No description available.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of verbal-only and paired verbal-gestural instruction on the performance skills of wind instrumentalists with no more than three years of performance experience. Reviewed are different conducting strategies and their effects on musical expression in ensemble performance as demonstrated by small ensembles. Two sets of participants were used in this study. Audio stimulus files were derived from performances generated by the first set of participants, student musicians, who were randomly assigned to one of the two instruction groups. The primary sample consisted of students (n=30) from one intact public junior high school band. The second set of participants consisted of university undergraduate and graduate music majors (n=40) who evaluated the audio stimulus files. The first set of participants, middle school student musicians, who were randomly assigned to one of ten performance trios; trios were randomly assigned to one of two teaching conditions: (1) verbal-only, or (2) paired verbal-gestural. Students in each trio were assigned to perform Part 1, 2, or 3 of a two-minute performance selection that had been arranged purposefully to take into account participants’ performance level. Student participants performed this selection during a rehearsal in their assigned teaching condition. The student-investigator was the conductor/teacher in each condition. Rehearsals, consisting of sight-reading the work, investigator-led rehearsal, and final performance, were audio recorded for subsequent evaluation. Evaluators, undergraduate and graduate instrumental music majors (n=40) from a large research institution in the northeast United States, listened to the recordings and evaluated each rehearsal using a Continuous Response Digital Interface (CRDI) using the following criteria: musicality (phrasing, dynamics, balance, and expression) and technical accuracy (rhythm, articulation, intonation, and tempo). A paired-samples t-test was used to compare pretest (performance before rehearsal) and posttest (performance after rehearsal) outcomes. Aggregate data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) comparing performance ratings among the three variables (rehearsal style, music mode, and grade). All Pairs Tukey-Kramer was used to show differences among groups and performances. Analyses indicated that this sample of middle school instrumentalists was significantly successful at their performance of two different variations (musicality and technical accuracy) after a rehearsal (posttest) in both verbal-only and verbal-gestural conditions than their first performance before a rehearsal (pretest). Pretest and posttest scores of the verbal-gestural group were higher than that of the verbal-only group, but rehearsal in the verbal-only condition showed more significant effectiveness in their development than under verbal-gestural conditions. Instrumentalists’ technical accuracy was rated as higher compared to musicality ratings in both pre- and posttests. Eighth grade players received higher scores on pre- and posttest in both verbal-only and verbal-gestural conditions than that of seventh grade players which might be expected since these players had more experience. Both verbal-only and verbal-gestural instruction conditions have similar effectiveness on student performance ratings, and based on the evidence derived from this study, it seems that both verbal and nonverbal instructional methods should be considered equally effective music teaching tools in an instrumental setting for students at this level of development. These findings should be taken into account when instrumental music educators are planning and delivering instruction, particularly in light of data showing that verbal instruction is more frequently used during rehearsals than nonverbal instruction. / Music Education

We present a three-dimensional (3-D) optical image matching technique and location extraction techniques of matched 3-D objects for optical pattern recognition. We first describe the 3-D matching technique based on two-pupil optical heterodyne scanning. A hologram of the 3-D reference object is first created and then represented as one pupil function with the other pupil function being a delta function. The superposition of each beam modulated by the two pupils generates a scanning beam pattern. This beam pattern scans the 3-D target object to be recognized. The output of the scanning system gives out the 2-D correlation of the hologram of the reference object and that of the target object. When the 3-D image of the target object is matched with that of the reference object, the output of the system generates a strong correlation peak. This theory of 3-D holographic matching is analyzed in terms of two-pupil optical scanning. Computer simulation and optical experiment results are presented to reinforce the developed theory. The second part of the research concerns the extraction of the location of a 3-D image matched object. The proposed system basically performs a correlation of the hologram of a 3-D reference object and that of a 3-D target object, and hence 3-D matching is possible. However, the system does not give out the depth location of matched 3-D target objects directly because the correlation of holograms is a 2-D correlation and hence not 3-D shift invariant. We propose two methods to extract the location of matched 3-D objects directly from the correlation output of the system. One method is to use the optical system that focuses the output correlation pattern along depth and arrives at the 3-D location at the focused location. However, this technique has a drawback in that only the location of 3-D targets that are farther away from the 3-D reference object can be extracted. Thus, in this research, we propose another method in which the extraction of a location for a matched 3-D object is possible without the aforementioned drawback. This method applies the Wigner distribution to the power fringe-adjusted filtered correlation output to extract the 3-D location of a matched object. We analyze the proposed method and present computer simulation and optical experiment results. / Ph. D.

