Academic literature on the topic 'Squint'

Technology is playing a major role in the rapid growth of Techno media in relation to information security. Tampers are a major handicap while transferring medical images. In order to circumvent these issues used Steganography to hide the information inside a cover medium with different carrier formats. In this paper, the author proposes a novel squint pixel based medical image steganography technique to avoid distortion by an attacker. In this method, Original medical image itself acts as a carrier image. A Medical image segmented into two sets of pixels, Region of interest (ROI) and squint pixels of region of non-interest (RONI). The authentic data and information of ROI of a medical image embedded in penultimate and least significant bits (PLSB) of squint pixels of RONI. Results of experiments on various medical images show that the proposed method produces high quality stego medical images with high accuracy and recovery of ROI data without loss.

This thesis examines a new algorithm, to be called secondary range compression (SRC), for significantly improving the range resolution of the range/Doppler synthetic aperture radar (SAR) processing algorithm when the radar antenna is significantly squinted away from the zero Doppler direction. The algorithm was recently introduced by Jin and Wu [13] for application to the SEASAT SAR sensor. Significant extensions of their algorithm and models are presented. First the model of range broadening in the basic range/Doppler algorithm is extended by using a more general form for the range compressed profile. A mathematical theory is developed to examine more closely the approximations involved in both basic range/Doppler processing and SRC and to explore alternate SRC implementations. The theory is used to derive the SRC algorithm as a matched filter directly from the point target response model rather from the simplified range compressed response used by Jin and Wu. Two new discrete implementations (azimuth SRC and range SRC) are developed for both single-look and multilook processing. In addition two new alternate methods of multilook SRC are presented : fixed SRC and look-dependent SRC. The sensitivity of the SRC algorithms to parameter errors is investigated. Extensive simulations are developed to quantify the image quality produced by each algorithm for a variety of processing parameters. The simulation results with nominal RADARSAT parameters show that the SRC algorithms can significantly extend the range of squint angles which can be processed with the range/Doppler type of algorithm.<br>Applied Science, Faculty of<br>Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of<br>Graduate

