Bayesian Dependence Tests for Continuous, Binary and Mixed Continuous-Binary Variables

Tests for dependence of continuous, discrete and mixed continuous-discrete variables are ubiquitous in science. The goal of this paper is to derive Bayesian alternatives to frequentist null hypothesis significance tests for dependence. In particular, we will present three Bayesian tests for dependence of binary, continuous and mixed variables. These tests are nonparametric and based on the Dirichlet Process, which allows us to use the same prior model for all of them. Therefore, the tests are “consistent” among each other, in the sense that the probabilities that variables are dependent computed with these tests are commensurable across the different types of variables being tested. By means of simulations with artificial data, we show the effectiveness of the new tests.

Multiple face detection at different resolutions for perceptual user interfaces

[EN]This paper describes in detail a real-time multiple face detection system for video streams. The system adds to the good performance provided by a window shift approach, the combination of different cues available in video streams due to temporal coherence. The results achieved by this combined solution outperform the basic face detector obtaining a 98% success rate for around 27000 images, providing additionally eye detection and a relation between the successive detections in time by means of detection threads.

Effect of Earnings Volatility on Cost of Debt: The case of Swedish Limited Companies

The paper empirically tests the relationship between earnings volatility and cost of debt with a sample of more than 77,000 Swedish limited companies over the period 2006 to 2013 observing more than 677,000 firm years. As called upon by many researchers recently that there is very limited evidence of the association between earnings volatility and cost of debt this paper contributes greatly to the existing literature of earnings quality and debt contracts, especially on the consequence of earnings quality in the debt market. Earnings volatility is a proxy used for earnings quality while cost of debt is a component of debt contract. After controlling for firms’ profitability, liquidity, solvency, cashflow volatility, accruals volatility, sales volatility, business risk, financial risk and size this paper studies the effect of earnings volatility measured by standard deviation of Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) on Cost of Debt. Overall finding suggests that lenders in Sweden does take earnings volatility into consideration while determining cost of debt for borrowers. But a deeper analysis of various industries suggest earnings volatility is not consistently used by lenders across all the industries. Lenders in Sweden are rather more sensitive to borrowers’ financial risk across all the industries. It may also be stated that larger borrowers tend to secure loans at a lower interest rate, the results are consistent with majority of the industries. Swedish debt market appears to be well prepared for financial crises as the debt crisis seems to have no or little adverse effect borrowers’ cost of capital. This study is the only empirical evidence to study the association between earnings volatility and cost of debt. Prior indirect research suggests earnings volatility has a negative effect on cost debt (i.e. an increase in earnings volatility will increase firm’s cost of debt). Our direct evidence from the Swedish debt market is consistent for some industries including media, real estate activities, transportation & warehousing, and other consumer services.

As relações da tríplice hélice no setor da carcinicultura do Rio Grande do Norte: uma análise a partir das abordagens da imersão social e da dependência de recursos

This work consists in a study of the Shrimp Industry in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, whose central issue relates to the understanding of how the Triple Helix (University, Government and the productive sector) interrelationship limits or expands the industry s innovation process. The study aims to understand how the Triple Helix relationship interferes in the innovation process of shrimp in Rio Grande do Norte. As the knowledge becomes the resource key for production methods, the generation of new technologies, new products and processes which demands joint and integrated action of the institutions comprising the Triple Helix: University, Government and productive sector, which possess the essential resources to innovate the process and can be maximized from cooperative relationships between the referred Institutions. Thus, in this work, it was sharply used the pioneering studies of Sabato and Botana (1968) regarding the cooperation relationship between the scientific-technological sphere, the governmental and the productive base, and studies on the Triple Helix approach, proposed by Etzkowitz and Leydesdorff (2000), in which the university has a key role in the process of technological and innovative development of countries and regions, and under which it is assigned to the very University - the character of the entrepreneurial institution, through the concept of entrepreneurial University. Aiming to overcome the criticism of Cooke (2005), regarding the limitations of the Triple Helix approach, in this study it was used - as analytical perspectives - the perspective of social immersion (Granovetter, 1985, 2005) and the theory of resources dependence (PFEFFER; SALANCIK, 1978). The analytical perspectives presented in here, despite of the different assumptions, are essential to eliminate the bias that one only approach can lead (ASTLEY; VAN DE VEM; 2007). The authors arguments focus on the fact that the integration is possible if the researcher acknowledged that different perspectives may have different descriptions of the same phenomenon. As a research strategy, this study is characterized as a study case, along with the proposed objectives - the qualitative method was used as an approach and, depending on the gathering of the sector s historical, a sectional longitudinal view approach was applied (VIEIRA, 2004). The primary and secondary data were used in order to understand the sector s evolutionary process and its inter-institutional relations - regarding the shrimp culture in Rio Grande do Norte - to promote the development, as the content was used for the technical analysis (BARDIN, 1977). The approach of social immersion and resources addiction dependence made it possible to understand that relationships are established within and between each sphere (university, government and productive sector) characterizing a network of low density relationships and strongly internal and external dependence. Based on the speech of Etzkowitz and Mello (2006), a successful Triple Helix strategy of innovation requires not only the involvement and commitment of the parts, within the institutional sphere and among them, but also the development of mechanisms to coordinate the multiple and complex interactions and interfaces, focusing on promoting both environment and context for innovation and learning; it can be acknowledge from study results that the shrimp in the State of the RN, although there are several institutional mechanisms to promote greater integration and technological development, has been presented disjointed - both internally and between the spheres - and under no legitimate practice when facing the innovational promotion and integration institutions. Due to those factors, the central institutions of the network are crucial to the promotion of innovations, spreading through their direct contacts the importance factor of the sustainable competitive activity in the world market and on the national level. However, it may be concluded, from the data, that the Triple Helix relations are interfering in a negative way on what concerns the promotion of innovations in the shrimp industry in RN

