Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Shop signs'

This study aims to furnish a semiotic reading of Sydney's Chinatown by analysing the environmental meanings codified in that particular context. The basic unit of analysis is the shop sign. Some features underlying sign formations in Sydney's Chinatown are identified and the communication process involved in its organisation of meanings and space is explored. The thesis is organised into three parts. The first part gives an introduction to the background of study and examines theories on architectural semiotics and its relation to visual communication. It consists of three chapters. Chapter 1 defines the scope of the study and outlines the objectives and goals of research. Chapter 2 focuses on two related fields of architectural semiotics, viz. semiotics of objects and semiotics of space. Evaluation of semiotic approaches and behavioural science approaches to the study of objects and space is made. Some of the theories discussed are applied to give a profile of shop signs from a visual semiotic perspective. In Chapter 3 a description of the methods of research and an outline of the analytical framework of this study are given. The two chapters of Part Two provide some background information on various conceptions of "Chinatown". Chapter 4 discusses the development features of Chinatowns in North America, which reveal that there are divergent perceptions of Chinatowns. Chapter 5 describes the development of Sydney's Chinatown and underlines some of its distinctive features. In Part Three the results of the study are presented. Chapter 6 focuses on the codification of meanings realised in Sydney's Chinatown. Chapter 7 is concerned with elements of sign formations and examines the communicative functions of shop signs in the Chinatown context. The analyses made in these chapters are intended to identify some features of sign formations in Sydney's Chinatown within an architectonic system. The thesis concludes with a summary of the study and a discussion of the applicability of architectural semiotic theories. It is suggested that further study can be pursued in the direction that contributes to an understanding of architectonic systems and social communication.

Especially for the last twenty years, the studies of Linguistic Landscapes (LLs) have been gaining the status as an autonomous linguistic discipline. The LL of a (mostly) geographically limited area – which consists of e.g. billboards, posters, shop signs, material for election campaigns, etc. – gives deep insights into the presence or absence of languages in that particular area. Thus, LL not only allows to conclude from the presence of a language to its dominance, but also from its absence to the oppression of minorities, above all in areas where minority languages should – demographically seen – be visible. The LLs of big cities are fruitful research areas due to the mass of linguistic data. The first part of this paper deals with the theoretical and practical research that has been conducted in LL studies so far. A summary of the theory, methodologies and different approaches is given. In the second part I apply the theoretical basis to my own case study. For this, the LLs of two shopping streets in different areas of Hong Kong were examined in 2010. It seems likely that the linguistic competence of English must be rather high in Hong Kong, due to the long-lasting influence of British culture and mentality and the official status of the language. The case study's results are based on empirical data showing the objectively visible presence of English in both examined areas, as well as on two surveys. Those were conducted both openly and anonymously. The surveys are a reinsurance measuring the level of linguistic competence of English in Hong Kong. That level was defined before by an analysis of the LL. Hence, this case study is a new approach to LL analysis which does not end with the description of its material composition (as have done most studies before), but which rather includes its creators by asking in what way people's actual linguistic competence is reflected in Hong Kong's LL.
Das Forschungsfeld der Linguistic Landscape (LL) hat sich vor allem in den letzten zwanzig Jahren als autonome Disziplin im Bereich der Sprachwissenschaft emanzipiert. Die LL eines meist geografisch eingegrenzten Gebietes – die beispielsweise aus Reklametafeln, Plakaten, Ladenschildern, Wahlkampfpropaganda, etc. besteht – erlaubt tiefe Einblicke in die An- oder Abwesenheit von Sprachen auf dem jeweiligen Gebiet. Die LL lässt dadurch nicht nur Rückschlüsse auf die Dominanz einer Sprache aufgrund ihrer Anwesenheit zu, sondern auch auf die Unterdrückung einer Minderheit durch die Abwesenheit ihrer Sprache an Orten, an denen die Minderheitensprache demografisch gesehen eigentlich sichtbar sein müsste. Wegen des Überflusses an linguistischen Daten in den LLs großer Städte sind diese ergiebige Tätigkeitsfelder für die Disziplin. Diese Arbeit beschäftigt sich im ersten Teil mit der theoretischen und praktischen Forschung, die es bislang zu diesem Thema gab. Sie prüft den Stand der Theoriebildung, fasst Methodiken zusammen und gibt einen Überblick über verschiedene Ansätze. Im zweiten Teil wird die theoretische Basis auf eine eigene Fallstudie angewendet. Für diese wurden 2010 die LLs zweier Einkaufsstraßen in unterschiedlichen Gegenden Hong Kongs untersucht. Durch den dort lange währenden Einfluss der englischen Kultur und Mentalität und den offiziellen Status der Sprache liegt der Schluss nahe, dass die Sprachkompetenz des Englischen in Hong Kong eher hoch sein muss. Die Ergebnisse der Fallstudie basieren sowohl auf der Erhebung von statistischen Daten, die die objektive Anwesenheit des Englischen in der LL beider untersuchten Gegenden zeigt, als auch auf zwei daraus resultierenden Befragungen. Diese wurden zum einen offen, zum anderen anonym durchgeführt. Die Befragungen stellen eine Rückversicherung dar, die den Grad der Sprachkompetenz des Englischen in Hong Kong misst, welcher zuvor anhand der LL festgestellt wurde. Damit bietet die Fallstudie einen neuen Ansatz der Untersuchung einer LL, der im Gegensatz zu vorangegangenen Studien nicht bei der Beschreibung ihrer materiellen Beschaffenheit endet, sondern auch ihre Schöpfenden miteinbezieht und sich fragt, inwiefern die LL von Hong Kong die tatsächliche Sprachkompetenz der Menschen widerspiegelt.

