M.Tech.

Thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 2002.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Aberdeen University, 2009. / Title from web page (viewed on Apr. 21, 2009). Includes bibliographical references.

The research is attempt to refer to the theories of multiple intelligences on English teaching to the 4th graders by utilizing Action Research Method. The duration of this research lasts 20 weeks, 40 minutes per session, total of 20 periods. It specifically records the process of research and the self-reflection of the researcher in order to exam how to take good care of students¡¦ individual differences in the implement of Multiple Intelligences English Teaching Programs. By introducing different kinds of multiple intelligences activities, teachers are able to encourage students¡¦ greater interest and moreover, guide them into the field of English-learning. Besides, not only can we understand the effects of multiple intelligences on English teaching and learning, but also can we view if they may offer any help to students on developing performances, as to prove the value for Gardner¡¦s theory of multiple intelligences to English course. In this research, the researcher designs several different teaching activities and worksheets to guide students how to fully practice the text of each unit with the help of multiple intelligences. That can also lead them to further explore and develop their abilities of multiple intelligences as well as learning achievement. Furthermore, this also includes appreciation teaching ¡V cooperation of peers -- to have a role model to follow and achieve the goal of leveling up students¡¦ performances and motivation. I. The Objectives of the Research 1. To discuss the application of Gardner¡¦s theory of multiple intelligences to the English courses of the 4th graders. 2. To exam the application of Gardner¡¦s theory of multiple intelligences to the development of students¡¦ performances. 3. To view the application of Gardner¡¦s theories of multiple intelligences to the self-reflection of the researcher and the students. In this study¡§Multiple Intelligences Appraisal¡¨, ¡§English Learning Achievement Assessment¡¨, ¡§Learning Experience Questionnaire¡¨ and qualitative approach , for example, teacher¡¦s anecdotes, teaching reflection, classroom video recording, students¡¦ introspection sheet, multiple intelligences worksheets, photographs of works, self-evaluation of English learning were used to collect the related data. The quantitative data were analyzed by one-way ANCOVA to test the differences of the multiple intelligences, English competency, and learning motivation between the inquiry class and the comparison class. II. Conclusions 1. By the combination of the multiple intelligences and the English teaching programs, students can experience and absorb more happily in the process of learning. 2. To learn in the activities of all kinds of intelligences can further develop students¡¦ Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence¡B Interpersonal Intelligence and Intrapersonal Intelligence. 3. Through the activities of all kinds of intelligences can increase students¡¦ English abilities in dialogues. 4. Using the theories of multiple intelligences as the main teaching methods of English courses can attract students¡¦ more interest to learn. 5. Utilizing the theories of multiple intelligences on English teaching can help the researcher and the students to further self-reflection and self-development. III. Advices 1. The integration of related subjects is necessary to Multiple Intelligences teaching programs. 2. With the help of multiple intelligences worksheets, students can take learning more easily. 3. The offer of multiple intelligences activities can level up students¡¦ interest. 4. Enrichment of the facilities makes teaching more efficiently. 5. Increase the arrangement of dialogues between masters and teachers.

In recent year, wireless communications systems require transmission of higher and higher data rates to foster various multimedia services. The multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antennas system has been studied to increase wireless channel capacity and reliability. The mutual coupling of MIMO antennas affects the capacity of the wireless channel. Traditionally, the minimal mutual coupling distance between antenna elements needs to be at least one half wavelength. When MIMO antenna system is used in miniature mobile device, the problem of mutual coupling becomes even more serious. In the first part of this thesis we propose a WLAN/WiMAX antenna that can be operated in 2.4 GHz (2.4¡V2.48 GHz) WLAN band; 2.5 GHz (2.5¡V2.7 GHz) and 3.5 GHz (3.4¡V3.7 GHz) WiMAX band. We use the inverted U slot band notch and omega slot band notch to reduce the mutual coupling in MIMO antennas. Our design is able to reduce the mutual coupling to be less than ¡V20 dB in all interested bands. In the second part, we propose a planar WLAN/WiMAX antenna that can be operated in 2.4 GHz (2.4¡V2.48 GHz), 5.2/5.8GHz (5.15-5.35GHz/5.725-5.825GHz) WLAN band; 2.5 GHz (2.5¡V2.7 GHz), 3.5 GHz (3.4¡V3.7 GHz) and 5.5 GHz (5.25-5.85 GHz) WiMAX band and mutual coupling of MIMO antenna is less than ¡V20 dB in all interested bands.

Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) is a well-known technique for efficiently increasing bandwidth utilization. However, the implementation of the MIMO receiver with a reasonable hardware cost is a big challenge. Most MIMO receivers exploit minimum mean-square error (MMSE), zero-forcing (ZF) and maximum-likelihood (ML) to detect MIMO signals. Among the detectors, the ZF detector is simple detector with low computational complexity, but lower performance compared to ML decoder, which has huge computational complexity. If the K-Best sphere decoding algorithm (SDA) is adopted, the system complexity can be substantially reduced and the performance can approach that of the ML scheme when the value K is sufficiently large. In this paper, a hard-output MIMO detector is implemented using the K-Best SDA for 4¡Ñ4 64-quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) MIMO detection. The implementation is realized by using a 0.18-£gm CMOS technology. The implementation chip core area is 3.35mm2 with 229K gates, and the decoding throughput is up to 3.12Mb/s with a 25MHz clock rate.

Imposing additional constraints on multiple sequence alignment (MSA) algorithms can often produce more biologically meaningful alignments. Hence, various constrained multiple sequence alignment (CMSA) algorithms have been developed in the literature, where researchers used anchor points, regular expressions, or context-free-grammars to specify the constraints, wherein alignments produced are forced to align around segments that match the constraints. In this thesis, we propose CSA-X, a modularized program of constrained multiple sequence alignment that accepts constraints in the form of regular expressions. It uses an arbitrary underlying multiple sequence alignment program to generate alignments, and is therefore modular. The name CSA-X refers to our proposed program generally, where the letter X is substituted with the name of a (non-constrained) multiple sequence alignment algorithm which is used as underlying MSA engine in the proposed program. We compare the accuracy of our program with another constrained multiple sequence alignment program called RE-MuSiC that similarly uses regular expressions for constraints. In addition, comparisons are also made to the underlying MSA programs (without constraints). The BAliBASE 3.0 benchmark database is used to assess the performance of the proposed program CSA-X, other MSA programs, and CMSA programs considered in this study. Based on the results presented herein, CSA-X outperforms RE-MuSiC, and scores well against the underlying alignment programs. It also shows that the use of regular expression constraints, if chosen well, created from the least conserved region of the correct alignments, improves the alignment accuracy. In this study, ProbCons and T-Coffee are used as the underlying MSA programs in CSA-X, and the accuracy of the alignments are measured in terms of Q score and TC score. On average, CSA-X used with constraints identified from the least conserved regions of the correct alignments achieves results that are 17.65% more for Q score, and 23.7% more for TC score compared to RE-MuSiC. In fact, CSA-X with ProbCons (CSA-PC) achieves a higher score in over 97.9% of the cases for Q score, and over 96.4% of the cases for TC score. In addition, CSA-X with T-Coffee (CSA-TCOF) achieves a higher score in over 97.7% of the cases for Q score, and over 94.8% of the cases for TC score. Furthermore, CSA-X with regular expressions created from the least conserved regions of the correct alignments achieves higher accuracy scores compared to standalone ProbCons and T-Coffee. To measure the statistical significance of CSA-X results, the Wilcoxon rank-sum test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test are performed, and these tests show that CSA-X results for the least conserved regular expression constraint sets from the correct BAliBASE 3.0 alignments are significantly different than those from RE-MuSiC, ProbCons, and T-Coffee.

published_or_final_version / abstract / toc / Clinical Psychology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a neurodegenerative disease of uncertain etiology and pathology, affected by genetic and environmental factors. Nutrition may be one of these factors. This study used one validated 80-item food frequency questionnaire and one 24-hour recall to assess dietary intake, anthropometric and lifestyle practices, and self-perceived impacts of food in 36 adults with MS. Although only 3 persons followed special diets for MS, 28 indicated food influenced the way they felt, and 17 thought food directly impacted their MS. Over 50% of participants were identified as potential underreporters of energy. Low intakes in grains, dairy, and fruits and vegetables were commonly observed. The FFQ and 24-hour recalls estimated different mean sample intakes of all nutrients; these differences were significant for carbohydrates, water, iron, magnesium, riboflavin, niacin, and omega-3. Both tools identified mean intakes below suggested AI levels for fibre, calcium, vitamin D, omega-3 and omega-6, and above the UL for sodium. Supplements were used by 72% of participants, and increased estimated nutrient intakes above the EAR or the UL for some nutrients in some individuals.

Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.