The photographer discusses the photographs in Descendants, her Master of Fine Arts thesis exhibition which was held at Tipton Gallery, Johnson City, Tennessee from October 31, 2016 through November 23, 2016. The exhibit consisted of 19 large format color photographs. This body of work visually represents the artistʼs interest in those who participate in Civil War re-enactments. The historical and contemporary influences discussed are in accordance to Sheffieldʼs photographs. Historical influences include Matthew Brady, James Abbott McNeill Whistler, Walker Evans, and Helen Levitt, as well as those of contemporary artists; Martin Parr, Stacy Kranitz, and Anderson Scott.

Esta Tesis doctoral está orientada al estudio de estrategias y técnicas para el tratamiento de oclusiones. Las oclusiones suponen uno de los principales problemas en la percepción de una escena mediante visión por computador. Las condiciones de luz, los puntos de vista con los que se captura información de la escena, las posiciones y orientaciones de los objetos presentes en la escena son algunas de las causas que provocan que los objetos puedan quedar ocluidos parcialmente. Las investigaciones expuestas en esta Tesis se pueden agrupar en función de su objetivo en dos grupos: técnicas cuya finalidad es detectar la presencia de oclusiones y estrategias que permiten mejorar la percepción de un sistema de visión por computador, aun en el caso de la presencia de oclusiones. En primer lugar, se han desarrollado una serie de técnicas orientadas a la detección de oclusiones a partir de procesos de extracción de características y de segmentación color en imágenes. Estas técnicas permiten definir qué regiones en la imagen son susceptibles de considerarse zonas de oclusión, debido a una mala percepción de la escena, como consecuencia de observarla con un mal punto de vista. Como aplicación de estas técnicas se han desarrollado algoritmos basados en la segmentación color de la imagen y en la detección de discontinuidades mediante luz estructurada. Estos algoritmos se caracterizan por no incluir conocimiento previo de la escena. En segundo lugar, se han presentado una serie de estrategias que permiten corregir y/o modificar el punto de vista de la cámara con la que se observa la escena. De esta manera, las oclusiones identificadas, mediante los métodos expuestos en la primera parte de la Tesis, y que generalmente son debidas a una mala localización de la cámara pueden ser eliminadas o atenuadas cambiando el punto de vista con el que se produce la observación. En esta misma línea se presentan dos estrategias para mejorar la posición y orientación espacial de la cámara cuando ésta se emplea para la captura de imágenes en procesos de reconocimiento. La primera de ellas se basa en la retroproyección de características obtenidas de una imagen real, a partir de una posición cualquiera, en imágenes virtuales correspondientes a las posibles posiciones que puede adoptar la cámara. Este algoritmo lleva a cabo la evaluación de un mapa de distancias entre estas características buscando en todo momento, maximizar estas distancias para garantizar un mejor punto de vista. La ventaja radica en que en ningún caso se hace necesario mover la cámara para determinar una nueva posición que mejore la percepción de la escena. La segunda de estas estrategias, busca corregir la posición de la cámara buscando la ortogonalidad. En este caso, se ha partido de la hipótesis inicial de que la mayor superficie visible siempre se suele conseguir situando la cámara ortogonalmente al plano en el que se sitúa el objeto.

