Traffic responsive mode of operation with its two mechanisms, threshold-based and pattern matching, is considered one of the effective and efficient signal control modes. This operation mode is underutilized due to its cumbersome configuration procedure. The research presented in this thesis aims to give some guidelines regarding traffic responsive and issues that might improve the system performance. Four different issues related to traffic responsive are considered: The first issue is the generation of different traffic scenarios that drive the design of the system. This point is not limited to traffic responsive only but it is more general for different traffic engineering applications that need different traffic scenarios. The second issue is presenting an approach to implement traffic responsive control mode of operation in a large arterial network in Northern Virginia. Pattern matching mechanism is used for this application. Compared to time-of-day control mode, traffic responsive control saves up to 26.94% of the average delay and 21.13% of average number of stops for Reston Parkway network. The third issue is an attempt to improve the current threshold mechanism by relaxing the threshold constraints and using variable thresholds for different levels of plan selection parameters. The last issue is a study for the pedestrian effect on the performance of networks operating by traffic responsive control. The effects of pedestrian calls and pedestrian phases on traffic responsive control are compared and the results shows that pedestrian calls are better for low pedestrian volumes while pedestrian phases are better for high pedestrian volumes. / Master of Science

Lyme disease is a common tick borne disease in the US. Lyme disease emerged from the Northeast and in the past decade, Virginia has been witnessing a rapidly increasing trend in incidence. This thesis uses land cover projection data as a basis to look at the potential future trend of Lyme disease incidence in Virginia for the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change) scenarios of A1B and A2, which indicate a global and regional focus respectively. This study is a continuation of previous work done by an NSF funded research team at Virginia Tech, in exploring the variables affecting Lyme disease in Virginia. A Poisson point process is implemented in this thesis with land cover parameters (implemented land, water bodies, and edge metrics) and demographic parameters (population percentage and per capita income) as the spatial covariates. Lyme disease incidence data obtained from the Virginia Department of Health was used for model validation. The overall model was implemented using Python and its associated libraries while ArcGIS software was used for preliminary covariate analysis and data visualization. This thesis generates risk maps for A1B and A2 scenarios for each decade from 2010 through 2060. Spatial occurrence of disease incidence has been generated by the Poisson point process and the risk level of each county in Virginia has been calculated based on the incidence count predicted for it. Population and area at risk under each scenario for each decade was calculated. Results show that in A1B scenario 22.1% and 42.9% of the total population of Virginia are under high risk and in the A2 scenario, 21% and 33% of the total population of Virginia are under high risk of Lyme disease in 2010 and 2060 respectively. In terms of the area, A1B scenario has 28% under high risk in 2010 and 66% of the total area under high risk in 2060, while A2 scenarGIS, Lyme disease, Land cover projections, IPCC scenariosio has 22.4% under high risk of Lyme disease in 2010 62.7% of the total area in Virginia is under high risk in 2060. / Master of Science

Revolving Scenarios is an arts-performing center located in San Juan, Puerto Rico, intended to hold different cultural / theatrical and social events. The project is presented as a sequence of acts or events that directs the observer through its different spaces. Revolving scenarios becomes a performing piece which tries to recreate a monumental and dramatic architectural spectacle in itself. It is a play performing in the landscape where the visitors / spectators become the leading actor. Due to the nature of the building's geometry and location (inspired by the site's curvilinear lines and the nautilus shell), the project continuously provides multiple opportunities for scenic tropes from the indoor / outdoors. Therefore, views revolve around the landscape, different theatre halls which continuously change and revolve around the theatrical spectacles. As humans, we constantly move and live among scenarios that continuously change, evolve and revolve around ordinary life. The performing arts center becomes a microcosm of the macrocosmic everyday performances occurring in Puerto Rico. The performing piece allows us to expand our vision, vision of the worldâ ¦our worldviews. The thesis allowed discovering poetic architectural views revolving around the theatre, the arts and culture which are constantly changing and evolving along time. / Master of Architecture

