Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'SImplE framework'

Information technology usage has become compulsory for all organizations whether government or private organizations to achieve visibility, compete rivals and execute their missions better. To get desired result from usage of information technology, IT of organization has to be managed well. Up till now, various frameworks are developed to manage it well. Best examples for this kind of frameworks are COBIT and ITIL, containing all processes which can be handled in IT management and becoming widespread through the world. COBIT and ITIL are complementary frameworks rather than competitors. Due to this reason, organizations must implement both of them instead of choosing one of them. In addition to these, ISO/IEC 27001:2005 which focuses on information security management process is a quite famous IT standard in terms of security. This thesis provides organizations to meet requirements of these frameworks/standards which are process based frameworks and standards complementary to each other, with a unique implementation by taking unification of processes in a more simple and understandable way. Consequently, it provides reduction in the duplicate work and prevents inconsistencies that may occur. In addition, including CMMI level two requirements motivate the organization to implement higher maturity level of CMMI. Moreover, this study provides organizations to implement ISO 27001 management structure which establish a foundation for extension to technical structure of it. Besides these, this study provides an alignment of frameworks model and COBIT and ITIL which helps organization to trace ITIL and COBIT simultaneously. Lastly by providing a web based application, there exists foundation for knowledge bank of IT processes in Turkish and profile pages for each organization to manage, trace and reach their own IT processes in a digital environment.

This research project aims to develop a framework to manage uncertainty in cloud manufacturing for small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The framework includes a cloud manufacturing taxonomy; guidance to deal with uncertainty in cloud manufacturing, by providing a process to identify uncertainties; a detailed step-by-step approach to managing the uncertainties; a list of uncertainties; and response strategies to security and privacy uncertainties in cloud manufacturing. Additionally, an online assessment tool has been developed to implement the uncertainty management framework into a real life context. To fulfil the aim and objectives of the research, a comprehensive literature review was performed in order to understand the research aspects. Next, an uncertainty management technique was applied to identify, assess, and control uncertainties in cloud manufacturing. Two well-known approaches were used in the evaluation of the uncertainties in this research: Simple Multi-Attribute Rating Technique (SMART) to prioritise uncertainties; and a fuzzy rule-based system to quantify security and privacy uncertainties. Finally, the framework was embedded into an online assessment tool and validated through expert opinion and case studies. Results from this research are useful for both academia and industry in understanding aspects of cloud manufacturing. The main contribution is a framework that offers new insights for decisions makers on how to deal with uncertainty at adoption and implementation stages of cloud manufacturing. The research also introduced a novel cloud manufacturing taxonomy, a list of uncertainty factors, an assessment process to prioritise uncertainties and quantify security and privacy related uncertainties, and a knowledge base for providing recommendations and solutions.

Abstract: Acidification was categorized as the main environmental problem in Scandinavia during the 1960’s. Fortunately for Sweden, as with other countries in Scandinavia, has shown a process of recovery from acidification, by emission control. Further Sweden has had an extended liming program to mitigate the effects from acidification. Regarding the acidification assessment of the EU Water Framework Directive, it requires that EU members attain a ‘good ecological status’ in their surface waters. The status is defined as a deviation from a reference value and this is achieved using a reference reflecting a preindustrial state. As the waters are recovering from acidification the liming program can be reduced. Hence, there is a need to develop tools that can be used for decisions to stop liming in single waters. This study states three approaches: the well known hydrochemical model MAGIC, a meta-MAGIC model which calibrates the reference value computed by MAGIC model and paleolimnology studies. The latter is the key because it is the one that measures the reference value by immediate samples insitu. However, all methods have advantages and disadvantages, which allowed the development of an additional tool called meta-paleo for the same purpose. This meta-paleo model is designed based on an 11 years mean of contemporary water chemistry and paleolimnology data of 71 lakes. This tool for acidification assessment enables to work with few parameters of water chemistry. However it is concluded that the model has uncertainties, which should be evaluated so it can be used as a tool for decision making.

