Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio University, June, 2005. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references (p. 79-81)

Fundamentado na mecânica da fratura, o conceito do Leak-Before-Break (LBB) \"Vazamento Antes da Falha\" considera que um vazamento proveniente de uma trinca pode ser detectado antes de alcançar um tamanho crítico que implique na falha da tubulação, ou seja, a análise do LBB demostra através de uma justificativa técnica que a probabilidade de ruptura da tubulação é extremamente baixa. Dentre os aspectos que envolvem a aplicação do LBB, os principais são: a definição das propriedades do material, que são extraídos através de ensaios à tração e à fratura; a análise do vazamento, que determina a taxa de vazamento devido à presença de uma trinca passante; e a análise que verifica se a trinca é estável considerando os modos de falha por rasgamento dúctil e por colapso plástico. Os materiais SA-508 Cl. 3, SA-106 Gr. B e SA-376-TP304 foram avaliados quanto aos seus desempenhos para o LBB. Utilizaram-se dados extraídos de casos da literatura para as propriedades dos materiais, e para a geometria e carregamentos da tubulação, todos correspondentes ao circuito primário de um reator PWR. Após aplicação do LBB, constatou-se que todos os três materiais atenderam os limites do estabelecidos na metodologia. Verificou-se que os materiais SA-508 Cl. 3 e SA-376-TP304 mostraram o melhor desempenho para falha por rasgamento dúctil e falha por colapso plástico, respectivamente, e o material SA-106 Gr. B teve o menor desempenho em ambos. Todos os três materiais apresentaram o colapso plástico como modo de falha mais provável. De uma forma generalizada, o material SA-376-TP304 obteve o melhor desempenho para o LBB dentre os três materiais avaliados neste trabalho. / Based on the fracture mechanics, the Leak-Before-Break (LBB) concept considers that a leakage from a crack can be detected before reaching a critical size that implies the pipe failure, that is, the LBB analysis demonstrates through a technical justification that the probability of pipe rupture is extremely low. Among the aspects that involve the application of LBB, the main ones are: the definition of the material properties, which are obtained through tensile and fracture tests; the leakage analysis, which determines the rate of leakage due to the presence of a through-wall crack; and the analysis that verifies if the crack is stable considering the failure modes by ductile tearing and plastic collapse. The materials SA-508 Cl. 3, SA-106 Gr. B and SA-376-TP304 were evaluated in relation to their performances for LBB. Data obtained from literature cases were used for the materials properties, and for the geometry and loadings of the pipe, all corresponding to the primary circuit of a PWR reactor. After application of the LBB, it was verified that all three materials met the limits established in the methodology. The materials SA-508 Cl. 3 and SA-376-TP304 showed the best performance for ductile tearing failure and plastic collapse failure, respectively, and the material SA-106 Gr. B material had the lowest performance in both. All three materials presented plastic collapse as the most likely failure mode. In general, the material SA-376-TP304 obtained the best performance for the LBB among the three materials evaluated in this work.

Habilitationsschrift--Universität Bern, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. xvii-lxxii) and index.

