Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'HSC criteria'

Master of Music (Music Education)
This thesis documents an investigation of the selection procedures relating to Australian vocal repertoire for mid-adolescent and Higher School Certificate (New South Wales) performers, as used by private singing teachers, school music teachers and singing students. It explores the similarities and differences in the criteria employed in these selections. Semi-structured interviews were the source of data and were conducted with participants from these three categories as well as two composers. The participants evinced highly disparate views. The private singing teachers believed that repertoire should be dictated by the technical ability and physiological constraints of mid-adolescent students and that their role in selecting repertoire was related to the long term vocal growth of each individual. They felt that the school music teachers vetted their repertoire choices with no useful explanation of their reasoning, while the school music teachers noted that students frequently presented repertoire that was too difficult or that was not readily communicated with the audience. The ability of mid-adolescent singers to communicate with and engage an audience was the prime concern of the school music teachers. The students wanted to impress their examiners and believed that infrequently heard repertoire was the best choice, though this was not endorsed by the teachers. There was a perception that the students would perform at their best when they chose repertoire to which they could relate emotionally. Many private singing teachers and school music teachers are not aware of the very broad range of contemporary Australian music and its divergent characteristics. However, there is a shortage of appropriate Australian repertoire that addresses the physiological and emotional needs of mid-adolescent singers.

I quantified habitat selection for the endangered Zuni Bluehead Sucker Catostomus discobolus yarrowi and the Navajo Nation Genetic Subunit (NNGS) Bluehead Sucker Catostomus discobolus - a recent taxon described from genetic information. Both taxa are found in northern Arizona and New Mexico border regions. I examined fish [≥50 millimeters (mm) total length (TL)] selection of microhabitat conditions (i.e., water velocity, substrate size, overhead cover, water depth, instream cover, and mesohabitat conditions [i.e., pool, run riffle], during summer base flow conditions for NNGS Bluehead Suckers, and during both summer base flow and high spring flow conditions for Zuni Bluehead Suckers in six streams). Electrofishing, seining, and snorkeling were used to evaluate fish occupancy. From this information, I developed stream specific habitat suitability criteria (HSC) and then generalized HSC for each taxon, and tested transferability of the generalized HSC to individual streams. Zuni Bluehead Suckers and NNGS Bluehead Suckers occupied similar habitats: low velocity pools; sand, silt, and pebble substrate; high percent of instream cover; and water temperatures ranging from 2-21°C. However, Zuni Bluehead Suckers selected for low (0-25%) overhead cover where as NNGS Bluehead Sucker selected for high (0-75%) overhead cover. This was likely due to the source of instream cover–aquatic macrophytes that required sunlight in the Zuni Bluehead Sucker streams, and large woody debris falling from overhead branches in the NNGS Bluehead Sucker streams. Suggestions for managers includes maintaining existing cover or artificially construct additional instream cover; promote overhead cover (e.g., maintaining large trees along streams) and pool mesohabitats. In addition to this work I also tested the new method of environmental DNA (eDNA) to further help conservation efforts for these taxa. Environmental DNA has typically been used to detect invasive species in aquatic environments through water samples. I compared the efficacy of eDNA methodology to American Fisheries Society standard snorkeling surveys to detect presence of a rare fish species. My study site included three streams on the Navajo Nation in northern Arizona and northern New Mexico containing Navajo Nation Genetic Subunit Bluehead Sucker Catostomus discobolus and the Zuni Bluehead Sucker Catostomus discobolus yarrowi. To determine sample sites, I first divided entire wetted area of streams into 100-m consecutive reaches. I systematically selected 10 of those reaches for snorkel and eDNA surveys. Water samples were taken in 10-m sections within each 100-m reach, and fish presence via snorkeling was noted in each 10-m section as well. Water samples were collected at the downstream starting point of each reach, and continued upstream in each section 5 to 8 m ahead of the snorkeler. A qPCR was run on each individual water sample in quadruplicate to test for sucker presence or absence. I was able to positively detect both species with eDNA sampling techniques in two out of three streams. Snorkeling resulted in positive detections of both species in all three streams. In streams where fish were detected with eDNA sampling, snorkeling detected fishes at 11-29 sites per stream, where as eDNA detected fish at 3-12 sites per streams. My results suggested that AFS standard snorkeling was more effective at detecting target fish species than eDNA. To improve eDNA sampling, the amount of water collected and tested should be increased. Additionally, filtering water on site may improve eDNA techniques for detecting fish. Future research should focus on standardizing eDNA sampling to provide a widely operational sampling tool similar to electrofishing, netting, and hydroacoustics.

