We present a method aimed at estimating global bilateral migration flows and assessing their determinants. We employ that fact that available net migration figures for a country are (nonlinear) aggregates of migration flows from and to all other countries of the world in order to construct a statistical model that links the determinants of (unobserved) migration ows to total net migration. Using simple specifications based on the gravity model for international migration, we find that migration flows can be explained by standard gravity model variables such as GDP differences, distance or bilateral population. The usefulness of such models is exemplified by combining estimated specifications with population and GDP projections in order to assess quantitatively the expected changes in migration flows to Europe in the coming decades. / Series: WWWforEurope

Neste trabalho foram propostas técnicas para a segmentação automática de mamogramas e para a detecção de assimetrias entre mamogramas esquerdo e direito. A segmentação é realizada através de três técnicas computacionais para a identificação de três importantes regiões anatômicas nos mamogramas: borda da mama, músculo peitoral e disco fibro-glandular. O primeiro método focaliza a identificação da borda da mama através do uso de um modelo de contorno ativo especialmente projetado para esse propósito. Neste estágio, a borda da mama é automaticamente demarcada, todos os artefatos fora dessa região são eliminados, e a região de interesse usada para a detecção do músculo peitoral é definida. No próximo estágio, a borda do músculo peitoral é determinada usando uma técnica multiresolução baseada na representação Gabor wavelets. Finalmente, um modelo de densidades da mama, baseado no modelo da mistura finita de Gaussianas, é proposto para a representação de quatro categorias de tecidos mamários com diferentes densidades. O disco fibro-glandular é identificado através da aplicação de um limiar sob as classes de densidades determinadas no modelo. Os métodos propostos foram aplicados em 84 imagens de mamogramas de projeções médio-laterais oblíqüas da base de dados Mini-MIAS (\"Mammographic Image Analysis Society\", London, UK). A avaliação dos resultados dos procedimentos de segmentação da borda da mama e borda do músculo peitoral foi realizada com base no percentual de pixels falso-positivos (FPs) e falso-negativos (FNs) determinados por comparação entre os contornos verdadeiros e os contornos automaticamente identificados. As taxas médias de FPs e FNs para as bordas da mama e do músculo peitoral foram, respectivamente, de 0,41% e 0,58%, e 1,78% e 5,77%. A segmentação dos discos fibro-glandulares foi subjetivamente classificada por radiologistas e os resultados indicaram que em mais de 80% dos casos a segmentação foi ) considerada aceitável para o uso em sistemas de auxílio ao diagnóstico. A detecção de assimetrias foi realizada usando informações direcionais, obtidas a partir da representação multiresolução Gabor wavelets, e de informações de forma e densidade, extraídas dos discos fibro-glandulares dos mamogramas esquerdo e direito. No procedimento de análise direcional, uma representação wavelet formada por filtros de Gabor bidimensionais com variação em freqüência e orientação, especialmente projetadas para reduzir a redundância na representação, é aplicada para uma dada imagem. As respostas dos filtros para diferentes escalas e orientações são analisadas através da transformada de Karhunen-Loève (KL) e pelo método de limiarização de Otsu. A transformada KL é aplicada para selecionar os componentes principais das respostas dos filtros, preservando apenas os elementos direcionais mais relevantes que aparecem em todas as escalas. Os componentes principais selecionados e limiarizados pela técnica de Otsu são usados para obter as imagens de magnitude e fase dos componentes direcionais da imagem. Medidas estatísticas extraídas dos diagramas de rosa calculados a partir das imagens de fase são usadas para a análise quantitativa e qualitativa dos padrões orientados. Um total de 11 atributos é extraído dos discos fibro-glandulares segmentados dos mamogramas esquerdo e direito, e a diferença calculada para cada par de atributos é usada como uma medida para a detecção de