Neo: Virtual Object Modeling using Commodity Hardware

Recent developments in augmented reality technology have paved way for newapplications in a wide range of areas. These include the commercial markets,medicine applications, military applications and education. The technology pro-vides immersive images to enhance our perception of the world. Augmentedreality addresses challenges related to problem-solving by seamlessly integrat-ing digital images into real-world images.In the context of construction and maintenance industry, project inspections canbe time-consuming and tedious. These inspections involve usages of expensiveand specialized hardware. Some inspections even use physical blueprints anddrawings along with standardized measurement tools. This approach can posepractical challenges and be prone to errors.In this thesis we present Neo, a surface reconstruction system on commodityhardware. It utilizes augmented reality technology by scanning physical sur-roundings and reconstructs them as virtual objects. They are displayed on topof the camera’s live preview of the real world. By using a pipeline architecturewe model the physical surroundings in terms of their shapes and visual appear-ances. Cyber-physical information about the reconstructed virtual models areannotated in real-time. Evaluations of the system show us potentials to createrealistic copies of physical object

Compliant Sharing of Sensitive Data with Dataverse and Lohpi

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A functional description of CymA, an electron-transfer hub supporting anaerobic respiratory flexibility in Shewanella

CymA (tetrahaem cytochrome c) is a member of the NapC/NirT family of quinol dehydrogenases. Essential for the anaerobic respiratory flexibility of shewanellae, CymA transfers electrons from menaquinol to various dedicated systems for the reduction of terminal electron acceptors including fumarate and insoluble minerals of Fe(III). Spectroscopic characterization of CymA from Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1 identifies three low-spin His/His co-ordinated c-haems and a single high-spin c-haem with His/H2O co-ordination lying adjacent to the quinol-binding site. At pH 7, binding of the menaquinol analogue, 2-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline-N-oxide, does not alter the mid-point potentials of the high-spin (approximately −240 mV) and low-spin (approximately −110, −190 and −265 mV) haems that appear biased to transfer electrons from the high- to low-spin centres following quinol oxidation. CymA is reduced with menadiol (Em=−80 mV) in the presence of NADH (Em=−320 mV) and an NADH–menadione (2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone) oxidoreductase, but not by menadiol alone. In cytoplasmic membranes reduction of CymA may then require the thermodynamic driving force from NADH, formate or H2 oxidation as the redox poise of the menaquinol pool in isolation is insufficient. Spectroscopic studies suggest that CymA requires a non-haem co-factor for quinol oxidation and that the reduced enzyme forms a 1:1 complex with its redox partner Fcc3 (flavocytochrome c3 fumarate reductase). The implications for CymA supporting the respiratory flexibility of shewanellae are discussed.</jats:p

Marin Overvåking Hordaland – Sammendragsrapport 2019–2022

Miljøovervåkningsprogrammet “Marin Overvåking Hordaland" omfatter ytre- og indre fjordsystemer i Hordaland. Overvåkingen inkluderer vannundersøkelser, bløtbunnundersøkelser og strandsoneundersøkelser. Formålet er å beskrive miljøtilstander basert på biologiske og fysisk-kjemiske parametere. Vannundersøkelsene ble gjennomført på 14 prøvestasjoner fordelt på 11 ulike kystvannforekomster i Hordaland. Undersøkelsen inkluderer målinger og analyser av siktedyp, næringssalter, planteplankton, salinitet, temperatur og oksygen. Bløtbunnundersøkelser ble gjennomført på 7 utvalgte stasjoner i 7 ulike kystvannsforekomster. Bunnundersøkelsene omfatter sedimentprøver for analyser av geologi, kjemi og biologi. Strandsoneundersøkelsene ble i 2022 gjennomført på 12 utvalgte prøvestasjoner i 12 ulike kystvannsforekomster. Undersøkelsene viser generelt gode eller svært gode tilstander med noen unntak. To stasjoner har lave oksygenkonsentrasjoner i bunnvannet. En makroalgestasjon viser moderat tilstand. Forhøyede nivåer av TOC og sink på enkelte bunnstasjoner.Marin Overvåking Hordaland – Sammendragsrapport 2019–2022publishedVersio

Pseudomonas aeruginosa AES-1 exhibits increased virulence gene expression during chronic infection of cystic fibrosis lung

