Digital multimedia content production and the amount of content present all over the world have exploded in the recent years. The consequences of this fact can be observed everywhere in many different forms, to exemplify, huge digital video archives of broadcasting companies, commercial image archives, virtual museums, etc. In order for these sources to be useful and accessible, this technological advance must be accompanied by the effective techniques of indexing and retrieval. The most effective way of indexing is the one providing a basis for retrieval in terms of semantic concepts, upon which ordinary users of multimedia databases base their queries. On the other hand, semantic classification of images using low-level features is a challenging problem. Combining experts with different classifier structures, trained by MPEG-7low-level color and texture descriptors, is examined as a solution alternative. For combining different classifiers and features, advanced decision mechanisms are proposed, which utilize basic expert combination strategies in different settings. Each of these decision mechanisms, namely Single Feature Combination (SFC), Multiple Feature Direct Combination (MFDC), and Multiple Feature Cascaded Combination (MFCC) enjoy significant classification performance improvements over single experts. Simulations are conducted on eight different visual semantic classes, resulting in accuracy improvements between 3.5-6.5%, when they are compared with the best performance of single expert systems.

With a demand for high-quality cotton fiber in international markets, improvement of fiber quality in U.S. grown commercial cultivars is necessary. Smith, Hague, Thaxton, and Jones developed a group of experimental lines in 2008 that produced extra-long staple fiber (>35.6 mm). This study determined general combining ability (GCA), and specific combining ability (SCA) of four experimental ELS lines and four commercial cultivars utilizing biplot and conventional diallel analysis, determined performance of F2 progeny, calculated broad-sense (H2) heritability estimates for F2 progeny, and verified the ability of selected parental combinations to produce variable segregating populations with variability of fiber traits. Initial crosses were made in 2007, with additional crosses being made in the field and in a greenhouse in 2008. F1 progeny and parents were grown in a replicated trial near College Station, TX, in 2007 and 2008. F2 progeny lines and parents were grown in replicated trials at two locations in 2008. Due to a significant GxY interaction for all F1 fiber traits, data were reported by years. Experimental ELS lines showed positive GCA effects for fiber length, strength, and length uniformity, while the majority of commercial lines showed negative effects. These findings suggest experimental ELS lines contain alleles for fiber length and strength not present in this particular set of commercial cultivars. Experimental ELS lines exhibited negative GCA effects for lint percent, which suggests further selection is needed for these lines to be commercially competitive. Performances of F2 lines suggest differences in fiber traits are predominantly due to additive gene action. Furthermore, data suggests alleles for fiber length and strength is present in the experimental ELS lines not present in the commercial cultivars. F2 progeny exhibited moderate heritability for all fiber traits. Sufficient variability exists within selected F2 progeny to select for phenotypes exhibiting improved fiber quality over commercial cultivar potential with similar agronomic qualities of commercial cultivars. The ELS lines are a useful source of germplasm for plant breeders looking to improve fiber qualities in their programs.

