Background: Measurement of carbon monoxide in expired air samples (ECO) is a non-invasive, cost-effective biochemical marker for smoking. Cut points of 6. ppm-10. ppm have been established, though appropriate cut-points for pregnant woman have been debated due to metabolic changes. This study assessed whether an ECO cut-point identifying at least 90% of pregnant smokers, and misidentifying fewer than 10% of non-smokers, could be established. Methods: Pregnant women (N=167) completed a validated self-report smoking assessment, a urine drug screen for cotinine (UDS), and provided an expired air sample twice during pregnancy. Results: Half of women reported non-smoking status early (51%) and late (53%) in pregnancy, confirmed by UDS. Using a traditional 8. ppm. +. cut-point for the early pregnancy reading, only 1% of non-smokers were incorrectly identified as smokers, but only 56% of all smokers, and 67% who smoked 5. + cigarettes in the previous 24. h, were identified. However, at 4. ppm. +, only 8% of non-smokers were misclassified as smokers, and 90% of all smokers and 96% who smoked 5. + cigarettes in the previous 24. h were identified. False positives were explained by heavy second hand smoke exposure and marijuana use. Results were similar for late pregnancy ECO, with ROC analysis revealing an area under the curve of 95 for early pregnancy, and 94 for late pregnancy readings. Conclusions: A lower 4. ppm ECO cut-point may be necessary to identify pregnant smokers using expired air samples, and this cut-point appears valid throughout pregnancy. Work is ongoing to validate findings in larger samples, but it appears if an appropriate cut-point is used, ECO is a valid method for determining smoking status in pregnancy.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-14T12:36:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 parte1.pdf: 2704137 bytes, checksum: 1bc9cc5c3099359131fb11fa1878c22f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-08-31 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / This work analyzes methods for textures images classification and segmentation using lossless data compression algorithms models. Two data compression algorithms are evaluated: the Prediction by Partial Matching (PPM) and the Lempel-Ziv-Welch (LZW) that had been applied in textures classification in previous works. The textures are pre-processed using histogram equalization. The classification method is divided into two stages. In the learning stage or training, the compression algorithm builds statistical models for the horizontal and the vertical structures of each class. In the classification stage, samples of textures to be classified are compressed using models built in the learning stage, sweeping the samples horizontally and vertically. A sample is assigned to the class that obtains the highest average compression. The classifier tests were made using the Brodatz textures album. The classifiers were tested for various contexts sizes (in the PPM case), samples number and training sets. For some combinations of these parameters, the classifiers achieved 100% of correct classifications. Texture segmentation process was made only with the PPM. Initially, the horizontal models are created using eight textures samples of size 32 x 32 pixels for each class, with the PPM context of a maximum size 1. The images to be segmented are compressed by the models of classes, initially in blocks of size 64 x 64 pixels. If none of the models achieve a compression ratio at a predetermined interval, the block is divided into four blocks of size 32 x 32. The process is repeated until a model reach a compression ratio in the range of the compression ratios set for the size of the block in question. If the block get the 4 x 4 size it is classified as belonging to the class of the model that reached the highest compression ratio. / Este trabalho se propõe a analisar métodos de classificação e segmentação de texturas de imagens digitais usando algoritmos de compressão de dados sem perdas. Dois algoritmos de compressão são avaliados: o Prediction by Partial Matching (PPM) e o Lempel-Ziv-Welch (LZW), que já havia sido aplicado na classificação de texturas em trabalhos anteriores. As texturas são pré-processadas utilizando equalização de histograma. O método de classificação divide-se em duas etapas. Na etapa de aprendizagem, ou treinamento, o algoritmo de compressão constrói modelos estatísticos para as estruturas horizontal e vertical de cada classe. Na etapa de classificação, amostras de texturas a serem classificadas são comprimidas utilizando modelos construídos na etapa de aprendizagem, varrendo-se as amostras na horizontal e na vertical. Uma amostra é atribuída à classe que obtiver a maior compressão média. Os testes dos classificadores foram feitos utilizando o álbum de texturas de Brodatz. Os classificadores foram testados para vários tamanhos de contexto (no caso do PPM), amostras e conjuntos de treinamento. Para algumas das combinações desses parâmetros, os classificadores alcançaram 100% de classificações corretas. A segmentação de texturas foi realizada apenas com o PPM. Inicialmente, são criados os modelos horizontais usados no processo de segmentação, utilizando-se oito amostras de texturas de tamanho 32 x 32 pixels para cada classe, com o contexto PPM de tamanho máximo 1. As imagens a serem segmentadas são comprimidas utilizando-se os modelos das classes, inicialmente, em blocos de tamanho 64 x 64 pixels. Se nenhum dos modelos conseguir uma razão de compressão em um intervalo pré-definido, o bloco é dividido em quatro blocos de tamanho 32 x 32. O processo se repete até que algum modelo consiga uma razão de compressão no intervalo de razões de compressão definido para o tamanho do bloco em questão, podendo chegar a blocos de tamanho 4 x 4 quando o bloco é classificado como pertencente à classe do modelo que atingiu a maior taxa de compressão.