assimetrias. Um total de 88 imagens (22 casos normais, 14 casos de densidades assimétricas e 8 casos de distorções de arquitetura) da base de dados Mini-MIAS foram usadas para avaliar o método proposto. A combinação exaustiva dos atributos juntamente com a análise de componentes principais foi usada para selecionar o melhor subgrupo de atributos. A classificação foi realizada através de classificadores de Bayes (linear e quadrático) ) e usando o método \"leave-one-out\". Uma taxa de classificação correta de 84,44% foi alcançada. / In this work, techniques are proposed for the automatic segmentation of mammograms and detection of asymmetries between left and right mammograms. The segmentation is performed by using three computational techniques for the identification of three important anatomical regions of mammograms: the skin-air boundary, the pectoral muscle, and the fibro-glandular disc. The first method focuses on the identification of the skin-air boundary by using an active contour model algorithm specially tailored for this purpose. In this stage, the skin-air boundary is demarcated, all artefacts outside the breast region are eliminated, and the region of interest for detection of the pectoral muscle is defined. In the next stage, the edge of the pectoral muscle is determined by using a multiresolution technique based upon a Gabor wavelets representation. Finally, a density breast model based upon a Gaussian mixture model is proposed for the representation of four categories of different density tissues in the breast. The fibro-glandular disc is identified by thresholding the density categories of the model. The methods proposed were applied to 84 images of medio-lateral oblique mammograms from the Mini-MIAS (Mammographic Image Analysis Society, London, U.K.) database. The evaluation of the skin-air boundary and the pectoral muscle edge were performed based upon the percentage of false-positive (FP) and false-negative (FN) pixels determined by comparison between the true contours and the contours automatically identified. The FP and FN average rates for the skin-air boundary and the pectoral muscle edge were, respectively, 0.41% and 0.58%, and 1.78% and 5.77%. Two radiologists subjectively rated the segmentation of the fibro-glandular disc and the results indicate that in more than 80% of the cases, the segmentation was considered acceptable for a Computer Aided Diagnosis purposes. Detection of asymmetries (continua) (continuação) is performed by using directional information, obtained from a multiresolution Gabor wavelets representation, and shape and density information, extracted from the fibro-glandular discs of left and right mammograms. In the directional procedure, a particular wavelet scheme with 2-D Gabor filters as elementary functions with varying tuning frequency and orientation, specifically designed in order to reduce the redundancy in the wavelet-based representation, is applied to the given image. The filter responses for different scales and orientation are analyzed by using the Karhunen-Loève (KL) transform and Otsu\'s method of thresholding. The KL transform is applied to select the principal components of the filter responses, preserving only the most relevant directional elements appearing at all scales. The selected principal components are thresholded by using Otsu\'s method and used to obtain the magnitude and phase of the image directional components. Rose diagrams computed from the phase images and statistical measures computed thereof are used for quantitative and qualitative analysis of the oriented patterns. A total of 11 features are also extracted from the segmented fibro-glandular discs of left-right mammograms, and the difference of each feature pair is used as a measure for detecting asymmetries. A total of 88 images from 22 normal cases, 14 asymmetric cases, and 8 architectural distortion cases from the Mini-MIAS database were used to evaluate the scheme. An exhaustive combination of the features along with the principal components analysis was used to select the best feature set. The classification was performed by using two Bayes\' classifiers (linear and quadratic) and the leave-one-out methodology. Average classification accuracy up to 84.44% was achieved.

