O presente trabalho teve como objetivo o estudo da potencialidade de aplicação da flotação por ar dissolvido (FAD) lamelar (de alta taxa) e convencional como parte final de sistema de tratamento sequencial de esgoto sanitário, constituído de reatores anaeróbios de manta de lodo (UASB) seguidos de tanque de aeração. O trabalho, desenvolvido na Estação de Tratamento de Esgotos Jardim das Flores da cidade de Rio Claro, foi dividido em três etapas. Na primeira etapa, realizada com equipamento Flotateste, foram investigados os valores mais adequados de dosagens de polímero sintético catiônico, amido de araruta, cloreto férrico e associações entre cloreto férrico e polímero ou amido de araruta, de razão ar/sólidos (A/S), bem como de tempo e gradiente de mistura rápida e de floculação. Nessa etapa, os melhores desempenhos da FAD foram obtidos com o emprego de polímero catiônico, tanto isoladamente quanto associado ao cloreto férrico, sendo esta última condição imprescindível para maior remoção de fósforo. A flotação de liquor misto utilizando apenas o cloreto férrico como coagulante, apresentou desempenho extremamente insatisfatório, com a formação de flocos com características ruins de flotabilidade. Além disso, observou-se que a flotação desse tipo de efluente requisitou condições mais amenas de mistura, sendo que, em muitos casos, os melhores resultados foram obtidos mediante a eliminação da mistura rápida ou da floculação. Nas segunda e terceira etapas, realizadas com unidades piloto de flotação lamelar de alta taxa (FADAT) e convencional, respectivamente, e empregando apenas polímero como auxiliar de floculação/flotação (dosagem em torno de 1 g de polímero/kg de SST), foram investigados os valores mais adequados de Taxa de Aplicação Superficial (TAS), Taxa de Aplicação de Sólidos (TS) e quantidade de ar fornecida à flotação, calculada através da razão A/S ou da dosagem de ar (Dar), em g de ar/'M POT.3' de esgoto afluente, dependendo da concentração de sólidos suspensos totais afluentes à flotação (SSTafl). Através dos resultados dos ensaios pôde-se observar que a razão A/S é mais adequada para o cálculo da quantidade de ar na flotação de suspensões concentradas (SSTafl acima de 1100 mg/L no presente estudo), ao passo que Dar é mais representativo no caso da flotação de suspensões diluídas. Empregando a unidade FADAT, alimentada com liquor misto de tanque de aeração em boas condições de biofloculação, foi possível obter resultados satisfatórios para TAS de até 350 'M POT.3'/'M POT.2'.dia e TS entre 120 e 250 kg de SST/'M POT.2'.dia, desde que fornecida quantidade adequada de ar ao processo (Dar na faixa de 15,0 a 18,0 g de ar/'M POT.3' de afluente), para SSTafl entre 800 e 1100 mg/L. Na flotação lamelar de alta taxa, constatou-se que o bom desempenho esteve diretamente relacionado a baixos valores de SSTafl. As recomendações para a flotação com unidade de FAD convencional tiveram que ser mais conservadoras, devido às condições ruins de biofloculação apresentadas pelo liquor misto do tanque de aeração durante a realização da terceira etapa do trabalho. Nesses ensaios, os resultados mais satisfatórios foram obtidos com o emprego de TAS em torno de 200 'M POT.3'/'M POT.2'.dia, TS menor que 200 kg de SST/'M POT.2'.dia e A/S em torno de 0,020 (Dar de 21,0 g de ar/'M POT.3' de afluente), para SSTafl em torno de 1400 mg/L / The aim of this research was the study of the lamella design (high rate) and conventional dissolved air flotation (DAF) process potentiality of application as the final part of a domestic sewage sequential treatment system made up anaerobic reactors (UASB) followed by aeration tank. The work, developed at the Jardim das Flores WWTP of Rio Claro city, was separated in three phases. In the first phase, using the flotatest apparatus, the most suitable values of chemical (synthetic cationic polymer, arrow-root starch, ferric chloride and ferric chloride combined with polymer or arrow-root starch) dosages, air to solids ratio (A/S), as well as rapid mix and flocculation time and mean velocity gradient values, were investigated. In this phase, the best DAF performances were obtained with the application of cationic polymer, alone and associated to ferric chloride. The use of ferric chloride was essential to obtain better phosphorus removal results. The mixed liquor flotation using ferric chloride alone as primary coagulant presented extremely unsatisfactory performance, with the formation of flocks showing bad characteristics of flotability. Moreover, it was observed that flotation of this kind of effluent had requested gentler mixture conditions. In many cases, the best results were obtained by means of rapid mix or flocculation