Between the panels: How anti-Black racism has recycled myths of the Black body in comic books

Anti-Black racism continues to be a widespread problem, and as such deserves investigation and elimination. As Jackson (2006) says; “There is a hyperawareness…of the negative inscriptions associated with the Black masculine body as criminal, angry and incapacitated.” (2) To continue the study of the changing face of racism, the researcher must be well equipped with a contemporary methodology which is adaptable and exploratory. Due to the malleability of racism, research into its elimination must make inroads to areas that have heretofore been neglected and overlooked by traditional academic study. This project achieves a unique perspective by undertaking a theoretical exploration of racist stereotypes and motifs in the world of mass produced superhero comic books, a genre of comics which has neither yet been thoroughly investigated for the use of racist stereotypes nor been the focus of anti-racist scholarship.

Visible and near infrared spectroscopy of Hayabusa re-entry using semi-autonomous tracking

A ground-based tracking camera and co-aligned slit-less spectrograph were used to measure the spectral signature of visible radiation emitted from the Hayabusa capsule as it entered into the Earth's atmosphere in June 2010. Good quality spectra were obtained that showed the presence of radiation from the heat shield of the vehicle and the shock-heated air in front of the vehicle. An analysis of the black body nature of the radiation concluded that the peak average temperature of the surface was about (3100±100) K.

Breast cancer detection from thermal images using bispectral invariant features

Highly sensitive infrared (IR) cameras provide high-resolution diagnostic images of the temperature and vascular changes of breasts. These images can be processed to emphasize hot spots that exhibit early and subtle changes owing to pathology. The resulting images show clusters that appear random in shape and spatial distribution but carry class dependent information in shape and texture. Automated pattern recognition techniques are challenged because of changes in location, size and orientation of these clusters. Higher order spectral invariant features provide robustness to such transformations and are suited for texture and shape dependent information extraction from noisy images. In this work, the effectiveness of bispectral invariant features in diagnostic classification of breast thermal images into malignant, benign and normal classes is evaluated and a phase-only variant of these features is proposed. High resolution IR images of breasts, captured with measuring accuracy of ±0.4% (full scale) and temperature resolution of 0.1 °C black body, depicting malignant, benign and normal pathologies are used in this study. Breast images are registered using their lower boundaries, automatically extracted using landmark points whose locations are learned during training. Boundaries are extracted using Canny edge detection and elimination of inner edges. Breast images are then segmented using fuzzy c-means clustering and the hottest regions are selected for feature extraction. Bispectral invariant features are extracted from Radon projections of these images. An Adaboost classifier is used to select and fuse the best features during training and then classify unseen test images into malignant, benign and normal classes. A data set comprising 9 malignant, 12 benign and 11 normal cases is used for evaluation of performance. Malignant cases are detected with 95% accuracy. A variant of the features using the normalized bispectrum, which discards all magnitude information, is shown to perform better for classification between benign and normal cases, with 83% accuracy compared to 66% for the original.

Broadband wavelength-selective reflectance and selective polarization by a tip-bent vertically aligned multi-walled carbon nanotube forest

The tunable optical properties of the bulk structure of carbon nanotubes (CNT) were recently revealed as a perfect black body material, optically reflective mirror and solar absorber. The present study demonstrates an enhanced optical reflectance of up to similar to 15% over a broad wavelength range in the near infrared region followed by a mechanical modification of the surface of a bulk CNT structure, which can be accounted for due to the grating-like surface abnormalities. In response to the specific arrangement of the so-formed bent tips of the CNT, a selective reflectance is achieved and results in reflecting only a dominant component of the polarized ight, which has not been realized so far. Modulation of this selective-optical reflectance can be achieved by ontrolling the degree of tip bending of the nanotubes, thus opening up avenues for the construction of novel dynamic light polarizers and absorbers.

How important are shock waves to single-bubble sonoluminescence?

By solving numerically the full set of hydrodynamic equations governing the pulsation of a bubble,we show that shock waves are often absent in a stable sonoluminescing bubble. Nevertheless, for a wide range of physical parameters, a continuous compressional wave emerges and heats up the bubble, and the resulting black-body radiations have pulse heights and widths that agree with experimental data. Shock waves, being much less robust, are not essential for stable single-bubble sonoluminescence.