Cette thèse s'intéresse à l'étude et au développement de méthodes de pistage mono et multicible en contexte Track-Before-Detect (TBD) par filtrage particulaire. Contrairement à l'approche classique qui effectue un seuillage préalable sur les données avant le pistage, l'approche TBD considère directement les données brutes afin de réaliser conjointement la détection et le pistage des différentes cibles. Il existe plusieurs solutions à ce problème, néanmoins cette thèse se restreint au cadre bayésien des Modèles de Markov Cachés pour lesquels le problème TBD peut être résolu à l'aide d'approximations particulaires. Dans un premier temps, nous nous intéressons à des méthodes particulaires monocibles existantes pour lesquels nous proposons différentes lois instrumentales permettant l'amélioration des performances en détection et estimation. Puis nous proposons une approche alternative du problème monocible fondée sur les temps d'apparition et de disparition de la cible; cette approche permet notamment un gain significatif au niveau du temps de calcul. Dans un second temps, nous nous intéressons au calcul de la vraisemblance en TBD -- nécessaire au bon fonctionnement des filtres particulaires -- rendu difficile par la présence des paramètres d'amplitudes des cibles qui sont inconnus et fluctuants au cours du temps. En particulier, nous étendons les travaux de Rutten et al. pour le calcul de la vraisemblance au modèle de fluctuations Swerling et au cas multicible. Enfin, nous traitons le problème multicible en contexte TBD. Nous montrons qu'en tenant compte de la structure particulière de la vraisemblance quand les cibles sont éloignées, il est possible de développer une solution multicible permettant d'utiliser, dans cette situation, un seule filtre par cible. Nous développons également un filtre TBD multicible complet permettant l'apparition et la disparition des cibles ainsi que les croisements. / This thesis deals with the study and the development of mono and multitarget tracking methods in a Track-Before-Detect (TBD) context with particle filters. Contrary to the classic approach that performs before the tracking stage a pre-detection and extraction step, the TBD approach directly works on raw data in order to jointly perform detection and tracking. Several solutions to this problem exist, however this thesis is restricted to the particular Hidden Markov Models considered in the Bayesian framework for which the TBD problem can be solved using particle filter approximations.Initially, we consider existing monotarget particle solutions and we propose several instrumental densities that allow to improve the performance both in detection and in estimation. Then, we propose an alternative approach of the monotarget TBD problem based on the target appearance and disappearance times. This new approach, in particular, allows to gain in terms of computational resources. Secondly, we investigate the calculation of the measurement likelihood in a TBD context -- necessary for the derivation of the particle filters -- that is difficult due to the presence of the target amplitude parameters that are unknown and fluctuate over time. In particular, we extend the work of Rutten et al. for the likelihood calculation to several Swerling models and to the multitarget case. Lastly, we consider the multitarget TBD problem. By taking advantage of the specific structure of the likelihood when targets are far apart from each other, we show that it is possible to develop a particle solution that considers only a particle filter per target. Moreover, we develop a whole multitarget TBD solution able to manage the target appearances and disappearances and also the crossing between targets.

No description available.

Anscombe (1964) presents influential arguments that 'before' and 'after' cannot denote converse relations, despite intuitions to the contrary. These arguments, I claim, rely on ambiguity of certain 'before'- and 'after'-sentences, ambiguity that arises from the interaction of tense and aspect with the temporal ordering relations denoted by 'before' and 'after'. To account for this ambiguity, I adopt a Discourse Representation Theory-based analysis of tense and aspect (Kamp & Reyle 2011) and apply it to a set of examples that exhibit the variety of readings available for 'before'- and 'after'-sentences. I argue that certain readings of stative 'after'-sentences support the existence of an inceptive coercion operator, equivalent in effect to the aspectual verb 'begin'. This operator has much in common with 'earliest', an operator proposed by Beaver & Condoravdi (2003), but it is motivated by independent aspectual considerations. I conclude with a discussion of areas for future research. / text

No description available.

Thesis (M.S.) -- Central Connecticut State University, 2009. / Thesis advisor: Jennifer Hedlund. "... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Criminal Justice." Includes bibliographical references (leaves 45-48). Also available via the World Wide Web.

Canada and the United States are similar in many respects, and both protect individual rights at a constitutional level. However, the Supreme Court of Canada and the United States Supreme Court have developed alternative conceptions of the constitutional protection of freedom of expression and equality. This thesis describes these differences and attempts to explain the reasons for their development. Under the Fourteenth Amendment, the U.S. Supreme Court merely requires that governmental actors refrain from overt discrimination on the basis of an objectionable ground. Thus, the Court has created numerous doctrines to limit equality to this definition, including color-blindness, intentional discrimination, and multiple levels of review. Each of these concepts has contributed to the application of formal equality by restricting governmental attempts, such as affirmative action, to alleviate social inequality. In addition, the Court's application of content neutrality to freedom of expression cases has restricted attempts to promote equality through legislation restricting hate speech and pornography. By contrast, the Supreme Court of Canada has interpreted the protection of equality in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to respond to the actual social consequences of legislation. Rather than limiting the Charter to intentional discrimination, the Court will consider governmental actions which have the effect of creating or encouraging inequality. Similarly, governmental restrictions on hate speech and pornography have been upheld by the Supreme Court of Canada as necessary for the protection of equality. For the Supreme Court of Canada, equality has a social reality. These differences suggest an alternative role of government in the rights sphere in Canada and the United States. The United States Supreme Court has developed a rights interpretation which excludes much significant governmental action, whether positive or negative. The Court has incorporated the Bill of Rights into the Fourteenth Amendment and, in doing so, has expanded individual rights at the expense of state power in the promotion of equality. The lack of such a development in Canada has resulted in a more substantial role for social legislation, while still protecting against governmental overreaching through the Charter.

