This thesis constitutes a narrative that explores an alternative meaning construction for the experience of loss. During the telling of this story, I consider the appropriateness of adopting the 'new paradigm' approach for this particular thesis, and the constructivist and social constructionist epistemological assumptions underlying such an approach. I delve into the use of 'self as researcher under this epistemological umbrella. This is followed by an exploration of 'chaos theory' and its application to social systems. And finally, I consider the usefulness of this theory in constructing meanings for loss experiences on various systemic levels within my own family system. / Psychology / M.A.(Clinical Psychology)

Este trabalho apresenta uma metodologia, baseada no método de Galerkin, para quantificar a incerteza no problema de flexão estocástica da viga de Euler-Bernoulli repousando em fundação de Pasternak. A incerteza nos coeficientes de rigidez da viga e da fundação é representada por meio de processos estocásticos parametrizados. A limitação em probabilidade dos parâmetros randômicos e a escolha adequada do espaço de soluções aproximadas, necessárias à posterior demonstração de unicidade e existência do problema, são consideradas por meio de hipóteses teóricas. O espaço de soluções aproximadas de dimensão finita é construído pelo produto tensorial entre espaços (determinístico e randômico), obtendo-se um espaço denso no espaço das soluções teóricas. O esquema de Wiener-Askey dos polinômios do caos generalizados é utilizado na representação do processo estocástico de deslocamento da viga. O método dos elementos finitos estocásticos é apresentado e empregado na solução numérica de exemplos selecionados. Os resultados, em termos de momentos estatísticos, são comparados aos obtidos por meio de simulações de Monte Carlo. / This study presents a methodology, based on the Galerkin method, to quantify the uncertainty in the stochastic bending problem of an Euler-Bernoulli beam resting on a Pasternak foundation. The uncertainty in the stiffness coefficients of the beam and foundation is represented by parametrized stochastic processes. The probability limitation on the random parameters and the choice of an appropriated approximate solution space, necessary for the subsequent demonstration of uniqueness and existence of the problem, are considered by means of theoretical hypothesis. The finite dimensional space of approximate solutions is built by tensor product between spaces (deterministic and randomic), obtaining a dense space in the theoretical solution space. The Wiener-Askey scheme of generalizes chaos polynomials is used to represent the stochastic process of the beam deflection. The stochastic finite element method is presented and employed in the numerical solution of selected examples. The results, in terms of statistical moments, are compared to results obtained through Monte Carlo simulations.

This thesis is divided into three parts. In the first part we study mixed norm estimates for Riesz transforms associated with various differential operators. First we prove the mixed norm estimates for the Riesz transforms associated with Dunkl harmonic oscillator by means of vector valued inequalities for sequences of operators defined in terms of Laguerre function expansions. In certain cases, the result can be deduced from the corresponding result for Hermite Riesz transforms, for which we give a simple and an independent proof. The mixed norm estimates for Riesz transforms associated with other operators, namely the sub-Laplacian on Heisenberg group, special Hermite operator on C^d and Laplace-Beltrami operator on the group SU(2) are obtained using their L^pestimates and by making use of a lemma of Herz and Riviere along with an idea of Rubio de Francia. Applying these results to functions expanded in terms of spherical harmonics, we deduce certain vector valued inequalities for sequences of operators defined in terms of radial parts of the corresponding operators. In the second part, we study the chaotic behavior of the heat semigroup generated by the Dunkl-Laplacian ∆_κ on weighted L^P-spaces. In the general case, for the chaotic behavior of the Dunkl-heat semigroup on weighted L^p-spaces, we only have partial results, but in the case of the heat semigroup generated by the standard Laplacian, a complete picture of the chaotic behavior is obtained on the spaces L^p ( R^d,〖 (φ_iρ (x ))〗^2 dx) where φ_iρ the Euclidean spherical function is. The behavior is very similar to the case of the Laplace-Beltrami operator on non-compact Riemannian symmetric spaces studied by Pramanik and Sarkar. In the last part, we study mixed norm estimates for the Cesáro means associated with Dunkl-Hermite expansions on〖 R〗^d. These expansions arise when one considers the Dunkl-Hermite operator (or Dunkl harmonic oscillator)〖 H〗_κ:=-Δ_κ+|x|^2. It is shown that the desired mixed norm estimates are equivalent to vector-valued inequalities for a sequence of Cesáro means for Laguerre expansions with shifted parameter. In order to obtain the latter, we develop an argument to extend these operators for complex values of the parameters involved and apply a version of Three Lines Lemma.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / This paper is a study of the dynamics of a new family of maps from the complex plane to itself, which we call twisted tent maps. A twisted tent map is a complex generalization of a real tent map. The action of this map can be visualized as the complex scaling of the plane followed by folding the plane once. Most of the time, scaling by a complex number will \twist" the plane, hence the name. The "folding" both breaks analyticity (and even smoothness) and leads to interesting dynamics ranging from easily understood and highly geometric behavior to chaotic behavior and fractals.