有机质谱裂解规律及智能解析方法研究

本学位论文分为四个部分，第一部分报道了用串联质谱快速分析合成药物中的微量杂质成分以及分析中药材中的化学成分。第二部分报道了通过质谱和串联质谱发现并合成新型的PdPincer 催化剂，同时对其活性进行测试。第三部分为串联质谱自动解析软件的设计及应用。第四部分概述了应用在质谱中的各种碎裂方式。 第一部分首先总结了5-溴粉防己碱及其类似物的裂解规律，并以此为根据推测出2 个微量杂质的结构。随后针对无患子（Sapindus mukurossi Gatren.）中的皂苷成分，由ESI-QTOF 得到各个皂苷成份的高分辨质量数据进而得到其分子式，然后利用ESI-IT 电喷雾串联质谱对无患子总皂苷中各皂苷成分的结构进行进一步的鉴定。进而以同样的方式，先通过ESI-QTOF 得到黄山药（Dioscoreapanthaica）总皂苷中各个组分化合物的分子式，然后对已有的薯蓣皂苷标准品做串联质谱分析，以得到该类化合物的裂解规律并给出解析该类化合物的流程图。在此利用计算化学的方法讨论了离子的丰度与裂解活化能之间的关系。然后应用APCI-MS/MS 方法探讨了四对同分异构体和几个已知的化合物，并最后用液质联用对其进行确认，同时还给出了4 个未知化合物的可能结构。 第二部分报道通过质谱和串联质谱发现并合成新型的PdPincer 催化剂，同时对其活性进行测试。钯催化的交联反应是有机合成中C-C 键形成的最有效的方法，且硫脲是一类对空气和水都稳定的化合物，因此我们设计并合成了一系列的硫脲钯催化剂并得到了很好的催化活性。我们在对其中一类环状双硫脲化合物进行质谱实验的时候，在正离子模式下发现了反常的[M.H]+，通过串联质谱进一步确定了它是一种新型的PdPincer 结构。我们将其合成出来并通过X-ray 衍射实验确定了它的结构。同时测定其催化活性并与未形成pincer 的类似物进行比较发现该类化合物具有较宽的底物适用性。 第三部分为串联质谱自动解析软件的设计及应用。通过前面两部分的启示，独立设计开发了AuMass（1.0）。其算法是：先通过查找特殊的碎片离子，中性丢失或碎片离子质量差来确定某类化合物的骨架结构，然后利用该类化合物的自动解析流程来对其周边取代基进行确认。通过它快速地对白芍中的化学成分进行解析，并对未知的化合物进行了推测。为了增加它的解析能力，我又对其它类型的化合物裂解规律进行总结，并给出了自动解析流程。实践证明该软件具有相当好的应用价值。 第四部分综述了应用在质谱上的各类母离子的碎裂技术。这里包括了碰撞诱导裂解（CID）、光诱导碎裂（LID）、电子捕获裂解/电子转移裂解（ECD/ETD）、红外多光子解离（IRMPD）、黑体辐射解离（BIRD）和PQD 裂解技术。 This dissertation consists of four chapters. The first chapter reports the rapidanalysis of trace impurities from synthetical medicine and analysis of the chemicalconstitutents from Chinese herb medicines. The second chapter elaborates the studieson the discorvery and synthesis of new type of Pd Pincer catalyst by using MS andtandem MS together with the testing of its catalyst activity. The third chapter dwellson the designation and development of automatic tandem mass spectrometry analysissoftware. The last chapter presents a review on the dissociation technique of massspectrometry. The first chapter reports the rapid analysis of trace impurities from synthesismedicine and analysis of the chemical constitutents from Chinese herb medicines. The fission mechanism of 5-bromotetrandrine was obtained by analysis of the dissociationpathways of major product, by using which the possible structure of the two traceimpurties was assumed. There are lots of saponins in Sapindus mukurossi. Except forthe good spumescence and decontamination，it possesses the bioactivity of antigenand antitch. First of all, the high resolution mass information was obtained by ESI-QTOF. Hence the possible molecular formulars were acquired too. Then weconducted the further detection of the structures of its saponins by using ESI-ITtechnology. In the same manner, first the molecular formulars of every constituentfrom Dioscorea panthaica in total saponins were obtained by ESI-QTOF, and thenacquired the fission mechanism of this type of compounds by tandem massexperiment on a series of known and available saponins. In the same time, theanalysis flowchart was concluded. Here the relationship between the ion intensity andthe corresponding dissiociation activation energy was studied by computer chemistry.Then the four pairs of isomers were differentiated by APCI-MS/MS, as well as thecharacterization of known and unknown compounds. The assumption was confirmed by HPLC-MS/MS. Among them the possible structures of four unknown saponinswas presented. The second part was discovery and synthesis of a new type of Pd pincer catalystby MS and tandem MS. The coupling reaction catalyzed by Pd is the most effectivemethod in C-C formation in organic synthesis. Apart from that, thiourea is type ofcompounds that are stable to atmosphere and moisture. Hence we designed a series ofPd thiourea catalysts. Some of them show the excellent catalyst activity. The abnormalparent ion [M.H]+ was founded in positive ESI mode when we conduct some massspectrometry experiments on the bicyclical thiourea Pd complex. The structure wasproposed by mass and tandem mass spectrometry. Because it was a new type of pincer,we want to test its catalyst activity. So the Pd pincer was synthesized and the detailstructure was obtained by x-ray experiment. It shows the more fitness in catalysis ofSuzuki reaction by comparison with the analogue. The third chapter dwells on the design and development of automatic tandemmass spectrometry analysis software. Inspired by the former two chapters, theAuMass (version 1.0) was developed. Its algorithm is: first check the diagnostic ion,diagnostic neutral loss or diagnostic ions mass intervals in database to find out whatthe analyst’s skeleton belongs to, then identify the peripheral functional group by thecorresponding analysis flowchart. The chemical constituents of Paeonia lactiflorawere identified rapidly by using AuMass. To increase the analysis ability, the othertypes of compounds from Chinese herbs was concluded. Actually, the software isproven to have the much valuable application. The last chapter presented the review on the some kinds of fission technique ofmass spectrometry. It involves the collision induced dissociation (CID), laser induceddissociation (LID), electron capture dissociation/electron transfer dissociation(ECD/ETD), infrared multiple photons dissiociation, black body irraditiondissociation and PQD fission technique from Finnigan.

