This master’s thesis dissertate the possibilities of the linkage between Asterisk softswitch and the 4th generation private branch exchange. This should create a new generation’s network, so-called NGN, by the convergence of existing telecommunication networks with an IP computer network. This master’s thesis is divided into several chapters. In introduction is described the evolution of the private branch exchanges as well as the principles of the voice digitizing, codecs and signaling commonly used in both TDM and VoIP networks. The main aim of this project is the configuration of Asterisk software exchange for connection with PBX Alcatel 4400 as well as public phone network PSTN. Another goal of this master’s thesis was the configuration of Alcatel PBX and diagnostics of CCS and CAS signaling on E1 interface. In conclusion there are summarized advantages of NGN networks and their utilization in the future.

Text and data mining can be a useful tool in such diverse fields as scientific research, journalism, culture and not least training of artificial intelligence and its importance is likely to only grow in the future. Despite its huge potential there are many indicators that copyright law restricts use of text and data mining – keeping users from optimal application. This thesis discusses possible barriers crated by EU copyright law, in particular in the light of the new exceptions provided by the Directive on Copyright and Related Rights in the Digital Single Market and finds that despite improvements in terms of legal certainty there are still obstacles to the efficient application of text and data mining.

Le cancer du sein est une pathologie fréquente pour lequel les examens TEP/TDM au ¹⁸F-FDG et IRM mammaire sont fréquemment réalisés en routine. Il existe cependant une sous-utilisation des informations apportées par chacune de ces techniques d'imagerie. En pratique, l’interprétation de ces examens est principalement basée sur l’analyse visuelle et l'analyse « quantitative » se résume généralement au SUVmax seul en TEP/TDM et à l’étude du rehaussement du signal après injection de produit de contraste en IRM mammaire (DCE-MRI). L’arrivée de nouvelles machines hybrides TEP/ IRM, nous a amené à évaluer l'apport d’une quantification avancée des images issues de chacune de ces modalités séparément et en combinaison. Cela rejoint un domaine en expansion « la radiomique » qui consiste à extraire un grand nombre de caractéristiques quantitatives des images médicales pour décrypter l’hétérogénéité tumorale ou améliorer la prédiction du pronostic.L’objectif de notre travail était d’étudier l’apport des données radiomiques extraites de l’imagerie TEP au ¹⁸F-FDG et de l’IRM avec injection de produit de contraste réalisées avant traitement pour caractériser l’hétérogénéité tumorale dans le cancer du sein, en prenant en compte les différents sous-types moléculaires de cancer du sein, à savoir les tumeurs luminales (Lum A, Lum B HER2- et Lum B HER2+), triple-négatives et HER2+. Une importance particulière a été portée sur la valeur prédictive des informations radiomiques extraites de ces 2 techniques d’imagerie pour prédire le pronostic dans un groupe de patientes traitées par chimiothérapie néo-adjuvante. L’influence de variations physiologiques telles que l’âge sur le calcul des données radiomiques dans le tissu mammaire normal et cancéreux séparément a également été explorée, de même que la variabilité multicentrique des index radiomiques. L’extraction de ces données radiomiques a été effectuée grace au logiciel LiFex développé au sein du laboratoire IMIV sur une base de données-patientes recueillie en rétrospective.Nous avons rapporté pour la première fois l’influence de l’âge sur le calcul des indices « radiomiques » en TEP dans le tissu mammaire sain dans 2 institutions différentes mais aussi dans les tumeurs mammaires notamment celle triple-négatives. Des associations significatives entre le « phénotype tumoral radiomique » en imagerie TEP et IRM et des données pronostiques reconnues dans le cancer du sein ont été mises en évidence. En outre, nous avons démontré l’existence d’une grande variabilité pour le « profil radiomique » en TEP parmi les tumeurs présentant le même sous-type moléculaire. Cela suggére l’existence d’informations non-redondantes au sein du « phénotype tumoral métabolique » de chaque tumeur mammaire défini par les données radiomiques. L’exploration de cette variabilité s’est révélée intéressante pour améliorer la prédiction de la réponse histologique chez les patientes avec