Tracing vision: the emergence of subjectivity in landscape

The main objective of this text is to question and research the relevant historical context of the ways in which vision is constructed and content is utilized to (re)present the flow and accumulation of subjective experiences based on vision. The dissertation especially meditates on the use of linear perspective in depictions of landscape and the configured relationship between vision, representative forms, reality and the position of the eye and observer beginning from pre-Renaissance and reaching towards the modern era. Lens-based images, due to their indexical nature is readily taken as a duplicate of reality. Following this, the text explores possible means of shifting this documentarian burden and contextualizing photography and video as tools for the construction of subjective realities. This paper aims to offer a textual basis for a number of photographic and videographic works that I have produced within the last two years. In the core of these works lie the concepts of subjectivity, multi-perspectivity and the transformation of space and vision through time. Looking at traditional and modern art forms that exclude linear perspective and avoid representing space in realistic manner, it investigates how conceptual features of these forms can be applied to contemporary digital moving image practices

Pleading Securities Fraud

Hyaluronan based hydrogel coatings can mimic extracellular matrix components and incorporate growth factors that can be released during a progressive degradation while new tissue regenerates. This paper describes a structural characterization of a hydrogel coating made of modified hyaluronan polymers and how these coatings interact with bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2). Quartz crystal microbalance and neutron reflectivity measurements were used for in-situ, real-time measurements of the adsorption properties of polymers and proteins on smooth titanium oxide surfaces that mimic implant products in orthopedics. The adsorption of BMP-2 on a bare titanium oxide surface is compared to that on titanium oxide coated with different chemically modified hyaluronan, the most important being hyaluronan with bisphosphonate groups (HA-BP). The subsequent release of the BMP-2 from these hydrogel coatings could be triggered by calcium ions. The amount of adsorbed protein on the surfaces as well as the amount of released protein both depend on the type of hyaluronan coating. We conclude that HA-BP coated titanium oxide surfaces provide an excellent material for growth factor delivery in-vivo

Spray-assisted layer-by-layer assembly on hyaluronic acid scaffolds for skin tissue engineering

Tissue engineering approaches for the development of a single epidermal-dermal scaffold to treat full-thickness skin defects have been limited by difficulties in the fabrication of a bilayer scaffold combining the specific properties of the epidermis and the dermis. Here we present an innovative approach to developing a scaffold that holds promise for skin tissue engineering. We utilize the spray-assisted layer-by-layer assembly technique to deposit a polyelectrolyte multilayer film composed of hyaluronic acid and poly-L-lysine (the epidermal component) on a porous hyaluronic acid scaffold (the dermal component), in a rapid and controlled manner. The multilayer film promotes cell adhesion, contributing to regeneration of the epidermal barrier functions of skin. While human keratinocytes attached and proliferated on the coated porous scaffolds, they did not invade the porous dermal component, thus leaving room for seeding of relevant fibroblast cell types in this scaffold. This scaffold therefore holds promise for co-culture of different cells, which may be useful for treatment of full-thickness skin defects as well as other tissue engineering applications.Contract grant sponsor: Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology; contract grant number: BD/39396/2007Contract grant sponsors: MIT-Portugal Program; National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowshi

High-throughput topographic, mechanical, and biological screening of multilayer films containing mussel-inspired biopolymers

