As the importance of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) to Virginia crop growers has increased, so has the need for more efficient weed control programs. Current cotton herbicides do not control all broadleaf weeds over the entire growing season, and many cotton herbicides must be applied at specific growth stages in order to reduce crop injury. CGA 362622 is an experimental sulfonylurea herbicide that controls many broadleaf weeds at low use rates. Field, greenhouse, and laboratory studies were conducted to evaluate the potential benefit of CGA 362622 to Virginia cotton growers. Postemergence applications of CGA 362622 resulted in moderate crop response that proved transient in all instances and did not affect cotton yield. Broadleaf weed control from herbicide combinations with CGA 362622 generally controlled weeds more consistently than individual herbicide applications. Timely applications of CGA 362622 controlled common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.), common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L.), annual morningglory species (Ipomoea spp.), and common cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium L.). However, CGA 362622 applications generally did not control spurred anoda (Anoda cristata (L.) Schlecht.), jimsonweed (Datura stramonium L.), velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti Medicus), or annual grass species, but combination treatments of CGA 362622 plus pyrithiobac did control velvetleaf, spurred anoda, and jimsonweed. Combinations of CGA 362622 plus glyphosate controlled common lambsquarters and smooth pigweed (Amaranthus hybridus L.) better than glyphosate alone, and in most instances controlled annual morningglory species better than glyphosate applied alone. Timely applications of CGA 362622 plus bromoxynil controlled velvetleaf, smooth pigweed, common ragweed, common lambsquarters, and common cocklebur. Spurred anoda control was generally not acceptable from CGA 362622, bromoxynil, or CGA 362622 and bromoxynil combinations. In laboratory studies, results supported differential absorption, translocation, and metabolism as the main factors for differential tolerance of cotton, spurred anoda, and smooth pigweed to CGA 362622. Rapid translocation and a slow rate of metabolism likely explains the susceptibility of smooth pigweed to this herbicide, while reduced absorption and translocation plus rapid metabolism contribute to CGA 362622 tolerance in cotton. Limited translocation may also explain the intermediate tolerance of spurred anoda to the herbicide CGA 362622. / Ph. D.

Antal cancerfall ökar ständigt. Samtidigt ses en ökning av antalet cancerpatienter som lever längre tack vare tidig diagnostisering och bättre behandlingsmetoder. Neuroendokrina tumörsjukdomar diagnostiseras med hjälp av tumörmarkören chromogranin A. Syftet med studien var att redogöra för och jämföra kliniskt biokemiska metoder för analys av chromogranin A i plasma och serum. I samband med detta gjordes verifiering av KRYPTOR, BRAHMS automated immunofluorescent assay (KRYPTOR) för chromogranin A. Förekomst av analysmetoder undersöktes genom fördjupad litteraturgenomgång. Metodverifieringen innefattade smittöverföringstest mellan prover, mellanliggande precision, inomserieprecision samt jämförelse med samma metod respektive radioimmunoassay-metoden. I litteraturgenomgången erhölls analysmetoderna radioimmunoassay, immunoradiometric assay, enzymed linked immunosorbent assay och KRYPTOR/immunochemiluminometric assay. Metodverifieringens smittöverföringsrisk blev 0.04%, mellanliggande precision gav total CV på 1.96% respektive 2.33%, inomserieprecisions total CV 2.85%. Fem av sex analysresultat överrensstämde vid jämförelse med radioimmunoassay, medan jämförelse med samma metod gav en genomsnittlig skillnad på 17.6%. Sammanfattningsvis konstaterades att inom forskning används fyra immunologiska metoder för analys av chromogranin A i plasma och serum. Dess utveckling har gått från radioaktiv manuell till icke-radioaktiv automatiserad analysmetod med förkortad analystid. Metodverifieringen med KRYPTOR visade god mellanliggande- och inomserieprecision, men otillräckligt provunderlag resulterade i låg reliabilitet. / Title: Verification on KRYPTOR compact PLUS and an in-depth literature overview of clinical biochemical assays for the detection of Chromogranin A in plasma and serum.   Cancer is constantly increasing. Simultaneously, there is an increase in survival for cancer patients due to early diagnosis and better treatment.  Neuroendocrine tumour disease is diagnosed with help of tumour marker chromogranin A. The aim of this study was to narrate and compare clinical biochemical methods for the detection of chromogranin A in plasma and serum. In addition, a verification of KRYPTOR, BRAHMS automated immunofluorescent assay (KRYPTOR) for chromogranin A was performed. Occurring methods for analysis was investigated by in-depth literature overview. Verification contained tests for carry over, intra- and inter-assay, comparison with same method and radioimmunoassay method respectively. The literature overview resulted in radioimmunoassay, immunoradiometric assay, enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and KRYPTOR/immunochemiluminometric assay. Verification gave carry over 0.04%, inter-assay CV 1.96% and 2.33%, intra-assay CV 2.85%. Comparison with the same method gave a mean difference of 17.6% and five samples out of six correlated for comparison with radioimmunoassay. In summary, four immunological methods are used for analysis of chromogranin A, within research. Their development ranges from radioactive manual to non-radioactive automated method with shortened analysis times. Verification for KRYPTOR showed god intra- and inter-assay but an insufficient number of samples resulted in low reliability.