Modélisation de l'irradiance solaire spectrale dans le proche et moyen ultraviolet

Nous présentons un modèle pour l’irradiance solaire spectrale entre 200 et 400 nm. Celui-ci est une extension d’un modèle d’irradiance solaire totale basé sur la simulation de la fragmentation et l’érosion des taches qui utilise, en entrée, les positions et aires des taches observées pour chaque pas de temps d’une journée. L’émergence des taches sur la face du Soleil opposée à la Terre est simulée par une injection stochastique. Le modèle simule ensuite leur désintégration, qui produit des taches plus petites et des facules. Par la suite, l’irradiance est calculée en sommant la contribution des taches, des facules et du Soleil inactif. Les paramètres libres du modèle sont ajustés en comparant les séquences temporelles produites avec les données provenant de divers satellites s’étalant sur trois cycles d’activité. Le modèle d’irradiance spectrale, quant à lui, a été obtenu en modifiant le calcul de la contribution des taches et des facules, ainsi que celle du Soleil inactif, afin de tenir compte de leur dépendance spectrale. Le flux de la photosphère inactive est interpolé sur un spectre synthétique non magnétisé, alors que le contraste des taches est obtenu en calculant le rapport du flux provenant d’un spectre synthétique représentatif des taches et de celui provenant du spectre représentatif du Soleil inactif. Le contraste des facules est quand à lui calculé avec une procédure simple d’inversion de corps noir. Cette dernière nécessite l’utilisation d’un profil de température des facules obtenu à l’aide de modèles d’atmosphère. Les données produites avec le modèle d’irradiance spectrale sont comparées aux observations de SOLSTICE sur UARS. L’accord étant peu satisfaisant, particulièrement concernant le niveau d’irradiance minimal ainsi que l’amplitude des variations, des corrections sont appliquées sur le flux du Soleil inactif, sur le profil de température des facules, ainsi qu’à la dépendance centre-bord du contraste des facules. Enfin, un profil de température des facules est reconstruit empiriquement en maximisant l’accord avec les observations grâce à un algorithme génétique. Il est utilisé afin de reconstruire les séquences temporelles d’irradiance jusqu’en 1874 à des longueurs d’ondes d’intérêt pour la chimie et la dynamique stratosphérique.

Stéréotypes et auto-exotisme : les représentations de la sexualité de l'homme noir chez René Depestre et Dany Laferrière

Ce mémoire fait appel aux notions de stéréotype (tel que théorisé par Ruth Amossy, Jean- Louis Dufays et Mireille Rosello) et d’auto-exotisme (défini par Nathalie Schon) afin d’étudier les représentations de la sexualité de l’homme noir dans Alléluia pour une femme-jardin de René Depestre et La chair du maître de Dany Laferrière. Le stéréotype et l’exotisme, tous deux tributaires d’une vision de l’autre généralisante, superficielle et éphémère, nous intéressent dans la mesure où ils sont employés de façon auto-référentielle par ces auteurs d’origine haïtienne, qui mettent en scène des protagonistes noirs correspondant souvent au stéréotype du Noir hyper-sexuel, qui est pourtant issu de fantasmagories coloniales avilissantes. Dans le cadre de cette recherche, nous analysons les différentes postures de la sexualité masculine dans les œuvres susmentionnées afin d’y révéler un emploi varié des stéréotypes, tantôt reconduits, tantôt déplacés, voire rendus désuets ou incertains, grâce à diverses stratégies textuelles comme l’humour, l’ironie, l’exagération ou l’omission. Ce faisant, nous remarquons que l’usage complexe des stéréotypes, chez Depestre et Laferrière, quoi qu’il fasse appel aux mêmes tropes, dénote différents moyens de négocier avec sa propre « étrangeté ».

