This masters thesis deals with the physiology of binocular vision people for obtaining two dimensional spatial perception of images with glasses. There are developed theoretical part of the physiology of vision, then writing available methods that are now widespread for obtaining stereoscopic scene. The work also describes shooting dynamic scene using a pair of identical cameras. It focuses mainly on OFF-AXES method and deals with the topic of the settings stereoscopic base. There is also realized a practical part, which works with the capture dynamic scenes using video cameras with a automatic control of cameras distance. Automatic control is performed using the parallel port and a stepper motor. For this purpose it is designed to work in hardware support and a program for mutual communication. Filmed a short movie was screened to a group and those observers evaluated the parameters that were specified in the created poll.

his Disertation thesis involves the creating of the simulation model of the C axis drive over mentioned machine and them verification on the prototype of this machine. C axis is controlled with position feedback. Simulation model was created before the realisation of the machine prototype for the preliminary identification of the dynamic behaviours in the working cycles and them opportunity of the realisation this conception. C axis is constructed with worm gear and is controlled with help of Master-Slave drive. This torque drive eliminates the production backlash in the worm gear. The multifunction turning center, where is used this C axis, is determinate for heavy duty roughing cutting of the forged peaces, where is problem with dynamic stability of the cutting process. Simulation model includes the problems with multi-body mass system, friction on the worm gear, self locking, damping on the worm gear and the optimization of the parametrs for many regulators. Simulation model was verified on the prototype of the machine. Achieved results bring the new knowledge, which are used for simulation complicated machine nodes and this knowledge is used for research and developing of the similar mechatronics system.

[pt] O objetivo deste trabalho é compreender criticamente a história do conceito de eixo como referente a uma espacialidade social, elucidando sua gênese e seu devir pela investigação das trajetórias de seus principais sentidos e funções. Trata-se de um conceito cada vez mais pertinente para a geografia e as demais ciências preocupadas com o espaço social, porque permite compreender mais precisamente a relação entre espaço e circulação. Para responder ao problema de pesquisa ― Quais são a gênese do conceito de eixo e os fundamentos de seu devir histórico e o que este devir aponta como possibilidades ainda não plenamente realizadas? ―, adotamos um cruzamento entre os métodos da história conceitual desenvolvida por Reinhart Koselleck e uma abordagem baseada no método regressivo-progressivo empreendido por Karl Marx e elucidado por Henri Lefebvre e Jean-Paul Sartre. Com base nesse cruzamento, a pesquisa começa por uma reconstituição dos usos e significações recentes de eixo amparada na ideia de que os conceitos podem apresentar sentidos analíticos, sentidos normativos e sentidos da prática. Primeiro, observamos a instrumentalização do conceito de eixo pelo planejamento territorial, ancorada no imperativo da neoliberalização e o imperativo da fluidez. Em seguida, examinamos a influência do conceito normativo de eixo no âmbito científico, percebendo reproduções críticas e acríticas desses sentidos. Todavia, tem havido esforços de ressignificação, transformando-o em um conceito analítico. Os sentidos da prática, por sua vez, tendem a ser mais simples, interpretando o eixo geralmente como uma linha ou uma porção do espaço a ligar duas localidades. Após essa reconstituição, procedemos regressivamente com uma análise, procurando encontrar as condições objetivas que possibilitaram a gênese do conceito de eixo e de corredor, o qual referencia, em geral, a mesma espacialidade. Essas gêneses podem ser identificadas na conceituação e na teorização sobre eixo, desenvolvida por Pierre Pottier em 1963, e na de corredor, feita por Charles F. J. Whebell em 1969. Finalmente, retornamos progressivamente ao presente, iluminando-o com base na compreensão mais ampla do devir conceitual de eixo ocasionada pelo conjunto das investigações. Nesse sentido, confirmamos nossa tese, enunciada a seguir: O conceito de eixo, em seu sentido de espacialidade social ― o qual não deve ser desvinculado do conceito de corredor ―, encontra sua gênese na década de 1960 como conceito analítico voltado para compreender determinadas expressões espaciais do desenvolvimento econômico. Seu devir, porém, é marcado