Beyond the expected DBP exposure from drinking water, dermal from bathing, and inhalation, occurrence in food and beverage items can provide an additional occurrence pathway. Synthetic dyes are often added to beverages for aesthetic purposes and many are in the form of a reactive azo (-N=N-) dye or triarylmethane dye, both with a characteristic aromatic ring. The presence of dyes in beverages that are reconstituted with disinfected tap water pose the risk of reactions with the residual chlorine in the drinking water resulting in decolorization, and of greater concern, disinfection byproduct formation. Additionally, oral over-the-counter (OTC) medications contain chemical constituents that when reconstituted with tap water present a risk of DBP formation. Several studies were performed to evaluate the kinetic decay rates of the dyes and drugs in disinfectants, and the effects of water quality conditions on DBP formation. Commercial beverage products and OTC medications were evaluated for the DBPs that were detected in the free chlorine-treated precursor samples. The dye and drugs precursors followed second order kinetics, with the fastest rates for brilliant blue and phenylephrine in chlorinated water. The effects of water properties on precursor degradation and DBP formation was complex due to the influence of characteristics of precursor molecules. The cytotoxic and anti-estrogenic responses were measured in the dye and drug precursors and their respective beverages and OTC medications, to determine potential links. Mio Energy showed estrogenic character and Alka Seltzer induced an anti-estrogenic and cytotoxic response, however there were no clear linkages between the beverage/ medication and their respective dye and drug precursors.

This bachelor thesis has been collaborated with Saab Dynamics AB in Karlskoga. The purpose is to analyze time-based rangefinder based on Time-to-Digital Converter with short laser pulses. Compensation will be produced for timing walk-error that is introduced by a dynamic problem. The temperatures influence on the distance measurement will be verified. After collecting data from measurements, compensation is produced. With help from the compensation the measurements are working on different targets.

Kam Yuen Kwan = 利用散射及反衝粒子飛行時間譜儀及其他表面分析儀器就LiTaO3對質子及鋰離子交換後改變之研究 / 甘婉君. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references. / Text in English; abstracts in English and Chinese. / Kam Yuen Kwan = Li yong san she ji fan chong li zi fei xing shi jian pu yi ji qi ta biao mian fen xi yi qi jiu LiTaO3 dui zhi zi ji li li zi jiao huan hou gai bian zhi yan jiu / Gan Wanjun. / Acknowledgements --- p.i / Abstract --- p.iii / Table of contents --- p.viii / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Definition of Ferroelectrics --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Common Properties of Ferroelectrics --- p.2 / Chapter 1.3 --- Polarization --- p.2 / Chapter 1.4 --- Lithium Tantalate (LiTa03) --- p.7 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Crystal Structure --- p.8 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Pyroelectric Effect --- p.9 / Chapter 1.4.3 --- Determination of Polarity --- p.10 / Chapter 1.4.4 --- Proton Exchange --- p.11 / Chapter 1.4.5 --- Reverse Exchange --- p.12 / Chapter 1.4.6 --- Applications --- p.13 / Chapter 1.5 --- Emerging Attentions in Surface Properties of Smart Materials --- p.14 / Chapter 1.6 --- Difficulties in Surface Studies of Ferroelectric and Related Smart Materials --- p.15 / Chapter 1.7 --- Recent Developments of TOF-SARS in Our Research Group and Its Applicability on LiTa〇3 --- p.16 / Chapter 1.8 --- Objectives of the Present Thesis Work --- p.17 / Chapter 1.9 --- Organization of the Thesis --- p.17 / Chapter 1.10 --- Reference --- p.18 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Ion Exchange Processes and Sample Prepartion --- p.20 / Chapter 2.1 --- Fundamental of Ion Exchange Technique --- p.20 / Chapter 2.2 --- Sample Preparation --- p.22 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Starting Material --- p.22 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Proton Exchange Procedures --- p.23 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Reverse Exchange Procedures --- p.23 / Chapter 2.3 --- Reference --- p.24 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Time-of-Flight Ion Scattering and Recoiling Spectrometry (TOF-SARS) --- p.26 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.26 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Physics