step elimination. In the second and third phases, using the lamella design and conventional flotation units respectively and cationic polymer as the only flocculation/flotation aid (dosage around 1 g of polymer/kg TSS), the most suitable values of Overflow Rate (OR), Solids Application Rate (SAR) and amount of air supplied to the flotation process, expressed as the A/S ratio or air dosage (AD, in g of air/'M POT.3' of influent) depending on influent total suspended solids concentration (TSSinfl), were investigated. The flotation essays results showed that the A/S ratio is more suitable for the air supply estimation in flotation of concentrated suspensions (TSSinfl above 1100 mg/L in this study). Contrarily, the parameter AD is more representative in cases of flotation of diluted suspensions. Using the lamella design unit, fed with aeration tank mixed liquor presenting good bio-flocculation conditions, it was possible to obtain adequate results applying OR as high as 350 'M POT.3'/('M POT.2'.day) combined with SAR values between 120 and 250 kg of TSS/('M POT.2'.day), since the adequate amount of air has been provided for the process (AD values between 15,0 and 18,0 g of air/'M POT.3' of influent), for TSSinfl between 800 and 1100 mg/L. For the lamella flotation, it was noticed that the best performance has been directly associated to lower values of TSSinfl. The recommendations for flotation using the conventional DAF unit had to be more conservative, taking into account the poor bio-flocculation conditions presented by the mixed liquor during the third phase of work. In theses essays, the more adequate results were obtained by applying OR around 200 'M POT.3'/('M POT.2'.day), SAR under 200 kg of TSS/('M POT.2'.day) and A/S ratio around 0,020 (AD of 21,0 g of air/'M POT.3' of influent), for TSSinfl around 1400 mg/L

Diese Forschungsarbeit beschreibt und bewertet beobachtbare Experimentierprozesse hinsichtlich der grundlegenden naturwissenschaftlichen Arbeitsweise „Umgang mit Variablen“, die Gymnasiasten am Ende der Sekundarstufe I bei der Bearbeitung einer offenen Experimentieraufgabe im Physikunterricht zeigen. Dargelegt wird zudem der Nutzen einer differenzierten Begriffsbestimmung für eine zielorientierte und strukturierte Entwicklung von offenen Experimentieraufgaben. In einer empirisch-quantitativen Exploration mit 82 Schülern wird eine offene Aufgabenstellung zum Thema Windenergie eingesetzt, die den Experimentierenden bezüglich der naturwissenschaftlichen Arbeitsweise einen hohen Grad an Entscheidungsmöglichkeiten erlaubt. Die Studie möchte für den Umgang mit Variablen die Wirksamkeit der offenen Experimentieraufgabe aufzeigen und zwar unter der Bedingung, dass Schüler vor der Bearbeitung der offenen Experimentieraufgabe eine vorbereitende bzw. keine vorbereitende Instruktion erhalten. Das Hauptinteresse der vergleichenden Studie liegt bei einem Kontexttransfer, den die Schüler von der vorbereitenden Instruktion auf die offene Experimentieraufgabe leisten müssen, wenn sie a) keinen Wechsel der Experimentierbedingungen und b) einen Wechsel der Experimentierbedingungen vorfinden. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Fähigkeit der Probanden mit Variablen umzugehen, durch den Einfluss einer vorbereitenden Instruktion erheblich gesteigert wird. Eine Abhängigkeit vom Grad der Kontextunterschiede zwischen der vorbereitenden Instruktion und der offenen Experimentieraufgabe wird nur gefunden, wenn die Probanden neben den veränderten Kontexten auch veränderte Experimentierbedingungen vorfinden. Die Ergebnisse verleiten für die Vermittlung der naturwissenschaftlichen Arbeitsweise „Umgang mit Variablen“ zu der forschungsbezogenen Aussage: Mehr Offenheit beim Experimentieren wagen! / This research paper describes and rates observable experimental processes secondary school students’ (aged 16) reveal concerning the fundamental scientific method of using variables in open-ended experimental tasks in the physics classroom. In addition, the benefit of a corresponding sophisticated definition will be shown in order to enable a goal-oriented and structured development of open-ended experimental tasks. In an empirical quantitative exploration with 82 school students, an open-ended problem on the topic “wind power” is utilized, allowing a high degree of autonomy in decision-making concerning the scientific method of using variables. The study aims at demonstrating the effectiveness of open-ended experimental tasks depending on whether the students received preparing instruction beforehand. The main interest of the comparative study lies in a transfer of context that students need to perform between the preparing instruction and the open-ended experimental task with or without a shift of experimental conditions. The results show that the students’ ability to use variables is highly enhanced by receiving preparing instructions. Dependence on the degree of context-shift between preparing instruction and open-ended experimental task is only the case when students find beyond shifted contexts altered experimental conditions. Concerning the teaching of the scientific method of using variables, the results lead to a research-related statement: dare to employ more open-ended experiments!

