A comparative study of methods for defect detection in textile fabrics

Published ArticleFabric defect detection methods have been broadly classified into three categories; statistical methods, spectral methods and model-based methods. The performance of each method relies on the discriminative ability of texture features it uses. Each of the three categories has its own advantages and disadvantages and some researchers have recommended their combination for improved performance. In this paper, we compare the performance of three fabric defect detection methods, one from each of the three categories. The three methods are based on the grey-level co-occurrence matrices (GLCM), the undecimated discrete wavelet transform (UDWT) and the Gaussian Markov Random field models (GMRF) respectively from the statistical, spectral and model-based categories. The tests were done using the textile images from the TILDA dataset. To ensure classifier independence on the outcome of the comparison, the Euclidean distance and feed forward neural network classifiers were used for defect detection using the features obtained from each of the three methods. The results show that GLCM features allowed better defect detection than wavelet features and that wavelet features allowed better detection than GMRF features

An Overview of Mites on Grapevine and the Discovery of a new Phytoseiidae Species; Typhlodromus (Typhlodromus) spiceae

The common grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is the main species used for wine making, with South Africa being one of the top wine exporting countries. Grapevine is vulnerable to a range of pests, includingmites. We present an overview of phytophagous and predatory mites on grapevine in South Africa anddescribe a new phytoseiid species which was discovered in the winelands region of Wellington, SouthAfrica. Grapevine shoots with leaves were collected over two growing seasons at four farms in Wellington.A nursery, mother block and a commercial vineyard were selected on each farm. The mites were removedwith a mite brushing machine and slide mounted. The Phytoseiidae Database, as well the most recentrelevant literature were used in confirming the new species. Illustrations of the new species were madeusing photographs taken by Zeiss Axioskop TM Research that included a Zen Soft Imaging System. Thenew Typhlodromus species, Typhlodromus (Typhlodromus) spiceae sp.n., is set apart from closely relatedspecies by setae Z4 being 0.7 times the length of Z5 and by having a short, saccular and thick-walledspermathecal. This species was found together with one phytophagous mite species (Brevipalpus lewisi)and several predatory mite species (Typhlodromus praeacutus, Typhlodromus saevus, Eusieus addoensis). Akey to identify females of the South African species of Typhlodromus (Typhlodromus) is provided

The effect of current Schistosoma mansoni infection on the immunogenicity of a candidate TB vaccine, MVA85A, in BCG-vaccinated adolescents: An open-label trial.

INTRODUCTION: Helminth infection may affect vaccine immunogenicity and efficacy. Adolescents, a target population for tuberculosis booster vaccines, often have a high helminth burden. We investigated effects of Schistosoma mansoni (Sm) on the immunogenicity and safety of MVA85A, a model candidate tuberculosis vaccine, in BCG-vaccinated Ugandan adolescents. METHODS: In this phase II open label trial we enrolled 36 healthy, previously BCG-vaccinated adolescents, 18 with no helminth infection detected, 18 with Sm only. The primary outcome was immunogenicity measured by Ag85A-specific interferon gamma ELISpot assay. Tuberculosis and schistosome-specific responses were also assessed by whole-blood stimulation and multiplex cytokine assay, and by antibody ELISAs. RESULTS: Ag85A-specific cellular responses increased significantly following immunisation but with no differences between the two groups. Sm infection was associated with higher pre-immunisation Ag85A-specific IgG4 but with no change in antibody levels following immunisation. There were no serious adverse events. Most reactogenicity events were of mild or moderate severity and resolved quickly. CONCLUSIONS: The significant Ag85A-specific T cell responses and lack of difference between Sm-infected and uninfected participants is encouraging for tuberculosis vaccine development. The implications of pre-existing Ag85A-specific IgG4 antibodies for protective immunity against tuberculosis among those infected with Sm are not known. MVA85A was safe in this population. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02178748

The Corrosion Behaviour of WC-Co-Ru Alloys in Aggressive Chloride Media

Hardmetals possess excellent wear resistance, making them suitable alloys in several industrial applications. Mine waters with both dissolved chloride and sulphate salts can be severely corrosive and can limit the application of hardmetal tools in the mining industry. Ru additions to these alloys can refine and improve selected mechanical properties, but its influence on the corrosion resistance is unknown. A series of WC-Co-Ru alloys was evaluated in different chloride containing media to investigate their corrosion resistance. Standard electrochemical corrosion tests, chronoamperometric measurements, and surface analyses with Raman spectroscopy were conducted. An increasing amount of Ru improves the corrosion resistance of all the alloys. The effect is not as dramatic as that observed with stainless steels containing Ru in corrosive media. In both corrosive media Ru decreased the cathodic Tafel constant and has a retarding influence on the cathodic part of the corrosion reaction. Raman analyses indicated the presence of tungsten oxide, hydrated tungsten oxide compounds, and CoO and Co3O4 formed on the alloy surfaces during the corrosion process

Limits on Stellar and Planetary Companions in Microlensing Event OGLE-1998-BUL-14