in Elemental Analysis --- p.26 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Physics in Structural Analysis --- p.29 / Chapter 3.2 --- Instrumentation --- p.32 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Vacuum Chamber --- p.33 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Pumping System --- p.35 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Sample Manipulator --- p.35 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Pulsed Ion Beam Line --- p.36 / Chapter 3.2.5 --- Detectors and Associated Electronics --- p.37 / Chapter 3.3 --- Reference --- p.39 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Other Surface Science Tools Used in This Work --- p.41 / Chapter 4.1 --- Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) --- p.41 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Principle of FTIR --- p.41 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Experiment --- p.42 / Chapter 4.1.3 --- Attenuated Total Reflectance (ATR) Mode of FTIR --- p.44 / Chapter 4.2 --- X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) --- p.45 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Basic Principle of XPS --- p.45 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Experimental Set Up --- p.48 / Chapter 4.3 --- Elastic Recoil Detection (ERD) --- p.49 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Basic Theory of ERD --- p.49 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Experimental Set Up --- p.50 / Chapter 4.4 --- Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) --- p.51 / Chapter 4.4.1 --- Working Principle of SEM --- p.52 / Chapter 4.4.2 --- Experimental Set Up --- p.52 / Chapter 4.5 --- Reference --- p.53 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Results and Discussions --- p.54 / Chapter 5.1 --- ERD Results on Incorporation of Protons --- p.54 / Chapter 5.2 --- XPS Results on Proton Exchange and Reverse Exchange --- p.56 / Chapter 5.3 --- FTIR Results on Proton Exchange and Reverse Exchange --- p.57 / Chapter 5.4 --- SEM Results on Domain-Inversion Induced by Proton Exchange --- p.59 / Chapter 5.5 --- TOF-SARS Results on Enhancement of Ion-induced Electron Emission by Proton Exchange --- p.61 / Chapter 5.5.1 --- Typical TOF-SARS Spectra - Data from Molybdenum Sample (Mo) Holder --- p.61 / Chapter 5.5.2 --- Virgin LiTa03 (0001) --- p.62 / Chapter 5.5.3 --- Possible Mechanism for the Variation of O(S) and the Electron Emission Yield --- p.65 / Chapter 5.5.4 --- The Use of O(S) Peak to Calculate the Potential Built Up upon a Change of Temperature --- p.67 / Chapter 5.5.5 --- TOF-SARS Data from the Proton and Lithium-ion Exchanged LiTa03 (0001) --- p.69 / Chapter 5.5.6 --- Plausible Mechanisms of Enhancement of Ion-induced Electron Yield induced by Proton Exchange --- p.70 / Chapter 5.6 --- Additional Discussions of the TOF-SARS Data on LiTa03 and Other Relevant Experiments --- p.75 / Chapter 5.6.1 --- Additional Discussion of the Nature of the Electron Peaks --- p.75 / Chapter 5.6.2 --- Additional Experiments on Azimuthal Angle (δ) Scans --- p.77 / Chapter 5.6.2.1 --- Data from Platinum (Pt) (111) as a Reference Test --- p.77 / Chapter 5.6.2.2 --- Azimuthal Angle Dependence of Ion-induced Electron Emission from Proton-ion Exchanged LiTa03 (0001) --- p.78 / Chapter 5.7 --- Reference --- p.80 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- Conclusion --- p.83 / Chapter Chapter 7 --- Appendix --- p.86 / Chapter 7.1 --- Caption --- p.86 / Chapter 7.2 --- Figures --- p.90

Leang Po Shan = 利用飛行時間散射反衝符號測量譜儀研究LiTaO3(001)單晶之表面電荷動態特性 / 梁寶珊. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 50-51). / Text in English; abstracts in English and Chinese. / Leang Po Shan = Li yong fei xing shi jian san she fan chong fu hao ce liang pu yi yan jiu LiTaO3(001) dan jing zhi biao mian dian he dong tai te xing / Liang Baoshan. / Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Ferroelectricity and pyroelectricity of LiTαO3 --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Surface Studies of Ferroelectrics --- p.5 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Size Effect and Importantce of Surface Properties --- p.5 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- General Difficulties in Surface Studies of Ferroelectrics --- p.5 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Applicability of TOF-SARS in the Analysis of Ferro- electrics --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3 --- Surface Charge Dynamics on Ferroelectrics --- p.7 