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-21T20:32:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Andreluisrosa.pdf: 2020793 bytes, checksum: a7af813aa282bc915585eb3c308b923f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-04-03 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This research aimed at studying the use of radio at school. It started based on questions about the possibility of using school-radio (which has been described along the paper) as an instrument and mean of learning; about its role in the student’s cultural formation as well as its educational possibilities. The theorical references were based on the follow authors: Assumpção, Belloni, Citelli, Ferraretto and Vygotsky. This research goal were show the radio as an instrument which connects the formal and informal culture; identify the teachers and students conceptions about radio uses at school. Show the acquisition ways and use of radio language; characterize the school-radio as mediation instrument in the process of the media acquisition. With an action-research character, the research was run in a public school, in Ponta Grossa city, Paraná state, Brazil, from February to November 2005. The complementary methodological procedures of the research consisted of questionnaires application, regular meetings, which took place not only at school, but also in the laboratory of radio-journalism, at State University of Ponta Grossa, the roduction of fanzines, radio guide lines and spots, and radio programs. At the end of the research, students’ conception about radio was close to the concept of radio as an instrument an mean, proper to be used at school. Along the research, two fanzies, eight radio spots and two complete radio programs were produced. We may conclude that the radio production is a mediation instrument to the media culture acquisition, ant therefore its inclusion at school is justified. The radio programs production, when oriented by teachers, not only instigates the student’s creative expression, but also introduces the media universe as part of cultural formation of the teenagers in school age. / Esta pesquisa teve por objeto de estudo a utilização do rádio na escola. Teve início a partir dos questionamentos sobre a possibilidade da utilização da rádio-escola como um instrumento e meio de aprendizagem; acerca de seu papel na formação cultural dos alunos e também sobre suas possibilidades educativas. O referencial teórico fundamentou-se principalmente nos seguintes autores: Assumpção; Belloni; Citelli; Ferraretto; Vigotski. Os objetivos da pesquisa foram: demonstrar o papel da rádio-escola como instrumento articulador entre a cultura formal e informal; identificar as concepções dos professores e alunos sobre rádio-escola; evidenciar as formas de apropriação e uso da linguagem radiofônica; caracterizar a rádio-escola como instrumento de mediação no processo de aquisição da cultura mediática. Com caráter de pesquisa-ação, foi realizada em uma escola pública, na cidade de Ponta Grossa, Paraná, no período compreendido entre fevereiro e novembro de 2005. Os procedimentos metodológicos complementares da pesquisa-ação consistiram na aplicação de questionários, realização de encontros regulares, ocorridos na escola e no laboratório de rádiojornalismo da Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa, produção de fanzines, pautas, vinhetas e programas de rádio. ao final da pesquisa, a concepção dos alunos aproximava a rádio-escola do conceito de instrumento e meio de ensino-aprendizagem, apropriado para sua utilização na escola. Durante a pesquisa, foram produzidos dois fanzines, 8 vinhetas de rádio, dois programas completos, a partir do exercício de produção de pautas para a programação. Conclui-se que a produção radiofônica é um instrumento de mediação para aquisição da cultura mediática, e portanto, justifica-se sua inclusão no processo de ensino-aprendizagem escolar. A produção de programas radiofônicos sob a orientação de professores fomenta a expressão criativa e introduz o universo mediático como parte da formação cultural dos adolescentes em idade escolar.

