Women Engineering Faculty: Expanding the Pipeline

The purpose for this case study was to explore the features of undergraduate engineering departmental and college support that influenced the persistence of women students. Women engineering faculty members were among the participants at three Land Grant universities in the Midwest. The data revealed the theme, Expanding the Pipeline, and demonstrated how women engineering faculty perceived their role in helping to encourage women students to persist in engineering majors

Women Engineering Faculty: Expanding the Pipeline

The purpose for this case study was to explore the features of undergraduate engineering departmental and college support that influenced the persistence of women students. Women engineering faculty members were among the participants at three Land Grant universities in the Midwest. The data revealed the theme, Expanding the Pipeline, and demonstrated how women engineering faculty perceived their role in helping to encourage women students to persist in engineering majors

Explicit bounds for generators of the class group

Assuming Generalized Riemann's Hypothesis, Bach proved that the class group SICK of a number field K may be generated using prime ideals whose norm is bounded by 121og(2)delta(K), and by (4 + o(l)) log(2) delta(K) asymptotically, where delta(K) is the absolute value of the discriminant of K. Under the same assumption, Belabas, Diaz y Diaz and Friedman showed a way to determine a set of prime ideals that generates SICK and which performs better than Bach's bound in computations, but which is asymptotically worse. In this paper we show that SICK is generated by prime ideals whose norm is bounded by the minimum of 4.01 log(2) delta(K), 4(l + (2 pi e(gamma))N-_(K))(2) log(2) delta(k) and 4( log delta(k) + log log delta(K) - (gamma + log 2 pi)N-K + 1 + (N-K + 1) log(7log delta(K)/log delta(K))(2). Moreover, we prove explicit upper bounds for the size of the set determined by Belabas, Diaz y Diaz and Friedma's algorithms, confirming that it has size SIC (log delta(K) log log delta(K))(2). In addition, we propose a different algorithm which produces a set of generators which satisfies the above mentioned bounds and in explicit computations turns out to be smaller than log(2) delta(K) except for 7 out of the 31292 fields we tested

Integrering av webinnhold i mobilapplikasjoner : En empirisk studie i brukeropplevelse og applikasjonskontekst

Dette er en masteravhandling ved Instituttet for Informatikk, Universitetet i Oslo som tar for seg integrering av webinnhold direkte i mobilapplikasjoner sett i lys av brukeropplevelsen og applikasjonskontekst. En vanlig tilnærming i mobilapplikasjoner i dag er å åpne linker i standard nettleser på mobiltelefonen, men da Nokia introduserte Browser Control API-et som en del av fri programvare nettleseren deres i S60 3rd edition introduserte de også muligheten for å integrere et webvisningsområde direkte i applikasjonen, som har de samme visningsegenskapene og støtter de samme standardene som nettleseren. Men hvordan opplever brukerne forskjellen på å ha alt innhold kjørende i et og samme program kontra det å måtte veksle mellom en applikasjon og nettleseren? Og hvordan reagerer brukerne på applikasjonskontekstskiftet som oppstår når de blir tatt fra applikasjonen til den eksterne nettleseren? Dette er spørsmål som jeg har tatt opp i denne avhandlingen og prøvd å besvare ved hjelp av observasjon og intervjuer under testing av en low-fidelity og en high-fidelity prototype

Explicit short intervals for primes in arithmetic progressions on GRH

We prove explicit versions of Cram\ue9r's theorem for primes in arithmetic progressions, on the assumption of the generalised Riemann hypothesis

A multi-gene analysis and proposed distribution of species of the Strodei Subgroup of Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) (Diptera: Culicidae)

INTRODUÇÃO: O subgrupo Anopheles strodei é pouco estudado apesar de sua importância epidemiológica potencial. Espécies desse subgrupo foram encontradas naturalmente infectadas por parasitos que causam malária em humanos, Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax e Plasmodium malariae, no Brasil. O subgrupo Anopheles strodei compreende oito espécies: An. rondoni (Neiva & Pinto), An. albertoi Unti, An. arthuri Unti, An. strodei Root, An. strodei CP, e três outras espécies que foram propostas por Bourke et al. (2013), mas não foram descritas: An. arthuri B, An. arthuri C e An. arthuri D. OBJETIVOS: A definição e delimitação precisa de espécies que atuam como vetores de agentes infecciosos é um dos objetivos da entomologia da saúde pública. Os objetivos deste estudo foram: 1) Estabelecer as relações filogenéticas entre espécies do Subgrupo Strodei; 2) Estimar a distribuição espacial potencial das espécies do Subgrupo Strodei; 3) Confirmar a presença de quatro espécies sob o nome An. arthuri. MÉTODOS: Sequências de DNA de um gene mitocondrial (fragmento de 658 pares de bases do código de barras do gene COI, citocromo oxidase subunidade I) e de três genes nucleares codificadores de proteínas (White, CAD e CAT) foram empregadas para estabelecer as relações filogenéticas potenciais entre as espécies que compõe o subgrupo An. strodei. As análises filogenéticas foram conduzidas utilizando abordagem Bayesiana das sequências de DNA dos quatro genes. Para estabelecer a distribuição espacial potencial das espécies, utilizou-se abordagem de máxima entropia de nichos ecológicos. Para isso as localidades das coletas, juntamente com os dados climáticos e geográficos foram introduzidos no programa MAXENT. RESULTADOS: Os resultados das análises filogenéticas demonstraram e, portanto, confirmaram o monofiletismo do Subgrupo Strodei, a presença de pelo menos sete espécies sob o nome An. strodei, ou seja, corroborou a validade de An. albertoi, An. arthuri, An. strodei, An. strodei CP, além das espécies denominadas, preliminarmente, como An. arthuri B, An. arthuri C e An. arthuri D. Portanto, como definida atualmente, An. arthuri não representa grupo monofilético, pois inclui táxons que deverão ser formalmente descritos em estudos futuros. CONCLUSÃO: As distribuições potenciais de espécies do Subgrupo Strodei foram propostas pela primeira vez. Cinquenta e cinco sequências do gene nuclear CAT e outras 46 sequências do gene nuclear CAD únicas foram recentemente caracterizadas para espécies do Subgrupo Strodei de Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus), confirmando a presença de pelos menos sete espécies, além de An. rondoni que não foi alvo deste estudo, mas de outros anteriores que confirmaram a validade da mesma.Introduction Anopheles strodei sensu lato is an understudied subgroup of potential epidemiological importance, having been found naturally infected in Brazil with Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium malariae. An. strodei s.l. is currently composed on 8 species: An. albertoi Unti, An. CP Form, An. rondoni (Neiva & Pinto), An. strodei Root, An. arthuri Unti and three other unnamed species that have been proposed by Bourke et al. (2013): An. arthuri B, An. arthuri C and An. arthuri D. Objectives As delineating species accurately is an essential goal of public health entomology, the objectives of this study were to: 1) Determine the phylogenetic relationships within the Strodei Subgroup and reaffirm or reject the hypothesis of the 3 new species (An. arthuri B, An. arthuri C and An. arthuri D) 2) Address the potential spatial distribution of species of the An. strodei subgroup to provide support for the candidate species in the Strodei Subgroup Methods Bayesian inference, which included DNA sequences of one mitochondrial and three nuclear protein coding genes: CO1, white, CAD and CAT, was used to determine the phylogenetic relationship within the group. To propose a species distribution, collection localities, along with climatic and geographic data were input into MAXENT. Results When analyzing the four molecular markers employed, support was found for allopatry in the Strodei Subgroup. The paraphyletic clade of An. arthuri was supported. Conclusion Potential species distributions of the Strodei Subgroup were addressed for the first time. Fifty-five unique CAT sequences and 46 unique CAD sequences were newly characterized

