Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Sampit language'

Communication Sciences
M.A.
Language sample analysis has come to be considered the “gold standard” approach for cross-cultural language assessment. Speech-language pathologists assessing individuals of multicultural or multilinguistic backgrounds have been recommended to utilize this approach in these evaluations (e.g., Pearson, Jackson, & Wu, 2014; Heilmann & Westerveld, 2013). Language samples can be elicited with a variety of different tasks, and selection of a specific method by SLPs is often a major part of the assessment process. The present study aims to facilitate the selection of sample elicitation methods by identifying the method that elicits a maximal performance of language abilities and variation in children’s oral language samples. Analyses were performed on Play, Tell, and Retell methods across 178 total samples and it was found that Retell elicited higher measures of syntactic complexity (i.e., TTR, SI, MLUw) than Play as well as a higher TTR (i.e., lexical diversity) and SI (i.e., clausal density) than Tell; however, no difference was found between Tell and Retell for MLUw (i.e., syntactic complexity/productivity), nor was there a difference found between Tell and Play for TTR. Additionally, it was found that the two narrative methods elicited higher DDM (i.e., frequency of dialectal variation) than the Play method. No significant difference was found between Tell and Retell for DDM. Implications for the continued use of language sample for assessment of speech and language are discussed.
Temple University--Theses

Specific language impairment (SLI) in bilingual Malaysian children is grossly underidentified for two reasons. First, there is an absence of locally-developed norm-referenced language assessment tools. The challenge in developing a local assessment tool comes from the inadequate knowledge of children’s English as it develops in the bilingual environment. Second, the characteristics of Malaysian English, a non-Standard form of English, are often confused with the features of SLI in monolingual children learning Standard English. To date, the literature has no information on SLI in bilingual children learning a non-Standard English because research mainly focuses on bilingual Standard English and monolingual non-Standard English. Spontaneous language sample is the recommended language assessment tool for bilingual Malaysian children because it provides quantitative and qualitative information for language development and assessment in communities with complex language environment. Phase 1 of the current study investigated the developmental sensitivity of four language sample measures (LSMs), including mean length of utterances (MLU), lexical diversity (D), the Index of Productive Syntax (IPSyn), and frequency of code-switching (FCS), by examining the relationship between these LSMs and age in 52 bilingual Chinese-English Malaysian children with normal language development (NLD), aged between 3;06 and 6;09. Analyses showed a highly significant linear relationship with age in D (r=.536) and IPSyn (r=.451), moderately significant linear relationship with MLU (r=.364), but not in FCS. The findings suggested that MLU, D, and IPSyn were developmentally sensitive to non-Standard English in the bilingual Malaysian children studied. Phase 2 compared the same measures obtained from nine children with SLI and their age-matched controls from the NLD group in Phase 1. The SLI group had significantly lower MLU and the IPSyn scores than the NLD group. Discriminant function analysis indicated that the IPSyn alone classified children into SLI and NLD groups at 77.8% classification accuracy. The four misclassified children, two in the SLI and two in the NLD group, were aged below 4;06 years. MLU and the IPSyn showed potential as SLI markers for bilingual Malaysian children. Two types of error patterns were observed from the SLI group. The first pattern included verb and the copula -be omissions which were also observed in younger children from the NLD group. The second pattern was omission of prepositions which was not observed in younger NLD group, reflected linguistic transfer from the first language. Future research in this area is suggested to a) extend the age range of the study to include older children to further verify the diagnostic potential of LSMs, b) consider longitudinal research design so that language development over time can be described and c) include non-linguistic measures given reports of these measures as potential markers of SLI. As an initial study on bilingual children learning non-Standard English, the current study provided empirical data for charting language development and also suggested potential markers for SLI. The study can serve as the basic framework not only for further research on other bilingual non-Standard English-speaking groups but also for children with language impairment secondary to developmental disorders in the same language group.
published_or_final_version
Speech and Hearing Sciences
Master
Master of Philosophy

Background: The construct of alexithymia implies a deficit in symbolization for emotional, somatic, and mental states. However, the etiologic factors for alexithymia have not yet been fully elucidated. The present study investigated the use of mentalizing language, i.e. the utterance of internal states, from a developmental perspective according to attachment organization and disorganization. Methods: A longitudinal design across 4 time points was applied to a volunteer sample of 42 children. At 12 months, children were tested with the strange situation procedure, the standard measure of attachment at the optimal age, and attachment classifications were taken of videotapes. At ages 17, 23, 30 and 36 months, mother and child were observed in simplified separation episodes of 30 min duration. Transcripts of the sessions were subject to coding of internal state words. Results: During the investigated span, securely attached children rapidly acquired emotion, physiology, cognition and emotion-regulatory language, whereas insecurely attached and disorganized children either completely lacked internal state language or displayed a considerable time lag in the use of emotion and cognition vocabulary. Conclusion: The results raise the possibility that alexithymia might be a consequence of deficits in the development of internal state language in the context of insecure or disorganized childhood attachment relationships
Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich

Background: The construct of alexithymia implies a deficit in symbolization for emotional, somatic, and mental states. However, the etiologic factors for alexithymia have not yet been fully elucidated. The present study investigated the use of mentalizing language, i.e. the utterance of internal states, from a developmental perspective according to attachment organization and disorganization. Methods: A longitudinal design across 4 time points was applied to a volunteer sample of 42 children. At 12 months, children were tested with the strange situation procedure, the standard measure of attachment at the optimal age, and attachment classifications were taken of videotapes. At ages 17, 23, 30 and 36 months, mother and child were observed in simplified separation episodes of 30 min duration. Transcripts of the sessions were subject to coding of internal state words. Results: During the investigated span, securely attached children rapidly acquired emotion, physiology, cognition and emotion-regulatory language, whereas insecurely attached and disorganized children either completely lacked internal state language or displayed a considerable time lag in the use of emotion and cognition vocabulary. Conclusion: The results raise the possibility that alexithymia might be a consequence of deficits in the development of internal state language in the context of insecure or disorganized childhood attachment relationships.
Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

Access to evidence-based assessment for diagnosing children with primary language impairment (PLI) in Iran is limited. This study aimed to explore diagnostic criteria employed by Iranian speech therapists for defining PLI and examine the diagnostic potential of language sample measures (LSMs) for Persian-speaking children. Thirty nine speech and language therapists (SLTs) contributed in a qualitative- quantitative study to explore the criteria currently used by Iranian SLTs to assess and diagnose Persian-speaking children with PLI. Personally-defined diagnostic procedures, based on the results of the questionnaires and focus groups were summarised to obtain a general picture of decision-making methods in identifying Iranian children with PLI. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) was used as an organising framework for establishing a consensus as to what constitutes a language impairment, since no commonly accepted reference standard currently exists in Iranian clinical practice. The assessment potential of LSMs in Persian was examined using the framework of diagnostic research and included a pre-accuracy study followed by phase I and II studies. Twenty seven pre-school children with typically-developing language (TDL) and 24 age-matched children with PLI, aged 42 to 54 months, were recruited. Language samples were recorded as each mother played with her child. None of correlations between age and the LSMs were statistically significant in either group of children (pre- accuracy phase). However, a majority of the LSMs could differentiate children at the group level (phase I). Five measures: Grammaticality/Ungrammaticality, Ungrammatical Utterances, MLUw-excluding one-word utterances, and Semantic Errors, provided good diagnostic accuracy when examined at the level of the individual child (phase II). An ICF-based reference standard for defining PLI in Iranian Pre-school children has been developed to enhance the consensus among Iranian SLTs. It was applied to recruit the children to the DA study, resulting in five LSMs which are clinically able to differentiate between children with and without PLI.

Cross-cultural assessment in South Africa has become more prominent since the first democratic elections held in April 1994, as stronger demands for the cultural appropriateness of psychological tests have been made. The use of psychometric testing, including personality assessment in the workplace, is now strictly controlled by legislation, among others the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa (Act 108 of 1996), the Labour Relations Act (66 of 1995), and the Employment Equity Act (55 of 1998), and the Health Professions Act (56 of 1974). The present study forms part of the development process of the South African Personality Inventory (SAPI), which seeks to explore the indigenous personality structure of all the 11 official language groups found in South Africa and to then develop a personality inventory based on this. The present study aimed to explore and describe the personality facets and clusters that were found among a sample of 95 Xhosa-speaking South Africans. An exploratory descriptive research method was used and participants were selected by means of non-probability purposive sampling. Data were gathered by administering a biographical questionnaire and a tape-recorded 10- item interview questionnaire. Content analysis was used to analyse and reduce the data obtained from interviews into personality descriptors. Of the 1872 personality-descriptive words obtained from the interview questions, 164 facets of different personality characteristics were finally configured as a consequence of a data-reduction process. These facets were further categorised into a total of 37 personality sub-clusters and nine personality clusters which were labelled as Extraversion, Soft-heartedness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability, Intellect, Openness, Integrity, Relationship Harmony and Facilitating. These clusters and their sub-clusters resonate well with significant aspects and values of the Xhosa culture (e.g., Ubuntu). There also seems to be a moderate correspondence between the clusters and sub-clusters identified in the Xhosa-speaking sample and factors of the Five-Factor Model, especially with respect to the six clusters of Extraversion, Soft-heartedness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability, Intellect, and Openness. Nonetheless, differences in the composition of the clusters/facets were found, some of which are due to the more unique facets and sub-facets of personality identified in the Xhosa-speaking sample. The limitations of the study are identified and suggestions are made for further research.

