Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Cats – Behavior'

The behavior and facial expressions performed by cats have been reported to be visibly affected by the perceived taste quality of a food item. The goal of the present study was to assess how cats react to pleasant and unpleasant tastes. The facial and behavioral reactions of 13 cats to different concentrations of L-Proline and quinine monohydrochloride as well as mixtures with different concentrations of the two substances were assessed using a two-bottle preference test. The cats were videotaped during the tests and the frequency and duration of 50 different behaviors was analyzed in Noldus the Observer XT. The cats responded to tastes regarded as pleasant by having their eyes less than 50 % open for significantly longer periods of time compared to a water control. Tongue protrusions were also observed significantly more frequently when the cats sampled from a solution with a preferred taste compared to a water control. When encountering solutions of quinine monohydrochloride or mixtures containing quinine monohydrochloride the cats were observed to perform tongue protrusion gapes much more frequently compared to a water or L-Proline control. Even though the cats did not significantly differ in the number of times they licked at spouts containing the 50 mM L-Proline and 500 mM quinine monohydrochloride mixture compared to a 50 mM L-Proline, no masking effect could be confirmed as there was no increase in the acceptance of the mixture was observed. The present study suggests that the knowledge about behavioral responses to pleasant or unpleasant taste can be utilized in future studies on how cats perceive different tastes.

The larval stage of the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis felis (Bouche), was found to exhibit behaviors that were conducive to its security in carpet. Larvae exhibited positive geotactic, and negative phototactic behaviors. This resulted in the larvae spending greater than 80% of their time at the base of the carpet pile. Cat flea larvae also exhibited a positive hydrotaxis, and appeared to exhibit undirected movements when foraging. Larva were observed to respond to disturbances by coiling their body longitudinally. Cat flea hatched and unhatched eggs, and larval exuviae were found to be dispersed in a contagious fashion within carpet. The spatial pattern of the immature stages and remains was influenced by the habits of the pet host within a given room. First-instar larvae do not move far, if at all, from the location of eclosion. The movement of the larval stage is influenced by biotic and abiotic factors in the environment. Areas of high pedestrian or pet traffic are not conducive to successful eclosion from the egg or for successful larval development. Various methods of control exist for controlling an indoor infestation including both non-chemical and chemical tactics. A method for the physical control of immature stages in carpet is vacuuming. A beater-bar vacuum removes about 50% of the eggs but less than 30% of the larvae from a carpet. Chemical control tactics indoors are normally conducted using a compressed-air sprayer. Pressure within the application system is critical for creating spray patterns which can be overlapped to allow even insecticide coverage of the substrate. A compressed-air application system is not capable of delivering pesticides in a manner that will completely penetrate the carpet substrate to reach the base of the carpet. No significant differences in carpet penetration were observed over a range of 20 to 70 psi. Regardless of pressure, more than 93% of the solution applied to carpet was deposited in the upper third (6 mm) of the carpet. Pet owners were surveyed about their knowledge and perceptions of household infestations of the cat flea, and also about financial expenditures and their willingness to pay for a flea-free environment. The importance and the pest status of flea infestations were determined to be based on physical, psychological, and economic impacts on homeowners. Respondents' perceptions of infestations on their pet were associated with infestation levels in the house. The respondents were willing to pay more for flea control in July, the onset of the flea season, than they were at the peak or decline of the season. They were also willing to pay more as their perception of the intensity of the problem on the pet or in the home increased. Household income was not shown to affect a respondent's actual financial expenditures or his willingness to pay for flea control on the pet or in the home.
Ph. D.

O presente relatório foi elaborado na sequência do estágio curricular do Mestrado Integrado de Medicina Veterinária da Universidade de Évora, realizado no Hospital do Gato, entre setembro de 2019 e fevereiro de 2020. A primeira parte trata-se de uma análise casuística e breve descrição das atividades desenvolvidas e acompanhadas pela autora. Inclui revisões bibliográficas sucintas sobre uma afeção de cada área. A segunda parte do relatório é uma monografia sobre «Abordagem cat-friendly» na qual é também apresentado um caso clínico. A abordagem cat-friendly inclui o conhecimento do comportamento do gato, técnicas de contenção, realização de procedimentos e dicas para organização do CAMV (centro de atendimento médico veterinário) de modo a que o paciente felino se sinta o mais confortável e menos stressado possível; Abstract: Feline medicine and surgery The present report was written following the externship of the master’s degree in Veterinary Medicine of Universidade de Évora, performed at Hospital do Gato, between September of 2019 and February of 2020. The first part includes the case analysis and a brief description of the activities developed and accompanied by the author. It contains succinct bibliographic reviews about a disease from each field. The second part of the report is a monography about «Cat-friendly handling» including a clinical case. The cat-friendly handling incorporates the knowledge about cat behavior, restraint techniques, procedure techniques and tips for organizing and preparing the clinic in order to provide a more comfortable and less stressful visit for the pacient.

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Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
Companion animals grow geometrically and the lack of proper control favors the increase of these animals in the streets. Neutering is an important alternative for controlling the populations of dogs and cats, contributing to the reduction of abandoned animals, zoonoses, ill-treatment and many diseases with society. However, there is a reluctance of many of the tutors of these animals to castrate them, since they associate sterilization with something negative, such as the emergence of behaviors considered as unwanted. Therefore, the present study aimed to make an analysis of the perception of the population on the behavioral changes of companion animals after the surgical sterilization procedure. The work was carried out on companion animals from the rural communities of Mossoró / RN. A survey of the number of animals from each community was carried out. At the time, a questionnaire was applied and the animals were registered, followed by castration by Surgical sterilization in those animals in which the tutors accepted. After 6 (six) months the questionnaires were reapplied. Through the data obtained with the reapplication of the questionnaires we obtained that the number of sociable dogs changed from 73.30% to 68.10%, whereas the cats were from 80.80% to 72.90%; 53.9% of the dogs had a habit of leaving home, later this value increased to 56, 8%, however the cats changed from 73.9% to 58.9%; 90.5% of the dogs were considered active, at reapplication this value changed to 89.9%, the cats initially presented a percentage of 84.3% and changed to 83.8%. 26.4% of the dogs had a habit of urinating in the corners or in the surroundings of the house, but this value changed to 22.90%, already of the 40% of felines that had this characteristic, only 14.3% maintained it. As for the habit of destroying objects, 31.6% of the dogs had this behavior, but after castration only 12.5% remained with it, for this characteristic cats changed from 22.20% to 6.25%. 20% of the dogs showed aggression, but this percentage changed to 10.8%, while 20% of the dogs were aggressive and only 12.1% continued. We can conclude tutors from the rural communities of Mossoró / RN are formed by a majority of low income financial farmers, who noticed changes in the behavior of dogs and cats, also observing a reduction in the number of cats present in the streets, but did not notice a change in the environmental conditions
Os animais de companhia crescem de forma geométrica e a falta de um controle adequado favorece o aumento desses animais nas ruas. A esterilização cirúrgica é uma alternativa importante e para o controle das populações de cães e gatos, contribuindo para a redução dos animais abandonados, as zoonoses, os maus tratos e muitos agravos com a sociedade. No entanto, existe uma relutância de muitos dos tutores desses animais em castrá-los, pois associam a esterilização a algo negativo, como o surgimento de comportamentos tidos como indesejados. Portanto, o presente trabalho objetivou fazer uma análise da percepção da população sobre as alterações comportamentais dos animais de companhia após o procedimento cirúrgico de esterilização. O trabalho foi realizado em animais de companhia das comunidades rurais de Mossoró/RN, para isso foi feito um levantamento do número de animais de cada comunidade, na ocasião houve a aplicação de um questionário e o cadastramento destes animais, em seguida realizado a castração por esterilização cirúrgica, naqueles animais em que os tutores aceitaram. Após 6(seis) meses os questionários foram reaplicados. Através dos dados obtidos com a reaplicação dos questionários obtivemos que o número de cães sociáveis mudaram de 73,30% para 68,10%, enquanto que os gatos foram de 80,80% para 72,90%; 53,9% dos cães tinham hábito de sair de casa, posteriormente esse valor aumentou para 56,8%, no entanto os gatos mudaram de 73,9% para 58,9%; 90,5% dos cães eram considerados ativos, na reaplicação esse valor mudou para 89,9%,os gatos, inicialmente apresentavam uma porcentagem de 84,3% e mudou para 83,8%. 26,4% dos cães tinham hábito de urinar nos cantos ou aos arredores da casa, mas esse valor mudou para 22,90%, já dos 40% de felinos que tinham essa característica, apenas 14,3% o mantiveram. Quanto ao habito de destruir objetos, 31,6% dos cães tinham esse comportamento, mas após a castração apenas 12,5% permaneceram com ele, para esta característica os gatos mudaram de 22,20% para 6,25%. 20% dos cães se demonstraram agressivos, mas esse percentual mudou para 10,8%, enquanto que dos 20% dos felinos eram agressivos e apenas 12,1% continuaram. Podemos concluir os tutores das comunidades rurais de Mossoró/RN são formados por uma maioria de agricultores de baixa renda financeira, que notaram mudanças no comportamento dos cães e gatos, observando também uma redução no número de gatos presentes nas ruas, mas não notaram mudança das condições ambientais
2017-07-28

The greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis) is an ecosystem engineer, modifying the physical environment through their digging activity. Their burrows provide shelter and hunting or foraging opportunities for a variety of species. Bilbies have experienced a severe decline in abundance and are now restricted to approximately 20% of their former distribution, resulting in the species being listed as ‘Vulnerable’. This decline has been driven, in part, by predation pressure from introduced predators such as feral cats. Predators can directly impact prey species survival and may also cause a change in the behaviour of prey species as they respond to the risk of predation. We used camera traps to monitor bilby burrows at five sites in Western Australia, with varying levels of predation risk to bilbies by cats. We investigated the impact of feral cats on the behaviour of bilbies at burrows, particularly during highly vulnerable periods, while they dig and clear away soil or debris from the mouth of their burrow. We tested the effect of visitation by cats on the proportion of days a bilby was active, camera detection rate, and burrowing behaviour, the effect of different levels of predation risk (between site comparison) on bilby burrowing behaviour, and the time of night bilbies perform maintenance. We also tested if cat activity was influenced by lunar illumination. Overall, there was little evidence that bilbies avoided burrows after a visit by a feral cat; however, they reduced the time spent performing burrow maintenance in the days following a cat visit (p=0.010). Bilbies performed varying amounts of burrow maintenance, and at different times of the night between sites. Finally, cat activity at bilby burrows significantly increased with lunar illumination (p=0.010) but was not influenced by bilby camera detection rate. Our results show that bilbies in the West Kimberley are not as naïve to feral cats as previously thought.

This thesis presents an econometric test of the offsetting behavior hypothesis concerning drivers of light trucks relative to cars. The main objective is to determine whether drivers of light trucks offset perceived safety benefits associated with larger vehicles by driving more aggressively than drivers of cars, subsequently causing more fatal crashes, holding all else constant. An empirical model using data on pedestrian fatalities across the United States over a five-year period is developed and analyzed in order to capture the desired results. Estimates provide substantial evidence in support of the offsetting behavior hypothesis. To strengthen the case for driver offsetting behavior beyond previous studies, the model is estimated again using pedalcyclist fatalities. The results also point to interesting conclusions regarding the effects of increased speed limits on the behavior of drivers.
M.A.A.E.
Department of Economics
Business Administration
Applied Economics

The topic of this dissertation was the use of distributed computing to improve the modeling of the interaction between passenger cars and trucks. The two main focus areas were the development of a methodology to combine microscopic traffic simulation programs with driving simulator programs, and the application of a prototype distributed traffic simulation to study the impact of the length of an impeding vehicle on passing behavior. The methodology was motivated by the need to provide an easier way to create calibrated traffic flows in driving simulations and to capture vehicle behavior within microscopic traffic simulations. The original design for the prototype was to establish a two-way, real time exchange of vehicle data, however problems were encountered that imposed limitations on its development and use. The passing study was motivated by the possible changes in federal truck size and weight regulations and the current inconsistency between the passing sight distance criteria for the design of two lane highways and the marking of no-passing zones. Test drivers made passing maneuvers around impeding vehicles that differed in length and speed. The main effects of the impeding vehicle length were found to be significant for the time and distance in the left lane, and the start and end gap distances. Passing equations were formulated based on the mechanics of the passing maneuver and included behavior variables for calibration. Through a sensitivity analysis, it was shown that increases in vehicle speeds, vehicle length, and gap distance increased the distance traveled in the left lane, while increases in the speed difference and speed gain decreased the distance traveled in the left lane. The passing equations were calibrated using the current AASHTO values and used to predict the impact of increased vehicle lengths on the time and distance in the left lane. The passing equations are valuable for evaluating passing sight distance criteria and observed passing behavior.

In the process of developing cast iron and cast aluminium components, the co-operation between product development and production is important. On the engineering level, this co-operation is limited already in the product development phase e.g. by the lack of established methods to consider the mechanical behaviour of the completed component. This thesis aims to increase the possibilities for co-operation in the product realisation process between product development and production by enabling the use of predicted local mechanical behaviour in structural analyses of cast components. A literature review on existing simulation methods and a work on characterization of mechanical behaviour from microstructural features are performed to identify important knowledge gaps. A simulation strategy is formulated that is able to predict local mechanical behaviour throughout the entire component and incorporate the behaviour into a Finite Element Method (FEM) simulation of the structural behaviour of the component. In the simulation strategy, the component specific microstructure-based mechanical behaviour is predicted using a casting process simulation. A computer program is developed to create FEM material definitions that capture the local variations in mechanical behaviour throughout the component. The relevance of the simulation strategy is demonstrated for a ductile iron component. It is found that the local variations in mechanical behaviour result in a stress-strain distribution in the component that a homogeneous material description fails to express. Residual stresses affect the mechanical behaviour at low loads. At higher loads, however, the accuracy of the simulation is determined by the local variations in mechanical behaviour. Using a material reduction technique, the local mechanical behaviour can be incorporated without increasing the FEM simulation time.

Young drivers have markedly higher motor vehicle crash-risk and crash involvement rates than do older drivers, and are severely over-represented in both morbidity and mortality rates related to vehicle crashes. Underpinning these findings is the tendency for young drivers to engage in more risk-taking whilst driving than older drivers. The current research focuses on unsafe driving behaviours. Unsafe driving behaviours satisfy Arnett’s (1992) three criteria of recklessness: they lack mainstream social approval and may even involve violations of the law; they carry strong connotations of negative consequences by placing drivers and/or their passengers at risk of morbidity, mortality, and other negative outcomes; and, by definition, they involve deliberate deviations from safe driving. Examples of these behaviours include speeding, tailgating, driving whilst using a mobile phone, driving whilst under the influence of alcohol and other psychoactive substances, and driving whilst tired or fatigued, all of which compromise both driving performance and driving safety. These are also more common amongst younger than older drivers. The current dissertation describes an application of Mischel and Shoda’s (1995) Cognitive-Affective Personality System (CAPS) to unsafe driving behaviours. CAPS is a meta-theoretical framework that fuses research from cognitive-social theory, as well as research on connectionism and activation. CAPS posits that personality consists of a mental representation comprised of a stable system of processes or dispositions, called Cognitive-Affective Units (CAUs), which mediate the relationship between features of the situation and subsequent behaviours. The CAPS model is distinctive in that it allows researchers to evaluate multiple, relevant predictors within a comprehensive, general framework and allows for the assessment of their inter-relations.
Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
School of Applied Psychology
Griffith Health
Full Text