Submitted by Filipe dos Santos (fsantos@pucsp.br) on 2016-10-18T17:02:20Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Luciana Saab.pdf: 1431454 bytes, checksum: 91d3dd276795e9f3636f53ff43c68b3e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-10-18T17:02:20Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Luciana Saab.pdf: 1431454 bytes, checksum: 91d3dd276795e9f3636f53ff43c68b3e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-08-26 / This paper refers to the signing of the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestinians in September 1993 from the understanding that the necessary terms in order to solve the historical conflict are not discussed in the peace process. The reading of the first document to be signed, the Declaration of Principles (DOP), reveals that the contents of the peace proposal and the bilateral negotiations formula do not alter the existing asymmetry of power between Palestinians from the PLO and the State of Israel, which makes the uneven process extremely favorable to the continuation of the Israeli military occupation over the territories of Gaza and the West Bank. The paper therefore focuses its analysis on the negotiation process previous to the signing of the DOP and the political and economic context of those responsible for Oslo, in order to establish what were the interests involved and how they influenced the drafting of the terms of the Declaration. During the research, it becomes clear that the Oslo agreements only benefited the actors involved in secret negotiations in Norway, namely the PLO and Israeli Labor Party, which allows us to state that the peace process was not representative of the various Palestinian and Israeli political sectors. The study also reveals that the peace proposal made to the Palestinians in Oslo is an Israeli formulation, that refers back to the beginning of the peace process in the Middle East in 1978, whose main goal was the normalization of diplomatic relations between Israel and the Arab neighboring states . Thus, the conditions discussed in Oslo were based on an old assumption that regional peace does not imply in the creation of a Palestinian state, but only the right to self-representation of the Palestinian residents in the occupied territories. These conditions were accepted by Yasser Arafat as a strategy to gain political prestige and return to the territory of Palestine. We conclude therefore that the Oslo peace process was not a legitimate initiative to establish a fair and equal peace in the region, as claimed by Israel and the United States, but an agreement made between the Israeli Labour Party and the PLO, drafted to enabled the Israeli territorial expansion over the West Bank and Gaza, to dismiss the question of refugees and not recognize the Palestinian’s right to national self-determination / Este trabalho retoma a assinatura dos Acordos de Oslo entre israelenses e palestinos em setembro de 1993 a partir do entendimento de que os termos necessários para a resolução do conflito histórico não são discutidos no processo de paz. No decorrer da análise do texto do primeiro documento a ser assinado, a Declaração de Princípios (DOP), percebe-se que o conteúdo da proposta de paz e a fórmula de negociações bilaterais adotada não propõem uma alteração da assimetria de poder existente entre palestinos da OLP e o Estado de Israel, o que torna o processo desigual e extremamente favorável à continuação da ocupação militar israelense sobre os territórios da Faixa de Gaza e da Cisjordânia. O trabalho, portanto, foca sua análise no processo de negociação anterior à assinatura da DOP e no contexto político e econômico dos responsáveis por Oslo para estabelecer quais foram os interesses envolvidos em fechar um acordo e de que maneira eles influenciaram a redação dos termos da declaração. Durante a pesquisa, notamos que os Acordos de Oslo beneficiaram exclusivamente os atores envolvidos nas negociações secretas na Noruega, a OLP e israelenses do partido trabalhista, o que nos permite afirmar que o processo de paz não foi representativo dos diversos setores políticos palestinos e israelenses. O estudo também revela que a proposta de paz oferecida aos palestinos em Oslo é uma formulação israelense que remete ao início do processo de paz no Oriente Médio no ano de 1978, cujo principal objetivo foi a normalização das relações diplomáticas entre israelenses e os Estados árabes vizinhos. Assim, as condições negociadas na ocasião de Oslo partiram de um antigo pressuposto de que a paz regional não pressupõe a criação do Estado