Karelian song culture : a broad and in-depth perspective

Kirjallisuusarvostelu

Calculation of the magnetic field penetration depth for high-Tc cuprate superconductors based on the Interlayer Pair Tunneling model /

In this work, the magnetic field penetration depth for high-Tc cuprate superconductors is calculated using a recent Interlayer Pair Tunneling (ILPT) model proposed by Chakravarty, Sudb0, Anderson, and Strong [1] to explain high temperature superconductivity. This model involves a "hopping" of Cooper pairs between layers of the unit cell which acts to amplify the pairing mechanism within the planes themselves. Recent work has shown that this model can account reasonably well for the isotope effect and the dependence of Tc on nonmagnetic in-plane impurities [2] , as well as the Knight shift curves [3] and the presence of a magnetic peak in the neutron scattering intensity [4]. In the latter case, Yin et al. emphasize that the pair tunneling must be the dominant pairing mechanism in the high-Tc cuprates in order to capture the features found in experiments. The goal of this work is to determine whether or not the ILPT model can account for the experimental observations of the magnetic field penetration depth in YBa2Cu307_a7. Calculations are performed in the weak and strong coupling limits, and the efi"ects of both small and large strengths of interlayer pair tunneling are investigated. Furthermore, as a follow up to the penetration depth calculations, both the neutron scattering intensity and the Knight shift are calculated within the ILPT formalism. The aim is to determine if the ILPT model can yield results consistent with experiments performed for these properties. The results for all three thermodynamic properties considered are not consistent with the notion that the interlayer pair tunneling must be the dominate pairing mechanism in these high-Tc cuprate superconductors. Instead, it is found that reasonable agreement with experiments is obtained for small strengths of pair tunneling, and that large pair tunneling yields results which do not resemble those of the experiments.

From inference to affordance : the problem of visual depth-perception in the optical writings of Descartes, Berkeley, and Gibson

This thesis explores the debate and issues regarding the status of visual ;,iferellces in the optical writings of Rene Descartes, George Berkeley and James 1. Gibson. It gathers arguments from across their works and synthesizes an account of visual depthperception that accurately reflects the larger, metaphysical implications of their philosophical theories. Chapters 1 and 2 address the Cartesian and Berkelean theories of depth-perception, respectively. For Descartes and Berkeley the debate can be put in the following way: How is it possible that we experience objects as appearing outside of us, at various distances, if objects appear inside of us, in the representations of the individual's mind? Thus, the Descartes-Berkeley component of the debate takes place exclusively within a representationalist setting. Representational theories of depthperception are rooted in the scientific discovery that objects project a merely twodimensional patchwork of forms on the retina. I call this the "flat image" problem. This poses the problem of depth in terms of a difference between two- and three-dimensional orders (i.e., a gap to be bridged by one inferential procedure or another). Chapter 3 addresses Gibson's ecological response to the debate. Gibson argues that the perceiver cannot be flattened out into a passive, two-dimensional sensory surface. Perception is possible precisely because the body and the environment already have depth. Accordingly, the problem cannot be reduced to a gap between two- and threedimensional givens, a gap crossed with a projective geometry. The crucial difference is not one of a dimensional degree. Chapter 3 explores this theme and attempts to excavate the empirical and philosophical suppositions that lead Descartes and Berkeley to their respective theories of indirect perception. Gibson argues that the notion of visual inference, which is necessary to substantiate representational theories of indirect perception, is highly problematic. To elucidate this point, the thesis steps into the representationalist tradition, in order to show that problems that arise within it demand a tum toward Gibson's information-based doctrine of ecological specificity (which is to say, the theory of direct perception). Chapter 3 concludes with a careful examination of Gibsonian affordallces as the sole objects of direct perceptual experience. The final section provides an account of affordances that locates the moving, perceiving body at the heart of the experience of depth; an experience which emerges in the dynamical structures that cross the body and the world.

An in-depth analysis of real and perceived barriers to speech and language program participation for children with speech and language delays : a question of barriers to service?

