Accurate, non-invasive determination of multiphase fluids distribution in reservoir rock can greatly help the evaluation and monitoring of oil reservoirs. This laboratory thesis research, carried but utilizing the biomedical engineering concepts and measurement facilities, is an important step in developing a novel magnetic field-based oil detection method. When paramagnetic nanoparticles are either adsorbed oil/water interface or dispersed in a fluid phase in reservoir rock pores, and exposed to external magnetic field, the resultant particle movements displace the interface. Interfacial tension acts as a restoring force, leading to interfacial fluctuation and a pressure (sound) save. As the first step, the motion of the interface between a suspension of paramagnetic nanoparticles and a non-magnetized fluid (placed in a cylindrical dish) is measured by phase-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT). Experiments were carried out with a range of iron-oxide nanoparticles that were synthesized and surface-coated by our Chemical Engineering collaborators. The numerical method was improved to be volume conserving, and extended to 3D, for more quantitative matching. The measurements of interfacial motion by PS-OCT confirm theoretical predictions of the frequency doubling and importance of material properties, such as the particle size, for the interface displacements. The relative densities of the fluid phase(air/aqueous and dodecane/aqueous) strongly affect the interfacial displacement. Next, the acoustic responses to the external magnetic oscillation, from the rock samples into which different aqueous dispersions of nanoparticles were injected, were measured in terms of the magnetic frequency, nanoparticle concentration, and other process parameters. Subsequently, the PS-OCT displacements in response to the external magnetic oscillation, from the rock samples into which different aqueous dispersions of nanoparticles were injected, were also measured in terms of the magnetic frequency, nanoparticle concentration, and other process parameters. Conclusions and the recommendations for further study are then given. / text

In this research work, we propose a facial expression classification method using metric learning-based k-nearest neighbor voting. To achieve accurate classification of a facial expression from frontal face images, we first learn a distance metric structure from training data that characterizes the feature space pattern, then use this metric to retrieve the nearest neighbors from the training dataset, and finally output the classification decision accordingly. An expression is represented as a fusion of face shape and texture. This representation is based on registering a face image with a landmarking shape model and extracting Gabor features from local patches around landmarks. This type of representation achieves robustness and effectiveness by using an ensemble of local patch feature detectors at a global shape level. A naive implementation of the metric learning-based k-nearest neighbor would incur a time complexity proportional to the size of the training dataset, which precludes this method being used with enormous datasets. To scale to potential larger databases, a similar approach to that in [24] is used to achieve an approximate yet efficient ML-based kNN voting based on Locality Sensitive Hashing (LSH). A query example is directly hashed to the bucket of a pre-computed hash table where candidate nearest neighbors can be found, and there is no need to search the entire database for nearest neighbors. Experimental results on the Cohn-Kanade database and the Moving Faces and People database show that both ML-based kNN voting and its LSH approximation outperform the state-of-the-art, demonstrating the superiority and scalability of our method. / text

