Heat treatment stabilizes welded aluminum jigs and tool structures

Heat treatment processes, applied after welding but before machining, imparts above normal stability to welded aluminum jigs and tool structures. Weight saving will not be realized in these tools if rigidity equal to that of a comparable steel tool is required

Digital Morphometry : A Taxonomy Of Morphological Filters And Feature Parameters With Application To Alzheimer\u27s Disease Research

In this thesis the expression digital morphometry collectively describes all those procedures used to obtain quantitative measurements of objects within a two-dimensional digital image. Quantitative measurement is a two-step process: the application of geometrical transformations to extract the features of interest, and then the actual measurement of these features. With regard to the first step the morphological filters of mathematical morphology provide a wealth of suitable geometric transfomations. Traditional radiometric and spatial enhancement techniques provide an additional source of transformations. The second step is more classical (e.g. Underwood, 1970; Bookstein, 1978; and Weibull, 1980); yet here again mathematical morphology is applicable - morphologically derived feature parameters. This thesis focuses on mathematical morphology for digital morphometry. In particular it proffers a taxonomy of morphological filters and investigates the morphologically derived feature parameters (Minkowski functionals) for digital images sampled on a square grid. As originally conceived by Georges Matheron, mathematical morphology concerns the analysis of binary images by means of probing with structuring elements [typically convex geometric shapes] (Dougherty, 1993, preface). Since its inception the theory has been extended to grey-level images and most recently to complete lattices. It is within the very general framework of the complete lattice that the taxonomy of morphological filters is presented. Examples are provided to help illustrate the behaviour of each type of filter. This thesis also introduces DIMPAL (Mehnert, 1994) - a PC-based image processing and analysis language suitable for researching and developing algorithms for a wide range of image processing applications. Though DIMPAL was used to produce the majority of the images in this thesis it was principally written to provide an environment in which to investigate the application of mathematical morphology to Alzheimer\u27s disease research. Alzheimer\u27s disease is a form of progressive dementia associated with the degeneration of the brain. It is the commonest type of dementia and probably accounts for half the dementia of old age (Forsythe, 1990, p. 21 ). Post mortem examination of the brain reveals the presence of characteristic neuropathologic lesions; namely neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. They occur predominantly in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. Quantitative studies of the distribution of plaques and tangles in normally aged and Alzheimer brains are hampered by the enormous amount of time and effort required to count and measure these lesions. Here in a morphological algorithm is proposed for the automatic segmentation and measurement of neuritic plaques from light micrographs of post mortem brain tissue

Digital image processing using mathematical morphology

This dissertation is a natural extension of my undergraduate research project entitled, Digital Image Processing”. Whilst my undergraduate project dealt with a number of classical digital image filtering techniques such as spatial convolution and frequency domain filtering via the Fourier transform, this dissertation focuses on an alternative approach employing Mathematical Morphology. In contrast to classical filtering techniques, which often geometrically distort the original image, morphological operations, used sensibly, essentially preserve shape and geometry. Mathematical morphology therefore lends itself to image processing applications requiring the identification of objects and object features within an image. Herein basic morphological operations are developed, firstly within the continuous image domain (Euclidean N-space, Rn), and then in the digital domain (Zn). Particular emphasis is placed on the development of digital morphological operators for both binary and grey-tone images, progressing from the rudimentary operations of dilation and erosion to granulometry and topological processing. Subsequent to the development of the theory, a case study is presented. The case study describes a preliminary investigation into the application of morphological operations to photomicrographs of mouse adrenal cortex cells with the aim of identifying specific cell features

Continued Remembrance

I always found great interest in learning about the Holocaust and how it has affected society even to this day. Through my winter LSFY course “Ashes to Immortality” I got the opportunity to discover a greater empathy for those who suffered, lost their lives, and survived this historic event. I wanted to insure that my piece represented the importance of passing on experiences and knowledge of the Holocaust in hopes that a similar event will never happen again. In my piece, I painted the entrance of Auschwitz converted in red splatters to represent the lives lost. The concentration camp is surrounded by a light blue and white sponge painted background to show optimism during a dark time. Photographs are cut and pasted around the scene of Auschwitz because I did not think I could capture the true feeling or horrors of the Holocaust simply through my own art. I feel that the pictures allow the viewer to really see what was experienced and seen during this time. Lastly, there are two hands reaching across the painting towards each other. One is meant to represent those who struggled. This can be seen by the tattoo of numbers on the arm. This hand is passing on a flower to the other hand representing the youth and the future. On each of the flowers there are a few printed words such as “remember”, “history”, “empathy”, etc. I found each one of these words necessary when representing what the Holocaust should mean to society then, now, and in the future

