Bovine cysticercosis-Development of a real-time PCR to enhance classification of suspect cysts identified at meat inspection

Laboratory confirmation methods are important in bovine cysticerosis diagnosis as other pathologies can result in morphologically similar lesions resulting in false identifications. We developed a probe-based real-time PCR assay to identify Taenia saginata in suspect cysts encountered at meat inspection and compared its use with the traditional method of identification, histology, as well as a published nested PCR. The assay simultaneously detects T. saginata DNA and a bovine internal control using the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene of each species and shows specificity against parasites causing lesions morphologically similar to those of T. saginata. The assay was sufficiently sensitive to detect 1 fg (Ct 35.09 +/- 0.95) of target DNA using serially-diluted plasmid DNA in reactions spiked with bovine DNA as well as in all viable and caseated positive control cysts. A loss in PCR sensitivity was observed with increasing cyst degeneration as seen in other molecular methods. In comparison to histology, the assay offered greater sensitivity and accuracy with 10/19 (53%) T. saginata positives detected by real-time PCR and none by histology. When the results were compared with the reference PCR, the assay was less sensitive but offered advantages of faster turnaround times and reduced contamination risk. Estimates of the assay's repeatability and reproducibility showed the assay is highly reliable with reliability coefficients greater than 0.94. Crown Copyright (C) 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An operational-level multi-stage mine production timetabling model for optimally synchronising drilling, blasting and excavating operations

This paper proposes a new multi-stage mine production timetabling (MMPT) model to optimise open-pit mine production operations including drilling, blasting and excavating under real-time mining constraints. The MMPT problem is formulated as a mixed integer programming model and can be optimally solved for small-size MMPT instances by IBM ILOG-CPLEX. Due to NP-hardness, an improved shifting-bottleneck-procedure algorithm based on the extended disjunctive graph is developed to solve large-size MMPT instances in an effective and efficient way. Extensive computational experiments are presented to validate the proposed algorithm that is able to efficiently obtain the near-optimal operational timetable of mining equipment units. The advantages are indicated by sensitivity analysis under various real-life scenarios. The proposed MMPT methodology is promising to be implemented as a tool for mining industry because it is straightforwardly modelled as a standard scheduling model, efficiently solved by the heuristic algorithm, and flexibly expanded by adopting additional industrial constraints.

Automated inspection of aircraft parts using a modified ICP algorithm

The application of computer-aided inspection integrated with the coordinate measuring machine and laser scanners to inspect manufactured aircraft parts using robust registration of two-point datasets is a subject of active research in computational metrology. This paper presents a novel approach to automated inspection by matching shapes based on the modified iterative closest point (ICP) method to define a criterion for the acceptance or rejection of a part. This procedure improves upon existing methods by doing away with the following, viz., the need for constructing either a tessellated or smooth representation of the inspected part and requirements for an a priori knowledge of approximate registration and correspondence between the points representing the computer-aided design datasets and the part to be inspected. In addition, this procedure establishes a better measure for error between the two matched datasets. The use of localized region-based triangulation is proposed for tracking the error. The approach described improves the convergence of the ICP technique with a dramatic decrease in computational effort. Experimental results obtained by implementing this proposed approach using both synthetic and practical data show that the present method is efficient and robust. This method thereby validates the algorithm, and the examples demonstrate its potential to be used in engineering applications.

Deep Packet Inspection Using Message Passing Networks

We propose a solution based on message passing bipartite networks, for deep packet inspection, which addresses both speed and memory issues, which are limiting factors in current solutions. We report on a preliminary implementation and propose a parallel architecture.

The legality of deep packet inspection

Deep packet inspection is a technology which enables the examination of the content of information packets being sent over the Internet. The Internet was originally set up using “end-to-end connectivity” as part of its design, allowing nodes of the network to send packets to all other nodes of the network, without requiring intermediate network elements to maintain status information about the transmission. In this way, the Internet was created as a “dumb” network, with “intelligent” devices (such as personal computers) at the end or “last mile” of the network. The dumb network does not interfere with an application's operation, nor is it sensitive to the needs of an application, and as such it treats all information sent over it as (more or less) equal. Yet, deep packet inspection allows the examination of packets at places on the network which are not endpoints, In practice, this permits entities such as Internet service providers (ISPs) or governments to observe the content of the information being sent, and perhaps even manipulate it. Indeed, the existence and implementation of deep packet inspection may challenge profoundly the egalitarian and open character of the Internet. This paper will firstly elaborate on what deep packet inspection is and how it works from a technological perspective, before going on to examine how it is being used in practice by governments and corporations. Legal problems have already been created by the use of deep packet inspection, which involve fundamental rights (especially of Internet users), such as freedom of expression and privacy, as well as more economic concerns, such as competition and copyright. These issues will be considered, and an assessment of the conformity of the use of deep packet inspection with law will be made. There will be a concentration on the use of deep packet inspection in European and North American jurisdictions, where it has already provoked debate, particularly in the context of discussions on net neutrality. This paper will also incorporate a more fundamental assessment of the values that are desirable for the Internet to respect and exhibit (such as openness, equality and neutrality), before concluding with the formulation of a legal and regulatory response to the use of this technology, in accordance with these values.