Submitted by JOSIANE SANTOS DE OLIVEIRA (josianeso) on 2018-04-26T16:40:35Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Jayme Diego Silva Peixoto_.pdf: 3682873 bytes, checksum: e3f3b08ba12067f318cd31d90d3ae999 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-04-26T16:40:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Jayme Diego Silva Peixoto_.pdf: 3682873 bytes, checksum: e3f3b08ba12067f318cd31d90d3ae999 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-02-26 / CAPES - Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / A Gestão de Portfólio de Produtos tem atraído de maneira crescente o interesse de empresas e pesquisadores. Os esforços de pesquisa, por meio de evidências empíricas, indicam a necessidade de ampliação da aplicação de métodos formais para a Gestão de Portfólio de Produtos nas empresas. No entanto, são escassos os estudos na literatura que tratam de métodos direcionados à Revisão do Portfólio de Produtos. Pode-se observar nas publicações atuais, que questões conceituais e terminológicas acerca da Gestão de Portfólio de Produtos requerem atenção de pesquisadores. Portanto, é necessário identificar nos métodos para a Gestão de Portfólio de Produtos oportunidades para melhorar os resultados nas empresas. Para o desenvolvimento desta pesquisa utilizou-se a Design Science Research como abordagem metodológica. Este trabalho propõe um método financeiro de Revisão do Portfólio de Produtos, denominado Financial Method for the Product Portfolio Review, FMPPR, como parte integrante da Gestão de Portfólio de Produtos. Na elaboração do método proposto, foram avaliadas as relações da revisão do Portfólio de Produtos com a operação da empresa, com mercado consumidor e com o Processo de Desenvolvimento de Produtos. Finalmente, o método proposto foi aplicado em um ambiente empresarial para verificação de sua funcionalidade. Os resultados foram submetidos à análise de um grupo focal, que validou os avanços realizados propondo ajustes para a geração do artefato final desta dissertação. / Product Portfolio Management has increasingly attracted the interest of companies and researchers. The research efforts, through empirical evidence, indicate the need to extend the application of formal methods for the Product Portfolio Management in companies. However, there are scarce studies in the literature about methods directed to Product Portfolio Review. It can be observed in current publications that conceptual and terminological questions about Product Portfolio Management require the attention of researchers. Therefore, it is necessary to identify in the methods for the Product Portfolio Management opportunities to improve the results of the companies. For the development of this research, Design Science Research was used as a methodological approach. This project proposes a Financial Method for the Product Portfolio Review, called FMPPR as an integral part of Product Portfolio Management. In the elaboration of the proposed method, the relations between the Product Portfolio Review, the operation of the company, the consumer market and the Product Development Process were evaluated. Finally, the proposed method was applied in an enterprise environment to verify its functionality. The results were submitted to the analysis of a focal group, which validated the advances made proposing adjustments for the generation of the final artifact of this dissertation.

The work deals with the choice and implementation of an open source tool for managing a project portfolio management in the organization of o.s. Prostor. The first part of the work aims at theory description including examination of trends in project management tools and open source software. Project management and project portfolio management is increasingly important and increasingly used by companies and organizations in recent years. According to a new study made by Gartner, the use of open source software continues to grow and becomes competitive differently. The main aim of the work was to successfully implement one selected open source tool to the organization that I have found at an early stage. After finding the suitable company, I started to do the main part of my work i.e. the implementation of a selected open source tool for managing projects and its portfolio in this company. This phase started from the choice of the most suitable instrument, by means of analysis of the selected organization, o.s. Prostor, to the final design and implementation itself. I made analysis of the organization and on its basis I chose suitable criteria and their weights for the later selection of a suitable tool. I performed the choice based on multi-criteria analysis in order to maximum objectively select a suitable open source tool for implementation. None of the existing instruments fully met the requirements of the organization o.s. Prostor. Therefore, I assessed finally selected web2project tool in detail and made a proposal for additional programming of missing functionality. After completion of the missing functionality additional programming, I made a proposal of a web2project tool implementation procedure. I suggested four stages of the implementation procedure, which consists of the preparation for the installation environment, the way how to install the tool on the server, planning necessary capacity, and finally training including creation of a demonstration project. Finally, based on this proposal, I installed the tool web2project on the server and run testing and validation of the tool. When performing this work, I gained a lot of valuable experience in all relevant phases of the project cycle management from management to the implementation itself. The organization intends to fully operate the tool early next year, 2012, when they can begin to enter new projects.

