En este trabajo se describe el proceso de desarrollo y validación de un marco de análisis que permite comparar metodologías de diseño de Objetos de Aprendizaje (OA) y seleccionar una acorde a las necesidades de un contexto educativo específico. El marco se ha denominado MASMDOA (Marco de Análisis para la Selección de una Metodología de Diseño de Objetos de Aprendizaje), y ha sido utilizado para un caso de estudio, donde a partir de una recopilación de metodologías de diseño de OA del contexto Iberoamericano, se busca seleccionar una para trabajar en el contexto de un taller de diseño y producción de OA. Se pudo constatar que MASMDOA facilita la selección de una metodología de diseño de OA que resulte adecuada para los requerimientos de un docente en un contexto específico. Para esto MASMDOA propone un conjunto de criterios que sirven para recomendar y caracterizar las metodologías a analizar y en un proceso de dos fases recomienda aquella metodología que cumple de mejor manera con los requerimientos del docente. En este trabajo se presenta MASMDOA, el caso de estudio donde se aplicó y los resultados obtenidos. / This thesis described the process used for developing and validating an analysis framework that allows comparing design methodologies for the design of Learning Objects (LO) and selecting one based on the needs of a specific educational context. This framework is called MASMDOA (Analysis Framework for the Selection of a Learning Object Design Methodology), and it has been applied to a study case where, from a compilation of LO design methodologies used in IberoAmerica, one of these methodologies is selected to work in the context of a LO design and production workshop. MASMDOA proved useful for selecting a LO design methodology that is appropriate for the requirements of an educator in a specific context. To achieve this, MASMDOA proposes a set of criteria that are useful for recommending and characterizing the methodologies to be analyzed and, following a two-phase process, it recommends the methodology that is better suited for the educator's needs. In this work, we present MASMDOA, the study case to which it was applied, and the results obtained.

Tato práce se zabývá jednou z významných částí fungování velkých korporací, tedy Compliance, se zvláštní pozorností na IT management. Diplomová práce zevrubně prozkoumává danou oblast. Tento průzkum si klade zároveň za cíl nalezení obtíží, ke kterým dochází v každodenní praxi. Následně je nastíněn způsob možných řešení zjištěných problematických jevů.

The approach to water management worldwide is currently in transition, with a shift from centralised infrastructures to greater consideration of decentralised technologies, such as rainwater harvesting (RWH). Initiated by recognition of drivers, including water demand, increasing risk of ground-water pollution and flooding, the value of RWH is filtering across the academic-policy boundary. However, in Nigeria, implementation of sustainable water management (SWM), such as RWH systems, is inefficient social, environmental and technical barriers, concerns and knowledge gaps exist, which currently restrict its widespread utilisation. This inefficiency contributes to water scarcity, water-borne diseases, and loss of lives and property due to flooding. Meanwhile, several RWH technologies have been developed to improve SWM through both demand and storm-water management. Such technologies involve the use of storage tanks, surface water reservoirs and ground-water recharge pits as storage systems. A framework was developed to assess the significance and extent of water management problems, match the problems with existing RWH-based solutions and develop a robust ready-to-use multi-criteria analysis tool that can quantify the costs and benefits of implementing several RWH-based storage systems. The methodology adopted was the mixed method approach, involving a detailed literature review, followed by a questionnaire survey of 1067 household respondents, 135 Nigerian Architects and Civil Engineers and focus group discussion with Stakeholders. A total of 1042 sets of data were collected through a questionnaire survey and analysed using SPSS, Excel and selected statistical methods to derive weightings of the attributes for the tool. Following this, three case studies were selected to collect data for hydrological modelling using the RainCycle model. From the results it is found that the most important barrier constraining sustainable RWH regime in Ibadan was obsolete and insufficient operational equipment, followed by poor renumeration of water corporation staff and misuse of available funds. In addition, the measure of importance of storage capacity was established, with the highest score of 4.5 which reflects the general inadequacy of storage as a major barrier to the adoption of RWH as a sustainable water management method. Further, respondents’ major health hazards associated with drinking contaminated water was established. A larger proportion (61.2%) of respondents chose prevalence of typhoid fever; some have a prevalence of diarrhea (19.4%), while few of respondents’ water sources is free from water-borne diseases (2.3%). The tool developed is an integrated platform of related evaluation techniques, including Whole Life Cycle Cost Analysis and Multi-Attribute Utility Theory. The tool uses data including cost and quantities of materials for building a RWH storage system and quantifies the cost and benefits of alternative RWH-based systems that can improve project management. This tool is novel, given its integration of the analytical techniques mentioned above and application for selecting the most appropriate RWH-based SWM systems. The implementation of the tool is envisaged to provide an objective platform for the quantification of the costs and benefits of RWH-based systems prior to implementation.