Submitted by Mateus Olivo null (mateusolivo@hotmail.com) on 2017-07-18T13:56:47Z No. of bitstreams: 1 tese (1).pdf: 2245536 bytes, checksum: 64aa616bea707c6d61006cf0b00b4d6f (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luiz Galeffi (luizgaleffi@gmail.com) on 2017-07-19T17:04:09Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 olivo_m_dr_bot.pdf: 2245536 bytes, checksum: 64aa616bea707c6d61006cf0b00b4d6f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-19T17:04:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 olivo_m_dr_bot.pdf: 2245536 bytes, checksum: 64aa616bea707c6d61006cf0b00b4d6f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-06-02 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / O cártamo (Carthamus tinctorius L.) membro da família Asteraceae, atualmente é cultivado principalmente como planta oleaginosa. Pode ser utilizado como cultura de inverno em locais de temperaturas amenas e como cultura de primavera em locais de temperaturas mais baixas, apresenta boa adaptação em ambientes de clima mais seco. Atributos que podem torná-lo uma cultura de importante expressão no cerrado brasileiro, local o qual possui um longo período seco com temperaturas elevadas durante o inverno, dificultando o cultivo de outras espécies. Destaca-se como uma cultura estratégica, apresenta boa tolerância a estresse por déficit hídrico em especial no final de ciclo, além de características adequadas para mecanização facilitando o uso dos mesmos equipamentos utilizados nos demais cultivos como soja e milho. O objetivo deste trabalho é realizar um estudo genético para gerar informações aos programas de melhoramento genético. Foram avaliadas 10 combinações em dialelo completo sem recíprocos, em F1 e F2. Na geração F1 foram avaliadas as características de número de capítulos por planta, número de ramos por planta e produção de grãos por planta. Na geração F2 repetiram-se as avaliações realizadas em F1 acrescentando altura de planta, número de grãos por planta, número de grãos por capítulo e percentagem de óleo nos grãos. Após foi determinado a capacidade geral e específica de combinação e análise de correlação simples. As principais conclusões são: Os melhores cruzamento para produção de grãos formam PI537697/PI653152 e PI572450/PI653152 e para teor de óleo formam PI572450/PI572470 e PI572470/PI653152; para todas as características avaliadas em F1 e F2, exceto número de ramos, foi possível observar a contribuição da capacidade geral de combinação na variação genética das populações e para as características altura de planta, produção de grãos por planta, número de grãos por planta, número de grãos por capítulo e percentagem de óleo nos grãos, existe a contribuição da capacidade específica de combinação na variação genética das populações e evidenciando ações gênicas não aditivas e o teor de óleo nos grãos não possui correlação significativa com demais características agronômicas avaliadas. / Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.), a member of the Asteraceae family, it is currently cultivated mainly as an oilseed plant. It can be used as a winter crop in mild temperatures and as a spring crop in lower temperature. It is well adapted in drier climates. Attributes that can make it a crop of important expression in the Brazilian “Cerrado Area”, a place that has a long dry period with high temperatures, making difficult the cultivation of other species. In this scenario the safflower is configured as a strategic crop that presents good stress tolerance due to water deficit, especially at the end of the season, besides characteristics suitable for mechanization, using the same equipment already used in other crops as corn and soybeans. The objective of this study is to perform a genetic study to provide information to breeding programs. We evaluated 10 combinations in complete diallel without reciprocal, in F1 and F2. In the F1 generation were evaluated: number of head per plant, number of branches per plant and seed production per plant. In the F2 generation the evaluations performed in F1 were repeated, and added plant height, number of seeds per plant, number of seeds per chapter and percentage of oil in the seeds. After general and specific combining ability were determined, also a simple correlation analysis was performed. The main conclusions are: The best crossing to seed production were PI537697/PI653152 e PI572450/PI653152 and to oil content were PI572450/PI572470 e PI572470/PI653152. For all the characteristics evaluated in F1 and F2, except for number of branches, it was possible to observe the general combining ability contribution in the genetic variation of the populations and for the characteristics plant height, seed production per plant, number of seeds per plant, number of seeds by head and percentage of oil in the seeds, there is the contribution of the specific combining ability in the genetic variation of the populations and showing non-additive gene actions and the oil content in the seeds does not have significant correlation with other evaluated agronomic.

No description available.

Different diversity techniques such as Maximal-Ratio Combining (MRC), Equal-Gain Combining (EGC) and Selection Combining (SC) are described and analyzed. Two branches (N=2) diversity systems that are used for pre-detection combining have been investigated and computed. The statistics of carrier to noise ratio (CNR) and carrier to interference ratio (CIR) without diversity assuming Rayleigh fading model have been examined and then measured for diversity systems. The probability of error (p_e) vs CNR and (p_e) versus CIR have also been obtained. The fading dynamic range of the instantaneous CNR and CIR is reduced remarkably when diversity systems are used [1]. For a certain average probability of error, a higher valued average CNR and CIR is in need for non-diversity systems [1]. But a smaller valued of CNR and CIR are compared to diversity systems. The overall conclusion is that maximal-ratio combining (MRC) achieves the best performance improvement compared to other combining methods. Diversity techniques are very useful to improve the performance of high speed wireless channel to transmit data and information. The problems which considered in this thesis are not new but I have tried to organize, prove and analyze in new ways.

