This text uses a semiotic psychoanalytical framework to analyze season two of The White Lotus. This text examines the significance of the artwork of the show and applies Lacan’s mirror theory to the series’ artwork and the character Ethan. This thesis posits that the artwork is edited to accomplish the following: 1) to act as a metaphorical mirror for Ethan (a component of mise en scéne) 2) to heighten the series’ cultural appeal 3) to surveil the hotel guests and 4) to foreshadow future events.

No description available.

Various potential methods and techniques for modifying surfaces to make themless sensitive to contamination have been researched for various applicationsbefore, to varying degrees of success. These are discussed in detail to potentiallyapply them in the automotive sector, to face the increasing technical cleanlinessrequirements, that are linked to more complexity in design and electrification. TheTheoretical background in dust adhesion and contact mechanics is discussed, withdevelopments in analytical and numerical methods highlighted. Then, someexamples of the surfaces in question are presented, and their topographiesmeasured. Potential techniques are identified from previous experimental research in otherfields, and their applicability and feasibility are discussed within the limits ofavailable data, then an attempt at a structured approach for choosing candidatesfor further experimental testing on a case by case basis is laid out, and suggestionsfor more comprehensive research into effective parameters and analytical methodsare made.

Le contrôle de la mouillabilité de surface est un enjeu majeur pour le développement de matériaux innovants liés aux nano, bio et smart technologies. La mouillabilité est fonction de deux paramètres majeurs : l’énergie de surface du matériau et sa morphologie. La combinaison de ces deux paramètres est à la base de phénomènes tels que la super/parahydrophobie ou la superoléophobie. Ces capacités extrêmes à repousser les liquides avec soit une forte ou faible adhésion sont des propriétés de surface très intéressantes pour de multiples applications industrielles. La présente thèse propose l’étude d’une série de dérivés du polypyrrole élaborés par électrodéposition permettant d’influencer les paramètres régissant la mouillabilité de surface. Par cette approche, il a été possible d’élaborer des surfaces aux morphologies diverses avec une gamme de mouillabilité complète. Les différentes fonctionnalisations par des groupements hydrophobes greffés sur différentes positions préférentielles du monomère ont conduit à l’élaboration de surfaces para et superhydrophobes mettant en évidence l’impact de l’énergie de surface et de la morphologie sur la mouillabilité. Des études préliminaires ont mis en évidence la possibilité d’obtenir des morphologies variées allant de sphères jusqu’à des fibres à l’échelle du micro/nanomètre. Finalement, ces travaux contribuent à un contrôle en amont de la mouillabilité et de la morphologie de surface pour de nombreuses applications potentielles comme les matériaux collecteurs d’eau, les membranes séparatrices de liquide ou bien les revêtements auto nettoyant. / The control of the surface wettability is a key point for the development of innovative materials in several domains such as nano-, bio- and smart-technologies. The wettability is a function of two main parameters of the materials, such as the surface energy and the surface morphology. The combination of these two parameters allows to observe wetting phenomena as super/parahydrophobicity and superoleophobicity. These extreme abilities to repel liquids with different adhesion behaviors are very interesting properties for several industrial applications. This work presents a series of polypyrrole derivatives elaborated by electrodeposition allowing to influence the parameters driving the surface wettability. Following this approach, it was possible to develop surfaces with several types of morphology and different wetting behaviors from a low to high wettability. The different functionalizations using hydrophobic compounds grafted on various preferential positions on the monomer core yielded to para and superhydrophobic surfaces showing the impact of the surface energy and morphology on the wettability. Thanks to preliminary studies, it was showed the possibility to obtain several morphologies from spherical aggregates to fibers at the micro/nano scale. Finally, this work contributes to an upstream control of the surface wettability and morphologies for many potential applications such as water harvesting, separation membranes and self-cleaning coatings.