The current study investigated the effects that barriers (both real and perceived) had on participation and completion of speech and language programs for preschool children with communication delays. I compared 36 families of preschool children with an identified communication delay that have completed services (completers) to 13 families that have not completed services (non-completers) prescribed by Speech and Language professionals. Data findings reported were drawn from an interview with the mother, a speech and language assessment of the child, and an extensive package of measures completed by the mother. Children ranged in age from 32 to 71 mos. These data were collected as part of a project funded by the Canadian Language and Literacy Research Networks of Centres of Excellence. Findings suggest that completers and non-completers shared commonalities in a number of parenting characteristics but differed significantly in two areas. Mothers in the noncompleting group were more permissive and had lower maternal education than mothers in the completing families. From a systemic standpoint, families also differed in the number of perceived barriers to treatment experienced during their time with Speech Services Niagara. Mothers in the non-completing group experienced more perceived barriers to treatment than completing mothers. Specifically, these mothers perceived more stressors and obstacles that competed with treatment, perceived more treatment demands and they perceived the relevance of treatment as less important than the completing group. Despite this, the findings suggest that non-completing families were 100% satisfied with services. Contrary to predictions, there were no significant differences in child characterisfics and economic characteristics between completers and non-completers. The findings in this study are considered exploratory and tentative due to the small sample size.

Factors Contributing to Reading Performance: An In-Depth Analysis of the “Boy Crisis”

This research used a quantitative study approach to investigate the “boy crisis” in Canada. Boy crisis advocates suggest that boys are being surpassed by girls on reading assessments and promote strategies to assist male students. A feminist framework was used in this study that allowed for an investigation and discussion of the factors that mediate between gender and success at reading comprehension, interpretation, and response to text without ignoring female students. Reading scores and questionnaire data compiled by the Pan-Canadian Assessment Program were used in this research, specifically the PCAP-13 2007 assessment of approximately 30,000 13-year-old students from all Canadian provinces and Yukon Territory (CMEC, 2008). Approximately 20,000 participants wrote the reading assessment, while 30,000 students completed the questionnaire responses. Predictor variables were tested using parametric tests such as independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA, chi-square analysis, and Pearson r. Findings from this study indicate that although boys scored lower than girls on the PCAP-13 2007 reading assessment, factors were found to influence the reading scores of both male and female students to varying degrees. Socioeconomic status, perceptions of the reading material used in language arts classrooms, reading preference, reading interest, parental involvement, parental encouragement for reading, and self-efficacy were all found to affect the reading performance of boys and girls. Relationships between variables were also found and are discussed in this research. The analysis presented in this study allows parents, educators, and policy makers to begin to critically examine and re-evaluate boy crisis literature and offers suggestions on how to improve reading performance for all students of all socioeconomic backgrounds.

Weld line behaviour of polymer blends with special reference to PP/HDPE, PP/PS and HDPE/LDPE blends

Department of Polymer Science and Rubber Technology, Cochin University of Science and Technology

Studies On Mixed Layer Depth In The Arabian Sea

This thesis is the result of an elaborate study on the mixed layer depth (MLD) and the various oceanic environmental factors controlling it in the Arabian Sea examining its predictability on annual and short term basis. To accomplish this, the study area between 100 — 250 N latitudes and 600 — 750 E longitudes in the Arabian Sea is divided into 8 subareas of 50 quadrangles. The distribution of monthly means of the surface wind field, net heat exchange mKi868€%WTmN¥tWMWF3UH9 (SST) over each subarea in the annual cycle is examined. The corresponding wind (mechanical) and convective mixing values are computed and presented along with the observed mean MLD for the subareas in the annual cycle. Effects of advection due to surface currents and surface divergence (convergence and divergence) for these subareas are examined for correlating the MLD variations. A representative time series data from typical deep water station under southwest monsoonal forcing is analysed for the spectral components to estimate the amplitude perturbations on the mean MLD variation

The Systematics, Distribution and Bionomics of Deep sea fishes beyond depth 200m along the South west coast of India

