O presente trabalho é uma reflexão crítica sobre o estatuto da imagem e sua relação com amemória e a história na sociedade contemporânea, em que a influência dos meios de comunicação demassa, da indústria cultural e dos recursos audiovisuais é dominante. Em contraponto a essa produçãoaudiovisual, que produz consenso acerca da memória e da história, impondo uma espécie depadronização das experiências, examinou-se como uma outra produção cinematográfica pode servircomo meio de um aprendizado crítico frente às mudanças da percepção humana com o advento denovas tecnologias, tal como apresentado por Benjamin no ensaio A obra de arte na era dareprodutibilidade técnica. A partir da interpretação do ensaio de Benjamin por Miriam Hansen, tratousede refletir sobre o conceito de mimese desdobrado em jogo e semelhança que propicia aoaparato cinematográfico a possibilidade de emancipação de uma repetição infernal e perversa,regulando uma nova relação entre ser humano e máquina voltada para a criação não destrutiva ecrítica. Através da produção fílmica de Chris Marker, deparou-se com um cinema em que a montageme a organização da sintaxe fílmica podem criar novas constelações de sentido e abrir brechas para umapossível perlaboração da memória, pois a imagem em conjunção com o texto incita a reflexão sobre ahistória e sobre a própria imagem. Na análise de filmes, fotografias e textos de Marker, procurou-secompreender o modo de articulação de imagem e som em seus trabalhos, levando em conta asconsiderações de Benjamin sobre o cinema e sobre a história.!No cinema de Marker, o trabalho é o dejustamente converter o cinema em antídoto contra a dominação, fazendo com que o aparato se voltecontra a ilusão falseadora, denunciando os próprios modos de produção de imagens e da história. Suamontagem se realiza através de uma mimese da memória criativa um agenciamento de imagens esons que cria conjunções dialéticas, que desperta para o que foi esquecido e provoca a reflexão. / This thesis is a critical treatment of images and their relationship to memory and incontemporary social history, specifically the influence of the mass media where audiovisual media aredominant in industrial culture. Mainstream audiovisual production creates consensus of memoriesand accepted history by imposing standardization of experience, in contrast this thesis focuses on ananalysis of a different practice within cinematography which, through developing critical reflection,highlights how human perception has changed due to the adoption and influence of new technologies:ideas put forward by Benjamin in his essay The Work of Art in the Age of Its Technical Reproducibility. Miriam Hansens interpretation of mimicry, developed by play and similarity, is astarting point for this thesis. Herein it is proposed that cinema has the ability to free itself from endlessand perverse repetition, establishing between humans and technology a new relationship that is criticaland non-destructive. By investigating the syntax in Chris Marker films, which consider history andimages, this thesis aims at a possible working-through process as to how cinema could enablememory. Benjamins writings about cinema and history are explored by analysing Markers films,photographs and texts; understanding is sought through the manner of his articulation of image andsound. In Markers films, the purpose is to fairly convert the cinema into an antidote againstrepression, by turning his cameras on the illusions and denouncing those same production methodsused to make false images and history. The montage of his images mimics a creative memory, anarrangement of sounds and images that create dialectic connections; his work awakens what had beenforgotten and provokes reflection.