palestino, mas apenas o direito de autorrepresentação dos residentes dos territórios ocupados. Essas condições foram aceitas pela liderança de Yasser Arafat como estratégia para obter prestígio político e retornar ao território da Palestina. Concluímos, portanto, que o processo de paz de Oslo não se tratou de uma legítima iniciativa para estabelecer a paz de maneira justa e igualitária na região, conforme divulgado por Israel e pelos Estados Unidos, mas de um acordo entre o partido trabalhista e os palestinos da OLP, elaborado de uma maneira que possibilitou a expansão territorial israelense sobre Gaza e Cisjordânia, desconsiderou a questão dos refugiados e não reconheceu o direito à autodeterminação nacional palestina

A partir da década de 1990, houve uma proliferação de Acordos Preferenciais de Comércio (APC) ao redor do mundo. Dentro deste cenário de mudança do comércio mundial, a América Latina foi um importante ator na criação de novos acordos. Entretanto, devido a histórica instabilidade política e econômica da região, nunca houve uma integração de fato, devido principalmente ao caráter protecionista dos países. Nesse sentido, a Aliança do Pacífico (Chile, Colômbia, Peru e México) vem com uma proposta de integração econômica diferente, com objetivo de unir suas economias ainda mais e estar aberta às negociações comerciais com terceiros países. O objetivo deste estudo é estimar o comércio bilateral potencial entre os países membros da Aliança do Pacífico (AP), através do modelo gravitacional de comércio por meio de dados em painel com efeitos fixos para o ano de 2013, com uma amostra de 98 países. Os resultados mostraram que o comércio estimado para o ano de 2013 ficou apenas 1% abaixo do comércio efetivo, o equivalente a US$ 240,6 milhões. A análise por par de países mostrou que o mais beneficiado com a criação da AP seria o México, expandindo consideravelmente suas importações e exportações. / From the 1990s, there was a proliferation of Preferential Trade Agreements (APC) around the world. Within this world trade change of scenery, Latin America was a key player in the creation of new agreements. However, due to historical political and economic instability in the region, there has never been an integration, mainly due to the protectionist nature of countries. In this sense, the Pacific Alliance (Chile, Colombia, Peru and Mexico) comes with a proposal for a different economic integration, aiming to unite their economies further and be open to trade negotiations with third countries. The aim of this study is to estimate the bilateral trade potential between the member countries of the Pacific Alliance (PA), through the gravitational trade model in panel data with fixed effects for year 2013, with a sample of 98 countries. The results showed that the estimated trade for the year 2013 was only 1% below the actual trade, equivalent to US $ 240.6 million. Analysis by pair of countries showed that most benefited from the creation of the Pacific Alliance would be Mexico, considerably expanding its imports and exports.

Operadores de tone mapping reverso (RTMOs) realçam imagens e vídeos de baixa faixa dinâmica para visualização em monitores de alta faixa dinâmica. Um problema comum encontrado por operadores anteriores é a maneira com que tratam conteúdo sub ou superexposto. Sob tais condições, eles podem não ser eficientes, e até mesmo causar perda e reversão de contraste visível. Apresentamos uma classe de operadores de tone mapping reverso, baseados no filtro bilateral cruzado (cross bilateral filter), capazes de gerar imagens HDR de alta qualidade. Experimentos utilizando uma métrica objetiva de avaliação de imagens demostram que nosso método é a única técnica capaz de realçar detalhes perceptíveis ao longo de uma grande gama de exposições de imagem, a qual inclui desde imagens subexpostas até imagens superexpostas. / Reverse tone mapping operators (rTMOs) enhance low-dynamic-range images and videos for display on high dynamic range monitors. A common problem faced by previous rTMOs is the handling of under or overexposed content. Under such conditions, they may not be effective, and even cause loss and reversal of visible contrast. We present a class of local rTMOs based on cross bilateral filtering that is capable of generating highquality HDR images and videos for a wide range of exposure conditions. Experiments performed using an objective image quality metric show that our approach is the only single technique available that can gracefully enhance perceived details across a large range of image exposures.