Thesis (Master of Community Planning)--University of Cincinnati, 2008.
Advisors: Carla Chifos Ph.D. (Committee Chair), Dan Peterson Ph.D. (Committee Member), Tonya Nichols Ph.D. (Committee Member) Title from electronic thesis title page (Sept. 6, 2008). Includes abstract. Keywords: multiple criteria decision analysis; emergency planning; analytic hierarchy process Includes bibliographical references.

Ad hoc network normally has critical connectivity properties before partitioning. The timely recognition is important in order to perform some data or service replication. Several existing centralized or globalized algorithms declare an edge or a node as critical if their removal will separate the network into several components. We introduce several localized definitions of critical nodes and critical links, using topological or positional information. A node is critical if the subgraph of p-neighbours of node (without the node itself) is disconnected. We propose three definitions of critical links, based on verifying common p-hop neighbours, loop length, and critical status of link endpoints, respectively. The experiments with random unit graph model of ad hoc networks show high correspondence of local and global decisions. Existing algorithms for testing k-connectivity are centralized. In this thesis, we introduce localized criteria for testing k-connectivity. In the first proposed local neighbor detection (LND) criterion, each node verifies whether or not itself and each of its p-hop neighbors have at least k neighbors. In the second local critical node detection (LCND) protocol, it also tests if the subgraph of its p-hop neighbours of a given node is k-connected. The third local subgraph connectivity detection (LSCD) protocol is based on communications between neighboring nodes to exchange the local decisions starting from k=1. All nodes declare themselves locally 1-connected. For k=2,3,..., iteratively, local decisions are propagated to p-hop neighbors. If node A is (k-1)-connected, all its p-hop neighbors are (k-1)-connected, and the graph consisting of p-hop neighbors of A (excluding A) is (k-1)-connected, then node A declares its neighborhood as k-connected. The experiments are carried with two ways of uniform generation of connected unit disk graphs. They show low percentage of false 'alarms', ability to locate critical areas in k-disconnected networks, and increased accuracy with increased local knowledge.

Nell'elaborato si analizzano aspetti della teoria dei giochi e della multi-criteria decision-making. La riflessione serve a proporre le basi per un nuovo modello di protocollo di routing in ambito Mobile Ad-hoc Networks. Questo prototipo mira a generare una rete che riesca a gestirsi in maniera ottimale grazie ad un'acuta tecnica di clusterizzazione. Allo stesso tempo si propone come obiettivo il risparmio energetico e la partecipazione collaborativa di tutti i componenti.

A non-experimental, descriptive study was conducted to examine the criteria by which ad hoc labor arbitrators are selected in the petroleum refining industry. Three factors — arbitrator background, recognition, and arbitration practice — were examined to determine their relative importance to advocates selecting ad hoc labor arbitrators. The population of the study consisted of management and labor union advocates in the petroleum refining industry who routinely select ad hoc labor arbitrators. Participating management and union advocates completed a questionnaire used to gather respondents' evaluations of criteria considered in the selection of ad hoc arbitrators. Responses to statements designed for measuring relative importance of the criteria considered were recorded. Descriptive statistics, discriminant analysis, and tests of significance were used in the treatment of the data.