In 1971, Lee and Canter developed a systematic tool for assessing children's expressive language: Developmental Sentence Scoring (DSS). It provides normative data against which a child's delayed or disordered language development can be compared with the normal language of children the same age. A specific scoring system is used to analyze children's use of standard English grammatical rules from a tape-recorded sample of their spontaneous speech during conversation with a clinician. The corpus of sentences for the DSS is obtained from a sample of 50 complete, different, consecutive, intelligible, non-echolalic sentences elicited from a child in conversation with an adult using stimulus materials in which the child is interested. There is limited research on the reliability of language samples smaller and larger than 50 utterances for DSS analysis. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a significant difference among the scores obtained from language samples of 25, 50, and 75 utterances when using the DSS procedure for children aged 6.0 to 6.6 years. Twelve children, selected on the basis of chronological age, normal receptive vocabulary skills, normal hearing, and a monolingual background, were chosen as subjects.

Language sample analysis is accepted as the gold standard in child language assessment. Unfortunately it is often viewed as too time consuming for the practicing clinician. Over the last 15 years a great deal of research has been invested in the automated analysis of child language samples to make the process more time efficient. One step in the analysis process may be precoding the sample, as is used in the Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts (SALT) software. However, a claim has been made (MacWhinney, 2008) that such precoding in fact leads to lower accuracy because of manual coding errors. No data on this issue have been published. The current research measured the accuracy of language samples analyzed with and without SALT precoding. This study also compared the accuracy of current software to an older version called GramCats (Channell & Johnson 1999). The results presented support the use of precoding schemes such as SALT and suggest that the accuracy of automated analysis has improved over time.

The identification of complex grammatical structures including noun clauses is of clinical importance because differences in the use of these structures have been found between individuals with and without language impairment. In recent years, computer software has been used to assist in analyzing clinical language samples. However, this software has been unable to accurately identify complex syntactic structures such as noun clauses. The present study investigated the accuracy of new software, called Cx, in identifying finite wh- and that-noun clauses. Two sets of language samples were used. One set included 10 children with language impairment, 10 age-matched peers, and 10 language-matched peers. The second set included 40 adults with mental retardation. Levels of agreement between computerized and manual analysis were similar for both sets of language samples; Kappa levels were high for wh-noun clauses and very low for that-noun clauses.

Language samples are naturalistic sources of information that supersede many of the limitations found in standardized test administration. Although language samples have clinical utility, they are often time intensive. Despite the usefulness of language samples in evaluation and treatment, clinicians may not perform language sample analyses due to the necessary time commitment. Researchers have developed language sample analysis software that automates this process. Coding schemes such as that used by the Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts (SALT) software were developed to provide more information regarding appropriate grammatical tag selection. The usefulness of SALT precoding in aiding automated grammatical tagging accuracy was evaluated in this study. Results indicate consistent, overall improvement over an earlier version of the software at the tag level. The software was adept at coding samples from both developmentally normal and language impaired children. No significant differences between tagging accuracy of SALT coded versus non-SALT coded samples were found. As the accuracy of automated tagging software advances, the clinical usefulness of automated grammatical analyses improves, and thus the benefits of time savings may be realized.

U disertaciji je razmatran problem stohastičkog programiranja s ograničenjima tipa jednakosti, odnosno problem minimizacije s ograničenjima koja su u obliku matematičkog očekivanja. Za rešavanje posmatranog problema kreirana su dva iterativna postupka u kojima se u svakoj iteraciji računa s uzoračkim očekivanjem kao aproksimacijom matematičkog očekivanja. Oba postupka koriste prednosti postupaka s promenljivom veličinom uzorka zasnovanih na adaptivnom ažuriranju veličine uzorka. To znači da se veličina uzorka određuje na osnovu informacija u tekućoj iteraciji. Konkretno, tekuće informacije o preciznosti aproksimacije očekivanja i tačnosti aproksimacije rešenja problema definišu veličinu uzorka za narednu iteraciju. Oba iterativna postupka su zasnovana na linijskom pretraživanju, a kako je u pitanju problem s ograničenjima, i na kvadratnom kaznenom postupku prilagođenom stohastičkom okruženju. Postupci su zasnovani na istim idejama, ali s različitim pristupom.Po prvom pristupu postupak je kreiran za rešavanje SAA reformulacije problema stohastičkog programiranja, dakle za rešavanje aproksimacije originalnog problema. To znači da je uzorak definisan pre iterativnog postupka, pa je analiza konvergencije algoritma deterministička. Pokazano je da se, pod standardnim pretpostavkama, navedenim algoritmom dobija podniz iteracija čija je tačka nagomilavanja KKT tačka SAA reformulacije.Po drugom pristupu je formiran algoritam za rešavanje samog problemastohastičkog programiranja, te je analiza konvergencije stohastička. Predstavljenim algoritmom se generiše podniz iteracija čija je tačka nagomilavanja, pod standardnim pretpostavkama za stohastičku optimizaciju, skoro sigurnoKKT tačka originalnog problema.Predloženi algoritmi su implementirani na istim test problemima. Rezultati numeričkog testiranja prikazuju njihovu efikasnost u rešavanju posmatranih problema u poređenju s postupcima u kojima je ažuriranje veličine uzorkazasnovano na unapred definisanoj šemi. Za meru efikasnosti je upotrebljenbroj izračunavanja funkcija. Dakle, na osnovu rezultata dobijenih na skuputestiranih problema može se zaključiti da se adaptivnim ažuriranjem veličineuzorka može uštedeti u broju evaluacija funkcija kada su u pitanju i problemi sograničenjima.Kako je posmatrani problem deterministički, a formulisani postupci su stohastički, prva tri poglavlja disertacije sadrže osnovne pojmove determinističkei stohastiˇcke optimizacije, ali i kratak pregled definicija i teorema iz drugihoblasti potrebnih za lakše praćenje analize originalnih rezultata. Nastavak disertacije čini prikaz formiranih algoritama, analiza njihove konvergencije i numerička implementacija. 
Stochastic programming problem with equality constraints is considered within thesis. More precisely, the problem is minimization problem with constraints in the form of mathematical expectation. We proposed two iterative methods for solving considered problem. Both procedures, in each iteration, use a sample average function instead of the mathematical expectation function, and employ the advantages of the variable sample size method based on adaptive updating the sample size. That means, the sample size is determined at every iteration using information from the current iteration. Concretely, the current precision of the approximation of expectation and the quality of the approximation of solution determine the sample size for the next iteration. Both iterative procedures are based on the line search technique as well as on the quadratic penalty method adapted to stochastic environment, since the considered problem has constraints. Procedures relies on same ideas, but the approach is different.By first approach, the algorithm is created for solving an SAA reformulation of the stochastic programming problem, i.e., for solving the approximation of the original problem. That means the sample size is determined before the iterative procedure, so the convergence analyses is deterministic. We show that, under the standard assumptions, the proposed algorithm generates a subsequence which accumulation point is the KKT point of the SAA problem. Algorithm formed by the second approach is for solving the stochastic programming problem, and therefore the convergence analyses is stochastic. It generates a subsequence with  accumulation point that is almost surely the KKT point of the original problem, under the standard assumptions for stochastic optimization.for sample size. The number of function evaluations is used as measure of efficiency. Results of the set of tested problems suggest that it is possible to make smaller number of function evaluations by adaptive sample size scheduling in the case of constrained problems, too.Since the considered problem is deterministic, but the formed procedures are stochastic, the first three chapters of thesis contain basic notations of deterministic and stochastic optimization, as well as a short sight of definitions and theorems from another fields necessary for easier tracking the original results analysis. The rest of thesis consists of the presented algorithms, their convergence analysis and numerical implementation.

This thesis investigated the relationship between shyness and the language development of a sample of preschool children in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The sample consisted of 108 preschool children enrolled in eight preschool centres in Riyadh City. The method was a comparative design involving shy and non-shy children (52 shy, 56 non-shy) ranging in age from 5 to 6 years old selected by their teachers. All the children were of Saudi nationality and in final year classes of preschool. All preschools were private, the socioeconomic status was homogeneous and from middle to upper class. The trait shyness of children was measured by means of a teachers' and parents' shyness checklist. Three measures were used to examine the language development of children: a standardized test of receptive vocabulary, a systematic measure of children's speech in two "Show and Tell" sessions, and observation of children's verbal behaviour during two free play sessions. Shy children obtained lower scores in the vocabulary test and they were more reticent in these two school settings. Teachers' shyness scores predicted children's verbal behaviour in "Show and Tell" and during free play sessions over and above any differences between shy and non-shy children in vocabulary test scores. Vocabulary scores did not mediate or moderate the relations between shyness and observed verbal behaviours in these sessions.