Στην παρούσα διατριβή μελετήθηκε μια φυλοσύνδετη θερμοευαίσθητη μετάλλαξη, η wiser, η οποία προέκυψε από μια δυσγενική διασταύρωση με το 23.5 hobo MRF στέλεχος και οφείλεται σε ένθεση Ρ στοιχείου στη θέση 7Ε του Χ χρωμοσώματος. Μελέτες βιωσιμότητας έδειξαν ότι τα κρίσιμα στάδια στα οποία η μετάλλαξη επιφέρει το θάνατο των ατόμων είναι της προνύμφης και της νύμφης. Στο στάδιο της νύμφης στους 29οC τα άτομα πεθαίνουν λίγο πριν ή κατά τη διάρκεια της εκκόλαψης των ακμαίων ατόμων. Η Ρ ένθεση εντοπίζεται στην 5’ ρυθμιστική περιοχή του γονιδίου CG32711. Το γονίδιο CG32711 δίνει δύο μετάγραφα που προκύπτουν από εναλλακτική συρραφή και όχι ένα όπως προβλέπεται στη Flybase. Η προβλεπόμενη μεταφραζόμενη περιοχή είναι κοινή και για τα δύο μετάγραφα. Η ανάλυση κατά Western αποκάλυψε ότι το γονίδιο μεταφράζεται και δίνει δύο πρωτεϊνικές ισομορφές με μοριακό βάρος περίπου 8 και 9 kD. Με βάση τη δομή της πρωτεΐνης, η ισομορφή των 9 kD πρέπει να οφείλεται σε μετα-μεταφραστική τροποποίηση. Στα κανονικά άτομα στα στάδια της προνύμφης εκφράζεται η ισομορφή των 8 kD, της νύμφης και οι δύο και στα ακμαία η ισομορφή των 9 kD. Ο μεταλλαγμένος φαινότυπος στο στέλεχος wiser πρέπει να οφείλεται στην μη σωστή έκφραση της ισομορφής των 9 kD κατά τη διάρκεια της ανάπτυξης. Από τα αποτελέσματα της RNA in situ υβριδοποίησης, της ανοσοϊστοχημείας και της εκτοπικής έκφρασης προκύπτει ότι το γονίδιο εμπλέκεται στη γλοιογένεση, την ανάπτυξη του τραχειακού συστήματος, των αιμοκυττάρων, τη μορφογένεση των φτερών, των ποδιών και των ματιών και είναι απαραίτητο για τη βιωσιμότητα των ατόμων. Η πρωτεΐνη CG32711 μπορεί να δρα ως ενδιάμεσο μόριο σε ένα ευρύτερο μονοπάτι ενεργοποίησης άλλων μορίων που επηρεάζουν τις παραπάνω λειτουργίες. Εκτοπική έκφραση της προβλεπόμενης μεταφραζόμενης περιοχής του γονιδίου οδήγησε σε λειτουργική πρωτεΐνη. Εκφραζόμενη υπό τον έλεγχο της ρυθμιστικής περιοχής του γονιδίου apmd544 οδήγησε στην εκκόλαψη ακμαίων ατόμων wiser στους 29οC. Υπερέκφραση της προβλεπόμενης μεταφραζόμενης περιοχής του γονιδίου CG32711 υπό τον έλεγχο των ρυθμιστικών περιοχών των αλληλομόρφων των γονιδίων apmd544 και elavC155 οδήγησε σε υπερέχουσες φαινοτυπικές ανωμαλίες στα φτερά, τα πόδια, τα μάτια και το θώρακα. Γεγονός που δείχνει ότι η έκφραση του γονιδίου είναι δοσοευαίσθητη. Τέλος, στην 5΄ρυθμιστική περιοχή του γονιδίου CG32711 υπάρχουν περιοχές με διαφορετικές ιδιότητες. Δύο άλλες Ρ ενθέσεις (οι PL26 και PL28) σε διαφορετικές θέσεις της οδηγούν σε θανατογόνες μεταλλάξεις με διαφορετικές ιδιότητες ως προς το πρότυπο έκφρασης. / In the present study we describe the genetic, molecular and developmental properties of an X-linked temperature sensitive mutation in Drosophila melanogaster. The mutant flies emerged at 19oC have incised wings, smaller and rough eyes. For this reason we have named the mutation wiser (wings scalloped-eyes rough). At 29oC the mutation is lethal. The lethality occurs at the stage of late pupae, just before or during the eclosion of imago. The mutation occurred from a dysgenic cross with the 23.5 hobo MRF strain and is due to a P element insertion at the locus 7E. Viability studies showed that the mutation causes the death of the mutants also at the stage of 3rd instar larvae at 29oC and acts as semi-lethal. The P insertion is located 490bp upstream the predicted coding region of the gene CG32711. The gene is transcribed in two mRNA, not in one as predicted in Flybase. The two transcripts have shown quantitative differences among the developmental stages that where examined in both the mutant strain wiser and the wild-type Canton-s both in 19oC and 29oC. The longer transcript derives from alternative splicing in 260nt of the first intron. The predicted translated region is identical to both transcripts. Western analysis revealed that the gene is translated in two protein isoforms of 8 kD and 9 kD probably due to post-translational modification. The pattern expression of the two isoforms in the wild-type strain is the following: at the stages of 3rd instar larvae and 1st instar pupae the isoform of 8 kD, at the stages of 2nd and 3rd instar pupae both isoforms and in adults just the protein isoform of 9 kD is expressed. The mutant phenotype and properties are due to the abnormal expression of the protein isoform of 9 kD during the development of the mutants. RNA in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry and ectoping expression of the predicted translated region of the gene CG32711 revealed that the gene plays a functional role in gliogenesis, tracheal and hemocyte development, wing, eye and leg formation and is essential for the survival of the individuals. Ectoping expression of the predicted translated region of the gene CG32711 revealed that the translated protein is functional and when expressed under control of the regulatory region of the gene apterous rescues the mutant flies at 29oC. The function of the gene CG32711 is also dosage-sensitive due to the fact that many individuals carrying phenotype abnormalities in the wings, thorax, eyes and legs were developed by the ectoping expression. Two other lethal mutations PL26 and PL28 are located at the 5´ regulatory region of the gene CG32711. The differences concerning the pattern expression and the properties of these two mutations in relation to those of the wiser mutation, revealed that the three mutations affect the same gene but in a different way.