Application of electronic techniques in the evaluation of picture quality.

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston UniversityA study was previously made by Dr. Duncan E. Macdonald and his group at the Optical Research Laboratory of Boston University. This study dealt with the determination of photographic image quality by edge analysis, where an edge here was defined as B greater than or equal to ten percent occurring between a successive trough and peak of a micro-densitometer trace across the photograph. ∆ B is defined as the brightness change across the edge and B is the minimum absolute brightness where this change took place. This thesis is a further study into the work done by Dr. Macdonald. The analysis of his data was done from direct measurements of the paper recorded micro-densitometer traces, but in this study it was proposed that the same or similar data could be recorded automatically using electronic equipment. This thesis presupposes no quantitative definition of an edge, but suggests that with further work a quantitative definition of an edge may be determined. An edge is simply defined as the boundary which separates a picture element from its surroundings on a photograph so that the object is discernible to the eye. We assume that the quality of the picture is a function of its edges and that the edge can be described by two variables; 1) the slope or rate of change of brightness across the edge, and 2) the relative brightness difference across the edge. The equipment used was designed to measure the magnitude of the relative slope, and count the number of slopes of given magnitude in a unidirectional scan across the photograph. Other equipment was designed to measure the magnitude of the reflectivity difference across the edge and count the number of occurences for a given magnitude per linescan. An edge is defined electronically as the change in reflectivity from black to white of a uni-directional scan between any two points where the derivative of this linescan waveform is zero. In this definition no notice is taken as to whether an observer can detect the edge. Five aerial photographs were used in this study graded by impartial observers. Three of the photos are aerial photographs of trees graded as (A) unus~ble, (B) just usuable, (C) excellent. The other two pictures are aerial photos of the Boston suburban area graded as (P) unusable and (G) excellent. These photographs were mounted on a rotating drum which can be adjusted so that any part of the drum can be scanned. The drum was illuminated from a suitable light source. The target is imaged on a pinhole through an optical system. Behind the pinhole is a photo-multiplier tube. The output of the photo-tube serves as the input to a D.C. amplifier. The output of the amplifier is then a voltage scan of a line on the target. To work with the derivative of this waveform the voltage function is then differentiated and level selected. All derivatives above the level selected are counted on an electronic counter. By varying the level selector from zero to maximum level all derivatives are counted and magnitudes recorded. To get the reflectivity difference across an edge a circuit is used which allows an output of the linescan signal to appear only when the derivative is positive. Thus the reflectivity difference across an edge appears relative to a common base line irrespective of what background reflectivity the edge occurred. This in turn was electronically level selected and counted in the same manner as was the derivative. The data consisted of between 1, 500 and 2, 000 counts for every curve drawn. This data was reworked and presented in graphical form, as shown in figures XVII through XX, as cumulative frequency of counts plotted against the magnitude of the relative derivative of the edge in one case and the magnitude of relative reflectivity across an edge in the other. These curves show quite clearly that a difference exists between the good and poor pictures. The excellent photos have slopes that are much greater than the just usuable or unusable pictures. The higher magnitude slopes seem to indicate the quality of the photograph, the lower value slopes being fairly uniform throughout. Similarly the higher reflectivity across an edge appears on the best quality photographs with commensurate degrading for poorer quality pictures. With the knowledge that the edge criterion chosen can lead to objective results for picture quality, it would be interesting to carry on this work in experimentally determining a definition for the threshold photographic edge. This threshold edge is defined as the minimum observable boundary permitting a picture element to be seen in a photograph by a human observer. This could be done by using a large sample from photo-interpreters and the apparatus already perfected for this thesis

