Fractal image compression is based on the representation of an image by contractive transforms whose xed points are close to the original image. In the encoding of fractal image compression, most of the time is spent on nding the close match between a range block and a large pool of domain blocks. In this thesis, we use the intra-block variances distributions of domain blocks to reduce the searching space. For nding a close match we need only search the domain blocks whose maximal intra-block variance quadrants are the same as that of the range block in nding a close match. The experiment results show that our algorithm can reduce much encoding time with only slight loss of quality.

During the Late Pliocene to Middle Pleistocene Ages, sediments of the study area were deposited in the intra-slope salt withdrawal basin where sand-prone sediments deposited as turbidite lobes and channel fills are the main reservoirs of the Northern Gulf of Mexico. The main purpose of this study was to identify and characterize these sand-prone sediments. Sequence stratigraphic analysis of well logs, biostratigraphic data, and 3-D seismic data provided a chronostratigraphic framework of the study area, within which seismic facies analysis was carried out. Each sequence was subdivided into separate seismic bodies characterized by specific amplitude, coherence of reflectors, and shape of reflectors. The descriptions of each seismic facies combined with well logs were compared with turbidite facies models to infer their geological information. Five turbidite elements were identified: depositional channel fills and overbank deposits, erosional channel fills, turbidite lobes, mud turbidite fills and sheets and hemipelagic and pelagic drapes. Depositional channel fills are usually deposited in lower parts of interpreted sequences, surrounded by shale-prone overbank deposits. The lateral variation of these turbidite elements was revealed by horizon slices, in which depositional channels are generally trending NE-SW or NNE-SSW with elongated sinuous forms. Well logs indicate that depositional channel fills usually consist of bell or cylinder type sand-prone sediments. Turbidite lobe was found only in the 1.1-0.8 Ma sequence, in which it laps out onto the underlying sequence boundary and shows high-amplitude and a high-coherence of mound shape. This facies is interpreted as sand-prone, but wells available penetrated only the marginal parts of this facies and showed poor reservoir qualities. Horizon slices could partly reveal its lapout boundary due to the limitation of vertical seismic resolution. Mud turbidite fills and sheets are the most dominant turbidite facies, which usually occurred in the upper parts of sequences and overlain by hemipelagic and pelagic drapes. Hemipelagic and pelagic drapes were deposited very widely, wrapping down the previous topography with consistent thickness throughout the basin. Erosional channel was observed only in the 0.8-0.7 Ma sequence where it cut into the underlying sequence and was filled by shale-prone sediments. Depositional channel fills and turbidite lobes are the main reservoir facies in the study area. Seismic facies analysis using vertical seismic sections and horizon slices combined with lithology data made it possible to identify and systematically describe these sand prone turbidite elements in intra-slope salt withdrawal basin.

In this thesis, a high-efficient integrated pixel compensator architecture for the H.264/AVC standard has been proposed which can provide both inter and intra prediction functions for luma and chroma components of pixels. By decomposing the algorithms used for both prediction methods into small micro-operation steps, the fundamental arithmetic processing unit architecture capable for performing these operations can be first determined. Next, by considering the possible reference sample transfer issue, the overall compensator architecture will be built by using parallel processing units with some input and intermediate buffers which can be dynamically configured to perform proper computation schedules of different modes suitable for the nature input order of reference samples. The proposed design not only can avoid the additional data transposition buffer, but most importantly the data transfer time spent to fetch the reference samples can be overlapped with the data computation time. Since both arithmetic units and the intermediate data buffer for both inter and intra prediction processes have been shared, our integrated design can achieve more than 30% reduction of gate count compared with the sum of the separate designs. Our design can also lead to more than 38% saving of gate count compared with the previous designs. In addition to the data-path design, this thesis also addresses the memory bandwidth optimization issue which is especially important for the luma interpolation process. A new data-reuse buffer design based on a two-dimensional cache architecture to explore the possible data reuse among the inter and intra partitions will be proposed. The proposed design can be easily integrated with the H.264 interpolator to reduce the enormous demand of memory access. Our experimental results shows that our saving of memory bandwidth can be 20% more than what the best design can achieve by exploring the intra-partition data reuse only. Besides, our compensator can decode the videos up to HDTV resolution, and be applied for the dedicated H.264 hardware codec for various consumer devices.

Thèse d'exercice : Médecine. Médecine générale : Université de Nantes : 2005. / Bibliogr. f. 98-110 [138 réf.].

Horizontal relationships between subsidiaries within an MNC are rarely shown on an organisation chart but the interactions along this dimension are critical to the achievement of an MNC’s global operations and strategic activities. Different interaction logics of social relationships and economic exchanges in horizontal relationships induce simultaneous competition and collaboration between the subsidiaries. Collaboration and competition is a business reality in inter-subsidiary relationships as they collaborate to share resources and knowledge, but ultimately compete for resources, customers and profits. While much research has focused on the effects of internal collaboration, and to a lesser extent internal competition, on organisational performance, little is known about the antecedents of competition and collaboration and the interplay of simultaneously occurring interactions. By focusing on one or the other, any understanding of the inherent tensions between the two is overlooked. This research explores the coopetitive nature of the inter-subsidiary relationship using a qualitative approach within three MNCs, where internal competition and collaboration are more salient. Data were gathered from 98 semi-structured interviews with top and senior management, top management focus groups and a body of secondary data including internal reports, policy documents and external publications, among others, has been referenced. The study makes three key contributions. First, by extending Luo’s (2005) theoretical model of intra-MNE coopetition, the study identifies additional respective antecedents of competition and collaboration. Second, the study locates inherent tensions arising from inter-subsidiary coopetition and explicates how the tensions are managed by the HQ and subsidiaries using spatial, balancing and assessing mechanisms and specific interventions. Third, the study offers an empirically-based model of inter-subsidiary coopetition with a more dynamic and temporal set of multiple relationships among the subsidiaries within the MNCs. Management implications include that senior management teams be aware of the opportunities and constraints of promoting a culture of collaboration while simultaneously fostering inter-subsidiary competition through internal accounting policies and incentive systems, and that the capability of senior managers to work effectively within dual organisational structures be developed and incorporated into executive development programmes.