<p>Denna studie är en fallstudie av ett privat sjukvårdsföretag. Studien syftar till att undersöka hur olika gestaltningstekniker</p><p>samt gruppers sammansättning kan påverka diskussioner kring design och därmed fungera som strukturerande resurser för</p><p>samtalet. Studien vidgar begreppet prototyper till att hantera mer än de delar som behandlats i tidigare forskning: medium,</p><p>detaljrikedom och närhet till slutprodukt.</p><p>Datainsamling har skett vid sex fokusgruppstillfällen där tre olika grupper (inom olika delar av en och samma organisation:</p><p>användare hos kund, användare hos systemleverantören och systemutvecklare hos leverantören) har fört en diskussion kring</p><p>designen utifrån tre olika gestaltningstekniker (gränssnittsskisser, scenarios och dynamiska datorprototyper).</p><p>Diskussionerna har sedan analyserats i termer av domäner för interaktionsdesign och aspekter av IT-systemet i användning.</p><p>Studiens huvudsakliga slutsatser är att gestaltningstekniker påverkar vilka domäner och aspekter som diskuteras varför</p><p>designern kan välja gestaltningsteknik efter vad han eller hon vill få ut av diskussionen. Skisserna bedöms ge den mest</p><p>heltäckande diskussionen, medan scenarios fungerar bäst för dem som inte är teknikvana och tar då upp struktur och</p><p>funktion. Datorprototypen lämpar sig bäst för diskussion kring interaktion och presentation. Men gruppens sammansättning</p><p>påverkar diskussionen i högre utsträckning än gestaltningsteknikerna. Därför dras även slutsatsen att det är viktigt att</p><p>designern känner sin publik och anpassar valet av gestaltningsteknik efter målgruppen.</p> / <p>This thesis investigates how different prototyping techniques and compositions of groups can influence discussions about</p><p>design and therefore function as structuring resources for the discussion. This thesis widens the conception of prototypes to</p><p>include more than the issues that have been discussed in previous research: medium, wealth of details and closeness to the</p><p>final product.</p><p>Data has been collected through six focus groups where three different groups (within different parts of one organization;</p><p>users at client, users at system supplier, and systems developers at supplier) have discussed the design with the help of the</p><p>different prototyping techniques (sketches, scenarios and dynamic computer prototypes).</p><p>The discussions where analyzed in terms of domains for interaction design and different aspects of the system in use.</p><p>The main conclusions of this thesis are that prototyping techniques influence which domains and aspects are discussed.</p><p>Therefore the designer can choose prototyping technique depending on what he or she wants to discuss about the design.</p><p>The sketches provides the most complete discussion, while scenarios works best with those that are not knowledgeable</p><p>about IT-systems and then the discussion deals with structure and function. The computer prototype is best suited for</p><p>discussing interaction and presentation. But the composition of the group has more influence on the discussion than the</p><p>choice of prototyping technique. Therefore the conclusion is drawn that it is important that the designer knows his or her</p><p>audience and adjusts the choice of prototyping technique to the composition of the group.</p>