Every organization, that wants to be competitive in the market, must constantly improve and find new, better and smarter procedures of individual processes. This thesis describes and analyses the existing quality management system of the suppliers selection and evaluation process in the medium sized engineering company. The work contains recommendations and suggestions for possible improvements of the system.

Abstract This thesis deals with the fascinating subject of the design of digital communication systems - or more precisely one topic therein, i.e., modulation. Modulation and its counterpart demodulation are the means of making the information ride the beast of a wireless radio channel. The introduction of mMFSK and amMFSK generated ideas of applying the approach to other modulation methods. The straightforward extension was to apply the method to CSK modulation to introduce mMCSK modulation. The analysis shows that due to the orthogonality of the signaling waveforms of mMCSK (with Walsh codes) and mMFSK, the same performance is achieved for modulation methods with the same modulation alphabet. But with CSK it is rather easy to construct non-orthogonal signaling waveforms. Hence, the thesis also gives analytical results for non-orthogonal mMCSK and especially considers (as an example) the use of Gold and Kasami codes. The results indicate that the best choice of codes for a non-coherent mMCSK system is the orthogonal code family, which is a rather intuitive result. However, for a coherent mMCSK system, better performance could be achieved with non-orthogonal codes. Given that we can construct a code set where the cross-correlation between the codes in the family is negative (ρi,j<0), performance improvement compared to the orthogonal code family is achieved. The results show that, for instance, a 0.5 dB performance improvement in the AWGN channel can be achieved by using a specifically constructed set of Kasami codes as the basis functions in the modulation. The thesis also presents the performance analysis results of mMCSK in a flat Rayleigh fading channel. To further enlarge the modulation alphabet sizes (with the price of larger spectrum usage) it was realized that combining the mMFSK and mMCSK would be an interesting choice. The mMCSK-mMFSK modulation was hence introduced, which can be viewed as the main contribution of this thesis. A method to analyze this two-component modulation was developed and the performance analyses give results for mMCSK-mMFSK modulation in AWGN and flat Rayleigh fading channels for both coherent and non-coherent receivers. The performance was also assessed with orthogonal and non-orthogonal code constructs. Moreover, an antipodal extension of the mMCSK-mMFSK modulation was introduced with the analysis of the performance. A third contribution of the thesis was to introduce the mPPM modulation method following the mMFSK principles. The performance results obtained in the mMCSK can also be applied to these modulation formats in certain scenarios. PPM modulation has been widely suggested to be used in UWB systems. In UWB systems, the means to adapt the data rate is the use of pulse repetition. Hence, the performance analysis of the mPPM modulation methods with pulse repetition and a non-coherent receiver was computed. The performance of pulse repetition in impulsive interference was also computed. / Tiivistelmä Tässä väitöskirjatyössä tarkastellaan tietoliikennejärjestelmän suunnitteluun liittyvää osa-aluetta modulaatiomenetelmä. Modulaatio ja sen vastinpari demodulaatio ovat mekanismit, joiden avulla siirrettävä tieto saatetaan muotoon, jolla se voidaan siirtää radiokanavassa. mMFSK ja amMFSK modulaatiomenetelmien kehittäminen loi pohjan, jota lähdettiin soveltamaan myös muihin modulaatiotekniikoihin. Suoritetut matemaattiset analyysit osoittavat, että samalle modulaatioaakkoston koolle mMCSK (käyttäen Walsh-koodeja) ja mMFSK saavuttavat saman suorituskyvyn olettaen modulaatioiden olevan ortogonaalisia. CSK-tekniikalla on kuitenkin helppo rakentaa koodeja, jotka ovat epäortogonaalisia. Väitöskirjassa analysoidaan myös muutamia tapauksia epaortogonaaliselle mMCSK:lle, jossa esimerkinomaisesti tarkastellaan Gold- ja Kasami-koodien käyttöä. Tulokset osoittavat, että epäkoherentille mMCSK:lle paras valinta koodiperheeksi on ortogonaalinen koodiperhe, joka tuloksena on myös intuitiivinen. Koherentille mMCSK:lle voidaan kuitenkin rakentaa epäortogonaalisia koodikonstruktioita, joissa koodien välinen ristikorrelaatio on negatiivinen ja tällöin saavutetaan suorituskyvyn