Automated Visual Inspection for Bottle Caps Using Fuzzy Logic

Automated Visual Inspection System (AVIS) has the capability to investigate large numbers of manufactured goods quickly and accurately. In addition, this system operates with a high level of reliability and consistency in their tasks. This study proposed an AVIS for detecting cap situations by using fuzzy logic classifiers. The objectives of this research are to develop an applicable image processing algorithm, together with a feature extraction technique, and to detect the cap for plastic bottles which is based on the average of distances. Three types of classification were compared for detecting the bottle caps. They are Mamdani, Sugeno, and production rule. The system was evaluated in a real time environment. The results are 97.91%, 97.5%, 96.66% accuracy for Mamdani, Sugeno, and production rule respectively

Algoritmo de identificación de etiquetas en botellas de vino

Los conceptos de visión artificial abarcan simples detecciones de color y forma, hasta complejos algoritmos que detectan e identifican objetos en ambientes adversos. En este trabajo se presentan los resultados concatenar seis algoritmos para detección e identificación de etiquetas de vino en estanterías. Se presentan la especificidad y sensibilidad del algoritimo.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativa (SADIO

A Magneto-Gravitational Neutron Trap for the Measurement of the Neutron Lifetime

Thesis (Ph.D.) - Indiana University, Physics, 2015Neutron decay is the simplest example of nuclear beta-decay. The mean decay lifetime is a key input for predicting the abundance of light elements in the early universe. A precise measurement of the neutron lifetime, when combined with other neutron decay observables, can test for physics beyond the standard model in a way that is complimentary to, and potentially competitive with, results from high energy collider experiments. Many previous measurements of the neutron lifetime used ultracold neutrons (UCN) confined in material bottles. In a material bottle experiment, UCN are loaded into the apparatus, stored for varying times, and the surviving UCN are emptied and counted. These measurements are in poor agreement with experiments that use neutron beams, and new experiments are needed to resolve the discrepancy and precisely determine the lifetime. Here we present an experiment that uses a bowl-shaped array of NdFeB magnets to confine neutrons without material wall interactions. The trap shape is designed to rapidly remove higher energy UCN that might slowly leak from the top of the trap, and can facilitate new techniques to count surviving UCN within the trap. We review the scientific motivation for a precise measurement of the neutron lifetime, and present the commissioning of the trap. Data are presented using a vanadium activation technique to count UCN within the trap, providing an alternative method to emptying neutrons from the trap and into a counter. Potential systematic effects in the experiment are then discussed and estimated using analytical and numerical techniques. We also investigate solid nitrogen-15 as a source of UCN using neutron time-of-flight spectroscopy. We conclude with a discussion of forthcoming research and development for UCN detection and UCN sources

Advances in Artificial Intelligence: Models, Optimization, and Machine Learning

The present book contains all the articles accepted and published in the Special Issue “Advances in Artificial Intelligence: Models, Optimization, and Machine Learning” of the MDPI Mathematics journal, which covers a wide range of topics connected to the theory and applications of artificial intelligence and its subfields. These topics include, among others, deep learning and classic machine learning algorithms, neural modelling, architectures and learning algorithms, biologically inspired optimization algorithms, algorithms for autonomous driving, probabilistic models and Bayesian reasoning, intelligent agents and multiagent systems. We hope that the scientific results presented in this book will serve as valuable sources of documentation and inspiration for anyone willing to pursue research in artificial intelligence, machine learning and their widespread applications

Systematic Analysis of Molecular and Cellular Dysfunction in Accelerated Aging Phenotypes