Internet of things (IoT) är det överläggande området i denna rapport. IoT är ett väldigt intressant I nuläget och är snabbt växande. IoT kan beskrivas som ett nätverk av kommunicerande enheter som delar information och automatiserar eller försimplar uppgifter och därav ökar effektivitet och säkerhet. Området växer så pass fort att det förväntas vara 24 miljarder anslutna enheter vid år 2050, denna utökning leder i sin tur till ett ökat behov av förståelse för IoT protokollen som hanterar kommunikationen emellan enheterna. Detta för att kunna välja det mest optimala protokollet för ett givet scenario. Detta arbete kommer att välja ett lovande protokoll för undersökning samt evaluering gällande dess prestation berörande fördröjning, dataöverföringshastighet och skalbarhet.  Protokollet som valdes var MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport). Baserat på dessa evaluerade värden föra en diskussion gällande protokollets lämplighet inom scenariona. Värdena kommer att tas fram via tidmätningar start till slut för kommunikationen samt tid för att skicka en mängd meddelanden, båda i respekt till antalet samtidigt kommunicerande program. Testen körs med en lokal PC som agerar Broker och en Raspberry Pi som kör samtliga programmen i individuella terminaler. Resultaten var att fördröjningen verkar ha en näst intill linjär relation och dataöverföringshastighet ett exponentiellt avtagande beteende i respekt till samtidigt kommunicerande enheter. Dem mätta resultaten analyseras och diskuteras, och kommer till slutsatsen att protokollet är en lämplig kandidat för de flesta scenarion, så som smarta bilar, smarta hem och till viss del industriell användning. Den största nackdelen med protokollet var dess höga standardavvikelse gällande individuella meddelandens fördröjning. / Internet of things (IoT) is the base topic of this thesis, and it is a rapidly growing area, it can be described  as a network of communicating devices sharing information and streamlining tasks in addition to increasing efficiency and security. It is expected to be 24 billion connected devices by year 2050 and with this growth comes an increased demand on understanding the IoT protocols to be able to choose a suitable protocol for a given scenario. This thesis will discuss this area and pick one protocol to evaluate specifically regarding latency, throughput, and scalability. The protocol chosen were MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport). Based on these values then discuss whether the protocol is a suitable candidate for the scenarios. The data to evaluate this will be gathered by measuring the end-to-end time of the protocol in respect to the number of communicating programs, and to measure the time it takes to communicate a number of messages with respect to the number of programs handling the communication. These tests are performed with a local PC acting as the broker and a Raspberry pi running each of the communicating programs on individual terminals. The results were that latency seem to have a close to liner relation, and that throughput seem to have an exponentially decreasing relation with respect to number of clients cooperating. The measured results are analyzed and discussed and concluded that the protocol is a fitting candidate for most scenarios such as smart cars, smart homes and to some extent industry. The biggest flawed concluded was the protocols high standard deviation for individual messages latency. The outcome of the benchmarks measurement showed that increasing the number of nodes would not result in superior performance. It was noted that an optimal number of nodes was found to be between 1 and 20 for all the tests performed. The study showed that no load balancer could be considered a clear winner, instead, different configurations of load balancers performed varyingly well at different tests.

No description available.

Making information stored in databases more accessible to users inexperienced in structured query language (SQL) by converting natural language to SQL queries has long been a prominent research area in both the database and natural language processing (NLP) communities. There have been numerous approaches proposed for this task, such as encoder-decoder frameworks, semantic grammars, and more recently with the use of large language models (LLMs). When training LLMs to successfully generate SQL queries from natural language questions there are three notable methods used, pretraining, transfer learning and in-context learning (ICL). ICL is particularly advantageous in scenarios where the hardware at hand is limited, time is of concern and large amounts of task specific labled data is nonexistent. This study seeks to evaluate two strategies in ICL, namely zero-shot and few-shot scenarios using the Mistral-7B-Instruct LLM. Evaluation of the few-shot scenarios was conducted using two techniques, random selection and Jaccard Similarity. The zero-shot scenarios served as a baseline for the few-shot scenarios to overcome, which ended as anticipated, with the few-shot scenarios using Jaccard similarity outperforming the other two methods, followed by few-shot scenarios using random selection coming in at second best, and the zero-shot scenarios performing the worst. Evaluation results acquired based on execution accuracy and exact matching accuracy confirm that leveraging similarity in demonstrating examples when prompting the LLM will enhance the models knowledge about the database schema and table names which is used during the inference phase leadning to more accurately generated SQL queries than leveraging diversity in demonstrating examples.

