My thesis includes a collection of short stories that showcases my growth and potential as a fiction writer. The thesis also includes a critical introduction that highlights my aims and the influences on my work. My introduction seeks to establish the overarching purpose of creative work. Specifically, I focus on how my work reflects the theme of using projection as a defense mechanism to cope with internal and external crises that force characters to deal with undesirable situations or aspects of their personality. The introduction then expounds on the commonly accepted Freudian definition of ?projection,? as well as the related Jungian ?shadow.? Both of these psychoanalytic concepts are closely linked to the doppelg�nger. To expound on the tradition of using these concepts in literature, I list works that employ these themes and dispute the traditional association of such themes with invariably tragic endings. Next, I attempt to explode the common assumption that links projection to dysfunction by pointing to both maladaptive and adaptive uses of projection. I point out that people can project both negative and positive aspects of their personality onto outside entities with both positive and negative consequences. I then detail examples from my stories that reflect these uses of projection. I go on to further expand the definition of ?projection? by challenging the notion that people only project aspects of their personality onto other people and that this is a strictly psychological process, providing additional examples from my work. Finally, I illuminate how my stories seek to reevaluate the common assumption that the doppelg�nger and the ?shadow? are figures that foreshadow destructive outcomes. Next, I move on to a discussion of the specific research methods and influences of each story, drawing on literary works and personal reasons for exploring my topics. I also mention how previous study has fueled my work on the themes in these stories. The stories themselves are products of my purpose and research. My conclusion relates how these stories reflect my theme and purpose and how they shaped my growth as a writer.

Novel micro patterning techniques have been developed for the patterning of volatile functional materials which cannot be conducted by conventional photolithography. First, in order to create micro patterns of volatile materials (such as bio-molecules and organic materials), micro-contact printing and shadow mask methods are investigated. A novel micro-contact printing technique was developed to generate micro patterns of volatile materials with variable size and density. A PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane) stamp with 2-dimensional pyramidal tip arrays has been fabricated by anisotropic silicon etching and PDMS molding. The variable size of patterns was achieved by different external pressures on the PDMS stamp. A novel inking process was developed to enhance the uniformity and repeatability in micro-contact printing. The variable density of patterns could be obtained by alignment using x-y transitional stage and multiple stamping with a z-directional moving part. Second, for direct patterning of small molecule organic materials (e.g. pentacene), a novel shadow mask method has been developed with a simple and accurate alignment system. To make accurate dimensions of patterning windows, a silicon wafer was used for the shadow mask since a conventional semiconductor process gives a great advantage for accurate and repeatable fabrication processes. A sphere ball alignment system was developed for the accurate alignment between the shadow mask and the silicon substrate. In this alignment system, four matching pyramidal cavities were fabricated on each side of the shadow mask and silicon wafer substrate using an anisotropic silicon bulk etching. By placing four steel spheres in between the matching cavities, the self-alignment system could be demonstrated with 2-3um alignment accuracy in x-y directions. For OTFT (Organic thin film transistor) application, an organic semiconducting layer was directly deposited and patterned on the substrate using the developed shadow mask method. On the other hand, novel embedding techniques were developed for enabling conventional semiconductor processes including photolithography to be applied on the small substrate. The polymer embedding method was developed to provide an extended processing area as well as easy handling of the small substrate. As an application, post CMOS (Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) integration of a relatively large microstructure which might be even larger than the substrate was demonstrated on a VCO (Voltage-controlled oscillator) chip. In addition, micro patterning on the optical fiber was demonstrated by using a silicon wafer holder designed to surround and hold the optical fiber. The micro Fresnel lens could be successfully patterned and integrated on the optical fiber end.

We revisit the optimal investment and consumption model of Davis and Norman (1990) and Shreve and Soner (1994), following a shadow-price approach similar to that of Kallsen and Muhle-Karbe (2010). Making use of the completeness of the model without transaction costs, we reformulate and reduce the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation for this singular stochastic control problem to a non-standard free-boundary problem for a first-order ODE with an integral constraint. Having shown that the free boundary problem has a smooth solution, we use it to construct the solution of the original optimal investment/consumption problem in a self-contained manner and without any recourse to the dynamic programming principle. By analyzing the properties of the free boundary problem, we provide an explicit characterization of model parameters for which the value function is finite. Furthermore, we prove that the value function, as well as the slopes of the lines demarcating the no-trading region, can be expanded as a series of integer powers of [lambda superscript 1/3]. The coefficients of arbitrary order in this expansion can be computed. / text

No description available.

