An Empirical Evaluation On Vibrotactile Feedback For Wristband System

With the rapid development of mobile computing, wearable wrist-worn is becoming more and more popular. But the current vibrotactile feedback patterns of most wrist-worn devices are too simple to enable effective interaction in nonvisual scenarios. In this paper, we propose the wristband system with four vibrating motors placed in different positions in the wristband, providing multiple vibration patterns to transmit multi-semantic information for users in eyes-free scenarios. However, we just applied five vibrotactile patterns in experiments (positional up and down, horizontal diagonal, clockwise circular, and total vibration) after contrastive analyzing nine patterns in a pilot experiment. The two experiments with the same 12 participants perform the same experimental process in lab and outdoors. According to the experimental results, users can effectively distinguish the five patterns both in lab and outside, with approximately 90% accuracy (except clockwise circular vibration of outside experiment), proving these five vibration patterns can be used to output multi-semantic information. The system can be applied to eyes-free interaction scenarios for wrist-worn devices.Comment: 10 pages

Method development for spent nuclear fuel characterization using isotope dilution HPIC-SF-ICP-MS

This PhD dissertation describes the development of an isotope dilution method, using sector field (SF) ICP-MS coupled with high pressure ion chromatography (HPIC), to determine the elemental mass fractions and nuclide specific compositions of U, Pu, Nd and Gd in spent nuclear fuel (SNF). Firstly, a method requiring less than 60 minutes for the separation of the elements of interest using HPIC was developed and validated. Secondly, the SF-ICP-MS data acquisition parameters and different calculation methods for isotope ratios were investigated to obtain the most precise isotope ratios from transient signals. Thirdly, the elemental mass fractions and nuclide specific composition of U, Pu and Nd in a UOx SNF and those of U, Pu, Nd and Gd in a “Gd fuel” were determined by using isotope ratios and isotope dilution HPIC-SF-ICP-MS. Finally, an overall uncertainty budget for isotope dilution HPIC-SF-ICP-MS was derived using the bottom-up approach. The isotope dilution HPIC-SF-ICP-MS method was compared with an existing ISO 17025 SNF characterization method, in which SNF components are isolated using gravitational ion chromatography followed by their analysis using TIMS and alpha spectrometry

Quality Characteristics of Banana Chips and Oils After Deep Fat Frying

B anana chips prepared from Pisang Abu and Pisang Nangka at "green" and 'trace of yellow' stages of ripeness were studied. The results showed that A bu had higher carbohydrate content than Nangka at both stages of maturities. The fruits were peeled, sliced and deep-fried in refined, bleached and deodorised (RBD) palm olein at 180 ± 5°C for 3 min. The moisture content and water activity (av.) of Abu chips were lower than those of Nangka. Sensory evaluation showed that chips prepared from Abu at both stages of ripeness were better in all characteristics. The Abu was selected and used in the subsequent study. The effects of deep-fat-frying in RBD palm olein and soybean oil were studied. Before the frying process, the A bu banana was subjected to three different pretreatment methods.as fol lows: (i) peeled and sliced banana (control), (ii) blanched whole green banana in water at 70°C for 20 min and (iii) whole banana soaked sodium chloride (NaCI) solution for 30 min. RBD palm olein was shown to be more stable to oxidation than soybean oil while there was no difference i n the different pretreatment methods in both oils. The result also indicated that banana soaked in NaCI solution and fried in RBD palm olein presented better sensory score in colour, flavour, odour, texture and overall acceptance attributes while the texture of control banana fried in RBD palm olein showed better crispness than the other samples. Storage study using four types of packaging materials namely, laminated aluminium foil (LAF), oriented polypropylene (OPP), polypropylene (PP), and low density polyethylene (LOPE) was also conducted. The parameter determined were moisture content, water activity (aw), thiobarbituric acid reaction substances (TBARS), crispness, colour and sensory properties of banana chips. The results showed that samples packed in LAF gave lower moisture content, aw and TBARS values and higher in sensory score on crispness, colour and rancid-odour descriptors than the other three samples during 8 weeks storage times. It was clear that the most notable changes during storage were samples packed in LOPE which gave the lowest score in crispness and product colour. The changes in quality of RBO palm olein with added oc-tocopherol, oleoresin rosemary and thei r com bination during deep-fat frying were also studied. The finding of this study reveals that RBO palm olein with added antioxidant showed significantly (P<0.05) lower in peroxide value, anisidine value, totox value, E 1%lcm at 232 nm and 268 nm, free fatty acid and v iscosity. In general oleoresin rosemary was more effective in retarding oxidative deterioration after 5 days of frying