Mobile Ad hoc Networks (MANETs) are re-emerging as a popular networking facility for wireless device users. A growing number of diversified applications are now accessible via wireless devices. The different applications may have different Quality of Service (QoS) requirements, which may better be satisfied by using different routing methods or metric types. Existing ad hoc network routing solutions do not consider various application-level requirements when making a routing decision. They typically make routing decisions based upon limited information acquired at the network layer. Most of the existing routing protocols make use of a single routing metric. Using a single metric type and/or information, only acquired at the network layer may not be able to accommodate different QoS requirements, imposed by diversified user-level applications or application-level data types.The aim of this thesis is to design an efficient routing function for ad hoc networks while at the same time satisfying users‟ and/or applications‟ QoS and security requirements. To achieve this, the thesis investigates and specifies routing requirements that could best support application-level QoS and security requirements in MANETs. It also investigates and critically analyses the state of the art in MANET routing, and the mechanisms used for protecting the routing functions. To overcome the weaknesses and advance the state of the art in MANET routing, this thesis proposes two major solutions. The first solution is the Secure ETX (SETX) routing protocol. It is a secure routing solution that can provide routing functions efficiently in malicious MANET environment. The SETX protocol provides a security mechanism to counter black hole attacks in MANETs on the ETX metric acquisition process. Simulation studies have been carried out and discussed in the thesis. Simulation results show that the SETX protocol can provide a marked improvement in network performances in the presence of black hole attacks, and it can do so with a negligible level of additional overhead.The second solution is a novel routing decision making called the Flexible Routing Decision (FRD) framework. The FRD framework supports routing decision making by using multiple metric types (i.e. multi-criteria routing decision making) and uses a cross-layer approach to support application-level QoS requirements. This allows users to use different routing metrics types, making the most appropriate routing decision for a given application. To accommodate the diversified application-level QoS requirements, multiple routing metric types have been identified and interpreted in the FRD framework design. The FRD framework has overcome some weaknesses exhibited by existing single metric routing decision making, used in MANETs. The performance of a routing decision making of FRD is also evaluated using NS2 simulation package. Simulation results demonstrate that the FRD framework outperforms the existing routing decision making methods.

Les lesions cranio-encephaliques restent, malgre le port de la ceinture de securite, une des atteintes les plus frequentes de l'occupant d'un vehicule lors d'un accident de la circulation. Or, il n'existe pas actuellement de critere de tolerance pertinent prenant en compte les multiples mecanismes lesionnels. Le but de cette recherche est de contribuer a la mise au point d'un modele qui, a partir des mesures effectuees sur mannequin lors d'essais de chocs, permette de predire le risque lesionnel pour le cerveau, ou de comprendre les mecanismes intervenant. La premiere phase du travail a consiste a modeliser la tete, tout d'abord par un modele discret donnant les premiers modes de vibration du cerveau, puis ensuite par modele elements finis, de facon a decrire dans toute sa complexite le comportement du cerveau dans la boite cranienne. Pour ce faire, un protocole experimental sur cadavre a ete mis au point. Des essais ont ete realisee et une etude parametrique a ete effectuee pour evaluer et tenter d'ameliorer un modele deja existant. La deuxieme phase du travail doit permettre de determiner des seuils de tolerance. Pour cela, des experimentations sur boxeurs volontaires ont ete menees a bien. Les essais ont consiste a mesurer les accelerations lineaires et angulaires de la tete des boxeurs lors de coups recus pendant des matchs d'entrainement. La simulation des coups par le modele e. F. Etudie dans la premiere partie a permis d'obtenir une sous-estimation des tolerances. Pour finir, une application de cette etude a un moyen de protection de la tete a ete realisee par simulation, a l'aide du modele e. F. , d'impacts de tete sur volant ou sur sac gonflable