The purpose of this paper is to create increased understanding of how pupils learn statistics. This includes gaining insight into pupils' use of their own experience and group experience to help to get a better understanding of statistical problem solving. The study's research questions are about how pupils learn to work with data in tables and diagram and how pupils learn to work with measures. The theoretical framework consists of two approaches to studying learning. One approach is based on pupils’ cognitive conditions, called set-befores, and the pupils' previous experiences, called met-befores. The second starting point is the pragmatic mindset that focuses on the language game – how pupils learn during meetings between pupils and between pupils and teachers. The survey was conducted by using structured observations of pupils' statistical problem solving and the discourse that went on in the classroom. The one teacher and the teacher's pupils were observed during six sessions with small groups of Year 7 pupils, who in turn were part of two larger groups. The result showed that pupils were able to identify, understand and interpret statistical data by seeing patterns, similarities and differences. The participants' learning was affected by the language they used. Pupils were able to recreate images using reflective thought experiments during the meetings. The discussions helped the participants to get started with their thoughts and to give those thoughts some structure in developing and understanding the relationships between different diagrams. The teacher and the group helped the pupils to learn to interpret data while working. It made it easier if pupils to used the correct words when pupils had to argue. Proper use of words from the statistical register, when pupils worked with measures of center, also helped the pupils to develop cognitively. The pupils who could use the statistical register also became easier understood and respected by the group. / Syftet med denna uppsats är att skapa en ökad förståelse för hur eleverna löser statistiska uppgifter och lär sig statistik. I detta ingår det även att få insikt i elevers användning av sina erfarenheter och gruppens erfarenhet till hjälp för att få bättre förståelse för statistisk problemlösning. Studiens forskningsfrågor handlar om: Hur elever lär sig att arbeta med data i tabeller och diagram samt hur elever lär sig att arbeta med lägesmått. Det teoretiska ramverket består av två synsätt på lärande. Ett synsätt utgår från elevernas kognitiva förutsättningar, set-befores, samt elevernas tidigare erfarenheter, met-befores. Den andra utgångspunkten är det pragmatiska tankesättet som fokuserar på språkspelet. Hur eleverna lär sig under möten mellan eleverna samt mellan elever och lärare. Undersökningen genomfördes genom att använda strukturerade observationsstudier av elevernas statistiska problemlösning och de diskurser som pågick i klassrummet. Observationerna utgick från en lärare och den lärarens elever vilka observerades under sex lektionspass med smågrupper av årskurs 7 elever, vilka i sin tur ingick i två större grupper. Resultatet visar att eleverna kunde identifiera, förstå och tolka statistiskuppgifter genom att se mönster, likheter och olikheter. Deltagarnas lärande påverkades av språket och språkspelet som pågick. Eleverna kunde återskapa bilder med hjälp av reflekterande tankeexperiment under mötena. Mötena hjälpte deltagarna att komma igång med sina tankar och få struktur över dem samt utvecklas och förstå relationerna mellan olika diagram. Läraren och gruppen hjälpte eleverna att lära sig tolka data under arbetet. Det underlättade att använda rätt ord och statistikregister när eleverna behövde argumentera. Korrekt användning av ord från statistikregistret, exempelvis när eleverna arbetade med lägesmått, hjälpte även eleverna att utvecklas kognitivt. De elever som kunde använda statistikregistret blev också lättare förstådda och de respekterades av gruppen.