Neste trabalho de pesquisa foram estudados os efeitos dos parâmetros geométricos e de processo nas características do escoamento bifásico no interior de oito bocais nebulizadores do tipo \"Y-Jet\" através de uma bancada de análise experimental utilizando-se como fluidos de trabalho ar comprimido e água. Os resultados indicaram que as vazões mássicas são altamente dependentes da pressão de suprimento de ar e da relação entre os diâmetros do duto de mistura e do bocal de alimentação de ar. Em muitas situações de operação, esses dispositivos nebulizadores operavam com o escoamento de ar blocado à saída do seu bocal de alimentação. Outro aspecto importante é que, devido a fortes irreversibilidades inerentes ao padrão de escoamento, a expansão do fluxo de ar do seu bocal de alimentação para o duto de mistura aproxima-se muito mais de uma expansão isoentálpica que isoentrópica. Para fluxos mássicos de água superiores a 6000 kg/m2.s a distribuição de pressão no interior do duto de mistura é praticamente linear, independentemente do valor da pressão de alimentação de ar. Uma correlação para a previsão do valor da pressão no ponto de mistura entre os fluxos de ar e água dentro do duto de mistura foi desenvolvida e mostrou-se adequada para valores dentro da faixa de variação de cada parâmetro no experimento. Através de um aparato óptico buscou-se a medição da espessura média local de filme de líquido e da velocidade das perturbações na interface ar/água. Os resultados para a medição da espessura de filme mostraram-se sensivelmente dispersos, apontando para um melhor desenvolvimento dessas técnicas ópticas em futuros trabalhos. Quanto às velocidades das perturbações os resultados indicaram um razoável aumento destas conforme o escoamento se aproxima da saída do duto de mistura. Para todos os oito bocais ensaiados o valor médio destas velocidades, à saída do duto de mistura, situou-se em torno de 60 a 65 m/s. Um modelo teórico-experimental, baseado na medição da queda de pressão no interior do duto de mistura desses bocais, foi desenvolvido. Através desse modelo foi possível prever, localmente, a espessura e a velocidade médias de filme de líquido, a fração de entranhamento, a tensão de cisalhamento na interface ar/água, a fração de vazio e a velocidade média do ar no núcleo do escoamento. / In this research work the effects of the process and geometrical parameters on the characteristics of the internal two-phase flow inside eight Y-Jet atomizers were studied using an apparatus working with air and water. The results show that the flow rates are very dependent on the air supply pressure and the diameter ratio of the mixing duct and the air port. It was also verified that, in many operational conditions, these atomizers worked in the critical condition at the exit of the air port. Due to the strong irreversibilities present in the flow, the expansion from the air port to the mixing duct is closer to an isoenthalpic process than to an isoentropic process. For water mass flux greater than 6000 kg/m2.s, the pressure distribution into the mixing duct is most of the time linear, independently on the air supply pressure. A correlation to predict the mixing point pressure was developed and showed a good agreement with the experimental data. Using an optical apparatus it was measured the local liquid film thickness and the perturbations velocities on the air/water interface. The results for the liquid film showed a reasonable data dispersion. Concerning the perturbation velocities the results indicated that they increase along the mixing duct. For the eight atomizers tested the mean values of these velocities, near the mixing duct exit, were around 60 to 65 m/s. A theoretical-experimental model which uses the pressure drop measured inside the mixing duct was developed to predict locally the mean liquid film velocity and thickness, the entrainment fraction, the shear stress on the air/water interface, the void fraction and the mean air velocity in the flow core.

