Pothole Reporting System

The purpose of this project is to create a pothole detection device that can be attached to the underside of a commercial vehicle. Potholes cost motorists around 6.4 billion dollars annually, thus demonstrating the need for a system to aid with the detection and reporting of potholes. The four systems we needed to consider for the implementation of this project were the power system, the sensing system, the data processing system, and the reporting and logging system. Power pulled from the vehicle will enable the sensors and data processing module. The data processing module will analyze the readings from the sensors and output pothole data to the logging and reporting system. The logging and reporting system, located on an android mobile device, will store the pothole locations on a cloud server

Pothole Reporting System

The purpose of this project is to create a pothole detection device that can be attached to the underside of a commercial vehicle. Potholes cost motorists around 6.4 billion dollars annually, thus demonstrating the need for a system to aid with the detection and reporting of potholes. The four systems we needed to consider for the implementation of this project were the power system, the sensing system, the data processing system, and the reporting and logging system. Power pulled from the vehicle will enable the sensors and data processing module. The data processing module will analyze the readings from the sensors and output pothole data to the logging and reporting system. The logging and reporting system, located on an android mobile device, will store the pothole locations on a cloud server

Pothole Reporting System

The purpose of this project is to create a pothole detection device that can be attached to the underside of a commercial vehicle. Potholes cost motorists around 6.4 billion dollars annually, thus demonstrating the need for a system to aid with the detections and reporting of potholes. The four systems we needed to consider for the implementation of this project were the power system, the sensing system, the data processing system, and the reporting and logging system. Power pulled from the vehicle will enable the sensors and data processing module. The data processing module will analyze the readings from the sensors and output pothole data to the logging and reporting system. The logging and reporting system, located on an android mobile device, will store the pothole locations on a cloud server

Assessing learning and memory in pigs

In recent years, there has been a surge of interest in (mini) pigs (Sus scrofa) as species for cognitive research. A major reason for this is their physiological and anatomical similarity with humans. For example, pigs possess a well-developed, large brain. Assessment of the learning and memory functions of pigs is not only relevant to human research but also to animal welfare, given the nature of current farming practices and the demands they make on animal health and behavior. In this article, we review studies of pig cognition, focusing on the underlying processes and mechanisms, with a view to identifying. Our goal is to aid the selection of appropriate cognitive tasks for research into pig cognition. To this end, we formulated several basic criteria for pig cognition tests and then applied these criteria and knowledge about pig-specific sensorimotor abilities and behavior to evaluate the merits, drawbacks, and limitations of the different types of tests used to date. While behavioral studies using (mini) pigs have shown that this species can perform learning and memory tasks, and much has been learned about pig cognition, results have not been replicated or proven replicable because of the lack of validated, translational behavioral paradigms that are specially suited to tap specific aspects of pig cognition. We identified several promising types of tasks for use in studies of pig cognition, such as versatile spatial free-choice type tasks that allow the simultaneous measurement of several behavioral domains. The use of appropriate tasks will facilitate the collection of reliable and valid data on pig cognition

Genome-wide Analyses Identify KIF5A as a Novel ALS Gene

To identify novel genes associated with ALS, we undertook two lines of investigation. We carried out a genome-wide association study comparing 20,806 ALS cases and 59,804 controls. Independently, we performed a rare variant burden analysis comparing 1,138 index familial ALS cases and 19,494 controls. Through both approaches, we identified kinesin family member 5A (KIF5A) as a novel gene associated with ALS. Interestingly, mutations predominantly in the N-terminal motor domain of KIF5A are causative for two neurodegenerative diseases: hereditary spastic paraplegia (SPG10) and Charcot-Marie-Tooth type 2 (CMT2). In contrast, ALS-associated mutations are primarily located at the C-terminal cargo-binding tail domain and patients harboring loss-of-function mutations displayed an extended survival relative to typical ALS cases. Taken together, these results broaden the phenotype spectrum resulting from mutations in KIF5A and strengthen the role of cytoskeletal defects in the pathogenesis of ALS.Peer reviewe

