Automatic Test Methods for Image and Video Verification

In this thesis four methods for automatic verification of images and video on mobile platforms are developed. Both the case of recording images and video and the case of viewing images and video on the mobile lcd screen are considered. The first method is used to test the zoom function of the camera. It uses SURF decriptors along with clustering and histograms to determine which of six discrete zoom levels the current frame belongs to. The second method identifies color effects and color anomalies using histograms. The third method determines if the autofocus works correctly by measuring the average length of edges in the image. The fourth method is an artifact detection scheme using a non-reference implementation of the SSIM metric, used in conjunction with a for this purpose specially designed test setup. Together these methods form a tool kit for detecting the mnost common errors to occur in images and video during the development stage of mobile platforms

Financial Crisis and the Fair Value Debate

Using a case study of comment letters, our purpose is to examine the debate about fair value in accounting which has arisen in the context of the current financial crisis. Methodology: We followed a rather qualitative approach while developing a flow chart in order to categorize and analyze our empirical material. Empirical foundation: Case Study through Analysis of Comment Letters. Conclusion: The major conclusion that can be drawn from the study is that there is no strong relationship between the main groups and the opinion groups. The different views rather depend on specific industries. All the different opinion groups share the main view that fair value accounting needs improvements and major changes. These views and the expert debate can easily be looked at as a way to add to the already existing political pressures

Cystatin C in the anterior segment of rat and mouse eyes.

Purpose: Cystatin C is a mammalian cysteine protease inhibitor. This study describes the localization of cystatin C in the anterior segment of normal rat and mouse eyes. Cysteine proteases play an important role in protein degradation (e.g. of photoreceptor outer segments in the retinal pigment epithelium) and the balance between these proteases and their specific inhibitors is therefore of great interest. Methods: Cells containing cystatin C were identified by immunohistochemistry and quantified by ELISA. Messenger RNA levels were analysed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: Cystatin C is present at biologically significant levels in the corneal epithelium, endothelium and stromal keratinocytes, lens epithelium, epithelial cells in the ciliary processes, aqueous humour and iris stromal cells. In the rat anterior segment, the highest cystatin C concentrations were found in the ciliary epithelium. Conclusions: Cystatin C is present in several cell types and is probably locally produced. The inhibitor is likely to be an important regulator of cysteine proteases in the retinal pigment epithelium, ciliary epithelium, aqueous humour, lens epithelium and in the corneal endothelium and epithelium

Effect of Parental Migration Background on Childhood Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Body Mass Index

Background. Poor nutrition, lack of physical activity, and obesity in children have important public health implications but, to date, their effects have not been studied in the growing population of children in Sweden with immigrant parents. Methods. We estimated the association between parental migration background and nutrition, physical activity, and weight in 8-year-old children born in Stockholm between 1994 and 1996 of immigrants and Swedish parents (n=2589). Data were collected through clinical examination and questionnaires filled out by parents. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated using multivariable logistic regression. Results. Children of immigrants complied more closely with Nordic Nutrition Recommendations compared with those of Swedes (OR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.11–1.64). They had higher intake of dietary fibre, vitamins C, B6, and E, folic acid, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6) reflecting higher consumption of foods of plant origin, but lower intake of vitamins A and D, calcium, and iron reflecting lower consumption of dairy products. Children of immigrants had higher intake of sucrose reflecting higher consumption of sugar and sweets. Furthermore, these children had a higher risk of having low physical activity (OR = 1.31, 95% CI 1.06–1.62) and being overweight (OR = 1.33, 95% CI 1.06–1.65) compared with children of Swedish parents. The odds of having low physical activity and being overweight were even higher in children whose parents were both immigrants. A low level of parental education was associated with increased risk of low physical activity regardless of immigration background. Conclusions. Culturally appropriate tools to capture the diverse range of ethnic foods and other lifestyle habits are needed. Healthcare professionals should be aware of the low levels of physical activity, increased weight, and lack of consumption of some important vitamins among children of immigrants

Nodule detection in digital chest radiography: part of image background acting as pure noise

There are several factors that influence the radiologist's ability to detect a specific structure/lesion in a radiograph. Three factors that are commonly known to be of major importance are the signal itself, the system noise and the projected anatomy. The aim of this study was to determine to what extent the image background acts as pure noise for the detection of subtle lung nodules in five different regions of the chest. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) study with five observers was conducted on two different sets of images, clinical chest X-ray images and images with a similar power spectrum as the clinical images but with a random phase spectrum, resulting in an image background containing pure noise. Simulated designer nodules with a full-width-at-fifth-maximum of 10 mm but with varying contrasts were added to the images. As a measure of the part of the image background that acts as pure noise, the ratio between the contrast needed to obtain an area under the ROC curve of 0.80 in the clinical images to that in the random-phase images was used. The ratio ranged from 0.40 (in the lateral pulmonary regions) to 0.83 (in the hilar regions) indicating that there was a large difference between different regions regarding to what extent the image background acted as pure noise; and that in the hilar regions the image background almost completely acted as pure noise for the detection of 10 mm nodule

Non-inhibitory levels of oxygen during cultivation increase freeze-drying stress tolerance in Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938

The physiological effects of oxygen on Limosilactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 during cultivation and the ensuing properties of the freeze-dried probiotic product was investigated. On-line flow cytometry and k-means clustering gating was used to follow growth and viability in real time during cultivation. The bacterium tolerated aeration at 500 ml/min, with a growth rate of 0.74 ± 0.13 h-1 which demonstrated that low levels of oxygen did not influence the growth kinetics of the bacterium. Modulation of the redox metabolism was, however, seen already at non-inhibitory oxygen levels by 1.5-fold higher production of acetate and 1.5-fold lower ethanol production. A significantly higher survival rate in the freeze-dried product was observed for cells cultivated in presence of oxygen compared to absence of oxygen (61.8 ± 2.4 % vs 11.5 ± 4.3 %), coinciding with a higher degree of unsaturated fatty acids (UFA:SFA ratio of 10 for air sparged vs 3.59 for N2 sparged conditions.). Oxygen also resulted in improved bile tolerance and boosted 5’nucleotidase activity (370 U/L vs 240 U/L in N2 sparged conditions) but lower tolerance to acidic conditions compared bacteria grown under complete anaerobic conditions which survived up to 90 min of exposure at pH 2. Overall, our results indicate the controlled supply of oxygen during production may be used as means for probiotic activity optimisation of L. reuteri DSM 17938

Generalization of a Real-Analysis Result to a Class of Topological Vector Spaces

In this paper, we generalize an elementary real-analysis result to a class of topological vector spaces. We also give an example of a topological vector space to which the result cannot be generalized.Comment: 6 pages, no figure

Kväveutlakning på sandjord

I föreliggande rapport presenteras resultaten från nio försöksår (1991-1999) från det långliggande försöket "Kväveutlakning på sandjord - motåtgärder med ny odlingsteknik" vid Mellby försöksstation i Halland. I försöket studeras de långsiktiga effekterna på mark och miljö av miljöanpassad stallgödselanvändning och odling i realistiska odlingssystem. Vid utformningen av odlingsåtgärder mm har man försökt att införliva de samlade kunskaperna från olika mer specifikt inriktade utlakningsstudier i för trakten verklighetsnära växtföljder och odlingssystem. Försöket har bedrivits med medel från SLU, SLF och Jordbruksverket Resultat från de inledande försöksåren har tidigare presenterats av Torstensson, Gustafson, och Lindén, 1993