In 1974 following the Cyprus Crisis, the bilateral alliance between Greece and the United States entered a new period. The bilateral relations, traditionally close since the emergence of the Cold War, faced a set of challenges. Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus and the collapse of the Greek dictatorship, which enjoyed close ties with Washington, gave rise to anti-Americanism in Greek society. Moreover, Washington’s inability to contain Turkish aggression frustrated the Greek government. In response to the invasion of Cyprus, Athens announced Greece’s withdrawal from NATO with the hope of securing the active involvement of the US and NATO in the Greek-Turkish dispute. These developments required readjustments to Greek-US policies and strategies to overcome obstacles and secure their objectives. Greece’s withdrawal from and return to NATO after six years, in October 1980, symbolises best this distinct period of Greek-US cooperation. The traditional historical narrative states that after 1974 the priorities of successive Greek governments were increasingly directed at managing the country’s accession to European Economic Community while developing closer cooperation with the Balkan states. The United States remained another significant ally of Greece. This thesis emphasises that the Greek governments between 1974 and 1980 regarded the United States as the single most important ally for the Greek national security policy. The Greek governments realised that only Washington could assist Greece with both Soviet and Turkish threats. Washington, meanwhile, prioritised retaining close ties with both Greece and Turkey and an eventual re-build of NATO’s Southern Flank. What is significant is that President Carter put aside his idealistic declarations made on the campaign trail and adopted fully Ford/Kissinger’s approach toward Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus, i.e. the Eastern Mediterranean. Hence, the thesis underlines the element of continuity between the US administrations in the second half of 1970s. The thesis makes a significant contribution to Cold War scholarship regarding bilateral relations within the West during the era of détente. Scholars has largely overlooked the US’s relationships with Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus even though the Eastern Mediterranean region dominated the foreign policy agendas of both Ford and Carter administrations. This study argues that President Ford’s handling of relations with Greece was focused on crisis management rather than crisis solving. More significantly, although unrecognised at the time, President Carter’s relations with Greece were a significant success. Ford and Carter responded to the Eastern Mediterranean questions in ways that reflect significant continuities in their approaches. Ford and his Secretary of State Henry Kissinger developed the concept of a ‘balanced approach’ towards Athens and Ankara in political, economic, and military terms that aimed at ensuring close ties with both. Carter followed the same policy concept. Carter succeeded in seeing Greece’s return to full NATO membership while resisting being dragged into the centre of Greek-NATO negotiations. During these years the Greek government also scored significant successes. Greek pressure ensured that Washington devoted equal attention to Greece and Turkey, a much more powerful regional power. Similarly, Greece received significant US economic aid while Turkey faced a strict US arms embargo. By 1980, however, the implications of the Iranian Revolution and the end of détente mandated that Turkey had to take precedence over Greece in the US’s policy considerations.

O presente trabalho tem por objetivo analisar as relações bilaterais e a cooperação militar entre o Brasil e o Paraguai de 1939 a 1948. Em termos internacionais, é uma conjuntura de sistemas de poder em disputa, Estados Unidos e Alemanha entre 1939 e 1945, e Estados Unidos e União Soviética entre 1945 e 1948. Em termos de subsistema platino, é um período de disputa latente entre Brasil e Argentina pela subegemonia regional. Nesse cenário, e a identidade política entre os regimes de Félix Estigarríbia, Higino Moríngio e Getúlio Vargas promoveu uma notável aproximação política e cultural entre os dois países, assim como iniciativas de viabilizar as relações comerciais através de ligações infraestruturais: estradas de ferro, estradas de rodagem, pontes, etc. Também houve a fundação da Missão Militar Brasileira de Instrução no Paraguai (MMBIP) que inaugurou a cooperação militar entre os dois países que persiste até hoje. O incremento das relações bilaterais entre Brasil e Paraguai nesse período fazia parte de um projeto do governo brasileiro de política externa para o desenvolvimento e foi a base dos fortes vínculos que se desenvolveram nos anos posteriores, tendo também contribuído para o lento processo de modificação na balança de poder no Cone Sul. / This work intends to analyze bilateral relations and military cooperation between Brazil and Paraguay from 1939 to 1948. At an international level, we have a conjuncture of power systems in dispute, United States and Germany from 1939 to 1945, and United States and Soviet Union from 1945 to 1948. In terms of platinum subsystem it is a period of potential dispute between Brazil and Argentina. In this context, the ideological identity between Brazilian and Paraguayan governments promoted a remarkable political and cultural rapprochement between the two countries, as well as efforts to enable trade relations trough infrastructure links: railroads, highways, bridges, etc. There was also the settlement of Brazilian Military Instruction Mission in Paraguay (MMBIP), in Asuncion until today. The increase of bilateral relations between the two countries during this period was part of a Brazilian government´s foreign policy project. It has also contributed to the process of modification of balance of power in the Southern Cone.