The usability group at RISE Research Institute of Sweden primarily perform usability evaluations for their clients. Usability evaluations are performed on launched products as well as early prototypes, the purpose of these evaluations is to detect problems and give suggestions on how they can be solved. The usability group offers a variety of usability evaluations, such as expert evaluations where experts assess the usability of a product and user tests were participants are observed when preforming tasks with a product. Eye tracking is a relatively new tool that measures eye movement; this tool is used within the usability group at RISE today, mostly as a compliment in usability tests. No extensive analysis is made of the data collected using eye tracking, due to lack of time, resources and knowledge. The purpose of this project is to investigate whether and, if so, how eye tracking can be used efficiently to evaluate usability in user tests. At the start of the project a literature study, an analysis of the current state was carried out along with a practical exploration of the eye tracking technology and associated analysis tools. Based on the information gathered in the first part of the project, two directions were selected. A qualitative approach, with the aim of exploring and explaining why a usability issue arises, and a quantitative approach with the aim to compare two equivalent products and determining which one of them is best in a usability perspective. Early in the project challenges with the collection and evaluating eye tracking data were identified. These challenges were largely related to how a usability test is conducted. In order to further explore how to best perform a usability test using eye tracking, a pilot study was conducted in which the test object was a microwave oven. The goal of the pilot study was to develop a test setup to be able to collect eye tracking data with minimal impact on factors affecting the eye tracking data. Examples of factors are "think aloud" and that the test moderator asks questions during when the participant perform a task. Based on the insights from the pilot study, the test setup was further developed, and both a qualitative and quantitative method of data collection and analysis was developed. The test setup and the two methods were evaluated in a usability test with two clock radios. The results of the tests in this project show that the qualitative analysis of eye tracking data can gather detailed data on how a person searches for information when performing a given task. By looking at the eye movement pattern, you can get indications of shortcomings in the information layout of a particular product. Eye tracking allows you to understand why a person fails a task by checking if the test person saw the desired information without interpreting it or if the person completely missed the information that was necessary to complete the task. The quantitative analysis of eye tracking data could not detect any differences between the products tested to indicate differences in the overall usability. The conclusion is that a qualitative analysis is the most effective way to utilize eye tracking in usability tests of consumer products. / Usability-gruppen på RISE Research Institute of Sweden arbetar främst med att utvärdera användbarhet på produkter för olika kunder. Användbarhets-utvärderingar utförs på lanserade produkter så väl som tidiga prototyper. Syftet med dessa utvärderingar är att upptäcka problem relaterade till användbarhet och komma med förslag på hur problemen kan lösas. Usability-gruppen erbjuder en rad olika typer av utvärderingar av produkter, exempelvis expertutvärderingar där produktens användbarhet bedöms av experter, och användartester där man observerar när en testperson använder en produkt. Eye tracking är ett relativt nytt verktyg som mäter ögonrörelser, detta verktyg används inom usability- gruppen på RISE idag som ett komplement vid använbarhets-tester. Då man saknar tid, resurser och till viss del kunskap om verktygets tillämpning används eye tracking idag endast som ett passivt verktyg. Med detta menas att man samlar in data utan att utföra några djupare analyser. Syftet med detta examensarbete är att undersöka om och i så fall hur eye tracking kan användas på ett effektivt sätt för att utvärdera användbarhet i användartester. I starten av projektet genomfördes en litteraturstudie, en nulägesanalys samt praktisk utforskning av tekniken och tillhörande analysverktyg. Baserat på den information som samlades in i första delen av projektet valdes två inriktningar. En kvalitativ inriktning, med målet att utforska och förklara varför ett visst användbarhetsproblem uppstår, och en kvantitativ inriktning med målet att jämföra två likvärdiga produkter och bestämma vilken av dessa som har bäst användbarhet. Tidigt identifierades även utmaningar med insamling och utvärdering av eye tracking-data, dessa utmaningar visade sig till stor del bero på hur ett användartest genomförs. För att vidare utforska hur man bäst genomför ett användbarhets-test med hjälp av eye tracking gjordes därför en så kallad pilotstudie där testobjektet var en mikrovågsugn. Målet med denna var att hitta ett testupplägg för att samla in eye tracking-data med minimal påverkan av omgivande faktorer som påverkar datan. Exempel på faktorer skulle kunna vara att testpersonen får ”tänka högt” eller att testledaren ställer frågor under genomförandet av en uppgift. Baserat på insikterna från pilotstudien vidareutvecklades testupplägget, och både en kvalitativ såväl som kvantitativ metod för datainsamling och analys togs fram. Testupplägget och de två metoderna utvädrades genom ett användbarhetstest där två olika klockradios testades. Resultaten från testerna som genomförts i projektet visar att man med kvalitativ analys av eye tracking data kan samla in detaljerade data på hur en person letar efter information vid utförande av en given uppgift. Genom att titta på ögonens rörelsemönster kan man få indikationer på brister i informationslayouten på en viss produkt. Med hjälp av eye tracking kan man förstå varför en person misslyckas med en uppgift genom att se om testpersonen såg den önskade informationen utan att tolka den eller om personen helt missade den information som var nödvändig för att klara uppgiften. Den kvantitativa analysen av eye tracking data kunde inte påvisa några skillnader mellan de produkter som testades för att indikera skillnader i användbarhet. Slutsatsen är att en kvalitativ analys är det effektivaste sättet att nyttja eye tracking vid användbarhetstester av konsumentprodukter.