Commonly reported refractoriness in feline cases of inappropriate urination, in spite of well established diagnosis schema and therapeutic regimens, emphasizes the need for reviewing traditional concepts and conducts. A case-control study with 18 "sprayer" and 23 "toileter" cats, and their respective controls from the same multi-cat households (3-9 cats), was performed to investigate the following aspects: disease, stress, personality, emotionality and social behaviour. A high prevalence of medical problems, including some alterations of the upper urinary tract, was equally found among "sprayers" and "toileters". Cystoscopy of female participant cats led to a probable diagnosis of interstitial cystitis in one "sprayer" and one "toileter". Unreliable values concerning plama bioamines restricted our understanding of the cats emotionality, but faecal glucocorticoid levels indicated that cats from spraying households ("sprayers" and their controls) were more aroused (probably more stressed) than cats from the toileting households. Cat owners were not consistent in their opinions with regard to personality but their more direct observations in respect to inter-cat relationships indicated that neither spraying nor toileting was associated with cats´ social behaviour or status. About recorded behaviours, no differences were seen between cases and "controls" from either of the groups. However, proportionally more time spent moving (as opposed to stationary) by cats from spraying houses might have reflected the higher arousal states of the former. Results reiterate the importance of medical check-ups in any case of inappropriate urination. Furthermore, they suggest spraying as a feline attempt to cope in highly stressful environments.
Relatos comuns de refratariedade em casos de micção inapropriada em gatos, a despeito do esquema bem estabelecido de diagnóstico e regimes terapêuticos, enfatiza a necessidade de rever os conceitos tradicionais e condutas. Um estudo do tipo caso-controle com 18 gatos "sprayers" (manifestadores de marcação urinária) e 23 "toileters" (exibidores de micção fora da caixa sanitária), e seus respectivos controles oriundos das mesmas residências de mutiplos gatos (3-9 gatos), foi realizado para investigar os seguintes aspectos: doença, estresse, personalidade, emotividade, e comportamento social. A alta prevalência de problemas médicos, incluindo algumas alterações do trato urinário superior, foi igualmente encontrada entre os "sprayers" e "toileters". Cistoscopia realizada em fêmeas participantes da pesqusa levou ao provável diagnóstico de cistite intersticial em uma gata "sprayer" e uma "toileter". Valores não confiáveis de bioaminas plasmáticas restringiram nossa compreensão da emotividade dos gatos, mas os níveis de glicocorticóides fecais indicaram que os gatos das casas "spraying" ("sprayers" e seus controles), mostraram-se mais agitados (provavelmente mais estressados) do que os gatos das casas "toileting". Os proprietarios não se mostraram consistentes nas suas opiniões em relação à personalidade dos seus gatos, mas suas observações diretas a respeito das relações gato-gato indicaram que nem o "spraying" tampouco o "toileting" mostrou-se associado ao comportamento social e status do gato. Em relação aos comportamentos registrados em vídeo, não foram observadas diferenças entre "casos e "controles " em nenhum dos grupos. Entretanto, o maior tempo gasto movendo (proporcionalmente ao em estado estacionário) por gatos das casas "spraying" em comparação com aqueles das casas "toileting" pode ter refletido os estados mais elevados de excitação dos primeiros. Os resultados reiteram a importância dos "check-ups" médicos em qualquer caso de micção inapropriada. Além disso, sugere-se a marcação urinária como uma tentativa do felino para lidar em ambientes altamenteestressantes.

Boron addition has been used to refine the microstructures in TiAl castings, such as LPT blades, to improve ductility. However, boride precipitates with undesired morphologies could reduce ductility and even wipe out the entire benefit from grain refinement. Boride morphology in Ti45Al2Mn2Nb1B was found to be closely related to solidification conditions and proper processing windows have been established. In order to improve temperature capability of cast TiAl alloys to cater for the demand in new engines TiAl alloys have to be alloyed with more refractory elements, such as Nb and Ta, which will inevitably affect the boride morphologies. In this study variant alloys based on Ti45Al2Mn2Nb1B have been investigated with emphasis on the relationship between boride morphology, alloying element species and cooling conditions and distinctly different boride formation behaviour in different alloys was observed. In addition, curvy borides were found both on the fracture surface and within the microstructure in tensile test pieces, especially in Hf-containing test pieces, which indicate that curvy borides have the strongest effect in reducing ductility regardless of alloy composition.

There has been a consistent discrepancy between UK design standards BS5400 and BS8110 in the prediction of the shear capacity of 2-way spanning reinforced concrete pile caps from bending theory-based empirical design formulae. This causes designers difficulty to predict an accurate shear capacity of the pile cap. The inherently empirical character of the formulae is due to the fact that the formulae have been extrapolated from semi-empirical shear formulae for simply supported deep 1-way spanning beam structures, and been further empirically developed for 2-way spanning caps. Thus the essential cause of the discrepancy is that the formulae lack both physical explanation in terms of the cap’s shear behaviour, and sufficient basis as empirical formulae due to the shortage of experimental data. This research focuses on the revelation of the true shear capacity and failure mechanism of pile caps by consideration of a particular prototype form, namely a singly reinforced four-pile concrete cap under wall loading. It is aided by a series of laboratory experiments which are validated by an advanced non-linear numerical modelling for the reinforced concrete structure. The experience from the numerical modelling is taken further to carry out a parametric study expanding the sample size to a range covering more practical samples and covering different load patterns in order to enrich the limited data from the experiments. The results give a verdict that both BS5400 and BS8110 are conservative with the former one most conservative. The level of conservatism of the standards, the actual shear capacity and failure mechanism of the cap vary with key pile cap dimensions such as longitudinal and transverse pile spacing, shear enhancement factor, and the width of the cap over which the shear enhancement factor is applied. The shear behaviour of pile caps is also influenced by the load patterns. In this research, the strut-and-tie method has been proved to be a more efficient and precise method than the empirical formulae because it presents a physical explanation of the shear mechanism. Suggestions to improve the design method are given. A particular feature of this research is the application of a digital photogrammetry technique (PIV), normally applied in soil and fluid mechanics, to a solid mechanics situation. The tool has successfully detected the full-field displacement on the concrete surface and strains which are of high magnitude. The outputs have been compared with those from numerical modelling and they are in the same order of magnitude. The thesis describes the procedure of the application and an analysis of errors expected to occur in its application.

A Cast Modular Ductile Bracing System (CMDB) has been developed as an alternative to special concentrically braced frames. The CMDB system introduces cast components at the ends and center of the brace in an attempt to produce a system with reliable strength, stiffness, and deformation capacity. A cruciform cross-section has been chosen for the cast component geometry, which is specially detailed to enhance energy dissipation and increase low cycle fatigue life thereby reducing the likelihood of fracture. In this dissertation, capacity design parameters are established that describe the axial strength and flexural strength of the cast components relative to the main hollow structural section member. These parameters are varied in 2D finite element models to understand the nature of the system and identify the best performing designs. The cruciform shape of the casting is varied to produce better performance and self-centering enhancements are introduced. 3D FE models of the CMDB system and a typical special concentrically braced frame, in combination with fracture indices, are used to compare the expected low cycle fatigue life of the two systems. The dynamic performance of the system is assessed through nonlinear finite element anaylses and conclusions are drawn. The performance of the system is proved experimentally.

Two full-scale reinforced concrete bridge pier caps were constructed and tested to investigate the influence of concrete strength on their behaviour. The amount of uniformly distributed reinforcement required for crack control at service load levels was also varied in order to investigate the suitability of current design approaches for these disturbed regions. In addition, strut-and-tie models, refined strut-and-tie models and non-linear finite element analyses are used to predict the complete behaviour of the test specimens.

O presente estudo teve como principal objetivo demonstrar o uso da análise de sistemas comportamentais, mais especificamente, o Modelo de Engenharia de Sistemas Comportamentais, no aprimoramento dos serviços prestados pelo Centro para o Autismo e Inclusão Social, da USP. Os objetivos específicos foram: definir a missão do CAIS; reorganizar os processos a partir da definição da missão; estabelecer indicadores de feedback dos principais subsistemas que compõem o sistema processador e descrever o passo a passo da aplicação das ferramentas da Análise de Sistemas Comportamentais. O método utilizado foi a pesquisa-ação, caracterizada por ser um tipo de pesquisa social, com base empírica, que é concebida e realizada em estreita associação com uma ação ou com a resolução de um problema coletivo e no qual os pesquisadores e os participantes representativos da situação ou do problema estão envolvidos de modo cooperativo ou participativo. Os principais resultados foram o estabelecimento de dados de feedback do sistema processador, que antes do estudo não existiam, como os dados de pré e pós-testes realizados pelos terapeutas antes e após as aulas, os resultados das avaliações em tentativas discretas às quais os terapeutas foram submetidos, dados sobre a frequência em aula e sua correlação com os resultados nas avaliações. Os resultados do sistema receptor foram informações sobre os egressos, quanto à atuação na área do autismo e os resultados de avaliação das crianças no VB-Mapp, antes e após o início das intervenções. Outro resultado do presente trabalho foi a criação de uma disciplina específica de graduação, intitulada Análise do Comportamento Aplicada ao Autismo, garantindo maior visibilidade e estabilidade do trabalho realizado pelo CAIS e, consequentemente, maior número de alunos de graduação matriculados semestralmente na disciplina. Conclui-se que, de todas as etapas do modelo de intervenção utilizado, a fundamental foi a definição do macrossistema e da missão do CAIS. A partir dessas definições, vários processos foram redesenhados e tarefas distribuídas, possibilitando a coleta de dados de feedback, fundamental para o planejamento e decisões tomadas a cada mudança de semestre
The main objective of the present study was to demonstrate the use of the behavioral systems analysis, more specifically, the Behavioral Systems Engineering Model, in the improvement of the services provided by the Center for Autism and Social Inclusion, (CAIS-USP). The specific objectives were: defining the mission of the CAIS; reorganize the processes from the definition of the mission; establishing feedback indicators of the main subsystems that compose the processor system and describe the step-by-step application of Behavioral Systems Analysis tools. The method applied was action research, characterized by being a type of social research, with empirical basis, that is conceived and carried out in close association with an action or with the resolution of a collective problem and in which the researchers and the representative participants (situation or problem) are involved in a cooperative or participative manner. The main results were the establishment of feedback data from the processor system, which before the study did not exist, such as the pre and post test data performed by the therapists before and after classes, the results of the discrete trial assessment to which the therapists were submitted to, data on the frequency in class and its correlation with the results of evaluations. The results of the receptor system were information about the alumni, regarding the performance in the autism area and the results of the children´s assessments in the VB-Mapp, before and after the beginning of the interventions. Another result of the present study was the creation of a specific undergraduate discipline, entitled Applied of Behavior Analysis to Autism, guaranteeing greater visibility and stability of the work carried out by CAIS and, consequently, a higher number of undergraduate students enrolled in each semester. Considering all the stages of the applied intervention model, the conclusion is that the most fundamental one was the definition of the macrosystem and the mission of the CAIS. From these definitions, several processes had been redesigned and tasks were distributed, allowing the collection of feedback data, fundamental for the planning and decisions taken in each semester