Thesis (M Sport Sc (Sport Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The influence of a six-week perceptual-motor and attentional skills programme, combined with teaching strategies, on the motor proficiency and attentional abilities of children diagnosed with ADHD was investigated. The five case study individuals (ranging for Grade 1- 7) took part in a six-week Purposeful Play Programme. Baseline, pre-test and post-test scores were obtained from the Bruininks- Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP) and Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Test (ADHDT). All five case study individuals showed a significant improvement on their motor proficiency during retention tests as well as improvements on some of the behavioural soft signs of hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention.
AFRIKAANDE OPSOMMING: Die invloed van ʼn sesweek perseptueel-motoriese en aandagvaardigheidsprogram, gekombineer met onderrigstrategieë, is op die motoriese vaardighede en aandagvermoëns van kinders gediagnoseer met ATHS, bestudeer. Die vyf gevallestudie individue (tussen Graad 1- 7) het aan „n sesweek Purposeful Play Programme deelgeneem. Die basislyn-, voor- en natoetstellings is verkry vanaf die Bruininks- Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (BOTMP) en Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Test (ADHDT). Al vyf gevallestudie individue het ʼn beduidende verbetering in motoriese vaardigheid getoon tydens retensietoetse asook verbetering in sommige van die gedragstekens van hiperaktiwiteit, impulsiwiteit en afleibaarheid.

Thesis (PhD (General Linguistics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011.
Bibliography
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The attainment of literacy is crucial for survival in a modern industrialised, knowledge-driven society. Children with poor language skills are at risk for academic failure because of the differences between oral language used in daily interactions and the language skills needed to succeed in a formal school environment. The impact of poorly developed oral language skills on the successful acquisition of reading skills, particularly reading comprehension, is often underestimated in the education of young learners in South Africa. Narrative skills form the bridge between oral language and literacy by providing experience in using the extended and decontextualized discourse units that children will encounter in written language. This study investigated the relationship between narrative skills and reading comprehension skills in young learners who are developing literacy. Specific linguistic markers of literacy in the narratives of a group of Grade 3 learners from communities with low socio-economic status were examined. The main research questions this study attempted to answer were: “How do linguistic deficits of learners with poor reading comprehension and specific reading comprehension deficits manifest in their oral narratives?” and “Are there linguistic markers that decisively distinguish between learners with specific reading comprehension deficits and learners with general poor reading skills as compared to learners with normal reading comprehension?” In a quasi-experimental research design, the Grade 3 participants in this study were assigned to three groups: Readers who are competent at word level and comprehension (good reading comprehension group), readers who are competent at word level but poor at comprehension (specific comprehension disorder group) and readers who are poor at both word level and comprehension (poor reading comprehension group). Measurement protocols were used to assess the linguistic variables of interest, namely vocabulary, narrative micro- and macrostructure structure, cohesion, coherence and other aspects of oral language. The results of this study confirmed the relationships between language skills and reading comprehension. It was found that readers with general poor reading skills performed significantly poorer on a variety of linguistic measures than readers with good reading comprehension. The group identified as readers with specific reading comprehension disorders were, in general, not significantly different from the other two groups. This study therefore did not provide clear evidence that readers with specific reading comprehension disorders presented with linguistic markers that could differentiate them from the other groups. The clinical implications for speech-language therapists and educators with regards to assessment and intervention were highlighted.