Cancer is a disease of the genome, requiring mutation or epimutation of specific genes to develop. The subsequent progression of cancer and response to therapies is also dictated to some degree by new mutation and clonal selection on that novel variation. However, it is thought that the majority of somatic mutations that occur in cancer are inconsequential passengers, and only a subset of functionally important driver mutations are of importance for cancer biology. This project set out to adapt and apply well-established methods from the field of molecular evolution to measure the selective forces driving the development of cancers. The ultimate objective being an improved understanding of which mutations help or hinder the progression of a cancer. Somatic cancer mutations were identified through the analysis of paired tumour and non-tumour whole-exome sequence data from the same individual. Primary data from 1005 patients was processed and complemented with additional publicly available pre-processed somatic variant calls from 4728 patients. Tumours were classified by tissue of origin and also their spectrum of substitution mutations. An advanced evolutionary analysis framework was established, allowing somatic single nucleotide variant data to be analysed as traditional organismal DNA sequence. Estimates of amino acid changing (non-synonymous) and synonymous mutation rates were derived and maximum likelihood tests of selection applied to identify genes and regions of genes subject to selective pressure during oncogenesis. While the meta-analysis of all patients provided unprecedented power for such a study, more refined analyses based on the stratification of patients gave insights into the pathways of importance for specific tissues of origin. Additionally, stratification of patients by the relative frequencies of different mutation types in a tumour also provided insights into how mutation profile influences the sites, genes and pathways that are perturbed in the development of cancer. Of particular interest here, was to test the hypothesis that both (1.) mutation spectrum and (2.) tissue of origin, set the evolutionary trajectory of a cancer. Building on this I sought to estimate their relative contributions. During this work an unexpected, localised mutation pattern was discovered and subsequent analysis demonstrated some loci to be highly susceptible to small segmental deletions in a subset of cancers. In the absence of a justifiable model of neutral segmental deletion it was not possible to infer whether these major mutations could be considered passengers or drivers of cancer progression. In contrast, an advantage of the evolutionary approach applied to nucleotide substitutions in protein coding sequences is that there is a justified model of neutral evolution (synonymous changes). Using this approach, I have not only been able to detect genes harbouring putative cancer driver mutations, but have also found evidence for genes subject to purifying selection in cancers where potentially disruptive mutations appear to be deleterious to cancer progression. Such genes, if they are non-essential in the adult organism, could provide a novel type of target for anti-cancer therapeutics.

