Exposure modelling of transmission towers using street-level imagery and a deep learning object detection model

Exposure modelling is a vital component of disaster risk assessments, providing geospatial information of assets at risk and their characteristics. Detailed information about exposure bring benefits to the spatial representation of a rapidly changing environment and allows decision makers to establish better policies aimed at reducing disaster risk. This work proposes and demonstrates a methodology aimed at linking together volunteered geographic information from OpenStreetMap (OSM), street-level imagery from Google Street View (GSV) and deep learning object detection models into the automated creation of exposure datasets of power grid transmission towers, an asset particularly vulnerable to strong wind among other perils. The methodology is implemented through a start-to-end pipeline that starting from the locations of transmission towers derived from the power grid layer of OSMs world infrastructure, can assign relevant features of the tower based on the identification and classification returned from an object detection model over street-level imagery of the tower, obtained from GSV. The initial outcomes yielded promising results towards the establishment of the exposure dataset. For the identification task, the YOLOv5 model returned a mean average precision (mAP) of 83.57% at intersection over union (IoU) of 50%. For the classification problem, although predictive performance varies significantly among tower types, we show that high values of mAP can be achieved when there is a sufficiently high number of good quality images with which to train the model. (c) 2022, National Technical University of Athens. All rights reserved

Human-driven Machine-automation of Engineering Research

This paper presents a framework for efficiently producing engineering research in a global collaborative effort in a rigorous scientific manner. The proposed framework reduces subjective analysis, automates several mundane research tasks and provides a suitable formal structure for efficient information sharing and collaboration. The implementation of the framework involves multiple research groups setting up different web-servers that can perform the steps of the scientific method and automatically determine the quality and value of new research by directly communicating between servers via public and private Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) using a set of object-oriented protocols. The automation of many mundane research tasks (e.g. data manipulation), would allow researchers to focus more on the novel aspects of their research efforts. The increased clarity around the quality and value of research would allow the research efforts of individuals and available research funding to be better disbursed. The paper discusses the major aspects of the scientific method, object-orientated programming, the application of the proposed research framework for experimental/analytical/numerical engineering research, some of the potential benefits and drawbacks, as well as the current state of implementation

Least squares finite element method for 3D unsteady diffusion and reaction-diffusion problems

In this paper a study to application of Least Squares Finite Element Method (LSFEM) is made and with auxiliary equations (temperature derivatives) in the solution of Transient Three-dimensional Diffusion-Reaction. In order to do so, two applications are presented and discussed, one of them Pure Diffusion and another DiffusionReaction, both solved towards the constructive meshes with hexahedron of 8 and 27 nodes. This analysis uses the standard L∞ (maximum error in all meshes) and L2 (average error in all the meshes) to verify the numerical error committed in the solution9196209CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQFUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO - FAPESP500382/2011-52014/06679-

