Thesis--Rijksuniversiteit te Utrecht. / Summary in Dutch. Includes bibliographical references (p. 87-98).

Thesis (M.For.Sc.)--University of Western Australia, 2007.

Thesis (M. S.)--Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2007. / Banerjee, Sujit, Committee Member ; Orloff, David, Committee Member ; Patterson, Tim, Committee Co-Chair ; Ahrens, Fred, Committee Co-Chair.

Thesis PlanA (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)(Microbiology)--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

No description available.

A novel approach for inspecting the condition of porcelain insulators based on statistical analysis of electromagnetic radiations of live insulators is demonstrated in this thesis. Physical defects such as puncture and contamination can degrade the insulators performance and result in power outages, potentiating costs to utilities. Therefore, condition assessment of line insulators has always been one of the most important aspects of maintenance programs in power networks. Realistic replicas of punctured and contaminated insulators were created in the High Voltage Lab at University of Manitoba, following the IEC standards. These defective insulators were tested under high voltage stress while the electromagnetic radiations originated from the partial discharge activities on the insulators were captured using electromagnetic sensors. During the experimental part of this thesis, a multitude of tests were conducted and resulted in measuring and recording a total of 410,000 cycles of discharge activities. The feature extraction algorithm, developed as part of this thesis, calculates the statistical features of the phase resolved interpretation of partial discharge (PD) pulses. The results of analyzing the extracted features from the radiated signature of defective insulators indicate that the scale and shape parameters of a two sided Weibull distribution function fit to the recorded measurement entail distinct information about the source of discharges that can be used to identify the source of defects. Based on the library of features extracted from the recorded electromagnetic radiations, a support vector machine (SVM) classier, developed as part of this thesis, can successfully classify the radiation signature of punctured and contaminated insulators. Therefore, the main outcome of this research was introducing a novel porcelain insulator inspection technique that can remotely differentiate the defective punctured and contaminated insulators using their electromagnetic radiation signature in a laboratory environment. By utilizing the signature of common discharge activities present in the recorded signature of all tested insulators, a gating algorithm was developed which improved the successful classification rate from 51 % to 75%. The inspection technique proposed in this research can eliminate the safety hazards involved in the live maintenance of line insulators, lower the maintenance costs, and improve the inspection efficiency considering the conventional labour intensive live maintenance assessments. / February 2016

