Women’s Studies students’ accounts of their experiences academically, emotionally and politically in feminist university classrooms will be investigated in this thesis. Central to my work, through an anti-racist feminist and intersectional analysis, is to demonstrate the way in which Women’s Studies university classroom spaces are neither ‘innocent’ nor are they devoid of racism/white supremacy as it is present in the bodies who are allowed to enter the space, voices allowed to speak and knowledge being taught. As this research is informed by a personal experience in an undergraduate Women and Gender Studies course at a local university, I will use both auto-ethnography and interviews as method in and through anti-racist feminist research methodology. Highlighting the importance of anti-racism education as a call to action in attending to this disjuncture and also to erode superficial notions of sisterhood will demonstrate white feminist supremacy as an implication for the sociology of race.

The title of the thesis focuses the attention on hyperspectral image segmentation, that is, we want to detect salient regions in a hyperspectral image and isolate them as accurate as possible. This purpose presents two main problems: Firstly, the fact of using hyperspectral imaging not only give us a huge amount of information, but we also have to face the problem of selecting somehow the information avoiding redundancies.Secondly, the problem of segmentation strictly speaking is still a challenging question whatever the input image would be.This thesis is focused on solving the whole process by means of building an image processing method that analyses and optimises the information acquired by a multispectral device. After that, it detects the main regions that are present in the scene in an image segmentation procedure. Therefore, this work will be divided into two parts. In the first part, an approach for selecting the most relevant subset of input bands will be presented. In the second part, this reduced representation of the initial bands will be the input data of a segmentation method.Finally, the main contributions of this PhD work could be briefly summarised as follows. On the one hand, we have proposed a pre-processing stage with an unsupervised band selection approach based on information measures that reduces considerably the amount of data. This approach has been successfully compared with well-known algorithms of the literature, showing its good performance with regard to pixel image classification tasks. On the other hand, after the band selection stage, two unsupervised segmentation procedures for detecting the main parts in multispectral images have been also developed. Regarding to this segmentation part, we have mainly contributed with two measures of similarity among regions. An objective functional for selecting an optimal (or close to optimal) partition of the image is another relevant contribution too.

The main aim of this research is to survey the general colour scheme for private dwellings inVisby, built 1860–1930. During this period the visual appearance of the town of Visby changedsubstantially, since the increased local production of lime led to the plastering of many woodenbuildings. Which colour schemes were chosen for the different building types of the historic centreof Visby, and which colours came to dominate the time period? The methods used for answeringthese questions have partly been field studies on site and sampling of selected buildings, andpartly critical reading and observation of iconographic material (paintings, drawings, aquarelles,postcards and photographs). The field study includes about 45 objects, in which a number ofsamples are taken from each building element (mouldings, plaster, windows and doors). Thesamples were first analysed ocularly as cross sections. A selection of cross sections have then beenanalysed by means of scanning electron microscopy analysis. The results show a unitary colourscheme, based on earth pigment and carbon black. The dwellings erected during the 19th centuryin Visby, represent a significant part of its building stock, and the lack of scientifically groundedresearches makes implementation of adequate maintenance difficult. It also appears that a largenumber of these dwellings have recently been (or are soon to be) restored, causing a serious lossof primary source of information, as well as affecting town and streetscape with new colourings.

The purpose of this master’s thesis was to study the possibility to use computer vision methods to detect and classify objects in the front passenger seat in a car. This work presents different approaches to solve this problem and evaluates the usefulness of each technique. The classification information should later be used to modulate the speed and the force of the airbag, to be able to provide each occupant with optimal protection and safety. This work shows that computer vision has a great potential in order to provide data, which may be used to perform reliable occupant classification. Future choice of method to use depends on many factors, for example costs and requirements on the system from laws and car manufacturers. Further, evaluation and tests of the methods in this thesis, other methods, the ABE approach and post-processing of the results should also be made before a reliable classification algorithm may be written.