A cidade do saber: estudo do património artístico integrado nos edifícios projectados pelo arquitecto Porfírio Pardal Monteiro para a Cidade Universitária de Lisboa, (1934-1961)

Tese de mestrado, Arte, Património e Teoria do Restauro, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Letras, 2011Na presente dissertação é abordado o “núcleo fundador” da Cidade Universitária de Lisboa, planificado pelo Arquitecto Porfírio Pardal Monteiro, nas suas vertentes construtiva e decorativa, visando uma compreensão do seu espírito orientador global. A par de um entendimento acerca da existência material da Universidade de Lisboa desde a sua fundação em 1911, atenta-se na acção levada a cabo pela I República no que toca a medidas encetadas para prover uma instalação condigna às recém-criadas Faculdades. São evidenciados os edifícios universitários cuja premência construtiva foi assumida como indiscutível praticamente desde a sua instituição, simultaneamente ao novo Hospital Escolar: Reitoria e Faculdades de Direito e de Letras. Analisa-se o aparecimento destes equipamentos pedagógicos, pretendidos modernos e compassados com a produção estrangeira, no seio das obras públicas patrocinadas pelo Estado Novo; atendendo ao cenário político-económico, procura-se descortinar o moroso processo projecção e edificação do complexo. É objectivo deste trabalho, concomitantemente, estudar de forma concertada o património artístico integrado nos três edifícios supracitados. São consideradas as funções e as conotações atribuídas pelo regime às artes plásticas, bem como o desenlace das encomendas oficiais sob o Ministério das Obras Públicas, procurando deste modo assimilar os artistas intervenientes, o papel e os significados das obras artísticas integradas na Cidade Universitária de Lisboa.Abstract: This research approaches the “founder core” of the University City of Lisbon planed by the Architect Porfírio Pardal Monteiro, concerning its constructive and decorative aspects in order to comprehend the global orienting spirit of the ensemble. Taking the material existence of the University of Lisbon since its foundation in 1911 into account, the focus is made on the action of the “I República”, " understand the measures undertaken until 1926 for the purpose of promoting a condign installation for the new Faculties. The Rectorate and the Faculties of Law and of Letters, simultaneously to the new School Hospital, were the university buildings where the construction was considered the most urgent practically since their establishment. The appearing of these equipments, which were desired as modern buildings according to the foreign examples, is regarded within the public equipment building process sponsored by the “Estado Novo”. By analysing the political and economical scenario during this period, it is intended to disclose the slowness that defined the projection and the construction of these buildings. In addition, the aim of this research is to study the artistic patrimony integrated in the three above-mentioned buildings. In order to assimilate the intervening artists, as well as the role and the meanings of the works of art integrated in the University City of Lisbon, the reflection concerns the way the political regime understood, financed and attributed functions to the fine arts, and the outcome of the official orders sponsored by the Public Equipment Ministry

Prevalence and Severity of Pain in Cancer Patients in Germany

Pain is a common symptom in cancer patients, restricts daily life activities and reduces survival time. Identification of sociodemographic, medical and psychological correlates of pain among cancer patients in Germany could help identify subgroups most in need of pain management. In this multicenter, epidemiologic cross-sectional study, we assessed pain prevalence and severity, quality of life (QoL) and psychological distress in a sample of 3,745 cancer patients across all tumor entities. In total, 37.9% patients suffered from cancer-related pain and 56.1% suffered from non-specific pain. Younger, female, less educated and unemployed patients reported pain more frequently and more severe pain (p < 0.001). Pain was associated with distress, depression, anxiety, QoL, tumor stage (p < 0.001), and time since diagnosis (p = 0.012). Pain assessment and pain management should be a routine part of cancer treatment and cancer survivorship care plans