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Surface Charge Screening of Spontaneous Polarization --- p.7 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Discharge of Excessive Surface Charge --- p.7 / Chapter 1.4 --- Objectives of the Thesis Work: TOF-SARS Study of Surface Charge Dynamics of LiTαO3 --- p.11 / Chapter 2 --- Ion-Surface Interaction --- p.13 / Chapter 3 --- Time-of-Flight (TOF) Ion Scattering and Recoiling Spectrom- eter --- p.17 / Chapter 3.1 --- TOF Ion Scattering and Recoiling Spectrometer --- p.18 / Chapter 3.2 --- Ion Column --- p.19 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Ion Source --- p.19 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Pulsing System --- p.19 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- ExB Wien Filter Mass Analyzer --- p.20 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Einzel Lens --- p.20 / Chapter 3.2.5 --- Neutral Beam Trap --- p.20 / Chapter 3.2.6 --- Vacuum Chamber and Manipulator --- p.20 / Chapter 3.3 --- Variable Angle Detector --- p.23 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Setup --- p.23 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Beam Alignment --- p.24 / Chapter 4 --- Results and Analysis --- p.25 / Chapter 5 --- Study of Charge Relaxation Process --- p.35 / Chapter 5.1 --- Derivation of Surface Electric Potential --- p.35 / Chapter 5.2 --- Data Analysis --- p.40 / Chapter 6 --- Conclusion --- p.49 / Bibliography --- p.50

abstract: Laser radars or lidar’s have been used extensively to remotely study winds within the atmospheric boundary layer and atmospheric transport. Lidar sensors have become an important tool within the meteorology and the wind energy community. For example, Doppler lidars are used frequently in wind resource assessment, wind turbine control as well as in atmospheric science research. A Time of Flight based (ToF) direct detection lidar sensor is used in vehicles to navigate through complex and dynamic environments autonomously. These optical sensors are used to map the environment around the car accurately for perception and localization tasks that help achieve complete autonomy. This thesis begins with a detailed discussion on the fundamentals of a Doppler lidar system. The laser signal flow path to and from the target, the optics of the system and the core signal processing algorithms used to extract velocity information, were studied to get closer to the hardware of a Doppler lidar sensor. A Doppler lidar simulator was built to study the existing signal processing algorithms to detect and estimate doppler frequency, and radial velocity information. Understanding the sensor and its processing at the hardware level is necessary to develop new algorithms to detect and track specific flow structures in the atmosphere. For example, the aircraft vortices have been a topic of extensive research and doppler lidars have proved to be a valuable sensor to detect and track these coherent flow structures. Using the lidar simulator a physics based doppler lidar vortex algorithm is tested on simulated data to track a pair of counter rotating aircraft vortices. At a system level the major components of a time of flight lidar is very similar to a Doppler lidar. The fundamental physics of operation is however different. While doppler lidars are used for radial velocity measurement, ToF sensors as the name suggests provides precise depth measurements by measuring time of flight between the transmitted and the received pulses. The second part of this dissertation begins to explore the details of ToF lidar system. A system level design, to build a ToF direct detection lidar system is presented. Different lidar sensor modalities that are currently used with sensors in the market today for automotive applications were evaluated and a 2D MEMS based scanning lidar system was designed using off-the shelf components. Finally, a range of experiments and tests were completed to evaluate the performance of each sub-component of the lidar sensor prototype. A major portion of the testing was done to align the optics of the system and to ensure maximum field of view overlap for the bi-static laser sensor. As a laser range finder, the system demonstrated capabilities to detect hard targets as far as 32 meters. Time to digital converter (TDC) and an analog to digital converter (ADC) was used for providing accurate timing solutions for the lidar prototype. A Matlab lidar model was built and used to perform trade-off studies that helped choosing components to suit the sensor design specifications. The size, weight and cost of these lidar sensors are still very high and thus making it harder for automotive manufacturers to integrate these sensors into their vehicles. Ongoing research in this field is determined to find a solution that guarantees very high performance in real time and lower its cost over the next decade as components get cheaper and can be seamlessly integrated with cars to improve on-road safety. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Mechanical Engineering 2018

