Automated static image analysis as a novel tool in describing the physical properties of dietary fiber

Abstract The growing interest in the usage of dietary fiber in food has caused the need to provide precise tools for describing its physical properties. This research examined two dietary fibers from oats and beets, respectively, in variable particle sizes. The application of automated static image analysis for describing the hydration properties and particle size distribution of dietary fiber was analyzed. Conventional tests for water holding capacity (WHC) were conducted. The particles were measured at two points: dry and after water soaking. The most significant water holding capacity (7.00 g water/g solid) was achieved by the smaller sized oat fiber. Conversely, the water holding capacity was highest (4.20 g water/g solid) in larger sized beet fiber. There was evidence for water absorption increasing with a decrease in particle size in regards to the same fiber source. Very strong correlations were drawn between particle shape parameters, such as fiber length, straightness, width and hydration properties measured conventionally. The regression analysis provided the opportunity to estimate whether the automated static image analysis method could be an efficient tool in describing the hydration properties of dietary fiber. The application of the method was validated using mathematical model which was verified in comparison to conventional WHC measurement results.

Automated sugar analysis

Abstract Sugarcane monosaccharides are reducing sugars, and classical analytical methodologies (Lane-Eynon, Benedict, complexometric-EDTA, Luff-Schoorl, Musson-Walker, Somogyi-Nelson) are based on reducing copper ions in alkaline solutions. In Brazil, certain factories use Lane-Eynon, others use the equipment referred to as “REDUTEC”, and additional factories analyze reducing sugars based on a mathematic model. The objective of this paper is to understand the relationship between variations in millivolts, mass and tenors of reducing sugars during the analysis process. Another objective is to generate an automatic model for this process. The work herein uses the equipment referred to as “REDUTEC”, a digital balance, a peristaltic pump, a digital camcorder, math programs and graphics programs. We conclude that the millivolts, mass and tenors of reducing sugars exhibit a good mathematical correlation, and the mathematical model generated was benchmarked to low-concentration reducing sugars (<0.3%). Using the model created herein, reducing sugars analyses can be automated using the new equipment.

Salmonella peritonitis in a patient on automated peritoneal dialysis

We describe the clinical course of a case of peritonitis caused by Salmonella sp. after an episode of intestinal salmonellosis, and a brief review of the literature is also done.

Automated system of seedling image analysis (SVIS) and electrical conductivity to assess sun hemp seed vigor

The development of new procedures for quickly obtaining accurate information on the physiological potential of seed lots is essential for developing quality control programs for the seed industry. In this study, the effectiveness of an automated system of seedling image analysis (Seed Vigor Imaging System - SVIS) in determining the physiological potential of sun hemp seeds and its relationship with electrical conductivity tests, were evaluated. SVIS evaluations were performed three and four days after sowing and data on the vigor index and the length and uniformity of seedling growth were collected. The electrical conductivity test was made on 50 seed replicates placed in containers with 75 mL of deionised water at 25 ºC and readings were taken after 1, 2, 4, 8 and 16 hours of imbibition. Electrical conductivity measurements at 4 or 8 hours and the use of the SVIS on 3-day old seedlings can effectively detect differences in vigor between different sun hemp seed lots.

Verkkopalveluiden jatkuvan ylläpidon kehittäminen: Case Aucor Oy ja WordPress

Verkkopalveluiden ylläpitovaiheessa halutaan varmistua, etteivät palveluun tehdyt muutokset aiheuta verkkopalvelussa virhetilanteita ja palvelu toimii moitteetta. Muutoksen hyväksyntätestaus voidaan tehdä regressiotestauksena vertaamalla palvelun tilaa ennen ja jälkeen muutoksen. Sisältöpainotteisessa verkkopalvelussa testaaminen keskittyy loppukäyttäjälle esitetyn sivun semanttiseen sekä visuaaliseen oikeellisuuteen sekä erilaisiin toiminnallisiin testeihin. Työssä tarkastellaan etenkin suositulla WordPress-julkaisujärjestelmällä toteutettujen verkkopalveluiden ylläpitoa. Keskeisenä osana julkaisujärjestelmillä toteutettujen verkkopalveluiden ylläpitoa on julkaisujärjestelmän ja sitä täydentävien lisäosien päivittämistä ajantasaisiin versioihin. Nämä päivitykset paitsi tuovat uusia ominaisuuksia verkkopalvelun kehittäjille, myös paikkaavat järjestelmän tietoturvahaavoittuvuuksia sekä korjaavat aiemmissa versioissa esiintyneitä virheitä. Tässä työssä kehitettiin kohdeyrityksen aiempia verkkopalveluiden ylläpitoprosesseja niissä tunnistettujen kehityskohteiden perusteella. Uudistettu kokonaisuus jakautuu kahteen kokonaisuuteen: päivitystarpeen seurantaan sekä päivitysten tekemiseen. Päivitystarpeen seurantaa varten kehitettiin uusi työkalu helpottamaan kokonaiskuvan hahmottamista. Päivitysten tekemisen osalta työssä keskityttiin automatisoidun regressiotestauksen kehittämiseen, missä tärkeimpänä testauskeinona käytetään verkkopalvelusta tallennettujen kuvankaappausten vertailuun perustuvaa visuaalista testausta. Uusien ylläpitoprosesseille määriteltiin myös seurannan kohteet uudistuksen onnistumisen ja jatkokehityksen arviointia varten.

