ID Photograph hashing : a global approach

This thesis addresses the question of the authenticity of identity photographs, part of the documents required in controlled access. Since sophisticated means of reproduction are publicly available, new methods / techniques should prevent tampering and unauthorized reproduction of the photograph. This thesis proposes a hashing method for the authentication of the identity photographs, robust to print-and-scan. This study focuses also on the effects of digitization at hash level. The developed algorithm performs a dimension reduction, based on independent component analysis (ICA). In the learning stage, the subspace projection is obtained by applying ICA and then reduced according to an original entropic selection strategy. In the extraction stage, the coefficients obtained after projecting the identity image on the subspace are quantified and binarized to obtain the hash value. The study reveals the effects of the scanning noise on the hash values of the identity photographs and shows that the proposed method is robust to the print-and-scan attack. The approach focusing on robust hashing of a restricted class of images (identity) differs from classical approaches that address any imageCette thèse traite de la question de l’authenticité des photographies d’identité, partie intégrante des documents nécessaires lors d’un contrôle d’accès. Alors que les moyens de reproduction sophistiqués sont accessibles au grand public, de nouvelles méthodes / techniques doivent empêcher toute falsification / reproduction non autorisée de la photographie d’identité. Cette thèse propose une méthode de hachage pour l’authentification de photographies d’identité, robuste à l’impression-lecture. Ce travail met ainsi l’accent sur les effets de la numérisation au niveau de hachage. L’algorithme mis au point procède à une réduction de dimension, basée sur l’analyse en composantes indépendantes (ICA). Dans la phase d’apprentissage, le sous-espace de projection est obtenu en appliquant l’ICA puis réduit selon une stratégie de sélection entropique originale. Dans l’étape d’extraction, les coefficients obtenus après projection de l’image d’identité sur le sous-espace sont quantifiés et binarisés pour obtenir la valeur de hachage. L’étude révèle les effets du bruit de balayage intervenant lors de la numérisation des photographies d’identité sur les valeurs de hachage et montre que la méthode proposée est robuste à l’attaque d’impression-lecture. L’approche suivie en se focalisant sur le hachage robuste d’une classe restreinte d’images (d’identité) se distingue des approches classiques qui adressent une image quelconqu

A Multi-isotope Investigation of Two Medieval German Populations: Insight into the Relationship Among Diet, Disease, and Tissue Isotopic Compositions

This thesis investigates the relationship between disease and bone collagen isotope compositions, and uses isotopic analyses of human and faunal bone to examine the diet and geographic associations of two medieval (9th to 16th century) German communities derived from urban (Regensburg, n=111) and rural (Dalheim, n=24) contexts. The first goal of this research was to determine the reliability of bone collagen isotopic compositions to characterize diet in unhealthy individuals. Examples of bone pathology were selected from two medieval samples and one modern/historic skeletal collection (n=49) in order to measure the extent to which pathology influences intra-skeletal isotopic variability. The carbon- and nitrogen-isotope compositions of collagen from pathological bone were compared to areas of related but unaffected bone. Individuals with osteomyelitic lesions or incompletely remodeled bone fractures demonstrated intra-skeletal variability in their nitrogen-isotope ratios. Overall, these differences were small, but larger than expected for normal intra-skeletal variability, and likely reflect changes in body metabolism that accompany chronic infection and severe trauma. This work also assessed the reliability of interpreting distinct diets from inter-individual differences in isotopic ratios. The Regensburg sample was used to test whether or not a relationship exists between various diseases and bone collagen nitrogen-isotope compositions when skeletal elements exhibiting pathology are avoided entirely during sampling. Although a number of conditions were evaluated, no disease processes were found to seriously modify original collagen nitrogen-isotope compositions. These results suggest that individuals with obvious bone pathology need not be excluded from isotopic investigations of paleodiet. The second goal of this research was to investigate the Regensburg and Dalheim populations in terms of diet and geographic identity using a multi-isotope analysis of human and faunal remains. At both sites, diets were based on C3 plants and/or plant-consumers, although minor consumption of millet (C4) cannot be ruled out. Differential access to dietary protein was observed in both communities, but the Regensburg residents likely consumed more foods from a higher trophic level (e.g., freshwater fish). The oxygen-isotope data for bone structural carbonate broadly associated most individuals with their region of burial but identifying specific geographic relocations within the region was not possible

Skewing the Nation: Mobilizing Queer Citizenship in South Africa

To belong is not always an easy thing, especially when ideas surrounding a person’s ability to fit in, join in and be in, is dependent upon normative codes of gender and sexuality. This is especially true for individuals whose genders and sexualities run counter to those normative ideals that have become cemented in the discourses of state and nation. Departing from this supposition, this article is interested in the national imaging and imagining of variant1 genders and sexual orientations; that is, the way in which citizenship, as a form of belonging, is visually negotiated from an lbgti (that is lesbian, bisexual, gay, trans and intersex) perspective. Images that speak of/to the nation on the topic of lbgti citizenship are complex representational devices, as they encapsulate a marked sense of difference and departure, while they also reveal a profound desire for solidarity and reconciliation