Optimising the operational energy efficiency of an open-pit coal mine system

This thesis investigates factors that impact the energy efficiency of a mining operation. An innovative mathematical framework and solution approach are developed to model, solve and analyse an open-pit coal mine. A case study in South East Queensland is investigated to validate the approach and explore the opportunities for using it to aid long, medium and short term decision makers.

Studies on removal of metal ions and sulphate reduction using rice husk and Desulfotomaculum nigrificans with reference to remediation of acid mine drainage

The utility of rice husk as an adsorbent for metal ions such as iron, zinc and copper from acid mine water was assessed. The adsorption isotherms exhibited Langmuirian behavior and were endothermic in nature. The free energy values for adsorption of the chosen metal ions onto rice husk were found to be highly negative attesting to favorable interaction. Over 99% Fe3+, 98% of Fe2+ and Zn2+ and 95% Cu2+ uptake was achieved from acid mine water, with a concomitant increase in the pH value by two units using rice husk. The remediation studies carried out on acid mine water and simulated acid mine water pretreated with rice husk indicated successful growth of Desulfotomaculum nigrificans (D. nigrificans). The amount of sulphate bioreduction in acid mine water at an initial pH of 5.3 was enhanced by D. nigrificans from 21% to 40% in the presence of rice husk filtrate supplemented with carbon and nitrogen. In simulated acid mine water with fortified husk filtrate, the sulphate reduction was even more extensive, with an enhancement to 73%. Concurrently, almost 90% Fe2+, 89% Zn2+ and 75% Cu2+ bioremoval was attained from simulated acid mine water. Metal adsorption by rice husk was confirmed in desorption experiments in which almost complete removal of metal ions from the rice husk was achieved after two elutions using 1 M HCl. The possible mechanisms of metal ion adsorption onto rice husk and sulphate reduction using D. nigrificans are discussed.

A thermodynamic interpretation of the zonal arrangement of minerals in the bedded manganese deposits of the Noda tamagawa mine, Japan

Calculated phase relations in the system MnOSi02-C02-02 were used to propose a thermodynamic explanation for the thermal metamorphism of rhodochrosite beds lying between chert strata. The metamorphic MnOS i 0 2 minerals are arranged in order quartz(chert), rhodonite. tephroite and manganosite-hausmannite-pyrochroite rhodonite across the ore bed. The calculation covered temperatures up to 1000 K and pressures up to 5 kb. The zoning was interpreted as the result of a continuous rise in metamorphic temperature. The equilibrium partner of rhodochrosite changed from rhodonite through manganosite. Across the ore bed there are gradients in the chemical potential of MnO and SiO2 but fugacities of volatlle components such as C02. 02 and H20 were probably uniform at any given time and location during formation of the zones. Assuming that the total pressure and the fugacity of C02 were at 1.4 kb and 1.0 1 b. respectively. rhodonite. tephroite and manganosite would have formed at 472. 478 and 629 K.

AIWIN - A fast and jigless inspection technique for machined parts

Precision inspection of manufactured components having multiple complex surfaces and variable tolerance definition is an involved, complex and time-consuming function. In routine practice, a jig is used to present the part in a known reference frame to carry out the inspection process. Jigs involve both time and cost in their development, manufacture and use. This paper describes 'as is where is inspection' (AIWIN), a new automated inspection technique that accelerates the inspection process by carrying out a fast registration procedure and establishing a quick correspondence between the part to inspect and its CAD geometry. The main challenge in doing away with a jig is that the inspection reference frame could be far removed from the CAD frame. Traditional techniques based on iterative closest point (ICP) or Newton methods require either a large number of iterations for convergence or fail in such a situation. A two-step coarse registration process is proposed to provide a good initial guess for a modified ICP algorithm developed earlier (Ravishankar et al., Int J Adv Manuf Technol 46(1-4):227-236, 2010). The first step uses a calibrated sphere for local hard registration and fixing the translation error. This transformation locates the centre for the sphere in the CAD frame. In the second step, the inverse transformation (involving pure rotation about multiple axes) required to align the inspection points measured on the manufactured part with the CAD point dataset of the model is determined and enforced. This completes the coarse registration enabling fast convergence of the modified ICP algorithm. The new technique has been implemented on complex freeform machined components and the inspection results clearly show that the process is precise and reliable with rapid convergence. © 2011 Springer-Verlag London Limited.

Performance Evaluation of Underground Mine Communication and Monitoring Devices: Case Studies

Communication and environmental monitoring play a major role in underground mining both from production and safety point of view. However, underground mining communication as well as monitoring devices encounter several challenges because of the nature of underground features and characteristics. Lack of real time information from underground workings may hamper production and create serious safety risks. Proper communication and monitoring devices are inevitable requirements for better production and improved safety. Communication and environmental monitoring devices are basic element of underground mine infrastructure. This paper describes the performance of communication and monitoring devices being used in underground mines. An attempt has been made to assess the safety risks by these devices which may dictate future research directions.