A high-content screening method to characterize multifunctional multilayer films that combine mechanical adhesion and favorable biological response is reported. Distinct combinations of nanostructured films are produced using layer-by-layer methodology and their morphological, physicochemical, and biological properties are analyzed in a single microarray chip. Inspired by the composition of the adhesive proteins in mussels, thin films containing dopamine-modified hyaluronic acid are studied. Flat biomimetic superhydrophobic patterned chips produced by a bench-top methodology are used for the build-up of arrays of multilayer films. The wettability contrasts imprinted onto the chips are allowed to produce individual, position controlled, multilayer films in the wettable regions. The flat configuration of the chip permits to perform a series of nondestructive measurements directly on the individual spots. In situ adhesion properties are directly measured in each spot, showing that nanostructured films richer in dopamine promote the adhesion. In vitro tests show an enhanced cell adhesion for the films with more catechol groups. The advantages presented by this platform include ability to control the uniformity and size of the multilayers films, its suitability to be used as a new low cost toolbox and for high-content cellular screening, and capability for monitoring in situ a variety of distinct material properties.The authors acknowledge the fi nancial support from the FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e para a Tecnologia) through the Ph.D. grants with the references SFRH/BD/73119/2010 and SFRH/BD/70107/2010. The research was also funded by FEDER through the Competitive Factors Operation Program (COMPETE) and by National Funds through FCT in the scope of the project PTDC/CTM-BIO/1814/2012

A two-component pre-seeded dermal-epidermal scaffold

We have developed a bilayered dermal-epidermal scaffold for application in the treatment of full-thickness skin defects. The dermal component gels in situ and adapts to the lesion shape, delivering human dermal fibroblasts in a matrix of fibrin and cross-linked hyaluronic acid modified with a cell adhesion-promoting peptide. Fibroblasts were able to form a tridimensional matrix due to material features such as tailored mechanical properties, presence of protease-degradable elements and cell-binding ligands. The epidermal component is a robust membrane containing cross-linked hyaluronic acid and poly-l-lysine, on which keratinocytes were able to attach and to form a monolayer. Amine-aldehyde bonding at the interface between the two components allows the formation of a tightly bound composite scaffold. Both parts of the scaffold were designed to provide cell-type-specific cues to allow for cell proliferation and form a construct that mimics the skin environment.D.S.K. acknowledges funding from the Biotechnology Research Endowment from the Department of Anesthesiology at Boston Children's Hospital. I.P.M. acknowledges the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology for the grant BD/39396/2007 and the MIT-Portugal Program. D.G. acknowledges the Swiss National Science Foundation for a post-doctoral fellowship (PBGEP3-129111). B.P.T. acknowledges an NIR Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award (F32GM096546)

The Migration Experience of Western Europe After the Second World War within the Framework of Migration Theories

After the Second World War, migratory movements towards Western European countries increased significantly. In addition, characteristics of migration towards these countries also has changed. Many push and pull factors, such as particularly decolonization process, foreign labor requirement, economic crises, globalization, the rise of neoliberal economic policies and conflicts in third countries, have been influential in changing the characteristics of these migratory movements. These factors makes difficult to explain these migratory movements within the framework of a single migration theory. The main purpose of this study is to divide migratory movements towards Western Europe after the Second World War into the processes through historical breakpoints and to examine them within the framework of macro level migration theories based on the economy and dependency in general