Interaction between Bilateral Investment Treaties and EU law A major change in the regulation of foreign investments is underway in the European Union involving a transfer of (certain) competences within the field from Member States to the EU, all being a part of a wider initiative with the ultimate goal of establishing a common European investment policy, which, it is argued, might eventually replace the network of bilateral investment treaties concluded between Member States and third countries. Starting with the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, the EU is exclusively competent to regulate extra-EU foreign direct investments since the term "foreign direct investment" was introduced in Article 207 (1) TFEU dealing with the common commercial policy, in which, in accordance with Article 3 (1) (e) TFEU, the EU shall have exclusive competence. Even though the wording is seemingly simple, certain issues, especially concerning the scope of the new EU competence, have been raised and are still not settled. First, the issue of the scope of forms of foreign investments which are to be covered by the EU regulation is unclear. It has been argued that the exclusive competence extends only over direct investments, while other forms, if they are to be covered, would fall under shared competence. This would result...

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine the existence of force production and strength symmetry while concentrating on its role with performance. Specifically, in this dissertation I sought to determine if differences in symmetry exist between male and female athletes as well as between athletes of different strength levels. Various symmetry assessments were used and the amount of carryover between tests was also evaluated. Furthermore, the relationship between asymmetry magnitude and various aspects of jump performance was also assessed. The results showed that female athletes were more asymmetrical than their male counterparts for most assessments. Interestingly, weaker athletes regardless of gender were more asymmetrical than stronger athletes for all assessments. Symmetry characteristics appeared to carryover between all tests and conditions with the exception of the bilateral strength assessment. When separated by strength level, good carryover of explosive strength symmetry characteristics was noted. A trend of negative relationships was noted between jump performance and kinetic asymmetry, measured during jumps and weight distribution. Isometric mid-thigh pull force production asymmetry did not relate to jump performance as it had previously. Kinetic asymmetry was shown to influence the direction of center of mass displacement (COMd). Specifically, asymmetrical rate of force development showed the most ability to differentiate between values of COMd in the mediolateral direction. The finding that female athletes are more likely to produce force asymmetrically may indicate that they are more susceptible to the performance detriments that accompany force production asymmetry. This may also indicate that female athletes are more susceptible to injury if force asymmetry is an injury predictor. However, differences in asymmetry magnitude between the sexes may be due to differences in strength level between the sexes in the current study, as weaker athletes were shown to be more asymmetrical than their stronger counterparts. Thus, it may be inadequate strength level that is a risk factor to performance detriments and possible injury. It also appears that force production asymmetry can both alter and hinder optimal jump performance. In order to optimize performance and possibly reduce injury risk, it is recommended that weaker athletes focus on bilateral strengthening exercises.

BACKGROUND: Vestibular rehabilitation (VR) improves symptoms and function in some but not all patients with bilateral vestibular hypofunction (BVH). OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine change following vestibular rehabilitation and to identify factors associated with rehabilitation outcome in patients with BVH. METHODS: Data from 69 patients with BVH were analyzed. Factors studied included patient characteristics, subjective complaints and physical function. Outcome measures included symptom intensity, balance confidence, quality of life, gait speed, fall risk, and dynamic visual acuity. Bivariate correlations were used to examine relationships of patient characteristics and baseline measures with outcome measures. One-way ANOVAs were used to compare outcomes in patients with BVH versus unilateral vestibular hypofunction (UVH). RESULTS: As a group, patients with BVH improved in all outcome measures except disability following a course of vestibular rehabilitation (VR); however, only 38-86% demonstrated a meaningful improvement, depending on the specific outcome measure examined. Several factors measured at baseline - age, DGI score, gait speed and perceived dysequilibrium - were associated with outcomes. For example, greater age was related to higher DVA scores at discharge; lower initial DGI scores were related to higher Disability scores at discharge. Compared to patients with UVH, reported previously [9], a smaller percentage of patients with BVH improve and to a lesser extent. CONCLUSION: Consideration of baseline factors may provide guidance for setting patient goals. Further research is needed determine what factors predict outcome and to develop more effective treatment strategies for those patients who do not improve.