DESCRIÇÃO DE TRÊS CASOS DE CRIPTORQUIDISMO EM EQUINOS DE RAÇA QUARTO DE MILHA EM PORTUGAL

O criptorquidismo consiste na não-descida dos testículos para o escroto, podendo ser uni ou bilateral. Cerca de 10% dos casos são de criptorquidismo bilateral e as situações unilaterais ocorrem frequentemente do lado esquerdo. Os testículos podem localizar-se na cavidade abdominal, no canal inguinal ou no tecido subcutâneo junto ao anel inguinal externo. As características das lesões macro e microscópicas do(s) testículo(s) dependem da idade do cavalo e da localização do testículo. Normalmente a observação macroscópica revela atrofia pronunciada e aumento da consistência. No exame histopatológico observa-se hipoplasia das células da linha germinativa e, em cavalos idosos, fibrose ao nível das túnicas. Os cavalos com criptorquidismo bilateral são estéreis mas, mantendo-se a produção de testosterona pelas células de Leydig, o comportamento sexual masculino não é alterado, apresentando-se, por vezes, estes animais mais agressivos que os não-criptorquídeos. Em equinos é considerado uma situação hereditária com carácter dominante, que ocorre com prevalência elevada em determinadas raças nomeadamente no American Quarter Horse (Quarto de Milha). Assim, mesmo os cavalos com criptorquidismo unilateral, que ainda apresentam de sémen, não devem ser utilizados para a reprodução devendo ser recomendada a sua castração. A castração pode ser efectuada por acesso inguinal, parainguinal, suprapúbico paramediano ou no flanco. Recentemente tem-se desenvolvido a castração por laparoscopia com o cavalo em estação ou em decúbito. O presente trabalho refere três casos de critptorquidismo esquerdo, em cavalos Quarto de Milha, castrados no Hospital Veterinário da Universidade de Évora (HVUE), com 2 1/2, 3 ½ e 6 anos de idade. Os testículos ectópicos localizavam-se, respectivamente, no anel inguinal, no tecido sub-cutâneo e na cavidade abdominal. A castração do cavalo cujo testículo se encontrava sub-cutâneo, junto ao anel inguinal externo, realizou-se por acesso inguinal, com o cavalo sedado e em estação. As outras duas cirurgias realizaram-se sob anestesia geral (por via inalatória) com os cavalos em decúbito dorsal sendo ambas iniciadas por acesso inguinal. O testículo de localização abdominal, teve que ser extraído por acesso parainguinal, dada a impossibilidade de exteriorização pelo anel inguinal. Ao exame macroscópico os testículos ectópicos encontravam-se atrofiados. O testículo com localização subcutânea apresentava forma irregular e os de localização no anel inguinal e na cavidade abdominal apresentavam, respectivamente, aumento da consistência e diminuição da mesma. Ao exame histopatológico observou-se, em todas as amostras, hipoplasia e degenerescência testicular severa sobretudo das células da linha germinativa, sendo que o testículo com localização abdominal apresentava ausência quase total destas células e também alterações degenerativas das células de Sertoli.#The cryptorchidism refers to the retention of one (unilateral) or both (bilateral) testicles and its absence in the scrotum. 10% of the cases of cryptorchidism are bilateral and the unilateral cases are frequently observed on the left side. The ectopic testicles can be located in the abdominal cavity, the inguinal ring or the sub-cutaneous tissue near the external inguinal ring. The macroscopic and microscopic lesions observed in the testicles depend both from the animal’s age as well as from the testicles’s location. More often the macroscopic examination reveals a marked atrophic testicle and a harder consistency of it. On the hystopathological exam we observe hypoplasia of the cells of the germinative pathway and in older horses a pronounced fibrosis in the area of the tunics. Horses with bilateral cryptorchidism suffer from sterility, however since the Leydig cells still produce testosterone, the mating behaviour and secondary sexual characteristics suffer no changes, horses are sometimes even more aggressive than non-cryptorchids horses. Cryptorchidism in horses is considered a hereditary situation with dominant character and has a high prevalence in some horse breeds like the American Quarter Horse. Concerning this fact, horses with this pathology, even if is unilateral and even with production of semen, should not be used as stallions and its castration should be recommended. The castration can be performed by several “traditional” approaches but presently some surgeons prefer the laparoscopic approach with the horse standing or in dorsal recumbency. The present work refers to three cases of left side cryptorchidism (unilateral) in American Quarter Horse that were castrated in the Hospital Veterinário da Universidade de Évora (HVUE). The three horses were 2 1/2, 3½ and 6 years old. The ectopic testicles were located in the inguinal ring (the 2 ½ years old horse), sub-cutaneous tissue (the 3½ years old horse) and in the abdominal cavity (the 6 years old horse). The surgery performed for the testicle located in the subcutaneous tissue was performed by inguinal approach with the animal standing and sedated. The other two surgeries were both performed with general inhalant anaesthesia with the animal in dorsal recumbency. Both surgeries were initially done by inguinal approach being the inguinal testicle well exteriorized by this approach. The intra abdominal testicle was impossible to remove through the inguinal ring so the para inguinal approach was used to exteriorize it. In the macroscopic examination all ectopic testicles were severely atrophic. The testicle removed from the subcutaneous tissue presented an irregular shape and the other testicles presented changes in consistency with higher consistency for the inguinal ring testicle and decreased consistency for the intra abdominal one. In the hystopathological examination, hypoplasia and severe testicular degenerative changes were observed in all samples especially in the germinative cells. In intra abdominal testicle these cells are almost absent and the Sertoli cells had marked degenerative changes

Adhesive joints for vegetal natural fibres reinforced composites

The increased interested for the utilisation of natural fibres, to produce new ecologicalcomposites materials, need the analysed and development of joining processes to assemble ofdifferent parts made with these materials.In this work we present the mechanical characterisation of adhesive single lap joints for the joiningof sisal fibres reinforced composite materials with an epoxy matrix.We made experiences with different surface treatments of the fibres, with the objective ofincreasing the adhesion between the fibres and the matrix, and consequently to improve mechanicalbehaviour of the composite material and the adhesive joint.A brief description of the production and test setups of the composite materials and the adhesivejoints is made.An analytical and numerical calculation of the behaviour of the adhesive joints is presented andcompared with the experimental results

A_4-based neutrino masses with Majoron decaying dark matter

We propose an A_4 flavor-symmetric SU(3)xSU(2)xU(1) seesaw model where lepton number is broken spontaneously. A consistent two-zero texture pattern of neutrino masses and mixing emerges from the interplay of type-I and type-II seesaw contributions, with important phenomenological predictions. We show that, if the Majoron becomes massive, such seesaw scenario provides a viable candidate for decaying dark matter, consistent with cosmic microwave background lifetime constraints that follow from current WMAP observations. We also calculate the sub-leading one-loop-induced decay into photons which leads to a mono-energetic emission line that may be observed in future X-ray missions such as Xenia.Comment: 16 pages, 6 eps figures. Minor corrections. To appear in Phys. Rev.

Portable diagnostic platform for detection of microorganisms Coliforms and E. coli.

Portable diagnostic devices are a viable and low-cost alternative for the detection of pathogens, since they reduce the time of analysis of results availability. Ease of sample collection and quick diagnosis allow this new input to be applied in the diagnosis of the main contaminating microorganisms present in the water. Laboratory tests evaluated the technical viability of the diagnostic device, using commercial strains which were inoculated and optimized in the devices and their growth compared to the conventional method in Petri dishes. Samples of 100 μL bacterial suspension were tested and compared with the traditional sample inoculation method. The device viability was determined by detecting characteristic bacterial colonies in a specific culture medium through the colorimetric development of the obtained colonies. The feasibility assessments allow us to affirm that the device enables both qualitative and quantitative detection of the target bacteria present in liquid samples, and is promising to be applied to assess the quality of water, food and environmental surfaces