Reducing fishing pressure in coastal waters is the need of the day in the Indian marine fisheries sector of the country which is fast changing from a mere vocational activity to a capital intensive industry. It requires continuous monitoring of the resource exploitation through a scientifically acceptable methodology, data on production of each species stock, the number and characteristics of the fishing gears of the fleet, various biological characteristics of each stock, the impact of fishing on the environment and the role of fishery—independent on availability and abundance. Besides this, there are issues relating to capabilities in stock assessment, taxonomy research, biodiversity, conservation and fisheries management. Generation of reliable data base over a fixed time frame, their analysis and interpretation are necessary before drawing conclusions on the stock size, maximum sustainable yield, maximum economic yield and to further implement various fishing regulatory measures. India being a signatory to several treaties and conventions, is obliged to carry out assessments of the exploited stocks and manage them at sustainable levels. Besides, the nation is bound by its obligation of protein food security to people and livelihood security to those engaged in marine fishing related activities. Also, there are regional variabilities in fishing technology and fishery resources. All these make it mandatory for India to continue and strengthen its marine capture fisheries research in general and deep sea fisheries in particular. Against this background, an attempt is made to strengthen the deep sea fish biodiversity and also to generate data on the distribution, abundance, catch per unit effort of fishery resources available beyond 200 m in the EEZ of southwest coast ofIndia and also unravel some of the aspects of life history traits of potentially important non conventional fish species inhabiting in the depth beyond 200 m. This study was carried out as part of the Project on Stock Assessment and Biology of Deep Sea Fishes of Indian EEZ (MoES, Govt. of India).

Role of sea-surface wind and transport on enhanced aerosol optical depth observed over the Arabian Sea

The objective of this study is to understand the reasons for the enhancement in aerosol optical depth (AOD) over the Arabian Sea observed during June, July and August. During these months, high values of AOD are found over the sea beyond 10◦ N and adjacent regions. The Arabian Sea is bounded by the lands of Asia and Africa on its three sides. So the region is influenced by transported aerosols from the surroundings as well as aerosols of local origin (marine aerosols). During the summer monsoon season in India, strong surface winds with velocities around 15 m s−1 are experienced over most parts of the Arabian Sea. These winds are capable of increasing sea spray activity, thereby enhancing the production of marine aerosols. The strong winds increase the contribution of marine aerosols over the region to about 60% of the total aerosol content. The main components of marine aerosols include sea salt and sulphate particles. The remaining part of the aerosol particles comes from the western and northern land masses around the sea, of which the main component is transported dust particles. This transport is observed at higher altitudes starting from 600 m. At low levels, the transport occurs mainly from the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea itself, indicating the predominance of marine aerosols at these levels. The major portion of the total aerosol loading was contributed by coarse-mode particles during the period of study. But in the winter season, the concentration of coarse-mode aerosols is found to be less. From the analysis, it is concluded that the increase in marine aerosols and dust particles transported from nearby deserts results in an increase in aerosol content over the Arabian Sea during June, July and August.

Depth wise variation of microbial load in the soils of midland region of Kerala: a function of important soil physicochemical characteristics and nutrients

Soil microorganisms play a main part in organic matter decomposition and are consequently necessary to soil ecosystem processes maintaining primary productivity of plants. In light of current concerns about the impact of cultivation and climate change on biodiversity and ecosystem performance, it is vital to expand a complete understanding of the microbial community ecology in our soils. In the present study we measured the depth wise profile of microbial load in relation with important soil physicochemical characteristics (soil temperature, soil pH, moisture content, organic carbon and available NPK) of the soil samples collected from Mahatma Gandhi University Campus, Kottayam (midland region of Kerala). Soil cores (30 cm deep) were taken and the cores were separated into three 10-cm depths to examine depth wise distribution. In the present study, bacterial load ranged from 141×105 to 271×105 CFU/g (10cm depth), from 80×105 to 131×105 CFU/g (20cm depth) and from 260×104 to 47×105 CFU/g (30cm depth). Fungal load varies from 124×103 to 27×104 CFU/g, from 61×103 to110×103 CFU/g and from 16×103 to 49×103 CFU/g at 10, 20 and 30 cm respectively. Actinomycetes count ranged from 129×103 to 60×104 CFU/g (10cm), from 70×103 to 31×104 CFU/g (20cm) and from 14×103 to 66×103 CFU/g (30cm). The study revealed that there was a significant difference in the depthwise distribution of microbial load and soil physico-chemical properties. Bacterial, fungal and actinomycetes load showed a decreasing trend with increasing depth at all the sites. Except pH all other physicochemical properties showed decreasing trend with increasing depth. The vertical profile of total microbial load was well matched with the depthwise profiles of soil nutrients and organic carbon that is microbial load was highest at the soil surface where organics and nutrients were highest

Estimators and Tests based on Likelihood-Depth with Application to Weibull Distribution, Gaussian and Gumbel Copula

