Mark Dougherty

... An online knowledge-based system (KBS) for interpreting ultrasonic data (Hogood, 1989) was reported. ... Later, this work was extended to an Algorithmic and Rule-Based Blackboard System (ARBS) for ultrasonic image (B-scan) interpretation(30), using neural networks and ...

of railway sleepers. Several types of sleeper construction may be used, depending on the circumstances. Wood and concrete being the most common types; steel and plastic are also now being used. Wooden railway sleeper inspections are currently done by hand. That is to say, a human inspector in charge of the maintenance activities visually examines each structure in turn for

ABSTRACT In 2001 Ho"gskolan Dalarna launched a masters programme in computer science. This programme hasattracted a large number of applications from international students. This has yielded many exciting opportunities, but also given rise to some problems, both practical and academic. A key element of thesuccess in solving some of these problems has been to make the programme highly modular in structure, allowing two intakes per year. This has been the key to developing a peer group support system that ismuch appreciated by the students. Another key element in the modular structure is that studies can be partly done in partner universities member of the INHEE network. INHEE is a International Network forHigher Education in Engineering and most partners are small european universities.

ABSTRACT A test battery (10) for patients having fluctuating movement disorder, e.g. Parkinson's disease, comprises both a motor test section (17) and a patient diary collection section (19) collecting data representing patient subjective experiences. The test battery (10) further comprises a scheduler (20), which is arranged to restrict operation of the motor test section (17) and the patient diary collection section (19) to a multitude of predetermined limited time intervals. This restriction in time provides an association in time between the two types of tests, as well as a possibility for timing the test intervals dependent on e.g. the medication schedule or the daily activity schedule. The limited time intervals are preferably shorter than or equal to one hour, and preferably there is at least one limited time interval each 24 hours. The test battery (10) is preferably implemented as a portable device, enabling monitoring under home environment conditions.

MACHINE VISION FOR AUTOMATING VISUAL CONDITION MONITORING OF RAILWAY SLEEPERS Siril Yella1,2 , Mark Dougherty1 , Naren K. Gupta2 , 1 Department of Computer Engineering, Dalarna University, Borlange 784 41, Sweden 2 School of Engineering, Napier ...

Objective: We present a new evaluation of levodopa plasma concentrations and clinical effects during duodenal infusion of a levodopa/carbidopa gel (Duodopa ) in 12 patients with advanced Parkinson s disease (PD), from a study reported previously (Nyholm et al, Clin Neuropharmacol 2003; 26(3): 156-163). One objective was to investigate in what state of PD we can see the greatest benefits with infusion compared with corresponding oral treatment (Sinemet CR). Another objective was to identify fluctuating response to levodopa and correlate to variables related to disease progression. Methods: We have computed mean absolute error (MAE) and mean squared error (MSE) for the clinical rating from -3 (severe parkinsonism) to +3 (severe dyskinesia) as measures of the clinical state over the treatment periods of the study. Standard deviation (SD) of the rating was used as a measure of response fluctuations. Linear regression and visual inspection of graphs were used to estimate relationships be...

Backgound and aims: The main purpose of the PEDAL study is to identify and estimate sample individual pharmacokinetic- pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) models for duodenal infusion of levodopa/carbidopa (Duodopa®) that can be used for in numero simulation of treatment strategies. Other objectives are to study the absorption of Duodopa® and to form a basis for power calculation for a future larger study. PK/PD based on oral levodopa is problematic because of irregular gastric emptying. Preliminary work with data from [Gundert-Remy U et al. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 1983;25:69-72] suggested that levodopa infusion pharmacokinetics can be described by a two-compartment model. Background research led to a hypothesis for an effect model incorporating concentration-unrelated fluctuations, more complex than standard E-max models. Methods: PEDAL involved a few patients already on Duodopa®. A bolus dose (normal morning dose plus 50%) was given after a washout during night. Data collection continued until t...

... Landscape Architecture, 104 Dudley Hall, Auburn University, Auburn, AL Earl Norton College of Agriculture, 300 Corley Building, Auburn University, Auburn, AL ... actuated, solar-powered bilge pumps to evacuate unsampled plot runoff volumes during storm events. ...