M.Tech. / OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the extent of the benefit of combining psychological intervention, in the form of guided imagery, with spinal manipulative therapy, in the treatment of mechanical chronic lower back pain. The guided imagery functioned to address the psychosocial factors playing a role in the experience, maintenance and exacerbation of chronic pain (Turk, Swanson & Tunks, 2008), while the chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy functioned to address the dysfunctional biomechanics which cause the biological and neurological aspects of the chronic pain. DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY: 30 subjects between the ages of 18 and 40, presenting to the University of Johannesburg Chiropractic day clinic with chronic lower back pain, participated in the trail. They were randomly divided into 2 groups, which both underwent 6 treatments. During the initial consultation, both groups had their lumbar range of motion measured with the digital inclinometer, and were asked to complete the Oswestry Pain and Disability Index (Appendix G), Numerical Pain Rating Scale (Appendix H), and Perceived Stress Scale (Appendix I). This was followed for group A by spinal manipulative therapy to the restricted segments. Group B was treated with spinal manipulative therapy and a guided imagery session, performed by a registered psychologist. The participants were instructed on how to perform the guided imagery on their own, and were asked to perform it at home 3 times per week for the duration of the treatment. During the 2nd consultation, both groups received spinal manipulative therapy, and their progress was noted throughout on a SOAP note. During the 3rd consultation, both groups again had their lumbar range of motion measured, and were asked to complete the Oswestry Pain and Disability Index, Numerical Pain Rating Scale, and Perceived Stress Scale. Treatment followed as per the initial consultation for both groups. During the 4th and 5th consultations, both groups received spinal manipulative therapy. During the final consultation, both groups were again treated with spinal manipulative therapy, followed by lumbar range of motion measurements, and final completion of the Oswestry Pain and Disability Index, Numerical Pain Rating Scale, and Perceived Stress Scale. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant improvement in overall lumbar range of motion for both groups throughout all degrees of freedom respectively. It is interesting to note that both in extension as well as rotation the inter-group measurements were statistically significantly different at treatment outset, but due to greater improvement in group B over group A, became statistically comparable on completion of the trials. There was also a significant overall improvement and decrease in subjective symptoms of perceived pain, disability and stress for both groups, and the Numerical Pain Rating Scale also demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in results, due to greater improvement of group B over group A. CONCLUSION: The subjective and objective results between participants of the same group, demonstrated that both spinal manipulative therapy alone, as well as spinal manipulative therapy in conjunction with guided imagery was effective in treating chronic mechanical lower back pain. When comparing results between the two groups, the combined protocol group showed statistically significant improvement above the purely chiropractic group in 3 out of 6 objective measures, and 1 out of 3 subjective measures. There is thus limited evidence as to the advantage of combining guided imagery with the chiropractic treatment protocol of chronic mechanical lower back pain, however unfortunately not sufficient evidence to draw a definitive conclusion.

In this report I summarize my master’s thesis work, in which I have investigated different approaches for fusing imaging modalities for semantic segmentation with deep convolutional networks. State-of-the-art methods for semantic segmentation of RGB-images use pre-trained models, which are fine-tuned to learn task-specific deep features. However, the use of pre-trained model weights constrains the model input to images with three channels (e.g. RGB-images). In some applications, e.g. classification of satellite imagery, there are other imaging modalities that can complement the information from the RGB modality and, thus, improve the performance of the classification. In this thesis, semantic segmentation methods designed for RGB images are extended to handle multiple imaging modalities, without compromising on the benefits, that pre-training on RGB datasets offers. In the experiments of this thesis, RGB images from satellites have been fused with normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) and a digital surface model (DSM). The evaluation shows that the modality fusion can significantly improve the performance of semantic segmentation networks in comparison with a corresponding network with only RGB input. However, the different investigated approaches to fuse the modalities proved to achieve similar performance. The conclusion of the experiments is, that the fusion of imaging modalities is necessary, but the method of fusion has shown to be of less importance.

Denna studie utgår ifrån Paivios dubbelkodningsteori, som kortfattat säger att information bearbetas av två separata symboliska system. Dessa system är det ickeverbala och det verbala systemet vilka är specialiserade på att bearbeta två olika sorters stimulusmaterial: bildlikt och språklikt material. Vidare koncentrerar sig detta arbete på dubbelkodningshypotesen som kan härledas ur teorin. Genom olika minnesexperiment angående bilders och ords konkreta värde kom Paivio fram till att vi bäst minns bilder, därefter konkreta ord och slutligen abstrakta ord. Enligt dubbelkodningshypotesen beror det här på att bilder har störst möjlighet att kodas dubbelt (både ickeverbalt och verbalt). Efter det kan konkreta ord, till skillnad från abstrakta ord, lättare kodas dubbelt och därför är de bättre återkallade till minnet än abstrakta ord. De tidigare studier som gjorts har enbart varit på visuella stimuli. För detta arbete var det därför intressant att se om samma resultat skulle kunna fås med auditiva stimuli. Hypotesen blev då följande: Auditiv ickeverbal information återkallas bättre till minnet än vad auditiv konkret verbal information görs. Vidare återkallas auditiv konkret verbal information i sin tur bättre än auditiv abstrakt verbal information. Hypotesens riktighet undersöktes med hjälp av ett minnesexperiment. Det resultat som erhölls kunde varken stödja eller motbevisa hypotesen.