des tumeurs triple-négatives traitées par chimiothérapie néo-adjuvante. Par ailleurs, les mesures effectuées dans la région mammaire péri-tumorale chez les patientes traitées par chimiothérapie néo-adjuvante se sont montrées prédictives pour les patientes avec des tumeurs Lum B HER2-. En IRM nous avons montré l’importance de standardiser la méthode de mesure des caractéristiques radiomiques. Nous avons observé que les caractéristiques radiomiques issues des images DCE-MRI étaient moins associées aux caractéristiques moléculaires des tumeurs et avaient une valeur prédictive moindre. Nous avons également proposé une nouvelle méthode relativement standardisée pour le calcul des données radiomiques en IRM mammaire avec des résultats intéressants mais cette méthode doit encore être optimisée. Cependant, nos résultats suggèrent que les données extraites de la totalité du volume tumorale en IRM compléteraient efficacement les caractéristiques radiomiques TEP et le sous-type moléculaire pour prédire la réponse à la chimiothérapie néo-adjuvante. / Breast cancer is a common disease for which ¹⁸F-FDG PET/CT and breast MRI are frequently performed in routine practice. However, the different information provided by each of these imaging techniques are currently under-exploited. Indeed, in routine the interpretation of these scans is mainly based on visual analysis whereas the « quantitative » analysis of PET/CT data is generally limited to the sole use of the SUVmax while in breast MRI, simple parameters to characterize tumor enhancement after injection of contrast medium are used. The advent of PET/MRI machines, calls for an evaluation of the contribution of a more advanced quantification of each of the modalities separately and in combination in the setting of breast cancer. This is along with the concept of « Radiomics » a field currently expanding and which consists in extracting many quantitative characteristics from medical images used in clinical practice to decipher tumor heterogeneity or improve prediction of prognosis. The aim of our work was to study the contribution of radiomic data extracted from ¹⁸F-FDG PET and MRI imaging with contrast injection to characterize tumor heterogeneity in breast cancer taking into account the different molecular subtypes of breast cancer, namely luminal (Lum A, Lum B HER2- and Lum B HER2 +), triple-negative and HER2 + tumors. In this context, we focused on the prediction of prognosis in patients treated with neo-adjuvant chemotherapy. The influence of physiological variations such as age on the calculation of radiomic data in normal breast and breast tumors separately was also explored, as well as the multi-center variability of radioman features. Radiomic features were extracted using the LiFex software developed within IMIV laboratory. The patient database used for the studies were all retrospective data. We reported for the first time the influence of age on the values of radiomic features in healthy breast tissue in patients recruited from 2 different institutions but also in breast tumors especially those with a triple-negative subtype. Similarly, significant associations between the radiomic tumor phenotype in PET and MRI imaging and well-established prognostic factors in breast cancer have been identified. In addition, we showed a large variability in the PET « radiomic profile » of breast tumors with similar breast cancer subtype suggesting complementary information within their metabolic phenotype defined by radiomic features. Moreover, taking into account this variability has been shown to be of particular interest in improving the prediction of pathological response in patients with triple-negative tumors treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. A peri-tumoral breast tissue region satellite to the breast tumor was also investigated and appeared to bear some prognostic information in patients with Lum B HER2- tumors treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In MR, we demonstrated the need to harmonize the methods for radiomic feature calculation. Overall, we observed that radiomic features derived from MR were less informative about the molecular features of the tumors than radiomic features extracted from PET data and were of lower prognostic value. Yet, the combination of the enhanced tumor volume in MR with a PET radiomic feature and the tumor molecular subtype yielded enhanced the accuracy with which response to neoadjuvant therapy could be predicted compared to features from one modality only or molecular subtype only.