A complexidade e a pressão que o contexto atual de mudanças tem gerado para as organizações têm exigido delas habilidades diferentes daquelas privilegiadas na era das organizações mecanicistas. A aprendizagem tornou-se uma das habilidades-chave para sobrevivência e desenvolvimento das organizações modernas. Alguns modelos gerenciais apresentam-se visando melhorar as capacidades de aprendizagem das instituições. Desta forma, este estudo pretende, por meio da pesquisa-ação, descrever e introduzir o conceito de aprendizagem por cenário de Fahey e Randall. O objetivo deste trabalho foi o de desenvolver um conjunto de instrumentos metodológicos para a construção de cenários, verificando sua adaptabilidade na definição do posicionamento estratégico da Universidade de Caxias do Sul. Para a obtenção deste intento, são discutidas as definições e conceitos de conhecimento, aprendizagem, aprendizado organizacional e aprendizagem por cenários, buscando a convergência desses conceitos para a elaboração de estratégias. Conforme pode-se verificar no trabalho realizado, o modelo serve para compreender a necessidade de manter o equilíbrio com os ambientes interno e externo, e atende sua finalidade principal de, através de processo cognitivo sistêmico estratégico, alinhar a definição de objetivos. A contribuição do estudo demonstra a aplicabilidade da metodologia de cenários e evidencia, pela avaliação dos participantes, que os procedimentos escolhidos resultam na transformação dos espaços de significação. / Submitted by Marcelo Teixeira (mvteixeira@ucs.br) on 2014-05-21T17:17:35Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Mercedes Lusa Manfredini.pdf: 3442361 bytes, checksum: 80fa38bf861b80c590521e627554b522 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-05-21T17:17:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertacao Mercedes Lusa Manfredini.pdf: 3442361 bytes, checksum: 80fa38bf861b80c590521e627554b522 (MD5) / The complexity and context that the current pressure for change has created for organizations have required them different skills from those privileged in the era of mechanistic organizations. Learning has become one of the key skills for survival and development of modern organizations. Some management models show itself for improving learning capacities of institutions. Thus, this study aims, through research-action, to describe and introduce the concept of learning by scenario of Fahey and Randall. The objective of this work was to develop a set of methodological tools for the construction of scenarios, checking their adaptability in setting the strategic positioning of Universidade de Caxias do Sul. To achieve this purpose, the definitions and concepts of knowledge, learning, organizational learning and learning by scenarios are discussed, seeking the convergence of these concepts for the development of strategies. As it can be seen at this work, the model intends to understand the need of maintaining a balance of the internal and external environments, and meets its primary purpose of, through strategic systemic cognitive process, align the definition of goals. The contribution of the study demonstrates the applicability of the methodology of scenarios and highlights by evaluation of the participants, that the chosen procedures result in the transformation of signification areas.

Submitted by Fabio Sobreira Campos da Costa (fabio.sobreira@ufpe.br) on 2016-04-29T14:48:15Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) VERSÃO FINAL DIGITAL2.compressed.pdf: 5125815 bytes, checksum: e178248f91ecfe9ad11f0d25571576be (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T14:48:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 1232 bytes, checksum: 66e71c371cc565284e70f40736c94386 (MD5) VERSÃO FINAL DIGITAL2.compressed.pdf: 5125815 bytes, checksum: e178248f91ecfe9ad11f0d25571576be (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-10-29 / CNPq / O desafio atual das metrópoles de fronte das questões sociais, econômicas, ambientais e urbanas, posicionam as esferas pública e privada em determinar planejamentos efetivos que possibilitem uma visão de longo prazo através da proposição de cenários que indiquem caminhos estratégicos de maneira a beneficiar a cidade. Neste contexto, entende-se que a stratégia de longo prazo poderá influenciar no sucesso ou fracasso nas diretrizes que irão determinar o futuro das cidades, sendo de extrema relevância a colaboração entre as distintas áreas dos saberes de forma a reduzir os riscos. Neste direcionamento acredita-se que o Design, como ferramenta estratégica de interlocução entre o objeto de estudo e o beneficiário final, pode colaborar com as distintas áreas do conhecimento, através da inserção de metodologias inovadoras como o Sistema de Produto e Serviço (PSS) e Design Orienting Scenarios (DOS) no desenvolvimento de cenários prospectivos para as cidades. Tais metodologias trazem como premissa o processo colaborativo de maneira a horizontalizar a troca de conhecimento entre os distintos agentes objetivando vislumbrar o potencial da problemática proposta, sendo neste caso o futuro das metrópoles. Neste sentido a presente pesquisa traz o estudo de caso do projeto “Recife 500 anos” proposto pela Prefeitura do Recife e coordenado pela ARIES – Agência de Recife para Inovação e Estratégia, que pretender propor estratégias para tornar a capital pernambucana em referência de qualidade de vida envolvendo questões sociais, ambientais, econômicas e urbanas. Para isto o estudo propõe um processo metodológico de escuta através do desenvolvimento de um modelo de workshop que possibilitasse a criação de cenários prospectivos por parte dos distintos stakeholders. Por fim apresentam-se diretrizes que possam corroborar com o futuro sustentável da cidade do Recife. / The challenge of cities in social, economic, environmental and urban areas, position the public and private sectors in determining effective planning to enable a long-term vision by proposing scenarios that determine strategic paths in order to benefit the city. In this context, it is understood that the long-term strategy can influence the success or failure in the guidelines that will determine the future of cities, being extremely important the collaboration between different areas of knowledge in order to reduce risks. So, the Design is taken as a strategic tool for dialogue between the subject matter and the final user, collaborating with different areas of knowledge, by inserting innovative methodologies such as System Product and Service (PSS) and Design Orienting Scenarios (DOS) in the development of prospective scenarios to the cities. Such methodologies bring as assumptions a collaborative process in order to flatten the exchange of knowledge among different agents aiming to glimpse the potential of the proposed problem, that in this case is the future of the metropolis. Therefore, this research brings the study case of "Recife 500 years" proposed by Recife City Council and coordinated by ARIES - Recife Agency for Innovation and Strategy, which intends to propose strategies to make Recife a life quality reference in social, environmental, economic and urban issues. For this study purposes, it was developed a listening methodology process by developing a workshop model that would enable the development of future scenarios by the various stakeholders. Finally it is presented guidelines that can corroborate the sustainable future of Recife.