The aim of the study is to investigate how double-consciousness operates through contrastive color imagery in Nella Larsen’s novel Quicksand. A focal point of the analysis is to show how Larsen thematizes the ability to benefit from bright colors and how color choice determines the quality and level of freedom in life. Together with W. E. B. Du Bois’s theory of double-consciousness, a few other literary works by writers of the Harlem Renaissance have been considered in order to further support my arguments. I link these other writers’ perspectives to Quicksand and to the novel’s theme of color as a path to freedom. In Quicksand, a broader path of colors, more bright than dull, leads to freedom, as is made evident through the novel’s connection of bright colors with Harlem’s freedom of expression. Furthermore, a narrow path of colors is contrastively figured as the course towards tragedy, which is clearly seen in the novel through the example of the protagonist Helga’s “sinking” due to an absence of color.

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / The Cape Floristic Region, situated at the southern tip of Africa, is one of the world’s most botanically diverse regions. The biodiversity of this region faces various types of threats, which can be divided into three main categories, namely increasing urbanisation, agriculture expansion, and the spread of invasive alien vegetation. It has been shown that botanically diverse areas are more prone to invasion by invasive alien plant (IAP) species. The Hawequa conservation area, in the south-western Cape, is particularly botanically diverse, such that it is very prone to aggressive invasion by IAP species. Therefore, conservation management of the Hawequa conservation area urgently need to map, prioritise and clear IAP species. Due to the topographical complexity of this mountainous area, it is not possible to map the distribution of IAP species throughout the protected area by conventional field methods. Remote sensing may be able to provide a suitable alternative for mapping. The aim of this research was to assess various image classification methods,using two types of high-resolution imagery (colour aerial photography and WorldView-2 satellite imagery), in order to map the distribution of IAP species, including small stands and individuals. Specifically, the study will focus on mapping Pinus and Acacia spp. in a study site of approximately 9 225ha in the Hawequa conservation rea. Supervised classification was performed using two different protocols, namely per-pixel and per-field. For the per-pixel classification Iterative Self-Organising Data Analyses Technique (ISODATA) was used, a method supported by ERDAS Imagine. The per-field (object-based) classification was done using fractal net evolution approach (FNEA), a method supported by eCognition. The per-pixel classification mapped the extent of Pinus and Acacia spp. in the study area as 1 205.8 ha (13%) and 80.1 ha (0.9%) respectively, and the perfield classification as 1 120.9 ha (12.1%) and 96.8 ha (1.1%) respectively. Accuracy assessments performed on the resulting thematic maps generated from these two classification methods had a kappa coefficient of 0.700 for the per-pixel classification and 0.408 for the per-field classification. Even though the overall extent of IAP species for each of these methods is similar, the reliability of the actual thematic maps is vastly different. These findings suggest that mapping IAP species (especially Pinus spp.) stands and individuals in highly diverse natural veld, the traditional per-pixel classification still proves to be the best method when using high-resolution images. In the case of Acacia spp., which often occurs along rivers, it is more difficult to distinguish them from the natural riverine vegetation. Using WorldView-2 satellite images for large areas can be very expensive (approximately R120 per km2 in 2011), but in comparison with the cost of mapping and the subsequent clearing, especially in inaccessible areas, it might be a worthwhile investment. Alternative image sources such as the high resolution digital colour infrared aerial photography must be considered as a good source for mapping IAP species in high altitude areas.

Physical activity can be beneficial to both physical and mental health, but can also lead to injuries. While injury rehabilitation through physical therapy is mostly focused on physical exercise, there are also other factors, which may influence rehabilitation outcome. The factorsreviewed are: rehabilitation adherence, mindfulness meditation, mental imagery, action observation, self-talk, goal-setting and social support. This essay investigates the neural correlates of these factors, as well as how they can affect rehabilitation outcome and wellbeing, to a lesser degree, during rehabilitation. Among the effects found are performance enhancement, increased self-efficacy, increased pain tolerance, increased motivation and reduced strength loss. Suggestions for future research is also provided.

This study compared the relative efficacy of four imagery techniques in increasing tolerance to cold pressor pain. Relevant pleasant, relevant unpleasant, irrelevant pleasant, and irrelevant unpleasant imagery strategies were compared in a two-way factorial design. Prior research suggested that pleasantness and relevance both affect imagery potency. This study attempted to assess the relative contribution of these two variables to increases in pain tolerance. Also investigated were the roles of several hypothesized mediating variables; namely, contextual valence, self-efficacy, treatment credibility, and involvement in imagery. The subjects were 60 female undergraduates who were randomly assigned to the four imagery groups. Two-way analysis of covariance were performed on all dependent variables, using pain threshold as the covariate. Pearons r.'s were used to test correlational hypotheses.

