In this study, we numerically explore methods of coupling sensitivity analysis to the reduced model in order to increase the accuracy of a proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) basis across a wider range of parameters. Various techniques based on polynomial interpolation and basis alteration are compared. These techniques are performed on a 1-dimensional reaction-diffusion equation and 2-dimensional incompressible Navier-Stokes equations solved using the finite element method (FEM) as the full scale model. The expanded model formed by expanding the POD basis with the orthonormalized basis sensitivity vectors achieves the best mixture of accuracy and computational efficiency among the methods compared. / Master of Science

This thesis examines the meanings that nurses attach to the concept of “cultural sensitivity”. The findings are drawn from an extensive review of nursing's formal discourse (the nursing literature) and nurses' informal discourse (indepth interviews with 31 nurses practising in Southern Ontario). An analysis of this discourse shows that there are different emphases in the formal and informal discourse, and considerable variability between nurses in how cultural sensitivity is understood. The two general orientations identified are control and humanism. A control orientation regards cultural sensitivity as a tool for increasing the efficiency of nursing care. A humanist orientation involves viewing cultural sensitivity as a process of personal growth that occurs between the nurse and client. The formal discourse in nursing tends to emphasize the control orientation while the informal discourse tends to give the humanist perspective more prominence. The thesis concludes by suggesting that efforts to promote cultural sensitivity will continue to be problematic so long as these differences in how the concept is understood are overlooked. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

No description available.

Recent work in the area of composite laminates has focused on the characterization of the strength of laminates constructed from very thin plies. Interlaminar shear and normal stress components have been shown to be concentrated on the edges, the so-called edge effect, of unidirectional laminates at the interface between plies of different fiber orientation. Research has shown that decreasing ply thickness can reduce these interlaminar stress edge effects, and delay delamination in quasi-isotropic laminate specimen for laminates of equal total thickness. First ply failure stress has also been shown to increase with decreasing ply thickness. For these reasons, there has been a great deal of interest in laminated composites constructed from very thin plies. This work studies the impact of manufacturing tolerances on ply orientation on the mechanical properties of the constructed laminate. Direct Monte Carlo simulation is used to model the variance introduced in the manufacturing process. First-order variance-based sensitivity analysis using a local analysis of variance technique is used to study the contribution of each individual ply to the variation in as built mechanical properties. Variation in mechanical properties of thick-ply and thin-ply laminate designs are compared to study if thin-ply laminate designs show more or less variation than their thick-ply counterparts. This work has found potential impacts of ply angle variation on variance of as-built stiffness in laminates of different ply thicknesses. These differences are attributable to the total ply count in a laminate. For a fixed height laminate, the ply count is inversely proportional to thickness, yielding the apparent benefit of thin plies. Using thinner plies in a sub-laminar stacking arrangement, repeating a sublaminate instead of repeating plies, reduces sensitivity to manufacturing errors and would suppress tranverse failure modes. / Master of Science / Carbon fiber reinforced polymer composites, a material consisting of carbon fiber filaments bound within a polymer matrix, are commonly used in aerospace applications for their excellent strength to weight ratio. This class of materials is highly tailorable, with strength and stiffness controlled by the number of fiber layers, their thickness, and each layer's respective orientation. Variability in these characteristics arising from manufacturing processes can result in changes in the laminate's engineering properties. This work shows that characterizing the impacts to the engineering properties through Monte-Carlo simulation of variability in the orientation is possible. A Monte-Carlo simulation is a type of statistical simulation where a sample population is generated using an assumed mean and standard deviation. Engineering and statistical analyses can then be performed on this sample population to determine the variability in the engineering properties of the population. In addition, the variability in the population can be studied as a function of each individual fiber layer to understand individual impacts based on orientation and position within the larger composite. Using these analysis techniques presented in this work allows for the study of laminate variability prior to manufacturing, allowing engineers to better understand the material during the design of complex aerospace structures.

