Document page layout analysis using Harris corner points

Extraction of text areas from the document images with complex content and layout is one of the challenging tasks. Few texture based techniques have already been proposed for extraction of such text blocks. Most of such techniques are greedy for computation time and hence are far from being realizable for real time implementation. In this work, we propose a modification to two of the existing texture based techniques to reduce the computation. This is accomplished with Harris corner detectors. The efficiency of these two textures based algorithms, one based on Gabor filters and other on log-polar wavelet signature, are compared. A combination of Gabor feature based texture classification performed on a smaller set of Harris corner detected points is observed to deliver the accuracy and efficiency.

Du littéraire sans littérature : la logique de la parole dans l’œuvre de Pierre Perrault

Ce mémoire prend comme point de départ le paradoxe central qui marque l’écriture de Pierre Perrault : le fait qu’en dehors de son travail cinématographique, il écrit des textes littéraires alors qu’il refuse à la fois le statut d’écrivain et la catégorie même de « littérature ». L’analyse du discours des poèmes du recueil Gélivures et des essais du recueil De la parole aux actes permet de montrer que Perrault arrive, grâce à tout un imaginaire de la parole, à écrire en se dégageant symboliquement de la littérature, dont il critique la volonté de conquête. Ce mémoire fait appel à une critique où la réflexion sur la langue joue un grand rôle, à la croisée de l’histoire et du social. Le premier chapitre traite de ce que signifie la parole chez Perrault et de ce qu’elle implique. Sont abordés en particulier le champ sémantique qui entoure ce motif omniprésent dans son œuvre ainsi que les rapprochements métaphoriques entre parole, mémoire et identités. Le deuxième chapitre porte sur les manifestations plus directes de la parole, soit le don que fait Perrault de la parole à travers son œuvre. Sont étudiés l’intertextualité, la mise en page et le travail de la citation. La volonté de prise de parole de Perrault lui-même est étudiée au dernier chapitre. Son écriture est alors envisagée comme un combat pour la défense d’une parole qui est d’ailleurs étroitement liée à sa quête identitaire, laquelle inspire un style foncièrement polémique et la recherche d’une énonciation qu’on pourrait qualifier de performative.

Using page and section breaks, mirror margins and headers & footers in a thesis in MS Word 2011 (Mac) Manual

The University's thesis regulations give very specific guidance about margin's and page layout. This manual explains how to use set up margins to work with double sided printing; how to ensure chapters start on the right-hand page; and how to create running headers and footers in a thesis written in MS Word 2011.

Using page and section breaks, mirror margins and headers & footers in a thesis in MS Word 2010 (PC) Manual

The University's thesis regulations give very specific guidance about margin's and page layout. This manual explains how to use set up margins to work with double sided printing; how to ensure chapters start on the right-hand page; and how to create running headers and footers in a thesis written in MS Word 2010.

Using page and section breaks, mirror margins and headers & footers in a thesis in MS Word 2013 (PC) Manual

The University's thesis regulations give very specific guidance about margin's and page layout. This manual explains how to use set up margins to work with double sided printing; how to ensure chapters start on the right-hand page; and how to create running headers and footers in a thesis written in MS Word 2013.

Evaluation of laccases and melanization in clinical and environmental Cryptococcus neoformans samples by non-denaturing PAGE

The increased incidence of infections caused by the opportunistic pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans, which mainly affects immunocompromised patients but can also infect immunocompetent individuals, has needed additional studies on this micro-organism`s pathogenicity and factors related to virulence, such as enzyme production, for a better understanding of the aetiology of cryptococcosis. The aim of this study was to verify the applicability of non-denaturing PAGE for analysis of laccases by quantification of the amount of melanin pigment produced by clinical and environmental strains of C. neoformans. After incubation of the gel with the substrate L-dopa, strains produced melanin spots of a bright brown to black colour. Quantification of these spots was performed by densitometry analysis and the amount of melanin produced was calculated and compared among the strains. All strains showed laccase activity. Serotype B strains showed a higher melanin intensity than serotype A strains. Over half of the clinical strains (56.2%) showed the lowest melanin intensities, suggesting that melanin production may not be the main virulence factor against host defence. The clinical strain ICB 88 revealed two melanin spots on the gel, indicating the presence of two laccase isoforms. The environmental strains showed the highest values of melanin intensity, which may be related to previous exposure to environmental stress conditions.