We present the PLANET photometric data set for \ob14, a high magnification ($A_{\rm max}\sim 16$) event alerted by the OGLE collaboration toward the Galactic bulge in 1998. The PLANET data set consists a total of 461 I-band and 139 $V-$band points, the majority of which was taken over a three month period. The median sampling interval during this period is about 1 hour, and the $1\sigma$ scatter over the peak of the event is 1.5%. The excellent data quality and high maximum magnification of this event make it a prime candidate to search for the short duration, low amplitude perturbations that are signatures of a planetary companion orbiting the primary lens. The observed light curve for \ob14 is consistent with a single lens (no companion) within photometric uncertainties. We calculate the detection efficiency of the light curve to lensing companions as a function of the mass ratio and angular separation of the two components. We find that companions of mass ratio $\ge 0.01$ are ruled out at the 95% confidence level for projected separations between 0.4-2.4 \re, where \re is the Einstein ring radius of the primary lens. Assuming that the primary is a G-dwarf with \re\sim3 {\rm AU} our detection efficiency for this event is $\sim 60$ for a companion with the mass and separation of Jupiter and $\sim5$ for a companion with the mass and separation of Saturn. Our efficiencies for planets like those around Upsilon And and 14 Her are > 75%.Comment: Data available at http://www.astro.rug.nl/~planet/planetpapers.html 20 pages, 10 figures. Minor changes. ApJ, accepte

A Complete Set of Solutions For Caustic-Crossing Binary Microlensing Events

We present a method to analyze binary-lens microlensing light curves with one well-sampled fold caustic crossing. In general, the surface of chi^2 shows extremely complicated behavior over the 9-parameter space that characterizes binary lenses. This makes it difficult to systematically search the space and verify that a given local minimum is a global minimum. We show that for events with well-monitored caustics, the caustic-crossing region can be isolated from the rest of the light curve and easily fit to a 5-parameter function. Four of these caustic-crossing parameters can then be used to constrain the search in the larger 9-parameter space. This allows a systematic search for all solutions and thus identification of all local minima. We illustrate this technique using the PLANET data for MACHO 98-SMC-1, an excellent and publicly available caustic-crossing data set. We show that a very broad range of parameter combinations are compatible with the PLANET data set, demonstrating that observations of binary-lens lightcurves with sampling of only one caustic crossing do not yield unique solutions. The corollary to this is that the time of the second caustic crossing cannot be reliably predicted on the basis of early data including the first caustic crossing alone. We investigate the requirements for determination of a unique solution and find that occasional observations of the first caustic crossing may be sufficient to derive a complete solution.Comment: 31 pages + 8 figures + 2 table

Influence of species/cultivar and season on the quality of Atriplex grown at different sites in South Africa

Abstract Atriplex species/cultivars [Atriplex nummularia, A. canescens (Santa Rita) and A. canescens (Field Reserve 1)] were compared in terms of chemical composition and in vitro digestibility. The plant material was sampled at different seasons (autumn and winter) and from different sites (Hatfield in the Gauteng Province and Mier and Lovedale, both in the Northern Cape Province) and were analysed for crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and in vitro digestibility (IVOMD). The CP and IVOMD of the leaves were higher than the stem for the Atriplex species. Leaf percentage for the autumn samples was not affected by species at Hatfield and Mier, but A. canescens (Field Reserve 1) had lower leaf percentage at Lovedale as well as for winter samples at Hatfield. At Lovedale, however, A. nummularia had the highest leaf : stem ratio compared to A. canescens (Santa Rita) and A. canescens (Field Reserve 1). Atriplex nummularia had a higher CP concentration than A. canescens (Field Reserve 1) and A. canescens (Santa Rita) at both Mier and Lovedale, but species/cultivar had no effect on CP concentration at Hatfield. Autumn samples had a higher CP concentration than winter samples at both Mier and Lovedale, but season had no effect on the N concentration at Hatfield. Atriplex nummularia had a lower NDF and higher IVOMD concentration compared to A. canescens (Santa Rita) and A. canescens (Field Reserve 1). Autumn samples were less fibrous and more digestible than winter samples. Atriplex nummularia seems to be better in terms of its nutritive value compared to A. canescens (Santa Rita) and A. canescens (Field Reserve 1), with better quality forage in autumn than winter. _______________________________________________________________________________

Discovery of the optical counterpart and early optical observations of GRB990712

We present the discovery observations of the optical counterpart of the gamma-ray burster GRB990712 taken 4.16 hours after the outburst and discuss its light curve observed in the V, R and I bands during the first ~35 days after the outburst. The observed light curves were fitted with a power-law decay for the optical transient (OT), plus an additional component which was treated in two different ways. First, the additional component was assumed to be an underlying galaxy of constant brightness. The resulting slope of the decay is 0.97+/-0.05 and the magnitudes of the underlying galaxy are: V = 22.3 +/- 0.05, R = 21.75 +/- 0.05 and I = 21.35 +/- 0.05. Second, the additional component was assumed to be a galaxy plus an underlying supernova with a time-variable brightness identical to that of GRB980425, appropriately scaled to the redshift of GRB990712. The resulting slope of the decay is similar, but the goodness-of-fit is worse which would imply that either this GRB is not associated with an underlying supernova or the underlying supernova is much fainter than the supernova associated with GRB980425. The galaxy in this case is fainter: V = 22.7 +/- 0.05, R = 22.25 +/- 0.05 and I = 22.15 +/- 0.05; and the OT plus the underlying supernova at a given time is brighter. Measurements of the brightnesses of the OT and the galaxy by late-time HST observation and ground-based observations can thus assess the presence of an underlying supernova.Comment: To appear in Ap