The diversity embodying South Africa has emphasized the importance and influence of language in education and thus the additive bilingual programme is being implemented in the Eastern Cape by the ABLE project in order to realize the South African Language in education policy (LEiP).In accordance with this, the Woodcock Munoz Language Survey (which specializes in measuring cognitive academic language proficiency) was chosen as one of the instruments to evaluate the language outcomes of the programme and was adapted into South African English and isiXhosa.The current study was a subset of the ABLE project, and was located within the bigger project dealing with the translation of the WMLS into isiXhosa and the successive research on the equivalence of the two language versions. This study evaluated the structural equivalence of the English and isiXhosa versions of the WMLS on matched sample groups (n= 150 in each language group). Thus secondary data analysis (SDA) was conducted by analyzing the data in SPSS as well as CEFA (Comprehensive Exploratory Factor Analysis). The original data set was purposively sampled according to set selection criteria and consists of English and isiXhosa first language learners. The study sought to confirm previous research by cross-validating the results of structural equivalence on two subscales, namely the Verbal Analogies (VA) and Letter-Word Identification (LWI) subscale. The research design reflects psychometric test theory and is therefore located in a bias and equivalence theoretical framework. The results of the exploratory factor analysis found that one can only accept structural equivalence in the first factor identified in the VA subscale, while structural equivalence was found in the factor for the LWI subscale.The use of scatter-plots to validate the results of the exploratory factor analysis indicated that one can tentatively accept these results. The study thus contributed to the literature on the translation of the WMLS, and the adaptation of language tests into the indigenous languages of South Africa,as well as additive bilingual programmes.
Magister Artium (Psychology) - MA(Psych)

The current study aimed to develop a model of reading comprehension for children in middle primary school. As part of this overall aim there was a particular focus on the contribution of different types of memory to reading comprehension. The variables selected for consideration were identified from the child and adult literature and were of three types: word reading, language, and memory. The sample comprised 180 primary school children in grades 3-5 recruited from two primary schools. Their ages ranged from 8 years 7 months to 11 years 11 months. The reading comprehension measure was in a multiple-choice format with the text available when answering the questions. The five word reading measures were phonological recoding, orthographic processing, text reading accuracy, text reading speed, and a measure of exposure to print and reading experience. It is recognised that, although exposure to print is closely associated with word reading skills, it is not a direct measure of word reading. The language measures were oral comprehension, receptive vocabulary and receptive grammatical skills. The memory measures included measures of verbal and visuospatial short-term memory, measures of verbal and visuospatial working memory, a measure of the ability to inhibit irrelevant information from working memory and a measure of longer term verbal learning and retrieval. Correlational and hierachical multiple regression analyses were used to extrapolate the relationships between and among these variables. The results revealed that, after controlling for age and general intellectual ability, the word reading and the language variables had a much stronger relationship with reading comprehension than the memory variables. The strongest independent predictors of reading comprehension were orthographic processing and oral comprehension. An additive combination of these two variables provided a more parsimonious model of reading comprehension than other models under consideration. It was concluded that for the age range in this study, language and word reading skills are the main predictors of reading comprehension and that the different types of memory do not make major contributions to reading comprehension.

Algorithmic trading is an automated process of order execution on electronic stock markets. It can be applied to a broad range of financial instruments, and it is  characterized by a signicant investors' control over the execution of his/her orders, with the principal goal of finding the right balance between costs and risk of not (fully) executing an order. As the measurement of execution performance gives information whether best execution is achieved, a signicant number of diffeerent benchmarks is  used in practice. The most frequently used are price benchmarks, where some of them are determined before trading (Pre-trade benchmarks), some during the trading  day (In-traday benchmarks), and some are determined after the trade (Post-trade benchmarks). The two most dominant are VWAP and Arrival Price, which is along with other pre-trade price benchmarks known as the Implementation Shortfall (IS).We introduce Negative Selection as a posteriori measure of the execution algorithm performance. It is based on the concept of Optimal Placement, which represents the ideal order that could be executed in a given time win-dow, where the notion of ideal means that it is an order with the best execution price considering  market  conditions  during the time window. Negative Selection is dened as a difference between vectors of optimal and executed orders, with vectors dened as a quantity of shares at specied price positionsin the order book. It is equal to zero when the order is optimally executed; negative if the order is not (completely) filled, and positive if the order is executed but at an unfavorable price.Negative Selection is based on the idea to offer a new, alternative performance measure, which will enable us to find the  optimal trajectories and construct optimal execution of an order.The first chapter of the thesis includes a list of notation and an overview of denitions and theorems that will be used further in the thesis. Chapters 2 and 3 follow with a  theoretical overview of concepts related to market microstructure, basic information regarding benchmarks, and theoretical background of algorithmic trading. Original results are presented in chapters 4 and 5. Chapter 4 includes a construction of optimal placement, definition and properties of Negative Selection. The results regarding the properties of a Negative Selection are given in [35]. Chapter 5 contains the theoretical background for stochastic optimization, a model of the optimal execution formulated as a stochastic optimization problem with regard to Negative Selection, as well as original work on nonmonotone line search method [31], while numerical results are in the last, 6th chapter.
Algoritamsko trgovanje je automatizovani proces izvršavanja naloga na elektronskim berzama. Može se primeniti na širok spektar nansijskih instrumenata kojima se trguje na berzi i karakteriše ga značajna kontrola investitora nad izvršavanjem njegovih naloga, pri čemu se teži nalaženju pravog balansa izmedu troška i rizika u vezi sa izvršenjem naloga. S ozirom da se merenjem performasi izvršenja naloga određuje da li je postignuto najbolje izvršenje, u praksi postoji značajan broj različitih pokazatelja. Najčešće su to pokazatelji cena, neki od njih se određuju pre trgovanja (eng. Pre-trade), neki u toku trgovanja (eng. Intraday), a neki nakon trgovanja (eng. Post-trade). Dva najdominantnija pokazatelja cena su VWAP i Arrival Price koji je zajedno sa ostalim "pre-trade" pokazateljima cena poznat kao Implementation shortfall (IS).Pojam negative selekcije se uvodi kao "post-trade" mera performansi algoritama izvršenja, polazeći od pojma optimalnog naloga, koji predstavlja idealni nalog koji se  mogao izvrsiti u datom vremenskom intervalu, pri ćemu se pod pojmom "idealni" podrazumeva nalog kojim se postiže najbolja cena u tržišnim uslovima koji su vladali  u toku tog vremenskog intervala. Negativna selekcija se definiše kao razlika vektora optimalnog i izvršenog naloga, pri čemu su vektori naloga defisani kao količine akcija na odgovarajućim pozicijama cena knjige naloga. Ona je jednaka nuli kada je nalog optimalno izvršen; negativna, ako nalog nije (u potpunosti) izvršen, a pozitivna ako je nalog izvršen, ali po nepovoljnoj ceni.Uvođenje mere negativne selekcije zasnovano je na ideji da se ponudi nova, alternativna, mera performansi i da se u odnosu na nju nađe optimalna trajektorija i konstruiše optimalno izvršenje naloga.U prvom poglavlju teze dati su lista notacija kao i pregled definicija i teorema  neophodnih za izlaganje materije. Poglavlja 2 i 3 bave se teorijskim pregledom pojmova i literature u vezi sa mikrostrukturom tržišta, pokazateljima trgovanja i algoritamskim trgovanjem. Originalni rezultati su predstavljeni u 4. i 5. poglavlju. Poglavlje 4 sadrži konstrukciju optimalnog naloga, definiciju i osobine negativne selekcije. Teorijski i praktični rezultati u vezi sa osobinama negativna selekcije dati su u [35]. Poglavlje 5 sadrži teorijske osnove stohastičke optimizacije, definiciju modela za optimalno izvršenje, kao i originalni rad u vezi sa metodom nemonotonog linijskog pretraživanja [31], dok 6. poglavlje sadrži empirijske rezultate.

Developmental Sentence Scoring (DSS) is a standardized language sample analysis procedure that uses complete sentences to evaluate and score a child’s use of standard American-English grammatical rules. Automated DSS software can potentially increase efficiency and decrease the time needed for DSS analysis. This study examines the accuracy of one automated DSS software program, DSSA Version 2.0, compared to manual DSS scoring on previously collected language samples from 30 children between the ages of 2;5 and 7;11 (years;months). The overall accuracy of DSSA 2.0 was 86%. Additionally, the present study sought to determine the relationship between DSS, DSSA Version 2.0, the mean length of utterance (MLU), and age. MLU is a measure of linguistic ability in children, and is a widely used indicator of language impairment. This study found that MLU and DSS are both strongly correlated with age and these correlations are statistically significant, r = .605, p < .001 and r = .723, p < .001, respectively. In addition, MLU and DSSA were also strongly correlated with age and these correlations were statistically significant, r = .605, p < .001 and r = .669, p < .001, respectively. The correlation between MLU and DSS was high and statistically significant r = .873, p < .001, indicating that the correlation between MLU and DSS is not simply an artifact of both measures being correlated with age. Furthermore, the correlation between MLU and DSSA was high, r = .794, suggesting that the correlation between MLU and DSSA is not simply an artifact of both variables being correlated with age. Lastly, the relationship between DSS and age while controlling for MLU was moderate, but still statistically significant r = .501, p = .006. Therefore, DSS appears to add information beyond MLU.