Obtenção e caracterização de antígenos de toxocara vitulorum por SDS-page e western blot

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Journalisation dans un Programme de carrière en nouveaux médias : Le rôle de la réflexion par l’action

The purpose of this case study is to report on the use of learning journals as a strategy to encourage critical reflection in the field of graphic design. Very little empirical research has been published regarding the use of critical reflection in learning journals in this field. Furthermore, nothing has been documented at the college level. To that end, the goal of this research endeavor was to investigate whether second-year students in the NewMedia and Publication Design Program at a small Anglophone CEGEP in Québec, enrolled in a Page Layout and Design course, learn more deeply by reflecting in action during design projects or reflecting on action after completing design projects. Secondarily, indications of a possible change in self-efficacy were examined. Two hypotheses were posited: 1) reflection-on-action journaling will promote a deeper approach to learning than reflection-in-action journaling, and 2) the level of self-efficacy in graphic design improves as students are encouraged to think reflectively. Using both qualitative and quantitative methods, a mixed methods approach was used to collect and analyze the data. Content analysis of journal entries and interview responses was the primary method used to address the first hypothesis. Students were required to journal twice for each of three projects, once during the project and again one week after the project had been submitted. In addition, data regarding the students' perception of journaling was obtained through administering a survey and conducting interviews. For the second hypothesis, quantitative methods were used through the use of two surveys, one administered early in the Fall 2011 semester and the second administered early in the Winter 2012 semester. Supplementary data regarding self-efficacy was obtained in the form of content analysis of journal entries and interviews. Coded journal entries firmly supported the hypothesis that reflection-on-action journaling promotes deep learning. Using a taxonomy developed by Kember et al. (1999) wherein "critical reflection" is considered the highest level of reflection, it was found that only 5% of the coded responses in the reflection-in-action journals were deemed of the highest level, whereas 39% were considered critical reflection in the reflection-on-action journals. The findings from the interviews suggest that students had some initial concerns about the value of journaling, but these concerns were later dismissed as students learned that journaling was a valuable tool that helped them reflect and learn. All participants indicated that journaling changed their learning processes as they thought much more about what they were doing while they were doing it. They were taking the learning they had acquired and thinking about how they would apply it to new projects; this is critical reflection. The survey findings did not support the conclusive results of the comparison of journal instruments, where an increase of 35% in critical reflection was noted in the reflection-on-action journals. In Chapter 5, reasons for this incongruence are explored. Furthermore, based on the journals, surveys, and interviews, there is not enough evidence at this time to support the hypothesis that self-efficacy improves when students are encouraged to think reflectively. It could be hypothesized, however, that one's self-efficacy does not change in such a short period of time. In conclusion, the findings established in this case study make a practical contribution to the literature concerning the promotion of deep learning in the field of graphic design, as this researcher's hypothesis was supported that reflection-on-action journaling promoted deeper learning than reflection-in-action journaling. When examining the increases in critical reflection from reflection-in-action to the reflection-on-action journals, it was found that all students but one showed an increase in critical reflection in reflection-on-action journals. It is therefore recommended that production-oriented program instructors consider integrating reflection-on-action journaling into their courses where projects are given.

Identification of the active-site peptide of 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid decarboxylase from Aspergillus oryzae