Aim at the moving objects detection, after studying several categories of background modeling methods, we design an improved Vibe algorithm based on image segmentation algorithm. Vibe algorithm builds background model via storing a sample set for each pixel. In order to detect moving objects, it uses several techniques such as fast initialization, random update and classification based on distance between pixel value and its sample set. In our improved algorithm, firstly we use histograms of multiple layers to extract moving objects in block-level in pre-process stage. Secondly we segment the blocks of moving objects via image segmentation algorithm. Then the algorithm constructs region-level information for the moving objects, designs the classification principles for regions and the modification mechanism among neighboring regions. In addition, to solve the problem that the original Vibe algorithm can easily introduce the ghost region into the background model, the improved algorithm designs and implements the fast ghost elimination algorithm. Compared with the tradition pixel-level background modeling methods, the improved method has better  robustness and reliability against the factors like background disturbance, noise and existence of moving objects in the initial stage. Specifically, our algorithm improves the precision rate from 83.17% in the original Vibe algorithm to 95.35%, and recall rate from 81.48% to 90.25%. Considering the affection of shadow to moving objects detection, this paper designs a shadow elimination algorithm based on Red Green and Illumination (RGI) color feature, which can be converted from RGB color space, and dynamic match threshold. The results of experiments demonstrate  that the algorithm can effectively reduce the influence of shadow on the moving objects detection. At last this paper makes a conclusion for the work of this thesis and discusses the future work.

This thesis discusses the financial market model with proportional transaction costs considered in Cvitanic and Karatzas (1996) (hereafter we use CK (1996)). For a modified dual problem introduced by Choulli (2009), I discuss solutions under weaker conditions than those of CK (1996), and furthermore the obtained solutions generalize the examples treated in CK (1996). Then, I consider the exponential utility which does not belong to the family of utility considered by CK (1996) due to the Inada condition. Finally, I elaborate the same results as in CK (1996) for the exponential utility, and I derive other related results using the specificity of the exponential utility function as well. These lead to a different method/approach than CK (1996) for our utility maximization problem, and different notion of admissibility for financial strategies as well. / Mathematical Finance

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität Köln, 1979. / Added t.p. with thesis statement and vita (3 p.) inserted into v. 1. Includes song texts in Javanese, with German translation. Bibliography: v. 1, p. 238-244.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Michigan, 1980. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (p. 581-585).

