Search results for ""author laurent""

Mathematical Morphology allows for the analysis and processing of geometrical structures using techniques based on the fields of set theory, lattice theory, topology, and random functions. It is the basis of morphological image processing, and finds applications in fields including digital image processing (DSP), as well as areas for graphs, surface meshes, solids, and other spatial structures. This book presents an up-to-date treatment of mathematical morphology, based on the three pillars that made it an important field of theoretical work and practical application: a solid theoretical foundation, a large body of applications and an efficient implementation. The book is divided into five parts and includes 20 chapters. The five parts are structured as follows: Part I sets out the fundamental aspects of the discipline, starting with a general introduction, followed by two more theory-focused chapters, one addressing its mathematical structure and including an updated formalism, which is the result of several decades of work. Part II extends this formalism to some non-deterministic aspects of the theory, in particular detailing links with other disciplines such as stereology, geostatistics and fuzzy logic. Part III addresses the theory of morphological filtering and segmentation, featuring modern connected approaches, from both theoretical and practical aspects. Part IV features practical aspects of mathematical morphology, in particular how to deal with color and multivariate data, links to discrete geometry and topology, and some algorithmic aspects; without which applications would be impossible. Part V showcases all the previously noted fields of work through a sample of interesting, representative and varied applications.

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Architecture that is meant to have a sensuous connection to life calls forthinking that goes far beyond form and construction. In his texts, Peter Zumthor articulates what motivates him to design his buildings, which appeal to the visitor's heart and mind in so many different ways and possess a compelling and unmistakable presence and aura. Now in its second edition, this book has been expanded to include two new essays: „Architecture and Lanscape” deals with the relationship between the structure and its surroundings, with the secret of the successful placement and topographical integration of architecture. In „The Leis Houses,” Peter Zumthor describes the genesis of two wooden houses in the town of Leis in the Swiss canton of Graubünden, thus thematizing the special challenge of integrating contemporary architecture into a traditional architectural context.

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With more than 150 million people, Muslims are the largest Indian minority but are facing a significant decline in socio-economic as well as political terms - not to say anything about the communal waves of violence that have affected them over the last 25 years. In India's cities, these developments find contrasted expressions. While Muslims are everywhere lagging behind, local syncretic cultures have proved to be resilient in the South and in the East (Bangalore, Calicut, Cuttack). In the Hindi belt and in the North, Muslims have met a different fate, especially in riot-prone areas (Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Jaipur, Aligarh) and in the former capitals of Muslim states (Delhi, Hyderabad, Bhopal, Lucknow). These developments have resulted in the formation of Muslim ghettos and Muslim slums in places like Ahmedabad and Mumbai. But (self-)segregation also played a role in the making of Muslim enclaves, like in Delhi and Aligarh, where traditional elites and the new Muslim middle class searched for physical as well as cultural protection through their regrouping. This book supplements an ethnographic approach of Muslims in 11 Indian cities with a quantitative methodology in order to give a first hand account of an untold story.

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Using plant material as raw materials for construction is a relatively recent and original topic of research. This book presents an overview of the current knowledge on the material properties and environmental impact of construction materials made from plant particles, which are renewable, recyclable and easily available. It focuses on particles and as well on fibers issued from hemp plant, as well as discussing hemp concretes. The book begins by setting the environmental, economic and social context of agro-concretes, before discussing the nature of plant-based aggregates and binders. The formulation, implementation and mechanical behavior of such building materials are the subject of the following chapters. The focus is then put upon the hygrothermal behavior and acoustical properties of hempcrete, followed by the use of plant-based concretes in structures. The book concludes with the study of life-cycle analysis (LCA) of the environmental characteristics of a banked hempcrete wall on a wooden skeleton. Contents 1. Environmental, Economic and Social Context of Agro-Concretes, Vincent Nozahic and Sofiane Amziane. 2. Characterization of Plant-Based Aggregates. Vincent Picandet. 3. Binders, Gilles Escadeillas, Camille Magniont, Sofiane Amziane and Vincent Nozahic. 4. Formulation and Implementation, Christophe Lanos, Florence Collet, Gérard Lenain and Yves Hustache. 5. Mechanical Behavior, Laurent Arnaud, Sofiane Amziane, Vincent Nozahic and Etienne Gourlay. 6. Hygrothermal Behavior of Hempcrete, Laurent Arnaud, Driss Samri and Étienne Gourlay. 7. Acoustical Properties of Hemp Concretes, Philippe Glé, Emmanuel Gourdon and Laurent Arnaud. 8. Plant-Based Concretes in Structures: Structural Aspect – Addition of a Wooden Support to Absorb the Strain, Philippe Munoz and Didier Pipet. 9. Examination of the Environmental Characteristics of a Banked Hempcrete Wall on a Wooden Skeleton, by Lifecycle Analysis: Feedback on the LCA Experiment from 2005, Marie-Pierre Boutin and Cyril Flamin. About the Authors Sofiane Amziane is Professor and head of the Civil Engineering department at POLYTECH Clermont-Ferrand in France. He is also in charge of the research program dealing with bio-based building materials at Blaise Pascal University (Institut Pascal, Clermont Ferrand, France). He is the secretary of the RILEM Technical Committee 236-BBM dealing with bio-based building materials and the author or co-author of over one hundred papers in scientific journals such as Cement and Concrete Research, Composite Structures or Construction Building Materials as well as international conferences. Laurent Arnaud is a Bridges, Waters and Forestry Engineer (Ingénieur des Ponts, Eaux et Forêts) and researcher at Joseph Fourier University in Grenoble, France. He is also Professor at ENTPE (Ecole Nationale des Travaux Publics de l’Etat). Trained in the field of mechanical engineering, his research has been directed toward the characterization and development of new materials for civil engineering and construction. He is head of the international committee at RILEM – BBM, as well as the author of more than one hundred publications, and holder of an international invention patent.