Submitted by Jorge Silva (jorgelmsilva@ufrrj.br) on 2017-10-31T16:24:50Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2016 - Fernanda Lessa Pereira.pdf: 5142376 bytes, checksum: f5e9e29e4465c1e4afbbb76f8bae823f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-10-31T16:24:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2016 - Fernanda Lessa Pereira.pdf: 5142376 bytes, checksum: f5e9e29e4465c1e4afbbb76f8bae823f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-12-06 / CAPES / This research is guided through an observed situation that many students from Young and Adults Education (EJA) classes have a limitated dominium of the habilities using of punctuation signals used in the textual productions in a variety of genders. There is as an objetive, by means od the didactic sequencial aplication, make these learners become proficientes in the writing production and in the using of the many diversificated graphic punctuation signals. Itis also intention of this research to discuss about the language teaching in EJA, presenting the teoric structure about textual genders, mainly the midiactic gender of newspaper report, to the aimed-public composed by 161 and 162 classes, belonged to the two last classes from the fundamental teaching in a not seriated way that is offered to young and adults students registeredin EJA modality. The place where this research happened is Leonel de Moura Brizola Ciep, that has as an adress Brasil Avenue, 8.666, most precisally in front of the famous Ramos?s Large Swimming Pool. It was noticed by the reseacher-teacher that these Young and adullts students registered in the both classes have a lot to contribute as protagonists of the newspaper reports that tackeled spot questions, according to their point of views, residents that cohabit and that know as nobody else the problematic that they face in their day-by-day. The aplication of this research becomes relevant for the garantee of a kind of learning that explores the social use of language, contributing to the, in school and extraschool activities, our students could be prepared to make the adapted use of the many types of punctuation signals, with an expected competence of a student that concludes a fundamental teaching. Considering this, as teoric support, the research is based in theoretician such as Dolz, Noverraz e Schneuwly (2004); Kleiman (2006); Soares (2004); Marcuschi (2008, 2010); Loch (2009); Koch (2014); Mollica (2009); Rojo (2012); Freire (1996); Paiva (2009), referred documents, such as PCN (1998; 2001), Curriculars Orientations (2010) and Norteating Documents of PEJA (2016). Somewhere else, it is the punctuation graphic signals apropriation, this research presented the right prescrition to the using of punctuation signals fixxed by the gramaticians Azeredo (2008), Cintra e Cunha (2001). So, it treats about a qualitative research approach with a sociointeracionist focus, allied to an action-research based in Thiollent (2011). In relation to the results of this research by means of newspaper report, it is possible to assert that the choice in teaching ponctuation by means of newspaper report it made the participants councius about the gramatical and textual problems that round their lives and that hinder them of using the so powerful existent tool: the writing. There were productions that have the condiction to become better, but that are effort of the ones that still have the will in learning and having employeement oportunities, that ask a good dominium of writing. Of course, they cannot be compared to a newspaper report model, but they already show that the structure was assimilated, even than they had stayed above of expected. They are, in fact, embrionary texts, that have not comtemplated all the possibilities proposed by the choosen gender, but that urges for a new way of work with classes that compose the so single EJA modality. / RESUMO: Esta pesquisa se pauta na situa??o observada de que muitos alunos de turmas de Educa??o de Jovens e Adultos (EJA) t?m um dom?nio limitado das habilidades de uso