Journal of Shellfish Research 19 1 265 274

This study describes and compares lobster fishing and handling practices on various boats, transportation conditions between fishing wharfs and processing plants, and health assessments of lobsters followed from the time of harvest to the time of arrival at the processing plants during the spring and fall fishing seasons of Prince Edward Island, Canada. A total of 2,191 lobsters landed from 64 boats in 1997 were tagged and included in the study. Over 20 fishing and transport-level factors were monitored, and more than 10 lobster-level factors were assessed on market-sized lobsters. A significant increase (P < 0.05) of 7.1% in the proportion of lobsters with open wounds from the time of harvest to the time of entry in the processing plant was found during the spring season; whereas, the proportion of lobsters with vigor loss significantly increased by 2.5% (P < 0.05) during the same interval. Total hemocyte counts (THC) and hemolymph total protein (TP) levels were significantly higher in the spring than in the fall (P < 0.001). THC and TP also increased significantly (P < 0.05) from the time of harvest to the time of arrival at the processing plants, a period in which the lobsters were held out of the water. The prevalence of Aeroccocus viridans infected lobsters was significantly (P < 0.001) higher in the fall season (10.4%) than in the spring season (5.5%). Lobster catches experienced significantly warmer, windier, and sunnier conditions in the fall season (P < 0.05). Mackerel was the bait most commonly used during both seasons, and gaspereaux were only used during the fall season. In the spring season, lobsters of different sizes were prevented from having mutual contact on more than 63% of the boats, but only on 18% of the boats in the fall season. Most spring fishers (83.1%) added water to the live-tank after all the traps were hauled, as compared to a majority of fall fishers (72.7%), who had no water in the live-tank at any time (P < 0.001). Finally, lobsters spent, on average, significantly (P < 0.001) more time on board fishing vessels in the fall than in the spring season

Journal of Shellfish Research 19 1 275 281

The objective of this study was to identify risk factors for productivity losses in the Canadian lobster industry. Lobster handling and fishing practices onboard 64 fishing boats and transportation conditions on 49 vehicles subsequently transporting these lobsters from fishing wharves to processing plants were assessed during the spring and fall fishing seasons of 1997 on Prince Edward Island. These practices and conditions were then related to the health of the lobsters, estimated by the vigor status on arrival at the processing plants. A generalized estimating equation logistic regression model was used to assess the impact of handling, fishing, and transportation practices on lobster vigor. Significant risk factors for loss of vigor included the following boat-level factors: the use of mackerel for bait (odds ratio, OR, of 7.1; P = 0.003), tossing (as opposed to placing) lobsters from traps to temporary holding units on board the fishing boats (OR = 3.6, P = 0.048), and exposure to rain while on board fishing boats (OR = 3.6, P = 0.011), while greater maximal depths at which the traps were set had a protective effect on lobster vigor (OR = 0.85/m, P = 0.010)

Spatial learning in pigs: effects of environmental enrichment and individual characteristics on behaviour and performance

Contains fulltext : 77372.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)This study investigated the effects of both environmental enrichment and individual behavioural characteristics on spatial cognitive capabilities of pigs, using a novel latent spatial learning paradigm based on Tolman's detour experiments (1948). Pigs were housed either in 'barren' pens or in pens enriched with straw bedding from birth. Pigs were restrained in a Backtest at 10 and 17 days postpartum. Based on their escape behaviour in this test, which has been shown to reflect their behavioural style, six 'high-resisting'(HR) and six 'low-resisting' (LR) pigs were selected from each housing environment (n = 24 in total). At 12 weeks of age, pairs of pen mates (LR and HR) were exposed to a maze three times (exploration trials). Pigs were then placed individually in the maze, and social reinstatement proved to be a strong incentive to find the exit leading to the home pen. We subsequently blocked the direct route to the exit, forcing animals to find a detour (memory test 1, MT1). This test was repeated once to investigate the relative improvement, i.e. detour learning (memory test 2, MT2). Housing condition and Backtest response strongly affected exploration patterns. In spite of this, no effects on performance during the subsequent memory tests were found. Performance was substantially improved in MT2, indicating that once a goal is apparent, pigs are able to solve a complex spatial memory task easily. In conclusion, social reinstatement provided a good incentive to complete a spatial task, and the substantial improvement in performance between MT1 and MT2 stresses the need for task complexity when testing spatial memory in pigs. Housing conditions or individual behavioural style did not affect spatial memory during MT1 or MT2. However, housing environment and behavioural style strongly affected explorative behaviour of pigs in an unfamiliar maze during both exploration trials and memory tests. This implicates that apparent effects of environmental enrichment on spatial learning and memory in pigs might reflect differences in explorative patterns rather than in cognitive processes