ABSTRACT In the southeast U.S., an increasingly-popular precision irrigation practice is the utilization of Subsurface Drip Irrigation (SDI) to supply water to crops. Its popularity can be contributed to its application in small-irregular fields, lower energy requirement and higher water-use efficiency compared to pivot irrigation. An SDI tape product was installed in 2003 in a 6.1-ha (15-acre) field in Northern Alabama to evaluate water-use efficiencies of a variety of agronomic crops. Despite the use of pressure-compensating emitters, observed moisture variability across the study site and within plots suggested either clogged emitters or flow rate differences between emitters. However, excavating soil from sections of the SDI product in order to conduct emitter-uniformity testing was infeasible due to the soil-profile disturbance impacting ongoing research and time commitment to unearth and conduct such an in-field analysis. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to 1) develop and validate an in-situ testing methodology to assess SDI product application uniformity, and 2) determine whether variable operating pressure or terrain slope impacts application uniformity. Laboratory tests were initially conducted over a range of operating pressures (48, 83, 117, and 138 kPa; 7, 12, 17, and 20 psi) in order to anticipate new-product performance; as expected, neither operating pressure nor slope affected the performance of the samples. Next, the experimentation plot was spatially evaluated to determine testing locations based on apparent surface slope. A testing apparatus was then fabricated to interface with the SDI product in order to deliver water over a range of operating pressures while determining sample discharge. This apparatus was tested in laboratory conditions in order to compare population-discharge values derived from the apparatus with per-emitter discharge values; apparatus estimates agreed within one percent of per-emitter discharge rates, so we determined the equipment and the methodology were sound. Surface-slope modeling was not an accurate predictor for drip-line slope estimation, so SDI slope effect could not be fully evaluated as anticipated in this study. Neither system activity (as indicated by “irrigated” or “non-irrigated” SDI lines within the plot) nor variable operating pressure had an effect on discharge values; however, certain testing samples exhibited questionable flow. Spatial yield data were compared with sample locations to determine if yield was affected by potential SDI clogging in the location in question Lint yield from the suspect location was equal to the yield across all irrigated plots (1.26 bales/ha), but the individual irrigated plot that contained the suspect sample witnessed the lowest yield (1.12 bales/ha) for the irrigation treatment. In this situation, irrigation variability relative to the rest of the experiment plot should be considered. Conclusion was that this equipment and methodology can help provide a less intrusive method to evaluate in-situ SDI performance.

ABSTRACT Results are presented for a first year study that investigates different fertigation treatments for cotton produced using precision agriculture in the Tennessee Valley of Alabama. The study evaluates the timing and placement of soluble nitrogen and potassium (K2O) fertilizer on cotton using four different fertigation treatments and a non-fertigated control irrigated with sub-surface drip irrigation (SDI) tape. The pressure-compensating SDI product was installed in 2005 using an auto-guidance system to ensure all tape runs are precisely located parallel and 80 inches apart. The experimental plots consist of four replications of five eight-row treatments that compare four fertigation management scenarios and one conventional side-dress treatment. Each of the resulting twenty treatment plots has eight 360-foot rows of cotton on 40-inch row spacing, with SDI tape buried approximately 15 inches between every other row of cotton. The response to treatments is quantified by measuring yield, quality, and nutrient uptake of the cotton. Results show that fertigated cotton yields were higher than the non-fertigated control, with higher yields observed in the three treatments receiving fertigation within 50 days of square. The two highest yielding treatments also received 20 and 40 pounds, respectively, of pre-plant surface nitrogen and potassium. Fertigated cotton yields averaged 3.0 bales per acre compared with 2.6 bales per acre for the non-fertigated control and 2.2 bales per acre in a nearby sprinkler-irrigated study.

... aha0001@auburn.edu John P. Fulton, Associate Professor, Biosystems Engineering Dept., Auburn University, 200 Corley Bldg., Auburn University, AL 36849-5417. ... yield, water use efficiency and nutrient uptake (Janat and Somi 2001a, b; Janat, 2004; Enciso-...

... Samira Ghiamati Dept. ... [3] S Yella, NK Gupta, M Dougherty, 'Comparison of pattern recognition techniques for the classification of impact acoustic emissions', Transportation Research: Part C-Emerging technologies, ISSN: 0968-090X, Vol. ...

During INTEX-B (both Milagro and IMPEX phases in Spring 2006) and during the summer TEXAQS- 2006/GOMACCS period, the INTEX Ozonesonde Network Study (IONS-06) coordinated ozonesonde launches over North America for Aura overpasses. IONS-06 supported aircraft operations and provided profiles for ozone budgets and pollution transport, satellite validation and evaluation of models. In contrast to IONS-04, IONS-06 had a greater range