High-accuracy localization is vital for many applications and is a fundamental prerequisite for enabling autonomous missions. Modern navigation systems often rely heavily on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) for achieving high localization accuracy over extended periods of time, which has necessitated alternative localization methods that can be used in GNSS-disturbed environments. One popular alternative that has emerged is Collaborative Localization (CL), which is a method where agents of a swarm combine knowledge of their own state with relative measurements of other agents to achieve a localization accuracy that is better than what a single agent can achieve on its own. Performing this in a decentralized manner introduces the challenge of how to account for unknown inter-agent correlations, which typically leads to the need for using conservative fusion methods such as Covariance Intersection (CI) to preserve consistency. Many existing CL algorithms that utilize CI assume agents to have perception systems capable of identifying the relative position of other swarm members. These algorithms do therefore not work in systems where, e.g., agents are only capable of measuring range to each other. Other CI algorithms that support more generic measurement models can require large amounts of data to be exchanged when agents communicate, which could lead to issues in bandwidth-limited systems. This thesis develops a consistent decentralized collaborative localization algorithm based on CI that supports range-only measurements between agents and requires a communication effort that is constant in the number of agents in the swarm. The algorithm, referred to as the PSCI algorithm, was found to maintain satisfactory performance in various scenarios but exhibits slightly increased sensitivity to the measurement geometry compared to an already existing, more communication-heavy, CI-based algorithm. Moreover, the thesis highlights the impact of linearization errors in range-only CL systems and shows that performing CI-fusion before the range-observation measurement update, with a clever choice of CI cost function, can reduce linearization errors for the PSCI algorithm. A comparison between the PSCI algorithm and an already existing algorithm, referred to as the Cross-Covariance Approximation (CCA) algorithm, has further been conducted through a sensitivity analysis with respect to communication rate and the number of GNSS agents. The simulation results indicate that the PSCI algorithm exhibits diminishing improvement in Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) with increased communication rates, while the RMSE of the CCA algorithm reaches a local minimum, subsequently showing overconfidence with higher rates. Lastly, evaluation under a varying number of GNSS agents indicates that cooperative benefits for the PSCI filter are marginal when uncertainty levels are uniform across agents. However, the PSCI algorithm demonstrates superior performance improvements with an increased number of GNSS agents compared to the CCA algorithm, attributed to the overconfidence of the latter.

Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit war es, die Rolle des pro-apoptotischen Proteins Bim am endoplasmatischen Retikulum (ER) und an den Mitochondrien zu untersuchen. Für diese Untersuchungen wurden zwei Isoformen von Bim verwendet, zum einen BimL, welches an den Motor Dynein Komplex gebunden ist, zum anderen BimS, welches im Zytosol lokalisiert ist. Um eine konditionale Expression von Bim zu erreichen, wurde Myc-markierte humane cDNA unter der Kontrolle des Tet-Off Systems in einen adenoviralen Vector kloniert. Eine Überexpression von BimL und BimS induzierte in der Prostatakarzinomzelllinie DU145 Bax- und Bak-abhängigen apoptotischen Zelltod. Eine Überexpression des anti-apoptotischen Proteins Bcl-2 lokalisiert am ER zeigte eine vollständige Hemmung der Bim-induzierten Apoptose, was die Wichtigkeit des ER unterstreicht. Überexpression von Bcl-2 an den Mitochondrien führte eine partielle Hemmung herbei. Bim Expression induzierte Bax- und Bak-abhängig den Zusammenbruch des mitochondrialen Membranpotentials. Dieses wurde ebenso in mit am ER lokalisiertem Bcl-2 Zellen beobachtet. Bcl-2 lokalisiert an den Mitochondrien verminderte dagegen mitochondriale Permeabilisation. Proteinanalysen zeigten eine Hochregulierung von ER-Stress Proteinen nach Bim Überexpression. Zusätzlich wurde Cytochrom c Freisetzung aus den Mitochondrien und Aktivierung von Caspase-9, -3 und -8 beobachtet. Mit einem Breitband-Caspase Hemmer konnte der Bim-induzierte Zelltod vollständig gehemmt werden, was zeigt, dass Caspasen essentiell sind. Zusammenfassend kann gesagt werden, dass Bim, parallel zum mitochondrialen Signalweg, ER-Stress auslöst und, dass Bim eine effektive Apoptose durch die Interaktion des ER und der Mitochondrien induziert. / The aim of this thesis was to investigate the role of the pro-apoptotic BH3-only protein Bim, at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the mitochondria. For this purpose, a full length human myc-tagged Bim cDNA was cloned into an adenoviral vector, which allows for the conditional expression of the transgene under the control of a Tet-Off-system. Two different Bim isoforms were used for these investigations. One was BimL, which is bound to the motor dynein complex of the microtubule and the other one was BimS, which is localized in the cytosol. The enforced expression of each of these two isoforms in the prostate cancer cell line DU145, showed the capability of BimL and BimS to induce apoptosis via either Bak or Bax. Also, Bax- and Bak-dependent breakdown of the mitochondrial membrane potential upon overexpression of either Bim isoforms was measured. This effect was also observed in cells overexpression the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 at the ER. However, targeting Bcl-2 to the mitochondria partially inhibited Bim-induced mitochondrial permeabilization. These findings indicated the execution of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway upon Bim signalling. Nevertheless, expression of Bcl-2 at the mitochondria partially suppressed Bim-induced apoptosis whereas ER-targeted Bcl-2 entirely prevented cell death induction by Bim underlining the importance of the ER. Further, an upregulation of ER stress proteins upon Bim expression was seen. Cytochrome c release form the mitochondria and activation of caspase-9, -3 and -8 was observed. In addition, the complete inhibition of Bim-induced cell death by a pan caspase inhibitor revealed that caspases are crucial. In conclusion, Bim induces the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and, in parallel, triggers ER stress. It seems that Bim mediates cell death through the interaction of the mitochondria and the ER. The ER-mitochondria cross-talk leads to the amplification of the apoptotic death signal.