por sua significativa instrumentalização pelo planejamento territorial neoliberal, notadamente a partir dos anos 1990, distorcendo os sentidos originais. A difusão dos sentidos normativos desde então tem influência predominante sobre as definições científicas e do senso comum, embora esforços recentes no campo analítico tenham procurado ressignificar o conceito de eixo, dando-lhe maior embasamento teórico, algo que a recuperação das formulações originais pode ajudar. / [en] The main objective of this thesis is to critically understand the conceptual history of axis as it refers to a social spatiality, elucidating its genesis and its becoming through the investigation of the trajectories of its main meanings and functions. Axis as a concept is increasingly relevant to geography and other sciences concerned with social space since it enables a more precise understanding of the relationship between space and circulation. Our research problem is: What are the genesis of the concept of axis and the fundamentals of its historical becoming and what does this becoming point to in terms of possibilities not fully realised. To solve it, we adopt an interlacement between the methods of conceptual history as developed by Reinhart Koselleck and an approach based on the regressive-progressive method applied by Karl Marx and clarified by Henri Lefebvre and Jean-Paul Sartre. Based on such interlacement, our research begins with a reconstitution of the recent uses and meanings of axis, supported by the idea that concepts can present analytical, normative, and practical senses. First, we observe how territorial planning instrumentalises the concept of axis based on the imperative of neoliberalisation and of fluidity. Then we examine the influence that the normative concept of axis has over the scientific field, noticing critical and acritical reproductions of such meanings. However, there have been efforts of resignification, transforming it into an analytical concept. The practical meanings, in their turn, tend to be simpler, usually interpreting the axis as a line or a portion of space linking two localities. After this reconstitution, we proceed with a regressive analysis, searching for the objective conditions that have enabled the genesis of axis and corridor as concepts, both generally referring to the same spatiality. These geneses can be spotted on the conceptualisation and the theorisation of axis developed by Pierre Pottier in 1963, and of corridor by Charles F. J. Whebell in 1969. Finally, we progressively return to the present time, clarifying it with the help from a broader understanding of the conceptual becoming of axis made possible by the research done. Therefore we confirm our thesis as it follows: The concept of axis, in its sense of a social spatiality ―which shall not be unlinked from the concept of corridor―, finds its genesis in the 1960s as an analytical concept dedicated to understand certain spatial expressions of economic development. Its becoming, however, is marked by its significant instrumentalization done by the neoliberal territorial planning, especially from the 1990s onwards, which distorts its original meanings. Since then, the diffusion of the normative meanings has a prevailing influence over the scientific definitions and those of the common sense. Despite that, recent efforts within the analytical field are trying to reframe the concept of axis, strengthening its theoretical basis, something that the recovery of the original senses may assist.

近年來人體姿態感測的技術與應用愈來愈熱門。許多電玩及電影大多是藉由攝影鏡頭偵測人體姿態，但效果容易受到外在因素的影響，如陽光、遮蔽物等，特別是用在舞台展演方面就不適合了。因此本篇論文希望設計穿戴式裝置來感測人體姿態，並結合新一代無線網路藍牙4.0做為數據傳輸方式，以進行即時互動展演。本論文研究開發以Arduino結合六軸姿態感測器，設計此穿戴式裝置雛型。而實際在展場上表演，此裝置必需具有一定的穩定性、可靠性且方便穿戴。本論文設計出的裝置與系統，已實際參與數場即時互動展演，並且供觀眾親自體驗，反應熱烈。未來期許能將此系統擴大應用於多人異地互動展演上、能有更大的擴充性、多樣的互動體驗。 / Recently, human body skeleton detection technology and its applications are becoming more popular. Many computer games and movies detect human body skeleton by cameras. However, the detection will be affected easily by sun light or obstacles. Especially, this is not suitable for the applications on stage performance. The goal of this thesis is to design wearable devices to detect body skeleton and uses BLE 4.0 for data transmission to interactively real time art perform. We put 6-axis motion detector on Arduino to develop the wearable device prototyping. These devices for performing in practice should be stable, reliable and convenient for wearing or taking off. The devices and system we developed have been used in several real time interactive performances and for audience experience. In the future, this system can be expanded to people performing in different locations and has better scalability and varieties of interactive experience.