This degree project investigates the suitability of using Behavior Trees (BT) as an architecture for the behavioral layer in autonomous driving. BTs originate from video game development but have received attention in robotics research the past couple of years. This project also includes implementation of a simulated traffic environment using the Unity3D engine, where the use of BTs is evaluated and compared to an implementation using finite-state machines (FSM). After the initial implementation, the simulation along with the control architectures were extended with additional behaviors in four steps. The different versions were evaluated using software maintainability metrics (Cyclomatic complexity and Maintainability index) in order to extrapolate and reason about more complex implementations as would be required in a real autonomous vehicle. It is concluded that as the AI requirements scale and grow more complex, the BTs likely become substantially more maintainable than FSMs and hence may prove a viable alternative for autonomous driving.

Airbags are a passive safety technology, required to function with zero failure rate. Advances in Computer Aided Engineering have allowed vehicle manufacturers to predict material and system behavior in the event of a crash. The sudden and rapid nature of a vehicle frontal crash, together with strict requirements put on safety make this a sensitive task. This thesis focuses on the front passenger airbag deployment and the instrument panel’s response. Various airbag modelling techniques are studied and presented in this document. This work is part of a larger-scale attempt to model a generic-sled that is physically representative of a real vehicle. Various component tests are to be performed in the sled environment, as opposed to a real vehicle, to save costs. Various modules are added to the sled once their behavior is verified by testing and in simulations. Software are advanced enough to identify location and magnitude of stress concentrations that develop during crash. LS-DYNA is used for explicit finite element simulations of the instrument panel (IP) in question with different airbag models. Verification has been achieved by design of experiment (DOE); with tests conducted to capture both the movements of the airbag housing and IP movements in response. These movements are broken down in various phases, facilitating implementation in the sled environment. Simplifications are made both to the computer models as well as the physical testing environment. The effects of these simplifications are quantified and discussed. Theoretical background is provided where fit while assumptions are justified wherever made. DYNAmore recommendations regarding costeffective calculations as well as result verification are followed. The obtained results show that the FE models replicate the real event with acceptable precision. The findings in this work can, by minor tweaks, be implemented on other IP models in the Volvo Cars range, leading to cost-saving solutions. This thesis provides the necessary information for sled implementations as well as future improvement suggestions.
Krockkudde är en s.k. passiv säkerhetsteknik som krävs att fungera felfritt. Framsteg inom Computer Aided Engineering har tillåtit biltillverkare att förutsäga material och systembeteende i samband med krock. Den plötsliga karaktären av krock, tillsammans med höga säkerhetskrav, gör detta till en känslig uppgift. Denna avhandling fokuserar på passagerarsidans krockkudde och instrumentbrädans (IP) respons under uppblåsning. Olika metoder för modellering av krockkuddar har studerats och presenteras i detta dokument. Arbetet är en del av en större skala försök att modellera en generisk-släde som är fysiskt representativ av en riktig bil; där olika komponent-tester skall utföras för att minska kostnader. När olika modulers beteende verifieras läggs de till släden. Denna verifiering sker genom finita element (FE) simuleringar så väl som fysiska tester. FE mjukvara är idag tillräckligt avancerad för att identifiera samt visualisera spänningskoncentrationer som uppstår i en konstruktion vid krock. LS-DYNA används i detta arbete för explicita FE simuleringar av en Volvo XC90 IP, lastad med olika krockkudde-modeller. Modell verifiering har uppnåtts genom försöksplanering (DOE); med tester utförda för att fånga rörelser av IP så väl som krockkudde-behållaren. Dessa rörelser är sedan uppdelade i olika faser för enklare genomförande i släde miljön. Förenklingar och antaganden görs både till FE modeller och fysiska testmiljön. Effekter av dessa har kvantifierats och relevant teoretisk bakgrund har inkluderats. Dokumentet innehåller även diskussion kring val av mätutrustning samt förbättringsförslag för fortsatt arbete. DYNAmore rekommendationer gällande kostnadseffektiva beräkningar och verifiering av simulerings-resultat har följts. Under arbetet visade sig att FE modellerna kan återskapa händelsen med hög noggrannhet; dessa trotts svårigheter i modellering av plast material. Möjligtvis kan man, genom mindre modifieringar, relatera slutsatserna i detta arbete till olika IP modeller i företagets produktkatalog vilket förmodligen leder till ytterligare kostnadsbesparingar. Denna avhandling ger den information som behövs för genomföranden i den generiska miljön.

Background: The Swedish island Gotland provides suitable conditions for the successful implementation of electric cars. Despite these conditions and the availability of the product in the Gotlandic market, electric cars do not find acceptance among consumers on Gotland. This phenomenon of consumer resistance behavior represents a rather under-researched area in current literature. Since resistance behavior is one of the main reasons responsible for the high failure rate of innovative products such as electric cars, this justifies the relevance of this study. Purpose: The aim of this study is to explore the reasons for consumer resistance behavior towards electric cars on Gotland. By answering this question, the authors intend to contribute not only theoretically to the existing theory of this phenomenon but also to shed new light on the special case of Gotland regarding the non-adoption of electric cars. Methodology: In order to answer the research question, an exploratory case study approach was chosen. Quantitative data in form of a questionnaire as well as qualitative data including a group interview and six expert interviews were collected and analyzed. Key findings: The barriers preventing consumers on Gotland from adopting electric cars are rooted in four different areas. First, functional barriers occur due to the limited range of electric cars, the existing charging infrastructure, the purchase cost, as well as the technological development status of the car batteries. Second, institutional barriers arise since the local government does not provide sufficient support for the further implementation of electric cars and related issues. Third, a contextual barrier in terms of the local car industry was figured out. This contributes a lot the last identified barrier, the cognitive barrier, which concerns the consumers themselves since their lacking knowledge and awareness about issues related to electric cars on Gotland is one of the main reasons for the resistance towards this innovation. As long as these barriers exist, consumers tend to postpone the buying decision of this product to a future point in time.

This study examined indirectly the behaviour of zinc phosphate cement used to lute cast gold crowns. In order to standardise an in vitro method, cast nickel chrome dies were to represent natural molar teeth prepared to receive full gold crowns whilst the cast gold crowns were produced using standardised laboratory techniques. Initial work was undertaken to develop methods to control the distribution and film thickness of the cement beneath the crown. These were investigated together with the effects of preparations geometry and casting rigidity. Cement coverage had a strong influence on strain distribution. Increasing the cement film thickness led to an increase in compressive microstrain in the walls of the crowns, whilst both increasing the convergence angle and reducing the axial wall height of the preparation increased the axial compressive microstrain. However, the influence of axial wall height was greater than that of convergence angle. The influence of the casting rigidity showed an interesting finding. Heat treatment of the crown did not show differences in microstrain compared with the as cast control group, but increasing the occlusal surface thickness by a factor of three doubled the compressive axial microstrain recorded. The strain response curves for uncemented, partially cemented and fully cemented gold crowns to increasing static loads were recorded: these data were used to characterise the microstrain measurements from the later series of dynamic loading experiments. In the dynamic loading series, the crowns were partially cemented on their dies and axial loading was applies between 0-450N for approximately 300,000 cycles with a frequency of about 2Hz. In a series of four experiments, pairs of crowns were tested dry, immersed in water, in water and acid, and in acid alone (pH 2.74). The results were plotted as microstrain against a number of cycles. These showed that the hydration had a strong effect on the strain recorded on the axial surfaces of the cemented crowns compared with the dry samples. Whilst the presence of pure water decreased the microstrain, the presence of acid increased it. The pronounced effects were recorded in the presence of acidic media. Microscopic investigation showed damage to the luting cement was increased by the presence of moisture and further increased by the presence of acid. The conclusions drawn from this study were that the use of axially-placed strain gauges provided a method for monitoring the strain in the axial walls of cast gold crowns cemented with zinc phosphate cement. The strains were indicative of the condition of the bond between the die and crown provided by the cement. This method has further application in the non-destructive monitoring of the bond provided by luting cements between an indirect restoration and the underlying preparation.