This thesis describes a preexperimental, within-subject, pretest-posttest design used to measure the impact of an in-service training about computerized language sample analysis (CLSA) on the knowledge, comfort level, and implementation practices of21 graduate students in Communicative Disorders enrolled at California State University, Long Beach. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected through three surveys: one delivered during clinical practicum didactic sessions prior to the training, one on the day ofthe training, and one survey delivered 12 weeks post-training after the graduate student clinicians had an opportunity to use the computer program they learned about in the training. Results indicated that CLSA knowledge, comfort level and likelihood of implementation increased slightly immediately following the training, but were found to decline over time due to lack of exposure and practice. However, these results were not statistically significant. Findings are discussed as they relate to the current speech-language pathology literature, and possible avenues for further research into this area are explored.

The positive link between children's joint attention skills and subsequent language outcomes is well established. There is also abundant evidence that responsive caregiver behaviors lead to optimal language outcomes. Though directive behaviors are generally considered detrimental to children's growth, specific types of directive behaviors which extend or build upon a child's behavior are thought to promote children's learning. No study has examined how caregiver behaviors interact with children's joint attention skills to affect subsequent language. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to examine how three different caregiver behaviors (Responsiveness, Supportiveness, and Intrusiveness) measured at 18 months moderated the relation between joint attention (also measured at 18 months) and language in two separate samples (a 24-month and a 36-month outcome sample). Intrusiveness was a significant moderator of the relation between RJA and 24-month language. RJA was a significant predictor of 24-month receptive and expressive language only in children whose caregivers had a low to moderate level of intrusiveness. Understanding the child and caregiver factors that promote or hinder children's language outcomes in children at risk for delay may help inform and target interventions that will help improve children's school readiness outcomes.

