Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Biology / Donald W. Kaufman / Glennis A. Kaufman / Little is known about nightly activity patterns of nocturnal small mammals under natural conditions, and how these activity patterns might be affected by photoperiod, season, and sex, age, and reproductive status of individuals. The main objectives of this research were: 1) to find an appropriate method for marking individual deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) so that their activity could be monitored remotely; 2) to design a portable activity-monitoring system to investigate temporal patterns of shelter use by deer mice under natural conditions; 3) to determine the influence of environmental conditions such as photoperiod and season on nightly activity of deer mice; and 4) to compare effects of demographic or physiological factors such as sex, age, and reproductive status on nightly activity of deer mice at artificial burrows in tallgrass prairie. In general, commencement of activity was correlated positively with timing of sunset, and time of retirement to the burrow was correlated positively with sunrise. Among adults, males first emerged from the burrow earlier and made more trips of shorter duration in a night than did females, although total duration of trips was similar. Return visits and subsequent stays typically were shorter for males than females, but total time spent in the burrow and retirement time relative to sunrise were similar for both sexes. Young deer mice emerged significantly later, made more trips of shorter duration, spent less total time outside, and retired to their burrow earlier than adults. Reproductive females emerged later, made fewer trips of generally longer duration, and spent shorter total amounts of time away from the burrow each night than non-reproductive females. Return visits of reproductive females were of longer duration than non-reproductives, but total time spent inside and time of retirement for the night did not differ relative to reproductive status. From parturition through lactation, activity of females showed a number of directional trends. Results suggest that under natural conditions, activity patterns of deer mice are highly variable but responsive to both the changing physical environment and internal conditions related to sex-specific maximization of fitness.

A Wearable Mobility Monitoring System (WMMS) can be an advantageous device for rehabilitation decision-making. This thesis presents the design and evaluation of a proof-of-concept WMMS that uses the BlackBerry Smartphone platform. A Java program was developed for the BlackBerry 9550, using the integrated tri-axial accelerometer, Global Positioning System sensor (GPS), CMOS digital video camera, and timer to identify change-of-state (CoS) among static states, dynamic states, small activity of daily living (ADL) movements, and car riding. Static states included sitting, lying, standing, and taking an elevator. Dynamic states included walking on level ground, walking on stairs, and walking on a ramp. Small activity of daily living movements included bathroom activities, working in the kitchen, and meal preparation. Following feature extraction from the sensor data, two decision trees were used to distinguish CoS and mobility activities. CoS identification subsequently triggered video recording for improved mobility context analysis during post-processing.

The diploma thesis deals with evaluation of obtained data from selected production equipment. The theoretical part is focused on production management, description of information production systems and defining methods for evaluation of machine efficiency. The practical part describes the current situation of selected productive sections and outputs from two compared systems. Next step is the calculation of OEE indicators, evaluation of individual workplaces and suggestions for improvement.

BACKGROUND: The amount and intensity of people's activities are related to latent chronic diseases and the aging process. Accurate information about people's patterns of activity in their natural environments would go a long way toward understanding the relationship between types/levels of activity and health. Unlike the commercially available activity monitors, an algorithm developed at Boston University utilizes frequency (cycles/second) to identify overground gait and pedaling. These studies evaluate the validity of this system in a real-life environment and then investigate people's locomotive behavior across weekdays of the same week. METHODS: Wearing the monitoring system developed at BU on their right ankles, 16 older adults performed a battery of functional locomotive activities continuously in a residential setting, while being video recorded for reference. For the validity algorithm output regarding gait and pedaling variables was statistically compared to the video analysis of the same using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). To investigate the consistency of locomotor behavior across weekdays of the same week, 227 older adults wore the monitoring system under study on their right ankles continuously for a week. Daily gait and pedaling values were correlated across weekdays of the same week also using ICCs. An investigation into the differences in gait variability for the average of 3 weekdays according to the subgroups; age, gender, and BMI was conducted on this sample using the Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test. RESULTS: Three of the four gait validity ICCs were significant (p ≤ 0.019) ranging from 0.267 to 0.778. All pedaling validity variables had ICCs ≥ 0.993 The locomotive consistency study found all 6 daily gait variables significantly (p < 0.001) correlated across 3 weekdays, ranging from 0.534 to 0.914. Three of four ICCs for pedaling consistency variables were significant (p ≤ 0.029) ranging from 0.277 to 0.838. CONCLUSIONS: This study's validity results support this monitoring system's gait and pedaling identification approach. There is also evidence to suggest how the system could improve its real-life locomotive detection validity and potentially diversify its applications. Additionally, based on this dissertation's results, some of people's daily locomotive behaviors remain relatively constant over weekdays during the same week.