Thesis (M. Optometry) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / BACKGROUND The measurement of the refractive end point plays a major role in the assessment of the refractive status of the patient. Currently, there are very few techniques if not one that can measure the refractive end point of the patient. The current method which is the duochrome technique is based on chromatic aberration. Until now there is no test for refractive end point that is not based on chromatic aberration. Therefore, it was against this background that the current study was undertaken to investigate an alternative for the duochrome technique to measure the refractive end point. AIM OF THE STUDY The aim of this study was to establish the use of cross grid in conjunction with Jackson crossed cylinders at distance as a monocular refractive end point technique. METHODOLOGY A cross-sectional analytic and descriptive study design was used. Sixty-four subjects (31 males and 33 females) were included in this study. Their ages ranged from 18 to 37 years with a mean of 20.75 years (SD = ± 2.67 years). The participants were University of Limpopo Optometry students. Ethical approval to perform this study was obtained from the Turfloop Research Ethics Committee (TREC) of University of Limpopo. All participants were made aware of the purpose of the study, and signed consent was obtained from each participant. All investigations and measurements adhered to the tenets or principles, belief and requirements of the Declaration of Helsinki. Optometric procedures performed included visual acuity, subjective measurement of refractive error, monocular refractive end point using duochrome technique and monocular refractive end point measurement using gross grid in conjunction with the cross grid. Data analysis was done using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 23. Paired sample t-test was performed on all the procedures. RESULTS The uncorrected distance VA for the right eyes (OD) ranged from -0.30 LogMAR to 1.00 LogMAR with a mean of -0.25 LogMAR (SD = ±0.32). The nearest equivalent spherical powers (NSE = sphere +0.5 cylinder) for the right eye ranged from -4.25 to +4.25D (mean = -0.13, SD= ±1.09D) and from -4.50D to +1.00D (mean = +0.07 ±0.94D) for the left eye. After the removal of outliers, the refractive end point measurements with the duochrome technique for the right eyes ranged from -4.50D to 3.50D with a mean of -0.269, SD (±1.037) in bright illumination and from -4.50D to 4.50D with a mean of -1.914 (±1.101) in dim illumination. Subsequently, the NSE with the crossed cylinder in conjunction with the cross grid technique for the right eyes in bright illumination ranged from -4.75D to 4.75D with a mean of -0.481, SD (±1.037) and from -4.25D to 0.50D with a mean of -0.427 (±0.860) in dim illumination. Sample Pearson correlation coefficients for end point with duochrome and crossed cylinder found that the highest correlation is between the duochrome in bright and cross grid in dim illumination (r = 0.701, p < 0.05), while duochrome in dim and cross grid in bright illumination had the lowest correlation (r = 0.659). The Bland–Altman plots showed that there was a good agreement between the duochrome methods and between the crossed cylinder method methods. CONCLUSION the refractive end point measurements obtained from duochrome and cross grid are well correlated and comparable, suggesting that they could be used interchangeably in most clinical settings. However, caution is needed when using measurements obtained by cross grid method in dim illumination.

Objectives: To measure the level of hydrogen peroxide penetration into the pulp chamber and to evaluate its whitening efficacy when the tooth is treated with an innovative double layer of potassium nitrate desensitizing agent and hydrogen peroxide whitening gel. Methods: Extracted human molar teeth (n=160) were collected. Roots were trimmed 3 mm apical to the cemento-enamel junction, the pulp was removed and a cavity prepared, leaving a standardized wall of 2 mm thickness, which retained 100 µL of acetate buffer solution. A standardized whitening area of 6 mm in diameter was established buccally by painting the rest of the tooth with gray nail varnish. The teeth were randomly assigned into four groups. Group 1: no treatment (glycerin gel, negative control); Group 2: double layer of 20 L 5% potassium nitrate (Relief ACP, Philips Oral Healthcare) and 100 L 25% hydrogen peroxide (Zoom Chairside Whitening Gel, Philips Oral Healthcare); Group 3: double layer of 40 L 5% potassium nitrate and 100 L 25% hydrogen peroxide; and Group 4: 100 L 25% hydrogen peroxide (positive control). All groups received three 45-minute sessions of in-office whitening with light activation at 3-day intervals. Hydrogen peroxide penetration was assessed spectrophotometrically using leucocrystal violet and horseradish peroxidase. Color measurements were assessed with VITA Easyshade at baseline, 1-day, and 1-month post-whitening. Tooth color change was measured per Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage methodology. One-way ANOVA with Tukey multiple comparisons adjustment was performed to compare group differences in overall tooth color change (Delta E*) and hydrogen peroxide penetration (type I error = 0.05). Results: Hydrogen peroxide penetration levels were not significantly different between Group 2 and Group 4; however, the levels were significantly higher than Group 1 and Group 3 (p< 0.0001). Groups 2, 3 and 4 showed no differences for overall tooth color change but differed significantly from the negative control group (Group 1) at 1-day and 1-month post-whitening. Conclusions: Hydrogen peroxide penetration was affected when pretreated by potassium nitrate desensitizer; however, the double layer technique did not adversely affect the whitening efficacy.