Determination of Natural and Synthetic Antioxidants in Palm Oil Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

Lipid oxidation is one of the major deteriorative reactions in cooking oils and often results in a significant loss of quality. Various natural and synthetic antioxidants are used in the prevention or retardation of lipid oxidation. Routine quality control of antioxidants in oil turns out to be more and more important due to the increased environmental concern on the use of large volumes of solvents for analysis. Simple, accurate and rapid methods for determination of antioxidants in oils and fats industry are necessary to be developed. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has come of age in terms of price, performance and ease of use on determination of some natural and synthetic antioxidants.FTIR spectroscopy was developed in conjunction with partial least squares (PLS) technique for determining of -tocopherol in refined bleached and deodorized (RBD) palm olein. The calibration and validation samples were prepared by spiking known amounts of -tocopherol to produce a wide range of -tocopherol up to 2000 ppm. The accuracy of the method was comparable to that of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC, 1992) method, with coefficients of determination (R2) from calibration samples of 0.9922 and standard error of calibration (SEC) of 53.54 at the FTIR spectral region 3100-2750 cm-1. For determination of -carotene in RBD palm olein using PLS calibration models coupled with FTIR spectral region at 980-915 cm-1, fifty RBD palm olein samples spiked with a known amount of standard (95%) -carotene to produce a wide range of concentrations up to 2000 ppm. The accuracy of the method was comparable to that of the PORIM method with R2 of 0.9950 and SEC of 19.47. FTIR spectra of RBD palm olein samples between 3600 and 2800 cm-1 were used for quantitative determination of tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ). Fifty stripped oil samples spiked with known amounts of TBHQ up to 300 mg/kg (ppm), were separated into two sets that of the calibration and validation models based on PLS analyses. The accuracy of the method was comparable to that of IUPAC method with R2 of 0.9961 and SEC 5.06. In the determination of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) content in RBD palm olein and RBD palm oil using FTIR spectroscopy, the accuracy of the method in both oils were comparable to that of the IUPAC method with an R2 of 0.9907 and SEC 8.47 for RBD palm olein, while an R2 of 0.9848 and SEC 10.73 was obtained for RBD palm oil. For determining butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) of RBD palm oil and RBD palm olein, PLS coupled with the ‘leave-one-out” cross-validation procedure was used to verify the calibration model. FTIR spectral regions 3486-3170 and 1960-719 cm-1 gave an R2 of 0.9939 in RBD palm olein and an R2 of 0.9884 in RBD palm oil samples. Also, FTIR spectroscopy coupled with the PLS and PCR techniques was employed to construct the calibration models for determining propyl gallate (PG) in RBD palm olein. The results indicated that FTIR was a useful analytical tool for simple and rapid quantitative determination of PG in RBD palm olein in the spectral region 3707- 3262 cm-1. New FTIR methods developed for determining some synthetic and natural antioxidant used in palm oil product were found to be useful analytical tools, which were shown to significantly improved analysis time and avoided solvent-disposal problems. The results were found to be in good correlation and of comparable accuracy to PORIM and IUPAC methods. FTIR spectroscopy is advantageous as it is simple, rapid, accurate and requires minimum solvent as only acetone was used for cleaning NaCl windows. The method is suitable for routine quality control analysis with results obtainable in about 2 min

Characterisation of the immune response of the striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus, Sauvage) following immunomodulation and challenge with bacteria pathogens