Li, Gang. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 102-108). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.v / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.viii / LIST OF TABLES --- p.xi / ABBREVIATIONS --- p.xii / Chapter Chapter One --- Introduction / Chapter 1.1 --- Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization (MALDI) --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Laser Desorption --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2 --- Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometry --- p.6 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Linear Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometer --- p.6 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Reflectron Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometer --- p.7 / Chapter 1.2.2.1 --- Linear-field Reflectron --- p.9 / Chapter 1.2.2.2 --- Nonlinear-field Reflectron --- p.12 / Chapter 1.3 --- Structural Analysis Using Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometer --- p.13 / Chapter 1.4 --- Project Objectives --- p.17 / Chapter Chapter Two --- Instrumentation and Experimental / Chapter 2.1 --- Instrumentation --- p.20 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Laser system --- p.20 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Flight Tube and Vacuum System --- p.20 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Ion source --- p.22 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Deflector and Time Ion Selector --- p.24 / Chapter 2.1.5 --- Two-stage Gridless Reflectron --- p.28 / Chapter 2.1.6 --- "Detectors, Digitizer and Computer System" --- p.28 / Chapter 2.2 --- Experimental --- p.31 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Sample preparation --- p.32 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- PSD calibration --- p.32 / Chapter Chapter Three --- "Simulation Studies of Time Ion Selector, Collision cells and Curved-field Reflectron" / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.35 / Chapter 3.2 --- Time Ion selector --- p.37 / Chapter 3.3 --- Collision cell --- p.46 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Simulation of Collision Induced Dissociation (CID) Conditions --- p.46 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Design and Performance Evaluation of Different Collision Cells --- p.48 / Chapter 3.4 --- Curved-field reflectron (CFR) --- p.58 / Chapter 3.4.1 --- Introduction --- p.58 / Chapter 3.4.2 --- Derivation of Analytical Equations --- p.58 / Chapter 3.4.3 --- Effect of Floating Potential of the Collision Cell --- p.65 / Chapter 3.4.4 --- Effect of R and θ Parameters --- p.65 / Chapter 3.4.5 --- Effect of Length of the Reflectron --- p.70 / Chapter 3.5 --- Conclusions --- p.73 / Chapter Chapter Four --- Construction and Performance Evaluation of Modified Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometer / Chapter 4.1 --- Benchmark Results for the Origin Reflectron Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometer --- p.75 / Chapter 4.2 --- Hardware Modifications of Reflectron Time-of-flight Mass Spectrometer --- p.75 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Collision Cell --- p.75 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Curved-field Reflectron --- p.79 / Chapter 4.3 --- Evaluation of the Curved-field Reflectron --- p.81 / Chapter 4.4 --- Evaluation of the field-shaped cylindrical collision cell --- p.85 / Chapter 4.5 --- Conclusions --- p.95 / Chapter Chapter Five --- Concluding Remarks / Chapter 5.1 --- Concluding Remarks --- p.100 / References --- p.101 / Appendix / Appendix 1 User program for time ion selection --- p.108 / Appendix 2 User program for gas collision --- p.111 / Appendix 3 MATHEMATICA program used in calculation for curved-fleld reflectron --- p.114

