The feeding ecology of a common saltmarsh crab, Armases cinereum (Armases), was investigated to determine how habitat (mangrove vs. ecotone, natural mangrove vs. modified mangrove fringe) influenced this species’ feeding behavior and trophic ecology in its southwestern Florida, USA, distribution. In the laboratory, Armases’ preference for mangrove material was examined using leaves of three mangrove species (Avicennia germinans, Laguncularia racemosa, and Rhizophora mangle) and leaves of different degradation levels (fresh, senescent, and partially-decomposed). Leaf material from A. germinans was preferentially consumed over the other taxa at fresh and partially-decomposed levels of leaf decay. When Armases were offered a choice between four common upland vegetation types (Iva frutescens, Borrichia frutescens, Nephrolepis biserrata, and Stenotaphrum secundatum), the preferred mangrove from the previous experiment (A. germinans, partially-decomposed), and an animal prey item (Gryllodes sigillatus, cricket), Armases displayed greatest selectivity for the animal prey item and high selectivity for both I. frutescens and A. germinans plant taxa (Manly-Chesson α selectivity and Chesson ϵ electivity). Field-based stable isotope analysis was used to determine trophic position and reconstruct dietary proportions of Armases across three pairs of natural and heavily-modified sites within Tampa Bay to determine whether Armases feeding behavior is impacted by the presence of upland forest adjacent to mangrove forest habitat. Analysis of trophic position based on δ15N signatures of Armases from each of the six populations revealed that Armases in habitats with modified connectivity had lower trophic variability and significantly higher average trophic position compared to Armases sampled from the three sites with natural connectivity. Stable isotope diet reconstruction using the Bayesian mixing model SIMMR further established Armases preference for animal-derived food material in habitats with natural and modified connectivity. This preference is likely driven by high selectivity for sources rich in Nitrogen (i.e., animal tissue, partially-decomposed A. germinans material, and I. frutescens). I determined that the use of laboratory experiments in conjunction with stable isotope mixing models is important in accurately investigating feeding preferences of Armases in mangrove intertidal regions. Together, my results show that the diet of Armases is broadly omnivorous and populations can be influenced by the heterogeneity of their habitat. Further feeding experiments, dietary analyses and a longer sampling period are needed to more definitively identify the patterns of Armases detritivory in mangrove and ecotonal upland habitats.

Serious inequities in our K-12 public education system, particularly in regard to the quality of education in predominately Black inner-city schools, are well-documented in the literature (Freeman, 1998; Ross, 1998). Moreover, there is general agreement that the most effective means of ameliorating that situation is through well-thought-out after-school programs and partnership initiatives (Beck, 1993; Gardner et al., 2001). The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the programmatic interventions of a youth enrichment program for inner-city Black youth currently in place at the Overtown Youth Center (OYC) in Miami, Florida, in order to: (a) discern those factors that support its claim that it is making a difference in students’ lives, (b) explore how any such factors are implemented, and (c) determine whether its interventions have served to equalize the playing field for these youth. Two primary methods of data collection were used for this study. The first was participant observation conducted over the course of two years through a partnership initiative established and led by this author. The second was through in-depth interviews of the Center’s founder, staff, and students. Secondary methods used were the recording of informal conversations and the analysis of written documents. Analysis of the data yielded four features of the Center that are indispensible to the students’ growth. The center provides the youth with (a) physical and psychological safety, (b) supportive relationships, (c) exposure to cultural and educational opportunities, and (d) assistance in building self-esteem. The most significant finding of the study was that OYC has been successful at making a difference in students’ lives and at increasing their aspirations to attend college. By addressing the full spectrum of their needs, the Center has given them many of the necessary tools with which to compete and thereby helped equalize their opportunities to succeed in school and in life. The study also noted a number of challenges for the Center to examine. The main issues that need to be addressed more seriously are staff turnover, staff indifference, nepotism, inconsistent student attendance, and insufficient focus on racial issues and African-American-centered education. Meeting those challenges would engender even greater positive outcomes.