Mold behavior, mold-related quality and the columnar-to-equiaxed transition influenced by in-mold EMS were examined by performing trials at two steel companies, metallurgical examination of the billet samples and mathematical modelling. The thermal fields in the walls of billet molds (102 X 102mm and 127 X 178mm) and in the cooling water were monitored by a system of thermocouples as the EMS was switched on and off during the continuous casting of several heats. The effect of electro-magnetic stirring on mold heat extraction was found to be negligible. The mold temperatures and cooling water temperatures are strongly dependent on the mold/billet gap which is affected by dynamic distortion of the mold tube. In the case of the square mold, the time-dependent mold distortion resulted from boiling adjacent to the cold face due to low water velocity and poor water quality. In the rectangular mold, differential expansion of the wide and narrow faces of the mold led to periodic wall movement at the midface causing cycling in the mold and water temperature. Both effects completely dominated any potential influence of EMS on mold heat extraction. Cooling water velocities measured in separate experiments and the mold temperature profiles were input to a two-dimensional heat-flow model to establish mold heat-flux profiles. A steep taper of 2.6 %/m in the upper regions of the mold increased heat extraction compared to previously published heat-flux data in 0.8 %/m tapered-molds. However, due to the periodic wall movement in the rectangular mold, the heat flux declines to lower values periodically. The calculated heat flux profiles were employed in a one-dimensional transient heat flow model to predict superheat removal from the liquid pool under a variety of assumed fluid flow conditions. The major heat flow effect of EMS was inferred to be one of increasing the convective heat flow at the solidification front leading to earlier superheat extraction from the liquid steel. Solidification structures in billet samples collected during the trials were examined. The columnar-to-equiaxed transition in continuous casting takes place provided all the superheat is removed from the melt and there is a sufficient density of nuclei present in the pool. At superheats of <20° C in the tundish, high heat extraction in the mold and remelting of the mold generated nuclei facilitate the removal of the superheat well within the mold and the columnar-equiaxed transition is triggered after 10-15 mm of shell growth on both the inside and outside radius faces. At higher superheat in the tundish, the liquid pool leaves the mold with residual superheat which takes longer to remove because of the declining fluid flow. Even though all the superheat is removed lower in the machine, the columnar-equiaxed transition occurs only if dendrite debris generated in the vicinity of the mold has survived in their descent through the superheated liquid. The effect of carbon on the columnar-to-equiaxed transition appears to stem from its influence on facilitating dendrite arm remelting and the survival of the dendrite fragments till the pool reaches sub-liquidus temperature. EMS extracts more superheat by maintaining a steep temperature gradient in the thermal boundary ahead of the solidification front and achieves an earlier columnar-equiaxed transition. Electro-magnetic stirring appears not to affect either the average depth or the variation of depth of oscillation marks across a given face. However, the electro-magnetically driven flow dominates the turbulance at the meniscus due to the input stream and stabilizes a meniscus shape with the result that the oscillation marks are also of a well-defined shape unlike the unstirred billets. No influence of EMS was found on the formation of "hooks" or the fine equiaxed crystal zone near the surface. The influence of EMS on inclining the growing dendrites appears to not come into effect until about 1 mm of shell has formed. It appears that the existence of the momentum boundary layer where the velocity of the rotating steel falls to zero at the surface is the reason for the absence of the influence of EMS on the subsurface solidification. Rhomboidity and off-corner crack formation were found to depend, as reported by previous researchers, on mold distortion and its dynamic nature. The absence of any effect of EMS on these defects is due to its lack of effect on mold heat transfer and thus mold distortion.
Applied Science, Faculty of
Materials Engineering, Department of
Graduate

The aim of this research is to use numerical optimisation to investigate the on-limit behaviour of an open wheel downforce type race car using the best compromise of modelling accuracy and computational effort. The current state of lap simulation methods are identified, and the GG speed diagram is described. The use of constrained optimisation, which is a form of optimal control, is used to develop the methods described in this thesis. A seven degree of freedom vehicle model validated by other researchers is used for method validation purposes, and is extended, where possible, to make the modelling of vehicle components more physically significant, without adversely affecting the computational time. This research suggests a quasi steady state approach that produces a GG speed diagram and circuit simulation tool that is capable of optimising vehicle parameters and subsystems in addition to the prevailing control vector of steer and throttle response. The use of numerical optimisation to optimise the rear differential hydraulic pressure and the roll stiffness distribution to maximise vehicle performance is demonstrated. The optimisation of the rear differential hydraulic pressure showed a very small improvement in vehicle performance in combined high speed braking and cornering, but highlighted the ability of the differential to affect the cornering behaviour of the vehicle. The optimisation of the roll stiffness distribution research showed that a significant improvement in the lateral acceleration capability of the vehicle could be achieved at all vehicle speeds between 20 and 80m/s, especially in combined braking and cornering. In addition, a parameter sensitivity study around a realistic Formula One vehicle setup was conducted, looking at the sensitivity of vehicle mass, yaw inertia, tyres, centre of gravity location and engine torque to vehicle performance. An investigation into the importance of the path finding calculation is also reported.

Company cars are vehicles that are provided to employees owned by companies and organizations. These cars are provided for work-related travels and are also used for travels with private purposes. The issue is the way that company cars are affecting travel behaviour of employees and their family members, which in turn have implications on climate policies within Europe and even from economic aspects. Therefore, this paper will consider the impact that company cars have on the travel behaviour of employees with company car in Sweden. The thesis methodology takes advantage of both quantitative and qualitative method. Gathered quantitative data from Transport Analysis (TrafikAnalysen) was analyzed by regression analysis and qualitative data is analyzed by PESTEL-framework. The main outcomes of this paper are that company cars change individual’s travel behaviour in Sweden in terms of longer driven kilometers, which include even private travels. This depends on both economic aspects and the fact that "driving a company car" is a part of employee's behaviour now. Besides that, future environmental problems are also consequences of negative impacts of company cars on travel behaviour.
Förmånsbilar är fordon som erbjuds från företag till anställda, som ägs av företag och organisationer. Dessa bilar tillhandahålls för arbetsrelaterade resor och används också för resor med privata ändamål. Problemet är det sättet som företagsbilar påverkar de anställdas och deras familjemedlemmars resbeteende, vilket i sin tur har konsekvenser för klimatpolitiken inom Europa och även från ekonomiska perspektiv. Därför, kommer denna uppsats att ta hänsyn tillhur företagsbilar påverkar resbeteendet av anställda som har förmånsbil i Sverige. Uppsatsen utnyttjar både kvantitativ och kvalitativ metod, där kvantitativa data analyseras med hjälp av regressionsanalys som är samlad av TrafikAnalysen och den kvalitativa delen analyseras genom PESTEL-framework. De viktigaste resultaten av denna uppsats är att förmånsbilar förändrar individens resbeteende i form av längre körda kilometer, vilket innebär även resor med privata syften. Detta beror på både ekonomiska aspekter och faktan att ”köra en förmånsbil” har blivit en vana hos de anställda. Dessutom, är framtida miljöproblem också konsekvenser av negativa påverkan som förmånsbilar har på individens resebeteende.