parantumista ortogonaaliseen koodiperheeseen verattuna. Tulokset Gold- ja Kasami-koodeille AWGN-kanavassa osoittavat, että n. 0.5 dB suorituskyvyn paraneminen on saavutettavissa. Työssä johdetaan myös analyyttiset tulokset vastaaville tapauksille Rayleigh-häipyvässä kanavassa. Tutkittaessa mMCSK- ja mMFSK-modulaatioita, huomattiin, että yhdistämällä nämä kaksi voidaan saavuttaa erittäin suuria modulaatioaakkostoja. Hintana on suurempi spektrin käyttö. mMCSK-mMFSK-modulaation kehittämistä voidaan pitää tämän työn päätuloksena. Työssä kehitetään likimääräinen menetelmä tämän kaksi-komponenttisen modulaation suorituskyvyn analysoimiseksi. Tuloksina esitetään modulaatiomenetelmän suorituskyky sekä AWGN- että Rayleigh-häipyvässä kanavassa. Suorituskykytuloksia esitetään myös epäortogonaalisille koodikonstruktioille. Lisäksi kehitettiin antipodaalinen laajennus mMCSK-mMFSK-modulaatiosta ja suoritettiin suorituskykyanalyysi AWGN-kanavassa. Työn kolmantena tuloksena esitetään mPPM-modulaatiomenetelmä hyödyntäen mMCSK-modulaation periaatteita. mMCSK-suorituskykyanalyysia voidaan tietyin ehdoin soveltaa myös näihin modulaatiomenetelmiin, joiden käyttöä esitetään usein ultralaajakaistajärjestelmissä (UWB). UWB-järjestelmissä datanopeutta säädetään usein pulssin toistoa käyttämällä. Työssä johdetaan suorityskykytulokset epäkoherentille mPPM-vastaanottimelle myös pulssintoiston yhteydessä. Lisäksi johdettiin suorituskykylausekkeet ko. modulaatioille impulsiivisen häiriön läsnäollessa.

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No description available.

FundaÃÃo de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Cearà / Nesta dissertaÃÃo foi estudada a aplicaÃÃo do filtro AcÃstico-Ãptico SintonizÃvel (AOTF), com a ModulaÃÃo de Pulsos por PosiÃÃo (PPM), objetivando implementar, utilizando o mÃtodo de Runge-Kutta de 4a ordem, portas lÃgicas (OR-OU e AND-E) Ãpticas operando com pulsos de luz ultracurtos (2ps). Neste trabalho à investigado o desempenho das portas considerando vÃrios comprimentos do filtro ( L) que integra a sua estrutura interna, com o intuito de obter o comprimento de filtro mais adequado para uma operaÃÃo satisfatÃria, em regime dispersivo, nÃo linear, sem perdas e com modulaÃÃo de fase cruzada (XPM). Esta investigaÃÃo à realizada em duas situaÃÃes: primeiramente, sÃo considerados filtros com automodulaÃÃo de fase (SPM) e GVD (dispersÃo da velocidade de grupo). Em um segundo momento, as mesmas portas sÃo obtidas com efeitos SPM, XPM e GVD agindo juntos no AOTF. Foi observado que para pulsos do tipo sÃliton, os efeitos da dispersÃo, da nÃo linearidade e da modulaÃÃo de fase cruzada exercem juntos uma forte influÃncia na propagaÃÃo do mesmo, provocando a quebra do pulso na saÃda do dispositivo quando utilizamos um comprimento maior para os filtros. Para dispositivos mais curtos, o pulso chaveado apresentou compressÃes e alargamentos temporais e espectrais, bem comodeslocamentos temporais nos dois modo de propagaÃÃo (TE e TM). ApÃs a escolha de um comprimento de filtro adequado, foi selecionado um deslocamento temporal Ãtimo a ser aplicado nos pulsos de entrada para conseguirmos, na saÃda da porta lÃgica, deslocamentos temporais satisfatÃrios (acertos) na aplicaÃÃo da modulaÃÃo PPM. Em seguida, introduzimos fases em um dos pulsos de entrada (TM), provocando um defasamento entre os pulsos TE e TM, reduzindo ainda mais a margem de erro PPM de operaÃÃo das portas. Finalmente, ao analisarmos as fases aplicadas no pulso TM (0 a 2), definirmos o melhor Ãngulo de fase para que as portas operem na regiÃo de acerto da modulaÃÃo PPM. / In this dissertation it was studied the application of the Acoustic Optical Tunable Filter (AOTF), with Pulse Position Modulation (PPM), aiming at to implement, using the method of Runge-Kutta of 4a order, logical gates (OR and AND) optical operating with pulses of light ultra shorts (2ps). In this work the acting of the gates is investigated, considering several lengths of the filter (  L) that integrates your internal structure, with the intention of obtaining the length of more appropriate filter for a satisfactory operation, in dispersion regime, nonlinear, without losses and with Cross Phase Modulation (XPM). This investigation is accomplished in two situations: firstly, filters are considered with Self Phase Modulation (SPM) and GVD (group-velocity dispersion). In a second moment, the same gates are obtained with effects SPM, XPM and GVD, acting together in AOTF. It was observed that for pulses of the type soliton, the effects of the dispersion, of the