No description available.

The purpose of this thesis work was to develop a Hardware-in-the-Loop imaging setup that enables experimenting with an event-based and frame-based camera under simulated space conditions. The generated data sets were used to compare visual navigation algorithms in terms of an event-based and frame-based feature detection and tracking algorithm. The comparative analyses of the feature detection and tracking algorithms were used to get insights into the feasibility of event-based vision near-space space objects. Event-based cameras differ from frame-based cameras by how they produce an asynchronous and independent stream of events caused by brightness changes at each pixel instead of capturing images at a fixed rate. The setup design is based on a theoretical framework incorporating optical calculations. These calculations indicating the asteroid model needed to be scaled down by a factor of 3192 to fit inside the camera depth-of-view. This resulted in a scaled Bennu asteroid with a size of 16.44 centimeters.The cameras under testing conducted three experiments to generate data sets. The utilization of a feature detection and tracking algorithm on both camera data sets revealed that the absolute number of tracked features, computation time, and robustness in various scenarios of the frame-based camera algorithm outperforms the event-based camera algorithm. However, when considering the percentages of tracked features relative to the total detected features, the event-based algorithm tracks a significantly higher percentage of features for at least one key frame than the frame-based algorithm.  The comparative analysis of the experiments performed in space-simulated conditions during this project showed that the feasibility of an event-based camera using solely events is low compared to the frame-based camera.

No description available.

The purpose of this essay is to analyze the ideology of the cultural phenomenon, that is as political as it is controversial, the new atheism. By studying the ideas and values of four prominent new atheists, commonly referred to as the ‘four horsemen of the new atheism’, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens, and Daniel Dennett, this study aims to, in some ways challenge, and in others, nuance, the categorization of the movement. Its adherents have often been labeled as, for example: ‘secular fundamentalists’, ‘evangelical’ and ‘radical secularists’. None of these designations are inherently wrong. But I think there is a more fitting term available: ‘societal secular maximalist’. This term is a modified version of ‘religious maximalism’, coined by the historian of religion at the University of Chicago, Bruce Lincoln. I argue that the new atheist ideology is not fundamentalistic because it admits fallibility if another theory where to disprove it within its own scientific discourse. Considering this fact, it does not hold is central ideological feature, most commonly a Darwinist theory of evolution, as absolute. Due to this, and some other factors, I argue that the societal secular maximalist categorization is more fitting because the scientific and humanistic views of the ‘four horsemen’ lay claim to all aspects of human existence, private and public, emotional, and factual along with the morals, ethics and aesthetics of our societies.

