Advanced image processing techniques for detection and quantification of drusen

Dissertation presented to obtain the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering, speciality on Perceptional Systems, by the Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculty of Sciences and Technology

The visual image in Epiphanic Short History

The visual image is a fundamental component of epiphany, stressing its immediacy and vividness, corresponding to the enargeia of the traditional ekphrasis and also playing with cultural and social meanings. Morris Beja in his seminal book Epiphany in the Modern Novel, draws our attention to the distinction made by Joyce between the epiphany originated in a common object, in a discourse or gesture and the one arising in “a memorable phase of the mind itself”. This type materializes in the “dream-epiphany” and in the epiphany based in memory. On the other hand, Robert Langbaum in his study of the epiphanic mode, suggests that the category of “visionary epiphany” could account for the modern effect of an internally glowing vision like Blake’s “The Tyger”, which projects the vitality of a real tyger. The short story, whose length renders it a fitting genre for the use of different types of epiphany, has dealt with the impact of the visual image in this technique, to convey different effects and different aesthetic aims. This paper will present some examples of this occurrence in short stories of authors in whose work epiphany is a fundamental concept and literary technique: Walter Pater, Joseph Conrad, K. Mansfield, Clarice Lispector. Pater’s “imaginary portraits” concentrate on “priviledged moments” of the lives of the characters depicting their impressions through pictorial language; Conrad tries to show “moments of awakening” that can be remembered by the eye; Mansfield suggests that epiphany, the “glimpse”, should replace plot as an internal ordering principle of her impressionist short-stories; in C. Lispector the visualization of some situations is so aggressive that it causes nausea and a radical revelation on the protagonist’s.

Automated image tagging through tag propagation

Trabalho apresentado no âmbito do Mestrado em Engenharia Informática, como requisito parcial Para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática

Gesture based interface for image annotation

Dissertação apresentada para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática pela Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia

Corporate social responsibility and its effect on image and reputation: The case of L’Oréal and its acquisition of The Body Shop

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

A CSR communication strategy for Continente: Improving brand image and reinforcing local community bonds

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Image processing methodology for assessment of drilling induced damage in CFRP

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Mecânica

External brand extensions impact on Diesel's brand image

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

A comparison between digital breast tomosynthesis and mammography: dosimetric and image quality characterization of clinical system

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Biomédica

Portugal as a country exporting talent: Image of young high-skilled Portuguese people working outside Portugal

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Positive self-image over time

This paper incorporates egocentric comparisons into a human capital accumulation model and studies the evolution of positive self image over time. The paper shows that the process of human capital accumulation together with egocentric comparisons imply that positive self image of a cohort is first increasing and then decreasing over time. Additionally, the paper finds that positive self image: (1) peaks earlier in activities where skill depreciation is higher, (2) is smaller in activities where the distribution of income is more dispersed, (3) is not a stable characteristic of an individual, and (4) is higher for more patient individuals.

In-School CSR and its impact on brand image, brand identification and brand reputation: The moderator effect of brand familiarity, product involvement and cause-brand fit

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Positive self-image and incentives in organizations

This paper investigates the implications of individuals’ mistaken beliefs of their abilities on incentives in organizations using the principal-agent model of moral hazard. The paper shows that if effort is observable, then an agent’s mistaken beliefs about own ability are always favorable to the principal. However, if effort is unobservable, then an agent’s mistaken beliefs about own ability can be either favorable or unfavorable to the principal. The paper provides conditions under which an agent’s over estimation about own ability is favorable to the principal when effort is unobservable. Finally, the paper shows that workers’ mistaken beliefs about their coworkers’ abilities make interdependent incentive schemes more attractive to firms than individualistic incentive schemes.

Positive self-image in tournaments

This paper analyzes the implications of worker overestimation of productivity for firms in which incentives take the form of tournaments. Each worker overestimates his productivity but is aware of the bias in his opponent’s self-assessment. The manager of the firm, on the other hand, correctly assesses workers’ productivities and self-beliefs when setting tournament prizes. The paper shows that, under a variety of circumstances, firms make higher profits when workers have positive self-image than if workers do not. By contrast, workers’ welfare declines due to their own misguided choices.

Microscopy image segmentation by active contour models

In this thesis a semi-automated cell analysis system is described through image processing. To achieve this, an image processing algorithm was studied in order to segment cells in a semi-automatic way. The main goal of this analysis is to increase the performance of cell image segmentation process, without affecting the results in a significant way. Even though, a totally manual system has the ability of producing the best results, it has the disadvantage of taking too long and being repetitive, when a large number of images need to be processed. An active contour algorithm was tested in a sequence of images taken by a microscope. This algorithm, more commonly known as snakes, allowed the user to define an initial region in which the cell was incorporated. Then, the algorithm would run several times, making the initial region contours to converge to the cell boundaries. With the final contour, it was possible to extract region properties and produce statistical data. This data allowed to say that this algorithm produces similar results to a purely manual system but at a faster rate. On the other hand, it is slower than a purely automatic way but it allows the user to adjust the contour, making it more versatile and tolerant to image variations.