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in people with cystic fibrosis (CF), adapts for survival in the CF lung through both mutation and gene expression changes. Frequent clonal strains such as the Australian Epidemic Strain-1 (AES-1), have increased ability to establish infection in the CF lung and to superimpose and replace infrequent clonal strains. Little is known about the factors underpinning these properties. Analysis has been hampered by lack of expression array templates containing CF-strain specific genes. We sequenced the genome of an acute infection AES-1 isolate from a CF infant (AES-1R) and constructed a non-redundant micro-array (PANarray) comprising AES-1R and seven other sequenced P. aeruginosa genomes. The unclosed AES-1R genome comprised 6.254Mbp and contained 6957 putative genes, including 338 not found in the other seven genomes. The PANarray contained 12,543 gene probe spots; comprising 12,147 P. aeruginosa gene probes, 326 quality-control probes and 70 probes for non-P. aeruginosa genes, including phage and plant genes. We grew AES-1R and its isogenic pair AES-1M, taken from the same patient 10.5 years later and not eradicated in the intervening period, in our validated artificial sputum medium (ASMDM) and used the PANarray to compare gene expression of both in duplicate. 675 genes were differentially expressed between the isogenic pairs, including upregulation of alginate, biofilm, persistence genes and virulence-related genes such as dihydroorotase, uridylate kinase and cardiolipin synthase, in AES-1M. Non-PAO1 genes upregulated in AES-1M included pathogenesis-related (PAGI-5) genes present in strains PACS2 and PA7, and numerous phage genes. Elucidation of these genes' roles could lead to targeted treatment strategies for chronically infected CF patients. © 2011 Naughton et al

The effect of a startle-eliciting device on the foraging success of individual harbor seals (Phoca vitulina)

Pinniped predation on commercially and ecologically important prey has been a source of conflict for centuries. In the Salish Sea, harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) are suspected of impeding the recovery of culturally and ecologically critical Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.). In Fall 2020, a novel deterrent called Targeted Acoustic Startle Technology (TAST) was deployed at Whatcom Creek to deter harbor seals from preying on fall runs of hatchery chum (O. keta) and Chinook (O. tshawytscha) salmon in Bellingham, Washington, USA. Field observations were conducted in 2020 to compare the presence and foraging success of individual harbor seals across sound exposure (TAST-on) and control (TAST-off) conditions. Observations conducted the previous (2019) and following (2021) years were used to compare the effects observed in 2020 to two control years. Using photo-identification, individual seals were associated with foraging successes across all 3 years of the study. Generalized linear mixed models showed a significant 45.6% reduction in the duration (min) individuals remained at the creek with TAST on, and a significant 43.8% reduction in the overall foraging success of individuals. However, the observed effect of TAST varied across individual seals. Seals that were observed regularly within one season were more likely to return the year after, regardless of TAST treatment. Generalized linear models showed interannual variation in the number of seals present and salmon consumed. However, the effect of TAST in 2020 was greater than the observed variation across years. Our analyses suggest TAST can be an effective tool for managing pinniped predation, although alternate strategies such as deploying TAST longer-term and using multi-unit setups to increase coverage could help strengthen its effects. Future studies should further examine the individual variability found in this study.Peer reviewe

Up-to-the-Minute Privacy Policies via Gossips in Participatory Epidemiological Studies

Researchers and researched populations are actively involved in participatory epidemiology. Such studies collect many details about an individual. Recent developments in statistical inferences can lead to sensitive information leaks from seemingly insensitive data about individuals. Typical safeguarding mechanisms are vetted by ethics committees; however, the attack models are constantly evolving. Newly discovered threats, change in applicable laws or an individual's perception can raise concerns that affect the study. Addressing these concerns is imperative to maintain trust with the researched population. We are implementing Lohpi: an infrastructure for building accountability in data processing for participatory epidemiology. We address the challenge of data-ownership by allowing institutions to host data on their managed servers while being part of Lohpi. We update data access policies using gossips. We present Lohpi as a novel architecture for research data processing and evaluate the dissemination, overhead, and fault-tolerance

Football fans in training: the development and optimization of an intervention delivered through professional sports clubs to help men lose weight, become more active and adopt healthier eating habits