Cilj  ove  doktorske  disertacije  je  bio  razvoj  brzih  i  pouzdanih  voltametrijskih  metoda zasnovanih na primeni jednostavnih i savremenih elektroda/senzora na bazi ugljeničnih materijala (ugljenične  paste  napravljene  od  grafitnog  praha  i  parafinskog  ulja  i  štampanih  ugljeničnih elektroda)  za  određivanje  H ₂O₂ u  odabranim  složenim  model  i  realnim  uzorcima.  U  tu  svrhu, ispitana je primenljivost različitih radnih elektroda. Amperometrijska  metoda  zasnovana  na  elektrodi  od  ugljenične  paste  (CPE)  zapreminski modifikovane  sa  5%  (m:m)  MnO2 je,  pri  optimizovanim  uslovima  i  pri  radnom  potencijalu  od 0,40 V  u  odnosu  na  zasićenu  kalomelovu  elektrodu  (ZKE)  u  fosfatnom  puferu  pH  7,50  kao pomoćnom elektrolitu, omogućila kvantifikaciju H ₂O₂ u opsegu koncentracija od 1,4 do 65 µg mL -1 sa  relativnom  standardnom  devijacijom  (RSD)  manjom  od  10%.  Ova  metoda  je  primenjena  za određivanje sadržaja H ₂O₂ u uzorcima podzemne vode iz centralnog Banata (Pokrajina Vojvodina, Srbija)  tretirane  Fentonovim  (Fe ²⁺ i  H ₂O₂ )  i  Fentonu-sličnim  (Fe ³⁺ i  H ₂O₂ )  reagensima  u  cilju uklanjanja  prirodnih  organskih  materija  (POM)  pri  čemu  su  korišćene  različite  početne koncentracije  gvožđa  i  različiti  odnosi  molarnih  koncentracija  gvožđa  i  H ₂O₂ .  Utvrđeno  je  da oksidaciono  stanje  gvožđe  (Fe ²⁺ ili  Fe ³⁺)  i  molarni  odnos  jona  Fe  i  H ₂O₂ utiču  na  stepen potrošnje/razgradnje  H ₂O₂u  podzemnoj  vodi  sa  visokim  sadržajem  POM.  Takođe,  u  slučaju Fentonu-sličnog  procesa,  za  sve  početne  koncentracije  Fe ³⁺ i  H ₂O_{2 ,}  signifikantna  količina  H ₂O₂ ostaje  neiskorišćena,  što  ukazuje  na  nižu  efikasnost  ovakvog  sistema u  poređenju  sa  Fentonovim procesom.Štampana  ugljenična  elektroda  (SPCE)  zapreminski  modifikovana  sa  MnO 2 kao medijatorom  je  primenjena  za  određivanje  sadržaja  H ₂O₂ u  toku  Fentonovog  (Fe ²⁺ ,  H₂O₂ )  i vidljivom  svetlošću  potpomognutog  foto-Fentonovog  (Fe ²⁺ ,  H ₂O₂ ,  hν)  procesa  uklanjanja neonikotinoidnog  insekticida  acetamiprida  (ACT).  Pri  optimizovanim  uslovima  (radni  potencijal 0,40  V  u  odnosu  na  ZKE,  fosfatni  pufer  pH  7,50  kao  pomoćni  elektrolit)  amperometrijskog određivanja  H ₂O₂ ,  postignuta  je  linearnost  u  opsegu  koncentracija  0,01–1,24  mmol  L-1(0,34– 42,2 µg mL -1) i vrednost RSD nije prelazila 4,2%. U ispitivanimuzorcima (nakon odgovarajućegpodešavanja pH vrednosti od 2,8 do 7,5 odmah nakon  uzorkovanja radi stopiranja ili maksimalnog usporavanja  procesa  oksidacije,  filtriranja,  zamrzavanja  i  odmrzavanja  neposredno  pre  merenja) sadržaj  H ₂O₂ je  određen  metodom  standardnog  dodatka  analiziranjem  odgovarajućih amperometrijskih  krivi.  Paralelna  HPLC-DAD  merenja  su  vršena  u  cilju  praćenja koncentracije/uklanjanja ACT. U slučaju foto-Fentonovog procesa (početne koncentracije 0,31; 2,0 i 3,0 mmol L -1 (70,0; 111,7 i 102,1 µg mL -1 ) za ACT, Fe²⁺ i H ₂O₂, redom) nakon 10 min H ₂O₂ je izreagovao, a može se smatrati da je ACT uklonjen nakon 5 min. U toku Fentonovog procesa ACT je  uklonjen  nakon  20  min  tretmana  i  oko  10%  početne  koncentracije  H ₂O₂ je  ostalo  u  sistemuneiskorišćeno.CPE  je  površinski  modifikovane  kompozitom  na  bazi  nanočestica  Pt  (<  5  nm)  i grafitizovanog  ugljenika  (Pt-C,  10%  Pt  na  Vulkanu  XC72)   etodom  nanošenja  kapi. Nemodifikovana  CPE  i  modifikovana  (Pt-C/CPE)  su   okarakterisane  primenom  SEM/EDS  i  CV merenja.  Pt-C/CPE  je  pokazala  izuzetne  elektrokatalitičke  osobine  u  pogledu  elektrohemijskeredoks  reakcije  H₂O₂ u  poređenju  sa  nemodifikovanom  CPE  u  fosfatnom  puferu  (0,1 mol  L -1 ;pH 7,50),  a  takođe  i  u  acetatnom  puferu  (0,1  mol  L -1 ;  pH  4,50)  kao   pomoćnim  elektrolitima. Prilikom  amperometrijskog  određivanja  H ₂O₂ primenom  Pt-C/CPE  u  model  sistemima, zadovoljavajuća linearnost je postignuta u koncentracionom opseguH₂O₂od 0,15 do 1,45 µg mL -1 ,dok su vrednosti GO iznosile 0,06 µg mL -1 (pH 7,50, radni potencijal 0,20 V) i 0,10 µg mL -1 (pH4,50,  radni  potencijal  0,50  V).  Optimizovane  analitičke  metode  su  primenjene  za  određivanje sadržaja H ₂O₂ u komercijalno dostupnim proizvodima za ličnu negu: rastvoru za dezinfekciju (pH 7,50)  i  rastvoru  za  čišćenje  kontaktnih  sočiva  (pH  4,50).  Amperometrijski  dobijeni  rezultati  su  u dobrom  slaganju  sa  rezultatima  dobijenim  primenom  tradicionalne  spektrofotometrijske  metode bazirane  na  titanijum-sulfatu  kao  reagensu  sa  određenim  koncentracijama  2,91%  i  2,94%  zadezinfekcioni rastvor i 3,04% i 3,17% za rastvor zakontaktna sočiva, redom. RSD je bila manja od 2%.  Postignuti  rezultati  su  u  dobrom  slaganju  sa  sadržajem  H₂O₂ deklarisanim  od  strane proizvođača (3%) u oba ispitivana uzorka. Pt-C/CPE je takođe testirana za praćenje koncentracije H₂O₂ u rastvoru za kontaktna sočiva u toku procesa njegove neutralizacije/razgradnje. Nakon 6 h procesa neutralizacije, 24,68  µg mL -1 je bila određena koncentracija H ₂O_{2 ,} što je ispod dozvoljeneH₂O₂ koncentracije u rastvoru za kontaktna sočiva imajući u vidu granicu koja izaziva iritaciju oka. CPE  je  površinski  modifikovana  višezidnim  ugljeničnim  nanocevima  (MWCNT)  i kompozitima MnO 2 -MWCNT ili Pt-MWCNT metodom nanošenja kapi radi pripreme jednostavnih, osetljivih i pouzdanih voltametrijskih senzora za  određivanje H ₂O₂ u odabranom uzorku. Rezultati SEM/EDS  analize  kompozitnih  materijala  su  potvrdili da  su  medijatori,  čestice  MnO 2 i  Pt, nasumično  raspoređeni na površini MWCNT i zastupljeni sa blizu 5% (m:m) u kompozitu izraženopreko Mn i Pt. CV merenja su vršena sa pripremljenim radnim elektrodama u acetatnom (pH 4,50), fosfatnom  (pH  7,50)  i  boratnom  (pH  9,18)  puferu  kako  bi  se  okarakterisalo  osnovno elektrohemijsko  ponašanje  H ₂O₂ i  odabrali  pogodni  radni  potencijali  za  amperometrijsko određivanje ovog ciljnog analita. Pt- WCNT/CPE je primenljiva za rad kako u fosfatnom puferu pH  7,50  tako  i  u  acetatnom  puferu  pH  4,50  V  kako  pri  negativnim  tako  i  pri  pozitivnim  radnimpotencijalima, pri  čemu su vrednosti RSD uglavnom ispod 2,5%. U slučaju MnO 2-MWCNT/CPE, na  potencijalu  0,30  V  i  višim  vrednostima,  oksidacioni  signali  H₂O₂ su  signifikantni  u  blago alkalnoj sredini (pH 7,50), pri pH 4,50 ova elektroda pokazuje nezadovoljavajuće ponašanje, dok  pri pH 9,18 ima prihvatljive performanse. Granice određivanja (GO) su bile u oblasti µg mL -1 . H ₂O₂ je  određen  u  spajkovanom  uzorku  mleka  metodom  standardnog  dodatka  nakon  odgovarajuće pripreme  uzorka  (pH  podešavanje  i  centrifugiranje)  i  primenom  optimizovane  amperometrijske procedure (acetatni pufer pH 4,50, radni  potencijal-0,75 V) koristeći Pt-MWCNT/CPE kao radnu elektrodu. RSD za tri  ponovljena merenja je iznosila 2,5%, dok je prinos metode bio nešto veći od 71%.Kompozitni materijali koji se sastoje od MWCNT i  čestica na bazi Pd (Pd-MWCNT) ili Pt (Pt-MWCNT) su primenjeni za pripremu zapreminski modifikovanih SPCE (Pd-MWCNT-SPCE i Pt-MWCNT-SPCE)  i  površinski  modifikovane  SPCE  (Pd-MWCNT/SPCE).  Ove  elektrode,  kao  i nemodifikovana  SPCE  i  MWCNT-SPCE,  su  okarakterisane primenom  CV  i  amperometrije  u fosfatnom puferu pH 7,50 radi određivanja H ₂O₂ . Pd-MWCNT-SPCE i Pd-MWCNT/SPCE su se pokazale  pogodnim  za  određivanje  H ₂O₂ na  radnim  potencijalima  između  -0,50  i  0,50  V,  a  PtMWCNT-SPCE na ispitivanim radnim potencijalima od -0,80 do 0,70 V. Ove  elektrode su zatim modifikovane  enzimom  glukoza  oksidazom  (GOx)  metodom  nanošenja  kapi  rastvora  GOx  i Nafion ® -a  na  njihovu  površinu,  pri  čemu  je  optimizovana  količina  nanetog  biofilma.  GOx/PdMWCNT-SPCE  je  pokazala  bolje  analitičke  performanse  za  određivanje  glukoze  u  poređenju  sa GOx/Pd- WCNT/SPCE.  Kao  optimalan  radni  potencijal  GOx/Pd-MWCNT-SPCE  je  odabranavrednost  potencijala  -0,40  V  u  odnosu  na  ZKE,  sa  zadovoljavajućom  linearnošću  u  ispitivanom opsegu  koncentracija  glukoze  od  0,16  do  0,97  mmol  L -1 (od  29,1  do  174  µg  mL -1),  dok  je  GO iznosila 0,14 mmol L -1 (25 µg mL-1 ). Optimizovana metoda zasnovana na GOx/Pd-MWCNT-SPCE je  uspešno  primenjena  za  određivanje  glukoze  u  uzorku  livadskog  meda.  Dobijeni  rezultati  su  u dobroj  saglasnosti  sa  onima  dobijenim  primenom  komercijalno  dostupnog  aparata  za  merenje glukoze. Pogodan radni potencijal za GOx/Pt-MWCNT-SPCE je bio -0,50 V u odnosu na ZKE, pri čemu je zadovoljavajuća linearnost postignuta u ispitivanom opsegu koncentracija glukoze od 65,8 do 260,6 µg mL -1 , sa GO 35 µg mL -1 . Optimizovana metoda zasnovana na GOx/Pt-MWCNT-SPCE je  uspešno  primenjena  za  određivanje  glukoze  u  u  uzorku  belog  grožđa  i  uzorku  tableta (Traubenzucker-bonbons),  pri  čemu  su  dobijeni  rezultati  u  dobroj  saglasnosti  sa  rezultatima dobijenim primenom Accu-Chek aparata.Na  osnovu  dobijenih  rezultata  može  se  zaključiti  da  su  razvijene  analitičke  metode  pre svega jednostavne, pouzdane i pogodne za dobijanje brzih informacija o sadržaju H ₂O₂ u različitim tipovima  uzoraka.  Svakako  odabir  pogodne  radne  elektrode,  kao  i  optimizacija  eksperimentalnih uslova su ključni faktori za uspešno određivanje H ₂O₂
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The aim of this doctoral dissertation was the development of fast and reliable voltammetric methods  based  on  the  application  of  simple  and  contemporary  electrodes/sensors  based  on carbonaceous materials (carbon paste made of graphite powder and paraffin oil and screen printed carbon electrodes) for the determination of H  ₂ O₂ in the selected complex model and real samples.For this purpose, applicability of different working electrodes was investigated.The  amperometric  method  based  on  carbon  paste  electrode  (CPE)  bulk- modified     with 5% (m:m) MnO 2 , under optimized conditions, with a working potential of 0.40 V vs. the saturated calomel  elect rode  (SCE)  and  a  phosphate  buffer  solution  (pH  7.50)  as  supporting  electrolyte, enabled the quantitation of H  ₂ O₂in the concentration interval from 1.4 to 65 µg mL −1 with a relative standard deviation (RSD) of less than 10%. This meth od was applied for the determination of the H ₂ O₂ consumption  in  samples  of  groundwater  fro m  the  Central  Banat  region  (Province  of Vojvodina, Serbia) treated by the Fenton (Fe ²⁺ and H ₂O₂ ) and Fenton-  like (Fe ³⁺and H ₂O₂ ) reagents to remove natural organic matter (NOM) at  differentinitial concentrations of iron species, and of their molar ratios to the initial concentration of H₂O₂ . It was found that the form of Fe (Fe ²⁺ or Fe ³⁺ )and the molar  ratio to H ₂O₂influenced the degree of the H ₂O₂ decomposition in the groundwater with high NOM content. Besides, in the case of the Fenton-like process, for all initial doses of Fe ³⁺ and H  ₂ O₂, a sign ificant amount of H  ₂ O₂ remained unused, whi ch also indicates a lower efficiency of such system compared to the Fenton process. Screen  printed  carbon  electrode  (SPCE)  bulk-modified  with  MnO  ₂ as  a  mediator  was applied  for  amperometric  determination  of  the  H  ₂ O₂ content  during  the  Fenton  (Fe ²⁺ ,  H  ₂ O₂ )  and  visible  light-assisted ,  photo-Fenton  (Fe ²⁺  ,  H  ₂ O₂ ,  hν)   based  removal  of  neonicotinoid  insecticide acetamiprid (ACT). Under  optimized conditions (working potential of 0.40 V vs. SCE, phosphate buffer  pH  7.50  as  supporting  electrolyte)  amperometric  determination  of  H  ₂ O₂ showed  a  linear dynamic range from 0.01 to 1.24 mmol L -1 (from 0.34 to 42.2 µg mL -1) and the RSD did not exceed 4.2%. In the investigated samples (after appropriate pH adjustment from 2.8 to 7.5 instantly after the sampling  to stop or maximum decelerate the oxidation processes, filtering, and storage of the deep- frozen sample with defrosting immediately before the measurements) the H  ₂ O₂  contents were determined by the standard addition method by analyzing the corresponding amperometric curves. Parallel HPLC-DAD measurements were performed to monito r the concentration/removal of ACT. In the case of the photo- Fenton process (initial concentrations: 0.31; 2.0 and 3.0 mmol L -1 (70.0; 111.7 and 102.1 µg mL -1 ) of ACT, Fe ²⁺ and H  ₂ O₂, respec tively) after 10 min of irradiation H  ₂ O₂ was  consumed  and  it  can  be  consi dered  that  ACT  was  removed  after  5  min.  During  the  Fenton process ACT was removed after 20 min of treatment and around 10% of the initial concentration of the H 2O2 remained still unused.CPE  was  surface  modified  with  a  composite  of  Pt  nanoparticles  (<  5  nm)  on  graphitized carbon (Pt-C, 10% Pt on Vulcan XC72) by simply dropcoating method. The unmodified CPE and the  modified  one  (Pt-C/CPE)  were  characterized  by   EM/EDS  and  CV  measurements.  The  PtC/CPE showed remarkable electrocatalytic propertiestoward the electrochemical redox reaction of H ₂ O₂ compared to  modified CPE in phosphate buffer (0.1 mol L -1 ; pH 7.50), as well in acetatebuffer  (0.1 mol  L -1 ; pH .50) supporting  electrolytes. Amperometry of  H2O2 in the concentration range from 0.15 to 1.45 µg mL -1 with the Pt-C/CPE showed acceptable linearity, while the obtained values of LOQs were 0.06 µg mL -1  (pH 7.50, working potential 0.20 V) and 0.10 µg mL -1 (pH 4 .50, working potential 0.50 V). The proposed analytical  methods were applied to the determination of the H 2O2 content in commercially available personal care products; i.e., disinfection (pH 7.50) and contact lens cleaning solutions (pH 4.50). The obtained amperometric results are in good agreement with those measured by traditional titanium sulfatereagent based spectrophotometric method with determined concentrations as 2.91% and 2.94%  for the disinfection product, and 3.04% and 3.17% for the contact lens solution, respectively. RSD was lower than 2%. The obtained results are in a good agreement with the amounts of the H  ₂ O₂ declared by producers (3%) in the both investigated samples. The Pt-C/CPE was also tested for monitoring of the H  ₂ O₂ residual concentration in contact lens  solution  during  its  neutralization/decomposition  rocess.  At  6  h  of   neutralization  treatment 24.68 µg mL -1 of the H  ₂ O₂ was  determined which is almost half of the allowedH2 O2 concentration in the case of the contact lens solution concerningthe limit of eye irritation. CPE  was  surface   modified  with  multiwalled  carbon  nanotubes  (MWCNT)  and  with composites of MnO ₂ -MWCNT or Pt-MWCNT by drop coating method to prepare simply, sensitive and reliable volta mmetric sensors for the determination of H  ₂ O₂ in selected sample. The results of the  SEM/ EDS  analysis  of  composite  materials  have  confirmed  that  the  mediators,  MnO ₂ and  Pt  articles, are randomly distributed on the surface of MWCNT and represent nearly 5% (m:m) of the composite expressed as Mn and Pt. CV measurements were performed  with prepared electrodes in acetate  (pH  4.50),  phosphate  (pH  7.50)  and  borate  (pH  9.18)  buffers  to  characterize  the  basic electrochemical  behavior  of  H  ₂ O₂ and  to  select  the  working  potentials  suitable  for  amperometric determination  of  this  target  analyte.  The  Pt-MWCNT/CPE  performs  well  in  phosphate  buffer pH .50 and acetate buffer solution pH 4.50 in the  negative as well as in the positive polarization range with RSD mainly lower than 2.5%. In case of MnO ₂ -MWCNT/CPE at  0.30 V and above the H ₂ O₂ oxidation signal is rem arkable in slightly alkaline media (pH 7.50), at pH 4.50 this electrode showed poor behavior and at pH 9.18 offered acceptable performance. LOQs were in the µg mL -1 concentration  range.  H ₂ O₂ was  determined  in  a  spiked  milk  sample  by  standard addition  method after  appropriate  sample  preparation  (pH  adjustment and  centrifugation)  and  using  optimized amperometric p rocedure (acetate buffer pH 4.50, working potential -0.75 V) by Pt-MWCNT/CPE as a working electrode. RSD for three repeated measurements was 2.5%, while the recovery of the method was a bit higher than 71%. The  composite  materials  consisting  of  MWCNT  and  Pd  (Pd-MWCNT)  or  Pt  containing particles  (Pt-WCNT)  were  applied  to  the  preparation  of  bulk- modified  SPCEs  (Pd-MWCNTSPCE and Pt-MWCNT-SPCE) and surface modifiedSPCE (Pd- MWCNT/SPCE). These electrodes, as well as unmodified SPCE and MWCNT-SPCE,  were characterized by CV and  amperometry  in phosphate  buffer  solution  of  pH  7.50  for  the  H  ₂ O₂ determination.  Pd-MWCNT-SPCE  and  PdMWCNT/SPCEare convenient for the etermination of H 2O2 at working potentials from -0.50 to 0.50 V, and Pt-MWCNT-SPCE at investigated working potentials in the range from -0.80 to 0.70 V. These electrodes were then modified with glucose  oxidase (GOx) by drop coating a solution of GOxand Nafion ® on their surface, whereby the applied amount of biococktail was optimized. GOx/PdMWCNT-SPCE  showed  better  analytical  performance  for  glucose  determination  in  comparison with  GOx/Pd-MWCNT/SPCE.  The  optimal  working  potential  for  GOx/Pd-MWCNT- SPCE  was -0.40 V vs. SCE and  satisfactory linearity was obtained in the investigated glucose concentration range from 0.16 to 0.97 mmol L -1 (from 29.1 to 174  µg mL -1 ), hile the LOQ was 0.14 mmol L -1 (25 µg mL -1 ). The optimized method based on GOx/Pd-MWCNT-SPCE was successfully applied to the determination of glucose in multifloral honey sample.  The results are in a good agreement with those  obtained by commercially available equipment for determination of glucose. Optimal working potential  for  GOx/Pt-MWCNT-SPCE  was  -0.50  V  vs.  SCE,  and  the   satisfactory  linearity  was obtained in the investigated concentration range ofglucose from 65.8 to 260.6  µg mL -1 , with LOQ of 35  µg mL -1 . The optimized method based on GOx/Pt- MWCNT-SPCE was successfully applied for determination of glucose in white grape and glucose tablets (Traubenzucker-bonbons) samples, whereby  the  obtained  results  were  in  a  good  agreement  with  the  results  obtained  by  Accu-Chek device. Based on the results, the developed analytical methods are first of all simple, reliable and suitable  for  obtaining  fast  information  about  the  content  of  H ₂O₂ in  different  types  of  samples. Certainly the selection of a suitable working electrode, as well as the optimization of experimental conditions are key factors for the successful determination of H₂O₂ .