In science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, producing high level talent and increasing equity of access and engagement are prominent but sometimes conflicting policy directives. Yet, retention and persistence are important outcomes both for the production of elite talent and for promoting equity within STEM fields. This dissertation investigates the effects of policy on student persistence in Finland, Sweden and the United States. Drawing on interviews with upper-secondary school students and teachers (Finland: 26 students, 8 teachers; Sweden: 29 students and 10 teachers; United States: 19 students, 2 mentors) and surveys (Finland: 255 students, Sweden: 130 students, United States: 288 students), this study investigates the effects that different structures (including contrasting policies of stratification and differentiation, specialist magnet schools and enrichment programmes) have on students’ intentions to persist in STEM fields. This study supports the theory that educational policies mediate student persistence both through structural possibility, and through the development of students’ identities and non-cognitive skills. Here, non-cognitive skills (such as self-efficacy and self-concept) are considered part of an ‘adaptive habitus’ and a latent variable comprised of domain-specific non-cognitive skills is used in models of student persistence. The models illustrate the do- main specific interactions of educational structures, student background, adaptive habitus and student persistence. Analysis of the interviews further explores these relationships, suggesting the importance of programmes that include exposure to challenging real-world STEM learning and interaction with STEM professionals, and that such features are effective in part because they foster an adaptive habitus towards STEM fields. The policy implications for both efficiency and equity are considered. A framework of Mechanism, Transparency and Permeability is introduced for analysing the effects of policies on efficiency and equity. Drawing on the interviews, this framework is used to give a comparative characterisation of the educational systems Finland, Sweden and the United States. Permeability is highlighted as particularly important for retention and persistence, and a key consideration for educational policies that seek to produce elite talent, and promote equity in STEM fields.

Thesis deals with motivation potential of work in a selected organisation, identification of presence of job characteristics according to Hackman and Oldham Job Characteristics Model, their perception of intensity and importace for employee. Furthermore proposing improvements of job characteristics and enrichment of employees' job. Another goal is to find satisfaction with current motivation program and in case of deficiencies to propose changes. Data were obtained by using questionary, this data were processing by descriptive statistics. In conclusion, were proposed possibles changes in case of job characteristics or in case of motivation program if enrichment of job characteristics was not suffice.

Ce manuscrit est consacré à l’élaboration de phases monolithiques à base de dioxyde de titane pour les techniques séparatives appliquées à l’analyse des produits phosphorylés. La partie bibliographique situe d’abord l’intérêt des monolithes pour le développement des techniques séparatives en portant une attention particulière à la problématique de miniaturisation. L’état de l’art sur l’utilisation du dioxyde de titane, dans les sciences séparatives, est ensuite établi. À ce niveau, les principales caractéristiques physico-chimiques et chromatographiques de ce matériau sont revues pour les lits particulaires. Un descriptif de la synthèse des monolithes de dioxyde de titane par le procédé sol-gel est ensuite détaillé avant d’illustrer la mise en oeuvre de ce type de colonnes dans les techniques séparatives. La partie expérimentale est axée d’abord sur la compréhension du comportement du dioxyde de titane particulaire en chromatographie liquide à interaction hydrophile (HILIC). Le travail expérimental est ensuite orienté vers l’élaboration d’un procédé sol-gel répétable, permettant d’obtenir le matériau sous le format monolithique. Dans un premier temps, le support est élaboré sous forme de barreau, dont l’utilisation potentielle après mise en colonne est illustrée dans le cadre de la purification et de l’enrichissement des acides aminés phosphorylés. Des adaptations de protocole sont apportées pour la synthèse in situ de ces monolithes à l’intérieur des capillaires afin de répondre aux contraintes des techniques séparatives miniaturisées. Ces monolithes sont caractérisés en HILIC, par comparaison avec les phases particulaires. Pour terminer, les propriétés chromatographiques originales de ces phases sont mises à profit pour la séparation et le traitement d’échantillons, contenant des produits phosphorylés / This manuscript is dedicated to the development of monolithic titania phases for chromatographic analysis of phosphorylated compounds. The bibliography section first summarizes the interest of monolithic phases for the development of separation techniques while emphasizing on the problem of miniaturization. The state of the art on the use of titanium dioxide in liquid chromatography techniques is established. In this subject, the physico-chemical and chromatographic behaviour of this material are reviewed for particle beds. Then a detailed description of the sol-gel synthesis of monolithic titania is presented with a final illustration of the potential use of this support in separation techniques. The experimental part concentrates first on the analysis of the chromatographic behaviour of particulate titania in the hydrophilic interaction mode (HILIC). The work is then focused on the development of a repeatable sol-gel process that enables the formation of monolithic titania. The monolithic phase is first synthesized at a large scale, and its potential use, after column cladding, is illustrated with the purification and enrichment of phosphorylated amino acids. The elaboration process is also adapted to meet with the miniaturized separation techniques by performing an in situ synthesis route within capillary columns. These columns are characterized in HILIC by comparison with the chromatographic properties observed for titania particulate beds. The original behaviour of native titania observed also for the synthesized monolithic phases is finally applied to the separation and sample treatment of mixtures of phosphorylated products