An exploratory study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence based on Mayer and Salovey's (1990) trait model of emotional intelligence and cognitive thinking styles based on the theory of mental selfgovernment. Emphasis was placed on the influence of emotional intelligence and thinking styles on choice of study field. Participants were 309 students from a Gauteng university. Students registered with the humanities (n=99), management (n=41), sciences (n=131) and engineering (n=38) faculties were compared on the Schutte Self-Report Inventory for emotional intelligence (Schutte et al., 1998) and on the Thinking Styles Inventory (Sternberg & Wagner, 1992). A relationship was found between complex and creative thinking styles and high emotional intelligence. Results from the stepwise multiple regression analysis procedures indicated that the subscales of thinking styles could be significant predictors of emotional intelligence. Students from different faculties were found to have the same level of emotional intelligence and similar thinking styles. / Psychology / MA (Social Sciences) (Psychology)

Dans les nouveaux protocoles thérapeutiques par voie inhalée, le dosage des particules actives reste un problème complexe qui dépend de trois principaux facteurs : leur taille, la dynamique des flux et les variations de calibre bronchique. La solution nécessite de disposer d'un modèle de distribution des gaz et aérosols administrés dans les poumons. Ventilation pulmonaire et effets du cycle respiratoire sur la dynamique des fluides deviennent deux enjeux clés de la pratique clinique.<br /><br />Dans ce contexte, le projet RNTS RMOD a pour objectif de développer un simulateur morpho-fonctionnel des voies respiratoires pour l'aide au diagnostic, au geste médico-chirurgical et à l'administration de médicaments par inhalation.<br /><br />Contribuant au projet RMOD, la recherche développée dans cette thèse propose une modélisation in-silico de la structure des voies aériennes supérieures (VAS) et proximales (VAP) à partir d'examens tomodensitométriques (TDM). L'investigation morphologique et la simulation fonctionnelle bénéficient alors de géométries 3D réelles, adaptées au patient et spécifiques des pathologies rencontrées.<br /><br />La modélisation développée fait coopérer des méthodes originales de segmentation, de construction de surface maillée et d'analyse morpho-fonctionnelle.<br /><br />La segmentation des VAP est obtenue par un schéma diffusif et agrégatif gouverné par un modèle markovien, dont l'initialisation repose sur l'opérateur de coût de connexion sous contrainte topographique. De cette segmentation, l'axe central de l'arbre bronchique est extrait de manière robuste et précise en combinant information de distance, propagation de fronts, et partition conditionnelle locale. Cet axe central est représenté sous forme d'une structure hiérarchique multivaluée synthétisant caractéristiques topologiques et géométriques de l'arbre bronchique. Une surface maillée est ensuite construite en appliquant une procédure de Marching Cubes adaptative, les paramètres des différents filtres mis en jeu étant automatiquement ajustés aux caractéristiques locales du réseau bronchique conditionnellement aux attributs de l'axe central.<br /><br />La segmentation des VAS repose sur une propagation markovienne exploitant les variations locales de densité. L'initialisation combine morphologie mathématique et information de contour afin de garantir la robustesse à la topologie. Une procédure de type triangulation de Delaunay restreinte à une surface fournit ensuite la représentation maillée des VAS. Il est établi que la topologie et la géométrie des structures complexes composant les VAS sont effectivement préservées.<br /><br />Pour permettre aux médecins de valider les modèles maillés ainsi construits, un environnement virtuel 3D convivial et interactif a été réalisé. En outre, la morphologie des voies aériennes exo- et endo-luminale est analysée de façon automatique à partir de simulations d'écoulement pour des géométries réelles.<br /><br />Enfin, une modélisation unifiée des VAP et VAS est obtenue pour la première fois. Elle démontre la pertinence des approches développées. Elle ouvre la voie à la construction de modèles in-silico complets de l'appareil respiratoire ainsi qu'aux études fonctionnelles prenant en compte les paramètres morphologiques susceptibles d'influer localement ou globalement sur la dynamique des écoulements.