Three interrelated genes postulated to affect economically important traits related to growth and/or carcass quality of beef cattle were chosen to characterize and perform association analyses for this study. Melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) and agouti related protein (AGRP) play an integral role in the appetite pathway and in fat deposition.<p> We genotyped 328 crossbred steers of various coat colours that were purchased at weaning and fed until slaughter for the previously published alleles ED, E+ and e. The E+ allele was present at five percent in this population and therefore was not included in further analysis. Black cattle of ED/ED or ED/e genotype had increased backfat (P<0.05) and required significantly fewer days (15-25) (P<0.01) on feed to reach a target fat level for slaughter compared to the red cattle. Red cattle of e/e genotype were found to have significantly larger longissimus dorsi (l. dorsi) area, shipping weight and hot carcass weight. Subsequent analysis revealed that the differences were comparable whether black versus red coat colour or MC1R genotype was used as the criteria for the group of cattle.<p> MC4R sequence was obtained from 20 random crossbred steers. In addition to several previously published polymorphisms, a novel Ser330Asn polymorphism was detected. A population of 382 crossbred Canadian steers and 985 crossbred American steers was genotyped for this Ser330Asn polymorphism. A minor allele frequency of 0.01 was observed in the Canadian and 0.02 in the American steer populations. No homozygous g.989AA cattle were detected. In the Canadian population, heterozygous steers had increased grade fat (P=0.036) and decreased lean meat yield (P=0.032). Similarly in the American population, steers of the g.989GA genotype had increased backfat (P=0.031) and less desirable yield grades (P=0.022,) but also lower ribeye area measurements (P=0.031). These results suggest that genotyping for the Ser330Asn polymorphism may lead to increased quality of carcasses either through lean meat production or backfat measurements, depending on the goal of the beef operation.<p> Sequence data obtained from 38 Bos taurus beef cattle, 4 Holsteins and 4 Bos indicus cattle revealed six polymorphisms in the AGRP gene. No polymorphisms that altered amino acids were detected in Bos taurus cattle. Genotyping of 382 crossbred beef steers was performed for two polymorphisms, an intronic deletion (g.439_440delTC) and a base pair substitution in exon 4 that did not alter an amino acid (g.715G>A). An ANOVA analysis, using PROC Mixed, was performed for both polymorphisms on several growth and carcass traits. No significant differences were observed.<p> Polymorphisms in MC1R and MC4R could be used as genetic tests which may be beneficial for beef producers in North America. The significant differences observed in this study in relation to cattle growth and fat deposition would represent savings for producers when used for sorting feedlot cattle or in selection of breeding cattle.

Domestication is the process by which animals become adapted to the environment provided by humans. The process of domestication has let to a number of correlated behavioural, morphological and physiological changes among many domesticated animal species. An example is the changes of plumage colour in the chicken. Plumage colour is one of the most readily observable traits that make distinction between breeds as well as between strains within a breed. Understanding the genetic architecture of pigmentation traits or indeed any trait is always a great challenge in evolutionary biology. The main aim of this study was to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) affecting the red and metallic green coloration in the chicken plumage. In this study, a total of 572 F8 intercross chickens between Red Junglefowl and White Leghorn were used. Phenotypic measurements were done using a combination of digital photography and photography manipulating software. Moreover, all birds were genotyped with 657 molecular markers, covering 30 autosomes. The total map distance covered was 11228 cM and the average interval distance was 17 cM. In this analysis, a total of six QTLs (4 for red and 2 for metallic green colour) were detected on four different chromosomes: 2, 3 11 and 14. For red colour, the most significant QTL was detected on chromosome 2 at 165 cM. An additional QTL was also detected on the same chromosome at 540 cM. Two more QTLs were detected on chromosomes 11 and 14 at 24 and 203 cM respectively. Additionally, two epistatic pairs of QTLs were also detected. The identified four QTLs together can explain approximately 36% of the phenotypic variance in this trait. In addition, for metallic green colour, one significant and one suggestive QTLs were detected on chromosomes 2 and 3 at 399 and 247 cM respectively. Moreover, significant epistatic interactions between these two QTLs were detected. Furthermore, these two QTLs together can explain approximately 24% of the phenotypic variance in this trait. These findings suggest that the expression of pigmentation in the chicken plumage is highly influenced by both the epistatic actions and pleiotropic effects of different QTLs located on different chromosomes.