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die behaling van geletterdheid is noodsaaklik om te oorleef in ‘n moderne, geïndustrialiseerde en kennisgedrewe samelewing. Kinders met swak taalvaardighede loop die risiko om akademies te faal weens die verskille tussen die orale taal wat alledaags gebruik word en die taalvaardighede wat vereis word om sukses in formele skoolomgewings te behaal. Die impak van swak orale taalvaardighede op die suksesvolle aanleer van leesvaardighede, spesifiek leesbegrip, word dikwels onderskat in die onderrig van jong Suid-Afrikaanse leerders. Narratiefvaardighede vorm die oorgang tussen orale taal en geletterdheid omdat narratiewe ondervinding verskaf in die gebruik van uitgebreide en gedekontekstualiseerde diskoerseenhede wat kinders in skryftaal teëkom. Hierdie studie het die verband tussen narratiefvaardighede en leesbegrip in jong kinders wat besig is om gelettedheid te ontwikkel, ondersoek. Spesifieke linguistiese merkers vir geletterdheid in die narratiewe van ‘n groep Graad 3 leerders van lae sosio-ekonomiese status, is ondersoek. Die hoof navorsingsvrae van die studie was: “Hoe manifesteer die linguistiese gebreke van leerders met swak leesbegrip en spesifieke leesbegripsprobleme in hul orale narratiewe?” en “Is daar linguistiese merkers wat afdoende onderskei tussen leerders met spesifieke leesbegripsprobleme en leerders met algemene swak leesvaardighede?” In ‘n kwasieksperimentele ontwerp is die deelnemers aan hierdie studie toegeken aan drie groepe: Lesers wat bevoeg is op woordvlak en begripsvlak (groep met goeie leesbegrip), lesers wat bevoeg is op woordvlak, maar met swak begrip (groep met spesifieke leesbegripsprobleme) en lesers wat onbevoeg is op woordvlak en begripsvlak (groep met algemene swak leesvaardighede). Protokolle is gebruik om die linguistiese veranderlikes, naamlik woordeskat, narratief mikro- en makrostruktuur, kohesie, koherensie en ander aspekte van verbale taal, te meet. Die resultate van hierdie studie het die verband tussen taalvaardighede en leesbegrip bevestig. Daar is gevind dat lesers met algemene swak leesvaardighede, in vergelyking met lesers met goeie leesbegrip, beduidend swakker presteer het op verskeie linguistiese metings. Die groep wat geïdentifiseer is as lesers met spesifieke leesbegripsprobleme het, oor die algemeen, nie beduidend van die ander twee groepe verskil nie. Hierdie studie het dus nie duidelike bewyse gevind dat lesers met spesifieke leesbegripsprobleme linguistiese merkers vertoon het wat hulle van die ander twee groepe kon onderskei nie. Die kliniese implikasies vir spraak-taalterapeute en opvoeders met betrekking tot assessering en intervensie is toegelig.

Thesis (M Sport Sc (Sport Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of participation in a small group-based perceptual-motor training programme on the gross motor and visual-motor integration skills of children who show signs of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). Two physical education teachers selected 22 children for assessment as potential participants for this study. The Movement ABC (M-ABC) was then administered to this group and the eight children who scored the lowest were invited to volunteer for this study. These children all volunteered and then completed the assessment of their visual-motor integration skills as measured by the Developmental Test of Visual Perception (DTVP-2). The study followed an evaluative case study design in which changes in the gross motor and visual-motor integration skills of each participant were reported and interpreted individually. The six-week intervention programme was focused on developing the perceptual-motor link between throwing, catching and balancing skills with challenges to visual skills development, especially eye-hand coordination. A comparison of pre-test, post-test and retention test scores in the M-ABC revealed that the programme had a positive effect on six of the children. The results for the seventh child were inconsistent on each test occasion, leading to the conclusion that he may have a co-morbid disorder related to attention. Improvements in static balance were noted and some children also experienced improvements in their ball skills (aiming and coincident timing) which brings the researcher to the conclusion that the programme was effective for gross motor development. DTVP-2 results showed improvements in eye-hand coordination in five of the seven children. According to the VMI quotient score, only one child improved, one deteriorated and the rest showed no change which brings the researcher to the conclusion that the intervention programme was not effective for visual-motor integration.