In Southeast Asia, the family Pangasiidae is important for commercial fisheries and aquaculture. Pangasianodon hypophthalmus (striped catfish) is the most economically important species farmed in Vietnam, with a total export value of 1.7 billion USD in 2012. Intensive aquaculture can lead to problems with major outbreaks of disease and Edwardsiella ictaluri and Aeromonas hydrophila represent two important bacterial pathogens in P. hypophthalmus aquaculture. Immunostimulants have proven to be a very useful food additive for the aquaculture industry, since they can be easily fed to fish to enhance their immune response at times of stress and to improve resistance to disease. The immune system of pangasius catfish has not been fully described, despite the recent growth in aquaculture for this species, and little is known about the effects of immunostimulants on disease resistance. Understanding the immune response is very important in order to evaluate the health status of the fish and assist in control of disease (including prevention) so that production levels by the aquaculture industry can be sustained. The aims of this thesis were to develop and standardise methods to elucidate and measure immune responses in P. hypophthalmus and then to use these with relevant disease models (A. hydrophila and E. ictaluri) and immunomodulators (β-glucans from different sources and at different doses) to determine if bacterial diseases can be controlled, and which functional immune responses and immune genes could be correlated with disease resistance. As a variety of different species from family Pangasiidae are economically important for aquaculture, initial work focused on the characterisation of the immunoglobulin IgM molecule in these species, and anti-P. hypophthalmus IgM mAbs were tested to determine if they cross-reacted between different Pangasiidae species (Chapter 2). Although affinity purification of IgM from the different fish species resulted in a purer preparation ammonium sulphate precipitation (14% w/w), the latter proved faster and easier to perform. The heavy (H) and light (L) chains of IgM from P. hypophthalmus were estimated to be 70-72 kDa and 25-26 kDa, respectively, using SDS-PAGE (12.5%). The L chains of IgM in the other Asian fish species examined were similar in molecular weight to P. hypophthalmus, while the H chains varied (P. gigas and P. larnaudii 76kDa, P. sanitwongsei 69kDa, H. filamentus 73kDa, P. borcoti and H. wyckioides 75kDa, C. bactracus 74kDa, C. macrocephalus 73kDa and C. carpio 70kDa), as did the native IgM molecules. Sedimentation velocity ultracentrifugation was used to determine the molecular weight of the whole IgM molecule from P. hypophthalmus as an alternative to the more commonly used native gels that are run under non-denaturing conditions, although this technique proved more complex. Anti–P. hypophthalmus IgM monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) cross reacted with all of the Pangasiidae species and were successfully applied in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using mAb 23 to measure serum antibody response of P. hypoophthalmus following experimental infection with A. hydrophila by interperitoneal (I.P.) injection in Chapter 3 and E. ictaluri by immersion in Chapter 4. As P. hypophthalmus is a relatively new aquaculture species, there are few reports evaluating its immune response to pathogens. Thus, functional assays were standardised to evaluate both innate and adaptive immune responses of this species and then these assays used to compare immune response following stimulation with live and killed A. hydrophila. (Chapter3). Four treatment groups of 40 fish per group (53.2 ± 14.8g.) consisting of an untreated control group, a group injected I.P. with adjuvant (Montanide ISA 760 VG) only, a group injected with heat-killed A. hydrophila (1 x109 cfu ml-1 mixed with adjuvant), and a group injected with a subclinical dose of live A. hydrophila 2.7 x105 cfu ml-1 were used in the study. Samples were collected 0, 1, 3, 7, 14 and 21 days post injection (d.p.i.) to assess the immune response of fish. The results indicated that challenge with live or/and dead bacteria stimulated the immune response in P. hypophthalmus significantly above control groups with respect to specific antibody titre, lysozyme activity, phagocytosis and plasma peroxidase at 7 or/and 14 d.p.i. Moreover, on 21 d.p.i. total IgM, specific antibody titre and lysozyme activity from both live and dead A. hydrophila challenge groups were significantly different to the control groups. Differential immune responses between live and dead bacterial challenges were also observed as only live A. hydrophila significantly stimulated WBC counts and plasma peroxidase at 3 d.p.i. with the greatest increase in WBC counts noted at 21 d.p.i. and in phagocytosis at 14 d.p.i. By 21 d.p.i. only the macrophages from fish challenged with dead A. hydrophila showed significantly stimulated respiratory burst activity. Immunostimulants are food additives used by the aquaculture industry to enhance the immune response, and β-glucan is now commonly used for this purpose in aquaculture. In Chapter 4 the effect of the prebiotic β-glucan on the immune response and disease resistance of P. hypophthalmus was evaluated. The fish (60.3 ± 11.7 g.) were fed with a basal diet (control) or diets supplemented with fungal derived β-glucan at concentrations of 0.05 %, 0.1 %, or 0.2 % g/kg for four weeks. Fish fed 0.1 % commercial yeast derived β-glucan were also included as a positive control group. Samples were collected from fish on Days 0, 1, 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28. The results showed that fish fed with the highest two levels of fungal derived β-glucan had enhanced immune responses compared to the control group, with respiratory burst activity on all days examined and lysozyme activity on 7 days post feeding (d.p.f.) being significantly elevated (P<0.05) in the group fed with 0.2 % fungal derived β-glucan, while plasma anti-protease activity on 21 d.p.f., natural antibody titre on 3 d.p.f. and complement activity 7 d.p.f. and 14 d.p.i. were significantly enhanced (P<0.05) in the group fed 0.1 % fungal derived β-glucan. The lowest dose of fungal derived β-glucan (0.05 %) appeared insufficient to effectively stimulate the fish’s immune response. WBC count, respiratory burst, lysozyme activity and complement were useful as an early indication of immunostimulation (1 to 7 days). Four weeks after feeding with the different diets, the fish were experimentally infected with E. ictaluri by immersion using 8 x104 cfu ml-1 for 1 h and mortalities were monitored for 14 days. There was a great deal of variation in the level of mortalities within the four replicate tanks for each dietary group. Although the in vivo challenge results showed no statistical differences between the groups fed on the different diets, the highest mortalities were observed in group fed with the control diet and the lowest mortalities were observed in the groups fed with commercial yeast derived β-glucan and 0.2 % fungal derived β glucan. Immune gene expression following stimulation with β-glucan and challenge with E. ictaluri was investigated in Chapter 5. The P. hypoophthalmus (36 ±0.34 g) were fed 0.1% of a fungal-derived β-glucan, a commercial yeast derived β-glucan or a basal diet (control). After 14 days, liver, spleen and kidney tissues were collected and processed for expression analysis of seven immune genes [acute phase response (transferrin, C-reactive protein and precerebellin like protein), complement (C3 and factor B), adaptive response (2a MHC class II) and cytokine (interleukin-1β)] by quantitative real time PCR. Translation elongation factor-1α, 18s rRNA and β-actin were used as house-keeping reference genes. Twenty-five fish from each of the four replicate tanks of the three treatment groups were then either experimentally infected with 1 x106 cfu ml-1 of E. ictaluri by immersion for 30 min and the remaining twenty five fish per tank were mock infected with the culture medium. At 24 h.p.i., tissue samples were again collected for immune gene expression and the challenge monitored for 2 weeks. The relative percentage mortality at 14 d.p.i. was statistically significantly different between the control diet (30 ±12%), and the 0.1% fungal derived β-glucan (17 ±8%) and commercial yeast-derived β-glucan diets (16 ±5 %). There was no obvious difference in relative gene expression for the genes examined between the different dietary treatments after feeding fish for 14 days, while there were clear differences between the infected and uninfected groups at 24 h.p.i. The expression pattern of the immune genes in liver, spleen and kidney with respect to the immunostimulation and the infection varied with diets. Overall, principal component analysis with 11 variables (liver [C-reactive protein, transferrin, complement factor B and C3, precerebellin, IL-1β and MHC class II], the kidney [IL-1β and MHC class II] and the spleen [IL-1β and MHC class II]) showed significant differences between fish fed with control diet and immunostimulant diet in challenged or/and unchallenged with E. ictaluri (P_mc<0.05). A variety of functional immune assays and gene expression methods for P. hypophthalmus were developed and standardised during this study, and these provide useful useful tools and basic information on the immune response in striped catfish that can be applied for the health control of this species. Furthermore, the identification of striped catfish immune genes during this work will be very useful for further genomic research relating to disease. Future work on the P. hypophthalmus immune system should focus on full immunological transcriptomic analysis to enable a more complete understanding of the gene expression and regulatory networks involved in the immune response of P. hypophthalmus to disease

