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The question of animal culture has been of interest for decades. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) have played a key role in the debate of whether or not it is appropriate to use the term ‘culture' to describe animal behaviour and they continue to be one of the prime species for the study of the origins of human culture. Data suggesting that chimpanzees can be considered a cultural species continue to accumulate, but this has only enhanced the debate between proponents and opponents of animal culture. Opponents do not deny that behavioural diversity exists between different populations of the same species, but they maintain that such phenomena have little to do with human cultures and may be the result of genetic and environmental influences. In their view, human cultures are centred on socially shared sets of ideas, not behavioural traditions. In this thesis, my goal is to tackle this problem and to investigate whether a cognitive dimension can be found in some behavioural patterns of chimpanzees that have been put forward as examples of animal culture. To this end, I examine the different factors that could account for the development of tool use in animals (genetics, ecology, social). My first empirical contribution is a study of the tool use behaviour of the chimpanzees' closest relative, the bonobos, which are known to be limited tool-users in the wild. I show that captive bonobos are as flexible tool-users as chimpanzees, suggesting that genetic factors are unlikely to account for differences in tool use behaviour in the Pan clade. Second, through the use of field experiments, I show that wild chimpanzees from different Ugandan communities respond to the same apparatus and task in strikingly different ways. I interpret this finding as an outcome of differences in cultural knowledge, mainly because the affordances of their immediate environment do not determine their tool use behaviour. Finally, through a broad ecological and tool use survey of different chimpanzee communities in Uganda, I show that current ecological differences are poor predictors of tool use. I conclude that, if ecology plays a role in the development of tool use, then its influence is that of a selective force. Finally, when reviewing the outcome of this research I will argue that there is a profound cognitive dimension to tool use in wild chimpanzees, suggesting that behaviourally based definitions of animal culture may miss a key feature of the phenomenon, at least in chimpanzees. Chimpanzees are not only a cultural species, they also have a cultural mind.

Cutting operations are important and commonly used operations in the field of manufacturing. Automated machining is today commonly used in CNC-machines. One common drawback with automated machining is that the tool condition is challenging to predict which leads to a conservative tool replacement times. This leads to a low utilisation of the tool economical lifetime and an unnecessary high number of tool replacements. Methods for indirect continuous monitoring of the tool wear exist but usually require retrofitting of external sensors that can be both costly and also interrupt the machine operation due to the additional wiring. It is therefore of interest to investigate the possibility to use the, often high resolution, sensors already fitted in a CNC-machine to extract valuable data that can indirectly give an estimation of the tool condition. This thesis work has, with attention to the X-, Y- and Z-position sensors, resulted in development of algorithms that show relations between tool wear and data acquired from these sensors. The algorithms operate in the frequency domain to determine changes in the dynamic response over the time of tool degradation.

To maximise productivity and reduce scrap in high-value, low-volume production, five-axis machine tool (5A-MT) motion accuracy must be verified quickly and reliably. Numerous metrology instruments have been developed to measure errors arising from geometric imperfections within and between machine tool axes (amongst other sources). One example is the TMBB, which is becoming an increasingly popular instrument to measure both linear and rotary axis errors. This research proposes new TMBB measurement technique to rapidly, accurately and reliably measure all position-independent rotary axis errors in a 5A-MT. In this research two literature reviews have been conducted. The findings informed the subsequent development of a virtual machine tool (VMT). This VMT was used to capture the effects of rotary and linear axis position-independent geometric errors, and apparatus set-up errors on a variety of candidate measurement routines. This new knowledge then informed the design of an experimental methodology to capture specific phenomena that were observed within the VMT on a commercial 5A-MT. Finally, statistical analysis of experimental measurements facilitated a quantification of the repeatability, strengths and limitations of the final testing method concept. The major contribution of this research is the development of a single set-up testing procedure to identify all 5A-MT rotary axis location errors, whilst remaining robust in the presence of set-up and linear axis location errors. Additionally, a novel variance-based sensitivity analysis approach was used to design testing procedures. By considering the effects of extraneous error sources (set-up and linear location) in the design and validation phases, an added robustness was introduced. Furthermore, this research marks the first usage of Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis in conjunction with rotary axis TMBB testing. Experimental evidence has shown that the proposed corrections for set-up and linear axis errors are highly effective and completely indispensable in rotary axis testing of this kind. However, further development of the single set-up method is necessary, as geometric errors cannot always be measured identically at different testing locations. This has highlighted the importance of considering the influences on 5A-MT component errors on testing results, as the machine tool axes cannot necessarily be modelled as straight lines.