A presente dissertação propõe a resolução do problema de flexão estocástica em uma viga Euler-Bernoulli, sobre uma fundação do tipo Pasternak, através de um método computacional baseado na simulação de Monte Carlo. A incerteza está presente nos coeficientes elásticos da viga e da fundação. Primeiramente, é estabelecida a formulação matemática do problema que é oriunda, de um modelo físico de deslocamento da viga, que leva em consideração a influência da fundação sobre a resposta do problema. Portanto foi realizado um estudo a cerca dos modelos mais usuais de fundação, que são: o modelo do tipo Winkler, e modelo de Pasternak. Logo a seguir foi provado que o problema variacional abstrato, derivado da formulação forte do problema, apresenta solução e esta é única. Para a obtenção da solução do problema, foi realizada uma fundamentação matemática, dos seguintes assuntos: representação da incerteza, método de Galerkin, série de Neumann, e por fim das cotas inferiores e superiores. Finalmente, o desempenho das cotas inferiores e superiores, em relação à simulação de Monte Carlo direto, foram avaliadas através de vários casos, nos quais a incerteza repousa sobre os diversos coeficientes que compõe a equação de flexão na forma de um problema variacional. A metodologia mostrou-se eficiente, tanto no aspecto da convergência da resposta quanto no que se refere ao custo computacional. / This work proposes the resolution of stochastic bending problem in a Euler- Bernoulli beam, on a foundation type Pasternak, through a computational method based on Monte Carlo simulation. Uncertainty is present in the elastic coefficients of the beam and foundation. First, it is established the mathematical formulation of the problem which is derived from a physical model displacement of the beam, that takes into account the influence of the foundation on the problem of response. This requires an approach that is made up on the most common models of foundation, which are: the model Winkler type and model of Pasternak.In sequence we study the existence and uniqueness of the variational problem. To obtain the solution of the problem, a mathematical reasoning is carried out, to the following matters: representation of uncertainty, Galerkin method, serial Neumann, and finally the lower and upper bounds. Finally, the performance of lower and upper bounds, derived from direct simulation of Monte Carlo were evaluated through various cases where the uncertainty lies in the different coefficients composing the equation bending as a variational problem. The method proved to be efficient, both in the response of the convergence point as regards the computational cost.