The non-oxidative decarboxylation of aromatic acids is a poorly understood reaction. The transformation of 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid to catechol in the fungal metabolism of indole is a prototype of such a reaction. 2,3-Dihydroxybenzoic acid decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.46) which catalyzes this reaction was purified to homogeneity from anthranilate induced cultures of Aspergillus oryzae using affinity chromatography. The enzyme did not require cofactors like NAD(+), PLP, TPP or metal ions for its activity. There was no spectral evidence for the presence of enzyme bound cofactors. The preparation, which was adjudged homogeneous by the criteria of SDS-PAGE, sedimentation analysis and N-terminal analysis, was characterized for its physicochemical and kinetic parameters. The enzyme was inactivated by group-specific modifiers like diethyl pyrocarbonate (DEPC) and N-ethylmaleimide (NEM). The kinetics of inactivation by DEPC suggested the presence of a single class of essential histidine residues, the second order rate constant of inactivation for which was 12.5 M(-1) min(-1). A single class of cysteine residues was modified by NEM with a second order rate constant of 33 M(-1) min(-1). Substrate analogues protected the enzyme against inactivation by both DEPC and NEM, suggesting the Location of the essential histidine and cysteine to be at the active site of the enzyme. The incorporation of radiolabelled NEM in a differential labelling experiment was 0.73 mol per mol subunit confirming the presence of a single essential cysteine per active-site. Differentially labelled enzyme was enzymatically cleaved and the peptide bearing the label was purified and sequenced. The active-site peptide LLGLAETCK and the N-terminal sequence MLGKIALEEAFALPRFEEKT did not bear any similarity to sequences reported in the Swiss-Prot Protein Sequence Databank, a reflection probably of the unique primary structure of this novel enzyme. The sequences reported in this study will appear in the Swiss-Prot Protein Sequence Databank under the accession number P80402.