Women in undergraduate engineering: Perceptions of departmental and college support

The rationale for this qualitative study was to explore the types of undergraduate engineering departmental support that was influential in the persistence of women students. The perceptions of women undergraduate engineering students, women engineering faculty and engineering department chairs were explored. Eighteen students, faculty members and department chairs at three Midwestern land grant universities were interviewed regarding their perceptions of departmental support. Nine student participants were mostly third-year women undergraduate engineering students. Six female engineering faculty members holding doctoral degrees in an engineering discipline and three male engineering department chairs were participants. The four themes that emerged from this study draw attention to characteristics of women undergraduate engineering students, challenges for these students, aspects of the undergraduate learning environment, and efforts undertaken by academic departments to provide a supporting influence. The women undergraduate engineering students in this study were high achievers from high school. They had made the transition from high school by continuing to be top performers in the college classroom or resolving to continue despite not getting the high grades they had earned in high school. They enjoyed learning how things work and they made decisions to stay in engineering based on their contacts with peers and academic advisors; in organizations; family members; seeing the kind of career they would have as professionals; and by their own perseverance. The department and college of engineering personnel participated in women students\u27 persistence by providing opportunities for students to be successful and to network academically and socially with other students, faculty and advisors. Colleges of engineering most often sponsored women\u27s programming, advisory boards, and the Society of Women Engineers. These were areas the students found helpful in their persistence in engineering. Five recommendations for practical applications and eight areas for further study are presented

Finansskandalene i USA 2001/2002 : en konsekvens av endringer i incentivstrukturer eller gevinstmulighetene i dot.com-boblen?

Oppgavens siktemål er å undersøke hvorfor USA ble rammet av en lang rekke finansskandaler i 2001/2002. To ulike forklaringsalternativer blir undersøkt. Den ene forklaringen, konjunkturforklaringen, hevder at skandalene ble forårsaket av boblen i det amerikanske aksjemarkedet på 1990-tallet. Fremveksten av nye teknologier, først og fremst internett og telekommunikasjon, skapte en voldsom optimisme og fremtidstro, og denne optimismen blåste opp en boble i disse to markedene. Ved hjelp av Charles Kindlebergers teori om sammenhengen mellom finansskandaler, grådighet og store gevinstmuligheter i økonomiske bobler, argumenteres det for at Enronskandalen, og de mange øvrige skandalene i kjølvannet av Enron, kan ha fulgt som en naturlig konsekvens av dot.com-boblen. Den andre forklaringen, strukturforklaringen, vektlegger at de mange skandalene skyldtes mer varige trekk ved de amerikanske finansmarkedene. En sterk tro på frie markeder har i stor grad preget USA siden 1970-tallet, og ut av dette markedsliberalistiske tankegodset sprang flere idèer som fokuserte på hvordan aksjemarkedet kunne fungere best mulig. Mye kan tyde på at disse idèene, og spesielt samspillet dem imellom, åpnet opp for en struktur av incentiver som inviterte til grådig og uetisk atferd fra flere sentrale markedsaktører. Bedriftsledere fikk sterke incentiver til å fokusere på kortsiktig aksjepris. Flere av de som var satt til å spre informasjon i markedet spesielt revisorer, bankanalytikere og ratingbyråer - fikk incentiver til å misbruke denne informasjonen fordi de i større grad fikk sammenfallende interesser med selskapers ledelse. Samtidig som en rekke dereguleringer gjorde det lettere for disse å feilinformere markedet. Dereguleringer gjorde også trusselen om straff mindre. Rollekonflikter kunne dermed utnyttes, og det ble fristende for mange aktører å villede markedet i jakt på egen vinning