La question de recherche à la base de cette étude soulève le point de la nature paradoxale du canon de représentation égyptien qui démontre, simultanément, une certaine rigidité dans l’application de règles stylistiques et iconographiques établies, particulièrement dans l’art non commandité par l’État, et des preuves de transformation et d’intégration de motifs nouveaux. Partant de cette problématique, l’étude vise à identifier les mécanismes par lesquels ce canon permet, à la fois, l’innovation et le maintien d’une certaine tradition. L’approche est de nature double et consiste tout d’abord à identifier de grandes tendances et discontinuités stylistiques et iconographiques sur les bols de faïence du Moyen au Nouvel Empire. De plus, elle tente de déterminer si les transformations d’ordre sociopolitique et idéologique, survenant à ces périodes, peuvent être lues dans les variations stylistiques et iconographiques trouvées sur les bols de faïence. Après une description du champ conceptuel de la « représentation » en contexte égyptien, l’auteur effectue l’analyse iconographique exhaustive de ce qui constitue l’apport majeur de son étude, un corpus de 500 bols et fragments de faïence provenant de divers sites égyptiens du Moyen au Nouvel Empire. Les données ont été traitées par le biais de la méthode d’analyse iconologique proposée par Panofsky, qui lui permet de dévoiler un grand nombre de continuités et de transformations d’ordre stylistique et iconographique pour les différentes périodes. Plusieurs facteurs semblent avoir été à l’origine de ces transformations, dont la fluctuation entre un contexte de centralisation et de décentralisation politique de l’État, ainsi que l’intégration de motifs étrangers (proche-orientaux et égéens) résultant d’un contact accru entre l’Égypte et les régions voisines. De plus, les transformations idéologiques apportées par le règne d’Akhénaton et par la « contre-réforme » idéologique à la période ramesside, semblent avoir également contribué à des innovations au sein du canon, même si ce dernier maintient une certaine continuité légitimée par le pouvoir étatique. Le canon de représentation, devient ainsi une forme de langage dont l’État se sert et qui, parfois malgré lui, se transforme et fluctue selon les réalités des différentes périodes. / This study’s research question raises the issue of the paradoxical nature of the Egyptian canon of representation which shows, simultaneously, a certain rigidity in the application of established stylistic and iconographic rules, especially in non-state commissioned art, and evidence for the transformation and integration of new iconographical motifs. The study aims to identify the mechanisms by which the canon permits, at the same time, transformative processes and the maintenance of tradition. The approach is twofold and consists primarily in identifying trends and stylistic/iconographical discontinuities in the iconography found on the faience bowls from the Middle to the New Kingdoms. Furthermore, it aims to determine if the socio-political and ideological transformations taking place in these periods can be discerned in the stylistic and iconographical variations found on the bowls of the Middle to the New Kingdoms. The author discusses the theoretical model of “representation” in Egyptian context, followed by an analysis of what constitutes the major contribution of this study: an exhaustive iconographical analysis of 500 faience bowls and fragments originating from various Egyptian sites dating to the New Kingdom. The data was evaluated by means of the method of iconological analysis proposed by Panofsky, which permits the identification of a number of stylistic and iconographic continuities and changes for all periods. These transformations seem to be the result of a variety of factors, including fluctuations in the centralization and decentralization of the state, as well as the integration of foreign motifs (Near-Eastern and Aegean), which results from increased contacts between Egypt and its neighbouring regions. Furthermore, the ideological transformations taking place under Akhenaton’s reign and the ones resulting from the ideological “counter-reformation” occurring during the Ramessid period, equally seem to contribute to the changes in the representational canon, even though the latter maintained a certain continuity that was legitimized by the state. The canon thus emerges as a form of language used by the state, and sometimes despite it, which can fluctuate and be altered depending on the realities of the different periods.