de sinais de pontua??o nas produ??es de textos de variados g?neros. Objetiva-se, por meio da aplica??o de uma sequ?ncia did?tica, fazer esses aprendizes proficientes na produ??o escrita e na utiliza??o dos mais diversos sinais gr?ficos de pontua??o. ? tamb?m inten??o desta pesquisa discutir acerca do ensino da l?ngua na EJA, apresentando o arcabou?o te?rico sobre g?neros textuais, principalmente o g?nero midi?tico reportagem, ao p?blico-alvo composto pelas turmas 161 e 162, correspondem ?s duas ?ltimas s?ries do ensino fundamental de um ensino n?o seriado ofertado a jovens e adultos matriculados na modalidade de EJA. O local desta pesquisa ? o Ciep Leonel de Moura Brizola, que fica na Avenida Brasil, 8.666, precisamente em frente ao famoso Piscin?o de Ramos. Foi percebido pela professora-pesquisadora que esses jovens e adultos matriculados nas duas turmas t?m muito a contribuir como protagonistas da produ??o de reportagens que abordassem quest?es locais, segundo o ponto de vista deles, moradores que convivem e que sabem como ningu?m as problem?ticas que enfrentam em seu dia a dia. A aplica??o dessa pesquisa torna-se relevante para a garantia de uma aprendizagem que explore o uso social da l?ngua, contribuindo para que, em atividades escolares e extraescolares, nosso alunado esteja apto a fazer adequado uso dos mais diferentes tipos de sinais de pontua??o, com a compet?ncia esperada de um concluinte do ensino fundamental. Para isso, como embasamento te?rico, a pesquisa ? pautada em estudiosos como Dolz, Noverraz e Schneuwly (2004); Kleiman (2006); Soares (2004); Marcuschi (2008, 2010); Loch (2009); Koch (2014); Mollica (2009); Rojo (2012); Freire (1996); Paiva (2009), al?m de documentos de refer?ncia, tais como PCN (1998;2001), Orienta??es Curriculares (2010) e Documentos Norteadores do PEJA (2016). Outrossim, como o foco ? a apropria??o dos sinais gr?ficos de pontua??o, esta pesquisa apresentou as prescri??es para o adequado emprego dos sinais de pontua??o elaboradas pelos gram?ticos Azeredo (2008), Cintra e Cunha (2001). Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa de abordagem sociointeracionista do ensino da l?ngua, aliada ? metodologia de pesquisa-a??o de Thiollent (2011). No que diz respeito aos resultados desta pesquisa, ? poss?vel afirmar que a escolha de ensinar pontua??o por meio do g?nero reportagem levou os participantes ? conscientiza??o dos muitos problemas gramaticais e textuais que os cercam e que os impedem de usar a t?o poderosa ferramenta existente: a escrita. Foram produ??es que t?m muito a melhorar, mas que s?o fruto dos que ainda t?m muita vontade de aprender e de ter oportunidades de emprego, que exigem o bom dom?nio da escrita. Nem se comparam ao que se pode chamar de uma reportagem modelar, entretanto j? mostram que a estrutura foi assimilada, embora tenham ficado, em sua maioria, aqu?m do esperado. S?o, portanto, textos embrion?rios, que n?o contemplaram todas as possibilidades proporcionadas pelo g?nero escolhido, mas que urgem para uma nova forma de trabalho com turmas que comp?em a t?o singular modalidade de EJA.

BACKGROUND: Health literacy is the sum of skills which leads to improved behavior related to the health. Limited health literacy can be related to a risk behavior such as addictive substance use. OBJECTIVIES: The goal of the study is to research the level of health literacy among low-threshold users in the Sananim contact centre. The study aims to compare groups of respondents on the basis of health literacy and to ascrertain if there are some significant differences between them. METHODS: The study included 194 respondents. The level of health literacy was measured by HLS-EU-Q16 questionnaire, sociodemographic data were measured by In-come questionnaire. RESULTS: Most of the respondents belong into a group with limited health literacy. Methamphetamine was the primary addictive substance in both groups, the primary method of application was injection. CONCLUSIONS: There are no significant differences among the groups with limited and adequate health literacy.