Existing electronic markets are fragmented in the sense that each is an information island. The interoperation of product information between them is difficult especially in semantics communication. This prevents the formation of global electronic markets and the lowering distribution cost through market globalisation. The traditional and contemporary ap-proaches of product standardisation and ontology mediation could solve the problem only if all markets could adopt the same product standards, or mediation systems could mediate all heterogeneous standards and markets without semantic conflicts. However, problems generally exist in adopting a universal standard or mediating all markets through existing mediation systems. A reflection of the issue is that there are millions of ad hoc electronic product catalogues (EPCs) situated in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), where each EPC is a semantic community, often not aware of standards and mediation systems due to its ad hoc nature. This thesis focuses on the semantic integration of autonomous ad hoc EPCs, which are semantically inconsistent with each other. Firstly, a novel Collaborative Concept Exchange (CONEX) approach is developed for the se-mantic integration of ad hoc EPCs. Using this approach, a PRODUCT MAP is first built based on the theories of semiotic analysis and market segmentation. It functions as an analytical framework to articulate ad hoc EPCs, and answers the questions: what are the general char-acteristics of ad hoc EPCs, what are their heterogeneous relations, and how they are unevenly distributed in fragmented electronic markets. Within this framework, an abstract representa-tion of ad hoc EPCs is proposed using the articulated elements that are simple and manipu-lable. Major contributions of this framework include: the models of the abstract representa-tion of ad hoc EPCs on their structures, concepts and contexts; the semantic integration conditions of heterogeneous ad hoc EPCs; and a ConexNet of market network topology that captures the characteristics of ad hoc EPCs that are unevenly distributed in fragmented elec-tronic markets. Secondly, a three-layer CONEX information model is proposed to integrate ad hoc EPCs based on the PRODUCT MAP, which provides a trichotomy of systems, designers and users. The strategy behind the model is the separation of structure from concept and context, and hence they can be independently managed to resolve semantic conflicts between ad hoc EPCs. The major contributions of this model include the CONEX framework, collaboration mechanism and context transformation. The CONEX framework presents a formal characteri-sation and reconstruction of the structures of ad hoc EPCs based on a CONEX structure model and a CONEX grammar. It provides a formal specification for representing ad hoc EPCs including concept structure, classifier structure and mapping structure. The semantic conflicts in designing the concepts of ad hoc EPCs are resolved by a collaboration mecha-nism based on a semantic consistency model. The collaboration mechanism includes three key procedures: replicating unique concept identifiers and translating concept definitions be-tween common concepts of common EPCs; localising common concepts to local EPCs; and globalising local concepts to common EPCs. Users in the CONEX information model are not involved in any integration activities. They are provided with automatic and accurate concept exchange services through a mechanism of context transformation, which is designed based on an algorithm called Heterogeneous Concept Transformation. The separate integration of structures, concepts and contexts of ad hoc EPCs guarantees that the requirements of flexi-bility, evolvability and exactness of semantic integration have been met. Thirdly, the feasibility and features of the Collaborative Concept Exchange approach have been demonstrated in a prototype implementation that provides the services of collaborative concept design for semantic conflict resolution, and heterogeneous concept transformation for accurate and automatic concept exchange between ad hoc EPCs. A key contribution in the implementation level is the independent representation of the CONEX framework called XML PRODUCT MAP (XPM). XPM provides a feature of platform independence by con-forming to the standards of W3C XML, Simple Object Access Protocol and Web Services Description Language in both document specification and document transport. It is also a demonstration that the generic CONEX structure model and CONEX grammar can be imple-mented in any specific language such as XML for the particular scenarios of semantic integra-tion. With the aid of a collection of XPM document templates, two components called Con-cept Collaborator and Concept Transformer of the CONEX prototype are implemented to demonstrate how concepts are collaboratively designed to resolve semantic conflicts and how concepts are automatically and accurately exchanged between autonomous, heterogeneous and distributed ad hoc EPCs.

Existing electronic markets are fragmented in the sense that each is an information island. The interoperation of product information between them is difficult especially in semantics communication. This prevents the formation of global electronic markets and the lowering distribution cost through market globalisation. The traditional and contemporary ap-proaches of product standardisation and ontology mediation could solve the problem only if all markets could adopt the same product standards, or mediation systems could mediate all heterogeneous standards and markets without semantic conflicts. However, problems generally exist in adopting a universal standard or mediating all markets through existing mediation systems. A reflection of the issue is that there are millions of ad hoc electronic product catalogues (EPCs) situated in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), where each EPC is a semantic community, often not aware of standards and mediation systems due to its ad hoc nature. This thesis focuses on the semantic integration of autonomous ad hoc EPCs, which are semantically inconsistent with each other. Firstly, a novel Collaborative Concept Exchange (CONEX) approach is developed for the se-mantic integration of ad hoc EPCs. Using this approach, a PRODUCT MAP is first built based on the theories of semiotic analysis and market segmentation. It functions as an analytical framework to articulate ad hoc EPCs, and answers the questions: what are the general char-acteristics of ad hoc EPCs, what are their heterogeneous relations, and how they are unevenly distributed in fragmented electronic markets. Within this framework, an abstract representa-tion of ad hoc EPCs is proposed using the articulated elements that are simple and manipu-lable. Major contributions of this framework include: the models of the abstract representa-tion of ad hoc EPCs on their structures, concepts and contexts; the semantic integration conditions of heterogeneous ad hoc EPCs; and a ConexNet of market network topology that captures the characteristics of ad hoc EPCs that are unevenly distributed in fragmented elec-tronic markets. Secondly, a three-layer CONEX information model is proposed to integrate ad hoc EPCs based on the PRODUCT MAP, which provides a trichotomy of systems, designers and users. The strategy behind the model is the separation of structure from concept and context, and hence they can be independently managed to resolve semantic conflicts between ad hoc EPCs. The major contributions of this model include the CONEX framework, collaboration mechanism and context transformation. The CONEX framework presents a formal characteri-sation and reconstruction of the structures of ad hoc EPCs based on a CONEX structure model and a CONEX grammar. It provides a formal specification for representing ad hoc EPCs including concept structure, classifier structure and mapping structure. The semantic conflicts in designing the concepts of ad hoc EPCs are resolved by a collaboration mecha-nism based on a semantic consistency model. The collaboration mechanism includes three key procedures: replicating unique concept identifiers and translating concept definitions be-tween common concepts of common EPCs; localising common concepts to local EPCs; and globalising local concepts to common EPCs. Users in the CONEX information model are not involved in any integration activities. They are provided with automatic and accurate concept exchange services through a mechanism of context transformation, which is designed based on an algorithm called Heterogeneous Concept Transformation. The separate integration of structures, concepts and contexts of ad hoc EPCs guarantees that the requirements of flexi-bility, evolvability and exactness of semantic integration have been met. Thirdly, the feasibility and features of the Collaborative Concept Exchange approach have been demonstrated in a prototype implementation that provides the services of collaborative concept design for semantic conflict resolution, and heterogeneous concept transformation for accurate and automatic concept exchange between ad hoc EPCs. A key contribution in the implementation level is the independent representation of the CONEX framework called XML PRODUCT MAP (XPM). XPM provides a feature of platform independence by con-forming to the standards of W3C XML, Simple Object Access Protocol and Web Services Description Language in both document specification and document transport. It is also a demonstration that the generic CONEX structure model and CONEX grammar can be imple-mented in any specific language such as XML for the particular scenarios of semantic integra-tion. With the aid of a collection of XPM document templates, two components called Con-cept Collaborator and Concept Transformer of the CONEX prototype are implemented to demonstrate how concepts are collaboratively designed to resolve semantic conflicts and how concepts are automatically and accurately exchanged between autonomous, heterogeneous and distributed ad hoc EPCs.<br>Thesis (PhD Doctorate)<br>Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)<br>School of Computing and Information Technology<br>Full Text