nonlinearity and of the cross phase modulation exercise together a strong influences in the propagation of the same, provoking the break of the pulse in the exit of the device when we used a larger length for the filters. For shorter devices, the switched pulse presented temporary and spectral compression and spread, as well as, displacement in the time in the two propagation modes (TE and TM). After the choice of a length of appropriate filter, a great temporary displacement was selected to be applied in the input pulses for us to get, in the exit of the logical gate, satisfactory temporary displacements (successes) in the application of the PPM modulation. Soon after, we introduced phases in one of the entrance pulses (TM), provoking a phase displacement among TE and TM pulses, still reducing more the margin of error PPM of operation of the gates. Finally, to the we analyze the applied phases in the pulse TM (0 to 2), we defined the best phase angle for the gates to operate in the success area of the PPM modulation.

Submitted by Johnny Rodrigues (johnnyrodrigues@ufcg.edu.br) on 2018-08-03T19:45:39Z No. of bitstreams: 1 HIDELGARD PAULINO BARBOSA - DISSERTAÇÃO PPGCC 2013..pdf: 11966764 bytes, checksum: 077a69b5088eea2f7109e71871f4e57d (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-03T19:45:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 HIDELGARD PAULINO BARBOSA - DISSERTAÇÃO PPGCC 2013..pdf: 11966764 bytes, checksum: 077a69b5088eea2f7109e71871f4e57d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-08 / A voz é o meio de comunicação mais utilizado pelo ser humano. Porém, o sistema fonador humano é suscetível a diversos tipos de patologias que podem prejudicar a produção da voz e, consequentemente, a comunicação. Alguns tipos de exames têm sido utilizados para detectar estas patologias. Porém, eles apresentam desvantagens referentes à acurácia e ao conforto do paciente durante a aplicação, que podem desestimular a busca por tratamento. Por essa razão, técnicas computacionais têm sido empregadas com o intuito de detectar de modo confortável e preciso a presença e o tipo de patologia apresentada pelo sistema fonador. No entanto, os resultados obtidos ainda não possibilitam sua aplicação nas clínicas, principalmente pelo fato de ainda ser considerado um número reduzido de patologias. Visando a contornar esse problema, esta pesquisa propõe uma abordagem fundamentada em um método ainda não utilizado neste contexto: a Predição por Casamento Parcial (Prediction by Partial Matching - PPM), concebida originalmente com fins à compressão de dados. O modelo criado e mantido a partir deste método é alimentado com características acústicas, temporais e estatísticas extraídas dos sinais de voz e permite sua classificação no que se refere à identificação da presença e do tipo de patologia a um baixo custo computacional (velocidade e recursos de armazenamento). Foram obtidos resultados satisfatórios no tocante à presença de patologias. Quanto à discriminação de patologias, os resultados sugerem um potencial do método, embora a sua aplicação ainda necessite de investigações mais aprofundadas / Voice is the most widely used means of communication of mankind. However, speech organs are susceptible to several sort of pathologies, which may harm voice production and, therefore, communication. Several techniques have been used to detect these pathologies. However, they present drawbacks related to accuracy and comfort of patients during the application, which may discourage search for treatment. Thence, computational techniques have been used in order to detect the presence and type of speech pathology comfortably and accurately. But, results are still not good enough for its application in clinics, due to the fact it is considered a small number of distinct pathologies. Aiming to solve this problem, this research proposes using a method not previously employed in classification of vocal tract diseases: Prediction by Partial Matching (PPM), originally conceived for data compression purposes. The PPM model is fed with acoustical, temporal, and statistical features, ali of them extracted from voice signals. This method allowed a satisfactory classification, concerning presence and type of pathology while requiring a low computational cost (speed and storage resources). It were obtained satisfactory results regarding presence of speech pathologies. With regard to pathologies discrimination, the results suggest that this is a highly promising technique, although its application still needs deeper investigations.