In recent years studies have shown students interest in school has dropped as they mainly see the subjects being taught or their content to be irrelevant or hard to relate to. This essay explores how using computer games, specifically Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, as a teaching tool can help increase students overall interest in the subject of religious education which should facilitate more learning. This essay will be focusing on the Judeo-Christian themes that can be found in the games dialogue, texts and the main missions. To accomplish this, a text analysis will be done of some of the conversations and texts in the game as well as a more thematic analysis of the main missions. The texts and conversations were collected by playing through the games main missions and taking screenshots during reading, conversations and key parts of the story. These screenshots are featured in a separate appendix. This essay follows a socio-cultural theory of learning as laid out by Lev Vygotsky and later James Wertsch. This theory argues that learning is facilitated in groups of people, and is affected by the kinds of groups that the learners are involved with. It also argues that: Everything has evolved to reach the point/form it has today. Higher mental functions come from social interactions. Human actions are transferred with tools and symbols. The computer game in this study is shown to be one such tool, and can be used to facilitate socio-cultural learning. It can also be used to overcome barriers against learning in school that the students may have picked up at home or amongst their friends by approaching them in a more familiar manner. This makes the game and others like it a good tool for teachers struggling to reach their students through a wall of disinterest.

Predicting developmental growth stages in soft red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (SRWW) could improve agronomic management in Kentucky. However, predicting SRWW development is complex due to vernalization requirement and photoperiod sensitivity differences of cultivars. The objectives of this study are to (1) determine ability of Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) genotyping to predict phenotype; (2) determine the relative vernalization requirement (RVR) of 50 SRWW cultivars in a greenhouse (GH) assay; and (3) measure growing degree-days (GDD) required by cultivars to reach eight growth stages in a field assay. Fifty SRWW cultivars were characterized with 14 KASP markers for Vrn and Ppd loci. Additionally, cultivars were grown in a GH, vernalized outdoors for three, six, or nine weeks, and moved back into the GH where days to full flower were measured. Cultivars were also seeded into hill plots monthly from October to March at Princeton (2016; 2017) and Lexington, KY (2017) in three field trials. Cumulative GDD to emergence, green-up, pseudo-stem erection, jointing, flag leaf, beginning flower, full flower, and harvest maturity were measured. Field trials and supporting historical wheat development data suggest that prediction of SRWW growth and development is possible using a cumulative GDD scale in Kentucky.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Missouri--Rolla, 2007. / Vita. The entire thesis text is included in file. Title from title screen of thesis/dissertation PDF file (viewed December 6, 2007) Includes bibliographical references.

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Abstract Objectives: To 1) develop an electronic Knowledge Model (e-KM) of a surgical procedure, and 2) investigate the efficacy of the model in knowledge acquisition. The main purpose of the study was to develop a knowledge model of a surgical procedure (cyst removal) in an electronic medium such that it would enhance knowledge acquisition of surgical skills and to then determine the efficacy of the model. This is based on the Fits-Posner stage theory of learning motor skills that has been adopted in many surgical teaching models. Methods: Two randomized experimental studies were conducted in three phases; the total student sample size was 118 (Study 1=56, Study 2=62). In both studies, one group received face-to-face instruction from a professor while the second group employed the e-KM. Both groups were administered a multiple choice test. Analysis of variance (ANOVA), regression analysis and Pearson’s correlation methods were employed to analyze data. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the frequency of access and its impact on test scores. Reliability was determined with Cronbach’s alpha. Results: The results showed no significant difference (p> .05) between e-KM the computer model and the surgeon instructor. There was a significant correlation between access time to video and knowledge (significant r ranged from .68 to .86, p < .01); however, increased time on task increase test scores, thus having a positive impact on knowledge acquisition. Discussion: Research findings indicate that e-KM performs as well as the human instructor and provides the additional advantage of unlimited online access through the Web while addressing many of the pressures currently plaguing medical schools such as limited resources (staff and facilities), cost of administration, access to knowledge, academic regulations, policies and competing curricula. Furthermore, e-KM provides a standardized teaching model, eliminating instructor variability and functioning as a dependable learning tool. Conclusion: In this thesis, I addressed the efficacy of e-KM on knowledge acquisition. While there was no significant difference between e-KM and the surgeon instructor on knowledge acquisition overall, students who accessed the e- KM multiple times achieved higher scores. / Experimental Medicine

This thesis proposes an interactive software tool that can be used to compute complete sets of Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) Controllers from knowledge of the plant transfer function/frequency response data. This is based on research results and algorithms developed by Bhattacharyya and others. Until these research results were published, it was not known if a nominal system could be stabilized using PID Controllers, and current PID Controller designs are carried out using ad hoc tuning rules. By using simulations, engineers can best plan for and observe the stabilizing effect each of the variables has on system performance in a realistic environment. The software application developed calculates and optimizes complete stabilizing sets of PID Controllers for a rational Linear Time Invariant (LTI) system, and has been developed for analytical models of plants with and without time delay. Further, these PID Controller sets are optimized to project subsets simultaneously satisfying multiple performance index specifications. Sets of PID Controllers that stabilize a system are also calculated automatically from knowledge of the frequency response of the plant. It allows the user ease of design and the ability to customize the final solution while permitting full control over source parameters. This thesis includes an introduction to the algorithms that have been developed for plant stabilization, a complete description of the graphical user interface, the simulation of the algorithms performed using LabVIEW, and a summary of future work.