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van die studie was om die impak te bepaal van deelname in „n klein-groep gebaseerde perseptueel-motoriese oefenprogram op die groot motoriese en visueel-motoriese integrasievaardighede van kinders met tekens van die Ontwikkelingskoördinasie-afwyking (DCD). Twee Lewensoriëntering-onderwysers het 22 kinders geïdentifiseer vir assessering as potensiële deelnemers aan die studie. Hierdie groep het die Beweging-ABC toets (M-ABC) ondergaan en die agt deelnemers met die laagste uitslae is uitgenooi om aan die studie deel te neem. Hierdie agt kinders het ingestem en daarna is die assessering voltooi deur hulle visueel-motoriese integrasievaardighede te meet deur middel van die Ontwikkelingstoets vir Visuele Persepsie (DTVP-2). Die studie het „n evaluerende gevallestudie-ontwerp gevolg waarin die veranderings tussen die groot motoriese en visueel-motoriese integrasievaardighede van elke deelnemer individueel geïnterpreteer en gerapporteer is. Die ses week-intervensieprogram het gefokus op die ontwikkeling van die perseptueel-motoriese skakel tussen gooi-, vang- en balans-vaardighede met uitdagings vir die ontwikkeling van visuele vaardighede, veral oog-hand koördinasie. „n Vergelyking tussen die voor-, na- en opvolgtoetse van die M-ABC se toetstellings het getoon dat die program „n positiewe effek op ses van die kinders se groot motoriese vaardighede gehad het. Die uitslag van die sewende kind was teenstrydig tydens elke toetsgeleentheid en dit het gelei tot die gevolgtrekking dat hy moontlik aan „n addisionele afwyking mag ly wat verband hou met „n aandagprobleem. Verbeterings in statiese balans is waargeneem en sommige kinders het ook „n verbetering in balvaardighede getoon (akkuraatheid en reaksietyd). Volgens die DTVP-2 resultate was daar verbeterings in oog-hand koördinasie by vyf van die sewe kinders. Volgens die VMI-kwosiënttelling het slegs een kind verbeter, een het versleg en die ander vyf het geen verandering getoon nie. Die navorser kom dus tot die gevolgtrekking dat die intervensieprogram nie effektief is vir visueel-motoriese integrasie nie.

The prevalence of anxiety amongst children with Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) is reportedly considerably higher than the general population (Ozsivadjian & Knott, 2011). Research considering intervention for children with ASC and anxiety has predominantly been from a clinical perspective, with limited evidence based literature being found that explored the needs of these students in relation to anxiety within the mainstream secondary school educational context. Anxiety can increase during adolescence for children with ASC (White, Ollendick, Scahill, Oswald, & Albano, 2009) and many of the anxiety related worries of children with ASC have been found to be related to school (Ozsivadjian & Knott, 2011). However, there is a dearth of research regarding practical support within an educational setting that can be implemented by schools on a needs basis to support students with ASC and signs of anxiety. Four students with a diagnosis of an ASC who had presented with signs of anxiety were identified from mainstream secondary schools across one English local authority. A parent and an educational practitioner who worked with each student also participated. A qualitative multiple embedded case study design was utilised. Suitably differentiated methods for gaining this cohort of students’ views and engaging them in the research were employed. Data from semi-structured interviews and educational documentation were analysed for main themes using thematic analysis based upon Braun and Clarke's (2006) six phase model. The perceived needs and difficulties of anxious students with ASC and what is considered to be effective practice in supporting them within a mainstream secondary school setting are outlined. The study provides some understanding of the needs of students with ASC and how schools support management of their anxiety. The research intends to extend knowledge of the needs of these students and what works in effectively supporting these students within a mainstream secondary school setting.

This explorative study investigates the role of audio-visual cues in user experience of virtual reality narratives. Using qualitative research methods, this study analyzes users’ experiences from their point of view and finds out what design factors contribute to their positive or negative experiences. Based on a thematic analysis of collected data, this study argues that when users are experiencing an immersive virtual reality narrative their curiosity drive them to look for clues in that virtual environment. If the virtual world provides well-designed audio-visual cues to guide their attention throughout the narrative then users feel immersion and spatial presence. On the contrary, lack of cues in a virtual environment keeps users looking straight ahead throughout the narrative, which results in boredom. Finally, excessive use of audio-visual cues makes users to keep switching their attention in multiple directions in fear of missing out something important, eventually resulting in their frustration and stress. This study will be useful for HCI researchers and narrative designers who are focusing their work in consumer oriented virtual reality applications.