Thesis (MScVoedselwet)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Milk has been identified as having the potential of being a carrier of human pathogens, and it is thus essential to eliminate or reduce the likelihood of milk borne contamination. This problem of milk contamination is generally solved by the process of pasteurisation which is achieved by heating the "raw" material for a sufficient period of time to destroy any pathogenic and spoilage bacteria which may be present at a temperature of below 100°C. Presently, there are two basic methods of pasteurisation in use in the dairy industry, the LTLT and the HTST methods, where the applied heat treatment is considered sufficient to ensure public safety and adequate keeping quality. In addition to these, there is another method, the "pot" pasteurisation, to be found in Southern Africa that was designed to eliminate potential pathogenic and spoilage bacteria present in raw milk. As far as it is known no thermal studies have been done on the "pot" pasteurisation method. The objectives of this study were to determine the impact of different milk pasteurisation temperature and time combinations on the survival of selected microbes. The accuracy of the "pot" pasteurisation method and how it differs from the other pasteurisation methods was also determined using the same selected microbes. The six selected microbes were thermally inactivated by using the LTLT, HTST and the "pot" pasteurisation methods at low and high inoculum levels of 104 and 106 cfu.ml-1. The thermal death curves were constructed for each selected species. The selected microbes included the strains Bacillus cereus (S4), Chryseobacterium meningosepticum (S5), Pseudomonas putida (S6), Acinetobacter baumannii (C3), Escherichia coli (58) and Candida lipolytica (G1). Survivors were enumerated after heating for 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 min for both the LTLT and HTST pasteurisation methods and after heating for 0, 10, 20 and 30 min for the "pot" pasteurisation method. The results from this study showed that with the exception of the B. cereus strain, the other selected microbes at both high and low concentration levels did not survive the LTLT or the HTST pasteurisation methods. It was found that for all the organisms used in this study, there was a rapid initial death rate just before the required pasteurisation temperatures of 63°, 72° and 90°C were reached, during the "come-up" period. In contrast, the results from the "pot" pasteuriser showed that theB. cereus (S4), Chr. meningosepticum (S5), P. putida (S6), A. baumannii (C3) and E. coli (58) strains survived the pasteurisation conditions applied. From these results it was thus concluded that the "pot" pasteuriser under the conditions evaluated in this study, did not pasteurise effectively. Therefore, it is recommended that the manufacturer improves the heating quality of the "pot" pasteuriser. As it was found that only the B. cereus (S4) strain survived all the different pasteurisation methods, future research needs to be done to determine at which temperature this heat resistant bacterial strain will be destroyed. This is very important because there is a need to destroy all the spoilage microorganisms that can lead to the deterioration of food products. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Melk is 'n potensiële draer van mikrobes wat patogenies is vir die mens. Dit is dus essensiëel om die besmetting van melk te verlaag of te elimineer. Die probleem van melkbesmetting word opgelos deur die proses van pasteurisasie. Die proses word toegepas deur verhitting van die rou material vir 'n voldoende periode om patogeniese en bederf organismes te vernietig. Temperature onder 100°C word gebruik. In die suiwelbedryf word twee basiese metodes gebruik: die LTLT (lae temperatuur, lang tyd) metode en die HTKT (hoë temperatuur, kort tyd) metode. Albei hittebehandelings is voldoende om publieke veiligheid en 'n genoegsame rakleeftyd te verseker. 'n Derde metode, "pot" pasteurisasie, word in Suidelike Afrika gebruik. Die metode is ontwikkel om potensiële patogene en bederf organismes in rou melk te elimineer. Die probleem is dat daar geen navorsing op die temperatuur eienskappe van die “pot" metode gedoen is nie. Die doelwitte van hierdie navorsing was om die effek van verskillende temperatuur:tyd kombinasies op die oorlewing van sekere mikrobes te bepaal. Die akkuraatheid van die "pot" metode en die manier hoe dit van ander metodes verskil, is ook in ag geneem. Die navorsing is ten alle tye gebaseer op die geselekteerde mikroorganismes. Die ses geselekteerde spesies van mikrobes is vernietig deur middel van die LTLT, HTKT en "pot" pasteurisasie metodes. Die mikrobes is geïnaktiveer teen lae en hoë inokulums van 104 en 106 kve.ml-1. Terminale dodings kurwes is opgestel vir elke geselekteerde spesie. Die mikrobes van belang is Bacillus cereus (S4), Chryseobacterium meningosepticum (S5), Pseudomonas putida (S6), Acinetobacter baumannii (C3), Escherichia coli (58) en Candida lipolytica (G1). Die oorlewende mikroorganismes is na hitte behandelings van 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 en 40 minute vir beide die LTLT en die HTKT pasteurisasie metodes en na hitte behandelings van 0, 10, 20, en 30 minute vir die "pot" pasteurisasie metode getel. Die resultate van die navorsing dui aan dat, behalwe vir B. cereus, die geselekteerde mikrobes teen beide lae en hoë konsentrasies nie die LTLT en die HTKT metodes oorleef het nie. Daar is gevind dat, vir al die organismes, vinnige aanvanklike dodingstempos teenwoordig was net voor die noodsaaklike pasteurisasie temperatuur van 63°, 72° en 90°C bereik is, gedurende die "come-up" periode. Inteenstelling hiermee het die resultate van die "pot" metode bewys dat B.cereus (S4), Chr. meningosepticum (S5), P. putida (S6), A. baumannii (C3) en E. coli (58) stamme die pasteurisasie toestande oorleef het. Uit die resultate is ’n gevolgtrekking gemaak dat die "pot" pasteurisasie metode nie effektief was nie. Daar word dus aanbeveel dat die vervaardiger die verhittings-kwaliteit van die "pot" pasteurisasie apparaat verbeter. Aangesien net die B. cereus (S4) stam al drie pasteurisasie metodes oorleef het, moet toekomstige navorsing gedoen word om die vernietigings temperatuur van dié hittebestande stam te bepaal. Die navorsing is van belang weens die behoeftes om alle bederf mikroorganismes wat tot die agteruitgang van voedsel produkte kan lei, te vernietig.