The landfill leachate is commonly treated for non-biodegradable organic matters, ammonia and colour. Experimental investigations using polyaluminium chlorite (PAC) and UV/O3 have been conducted for the determination of optimal pH value, reaction time and PAC concentration for the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and colour. In pre-treatment coagulation stages, the highest COD and colour removal efficiencies were observed at the concentration of PAC ≥ 3,000 mglG1 and pH values between 7 and 8. However, these experiments also indicated significant removal efficiency for PAC starting with concentrations of 1,500 mglG1. The efficiency of COD and colour removal were approximately 30% and 70%, respectively. Similar efficiencies have been observed also during the second treatment stage where UV/O3 processes were used to treat coagulated leachate. After UV/O3 application, the pH of leachate reached the optimum value of 7.5 whereas the highest COD and colour removal efficiency was 55% and 72%, respectively, and the optimal reaction time was achieved after 80 min. / Nước rỉ rác sinh ra từ bãi chôn lấp chất thải rắn cần được xử lý các thành phần chất hữu cơ khó phân hủy sinh học, xử lí amoni và độ màu. Một số kết quả thử nghiệm về xử lý COD và màu của nước rỉ rác bằng việc sử dụng phương pháp keo tụ với PAC và quá trình UV/O3 đã được thực hiện cùng với việc xác định các giá trị pH tối ưu, thời gian phản ứng và nồng độ PAC tối ưu. Hiệu suất xử lý cao nhất đạt được khi nồng độ của PAC ≥ 3.000 mg/l, pH trong khoảng từ 7 đển 8 trong giai đoạn tiền xử lý. Tuy nhiên, hiệu quả loại bỏ COD và màu bắt đầu tăng rõ khi nồng độ PAC từ 1.500 mg/l trở lên. Hiệu quả loại bỏ COD và màu tương ứng là khoảng 30% và 70%. Các giá trị pH này phù hợp cho quá trình phản ứng UV/O3 được sử dụng sau giai đoạn keo tụ. Sau quá trình xử lý bằng hệ UV/O3, pH của nước rỉ rác tối ưu được xác định là 7,5 (hiệu suất xử lý COD và màu cao nhất tương ứng là 55% và 72%), thời gian phản ứng tối ưu là 80 phút.

This thesis attempts to read ¡§identity switch¡¨ in Gish Jen¡¦s Mona in the Promised Land as an exploration to the Asian American experience veiled by the multiculturalist ethnic commensurability. The research is divided into three chapters: ¡§Sleeping Racist Lover,¡¨ ¡§There is no World without Race and Class Walls¡¨ and ¡§The Figments of the Cosmopolitan America.¡¨ In Chapter One, I try to read the protagonist Mona Chang as the American born kid with no ethnic consciousness resulting in the funny and naive identity switch as a means to escape her innate cultural perplexity. In Chapter Two, the hindrances of this switch are disclosed during the interethnic interactions as to argue the possible setbacks of identity switch and the Asian American¡¦s being alienated from hegemonic black-white relation. In the final chapter, two ethnic alliances set upon the ethnic equality as to resist to the white mainstream oppression are analysed in attempt to argue that the multiculturalist embrace of differences of the minorities eventually falls into a white-black power relation, thereby alienating and silencing Asian Americans. Lastly, I argue that the seemingly funny identity switch on a cosmopolitan intent to de-ethnicise America ultimately discloses the Asian Americans¡¦ dislocation in the land.

The aim of this thesis was to investigate how visual information is organised in perceptual short term memory, with special interest in colour, spatial frequency and velocity. Previous studies of VSTM have indicated the existence of specific memory mechanisms for visual attributes such as orientation, spatial frequency, velocity, contrast and colour. The retention of information in visual short term memory for these basic visual attributes can be disrupted by the presentation of masking stimuli during inter-stimulus intervals (ISIs), which are outside the range of traditional sensory masking. We exploited this memory masking effect in order to examine the organisation of visual information in VSTM. Four groups of experiments were conducted in which participants carried out a delayed discrimination paradigm that employed a two-alternative forced choice (2-AFC) procedure in conjunction with a method of constant stimuli. The fidelity of VSTM was measured by performance markers such as discrimination thresholds and point of subjective equalities. We have found selective memory masking effects, which serve as further evidence in favour of the modular organisation in VSTM, namely, that human visual perceptual memory is based upon multiple, tuned channels in case of colour, spatial frequency and speed, similar to those found in the earliest stages of visual processing for spatial frequency. Moreover, each of these storage mechanisms are tuned to a relatively narrow range of stimulus parameters that are closely linked to visual discrimination mechanisms. These findings add further support to the view that low-level sensory processing mechanisms form the basis for the retention of colour, spatial frequency and velocity information in perceptual memory. We also found evidence for the broad range of transfer of memory masking effects across spatial location, which indicates more long range, long duration interactions between channels that are likely to rely upon contributions from neural processes located in higher visual areas. In conclusion, the experiments presented in this thesis provide significant insight into the organization of visual information in perceptual short term memory.