Denna explorativa studie undersöker hur människor uppfattar upplevelser i mobila virtuella verkligheter och hur olika audiovisuella signaler i dessa miljöer påverkar upplevelserna. Med kvalitativa forskningsmetoder som omfattar observation, ”think aloud” samt semistrukturerade intervjuer, utforskar denna studie användarnas upplevelser från deras egen synpunkt och försöker att ta reda på vilka designfaktorer som bidrar till positiva eller negativa upplevelser. Med hjälp av tematisk analys av insamlad data hävdar denna studie att användare kommer in i ett fördjupat berättande utan att veta var man ska titta eller hur man ska gå vidare. Däremot så hjälper användarnas nyfikenhet dem att leta efter ledtrådar i miljön som gör att de kan komma vidare. Om den virtuella världen förser användaren med väldesignade audiovisuella signaler för att styra deras uppmärksamhet i berättelsen så kommer användaren in i ett flöde som möjliggör för en positiv upplevelse. Bristen på signaler i den virtuella miljön gör att användaren mestadels endast tittar rakt fram, medans ett överdrivet utnyttjande av signaler gör att de tittar sig omkring mer slumpartat, i rädsla för att missa något viktigt. I båda fallen kommer deras upplevelse att vara negativ.

This study examined the communicative construction of mental health in correctional work. Using narrative interviews with 25 current and former correctional officers, I explore how macro, meso, and micro D/discourses both enable and constrain communication and action around mental health for correctional employees. The findings suggest that larger cultural Discourses related to masculinity, bounded rationality, and personal responsibility, meso discourses related to organizational expectations, and daily micro-talk about mental health and resources such as the Employee Assistance Program, primarily create and sustain communication barriers that limit correctional workers from communicating about or seeking help for mental health challenges. From a critical perspective, D/discourses related to power and control privileged the rational experiences of workers and marginalized the emotional/physical experiences, a practice I argue has significant implications for the health and well-being of workers.

Normally hearing children with ASD are often reported to have a lack of interest in others, particularly when looking at faces, as a result of this they manifest difficulties understanding and using facial expressions compared to typically developing controls. Deaf children often show advantages with the processing of the face, as they need to look to the face more to communicate, due to the presence of linguistic facial expressions in British Sign Language (BSL). It is unknown how deaf individuals with ASD will fare when processing faces. This is the first study to look at how deaf children with ASD compare to typically developing deaf controls on a face processing measure and a number of comprehension and production measures looking at affective and linguistic facial actions in BSL. Surprisingly the deaf ASD group showed no general face processing impairment or difficulty attending to the face for the purpose of communication, they did not show characteristics usually associated with hearing individuals with ASD. This suggests the extra experience gained from attending to faces may reduce face processing impairments in deaf individuals with ASD. More research is needed to warrant this conclusion. The deaf ASD group did demonstrate specific impairments with the comprehension and production of some affective facial expressions in BSL. Linguistic facial expressions were largely preserved, with the exception of adverbials. The impairments that emerged in the deaf ASD group were most pronounced when production or comprehension of the face required attributions about the mental states of others. These results suggest that deaf individuals with ASD are not impaired with face processing, rather they have a highly specific and subtle pattern of impairments with using the face in sign language.

This thesis studied the relationship professional American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters have with their lived experience of work, specifically examining how it connects to meaning, purpose, and calling. Currently in the United States of America, there are over 63,000 interpreters, many of whom interpret between spoken and visual languages, such as English and ASL. Interpreters throughout the United States work with many diverse people in various locations, such as medical, mental health, legal, education, and business venues. Although the ASL interpreting profession has considered interpreting paradigms, skill development, and professionalism, there are few, if any, studies that have focused on the lived experience of the working interpreter as it relates to meaningfulness, purpose in life, and calling.

This qualitative study was philosophically informed by the transcendental phenomenological method. Two ASL interpreters volunteered to respond to 6 questions using a spiritual guidance framework to structure the interviews. Spiritual guidance is a formal process of listening deeply and authentically, which creates a space for a deepening of transformational processes within the individual. The general questions that were explored were (a) how does interpreting fulfill a sense of meaning, purpose, and calling; (b) how does meaning, purpose, and calling inform connections between self and work; (c) do interpreters sense their work serves a larger purpose; and (d) how might spiritual guidance play a role in the process. The results of this study suggested that the participant interpreters have deeply meaningful work experiences and that spiritual guidance can be a lens in which to view and cultivate this relationship.

