Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Entomology / C. M. Smith / Brenda Oppert / Coleopteran insects compensate for dietary protease inhibitors by a number of mechanisms. To study this compensation response at the molecular level, the digestive proteases of Tenebrio molitor were studied. Biochemical studies of the pH optima and inhibitor sensitivity of proteases indicated the cysteine proteases were mostly in the anterior and serine proteases were in the posterior midgut of T. molitor larvae. Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) from T. molitor larval midgut cDNA libraries contained sequences encoding putative digestive proteases. Of a total of 1,528 cDNA sequences, 92 cDNAs encoded proteases, and 50 full-length cDNAs were grouped into serine, cysteine and metallo protease classes. Sequences tmt1a, tmt1b and tmt1c were identified as genes encoding isoforms of T. molitor trypsin, and tmc1a encoded T. molitor chymotrypsin. The general distribution cysteine protease transcripts in the anterior and serine protease transcripts in the posterior midgut, of T. molitor larvae, was in agreement with the biochemically-characterized compartmentalization of proteases. Expression analyses of selected transcripts demonstrated varied expression patterns across five developmental stages of T. molitor, with maximal expression of most protease transcripts in first instar larvae. Dietary serine and cysteine protease inhibitors fed in combination to early-instar T. molitor larvae caused a significant delay in larval growth in 21-day-old larvae. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis of RNA isolated from larvae fed different protease inhibitor treatments indicated that dietary inhibitors affected the expression of serine and cysteine proteases. Larvae fed soybean trypsin inhibitor, a serine protease inhibitor, compensated by the hyperproduction of proteases from the same class, as well as the upregulation of cysteine proteases. A cysteine protease inhibitor, E-64, caused a reduction in the hyperproduction of all proteases, and, in combination with the soybean trypsin inhibitor, lowered the compensation response of T. molitor larvae to negligible levels. These data suggest that T. molitor larvae are more sensitive to the effects of cysteine protease inhibitors, perhaps because these proteases are the first line of defense for larvae against plant protease inhibitor. The bioassay and molecular studies suggested that combinations of inhibitors that target both serine and cysteine proteases are needed to effectively control larval infestations of T. molitor.

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal.

La présente thèse s’intéresse à l’annotation multimodale d’images dans le contexte des médias sociaux. Notre objectif est de combiner les modalités visuelles et textuelles (tags) afin d’améliorer les performances d’annotation d’images. Cependant, ces tags sont généralement issus d’une indexation personnelle, fournissant une information imparfaite et partiellement pertinente pour un objectif de description du contenu sémantique de l’image. En outre, en combinant les scores de prédiction de différents classifieurs appris sur les différentes modalités, l’annotation multimodale d’image fait face à leurs imperfections: l’incertitude, l’imprécision et l’incomplétude. Dans cette thèse, nous considérons que l’annotation multimodale d’image est soumise à ces imperfections à deux niveaux : niveau représentation et niveau décision. Inspiré de la théorie de fusion de l’information, nous concentrons nos efforts dans cette thèse sur la définition, l’identification et la prise en compte de ces aspects d’imperfections afin d’améliorer l’annotation d’images. / This thesis deals with multimodal image annotation in the context of social media. We seek to take advantage of textual (tags) and visual information in order to enhance the image annotation performances. However, these tags are often noisy, overly personalized and only a few of them are related to the semantic visual content of the image. In addition, when combining prediction scores from different classifiers learned on different modalities, multimodal image annotation faces their imperfections (uncertainty, imprecision and incompleteness). Consequently, we consider that multimodal image annotation is subject to imperfections at two levels: the representation and the decision. Inspired from the information fusion theory, we focus in this thesis on defining, identifying and handling imperfection aspects in order to improve image annotation.

The major advantages of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology over barcodes are that the RFID-tagged objects do not require to be in line-of-sight with the reader for their identification and multiple objects can be read simultaneously. But when multiple objects are read simultaneously there is always a problem of collision which reduces the efficiency of the system. This thesis presents a comprehensive study of the dynamic framed slotted ALOHA (DFSA)-based anti-collision multi-tag identification algorithms for passive RFID system. Performance of various DFSA algorithms is compared through extensive simulation results. In addition, a number of simple performance improvement techniques have also been investigated in this thesis, including improved estimation techniques for the number of tags in each read cycle and a low-complexity heuristic stopping criterion that can be easily implemented in the practical system.