The psychological research on music and emotion supports how the two concepts have always been intertwined. The most common line of research in this field is related to the commonly experienced phenomenon that major chords sound happy while minor chords sound sad. This proposed study takes a specific extended major chord (the Vadd11 chord) and tests whether the V chord with a color note, an added 11, has a significantly different emotional impact on listeners as compared to a V chord without an 11. The chord will be played within a I-V-I progression so that the Vadd11 chord is given musical context. Participants are asked to rate the how emotional the progression is and to indicate their preference between the two chords. Both piano and strings timbres will be tested. The chord progression change is hypothesized to cause a significantly increased emotional impact. Multiple confounding variables will be examined within the study (specifically cultural musical background, or what culture’s music participants listened to in their upbringing, and musical sophistication, or how musically adept participants are). Neither of these variables nor the timbre are anticipated to affect the changes in emotional reaction.

There is a lack of equitable representation of women of color in upper-leadership roles on college campuses. The purpose of this dissertation was to explore how women of color who serve as Chief Student Affairs Officers (CSAO), navigated both their racial and gender identities in their professional role, how they were prepared for this identity navigation throughout their career, and how they mentor younger professional women of color. Women of color CSAOs only make up about 4% of the population, so it was important to learn from their experiences in order to improve as a field. A qualitative study using a phenomenological approach, and Intersectionality as the theoretical framework, was conducted amongst women of color who serve as CSAOs at predominantly white, four-year colleges or universities. The theoretical framework was applied to illuminate the structural, political, and representational aspects of intersectionality that were experienced by the participants. The findings from this study illuminated the practices in the higher education and student affairs workplace that impact the racial and gendered experiences of women of color who serve as CSAOs. The results can and should be utilized to create more equitable workplace practices and policies for institutions of higher education. Overall, this study sought to add to the small body of research on women of color Chief Student Affairs Officers by continuing the much-needed conversation about the intersection of navigating both race and gender in a white and male dominated workplace.

Non-traditional casting has been a controversial practice in film, television and theatre that was implemented to offer people of color and women opportunities which had previously been available to white or male performers. The following is a case study documenting the process by which I have discovered that non-traditional casting as a practice contributes to the oppression of people of color as well as supports the status quo of the white patriarchy. This case study is analyzed from the historical, sociological, psychological and philosophical theories and ideologies relevant to the unsuccessful attempt of a female actor of African-American descent at portraying a white, Evangelical, male minister. It concludes with an invitation and an approach to making better people.

Contrairement à l’industrie graphique qui s’est très rapidement convertie à l’impression numérique à jet d’encre, l’industrie textile manifeste de fortes réticences envers cette nouvelle technologie. Ce procédé d’ennoblissement offre pourtant, dans les domaines de la création et de la production, de nombreuses possibilités d’innovation. L’objectif de ce travail est, d’une part de mettre en exergue le potentiel créatif iconographique de cette technologie et d’expliquer les changements de la notion de dessin textile qu’il induit. D’autre part, en les confrontant aux limites actuelles de l’impression traditionnelle aux cadres, il détaille les nouveaux modes de production à même d’insuffler une nouvelle dynamique aux métiers de l’impression textile. En dernier lieu, sont exposés les facteurs environnementaux qui seront appelés à jouer un rôle de plus en plus important dans l’économie du futur. L’ensemble offre ainsi une présentation complète et actualisée des différents aspects de l’impression textile à jet d’encre. / Contrary to the graphics industry that very quickly adopted the digital inkjet printing, the textile industry is very reticent to move into this new technology. Nevertheless, this printing process offers many opportunities for innovation in the fields of design and production. There are three main objectives to this study. The first is to focus on the creative potential of this technology and to explain the changes of textile design thereby induced. The second is to present the new production methods and to compare them to the current limitations of conventional screen printing. These methods will be able to inspire new dynamics in the textile printing industry. The third objective is to expose the environmental factors that will become more and more important in the future economy. The combination of these elements will provide a global and modern picture of the different aspects of textile inkjet printing.