O procedimento de discriminação condicional Matching - to - Sample é utilizado em estudos que se propõem a investigar experimentalmente as relações envolvidas no ler e, mais especificamente, de verificar as possibilidades de emergência de novas relações a partir das que foram diretamente treinadas . No entanto, para uma leitura proficiente é necessário que o aprendiz esteja sob controle de unidades menores do que a palavra, a fim de que o comportamento de ler sob controle das unidades mínimas possa emergir. A maioria das pesquisas nesta área tem sido realizadas a partir do treino e teste recombinativo de palavras inteiras. A leitura sob controle das unidades mínimas, nestes estudos, é exibida geralmente depois do treino de pelo menos três conjuntos de palavras. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi investigar a possibilidade de um aumento na velocidade de aquisição do controle pelas unidades menores e redução da variabilidade no desempenho em leitura recombinativa partindo do treino direto de um repertório de quatro palavras monossilábicas. Foram feitos dois experimentos: no primeiro, participaram quatro crianças, com idades entre 3 anos e 10 meses e 5 anos. Os estímulos experimentais originais (conjunto ABC) foram NO, PE, PA e LU e os estímulos experimentais derivados (conjunto ABC) foram LUPA, PANO, PAPA e LULU. Os resultados demonstraram que os quatro participantes apresentaram variabilidade no desempenho e não houve emergência da leitura recombinativa para nenhum deles. Foi realizado então o segundo experimento a partir de manipulações de variáveis que possivelmente interferiram no desempenho dos participantes. Neste segundo experimento, participaram três crianças, das quatro que foram expostas ao experimento anterior. Os estímulos experimentais originais (conjunto ABC) foram BO, BA, LO e LA e os derivados (conjunto ABC) foram BOBA, BABO, LOLA e LALO. Como resultados, dois dos três participantes exibiram leitura recombinativa e a variabilidade no desempenho destes participantes se mostrou menor do que nos estudos anteriores. Concluiu-se desta forma, que a partição do estímulos é uma variável importante para a independência funcional das sílabas e posterior emergência da leitura recombinativa. Assim, o treino monossilábico se mostrou eficaz para aumentar a velocidade de aquisição e diminuir a variablidade no desempenho em leitura recombinativa para os participantes deste estudo.
The procedure of conditional discrimination Matching - to - Sample is used in studies that experimentally investigate the relationship involved in \"reading\" and, more specifically, examine the possibilities of emergence of new relationships from which they were directly trained. However for a proficient reading it is necessary to read under control of smaller units than the word, so that the reading behavior under the control by minimal units could emerge. The majority of researches in this area have been carried out with training and recombinative testing of the whole words. Reading behavior under control by the minimal units in these studies generally appears after the training of at least three sets of words. The objective of this study therefore was to investigate the possibility of an increase in speed of acquisition of control by smaller units and to reduce variabilitys performance in recombinative reading through the direct training of a repertoire of four monosyllabic words. Two experiments were conducted: in the first one, four children were from three years and ten months old to five years old. The originals experimental stimuli (all ABC) was NO, PE, PA and LU and the deriveds experimental stimuli (all A\'B\'C \') were LUPA, PANO, PAPA and LULU. The results showed that all four participants showed variability in performance and no emergence of recombinative reading . A second experiment were carried out withthe manipulation of variables that possibly interfered in the performance of the participants. In this second experiment three children were involved, four of which were exposed to the previous experiment. The original experimental stimuli (all ABC) were BO, BA, LA and LO and derived (all A\'B\'C \') were BABO, BOBA, LALO and LOLA. As a result, two of the three participants showed recombinative reading and the variability in performance of these participants wassmaller than in previous studies. The partition of the stimulus was considered an important variable for the functional independence of syllables and subsequent emergence of recombinative reading. Thus, the monosyllabic training was effective to increase the speed of acquisition and to reduce the variability in performance of recombinative reading for participants.