<p>This study explores telecommuter travel behaviour by examining discretionary travel distance and mode choice. The study utilizes data obtained from the 2005 origin-destination survey conducted by TRANS, a joint transportation planning committee serving the National Capital Region of Canada. The study compares and explains the discretionary travel behavior of teleworkers relative to other population groups and identifies that the average teleworker travels 3 times farther than regular workers and 1.7 times farther than non-workers for discretionary purposes. Regression indicates that dependent children, vehicle accessibility, housing type, residential distance to the urban core, land-use mix, residence within a Greenbelt region and day of the week all positively affect travel distance. Conversely, age, proximity to shopping centers and inclement weather demonstrate significant negative effects. Then, through binary logistic regression, the study confirms that work status significantly influences mode choice. Similarly, the following predictor variables demonstrate a significant positive effect towards active mode choice: teleworker work status, larger household size, greater income, warmer temperature, closer proximity to shopping centers, apartment housing type, trips for recreational and restaurant purposes, taking subsequent trips in a day, and travel between 8:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. On the contrary, increased entropy, trips within the Greenbelt region, dependent children under 16 years old, increased vehicle accessibility and trips for transporting someone or for shopping purposes all reduce the probability of active travel mode choice.</p> / Master of Arts (MA)

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 26-29, 1998 / Town & Country Resort Hotel and Convention Center, San Diego, California / Although PCM/TDM framed data is one of the most prevalent formats handled by flight test ranges, it is often required to acquire and process other types. Examples of such non-standard data types are radar position information and meteorological data from both ground based and radiosonde systems. To facilitate the process and management of such non-standard data types, a micro-processor based system was developed to acquire and transform them into a standard PCM/TDM data frame. This obviated the expense of developing additional special software and hardware to handle such non-standard data types.

La dysfonction érectile est l’un des types de dysfonctionnement sexuel aussi complexe chez les hommes que les femmes. Elle implique un facteur venogénique, artériogénique et de neurogénique. L'étiologie des changements de la puissance sexuelle après la prostatectomie radicale ainsi que la chirurgie vasculaire ou la radiothérapie des organes pelviens est probablement multifactorielle, l'une de ces causes est la blessure de l’artère destinée pénienne (mâle) et clitoridienne (femelle) lors d’une opération ou d’une radiothérapie. L’anatomie des artères destinées péniennes et clitoridiennes ainsi que ses origines sont variées. L’Angiographie par résornance magnétique (RM) et tomodensitométrie (TDM) nous donnent des images très nettes qui peuvent être utilisées avant l'intervention pour identifier et localiser les artères pudendales internes (API) et les artères pudendales accessoires (APA), et peuvent aider les chirurgiens et les radiothérapeutes à planifier une opération efficace visant à préserver l’API et l’APA, probablement importantes pour la fonction érectile après l’intervention sur les organes et les vaisseaux pelviens / Erectile dysfunction is one of the types of sexual dysfunction, the etiology is complex in male and female. It involves venogenic factor, arteriogenic and neural origins. The aetiology of changes in sexual potency after radical prostatectomy and pelvic vascular surgery or pelvic radiotherapy is probably multifactorial, one of these cause is injury the penile artery (male) and clitoris artery (female) during the operation or radiotherapy. The anatomy of the penile and clitoral artery is variation. Magnetic resonance (MR) and Multiple detector computed tomography (MDCT) angiography give us a very sharp image, they can be pre-intervation used to identify and localize internal pudendal artery (IPA) and accessory pudendal artery (APA), and may help surgeons and radiotherapists plan an effective intervation that preserves IPA and APA possibly important for sexual function after surgery or radiotherapy of the pelvic organs

