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Summary PHYSICAL SELF – IMAGE FORMATION FACTORS OF 9 – 10 FORMERS Intense social, economic, political and transformational processes, ongoing in the Western Europe, induce changes in the general culture, influencing changes in the body culture as a subject. Physical activity becomes a healthy way of life, new lifestyle, when self-image is shaped through body. In the work I describe the psychological, biological and social factors, influencing girls’ body self-image shaping. The group of social factors, not yet sufficiently examined in Lithuania, consists of a number of smaller components. Conception of body beauty can be predetermined by historical development or sociocultural influence. Mass media broadly informs about body shaping, it is an often topic in the discussions between friends, it is actively promoted and influenced by parents. All this is observed by a young person, mismatching or thinking that she is mismatching the given appearance standards and sensitively reacting in the critical adolescence period. It is not so easy to form positive physical improvement motivation, because the body culture values are formed slowly, results are observed in some time. More and more investigations have been performed lately, searching for new body development technologies and seeking to improve physical activity or teenagers. Aim of the investigation: to find out factors of physical self-image shaping among the girls of senior forms. Tasks of investigation: 1. To analyse... [to full text]

This paper examines the role of the Chinese cultural production in political economy, putting some emphasis to the market aspects of culture as well as the political outcomes. The hypothesis of the paper is based on the assumption that culture is one of the main resources of soft power. Therefore, the spread of the well-favored culture through cultural trade should create an attractive image of a country represented by that culture. A specific case study of China’s cultural imports into Lithuania is provided to serve as an example to reveal this relation of politics-economics-culture and to prove that cultural interaction can influence opinion about the whole cultural group thus increasing its power. This qualitative research was conducted first of all reviewing theoretical literature on the relevant topics of political economy, culture and soft power (Chapter 2). Then a number of a recent primary data from the United Nations reports as well as the other academic and media sources was analyzed in order to establish the role of China’s cultural production in the world market, which clearly demonstrates that China is already proving the success of its cultural industries becoming the largest producer and exporter of cultural products in the world (Chapter 3). Finally, the case study, which included analysis of primary imports data, review of the Chinese services and activities in Lithuania and 25 in-depth semi-structural interviews, proved that China’s cultural products imports into Lithuania is a subsistent part of the trade market and is constantly growing since 2003 along with the cultural services proliferation. The interviews presented some insightful opinions about Chinese cultural production, Chinese culture and China in general (Chapter 4).