Evaluation of the different type of road surface texture properties

Üstyapılar, esnek ve rijit üstyapılar olmak üzere iki çeşittir. Deney uygulanacak numuneler; rijit kaplamalar için farklı pürüzlendirme yöntemleriyle hazırlanmış, esnek kaplamalar için farklı gradasyonlar ile hazırlanmıştır. Bir yolun en önemli özelliklerinden biri güvenlik ölçütüdür. Yüzey doku özelliklerini ve bu güvenlik ölçütünü belirlemek için makrodoku ve mikrodoku özellikleri incelenmelidir. Bu özellikleri incelemek amacıyla, numuneler üzerinde kum yama, dinamik sürtünme ölçer ve lazerli tarama yöntemi deneyleri uygulanmıştır. Bu deneyler sonucunda ?ortalama profil derinliği?, ?ortalama doku derinliği? ve ?kayma sürtünme katsayıları? bulunup, yüzey özelliklerinin değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır._x000B_Bu çalışma kapsamında, 2. bölümde esnek ve rijit üstyapıların özellikleri, imalatı sırasında kullanılan malzemelerin özellikleri ve esnek ve rijit üstyapıların çeşitleri açıklanmıştır._x000B_3. Bölümde esnek ve rijit üstyapılarda oluşan bozulma türleri açıklanmış, oluşma nedenleri ve gerekçeleri incelenmiştir._x000B_4. Bölümde, deneysel çalışmaların ana teması olan sürtünme kuvveti açıklanmış, kaplamaların yüzey özellikleri ve yüzey pürüzlendirme teknikleri anlatılmıştır._x000B_5. Bölümde ise, deneysel çalışmalar için hazırlanan esnek ve rijit kaplama temsili numunelerin üretiminde kullanılan malzemelerin özellikleri, imalat sırasında kullanılan aletler tanıtılmıştır. Ayrıca, yüzey doku özelliklerinin belirlenmesinde kullanılan deney yöntemleri olan, Kum Yama, Dinamik Sürtünme Ölçer (DFT) ve Lazerli Tarama Sistemi uygulama şartları ile açıklanmış ve deney sonuçları verilmiştir._x000B_6.Bölümde ise deney sonuçları değerlendirilerek, sonuç ve önerilerde bulunulmuştur. Highway pavements are divided into two main categories; flexible and rigid. Samples, which are applied to the test, for the rigid pavements are prepared by different roughening methods, for the flexible pavements are prepared by using different gradations. Security criteria is the most important feature for the road. Microtexture and macrotexture properties must be investigated for determining the surface texture properties and security criteria. To investigate these properties, sand patch method, dynamic friction tester and laser scanning method are applied to the samples. The result of these applied experiments, ?Mean Profile Depth?, ?Mean Texture Depth? and ?Coefficient of Friction? are existed and texture properties are interpreted._x000B_Scope of this study, at the second chapter; properties of flexible and rigid pavements, properties of materials which are used at construction and types of flexible and rigid pavements are explained._x000B_At the third chapter, deformations which are occurred on the rigid and flexible pavements are explained and the causes of these deformations are investigated._x000B_At the fourth chapter, friction which is the main theme of this experimental study is explained. Also, surface texture properties of pavements and roughening methods are investigated._x000B_At the fifth chapter, properties of materials which are used at production of flexible and rigid samples for experiments and equipments which are used at producing experimental samples are defined. Also, sand patch method, dynamic friction tester and laser scanning which are used for determining the surface texture properties are explained and the results of experiments are determined._x000B_At the sixth chapter, results of experiments are investigated and interpreted

Penetration rate prediction in heterogeneous formations: A geomechanical approach through machine learning

© 2021 Elsevier B.V.Bourgoyne and Young Method (BYM) is one of the most widely used rate of penetration (ROP) prediction methods. Drilling data, in this method, must be taken from uniform-lithology sections (homogeneous formations) to get the maximum prediction accuracy using multiple linear regression analysis. In the presence of heterogeneity, the accuracy of BYM decreases substantially due to complexity in lithology. There are various studies on ROP prediction based on BYM. Since these studies considers uniform lithology only, none of them functions satisfactorily in heterogeneous formations. Implementing a different type of regression model as an alternative to multiple linear regression by modifying BYM to predict ROP in heterogeneous environment for well programming is the main purpose of this study. This is done by introducing several geomechanical parameters to the BYM to estimate a relationship between the rock mechanical properties and the heterogeneity. An offset drilling data is taken from a heterogeneous formation and converted into BYM's functions. The effect of feature selection, data size, and different outlier labeling approaches on ROP prediction accuracy in heterogeneous formations are investigated by applying several predictive techniques: multiple linear regression, support vector regression, and artificial neural networks. The prediction results are compared and examined from a statistical point of view. It is revealed that the BYM could not represent ROP effectively in a heterogeneous environment. As demonstrated for the first time, the ROP prediction accuracy in heterogeneous formations significantly increases when machine learning techniques are used together with additional features comprising heterogeneity