La Tomographie par Emission de Positons (TEP) au Fluoro-déoxyglucose marqué au Fluor 18 (¹⁸F-FDG), analogue du glucose, permet d'obtenir une image de la consommation de glucose dans l'organisme. La plupart des foyers tumoraux présentant une consommation excessive de glucose, son utilisation en oncologie permet d'améliorer la prise en charge des patients en diminuant le temps nécessaire pour évaluer l'efficacité des traitements tels que la chimiothérapie et la radiothérapie. Mon projet de recherche visait à proposer et améliorer des méthodes de quantification en TEP au ¹⁸F-FDG afin de caractériser au mieux l'évolution métabolique des volumes tumoraux.De nombreux facteurs biaisent la quantification en TEP. Parmi eux, l'Effet de Volume Partiel (EVP) reste difficile à corriger, notamment à cause de la faible résolution spatiale des images TEP. Afin de déterminer l'impact de la correction de l’EVP sur l’évaluation des réponses des tumeurs, une étude sur données simulées par Monte Carlo a tout d’abord été effectuée. Cette étude a été complétée par l’analyse de données TEP/TDM (Tomodensitométrie) acquises chez 40 patients atteints de cancers colorectaux métastatiques (CCM), traités par chimiothérapie à l'Institut Jules Bordet (Bruxelles). L’analyse de 101 tumeurs a montré que les critères tels que le SUV, n’incluant pas de correction de l'EVP, et qui reflètent alors le volume tumoral et son activité, prédisaient mieux l’évolution tumorale que les critères corrigés de l’EVP. Compte tenus des résultats prometteurs récents de méthodes de caractérisation de l’hétérogénéité de la fixation du FDG dans les tumeurs, un second volet de notre travail a consisté à étudier l’intérêt de la prise en compte de la texture dans le cadre du suivi thérapeutique. L’application de l’analyse de texture aux cas de CCM étudiés précédemment n’a pas permis de démontrer une valeur ajoutée des indices de texture par rapport aux index quantitatifs couramment employés en clinique. Nous avons montré que cette conclusion s’expliquait en partie par la non-robustesse des indices de texture vis-à-vis des paramètres impliqués dans leur mesure. Nous avons enfin cherché à évaluer une méthode d’Analyse Factorielle de Séquences d’Images Médicales (AFSIM), appliquée au contexte du suivi thérapeutique, pour caractériser l’évolution tumorale tout au long du traitement. Cette étude a porté sur 9 séries de 4 à 6 examens TEP/TDM de patients traités par radiothérapie au Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Henri Becquerel de Rouen. Outre l’information visuelle globale apportée par cette méthode, l’analyse quantitative des résultats obtenus a permis de caractériser l’hétérogénéité de la réponse vue par l’AFSIM. L’échec des index classiques, provenant entre autres de leur incapacité à distinguer les processus inflammatoires de l’activité métabolique tumorale, a permis de monter la valeur ajoutée de l’AFSIM par rapport aux index tels que le SUV maximal ou moyen. / Positron Emission Tomography (PET) using ¹⁸F-FluoroDeoxyGlucose (¹⁸F-FDG), a radiolabelled analogue of the glucose, is used to get an image of the glucose consumption in the body. As most tumor masses show a high glucose consumption, PET is widely used in oncology for diagnosis and patient monitoring. In the context of patient monitoring, the motivation is to decrease the time interval needed to assess treatment (radiotherapy or chemotherapy efficieny) compared to therapeutic follow-up based only on anatomic imaging only (Computed Tomography or Magnetic Resonance Imaging). My research project aimed at proposing and improving quantitative methods in FDG-PET to better characterize tumor evolution.In PET, many factors affect the accuracy of parameters estimated from the images. Among them, Partial Volume Effect (PVE) remains difficult to correct, mainly due to the low spatial resolution of PET images. To determine the impact of PVE on treatment response evaluation, a preliminary study was performed using Monte Carlo simulated PET scans. An additional study was conducted based on the analysis of the PET/CT (Computed Tomography) data of 40 Metastatic Colorectal Cancer (MCC) patients treated with chemotherapy at the Jules Bordet Institute (Brussels, Belgium). The analysis of the 101 tumors showed that criteria such as the Standardized Uptake Value (SUV), which does not include PVE correction, were better predictors of tumors evolutions than PVE corrected criteria. This is because without PVE correction, SUV includes information on both metabolic volume and metabolic activity, which are two relevant pieces of information to characterize the tumor. A second part of our work was to study the potential of tumor texture analysis in patient monitoring, following promising results reported in the literature. Texture analysis was applied to the MMC patients data previously mentioned but did allow to a better segregation of tumors responses as compared to indices currently used in the clinics. We found that this was partly due to the lack of robustness of the textures indices.Finally, we evaluated a Factor Analysis in Medical Images Series (FAMIS) method to characterize tumor evolution during treatment. This study focused on 9 series of 4 to 6 PET/CT scans acquired all along the radiotherapy/radio-chemotherapy of patients treated at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Henri Becquerel (Rouen, France). In addition to the rich visual information brought by this method, a quantitative analysis of the results made it possible to characterize response heterogeneity as seen using FAMIS. In particular, FAMIS clearly demonstrated the occurrence of inflammatory processes. In addition, due to the low metabolic activity of the tumors at the end of the treatment, many conventional indices could not describe the tumor changes, while FAMIS gave a full assessment of the tumor change over time.