Background Middle-income countries are currently undergoing nutrition transition more rapidly than did high income countries. These populations are therefore at high risk of over-nutrition (obesity) and nutrition-related, non-communicable diseases before the elimination of under-nutrition and infectious diseases. Such nutritional double burden is most common in low SES groups of middle-income countries, such as the Maya of Mexico. Long-term poor environmental conditions during early life results in a population with high levels of chronic under-nutrition (stunting), and a consequent predisposition toward overweight/ obesity, and associated health risks later in life. It is important to be able to identify individuals at an increased risk of diseases related to double burden and to determine whether stunting impacts the ability to identify at risk individuals. Aims The overall purpose of this doctoral research was to examine double burden in the urban Maya, a low SES section of the Mexican population which is a current example of a population undergoing significant transition. The specific aims of this thesis were fourfold: 1) To describe the living conditions and population characteristics of the urban Maya of southern Merida in the spring and summer of 2010; 2) to determine whether body mass index (BMI) predicts adiposity indicators in a sample of women and children with a high prevalence of stunting, 3) to determine whether measures of linear growth in women can be predicted by their recalled childhood environment and 4) To determine whether the relationship between objectively estimated free-living energy expenditure and body composition is altered by stunting. Methods Data from interviews, anthropometric measurements and bioelectrical impedance analysis were collected on 58 Maya schoolchildren aged 7-9 years-old and their mothers living in the south of Merida, Mexico. Objective, free-living physical activity monitoring using combined accelerometry and heart rate monitoring of the children was also performed for one week. The interview data was used to describe the living conditions of the south of Merida. Whether stunting status or body proportions influenced the power of BMI to predict adiposity indicators was assessed for the mothers and the children. The mothers recalled early life SES was compared to their current measures of linear growth. The children s objectively estimated energy expenditure was compared to their body composition and measurements of body size. Results The Maya of southern Merida overall had access to clean drinking water and basic health care and have apparently eliminated acute under-nutrition. Yet they remained double burdened with simultaneous stunting and overweight/ obesity. Individual double burden levels were high, with 70% of the mothers were simultaneously stunted and overweight. Family level double burden was also high, with 28% of the families having an overweight mother and a stunted child. The rates of childhood malnutrition varied widely when using different cut-offs. Child stunting rates were between 15.5% and 37.9% when using -2 z-scores of Frisancho s Comprehensive (created using NHANES data) reference versus the 5th percentile of the WHO reference, respectively. Child overweight/ obesity rates were less than 10% when using weight-for-age on both the Comprehensive and WHO reference charts. Child overweight/ obesity as classified using BMI z-scores was between 27.5 to 34.5% using the Comprehensive and WHO reference, respectively, while child overfat was over 80% when using body fat percentage for age reference curves. BMI predicted adiposity indicators in these Maya children, explaining between 33 and 84% of the variance in arm fat index and waist circumference z-score, respectively. BMI was less strongly related to the mothers adiposity indicators, explaining between 19 and 70% of the variance in arm fat area and waist circumference. The relationship between BMI and adiposity indicators was unchanged by stunting or body proportions in either mothers or children. Mothers recalled early life SES was significantly related to but explained little of the variance in her measures of linear growth. Birth decade explained 5% of the variance in stature and the Modernisation index (urban/ rural birth, sugar sweetened beverage consumption, packaged food consumption) explained 5% of the variance in mothers leg length. Birth order, sibling number and consumer durable ownership were also significantly related to linear growth of the mothers. These Maya children had high levels of physical activity, as all exceeded the recommended 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day. After controlling for fat free mass, short stature did not predict lower resting energy expenditures in the children. However shorter stature did predict lower levels of activity energy expenditure, particularly in girls. Stunted girls had the lowest activity energy expenditures. Conclusions These urban Maya tend to have access to basic sanitation and services and are at a very high risk for NR-NCDs with the co-existence of chronic under-nutrition (stunting) and overweight/ obesity. The high rates of stunting do not impact the usefulness of BMI to estimate adiposity nor does stunting appear to impact children s energy expenditure. While BMI is useful to predict adiposity in these urban Maya children, it is not recommended for use in the mothers. Interventions to reduce childhood adiposity need to begin very early in life to most effectively reduce adiposity. Research into the low SES groups of middle-income countries, offers insight to what may occur in low-income countries as they advance in the nutrition transition.