Dans cette thèse, nous présentons des approches d’adaptation d’un processus d’alignement aux caractéristiques des ontologies alignées, qu'il s'agisse de caractéristiques quantitatives telles que leur volume ou de caractéristiques particulières liées par exemple à la façon dont les labels des concepts sont construits. Concernant les caractéristiques quantitatives, nous proposons deux méthodes de partitionnement d'ontologies qui permettent l’alignement des ontologies très volumineuses. Ces deux méthodes génèrent, en entrée du processus d'alignement, des sous ensembles de taille raisonnable des deux ontologies à aligner en prenant en compte dès le départ l'objectif d'alignement dans le processus de partitionnement.Concernant les caractéristiques particulières des ontologies alignées, nous présentons l’environnement TaxoMap Framework qui permet la spécification de traitements de raffinement à partir de primitives prédéfinies. Nous proposons un langage de patrons MPL (the Mapping Pattern Language) que nous utilisons pour spécifier les traitements de raffinement.En plus des approches d’adaptation aux caractéristiques des ontologies alignées, nous présentons des approches de réutilisation des résultats d'alignement pour l'ingénierie ontologique. Nous nous focalisons plus particulièrement sur l'utilisation de l'alignement pour l'enrichissement d'ontologies. Nous étudions l'apport des techniques d'alignement pour l'enrichissement et l'impact des caractéristiques de la ressource externe utilisée comme source d'enrichissement. Enfin, nous présentons la façon dont l'environnement TaxoMap Framework a été implémenté et les expérimentations réalisées : des tests sur le module d'alignement TaxoMap, sur l'approche de raffinement de mappings, sur les méthodes de partitionnement d'ontologies de très grande taille et sur l'approche d'enrichissement d'ontologies. / In this thesis, we present approaches for adapting an alignment process to the characteristics of the aligned ontologies, whether in respect of the quantitative characteristics such as their volume or the particular characteristics related for example to the way in which the labels of the concepts are built.Concerning the quantitative characteristics, we propose two ontology partitioning methods that make the alignment of very large ontologies possible. Both methods generate in the input of the alignment process, subsets of reasonable size of the two ontologies to be aligned by taking into account, as soon as possible, the alignment objective in the partitioning process.Concerning the particular characteristics of the aligned ontologies, we present the TaxoMap Framework environment that allows the specification of refinement treatments from predefined primitives. We propose a pattern language MPL (the Mapping Pattern Language) that we use to specify the refinement treatments.In addition to the adaptation approaches to the characteristics of the aligned ontologies, we present approaches for re-using the alignment results for the ontological engineering. We focus specifically on the use of the alignment for the ontology enrichment. We study the contribution of the alignment techniques for the enrichment and the impact of the characteristics of the external resource used as a source of enrichment.Finally, we present how the TaxoMap Framework environment was implemented and the performed experiments: tests on the TaxoMap alignment module, on the mappings refinement approach, on the partitioning methods of very large ontologies and on the ontology enrichment approach.

No description available.

Orientador: Vera Lucia Messias Fialho Capellini / Resumo: Os estudantes com altas habilidades/superdotação apresentam capacidade intelectual acima da média, grande comprometimento com as tarefas e altos níveis de criatividade. Por conta de suas características, necessitam de programas diferenciados de ensino e aprendizagem e, as atividades de enriquecimento curricular são uma das alternativas educacionais previstas para esses estudantes. Pretendeu-se na presente pesquisa investigar as contribuições das atividades de enriquecimento curricular no desenvolvimento cognitivo, escolar e social de estudantes identificados com altas habilidades/superdotação. Levantou-se a hipótese de que, se essas atividades forem bem estruturadas e organizadas de acordo com os interesses e aptidões dos estudantes, serão capazes de favorecer seu desenvolvimento cognitivo, acadêmico e social. Para testá-la, a pesquisa foi dividida em três estudos. O Estudo 1 buscou descrever as atividades de enriquecimento curricular vivenciadas por estudantes identificados com altas habilidades/superdotação em um projeto de extensão e, também, a percepção dos estudantes, pais e professores sobre elas. Para isso, foram elaborados questionários e protocolos que foram respondidos pelos estudantes, seus pais e professores, a respeito das atividades vivenciadas por eles, após a identificação. O Estudo 2 descreveu e comparou o desempenho cognitivo e acadêmico desses estudantes, antes e depois de frequentarem por pelo menos um ano, atividades de enriquecimento curricular. Utilizou... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Students with giftedness have above average intellectual capacity, great commitment to tasks and high levels of creativity. Because of their characteristics, they need differentiated teaching and learning programs, and curriculum enrichment activities are one of the educational alternatives foreseen for these students. The aim of this research was to investigate the contributions of curriculum enrichment activities to the cognitive, school and social development of students identified with giftedness. The hypothesis was raised that, if these activities are well structured and organized according to the interests and aptitudes of students, they will be able to favor their cognitive, academic and social development. To test it, the research was divided into three studies. Study 1 sought to describe the curriculum enrichment activities experienced by students identified with giftedness in an extension project and the perception of students, parents and teachers about them. To this end, questionnaires and protocols were prepared and answered by students, their parents and teachers, regarding the activities they experienced, after identification. Study 2 described and compared the cognitive and academic performance of these students, before and after attending curriculum enrichment activities for at least one year. Raven's Progressive Color Matrix Test, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale (WISC-IV) and the School Performance Test (TDE) were used. Study 3 sought to describe and compare... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