ABSTRACT In the southeastern United States where rainfall can be limited during the growing season, irrigation is utilized to minimize crop yield variability from year-to-year. Additionally, with concerns over unpredictable fuel prices, producers have become interested in growing alternative crops for the production of biofuels such as biodiesel. This investigation is being conducted in the Tennessee Valley of Alabama, an area where soybeans and canola are not typically grown. Treatments consisted of 6 different levels of irrigation; rainfed, 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%, and 125% pan evaporation adjusted for crop canopy and two crop rotations; 1) continuous cotton and 2) canola-soybean-cotton. A split-plot experimental design with four replications totaling 48 plots was used. Each plot was irrigated independently by 4 quarter-throw sprinklers located at plot corners. At harvest, yield data was collected with lint quality assessed for seed cotton and seed samples were analyzed for seed protein, seed oil, and oil FFA. Significant differences were experienced for protein concentrations in cotton showing a decrease as irrigation levels increased. No differences were observed in canola seed oil and FFA content, a finding that can be attributed to the fact that canola was grown during the winter months requiring limited irrigation. Neither soybean nor canola characteristics were significantly different for the 6 irrigation treatments. However, a trend in protein concentration for soybeans and canola was observed indicating that with higher levels of irrigation, protein concentration decreased. Oil concentration in all three oilseeds showed a trend to increase with a rise in irrigation although there were no significant differences. This data was used to determine how variable FFA concentrations can impact the cost of small-scale on-farm biodiesel operations. No oilseed in this experiment yielded FFA concentrations above 1% and should pose no issue in biodiesel production. That being the case, it was determined that the most economical biodiesel production method was to utilize 1% sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and a molar ratio of methyl alcohol to oil of 6:1 which should yield >96% ester at a cost of $0.16/L for a small-scale batch. Overhead, equipment, and operational costs were excluded from the biodiesel production cost.

Abstract—In this paper, a novel approach to recognize road signs is developed. Images of road signs are collected by a digital camera mounted in a vehicle. They are segmented using colour information and all objects which represent signs are extracted, normalized to 36x36 ...

2 Abstract. This paper presents an overview of the road and traffic sign detection and recognition. It describes the characteristics of the road signs, the requirements and difficulties behind road signs detection and recognition, how to deal with outdoor images, and the different techniques used in the image segmentation based on the colour analysis, shape analysis. It shows also the techniques used for the recognition and classification of the road signs. Although image processing plays a central role in the road signs recognition, especially in colour analysis, but the paper points to many problems regarding the stability of the received information of colours, variations of these colours with respect to the daylight conditions, and absence of a colour model that can led to a good solution. This means that there is a lot of work to be done in the field, and a lot of improvement can be achieved. Neural networks were widely used in the detection and the recognition of the road sign...

Thermal infrared (TIR) imagery has shown promise for early detection of crop stress while conservation tillage practices have provided benefits to cotton production. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate cotton production on rolling terrain irrigated with subsurface-drip irrigation (SDI) while using TIR for in-season detection of cotton response to irrigation and management in Northern Alabama. A 15-acre field located at the Tennessee Valley Research and Extension Center (TVREC) was used for this study. The field was managed as a no-tillage, continuous cotton system. Treatments consisted of irrigation (SDI vs. non-irrigated) and crop residue cover (cover vs. no-cover). TIR imagery was acquired in-season using an unmanned aerial system equipped with a TIR sensor. Results indicated that TIR emittance correlated well with canopy cover (r = -0.44, alpha < 0.05) and stomatal conductance (r= -0.48, alpha < 0.05). Differences between irrigated and non-irrigated plots ex...

Today the field of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) is a multi- disciplinary research topic involving subjects of interest from many areas. This interdisciplinary nature of the subject has resulted in a rapid growth of the area and has provided the necessary scope of work for people from different backgrounds. As a result, many interesting and sophisticated solutions within the area have emerged. On the other hand, the enormous growth of ITS houses various philosophical schools and numerous philosophical challenges to which many of us have been quite reluctant to face up to. The paper outlines the various philosophical schools that co-exist within the field of transportation, with particular emphasis on ITS and aim to address the various philosophical challenges that ITS as an area has to offer. Challenges concerning the flexibility of education offered within the area and issues regarding career orientation have been discussed. This can provide a clear idea about the area a...

A biofilm reactor and a gravitational filtration bed were integrated as a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) to aerobically treat a municipal wastewater. Polyacrylonitrile balls (50 mm diameter, 90% porosity) were filled into the upper part of the SBR as biofilm attaching materials and anthracite coal (particle size approximately 1.17 mm) was placed into the lower part as filter media. The SBR was aerated during filling and reaction phases, followed by a 10 min discharge phase during which the wastewater went through the filtration bed without aeration. The SBR was tested with raw wastewater from a municipal WWTP in Wuhan, China from July 2006 to January 2007, during both a warm season and a cold season. The SBR showed a capability to accept COD and turbidity fluctuations in the receiving wastewater. Seasonal influence on COD and nitrogen removal by the biofilm reactor was significant. Nitrogen and phosphorus removals were limited by COD levels in the wastewater. The filtration process removed considerable COD, nitrogen, phosphorus, and turbidity. The overall SBR effluent quality consistently satisfied the national secondary effluent discharge standard of China, except for total phosphorus. An anaerobic phase before the aerobic reaction is proposed to improve phosphorus and nitrogen removal. The filter normally required a backwash every seven days and the water needed for backwash was less than 4% of the wastewater treated by the SBR. This experiment provides information needed for further investigation to improve performance of the SBR.