Master of Science / Department of Agronomy / Tesfaye Tesso / Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is listed as one of the potential feedstock sources for biofuel production. While sorghum grain can be fermented into ethanol in a similar way as maize, the greatest potential of the crop is based on its massive biomass and sugar rich juices. Thus development of the crop as alternative energy source requires improvement of these traits. The objectives of this study were (1) to determine the mode of inheritance of traits related to ethanol production and identify suitable genetic sources for use in breeding programs, and (2) to evaluate the potential of low lignin mutations for biomass feedstock production and assess biotic stress risks associated with deployment of the mutations. The study consisted of three related experiments: (i) estimating the combining ability of selected sweet and high biomass sorghum genotypes for biofuel traits and resistance to stalk lodging, (ii) determine the impact of brown mid-rib mutations on biofuel production and their reaction to infection by Macrophomina phaseolina and Fusarium thapsinum, and (iii) assess the reaction of low lignin mutants to green bug feeding. In the first experiment six sorghum genotypes of variable characteristics (PI193073, PI257602, PI185672, PI195754, SC382 and SC373) were crossed to three standard seed parent lines ATx3042, ATx623 and ATx399. The resulting hybrids and the parents were evaluated at four locations, three replications during 2009 and 2010 seasons. Data were collected on phenology, plant height, juice yield, °brix score and biomass production. In the second experiment, two brown mid-rib mutations (bmr6 and bmr12) and their normal versions were studied in four forage sorghum backgrounds (Atlas, Early Hegari, Kansas Collier and Rox Orange). The experiment was planted in four replications and at 14 d after flowering five plants in a plot were artificially infected with F. thapsinum and another five with M. phaseolina. The plants were harvested and rated for disease severity (lesion length and nodes crossed). Another five normal plants in each plot were harvested and used to determine biofuel traits (juice yield, ºbrix score and biomass). In the third experiment, a subset of entries evaluated in experiment II and three tolerant and susceptible checks were tested for greenbug feeding damage. Biotype K greenbug colony was inoculated to each genotype using double sticky foam cages. Feeding damage was assessed as percent chlorophyll loss using SPAD meter. There was significant general combining ability (GCA) effect among the male entries for juice yield, stem obrix and biomass production indicating that these traits are controlled by additive genes. Lines PI257602 and PI185672 in particular, had the highest GCA for all the traits and should serve as excellent breeding materials. There was no significant difference among the bmr mutants and between the bmr and normal genotypes for both stalk rot and greenbug damage. In conclusion, juice yield, °brix and biomass are largely controlled by additive genes and hence are amenable to genetic manipulation. The bmr mutations despite their impact on lignin content do not increase risk of attack by stalk rot pathogens and greenbugs and thus can be deployed for biofuel production without incurring losses to these factors.

ITC/USA 2006 Conference Proceedings / The Forty-Second Annual International Telemetering Conference and Technical Exhibition / October 23-26, 2006 / Town and Country Resort & Convention Center, San Diego, California / Modern telemetry and data streams are often encrypted. The majority of range testing activities require multiple ground stations to collect these streams and send them to a central processing location. Each of these streams currently needs to be individually decrypted before best source selection, processing and analysis. Using innovative techniques, it is possible to time correlate these encrypted streams, compare them with each other and create an output stream of better quality than any of the individual streams. This stream can then be decrypted by a single decryption device, greatly reducing cost and complexity.

A careful review of the literature showed that there is a serious lack of information (experimental or analytical) on the pressure losses during two-phase flow in combining tee junctions. Pipe networks in industrial applications involve combining and dividing junctions and knowledge of the pressure losses at these junctions is essential for analysis of the flow distribution in the network. To this end, the pressure losses of air-water mixtures passing through a horizontal, combining tee junction with a 37.8 mm diameter were experimentally studied with annular, wavy, and slug flow regimes in the outlet. The test matrix independently varied the outlet flow rates, the outlet mixture qualities, the gas distribution between the inlets, and the liquid distribution between the inlets. All experiments were conducted at room temperature and a nominal absolute pressure at the centre of the junction of 150 kPa. The pressure distribution in all three legs of the tee was determined using up to 49 pressure taps distributed among the three sides and monitored using pressure transducers to produce accurate measurements of the pressure losses. Time-averaged pressure measurements with annular and wavy flows are reported, while pressure measurements with slug flows were not repeatable. A new model and empirical coefficients is presented that allows accurate prediction of pressure losses for flows with either an annular or wavy outlet. Time-varying pressure measurements are presented and analyzed using probability density functions. Different distributions were found for differential measurements depending on whether or not slugging was present in the system. The probability density functions for cases with annular or wavy flow in the outlet followed Gaussian distributions, while cases with slug flow had skewed distributions. Time-varying pressure signals showed a time lag between slug events based on pressure tap locations. A visual study with slug flow present in the system showed upstream travelling waves induced in a stratified inlet when slug flow was present in the other, which led to unexpected slugging under certain flow conditions. / October 2016