Zur Gruppe segmentaler progeroider Erkrankungen gehören genetische Erkrankungen, denen beschleunigte Alterungsprozesse in mehreren Geweben zugrunde liegen. Klinische Merkmale dieser Patienten sind altersassoziierte Pathologien in jungen Jahren wie graue Haare, Lipodystrophie, Osteoporose, grauer Star, Schwerhörigkeit, Arteriosklerose, Diabetes mellitus und Tumore. In den vergangenen Jahren wurden viele krankheitsverursachende Gendefekte für segmentale progeroide Erkrankungen identifiziert. Die betroffenen Proteine sind an Genomstabilität und der Funktion der Mitochondrien beteiligt. Die Identifizierung der zugrundeliegenden genetischen Defekte deckte molekulare und zelluläre Mechanismen auf, die unser Verständnis von Alterungspozessen und altersassoziierten Erkankungen im Allgemeinen erweiterte. Das Ziel meiner Arbeit war, unser Wissen über diese zellulären und molekularen Mechanismen der Alterungsprozesse zu erweitern, indem ich eine einzigartige Sammlung von Fibroblasten und DNA-Proben von Patienten mit verschiedenen progeroiden Erkrankungen untersucht habe. Dazu habe ich eine Methode zur Sequenzierung der mitochondrialen DNA mit sehr hoher Abdeckung etabliert, um niederfrequente mtDNA-Varianten in Patientenproben zu quantifizieren. Durch die Behandlung von Kontrollfibroblasten mit genotoxischen Substanzen konnte ich zeigen, dass dieser Ansatz die Detektion von niederfrequenten Varianten im mitochondrialen Genom möglich macht. Die Analyse einer DNA-Probe eines von Cutis Laxa Typ IC betroffen Patienten, der eine homozygote Mutation im LTBP4 Gen trägt, deckte eine signifikant erhöhte Anzahl an mtDNA-Varianten auf. LTBP4 kodiert ein sekretiertes Protein, das den TGF-beta Signalweg reguliert und das bisher noch nicht mit mitochondrialer Dysfunktion assoziiert war. Dieses Ergebnis weist auf eine Verbindung von LTBP4 und der Integrität des mitochondrialen Genoms hin. VII Weiterhin habe ich eine Real-Time PCR-basierte Methode zur Analyse der Telomerlänge etabliert und damit die Telomerlänge in DNA-Proben von Patienten gemessen, die an segmentalen progeroiden Erkrankungen leiden. So habe ich die erwartete sigmoidale Verteilung der Telomerlänge mit dem Alter und eine hohe Varianz der Telomerlänge in Kontrollproben zeigen können. Die Verkürzung der Telomerlänge in einer Probe eines Bloom-Syndrom-Patienten und einer Probe eines Patienten mit Cutis Laxa Typ 1C kommt der Signifikanz nahe. Um die Verringerung der Telomerlänge detaillierter charakterisieren zu können, habe ich bei der Optimierung einer Telomer-qFISH-Methode kollaboriert und diese Methode dann eingesetzt, um die Telomerlänge in drei Fibroblasten von Bloom-Syndrom-Patienten zu messen. Erstaunlicherweise war in einer Patientenprobe die Signalintensität, die der Telomerlänge entspricht, und die Anzahl der Telomersignale erhöht. In dieser Patientenprobe konnte eine Chromosomenaberration und ein verzögerter Zellzyklus mit einer erhöhten Anzahl an Zellen in der G2/M-Phase nachgewiesen werden. Dies deutet darauf hin, dass der doppelte Chromosomensatz die Messung beeinträchtigte. Mit einem Southernblot konnte ich bestätigen, dass die Telomerlänge in diesen Patientenproben nicht verändert war. Des Weiteren habe ich die Anreicherung von DNA-Schäden und die DNA-Reparatur in Patientenfibroblasten mittels der Quantifizierung der γH2AX Foci nach Bestrahlung etabliert und analysiert. So konnte ich eine erhöhte Anzal von γH2AX Foci in zwei unbehandelten Fibroblastenproben mit Mutationen in den Genen GORAB und SLC25A24 identifizieren, was auf eine höhrere Anfälligkeit für DNA-Schäden oder eine Schwäche der DNA-Reparatur hinweist. Des Weiteren hat die Bestrahlung signifikant mehr γH2AX Foci in zwei Patientenfibroblasten hervorgerufen, die Mutationen in den Genen PYCR1 und GORAB tragen, was ebenfalls auf eine Beeinträchtigung der DNA-Reparatur in diesen Zellen hindeutet. Zusammengefasst habe ich in meiner Arbeit neue Methoden zur Quantifizierung von altersassoziierten zellulären Prozessen etabliert und diese Methoden genutzt, um Fibroblasten und DNA-Proben von Patienten mit segmentalen progeroiden Erkrankungen zu analysieren. So konnte ich neue Erkenntnisse zu den beteiligten Pathomechanismen gewinnen, indem ich eine Verbindung von LTBP4 mit der Integrität des mitochondrialen Genoms und einen potentiellen Einfluss von BLM und PYCR1 auf die Telomerlänge identifiziert habe.Accelerated aging in multiple tissues is the connecting characteristic of the group of genetic disorders called segmental progeroid syndromes. At young ages, affected patients show many clinical features of aging-associated pathologies such as hair graying, lipodystrophy, osteoporosis, cataracts, hearing loss, arteriosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, and malignancies. Several disease-causing genes for segmental progeroid syndromes have been identified within the last years, and the affected proteins are often involved in genome maintenance or mitochondrial function. Identifying these underlying genetic alterations revealed molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in the pathology of these diseases and furthered our understanding of aging processes and aging-associated diseases in general. The aim of my thesis was to expand our knowledge of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of aging using a unique collection of fibroblast and DNA samples of patients suffering from a large variety of different progeroid syndromes. I established an ultra-high coverage mtDNA sequencing approach to detect and quantify low-frequency mtDNA variants in patient samples. By treatment of control fibroblasts with genotoxic agents, I could show that this approach allows the detection of low-frequency variants in the mitochondrial genome. Analysis of a DNA sample of a patient suffering from Cutis laxa type IC and carrying a homozygous mutation in LTBP4 revealed a significantly increased number of mtDNA variants. LTBP4 encodes a secreted protein that regulates TGF-beta signaling and has previously not been associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Therefore, these results indicate for the first time a link between LTBP4 and the integrity of the mitochondrial genome. Additionally, I established a real-time PCR-based method in order to analyze telomere length in DNA samples of patients suffering from progeroid syndromes. I found the anticipated sigmoidal distribution of telomere length by age as well as a high variance of telomere length in the control samples. The decrease of telomere length in two patient samples, a Bloom syndrome patient and a patient suffering from Cutis laxa type IIB, approached significance. V To characterize telomere attrition in more detail, I collaborated on the optimization of a telomere qFISH method, which I then used to measure telomere length in three fibroblast samples of Bloom syndrome patients. Strikingly, the telomere signal intensity corresponding to telomere length as well as the number of telomere signals were increased in one patient sample. A chromosomal aberration and a delayed cell cycle progression with an increased amount of cells in the G2/M phase were then detected in these fibroblasts, indicating that to the double set of chromosomes interfered with the measurement. A Southern blot confirmed that the telomere length in these patient samples was not different from the controls. Further, I analyzed the accumulation of DNA damage and induction of the DNA damage response in patient fibroblasts using the quantification of γH2AX foci upon treatment with genotoxic reagents. I found an elevated level of γH2AX foci in two untreated fibroblast samples carrying mutations in GORAB and SLC25A24 indicative of either higher susceptibility of these cells to DNA damage or deficiencies in DNA damage repair processes. Further irradiation treatment caused a significantly elevated level of γH2AX in two fibroblast samples carrying mutations in the PYCR1 and GORAB genes suggestive of DNA damage repair impairment in these cells. In summary, the results of my Ph.D. thesis help to establish new methods for the analysis and quantification of aging-associated cellular processes. Using these methods on cells and DNA samples of patients with segmental progeroid syndromes, I could provide new insights into the involved pathomechanisms by identifying a link between LTBP4 and mitochondrial DNA as well as a possible influence of BLM and PYCR1 on telomere length.2021-09-3