<p>The 21st century would be a nightmare for Don Quijote: thousands of windmills are installed all over the globe and the number will increase tremendously over the next years. If climate change was an issue in the early 17th century, Don Quijote might have specialized in fighting nuclear or fossil fuel power plants.</p><p>The change in power production is clearly pronounced, and it inspires the market to respond immediately. Numerous wind turbine manufacturers emerge, developing one technological innovation after another. The trend clearly goes in one direction: horizontal axis wind turbines in all possible variations. However, there are a few companies that do not follow the mainstream – they swim against the current and introduce new concepts, with the potential to set new standards in the industry.</p><p>Nevertheless, the question whether these companies can establish operations and survive in an industry dominated by large multinational corporations arises. If these companies want to become recognized, they need to compete on an international scale from the outset – they become born globals.</p><p>This master’s thesis investigates the preconditions under which an innovative start-up company can become born global in the wind turbine industry. For that, distinctive resources and capabilities of such companies, as well as key success factors for the industry are defined. Furthermore, enhancing or restricting parameters lying within company’s environment – in particular, within its networks – are discovered. These findings are based on and supported by the case study of an innovative vertical axis wind turbine manufacturer. In addition, the influence of this company’s university spin-off origin is investigated.</p>

Les comportements motivés dont l‟addiction aux drogues d‟abus, mettent en jeu le système dopaminergique mésolimbique. Aussi connu sous le nom de système de la récompense, celui-ci comprend les neurones à dopamine de l‟aire tegmentale ventrale qui projettent, entre autres, vers le noyau accumbens. Tout comme les neurones de l‟hypothalamus, les neurones à dopamine de l‟aire tegmentale ventrale répondent aux hormones telles que la leptine, l‟insuline et la ghréline pour modifier la prise alimentaire, la motivation ou encore le tonus dopaminergique. Ceci indique que le système dopaminergique mésolimbique est sensible aux signaux hormonaux circulants et suggère que les neurones de l‟aire tegmentale ventrale pourraient percevoir les signaux métaboliques comme le glucose ou les acides gras. De plus, plusieurs études chez les humains et les rongeurs démontrent que l‟obésité et les diètes riches en gras affectent négativement la fonction dopaminergique mésolimbique. Étant donné les lacunes qui demeurent quant aux mécanismes impliqués dans la dysfonction du système dopaminergique mésolimbique induite par la nourriture riche en gras, nous avons cherché à évaluer les effets de l‟acide oléique et de l‟acide palmitique, deux des acides gras les plus abondants dans l‟organisme et l‟alimentation contemporaine, sur le système de la récompense. Ces deux acides gras, l‟un saturé (acide palmitique) et l‟autre mono-insaturé (acide oléique), se distinguent par leurs effets différentiels sur la prise alimentaire, la signalisation hormonale ou encore leur métabolisme intracellulaire mais aussi sur la santé cardiovasculaire et mentale. Nous avons dans un premier temps évalué la capacité du système dopaminergique mésolimbique à détecter les acides gras. Nous avons comparé les effets de l‟injection d‟acide oléique ou d‟acide palmitique dans l‟aire tegmentale ventrale sur la prise alimentaire, la motivation et l‟activité électrique des neurones à dopamine de l‟aire tegmentale ventrale. Nos résultats montrent que l‟acide oléique, mais pas l‟acide palmitique, diminue la prise alimentaire et le comportement motivé. L‟acide oléique inhibe également l‟activité électrique des neurones à dopamine, ces effets semblent dépendre de son entrée dans la cellule. De plus, nous montrons que les neurones à dopamine de l‟aire tegmentale ventrale expriment plusieurs 3 gènes de protéines importantes pour le transport et le métabolisme des acides gras et qu‟ils sont capables de d‟incorporer les acides gras. Nous avons dans un second temps évalué les effets de l‟acide oléique et de l‟acide palmitique dérivés de l‟alimentation. Nous avons soumis des rats à l‟une de ces trois diètes : une riche en gras enrichie en acide oléique, une riche en gras enrichie en acide palmitique ou une contrôle faible en gras. Après huit semaines, et en l‟absence d‟obésité ou d‟altérations métaboliques majeures, la diète enrichie en acide palmitique, mais pas la diète isocalorique enrichie en acide oléique, induit une hyposensibilité aux effets récompensants et locomoteurs de