Protoplast fusion of Lolium perenne and Lotus corniculatus for gene introgression by Sanjeev V. Raikar Lolium perenne is one of the most important forage crops globally and in New Zealand. Lotus corniculatus is a dicotyledonous forage that contains valuable traits such as high levels of condensed tannins, increased digestibility, and high nitrogen fixing abilities. However, conventional breeding between these two forage crops is impossible due to their markedly different taxonomic origin. Protoplast fusion (somatic hybridisation) provides an opportunity for gene introgression between these two species. This thesis describes the somatic hybridisation, the regeneration and the molecular analysis of the putative somatic hybrid plants obtained between L. perenne and L. corniculatus. Callus and cell suspensions of different cultivars of L. perenne were established from immature embryos and plants were regenerated from the callus. Of the 10 cultivars screened, cultivars Bronsyn and Canon had the highest percentage of callus induction at 36% each on 5 mg/L 2,4-D. Removal of the palea and lemma which form the seed coat was found to increase callus induction ability of the embryos. Plant regeneration from the callus was achieved when the callus was plated on LS medium supplemented with plant growth regulators at different concentrations. Variable responses to shoot regeneration was observed between the different cultivars with the cv Kingston having the lowest frequency of shoot formation (12%). Different factors affecting the protoplast isolation of L. perenne were investigated. The highest protoplast yield of 10×106 g-1FW was obtained when cell suspensions were used as the tissue source, with enzyme combination ‘A’ (Cellulase Onozuka RS 2%, Macerozyme R-10 1%, Driselase 0.5%, Pectolyase 0.2%), for 6 h incubation period in 0.6 M mannitol. Development of microcolonies was only achieved when protoplasts were plated on nitrocellulose membrane with a L. perenne feeder layer on PEL medium. All the shoots regenerated from the protoplast-derived calli were albino shoots. The highest protoplast yield (7×106 g-1FW) of L. corniculatus was achieved from cotyledons also with enzyme combination ‘A’ (Cellulase Onozuka RS 2%, Macerozyme R-10 1%, Driselase 0.5%, Pectolyase 0.2%), for 6 h incubation period in 0.6 M mannitol. The highest plating efficiency for L. corniculatus of 1.57 % was achieved when protoplasts were plated on nitrocellulose membrane with a L. perenne feeder layer on PEL medium. The highest frequency of shoot regeneration (46%) was achieved when calli were plated on LS medium with NAA (0.1 mg/L) and BA (0.1 mg/L). Protoplast fusion between L. perenne and L. corniculatus was performed using the asymmetric somatic hybridisation technique using PEG as the fusogen. L. perenne protoplasts were treated with 0.1 mM IOA for 15 min and L. corniculatus protoplasts were treated with UV at 0.15 J/cm2 for 10 min. Various parameters affecting the fusion percentage were investigated. Successful fusions were obtained when the fusions were conducted on a plastic surface with 35% PEG (3350 MW) for 25 min duration, followed by 100 mM calcium chloride treatment for 25 min. A total of 14 putative fusion colonies were recovered. Shoots were regenerated from 8 fusion colonies. Unexpectedly, the regenerated putative hybrid plants resembled L. corniculatus plants. The flow cytometric profile of the putative somatic hybrids resembled that of L. corniculatus. Molecular analysis using SD-AFLP, SCARs and Lolium specific chloroplast microsatellite markers suggest that the putative somatic hybrids could be L. corniculatus escapes from the asymmetric protoplast fusion process. This thesis details a novel Whole Genome Amplification technique for plants using Strand Displacement Amplification technique.

Many of the existing ambient modal identification methods based on vibration data process information centrally to calculate the modal properties. Such methods demand relatively large memory and processing capabilities to interrogate the data. With the recent advances in wireless sensor technology, it is now possible to process information on the sensor itself. The decentralized information so obtained from individual sensors can be combined to estimate the global modal information of the structure. The main objective of this thesis is to present a new class of decentralized algorithms that can address the limitations stated above. The completed work in this regard involves casting the identification problem within the framework of underdetermined blind source separation (BSS). Time-frequency transformations of measurements are carried out, resulting in a sparse representation of the signals. Stationary wavelet packet transform (SWPT) is used as the primary means to obtain a sparse representation in the time-frequency domain. Several partial setups are used to obtain the partial modal information, which are then combined to obtain the global structural mode information. Most BSS methods in the context of modal identification assume that the excitation is white and do not contain narrow band excitation frequencies. However, this assumption is not satisfied in many situations (e.g., pedestrian bridges) when the excitation is a superposition of narrow-band harmonic(s) and broad-band disturbance. Under such conditions, traditional BSS methods yield sources (modes) without any indication as to whether the identified source(s) is a system or an excitation harmonic. In this research, a novel under-determined BSS algorithm is developed involving statistical characterization of the sources which are used to delineate the sources corresponding to external disturbances versus intrinsic modes of the system. Moreover, the issue of computational burden involving an over-complete dictionary of sparse bases is alleviated through a new underdetermined BSS method based on a tensor algebra tool called PARAllel FACtor (PARAFAC) decomposition. At the core of this method, the wavelet packet decomposition coefficients are used to form a covariance tensor, followed by PARAFAC tensor decomposition to separate the modal responses. Finally, the proposed methods are validated using measurements obtained from both wired and wireless sensors on laboratory scale and full scale buildings and bridges.