自养氨氧化混合种群特性和共存机理初步研究

组特殊自养氨氧化混合种群，表现：无机环境种群生长迅速、生物量高；在一个完全无机的自养生长环境中，不仅保持高氨氧化速率，并出现丰富的异养微生物种群；该种群置于异养、厌氧环境中，迅速表现出产氢特征。对于这样一个特殊的生态体系，研究其共生机理，以及联接这些种群之间的碳源和能源问题，将具有非常重要意义。我们拟从种群特征、细胞表面分泌产物、游离体系产物多糖、蛋白和脂肪酸方面开展研究。 第一部分，自养氨氧化混合种群的基本特征。采用氨氧化培养基，进行种群氨氧化特征研究；采用扫描电镜观察自养混合种群的微观特征；沉降、离心去除微生物种群，分析水相中的总有机碳、糖类等物质；利用LB培养基进行种群的分离、纯化，并采用DGGE手段对微生物种群结构进行分析。结果表明，接入菌种后（2/5000（V/V）），培养液中氨（200mg/L）在3－5天内快速降解；亚硝酸盐与氨氮变化呈负相关趋势，仅有少量硝酸盐含量（< 30mg/L）。氨氧化种群的生物量增长与氨氧化趋势一致，初始生物量7.75 mg/L(蛋白含量)，3-5天后生物量快速增长，并达到最高63.06 mg/L（蛋白含量）。电镜图片显示，种群外包裹一层粘液。离心除去菌体后，检测培养液总有机碳和糖的含量，同样表现出与生物量增长相似的特征，分别由初始的3.73、2.35 mg/L，3－5内天迅速增加，并分别达到最大值35.19、27.45 mg/L。经初步分离、纯化并对纯化菌株进行测序，获得了10株异养微生物分别为布鲁氏菌科苍白杆菌属、纤维单孢菌、类芽孢菌属、黄杆菌属、无色杆菌、鞘脂单胞菌、嗜麦芽寡养单胞菌、噬氢菌属、硫红球菌、假单胞菌；DGGE显示，约有20分条离带，我们对其中的两条优势条带进行切割回收测序，鉴定为欧洲亚硝化单胞菌（Nitrosomonas eur）。 第二部分：混合种群自养-异养菌共生的可能机制。在对微生物种群特征初步分析基础上，针对胞外糖类组分可能被微生物代谢分解，我们重点对微生物细胞蛋白质与糖类进行分析。采用超声结合RIPA裂解液裂解，SDS-PAGE电泳分析混合种群总蛋白种类，并通过氨基酸分析仪及红外光谱法分析氨基酸组成及蛋白红外特征。采用超声破碎结合反复冻融对细胞样品进行处理，提取液采用醇沉、Sevage脱氮白，凝胶过滤方法脱盐和分级分离。对提取物的糖分析包括：紫外扫描，红外光谱，核磁共振，单糖组成分析；扫描电镜观察菌群破裂现象。SDS-PAGE分析结果表明：氨氧化种群不同生长阶段都显示出42kD蛋白表达量很高，d4时42kD蛋白表达已经很强，4-7d内一直持续这种过量表达，直到d8后表达开始减弱。说明42kD蛋白可能与氨氧化密切相关。红外光谱分析显示：细胞提取物的特征峰分布在3427.42cm-1、1718.18 cm-1和1681.72 cm-1、1160.07和1086.74 cm-1，分别对应为OH、 C=O、C－O－C基团，表明具有蛋白的典型特征；氨基酸分析显示蛋白中的Gly,Asp,Ala,Glu含量相对较高。 提取物中胞外多糖分离谱图得到不均一组分，共得到6个收集峰；紫外扫描在201－213 nm处有多糖吸收峰，同样表明多糖成分不均一性；多糖红外光谱特征峰主要分别在3400.49 cm-1、2920.28 cm-1、1154.54和1087.52 cm-1，对应OH、－CH2－ or CH 、C－O－H or C－O－C等多糖特征基团；多糖提取物核磁共振1H d4.3～5.9之间出现强吸收峰，这是1H中，多糖存在的明显证据，1H NMR中，其中O-乙酰基的甲基上的氢信号为d1.1～1.3之间。糖肟全苯甲酸酯衍生物的HPLC测定中，得到单一的单糖峰，由于时间问题，还未进行更深入的试验；电镜图片显示，种群中的细胞有大量的破裂现象。 实验表明，自养氨氧化混合种群显示出快速的氨氧化速率，氨氧化过程生物量和有机质的增加明显。微生物种群包裹粘液层，并分离纯化出大量的异养菌；去除菌体后的游离培养液中存在有机质（包括多糖）说明无机自养生长体系中存在异养菌生长、繁殖的二次碳源；细胞提取物中蛋白条带数目多、种类丰富；细胞多糖提取物具有明显的多糖特征，以及单糖的存在。结合种群的显微特征和游离体系中的有机质的检测结果，我们认为，无机自养生长体系中，种群细胞生长过程中发生的破裂现象可能是导致大量的蛋白、多糖释放到游离胞外，并成为其他异养菌生长的碳源和氮源。这可能是自养体系中，大量异养菌共生的可能机制，至于是什么原因引起种群生长过程中产生的破裂现象，还有待下一步深入研究。 A group of mixed autotrophic ammonia oxidizing populations, having much biological characteristic tested by concerned personnel for pilot test: Performed rapid population growth and obtained high biomass in inorganic environment; Not only maintained a high rate of ammoxidation, promoted a wealth of heterotrophic microbial populations growth in a totally inorganic and autotrophic growth environment; Placed in heterotrophic and anaerobic environment,had the performance characteristics that could rapidly produce hydrogen.For such a special ecological system, Study its symbiotic mechanism and the connection between these populations of carbon and energy issues, will have a very important significance. We intended from the characteristics of the population, the secretion product of cell surface, free substance in the liquid medium like polysaccharide, protein and fatty acids carrying out research. Part I: The basic features of mixed autotrophic ammonia oxidizing populations . Use inorganic liquid medium, processed study for ammonia oxidation characteristics of the population; we used scanning electron microscopy to get micro-features of autotrophic ammonia oxidizing populations .The medium was carried out settlement and centrifugal then removed the microbial populations, after all of that we analysis the water phase for total organic carbon(TOC), carbohydrate and other substances; Solid ammonia oxidizing medium was adopted to separation and purification of population, DGGE means was for structure analysis of microbial population. The results showed that after the inoculum of bacteria (2 / 5000 (V / V)), ammonia in the culture medium (200 mg / L) was rapid degradation in 3-5 days; ammonia and nitrite have the negative correlation between changes in the trend, then only a small amount of nitrate content (<30mg / L). The biomass growth of ammoxidation population in line with the trend of ammonia oxidation, the initial volume of it was 7.75 mg / L (protein content), in 3-5 days upto 63.06 mg / L (protein content). Electron microscope image showed, the populations were wrapped in a layer of mucus, including the a large number ruptted micorbe , Centrifuge to remove bacteria, then detected the medium for total organic carbon and sugar content, result took on the same characteristics with biomass growth, that were from the initial 3.73、2.35 mg / L respectively, in 3-6 days achieved rapid increase in the maximum to 35.19、27.45 