李之瑾. / "2006年9月" / 論文(哲學碩士)--香港中文大學, 2006. / 參考文獻(leaves 164-175). / "2006 nian 9 yue" / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / Li Zhijin. / Lun wen (zhe xue shuo shi)--Xianggang Zhong wen da xue, 2006. / Can kao wen xian (leaves 164-175). / Chapter 第一章： --- 硏究問題 --- p.9 / Chapter 1.1 --- 硏究介紹 --- p.9 / Chapter 1.2 --- 背景資料 --- p.15 / Chapter 1.3 --- 硏究問題 --- p.22 / Chapter 1.4 --- 論文結構 --- p.24 / Chapter 第二章： --- 文獻綜述 --- p.26 / Chapter 2.1 --- 代際關係 --- p.26 / Chapter 2.2 --- 社會支持 --- p.28 / Chapter 2.3 --- 傳統與現在的衝突 --- p.32 / Chapter 2.4 --- 子女性別分工 --- p.34 / Chapter 2.5 --- 配偶角色分工 --- p.37 / Chapter 2.6 --- 居住分離 --- p.39 / Chapter 2.7 --- 孤寡和高齢老人 --- p.40 / Chapter 2.8 --- 獨生子女政策下的家庭支持 --- p.42 / Chapter 2.9 --- 家庭撫養 --- p.44 / Chapter 2.10 --- 婆媳關係/婆家和娘家關係 --- p.47 / Chapter 第三章： --- 硏究方法 --- p.54 / Chapter 3.1 --- 個案選取 --- p.54 / Chapter 3.2 --- 樣本 --- p.57 / Chapter 3.3 --- 資料收集與硏究方法 --- p.58 / Chapter 3.4 --- 數據詳情 --- p.60 / Chapter 第四章： --- 撫養 --- p.65 / Chapter 4.1 --- 撫養內容 --- p.65 / Chapter 4.2 --- 撫養作爲贍養的一種投資 --- p.79 / Chapter 4.3 --- 撫養中，多子女與獨子女家庭的不同 --- p.84 / Chapter 4.4 --- 撫養中，婆家與娘家的不同角色，婆媳矛盾 --- p.90 / Chapter 4.5 --- 討論 --- p.93 / Chapter 第五章： --- 贍養 --- p.94 / Chapter 5.1 --- 贍養的主要內容及現狀 --- p.94 / Chapter 5.2 --- 養老的展望 --- p.101 / Chapter 5.3 --- 贍養中，多子女與獨子女的不同 --- p.110 / Chapter 5.4 --- 撫養中，婆家與娘家的不同角色 --- p.116 / Chapter 5.5 --- 討論 --- p.120 / Chapter 第六章： --- 權力關係 --- p.122 / Chapter 6.1 --- 生育意志 --- p.122 / Chapter 6.2 --- 生育照料以及第三代子女撫養照顧的選擇是一個重要的權力較量 --- p.128 / Chapter 6.3 --- 生育中，多子女與獨子女的不同 --- p.132 / Chapter 6.4 --- 婆家和娘家的權力鬥爭/婆媳矛盾 --- p.134 / Chapter 6.5 --- 家庭權利的其他表現 --- p.139 / Chapter 6.6 --- 婆媳矛盾的原因表現 --- p.143 / Chapter 6.7 --- 討論 --- p.149 / Chapter 第七章： --- 結論 --- p.151 / Chapter 7.1 --- 撫養、贍養以及權力關係的相互影響 --- p.151 / Chapter 7.2 --- 獨生子女和多子女家庭在三個方面的不同 --- p.157 / Chapter 7.3 --- 婆媳關係/婆家和娘家的關係 --- p.159 / Chapter 7.4 --- 其他需要補充的說明 --- p.161 / Chapter 第八章： --- 參考資料 --- p.164 / Chapter 8.1 --- English part --- p.164 / Chapter 8.2 --- 中文部分 --- p.172