Die Tibiavalgisationsosteotomie mittels Kallusdistraktion

Zusammenfassung: Operationsziel: Korrektur einer varischen Tibiaachse und Entlastung des medialen Kniekompartiments durch mediale Osteotomie im Tibiakopfbereich und Kallusdistraktion zur Valgisation. Indikationen: Symptomatisches Varusknie bei —medialem Postmeniskektomie-Syndrom, —medialer Gonarthrose, —Knorpelläsionen des medialen Kompartiments, —avaskulärer Osteonekrose des medialen Femurkondylus (Morbus Ahlbäck), —Osteochondrosis dissecans des medialen Femurkondylus, —posterolateraler und/oder anteromedialer Rotationsinstabilität des Kniegelenks. Kontraindikationen: Fortgeschrittene Pathologie der Kniegelenkflächen des lateralen Kompartiments. Fortgeschrittene Begleitarthrose des femoropatellaren Gelenks. Extensionsdefizit > 10°. Wenig aktive > 60-jährige Patienten. Operationstechnik: Anlegen eines Fixateur externe unter Bildwandlerkontrolle möglichst nahe zur Gelenklinie. Hautinzision medial der Tuberositas tibiae. Tibiaosteotomie zwischen den proximalen Schrauben des Fixateurs und der Tuberositas tibiae unter Schonung der lateralen Kortikalis. Intraoperative Kontrolle der Distraktion unter dem Bildwandler bis zur gewünschten Korrektur. Zuklappen der Distraktion. Weiterbehandlung: Distraktionsphase ab dem 5. postoperativen Tag mit 1 mm Distraktion pro Tag. Röntgenkontrollen am 5.-7. Tag, nach 6 Wochen und nach 8-10 Wochen nach Beginn der Distraktion, je nach Heilungsverlauf. Bei radiologisch erreichter Korrektur Beendigung der Distraktion und bei genügender Kallusformation Entfernung des Fixateurs unter Belassen der Schrauben. Bei unveränderter Korrektur nach Vollbelastung Entfernung der Schrauben. Ergebnisse: Zwischen 1998 und 2000 wurden bei 24 Patienten (sechs weiblich, 18 männlich, Alter 21-64 Jahre) 34 Kallusdistraktionen durchgeführt, bei zehn Patienten bilateral. 21 Patienten wurden nach 6-36 Monaten (Durchschnitt 23 Monate) nachuntersucht; eine Patientin wurde nach Implantation einer Totalendoprothese ausgeschlossen. Die femorotibiale Achse betrug präoperativ 179° (172-183°) und postoperativ 185° (179-191°). Die mediane Korrektur belief sich somit auf 6° (3-12°). 20 Patienten würden die Operation nochmals durchführen lassen. Der von den Autoren entwickelte Score verbesserte sich von präoperativ 15 auf postoperativ 10 Punkte, entsprechend einem guten Ergebnis. Komplikationen traten bei 15 Korrekturen (48%) auf, wovon acht (26%) eine operative Revision benötigte

Ossifikation bei chronischer Achillessehnentendinose: Ein dritter Unterschenkelknochen

Zusammenfassung: Die Ossifikation der Achillessehne stellt eine seltene Komplikation der chronischen Achillessehnentendinose dar. Der vorliegende Fallbericht zeigt bei einem 59-jährigen Patienten nach Achillessehnenverlängerung bei Klumpfuß in der frühen Kindheit eine rekordverdächtige Ossifikation von 10cm Länge. Bei chronischen Beschwerden und erhöhtem Frakturrisiko orientiert sich die Therapiewahl an operativ rekonstruktiven Kriterie

An optically activated cantilever using photomechanical effects in dye-doped polymer fibers

We report on what we believe is the first demonstration of an optically activated cantilever due to photomechanical effects in a dye-doped polymer optical fiber. The fiber is observed to bend when light is launched off-axis. The displacement angle monotonically increases as a function of the distance between the illumination point and the fiber axis, and is consistent with differential light-induced length changes. The photothermal and photo-reorientation mechanisms, each with its own distinct response time, are proposed to explain the observed time dependence. The measured degree of bending is consistent with a model that we have proposed which includes coupling between photoisomerization and heating. Most importantly, we have discovered that at high light intensity, a cooperative release of stress results in cis-to-trans isomerization that yields a large and abrupt length change.Comment: 13 pages, 16 figure