研究背景與目的：大學生睡眠型態呈現睡眠時相延遲、睡眠不足、睡眠品質不佳的狀況，造成身心健康與學業問題。此種睡眠型態，一方面受到生理發展的影響因素，形成內在日夜節律型態偏向夜貓型的情形，二方面為社會與心理的影響因素，隨著年齡增加，家長對於孩子生活監控程度降低，特別是邁入大學以後，生活自主權增加，大學生有更多的自由安排自己的生活與睡眠時間，而大學生生活時間的安排與規劃，影響著夜晚的睡眠。現今科技可日新月異，科技產品的使用，包括看電視、打電腦與使用手機，成為大學生生活中不可或缺的活動之一。其中，電腦與上網為休閒活動時重要的角色。過去研究發現大學生一天使用電腦約3至5小時以上，國外調查睡前活動的研究發現約42.4％的大學生睡前使用電腦，而睡前使用電腦使得就寢時間延遲，形成總睡眠時數減少，睡眠不足造成白天的疲倦感增加，除此之外也有可能影響入睡時間與睡眠品質，因此本研究目的希望找出電腦使用對於睡眠影響的因素，減少電腦使用對大學生睡眠作息造成的影響。本研究根據訪談的結果及過去的文獻彙整，假設電腦使用使得沈浸狀態（flow）與激發狀態（arousal）較高，進而影響睡眠，包括就寢時間較晚、入睡時間較長、睡眠品質不佳、總睡眠時數不足、週末較晚起床補眠的狀況。 研究方法：本研究為瞭解個體電腦使用的沈浸與激發狀態變化對睡眠的影響，採受試者內設計，以重複測量的方式進行研究，測量受試者一週使用電腦的型態與睡眠之關係。受試者需符合睡前4小時內使用電腦1小時以上的習慣，排除任何生理、心理、睡眠疾患與極端日夜型態者（circadian type），並排除使用非法或影響睡眠的藥物。研究共募集國立與私立大學共76名學生，研究一週間請受試者於睡前填寫電腦使用型態問卷與與沈浸量表、激發狀態量表與睡眠日誌。資料回收後進行階層線性分析。階層一分析個人內每天電腦使用的沈浸程度、生理激發程度與認知激發程度是否可預測各睡眠變項，階層二分析個人間的日夜節律型態與焦慮特質調節沉浸、生理激發與認知激發程度與睡眠變項的關係。 研究結果：本研究發現每人每天睡前4小時電腦使用的內容，包括遊戲類、人際互動類與娛樂活動類的沈浸程度皆比文書作業的沈浸程度來得高，就受試者內的比較而言，當晚上電腦使用的沈浸程度越高，當晚的就寢時間提早、入睡時間減少、總睡眠時數增加與提升睡眠品質。而睡前4小時電腦使用時間長度可預測認知激發程度，但認知激發並無法預測睡眠變項；另外，不論睡前電腦使用內容或總時間無法預測生理激發，但晚上電腦使用後的生理激發程度越高，當晚的就寢時間越晚且總睡眠時數越少。此外，認知激發與生理激發的關係為正相關。在階層二個人間調節變項的分析，由於沈浸程度對睡眠變項的預測，以及生理激發程度對就寢時間與總睡眠時數的預測，皆未有尚未解釋的部分，因此在研究模型中無需再加入調節變項。 研究討論：研究結果發現沈浸程度在睡前電腦使用對睡眠影響的過程中扮演正向角色，但若睡前從事虛擬角色的線上遊戲，雖然沈浸程度偏高，但就寢時間偏晚且總睡眠時數較少；此外睡前的電腦使用時間越長，認知激發越高，而認知激發與生理激發呈現正相關，因此有可能認知激發程度提高，使生理激發程度也越高，而生理激發程度越高，導致就寢時間較晚，總睡眠時數較少。建議睡前選擇電腦使用內容並控制使用時間，以減少電腦使用對睡眠的不良影響。 / OBJECTIVE: College students tend to delay their sleep phase and have high prevalence of sleep problems, such as poor sleep quality and insufficient sleep. Many factors may be associated with the sleep patterns. First, delay sleep phase in college students may be affected by a natural tendency of delayed endogenous circadian phase in during puberty. Second, psychosocial and behavioral factors, such as late evening social events and computer use, may also contribute to these sleep patterns. Among these, computer use has been shown to be associated with poor sleep in previous studies. However, it’s unclear that what mechanisms through which computer use has an impact on sleep in college students. The goal of this study is to identify the underlying factors that mediate the effect of computer use to sleep. According to our pilot study in which college students were interviewed for their computer-use habits and sleep pattern, we hypothesize that mental flow, physical arousal and cognitive arousal are the factors mediating the impacts of computer use to sleep patterns characterize college students, including delayed sleep phase, longer sleep onset latency, insufficient sleep and poor sleep quality. METHOD: Seventy-six college students who are habitual computer users (using computer at least one hour before sleep every day) participated in the study. They were required to complete a set of questionnaires everyday for one week, including the computer-use questionnaire, the Flow Scale, and the Pre-Sleep Arousal Scale. Hieratical Linear Model was conducted to analyze within-individual level (level one) and between- individual level (level two). In our study, within-individual levels were mental flow, physical arousal and cognitive arousal that mediated the impacts of computer use to sleep patterns when college students used computer before sleep every night. In addition, between- individual levels in our study were various circadian types and anxious trait between college students. They may moderate the impacts of mental flow, physical arousal and cognitive arousal to sleep patterns in college students. RESULT: The results showed within-individual level that contents of computer using, including play on-line games, interpersonal interaction, and entertainment, could predict increased flow level. Higher flow level in turn predicted earlier bedtime, shorter sleep latency, more sleep duration and better sleep quality. In addition, physical arousal was not affected by computer use, but had a negative impact on sleep. Higher physical arousal level was able to predict later bedtime and shorter sleep duration. Computer-use time during the four hours