The retail world is today highly competitive and has seen its logics completely revolutionized by the introduction of e-commerce that have prompted a reaction from the retail market, requiring greater attention to the consumer. We therefore moved from the world of traditional marketing (generic flyer) to that of 1to1 marketing (specific attention to the customer, profiling and personalization of the assortment offer). In this context the need arises to introduce innovative tools that can allow the physical sales spaces to be kept competitive, interacting more with the customer in order to create a more relevant commercial proposal. As a consequence, the computer vision represented one of the possible means to carry out the behavioral analysis of the consumer useful for dynamically adapting the assortment proposal. DOOH (Digital Out Of Home) in its most widespread form of interactive point-of sale kiosks is one of the best tools to get in touch with the customer, create a synergy with him, listen to his needs in order to improve the offer, the level of service and therefore customer satisfaction. Next to DOOH, it is necessary to introduce further and time-continuous monitoring tools, which map the entire customer's shopping experience into the point of sale. For this purpose the egocentric vision is introduced through the use of cam narratives on board the trolleys, which allow a timely story of the consumer, called Visual Market Basket Analysis (evolution of Market Basket Analysis), which generates process functional alerts to the improvement of the service offered. The story of these approaches is provided in this PhD thesis, which tells the three-year course carried out, its experiments and possible future developments. This study has been conducted thanks to the support of Centro Studi S.r.l., a sister company of a privately owned consumer goods distribution company called Orizzonti Holding Group, located in southern Italy. The study has been implemented through an industrial application approach, in a real context (Futura Supermarkets). Consequently, the PhD thesis has considered the typical difficulties of a challenging environment, starting from the creation and acquisition of a dataset to the integration of the approach in the current business processes.

Orientador: Marco Antonio Teixeira
Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Matemática, Estatística e Computação Científica
Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-20T09:21:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Damacena_ThaisBorges_M.pdf: 1821590 bytes, checksum: 6b7242d4adbe1ac4b9b0dcbe04dd70b7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012
Resumo: Um campo vetorial descontínuo 3D sobre uma superfície suave de codimensão um, pode ser genericamente tangente a ambos os lados da superfície em um ponto p. Os pontos onde esse fenômeno ocorre são chamados de singularidade dobra-dobra. Nesse trabalho, estudamos a dinâmica local de um sistema dinâmico suave por partes tri-dimensional em uma dobra-dobra. Vimos que a dinâmica local depende principalmente de um único parâmetro que controla uma bifurcação. Especificamente no caso onde as dobras são ambas invisíveis, a chamada singularidade Teixeira, encontramos que o sistema pode admitir um fluxo exibindo dinâmica caótica, mas não determinística
Abstract: A 3D discontinuous vector field on a smooth surface of codimension one, can be generically tangent to both sides of the surface at a point p. The points where this phenomenon occurs are called two-fold singularities. In this project, we study the local dynamics of a three-dimensional piecewise smooth dynamical systems at a two-fold. We have seen that the local dynamics depends mainly on a single parameter that controls a bifurcation. Specifically in the case where the folds are both invisibles, the so-called singularity Teixeira, we find that the system can admit a flow exhibiting chaotic but non-deterministic dynamics
Mestrado
Matematica
Mestre em Matemática

AimSustainability has become an important factor to consider while buying goods and services. People are being more conscious toward environmental impacts of products and services. This attitude has motivated many businesses to develop their production in contact with sustainability. The aim of this paper is to investigate different consumer behaviors toward sustainability in general and in relation to vehicles in Norway and Sweden.ApproachThe project has been embarked by dividing it into two tasks.1. Analyzing past, present and future development, growth and importance of sustainability concept. Describe the role of Government authorities in Norway and Sweden to promote sustainable consumption.2. Investigating important factors of consumer behaviors which influence their buying decision toward sustainable products in general and in relation to sustainable vehicles. Highlight the role of vehicle manufacturing companies to promote sustainable consumption.MethodA research has been conducted in order to explore consumer behavior toward sustainability in Norway and Sweden. Research is based on Document study and primary research which include questionnaire survey with consumers and interviews with vehicle dealers. In addition an expert inquiry is conducted to light up consumer intensions in Norway and Sweden toward sustainability.ResultsThe result of investigation has been revealed in shape of analyses and conclusion at the end. A comparison has been made between primary research and secondary research and findings are overlapping. Sustainable vehicles are being more popular among consumers in Norway and Sweden. Consumption trends are changing over time and environmental friendly attitudes are more developing among Swedish consumers as compared to Norwegian.

The amount and morphology of the graphite phase largely controls the resulting properties of cast iron. For instance, in flake graphite cast irons the mechanical properties are low while the thermal conductivity is high. This is in contrast with spheroidal graphite cast irons where the mechanical properties are high and the thermal conductivity is low. These differences are due to the different graphite morphologies and must be accounted for in the design work and material selection of cast iron components. In this work the influence of the graphite phase on the elastic and plastic deformation behaviour of cast irons has been studied. The material grades studied originate from castings for marine diesel engine piston rings with different chemical analyses. Two groups of pearlitic cast iron materials were studied; one with differences in graphite morphology and one with grey irons that differed in graphite content. For these different material grades the mechanical properties were correlated to microstructural parameters. In addition to standard uniaxial tensile tests, acoustic emission measurements were used for the study of deformation. When studying the modulus of elasticity of the cast iron it was found that the modulus of elasticity of the inherent graphite phase depends on the roundness of the graphite particles and is due to the strong anisotropy of the graphite phase. A linear correlation between nodularity and the modulus of elasticity of the graphite phase was derived. This correlation made it possible to account for the anisotropy of the graphite phase in the model used. By applying the linear function when modelling the effective modulus of elasticity, a high accuracy between experimental and theoretical values was achieved. Another factor affecting the elastic response when subjecting a cast iron component to tensile load was found to be the plastic deformation that actually occurs at very low strains for all of the studied cast iron grades. It was observed that the plastic deformation in the low strain elastic region, quantified by using acoustic emission measurements, increased linearly with decreasing modulus of elasticity. These measurements showed that the amount of plastic deformation in the elastic region was largely controlled by the graphite morphology. It was concluded that as the roundness of the graphite particles increases, the plastic deformation activity in the elastic region decreases. The plastic deformation activity continued linearly into the pronounced plastic region of the tensile tests. A decrease in roundness or increase in graphite fraction resulted in an increase of the amount of plastic deformation and the strain hardening exponent. A dependence between strength coefficient and graphite fraction was observed. Models for the flow curves for pearlitic cast irons were developed and shown to accurately reproduce the observed experimental curves. The surveys performed and conclusions from this thesis will be helpful in the design of new cast iron materials.

The constitutive behaviour of the aluminum foundry alloy B206 has been investigated in both the as-cast and artificially aged states by combining compression, tension, hardness and calorimetry testing. Aluminum alloy B206 is a recently-developed high-strength foundry alloy that has strong potential for use in automotive, aerospace and energy applications. The results of the compression tests, performed on as-cast material and conducted on a Gleeble 3500 thermo-mechanical simulator over a broad range of temperature (50-530⁰C) and strain rates (10-³ ₋ 1s-¹), were used to develop an inclusive constitutive plastic flow behaviour model. A new unified constitutive model was introduced that combines a Ludwik model for flow stress description at low temperatures (50-300⁰C) with a Zener-Hollomon model at high temperatures (300-530⁰C) while accounting for the strain rate dependency of the transition between these two models. The results of the tensile tests, performed on the artificially aged material (ageing performed over a temperature range of 150-250⁰C and a heating duration range of 1-24h), were combined with the calorimetry experiments to develop a model that predicts yield strength. To fit the experimental data into a linear-fit type model that states the yield strength as a linear summation of the effective parameters, temperature and time dependency were introduced through a microstructural variable, precipitation fraction. The precipitation kinetics of B206 were described by an Avrami model that utilized the experimental data acquired from non-isothermal calorimetry followed by an analysis based on the Kissinger method. The remaining material constants in the linear-fit model were found by fitting the model against the tensile test results explaining the yield strength evolution up to the peak-aged state. The model predictions were then qualitatively compared to the results of the hardness measurements, restating the fast precipitation kinetics of B206 at the temperature range used during artificial aging and predicted by the Avrami model. Together, the developed models of B206 in the as-cast and artificially aged states can be used as part of a Through-Process model to optimize the performance of castings made from this alloy.
Applied Science, Faculty of
Engineering, School of (Okanagan)
Graduate

碩士
國立臺灣大學
獸醫學研究所
95
All the molecules secreted by the glands which secret chemical signals, some seem to transmit highly specific information between animals of the same species: the pheromones. Carnivora are identified as the mammalian species that have the most developed and varied types of pheromone-secreting glands, including cats and dogs. For the last 15 years, the functions of some pheromones in dogs and cats have been elucidated, and synthetic analogues of some of these are beginning to be used as a therapeutic approach in behavioral medicine. In the cat, five different facial pheromones named F1 to F5 have been isolated from the sebaceous secretions of the cheeks. At the present, the functions of three of them (F2, F3, and F4) have been identified. Feline facial pheromone is used to treat some behavior problems, including urine marking and scratching. The observation of the behavior of F3-treated cats shows not only a decrease in the unacceptable marking behavior but an improvement in feeding, scanning, and playing. It emphasizes that the positive effects of F3 in treating spraying are not only linked to the antagonism between facial and urine marking but also are related to a decrease in anxiety. F4 helps the resident cat to accept a newcomer, and it reduces the risk of aggression caused by handling. Confinement in an animal shelter is an extremely stressful experience for cats. Most cats become adjusted to a shelter environment within 2 to 5 weeks, but some never to confinement and remain distressed for months. We used synthetic analogue of FFP to cats in an animal shelter, and obverse the change of behavior. In our study, we selected adult cats (older than 6 months) in the animal shelter randomly. Assess the stress levels among cats by behavior observation and measurement of urine cortisol-creatinine ratio (UCCR) every 5 days. In second part of our study, we selected adult cats (older than 6 months) and treated them with analogue of F3 and placebo. We observed the behavior of cats and measured UCCR to evaluate the change of treatment. In the first part of the experiment, the behavior and UCCR were not significantly changed (P > 0.05 ) during the experiment period. In the second part of the experiment, it was significant difference on behavior (P<0.05) was observed between those treated with F3 and placebo, the UCCR of the former was significantly lower than that of the latter (P < 0.05).