Particle swarm optimization (PSO) is a well-known stochastic population-based search algorithm, originally developed by Kennedy and Eberhart in 1995. Given PSO's success at solving numerous real world problems, a large number of PSO variants have been proposed. However, unlike the original PSO, most variants currently have little to no existing theoretical results. This lack of a theoretical underpinning makes it difficult, if not impossible, for practitioners to make informed decisions about the algorithmic setup. This thesis focuses on the criteria needed for particle stability, or as it is often refereed to as, particle convergence. While new PSO variants are proposed at a rapid rate, the theoretical analysis often takes substantially longer to emerge, if at all. In some situation the theoretical analysis is not performed as the mathematical models needed to actually represent the PSO variants become too complex or contain intractable subproblems. It is for this reason that a rapid means of determining approximate stability criteria that does not require complex mathematical modeling is needed. This thesis presents an empirical approach for determining the stability criteria for PSO variants. This approach is designed to provide a real world depiction of particle stability by imposing absolutely no simplifying assumption on the underlying PSO variant being investigated. This approach is utilized to identify a number of previously unknown stability criteria. This thesis also contains novel theoretical derivations of the stability criteria for both the fully informed PSO and the unified PSO. The theoretical models are then empirically validated utilizing the aforementioned empirical approach in an assumption free context. The thesis closes with a substantial theoretical extension of current PSO stability research. It is common practice within the existing theoretical PSO research to assume that, in the simplest case, the personal and neighborhood best positions are stagnant. However, in this thesis, stability criteria are derived under a mathematical model where by the personal best and neighborhood best positions are treated as convergent sequences of random variables. It is also proved that, in order to derive stability criteria, no weaker assumption on the behavior of the personal and neighborhood best positions can be made. The theoretical extension presented caters for a large range of PSO variants. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Computer Science / PhD / Unrestricted

The user data in social media platforms is an excellent source of information that is beneficial for both commercial and scientific purposes. However, recent times has seen that the user data is not always used for good, which has led to higher demands on user privacy. With accurate statistical research data being just as important as the privacy of the user data, the relevance of differential privacy has increased. Differential privacy allows user data to be accessible under certain privacy conditions at the cost of accuracy in query results, which is caused by noise. The noise is based on a tuneable constant ε and the global sensitivity of a query. The query sensitivity is defined as the greatest possible difference in query result between the queried database and a neighboring database. Where the neighboring database is defined to differ by one record in a tabular database, there are multiple neighborhood notions for edge-labeled graphs. This thesis considers the notions of edge neighborhood, node neighborhood, QL-edge neighborhood and QL-outedges neighborhood. To study these notions, a framework was developed in Java to function as a query mechanism for a graph database. ArangoDB was used as a storage for graphs, which was generated by parsing data sets in the RDF format as well as through a graph synthesizer in the developed framework. Querying a database in the framework is done with Apache TinkerPop, and a Laplace distribution is used when generating noise for the query results. The framework was used to study the privacy and utility trade-off of different histogram queries on a number of data sets, while employing the different notions of neighborhood in edge-labeled graphs. The level of privacy is determined by the value on ε, and the utility is defined as a measurement based on the L1-distance between the true and noisy result. In the general case, the notions of edge neighborhood and QL-edge neighborhood are the better alternatives in terms of privacy and utility. Although, there are indications that node neighborhood and QL-outedges neighborhood are considerable options for larger graphs, where the level of privacy for edge neighborhood and QL-edge neighborhood appears to be negligible based on utility measurements.

This research focuses on effective decision-making for sustainable manufacturing design and management. The research contributes to the decision-making tools that can enable sustainability analysts to capture the aspects of the economic, environmental and social dimensions into a common framework. The framework will enable the practitioners to conduct a sustainability impact analysis of a real or proposed manufacturing system and use the outcome to support sustainability decision. In the past, the industries had focused more on the economic aspects in gaining and sustaining their competitive positions; this has changed in the recent years following the Brundtland report which centred on incorporating the sustainability of the future generations into our decision for meeting today's needs (Brundtland, 1987). The government regulations and legislation, coupled with the changes in consumers' preference for ethical and environmentally friendly products are other factors that are challenging and changing the way companies, and organisations perceive and drive their competitive goals (Gu et al., 2015). Another challenge is the lack of adequate tools to address the dynamism of the manufacturing environment and the need to balance the business' competitive goal with sustainability requirements. The launch of the Life Cycle Sustainability Analysis (LCSA) framework further emphasised the needs for the integration and analysis of the interdependencies of the three dimensions for effective decision-making and the control of unintended consequences (UNEP, 2011). Various studies have also demonstrated the importance of interdependence impact analysis and integration of the three sustainability dimensions of the product, process and system levels of sustainability (Jayal et al., 2010; Valdivia et al., 2013; Eastwood and Haapala, 2015). Although there are tools capable of assessing the performance of either one or two of the three sustainability dimensions, the tools have not adequately integrated the three dimensions or address the holistic sustainability issues. Hence, this research proposes an approach to provide a solution for successful interdependence impact analysis and trade-off amongst the three sustainability dimensions and enable support for effective decision-making in a manufacturing environment. This novel approach explores and integrates the concepts and principles of the existing sustainability methodologies and frameworks and the simulation modelling construction process into a common descriptive framework for process level assessment. The thesis deploys Delphi study to verify and validate the descriptive framework and demonstrates its applicability in a case study of a real manufacturing system. The results of the research demonstrate the completeness, conciseness, correctness, clarity and applicability of the descriptive framework. Thus, the outcome of this research is a simulation-based impact analysis framework which provides a new way for sustainability practitioners to build an integrated and holistic computer simulation model of a real system, capable of assessing both production and sustainability performance of a dynamic manufacturing system.