prior to bedtime was associated with pre-sleep cognitive arousal. Cognitive arousal did not show significant association with any sleep variables, however. Furthermore, there was a positive relationship between cognitive arousal and physical arousal. In addition, because the results of between- individual levels showed that the mental flow, physical arousal and cognitive arousal completely explained sleep patterns, there was no need to add between- individual moderations. CONCLUSION: Our study showed that flow level while engaging in computer use may have positive effect on sleep. However, playing on-line games before sleep, although may lead to higher flow level, were associated with later bedtime and shorter sleep duration. Also, the more time spending on computer before sleep, the higher the cognitive arousal. Higher cognitive arousal level may be associated with higher physical arousal level. And, higher physical arousal level lead to later bedtime and shorter sleep duration. The results suggested that in order to prevent the negative impacts of computer-use among college students, they should reduce computer using time and avoid on-line games before sleep. Future study can develop intervention program based on current findings to prevent college students from the negative impacts of computer.

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Advances in wireless technology and the growing popularity of multimedia applications have brought about a need for energy efficient and cost effective portable supercomputers capable of delivering performance beyond the capabilities of current microprocessors and DSP chips. The SIMPil architecture currently being developed at Georgia Institute of Technology is a promising candidate for this task. In order to develop applications for SIMPil, a high level language and an optimizing compiler for the language are essential. However, with the recent trend of interconnect latency becoming a major bottleneck on computer systems, optimizations focusing on reducing latency are becoming more important, especially with SIMPil, as it is highly scalable. The compiler tracks the path of data through the network and buffers data in each processor to eliminate redundant communication. With a buffer size of 5, the compiler was able to eliminate 96 percent of the redundant communication for a 9x9 convolution and 8x8 DCT algorithms. With 5x5 convolution, only 89 percent elimination was observed. In terms of performance, 106 percent speedup was observed with 9x9 convolution at buffer size of 5 while 5x5 convolution and 8x8 DCT which have a much lower number of communication showed only 101 percent speedup.

Estimating the state of a system from noisy measurements is a problem which arises in a variety of scientific and industrial areas which include signal processing, communications, statistics and econometrics. Recursive filtering is one way to achieve this by incorporating noisy observations as they become available with prior knowledge of the system model. Bayesian methods provide a general framework for dynamic state estimation problems. The central idea behind this recursive Bayesian estimation is computing the probability density function of the state vector of the system conditioned on the measurements. However, the optimal solution to this problem is often intractable because it requires high-dimensional integration. Although we can use the Kalman lter in the case of a linear state space model with Gaussian noise, this method is not optimum for a non-linear and non-Gaussian system model. There are many new methods of filtering for the general case. The main emphasis of this thesis is on one such recently developed filter, the particle lter [2,3,6]. In this thesis, a detailed introduction to particle filters is provided as well as some guidelines for the efficient implementation of the particle lter. The application of particle lters to various communication channels like detection of symbols over the channels, capacity calculation of the channel are discussed.