l‟amphétamine, associée, entre autres, à la diminution de la signalisation du récepteur à la dopamine D1R et de l‟expression du transporteur de la dopamine. Nous avons finalement exploré l‟impact de ces diètes sur l‟activité de l‟axe hypothalamo-hypophysaire-surrénalien. Les résultats montrent que la diète enrichie en acide palmitique altère aussi la fonction de l‟axe et l‟expression de plusieurs gènes cibles des corticostéroïdes, sans toutefois modifier le comportement anxieux. Ce travail de doctorat vient compléter les connaissances sur les dysfonctions du système dopaminergique mésolimbique induites par la nourriture riche en gras. Il met en lumière les effets différentiels des classes d‟acides gras et les mécanismes par lesquels ils modulent les comportements motivés et alimentaires. De façon chronique, avant l‟apparition d‟obésité et d‟altérations métaboliques, les acides gras saturés, et non les acides gras mono-insaturés, issus de l‟alimentation perturbent le fonctionnement de l‟axe hypothalamo-hypophysaire-surrénalien et réduisent la fonction dopaminergique. Ceci pourrait contribuer à perpétuer la recherche et la prise de ce type d‟acides gras afin de compenser ce déficit. / The mesolimbic dopamine system, also known as the reward system, is well recognized for its role in motivated reward-related behaviours such as drug addiction. It consists of dopamine neurons originating in the ventral tegmental area that project, among others, to the nucleus accumbens. Similar to neurons in the hypothalamus, dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area can detect circulating hormones such as leptin, insulin and ghrelin to adjust food intake, motivation and dopamine tone. This suggests that they could also perceive nutritional signals like glucose and fatty acids. Moreover, several lines of evidence exist showing that palatable food enriched in fat and obesity reduce mesolimbic dopamine function. Given the many unknowns regarding the mechanisms of obesity-induced dopamine dysfunction, and given that fatty acids differentially influence cardiovascular and mental health according to their class, we sought to determine the effects of the monounsaturated fatty acid oleic acid and the saturated fatty acid palmitic acid, two of the most abundant fatty acids in the body and foods, on mesolimbic dopamine function. Notably palmitic acid and oleic acid differ in their intracellular metabolic fate as well as in their effects on food intake and leptin and insulin signaling at the level of the hypothalamus. We first evaluated the fatty acid sensing properties of the mesolimbic dopamine system. We looked at the effects of the injection of oleic acid or palmitic acid in the ventral tegmental area on food intake, motivation and dopamine neurons activity. Our results demonstrate that oleic acid, but not palmitic acid, reduces basal and motivated feeding behavior and neuronal activity. Those effects seem to be dependent on its entry into the cell. Moreover, using a neurons culture system we show that dopamine neurons can uptake fatty acids. We then examined the effect of food-derived oleic and palmitic acid on mesolimbic dopamine function. We assigned rats to a low-fat control diet or to one or the other of a high-fat diet: one enriched in oleic acid or one enriched in palmitic acid. The two high-fat diets are isocaloric and differed only in the fat source. Following eight weeks of feeding, the palmitic 5 acid-enriched high-fat diet, but not the oleic acid-enriched diet, decreased the sensitivity to the rewarding and locomotor-sensitizing effects of amphetamine. This was associated with a reduction of dopamine receptor D1R signaling and dopamine transporter expression. Importantly this occured independently of weight gain and hormonal changes. Lastly, we explored the impact of those diets on the activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. Results show that the saturated fat diet alters the function of the axis as well as the expression of several keys genes targeted by glucocorticoids in the hypothalamus but without affecting anxiety-related behavior. This work provides further insight into how the mesolimbic dopamine system is altered by high-fat food consumption. It brings light to the differential effects of two classes of fatty acids and the mechanisms by which they modulate food intake and motivation. The prolonged intake of saturated fat, but not mono-unsaturated fat, disrupts the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and decreases mesolimbic dopamine function prior to the onset of obesity and major metabolic alterations. Dysfunction of dopaminergic systems induced by saturated fat consumption could promote further intake of such palatable food as a means to compensate for reward hyposensitivity.