L’estrabisme és una patologia comú dintre de l’Oftalmologia que afecta als músculs extraoculares del globus ocular. Es caracteritza per la pèrdua espontània i permanent del paral·lelisme dels eixos visuals oculars. Pot ser unilateral o bilateral sense heterotròpia. A la pràctica clínica no sempre s’objectiva que un múscul hipofuncionant sigui atròfic, o que un múscul hiperfuncionant tingui augmentada la seva grandària, ja sigui per hipertrofia de les seves fibres o per augment del teixit connectiu Es por aquest motiu que l’objectiu d’aquesta investigació va ser estudiar si existia una correlació entre l’estructura i la funció dels músculs implicats als diferents tipus d’estrabisme descrivint la morfologia microscòpica de músculs extraoculares sans i de músculs procedents de pacients amb estrabismes primaris i secundaris, respecte al teixit muscular, al teixit connectiu i a la vascularització. Per allò es van analitzar i comparar les característiques microscòpiques dels músculs extraoculares d’un grup control i d’un grup de músculs amb patologia, mitjançant tècniques histològiques i histoquímiques. Com a grup control en van utilitzar 5 òrbites procedents de cossos donats a la ciència, de genero masculí amb un rang d’edat de 35 a 45 anys, que van ser congelades a -21ºC amb menys de 24h post-mortem per posteriorment, al moment de la dissecció, procedir a la descongelació i resecció en fresc. En cap cas hi havia un antecedent conegut de patologia ocular. A més, es va realitzar la dissecció de 20 òrbites procedents de cossos humans adults, d’entre 40 i 60 anys, amb l’objectiu d’estudiar i ponderar cada múscul extraocular mitjançant la mesura de la longitud, de l’amplada i del seu punt d’inserció, per poder definir la zona de miectomia en mostra cadavèrica i biòpsia clínica. Una vegada aïllat cadascun dels músculs es va procedir a la seva fixació en solució tamponada de formaldehid al 10% (pH 7,4) i posterior inclusió en parafina. D’acord amb el protocol estereològic, es van realitzar talls seriats de 5µm de gruix, que van ser muntats i tenyits amb hematoxilina-eosina, àcid periòdic de Shiff i Van Gieson. Es van analitzar un total de 125 camps d’estudi per múscul i per cada tècnica de tinció. Per el grup amb patologia es van prendre biòpsies musculars de 20 pacients diagnosticats d’estrabisme amb indicació quirúrgica, considerant 5 pacients per a cada patologia. Les patologies van ser: Parèsia del IV nervi cranial, Exotropia intermitent, Endotropia acomodativa i Endotropia Congènita o infantil. Totes les cirurgies van ser fetes pel mateix cirurgià oftalmòleg. L’anàlisi estadístic va consistir en un anàlisis descriptiu de les distintes variables i l’anàlisi de les variables en funció dels grups control i patològic, obtenint coeficients de relació entre ells. Entre els resultats es va obtenir que existia una correlació entre les alteracions clínic-funcionals observades en els músculs extraoculares dels pacients amb diferents tipus d’estrabisme i els canvis a nivell histològic del teixit muscular i connectiu; a més, en músculs extraoculares sense patologia és possible establir una correlació de l’existència de músculs equivalents i aparellats en la seva funció, demostrant que histològicament són semblants en els paràmetres estudiats. També s’aprecien diferencies estadísticament significatives entre músculs del grup control i del grup de músculs patològics, tant en densitat de volum muscular, de teixit connectiu i de vasos sanguinis, així com en el número de fibres musculars per àrea determinada, observant-se canvis qualitatius i quantitatius que alteren la distribució dels paràmetres de normalitat.<br>El Estrabismo es una patología común dentro de la Oftalmología que afecta a los músculos extraoculares del globo ocular. Se caracteriza por la pérdida espontánea y permanente del paralelismo de los ejes visuales oculares. Puede ser unilateral o bilateral sin heterotropía. En la práctica clínica no siempre se objetiva que un músculo hipofuncionante sea atrófico, o que un músculo hiperfuncionante tenga aumentado su tamaño, ya sea por hipertrofia de sus fibras o por aumento del tejido conectivo Es por este motivo que el objetivo de esta investigación fue estudiar si existe una correlación entre la estructura y la función de los músculos implicados en los diferentes tipos de estrabismo describiendo la morfología microscópica de músculos extraoculares sanos y de músculos procedentes de pacientes con estrabismos primarios y secundarios, respecto al tejido muscular, al tejido conectivo y a la vascularización. Para ello se analizaron y compararon las características microscópicas de los músculos extraoculares de un grupo control y un grupo de músculos con patología mediante técnicas histológicas e histoquímicas. Como grupo control se consideraron 5 órbitas procedentes de cadáveres donados a la ciencia de género masculina con un rango de edad entre 35 y 45 años, fueron congeladas a -21ºC con menos de 24 horas post-mortem para luego, al momento de su disección, proceder a su descongelación y resección en fresco. En ninguno de ellos había un antecedente conocido de patología ocular. Además se realizó la disección de 20 órbitas procedentes de cadáveres humanos adultos de edades entre los 40 y los 60 años con el objetivo de observar y ponderar cada músculo extraocular mediante la medición del largo, el ancho y su punto de inserción, para definir la zona de miectomía en muestra cadavérica y biopsia clínica. Una vez aislado cada uno de los músculos se procedió a su fijación en solución tamponada de formaldehído al 10% (pH 7,4), para luego ser incluidos en parafina. De acuerdo al protocolo estereológico, se efectuaron cortes seriados de 5µm de grosor, los cuales fueron montados y teñidos con hematoxilina-eosina, ácido Peryódico de Shiff y Van Gieson. Se analizaron un total de 125 campos de estudio por músculo y por cada técnica de tinción. Para el grupo con presencia de patología se tomaron biopsias musculares en 20 pacientes diagnosticados de estrabismo con indicación quirúrgica considerando 5 pacientes para cada patología. Estas patologías son: Paresia del IV nervio craneal, Exotropía intermitente, Endotropía acomodativa, Endotropía Congénita o infantil. Todas las cirugías fueron realizadas por el mismo cirujano-oftalmólogo. Para el análisis estadístico se usaron análisis descriptivo de las distintas variables y análisis de las variables en función a los grupos control y patológico obteniendo coeficientes de relación entre ellos. Entre los resultados se obtuvo que existe una correlación entre las alteraciones clínico-funcionales observadas en los músculos extraoculares de los pacientes con distintos tipos de estrabismo y los cambios a nivel histológico del tejido muscular y conectivo, además en músculos extraoculares sin patología es posible establecer una correlación sobre la existencia de músculos equivalentes y emparejados en su función, demostrando que histológicamente son semejantes en los parámetros estudiados. Se aprecia diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre músculos del grupo control y del grupo de músculos patológicos, tanto en densidad de volumen muscular, de tejido conectivo y de vasos, así como en el número de fibras musculares por área determinada, observándose cambios cualitativos y cuantitativos que alteran la distribución de los parámetros de normalidad.<br>Strabismus is a common pathology within Ophthalmology that affects the extraocular muscles of the eyeball. It is characterized by the spontaneous and permanent loss of parallelism of the ocular visual axes. It can be unilateral or bilateral without heterotropy. In clinical practice, it is not always observed that an underactive muscle is atrophic, or that a hyperfunctioning muscle has increased in size, either due to hypertrophy of its fibers or due to increased connective tissue For this reason, the objective of this research was to study whether there is a correlation between the structure and function of the muscles involved in the different types of strabismus, describing the microscopic morphology of healthy extraocular muscles and of muscles from patients with primary strabismus and secondary, regarding muscle tissue, connective tissue and vascularization. For this, the microscopic characteristics of the extraocular muscles of a control group and a group of muscles with pathology were analyzed and compared using histological and histochemical techniques. As a control group, 5 orbits from cadavers donated to science of the male gender with an age range between 35 and 45 years were considered, they were frozen at -21ºC with less than 24 hours post-mortem and then, at the time of their dissection, proceed to thawing and resection fresh. In none of them was there a known history of ocular pathology. In addition, 20 orbits were dissected from adult human cadavers aged between 40 and 60 years with the aim of observing and weighing each extraocular muscle by measuring the length, width and its insertion point, to define the area of myectomy in cadaveric sample and clinical biopsy. Once each of the muscles had been isolated, they were fixed in a 10% formaldehyde buffered solution (pH 7.4), to then be included in paraffin. According to the stereological protocol, 5 µm thick serial sections were made, which were mounted and stained with hematoxylin-eosin, Shiff and Van Gieson periodic acid. A total of 125 study fields were analyzed per muscle and for each staining technique. For the group with the presence of pathology, muscle biopsies were taken in 20 patients diagnosed with strabismus with surgical indication, considering 5 patients for each pathology. These pathologies are: paresis of the IV cranial nerve, intermittent exotropia, accommodative esotropia, congenital or infantile esotropia. All surgeries were performed by the same ophthalmologist-surgeon. For the statistical analysis, descriptive analysis of the different variables and analysis of the variables were used according to the control and pathological groups, obtaining relationship coefficients between them. Among the results, it was obtained that there is a correlation between the clinical-functional alterations observed in the extraocular muscles of patients with different types of strabismus and the histological changes of the muscular and connective tissue.In addition, in extraocular muscles without pathology it is possible to establish a correlation on the existence of equivalent and paired muscles in their function, showing that they are histologically similar in the parameters studied. Statistically significant differences are observed between muscles of the control group and the group of pathological muscles, both in density of muscle volume, connective tissue and vessels, as well as in the number of muscle fibers per determined area, observing qualitative and quantitative changes that alter the distribution of the normality parameters.<br>Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Programa de Doctorat en Cirurgia i Ciències Morfològiques

