Abstract This study is to discuss CSC electronic commerce development and application model under a structure of technological frame theory. The result shows consistency in the interpretations given by the three groups of stakeholders (managers plus salesmen, information technology staff, and clients) on CSC electronic commerce system's nature of technology, technology strategy and technology-in-use (timeliness, accuracy, accessibility and ease-of-use). Though there is a little inconsistency in their interpretations on categories like priorities and resources, training, contents and policies for security and quality, it doesn't cause a conflict. The most influential frame ¡V dominant frame ¡V generated from the top management's dominant leadership and the clients' high confidence and centripetal force in CSC are main reasons for the three groups of stakeholders to have a strong recognition. Another important discovery of this study is that trust and interpersonal relationship have crucial influence on CSC electronic commerce system implementation. In the future, researchers may try to adopt the perspectives of trust and interpersonal relationship to discuss their influences on information technology implementation.

Video frame rate up-conversion is an important issue for multimedia systems in achieving better video quality and motion portrayal. Motion-compensated methods offer better quality interpolated frames since the interpolation is performed along the motion trajectory. In addition, computational complexity, regularity, and memory bandwidth are important for a real-time implementation. Motion-compensated frame rate up-conversion (MC-FRC) is composed of two main parts: motion estimation (ME) and motion-compensated frame interpolation (MCFI). Since ME is an essential part of MC-FRC, a new fast motion estimation (FME) algorithm capable of producing sub-sample motion vectors at low computational-complexity has been developed. Unlike existing FME algorithms, the developed algorithm considers the low complexity sub-sample accuracy in designing the search pattern for FME. The developed FME algorithm is designed in such a way that the block distortion measure (BDM) is modeled as a parametric surface in the vicinity of the integer-sample motion vector; this modeling enables low computational-complexity sub-sample motion estimation without pixel interpolation. MC-FRC needs more accurate motion trajectories for better video quality; hence, a novel true-motion estimation (TME) algorithm targeting to track the projected object motion has been developed for video processing applications, such as motion-compensated frame interpolation (MCFI), deinterlacing, and denoising. Developed TME algorithm considers not only the computational complexity and regularity but also memory bandwidth. TME is obtained by imposing implicit and explicit smoothness constraints on block matching algorithm (BMA). In addition, it employs a novel adaptive clustering algorithm to keep the low-complexity at reasonable levels yet enable exploiting more spatiotemporal neighbors. To produce better quality interpolated frames, dense motion field at the interpolation instants are obtained for both forward and backward motion vectors (MVs); then, bidirectional motion compensation using forward and backward MVs is applied by mixing both elegantly.

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2010. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 55-59). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Lehigh University, 2003. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 320-339).

When thinking of renovating the windows of old buildings, the building owner has a lot of decisions to make. These are to keep the window but make it more energy efficient by adding an extra pane or to completely change the whole window. At the same time, the joint between the window frame and wall makes a thermal bridge which depends on how much insulation has been placed in the cavities after installation. Upon the decision of keeping the window, the status of this joint will be unchanged. This thesis deals with finding out the best economical solution for a company that has rental apartments in Gävle in Sweden, Gavlegårdarna AB. To calculate the thermal bridges, which are weak areas of the building envelope in which they significantly increase the energy load of houses, a CDF program called Fluent is used to quantify the heat loss at the joints. Measurements have been performed to validate the CFD model. To simulate the energy savings in the building, the building energy simulation program IDA-ICE is used. Finally, Life Cycle Costing calculations are made to assess the best long term economical option. It is concluded that the most reasonable solution is to add an extra glass in the existing window, but it is not the most ecofriendly. A more ecological solution is to add the extra glass and to perform enhanced insulation at the joints around the window frames and walls, or to replace the old window with a new low energy window – however, these are not profitable so

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An important problem in lexical semantics is the explanation of how verbal meaning interacts with the syntactic realization of arguments. Levin (1993) recognizes the relation between syntax and semantics in her classification of English verbs, in which similar syntactic behavior among verbs is assumed to reflect shared meaning components. However, her classes do not accurately predict the verbs’ semantic and syntactic properties. Other researchers (Taylor 1996, Boas 2008) argue for the inclusion of detailed encyclopedic meaning in explanations of syntactic behavior. Frame Semantics provides the necessary tools for fine-grained analyses of the syntax-semantics interface because it offers a rigorous method for the description of meaning and documents syntactic information about argument realization from corpus data. This report uses concepts from Frame Semantics and data from its practical application, FrameNet (http://framenet.icsi.berkeley.edu), to assess the importance of fine-grained verbal meaning for argument realization by comparing the verbs embezzle, pilfer, shoplift, snatch and steal. Each verb construes the general semantics of the Theft frame differently, emphasizing or specifying individual participants in the event (frame elements). They also exhibit subtle differences in whether and how these frame elements are syntactically realized. In linking their syntax to their semantics, I show that the verbs’ syntactic distribution may be influenced by aspects of meaning such as their degree of descriptivity, the detailed specification of certain frame elements, and their occurrence as LUs in different frames. / text

This thesis explores the challenges (visual, aural, ethical, and spiritual) performers face when playing mbira dzavadzimu, a traditional Zimbabwean musical lamellophone, in a contemporary concert stage setting. In addition to examining historical, philosophical, and theoretical issues regarding changing performance practice and staging techniques in different contexts, the document includes analyses of mbira performances from internet video postings and documentary films. Analysis draws upon the personal testimonies of Zimbabwean musicians and involves the critique and application of theoretical perspectives of Adrienne Kaeppler, Richard Schechner, and Erving Goffman, among others. Results indicate that experimenting with stage set-up, utilizing technological enhancement, and encouraging audience-performer relationships creates an experience that is closer to that found in Zimbabwean mbira performances.

Building tall has always been an expression of dreams, power and technical advancement. With the greatly increasing urbanization in recent years building tall has become a more viable option for office and residential housing. The Tubed mega frame concept tries to evolve the stabilizing systems of high-rise buildings with its mega frame around the buildings perimeter, created together with a new elevator system; the Articulated Funiculator. This thesis examines the effectiveness of the Tubed mega frame compared to other structural systems. Information and background has been taken from different types of literature, analysis programs and verbally from supervisors; Fritz King and Peter Severin. Using Finite Element Method (FEM-) programs studies on previously used structural systems along with the Tubed mega frame has been made, trying to draw conclusions about its advantages and drawbacks. The examinations have been done using SAP2000and ETABS, both developed by CSI. The tubed mega frame shows to require a large amount of concrete compared to other systems at lower heights, because of its geometry. As the height increases it does show an increase in effectiveness and by the time it reaches 480 meters it is using less materials and still achieving greater stiffness than other systems. Since the geometry of the Tubed mega frame is so flexible a conclusion is also made that the stiffness can be increased by sacrificing façade area or creating longer outriggers.

This thesis explores an architectural response for an urban site that incorporates the dismantled façade stones (spolia) of the site’s previous building into two dialectical devices: a ramp and a camera obscura. Each device allows the stones to act as both artifact (individual object with an embedded history) and frame (structure that invites a reading of its context). Spatial and temporal concepts from film provide theoretical guidance for the dialectical structure of the architectural design approach. A constant navigation between pairs of opposing forces (capturing/projecting, introvert/extrovert, operator/device, artifact/frame, object/subject) results in a pair of architectures, one a cinema + digital archive and the other a film school, between which a public space is activated as an outdoor amphitheatre. The two buildings simultaneously act as object (artifact) and subject (frame) in an attempt to locate and express a redefined historical continuity for the site.