Dans ce travail nous montrons pour la première fois que l'eau représente un élément crucial dans l'organisation des chaînes de la PANI. La formation de petites cristallites primaires de la PANI lors de la polymérisation est favorisée par l'intercalation des molécules d'eau entre les chaînes grâce à la forte hydratation des azotes amines. Une telle hydratation est également responsable de la croissance anisotrope des eristallites primaires sur un support solide lors de l'évaporation de l'eau. L'axe de croissance par la jonction des azotes amines grâce à des liaisons hydrogènes permettant l'intercalation des molécules d'eau dans le réseau cristallin de la PANI représente l'axe de la plus forte énergie de cohésion (la longueur des fibres). Cela favorise non seulement la formation des fibres perpendiculaires à la surface du support mais aussi la « transmission » de l'orientation des a-n interactions à une échelle macroscopique (jusqu'au 300 µn1, ce qui correspond à l'épaisseur des films) et finalement le transport des charges favorisé le long des fibres. Le transport des charges entre des atomes reliés par les liaisons hydrogènes à des distances plus courtes que celles assurées par les interactions n-g devrait ouvrir de nouvelles perspectives dans la création de l'électronique à base de semi-conducteurs organiques. L'introduction des anions «destructeurs» dans l'eau (tels que HCOO") est une condition indispensable pour l'hydratation des azotes amines des chaînes de la PANI. La présence des chlorures en forte concentration assure une neutralisation des charges positives (des azotes imines protonés). Une deuxième conséquence de l'augmentation de la force ionique du milieu aqueux consiste en la diminution des angles de torsion le long de la chaîne (résultats confirmés par les simulations). Les deux phénomènes favorisent la formation des cristaux de la PANI lors de la polymérisation. Il faut souligner que la formation des films auto-orientés et hautement cristallins (taux de cristallinité plus que 80%) a partir d'un système hétérogène (suspension aqueuse) par un simple séchage sur un support solide est un phénomène sans précédent dans le domaine de la cristallisation des polymères. Les anions « destructeurs » de l'eau favorisent la pénétration de l'eau dans les films de PANI semi-cristallins et même hautement cristallins. Nous montrons que le transport des SO42- dans une membrane à base de poly(vinyle chlorure) devient beaucoup plus important après un dépôt de la PANI sur sa surface, tandis que la présence de cette couche de PANI n'influence pas le transport les chlorures. Cela représente une nouvelle perspective pour la détection des anions fortement hydratés. Notre présentons un nouveau regard sur l'origine de la couleur de la PANI et des relations entre sa couleur et la conductivité. En utilisant les films de PANI hautement cristallins et ceux formés par une mono-couche de particules de diamètre de 30nm (obtenus par la technique de Langmuir-Blodgett, LB) en tant que « films models » nous montrons pour la première fois que la couleur de la PANI est le résultat non seulement du degré de protonation et/ou d'oxydation, mais aussi de la taille des éléments interagissant avec la lumière. Si cette taille est comprise entre 400 et 800 nm, la diffusion de la lumière contribue dans la couleur de la PANI. A son tour, la taille des éléments interagissant avec la lumière dépends de l'hydratation de la PANI déterminant la capacité de former les agrégats. Puis que les deux types de films de PANI sont constitués par les éléments d'une taille inférieure à 400 min, ils sont violets (une couleur attribuée à la forme pernigraniline : l'isolant), mais en même temps conducteurs. Les films hautement cristallins n'absorbent pas d'eau dans la solution aqueuse de EICI et par conséquent ne changent pas leur couleur, tandis que dans la solution d'acide formique ils absorbent 14% d'eau et deviennent bleus, mais jamais verts et sont à nouveau violets après […] / In this work we show for the first time that water is a crucial component in organizing chains of PANI. The formation of sine crystallites of the primary PANI during the polymerization is promoted by the intercalation of water molecules between the chains due to strong hydration of amino nitrogen. Such hydration is also responsible for the anisotropie growth of primary crystallites on a solid support during the evaporation of water. The growth axis by the junction of the amino nitrogen through