Sammanfattning Syfte och frågeställningar Studien avsåg undersöka om visualisering kan påverka eventuell nervositet och självförtroendet hos gymnaster inför tävling i truppgymnastik, samt huruvida PETTLEPmodellen kontra traditionell visualisering1 ger olika resultat. Följande frågeställningar avses besvaras genom studien: 1. Har visualisering enligt PETTLEP-modellen någon påverkan på nervositet och självförtroende inför en tävling? 2. Skiljer sig eventuell nervositet och självförtroende inför en tävling hos gymnaster beroende på om PETTLEP-modellen eller traditionell visualisering används? Metod 19 deltagare (ålder 17,09, ± 0,92) fullföljde studien. De placerades i en interventions- (IG) och en kontrollgrupp (KG) utan randomisering. IG genomgick ett PETTLEP-program (nio sessioner under tre veckor). Visualiseringen utfördes cirka 15 minuter före träning i ett rum intill hallen. IG guidades av studiens författare. KG utförde två sessioner med traditionell visualisering. I studien användes Immediate Anxiety Measurement Scale (IAMS), the Sport Imagery Ability Questionnaire (SIAQ) och en manipulationscheck som mätinstrument. Resultat En mixed ANOVA visade att den enda signifikanta skillnaden var självförtroendets påverkan, p = &gt; .05. Självförtroendets påverkan ökade från M = -0,13 till M = 2,00 för IG. Intensiteten av mental och fysisk nervositet ökade hos KG från M = 3,90 respektive M = 3,70 vid första tillfället till M = 5,20 respektive M = 4,90 vid sista tillfället. Intensiteten av fysisk nervositet och självförtroendet ökade från M = 3,87 respektive M = 3,88 till M = 4,38 respektive M = 4,50 för IG. Den mentala nervositetens påverkan ökade från första till sista tillfället för IG (M = -0,5 resp. M = 0,75). Frekvensen av mental och fysisk nervositet för KG ökade från M = 3,70 resp. M = 3,60 till M = 4,90 resp. M = 4,40. Slutsats Självförtroendets påverkan på prestationen ökade hos IG medan KG minskade. Det kan inte fastställas att studiens innehåll var den enda bidragande faktorn till resultatet. Ett flertal skillnader kunde utläsas (ej signifikanta), men trend och effektstorlek talar för en viss förändring på ett fåtal av resultaten. Således behövs mer forskning inom området. 1Traditionell visualisering, till skillnad från PETTLEP-modellen, tar inte hänsyn till neurovetenskapligt framtagna rekommendationer så som PETTLEP-modellen gör / <p>Ämneslärarprogrammet, Specialidrott</p>

Title: Are intermediary luxury fashion brands excluding overweight and obese women in the UK, by not offering their sizes among its assortments? Authors: Elin Forslund and Maria Erlandsson Supervisor:Ulf Aagerup Level: Bachelor thesis in marketing (15 ECTS). Spring 2015. Key concepts: Fashion, Intermediary Luxury, Brand Identity, Brand Image, User Imagery and Self-image Congruence. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to review the sizes available in store by three leading intermediary luxury fashion brands offered in the UK and compare it with the actual body shapes of the female UK population. This will show whether intermediary luxury fashion brands exclude overweight and obese women, by not offering their sizes among its assortments. We want to find out whether it is possible to reveal a correlation between existing branding theories and intermediary luxury fashion assortments in the UK. Theoretical framework: Our frame of reference consists of established branding theories and previous research concerning brand identity, brand image, self-image congruence, user imagery, segmentation and luxury branding. Method: This is a cross-sectional research of the descriptive kind.  We have used a deductive research approach and a quantitative research method. Empirical findings: In this chapter we are presenting the results of our study through a table demonstrating the distribution of individuals and garments over weight classes. Also, any significant differences between supply and demand within any of the categories will be revealed through a Z-test. Conclusions: Obese women are by all means excluded by intermediary luxury fashion brands. The overweight women have significantly less jeans to choose from than what should be supported by their relative share of the female UK population. However, it turned out that they are not entirely excluded as they still have an amount of tops to choose from that closely matches their demand. Also we succeeded with identifying a causal correlation between branding theories and the result of our study. Therefore we have managed to provide further knowledge on how intermediary luxury fashion brands can become successful.