This dissertation proposes an approach for 3D micro-scale shape reconstruction using photometric stereo (PS) with surface normal integration (SNI). Based on the proposed approach, a portable cost-effective stationary system is developed to capture 3D shapes in the order of micrometer scale. The PS with SNI technique is adopted to reconstruct 3D microtopology since this technique is highlighted for its capability to reproduce fine surface details at pixel resolution. Furthermore, since the primary hardware components are merely a camera and several typical LEDs, the system based on PS with SNI can be made portable at low cost. The principal contributions are three folds. First, a PS method based on dichromatic reflectance model (DRM) using color input images is proposed to generalize PS applicable to a wider range of surfaces with non-Lambertian reflectances. The proposed method not only estimates surface orientations from diffuse reflection but also exploits information from specularities owing to the proposed diffuse-specular separation algorithm. Using the proposed PS method, material-dependent features can be simultaneously extracted in addition to surface orientations, which offers much richer information in understanding the 3D scene and poses more potential functionalities, such as specular removal, intrinsic image decomposition, digital relighting, material-based segmentation, material transfer and material classification. The second contribution is the development of an SNI method dealing with perspective distortion. The proposed SNI is performed on the image plane instead of on the target surface as did by orthographic SNI owing to the newly derived representation of surface normals. The motivation behind the representation is from the observation that spatially uniform image points are simpler for integration than the non-uniform distribution of surface points under perspective projection. The new representation is then manipulated to the so-called log gradient space in analogy to the gradient space in orthographic SNI. With this analogy, the proposed method can inherit most past algorithms developed for orthographic SNI. By applying the proposed SNI, perspective distortion can be efficiently tackled with for smooth surfaces. In addition, the method is PS-independent, which can keep the image irradiance equation in a simple form during PS. The third contribution is the design and calibration of a 3D micro-scale shape reconstruction system using the derived PS and SNI methods. This system is originally designed for on-site measurement of pavement microtexture, while its applicability can be generalized to a wider range of surfaces. Optimal illumination was investigated in theory and through numerical simulations. Five different calibrations regarding various aspects of the system were either newly proposed or modified from existing methods. The performances of these calibrations were individually evaluated. Efficacy of the developed system was finally demonstrated through comprehensive comparative studies with existing systems. Its capability for on-site measurement was also confirmed. / Ph. D. / Shapes in our world are three-dimensional (3D). How to measure and digitize shapes in 3D into computer understandable virtual models using cameras is called 3D shape reconstruction in the field of computer vision. This dissertation concerns the problem of 3D shape reconstruction, while concentrates on recovering shapes at micro-meter scale, referred to as 3D micro-scale shape reconstruction. Quantifying 3D shapes at micro-scale is significant for both industry and academia. In industry, quantification of 3D shapes at micro-meter scale can be employed in precision parts manufacturing, industrial quality control and rapid prototyping, whilst in academia, even finer resolution may be required to study the microtopography of a surface, such as for the purpose of investigating the nature of friction between surfaces. In this dissertation, a systematic solution is given for 3D micro-scale shape reconstruction using techniques called photometric stereo (PS) and surface normal integration (SNI) sequentially. PS estimates surface normals for each pixel-corresponding surface patch using images captured under various illumination directions from a fixed viewpoint. These surface normals are then integrated to reconstruct the surface in 3D via SNI. Based on these general principles, a prototype system was developed. The hardware of the system is simple, mainly contains a color digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera with a macro lens, multiple LEDs, a control circuit and a cover. During operation, the LEDs are sequentially turned on and create different illuminations upon the surface of concern. The DSLR camera simultaneously captures images with one LED lit at a time. Having these images for the target surface under various illuminations, the 3D surface at micro-scale is reconstructed through post-processing by PS with SNI algorithms. Three principal contributions are presented in this dissertation. First, a PS algorithm using color images is demonstrated to improve the shape reconstruction accuracy and its applicability for a wider range of surfaces with different reflectance properties. The proposed PS algorithm can also estimate material-dependent properties of the surface, making potential applications, such as material classification and inference, feasible. The second contribution is to improve the SNI algorithm to deal with the camera’s perspective distortion. Experimental results suggested that the algorithm has been successful in dealing with the distortion for smooth surfaces. The design and calibration of the prototype system are presented as the third contribution. The system can achieve high data acquisition rate due to its area scanning nature, dense measurements at micro-scale due to the PS with SNI approach, and low-cost due to the simple hardware configurations. Efficacy of the system was demonstrated through comprehensive comparative studies with existing systems. Its capability for on-site measurement was also proven.

Tomography in soft X-ray microscopy is an emerging technique for obtaining quantitative 3D structural information about cells. One of its strengths, compared with other techniques, is that it can image intact cells in their near-native state at a few 10 nm’s resolution, without staining. However, the methods for reconstructing 3D-data rely on algorithms that assume projection data, which the images are generally not due to the imaging systems’ limited depth of focus. To bring out the full potential of tomography in soft X-ray microscopy an improved understanding of the image formation is desired. This Thesis reviews zone plate-based X-ray microscopy for biological imaging and the theory necessary for a numerical implementation of a 3D image formation model. Furthermore, a novel reconstruction approach is proposed that improves the overall resolution in a reconstruction of a tomographically imaged object. This is demonstrated by simulations and experiments. Finally, this Thesis covers work on the Stockholm X-ray microscope, including an upgrade of the X-ray source yielding unprecedented brightness for a compact system. With this upgrade it was possible to do high-quality imaging of cells in their near-native state with only 10 second exposures. / Tomografi i mjukröntgenmikroskopi är en ny teknik för att få ut kvantitativ strukturell 3D information om celler. Dess styrka jämfört med andra tekniker är att den kan avbilda intakta celler i deras nära naturliga tillstånd med ett par 10 nm upplösning, utan omfattande preparering. Dock är metoderna för att rekonstruera 3D-data beroende av algoritmer som antar projektionsdata, vilket bilderna i allmänhet inte är på grund av avbildningsystemens begränsade skärpedjup. För att få ut den fulla potentialen av tomografi i röntgenmikroskopi behövs en ökad förståelse för avbildningsprocessen. Denna avhandling behandlar zonplatte-baserad röntgenmikroskopi för biologisk avbildning och den nödvändiga teorin för en numerisk implementering av en avbildningsmodell i 3D. En ny rekonstruktionsmetod föreslås som förbättrar upplösningen i rekonstruktionen för ett tomografiskt avbildat objekt. Detta visas i simuleringar och experiment. Slutligen omfattar denna avhandling arbete på Stockholms mjukröntgenmikroskop, inklusive en uppgradering av röntgenkällan som ger oöverträffad ljusstyrka för ett kompakt system. Denna uppgradering möjliggör högkvalitativ avbildning av celler i deras nästan naturliga tillstånd med endast 10 sekunders exponering. / <p>QC 20160324</p>

QC 351 A7 no. 49 / The use of the two -dimensional Fourier transform to compute the form of the optical image has led to new insights into the form of images. The techniques involved are discussed in some detail, and the application to tolerancing of surface errors is used as an ex- ample of the results.

Šiuolaikinėje sparčiais tempais besivystančioje verslo aplinkoje, kiekvieną įmonė turi ieškoti naujų būdų, kaip išsilaikyti konkurencingoje rinkoje ir sėkmingai joje gyvuoti. Viena iš pagrindinių bei sėkmingiausių veiklos vykdymo ir palaikymo rinkoje priemonių yra teigiamas įmonės įvaizdžio formavimas. Įmonės įvaizdžiui skiriamas didelis dėmesys ne tik visame pasaulyje, bet ir Lietuvoje. Įmonei įvaizdis svarbus ne tik dėl vartotojų lojalumo ar pritraukimo galimybės, bet ir dėl kuriamos ilgalaikės vertės. Vis svarbesnę reikšmę įgyja kuo tinkamesnių vartotojų informavimo būdų ir priemonių paieška, todėl socialinei medijai tenka specialus vartotojų informavimo vaidmuo. „Web 2.0“ suteiktos galimybės eiliniam vartotojui internetinėje erdvėje dalintis, bei publikuoti turinį, pakoregavo pirminę komunikacijos proceso koncepciją. Komunikacija tapo daugialypė, įmonėms atsirado galimybė stebėti vartotojus, darbuotojus bei visus suinteresuotus asmenis diskutuojančius apie jų veiklą, produktus, teikiamas paslaugas ar komunikaciją, o vartotojai tapo pasiekiami tinkamu laiku ir tinkamoje vietoje. Spartus skaitmeninio turinio priemonių gausėjimas nulėmė integracijos procesus ne tik marketingo bei komunikacijos koncepcijose ir jų sąveikoje, bet ir visuose verslo procesuose. Technologijų inovacijos padeda pasiekti dar didesnį integralumą, bei komunikacijos efektyvumą. Kita vertus, socialinės medijos leidžia vartotojams inicijuoti bei valdyti komunikacijos procesą, todėl įmonės netenka... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Nowadays in the vastly growing business environment every company has to search for new ways how to survive in highly competitive market and be successful. One of the most important and successful ways to do so is forming the positive image of the company. Creating positive image is not only useful in order to attract new customers or to increase their loyalty, but also to create long-term value. Providing information to the customers/users in the right way and using right tools is becoming more and more important, therefore the role of social media here is constantly increasing. Objective of MBA Graduation paper - social media. Aim of MBA Graduation paper - to analyse theoretical aspects of social media and organisational image; to conduct a research of the impact of social media on the image of the company in Internet networks. Methodology and process of MBA Graduation paper: to analyse theoretically and summarize the understanding of social media and organisational image; based on the conducted research to analyse the use social media when forming the image of the company; to create a model which reflect the formation of social media and organisational image and the connection between the two; In the theoretical part based on available literature analysis, the reasons of social media appearance will be analysed as well as influence of social media in creating organisational image and connection between social media and organisational image will be established. Using the... [to full text]

The value of tourism as a driver of economic and social development in Africa cannot be overstated. Tourism is regarded as a source of foreign currency, employment creation and more importantly, a means of achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs). Notwithstanding its contributions, many African countries are yet to reap the full benefits of the industry. While the current pandemic has adversely affected tourism across the continent, it has also created opportunities for rural tourism. Rural destinations in Southern Africa could tap from this new trend as local and international visitors seek to experience open spaces and rural settings. Succeeding in these highly competitive tourist markets, however, requires effective destination promotion which can be achieved by ensuring that the projected image of a destination reflects its identity. By focusing on Nyanga, a typical rural tourist destination in Zimbabwe, Southern Africa, this study sought to analyse the projected destination image against its identity as perceived by the local community. To establish the projected image, a content analysis was done for Nyanga’s images as portrayed on the online platforms of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA), the official destination promoter. A total of 44 pictures were analysed from the ZTA website, Facebook page, Instagram, and Twitter handle. The destination identity was evaluated through semi-structured interviews with seven residents who were purposively selected through snowball sampling. Participants were also asked to give their opinion on the images of Nyanga that were showcased on the online platforms of the ZTA. This was done to ascertain whether the images were reflecting the true identity of Nyanga, from the perspective of the local community. The findings of the study reveal that there is a gap between the projected image and Nyanga’s identity. While the projected image emphasises on the natural environment and the portrayal of humans interacting with nature and each other, the identity is hinged on culture and religion. Elements relating to history, authenticity, and knowledge also shape the identity of Nyanga even though these aspects are not incorporated in the projected image. The study provides important insights for enhancing the promotion of Nyanga and creating opportunities for sustainable development.

In the scope of this thesis, simulation-based analyses and comparative evaluation of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) image formation techniques, namely Time Domain Correlation, Range Stacking, Range Doppler and Chirp Scaling algorithms, are presented. For this purpose, first, the fundamental concepts of SAR such as SAR geometry, resolution and signal properties are explained. A broadside SAR simulator that provides artificial raw data as an input to the algorithms is designed and implemented. Then, the mathematical background of the imaging algorithms discussed in the thesis is provided. Implementations of these algorithms and simulations are carried out using MATLAB&reg / . Finally, simulation results are presented and discussed to show the advantages and disadvantages of the algorithms.

This thesis deals with the problem of three dimensional scene reconstruction from multiple camera images. This is a well established problem in computer vision and has been significantly researched. In recent years some excellent results have been achieved, however existing algorithms often fall short of many biological systems in terms of robustness and generality. The aim of this research was to develop improved algorithms for reconstructing 3D scenes, with a focus on accurate system modelling and correctly dealing with occlusions. With scene reconstruction the objective is to infer scene parameters describing the 3D structure of the scene from the data given by camera images. This is an illposed inverse problem, where an exact solution cannot be guaranteed. The use of a statistical approach to deal with the scene reconstruction problem is introduced and the differences between maximum a priori (MAP) and minimum mean square estimate (MMSE) considered. It is discussed how traditional stereo matching can be performed using a volumetric scene model. An improved model describing the relationship between the camera data and a discrete model of the scene is presented. This highlights some of the common causes of modelling errors, enabling them to be dealt with objectively. The problems posed by occlusions are considered. Using a greedy algorithm the scene is progressively reconstructed to account for visibility interactions between regions and the idea of a complete scene estimate is established. Some simple and improved techniques for reliably assigning opaque voxels are developed, making use of prior information. Problems with variations in the imaging convolution kernel between images motivate the development of a pixel dissimilarity measure. Belief propagation is then applied to better utilise prior information and obtain an improved global optimum. A new volumetric factor graph model is presented which represents the joint probability distribution of the scene and imaging system. By utilising the structure of the local compatibility functions, an efficient procedure for updating the messages is detailed. To help convergence, a novel approach of accentuating beliefs is shown. Results demonstrate the validity of this approach, however the reconstruction error is similar or slightly higher than from the Greedy algorithm. To simplify the volumetric model, a new approach to belief propagation is demonstrated by applying it to a dynamic model. This approach is developed as an alternative to the full volumetric model because it is less memory and computationally intensive. Using a factor graph, a volumetric known visibility model is presented which ensures the scene is complete with respect to all the camera images. Dynamic updating is also applied to a simpler single depth-map model. Results show this approach is unsuitable for the volumetric known visibility model, however, improved results are obtained with the simple depth-map model.