Colour and Naming in Healthy and Aphasic People

Abstract The purpose of this study was to create a paradigm suitable for people with aphasia and healthy subjects to evaluate the influence of colour on naming pictures of objects. We designed a completely new stimulus set based on images of 140 common real objects that were inspired by the Snodgrass and Vanderwart picture set (1980). We were especially interested whether there is a difference in performance between the aphasic patients and the group of healthy controls. Adding chromatic information to pictures of objects shows only a small effect in verification and categorisation tasks. However, when observers are required to name objects, colour speeds performance and enhances accuracy (Rossion & Pourtois, 2004). The present study contrasts two different claims as to why colour may benefit object naming. The first is that colour simply aids the segmentation of the object from its background (Wichmann et al., 2002). The second is that colour may help to elicit a wider range of associations with the object, thereby enhancing lexical access (Bisiach, 1966). To distinguish between these processes an equal number of pictures containing high and low colour diagnostic objects were presented against either fractal noise or uniform backgrounds in a naming task to aphasic subjects with anomia and to healthy controls. Performance for chromatic stimuli was compared with that for monochrome stimuli equated in luminance. Results show that colour facilitates naming significantly in both subject groups and there was no significant difference between objects with high or low colour diagnostic values. We also found that object segmentation and the lexical access seem to occur in parallel processes, rather than in an additive way