Les maladies mentales représentent un ensemble catégoriel très hétérogène, même au sein d’une entité nosographique. L’approche multifactorielle rend compte de l’hétérogénéité clinique des troubles mentaux et du continuum entre certaines dimensions cliniques, voire entre le normal et le pathologique. Parmi ces dimensions, le phénotype psychotique constitue une dimension essentielle du trouble schizophrénique. L’approche dimensionnelle permet d’envisager la recherche d’expériences psychotiques dans la plupart des troubles mentaux ainsi qu’en population générale. Nous faisons l’hypothèse générale que certains troubles psychiatriques avec symptômes psychotiques pourraient être la résultante de l’interaction entre certains facteurs environnementaux précoces (traumatismes obstétricaux par exemple) et tardifs (consommation de toxiques, traumatismes) et le neurodéveloppement de l’individu. Un travail initial a été de rappeler les concepts de vulnérabilité en psychiatrie, et de prendre l’exemple du trouble schizophrénique pour réaliser une revue de la littérature sur les facteurs de risque en fonction de leur interaction précoce ou tardive avec le neurodéveloppement. Ensuite, dans le premier axe de recherche de la thèse, nous évaluons certains marqueurs neurodéveloppementaux précoces (signes neurologiques mineurs, latéralité, cognition). Notre premier travail, concerne la caractérisation clinique, neurologique et cognitive de 64 patients souffrant de trouble schizophrénique, en fonction de leur consommation de cannabis ou pas avant le début des troubles. Il apporte des éléments en faveur d’une charge neurodéveloppementale moins lourde chez les patients ayant consommé du cannabis, et de l’impact potentiel de cette substance chez des sujets vulnérables. Notre second travail, préliminaire, concerne l’impact clinique et cognitif de la latéralité chez les patients souffrant de schizophrénie (n=667) et de trouble bipolaire (n=2445). Nous apportons des arguments pour un poids neurodéveloppemental (mesuré avec cet indice) plus important dans la schizophrénie. Notre deuxième axe de recherche se concentre sur le tabagisme comme facteur environnemental tardif dans le trouble schizophrénique et le phénotype psychotique. Nous montrons dans deux travaux sur la cohorte FACE-SZ (n=361 ; n=474), que ces patients consomment presque deux fois plus qu’en population générale et qu’ils pourraient représenter un sous-groupe présentant des caractéristiques spécifiques d’un point de vue socio-démographique, clinique et thérapeutique. Dans un troisième travail préliminaire, nous comparons les fonctions cognitives de ces patients (n=785) et montrons que l’hypothèse d’automédication ne peut pas rendre compte à elle seule, de la forte prévalence du tabagisme chez ces patients. Dans un quatrième travail, nous étudions l’impact du tabagisme sur le phénotype psychotique dans une approche dimensionnelle, et montrons une association entre le tabagisme et certaines expériences de type psychotique dans un échantillon représentatif de la population générale américaine (NESARC, n=34653). Enfin dans un dernier axe de recherche nous nous intéressons au phénotype psychotique dans une population d’adolescents et jeunes adultes hospitalisés pour un premier épisode psychiatrique (n=50). Dans une étude préliminaire, nous montrons une forte prévalence des expériences de type psychotique chez ces jeunes adultes, quel que soit le diagnostic posé six mois à postériori, soulignant le caractère trans-nosographique du phénotype psychotique lors de l’émergence des troubles. L’ensemble de ce travail reflète l’hétérogénéité clinique des maladies mentales et l’importance de l’approche dimensionnelle et trajectorielle pour identifier des facteurs de risque (ou de protection). Les enjeux sont une meilleure compréhension étiopathogénique, des perspectives de prévention, et une prise en charge personnalisée des patients
Mental diseases represent a very heterogeneous categorical group, even within a given nosographic entity. Multifactorial approaches allow accounting for the clinical heterogeneity of mental disorders, the continuum between certain clinical dimensions, and even between the normal and the pathological. Among such dimensions, the psychotic phenotype constitutes an essential dimension of schizophrenic disorder. The dimensional approach allows for the search of psychotic experiences in most mental disorders as well as in the general population. We make the general hypothesis that certain psychiatric disorders with psychotic symptoms could be the result of the interaction between early- (obstetric traumas for example) and late- environmental factors (toxics, traumatisms) and the neurodevelopment of the individual. The initial step in this thesis work was to better define the concepts of vulnerability in psychiatry, and, based on the example of schizophrenia, to conduct a review of the literature on risk factors according to their early or late interaction with neurodevelopment. Subsequently, the first axis of research of the present thesis was to evaluate early neurodevelopmental markers (neurological soft signs, laterality, cognition). Our first work concerned the clinical, neurological and cognitive characterization of 64 patients suffering from schizophrenia, according to their cannabis use (or not) prior to psychosis. It provided evidence for a lower burden of neurodevelopment in cannabis users, and the potential impact of this substance on vulnerable individuals. Our second work concerns