol, ayant en vue les plans de développement régional. Tandis que le sommet «vulnérabilité» a pris comme vérificateur les brûlis, en tâchant d'établir son expression territoriale et les trajectoires latentes de ce marqueur de paysage, entre-temps on a proposé un protocole analytique. Les six axes de tous les sommets constituent des articles indépendants, mais étroitement articulés. Dans tous les cas, on a adopté comme référence des bases de données gratuites et universellement accessibles. Grosso modo, on a conclu que l'utilisation des chaînes de valeur, à condition de considérer sa diachronie, a été efficace pour inférer les processus de territorialité, même si en ce moment on peut parler de "domaines" ou de "liens" territoriaux. Des configurations d'arrangements de chaînes de valeur (frontière forestière, post-front pionnier, várzeas, co-arrangements et chaînes isolées) ont montré que la théorie des fronts pionniers, diffusée par Pierre Monbeig, était toujours appropriée pour expliquer les processus de territorialisation dans la région. La modélisation graphique par l'intermédiaire de chorèmes s'est montrée un outil utile pour des études de cette nature. L'application de la classification et son perfectionnement sous la forme de typifications et de typologies, à partir de différents ensembles d'attributs dans leurs diverses articulations en échelle a été efficace pour l'émergence de propriétés passibles d'être appliquées dans des études d'aménagement territoriale et de développement régional. Dans le cas de l'État du Pará, les marqueurs territoriaux post-déforestation sont la végétation secondaire et les pâturages, dans ses formes les plus contrastantes de qualification: pâturage propre et pâturage à récupérer. Vue l'expression territoriale de vulnérabilité aux brûlis, on dispose d'une nouvelle approche pour des études en Écologie des paysages, ainsi que pour la définition de patterns d'usage et de couverture du sol associés à d'autres métriques dans différentes conditions de développement régional, comme ça a été le cas des frontières évaluées. L'application de la modélisation aux études de Géographie régionale a démontré le potentiel de cette approche pour l'ouverture de nouveaux fronts de travail. / Considering the multidimensionality inherent to the concept of territoriality and, consequently, of the territory, different analyzes were conducted aiming to modeling their processes. Was chosed a thesis structure based in vertices composed by different axes. In the vertex «classification» was conduzed studies based on the last 25 year data of value chains in the Pará state, seeking to infer about the horizontal and vertical dimension of geographical clusters, as well the co-occurrence of arregements of these groups and their configuration. The vertex «expression and properties» sought to qualify informations of deforestation and land use land cover dynamics targeting plans of regional development. While the vertex «vulnerability» took as indicator the burning, searching establish the territorial expression and latents trajectories to this landscape marker, that way a analitical protocol was proposed. The six axes of all vertices have constituted by independent articles, but with high concatenation. In all the cases was taked as reference free and universally acess data bases. In general, its concluded that the use of value chains, since considered their diachrony, was efficient in the inference of territoriality processus, even in the moment we can talk about territorials ‘domaines’ or ‘linkages’. Configurations of value chains (forest frontier, post-pionner front, «várzeas», co-arrangements and isolated chains) indicate that the pioneer front theory, released by Pierre Monbeig, as