mg / L respectively. After initial separation、 purification ,then processed sequencing to strains purified and got the result that there were 10 heterotrophic microorganisms : Brucella Branch pale bacillus, Cellu lomonas, Bacillus species category, a Flavobacterium, colorless Bacteria, Aeromonas sheath fat, little support maltophilia Aeromonas, macrophages species hydrogen, sulphur-MI, Pseudomonas bacteria spores; DGGE display, there were 20 separation bands approximately. Part II: Mixed populations that autotrophic - heterotrophic bacteria symbiotic mechanism. On the basis of preliminary analysis of microbial population characteristics, aiming at extracellular carbohydrate components might be decomposition by microbial, we focused on microbial cell protein and carbohydrate analysis. Using ultrasound combined with RIPA lysis cracking the cells, SDS-PAGE electrophoresis analysis the total protein species of the population, and through the amino acid analyzer studied the compositions of amino acid and infrared spectroscopy analysis of a protein infrared characteristics. Using ultrasound combined with repeatedly freezing and thawing to treated the cell sample, then took the means that alcohol precipitation, deproteinization by Sevage, gel filtration aimed at desalination and grade separation to deal with the lysates . The extraction of sugar analysis included: UV scanning, IR, NMR, single-sugar composition analysis. SDS-PAGE analysis showed that: 42 kD protein expression was very high at different growth stages of mixed autotrophic ammonia oxidizing populations , on the fourth day, 42 kD protein expression had been very strong, 4-7d, it had continued this excessive expression, then started to weaken after 7 days. 42 kD protein that might be closely associated with ammonia oxidation. Infrared spectral analysis showed that: cell extracts with the characteristic that the peak distribution in 3427.42 cm-1、1718.18 cm-1 and 1681.72 cm-1、1160.07 cm-1 and 1086.74 cm-1 corresponding to OH、C = O、C-O-C Groups which had the typical characteristics of protein; and analysis showed that amino acids including Gly, Asp, Ala, Glu ,the content in the protein is relatively high. Exopolysaccharide in the extracts had the separation map that it was uneven, received a total of six collection peaks by the detection mode of phenol-sulphruic acid method ; ultraviolet scan in the 201-213 nm department had polysaccharide absorbing peak, the same ingredients that polysaccharide heterogeneity; infrared polysaccharide spectral characteristics of the main peak at 3400.49 cm-1, 2920.28 cm-1, 1154.54 and 1087.52 cm-1, corresponding OH,-CH2-or CH, C-O-H or C-O-C;and other characteristics of polysaccharide group; 1H NMR of polysaccharide extract appeared absorption peak between d4.3 ~5.9, which is the apparent evidence of polysaccharide, In 1H NMR, the hydrogen signal of one of O-acetyl was between 1.1 to 1.3. The determination of Sugar oxime whole benzoate derivatives by HPLC, there was a single-sugar peak, as a matter of time, yet more in-depth test. Summary: Mixed autotrophic ammonia oxidizing populations show us that it had the ability in ammonia oxidizing and it was great, organic matter and biomass increased significantly in the process of ammonia oxidation. Microbial populations was wrapped up slime layer, the phenomenon of cell breakdown obviously, and there were a lot of separation and purification of the heterotrophic bacteria; a lot of organic matter (including polysaccharides)remined in the medium that removal of cell indicated the inorganic system existed secondary carbon sources that could be used by the heterotrophic bacteria ; there were a large number proteins bands of cell extract, rich variety; cell extracts of polysaccharide had obvious characteristics of polysaccharide, and the existence evidence of single-sugar. Combined population of microscopic characteristics and free of organic matter in the test results, we believe that the health of inorganic system, population growth occurred in the course of the breakdown of the phenomenon is likely to lead to a lot of protein and polysaccharide released into the extracellular free, And other heterotrophic bacteria use them to the growth as carbon and nitrogen. This may be autotrophic system, the large number of heterotrophic bacteria symbiotic mechanism.