Στη διδακτορική διατριβή μελετώνται πέντε διαφορετικά προβλήματα που συναντώνται στη δημιουργία ενός συστήματος εκτίμησης ανακλαστικότητας χρώματος αντικειμένων και ποιοτικού ελέγχου έγχρωμων επίπεδων επιφανειών με σχέδια. Το πρώτο πρόβλημα αφορά στην εξαγωγή της απόκρισης φωτεινότητας της κάμερας που θα χρησιμοποιηθεί στο σύστημα. Για την εκτίμησή της προτάθηκαν τέσσερις μέθοδοι (δύο παραμετρικές και δύο μη παραμετρικές) που κάνουν χρήση των δεδομένων πολλαπλών εικόνων τυχαίων σκηνών. Η απόκριση φωτεινότητας εκτιμάται με χρήση πρωτότυπων συστημάτων εξισώσεων υπό περιορισμούς. Το δεύτερο πρόβλημα αφορά την εκτίμηση της φασματικής απόκρισης της κάμερας. Προτείνεται μία νέα μέθοδος που χρησιμοποιεί μοντέλο αθροίσματος κανονικών κατανομών και γενετικό αλγόριθμο. Η μέθοδος αυτή παρουσιάζει ανώτερη απόδοση σε σχέση με άμεσα ανταγωνιστικές μεθόδους στην εκτίμηση των φασματικών αποκρίσεων. Το τρίτο πρόβλημα αφορά επιλογή οπτικών φίλτρων από διαθέσιμο σύνολο για την κατασκευή πολυκαναλικού συστήματος εκτίμησης της φασματικής ανακλαστικότητας αντικειμένων. Προτείνονται νέες προσεγγίσεις με ανώτερη ακρίβεια φασματικής ανακατασκευής ανακλαστικοτήτων σε σχέση με ανταγωνιστικές μεθόδους. Το τέταρτο πρόβλημα αφορά στην επίτευξη χρωματικής ισοστάθμισης. Προτείνεται μία νέα παραδοχή μεγιστοποίησης της αντίθεσης στο κανάλι της φωτεινότητας. Με βάση την παραδοχή αυτή προτείνονται νέες μέθοδοι χρωματικής ισοστάθμισης και συγκρίνονται με υπάρχουσες στη βιβλιογραφία. Τα αποτελέσματα είναι συγκρίσιμα ή και ανώτερα ανταγωνιστικών μεθόδων. Το πέμπτο πρόβλημα αφορά στη δημιουργία συστήματος ανίχνευσης σφαλμάτων σε έγχρωμες επίπεδες επιφάνειες. Προτείνεται ένα πρωτότυπο σύστημα εντοπισμού σφαλμάτων που βασίζεται στην σύγκριση διανυσμάτων χαρακτηριστικών τοπικών ιστογραμμάτων σε πολλαπλά επίπεδα ανάλυσης και χρωματικά κανάλια. Τα διανύσματα χαρακτηριστικών είναι ανεξάρτητα από περιστροφή και μετατόπιση και ανεκτικά σε παραμορφώσεις. Η μέθοδος απαιτεί την ύπαρξη δειγμάτων αναφοράς για εκπαίδευση. Με έναν πρωτότυπο αλγόριθμο εντοπισμού σφαλμάτων, που χρησιμοποιεί τα δεδομένα που αποκτήθηκαν από τα δείγματα αναφοράς, γίνεται εντοπισμός των σφαλμάτων στις εικόνες επισκόπησης. Το σύστημα αξιολογείται όσον αφορά στην απόδοσή του χρησιμοποιώντας μία βάση δεδομένων εικόνων η οποία περιέχει τεχνητά σφάλματα και δημιουργήθηκε για το σκοπό αυτό. / This dissertation analyzes five different problems on the development of an image based reflectance reconstruction system for defect detection on colour patterned planar objects. The first problem involves the estimation of the camera’s photoquantimetric response. Four new methods are proposed (two parametric and two non-parametric) using multiple images of the same static scene. The photoquantimetric response is estimated by the use of a novel formulation of linear systems with restrictions. The second problem refers to the estimation of the camera’s spectral response. Through the use of a sum of Gaussian model combined with genetic algorithms a new formulation is achieved. This new method shows improved performance compared to previous approaches. The third problem involves the selection of a subset of optical filters from an available set for the development of a multispectral reflectance reconstruction system. New approaches are proposed based on statistical features of the system responses providing better reflectance reconstruction accuracy in comparison to previous methods. The fourth problem refers to colour constancy. A novel assumption is proposed based on contrast maximization in the intensity channel. New methods based on this assumption are proposed. These new methods show comparable or even superior performance to existing colour constancy methods. The fifth problem involves the development of a defect detection system for coloured patterned planar surfaces. A novel defect detection system is proposed based on the comparison of statistical local feature vectors at multiple scales of resolution. The features used are rotation and translation invariant and robust to non-linear deformations. The system requires the existence of defect free reference patterns. A novel defect detection algorithm is proposed and tested on a database especially created for the task with satisfying results.