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays an important role in the pathogenesis of obesity-related inflammation and insulin resistance in adipose tissue. However, the mechanisms responsible for induction of ER stress are presently unclear. Proper ER redox state is crucial for oxidative protein folding and secretion and impaired protein folding in ER leads to induction of unfolded protein response and ER stress. However, while ER redox state is more oxidizing compared to the rest of the cell, its regulation is poorly understood. In order to determine the effects of ER redox state on development of ER stress and insulin resistance, several fluorescence-based sensors have been developed. However, these sensors have yielded results that are inconsistent with each other and with earlier non-fluorescence-based studies. In this study we attempted to develop and characterize a sensitive tool to study the ER redox state in adipocytes in real-time by targeting a new generation of redox-sensitive green fluorescent protein (roGFP) to ER. The roGFP1-iL sensor targeted to the ER is termed ‘eroGFP1-iL’ by convention. The ER-targeting eroGFP1-iL construct contains the signal peptide from adiponectin and the ER retention motif KDEL and has a midpoint reduction potential of -229 mV in vitro in oxidized and reduced lipoic acid. Despite having a midpoint reduction potential that is 50 mV higher than the previously determined midpoint reduction potential of the ER, eroGFP1-iL was found capable of detecting both oxidizing and reducing changes in the ER. In an attempt to determine the mechanisms by which roGFP1-iL detects oxidizing changes, we found that, first, glutathione mediated the formation of disulfide-bonded roGFP1-iL dimers with an intermediate excitation fluorescence spectrum resembling a mixture of oxidized and reduced monomers. Second, glutathione facilitated dimerization of roGFP1-iL, which in effect shifted the equilibrium from oxidized monomers to dimers, thereby increasing the molecule’s reduction potential compared with a dithiol redox buffer like lipoic acid. From this study, we concluded that the glutathione redox couple in ER significantly raised the reduction potential of roGFP1-iL in vivo by facilitating its dimerization while preserving its ratiometric nature, which makes it suitable for monitoring oxidizing and reducing changes in ER with high reliability in real-time. The ability of roGFP1-iL to detect both oxidizing and reducing changes in ER and its dynamic response in glutathione redox buffer between approximately -190 and -130 mV in vitro suggest a range of ER redox potential consistent with those determined by earlier approaches that did not involve fluorescent sensors. Our primary aim in developing eroGFP1-iL as a redox-sensing tool was to be able to assess whether redox changes represent an early initiator of ER stress in obesity-induced reduction in high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin in circulation. Hypoxia is a known mediator of redox changes. We found that oligomerization of HMW adiponectin was impaired in the hypoxic conditions observed in differentiated fat cells. The redox-active antioxidant ascorbate was found capable of reversing hypoxia-induced ER stress. Lastly, we demonstrated that changes in ER redox condition is associated with ER stress response and is implicated in the mechanism of action of the insulin-sensitizing agent troglitazone and desensitizing agent palmitate. Using the redox sensing property of eroGFP1-iL, palmitate was found to be an effective modulator of redox changes in the ER and troglitazone was found to cause oxidizing changes in the ER. The action of palmitate in causing aberrant ER redox conditions was associated with aberrant HMW adiponectin multimerization. Palmitate-induced ER stress was ameliorated by troglitazone. Taken together, the data suggest a potential role of ER redox changes in ER stress and impaired protein folding in adipocytes.