This thesis discusses early modern European perceptions of body and soul in association with the increasing stringency of civilized behaviour and state formation in an effort to provide motivation for the increased severity of the witch hunts of that time. Both secondary and primary sources have been used, in particular the contemporary demonologies by such authors as Bodin, and Kramer and Sprenger. The thesis is divided into five chapters, including an Introduction and Conclusion. The body of the thesis focuses on religious, scientific, and secular beliefs (Ch. 2), appearance and characteristics of witches (Ch. 3), and the activities and behaviours/actions of witches, (Ch. 4). This study concentrates on the similarities found across Europe, and, as the majority of witches persecuted were female, my thesis emphasizes women as victims of the witch hunts.

True time delay networks are one of the most critical structures of wideband phased-array antenna systems which are frequently used in self-protection and electronic warfare applications. In order to direct the main beam of a wideband phased-array antenna to the desired direction<br>phase values, which are linearly dependent to frequency, are essential. Due to the phase characteristics of the true-time delay networks, beam squint problems for broadband phased array systems are minimized. In this thesis, different types of true-time delay structures are investigated for wideband phased array applications and a tunable S-band true-time delay network having delay over 1ns with high resolution is developed, designed, fabricated and measured. Lower-cost, smaller occupied area, digital/analog control mechanism and ease of implementation are the other features of the developed network. High delay values with high resolutions for wideband operation are achieved through the combination of several techniques<br>therefore the desired S-band TTD network is constructed with the synthesis of switched-transmission lines, constant-R networks and periodically-loaded transmission lines. Higher delay states are realized by the switched-transmission lines technique, while the method of constant R-network is used for the intermediate delay states. To increase the tuning flexibility, smaller delay states are accomplished by analog-voltage controlled periodically loaded transmission lines. A step-by-step procedure is followed during the design process of the S-band true time delay network. Firstly, each method used in the TTD network is analyzed in detail and developed for PCB implementation and the use of COTS components. Then, the designed structures are verified via linear and EM simulations performed by ADS2011&reg<br>. After that, the effects of production tolerances are examined to optimize each design for S-band operations. Moreover, the designed structures are fabricated by using PCB technology and measured. Finally, a software code is developed in MATLAB to generate the overall cascaded network with the help of measured data.