碩士
中國文化大學
心理輔導學系
101
The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation of pet attachment, affectivity and pro-animal behavior among owners. Survey data were collected using an internet panel survey of 548 pet owners. The main research tools in this study included Scale of Pet Attachment, Scale of Affectivity and Scale of Pro-animal Behavior . Data was analyzed by descriptive statistics, means of t-test, one-way ANOVA, product-moment correlation, multiple regression and Structural equation modeling. The main findings were as follows: 1. On pet attachment , variables as follows had significant differences: gender (female> male), age of "intimate interaction" (late adulthood> middle adulthood), marital status of "intimate interaction" (married> unmarried), education level (senior high > bachelor's degree; graduate degree), living conditions "Caring action" (Alone> living with others), pet type (dog> cat), rearing time (more than two years> six months to less than one year) , rearing roles (primary> secondary caregivers).On affectivity, variables as follows had significant differences: gender of "positive affectivity " (female> male), marital status of "negative affectivity " (unmarried> married), living status of "negative affectivity " (suburban> Urban), rearing conditions of "positive affectivity " (now> once), rearing conditions of "negative affectivity " (once> now), raising roles of "positive affectivity " (primary> secondary caregivers); rearing roles of "negative affectivity "(secondary> primary caregivers).On pro-animal behavior, variables as follows had significant differences: gender (female> male), age (pre-adulthood > middle adulthood), educational level (senior high> bachelor's degree), pet type (dog; both> cat), number of pets (Two or more > one), raising roles (primary> secondary) variables had significant differences. 2. There were significant correlations among pet Pet attachment, affectivity and pro-animal behavior. 3. Pet attachment and positive affectivity could predict 23.5% variance of pro-animal behavior. 4. Pet owners’ gender, rearing roles, pet type, education level, rearing time could predict 13.7% variance of pet attachment. Pet owners’ gender, rearing roles could predict 5.0% variance of positive affectivity. Living patterns, rearing status, living situation, rearing roles could predict 4.8% variance of negative affectivity. Rearing role, pet type, number of pets, and Pet owners’ gender could predict 10.6% variance of pro-animal behavior. 5. The path model among the pet attachment, affectivity and pro-animal behavior was not valid. Finally, the implications of this study were discussed and recommendations for future animal welfare education were suggested.