Characterization of the chitinolytic system during the mycoparasitic interaction between Trichoderma aggressivum f. aggressivum and different host strains of Agaricus bisporus /

Green mould is a serious disease of commercially grown mushrooms, the causal agent being attributed to the filamentous soil fungus Triclzodenna aggressivum f. aggressivu11l and T. aggressivum f. ellropaellm. Found worldwide, and capable of devastating crops, this disease has caused millions of dollars in lost revenue within the mushroom industry. One mechanism used by TricllOdenlla spp. in the antagonism of other fungi, is the secretion of lytic enzymes such as chitinases, which actively degrade a host's cell wall. Therefore, the intent of this study was to examine the production of chitinase enzymes during the host-parasite interaction of Agaricus bisporus (commercial mushroom) and Triclzodemza aggressivum, focusing specifically on chitinase involvement in the differential resistance of white, off-white, and brown commercial mushroom strains. Chitinases isolated from cultures of A. bisporus and T. aggressivu11l grown together and separately, were identified following native PAGE, and analysis of fluorescence based on specific enzymatic cleavage of 4-methylumbelliferyl glucoside substrates. Results indicate that the interaction between T. aggressivulll and A. bisporus involves a complex enzyme battle. It was determined that T. aggressivum produces a number of chitinases that appear to correlate to those isolated in previous studies using biocontrol strains of T. Izarziallilm. A 122 kDa N-acetylglucosaminidase of T. aggressivu11l revealed the highest and most variable activity, and is therefore believed to be an important predictor of antifungal activity. Furthermore, results indicate that brown strain resistance of mushrooms may be related to high levels of a 96 kDa N-acetylglucosaminidase, which showed elevated activity in both solitary and dual cultures with T. aggressivum. Overall, each host-parasite combination produced unique enzyme profiles, with the majority of the differences seen between day 0 and day 6 for the extracellular chitinases. Therefore, it was concluded that the antagonistic behaviour of T. aggressivli1ll does not involve a typical response, always producing the same types and levels of enzymes, but that mycoparasitism, specifically in the form of chitinase production, may be induced and regulated based on the host presented.

Effect of chymosin reduction and salt substitution on the properties of white salted cheese

A whey salts mixture was used as a partial substitute for sodium chloride to provide a modified Na:K ratio (1:3.4) in the manufacture of white salted cheese using ultrafiltration. Reduction of chymosin addition from 20 to 8 mu L kg(-1) of cheese was also investigated. Variation of salt and chymosin levels did not result in any significant differences in composition and physicochemical properties. The rates of proteolysis in terms of water-soluble nitrogen (WSN) and nitrogen soluble in 12% trichloroacetic acid (TCA-SN) were affected by chymosin levels but not by salt treatment. Urea-PAGE electrophoretic analysis of caseins from the cheeses manufactured using three levels of chymosin and two salt types showed that the hydrolysis of alpha(s1)-casein was higher than for beta-caseins but the differences between the cheeses were not significant (P > 0.05). The chymosin level did not have a significant effect (P > 0.05) on hardness and fracturability, suggesting that any variation in hardness due to the initial hydrolysis was being confounded by other variables. Cheeses including the whey salts product were harder and more fracturable (P < 0.01) than the cheese treated with NaCl only. Both hardness and fracturability values decreased (P < 0.05) over the maturation period. The scores for bitterness were low; neither the effects of salt nor chymosin levels were significant (P > 0.05). (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Snapshots from 1985–1995

This exhibition brings together material from the first decade of platform-independent design. It introduces the mature proprietary digital technology that existed just before 1985, and presents artefacts that represent key chapters in the transition to platform-independent digital typefaces, in combination with digital tools for page layout. The exhibition includes the first issues of the key journals of the period, which both represented the new approaches, and offered critique for the impact of the new technologies on typographic design.