Growing Well-beings: the Positive Experience of Care Farms

Objectives: Care farms enable people who are in some way vulnerable to engage with agricultural places and farming activities. This study investigates how this impacts on the health and well-being of service users and explores associated processes and outcomes. Design: A mixed methods design was adopted that allowed for the integration of quantitative measurements of change with qualitative descriptions of this change. A pragmatic approach provided sufficient flexibility to support the investigation of complex contexts. Methods: A total of 216 service users completed an initial questionnaire, and 137 (63%) of this number provided comparative data in a follow-up questionnaire. Questionnaires contained multiple choice and open-ended questions alongside standardized health and well-being measures requiring Likert-format responses. Semi-structured interviews with 33 service users allowed personal experiences to be detailed. Results: Statistical analysis of well-being measure scores identified significant positive relationships with the length of time people had been attending the care farm. Questionnaire and interview data presented health benefits as being enabled by the farm environment, the positive experience as supporting personal development, and associated social interactions as becoming increasingly influential as time progressed. Conclusions: The health and well-being outcomes that result from participating at a care farm influence multiple elements of the human condition and apply amongst vulnerable people with a wide range of personal needs. Care farms have access to a potentially unique range of resources that can support many service users in becoming happier and healthier individuals.

Special Issues in the Young and Pregnant Patient with Breast Cancer

This chapter presents a series of multiple choice questions and answers on the special issues in the young and pregnant patient with breast cancer. It also presents a series of case studies with questions and answers on the special issues in the young and pregnant patient with breast cancer. The chapter examines whether the genomic testing by Oncotype DX or MammaPrint be helpful in managing the patient. It also examines the factors that are the most important in determining the risk of chemotherapyinduced amenorrhea (CIA) in the patient, and a role for sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in patients diagnosed with breast cancer during pregnancy. The chapter discusses counselling of a patient who became accidentally pregnant on maintenance therapy with trastuzumab or tamoxifen. In addition, It examines the options that could be offered to preserve fertility.

Análise dos fatores que influenciam os estudantes na seleção da Instituição de Ensino Superior no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul - Brasil

Esta dissertação de mestrado busca analisar os fatores que influenciam os estudantes na seleção do Instituto de Ensino Superior no Estado do Rio Grande do Sul – Brasil. Como problemática, buscou-se analisar o que motiva os alunos do ensino superior na hora de definir a instituição de ensino? O estudo apresentou como objetivo conhecer os fatores influenciadores na região do estudo. Foi utilizado abordagem exploratória e descritiva na qual buscou-se conhecer o assunto e posterior geração de hipóteses. Já a pesquisa descritiva complementou o estudo pois tem o objetivo de descrever as características de uma população e estabelecer a relação entre as variáveis no objeto de estudo analisado. Estima-se uma população de aproximadamente 378.000 alunos matriculados divididos em 131 estabelecimentos de ensino superior, caracterizadas na categoria privada e pública, com organização acadêmica de faculdade, centro universitário, universidade e instituto federal de educação, ciência e tecnologia. Para a coleta de dados foi utilizado um instrumento de pesquisa disponível online, onde foi criado 15 questões de múltiplas escolhas, mais 4 blocos de questões para identificação dos fatores onde se abordou áreas como ensino, instalações, serviços e influências, totalizando 19 questões. Como técnica de estatística de amostragem, utilizou-se o modelo “bola de neve”, em que, após enviado o questionário para o responsável da instituição de ensino superior era repassado aos demais para participação. A população alcançada foi de 423 questionários respondidos por alunos residentes em 49 municípios do Estado. Constatou-se que fatores como qualidade do ensino, capacidade de transmissão do conhecimento por parte dos docentes, corpo docente qualificado, empregabilidade ou reconhecimento do diploma no mercado como também infraestrutura das salas de aulas, laboratórios e bibliotecas, conectividade, segurança física, limpeza e visita as instalações são fatores predominantemente importantes no momento da seleção da instituição de ensino.