Investigations on nanosecond laser produced plasma in air from the multi-component material YBa2Cu3O7

The laser produced plasma from the multi-component target YBa2CU3O7 was analyzed using Michelson interferometry and time resolved emission spectroscopy. The interaction of 10 ns pulses of 1.06 mum radiation from a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser at laser power densities ranging from 0.55 GW cm-2 to 1.5 GW cm-2 has been studied. Time resolved spectral measurements of the plasma evolution show distinct features at different points in its temporal history. For a time duration of less than 55 ns after the laser pulse (for a typical laser power density of 0.8 GW cm-2, the emission spectrum is dominated by black-body radiation. During cooling after 55 ns the spectral emission consists mainly of neutral and ionic species. Line averaged electron densities were deduced from interferometric line intensity measurements at various laser power densities. Plasma electron densities are of the order of 1017 cm-3 and the plasma temperature at the core region is about 1 eV. The measurement of plasma emission line intensities of various ions inside the plasma gave evidence of multiphoton ionization of the elements constituting the target at low laser power densities. At higher laser power densities the ionization mechanism is collision dominated. For elements such as nitrogen present outside the target, ionization is due to collisions only.

Especímenes antropométricos y curiosidades pintorescas: la orquestación fotográfica del cuerpo “negro” (Brasil circa 1865)

Paul Gilroy escribe en Against Race que la “producción de la raza” desencadenada en los siglos XVIII y XIX “necesitó una síntesis de logos e ícono, de la racionalidad científica formal acompañada de algo más, algo visual y estético” (1). A partir del siglo XIX y de la mano de los avances tecnológicos en el ámbito de la representación visual, especialmente en la fotografía, los discursos científicos de la alteridad acogen y desarrollan un componente de exhibicionismo y espectacularización.En este marco de ideas, se pretende entender la producción fotográfica del cuerpo “negro”, en específico algunas imágenes que conforman los archivos fotográficos creados por el científico Louis Agassiz y Christiano Júnior en Brasil a mediados del siglo XIX. Objetivo: indagar la manera en que estos procedimientos de visualización contribuyeron a re-ensamblar discursos raciales en Brasil y en Estados Unidos justo en el momento cuando el cuerpo “negro” se enviste de subjetividad legal.

Remote gas detection and quantitative analysis from infrared emission spectra obtained by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Techniques for obtaining quantitative values of the temperatures and concentrations of remote hot gaseous effluents from their measured passive emission spectra have been examined in laboratory experiments. The high sensitivity of the spectrometer in the vicinity of the 2397 cm-1 band head region of CO2 has allowed the gas temperature to be calculated from the relative intensity of the observed rotational lines. The spatial distribution of the CO2 in a methane flame has been reconstructed tomographically using a matrix inversion technique. The spectrometer has been calibrated against a black body source at different temperatures and a self absorption correction has been applied to the data avoiding the need to measure the transmission directly. Reconstruction artifacts have been reduced by applying a smoothing routine to the inversion matrix.

Representing Fijian bodies and the economy of war

This paper traces representations of the black body, which I have related to contemporary masculine identities in Fiji. I have linked historical representations to what I perceive as the ongoing commodification of the Fijian body and argue that opportunities that have arisen from conflict in the Middle East have had a significant impact on employment opportunities for Fijians. I have framed the discussion around a description and analysis of my own photographic and installation artworks produced between 2007 and 2009.

Export quality : representing Fijian bodies and the economy of war

Fijian bodies have become a valuable commodity in the economy of war. Remittances from workers overseas are Fiji’s largest income – exceeding that of tourism and sugar export. This essay examines historical and contemporary representations of the black male body that perpetuate the exploitation of Fijians by inscribing the Fijian male body as warrior, criminal and protector. Taking a multidisciplinary approach informed by sociology, cultural theory, Pacific studies, visual culture, feminist and post-colonial theory, my practice is the vehicle through which I address issues of neocolonial commodification of Fijian bodies. Through an analysis of my own staged photographs and vernacular images taken by Fijians working for private security military companies and British and US armies, I hope to challenge audiences to consider their own perceptions of Fijian agency and subjectivity. By theorising the politicisation of the black body and interrogating colonial representations of blackness, I argue that we can begin to create links between the historical and contemporary exploitation of Fijians and that at the essence of both is an underlying racial hierarchy and economic requirement for cheap and, arguably, expendable labour.

Laying the ghost of the relativistic temperature transformation

Using the Unruh-DeWitt detector, it is shown that a universal and continuous Lorentz transformation of temperature cannot exist for black-body radiation. Since any valid Lorentz transformation of temperature must be able to deal with black-body radiation, it is concluded that a universal and continuous temperature transformation does not exist.

Companhia de dança Afro Bataka: ações artísticas, socioculturais e políticas

Pós-graduação em Artes - IA