A survey of outlier detection methodologies

Outlier detection has been used for centuries to detect and, where appropriate, remove anomalous observations from data. Outliers arise due to mechanical faults, changes in system behaviour, fraudulent behaviour, human error, instrument error or simply through natural deviations in populations. Their detection can identify system faults and fraud before they escalate with potentially catastrophic consequences. It can identify errors and remove their contaminating effect on the data set and as such to purify the data for processing. The original outlier detection methods were arbitrary but now, principled and systematic techniques are used, drawn from the full gamut of Computer Science and Statistics. In this paper, we introduce a survey of contemporary techniques for outlier detection. We identify their respective motivations and distinguish their advantages and disadvantages in a comparative review

Advanced Sensors for Real-Time Monitoring Applications

It is impossible to imagine the modern world without sensors, or without real-time information about almost everything—from local temperature to material composition and health parameters. We sense, measure, and process data and act accordingly all the time. In fact, real-time monitoring and information is key to a successful business, an assistant in life-saving decisions that healthcare professionals make, and a tool in research that could revolutionize the future. To ensure that sensors address the rapidly developing needs of various areas of our lives and activities, scientists, researchers, manufacturers, and end-users have established an efficient dialogue so that the newest technological achievements in all aspects of real-time sensing can be implemented for the benefit of the wider community. This book documents some of the results of such a dialogue and reports on advances in sensors and sensor systems for existing and emerging real-time monitoring applications

Relativistic quantum information theory and quantum reference frames

This thesis is a compilation of research in relativistic quantum information theory, and research in quantum reference frames. The research in the former category provides a fundamental construction of quantum information theory of localised qubits in curved spacetimes. For example, this concerns quantum experiments on free-space photons and electrons in the vicinity of the Earth. From field theory a description of localised qubits that traverse classical trajectories in curved spacetimes is obtained, for photons and massive spin-1/2 fermions. The equations governing the evolution of the two-dimensional quantum state and its absolute phase are determined. Quantum information theory of these qubits is then developed. The Stern-Gerlach measurement formalism for massive spin-1/2 fermions is also derived from field theory. In the latter category of research, I consider the process of changing reference frames in the case where the reference frames are quantum systems. I find that, as part of this process, decoherence is necessarily induced on any quantum system described relative to these frames. I explore this process with examples involving quantum reference frames for phase and orientation. Quantifying the effect of changing quantum reference frames provides a theoretical description for this process in quantum experiments, and serves as a first step in developing a relativity principle for theories in which all objects including reference frames are necessarily quantum

Relativistic quantum information theory and quantum reference frames

This thesis is a compilation of research in relativistic quantum information theory, and research in quantum reference frames. The research in the former category provides a fundamental construction of quantum information theory of localised qubits in curved spacetimes. For example, this concerns quantum experiments on free-space photons and electrons in the vicinity of the Earth. From field theory a description of localised qubits that traverse classical trajectories in curved spacetimes is obtained, for photons and massive spin-1/2 fermions. The equations governing the evolution of the two-dimensional quantum state and its absolute phase are determined. Quantum information theory of these qubits is then developed. The Stern-Gerlach measurement formalism for massive spin-1/2 fermions is also derived from field theory. In the latter category of research, the process of changing reference frames is considered for the case where the reference frames are quantum systems. As part of this process, it is shown that decoherence is necessarily induced on any quantum system described relative to these frames. This process is explored using examples involving quantum reference frames for phase and orientation. Quantifying the effect of changing quantum reference frames provides a theoretical description for this process in quantum experiments, and serves as a first step in developing a relativity principle for theories in which all objects including reference frames are necessarily quantum.Comment: PhD thesis containing work found in the quant-ph arXiv preprints 1108.3896, 1208.6434, and 1307.6597, with corrections and additions (see note pg.iv). 99 pages main tex

The Public Service Media and Public Service Internet Manifesto

This book presents the collectively authored Public Service Media and Public Service Internet Manifesto and accompanying materials.The Internet and the media landscape are broken. The dominant commercial Internet platforms endanger democracy. They have created a communications landscape overwhelmed by surveillance, advertising, fake news, hate speech, conspiracy theories, and algorithmic politics. Commercial Internet platforms have harmed citizens, users, everyday life, and society. Democracy and digital democracy require Public Service Media. A democracy-enhancing Internet requires Public Service Media becoming Public Service Internet platforms – an Internet of the public, by the public, and for the public; an Internet that advances instead of threatens democracy and the public sphere. The Public Service Internet is based on Internet platforms operated by a variety of Public Service Media, taking the public service remit into the digital age. The Public Service Internet provides opportunities for public debate, participation, and the advancement of social cohesion. Accompanying the Manifesto are materials that informed its creation: Christian Fuchs’ report of the results of the Public Service Media/Internet Survey, the written version of Graham Murdock’s online talk on public service media today, and a summary of an ecomitee.com discussion of the Manifesto’s foundations