SISTEM INFORMASI MANAJEMEN PADA HOTEL MENTARI PALEMBANG

Tujuan dari penulisan ini adalah, untuk memberikan dan mengupayakan solusi pada sistem yang sedang berjalan di Hotel Mentari Palembang terhadap kegiatan manajemen, untuk mewujudkan hal tersebut tentu perlu didukung penggunaan teknologi informasi, untuk memproses semua kegiatan manajemen di Hotel Mentari Palembang. Teknologi informasi yang ada saat ini belum diterapkan di Hotel Mentari Palembang, sering kali Hotel Mentari mendapatkan beberapa masalah dalam memproses kegiatan manajemen, seperti sulitnya dalam mengelola data karyawan, data absensi karyawan, data tamu, data booking, data check-in, data check-out, data gaji karyawan, data daftar Pemakaian Kamar (kosong/berisi), pendapatan dan pengeluaran (harian,bulanan) dan lamanya dalam proses mengelola laporan, serta Pihak manajemen sulit untuk mendapatkan informasi mengenai kehadiran setiap karyawan, data karyawan, gaji, data pendapatan dan pengeluaran hotel serta sulit mengetahui perkembangan jumlah tamu. Berdasarkan alasan tersebut penulis membuat sebuah sistem informasi manajemen yang terkomputerisasi untuk membantu menyelesaikan beberapa masalah manajemen yang sering terjadi. Metodologi yang dipakai adalah metodologi Rational Unified Process (RUP). Penulis menggunakan bahasa pemograman Visual Basic dan SQL Server 2008 sebagai database management system

Some Environmental Programs in Switzerland

    As a result of the fact that Switzerland is about seven times more densely populated than the USA (and even more if the uninhabitable area is taken into account), that the gross social product per area unit is also about seven times greater, and that the traffic density per area unit is about four times greater than in the USA, many environmental problems are particularly accentuated. Given es key words: Population limitation, space planning, traffic density, public transport, the energy problem, environmental economy and legislation, water conservation, air hygiene, agricultural adaption, maintenance and development of the mountain areas. Today, about $1000 millions or$ 160 per inhabitant are spent annually in Switzerland on environmental protection, about half of it from public funds and half by private industry. As Switzerland is small, many tasks are carried out on a private basis, or semi-officially. Approximately $750 millions (or$ 120 per inhabitant) are spent annually in Switzerland on research, about $150 millions by public bodies and about$ 600 millions by industry (chemical industry about $ 400 millions). Applied research is traditionally carried out mainly in the field of water conservation (e.g. the problem of eutrophying by phosphates) and, in industry, into the side effects of chemical products. In addition, a series of institutes is concerned with the task of supervision, carrying out measurements in connection with, for example, lead, mercury, halogenated and non-halogenated organic compounds, and inorganic gases such as carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide. The results obtained by analytical institutes at the universities and in industry also partially benefit environmental research. For legislation, reference is also made to the results of research in other countries, which are evaluated for this purpose in various places

Remembering Marielle Franco from a Theological Perspective

In this Open Access book, Katharina Merian discusses memories of Marielle Franco from the perspective of the concept of dangerous memory introduced by the political theologian Johann Baptist Metz. Franco was an Afro-Brazilian human-rights activist and city councilor of Rio de Janeiro who was assassinated on March 14, 2018. Her murder elicited worldwide protest and empathy. Today she is considered an international symbol in the fight for human, women, and LGBTQ+ rights. Based on the memories of people from Franco’s inner circle, the study explores Franco’s life, what it meant to the people around her, and how her image was transformed following her murder. By critically engaging with Metz’s concept of dangerous memory, which concerns memories of suffering and unfulfilled hopes that challenge the present, Merian demonstrates that the memories of Franco represent a decolonial dangerous memory that sparks individual and collective self-empowerment among Black women, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and favela residents. This work not only contributes to a critical reappraisal of Franco’s story and the meaning of her memory in the Brazilian and international context but also proposes a differentiated understanding of dangerous memory that highlights the relationship between solidarity and self-empowerment in a moment of existential danger and threat