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New in the Art Essentials series, an introductory guide to the art of looking at and engaging with photography. Everything counts in a good photograph, even down to the smallest details. This introductory guide is structured to help you develop new and more in-depth ways of looking at images, whether as a viewer or practitioner or just out snapping with your smartphone. Looking at Photographs outlines key approaches to help us understand why a photograph captures our attention and moves us. Across seven chapters, visual culture expert Laurent Jullier discusses themes and concepts that are essential to understanding the medium, including: photography as a reflection of reality; manipulation and defamiliarization; focus, perspective and space; time and the moment; identity, portraits and selfies; the power of images. With examples drawn from across the world and throughout the history of photography, from Louis Daguerre to Julia Margaret Cameron, László Moholy-Nagy, Dorothea

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Explore the beginning of Steven Spielberg's remarkable career with this definitive retrospective that covers Duel, The Sugarland Express, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, 1941, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. In the first ten years of his career, Steven Spielberg directed some of the most influential and beloved films in cinema history. Movies such as Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial introduced audiences to the modern blockbuster and cemented Spielberg as a monumental figure in pop culture. Through exclusive imagery and unparalleled insight from Spielberg's longtime documentarian, Laurent Bouzereau, this deluxe volume explores how a young filmmaker reinvented American cinema within just ten years. Featuring a fresh perspective on films including Duel, The Sugarland Express, Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, 1941, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, this book is an essential exploration of an iconic filmmaker's early career.

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This book offers an incomparable spectacle, that of an intimate face-to-face with the animal, here treated as a subject in its own right, on an equal footing with man, and it encourages us to take the time to contemplate it, to better question our relationship to the wild world and our place in it. And if the photographer has long since chosen black and white, it is to better play with the incomparable light of Africa, its singular purity that gives the feeling of being in direct contact with the material, without filter. Laurent Baheux's approach is not that of a naturalist or ethology-loving photographer, he does not seek to describe behavior or to unravel the mystery of a sensitive area of the animal that has remained unknown until now. What he finds with African elephants is the feeling of a rediscovered plenitude, of wonder at the world, of a rebirth, of a reconnection with the living. Far from the crowds and the urban world, it is in the heart of African national parks that he experiences the deep meaning of life, and that he offers himself the luxury of slowness, essential when he is 'is about letting the animal approach. The elephant obliges man to humility. We are nothing compared to his power and his intelligence. It is he who decides on the meeting, or, on the contrary, who imposes his distance. We are only "tolerated guests", as Laurent Baheux reminds us. The elephant is not a predator and it is the man who threatens its existence today, competing with it for the control of a territory which is shrinking more and more every day. The pressure of human activities, the demographic growth are the dangers which endanger its survival. As an extension of his militant commitment and his anti-speciesist discourse which seeks to break down the psychological barriers linked to the categorization of animals – wild, farmed, domesticated – according to their degree of utility or their "nuisance" power, Laurent Baheux provides new proof of the need to save elephants and protect their environment, not just because they populate our collective subconscious, from illustrated children's books to the travel stories of early explorers, but because they are closely linked to the balance of our planet and that they refer us, like mirrors, to our own finitude, ineluctable, we who resemble them so much, so strong and so fragile at the same time. "Courage is the reverse, the armed arm of wonder. [...] Where many, cynical or disillusioned have retreated, [Laurent Baheux] has this power to rely on the beauty of things, to believe in it and to be enraged at seeing it mistreated. He has that faith."

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Beautifully drawn collections of similar houses invite young children to explore shapes, colors, and details until they can put their finger on the exact house shown on the previous page. Farmhouse, igloo, skyscraper, teepee, hut, pagoda—there is a house type for everyone! As a bonus, children can play the game with friends to see who will find the house first, play with the book upside-down, or search for the stray object that doesn't belong on each page.