the clinical and cognitive impact of lateralization in patients with schizophrenia (n = 667) and bipolar disorder (n = 2445). We bring arguments for a neurodevelopmental weight (measured with this lateralization index) that is more important in schizophrenia. Our second axis of research focused on tobacco smoking as a late environmental factor in schizophrenia and psychotic phenotype. We showed in two studies on the FACE-SZ cohort (n = 361, n = 474) that SZ patients consumed almost twice as much as the general population and that they could represent a SZ subgroup with specific socio-demographic and clinical characteristics. In a third study, we compare the cognitive functions of these patients (n = 785) and show that the self-medication hypothesis alone cannot account for the high prevalence of their smoking. In a fourth work, we studied the impact of smoking on the psychotic phenotype with a dimensional approach, and showed an association between smoking and certain psychotic-type experiences in a representative sample of the US general population (NESARC, n = 34653). Finally, in a last line of research, we evaluated the psychotic phenotype in a population of adolescents and young adults hospitalized for a first psychiatric episode (n = 50). In a preliminary study, we show a high prevalence of psychotic-like experiences in these young adults, regardless of the diagnosis made six months afterwards, highlighting the trans-nosographic character of the psychotic phenotype during the emergence of different mental disorders. Overall, the present thesis underscores the clinical heterogeneity of mental illnesses and the importance of dimensional and trajectory approaches in identifying risk (or protective) factors, towards a better etiopathogenic understanding, better prevention opportunities, and a personalized patient care

La coloration des graphes est un sujet central en théorie des graphes, et divers concepts de coloration ont été étudiés dans la littérature. Cette thèse étudie certains de ces concepts de coloration et les problèmes associés. Il s'agit notamment de la coloration des graphes signés généralisés, du nombre de choix fractionnels forts des graphes, du nombre de coloration généralisé des graphes, de la largeur gémellaire des graphes, de la discordance (combinatoire) des systèmes d'ensembles définissables et des classes de graphes chi_p-bornées. Un graphe signé est une paire (G, sigma), où G est un graphe et sigma: E(G) to {+,-} est une signature. Un graphe signé généralisé est également une paire (G, sigma), où la signature sigma attribue à chaque arête e une permutation sigma(e) dans un ensemble S comme son signe. Dans une coloration d'un graphe signé ou d'un graphe signé généralisé (G, sigma), le signe sigma(e) détermine les paires de couleurs qui doivent être évitées en tant que couleurs des sommets terminaux de e. Une question naturelle motivée par le théorème des quatre couleurs est de savoir pour quels sous-ensembles S de S_4, tout graphe planaire est S-4-colorable. Cette question a maintenant une réponse complète: seul S={id} posséde cette propriété, ce qui signifie que le théorème des quatre couleurs est strict au sens de la coloration généralisée des graphes signés. Ce résulat a été établi par une séquence de six articles, par différents groupes d'auteurs. L'une des contributions de cette thése est le résultat établi dans l'un de ces articles, à savoir que que de nombreux ensembles S n'ont pas la propriété désirée. La thèse considère également des questions similaires pour les graphes planaires sans triangle, ce qui peut être considéré comme une exploration de l'étanchéité du théorème de Grötzsch. Notre résultat montre que pour tout sous-ensemble S de S_3, si S n'est pas conjugué à un sous-ensemble de {id, (12)}, alors il existe un graphe planaire sans triangle qui n'est pas S-3-colorable. Une autre tentative pour renforcer le théorème de Grötzsch est de considérer le nombre de choix fractionnaire fort des graphes planaires sans triangle. Il a été prouvé par Voigt qu'il existe des graphes planaires sans triangle qui ne sont pas 3-choissables. Cette thèse prouve que le supremum du nombre de choix fractionnel fort des graphes planaires sans triangle est au moins 3+1/17. Un sujet important de la théorie structurelle des graphes est l'étude de la complexité structurelle des graphes. Quelques concepts et invariants de graphes sont largement étudiés dans la littérature. Récemment, le concept de largeur gémellaire a été introduit. Dans cette thèse, nous prouvons qu'un graphe G sans sous graphe K_{s,s} et de largeur gémellaire d a ses nombres de coloration forts (faibles) r bornés supérieurement par une fonction exponentielle en r et que nous pouvons construire des graphes réalisant une telle dépendance en r. L'une des deux notions centrales de la théorie structurelle des classes de graphes éparses est celle de classes d'expansion bornée. La discordance combinatoire est un sujet important. Elle mesure les irrégularités inévitables des systèmes d'ensembles et la difficulté intrinsèque de leur approximation. Dans cette thèse, nous donnons une nouvelle caractérisation des classes d'expansion bornée en termes de discordance de système définissables. La notion de chi-boundedness est un sujet central en théorie des graphes chromatiques. Dans cette thèse, les classes chi-bornées sont étudiées ici dans le contexte des colorations stellaires et, plus généralement, des chi_p-colorations. Considéré dans le cadre général de l'édute des classes éparses, il conduit à des extensions naturelles de la notion de classe d'expansion bornée. Nous résolvons ici deux conjectures liées à la limitation du nombre chromatique stellaire (i.e. chi_2). Nous donnons des caractérisations structurelles des classes (fortement et faiblement) chi_p-bornée