La question de recherche à la base de cette étude soulève le point de la nature paradoxale du canon de représentation égyptien qui démontre, simultanément, une certaine rigidité dans l’application de règles stylistiques et iconographiques établies, particulièrement dans l’art non commandité par l’État, et des preuves de transformation et d’intégration de motifs nouveaux. Partant de cette problématique, l’étude vise à identifier les mécanismes par lesquels ce canon permet, à la fois, l’innovation et le maintien d’une certaine tradition. L’approche est de nature double et consiste tout d’abord à identifier de grandes tendances et discontinuités stylistiques et iconographiques sur les bols de faïence du Moyen au Nouvel Empire. De plus, elle tente de déterminer si les transformations d’ordre sociopolitique et idéologique, survenant à ces périodes, peuvent être lues dans les variations stylistiques et iconographiques trouvées sur les bols de faïence. Après une description du champ conceptuel de la « représentation » en contexte égyptien, l’auteur effectue l’analyse iconographique exhaustive de ce qui constitue l’apport majeur de son étude, un corpus de 500 bols et fragments de faïence provenant de divers sites égyptiens du Moyen au Nouvel Empire. Les données ont été traitées par le biais de la méthode d’analyse iconologique proposée par Panofsky, qui lui permet de dévoiler un grand nombre de continuités et de transformations d’ordre stylistique et iconographique pour les différentes périodes. Plusieurs facteurs semblent avoir été à l’origine de ces transformations, dont la fluctuation entre un contexte de centralisation et de décentralisation politique de l’État, ainsi que l’intégration de motifs étrangers (proche-orientaux et égéens) résultant d’un contact accru entre l’Égypte et les régions voisines. De plus, les transformations idéologiques apportées par le règne d’Akhénaton et par la « contre-réforme » idéologique à la période ramesside, semblent avoir également contribué à des innovations au sein du canon, même si ce dernier maintient une certaine continuité légitimée par le pouvoir étatique. Le canon de représentation, devient ainsi une forme de langage dont l’État se sert et qui, parfois malgré lui, se transforme et fluctue selon les réalités des différentes périodes. / This study’s research question raises the issue of the paradoxical nature of the Egyptian canon of representation which shows, simultaneously, a certain rigidity in the application of established stylistic and iconographic rules, especially in non-state commissioned art, and evidence for the transformation and integration of new iconographical motifs. The study aims to identify the mechanisms by which the canon permits, at the same time, transformative processes and the maintenance of tradition. The approach is twofold and consists primarily in identifying trends and stylistic/iconographical discontinuities in the iconography found on the faience bowls from the Middle to the New Kingdoms. Furthermore, it aims to determine if the socio-political and ideological transformations taking place in these periods can be discerned in the stylistic and iconographical variations found on the bowls of the Middle to the New Kingdoms. The author discusses the theoretical model of “representation” in Egyptian context, followed by an analysis of what constitutes the major contribution of this study: an exhaustive iconographical analysis of 500 faience bowls and fragments originating from various Egyptian sites dating to the New Kingdom. The data was evaluated by means of the method of iconological analysis proposed by Panofsky, which permits the identification of a number of stylistic and iconographic continuities and changes for all periods. These transformations seem to be the result of a variety of factors, including fluctuations in the centralization and decentralization of the state, as well as the integration of foreign motifs (Near-Eastern and Aegean), which results from increased contacts between Egypt and its neighbouring regions. Furthermore, the ideological transformations taking place under Akhenaton’s reign and the ones resulting from the ideological “counter-reformation” occurring during the Ramessid period, equally seem to contribute to the changes in the representational canon, even though the latter maintained a certain continuity that was legitimized by the state. The canon thus emerges as a form of language used by the state, and sometimes despite it, which can fluctuate and be altered depending on the realities of the different periods.

Many of the existing ambient modal identification methods based on vibration data process information centrally to calculate the modal properties. Such methods demand relatively large memory and processing capabilities to interrogate the data. With the recent advances in wireless sensor technology, it is now possible to process information on the sensor itself. The decentralized information so obtained from individual sensors can be combined to estimate the global modal information of the structure. The main objective of this thesis is to present a new class of decentralized algorithms that can address the limitations stated above. The completed work in this regard involves casting the identification problem within the framework of underdetermined blind source separation (BSS). Time-frequency transformations of measurements are carried out, resulting in a sparse representation of the signals. Stationary wavelet packet transform (SWPT) is used as the primary means to obtain a sparse representation in the time-frequency domain. Several partial setups are used to obtain the partial modal information, which are then combined to obtain the global structural mode information. Most BSS methods in the context of modal identification assume that the excitation is white and do not contain narrow band excitation frequencies. However, this assumption is not satisfied in many situations (e.g., pedestrian bridges) when the excitation is a superposition of narrow-band harmonic(s) and broad-band disturbance. Under such conditions, traditional BSS methods yield sources (modes) without any indication as to whether the identified source(s) is a system or an excitation harmonic. In this research, a novel under-determined BSS algorithm is developed involving statistical characterization of the sources which are used to delineate the sources corresponding to external disturbances versus intrinsic modes of the system. Moreover, the issue of computational burden involving an over-complete dictionary of sparse bases is alleviated through a new underdetermined BSS method based on a tensor algebra tool called PARAllel FACtor (PARAFAC) decomposition. At the core of this method, the wavelet packet decomposition coefficients are used to form a covariance tensor, followed by PARAFAC tensor decomposition to separate the modal responses. Finally, the proposed methods are validated using measurements obtained from both wired and wireless sensors on laboratory scale and full scale buildings and bridges.

Universiẗat, Diss.--Heidelberg, 1996.