<p> The peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) reduction in OFDM is an unresolved issue. Intense research has been carried out to solve the issue of peak power and to reduce the impact on overall system performance. PAPR can negatively affect system performance by inducing spectral regrowth and degrading detection efficiency. The purpose of this study is to show how the iterative companding transform and filtering (ICTF) framework can solve the PAPR issue in a redefined way. ICTF is able to obtain low out-of-band interference (OBI) and improved bit error rate (BER) while reducing PAPR significantly. Simulation results show good performance, low complexity, and reliable efficiency over traditional state of methods such as the iterative clipping and filtering technique.</p><p>

Lo scopo di questa dissertazione è discutere vantaggi e svantaggi di architetture basate su file di configurazione per realizzare applicazioni web moderne; a tal fine è stata sviluppata un'applicazione web. Nello specifico questa risponde alle esigenze degli enti governativi per la creazione di documenti giuridici e legislativi. A tal proposito nel corso del testo si descrive la progettazione e lo sviluppo di un'applicazione web completamente parametrizzabile usando un framework moderno. In particolare è stato realizzato un progetto Angular che costruisce l’interfaccia e gestisce le funzionalità per mezzo di un file di configurazione facilmente modificabile.

Over the last few decades research in supramolecular chemistry and crystal engineering have seen an exponential growth. The synthesis of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has attracted much interest worldwide due to the possibility of obtaining a large variety of structures with a wide range of applications in fields pertaining to storage, separation and catalysis. This work focuses on the crystal engineering of MOFs based on mixed ligands which may ultimately be used in the gas storage of pollutants, greenhouse gases or fuel. Two novel 2D mixed-ligand MOFs, both based on manganese, 4,4’-bipyridine and 1,3,5- benzenetricarboxylic acid, have been prepared and fully characterized. The employment of dimethylformamide or dimethylacetamide, as the solvent, results in two isostructural MOFs. Another novel MOF, similar in structure to the previous two, with 5-nitroisophthalic acid instead of 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid has been also prepared and characterized. This MOF has the same metal and ligand combination as, and is largely isostructural to, a literature example, but differs in method of preparation and solvent content. These Mnbased MOFs have potential voids in the structure making them candidates for gas sorption experiments. A novel 2D mixed-ligand MOF based on cobalt, 4,4’-bipyridine and 5-nitroisophthalic acid has been synthesized and fully characterized. Its structure is the same of another MOF, based on manganese, present in this work and like its manganese analogue it exhibits potential void spaces in the framework that make it a candidate for gas sorption experiments. Finally, a novel 2D MOF based on 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid and cadmium bromide has been synthesized and fully characterized. Dehydration and rehydration studies performed by combining powder X-ray diffraction with thermogravimetric analysis show that it can lose coordinated water, that comes from the reaction solvent, upon heating, and reabsorb water from the atmosphere, ultimately regaining its original structure. All MOFs were synthesized via the solvothermal method and characterized with X-ray diffraction (single crystal and powder) and thermal analyses (hot stage microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis).