Thesis (MSc Food Science)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa is a water scarce country and farmers are forced to irrigate crops with river water. Contamination of South African rivers has been reported and the carry-over of bacteria from river water to produce has been confirmed. Foodborne outbreaks linked to fresh produce are increasing world-wide. A total of 151 fresh produce samples (lettuce, tomatoes, beans, peas, coriander, basil, mint, rocket, thyme, spinach, cabbage, parsley and sprouts) were sourced from small-scale and commercial farms, farmers’ markets and retail outlets. Total coliforms (TC) and E. coli loads on the produce were determined with Colilert-18. Isolates were phenotypically characterised and identified with the API system and the E. coli identification confirmed with uidA PCR. Sixty-three E. coli isolates were identified. Three were not identified as E. coli with the API system but were positive for the uidA gene. The TC loads for the produce from the farms, farmers’ markets and retail outlets were all in the range of log 3 to log 8.38 MPN.100 mL-1. Escherichia coli was found to be most prevalent on produce samples from farmers’ markets with the highest E. coli load (log 7.38 MPN.100 mL-1) on cabbage sampled from a commercial farm. Escherichia coli were present on 8% of the produce samples. The maximum TC and E. coli loads found on the fresh produce were log 8.38 and log 7.38 MPN.100 mL-1, respectively. The lowest risk in terms of TC and E. coli presence and load was observed on fresh produce from retail outlets and the highest risk was on fresh produce from farmers’ markets. Phenotypic dendrograms and a PCA plot were statistically constructed to determine similarity groupings of the isolates and three main E. coli clusters were formed. These three clusters could not be directly linked to a specific produce type or source type. A larger variation E. coli phenotypes was observed present on fresh produce within the three clusters. All E. coli isolates were also subjected to triplex and multiplex PCR analysis to identify their phylogenetic groups and the presence of INPEC and ExPEC strains. Fourteen isolates belonged to genotypic group A0, 11 to A1, 20 to B1, 7 to B23 and 11 to D2. Thus a large variation E. coli genotypes are present but it cannot be linked to a specific source type or produce type. Multiplex PCR testing for INPEC revealed that none of the E. coli isolates were carriers of the INPEC genes. The isolates were also tested for the presence of ExPEC gene sequences: papA, papC, sfa/foc, iutA, kpsMT II and afa/dra. None of the isolates were classified as ExPEC (which required the presence of two or more genes) but three of the isolates did test positive for the presence of the kpsMT II gene. The latter could indicate that potentially pathogenic E. coli can be evolving in the environment and increase the risk of pathogenic E. coli occurring on fresh produce. In conclusion, the presence of E. coli (commensal or pathogenic) on fresh produce is unacceptable according the South African Department of Health. According to this study the identification of E. coli types could not be correlated with the presence of E. coli on the different produce types and thus the presence of E. coli on fresh produce is unpredictable. It is recommended that extensive safety precautions should be in place throughout every step in the production chain from harvest to the consumer’s kitchen to reduce the probability of contamination of fresh produce. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Suid-Afrika is ‘n waterskaars land en boere word gedwing om rivier water te gebruik vir gewas besproeiing. Kontaminasie van Suid-Afrikaanse riviere is al telkemale aangemeld en die oordrag van bakterieë vanaf rivierwater na vars produkte is al voorheen bevestig. Voedselverwante uitbrake wat gekoppel is aan vars produkte is besig om wêreldwyd toe te neem. ‘n Totaal van 151 vars produk monsters (blaarslaai, tamaties, boontjies, ertjies, koljander, basilie, kruisement, roket, tiemie, spinasie, kool, pietersielie en spruite) was verkry van klein-skaalse en kommersiële plase, plaasmarkte en kettingwinkels. Totale kolivorme (TK) en E. coli tellings op die vars produkte is bepaal deur middel van Colilert-18. Isolate word fenotipies gekarakteriseer en geïdentifiseer met die API sisteem en die E. coli identifikasie is bevestig met uidA PKR. Drie-en-sestig E. coli isolate is geïdentifiseer. Drie is nie met met die API sisteem as E. coli geklassifiseer nie, maar was wel positief vir die uidA geen. Die TK tellings vir die vars produkte van die plase, plaasmarkte en kettingwinkels was almal in die reeks van log 3 tot log 8.38 MPN.100 mL-1. Escherichia coli teenwoordigheid was die meeste op groente monsters van plaasmarkte, maar die hoogste E. coli telling (log 7.83 MPN.100 mL-1) was op ‘n kool monster van ‘n kommersiële plaas. Escherichia coli was teenwoordig op 8% van die vars produk monsters. Die maksimum TK en E. coli wat teenwoordig was op die vars produkte was log 8.38 en log 7.38 MPN.100 mL-1 onderskeidelik. Die laagste risiko in terme van TK en E. coli teenwoordigheid en tellings is waargeneem op vars produkte van kettingwinkels en die hoogste risiko is op vars produkte van plaasmarkte. Fenotipiese dendrogramme en ‘n PKA plot is statisties gekonstrueer om ooreenstemende groepe van isolate te identifiseer en drie hoof groepe is gevorm. Daar kon geen direkte verband gevind word tussen hierdie drie groepe en ‘n spesifieke produk-tipe of ‘n spesifieke bron-tipe nie. ‘n Groter