Credit Card Usage and Knowledge in Thailand

This study was conducted to determine the relationship between the characteristics of credit card holders and the extent of credit card usage, the level of credit card knowledge, and the consumer\u27s choice perspectives. The characteristics of credit card holders studied were (a) gender, (b) age, (c) marital status, (d) education, (e) income, and (f) occupation. Data for this study were collected in Bangkok, Thailand by telephone interviews during July- August 1993. The sample consisted of 150 Bangkok Bank credit card holders. Chi-square and Cramer\u27s V were used to analyze the hypotheses. For all statistical analyses the level of significance was set at .05. As a result of the 18 specific null hypothesis tests, only two independent variables were found to have a statistically significant relationship with the extent of credit card usage. The findings suggested a positive relationship between the extent of credit card usage and occupation and income. Respondents with higher occupational status and income tended to use credit cards to a greater extent than those with lower occupational status and income. Gender, age, marital status, and education were not related to the extent of credit card usage in this study. No significant differences were found among the demographic characteristics of credit card holders and the level of credit card knowledge, and consumer\u27s choice perspectives. Gender, age, marital status. education, occupation, and income were not related to the level of credit card knowledge and the consumer\u27s choice. The results revealed that most Thai credit card holders were not knowledgeable about credit card terms. They were clearly influenced by environmental stimuli, and the effects of society and group norms when they applied for a credit card. They generally chose a card with incomplete information about the alternatives

