Segmentation of Somatic Cells in Goat Milk Using Color Space CIELAB

Somatic cell counts （SCCs） levels indicate the occurrence of infections in goat udders and are related to the productivity of goat milk, cheese and yoghurt. This work presents a segmentation method for counting somatic cells in goat milk images, intending to detect an infection known as mastiffs, which is the major cause of loss in dairy farming. The image segmentation procedure is devised by using the lab color space and the watershed transform. A large number of samples under variable preparation conditions are treated with the proposed method. A comparison between manual and the proposed technique is presented. Promising results indicates that video-microscopy systems may be employed to develop automated SCC for goat milk.

A Strategy of Density-Based Partitioning for Scalability Problem in Network Self-management

A density-based partitioning strategy is proposed for large domain networks in order to deal with the scalability issue found in autonomic networks considering, as a scenario, the autonomic Quality of Service （QoS） management context. The approach adopted focus as on obtaining dense network partitions having more paths for a given vertices set in the domain. It is demonstrated that dense partitions improve autonomic processing scalability, for instance, reducing routing process complexity. The solution looks for a significant trade-off between partition autonomic algorithm execution time and path selection quality in large domains. Simulation scenarios for path selection execution time are presented and discussed. Authors argue that autonomic networks may benefit from the dense partition approach proposed by achieving scalable, efficient and near real-time support for autonomic management systems.

Classification of Ultrasonic Signs Pre-processed by Fourier Transform through Artificial Neural Network Using the Echo Pulse Technique for the Identification of Defects in Welded Joints of Structural Steel

It is due to the need to ensure the security and integrity of equipment, that the non-destructive tests have been increasingly used in the industrial sector. Among these, the ultrasonic pulse echo technique is the most used in industry, mainly for its simplicity and efficiency. With one transducer only, it is possible to emit the ultrasonic and receive the echo pulse. The ANNs （artificial neural networks） are artificial intelligence techniques that, when properly trained, align themselves to inspection tests becoming a powerful tool in the detection and fault identification. In this work, the echo pulse technique was used to detect discontinuities in welds, where ANNs were fed from the information obtained by digital signal processing techniques （Fourier transform）, to identify and classify three distinct classes of defects. Results showed that with the combination of feature extraction by Fourier transformation and classification with neural networks, it is possible to obtain an automatic defect detection system in welded joints with average efficiency.

Application of NURBS for Obtaining Free Form Curves and Surfaces in Spur and Helical Gears by Using CMM （Coordinate Measurement Machine）

Currently, engineering processes require reduced manufacturing time and low cost, in addition to the growing demand for workpieces with high accuracy. Workpieces with complex geometries and free forms has been a common practice in industries from different sectors such as： automotive, aeronautics, bioengineering among others. One way to satisfy the market requirements satisfactorily is making measurements more efficient to make the production process faster, in other words, it is necessary to make the inspection system more accurate and flexible. The coordinate measuring evolved over the past three decades and today it is the technology that best meets the requirements of modem manufacturing through CMMs （coordinate measurement machines）. The CMMs are important tool for design, fabrication and inspection of manufactured products, also used in the application of reverse engineering. These machines are also used by engineers in order to produce an accurate digital model in a virtual space for later use in CAD （computer-aided design）/CAM （computer-aided manufacturing）. It is worth mentioning that the accuracy of the modeling process of given piece depends on the number of control points that are captured on the workpiece surface. Consequently, the laser inspection systems are the best tools for use in reverse engineering, but more expensive when compared to contact measurement systems that use the TTP （touch trigger probe）, also used by CMMs. In this case, this paper aims to present an approach based on NURBS （non-uniform rational B-splines） to obtain free form curves and surfaces from a group of points obtained by using a contact sensor, the touch trigger probe. NURBS is an important mathematical tool and consists of generalizations of Bezier curves and surfaces and B-splines. The approach proposed in this paper can be applied for obtaining free form curves and surfaces in spur and helical gears. Experimental results obtained by measuring spur gears showed that the NURBS technique contributes for application of CMMs with touch trigger probe in reverse engineering.

Rabies outbreak in Brazil: first case series in children from an indigenous village

BackgroundHuman rabies outbreak transmitted by bats continues to be a relevant public health problem not only in the Amazon region. The disease has affected one of the areas with the greatest poverty in southeastern Brazil, a region inhabited by the Maxakali indigenous people.Case presentationWe describe four cases of rabies among indigenous children that occurred in the indigenous village of Pradinho, municipality of Bertópolis, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Cases were notified between April and May 2022, all of whom died on average eight days after the first symptoms. All cases were observed in rural residents under 12 years of age. The probable form of exposure was through bat bites. The predominant symptoms were prostration, fever, dyspnea, sialorrhea, tachycardia, and altered level of consciousness. Half of the cases underwent late and/or incomplete post-exposure rabies prophylaxis, however, the other half underwent pre-exposure rabies prophylaxis, with only one case completing the scheme and another undergoing the adapted Milwaukee Protocol (Recife Protocol). All cases ended in death.ConclusionsThis was the first rabies outbreak among indigenous people in Brazil. Among the manifested clinical forms in the series, there was a disease atypical presentation in at least one case. We suggest active surveillance and an intercultural educational campaign to prevent new cases.