Rural development by means of providing uninterruptible power supply has become a priority among developing countries. Nigeria especially has on its top agenda the mandate to provide clean and cost-effective means of energy to the rural communities, hardest hit by wave of incessant outages of electricity supply. Renewable Energy (RE), a clean form of energy that can be derived from natural sources is widely available throughout Nigeria but is not harnessed. In this dissertation a Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) framework is proposed for renewable energy towards rural community development in Nigeria as indicated in the 18-point recommendations of Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN). Moreover, a cost-benefit analysis tool is formulated and developed from the CBA framework in order to analyze comparatively the costs and intangible benefits of renewable energy projects for rural application. A case study demonstrating the working methodology of the proposed framework is presented in order to establish the cost-benefit components by assessing the comparative cost-benefit analysis of RE at a rural site of Nigeria. Erinjiyan Ekiti rural area is located for CBA assessment with three RE resources (solar, wind and small hydro) selected for consideration. Through the application of Contingent Valuation Method (CVM), the respondents' willingness to pay for RE supply is obtained and RE benefits in monetary terms computed. Using three economic decision criteria namely: Net Present Value (NPV), Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR); the three RE resources are ranked according to their economic viability. The result of the analysis provides useful insight to investors and decision makers into how RE projects in rural community should be conducted. Foremost, it is revealed that all three RE options will be economically viable if implemented, though adequate caution must be taken when making a decision. Based on the CBA assessment, the Small-Hydro Power (SHP) option is ranked as the most viable option. However, this is swiftly negated if RE social impact, such as the spiritual belief of the rural dwellers, who rely on the only potential river as a medium of communication with their ancestors, are taken into consideration. Furthermore, a sensitivity assessment of the three RE options revealed that only solar photovoltaic (PV) option is marginally viable, thus turns negative upon an assumed increase in discount rate of only 17%. Herein, the proposed CBA framework provides a useful insight into an efficient method of appraising RE projects in rural communities. A CBA simulation tool is formulated and adapted from the CBA framework to enable quicker, reliable and automated means of assessing RE projects with a view to making wise investment decision. / Thesis (M.Ing. (Development and Management Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Rural development by means of providing uninterruptible power supply has become a priority among developing countries. Nigeria especially has on its top agenda the mandate to provide clean and cost-effective means of energy to the rural communities, hardest hit by wave of incessant outages of electricity supply. Renewable Energy (RE), a clean form of energy that can be derived from natural sources is widely available throughout Nigeria but is not harnessed. In this dissertation a Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) framework is proposed for renewable energy towards rural community development in Nigeria as indicated in the 18-point recommendations of Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN). Moreover, a cost-benefit analysis tool is formulated and developed from the CBA framework in order to analyze comparatively the costs and intangible benefits of renewable energy projects for rural application. A case study demonstrating the working methodology of the proposed framework is presented in order to establish the cost-benefit components by assessing the comparative cost-benefit analysis of RE at a rural site of Nigeria. Erinjiyan Ekiti rural area is located for CBA assessment with three RE resources (solar, wind and small hydro) selected for consideration. Through the application of Contingent Valuation Method (CVM), the respondents' willingness to pay for RE supply is obtained and RE benefits in monetary terms computed. Using three economic decision criteria namely: Net Present Value (NPV), Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR); the three RE resources are ranked according to their economic viability. The result of the analysis provides useful insight to investors and decision makers into how RE projects in rural community should be conducted. Foremost, it is revealed that all three RE options will be economically viable if implemented, though adequate caution must be taken when making a decision. Based on the CBA assessment, the Small-Hydro Power (SHP) option is ranked as the most viable option. However, this is swiftly negated if RE social impact, such as the spiritual belief of the rural dwellers, who rely on the only potential river as a medium of communication with their ancestors, are taken into consideration. Furthermore, a sensitivity assessment of the three RE options revealed that only solar photovoltaic (PV) option is marginally viable, thus turns negative upon an assumed increase in discount rate of only 17%. Herein, the proposed CBA framework provides a useful insight into an efficient method of appraising RE projects in rural communities. A CBA simulation tool is formulated and adapted from the CBA framework to enable quicker, reliable and automated means of assessing RE projects with a view to making wise investment decision. / Thesis (M.Ing. (Development and Management Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.