Virtuaalisen oppimisympäristön funktionaalisen käyttöliittymätestauksen automatisointi

Tämän tutkimuksen kohteena on Turun yliopistossa kehitetyn www-pohjaisen ViLLE-oppimisjärjestelmän funktionaalisen käyttöliittymätestauksen automatisointityö. Tutkimusta varten olen kerännyt kattavasti aineistoa aihetta käsittelevästä yleisestä kirjallisuudesta ja artikkeleista sekä toteutuksen kannalta spesifistä tietoa tarjoavista Internet-lähteistä. Tutkimuksessa olen tehnyt myös pienehkön määrän testausalan asiantuntijahaastatteluja. Tutkimuksen empiirisessä osuudessa olen valinnut testaukseen käytettävän testaustyökalun sekä toteuttanut valitulla testaustyökalulla ViLLE-oppimisjärjestelmän testauksen automatisointityön soveltamalla käytäntöön tutkimuksen teoriaosuudessa esitettyä tietoa hyvistä käytänteistä funktionaalisen käyttöliittymätestauksen automatisoinnissa. Tutkimuksen toteutuksessa olen käyttänyt kvalitatiivista tutkimusmenetelmää. Tutkimuksen empiirisen osuuden pohjalta kerätyn havaintoaineiston perusteella olen selvittänyt vastaukset seuraaviin tutkimuksessa esitettyihin tutkimuskysymyksiin: • Miten käytetty testaustyökalu on valittu ja mitkä olivat valintaan vaikuttaneet tärkeimmät kriteerit? • Miten käytetty testaustyökalu soveltuu ViLLE-oppimisjärjestelmän funktionaalisen käyttöliittymätestauksen automatisointiin? • Millä eri tavoin käytäntöön viety hyvien testiautomaation laatimistapojen mukainen toteutus vaikuttaa nyt laadittuun testiautomaatioon? • Esiintyikö toteutetussa testiautomaatiossa tutkimuksen teoreettisessa viitekehyksessä kuvattuja funktionaalisen käyttöliittymätestauksen automatisoinnille tyypillisiä ongelmia ja miten ongelmat saatiin ratkaistua? Tutkimuksen tulokset osoittavat melko selvästi, että ViLLE-oppimisympäristön funktionaalisen käyttöliittymätestauksen automatisointityön toteutukseen valittu Vaadin TestBench -testaustyökalu, joka on valittu tutkimuksen alkuvaiheessa suoritetun evaluoinnin perusteella, soveltuu käyttötarkoitukseensa hyvin. Lisäksi pystyin luotettavasti havainnoimaan, että testiautomaation ylläpidon tarve sekä testien laatimiseen kuluva aika vähenevät merkittävästi, kun testit laaditaan heti alusta lähtien rakenteeltaan modulaariseksi sekä tietyin teknisin keinoin mahdollisimman vähän käyttöliittymän rakennetta huomioonottavaksi. Ongelmia testiautomaation laatimisessa voivat aiheuttaa käytetty työkalu itsessään, testattavan järjestelmän toteutus sekä testien suoritusympäristö. Huolimatta kirjallisuuskatsauksen perusteella tehdystä varautumisesta tyypillisiin testiautomaation laatimisessa esiintyviin ongelmiin, myös joitakin sellaisia ongelmia esiintyi, joihin en ollut osannut varautua. Mahdollisiin ongelmiin etukäteen varautuminen kuitenkin selvästi auttoi suurimpaan osaan testiautomaation laatimisessa esiintyneistä ongelmista.