IPv6, protocole succédant à IPv4, est en cours de déploiement dans l’Internet. Il repose fortement sur le mécanisme Neighbor Discovery Protocol (NDP). Celui-ci permet non seulement à deux nœuds IPv6 de pouvoir communiquer, à l’instar du mécanisme Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) en IPv4, mais il apporte aussi de nouvelles fonctionnalités, telles que l’autoconfiguration d’adresse IPv6. Aussi, sa sécurisation pour le bon fonctionnement de l’Internet en IPv6 est critique. Son mécanisme de sécurité standardisée à l’Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) se nomme Secure Neighbor Discovery (SEND). Il s’appuie à la fois sur l’utilisation d’identifiants cryptographiques, adresses IPv6 appelées Cryptographically Generated Addresses (CGA) et qui sont générées à partir d’une paire de clés publique/privée, et de certificats électroniques X.509. L’objet de cette thèse est l’étude de ces identifiants cryptographiques, les adresses CGA, ainsi que le mécanisme SEND les employant, et leurs réutilisations potentielles pour la sécurisation IPv6. Dans une première partie de cette thèse, tout d’abord, nous posons l’état de l’art. Dans une deuxième partie de cette thèse, nous nous intéressons à la fiabilité du principal mécanisme connu employant les adresses CGA, le mécanisme SEND. Dans une troisième et dernière partie de cette thèse, nous présentons des utilisations des identifiants cryptographiques pour la sécurisation IPv6 / IPv6, next Internet protocol after IPv4, is under deployment in the Internet. It is strongly based on the Neighbor Discovery Protocol (NDP) mechanism. First, it allows two IPv6 nodes to communicate, like the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) mechanism in IPv4, but it brings new functions too, as IPv6 address autoconfiguration. So, the security of this mechanism is critical for an Internet based on IPv6. The security mechanism standardized by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) is Secure Neighbor Discovery (SEND). It is based on the use of cryptographical identifiers, IPv6 addresses named Cryptographically Generated Addresses (CGA) and generated from a public/private keys pair, and X.509 certificates. The goal of this PhD thesis is the study of such cryptographical identifiers, CGA addresses, as well as SEND using them, and their potential re-use to secure IPv6. In a first part of this thesis, we recall the main features of the IPv6 protocol. In a second part of this thesis, we are interested in the reliability of the main known mechanism using the CGA addresses, SEND. In a third and last part of this thesis, we present different uses of cryptographical identifiers to secure IPv6

Over the past decade, the networked information environment has increased consumers’ autonomy and brought radical change to the advertising industry. Now individual consumers can reach millions of others around the world and advise them on well-known brands through home-produced video-ads, which was not as accessible in a previous era dominated by one-way marketing. The overall objective of this thesis was to examine the attitudinal, behavioural and recall effects of consumer-generated advertising (CGA) on viewing audiences. This was achieved by implementing an exploratory sequential mixed method design. During an initial qualitative phase with focus groups, seven determinants of CGA effectiveness were identified: recognition of consumer-generated advertising; advertising quality; product involvement; perceived expertise of ad creators; motivations of ad creators; scepticism towards CGA; and consumer’s creativity. The Salience-Involvement model of CGA effects was then developed and tested in two subsequent empirical studies. Study One used a 2 x 2, between-subjects experimental design in which levels of advertising Source Salience (consumer-generated vs. company-generated) and Product Involvement (low vs. high involvement) were manipulated. Results reveal a largely negative impact of salient CGA when the consumer source was not disclosed. However, under high involvement conditions, amateur CGA was more entertaining and more likely to be electronically shared with others. Meanwhile, under low involvement, brands from consumer-generated ads showed higher levels of recall. Study Two investigated how the outcomes of professional and amateur CGA change after source disclosure using a 3 x 2 x 2, between-subjects design. In this experiment, levels of Source Awareness (consumer-generated ads vs. company ads vs. no source indicated) were manipulated in addition to Source Salience and Product Involvement. Findings show that Source Awareness produces an interactive effect with Source Salience and Product Involvement, which is significant only on the Cognitive component of Attitude towards the ad and the Attractiveness component of Credibility. Thus, disclosure of consumer source is likely to enhance ad evaluations when the CGA is professionally produced and involvement is low. Meanwhile, attribution of amateur CGA to consumer source is likely to have a negative impact. Conversely, attribution of an amateur ad to company source has a favourable attitudinal effect under high involvement. In summary, this research demonstrates that in the context of CGA, the communicator-receiver similarity does not necessarily guarantee a positive response. Most importantly, the CGA’s outcome is moderated by Source Salience. Since Source Salience specifically characterises the consumer source in this context, it could potentially add another dimension to the traditional conceptualisation of the information source.