Orientador: Leonardo Lorenzo Bravo Roger / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Tecnologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-26T21:14:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 SantosSouza_GilbertodeTadeu_M.pdf: 4051949 bytes, checksum: 3271a81290629f1d51c661d022a0cbd7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015 / Resumo: O projeto e a análise teórico-experimental de uma nova etiqueta sem chip para RFID com comunicação redundante é apresentado. Esta nova etiqueta poderá ser capaz de operar em duas bandas de frequências diferentes para a transmissão da informação binária, aproveitando a utilização em sua concepção de antenas dual-band. A técnica aqui mencionada é clássica, conhecida como diversidade de frequência, mas é utilizada neste trabalho pela primeira vez aplicada em etiquetas chipless de RFID visando aumentar a confiabilidade da comunicação com as leitoras de RFID. Simulações realizadas do novo dispositivo proposto com o software HFSS (High Frequency Structural Simulator) mostraram o seu desempenho adequado. A metodologia do projeto é apresentada passo a passo e os resultados são analisados e discutidos no texto / Abstract: The project and the theoretical-experimental analysis of a new chipless RFID tag with redundant communication is presented. This new tag may be capable to operate in two different frequencies bands for the transmission of binary information, taking advantage of the use in its design of dual-band antennas. The technique mentioned here is classic, known as frequency diversity, but it is used in this work for the first time applied in chipless RFID tags to increase the reliability of the communication with the RFID readers. Simulations of the proposed new device with HFSS (High Frequency Structural Simulator) software showed an adequate performance. The project methodology is presented step by step and the results are analyzed and discussed in the text / Mestrado / Tecnologia e Inovação / Mestre em Tecnologia

Dada a grande quantidade de conteúdo criado por usuários na Web, uma proposta para ajudar na busca e organização é a criação de sistemas de anotações (tagging systems), normalmente na forma de palavras-chave, extraídas do próprio conteúdo ou sugeridas por visitantes. Esse trabalho aplica um algoritmo de mineração de dados em um banco de dados RDF, contendo instâncias que podem fazer referências à rede Linked Data do DBpedia, para recomendação de tags utilizando as medidas de similaridade taxonômica, relacional e literal de descrições RDF. O banco de dados utilizado é o Arquigrafia, um sistema de banco de dados na Web cujo objetivo é catalogar imagens de projetos arquitetônicos, e que permite que visitantes adicionem tags às imagens. Foram realizados experimentos para a avaliação da qualidade das recomendações de tags realizadas considerando diferentes modelos do Arquigrafia incluindo o modelo estendido do Arquigrafia que faz referências ao DBpedia. Os resultados mostram que a qualidade da recomendação de determinadas tags pode melhorar quando consideramos diferentes modelos (com referências à rede Linked Data do DBpedia) na fase de aprendizado. / Given the huge content created by users in the Web, a way to help in search and organization is the creation of tagging systems, usually in a keyword form (extracted from the Web content or suggested by users). This work applies a data mining algorithm in a RDF database, which contain instances that can reference the DBpedia Linked Data repository, to recommend tags using the taxonomic, relational and literal similarities from RDF descriptions. The database used is the Arquigrafia, a database system available in the Web which goal is to catalog architecture projects, and it allows a user to add tags to images. Experiments were performed to evaluate the quality of the tag recommendations made considering differents models of Arquigrafia\'s database, including an extended model which has references to DBpedia. The results shown that the quality of the recommendations of some tags can be improved when we consider different models (with references to DBpedia Linked Data repository) in the learning phase.

This qualitative study focuses on perceptions of actors within protracted social conflicts and the value of using self-categorization as a tool to increase understanding of conflict actors as a step towards to finding alternative solutions. It compares self-perceptions of the Hilltop Youth, a radical settler group in the West Bank region in the Middle East, to categorizations used in all of the established literature on the group. Five categories that are recurring in the literature on the Hilltop Youth (terrorists, vigilantes, active flank within a social movement, gang, and activist) are contrasted with Self-Categorization theory and will be used as a tool to determine the self-image of the group as displayed in the digital and social media. The findings show that the category that finds common ground between the two perspectives is activists. The Hilltop Youth view themselves as freedom fighters, doing what they are chosen to do: settle the land, already promised to them.  Their actions and beliefs translate to political activism this both including building homes and creating outposts as well as conducting “price tag” attacks. The findings underline the difference in perceived realities between the Hilltop Youth and researchers. Concluding the need to incorporate the perspective of the actor itself in order to create a sustainable peace based on the same reality, something that have been overlooked in previous Hilltop Youth research.

This thesis deals with the history of a method of plants cultivation without original substrate. The method is hydroponics and its subsequent development is called aeroponics. This work outlines the design of the whole aeroponic system including a control unit. The control unit has been designed to control the injection of nutrient solution, which is essential to the life of plants.Further, the control unit performs the control of lighting period, temperature, air flow and also regulation of nutrient solution pH. The control unit also keeps records of all data necessary for the monitoring process and for the evaluation of time differencies in the system.

The project deals with a theoretical design of passive ultra-high frequency radio identification (UHF RFID) tag for the measurement of liquid levels. Liquid level has an influence on the input impedance of an RFID tag antenna. The changes of input impedance have been used to distinguish individual liquid levels. Furthermore, this project presents optimization methods for the highest efficiency of an UHF RFID tag in Matlab and it aims to design a suitable antenna within CST MICROWAVE STUDIO.

This work pursues the methods of data collection - the photographs of illegal graffiti and sets of metadata. It is a part of TagBust system being developed in order to prevent this kind of vandalism and seek restitution for the property damage that has already been done. Particular emphasis is placed on the implementation of the application for mobile devices being the rapidly expanding platform.