variasie in E. coli fenotipes teenwoordig op die vars produkte is waargeneem binne die drie groepe. Alle E. coli isolate was onderworpe aan tripleks en multipleks PKR analise om die filogenetiese groep van elke isolaat te bepaal en of enige INPEC of ExPEC stamme teenwoordig is. Veertien isolate behoort aan genotipiese groep A0, 11 aan A1, 20 aan B1, 7 aan B23 en 11 aan D2. Dus is ‘n groot variasie E. coli genotipes teenwoordig maar dit kan nie gekoppel word aan ‘n spesifieke produk-tipe of bron-tipe nie. Multipleks PKR analise vir INPEC het gewys dat geeneen van die E. coli isolate enige INPEC gene dra nie. Die isolate is ook getoets vir die teenwoordigheid van ExPEC geen volgordes: papA, papC, sfa/foc, iutA, kpsMT II en afa/dra. Geeneen van die isolate is geklassifiseer as ExPEC (wat die teenwoordigheid van twee of meer gene vereis) nie, maar drie van die isolate het wel positief getoets vir die teenwoordigheid van die kpsMT II geen. Laasgenoemde kan ‘n aanduiding wees dat potensiële patogeniese E. coli in die omgewing kan ontwikkel en dus dan die risiko van die teenwoordigheid van patogeniese E. coli op vars produkte sal verhoog. Ter afsluiting, die teenwoordigheid van E. coli (nie-patogenies en patogenies) op vars produkte is onaanvaarbaar volgens die Suid-Afrikaanse Departement van Gesondheid. Volgens hierdie studie kan die identifisering van E. coli tipes nie gekorreleer word met die teenwoordigheid van E. coli op verskillende produk-tipes nie en dus is die teenwoordigheid van E. coli op vars produkte onvoorspelbaar. Dit word aanbeveel dat ekstensiewe voorsorgmaatreëls in plek moet wees in elke stap dwarsdeur die produksie ketting, vanaf oestyd tot in die verbruiker se kombuis, om die moontlikheid van vars produk kontaminasie te verminder.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:35:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-01-22Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:26:50Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 prior_m_dr_botfca.pdf: 609810 bytes, checksum: 6b9456e563b46b7994e59d010c70f78f (MD5) / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / A região Oeste do Paraná é grande produtora de suínos, devido a isso, tem-se tornado um problema sério o grande número de dejetos líquidos gerados por essa atividade, além de ser considerada como causadora de degradação ambiental. O uso da água residuária de suinocultura (ARS) vem sendo aplicado ao solo como forma de adubação em várias culturas, o que melhora as condições do solo devido ao fornecimento de nutrientes, além de economizar custos com fertilização e água potável. Entretanto, a utilização da ARS na agricultura pode causar problemas, quando realizada de forma inadequada, devido à falta de informações sobre a taxa de aplicação adequada. Neste contexto, este trabalho teve por objetivo quantificar elementos e variáveis no solo e lixiviado quanto aos parâmetro físicos e químicos, bem como avaliar o comportamento da cultura em função da aplicação de água residuária de suinocultura (ARS) em um Latossolo Vermelho Distroférrico típico cultivado com milho. O experimento foi conduzido em ambiente protegido, onde foram construídos 24 lisímetros de drenagem, que receberam água residuária de suinocultura (ARS), sendo aplicadas cinco taxas de ARS (0; 112,5; 225; 337,5 e 450 m3 ha-1 no ciclo), combinadas com duas adubações de solo (50 e 75%), em três repetições por tratamento, sendo distribuídas em cinco aplicações durante o ciclo da cultura. Fez-se irrigações de acordo com a precipitação média ocorrida no período, quinzenalmente, resultando em seis coletas do material lixiviado, que foi analisado quanto ao N total, NO3 -, NO- 2, pH, CE, Ca, Mg, Na, K e P. Durante o ciclo da cultura do milho foram coletadas cinco amostras de solo de cada uma das parcelas analisadas quanto ao N total, N orgânico, N inorgânico, NH4 +, NO3 -, Na, pH, CE, MO, P, Ca, Mg, K, V%, CTC, P, Cu, Fe, Mn e Zn. Para o comportamento da cultura foi avaliado o diâmetro... / West of Paraná is a big producer of swine, due to that, it has been turning a serious problem the great volume of liquid dejections generated by this activity, besides it is considered as responsible of environmental degradation. The use of the swine wastewater (ARS) has been applied to the soil as a manuring form in several cultures, that improves the conditions of the soil due to the supply of nutrients, besides saving costs with fertilization and drinking water. However, the use of ARS in the agriculture can cause problems, once the application is made in an inadequate way, due to the lack of information about the appropriate rate of application. In this context, this work had for objective to evaluate the effects caused in the soil and leached as for the parameters physicists and chemical, as well as to evaluate the behavior of the culture in function of the swine wastewater application (ARS) in a Typical Dystroferric Red Latosol cultivated with corn. The experiment was driven in protected atmosphere, where 24 drainage lisimiters were built, that received swine wastewater (ARS), where it was applied five rates of ARS (0; 112,5; 225; 337,5 and 450 m3 ha-1 in the cycle), combined with two soil manurings (50 and 75%), in three repetitions for treatment, where it was distributed in five applications during the cycle of the culture. It was made irrigations in agreement with the medium precipitation happened in the period, biweekly, resulting in six collections of the leached material, that it was analyzed as for total N, NO3, NO2, pH, CE, Ca, Mg, Na, K and P.