In dieser Arbeit werden mithilfe der Likelihood-Tiefen, eingeführt von Mizera und Müller (2004), (ausreißer-)robuste Schätzfunktionen und Tests für den unbekannten Parameter einer stetigen Dichtefunktion entwickelt. Die entwickelten Verfahren werden dann auf drei verschiedene Verteilungen angewandt. Für eindimensionale Parameter wird die Likelihood-Tiefe eines Parameters im Datensatz als das Minimum aus dem Anteil der Daten, für die die Ableitung der Loglikelihood-Funktion nach dem Parameter nicht negativ ist, und dem Anteil der Daten, für die diese Ableitung nicht positiv ist, berechnet. Damit hat der Parameter die größte Tiefe, für den beide Anzahlen gleich groß sind. Dieser wird zunächst als Schätzer gewählt, da die Likelihood-Tiefe ein Maß dafür sein soll, wie gut ein Parameter zum Datensatz passt. Asymptotisch hat der Parameter die größte Tiefe, für den die Wahrscheinlichkeit, dass für eine Beobachtung die Ableitung der Loglikelihood-Funktion nach dem Parameter nicht negativ ist, gleich einhalb ist. Wenn dies für den zu Grunde liegenden Parameter nicht der Fall ist, ist der Schätzer basierend auf der Likelihood-Tiefe verfälscht. In dieser Arbeit wird gezeigt, wie diese Verfälschung korrigiert werden kann sodass die korrigierten Schätzer konsistente Schätzungen bilden. Zur Entwicklung von Tests für den Parameter, wird die von Müller (2005) entwickelte Simplex Likelihood-Tiefe, die eine U-Statistik ist, benutzt. Es zeigt sich, dass für dieselben Verteilungen, für die die Likelihood-Tiefe verfälschte Schätzer liefert, die Simplex Likelihood-Tiefe eine unverfälschte U-Statistik ist. Damit ist insbesondere die asymptotische Verteilung bekannt und es lassen sich Tests für verschiedene Hypothesen formulieren. Die Verschiebung in der Tiefe führt aber für einige Hypothesen zu einer schlechten Güte des zugehörigen Tests. Es werden daher korrigierte Tests eingeführt und Voraussetzungen angegeben, unter denen diese dann konsistent sind. Die Arbeit besteht aus zwei Teilen. Im ersten Teil der Arbeit wird die allgemeine Theorie über die Schätzfunktionen und Tests dargestellt und zudem deren jeweiligen Konsistenz gezeigt. Im zweiten Teil wird die Theorie auf drei verschiedene Verteilungen angewandt: Die Weibull-Verteilung, die Gauß- und die Gumbel-Copula. Damit wird gezeigt, wie die Verfahren des ersten Teils genutzt werden können, um (robuste) konsistente Schätzfunktionen und Tests für den unbekannten Parameter der Verteilung herzuleiten. Insgesamt zeigt sich, dass für die drei Verteilungen mithilfe der Likelihood-Tiefen robuste Schätzfunktionen und Tests gefunden werden können. In unverfälschten Daten sind vorhandene Standardmethoden zum Teil überlegen, jedoch zeigt sich der Vorteil der neuen Methoden in kontaminierten Daten und Daten mit Ausreißern.

Global Depth Perception from Familiar Scene Structure

In the absence of cues for absolute depth measurements as binocular disparity, motion, or defocus, the absolute distance between the observer and a scene cannot be measured. The interpretation of shading, edges and junctions may provide a 3D model of the scene but it will not inform about the actual "size" of the space. One possible source of information for absolute depth estimation is the image size of known objects. However, this is computationally complex due to the difficulty of the object recognition process. Here we propose a source of information for absolute depth estimation that does not rely on specific objects: we introduce a procedure for absolute depth estimation based on the recognition of the whole scene. The shape of the space of the scene and the structures present in the scene are strongly related to the scale of observation. We demonstrate that, by recognizing the properties of the structures present in the image, we can infer the scale of the scene, and therefore its absolute mean depth. We illustrate the interest in computing the mean depth of the scene with application to scene recognition and object detection.

Omnidirectional Depth Computation from a Single Image

Omnidirectional cameras offer a much wider field of view than the perspective ones and alleviate the problems due to occlusions. However, both types of cameras suffer from the lack of depth perception. A practical method for obtaining depth in computer vision is to project a known structured light pattern on the scene avoiding the problems and costs involved by stereo vision. This paper is focused on the idea of combining omnidirectional vision and structured light with the aim to provide 3D information about the scene. The resulting sensor is formed by a single catadioptric camera and an omnidirectional light projector. It is also discussed how this sensor can be used in robot navigation applications