&lt;p&gt;Background: The prevalence of obesity in men is rising, but they are less likely than women to engage in existing weight management programmes. The potential of professional sports club settings to engage men in health promotion activities is being increasingly recognised. This paper describes the development and optimization of the Football Fans in Training (FFIT) programme, which aims to help overweight men (many of them football supporters) lose weight through becoming more active and adopting healthier eating habits.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Methods: The MRC Framework for the design and evaluation of complex interventions was used to guide programme development in two phases. In Phase 1, a multidisciplinary working group developed the pilot programme (p-FFIT) and used a scoping review to summarize previous research and identify the target population. Phase 2 involved a process evaluation of p-FFIT in 11 Scottish Premier League (SPL) clubs. Participant and coach feedback, focus group discussions and interviews explored the utility/acceptability of programme components and suggestions for changes. Programme session observations identified examples of good practice and problems/issues with delivery. Together, these findings informed redevelopment of the optimized programme (FFIT), whose components were mapped onto specific behaviour change techniques using an evidence-based taxonomy.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Results: p-FFIT comprised 12, weekly, gender-sensitised, group-based weight management classroom and ‘pitch-side’ physical activity sessions. These in-stadia sessions were complemented by an incremental, pedometer-based walking programme. p-FFIT was targeted at men aged 35-65 years with body mass index ≥ 27 kg/m2. Phase 2 demonstrated that participants in p-FFIT were enthusiastic about both the classroom and physical activity components, and valued the camaraderie and peer-support offered by the programme. Coaches appreciated the simplicity of the key healthy eating and physical activity messages. Suggestions for improvements that were incorporated into the optimized FFIT programme included: more varied in-stadia physical activity with football-related components; post-programme weight management support (emails and a reunion session); and additional training for coaches in SMART goal setting and the pedometer-based walking programme.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Conclusions: The Football Fans in Training programme is highly acceptable to participants and SPL coaches, and is appropriate for evaluation in a randomised controlled trial.&lt;/p&gt

Multi-parameter phenotyping of platelet reactivity for stratification of human cohorts

Accurate and comprehensive assessment of platelet function across cohorts of donors may be key to understanding the risk of thrombotic events associated with cardiovascular disease, and hence help personalise the application of antiplatelet drugs. However, platelet function tests can be difficult to perform and analyse, unreliable or uninformative and poorly standardised across studies. The Platelet Phenomic Analysis (PPAnalysis) assay and associated open-source software platform was developed in response to these challenges. PPAnalysis utilises pre-prepared freeze-dried microtitre plates to provide a detailed characterisation of platelet function. The automated analysis of the high-dimensional data enables the identification of sub-populations of donors with distinct platelet function phenotypes. Using this approach we identified that the Sensitivity of a donor’s platelets to an agonist and their Capacity to generate a functional response are distinct independent metrics of platelet reactivity. Hierarchical clustering of these metrics identified six subgroups with distinct platelet phenotypes within healthy cohorts, indicating that platelet reactivity does not fit into the traditional simple categories of ’high’ and ’low’ responders. These platelet phenotypes were found to exist in two independent cohorts of healthy donors and were stable on recall. PPAnalysis is a powerful tool for stratification of cohorts on the basis of platelet reactivity which will enable investigation of the causes and consequences of differences in platelet function and drive progress towards precision medicine

Health-related quality of life and late morbidity in concurrent chemoradiation and radiotherapy alone in patients with locally advanced cervical carcinoma

Objective: Concurrent chemoradiation has improved survival of patients with cervical carcinoma. However, follow-up of randomized studies is relatively short and data on long term toxicity are scarce, as is information on their health-related quality of life. This study assesses and compares incidences of late side-effects among patients treated with radiotherapy or chemoradiation using two toxicity scoring systems, and investigates impact on health-related quality of life. Methods: Between 1985 and 1993, 114 patients underwent radiotherapy (n=39) or chemoradiation (n=75) for stage IIA-IVB cervical carcinoma. Late side-effects were scored retrospectively by reviewing medical charts using standardised checklists, focusing on bladder- and intestinal side effects. Health-related quality of life was assessed once using the EORTC QLQ-C30. Results: No significant differences in late treatment-related side-effects between radiotherapy and chemoradiation groups were found. Grade >= 2 toxicity was found in 33% (bladder), and in 6% (bowel). Only 1.8% had both grade 3-4 toxicity. Bladder syndrome with high urinary frequency, urine incontinence and small bowel toxicity had a significant impact on health-related quality of life. Conclusion: Grade 2 are relatively frequent late side effects in curatively treated patients, but are not enhanced by the addition of chemotherapy. Their negative impact on health-related quality of life stresses the importance of new radiation techniques, aiming at reduction of these side effects