La dictature de la Junte militaire du Chili (11 septembre 1973 – 1990), dont la violence est d’autant plus marquante qu’elle opère dans une période très récente de l’histoire du pays, interroge l’autonomie du système symbolique des textes littéraires produits dans ce contexte. En effet, c’est la première fois dans l’histoire de la littérature chilienne qu’une grande quantité de textes sont écrits et publiés depuis l’exil ou depuis des centres de détention.Considérant ce phénomène spécifique dans son temps, cette étude s’attache à identifier les figures de la mémoire dans le langage poétique à partir de la figuration de la violence, telle qu’elle s’exprime dans la production de six poètes, qui s’étend sur une période de quarante ans (1950-1980). L’analyse de ces œuvres met en évidence la capacité du langage poétique à transcender la codification d’un contexte aussi important qui n’est pourtant pas l’unique évènement marquant de violence d’Etat dans l’histoire du Chili. L’analyse d’un corpus de textes écrits par Nicanor Parra, Enrique Lihn et Jorge Teiller, références majeures de la poésie de Gonzalo Millán, Tomás Harris et Rodrigo Lira, est présentée selon une double perspective, linguistique et socio-littéraire. La première partie de cette thèse mobilise le concept de « sujet en procès », emprunté à la théorie du langage de Julia Kristeva, Cette perspective a pour ambition d’analyser dans quelle mesure et comment la figuration de la violence constitue une parole de la mémoire et un questionnement sur l’identité nationale dans la poésie chilienne. La deuxième partie s’appuie sur la perspective de la « théorie des champs » et du « pouvoir symbolique » tel que l’envisage Pierre Bourdieu pour analyser l’impact du discours historique de l’identité nationale et sa représentation de l’exercice de la violence dans les champs de la production politique et littéraire.Envisagées dans une perspective moins restreinte à leur contexte socio-historique immédiat de production, les relations qu’entretiennent le langage, la violence et le pouvoir figurent ainsi au cœur de cette recherche. / The dictatorship of the military junta in Chile (09.11.1973-1990), the violence of which is all the more striking as it covers a very recent period in the history of this country, questions the autonomy of the symbolical system of the literary texts produced in this context. Indeed,it is the first time in the history of Chilean literature such an amount of texts have been written and published from exile or detention centres.Taking into account that this phenomenon is specific to its period, this study aims at studying the representations of memory in poetic language. It starts from the figuration of violence as it is expressed over a period of forty years (1950-1980) in six poets' production.The analysis of these works highlights the ability of poetic language to transcend the codification of so important a context, which is not, however, the only striking event of State violence in the history of Chile.The analysis of a collection of texts written by Nicanor Parra, Enrique Lihn and Jorge Teiller, major references of Gonzalo Millán, Tomás Harris and Rodrigo Lira 's poetry, is presented according a double perspective, linguistic as well as socio-litterary. The first part of this thesis focuses on the concept of the « subject in process », taken from Julia Kristeva's theory of language.This perspective aspires to analyze to what extent and how the representation of violence constitutes an expression of memory and a questioning about national identity in the Chilean poetry.The second part is based on the perspective of the theory of fields and the symbolic power as seen by Pierre Bourdieu in order to analyze the historical speech about national identity, and its representation of the exercise of violence in the fields of political and litterary production.Considered in a perspective which is less limited to their immediate socio-historical context of production, the relations maintained by language, violence and power, appear at the heart of this research. / Una época tan violenta e históricamente cercana como la de la dictadura de La Junta Militar (11 de septiembre de 1973 / 1990), problematiza, entre otras, la autonomía del sistema simbólico de los textos literarios producidos dentro de ese contexto. A partir de lo anterior, nuestro estudio se interesa en la identificación de la memoria en el lenguaje poético desde la figuración de la violencia, principalmente aquel de seis poetas que abarca un periodo de cuarenta años (1950-1980). El interés del análisis versa sobre la capacidad del lenguaje poético para trascender la especificidad de un contexto tan importante y significativo, que sin embargo no es el único hito de violencia de Estado en la historia de Chile. La relación entre lenguaje poético y violencia se vuelve así central para la presente investigación.El estudio de textos de Nicanor Parra, Enrique Lihn y Jorge Teillier, como antecedentes poéticos mayores para la poesía de Gonzalo Millán, Tomás Harris y Rodrigo Lira, se presenta bajo una doble perspectiva : lingüística y socio-literaria. La primera parte del análisis implica un concepto de lenguaje poético acorde a la teoría del « sujeto en proceso » de Julia Kristeva. Esta perspectiva ambiciona verificar si las figuras de la violencia constituyen un discurso de memoria y de identidad en la poesía chilena. La segunda parte, se basa en la « teoría de campos » y del « poder simbólico » de Pierre Bourdieu, para analizar el impacto del discurso histórico de identidad nacional y la representación del ejercicio de la violencia en los campos de producción política y literaria.