Objetivos: O presente estudo teve como objetivo comparar a frequência das contrações uterinas em gestações gemelares em uso da progesterona natural e de placebo. Método: Estudo randomizado, duplo-cego, placebo controlado, realizado no período de 01 de junho de 2007 a 31 de outubro de 2013. Participaram do estudo 341 gestantes, com 170 randomizadas no grupo progesterona e 171 no grupo placebo. Todas as gestantes realizaram exame de tocografia no período de 24 a 34 semanas e 6 dias, com duração de trinta minutos, a cada três semanas. A contração uterina foi definida como uma elevação da linha de base com amplitude acima de 5 mm e duração mínima de trinta segundos. Na comparação da frequência das contrações uterinas entre os grupos, nas diferentes idades gestacionais, utilizou-se o teste t de Student. O modelo de análise GEE - modelo generalizado de equações de estimação - foi utilizado na comparação, entre os grupos, da frequência das contrações uterinas em relação à idade gestacional no parto, e também na avaliação da interação da frequência das contrações uterinas com a medida do colo uterino e a corionicidade. Resultados: As características epidemiológicas e gerais das gestantes foram semelhantes nos dois grupos. A frequência média das contrações uterinas diferiu entre os grupos apenas na 34ª semana (P = 0,005), com frequência maior de contrações no grupo progesterona (4,81±3,24) em relação ao grupo placebo (2,73 ± 2,06). Não houve diferença significativa na comparação da frequência média das contrações uterinas e a idade gestacional no parto (< 28 sem, < 32 sem, < 34 sem e < 37 semanas) entre os grupos. Não foi observada interação da frequência das contrações uterinas com a medida do colo uterino ou com a corionicidade da gestação, em relação aos grupos progesterona ou placebo. Conclusão: O uso da progesterona natural não interfere na frequência das contrações uterinas nas gestações gemelares abaixo de 34 semanas gestacionais / Objectives: The aim of this study was to comparate uterine contraction frequency in twin pregnancies in use of natural progesterone and placebo. Methods: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, conducted between June 1, 2007 to October 31, 2013. The study included 341 twin pregnancies, with 170 randomized in the progesterone group and 171 in the placebo group. All pregnancies had uterine contraction registration by tocodinamometry every three weeks, during 30 minutes between 24 to 34 weeks and 6 days. Uterine contraction was defined as an amplitude greater than 5 mm, from baseline registration, and a duration longer than 30 seconds. Comparison of contraction frequency between the groups at different gestational ages was examined using the parametric student t test. The model GEE - generalized estimating equation model - was used in the comparison, between the groups, the uterine contraction frequency according gestational age at delivery, and also for evaluating the interaction of the frequency contractions with cervical length and chorionicity. Results: Epidemiological and general characteristics of the pregnant woman were similar in both groups. At the 34 weeks, was only gestational age that presented difference (P = 0.005) in the mean uterine contraction frequency between progesterone (4.81 ± 3.24) and placebo (2.73 ± 2.06) groups. No difference in the mean uterine contraction frequency was observed between progesterone and placebo groups in relation to gestational age at delivery. Cervical length measurement and chorionicity did not influence the uterine contraction frequency according to progesterone or placebo. Conclusion: The use of natural progesterone in twin pregnancies does not affect the uterine contraction frequency before 34 weeks gestation