Oclusão percutânea do apêndice auricular esquerdo e estrutura auricular: efeito na função mecânica e endócrina auricular

Mestrado em Tecnologia de Diagnóstico e Intervenção Cardiovascular - Área de especialização: Intervenção Cardiovascular.

3D-grafiikan selaintekniikat, erikoistapauksena karttasovellukset

Harava on karttapohjainen kyselypalvelu, jonka avulla voidaan kerätä tietoa erilaisista kyselykohteista. Harava-kyselypalvelussa kyselyihin voidaan vastata muun muassa tekstikentillä, monivalinnoilla ja merkitsemällä alueita ja pisteitä karttapohjaan. Tutkielman tavoitteena oli löytää Harava-kyselypalvelun 2D-karttojen rinnalle 3D-karttavaihtoehto. Aluksi tutkittiin, mitä eri vaihtoehtoja löytyy 3D-komponenttien esittämiseen selaimessa. Tutkituista vaihtoehdoista parhaimmaksi tähän tarkoitukseen osoittautui WebGL-kirjasto. WebGL-kirjaston käyttö suoraan osoittautui vaikeaksi, joten etsittiin rajapintaa, jonka avulla WebGL-kirjaston käyttö helpottuisi. Käsittelyyn otettiin karttapalveluita sekä 3D-mallien esittämiseen tarkoitettuja JavaScript-kirjastoja, jotka käyttävät WebGL-kirjastoa rajapinnan kautta. Näistä sopivimmaksi osoittautui Cesium. Cesium on JavaScript-kirjasto, jonka avulla voidaan toteuttaa 2D-kartta ja 3D-karttapallo sekä upottaa karttapohjaan 3D-elementtejä.

Relations entre la composition du lait et les facteurs alimentaires dans les troupeaux laitiers québécois

L’objectif général des travaux présentes dans cette thèse de doctorat était d’établir la relation entre l’alimentation et la composition du lait des vaches laitières, en mettant l’emphase sur les teneurs en matières grasses (TMG), sur l’urée du lait et sur l’efficience d’utilisation de l’azote. Pour la TMG, c’est principalement la relation entre cette teneur et la différence alimentaire cations-anions (DACA) qui a été investiguée. Une base de données de 2 142 troupeaux québécois a été utilisée et la relation entre la composition de la ration, incluant la DACA, et la TMG du lait a été déterminée à l’aide de régressions multiples. Il a été possible de prédire entre 32 et 66 % de la variation de la TMG du lait en fonction du stade de lactation. Malgré plusieurs interactions trouvées, une augmentation de la DACA, une supplémentation avec de l’acide palmitique et une distribution des aliments en ration totale mélangée ont eu une relation positive avec la TMG du lait, tandis qu’une augmentation de la proportion de concentrés dans la ration a eu un effet négatif. Les modèles développés ont montré l’importance de la gestion de l’alimentation sur la TMG du lait. En plus, ils ont démontré l’intérêt de considérer la DACA dans la formulation de rations chez la vache laitière. Dans une deuxième étude, la même base des données a été utilisée pour identifier les facteurs nutritionnels qui peuvent faire varier la teneur en urée du lait. Contrairement à ce qui est mentionné dans la littérature, tant des corrélations positives et que négatives entre les teneurs en urée du lait et en protéines des rations à l’intérieur des troupeaux sur une période de 36 mois ont été obtenues. Pour mieux comprendre ces relations, les résultats de performances et d’alimentation de 100 troupeaux avec des corrélations positives (r > 0,69) et de 100 troupeaux avec des corrélations négatives (r < -0,44) entre la teneur en urée du lait et en protéine brute de la ration ont été comparés. Les résultats n’ont pas montré de différences entre les deux groupes ni pour la composition de la ration, ni pour l’urée du lait. Ces résultats ne permettent pas d’identifier le meilleur contexte pour l’utilisation de la teneur en urée du lait comme un outil de gestion de l’alimentation. Ces observations soulèvent des questions sur la validité de l’utilisation des statistiques d’alimentation provenant de la base de données utilisée pour des évaluations nutritionnelles plus spécifiques. Considérant les résultats du projet précédent, le dernier projet visait à mieux comprendre les caractéristiques des fermes avec différentes efficiences d’utilisation de l’azote en utilisant des données plus fiables. Ainsi, 100 fermes laitières au Québec ont été visitées pour recueillir les données de production, de consommation d’aliments et de gestion de leur troupeau. Ces fermes ont été divisées en quatre groupes par une analyse en grappes selon leur efficience d’utilisation de l’azote. La comparaison entre les groupes a montré que les fermes dans les groupes avec une plus haute efficience d’utilisation d’azote ont une production laitière moyenne par vache plus élevée. Pour les stratégies d’alimentation, les fermes plus efficientes donnent plus d’énergie, mais moins de protéines brutes que les fermes des groupes moins efficients. Les résultats ont également montré l’importance de la prise alimentaire des vaches sur l’efficience d’utilisation de l’azote puisque les fermes des groupes avec la plus grande efficience étaient également celles avec la plus faible prise alimentaire. Aussi, les résultats n’ont pas permis d’établir clairement la relation entre la teneur en urée du lait et l’efficience de l’utilisation de l’azote. En effet, des valeurs différentes pour l’urée du lait étaient obtenues entre le groupe plus efficient et le moins efficient, mais la faible ampleur de variation de l’efficience d’utilisation de l’azote des groupes intermédiaires n’a pas permis d’observer de différences pour l’urée du lait. Finalement, outre une réduction des risques de pollution, les fermes des groupes plus efficaces pour l’utilisation de l’azote étaient également celles avec la marge sur les coûts d’alimentation par les vaches plus élevées. Par conséquent, il y a aussi un intérêt économique à améliorer l’efficience de l’utilisation de l’azote sur les fermes.