Abstract : The field of literature taken as a sociological phenomenon has enlightened and deepened our knowledge and appreciation of several national literatures, and the works of Pierre Bourdieu and Georg Simmel in this field are now considered ground-breaking. In Québec, the Groupe de recherche sur l’édition littéraire au Québec (now operating under the name « Groupe de recherche sur l’étude du livre au Québec ») has been particularly active in studying the sociological conditions that make literature possible in this Canadian province. Parallel to this, the Équipe de recherche interuniversitaire en littérature anglo-québécoise (ÉRILAQ) has gathered researchers interested in the “contact zone,” to borrow an expression from Catherine Leclerc and Sherry Simon, that is Anglo-Quebec literature. This dissertation will combine these two interests in order to study in greater depth the discourse and works of the poets of the Jubilate Circle, a network of poets writing in English in Québec at the turn of the twenty-first century. It will not only seek to prove the existence of a literary circle, it will attempt to showcase how the circle itself has contributed to advancing its members’ literary careers. In keeping with Pierre Bourdieu’s theories of cultural, symbolic and social capital, this dissertation will present, from the outset, a prosopographical sketch of the four poets that make up the Jubilate Circle, and examine the conditions in which they met, bonded as a group (of friends and of colleagues) and came to found the Jubilate Circle. Following this, the instances in which capital of all kinds (symbolic, cultural and social) were exchanged by the four poets will be examined through a close reading of correspondence, dedications, book jacket blurbs and even of the poetry itself. In an attempt to identify the homogeneous in the cacophony of discourse, to paraphrase Marc Angenot, the Jubilate Poets’ discourse on Canadian poetry, enunciated in interviews, essays, book reviews and in the press will then be examined. This will provide a better understanding of the position they hold, or wish to hold, within the field of Canadian poetry and indeed within its canon, existing or future. Finally, an analysis of the poetry they have produced will serve to underscore those aspects of their discourse that are deemed particularly relevant and will highlight areas in which some contradictions may be observed. As a whole, this dissertation will shed some light on the production of poetry, of its criticism and of its publication not only as a literary phenomenon, but also as a profoundly social one. // Résumé : L’étude du champ littéraire en tant que phénomène social a su éclairer et approfondir notre appréciation de plusieurs littératures nationales, et les travaux de Pierre Bourdieu et de Georg Simmel à cet égard sont aujourd’hui considérés fondateurs. Au Québec, le Groupe de recherche sur l’édition littéraire au Québec (aujourd’hui connu sous le nom « Groupe de recherche sur l’étude du livre au Québec ») a jeté les assises dans l’étude des conditions sociologiques qui rendent le phénomène littéraire possible dans cette province canadienne. Parallèlement, l’Équipe de recherche interuniversitaire en littérature anglo-québécoise (ÉRILAQ) réunit des chercheurs qui s’intéressent à cette “zone de contacte”, pour reprendre l’expression de Catherine Leclerc et de Sherry Simon, qu’est la littérature anglo-québécoise. Cette thèse combinera effectivement ces deux champs de recherche afin d’étudier de manière plus approfondie le discours et les œuvres des poètes du “Jubilate Circle”, un réseau de poètes publiant en anglais au Québec au tournant du vingt-et-unième siècle. Elle cherchera non seulement à prouver l’existence d’un cercle littéraire, mais tentera également de démontrer par quels moyens ce même cercle a pu contribuer à l’avancement des carrières littéraires de ses membres. Suivant les théories sur le capital culturel, symbolique et social énoncées par Pierre Bourdieu, cette thèse brossera, dans un premier temps, le profil prosopographique de chacun des acteurs du Jubilate Circle et se penchera sur les conditions qui ont favorisé leur rencontre, le bourgeonnement d’une amitié et d’une collaboration littéraire à long terme et la création du cercle littéraire. En second lieu, les instances dans lesquelles des échanges de capital ont lieu seront scrutées grâce à une lecture détaillée de la correspondance, des dédicaces, des textes de quatrième de couverture et même de la poésie elle-même. Dans le but de faire ressortir l’homogène que recèle la cacophonie du discours, pour paraphraser Marc Angenot, le discours tenu par les poètes du Jubilate Circle au sujet de la poésie canadienne contemporaine, énoncé lors d’entretiens, dans des essais littéraires, des comptes rendus et dans les quotidiens de ce pays sera examiné. Une telle étude permettra de faire la lumière sur leur posture et sur la position qu’ils occupent, ou souhaitent occuper, dans le champ de la poésie canadienne, voire dans son canon littéraire, présent ou futur. Enfin, une analyse de la poésie produite par ces quatre poètes sera l’occasion de souligner et d’illustrer certains aspects particulièrement significatifs de leur discours et révélera quelques instances dans lesquelles certaines contradictions peuvent être observées. Dans son ensemble, cette thèse vise à jeter un nouvel éclairage sur la production d’une poésie, de sa critique et de ses instances de publication non seulement en tant que phénomène littéraire, mais bien en tant que phénomène profondément social.