Discrete choice modelling is concerned with the appropriate specification of choice between qualitative alternatives. Choice in this context means either deliberate action by some individual or planning agency or the selection of a certain alternative by social, political or economic forces in the course of evolutionary processes. That latter concept is frequently evoked in the context of institutional choice, the transaction cost approach being just one although prominent approach to this problem. Discrete choice theory which is the theoretical underpinning of discrete choice modelling is firmly based on the principle of maximizing agents. At first sight, this seems to be contradictory to institutionalist thinking, since most of that literature is explicitly or implicitly rooted in the assumption of bounded rationality and satisficing behaviour. To reconcile these two approaches it is necessary to demonstrate that for many purposes full versus bounded rationality or, for that matter, maximizing versus satisficing behaviour are not so much apart as is somtimes asserted. Our contention is that by properly specifying the informational and decisional background the gap between theses two approaches could be bridged. It will also be demonstrated that discrete choice theory, by avoiding aggregative thinking, is specifically apt to integrate the "objective and subjective determinants" of a choice problem into a single approach. This is the reason why discrete choice theory cou1d be of he1p in the analysis of institutional choice and design.<br>Series: IIR-Discussion Papers

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 2012.<br>Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references (p. 271-281).<br>Improving the autonomy, efficiency, and reliability of partial differential equation (PDE) solvers has become increasingly important as powerful computers enable engineers to address modern computational challenges that require rapid characterization of the input-output relationship of complex PDE governed processes. This thesis presents work toward development of a versatile PDE solver that accurately predicts engineering quantities of interest to user-prescribed accuracy in a fully automated manner. We develop an anisotropic adaptation framework that works with any localizable error estimate, handles any discretization order, permits arbitrarily oriented anisotropic elements, robustly treats irregular features, and inherits the versatility of the underlying discretization and error estimate. Given a discretization and any localizable error estimate, the framework iterates toward a mesh that minimizes the error for a given number of degrees of freedom by considering a continuous optimization problem of the Riemannian metric field. The adaptation procedure consists of three key steps: sampling of the anisotropic error behavior using element-wise local solves; synthesis of the local errors to construct a surrogate error model based on an affine-invariant metric interpolation framework; and optimization of the surrogate model to drive the mesh toward optimality. The combination of the framework with a discontinuous Galerkin discretization and an a posteriori output error estimate results in a versatile PDE solver for reliable output prediction. The versatility and effectiveness of the adaptive framework are demonstrated in a number of applications. First, the optimality of the method is verified against anisotropic polynomial approximation theory in the context of L2 projection. Second, the behavior of the method is studied in the context of output-based adaptation using advection-diffusion problems with manufactured primal and dual solutions. Third, the framework is applied to the steady-state Euler and Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations. The results highlight the importance of adaptation for high-order discretizations and demonstrate the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed method in solving complex aerodynamic flows exhibiting a wide range of scales. Fourth, fully-unstructured space-time adaptivity is realized, and its competitiveness is assessed for wave propagation problems. Finally, the framework is applied to enable spatial error control of parametrized PDEs, producing universal optimal meshes applicable for a wide range of parameters.<br>by Masayuki Yano.<br>Ph.D.

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are rapidly gaining popularity in various critical domains like health care, critical infrastructure, and climate monitoring, where application builders have diversified development needs. Independent of the functionalities provided by the WSN applications, many of the developers use visualization, simulation, and programming tools. However, these tools are designed as separate stand-alone applications, which force developers to use multiple tools. This situation often poses confusion and hampers an efficient development experience. To avoid the complexity of using multiple tools, a new, extensible, multi-platform, scalable, and open-source framework called PROVIZ is designed. PROVIZ is an integrated visualization and programming framework with the following features: PROVIZ 1) visualizes sensor nodes and WSN traffic by parsing the data received either from a packet sniffer (e.g., a sensor-based sniffer, or a commercial TI SmartRF 802.15.4 packet sniffer), or from a simulator (e.g., OMNeT); 2) visualizes a heterogeneous WSN consisting of different sensor nodes sending packets with different packet payload formats; and 3) provides a programming framework, which provides a graphical and script-based programming functionality, for developing WSN applications. Also, PROVIZ includes built-in extensible visual demo deployment capabilities that allow users to quickly craft network scenarios and share them with other users. Additionally, a secure and energy efficient wireless code dissemination protocol, named SIMAGE, was developed. SIMAGE is used by PROVIZ to wirelessly reprogram the sensor nodes. SIMAGE uses a link quality cognizant adaptive packet-sizing technique along with energy-efficient encryption protocols for secure and efficient code dissemination. In this thesis, the various features of PROVIZ's visualization and programming framework are explained, the functionality and performance of SIMAGE protocol is described, an example WSN security attack scenario is analyzed, and how PROVIZ can be used as a visual debugging tool to identify the security attack and aid in providing a software fix are discussed.