Les maladies bucco-dentaires sont fréquemment rapportées en médecine vétérinaire et le traitement généralement nécessite l’extraction des dents. Cependant, la procédure est invasive et une évaluation à long terme ainsi qu’une gestion de la douleur sont nécessaires. En médecine vétérinaire, les opioïdes, les blocs anesthésiques locaux et les anti-inflammatoires non stéroïdiens sont administrés en intervention analgésique péri-opératoire. Par exemple, la buprénorphine est un opioïde analgésique puissant, hautement lipophile, et est principalement utilisé pour traiter la douleur aiguë. La buprénorphine est souvent administrée dans le cadre d'une analgésie multimodale. Les signes comportementaux de la douleur induite par les maladies bucco-dentaires n'ont pas été systématiquement étudiés chez les chats, et les connaissances actuelles sont principalement basées sur des preuves anecdotiques ou des études réalisées chez d'autres espèces. On ignore comment les maladies bucco-dentaires et le traitement (c'est-à-dire l'extraction dentaire) peuvent affecter la prise alimentaire péri-opératoire, les scores de douleur, les besoins analgésiques supplémentaires et les comportements chez les chats. En outre, il serait important de savoir si l’échelle de douleur basée sur l'expression faciale (Feline Grimace Scale: FGS) pourrait également être utilisée pour l'évaluation de la douleur buccale. Les objectifs du projet étaient 1) d'identifier les comportements spécifiques associés aux maladies bucco-dentaires en utilisant une évaluation par vidéo, et de les corréler aux scores de la douleur en temps réel, 2) d'évaluer l'impact des maladies bucco-dentaires et de la douleur sur la prise alimentaire et les comportements liés à l'alimentation, 3) de déterminer les effets du traitement des maladies bucco-dentaires sur le comportement, les scores de la douleur et la prise alimentaire, 4) d’évaluer la fiabilité inter-évaluateurs du FGS et 5) pour évaluer l'efficacité analgésique et les événements indésirables d'une formulation à haute concentration de formulation de chlorhydrate de buprénorphine (Simbadol, 1,8 mg / mL) en comparaison avec une formulation standard de chlorhydrate de buprénorphine (Vetergesic, 0,3 mg / mL) dans le cadre d'un schéma multimodal chez les chats subissant des extractions dentaires. Les hypothèses étaient que 1) des comportements spécifiques pourraient être identifiés et corrélés aux scores de la douleur en temps réel, 2) les chats atteints d'une maladie bucco-dentaire sévère auraient une consommation alimentaire plus faible et des scores de douleur plus élevés et nécessiteraient une analgésie de secours comparativement aux chats qui ne sont pas / minimalement atteints par une maladie bucco-dentaire, 3) le traitement des maladies bucco-dentaires réduirait la prévalence des comportements spécifiques ainsi que les scores de douleur et améliorerait la consommation alimentaire de ces animaux, 4) les scores FGS notés par différents évaluateurs seraient fiables et 5) Simbadol et Vetergesic produiraient tous deux des scores de douleur postopératoire, des événements indésirables, ainsi que le moment et la prévalence de l'analgésie de secours similaires lors de l'utilisation du Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale-Feline (CMPS-F). Le projet a été divisé en deux études et quatre articles (étude 1: articles 1 à 3, étude 2: article 4): 1) article sur le score de la douleur, les besoins en analgésie de secours et la quantité de nourriture ingérée chez les chats subissant un traitement oral, 2) article sur les comportements spécifiques induits par la douleur liés à la douleur buccale chez les chats sous traitement oral, 3) article sur la fiabilité inter-évaluateurs de la FGS chez les chats sous traitement oral, et 4) comparaison détaillée de l'efficacité analgésique de deux schémas posologiques en utilisant deux concentrations différentes de buprénorphine chez les chats subissant des extractions dentaires. Dans le premier article, vingt-quatre chats ont été répartis également en deux groupes: un groupe qui représente des maladies bucco-dentaires légères (traitement dentaire minimal) et un autre sévères (extractions dentaires multiples) sur la base d'un système de notation dentaire qui impliquait le nombre et l'emplacement de l'extraction des dents et hospitalisés pendant 7 jours (admission au jour 0, examen bucco-dentaire, radiographies et traitement sous anesthésie générale le jour 1 et sortie le jour 6). Pendant l'hospitalisation, les scores de douleur basés sur l'échelle composite de Glasgow (CMPS-F), la prévalence de l'analgésie de secours (CMPS-F ≥ 5/20), la prise d'aliments secs et mous (%) pendant 3 minutes et 2 heures, l'apport quotidien d'aliments mous et les cytokines inflammatoires sériques ont été analysés. Dans le deuxième article, les chats ont été filmés à distance pendant 10 min tout au long de l'étude à différents moments (au total 36h d'enregistrement vidéo). Les vidéos se composaient de quatre parties soit les comportements généraux, de jeu, d'alimentation et post-alimentation. La durée et la fréquence des différents comportements basés sur un éthogramme ont été analysées. Dans le troixième article, quatre-vingt-onze captures d'images (c'est-à-dire des captures d'écran) à partir de vidéos filmées aux jours 1 (postopératoire 6 heures) et 6 pour l'article 2 et des vidéos filmées avant / après l'analgésie de sauvetage ont été incluses. Le FGS comprend cinq unités d'action (AU): les yeux, les oreilles, le museau, les moustaches et la position de la tête. Les scores FGS des images ont été évalués indépendamment par quatre évaluateurs en aveugle. La fiabilité inter-évaluateurs de chaque score AU et FGS total et l'effet de la présence du soignant ont été évalués. Dans l'étude 2 (article 4), vingt-trois chats subissant des extractions dentaires ont été inclus. Les chats ont reçu aléatoirement soit Simbadol (1.8 mg/mL; 0.24 mg/kg SC, toutes les 24 heures, n = 11) ou Vetergesic (0.3 mg/mL; 0.02 mg/kg IM, toutes les 8 h, n = 12) tout au long de l'étude. Ils ont été admis au jour 0, ont subi un examen oral, des radiographies et un traitement sous anesthésie générale le jour 1 et ont été libérés le jour 4. La sédation et la douleur ont été évaluées à l'aide de l'échelle visuelle analogique interactive dynamique (jour 1) et CMPS-F, respectivement. Les scores de sédation, de douleur et la prévalence de l'analgésie de secours (CMPS-F ≥ 5/20) et du ressentiment (défini comme tout type de comportement d'évitement associé à l'aversion pour l'administration de médicaments) ont été analysés statistiquement. Les études ont montré que les scores de la douleur et la prévalence de l'analgésie de secours étaient significativement élevés, ainsi que les apports d'aliments secs et mous étaient significativement diminués chez les chats atteints d'une maladie grave par rapport à ceux présentant une maladie légère. De surcroit, la maladie buccale influence les cytokines inflammatoires et induit des comportements. Par ailleurs, Le FGS est un outil fiable pour l’évaluation de la douleur buccale et n’est pas affecté par la présence du soignant. En outre, les scores de la douleur et la prévalence de l'analgésie de secours chez les chats auxquels Simbadol a été administré n'étaient pas significativement différents de ceux administrés par Vetergesic. De plus, certains chats administrés par Vetergesic ont développé un ressentiment à l'égard de l'administration du médicament, qui n'était pas significativement différent de ceux administrés par Simbadol. Une analgésie à long terme est nécessaire après des extractions dentaires chez les chats atteints d'une maladie bucco-dentaire sévère. La diminution de l'apport alimentaire et les comportements spécifiques identifiés dans les études pourraient être utilisés pour différencier entre les chats douloureux des chats indolores dans la pratique clinique. Le FGS est un outil fiable pour l'évaluation de la douleur chez les chats subissant des extractions dentaires. Simbadol a produit des effets analgésiques similaires à Vetergesic sans induire un ressentiment pendant l'administration du médicament.
Oral disease is one of the most commonly reported diseases in veterinary medicine, and tooth extractions are commonly required as the treatment. The procedure, however, is invasive, and long-term pain management is necessary. In veterinary medicine, opioids, local anesthetic blocks and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are administered as perioperative analgesic intervention. Behavioral signs of oral disease-induced pain have not been systematically investigated in cats, and the current knowledge is mostly based on anecdotal evidence or studies performed in other species. It is not known how oral disease and the treatment (i.e. tooth extractions) can affect perioperative food intake, pain scores, additional analgesic requirements and behaviors in cats. Also, it is not known if a facial expression-based pain scale (Feline Grimace Scale: FGS) could be used for oral pain assessment as well. The objectives of this PhD program were: 1) to identify the specific behaviors associated with oral disease by using video assessment, and to verify their correlation with the real-time pain scores, 2) to assess the impact of oral disease and pain on food intake and feeding-related behaviors, 3) to determine the effects of oral disease treatment on behavior, pain scores and food intake, 4) to assess the inter-rater reliability of the FGS in cats undergoing dental extractions and 5) to evaluate the analgesic efficacy and adverse events of a high-concentration formulation of buprenorphine hydrochloride formulation (Simbadol, 1.8 mg/mL) in comparison with a standard buprenorphine hydrochloride formulation (Vetergesic, 0.3 mg/mL) as part of a multimodal regimen in cats undergoing dental extractions. The hypotheses were: 1) specific behaviors associated with oral disease would be identified and correlated with real-time pain scores, 2) cats with severe oral disease would have lower food intake and higher pain scores, and require rescue analgesia when compared with cats with no/minimal oral disease, 3) treatment of oral disease would reduce the prevalence of specific behaviors and pain scores and improve food consumption of these animals, 4) the FGS scores scored by different raters would be reliable in cats undergoing dental extractions and 5) both Simbadol and Vetergesic would produce similar postoperative pain scores, adverse events and timing and prevalence of rescue analgesia when using the Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale-Feline (CMPS-F). The project was divided into two studies and four articles (study 1: articles 1-3, study 2: article 4): 1) investigation of pain scores, rescue analgesia requirements and the amount of food intake in cats undergoing oral treatment, 2) investigation of the pain-induced specific behaviors related to oral pain in cats undergoing oral treatment, 3) investigation of inter-rater reliability of FGS in cats undergoing oral treatment, and 4) comparison of the analgesic efficacy of two dosage regimens using two different concentrations of buprenorphine in cats undergoing dental extractions. In article 1, twenty-four cats were equally divided into minimal (minimal dental treatment) or severe (multiple dental extractions) oral disease groups based on a dental scoring system which involved the number and location of teeth extraction and hospitalized for 7 days (admission on day 0, oral examination, radiographs and treatment under general anesthesia on day 1 and discharge on day 6). During hospitalization, pain scores based on CMPS-F, the prevalence of rescue analgesia (CMPS-F ≥ 5/20), dry and soft food intake (%) during periods of 3 minutes and 2 hours, daily soft food intake and serum inflammatory cytokines were analyzed and compared. In article 2, cats were filmed remotely for 10 min throughout the study at different time points (total of 36h of video recording). The videos consisted of four parts namely general, playing, feeding and post-feeding behaviors. The duration and frequency of different behaviors based on an ethogram were analyzed. In article 3, ninety-one image captures (i.e. screenshots) from videos filmed at days 1 (postoperative 6 hours) and 6 for article 2 and videos filmed before/after rescue analgesia were included. The FGS comprises five action units (AU): eyes, ears, muzzle, whiskers and head position. The FGS scores of the images were independently scored by four blinded raters. Inter-rater reliability of each AU and total FGS scores and the effect of the caregiver’s presence were evaluated. In study 2 (article 4), twenty-three cats undergoing tooth extractions were included. Cats randomly received either Simbadol (1.8 mg/mL; 0.24 mg/kg SC, every 24h, n = 11) or Vetergesic (0.3 mg/mL; 0.02 mg/kg IM, every 8h, n = 12) throughout the study. They were admitted on day 0, underwent oral examination, radiographs and treatment under general anesthesia on day 1 and discharged on day 4. Sedation and pain were scored using the dynamic interactive visual analog scale (day 1) and CMPS-F¬, respectively. Sedation and pain scores and the prevalence of rescue analgesia (CMPS-F ≥ 5/20) and resentment (defined as any type of escape behavior associated with aversion to drug administration) were analyzed. The studies found that the pain scores and the prevalence of rescue analgesia were significantly increased, and dry and soft food intakes were significantly decreased in cats with severe disease when compared with those with minimal disease, and the oral disease influences inflammatory cytokines and induces the specific behaviors. FGS is a reliable tool for the assessment of oral pain and is not affected by the caregiver’s presence. Pain scores and the prevalence of rescue analgesia in cats administered Simbadol were not significantly different from those administered Vetergesic, and some cats administered Vetergesic developed resentment to the administration of the drug, which was not significantly different from those administered Simbadol. Long-term analgesia is required after dental extractions in cats with severe oral disease. A decrease in food intake and specific behaviors identified in the studies could be used to differentiate painful versus pain-free cats in clinical practice. The FGS is a reliable tool for pain assessment in cats undergoing dental extractions. Simbadol produced similar analgesic effects to Vetergesic without resentment during drug administration.

碩士
國立臺灣師範大學
音樂研究所
90
This paper studies the musical appreicative behavior of students of junior high school in respect to Broadway musical play. Study is focused on the musical plays “The Phantom of the Opera” and “The Cats” directed by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Survey study of descriptive research method is used in this paper. Results show students like these two plays very much and what they favour most is music in stead of story, costume, scene brought from the musical play. Suggestion is made to include these two musical plays in the musical appreciative course of junior high school. Some songs is also suggested if singing teaching is aimed.