A stochastic operator is a positive linear contraction, P : L1 --+ L1, such that llPfII2 = llfll1 for f > 0. It is called asymptotically stable if the iterates pn f of each density converge in the norm to a fixed density. Pf(x) = f K(x,y)f(y)dy, where K( ·, y) is a density, defines a stochastic kernel operator. A general probabilistic/ deterministic model for biological systems is considered. This leads to the LMT operator P f(x) = Jo - Bx H(Q(>.(x)) - Q(y)) dy, where -H'(x) = h(x) is a density. Several particular examples of cell cycle models are examined. An operator overlaps supports iffor all densities f,g, pn f APng of 0 for some n. If the operator is partially kernel, has a positive invariant density and overlaps supports, it is asymptotically stable. It is found that if h( x) > 0 for x ~ xo ~ 0 and ["'" x"h(x) dx < liminf(Q(A(x))" - Q(x)") for a E (0, 1] lo x-oo then P is asymptotically stable, and an opposite condition implies P is sweeping. Many known results for cell cycle models follow from this. / Mathematical Science / M. Sc. (Mathematics)

Thesis (MPhil (Ancient Studies)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / The question that this thesis aims to examine is how the motifs of the myth of Demeter and Persephone have been perpetuated in three modern works of fiction, which are Treasure at the Heart of the Tanglewood by Meredith Ann Pierce, Chocolat by Joanne Harris and House of Women by Lynn Freed. It is the aim of this work to substantiate that the issues that the ancient myth of Demeter and Persephone highlights, are still of value in this modern world and that the same human issues that women had to come to terms with then, continue to be relevant today. Briefly, the myth of Demeter and Persephone is about Demeter, the Olympian goddess of agricultural fertility, whose daughter Persephone is abducted by Hades, the god of the Underworld. The myth tells of Demeter’s grief at the loss of Persephone, and her desperate search for her daughter. Due to her grief, she stops all plants from growing which could be fatal to the mortals, and would have repercussions for the immortals that they serve. Demeter and Persephone are eventually reunited and the earth flourishes with growth once more. However for one-third of the year Persephone must descend to the Underworld to be at the side of Hades, at which time it is winter and plants do not grow. Then for two-thirds of the year she ascends to be with her mother, Demeter, and plants blossom and ripen, and it is the time of spring and summer. The impact of myth is not dead.

The problem of this study was to determine if there was a difference in the self-concept of two groups of ninth-grade students when one group received the services of junior and senior students in a Peer Assistance and Leadership class. The results of the Piers-Harris Children's—Self—Concept Scale were used to determine the difference between the mean self-concept scores of the two groups and also to determine if there was a relationship between the criterion variable of the total self-concept score and eight predictor variables as identified by House Bill 1010: Limited English proficiency, age, school attendance, achievement scores two or more years below grade level in reading and mathematics on a norm-referenced test, failure to master any portion of the Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum Skills, failure in two or more subjects, grade retention, and eligibility for free or reduced-price lunch. A total of 105 students, 50 in the experimental group and 55 in the control group, participated. The findings revealed that there was no significant difference in the mean self-concept scores of the two groups. The correlation revealed that there were significant differences between self-concept and the variables of mathematics achievement scores, failing grades, and eligibility for free lunch.

The problem of this study was to determine if there were differences in perceived attitudes of self-concept between young people who returned to alternative education after dropping out of public education and educationally disadvantaged at-risk youth in Coordinated Vocational Academic Education (CVAE) classes as measured by the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale. The hypotheses formulated for the study predicted no significant difference in mean attitude self-concept scores of returned dropouts to alternative schools and CVAE students enrolled in junior high school preemployment laboratories and high school students enrolled in Cooperative Education classes as measured by the Piers-Harris scale; and no significant change in mean attitude self-concept scores of former dropouts enrolled in alternative education centers and CVAE students as measured by the Piers-Harris scale over a two-month period utilizing an extended Solomon Four-Group Design, with and without the treatment. The scale was administered to 351 students from junior high and high school CVAE classes in Ector County (Odessa), Fort Stockton, and Midland Independent School Districts and alternative schools in Denton, Fort Stockton, Midland and Odessa, Texas. The self-concept scores were treated for significance by an analysis of variance. Findings were that all groups tested scored within the age range, junior high school CVAE students scored lowest, but not significantly lower (p > .05); and junior high school CVAE students, alternative school students, and high school CVAE students all had a slight increase in self-confidence scores over the two-month period. All null hypotheses were retained. It was concluded that, overall, junior high school CVAE students, former dropouts who returned to an alternative school, and high school CVAE students possessed positive self-concepts that were above the national mean for the scale; and that CVAE classes enhance the self-concept of academically disadvantaged students in Cooperative Education classes.