Cognitive deficits are highly prevalent in multiple sclerosis (MS) and have a negative impact on daily life. Impairments in information processing speed are among the most commonly reported deficits in MS and are generally assessed by evaluating mean-level performance on time-limited tests. However, this approach to assessing performance ignores potential within-subject differences that may be useful for characterizing cognitive difficulties in MS. An alternative method of measuring performance on timed cognitive tasks is to examine the degree of within-subject variability, termed intraindividual variability (IIV). IIV provides information about the characteristics of an individual’s performance and may provide novel information about cognitive functioning in MS and other neurodegenerative disorders. The research presented in this dissertation examined IIV in performance as an indicator of cognitive functioning in persons with MS and explored the relations of performance variability to measures of neuronal connectivity derived from resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI). Individuals with MS were found to be both slower and more variable on tests of information processing speed and attention. This variability was observed even when controlling for sensorimotor confounds and other systematic variables that may influence variability, such as practice and learning effects. IIV in performance was found to better distinguish MS patients from matched groups of healthy control subjects when compared to common clinical measures of cognitive performance or average response speed. These differences in IIV were also found consistently across six monthly assessments in a group with MS who remained clinically stable over this period. This stability in IIV suggests its feasibility as a measure of changes in longitudinal cognitive or clinical status. Using rsfMRI, greater stability in performance (i.e., lower IIV) was associated with greater functional connectivity between frontal lobe regions (i.e., ventral medial prefrontal cortex and frontal pole) in persons with MS. This increased connectivity appears to represent potential compensatory processes within mildly affected MS individuals. Together the findings demonstrate that IIV is an important characteristic of cognitive performance that may provide new insights into the cognitive deficits present in MS.

Uppsatsen behandlar pedagogiskt dokumentationsarbete i förskolan och fokuserar på återbesök av dokumentation. Syftet är att undersöka på vilket sätt återbesök kan ge sig i uttryck och har undersökts utifrån frågeställningarna: på vilket sätt ges barn möjlighet att återbesöka dokumentation och vad uppstår i mötet dem emellan? Den teoretiska utgångspunkten tar avstamp i en intra-aktiv pedagogik och teorin undersöks med frågan: på vilket sätt kan en intra-aktiv pedagogik bidra till en ökad förståelse för återbesök av pedagogisk dokumentation? Studien utgår från en kvalitativ metod och filmobservationer ligger till grund som analysmaterial. Resultatet visar på att barnen på den undersökta avdelningen ges rika möjligheter till att återbesöka dokumentation. Inte enbart genom fotografier utan även med olika material som barnen ges möjlighet att intra-agera tillsammans med. Slutsatsen av studien är att förståelsen för återbesök av dokumentation kan fördjupas genom ett intra-aktivt pedagogiskt perspektiv. Perspektivet kan bidra till att återbesök inte enbart handlar om att återge något som varit utan återbesök av dokumentation kan leda arbetet och vidare lärprocesser framåt.

The aim of this study is to indicate the necessity for training Christian workers and to formulate suitable criteria for undergraduate study. The central theoretical argument is that criteria regarding the effective training of Christian workers are lacking and should therefore be formulated. An increasing demand for healthy reformed-theological and ministry oriented undergraduate training of Christian workers, calls for an interesting and new challenge for the departments of Practical Theology at Theological Faculties in South Africa and worldwide. The first aim of this study was to determine which possible Scriptural perspectives exist on the intra- and interpersonal development of the believer. The basis-theoretical perspective showed a distinct relationship and interdependency between the development of emotive and spiritual skills. Both form an integral part of the believer's process of growth towards spiritual maturity and maturity of faith. The second aim was to examine the contributions of other relevant disciplines. Regarding the metatheoretical perspective, emotive training is considered increasingly important. Disciplines such as Sociology. Psychology, Psycho Neurology and Social Work contributes interesting perspectives on the intra- and interpersonal development of the individual. This knowledge has to be taken into account when a scientifically answerable training course for Christian workers is to be developed. Empirical research clearly showed the need for ministry oriented undergraduate training of Christian workers, which should include the development of intra- and interpersonal skills. The third goal was reached by integrating the basis- and meta-theoretical perspectives, and by laying down guidelines for this new field of practice. The researcher evaluated relevant study material of the above-mentioned disciplines and integrated the information into criteria for a new theo-psychosocial study course for undergraduate training of Christian workers. / Thesis (M.A. (Pastoral))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006

Many studies have reported individual differences in resting metabolic rate (RMR), the energetic cost of self-maintenance. Differences among individuals in the energetic cost of self-maintenance may influence life-history decisions and hence, fitness. In this study, we examined potential causes of intra-specific variation in RMR in zebrafish, Danio rerio. First, the repeatability of RMR was determined to check whether a single measure was reflective of future physiological performance. As predicted, RMR was repeatable over a period of three weeks. However, none of stress-coping style, baseline cortisol levels, metabolically-active organ (gill, heart, intestine and liver) mass, aggression or activity levels were correlated with RMR, i.e. none of these factors were significant contributors to individual variation in RMR. These results imply that other factors must be sought to explain the inter-individual variation in RMR observed in zebrafish.

No description available.