hydrogen bonds to the intercalation of water molecules in the ciystal lanice of the PANI axis represents the largest cohesive energy (fiber length). This not only promotes the formation of fibers perpendicular to the substrate surface but also the "transmission" orientation of it-7C interactions at a macroscopic scale (up to 300 µ.m, which corresponds to the thickness of the film) and finally transportation expenses helped along the fiber. The transport of charges between atoms connected by hydrogen bonds at distances shorter than that provided by lt-7t interactions should open new perspectives in the development of electronics based on organic semiconductors. The introduction of "destructive" anions in the water (such as HCOO") is a prerequisite for the hydration of amino nitrogen of the PANI chains. The presence of chloride in high concentration ensures neutralization of positive charges (the protonated imine nitrogen). A second consequence of increasing the ionic strength of aqueous medium is in the lower torsion angles along the chain (results confirmed by simulations). Both phenomena promote the formation of crystals of PANI during the polymerization. It should be noted Chat the formation of self-directed films and highly crystalline (degree of crystallinity less than 80%) from a heterogeneous system (aqueous suspension) by a simple drying on a solid support is a phenomenon without precedent in the field of crystallization of the pol iners. Water "Destructive" anions promote the penetration of water in the films of PANI semi-crystalline and highly crystalline even. We show that the transport of SO 42-in a membrane of poly (vinyl chloride) is much more important after a deposit of PANI on its surface, while the presence of the PANI layer does not influence the chloride transport. This represents a new perspective for the detection of strongly hydrated anions. We present a new view on the original color of the PANI and the relationship between color and conductivity. Using films of highly crystalline PANI and those formed by a single layer of particles of 30nm diameter (obtained by Langmuir-Blodgett technique, LB) as a "film models" we show for the first time that the color of PANI is the result not only of the degree of protonation and / or oxidation, but also the size of elements interacting with light. If this size is between 400 and 800 mn, the scattered light contributes to the color of the PANI. In turn, the size of elements interacting with the light depends on the hydration of the PANI determining the ability to form aggregates. Then the two types of PANI films are formed by the elements of a size below 400 nm, they are purple (a color assigned to the form pernigraniline: insulation), but at the same time conducting. The highly crystalline films do not absorb water in the aqueous solution of HC1 and therefore do not change their color, white in the solution of formic acid they absorb 14% water and turn blue, but never green are purple again after drying. More permeable to water, the LB films of PANI are green after immersion in an acid environment regardless of the type of acid used and are pwpW again after drying.

Within my studio practice I have been examining the aesthetics of leisure spaces, the implications of good and bad taste, and what it means to live one’s best life. Considering the history of design motifs and the influence of color upon the human psyche, my thesis exhibition of abstract paintings contains references to patterns, design movements, and modes of artifice that have historically been seen as brazen and tacky. These include nods to the Memphis Design group, faux marble, terrazzo, stucco, and artificial sand. Each has held an important place in the history of designed spaces, and at one time or another they were deeply celebrated before being criticized. I am drawn to the parallels between the surface treatment of furniture and architectural spaces, and the surface of a canvas. My use of materials includes a mixture of high- and lowbrow to reinterpret media such as highly pigmented acrylic paint, natural and artificial sand, volcanic pumice, and hardware store products for DIY home improvement. I use a formal, modernist painting language to elevate the artificial and superficial to the hierarchy associated with the moral underpinnings of modernism. By being entirely serious about the unserious, this work aims to question the value we assign to play and why tastefulness rarely aligns with fun.