The loss of central vision subsequent to macular disease is often extremely debilitating. People with central field loss (CFL) must use other peripheral areas of the retina in order to see; areas with inferior resolution capacity, which are also affected by off-axis optical errors. The overall aim of the work encompassed by this thesis was to identify and evaluate methods of improving vision for people with CFL; with focus on the effects of off-axis optical correction and stimulus motion on resolution acuity and contrast sensitivity. Off-axis optical errors were measured using a commercially-available COAS-HD VR open-view aberrometer. We used adaptive psychophysical methods to evaluate grating resolution acuity and contrast sensitivity in the peripheral visual field; drifting gratings were employed to   measure the effect of motion on these two measures of visual performance. The effect of sphero-cylindrical correction and stimulus motion on visual performance in healthy eyes and in subjects with CFL was also studied; in addition, the effect of adaptive optics aberration correction was examined in one subject with CFL. The COAS-HD aberrometer provided rapid and reliable measurements of off-axis refractive errors. Correction of these errors gave improvements in low-contrast resolution acuity in subjects with higher amounts of oblique astigmatism. Optical correction also improved high-contrast resolution acuity in most subjects with CFL, but not for healthy subjects. Adaptive optics correction improved both high and low contrast resolution acuity in the preferred retinal locus of a subject with CFL. The effect of stimulus motion depended on spatial frequency; motion of 7.5 Hz improved contrast sensitivity for stimuli of low spatial frequency in healthy and CFL subjects. Motion of 15 Hz had little effect on contrast sensitivity for low spatial frequency but resulted in reduced contrast sensitivity for higher spatial frequencies in healthy subjects. Finally, high-contrast resolution acuity was relatively insensitive to stimulus motion in the periphery. This thesis has served to broaden the knowledge regarding peripheral optical errors, stimulus motion and their effects on visual function, both in healthy subjects and in people with CFL. Overall it has shown that correction of off-axis refractive errors is important for optimizing peripheral vision in subjects with CFL; the use of an open-view aberrometer simplifies the determination of these errors. In addition, moderate stimulus motion can have a beneficial effect on contrast sensitivity for objects of predominantly low spatial frequency.

L’axe hypothalamo-hypophyso-surrénalien joue un rôle essentiel dans l’adaptation et la réponse au stress. Toutefois, l’hyperactivation de cet axe ou des niveaux chroniquement élevés de glucocorticoïdes (GC) entraînent des conséquences pathologiques. Le système dopaminergique mésocortical, qui se projette dans le cortex préfrontal médian (CPFm), joue un rôle adaptatif en protégeant contre le stress. Jusqu’à présent, les interactions fonctionnelles entre les GC (ex : corticostérone) et le système dopaminergique mésocortical ne sont pas élucidées. Dans ce mémoire, nous avons évalué les effets des GC sur les fonctions dopaminergiques préfrontales en élevant chroniquement, à l’aide de minipompes osmotiques, les niveaux de corticostérone aux concentrations physiologiques maximales (1 mg/kg/h pendant 7 jours). Ce traitement n’a pas modifié significativement, chez les rats stressés ou non, les niveaux post mortem de dopamine et de son métabolite dans le tissu du CPFm. Toutefois, l’évaluation par voltamétrie in vivo des changements de dopamine extracellulaire dans le CPFmv a permis d’observer que la corticostérone augmente significativement la libération de dopamine en réponse à l’exposition à l’odeur de renard et au pincement de la queue. Nos études nous permettent de conclure que la corticostérone potentialise la fonction dopaminergique mésocorticale qui, à son tour, facilite la régulation négative en période de stress. / The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis plays an essential role in responding and adapting to stress, however overactivation of this axis or chronically high levels of glucocorticoids lead to pathological outcomes. The mesocortical dopamine (DA) system, terminating in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), plays an adaptive role in protecting against stress, yet the functional interactions between glucocorticoids (eg. corticosterone) and the mesocortical DA system are not clear. In the present studies, we investigated the effects of glucocorticoids on prefrontal DA function using osmotic minipumps to chronically elevate corticosterone levels in the high physiological range (1 mg/kg/hr for 7 days). Chronic corticosterone treatment did not significantly affect post mortem levels of DA and its metabolites in PFC tissue in either unstressed or stressed rats. However, using in vivo voltammetry to monitor changes in extracellular DA release in PFC, corticosterone significantly increased DA release in response to both types of stress examined, exposure to predator odor and tail pinch stress. We conclude that corticosterone indeed potentiates mesocortical DA function, which in turn facilitates negative feedback regulation in times of stress.