Background: Current psychological theories of persecutory delusions appear limited in being able to explain their interpersonal nature. Unanswered questions include why the content of delusions mostly involves persecution by other people. Research into rejection including rejection sensitivity may provide a rational for delusion personalisation and also may indicate how rejection may be implicated in the maintenance of delusions. The aim of this study was to investigate responses to rejection for individuals with a psychosis that includes persecutory delusions compared with controls. Methodology: Participants (22 with psychosis with persecutory delusions, 18 with an anxiety disorder and 19 healthy individuals) played a computerised game of catch (Cyberball). Half of each group was either included or excluded, inducing a mood change in those rejected. Questionnaires were completed to measure mood change, indicating rejection sensitivity. A second task was completed enabling participants to react either antisocially or neutrally towards the game characters. Measures of psychological and demographic variables were also collected. Results: There was a large effect between the excluded and included participants. There was a null finding for the hypothesis that the psychotic group would have higher levels of rejection sensitivity than the anxious and healthy groups. There was also a null finding for the hypothesis that the psychosis group will be more likely to respond antisocially after rejection and make more negative attributions about the game character’s personalities. However, there was a trend for a the psychotic group to be more antisocial after inclusion. Conclusions: The results obtained in the study were contrary to those expected. Rejection appears to be a similarly negative experience for all participants, but differences may be observed behavioural responses with those with psychosis appearing ambivalent to inclusion or exclusion.

The objective of the work reported in this paper is one of a two-fold nature. The first objective is to develop a disk-plate sensitivity test that is more rapid than that of existing methods. The second requisite is that the materials, techniques, interpretation, and reporting of results be the sane as those required for the disk-plate method described in the Difco Manual.

MSc., Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, 2011 / The study investigates models and processes that could be used by decision-makers to influence policy. The objectives of the study are to illustrate the considerations in the use of information systems and modeling in the context of sustainable development in South Africa. The problem considered is that of measuring South Africa‟s progress toward sustainable development. The study is conducted at a national level. The design uses statistical indicators arranged into a model based information system using the Bellagio principles of 1996. The statistical indicators are assembled from the United Nations 1993 System of National Accounts, UN 1995 Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response framework, United Nations 2003 System of integrated Environmental and Economic Accounting, Basel Committee‟s 2004 Basel II framework, and South African Presidency 2010 Developmental indicators frameworks. The South African economy is conceptualised as a dynamic system composed of five types of capital. The fitted model is a vector autoregressive time series model of order p on a set of statistical factors that describe the South African economy. The robustness of the model to assumptions is evaluated using sensitivity and uncertainty analysis. The optimality of the model output for decision making is evaluated using decision theory. The study will facilitate an evidence based approach to managing South Africa‟s progress towards sustainable development.

Matrix models are formulated to study the dynamics of the structured populations. We consider closed populations, that is, without migration, and populations with migration. The effects of specific patterns of migration, whether with constant or time-dependent terms, are explored within the context of how they manifest in model output, such as population size. Time functions, commonly known as relative sensitivities, are employed to rank the parameters of the models from most to least influential in the population size or abundance of individuals per group

Behavioral approach sensitivity (BAS) has been found to relate to anger contrary to perspectives positing that BAS is only involved in positive emotions. The present study extends this work by examining relations between behavioral aggression and BAS and behavioral inhibition sensitivity (BIS) measures. Forty-three undergraduate participants were socially ostracized to induce anger, and then given an opportunity to behave aggressively. Higher levels of BAS relate to increased aggressive behavior, whereas higher levels of BIS related to decreased aggressive behavior.

In this dissertation, a continuum sensitivity method is developed for efficient and accurate computation of design derivatives for nonlinear aeroelastic structures subject to transient<br />aerodynamic loads. The continuum sensitivity equations (CSE) are a set of linear partial<br />differential equations (PDEs) obtained by differentiating the original governing equations of<br />the physical system. The linear CSEs may be solved by using the same numerical method<br />used for the original analysis problem. The material (total) derivative, the local (partial)<br />derivative, and their relationship is introduced for shape sensitivity analysis. The CSEs are<br />often posed in terms of local derivatives (local form) for fluid applications and in terms of total<br />derivatives (total form) for structural applications. The local form CSE avoids computing<br />mesh sensitivity throughout the domain, as required by discrete analytic sensitivity methods.<br />The application of local form CSEs to built-up structures is investigated. The difficulty<br />of implementing local form CSEs for built-up structures due to the discontinuity of local<br />sensitivity variables is pointed out and a special treatment is introduced. The application<br />of the local form and the total form CSE methods to aeroelastic problems are compared.<br />Their advantages and disadvantages are discussed, based on their derivations, efficiency,<br />and accuracy. Under certain conditions, the total form continuum method is shown to be<br />equivalent to the analytic discrete method, after discretization, for systems governed by a<br />general second-order PDE. The advantage of the continuum sensitivity method is that less<br />information of the source code of the analysis solver is required. Verification examples are<br />solved for shape sensitivity of elastic, fluid and aeroelastic problems. / Ph. D.