Objetivos: O presente estudo teve como objetivo comparar a frequência das contrações uterinas em gestações gemelares em uso da progesterona natural e de placebo. Método: Estudo randomizado, duplo-cego, placebo controlado, realizado no período de 01 de junho de 2007 a 31 de outubro de 2013. Participaram do estudo 341 gestantes, com 170 randomizadas no grupo progesterona e 171 no grupo placebo. Todas as gestantes realizaram exame de tocografia no período de 24 a 34 semanas e 6 dias, com duração de trinta minutos, a cada três semanas. A contração uterina foi definida como uma elevação da linha de base com amplitude acima de 5 mm e duração mínima de trinta segundos. Na comparação da frequência das contrações uterinas entre os grupos, nas diferentes idades gestacionais, utilizou-se o teste t de Student. O modelo de análise GEE - modelo generalizado de equações de estimação - foi utilizado na comparação, entre os grupos, da frequência das contrações uterinas em relação à idade gestacional no parto, e também na avaliação da interação da frequência das contrações uterinas com a medida do colo uterino e a corionicidade. Resultados: As características epidemiológicas e gerais das gestantes foram semelhantes nos dois grupos. A frequência média das contrações uterinas diferiu entre os grupos apenas na 34ª semana (P = 0,005), com frequência maior de contrações no grupo progesterona (4,81±3,24) em relação ao grupo placebo (2,73 ± 2,06). Não houve diferença significativa na comparação da frequência média das contrações uterinas e a idade gestacional no parto (< 28 sem, < 32 sem, < 34 sem e < 37 semanas) entre os grupos. Não foi observada interação da frequência das contrações uterinas com a medida do colo uterino ou com a corionicidade da gestação, em relação aos grupos progesterona ou placebo. Conclusão: O uso da progesterona natural não interfere na frequência das contrações uterinas nas gestações gemelares abaixo de 34 semanas gestacionais / Objectives: The aim of this study was to comparate uterine contraction frequency in twin pregnancies in use of natural progesterone and placebo. Methods: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, conducted between June 1, 2007 to October 31, 2013. The study included 341 twin pregnancies, with 170 randomized in the progesterone group and 171 in the placebo group. All pregnancies had uterine contraction registration by tocodinamometry every three weeks, during 30 minutes between 24 to 34 weeks and 6 days. Uterine contraction was defined as an amplitude greater than 5 mm, from baseline registration, and a duration longer than 30 seconds. Comparison of contraction frequency between the groups at different gestational ages was examined using the parametric student t test. The model GEE - generalized estimating equation model - was used in the comparison, between the groups, the uterine contraction frequency according gestational age at delivery, and also for evaluating the interaction of the frequency contractions with cervical length and chorionicity. Results: Epidemiological and general characteristics of the pregnant woman were similar in both groups. At the 34 weeks, was only gestational age that presented difference (P = 0.005) in the mean uterine contraction frequency between progesterone (4.81 ± 3.24) and placebo (2.73 ± 2.06) groups. No difference in the mean uterine contraction frequency was observed between progesterone and placebo groups in relation to gestational age at delivery. Cervical length measurement and chorionicity did not influence the uterine contraction frequency according to progesterone or placebo. Conclusion: The use of natural progesterone in twin pregnancies does not affect the uterine contraction frequency before 34 weeks gestation

Poor estrus detection can limit the reproductive performance of a dairy herd. One objective of this research was to evaluate an alternative method to traditional estrus detection in the form of automated monitoring technologies. To accomplish this, the first study considered the ability of automatically monitored parameters (activity, number of steps, lying bouts, lying time, feeding time, rumination time, and temperature) to detect estrus. A second study compared automated activity monitoring to timed artificial insemination as reproductive management strategies on commercial herds. The other objective of this research was to evaluate the economic potential of automated estrus detection technologies. This was accomplished by creating and evaluating a farm specific decision support tool to determine the net present value of adopting an automated estrus detection technology.