La prima infanzia è un periodo cruciale per lo sviluppo della comprensione delle emozioni (riconoscimento delle espressioni facciali e conoscenza delle situazioni emotive), della teoria della mente (es. comprensione di desideri e credenze altrui) e del linguaggio recettivo. Si pensa che queste competenze influiscano sul comportamento prosociale, che include azioni di aiuto, condivisione e consolazione. Tuttavia, ad oggi pochi studi si sono focalizzati sulle relazioni esistenti tra queste abilità nei bambini di 2 e 3 anni. Inoltre, alcuni aspetti non sono stati indagati, ad esempio il comportamento prosociale in rapporto alla comprensione di desideri e credenze altrui, o al linguaggio recettivo. In aggiunta, la maggior parte degli studi ha utilizzato questionari compilati dai genitori per ottenere informazioni sul comportamento prosociale dei bambini, mentre osservazioni in contesti naturalistici sono state raramente effettuate. Lo scopo di questo studio è di approfondire la relazione tra queste abilità, controllando gli effetti di età e genere, e di esaminare se comprensione delle emozioni, teoria della mente e linguaggio recettivo influiscono sui comportamenti prosociali. Sono stati coinvolti 149 bambini italiani di età compresa tra i 24 e i 47 mesi (M = 35.63 mesi; DS = 6.77) che frequentavano alcuni asili nido e scuole dell'infanzia del Nord Italia. É stato utilizzato un approccio multimetodo, caratterizzato dalla presentazione di test individuali su comprensione delle emozioni, teoria della mente e linguaggio recettivo, e osservazioni di ciascun bambino nel contesto scolastico durante momenti non strutturati di gioco libero con i pari per individuare la frequenza di comportamenti di aiuto, condivisione e consolazione. I risultati hanno mostrato correlazioni significative tra comprensione delle emozioni, teoria della mente, e linguaggio recettivo. I comportamenti di aiuto correlavano in modo significativo con conoscenza delle situazioni emotive e linguaggio recettivo, anche tenendo sotto controllo gli effetti di età e genere. È emerso che la conoscenza delle situazioni emotive e il linguaggio recettivo, insieme ai loro effetti interattivi e quelli con la comprensione dei desideri altrui, erano validi determinanti dei comportamenti di aiuto. Le analisi esplorative di mediazione hanno rivelato che il linguaggio recettivo potrebbe essere un mediatore significativo nella relazione tra conoscenza delle situazioni emotive e comportamenti di aiuto. Le implicazioni di questi risultati sono discusse.
Early childhood is a crucial period for the development of emotion understanding (e.g. emotion recognition and emotion situation knowledge), theory of mind (e.g. diverse-desire and diverse-belief understanding), and language abilities. These competences are believed to influence prosocial behavior, which includes helping, sharing, and comforting. Nonetheless, a few studies have focused on the relationship among these competences in 2- and 3-year-olds. Furthermore, some associations have been neglected, for instance prosocial behavior in relation to diverse-desire understanding, true-belief, and receptive language. Then, most studies on prosocial behavior have used parent-reports, whereas observations in naturalistic contexts have been rarely carried out. Hence, the aim of the current study was to deepen the relationship among these skills, controlling also for age and gender, and to examine whether emotion understanding, theory of mind, and receptive language determined prosocial behaviors. Participants were 149 Italian children aged 24-47 months of age (M = 35.63 months; SD = 6.77), recruited through some day-care centers and kindergartens located in Northern Italy. A multi-method approach was used, so each child was directly administered some measures of emotion comprehension, theory of mind, and receptive vocabulary, and observed twenty minutes at school in an unstructured context of free play with peers to detect the frequency of helping, sharing, and comforting. Results showed some significant links among emotion understanding, theory of mind, and receptive language. Helping behaviors significantly correlated with emotion situation knowledge and receptive language, even when age and gender were controlled. Together, emotion situation knowledge, receptive language, and their interactive effects as well as those with the diverse-desire understanding, controlling for age and gender, were valuable determinants of helping. Exploratory mediation analyses revealed that receptive language might be a significant mediator in the relation between emotion situation knowledge and helping behaviors. The implications of findings are discussed.

Magister Artium (Psychology) - MA(Psych)
While research into children’s subjective well-being (SWB) has advanced over the past decade, there is a paucity of cross-cultural research, particularly in South Africa. Moreover, while the adaptation and validation of instruments in English and Afrikaans are evident, other language groups have not received much attention. This study aimed to provide structural validation of the Students’ Life Satisfaction Scale across a sample of children in South Africa using multi-group analysis across three language groups (Setswana, Xitsonga, and Tshivenda). Within this process, the study aimed to use multi-group confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA) to compare the structural validity and measurement invariance of the three language groups. Finally, the study aimed to determine the convergent validity of the three language groups of the SLSS by regressing them onto the single-item Overall Life Satisfaction Scale (OLS). The study uses data from Wave 3 of the South African Children’s Worlds Study and included a sample of 625 children across the language groups (Setswana: n = 187; Sesotho: n = 170; and Tshivenda: n = 268). For the overall pooled sample an excellent fit was obtained for a single-factor model, including one error-covariance. Standardised regression weights of the items ranged between .43 and .73. MGCFA revealed an acceptable fit for the configural model (unconstrained loadings); however, metric (constrained loadings) and scalar invariance (constrained loadings and intercepts) was not tenable. However, through the application of partial constraints metric invariance was tenable when Item 5 (I like my life) was freely estimated, while scalar invariance was tenable when Item 1 (I enjoy my life) and Item 5 (I like my life) were freely estimated. The results suggest that the Items: My life is going well; I have a good life; The things in my life are excellent; and I am happy with my life, are comparable by correlations, regression coefficients, and latent mean scores across the three language groups. Convergent validity using the OLS was obtained for the pooled sample and across the language groups. The key contribution of the study is establishing that the Setswana, Sesotho, and Tshivenda translated and adapted versions of the SLSS are valid for use within the South African context to measure children’s SWB, and that they can be grouped together in an overall pooled sample.

Twenty-six participants, divided into three groups, learned to relate English words to Czech and Portuguese words in a matching-to-sample procedure. Half the word pairs were learned using English words as samples and foreign words as corresponding comparisons and the other half were learned with the foreign words serving as samples and English words as corresponding comparisons. The only difference in training across the three groups involved a programmed delay between the removal of the sample stimulus and the presentation of comparison stimuli. For Group 0, Group 2, and Group 8, the programmed delay values between sample offset and comparison onset were 0 s, 2 s, and 8 s, respectively. Test trials assessed the extent to which the conditional discriminations established during training had become reversible or the extent to which the effects of learning had transferred to a new situation. The results suggest that the likelihood of transfer was greatest for the group that learned the task with the largest delay (i.e., an 8 s delay between sample offset and comparison onset).

The relative efficacy of training procedures emphasizing accuracy versus those which add a rate criterion is a topic of debate. The desired learning outcome is fluent responding, assessed by measures of retention, endurance, stability, and application. The current study examined the effects of these two procedures on fluency outcomes using a matching-to-sample paradigm to train participants to match English to Japanese characters. An explicit FR-3 observing response was added to an accuracy-only condition to assess the extent to which it may facilitate learning. Total time spent responding in practice drills in accuracy-only conditions was yoked to total time spent in drills achieving rate aims in accuracy+rate (AR) conditions. One participant clearly demonstrated superior fluency outcomes after AR training while another displayed superior endurance and stability outcomes after such training. The remaining two participants did not demonstrate significantly different fluency outcomes across conditions.