Isotachophoresis (ITP) coupled to capillary zone electrophoresis (CE) in a comprehensive manner was used to separate mixture components in both insufficient and sufficient concentrations without heart-cutting or splitting. Examples of comprehensive ITP-CE involving multiple CE injections of preconcentrated ITP zones are demonstrated. In the comprehensive arrangement, all of the sample in the first dimension (ITP) is subjected to analysis in the second dimension (CE), without significant sample loss or decrease in sample detectability resulting from removal of a portion of the sample. This is especially important for analytes at low concentrations which may form a single mixed zone instead of individual ITP zones. Direct online coupling of ITP to CE in this comprehensive arrangement involved the use of columns having different diameters with one directly inserted inside the other. A counterflow was applied when the isotachophoretic sample stack reached the bifurcation point. Large volume (10 µL) injections were made using an electrically-insulated commercial polymeric rotary valve injector for increased reproducibility compared to previous comprehensive ITP-CE studies, with ITP and CE retention time RSD values ranging from 2-5%. An ultraviolet (UV) detector positioned at the bifurcation point was used to determine the beginning of CE injection. Application of a splitting voltage at the bifurcation point showed no affect on analyte transfer into the CE column. By using multiple injections of the ITP band(s), CE column overloading was not observed. Online capillary isotachophoresis (ITP) and comprehensive isotachophoresis-capillary electrophoresis (ITP-CE) were also coupled with electrospray ionization (ESI)-orthogonal acceleration time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS). Separations were performed using 200 µm I.D. and 50 µM I.D. polyvinylalcohol (PVA)-coated fused silica capillaries for ITP and CE, respectively. Both ITP and ITP-CE were coupled to TOFMS for analysis of sufficient (10-5 M) and insufficient (10-6-10-7 M) concentrations of angiotensins in mixtures. ITP-TOFMS of a single mixed zone of five angiotensins (3 x 10-7 M) showed that ion suppression due to the co-elution of angiotensin III in the electrospray significantly reduced the ionization of other analytes. A practical solution to the detection difficulties for ITP mixed zones involved the insertion of a CE separation between the ITP and TOFMS for online preconcentration, separation, and identification in one system.

The observation, control and the maintenance of the physical condition of sows in acceptable levels are critical to maintain the animal welfare and production in appropriate standards. Lameness causes pain making locomotion difficult. However, lameness is a common disorder in sows that causes negative impacts in both welfare and production. Since the animals that demonstrate this problem, have a smaller number of born-alive piglets, fewer gestation per year and are removed from the herd at a younger age than the ideal. In addition, it is industry practice to limit feed sows to ensure that they remain at an ideal condition score. It is known that, during gestation, each sow should receive a different amount of food according to its body condition. Underweight animals have nutritional deficiency and lower number of piglets per litter. On the other hand, overweight sows have an abnormal development of mammary glands, reducing the amount of milk produced during lactation, causing economic losses. However, moving sows to group gestation makes it difficult to monitor condition score in gestating sows. Both the detection of lameness and the classification of body condition are currently assessed using subjective methods, which is time consuming and difficult to accurately complete. Therefore, the early recognition of animals that present physical condition outside the standards is important to prevent production losses caused by both the aggravation of the conditions presented and the impact on the animals\' welfare. The objective of this project is to obtain three characteristics (body condition score, mass and backfat thickness) through depth images, that proved to be effective on the acquisition of these features in other animals (boars and cows). The second objective is to develop a method for early detection of lameness using the kinematic approach, that has been generating good results and which difficulties have the potential to be reduced by using depth images instead of the method of reflective markers currently used. To predict body condition, a multiple linear regression was obtained using the minor axis of the ellipse fitted around sow\'s body, the width at