Graph coloring is a central topic in graph theory, and various coloring concepts have been studied in the literature. This thesis studies some of the coloring concepts and related problems. These include coloring of generalized signed graphs, strong fractional choice number of graphs, generalized coloring number of graphs, twin-width of graphs, (combinatorial) discrepancy of definable set systems and chi_p-bounded classes of graphs. A signed graph is a pair (G, sigma), where G is a graph and sigma: E(G) to {+,-} is a signature. A generalized signed graph is also a pair (G, sigma), where the signature sigma assigns to each edge e a permutation sigma(e) in a set S as its sign. In a coloring of a signed graph or a generalized signed graph (G, sigma), the sign sigma(e) determines the pairs of colors that need to be avoided as the colors of the end vertices of e. Let S_k be the set of all permutations of [k]. A natural question motivated by the four color theorem is for which subsets S of S_4, every planar graph is S-4-colorable. This question is now completely answered: only S={id} has this property, which means that the four color theorem is tight in the sense of generalized signed graph coloring. This answer is obtained in a sequence of six papers, by different groups of authors. The contribution of this thesis is the results in one of the papers, which shows that many sets S do not have the desired property. The thesis also considers similar questions for triangle-free planar graphs, which can be viewed as exploring the tightness of Grötzsch Theorem. Our result shows that for any subset S of S_3, if S is not conjugate to a subset of {id, (12)}, then there exists a triangle-free planar graph which is not S-3-colorable. Another attempt to strengthen Grötzsch Theorem is to consider multiple list coloring of triangle-free planar graphs. It was proved by Voigt that there are triangle-free planar graphs that are not 3-choosable. This thesis strengthens Voigt's result by considering the strong fractional choice number of graphs and proves that the supremum of the strong fractional choice number of triangle-free planar graphs is at least 3+1/17. One important subject in structural graph theory is to study the structural complexity of graphs or classes of graphs and a few concepts and graph invariants are studied extensively in the literature. These include treewidth of graphs, generalized coloring number, etc. Recently, the concept of twin-width was introduced by Bonnet, Kim, Thomassé and Watrigant. In this thesis, we study the relation between twin-width and generalized coloring number. We prove that a graph $G$ with no K_{s,s}-subgraph and twin-width d has strong(weak) r-coloring numbers bounded by an exponential function of r and that we can construct graphs achieving such a dependency in r. One of the two central notions in structural theory of classes of sparse graphs is the classes with bounded expansion. These classes have strong algorithmic and structural properties and enjoy numerous characterizations and applications. Combinatorial discrepancy is a significant subject in its own right. It measures the inevitable irregularities of set systems and the inherent difficulty to approximate them. In this thesis, we give a new characterization of bounded expansion classes in terms of discrepancy of definable set systems. The notion of chi-boundedness is a central topic in chromatic graph theory. This thesis studies chi-bounded classes in the context of star colorings and, more generally, chi_p-colorings, say chi_s-bounded and (strongly and weakly) chi_p-bounded classes. This fits to a general scheme of sparsity and leads to natural extensions of the notion of bounded expansion class. Here we solve two conjectures related to star coloring ({i.e.} chi_2) boundedness and give structural characterizations of strongly chi_p-bounded classes and weakly chi_p-bounded classes

碩士
國立交通大學
網路工程研究所
96
In this thesis, we present an edge-based shop sign detection algorithm for automatic detecting shop signs in route panorama system. The whole processes are divided into two parts: candidate horizontal line selection and candidate vertical line selection. In the first part, the stronger horizontal lines in the image are selected and then the erroneous lines caused by texts on the shop sign are deleted. In the second part, the stronger vertical lines of the region between two selected horizontal lines are selected and then erroneous lines caused by single character on the shop sign are deleted. For horizontal line deletion, the texts on the shop sign have blanks between each character; this feature generates many peaks and valleys in histogram projection profiles. For vertical lines deletion, characters are on the shop sign and therefore the vertical lines caused by single character are shorter than the vertical lines of the shop sign edges. In contrast, the shop sign edges have a smooth curve on projection profile; this difference can be used to separate them. Since shop signs usually are significant and large in the image, we use the maximum area selection to select the largest region as the shop sign. The experimental results show our method is fast and effective.