L'ampleur sans précédent de la crise financière de 2007-2008 a donné naissance à une vaste littérature dévolue à l'analyse du phénomène du Shadow Banking, considéré comme le principal responsable de la débâcle bancaire et financière de la Grande Récession, sans pour autant apporter une compréhension globale. L’objectif de cette thèse est, à l’aide d’une approche positive, d’étudier les racines et effectuer une dissection du Shadow Banking, indispensable pour cerner sa complexité, en établir une compréhension globale et comprendre son rôle central dans le financement de l’économie et la création monétaire. Avant d’être normative, cette étude nécessite surtout une démarche positive qui doit présenter des faits et des mécanismes d’un point de vue analytique. Pour cela, ce travail contribue à la littérature existante en proposant une démarche progressive exposant les outils de la migration supposée des risques bancaires en dehors du bilan des banques et démêlant le vrai du fantasme dans une lecture approfondie des enjeux du Shadow Banking. Dans cette logique, le premier chapitre de ce travail de thèse s’est porté sur ce qui semblait être à l’origine de la crise de 2007-2008, à savoir la circulation des actifs et des risques des banques au travers de la vente de crédits bancaires. Il y est établi que le transfert d’actifs bancaires dans sa forme moderne est une réalité depuis plus de quarante ans, fragilisant l’hypothèse d’un phénomène récent coupable du péché originel menant à la crise, ce fardeau semblant dévolu à la titrisation. Le second chapitre de ce travail de thèse est ainsi consacré à l’étude de la titrisation et plus particulièrement de ses origines et de ses mécanismes. A l’image de la vente de crédit, l’hypothèse d’un phénomène récent est vite écartée par la riche et longue histoire du processus de titrisation qui s’étend sur plus de quatre siècles. A l’opposé d’un phénomène balbutiant et uniquement américain, la titrisation révèle des racines européennes et anciennes loin d’être dénuées d’une certaine instabilité. En revanche, il est avéré que la forme moderne de la titrisation doit son schéma au secteur public américain qui a, par son choix de privilégier les engagements sur la détention des actifs, entretenu le mirage d’une bénédiction de Midas sensé permettre de créer de la qualité ex-nihilo. Si cette fable est loin d’être soutenable, il n’en reste pas moins que la titrisation peut être un processus vertueux de répartition de qualité et de rendement rendu possible par la diminution des asymétries d’information, accompagné d’une amélioration sensible de la liquidité du financement. Cependant, elle n’en reste pas moins le support préférentiel des arbitrages réglementaires bancaires permis par l’attentisme des régulateurs. Enfin, à la lumière de ces éclairages nécessaires sur les outils de la finance moderne, le troisième chapitre de ce travail de thèse se consacre à l’étude du Shadow Banking. Après en avoir exposé et dénoncé les poncifs, il offre une lecture du phénomène qui dépasse le simple fantasme d’un système bancaire parallèle caché dans les ombres en proposant une lecture qui mène progressivement à s’interroger sur le basculement du système financier vers une dynamique de collatéralisation intensive. Cette multiplication des assurances trouve alors son paroxysme dans l’émergence d’une nouvelle hiérarchie monétaire, les banques centrales abandonnant un peu plus leurs prérogatives au secteur privé : les banques disposent depuis près d’un siècle de la capacité de création monétaire qui a été, peu à peu, cédée de concert au Shadow Banking. Ce troisième chapitre appelle une réflexion ultérieure sur la place de la banque dans le système financier et sur l’avenir de la création monétaire qui échappe de plus en plus aux banquiers centraux. / The unprecedented scale of the 2007-2008 financial crisis has spawned a vast literature devoted to analyzing the phenomenon of Shadow Banking, considered as the main cause of the banking and financial debacle of the Great Recession, without noticeably providing a global understanding of the phenomena. The main objective of this thesis is, using a positive approach, to study the roots and perform a dissection of the Shadow Banking in order to understand its complexity, establishing a comprehensive understanding of its central role in financing economy and money creation. Before being prescriptive, this study requires above all a positive step that should present facts and mechanisms of an analytical point of view. In this way, this work contributes to the existing literature with a progressive and didactic approach exposing the migration tools of banking risks outside of balance sheets of banks and disentangling fact from fantasy in a thorough reading of the challenges of the Shadow Banking. In this logic, the first chapter of this thesis is devoted to what appeared to be the cause of the crisis of 2007-2008, namely the migration of banks’ assets and risks through credits sales. There is evidences of loan sales for more than forty years, weakening the hypothesis of a recent phenomenon guilty of the original sin leading to the crisis, this burden pretends vested in the securitization. The second chapter of this thesis is thus devoted to the study of securitization and especially of both its origins and its mechanisms. Just like the sale of credit, the assumption of a new phenomenon was quickly ruled out by the long and rich history of the securitization process that spans over four centuries. In contrast to the fledgling and uniquely American phenomenon, securitization reveals its ancient European roots and appears far from being devoid of a certain instability. However, it turned out that the modern form of securitization owes its pattern to the American public sector that, by its choice of using commitments instead of detention of assets, maintaining the mirage of a Midas’ blessing allowing to create ex nihilo quality. If this tale is far from being sustainable, the fact remains that securitization can be a virtuous process offering both quality and yield distribution, reducing information asymmetries, and significantly improving liquidity. However, it remains the preferred medium for banks’ regulatory arbitrages, the later allowed by wait-and-see regulators. Finally, in light of these necessary insights into the tools of modern finance, the third chapter of this thesis is devoted to the study of the Shadow Banking. After exposing its clichés, it offers a lecture of the phenomenon that goes beyond the fantasy of a shadow banking system hidden in the shadows, by providing an approach that gradually leads to the changeover of the financial system to a dynamic and intensive collateral form. This multiplication of insurances then finds its climax in the emergence of a new monetary hierarchy, central banks abandoning their prerogatives to the private sector. Since a century, banks have monetary creation capacities that were, gradually, transferred to the Shadow Banking. This third chapter conclude on the need of further research on the new role of the banking system in the financial system and the future of money creation increasingly eluding central bankers.

Context. Indirect illumination – the light contribution from bounce light in an environment – is an important effect when creating realistic images. Historically it has been approximated very poorly by applying a constant ambient term. This approximation is unacceptable if the goal is to create realistic results as bouncing light contributes a lot of light in the real world. Objectives. This thesis proposes a technique to use a reflective shadow map to place and configure spotlights in an environment to approximate global illumination. Methods. The proposed spotlight distribution technique is implemented in a delimited real time graphics engine, and the results are compared to a naive spotlight distribution method. Results. The image resulting from the proposed technique has a lower quality than the comparison in our test scene. Conclusions. The technique could be used in its current state for applications where the view can be controlled by the developer such as in 3D side scrolling games or as a tool to generate editable indirect illumination. Further research needs to be conducted to make it more broadly viable. / Indirekt illuminering är en viktigt effekt om en försöker skapa realistiska bilder. Den här uppsatsen föreslår en teknik där en reflektiv skuggkarta används för att placera och konfigurera strålkastare för att approximera indirekt illuminering. Tekniken kan användas i till exempel sidscrollande 3D spel eller för att skapa ett verktyg som kan användas för att skapa redigerbar indirekt illuminering. Vidare forskning krävs för att göra tekniken rimlig för flera användningsområden.