This dissertation examines a profit-maximizing project selection and scheduling problem. Assume that a set of potentially profitable projects are available, yet limited available resources may not allow all of them to be pursued. Profit profiles for projects are assumed to be non-increasing functions of project completion times, i.e. profit returns are sensitive to time-to-market. Decision needs to be made on which sub-set of projects should be chosen and how resources should be allocated to these projects such that the total profit is maximized.Formal mathematical models are formulated for various versions of the problem, including such ones incorporating a third team formation aspect. Structure of the problem is examined and insights are gained regarding prioritization of project, specifically. Although prioritization is sub-optimal in general, heuristic solution methods based on prioritization are pursued, since the scheduling sub-problem itself is NP-hard.A decomposition heuristic framework is first proposed to obtain good solutions using minimum computational time. Sets of test instances are generated using project network data from well-known source in the literature. Computational runs reveal that three priority rules achieve significantly better profits than the benchmarking random priority rule.Improving upon the prioritization based decomposition heuristic, an implicit enumeration is proposed. This algorithm does not examine all priority sequences, yet guarantees an optimal priority sequence when the computation is completed. Several fathoming rules are proposed to cut back computational time effectively. Comparison to the profits achieved by the best priority rule and the benchmarking random priority rule shows a significant improvement on profits, yet at a cost of reasonable added computation time.Future research areas include identifying general conditions under which prioritization of projects would lead us to an optimal solution. Developing better upper bounds for the implicit enumeration scheme is also of interest. The team formation aspect has yet to be treated computationally. It would also be of interest to consider how synergy deviation information may be fed back to the earlier stages of project selection and scheduling decision. Trade-off between profit and team synergy may also be considered in the future.

Classification problems arise in so many different parts of life – from sorting machine parts to diagnosing a disease. Humans make these classifications utilizing vast amounts of data, filtering observations for useful information, and then making a decision based on a subjective level of cost/risk of classifying objects incorrectly. This study investigates the translation of the human decision process into a mathematical problem in the context of a border security problem: How does one find special nuclear material being smuggled inside large cargo crates while balancing the cost of invasively searching suspect containers against the risk of al lowing radioactive material to escape detection? This may be phrased as a classification problem in which one classifies cargo containers into two categories – those containing a smuggled source and those containing only innocuous cargo. This task presents numerous challenges, e.g., the stochastic nature of radiation and the low signal-to-noise ratio caused by background radiation and cargo shielding. In the course of this work, we will break the analysis of this problem into three major sections – the development of an optimal decision rule, the choice of most useful measurements or features, and the sensitivity of developed algorithms to physical variations. This will include an examination of how accounting for the cost/risk of a decision affects the formulation of our classification problem. Ultimately, a support vector machine (SVM) framework with F -score feature selection will be developed to provide nearly optimal classification given a constraint on the reliability of detection provided by our algorithm. In particular, this can decrease the fraction of false positives by an order of magnitude over current methods. The proposed method also takes into account the relationship between measurements, whereas current methods deal with detectors independently of one another.

The Saint Lawrence Lowlands in eastern Canada contain extensive deposits of marine soils deposited in post-glacial seas during and following the retreat of the most recent continental glacier. These marine soils include silt and clay deposits known collectively as Champlain clay. When the pore fluid in these marine deposits has changed over time to a lower salinity, the clay can become very sensitive, or demonstrate substantial strength loss after reaching the peak strength with sufficient strain under undrained load conditions. Sensitive clay soils are subject to a peculiar type of very large landslide that typically involves great extents of nearly horizontal ground, usually occurring suddenly and without warning. These landslides tend to be described as “retrogressive” in the literature and practice, implying that they develop as a series of successive small failures that advance rearward until a final stable position is reached. The work of this thesis is organized into four different themes, with an overall objective of understanding the hazard and risk associated with large landslides in sensitive clay to linear infrastructure such as railways. The first theme, documented in Chapter 2, develops a number of spatial relationships between specific physiographic and geologic features and landslide occurrence or absence, as determined through air photo analysis and a review of the literature. The second theme, documented in Chapter 3, presents the construction of a digital database of large landslides in sensitive clay in eastern Canada, for the purposes of studying landslide susceptibility, hazard and risk. The third theme, documented in Chapters 4 and 5, presents and defends a novel mechanical model for development of these large landslides. This model suggests the landslides develop progressively, rather than retrogressively, and the science of fracture mechanics is employed to substantiate the model. The fourth theme, documented in Chapters 6 and 7, synthesizes the findings of the earlier themes and presents a methodology for estimating landslide susceptibility in Champlain clay. That approach is then extended to develop an understanding of the hazard. The concluding chapter extends that work to present an initial appreciation of landslide risk to railways. / Thesis (Ph.D, Geological Sciences & Geological Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2009-04-23 13:22:19.53

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