Erratic and highly variable catches in the South African chokka squid Loligo vulgaris reynaudii fishery, cause socio-economic hardship for the industry and uncertainty for resource managers. Catch forecasting can reduce this problem as it is believed that catch variability is strongly influenced by environmental factors. In this study, data were collected at varying temporal and spatial scales. Data for the hourly time-scale study were collected from 1996-1998, aboard commercial vessels, whilst for the longer time-scales, data were extracted for Kromme Bay (a single fishing area) from existing databases (1991-1998) that were comprised of compulsory catch returns and oceanographic data. The environment-catch relationship for chokka squid on the inshore spawning grounds was then investigated using multiple correlation and regression analysis, analysis of variance, contingency table analysis and cross-correlation statistical techniques. This simple, direct, 'black box' statistical approach was relatively successful in developing a predictive capability. On a short time-scale (hourly), the regression model accounted for 32% of the variability in catch, with turbidity the main determinant (13%). On a daily monthly time-scale, the best prediction model was on a monthly scale, accounting for 40% of the variability in catch. The principal determinant, bottom temperature anomaly (11 %), was found to lag one month forward. Seasonal and diel catch variations induced changes in the relative importance of turbidity, water temperature and wind direction on catches. A strong, positive relationship was found between easterly winds (which cause upwelling) and catch, particularly in summer. Catch rates, however, decreased with an increase in turbidity. The correlation between temperature and catch was generally negative, however, higher catches were associated with a temperature range of 13-18°C. Highest catch rates were associated with easterly winds, zero turbidity conditions and sea surface temperatures from 15.0-16.9°C. Selected case studies (in situ observations) suggested that upwelling and turbidity events act as environmental triggers for the initiation or termination of the spawning process, respectively. A holistic approach is required to improve predictive capability of chokka squid abundance. Although short-term predictability remains essential (i.e. hourly-scale), future research should concentrate on long-term prediction models (e.g., monthly time-scales) involving greater spatial variation, which are the most important for management.

Nous proposons dans cette thèse de caractériser quantitativement la variabilité à différentes échelles au cours de l'embryogenèse. Pour ce faire, nous utilisons une combinaison de modèles mathématiques et de résultats expérimentaux. Dans la première partie, nous utilisons une petite cohorte d'oursins digitaux pour construire une représentation prototypique du lignage cellulaire, reliant les caractéristiques des cellules individuelles avec les dynamiques à l'échelle de l'embryon tout entier. Ce modèle probabiliste multi-niveau et empirique repose sur les symétries des embryons et sur les identités cellulaires; cela permet d'identifier un niveau de granularité générique pour observer les distributions de caractéristiques cellulaires individuelles. Le prototype est défini comme le barycentre de la cohorte dans la variété statistique correspondante. Parmi plusieurs résultats, nous montrons que la variabilité intra-individuelle est impliquée dans la reproductibilité du développement embryonnaire. Dans la seconde partie, nous considérons les mécanismes sources de variabilité au cours du développement et leurs relations à l'évolution. En nous appuyant sur des résultats expérimentaux montrant une pénétrance incomplète et une expressivité variable de phénotype dans une lignée mutante du poisson zèbre, nous proposons une clarification des différents niveaux de variabilité biologique reposant sur une analogie formelle avec le cadre mathématique de la mécanique quantique. Nous trouvons notamment une analogie formelle entre l'intrication quantique et le schéma Mendélien de transmission héréditaire. Dans la troisième partie, nous étudions l'organisation biologique et ses relations aux trajectoires développementales. En adaptant les outils de la topologie algébrique, nous caractérisons des invariants du réseaux de contacts cellulaires extrait d'images de microscopie confocale d'épithéliums de différentes espèces et de différents fonds génétiques. En particulier, nous montrons l'influence des histoires individuelles sur la distribution spatiales des cellules dans un tissu épithélial<br>We propose in this thesis to characterize variability quantitatively at various scales during embryogenesis. We use a combination of mathematical models and experimental results. In the first part, we use a small cohort of digital sea urchin embryos to construct a prototypical representation of the cell lineage, which relates individual cell features with embryo-level dynamics. This multi-level data-driven probabilistic model relies on symmetries of the embryo and known cell types, which provide a generic coarse-grained level of observation for distributions of individual cell features. The prototype is defined as the centroid of the cohort in the corresponding statistical manifold. Among several results, we show that intra-individual variability is involved in the reproducibility of the developmental process. In the second part, we consider the mechanisms sources of variability during development and their relations to evolution. Building on experimental results showing variable phenotypic expression and incomplete penetrance in a zebrafish mutant line, we propose a clarification of the various levels of biological variability using a formal analogy with quantum mechanics mathematical framework. Surprisingly, we find a formal analogy between quantum entanglement and Mendel’s idealized scheme of inheritance. In the third part, we study biological organization and its relations to developmental paths. By adapting the tools of algebraic topology, we compute invariants of the network of cellular contacts extracted from confocal microscopy images of epithelia from different species and genetic backgrounds. In particular, we show the influence of individual histories on the spatial distribution of cells in epithelial tissues