Telefone celular como recurso didático no ensino de física

Currently, there are several factors that suggest the need for the school to review their teaching practices: 1) the speed with which information and communication technologies - ICT are spread throughout society and in particular the increasing use of mobile phone by groups in school age;2) the scope and power of integrating ICT convergence of these technological resources, that can be used as teaching resources; 3) the fact that nowadays students grow up in a technological world and make their thought patterns operating in accordance with this reality, etc... In contrast, there are educators unrelated to the appropriation of ICT, presenting, in many cases, resistance to them. There is a incongruity between how individuals use mobile phones, for example, inside and outside the school. There are also educators, schools, public educational departments claiming to be against mobile phones usage; bills and laws regulating their use in educational space, etc... For these controversial aspects we have investigated whether cell phone use as a teaching resource practices mediator in Physics teaching. For this purpose, we developed an applied research with qualitative and exploratory approach about the objectives, adopting participant and the technical procedures. A documental and bibliographical research was taken. First of all, data were collected by e-mail, through a multiple choice questionnaire applied to private school teachers in southern Brazil, to identify the researched reality and develop teaching practices likely to be applied in the studied corpus. Then, such practices were applied in workshops located in Curitiba and Ponta Grossa cities, in Paraná state. During the application, data was collected by the researcher's field notes. Then, we recorded chats about the workshops from an instant message software (msn messenger), and we took photographic records. Data analysis was performed by triangulation. The results showed the need to enhance continuing education courses for teachers and the production of national academic literature, such as articles, dissertations, theses and books that explore the theme of the cell phone and its functionality in educational spaces as an educational resource mediator in the practices of teaching Physics. They are available in the dissertation defended in 2012, and now are also systematized in this book, organized as a final product of research conducted by the Graduate Program in Science Education and Technology UTFPR, Campus Ponta Grossa-PR.

The impacts of environmental and anthropogenic stressors on largemouth bass: an integration of field and laboratory studies