still adequated to explain the territorialization process in the region. The graphical modeling by means of «chorémes» demonstrated to be a useful tool in studies of this nature. The application of classifications and their refinement was efficient to the emergence of properties tha can be applied in studies of territorial planning and regional development. In the case of Pará state the territorial markers, post-deforestation are the secundary vegetation and pasture, in the most contrasting form of qualification: clean pasture and demanding recovery pasture. Given the territorial expression of vulnerability to burning zones, we have a new approach to landscape ecology studies, as well to the definition of patterns of land use/cover associated to other metrics and different conditions of regional development, as was the case of the frontiers evaluated. The application of modeling in the regional Geography demonstrated the possibility of new front of action in this approach. / Considerando a multidimensionalidade inerente ao conceito de territorialidade e, consequentemente, do território foram conduzidas diferentes análises objetivando modelizar seus processos. Optou-se por uma estrutura de tese baseada em vértices compostos por diferentes eixos. No vértice «classificação» foram conduzidos estudos tendo como base os últimos 25 anos de dados das cadeias de valor no estado do Pará, buscando-se inferir sobre as dimensões horizotal e vertical de agrupamentos geográficos, bem como os arranjos de co-ocorrência desses agrupamentos e suas configurações. O vértice «expressão e propriedades» buscou qualificar informações de desflorestamento e de dinâmica do uso e cobertura da terra visando planos de desenvolvimento regional. Já o vértice «vulnerabilidade» tomou como aferidor as queimadas, buscando estabelecer sua expressão territorial e trajetórias latentes a esse marcador de paisagem, nesse ínterim um protocolo analítico foi proposto. Os seis eixos de todos os vértices constituem-se de artigos independentes, mas com elevada concatenação entre si. Em todos os casos tomou-se como referência bases de dados gratuitas e acessíveis universalmente. Grosso modo, conclui-se que o uso de cadeias de valor, desde que considerada sua diacronia, foi eficiente na inferência dos processos de territorialidade, mesmo que no momento possamos falar de ‘domínios’ ou ‘vínculos’ territoriais. Configurações de arranjos de cadeias de valor (fronteira florestal, pós-frente pioneira, várzeas, co-arranjos e cadeias isoladas) indicaram que a teoria das frentes pioneiras, difundida por Pierre Monbeig, como ainda adequada para explicar os processos de territorialização na região. A modelização gráfica por meio de coremas demonstrou ser uma ferramenta útil em estudos dessa natureza. A aplicação de classificação e seu refinamento sob a forma de tipificações e tipologias, a partir de diferentes conjuntos de atributos nas diversas articulações escalares foi eficiente para a emergência de propriedades que podem ser aplicadas em estudos de ordenamento territorial e desenvolvimento regional. No caso do Pará, os marcadores territoriais pós-desflorestamento são a vegetação secundária e as pastagens, em suas formas mais contrastantes de qualificação: pasto limpo e pasto a recuperar. Dada a expressão territorial de vulnerabilidade a queimadas, tem-se uma nova abordagem pabra estudos em ecologia de paisagens, bem como para definição de padrões de usos e coberturas da terra associados e outras métricas em diferentes condições de desenvolvimento regional, como foi o caso das fronteiras avaliadas. A aplicação de modelização em estudos de Geografia regional demonstrou a possibilidade de novas frentes de atuação dessa abordagem.