Kvůli stále značnému počtu usmrcených chodců při dopravních nechodách se výrobci automobilů snaží pomocí vhodné konstrukce automobilu zmírnit následky způsobené nehodou. Při srážce impaktoru hlavy s kapotou automobilu dochází ke zpomalení impaktoru a na toto zpomalení je aplikováno HIC kitérium. HIC kritérium vyhodnocuje míru možnosti poranění hlavy při srážce. Cílem diplomové práce je výběr nejvhodnějšího časového průběhu zpomalení dětského impaktoru hlavy při srážce s kapotou automobilu Škoda Superb II z hlediska HIC kritéria a navržení konstrukčních úprav kapoty a okolních částí, které se dostanou do kontaktu tak, aby se skutečný průběh blížil teoretické fyziologicky přípustné variantě. Pro výpočtové modelování úlohy byla použita explicitní varianta metody konečných prvků (MKP). V první části práce jsou analyzovány data ze simulací úderu impaktoru dětské hlavy na kapotu auta, zvlástě pak analýzy částí energie spotřebované kapotou při srážce s impaktorem. Tyto data byly poskytnuté firmou Škoda Auto a.s. Další část se zaobírá návrhem křivek zpomalení se sinusovým, čtvercovým a trojúhelníkým tvarem. Dále je také navržena 2 vrcholová trojúhelníhová křivka zpomalení, jež je pomocí parametrů modifikovatelná. Optimalizací aproximovaného modelu geometrie kapoty automobilu při dopadu impaktoru hlavy na navržený model geometrie kapoty je zajištěno podobné shody s dříve optimalizovanou 2 vrcholovou trojúhleníkovou křivkou zpomalení. V další části je použit originální model geometrie kapoty automobilu Škoda Superb II a další optimalizace modelu geometrie kapoty vůči optimálnímu časovému průběhu zpomalení.