Processing of broadband signals induced on an antenna array using a tapped delay line filter and a set of steering delays has two problems. Firstly one needs to manipulate large matrices to estimate the filter coefficients. Secondly the use of steering delays is not only cumbersome but implementation errors cause loss of system performance. This thesis looks at both of these problems and presents elegant solutions by developing and studying a design method referred to as the DFT method, which does not require steering delays and is computationally less demanding compared to existing methods. Specifically the thesis studies and compares the performance of a time domain element space beamformer using the proposed method and that using an existing method, and develops the DFT method when the processor is implemented in partitioned form. The study presented in the thesis shows that the processors using the DFT method are robust to look direction errors and require less computation than that using the existing method for comparable performance. The thesis further introduces a broadband beamformer design which does not require any steering delays between the sensors and the tapped delay line section as is presently the case. It has the capability of steering the array in an arbitrary direction with a specified frequency response in the look direction while canceling unwanted uncorrelated interferences. The thesis presents and compares the performance of a number of techniques to synthesize an antenna pattern of a broadband array. These techniques are designed to produce isolated point nulls as well as broad sector nulls and to eliminate the need for the steering delays. Two of the pattern synthesis techniques presented in the thesis allow optimization against unwanted interferences in unknown directions. The techniques allow formulation of a beamforming problem such that the processor is not only able to place nulls in specified directions but also able to cancel directional interferences in unknown directions along with a specified frequency response in the look direction over a band of interest. The thesis also presents a set of directional constraints such that one does not need steering delays and an array can be constrained in an arbitrary direction with a specified frequency response. The constraints presented in the thesis are simple to implement. Based on these constraints a pattern synthesis technique for broadband antenna array is also presented.

La compression d'images médicales et biologiques, en particulier sur les modalités d'imagerie telles que la tomodensitométrie (TDM), l'imagerie par résonance magnétique (IRM) et les lames virtuelles en anatomo-pathologie (LV), est un enjeu économique important, notamment pour leur archivage et pour leur transmission. Cette thèse dresse un panorama des besoins et des solutions existantes en compression, et cherche à proposer, dans ce contexte, de nouveaux algorithmes de compression numérique efficaces en comparaison aux algorithmes de référence standardisés. Pour les TDM et IRM, les contraintes médico-légales imposent un archivage de très bonne qualité. Ces travaux se sont donc focalisés sur la compression sans perte et presque sans perte. Il est proposé de i) fusionner le modèle prédictif hiérarchique par interpolation avec le modèle prédictif DPCM adaptatif afin de fournir une représentation scalable en résolution efficace pour la compression sans perte et surtout presque sans perte, ii) s'appuyer sur une optimisation pour la compression sans perte d'une décomposition en paquets d'ondelettes, spécifique au contenu de l'image. Les résultats de ces deux contributions montrent qu'il existe encore une marge de progression pour la compression des images les plus régulières et les moins bruitées. Pour les LV, la lame physique peut être conservée, la problématique concerne donc plus le transfert pour la consultation à distance que l'archivage. De par leur contenu, une approche basée sur l'apprentissage des spécificités structurelles de ces images semble intéressante. Cette troisième contribution vise donc une optimisation hors-ligne de K transformées orthonormales optimales pour la décorrélation des données d'apprentissage (K-KLT). Cette méthode est notamment appliquée pour réaliser un apprentissage concernant des post-transformées sur une décomposition en ondelettes. Leur application dans un modèle de compression scalable en qualité montre que l'approche peut permettre d'obtenir des gains de qualité intéressants en terme de PSNR.