Chemotaxis of Escherichia Coli Towards Norepinephrine Metabolites

The co-existence of ~1014 commensal bacteria and host cells in the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract creates an environment rich in molecules produced by both. The close-proximity of different signals and cells in the GI tract is thought to lead to inter-kingdom (IK) signaling where bacteria and human cells recognize and respond to signals produced by each other. One such IK signaling molecule abundant in the GI tract is Norepinephrine (NE), which is known to increase the virulence and pathogenesis of GI tract pathogen, enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC). It has also been shown that NE is a potent chemoattractant for EHEC as well as for non-pathogenic E.coli. While the effects of NE on virulence are well studied, its role as a chemoeffector is not fully understood. The overall goal of this work is to comprehensively characterize the chemotaxis response of E. coli toward NE and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. A part of this work is also aimed at developing a probabilistic model to simulate the bacterial migration towards attractants. We showed that attraction of E. coli RP437 towards NE requires prior exposure to a lower concentration of NE during cell growth, and that de novo expression of two enzymes - TynA and FeaB - is required for E. coli chemotaxis towards NE. We discovered that NE is not the actual chemoattractant but the molecule that E. coli RP437 responds to is dihydroxymandelic acid (DHMA) generated from NE. We observed that chemotaxis to DHMA requires the Tsr chemoreceptor and the minimum concentration required for a detectable chemotaxis response was ~5 nM. We also observed that the chemotaxis response to DHMA was significantly reduced at concentrations greater than 50 μM and concluded that negative cooperativity between the two serine-binding sites resulted in attenuation of chemotaxis response. We investigated the molecular mechanism underlying the conversion of NE to DHMA in E. coli RP437, and identified that it requires the QseC histidine kinase and its cognate response regulator QseB, and to a lesser extent, the response regulator QseF. We also determined that the feaR transcription factor is required for tynA and feaB expression. This work is significant as it suggest that host-derived signals such as NE can be converted by commensal bacteria to a potent chemoattractant, which can then recruit pathogens that possess Tsr-like receptors to the site of infection. A probabilistic model was also developed to simulate the chemotaxis behavior of bacteria in microfluidic devices. The time-dependent distribution of bacteria in the chemotaxis chamber was simulated using MATLAB®. We determined that the time dependent bacterial migration in the microfluidic device is influenced by bulk motion of the fluid and existing concentration gradient of chemoeffector. The probabilistic model can be used to reduce the experimental space required to test the response of an unknown chemoeffector in the microfluidic device

Structural Health Monitoring Damage Detection Systems for Aerospace

This open access book presents established methods of structural health monitoring (SHM) and discusses their technological merit in the current aerospace environment. While the aerospace industry aims for weight reduction to improve fuel efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and to decrease maintenance time and operating costs, aircraft structures are often designed and built heavier than required in order to accommodate unpredictable failure. A way to overcome this approach is the use of SHM systems to detect the presence of defects. This book covers all major contemporary aerospace-relevant SHM methods, from the basics of each method to the various defect types that SHM is required to detect to discussion of signal processing developments alongside considerations of aerospace safety requirements. It will be of interest to professionals in industry and academic researchers alike, as well as engineering students. This article/publication is based upon work from COST Action CA18203 (ODIN - http://odin-cost.com/), supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is a funding agency for research and innovation networks. Our Actions help connect research initiatives across Europe and enable scientists to grow their ideas by sharing them with their peers. This boosts their research, career and innovation

Design of a non-invasive device to measure bone strength recovery of distal radius fractures for use with HR-pQCT Imaging

Distal radius fractures are the most common bone injury in adults, with the majority occurring in postmenopausal women. Often these fractures result in painful healing defects, leading to extended treatment and even surgery. Currently, there is no clinical method to quantify the extent of bone healing beyond the limited capabilities of standard x-rays. The goal of this project is to develop a device, which can determine the strength of a healing fracture. This is achieved by applying a known bending load to the distal radius and measuring the displacement of the bone in High Resolution CT images. The device created was manufactured via 3D printing. Validation of device performance was performed using cadaver wrist models

Elucidating the mechanisms of anastomotic leakage:a new point of view

After surgical resection of a part of the colon an anastomosis is made to restore the continuity of the colon. Unfortunately, these anastomoses are often complicated by leakage. This thesis embarks on the quest to elucidate the mechanisms behind anastomotic leakage (AL). New techniques are used to study a long-ignored factor in AL: the intestinal microbiota. We demonstrate that the bacterial composition during the construction of the anastomosis plays a role in the subsequent development of anastomotic leakage. The lack of diversity in the microbial composition is associated with AL. Furthermore, the virulence factors (pathogenic molecules) of bacteria and other micro-organisms play an important role in the development of AL and the associated subsequent tumour recurrence. These virulence factors are a high expression of the collagen degrading GelE gene and the ability to activate the collagen degrading MMP9, together called the “leakage phenotype”. The Western diet causes a change in and reduction of the microbial diversity and a presence of micro-organisms with the “leakage phenotype”. Lastly, the expression of genes in the colon plays a role in AL, with a reduced expression of genes involved in the immune response, angiogenesis and collagen crosslinking. To conclude: the intestinal microbiota, partly influenced by the Western diet, and the colonic gene expression are important factors in the development of AL. In the nearby future, the results from this thesis can be used for therapeutic or preventive measures to prevent anastomotic leakage, partly focused on the manipulation of the intestinal microbiota