Wirkstoffgewinnung mittels chemischer Synthese führt oft zu Stereoisomeren, welche aufwendig getrennt werden müssen und manche Moleküle sind nur sehr kostenintensiv oder gar nicht darstellbar. Landwirtschaftliche Gewinnung bedeutet Nachteile wie Schadstoffeinsatz und großer Flächenbedarf. Der Einsatz von pflanzlichen Zell- und Gewebekulturen überwindet die genannten Hürden [1, 2]: mit Methoden der Pflanzenbiotechnologie ist es möglich, pflanzliche Inhaltsstoffe in ihrer natürlichen, bioaktiven Form das ganze Jahr über unabhängig von biotischen/abiotischen Umweltfaktoren bei gleichbleibender Qualität und Quantität zu produzieren [3, 4]. Suspensionskulturen und hairy roots gelten momentan als die in vitro-Kulturtypen mit dem größten biotechnologischen Potential. Erstere sind in Flüssigmedium kultivierte Kalluszellen. Bei Kallus handelt es sich um undifferenzierte Pflanzenzellen, welche tumorartig wachsen und durch Zugabe von Pflanzenhormonen an der Differenzierung gehindert werden. Hairy roots entstehen durch Infektion eines Pflanzenteils mit dem Bodenbakterium Agrobacterium rhizogenes. Die so erhaltene Haarwurzelkultur kann ohne Hormonzusatz vermehrt werden, ihre Morphologie erfordert aber häufig eine Anpassung bestehender Kultivierungsgefäße [2, 5]. / In advance of industrial applications of in vitro plant cell or tissue cultures e.g., as bioactive ingredients for pharmaceuticals, an intense characterization concerning growth and productivity has to be performed. Innovative respiration measurement techniques in shake flask scale were applied to investigate and compare heterotrophic, photomixotrophic and hairy root cultures of sunflower. Furthermore, the qualification of RAMOS for screening of plant in vitro cultures is discussed.

Abstract Predicting Location and Training Effectiveness (PLATE) Erik Bruenner Physical activity and exercise have been shown to have an enormous impact on many areas of human health and can reduce the risk of many chronic diseases. In order to better understand how exercise may affect the body, current kinesiology studies are designed to track human movements over large intervals of time. Procedures used in these studies provide a way for researchers to quantify an individual’s activity level over time, along with tracking various types of activities that individuals may engage in. Movement data of research subjects is often collected through various sensors, such as accelerometers. Data from these specialized sensors may be fed into a deep learning model which can accurately predict what movements a person is making based on aggregated sensor data. However, in order for prediction models to produce accurate classifications of activities, they must be ‘trained’. Training occurs through the process of supervised learning on large amounts of data where movements are already known. These training data sets are also known as ‘validation’ data or ‘ground truth’. Currently, generation of these ground truth sets is very labor-intensive. To generate these labeled data sets, research assistants must analyze many hours of video footage with research subjects. These research assistants painstakingly categorize each video, second by second, with a description of the activity the subject was engaging in. Using only labeled video, the PLATE project facilitates the generation of ground truth data by developing an artificial intelligence (AI) that predicts video quality labels, along with labels that denote the physical location that these activities occurred in. The PLATE project builds on previous work by a former graduate student, Roxanne Miller. Miller developed a classification system to categorize subject activities into groups such as ‘Stand’, ‘Sit’, ‘Walk’, ‘Run’, etc. The PLATE project focuses instead on development of AI to generate ground truth training in order to accurately detect and identify the quality of video data, and the location of the video data. In the context of the PLATE project, video quality refers to whether or not a test subject is visible in the frame. Location classifications include categorizing ‘indoors’, ‘outdoors’, and ‘traveling’. More specifically, indoor categories are further identified as ‘house’, ‘office’, ‘school’, ‘store’ or ‘commercial’ space. Outdoor locations are further classified as ‘commercial space’, ‘park/greenspace’, ‘residential’ or ‘neighborhood’. The nature of our location classification problem lends itself particularly well to a hierarchical classification approach, where general indoor, outdoor, or travel categories are predicted, then separate models predict the subclassifications of these categories. The PLATE project uses three convolutional neural networks in its hierarchical location prediction pipeline, and one convolutional neural network to predict if video frames are high or low quality. Results from the PLATE project demonstrate that quality can be predicted with an accuracy of 96%, general location with an accuracy of 75%, and specific locations with an accuracy of 31%. The findings and model produced by the PLATE project are utilized in the PathML project as part of a ground truth prediction software for activity monitoring studies. PathML is a project funded by the NIH as part of a Small Business Research Initiative. Cal Poly partnered with Sentimetrix Inc, a data analytics/machine learning company, to build a methodology for automated labeling of human physical activity. The partnership aims to utilize this methodology to develop a software tool that performs automatic labeling and facilitates the subsequent human inspection. Phase I (proof of concept) of the project took place from September 2021 to August 2022, Phase II (final software production) is pending. This thesis is part of the research that took place during Phase I lifetime, and continues to support Phase II development.