Marching bifurcations

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

TRANSFORMING LIBRARIES AS A PROFIT-MAKING ORGANIZATION TO IMPROVE SERVICE PERFORMANCE

Libraries are non-profit service-oriented organizations engaged in satisfying the patrons\u27 needs by providing them with whatever they seek from the library, i.e., Books, Journals, Magazines, CDs/DVDs, and Online Resources. However, the libraries must face hardships regarding funds which create difficulties in maintaining the libraries and providing better library services. Its high time libraries should become self-dependent rather than depending upon the funds provided by the parental organization. The funds that the parental organization allocates are minimal and do not cover every area pertaining to the library. Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to conceptualize the transformation of libraries into profit-making organizations to provide improved library services. Results: To make libraries a profit-making organization, librarians should go unconventional by making some amends in the library policy like charging money in exchange for some services which were earlier not provided by the libraries, i.e. (1) Rental of equipment: Renting the items like Computers, CD/DVDs, Cassette, among others, can provide some rents. (2) Advertisement: Libraries can charge advertisement costs by promoting books written by authors. (3) Selling the weeding out items. (4) Translation. (5) Reproduction Cost. (6) Service charge on-demand services. (7) Inter-Library Services. (8). Membership Schemes. (9) Book Reservation. (10) Training. The charges incurred from the above services are implemented to make the library a better place by providing better resources and better services. Conclusion: Libraries are meant to be non-profit organizations and must provide services free of cost to the patrons, but the library\u27s primary goal is also to keep the users\u27 satisfaction into consideration. To keep the users satisfied, libraries must keep implementing new policies and procedures to keep them going head on head with time

Implementasi Sistem Informasi Sumber Daya Manusia (Studi Kasus Pada Perusahaan Jasa PT. Wiranas Laundry and Dry Cleaning Service)

The purpose of this minor thesis is to describe the human resources management of information system, to analize the problem of human resources information system, and to give an alternative solution or a new human resources information system recommendation to PT. Wiranas Laundry and Dry Cleaning Service. The method that the writer used to write this minor thesis is a qualitative-descriptive method. The first step used before giving the new human resources information system recommendation is to describe the current human resources information system used in the company in the form of flow charts. Also to analize the current system used by identifying the problems occur and to analize that system\u27s weakness. From the result of the analyzing step, the human resource in PT. Wiranas Laundry and Dry Cleaning service is still being managed manually, not computerized and not intergrated between branches. The trial of the new human resources information system shows that Orange HRM could give way easier and more effective or efficient way to manage the human resources information system in PT. Wiranas Laundry and Dry Cleaning Service

A grey area: How does image hue affect unfamiliar face matching?

The role of image colour in face identification has received little attention in research despite the importance of identifying people from photographs in identity documents (IDs). Here, in two experiments, we investigated whether colour congruency of two photographs shown side by side affects face matching accuracy. Participants were presented with two images from the Models Face Matching Test (Experiment 1) and a newly devised matching task incorporating female faces (Experiment 2) and asked to decide whether they show the same person, or two different people. The photographs were either both in colour, both in grayscale, or mixed (one in grayscale and one in colour). Participants were more likely to accept a pair of images as a “match”, i.e. same person, in the mixed condition, regardless of whether the identity of the pair was the same or not. This demonstrates a clear shift in bias between “congruent” colour conditions and the mixed trials. In addition, there was a small decline in accuracy in the mixed condition, relative to when the images were presented in colour. Our study provides the first evidence that the hue of document photographs matters for face matching performance. This finding has important implications for the design and regulation of photographic ID worldwide

Allergies in schools

With the increase of allergic conditions in South Africa, it is becoming more common for schools to have children in their care who suffer from asthma, allergic rhinitis, food allergies, insect allergies, anaphylaxis and atopic dermatitis. Unfortunately, inadequate guidelines exist for addressing the needs of such children and existing legislation does not cover many of the issues – being either vague or inadequate. Since children spend a large proportion of their time at school, it is inevitable that the schools will have to accommodate children with chronic-care needs and also encounter events where children experience allergy emergencies. School authorities have a responsibility to ensure that learners are able to achieve their full potential, despite barriers to learning, and that they are taught and cared for in a safe environment. This article outlines a practical and implementable policy for use in schools which is aimed at reducing the impact on learning of children suffering chronic health conditions and ensuring the safety of children with severe allergies. The fundamental aspects of the policy include: • establishing an ‘allergy action committee’ (or ‘chronic illness action committee’) at each school; • ensuring every child with a chronic health condition is identified and has both a chronic and an emergency treatment plan signed by their doctor and that these include an ID photograph; • implementing measures to reduce potential exposure to identified allergens for those with severe allergies; • ensuring that emergency medication is available and accessible at all times; • training staff online in the identification and treatment of severe allergic reactions.http://www.journals.co.za/content/journal/caciam2017Paediatrics and Child Healt