This study is about high-performing students in mathematics. The purpose of the study was to increase the knowledge about teachers view of adaptions for the high-performing students and how teaching mathematic and its content adapts to these children. The method used in the study was semi-structured in- terviews with 10 teachers in the early years of compulsory school. Data was an- alyzed using Shulmans theory of teacher knowledge base. The result shows three variations of lessons that the participating teachers use. The difference between these lessons was the mindset of how adaptions should be made to the high- performing students in mathematics. It also shows that teachers’ mindset and what guides them in general differs in the three different lessons, also how to work in mathematics. Even though, most teachers wants their students in the same subject area but in different levels of difficulty. The teachers in the study adapts mathematics to the high-performing students’ so the teaching is stimulated and challenging, but how the teachers dose it dif- fers. / Studien handlar om högpresterande elever i matematik. Studiens syfte var att öka kunskaperna om lärares syn på anpassningar för högpresterande elever samt hur matematikundervisningen och dess innehåll anpassades. Studiens undersökningsmetod var kvalitativa semi-strukturerade intervjuer och riktade sig till 10 lärare i grundskolans tidiga år. Den data som samlats in analyserades med hjälp av Shulmans ramverk om lärarkompetens. Resultaten visar tre olika lektionsvarianter som har olika tankesätt om hur anpassningar sker i undervis- ningen till högpresterande elever. Det visar även att det föreligger stora variat- ioner i hur lärare tänker och vad som styr dem i undervisningen, dessutom råder det skillnad i val av arbetssätt. De flesta lärare förespråkar att de vill ha alla ele- ver inom samma ämnesområde men på olika nivåer. Sammantaget gör lärarna anpassningar för att de högpresterande eleverna ska få en stimulerande och utmanade undervisning, men hur anpassningarna sker skiljer sig mellan lärarna.

This thesis establishes a connection between GOMMA and STROMA – both are tools of ontology processing. Consequently, a new workflow of denoting a set of correspondences with five semantic relation types has been implemented. Such a rich denotation is scarcely discussed within the literature. The evaluation of the denotation shows that trivial correspondences are easy to recognize (tF > 90). The challenge is the denotation of non-trivial types ( 30 < ntF < 70). A prerequisite of the implemented workflow is the extraction of semantic relations between concepts. These relations represent additional background knowledge for the enrichment tool STROMA and are integrated to the repository SemRep which is accessed by this tool. Thus, STROMA is able to calculate a semantic type more precisely. UMLS was chosen as a biomedical knowledge source because it subsumes many different ontologies of this domain and thus, it represents a rich resource. Nevertheless, only a small set of relations met the requirements which are imposed to SemRep relations. Further studies may analyze whether there is an appropriate way to integrate the missing relations as well. The connection of GOMMA with STROMA allows the semantic enrichment of a biomedical mapping. As a consequence, this thesis enlightens two subjects of research. First, STROMA had been tested with general ontologies, which models common sense knowledge. Within this thesis, STROMA was applied to domain ontologies. Studies have shown that overall, STROMA was able to treat such ontologies as well. However, some strategies for the enrichment process are based on assumption which are misleading in the biomedical domain. Consequently, further strategies are suggested in this thesis which might improve the type denotation. These strategies may lead to an optimization of STROMA for biomedical data sets. A more thorough analysis will review their scope, also beyond the biomedical domain. Second, the established connection may lead to deeper investigations about advantages of semantic enrichment in the biomedical domain as an enriched mapping is returned. Despite heterogeneity of source and target ontology, such a mapping results in an improved interoperability at a finer level of granularity. The utilization of semantically rich correspondences in the biomedical domain is a worthwhile focus for future research.