Atualmente existem diferentes formas de produzir uma aplicação World Wide Web (WEB). Várias linguagens de programação dão suporte direto ou indireto a este tipo de desenvolvimento e sobre estas existem inúmeras frameworks já desenvolvidas. Com a fragmentação do desenvolvimento WEB distribuído por várias tecnologias, uma simples aplicação WEB, na grande maioria dos casos contém código PHP, HTML e JavaScript. Esta situação pode dar azo a erros sintáticos e semânticos durante o processo de produção, que vão ser refletidos no cliente. De forma a resolver grande parte destes problemas foi criada a framework Ocsigen. O seu slogan é ”develop once, safely deploy everywhere” e tem como mais valia, a possibilidade de construir uma aplicação WEB completa, tanto parte cliente como parte servidor, exatamente com a mesma linguagem de programação, nomeadamente a linguagem Objective Categorical Abstract Machine Language (OCaml). Esta é também, a linguagem utilizada na construção da framework Ocsigen. O OCaml é uma linguagem de base funcional, multiparadigma de alto nível e fortemente tipificada. Tem por base, um poderoso compilador capaz de tornar o código produzido em algo extremamente determinístico a nível de segurança de tipos. Apesar da framework Ocsigen herdar características subjacentes à linguagem OCaml esta apresenta algumas limitações relativas à curva de aprendizagem, utilização devido à falta de documentação atualizada e instalação em diferentes sistemas operativos, como é o caso do Windows. A presente dissertação tem como objetivo encontrar soluções para as limitações mencionadas. Para conseguir o objetivo proposto é então delineado um plano, que passa numa primeira fase, pelo estudo aprofundado da framework Ocsigen. Para que com base nos resultados obtidos seja possível compreender o seu funcionamento e contexto, como também as suas limitações, de forma mais detalhada, assim como os respetivos pontos críticos, nomeadamente a sua utilização e o suporte a diferentes sistemas operativos. Posteriormente, com base nestes dados é então projetada uma solução, que irá concretizar-se na forma de uma nova framework, a framework Ocsi_Simple. Esta nova framework irá agora permitir o uso da tecnologia Ocsigen, de forma mais amigável, simples e mais apetecível para a indústria do desenvolvimento WEB. É importante frisar que esta solução pretende completar a framework Ocsigen.<br>Currently there are different ways to produce a WEB application. There are several programing languages backed by many frameworks that either directly or indirectly support WEB programming. With the fragmentation of WEB development, distributed by various technologies, a simple WEB application, in most cases contains PHP, HTML and JavaScript code. This situation can give rise to syntactic and semantic errors during the production process, which will be reflected on the client side. In order to solve a large part of these problems, the Ocsigen framework was created. The slogan is ”develop once, safely deploy everywhere” and its added value, the possibility of building a complete WEB application, both client side and server side, exactly with the same programming language, namely OCaml. This is also the language used in the construction of the Ocsigen framework. OCaml is a high-level, multi-paradigm, strongly typed language with emphasis on functional programming, which is based on a powerful compiler, able to make very type safe programs. Though Ocsigen naturally shares common properties to the OCaml language, the former presents some limitations, such as, learning curve, lack of susbtantial documentation and installation issues with some operating systems like Windows. The present dissertation aims to find solutions to the mentioned limitations. In order to achieve the proposed objective, a plan is outlined, of which, the first phase consists of an in-depth study of the Ocsigen framework. So that, based on the results obtained, it is possible to understand its operation and context, as well as its limitations in a more detailed way as well as the respective critical points, namely its use and support for different operating systems. Subsequently, based on this data, a solution is then designed, which will materialize, in the form of a new framework, the Ocsi_Simple framework. This new framework will now allow the use of Ocsigen in a friendlier, simpler and more appealing way for the WEB development industry. It is important to stress out that this solution intends to complete the Ocsigen framework.

Yes<br>Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are currently the leading cause of death worldwide. In this paper, we examine the channels through which economic growth affects NCDs’ epidemiology. Following a production function approach, we develop a basic technique to break up the impact of economic growth on NCDs into three fundamental components: (1) a resource effect; (2) a behaviour effect; and (3) a knowledge effect. We demonstrate that each of these effects can be measured as the product of two elasticities, the output and income elasticity of the three leading factors influencing the frequency of NCDs in any population: health care, healthrelated behaviours and lifestyle, and medical knowledge.

碩士<br>世新大學<br>資訊管理學研究所(含碩專班)<br>102<br>This study proposes and implements a state-based high-end game development oriented architecture that provides the user with the state of the process concept game system for game development, and help achieve the group management game events. Developers managed to reduce the workload of the event.This study architecture implemented on top of the open-source game engine Gameplay3D to the engine architecture as the base layer of a higher order structure up to develop a user interface, adding new engine features and made the event a declaration based on abstraction, avoid cross-platform when game developers need to write a variety of input devices events. Make more consistent way to define and develop the game of the event. Program logic is proposed based on non-game-oriented group of objects operation, the object operation more intuitive and more flexible. For connection to an external device game development proposed operation identification and game logic separate development framework, increasing code reusability and is conducive to the game's multiplayer collaborative development.