Development of techniques for testing the effect of the E1 region on adenovirus integration /

Adenoviral vectors are currently the most widely used gene therapeutic vectors, but their inability to integrate into host chromosomal DNA shortened their transgene expression and limited their use in clinical trials. In this project, we initially planned to develop a technique to test the effect of the early region 1 (E1) on adenovirus integration by comparing the integration efficiencies between an E1-deleted adenoviral vector (SubE1) and an Elcontaining vector (SubE3). However, we did not harvest any SubE3 virus, even if we repeated the transfection and successfully rescued the SubE1 virus (2/4 transfections generated viruses) and positive control virus (6/6). The failure of rescuing SubE3 could be caused by the instability of the genomic plasmid pFG173, as it had frequent intemal deletions when we were purifying It. Therefore, we developed techniques to test the effect of E1 on homologous recombination (HR) since literature suggested that adenovirus integration is initiated by HR. We attempted to silence the E1 in 293 cells by transfecting E1A/B-specific small interfering RNA (siRNA). However, no silenced phenotype was observed, even if we varied the concentrations of E1A/B siRNA (from 30 nM to 270 nM) and checked the silencing effects at different time points (48, 72, 96 h). One possible explanation would be that the E1A/B siRNA sequences are not potent enough to Induce the silenced phenotype. For evaluating HR efficiencies, an HR assay system based on bacterial transfonmatJon was designed. We constmcted two plasmids ( designated as pUC19-dl1 and pUC19-dl2) containing different defective lacZa cassettes (forming white colonies after transformation) that can generate a functional lacZa cassette (forming blue colonies) through HR after transfecting into 293 cells. The HR efficiencies would be expressed as the percentages of the blue colonies among all the colonies. Unfortunately, after transfonnation of plasmid isolated from 293 cells, no colony was found, even at a transformation efficiency of 1.8x10^ colonies/pg pUC19, suggesting the sensitivity of this system was low. To enhance the sensitivity, PCR was used. We designed a set of primers that can only amplify the recombinant plasmid fomied through HR. Therefore, the HR efficiencies among different treatments can be evaluated by the amplification results, and this system could be used to test the effect of E1 region on adenovirus integration. In addition, to our knowledge there was no previous studies using PCR/ Realtime PCR to evaluate HR efficiency, so this system also provides a PCR-based method to carry out the HR assays.

The development of automated methods for the determination of trace concentrations of carbomate pesticides in water using solid sorbent pre-concentration methods and high performance liquid chromatography /

Several automated reversed-phase HPLC methods have been developed to determine trace concentrations of carbamate pesticides (which are of concern in Ontario environmental samples) in water by utilizing two solid sorbent extraction techniques. One of the methods is known as on-line pre-concentration'. This technique involves passing 100 milliliters of sample water through a 3 cm pre-column, packed with 5 micron ODS sorbent, at flow rates varying from 5-10 mUmin. By the use of a valve apparatus, the HPLC system is then switched to a gradient mobile phase program consisting of acetonitrile and water. The analytes, Propoxur, Carbofuran, Carbaryl, Propham, Captan, Chloropropham, Barban, and Butylate, which are pre-concentrated on the pre-column, are eluted and separated on a 25 cm C-8 analytical column and determined by UV absorption at 220 nm. The total analytical time is 60 minutes, and the pre-column can be used repeatedly for the analysis of as many as thirty samples. The method is highly sensitive as 100 percent of the analytes present in the sample can be injected into the HPLC. No breakthrough of any of the analytes was observed and the minimum detectable concentrations range from 10 to 480 ng/L. The developed method is totally automated for the analysis of one sample. When the above mobile phase is modified with a buffer solution, Aminocarb, Benomyl, and its degradation product, MBC, can also be detected along with the above pesticides with baseline resolution for all of the analytes. The method can also be easily modified to determine Benomyl and MBC both as solute and as particulate matter. By using a commercially available solid phase extraction cartridge, in lieu of a pre-column, for the extraction and concentration of analytes, a completely automated method has been developed with the aid of the Waters Millilab Workstation. Sample water is loaded at 10 mL/min through a cartridge and the concentrated analytes are eluted from the sorbent with acetonitrile. The resulting eluate is blown-down under nitrogen, made up to volume with water, and injected into the HPLC. The total analytical time is 90 minutes. Fifty percent of the analytes present in the sample can be injected into the HPLC, and recoveries for the above eight pesticides ranged from 84 to 93 percent. The minimum detectable concentrations range from 20 to 960 ng/L. The developed method is totally automated for the analysis of up to thirty consecutive samples. The method has proven to be applicable to both purer water samples as well as untreated lake water samples.