Previous comparative studies of usage of contrast markers have found that Swedish non-native speakers of English underuse and overuse different individual items compared to native speakers. This paper compares the use of the contrast markers however, nevertheless/nonetheless, yet and still in essays in linguistics to determine how and why they might be used differently. Essays are taken from the Stockholm University Student English Corpus and are equally represented by examples from King’s College and Stockholm University. Random samples are analyzed for type of contrast signalled and repeated collocational patterns. The findings show that the Swedish students underuse however and overuse nevertheless/nonetheless, yet and still in signalling concessive relationships. The research suggests that the Swedish students have a weaker grasp of prototypical frequency of usage than native speakers, which may result from native language transfer. It is argued that it would be beneficial for Swedish learners of English, and by extension other L2 learners, to improve awareness of constructing effective contrastive relationships.

Les performances énergétiques des constructions durables sont nettement inférieures à celles attendues et la question de l’impact du comportement des usagers devient primordiale. Différentes solutions sont déployées afin d’atteindre les performances prévues : elles s’étendent de l’information des usagers à l’aide de manuels, jusqu’à l’influence des comportements, en passant par l’automatisation des bâtiments réduisant ainsi la capacité d’action des usagers. La question est alors de savoir s’il est possible de concevoir des bâtiments toujours plus performants du point de vue énergétique sans venir altérer la relation usager/habitat et sans contraindre davantage les usagersNous proposons d’intégrer la notion d’affordance dans les constructions durables en posant l’hypothèse qu’elle pourrait permettre d’induire des comportements en adéquation avec les exigences de performances des constructions durables, en évitant au maximum l’introduction de procédures plus ou moins artificielles et en créant une compréhension, la plus immédiate possible, des usages des espaces fonctionnels et des équipements.Une première phase d’étude a été menée dans le but d’analyser l’activité des usagers au sein de leur habitat et traduire cette analyse en outils exploitables par les concepteurs. Un ensemble de personas a ainsi été défini. Parallèlement, une caractérisation de l’interaction usager/habitat a été réalisée par l’identification des critères venant l’influencer. Grâce à la pondération de ces facteurs d’impact, un modèle de calcul du niveau d’affordance de l’interaction entre les usagers et leur logement a pu être proposé. / The energetic performance of sustainable buildings is significantly lower than expected and therefore the impact of user behaviour becomes a crucial element. Different solutions are implemented to achieve predicted performance; these range from information i.e. user guides, to the influence of user behaviour through building automation reducing the users’ control. The possibility of designing more efficient buildings without altering the relationship between the user and the building, and without constraining the users is then to be investigated.We propose to integrate the notion of affordance in sustainable buildings under the assumption that this could be useful in inducing behaviour aligned with the performance requirements of sustainable buildings, while minimising the introduction of procedures more or less artificial and creating an immediate understanding of the use of a functional space and its equipment.A first experimental phase was conducted to analyse users' activities within their housing and translate this into tools for designers. A set of personas has been set. Meanwhile, a characterisation of the user/building interaction was carried out by identifying the criteria influencing it. With the weighting of these impact factors, a calculation model for the affordance level of this interaction was proposed.

Traditionally, some occupational titles have been explicitly marked for the gender of the group dominating the occupation. For example, in male-dominated occupations, titles often end with -man. However, since the second-wave feminist movement, several of the previously gender-biased titles have been supplemented by new, gender-neutral titles. Previous research has shown a discrepancy between researchers regarding the implications of these new titles. Some argue that the gender-neutral titles are only used for female referents, whereas others claim that gender-neutral titles, especially for male- dominated occupations, tend to still presuppose maleness. In the present paper, a corpus-based study is conducted on a few selected occupational titles. The aim is to investigate whether the gender-neutral alternatives have increased in usage over time, and whether the gender-biased ones have decreased. In addition, the study aims at examining whether the gender-neutral forms tend to be used primarily for women or men. The present study is corpus-based, examining the particular terms in the TIME Magazine Corpus. The results of the study show that there has been an increase of the gender-neutral forms since their introduction to English, and that they are primarily used when there is no explicit gender referencing. Proposed explanations for these results are that it may depend on the type of work involved in the selected occupations, as well as them being male-dominated. Furthermore, the results indicate that the gender- neutral terms are opted for when gender is either unknown or irrelevant for the context.

Abstract This bachelor thesis discusses existing performance analysis techniques for ARM based architecture processors. This includes a comparison between couple of performance analysis applications installed on two Android test devices. Each application monitored CPU performance of the device in three test scenarios. Each test was done in five iterations. The results were compared for each test and for each application. The results of these iterations were compared to find the most stable application among the rest.

A central area of research in linguistics is the study of changes in vocabulary over time, be it over historical time periods or faster changes within generations. One contributing factor driving such fast changes could be “fashion cycles”, as this is a very general cultural phenomenon. Here, results are reported from a corpus study investigating trends over time in the use of cyber as the first part of compound nouns, and of alternatives which carry a similar meaning, such as e- as short for electronic. It is found that cyber was commonly used in the time period 1995-2004. Usage then strongly declined, but there was a new peak in popularity in the last year of available data (2012). Interestingly, cyber was initially used in positively charged or neutral contexts (e.g. cyberspace), but in recent years mostly in negatively charged words such as cyberbullying or cyber warfare. The hypothesis that cyber has been replaced with e- was partially supported (in particular in the case of e-mail, but e-books is another prominent example of a recent rising trend in vocabulary). However, in most other contexts usage of e- actually peaked a few years before the last years of the available corpus data. In general, results were consistent with “fashion cycles” in that the popularity of using cyber or e-, and in particular of specific words including these compound noun parts, seems to come and go rapidly over time. Interestingly use of cyber was seen mostly in negative contexts during later time periods. No such change was apparent in the use of e-. An emerging hypothesis partially supported by the data is that words in commercial contexts (e.g. cyber-business, e-business) rapidly lose their positive charge as they become common and are replaced by other, more novel and more fashionable words. Corpus linguistics is a very powerful tool for investigating such patterns of change in the popularity of words, and the processes behind them.