Mathematical morphology: A useful set of tools for image analysis

In this paper we give an overview of both classical and more modern morphological techniques. We will demonstrate their utility through a range of practical examples. After discussing the fundamental morphological ideas, we show how the classic morphological opening and closing filters lead to measures of size via granulometries, and we will discuss briefly their implementation. We also present an overview of morphological segmentation techniques, and the use of connected openings and thinnings will be demonstrated. This then leads us into the more recent set-theoretic notions of graph based approaches to image analysis.     

The positive science of ethics in France: German influences onDe la division du travail social

What was Durkheim doing—in the sense of an intended social action—in writing De la Division du travail social? At least a part of the answer is that Durkheim's project was linguistic—i.e., he was attempting to replace an outworn vocabulary of Cartesian metaphysics with a more Germanic lexicon—one in which simplicity gave way to complexity, the abstract to the concrete, the ideal to the real, deduction to induction, rationalism to empiricism, and so on. To some extent, this was motivated by the superiority—widely acknowledged among intellectuals of the Third Republic—of German science and Protestant scientific education. But an additional motivation was Durkheim's belief that only a real, concrete entity—society as a “thing” (chose)—could provide an object worthy of the veneration of the “new man” of the Republic. Durkheim's attempt to construct a science of social facts was therefore itself subsidiary to another, “higher” purpose—i.e., the construction of a moral authority (real, concrete, complex) adequate to the needs of the Third French Republic. Rather than an end in itself, Durkheim's sociology should thus be seen as a means to other ends—i.e., the “construction” of a particular kind of “fact”—within a specific social and historical context.     

Temporary Skilled Migration to Australia: Employers' Perspectives1

With the 1996 introduction of a new visa making it easier for employers to sponsor skilled foreign workers, temporary skilled migration has become a significant component of international migration flows to Australia. This paper examines employers' reasons for sponsoring skilled workers from abroad, their modes of recruitment, the occupational skills they require, and their industry profile. We also discuss issues relating to the perception of a shortage of skilled workers, the extent that sponsoring foreign workers substitutes for investing in local training, and the role of networks in recruiting overseas workers. Many employers' now have a global view of labour recruitment. While this is understandable for multinational companies with global operations, many small businesses and public sector institutions are adopting the same strategy to obtain skilled labour which they say is in short supply in Australia. With the internationalization of the Australian economy, there is also an increasing demand for people with specialized skills and knowledge that is not available in Australia's relatively small labour market. An understanding of the demand factors motivating temporary skilled migration is crucial to effectively managing Australia's migration and labour trends.     

STAGES OF FAMILY INVOLVEMENT IN THE RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT OF ADOLESCENTS

A strong case has been made in the literature that the effective treatment of adolescents in long-term psychiatric hospitals or residential treatment centers must include treatment of the family. This highlights the need for a family treatment model that integrates a long-term psychodynamically oriented residential treatment approach with family systems theory. Such a model must take into account the stages of inpatient treatment and must address therapeutic management of the physical, emotional and psychological aspects of separation between the adolescent and the family. A bridge between family systems theory and psychoanalytic theory can be found in object relations theory. A four-stage model for working with families having a hospitalized adolescent member is described in which each stage builds upon the previous one. Progress through the stages depends upon the establishment of a relationship in which the family perceives the hospital as supportive, nonjudgmental, helpful and trustworthy.     

Touch attitudes and behaviors,recollections of early childhood touch,and social self-confidence

Subjects filled out three touch attitude scales, a measure of recollections of early childhood touch, and a social competence inventory, and then proceeded to record their touches in a log for one week. The touch questionnaires, although correlated with one another, did not predict day-to-day touching as recorded in logs. However, the results also suggest that questionnaire responses (for the one recall measure and two attitude scales) and log records are each independently predictive of social self-confidence. These findings are interpreted to mean that both positive attitudes/remembrances about touch and active engagement in touch behavior are important elements in social competence. Implications for future research are discussed, including the suggestion that the possible effects of skills training in touch on tactile attitudes, touch communication practices, and social self-esteem should be investigated.Stanley E. Jones is professor of Communication at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Brandi C. Brown is amagna cum laude honors B.A. graduate of the same institution who now resides in Nashville, TN.     

Laplace-normal mixtures fitted to wind shear data

A mixture model with Laplace and normal components is fitted to wind shear data available in grouped form. A set of equations is presented for iteratively estimating the parameters of the model using an application of the EM algorithm. Twenty-four sets of data are examined with this technique, and the model is found to give a good fit to the data. Some hypotheses about the parameters in the model are discussed in light of the estimates obtained.