Malaria is a serious and life-threatening mosquito-borne disease that every year affects over 200 million individuals and causes 400,00 deaths. An additional 0.5 billion people globally are at risk of malaria infection. The unique role of climate in influencing malaria transmission outcomes across individual communities by acting on multiple dimensions of the malaria vector and parasite ecology has been long recognized. This recognition has led to the development of explicit and implicit climate-driven models of malaria transmission designed to better understand and predict patterns of population vulnerability and uncover potential challenges to malaria control. However, existing implicitly-forced process-based models of malaria have relied on indirectly correlated predictors of malaria transmission, instead of direct relationships among climate, vector entomology and parasite ecology. The lack of biologically-motivated modulation of malaria transmission compromises meaningful interpretation of the ecological role played by climate in malaria transmission. Similarly, the specific influence of climate on vector and parasite dynamics is obscured, limiting the utility of these simple and powerful model forms. This dissertation focuses on elaborating the direct ecological relationships between climate, the malaria vector and parasite to enhance the ecological utility of lower dimensional mathematical models of malaria transmission. In the 2nd chapter of this thesis, a climate-driven entomological modeling framework is developed, consisting of a simple dynamic model that explicitly tracks malaria transmission in human populations and implicitly represents the malaria force of infection through climate-regulation of multiple aspects of the Entomological Inoculation Rate (EIR). The EIR-model construct is found to accurately capture seasonal malaria dynamics under free-simulation, when coupled to local rainfall and temperature climatology across multiple local regions in Rwanda. Furthermore, local rainfall modulation of sub-adult survivorship is found to be a more critical driver of seasonal malaria dynamics than other environmentally-regulated components of EIR. In chapter 3, the model framework is paired with data assimilation methods to dynamically simulate interannual malaria incidence in Rwanda, infer parameters of malaria transmission and validate the malaria model. Results indicate that the implicitly-forced transmission model is able to reproduce interannual and seasonal malaria incidence at regional and local scales. However, accuracy of model description of malaria incidence is more varied at the more resolved local level. Intensified malaria control efforts during the later years of the study are suspected to increase the discrepancy between the vector and parasite dynamics dictated by climate and the observed widespread decline in malaria activity in the region. Nonetheless, the parameters of transmission identified across populations in Rwanda were comparable to existing estimates of malaria, further validating the transmission model and data assimilation approach. For the 4th chapter, a state-of-the-art Bayesian inference forecasting system for the EIR-model framework is developed, as well as a multi-model forecasting system consisting of weighted-average predictions from the dynamic malaria model and historical expectance predictions. Retrospective forecasts of four years of malaria data from 42 regions in Rwanda indicate that the model-inference forecasting system predicts malaria incidence more accurately than historical expectance alone, particularly for predictions with 1-6 weeks lead times. Although slightly less skillful, the multi-model system was found to substantively enhance forecast reliability of the EIR-model system, bolstering the utility of the malaria model as a robust forecaster of malaria in the region. The concluding chapter describes areas for improving the specification of the parsimonious model construct. The need to include malaria control coverage data as exogenous forces of transmission, non-climate drivers and alternate sources of climate exposure that support transmission are highlighted. Future works on forecast calibration needed to improve model performance for real-time prediction are also detailed. In addition, areas for application within information systems for evaluating malaria risk and for advising malaria control efforts, specifically relating to local variability in malaria burden and characterization of entomological drivers of local malaria, are identified and further discussed. The model systems developed in this thesis advance the capabilities of lower dimension dynamic models to connect the ecological drivers of malaria transmission to climate variation. Such process-based formulations could provide better climate-driven descriptions of malaria, while limiting model complexity, without compromising representation of entomological relationships that are potentially valuable for improved understanding and control of malaria transmission.

The primary contributions to the area of electronic business integration, propounded by this thesis, are (in no particular order): &#61623; A novel examination of global Business-to-Business (B2B) interoperability in terms of a "multiplicity paradox" and of a "global electronic market-space" from a Complex Systems Science perspective. &#61623; A framework for an, integrated, global electronic market-space, which is based on a hierarchical, incremental, minimalist-business-pattern approach. A Web Services-SOA forms the basis of application-to-application integration within the framework. The framework is founded in a comprehensive study of existing technologies, standards and models for secure interoperability and the SOA paradigm. The Complex Systems Science concepts of "predictable structure" and "structural complexity" are used consistently throughout the progressive formulation of the framework. &#61623; A model for a global message handler (including a standards-based message-format) which obviates the common problems implicit in standard SOAP-RPC. It is formulated around the "standardized, common, abstract application interface" critical success factor, deduced from examining existing models. The model can be used in any collaboration context. &#61623; An open standards-based security model for the global message handler. Conceptually, the framework comprises the following: &#61623; An interoperable standardized message format: a standardized SOAP-envelope with standardized attachments (8-bit binary MIME-serialized XOP packages). &#61623; An interoperable standardized message-delivery infrastructure encompassing an RPC-invoked message-handler - a Web service, operating in synchronous and/or asynchronous mode, which relays attachments to service endpoints. &#61623; A business information processing infrastructure comprised of: a standardized generic minimalist-business-pattern (simple buying/selling), comprising global pre-specifications for business processes (for example, placing an order), standardized specific atomic business activities (e.g. completing an order-form), a standardized document-set (including, e.g. an order-form) based on standardized metadata (common nomenclature and common semantics used in XSD's, e.g. the order-form), the standardized corresponding choreography for atomic activities (e.g. acknowledgement of receipt of order-form) and service endpoints (based on standardized programming interfaces and virtual methods with customized implementations).<br>Theoretical Computing<br>PHD (INFORMATION SYSTEMS)