shoulders, and the angle, of the last rib\'s curvature. To predict backfat, a multiple linear regression was performed using the height of last rib\'s curvature, the perimeter of sow\'s body, the major axis of the ellipse fitted around sow\'s body, the length from snout to rump, and the predicted body condition score. It was possible to obtain the body mass with a simple linear regression using the projected volume of the sows\' body. For lameness detection, three models presented the best accuracy (76.9%): linear discriminant analysis, fine 1-nearest neighbor, and weighted 10-nearest neighbors. The input variables used on the models were obtained from depth videos (number, time, and length of steps for each of the four regions analyzed - left and right shoulders and left and right hips; total walk time; and number of local maxima for head region). As a result of these studies, it has been demonstrated that a depth camera can be used to automate the weight, condition score, backfat thickness, and lameness acquisition/detection in gestating and lactating sows. / A observação, o controle e a manutenção das condições físicas de matrizes suínas em níveis aceitáveis são fundamentais para manter o bem-estar animal e a produção em padrões adequados. A claudicação causa dor e dificuldade de locomoção e, no entanto, é uma desordem comum em matrizes suínas que, além do impacto negativo no bem-estar, gera, também, grandes impactos na produção, uma vez que os animais que demonstram esse problema, apresentam um menor número de leitões nascidos vivos, menor número de partos por ano e são removidas do rebanho a uma idade mais jovem do que a ideal. Sabe-se, ainda, que, durante a gestação, cada matriz deve receber uma quantidade de ração diferenciada de acordo com sua condição corporal. Animais abaixo do peso apresentam deficiência nutricional e menor número de leitões nascidos por ninhada. Já as matrizes com excesso de peso apresentam um desenvolvimento anormal das glândulas mamárias, reduzindo a quantidade de leite produzida durante a lactação, acarretando em perdas econômicas. Tanto a detecção da claudicação quanto a classificação da condição corporal são feitos por meios subjetivos e dependentes da opinião pessoal do tratador, o que pode gerar divergências entre as classificações dadas por cada indivíduo. Destaca-se, portanto, a importância do reconhecimento precoce de animais que apresentam condições físicas fora dos padrões exigidos, visando a prevenção de perdas produtivas causadas tanto pelo agravamento das condições apresentadas quanto pelo grande impacto no bem-estar dos animais. Tendo-se isso em vista, o presente trabalho visou obter três características (escore de condição corporal, massa corporal e espessura de toucinho) por meio de imagens em profundidade, que se mostraram eficazes na obtenção dessas características em outros animais (suínos machos não- castrados e vacas leiteiras). Além disso, buscou-se desenvolver um método para a detecção precoce de claudicação em matrizes suínas, utilizando-se a abordagem da cinemática dos animais, que vem dando bons resultados e cujas dificuldades têm potencial para serem sanadas por meio do uso de imagens em profundidade em vez do método de marcadores reflexivos utilizado atualmente. Para predizer a condição corporal, uma regressão linear múltipla foi obtida usando o menor eixo da elipse ajustada ao redor do corpo da matriz suína, a largura dos ombros e o ângulo da curvatura da última costela. Para predizer a espessura de toucinho, foi realizada uma regressão linear múltipla usando a altura curvatura da última da costela, o perímetro do corpo da matriz, o maior eixo da elipse ajustada, o comprimento do focinho à cauda e o escore predito da condição corporal. Foi possível obter a massa corporal com uma regressão linear simples usando o volume projetado do corpo das matrizes. Para detecção de claudicação, três modelos apresentaram a melhor precisão (76,9%): análise discriminante linear, 1 vizinho mais próximo e 10 vizinhos mais próximos. As variáveis de entrada utilizadas nos modelos foram obtidas a partir de vídeos em profundidade (número, tempo e comprimento de passos para cada uma das quatro regiões analisadas-ombros esquerdo e direito e quadris esquerdo e direito; tempo total de caminhada e número de máximos locais para a região da cabeça). Como resultado desses estudos, observou-se que câmeras em profundidade podem ser utilizadas na automação de medidas de peso, condição corporal, espessura de toucinho e claudicação de matrizes suínas.