Several environmental stressors can impact the physiology and survival of fishes. Fish experience natural fluctuations in temperature and dissolved oxygen, but variations in these parameters due to anthropogenic sources are typically greater in magnitude and duration. Changes in temperature and oxygen of anthropogenic origins may therefore have larger negative impacts on fish than those occurring during natural events. Physiological parameters are sensitive indicators of the impacts of stressors by providing insight into the manner in which fish are disturbed by the stressor. Fish may display cumulative physiological responses to successive stressors, but the concept of synergy among multiple thermal stressors is poorly understood. Further, some fish species can be subjected to competitive angling events, which expose fish to an array of additional stressors that can increase mortality. The impacts of these events may change over seasons as fish display seasonal changes in behavior and physiology. Latitudinal origin may also affect the physiological response and mortality of fish exposed to common environmental stressors as individual populations are adapted to local environmental conditions. This thesis focuses on addressing these potential impacts on physiological parameters and mortality of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and provides implications for management and conservation. Largemouth bass were relatively robust to abrupt changes in temperature and oxygen, but were perturbed from physiological homeostasis during large (12°C) temperature shocks and low (< 4 mg O2/L) levels of dissolved oxygen. Cumulative physiological impacts of multiple cold shocks were only slightly greater than the disturbances sustained during a single cold shock, suggesting largemouth bass are able to tolerate successive thermal stressors. Largemouth bass exhibited seasonal changes in physiological parameters but the responses of fish to angling tournaments were relatively similar across seasons when compared with seasonal controls. Mortality was low during angling tournaments held during four seasons and no apparent seasonal trends were observed. Lastly, largemouth bass from two latitudinally separated populations exhibited differences in their physiological responses to acute cold stressors and overwinter mortality, characterized by greater mortality and physiological disturbances of southern fish than northern fish. Knowledge gained from this study can be used to make management and conservation decisions regarding a host of environmental factors and provides insight into the mechanisms by which fish species can persist over large latitudinal ranges.

Comunicação em MOOC: estratégias e recursos comunicacionais adotados em cursos MOOC

A comunicação é essencial para a vida em sociedade. Na atualidade, com o desenvolvimento de novas formas e possibilidades tecnológicas a comunicação se faz presente também no âmbito educacional utilizando as Tecnologias da Informação e Comunicação (TIC) para atender às exigências sociais e educativas. No caso da educação on-line, os MOOC – Massive Open Online Courses, vêm ganhando destaque e constituem um modelo recente de educação e formação, com a possibilidade de democratização e acesso ao conhecimento e à informação, disponível a um número cada vez maior de pessoas. Neste sentido, o objetivo deste estudo é o de analisar as estratégias e recursos comunicacionais utilizados em cursos MOOC, visando elaborar diretrizes a ter em conta na construção de um curso desta natureza. Para tal, optou-se por uma investigação qualitativa, de natureza exploratória-descritiva, em que a revisão bibliográfica e a construção e aplicação de um modelo de análise dos recursos e estratégias comunicacionais utilizados nos cursos ofertados em plataformas MOOC, integram a metodologia do estudo. Como principais resultados destacamos que os vídeos e fóruns são os recursos mais utilizados nos cursos analisados, observando-se uma tendência de práticas mais empiristas e tradicionais, há pouca utilização de recursos lúdicos e uma ausência do uso de redes sociais como recurso comunicacional. Para além disso, não é utilizada a avaliação dos cursos pelos alunos e predominam as estratégias avaliativas de escolha múltipla. Visando compartilhar as experiências e reflexões advindas desta pesquisa, são apresentadas, ao final, recomendações que podem contribuir para a elaboração de cursos MOOC.

Partnering Strategies for Fitness Evaluation in a Pyramidal Evolutionary Algorithm

This paper combines the idea of a hierarchical distributed genetic algorithm with different inter-agent partnering strategies. Cascading clusters of sub-populations are built from bottom up, with higher-level sub-populations optimising larger parts of the problem. Hence higher-level sub-populations search a larger search space with a lower resolution whilst lower-level sub-populations search a smaller search space with a higher resolution. The effects of different partner selection schemes for (sub-)fitness evaluation purposes are examined for two multiple-choice optimisation problems. It is shown that random partnering strategies perform best by providing better sampling and more diversity.

The challenge of sales competitions.

Universities in the United Kingdom do not make provision to deliver sales-ready graduates to the economy. One means of delivering sales education is participation in university sales competitions that bring together commercial sponsors, the higher education establishment and those students who may be interested in embarking upon a sales career. This paper explores the views of a sample of Edinburgh Napier University undergraduate students who completed a survey, with both multiple choice and open-ended questions, that detailed their experience in taking part in the Russ Berrie Institute (RBI) Sales Challenge competition between 2009-2014 at the Cotsakos Business Faculty of William Paterson University, New Jersey, in the United States. Ten categories of questions were asked relating to students' sales working experience, sales education, sales jobs, skills and knowledge, their preparation for the sales challenge competition process, observations during the event, post-competition reflection, and overall benefits of taking part in the sales competition process. The findings suggest that there are multiple benefits to students, business and universities from sales challenge competitions, which deliver an overall win-win-win outcome for all stakeholders.