碩士<br>國立雲林科技大學<br>電機工程系碩士班<br>93<br>In recent years the watermark algorithm is used to protection images copyright, but the multitudinous literature emphatically in the technical stratification plane consideration, like the noise, image compression, crop etc, neglected the initial purpose to protection images copyright owner, because the watermark when suffered multiple attack[4] , if cannot be proof the copyright owner, then this algorithm cannot protection image copyright a. We proposed the image copyright protects the new overhead construction, this overhead construction detailed showing has protection copyright owner, must in under the legal effect arbitration end coordination, be able to achieve the protection an item place, this overhead construction is develops the algorithm with the image block characteristic to do for to the arbitration end registration code, and develops conforms to this to develop under the algorithm overhead construction the series, the parallel ratio to the system. However, because network being in vogue, in order to guard against the illegal embezzlement to spread in the network, the use floats the illegal embezzlement which the watermark fast search characteristic uses in to investigate in the network on own initiative. Finally performance appraisal criterion which formulates based on the image copyright protection overhead construction, separately compares with Hu Moments and Zernike Moments, compared to under the method use is parallel overhead construction image block characteristic to develop the algorithm to be able to obtain the best improvement, achieves protection copyright owner.

Tese de doutoramento em Tecnologias e Sistemas de Informação<br>Para as micro, pequenas e médias empresas (PME) é mais fácil comprar e implantar uma EITA já desenvolvida do que tentar desenvolver uma por conta própria. No caso do desenvolvimento de software, existe uma extensa literatura que aborda esse processo; no entanto, no caso do processo de implantação, identificamos que há literatura limitada e ainda mais para processos de implantação de EITAs focados em PMEs. A implantação da EITA não é um problema menor. Trata-se de trazer mudanças para um ambiente estável, redefinir o trabalho, as estruturas sociais e alterar os balanços de poder existentes, mesmo nas PME, cuja dimensão e complexidade reduzidas podem levar à ideia de um processo simples de implantação. No entanto, na prática, o risco de falha é alto. Devido a isso e às habilidades e recursos limitados das PME, ainda existem altas taxas de fracasso no processo de implantação da EITA nas PME. O objetivo da investigação foi desenvolver suporte metodológico ao processo de implantação de EITAs em PME. Esse processo inclui a pesquisa, avaliação, seleção de EITA disponíveis comercialmente, sua aquisição, instalação e exploração. A investigação abrange duas fases. Na primeira fase, realizamos uma extensa revisão da literatura, um estudo de caso exploratório e um estudo de campo, no qual foram realizadas 48 entrevistas com diferentes atores envolvidos no processo de implantação da EITA na PME. Para a segunda fase, usamos o paradigma Design Science Research (DSR). O resultado obtido na primeira fase é um framework para o sucesso da implantação da EITA nas PME - o SImplE. O framework considera três aspectos principais: i) atores envolvidos; ii). um modelo de processo que considera as fases e sua subdivisão em estágios, preocupações transversais e áreas de foco; iii) fatores que influenciam o sucesso de um processo de implantação. O framework SImplE enfatiza os principais aspectos que uma PME deve considerar antes, durante e após a implantação de uma EITA, privilegiando a perspectiva da PME. A estrutura também pode ser útil para os outros atores (desenvolvedores de software, fornecedores de EITA e outras organizações de suporte). Embora criada como um modelo descritivo, o framework SImplE é uma base sólida para um modelo prescritivo a ser usado em projetos de implantação de EITA em PMEs. Na segunda fase da pesquisa, propomos um artefato que complementa o componente de gerenciamento de mudanças da metodologia de implantação Primavera. Como conclusões, descobrimos que as motivações e dificuldades são de natureza organizacional, e não de tecnologia, como é frequentemente assumido e tratado. Os processos de negócios são uma questão vital na implantação da EITA nas PME; no entanto, como as PMEs raramente formalizam seus processos, o framework contribui para tornar os processos visíveis e conduzir as PME através do ajuste entre o processo comercial e as funcionalidades fornecidas pela EITA. Áreas de interesse transversais (liderança, comunicação, gerenciamento de projetos e gerenciamento de mudanças) e áreas de foco (pessoas e processos) devem ser abordadas em conjunto para alcançar uma melhor implantação.<br>For micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (SME), it is easier to buy and implant an already developed EITA than to try to build one on their own. In the case of software development, there is an extensive literature that addresses this process. However, in the case of the implantation process, we identify that there is limited literature and even more so for processes of implantation of EITAs focused on SMEs. Implanting EITA is not a minor issue. It is about bringing change to a stable setting, redefining work, social structures and altering existing power balances, even in SME, whose reduced dimension and complexity might lead to the idea of a simple implantation process. Nevertheless, in practice, the risk of failure is high. Due to this and the limited skills and resources of SMEs, there are still high failure rates in the process of implanting the EITA in SMEs. The objective of the research is to develop methodological support to the implantation process of EITAs in SME. This process includes the search, evaluation, selection of commercially available EITA, its acquisition, installation, and exploitation. The research encompasses two phases. For the first phase, we performed an extensive literature review, an exploratory case study and a field study, in which we did forty-eight interviews with different actors involved in the process of implantation of EITA in the SME. For the second phase, we use the paradigm Design Science Research (DSR). The result obtained in the first phase is a framework for the successful implantation of EITA in SMEs - the SImplE. The framework considers three main aspects: Actors involved; A process model that considers phases and their subdivision in stages, cross-cutting concerns, and areas of focus; Factors that influence the success of an implantation process. The SImplE framework emphasises the main aspects an SME should consider before, during and after the implantation of an EITA privileging the perspective of the SME. The framework can also be useful for the other actors (software developers, the EITA providers and other support organisations). Although created as a descriptive model, the SImplE framework is a strong basis for a prescriptive model to be used in EITA implantation projects in SMEs. In the second phase of the research, we propose an artefact that complements the change management component of the Primavera implantation methodology. As conclusions, we find that the motivations and difficulties are of organisational nature, instead of technology as it is frequently assumed and treated. Business processes are a vital issue in EITA implantation in SMEs; however, as SMEs seldom formalise their processes, the framework contributes to make the processes visible and to lead the SME through the adjustment between the business process and the functionalities provided by the EITA. Cross-cutting areas of interest (leadership, communication, project management, and change management) and focus areas (people and processes) should be addressed together to achieve better implementation.<br>This work was carried out thanks to the support of the Secretary of Higher Education, Science and Technology (SENESCYT) and the Technical University of the North (UTN), public institutions of Ecuador.