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This book provides a thorough and comprehensive reference in the management of pruritus, designed to be a convenient resource for all physicians confronted with patients suffering from itch. The Editors have recruited a board of internationally renowned experts to provide an in-depth analysis of the causes and management of pruritus, including the current concepts in pathophysiology and novel therapeutics. Acute and chronic pruritus can represent significant management issues both as a common physiological sensation and as a manifestation of dermatologic and non-dermatologic diseases. All patients suffering from itch know that it is a very awkward sensation. Unfortunately, this often significant symptom is frequently considered less severe in comparison with pain. The consequences are that research on this field has been poorer than research on pain and that pruritus is therefore more difficult to treat. Pruritus, Second edition addresses the new concepts and discoveries that have modified our understanding of this condition. It explains the pathophysiology of itch, describes all causes, and provides guidelines for management and treatment.

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Passing through New Orleans, Lucky Luke stumbles upon a heated argument between two steamboat captains. The argument soon turns into a wager: whichever boat reaches Minneapolis first after steaming up the Mississippi will win the exclusive rights to the route. Captain Barstow quickly invites Luke to travel on his Daisy Belle, fearing that his opponent will cheat. And while he's not wrong, the biggest danger to both boats remains Old Man River himself...

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'One of the most exquisite debuts I've read' Daily Telegraph'Affecting and haunting' ObserverAfter the death of his wife, a father in a forgotten corner of France raises his two sons alone. But their town is not one of opportunity, and the boys are heading down different paths. Gillou sets his sights on university in Paris while Fus falls in with the local far-right group, searching for meaning and belonging with dangerous friends.How can a father and son find common ground when everything seems set to break them apart? A sudden act of violence will force them to find an answer.Tense, sharp and ultimately heartbreaking, Laurent Petitmangin's first novel, What You Need From The Night, asks what acts can truly be forgiven.'A tragedy of unconditional love' - L'Obs'Heartbreaking . . . haunts you long after you've put it down'- Libération'As sublime as it is painful' - Le Parisien

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Join a friendly mechanic for a day working on a research base and out on the ice. Learn about the challenges of surviving in the Antarctic, explore the incredible landscape and meet the local wildlife, as you discover all the amazing and important science that is being done down in the South Pole.

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Denounces contemporary politics through an engagement with political theory, the arts and what it is to live well Dubreuil provocatively proposes an extremist rethinking of the limits of politics – toward a break from politics, the political and policies. He calls for a refusal of politics, suggesting a form of apolitics that would make our lives more liveable. The first chapter situates the refusal of politics in relation to different contemporary theoretical attempts to renew politics, and makes the case for a greater rupture. The second moment takes up what is liveable in life by way of apolitical experience, in contrast to appropriations of the collective, including a discussion of the arts. Finally, Laurent Dubreuil draws up an incomplete inventory of means, forms of existence – often frail and fleeting – that make an exit toward atopia.

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‘In 1968–69 I wanted to die, that is to say, stop living, being killed, but it was blocked on all sides,’ wrote Hélène Cixous, esteemed French feminist, playwright, philosopher, literary critic, and novelist. Instead of suicide, she began to dream of writing a tomb for herself. This tomb became a work that is a testament to Cixous’s life and spirit and a secret book, the first book she ever authored. Originally written in 1970, Tomb(e) is a Homerian recasting of Shakespeare’s Venus and Adonis in the thickets of Central Park, a book Cixous provocatively calls the ‘all-powerful-other of all my books, it sparks them off, makes them run, it is their Messiah’.Masterfully translated by Laurent Milesi, Tomb(e) preserves the sonic complexities and intricate wordplay at the core of Cixous’s writing, and reveals the struggles, ideas, and intents at the centre of her work. With a new prologue by the author, this is a necessary document in the development of Cixous’s aesthetic as a writer and theorist, and will be eagerly welcomed by readers as a crucial building block in the foundation of her later work.

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In Critique of Black Reason eminent critic Achille Mbembe offers a capacious genealogy of the category of Blackness—from the Atlantic slave trade to the present—to critically reevaluate history, racism, and the future of humanity. Mbembe teases out the intellectual consequences of the reality that Europe is no longer the world's center of gravity while mapping the relations among colonialism, slavery, and contemporary financial and extractive capital. Tracing the conjunction of Blackness with the biological fiction of race, he theorizes Black reason as the collection of discourses and practices that equated Blackness with the nonhuman in order to uphold forms of oppression. Mbembe powerfully argues that this equation of Blackness with the nonhuman will serve as the template for all new forms of exclusion. With Critique of Black Reason, Mbembe offers nothing less than a map of the world as it has been constituted through colonialism and racial thinking while providing the first glimpses of a more just future.

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