Developmental Sentence Scoring (DSS) is a standardized language sample analysis procedure that evaluates and scores a child's use of standard American-English grammatical rules within complete sentences. Automated DSS programs have the potential to increase the efficiency and reduce the amount of time required for DSS analysis. The present study examines the accuracy of one automated DSS software program, DSSA 2.0, compared to manual DSS scoring on previously collected language samples from 30 children between the ages of 2-5 and 7-11. Additionally, this study seeks to determine the source of error in the automated score by comparing DSSA 2.0 analysis given manually versus automatedly assigned grammatical tag input. The overall accuracy of DSSA 2.0 was 86%; the accuracy of individual grammatical category-point value scores varied greatly. No statistically significant difference was found between the two DSSA 2.0 input conditions (manual vs. automated tags) suggesting that the underlying grammatical tagging is not the primary source of error in DSSA 2.0 analysis.

This study examined the effects of level and quality of education on WAIS-III Digit Symbol-Incidental Learning performance. The Pairing and Free Recall measures were administered to a South African sample (N = 68, age range 19-30), which was stratified for English and African language, level of education attained (Grade 12s and Graduates) and quality of education (advantaged and disadvantaged schooling). Results yielded no significant main or interaction effects between acculturation factors of level and quality of education. Normative guidelines of 13 or more pairs and 8 or more free recall symbols, appropriate to a non-clinical sample in a multicultural setting, are provided. Digit Symbol-Incidental Learning proved to be a culture-fair test, which contributes to its clinical utility as a sensitive memory screening tool.

O objetivo deste experimento foi investigar se um treino com palavras monossilábicas que produziria leitura combinatória em um procedimento inicial geraria a aquisição de unidades mínimas e leitura recombinativa em um treino e teste posterior com palavras dissílabas. Participaram do experimento 10 crianças típicas com idades entre quatro e cinco anos. O procedimento consistiu em 12 fases subdivididas em pré-testes, treinos, testes, anagramas e pós-testes às quais os participantes foram expostos duas vezes em seqüência: Etapas I e II. Em cada etapa foi apresentado um conjunto distinto de estímulos de treino e teste. Na Etapa I os estímulos foram divididos entre duas condições experimentais, cada uma com cinco participantes: Condição M (Treino com Palavras Monossilábicas) e Condição D (Treino com Palavras Dissílabas). As palavras de testes foram as mesmas palavras dissílabas para ambas as condições. A diferença foi que para os participantes da Condição M era medida a Leitura Combinatória e para os da Condição D era medida a Leitura Recombinativa. Na Etapa II todos os participantes foram expostos ao mesmo conjunto de treino e teste de palavras dissílabas. Em ambas as etapas foram treinadas relações auditivo-visuais entre palavras oralmente apresentadas (conjunto A), impressas (conjunto C) e suas respectivas figuras (conjunto B). Posteriormente, foi testada a leitura oral e com compreensão das palavras de treino e das palavras de teste formadas pela combinação (Condição M na Etapa I) ou recombinação das unidades menores que compunham as palavras de treino (Condição D na Etapa I e todos os participantes na Etapa II). Os resultados mostraram que apenas os participantes que passaram pela Condição M na Etapa I apresentaram leitura recombinativa na Etapa II. Assim, o responder diferencial às unidades silábicas produzido pelo treino com palavras monossilábicas e emergência de leitura combinatória na Etapa I facilitou a aquisição das unidades menores e leitura recombinativa oral na Etapa II. Os dados sugerem que o processo comportamental envolvido na leitura combinatória e recombinativa é o mesmo: discriminação de estímulos. Em função disto, observou-se que uma história prévia de responder diferencialmente às unidades silábicas (leitura combinatória) pode favorecer o responder diferencial aos elementos componentes das palavras, quaisquer que sejam (propriedade silábica da língua portuguesa) aumentando a velocidade de aquisição do desempenho recombinativo
The objective of this study was to investigate if the combinatorial reading emergence, from an initial direct training with syllables, via monosyllables words, would produce the discrimination of smaller units in an ulterior training (with others disyllables words) promoting the identification of syllables units and posterior emergence of recombinative reading under control of this components. Participated 10 typical children aged 4 to 5 years. The procedure consisted in 12 phases subdivided in pre-tests; training, tests, constructedresponse tasks and post-tests in which the participants were exposed twice in sequence: Stage I and II. Each stage presented a distinct set of training and tests stimuli. In the Stage I the stimuli were divided in two experimental conditions each with five participants: Condition M (training of Monosyllable words) and Condition D (training of Dissyllable words). The test words were the same for both conditions. The difference was that participants of Condition M had the combinatorial reading measured while the participants of Condition D participants had the recombinative reading measured. In the Stage II all the participants were exposed to the same training and test sets of the disyllables words. Auditory-visual relations between dictated words (Set A), print words (Set C) and their respective pictures (Set B) were trained. Subsequently, oral and comprehension reading of the training and the test words was tested. The latter were formed by combination (Condition M in Stage I) and recombination (Condition D in Stage I and all participants at the Stage II) of the minimal units of the training words. The results showed that only that participants exposed to Condition M, presented recombinative reading in the Stage II. Thus, the differential response to syllabic units produced by monosyllabic words training and the emergence of combinatorial reading in the Stage I facilitated the acquisition of minimal units and recombinative oral reading at the Stage II. Data suggest that behavioral process involved in Combinatorial and Recombinative Reading is the same: stimuli discrimination. Consequently, it was observed that a previous history in differentially respond to syllabic units (combinatorial reading) could favor the differential respond to elements that composed the words whatever the elements are (syllabic propriety of portuguese language) increasing the speed of acquisition of recombinative performance

This study holds that recurring political crises prior to Colombian elections broadly shape electoral strategies. Through reviewing the history of Colombia, political crises emerge as a salient characteristic that precedes most elections and affects electoral strategies. To measure the impact of political crisis on electoral strategies, two Colombian presidential campaigns were analyzed: that of César Gaviria in 1990 and of Ernesto Samper in 1994. The examination of descriptive data, from both case studies and interviews with key political consultants, were used to identify how political crises have resulted in the modifications of the campaigns. The findings showed that the electoral strategies for the two cases were adapted or modified due to the extreme conditions resulting from crises, such as the assassination of three presidential candidates before the 1990 election. The study concludes that crises led to the modification of electoral strategies in three specific areas: preparation of the campaigns, organization of the strategies, and in campaign themes and advertising images.

This Thesis examined features of Māori English, and in particular, those which relate to syllable-timing. The focus of the project is on the speech of a representative group of Māori and Pākehā recorded in Christchurch in 1993 and 1994. The project is chiefly interested in the speech of adolescents, but a group of Māori and Pākehā adults were also recorded so that comparisons relating to age and sex could be made. This research shows that grammatical forms which are usually unstressed in Pākehā English were often more likely to be stressed in the speech of Māori informants contributing to syllable timed rhythm. Other features, including non-standard usages such as elisions and omissions, liaison, use of Māori lexis and the voicing of initial consonants all contribute to the variety designated Māori English. This Thesis argues that some of the features of Māori English can be traced back to te reo Māori or can be accounted for by the influence of te reo Māori.

A variety of tools have been developed to assist in the quantification and analysis of naturalistic language samples. In recent years, computer technology has been employed in language sample analysis. This study compares a new automated index, Scoring Sentences Developmentally (SSD), to two existing measures. Eighty samples from three corpora were manually analyzed using DSS and MLU and the processed by the automated software. Results show all three indices to be highly correlated, with correlations ranging from .62 to .98. The high correlations among scores support further investigation of the psychometric characteristics of the SSD software to determine its clinical validity and reliability. Results of this study suggest that SSD has the potential to compliment other analysis procedures in assessing the language development of young children.

The purpose of this study was to describe the criteria that students reported using when selecting writing samples for an assessment portfolio. Specifically, the study involved content analysis of student responses to five prompts which asked the students to give selection criteria for writing samples in language arts portfolios prepared for assessment. The population consisted of twelve eighth grade students in three urban middle schools. The students were in classes that were participating in the New Standards Portfolio Assessment Field Trial. In addition to the responses to prompts, students also submitted writing samples to be scored using New Standards rubrics. The writing samples were evaluated to determine if the students successfully selected pieces of their writing to provide evidence of standards attainment. Through the analysis of the student responses to the prompts, two categories of selection criteria were noted. Public standards were the standards that corresponded with the criteria that were presented to the students through their use of New Standards performance standards, portfolio exhibit requirements, and entry slips. Personal standards were criteria that did not correspond to the published criteria presented to the students. Ten sub-categories were identified. These ten sub-categories became the instrument for analysis and tabulation of the students' reported criteria for selecting writing samples for their portfolios. Findings indicated that students were willing to use the public standards and that they used them more frequently than personal standards in justifying selections for the assessment portfolio. However, student identification of appropriate criteria did not guarantee that the writing samples that the student submitted received scores that would indicate standards attainment.