Development of aqueous scrubber to oxidize and absorb nitric oxide

The use of sodium chlorite (NaClO2) and alkaline aqueous cumene hydroperoxide (CHP) as oxidizing agents to promote the absorption of nitric oxide from flue gases was investigated in a semicontinuous bubbling scrubber. The efficiency of the scrubbing solutions to remove nitric oxide was evaluated as a function of operating conditions such as pH, concentration of the oxidants, residence time, temperature, flue gas compositions. Under acid conditions, sodium chlorite can stoichiometrically react and absorb 99.5% NO and 80% SO2 in the same scrubber with 0,672 M NaClO2 in buffered solution at pH 6, and 0.3 M NaOH. During the reaction, nitric oxide was oxidized to nitrates and nitrites and sulfur dioxide to sulfates. Consequently, sodium chlorite can be used to control NO as well as SO2. However, the parasitic effect Of SO2 in consuming the reactant results in a relatively high operating cost. On the other hand, organic cumene hydroperoxide scrubbing solution has been found to operate under high alkalinity to control nitric oxide. The hydroperoxide used in this study was less expensive than sodium chlorite system and commercially available. The removal of 92% nitric oxide was achieved at 94º C, 1.531 min residence time (scrubber contains 1.49 dm3 solution and flue gas is bubbled at 0.94 dm3 /min), with 0.12 M cumene hydroperoxide and 0.1 M potassium hydroxide. The major products obtained from the NO oxidation by alkaline cumene hyddroperoxide are NO2- and NO3- and cumyl alcohol. Other products such as acetophenone and cc-methyl styrene are observed as a result of the decomposition of the reactant and intermediates

Effectiveness of the Thai governmental policy on rural community development: A critical appraisal

This study examines the impact of the Thai government\u27s rural community development program, the Virtuous and Prosperous Land (VPL) program. The main tenet of this is an application of Buddhist doctrines to achieve development. The data used were from a study of People\u27s Participation in the Virtuous and Prosperous Land (VPL) Program, conducted by the Office of the National Research Council of Thailand during May-July of 1986. Social action theory is used to predict relationships between the actors (residents of rural Thailand), the situation (participation in the VPL program), the actors\u27 orientation to the situation (represented by mind purification, abstinence from vice, perception of the program and attitudes toward village activities), and the goal (participation in village improvement activities). Comparisons between participants and nonparticipants in the VPL program on orientation to situation and goal variables are made. Chi-square analysis, Pearson correlation coefficients, and path analysis are used for data analysis. The findings suggest that the VPL program contributed little substantive significance to the orientation of behavior of the villagers. The program also made little contribution toward increasing participation in community activities, the main goal of the program. The analysis indicated that activity in village programs did not substantively differ between those who did and did not participate in the VPL program. Developing programs which meet villagers\u27 needs will depend on enhancing the effectiveness of two key community leaders (change agents and Buddhist monks) in carrying out program activities. Increasing the capacity of programs to blend Buddhist doctrines with fundamental development is suggested

Paper and printed paper surface characteristics studied using an optical method

A non-contact optical method for evaluating surface characteristics is reviewed. The optical reflectance instrument has been improved to be able to evaluate printed surfaces. Experiments were conducted with solid prints prepared on two types of papers printed with a heatset yellow ink. Both paper surfaces and printed surfaces are characterized into two regions: above the surface plane resulting in macrosmoothness (Sm) and below the surface plane resulting in microsmoothness (Su). For a better understanding of such optical print smoothness, a printed surface model is proposed based on Barkas' classical model. It is generally known that the qualities of a print are determined by the materials and their interactions in the process, therefore the formation of printed surface characteristics has been discussed in relation to ink and paper interaction. Print smoothness is influenced by the uncompressed paper roughness and porosity, which determine the degree of ink penetration and ink distribution on the surface. Offset lithographic printing has been the most widely used printing process, printing onto paper substrates. To achieve good press performance and high quality prints, the ink has to emulsify a certain amount of fountain solution; maintenance of this ink and water balance is, therefore, very important. The effects of fountain solution emulsified in the ink on print smoothness wp-re investigated. A range, of varying amounts of fountain solutions, was emulsified in a heatset yellow ink using a high speed laboratory mixer; these 'emulsion inks' were printed as soon as possible after preparation. It was found that the print smoothness in macro regions, for both uncoated and coated papers, decreased significantly. In addition, an unpigmented ink system was employed to verify the role and the effects of pigment in the emulsification mechanism on print smoothness. The results indicated that pigment is the dominant contributor, to a smoothness decrease; and the pigment effect arises from the amount of fountain solution emulsified in the ink. It has become important to measure print quality directly and quantitatively in the developments of ink, paper and printing technologies. This method makes it possible to measure print smoothness as a criterion for print quality

Critical Reflections on Australian Public Policy

This collection of ‘critical reflections’ on Australian public policy offers a valuable contribution to public discussion of important political and policy issues facing our nation and society. These essays are important not only because of the reputation and position of the various contributors, but because they are incredibly ‘content rich’ and brimming with new ideas