This survey focuses on the attitude of the consumers towards a particular brand (Starbucks) and their intention to buy before and after their exposure to consumer generated advertisements. These advertisements include both positive and negatives messages using only verbal arguments. / Αυτή η έρευνα επικεντρώνεται στη στάση των καταναλωτών προς μια συγκεκριμένη μάρκα (Starbucks) και την πρόθεσή τους να αγοράσουν πριν και μετά την έκθεσή τους σε διαφημίσεις που δημιουργούνται απο καταναλωτές. Αυτές οι διαφημίσεις περιλαμβάνουν τόσο θετικά οσο και αρνητικά μηνύματα χρησιμοποιώντας μόνο λεκτικά επιχειρήματα.

This thesis explores the procedural generation of 3D buildings from the floor plan all the way to the fa¸cade and building’s details such as doors, windows, and roof. Through this, the study explores several techniques and approaches to create different layers of the building generation pipeline. The focus is on implementing a set of algorithms that, when running sequentially, are able to create complete 3D buildings in a short time (so they can be used in online generation), could be used in any open-world game, and with a limited count of triangles per building. Furthermore, the tool provides a clear and easy-to-use interface for designers in Unity, where they can interact with the multiple parameters of each building layer, giving designers a high degree of controllability. The tool is evaluated using the resulting buildings based on different metrics and how individual changes to different parameter starting from a template affect the output of the generator in terms of the metrics and the resulting building. The result from the analysis show that the polygon mathematics is well suited for generating 3D buildings for games.

"Le Droit c'est l'instrument de réalisation d'un choix économique qui prolonge, lui-même, un choix politique fondamental" écrivait le Professeur Jean-Marc MOUSSERON. Poursuivant un choix politique de relance du pouvoir d'achat et / ou de lutte contre l'inflation, le droit économique a en effet cherché à protéger puis à encadrer la grande distribution. La prohibition du refus de vente, la prohibition de la majoration discriminatoire des prix ainsi que la prohibition des prix minimums imposés avaient ainsi pour objectif de protéger la concurrence de la grande distribution. La fragilisation du commerce indépendant traditionnel apparaît néanmoins comme un effet pervers de cette protection législative. Les pouvoir publics ont alors tenté de protéger cette forme de commerce traditionnel par des barrières à l'entrée légales anticoncurrentielles. En somme, soit les pouvoirs publics protègent la grande distribution au profit de la concurrence mais au détriment du commerce traditionnel, soit ils protègent le commerce traditionnel au détriment de la concurrence. Face à cette alternative il apparaît alors que seule une action législative tournée vers l'intérêt du consommateur -comme acteur de concurrence- permettra une régulation du marché de la distribution au profit tant de la concurrence de la grande distribution que du commerce traditionnel. / The French lecturer Jean-Marc MOUSSERON wrote that “law is the tool bringing economic choices into being, these economic choices themselves following fundamental political ones”. It is indeed by pursuing political choices such as the increase of the purchasing power or the reduction of consumer price that economic law protects and controls big retailers' action. By prohibiting the refusal to sell, the price discrimination practice and the minimum prices' resale practice, the French government tried indeed to protect the competition from grocery retailers. However as a consequence of this protection, small independent retailers lost their competitiveness. The French government tried hence to protect them by introducing anticompetitive legal barriers. To sum up, the government either protects the competition of grocery retailers to the detriment of traditional retailers or protects the small traditional retailers to the detriment of the competition. Bearing that alternative in mind, it seems that only a legislative action aiming to protect consumers will bring about a satisfyingly regulated retail market for the benefit of both the competition of grocery retailers and small retailers.

This study explores how consumer’s attitudes towards consumer-generated advertising (CGA) have changed over time. The study measures consumer attitude changes of the winning contributions from Doritos Crash the Super bowl between the years 2007-2014 on YouTube. The study conducted in total 995 comments that was analysed with Leximancer Software, a research tool for making content analysis to determining the presence of words or concepts in collections of textual documents. Findings didn’t show a distinct change of consumer’s attitudes towards CGA over time. The study gave extended knowledge about consumers attitudes towards CGA and what factors that contribute to positive attitudes towards CGA. Were three main factors was notice, first, the fact that they managed to do an ad on a very low budget seemed to impress other consumers. Second, consumers had a tendency to defend CGA when the ad was criticized. Third, the fact that a company did not make the ad was impressive for many of the viewers.

This thesis deals with conformal geometric algebra CGA for colour image processing, particularly with colour segmentation. For this reason it is not sufficient to work in RGB colour space. It is more convenient to use a colour space called CIELAB. CIELAB is endowed by Euclidean metric corresponding with human perception of colours. Afterwards an algorithm for an object detection via CGA based on colour differences is included. The final part of the thesis deals with least squares fitting of sphere to points using CGA. The sphere fitting is then used to adjust colour differences in an image to improve the algorithm for an object detection.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(農学) / 甲第19019号 / 農博第2097号 / 新制||農||1029(附属図書館) / 学位論文||H27||N4901(農学部図書室) / 31970 / 京都大学大学院農学研究科地域環境科学専攻 / (主査)教授 近藤 直, 教授 清水 浩, 准教授 小川 雄一 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Agricultural Science / Kyoto University / DGAM