<p>Time of flight is an imaging technique with uses depth information to capture 3D information in a scene. Recent developments in the technology have made ToF cameras more widely available and practical to work with. The cameras now enable real time 3D imaging and positioning in a compact unit, making the technology suitable for variety of object recognition tasks</p><p>An object recognition system for locating teats is at the center of the DeLaval VMS, which is a fully automated system for milking cows. By implementing ToF technology as part of the visual detection procedure, it would be possible to locate and track all four teat’s positions in real time and potentially provide an improvement compared with the current system.</p><p>The developed algorithm for teat detection is able to locate teat shaped objects in scenes and extract information of their position, width and orientation. These parameters are determined with an accuracy of millimeters. The algorithm also shows promising results when tested on real cows. Although detecting many false positives the algorithm was able to correctly detected 171 out of 232 visible teats in a test set of real cow images. This result is a satisfying proof of concept and shows the potential of ToF technology in the field of automated milking.</p>

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous contaminants and are mostly products of the incomplete combustion of organic material. PAHs are often found in environmental samples as a complex mixture of isomers. In addition, the same sources that produce complex PAH mixtures also produce other poorly characterized mixtures of organic compounds, commonly referred to as an unresolved complex mixture (UCM), that act as matrix interferences in the chromatographic analysis of samples. Conventional one-dimensional chromatographic techniques, such as gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS), are not sufficient for the analysis and quantitation of complex PAH mixtures present in environmental samples due to the high degree of overlap in compound vapor pressures, boiling points, and mass spectral fragmentation patterns. Therefore, the separation and quantitation of complex mixtures of individual PAH compounds in environmental samples requires high chromatographic resolution. Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled to time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC��GC/ToF-MS) was used for this study. GC��GC/ToF-MS uses two different gas chromatographic columns, with different separation mechanisms, for the analysis of complex environmental samples. In theory, the peak capacity in GC��GC/ToF-MS is equivalent to the product of the individual peak capacities of each column used. However, in practice, this is rarely obtained because of the existing correlation between the two GC columns used. This dissertation is a compilation of three studies related to analytical method development for the identification and quantitation of complex PAH mixtures (including parent-PAHs, alkyl-PAHs, oxy-PAHs, nitro-PAHs, thio-PAHs, chloro-PAHs, bromo-PAHs and PAHs with molecular weight higher than 300 Da) that may be present in environmental samples using novel column combinations in GC��GC/ToF-MS. The use of a liquid crystal column (LC-50) in the first dimension, followed by a nano-stationary phase column (NSP-35) in the second dimension, was evaluated for the separation of a standard PAH mixture containing 97 different PAHs. Two standard reference materials purchased from NIST (NIST SRM1650b ��� Diesel Particulate Matter and NIST SRM1975 ��� Diesel Extract) were used, after extraction and cleanup, for method validation and comparison between the commonly used non-polar �� polar column combination and the LC-50 �� NSP-35 column combination with high orthogonality. As part of the method validation, an aliquot of NIST SRM1975 (Diesel extract), without sample cleanup was also analyzed for PAHs, showing that the LC-50 �� NSP-35 column combination was accurate (with an average absolute percent difference of approximately 30%) for the identification and quantitation of complex PAH mixtures in environmental samples, with reduced sample preparation prior to analysis. In addition, the LC-50 �� NSP-35 column combination was used for the analysis of PAHs sorbed to polystyrene pellets deployed in an urban bay area as passive water samplers because one-dimensional GC/MS was ineffective due to the presence of a strong unresolved complex mixture (UCM) and matrix interferences. / Graduation date: 2013 / Access restricted to the OSU Community at author's request from Dec. 27, 2012 - June 27, 2013