Cette thèse vise à contribuer à la compréhension des cycle de vie d’une opération humanitaire (HOLC). Gestion de la chaîne d'approvisionnement humanitaire (HSCM) dans un contexte de mise en perspective et dans l’objectif de proposer un modèle décisionnel qui s'applique aux phases de HOLC lors d’une situation réelle. Cela inclut la mise en oeuvre du modèle proposé pour concevoir et développer un outil d'aide à la décision afin d'améliorer les performances de la logistique humanitaire tant dans les opérations de secours nationaux qu’internationaux.Cette recherche est divisée en trois phases. La première partie vise à présenter le sens de l'étude ; la zone de recherche prise en compte pour la gestion de la chaîne d'approvisionnement (SCM) doit être clairement définie. La première phase consiste à clarifier et définir le HSCM HL, la gestion de la chaîne d'approvisionnement commerciale (CSCM) et le SCM, ainsi que la relation entre ces différents éléments. La gestion du cycle de vie du projet (PLCM) et les différentes approches sont également présentés. La compréhension de la différence entre la gestion du cycle de vie du projet (PLM) et la PLCM est également nécessaire, cela ne peut être abordé dans la phase de cycle de vie de l'opération humanitaire. De plus, les modèles Multiple-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) et l’aide à la décision concernant le HL sont analysés pour établir le fossé existant en matière de recherche. Les approches MCDM qui mettent en oeuvre le système d'aide à la décision (DSS) et la manière dont le MAS a été utilisé dans le contexte HSCM sont étudiées.La deuxième phase consiste en la proposition d’un modèle décisionnel fondé sur l’approche MCDM à l'appui de la décision du décideur avant qu'il/elle prenne des mesures. Ce modèle prévoit le classement des alternatives concernant l'entrepôt, le fournisseur et le transport au cours des phases de HOLC. Le modèle décisionnel proposé est réalisée en 3 scénarios. I. La décision en 4phases HOLC – opération de secours internationale de la Croix-Rouge Française (CRF). II. La décision en3phases HOLC – opération nationale dela Croix-Rouge thaïlandaise (TRC). III. La décision au niveau de la phase de réponse HOLC – opération internationale du TRC dans quatre pays. Dans cette phase, le scénario I et II sont réalisés étape par étape au travers de calculs numériques et formules mathématiques. Le scénario III sera présenté dans la troisième phase. Pour établir trois scénarios, les données internes recueillies lors des entretiens avec le chef de la logistique de la Croix-Rouge Française, et le vice-président de la fondation de la Coix-Rouge thaïlandaise, seront utilisées. Les données externes proviennent de chercheurs qui sont des experts dans le domaine HL ou le champ du HSCM, de la littérature, et de sources issues des organismes humanitaires (documents d’ateliers, rapports, informations publiées sur leurs sites officiels).Dans la troisième phase, une application Internet multi-critères (decision support system MCDSS WB) mettant en oeuvre le modèle proposé est élaborée. Afin d'atteindre une décision appropriée en temps réel, le WB-MCDSS est développé sur la base d’un protocole client-serveur et est simple à utiliser. Le dernier mais non le moindre ; une application de validation du modèle est réalisée à l'aide de l'approche de l'analyse de sensibilité
This thesis aims to contribute to the understanding of HOLC in context of the HSCM and to propose a decision model which applies to the phases of HOLC the decision making regarding a real situation . This include the implementation of the proposed model to design and develop a decision support tool in order to improve the performance of humanitarian logistics in both national and international relief operations.This research is divided into three phases; the first phase is to clarify and define HL among HSCM, commercial supply chain management (CSCM) and SCM and their relationship. Project Life Cycle Management (PLCM) approaches are also presented. The difference between project life cycle management (PLM) and PLCM is also required to distinguish a clear understanding which can be addressed in the phase of humanitarian operation life cycle. Additionally, the literature of Multiple-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) models and existing decision aid system for HL are analyzed to establish the research gap. The MCDM approaches which implement the decision support system (DSS) and lastly how DSS has been used in the HSCM context.The second phase is to propose a decision model based on MCDM approaches to support the decision of the decision maker before he/she takes action. This model provides the ranking alternatives to warehouse, supplier and transportation over the phases of HOLC. The proposed decision model is conducted in 3 scenarios; I. The decision in 4-phase HOLC, international relief operation of French Red Cross (FRC). II. The decision on 3-phase HOLC, national operation by the Thai Red Cross (TRC). III. The decision on response phase HOLC, international operation by the FRC in four countries. In this phase, the scenario I and II are performed step by step though numerical calculation and mathematical formulas. The scenario III will be presented in the third phase.In the third phase, an application of web-based multi-criteria decision support system (WB-MCDSS) which implement the proposed model is developed. The web-based multi-criteria decision support system is developed based on the integration of analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and TOPSIS approaches. In order to achieve an appropriate decision in a real time response, the WB-MCDSS is developed based on server-client protocol and is simple to operate. Last but not least, a validation application of the model is performed using the sensitivity analysis approach

In this dissertation, we focus on the problem of self-management in distributed systems. In this context, we propose a new methodology for reactive self-management based on multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA). The general structure of the proposed methodology is extracted from the commonalities of the former well-established approaches that are applied in other problem domains. The main novelty of this work, however, lies in the usage of MCDA during the reaction processes in the context of the two problems that the proposed methodology is applied to. In order to provide a detailed analysis and assessment of this new approach, we have used the proposed methodology to design distributed autonomous agents that can provide self-management in two outstanding problems. These two problems also represent the two distinct ways in which the methodology can be applied to self-management problems. These two cases are: 1) independent self management, and 2) coordinated self-management. In the simulation case study regarding independent self-management, the methodology is used to design and implement a distributed resource consolidation manager for clouds, called IMPROMPTU. In IMPROMPTU, each autonomous agent is attached to a unique physical machine in the cloud, where it manages resource consolidation independently from the rest of the autonomous agents. On the other hand, the simulation case study regarding coordinated self-management focuses on the problem of adaptive routing in mobile ad hoc networks (MANET). The resulting system carries out adaptation through autonomous agents that are attached to each MANET node in a coordinated manner. In this context, each autonomous node agent expresses its opinion in the form of a decision regarding which routing algorithm should be used given the perceived conditions. The opinions are aggregated through coordination in order to produce a final decision that is to be shared by every node in the MANET. Although MCDA has been previously considered within the context of artificial intelligence---particularly with respect to algorithms and frameworks that represent different requirements for MCDA problems, to the best of our knowledge, this dissertation outlines a work where MCDA is applied for the first time in the domain of these two problems that are represented as simulation case studies.
Graduate