Attachment and alcohol : testing a motivational model of problem drinking /

The purpose of this study was to replicate and extend a motivational model of problem drinking (Cooper, Frone, Russel, & Mudar, 1995; Read, Wood, Kahler, Maddock & Tibor, 2003), testing the notion that attachment is a common antecedent for both the affective and social paths to problem drinking. The model was tested with data from three samples, first-year university students (N=679), students about to graduate from university (N=206), and first-time clients at an addiction treatment facility (N=21 1). Participants completed a battery of questionnaires assessing alcohol use, alcohol-related consequences, drinking motives, peer models of alcohol use, positive and negative affect, attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance. Results underscored the importance of the affective path to problem drinking, while putting the social path to problem drinking into question. While drinking to cope was most prominent among the clinical sample, coping motives served as a risk factor for problem drinking for both individuals identified as problem drinkers and university students. Moreover, drinking for enhancement purposes appeared to be the strongest overall predictor of alcohol use. Results of the present study also supported the notion that attachment anxiety and avoidance are antecedents for the affective path to problem drinking, such that those with higher levels of attachment anxiety and avoidance were more vulnerable to experiencing adverse consequences related to their drinking, explained in terms of diminished affect regulation. Evidence that nonsecure attachment is a potent predictor of problem drinking was also demonstrated by the finding that attachment anxiety was directly related to alcohol-related consequences over and above its indirect relationship through affect regulation. However, results failed to show that attachment anxiety or attachment avoidance increased the risk of problem drinking via social influence.

Towards automated derivation in the theory of allegories

We provide an algorithm that automatically derives many provable theorems in the equational theory of allegories. This was accomplished by noticing properties of an existing decision algorithm that could be extended to provide a derivation in addition to a decision certificate. We also suggest improvements and corrections to previous research in order to motivate further work on a complete derivation mechanism. The results presented here are significant for those interested in relational theories, since we essentially have a subtheory where automatic proof-generation is possible. This is also relevant to program verification since relations are well-suited to describe the behaviour of computer programs. It is likely that extensions of the theory of allegories are also decidable and possibly suitable for further expansions of the algorithm presented here.

The Effect of Trainer Muscularity and Expertise on Self-Presentational Concerns, Body Image, and Performance in College Men during One-Repetition Maximum Testing

This study attempted to manipulate self-presentational efficacy to examine the effect on social anxiety, social physique anxiety, drive for muscularity, and maximal strength performance during a one-repetition maximum (1-RM) chest press and leg press test. Ninety-nine college men with a minimum of six months of previous weight training experience were randomly assigned to complete a 1-RM protocol with either a muscular male trainer described as an expert or a lean male trainer described as a novice. Participants completed measures of self-presentation and body image prior to meeting their respective trainer, and following the completion of the 1-RM tests. Although the self-presentational efficacy manipulation was not successful, the trainers were perceived significantly differently on musculature and expertise. The group with the muscular, expert trainer reported higher social anxiety and attained higher 1-RM scores for the chest and leg press. Thus, trainer characteristics can affect strength performance and self-presentational concerns in this population.

Optimal and Robust Designs of Step-stress Accelerated Life Testing Experiments for Proportional Hazards Models

Accelerated life testing (ALT) is widely used to obtain reliability information about a product within a limited time frame. The Cox s proportional hazards (PH) model is often utilized for reliability prediction. My master thesis research focuses on designing accelerated life testing experiments for reliability estimation. We consider multiple step-stress ALT plans with censoring. The optimal stress levels and times of changing the stress levels are investigated. We discuss the optimal designs under three optimality criteria. They are D-, A- and Q-optimal designs. We note that the classical designs are optimal only if the model assumed is correct. Due to the nature of prediction made from ALT experimental data, attained under the stress levels higher than the normal condition, extrapolation is encountered. In such case, the assumed model cannot be tested. Therefore, for possible imprecision in the assumed PH model, the method of construction for robust designs is also explored.

Stress testing a complement of value-a-risk.

Rapport de stage (maîtrise en finance mathématique et computationnelle)

The Seemingly Unrelated Dynamic Cointegration Regression Model and Testing for Purching Power Parity.

This paper studies seemingly unrelated linear models with integrated regressors and stationary errors. By adding leads and lags of the first differences of the regressors and estimating this augmented dynamic regression model by feasible generalized least squares using the long-run covariance matrix, we obtain an efficient estimator of the cointegrating vector that has a limiting mixed normal distribution. Simulation results suggest that this new estimator compares favorably with others already proposed in the literature. We apply these new estimators to the testing of purchasing power parity (PPP) among the G-7 countries. The test based on the efficient estimates rejects the PPP hypothesis for most countries.