A previsão de demanda desempenha um papel de fundamental importância dentro das organizações, pois através dela é possível obter uma declaração antecipada do volume demandado no futuro, permitindo aos gestores a tomarem decisões mais consistentes e alocarem os recursos de modo eficaz para atender esta demanda. Entretanto, a eficiência na tomada de decisões e alocação dos recursos requer previsões cada vez mais acuradas. Diante deste contexto, a combinação de previsões tem sido amplamente utilizada com o intuito de melhorar a acurácia e, consequentemente, a precisão das previsões. Este estudo tem por objetivo fazer a adaptação de um modelo de previsão para estimar a demanda de produtos destinados à suplementação animal através da combinação de previsões, considerando as variáveis que possam impactar na demanda e a opinião de especialistas. O trabalho está estruturado em dois artigos, sendo que no primeiro buscou-se priorizar e selecionar, através do Processo Hierárquico Analítico (AHP), variáveis que possam impactar na demanda para que estas pudessem ser avaliadas na modelagem via regressão do artigo 2. Por sua vez, no segundo artigo, realizou-se a adaptação do modelo composto de previsão idealizado por Werner (2004), buscando uma previsão final mais acurada. Os resultados obtidos reforçam que as previsões, quando combinadas, apresentam desempenhos superiores para as medidas de acurácia MAPE, MAE e MSE, em relação às previsões individuais. / The demand prediction has a role of fundamental importance inside the organizations, because trough it is possible to obtain a previous declaration of the demanded amount in the future, allowing the managers to take more consistent decisions and to allocate the resources in an efficient manner in order to satisfy this demand. However, the efficiency in the support decision and resource allocation demands accurated predictions. So, the combination of predictions have been used with the aim of improving the accuracy and, consequently, the precision of the prediction. This study has as objective to do an adaptation of a prediction model to estimate the demand of products designated to animal supplementation through the combination of prediction, considering the variables that can impact in the demand and in the expert opinion. The work is structured in two papers, considering that the first searches to priorize and select through the Analitic Hierarch Process (AHP), variables that can impact in the demand, so they could be evalute in the regression modelling of the paper 2. By the way, in the second paper, it was done an adaptation of the composed prediction model proposed by Werner (2004), searching for a more accurated final prediction. The obtained results reinforce that the prediction, when combined, present superior performance to the accuracy metrics MAPE, MAE and MSE, in relation to the individual predictions.

Significant levels of interest and organisational spending on information and communication technologies (ICT's) have triggered debate as to whether these investments are worthwhile. While there has been some acknowledgement that investments result in positive returns, little is known about how ICT's may lead to competitive advantage. This thesis starts to inform this gap, by investigating how ICT's are combined with other organisational resources in the context of an exemplar organisation. The resource based view (RBV) is used as a framework to guide this study. The RBV is an appropriate lens to guide this research due to its focus on resources and capabilities as sources of advantage. This research employs an interpretive case study design based in an organisation with a long history of innovation and success with regard to ICT's. A grounded integrated model of advantage is presented based on two distinct groupings of integrated capabilities: lifecycle and embedded foundational capabilities. The integrated model of advantage, along with key actions outlined to support such capabilities, provides researchers and practitioners with a new way of understanding ICT based advantages. In essence, this research demonstrates how the total ownership of ICT's, within the case studied, presents a potential advantage. The advantage is realised through the combination of capabilities and the inclusive approach to ICT development employed in the case organisation. The research finds support from propositions of the RBV, in that the model demonstrates sources of advantage are based on organisational capabilities which are valuable, firm specific, and socially complex. As such, the integration of capabilities evident in the integrated model of advantage is a likely source of sustained competitive advantage. This means advantages gained from the integration of capabilities are not easily imitated or competed away. Furthermore, advantages have an even greater potential to be a source of sustained advantage than any single resource or capability. The research has important implications for theory and practice. While many individual sources of advantage have been empirically examined, this research provides one of the first in-depth case studies which identify integrated capabilities. Understanding such sources of advantage will help practitioners better understand and protect key organisational capabilities to sustain or extend competitive advantages.