碩士
元智大學
資訊工程學系
89
In this paper, we focus on finding a substitutive path in advance through utilizing the Signal Strength (SIR), to make the overall qualities of transmission more stable for the Ad Hoc Mobile Wireless Networks. Basically, SIR is a useful parameter to judge the degree of connection. When SIR is lower than a predefined threshold, we propose an algorithm to determine whether this connection will be broken or not. In case that this connection may be broken, we will try to find out a substitutive path before the disconnection such that the qualities of transmission will be kept stable. In addition, during the procedure of finding the substitutive path, we address a method of regional path searching to avoid the macrocosm broadcast searching. In this way, the overhead of the sender can be reduced quite efficiently for maintaining the routing paths.

In Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, explosions accounted for 81% of all injuries; this is a higher casualty percentage than in any previous wars. Blast wave overpressure has recently been associated with varying levels of traumatic brain injury in soldiers exposed to blast loading. Presently, the injury mechanism behind primary blast brain injury is not well understood due to the complex interactions between the blast wave and the human body. Despite these limitations in the understanding of head injury thresholds, head kinematics are often used to predict the overall potential for head injury. The purpose of this study was to investigate head kinematics, and predict injury from a range of simulated blast loads at varying standoff distances and differing heights of bursts. The validated Generator of body data multi-body human surrogate model allows for numerical kinematic data simulation in explicit finite element method fluid structure interaction blast modeling. Two finite element methods were investigated to simulate blast interaction with humans, an enhanced blast uncoupled method, and an Arbitrary Lagrangian Eularian fully coupled method. The enhanced blast method defines an air blast function through the application of a blast pressure wave, including ground reflections, based on the explosives relative location to a target; the pressures curves are based on the Convention Weapons databases. LBE model is efficient for parametric numerical studies of blast interaction where the target response is the only necessary result. The ALE model, unlike classical Lagrangian methods, has a fixed finite element mesh that allows material to flow through it; this enables simulation of large deformation problems such as blast in an air medium and its subsequent interaction with structures. The ALE model should be used when research into a specific blast scenario is of interest, since this method is more computationally expensive. The ALE method can evaluate a blast scenario in more detail including: explosive detonation, blast wave development and propagation, near-field fireball effects, blast wave reflection, as well as 3D blast wave interaction, reflection and refraction with a target. Both approaches were validated against experimental blast tests performed by Defense Research and Development Valcartier and ConWep databases for peak pressure, arrival time, impulse, and curve shape. The models were in good agreement with one another and follow the experimental data trend showing an exponential reduction in peak acceleration with increasing standoff distance until the Mach stem effect reached head height. The Mach stem phenomenon is a shock front formed by the merging of the incident and reflected shock waves; it increases the applied peak pressure and duration of a blast wave thus expanding the potential head injury zone surrounding a raised explosive. The enhanced blast model was in good agreement with experimental data in the near-field, and mid-field; however, overestimated the peak acceleration, and head injury criteria values in the far-field due to an over predicted pressure impulse force. The ALE model also over predicted the response based on the head injury criteria at an increased standoff distance due to smearing of the blast wave over several finite elements leading to an increased duration loading. According to the Abbreviated Injury Scale, the models predicted a maximal level 6 injury for all explosive sizes in the near-field, with a rapid acceleration of the head over approximately 1 ms. There is a drastic exponential reduction in the insult force and potential injury received with increasing standoff distance outside of the near-field region of an explosive charge.