La première partie de cette étude est consacrée au cadre institutionnel dans lequel s’élaborent les politiques linguistiques américaines ; la Constitution des États-Unis, ainsi que ses amendements, s’avèrent déterminants dans leur formulation. Depuis l’adoption de politiques linguistiques nationales dans les années 1960, l’influence de l’État fédéral se trouve encore accrue. Néanmoins, la politique linguistique des États-Unis demeure lacunaire. La politique linguistique de l’État de New York, étudiée dans le deuxième chapitre, complète en partie cette politique en intervenant principalement dans les domaines de l’éducation et du droit de vote. La politique linguistique de l’État du New York est déterminée, d’une part, par un antagonisme structurel Ville-État et, d’autre part, par la lutte des Portoricains pour le respect de leurs droits linguistiques. La dernière partie de cette étude consiste en une étude de cas ; quarante entretiens semi-dirigés menés auprès d’immigrants russophones révèlent l’importance de la reconversion professionnelle dans le processus d’intégration linguistique. / In a first part, this study analyzes the institutional framework in which American language policies are elaborated; the Constitution of the United States and its amendments appear to play a major role in their elaboration. Since the adoption of national language policies in the 1960’s, federal influence has grown further. However, the language policy of the United States remains incomplete. The language policy of the State of New York, which is studied in the second chapter, supplements it by intervening in the fields of education and voting rights mainly. The language policy of New York is determined by, on the one hand, a structural City-State antagonism, and on the other hand, by the activism of Puerto Ricans who mobilized to assert their language rights. The last chapter of this study consists of a case-study; forty semi- conducted interviews were carried out with Russian-speaking immigrants. As a whole, they stress the importance of retraining in the language acquisition process.

This thesis contributes new algorithms and implementations for particle filter-based target tracking. From an algorithmic perspective, modifications that improve a batch-based acoustic direction-of-arrival (DOA), multi-target, particle filter tracker are presented. The main improvements are reduced execution time and increased robustness to target maneuvers. The key feature of the batch-based tracker is an image template-matching approach that handles data association and clutter in measurements. The particle filter tracker is compared to an extended Kalman filter~(EKF) and a Laplacian filter and is shown to perform better for maneuvering targets. Using an approach similar to the acoustic tracker, a radar range-only tracker is also developed. This includes developing the state update and observation models, and proving observability for a batch of range measurements. From an implementation perspective, this thesis provides new low-power and real-time implementations for particle filters. First, to achieve a very low-power implementation, two mixed-mode implementation strategies that use analog and digital components are developed. The mixed-mode implementations use analog, multiple-input translinear element (MITE) networks to realize nonlinear functions. The power dissipated in the mixed-mode implementation of a particle filter-based, bearings-only tracker is compared to a digital implementation that uses the CORDIC algorithm to realize the nonlinear functions. The mixed-mode method that uses predominantly analog components is shown to provide a factor of twenty improvement in power savings compared to a digital implementation. Next, real-time implementation strategies for the batch-based acoustic DOA tracker are developed. The characteristics of the digital implementation of the tracker are quantified using digital signal processor (DSP) and field-programmable gate array (FPGA) implementations. The FPGA implementation uses a soft-core or hard-core processor to implement the Newton search in the particle proposal stage. A MITE implementation of the nonlinear DOA update function in the tracker is also presented.

No description available.

No description available.