Peas dominate New Zealand grain legume production and they are a major export crop. However, weeds are a major problem particularly under organic production, where the use of synthetic chemicals is prohibited. To address this limitation, a research program to study weed control in peas was done to provide both conventional and organic farmers a sustainable weed management package. This was done through three field experiments over two growing seasons, 2006/07 and 2007/08. Experiment 1, (2006/07) evaluated the effect of 50, 100 and 400 plants m² on crop yield, and weed growth of Aragon, Midichi or Pro 7035 with and without cyanazine. Experiment two explored the physiology of two pea genotypes, the leafed (Pro 7035) and the semi leafless (Midichi) sown at three dates. A herbicide treatment was included as a control. In the third experiment Midichi, was used to investigate the effect of different pea and weed population combinations and their interaction on crop yield and weed growth. All crops were grown at Lincoln University on a Templeton silt loam soil. In Experiment one, herbicide had no effect on total dry matter (TDM) and seed yield (overall mean seed yield 673 g m²). There was also no significant difference in mean seed yield among the pea genotypes, Aragorn, Pro 7035 and Midichi, (overall mean, 674 g m²). The lowest average seed yield, 606 g m² was from 400 plants m² and the highest, 733 g m², from 50 plants m², a 21% yield increase. A significant herbicide by population interaction showed that herbicide had no effect on seed yields at 100 and 400 plants m². However, cyanazine treated plots at 50 plants m² gave 829 g m² of seed. This was 30% more than the 637 g m², from plots without herbicide. In Experiment 1 pea cultivar and herbicide had no significant effect on weed counts. In Experiment 2 the August sowing gave the highest seed yield at 572 g m². This was 62% more than the lowest yield, in October. Cyanazine treatment gave a mean seed yield of 508 g m², 19% more than from unsprayed plots. There was a significant (p < 0.05) sowing date x genotype interaction which showed that in the August sowing genotype had no effect on seed yield. However, in September the Pro 7035 seed yield at 559 g m² was 40% more that of Midichi and in October it gave 87% more. Weed spectrum varied over time. Prevalent weeds in spring were Stachys spp, Achillea millefolium L., and Spergular arvensis L. In summer they were Chenopodium album L., Rumex spp, Trifolium spp and Solanum nigrum L. Coronopus didymus L., Stellaria media and Lolium spp were present in relatively large numbers throughout the season. In Experiment 3 seed yield increased significantly (p < 0.001) with pea population. Two hundred plants m² gave the highest mean seed yield at 409 g m² and 50 plants m² gave the lowest (197 g m²). The no-sown-weed treatment gave the highest mean seed yield of 390 g m². This was due to less competition for solar radiation. There was no difference in seed yield between the normal rate sown weed and the 2 x normal sown weed treatments (mean 255 g m²). It can be concluded that fully leafed and semi-leafless peas can be sown at similar populations to achieve similar yields under weed free conditions. Increased pea sowing rate can increase yield particularly in weedy environments. Early sowing can also increase yield and possibly control problem weeds of peas (particularly Solanum spp), which are usually late season weeds. Herbicide can enhance pea yield but can be replaced by effective cultural methods such as early sowing, appropriate pea genotype and high sowing rates. Additional key words: Pisum sativum L., semi-leafless, fully leafed, cyanazine, pea population, weed population, sustainable, TDM, seed yield, weed, weed counts, sowing date, weed spectrum, seed rates.