A presente dissertação propõe a resolução do problema de flexão estocástica em uma viga Euler-Bernoulli, sobre uma fundação do tipo Pasternak, através de um método computacional baseado na simulação de Monte Carlo. A incerteza está presente nos coeficientes elásticos da viga e da fundação. Primeiramente, é estabelecida a formulação matemática do problema que é oriunda, de um modelo físico de deslocamento da viga, que leva em consideração a influência da fundação sobre a resposta do problema. Portanto foi realizado um estudo a cerca dos modelos mais usuais de fundação, que são: o modelo do tipo Winkler, e modelo de Pasternak. Logo a seguir foi provado que o problema variacional abstrato, derivado da formulação forte do problema, apresenta solução e esta é única. Para a obtenção da solução do problema, foi realizada uma fundamentação matemática, dos seguintes assuntos: representação da incerteza, método de Galerkin, série de Neumann, e por fim das cotas inferiores e superiores. Finalmente, o desempenho das cotas inferiores e superiores, em relação à simulação de Monte Carlo direto, foram avaliadas através de vários casos, nos quais a incerteza repousa sobre os diversos coeficientes que compõe a equação de flexão na forma de um problema variacional. A metodologia mostrou-se eficiente, tanto no aspecto da convergência da resposta quanto no que se refere ao custo computacional. / This work proposes the resolution of stochastic bending problem in a Euler- Bernoulli beam, on a foundation type Pasternak, through a computational method based on Monte Carlo simulation. Uncertainty is present in the elastic coefficients of the beam and foundation. First, it is established the mathematical formulation of the problem which is derived from a physical model displacement of the beam, that takes into account the influence of the foundation on the problem of response. This requires an approach that is made up on the most common models of foundation, which are: the model Winkler type and model of Pasternak.In sequence we study the existence and uniqueness of the variational problem. To obtain the solution of the problem, a mathematical reasoning is carried out, to the following matters: representation of uncertainty, Galerkin method, serial Neumann, and finally the lower and upper bounds. Finally, the performance of lower and upper bounds, derived from direct simulation of Monte Carlo were evaluated through various cases where the uncertainty lies in the different coefficients composing the equation bending as a variational problem. The method proved to be efficient, both in the response of the convergence point as regards the computational cost.

The neural net computer simulations which will be presented here are based on the acceptance of a set of assumptions that for the last twenty years have been expressed in the fields of information processing, neurophysiology and cognitive sciences. First of all, neural networks and their dynamical behaviors in terms of attractors is the natural way adopted by the brain to encode information. Any information item to be stored in the neural net should be coded in some way or another in one of the dynamical attractors of the brain and retrieved by stimulating the net so as to trap its dynamics in the desired item's basin of attraction. The second view shared by neural net researchers is to base the learning of the synaptic matrix on a local Hebbian mechanism. The last assumption is the presence of chaos and the benefit gained by its presence. Chaos, although very simply produced, inherently possesses an infinite amount of cyclic regimes that can be exploited for coding information. Moreover, the network randomly wanders around these unstable regimes in a spontaneous way, thus rapidly proposing alternative responses to external stimuli and being able to easily switch from one of these potential attractors to another in response to any coming stimulus.<p><p>In this thesis, it is shown experimentally that the more information is to be stored in robust cyclic attractors, the more chaos appears as a regime in the back, erratically itinerating among brief appearances of these attractors. Chaos does not appear to be the cause but the consequence of the learning. However, it appears as an helpful consequence that widens the net's encoding capacity. To learn the information to be stored, an unsupervised Hebbian learning algorithm is introduced. By leaving the semantics of the attractors to be associated with the feeding data unprescribed, promising results have been obtained in term of storing capacity. / Doctorat en sciences appliquées / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / In his novels Slaughterhouse-five and The Sirens of Titan, Kurt Vonnegut explores issues of cultural identity in technologically-advanced societies post-World War II. With the rise of globalization and rapid technological advancements that occurred postwar, humans worldwide were mitigating the effects of information overload and instability in cultural identity. The influx of cultural influences that accompany a global society draws attention to the fluidity and inevitability of cultural change. A heightened awareness of cultural influences—past and present—creates anxiety for the generation living postwar and before the dawn of the Information Age. This generation suffers from “cultural schizophrenia”: a fracturing of the psyche characterized by anxiety over unstable cultural identities and agency. With the characters of Billy Pilgrim and Winston Niles Rumfoord, Vonnegut explores the different reactions to and consequences of cultural schizophrenia. His unique writing style is an effective hybrid of science fiction conventions and the complexities of human culture and society. Ultimately, Vonnegut explores the dangers of detachment and the complicated nature of agency with novels that are both innovative and accessible.