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This thesis focuses on two problems in the field of computer vision and image analysis. The first part of the thesis deals with image localization. The goal is simply to answer the question: Where was this picture taken? To answer this two things are needed: A model of the world, or at least the relevant parts of the world, and a method for relating a new image to the model. The thesis presents ne
Cervical radiculopathy is diagnosed by history, clinical examination of the patient and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervical spine. In many of the patients undergoing this diagnostic strategy, the nerve root/roots responsible for the radicular pain is difficult to define as clinical examination and MRI investigation does not provide information enough. The information from transforamin
Microemulsions are thermodynamically stable, transparent solutions of water, oil and amphiphile(s). It is possible to incorporate large amounts of oil in microemulsions, which makes them interesting for use as a drug delivery vehicle for water insoluble drugs. A prerequisite for pharmaceutical use, however, is a low toxicity of the composition. The aim of this thesis has thus been to characterize
The aim of this thesis is to analyse the status of new stained glass from 1851-1955. The point of departure is that, despite stained glass having been part of the ?uvre of many well-known artists, it is often not included in the general history of art. One primary methodological approach is to examine the issue of status emerging from notions of the media-specific qualities of stained glass. The
This thesis concentrates on the development, synthesis and evaluation of supramolecular systems, assembled from its components by means of hydrogen bonding, using the self-complementary 2-pyridone motif. The thesis is divided in two parts. 1) Supramolecular catalysis: Substrate selectivity is imposed on a derivative of Jacobsen's catalyst, an Mn(salen) complex with 2-quinolone hydrogen-bonding gr
The aim of this work was to develop, implement and evaluate an independent system with which to calculate the absorbed dose, delivered by high-energy X-ray beams, to the prescription point and the depth of dose maximum. The introduction of such a system in the clinical routine may help ensure high-quality treatment and avoidance of errors which may jeopardise the clinical outcome of the treatment
This essay has three main aims. The first one is to give an overview of some hundred years of European intellectual history, bringing out new aspects of the classical thinkers. The analysis of the four philosophers Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, David Hume and Charles de Montesquieu aims at illustrating a general historical process, viz. the emergence of the modern view of man in Europe. After Hobbes,
Knowledge work is often portrayed as hidden or ambiguous: an ambiguous product is sold, ambiguous results are delivered, and work processes are ambiguous. This in turn affects the type of management expected in knowledge-intensive organisations, where emphasis is on managing people rather than work. In this study, the organisation of knowledge work is discussed and problematized through analysis o
The ongoing increase in atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations causes an increase in the global mean air temperature. One important moderator of the atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration is the gas exchange between the atmosphere and the biosphere; photosynthesis extracts and respiration releases CO2, resulting in a net exchange. A variety of methods are used to improve our understandi
This doctoral thesis deals with consumers’ attitudes towards serving them-selves with machines rather than being served by personnel. Its aim is to contribute to the theory of perceived service quality by providing a better understanding of customers’ attitudes and preferences when using technology-based self-service. In addition to aspects of service dealt with by traditional service-quality rese
The research field of the thesis is clinical adult psychiatry and it focuses on the treatment of patients with autism spectrum disorders. Before the publication of DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) in 1994 intellectually high-functioning patients with autism have not been included in diagnostic manuals and received appropriate treatment in adult psychiatry. In recent y
The assessment of ischemic heart disease (IHD) often focuses on the detection of dysfunctional but viable myocardium which may improve in function following revascularization. Dysfunctional but viable myocardium is identified by distinct characteristics with regards to function, perfusion and viability. Therefore, in Paper I we developed a method for quantitative polar representation of left ventr
An important problem in ocean engineering is to find distributions for characteristic wave parameters. For wind-generated water waves at deep water, a Gaussian distribution for the wave-surface elevation is considered a reasonable model. Within the Gaussian assumption, extensions of Rice's formula can be applied to formulate explicit expressions for the distributions in the ergodic, or Palm, sense
This doctoral dissertation is an analysis of the novel 'The Garden' (1997), by the Russian author Nina Sadur. Drawing on feminist literary criticism, it aims at providing a woman-authored text with the in-depth study the novel’s literary sophistication calls for. The dissertation is divided into two parts: Part One presents a linear reading of the novel in which it is read as ‘aberrant discourse’
Our everyday appliances ranging from toys to vehicles, as well as the equipment used to manufacture them, contain an increasing number of embedded computers. Embedded systems software often implement functionality that is crucial for the operation of the device, resulting in a variety of timing requirements and resource utilization constraints to be fulfilled. Industrial competition and the ever i
Combustion is the most important source of energy worldwide. A better understanding of it is essential if pollutant emissions are to be reduced and combustion devices be made more efficient. This requires measurement of physical and chemical combustion parameters. Laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) is widely employed as a laser-diagnostic technique for the detection of combustion species but it suff
Cystatins are endogenous protease inhibitors that regulate the proteolytic activities of family C1 (papain-like) cysteine proteases, such as human cathepsins B, H, K, L, and S. Cystatin C shows the fastest inhibition and the highest affinity of all cystatins towards lysosomal cysteine proteases in general and is widespread in human tissues and body fluids. Alterations in the balance between the cy
Ethanol produced from renewable resources can be used to replace fossil fuels such as gasoline and diesel. This thesis deals with the development of the enzymatic process used for ethanol production from softwood. A techno-economic tool, based on Aspen Plus and Icarus Process Evaluator, was developed in which the whole process, from raw material to ethanol, was studied and critical process paramet
When Britain decided, in 1968, to terminate its official colonial presence in the Persian (Arabian) Gulf as of 1971, this action prompted the Gulf Arab States (Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Oman) to start the search for a form of partnership that would bring them together to better cope with the insecurity and danger surrounding them and their regimes. A key probl
Starch microsphere is a dosage form suitable for the encapsulation of protein drugs. The starch microspheres investigated in this thesis are intended for release of the drug in a pre-designed way, or in controlled manner. For this purpose the starch microspheres can be coated by poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLG) film, which is a release controlling. The term microsphere quality is complicated an