A complexidade e a pressão que o contexto atual de mudanças tem gerado para as organizações têm exigido delas habilidades diferentes daquelas privilegiadas na era das organizações mecanicistas. A aprendizagem tornou-se uma das habilidades-chave para sobrevivência e desenvolvimento das organizações modernas. Alguns modelos gerenciais apresentam-se visando melhorar as capacidades de aprendizagem das instituições. Desta forma, este estudo pretende, por meio da pesquisa-ação, descrever e introduzir o conceito de aprendizagem por cenário de Fahey e Randall. O objetivo deste trabalho foi o de desenvolver um conjunto de instrumentos metodológicos para a construção de cenários, verificando sua adaptabilidade na definição do posicionamento estratégico da Universidade de Caxias do Sul. Para a obtenção deste intento, são discutidas as definições e conceitos de conhecimento, aprendizagem, aprendizado organizacional e aprendizagem por cenários, buscando a convergência desses conceitos para a elaboração de estratégias. Conforme pode-se verificar no trabalho realizado, o modelo serve para compreender a necessidade de manter o equilíbrio com os ambientes interno e externo, e atende sua finalidade principal de, através de processo cognitivo sistêmico estratégico, alinhar a definição de objetivos. A contribuição do estudo demonstra a aplicabilidade da metodologia de cenários e evidencia, pela avaliação dos participantes, que os procedimentos escolhidos resultam na transformação dos espaços de significação. / The complexity and context that the current pressure for change has created for organizations have required them different skills from those privileged in the era of mechanistic organizations. Learning has become one of the key skills for survival and development of modern organizations. Some management models show itself for improving learning capacities of institutions. Thus, this study aims, through research-action, to describe and introduce the concept of learning by scenario of Fahey and Randall. The objective of this work was to develop a set of methodological tools for the construction of scenarios, checking their adaptability in setting the strategic positioning of Universidade de Caxias do Sul. To achieve this purpose, the definitions and concepts of knowledge, learning, organizational learning and learning by scenarios are discussed, seeking the convergence of these concepts for the development of strategies. As it can be seen at this work, the model intends to understand the need of maintaining a balance of the internal and external environments, and meets its primary purpose of, through strategic systemic cognitive process, align the definition of goals. The contribution of the study demonstrates the applicability of the methodology of scenarios and highlights by evaluation of the participants, that the chosen procedures result in the transformation of signification areas.