Research Doctorate - Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)<br>In this thesis I explore simple cognition from two perspectives, both using Bayesian approaches. Firstly, the statistical benefits of Bayesian estimation in cognitive models of decision-making are demonstrated. In this research stream, I cover fundamentals of Bayesian estimation using Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling techniques. I demonstrate the benefits of such techniques with two applications of a well-validated evidence accumulation model, the Linear Ballistic Accumulator (LBA: Brown & Heathcote, 2008). The first application highlights the importance of the Bayesian estimation of the LBA in a clinical setting; I uncover latent mechanisms involved in the inability of individuals with major depressive disorder to disengage from negative emotional stimuli. The second application explores the foundational aspects of the LBA mechanisms from a neural perspective. To conclude this section, I describe a novel development in joint modelling. A model framework was developed which quantitatively links neural and behavioural data streams. The framework allows both data streams to jointly influence parameters, via Bayesian estimation. The second stream of research focuses on Bayesian frameworks for the description of cognition, rather than as tools to measure it. Motivated by current debates in the literature I directly and quantitatively compare human and Bayesian inference, demonstrating that human inference deviates from statistically optimal Bayesian inference, at least for simple inference. I finally describe work which explores the potential mental representations of alphabetic letters using a novel graphing algorithm based on Bayesian principles. The work in this thesis highlights the benefits of Bayesian statistical framework, both demonstrating and adding to their lasting contribution in cognitive psychology. Conversely, this thesis provides a direct critique of Bayesian cognitive frameworks, demonstrating some short-comings and adding to existing debates about the suitability of the analogy.

In this study Bradford’s (2008) approach for setting ecological flow and water level targets is tested and refined through application within the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority’s (LSRCA) subwatershed of Lover’s Creek. A method for defining subwatershed objectives and identifying habitat specialists through expert input is proposed and tested. The natural regime of each streamflow and wetland site is characterized along with the hydrological alteration at each site. Potential ecological responses to the hydrologic alterations are then hypothesized for the different types of changes calculated at each site. Methods for setting overall ecosystem health and specific ecological objective flow targets are proposed and tested. These targets are integrated into a flow regime for each site and a process for using this information for decision making is suggested. Flow magnitude quantification is attempted using hydraulic modelling and sediment transport equations, however the data used were found to be inadequate for this application. The accuracy of the targets developed using the method presented in this paper is mainly limited by the accuracy of the hydrological model and quantified flow magnitudes. Recommendations for improving these components of the assessment are made. The unique approach and recommendations presented in this paper provide explicit steps for developing flow targets for subwatersheds within the LSRCA. This research contributes toward the advancement of EFA within the LSRCA, which provides opportunity for enhanced protection and restoration of ecosystem health across the watershed.<br>Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority