Thesis (M.S.E.E.)--University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus, 2005. / Tables. Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves146-148).

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Thesis (MSc (Forest and Wood Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The percentage yield of sawn timber recovered from logs has a large influence on the profitability of a sawmill. The positioning of the log as it is fed into the primary breakdown saw is one of the factors that impacts on the volume recovery percentage. The log’s position can be adjusted by changes in rotation, offset and skewness and depending on the ranges and increments used for these variables, the number of possible combinations can become substantial. In a sawmill the time available to assess possible log positions is limited and different strategies can be followed to arrive at an optimal or close‐to‐optimal positioning solution without an exhaustive evaluation of solutions. Meta‐heuristics are sometimes used to arrive at solutions for combinatorial optimisation problems in a limited time. The effectiveness of this approach on the optimisation of timber volume recovery based on log form is evaluated in this study using sawmill simulation data of sixty SA pine logs. A new meta‐heuristic, for convenience named the Tentacle algorithm, was developed specifically for the problem of log positioning optimisation. The results obtained with the Tentacle algorithm was compared with results from three existing meta‐heuristics i.e. the Simulated Annealing algorithm, the Population Based Incremental Learning algorithm and the Particle Swarm Optimisation algorithm, in terms of its efficiency and effectiveness in finding good log positioning solutions in a limited time. A fifth method, that of exhaustively searching smaller, high quality areas around the centered and “horns‐up” and “horns‐down” positions in the search space was compared to that of using the meta‐heuristic algorithms. In terms of volume recovery, the Tentacle algorithm performed, on average, the best of the four algorithms evaluated. However, exhaustive searches in the smaller, high quality areas in the search space, outperformed the algorithms. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die herwinningspersentasie van gesaagde planke uit saagblokke het ‘n groot invloed op die winsgewendheid van ‘n saagmeul. Die posisionering van die blok in die primêre saag is een van die faktore wat die herwinningspersentasie beïnvloed. Die blok se posisie kan verstel word deur veranderinge in rotasie, oplyning en skeefheid. Afhangend van die veld ‐en inkrementgrootte kan die hoeveelheid moontlike kombinasies beduidend wees. In ‘n tipiese saagmeul is die beskikbare tyd om moontlike posisies te evalueer beperk en verskeie strategieë kan gevolg word om optimale of nabyoptimale kombinasies te bereik sonder om alle moontlike kombinasies te evalueer. Meta‐heuristieke word soms gebruik om in ‘n beperkte tyd oplossings te vind vir kombinatoriese optimeringsprobleme. Die doeltreffendheid van hierdie metode by die optimering van herwinningspersentasie gebaseer op blokvorm is in hierdie studie ondersoek. Dit is met behulp van saagmeulsimulasiedata soos van sestig SA dennehoutblokke verkry, uitgevoer. ‘n Nuwe meta‐heuristiek, genaamd die Tentakelalgoritme, is tydens hierdie studie spesifiek vir die probleem van blokposisie‐optimering ontwikkel. Die resultate verkry met die Tentakelalgoritme is vergelyk met drie bestaande meta‐heuristieke, nl. die “Simulated Annealing”‐algoritme, die “Population Based Incremental Learning”‐algoritme en die “Particle Swarm Optimisation”‐algoritme in terme van doeltreffendheid om goeie blokposisies in ‘n beperkte tyd te vind. ‘n Vyfde metode, die gebruik van ‘n volledige ondersoek van verkleinde versamelings, rondom hoë‐kwaliteit areas in die soekarea, is vergelyk met die gebruik van die meta‐heuristieke. Hierdie hoë‐kwaliteit areas word gevind rondom die gesentreerde “horns‐up” en “horns‐down” posisies. Die Tentakelalgoritme het gemiddelde die beste herwinningsresultate van die vier meta‐heuristieke wat ondersoek was gelewer. Die volledige ondersoek van verkleinde versamelings in die hoë kwaliteit areas het egter die meta‐heuristieke oortref.

Esta dissertação de mestrado versa sobre um algoritmo de detecção e de estimação de movimento robustas a rotação, escala e translação em sequências de imagens da retina em infravermelho. O algoritmo desenvolvido detecta movimentos da retina com base em medidas de distribuição estatísticas, como a entropia conjunta e a informação mútua entre os quadros adjacentes de um vídeo. A técnica de estimação de movimento inspira-se nos métodos de deslocamento de fase e na transformação log-polar para estimar os parâmetros de movimento. Esta abordagem produz uma solução robusta para este tipo de imagens intrinsecamente ruidosas e comumente utilizadas no diagnóstico e tratamento a laser do edema macular diabético. / This thesis it is about an algorithm of retinal motion detection and estimation robust to rotation, scaling and translation in infrared images sequences. This algorithm detects retinal movements based on measures of statistical distribution, such as joint entropy and mutual information between adjacent frames of a video. The technique of motion estimation is inspired by the methods of phase shift and log-polar transformation to estimate the parameters of motion. This approach yields a robust solution for this type intrinsically noisy images and commonly used in the diagnosis and laser treatment of diabetic macular edema.

La rationalité des séries de Poincaré associées avec famille définissable des relations équivalences dans quelques théories sur corps valués a été recherchée par Denef. Ce problème a une relation avec l'existence d'élimination des imaginaires des théories sur corps valués (voir le résultat de Hrushovski, Martin and Rideau). La théorie d'intégration motivique est née nous aide pour montrer la dépendance uniforme dans corps locaux p-adiques de la rationalité des séries de Poincaré. Dans le chapitre 1 de cette thèse, je donne une extension du résultat sur la rationalité uniforme dans p des séries de Poincaré associées avec famille définissable des relations équivalences dans quelques théories sur corps valués dans lesquels élimination des imaginaires n'est pas prouvée comme théories sur structures analytiques. Ma méthode est que j'étends la théorie d'intégration motivique pour fonctions constructibles dans deux papiers de Cluckers et Loeser aux fonctions constructibles rationnelles. Autre problème important dans la théorie des nombres est estimation des sommes exponentielles. Sommes exponentielles modulo pm pour un nombre premier p et un nombre naturel m a été étudié par Igusa. Igusa a découvert une relation profonde entre estimation des sommes exponentielles avec pôles de la fonction zêta local d'Igusa et montré que si on a une estimation uniforme dans p et m de sommes exponentielles, on peut obtenir une formule sommatoire de Poisson pour Adèle de type de Siegel-Weil. Dans les chapitres 2, 3, 4, on va prouver quelques versions uniformes dans p et m de borne supérieure de sommes exponentielles donnés par le seuil log canonique ou par polyèdre de Newton. / The results in the rationality of Poincaré series associated with definable family of equivalence relations over valued fields was researched by Denef. This problem has relation with the existence of elimination of imaginaries theorem for theories of valued fields (see the result of Hrushovski, Martin and Rideau). Motivic integration theory was born helps us to show the uniform dependence of the rationality of Poincaré series on p-adic local fields. In the chapter 1 of this thesis, I extend the result on p-uniform rationality of Poincaré series associated with definable family of equivalence relations in some theories of valued field in which elimination of imaginaries has not been proved yet, for example theories on analytic structures. My method is that I extend the motivic integration theory for constructible motivic functions in two papers of Cluckers and Loeser to rational constructible motivic functions. Another classical problem of number theory is estimation of exponential sums. Exponential sums modulo pm was studied by Igusa, and for a fixed prime p, he gave a deep relation between estimation of exponential sums modulo pm and poles of Igusa local zeta function. Igusa also showed that a uniform estimation in p and m of exponential sums modulo pm could give an Poisson summation formula of Siegel-Weil type. By this motivation, many researches tried to give the best uniform upper bound of exponential sums modulo pm. In the chapters 2, 3, 4, we will try to obtain some uniform versions for upper bound of exponential sums modulo pm given by log-canonical threshold or Newton polyhedron due to Igusa's, Denef-Sperber's and Cluckers-Veys's conjectures.

I detta självständiga arbete utforskar jag min egen lärandeprocess i en komposition för violin, flöjt och piano. Studien utgår utifrån ett designteoretiskt perspektiv och grundar sig även i litteratur och forskning inom ämnet komposition och musikskapande. Denna självstudie baserar sig på observationer från flera videofilmade, ljudinspelade och loggbokförda kompositionstillfällen under höstterminen 2017. Resultatet är indelat i tre olika faser av kompositionsprocessen: Kompositionens början, Utvecklingen av kompositionen ochSlutskedet av kompositionen. I resultatet presenteras svaret på mina frågeställningar om vilka resurser jag använder när jag skriver musik och hur själva kompositionsprocessen ser ut för mig. I diskussionen sätts dessa resultat i relation till vald litteratur, forskning och det designteoretiska perspektivet. / In this self-study, I explore my own learning process while writing a composition for violin, flute and piano. The study is based on the perspective of design theory and is also based on literature and research in the subject of composition and music-making. This self-study is also based on observations from several video, sound and log recorded compositional events during autumn 2017. The result chapter is divided into three different stages of the process of the composition: The beginning of the composition, The development of the compositionand The final phase of the composition. The result answers the two research questions and the purpose of this study: What resources do I use when writing music and how the actual process of my composition takes place. In the discussion, these results are set in relation to the selected literature, research and the design theory perspective.

Uma das mais recentes abordagens propostas na literatura para tratar o problema do alto número de Weissenberg (We) é a Formulação Log-Conformação (FLC). Nesta formulação, a equação constitutiva viscoelástica utilizada é reescrita em termos de uma variável Ψ, que é o logaritmo do tensor conformação. Apesar do potencial de aplicação da FLC, pouca atenção tem sido dirigida para análise da acurácia da solução obtida para o campo de tensões quando se utiliza esta formulação. Assim, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi estudar a acurácia da solução obtida pela FLC na análise de escoamentos de fluidos viscoelásticos usando duas geometrias padrão de estudo: placas paralelas e cavidade quadrada com tampa móvel. Primeiramente, a FLC foi implementada no pacote de CFD OpenFOAM. Em seguida foram verificados os limites do número de Weissenberg na formulação numérica padrão (Welim,P), onde para a geometria de placas paralelas foi encontrado Welim,P = 0,3 e para a geometria da cavidade quadrada com tampa móvel foi encontrado Welim,P = 0,8. Depois o código implementado foi aplicado em ambas as geometrias, comparando-se a solução obtida pela FLC com aquela da formulação padrão na faixa de We < Welim,P. Os resultados obtidos na geometria de placas paralelas apresentaram boa concordância com a solução padrão e solução analítica. Para a geometria da cavidade quadrada com tampa móvel, que não possui solução analítica, boa concordância dos resultados também foi observada em comparação com a solução padrão. Posteriormente foram comparados os resultados obtidos pela FLC na faixa de We > Welim,P. Na geometria de placas paralelas, além da boa concordância com a solução analítica, obteve-se convergência em todos os casos estudados neste trabalho, com o maior número de Weissenberg utilizado sendo igual a 8 Os resultados da geometria da cavidade quadrada com tampa móvel também apresentaram boa concordância em comparação com dados da literatura, porém a convergência foi obtida até para We = 2. Com respeito à comparação das formulações numéricas com a solução analítica, feita apenas na geometria de placas paralelas, foi observado um erro máximo de 7,57% na solução padrão e de 12,33% na FLC. Em relação à análise da qualidade das tensões usando os resíduos da equação constitutiva viscoelástica como critério de acurácia, foi verificado nas duas geometrias que os valores de tensão obtidos usando a FLC são menos acurados que aqueles obtidos pela formulação explícita no tensor das tensões nos casos em que esta última converge. Também foi observado que a acurácia diminui com o aumento do We. Esse efeito pôde ser melhor notado na geometria de placas paralelas. Uma razão para a perda de acurácia da tensão provavelmente ocorre devido à natureza matemática da transformação algébrica inversa de Ψxx para τxx. O novo solver implementado neste trabalho apresentou convergência e soluções corretas para as duas geometrias, logo foi implementado corretamente. Ele também potencializa o solver de partida viscoelastiFluidFoam ao estender simulações para uma faixa maior do número de Weissenberg. / A recent approach proposed in the literature to deal with the High Weissenberg Number Problem is the Log-Conformation formulation (LCF). In this formulation the viscoelastic constitutive equation is rewritten in terms of the logarithm of the conformation tensor Ψ. Despite the great potential application of the LCF, little attention has been given in the literature to the accuracy of the obtained stress fields. The purpose of this work was to study the solution obtained by LCF in the analysis of viscoelastic flows using two benchmark geometries: parallel plates and lid driven cavity. Firstly, the LCF was implemented in the OpenFOAM CFD package. Then, the limits of Weissenberg number for the standard numerical formulation (Welim,P) were verified, obtaining Welim,P = 0.3 for the parallel plates and Welim,P = 0.8 for the lid driven cavity. When comparing the solution obtained by the LCF with that of the standard formulation in a range of We < Welim,P, the results obtained for the parallel plates geometry showed good agreement with the standard solution and the analytical solution. For the lid driven cavity geometry, for which there is not analytical solution, good agreement with the standard solution was also observed. For We > Welim,P in the parallel plates geometry, in addition to the good agreement with the analytical solution, it was possible to obtain convergence in all the cases studied in this work, with the largest number of Weissenberg used being equal to 8 The results of the lid driven cavity geometry also presented good agreement in comparison with literature data, but convergence was obtained up to We = 2. With respect to the comparison of the numerical formulations with the analytical solution for the parallel plates geometry, a maximum error of 7.57% was observed in the standard solution and of 12.33% in the LCF. When using the residues of the viscoelastic constitutive equation as a criterion of accuracy, it was verified that for the two geometries the stress values obtained using the LCF were less accurate than those obtained by the explicit formulation in the stress tensor. It has also been observed that accuracy decreases with increasing of We. One reason for the loss of stress accuracy probably occurs because of the mathematical nature of the inverse algebraic transformation from Ψxx to τxx. The new solver implemented in this work presented convergence and correct solutions for the two geometries, so it was implemented correctly. It also potentiates the viscoelastiFluidFoam starting solver by extending simulations to a larger range of Weissenberg number.

Esta dissertação de mestrado versa sobre um algoritmo de detecção e de estimação de movimento robustas a rotação, escala e translação em sequências de imagens da retina em infravermelho. O algoritmo desenvolvido detecta movimentos da retina com base em medidas de distribuição estatísticas, como a entropia conjunta e a informação mútua entre os quadros adjacentes de um vídeo. A técnica de estimação de movimento inspira-se nos métodos de deslocamento de fase e na transformação log-polar para estimar os parâmetros de movimento. Esta abordagem produz uma solução robusta para este tipo de imagens intrinsecamente ruidosas e comumente utilizadas no diagnóstico e tratamento a laser do edema macular diabético. / This thesis it is about an algorithm of retinal motion detection and estimation robust to rotation, scaling and translation in infrared images sequences. This algorithm detects retinal movements based on measures of statistical distribution, such as joint entropy and mutual information between adjacent frames of a video. The technique of motion estimation is inspired by the methods of phase shift and log-polar transformation to estimate the parameters of motion. This approach yields a robust solution for this type intrinsically noisy images and commonly used in the diagnosis and laser treatment of diabetic macular edema.

Despite years of deepening economic integration among the states and regions of the European Union, empirical research remains inconclusive about speed of convergence across regions, if not its existence. This thesis provides novel evidence on convergence in the EU while focusing on development at regional level after the Great Recession. It uses recently developed log t convergence test by Phillips and Sul (2007). Our findings speak against the convergence in level of income per capita among the European regions and give us five clubs of regions converging in their income growth rates instead. Investigating further the geographical distribution of the convergence clubs, we confirm high inequality within the member states and find large continuous area of high convergence clubs in the urbanized part of Western Europe. Furthermore, we investigated the determinants of convergence club membership using Logistic Regression. The main explanatory variable of interest were Business Services (BS), a dynamic sector of the economy with presumably strong positive effect on regional innovative potential. We found positive effect of BS on membership in higher convergence clubs. Yet, this effect seems to diminish for the very highest club.

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate and implement a framework for log management and analysis tailored to the treatment planning system (TPS) RayStation. A TPS is a highly advanced software package used in radiation oncology clinics, and the complexity of the software makes writing robust code challenging. Although the product is tested rigorously during development, bugs are present in released software. The purpose of the the framework is to allow the RayStation development team insight into errors encountered in clinics by centralizing log file data recorded at clinics around the world. A framework based on the Elastic stack, a suite of open-source products, is proposed, addressing a set of known issues described as the access problem, the processing problem, and the analysis problem. Firstly, log files are stored locally on each machine running RayStation, some of which may not be connected to the Internet. Gaining access to the data is further complicated by legal frameworks such as HIPAA and GDPR that put constraints on how clinic data can be handled. The framework allows for access to the files while respecting these constraints. Secondly, log files are written in several different formats. The framework is flexible enough to process files of multiple different formats and consistently extracts relevant information. Thirdly, the framework offers comprehensive tools for analyzing the collected data. Deployed in-house on a set of 38 machines used by the RayStation development team, the framework was demonstrated to offer solutions to each of the listed problems.